Spike The Brony Dragon

by red4567

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Human, Other, Princess Luna, Spike
Length: 440494

A human in Spike's body will do whatever he can to change the future for the better.

Long story short, I was a brony. I woke up one day to find myself in Spike's body. Dream come true, right? I'm in Equestria, I could interact with my favorite ponies, etc.

Well, as it turns out, I just happened to wake up right at the beginning of Season 1. Which could only mean one thing: I can change the future of Equestria. I could solve problems prematurely, prevent disasters from happening, and keep Twilight from going insane.

So now, my mission isn't to hug my favorite ponies, but to make sure everyone gets a happy life.

Published 2020-02-24 00:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2025-02-08 18:51:23 UTC

Chapter 1 (Friendship is Magic Part 1)

When I woke up, I felt like I got hit by a truck.

Ugh, my head.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I had no idea how long I was asleep. When I opened my eyes, I noticed I wasn't home anymore.

The room looked like a high-class library. Somehow, it seemed familiar to me. A much bigger bed stood next to me. As I exited my bed, I felt like I've shrunk.

"Hello?" I called out. I suddenly covered my mouth. That wasn't my voice, it was someone else's.

As I removed my hands, I noticed that they were not human hands. They were purple and scaly. I looked down at my body. My belly was purple and green, and I had two small feet that were also purple.

My eyes widened. I knew what happened to me. I searched around the room and found a mirror. I looked into it, and my assumptions were correct. Instead of a human, my reflection was a dragon. Not just any dragon. It was Spike the Dragon.

I liked Spike as much as the next brony, but never had I thought I was going to be him. I pinched myself, but the pain indicated it was no dream.

I'm Spike. I'm in Equestria...wait...

I was in Equestria. I was in one of my favorite fictional places. I could finally interact with all my favorite ponies and non-ponies. Aside from being a dragon, it was like a dream come true. I gave a big grin.

I looked in the mirror again and noticed Spike didn't have any wings. I must've traveled back before Spike's, or “my” in this case, molt. That's when I realized I should find out what day it was. I searched for a calendar. There was one on a nightstand that said it was the middle of June. There was printed text that said, “Summer Sun Celebration,” along with something handwritten on the same date.

"Moondancer's Birthday."

It was then I knew when and where I was. I was at the very first episode. I knew what was going to happen. Twilight Sparkle will say that Nightmare Moon is returning, then Princess Celestia will say she should make some friends, and then Twilight and her new friends will defeat Nightmare Moon and save Princess Luna.

That got me thinking. What if I could change what would happen? I could prevent major disasters from happening, or find a different way to stop them. Of course, there would still be some things that I may not stop, like the Storm King coming or King Sombra returning. But since I was here, I was going to try to fix as much as I could.

A present nearby caught my eye. I read the tag. It said:

"To Moondancer
From Spike"

Must be for Moondancer's party.

I picked up the present and walked to the door. But suddenly, I stopped. I took a couple of steps back and waited a bit. I heard hoofbeats approaching, followed by the doors slamming open. And unlike last time, I wasn't knocked back.

You're welcome, Spike.

A purple unicorn ran into the room and up the stairs. The violet mane and the sparkling cutie mark told me that this was Twilight Sparkle. She didn't know it yet, but she was going to be the most famous mare in all of Equestria.

"Spike! Spike! Spike?!" Twilight called out.

"I'm right here, Twilight," I answered. "What is it?"

"There you are. Quick, find me that old copy of Predictions and Prophecies." She then noticed the present. "What's that for?"

"It's for Moondancer's party."

"Oh, Spike, you know we don't have time for that sort of thing."

Wow. I almost forgot how antisocial Twilight was.

Not wasting time, I placed the present on a nearby table and climbed the ladder. Thank goodness Twilight's a neat freak, because I found the book in no time.

"I found it, Twilight! Catch!" I threw the book in Twilight's direction. I didn't have to worry about her pulling me off the ladder with her magic. "Why do you need that book, anyway? Is the mare in the moon coming to visit?" I chuckled.

"That's not funny, Spike!" Twilight yelled as she flipped through the pages of the book. "Aha! 'Elements of Harmony, see: Mare in the Moon'?"

"Oh, come on, Twilight. It's just an old ponies' tale," I said. I knew it wasn't, but I needed to stay in character so nopony will get suspicious.

Twilight continued looking through the book. "Mare, mare... aha! 'The Mare in the Moon, myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal'!" She then gasped. "Spike! Do you know what this means?!"

"The mare in the moon is actually coming to visit?" I asked.

"Exactly. Take a note, please. To the princess." Twilight handed me a quill and paper.

"Okie dokey." I was about to say "loki" after that, but since we haven't met Pinkie yet, I decided to drop it.

Twilight cleared her throat. “My dearest teacher, my continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster! For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is in fact Nightmare Moon, and she's about to return to Equestria, and bring with her eternal night! Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true. I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.”

It was hard to keep up with her, but at least I understood what she meant by “precipice.”

“Okay, got it,” I said.

“Great,” said Twilight. “Send it.”

That’s when something flashed across my mind. I had no idea how Spike used his firebreath to send scrolls.

How did he do it? Does he subconsciously say where to send the letter? How does he even breath fire?

“Now, Spike!”

“Sorry!” I decided to go with my gut feeling. I said in my mind, “Send this to Princess Celestia,” and blew on the scroll. Fire came out of my mouth and sent the scroll away. I really dodged a bullet there. I hated to see the look on Twilight's face if I burned the scroll by mistake.

Then I remembered something. I looked under the bookshelves and found the book I was looking for.

“Hey, Twilight, have you read this book yet?” I showed it to her.

“Perfection: The Impossible Pursuit,” Twilight read. “Oh, I forgot about that. I’ll have to read that some other time, though. Because now, we’ve got a problem on our hooves. The day after tomorrow is the thousandth year of the Summer Sun Celebration! That's the day Nightmare Moon arrives! It's imperative that the Princess is told right away!”

“We could always return the book if you’re not going to read it. Where’s your library card?”

Just then my stomach started squeezing. I felt like I just drank a gallon of root beer. Quickly, I dropped the book and aimed my head to the sky. With a loud belch, a scroll appeared out of thin air.

“I knew she would want to take immediate action,” Twilight said.

I sighed and cleared my throat. “My dearest, most faithful student Twilight. You know that I value your diligence and that I trust you completely, but you simply must stop reading those dusty old books!” I heard Twilight gasp. “Meet me near the castle grounds, and I will speak to you about this ’precipice’. Signed, Princess Celestia.”

Twilight groaned. I figured she would react like that, even though it was never shown in the show.

“Twilight, why don’t you go and see what Celestia wants? I need to take care of some things.”

“Fine.” She handed me her library card. “If you’re gonna return that book, then go ahead. But don’t lose my card!”

“I won’t.”

Twilight headed out. I grabbed the book, the card, and the present and headed out as well. As I was running, I realized something. I don’t know where the library was. Thankfully, I didn’t have to run far to see a map of Canterlot. After reading the map, I noticed that the library was close to where I was, so I went there first.

I entered the library and headed to where Dusty Pages was.

“Hey, there, Spike,” she said. “Good to see you.”

“Likewise,” I said. “I came to return a book for Twilight.”

“Ah, yes, Perfection: The Impossible Pursuit. It’s a very popular book. I’m glad you could return it for her.”

“Well, I didn’t want her reputation as the ‘best book borrower’ go down the drain.”

Dusty chuckled as she stamped the ticket in the book. “Yet another book from Twilight that’s been turned in on time. Thank you. Do tell Twilight I said ‘hello’.”

“Will do. See you later, Dusty Pages.” As I headed out the library, I couldn’t help but think I should’ve left the book where it was, as it could teach Twilight that perfection isn’t everything. Then again, I don’t think she even read it after keeping it. I still hated that trivia episode.

Now that the book was returned, I needed to get to Moondancer’s party. But I had no idea where Moondancer lives, and it wasn’t like there were signs telling me who lived where. That’s when I noticed one of the royal guards.

“Excuse me,” I said to him. “Can you tell me where Moondancer lives?”

The guard nodded and escorted me to Moondancer’s place. I saw balloons and ribbons everywhere. I thanked the guard and headed inside. Moondancer and her friends where already setting up the party.

I called out to Moondancer. “Moondancer! Over here.”

“Oh hey, Spike! Where’s Twilight? She’s missing out on the party.”

“That’s the thing,” I said. “Twilight can’t come to your party.”

“Aww.” Moondancer sighed. "Why not?"

“Don't take it the wrong way. It’s not that she doesn’t want to hang out with you or the other girls. Twilight would love to come to your party. It’s just that Princess Celestia wants Twilight to go to Ponyville for some reason, and it must be important if it’s a task from the Princess. I promise, Twilight and I will come visit you when we get the chance.”

“I understand. Thank you for telling me, Spike.”

“You’re welcome. Oh, and...Happy Birthday, Moondancer.” I gave her my present.

“Thanks.” She took the present and then hugged me. This was the first time I was hugged by a pony. It was actually very nice. After she let go, I took one of the cookies and headed out.

I was really proud of myself. I returned Twilight’s book, and I saved her friend from a heartbreak. That was two episodes resolved early. Still, though, I would've liked it if Moondancer was wearing her sweater. I thought she looked really cute in it.

Author's Note

The title of the episodes indicate when each chapter took place.

Chapter 2 (Friendship is Magic Part 1)

As we rode on the pegasus-drawn carriage, I read the letter given to the Princess.

“My dear Twilight, there is more to a young pony's life than studying, so I'm sending you to supervise the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration in this year's location: Ponyville. And, I have an even more essential task for you to complete: make some friends!’

As I finished reading the letter, I heard Twilight groan again. Normally, this would be the part where Spike says that Princess Celestia arranged for Twilight to live in a library and if it makes her happy. But this time, I was Spike, so I decided to say something else.

“Twilight...what if Princess Celestia doesn’t want you to get involved in this crisis?”

“I’m sorry?” Twilight’s ears perked up.

“Think about it. Nightmare Moon is practically her sister. You may be talented with magic, but you can’t compete with an alicorn. It’s best to have Celestia deal with this. She sent Nightmare Moon to the moon before, she can do it again. Heck, I bet Nightmare Moon will be back on the moon by the time the celebration starts.”

“I sure hope so Spike.”

“But in the meantime, you should do what Celestia says: prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration, and make some friends.”

“Oh come on, Spike. The fate of Equestria does not rest on me making friends.”

Oh, how wrong you’re gonna be.

We landed in the center of town. The horses who carried us neighed as Twilight thanked them. To be honest, it felt weird hearing ponies neigh here. As we got off, I noticed a familiar pink pony.

“Pinkie Pie...” I said under my breath.

“What did you say, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Uh-Uh-I said...Maybe the ponies in Ponyville have interesting things to talk about.” I saw Pinkie approaching us. “Come on Twilight, just try.”

Twilight could only awkwardly say hello, before Pinkie gasped and took off.

“Well, that was interesting, alright,” She said.

I sighed. I liked Pinkie Pie’s optimism and her constant fourth-wall breaks, but sometimes she can be too full of energy for me.

Then something struck in my mind. What if she or Discord knew who I really was? What would happen then? How would I explain myself to the other ponies? Will I end up going back? Not that I wanted to. A lot of good stuff has happened to me so far. I got hugged by Moondancer, I returned a library book, and since I knew what was going to happen, I didn’t take any beatings.

As Twilight and I headed to Sweet Apple Acres, I got out the list of what needs to be done.

“Summer Sun Celebration official overseer's checklist. Number one, banquet preparations: Sweet Apple Acres.”

We’ve only took a few steps into the farm when we heard a familiar “YEEHAW!!” We looked to see an orange pony with a cowboy hat bucking a tree full of apples. This was Applejack.

Twilight sighed. “Let’s get this over with.” She approached Applejack and said, “Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Sparkle—”

She couldn’t finish her sentence because Applejack suddenly gave her one of the firmest hoof-shakes I’ve seen on the show.

“Well, howdy-doo, Miss Twilight! A pleasure makin' your acquaintance. I'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like makin' new friends!”

I forgot how high Applejack’s voice sounded in the early seasons.

“So, what can I do you for?” Applejack asked as she released her grip on Twilight.

Twilight’s hoof was still shaking. I stopped it before I started to snicker. It was actually pretty funny.

“I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration,” Twilight said. “And you're in charge of the food?”

“We sure as sugar are,” Applejack replied. “Care to sample some?”

“Sure,” I said, “We’d like to see what you've came up with.”

Twilight glared at me while Applejack rang a triangle.

“SOUP’S ON, EVERYPONY!!”

Sure enough, a pony stampede came our way. Twilight and I were able to run to the gazebo without getting trampled.

“Now, why don't I introduce y'all to the Apple family?” As Applejack introduced us to each family member, they put an apple related dish on the table. I have to admit, the food looked really delicious. I’m glad I wasn’t allergic to apples, or this would’ve been Tartarus for me.

“Okay, well, I can see the food situation is handled,” Twilight said as she hopped off the table, “so we'll be on our way.” She was then stopped by one of the cutest fillies in Equestria.

“Aren’t ya gonna stay for brunch?” Applebloom asked as she gave Twilight the puppy-eyed look.

“Sorry but—” Twilight started to say, but I quickly covered her mouth.

“We’d love to,” I said. The entire family cheered while Twilight growled at me.

After eating a hearty brunch, we were on our way.

“Food's all taken care of, next is weather,” I said. I looked back to see a bloated Twilight following me. I was full from that meal, but Twilight was even fuller. She looked like she swallowed an entire watermelon.

“Ugh...I ate too much pie...” she moaned.

I looked up and noticed that the sky was cloudy.

“That’s odd, there’s supposed to be a pegasus pony named Rainbow Dash clearing the clouds,” I said.

“Well, she’s not doing a very good job, is she?” Twilight said.

Then I remembered what happened next. “TWILIGHT! DUCK!!”

Twilight quickly threw her head down just in time as a cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane zoomed past her. The said pegasus quickly stopped and flew back to Twilight.

“Are you alright, miss? Sorry, I didn’t...” She then noticed how messed up Twilight’s mane was. Apparently, the wind from the pegasus’s flying caused Twilight to look like an abandoned brushable pony. The pegasus couldn’t help but guffaw at Twilight’s misfortune. I ended up chuckling as well, but I regained my composure.

“Are you Rainbow Dash?” I asked.

“The one and only!” The pegasus declared. “Why, you heard of me?”

“I heard you were supposed to be keeping the sky clear.” Twilight sighed. “I'm Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather.”

“Yeah, yeah, that’ll be a snap,” Dash said as she laid on a cloud. “I'll do it in a jiffy. Just as soon as I'm done practicing.”

“Practicing for what?”

“The Wonderbolts! They're gonna perform at the Celebration tomorrow, and I'm gonna show 'em my stuff!”

“Well, they can’t perform in a cloudy sky,” I said. “Nopony will see them, and I doubt they’ll let a pegasus in if she can’t keep a sky clear for one measly day.”

That got her attention. “Hey! Listen, dragon! I can clear this sky in ten seconds flat.”

“Prove it,” I said.

As the pegasus cleared the sky, I counted the seconds. Surprisingly, it was exactly ten seconds.

“What'd I say? Ten. Seconds. Flat. I'd never leave Ponyville hanging.” Rainbow Dash chuckled as Twilight and I were left with dumbfounded expressions. “You should see the look on your faces. Ha! You two are a laugh. I can't wait to hang out some more.”

“She’s amazing!” I said as she flew off. Although, in reality, I’m not really a fan of her. I’m not saying she’s the worst pony I’ve met, but if I arranged the Mane 6 in order from best to worst, she would be at the worst. I'm not really a fan of characters full of themselves.

Twilight and I headed to the Town Hall next. I knew who were going to meet there: Spike’s long-term crush, Rarity. I’ve been a fan of Sparity for a while, and I could see them together under the right conditions. I just needed to know how I could ease myself into the relationship.

We entered the Town Hall and saw the decorations.

“Beautiful,” I said.

“Yes,” said Twilight. “The décor is coming along nicely. This ought to be quick. I'll be at the library in no time. Beautiful indeed.”

“Not the decor. Her!” I pointed at the white mare with a curly purple mane. She was checking which ribbon looked better on the post. “How are my spines? Are they straight?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Good afternoon,” she said to Rarity.

“Just a moment, please!” Rarity said, “I'm 'in the zone', as it were.” After looking at all the ribbons, she finally decided to go with one that sparkles. “Oh, Rarity, you are a talent. Now, um, how can I help you—WAH-HA-HA!! Oh my stars, darling! Whatever happened to your coiffure?!”

“Oh, you mean my mane?” Twilight asked. “It’s a long story. I'm just here to check on the decorations, and then I'll be out of your hair!”

“Out of my hair? What about your hair?” Rarity then pushed Twilight out of Town Hall. I followed after them.

At the Carousel Boutique, Rarity was trying different outfits on Twilight. She finally picked one that she thought looked good on Twilight.

“Now go on, my dear.” Rarity said as she tighten Twilight’s corset. “You were telling me where you're from.”

Since Twilight could barely breathe, let alone talk, I explained to Rarity, “Twilight and I came from Canterlot. We were sent here to—”

Rarity quickly released her grip from Twilight, sending the latter falling forwards.

“Canterlot?!” Rarity exclaimed. “Oh, I am so envious! The glamour, the sophistication! I have always dreamed of living there! I can't wait to hear all about it! We are all gonna be the best of friends!” She then took a closer look at the gems on Twilight’s clothes. “Emerald? What was I thinking? Let me get you some rubies.”

“Quick!” Twilight said, “Before she decides to dye my coat a new color.”

I quickly followed after her. As we were leaving, I called out to Rarity, “See you later!”

That was four of the Mane Six that we've met, and I know who's the last one.

Chapter 3 (Friendship is Magic Part 1)

“Wasn’t she wonderful?” I asked. Rarity was one of the ponies whom I really liked, but she wasn’t my favorite pony.

“Focus, Casanova,” Twilight said. “What’s next on the list?”

“Music. It’s the last one.”

Just then, Twilight and I heard birds singing. We looked to see a yellow pegasus near a tree full of birds. This was Fluttershy, my favorite pony. She was the cutest and kindest out of the Mane 6.

“Oh my, stop please, everyone,” said Fluttershy. Apparently, one of the birds had trouble with its rhythm.

The scene played out just like in the show. Twilight scared the birds away by mistake, she said hello to Fluttershy, Fluttershy acted very shy, and then the birds returned.

“Well, that was easy,” Twilight said as I approached her. I knew what was going to happen next.

3...2..1…

“A baby dragon!” Fluttershy exclaimed. She ran over and pushed Twilight aside. “Oh, I’ve never a baby dragon before! He’s so cute.”

“Well, well, well,” I said to Twilight. The fact that Fluttershy called me cute made me blush.

“Oh, my, he talks. I didn't know dragons could talk.”

Dragon and pony interaction sure has come a long way. I forgot how little they got along in the beginning.

“That's just so incredibly wonderful. I just don't even know what to say!” Fluttershy said with glee.

Then I felt something tugging me, and the next thing I knew I was flying onto Twilight’s back.

“Well, in that case, we’d better be going,” Twilight said.

“Wait, wait!” Fluttershy called out. “What’s his name?”

“I’m Spike,” I replied.

“Hi, Spike. I’m Fluttershy. Wow! A talking dragon. What do dragons talk about?”

“What do you want to know?”

“Absolutely everything.” After Fluttershy said that, I could hear Twilight moan.

“Well, I started out as a cute little purple polka-dotted egg...”

I didn’t know what was Spike’s past exactly, so I kept the story broad enough so Twilight wouldn’t get suspicious, yet Fluttershy would still be interested.

“...and that's the story of my whole entire life!” I said. “Well, up until today. Do you want to hear about today?”

“Oh, yes please!” Fluttershy replied.

But before I could say anything to her, Twilight quickly turning around. I was annoyed at first, but then I noticed what was before my eyes. The Golden Oaks Library. I thought I would never see it again. It’s a shame what happened to it after Tirek came along.

Which reminded me. I should try to find a way to prevent Tirek from escaping Tartarus. Obviously, I couldn’t just put him down, as that would be too morbid. I’d have to think of something. I knew that when Cerebus escaped, Tirek wasn’t in Tartarus anymore. I’ll have to keep that in mind.

“....and my poor baby dragon needs his sleep,” Twilight said.

I quickly jumped off. “No I don’t!” I rebutted. Twilight then bumped me with her flank, knocking me down.

Ow. At least she didn’t buck me off this time.

“Aww, wook at dat, he's so sweepy he can't even keep his widdle bawance!” Twilight said. I was less than amused.

“Poor thing.” Fluttershy picked me up. “You simply must get into bed.” She flew into the library. Twilight quickly released me from her grip and pushed her out.

“Yes, yes. We’ll get right on that. Well, goodnight!” Twilight slammed the door.

“Rude much, Twilight?” I asked.

“I’m sorry Spike. I just need to be alone so I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time. Now, where's the light?”

Suddenly the lights went on, followed by a bunch of ponies yelling, “Surprise!”

Then Pinkie jumped right in front of us.

“Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you!” She said. “Were you surprised? Were ya? Were ya? Huh huh huh?”

“Very surprised,” said Twilight. “Libraries are supposed to be quiet.”

Then Pinkie went on how boring quiet parties were and how we first met her. As she was talking, Twilight walked over to a table and poured herself a drink. I was confused why Twilight used her mouth instead of her magic. I think most of Twilight’s problems would’ve been solved if she’d remembered she had a horn. That’s when I noticed what Twilight was pouring.

“Uh, Twilight,” I said. “You’re pouring hot sauce.”

“Huh?” Twilight levitated the bottle and read it. “Oh, oops.” She grabbed a different bottle and another glass.

“See?” Pinkie continued. “Now you have lots and lots of friends.”

“Mm-hm.” Twilight pretended to listen as she drank from the glass.

“Why is there a bottle of hot sauce here, anyway?” I asked. I got my answer when Pinkie poured a bottle of it onto a cupcake before eating it. I was a bit grossed out by it.

“What?” Pinkie asked. “It’s good.”

Chapter 4 (Friendship is Magic Part 1 and 2)

The party was already in full swing. I noticed that Twilight wasn’t with us anymore. I didn’t think she would, so I went upstairs to her room.

“Hey, Twilight!” I called out. “Pinkie Pie's starting ‘pin the tail on the pony’! Wanna play?”

“No!” Twilight retorted. “All the ponies in this town are crazy!” This is coming from a pony who went insane trying to be on time. “Do you know what time it is?”

“It's the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration,” I replied. “Everypony has to stay up, or they'll miss the princess raising the sun.”

I would’ve said that Twilight should lighten up, but she wouldn’t listen. I threw the lampshade hat off, and marched straight up to her bed.

“Now, listen, little miss antisocial! The princess asked you to make some friends!” I pulled the pillow from her head. “I don’t care if you like it or not! Even Fluttershy is better at making friends than you! I swear, you’re as reclusive as Moondancer!”

Twilight gasped. “Oh, no! I forgot to tell Moondancer I was leaving!” She jumped out of bed. “I need to catch the train back too—”

I quickly pulled Twilight’s tail. “No, you don’t. I already told Moondancer you were leaving.”

“You did?”

“What did you think I was doing when you were meeting Princess Celestia? After I returned that book, I went and told Moondancer you couldn’t come because you were going to Ponyville for an important task. She understood it was a high priority for you, and she thanked me for the gift.”

“Spike...I...” Then her eyes widened. “Wait a minute. How did you know we were going to Ponyville before the Princess told us?”

Uh, oh. I was afraid someone would get suspicious.

“Well, with the Summer Sun Celebration right around the corner, I thought the Princess might’ve wanted you to check on preparations in Ponyville.”

“But how did you know it was going to be in Ponyville? They change location every year, you know.”

“It’s the closest town to Canterlot. I doubt she was going to send you anywhere else on the map.”

“Uh, huh...”

“Hey, look!” I pointed at the clock. “It’s almost time watch the sunrise!”

Twilight and I, along with the party ponies in the library, went to the Town Hall. It was surprisingly quiet.

Then Pinkie showed up out of nowhere. “Isn't this exciting? Are you excited, 'cause I'm excited, I've never been so excited— well, except for the time that I saw you walking into town and I went GASP! but I mean really, who can top that?”

I can think of one pony.

“Who?” Pinkie asked.

“Huh?” I asked.

“You said you knew somepony who can top my excitement.”

“Uh...I didn’t say anything like that.” I didn't think Pinkie could read minds.

“Okie dokie loki!”

Then the fanfare began, followed by ponies cheering. Then the mayor of Ponyville showed up.

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” the mayor announced, “as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration! In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria...Princess Celestia!”

Rarity pulled the curtain back, but just like in the show, Princess Celestia wasn’t there. The crowd was in a frenzy.

“Remain calm, everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation!” said the Mayor.

“I know why!” I said. “An old friend of the Princess has returned!” I heard the crowd asking questions.

“Huh?”

“An old friend?”

“That princess has terrible priorities.”

“Spike! What are you doing?!” Twilight hissed.

“Yah!” Pinkie yelped as a mysterious mist that looked like the night sky formed on the balcony.

“Oh, no…” Twilight said.

“Nightmare Moon!” Twilight and I said in unison.

Sure enough, an alicorn as black as the night appeared on the balcony. I noticed that her fangs were missing here.

“Oh, my beloved subjects,” the dark mare said. “It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun-loving faces.”

“What did you do to our Princess?!” Rainbow Dash yelled.

“Why, am I not royal enough for you?” Nightmare Moon asked “Don't you know who I am?”

“Ooh! I love guessing games!” Pinkie said with glee. “Um, Hokey Smokes! How about... Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty!”

“I know who you are!” I finally said. I stood on Twilight’s head. “You are the sister of Princess Celestia. You are the princess of the night. You are the Mare in the Moon! You are...Nightmare Moon!”

The crowd around me gasped.

“Well well well,” said Nightmare Moon. “Somepony who remembers me.” Suddenly I felt a weird aura around my body, and I was lifted off Twilight’s head.

“Twilight! Put me down!” I shouted.

“Th-That’s not me, Spike!”

Nightmare Moon pulled closer to me. I felt an aura around my neck. It started getting tighter and tighter.

“Then you also know why I'm here, little dragon.”

I tried to say something, but nothing came out. Not that I was choking, but that I was too scared to say anything. Remember, I was a human in a dragon body. I was practically in a scenario where a random muggle is being held hostage by Voldermort.

“Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last.”

Then I just remembered. I’m a dragon. So that means...

“From this moment forth, the night will last—YEOW!!” I spat out a tiny fireball which smacked Nightmare Moon’s helmet. It didn’t hurt her, thankfully, but she dropped me. I was glad Twilight was able to catch me right before I hit the ground.

“Erg! You’ll pay for that, you overgrown lizard!”

“Seize her!” The mayor shouted. “Only she knows where the Princess is hiding!”

But unfortunately, the guards were no match for the Mare in the Moon’s magic. They were all knocked down like bowling pins. Nightmare Moon then transformed into the nightly mist and escaped from the Town Hall.

“We need to get to the library!” Twilight declared. She placed me on her back and we rode for the library. I looked up and saw Rainbow Dash watching us.

Chapter 5 (Friendship is Magic Part 2)

Twilight rushed into the library and slammed the door behind her. She then yanked me from her back.

“WHAT IN CELESTIA’S NAME IS WRONG WITH YOU?!”

“I was defending myself, Twilight! I didn’t mean to hurt her! Honest!”

“If you kept your big mouth shut, you wouldn't have been in that situation!”

“I didn't know she was going to do that! I thought Celesia would stop her before the celebration started!”

“Look, Spike the Dragon! You need to stay out of the grownups' way. I don't want you to end up getting hurt!”

"Okay! Okay! But first, could you look under 'E' on the bookshelf? It might have something you can use to defeat Nightmare Moon."

Twilight gave me a confused look. She released her grip and ran to the shelf labeled "E." Her eyes widened when she read one of the book titles.

"The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide." Twilight pulled the book out. "This could work."

"And just what are the Elements of Harmony?!" Twilight turned around to see Rainbow Dash glaring at her. She then turned to me. "And how did you know about Nightmare Moon, huh?! Are you both spies?"

"Simmer down, Sally." Applejack grabbed Rainbow's tail and pulled her back. "They ain't spies, but they know what's going on. Don't ya?"

“I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her,” Twilight said as she flipped through the pages. "Here it is. ‘There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now…’"

"The Everfree Forest!" We all said in unison.

“Let's go!” Pinkie said in a cheerful tone.

“Look, I appreciate the offer girls, but I'd really rather do this on my own,” said Twilight as she closed the book.

“You’re not doing this on your own!” I retorted. “That forest is dangerous to go alone! What if you got turned to stone or eaten by a giant creature?!”

“Spike’s right, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “We sure ain't lettin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple.”

“Especially if there's candy apples in there,” said Pinkie. We all stared at her. “What? Those things are good.”

“Good luck, girls,” I said.

"What are you going to be doing, dragon?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm going to bed," I replied. "I'm tired, and I don't want to get in the grownups' way."

Twilight rolled her eyes as she and the others left. I knew what would happen next. Twilight will learn how helpful her new friends were, and they will all defeat Nightmare Moon. At this point, I didn't need to do anything yet.

I yawned as I went to the small pet bed next to Twilight's. Then something occurred to me. Why couldn't Spike sleep on the other bed? Did he feel more comfortable in the smaller one? Of course, that didn't matter. I was genuinely tired, so I fell asleep the instant the pillow hit my head.

When I woke up, I noticed that I was still in the library.

It wasn’t a dream, then. I’m still in Equestria.

I wondered how long I was asleep. When I looked out the window, my heart sank.

It was still nighttime.

“Oh, no!” I quickly jumped out of bed.

If it was still nighttime, then that meant that Nightmare Moon hasn’t been defeated! I don’t know what went wrong, but I needed to find wherever the Princess was and warn her about what happened. Just when I was about to exit the library, the room started getting brighter and brighter.

Wait, what’s going on? Am I going back to the human world?

My question was answered immediately. I looked around and I saw I was once again still in the library. I looked out the window, and it was completely sunny. Nightmare Moon was defeated after all.

Guess I didn't sleep as much as I thought.

I sighed with relief. Had Twilight failed, I didn’t know what was going to happen. And if I did end up going back to my own world, would I have just seen it as a weird dream?

I hurried to the center of town, where a party was being thrown. (Typical Pinkie) Everypony was celebrating, including Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I then noticed Twilight looked rather sad.

“Why so glum, my faithful student?” Celestia asked. “Are you not happy that your quest is complete and you can return to your studies in Canterlot?”

“That’s the thing,” Twilight replied. “Just when I learned how wonderful it is to have friends, I have to leave them.”

“Spike, take a note please,” Celestia said as she handed me a quill and parchment. “I, Princess Celestia, hereby decree that the unicorn Twilight Sparkle shall take on a new mission for Equestria. She must continue to study the magic of friendship. She must report to me her findings from her new home in Ponyville.”

The ponies around me cheered after hearing that.

“Your highness, if I may. Would these be weekly reports, or does she only have to send you a report whenever she learns something?” I asked.

“It may be whenever she learns something,” Princess Celestia replied.

“Oh thank you, Princess Celestia! I'll study harder than ever before,” Twilight declared.

After that, the party continued, and I was relieved that I didn’t have to worry about Twilight going crazy in Lesson Zero.

As the girls and I celebrated, I wondered what should I do to prevent or solve future problems. I would have to be careful not to make any problems worse. I would also consider what big events might occur from small changes.

I thought about how the major villians could be defeated differently. Twilight and her friends already stopped Nightmare Moon, so I didn't have to worry about that. I would have to convince Twilight to go to the library when Discord comes back. During her brother's wedding, I could try to back her up about Cadance being a changeling, or try to capture Cadance myself if things don't work out. Sombra and the Storm King would be too much of a problem to stop them alone, but I could find a way to prevent Twilight from being captured by Tempest. When we’ll encounter Sunset Shimmer, I'll have to think of something. Although, I have no idea how I'll do anything in the human world when I'm a dog. Obviously, Tirek needs to stay in Tartarus. I don't know when Starlight took over that small town, but I'll have to find that cutie-mark-stealing stone before she does. I don't think I need to worry about the Pony of Shadows too much. I knew nothing about Cozy’s backstory (then again, does anyone know?), but I bet if I could “persuade” her to cut ties with Tirek and accept that friendship isn’t power, then she will get reformed before Season 8’s finale. As for the series finale, I’ll have to stop Discord from reuniting the villains that haven’t been reformed yet.

But until then, I should focus on some of the smaller problems.

Author's Note

Just so you know, if an episode has been skipped, then that means one of two things.

"Spike" wasn't involved or didn't need involvement.

"Spike" didn't need to change anything.

"Spike" prevented the episode from happening

Chapter 6 (The Ticket Master)

It’s been four days since I’ve arrived in Equestria. It took some getting used to. First of all, it felt weird to be really short, especially when you were previously 5’10”.

Second of all, technology was pretty dated here in Equestria. There weren’t any TVs, computers, or cell phones. Although, for the last one I would have to wonder how they would carry it without pockets. Thankfully, I kept myself entertained by reading comic books. At least it was in character for Spike.

Third of all was the food. Since none of the ponies ate meat, sans fish, I had to resort to eating like a vegetarian. Surprisingly, hay and grass taste pretty good if they’re properly prepared. I also ate a few gemstones since I came here. They were easy to chew on, and they almost tasted like rock candy. Other foods such as vegetables or fruits tasted pretty much the same as they did back home. I’ve read somewhere that ponies can’t digest certain foods found in the pony world, like tomatoes, but this was a world of talking ponies. I was pretty sure they’ve had different digestive systems compared to real horses.

One thing that bothered me was what happened to the old Spike. I didn't possess his past memories when I came to Equestria. What would happen if I left? Would the old Spike end up dazed and confused? Would he go crazy? I decided not to worry about that now. I needed to focus on what I had to do.

There was one event coming up that I remembered: the Grand Galloping Gala. The one that happened in Season 1 finale was a complete disaster. I could try to prevent that disaster from happening again, but I didn’t know how. Before I came to Equestria, I read a fanfic where Prince Blueblood was trapped in a time loop during the night of the Gala. But unlike Blueblood, I only had to relive that day once, so I had to think very carefully about what I needed to do.

First part was the tickets. I knew what was going to happen. Twilight will get two tickets, then the other girls would fight over who should she give the other one to.

But what if I were to accept the ticket from the start?

Twilight and I were helping Applejack with her applebucking. I carried one of the baskets full of apples, instead of riding on Twilight while chucking apples away.

“Thank ya kindly, guys, for helping me out,” Applejack said. “I bet Big Macintosh I could get all these Golden Delicious in the barn by lunchtime. If I win, he's gonna walk down Stirrup Street in one of Granny's girdles.”

“I’m no expert on apples,” I said, “but aren’t Golden Delicious supposed to be yellow?”

“Spike, please. Don’t be rude,” Twilight said.

“I’m just saying, with a name like ‘Golden Delicious,’ you’d expect the apples to have some sort of yellow hue.”

Twilight’s belly started growling. “Heh, speaking of apples, I guess we better get some food.”

We did miss snack time. I placed the basket down and ate one of the apples.

“Spike!” Applejack yelled. “Those are my profits your eatin’!”

“It’s just one apple,” I said. Just then, my belly started feeling squeezy again. With a loud belch, a scroll popped out of my mouth.

“It’s a letter from Princess Celestia,” Twilight said.

I read the scroll. It was about the Grand Galloping Gala, when it was going to take place, and Twilight being invited. Both Applejack and Twilight were delighted to hear that.

I made another belch, and this time, two of the gala tickets appeared.

“Great!” said Twilight. “I've never been to the gala. Have you, Spike?”

“No,” I replied. “But it would be nice to attend a high-class gathering.”

“Aw, shucks,” Applejack said in a disappointed tone. “Are you sure there ain't an extra ticket in there?”

“I didn’t know you were into fancy parties,” I said to Applejack. “Are you Rarity in disguise?”

“It ain’t like that Spike." Applejack then explained how having an apple stand during the gala would help boost the farm's profits. She then said that with the money they made they could fix a lot of stuff here, like the barn's roof, Big Mac's plow, and even Granny's hip. I hate to admit it, but hearing that made me second-guess my choice.

“Well, in that case,” I said, “Do you want my—”

“Woah!”

I quickly jumped out of the way just in time as Rainbow Dash crashed on top of Twilight and Applejack.

“Are we talking about the Grand Galloping Gala?!” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack said. “You told me you were too busy to help me harvest apples. What were you busy doing? Spyin'?”

“No, I was busy...napping.”

I looked at the branch Rainbow was napping on. “You’re a pegasus, Rainbow Dash. Why couldn’t you sleep on a cloud?”

But Rainbow Dash didn’t hear me. “So I heard you were giving away an extra ticket,” she said to Twilight.

Twilight replied, “Yeah, but—”

“YES! This is so awesome!" Then Rainbow Dash talked about how she could show off her tricks during the Wonderbolts' performance, and that it might result in her joining the Wonderbolts. "Don't you see, Twilight? This could be my one chance to show 'em my stuff. You gotta take me!”

“I don't think it's a good idea for you to interrupt a bunch of professional fliers just so you could show off,” I said.

“Spike’s right, Rainbow,” Applejack said. “And besides, I asked for the ticket first.”

“That doesn’t mean you own the ticket!” Rainbow Dash rebutted.

“Oh, yeah? Well I challenge you to a hoof-wrestle! Winner gets the ticket!”

Both of them ran to a nearby stump and started the hoof-wrestling, but Twilight quickly interfered.

“Girls, these are my tickets,” Twilight said. “I'll decide who gets it, thank you very much. Whoever has the best reason to go should get the ticket, don't you think?”

“Applejack has the best reason,” I said. “Health, shelter, and food are a much higher priority than getting a slight chance to see your favorite team.”

“See? Spike has the right idea,” said Applejack.

“Oh, come on, you can’t be serious!” Rainbow Dash barked. “There are tons of other ways to increase your profits. You can just have a food cart in Canterlot any other day and make twice as much bits.”

“Rainbow, must I remind you that Granny Smith has a bad hip?” I asked.

Our argument was interrupted by Twilight’s growling stomach. “Listen to that, I am starving. I don't know about you, but I can't make important decisions on an empty stomach, so I'll, uh, think about it over lunch and get back to you two, okay?”

“Okay.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash sighed.

I hopped on Twilight’s back and we rode back into town. Applejack and Rainbow Dash started hoof-wrestling again.

“I still say Applejack has a better reason,” I said. “You’ve seen how bad that barn roof has gotten.”

“Yes, but you’ve seen how badly Rainbow Dash wants to join the Wonderbolts,” said Twilight.

“Rainbow Dash would sell her own tail if it meant getting a chance to see the Wonderbolts. That mare is full of herself.”

“Let’s not worry about that now, Spike. We should find someplace to eat first.”

As we neared Sugarcube Corner, I quickly jumped off Twilight’s back. Twilight gave me a confused look just as Pinkie crashed into her.

"Are you girls alright?" I asked.

"Peachy keen!" Pinkie said as she quickly stood up. Her eyes were caught by what I was holding.

"Wait...those aren't...TICKETS TO THE GRAND GALLOPING GALA?! It's the most amazing incredible tremendous super-fun wonderful terrifically humongous party in all of Equestria! I've always always always wanted to go!"

Then she started singing. Let me tell you, when you listen to someone singing without any background music playing, it feels kind of awkward. It's like watching Starlord singing "Come and get your love."

After Pinkie sang, she thanked Twilight for the tickets, even though Twilight never asked. Then I heard a familiar gasp.

"Are these what I think they are?"

I turned around and saw Rarity gazing at the tickets like they were solid gold bars.

"Twilight's taking me to the Grand Galloping Gala in Canterlot," said Pinkie.

I replied, "Twilight never said—"

"The Gala?" Rarity interrupted. "I design ensembles for the gala every year, but I've never had the opportunity to attend. Oh, the society, the culture, the glamour! It's where I truly belong, and where I'm destined to meet him."

I knew who "him" was. Prince Blueblood. Princess Celestia's nephew. Also known as Prince Narcissus. Then it hit me.

If Blueblood is Celestia's nephew, then does that mean he's Luna's son? Or is he adopted? I'm sure it's the latter.

"Twilight, I simply cannot believe you would invite Pinkie Pie so she can... party," Rarity said, "and prevent me from meeting my true love. How could you?"

"Wait a minute, Rarity, Twilight…" I then noticed my hands were suddenly empty. "What the?!"

"Listen girls," Twilight said, "I haven't decided who to give the extra ticket to."

"You haven't?!" Pinkie and Rarity asked.

"Excuse me." We all looked to see Fluttershy walking up. Her pet bunny, Angel, had the tickets in his mouth.

That rabbit rascal.

"I would just like to ask, I mean, if it would be all right, if you haven't given it to someone else…" Fluttershy nervously asked.

"You? You want to go to the Gala?" Rarity asked.

"Oh, no," Fluttershy said. Angel then thumped his foot on her. "Oh, no. I mean, yes, or, actually, kind of. You see…"

Fluttershy went on about how there's so many rare and exotic flora and fauna at the gala, and how she wanted to see them all. But I knew what was really going to happen. None of the animals would come close to Fluttershy, and she'll end up going insane. As much as I liked her "YOU'RE GONNA LOVE ME!!" rant, I didn't want that to happen again.

I knew it was going to be though, but I had to bring the room down.

"Girls, I know that this Gala means a lot to you," I said, "but…I'm afraid it's not what you think. Pinkie, this gala isn't some sort of big birthday party. This is made by high-class ponies who act in a sophisticated manner. I doubt there's going to be party music and games like here in Ponyville."

"Aww… " Pinkie sighed.

"Fluttershy, these rare creatures may be adorable to you, but it's not like some sort of petting zoo. The animals are pretty shy around ponies, even those good with animals. You may know how to interact with rabbits, birds, and squirrels, but I doubt you know how to interact with wallaroos, toucans, or spider monkeys…

"Uhm...well...I…" Fluttershy tried to say something, but she was speechless. I hated to disappoint my favorite pony, but it was the truth.

"And Rarity, Prince Blueblood wouldn't marry some random mare on the first date. Heck, I don't think he would marry anypony except his own reflection. That stallion is so narcissistic, he'd put Rainbow Dash to shame."

"I heard that!"

Oops…

"Rainbow Dash!" Twilight yelled. "Were you following us?"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, maybe," Rainbow replied. "Look, it doesn't matter. I couldn't risk a goody-four-shoes like you giving that ticket away to just anybody."

"Wait just a minute!" Applejack appeared.

"Oh, hey," I said. "Who won the hoof-wrestling?"

"That does not matter!" shouted Rainbow and Applejack.

Apparently, it was a tie.

"Why do you want to go to that gala?" Pinkie asked. "That place is full of people who don't know how to party."

"And the animals are too shy to meet," Fluttershy added.

"Not to mention the royals care for nopony other than themselves," Rarity scoffed.

"Don't play mind games with me, Marshmallow!" Rainbow said. "How do I know you aren't keeping the ticket for yourself?"

"Marshmallow?! Now see here! I may be white, but I'm not that white!"

Unfortunately, every pony started arguing just like in the show.

"Girls please, stop this," I said. But nopony would listen.

One of the things I hate the most is when people argue loudly. I don’t mind it when people have their discussions quietly, but when they have to raise their voice, that’s what starts to annoy me.

“Girls! Stop!” I yelled. Still nopony would listen. My blood boiled like broth on a kitchen stove. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“SHUT UP, YOU STUPID PONIES!!!”

I quickly covered my mouth. The entire town was as quiet as a ghost town. Pinkie didn’t even say her oatmeal quote. The girls’ jaws hung open.

“Dear Celestia,” Rarity broke the silence. “That’s the loudest vulgarity I ever heard.”

“Where in tarnation did you hear language like that?!” Applejack asked.

I sheepishly pointed to Twilight.

“Me?!” Twilight asked in shock. “I never said anything like that!”

“What about that time when you’ve read that romance book about that vampire bat pony?”

“It was one time, and it was under my breath!”

“Honestly, Twilight,” Rarity said. “You should be careful what you say around children.”

“Look,” I said. “The point is, Twilight and I have not decided who we should give the ticket to, and arguing isn’t going to help!”

Twilight’s belly rumbled yet again. “And I certainly can’t think straight when I’m hungry. Now go on, shoo.”

The rest of the ponies grumbled as they walked away. Twilight then shot daggers at me.

“You and I are going to have a very serious discussion.”

Chapter 7 (The Ticket Master)

This day did not go as well as I planned. It didn’t help that I yelled so loudly that Celestia herself could hear me. Like I said before, loud arguments anger me.

Twilight and I were seated at a restaurant. Twilight looked like a mother who discovered that her son has been lying about his grades.

“Listen to me,” Twilight said. “I understand you were trying to get everypony to stop arguing, but screaming into the heavens is not okay!”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I just don’t like it when ponies argue so loudly.”

“Nopony does,” Twilight said. “But others have…’better’ ways to deal with it. Yours was not one of them. I’m going to overlook this incident, but if it happens again, young man, I’m sending your rear back to Canterlot! Understand?”

“Yes, Twilight...”

Twilight sighed. She then looked at the menu.

This was not the reputation I wanted to get. Maybe I should’ve just let this day play out like in the episode.

“Have you made your decision?” the waiter asked.

“I think...I’ll take the daffodil and daisy sandwich,” replied Twilight.

“And I’ll have the hay fries. Extra crispy,” I said.

As we waited for our food, I decided to talk to Twilight.

"We could've just told the girls that you and I were going to the gala," I said. "They would've understood."

"Yes, but then I would feel guilty about leaving them out," Twilight replied. "It's not everyday that sompony gets invited to a gala."

"Why don't we just tear the tickets apart? That way nopony can go."

"We can't do that, Spike! Those tickets could be expensive, and we got them for free from the Princess herself. If we tore them up, Celestia would think that we had no interest in going. Which we do, by the way."

A few moments later, our food arrived. Twilight ate her sandwich while I ate my hay fries. They were really good. Almost anything can be good when it’s deep-fried.

Twilight had just one more bite to eat when the waiter asked, “Em, madam? Are you going to finish your food in the rain?”

Twilight replied, “It’s not rain...” We then noticed that it was raining everywhere except at our table. “What’s going on?”

Rainbow Dash appeared from one of the openings in the clouds. “Hi there, best friend forever I've ever ever had. Enjoying the sunny weather?”

“Did you seriously made it rain everywhere sans this spot just so you could get the ticket?” I asked.

“Me? No no no, of course not,” Rainbow replied.

“Rainbow, I am not comfortable accepting unwanted favors,” Twilight said, “so I'd appreciate it if you close up that rain cloud right now.”

“Augh, fine.” Rainbow zipped up the cloud. But I wished she hadn’t, because a few seconds later, we got soaked.

“Twilight, Spike, it’s raining,” said Rarity.

“Thanks, element of obviousness,” I replied.

“Come with me before you catch a cold.”

Rarity took Twilight and I to the Canterlot Boutique. I dried myself off with a towel, while Twilight dried herself by shaking like a dog. This ended up getting Rarity wet, much to her chagrin.

“Oops, sorry,” said Twilight.

“Oh no, it's quite alright,” said Rarity. “After all, we are the best of friends, are we not? And you know what the best of friends do? Makeovers!”

Rarity quickly changed Twilight and I into different outfits. Twilight found hers okay, but I had mixed feelings with mine. I looked like some kid forced to have his picture taken.

“Uh...hey!” I removed my outfit. “I just remembered...I forgot something at the library! See you there!”

I quickly dashed toward the library. When I opened the door, I saw Fluttershy and her animals cleaning Twilight’s library.

“Fluttershy? Not you, too.” I slapped my forehead.

“Why hello, Spike,” Fluttershy greeted. “I hope you don't mind, but we're all doing a little spring cleaning for you and Twilight.”

“It’s summer, Fluttershy.”

“Oh, well, better late than never, right? It was Angel's idea.” Angel was tossing salad.

“I know you’re doing this for the ticket, Fluttershy. I thought you weren’t interested in going anymore.”

“Uh...well...but...it is a gala...”

Then I saw Twilight showing up.

“Did Rarity and Applejack try to do favors for you, too?” I asked.

“Yep,” she replied.

“That makes four of them.” I pointed to Fluttershy, who was blushing.

Twilight groaned. “Fluttershy, this was all very nice of you and Angel, but I'm not accepting any extra favors until I've made my final decision.” She opened the door. “So, I'm going to have to ask you to leave—”

But Twilight was quickly taken by a group of ponies, who threw Twilight up in the air. Then Pinkie sung about how much she loved Twilight. Twilight shouted for Pinkie to stop as I quickly ran towards the group. Twilight fell to the ground with a thud.

“You alright, Twilight?” I asked.

“At least the other ponies tried to be subtle...” Twilight replied.

“Pinkie’s not like other ponies, believe me.”

“So who are you going to give the ticket to, Twilight?” Pinkie asked.

Then the crowd started asking about the ticket.

Dang it, Pinkie. I was trying to avoid this.

“Oh, you didn't know? Twilight has an extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala!” shouted Pinkie.

That got the ponies’ attention. Everypony started asking Twilight for favors. I think I overheard somepony say they’ll do Twilight’s taxes. I knew what was going to happen next. And since there was no way of preventing it...

“RUN LIKE THE WIND, TWILIGHT!!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Twilight took off like a bullet, with a stampede of horses following behind her.

“Pinkie, go home!” I demanded.

“Okie dokie loki,” she replied as she pronked away.

I ran inside the library and ordered Fluttershy and her animals to leave. They all obeyed. I slammed the door behind them.

“Okay...3...2...1...and...cue Twilight!”

Twilight flashed out of nowhere. Her eyeballs spun like tops.

“Woah! A teleportation spell,” I said. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I didn't even know it was gonna happen,” she said. “Now quick, lock the doors!”

I quickly ran about locking every door while Twilight blew out each lantern and turned off each light. But I knew what’s next. The lights came back on, and the girls were standing on the windowsill.

“How did you all get in here?!” I asked.

Twilight screamed. “I can't decide, I just can't decide! I know it’s important for all of you to visit the gala and I just can't stand disappointing any of you, and giving me gifts and doing me favors won't make any difference, because you're all my friends and I wanna make you all happy and I can't, I just can't!” She fell to the floor.

Then the girls, including Rainbow Dash, apologized to Twilight about their behavior earlier today and decided that none of them should get the ticket.

“I guess that means it’s just you and me, Twilight,” I said.

Twilight shook her head. “Spike, take a note, please.”

I grabbed a quill and a piece of paper.

Twilight cleared her throat. “Dear Princess Celestia, I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings, but when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“What?!” the rest of us yelled.

“If my friends can't all go, I don't wanna go either.”

I shrugged. I placed the tickets into the scroll and sent them to the Princess. The girls then shared a group hug.

“Aww...” I started to say, but my stomach got queasy again.

“Well wallop my withers, Spike,” said Applejack. “Isn't that just like a boy? Can't handle the least bit of sentiment, yellin’ like a sailor,...”

“It’s not that...” I said, clutching my stomach. I then burped so much, that I was blown back.

“A letter from the princess? That was fast,” said Twilight.

I read the letter. “‘My faithful student Twilight, Why didn't you just say so in the first place?’" Then I saw what popped out. “Six tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala!”

The ponies cheered as they each took their respective tickets. They then left the library to get some dinner.

3...2...1…

I burped out another scroll. “‘And one for you, Spike.’” I took the ticket from the scroll. “Thanks, Celestia.”

That was the ticket part taken care of, but I still needed to work on how to make sure the girls do get the best night ever. But since the gala was a long way away, I decided I should work on other stuff.

Chapter 8 (Applebuck Season)

Today was the day Applebuck Season starts.

I know that Applejack could be as stubborn as a mule sometimes, but seeing what damages an exhausted earth pony can do to a town, I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. The problem was that Applejack won't accept help from anypony no matter what.

That’s when my brain hatched an idea. Instead of asking for help, I could buck some of the trees without her noticing. I knew she would still be tired, but she won’t be as tired as in the episode. Hopefully.

I quickly went to Sweet Apple Acres. I saw Applejack looking at some of the apple trees.

“Well, I better get kicking,” she said. “These apples aren't gonna shake themselves outta the trees.”

Speaking of shaking, the ground below my feet shook like an earthquake. I knew what it was. It was a cow stampede heading straight for Ponyville.

“Oh, no!” Applejack hurried to get Winona.

I ran to the barn. It was hard to run when the entire world was shaking, but I was able to make it without falling over. Soon, the shaking subsided.

“Are you alright, Big Mac?” I asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied. He was still bandaged around the waist. I wondered if that girdle had anything to do with it.

I told Big Macintosh what I was planning to do. I asked him for any advice on how to effectively buck the trees.

He told me, in his own words, that I had to hit a certain spot on each tree in order to knock the apples off. He showed me where, and I kicked that spot. A basket-full of apples fell, but there were still some on the tree. A second kick made the rest fall.

I thanked Big Mac for the advice and started working on bucking the trees. When I felt tired, I took a five minute break before bucking again.

I bucked at least five trees when I heard hoofbeats approaching. I hid behind one of the trees.

“Huh, well I’ll be dipped,” I heard Applejack say. “Some of the trees here look like they’ve been already bucked. I guess that stampede helped me a bit.” I heard her sigh. “Better get to work on the rest of them.”

I planned on bucking the trees on the other side of the orchard, but as I snuck away I stepped on a branch.

“Huh?! Who goes there?!” I heard Applejack yell.

“It’s me! It’s me!” I said as I came out from behind the trees.

“Oh, Spike. What are you doin’ here? Don’t tell me you’re eatin' my apples again.”

“I’m not. I was in the area, and I saw how big this orchard was. It looks like you’re here by yourself.”

“That’s because I am by myself. Big Macintosh hurt himself, Granny’s too over the hill to buck, and Applebloom is too weak.”

“And the others?”

“What others?”

“Those family members Twilight and I saw when we first came here. Where are they?”

“At their own farms. We had a family reunion that day.”

“So you’re bucking the whole orchard by yourself? Don’t you want some help?”

“Ah’ll be fine, just go send a letter to the Princess or something.”

No, you won’t be fine.

“Alright, then,” I said. “Good luck.” I knew what was going to happen the following week. Applejack would be so tired, she’ll launch Rainbow Dash into the sky, send a bunch of bunnies going crazy, and poison an entire town. I don’t care if Spike liked those muffins, I wouldn’t want to eat those even if I had a lead belly.

I can’t let any of that happen. I ran to the other side of the orchard and bucked the trees there. After I bucked about twenty trees, my legs started hurting. I sat on a stump and rubbed my feet.

Now I’m wishing that Big Mac didn’t get hurt.

I decided to stop for today. I knew that a week later, Applejack would start feeling fatigued. I don’t know how much sleep she had during the week, if she had any. But I still had a week left before things were to go bad, and I didn’t want to overdo it.

As I headed back to the library, I thought about what other episodes I could change. There were a couple I had in mind.

“Oh, there you are, Spike,” Twilight said as I entered the library. “Where have you been?”

“Just went for a walk,” I replied. “Sorry to worry you.”

“It’s alright. Did you see what Applejack did earlier today?”

“Yeah, she stopped that cattle stampede, right? Very heroic of her.”

“I agree. The girls are thinking about throwing a party for her next week.”

“That’s great. Let’s hope Rainbow Dash doesn’t get too jealous.”

“Very funny, Spike.”

I looked around the library and pulled out a few books. One of them was about Zebra culture. I decided to read that first. I was only a few pages in and already it had more information about Zebras than the show itself. I heard that the writers wanted to make an episode about zebra culture, but Hasbro wasn’t really keen on the idea.

Zebras mostly lived in a place called “Zebrica,” a name I didn’t know was canon. Like Zecora, they spoke in rhymes, made potions, and had a culture that was very unique to ponies. I even read about what they found taboo, just to avoid awkwardness if I say or do something that they might find offensive.

The next book I’ve read was about different creatures. I flipped through the pages until I saw a section about parasprites. Parasprites were known to eat a lot and reproduce asexually at an alarming rate. The book also mentions that there was no spell to get them to stop eating. Any spell casted on them would just have them eat something else. That would explain how Twilight got them to eat everything but the food by mistake.

“I didn’t think you’d be so interested in reading anything besides comic books, Spike,” Twilight said as she was reading a book herself.

“Twilight. Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“What are your thoughts on Zebras? Be honest.”

Twilight thought about it for a while. “That’s a random question, Spike. Why do you ask?”

“I was just reading about Zebrican culture, and I wanted to know what you think.”

“Well, I have read that book before. It’s very interesting to learn about different cultures, but it would be nice to talk with somepony who grew up around them.”

“Or...somezebra. Oh! I had another question. Have you ever seen a parasprite before?”

“A para-what?”

I showed her the book I was reading. “I’ve been reading how parasprites can eat and multiply. I’m just glad we don’t have any in Ponyville.”

Twilight read the section. “My goodness, so am I. I just hope if we do see one, we’ll get rid of it before it causes destruction.”

The next day, I woke up really early. I did my morning routine: ate cereal and milk, brushed my teeth, and cleaned my face. I wrote a note telling Twilight where I was, and then I headed out to Sweet Apple Acres.

When I got there, I already saw Applejack bucking apples. Bags started to form under her eyes.

I did my process again. I went to the other side of the orchard, and I bucked each tree until the apples fell. It was easier this time. Yesterday, I had to kick the trees two or three times, but today I only had to kick them once or twice.

As I was about to buck another tree when I heard somepony coming. I quickly hid in one of the baskets. I heard somepony yawning. It was definitely Applejack.

“Huh? Did I buck these trees already? I don’t remember doing so.” Applejack yawned again. “Maybe I should take a quick break.”

I sighed in relief as she left the orchard. I continued bucking the trees until my legs started getting sore again. I bucked way more trees than yesterday. I couldn’t tell if I was getting stronger, or since I knew where to hit the trees, the job was easier.

This continued on for the next few days. I bucked some trees, hid from Applejack, and bucked more trees until my legs got sore.

Applejack was still getting tired, but she took short breaks. I couldn’t help but giggle at the confused look on her face.

Oh, Applejack. What a silly pony.

On the final day, there were only five trees that needed bucking. I decided that I should just watch her buck the last five.

“Hah! Ah did it! I harvested the entire Sweet Apple Acres without anypony’s help!” Applejack triumphed as she finished bucking the last tree.

Big Mac walked up to her. “Well, I hate to say it, but you’ve proven me wrong. You bucked all the trees without a single pony helping ya.”

Man, it’s weird to hear Big Mac say anything other than “Yep” or “Nope.”

“I just hope I don’t have to do it all again. It was hard keeping track of what trees have and havent' been bucked. I’m gonna go have a rest.”

As Applejack left, Big Mac thanked me for helping Applejack out.

That night, the girls and I hung out for dinner.

“Hey gals, guess what? I was able to buck my entire orchard in less than a week!” Applejack raised her glass. “Ain’t that something?”

The girls were impressed.

“All by yourself?” I asked.

“Of course. I received help from nopony.”

“Right...nopony.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Think about it.”

Applejack scrunched her eyebrows. She stared at her glass. Then it clicked.

“No! It was you?!”

I nodded.

Applejack slammed her face on the table. “No wonder I kept seeing trees already bare! I thought I was losing my marbles faster than a squirrel eating sugar!”

“That would explain why you were going to the farm so often, Spike,” said Twilight.

“I’ve seen how big your orchard is, Applejack,” I said. “There’s no way you could buck all those apples on your own.”

“But I didn’t need any help!” Applejack barked.

“Applejack, Spike was worried about you,” Twilight said. “We know you’re one of the most dependable ponies out there, but sometimes even the most reliable ponies need help.”

“Did anypony else knew you were doing this, Spike?”

“Big Mac did. He had doubts for you as well,” I said. “That’s why he let me buck some of the trees.”

Applejack sighed. “Well...thank you for helping me anyway, Spike.”

“You’re welcome. And now, you won’t have to worry about falling asleep while helping out other ponies.”

In the end, Applejack was grateful to me for helping her. The following days went pretty well. Applejack was able to get Rainbow Dash into the air, bake delicious muffins, and hoard a bunch of bunnies without causing a stampede. I was glad I could prevent that disaster from happening.

Chapter 10 (Look Before You Sleep)

When the girls went to convince a sleeping dragon to move away from Ponyville, I was tasked to take care of Fluttershy's animals. It was pretty easy, as all they wanted was food and care. Although, Angel wasn't very cooperative with me. How Fluttershy deals with him is beyond me.

The next event to come up was Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight having a sleepover. I was going to be away doing “royal Canterlot business.” I could use that to my advantage.

At the gala, Twilight wanted to hang out with Princess Celestia, but instead she would be stuck with her all night shaking ponies’ hooves. I could try to find a way to fix that. Also, I knew that Princess Celestia had a fascination with theater, but she had no acting skills whatsoever, and that Luna was still trying to adjust to living in Modern Equestria. I’ll try to find a way to solve all three of their problems.

I took the Friendship Express to Canterlot and arrived at the gates to the castle. I was then escorted to where Princess Celestia and Luna were. Luna was in her Season 2 form. She must've transformed when she was taken back to Canterlot.

“Your highness,” I bowed. “I’m honored to see you.”

“You don’t need to do that, Spike,” Celestia said. “It’s not an official meeting.”

“It’s not? But your letter said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yes. Just talk. Let me know what Twilight’s been up to.”

“Okay.”

So, Celestia, Luna, and I talked about Twilight’s time in Ponyville. I told them about how Twilight was good at magic, and I joked about how Twilight might end up becoming an alicorn with all the magic she’s been learning. We all laughed at that idea. We ate cake and drank tea, Celestia’s two favorite things.

“Say, Princess Celestia? May I ask you something?”

“What is it, Spike?”

“What are you and Luna going to be doing at the Grand Galloping Gala?”

“Well, Luna is not interested in going, seeing as there is no reason to, and I’m going to welcome the guests all night.”

“Don’t you want to hang out with the guests?”

“I’d love to, but it’s tradition for the Princess to greet everypony first. If I weren't there, then the nobles may believe the crown no longer respects them."

“What about Princess Luna?"

Luna’s ears perked up. "Are you sure we are capable of doing such a task? It's been a long time since we've been at the Grand Galloping Gala."

"We can...I mean, I can help you practice," I replied. "Princess Celestia can help as well."

"What do you want me to do?" Princess Celestia asked.

“Let me ask you something. What are your thoughts on theater?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“It’s just that whenever Twilight and I see you watching a play, you seem so fascinated in it, and not just when there’s interesting characters or plot.”

“Well...” Celestia leaned back. “To be honest, I really like plays. When I was a filly, my friends put them on all the time. It was so wonderful. Everypony coming together to create a magical experience to share with others. I've always believed theater brings out the best in us and forges a special bond of friendship.”

“So you were an actor before you became the princess?”

“No. I was always too busy with my magic lessons to be part of any plays myself. But still, it's something I always wished I could experience.”

“Guess you and Twilight have something in common. No wonder she’s your star pupil.” I chuckled. "Anyway, this might give you some experience in acting."

We were going to pretend that it’s the night of the gala, and Luna was greeting the guests. Celestia and I were going to play as the guests. I went first.

“Just follow my lead, Princess Celestia,” I said. I walked up to Luna. “Good evening. My name is Spike. It’s an honor to be at this gala.”

“WELCOME, SPIKE, TO THE GRAND GALLOPING GALA!!” Luna shouted. “IT IS A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU AT THIS EVENT!!”

“Ugh...my ears,” I groaned. “You don’t have to talk like that, Princess Luna.”

“But this is the traditional royal Canterlot voice,” Luna replied. “It is tradition to speak using the royal "we", and TO USE THIS MUCH VOLUME WHEN ADDRESSING OUR SUBJECTS!!”

“Luna, I told you we don’t do that anymore,” Celestia said. “If you shout like that during the gala, you’re going to scare all the guests away.”

“Princess Celestia’s right,” I said. “You might want to tone it down a bit.”

“ALRIGHT!! HOW’S THIS?!”

“A little bit quieter.”

“How’s this?!”

“Almost there.”

“How’s this?”

“Perfect. You just need to keep that tone of voice when you greet the other guests.” I then walked over to Celestia. “Okay, Princess. Your name will be uh...Nicole. You’re just a random pony. Just pretend you’ve never been to the gala before. Think you got that?”

“I’ll see what I can do,” Celestia replied.

“Okay, you’re up.”

Princess Celestia approached Luna. “Hello, my name is Nicole. I’m a random pony who’s never been to the gala before.”

I tried my best not to laugh. “No, Princess. Just say your name is Nicole, and how you feel visiting the gala for the first time.”

“Okay. Hello, my name is Nicole, and how I feel visiting the gala for the first time.”

I could swear she’s trying to troll me. “No, no, no. You don’t have to say word for word how you feel. Just tell Princess Luna what you think about visiting the gala for the first time.”

“To be honest, Spike, it’s hard to feel it. I’ve been to the gala numerous times even before Luna’s...incident. It’s hard to be excited for something that you’ve experienced before.”

That’s when I had an idea. “Okay picture this: Canterlot has opened a brand new cake shop that’s as big as the Canterlot library. You are the first of many ponies in line for its grand opening. The first ten ponies will get a free cake of their choosing, and you’ve had your eye on one that could rival a wedding cake! You’re only five minutes away from the biggest feast in pony history! Does that help?”

Celestia covered her mouth. “Well, I can’t stop drooling now.” She ate another piece of cake from the table and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “How does that help me?”

“One trick in acting is to understand what would make you feel a certain way. For example, if you had to act sad in a scene, you can remember when you had to force Princess Luna to the moon. Or when you have to be angry, just think about how a rival of yours comes back and removes all the cakes from Equestria. Thinking about what can make you glad, sad, or mad will help you get better at acting.”

“Alright. Let’s try this one more time.” Celestia approached Luna again. “H-Hello, my name is Nicole. It’s...It’s an honor to be here for the first time.”

“GRE-” Luna cleared her throat. “I mean, greetings, Nicole. It is a pleasure to see you at this event.”

“Likewise.” The two sisters shook hooves. “Was that any better, Spike?”

“Great,” I replied. “Your excitement was very convincing, Princess Celestia. And you’ve kept your tone to an acceptable level, Princess Luna.”

“Thank you,” they both said.

I was going to head out, but Celestia stopped me. “If I may ask, how do you know so much about acting, anyway? Normally you wouldn’t be so interested in plays.”

“Oh, Twilight helped me,” I replied. “She gave me a book about acting on my last birthday.”

"That sounds like our little Twilight." Celestia responded with a chuckle. "Be sure to tell me what further tips could be offered in next time, Spike."

I stayed the night at Canterlot after that. It was good that I was able to teach Celestia how to act and Luna how to fit in. Plus, I will be able to have Twilight hang out with Celestia when the Gala shows up. Although, I have no idea if it’ll work out or not.

Chapter 11 (Bridle Gossip)

The next morning, I visited Moondancer’s house to see what she’s up to. Thankfully, she didn’t turn into a hermit yet. We shared a small talk before I left.

Afterwards, I visited the library to see Dusty Pages. She was still at her desk.

“Hello again, Spike,” Dusty greeted. “How’s Twilight? It’s been a while since she showed up here.”

“She actually lives in Ponyville now,” I replied. “I just came to Canterlot to talk to the Princess.”

“Heh. Well, I’m gonna miss her and her Best Book Borrower title. I could always rely on her returning the books on time.”

“Say, can I ask you a personal question? How long have you been working here?”

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just that no matter how many times Twilight and I visited this library, you seemed to be the only pony who's working at this desk. I'm just curious how long it's been since you first started here."

“Oh, Spike, it’s longer than I can remember.” Dusty chuckled.

“And you never took a vacation or anything? Working everyday doesn’t sound very healthy.”

“Didn’t need a reason to.”

“But didn’t you ever wanted to take a break from the norm? Tried doing something different?”

“You sound just like First Folio.”

“It won’t hurt just to take a day or two off. You can let the other staff ponies know. I’m sure your perfect record won’t be stained.”

Dusty thought about it. “Alright, young one. Tell you what. I’ll consider it.”

“Thank you.”

I stayed in the library and read a bunch of atlases. I studied where certain locations were, like Griffonstone, Yakyakistan, the Dragon Lands, and more. Surprisingly, I was able to find the entrance to Tartarus within some of the books. I took note of the locations. I'd check some of the books out, but I didn't have a library card.

I then took the train back to Ponyville. I arrived just in time to see the girls having lunch together.

“Spike, you’re back,” Twilight said. “Come sit with us. We’ve missed you.”

“You missed me? I didn’t think you all had feelings for me,” I teased.

“Oh, Spike.” Twilight rolled her eyes.

I propped up a chair and sat next to Twilight. She gave me half of her sandwich. The daisies didn’t taste too bad with enough ketchup.

We ate and talked about different things. Twilight talked about her sleepover with Rarity and Applejack during the storm yesterday. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash talked about how they organized the storm, and Pinkie went on about how important the color of frosting was on a cupcake.

That’s when I decided to break the ice.

“Girls, may I ask you something?” I asked. “What are your thoughts on zebras?”

The Mane Six stopped and looked at me like I just ate a plate.

“What? Something wrong?”

“Why the random question, Spike?” Applejack asked.

“I think it’s because Spike and I read a book about zebras,” Twilight replied. “They’re actually very interesting creatures who live in Zebrica. They can make potions, they speak in rhymes, the list goes on.”

“Wait,” Rainbow Dash said. “What do these zebras look like?”

“I think they’re just like ponies, only with stripes on their fur.”

“They really need to reconsider their style choices,” Rarity said.

“They were born with stripes, Rarity,” I retorted. “You girls never seen a zebra before?”

“Uh...well...” Fluttershy mumbled. “There is one, but...”

“Who?”

“She’s a tad odd,” said Applejack. “She lives in the Everfree Forest. That’s where the plants grow, animals nurture, and clouds move all their own.”

Man, wait until they hear what it’s like in my old world.

“How is she odd? What’s her name?” I scratched my head.

“Oooh, we do not speak her name,” Pinkie whispered.

“Is there something Twilight and I are missing here? What’s wrong with that zebra?”

“Well, she comes around once a month and starts digging the ground…” Rainbow Dash said.

“That doesn’t sound weird. Zebras do that to look for water.” I took another bite of my sandwich. “I guess you girls think she’s gonna charge at somepony. But do you ever see her do any weird stuff?”

“Well...no...” Fluttershy replied. “B-But what if she comes and kidnaps somepony? Or place a curse on the whole town? O-Or make birds sing offkey?”

“Look, I don’t think she can do any of that. Has anyone ever tried talking to her?” I asked.

“Nopony’s brave enough to approach her, darling,” Rarity replied.

“Well, lucky for you all, I’m not a pony. The next time she shows up, I’ll talk to her.”

“You shouldn't do that Spike!" Pinkie rebutted. "What if she puts you in a trance? Or make you do an evil dance?”

“Oh, Pinkie, that’s not gonna happen,” I said.

"You're only a kid, Spike," Rainbow Dash said. "Even I wouldn't come close to her. Take my word for it."

The girls were left uneasy, except Twilight. She also found the evil zebra story too difficult to believe.

“I’ll come with you, Spike,” Twilight said. “If anything does happen, I can shoo the zebra away before she does anything ‘evil.’”

I accepted Twilight’s offer, even though I knew it wouldn’t be necessary.

The next day, Ponyville was practically a ghost town. I figured it would be that way.

Twilight was astonished. “I knew the girls weren’t comfortable around a zebra, but the whole town?!”

“I swear, the ponies didn’t act like this when I showed up, and I’m a dragon,” I said.

“It’s different, Spike. You’re a baby dragon. You can’t scare an entire village away.”

“Let’s just find that zebra.”

“We should try looking around the shops. Rarity told me she would ‘lurk’ around the stores.”

Twilight and I checked each shop to no avail, but then I noticed a hooded figure pawing the ground.

“I found her, Twilight.” I then called out to the zebra, “Excuse me, ma’am?!”

The zebra looked my way. The cloak she was wearing gave me an eerie feeling, but I knew the zebra meant no harm. I approached her with confidence.

“Hello,” I said. “My name is Spike, and welcome to Ponyville. What’s your name?”

“My name is Zecora, little whelp,” the zebra replied. “Are you alone? Do you need help?”

“Sorry, he’s with me,” Twilight replied as she approached Zecora. “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m a recent resident here in Ponyville. I never saw you around these parts, Zecora.”

“I live in the forest of Everfree.” Zecora removed her hood. “Is that why the others think I'm scary?”

“Probably. A lot of dangerous creatures reside in that forest, like that Ursa Minor a while back. It would make sense that they would be afraid of somepony like you.”

“Well, I can assure you that I mean no threat. I’m sure the others will realize it yet. Perhaps one day, you may come to visit. That doesn’t sound troubling for you two, is it?”

“Not at all, but could you give us directions to your home?”

Zecora told us the safest and fastest path in the Everfree Forest, and she told us what plants and animals to avoid, like poison joke and cockatrices. She then headed back into the Everfree Forest.

“Now we just need to convince the rest of Ponyville to see that Zecora doesn’t harm anypony,” said Twilight.

“First, let’s go find the girls.” I pointed to Sugarcube Corner. “I have a feeling they’re in there.”

We headed inside, and just like in the show, the girls were in there. They have seen Twilight and I talking to Zecora, and they were left speechless.

“Well, wallop my withers,” said Applejack. “You must've gotten nerves of steel to be able to talk to her.”

“Well, it helps not to be a xenophobe.”

“Uh...is that a fancy word for pony?”

“It means somepony who’s afraid of other cultures,” said Twilight.

“Where is the zebra now?” Rainbow asked.

“Heading back to the Everfree Forest,” Twilight replied. “She said it was okay for us to come over sometime. Why don’t we go now? It would be nice to share cultural differences between different creatures.”

“How ‘bout some other time?” Applejack asked. “Applebloom and I need to head back and finish our chores.”

“Oh, where is she?”

“Right...here…? Uh, oh! Where IS she?”

We all called for Applebloom.

“Did Applebloom say anything about where she was going?” I asked.

Applejack replied, “She wanted to speak to Zecora as well, but I couldn’t let her. She must’ve snuck out!”

“She might be heading to the Everfree Forest! We gotta stop her!”

The girls and I ran out of Sugarcube Corner and into the forest. It didn’t take long before we found Applebloom. My heart sank when she was about to step in some blue flowers.

“STOP!!”

Applebloom stopped dead in her tracks. Applejack rushed to pick her up.

“What do ya think yer doing, wandering the forest by yerself?! You could’ve gotten hurt!” Applejack scolded.

“I just wanna talk to Zecora,” Applebloom replied.

“We’ll go together and meet her someday, but not today.”

“Glad you’re safe,” Rainbow Dash said.

I nodded in agreement, but then I saw…

“Rainbow Dash! You stepped in poison joke!” I yelled.

Rainbow Dash flew out of the flowers. “Oh, no. What’s gonna happen to me?”

“Nothing good, I’m afraid.”

“Wait, those blue flowers?” Rarity asked. “I might’ve stepped on one, too.”

“Oh...so have I,” Fluttershy added.

I slapped my forehead. “Oh great.” I sat down, but I regretted doing so, because something brushed my tail. I turned to see what that something was. The same blue flowers. "Oh, man."

“Nopony move!” Twilight shouted. “Zecora told me these poison joke flowers are dangerous. Everypony watch your step and try not to touch each other until we get out of this forest!”

We did just that. Twilight levitated me with her magic while the others tried to walk without touching any of the other poison joke. Pinkie, Applejack, Twilight and Applebloom were the only ponies who didn’t come to contact with the flowers.

“Now what do we do?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“You'll have to take a shower or something,” Twilight replied. “I’m sure it’ll wash off.”

“It’s a little more complicated than that, Twilight,” I said. “Maybe we should talk to Zecora. She'll know what to do.”

“We don’t have time, Spike. It’s getting late. If you still have an infection tomorrow, then we’ll visit Zecora.”

The girls returned home. When Twilight and I came home, I took a shower. I knew it wouldn’t work, but I couldn’t go out at night without Twilight worrying about me. I remembered there was a book in the library somewhere that talked about a poison joke cure, but I’ll have to find it tomorrow. That is assuming I don’t transform into a weird creature.

It was already morning. I felt like I only slept for five minutes.

Twilight yawned. “Good morning...Spike?”

“Morning.” I yawned as well. Then I noticed Twilight staring at me. “Oh, no. What did the poison joke do?”

Twilight pulled out a mirror and showed me. I gasped at my reflection. Instead of a dragon, I was a pony. I was purple with a green mane, and I didn’t have wings or a horn. I didn’t have a cutie mark either.

“Oh, no! I’ve been ponified!” I yelled.

“Calm down, Spike,” Twilight reassured me. “Let’s find a cure for this.” Twilight began looking through all the books.

“Try looking in Supernaturals: Natural Remedies. It might have something.” I suddenly tripped out of my bed. I was a pony for less than five minutes and I already wanted to be a dragon again.

Twilight searched and found the book. She flipped through the pages and found the cure.

“Oh, wow,” Twilight said amazed. “The cure seems really easy. All you need to do is take a herbal bubble bath.” She picked up a book about herbs and searched for the plants needed. “Looks like most of these plants reside in the Everfree Forest. Maybe Zecora can help us—”

BAM!! “Ow!”
BAM!! “Ow!”
BAM!! CRASH!!

We turned to see Rainbow Dash crashing into the library.

“Twilight! That poison stuff messed with my wings!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “I can’t control them!”

“And I can’t see anything!” Rarity came in looking like a shaggy dog, which freaked us out.

“Is everypony alright?” Applejack rushed into the room with Pinkie Pie and Applebloom. They were all their normal selves. Applejack then noticed me.

“Twilight, ya didn’t tell us ya had a lil’ brother.” Applejack chuckled.

“That’s not funny, Applejack!” I rebutted. “Where’s Fluttershy?”

“Applebloom and I went to see if she was alright, but...”

Fluttershy walked in. She looked normal, but I knew what happened to her.

“What’s wrong with you, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

A deep voice came out of Fluttershy’s mouth: “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Pinkie Pie guffawed at our misfortunes. “This is hilarious! We got Harity, Rainbow Smash, Flutterguy, and...Spike. Yeah, I’ve got nothing.”

Now I know how Twilight felt in the show.

“This isn’t funny, Pinkie,” Twilight said. “The poison joke affected everypony except you, Applejack, Applebloom, and me. Now, I managed to find a book about curing this. All it takes is a herbal bath, but there’s a catch.”

“What's the catch?” Rainbow asked as she slid across the floor.

“Most of the ingredients are in the Everfree Forest.” She grabbed the plant book. “I think we should visit Zecora. She’ll know exactly where to find them. Follow me.”

I hopped on Twilight’s back. I then saw Rainbow Dash crash into a bookshelf.

“Rainbow, just stop flying!” I yelled.

“I can’t! My wings won’t stop flapping!” Rainbow retorted.

“I’ll help ya!” Applejack pulled out a lasso and tied Rainbow’s wings to her body. “There. Now ya can’t fly.”

Twilight ran off to the forest with the rest of the Mane Six and Applebloom following close behind.

Pinkie gasped. "I got it! Spikelight! Since Twilight and Spike look alike."

"Pinkie, please." I looked at my hooves and then Twilight's back. The colors almost matched.

You know what? She has a point.

“Stay close to me, girls,” Twilight said. “Zecora gave us directions to her house. We should be there soon.”

I heard a trip and a thud.

“Easier said than done, darling,” Rarity said as she got up.

“Wait for me!” Rainbow Dash called out. It was hard for her to keep up without her wings.

“What does Zecora’s house even look like?” Applejack asked.

“I've read in a book that zebras usually decorate their homes with masks and bottles,” I replied. “If we find something like that, we might find Zecora.”

It didn't take long until we all arrived at our destination. The tree matched closely to my description.

“This must be where Zecora lives.” Twilight knocked on the door. “Zecora! Open up! We need your help!”

Zecora opened the door. “How can I help you, pony folk?” She then noticed what happened to me. “Oh, no. Did you step in Poison Joke?”

“Yeah, so did Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy,” I replied. "But it was by mistake."

Twilight pulled out the book, “We need help gathering these ingredients. I’ve read that you need to mix them with a bath to cure the poison joke effects.”

Zecora read the book. “These ingredients are not very rare. I just happened to have most of them here.”

We all entered Zecora’s home as she fetched the ingredients for us. As she was mixing the cauldron, the girls learned a lot about Zecora. The decorations she had were treasures from Zebrica that she took with her when she left. Her way of speaking was how the other Zebricans spoke, and the cauldron is used for all the potions she makes.

“The cure for Poison Joke is almost done. All the ingredients are here but one.” Zecora stopped mixing. “Complete this potion I will, I just need an ingredient from Ponyville.”

“But all of the shops mysteriously close when Zecora comes to town,” Applebloom said. “How can we convince the other ponies to stay open?”

“I think I know what to do,” said Twilight.

We returned to Ponyville with Zecora. The rest of the ponies freaked out after seeing Zecora again. It didn’t help that they assumed we were cursed by Zecora. Thankfully, Twilight was able to talk to everypony about accepting Zecora, and she gathered the last ingredient needed for the potion. We then went to the spa and used the big bathtub for the cure. All of us who were affected by the Poison Joke jumped in. Pinkie jumped in as well, even though she wasn’t affected.

The cure itself worked instantly. Rarity’s back to her old look, Fluttershy sounded cuter, Rainbow Dash was able to fly perfectly again, and I was glad that I turned back into a dragon. I never understood how could anypony get used to not having hands or feet, let alone fingers.

After seeing what the bath can do, one of the spa ponies asked Zecora if she could get the recipe for it. Zecora agreed.

Chapter 12 (Swarm of the Century & Suited for Success)

“Sheesh, Twilight, have you ever considered reading a book one at a time?” I asked as I picked up some of the books from the floor. The entire library looked as if a tornado passed by. I wondered how Twilight, a pony who's always organized, managed to make such a mess.

“Just hurry up,” Twilight replied. “This place isn’t going to clean itself.”

“What’s the hurry?”

“Princess Celestia said she’s coming to visit. Now, I’ve gotten the rest of Ponyville to prepare for her—”

I gasped. “OH, NO!! I FORGOT ABOUT THE PARASPRITE!!”

“Spike, we don’t need a—”

I didn’t hear her. I rushed out of the library towards Fluttershy’s house. My blood was pumping faster than an IV.

Oh, man! Oh, man! I hope I’m not too late!

I couldn’t believe I forgot about taking care of the parasprite. In the show, Fluttershy found one and wanted to show the rest of the girls. Unfortunately, the parasprite would multiply into many, many more and end up eating the entire town. Now, Twilight could get Fluttershy to get rid of the parasprites the second Fluttershy showed her them, but I was afraid Fluttershy might idiotically keep one in her house regardless. I wasn’t going to take that chance.

I saw Fluttershy carrying a bunch of flowers on her back just like in the show. Then a rock near her jumped, making her hide behind a basket of apples. A parasprite popped out. I didn’t have long.

Fluttershy smiled. “Hello little—”

“FLUTTERSHY!! STOP!!” I pounced at the parasprite and grabbed it before it could fly away. I could hear it struggling in my hands. “I got you, you freaking pest!”

“Spike! What are you doing?!” Fluttershy asked. “Leave that poor thing alone!”

“This is a parasprite, Fluttershy!” I said as I carried it to the Everfree Forest. “Even if one of them enters Ponyville, it can spell disaster for all of us. These guys can eat anything and everything. And don’t get me started on how they multiply.”

“Oh, my. How can one tiny creature cause so much destruction?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” I released the parasprite into the wild. Its eyes shot daggers at me before flying into the forest. “Good thing I showed up just in time.”

“Yes, but please don’t scare me like that. I almost had a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry, Fluttershy. I just didn’t want you to get too attached with that creature.”

“Spike!” I heard Twilight call out. She showed up out of breath. “Why did you run off? We need to clean the library before Princess Celestia’s visit tomorrow.”

“I needed to catch that parasprite before it attacks Ponyville.”

“And that couldn't’ wait until after we’re done cleaning?”

“Nope.”

“Wait a minute,” said Fluttershy. “How did you know that a parasprite was going to show up here?”

“Zecora warned me that some of the parasprites have been wandering too far from their home,” I lied. “She said I should check in case any of them flies too close to Ponyville.”

“Well, it’s good that you’re helping, but next time tell me where you’re going to go,” said Twilight.

“Sorry about that.”

That was one episode taken care of. Twilight and I returned back to the library to clean up. The next day, the Princess arrived, and surprisingly, she didn’t cancel like in the show. It was probably because Fillydelphia didn’t have an infestation. The parade went fairly well without any problems, except for Pinkie eating all the sweets.

The events of “Winter Wrap Up”,” Call of the Cutie,” “Fall Weather Friends” haven't happened yet. I figured they didn’t. It was still summer after all.

The next event to come up was Rarity making the outfits for the Gala. In the show, Rarity made a bunch of dresses for the girls to wear for the Gala. However, the girls weren't satisfied with her designs, so she makes new dresses that end up looking tacky and crazy. Then a fashion critic comes and criticizes the dresses, resulting in Rarity having a meltdown. I hope I can prevent that from happening.

Twilight and I were heading to the Carousel Boutique with Applejack following us. Twilight had an old dress she wanted to have fixed for the gala.

"So what are you girls going to do at the gala?" I asked.

"I'm hoping I could talk with Princess Celestia. Let her know what I've been up to outside of my friendship lessons." Twilight looked at her dress. "That is, if I could get this button sewn in."

"And I'll be sellin' some of my apple products," said Applejack. "I know there'll be free food at the gala, but once them fancy-pants ponies take a bite out of my treats, they'll wish my wares were free as well. I haven't decided on what to make, however. How fancy do them ponies in Canterlot like their food?"

"Do you know what a hors d'oeuvre is?" I asked.

"That fancy?!" Applejack gasped. "Hmm, well, I could try to whip those cinnamon baked apples my ma and pa had during their wedding. I just have to ask Granny Smith for the recipe."

We entered the Boutique and saw Rarity working on a dress. The scene played out like in the show. Twilight wanted to fix her dress, but Rarity decided to make her a new one, and she was going to do the same for the rest of the girls. She also wanted to have her own fashion show. What was different, however, was that she wanted to make a suit for me.

"Really?" I blushed.

"Of course, Spike." Rarity pulled out a tape measure. "You're also going to the gala, are you not? Even a dragon has to dress formal for a gala." She then took my measurements.

"Wait...so you have to make a dress for…" Applejack counted the ponies and me. "...six ponies and a dragon? Lickety Split?"

"Oh, Applejack. You make it sound as if it's going to be hard."

While Rarity started working on our dresses, I decided I should hang out with some of the ponies around town. I could get to know them a bit more, and maybe see if I could increase my relationship with everypony.

I thought about chatting with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon and trying to get them to stop bullying, but then I remembered that Tiara's reformation resulted in the CMC's getting their cutie marks. So, I decided not to bother them. I'll have to make sure Babs doesn't join them, however.

I had tea with Fluttershy. She was a fun pony to talk to. Her love of animals fascinated me. To be honest, I was stuck between asking her or Rarity to the Gala. Rarity was a beautiful pony and generous at times, but Fluttershy was both cute and kind. This was one dilemma that the old Spike didn’t have to worry about. I’ll have to think of something.

Fluttershy still wanted to see the animals at the gala, but she didn’t know how to approach them without scaring them off. I gave her a book from Twilight’s library about rare animals. It talked about where they came from, what their personalities were, what they ate, and so on. I bookmarked some of the creatures that I knew were going to be at the Gala. She thanked me for the book. I hoped that she would find it useful.

I visited Pinkie and, with a help of a book, taught her some dance moves from the Gala. You’d be surprised how much skills you’ll learn from reading so many books. Pinkie had a hard time keeping up, but she got most of the moves down.

“How do you not fall asleep dancing like this?” Pinkie asked. “Most of these dance moves are so slow.”

As much as I didn’t like Rainbow Dash, I decided to hang out with her anyway. I didn’t want to get on her bad side, and given what I’ve done in the past, I was on thin ice. Much to my surprise, it wasn’t as bad as I hoped. Her flying tricks were rather impressive, but there was one trick that she was trying to do: a sonic rainboom. I knew what a sonic rainboom was, but I asked her anyway to avoid suspicion. While it involved going really fast, even she couldn’t pull it off. I assured her that she’ll accomplish it someday.

I asked Applejack if I could help around the farm. She accepted my help this time. I bucked some of the trees, helped carry hay, and fed some of the animals. I wanted to ask Applejack why she had pigs on the farm, but I decided it was best that I didn’t know. I also helped her look up some recipes that she could try making for the gala. They were all apple-related, unsurprisingly.

I also decided to hang out with some of the background ponies, like Lyra, Bon Bon, Rumble, Button Mash, Big Macintosh, and even Hoity Toity, who wanted to see Rarity's fashion show. Out of all the ponies I talked to, I found Lyra the most interesting. I bet she didn’t realize she was talking to a human, or else she would’ve fangirled like Twilight at a new bookstore.

After a few days, Rarity had finally finished making the girls’ dresses and my suit. She invited us to come over to the boutique to see. However, we had to cover our eyes as we got in.

“Okay! You can look now!” Rarity said.

We opened our eyes and gasps filled the room. The dresses looked just like the ones in the show. The only difference was that my suit, which was a black and white penguin tux, was included in the set.

“Aren’t they all amazing?!” Rarity asked.

Before the girls could say anything, I replied, “They’re spectacular! You really went all out making these dresses. The ponies at the fashion show AND the gala would be impressed by your assembles!”

“Thank you, Spikey. Don’t you girls agree?”

The rest of the Mane Six stayed silent.

“Well...uh...” Twilight started to say.

“They’re very nice...” Applejack rubbed the back of her head.

“Mine’s just not as cool as I’d imagine,” Rainbow said.

I oughta slap the rainbow out of your mane, Dash!

“Come on, girls! What kind of gratitude are you showing here?!” I asked. “Rarity spent so much time making these for you! The least you could do is accept her designs and thank her for her time.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re right, Spike. Rarity worked so hard on these dresses, and we shouldn’t chew her out for designing them differently than we imagined.” She glared at Rainbow. “Right, Dash?”

“I’m just saying,” Rainbow said. “Mine should’ve been 20% cooler.”

There’s that old meme.

“I’m sure everypony, including Hoity Toity, would be impressed by your designs at the fashion show,” I said to Rarity.

"Hoity Toity? THE Hoity Toity?!" Rarity asked.

"The bigwig fashion hotshot in Canterlot?" Twilight added.

"Yep," I replied. "He heard about Rarity's fashion show, and he's coming to see our outfits."

"But will he like our outfits?" Applejack asked. "I mean, this feller's from Canterlot after all. Given how them ponies there eat food fancier than an apple coated in luster dust, there ain't no telling how high their standards are for fashion."

"I'm sure he'll keep his expectations low here," Twilight answered.

We all tried on our outfits while Rarity finished up hers. I'll admit I looked snazzy when I saw myself in the mirror.

Now all I need is a martini and a P99.

The fashion show arrived in a flash. Everypony from Ponyville showed up to see the show. Hoity Toity was sitting in the front row like he did in the episode.

I was a bit worried about what might happen. What if Hoity Toity criticizes these outfits as well? He didn't see the failed designs, so what would he say to the current ones?

The girls and I got into our respective outfits.

"Ugh, I still say that my idea would've been better," said Rainbow Dash. "I look silly in this."

"Don't worry, Dashie," I said. "If you ask me, you look like the pony who knows how to dress in style."

The lights and music started up. I grabbed the microphone.

"Since the dawn of time, the elite of Equestria have longed for pony fashions that truly expressed the essence of their very souls. Patiently waiting years, decades, even centuries for the perfect pony gown. Today, at long last, Equestria, your wait is over! Let's hear it for the breathtaking designs of Ponyville's own Rarity!"

The curtain pulled back, showing all of Ponyville our outfits. Unlike last time, the crowd applauded at us. Surprisingly, even Hoity Toity was impressed.

By the end, even the girls were ecstatic.

"Hoo-wee!" Applejack said. "I haven't heard that much cheering since I won the pie-eating contest at last year's carnival. I guess Rarity's design was spectacular after all."

"Sorry we doubted you at first, Rarity," Twilight said. "You know more about designing than we do, so we shouldn't have acted all snooty because they weren't to our liking. If it weren't for Spike, who knows what our designs might've looked like?"

"Glad I could help," I said.

After I sent another friendship letter to the Princess, Hoity Toity showed up. The scene played out just like in the show, with Toity asking for a bunch of dresses for Rarity to design by next week. I never knew if she accepted or not, but I was sure she picked the latter given she didn’t work so much the following days.

Chapter 13 (Feeling Pinkie Keen)

There were three rules I followed when I was in the Brony fandom:

Respect others' favorite ponies.

Love and tolerate everything.

Never question Pinkie Pie's logic.

The third one would be important today, as it was the day that Twilight learns about "Pinkie Sense" and try to see how it works. Eventually, she gives up and accepts that Pinkie Pie is somepony she'll never understand. Even though I didn't need to change anything, it wouldn't hurt to help Twilight out a bit.

Twilight was trying to make a suit for me out of twigs and leaves, which I didn't understand why considering I already have a suit.

I heard a familiar "boing" sound. With quick thinking, I was able to catch the rock above my head.

"Spike, this spell needs our full attention!" Twilight said. "There's no other way."

"I'm sorry, Twilight, " I said, "but I thought I heard Pinkie Pie."

We looked over the hill and saw Pinkie hiding under a tree with an umbrella on her head. She then ducked under a bench, a rock, and then another tree.

"Nevermind her," Twilight said. "She's just being Pinkie Pie."

"More like extra Pinkie today." I scratched my head. "We should see what she's up to."

We approached Pinkie as she held her twitching tail.

"Hey, Pinkie," I greeted. "What are you up to?"

"Oh! It's my tail! It's a-twitching twitching!" Pinkie shoved her tail in my and Twilight's face. "You know what that means?"

"The sky is falling?" I joked.

"Close. It means my Pinkie Sense is telling me that stuff's gonna start falling! You two better duck for cover."

"Pinkie, it's not gonna rain," said Twilight. "There's barely a cloud—"

Suddenly a frog jumped on Twilight's face.

"Woah! Pinkie was right. Something did fall." I said.

"Oh, Spike, it was just a coincidence." Twilight removed the frog from her face. "The frog just happened to fall right after Pinkie said that."

"Oh, sorry Twilight." Fluttershy came and picked up the frog. "The pond was getting overpopulated, so I decided to fly as many frogs as I can over to Froggy Bottom Bog." She placed the frog in the cart she was pulling and flew off. I would've stopped her, but I didn't think it would matter in the long run.

"You can't deny that it was weird a frog fell right after Pinkie said something would fall," I said to Twilight.

"Yes, I can," Twilight said. "It was just a coincidence. Nothing else."

"Guys! My tail! My tail!" Pinkie shouted. "It's twitching again! Something else is gonna fall."

"Pinkie, nothing else is gonna—" Right after Twilight said that, she fell into a ditch.

"Are you alright, Twilight?" I asked. "Is it safe to pull her out, Pinkie?"

"Yep," Pinkie replied. "My tail stopped twitching."

I pulled Twilight out. Applejack came along wondering what we were doing.

“Twilight fell in the ditch right after Pinkie’s tail twitched,” I said. “Her Pinkie sense predicted Twilight’s fall.”

“Honestly, Spike,” Twilight said, “Two coincidences in a row may be unlikely, but it's still easier to believe than twitchy tails that predict the future.”

“I wouldn’t say that, Twilight,” Applejack said. “Here in Ponyville, we have a belief: If Pinkie’s a-twitching, ya better listen.”

Pinkie suddenly appeared. “My ears are flopping! My ears are flopping!”

Uh oh, I know what that means…

“Uh, Twilight, I’m gonna run a bath for you,” said Pinkie.

I grabbed Twilight’s leg. “Twilight, you might want to—”

“Let go of my leg!” Twilight commanded.

Sadly, I was too late. I couldn’t prevent Twilight from getting drenched in mud, and I ended up getting covered as well.

“Ugh, see?” I groaned.

We were escorted to Pinkie’s bathroom, where Twilight and I took a bubble bath at the same time. Somehow, it felt familiar.

“I figured Pinkie knew I needed a bath due to her ‘sense,’ but how did you know that I was going to get covered in mud?” Twilight asked me.

“I saw you were near that mud puddle. When Pinkie mentioned she’ll draw you a bath, it didn’t take much to put two and two together,” I said as I scrubbed my shoulders. “Now do you believe in Pinkie Sense?”

“Okay, so perhaps three coincidences in a row is improbable, but I still don’t see how her senses could work like that.” Twilight blew some of the suds away.

“Basically, it works like this,” said Pinkie as she placed a bottle down. “I get different, little, niggly feelings and they mean different things. Like when my back is itchy, it means it's my lucky day. When my knee gets pinchy, that means something scary's about to happen.”

“You know, I think I have something like that,” I said. “When my stomach growls, it means it’s close to lunchtime. When I start yawning, it means it’s almost bedtime.”

Twilight rubbed her forehead. “Spike, those are normal reactions. Your stomach growls when you’re hungry, and you yawn when you’re tired. It’s not some sort of ‘Spike sense.’”

“Ooh! Guys! My shoulders are aching,” Pinkie said. “That means there’s an alligator in the tub.”

“Excuse me, Pinkie, but I’m a dragon,” I joked.

“Not you, silly filly.” Pinkie then pulled a baby alligator from the bathtub. Twilight leaped like a cat to get away from it, while I stayed where I was unfazed.

“How did your knee not get pinchy?!” Twilight trembled. “That’s not only scary, it’s downright dangerous!”

“No, it’s not, silly. This is my pet alligator, Gummy,” said Pinkie. “He’s got no teeth.” Gummy then tried to “attack” Pinkie. “See?”

“Okay, okay, we get it,” said Twilight as she lowered herself back into the tub.

Twilight and I cleaned ourselves, and we headed back home with Pinkie following us.

“I still don’t believe all this ‘special power’ stuff,” said Twilight. “It's just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.”

“Come on, Twilight,” I said. “You can’t just think that all these events are just coincidences. The stuff falling, us getting dirty, gator in the tub...Pinkie predicted all those things. It’s like she has some sort of psychic magic.”

“Magic is something that can only happen when you decide to do it, and it’s mainly for when you want something specific to happen. Whatever Pinkie has is not magic. A random thing happens to her body, and she thinks her prediction will come true. It makes no sense at all.”

“That’s not true, Twilight,” Pinkie said. “Sometimes it's a bunch of random things happening to my body at random times that supposedly predict the future. I call them ‘combos.’ For example, an ear flop, a knee twitch, and then an eye flutter means the sky is about to be graced with a beautiful rainbow!”

“Yeah, sure,” Twilight rolled her eyes.

That’s when Pinkie’s combo started. Much to my surprise, the combo was just like Pinkie said: ear flop, knee twitch, and then eye flutter. In the show, the combo was in a different order, but I guess that was due to me not being at the library.

“Hey, look.” I pointed at the sky. “It’s Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow zoomed right past us. She was going so fast, she left behind a rainbow trail.

“See?! A rainbow! Just like Pinkie said!” I shouted.

“What was up with Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked. “She acted like she stole something.”

Applejack then showed up out of breath.

“Get back here...ya cider-stealin’ varmint!” Applejack panted. “I know for a fact…a friend discount ain’t a real thing! I don’t care...how desperate you are...for a drink,...ya still have to pay the full price for...that mug of cider!” She took off running again. “Howdy, girls and Spike.”

“Still think it’s a coincidence, little miss doubtful?” I asked Twilight.

Twilight groaned. “I don’t believe this.”

“You don't believe it because you don't understand,” said Pinkie.

That’s when Twilight had the idea of analyzing Pinkie Pie. I decided to chip in and help her.

At our library’s basement, Twilight attached different pads to Pinkie Pie, similar to what doctors used to check the heart system in someone’s body. She also placed a glowing helmet on her head like in the show. Meanwhile, I set up a ladder next to Pinkie.

“Okay,” Twilight said. “Now when you get another twitch, Pinkie, we'll have all kinds of scientific information. Ready, Spike?”

“Ready,” I replied. I climbed the ladder with the flowerpot in my hand.

“Seeing how your tail twitches when something falls (or so you claim, Pinkie), I’m having Spike drop a flowerpot. That way, we’ll guarantee there’ll be a twitch.”

“Okie dokie loki!” said Pinkie.

I held the flowerpot up. After a few seconds, I released my grip, sending the pot crashing to the floor.

“Her tail twitched!” Twilight shouted. “Now to see if there were any changes to her body.” Twilight looked at the data paper, but she found nothing. “I don’t get it. Your tail twitched at exactly 12:13:36, and yet there were no changes to your cardiovascular, your neurological, or your endocrine system whatsoever.”

“What about her tubercolastic system or her pinkocronical system?” I asked, trying not to laugh.

“Those aren’t real systems, Spike!” Twilight retorted. “If you can take this seriously as much as I can, then we would understand why Pinkie acts like this. But now, nothing’s making sense!”

“Sometimes you just have to believe in things, even when you can't figure them out,” said Pinkie.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anything that could explain her Pinkie sense. Eventually, Twilight gave up and removed all the equipment from Pinkie. We all left the library’s basement after that.

“I can’t accept the fact that Pinkie can somehow miraculously predict the future with her twitches,” said Twilight. “I need to figure all this out. There has to be an explanation for all this.”

“Not everything needs an explanation,” I said to Twilight. “Do you remember that book you’ve read back in Canterlot about a stallion getting stuck in a time loop? There was no explanation as to how or why it happened, and yet you didn’t make a big fuss out of it.”

“That’s because that book was fiction. This is real life. And real life stuff has answers to everything.”

“Well, maybe...” Then the realisation hit me. My eyes widened. “Woah!”

“What? Is something wrong?”

“I...uh...I think I need to rest a bit.”

“Go ahead, Spike. I’ve got some things to do by myself anyway.” Twilight left the library.

I sat down on my bed and tried to figure out what just happened.

How did I know about what Twilight read in the past?

Looking back, I remembered when I mentioned Twilight reading a bat pony novel. I didn’t feel like I was just guessing. I actually felt like I witnessed Twilight reading that book. It was so weird.

I decided not to think about it right now.

After eating a few gems, I went out and searched for Twilight. I saw a moving bush nearby and instantly knew who it was.

"Twilight?" I asked.

Twilight freaked out and pulled me into the bush.

"Spike, don't you know better than to sneak up on ponies?" Twilight asked.

"Sorry about that," I replied. "But isn't that what you're doing with Pinkie Pie?" I pointed to Pinkie sniffing some flowers.

"No! No! I'm doing scientific research. I'm observing Pinkie Pie, scientific name: Pinkius Pieicus, in its natural habitat."

"Ah, yes." I then tried to pull off my best Australian accent: "The elusive Pieicus is a dangerous creature. Her fluffy mane and pink coat do nothin' to hide the insane personality within. One must be cautious when approachin' this particular pony."

Never had I seen a face as confused as Twilight's. "That is the weirdest thing you've said all day." She then looked over the bush. "Pinkius Pieicus is on the move. Let's go."

We followed Pinkie Pie to a nearby playground, where she rolled around like a puppy.

“Here we see the Pinkius Pieicus in its natural habitat,” I narrated. “Don’t let its playful attitude fool ya. It is capable of—”

“Knock it off, Spike!” Twilight hissed. “You sound like a kangaroo with a throat disorder!”

“Sorry.”

Twilight and I watched Pinkie as she continued to roll. Suddenly she got up, scratched her nose, and hid under a bench.

“Ah, see? That doesn’t make sense,” Twilight said. “Pinkie's hiding like something's about to fall from the sky, but a twitchy tail means something will fall, not an itchy nose.”

“Uh, Twilight? Do you hear bees?” I peeked over the bush and saw a giant swarm heading our way. “It is bees! Run!”

“Spike! Shh! Pinkie can’t know—”

I didn’t have time to argue. This time, I picked up Twilight with all my might and carried her away.

“SPIKE! Put me down! Put me—” She then noticed the bees. “YAH!!” Then it was Twilight’s turn to carry me.

Thankfully, we were able to escape the bees. We learned later that a beehive nearby had shattered after breaking off from a tree.

“Okay, so an itchy nose means watch out for bees,” I said as I wrote the sense down in the notebook. “Good to know.”

We found Pinkie again at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Okay, she’s sniffing a flower,” said Twilight.

“I wonder what that means.” I said. I knew it wasn’t actually part of Pinkie Sense, but I couldn’t resist joking about it.

“It means the flower smells good.” Twilight looked through the binoculars. “Wait. I'm getting something: ear flop, eye flutter, and knee twitch.”

“Wait, so if an ear-knee-eye combo means a rainbow, doesn’t an ear-eye-knee combo mean something else?”

“What else could it mean?”

I stared at the cellar door nearby. “What if it meant something like...be careful around doors?”

“You really do believe in this stuff, don't you? Here, let me show you there's nothing to be afraid of.” Twilight walked over to the door and stood right next to it. “See? There’s nothing to be af—”

Suddenly, the door swung open and knocked Twilight down.

“Huh?” Applejack appeared from the cellar. “Oops, sorry Twi. Didn’t see ya there. You alright?”

“It did mean to be careful around doors!” I exclaimed. “I-I was only kidding.”

Twilight brushed herself off. “Let’s just get back to Pinkie Pie.”

We continued following Pinkie Pie for who knows how long. At least Twilight didn’t have to be in a wheelchair.

“Okay...take this down,” Twilight said as she looked through the binoculars. “A twitchy tail...”

“Oh, no!” I grabbed Twilight’s leg and pulled her away. “Come on! Come on! We better run and take cover!”

“Okay, fine,” Twilight rolled her eyes as we sat under a nearby tree.

Wait for it...

Suddenly, a flowerpot, an anvil, a cart of hay, and a piano all crashed on the same bench.

“Yikes, that could’ve been us,” I said. “Those delivery ponies need to be more careful.”

We watched as Pinkie Pie talked to Applejack.

“Watcha doin’?” Pinkie asked.

“I’m taking these apples to my new apple cellar,” said Applejack. “What about you, Pinkie?”

“Oh, I’m letting Twilight secretly follow me all day without me knowing.”

Twilight and I appeared from the bush.

“You mean you knew all along?!” Twilight barked.

“Well, we weren’t the best at being sneaky,” I said. “But it’s like what Applejack said. ‘If Pinkie’s a-twitchin, you better listen.’ I just wanted to make sure you didn’t get hurt, Twilight.”

Suddenly, Pinkie started shaking uncontrollably. It meant that something unexpected was going to happen, and it was going to occur at Froggy Bottom Bog. I knew what that something was. Twilight was going to believe that Pinkie Sense was real, even though she didn’t understand it.

Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, and I ran for Froggy Bottom Bog. Pinkie was still trembling.

“I hope Fluttershy’s alright,” I said.

“I hope so, too,” said Applejack. “For all our sakes.”

We arrived at the bog in a flash. The entire place smelled like a sewer system. I tried my best not to lose my lunch. We searched around the area for the familiar yellow pegasus. I knew Fluttershy was going to be alright, but I was still worried.

It didn’t take long to find Fluttershy. She was dumping out some frogs she was carrying earlier.

“Fluttershy! You’re okay!” I jumped and hugged her. It was the first time I was able to hug my favorite pony.

“O-of course,” said a confused Fluttershy.

Everypony else was relieved as well.

“Do you still feel doozy?” I asked Pinkie.

“Hold on.” Pinkie stood still for a moment. Nothing happened. “Nope, I guess that was—” Suddenly, she started shaking again.

“Uh, oh.”

“That can’t be right,” Applejack said. “Pinkie’s doozy said somethin’ unexpected is gonna happen right here, and yet everything’s alright.”

“See? Pinkie’s sense isn’t right all the time,” said Twilight.

Then the smell of rotten eggs filled the air. We were coughing and gasping as a green fog blocked our vision. I knew what that meant.

“Twilight…” I said. “What if the doozy hasn’t happened yet?”

“What else could happen?” Twilight hacked. “Besides this sulfur fog?”

The fog soon cleared. Sure enough, there were four dragon heads staring right at us.

“Th-Th-That hydra?” I asked.

All four heads roared at us. Their voices echoed across the bog.

“RUN!!”

We all scurried out of the bog with the hydra chasing us.

“Here’s your doozy, Twilight!” I shouted.

“No time to talk!” Twilight yelled.

The chase was more or less the same as it was in the show. I didn’t get stuck, but it was still scary to be chased by a creature with more than one neck. We dashed up the hill until we arrived at the crevice.

“The hydra will be here in no time! Cross!” Twilight commanded.

One by one, all of us sans Twilight leaped across the stones. Their instability made me nervous, but I knew I wasn’t any better staying where I was. Twilight did her best to distract the hydra while Applejack and Pinkie made it across. Just like in the show, the first few columns were knocked over by the hydra, leaving Twilight trapped. Then I remembered something.

“TELEPORT, YOU DUMMY!!”

Twilight slapped her forehead before her horn glowed. In a split second, she disappeared and reappeared on the other side of the canyon, where we were. The hydra gave up and returned to the bog.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Twilight panted. “But please don’t call me ‘dummy’.”

“I’m sorry, but you were just standing there. It was like you forgot you had a horn.”

“I was under a lot of pressure, Spike. Even the smartest pony can’t think straight when so much stuff is happening at once.”

“We’re just glad yer safe,” said Applejack.

“I don't know how it happened back there, Pinkie,” said Twilight. “Whether it was a coincidence, dumb luck, or what, but you said there'd be a doozy here at Froggy Bottom Bogg, and I'd say we just had ourselves one heck of a doozy.”

Sadly, it wasn’t the doozy, because right after Twilight said that, Pinkie was shaking uncontrollably yet again.

“You’re still shaking? But we escaped that hydra,” I said.

“That wasn’t it,” said Pinkie.

“Maybe your Pinkie sense is broken.”

“It’s never broken.”

“Then what could be doozier than that hydra?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy gasped. “Maybe it’s a scarier creature.” She then squeezed me like a giant teddy bear as the others huddled close together. Except for Twilight.

Twilight sighed. “You know what? Forget it. I don’t know how or why, but Pinkie’s sense somehow makes sense. I’ve wasted too much time figuring out how it works. Just because I don't understand it does not mean it isn’t true.”

“Wait, so you’re going to believe in Pinkie sense?” I asked.

“I guess I am,” Twilight said.

Pinkie then shook even harder. We all backed away as a lot of crazy stuff started happening to her. After all the crazy stuff, Pinkie was back to her old stuff.

“That was it!” She proclaimed. “That was the doozy! Twilight started to believe in me! I never expected that to happen! Oh, what a doozy of a doozy it was!”

We all returned to Ponyville after all those events. I wrote the friendship letter as Twilight and Pinkie put on the same umbrella hats Pinkie had worn earlier. I was going to send the letter, but I remembered what was going to happen next.

Princess Celestia landed on the balcony of the tree and took the scroll out of my hand. She then flew away.

“I’m not going to question it.”

Chapter 14 (Sonic Rainboom)

I couldn’t believe it has been over a month since I showed up in Equestria. It seemed like the Summer Sun Celebration was only yesterday.

The next event to come up was the Best Young Flyer Competition. That was when Rainbow Dash was going to perform a sonic rainboom. I didn't need to change anything, but I decided I should go with the girls anyway just in case. I wanted to make sure I didn’t subconsciously mess anything up.

Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and I had just finished sorting the books in Twilight’s library. If I had a dollar, or bit in this case, for every time Twilight has to reorganize the books, I’d be in my greed-zilla form before the next season.

“Thank you so much for helping me clean up all these books, guys. It was a crazy week of studying,” said Twilight.

I then noticed something out the window that made my heart skip. “INCOMING!!”

I leapt out of the way just in time as Rainbow Dash crashed into the library, knocking every book off the shelves like dominoes. By the time the damage was done, the girls were knee-deep in an ocean of literature.

“We just stacked those,” I groaned.

Fluttershy flew in. “Rainbow Dash, you rock! Woo-hoo.” She then noticed the mess in the library. “Did...did my cheering do that?”

“Sorry about that, girls and Spike,” said Rainbow Dash. “That was a feeble performance.”

“Actually, it wasn't all bad. I liked it when you made the clouds spin.”

“I'm talking about yours, Fluttershy. That feeble cheering!”

“Would you two stop arguing?” I asked in an annoyed tone of voice.

“Were we arguing? I’m sorry,” said Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash groaned. “I wish you all could come to Cloudsdale to see me compete in the Best Young Flyer Competition.”

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

“It's where all the greatest Pegasus flyers get together and show off their different flying styles!” Pinkie said. “Some are fast! Some are graceful!”

The rest of us were also interested in going there as well.

“I'd love to see you make a sonic rainboom!” Pinkie said. “It's like, the most coolest thing ever! Even though I've never actually seen it, but I mean come on! It's a sonic rainboom! How not cool could it possibly not be?!”

You’ve seen it before, Pinkie. It was the reason you got your cutie mark.

“What’s a sonic rainboom?” Twilight asked.

“It’s when a pony goes so fast, they break the sound barrier and create a rainbow at the same time,” I said. “Rainbow Dash told me that a while back.”

“Rainbow here’s the only pony who can pull it off,” Applejack said.

“That was a long time ago,” said Rainbow Dash. “I was only a filly.”

“I’m sure your flying has improved a lot since then,” I said. “Doing a rainboom should be a snap for you, right?”

“Are...are you kidding? I'm the greatest flyer to ever come out of Cloudsdale! I could do sonic rainbooms in my sleep.”

“If you pull that off, you could win the crown for sure,” said Twilight.

“The grand prize is an entire day with the Wonderbolts.” Rainbow looked up to the sky. “A whole day of flying with my lifelong heroes...It'll be a dream come true!”

“Yay,” Fluttershy cheered. I always found her cheering so adorable, even if it was very quiet.

“Maybe you could ask if you could be with them at the gala,” I offered. “They could teach you how to get into the Wonderbolts.”

“Perhaps. But for now, I'm gonna go rest up. Don't wanna over prepare myself, y'know.” She then turned to Fluttershy. “You, on the other hand, better keep practicing. I need a cheering section to match my spectacular performance.” She then flew off.

“She's practiced that move a hundred times, and she's never even come close to doing it,” Fluttershy said. “I don't know if I can cheer loud enough to help her.” She flew after Dash.

Rainbow just needs the right motivation to pull it off.

I looked to Rarity. Sadly, I have to not prevent Rarity’s wings from dissolving in order for the rainboom to happen. There was no other choice. If Rarity gets too careful with her wings, then Rainbow won’t perform the rainboom to save her. It was going to be tough, but it had to be done.

“Well, guess we better get this cleaned up...again,” Twilight said as she picked up some of the books.

“If only we had wings, Twilight,” I said as I gathered some of the scrolls. “Then we could fly to Cloudsdale.”

“That’s an idea,” Rarity said. “We need to find a spell that can make us fly.”

“Why do we need to go to Cloudsdale?” Twilight asked.

“To support Rainbow Dash, of course.”

“Didn’t ya hear her?” Applejack asked. “She was tootin' her own horn louder than the brass section of a marching band!”

“Heck, with that horn of hers,” I said, “she could practically do the solo act.”

“Rainbow Dash is a pegasus, silly,” Pinkie giggled. “She doesn’t have a horn.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Rarity said. “I have put on enough fashion shows to recognize stage fright when I see it. We've got to find a way to be there for her.”

“How am I supposed to find a flight spell in this mess?” Twilight asked as she looked through some of the books.

“A flight spell? One sec,” Pinkie picked up a book and tossed it to Twilight. “Page 27.”

“How’d you do that?” Applejack asked.

“It landed on my face when Rainbow Dash knocked me into the bookcase.”

“Talk about a coincidence,” I said.

Then it went on like in the show. Twilight managed to find the fight spell. Rarity volunteered first, so Twilight casted the spell on her. The spell worked, giving Rarity a pair of butterfly wings. She almost looked like a G3 Breezie.

“I think it worked...” Twilight said before collapsing to the floor.

“Maybe ya outta try a simpler spell,” Applejack said. “Casting that spell on all of us ain’t the best idea.”

“But how?” Twilight rubbed her forehead. “It’s going to take forever to find another one.”

“What about a cloud-walking spell?” I asked. “We can just rent a balloon to fly to Cloudsdale.”

“Hold on.” Twilight flipped through the pages of the same book. “I saw a spell in here a moment ago. Here! Oh, good. This spell looks a lot easier to cast. We can use that instead.”

We later rented the balloon and flew with Rarity to Cloudsdale. Twilight casted the cloud-walk spell on all of us.

“This spell should last the rest of the day,” said Twilight. “However, if any of you start sinking while on the clouds, let me know immediately.”

We arrived in Cloudsdale just in time to see Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy talking to Rarity. We stepped out of the balloon and onto the clouds. They felt like walking on pillows, to be honest. I hope I’ll be able to walk on them when I get my wings.

“We came to cheer you to victory,” said Applejack to Rainbow Dash.

“To be honest, I was starting to get just the teeniest, tiniest bit nervous,” Rainbow Dash said. I rolled my eyes at that. “But I feel a lot better now that you guys are here. Hey, we've got some time before the competition. Why don't Fluttershy and I show you around Cloudsdale?”

We followed Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy around Cloudsdale. The town itself was pretty amazing. I really liked the Greek architecture on the buildings, which made me feel like I was on Mount Olympus. I guess it would make sense considering how pegasi originated from Greek mythology.

What worried me was how Rarity was enjoying the attention of her new wings. I wanted to tell her not to get too attached to them, but I had to restrain myself and let the problem happen on its own. This was the first time I wanted to make sure the problem happened.

Rainbow and Fluttershy gave us a tour of the weather factory. Our first stop was at the snowflake section. It was where they made the snowflakes. To me, it seemed like a lot of work, given how much it snows in Ponyville, at least according to the show. What really made me cringe was how Rarity accidentally sent some of the snowflakes flying. We left quickly.

Maybe I should ask Fluttershy to the Gala instead.

Next up was the rainbow factory. Thankfully, it was nothing like in that music video. I guess I should count my blessings. The last thing I wanted to figure out was that Equestria was a sugar-coated habanero.

Speaking of which, Pinkie decided to taste some of the liquid rainbow. I tried my best not to fall over laughing at her reaction. I would’ve had a taste as well, thinking the flavor randomizes per taste, but I knew it was a bad idea.

“Yeah, rainbows aren't really known for their flavor,” Rainbow said as Pinkie ran to cool off her tongue.

“Huh, I always thought rainbows would taste sweet, like candy,” I said.

We then noticed Rainbow Dash’s old bullies admiring Rarity’s wings. It made Rainbow Dash uneasy given how they were drawn to them.

We later saw how the clouds were made. They dump buckets of water into a cloud machine and use a special pump to make the clouds. I wondered, seeing how they were made of water, if the spell Twilight casted involved using some sort of ice magic to make us walk on them.

Once again, the workers were attracted to Rarity’s wings like moths to a flame. Just like in the show, Rarity saw how her wings glistened in the sunlight. I liked seeing how they shined just as much as the next pony, but I knew that they made Rainbow Dash feel inadequate. Eventually, one of the workers recommended that Rarity should join the contest, and she agreed. This left Rainbow Dash worried about her outcome in the event, thinking she’ll never win.

After the tour, the girls and I headed to the stadium. I decided to talk to Rainbow Dash.

“Don’t feel bad, Rainbow Dash,” I said. “You’re amazing at flying. Remember all those stunts you showed me? You were soaring like an eagle up there.”

“Yeah, but you’ve seen how Rarity’s wings looked,” said Dash. “I can’t compete with that.”

I whispered to her, “I’m sure the judges won’t be evaluating looks alone. There’s more to winning a contest than just showing your wings.”

“I hope you’re right.” Rainbow Dash bit her hoof.

“Hey, if you ever feel nervous, try to imagine the crowd in...goofy clothing.” I was going to say “their underwear,” but I remembered that almost nopony here wears clothing.

“Goofy clothing?”

“Something that the ponies would look silly in. Like those bullies, for example. Try to imagine them wearing...I don’t know...a dress?”

“I’ll try.”

Rainbow and Rarity went backstage while the rest of us headed up to the stands. The opening ceremony was more or less like in the show. Celestia showed up, along with some of the members of the Wonderbolts. After that the pegasi contestants started doing their respective stunts. I haven't seen Rainbow Dash come up yet. I was afraid she’d delay her performance.

“Is something wrong, Spike?” Twilight asked. “You looked worried.”

I sighed. “I just have this sinking feeling...”

“Uh, oh. Hold still. Let me cast the spell again.”

“No, no! Not that kind of sinking. I mean, I’m worried about Rainbow Dash. What if the sonic rainboom doesn’t happen. I hate to see the tragedy that follows her failure.”

“Oh, Spike, you’re just as nervous as Rainbow Dash.” Twilight put a hoof on my back. “While I admit that Rarity’s sudden narcissism isn’t helping to boost Rainbow’s morale, that pegasus still has all of us here for support. Just...try not to oogle so much at Rarity.”

“Very funny.”

“Speakin’ of which,” said Applejack, “where are those two? The competition’s almost over, and we haven’t seen them yet.”

Then we saw Rainbow Dash and Rarity pop out of the curtains. Rainbow did look a bit nervous, but it wasn’t as much as in the show. Rarity followed after her, and I almost freaked out at the sight of her. Even though I like Rarity, all that lipstick and eyeshadow was too much. She looked like a peacock working at a makeup department.

I hope she doesn’t wear that much make-up when we go to the Gala.

We heard classical music playing, and the two contestants performed their routine. Even though Phase 1 and 2 of Rainbow Dash’s performance was mediocre, she didn’t crash or fling a cloud to Celestia by mistake. I guess my motivation helped her a bit. We all cheered for her.

Then came the part that I dreaded the most: Rarity flying too close to the sun and getting her wings burned off, like a ponified Icarus. I wanted to shout to Rarity, “Don’t fly too close to the sun,” but I had to stay strong and let everything run their course.

Rainbow and Rarity flew up to the sky. My palms started sweating…

Please, please, please! For the love of Celestia, please don’t mess up.

Rarity showed off her wings as the sunlight passed through them and lit up the stadium. I tried to control my breathing.

Don’t mess up…

And just like that, the colors vanished. I knew what that meant. My heart started pounding like a drum.

There it is.

Rarity plummeted to past the stadium.

“Oh, no! Her wings evaporated into thin air!” Twilight shouted.

“CATCH—” I quickly covered my mouth. I can’t have Twilight be the hero here.

I saw Celestia getting up from her seat, but the Wonderbolts acted quicker and flew to the falling Rarity. I knew they wouldn’t save her, though. To be honest, three professional fliers getting knocked out from one flailing pony sounds pretty pathetic.

Now it’s your turn, Dashie.

I looked up to the sky to see what Rainbow Dash was doing. She quickly zoomed past the stadium and towards the falling group. The rest of us looked over the edge. The group was just a tiny dot now.

“Why didn’t ya use yer magic, Twi?!” Applejack asked.

“I can’t just stop her in mid-air!” Twilight replied. “The sudden deceleration would be fatal to her.”

I looked to the ground.

Come on…

Come on…

Do the rainboom…

Do it...

…

…

Each second passing felt like an eternity.

Why hasn’t it hap—

KA-BOOM!!

A loud explosion shook the air, followed by a rainbow of colors filling the sky.

“A SONIC RAINBOOM!!” Fluttershy shouted. “She did it! She did it!”

I gave out the biggest sigh as I leaned back.

Thank Celestia.

Rainbow saved Rarity and the Wonderbolts and brought them back to the stadium. The entire crowd cheered at Rainbow’s rescue.

That sonic rainboom resulted in Rainbow Dash winning the competition, and a day with the Wonderbolts. The rest was like the show, Rarity learned to support her friends instead of showing off, and Rainbow Dash was able to hang out with the Wonderbolts.

“You seemed really tense back there, Spike,” said Twilight. “You were almost as nervous as Rainbow Dash.”

“I...was just worried about her and Rarity,” I replied. “I was afraid Rainbow might fail...and what would happen if she did.”

“I know it was a stressful situation for you, watching Rarity fall like that.” Twilight put a hoof around my shoulder. “But you can take it easy now that Rarity and Rainbow Dash are both safe.”

“Thank you, Twilight.”

I had to be careful with what I was and wasn't going to change, and see if it’ll be worth it in the long run.

Chapter 15 (A Dog and Pony Show and Green Isn't Your Color)

Since the CMC didn’t meet each other yet, the events of “Stare Master” and “The Show Stoppers” didn’t happen. I figured they would take place in the early fall, and it was still summer. Not that I was complaining, though. Summer is one of my favorite seasons, with Fall being my second favorite.

Despite how Rarity acted during Dash’s flying competition, I still hung out with her. I decided I should ask her out to the gala. Fluttershy wouldn't need a date if she was going to be looking at the animals all night. Considering the fact Rarity had second thoughts about hanging out with Blueblood, she would be all alone if I went with Fluttershy. I’m hoping next gala I’ll ask Fluttershy out, that is assuming another gala happens before Discord gets reformed.

I decided to visit Rarity at her boutique and ask her about the gala. I just hoped she wouldn’t take me for being just a child.

I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

“Come on in,” Rarity said on the other side.

I opened the door. Rarity was holding a wagon and reading a list. She turned to me.

“Oh, Spike. Just the dragon I needed to see,” she said.

“Really?” I asked.

“I’m going out to grab some gems, and it would be most desirable if you could come with me.”

“Of course! I’d love to.”

I remembered what this episode was. Rarity would be kidnapped by Diamond Dogs, and the rest of the Mane 6 and I hurry to go save her, but the Dogs end up giving Rarity back due to her whining and crying. I decided if I could defend Rarity from them at the beginning, then I could prevent the rest of the episode from happening. Given this was our only interaction with them throughout the entire show, sans the finale, I figured it wouldn’t be too much of a problem.

“So, what do you need the gems for?” I asked Rarity as we both walked to the outskirts of Ponyville.

“Sapphire Shores ordered five dresses each covered with a certain type of gem.”

I remembered her. I listened to some of her albums on the record player in the library. I liked some of her songs, but I was more into jazz than pop.

“The Sapphire Shores?” I asked. “The pony of pop?” Rarity nodded. “That’s amazing! Were you flipping out when you saw her?”

“Ladies do not ‘flip out’, Spike,” Rarity said. “However, I was quite in awe. I need to find more jewels than ever before to decorate her costumes.” Her horn then brightly glowed, which meant she casted a spell to help her find the gems.

“You couldn’t just buy some at the jewelry store?”

“Oh, Spike, that would be like having Applejack buy apples to make a pie. Why buy resources when you know how to get them for free?” Rarity suddenly stopped. “Aha! I found some!” She pointed to the ground. “Right there.”

I dug the ground, and sure enough, a pile of glistening gems emerged from the ground. I grabbed a bunch and put them on the wagon.

It’s fortunate that these gems are already cut and polished, and given how common they are, they must be growing like daisies.

We continued searching and digging up gems until the wagon was almost full. The sight almost made me feel hungry, but I did my best not to eat any.

“You've been very patient today, Spike.” Rarity patted me on the head. “And for that you get the finest reward. This is from me to you.” Rarity handed me a gem from the pile.

“Th-Thank you,” I said. “Hey, I wanted to ask you something...”

“Go ahead.”

“Since the gala’s coming up...would it be okay...if you and I…?”

Rarity’s horn started glowing again. “Oop! Hold that thought, Spike. I’m detecting more gems. Bring the cart.”

I decided to hold off that question until later. As I followed Rarity, I looked around the area.

Now, where are those mutts?

“Spike? Where are you?” Rarity asked. “You know, it's terrible to keep a lady waiting.”

“S-Sorry!” I ran up to Rarity with the gems. “The wagon’s just getting heavy.”

Once again, Rarity showed me where to dig, and I dug up a huge pile of gems.

“Jackpot!” I shouted. I placed the pile onto the wagon.

“Well, Spike, I think that's all we can do for today. And these will certainly get me well on my way with Sapphire's outfits.” Suddenly, Rarity’s horn started glowing again. “Oh! What's this? Another jewel.”

Uh, oh. I know what that means.

Rarity approached the trees. Sure enough, Rover the Diamond Dog appeared. I don’t think his name was ever mentioned in the show directly, but I knew who he was thanks to the internet in my old world.

“Oh...uh...good day gentle...fellow.” Rarity slowly backed away. “I’m Rarity. This is Spike. And you are?”

“A Diamond Dog!” Rover replied. His voice sounded like he lost a precious ring.

“Oh really? Oh well, that explains your fine taste in jewelry. I mean I-I know that diamonds are a girl's best friend, and now I know that they're a dog's best friend, too. So, um, you're out hunting for gems as well?”

“Yes, we hunt...”

I then stepped in. “Look buddy, we found these gems fair and square. Unless you want to feel the wrath of a dragon, you’ll leave our stash alone.”

Two other dogs popped up from the ground. I was sure the smaller one was named Spot, and the taller one was named Fido.

“We don’t want no gems. We want...the mare!”

Oh, crud.

I knew what I had to do. I’ve never been in a physical fight before, but I knew what to aim for. It wasn’t going to be pretty, but I couldn’t let Rarity get captured.

I started with the dog closest to me, which was Fido. I charged straight at him, driving my head right into his stomach. He tumbled backwards with a wheeze.

“Ugh...I can’t breathe...” Fido whimpered. “Why did you do that?”

I leaped to Rover and grabbed his collar from behind. With full force I gave it a firm yank, and it snapped off his neck like a rubber band.

“Hey!” Rover quickly covered his neck. “How dare you! I’m in public! Gimme that back!”

I threw the collar up the tree with all my might. Rover turned red in the face.

“Why you overgrown lizard!!” Rover quickly ran up the tree to retrieve his collar.

Not the plan I had in mind, but it still works.

“Get away from me, you pooch!” Rarity shouted. I turned to see Spot chasing Rarity. I grabbed the gem Rarity gave me earlier and chucked it at the short diamond dog. It klunked on his head, knocking him down.

Rarity sighed in relief. “Thank you, Spi—”

Suddenly, Fido appeared behind her.

“RARITY, DUCK!!” I shouted. I then spat a fireball right at Fido’s face.

Bang!

“Yeow!!” Fido yelped. “That hurt!” The fireball didn’t leave any permanent burns, but it really stunned him.

“Ugh! They’re too much trouble!” Rover called out from the tree. “The mare’s not worth it! Retreat!”

The trio of Diamond Dogs quickly dug into the ground, leaving a pile of loose gravel and dirt behind. I quickly dashed to Rarity.

“Are you alright, Rarity?” I asked. “Did they hurt you?”

“I’m fine, Spike.” Rarity dusted herself off. “Thank you.”

“I’m so sorry about all that.”

“Don’t be sorry, darling. You did what you had to do to defend us.”

“We better get out of here. They might send more dogs.”

“I agree. Let’s.”

We took the wagon of gems back to Ponyville.

“I’m just glad you didn’t get kidnapped by those mangy mutts,” I said. “Who knows what might’ve happened?”

“Don’t worry, Spike-wikey,” said Rarity. “I would’ve used a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“I thought you weren’t one to fight.”

“Just because somepony is ladylike doesn't make her weak, darling. By using her wits, she can outsmart any pony, or any dog, that might try to kidnap her.”

“You should actually tell Twilight that.”

“Whatever for? Does she need to know how to defend herself?”

“It could be a lesson she can learn for her friendship letter.”

“I see.”

We arrived back at Canterlot Boutique. Rarity gave me another gem as thanks for defending her. The next few days, Rarity was able to make all the dresses for Sapphire Shores, and I was able to eat some of the leftover gems she didn’t need. We never saw those Diamond Dogs again.

Good riddance.

The next episode to come up was “Green is not your color.” That was when Fluttershy became a fashion model, and Rarity became jealous. I decided I shouldn’t mess with this episode too much, as both Rarity and Fluttershy already settled their differences without any help.

It was also when Twilight gave away the secret that I had a crush on Rarity. I knew that Rarity knew before this episode, but I still wanted to act like it was still a secret.

Twilight, Pinkie and I were helping Rarity make a dress for Fluttershy. Earlier at the spa, Rarity told Fluttershy that Photo Finish was arriving in Ponyville, so she decided to have Fluttershy as the model for her new outfit. The scene was more or less the same as in the show, except for one thing. Even though my thick scales meant I wouldn’t feel the pins, it seemed more practical just to give her an actual pin cushion instead of sticking them on my back.

“Girls, I’m gonna tell you two a secret,” I said to Twilight and Pinkie, “but you gotta promise not to tell anyone.”

“I promise,” Twilight replied.

“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick and cupcake in my eye,” said Pinkie.

We all huddled close together. I whispered my secret into their ears. “I have a crush on Rarity and Fluttershy.”

Pinkie Pie gasped and covered her mouth. Twilight raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, I can understand Rarity,” Twilight said, “but since when did you have feelings for Fluttershy?”

“That doesn’t matter!” Pinkie hissed. “You promised Spike you wouldn't say anything. He trusts you. And losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend forever!”

Twilight sighed. “My lips are sealed. Though, I'm pretty sure the two are gonna pick up on your feelings.”

One of them already has.

The doorbell rang. Photo Finish, along with some other ponies, bursted in. She took a bunch of pictures of Fluttershy, and then walked right out.

“That was fast,” Twilight said. “She hardly took any pictures.”

“I'm so sorry,” Fluttershy weeped. “I tried my best.”

“You did good, Fluttershy,” I said. “You looked really cute in that outfit.” Fluttershy quickly covered her face up after I said that. The blush on her cheeks matched her mane.

“If only Photo Finish could agree on that.” Rarity sighed. “I can't believe I ever thought I could impress her.”

In a flash, Photo Finish appeared back in the boutique. “It seems that I, Photo Finish, have found the next fashion star here in Ponyville!”

“Really?” Rarity’s face lit up.

“Yes, really! And I, Photo Finish, am going to help her to shine all over Equestria! Tomorrow, a photo shoot in ze park! I go!” Photo left the boutique with the other ponies following her.

“I guess she did agree on the outfit,” I said.

“Did you hear that? I am going to shine all over Equestria!” Rarity proclaimed.

“Oh, Rarity. I was so worried I'd ruined everything,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh, never. I knew you'd be perfect.” Rarity suddenly started squealing and pronked like Pinkie Pie. I was lucky my tail was out of the way.

The next day, Twilight, Pinkie, and I were heading to the Carousel Boutique.

“I hope Rarity will remember us when she becomes famous,” I said, but I knew it was Fluttershy who was going to be famous.

"If she becomes famous," Twilight said. "You can't be too sure."

When we entered the boutique, we saw Rarity sewing some black fabric. As it turns out, Photo Finish preferred Fluttershy over Rarity as a model. This devastated Rarity. There was nothing we could do to help, so we left the room.

“I never thought Fluttershy of all ponies would end up becoming a model,” I said. “She’s too shy to even talk to her own reflection.”

“Maybe Photo Finish saw something in Fluttershy that she didn’t see in Rarity,” Twilight said. “I just hope Fluttershy enjoys her new career.”

I was so glad that Fluttershy was my favorite pony, because for the following days, she was everywhere. Her face was on magazines, books, shirts, drinks, banners, coasters...heck, she even made a cameo appearance in one of the comic books I bought. I haven’t seen so much Fluttershy around since the last time I was at the Fluttershy Fan Club at Bronycon.

Maybe I should ask Fluttershy to the gala instead.

I knew what was going to happen, unfortunately. Rarity will tell Twilight that she’s jealous of Fluttershy’s new career, and Fluttershy will tell the same purple unicorn that she hates her new career. Twilight promised the two to keep it a secret. It was going to be hard for her, so I thought I’d join her and Fluttershy just to remind the former's Pinkie promise. To be honest, the way Pinkie reminds her gets kind of creepy sometimes.

I just needed to find Twilight. My first thought was to go to the spa.

I can’t believe a grown man like me is going to the spa. If I didn’t have the body of a small dragon, then this would’ve been embarrassing.

I entered the spa and asked if Twilight was around. She was sitting in the big hot tub.

“Twilight, there you are,” I called out.

“Spike, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “Rarity just left if you’re looking for her.”

“Oh, well, I’m actually here to—”

Then Fluttershy arrived. “Rarity! I'm so sorry I'm…” She then looked around. “Oh no. She's already gone, isn't she?”

“Sorry,” Twilight and I said.

“Oh, I can’t believe this. I’m so frustrated I could just scream.” I pretended to cover my ears as Fluttershy took a deep breath. What followed after was the quietest but cutest scream I ever heard.

“Feel better?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy sighed. “No. Can I tell you two something?”

“Of course.”

Fluttershy told us that she hated being a model. We Pinkie-Pie-sweared not to tell Rarity about it. At least, I did. Twilight ended up poking herself in the eye. Twilight wanted to tell Fluttershy what Rarity was thinking about, but Pinkie quickly stopped her. I would’ve done the same, but I wasn’t supposed to know about Rarity’s secret.

As Fluttershy (in disguise), Twilight and I exited the spa, I asked Twilight, “Why was Pinkie giving you the stink-eye?”

“It’s...kind of a secret…” Twilight replied.

“Oh, well, then there's no need to tell me anything else. Like what Pinkie said: Losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend—”

“FOREVER!!” Pinkie popped up from a basket of apples.

“Yah!” I fell backwards. “You must be a riot at hide-and-seek, Pinkie.”

Twilight then said to Fluttershy, “You know, if you don’t like being a model, you could just quit.”

“Oh, no. I could never do such a thing. Rarity would be devastated,” Fluttershy said.

“But Rar—OW!” I pulled Twilight’s mane and shook my head. “Okay, okay. Don’t do that next time.”

“If only all these ponies didn't like me so much. Photo Finish wouldn't want me to model anymore. She'd find somepony else with... the magic!”

That’s when Twilight came up with the idea of having Fluttershy humiliate herself. I wanted to stop her from doing so, but I couldn’t think of anything else she could try doing. I doubt Photo Finish would find a different model to replace Fluttershy.

The next fashion show came up quickly. Twilight, Fluttershy, and I were backstage.

“Do you really think it'll work?” Fluttershy asked.

“They love you for being you,” Twilight replied. “So all I have to do is make you not be you. Just leave it to me.”

“I-If you girls don’t mind,” I said, “I’m gonna be in the dressing room.” I didn’t want to see what Twilight would do to my favorite pony.

I quickly closed the door behind me and sat in a nearby chair, waiting for the fashion show to end. I did my best to relax, which was easier said than done. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long to see Fluttershy and Twilight come in. The disappointment on their faces told me the tale that I already knew. The crowd, thanks to Rarity, actually liked Fluttershy's performance.

"I can't believe it," Fluttershy said. "Somehow I've gotten even more popular! I'm so frustrated I could kick something." She then "kicked" a nearby vase, which barely wobbled.

"Even after what Twilight did to you?" I asked. "Those fashion ponies have the weirdest standards.”

“If only Rarity didn't want me to be a model so badly.”

“Can’t you just tell her you don’t like being a model? I’m sure as a friend, she can understand that there are some things that aren’t right for you.”

“But what if she…?”

Rarity then rushed into the dressing room. “Fluttershy! Are you alright?”

“Oh...I'm...great!” Fluttershy lied. “I'm a super famous fashion model. Why wouldn't I be great?”

“Out there on the runway, everyone was turning on you and... Oh... Oh, Fluttershy. It's so awful. I wanted them to.”

“You did? But why?”

Twilight butted in. “Because she—”

“Quiet, Twilight!” I rebutted.

“Because I'm jealous!” Rarity confessed. “I wanted all the attention. And instead it was going to you. I even started hoping that you would do something silly so your modeling career would be over. But then, when it started happening, all I could think was how could I want you to fail at something you love so much?”

“But Fluttershy—” Twilight tried to say, but I quickly slapped her. “Ow! Will you stop hurting me?!”

“Love? Oh, Rarity. I hate being a model,” Fluttershy confessed.

Rarity and Fluttershy both agreed that keeping secrets from each other wasn’t a good idea. They both Pinkie-promised not to hide their feelings ever again. Fluttershy decided to quit the modeling business, much to Photo Finish’s distraught.

“Vat has just happened?” Photo asked as Rarity and Fluttershy left the room.

“It’s a secret,” I replied as Twilight and I left.

As we headed to the spa, Twilight said to me, “Spike, I can understand that you didn’t want me to tell the girls their secrets, but pulling and slapping me isn’t going to help.”

“I’m sorry, but we both Pinkie-promised,” I said, “and you looked like you were gonna spill the beans at any minute. Do you have any idea what Pinkie might do if you break one?”

“No...”

“Then let’s keep it that way.”

“Say, Spike...” Twilight waited until Rarity and Fluttershy were no longer within hearing range. “Let me ask you something. Since when did you have a crush on Fluttershy? You don’t seem to...look at her as much as you do to Rarity.”

“Well, there’s something about her that I like. She’s kind, adorable, shy... She even called me ‘cute’ when we first met. To be honest, I can’t decide who to go with to the gala.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something,” Twilight said.

Much to my surprise, Twilight didn’t give away my secret, which didn’t even matter considering Rarity knows I like her. Even if she told Photo Finish, it wasn’t like she was going to tell the whole world about it. She was a fashion photographer, not a journalist.

Chapter 16 (The Best Night Ever)

There was not much I could do for the events of “A bird in the hoof.” I could’ve asked Celestia if her pet bird was a phoenix, but I decided it was best if the girls learned to ask before helping.

The Owl episode didn’t happen yet, much to my surprise. I knew that some episodes would happen out of order, but that was because I knew they wouldn’t happen in the summer. Events with vague dates were going to be more troublesome if I didn’t know when they would happen.

I checked the calendar for important dates, like the girls’ birthdays, Spike’s birthday, when the gala was supposed to happen, and more. I would’ve written down a plan, but I was afraid Twilight might discover it and ask me how I knew when future events would happen.

It was only a week before the Gala was going to happen. I needed to make sure everything will go alright at the gala. It was my only chance to set things right, or at least make the outcome better.

I checked with Pinkie and Fluttershy to see their progress. Pinkie managed to get some of the dance moves down, and Fluttershy had a feeling about how to approach the exotic animals.

Applejack was able to make a bunch of easy yet fancy foods to sell at the gala. She even made some free samples for those who wanted to try before they buy. I was surprised that selling stuff at a party was even allowed.

I’m not sure what happened that day with Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts, but I have a feeling she might be with them at the gala. I shouldn't worry about her too much.

I already had Twilight's plan covered thanks to my last visit to Canterlot. I just hope Celestia remembered.

Unfortunately, I had one dilemma: I needed to decide who to ask to the gala. My options were either Fluttershy or Rarity.

Fluttershy was my favorite pony. I always found her to be quite cute in the show, and her calm and gentle personality made me fond of her. I might have only one shot with her, though. I’m not sure if another gala happened before the one in “Make New Friends but Keep Discord,” but somehow I doubt it. I don’t know if Fluttershy and Discord really were “just friends”, but seeing how Discord reacted with Treehugger, I didn’t want to take chances. I don’t mind seeing Discord and Fluttershy as a couple, but this might be my only chance to be with her until Discord gets reformed.

Rarity was my second favorite pony. I really liked how she looked, and while she has done some questionable acts in the past, I still liked her charming personality. I was a fan of Spike and Rarity as a couple, but going with her to the gala would mean missing my chance with Fluttershy. If I did go with Fluttershy, however, then Rarity would be alone at the gala. If she does go for Blueblood, it would just be a repeat of the “Best Night Ever” episode. I didn’t want to see that.

I knew both girls would be at the gala regardless, but it was still a hard decision. I don’t think Twilight would help me choose, and flipping a coin isn’t going to help solve anything. I just needed to think of something.

It was the night of the gala. Twilight had her eyes glued to a book while Pinkie Pie was bouncing on a trampoline.

“I...can’t...believe...that...the Grand...Galloping...Gala...is...tonight!” shouted Pinkie.

“Pinkie! Stop shouting!” Twilight called out. “I’m trying to concentrate!”

“Why do you need to turn mice into horses again?” I asked Twilight. “I mean, we live in a world of horses. We could just hire a group of them to pull the carriage.”

“First of all, we’re not horses, Spike. We’re ponies. And second of all...” Twilight thought about it for a minute. “You know what? Good point.”

“Pinkie! Stop bouncing on that trampoline!” Rarity yelled. “It's time to prepare for the Gala, and I refuse to let you put on your new dress when you're all sweaty.”

Pinkie instantly stopped and hopped off the trampoline. She then approached Twilight and me.

“What’s Twilight doing?” Pinkie asked.

“She's got a magic spell she's been working on for the Gala,” I replied.

The rest of the girls arrived just in time to witness it. I placed an apple on the ground and told the others to stand back. Twilight’s horn started glowing. The apple grew and stretched until it grew wheels and a door. It was like something out of a fairytale. The girls were amazed.

“Thanks,” said Twilight. “It took me a while, but I perfected the spell. This will be our mode of transport to the gala.”

“So how are ya gonna pull it?” Applejack asked. “Yer gonna get one of us to do it? Cause I don’t mind pullin’ the rest of ya...”

“No! I forbid it!” Rarity barked. “Pulling your own carriage would be uncouth. Plus, you’ll ruin your new dress.”

“Well, I was thinking about casting another spell,” Twilight said as she looked at Fluttershy. “But I don’t think it’s necessary.”

A group of mice popped out of Fluttershy’s mane.

“I’m sorry little ones,” Fluttershy said to them. “But Twilight doesn’t need your help anymore.” She placed them down and sent them away.

“So how will we get to the Gala?” Rainbow asked.

“Whatever shall we do?” Rarity sarcastically asked. She then asked a couple of stallions, who were willing to volunteer to pull the carriage for us.

“There’s an idea,” Rainbow said.

It was already sundown when the girls and I were getting ready for the gala. Well, the girls were anyway. I was locked out for some reason.

“Come on, girls,” I said as I pounded on the door. “Let me in!”

“Sure thing, Spike,” Rainbow said on the other side of the door.

“Heavens, no! We’re getting dressed,” Rarity proclaimed.

“Dressed?” Applejack asked. “Uh, beg pardon, Rarity, but we don't normally wear clothes.”

Yeah, nudity is weird in this world. Even though I don’t wear anything, it somehow feels like I am. It’s hard to describe.

“Sorry, Spike,” Rarity said as she opened the door. “Some of us do have standards.”

“I can’t believe we’re all gonna be at Canterlot tonight,” I said. “And the best part is that we all get to hang out together all night long!”

Although, sadly, they weren’t. The girls would be too busy doing their respective tasks. That’s when I realized I still haven’t made my choice yet. I took a deep breath and decided who was going to be with me tonight. I then approached the mare with confidence.

“Um, hey,” I said to her, “I was thinking...since we’re all going to the gala together...would it be okay...if you and I hung out together? It would mean a lot to me. Please?”

“Oh, Spike. I didn’t think you’d be that interested. Very well. You can come with me.” Fluttershy rubbed a washcloth over her hoof.

"Thanks. You won't be disappointed."

I decided to pick Fluttershy. It was my only opportunity to be with my favorite pony, and I didn't want to blow it.

Sorry, Rarity. Maybe next year.

After we all primped ourselves, we slipped into our respective outfits. Then we hopped into the carriage, and we were on our way. I sat in the front seat, holding the reins like in the show.

The night sky was already coated in a vast shade of violet, decorated with stars like sequins on a velvet blanket. Seeing a sight like that made me glad I came to Equestria.

I eavesdropped on the girls’ conversations, hoping I could hear their final plans. But with everypony talking in the carriage, it was hard to focus on any of them.

"I hope Celestia…"

"...those Wonderbolts see…"

"...animals will be..."

"I'll be around the…"

"..talk to some of the..."

"...be the best…"

I sighed and focused on the road ahead. I just have to hope history doesn’t repeat itself.

By the time we arrived in Canterlot, the gala was already in full swing. I don't know how far it was from Ponyville to Canterlot exactly, but it didn’t matter. We stopped at the front of the gates. I hopped off the carriage and opened its door. Out came the Mane 6 wearing the same outfits as they did at the fashion show.

“Wow! You all look amazing!” I said.

“Thank you, Spike. I can’t believe we’re finally here!” Twilight proclaimed. “With all that we've imagined, the reality of this night is sure to make this...the best night ever!”

Then the group started singing. I could hear the background music this time. I guess there was an orchestra nearby.

I joined in as one of the background singers. My singing was decent enough. While the song was almost the same as in the show, I’ve noticed some of the girls’ lyrics were different. Rarity sang about chatting with all the aristocrats there, Pinkie hoping she’ll enjoy all the dancing, and Fluttershy wanted to see the animals with me.

After all the singing was over, we gave the guards our tickets and entered Canterlot. We then entered the lobby where we were all greeted by Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.

Celestia remembered.

“Princess Celestia! It’s so good to see…” Twilight then noticed Luna. “Princess Luna? I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“It is our duty to greet the guests,” Luna said. “It is a pleasure to see you all at this event.” She then shook all our hooves.

“Anyway, there’s been so much I’ve been wanting to talk to you about, Princess Celestia,” Twilight said.

“Well, I want you right by my side the entire evening, so we'll have plenty of time together,” Princess Celestia replied. “Come with me, if you please.”

“That’s just what I...wait, I thought you were greeting the guests.” Twilight tilted her head.

“That is our duty,” Luna said.

“Yes, so shouldn’t Princess Celestia stay here to greet them?”

“Oh, apologies. We...er...I was referring to the royal ‘we.’ I presume that tradition has phased out as well?”

“Yeah, pretty much it seems.”

After we all greeted the Princesses, the girls left to do their respective tasks. I held Fluttershy’s hoof as we entered the gardens.

“Are you alright, Fluttershy?” I asked. “You seemed really tense back there.”

“It was just...seeing Nightmare Moon again. It made me...”

“That was not Nightmare Moon, though. That was Princess Luna. She’s a good guy now. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“I-I sure hope not...”

Then a bird flew past us. Fluttershy’s face lit up right after.

“Oh, my. Did you see that?” She asked. “A real meadowlark.”

“Yeah, it must be from the garden,” I said.

Then we heard a whistle.

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh! I think she's calling to me.”

“Wait a minute. That whistle sounds like it’s coming from a pony.”

The whistling happened again.

“Hey, you’re right. The octave is a bit low for a bird that size.”

Sure enough, our assumptions were correct. An old stallion nearby was whistling while raking leaves.

“That’s a disappointment,” I said. “But don’t worry Fluttershy. I’m sure we’ll find some animals soon.”

No sooner did we hear the sound of animal chatter. We saw a group of exotic animals in a clearing. I could tell Fluttershy was getting excited.

“Remember what you’ve read,” I reminded her.

“Right.” Fluttershy took a deep breath and slowly approached the animals. Unfortunately, just like in the show, the critters took one look at her and quickly vanished. “Oh, no...what did I do? I know that some of these creatures here are really shy, but I didn’t think they’d be this shy.”

“That’s weird. I thought for sure they would like you. I guess they’re not fond of seeing new ponies. Unless...wait here.”

I looked for the old stallion again. It didn’t take long to find him.

“Excuse me sir,” I said, “but when is it feeding time for the animals?”

“Not long now,” the old gardener replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I have an idea for my date.”

The gardener told Fluttershy and me where the animals’ food was, and how to feed them. After getting the bags, Fluttershy sprinkled some bird seed onto her hoof. Soon, a small flock of birds showed up. They were hesitant at first, but after a while they ate the birdseed. The same result happened when we fed the other animals.

“Why didn’t I think of this before?” Fluttershy said in her usual, sweet, quiet tone. “The animals trust those who feed them. It’s just like the ones at home. Well...most of them at least. Thank you, Spike.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said. “I had a feeling the animals would warm to you if you fed them.”

A low rumble was heard. It almost scared the animals. I clutched on the sound’s source.

“Heh, heh. Speaking of feeding,” I said, “we should get something to eat as well.”

“You go on ahead, Spike,” said Fluttershy. “I’ll stay here with the animals.”

“Is there anything I could get you, Fluttershy?”

“Whatever you bring me is fine.”

Seeing how I was heading inside the castle anyway, I decided to use this opportunity to see how the other girls were doing. I saw Twilight and Princess Celestia talking to each other at a nearby table. On the other side of the room, I saw Rainbow Dash talking to one of the Wonderbolt members. I also noticed Rarity talking to some of the random ponies. That was a relief.

I went to the buffet table, hoping to see what kind of food they’ve got. To be honest, I don’t think I would call the “hors d'oeuvres” food. Some looked like poorly decorated cardboard. Others had such vague shapes and colors, you couldn’t tell what kind of food they were if you tasted them. The “punch” was only a bowl of water that just had pieces of cucumbers floating around.

Is this a gala, or a poor man’s buffet?

Thankfully, I remembered that one mare just happened to have food that looked much tastier. I was going to go find her, when I heard a “psst”. I turned to see Pinkie waving at me. She motioned me to come over. I rolled my eyes and approached her.

“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” I asked.

“I forgot,” Pinkie replied. “Is it ‘1, 2, triplestep,’ or ‘1, triplestep, 2, triplestep’?”

“It’s ‘1, 2, triplestep, triplestep.’”

“Okay, thanks.” She then pronked away.

I sighed. On my way out, I saw Blueblood stepping into a puddle.

“Ugh!” Blueblood cringed.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Watch out for that first step. It’s a doozy.”

Blueblood gave me a confused look as he cleaned his stained hoof with a handkerchief.

I headed outside and saw Applejack’s cart. She had a neutral look on her face. Some of the stuff on her cart was missing, so I assumed she made some profits.

“Hey, Applejack,” I called out. “How’s the business going?”

“Well, I’m sellin’,” Applejack replied. “I’ve made some profits, but not as much as I hoped.”

“Huh. How much have you made so far?”

“Well, I’ve made enough so that I could either convince a doctor to take off a few bits on Granny Smith’s future bill, purchase cheap lumber, or buy a plow from a yard sale.”

"Are the ponies here not interested? The food looks fancy enough to me. I like the hint of luster dust on the fritters. Are you charging a reasonable price?”

“That’s the thing. They like the food I’m sellin’, but they can’t buy them. These fancy ponies may have bits to burn, but some of them ain’t ones to carry their coin pouches around. I’ve already ran out of the free samples.”

“That’s a pity. Chin up, though, Applejack. The night is still young, and I’m sure there’ll be more customers soon. Which reminds me…” I looked around the stall and saw some cinnamon baked apples. They were drizzled with what appears to be the same coating they put on candy apples.

“How much are those?” I asked as I pointed at the treats.

“Five bits,” Applejack replied.

“What about for me?”

“Five bits.”

“But I’m your friend.”

“Oh, don’t you start, Spike! I’ve already got Rainbow Dash and her cider addiction to worry ‘bout. I don’t need you askin’ for discounts.”

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Relax. I’ll take two of them for full price.” It was a good thing I brought some bits with me just in case. I paid Applejack for the cinnamon apples, and I carried the food back to the gardens.

When I got back, Fluttershy was talking to some of the animals. It almost looked like a ponified Disney movie.

I was going to call out to Fluttershy, but I realized I shouldn’t scare the animals. So, I carefully walked towards her without scaring anyone.

“Oh, Spike, those look delicious,” Fluttershy said as she noticed me and the apples. “Are those from Applejack?”

“Yep.” I handed one of the plates to her. “Between you and me, the food at the gala didn’t look that appetizing, so I bought some apples from Applejack’s stall.”

“Thank you, Spike.”

We both ate our apples as we looked up at the night sky. The stars were only the size of specks, but they still shined brightly.

“This is a beautiful night, isn’t it?” I said.

“It certainly is,” Fluttershy replied. “The other animals enjoy it as well.”

“I’m glad to see they’ve warmed up to you.”

“So am I. They used to be so lonely before the Princess found them. Now, they live happily here in this sanctuary in Canterlot.”

“How did you know about Princess Celestia finding them?”

“The animals told me. They’ve got their own stories to tell. Take Rocky for example...”

“Rocky?”

“The wallaroo. He used to be friends with a dingo back where he once lived, until a big sandstorm came along and separated the two. He never saw his friend again. Thankfully, he was found by the Princess and taken to this lovely sanctuary.”

“I hope that dingo was alright.”

During our conversation, I heard dance music coming from the castle.

“Looks like they’re getting ready to dance in there.” I cleaned my face with a napkin. “Wanna join them?”

“Oh, Spike.” Fluttershy blushed. “I-I don’t know. Dancing in front of all those ponies? Wh-What if they judge us?”

“Don’t worry about that Fluttershy. It’s only going to be one dance. I’ll lead if you want me to.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Excuse us, fellow creatures.”

I held Fluttershy’s hoof as we entered the ballroom. The sound of waltzing music filled the room. We gave a gentle bow to each other before we danced.

Our slow and graceful rhythm was in balance with the steady music. The sound of strings filled our ears and drowned out any distractions. This was a perfect moment.

This is exactly what I hoped for. Dancing with my favorite pony at the gala. It was one of the many things I've wanted to do if I ever go to Equestria, and now here I am.

I saw Fluttershy's nervousness melt away from her face. It was clear she was enjoying this dance as much as I was.

The music slowly died down. It felt like we had just begun. I knew everything doesn't last forever, but dancing with Fluttershy should've been an exception.

"That was certainly fun," I said. "You danced wonderfully, Fluttershy."

Fluttershy giggled. "Well, I do have a taste for slow dances."

We were just about to head back when we heard Twilight calling our names. We saw her and the Princess sitting at a table nearby.

"Hey, Twilight," I said as Fluttershy and I approached them. "Good to see you're enjoying this gala."

"Same with you," said Twilight. "The Princess and I were just talking about you."

"R-Really?" I sat down next to Twilight, and Fluttershy sat next to me.

"Yep. We talked about how you've helped me learn about friendship. You've taught the girls and me not to judge others, and to show gratitude for those who work hard for you."

"I appreciate your guidance for Twilight," Celestia said. "You've really changed since coming to Ponyville."

"Yeah, I sure have."

I realized something. What did happen with the old Spike? Did I possess him? Did he and I switch bodies? If so, is he able to adjust to his life in the human world? What would happen if we switched back? Would he have done something that, if I came back, would ruin my old life?

"Spike? Are you okay?"

I quickly shook my head. "I'm sorry. Did you say something, Twilight?"

"You spaced out on us. Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm just feeling a little lightheaded. I think I need a drink." I started to get up.

"Sit back down, Spike," Celestia said. "I already have something for you." She handed me a cup of a frothy drink. She did the same for Twilight and Fluttershy. "I think Applejack called it 'warm cider.'"

"You bought this from Applejack?" Twilight asked.

"Of course. Normally, selling food at a gala is frowned upon, but since Applejack is one of my star pupil's friends, I was willing to make an exception. I allowed Applejack to set her cart up nearby because I wished to see what she can sell at the gala. I could tell from her culinary style that she's trying to fit in."

I couldn't blame her. When Blueblood tried one of her treats in the show, he spat it out and called it, "common carnival fare." I don't care how common Applejack's food was, it was still good to eat.

Speaking of Blueblood, I haven't seen him in a while. I saw Rarity talking to some of the guests, and he's thankfully not with her. I decided not to worry about him. Some other random mare will try to flirt with him and suffer the same fate as Rarity in the show.

“Twilight! Twilight Sparkle!” A familiar voice called out.

I turned around, and I almost spat out my drink. The voice came from none other than Moondancer. She was wearing a black, frilly dress. Her mane was styled to look more like Fluttershy’s than Twilight’s, and she wasn’t wearing her trademark glasses. She must’ve been wearing contacts.

“Moondancer!” Twilight hopped from her seat. “I didn’t expect you to be here! What are you doing at the Grand Galloping Gala?”

“I felt like I wanted to socialize a bit more,” Moondancer replied, “and what better way to do it than to spend a night at the gala?”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t come to your party! It was just that...”

“I know. You needed to defeat Nightmare Moon. I get it. Spike told me about it last time he was in Canterlot.”

Twilight sighed. “I still feel guilty about not being there for you. I wish I could do something to make it up to you.”

Moondancer held Twilight’s hoof. “You still can.”

“Excuse us, Princess.”

The two mares wandered off. I don’t know what they were going to do, but I didn’t have to know.

After finishing our drinks, Fluttershy and I returned to the garden to interact with the animals again.

Thanks to Fluttershy’s “translation,” I found some of the animals’ stories to be quite interesting. The toucan always had a craving for cereal, the spidermonkey used to be friends with a colt before he was taken to Canterlot, and the hummingbird and loon were close friends long before they met the princess.

“This has been a fun night,” Fluttershy said.

“I couldn’t agree more.” I sat closer to Fluttershy. “It’s all thanks to you.”

Fluttershy blushed redder than Applejack’s cutie mark. “R-Really?”

“You’ve made me the happiest dragon tonight.” I held Fluttershy’s hoof. “My goal for the gala was to hang out with my favorite pony, and you’ve helped me achieve that goal. No matter what happens at the gala, I still say that this was the best night ever.”

“Oh, Spike.”

We shared a warm embrace. Time was frozen for us. I could hear her gentle heartbeat as we pulled closer together. I picked up her scent of flowers and apples. I still couldn’t believe I was hugging my favorite pony.

“I’d say the same thing,” Fluttershy said. “Without you, I wouldn’t have interacted with any of these animals. Thank you for helping me.”

After we hugged, we continued interacting with the animals. Soon, most of them started to feel exhausted. I suppose most of them were not nocturnal. We decided to let them rest. Fluttershy and I left the garden.

There was nothing left at the gala for us to do. We weren’t interested in another dance and most of the food and drinks ran out. After telling Princess Celestia, Fluttershy and I left the gala. After strolling around Canterlot, I took Fluttershy to my favorite donut shop. After ordering our donuts and cocoa, we sat at a nearby table.

“I’m surprised you asked me to hang out with you instead of Rarity,” Fluttershy said. “Do you not like her anymore?”

“No, no, of course not.” I loosened the bowtie around my neck. “I still like her just as much as I like you. It’s just that I wanted to hang out with you tonight. I wanted to see some of the animals just as much as you.”

Then Pony Joe served us our donuts and cocoa.

“Thanks, Pony Joe,” I said.

“You’re welcome. You know, it’s strange.” Joe scratched his head.

“What is?”

“You’d normally order a pink-frosted donut with extra sprinkles, and yet you’ve ordered one with plain white frosting.”

“I just wanted to try something different tonight.”

“Ah, taking a break from the norm. I get it. It’s always good to try new things.” Joe returned to the counter.

“This sure is a lovely place.” Fluttershy said before she took a bite from her lightly-powdered donut.

“Yeah, Twilight and I used to come here often before we moved to Ponyville,” I said.

Then we heard the door ringing.

“Twilight Sparkle!” Joe called out. “Ha, ha! Long time no see.”

Speak of the devil.

“I had a feeling you’d be here, Spike,” Twilight said.

“Hey. So how was your time at the gala?” I asked. “How was your best night ever?”

We all gathered at the table as the rest of the girls talked about their time at the gala.

Twilight spent some time chatting with Moondancer after they left. Moondancer had been socializing a lot recently, and even made some new friends. Despite that, she still hangs on to her old ones, as they made her come out of her shell in the first place. While Twilight didn’t have enough time to talk to Princess Celestia, it was nice to meet up with an old friend.

Rainbow Dash wasn’t as attention-seeking as she was in the show. Instead of trying to knock things down to get notice, she actually waited until she could ask if she was qualified to be a Wonderbolt. Spitfire said that even though Rainbow Dash can pull off a wicked trick and save a few falling members, the process of becoming a Wonderbolt doesn’t happen overnight. Still, at least Rainbow now knew how to become one.

Pinkie Pie didn’t mind the slow dancing, but the sluggish pace almost put her energetic self to sleep. Pinkie asked if there was a song the musicians knew that was a bit more fast paced. There was one. It was a song that was in the swing genre. Pinkie managed to dance with about three stallions and one mare before she was done. It was a shame Fluttershy and I couldn’t dance at that time.

Rarity was able to socialize with some of the high class ponies. She learned about what life was like in Canterlot. I thanked Celestia that she didn’t go for Blueblood. She did watch him though, and she noticed how narcissist he was. Even some of the aristocrats commented on how full of himself he was. Rarity and I were lucky she didn’t consider flirting with him.

Applejack was able to make some bits. After Celestia bought some drinks, Applejack’s stall started getting more popular. Her stall was almost empty by the time she sold everypony who came. As for her profits, she made enough to buy at least one of the three options. At least she made more than in the show.

Fluttershy and I talked about our time at the garden. We really had a good time with the animals. We’ve got to feed them and even hear their past stories. We both had a wonderful time there.

“So I guess you girls enjoyed the gala?” I asked.

“Well...” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “...it wasn’t exactly the night we had in mind.”

“But you still enjoyed it, right? I mean, you girls got to go to a fancy party, chat with members new and old, and experience a taste of Canterlot culture. Sure, maybe you didn’t achieve your initial goals, but you had a good time.”

“I know I did,” a familiar voice said. We turned to see Princess Celestia.

“Princess Celestia!” we all said.

“But don’t you always enjoy the gala, princess?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, Twilight. The Grand Galloping Gala is always awful. That’s why I invited all of you. I was hoping you could liven things up a bit. The evening may not have gone as you planned, but I'm sure you'll agree that in the end it didn't turn out so bad for this group of friends.”

“She does have a point, Twilight,” I said. “With all of us together, even the worst of times can turn into something better.”

“You’re right. Even if the gala’s not what we hoped. All of us together had made this...”

“...the best night ever!” we all shouted.

We all laughed and continued to eat donuts. I was happy that I was able to make the events better for everypony. It might not have been perfect, but at least it was better than turning the castle upside down.

Chapter 17 (Call of the Cutie)

“Then put your little hoof in mine.
There’s no hill or mountain we can’t climb.”

I sat up from my bed and rubbed my eyes.

Man, what a night…

Never had my eyelids been so heavy. When I finally lifted them, I noticed I was in the same room I was in when I came to Equestria. I hopped from my bed and did a couple of stretches.

“I’ve got you to trot with me.
I’ve got you to talk with me.”

“Twilight?” I called out.

“I’m over here, Spike,” Twilight’s voice said.

I followed to where the source was. There, I found Twilight reading a book (as usual) and listening to a record player. That must’ve been where the music was coming from.

“Good morning, Spike. Did my music wake you?” Twilight asked as she turned a knob on the record player. “Sorry about that.”

“No, no. It’s fine,” I said. “I’ve been meaning to get up anyway.” I yawned. “Where are the other girls?”

“They left for Ponyville last night. I offered them to stay here with you and me overnight, but they declined. You must’ve fallen asleep before then.”

“I guess so. Everything was a blur after we left the donut shop. When are we heading back?”

“Right after I visit the Canterlot Library,” Twilight said as she secured her book bag.

“But you live in a library,” I said as I followed her. “What do you need from Canterlot’s Library? We have most of the books at home.”

“Yes, but the ones here have a special Canterlot Library-y smell!”

“Y...You sniff books?”

“You don’t?”

I rolled my eyes as we entered the library. I saw Dusty Pages at her usual place, but what was out of the ordinary was that she was stacking boxes. Twilight trotted to her.

“Good morning, Dusty Pages,” Twilight said with glee. “What’s in the boxes? Did the library get new books?!”

“Good morning, Twilight,” Dusty said. “No, this is just some of my old stuff that I’m packing. Actually, I’m glad that you came in today.”

“You are?” Twilight’s smile dissipated.

“Yep. Because today is going to be my last day at the library. I’m retiring.”

“What?! But...But...You’re the head librarian. I thought you liked working here. You never even take a vacation!”

“I know, I know. Yes, it’s true that I’ve worked my whole life here, but I decided to take a week-long vacation a couple months back. At first I couldn’t wait to go back to the library, but as time went on, I realized that being away from the library gave me a sense of freedom. I spent all those years in the library, never knowing how much I’ve missed the outside world. When I got back, I wanted to experience that freedom again. After giving it a lot of thought, I talked to First Folio about retiring. You should’ve seen the look on her face when I said that. She never thought she’d live to see the day I retired. Anyway, both of us agreed that I should retire. So now, I’m packing up and getting ready to leave.”

“Oh, Dusty Pages. I still can’t believe this is happening.”

“It’s okay, Twilight. Sometimes, even when you love your job, you should take a break from the norm. Do new things. And if you fail, then think of it as a learning experience.”

“I’m gonna miss you, though.” Twilight and Dusty shared a hug.

“Same with you. Here.” Dusty handed Twilight a book. “Think of it as a parting gift.”

“Perfection: The Impossible Pursuit.” Twilight and I widened our eyes. “This was the book that...”

“Mm-hmm. The exact same one. It’s yours to keep.”

“I thought it was a very popular book,” I said.

“Of course it is, but the library received a new copy last week. I asked Folio if I could give it to Twilight in case we meet again.”

“Th-Thank you,” Twilight said.

“Don’t mention it. If you ever want to visit me, you can find me at Silver Stable Community. It’s not far from Canterlot.”

“I hope I will someday. Good luck, Dusty Pages.”

“Thank you. Oh, and Spike?”

“Yes?” I perked up.

“Thank you for having me consider a vacation. Thanks to you, I’ve been able to see that there’s more to life than checking out books.”

“You’re welcome.”

After Twilight and I went through the library, we hopped on a train back to Ponyville. On the way home, Twilight was reading the book Dusty gave her.

“So, you were the one who asked Dusty Pages to take a vacation?” Twilight asked.

“You’ve seen how old she is,” I said. “Working for so long without a break doesn’t sound very healthy. I only recommended that she takes a day or two off. I didn’t expect her to retire.” To be honest, part of me did. “Are you mad at me?”

“No, I’m not. You were right. Working for so long can’t be good for somepony her age. Retiring may have been a good idea for her.” She then resumed her reading.

We arrived back in Ponyville. As we headed back to our library, we saw Applejack and Applebloom walking down the street. Applejack was holding a list that was longer than her entire body.

“Hey, Applejack. Applebloom,” Twilight called out. “What do you have there?”

“Howdy, Twilight and Spike,” Applejack said. “Applebloom’s gonna start school soon. This here’s a list of all the supplies she needs for the first day of school.”

Stupid EEA.

“I’ve decided to use some of the bits I’ve earned at the gala to purchase some of them.”

“What about the roof, plow, or Granny Smith’s hip?” I asked.

“Well, Big Mac found this plow on sale that was in a decent condition. Granny Smith’s hip replacement ain’t gonna be cheap, but it wasn’t as expensive as we thought. Oh, and after viewing the damages on the roof, all it needs are a few patches and it’ll be right as rain.”

“Well, that’s reassuring.”

“Anywho, we’ve gotta collect these supplies before school starts. I’ll see ya both around.”

We waved goodbye to Applejack and Applebloom as we headed back home.

“Say, Twilight, how come you never put me in a school?” I asked when we got home.

“You were practically homeschooled, Spike,” Twilight replied. “You were by my side during most of my classes, and my parents taught you some things when you were staying at home. You didn’t need to go to school.”

“What about making friends?”

“Well...” Twilight looked out the window. “Mom said that she was worried about what might happen if you did go to school. Not everypony’s comfortable around a dragon, baby or not. I mean, you’ve seen what an adult dragon can do when he’s sleeping. My family was afraid you might get bullied or left out because you’re a dragon.”

“I guess that makes sense. But now in Ponyville, almost everyone accepts me. Even Fluttershy called me cute, and she’s afraid of dragons.”

“Are you saying you want to go to school?”

“No, I’m just wondering why I didn’t at Canterlot.”

“Well, now you do.”

I would've gone to school to see what the future crusaders would be up to, but I don't think it would be worth the trouble of repeating grade school again. I’ll just have to let nature run its course and try to help the CMC outside of school.

It’s been about a week since the Gala was over. Applebloom was already at school. All I had to do was wait until she started worrying about getting a cutie mark.

That event couldn’t come soon enough. Twilight and I were organizing books when we heard a knock on the door. Twilight answered it.

I could hardly hear the conversation, except for the last part when Twilight said, “Okay, we’ll be there.”

“Who was that?” I asked.

“It was Diamond Tiara.” Twilight entered the room with a jewel-shaped invitation in her hoof. “She invited us to her cute-ceañera this weekend.”

“What’s a cute-ceañera? Do they sell quesadillas there?” I joked.

“Oh, Celestia, no!” Twilight almost shivered. “A cute-ceañera is a celebration of somepony getting their cutie mark here in Ponyville. It’s like an extra birthday for them.”

“Did you have a celebration when you got your cutie mark, Twilight?”

“Well, yeah. But not like a cute-ceañera. After I got my cutie mark, my family took me to the donut shop to celebrate. It’s almost like a family tradition, because Shining Armor said that Mom and Dad did the same when he got his cutie mark.” Twilight looked at her flank. “My cutie mark was the result of your birth, you know.”

“I know, I know. You got accepted to Celestia’s school, you were trying to hatch my egg, then the explosion happened, and you were able to—”

“Wait. Explosion?”

“Shining Armor told me that an explosion happened that caused you to go crazy with magic. That’s how I was born, right?”

“I wouldn’t call it an explosion, Spike. It’s more like a sudden burst followed by a rainbow of colors.” Twilight blushed. “But yeah, I guess I did go a little overboard with my magic.”

“Hold on. A sudden burst followed by a rainbow? That sounds like a sonic rainboom to me.”

“But the only pony who could pull that off is Rainbow Dash. Are you saying that...” Twilight’s eyes widened. “...that she was the one who helped me hatch you?”

“It’s a possibility. Rainbow did say she pulled it off when she was a filly. That could’ve been when you hatched me and got your cutie mark.”

Twilight looked away. “Huh. I guess I should thank Rainbow Dash sometime for that.”

I wondered what cutie mark I would get if I was a pony. It would have to be something I’m good at. I do have a knack for convincing others and being keeping secrets, so maybe my talent is in persuasion or acting. I used to work in an office building in the human world. My strengths there were hosting meetings for my team. I wasn’t a CEO, but I could’ve been one if I were to push paper a bit harder. My job was similar to that of an account manager, so maybe my cutie mark might be related to that.

Of course, I’m only hypothesizing. I can’t get a cutie mark because I’m a dragon, but that’s okay. I didn't need to turn into a pony again. If I wanted to, then I would’ve rolled around in poison joke.

I decided to see what Applebloom was up to. It didn’t take long to find the downhearted filly staring at her flank.

“Uh, oh. Worried about getting a cutie mark?” I asked.

“Yeah, how did ya know?” Applebloom asked as I approached her.

“Well, there are two reasons why a depressed mare would look at her own flank, and yours looks pretty normal-size for a filly.”

“I don’t care ‘bout the size of my flank. All I care ‘bout is what’s on it!”

“Applebloom, I know that you want to get a cutie mark before Tiara’s cute-ceañera, but it’s not gonna happen unless you figure out your special talent.”

“But I’ve tried sellin’ apples with my big sis, and all I’ve done is gotten her angry. She keeps tellin’ me I shouldn’t ‘force’ my cutie mark to appear, but I can’t find any other way.”

“Maybe your talent isn’t selling apples. Have you tried other talents, like working with tools for example?”

“I’m already good with tools. Applejack taught me. If my special talent was workin’ with tools, I would’ve gotten my cutie mark before I was even born!”

I guess that would explain why the CMC never considered singing, stunting, or construction as their special talent.

“You can’t be the only pony in class without a cutie mark. Aren’t there other fillies or colts that you could bring to the cute-ceañera?”

“There was Twist, but she already got her cutie mark.”

“Oh dear. Don’t worry, though. I’m sure you won’t be the only pony at the cute-ceañera without a cutie mark.”

“I won’t. Because I will get my cutie mark before that cute-ceañera one way or another!”

“Wait, that’s not what I...”

But it was too late. Applebloom marched away before I could get another word in.

And to think I would struggle with the adult ponies.

Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera arrived in a flash. The party was in full swing by the time Twilight and I showed up.

“I’m gonna see if Pinkie needs help,” Twilight said. “You can go ahead and have fun. Just remember it’s Diamond Tiara’s party. Make her feel special.”

She already feels like she’s special. In the wrong kind of way.

I decided to interact with some of the party guests while I looked for Applebloom. I heard interesting stories about how some ponies got their cutie mark.

I looked around to see if there were any other ponies without their cutie mark, but to no avail. I didn’t even see Sweetie Belle or Scootaloo.

Where are those two?

I then saw Applebloom hurrying to the door. The scene played out like in the show. Applejack appeared and pushed Applebloom back in, but not on purpose. Then Applebloom pulled a tablecloth off and tied it around her flank. Then she lied to Tiara and Silver about her cutie mark, and then she tripped on her cloth and revealed her bare flank.

“Wow, that is an amazing cutie mark,” Tiara said.

“Nice try...” Silver said.

“Blank Flank!” The two said in unison. I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Shut up, you entitled brats!” I shouted. “Just because someone is missing a cutie mark, it does not give you the right to bully them! Even on your cute-ceañera!”

It was clear that Tiara was frightened by my scolding. She did her best to regain her composure.

“But...” Tiara cleared her throat. “But not having a cutie mark means she isn’t special.”

“That’s not true!” A familiar voice called out.

We all turned to see Scootalo and Sweetie Belle popping out from under the table.

“It means she’s full of potential,” Sweetie Belle said.

“It means she could be great at anything,” Scootaloo added. “The possibilities are, like, endless.”

The other party go-ers agreed with the other two fillies. Their attention to the group made Tiara and Silver feel left out. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle later decided to join together and start a club called the “Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

After writing the friendship letter, I decided to join the rest of the party again. I know that I should’ve tried to comfort Tiara and Silver, but doing so would’ve prevented the CMC from getting their cutie marks. I didn’t want that to happen. Plus, seeing how they bullied Applebloom, I'd say they deserved being called out on Tiara's cute-ceañera.

Chapter 18 (Stare Master and The Show Stoppers)

“So, what did it feel like, Twilight?”

“What did what feel like, Spike?”

“Turning into stone,” I replied. “Was it painful?”

“Well...no. It...It made my body really stiff, though. Like I couldn’t move at all. It was almost scary.”

I bet it was. Given how Discord had to endure it for over a millennium, being stuck in one place while the world passes before your eyes must not be a pleasant experience.

Yesterday was the events of “Stare Master.” Twilight was going to Zecora’s to have tea with her, but ended up getting stoned by that cockatrice. If it weren’t for Fluttershy, Twilight would’ve been a lawn ornament for a very long time. I’ll have to thank her when I get the chance.

I would’ve helped Fluttershy take care of the CMC, but Twilight wouldn’t let me. She said that Fluttershy already has three kids to worry about, and she doesn’t need a fourth. I would’ve pressed further, but I decided to obey her. I didn’t want Twilight to lose her trust in me. Besides, the last time I tried reasoning with one of the fillies, they wouldn’t listen to me.

The cockatrice was actually the reason why the Ursa Minor showed up that night when Trixie was in town performing. Zecora told Twilight that the cockatrice had been causing trouble in the forest for the past couple of months. It must’ve scared the Ursa awake, and it couldn’t stone it in time before the Ursa ran out of the cave. Why the cockatrice didn’t try to stone the Ursa Major was beyond me. Snips and Snails didn’t encounter it in the show either.

Maybe it was scared off or something?

The next event to come up was “The Show Stoppers.” That’s when the CMC sign up for the upcoming talent show. To put it simply, the intended show was a disaster, but at least the girls won first place in the comedy section. I decided I didn’t need to change anything for this event.

I was organizing books in the library. I feel like it’s the only thing I do when I’m not reading comics or hanging out with Twilight. The sound of the door slamming open almost made me drop some of the books I was carrying. I turned to see the CMC at the front door.

“Is there anything you girls need?” I asked.

“Hey, Spike,” Sweetie Belle greeted. “That looks hard. Do you need any help?”

“I’m able to sort these fine on my...”

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS LIBRARIANS!” The filly trio shouted. “YAY!”

When the fillies tried to organize the books, the library ended up being way messier than before. By the time Twilight and Cheerilee, the CMC’s teacher, showed up, the girls were in a pile of books.

“Twilight, before you say anything, I had nothing to do with this,” I pleaded.

“Well, we sure aren't getting our cutie marks for being librarians,” Scootaloo said as she read one of the books.

I should think not.

“Girls, I think you're going about this the wrong way,” Twilight said to the CMC. “Instead of trying to do things in areas you're not familiar with, why not try doing things in areas that you already like?”

“Yeah, like singing or stunting?” I added.

“Well...having a natural singing voice runs in the family.” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head. “Plus, you’ve probably already seen how well some ponies sing during random musical numbers.”

“And I’ve been practicing stunts since I was a foal.” Scootaloo looked at her wings. “It was to make up for...another lacking talent.”

“And I’ve already mentioned I learned how to use tools at a young age," Applebloom said. "If we didn’t get our cutie marks for our talents then, why would we get ‘em now?”

“Well, if you girls are looking for some areas to try, I have the perfect place to start.” Cheerilee pulled out a poster that talked about the upcoming talent show.

One look at the poster was all it took for the CMC’s faces to light up. The CMC thought about what talents they could learn.

“Juggling!”

“Acting!”

“Magic tricks!”

“Square dancing!”

“Tightrope walking!”

“Tiger taming!”

“My little ponies!” Twilight called out. “You’re missing the point.”

Dear Celestia, Twilight. That sounded forced.

Twilight continued, “Think about the things you already enjoy doing. Think about what you're already good at. Your previous skills might help you find your special talent.”

The CMC agreed to sign up for the talent show. I was worried that their act was going to end up like in the show, but I wasn’t going to stop it.

I decided to pay a visit to two colts who also haven’t gotten their cutie marks yet: Button Mash and Rumble. Button Mash was into video games and toy trains, while Rumble was into flying and cooking. I’ve interacted with them before in the past, but it was usually just small conversations. I felt like I should interact with them more.

I saw Button and Rumble sitting on a picnic table. Button was playing on his Game Colt, and Rumble was watching him.

"Hey, guys," I greeted. "It's good to see you again."

"Oh, hey, Spike," Rumble said. He sounded much more like a little colt than a bratty teenager.

Button Mash waved at me while still keeping his eyes glued to the screen.

I sat down next to Rumble. "So, I've heard about the talent show coming up. Are either of you participating?"

"Not really." Rumble shook his head. "I do have a knack for flying, but I don't think it's good enough for the talent show."

"And I doubt ponies would want to see me speedrun one of my games," Button added.

"That's a shame," I said. "I'd participate, but I don't even go to that school. I heard the Cutie Mark Crusaders were gonna sign up though."

"That little fillies' group?" Button asked. "I thought you were supposed to have a special talent before signing up.”

“The girls think that they'll find theirs if they participate. Also, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are not a ‘little fillies’ group. They’re around the same age as you two.”

“I’m just saying, going to a talent show without knowing your talent is like going to a gym battle without knowing your moves.”

“Have either of you considered what your future cutie mark might be?”

“Well...” Rumble looked at his flank. “It’s...something I don’t care much for.”

“Why not?” I asked him. “Are you afraid it won’t let you do other stuff?”

Rumble nodded.

“Rumble, a cutie mark won’t restrict you to just one talent. It’s like the difference between a job and a hobby. You may have a special talent in something, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do other stuff. Like Twilight, for example. Her special talent is casting magic, but she likes reading books all the time. A cutie mark is just there to say what your special talent is. You can have one in cooking and still become a Wonderbolt. Heck, if you’re lucky, you could become the head chef at the Wonderbolts’ mess hall.”

Rumble chuckled. “I guess you're right. I was worried about nothing.”

At least he won’t try to take over the summer camp during “Marks and Recreation.”

“What about you, Button Mash?” I asked. “Any ideas what your cutie mark might look like?”

“Probably train or video game-related. I’m hoping it's on the video game side.”

“Right. I should’ve figured that out.”

The talent show was right around the corner. I was helping Applejack buck apples at Sweet Apple Acres.

“Do you think the CMC will get their cutie marks after the talent show?” I asked.

“The See-um-who?” Applejack asked after bucking a tree.

“The Cutie Mark Crusaders. Applebloom and her friends. Do you think they’ll get their cutie marks?”

“I don’t know, Spike. Gettin’ a cutie mark shouldn’t be forced.”

“But they’re not forcing their cutie marks to appear. They’re just trying to find a talent they like in order to get them to appear. Why don’t we check on them to see what they’re up to?”

“Good idea, Spike.”

Applejack and I headed to the CMC’s clubhouse. Like in the show, we watched the CMC practice, and they weren’t very good at it. We both made our way down the steps.

“Well, gosh,” Applejack said. “Sure wasn’t expectin’ that.”

“I’m...sure they’ll improve by the talent show,” I said.

We tried our best to sneak out without the fillies noticing, but we were too late.

“Hey!” Scootaloo called out. “Did you see us practicing?”

“Uh...yeah?” Applejack replied.

“Well? How’d we do? How’d we do?” Applebloom replied.

“Uh...” Applejack wasn’t the best at lying. Hence why she’s the element of honesty.

“You’re all on the right track,” I said. “You just need a few tweaks.”

“Don’t worry,” Scootaloo said. “Once the talent show shows up, we’ll leave everypony speechless!”

“YAY!!” The CMC cheered.

“Speechless is right,” Applejack said under her breath.

The night of the talent show couldn’t come soon enough. Cheerilee assigned me the role of handing out the rewards. There was supposed to be another pony helping her, but they called in sick at the last minute. It was a shame, really. I wanted to sit with Rumble and Button Mash during the show and see their reactions.

The talent show went on as normal. Each filly and colt who were on stage did their respective talents. Some weren’t too bad, while others made me cringe a bit. I did like those two fillies who performed a poem on roller skates.

“My little ponies,” Twilight said. I turned to see her talking to the CMC, who were in hoods. “How are you doing?”

Geeze, Twilight. It was bad enough the first time…

“Nervous,” the CMC replied.

“Don’t worry,” Twilight said. “You’re gonna be amazing. Just stick to what you know best.”

Unfortunately, they wouldn’t. Sweetie Belle did the props and costumes, Applebloom did the choreography, and Scootaloo did the singing. I feel like they should’ve done what they were good at, but it was too late now.

“Cutie Mark Crusaders, you're on next,” Cheerilee said.

“Break a leg!” I called out to the girls.

“Break a...Good luck,” Twilight said.

“Twilight! It’s bad luck to say ‘good luck’ on stage!”

I don’t think it would matter, though. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for one of the cringiest yet funniest songs of Season 1.

The “song” played out like in the show. Scootaloo sung off-key, Sweetie Belle messed up the props, and Applebloom’s “kung fu dancing” looked like she had two left feet. After their feeble performance, the audience did nothing but laugh. The look of depression on the girls' faces indicated they took it as an insult, but I knew it wasn’t.

After Cheerilee called all the fillies back on stage, I handed out the rewards. Snips and Snails had the best magic act, the two skating fillies won best dramatic performance, and the CMC won best comedy act. At least the audience assumed it was what the girls intended.

Even though the CMC didn't get their cutie marks yet, they learned they shouldn't force themselves to do things they aren't good at. The girls decided to work on what they assumed they were good at: comedy.

"One day," Twilight said.

After sending the friendship letter, I went to see Rumble and Button Mash. I asked them how they liked the talent show. They both thought it was alright, but it was the CMC's act that really got the duo’s attention.

"It was the only time Button Mash looked up from his Game Colt for more than two minutes," Rumble joked.

Button wasn't amused.

Chapter 19 (Cutie Mark Chronicles and Return of Harmony)

I was reading one of my comic books when I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," I called out.

Scootaloo entered the library. "Hey, Spike. Is Twilight around?"

"Not at the moment. Why?"

"I want her opinion on something."

"Why don't you ask me?"

"Okay." Scootaloo pulled out a list. "Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and I are trying to figure out what our next activity should be to find our cutie marks. Which do you think is more awesome: skydiving, ziplining, or fire dancing?"

Oh...it's this episode.

"I would say ziplining," I replied, "because it's safer, but—"

"Great!" Scootaloo rolled the list back up. "I'll let the girls know. Thanks, Spike." She then dashed out of the library.

"Just make sure to go one at a time!" I yelled.

Aside from that moment in the beginning, there was not much else I could do for “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” aside from thanking Rainbow Dash for hatching me.

Today seemed pretty much like a normal day. Twilight and I were organizing the library as usual. To be honest, I couldn’t tell if she spent more time reading the books or reorganizing them.

“Come on, Spike,” Twilight said. “If you’re gonna help me sort these books, then get to it.”

“I’m trying,” I replied. “It’s not easy stacking these when you don’t have a horn or wings. Or when you’re as tall as a filly.”

After our pretentious stacking, Twilight and I headed for Applejack’s farm. Twilight had her nose in yet another book.

“So why are we going to Applejack’s?” I asked. “I thought she bucked enough apples for today.”

“It’s not her apples,” Twilight replied. “Most of her corn is ready to be picked.”

“Wait, she grows crops other than apples?”

“Well, yeah. They just don’t sell as much as the apples, though.”

That’s when something occurred to me.

Why does this feel strangely familiar? It’s like...oh, no!

A low rumbling noise filled our eardrums.

“What was that?” Twilight looked up at the sky. “That can’t be thunder. Rainbow Dash said it wasn’t—”

Twilight’s confusion was interrupted by a weird liquid falling from the sky. The droplets coated the buildings in a thin coat of brown.

“Yikes!” I grabbed Twilight’s book and held it over my head like an umbrella. “Was there a freak accident at the weather factory?! Why is it raining gunk?!”

“Wait.” Twilight stuck out her tongue and tasted the brown liquid. “It’s...chocolate?”

“Chocolate rain? Even Rainbow Dash wouldn’t pull a prank like this.”

“We gotta find the girls! Come on!”

We hurried to Sweet Apple Acres. Just like in the show, the farm was littered with chocolate-soaked popcorn, giant apples that deformed the trees, and rabbits with grotesquely long legs. It was complete chaos, and I knew who was responsible for it.

“Don't worry, everyone!” Twilight read through her book. “I've learned a new spell that'll fix everything.”

Sadly, her magic failed. After casting the spell, the chaos still remained.

“My fail-safe spell...failed!” Twilight rubbed her head. “What do we do?!”

“Don’t you have a Plan B?” I asked.

In fact, she did. Twilight ordered Rainbow to group all the cotton-candy clouds together, Applejack to bring them down to Earth, and Fluttershy to get the animals to eat the chocolate spewing clouds.

“Good job, girls,” I said after their successful plan.

“Thank you, Spike. There's nothing we can't overcome if we all work together,” Twilight proclaimed.

Suddenly, I belched out a scroll. Twilight picked it up and read it. The shocked look on her face told us it wasn’t good news.

“Come on, girls,” Twilight announced. “Princess Celestia wants to see us all in Canterlot immediately!”

Then the realization hit me.

“Wait! Twilight! The Elements!” I shouted.

“Princess Celestia has them, Spike. Don't worry. Head back to the library and make sure there isn’t any weird stuff happening there.” Twilight and her friends ran off in a flash.

“That’s not what I...”

But it was too late. The girls were already gone.

Wait. I gotta check to see if the Elements are where I think they are.

I quickly made a break for the library. The entire town was already descending into a misshapen dystopia. Buildings were lifted from their foundations, the hills turned into a giant checkerboard, more of those cotton-chocolate clouds drenched the streets in a torrential downpour, and ponies everywhere were in a frenzy.

Good grief. I feel like a character in a nineties platformer video game.

Eventually, I made it to the library, which was fortunately unfazed by the surrounding chaos. I entered the library and slammed the door behind me.

I checked the shelves until I found the book I was looking for: "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide." At least there was one advantage to Twilight’s obsessive organization.

Please, for the love of Celestia, be in here!

I flipped through the pages and breathed a sigh of relief. The Elements of Harmony were sitting right there in the book.

“So if the Elements are here, then that means…”

I dashed to the table and grabbed a quill and parchment. I almost spilled the ink trying to scribble a letter as fast as I could:

"Dear Princess Celestia,

Tell the girls to come back to Twilight's Library. Hurry! I found the Elements of Harmony in the Reference Guide!

Signed,
Spike."

I quickly rolled the scroll up and sent it to Princess Celestia.

I hope the girls get the letter before they enter the maze, and I hope that Celestia doesn't think it's a trick.

I sat down next to the book and patiently waited for a response. Suddenly, a flash of light blinded my eyes.

What stood before me was the most unusual creature of all. He had mismatched limbs, antlers, and wings, a tail of a dragon, and a goat-like head. He was a draconequus, and he was much freakier in the flesh.

“I know who you are,” I said in a determined voice.

“Same with you,” the draconequus replied.

“Discord.”

“David Smith.”

My eyes widened. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. It was the first time someone in the pony world has called me that.

“How...How do you know my…?”

“I know a lot about you, Dave. I know you came from another world, and what you’re trying to do. And I’m here to tell you that it’s not gonna work.”

I grabbed the book with the Elements inside. “You’re not gonna corrupt my mind or steal these Elements, Discord! You can forget about it!”

"I'm not here for the Elements, Dave. I know you’ve seen all the events happening before. Let me ask you something, do you know what a Morton’s fork is?”

“Uh...no?” I kept a firm grip on the book.

“It’s when no matter what choices you’ve made, the outcome in the long run is still the same. Take those gala tickets for example. Last time, Spike rejected the tickets, which resulted in the girls fighting over them. In this reality, you accepted the tickets, however the girls still fought over them. Another example was when you prevented those two colts from going into the forest. The ursa minor still showed up in town thanks to that cockatrice. My point is no matter what you say or do, Dave, the ending will always be the same. Trust me, I have seen it all before, and I did the same thing you did."

“Wait, you’ve already experienced this?”

“Multiple times in fact. Just like you, I tried to make things right. I kept repeating the same timeline over and over and trying to change the outcome for everything. But all of them were almost identical. What you saw in your own show was one of my better attempts, if I’m honest.”

“So you know about Tirek escaping, and you’ll still side with him even though he’ll betray you?”

“As long as I get my magic back.”

“And Starlight changing the future?”

“She’ll still get reformed.”

“What about disguising yourself as Grogar and getting Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis to work with you? The girls in this world weren’t the only ones who were mad at you.”

“That troublesome trio would no longer harm your little ponies.”

“And what if none of those things happen? What if Twilight and the others fail?”

“They won’t fail. No matter what happens, those ponies will always win. You can’t change fate, Dave. Heck, I’ll bet that when you reach the final episode, it’ll play out exactly like the show did.”

I thought about it for a minute, then it occured to me. “I don’t believe you!”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Nice try, Discord. This is one of your mind games! You’re trying to corrupt me! Well, I’m not falling for it! I know I can change the future, and I'll prove it to you!”

“Suit yourself.” Discord looked at his wristwatch, which somehow appeared on his wrist. “Well now, I better be going. I’ve got some chaos to do!”

“You do realize that you’ll be turning to stone soon, right?”

“It’s not like I can surrender unconditionally now. I’m still a villain here, and the girls aren’t going to trust me that easily. Tallyho!”

And just like that, Discord disappeared. I thought about what he said.

I know I can’t change fate, and I know that the girls will win regardless. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make them win in a different way. Trust me, Discord, I’ll be using that fork to my advantage.

Then something flashed across my mind. Was he the one who sent me to this world? If so, what did he do with the old Spike? Is he able to send me back? If he isn’t responsible for my appearance, does he know who is?

My thoughts were interrupted by the door slamming open. I looked to see the Mane Six barging in.

“Girls!” I called out. “You’re back! And none of you are grey!”

“Where are the Elements?!” Twilight said. “You said you found them?”

“Right here.” I handed Twilight the book. She opened it to find...

“The Elements! They were here all along!” Twilight called out. The girls were filled with glee.

“Golly, Spike,” Applejack said. “How did ya know the Elements were in here?”

“I was sorting out the last of the books when I noticed the reference guide felt heavier than usual,” I lied. “When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the Elements. I don’t know how they got here. The Princess sure has weird ways of hiding stuff.”

The girls put on their respective Element with haste.

“Necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, necklace, and one big crown!” Twilight called out. “Now, let’s get rid of Discord. Come on!”

I hopped on Twilight’s back. “Onward!”

“Spike?”

“You’ve got a surefire way to take down a crazy villain. There’s no way I’m gonna miss that!”

“Just let ‘im tag along,” Applejack said.

Twilight rolled her eyes as the group galloped out of the library.

“Now we just need to find Discord!” Twilight yelled.

“Where do you think he could be?” Rarity asked.

Suddenly, a light flashed in front of us. The same draconequus appeared mad as a hornet.

“Right there,” I answered bluntly.

“How dare you!” Discord bellowed. “Trying to trick the Lord of Chaos like that!”

“Trick us?” Twilight said. “‘Find the Elements back where you began.’ That was part of your riddle!”

“Yes, but you claimed you’d start at the labyrinth first! You’ve got some nerve double-crossing me like that!”

“It’s a lil’ something called ‘fightin’ fire with fire’!” Applejack shouted. “And now we’ve got the Elements.”

“And who’s to say they’re not fake?” Discord asked calmly. “Are you really gonna trust some whelp who just sent you a letter at the last minute?”

I gasped.

Shoot! I forgot to check if they were real! Oh, no! What if they aren't?!

“That’s enough stalling!” Twilight shouted. “It’s time to defeat you once and for all Discord!”

“Ugh, gag. Fine, go ahead. Try and use your little Elements. Friend me. Just make it quick.” Discord’s throne appeared behind him. “I'm missing some excellent chaos here.”

“Alright, ladies! Let’s show him what friendship can do!” Twilight called out.

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Pinkie shouted as she drank from one of the chocolate rain clouds. “Okay, now I’m ready!”

I sat next to a nearby floating tree stump and watched as Twilight’s horn glowed. Every one of the girls' necklaces shot out blinding laser beams in all directions. That was a relief.

Yep, they’re real. If only I grabbed some of that popcorn from Applejack’s farm.

Like a rocket launching into space, a rainbow blasted from the heroic group and slammed directly onto Discord. His struggling was made futile by his entire body being encased in stone. He hollered a loud “NOOO!!!” before his head was also turned into granite.

The rainbow arc turned itself into a dome that covered all of Ponyville before expanding ever outward. I watched as the buildings returned to Earth, the grass pierced through the checkerboarded ground, the clouds turned into water instead of cotton candy, and roads paved themselves with dirt instead of soap.

The entire event finished in an instant. What was left was a normal Ponyville, the Mane 6 standing proud, and a shocked Discord statue.

“Good job, girls!” I called out.

“Thanks, Spike!” Pinkie said.

“Did anypony else feel like that was mighty easy?” Applejack asked. “The feller didn’t put up much of a fight.”

“And you’re complaining?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It was because of our Elements of Harmony. No villain can stand a chance against us with these babies on our side!”

Suddenly I burped out a scroll. I still haven’t gotten used to that.

“It’s from the Princess,” I said as I read the scroll. “She wants you back at Canterlot for a celebration!”

We took the train back to Canterlot. By the time we arrived at Celestia’s Castle, there was already a huge crowd waiting for us. We approached Celestia as fanfare blasted across the halls.

“We are gathered here today to once again honor the heroism of these seven friends who stood up to the villain Discord and saved Equestria from eternal chaos.”

The cheers were loud and proud. Celestia unveiled a new glass window showing the Mane 6 defeating Discord. I noticed that I was included in the window. I was in the bottom center holding the Reference Guide above my head.

“Wow, I’m included as well?” I asked in surprise.

“Yes,” Princess Celestia replied. “If it weren’t for you finding the Elements, there would be no telling what might’ve happened.”

I chuckled as I rubbed the back of my head. “Heh, well, I just happened to find them. It was pure luck.”

“And it seems the Mare of Luck has been kind to you today. You deserve the praise just as much as Twilight and her other friends.”

“Thank you.”

The crowd continued to cheer for us. Confetti and streamers rained down on us. I never thought I would be given such admiration. It truly was an excellent day for the girls and me.

Chapter 20 (Lesson Zero)

Twilight and I were going through our usual duties. The girls and I were going to have a picnic today. This was supposed to be when the events of “Lesson Zero” took place, but since Celestia was flexible on Twilight’s due date, I was sure the majority of Twilight’s meltdown wouldn’t happen.

Like in the show, Twilight and I were going through the checklist. I tried to make sure I didn’t get a writer’s cramp from all the checking. We went to Sugarcube Corner to pick up the cupcakes. One look at the box, and Twilight already knew something was wrong.

“Uh, I only ordered twelve,” Twilight said to Mrs. Cake.

“Oh, I know, dear,” Mrs. Cake said. “But I had an extra. So I thought I'd make it a baker's dozen.”

“That’s very nice of you,” I said. “Thanks.”

Twilight looked at the cupcakes again. “I agree, but it's just that some of the icing from the extra cupcake is getting all over the one next to it.”

“For crying out loud, Twilight. Does it matter?”

“These are for the picnic later, Spike, and I don't want anypony to feel like somepony else is getting more icing.”

“Nopony will care who gets more icing. The only pony who might complain would be Pinkie Pie, but she eats so much icing, she practically brushes her teeth with it.”

Twilight sighed. “Okay, but if you get mad because the girls argue over this, remember that you've brought this on yourself.”

“It won’t come to that.”

We returned to the library after doing everything else on the list. My hand started to hurt from all the checking.

"I'm just glad we don't have to send a friendship letter this week," I said as I went to grab some ice. "All this writing is giving me a cramp."

Twilight widened her eyes. "We haven't sent a letter to Princess Celestia this week?!"

"Well, no. We don't need to. Remember? The princess said you can send one anytime you learn a friendship lesson. There's no official due date."

"Yes, but we've gotten into the habit of sending one to her every week since we came to Ponyville."

I sighed. "Twilight, do you read books, or do you just skim through them?"

"What kind of random and ridiculous question is that? Of course I read books thoroughly!"

"Then tell me, what was the name of the book Dusty Pages gave you when she retired?"

"'Perfection: The Impossible…' Oh, I see what you're getting at."

"Twilight, the princess won't mind if you don't send a letter today. You've got nothing to worry about. Now let's prepare for this picnic."

The afternoon arrived so fast. Twilight and I were on our way to the fields where our friends were. Twilight thankfully hasn't gotten insane like in the show.

"Hey, Twilight," I said. "Can I tell you something?"

"Go ahead, Spike," Twilight said.

"Remember when I found those Elements in the guide and sent a letter to Princess Celestia?" I twiddled my thumbs. "Well...right after I sent the letter, Discord showed up."

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks. She almost dropped the cupcakes.

"Please tell me this is a bad joke." Twilight glared at me.

"No, it's not. Discord showed up, but he didn't come for the Elements. Instead he told me that no matter what I did, I couldn't change the future. I didn't believe him, obviously, but looking back at what I’ve done in the past, I’m starting to think that he’s telling the truth.” My eyeballs were glued to the ground. “I felt like things would’ve turned out the same way if I didn’t have any involvement.”

Twilight wrapped one of her arms around me. “Spike, Discord was trying to manipulate you. He wants you to think that way. You’ve been very helpful not just to me, but to everypony else. You’ve helped Applejack buck all of those apples, you’ve helped us show gratitude for others, you’ve helped us to not judge the cover of a book, and you’ve even helped us enjoy the Grand Galloping Gala. And that’s just scratching the surface. Without you, who knows what would’ve happened.”

“Probably the same thing?”

“But you don’t know that, Spike. Applejack for example might’ve been so exhausted from her applebucking, that she would have made a mess out of Ponyville. Or that parasprite might make a swarm out of itself and eat Ponyville right off the map. You did a great job so far, and you shouldn’t let some crazy villain tell you that you’ve done everything for naught. You are my #1 assistant.”

I sighed. “Thank you, Twilight. You’re right. Discord was trying to get to my head. But to be honest, I didn’t understand why he didn’t bother trying to take the Elements from me. Or replace them with fakes.”

“Yeah, I’m more concerned about that as well. After we gave the elements back to Princess Celestia, she checked and confirmed they were real. If Discord can access that room and move the Elements wherever he likes, why doesn’t he move them again after you found them?”

“Maybe he wanted to be turned to stone again. Maybe he’s a death seeker?”

“SPIKE! Watch your mouth!”

“What?”

“Do not say the D-word. It’s a very sensitive subject.”

“S-sorry, Twilight. I didn’t know that.”

“Spike, saying words like the S-word or the D-word makes others believe that you’re rude or impolite, or as Rarity puts it, ‘uncouth.’”

“I-I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. Say, I remember I heard somepony say not to use ‘the F-word.’ Is there such a thing?”

Twilight quickly looked away. “Uh...Hey look! It’s the girls!”

Twilight and I waved to the others. The picnic went on pretty smoothly. There were no fights about the cupcakes, thankfully. We all chatted with each other about our day. Earlier, Fluttershy massaged Harry the Bear, one of her animal friends. Rarity almost lost an important ribbon for her dress. Applejack and Rainbow Dash demolished an old barn to make room for a new one.

“You all should’ve seen the finishing blow,” Rainbow Dash said. “I completely vaporized the entire barn.”

“Oh, so that would explain the sudden rumble earlier today,” Pinkie said. “I knew it wasn’t my Pinkie Sense going crazy.”

“That kind of reminds me,” I said as I wiped some of the pink frosting off my lips. “Do you guys ever believe in psychic powers, besides Pinkie Sense?”

“You mean, like predicting the future?” Twilight asked. I nodded. “Well, I’ve heard that there are some spells that can do so, but their reliability is questionable.”

“Oh. I don’t know about learning about the future,” Fluttershy said. “I’m still worried about the present.”

Applejack shrugged. “Meh, I don’t care too much for it. Some ponies use it to check their crops, but I rarely do. It just takes hard work, and the right conditions to get them perfect crops.”

“What’s to know about the future?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Ten, twenty, fifty years, I don’t care. I’m still gonna be awesome!” I rolled my eyes.

“I supposed learning about the future would be worth dabbling in, but I wouldn’t make a habit out of it,” Rarity said.

“I’ve got my Pinkie Sense,” Pinkie said as she munched on her fourth cupcake. “I don’t need anything else.”

“What about you, Spike? Do you believe in psychic powers?” Twilight asked as she grabbed another sandwich.

That’s when I had an idea. “Oh, I think it’s possible. In fact, I think it’s very easy to do once you know how. I bet I can predict all of your futures right now just by looking at your hooves.”

“You? Predicting our futures?” Rainbow Dash tried not to chuckle. “Now that I gotta see.”

“Hold out your hooves, then.” I placed my hands under Rainbow’s hooves and closed my eyes. “Let’s see...I can see you. You’re an awesome pony.”

“Hah! See? You don’t need to be a psychic to know that.”

“Wait, hold on. I’m seeing another pony. She’s...you?”

“What? Another me? Impossible!”

“It looks like...she’s a different fur color than you. Her mane’s all grey, too. Maybe an older Rainbow Dash? No..she looks rather young. Almost the same age as you.”

“Oh, I get it. I’m gonna meet my biggest fan, and she wants to look just like me.” Rainbow removed her hooves. “Sorry, future fan, but you should be yourself. I’m already taken.”

“Oh! Oh! Me next! Me next!” Pinkie called out.

“Alright.” I held Pinkie hooves. “Well, I can already tell that your hooves will be cleaned very soon.”

“Ooh, what a prediction!”

“Not exactly, darling,” Rarity said as she handed Pinkie a napkin. “He’s telling you to clean your frosted-covered hooves.”

Pinkie giggled nervously as she wiped her hooves and gave them back to me.

I closed my eyes again. “Okay, I see two cakes. They’re very small...and very cute.”

“Pinkie’s prediction is about eating cake?” Applejack asked. “I’d say it’s a random prediction, but this is Pinkie we’re talkin’ about.”

“Why do they have to be small?” Pinkie asked. “Can’t they be bigger?”

“There’s something else...I see...an accordion-playing sandwich. And a...small block of cheese?” I quickly pulled my arms back. “I think your randomness is rubbing off on me, Pinkie.”

“I’ll say,” Rarity said. “If you held on any longer, you might've seen Pinkie’s alligator become a philosopher.” She then got up from her fainting couch. “I supposed I can play along with this prediction game.”

I held Rarity’s hooves and closed my eyes. “Wow, your hooves are soft. Anyway. Let’s see...I see the Carousel Boutique. No, wait...I see two...three...six...it’s multiplying!”

“Oh, my. What about my significant other? Am I going to meet someone who’s handsome?”

“Hold on...Ah, I see someone...I can’t see their face, but they look familiar...wow, they’ve been really working out...”

“Ooh. I can’t wait to meet them.”

Applejack sighed. “If ya don’t mind, sugarcube, could I get a turn?”

“Go ahead,” I said. Applejack placed her hooves on my hands. “Hmm...I see your entire family...your brother, your sister, your granny, your parents...”

“Wait, my parents? But...ma and pa are...not at the farm anymore. How can that be?”

“Hmm...wait...I see your parents are whispering something to you...you’re acting shocked. Did they reveal a big secret to you?”

“The entire family was as open as a barn door. Keepin’ secrets from each other was like keepin’ a pond from gettin’ wet. Well...it was mostly like that.”

“Let’s move on. Fluttershy, it’s your turn,” I said.

“Oh...I don’t know,” Fluttershy whimpered. “Let Twilight go first.”

“It’s not a real hoof-reading,” Twilight assured her. “But if you wish, I’ll go before you.”

I did the same thing I did for the previous four ponies. “Okay...I see you in Canterlot. You’re wearing a dress. Wait a minute, there’s something on the dress. It’s...wings? You must’ve turned into a pegasus.”

“You see, Fluttershy? What are the odds that I’ll grow a pair of wings?”

You have no idea.

“O-okay...I guess it’s my turn?” Fluttershy asked as her trembling hooves sluggishly approached my hands.

“Don’t be nervous,” I said. “Now then. I see you with a bunch of animals. Looks like there’s a lot of them. Looks like one of them is friends with you. Close friends.”

“Who? Angel?”

“No, this one’s much taller. I...can’t tell what animal it’s supposed to be, but it seems to really like you. It appreciates everything you do for the other animals. It seems to like your cute and shy personality.”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle.

“See how easy it is to be a psychic?” I asked the girls.

“Oh, Spike, I'm sure there’s much more to predicting the future than holding hooves and coming up with crazy theories,” said Twilight.

Time passed so quickly. The sun was already beginning to set. Twilight had a worried look on her face.

“What’s wrong, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“It’s been a while since I sent a friendship letter to the Princess,” Twilight said.

“Twilight, darling, it’s nothing to worry about,” Rarity said. “Perhaps it could be a sign that you’ve learned every friendship lesson there is.”

“But it feels like I still have much more to learn. Some of you have taught me a thing or two about friendship. You’re practically my teachers.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that, sugarcube,” Applejack said as she adjusted her hat. “Even we learn new things about friendship. Like acceptin’ help from others, for example. If only we could write letters to the Princess just like you.”

“Hold on,” I said. “I think that could be arranged.”

I grabbed a quill and parchment and wrote a letter to Celestia. It was about asking her if it was okay to have Twilight’s friends send letters to her as well. I sent the scroll with my fire breath.

“Are you sure this will work?” Twilight asked. “The girls aren’t the Princess’s students. I don’t think she’ll accept their letters as much as mine.”

Suddenly, the sky grew brighter. What appeared was none other than Princess Celestia herself. We all bowed to her.

"Princess Celestia," Twilight said. "I guess you already got Spike's letter?"

"Yes, I have," Celestia replied. "I was a bit surprised that you haven't sent a friendship letter yet. It's not that there was a specific due date, it was that you are so organized that you would send a letter almost every week. But when I got Spike's letter, I realized that Twilight may not be the only one who should send friendship letters." Celestia cleared her throat. "From this day forth, I would like you all to report to me your findings on the magic of friendship. And just like Twilight, you can write them whenever you learn something."

The girls and I applauded at that. It was a good thing that Twilight didn't go crazy and try to hypnotize the entire town to fight over one doll. But, to be honest, Smarty Pants did have a good-looking mane.

Chapter 22 (Fall Weather Friends)

The scent of hay-con (bacon that’s made of hay) and eggs woke me up earlier than usual today. I did my morning stretches before heading down into the kitchen. I saw Twilight holding a frying pan above the stove with her magic. Her eyes were glued to a cookbook.

“Good morning, Twilight,” I said. “Making breakfast?”

“Good morning, Spike,” Twilight replied. “Yes, I am.”

“Just remember if it turns black, you did it wrong.”

“Very funny.”

Twilight and I sat down to eat our breakfast. The hay-con tasted rather good, but the eggs were a bit more overdone than overeasy.

I read the newspaper as I ate. I honestly felt like my grandpa doing so. It was a shame that phones didn’t exist in Equestria, however I did notice that there were still stuff like Button Mash’s Game Colt and modern microphones. Technology is weird in Equestria.

“You better finish up soon, Spike,” Twilight said. “Applejack wants us at the farm today.”

“Did Big Mac hurt himself again?”

“No, it’s not that. She wants us for something else. It has something to do with her and Rainbow Dash.”

That’s when I realized what episode this was. It was “Fall Weather Friends.” That’s when Applejack and Rainbow Dash have an Iron Pony Competition. Since Rainbow Dash had an unfair advantage during that contest, she won by a landslide. I know Rainbow Dash hates to lose, but I think it would be fair if she didn’t use her wings during the competition. I don’t know what the outcome would be, but at least both ponies would follow the rules.

When we arrived at the farm, Applejack was watching Rainbow Dash stretch. She hardly noticed us until we were right next to her.

“Howdy, Twilight and Spike,” Applejack greeted. “Yer both just in time.”

“So, you two are doing what now?” Twilight asked.

“An Iron—”

“Iron Pony Competition,” Rainbow interrupted.

“See, we set up a bunch of events to decide which one of is—”

“The most athletic pony ever!”

“And...Spike and I are here to…?” Twilight asked.

“Uh, I don’t know. Why are they here?” Rainbow asked.

“To be our judge and help us keep score,” Applejack replied.

“Right. Somepony’s gotta record my awesomeness for the history books!”

I rolled my eyes. “Say, wouldn’t Applejack be at a disadvantage?”

“What do you mean, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Well, Rainbow’s got wings...and Applejack doesn’t. Doesn’t seem fair to have an earth pony compete with a pegasus. I feel like there should be a rule enforced against using wings.”

“Yer right, Spike,” Applejack said. “If Dash uses her wings at any time during the rounds, she’ll be disqualified and I’ll automatically get the point for that round.”

“Ha! I don’t need my wings to beat ya!” Rainbow declared. “Just watch.”

Forget being full of herself, she’s practically overflowing.

We all set the farm up for each of the different events. Afterwards, I grabbed a twig.

“Hello, everypony!” I announced. “And welcome to the first annual Iron Pony Competition!”

“Uh, Spike?” Twilight asked. “Who are you talking to?”

“Uh...them!” I pointed at the rest of the Mane Six approaching us. I guess Applejack asked them to come over as well.

“Let the competition begin!” I shouted.

The first event was the barrel weave. I sat at the end of the finish line with a stopwatch. Applejack was the first to run.

Twilight started the countdown. “Ready...set...go!”

I clicked the stopwatch and watched as Applejack weaved around each barrel. Unfortunately, she nudged one of them by mistake, just like in the show.

“And...time!” I shouted as Applejack galloped past the finish line. “Seventeen seconds.”

“Yer kiddin’!” Applejack said in surprise. “That breaks my record from last year’s rodeo.”

“But...I saw you touch that barrel, so that’s five extra seconds for a penalty.”

“Nuts and shoes!” Applejack kicked a rock. “Still, that’s twenty-two seconds. Not too shabby.”

Now it was Rainbow Dash’s turn.

Twilight said, “Ready...set...go!” and Rainbow took off running. She zoomed past the finish line without hitting anything.

“Time!” I shouted. “Wow, eighteen seconds. Almost as close as Applejack if she didn’t nudge the barrel.”

Both Applejack and Rainbow Dash gasped.

“Rainbow, are ya sure you’re not secretly a rodeo pony?” Applejack asked.

“Rainbow Dash wins the barrel weave!” Twilight declared. Fluttershy placed a point on the scoreboard.

“I can’t believe I won!” Rainbow said as her wings fluttered with glee.

“Don’t you go gettin’ used to it,” Applejack said as she yanked the cyan pegasus down. “Remember, ya can’t use yer wings.”

“Only when I’m competing. You didn’t say I couldn’t use them outside of the events.”

The next event was the strength game. It was like that hammer carnival game, but instead of swinging a mallet, you kick the target. Rainbow was first this time. She bucked the target with all her might, and the bell gave a loud clang. Some nearby ponies cheered. I don’t know where they came from. They must’ve heard about the competition as well.

“Mighty respectable,” Applejack complimented, “but let me show you how it’s really done.”

Applejack struck the target with only one hoof, and the bell was sent sailing through the air. The crowd cheered much louder this time. Applejack won this round. Looks like all that time spent bucking apples from the trees really paid off.

The next event was the “Bronco Buck.” Sadly, I had to ride Applejack and Rainbow Dash and try my best not to fall off. I didn’t have much experience at holding on to a bucking pony. The only time I’ve done something like that was with a mechanical bull once back in my human world, and it was on easy mode. These were real mares.

“Just relax, Spike,” Twilight said. “The girls won’t hurt you.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” I replied. “You’re not the one who’s about to ride them.”

I hopped on Applejack’s back. It felt much more firm than Twilight’s.

“Shouldn’t you be wearing a saddle?” I asked.

“Do I look like one of them ‘special’ mares to ya?” Applejack retorted. I quickly shook my head.

“Go!” Twilight shouted.

I did my best to stay on. I tried to figure out what to grab to stay on, but I didn’t want to pull her mane, her hat’s too loose, and her body’s coat is too short. Eventually, my indecision was made rather moot when I fell off Applejack’s back and landed on the soft dirt.

“Are you alright, Spike?” Applejack asked.

I rubbed my shoulder. “Maybe I should take a break before riding Rainbow.”

After a few minutes, I hopped on Rainbow’s back.

“Go!” Twilight shouted again.

It didn’t take long for me to get launched right off Rainbow Dash. I was sent sailing through the sky, only to be caught by Fluttershy.

“Thank you,” I sighed. Fluttershy blushed.

“Rainbow Dash wins the bronco buck!” Twilight announced.

Now it was time for the lasso competition. Once again, I was part of the event. Dash and Applejack had to lasso me while I wore a viking helmet. Dash was struggling with her lasso, while Applejack managed to tie me up in no time.

“You’ve got to teach me how to do that,” I said to Applejack.

Rainbow failed this round. In fact, she did so poorly, she managed to get herself tied to a tree like a pinata.

“Does this count?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy’s birds shook their heads as the yellow pegasus added a point for Applejack.

The rest of the competition went on more or less like in the show. Rainbow beat Applejack at ball bouncing and hoof wrestling, and it was the other way around for hay bale throwing and hoofball kicking.

Two more events later, the score was tied 5-5, just like in the show.

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” I announced. “At the halfway point, our competitors are tied at five and five!”

“Who are you talking to?” Twilight asked me.

“Them!” I pointed to the entire crowd cheering for Rainbow and Applejack. How Twilight didn’t notice until now was beyond me.

Next up was the push-up contest. This is where Dash would cheat with her wings, but we already told her earlier that she can’t do that or else Applejack gets an automatic point.

Twilight counted the push ups. “97...98...99...”

The two mares were sweating so hard. They both tried to lift themselves up one last time. Their faces looked like they were trying to lift a barn with only their backs.

Plop!

“100!”

Just like in the show, Applejack could not get that one hundredth push-up. Rainbow Dash did, but she didn’t use her wings this time. She too collapsed to the ground, panting like a dog.

“See? Nothing...to it…” Rainbow gasped.

Rainbow won that round. I was a bit surprised she won that round with or without her wings.

After the two cooled off, they started the long jump contest. Applejack managed to cover a good amount of distance before hitting the sand. Rainbow took a deep breath and leaped as high as she could. Sadly, it was not enough, as she landed less than a foot behind Applejack’s mark.

“Uh...it was just a warm-up!” Rainbow denied. “I-I swear! Let me try again!”

“No do-overs,” Applejack sternly said.

Rainbow groaned as she watched Fluttershy give Applejack the point.

Next was carrying chicks across a mud trench. Applejack started walking across while Rainbow scratched her chin.

What is Rainbow doing?

Rainbow whispered something to the chicks, and the group hopped on her head. She then trotted across her respective mud pit. While her legs and torso got splattered with mud, her head remained completely clean. Applejack was only halfway across when her respective chicks got covered in mud. She glared at Rainbow Dash when the latter reached the end successfully.

“What?” Rainbow asked. “The goal was to bring the chicks to the other side without getting them muddy. There was no rule saying they have to ride on my back.”

I’ll admit, that was a clever idea.

A few more events later, the last event, the tug-of-war, was underway. The girls were tied once more at 14-14. The previous events after the chick-delivering event weren’t that exciting in my opinion.

“All right, you two,” Twilight said. “This is the final event. Give it all you've got.”

Rainbow and Applejack pulled on the rope, struggling to get their opponent into the mud. Only one of them would win this round and the entire competition.

I was surprised how Rainbow won some events even without her wings. Part of me thought she was going to fall way behind because of the rule we enforce, but she still managed to find a way to upstage Applejack without flapping a feather. If she does lose this tug-of-war, then at least it would be a close second.

When one mare was close to the edge, she tried her best to pull backwards, sending the other mare in the same situation. I didn’t know who to root for.

“It’s anypony’s game, folks,” I announced. “One of these mares will bring home the Iron Pony title. The only question on everypony’s mind is who will earn it? Applejack, or Rainbow Dash?”

I kept watching the two mares pull each other into the mud. That’s when I noticed Applejack flashing a smirk.

Uh, oh.

SPLAT!!

One firm yank sent Rainbow tumbling into the mud. The earthy substance coated the pegasus from head to toe. One could hardly see the color of her mane.

“Yee-haw!” Applejack shouted. “I ain’t one to brag, but I’ve won by a close second! I’m truly the Iron Pony!” The entire crowd cheered at Applejack’s victory.

“Wait!” Rainbow shook all the mud off her body, leaving her clean as a whistle. “That wasn’t...”

“That wasn’t what? I’ve won this daggum competition fair and square, and you know it! Unless ya think I’ve got a horn hidden in my mane somewhere, then let me tell ya.” Applejack removed her hat and brushed her mane back. “I ain’t no unicorn.”

“Well...then I have one more challenge for you. Tomorrow is the annual Running of the Leaves. I challenge you to race me in it! I’ve beaten you with speed before, and I’ll be glad to do it again! Without my wings!”

Applejack accepted the challenge. Both of them hoofshaked before heading off.

Twilight tilted her head. “I thought that loss would be a low blow for Rainbow Dash, but instead it fired her up.”

“Who knew losing was a good confidence booster?” Fluttershy asked.

The next day couldn’t come soon enough. Twilight and I were heading to Sweet Apple Acres for the Running of the Leaves. The majority of the trees were already coated in a mixture of red, yellow, and brown. Fall certainly was an admirable season.

“I really hope Rainbow Dash wasn’t upset yesterday,” I said. “She doesn’t look like the pony accepts losing so easily.”

“Which is probably why she challenged Applejack to this race,” Twilight said. “Even though the rules were fair and she lost by a small margin, she still wants to beat Applejack somehow.”

“Well, let’s hurry up and get to this race already.”

“Why are you so excited? The race is for ponies only.”

“First of all, that’s discrimination. Secondly, I’m not here to race, I’m here to announce. I’ve done pretty good at the Iron Pony competition, so I’d like to do it again today.”

“Welcome to the annual Running of the Leaves!” A familiar voice shouted. “This is Pinkie Pie, your official p-eye-in-the-sky announcer.” Pinkie Pie came floating by in a hot-air balloon.

“Sorry, Spike. I guess that job's already taken,” Twilight said.

Everypony else got ready for the competition. Rainbow Dash was stretching at the starting line with a number 11 on her flank.

“Pardon. Iron Pony comin’ through,” Applejack said as she approached Rainbow Dash. The orange earth pony had a number 8 on her flank. “Ready to come second again?”

Rainbow snorted. “Look, all those events yesterday relied on nothing but strength. This race relies on speed. I’m sure I’ll beat you at least twice today.”

“Just remember, ya still can’t use yer wings here.”

“I could win this race with both wings tied behind my back!”

“That can be arranged.” Applejack then noticed me. “Spike, mind givin’ me a hoof?”

“Huh?” I tilted my head.

“Yesterday, ya said ya wanted me to teach ya how to tie a pony up, so this here’s your chance.”

“But I was only...” I then realized that this could help me with Chrysalis later on. “Okay then, show me.”

Applejack taught me a special knot called the Ponyhead knot. It was supposed to be a knot that is really tight and won’t loosen under normal conditions. After wrapping the rope around Rainbow’s wings, I tied the knot and pulled with all my might to make sure it was snug enough.

“Good job, Spike,” Applejack said. “Now Rainbow’s trussed up like a turkey. A turkey who can’t fly, that is.”

“Very funny,” Rainbow said.

“Good luck, girls,” I said.

“Racers! Take your positions!” Pinkie declared.

“Excuse me, Pinkie?” I called out.

“Oh, hey Spike. What’s up? Oh wait, it’s me!”

“I was thinking...is it okay if I co-report with you? We could comment on the action together.”

“Good idea, Spike.” Pinkie threw down a rope. I climbed up into the balloon.

After I climbed into the basket, I saw Twilight at the starting line with Applejack and Rainbow Dash. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I didn't need to because I already knew. AJ and Dash would get surprised that Twilight would be racing, and they would say she's too much of an "egghead" to compete. While Twilight quickly denies this, she mentions she never raced before. She obtained her knowledge from books, as usual, hoping it’ll help her during the race. AJ and Dash would laugh at that and tease Twilight.

Some friends they are.

“Alright, ponies!” Pinkie announced through the megaphone. “Are you ready?!”

“Get set!” I shouted.

“GO!”

The racers took off from the finish line.

“Welcome to the official coverage of the Running of the Leaves!” Pinkie said. “You know, Spike, despite its name, the leaves don't do any of the actual running. No, that's left to my little ponies.”

“Uh...Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “The vibrations of the ponies’ running hooves are strong enough to shake the trees around them. This in turn makes the leaves fall.”

“Those lazy, lazy leaves. But this year, the run is about more than the weather. It's about the race to the finish and the two runners who want to win it: Applejack and Rainbow Dash.”

“Exactly. Despite the events of the Iron Pony Competition yesterday, these two ponies still have a grudge match to settle. Talk about determination.”

“Yes, and ‘grudge’ rhymes with ‘fudge.’”

“Yeah...it does. But what does it have to do with…?”

“And I like fudge, but if I eat too much fudge I get a pudge and then I can't budge.”

“Uh...moving on. It looks like both Rainbow and Applejack are in the lead. Hopefully, they can keep their eyes on the road and not at each other to prevent a slip-up. One trip or bump can make all the difference when it comes to a race like this.”

I think those two heard me, because when Applejack approached a rock, she jumped over it like a hurdle. I don’t know if it was the same rock she tripped over in the show, but I think it might’ve been given how I didn’t see any more on the road.

“Usually, the path is supposed to be cleared prior to the start of any race,” I said, “but today the obstacles provided can give our contestants a bit of a challenge. And I know one pony who never backs down from a challenge.”

“Oh, who?” Pinkie asked. “Is it Fluttershy? Twilight? Oh, wait! It’s one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, isn’t it?”

I exhaled sharply. “I was talking about Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh, that could work, too.”

“As long as everypony plays fair, this will surely be a fun race for everyone.”

I hoped my subtle hints will make sure Applejack and Rainbow Dash don’t cheat or assume the other mare was cheating.

The racing ponies entered the Whitetail forest. The thick branches and leaves prevent Pinkie and I from seeing the racers, especially Rainbow and AJ. I just kept my fingers crossed that neither of them would play the Dick Dastardly card.

“You know,” I said to Pinkie. “As I recall, Rainbow Dash is the only pony to be able to pull off a Sonic Rainboom, and yet Applejack manages to keep up with her by a close second. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“I have two reasons for that,” Pinkie said. “First, the Rainboom was performed by going super duper fast in a straight line. Of course, the course of the running of the leaves is not really a straight line. Dashie might go off course if she’s not careful. Secondly, she was using her wings to fly fast. Like in the Iron Pony Competition, her feathered flank is not allowed to flap once in this race or else she fails to fight fair. That would surely get AJ’s blood boiling if she did.”

“Oh, look! Speaking of AJ and Dashie, it looks like those two are the first to exit the forest, and in the same direction.”

“Well, of course, Spike. Did you honestly expect Rainbow Dash to whack Applejack with a branch, then Applejack to send a swarm of bees after Dashie, and then Dashie to flip a sign around so that Applejack goes the wrong direction, and during her gloating, the rest of the ponies past her, resulting in Dashie trying to catch up?”

“Uh...strangely specific scenario, Pinkie.”

Pinkie and I watched as Rainbow and Applejack went past the syrup trees. Their eyes still shot daggers at each other. I couldn’t hear from the balloon, but I think they were yelling at each other.

“Looks like our favorite couple is passing the syrup trees,” I announced. “Leaves aren’t the only thing that the trees lose during the fall.”

I saw Applejack and Rainbow Dash staring at us with wide eyes before they kept some distance between each other. They must’ve heard my “couple” comment. I’m not much of an AppleDash shipper, but I couldn’t help it.

“It’s too bad you can’t drink that sticky substance straight from the trees,” Pinkie Pie. “Trust me, I’ve tried it before. After the syrup is collected, it’s mixed with other stuff to give it its sweet, sweet, taste. So if you’re eating pancakes in the wilderness, bring a bottle of syrup with you.”

“Why would I eat pancakes in the wilderness?”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

I rolled my eyes and watched as Applejack and Rainbow Dash were nearing the finish line. Their heavy pants were audible even from the balloon, and it would take a blind pony not to see their coats dripping with sweat. The other racers were actually catching up to them.

“Who’s gonna come in first? Applejack or Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie asked.

Rainbow and Applejack galloped as hard as they could to the finish line. In their last efforts, they both leaped as much as they could right past it before tumbling across the ground like barrels knocked over.

We quickly landed the balloon and checked on the two passed out ponies.

“Are you girls, okay?” Twilight hurried to where we are. “We’ll get you some water.”

After giving the girls a cup of water each, the girls had enough strength to only sit up.

“How...did ya...catch up...?” Applejack gasped. “We couldn’t...see ya...anywhere...near the other group...”

“I paced myself, just like my book said,” Twilight replied. “Then at the end, when all the other ponies were worn out, I sprinted to the finish. I only came in fifth though, but it’s still pretty good considering I never ran a race before. You girls should try it sometime.”

“Who...won…?” Rainbow asked.

“Both of you!” Pinkie said. “Too bad we didn’t have cameras. You tied for first.”

“WHAT?!” Rainbow sprung up like a jack-in-the-box. “You mean to tell us after everything we went through, we never got a definitive winner?!”

“What’s with the sour attitude?” I asked. “You both won, didn’t you?”

“But I couldn’t let her win!” Rainbow and Applejack yelled in unison.

“Girls, you’re taking this rivalry a bit too far,” Twilight said. “I don’t mind seeing you squabble here and there, but you’re letting this fight get in the way of everything else. You were more concerned about your pride than your own health.”

“How can you two be out of breath anyway?” I asked. “Applejack can buck a good chunk of her orchard, and Rainbow’s the fastest pony ever. You’d think they’d have better endurance.”

“That was because they were pushing their limits way past what they could handle. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re trying to beat somepony else. While a competition can get anypony excited, it’s important to remember that friendship is always more important than the competition.”

Applejack and Rainbow hung their heads in shame.

“I wouldn't have said it better myself,” a soft voice spoken. We all turned to see Celestia approaching us. We quickly bowed to her.

“W-What are you doin’ here, yer highness?” Applejack asked.

“Fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I came to celebrate the Running of the Leaves.”

“I guess we both got too determined that we never considered enjoyin’ the sights.”

Celestia nodded. “Now, unfortunately, because the two of you were busy fighting each other instead of shaking down leaves, many of the lovely trees of Equestria are still covered.”

“Why, Princess, I bet we can knock those leaves down for you lickety-split.” Applejack then turned to Rainbow Dash. “Whaddya say, friend? Wanna go for another run?”

“I'd love to stretch my legs,” Rainbow replied.

The two then took off running again. They weren’t as fast as last time, but at least the rest of the leaves fell off.

“I’m surprised those two can still run after all that sprinting they’ve done,” I pointed out.

Twilight shrugged. “Tying must be a good adrenaline booster.”

Chapter 23 (Sisterhooves Social and Cutie Pox)

I was browsing around the marketplace when I noticed a flyer on one of the trees. The purple paper announced that the Sisterhooves Social at Sweet Apple Acres was gonna take place tomorrow. It was then I remembered that this was the episode where Sweetie Belle and Rarity would have a fight and temporarily separate. I didn’t need to change anything here, but it would be nice to participate in the social. I quickly dashed home with the flyer in my hand.

I showed Twilight the flyer and said, “We should try this event out. You’ve been wanting to learn about Ponyville traditions.”

Twilight scratched her head. “I don’t know, Spike. I mean, it looks like it’s for sisters only, and you’re clearly a boy...and a dragon.”

“Oh relax, Twilight. I checked and they said that there’s a loose definition of the word ‘sister’. I’m allowed to join. Please?” I didn't actually check, but I didn't need to because it was the truth.

“Well...okay. But I never thought you’d be interested in stuff like this.”

“Seeing you participate in the Running of the Leaves made me want to try out some Ponyville events as well. And what better way than to do them together? I mean, we are practically siblings, right?”

“Uh...I think...I actually don’t know what our relationship is. I was the one who hatched you, and yet you’ve felt more like a brother to me rather than a son. It’s rather complicated.”

“That’s fine. Like I said, the staff at the Social won’t care if we're official siblings or not. As long as we play by the rules, we should be fine.”

We’ve checked to see which events will be held this year, and which one we should sign up for. We also checked on what the final race will have. I know Twilight isn’t the most athletic pony, but I didn’t care about winning. As long as we both had fun, that’s fine by me.

The day of the Sisterhooves Social arrived in a flash. Twilight and I went to Sweet Apple Acres to sign up. We decided that we should just do the race this year. The attendant handed us red matching bandanas.

“Just remember not to use your magic during the race at any time or you’re both disqualified,” she explained. “We can’t have ponies win due to an unfair advantage.”

“So it’s just like the Running of the Leaves.” Twilight tied her bandana around her neck. “Got it. Thank you.”

Since there was still time before the big race, so Twilight and I watched as the other ponies did other events, like cheering, singing, pie-eating, and so much more. That’s when I noticed three familiar ponies.

“Hey look.” I pointed to the group. “It’s AJ, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle. I guess they’re here for the Social as well.”

Twilight said, “Applejack told me that she and Applebloom participate at this festival every year. I guess Rarity and Sweetie Belle wanted in on the action as well.”

“I didn’t think Rarity of all ponies would want to join the Social. She’s not really fond of farm activities.”

“Speaking of which, I wonder where is she? I haven’t seen her around yet.”

“I have no clue.” But truth be told, I did. Rarity and Sweetie Belle had a fight yesterday and decided to no longer be sisters. It was later that Sweetie Belle wanted Applejack as her big sister instead. So, for the Sisterhooves Social, Applejack and Sweetie Belle would be sisters for only one day.

The blaring sound of trumpets indicated that it was time for the race. Twilight and I headed to the starting line.

“I don’t know if you’re allowed to ride on my back, Spike,” said Twilight, “but I think it’s best if you don’t.”

“That’s fine,” I said. “I can run pretty far on my own.”

Applejack and Sweetie Belle stood on the other side of the starting line. They were both wearing green bandanas.

Twilight widened her eyes. “Wait...I assumed Applejack and Applebloom were going together. What happened to Rarity?”

“I don’t know,” I lied. “Maybe Rarity changed her mind about joining?”

“What kind of pony would ditch her own little sister? We’ll need to talk to her after this.”

After Granny Smith counted down, we all took off running. Twilight and I were able to leap over the mud pit with ease. We struggled a bit on the barrels, and it took us a while to climb the crates, but we bounced back after the pie-eating section. Twilight ate the entire pan like it was a giant hayburger while I was only half-way done. The pushing of the hay bales was the most difficult, but we were able to pass it.

“We really gotta do this more often,” I said as we ran to the next event.

“I know,” said Twilight. “Remind me to sign us up next year!”

At the grape-stomping event, Twilight boosted me up the barrel. I quickly stomped on the grapes as hard as I could.

“Okay, you’re good!” Twilight called out. She quickly picked up the jar of grape juice with her hoof as I hopped down, and we both ran to the next event.

After Twilight placed the jar down on the stool, I grabbed the basket and caught every apple Twilight threw at me. It didn’t take a genius to see how bad Twilight threw without her magic. “Applejack” and Sweetie Belle went right past us.

“Nice to see those two are having a good time,” Twilight said as she threw the last apple. “Though, I wished Applejack cleaned herself a bit.”

I nodded. “Yeah. The only thing that isn’t muddy is her hat and blue eyes.”

“Blue eyes? Spike, Applejack has green eyes.”

“What? But I swear that muddy figure had...never mind. Let’s keep going.”

We hurried to the chicken coop and tried our best to balance an egg on our nose. It was hard, but we managed to get them in the basket. Finally, we jumped over the hurdles as we sprinted towards the finish line. We saw “Applejack” and Sweetie Belle up ahead and two other ponies nearing the finish line. Sadly, like in the show, our friends only came in second place. Twilight and I managed to grab third, which wasn’t too bad.

“Oh, so close!” Applebloom said to “Applejack” and Sweetie Belle. “You almost won!” She then noticed Twilight and me. “I didn’t expect you two to be in this race, but ya still put on a good show. I’m surprised they’d let you in, Spike.”

“Well, it didn’t say it had to be sisters or ponies only, so Twilight and I decided to give it a try,” I said.

“Thank you, Applejack! You were amazing!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

“We’re so sorry about Rarity, Sweetie Belle,” Twilight said. “If only she was here to see you and Applejack race. Perhaps she could’ve at least given you support. We’ll have to talk to her the next time we see her.”

“That doesn’t matter. I don't even care that we didn't win. This was so much fun!” Sweetie Belle quickly hugged “Applejack” so much, her hat fell off, which revealed a white horn.

Twilight’s pupils dilated. “What the?!”

Sweetie Belle wiped the mud off “Applejack’s” flank to reveal that she was really…

“Rarity?!”

Rarity shook all of the mud off to reveal she took Applejack’s place for the Sisterhooves Social. Applejack had been hiding in the mud pit throughout the entire race, which meant Rarity and Sweetie finished the race together. It was all planned by Rarity, Applejack and Applebloom.

“You did this for me?” Sweetie asked. Tears of joy were welling in her eyes.

“Us,” Rarity replied. “I did it for us. You see? We are apple pie!”

Sweetie and Twilight gave her confused looks.

“I’ll explain later.”

After our “celebration,” which was actually going to the spa, I wrote the friendship letter for Rarity and Sweetie Belle.

“Having a sister is just about the bestest thing in the world,” said Sweetie Belle. “But it sure isn't the easiest.”

“I agree that being sisters is a wonderful thing,” Rarity added, “but it takes teamwork. Sometimes it's about compromising. Sometimes it's about accepting each others' differences. But mostly, it's about having fun together. Even if it means getting your hooves a little bit dirty.”

“A lot dirty.”

“A little bit dirty.”

“A lot dirty!”

“A little bit dirty!”

“That’s enough, girls!” I shouted. Then I cleared my throat. “How about ‘just a medium bit dirty’?”

“Deal,” the girls said as they hugged each other.

It’s been about a week since the Sisterhooves Social. Even though it was mid-fall, there were still some trees that still had their leaves. I asked Twilight about this.

“Some trees lose leaves sooner than others,” Twilight answered. “It takes more than just ponies running past them to get them to shed.”

“So then...how do the rest of the leaves fall off?”

“Well, it sometimes occurs when the gravitational pull is more than the leaf’s ability to stay on the tree, then...”

“Okay, okay, I get it. They just fall on their own. Thank you. I don’t need an entire science lecture.”

“Hey, you asked.”

Twilight and I were cleaning the library when Sweetie Belle came busting in.

“TWILIGHTSPIKEYOUGOTTACOMESEEAPPLEBLOOMHASFINALLYGOTTENHERCUTIEMARKONLYITSNOTONEBUTTWOCUTIEMARKSANDITSAMAZINGANDWONDERFULANDSPETACULARANDAND—”

“Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle! Slow down!” Twilight commanded. “You sound like Pinkie Pie after drinking a double espresso. Say slowly what’s going on.”

“Applebloom...has...a...cutie...mark!” Sweetie squeaked.

“Really?!” Twilight gasped.

Oh, no! It’s the Cutie Pox episode! I should’ve seen this coming!

We all hurried to the center of town. My worst fear came true. Applebloom had two cutie marks on her flank: a hula hoop and two spinning plates. She was doing those respective talents.

How could I not prevent this from happening? I really gotta figure out when certain events are gonna happen sooner.

Applebloom threw the hoop right past us, causing Twilight’s mane to look just like Rarity’s. Despite everything, I chuckled at that.

“Wow, you look like Rarity’s twin,” I said.

“Very funny,” Twilight said as she used her magic to straighten her mane.

Everypony was amazed at seeing Applebloom’s double marks, but I knew better. Soon, Applebloom will end up getting more and more cutie marks, and will be forced to do each one of them.

Twilight and I headed home after seeing Applebloom’s performance. It was clear that Twilight knew I was worried about something. The distressed look on my face betrayed me.

“Is something wrong, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“I’m worried about Applebloom,” I replied. “I mean, getting more than one cutie mark? Doesn't that sound concerning?”

“Spike, having a cutie mark is a wonderful thing. She’s lucky to have two of them. How can you be so negative? Are you jealous because you don’t have one?”

“Of course not! I know dragons can’t get cutie marks. I’m just saying seeing a pony with two cutie marks doesn’t sound good to me. Has that ever happened before?”

“Well...not from my knowledge. We’ll have to check it out tomorrow.”

We both got ready for bed. The next morning, we were awakened very early by a loud banging on the door.

“Ugh...who could that be?” Twilight yawned. “It’s only five in the morning.”

“Twilight!” A muffled voice shouted on the other side of the door. “Open up! It’s Applejack! We’ve got a problem!”

Twilight and I quickly sprung from our beds and dashed down the stairs. Twilight swung the front door open.

“What is it, Applejack?!” Twilight asked. “What’s wrong?!”

“It's Applebloom! She’s gotten another cutie mark! But it’s makin’ her tap nonstop! Look!”

Applejack and Applebloom came into the library. Applebloom now had a tapping shoe on her flank, which is forcing her to tap uncontrollably.

“Three cutie marks! Three talents! I’ve never seen anything like it!” Twilight said.

“See? I told you it wasn’t a good sign,” I said. “My gut feeling never lies.”

“Okay, okay. Now, let’s focus on how to cure Applebloom.”

“How did this happen?” I asked Applebloom. “Did you eat or drink anything unusual? Perhaps something you had earlier messed up that cutie mark magic?”

“There was that extra mug of cider she had last night at dinnertime,” Applejack said. “But it’s usually a family tradition at Sweet Apple Acres to get extra cider after gettin’ yer cutie mark. Big Macintosh and I had lots more when we got ours, and this never happened to us.”

“There had to have been something else,” I said. “Applebloom, are you sure you didn’t drink anything else out of the ordinary?”

Applebloom darted her eyes. “There was that potion Zecora gave me...but it was just to restore my teeth!”

Twilight shook her head. “That couldn’t have been it. Zecora is always careful with her potions. Besides, even if she made a mistake, it would’ve resulted in your teeth growing out of control.”

I scratched my chin. “Wait...Applebloom, when you were at Zecora’s to repair your teeth, did you ask her if there was a potion that could get you a cutie mark?”

Before Applebloom could say anything, another cutie mark in the shape of a fleur-de-lis appeared on her flank.

“Sacré bleu! Plus de marques de cutie!” Applebloom gasped. “Qu'est-ce c'est?! Je parle Français?!”

“Ugh! My sister’s speakin’ in fancy!” Applejack yelled. “We gotta find a cure for this!”

“We need to get her to Zecora’s!” I commanded. “If she’s got a potion to replace teeth, she must have something to remove cutie marks!”

“Good idea, Spike!” Twilight shouted. “Let’s go!”

We all hurried out of the library, but Applebloom’s tapping hooves slowed her down to a snail’s pace.

“Hurry, Applebloom!” Applejack barked.

“J'essaye, Applejack! J’essaye!” Applebloom cried.

“Applejack! Your rope!” I yelled. “Where’s your rope?!”

“Why do ya need—?”

“Just give me it!”

Applejack pulled a rope out of her hat and handed it to me. I quickly lassoed Applebloom’s legs together and tied a hard knot so they wouldn’t escape.

“There. Now unless her next cutie mark is a snapping rope, we should be fine.”

Applejack placed Appleboom on her back as we galloped to Zecora’s house.

“It was a good thing you taught me how to lasso a couple days ago,” I said to Applejack as I rode on Twilight’s back. “Thanks for that.”

“Yer welcome. I didn’t know why ya showed up out of the blue askin’ me to teach ya.”

“I had my reasons.”

The cutie marks kept popping up on Applebloom’s body, and the rope struggled to keep the squirming body from breaking free. Most of the ponies were shocked at seeing Applebloom like this.

“Not to worry, everypony!” Twilight announced. “She’ll be back to normal in no time! Look! It’s Zecora!” Twilight waved at the zebra approaching us. “Zecora! Help us!”

“Is there something wrong, my dear Twilight?” Zecora asked. She then noticed Applebloom. “My goodness, is Applebloom alright?”

“Something happened to Applebloom, and now cutie marks are spawning all over her body!” Twilight cried. “We were just on our way to see if you had a cure!”

“But magically you're here!” Applejack said. “Was your zebra sense a-tinglin'?”

“My 'zebra sense' did not bring me round,” Zecora replied. “It was a special flower that I needed found. I thought I picked enough to fix all the potions I had to mix, but after my visit from Apple Bloom, some had mysteriously left my room.”

Applebloom nervously sweated.

“A cure for this ailment I have forsooth.” Zecora reached into her bag. “For healing power is in the Seeds of Truth.” She pulled out three yellow seeds. “These seeds must be planted in the ground. With the truth, they'll grow, and the cure is found.”

“Come again?” Applejack asked.

“Plant the seeds, and then tell the truth,” I said. “Simple as that.”

“Then let’s get to it!” Applejack grabbed the seeds and planted them right into the ground. “There! Now, somepony tell the truth!”

“Let’s start with Applebloom,” I said as I grabbed the filly from Applejack’s back. “Give it to us straight, Applebloom. How did you really get your cutie mark?”

Applebloom opened her mouth to speak, but a cutie mark in the shape of a tornado suddenly appeared.

Oh, no!

Applebloom spun around like a giant top, and I was holding on to her for dear life. She was still tied up as well.

“YAHH!! Help!” I shouted. “Twilight! Stop this crazy thing!”

I heard Twilight say, “Okay...uh...I actually liked Daring Do’s fourth book! I didn’t care if it was too unrealistic, the plot was very sound and compelling.”

Applebloom kept spinning faster and faster. Soon, I slipped off and landed right next to Twilight.

“I’m okay!” I groaned.

“That didn’t work,” Twilight said. “Applejack, you try! You’re the Element of Honestly!”

“Uhm...geez...okay…I was a bit suspicious when Applebloom got two cutie marks, but I thought nothin’ of it when I saw how happy Applebloom was. I didn’t know she would end up like this!”

Once again the ground stayed bare.

I brushed myself off and cleared my throat. “My name is Spike, and I’m a purple dragon who lives with a unicorn.” Still, there was nothing. “Thought that would work. It was an obvious truth.”

“I can't stand it any more!” Applebloom screamed. “I admit it! I didn't earn my cutie mark! They're all fake! I figured the Heart's Desire would help me get what I wanted most! So when Zecora left her hut, I mixed up a special potion and put the rest of the Heart's Desire in it!”

Sure enough, the flower popped up from the ground. Applebloom quickly munched it up. Soon, all the cutie marks and their respective talents disappeared from her body. By the time it was all finished, Applebloom was back to being a blank flank.

“Applebloom! Are you okay?” Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo called out.

“I'm great, and I've never been happier to be a blank flank,” Applebloom replied.

Later, Applebloom apologized for stealing the flowers and for rushing to get a cutie mark. I sent her letter to Princess Celestia, and then Twilight and I headed back to the library. There, Twilight searched for a book and flipped through its pages.

“Spike, look!” Twilight gasped. “It was possible to get more than one cutie mark, but not in a good way.”

“What do you mean?” I approached Twilight.

“There’s this disease called Cutie Pox. According to the book, this puzzling pony plague afflicted a population of ponies back in the Paleopony Period!”

Say that ten times fast.

“When somepony gets cutie pox, random cutie marks appear all over their body, causing them to perform all the talents that came with them. That must’ve been similar to what Applebloom was experiencing.” Twilight continued reading. “Oh, no! It says there was no known cure! The cause of the breakout was never discovered, and the cutie pox disappeared as mysteriously as it arrived!”

“But what about that flower Applebloom ate? It cured her, didn’t it? Maybe that book’s outdated.”

“Applebloom’s cutie marks were fake, remember? The potion she made must’ve been too strong, which caused it to give her cutie-pox-like symptoms.”

“It’s stuff like this that makes me glad I can’t get a cutie mark.”

Twilight nodded as she continued reading. I went to bed and read some of my comic books.

To be honest...I did feel a little jealous that Applebloom got a cutie mark. Fake or not.

Chapter 24 (Owl's Well That Ends Well and Over a Barrel)

It was evening in Ponyville. I was packing up the wagon for the hundred-year meteor shower. I packed the blanket, telescope, scrolls, fruits, quills, ink, punch bowl, and the homemade cookies. They were really easy to make, actually. I just had to follow the recipe.

I remembered this was the episode where Twilight gets a pet owl named “Owlowiscious,” and Spike grows jealous of him. Thankfully, I knew better. I know Twilight wasn’t gonna really replace me as her assistant, and I wasn’t gonna start a rivalry with the owl. Though, I wondered what happened to Owlowiscious after Season 5. It was hinted he was still in the castle, but I haven’t seen him in the show after Starlight showed up.

“Wanna know something, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Uh...what?” I replied with a question.

“You’ve always been my number one assistant, but lately, you’ve become more than that. You’re starting to become one of the girls, now.”

“I hate to break it to you, Twilight...but I’m not a girl.”

“Y-Yes, of course. I-I know that. It was just...I was...basically, if our life was a storybook, you would be one of the main characters rather than a supporting character. I just use the term ‘girls’ as a figure of speech.”

“Heh, thank you.”

“Princess Celestia was right. You really have changed since we came to Ponyville. You’ve interacted with almost everypony here, shown interest in Ponyville's events, and even helped some of us learn about friendship. And to think back in Canterlot you would rather have your nose glued to a comic book than interact with other ponies outside of our family. Of course, this is coming from a mare who prioritized her studies over her social ladder.”

I chuckled. “Yeah. Moving from a big city to a small town can do that to you.”

That’s when it occurred to me. I still haven’t figured out where the old Spike was. It wasn’t like I could ask someone what happened to him, and I can’t return to my old world. He was out there somewhere, and I had to know where. The only clue I've gotten was that I could remember small details of his past, but...

“Spike! Earth to Spike!” Twilight shouted.

I shook my head. “What? What?”

“You spaced out on me, Spike. It seems like every time I mention our time in Canterlot, you would suddenly stare into space. I’m worried about you, Spike.”

“I-It’s nothing, Twilight.”

“It doesn’t sound like nothing to me. Did something happen in Canterlot that shocked you? Did you see something you weren’t supposed to see? Did you forget to use a coaster for your drinks?”

“Twilight, I said it’s nothing. I’m just thinking about the past, that’s all. We’ve both come a long way. I just want to know where the time has gone.”

“Spike, I understand that you lament on the past sometimes, but you shouldn’t feel so down because you miss them. Be happy because they happened. We’ve done a lot even before we left Canterlot. We had fun, played games, read books, and so much more. And we’ll continue to make memories here in Ponyville. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Y-You’re right. I guess I’m not as much of an optimist as I thought I was.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure this meteor shower will lighten you up. Now then, let's get going.” Twilight walked to the front door before she immediately stopped. “Wait! I almost forgot! I wanna bring the ‘Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy’.”

“I’ll get it Twilight. Don’t worry.”

I quickly grabbed the book and carefully brushed the dust off. I didn't want to sneeze like in the show and ruin Twilight’s old book.

“Here you are, Twilight.” I handed Twilight the book. “Not a single singe on it.”

“Thanks, Spike.”

We headed up the hill to where the girls were. It was already nighttime, and the sky was preparing itself for the most spectacular sight in all of Equestria. I quickly set up the picnic as Twilight read through her book.

“Wow, Twilight! You're lucky to have such a rad assistant,” Rainbow said as she munched on an apple. “I wish I had someone to do whatever I told them.”

“Do we have Spike to thank again for this amazing spread?” Rarity asked. “Isn't he simply amazing?”

“Thanks,” I chuckled.

“Little Spikey-wikey!,” Pinkie said. “Who knew that big ferocious dragons start off so cutesy wootsy?”

I never blushed so much. “Thanks again. I never got so many compliments before.”

This was true, actually. In the human world, I may have hosted most of the meetings, but all I’ve gotten was a few claps and a “Thank you, Mr. Smith.” As for my coworkers, they'd shoot a few compliments, but they’re usually work-related, like “Good eye on that typo, Dave” or “Thanks for sending that email, Smith.” I get it was just to stay professional, but the rules of my company weren't that strict.

After Rarity gave me the gem bowtie, which I looked pretty good in, the meteor shower started. Each shooting star lit up the night sky brighter than the moon. The sparkling shower was truly a sight to behold. I would have to thank whoever sent me to this world for giving me such a spectacular spectacle.

After the shower settled down, the girls and I shared a small talk before Twilight and I headed home. I felt very exhausted after all that. After Twilight tucked me in (which felt sort of weird given my human age), I instantly fell asleep.

The next morning, it was already past ten. I knew that Twilight already met Owlowiscious last night and had him help her out this morning. Still, I didn’t want Twilight to think I took advantage of getting extra sleep instead of helping her. I took a deep breath and scurried down the stairs.

“Twilight! Twilight!” I called out. Twilight was packing some books and scrolls into her bags. “Twilight! I’m so sorry for sleeping so late! Please forgive me! We both stayed up late last night to see that meteor shower! Please don’t kick me out!”

“Relax, Spike,” Twilight said. “You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“What about my morning chores?”

“It’s okay. Owlowiscious did them for you.”

“Owlowiscious?” I gasped. “You’re replacing me?!” I knew she wasn't, but I still had to ask.

“No! No! Of course not, Spike. No pony could replace you. Owlowiscious is just our new junior assistant. He's gonna help out with some of your chores so you won't get so tired.”

“Where is he, anyway?”

“He's in the library. Now, I have to go out, so why don't you introduce yourself to him?”

And with that, Twilight left the library. I headed downstairs to see an owl perched next to the window. He turned his whole head around to see me. If I didn’t know he was an owl, I would’ve found that creepy.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, hi there. You must be Owlowiscious. Twilight told me all about you. I’m Spike, her number one assistant.”

“Hoo,” Owlowiscious hooted.

“Twilight said you could help me out around the library. While I’m fine working on my own, I wouldn’t mind a bit of assistance.”

“Hoo.”

“Anyway, welcome to the Golden Oaks Library. Just remember not to mess up any of the books here. Twilight is attached to them like they were members of her family. She even goes as far as too sniff them.”

“Hoo?”

“Yeah, crazy, right? I’m not making that up. Twilight herself said so. Anyway, if there’s anything you need help with, I’m willing to oblige. Twilight’s not the only pony who I’ve helped in the past.”

“Hoo.”

“Yeah, I agree.”

I didn’t feel jealous about Owlowiscious at all. In fact, I liked having him around the library. He helped me fetch books I couldn’t reach, and he even provided his own quilts for Twilight and I to use. So, the other half of the episode didn’t happen. Twilight’s book wasn’t burned, and I didn’t grow jealous and ran away.

“I’m surprised you haven’t grown envious of Owlowiscious's time at the library,” Twilight said.

“Nah, being jealous gets you nowhere,” I said as I scratched Owlowiscious’s head. He cooed like a pigeon. “Especially in friendship. And to be honest, Owlowiscious helping me has given me some free time to do other stuff as well, like reading comic books and talking to one of the girls.”

“Well, it’s glad to see you two getting along. You know, this would be perfect for a friendship letter.” Twilight handed me the quill and paper. “Take a letter, please.”

I wrote Twilight’s letter about how others shouldn’t be jealous about new friends and should get along with them instead to see how things would work out between them. I then sent the letter to Princess Celestia.

“I’m glad you weren’t gonna replace me,” I said. “I don’t think Owlowiscious can write letters.”

“Very funny, Spike,” Twilight giggled.

“Hoo,” Owlowiscious hooted.

“C’mon, Spike! Put yer back into it! Bloomberg doesn’t like gettin’ dragged across the road!”

“I’m trying, Applejack!”

Big Mac and I were struggling to carry Bloomberg, Applejack’s apple tree, to the train station. The girls were gonna meet us there to take a train to Appleloosa. This was the “Over a Barrel” episode where a herd of buffalo stole a bunch of trees because the ponies built over a piece of their land they used to stampede in. Sadly, Pinkie’s “sharing song” invoked a war between the two creatures, which would’ve ended badly had the pies not been so delicious.

“Why couldn’t I’ve gotten Twilight to help us?” I asked myself. After making all those snacks for the train ride, I went to Applejack’s farm earlier to ask if she needed help. I thought she was just going to show which trees needed bucking while she was gone, not ask me to carry a tree across Ponyville!

By the time we’ve got to the train station, the rest of the Mane 6 were already there. Twilight was talking to some of the conductors. The steam engine wasn’t working properly, so the conductors were going to pull the entire train to Appleloosa in hopes it would be repaired by somepony there.

“Wait, that’s the tree?!” Rainbow shouted.

“Yep, this here’s little Bloomberg,” Applejack said as Big Mac and I placed the tree on the platform.

“Goodness, darling,” Rarity said. “When you said you were going to Appleloosa to plant a tree, I thought you were going to bring a sapling.”

“You and me both, Rarity,” I said as I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

After we put the tree in the caboose, we were on our way to Appleloosa. Like in the show, everypony was still awake around nightfall, and Rarity and I wanted some sleep. After everyone went to bed, Rainbow and Pinkie talked about carrying the tree, but it then turned to Fluttershy being a tree. As much as I liked that conversation, it was getting annoying.

“For crying out loud!” I groaned. I grabbed the pillow and marched right out of the train car. I then headed to the caboose where Bloomberg was. “Hey, Bloomberg, I hope you don’t mind me resting here for the trip. Don’t worry, I don’t snore.”

Great, Applejack’s got me talking to the tree as well.

I knew this would be the part where the buffalos would come and detach the caboose, but I was too tired to prevent that. I lied next to Bloomberg and got some rest.

A few hours later, I was suddenly thrown out of bed.

“Ouch! You never told me you were a bed-hogger,” I said to Bloomberg.

I looked out the window and noticed that the caboose had stopped. It was still attached to the train as well.

Huh? Where’s all the buffalo? I thought—

“NOBODY MOVE! This is a robbery!” A muffled voice shouted from the other cars. It sounded familiar, but not from the show. “You two, follow me to the caboose! The rest of you head to the front and get as much loot as you can.”

I gasped. I needed to get out of here and fast. I struggled to open one of the windows, but they were all stuck. I heard hoofbeats approaching.

The door slammed open, and entered three earth ponies. My eyes widened at the sight of the three ponies. One had a long black mane, a worn-out gambler hat, a dark-grey bandana and a light-grey overcoat. The other one had a blue shirt with suspenders, a black cowboy hat, a navy blue bandana, a brown mane, and a beard that just peaked from the bandana. The third one was in the middle, wearing a black sharp suit, red bandana, and a top hat. He also had a long black mane. I knew who these three were.

“John? Arthur? Dutch?” I said. “How did you guys get here?”

John was shaken by my comment. “Wha? The kid knows who we are?!”

“Nevermind that,” Dutch commanded. “Arthur, tie the whelp up. John, search the caboose.”

Arthur pushed me down and tied my hands together.

“Listen to me,” I whimpered. “I don’t know if you know this yet, but Micah has been working for--”

“Shut yer mouth, kid,” Arthur growled as he pulled out a handkerchief and tied it around my mouth. “I don’t know how ya know about us, but Micah’s been dead since we left Blackwater. Ya best not to spill anymore beans if ya know what’s good for ya.”

I tried to say something, but the handkerchief was too tight around my head to move my mouth.

“Ain’t nothing here, Dutch!” John called out. “No storage compartments. No secret rooms. No nothing. There’s no loot on this caboose.”

Dutch then looked at the tree. “Oh, yes there is. Help me grab Bloomberg. Arthur, take the dragon with ya.”

I shook my head in despair. Dutch and John picked up the tree with ease and carried it out of the caboose. Arthur picked me up like a pig and carried me out. I struggled with all my might to break free, but to no avail. I was being kidnapped by the Van der Linde gang, and there was nothing I could do to escape.

“Mmmf! Mmmf! Mmmm-HELP!!”

The handkerchief and ropes vanished into thin air. The ponies vanished as well. I rubbed my eyes. Bloomberg was laying right to me. The interior of the caboose told me it was just a dream.

Man, that was a heck of a dream. Never thought I would experience a crossover like that.

I rubbed my forehead and looked out the window. The background was moving backwards for some reason.

“Huh? What’s going…? Uh, oh.”

I knew what was happening. Bloomberg and I were being kidnapped by the buffalo. I stayed in bed until the caboose stopped. The door slammed open, and entered a young buffalo.

“Alright. We’ve got another one,” she said. “Let’s get this back to...what the?”

I nervously sat up from the bed. “Uh, hi...young one. How...are you?”

“Oh...this is bad...”

“What’s wrong?” Another buffalo said from outside the caboose. “Is the tree gone?”

“No, the tree’s still here, but...” The young buffalo scratched the back of her head. “...we’ve gotten someone else by mistake.”

“Uh, oh.” Murmurs were heard around outside.

“We’re so sorry, young one,” the female buffalo said. “We didn’t mean to kidnap you. We’re just after the tree.”

“The tree? I don’t understand.” I did, but I needed to avoid suspicion.

“I’ll explain later. We’ll take you to our native grounds.”

A group of buffalo took the tree while I hopped on the small buffalo’s back.

“What’s your name, by the way?” I asked.

“My name is Little Strongheart. Yours?”

“Spike. I’m pleased to meet you despite our encounter.”

“Likewise. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“So why do you want the tree so badly? Trees aren’t expensive. I bet some of the ponies in Appleloosa could help you get some.”

Strongheart scoffed. “Those ponies are the reason we’re doing this in the first place. The settler ponies have overtaken the land and have planted an orchard all over it. Because of their thoughtlessness, we can no longer run over our traditional stampeding grounds.”

One outside group steals land from a group of natives. It’s American history all over again.

“That sounds awful. I guess you can’t change your path to go around the town?”

“It's tradition to go down the same path. We’ve been doing so every year, but now we can’t thanks to the settlers. That’s why we’re taking their trees so that they can’t plant anymore.”

We arrived at the buffalos’ grounds. Chief Thunderhooves, Little Strongheart’s father, apologized for the mistaken kidnapping, and soon him and his tribe treated me like the guest of honor. I enjoyed their hospitality. The turquoise gems they provided tasted really good, like mint candy. I even got to hang with some of the buffalo and hear their stories.

Later that day, some of the buffalos and I went to an open field to practice stampeding. I wasn’t very good at stomping due to my small size. That’s when we heard faint voices.

One of the buffalos shushed. “Sounds like ponies.”

I could barely hear them, but the voices sounded familiar. It must’ve been Pinkie and Rainbow Dash.

“Let’s go pay them a visit,” another one of the buffalos said.

We hurried to the source of the sounds. It was tough to keep up with the buffalos, but we didn’t have to travel far.

“Pinkie! Rainbow Dash!” I called out once I sighted them. I then said to the buffalos, “Don’t worry, guys, I know these two. They’re cool.”

Later that day we brung Pinkie and Rainbow Dash to the Buffalo Grounds. I told the two mares the story after I was accidentally kidnapped. I also told them that the buffalos stole Bloomberg to keep the Appleloosa ponies from expanding their land. I later introduced them to Little Strongheart. Pinkie was happy to meet her. Rainbow...not so much.

Strongheart and I showed them to Chief Thunderhooves. After he told the story about how his distant ancestors used to stampede across the land before the settler ponies showed up, Rainbow was all too determined to get back at the Appleloosians. I needed to figure out how the two species can resolve their differences without enraging a war. I know I have to prevent Pinkie from doing that dance. I couldn’t let her start the war, and also because I can’t play the piano. At least, the human me can’t.

The next morning, the girls and I got ready and headed to Appleloosa. Little Strongheart guided us to where the town is.

“This should be easy,” Rainbow said. “All we have to do is get those settler ponies to move their trees somewhere else. Simple as that.”

“It’s gonna be a bit more complicated than that,” I said. “The Appleloosians might not want to move their orchard.”

“Well, they have to! The buffalo can’t stampede with all the trees and buildings in the way.”

“Look alive, guys,” Little Strongheart said. “We’re nearing Appleloosa.”

Soon we noticed a group of ponies approaching us. Strongheart quickly hid behind a nearby rock as the group drew near. It was the rest of the girls and Braeburn, Applejack’s cousin.

“Hi guys,” Pinkie greeted before getting pounced by Fluttershy. I found that adorable.

After our little reunion, we told the girls about how the trees were interfering with the buffalo’s stampede grounds. Sadly, like in the show, Rainbow Dash and Applejack end up arguing about which creature had the right to the land. If it weren’t for Twilight stopping them, I would’ve lost my temper.

“Look, both the settlers and the buffalo have good reasons to use this land,” Twilight said. “There must be something we can do.”

“Hey!” Pinkie called out, “I’ve got an—”

“We’re not doing that, Pinkie,” I interrupted.

“You didn’t even hear what my idea was.”

“Does it involve wearing a frilly dress and singing a song?”

“N-No.” Pinkie darted her eyes.

“Not everything can be solved with singing,” Applejack said.

“Party poopers,” Pinkie mumbled under her breath.

“Why don’t we do something like a civil case?” I asked.

“A...what?” Little Strongheart scratched her head.

“A civil case,” Twilight replied. “It’s when two or more ponies, or creatures in this case, settle over who has a right to what. That’s a great idea, Spike.”

“Thank you,” I said. I don’t know if it was going to work, but I hoped it would turn out better than Pinkie’s idea.

“We’ve a courthouse in Appleloosa that we can use,” Braeburn suggested. “I hope it ain’t too much trouble for the buffalo.”

“I’m sure it won’t,” Little Strongheart said.

Later that day, most of the Appleloosians and the buffaloes sat in the courthouse discussing the right to the land. A few hours had passed and we were still in a stalemate. Both sides had firm and sufficient reasons for the land. We ended up taking a quick recess.

“What are we going to do, girls?” Twilight asked. “Both the settlers and the buffalo have good reasons for the land, and this civil discussion is getting us nowhere.”

Pinkie asked, “Is it too late for my…?”

“We said no, Pinkie!” I retorted. Pinkie pouted after that.

“There’s gotta be some way to resolve this,” Little Strongheart said. “I don’t want to give up the land, and hearing what those settler ponies have been through, I don’t want to hold on to it either.”

“Have you considered sharing the land?” I asked. “Maybe you could benefit from each other.”

Chief Thunderhooves showed up. “What could those ponies possibly have that could benefit us?!” He thundered.

Then another thundering noise was heard. I clenched my stomach.

“It’s a good thing we’re having recess now,” I sheepishly giggled. “It’s close to lunch time, and we haven’t eaten yet.”

Pinkie quickly handed me a pie. “Here you go.”

I looked to see Pinkie carrying at least twenty pies on each of her hooves and back.

“Where did you get those?” I asked.

“From the bakery across the street,” Pinkie replied. “Not all shops close during a court hearing.”

Pinkie Pie handed each of us a pie. We all sans Rainbow Dash ate our respective pies, but the buffaloes were reluctant.

“What’s wrong?” I asked the buffaloes. “It’s just pie.”

“We’re not hungry,” Chief Thunderhooves said as he pushed his pie tray away. But the rumbling of his stomach told a different story. “Very well.”

The second Thunderhooves took a bite out of his pie, his face lit up. Soon he and the rest of the buffalo tribe ended up chowing down their pies faster than Twilight eating a hayburger.

I know where this is heading.

After recess, we returned to the courthouse. Both sides reached a compromise. The settlers got to keep their land and share their food with the buffalo, while also providing a path through the orchard for the tribe to stampede through. This was quickly approved.

Later we got the trees back from the buffalo, especially Bloomberg, and planted them in the orchard.

“It’s nice to know how some ponies can be rational and reasonable,” Twilight said.

“I’m sure this still would’ve happened if I sung that song,” Pinkie said.

“I doubt that,” I said.

“Oh, come on, Spike. Since when do songs start wars?”

I didn’t say a word.

I was glad I was able to prevent a war from happening, albeit I had no choice but to disappoint Pinkie.

Now my only problem was how I could continue that Van der Linde gang dream I had earlier. It would’ve been interesting to join them, and figure out how Micah was already out of the picture.

Chapter 25 (Luna Eclipsed)

I couldn't believe it was almost the end of October. It seemed like only yesterday that it was the start of autumn. And the end of October meant only one thing.

Halloween. Aka Nightmare Night.

This holiday used to be one of my favorites when I was a kid, but as time went on, I went from getting treats to giving treats. And even then there weren't that many kids trick-or-treating in my area. So basically, I ended up buying my own candy instead of getting it for free.

But now, I can finally relive my past memory. I was physically a kid again, so that meant I could go trick-or-treating once more.

I was stuck on what or who I should go as, but then I remembered that Spike's costumes are usually dragon themed. That gave me an idea.

A few days before Nightmare Night, I went to the Carousel Boutique to request a design from Rarity. I gave her a rough sketch of what I wanted. It was a black bodysuit with fake wings, a hood, and fins on my back and around certain areas. It was a dragon from a movie I saw back in my old world.

Rarity was bewildered by my drawing. "Is this...supposed to be a dragon?"

"Yep. I hope it's not too much trouble to make, is it?" I asked.

"Of course not, darling. I know how to add fake wings on an outfit. It's just that I've never seen a dragon that looked like this before. And just to clarify, you want the entire costume to be black? I don't want to sound like a critic, darling, but nopony's going to see you if you wear such dark clothing at night."

"I'll be fine. If it helps, you can make one of the tail fins red."

"Why not both so they can match?"

"I think it's better if only one of them is red."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do."

It didn't take long for Rarity to work on my costume. The next day, she was already finished. I came by to try it on, and I think she nailed it. There were a few things missing, but it was close enough to what I had in mind. After paying for the costume (Rarity said I didn't have to, but I insisted), I thanked Rarity and later bought some black face paint.

Since this was the first Nightmare Night since Luna's return, it was safe to assume this was when "Luna Eclipsed" took place. Of course, after my visit with the two princesses, Luna learned not to yell so much. Although, I was still skeptical, especially since Pinkie overreacted so much in the show.

It was already Nightmare Night, and Twilight and I were getting into our costumes. After putting my suit on, I carefully used the face paint to color my entire face black so that it would match the costume. I also painted some areas that weren't covered by my suit.

It's a shame I couldn't get Twilight to dress up as a viking this year.

"Hurry up, Spike!" Twilight called out.

"I'm coming, Twilight!" I called out. I put the finishing touches on my face, put on my hood, and hurried down the stairs.

"Honestly, Spike. And you always say I take too long to put on my costume.” Twilight then noticed my outfit. “What are you supposed to be? A flying axolotl?”

I chuckled. “No, I’m…” I then did my best to sound like Batman. “I am the darkness in the night. I have never been seen, never been caught, and I never miss. My enemies never see me coming. I am...the Night Fury!”

Twilight just stared at me with a blank expression. “I’m just gonna assume this is someone from one of your comic books.”

“Well, what are you supposed to be? A bell wizard?”

“I’m Star Swirl the Bearded! Father of the amniomorphic spell?”

“I think I’ve heard of him. Wasn’t he that wizard who helped that colt become a king with a stone sword?”

Twilight shook her head. “Different pony, Spike.”

Then there was a knock on the door. I opened it to see three fillies and Granny Smith.

“Nightmare Night! What a fright! Give us something sweet to bite!” The fillies called out.

I remembered when it was just “Trick or treat” in my old world.

Twilight greeted, “Hello, everypony. Great costumes.” She even said this to the one in the ladybug costume, which was odd. “Happy Nightmare Night, Granny Smith.”

“I should’ve been asleep five hours ago,” Granny moaned.

After Twilight gave the three fillies a piece of candy, a colt in a pirate’s outfit appeared in front of her.

“Pipsqueak the pirate, at your service,” he said. “It's my very first Nightmare Night.”

“Since you moved here from Trottingham?” Twilight asked.

“No, my very first Nightmare Night ever!”

Same here, Little Pipsqueak. Same here.

Then Pinkie Pie showed up wearing a chicken outfit. “Enough talk! Time is candy!”

“Aren’t you a little too old for this, Pinkie?” I asked. This was coming from a former human in his mid-20s.

“Too old for free candy? Never!”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she gave Pinkie and Pipsqueak each a piece of candy. Like in the show, Pinkie assumed Twilight was wearing a clown costume.

“A clown?!” Twilight exasperated.

“Don’t worry about it, Twilight,” I said as we headed out. “Somepony here will surely get your costume.”

On our way to the festival, I did some trick-or-treating myself. Only a handful of ponies figured out I was a dragon, while the rest thought I was a weird-looking bat or a reptilian cat. It didn’t matter to me; I’ve gotten a bunch of candy regardless.

“Say, Twilight,” I said. “When Granny Smith’s group visited us, one of the fillies was wearing a ladybug costume.”

“Yeah?” Twilight didn’t sound uncomfortable hearing me say that.

“But aren’t you afraid of ladybugs?”

“Of course not, Spike,” Twilight chuckled. “Why would I be afraid of such a tiny insect? I don't have any ridiculous fears.”

“Quesadillas.”

Twilight jumped back. “WHERE?! WHERE?!” She then glared at me. “Don’t do that!”

I tried my best not to laugh.

So Twilight isn’t afraid of ladybugs. Does that mean those shorts between Season 8 and 9 aren’t canon?

“Hey look, we're here at the festival already! Should we get something to eat?” Twilight asked.

“You go ahead. This dragon already got his hoard filled,” I said as I ate a gummy fish.

“Twilight! Twilight!” Pinkie called out. “Look at our haul! Can you believe it?”

I looked up in the sky hoping to find Rainbow Dash. But given how dark the night was and how Rainbow’s presumed costume was dark itself, it was hard to find her.

“And then, we went to Cheerilee's house, and got a bunch more goodies. Didn't we, Pip?” Pinkie asked.

“Sure did,” Pipsqueak replied.

“And then, we had to stop and wait for Granny Smith, and—”

Suddenly, I noticed a cloud approaching us.

“Heads up!” I called out.

But it was too late. The flash of lighting and the sound of thunder scared everypony sans Twilight and I away.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight called out. “That wasn’t very nice!”

“Lighten up, old-timer,” Dash said. “This is the best night of the year for pranks!”

“You’re lucky Granny Smith wasn’t here,” I said.

Later, Twilight and I went to see Applejack. She was near an apple-bobbing station dressed as a scarecrow.

“Howdy, Spike! Hey, Twilight! Nice costume,” she said.

“Thanks, I’m a dragon,” I said.

“She means me, Spike!” Twilight said.

“With that beard, I reckon you're some sorta country music singer,” said Applejack, much to Twilight’s frustration.

Soon, Mayor Mare gave a speech welcoming everypony to the Nightmare Night festival. She also reminded all the fillies and colts who collected candy to follow Zecora to hear the tale of Nightmare Moon. That’s what Twilight and I did.

We all headed into the Everfree forest and arrived at the Nightmare Moon statue.

“Listen close, my little dears,” Zecora said. “I'll tell you where you got your fears...of Nightmare Night, so dark and scary.” She took out some powder and blew on it. “Of Nightmare Moon, who makes you wary.”

The powder itself took the form of Nightmare Moon, which pounced onto the group and turned the surroundings into a greenish fog.

“Every year, we put on a disguise, to save ourselves from her searching eyes,” Zecora continued. “But Nightmare Moon wants just one thing: to gobble up ponies in one quick swing! Hungrily, she soars the sky. If she sees nopony, she passes by. So if she comes and all is clear, Equestria is safe another year!”

“Uh, Miss Zecora, if we wear costumes to hide from Nightmare Moon so she won't gobble us up, how come we still need to give her some of our candy?” Pipsqueak asked.

“And more importantly, since Nightmare Moon’s been defeated, why do we still need to worry about her?” I added.

“Perfect questions, my little friends. For Nightmare Moon you must not offend.” Zecora took out and blew on some more powder. “While Nightmare Moon is physically gone, her evil spirit still lives on. Fill up her belly with a treat or two, so she won't return to come eat you!” The powder formed into Nightmare Moon again and pounced on us, scaring everyone.

“Everypony! Just dump some candy and get out of here!” Pinkie cried.

We all placed our candy into a big pile in front of the statue. Soon, storm clouds formed around the moon as the wind howled like a timberwolf.

“Is this part of the show?” I asked. The silence I got from Twilight and Zecora failed to answer me, but I already knew this was not the mayor's doing.

A black chariot pulled by two bat ponies passed right above us. Inside the chariot was a hooded figure.

“IT’S NIGHTMARE MOON!” Pinkie shouted. “RUN!”

The fillies, colts, Pinkie, and Zecora dashed out of the forest.

“That must be princess Luna,” I said. “I hope she remembered.”

“Remember what?” Twilight asked.

“The last time I went to Canterlot by myself, Luna was still learning about how to adjust to modern society. I decided to help her out a bit. Princess Celestia and I taught her not to use the traditional royal Canterlot voice anymore.”

“We should go see what she’s up to. It’s been a while since we’ve seen her.”

Twilight and I headed back to Ponyville. A bunch of ponies were cowering in terror as Luna hopped off her chariot. The hood she was wearing was just a bunch of bats that flew away.

Luna cleared her throat. She spoke in a quiet yet firm voice, “Citizens of Ponyville, I have graced your tiny village with my presence, so that you might behold the real Princess of the Night.” The citizens stopped trembling as they heard Luna speak. “A creature of nightmares no longer, but instead a pony who desires your love and admiration. Together, we shall change this dreadful celebration into a bright and glorious feast.”

“Yep, she remembered,” I said.

“Did you hear that, everypony? Nightmare Moon says she's gonna feast on us all!” Pinkie screamed.

“What? No, children, no. You no longer have reason to fear me!” Luna’s voice fell on deaf ears as Pinkie and the kids ran away.

Dang it, Pinkie. If I weren’t so mild-mannered, I would’ve turned you into fried chicken.

I quickly cleared my throat. “Good evening, Princess Luna,” I said. “We welcome you to Ponyville. While we have yet to show it, we are grateful for your appearance. Pay no mind to the giant chicken.”

Confused murmurs were heard all around us.

“I’ll help Princess Luna fit in,” I told Twilight. “You try to find Pinkie and the other kids and get them to calm down.”

“You think you can help her?” Twilight asked.

“I did it once before. I can do it again.”

We both split up. I quickly approached Luna and requested to speak with her in private.

When we were both away from the crowd, Luna said to me, “Spike. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you, too,” I said.

“I almost didn’t recognize you with that costume. I really admire your choice of design. I haven’t seen that kind of dragon for ages.”

“Thank you...wait, what?!”

“But enough of that. I wish to know what is wrong with the citizens of Ponyville. They’ve seem to act like I’m still Nightmare Moon, and I didn’t even use the traditional royal Canterlot voice. This was not a problem back in Canterlot.”

“Not everypony here went to the Grand Galloping Gala,” I said. “That’s why they haven’t seen your non-evil side yet. I think once everypony here sees that you’re no longer Nightmare Moon, they’ll warm up to you.”

“And how should I do that?”

“Well, you’ve already gotten the quiet voice part down, so that’s a start. And since the girls and I have witnessed you being reformed, we can vouch for you. Well, except Pinkie, of course. As long as you don’t do anything too scary, you should be fine. I think I know where we can start.”

We headed to the center of town to where Applejack was. Some of the ponies were a bit freaked out after seeing Luna.

“It’s no use, Spike,” Luna said. “They have never liked me, and they never shall.”

“Don’t be like that,” I said. “Applejack is one of the most likeable ponies around here. I’m sure she can give you some advice on how to fit in.”

We approached Applejack. She was surprised to see Luna, but she didn’t cower in fear like in the show.

“Princess Luna,” Applejack said. “Wh-What are you doing here?”

“The princess still needs help fitting in,” I said. “Maybe you could help us?”

Applejack cleared her throat. “That's easy. All you gotta do is have the right attitude. Loosen up a bit, be positive, play a few games, have some fun.”

“Fun? What is this 'fun' thou speakest of?” Luna asked.

Applejack and I pointed to a nearby game. It was one where you had to throw the spiders onto a nearby web. Luna picked up one of the spiders and tossed it towards the web, but it landed just inches away.

“You can do it, princess!” Applejack called out.

Luna tossed another spider, and this time she hit dead center. Pleased at this, Luna wanted to experience more fun. So we brought her to the pumpkin catapults. The goal was the same as the spider game: hit the target with the provided projectiles. Just like last time, Luna hit the bull’s eye on the target.

“Ha ha! The fun has been doubled!” Luna proclaimed.

There’s that meme. It’s a shame ponies don’t have computers here.

“Why don't you try bobbin' for apples?” Applejack asked Luna. “We got the best apples in Equestria here, princess.”

That reminds me. If Pipsqueak’s at the apple-bobbing tub by now, I need to make sure he doesn’t fall in. Or at least save him if he does.

I quickly hurried ahead to where the apples were, but I didn’t see any sign of the pirate colt in or around the tub. He probably didn’t show up yet. I guess given how Luna didn’t need to visit Fluttershy or walk back to the Everfree Forest after her introduction, a lot of time has been shaved off.

Luna, Applejack, and the other ponies who warmed up to Luna approached the tub.

“Now, Pri...er, Luna. The goal of apple bobbin’ is to grab one of the apples in this here tub. Give it a try.”

Luna stuck her hoof into the water and pulled out the apple.

“Well, it’s not as much fun as the other two...” Luna said as she bit into the apple.

“Heh. That’s ‘cause yer only supposed to use yer mouth to grab the apples,” Applejack said. “Why don’t ya show her, Spike?”

“I think it’s best if you do it, Applejack,” I said. “I have face paint on, and I’m afraid it might come off and stain the apples. Also, it might ruin my costume’s aesthetic.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Applejack stuck her head into the water and pulled out an apple. “There. Like that.”

Luna did the same thing. After a few tries, she managed to get another apple. The crowd cheered for her after that.

Soon I saw Twilight by herself coming towards us. I quickly greeted her.

“Twilight, you’re back. Where are the others?” I asked. "Did you get the kids and Pinkie to calm down?"

“Yeah. As it turns out, Pinkie was just ‘faking’ being scared,” Twilight said. “She thinks it’s fun, but I don’t see how.”

I sighed harshly. “Tell me you slapped her.”

Twilight glared at me. “Spike, I’m against physical violence. As annoying as Pinkie Pie is, slapping ponies is not something I support.”

I looked at Luna and said to Twilight, “You know, I think I have an idea.”

Later, Luna and I were waiting at the Nightmare Moon statue while Twilight went to grab the kids, Mayor Mare, and Zecora.

“This seems counterproductive, Spike,” Luna said as I handed her some false fangs. “The citizens of Ponyville have already warmed up to me. Why must I scare them?”

“Just trust me. If what Pinkie said is true, then this shouldn’t be a problem.”

I hope. If Discord’s right, then this should turn out like in the show.

I heard hoofbeats approaching us. Quickly, Luna and I got into position. Using her magic, Luna changed her form to look like Nightmare Moon.

Once again, the fillies and colts from earlier approached the Nightmare Moon statue and dumped some of their candy.

“Why are we doing this again?” Pipsqueak asked.

“Because there wasn’t enough before for Nightmare Moon to eat,” Twilight replied.

Luna’s horn glowed and the wind started blowing hard!

“CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE!” Luna boomed. “YOU WERE WISE TO BRING THIS CANDY TO ME. I AM PLEASED WITH YOUR OFFERING. SO PLEASED THAT I MAY JUST EAT IT... INSTEAD OF EATING YOU!” Luna materialized in front of them with her eyes glowing like the moon she escaped from.

The shocking sight scared all the kids away. The wind died down as Luna turned back into her normal self.

“I am not certain that did what you meant for it to do, Spike,” Luna said as she spat out the false fangs.

“Just hold on, Luna,” I said.

“For what? For them to scream some more?”

Pipsqueak nervously approached Luna.

“Uhm...Princess Luna...” Pipsqueak whimpered. “Do you suppose...maybe you could come back next year...and...and scare us again?”

Luna raised her eyebrows. “Child. Art thou saying that thou...likest me to scare you?”

“I-It's really fun! Scary, but fun! Nightmare Night is my favorite night of the year.”

“Well then, we shall return to Ponyville FOR THE NEXT NIGHTMARE NIGHT!”

“Whoa! You're my favorite princess ever!” Pipsqueak then turned to the other fillies. “She said yes, guys!”

The other fillies cheered like it was Hearth’s Warming Eve.

“See? They like you, Luna,” I said. “Just like last time.”

“Last time?” Luna asked.

Oops! Did I say that out loud?

“When you were with the others at the festival earlier. That’s what I meant by last time.”

We continued celebrating Nightmare Night after that. After I sent the friendship letter to Princess Celestia, something occurred to me.

“Hold on, didn’t we learn this friendship lesson back when we first met Zecora?” I asked Twilight.

“Well, some lessons have to be learned more than once before they stick to you,” Twilight replied.

Suddenly, there was a flash of lighting and a clap of thunder. We looked to see Rainbow Dash flying away with a smoked tail. Luna then came down to us riding a cloud.

“How many times do you think Rainbow Dash will learn hers?” I asked.

We all laughed at that.

Chapter 26 (The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000)

Cider Season was coming up, and that meant one thing. Besides thirty more days until sapphire season, of course.

It was “The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000” episode. In that episode, Applejack’s family keeps running out of cider, much to their customers’ (especially Rainbow Dash’s) frustration. As much as I didn’t like Rainbow Dash, even I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her in that episode for not getting a single mug.

One thing that occurred to me was why Applejack didn’t try out a one-item-per-customer tactic. For a pony who sells apples like hotcakes, Applejack is terrible at business decisions. I doubt if it’ll help give cider to all her customers, but I think it’ll be enough so that Rainbow can at least get a mug of her own.

Even if the Flim Flam Brothers still show up, there was one ace up my nonexistent sleeve. I’ll have to thank my past college self for changing majors. But for now, I’ll need to start with Plan A.

I went to Sweet Apple Acres, looking for Applejack. Big Mac told me she was in the barn. I quickly headed there to see Applejack rolling a barrel.

“Hey, Applejack,” I greeted. “Getting ready for Cider Season?”

“Yep,” Applejack said as she stacked the barrels. “We’ve made and sold cider before, but it’s at this time of year where the apples we buck are just right for making the freshest cider. Thus, why we call it 'Cider Season.' This is yer and Twilight’s first time, right? Just come here Saturday ‘round 8 a.m., and you can drink cider to yer heart’s content...or until we run out for the day.”

“Wait...so you let customers buy as much cider as they want?”

“Well, yeah. Ya can’t just have one when it comes to cider like this.” Applejack patted the barrel like a kitten.

“That doesn’t sound like good business.”

“What do you mean?”

“You might run out before everypony gets a chance to drink. Why don’t you do a ‘one cider per customer’ deal? That way, everypony will have a mug, and you don’t have to worry about Pinkie buying all of it and leaving the other ponies dry.”

“How do ya know Pinkie buys a ton of cider? Did Rainbow Dash tell ya?”

“No, Pinkie did,” I lied. “She told me about Cider Season coming up and how she buys at least two dozen mugs a day. That got me worried about the other customers.”

“I know that yer worried but...” Applejack looked around. “I’ve gotta tell ya something. I actually let Pinkie buy most of the cider.”

My eyes widened. “What?! But what about the other ponies? What about Rainbow Dash?!”

“Rainbow Dash is the reason I’ve been lettin’ Pinkie do this in the first place.”

“I don’t understand. Tell me the truth.”

“The truth is...” Applejack sighed. “I’m sure I’ve mentioned this to ya, but the truth is Rainbow Dash has a cider addiction.”

“So Rainbow’s an alcoholic?”

“What?! No! Is that what ya think is in our apple cider? Of course not! It’s just apples that have been prepared much differently than apple juice. We don’t add anything else. Honest.”

“What about those frothy bubbles? Some of the non-carbonated cider I’ve seen doesn’t usually do that.”

“It can if it’s fresh enough.”

“Anyway, since Rainbow has a cider addiction, you’re letting Pinkie buy all of your drinks before the pegasus gets a chance?”

“Yep. I know it means that the other customers won’t get a chance to drink, and it pains me every year to do so, but we’ve got to cure Rainbow of this addiction somehow. When it comes to cider, Rainbow Dash is like a rabbit in a carrot farm. Now, don’t get me wrong. Our cider is irresistible, and we don’t mind it if somepony buys more than one mug, but Rainbow turns that dial up to eleven. Her constant demands and flimsy excuses for a mug have driven me up the side of the barn, and I’m gettin’ sick ‘n tired of it.”

“Have you tried talking to Rainbow Dash about it?”

“Ya think I didn’t try that already? Last year, I told her. And this is what she said.” Applejack removed her hat and brushed her mane until it looked similar to Rainbow Dash’s. She then spoke in a raspy voice, “‘I don’t have an addiction, Applejack! I can quit anytime I want! Now gimmie that cider!’”

I chuckled. “Wow! You sound exactly like her.”

“But ya understand my point do ya?” Applejack fixed her mane and placed her hat back on her head. “Rainbow Dash is too addicted to this cider. She needs to cut back.”

“By subtly having her give up cold turkey?”

“Not turkey, cid...oh, ya mean give up completely? Yeah, I’m doin’ that.”

“Applejack, addictions can’t be stopped completely. That would just mess up the pony’s mind. I’ve been reading some books in Twilight’s library that prove that. You have to try to have Dash ease off on the cider. Having her minimize her drinks can slow her addiction down. I’m sure even she would understand the one-cider-per-day rule. Plus, it would give more ponies a chance to get some before you run out.”

Applejack sighed. “Are ya sure this would help? Givin’ her cider to stop her cider madness doesn't sound like a good idea. That’d be like adding fuel to a fire.”

“Like I said, stopping the addiction completely isn’t gonna help. It’ll just make her angry. Rainbow Dash would eat dirt just to get one mug, so only one mug is what we’ll give her.”

“I hope yer right about this, Spike.” Applejack glared at me. “If Rainbow tries to get another mug, she ain’t gonna be the only one who won’t get cider this year.”

“I understand.”

I knew Rainbow loved cider, but I didn’t realize it was so bad that Applejack had to make sure she didn’t get one for Cider Season. This somehow made me feel even worse for Rainbow.

On Saturday morning, Twilight’s alarm clock rang at 6:30. Twilight rubbed her eyes and turned off the alarm.

“Wait, six-thirty?” Twilight asked. “I thought I set the alarm to seven-thirty.”

I sprung out of bed. “I changed it, Twilight. Applejack told me how many ponies might show up for Cider Season, and I don’t want to be stuck in the back of the line while all the other ponies get their mug.”

Twilight sighed. “Fine.”

After we quickly did our respective morning routines, Twilight and I hurried to Sweet Apple Acres. There was already a long line forming.

“Looks like some of the other ponies got up early as well,” Twilight said.

“Twilight! Spike!” A voice called out. “How wonderful to see you, darlings!”

Twilight and I looked to see Rarity approaching us.

“You two have gotten up earlier than usual, I see,” Rarity said as she stood behind us.

“Well, Spike was so eager to try a mug that he changed the alarm clock,” Twilight said.

“I can’t blame the little one, Applejack does make the best cider. Just try not to let it go to your head. Like somepony I know.” Rarity glared at the distant line behind her.

How many of Dash’s friends are in on this?

About an hour later, it was five minutes until Cider Season’s opening day. Applejack and her family were preparing the stand up ahead.

“Isn't this exciting, Spike? Opening day of Cider Season!” Twilight said.

“Yeah. It’s almost as good as Sapphire Season, which is only thirty days away,” I replied. Twilight and Rarity’s eyes rolled after I said that.

“Attention, everypony!” Applejack called out through the megaphone. “Cider season is now officially open!”

The excited chattering from the ponies in line filled my eardrums.

Pinkie approached the stand with big bags of bits. Where she got them from I didn’t know, but she’s Pinkie Pie, so I didn’t question it.

“Uh, sorry, Pinkie,” Applejack said, “but we’ve got new rules this year.”

Applejack tapped a sign next to her that said in big letters: “One Cider Per Pony. No Exceptions!” Pinkie’s jaw dropped, and her bags of bits followed suit to the floor.

“But! But! You never told me about this!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Applejack replied, “Ya never asked.”

“But you always...” Pinkie looked back at the line and whispered something in Applejack’s ear.

“I’m sorry,” Applejack loudly whispered back. “But we’ve changed the rules and we’re stickin’ to them.”

Pinkie whispered again. She pointed to something in the distance. I assumed it was Rainbow Dash she was pointing at.

“I know,” Applejack hissed. “But this might be a better way to do it. Just work with me here.”

“What are those two talking about?” Twilight asked.

“Pinkie’s probably upset because we get only one cider each,” I said. “She must really love cider.”

“Oh, she’s the one who’s too attached to cider,” Rarity snarked.

Pinkie sighed and placed a couple of bits on the counter. Applebloom pulled the pump and out came a shower of cider that filled the mug below it instantly. Pinkie took one sip and her disappointment was swept away from the taste. I know this was Pinkie Pie, but the cider must’ve been that good.

Twilight handed me some bits. “Here, Spike. You’ll have to buy your own mug.”

“No need to give me any bits, Twilight. I’ve already brought some of my own.” I showed Twilight the coins I had.

“Where did you get the money?” Rarity asked.

“I think it’s some sort of hammerspace magic. Twilight told me that it...”

“No, darling. I mean how do you receive funds?”

“Oh. Since Twilight works in the library, she gets money for doing so. Being her number one assistant, Twilight gives me some as part of my ‘allowance.’ I don’t care much for getting paid, but I accept it anyway. After all, I need to buy comic books somehow.”

Rarity eyes widened. “Wait, so she’s an actual librarian? I think I need to return something after this.”

Twilight said, “Rarity, it’s not like that. I—”

“Next!” Applebloom called out.

“Nevermind.” Twilight approached the stall and placed her bits into the chest. Applebloom filled another mug and handed it to Twilight. Twilight’s face lit up as she sipped the mug.

The cider can’t be that good, can it?

I walked up to the stand and placed my bits on the counter. Applebloom poured cider into a mug and handed it to me. I took it and stepped aside. The frothy drink showed no sign of dissipating its bubbles.

“Well, down the hatch,” I said to myself.

I tilted the mug and allowed the cider to gush into my mouth. Already, my taste buds have reacted to the sheer sweetness unlike any other! It was like drinking heaven! I continued to chug the entire mug down. The only audible sounds was the rushing liquid and my throat gulping down every last drop. Some of the unlucky drops trickled down my cheeks, but I ignored them.

The second the last gulp of cider went down my throat, I yanked the mug away from my mouth and expelled the air from my lungs. The mug fell to the ground with a soft thunk as I fell to my knees.

"Spike?! Spike, are you alright?" Twilight ran up to me like I was having a heart attack.

"Land sakes, Spike." Applejack adjusted her hat. "I haven't seen any pony or dragon this thirsty before. You were chuggin' that cider faster than Winona with her water dish during the dog days of summer."

I regained my posture and wiped the foam from my mouth.

"I can see why Pinkie used to buy a dozen of these," I awkwardly said.

I didn't know why I drank the cider like that. The cider might’ve been that good or my dragon-greed instincts were kicking in. If it's the latter, then I have to be careful. "Secret of my Excess" happened during Spike’s birthday, which wasn’t going to happen for a while, but I still had to make sure I didn’t go crazy from the greed. As much as I liked Spike’s greed-zilla form, I don’t want that happening to me.

I watched as the other ponies in line bought a cup of cider. Every so often, the barrel would run empty and get replaced with another one.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were next. After Fluttershy got hers, Rainbow placed her bits into the chest. Applebloom turned on the pump, and her eyes widened when cider came pouring out. Rainbow Dash was panting like a puppy.

“Uh...Applejack?” Applebloom called out. “We still...”

“Just give ‘er the mug and move on, Applebloom,” Applejack said.

Applebloom uneasily handed Rainbow Dash the mug. Within two seconds flat, Rainbow gulped the entire mug down and slammed it onto the stand. I could hardly comprehend what happened.

Applejack yanked Rainbow down from the air. “Remember Rainbow Dash, this is yer ONLY mug fer today! I don’t want ya beggin’ for any more! Got it?”

“Yeah, yeah. I got it.” Rainbow flatly replied.

“I’m serious! If I find out you disguised yerself or something, I’ll see to it that you are in the back of the line for tomorrow.”

“Hey, hey, take it easy, AJ. I already got my mug. Do I look like the pony who would beg for seconds?”

“Yes,” I bluntly replied.

“You stay out of this!” Rainbow retorted.

I continued watching each pony buy and drink a mug of cider. Sadly, my method didn’t work as well as I thought. The Apple family ran out for the day, and there were still a significant amount of ponies who didn’t get a chance to drink. While I was glad Rainbow Dash wasn’t one of them, I still felt sorry for the others.

“Sorry, everypony,” Applejack said. “That’s it for today.”

Just like in the show, the crowd complained about how Applejack always ran out of cider, and Applejack reassured them that there would still be more for tomorrow. This did nothing to cure the annoyed ciderless ponies.

So much for my idea. I knew not everypony would get cider, but I thought it would be only a handful of ponies. At least Rainbow got hers.

Suddenly, I heard a loud horn honking. I knew what that meant. We all looked to see a giant contraption heading our way. It looked like an automobile the size of a locomotive, powered by what I assumed was magic. It would fit nicely in a Steampunk-Equestria universe. The giant behemoth stopped right in front of the stand.

Two identical ponies hopped off the device. Both of them were tall cream-colored unicorns with red manes. Their cutie marks were apple slices, and their outfits looked like they dropped out of a barbershop quartet. The only way to tell these two apart was one of them had a mustache.

“The Flim Flam Brothers,” I said under my breath.

“You know them?” Twilight asked. She must’ve heard me.

“I’ve only heard stories about them,” I quickly lied. “To be honest, I’d thought they’d be taller.”

“Well, lookie what we got here, brother of mine, it's the same in every town,” Flim, the clean-shaven one, sang.

I didn’t hear any background music this time. Yet everypony, including me, joined in singing. Just like last time, the twins showed everypony how their machine worked. It was called the “Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000,” obviously. It was meant to mass produce a lot of cider using apples. Applejack offered some of hers for the demonstration. The cider machine was impressive, but I know Applejack’s cider was better without having to try the other one.

Flim and Flam offered the Apple family their services. Applebloom was quick to accept it, but Granny Smith thought otherwise. The family has made the cider the same way for generations, so a sudden change in methods didn’t sound ideal to them.

“We'll sweeten the deal,” Flim said. “You supply the apples...”

“...we supply the Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000,” Flam continued.

“Then split those profits 75-25,” they both said.

“Hold on. Who gets the seventy five?” Applejack asked.

“Why, us, naturally,” Flim replied.

Flam added, “And, we'll throw in the magic to—”

“Woah! Woah!” I interrupted. “What kind of shady business deal are you two trying to pull? 75-25? You’re just asking them to refuse you.”

“Spike, what are ya..?” Applejack asked.

“Plus, none of the Apple family have horns,” I continued. “How do you expect them to operate this machine without a horn?”

“And what about repairs ‘n stuff?” Granny Smith added. “Them fancy parts on that contraption of yours don’t look cheap.”

Flim cleared his throat. “You can rely on us to provide maintenance. Purchase parts, run repairs, what have you.”

“So, is it a deal?” Flam asked.

“No deal!” Big Mac said firmly.

“Hmph. Very well,” said Flim. “If you refuse our generous offer to be partners, then we'll just have to be competitors.”

“Where will you get the apples then?” I asked. “You can’t buy them from the Apple family if you're going to be rivals with them.”

“They don’t grow the only apples in Equestria, son,” Flam replied. “We’ll just get them somewhere else.”

“Even so, your profits wouldn’t be enough because you would have to purchase your apples. The Apple family here gets them for free, and I doubt thievery would do well for your business.”

“We’ll just double our prices then,” Flim said. “It will be worth it.”

“Why would anyone buy something that’s mass produced and expensive when they can buy it locally for a cheaper price? While I acknowledge the demand here outranks the supply, it would still be better than to buy cider that's of lesser quality.”

“Lesser quality, you say?” Flam asked. “Perhaps you’ve gone tone deaf, but we’ve mentioned how this machine chooses only the best quality apples when making cider. We’ll provide an encore to show it.”

“Those best quality apples came from Applejack’s farm. They’re already good raw, juiced, baked, frittered, drizzled, lustered, candied, etc. If you claim that your machine can make better cider with any bunch of apples, then try to purchase apples from another farm and we’ll see the difference.”

“Very well,” Flim said. “We’ll get a crate of apples and prove to you what this Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 can do.”

“All right then. We’ll see you later.”

Flim and Flam hopped on the machine and drove off.

“Spike...” Applejack bit her lip. “While I admire you convincing those two that my farm has better apples, is it really a good idea to challenge them?”

“I know you’re skeptical, AJ, but even if Flim and Flam’s cider tastes better, there’s something to be said about quality over quantity,” I replied.

“How do you know so much about business, anyway?” Rarity asked. “You’re awfully young for someone who knows this kind of stuff.”

“I’ve read books about it in Twilight’s library,” I lied. “Comic books aren’t the only thing I read.”

“That would explain the one-cide-per-pony idea ya had,” Applejack said.

“Wait, you’re the one who set a limit on buying cider?!” Pinkie exclaimed to me. “Why?!”

“Because you kept buying most of it,” I replied. “You’re not the only pony who drinks cider here. You shouldn’t hoard so much and leave the rest of us dry. Even I know better, and I’m a dragon.”

“So, how are you going to prove which cider is better?” Rarity asked.

“I have an idea that might work.”

I proposed a taste test. Both teams would provide a cup of cider, and the better one would be voted. But I know I couldn’t do this alone, so later in the day, I asked some ponies around town if they were willing to volunteer with me tomorrow to taste the cider. I was able to get a handful of ponies to help me out.

The next day, I arrived early at the orchard with the group of ponies. There was already a long line forming near the stand. Applejack set up a table nearby with five chairs, cups of water, and clipboards for us.

“Howdy, Spike,” Applejack greeted. “Are these the ponies who’ll be our judges today?”

“Yep,” I replied. “I’ve brought Rumble, Button Mash, Lyra, Pinkie Pie, and...Rainbow Dash?!” We all looked to see Rainbow standing on the far end. “I didn’t invite her, I swear!”

“There’s no way I’m saying no to free cider!” Rainbow declared.

Applejack sighed heavily as she rubbed her forehead. “Since Rainbow’s here, she might as well join ya.” Applejack set up another chair for Rainbow. She then handed the pegasus a cup of water and a clipboard. “Now, remember ya’ll, this will determine who has the better cider, so taste carefully and answer truthfully.”

It didn’t take long for the Flim Flam Brothers’ machine to show up. They had a big crate of apples up in their front seat.

“We are here with our purchased apples!” Flim announced.

“Got them straight from Appleloosa,” Flam added. “They do overnight delivery, ya know.”

“I should’ve warned Braeburn about them,” Applejack said. She then grabbed the megaphone. “Attention, everypony! Today, we’ve been facing some competition, but fear not. We’ve got some ponies and a dragon who are willing to volunteer to see which cider is better: the Flim Flam Brothers’ or the Apples’. They’ll be given the same amount, and we won't reveal whoever made the cider until after they've voted. Also, to keep any lingerin' tastes from skewin’ the results, we provided water just in case. So make sure to wish our judges good luck for this event.”

"Enough talk!" Rainbow Dash said. "Let's get to the cider already!"

"My goodness, you do have an addiction," I said.

"They got you, too? For the last time, I don't have an addiction to cider! I just really like it."

"If this was a game, I'd be pressing the X button right now," Button Mash said.

"The what?" A confused Rainbow asked.

"Nevermind."

I understood that reference.

The judges and I were seated with our backs to the stand so that we couldn’t see which cups were filled. After a while, Twilight gave us two white cups each. They were smaller than the mugs, and they were either labeled A or B.

I started with cup A, and so did the other judges. I swished it around like a wine glass before taking a sip. Already, I was overwhelmed by the taste. Given the pleasing reactions from the others, they probably enjoyed cup A’s cider as well.

Next was cup B. After drinking some water, I sipped cup B. It did taste pretty good, but that was just about it. It was good more or less, but it tasted like it came from your average grocery store. I had an idea who made this cider.

We wrote our answers on the clipboard.

“Okay, judges,” Twilight said. “Your results?”

We showed our answers. We all picked cup A as the better cider, which just happened to be the Apple family’s cider. Said family was relieved at that.

“This proves conclusively that our cider is better,” Applejack said. “Though, the quality of Appleloosa’s apples kinda worries me. I reckon the soil ain’t used to growing apples down there yet.”

“While we won’t dispute the current circumstances resulted in a fair victory,” Flim said, “I’m afraid there was one variable that might’ve gotten the odds in your favor.”

“We weren’t using the same apples,” Flam said. “We’ve only gotten different apples, so perhaps you didn’t expect a different tasting cider.”

While it was true it tasted different than the Apples’ cider, it was still no better.

“Alright, then. For the next round, you can use some of our apples and we’ll see if there’s a difference,” Applejack said. “I don’t think anyone besides Granny Smith tasted it.”

Just like last time, we waited until the ponies were done making cider for us, and Twilight handed us the cups again.

This is when it got interesting. Cup A tasted really good, but so did cup B. In fact, they both tasted the same. The judges around me shared similar reactions. We wrote our answers on our respective clipboards.

“Now, who has the better cider?” Twilight asked us.

We held up our clipboards, and the results were mixed this time. Pinkie said both, Lyra and Button said Cup A, Rainbow and I said Cup B, and Rumble just gave a question mark. It was revealed that Cup A was the Flim Flam Brothers this time, and Cup B was the Apples. Applejack sweated nervously.

“Despite the results, it is clear to say that we’re the better cider makers,” Flim said. “We can make equally high-quality cider with only the fraction of the work.”

“Why, with our machine,” Flam said, “we can make enough cider in one hour to satisfy this entire town!”

“We can do it in 45 minutes!” Applebloom declared.

Just like in the show, the Flim Flam brothers challenged the Apple family into who can make the most cider. Granny Smith agreed, and the challenge would start tomorrow morning.

“Can you believe it? They’re gonna make cider for all of us!” Lyra exclaimed.

“Finally, I won’t have to worry about not getting any cider,” Rainbow said with a giant grin on her face.

“Am I the only one who cares about the quality of something over its quantity?” I said in an exasperated tone.

“That quality is the reason why the Apple family keeps running out,” Rumble said. “Even with the customers getting only one cup each.”

Right as he said that, the Apple family announced that they ran out of cider again. The thirsty crowd groaned once more.

“See?”

“If it’s possible, could you guys come tomorrow?” I asked. “I just want to make sure the quality will remain the same after the contest.”

Everypony accepted.

The next morning, the Apple family and the Flim Flam Brothers were getting ready for the contest. Although, I wouldn’t say the brothers were doing anything at all. I’d say they were relying on their new technology too much, but then again, I came from the Digital Age.

“Attention, everypony!” the mayor called out. “The teams have one hour to produce as much cider as they can, after which the barrels will be counted and the winner will be named the sole cider provider for all of Ponyville!”

The crowd was pleased to hear that, but I wasn’t. I knew what was going to happen. The Flim Flam Brothers would end up causing some damage to the southern orchard, and make the cider taste horrible. What’s worse was that I couldn’t prevent this from happening. Even with my previous tactic and my skills in economics, the Apple family still ends up facing a competition with the Flim Flam brothers.

Once both teams declared that they were ready, the one hour timer started. The Apple family quickly went to work bucking, collecting, examining, and crushing each apple into cider. Meanwhile, the Flim Flam Brothers were just kicking back and letting the machine do all the work. Despite their laziness, they were making three barrels for every barrel the Apples were making. I wasn't the only one who noticed this.

Twilight asked the mayor if honorary family members (the rest of the girls and herself) were allowed to join. Both sides allowed it. I guess the brothers' ego outweighed their common sense.

Thanks to the girls' assistance, the Apple family was already getting ahead. The Flim Flam Brothers noticed this and took drastic actions. They've increased their power to their machine and disabled quality control, which was a pretty stupid move, but I wasn’t gonna call them out for that.

An hour passed, and the contest was over. The girls and the Apple family collapsed out of breath, while the Flim Flam machine looked like it was about to fall apart. Sadly, just like in the show, Flim and Flam made more barrels than the Apple family.

“We... lost?” Applejack was dumbfounded.

“Too bad, Apples,” Flim said.

Flam added, “Guess you'll just have to find a new—”

“Wait a minute!” I called out.

“What is it with you and interrupting us? Do dragons ever learn how to be polite?”

“Before the Apples declare bankruptcy, why don’t the judges have a taste first? It’ll be just like yesterday.”

“Still not convinced our cider is high quality? Go ahead. You’ll soon learn who made the better cider,” Flim said.

The judges and I sat back at the table and waited for the ponies to hand us our cups. Once they did, it was obvious to tell which one was the Flim Flam Brothers’. The judges and I took a sip from Cup A, and it tasted amazing. But when we tasted Cup B...let’s just say nobody swallowed.

“BLEGH!! What the heck is this?!”

“I think you made Apple Cider Vinegar by mistake!”

“Where’d you make this from?! The outhouse?!”

“Are these rocks?!”

“I should’ve saved before drinking this!”

“I think this killed off my non-existence cider addiction!”

We were spitting it out, using the water and Cup A to wash out our mouths, anything to get rid of the taste. I did my utmost best to avoid tossing my gemstone cookies.

“So who had the better cider?” Applejack asked.

“CUP A!!” we shouted in unison.

“Oh, dear,” Flim said.

“That’s what you imbeciles get for picking quantity over quality,” I said as I spat out a piece of leaf.

“It looks like we've encountered a slight... problem here in Ponyville,” Flam said.

“Next town?” Flim asked.

“Next town!”

The two brothers hopped onto the machine and took off.

“And don’t come back, Flip Flop Brothers!” I called out.

“They're gone,” Applejack sighed.

“That means Sweet Apple Acres is still in business!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Plus, we can have high quality Apple family cider!” Rainbow shouted.

“Because of this silly competition, we've made enough of our cider for the whole town!” Applebloom said.

The crowd cheered after hearing that.

“Sorry about your orchard,” I said to Applejack. “Looks like some of the trees got uprooted thanks to those two.”

“It’s fine, Spike,” Applejack said. “We can get them replaced.”

Applejack’s orchard was saved, and everypony including Dash got a chance to drink some cider. I hope the girls and I can help Applejack again next year.

As for Applejack’s letter, I found it to be the funniest one I’ve sent so far. To clarify: she didn’t learn anything.

Chapter 27 (The Last Roundup)

There wasn’t much I could do for “Family Appreciation Day.” I did enjoy the zap apple jam, though. It was sweeter than regular apple jam, and it gave your tongue a “bite” like a pineapple would.

The next episode to come up was “The Last Roundup.” That was when Applejack traveled to compete in this year’s rodeo, but she didn't win the prize money she needed to repair the town hall. So, she vows not to return until she earns enough money. I almost forgot about this episode’s plot due to a prior scene.

Which reminds me…

I headed to the town hall, which was already in shambles. Rainbow Dash was hanging a sign with Applejack’s face on it. Suddenly, a flash of lightning nearly struck Rainbow’s tail. I looked to see a grey derpy-eyed pegasus bouncing on a storm cloud.

Moment of truth. What are you going to say, Dashie?

“Be careful, Derpy!” Rainbow called out. “Don't want to do any more damage than you've already done.”

Oh, thank god! I’m glad I’m in this universe.

I don’t know why, but some people back in my world found Derpy offensive, so Hasbro had to censor her and keep her mute until Season 5. Thankfully, I wasn’t any of those people.

“I just don’t know what went wrong,” Derpy said before she zapped herself by mistake.

“Yeah, it’s a mystery,” Rainbow said.

I watched as Derpy’s mishaps caused the town hall to fall apart even more. The end result was Rainbow and Derpy falling into a hole. I tried to hold back my laughter, but it was like holding back a river with a piece of paper.

“Everypony, can I get your attention? Attention please!”

I turned to see a crowd standing in front of the town hall. The mayor was giving a speech about Applejack. Applejack was chosen to compete in this year’s rodeo, and she agreed to donate her potential prize money to fix the town hall. Ponyville had put a lot of pressure on her. It was no wonder she ran away after the rodeo.

After we all wished her good luck, Applejack hopped on the train and headed out. I wanted to tag along with her for support, but she assured me she was going to be fine.

Throughout the week, I thought about what I should do when the future villains show up. I already had Chrysalis covered. The next villain would be Tirek because there’s nothing I could change when encountering King Sombra.

When Cerberus left Tartarus, that must’ve been when Tirek escaped. I would have to find a way to keep them both inside, but given my small figure, that would be difficult.

How about focusing instead on what I can do?

I remembered in the show, Discord was sent to grab Tirek, but the draconequus decided to turn sides and join Tirek. Had it not been for karma, I would’ve been very angry with Discord. That’s why I thought it should be better if Fluttershy tagged along with Discord when he goes to find Tirek. She was the element of kindness, but if sweet talking doesn't work, then she could use the stare on the centaur. I don’t know if it’ll work on him, but it was worth a try.

I still needed to know when Starlight Glimmer used that stone to take everypony’s cutie marks away. It has to be before Twilight got that castle, I’m sure. But I couldn’t just go to where Starlight’s village was going to be and randomly explore each cave before finding the stone. I would need to figure out when is a good time to go there. I would also have to let Starlight know that cutie marks weren’t the reason she lost Sunburst.

If my plans for Chrysalis goes well, I don’t have to worry about her swarm kidnapping us for Season 6, and the Pony of Shadows can be defeated by the Mane 6. But there was one villain who I knew was going to be a challenge.

Cozy Glow.

That ponified Darla Dimple was a mastermind, as evident by her chess-piece cutie mark. She believed in power, wanting to rule Equestria by taking all of its magic. I couldn’t attack her directly, though. That would just be evidence for Chancellor Neighsay to prove how vile non-pony creatures were. Even by the time she gets defeated by the Student 6, I still couldn’t just beat her up. A male in his mid-20s assaulting a child would not bode well with neither Equestrian nor human society, even if she deserved it. The only way I could defeat her is to ruin her plan, and I might knew how.

Cozy and Tirek may not know this, but I already know their plans long before I set foot in Equestria. I could tell Cozy I realized this, but I would have to make sure I didn’t reveal that I was from the human world. While this would mean Cozy and Tirek would drop their plans, that won’t do any good, as they could just come up with another plan. Worst case scenario, they could try to get rid of me.

This is going to be dangerous. I can’t let Cozy win, I can’t attack her physically, and if I reveal that I know about her plans, she’ll get rid of me and try to convince the girls that I passed away or something. Both Tirek and Cozy are such a bad couple. If only I…

That’s when I had an idea. I had to seperate Cozy from Tirek. If Tirek somehow gets reformed, then perhaps he wouldn't need Cozy. But if he doesn't accept friendship, then I would just have to convince Cozy that Tirek isn’t who he says he is. I could tell her that he might backstab her. That way, Cozy might burn that bridge. Those two won’t be together anymore, and Cozy can be reformed, or at least accept that she can’t abuse friendship for power.

But if all else fails...would I have to take drastic actions? Would I have to seriously harm someone such as a filly?

I shouldn’t worry about that. No matter what, I had to find a way to prevent Cozy and Tirek from going through with their plan.

How did Cozy and Tirek meet anyway? Was it before or after he escaped? If it's before, would I be too late?

The week flew by faster than Rainbow Dash. Applejack’s friends and family were setting up a surprise party at the barn.

“I really hope Applejack enjoys this party,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, I can’t believe she’s already coming home today,” I said. But I had a feeling she wasn’t.

“Surprise!” Pinkie shouted. Fluttershy stumbled backwards.

“Be careful over there!” I called out.

“Sorry! I was just practicing my ‘surprise!’ for when we surprise Applejack with this super cool party for becoming rodeo champion of Equestria!”

“Quiet, Pinkie,” Twilight said. “I think Applejack's coming!”

We quickly hid away from the door. The second the doors opened, we jumped out and shouted:

“SURPRISE!!”

Pinkie did the same thing a few seconds later.

Sadly, it wasn’t Applejack who was at the door. It was a mailpony, but since it was his birthday, we gave him a slice of cake. He handed us a letter.

“Who’s it from, Twilight?" Applebloom asked. "What’s it say?”

“It’s from Applejack,” Twilight replied. She then read the letter, “‘Family and friends, not coming back to Ponyville. Don't worry, will send money soon.’ That’s...all there is.”

Everypony around us was shocked upon hearing that. Applejack loved being in Ponyville, so getting a letter saying she’s not coming back was a real punch to the gut.

“Something just dreadful must have happened to Applejack to make her not return!” Rarity cried.

“Maybe she's hurt, or sad, or scared!” Fluttershy shivered.

“So, what are we waiting for? Let's go find her!” Rainbow Dash called out.

“Don't worry. We'll search all of Equestria if we have to,” Twilight said.

“I’m going, too!” I announced.

“You want to come?”

“I’m her friend, aren’t I? I’ve helped her in the past and she helped me. My desire to find her is just as big as yours.”

“Very well, Spike. You can tag along.”

Later that day, we hopped on the train heading to Canterlot.

“Why would Applejack decide not to come back all of a sudden?” Twilight pondered.

“Maybe it had something to do with the rodeo?” I asked.

“What do you mean, darling?” Rarity filed her nails on an emery board.

“I have this theory. What if Applejack didn’t win the rodeo? What if she didn’t perform well enough to earn the prize money?”

The girls looked at each other with unease.

I continued, “Applejack can handle losing a fight, but due to the fact that there was so much money on the line, she didn’t want to come back empty-hoofed. Maybe that’s why she didn’t want to return to Ponyville just yet. She needed to find a way to get the money needed to repair the town hall. And given the state it’s in thanks to Derpy, I can’t blame her.”

“Derpy?” Twilight tilted her head.

“That gray pegasus who was with Rainbow Dash last week.”

“I thought her name was ‘Muffins,’” Fluttershy said.

“Bah, that mare keeps changing her name,” Dash said. “Probably because she can’t remember it.”

That would explain her multiple names. But I’m still gonna call her “Derpy.”

“Applejack’s won the rodeo ten times in a row,” Twilight said. “Why would she suddenly lose this year?”

I shrugged. “Perhaps the competition was not kind to her this year.”

When we arrived at Canterlot, we quickly headed straight to the stadium. We asked everypony around, but no pony has seen Applejack after the rodeo. It wasn’t until one mare told us that Applejack went to Dodge Junction, so that’s where we headed.

Once the train stopped in front of the station, Pinkie zoomed out and dashed for the bathroom.

“Applejack is supposed to have come here after the rodeo ended,” Twilight said. “Let's fan out and try to find her.”

“Any ideas where she might be?” I asked.

“I don’t know, but Dodge Junction isn’t a big place, so finding her—”

“I found her! I found her!” Pinkie called out.

We looked to see where she was pointing. Sure enough, it was Applejack. She looked sort of depressed, and despite our reunion, she wasn’t feeling any better. We asked her why she decided to leave Ponyville, but she stayed silent. It was obvious she was hiding something.

Before any of us pressed further, we heard a voice.

“Applejack? Are these some of your Ponyville friends?”

There stood a white earth pony with a red mane. She had cherries for a cutie mark. Her name was Cherry Jubilee, and she was the owner of the town's cherry farm.

“Yes, we are,” Twilight replied.

“And you are?” Rarity asked.

Cherry introduced herself and told us how she watched Applejack at the rodeo. She claimed that Applejack won a lot of ribbons. When she mentioned how Applejack wanted a change of scenery, that’s when something smelled fishy.

“‘Change of scenery’?” Rainbow asked. “What's that supposed to mean?!”

“It’s no big deal, gals ‘n Spike.” Applejack said. “I thought cherries would be a nice change from apples, so I took the job and came here. That's it. End of story.”

“Are you changing your name to Cherryjack as well?” I sarcastically asked. “Maybe your cutie mark might change to cherries as well.”

“Oh, don’t be like that, Spike. Sometimes it’s better to take a break from the norm.”

“A break from the norm, my butt!” Rainbow shouted. “We didn't travel all over Equestria searching for you to come home without you!”

“Well, I didn't ask you to come lookin' for me!” Applejack retorted. “There is nothin' to tell and I am not going back to Ponyville!”

Applejack stormed off.

“I don’t care what she says,” Twilight said. “Applejack’s not telling us something.”

“Well, it can’t be because she lost the rodeo,” Rarity said. “Ms. Cherry told us that she won a lot of ribbons.”

“That’s true,” I said, “but did you notice how vague she was? She said Applejack won a lot of ribbons, but she never mentioned the kind of ribbons.”

“Either way, we gotta get her to spill the beans!” Rainbow declared.

“She had beans?” Pinkie gasped. “Ugh, I told her I was snacky!”

“Come on, we’ll visit Cherry’s ranch,” Twilight said.

When we arrived, we saw Cherry Jubilee near the barn.

“Oh, hey, it’s you gals again,” Cherry said. “Come to see Applejack at work?”

“Well...yes!” Twilight said. “We’d like to help her out. If it’s possible, of course.”

“Well ya’ll are in luck. My cherry sorters are on their day off today, so you five mares can fill in for them. Don’t worry about messin’ up. We’ve gotten an extra batch today.”

“What about me?” I asked.

“Well, I don’t have a uniform fit for ya,” Cherry said, “and I can’t let you in without proper attire...”

“That’s fine. I can wait outside.”

Cherry escorted the girls into the barn. I decided to wander around Dodge Junction. It almost looked a lot like Appleloosa, which made sense since they were both located in the south.

“No way! It is you!” I heard a familiar voice shout. I looked to see a yellow earth pony approaching me. “Dang, son! I didn’t think we’d meet again so soon!”

“Braeburn?” I asked.

“The very same! Come ‘ere!” Braeburn squeezed me and gave me a noogie. “Thanks again for comin’ up with that civil case, lil’ drake! We don’t know what would happen if you and your posse didn’t show up!”

“It’s good to see you, too!” I grunted as I escaped Braeburn’s grasp. “What are you doing in Dodge Junction? Are you here to see Applejack as well?”

“Applejack’s here as well?! I knew yer weren’t vistin’ by yer lonesome! So where is she?”

“She’s working at the cherry farm right now. Said she wanted a change of scenery.”

Braeburn’s smile disappeared. “Yer kiddin’, right?”

I shook my head.

“But Applejack ain’t one to change fruits so quickly. Are ya sure this is the same Applejack we’re talking about?”

“Probably. Did you see Applejack at the rodeo this past week?”

Braeburn slapped his forehead. “I knew I forgot something! Why do ya ask?”

“I think something happened at the rodeo that made Applejack stay away from Ponyville. My guess is she must’ve lost.”

“Naw, that can’t be it. Applejack may be stubborn, but losing a contest isn’t gonna keep her away.”

“You misunderstood. The town hall is falling apart back in Ponyville, and everypony had high hopes for AJ to win this rodeo so she can use the prize money to fix the roof.”

“Oh...well, that might be the problem, but did ya try askin’ her why she won’t come back?”

“She’s staying quiet for some reason. She won’t even talk to us, her friends. ”

“How about I talk to her? We Apple cousins are always open to each other. I've got important work to do today, but I can swing by tomorrow, if that's alright with ya.”

“That's fine. Come by the farm tomorrow morning, and we'll see.”

“Will do.”

I headed back to the farm. The girls looked like they were caught in the middle of a cherry pie war. And Applejack was absent.

“I guess it didn’t go well?” I asked.

Twilight wiped her face. “Not really. Applejack still won’t tell us what’s going on.”

“That’s why we’re gonna use Pinkie Pie to force Applejack to confess!” Rainbow said.

“Ah, I see,” I said.

Later we watched Applejack buck cherries from a cherry tree. We were far enough that she didn’t see us.

“Okay, Pinkie,” Twilight whispered as she handed Pinkie a cup of coffee. “Go wild.”

“Okie dokie loki,” Pinkie replied. She quickly took a sip of the cup and pronked down the hill.

Rainbow quickly put on earplugs.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to give the hyper pony coffee?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, it’s mocha,” Rarity said. “As long as it’s not a double espresso, we’re fine.”

We watched as Pinkie joined Applejack with bucking cherries. Then came her “chimicherrychanga” speech. Even though the girls found it annoying, I found it funny. After only a minute of hearing Pinkie talk non-stop, Applejack had enough.

“Make it stop, make it stop!” Applejack pleaded.

Rainbow quickly covered Pinkie’s mouth. “The only way to make it stop is for you to spill the beans!”

“Never!”

Rainbow uncovered Pinkie’s mouth, and Pinkie went, “ Speaking of beans, did you ever realize how many words rhyme with 'beans'? Lean, mean, spleen, unclean, bean—”

“Alright, alright! I'll tell everypony what's goin' on! Just please stop talkin'!” yelled Applejack. “But... can it wait 'til tomorrow at breakfast? I'm plum tuckered out.”

“Do you Pinkie promise?”

“I will tell you the whole truth at breakfast. Pinkie promise.”

This made me feel uneasy. It’s not wise to break a Pinkie promise, and Applejack knew it. Sure, she technically didn’t have breakfast before she ran away, but Pinkie was still peeved.

That night, we all tucked in at Cherry's house. I still needed to figure out how to get Applejack to stay and tell the truth. But I was too tired to think, so I went to sleep and hoped that I’ll get up early to stop her.

“In conclusion, while Project SSCS-6000 may sound good on paper, the data proves that we cannot move forward on this project. Thank you.”

The applause echoed across the meeting room.

“Thank you, Mr. Smith,” a man in his mid-fifties said. This was my boss, Clyde Johnson. He’s been the CEO of PaperTinc for over twenty years. “You may sit down.”

I nodded and went back to my seat.

Mr. Johnson then stood up and cleared his throat. “Now, then. Next item of business: Interdimensional Travel.”

The meeting room was filled with confused comments.

“Now, this may sound far-fetched to you,” Mr. Johnson continued, “but believe it or not, it is possible to travel from one universe to another.”

I raised my hand.

“Go ahead, David.”

“While I won’t dispute the possibility that there are multiple universes besides our own, sir,” I said, “isn’t this a topic more suitable for the scientists at NASA corporation? With all due respect, we’re only office workers, so how are we involved in this?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Mr. Johnson replied. “Yes, it’s true that this sci-fi topic is outside our area of expertise, but it just so happens that someone here has actually had first hand experience. Isn’t that right, David Smith? Or should we call you ‘Spike the Dragon’?”

My eyes widened. I was at a loss for words. Everyone was looking at me like I just insulted my boss.

“I cannot confirm or deny this, Mr. Johnson,” I replied. “However, what made you come to this conclusion?”

“When you were discussing your ‘dream’ with your co-workers, I couldn’t help but overhear certain details that didn’t quite add up. I made a few calls and confirmed that you have, indeed, been the first human to ever travel to alternate dimensions.”

“It’s strange, really.”

“I know this might sound like something out of a movie, but it’s the truth. You can give them a call yourself if you still doubt me.”

“No, not that. It’s strange that...I don’t remember telling anyone about my dream. In fact...I don’t remember coming back to this world.”

Just as I said that, my eyes shot wide open. I looked around the room. It was a rustic bedroom covered with cherry decals. I was back at the cherry farm in Dodge Junction.

That was another dream?

I checked the clock resting on the nightstand. It read 6:20. Twilight was still sleeping. Since I was already wide awake, I hopped out of bed and did some stretches.

I should probably see if Applejack left.

I quietly exited the room and walked down the hall. Suddenly, I saw Applejack closing her bedroom door. She was wearing her saddle bags.

“Hey, Applejack,” I said.

“YAAH!!” Applejack yelped. “Er, Spike! Yer up mighty early.”

“I would say the same about you, Applejack. Where are you going?”

“N-Nowhere! I’m going nowhere.”

“You’re a bad liar, Applejack. If you’re going ‘nowhere’, why are you wearing your saddle bags?”

“Uh, look!” Applejack pointed at something behind me. “It’s the gals!”

“You think I’d fall for something like that?”

“I didn’t think so.” Applejack quickly grabbed a nearby vase and threw it at me. “Catch!”

“Hey!” I quickly caught the vase without it shattering. By the time I placed it on the floor, Applejack slammed her bedroom door shut. “Applejack!” I banged on the door. “Open this door!”

I heard the sound of furniture being knocked over. Wasting no time, I rammed my body against the door. It barely budged. I tried again, but achieved the same result.

Stupid small body!

Quickly, I decided for plan B. I took a step back and breathed calmly. With all my might, I drove my foot right next to the doorknob. The door smashed open, knocking the furniture that was poorly used to barricade it all over the room.

“Here’s Spikey!” I shouted.

The room was empty. The window next to the bed was wide open. Applejack must’ve escaped through there.

“Dang it!”

Then something caught my eye. It was Applejack’s rope. She must’ve forgotten it. Quickly, I threw it across my shoulder, and then I grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a note on it.

“Applejack left without having breakfast!
I’m going after her!
Sorry about the door.
Be right back!

-Spike”

I left the note on the door and dashed out of the barn.

It didn’t take long for me to hurry to the train station. I saw Applejack frantically waiting for the train.

“Applejack!” I shouted. “Get back here!”

Applejack gasped and jumped onto a carriage.

“Giddy up, fellas, I gotta get the heck out of Dodge!” Applejack commanded.

The stagecoach took off in a flash. I couldn’t run fast enough to stop her. Just when I was about to give up, I saw…

“Braeburn! Over here!” I shouted.

“Well, howdy, Spike,” Braeburn greeted as he approached me. “Ain’t you an early bir—?”

“No time for chatting!” I jumped on Braeburn’s back. “Follow that stagecoach! Hiya!”

Braeburn neighed loudly and chased after the stagecoach.

“Ya couldn’t wait for another?!” Braeburn asked.

“This one has somepony I need!” I replied.

Braeburn galloped as hard as he could as we slowly approached the wagon. I slowly stood up and prepared to make a lasso.

“Keep it up, Braeburn!” I said. “If I fall, keep chasing her!”

“I hope ya know what yer doin’!” he replied.

I swung the lasso around and around. After a couple of tosses, I got the rope around Applejack.

“What in tar—”

I tugged with great force and yanked Applejack right off the carriage! She tumbled across the ground as her hat flew off and her saddlebags spilled its contents.

“Woah!” I said to Braeburn. He quickly stopped.

I hopped off and quickly tied AJ’s arms and legs together.

“Now I’m startin’ to regret teachin’ ya how to lasso,” Applejack groaned.

“Boy howdy, that’s a lotta ribbons!” Braeburn said as he picked up Applejack’s saddlebags. “If only I could’ve been at the rodeo to see ya!”

“I guess ya both know the truth now.”

“What do ya mean?”

“Check for any blue ribbons,” I said.

Braeburn brushed the dirt off of every ribbon he could find, and he even looked inside Applejack’s bags. All to no avail.

“I can’t see any,” Braeburn shrugged.

Applejack sighed. “I came in fourth, third, even second, but I didn't win one first prize, and I certainly didn't win any prize money.”

“Is that what this is all about?”

“Let’s take you back to the girls,” I said. I picked up Applejack and placed her on Braeburn’s back.

“I can walk, Spike,” Applejack said. “Just untie me.”

“It’s fine, cuz. I've carried heavier,” Braeburn said.

After collecting AJ's hat, ribbons, and bags, we headed back to Cherry’s farm. The girls were sitting at the front porch.

“Look! It’s Braeburn!” Twilight called out. “And it looks like Spike and Applejack are with him!”

“Finally! We can eat breakfast!” Rainbow said.

“I’ve fetched this wanted mare for ya, ladies,” I said as I hopped off Braeburn. “I make a pretty good bounty hunter, don’t I?”

“Good job, Clint Easthoof,” Twilight giggled as she rolled her eyes.

I untied Applejack and gave her hat back. Later, we ate a big breakfast. Applejack finally told us all about why she didn’t come back and why she stayed in Dodge Junction.

“I came here because I wanted to earn some money,” Applejack said. “After that big ol' send off Ponyville gave me, I just didn't have the nerve to come home empty-hooved. I couldn't come home a failure.”

“Applejack, you’re not a failure,” Twilight said.

“And we're your friends!” Rainbow Dash said. “We don't care if you came in fiftieth place! You're still number one in our books.”

“So, ya ain’t mad or disappointed at me?” Applejack asked.

We all shook our heads.

“But what about the mayor?” Applejack asked. “I don't think I can face her and tell her I didn't get that money to fix the broken roof.”

“Applejack, we can always find a way to fix that hole in the roof,” Fluttershy replied. “But if you don't come back, we'll never be able to fix the hole in our hearts.”

We all shared a group hug. Later that day, we took the train back to Ponyville. Everypony was relieved to have Applejack back. Since Applejack didn’t have the prize money, the mayor started a donation box. It wasn’t until a few days later that we’ve gotten enough to fix the roof.

As for Muff—er...Derpy, she was relieved of weather control duties, but at least she could focus more on her other job: working at the post office.

Chapter 28 (Hearth's Warming Eve)

The next couple of months were rather uneventful, despite the fact we’ve gone from fall to winter already. But once the Hearth’s Warming Eve decorations were up, that’s when things have gotten interesting.

I’ve always been a fan of Christmas. The cool decorations, the joyful songs, the exchanging of gifts. I know I sound sappy about this, but it was truly a holiday I enjoyed.

It was only a couple of weeks before this holiday when Twilight and I got a letter from Princess Celestia. She invited us to act in this year’s pageant. We both couldn’t say no at that. Right after we accepted, the Princess sent us our scripts. I was going to be the narrator, while Twilight was going to be Clover the Clever, Princess Platinum's royal advisor and Star Swirl the Bearded’s apprentice. This was when the episode “Hearth’s Warming Eve” took place, but there was nothing I could change.

“Did you know back then, mares played the roles of stallions?” Twilight asked me. “It was because most stallions were either training in the army or working at their shops, so finding those who can act was pretty seldom in those days. It wasn’t until much later that stallion actors became more common.”

“But there’s still female actors playing male roles today, like you acting as Clover,” I said.

“I said more common, not as common.”

“That’s really interesting, though. What about those scenes that involved kissing?”

“They were just stage kisses.”

It took us a few days for us to remember our respective lines. About a week before Hearth’s Warming Eve, the girls and I hopped onto the train to Canterlot.

“Now, remember, Spike,” Twilight said. “We’ll be arguing in the play, but these are fake arguments. So don’t lose your temper, okay? This is a rare opportunity for us, and we don’t want to mess it up.”

“I know, Twilight. I know,” I said. "Not all arguments anger me."

We arrived at Canterlot in a flash. After admiring the city's decorations, we headed to the theater to suit up for the play.

Something I’ve always wondered in the show was those windigos. Did they actually appear in the play, or was it just special effects? I guessed my answer would come soon.

I slipped into my “narrator uniform.” It felt slightly uncomfortable, but I knew I wasn’t going to wear it for long.

“The play starts in two minutes, girls!” I called out. I saw the girls arguing, and I kept my cool. “Nice argument! Very convincing!”

I hurried to the front of the stage. I adjusted my outfit, and the curtains opened.

I cleared my throat and said in a British accent, “Once upon a time, long before the peaceful rule of Celestia and Luna, and even before ponies discovered our beautiful land of Equestria, ponies did not know harmony. It was a strange and dark time. A time when ponies were torn apart by hatred!”

Gasps filled the room.

I stepped closer to the audience. “During this frightful age, there were the three tribes: the pegasi, the unicorns, and the earth ponies. They all cared not for what befell the other tribes, but only for their own welfare. In those troubled times, as what we call it now, the pegasi were the stewards of the weather. But they demanded something in return: food that could only be grown by the earth ponies.”

I stepped aside and watched as the ponies unveiled what I narrated. The special effects were almost unrealistic, but this was a play, not a movie.

I continued, “The unicorns demanded the same, in return for magically bringing forth day and night. And so, mistrust between the tribes festered until, one fateful day, it came to a boil. And what prompted the ponies to clash? It was a mysterious blizzard that overtook the land, and it toppled the tribes' precarious peace.”

Fake snow fell onto the stage.

I clenched my fist. “The earth ponies were freezing. The pegasi were hungry. The unicorns were both freezing and hungry. Even their magic was powerless against the storm. Each tribe blamed the others for their suffering, and the angrier everypony grew, the worse the blizzard became. It was then decided that a grand summit would be held to figure out a way to cope with the blizzard.”

The scene changed to the interior of an old building. There were paintings of angry ponies on the top half looking over a balcony. A table and chairs were placed in the middle of the stage.

“Each tribe sent their leaders. Daughter of the unicorn king: Princess Platinum.”

Rarity appeared on stage wearing a purple crown and cape.

“Ruler of the pegasi, Commander Hurricane.”

Rainbow Dash showed up in black armor.

“And finally, leader of the earth ponies, Chancellor Puddinghead.

Pinkie Pie pronked onstage wearing a noble outfit.

“Perhaps the three tribes could finally settle their differences, and agree on a way to get through this disaster.”

Sadly, this was not the case. Platinum, Puddinghead, and Hurricane argued non-stop and kept blaming each other for the lack of food and bad weather.

This is just a fake argument. This is just a fake argument. This is just a fake argument…

After the leaders were done arguing, I took a deep breath and continued my narrating.

“So the summit of the tribes did not turn out as well as hoped, and the three leaders returned home to lick their wounds.”

The background changed to a cloudy setting similar to Cloudsdale. Rainbow reappeared on stage.

“Attention!” Rainbow shouted.

Fluttershy, who was dressed as Private Pansy, trotted nervously on stage. I was surprised she was able to do it given how she reacts to being in front of a large crowd.

“Well? Aren't you curious about how it went?” Rainbow frimly asked Fluttershy.

Fluttershy saluted. “Oh! Commander Hurricane, sir! How did it go, sir?”

“Horribly! Those other tribe leaders are so disrespectful! Don't they realize that we are a mighty tribe of warriors, and should not be crossed? We have got to break ranks with those weak foals!”

Rainbow and Fluttershy left the stage. The backdrop turned into a royal hallway similar to the one in the Canterlot Castle. Rarity entered the stage shivering.

“Clover the Clever! I need you!” Rarity called out.

Twilight entered wearing a brown, hooded robe. She handed Rarity a towel.

“Yes, your Majesty,” Twilight said. “Did the other pony tribes see reason as I predicted?”

“Those other tribes are impossible! I, for one, can no longer bear to be anywhere near those lowly creatures. The unicorns are noble and majestic. We will no longer consort with the likes of them!”

If only they had a dragon with them...

Next, it was Pinkie’s and Applejack’s turn to enter. The scene changed to a fireplace. Applejack showed up on stage as usual, while Pinkie entered through the chimney like Santa Claus.

“Wouldn't it have been easier to use the door, Chancellor?” Applejack asked.

“Maybe for you, Smart Cookie” Pinkie replied. “But I am a chancellor. I was elected because I know how to think outside the box. Which means I can also think inside the chimney. Can you think inside a chimney? I didn't think so.”

Applejack rolled her eyes.

Pinkie wiped the ash from her face and gasped. “Hold on to your hooves! I am just about to be brilliant! I have decided that the earth ponies are gonna do it alone!”

Applejack bit her lower lip. “Ya mean the other tribes didn't come around? Shoot. I really thought we could get through to 'em if we—”

Pinkie interrupted her. “Don't worry about them. We're the ones with all the food, right?”

“Actually, we're all out.”

“Fine, then we'll have to go somewhere new where we can grow some new food. And with me as our fearless leader, what could go wrong?”

Pinkie as a ruler in real life would be kinda scary, and that’s if she’s not an alicorn.

“So the three rulers, along with their assistants, decided to journey along to find new land to claim." I said to the audience. "Each leader encountered obstacles along the way, but eventually, they all arrived in a new and wondrous land. Nopony had ever seen a paradise like this before.”

The backdrop of the new land dropped down from above. By sheer coincidence, all the leaders have found what was going to be future Equestria. They were not amused by the fact that the other leaders have arrived. They’ve argued with each other once more, and fake snow fell once again.

“And so, the paradise that the ponies had found was soon lost, buried beneath a thick blanket of snow and hard feelings. It was just like their respective land back home. Everypony had been forced to seek shelter. They searched high and low, but the only shelter for miles was a cold and desolate cave. And, of course, the three tribes had to share it, and nopony was happy about that.”

The background was changed to the interior of a cave. Like in the show, everypony kept arguing. Soon, snow fell once again on stage. Fake ice, which was just cardboard cutouts of ice, was placed in front of Platinum, Hurricane, and Puddinghead. Cardboard cutouts of windigos hung from above.

So it was just special effects. Good to know.

“My mentor Star Swirl the Bearded taught me about the windigos,” Twilight said. “They're winter spirits that feed off fighting and hatred. The more hate the spirit feels, the colder things become!”

“Then...this is our fault,” Applejack said. “We three tribes...we brought this blizzard to our home by fightin' and not trustin' each other. Now it's destroyin' this land, too.”

“And now our bodies will become as cold as our hearts. All because we were foolish enough to hate.”

Fake ice appeared in front of Clover, Pansy, and Cookie. They talked about how they liked each other. Clover’s horn glowed and out came a heart of fire. And this wasn’t a prop. The fake ice disappeared. The group realized that the heart was formed from them all joining together in friendship.

I continued my narration. “All through the night, the three ponies kept the fire of friendship alive by telling stories to one another and by singing songs, which of course became the winter carols that we all still sing today. Eventually, the warmth of the fire and singing and laughing reached the leaders, and their bodies began to thaw. And it even began to melt their hearts.”

The fake ice disappeared from Hurricane, Puddinghead, and Platinum as well.

“The three leaders agreed to share the beautiful land, and live in harmony ever afterwards. And together, they named their new land...”

“Equestria!” the girls and I announced in unison. The Equestrian flag was placed in the center of the stage.

Ater we sang the song, the crowd gave us a round of applause.

We all went backstage to remove our costumes. Soon, I saw the girls arguing about the open window.

“Hey! HEY!” I yelled. “Stop practicing! The play’s over!”

“Uh...we weren’t…” Rainbow started to say, but the roar of a windigo interrupted her. “You know what? I got it.”

Rainbow quickly closed the window. We were honored to star in the Hearth’s Warming play. I bet Celestia enjoyed watching us. She does have a thing for theatre after all.

Chapter 29 (No canon episode this time)

Hearth’s Warming Eve came and went so soon. It kinda felt like the Christmas I had back in the human world.

One of the gifts I got for Twilight was a book. I didn’t know if she had this topic in the library, but at least she’ll have a spare if she did. Twilight also got a book for me as well. It was called “Ogres and Oubliettes Manual. 6th ed.”

“You’ve always had an interest in it ever since that time with Shining Armor,” Twilight said. “I was thinking you might give it a try yourself.”

“Thanks Twilight. Boy, I remember this game. I can never forget the time I tried to flirt with one of the bosses, and a natural 20 made her my girlfriend for the rest of the session.”

“Yeah, Shining Armor said this never happened before, but somehow you’ve had the Mare of Luck on your side.”

“Heh, yeah. Thanks, Twilight.”

We both shared a hug.

Right after Twilight left the room, a sudden realization hit me.

It happened again! I knew something before the events of the first episode! What’s going on? Is it possible...that the old Spike is still here?

I quickly shook my head. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I shouldn’t worry about it.

I decided to read the book Twilight gave me. It told all about different skills, monsters, and weapons. To be honest, I wasn’t that into DnD back in the human world. I only played one session, and somehow I died before my group entered the first dungeon. Even then, I wasn’t that big of a nerd to play another session. Still, since it was in-character for Spike to like this stuff, I might as well get into it. Hopefully, I can get Big Mac to play with me.

“Wow! Spike! Look at the snow!” Twilight called out.

I looked out the window. The pegasi really did a spectacular job with the winter weather. Unlike the blizzard the windigos did in the play, the snow drifted gently onto the ground, creating a nice, soft blanket.

I took this opportunity to explore Ponyville. After putting my scarf, hat, and boots on, I exited the library and strolled down the road. The buildings around me had looked so different thanks to the snow. Most stalls in the marketplace were either empty or replaced with in-season sundries. I looked up and watched as each tiny snowflake fell from the sky.

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I came to this world. It must’ve been over six months now. Seven at most. And I’ve done so much for myself and for the girls.

Looking back, I have done a significant amount of changes. Moondancer didn’t become a hermit, Dusty Pages retired without her or Twilight’s reputation shattered, Celestia got experience in acting, Luna adapted to modern Equestria without problems, the Grand Galloping Gala didn’t end in a complete disaster, and so much more. I don’t care what Discord says, I definitely made a difference.

“Spike! Over here!” a filly’s voice shouted. I turned to see Applebloom waving at me. She was with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. “We’re gonna play in the snow! Wanna join us?”

Why not? I’ve been given a chance to be a physical kid again. I don’t want it to go to waste. I’ve got a while before Winter Wrap-up happens.

“Sure thing, girls,” I said. I hurried to join them with their games.

We built snow-ponies first. We used an old scarf and rocks to decorate it.

“I remember reading a book about how a snowpony came to life when somepony put a hat on them,” I said. “It’s a shame we don’t have one.”

“You must’ve read a different version of the book,” Scootaloo said. “The one I’ve read said it was a magic scarf.”

“Huh. I could’ve sworn it was a hat.”

“‘There must’ve been some magic in that old silk scarf they found,” Sweetie Belle sang. “For when they placed it on his head, he started to dance around.’ You never heard of the song?”

I shrugged. “Maybe I misremembered. I don’t hear that song as often as the other Hearth’s Warming Eve songs. What are your favorites, anyway?”

“‘Carol of the Bells,’” Sweetie Belle replied. “Despite its tone, it’s really uplifting and wishes everypony a Happy Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

“Mine would have to be ‘Sleigh Ride,’” Scootaloo said. “I never actually rode one before, but the song makes it sound fun.”

“I guess mine’s ‘Grandma got flirted by a reindeer,’” said Applebloom. “Funny enough, it’s also Granny Smith’s favorite, too.”

“What’s it about?” I asked. “I don’t think I’ve heard about that one either. How does it go?”

“Oh! I know this one,” Sweetie Belle squeaked. She then cleared her throat and started singing.

“Grandma got flirted by a reindeer,
Walking from our house Hearth’s Warming Eve.
You can say the Gift Givers are a legend,
But as for me and Grandpa, we believe.”

“I kinda forgot how the rest of the melody went,” Sweetie said, “but the lyrics are about how the grandma leaves with a reindeer on Hearth’s Warming Eve, but in the end, she comes back to her family because her love for them is much stronger than her love for the reindeer.”

“That’s...very uplifting,” I said.

Certainly better than the lyrics the human world had…

Our next activity was snowball fighting. We split into two teams. Scootaloo and I were on one team, and Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were on the other. We quickly set up our forts.

“This fort should hold nicely,” I said.

Scootaloo nodded. Suddenly a snowball smacked her right across her face.

“The first shot has been fired!” I shouted. “Prepare to attack!”

Scootaloo and I hurried behind our snow fortress. We quickly stocked up on snowballs. I tossed one of them at the opposing fortress.

“Ah!” Applebloom’s voice was a sign I got her.

“It. Is. On!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. She quickly threw a snowball right back at us with great force. I was able to dodge it with pure luck.

“Ha! Ha! Missed me!” I teased.

Scootaloo tossed a snowball, but missed completely. She tried once more and managed to hit Sweetie Belle.

We continued pelting each other teams with snowballs until our arms were tired. After taking a break, we got out the sleds and literally headed for the hills.

Sledding was one of my favorite winter activities. Riding down the steep slopes felt so thrilling, making it worth every trek up the hill.

“Woo-hoo!” I shouted as I sledded down. “I haven’t had this much fun since I was young!”

“You still are young!” Scootaloo called out.

I lost count how many times I slid down the hill. It was probably more than double digits, I’m sure.

“Boy, that sure was fun,” I said after we were done. “It was better than in Canterlot, I’m sure.”

“What was it like sleddin’ in Canterlot?” Applebloom asked.

I shrugged. “It was alright. The problem was most of the streets were too flat to sled down, so Shining, Twilight, and I had to make our own hills of snow, which weren’t very high. One time, we thought about sledding down the roof of our house, but it was quickly shot down by our parents.”

“That happened to me once. I tried goin’ down the roof of our shed one time, but I kinda owed the family a new roof after that.”

“Ouch.”

“What is life like in Canterlot, anyway?” Sweetie Belle asked me. “Rarity never stops talking about how she wants to live there. Do you chat with any high-class ponies during the day?”

“Not really. Twilight spent most of her days studying and reading books, and I usually assisted her.”

“So you never actually had any high-class experience? Eating caviar? Wearing suits? Attending fancy parties?”

“None that I can remember. Except the Grand Galloping Gala, of course.”

“To be honest, when you said you and Twilight were from Canterlot,” Scootaloo said, “we thought you’d act more...snobbish.”

“Goes to show you can’t judge someone based on their social standings,” I said.

After we’ve done as much sledding as we could, it was getting late. The CMC and I parted ways and headed home.

Once I arrived home, I poured myself some hot chocolate and sat by the fireplace. I heard hoofbeats approaching. My body was wrapped with a blanket.

“Did you have fun out there?” Twilight asked.

“I sure did,” I replied. I took a sip from my cup. “The snow is much more enjoyable here than in Canterlot. Especially when you’re sledding.”

Twilight sat down next to me. “Yeah, I agree. Sledding in Canterlot was pretty boring, even with that roof incident. Maybe tomorrow we can try one of the hills here.”

“I already did some sledding today, but I don’t mind doing it again.”

Twilight and I shared a hug. Winter may not have been my favorite season, but I still enjoyed the snow days.

Chapter 30 (Winter Wrap Up)

The rest of the winter wasn’t interesting, with the exception to the New Year’s party, of course. Believe it or not, Equestria marks years similar to my human world. So, after my first Equestrian New Year’s, the year was 2011, meaning it was 2010 when I first came to Equestria. I didn’t know how long the events of the entire series lasted (excluding the finale), but I doubt it was around nine years like in real time.

Twilight and I had our own New Year's tradition. We dropped a ball from the stairs next to a yardstick to see how it'll bounce, and the amount of inches would indicate what kind of year we would get. If the ball reaches an even number, we’ll get a good year. If it reaches an odd but divisible number, we’ll get an average year, but the lowest number it’s divisible by would indicate what month would be the best for us. If it reaches a prime number, we’ll get a bad year. If it reaches a number divisible by 10, it means a big change will be coming for one of us.

“Okay, Spike. Let it go!” Twilight called out.

I nodded and dropped the ball. Since I was on the stairs, I couldn’t tell how high the ball bounced, but Twilight had a camera. She took a picture right when the ball reached its peak.

“Okay, the picture’s printing...and now!” Twilight took the photo and placed it on the table. “And here it comes...Dear Celestia!”

“What is it?”

“30 inches! Exactly 30 inches! That means something big is gonna happen to one of us!”

“Really? Let me see!” I hurried down the steps and looked at the photo. Sure enough, the ball did reach the 30-inch mark. “I can’t believe it! So who’s gonna get the big change?”

“I don’t know, Spike, but whatever it is, it’s gonna be big.”

“There’s something that’s been bothering me, though. How come you believe in a bouncing ball telling the future, but not a twitchy earth pony? Honestly, this feels like something Pinkie Pie would do.”

“I guess I didn’t tell you about this. You see, it all started long before you were hatched. The day after New Year’s I was playing with a ball when I accidentally bounced it down the stairs. It hit a wall and went right over the railing. My parents scolded at me for playing ball in the house, but my brother noticed that it bounced near our height chart at exactly 50 inches. A few months later, we got a new babysitter, who Shining Armor and I instantly liked at the start.”

“Princess Cadance?”

“Yep. At first, we thought it was just a coincidence, but a few years later, it happened again. I dropped the ball from the stairs so Shining Armor could catch it, and this time it bounced 40 inches. That same year, I was accepted into Celestia’s school, and you were hatched. That’s when we decided that the ball’s bounce could predict the future.”

“Amazing. But how did you determine what the other numbers meant?”

“A year after you were born, the ball bounced only 43 inches. We thought nothing spectacular would happen, but we were wrong.” Twilight bit her lip. “Unfortunately, our favorite donut shop had to be closed all summer that year.”

“Infestation?”

“Broken glass.”

“Ouch.”

“That’s not the worse part. It was caused by Shining Armor, no less. He accidentally spilled his drink on the floor, and when he tried to clean it up himself, he slipped and fell head-first into the display counter. We had to take him to the hospital after that. He didn’t have any major injuries or a concussion, but he had a lot of scrapes over his body. He wore bandages for months. We weren't banned from the place, but we didn’t come back until after Hearth’s Warming Eve that year.”

“Sweet Celestia!”

“As for the other numbers, one year the ball reached 63. In March that year, you said your first word and learned how to walk. Another year, the ball reached 42, and I aced all of my courses in Celestia’s school for the first time. Since then, we've always dropped a ball after New Year's to determine the future. And I had data to back up its reliability."

“Wow. But did we use the same ball?”

“Not really. The ball would get too deflated to bounce sometimes, so we just buy a new one each year to use.”

I still couldn’t believe this was a family tradition for Twilight's family. Then again, I never noticed New Year’s happening in the show before.

“Spike, wake up! Wake up! Wake up! It’s Winter Wrap Up Day!”

“Huh?” I slowly but surely woke up. “What?”

“Winter Wrap Up!” Twilight repeated as she turned on the blinding lights. “Tomorrow’s the first day of spring. So everypony in Ponyville needs to clean up winter. Now help me get ready!”

“Clean up winter?”

I soon realized this was the “Winter Wrap Up” episode. After what seemed like a short winter, spring was right around the corner. In the show, Twilight would try to help her friends, but she didn't have the skills she needed to give them a hand. I doubt there was anything major I could change.

"Ponyville was started by Earth ponies," Twilight said as she adjusted the saddle on her back. "So for hundreds of years, they've never used magic to clean up winter. It's traditional."

"Wait, Granny Smith said that her family established Ponyville when she was a filly," I pointed out. "I'm not an expert on pony biology, but I don't think a non-alicorn pony can live for centuries."

"Okay, so I'm exaggerating." Twilight put on her scarf and read her checklist. "Scarf? Check. Saddle? Check. Boots? Check. Spike pointing out an inconsistency? Check. It's a good thing I'm so organized, I'm ready."

"Isn't it a bit too early to start?" I said as I lied back down.

"I told you, Spike. Spring is tomorrow. We have to clean up winter today, or…"

"I meant timewise. It's 5 a.m." I pulled the covers over my head.

Twilight looked at the cuckoo clock on the wall. "Oh. I guess I'm a little too early."

Two hours later, we got up for real this time, did our morning routines, and headed for town hall.

“Those must be the team vests Rarity designed,” Twilight said as we passed some ponies. “Blue for the weather team, green for the plant team, and tan for the animal team. I wonder which team vest we'll be wearing.”

“Do they even allow dragons to participate?” I asked. “I doubt dragons were on friendly terms with earth ponies back in the days.”

As we approached the town hall, the mayor gave us a rousing speech and hoped that we would clean up winter as fast as possible. After everypony dispersed, Twilight was left confused.

“Oh gosh, where should I go?” Twilight asked. “I'm not sure where I fit in. What exactly does everypony do?”

That’s when everypony sang. Once again, there was no background music, but Twilight and I joined anyway. "Winter Wrap Up" was one of my favorite songs from the show. After the song ended, Twilight and I approached Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, hey Twilight and Spike,” Dashie greeted. “What’s up?”

“What are you doing?” Twilight asked.

“Sending off one of my flight crews to retrieve the birds that have flown south for the winter.”

“Oh, can I help? How about if I help clear out the clouds?”

“Uh, Twilight? I don’t think you can fly without magic.”

“Oh, right. No wings.”

Give it time, Twilight. Give it time.

“Sorry, Twilight.” Rainbow then dashed off.

“Great, now what do we do?” Twilight asked me. “Winter needs to be wrapped up, and I'm determined to do my part...somehow.”

We went to see Rarity, who was building a nest for the birds.

“Rarity, please tell me there's something I can help you with,” Twilight pleaded.

“Well, how would you like to help create Ponyville's finest birds' nests?” Rarity suggested.

Twilight agreed. Rarity handed her the supplies she needed, and Twilight instantly went to work. Sadly, like in the show, her nest-making skills left something to be desired. The end result was...less than perfect. Way less.

“There!” Twilight said. “It looks just like...yours...oh my.”

“I’m...sure the birds won’t know the difference,” I said. “A nest is a nest, right?”

“Spike! How could you say that?!” Rarity asked. “You’re lucky Fluttershy wasn’t in earshot. Most of the birds are very selective when it comes to their homes.” She then approached Twilight. “Don’t worry, darling. It's just a little rough around the edges. Let me lend you a hoof.”

Unfortunately, Rarity was too focused on fixing the nest. Twilight and I decided to look for somepony else.

We headed down to a lake to see Pinkie Pie skating. But it wasn’t just for fun. Since Pinkie was a pro at skating, she was assigned the job to cut lines in the ice so that it would break apart easily.

“You sure have a lot of work ahead of you, Pinkie,” Twilight said. “There's quite a few lakes in Ponyville.”

“Ha, tell me about it. Hey, Twilight, wanna help me out?” Pinkie asked.

“Would I?”

“Come on, put on those skates over there. I bet you'll be a natural too.”

Twilight did just that. However, she soon found the ice too slippery for her to balance, let alone skate.

“On second thought...” Twilight nervously said.

“Come on, Twilight. There’s a first time for everything,” I said. “You gotta play your part in Winter Wrap Up somehow.”

I gave Twilight a big shove as she slid across the ice. While I did find it funny how Twilight struggled to gain control on the ice, I soon realized what would happen next. Twilight rammed into Pinkie, and both of them were coming straight at me. With quick thinking, I dove out of the way right as the girls zipped past me. The two then slammed into a tree, knocking the snow off and turning them into a snow pony.

“Are you girls alright?” I hurried up to them as they shook the snow off their bodies.

“Twilight, you did a great job your first time around,” said Pinkie Pie. “I'm sure my first time was just as wobbly and bobbly and crasheriffic as yours.”

“Really?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie thought about it. “...No. But did I make you feel better?”

“Y-Yeah, I guess.”

Pinkie then suggested that we should go see Fluttershy. After Twilight took off her skates, she and I went to look for Fluttershy. In no time, we found her waking up a few critters.

“Awww, how cute,” Twilight said as some porcupines walked past her.

“Aren't they? This is my favorite task the whole season, when I get to see all my little animal friends again,” Fluttershy said.

“It must be really rough for you to wait until spring,” I said. “It’s a shame that neither ponies nor dragons can migrate or hibernate seasonally.”

“I know it is, but believe it or not, there are those who don’t mind winter. Deers, chickadees, rabbits, and more have their own ways to adapt to the cold just like us. Some grow thicker fur, while others change color to blend in from potential predators. The best part is even though food is scarce during the winter, there’s almost no competition from the animals that do hibernate or migrate.”

“That’s nice to know. I guess Angel doesn’t hibernate either?”

“Not really, but he does take frequent naps, and he gets cranky when he wakes up.”

How is that different from any other season?

Fluttershy looked at the other dens that still had sleeping animals. “Would you just look at all these warrens and dens?” She sighed. “I'm worried that I won't be able to wake up every animal before spring comes.”

“We can help you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said.

“You will? Oh, that would be wonderful.” Fluttershy handed us a bell each. “Just remember not to ring too loudly. We don’t want to give the animals a rude awakening.”

“We understand,” I said. “If someone woke me up with a loud noise, I would be pretty upset, too.”

Twilight rang a bell at a nearby den, while I did the same at one close by down the hill.

“Wake up, please,” I said softly into the burrow. “Spring is here. Time to wake up and smell the flowers.”

After I heard tiny footsteps approaching, I carefully backed away as the species exited their den. The species that came out was skunks. Unlike the cartoons, they didn’t smell terrible.

At least none of them are like that French skunk. I’m glad reality has a way to prove itself useful sometimes.

“Welcome,” I said to the striped family. “I hope you all had a good rest. I can promise you that spring will—”

“YAAHH!!” Twilight’s voice shouted.

“Excuse me a sec,” I said to the skunks. I quickly headed up the hill. “Twilight? What’s wro—?”

CRASH!!

Twilight slammed right into me, knocking us both over. I heard Fluttershy quickly approaching us.

“Twilight! Spike! Oh, are you two okay?!” Fluttershy asked.

“I will be once this unicorn gets off me!” I wheezed.

Twilight quickly jumped off and hid behind Fluttershy. I brushed myself off as I got up.

“What were you running from, Twilight?” I asked.

“Snakes! Snakes!” Twilight pointed at the den that had a bunch of snakes slithering out.

"Aw, good morning," Fluttershy greeted.

"How can she be friends with something so scary?"

You're one to talk, Daenerys Sparkle. Just wait until I’m an adult.

“M-M-Maybe we should find something else to do.” Twilight shivered. “Th-Thanks anyway, Fluttershy.”

We both said goodbye to Flutteshy and hurried out of the warrens. Twilight sighed with relief.

“All this Winter Wrap Up stuff is a lot harder than it looks,” said Twilight.

“Don’t feel bad, Twilight,” I said. “You’re just struggling a bit.”

“That’s an understatement.”

There was still one more friend we haven’t tried yet. It was Applejack. In the show, Twilight would try to use her magic to move the plow, but gets chewed out by Applejack. I did remember Spike suggested Twilight to use magic, but since I’m Spike now, I kept my mouth shut.

We arrived at the fields to where Applejack was leading the green vest group to plow the snow.

“Hey, Applejack,” Twilight greeted. “How’s everything going?”

“Oh, just dandy,” Applejack replied. “A little slow startin', but peachy all the same. There's a lot of ground to clear, ya hear? We can't even start the plantin' and the waterin' until we get all these heap a' snow hightailed outta here.”

Twilight offered to help, but Applejack was reluctant at first. Eventually, after some pleading form Twilight, Applejack had no choice but to accept it. So, Twilight hopped into the plow. She gave it a big push, but the plow stood firm. Twilight tried much harder, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t push the plow. Applejack shook her head.

“Here, let me try,” I said.

I slid down the hill and hopped into the plowing device. I stood in front of Twilight and pushed the bar with all my might. Soon, the plow started moving.

“Hah! There we go!” I shouted.

But that’s when I encountered another problem. Thanks to my short stature, I couldn’t see over the bar.

“Twilight, you need to tell me where to go,” I said.

“Okay...a little to the right...the right...your right!”

“We have the same rights, Twilight!” I called out as I steered right. “I can hear you. It’s a bit difficult to steer this thing.”

Twilight and I continued pushing the plow. Twilight gave me directions, and I followed. I noticed I’ve been making turns a lot.

“Okay, Spike, slow down,” Twilight said. I did just that, but the plow resisted. “Slow down. Slow down. Stop! Stop! STOP!”

I quickly dug my feet into the ground as I struggled to get the hunk of metal to decelerate. I heard Applejack yelping and diving out of the way. Thankfully, the plow stopped completely.

“Dang, boy!” Applejack called out. “Whatcha tryin’ to do? Scare the hat offa me?”

“I was just following Twilight's orders," I said as I peeked over the bar. "This thing is kind of hard to control."

“Sorry about that, Applejack,” Twilight nervously said. “But honestly, it feels like Spike was just doing all the work while I just stood by as a bystander.”

“Not true. You were giving me directions. I couldn’t see anything over the push bar. Without you, I could’ve crashed. We’re like a small team working together.”

“Yes, but anypony can give you directions, Spike.” Twilight sighed as she hopped out of the snowplow. “I need a moment.”

Twilight galloped away. I climbed out of the plow.

“Uh, Applejack? Are you sure the workers are plowing properly?” I asked.

“What do ya mean, Spike?” Applejack adjusted her hat. “They’re pushin’ the plows to move the snow. It's the quickest way without magic.”

“I mean, they’re all moving in different directions and adding more snow on paths they already plowed. Shouldn’t they all go in a straight line in the same direction?”

“Uh.” Applejack looked at fields and back to me. “I don’t know...”

“It’s not breaking tradition if you’re just changing tactics without magic, you know.”

“Well, we could—” Applejack looked up at the sky. “Oh, fer land’s sake! The sky’s still cloudy?! No wonder the snow’s not melted yet. I gotta go find Rainbow.” Applejack left for town hall. “See ya later, Spike.”

I needed to find somepony as well, so I followed Applejack. Eventually, I found Twilight sitting on a bench staring at the sky.

“There you are, Twilight,” I called out. “Why did you leave?”

Twilight sighed. “Because I wasn’t fit for the job. You were more qualified. They could’ve just made a smaller plow for you and you’d be all set. I'd like to have a position here, too, but I can’t do anything without my magic.”

“This is the first time we had to clean up winter without magic. I’m sure you’ll pick up the skills soon enough.”

“But no matter what I do, it always ends in a complete disaster. I can’t help Winter Wrap Up if I can’t skate, fly, build, wake, or plow. Magic is the only skill I got.”

“Not true. You’re pretty good at organizing...and giving directions. Neither of those require magic.”

“Well...”

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack yelled. “Y'all on the weather team need to melt the rest of the snow here on the ground and the trees, pronto.”

“Huh?”

Twilight and I looked to see Rainbow Dash and Applejack near town hall. Fluttershy quickly approached them.

“Wait,” Fluttershy pleaded. “My poor little animals' homes will get flooded if the snow melts too fast.”

“Hey! Hey! What’s going on here?!” I called out.

“These two are giving me mixed messages!” Rainbow Dash said. “Make up your minds! You want the snow to melt fast or slow?”

“Fluttershy, isn’t there a slightly faster way for you to wake the animals up?”

“Spike, waking animals up the right way takes time,” Fluttershy replied.

“What in Equestria are you all arguing about?!” The mayor called out. “This sort of silliness is why we were late for spring last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. I was hoping my amazingly inspirational speech would urge everyone to do better than last year, but now it looks like we're going to be later than ever. I mean, just look at this catastrophe! The ice scorers made the ice chunks too big to melt. The nest designer is horrendously behind. And don't get me started on all the clouds in the sky, the icicles on the trees. This isn't good, not at all!”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Dear Celestia, this town’s so chaotic during Winter Wrap Up, it makes Discord look like Twilight. Don’t you ponies ever hear of organization?”

“Do you have any ideas, Spike?” Rainbow asked.

I pointed to Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight, I don’t know if you have OCD or not,” I said. “But I do know you have a thing for things organized. That is just what Ponyville needs right now.”

Twilight thought for a moment and then said, “Spike, get my checklist and clipboard, STAT.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

I quickly hurried to the library and brought back the clipboard with the checklist. Thanks to Twilight’s organization skills, a lot of tasks were done almost immediately. The nests were made swiftly, the ice melted equally, the plowing and planting was made easily, the animals were awaken softly but quickly, the weather was changed drastically, and so much more. The next day, it was already spring. The mayor had granted Twilight the title “All-Team Organizer” for helping every team, and gave her a vest with all three colors.

Since I helped with the plowing a bit, I joined the plant team and got a small green vest. I could’ve joined the animal team with Fluttershy, but I knew building up strength could help me in the long run. Also, I didn't get a cold from sleeping on a melting ice block.

Chapter 31 (Hearts and Hooves Day & Sweet and Elite)

“Ah-CHOO!”

“Bless you, Spike,” Twilight said. “That was quite a sneeze.”

“Thank you.” I blew my nose. “I must be getting allergies.”

“I didn’t even know you’ve developed allergies while being here, and there aren’t any Dragon Sneeze trees around.”

“I guess my nose isn’t used to so much pollen.”

Spring was probably my least favorite season. I didn’t mind the warmer weather and the flowers blooming, but I had a terrible allergy to pollen back in the human world. I don’t know how it transferred to my dragon body, if it’s even an allergy at all.

“Say, Spike. Hearts and Hooves Day is right around the corner. Ever thought who your special somepony might be?”

I almost forgot that Hearts and Hooves Day was fast approaching. Like the dilemma I had for the Gala, I was stuck between Rarity and Fluttershy. While it’s true that I asked to join Fluttershy that night, I was a bit worried that I left Rarity by her lonesome. At least I dodged a bullet when she decided to talk to other ponies and not Blueblood. But if I do go for Rarity this time, I’m afraid to let Fluttershy down, which is something nopony or dragon should do.

That’s when I realized there was an episode occurring that day. In the show, the CMC would try to bring Cheerilee and Big Mac together, and they would go as far as to use a love poison to bring them together. I felt like that was a higher priority for me than deciding who my marefriend should be.

I shrugged. “I’ll just give both Rarity and Fluttershy chocolates.”

“That’s it? Nothing extravagant?”

“Nope.”

“Alright, then.”

I bought two boxes of chocolate three days before Hearts and Hooves Day. To be honest, I never celebrated Valentine’s Day in my world because I was never in a relationship. I talked to a few girls back in the human world, but we went as far as to being good friends.

Hearts and Hooves Day arrived so soon. I wrote Fluttershy’s and Rarity’s names on the chocolates. I then carried them with me. I first stopped at the Carousel Boutique. I knocked on the door, and Rarity answered.

“Spike, how wonderful to see you,” said Rarity.

“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day.” I handed Rarity the chocolates.

“Ooh, that looks divine. Thank you, Spikey Wikey.” She then planted a kiss on my cheek. I couldn't help but blush a bit.

Later, I visited Fluttershy’s cottage and gave her the other chocolates. Fluttershy thanked me. She kissed me on the other cheek, but she did more blushing than I did.

“I-I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy squeaked. “I really liked the gift, but I didn’t mean to go over—”

“That’s fine, Fluttershy,” I said. “I didn’t mind it.”

“Oh. Thanks again for the chocolates.”

“Don’t mention it.”

As I walked away, I rubbed the cheek Fluttershy kissed. My heart was filled with joy.

I can’t believe I got kissed by my favorite pony!

But then I realized the other important thing. I needed to find that love potion book and stop the CMC from forcing Big Mac and Cheerilee together. I don’t mind it when people ship two ponies together, but this wasn’t some sort of romance fanfic. I couldn’t tell when the CMC prepared the potion, but I knew when they decided to get Big Mac and Cheerilee together.

I hurried to the center of town and looked around. There, I spotted a familiar brown colt playing a game at an outdoor arcade.

“Button Mash!” I called out as I hurried to him. “I’m sorry for breaking your concentration, but has Sweetie Belle been here?”

“Not that I know of,” Button replied while keeping his eyes glued to the screen. “Sorry.”

“Thanks anyway.” I turned around and scratched my chin.

Okay...so that means…

“This one’s too young,” I heard a filly’s voice sing.

I turned around to see Sweetie Belle run off. Button had a confused look.

“Too young for what?” Button asked.

“Nevermind that,” I replied. “I’ve got some business to do.”

I quickly hurried back to the library. Twilight was sitting on a cushion reading a book.

“Hey, Twilight,” I greeted.

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight said without taking her eyes off the book. “Did the girls like your gifts?”

“Uh, yeah. They did.” I rubbed my cheeks. “What are you reading?”

“The origins of Hearts and Hooves Day. You see, it all started when a prince wanted to make a love potion for an alicorn, but he ended up making a love poison by mistake. So the two ponies got too deeply in love that their hometown was thrown into chaos by neither of them performing their royal duties. Thankfully, they were able to break the curse by being away for an hour, but the damage was already done.”

“So Hearts and Hooves Day was created to remind him not to do it again?”

“That’s right. Thankfully, he didn’t. A few months later, he and the princess started a relationship the normal way, and in a couple years they were married. Coincidentally, it was Hearts and Hooves day.”

“Say, could I read that book when you’re done? I’d like to learn more about the story.”

“Sure thing, Spike.”

After Twilight finished reading, she handed the book to me. I thanked her for it as she headed out.

At least I have the book with me just in case the CMC tries to find it.

I read through the book and found the recipe for the love poison. Just like in the show, the ingredients were a piece of cloud and the colors of a rainbow (literally) mixed quickly together with a pegasus’s feather. I continued reading and got to the part where the two ponies fell in love.

“But yet, such an unusual situation hath occurred that day," I read. "For when the two gazed upon each other's eyes, they couldn’t look away. The prince hath said, ‘Thou has't the most wondrous eyes the world hath ever seen.’ To which the princess replied, ‘thy compliment maketh me blush and sayeth...’”

“Spike! Are ya in here?!” a filly’s voice shouted.

I quickly looked up from the book to see the Cutie Mark Crusaders in the library.

“What do thou girls...I mean, you girls want?” I asked.

“Twilight said you have a book about a love potion,” Scootaloo said. “Can you lend that book to us?”

“No, I have a book about a love poison.”

“There’s a difference?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Yep.” I walked down the stairs. “According to the story, the prince was trying to make a love potion, but he made a love poison by mistake. As a result, both him and the princess kept staring at each other, which resulted in them failing to do their proper duties. Can you imagine what would’ve happened if it were to occur to two ponies here?”

The three fillies stared at each other.

“Well, maybe there’s a love potion recipe in the library,” Applebloom said.

Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle nodded. That gave me an idea.

“Say Sweetie Belle, have you noticed how you and Scootaloo look cute together?” I asked.

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle tilted her head.

“You two should consider dating. I know once you get a nudge in the right direction, you could become each other’s special somepony.”

“Spike, what are you talking about?” Scootaloo asked. It was clear she was weirded out by this.

“Maybe in a few weeks, you could become an official couple. I’m sure your families will happily support you both, and—”

“Spike, STOP!!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “We can’t be in love with each other! We’re fillies! Why are you forcing us to be together?! It’s...wait...”

“See? Doesn’t feel good, doesn’t it?” I asked. “You shouldn’t force Cheerilee and Big Mac together either. Let them decide their own special someponies. Big Mac may be shy, but he isn’t socially awkward. And Cheerilee doesn’t need one right away when she has lots of friends and students. You don’t have to have a lover to enjoy Hearts and Hooves Day.”

“Are you saying that because you don’t have one?” Scootaloo asked.

“Now that’s just hitting below the belt!” I retorted.

“What belt? You’re naked, Spike,” Sweetie Belle said.

“That’s not the point. Don't force relationships between two ponies. Nopony else is doing it to you. Just let fate decide what to do.”

“Wait a minute,” Applebloom said. “How did ya know we were tryin’ to bring Cheerilee and Big Mac together?”

“I heard Sweetie Belle singing about it in the town center,” I replied. "I'm not deaf."

Scootaloo sighed. “Let’s just go back to the clubhouse. Like Spike said, we'll just have to let Cheerilee and Big Mac decide who they should be with.”

The other girls agreed as they left the library.

“You know, you two could be cute together,” Applebloom said.

“Don’t you start!” Sweetie and Scoots shouted in unison.

At least that was one semi-crisis averted. Although, the worst damages I could think of is Rarity’s boutique getting its front door torn off and Big Mac subconsciously relocating somepony’s house.

“Ah-CHOO!”

“Bless you for the fifth time,” Twilight said. “Spike, are you sure you’re alright?”

“I’m fine!” I retorted as I blew my nose. “It’s just allergies, I assure you.”

“Doesn’t sound like allergies to me. Have you noticed your voice sounds different?”

“So what? Voices change all the time. I’m just getting older.”

“Trust me, your voice sounds deeper as you get older, not more nasally.” Twilight put a glove on and touched my forehead. “Yikes, you’re rather warm. Even for a dragon. I’m afraid you might be getting sick.”

“Sick?! I can’t get sick! Your birthday’s coming up! I can’t miss your party!”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry, Spike, but if this really is some sort of dragon flu, then it’s best if you stay in bed.”

Twilight picked me up with her magic and placed me inside my bed. She then noticed a red envelope on the bottom.

“What’s this?” Twilight pulled the unlicked envelope from under my bed. There was a card inside. She pulled it out and read it.

“Dear Twilight,
Happy Birthday!
From your number one assistant,
Spike”

“Oh, Spike. Thank you.” Twilight blew me a kiss.

“I wanted to give it to you on the day of your birthday, but I guess you got it early.”

“That doesn’t matter Spike. As long as I got it, it’s the thought that counts.”

I nodded. Suddenly, my stomach squeezed.

“Augh! Twilight!” I groaned.

“Oh no!” Twilight quickly poofed a bucket beside me. “Do what you need to do.”

I placed my head over the bucket, and fire came out of my mouth. What entered the bucket was a pink envelope.

“Are you good?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “It wasn’t vomit, though. I think you got a letter.”

Twilight picked up the envelope from the bucket.

“It’s addressed to ‘Twily,’” Twilight said. “Wait! I know who this is from!”

Twilight ripped the envelope open and pulled out the card.

“Dear Twily,
I wish you a Happy Birthday.
Sorry I couldn’t come to your party,
but I still wish you happiness and love.
From your BBBFF,
Shining Armor”

“Aww, how sweet,” Twilight said. “It has been a while since I’ve seen him. I wonder what he’s up to.”

“AH-CHOO!!”

Twilight quickly leapt away from me. “At least he doesn’t have to worry about a sick dragon.”

Sadly, due to my condition, I really did have to miss Twilight’s birthday. I wonder if that’s why the old Spike wasn’t present in “Sweet and Elite.” It had to have been that. Spike would never miss his own sister’s birthday, and Twilight wouldn’t forbid Spike to come.

But if he did contract a disease, how is it that I just happened to get it around the same time? I’ve acted significantly different from the old Spike. I’ve been going out and interacting with others more often than him, and yet I still get sick. Of course, I could just chalk it up to Discord’s sayings about not changing fate, but this was stretching it even for him.

Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do. I got sick, and now I have to miss Twilight’s birthday like in the show.

At least I didn’t get sick on my birthday.

That reminded me. I didn’t know when Spike’s exact birthday was, but I had to be careful when it does come around. I couldn’t succumb to greed, but I needed to figure out how. The last thing Ponyville needed was a makeover that looked like it was the set for the ending of a Godzilla movie.

“AH-CHOO!!”

“I’ll make you some soup, Spike. Don’t worry.” Twilight hurried to the kitchen.

“Thanks.”

For now, I would just wait until my body gets rid of this potential disease. At least it wasn’t that society-endangering virus back in my home world.

It was the day before Twilight’s birthday when she got a letter from Rarity. Rarity had been away to Canterlot the past few days, but she promised to come back in time for the party. Sadly, I already knew what the letter said without Twilight reading it.

“My dear Twilight,
I am afraid I won't be able to make it to your birthday party tomorrow because poor Opal is quite ill, and she is in no condition to make the long journey back to Ponyville. I do hope you understand.
Your friend,
Rarity.”

“Oh, no,” Twilight said behind her surgical mask. “First Spike, and now Opal? This has got to be a pandemic.”

“Two people gettin’ sick on the same week isn’t a pandemic, Twilight.” I coughed loudly. “But still, poor Opal.” I knew Opal wasn’t really sick, but I couldn’t let Twilight know Rarity was lying.

Twilight scratched her chin. “I know what to do! I’ll just get Pinkie to move my party over to Canterlot.”

“But what about me?”

“I can’t carry you to Canterlot, Spike. You’re still sick. I’m not sure this dragon disease is contagious to ponies, but I don’t want to take chances.” Twilight put a bottle of cold medicine and a glass of water next to me. “I’m sorry, but you’re gonna have to take care of yourself. If anything goes wrong, try to send a letter to me.”

“Okay, Twilight.”

Later that night, I took some of that medicine and went to bed. It must’ve been a drowsy formula, because soon I was out like a light.

I stood in front of the throne room doors. I was hesitant.

“What are you waiting for, sir?” the guard next to me asked. “Go right in.”

I turned to see the guard. Much to my surprise, the guard wasn’t a pony. It was a blue griffon.

“Huh?” I asked. “What’s going on?”

The guard sighed and opened the door for me. “There. It wasn't unlocked, if that was what you were thinking, sir.”

“Uh...thanks...”

I slowly walked into the room. There I saw Princess Twilight signing a document. Her form was similar to Princess Celestia’s. That's when I realized where I was. I somehow ended up all the way towards the series finale.

“T-Twilight?”

“Spike, I’m glad you could come,” Twilight replied.

Twilight hugged me, but I didn’t hug back.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

“What happened?” I asked. “How did I get here?”

Twilight chuckled. “Oh, Spike. You always were a kidder.”

“No, Twilight. I’m serious. Why am I here? How did I jump forward so much in time?”

“Jump for...you can’t remember?”

“All I remember was I was sleeping in my bed back in Ponyville, and I had a cold. I was in the library.”

“‘The library back in Ponyville? It was destroyed by Tirek years ago.’” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Wait. Don’t tell me you’ve had amnesia for the past twenty years!”

“Is that a side effect of cold medicine?”

“Your majesty,” the griffon guard called out. “She’s—”

“Tell Luster to wait. I’ve got a situation right now!” Twilight commanded.

The guard nodded and closed the door.

“Spike, you can’t remember anything?!” Twilight asked.

“No. What has happened since I was sick?”

“Oh, Spike. A lot of stuff has happened. I became a princess, got a castle, built a school, and now I’m ruling over Equestria. You can’t remember any of that?!”

“Wait...Twilight...I need you to slap me.”

“What?”

“Slap me! Now!”

“Uh...okay.” Twilight raised her hoof and…

SLAP!!

I quickly sprung out of bed. I looked around and realized I was back at the library.

“Man, it really was a dream. That’s a relief,” I said.

The clock chimed five times. The window showed the night sky outside. It was still dark. I took a sip of my water and lied back down.

“At least I’m feeling a little better,” I said to myself. “Talk about your fever dreams.”

Since I started thinking clearly again, I decided what I should do for the near future. Aside from Spike's birthday, there was that dragon migration. I could consider visit the dragon lands, but I should meet someone other than Garble. There was also that wedding, but I've already got it planned.

I yawned and went back to sleep. I spent the rest of the day in bed, reading comic books and only getting up to use the bathroom or make soup. Twilight and her friends had already went to Canterlot.

The next day, I heard a loud knock on the front door.

“Come in!” I called out.

Twilight came in wearing a yellow dress with a pink ribbon. Her mane was a bit bunched up.

“Twilight, you’re back!”

“Hey, Spike. I see you’ve been better,” Twilight replied.

“The cold medicine helped a bit. How was your birthday party?”

“Oh, it was great.” Twilight brushed her mane. “Rarity had been interacting with some high-class ponies since her time in Canterlot, including Fancy Pants. He was interested in what I was wearing to my party and praised Rarity for it.”

“That’s nice.” I blew my nose. “Too bad I couldn’t be there. Dumb cold. I could’ve wished you a happy...uhm...20th?”

“22nd, Spike. I guess that medicine is messing with your head a bit.”

“Y-Yeah. It is.”

So Twilight's 22 years old. Good to know. If she was 22 in 2011, then that means she was born in 1989, making her a millennial. But now I needed to figure out what my canon age is.

Overall, I failed to prevent my sickness from happening, but at least Twilight still had a good time. I hoped her next birthday would be just as spectacular.

“Ah-CHOO!!”

And I hoped that I wouldn't get another cold by then.

Chapter 32 (Dragon Quest)

The good news was that I was able to fully recover from my sickness. I already missed one episode, and I was lucky that I couldn’t think of anything to change or prevent. But there was one episode that I knew I was going to be involved in.

Dragon Quest.

In the show, Spike has an identity crisis and travels to the Dragon Lands to get some answers. Unfortunately, he finds nothing and ends up joining a dragon gang who would smash phoenix eggs for fun. It was later that I learned that Garble was really a sensitive dragon, and that he does stuff like that to prove he can be tough. But if I were a simple hot-headed teenage dragon, I wouldn’t go that far to prove my strength.

“Come on, Spike!” Twilight called out. “We gotta get ready for the great dragon migration!”

“I’m coming! I’m coming!” I replied.

I hurried down the stairs and followed Twilight outside. Rainbow Dash soon approached us.

“Rainbow Dash, what’s going on?” Twilight asked.

“What do you think? Little Miss Crybaby isn’t coming,” Rainbow replied. She must’ve been referring to Fluttershy.

Twilight sighed. “I didn’t think so. Let’s get her out.”

“Wait!” I ran in front of the two girls and stopped them. “Just let her stay home. Fluttershy hates seeing giant dragons. If she doesn’t want to see the migration, then don’t force her to.”

“But this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Spike. We don’t want Fluttershy to miss out.”

“Neither do I, but you know what Fluttershy’s like. Even though she talked that giant dragon down a while back, she wouldn’t go near him if he was Princess Celestia’s best friend.”

“I watched that boring butterfly migration with her, Spike!” Rainbow Dash rebutted. “Now it's her turn to watch the dragon migration with me! She owes me!”

“Forget it!” I yelled. “She can owe you some other time! But not for this!”

“Look, Spike, Fluttershy is our friend,” Twilight said. “Yes, she is scared of dragons, but she isn’t going to be anywhere near them. She’s just gonna be in the trench just like the rest of us.”

“I don’t care. I’m not letting you girls force her into this. She can be safe at home just as much, maybe even more. Respect her decision. Isn’t that what friends do?”

Rainbow snorted. “Fine. But she owes me an even bigger favor after this. Same with you.”

“That’s fine. I can watch the Wonderbolts perform a few tricks.”

Later that day, I prepared snacks while the girls dug a trench outside of Ponyville. That’s when I noticed that pink frilly apron Spike used to wear.

“Heh, it’s been a while since I’ve worn this,” I said to myself. “I remember when Twilight first gave this to me back in Canterlot. She said I looked rather cute in it, and...wait...”

There it goes again. How am I remembering stuff about Spike before I came to Equestria?

After putting all the cookies on the platter, I sat down to think.

Now that I think about it, what did happen to the old Spike? Where is he? The only thing I can go by is that I can remember something in Spike’s past. Does that mean…?

I needed to run an experiment. I headed downstairs to the basement. I sat on a pillow, took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Try to remember...try to remember…

Images appeared in my head, they were very cloudy. I tried to think really hard. A few seconds later, I saw something pink. I concentrated. It was a filly. An alicorn filly. She had a purple mane. Another filly showed up. She was a lavender unicorn. They both hugged. Unintelligible voices were heard, but they sounded happy. Was this when Cadance, Twilight’s babysitter, turned into an alicorn? The rest became foggy.

Perhaps I should try a recent memory…

I took another deep breath and concentrated. I saw a rectangular shape. There was something written on it. Slowly, but surely, the words became comprehensible.

“You’re invited to Moondancer’s party!” the shape said. It was an invitation.

“Twilight! We got invited to Moondancer’s party!” I heard myself say. “We should go!”

I saw the same lavender pony from the previous memory, only she was older and much clearer to see. This was definitely Twilight.

“A party?” Twilight asked. “You’re kidding, right? You know we don’t do that sort of thing.”

“Come on, Twilight. You’ve been reading your books day and night. You should take a break.”

“Take a break? Take a break?! Why don’t I just take a break from breathing while I’m at it, huh?!”

“Twilight, relax. It would be nice for you to hang out with a few friends once in a while.”

“I don’t need friends, Spike. What good are they anyway?”

Then everything was a blur again. I opened my eyes.

I found you, old Spike. You’re still here.

Even though I was in Spike’s body, his past memories were not erased. I could remember some of his past. It was no wonder I could recall some of the books Twilight read without her getting suspicious. Granted, there were still some of Spike’s memories that I didn’t remember yet, but the fact was still the same. I was regaining the old Spike's past. At least I didn’t have to worry about Twilight getting suspicious. However, I still had to make sure I didn’t reveal the future too much.

So what happened before I possessed you?

I closed my eyes and tried to remember. I saw a brown blur. It was being placed in a red box. I saw myself writing something.

“To Moondancer
From Spike”

I then heard a yawning noise.

“Boy,” I heard Old Spike say. “Wrapping gifts can really take it out of ya. I guess I should go for a quick nap.”

My body approached a small bed. After he lied down, the memory went dark. After a few moments, it was back. I heard a grunting noise.

“Hello?” My past self asked. Quickly he covered his mouth and looked at his hands, belly, and feet.

Quickly, my past self hurried to a mirror and looked at himself. That’s when I stopped the memory.

So past Spike fell asleep as well. It can’t be a coincidence that we both decided to take a nap.

I opened my eyes. I knew what happened to the old Spike, but I still didn’t know how he and I joined together. I knew it was magic, but what kind of magic was it? And who caused this?

I was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Twilight entered.

“Spike?” She called out before seeing me. “Oh, there you are. What are you doing?”

“Just...meditating,” I replied as I got up.

“Meditating? Why?”

“I just felt like doing it today. It helps calm you down. I think you should try it sometime.”

"Maybe some other time. Right now, the migration is starting, and we both need to be there. Come on."

I quickly gathered the food as Twilight put on a camouflage outfit. We then hurried to the trench. Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were already there.

“‘Bout time ya two showed up,” Applejack said. “We thought you were gonna be a no-show just like Fluttershy.”

“It’s still pretty early,” Twilight replied. “Which is a good thing. We can watch every moment of the migration without bringing any unwanted attention to ourselves.”

Just as Twilight said that, Rarity rolled out a red carpet and trotted down the trench like it’s a fashion show. After Twilight scolded Rarity, Pinkie quickly noticed a figure in the sky.

“Ahoy maties! Dragons ho!” Pinkie quietly shouted.

We quickly grabbed our binoculars and watched as the dragons flew by. I noticed a blue dragon bigger than the rest wearing armor. This was probably Dragon Lord Torch. I could barely make out a light blue dot next to him, which was probably his daughter, Ember. I also tried to find other smaller dragons, but with all the big adult ones in the way, it was hard to spot any.

“Say, what happened to that apron you always wore, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“I decided not to wear it today,” I replied as I handed everypony a cookie. “Is that a problem?”

“You always wore that everytime you cooked something, but nowadays you just leave it on the chair collecting dust. Aren’t you worried about getting a stain on yourself?”

“I can take a bath.”

“Come on, Twilight. Spike’s a dragon,” Rainbow said. “He doesn’t need an apron.”

“Same goes for you ponies and clothes,” I said. “And yet Rarity somehow stays in business.”

“Now, now, darling,” Rarity said. “Whatever you wear or not wear is up to you. You can wear that apron whenever you like.” She then rubbed my head. “You don’t have to look like other dragons.”

“Or act like them,” Twilight added.

I looked up at the sky and saw the dragons flying by.

“Twilight, do you know where I came from?” I asked.

“Oh, not really,” Twilight replied. “Celestia gave me you as an egg.”

“And where did Celestia get the egg?”

“I...don’t know. I can try to ask her after this.”

Later that day, after the migration, I sent a letter to Celestia.

“While we’re waiting for the Princess to reply,” Twilight said, “why don’t we do some research until then? I’m sure we’ll find something about dragons.”

“Good idea, Twilight,” I said.

Sadly, like in the show, there was almost nothing about dragons in the library. Most of what we could find were either too vague, fictional, or both.

“For crying out loud,” I groaned. “There has to be something.”

“Spike, I’m sorry,” Twilight said. “But I can’t seem to find anything here. Ponies know next to nothing about dragons. Apparently, they're too scary to try to talk to or study!”

“You ponies are such cowards.”

“I’d be offended if that weren’t true. Let’s just get some rest. Maybe we can visit the Canterlot Library to find something.”

We both went to bed, but I couldn’t sleep. I knew what the dragons were like in Equestria, but I had another thought.

Why was I brought into this world? Who caused this, and how? Is my only purpose helping others and preventing catastrophes? What’s happening back in my old world since I’ve been gone? Oh, great, now I’m starting to have a crisis just like the old Spike.

I sighed and went to sleep. The next morning, I got up earlier than usual. Even Twilight was still asleep. Suddenly, my stomach squeezed, and I burped out a scroll.

“It’s from Princess Celestia!” I announced.

“Huh?” Twilight slowly sat up. “Wha?”

“She must’ve replied to my letter.” I quickly opened it and read it.

“Dear Spike,
I had a feeling you would write to me after witnessing the dragon migration. So, let me tell you how you came to be:
Your egg was given to me by an old friend of mine a long time ago. He said that he found you abandoned in the old dragonlands. He asked around, but none of the dragons recognized the egg. So, he brought the egg to me, hoping that somepony would take good care of you when you hatch. That’s why I used your egg as an entrance exam for my school. It wasn’t until Twilight showed up that I found somepony worthy. After Twilight got her cutie mark, I allowed her family to adopt you, and they happily accepted. I hope this answers some of your questions.
Signed,
Princess Celestia.”

“Woah,” Twilight said. “I know dragons are mean, but to go so far as to abandon their child before they’re even born? Something must’ve happened to them. At least you were found by someone.”

That made me feel somewhat better, but Princess Celestia didn’t tell us what dragons were like. That’s when I had an idea on how to get knowledge about dragons.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash came in and greeted us.

“You want to join us for breakfast?” Rainbow asked.

“That sounds great!” Twilight replied. “I’m famished.”

“I’m not interested,” I said. “I’ve got to get an early start.”

“An early start?” Rarity asked.

“Yes. Ponyville has almost no information about dragons. That’s why I’ve decided to go on a journey to the Dragon Lands!”

“WHAT?!” Rarity, Rainbow, and Twilight shouted in unison.

“I need to know what the dragons are like,” I said as I prepared my bindle. “I’m hoping someone there could tell me what it’s like growing up and living as a dragon. Maybe I could even learn what happened to my biological parents.”

“Spike! That’s nonsense talk!” Rainbow exclaimed. “I know that you're a dragon, but those dragons mean business! They're big, and tough, and scary. The less ponies know about them, the better.”

“Wow, even the bravest of all ponies is scared of an overgrown lizard,” I snarked. “It’s a wonder how you all went to that mountain last year.”

“All I’m saying is that you could get hurt.”

“This time, I really do have to agree with Rainbow Dash, darling,” Rarity said. “I don't want those big, ugly, nasty dragons to hurt one little scale on your cutesy-wutesy head!”

“Not all dragons are like that, you know.” I said as I packed a tea set and some food.

“What makes you so sure?” Rainbow asked me.

“Have you seen me burn down Ponyville? Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.”

After I tied the knot on the end of the stick, I made my way out the door.

“Look, I have to do this,” I said. “It would be great to know about dragon civilization, and even if I find the smallest information, I can share it with you all when I get back.”

Twilight bit her lower lip and then sighed. “I couldn't answer your questions. My books couldn't either. I understand why you want to look elsewhere. I truly believe you need to go on this quest. And we have no right to stop you.”

“Thank you, Twilight.” We both shared a hug.

After I bid the girls goodbye, I headed off on my journey. I took one last look at Ponyville.

Someday, dragons and ponies will coexist peacefully. I just gotta wait until the “Gauntlet of Fire” episode.

The journey was extremely long. I felt like I’ve traveled around the entire planet twice. I made sure to take a few breaks so my feet wouldn’t get hurt, but it only worked so much. Eventually, all my on-foot travelling has paid off when I found the place where the dragons resided.

Finally! I’m here!

I checked to see if anypony had been following me. I didn’t see anyone, but I knew that, like in the show, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity would poorly disguise themselves as a dragon and somehow spy on me.

I climbed up the valley. When I got to the top, I looked around the mountainous landscape. The adult dragons did nothing to keep me from feeling uneasy. I looked down and saw a bunch of teenage dragons wrestling. A fat brown one was fighting against a toned red one while all the others cheered them on. I think the brown one was named “Clump”, but I knew the red one was named “Garble.”

Normally, this would be the part where Spike slides down and greets the teenage dragons, but I knew better. Garble and Spike would become bitter rivals to each other in the end after that dreaded “egg hunt,” and continue that path until the events of “Sweet and Smoky.” The reason Garble bullied Spike in the first place was to keep himself from humiliation. While I didn’t mind that reason, it was still a hard pill to swallow for me when he got reformed.

But this time, swallowing the pill will be much easier, because I knew a glass of water that would help me. I couldn’t believe I was going to meet her so soon.

Avoiding eye contact with the teenage group, I walked along the edge of the canyon. I tried my best not to annoy any of the adult dragons. The last thing I needed was to be attacked by someone ten times my size.

Surprisingly, there were a lot of other kinds of dragons besides the giant adults and the brutish teens. Some were just welps much smaller than me playing around, and others were adults that only reached Celestia’s height.

Now, where could she be?

Sure enough, an orange dragon with purple scales caught my eye. Her name was Smolder. She already had her wings, and she was only slightly taller than me. To be honest, she looked a bit shorter than in the show. Then again, I never saw her until Season 8, so I wasn’t sure how much she’d grown.

Smolder was casually tossing stones while resting on top of a boulder. I took a deep breath and approached her.

“Hi there,” I greeted her. The orange dragon looked at me before returning to her stone-throwing game. “Nice to meet you on this migration. I’m Spike. What’s your name?”

“What’s it to ya?” The dragon replied, not making any eye contact with me.

“That’s quite an unusual name,” I joked. “It’s nice to meet you, Watzit.”

The dragon snorted. It sounded more like she was trying not to laugh than she was annoyed.

“Smolder,” she said. “My name is Smolder.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Smolder. I hope you’re enjoying this migration.”

Smolder then looked away. “Look, kid. I’m not here to make friends. So why don’t you go back to your mommy or daddy and leave me alone?”

“I wish I could, but I don’t know where they are...or who they are.” I placed my bindle down.

That got Smolder’s attention. “Excuse me?”

“I’ve...never met my parents. I was an orphan when I was hatched, and since the migration started I’ve been wanting to meet them.” I fiddled with the knot.

“Oh, I’m...sorry to hear that.” I could tell Smolder was trying to stay tough, but the empathetic look in her eyes betrayed her.

“I didn’t mind getting raised by my guardian, but I felt empty with them. I was hoping that if I could join this migration, I could see my parents one last time. Maybe even figure out why I was abandoned.”

“Oh, Spike...I’m sorry.” Smolder got up from the boulder. “I wish I could help you, but to be honest, I don’t think any dragon here can. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone here that looks remotely similar to you, and Dragon Lord Torch can’t send a search party out if he doesn’t have enough details. I’m sorry. You might have to find them on your own.”

“Aww...” I sighed. “Thanks, anyway.” I picked up my bindle and walked away.

She should notice it in 3...2...1...

“Wait! Spike!” Smolder called out.

“Yes?” I turned around. I saw Smolder picking up something.

“You dropped your…” She looked at what I “dropped” and widened her eyes. “...teacup?”

“Oh!” I quickly snatched the cup from her hands. “Th-Thank you. I-I mean it’s not my teacup. It’s my guardian’s, well one of hers. B-But but she’s not like a tea party fanatic. Sh-She just likes teacups. That’s all.” I nervously laughed.

“Hey, I won’t judge. Good luck out there.” Smolder walked away.

“Do you like tea parties, Smolder?” I asked.

Smolder stopped dead in her tracks. There was nothing but silence for a long time. She then turned her head.

“Wh...Why would you ask a silly question like that?” She asked.

“Of course, silly me. What kind of dragon doesn’t like tea parties?” I joked.

“NO! I...” Smolder nervously looked around and whispered in my ear. “Look, I don’t know how you figured it out, but if any of those tough guys besides my brother knows that I...”

“Wait, you guys don’t have tea parties here? What kind of a barbaric place is this?!”

“Barbaric? Listen, I...” Smolder sighed. “Yes, I like tea parties. Are you happy now?”

“Hey, I won’t judge. I bet your brother doesn’t mind it either.”

“No, he doesn’t. You know, you kinda remind me of him.”

If I didn’t know Garble was a big softie, I would’ve taken that as an insult.

“Really? Is the little guy with you on this migration?”

“Yeah, he’s with some of his friends, but I wouldn’t recommend calling him ‘little’.”

“Ah, I see. Sensitive, is he?”

“Well that and...you’ll know when you meet him.” Smolder looked over the boulder. “He should come back anytime soon.”

Smolder and I sat on the rock together.

“It seems every dragon I've seen has wings,” I said. “I wish I had a pair.”

“Don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll molt someday.”

“Molt?” I secretly knew what it meant, but it was best to learn about it anyway.

“You don’t know what a molt is? Your guardian never told you?”

“She always says, ‘I’ll tell you when you’re older.’ She never tells me anything about growing up.”

“Well there are actually two ways for a dragon to grow. The first is the molt. It’s...when your body goes through some unusual changes.”

I feel like I'm having that awkward teen moment with my dad again.

Smolder continued, “It’s kind of a big deal here. You get stone scales, uncontrollable fire breath, volume shifts, a nasty body odor, but it pays out in the end when you get your wings. That’s assuming you don’t get eaten.”

“How would I get eaten if I smell bad?” I asked.

“The stench may repeal dragons, but it’s like a magnet for big predators. Tatzelwurms, hydras, rocs...”

“Rocks?” I looked round the valley. “I can’t imagine how you guys are scared of them when you practically live in caves.”

“Not rocks like boulders and stones. I mean R-O-C-S. They’re ginormous birds that will attack anydragon that’s molting.”

“Yikes. Maybe I should go back home. My guardian will protect me.”

“I don’t think so. Here, a molter's loved ones kick them out at the first stone scale. We call ‘the molt effect.’ It happened to my brother and me, but we were allowed to come back after we got our wings.”

“B-But my guardian would be different, right? I mean, the maddest she ever got was when I burned one of her favorite books, and even then the only thing she did to me was scold me.”

“Books?”

“Wow, you guys are barbaric.” I cleared my throat. “So what’s the second way to grow?”

“That’s the barbaric way. It’s called ‘Greed-induced bigness.’ The name should probably give it away. Sometimes when a dragon is young, they’ll start to hoard a lot of stuff. The more they hoard, the bigger they get. They’ll continue to grow until they’ve become a giant greedy monster, attacking anyone who gets between them and their hoard.”

“Oh my, has that ever happened to you?”

“Nah, I get greedy thoughts every now and then, but I’ve been able to control them. The only time a greedy rampage happened in my family was when my dad went through a hoarding phase. But it was long before my brother and I were born, so we never witnessed it.”

I hope I don’t get to witness mine. I’m still surprised that the migration happened before Spike’s birthday.

“Hey, look, it’s my brother.” Smolder pointed at the red teenage dragon approaching us. It was hard to tell from where I was, but the dragon looked like he just regretted doing something.

“Oh, hey, good to see you, sis,” the red dragon replied. The two did their handshake similar to the one I saw in “Sweet and Smoky.” The red dragon then noticed me. “Who’s this, Smolder? Your new boyfriend?”

I resisted the urge to kick him where it would hurt the most. I needed to stay on Garble’s good side. Well...more like the side where he isn’t smashing eggs for fun.

“N-No!” Smolder denied. “Garble, this is Spike. Spike, this is Garble, my brother.”

“Uh...nice to meet you,” I said.

“Yeah, whatever,” Garble replied.

“Would you drop that jerky attitude already, Gar-Gar?” Smolder asked. That got Garble’s attention.

“Don’t call me that in public!” Garble hissed.

“Hey, I’m not gonna judge,” I said. “One of my guardian’s friends sometimes calls me ‘Spikey-Wikey’.”

“Guardian?” Garble asked.

“Spike was abandoned as an egg,” said Smolder, “and he came here looking for his family.”

“Seriously? I know a few dragons kick their offspring out early, but that? He hasn’t even molted yet. That’s seriously messed up.”

“Well, at least I was still hatched. I can thank my guardian for that,” I said.

“Is your guardian even with you?” Smolder asked.

“No, she wasn’t interested in this migration.”

“I haven’t seen any dragon like you around,” Garble said as he leaned against the rocky wall. “Where are you from?”

I shouldn’t say I’m from Ponyville. I know Garble would tease me, and Smolder might probably do the same at this point. But how can I describe it without it being pony related?

“Well, I live in a place pretty far from here,” I said. “The residents there are much nicer than here. There’s a lot of activities to do there as well. There’s racing, tea parties, poetry...”

“Wait, what was that?!” Garble spoke up.

“Tea parties. They’re common where I—”

“No! The next one.”

“Poetry. You guys have it here as well?”

“I...uh...well...”

“Gar-Gar’s a poet, but he can only perform for me,” said Smolder. “If the others found out, they might make fun of him.”

“Smolder!”

“Don’t be upset,” I said. “It’s good that you’re a poet.”

“Okay, okay, fine. But I'm not a flowery, namby-pamby poet! I'm a beat poet. Dig?”

“I totally feel ya, man.” I flashed the peace sign. “Shame the others here aren’t as acceptable as the ones back at home. You’d fit right in where I live.”

“What do you mean?”

“Unlike the dragons here (no offense), my friends are willing to accept each other's talents. It doesn’t matter if you’re into tea parties or beat poetry, nobody will make fun of you for that. We’re more about accepting others than rejecting them. We’re all different, and that’s what makes us who we are.”

“Huh, it kinda sounds like a good place to be,” Smolder said. “Wouldn’t you agree, Gar-Gar?”

“I don’t know...” Garble rubbed his nose. “If you ask me, it sounds less like a place for dragons and more like a place for those sissy ponies.”

“HEY!!” I shoot up from my seat. Garble and Smolder quickly looked at me.

Oops! Gotta think of something.

With quick-thinking, I grabbed my leg. “Ah! My leg! Ow! Augh!”

“Are you alright?!” Smolder ran to me. “What happened?”

“It’s my leg! I think I’ve got a cramp!”

“Must’ve been all that walking you’ve done to get here,” Garble said. “You must’ve had one heck of a journey, and you don’t have your wings.”

“Don’t worry, Spike,” said Smolder. “There’s a lava pit not too far from here. You can relax there.”

Garble, Smolder, and I arrived at one of the lava pits. I could already feel the heat it’s giving off. Garble and Smolder already eased themselves into the glowing red magma. I, on the other hand, was getting a bit skeptical.

I know dragons are immune to lava, but the fact it can burn almost anything still worries me.

“Come on, Spike,” Garble called out. “The lava’s fine. Don’t you have lava pits where you live?”

“Not really,” I said. “I know I’m fireproof. It’s just that I never bathed in lava before.”

“Don't worry,” Smolder said. "I'm sure you'll love it."

"Okay, if you say so."

I placed my bindle in a safe place. I then dipped my feet into the lava. It was hot, but not scorchingly hot that it would burn off my skin. I slowly but surely lowered myself. Honestly, the lava felt surprisingly good. It was like sitting in a hot tub, but with the water replaced with a thicker liquid, like syrup. I let out a relieving sigh.

I’m so glad I turned into a dragon. I wonder if this is why Spike took a seven-hour bath back in the show.

I looked around to see if I could find Twilight and her friends. I noticed a blocky head peeking out from one of the rocks. That might’ve been them, but I wasn’t so sure.

“Hey, Gar-Gar, are you feeling okay?” Smolder asked.

Garble was staring into the lava like he just dropped a rare gem.

“I-It’s nothing, sis,” Garble replied quickly.

“Doesn’t sound like nothing,” I said. “Did you do something with your friends?”

“I said it’s nothing!” Garble looked away. “Just leave me alone!”

“Did you plan something bad? Like stealing eggs?”

Garble bit his lower lip.

“WHAT?!” Smolder shot up from her hot seat. “Garble, you said you would stop doing this!”

Garble put his hands up. “I did! I did! I joked about it with my friends, but they took me seriously! I didn’t know they would actually want to hunt for phoenix eggs!”

“You’ve got the wrong kind of friends, you know that?” I asked. “Why can’t you just call it off?”

“I can’t flake out on them. This is gonna happen tonight just outside the valley. Unlike the dragons where you live, Spike, turning down an activity at the last minute is like stealing from Dragon Lord Torch.”

I looked around and asked, “What if your activity got botched?”

“What?”

“I think I have an idea.” I got out of the lava pit. “I’ll be right back.”

I hurried to where I saw the “blocky dragon” peeking. I instantly heard panicking noises and shushing.

“Uh, excuse me?” I said to the “dragon.”

The head cleared its throat and said, “Y-Yes? You wanted to speak to me, young whelp?”

“My friend, the red teenage dragon named ‘Garble’, needs help with something. You see, his friends are gonna capture some phoenix eggs and he’s reluctantly gonna join them. Would it be possible for you to try and stop his friends before the phoenixes lose their young?”

I heard somepony whisper in the “dragon’s” torso, followed by the head shushing.

“I don’t know why you would ask me of all po—dragons! But I guess I can try to help you.”

“Great. Just meet up near the neighboring forest by nightfall, and hopefully we can prevent any casualties. Thanks, Twilight.” I walked away.

“You’re welcome,” the “dragon’s” head replied. “Wait a minute...”

As I returned to the lava pit, I could hear Smolder and Garble whispering.

“I’m telling ya, there’s something off about him,” Garble whispered. “Nodragon can be that cheerful and open, and I never heard of a place like what he described that has dragons.”

“Neither do I,” Smolder quietly replied, “but we should still...oh, hold that thought! He’s coming back!”

“Good news,” I said. “Some of my guardian’s friends just happen to be here, too. They’re willing to help Garble out with his egg problem.”

“They’d better,” Smolder said. “I don’t want a repeat of what happened with the cockatrices.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the one who smashed their eggs!” Garble said. “The others did, and they had their temporary stone nap coming.”

Nightfall approached. Smolder, Garble, and I peeked over a hill to see the phoenix nests nearby.

“Alright, I’ll head on down to meet up with my buddies,” Garble said. “You two can keep watch.”

“Will do,” I replied as Garble slid down the hill.

“What if your friends don’t show up?” Smolder whispered. “I’ve encountered Garble’s friends before, but you might not stand a chance against them.”

“Hey, I tore the collar off a diamond dog once,” I replied. “I can handle a bunch of teenage dragons.”

Garble leaned next to a tree. A few minutes later, a fat brown dragon and a skinny blond dragon arrived. The fat one was the same dragon Garble wrestled earlier, Clump. I didn’t know what the skinny one’s name was, though.

“You two are late,” Garble snarked. “Where are the others?”

“No idea,” Clump replied. “Probably chickened out at the last minute.”

Garble snorted. “Typical. They have no idea what they’re missing.”

The group hid behind a bunch of trees as a group of phoenixes flew by.

“What’s the plan, Garble?” the purple dragon asked quietly.

“Spear, you will lure the adult phoenixes away from the nest, while Clump and I will snatch the eggs,” Garble whispered.

“Wait, why do I have to do the rookie stuff?”

“Fine then. Clump and I will snatch the eggs from the nest, and you will lure the adult phoenixes away.”

“That’s better...hey!”

Garble gave the signal, and Spear carefully approached the nest. He was almost there when a voice shouted across the forest.

“Stop right there!”

Spear nearly jumped after hearing that, and the phoenixes flapped their wings in fright. Everyone turned to the source of the shouting. It came from the “blocky dragon.”

“It’s them!” I said with glee.

“Them?” Smolder asked. “I only see one.”

“I forbid you to lay a hoof on that nest!” The dragon bellowed.

“Beat it, man!” Clump retorted. “This is our heist. We...wait, ‘hoof’?”

The “dragon” removed its costume, revealing Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. Everydragon’s jaw dropped.

“Ponies?!” Smolder shouted.

“My friends!” I declared.

“Your friends are ponies? That would explain so much.”

Spear launched a fire bolt straight at the pony group, but Twilight managed to put up a magic shield surrounding her and her friends.

“You think you can stop us?” Clump shouted. “You’re just a bunch of namby-pamby ponies.”

“We’ll show you what a ‘namby-pamby pony’ can do!” Rainbow declared.

Right after Twilight turned off the shield, Rainbow charged straight into Clump and delivered a powerful punch right in his nose. He tumbled backwards and hit a tree, knocking him out.

Rarity quickly approached Spear and bucked him right in the stomach. Spear wheezed as he clutched his belly and tried not to throw up.

Meanwhile, Twilight blasted magic right at Garble, but he blocked it with his arms. I couldn’t tell if Twilight was using real blasts or just faking it.

“We need to fall back!” Spear coughed. “Let’s just forget the eggs!”

“Go! I’ll take care of them!” Garble shouted. “I’m not leaving empty-handed!”

Spear placed Clump over his shoulders and flew away. Once the two dragons were out of sight, Garble quickly threw his hands up and surrendered. Twilight quickly pushed him down.

“Now’s our cue,” I said to Smolder. “Come on!”

“You’re gonna regret stealing eggs from that family,” Twilight growled as she stood on top of Garble. Her horn glowed like she was about to launch the sun at him.

“Twilight, stop!” I shouted. “He’s not like the other two! Spare him!”

Smolder and I quickly slid down the hill and hurried to the group.

“Spike!” Twilight hopped off and quickly hugged me.

“Why didn’t you say your guardian was a pony?” Garble got up and brushed himself off.

“You never asked,” I replied. “Also, I wanted to keep it a secret.”

“Why would you do that?” Smolder asked.

“The same reason you two wanted to keep tea partying and beat poetry to yourself.”

The dragon siblings clenched their teeth like I just dissed the Dragon Lord’s mother in front of him.

“I didn’t know dragons were into that sort of thing,” Twilight said enthusiastically. “Do you have a club here or something?”

“Uh...no,” Smolder replied. “Dragons here don’t have...clubs. In fact, most of them don’t like stuff like that. They’d always tease you or leave you out if you don’t act tough.”

“That’s awful!”

“Welcome to the Dragon Lands!” Garble sarcastically announced.

“It’s a good thing that doesn’t happen in Ponyville,” Rarity said. “Most of the time, anyway. Perhaps you two should come visit.”

“Maybe some other time,” Smolder replied. “We just moved here, and we gotta settle down first.”

“That’s fine,” Twilight said. “If you do want to visit, just keep heading north until you see a small village with a windmill. If you come to a city on the mountains, you’ve gone too far.”

Twilight and her friends decided to head home, and I went along with them. We said goodbye to Smolder and Garble and hoped we could see them again one day.

“Did you ever find out about your parents?” Twilight asked me as we walked down the path.

“Nah,” I replied as I rode on Twilight’s back. “But I did learn about dragons, though.”

On our way back to Ponyville, I told Twilight and the others how dragons grew in two different ways, greed and molting. Twilight was fascinated by my findings. She pulled out a scroll and quill and wrote down everything I said, and I mean everything.

Overall, I was glad to be able to befriend Garble and already meet Smolder before the School of Friendship was constructed. Sadly, the start of one friendship prevented the start of another. I didn’t meet Peewee, Spike’s pet phoenix, because I didn’t get the egg. Then again, Peewee had little to no involvement in the show, and Spike and Rarity would later arrive at the nests regardless. So, it didn’t seem like a total loss, though raising a phoenix would’ve been pretty cool.

Chapter 33 (May the Best Pet Win and the Mysterious Mare Do Well)

I was reading one of my comic books when I heard the front door open. Twilight and Owlowiscious came into the library.

“You’re back!” I said. “How was the Pony Pet Playdate?”

“Oh, same as usual,” Twilight replied as Owlowiscious flew off her back and landed on his perch. “Although, there was that incident with Rainbow Dash.”

“Rainbow Dash has a pet?” I asked.

“No, but she was thinking of getting one, and you should’ve seen the look on Fluttershy’s face when she said that. She took Rainbow Dash to her cottage to help her find a pet.”

“That’s nice.” I scratched Owlowiscious’s head. “I wonder what pet she might get. I bet it’s something that can fly.”

“Knowing Rainbow Dash, it’s probably going to be something that’s fast.”

The next day, the girls and I were at the town hall watching Rainbow Dash. There was a group of animals lined up. I knew this was when the episode “May the Best Pet Win” took place, but I didn’t have to change anything significant.

“Are they all Rainbow’s pets?” I asked.

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy replied. “Yesterday, I showed her a bunch of animals to choose from, and she narrowed her choices down to at least a dozen. We even sang a song about it.”

We watched Rainbow Dash act like a boot-camp instructor to her potential pets. I noticed a familiar tortoise rubbing its head against Fluttershy’s leg.

“What’s with the tortoise, Fluttershy?” I asked.

“I almost forgot.” Fluttershy picked him up. “He heard about Rainbow wanting a pet, so I brought him here.” She put him with the other pets. After some sweet-talking, she got Rainbow Dash to accept him into the competition.

“Now these games will determine which one of you has the most important qualities I'm looking for in a pet!” Rainbow Dash said to her future pets. “Speed! Agility! Guts! Style! Coolness! Awesomeness! And radicalness!”

“Aren’t those last three the same thing?” Twilight asked.

“You would think that, Twilight,” Rainbow said. “That’s why you would never qualify to be my pet.” She then flew off.

“It would be kinda interesting to see Twilight as Rainbow’s pet,” I said.

“D-Don’t say such nonsense, Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity said nervously. “Everypony knows you can’t own another pony as a pet.”

We later watched as Rainbow Dash provided each animal a test of each quality. The falcon was the fastest, the hummingbird was the most agile, the monarch butterfly was the bravest, and so on. Each animal had a good potential to be Rainbow’s pet.

“You know,” I said to the girls, “I’ve read somewhere that some owners resemble their pets and vice versa.” I looked at Winona. “Do you think it’s true, Applejack?”

Winona tilted her head. I tried my best not to snicker.

“That ain’t funny, Spike,” Applejack said behind me.

After all the contests, the top four were the bat, the owl, the falcon, and the eagle. The final challenge was to race Rainbow Dash across Ghastly Gorge.

“I've flown through it a million times myself,” Rainbow said as she stretched. “So obviously I'll be at the front of the pack. But whichever of you makes it across the finish line with me will have proven you can keep up with me, and will have earned the honor and glory of getting to be my pet!”

As Rainbow, the birds, and the tortoise took off from the starting line, Twilight teleported the rest of us to the finish line.

“Any ideas on who could be Rainbow’s pet?” Twilight asked.

“I do appreciate that falcon,” Rarity replied. “Though the eagle is rather majestic.”

“I’m placing my bits on the tortoise,” I said.

“Spike, the tortoise was eliminated,” Fluttershy said.

“Hey, I can hope, can’t I?”

After a while, the falcon was the first to cross the finish line, followed by the eagle, the bat, and then the owl. The only problem was Rainbow wasn’t with them.

“Something’s not right here,” Twilight said as she pulled out a pair of binoculars.

“Where’s Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy asked.

“Great galloping galoshes!” Applejack exclaimed as she looked through the binoculars. “There's been an avalanche in there!”

“Oh, no!” I shouted. “We gotta find her!”

“Wait! Look!” Pinkie pointed to something crawling to the finish line.

“It’s the turtle!” Fluttershy said.

“Tortoise!” We all shouted.

“Whatever.”

We saw the tortoise carrying Rainbow Dash. After they crossed the finish line (thanks to Twilight), we congratulated both the tortoise and Rainbow Dash for completing the race. Just like in the show, even though the falcon won, Rainbow wanted the tortoise instead. This was because she said that whoever crossed the finish line with her gets to be her pet. Since the tortoise was the only loyal animal in the race, Dash decided that it should be her pet. The falcon accepted this, but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for it.

After I sent Rainbow Dash’s letter to Celestia, Rainbow decided to name her pet, “Tank.”

Fluttershy pointed out that Tank couldn’t fly, but that didn’t worry Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight, you’re smart. Can you help me build some sort of flying device for Tank?” Rainbow asked.

“I think I can try,” Twilight replied.

“Say, don’t turtles...I mean, tortoises hibernate during the winter?” I asked.

“You’re right, Spike,” Fluttershy said. “That’s something you should know as well, Rainbow Dash.”

“Bah, that’s fine,” Rainbow said. “It’s early spring. Winter's way too far ahead for me to worry. I’ve got plenty of months to hang out with him until then.”

It was a good thing Fluttershy and I told Rainbow Dash about Tank hibernating. The last thing Ponyville needed was an early winter. Though, I wondered how Rainbow got away with destroying the weather factory in the show.

Hold on, if the events of “Tanks for the Memories” took place on Dash and Tank’s first winter together, does that mean some of the events of Seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 take place in the same year?!

Today was when “The Mysterious Mare Do Well” took place. I’m sure I’ve mentioned countless times that I was not fond of Rainbow Dash. I didn’t care much for egotistical characters. But if I were to point out how annoying someone’s boasting was, I wouldn’t disguise myself as a superhero and try to steal all the glory.

That’s why I needed to find a different way to teach Rainbow Dash about humility without that idiotic plot the girls had. I believed just simply talking to Rainbow Dash would’ve been the best course of action for this episode.

Throughout the day, I watched as Rainbow Dash performed such heroic acts. I saw Rainbow rescue a filly who fell down the well, a runaway baby carriage, and a collapsing balcony. Each time, the crowd cheered for Rainbow Dash, and the girls were feeling a bit uneasy.

“Call me silly,” Twilight said, “But I think this whole hero thing might be going to Rainbow Dash's head.”

“Come on, silly,” I said. “You’d act the same way if you were in her shoes.”

“Have you even met me, Spike?”

The next day, the girls and I hung out at Sugarcube Corner. Rainbow Dash was telling her story to her fanclub while I was writing down everything she said. I didn’t know how I agreed to write Dash’s autobiography.

“Thinking back on it,” Rainbow Dash concluded, “I acted pretty awesomely heroic that day.”

I overheard Applejack say, “Awesomely heroic that day and awesomely arrogant ever since.”

“Isn’t she always?” I asked.

“Hey, Applejack.” Rainbow Dash wrapped her arm around Applejack. “How'd you like to be immortalized as my friend?”

After all the picture taking and autograph signing, Rainbow Dash and her club left Sugarcube Corner. The girls and I stayed. I could tell by the look on their faces that they weren’t pleased about Dash’s new fame.

“Seriously, gals,” Applejack said. “That mare is more full of herself than a barrel of wood pulp.”

Now you know how I feel.

“While I have to agree,” I said, “I don’t see the problem. I mean, sure she’s gotten a boost of confidence after doing all those rescues, but wouldn’t anypony act the same?”

“Still, if only Rainbow Dash learned out to be humble,” Rarity said.

I sighed. Twilight scratched her chin. That gave me an idea.

“Watch this,” I whispered to Fluttershy. I pointed to Twilight. “She’s gonna say something like ‘What if another hero came to Ponyville?’”

“What if we had another hero come to Ponyville?” Twilight asked. “Maybe we...” Twilight jerked her head towards me. “Wait, what?!”

“‘How did you know what I was going to say?’ You’re rather predictable, Twilight. ‘No, I’m not!’”

Fluttershy couldn’t help but giggle. I turned around to Twilight, who was dumbfounded.

“Your plan won’t work, Twilight,” I said. “Rainbow Dash would just challenge the ‘hero’. Once she finds out that the ‘hero’ is a fraud and that you have been trying to humiliate her...well, let’s hope you’re in the market for a new Element of Loyalty.”

“Do ya have any better ideas?” Applejack asked.

I smirked. “I have one. Why don’t we...JUST TALK TO HER?!?!”

Twilight, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie tumbled backwards out of their chairs.

"Darling, you don't have to yell," Rarity said.

"Oh, yes I do," I replied. "Rainbow Dash may be a hot-headed, egotistic pegasus, but she can listen to what her friends have to say. It’s best if we try to talk to her first before trying out your idea.”

We headed to Rainbow Dash’s house via balloon. Once we arrived, Twilight casted a spell on us, excluding Fluttershy, to walk on the clouds.

“Come to think of it,” Twilight said, “why didn’t we consider this first?”

Because you ponies are idiots.

I knocked on the front door. A few minutes later, Rainbow Dash answered the door.

“Okay, I can sign a few more autographs,” Rainbow said, “but you have to wait until...” She then noticed us. “Oh hey, girls and Spike. What are you all doing here?”

“Rainbow Dash, we need to talk,” Applejack said.

“Look, I told you I had nothing to do with that missing cider barrel. I promise. I’ve been...”

“Not that. It’s about what happened earlier today.”

Rainbow Dash invited us all in.

“What do you mean ‘what happened earlier today’?” Rainbow asked. “What did I do wrong?”

“Well, the girls were rather annoyed about how you boasted a lot earlier this afternoon,” I said.

“So what? I saved Ponyville multiple times, got a fanclub of my own, and was called the heroine of Ponyville today. My boasting was justified, and yet somehow, I’m the one who’s in the wrong?”

“I never said you were. It’s okay to boast once in a while. The girls are just worried that you might let your pride go to your head.”

“Come on, since when have I ever done that?”

“Let’s see,” Applejack said. “Where to begin?”

“Seriously?”

“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said, “while we are proud of you for what happened today, we don’t want you to get all too worked up. You did deserve those bragging rights, but we just wanted you to consider grace and humility in the future so you won’t be so distraught if you fail.”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “Alright. Alright. I’ll try to stay humble enough for you girls.”

“Thank you.”

I was happy that the girls were able to talk to Rainbow Dash about humility. To be honest, part of me expected them to turn down my idea.

The next day, Rainbow Dash was able to stop a few disasters with some help from some of her friends. What worried me was why so many disasters happened these past two days. Something told me that Discord wasn’t actually turned to stone like we thought he did.

Chapter 34 (Party of One)

I was reading my comic books as usual. A new series came out about the origins of the Power Ponies, so I bought the first issue. It talked about how a filly named Trot Summers became a superhero called the Masked Matter-Horn. So far, I was at the part where Trot meets Professor Celestia (I guess the real Celestia never trademarked her name).

That’s when Twilight and I heard a knock on the door. Twilight hurried to answer it.

“Oh, hi Pinkie Pie,” Twilight greeted.

“This is your singing telegram! I hope it finds you well,” Pinkie sang. “You’re invited to a party ‘cause we think you’re really swell!”

It was that song that reminded me that this was when the events of “Party of One” took place. In the show, Pinkie’s friends kept avoiding her, making her assume that they don’t want to be around her anymore. This caused Pinkie to become downhearted, resulting in her “Pinkamena” state. It wasn’t until later that she realized her friends were trying to throw a surprise birthday party for her.

I realized that Pinkie turning sour was partly Spike’s fault, since he told Pinkie exactly what she asked. Thankfully, I was Spike this time. That meant I could find a way to convince Pinkie that her friends still like her, but I should also avoid saying that it’s her birthday. Strange that the pony who knows everypony’s birthday forgets her own.

“Uh...sure,” Twilight said after Pinkie finished her telegram. “We’ll be there.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie pronked away.

“I can’t believe Gummy’s gonna be a year old,” I said as I walked down the stairs. “I didn’t even know she celebrated her pet’s birthday.”

“Pinkie would always find a reason to throw a party,” Twilight said. “Not that it’s a bad thing of course. Her parties are always fun.”

On the day of Gummy’s birthday, the party played out like in the show. Honestly, there was nothing I could change that day, and I even attended the party this time.

“Boy, that was one heck of a party,” I said as Twilight and I arrived back home.

“I’ll say,” Twilight said. “Pinkie would throw a party for anypony, even her own pet.”

“You know, we should have a birthday party for Owlowiscious. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Hoo?” Owlowiscious hooted.

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight said. “Even if we could, we have no idea when Owlowiscious was hatched. Fluttershy didn’t meet him at all until after I found him, so she wouldn’t know either.”

“Oh, well,” I said. “It was just a suggestion.”

The next day, Twilight and I got up and did our respective morning routines.

“Spike, do you know what today is?” Twilight whispered as we ate breakfast.

I replied. “Is it Pinkie Pie’s Bir—?”

Twilight shoved a hoof in my mouth and looked around. “Yes, it is. Pinkie’s thrown so many parties for us, the girls and I decided to plan a surprise party to return the favor. You’ve gotta promise me you won’t tell Pinkie about this, or else she’ll ruin the surprise.”

“Cross my heart, and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

“Good. Good.”

After we finished our routines and chores, I headed to the Carousel Boutique. It had been a while since I last interacted with Rarity. I have been doing some activities with her like gem collecting and fashion stuff, but it feels like we were doing it as friends. That got me worried.

In the show, Spike always had an affection for Rarity, but I seem to like Fluttershy more. I know about the butterfly effect, but do I really need to force my relationship to Rarity? Would some of the events stay the same if I went for Fluttershy instead?

I did remember taking Fluttershy to the Gala, and Rarity wasn’t at all upset. I also knew that Rarity was aware of Spike’s crush before his confession.

There was that moment in the show where Spike gave Rarity that fire ruby and later confessed his crush to her. I felt like I should do the same, without the greedy rampage of course. I already have the fire ruby from one of the gem hunts Rarity and I did last year. I’ve kept it in a safe spot just like the old Spike did.

“Hey, Spike!” A voice called out.

I turned around and saw Pinkie right in front of me. I almost lost my balance.

“I’m inviting all of my bestest friends to Gummy’s ‘after-birthday’ party this afternoon! You should totally come!”

“This afternoon?” I asked. “As in, ‘this afternoon’ this afternoon?”

Pinkie nodded.

“I don’t know.” I rubbed the back of my head. “I’ll need to ask Twilight about it first.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie hurried to the library.

I sighed and hurried to the boutique to meet Rarity. I helped her with a lot of stuff, including taking out the trash. Though, I didn’t get as dirty and smelly as the old Spike.

“Hey, Rarity,” I said. “I feel like we haven’t talked to each other in a while. I was wondering if you and I could meet up sometime and just chat.”

“Well, we could,” Rarity replied, “but we should do it after you wash up.”

“Oh, right. See you later.” I quickly hurried back to the Library.

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight said.

“Hi, Twilight,” I replied. “Did Pinkie invite you to Gummy’s ‘after-birthday’ party as well?”

“Yeah, I had to tell her I needed to study.” She then sniffed the air. “Ugh, Spike. You...”

“...need a bath. I know. I’m gonna take one right now.”

“I’m gonna get the cake from Sugarcube Corner. Try to get to the barn after you’re done cleaning up.”

“Will do.”

Twilight left the library while I headed to the bathroom. I don’t know how long it took for me to wash my entire body to get the smell off. I had to use one of Twilight’s body wash.

After I dried myself, I hurried out of the library. Suddenly, I was stopped by Pinkie Pie.

“Spike, I need you.” Pinkie grabbed me and carried me to Sugarcube Corner.

“Wait! I didn’t ask Twilight yet!” I pleaded.

“It’s not for that. Trust me.”

At Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie sat me down on a table and placed a plate of gems in front of me. I guess Rarity wasn’t the only pony who knew how to pick the right gems.

“Nice spread,” I said as I looked at the sparkling snacks.

“It's all yours, Spike,” said Pinkie. Suddenly she shined a light in my eyes as Gummy grabbed my tail. “All you have to do is talk.”

“Really? That’s it?” I asked. “Okay...uh...so when did you move from your rock farm to Ponyville? How did you get your job at Sugarcube Corner? Was it difficult?”

“No, no, no. Talk about our friends.”

“Oh, my bad. Um...who did you first meet when you first came to Ponyville? Were you all friends before Twilight and I came along? How did you meet Gummy?”

“No! You're not understanding me! I want you to confess!”

“Confess to what?!”

“You know!”

I sighed. “It was only a matter of time before you figured out,” I lied. “I guess being in this body for too long can raise a lot of red flags.”

“You’re not taking this seriously! Are you, Spike?!”

“What do you want me to say?”

“Tell me that my friends are all lying to me and avoiding me because they don't like my parties and they don't want to be my friends anymore!”

“Wait...Pinkie. Do you know what today is?”

“Tuesday?”

I chuckled. “Seriously? You, of all ponies, don’t know what day it is?”

“What? It’s not Tuesday?”

“Tell you what, I’ll go find the girls and see why they’re avoiding you. You just stay here until we can sort this out.”

I hopped out of my seat and grabbed a few gems from the gem platter.

“Wait, Spike,” Pinkie asked, “what day is today?”

“Tuesday, like you said,” I replied.

I quickly hurried out of Sugarcube Corner and to Sweet Apple Acres. I knocked on the barn door. I heard panicking whispers in the barn.

“You do it this time, Twilight!” Rainbow’s voice hissed.

“Okay, okay,” Twilight’s voice whispered back. Twilight cracked the barn door and peeked outside. “False alarm. It’s just Spike.” Twilight opened the door. “Come in, Spike, before Pinkie sees you.”

I quickly hurried in and saw that the barn was already decorated with balloons, ribbons, and confetti.

“I see everything’s going well,” I said.

“Yeah, but it wasn’t easy,” Rainbow replied. “We nearly had a run-in with Pinkie earlier today.”

“You're not the only one. She tried to get me to spill the beans, but I didn’t reveal anything.”

“Well, we’re almost done,” Applejack said. “So hopefully we don’t have to keep up with this fer long. It’s a good thing ya got lips tighter than the lid of a pickle jar, Spike.”

I nodded.

“Okay, looks like everything’s ready,” Twilight said. “Now, we can let Pinkie Pie come in here.”

“She’s at Sugarcube Corner right now,” I said.

“I’ll get her,” Rainbow Dash said. Before we could say anything else, she dashed out of the barn.

“I hope Pinkie didn’t get the wrong idea about us avoiding her,” Rarity said. “Could you imagine how dreadful it would be if she thought we weren’t gonna be her friends anymore?”

“I wouldn’t worry,” I said. “It’s not like she’s gonna use a bucket of turnips, a flour bag, a ball of lint, and a pile of rocks to replace you girls.”

“That was strangely specific, Spike,” Twilight pointed out.

After a few minutes of waiting, we heard hoofbeats approaching.

“It’s Pinkie and Rainbow Dash,” said Fluttershy. “Hide!”

We all quickly hid behind the table and turned out the lights.

“Wait ‘til you see what we’ve done,” Rainbow said as she opened the barn door.

“What were you building that was so important?” Pinkie asked as she entered the barn.

“SURPRISE!!”

Pinkie nearly jumped backwards.

“Hey! I thought I was the one who did surprises,” Pinkie said. “Wait, don’t tell me. Is today Opposite Day? That would explain all your behaviors earlier today.”

“Oh, Pinkie,” Twilight said. “Even if there was an ‘Opposite Day,’ why does the cake I picked up from Sugarcube Corner say ‘Happy Birthday, Pinkie Pie’?”

Pinkie Pie gasped loudly. “Because it’s my birthday! Ooh, how could I have forgotten my own birthday?”

Pinkie gave everyone a big group hug.

“You’ve been throwing so many parties for us, we decided to throw one for you,” Twilight said.

“We'd been planning this party for such a long time,” Rarity added. “We had to make excuses for why we couldn't attend Gummy's party so that we could get everything ready for yours.”

“You girls are the best friends ever!” Pinkie exclaimed. “How could I have ever doubted you?”

“It's okay, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight replied. “It could have happened to any of us.”

After I sent the friendship letter, the girls and I enjoyed the party. We also celebrated Gummy’s after-birthday party. It was a good thing that Pinkie didn’t go crazy. Or crazier in this case.

“Oh, and Spike?” Pinkie asked.

“Yeah?”

“When I was 12. They had a ‘Help Wanted’ sign. Just a teensy bit. Rarity. Just minor friends. Found him as an abandoned egg.”

“Uh...what?”

“Hey, you asked. It was about time I gave you some exposition.”

Chapter 35 (Secret of my Excess)

It was a week until Spike’s birthday, which was almost close to my real birthday by a couple of days. That seemed rather convenient. At least I wouldn’t forget it.

I knew this episode would come someday. In the show, Spike goes on a greedy rampage on his birthday, and by the next day he turns into a giant greedy monster. If it weren’t for him remembering that fire ruby, Spikezilla would’ve literally stolen Ponyville right off the map.

I really hoped that the same wouldn’t happen to me. I just had to be careful not to ask for stuff on my birthday, but I wondered if it was easier said than done.

“There you are, my precious.”

After pulling out some books from the shelf, I opened the secret compartment. Inside, there was a decorated box, which I took out. As I opened it, a heart-shaped ruby glistened in the light. I gave it a good lick. It had a hint of cherry that was obvious, but not overwhelming. Part of me wanted to eat the entire gem in one bite, but I knew I had to resist the temptation.

I gave a good chuckle as I picked the gem up from the box. Suddenly, I heard the sound of books crashing and tumbling from the other room.

Oops.

“Spike! What are you laughing at?!” Twilight called out.

I quickly entered the room. There, I saw Twilight covered in fallen books. I must have interrupted her “reshelving day.”

“Sorry about that,” I said. “To answer your question: I’ve been aging this fire ruby for months! It’s almost ripe. I’m gonna eat this bad boy on my birthday. It’s like a birthday gift for myself.”

“How did you get a fire ruby?” Twilight asked. “I don’t recall Rarity ever giving you something like that.”

“I found it during one of the gem hunts last year. At first, I thought it was rather interesting how it was naturally heart-shaped, so I kept it to myself. I was going to tell Rarity later, but after I did some research and found out it was a rare fire ruby, I knew right then that I should keep it for a special meal.”

“I suppose your birthday dinner counts as a special meal?”

“Of course.”

“Hello? Anypony home?” A voice called out.

It was Rarity’s. She entered the library and noticed the fire ruby.

“Is that a fire ruby?!” Rarity zipped right up to me. “That must be at least twenty carats! No inclusions! Pristine facets!”

“And very delicious,” I added.

“Uh, if you guys don’t mind?” Twilight called out as she reshelved some of her books.

“Oh, uh...of course,” Rarity said. “I just came by to see if you had any books on historical fashion.” She then turned to me. “Did you say ‘delicious’?”

“Yeah.” I polished the gem. “My birthday’s next week, so I’m saving this for my dinner.”

Just like in the show, Rarity was rather interested in the fire ruby. I couldn’t blame her. The gemology book said that finding a fire ruby out in the wild was super rare, and its cost was through the roof as far as gems go. That was even if it was possible to find a store that sells it. I knew the one in Canterlot didn’t sell anything like it.

“I hope it’s as tasty as it is beautiful, Spike,” Rarity said after receiving her book about historical fashions. “I've never seen anything quite so stunning before.”

“I...guess you really like it, huh?” I asked.

“Like it? It's magnificent!” Rarity swayed her mane.

“Then you should have it,” I handed Rarity the gem. “Something like this shouldn’t be eaten. It should be with someone like you.”

Rarity was overjoyed by the thought of my generosity. She even kissed me on the cheek. I couldn’t help but blush.

“Wow, Spike, that's one of the kindest, most generous things you've ever done,” Twilight said. “I've never seen Rarity so happy!”

“Yeah, neither have I,” I replied as I rubbed my cheek.

I watched as Rarity headed out the door with her new ruby. That’s when something occurred to me. I did like the fact that Rarity kissed me, but that was it. It was just good. Not spectacular or wonderful. Just...good.

“Spike? Is everything alright?” Twilight asked.

“Huh? What?” I blinked.

“You were spacing out again. Are you worried about that fire ruby?”

“N-no. It’s just that...” I sighed. “Remember that secret I told you?”

“Which one?”

“You know...the one about Rarity and Fluttershy?”

“You mean your crush on them? Yeah, I remember.”

“Well...I’m still having trouble deciding between the two. I think I like Fluttershy better, but I’m afraid of breaking Rarity’s heart.”

“Oh, Spike, you’re just like that stallion in the comics with the two mares. I’m not a love doctor, so I wouldn’t know who you should go with. That’s up to you to decide.”

I sighed. “You’re right.”

I don’t know which mare I should start a relationship with. Fluttershy’s my favorite pony, but if I started a relationship with her, what would Discord think? He already knew I didn’t come from this world, but if he figured out I started a relationship with Fluttershy during his stone nap, I might never hear the end of it.

Come to think of it, does he know I have an affection for Fluttershy? If he does, I really hope he and Fluttershy are just friends.

The week flew by pretty fast. The library was already decorated for my (Spike’s) birthday.

“Just about finished, Spike?” Twilight asked as she arranged the punch bowl. “Everypony will be here soon.”

“Almost, Twilight.” I adjusted the ribbon on one of the shelves. “There, now everything’s perfect.”

“I still can’t believe you’re turning twelve so soon,” Twilight said as I slid down the ladder. “It seemed like only yesterday I hatched you from that egg.”

“It certainly does feel that way.” I rubbed the back of my head.

So Spike’s gonna be 12 years old? That would explain the greedy thoughts and the molting, though I always thought he was younger. So that would mean Twilight was 10 years old when she hatched me, which means I was born in 1999. That would probably put me in the Gen Z category. Funny enough, Spike’s birth year is only a few years later than mine.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. The rest of the girls arrived and wished me a happy birthday. They all gave me presents just like in the show.

“Thank you, girls,” I said. “I don’t normally get this many presents on my birthday. The only thing I get for my birthday is a book. From Twilight.”

I didn’t have to turn around to know that Twilight was just about to give me one.

“Speaking of presents,” Rarity said, “this is from my new line of taffeta capes.” Rarity pulled out a pink cape and showed it to all of us. “I'm going to make one for each of you. I've been inspired by the generosity of my little Spikey-wikey, who gave me this beautiful fire ruby, one of the kindest acts I've ever experienced.” She then nuzzled me, and I couldn’t help but blush.

I really enjoyed all the presents the girls gave me. Applejack gave me an apple-themed blanket; Rainbow Dash, a barbell, Fluttershy, a painting; Pinkie, a rubber chicken; and Rarity, a mirror.

"I can't thank you all enough for these gifts!" I exclaimed. "I wish this party would last forever."

"The party can't last forever," Pinkie Pie said. "'Cause you have to go to Sugarcube Corner, 'cause the Cakes said they have a special surprise for you, 'cause it's your birthday!"

"Really? I'll head there right now. I'll be right back."

I exited the library and rushed to Sugarcube Corner. There, I saw Mr. and Mrs. Cake at the counter.

"There's the dragon of the hour!" Mr. Cake announced. "Happy birthday, Spike!"

"Thank you," I replied.

"When we found out it was your birthday," Mrs. Cake said, "we couldn't resist trying out a new recipe: sapphire!"

Mrs. Cake handed me a plate that had a vanilla cupcake with blue frosting and sapphires.

"Thank you very much!" I said as I picked up the blue treat. "It almost looks too good to eat."

"You're welcome, Spike," Mrs. Cake. "Hope you'll enjoy it." She then walked away from the counter clutching her belly. "Easy, my little ponies."

"Hey, is Mrs. Cake all right?" I whispered to Mr. Cake. "She looks like she ate something terrible."

"Oh, she's fine," Mr. Cake replied. "In fact, she's better than fine. Because soon, she's going to be a mother."

"Oh, congrats. Will it be a boy or girl?"

"Both. We're gonna have twins."

"That's good to know...wait, if Mrs. Cake's pregnant, how come she's still working? Shouldn't she be resting until the babies arrive?"

"The doctor said it's fine for her. As long as she doesn't do anything too wild, she can still work."

"I see."

I left Sugarcube Corner as I munched on the sapphire cupcake. The sapphires tasted really good. They had a hint of blue raspberry.

"What a day," I said as I licked the frosting off my fingers. "I reached my twelfth birthday, my best friends gave me gifts, and I got to enjoy a delicious cupcake. This truly is the best—!"

Crash!!

During my boasting, I bumped right into Cheerilee, spilling her groceries all over the place.

"Oh, jeez! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. "I didn't see where I was going."

"That's okay," Cheerilee said as she picked up some of her dropped produce. "What's got you so excited?"

"It's my birthday today. I just had this sapphire cupcake the Cakes made. I'd definitely recommend it...if you're a dragon, of course."

"Well, happy birthday, Spike! I wish I had something to give you!"

"Oh, that's okay. I don't care about how many gifts I get. You wishing me a happy birthday is good enough."

"Still, I don't want to feel guilty about not giving you anything. Oh, I know!" Cheerilee pulled a white hat out of the bag and placed it on my head. "There you go."

"Thanks. You shouldn't have."

"Don't mention it, Spike. Everypony should get fun gifts on their birthday."

"Wait a minute. Why did you have a hat in your groceries?"

"No reason." Cheerilee shrugged.

After I hugged Cheerilee as a thank you for the gift, I headed back to the library.

Then I saw a kid bouncing a ball. That's when it happened.

Nothing.

Seriously, I didn't feel anything. I didn't want the ball. Somehow, not wanting it was more concerning than wanting it. If I felt some need for it, I would've tried to resist, but instead, the desire for the ball never crossed my mind. That was weird.

Maybe since I already knew about Greed-induced bigness, I subconsciously made sure I didn't get any greedy thoughts.

I left the kid alone and made my way back home. That's when I saw Junebug drinking some water.

Maybe I should give it a test.

"Hey, Junebug," I greeted. "Good to see you. Did you know that today's my birthday?"

"Happy Birthday, Spike," Junebug said.

"Thank you, that means a lot."

Once again, I didn't feel any greedy thoughts. I guess I really had full control of my greed.

"Well, I better be going now. I'll see you soon," I said.

"Bye, Spike," Junebug said. "Have a Happy Birthday."

I waved to Junebug as I went back to the library. I saw Twilight just coming out.

"Oh, there you are, Spike," Twilight said. "I was just about to look for you. Uh...where did you get that hat?"

"Oh, Cheerilee gave it to me," I replied. "I told her it was my birthday, and she gave me this as a gift. I said she didn't have to, but she insisted."

"Uh huh."

We went back in the library and continued the party. It really was fun celebrating my birthday with all my friends, including my favorite pony.

The next morning, I woke up without any problems. The lack of items around me proved that I didn't go crazy from greed. I breathed a great sigh of relief. I then heard Twilight yawning.

"Wow, what a rough night's sleep, Spike," Twilight said as she stretched. "I had the weirdest dream."

"Really?" I rubbed my eyes. "What was it about?"

"Well, it was kind of crazy. A giant metallic creature was destroying Ponyville. Then you transformed into a fifty-foot dragon and fought back. Just when the creature was about to win, Fluttershy grew fifty feet as well and helped you take it down. You guys were able to defeat the creature, and then you hugged...and that's when I woke up."

"That is a crazy dream." My stomach rumbled. "Oops. I guess we should have breakfast now."

"I agree."

We later made breakfast and ate in the kitchen. I couldn't help but think about Twilight's dream.

"You know," I said to Twilight, "about your dream, what if part of it comes true?"

"Don't be silly, Spike," Twilight replied as she ate her corn flakes. "Fluttershy can't grow that big, and there's no such thing as a creature made of metal. Unless it was a machine, of course."

"I meant me growing big. I remember Smolder telling me about Greed-induced bigness, and I don't want it happening to me."

"Me neither. Were you having greedy thoughts recently?"

"No. None. But I had a few questions about growing from greed."

"Well, I can't teleport us to the Dragon Lands. It's too far for my magic. And I doubt Smolder can send letters the same way as you do."

"Maybe there's someone here who knows about dragons."

"Spike, nopony here knows about dragons. The only info we got was what you told me from Smolder."

"I didn't say anything about a pony knowing dragon culture."

Twilight tilted her head.

A few minutes later, we were at Zecora's hut. I knew that in the show, Zecora knew about Greed-induced bigness.

I've read about Zebrica a while back, and there was a section that talks about the zebras' relationship with dragons. Their standings were neutral, but they exchanged information about each other’s culture like they were on very good terms. That knowledge was passed down through many generations as accurately as possible. This could explain why Zecora knew about dragons more than anypony else in Ponyville.

"About dragons, I know a thing or two," Zecora said. "You wish to learn something. Is this true?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I know how greed can make me grow, but is there a limit to how big I can get? Is there a way for me to prevent it?"

"The maximum greed size isn't exact. It differs for each dragon, and that's a fact. Greedy thoughts come and go. Preventing them completely isn't something I know."

"If you ever feel like you're going greedy, try to think of a generous thought," Twilight said. "Like when you gave that fire ruby to Rarity."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said. "But...there was one more thing I wanted to know. What if I could use my Greed-induced bigness for good?"

"I don't follow."

"What if I could grow at will without hoarding stuff? Is it possible? I mean, I've seen creatures do that in my comics."

Twilight rubbed her forehead. "Spike, if you're talking that raging saddle…"

"Her name is Saddle Rager."

"Whatever. If you're talking about her, forget it. That comic book of yours is fiction. F-I-C-T-I-O-N."

"I'm just asking if it's possible. Is it, Zecora?"

"Growing without a hoard isn't fiction," Zecora replied. "But it's rare, even to those with an addiction. Dragons had no need to grow up so fast. Their parents and others were already vast."

"So it is possible, but it's unlikely."

"I would not recommend trying if I were you. There's no telling what you might do. Do you best not to succumb to greed. Destruction is the last thing Ponyville needs."

"Don't worry. I won't get greedy anytime soon. I was just curious."

We left Zecora's hut and headed back to Ponyville. As we left the Everfree Forest, I noticed Fluttershy's cottage in the distance. In Twilight's dream, Fluttershy and I hugged. That reminded me of my dilemma.

Should I really go for Fluttershy? Even if I gave Rarity that fire ruby? I don't want to break Rarity's heart, but this could be my only chance to be with Fluttershy before Discord comes back.

"Come on, Spike!" Twilight called out. "We've got to clean the library and sort the books out."

"C-coming!" I yelled as I hurried to catch up with Twilight.

As I helped Twilight with cleaning the library, I kept thinking about what I should do. That's when I decided what must be done.

"Twilight," I said as we finished cleaning. "There's something I need to do. It's pretty important."

"Go ahead, Spike," Twilight said. "Do what you need to do."

I nodded and left the library.

I cautiously approached the boutique. I bit my lower lip as I nervously knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Rarity’s voice said on the other side of the door.

I opened the door and headed inside.

“Rarity? Where are you?” I called out.

“Just a moment, darling.” Rarity trotted down the stairs wearing a cape. I noticed the fire ruby attached at the center of her chest. “Spike, how wonderful to see you.”

I rubbed the back of my head. “Rarity, do you have a minute? There’s something serious I need to talk to you about.”

Rarity’s smile dissipated. “Oh. Is it about the ruby?” I shook my head. “Then what?”

“You might want to sit down for this.”

Rarity got out the fainting couch. We both sat down on it.

I took a deep breath. “I’m sure you know about this, but I sorta have a...”

“I know, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity replied. “I suppose the same goes for Fluttershy?”

I nodded. “I guess you already know that.”

“It was pretty obvious when you asked her to the Gala last year. I guess you’ve made your decision...and are here to tell me.”

“Yes.” I clasped my hands together. “Please don’t be upset, Rarity. You’re a really beautiful pony, and anyone else can confirm that. I wanted to be in a relationship with you since the day I met you, but...nothing clicks.”

“Spike...”

“I’m sorry, Rarity. In a different world, we could’ve done our best to be together. Resolve any conflicts. Do what significant others do. But I can’t see it happening. It’s not your fault; I just don’t feel the love around you the same way I do for Fluttershy. I really don’t want to sadden you, but just being friends is as far as we can go for now. I’d like for us to be together and have the whole world see us that way, but I don’t think I can be truly happy if that were the case.”

Rarity wrapped her arm around me. “Spike, darling. If you want to be with Fluttershy, then go ahead.”

“Y-You’re not upset?”

“It was only a matter of time before you would make your big decision, and given everything, I kind of expected this. But don’t worry about me. You should follow your heart, and ignore what society thinks. It’s not about making the world happy, but making you happy. You can’t be somepony or somedragon who tries to make everyone happy all the time. You should have your own opinions, your own goals, your own lover. It’s what makes you...you. I know it sounds cliche, darling, but do whatever makes you happy.”

“Thank you.”

Rarity and I shared a hug.

“I should be going now,” I said. “Thanks for talking with me. You can still keep the ruby.”

I headed out the door.

“Oh, and Spike?” Rarity said.

“Yeah?”

“I’ll still be here for support. If things go sour for you two, you know where to find me. We’re still friends, after all.”

“Thanks.”

I walked down the path to Fluttershy’s house. I still couldn’t believe what happened back there.

Old Spike, if you can hear me, I’m sorry for not choosing Rarity.

Once I approached Fluttershy’s cottage, I knocked on her door. Fluttershy quickly answered.

“Oh, good afternoon, Spike,” Fluttershy greeted. “How are you today?”

I sighed. “Not good. Can I talk with you?”

“Oh, my. Come on in. I’ll brew some jasmine tea.”

I sat down on the couch as Fluttershy prepared the tea. She quickly returned with the tea tray. She poured a cup and handed it to me.

“Thank you,” I said as I took a sip.

“So what’s been going on?”

I told Fluttershy about what happened between me and Rarity.

“...in the end, we decided to be just friends,” I concluded.

“Spike...” Fluttershy put her teacup down. “Was Rarity upset?”

“I don’t know.” I looked away. “I honestly don’t know. She didn’t sound upset, and she mentioned that she knew I’d go for you, but I’m afraid to find her on the couch chowing down ten tubs of ice cream in her bathrobe.”

“Did you hear her crying when you left?”

“No, but she did say she would be with me for support...”

“Then I guess she wasn’t upset.”

“But still, why is she taking the friendzoning thing well? I’m afraid it’ll be like in those stories where one pony says the other took it well, only to cut to said other pony crying their eyes out.”

“You’re still friends with her, Spike. It doesn’t mean you should stop talking to her. You can still interact with her.”

“I guess so.”

“There’s something I’d like to know, though. Why did you choose me? I’m just some ordinary pegasus.”

“To me, you’re more than that. You’re kind, lovable, adorable. You’re not afraid to stand up for yourself if things go bad. You’re great with every sort of animal, and you’ll face your fears to save your friends. I really do feel like we should be together.”

“Oh, Spike.”

We hugged once again. It was just like that night at the Gala. It seemed like everytime I hugged Fluttershy, all my worries melt away.

“But are you sure we should be together?” Fluttershy asked.

“Don’t worry.” I then whispered in Fluttershy’s ear, “Between you and me, I’m actually older than you think. In dragon years, I’m the same age as you.”

“That’s not what I meant. You’re a dragon, and I’m a pony. Is it really okay for two different species to be together? Especially if one of them is a dragon?”

Have ponies really hated dragons that much? I can’t wait until the later seasons.

“You know, a mare once told me that it doesn’t matter what society thinks. What matters is what you think. So, do you think we should be together?”

Fluttershy thought about it for a minute.

She then smiled and said, “I’m willing to give this a try.”

We shared one more hug together. It really was a great day. I didn’t go greedy, and I started a relationship with my favorite pony. The only downside was that I had to friendzone Rarity, but if what Fluttershy said is true, I shouldn’t worry about her being upset.

Chapter 37 (It's About Time)

I took a sip of my coffee as I looked at the computer screen. The download progress on the bottom left still remained there like it was glued to the screen. Either the file was extremely huge, or the wifi was on the fritz again.

“That sounded like a crazy dream last night,” I heard a voice say.

I turned to see my coworker, Joe Dohn. We’ve been working with each other ever since I was hired. He was one of the few coworkers that I ever talked to outside of work.

“Yeah, it was,” I said. “Somehow it felt so realistic.”

“Dreams can do that to ya. It’s only when you wake up you realize how absurd they actually were.”

“Still though, my dream felt like a whole year had passed. It’s hard to believe it only lasted a night.”

“Dreams can be weird sometimes.” Joe looked over my shoulder at my screen. “Is that file still being downloaded? What’s in it?”

“I don’t know.” I tapped the side of the computer. “Mr. Johnson wouldn’t email me a file this big. He would’ve handed me a flash drive. The router must be down again.”

“Might be.” Joe then stretched his arms. “Well, I gotta get back to work on that email.”

I turned back to my computer as Joe began typing. That’s when I heard a weird noise.

Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!

“Joe? Is that you typing?” I asked.

“Yeah, why?” Joe asked.

“It almost sounds like a pony trotting. In fact, it sounds just like it.”

Suddenly, I opened my eyes. I was back in the Golden Oaks Library.

Sheesh, how many times am I going to dream of being back in the human world? At this point, I’m surprised Luna hasn’t visited my dreams yet.

Clop! Clop! Clop! Clop!

That’s when I heard hoofbeats again. I assumed it was Twilight pacing. I got out of my bed and went down the steps. My assumptions were correct as I saw Twilight walking back and forth. The floor had a little groove forming.

“Twilight, what are you doing?” I asked. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“It's awful, it's horrible, it's tragic!” Twilight replied.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Here!” Twilight shoved a calendar in my face. “Now do you see what's wrong?”

The calendar said “April 9th” in giant letters.

“We...forgot to celebrate Arbor day?” I asked. I actually didn’t know when Arbor Day was, but I doubt it was in the beginning of April.

“No!” Twilight retorted. “The problem is I just finished planning my schedule for the month, but I forgot to leave time to plan for next month! Don't you see? There's no time in my schedule to put together another schedule! I could move my meeting with the Ponyville Hay Board to the following Tuesday, but then I have to reschedule my lunch with Pinkie Pie, and you know what a nightmare she is with scheduling. This is an absolute disaster! My whole year could be thrown off!”

I sighed and went back up to bed.

And I thought the assistant manager in my department was a schedule freak…

As I went back to sleep, I realized that this was when the events of “It’s About Time” took place. In the show, Twilight gets a visit from her future self warning her about a future disaster. However, she was trying to get Twilight to not worry so much. At least Twilight and the others were able to make sure nothing would collapse in Ponyville.

Come to think of it, what if I could find a way to get Celestia to do a search party for all of the escaped monsters, like Tirek? It has been a while since I tried to change an episode.

I have been slacking off the past few days. But to be honest, there weren’t many recent episodes I could think of changing. “A Friend in Deed” already happened, but I didn’t need to change anything. Cranky deserved to be reunited with the love of his life, despite Pinkie’s actions. It was weird how this episode happened after Pinkie’s Birthday, though. In the show, the episode happened seventy days before Pinkie’s birthday. Perhaps my attempts to change the future made some events occur later than they were supposed to.

I didn’t think I could change anything for “Putting Your Hoof Down” either. It was about time Fluttershy started to grow a spine, and while Iron Will’s teachings were a bit brash, most of the residents here kinda deserved being told off by her. Also, I didn’t want to risk our relationship if she were to say something insulting to me during her “new Fluttershy” phase.

The next morning, I found Twilight still working on her schedules. Not wanting to bother her, I headed to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. After I finished eating cereal and milk, I heard the wind blowing from the other room. I quickly put my spoon and bowl in the sink and watched from the kitchen as Future Twilight made her appearance. Soon, a blinding white light filled the library as papers scattered across the room.

Here she comes.

But what I saw after the flash made my jaw drop. The figure was wearing a black, torn-up catsuit like future Twilight, and they had a few scratches around their body. What was shocking was that their form was more dragon-like than pony-like. That’s when I knew it wasn’t Twilight, it was me.

Wait, I thought Twilight was the one who was traveling to the past, not me!

The dragon looked around the library.

“Spike?” Twilight asked.

Future Spike turned to her. “Oh, there you are, Twilight.”

“How did you do that? I just heard you entering the kitchen. Is this some sort of dragon magic or something?”

“No, this was actually a time spell you casted that came from the Star Swirl the Bearded wing in the Canterlot archives. I came from the future to give you a warning.”

“I didn’t even know time spells were a thing. How far into the future are you from?”

“About next week.” Future Spike then covered Twilight’s mouth with his hands. “Now please listen! A disaster is gonna follow if you don’t hear what I say! You need to prevent any disasters that will occur in Ponyville. You need to get Celestia to search Equestria for any escaped creatures from Tartarus. And finally, don’t worry so much about the future. Everything will be alright if you do what you’re told.”

“Wait a minute!” Twilight removed Future Spike’s hands. “How do I know this isn’t some crazy trick?”

“Trust me, even I wouldn’t joke around at a time like this.” That’s when Future Spike noticed me. “Oh, hey Spike.”

“Uh...hey,” I said as I awkwardly waved.

Twilight darted her head to me and then to Future Spike.

“I..uh..how?” Twilight was getting confused.

Future Spike then grabbed her head. “Just listen to my warnings, and you’ll be alright.” Suddenly, sparks came out of his body. “Oh, shoot. And don’t worry about the disaster! It’s—”

That’s when Future Spike disappeared in a literal flash. Twilight was dumbfounded by what just happened. I was the same.

“That was...quite a weird spell,” I said.

“Spike!” Twilight grabbed me. “If Future Twilight sent Future Spike to warn me about a disaster, then she must’ve known you were the only creature I could trust besides myself.” She then quickly ran out the door. “Come on, we must warn Ponyville!”

“I’m right behind you!” I quickly followed Twilight outside.

Why did Future Twilight sent Future me to the past instead of herself?

I chased Twilight to the center of Ponyville. She nearly bumped into Fluttershy and PInkie Pie.

“But Future Spike said not to worry so much about the future,” I said.

“Yes, but he warned that a disaster would come if we didn’t prepare ourselves first. Once we solve everything, then we can stop worrying about the future.”

Twilight quickly hopped on the bridge.

“Listen, everypony! I've got something really important to say!” she announced. “We have a crisis on our hooves!”

Everypony around us gasped.

“I've just been visited by someone from the future! They tried to warn me about a horrible disaster that's going to occur sometime before next week!”

“I can confirm that!” I said. “I witnessed it as well.”

“What kind of disaster?” Applejack asked. “And who was the fella from the future?”

“I don’t know what the disaster’s gonna be!” Twilight replied. “Spike got sucked back into the future before telling me.”

“It was Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah, I didn’t know why Future Twilight sent me,” I said. “She could’ve just sent herself.”

“Whatever should we do, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “How do we stop the disaster if we don't know what it is?”

“We'll just have to work together to make sure we're safe!” Twilight replied. “Rainbow Dash, you and the other pegasi spread out over Equestria, and look for any kind of problem that could lead to a disaster, and I mean anything.”

Rainbow Dash saluted. “You got it!”

“Everypony else, time to disaster-proof Equestria!”

We all went on trying to find and fix anything that could result in a disaster. We fixed the bridges, cleaned the streets, painted walls, and more. Fluttershy even tried to make sure none of her butterflies flapped their wings in the wrong direction.

After what seemed like hours of preparation, Twilight’s long checklist was complete.

“Excellent. Well, we've done everything on the list,” Twilight said.

“Now we should do the next thing Future Spike said and warn Celestia about any escaped creatures from Tartarus,” I said.

“Right. But, wait a minute.” Twilight scratched her chin. “The Gates of Tartarus is guarded by a creature named Cerberus, and nothing gets past him.”

“Say, Twilight. Cerberus wouldn’t happen to be a giant, three-headed dog with black fur, would he?”

“If what my books say is true, then yes. Why do you ask?”

“Because of that.”

I pointed to the giant, black, three-headed dog approaching Ponyville. The creature gave out a roar from all three heads.

“Okay, everypony,” Pinkie said, “follow my lead.” She then screamed and ran away. Everypony else did the same thing.

“But if Cerberus is here, then all the ancient evil creatures that have been imprisoned in Tartarus could escape and destroy Equestria!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Destroy Equestria?!” I shouted.

“Yeah! Isn't it great?”

“Twilight, I know you’re my guardian, but I’m starting to question your sanity at this point.”

Twilight was about to cast a spell on Cerberus, but Fluttershy quickly came and calmed him down.

“Wow, I knew you were good with animals, but this is amazing!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Aww, he's just a big furry guy who got out of his yard, that's all,” Fluttershy said.

I’m so glad Fluttershy’s a great animal care-giver.

“Pinkie, do you have a ball I can borrow?” Twilight asked a screaming Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie instantly ceased her screeching. “Sure.” She then dashed to a tree. “I have balls stashed all over Ponyville, in case of a ball emergency.”

“I’ve heard of being crazy prepared, but you take it to the next level, Pinkie,” I said.

Twilight took Pinkie’s emergency ball and lured Cerberus back to Tartarus.

“I should probably tell Princess Celestia about this,” I said.

I quickly hurried back to the library and wrote a letter.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

Twilight and I spotted Cerberus in Ponyville today. Twilight told me that he was supposed to guard Tartarus. She is already bringing him back, but you need to send some of your guards out to search for any escaped creatures. I don’t know who might escape, but there’s no doubt that they’re dangerous if they wound up in a place like Tartarus.

Signed,
Spike”

I sent the letter to Celestia and hoped that she understood the situation. I didn’t know if finding Tirek earlier would alter the events of “Twilight’s Kingdom,” but it was worth a try.

The next day, I woke up as usual and did my morning routine. Twilight still didn’t come back yet, which kinda made sense, since the only gates of Tartarus were pretty far from Ponyville. I still remembered the location from the atlases in the Canterlot Library.

Then I heard the front door opening. Twilight came in looking rather filthy.

“Hey, Twilight,” I greeted. “So how did it go with Cerberus?”

“Great!” Twilight replied. “I got him back before any of the evil creatures could escape.”

“That’s grea—ulp!” My stomach got squeezy again. “Stand back!” I wheezed.

Instantly, I belched out a scroll. Twilight managed to dodge it at the last minute. The scroll bounced off one of the shelves and hit me right above my eyes.

“Spike! Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I rubbed my forehead. “Thick scales, remember? That scroll flew pretty fast, though.” I picked up the scroll and read it. “Oh, thank goodness. The princess is gonna have her royal guards search Equestria for any escaped monsters.”

“Wait...” Twilight scrutinized my forehead. “Oh, no! I saw a tiny scratch just like this one on Future Spike! We haven't changed the future at all! The disaster is still coming!”

“Are you serious? We just fixed Ponyville and returned Cerberus. What could we be missing?”

“I don’t know!” Twilight cleaned herself up. “I did everything I could think of to change the future. But it didn't work. So maybe it's not what I do... Maybe it's what I don't do!”

Twilight quickly poofed next to a nearby bookshelf.

“If I stand right here and don't move a muscle until next week, I can't possibly do whatever it is that will cause a disaster that Future Spike wanted to warn me about!”

Twilight then stood solidly on the floor.

“But Twilight, Future Spike said not to worry about the disaster,” I said. “Do you really think a tiny scratch on my forehead is gonna prove that the future will still happen?”

Twilight said nothing. That gave me an idea.

“If you’re just gonna stand there and do nothing, then...” I quickly hurried up the steps and went under Twilight’s bed. There, I saw a book with a lock on it.

Twilight’s diary. Let’s see what secrets the lavender unicorn is hiding.

I pulled out the diary. I jimmied the lock a bit, and then—

KA-FWOOSH!!

“Yeow! My eyes!”

I was blinded by a white light, and the intense heat made me assume the diary exploded. I stumbled backwards and suddenly fell off the edge. A couple of hooves thankfully broke my fall.

“Honestly, Spike,” I heard Twilight’s voice say. “Did you really think I didn’t put a protection spell on my diary? It takes more than a simple lock to store your own privacy, you know.”

By the time I regained my vision, Twilight was heading up the steps to put her diary back. I guessed it wasn’t ruined by the protection spell.

“It’s a good thing that spell worked,” she said as she headed back down. “Otherwise, there could’ve been a—GASP!!” Twilight was shocked after looking at my face.

“Don’t tell me, I have the same scratches on my face like Future Spike, right?” I asked.

Twilight nodded and handed me a mirror. Just like she implied, the scratches and burn marks on my face were similar to what Future Spike had. As I was observing the scars, a knocking sound was heard at the front door.

“Hey, Twilight,” Rainbow said as she walked in. “Another Pegasus just got back from Baltimare with an all-clear and...” That’s when she noticed me. “Woah! What happened to you, Spike?”

“I tried to read Twilight’s diary,” I replied.

Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Well, heh, that’s what you get for invading Twilight’s privacy.”

“My diary’s the least of our worries!” Twilight barked. “The scratches on Spike’s face is just another sign that the future hasn't changed! Not doing anything didn't work either! Oh, I wish there was a way to know what was going to happen so I could stop it!”

“Why don’t we get Spike to do another psychic ritual?” Rainbow joked.

“I told you I’m not a psychic,” I rebutted. “Although, if we really need to know about the future, why don’t we try time traveling like Future Spike did?”

“Spike, do you know how complex time travel is?” Twilight asked. “It can be dangerous if not done properly.”

“But we saw Future Twilight send Future Spike back, so she must’ve learned it so quickly. What about the scrolls in the Canterlot archives? Future Spike mentioned them.”

“That’s rather convenient for him to tell you guys that,” Rainbow Dash said. “Though he should’ve warned you about the disaster first.”

“But what if we cause a rip in the time continuum?!” Twilight asked. “What if that’s the disaster?”

“If you’re worried about it so much, then we can talk to an expert.”

“An expert on time traveling?” Rainbow asked. “Is there really such a pony?”

“I think I might know who.”

A few hours later, Twilight and I arrived at the house of a pony named Time Turner, AKA Doctor Whooves. I knocked on the door.

“Derpy told me how much her friend, Dr. Whooves, studies science and technology,” I said, “but his most common subject is time. Maybe he knows a thing or two about time traveling.”

Within a few minutes, a brown earth pony with a green bowtie answered the door.

“Yes? What is it?” he asked.

“Uh...are you Mr. Time Turner?” Twilight asked.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” he replied. “Is there something you need?”

“What do you know about time traveling?”

The doctor looked around and motioned us to come in. We followed him to a laboratory that would’ve put Twilight's basement to shame.

“I have been researching all there is to know about time,” Dr. Whooves said, “and while I can’t confirm nor deny that I’ve experienced it firsthoof, I’ve come to a conclusion that there are two theories regarding time travel.”

“Please tell us these theories,” Twilight said.

“Well, the first theory is that time is in a loop.” The doctor got out a chalkboard and drew a few diagrams. “Since the past has already occured, there is no way to alter it no matter what you do. This can be confusing because there would have to have been a timeline in which a past event hasn’t occurred. Let’s just say for example, your future self came and warned you not to eat a bad apple. That would mean that there was a timeline in which you ate the apple and got a stomachache. But since you warned yourself not to eat it, the event never happened. And yet, you would still travel to the past and warn yourself not to eat the apple as if it did happen.”

“That does sound pretty confusing,” I said.

“That’s why I came up with another theory: Time traveling is actually a certain way of visiting alternative dimensions.” The doctor flipped the board and drew more diagrams. “Miss Sparkle, let’s just say that your future self didn’t come to you. That would mean that you are in the ‘not visited’ universe.” He drew a line across the board. “Then this potential disaster happened in your timeline and you wanted to warn your past self about it.” He drew another line. “Instead of traveling back in your own timeline, you would actually travel to a different universe in which you visited your past self. Your own timeline wouldn’t be altered in any way, past or future, but at least you would prevent a disaster in another universe.”

“So, let’s just say, in theory, somepony goes back in time and stops Rainbow Dash from performing a sonic rainboom that caused my egg to hatch,” I said. “I would still be alive because my timeline wasn’t altered, correct?”

“That’s right,” Doctor Whooves replied.

“Would it be possible to travel forward on the same timeline after traveling to the past?” Twilight asked.

“It’s possible, but I would imagine that it would be much harder than going back to your original. I hope that answers all the questions you two have.”

“Sort of,” Twilight said. “Thank you.”

Back at home, Twilight was still worried about what might happen.

“I know Future Spike said that I shouldn’t worry about the disaster,” Twilight said, “but how can we tell if we stopped the disaster from happening? I mean, look at you, Spike. You’re starting to look more and more like Future Spike, which means that the disaster that Future Spike said will happen is going to happen.”

“But Twilight, we’ve seen how I got those markings,” I said. “I had that small scratch from a paper cut, and I got the rest of them from that protection spell. All that’s left is the black catsuit.”

“Which means that Doctor Whooves’s first theory is coming true. And with ‘next week’ being right around the corner...”

“Wait a minute, what if there was no disaster to begin with? What if we went on this wild goose chase for nothing?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Think about it. Have you noticed how I got my scars from mundane events instead of a huge disaster? And if a disaster were to occur, wouldn’t Princess Celestia or Luna warn us or something? What if Future Spike was trying to say that we shouldn’t worry about the disaster because there was no disaster to begin with?”

“Are you saying that we did all this for nothing?”

“It’s possible.”

“I’m not so sure, Spike. I’ll have to keep monitoring until next week happens, and then we’ll see if the disaster was prevented or not.”

I sighed. “Fine. But I really think this a waste of time.”

Ignoring my previous comment, Twilight went on trying to observe anything that looked out of place.

A few days had passed, and while Twilight did rest a bit, she still monitored nearly everything like in the show. I helped a bit, even though I knew it was pointless in hindsight.

“12 hours, 31 minutes, and 42 seconds until ‘next week,’” Twilight said as she wrote down in her journal. “Still no abnormalities that could lead to a disaster.”

“There were no reports from Celestia about the escaped creatures yet,” I said. “Still believe in a disaster happening?”

That’s when we heard Pinkie Pie come in.

“Hi guys. What’s all this?” Pinkie asked. “Are you trying to figure out what your next birthday present will be?”

“Despite the fact Future Spike said not to worry about the future, Twilight is still convinced that a disaster is still coming,” I replied. “Also, I recovered a bit from my scratches.”

“I thought dragons were fireproof.”

“Not completely.”

“Okay, guys. I have a plan,” Twilight said. “Since we’ve got little time until ‘next week,’ we need to head on over to...”

“...the Star Swirl the Bearded wing in the Canterlot archives,” I said. “And yes, you are that predictable.”

Twilight groaned and Pinkie giggled.

“Are you sure you’re not Future Spike?” Pinkie asked.

“I heard about it when Future Spike showed up,” I said. “I had a feeling we were gonna head there sooner or later.”

After a few hours of preparation, Twilight, Pinkie, and I headed to Canterlot. It was already nighttime, and we were wearing the same catsuits like what Future Spike wore.

“Okay, the Canterlot archives are right over there,” Twilight said as we got off the train. “Let's move!”

After a few minutes of “sneaking around” (Twilight was the only one doing it), we arrived at the Star Swirl the Bearded wing. A guard was kind enough to let us in. I guessed being the star student of Celestia has its perks sometimes.

“Alright. Now we gotta search for any time spells before sunrise, which isn’t going to be long,” Twilight said. “Let’s spread out!”

We searched the archives for any spell related to time. That’s when a familiar book caught my eye.

It was a book about bells, and it was locked up in chains. I remembered how Cozy, Tirek, and Chrysalis stole the book in order to operate Grogar’s bell. But I knew that wasn’t going to happen this time. I quickly looked around until I found a thick book about keys. I picked it up and aimed at the lock.

I hope this doesn’t ruin the spine.

With full force, I whacked the lock as hard as I could.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Snap!

After my third swing, the chains broke apart and the book fell off the shelf. I was able to catch it in time.

Those are some weak chains. I’ll have to remind the princess to get stronger ones.

Not wasting any time, I flipped through the pages until I came across a section about Grogar’s bell. I quickly read through it until I came across the page about how to activate it.

Sorry, Future Legion of Doom. You may have been one step ahead, but I’ve already cleared the staircase.

I tore out the most important page and shoved it into my mouth. I swallowed hard and made sure that there weren’t any other important pages.

“What was that noise?” Twilight called out.

“Uh...sorry Twilight! I ripped my suit,” I lied.

To make sure it was the truth, I tore a bit of the suit off with my teeth. It didn’t make a noise since it was rather rubbery. I closed the book and placed it down on the floor. I then quickly hurried to where Twilight was.

“I didn’t see any time spells in that section,” I said.

“Well, keep looking, Spike. We have to...” That’s when Twilight noticed me. “Oh, no. We better hurry. You're starting to look exactly like Future Spike.”

I looked at the hole in my suit and realized that it was in the same spot as it was on Future Spike.

Oh, oops. Well, I can’t change that anymore.

We continued to search for any time spells, but we found nothing. That’s when the sun rose up in the sky, indicating it was morning. Just like in the show, nothing happened. There was no disaster happening.

“I guess we stopped the disaster,” I said. “That or there was no disaster to begin with.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess you’re right, Spike. I should’ve listened to Future Spike about not worrying about the future. From now on, I'm gonna solve problems as they come, and stop worrying about every little thing! If only I had learned this lesson a week ago, we wouldn't have had to go through all this.”

“Twilight, Twilight, I found something!” Pinkie gave us a scroll. “It says you can go back once, and it only lasts for a few moments. Does that help?”

“Pinkie, you're a genius! Now I can go back and tell past Twilight that she doesn't need to go berserk with worry about a disaster that's never gonna come!”

“Wait, Twilight! I should go!” I declared. “If Past Twilight sees you, she might freak out. She might be able to trust me more, if she doesn’t assume it’s a trick.”

“Alright,” Twilight said. “But this won’t last long. Be sure to get to the point once you get there.”

“One sec,” I said. I quickly removed my hood and got down on one knee. “Okay. Go ahead.”

“Good luck, Spike,” Twilight said. Her horn glowed as I was encased in a barrier of magic. Papers were flying all over the place. I closed my eyes as I was surrounded by a white light.

Within seconds, the light dissipated. I looked around and noticed that I was back in the library.

Looks like it worked.

“Spike?” I heard Twilight asked.

I quickly turned around and saw her staring at me. “Oh, there you are, Twilight.”

“How did you do that? I just heard you entering the kitchen. Is this some sort of dragon magic or something?”

“No, this was actually a time spell you casted that came from the Star Swirl the Bearded wing in the Canterlot archives. I came from the future to give you a warning.”

“I didn’t even know time spells were a thing. How far into the future are you from?”

“About next week.” Realizing I’m wasting time, I covered Twilight’s mouth with my hands. “Now please listen! A disaster is gonna follow if you don’t hear what I say! You need to prevent any disasters that will occur in Ponyville. You need to get Celestia to search Equestria for any escaped creatures from Tartarus. And finally, don’t worry so much about the future. Everything will be alright if you do what you’re told.”

“Wait a minute!” Twilight removed my hands from her mouth. “How do I know this isn’t some crazy trick?”

“Trust me, even I wouldn’t joke around at a time like this.” That’s when I noticed my past self approaching. “Oh, hey Spike.”

“Uh...hey,” Past Spike said as he awkwardly waved.

Twilight darted her head to him and then to me.

“I..uh..how?” Twilight was clearly confused.

I grabbed her head. “Just listen to my warnings, and you’ll be alright.” Suddenly, sparks appeared all around me. “Oh, shoot! And don’t worry about the disaster! It’s—”

Flash!

“—nothing!” I looked around and noticed I was back in Canterlot. “Dang it!”

“What did you tell Past Twilight?” Twilight asked. “Did you tell her not to worry?”

“Well, yeah. I think I said the same thing Future Spike said. Although, I guess I’m Future Spike now.”

“Ah, don't worry about it. It's past Twilight's problem now,” Pinkie said.

“I guess you’re right, Pinkie Pie.”

At least I knew why Twilight sent me to the past instead of herself. Even though I barely changed anything in this episode, I was able to get Celestia to search for any escaped creatures. Plus, I managed to throw a wrench into the villain trio’s plans long before they even formed up.

“Hey, who removed the Big Book of Bells from its chains?” Princess Celestia called out.

Author's Note

Thanks to Mister E-Nonymous for pointing out an inconsistency.

Chapter 38 (Hurricane Fluttershy)

My intuition about the second part of “Baby Cakes” was right. After I helped Twilight with her reports, she tried to visit Pinkie Pie to help with babysitting the Cake Twins. Unfortunately, Pinkie Pie kicked Twilight out before she could do anything. It was a shame, really. I was a sucker for baby ponies in the fandom, and it would’ve been interesting to interact with the twins.

One day at the library, I overheard Rainbow Dash talking to Twilight.

“So why do you want to bring all the pegasi here?” Twilight asked.

“Because they need to learn how to bring the water up to Cloudsdale,” Rainbow replied. “And what better place to learn than in a library? Besides, you’ve got one of those fancy projectors.”

“Alright. Spike and I will set everything up. You can go ahead and recruit every pegasi in town.”

“Great, thanks.” Rainbow Dash zoomed out.

That’s when I realized this was when “Hurricane Fluttershy” took place. In the show, Fluttershy would overcome her fears and help the pegasi bring the water up to Cloudsdale. I couldn’t think of anything to change here. I didn’t know who had the feather flu first, and I didn’t want to risk catching it if it affects dragons. Also, I wanted Fluttershy to have her time to shine.

“Spike, help me prepare the room,” Twilight commanded. “Set up the projector for me. It should be in the closet.”

I saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

As I brung out the projector, a sudden realization hit me: I didn’t know how to use a film projector. I grew up where everything was digital.

How do I operate this thing?

That’s when I noticed a booklet resting on top of the machine. I took it and read the cover.

“Film Projector: How to operate this thing.”

Oh. How convenient.

I read through the booklet, and the instructions were pretty easy. I was able to set up the projector in no time.

By the time night fell, everypony who was a pegasus was at the library. Once everypony was in place, I turned on the projector, and the movie started playing. It honestly looked like something out of a 1950s info movie.

“Every living thing depends on the life-giving nourishment of rainwater, and it is up to Cloudsdale to provide rain-filled clouds to every corner of Equestria,” said the movie narrator. “But how, one pony might ask, does Cloudsdale gather all this extra water? Tornado power! That's right, pegasi-driven tornado power. A team of pegasi combine their wing power to create a jumbo tornado, powerful enough to pull water out of the local reservoir and funnel it all the way up to Cloudsdale. Remember, pegasi, your jumbo tornado must reach a minimum of eight hundred wing power to lift that water up to Cloudsdale. So, the next time you're wondering ‘Where does all that extra rainwater come from?’, just remember...it’s all thanks to your local pegasi and Cloudsdale!”

The word “FIN” appeared on the screen, and the movie was over. I quickly turned off the projector and turned on the lights.

Rainbow Dash then told everypony that Ponyville’s reservoir was chosen to bring the water up to Cloudsdale. Thus, every pegasus in Ponyville, including Fluttershy, needs to train by the end of the week in order to reach 800 wing power. Rainbow Dash also mentioned how Captain Spitfire will be there to record the wing power, and that she hoped to break Fillydelphia’s speed record of 910.

The only problem was with Fluttershy. After what happened at her old flight school, she couldn’t bring it to herself to fly as fast as the other pegasi. I’m hoping I can encourage her the next few days so she could gain some confidence.

The next day, Twilight and I were setting up an anemometer: a device tells you how fast you're flying and how strong your wings are. The other pegasi were stretching and getting ready to run while Rainbow went to get Fluttershy.

“I hope we can get enough wing power from all these pegasi,” Twilight said. “The overly-muscular one with small wings is concerning me.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I said. “Every little bit helps. Besides, wing size doesn’t matter. Just wing power.”

After a while, Rainbow came back with Fluttershy. Once everything was set up, Thunderlane was the first pegasus to try it out. He clocked in at 9.3 wing power, which was rather impressive. Rainbow Dash was next, and she reached 16.5. This went on for the other pegasi. The most interesting ones I found were Bulk Biceps’s (the muscled white pegasus) 7.9 and Rumble’s 8.7.

“That colt’s gonna be a prodigy,” Twilight said.

“I’m surprised he’s the only kid pegasus here,” I said. “Aren’t there any others?”

“Thunderlane said he wanted to join the others to help out, so Rainbow Dash and Cheerilee allowed it.”

After everypony else’s wing power was recorded, the last pony was Fluttershy. Something told me I needed to talk to her first.

“Give me a second, Twilight.” I placed my quill and notebook on the ground and hurried to the starting line where Fluttershy was.

“Hey, listen,” I said to Fluttershy. “I know that you may not be the best flyer, but you shouldn’t let that hold you back. I know you have impressive wing power. Don’t let anypony tell you that you can’t fly!”

“Oh, I don’t know about this, Spike,” Fluttershy whimpered. “You’ve seen those previous scores. Even a colt can reach over 8 wing power, and I can’t even move a leaf.”

“Don’t worry about that. You don’t need to compare your wing strength to him. Just focus on your own wingspeed. Remember: Fluttershy, you can really fly!”

I gave her a light kiss on the cheek before hurrying back. I quickly picked up my notebook and quill before sitting next to the anemometer.

Twilight leaned over and whispered, “You shouldn’t do that, Spike.”

“What? I’m not allowed to give encouragement?” I hissed.

“No, I mean what you did to Fluttershy on the cheek. I know you two are starting to become a thing, but you shouldn’t do that out in the open. If anypony saw that a dragon and a pony were a couple...”

“It was just one small kiss. Nopony sans you noticed.”

“I’m just saying, be careful.”

I rolled my eyes and watched Fluttershy preparing to fly. With all her might, she flew as fast as she could down the track and right past the anemometer. It looked like she was going pretty fast, but the look on Twilight’s and Rainbow’s faces told me she didn’t do so well.

“You tell her,” Twilight whispered to Rainbow Dash.

“No, you tell her,” Rainbow whispered back.

“Just tell me, and I’ll tell her,” I said.

That’s when Fluttershy looked at us.

“Um...great job, Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash said. “You measured, uh, uh, 2.5.”

“See? You did way better than we could expect!” I exclaimed.

“We did?” Twilight asked.

“Shhh!”

Sadly, my compliment didn’t help. Fluttershy believed she couldn’t bring up enough wing power, so she ran away in tears. Rainbow Dash tried to reassure her that it wasn’t too bad, but it didn’t help.

“This is seriously bad,” Rainbow Dash said. “And I’m not talking about the power record this time.”

“What happened that left Fluttershy so distressed about her flying?” Twilight asked.

“Back in flight school, Fluttershy wasn’t the best flier,” Rainbow replied. “A lot of fillies and colts kept picking on her for that. I’ve told them to back off multiple times, and I even talked to the flight coach about them, but she wouldn’t do anything. Useless pony. I was hoping Fluttershy would be over this by now, but it still seems to be weighing her down.”

“Should we talk to her?”

“No, it’s best if we leave her alone.” Rainbow sighed. “She just needs time to be alone. She’ll come back whenever she feels better.”

Never thought I’d see Rainbow as the sympathetic type. I’m glad she cares for Fluttershy.

I decided to listen to Rainbow and leave Fluttershy be.

Over the next few days, the other pegasi improved on their wing power. Even Rumble managed to match his older brother’s wing power.

“Your younger brother’s amazing, Thunderlane,” I said. “I never seen a pegasus his age fly so fast.”

“Yeah, Rumble’s really enthusiastic when it comes to flying,” Thunderlane said. “One time, when he was just a foal, he flew for a full day straight.”

“Impressive.”

“I would like to think so, but the next day, his wings got pretty sore from so much flying. It took him about two days to recover.”

“Ouch.”

That’s when Thunderlane coughed. I was thankful he covered his mouth.

“Are you feeling okay?” I asked. “You can stay home if you’re feeling sick. We can make do with two less pegasi.”

“I’m fine, kid,” Thunderlane said. “Just a dry throat. That’s all. I’ll drink some water after this.”

That made me skeptical. I decided not to press on, though.

After a few more pegasi’s wing power was recorded, a squirrel showed up and squeaked at Twilight and me.

“What’s he saying?” I asked.

“Do I look like I speak squirrel?” Twilight snarked.

“Hey, look!” I saw Fluttershy approaching the track with full confidence. I guess Rainbow was right about Fluttershy needing some alone time.

Fluttershy approached the starting line. She then took off like a bullet across the track. She zipped past us so fast, I could’ve sworn she was Rainbow Dash in disguise.

Sadly…the anemometer once again told a different tale.

“2.9?!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “2.9?! That has to be some kind of mistake! I worked so hard!”

“Fluttershy, that’s a huge improvement!” Twilight said.

“That’s even better than your last attempt,” I added.

“You did awesome, Fluttershy,” said Rainbow Dash.

“No, I didn't,” Flutteshy retorted. “I thought I'd gotten over my nerves, but they still got the best of me! There's no way I'll fly with 10.0 wing power tomorrow!”

“So you won't fly with 10.0 wing power. Every bit counts!”

“How would you feel if everypony else was flying with 10.0 wing power and you were flying with 2.9?!”

Rainbow Dash took off her hat. “Well, uh... I'd feel... um...”

“Exactly! Humiliated! I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash, I just can't do it!” Fluttershy ran off once again.

“This is really serious,” I said. “We gotta do something. Does anyone know a good psychiatrist?”

“I don’t think that would help, Spike,” Dash said. “I’ll have to talk to her tomorrow after we lift the water.”

The next morning, almost every Ponyville pegasus arrived at the reservoir. Twilight and I had just finished setting up a giant anemometer just as Captain Spitfire arrived. I took attendance of all the pegasi, but I noticed some of the ponies were absent. Thunderlane was one of them. I quickly told Rainbow Dash.

“Lazy Thunderlane!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Where is he?! He's been trying to get out of tornado duty the whole time with his fake coughing and all. Rumble, where's your lazy brother?”

“He’s got the feather flu,” Rumble replied. “He's down at Ponyville Hospital.”

“He’s not the only one,” I said. “Seven other ponies are absent, too. Probably suffered the same fate.”

Twilight quickly did some calculations and discovered that not only would there not be enough wing power to break the record, there wouldn’t even be enough to get the water to Cloudsdale.

“What should we do?” Twilight asked.

“Can’t Spitfire join us?” I asked. “Or better yet, can’t we have some of the unicorns lift the water to Cloudsdale?”

“Spike, it’s tradition to use wing power to lift the water,” Twilight replied. “It’s like how earth ponies don’t use magic to do Winter Wrap Up.”

“Forget the record,” Rainbow said as she put her goggles on. “Cloudsdale still needs water! Okay, everypony! Let's give it all we've got! On the sound of the horn, we take off!”

Everypony else put on their respective goggles. I quickly hurried to the giant horn. Once Twilight gave the signal, I blew as hard as I could. The pegasi took off and swirled around the reservoir. In no time flat, a tornado was formed. The anemometer spun like a windmill. The wind was picking up all around us.

Twilight read the gage. “150 wing power...250 wing power...500 wing power...”

The wind was going so fast, it was getting hard for me to stand. I quickly hurried to the front of the anemometer so I wouldn’t get blown away.

“750 wing power!” Twilight announced.

“Keep it up, pegasi!” I hollered.

“Twilight! Spike!” A voice called out.

We turned to see Fluttershy trying to approach us, but the intense winds made it difficult.

“Fluttershy! What are you doing here?!” Twilight shouted.

“ I figured... if I couldn't help Rainbow Dash with the tornado... the least I could do was offer moral support!” Fluttershy gripped onto the anemometer

“She could sure use it, considering eight Pegasi are sick with the feather flu!”

“Oh no! That's terrible news!”

It was terrible news, but it wasn’t worse than the outcome of the pegasi’s first attempt. The twister they created couldn’t surpass 750 wing power, and it fell apart sending every pegasus in different directions. Miraculously, nopony was seriously hurt.

“Oh, you were so close to the eight hundred wing power minimum!” Twilight said. “I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash.”

Rainbow Dash regained her composure and proclaimed, “We've got to try again!”

Twilight quickly stopped her. “But you've pushed your crew to their limit already! If you break apart again, somepony could get hurt! You should quit, it's not safe!”

“No! One more time!” Dashie rebutted. “I've gotta know we gave it our all! If I'm going down, I'm going down flying!” She quickly put her goggles on. “C'mon, ponies, let's make this happen!”

Everypony cheered and got into formation. Once again, I blew the horn and the pegasi formed another tornado.

“100...200...500...” Twilight counted. “750!”

“That was the maximum wing power before they fell apart!” I shouted as I held onto the anemometer.

“Oh! I’m too nervous to look!” Fluttershy cried.

The intense howling of the wind and the spinning ponies made it hard to determine if the water was really rising. I could hardly hear myself think, let alone hear Twilight and Fluttershy talk.

“795! We are so close!” Twilight hollered. “Fluttershy, they need you up there!”

“My measly 2.9 wing power is still too little!” Fluttershy shouted. “I won't make a difference!”

“Yes, you will!” I barked. “Do it for Equestria! Do it for your friends! Do it for yourself!” I handed her a pair of goggles.

Fluttershy gulped and grabbed the goggles. After she placed them on, she slowly but surely got into the tornado. Within minutes, the gage was moving again.

“Seven ninety eight! She surpassed her best wing power number!” Twilight shouted.

The tornado spun faster and faster. Soon the anemometer beeped as it clocked the wing power at 800! Water came spewing out of the twister and into the weather factory. Both Twilight and I cheered as every last drop left the reservoir.

Still fighting the wind, I climbed to the horn and blew hard. The wind died down as all the pegasi broke formation and the tornado disappeared. Everypony was joyful that they finally got the water to Cloudsdale. Meanwhile Fluttershy was still spinning around. Rainbow halted her with a cloud.

“Whoa, girl, take it easy!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Did...did we do it?” Fluttershy gasped.

“Yeah, we did it. You did it.”

The two did a wing slap as everypony else congratulated Fluttershy, including Spitfire. The crowd picked her up and chanted, “Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Fluttershy can really fly!”

It was nice to see Fluttershy gaining a little confidence once in a while. Her character development was one of the reasons why she was my favorite pony.

Chapter 39 (Ponyville Confidential and A Canterlot Wedding)

One day, while I was eating at a cafe, I overheard Rarity having a conversation with Sweetie Belle.

“So I’ve heard you and your friends were working for the Foal Free Press,” Rarity said to Sweetie Belle. “That must be exciting.”

“Not anymore,” Sweetie Belle said. “The school shut it down until further notice.”

“What? So soon?”

“Yeah. After that story about Snips and Snails, Diamond Tiara (the editor-in-chief ) wanted to do a gossip column about other ponies’ private lives. But I think one of the students working there didn’t like that idea. They must’ve told Miss Cheerilee right after that. She had to fire Diamond Tiara and put the newsprinting on hold for a while.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Yeah. Applebloom, Scootaloo, and I took it as a sign that journalism may not be for us, so we quitted.”

“Well, it was good that you did. You should never invade somepony’s privacy. Most ponies keep things private for a reason and can get devastated if their secrets are revealed. It would be like if I told all of Equestria who you had a crush on.”

“Rarity! No!”

“See? What that filly or colt did was the right thing. While the Foal Free Press would not be printing for a while, it would be better than having everypony dislike it for giving out confidential information.”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

Rarity and Sweetie Belle then walked away.

“Say, who was the pony who told Cheerilee?” Rarity asked. “Do you know?”

“Nah. Cheerilee said it was an anonymous tip, whatever that means,” Sweetie Belle replied. “I wish I knew who the pony was so I could thank them.”

Oh, it wasn’t a pony, Sweetie.

I chuckled as I took a sip of my coffee and read a different kind of newspaper.

“Everything all set up for the picnic?” Twilight asked.

“Yep. Let’s go,” I replied.

Twilight and I were gonna have a picnic with the rest of the girls. For some reason, this was all too familiar.

“It’s been a while since we’ve all went together for a picnic,” Twilight said. “The weather’s been so perfect recently. I really got to hand it to the weather team.”

As we headed to the fields, I looked up at the mountains. That’s when I noticed something something off about Canterlot.

“Hey, Twilight,” I said. “What’s going on over at Canterlot?”

I pointed to the city on the mountains. It was covered in a giant pink dome that looked like it was trapped in a bubble gum balloon.

“I...don’t know, Spike,” Twilight replied. “We’ll have to ask Princess Celestia after we’re done. I hope it’s nothing serious.”

It was then I realized the episode I’ve been waiting for has arrived: “A Canterlot Wedding.” I knew it was only a matter of time.

By the time we arrived, the girls were already there setting up everything. As we ate and socialized, I thought about my plan.

All I gotta do is help Twilight collect evidence and prove that Cadance is a changeling. If that doesn’t work, then I would have to take matters into my own hands. I’ll bring that magic inhibitor ring and some rope with me just in case things go south.

“Spike? Are you okay, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“Huh? What?” I asked.

“You looked like you were staring off into space. Twilight told me you would sometimes do that, but I want to know if everything's alright.”

“I’m fine, Fluttershy. Thanks for caring for me. It’s nothing really. I just—hurk!”

“Spike?!”

“What’s goin’ on?” Applejack asked.

I held up a finger.

“Are you alright, Spike?” Twilight asked.

Blech!!

Not one, but two scrolls came out of my mouth in a fiery burp. I coughed a bit.

“I wished the princess would warn me before she sends a twofer,” I said. I picked up one of them and read it. “’Princess Celestia cordially invites you to the wedding of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Shining Armor. The wedding will take place in...’ Wait, Shining Armor?!”

“Give me that!” Twilight snatched the invitation from my hands and read it. “There’s no way that...oh, dear Celestia!”

“What is it, Twi?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Some stallion you knew?”

“More than that,” I replied. “He’s our brother. I guess we didn’t mention it to you girls yet.”

“Your brother's getting married?” Applejack asked. “Congratulations, Twilight! That's great news!”

“Yeah, great news,” Twilight sarcastically said. “That I just got from a wedding invitation! Not from my brother, but from a piece of paper! Thanks a lot, Shining Armor. I mean, really, he couldn't tell me personally?” Twilight then grabbed a sandwich like in the show. “‘Hey, Twilight, just thought you should know I'm making a really big decision that changes everything. Oh, never mind, you'll hear about it when you get the invitation.’ Princess Mi Amore Cadenza? Who in the hoof is that?!”

“Um, Twilight? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight sighed. “Sorry, it's just that Shining Armor and I have always been so close. He's my BBBFF.”

“That means ‘Big Brother Best Friend Forever,’” I whispered to the girls.

“Before I came here and learned the importance of friendship, Shining Armor was the only pony I ever really accepted as a friend besides Spike.”

That’s when Twilight started singing. As much as I enjoyed her “BBBFF” song, the lack of background music made it feel awkward.

“Isn’t it weird how we always seem to sing at random times?” I whispered as Twilight continued singing. “Especially without any music?”

“Just roll with it, Spike,” Pinkie whispered back.

After Twilight finished singing (We kinda joined in for a bit), she hung her head.

Applejack said, “As one of your PFF's (Pony Friends Forever), I wanna tell you that I think your brother sounds like a real good guy.”

“He is pretty special,” Twilight said. “I mean, they don't let just anypony be captain of the Royal Guard.”

“So what does the other scroll say?” Pinkie asked.

I quickly grabbed the other scroll and opened it. Princess Celestia assigned the girls and I different roles. Fluttershy was to provide music with her birds, Pinkie was to host the reception, Applejack was to cater the reception, Rainbow Dash was to perform a Sonic Rainboom, Rarity was to design the dresses, I was to host the bachelor party, and Twilight was to make sure everything would go as planned.

That’s when Rarity’s face lit up. “So let me get this straight. We're helping out with the wedding of not only a princess, but a captain of the Royal Guard?!”

“I guess we are,” Twilight said.

Rarity fainted as the rest of us were excited for the upcoming wedding.

I quickly packed up everything I needed just in case. I grabbed the ring, some rope, a piece of cloth, a collapsible telescope, and a notebook. I then hurried to the station and hopped on the train with the rest of the girls.

“A sonic rainboom? At a wedding?!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. “Can you say ‘best wedding ever’?!”

“BEST WEDDING EVER!!” Pinkie shouted.

As we all talked about what we were going to do at the wedding, Twilight sat and stared out the window. It was clear something was on her mind, and I knew what that something was.

“Why the long face, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

“I'm just thinking about Shining Armor,” Twilight replied. “Ever since I moved to Ponyville, we've been seeing each other less and less. And now that he's starting a new family with this ‘Princess Mi Amore Ca-whatshername’, we'll probably never see each other.”

“Don’t be like that, Twilight,” I said. “Sure, he’s been skimping on contacting us these past few days, but being the captain of the guards isn’t an idle job, you know. I’m sure that he’ll still come once a moon to visit us.”

“Well, he couldn't seem to make time to tell me he was getting married. What does that tell you?”

When the train approached Canterlot, the giant pink shield became more obvious. We were all able to get past the barrier, but most of us were confused as to why such a thing was present. As we arrived at the station, we saw a plethora of pony guards.

“Whoa, what's with all the guards?” Rainbow asked as we got off the train.

“I'm sure they're just taking the necessary precautions,” Rarity said. “Royal weddings do bring out the strangest ponies.”

“Ah-CHOOO!!” Pinkie sneezed out some confetti.

“Ain't that the truth?” I asked.

“Now, let's get going!” Rarity commanded. “We've got work to do!”

“And you've got a big brother to go congratulate,” Applejack said to Twilight.

Twilight groaned, “Yeah. Congratulate. And then give him a piece of my mind.”

I decided to follow Twilight before setting up the bachelor party. Just as I was about to catch up, I was stopped by a few guards.

“Hold it!” One of the guards barked. “We need to check your bag, kid.”

I sighed and took it off. I handed it to the guards, and they took out everything I had. When they took out the ring, they gave me a concerning look.

“It’s just jewelry,” I said. “What? Can’t a guy wear a ring? Mares shouldn’t be the only ones covered in gems.”

The guards shrugged and put everything back into my bag. After they handed it to me, I thanked them and hurried to find Twilight and Shining Armor. I was able to find them on a nearby bridge.

“Staying focused on the task at hand has been my top priority,” Shining Armor said. “I understand—Oh, hey! Spike! Good to see you again.” He quickly approached me and gave me a noogie. “Man, look how you’ve grown. I almost mistook you for another dragon.”

“Heh. Very funny,” I said. “My height hasn’t changed since I left...I think.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You've got a really important job protecting all of Canterlot with a force field only you can conjure up,” Twilight said. “But still, how could you not tell us about something as big as your wedding? Are we not that important to you any more?”

“Hey. You guys are my siblings,” Shining Armor said. “Of course you're important to me. But I'd understand if you didn't want to be my best mare or ring bearer now.”

That’s when Twilight’s moping vanished.

“We’d be honored!” Twilight exclaimed. “But I'm still pretty ticked you're marrying somepony I don't even know! When did you even meet this ‘Princess Mi Amore Cadenza’?”

“Now that I think about it, the name sounds familiar,” I said.

“It should. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is Cadance, your old foalsitter,” Shining Armor said.

Twilight and I were excited to hear that. Actually, Twilight was more excited than I was, since I already knew. Cadance used to be Twilight and my babysitter. Actually, it was more like past Spike’s babysitter, since I only came to this world during Nightmare Moon’s return.

“How many alicorns can just spread love wherever they go? I only know of one!” Twilight squealed. “And you're marrying her!”

Twilight and I hopped around in joy. Twilight singsonged about Shining marrying Cadance.

“I hope I'm not interrupting anything important,” a voice called out.

We turned around to see a tall, pink alicorn standing before us. This was Princess Cadance, or to be more accurate, a changeling pretending to be Cadance.

“Cadance!” Twilight called out. She quickly approached her and did that special handshake. “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”

“What are you doing?” Cadance asked confusingly.

“Cadance, it's me: Twilight!”

“Uh-huh.”

“Hold on,” I said. “Something’s not right.”

Cadance raised her eyebrows and took a step back. “What do you mean?”

I squinted. “I can’t help but notice something’s off about you, Cadance.”

Cadance stared at me. I bet inside, she was wondering how I figured out she was a changeling so soon..

“Did you use a new eyeshadow brand? It looks like the one Rarity uses,” I said. I decided to play dumb and make her feel relieved for now.

“Oh. Yes...I did,” Cadance replied. “You have impeccable eyesight, child.”

“Well, I've gotta get back to my station,” Shining said, “but Cadance will be checking in with all of you to see how things are going. I think I speak for both of us when I say we couldn't be more excited to have you here. Right, dear?”

“Absolutely,” Cadance replied.

“Well, we'll let you get to it.” Shining Armor and Cadance walked off.

Twilight shook her head. “Do you ever get the feeling Cadence is up to something?”

“Yeah, I kinda do,” I replied. “You’d think she’d be more enthusiastic about seeing us. Even Shining Armor dropped his professionalism when he met us.” I turned to Twilight. “I’ll try to get the bachelor party set up. I’ll meet up with you when I finish preparing everything. In the meantime, try to pick up on any clues that might prove Cadance may not be the pony who she says she is. After all, it’s best to provide evidence to back up your claim.”

Twilight nodded. “I’ll be sure to do so.”

“Great.” I ran to the castle. “I’ll see you in a—”

Bam!!

I smacked right into a table inside the tower. A vase suddenly fell off.

“Spike! Heads up!” Twilight quickly caught the vase right before it hit me. “That was close. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said as I rubbed my nose.

“You should be more careful, Spike,” Twilight said as she put the vase back. “Those vases are thick, genuine porcelain.”

“Sorry about that. But I thought Celestia had dozens of these.”

“Yes, but I’m more concerned about you. If one of those vases smashed upon your head, you could get knocked unconscious or suffer a concussion.”

“Thanks for the advice,” I said. “I’ll see you later.”

As I hurried to the castle, I took note of what happened earlier with Cadance and us.

So Cadance didn’t bother to do the secret handshake. She would have at least been familiar with it, but she wasn’t.

I obtained some information about when and where the bachelor party was going to be held and how many ponies were going to show up. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to set this party up alone, so I went to find Pinkie Pie.

I found her in the hall where she was setting up the wedding. Already the decorations were up, so I assumed she used her party cannon. The reception hall was decorated in streamers and balloons. Confetti was placed all over the floor like rose petals. I also noticed a few games spread out. I would’ve questioned it, but this was Pinkie Pie’s doing after all.

“Hey, Pinkie Pie,” I greeted. “I see that the decor is coming up nicely.”

“Thanks, Spike,” Pinkie said. “How’s your party going?”

“Well, at least a dozen ponies are going to show up tonight at Shining Armor’s home,” I said. “Do you think you can help me decorate the place when you're done?”

“I’ll do you better. I’ll decorate the place right now! It’s super duper easy with my party cannon! Just let me calibrate it.” Pinkie hurried to her cannon and turned a knob. “Let’s see...wedding...birthday party...funeral...season finale...Aha! Bachelor party! I knew I put that setting here.”

“Okay, great! Let me give you the address...”

I gave Pinkie Pie a piece of paper with Shining Armor’s address. She quickly grabbed it and the party cannon and left the castle.

Now I should see what Twilight’s up to.

I started with the royal kitchen, and by sheer luck, Twilight was there with Applejack. She just finished checking off the list of what foods to prepare.

“Spike? What in tarnation are you doing here?” Applejack asked. “I thought you were settin’ up Shining Armor’s stag party?”

“I am. I just thought I came by to get some refreshments. I think like maybe some chips and soda. Nothing too heavy.” I then looked at the figures on the counter. “Hey, are those the cake models? They look just like the real bride and groom.”

That’s when the real bride came in.

“Hiya, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. You come to check out what's on the menu for your big day?” Applejack asked.

“I have,” Cadance replied.

Applejack handed her an apple fritter. Cadance’s horn lit up in a green light as she bit into the fritter.

“Delicious! I love-love-love them,” Cadance said.

“Still like those, huh?” I asked.

Cadance cleared her throat. “Of course, little one. I‘ve had the same tastes since I was just a unicorn.”

“Aw, shucks,” Applejack said as she handed Cadance a bag. “Why don't you take a few to go? I know how you brides can be. So busy, you forget to get a little somethin' in your belly.”

Cadance accepted the treats, but just like in the show, she threw them out behind everypony’s back. Twilight and I were the only ones who noticed.

“We’ll send some soda and snacks to Shining Armor’s place in a jiffy, Spike,” Applejack said.

“Great, thanks,” I said.

Later that night, we all ate at a nearby cafe. Just like in the show, Twilight arrived with an annoyed look on her face.

“Bet I can guess what you're all thinking,” Twilight said. “Cadance is the absolute worst bride-to-be ever.”

“Twilight, whatever are you talking about?” Rarity asked. “Cadance is an absolute gem!”

“Rarity, she was so demanding!”

“Well, of course she is. Why shouldn't she expect the very best on her wedding day?”

“Don’t you think this is a little concerning?” I asked. “I mean, I haven’t known Cadance as much as Twilight, but even I think there’s something up. She’s normally the patient and mellow type. Even on her wedding day she wouldn’t pull a Twilight.”

“Weddings can really change a pony, darling.” Rarity sipped her drink.

“Applejack, did you know that after she told you how much she just 'love-love-loved' your hors d'oeuvres, she threw them in the trash?” Twilight asked.

“Aw, she was probably just tryin’ to spare my feelin's,” Applejack said.

“But throwing away the bag in the same room you were in?” I asked. “She could’ve waited until she found a different trash can much further away. We’re being serious. There is no way for Cadance to act so bratty, wedding day or not. Take Twilight’s and my word for it. She didn’t become the best babysitter by acting entitled and rude.”

“The princess is about to get married,” Rarity said. “I'm sure any negative behavior she might be displaying is simply the result of nerves.”

“Seriously, girls. Who are you gonna trust? Your friend who’ve you known for almost a year, or some random pink alicorn that you’ve just met?”

The girls sans Twilight thought about it. I never sighed so heavily.

“Sweet Celestia, you ponies are as dumb as rocks!”

“Metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary?” Pinkie asked.

“Ignoranteous!”

“How dare you! I’ll have you know that’s the smartest type of rock. Just ask my older sister and her pet.”

“Ugh! This is getting nowhere!” Twilight stormed off.

I quickly hopped off my seat and followed her.

“Don’t talk to me,” Twilight growled. “I need to be alone.”

“Okay, then.” I shrugged. “Guess I’ll have to keep some of the evidence to myself.”

Twilight’s ears perked up. “What evidence?”

“I don’t know if it’s much, but there was something off about what Cadance said when she was in the kitchen earlier.” I pulled out the Cadance cake model. “‘I‘ve had the same tastes since I was just a unicorn.’”

“I don’t see how that helps, Spike. It’s true that Cadance always liked the same foods since she was a...” Twilight’s eyes widened in realization.

“I may have been a baby, but wasn’t Cadance a pegasus before she became an alicorn?”

“She was!”

“So why did she mention she was a unicorn? Even a pony with amnesia would still remember what species they used to be before turning into an alicorn. Cadance couldn’t possibly forget that she was a pegasus.”

Twilight quickly pulled out her own notebook and wrote it down. “This will be useful!”

“Yeah, but I don’t think it’ll be enough. Cadance might say it was a slip of the tongue or something. We’ll have to find more evidence.”

“What about Shining’s bachelor party? Maybe you can get info from him or the other guests.”

“I’ll try that. Actually, I should get there now! It’s starting soon!”

I quickly said goodbye to Twilight and headed to Shining Armor’s apartment. Thankfully, it just started by the time I got there.

“Spike! Great to see you!” Shining Armor said as he gave me another noogie. “Thanks for this bachelor party!”

“Don’t mention it,” I said as I put my backpack to the side. “It was the least I could do given how my brother’s gonna get married.”

“Well, don’t just stand there,” Shining said as he released me. “Grab a soda and join the party.”

I grabbed a can of soda from the cooler and chatted with the other stallions. There were board games, music, and even a small dance floor. To be honest, this didn’t feel like a bachelor party to me. It felt like a dude’s sweet sixteen party. I guess given how ponies in their mid-20s celebrate their birthday, I shouldn’t be surprised how their “adult” parties were more suited for teens.

After I played a round of “Old Mare,” I sat down next to Shining Armor on the couch.

“How are you enjoying this bachelor party, Shiny?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s the best,” Shining Armor replied as he raised his Pony-Cola can. “Of course, this is gonna be the only one I have, so there’s no competition anytime soon.”

“Well, I can’t get all the credit. I had Pinkie and Applejack help out a bit. So you're really gonna marry Cadance, huh? Twilight’s and my former babysitter?”

“Obviously. Princess Cadance is the only mare for me, and I’d denounce anypony who would say otherwise.”

“It’s nice to know you two are gonna be happy. The captain of the guards marrying a princess. Cadance is so lucky to have a knight in Shining Armor.”

“Yeah, she sure is...wait, did you just make a pun with my name?”

“S-Sorry. It sounded better in my head.”

Shining Armor sipped his soda. “Well, your humor surely hasn’t ‘Spiked’ since you’ve been gone. Get it? ‘Spiked’?”

“Save those jokes when you have a kid, dude.”

“Hey, you started it.”

I took a sip of my Para-Sprite. “I hope Cadance has been okay recently. I couldn’t help but notice that she’s been a bit...grumpy since the girls and I came to Canterlot.”

“Oh, she’s just stressed from all the work she has to do. Princess Cadance is the only mare for me, and I’d denounce anypony who would say otherwise.”

“You...already said that.”

“I did?” Shining chuckled. “I guess I had one too many sodas. The sugar rush is messing with my brain. You better limit yours as well.”

“I’ve eaten donuts with more sugar than this, and I’m including those with extra sprinkles. One can of soda isn’t gonna keep me up all night.”

“It better not. We’ve gotta get up early tomorrow to practice for the real reception.”

“But isn’t tomorrow the real reception?”

“Yes, but it’s gonna happen much later.”

“I see.” I sipped my soda once more. “Twilight thinks something’s up with Cadance. She’s the only one besides me who smells something fishy.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. Once Cadance and I get married, she’ll be back to her sweet self.” Shining Armor levitated his can to me. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

We clinked cans and continued drinking. Then I felt a sudden urge.

“Say, Shining Armor,” I whispered. “Where’s the bathroom again?”

“Down the hall, to the right, and it’ll be the second door on your right.” Shining replied. “It should be right across from my room.”

“Thanks.”

I finished my drink, threw my empty can into the recycling bin, and hurried to the bathroom.

After I finished my business, I realized that since Shining Armor’s room was nearby, I could try to find something that could help prove Cadance’s guilt. After checking to make sure nopony was coming, I left the light on, closed the bathroom door, and dashed to my brother’s bedroom.

I gotta find something in here that could be useful.

Even in the low light, I spotteed a journal on a desk. I quickly took a pencil from a cup, took a step back, and lightly touched the book. Nothing happened. I sighed. I didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Twilight’s diary.

Forgive me, big bro, but I’ve got some snooping to do. It’ll be for your own good.

I flipped through the pages hoping to find something. I found an entry that caught my eye:

“She said yes! Cadance said yes! She’s going to be my wife! This is certainly the happiest day of my life. I’ve gotta tell Twily and Spike as soon I can! We’ve already decided on the date and all. This is gonna be the best...”

I flipped through the pages again until I found something else.

“Cadance was feeling a bit moody today. I tried to ask her what was wrong, but she wouldn’t say anything. I’ll have to ask Princess Celestia what’s up. I hope this behavior doesn’t occur during the wedding.”

When I turned the page to read the next entry, I realized that something was definitely up.

“I can’t believe the wedding’s in a few days! Princess Cadance and I will be wife and husband soon. This wedding’s gonna be big! I can tell.”

I checked to see if there were any tears or cuts in the journal, but I found nothing. Somehow, Shining Armor didn’t talk about what happened with Cadance in this entry. If anything, he didn’t even knew it happened.

This might be important. I need to take note of this.

Suddenly, I heard hoofbeats approaching from down the hall. With little time to react, I dove under the bed. I could see a bunch of legs approaching the bathroom. A loud knock filled my eardrums.

“Hello?” A stallion’s voice called out. “Are you still in there, kid?” The stallion knocked again. “Hmm...looks like the lights are still on. I’ll just come back later.” He then returned to the living room.

I sighed in relief as I crawled out from under the bed. That’s when I noticed a photograph on the floor. It showed Cadance, Twilight, Shining Armor, and I as kids. We were eating a snack and waving at the camera. As I took a closer look, I noticed that Cadance was levitating an apple fritter. What was weird was her magic was light blue, and it wasn’t because of the darkness in the room. I remembered back in the royal kitchen, her magic was green.

This photograph should help me as well.

I put away the photograph. I went to the bathroom to turn off the light, and then I headed back to the party.

“Took you long enough,” Shining Armor said as I grabbed another soda and sat next to him. “You must have the bladder of a full grown dragon.”

“Come on, I wasn’t that long,” I said as I opened another can. “Besides, you’re gonna share a bathroom with Cadance, and she might be even longer.”

“Well, that depends on where we might live. We could have separate bathrooms, you know.”

“Say, let me ask you something. Has Cadance always been moody?”

“Now that you mentioned it, she has been feeling a little grumpy since...uh...” Shining Armor trailed off.

“Since what?”

“Huh?”

“You were just telling me when Cadance starting feeling grumpy.”

“I was?”

“Wait...Shining Armor.”

“Yeah?”

“Tell me about Princess Cadance.”

“Princess Cadance is the only mare for me, and I’d denounce anypony who would say otherwise.”

I gasped. “I think I know what’s wrong. You’re under some sort of spell. That mantra you just said proves it.”

“I am?” Shining Armor gasped. “You’re right. I am! How did I not notice?”

“Tell me how this happened.”

“I think it was when I first notice Cadance was acting strange, but...”

“See? I knew there was something up with her. We better tell Twilight and get Cadance to spill the beans.”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea? Princess Cadance is the only mare for me, and I’d denounce anypony who would say otherwise.”

“Argh!” I nearly crushed my can. “Nevermind. Let’s just enjoy the party.”

I spent the rest of the night enjoying the bachelor party. A few hours later, it was time to leave. After all the stallions left, Pinkie Pie came out of nowhere with her party cannon and cleaned up all the decorations. Apparently, her party cannon also has a reverse mode.

“The princess let us sleep in the royal bedchambers,” Pinkie Pie said. “You should join us.”

“No thanks,” I replied as I put on my bag. “I’ll just stay at our old place.”

“Okie dokie loki!”

I head to where Twilight’s and my old room was. I didn’t see Twilight around, but I decided to go to sleep anyways.

“Spike! Wake up! Hurry!”

I felt something shaking my body silly. I instantly shot my eyes wide open.

“Huh?! What?!”

“We’ve got a big problem!” Twilight shouted.

“What’s the problem?!”

“Come on! I’ll tell you on the way!”

I hopped on Twilight’s back as we headed to the castle.

“Sometime after your bachelor party,” Twilight said, “I visited Shining Armor to talk about Cadance. When I got there, Shining and Cadance were arguing about the outfit, and then she cast a spell on him. It must’ve been a brainwashing spell.”

“Are you sure it was a brainwashing spell?” I asked.

“Of course it was! It caused Shining Armor to go wide-eyed.”

“And it wasn’t because since he was casting that giant shield spell, he’s been getting headaches, and the spell was just a healing spell?”

“We’ve got aspirin for that! He didn’t need a spell from Cadance. Anyway, when I saw that, I quickly went to find the girls and tell them about it. But get this, they were gonna be the new bridesmaids after the other ones disappeared for no reason. She must’ve done something to the old bridesmaids.”

“Maybe after seeing that you were the best mare, she saw to it that your friends would play a better role in this wedding.”

“Why are you doubting me, Spike?”

“Don’t you have any evidence to prove all of this? Do you know what a ‘headache reducing’ spell looks like? Did you ask anypony besides the girls what happened to the old bridesmaids? You were supposed to look for evidence.”

“What did you think I was doing? Sitting idly while counting down my big brother’s free days? What about you? Did you find anything besides Cadance’s ‘unicorn’ quote?”

“Actually, I found a bunch of things that could help. When I was talking to Shining Armor, I noticed he kept saying how Cadance was the only mare for him everytime I mentioned her. What was suspicious was he kept saying it the same way.”

“Go on.”

“There was also a photo I found that showed Cadance as a filly. Her magic in the photo was light blue. But you saw that it was green when she levitated that apple fritter back at the kitchen.” I pulled out the photo and gave it to Twilight.

“As a matter of fact, I do remember her magic being light blue. Thanks for that, Spike.”

“There was one other thing, but...”

“Just tell me.”

“I read through Shining Armor’s journal hoping to find something. I’m sorry for doing that, but I had to! Anyway, I found an entry where it states that Cadance had been acting strange, but the entry right after that doesn’t even mention it. I wanted to use it as evidence, but I can’t tell Shining Armor I read through his journal. He’ll think I have no respect for privacy.”

“Well, the other two pieces should be good enough. Now, let’s save my family!”

We hurried to the reception hall. The rest of the girls, Shining Armor, Princess Celestia, and Cadance were already practicing.

“Hey, Twily! Spike!” Shining Armor called out. “It’s good to see you. We were just practicing.”

“I'm not gonna stand next to her!” Twilight declared. “And neither should you!”

Everypony was silent. I hopped off Twilight’s back.

“I'm sorry, I... I don't know why she's acting like this...” Shining Armor said.

“Shining Armor, why don’t you tell me about Cadance?”

“Well...she’s pretty, she’s sweet, and she’s going to be my bride.”

Uh, oh. Where’s the mantra?

“Thank you,” Cadance said.

“Cadance, did you remember before you became an alicorn?” Twilight asked.

“Of course. I was just a little pegasus when it happened. What’s with these weird questions?”

“I thought you said that you used to be a unicorn.”

“It was just a slip of the tongue.”

Double uh, oh! I was afraid she would come up with an excuse like this.

“I would think you wouldn’t remember,” Twilight said. She then pulled out a photo. “Take a look at this.”

Twilight levitated the photo to Cadance. Cadance took it with her own magic to view it.

“So, it’s a picture of us as kids,” Shining Armor said. “That’s cute and all, but why are you showing it to us?”

“Because there’s something you should see in the photo. Have you noticed that Cadance in the picture is using light-blue-colored magic, but you all can see that she’s using green-colored magic right now.”

“That does smell rather fishy,” Applejack said.

“Oh, that.” Cadance chuckled. “The color of my magic has changed a bit ever since I became an alicorn.”

“Is it really possible for one’s magic color to be altered?” Rarity asked.

“There is usually a condition that causes it to happen irruptibaly,” Celestia replied. “But it’s very rare. Princess Cadance seems to have that condition.”

You could’ve just said no, princess. It would’ve made things easier.

“Twily, why are you asking all of this?” Shining Armor asked.

“I’ll tell you why,” Twilight replied. “Because Cadance is evil!”

Everypony gasped. I slapped my forehead.

“At first, I thought she was just being rude and bratty, but I figured out the real reason. She's been horrible to my friends, she's obviously done something to her bridesmaids, and if that wasn't enough, I saw her put a spell on my brother that made his eyes go all crazy! Just admit it, Cadance! You’re a villain!”

“Why are you doing this to me?!” Cadance cried.

“If I don't stop you, you're gonna ruin my brother's life!”

Cadance ran out of the hall crying. Twilight was about to chase her, but Shining Armor stopped her.

“You want to know why my eyes went all crazy?” Shining Armor said. “Because ever since I started having to perform my protection spell, I've been getting terrible migraines. Cadance hasn't been casting spells on me. She's been using her magic to heal me!”

“You couldn’t use aspirin?” I asked.

“I didn’t have any, and if I did, they would take too long to heal me. That’s why Cadance was using her magic. It was quicker and more efficient.” He then turned to Twilight. “She decided to replace her bridesmaids because she found out the only reason they wanted to be in the wedding was so that they could meet Canterlot royalty! And if she hasn't been on her best behavior with your friends, it's because with me being so busy, she's had to make all the decisions about the wedding!”

“I wouldn’t even consider it good behavior,” I said under my breath.

“She's been completely stressed out because it's really important to her that our big day be perfect! Something that obviously wasn't important to you!”

Twilight gasped after hearing that.

“Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and comfort my bride. And you can forget about being my best mare. In fact, if I were you, I wouldn't show up to the wedding at all.”

Shining Armor left the room. The rest of the girls followed suit in a huff.

I should’ve just said Cadance was a changeling right then and there. Why did I not do that? I guess maybe she would try to deny it or something?

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I whispered. “I’ll figure something out.”

I quickly left the room. That’s when I knew it was time for Plan B: Taking on Queen Chrysalis myself. As I walked down the hall, I thought about my plan.

At this point, Chrysalis might get too powerful for me to defeat her by myself. Obviously, none of the girls are going to help me, and neither will Celestia. My other idea is to do a sneak attack. But how…?

During my thinking, I nearly missed hitting another table. That’s when I remembered the vases. I grabbed the vase and felt its heaviness. If I had to guess the weight, it would have to be around 5 pounds.

Maybe I can use this…

Then something occured to me. I didn’t have my backpack.

Oh, no! Where did I leave it last?! Let’s see...The guards gave it to me after their search. I still wore it when I was talking to Pinkie and then when I went to the kitchen. I didn’t remember taking it off until the bachelor party, and I specifically recalled putting it back on after that. Then it must be in our old room!

I quickly hurried down the hall. I found the girls lamenting on what happened earlier.

“Do you think we were a bit too harsh on Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, you sure were,” I replied as I showed up. “By a lot.”

“Geeze, Spike,” Rainbow Dash said. “Maybe you should stop hanging around Applejack. You’re picking up her brutal honesty.”

Applejack glared at her.

“Applejack, Twilight, and I heard Cadance say ‘unicorn’ back at the kitchen clear as day,” I said. “She was definitely a pegasus before she became an alicorn. Also, whenever somepony talks about Cadance, Shining would go on a mantra, but I guess she removed it last night to avoid suspicion. Another thing, I can understand there’s a condition that can change your magic color, but Cadance is an alicorn, so she should’ve had some spell to reverse it. Finally, Shining Armor knew something was up with Cadance long before this day, but she somehow got the upper hoof and made him forget. That’s why Twilight asked all those questions.”

“Don’t tell me you believe Princess Cadance is evil, too,” Pinkie said.

“Next time, don’t doubt your friends. Even if their future sister-in-law is a stressed princess.” I then left the castle.

“Where are you going, Spike?” Fluttershy asked. “The wedding’s going to start soon.”

“I have some things to take care of,” I said. “I’ll be back shortly.”

I quickly left the castle and ran to my old home. I hoped my backpack was still there. I dashed up the steps and slammed the doors open. I ran to where my old bed was, and I found my pack on the side. I quickly opened it and checked it’s contents.

“Rope? Check. Cloth? Check. Telescope? Check. Magic-inhibitor ring? Check. Notebook? Check.” I zipped up my bag. “That’s everything.”

As I ran out to the stairs, I noticed a bunch of tiny black dots just outside the shield. They had to be the changelings. I pulled out the telescope and searched the horizon. I knew there was one shy changeling named Thorax who appeared during the Canterlot Wedding. The hard part was finding where he was. It didn’t help that he looked like most of the other changelings.

Thorax has to be one of them.

It took me a while, but I spotted a changeling with a worried look on his face. It must’ve been him. He was located just above the outer walls. I studied the nearby buildings, and it appeared he was near a coffee store and a designer hats store. I took note of that.

“Okay, now I know where to find Thorax in case things go south at the castle.”

I put the telescope away, grabbed my bag, and dashed out of the door.

“Hey, Spike!”

I quickly turned to see Moondancer following me. She still had her Twilight-like mane and glasses, but she was dressed in the same dress she wore at the gala.

“Moondancer! Good to see you,” I said as I continued running. “You’re heading to the wedding as well, right?”

“Yeah.” Moondancer ran up beside me. “My alarm clock didn’t go off, so I overslept. I didn’t have time to do my hair or face.”

“That’s okay. You look fine the way you are. I kinda overslept as well.”

“You better hop on if we’re gonna reach the castle in time.”

I did just that. Moondancer galloped as fast as she could. We arrived at the castle in no time.

“Are we too late for the wedding?” Moondancer asked the guard.

“No, ma’am,” the guard replied. “In fact, you’re about five minutes early.”

Oh, no! I gotta hurry!

After we entered the castle and scurried up the stairs, I hopped off Moondancer’s back and ran down the hall.

“Where are you going, Spike?” Moondancer asked. “The wedding’s this way.”

“I have to use the bathroom,” I lied. “Go on. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be there before they say ‘I do.’”

Moondancer nodded and headed to the wedding room. I continued to run across the halls.

I had to find which room Cadance, aka Queen Chrysalis, was in. As I was running through the castle, I noticed that there weren’t many guards around. I prayed to Celestia that they weren’t taken out.

Now where could that bug be?

My question was answered when I heard a familiar song.

“I couldn’t care less about the dress, I won’t partake in any cake!”

That was definitely her. I grabbed a nearby vase and headed to the room she was in. I peeked in, and sure enough, there she was. Singing her heart out.

Only one shot at this, Spike. Here goes nothing.

I cracked open the door. I took a deep breath to calm my beating heart. I aimed at her head, and I threw the vase with all my might!

“But I want him to be all—”

SMASH!!

The porcelain vase crashed right onto Cadance’s head, shattering into tiny pieces and knocking her unconscious body to the floor.

Heh-Ha! I did it!

Cadance’s body slowly transformed back into Queen Chrysalis. That’s when I took action. I grabbed the rope from my backpack and tied Chrysalis’s legs together. I placed the magic inhibitor ring on her horn, and I tied the cloth around her mouth.

“What is a bug, to a dragon?” I asked myself.

Then I heard a knock on the door.

“Princess Cadance, the wedding is about to start,” said a voice behind the door. “Are you ready?”

“I’m sorry, but this mare’s not going to the wedding,” I said.

“What the?!” A guard burst into the room. “Nopony’s allowed in the bride’s room when she’s—GASP!!”

The guard and two others who followed him were left speechless. They saw Queen Chrysalis on the ground tied up.

“How did she get past security?!” The guard asked. The others could only shrug. “We’ll need to inform Princess Celestia immediately! Spike, take the changeling with you!”

I picked up Chrysalis’s body and followed the guards. She was surprisingly light for sompony three times my height. I wondered how the others would react to seeing Chrysalis.

By the time the guards and I came to the wedding hall, the real Cadance and Twilight were already there. Surprisingly, everypony already knew that Chrysalis was on castle grounds. Because earlier, Shining Armor was snapped out of his trance, and he quickly told Celestia that Chrysalis kidnapped his future wife and brainwashed him. I dumped the body on the floor. Gasps filled the room.

Princess Celestia stood in front of Queen Chrysalis. She was not happy. Soon, Chrysalis regained consciousness, and was shocked to see the Princess of the Sun staring down at her.

“You’ve made a terrible mistake coming here!” Celestia barked. “Now you’re gonna pay for your crimes!”

Chrysalis made inaudible muffles, so I undid the cloth so she could speak.

“How did you know I was even here?!” Chrysalis said. “None of you trusted that purple pony!”

“Let’s just say,” I said, “the purple pony wasn’t the only one who saw through your smoke and mirrors.”

“You knew?!” Chrysalis growled. “Impossible!”

“Take her to the dungeon!” Celestia ordered her guards. “And don’t remove that ring or those ropes until further notice!”

“Yes, your highness.”

After Chrysalis was taken away, preparations were made yet again, but this time to the real Cadance’s liking. And the wedding went well just like in the show.

“What did I miss?” Princess Luna asked as she flew in. Then something struck my mind.

“Excuse me, Princess Luna?” I asked. “Could I talk with you for a minute?”

“As you wish, Spike.” Luna and I went someplace quiet.

“Do you believe everypony deserves a second chance?” I asked her.

“I suppose so.”

“And do you believe other creatures deserve a second chance?”

“What are you getting at, Spike?”

“Do you believe in a changeling having a second chance?”

“You’re not serious about releasing Queen Chrysalis, are you?!”

“No! No! I’m talking about a different changeling.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

I told Luna to fly me to a certain spot just outside of Canterlot. After we landed I told Luna to wait nearby. I snuck around and hid in some bushes. I saw four changelings talking to each other. One of them seemed to be a lot shorter than the others.

“The queen has been captured?!” the small changeling said. Somehow, her voice sounded familiar. “But what about all that love she promised?! Can’t we just go in and get her?”

“I’m sorry,” one of the bigger changelings said, “but we can’t just barge in there. Even if we get through the shield, we’re all gonna get thrown in prison. Now go back to the hive like the rest of the swarm.”

The small changeling growled. “I swear, next time, I’m taking the love all by myself. I won’t even have the Queen stopping me.” She then flew off.

“I swear, that little one is crazy,” the second bigger changeling said.

“Hey, don’t worry about Ocellus, guys,” the third one said. Now, his voice I recognized. “She’s been wanting to join our heists ever since she was a larva. You can’t blame her for—”

“Mind your own business, buddy!” The first one retorted. “We have to look out only for ourselves! If we showed empathy for others, we would get nowhere. So let her be! The queen will get out soon. She always has a plan. Now, let’s go. We’ll need to keep the hive running until she returns.”

The first and second changeling flew off. The third one looked back at Canterlot. He sighed and started to flap his wings. That was my cue.

“Excuse me?” I asked as I exited the bushes.

“I SURRENDER!!” The changeling threw his hooves up in the air.

“You don’t need to, Thorax.”

“H-How do you know my name?”

“I know enough about you guys.”

“Look, I-I don’t know anything! Our queen is captured! T-Talk to her!”

“I just want to talk to you personally, Thorax.”

Thorax lowered his arms and turned around.

“What do you want from me?” He asked. “Wait, you’re a dragon?”

“You guys feed on love, right?” I asked.

“Well, yeah. We’re changelings.”

“Have you ever thought about sharing your love?”

“What do you mean?”

“You don’t have to feed on love. You can just share it. You don't have to live your life starving all the time. It would be much better than trying to invade a wedding.”

“How do I...share love?”

“Through the magic of friendship.” I held his hoof. “If we show empathy for others, we will go far.”

Right as I said that, Thorax’s wings started to sparkle a bit. I didn’t like Thorax’s overly colored form, but as long as Chrysalis didn’t rule them with an iron fist, then I was willing to accept it.

“Uh...thanks,” Thorax said as he removed his hoof from my hands. “But how can I convince the rest of the hive to share love?”

“My advice: Start with being nice to someone you know. Like Ocellus...or Pharynx.”

Thorax’s eyes widened. “How did you…?”

“Like I said, I know enough about you.” I patted his back. “Good luck.”

“Th-Thank you.” Thorax flew away.

I had high hopes for Thorax. With Chrysalis out of the picture, the hive would need a new ruler, and while chances for Thorax to become one are slim under the recent conditions, I think he’ll be able to convince the others to share love.

As I headed back, I saw Luna approaching me.

“You seem to have known who that changeling was,” Luna said in a serious tone. “Have you interacted with him before in the past?”

“You might say that,” I replied.

Luna glared at me. "Give it to me straight, Spike. How do you know him? Why doesn't Celestia know about this? Are you working with them? Answer me."

I sighed. "I need you to keep a secret, but you must promise me you won’t tell anyone. Not even your own sister."

Luna nodded. “You have my word.”

I looked around and then whispered in Luna’s ear, “I have seen this all before.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “You have?”

I nodded. “I’ve seen everything that happened before. You returning, Discord escaping, Chrysalis invading, I’ve seen it all. The outcomes I’ve seen from these were...less than desirable, so I’m doing whatever I can to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”

“Interesting.” Luna scratched the bottom of her chin. “Are you stuck in some sort of time loop?”

“No, I’m not. I’m sure of that.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Let’s just say something happened in the future to make me travel back into the past.”

“What exactly happened?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t know. All I did was fall asleep, and the next thing I knew I was in the past. But that doesn’t matter. As long as I’m here, I’m gonna do whatever I can to set things right.”

“Have you told anypony else about this?”

“No, I doubt the girls will believe me, and Twilight would probably ‘test’ me if I told her. I want to keep this hidden until the time is right.”

“I see. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you, Princess Luna.”

We flew back into Canterlot. I was glad to meet Thorax so early and convince him to share love. However, I was worried about Queen Chrysalis. I didn’t know if she would escape or not, but at least she wouldn’t try to capture us.

Chapter 40 (The Crystal Empire)

Fluttershy and I were having tea just outside her cottage. It was a beautiful, warm afternoon.

“I know we already apologized to Twilight for not putting faith in her, but I still feel guilty about not trusting her at first.” Fluttershy sipped her tea. “So how did you take down Queen Chrysalis, Spike?”

“I threw a vase at her while she was singing,” I replied. “My word of advice: don’t let your guard down during a song.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. When did you realize she was a changeling?”

“When I saw what Cadance did to Twilight, I knew it had to have been some sort of changeling magic,” I lied. “I’ve been reading about them in some of Twilight’s books.”

“I see.”

We continued drinking our tea as we watched the sky. There were only a few clouds. I guess the weather team didn’t want to make the sky completely clear today.

Suddenly, Twilight poofed out of nowhere!

“There you are, Spike!” Twilight shouted. “I need you!”

She quickly grabbed me by the waist and teleported me to the library. I nearly lost my balance as she released her grip.

“Twilight? What’s going on?” I asked. “What is so important that you had to interrupt my tea time with Fluttershy?”

“The princess has just assigned me an exam!” Twilight exclaimed. “I need to grab everything I need and get to Canterlot at once! Now, help me out!”

It didn’t take long for me to put two and two together and figure out this was when the events of “The Crystal Empire” took place. I couldn’t think of anything I could change, but I knew I’ll be playing a significant role in this episode.

“Where are all my quills?!” Twilight gasped. She quickly grabbed some from a nearby cup and threw them into a bag.

The other girls arrived just in time to see Twilight packing anything she could. Big books, flashcards, scrolls. She was going all out.

“Twilight, relax,” I said as I rearranged the books. “I know that this exam from the Princess could be very important, but your hyperventilation is going to disrupt your thinking power.”

“I’ll relax after I ace my test!” Twilight retorted. “Maybe if you handed that scroll to me instead of leaving it on the nightstand before you left, I would have more time to prepare!”

“How can ya be so worked up over a lil’ something like a test?” Applejack asked.

“Applejack, you’re forgetting that the princess is also Twilight's teacher,” I calmly replied. “I don’t know why Princess Celestia would summon Twilight on such short notice, but whatever it’s for, it must be important. It’s best to come prepared, you know.”

“There’s a difference between prepared and paranoid, and I’d know.”

After we packed everything (we left the library still on its foundation), Twilight and I took a train to Canterlot.

“Quiz me, Spike! Hurry!” Twilight commanded. “I need to be ready for anything!”

I sighed and pulled out a few flashcards. “Name the elements of harmony.”

“Honestygenerositylaughterkindnessloyaltyandmagic!” Twilight rapidly replied. “Keep them coming!”

“Uh...True or False: You should judge someone based on their species.”

“False! Wait...yeah, false!”

“When should you ask your friends for help?”

“Whenever it’s needed!”

I continued asking Twilight questions from the flashcards until we arrived at the train station. I noticed that the shield was no longer surrounding the city, which made sense since the spellcaster was not in Canterlot at the moment. Twilight quickly grabbed all of her bags and zoomed to the castle.

How can a pony carrying three times her weight go so fast?

I quickly followed Twilight and rested on the steps. As I waited for Celestia to talk about the Crystal Empire’s return, I thought about my plans.

Now that Chrysalis is behind bars with tight security, it’s time to move onto the next villain: King Sombra. There’s not much I can change, to be honest. There’s no way I can reform Sombra, and I doubt I’m gonna encounter any events seen in the comic books. I guess I’ll just have to let him get blown to bits.

It was safe to assume that since the Crystal Empire has returned, Twilight will eventually become an alicorn. That got me thinking about something else.

Should I…prevent Twilight from becoming an alicorn? I mean, I wasn’t pleased at first when she did, but I warmed up to it. In fact, I now found her better with wings if I’m being honest. Yeah, I’ll let Twilight become an alicorn this time. I’ll just have to find a different way for it to happen rather than have Twilight turn Ponyville upside down.

A few minutes later, Twilight came from out of the castle. She looked like a puppy who got scolded for ruining a new sofa.

“Twilight? What’s wrong?” I asked. “What happened during your exam? Was there an exam at all?”

Twilight sighed and sang, “I was prepared to do my best. Thought I could handle any test...”

This was yet another song. I followed Twilight as she continued singing around Canterlot. I also joined in for a little while.

Once she finished singing, we approached the train station.

“So...what were you not prepared for?” I asked.

Before my question could be answered, the train arrived. The rest of the girls came out.

“Twilight! Did ya pass?” Applejack asked.

“Are we gonna celebrate your awesomeness with Princess Celestia?” Pinkie asked as she took out her party cannon.

“Not quite,” Twilight replied. “We're going to the Crystal Empire!”

The girls around us were confused.

Later that day, we hopped on the train heading north. Everypony around us was wondering about the Crystal Empire.

“So what’s this Crystal Empire?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I never heard of such a place, and the only place I know that’s way up here is Yakyakistan.”

“The reason why you never heard of the empire was because it disappeared for over a thousand years,” Twilight replied.

“Shouldn’t there have been legends about it or something?” Fluttershy asked. “Like with Nightmare Moon?”

“There have been only a few handful of stories about the empire,” I said. “But they are almost nonexistent. You wouldn’t find them even in the Canterlot archives.”

“That reminds me,” Pinkie said. “Whatever happened to that bell book Celestia was talking about?”

“Oh, that.” I sighed. “I told her that since there was a chance that some of the creatures escaped, there was a possibility that one of them could find a potentially dangerous artifact. I did some research earlier and found something known as ‘Grogar’s Bell’ that could steal other ponies’ magic. At the archives, I saw a book about bells locked up in chains, and I had a feeling there was going to be a section about this bell. After I broke the weak chains, I went through the book and found a spell to activate it. I didn’t want it to end up in the wrong hooves, so I had to tear out the pages. There was nothing else I could do.”

“Yeah, and Celestia said that there were other ways besides tearing pages from a book, Spike,” Twilight sternly added. “She could’ve at least stored the book somewhere private or find the artifact itself and destroy it.”

“Look, I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to take chances. I don’t know who might escape from Tartarus, but it was best for me to make sure they didn’t get the upper hand.”

After a while, the train stopped at a vacant station. Snow was falling harder than a group of windigos could produce. As we stepped out of the train, the cold wind smacked into our faces. I was so glad I was a warm-blooded reptile.

“Ha! And you all made fun of me for packing so many scarves,” Rarity said.

“You’re going to share them with us, right?” I asked as I carried some of her suitcases. Emphasis on “some.”

“Twilight!” A stallion’s voice called out.

“Shining Armor?” Twilight asked.

From within the flurries, a unicorn with a black scarf and glasses came out. Even with the ensemble, we could recognize him.

“Twily! You made it!” Shining Armor and Twilight shared a hug. “We'd better get moving. There are things out here we really don't want to run into after dark.”

Fluttershy gulped. “What kind of things?”

“Let's just say the Empire... isn't the only thing that's returned.”

After putting on some of Rarity’s scarves, we traversed the winter wasteland. The howling wind, the freezing snow, and the intense blizzard made it unbearable to walk.

“Something keeps trying to get in!” Shining Armor shouted against the zephyr. “We think it's the unicorn king who originally cursed the place!”

“But Princess Celestia said I was being sent here to find a way to protect the Empire!” Twilight rebutted. “If King Sombra can't get in, then it must already be protected!”

Just as Twilight said that, a loud howling sound echoed throughout the land. It was too low-pitched to be the wind.

“Th-That's one of the things, isn't it?!” Fluttershy shivered.

“We have to get to the Crystal Empire! Now!” Shining Armor barked.

Without any hesitation, we all dashed for the empire. With seconds, a black shadow with green, glowing eyes appeared behind us. It was King Sombra, the unicorn king that enslaved the empire and made it vanish after his banishment.

“Go! Go!” Twilight commanded.

My heart was racing. I didn’t want to know what would happen to me if I got caught in Sombra’s shadows, I didn’t want to stick around to find out.

“Almost there!” Shining Armor hollered. “Head into the blue dome!”

He didn’t have to ask me twice. Even with my stubby legs, I was able to catch up with the rest of the pony stampede. The dome was drawing closer and closer, but so were the howling of the shadows. I prayed that we would beat the unicorn king to the Empire.

Sure enough, we all slipped through the dome’s walls into a grassy plain just outside the Crystal Empire. We stopped to catch our breath. I felt like I just ran a marathon. My thighs were burning like the sun, my heart was beating like a timpani, and my lungs felt like I inhaled a sea urchin.

“Everypony...okay…?” Twilight asked out of breath.

“I think I’m...gonna vomit,” I gasped. “Say, where’s Shining Armor?”

My question was soon answered when Shining Armor came into the dome. He was alright, except…

“Oh, no!” Twilight gasped. “Shining Armor, your horn!”

My brother’s horn was covered in black crystals, which prevented him from casting magic.

“Can’t we use a chisel or something?” I asked.

“I don’t think it’s gonna help, Spike,” Shining Armor said. “We’ll have to find Cadance and tell her.”

As we entered the empire, we were all amazed about the structures. I was pretty astonished myself despite what happened earlier. Each building sparkled without reflecting any blinding sunlight. I also seemed to notice how it was as warm as Ponyville despite being at a higher latitude. When we approached the towering castle, I was stunned by its vastness and design. Judging by Rarity’s stammering, I wasn’t the only one.

“It's gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!” Rarity squealed. “There are no words!”

“Focus, Rarity,” Applejack said. “We're here to help Twilight, not admire the scenery.”

“I don't see what the big deal is. Just looks like another old castle to me,” Rainbow Dash joked.

Rarity was shocked by Rainbow’s comment. “Another old…?! Have you lost your mind?! Look at the magni—”

Then Rainbow and Applejack laughed and gave a hoof bump. The rest of us were amused while Rarity was a bit peeved.

“Very funny.”

We climbed up the long flight of stairs until we reached the throne room. Cadance was there sitting on the throne. She looked like she hadn't slept for days.

“Cadance!” Twilight called out. Cadance’s face lit up as they met.

The duo did their special handshake: “Sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!”

Suddenly, Cadance clutched her forehead. “One of these days we need to get together when the fate of Equestria isn't hanging in the balance.”

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked.

“Cadance has been able to use her magic to spread love and light,” Shining Armor replied. “That seems to be what is protecting it. But she hasn't slept, barely eats. I want to help her, but my protection spell has been countered by King Sombra.” Shining Armor showed Cadance his horn.

Cadance sighed. “It's alright Shining Armor, I'm fine.”

“She's not fine. She can't go on like this forever, and if her magic were to fade... Well, you saw what's out there waiting for that to happen.”

“That’s why we’re here,” Twilight said.

“Why we’re all here,” Applejack added.

“Well, with Cadance putting all her strength into keeping her spell going, and me trying to keep an eye on signs of trouble in the arctic, we haven't been able to gather much information from the Crystal Ponies,” Shining said.

“Crystal Ponies?!” Rarity gleefully screamed. “There are Crystal Ponies?!” We all stared at her. She quickly regained her composure. “Please continue.”

“But we have to believe one of them knows how we can protect the Empire without having to use Cadance's magic,” said Shining Armor.

“A research paper!” Twilight exclaimed. “That must be part of my test: to gather information from the Crystal Ponies and deliver it to you! This is gonna be great! I love research papers!”

“Yeah, who doesn’t?” Rainbow sarcastically asked.

Blinded by the sarcasm, Pinkie replied, “Oh! Oh! Oh! Lemme guess! Is it Spike? No, no, Fluttershy! Rarity?”

“Don't worry, big brother. I am really good at this sort of thing,” Twilight said. “We’ll gather as much information as we possibly can!”

The girls and I quickly left the castle and spread out to find Crystal Ponies to talk to. Sadly, like in the show, Twilight's proclamation was proven false. None of the Crystal Ponies we’ve met could give us anything about their past before Sombra took over. If anything, they acted like they were forced not to tell anyone. I had a feeling that curse did more than just remove the shine in their coats.

After what seemed like hours of interviewing the depressed ponies, Twilight and I headed back to the center of the castle. A few minutes later, the rest of the girls showed up. Just like Twilight and me, they drew nothing but blanks.

Applejack sighed. “Sorry, Twilight. These crystal ponies seem to have some kinda collective amnesia or somethin'. Only thing I was able to get out of 'em was somethin' about a library.”

Twilight gasped. “A library? Well, why didn't you say so?!”

“I...thought I just did.”

After getting some directions, we hurried to the library.

“Why didn’t we do this before?” I asked. “We could’ve just asked if there was a library and head there first.”

“Well, we had to figure out if the residents knew anything,” Rarity replied.

As we entered the library, Twilight was astounded by the sheer number of books. To be honest, so was I. Even my college library didn’t have so many books, and I’m including the digital ones.

“May I help you?” The librarian asked.

“Yes,” Twilight replied. “We’re looking for a book.”

“We have plenty of those.”

“You do!” Twilight looked around once more. “You really do!”

“We're lookin' for a history book,” Applejack said. “Somethin' that might tell us how the Empire might've protected itself from danger back in the day.”

“Yes. Of course.” The librarian looked around. “History, history... Ah, yes.”

Then there was a moment of awkward silence. None of us spoke.

“Uh...so do you know where we could find one?” I asked.

“I...I can't seem to remember,” the librarian replied. “I'm not sure I actually work here.”

Sheesh. This curse is really affecting everypony’s memories.

“We'll just take a look around,” Twilight said. “I'm sure we can find it on our own.”

We searched the entire library from top to bottom looking for any kind of book that was related to the Crystal Empire’s history. It seemed like hours of searching only to find nothing. I didn’t know where the book in the show was exactly, so I couldn’t help speed things up.

“Girls! I found it!” Twilight called out.

We hurried to the source of Twilight’s voice. She showed us a book called “The History of the Crystal Empire.”

“I just hope it has the answers we need,” Twilight said as she flipped through the pages. “Oh look! Here’s something! A Crystal Faire! It says it was an annual tradition in the Crystal Empire. We better show this to Shining Armor and Cadance.”

We quickly hurried back to the castle. Just like in the show, Twilight showed Shining and Cadance the book and talked about how the Crystal Faire could help protect the empire by increasing the citizens’ spirit of love and unity.

“My friends and I could put it together,” Twilight said. “Everything we need to know is in the book!”

“That sounds pretty promising,” Shining Armor said. He then looked at Cadance, who was nearly falling asleep.

“We'll get started right away!”

With the help of the rest of girls, and a song, we were able to set up the faire in no time. I was a bit worried about the Crystal Heart.

“Are you sure the Crystal Heart wasn’t some sort of relic?” I asked Twilight.

“The book said it was just a heart-shaped crystal, Spike,” Twilight said. “I don’t think it was an artifact. Shining or Cadance would’ve told us about it. Let’s just hurry and get this festival started.”

The scene played out like in the show. Twilight invited everypony to attend the Crystal Faire, and sure enough, everypony grew happier as their coats shone brighter.

“Everything seems to be going well,” Twilight said as she read through the book. “Hopefully, it’ll be enough to protect the empire.”

“You know, there’s something that’s been bothering me,” I said. “How come there were so few legends about the empire? You’d think with it being so popular back in the day, Equestria would’ve been talking about it nonstop. And what about King Sombra himself? The only thing we know about him was he was a unicorn king who enslaved his subjects. Was he even a unicorn to begin with?”

“Well, Spike, it has been over a thousand years since the Crystal Empire vanished. Of course there would be few stories about it nowadays.”

“And yet, Nightmare Moon’s story is still remembered by heart even though it occurred around the same time. We even have a holiday named after her.”

“Well, the empire’s disappearance didn’t exactly happen a thousand years ago. It has been a long time I’m sure, but even I can’t determine its exact date. As for King Sombra, I don’t know about him. Yes, there should be a story about his past and explaining how he became a tyrant, but there isn’t any that I know of. For all we know, he’s either a powerful unicorn, or some mythical being that transformed into a unicorn. Unless you want to go out there and interview him yourself, I don’t think there is a way to find out about his past.”

“Do you think Celestia knows?” I asked. “Maybe she—”

Suddenly, a thick cloth covered Twilight and me, and everything went dark!

“Hey! Who turned off the lights?!”

We struggled out of the sheet and saw Rainbow Dash nibbling her forehooves.

“Twilight! Spike! We may have a problem!” Rainbow exclaimed. “You know that crystal heart? Well, we needed the Crystal Heart! That librarian pony said it was powered by the Crystal Ponies’ positive feelings in order to protect the empire!”

Twilight gasped. “We need to tell Shining and Cadance immediately!”

Dashie, Twilight, and I quickly hurried up to the balcony.

“Shining Armor! Cadance!” Twilight called out. “We’ve got a situation!”

“What’s wrong, Twily?” Shining Armor asked.

“The Crystal Ponies at the faire said that there was supposed to be an official Crystal Heart!” Twilight flipped through the pages. “I didn't know it was an actual relic! The book didn't mention anything about the Crystal Ponies powering the Heart!” She suddenly flipped to the last page only to find out there was none. “There was a page missing! How did I not notice?!”

“The last page is never there when you need it the most,” I said.

Cadance then passed out. The shield suddenly phased away. Shining Armor quickly awoken her. She cast the spell again to reform the dome.

“I have to find the Crystal Heart!” Shining Armor declared.

“No, you stay here with Cadance,” Twilight retorted. “She needs you, Shining Armor. I'll retrieve the Heart.”

“Let’s do this!” Rainbow Dash said.

I quickly hopped on Twilight’s back as we headed out of the balcony.

“I've been trying to figure out how I'm meant to pass Celestia's test,” Twilight said. “Retrieving the Crystal Heart must be it. You two and the rest of our friends have to keep the faire going.”

“With that thing moving into the Empire?” Rainbow asked.

“The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the Crystal Ponies, so they can activate the Crystal Heart. If the Crystal Ponies find out that King Sombra is trying to take over the Empire again, their spirits are gonna be anything but lifted.” Twilight headed outside with Dash following her. “It won't matter if I find the Crystal Heart. They won't be able to make it work. You have to keep them happy here at the faire.”

“Keep the faire going and the Crystal Ponies' spirits high. Done and done!”

“You better go, too, Spike.”

“No! I’m going with you!” I rebutted.

“You can't,” Twilight said. “I have to retrieve the Crystal Heart by myself.”

“Well...then...I won’t lift a claw.” I crossed my arms. “I’ll just provide moral support. So, any ideas where the heart might be?”

“It would have to be somewhere where nopony else went to,” Twilight scratched her chin. She then looked at the castle. “Of course! King Sombra must’ve hid the Crystal Heart in there. He would've been counting on the fact that nopony would dare come looking for it here. They'd have been too afraid to even try.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said as we entered the castle.

“You and me both.”

I followed Twilight around the castle as she looked for something that might help her find the Heart. I tried my best to resist the urge to help. I really wanted to, but I know she would insist on doing this herself.

After a while, we went to the throne room. Twilight was staring at the throne. Her eyes widened in realization.

“Of course! This isn’t King Sombra’s Castle.”

“Seriously?” I asked. “This seems to be the only castle in the empire. Are you saying he didn’t live here while he was in power?”

“He did, but it wasn’t like this.”

Twilight pointed her horn at one of the crystals behind the throne. Her horn glowed purple, but soon transcended into a black color. Purple and green spots emerged from the ridges. Right on cue, a black beam shot from her horn right into the biggest crystal. Darkness filled the throne like a shadow as the crystal projected a shadow on the floor, revealing a deep staircase.

“Wow, that was really impressive,” I said. “When did you learn to do that?”

“That was a little trick Celestia taught me,” Twilight replied.

I looked down at the staircase. It went really far down. I couldn’t see the bottom within the darkness. Twilight lit her horn and trotted down the steps.

“You stay here,” Twilight commanded.

I shrugged and obeyed. I waited for a bit until I heard Twilight’s voice again.

“Spike?! Can you see outside?!”

I quickly hurried to the window. The shield kept flashing on and off.

“Cadance is getting weaker!” I shouted to the giant flight of stairs. “The shield’s not going to hold on for long!”

I noticed a small white light a couple of flights below. Suddenly, the light bounced up and down as the sounds of Twilight’s groaning of pain could be faintly heard.

“Are you alright?!” I called out.

“Yes...” Twilight replied. Her voice was quieter than a mouse.

I knew this was the part where Twilight would find a door that would lead to her worst fear. I was aware I wasn’t supposed to help her, but I didn’t want her to succumb to the dark magic. I carefully but quickly hurried down the steps. After what seemed like hundreds of steps, I found Twilight staring at the wall. Her eyes were glowing green like glow sticks.

“I...You didn't say anything about no longer being your student if I failed!” Twilight cried at the wall.

“Twilight?” I asked.

“But...what do I do now?” That’s when she started crying.

“Twilight! Twilight!” I shouted.

Twilight quickly shook her head. The green glow disappeared as she looked at me.

“Spike?” Twilight blinked.

“I knew you said to wait back up there, but I was worried about you. You were staring at that wall.” I pointed at the doorway. “What...what did you see?”

I placed my hand on the wall. Suddenly there was a bright green flash. I quickly shut my eyes. When I opened them...I was still at the Crystal Empire.

“Huh? What happened?” I asked. “What was…?”

I turned to see Twilight glaring right at me. She looked like I burned one of her favorite books.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a human being?!” Twilight shouted.

My heart sank. “What?! How did...”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!” Twilight grabbed me. “You’ve caused an interdimensional imbalance! Every single universe in existence is gonna collapse all thanks to you!”

Wait. Is this the fear illusion, or is this real?!

“I hope you’ve happy about all this! The Crystal Empire is now the least of our worries. Now, we have to say goodbye to everything as we know it before we all get destroyed!”

“Wait, Twilight! I’m not responsible for all this! I didn’t come here on purpose! You gotta listen to—”

Suddenly, Twilight instantly turned into a stone statue. I quickly slid out of her granite hooves.

“I gotta warn somebody! I need to tell the girls that—”

SMASH!!

A black crystal shot straight through the Twilight statue, crumbling her into little bits.

“Holy—!”

As if things weren’t bad enough, they got worse. A shadowy figure appeared in a red cape. It was King Sombra in the flesh. I tried to run up the stairs to escape, but my feet were suddenly covered in crystals.

“It’s time you were finished as well,” Sombra said in a Scar-like voice. “Say goodbye, whelp.” His horn started glowing.

“HELP! HELP!”

All at once, a pair of purple hooves wrapped around my body and I was pulled into a furry chest.

“Spike! Spike! Can you hear me?!” I heard Twilight’s voice call out.

I quickly rubbed my eyes. After I calmed my breathing, I saw Twilight hugging me.

“W-What happened?” I asked.

“King Sombra's dark magic,” Twilight replied. “It’s a doorway that leads to your worst fear.”

“That was scary!” I said. “You were mad at me, saying I was responsible for ruining everything. Then King Sombra came and...” I shuddered.

“A fear that will never come to pass.” Twilight nuzzled me. “I’ll never be mad at you. And I'm not gonna fail my test!”

Twilight used her regular magic on the door. It opened again to a white room. Twilight entered it.

“What’s in there?” I asked.

“Stairs,” Twilight replied. “Lots and lots of stairs.”

I entered the room and realized Twilight wasn’t joking. There were more than three times the stairs than in the previous room, and worst of all they were climbing up.

“That king sure did love stairs,” I said.

I followed Twilight as we walked up the stairs. After what seemed like hours of climbing, we were both out of breath.

“This must be more of Sombra’s magic,” I said. “An infinite staircase, and I don’t think we’ll bypass it by doing a backwards long jump.”

Twilight looked above her. That’s when she had an idea.

“Hold on to me,” she said as she placed me on her back.

Within seconds after her horn glowed, the world was literally turned upside down. Twilight and I slided down the bottom of the stairs like it was a carnival ride.

“Woooah! If there wasn’t a threat outside right now, I would’ve enjoyed this!” I shouted.

“I actually studied gravity spells, thinking it might be on my test!” Twilight called out. “Turns out I was prepared for this!”

The sliding lasted a while, but it was much faster than going up the steps. We eventually made it to the bottom, or rather top in this case. After we recovered, we saw the Crystal Heart floating in mid-air.

“That must be it,” I said. “Be careful, Twilight. There’s no telling what might happen once you grab it.”

“I’m always careful, Spike,” Twilight said.

Using her magic, Twilight tried to remove the Heart from its original position. Suddenly, the ground below her flashed gray. With little time to react, Twilight pounced for the heart, but black crystals suddenly formed around her. The Crystal Heart bounced off and landed right next to me.

“Twilight!” I shouted. “Are you alright?!”

Crystals formed around Twilight's crystal cage. I quickly backed away.

“The Heart!” Twilight called out. “Where’s the Crystal Heart?!”

“It’s right next to me!” I shouted. “Teleport out of there! Hurry!”

Twilight poofed right next to me, but suddenly poofed right back into the pile of crystals.

I’ll admit it was clever of Sombra to prevent teleportation.

Twilight groaned, “How could I have been so foolish? I was just so eager to get it! Then when I saw what was going on outside, I…”

“You’ve gotta find a way out of there, Twilight!” I shouted. “You need to get this Heart to Shining Armor and Cadance before Sombra takes over!”

“King Sombra is already attacking the Empire. He could reach the Crystal Ponies at any moment, reach Princess Cadance, my brother, my friends. There may not be enough time for me to find a way to escape.” Twilight peeked out of the hold in the crystals. “You have to be the one to bring the Crystal Heart to the Faire.”

“What? I thought you said—”

“I know what I said! Listen to what I’m saying now! Go!”

With no time to react, I grabbed the Heart and hurried outside. Crystals were forming everywhere. I quickly did my best to avoid slipping. Down below, I saw the girls and the royal couple on the balcony.

“Hey! Up here!” I shouted. “I got the Crystal Heart!”

The shield was already down. I quickly saw Sombra approaching the castle. I swiftly climbed down the forming crystals. That’s when I realized what was going to happen next. I had no other choice. I needed to fall.

There better be a hay cart nearby if Shining Armor can’t throw straight.

I clutched the Heart in my sweaty hands, took a deep breath, and performed a leap of faith!

“YAAAHHH!!!”

The air was rushing past my body like my life before my eyes. I kept a good grip on the Crystal Heart. I prayed that the fall wasn’t to my death. King Somba was drawing nearer by the second.

“This was a bad idea!!”

“GOTCHA!!”

As if someone upstairs sent me a guardian angel, Cadance quickly snatched me and the Crystal Heart just inches from King Sombra.

“Thank you!” I quickly sighed.

Cadance quickly landed in the center of town.

“The Crystal Heart has returned!” Cadance announced. “Use the light and love within you to ensure that King Sombra does not!”

Cadance placed the Crystal Heart in the center of the castle grounds. The Heart levitated between two pillars. Soon everypony around us glowed way brighter than they were at the faire. They almost looked like they were made of pure crystal. The Crystal Heart shimmered as it sent a wave of magic across the land, turning even those who weren’t native into Crystal Creatures, destroying every dark crystal stuck to the buildings, and blowing King Sombra to bits. Literally. The crowd below us cheered in victory. Despite everything, it really was worth the risk.

After all the celebrating, the girls’ and my crystal skins died away, much to Rarity’s disappointment. It was time for us to head back to Canterlot anyway. We walked back to the train station.

“I do so wish it was permanent,” Rarity said. “Did you see how my mane just absolutely sparkled?”

“But good things are better when they're a rarity,” Applejack said.

Geeze, Applejack. Your puns are as bad as your lies.

“Everything's gonna be okay,” Shining Armor said. “Cadance and I will take care of the empire, but you've gotta stop saving my rump like this. It's starting to get embarrassing.”

“But it wasn’t me who saved you in the end,” said Twilight. “It was Spike.”

“It's just a test. Maybe she'll let you retake it.”

“I don't think she's gonna give me a new test.” Twilight glued her eyes to the ground.

Back at Canterlot, the girls and I were waiting outside of the castle doors. Twilight was in the throne room with Celestia for a very long time.

“I do hope Celestia understands,” Rarity said.

“I hope so, too,” Fluttershy said as I rubbed her back. “I couldn’t believe you did that, Spike.”

“Well, I had to do something,” I replied. “Twilight told me to grab the Heart and bring it to you girls before Sombra shows up.”

“Yeah, but jumping from a high place without wings isn’t what I call a good idea,” Rainbow Dash said. “You’re lucky Cadance was there to break your fall.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“Come to think of it, you’re mighty lucky in situations like these, Spike,” Applejack said. “Ya found the elements that Discord hid, ya swatted Chrysalis like a housefly in honey, and ya managed to survive a fall by Princess Cadance. I’m surprised there ain’t an Element of Luck for ya.”

“Maybe Princess Celestia was right,” I said. “Maybe the Mare of Luck is on my side.”

But that was not true, unfortunately. The truth was I already knew what past events were going to happen, so I made sure to be ready. Luck had nothing to do with it. Just preparation.

Suddenly, the castle doors slammed open. We rapidly stood up like soldiers in a boot camp. Twilight walked outside.

“I passed!” Twilight exclaimed with a smile.

The girls cheered as I hugged Twilight. We left Canterlot while singing about Twilight's success.

I’ll admit that had to have been one of the craziest events I’ve experienced, and I’m including the time when Discord escaped. Like what Dash said, jumping from such a high ledge wasn’t really a bright idea. I was thankful the scene played out like in the show. And now the Crystal Empire could be ruled without any worries.

“Wait a second,” I said as we rode the train. “No one else is gonna deal with the fact that the Crystal Heart explicitly ended Sombra’s life?”

The girls around me widened their eyes.

Chapter 41 (Too Many Pinkie Pies)

As I was walking down the street, I noticed Rainbow Dash writing something on a piece of paper.

“Whatcha got there, Dashie?” I asked.

“It’s a form for the Wonderbolts Academy, Spike. Captain Spitfire announced they were looking for new fliers, so I’m gonna attend and show them my stuff!”

“I’d be careful, Rainbow Dash. I’ve heard they be brutish at times.”

“They’re Wonderbolts. Of course they’ll be brutish. But I can handle anything they’ll throw at me. Don’t be surprised when I come flying by in a month or so wearing one of those suits.”

“Do you think they’ll let non-ponies join the Wonderbolts?”

Rainbow Dash signed the application. “You don’t even have your wings yet, Spike. You’ve gotta learn how to fly before you learn how to fly spectacularly.”

“I ment non-ponies in general. You know. Other dragons, griffons...”

“I don’t know Spike.” Rainbow inserted her application into an envelope and licked it shut. “I never even heard of a Wonderbolt who wasn’t a pony. I mean, there aren’t any rules against it, but I never saw a non-pony wanting to become a Wonderbolt.”

Rainbow then inserted the envelope into a nearby mailbox.

“Now, all we gotta do is wait,” she said.

“I hope you get accepted,” I said. “They’d have to, considering the fact you saved three of them and Rarity.”

“Heh, I bet they will.”

“So, what are you trying to do again?” I asked Twilight.

“I’ve been working on a spell that transforms an apple into an orange,” Twilight replied as she placed a crimson apple on the table.

“And Applejack’s okay with this?”

“She doesn’t mind it. It’s only one apple, after all.”

I realized that this was when the events of “Too Many Pinkie Pies” took place. In the show, Pinkie decides to clone herself, but it goes wrong and as a result, the entire town gets covered in Pinkie Pies. What bothered me was why Twilight had the clones watch paint dry instead of simply quizzing them to find the real Pinkie Pie. I’m hoping I could either prevent Pinkie from cloning herself or propose the quiz to Twilight.

“Alright, let’s test this out.” Twilight’s horn glowed.

The apple stretched and bended, but it instantly retained its shape.

Twilight wiped the sweat off her brow. “This spell's a toughie. But I feel lucky this time!” Twilight pointed her glowing horn at the apple. “One…”

“WAIT!” I shouted.

Twilight’s horn stopped glowing. “What? What is it?”

Nothing happened.

“What’s wrong, Spike? Why did you interrupt me?”

I looked around, but I didn’t see Pinkie Pie. I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I thought—”

“HI!”

Within a millisecond, Pinkie pounced out of nowhere and wrapped her arms around Twilight like they were cobras.

“Pinkie!” Twilight grunted as she escaped the grasp of her pink friend. “Why'd you do that?!”

“Cause hugs are funneriffic,” Pinkie replied as she hugged herself. “Especially when you throw one around a friend. Whatcha doing?”

“Trying to turn that apple into an orange.”

“It’s difficult, but I’m sure she can do it,” I said.

“That sounds like fun!” Pinkie delightfully said. “Do me next, Twilight! Do me, do me!”

Suddenly, Pinkie bumped into Rarity. The latter was wearing a black hood.

“Oooh! Rarity, wanna see Twilight turn me into an orange?” Pinkie asked. “It's gonna be funna-fun-fuuun!”

I said, “Wait. We didn’t say...”

Rarity removed her hood to reveal that she was wearing a stylish dress. “As fun as creating this haute couture ensemble that I just finished making? Delightful, non?”

Pinkie gasped. “This is terrible!”

“I admit it's perhaps not my finest work, but I—”

“You had total-awesome-amazing fun and I missed out on it?!”

“I didn’t know you were into dress-making, Pinkie,” I said.

“Wait! What if there's more awesome amazing fun with friends happening somewhere in Ponyville right now that I'm missing out on too?!” Pinkie quickly zoomed away.

“Pinkie’s gotta learn that you have to miss out on some stuff once in a while,” I said.

“Okay, back to practice,” Twilight said.

“I shall see you two later,” Rarity said as she walked away.

“I really hope I can nail this spell,” Twilight said.

“I remembered when you turned an apple into a carriage,” I said. “So this should be a trot in the park for you.”

“Spike, turning an apple into another fruit is much different than turning it into a carriage. It was still shaped like an apple, you know.”

As Twilight continued her attempts to metamorphosize the apple, I thought about what episodes I could change before Twilight gets her wings. Given the time gap, it was safe to assume the rest of Season 3 will take place before the next summer arrives. Trixie wasn’t humiliated back when she first visited Ponyville, so there was no way she would’ve taken that amulet and challenged Twilight to a duel. I still needed to find a way for Babs Seed to avoid joining Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Since “Spike at your service” was my free day off, I could do whatever I want that doesn’t involve a hot-air balloon ride. I really hoped when Discord gets released that he understands my current relationship with Fluttershy. As for the “Equestria Girls” movie, I would have to find a way for Twilight and me to get the crown back from Sunset. Though, I’m sure it will be difficult when I turn into a Paw Patrol OC there.

“Okay, one more time!” Twilight announced as her horn glowed once more. “One...two...”

“Wait! Twilight!” I shouted.

“What now, Spike?” Twilight groaned. “I’m trying to improve my magic here. As my number one assistant, you’re supposed to support me, not stop—”

Boing!

Pinkie approached again out of nowhere and bounced on Twilight’s back. The unicorn almost fell over. Pinkie zipped past us, knocking the table over.

“Pinkie!” Twilight shouted.

Pinkie stopped so hard, she inadvertently created a ditch. She popped out looking at her stopwatch.

“What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you doing now?!” Twilight asked.

“Timing myself galloping back and forth between the swimming hole and Sweet Apple Acres,” Pinkie frantically replied as she pronked around in the same manner. “I'm trying to cut down my time so if Rainbow Dash dives off the swing, I can get to Sweet Apple Acres to help with the barn raising, and then be back in time to see Rainbow Dash hit the water after doing a double flip!” Pinkie looked at the stopwatch. “If I can cut my time by only twenty minutes, I'm good.”

Twilight chuckled after she heard that. “Oh, Pinkie. I'm afraid no matter how hard you try, the only way to pull something like that off is if there's—”

“A way for you to travel as fast as Rainbow Dash!” I quickly declared. “Why don’t you ask her? She might teach you a thing or two about going fast. She did create two sonic rainbooms after all.”

“Great idea, Spike!” Pinkie said. “I’ll head back to the lake immediately. Beep! Beep!” Pinkie dashed right out of the area.

I sighed in relief.

“I was going to say if there was more of her to go around,” Twilight said.

“Nah, gaining speed is more plausible,” I said. “That or teleportation.”

“She’s not a unicorn, Spike.”

I shrugged. “Hey, did I ask? Now, let’s get back to changing the apple, shall we?”

Twilight adjusted the table. “As long as you stop interrupting me.”

I pretended to zip my lips and throw away the key.

Twilight lit her horn up as the apple was covered in her swirling magenta magic. Within seconds, the apple transformed into an orange.

“Finally!” Twilight shouted. “I thought it would never work.”

“Good job, Twilight,” I said as I picked up the orange. “I think we’re gonna revolutionize the agricultural system with this spell.”

“It’s a pretty difficult spell, Spike. Even for me. Besides, there’s not gonna be an orange shortage anytime soon.”

I peeled the orange and gave a piece to Twilight. As she ate it, her eyes narrowed.

“Spike, try a piece,” she said. “Tell me what you think.”

“Uhh...okay...” I tore a piece off and ate it. I then realized why Twilight was confused. The orange flavor I was expecting didn’t come into contact with my tongue. “It tastes just like...”

“An apple.” Twilight sighed. “Darn it. I forgot to change its flavor. How did I miss that step?”

“That’s okay, Twilight. You’ve made it at least 95% orange. That’s still an ‘A’ in my book.”

“For you, maybe. But I always reach for 100%. I hardly ever got less than 98!”

“I’m starting to think you never finished that book.”

After what seemed like hours of spellcasting, we returned to the library. I didn’t see any sign of extra Pinkies, which must mean that she didn’t find that mirror pool. I was still skeptical though, so I dug through the shelves until I found a secret compartment. I pressed the horseshoe and the tiny door opened, revealing a book inside. I quickly pulled it out and flipped through the pages.

I know it has to be in here somewhere.

Eventually, I found a page regarding the mirror pool. It even contained a spell that can be cast to return the clones. Twilight noticed what I was reading.

“Where’d you get that book, Spike?” Twilight asked. “I’ve never seen it before, and I remember every book in this library.”

“Remember how you proposed the idea of having more Pinkies to go around?” I asked. “Well, as it turns out, it is possible.” I handed Twilight the book.

“Huh, well I’ll be.” Twilight read through the book. “Uh, oh. This spell doesn’t just work on the clones. The original might be sent back if the caster’s not careful.” She then closed the book. “At least we don’t have to worry about any clones.”

But right on cue, the sound of an angry crowd disrupted the calm atmosphere of the library.

Oh, shoot! Don’t tell me…!

“What’s going on?” Twilight asked.

Twilight and I quickly left the library to see all of Ponyville mad at us. Even some of our friends were glaring with them.

“What happened?!”

The crowd complained that there have been a lot of Pinkie Pies showing up. And they meant a lot. Pinkie must’ve already found the mirror pool.

Dang it! I was trying to avoid this!

“Okay, everypony, please, calm down!” Twilight shouted.

“Calm down? I just had a Pinkie hurricane raging through my shop!” Rarity retorted.

“And they trashed our critter picnic!” Fluttershy cried.

“Please, everypony! Lucky for you, Spike and I just happened to find a spell that could take the clones away. We just need to find the real Pinkie first. Does anypony here know how we can tell the real Pinkie Pie from all the rest of them?”

“Twilight!” A Pinkie Pie from the crowd shouted. “I have to talk to you, I need your help!”

“Excuse me, whoever you are, but I'm not talking to any of you Pinkies unless you're the real Pinkie.”

“But I am the real Pinkie!”

“No, you're not! I'm the real Pinkie!” Another Pinkie retorted.

Soon, every other Pinkie declared they were the real Pinkie. Since they looked exactly alike, it was hard to tell who was the real one.

“Quick! Twilight! Get in the library!” I shouted.

Twilight and I quickly dove into the library. I slammed the door shut and locked it.

“How are we going to find out which one is the real Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “They all look the same, and I can’t take any of their words for it.”

“I think I have an idea.” I said. “All we have to do is quiz them.”

“What?” Twilight tilted her head. “Quiz them?”

“I’ve read a story once about how a stallion cloned himself, similar to what Pinkie Pie did. Despite being exact replicas, the clones had very limited memories. It was how the stallion’s friends could tell him apart from the others. My proposal is that we should do the same for the Pinkie clones. We ask each of them a bunch of questions that only the real Pinkie would know, and we would get rid of those who answered wrong.”

“You think it’ll work?”

“It’s worth a try. At the very least, we would narrow things down if we still have some clones left.”

Twilight nodded. “Okay. But how do we know what the real Pinkie knows?”

“Just leave it to me. I’ll come up with simple questions and make them harder as time goes on.”

“Alright. I’ll get Applejack to round up the Pinkie Pies. You try to find anything that only Pinkie would know.”

“Right.” I grabbed a notebook. “I’ll start at Sugarcube Corner. Maybe the Cakes know something. Try to find the other girls, too. Send Rainbow Dash to me once you’ve rounded every Pinkie up.”

Twilight and I exited the library. Dodging all the pink ponies, I headed to Sugarcube Corner. I banged on the front door as hard as I could.

“We’re closed!” Mr. Cake’s voice shouted. “Go away!”

“It’s Spike!” I shouted back. “I need to get in! Open up! Hurry!”

Within a few minutes, the door cracked open.

“Quickly! Get in!”

I snaked into the building. All the lights were out and the window shutters were latched. Mr. Cake closed the door and slid both locks shut.

“Get behind the counter! Hurry!” Mr. Cake hissed.

I quickly followed Mr. Cake to the back of the counter. Mrs. Cake and the Cake Twins were hiding there as well.

“Spike, thank goodness you’re alright,” Mrs. Cake said. “This Pinkie Pie-calypse is horrifying everypony. Just look how scared Pound and Pumpkin are.”

Pound and Pumpkin cooed gleefully and innocently, naive to what was going on outside their home.

“We don’t know how this happened,” Mr. Cake said. “We didn’t want to lock Pinkie out, but there’s too many of her, and we can’t tell who’s the real one.”

“That’s why I’m here,” I said as I pulled out the notebook. “I’m trying to collect facts about Pinkie Pie. Is there anything that the real Pinkie would know? Any history? Secret special talents?”

“Well...Pinkie always had a knack for decorating cupcakes,” Mrs. Cake said. “She always knew what toppings to put on which cupcake. For example, on a brown cupcake, she would go for a bright-colored frosting for a contrast.”

I wrote in my notebook. “Okay, go on.”

“As for her history, she came from a family of six,” Mr. Cake added. “Two parents and four daughters.”

“Got it.”

Pound and Pumpkin then babbled in unison.

“Snicker, choco-chip, B-day, oats, and gingerbread. Thank you. Wait, how did I understand that?”

“If you need to find more information, try Pinkie’s room,” Mrs Cake said. “There might be something there.”

“Will do,” I said as I got up. “Stay here. We’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out.”

“It’s not like we have a choice here, Spike,” Mr. Cake said.

I hurried up to Pinkie’s room and searched for something that would help me. A few seconds later, I heard someone knocking on the window.

“Spike!” Rainbow’s voice shouted from the other side. “Are you in there?!”

“Yes! I am!” I shouted. “I’m coming out!”

I quickly opened the door to the second floor balcony. Rainbow Dash appeared over the railings.

“We brought all the Pinkies to town hall!” Rainbow Dash said. “You gotta head there now! The other girls are waiting on you!”

I hopped on Rainbow’s back. “Let’s fly!”

Rainbow took off as we zoomed across Ponyville.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Rainbow grumbled. “Me and my big mouth.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“When Pinkie said that she wanted to learn how to travel between Sweet Apple Acres and the swimming hole in less than ten seconds, I told her it would take years of running to go as fast as me. I joked that she should just clone herself so that she can be in two places at once. I didn’t think she would take me literally!”

“You and your big mouth indeed.”

Rainbow and I arrived at the Town Hall. We entered the back way and met the others.

“Spike! There you are, darling!” Rarity said. “Twilight told us what you were going to do. Do you believe this will work?”

“I’ve gotten some information about Pinkie Pie from the Cakes,” I replied. “All of them had good information.”

“That will have to do,” Twilight said. “Now, let’s find the real Pinkie. Wait, you also got info from the Cake Twins? How did you understand baby talk?”

“I...don’t know.”

Twilight and I headed to the front of the stage. After she forced all the Pies to settle down, Twilight cleared her throat.

“Now, I suppose you're all wondering why I've gathered you all here today,” Twilight said.

“For fun?” one of the Pinkies asked.

“Y-Yes! Exactly!” I replied. “We’re gonna play a trivia game. The topic is Pinkie Pie. Here’s how this all works: we’re all gonna bring you Pinkie one at a time to the back to ask you a question. If you pass, we’ll send you to another room to continue the fun.”

The other Pinkies chanted in excitement.

“Alright, now let’s begin.” I pointed to the sad Pinkie. “You go first.”

I escorted Pinkie behind the stage. I had a feeling this was the real Pinkie, but I needed to stay skeptical. After she sat down on a stool, I cleared my throat.

“Alright. First question: What is my name?”

“Your name is Spike,” Pinkie sighed.

“Very good. Dash, take her to the next room.”

Dashie nodded and picked Pinkie up from her seat and took her out.

“Next!” I called out.

“Here’s another one,” Applejack pushed another Pinkie to the chair. “This plan of yours better work. Them other Pinkies out there are gettin’ more rambunctious than a band of crickets in the summertime.”

I asked the same question, “Alright, Pinkie. What’s my name?”

“Seriously? What kind of silly question is that?” Pinkie giggled. “Your name is...uh...Spyro?”

“Twilight, zap her!” I commanded. “She’s a fake!”

ZAP!!

Twilight shot her horn straight at the fake Pinkie. She blew up like a balloon and transformed into a beam of magic before flying right out of Town Hall.

This went on for a while. Some Pinkies guessed my name correctly, while others guessed wrong. The wrong ones earned a trip back to the mirror pool. By the time I was done with the first question, there was already a significant amount of Pinkies left.

“There’s still too many Pinkie Pies,” Rainbow Dash said as we all entered the room. “We still can’t find the real one.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “I’ve got plenty of more questions for these Pies.” I turned to the pink group. “Congrats all of you for getting this far. The next question will be harder, but I’m sure you all will get this one.”

Once again, a Pinkie was brung to the back of the stage. I asked the second question.

“Alright. For the next question, what is the name of this pony?” I held out a picture of Fluttershy.

“Oh, hey, it’s Shutterfly!” Pinkie replied.

“Twilight! It’s a fake!” I shouted.

ZAP!!

“Butterby?” Another Pinkie asked.

ZAP!!

“Butterscotch!” A third declared.

ZAP!!

“It’s Fluttershy,” one Pinkie said unenthusiastically.

“That’s correct. You’re going to the next round.”

After questioning the rest of the Pinkies, we were only down to eight Pinkies. We were getting close.

“Third question,” I said. “How many sisters do you have?”

“None. I’m an only filly of course!” A Pinkie replied.

“Twilight! Fake!”

ZAP!!

“A dozen!”

ZAP!!

“Two. I also have a brother.”

ZAP!!

“Three. Marble, Limestone, and Maud.”

I nodded.

After round three, there were only two Pinkie Pies left. We put them in separate rooms. Applejack and Rainbow were in one room, and Twilight and I were in the other. This was to ensure that neither of them ran off or did anything crazy.

“This time I’ll be asking three questions,” I said to the depressed Pinkie. “Question 1: How did you get your cutie mark?”

Pinkie took a deep breath. “I saw a sonic rainboom that made me happy and I wanted to spread that happiness so I threw a party for my family and they all enjoyed it and that’s how I got my cutie mark.”

“Question 2: In no particular order, name your top five cookies.”

“Chocolate chip, snickerdoodle, birthday cake, oatmeal, and gingerbread.”

“Final Question: What colored frosting would you recommend for a dark-colored cupcake?”

“The best choice would be a brightly colored frosting so that it contrasts with the base.”

“Okay...looks like you’ve answered these three correctly. Stay here while we question the other Pinkie.”

We swapped rooms with Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

I cleared my throat. “Okay, Pinkie. First question: How did you get your cutie mark?”

“I was born with it!” Pinkie gleefully replied.

“Fake,” Twilight and I said in unison.

ZAP!!

“Then that can only mean one thing,” Twilight said.

We returned to the first room.

“Pinkie Pie, you’re the real one,” said Twilight.

“I passed?” Pinkie asked.

“You passed. You're the only Pinkie who aced the quiz about yourself.”

“You also were the only one who didn’t act so cheerful,” I added. “But we just wanted to make sure.”

“I had to. I just had to,” Pinkie said. “I couldn't leave my friends, I just couldn't. But I guess sometimes I will have to choose between them.”

“I knew you'd be up to the challenge,” Twilight said.

Later that day, we blocked the entrance to the mirror pool and fixed any damages that Pinkie caused. I then wrote and sent the friendship letter.

“Hi, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight greeted. “We were thinking we should go out and celebrate.”

“You up for some wheelbarrow races?” Applejack asked.

“Or I could take everypony on a cloud ride!” Rainbow added.

“I could throw a party with punch and zesty cucumber sandwiches!” Rarity declared.

“You wanna know exactly what I feel like doing right now?” Pinkie asked. She then layed on her back and fell asleep.

“That does look like fun,” Fluttershy said.

We all chuckled as we closed the door. I was a bit disappointed that Pinkie still cloned herself, but at least I was able to come up with a better way to find the real one than watching paint dry.

Chapter 42 (Magic Duel)

Twilight and I were on our way to Fluttershy’s cottage. We received a letter from Princess Celestia earlier today. She was meeting with two delegates from Saddle Arabia, and she put Twilight in charge of entertainment for when they returned.

“Morning, Fluttershy,” Twilight greeted.

“Oh, good morning Twilight and Spike,” Fluttershy addressed back as she fed some of her animals. “What brings you here?”

“The princess wants me to perform a magic act for some of the Saddle Arabian delegates,” Twilight said. “I had an idea about what I should do. Is it okay if...” Twilight paused for a second. “...if I could use some of your animals?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “What?! What are you going to do to them?!”

“Nothing! Nothing!” Twilight frantically replied. “I’m not going to hurt them, Fluttershy. It’ll just be a simple levitation spell.”

“But Twilight, they’re live critters! They might get hurt or scared!”

“You don’t need to worry, Fluttershy,” Twilight said calmly. “I will move them around the air very slowly. They won’t even be a foot off the ground.”

“Let me...let me get some of my animals first.”

After a few minutes, Fluttershy rounded up a small group of critters. She told them what Twilight was going to do, and reassured them that everything would be alright.

“Don't be scared, little friends. Twilight is wonderful with magic.” Fluttershy zoomed up to Twilight. “Anything happens to them, Twilight, so help me...”

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” I said as I pulled the two ponies apart. “Twilight’s magic has come a long way. She’s practically an alicorn without wings.”

Twilight blushed at my comment.

“Of course she's good with magic. Twilight's great with magic!” Fluttershy distraughtly said. “I guess I just don't want my little friends to be scared. Oh, oh, look how scared they are!”

None of Fluttershy’s animal friends were acting scared. If anything, they seemed almost excited.

“I promise, Fluttershy. Nothing bad will happen to them,” Twilight said.

“I know!” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Here, I’ll hold your hoof so you won’t be worried,” I said.

Fluttershy grabbed both of my hands with her hooves as she watched Twilight lit up her horn. Within seconds, the animals ascended into the air in a magenta aura. The furry group circled around in a figure eight. I tried my best to see it, but Fluttershy kept squeezing me like a teddy bear.

“That looks...amazing...” I grunted, struggling to breathe within the grasps of my favorite pony’s bear hug.

Soon, the animals slowly descended from the air. The magic around them disappeared as they touched dirt. They all chittered and chirped in excitement. Fluttershy instantly released me from her grasp. I never thought I could miss breathing.

“That's all for now, little ones,” Twilight said. “Maybe we can practice again later, if Fluttershy says it's alright.”

Fluttershy shivered like she was trapped in a freezer.

“That was really good, Twilight,” I said. “You’ve really improved your magic ever since we came to Ponyville.”

“Thanks, Spike. I have to be at my best when Princess Celestia arrives with the delegates from Saddle Arabia. I can't believe she's trusting me with the entertainment.”

“Yeah. Maybe you could be a traveling show biz pony when all of this is done.”

“Very funny.”

I noticed this was when the events of “Magic Duel” were supposed to happen, but since I prevented Trixie from humiliating herself, she probably didn’t buy that amulet or banish Twilight. I didn’t see Rainbow Dash show up to warn Twilight, so that meant that part of the episode didn’t happen.

What got me worried, though, was the possibility that Trixie would appear in Ponyville less often. Trixie did play a major role when Starlight got reformed.

My thoughts were soon interrupted by the growling of my belly.

I chuckled. “I guess we should have lunch now.”

“Good idea, Spike,” Twilight said as I hopped on her back.

We then walked into town. I decided to ask Twilight a question.

“Twilight, do you remember Trixie?”

“Trixie? Oh, you mean that performer a while back?” Twilight asked. “Yeah, I remember her.”

“Do you ever wonder what she’s been up to?”

“Well...not really. I actually haven’t seen her since that Ursa Minor came into town.”

“Has anypony?” I sighed. “I’m asking because...I’d like to see her again.”

“Why?”

“Well, aside from her boasting, I’m sure she means well. It would be nice to talk to her again. Maybe we could even learn a few tricks that could help your show.”

“What do you want me to do? Ask the animals what card they have?”

Rainbow Dash then flew in.

“Hey, Twilight. Hey, Spike,” she greeted. “Whatcha two up to?”

“Hey, Rainbow,” I said. “We were just talking about Trixie.”

“Ugh. Not her. That mare is such a brat. Always boasting around like some entitled high horse...”

“That’s pretty big talk coming from you, Little Miss Boastful.”

“Hey, I’ve got facts to back up my claims. Remember that Ursa Minor that came to Ponyville? Twilight did all the work while Trixie stood like a bump on a log.”

“If a giant dangerous creature of unknown quality came and attacked Ponyville, would you take it on yourself?”

“Have you even met me? I would’ve kicked that creature all the way to Tartarus!”

I sighed. “Okay, bad example.”

“Oh, look.” Rainbow pointed behind us. “It’s that mare you were trying to defend.”

Twilight and I turned to see Trixie pulling her wagon across town. She looked rather grumpy, even more than usual. The cold stares from the other residents didn’t help.

“Wow, what are the odds she would be here?” I asked.

“Is she alright? She doesn’t look so good,” Twilight said.

I hopped off Twilight’s back. “I’ll go see what’s up.”

“What about lunch?”

“I’ll buy my own.”

I hurried to see Trixie parking her wagon. She took out her coin pouch and looked inside.

I heard her mumble, “I guess I can buy bread and water. Assuming the ponies here don’t charge like they do in...”

“Hey, there,” I greeted.

“YAH!”

Trixie dropped her coin pouch, spilling bits everywhere.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” I said. “I didn’t mean to scare you! Here, let me help you pick those up.”

“Trixie’s got it.” Trixie levitated all her dropped coins back into the bag. I counted them while she did so, and she didn’t have much.

“It’s quite a surprise to see you back here, Trixie,” I said. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“You’re the only one who said that to Trixie so far. Trixie needs to have lunch now, so leave her be!”

“How about I buy you lunch?” I quickly asked. “I noticed you didn’t have a lot of bits.”

Trixie sighed. “Alright, but you better not leave Trixie with the bill, or else she’ll make you disappear in a different way.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not that big of an eater.”

Trixie and I later sat at a cafe and ordered our food. Trixie was munching on her salad while I ate a plate of hay fries.

“So what brings you to Ponyville?” I asked. “I know it can’t be just to show off your skills.”

Trixie swallowed. “During Trixie’s travels, there have been rumors that she was responsible for luring the Ursa Minor to Ponyville.”

“But that wasn’t true. A cockatrice scared the Ursa, and it ran to Ponyvillle. You had no involvement. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Tell everypony who’s mad at Trixie. They believed the rumors to be true and now think Trixie had tried to destroy Ponyville. It didn’t help that Trixie had that story about Hoofington’s Ursa Major, nor the fact that somepony else stopped the Minor while Trixie did nothing. Trixie thought she could come back to Ponyville to atone for her mistakes and clear everything up, but some of these ponies keep giving Trixie the cold shoulder!"

“Maybe I can help you.”

“You want to help Trixie?”

“It’s clear that these ponies have the wrong idea about you. Maybe if you toned down your boasting a bit, they won’t be so upset.”

“What’s wrong with Trixie’s boasting?! She’s a performer! It’s what she does best!”

“Easy! Easy! There’s nothing wrong. It’s just...you exaggerated some of your stories, that the ponies believed it was true. They were severely disappointed due to their high hopes. I know a thing or two about boasting, trust me. I have a pegasus to prove it.”

“Well, what do you want Trixie to do? Give away her tricks? Tell the crowd that she’s just some average pony with no special skills?”

“No, I’m not saying that at all. Let’s finish up and we’ll head back to your wagon.”

After we ate the last of our meals, I paid the bill and followed Trixie back to her wagon.

“It’s the job of a performer to set the crowd up so that they can be amazed when I pull such amazing tricks,” Trixie said as she set up a small table.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to do it after the show,” I said. “You don’t need to keep your boastful attitude and come up with insane stories when your fans show up.”

“And what about during the show?” Trixie placed a silk hat on the table.

“Well, you don't have to change anything about your boasting there. After all, ponies would be less interested if you spoke so humbly on stage. Maybe after the show, you can give a speech about this misunderstanding. How about I be your assistant again and help you on stage?”

“Are you comfortable in front of a crowd? Cause Trixie won’t take those who have stage fright.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve performed on stages before.”

As we prepared for the show, Trixie handed me a bowtie and a small top hat. They were the only things she had that could fit me, since she wasn’t expecting an assistant on such short notice. A small crowd was forming in front of the stage. I hoped they all weren’t there just to heckle or boo Trixie.

“Alright, Trixie’s ready,” Trixie said as she put some smoke balls in her pocket. “But do you believe Ponyville will forgive Trixie?”

“Don’t worry. You’ve done nothing wrong. Just do your show, give me any instructions, and you should be fine. Don’t worry about the neigh-sayers.”

Trixie adjusted the megaphone and whispered, “Okay, once Trixie throws the smoke ball, follow her and strike a pose once the smoke settles.”

“Got it.”

Trixie cleared her throat and shouted into the megaphone. “Come one, come all! Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie and her assistant!”

Trixie threw the smoke ball, and we quickly hurried to the stage. After the smoke settled, we struck a pose and the audience applauded.

“Is that Spike?”

“What’s he doing with Trixie?”

“I thought he was just going to talk to her.”

I heard some of the girl’s voices. I didn’t think some of them would be watching the show. I just hoped they weren’t going to call Trixie out for her boasting.

“Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie and her assistant perform the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!”

The show went on without a hitch. I was able to keep up with Trixie and help her perform some of her tricks. They were really easy to perform. All it took was a bit of flair and a way to draw the audience’s attention to certain points.

“Now, for Trixie’s final trick,” Trixie announced. “A member from the audience is needed!”

A lavender hoof was raised. I realized whose hoof it was. I never expected her to volunteer.

“You there! You may come on up!”

The mare walked up the stage. I could tell she was confused as to how I ended up on stage with Trixie.

“What are you doing working for Trixie?” Twilight quietly asked.

“I’ll explain later, just go along with the trick,” I replied.

Twilight shrugged and got into place.

“Alright, now take a seat inside the chamber!” Trixie barked.

Twilight got into a small booth and sat on the stool.

“Now, watch as Trixie shall turn this pony invisible!” Trixie shouted. “Assistant Spike! Pull down the curtain!”

I hurried to the chamber to do just that. I then whispered to Twilight. “Don’t use your horn. It’s part of the act. We’ll let you know when it’s safe to come out.”

Twilight nodded as I pulled the booth’s curtain down. I then stepped back as Trixie waved her hooves at the booth.

“Aaaaand...KAZAM!!”

Smoke poofed around the booth as fireworks shot from behind. Trixie signaled me to pull the curtain back up, and I complied. What we saw was an empty stool. The audience gasped.

“Amazing!” I exclaimed. “I can’t see her!”

Secretly, I knew how the trick worked. The booth had a revolving door in the back, and there was a stool on both sides. All Trixie needed to do was press a button on the back, and the door would flip.

“Now, let’s make her visible again, shall we? Drop the curtain!”

I released the drapes again. Trixie waved her hooves and spat out more magic words. Once the fireworks went off, I pulled the rope, and Twilight reappeared on the stool. The crowd applauded once again.

“You are free to go,” Trixie said to Twilight.

Twilight hopped off her seat and headed down the stage. The crowd clapped once more as Trixie and I took a bow. The stage curtains lowered in front of us.

“Alright, I think now’s a good time to tell them,” I said as I removed my hat.

“What if they don’t accept my apology?”

“Some of them will have to. Just tell the truth, and swallow your pride. A lot of apologies can be accepted when the pony admits their mistakes.”

Trixie took a deep breath and stepped through the curtains.

“Thank you, everypony for watching my show. But now I have an important announcement to make.”

The crowd fell silent as Trixie removed her hat.

“A while back, there have been some rumors spreading that I was held responsible for the Ursa Minor incident. That’s not true, and I’m not saying that to keep hold of my pride. I didn’t have any correlation with the Ursa Minor. I was told the Ursa was frightened by a cockatrice in the Everfree Forest. I’m sorry if I did something that made you believe I had an involvement in all of this. It was bad luck that I arrived in town that day. I’m sorry that I gave everypony the wrong idea. I did not mean for any of this to happen.” Trixie sighed and put her hat back on. “Thank you for listening.”

The crowd clapped as Trixie went back into the curtains. Trixie and I headed backstage. That’s when I heard hoofbeats approaching us. It was Twilight.

“Spike,” Twilight said, “since when did you start working for Trixie?”

“I just wanted to help her out with the show for a bit,” I replied. “That, and I wanted to give her some advice like not being so boastful and publicly apologizing.”

“Well, thank you for helping her, I guess. I just hope you’re not going to be traveling with her from now on.”

“Don’t worry. It’s just a one-time thing for now.”

As Twilight left, Trixie came up to me.

“Thanks for all the help back there,” Trixie said. “I’m glad I could clear things up with Ponyville.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said.

“If there’s anything you want me to do to repay the favor, then I’ll do it.”

“Well, there is one thing you could do...”

The night couldn’t come soon enough. Celestia and the two delegates from Saddle Arabia have already arrived.

Just like in the show, Twilight performed that flying animal trick while I comforted Fluttershy. At least she wasn’t squeezing me like last time. Twilight’s presentation looked so spectacular, I almost envied Fluttershy’s animals. As Twilight finished up her act, fireworks shot off in the background. The crowd was impressed by the display. After Twilight lowered the animals, she noticed who shot off the fireworks.

“Trixie?” Twilight asked.

“Spike told me about you wanting to impress Princess Celestia and the Saddle Arabians,” Trixie said. “I used to attend her school, so I knew how you needed to impress her. Spike came up with the idea of using fireworks for your finale.”

“Thank you for that. It’s nice to know you’re not always boastful.”

“I’ve been working on saving the boasting for the stage. I hope we can meet again soon.”

“I...hope so too.”

As Trixie went on her way, I was relieved that I was able to fix this episode. Not only did Trixie avoid buying the amulet and taking over Ponyville, she was able to clear up the misconceptions some of the ponies had about her. Also, Pinkie was allowed to keep her lips.

Author's Note

Thanks to MLPFollower for helping me out with this chapter.

Chapter 43 (Wonderbolts Academy)

There wasn’t much I could do for “Sleepless In Ponyville.” After all, I couldn’t access other ponies dreams like Luna could, and I would’ve been an odd one out if I went camping with the others. I doubt Twilight would be into camping anyway.

The next episode to come up was “Wonderbolts Academy.” That was when Rainbow Dash got accepted into a week’s worth of Wonderbolt Training. She gets paired up with another daredevil named Lightning Dust, but soon discovers she’s rather reckless. I don’t know what I can do to change this episode, but I really wanted to call Lightning out for trying to harm the girls with that tornado.

The girls and I were having a picnic just outside of Rainbow Dash’s house. She invited us because the outcome of her application to the academy was supposed to come today, and she wanted all of us to witness her acceptance.

“Ooooh, I wish the mailpony would just come already!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hopped around the mailbox like a jittery joey. “I can't wait another minute to find out if Rainbow Dash got in or not!”

“Pinkie Pie, you're more nervous than Rainbow Dash.” Twilight said.

“Heh, I'm not nervous at all,” Rainbow said. “When I get into the Wonderbolt Academy...”

“If you get in?! If you get in?!” Pinkie grabbed Rainbow Dash. “Don’t jinx it!”

“I'm telling you, it's in the bag.”

“DON’T JINX IT!!”

“She is the best flyer in Ponyville,” Applejack said as she munched on an apple.

“Well, given how she performed two sonic rainbooms, as a filly and as a grown mare, there’s no debate,” I said. “Especially when she saved the lives of three Wonderbolts and Rarity while doing so.”

“Do we really need to bring that up every time?!” Rarity squeaked in embarrassment.

Rainbow zoomed up and created a slide made of clouds. “I'm probably the best flyer in all of Equestria.” She then slid down the cloud slide. “I wouldn't be surprised if they just went ahead and made me a Wonderbolt on the first day.”

Suddenly, Rainbow bumped into a mailpony, who gave her a letter from the Wonderbolts. She instantly opened it and read through the letter. A wave of disappointment swept across her face.

“I...didn't get in.”

Everypony gasped in shock. I pretended to be shocked as well, but…

3...2...1…

“Gotcha!” Rainbow showed us the letter of approval. “Ha, you guys are so gullible. Like I wasn't gonna get in!”

I saw that coming.

Pinkie quickly glomped Rainbow Dash and squeezed her. It was pretty clear she was proud of her for being accepted.

“Pinkie Pie?” Rainbow grunted. “I kinda need to get going.”

Pinkie gave one last hug before Rainbow took off for Cloudsdale. We all waved her goodbye and wished her good luck. That’s when Pinkie pulled out a megaphone. I knew what was going to happen next. I quickly covered my ears.

“DON’T FORGET TO WRITE!!”

After the echoing subsided, I uncovered my ears.

“Do you think she heard me?” Pinkie asked the distressed girls.

I was going to sarcastically reply that Dash didn’t, but I was afraid she would take it literally.

“I’m sure she did,” I said.

The girls and I spent the rest of the day checking to see if Pinkie’s shouting caused any collateral damage. Thankfully, there were only minor incidents.

The next day, I decided to hang out with Rumble and Button Mash. It was going to be a couple of days until the girls visited Rainbow Dash, and I couldn’t think of any episodes that might happen between now and later.

“I heard Miss Rainbow Dash was also accepted into the academy,” Rumble said.

“That’s true,” I said. “Wait, what do you mean by ‘also’?”

“My brother Thunderlane got accepted yesterday. He applied a few weeks ago.”

“Oh, great. Say, why didn’t you apply? I’ve seen how your wingpower matched some of the adult ponies back at tornado training. You’d be perfect.”

“Well, I couldn’t because...”

“...because you need to be at a certain age in order to qualify,” Button Mash said without looking up from his Game Colt. “They don’t let school-aged pegasi into the academy.”

“Right.”

I guess that makes sense. I wouldn’t think the fillies and colts would handle getting yelled at by a Wonderbolts captain. It would be like if a drill instructor shouted at a bunch of middle-schoolers in my world.

“I really hope both Thunderlane and Rainbow Dash do well at the academy,” I said. “I heard the Wonderbolts are really tough stuff, and I don’t want to see either of them coming back early acting like Fluttershy.”

“I’m sure my big brother can handle it,” Rumble said. “He can be nervous sometimes, but he’s not afraid of a challenge. I bet Miss Dash is the same.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Say, was anypony else in your class interested in becoming a Wonderbolt?”

“Not that I know about. There was one pegasus who liked watching the Wonderbolts, but...well...”

“None of us have seen her fly at all,” Button Mash said. I think I know who he was referring to.

“Of course you wouldn’t see it,” I snarked. “You never take your eyes off your game for more than a minute.”

Button quickly shot me a glaring look before looking back at his game.

“It’s best not to talk about it around her,” Rumble said. “She’s probably really sensitive about her wings.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said.

A couple of days have passed since Rainbow left for the Wonderbolts Academy. I’ve been helping Twilight with some of her spells. Celestia gave her a lot lately. I wondered if it had anything to do with Twilight becoming an alicorn soon. Given how complex the spells were, it was plausible.

I don’t know what was with Pinkie Pie. Ever since Dash went away, Pinkie’s been sitting at the mailbox waiting for her to send a letter. The only times she didn’t, at least from what the girls told me, was to either use the bathroom or let the mailpony deliver the mail. We were getting a bit worried.

“I just wish we could help her,” Fluttershy said.

“Help me?” Pinkie zoomed up to us. “The only thing that could possibly help me right now is a letter from Rainbow Dash! It's been three days already!”

It was clear Pinkie was too obsessed with missing Rainbow Dash. Twilight proposed the idea of Pinkie sending a letter to Dash, but then Pinkie came up with the idea of sending a care package in person. We all agreed on that.

Later that day, we prepared the balloon. Pinkie quickly arrived with her care package.

“This should help Dashie remember us!” Pinkie declared. “There’s photos, snacks, I even got a Daring Do book in there. She has to remember that given how we introduced the series to her.”

We all hopped into the balloon. Twilight undid the ropes, and we took off for Cloudsdale.

“I’m gonna cast the cloud-walk spell again,” Twilight said as her horn glowed. “Just in case we need to make an emergency landing.”

“Say, isn’t it illegal to enter military areas unauthorized?” I asked.

“There’s an area just outside the academy where we can land.” Twilight casted the spell.

As we rose above the clouds, the wind suddenly picked up.

“It’s a twister!” Applejack shouted.

We saw a tornado swiftly approaching us. I had an idea that I hoped would work. I quickly climbed up and blew fire into the balloon. The extra hot air made the basket rise faster and faster.

“Hurry, Spike!” Twilight yelled. “The tornado’s getting—!”

But it was too late. The tornado sucked up the balloon like a vacumm cleaner. I jumped down and huddled with the girls.

“Hold on!” Twilight screamed.

“Can’t you teleport us out?!” I hollered.

“I can try!” Twilight’s horn glowed again. “Hold on, girls! I’m gonna—”

SNAP!

The ropes attaching the basket to the balloon snapped like rubber bands. We were all flung out of the tornado, screaming to our deaths.

“RAINBOW DASH!! WHERE ARE YOU?!” I shouted.

I knew that Rainbow would come and save us, but falling so far and so fast without any sort of parachute or wings was still frightening.

I was so thankful that Twilight cast that cloud-walking spell, because within a second, we landed on a soft cloud, which suddenly sprung us upwards. The other Wonderbolt trainees were able to catch us immediately and place us on the ground. Rainbow quickly appeared on the runway.

“Are you guys okay?!” Rainbow frantically asked.

We all nodded in agreement and hugged Rainbow. I was a bit shaken up from what happened, but I was alright. It was a good thing I knew stuff like this would happen. Otherwise, I would’ve been traumatized.

“What are you all doing here?” Rainbow asked.

“We wanted to bring you a care package,” Applejack said. “Didn't realize you'd be in the middle of some crazy tornado drill.”

“That...was...awesome!” A teal pegasus with a yellow mane appeared from the group. This was Lightning Dust, the reckless pony who lacked more empathy than a corrupted dictator.

“Awesome?!” Rainbow asked. “My friends could have been smashed to pieces!”

“Yeah, but they weren't, right? Can't say the—”

“What’s wrong with you, you stupid pony?!” I shouted.

Dust’s eyes widened. “Woah! Woah! Take it easy on the language, kid. I didn’t mean...”

“Shut up, you idiot! You could’ve killed us, and you act like it’s no big deal! How the Wonderbolts could ever accept a reckless freak like you into the academy is beyond me! I have a good mind to—”

“Spike, relax!” Twilight quickly interrupted. “What she did was terrible, I’m sure. But there’s no need to lash out on her.”

“Oh, yes there is,” I retorted. “If this is how they allow ponies to become Wonderbolts, then I don’t see how Rainbow Dash would want to join them so much.”

Rainbow looked at her pin strapped to her jacket.

“Spike, darling,” Rarity said, “how could you say that? In front of Rainbow Dash, no less? You know how she is about Wonderbolts, and regardless of what happened, you shouldn’t speak so disrespectfully about...”

“Excuse me,” Rainbow Dash said as she flew off. “There’s something I need to do...”

A few minutes later, Rainbow Dash returned with her saddle bags. She told us that she decided to quit the Wonderbolts.

“You did what?!” Applejack gasped.

“But being a Wonderbolt was your dream!” Rarity said.

“Not anymore,” Rainbow sighed.

“I’m so sorry, Rainbow!” I said as I put a hand on her back. “I-I didn’t mean to crush your dreams like that. I just wanted Dust to know how...”

“It’s okay, Spike,” Rainbow said.

We all shared a group hug.

“Rainbow Dash!” Spitfire called out. “How dare you storm out of my office without giving me a chance to respond!”

The scene played out like in the show. Spitfire explained to Rainbow Dash that while the Wonderbolts were looking for the best fliers, it shouldn’t come at the expense of others. She decided that Dash was better as a lead pony than a wingpony. She tore the pin off Dust’s jacket and gave it to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow was clearly excited to be accepted back in the academy.

“Now get out there and give me twenty!” Spitfire commanded.

“Yes ma’am!” Dash saluted, took off her saddlebags, and flew off with the others.

I was a bit relieved. Part of me thought with my rant to Lighting, Rainbow would quit the Wonderbolts permanently. I didn’t know what might’ve happened if she did. At least it was satisfying to let it all out on Dust.

“Wait! You didn't even get to open your care package!” Pinkie called out to Rainbow.

“Give it time, Pinkie,” I said.

Chapter 44 (One Bad Apple)

“Aren’t you excited, Spike?”

“For what Twilight?”

“The upcoming Summer Harvest Parade, of course.”

“Oh, right. I forgot about that. Wait a minute, isn’t it still spring right now?”

“Well, yeah. The ponies in Ponyville call it the ‘Summer Harvest Parade’ to wish farmers a good harvest for future summer crops.”

“Huh. I didn’t know that.”

Since the Summer Harvest Parade was around the corner, I knew this was when the events of “One Bad Apple'' took place. In the show, Applebloom’s cousin, Babs Seed, comes for a visit. She then ends up joining Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon in bullying the CMC. It was later revealed that she herself was bullied in Manehattan. What bothered me was why most of the grown-ups in the episode played the “do nothing” card. I’m hoping I could try to find a way to prevent Babs from joining the two entitled brats before it’s too late.

I headed to Sweet Apple Acres to help Applejack out a bit. Hopefully, I could keep an eye out for Tiara and Silver while I was there.

“I hope you’ll get a good harvest this coming summer, Applejack,” I said as I helped her buck some trees.

“I’m sure we will,” Applejack replied. “The worst harvest we ever gotten was when we had a twittermite infestation a few years back, and even then we only lost a month’s worth of apples.”

“I see.”

“Oh hey. Didn’t anypony tell ya? Our cousin’s visitin’ us today.”

“Braeburn?”

“Different cousin. Her name’s Babs Seed. She’s a filly from Manehattan that’s just around Applebloom’s age.”

“Nice. Does she have her cutie mark?”

“Nah. She doesn’t have one yet. And...uh...” Applejack tilted her hat. “From what I’ve heard, she’s been gettin’ teased for it.”

“That kinda sounds like what Applebloom and the others are going through with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”

“Yeah, it kinda does. Say, have you seen the float the girls were makin’?”

“Not yet.”

“Well, ya should. The girls have been workin’ their tails off on that float for weeks on end.”

After we finished, Applejack headed to the barn. I looked around for the two troublemakers, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Sure enough, I spotted them entering the farm. I quickly dove behind a haystack.

I got to make sure Babs doesn’t join Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. I could try making a break to the barn before they spot me…

I peeked from the hay to see Tiara and Silver passing some barrels filled with apples. That’s when my brain hatched an idea.

“Hey! Get away from that!” I shouted at the top of my lungs. “Applejack! Come quick! Some fillies are stealing your apples!”

Both fillies jumped in shock.

“Wait!” Diamond denied. “We weren’t—!”

Applejack busted out of the barn carrying a shovel. “Get yer flanks away from mah apples!”

“Miss Applejack, wait! This is all a—!”

Suddenly, Diamond bumped into a barrel behind her, spilling apples everywhere and sending herself tumbling to the ground.

“We better get out of here!” Silver said as she grabbed Tiara’s hoof.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon quickly galloped out of the farm before Applejack could reach them.

“Wait ‘til yer folks hear about this!” Applejack shouted. She then took a deep breath and looked at the mess the two fillies left. “Aw, great. Now these apples are gonna be bruised and spoiled.”

I quickly hurried to Applejack and helped her pick up some of the apples.

“Thank ya kindly for tellin’ me, Spike,” Applejack said.

“Don’t mention it,” I said. “I was glad I noticed them in time.”

“I don’t know what drove those two to thievery. I better tell Mr. Rich about what happened. There’s no way he’d let his own daughter steal from somepony he has business relations with.”

After we cleaned up, we headed to the barn to see what the CMC were up to. I noticed the giant pumpkin float up close. I was surprised that the CMC could have built something so massive all by themselves.

“Did ya get ‘em, Applejack?” Applebloom asked.

“Nah, they ran off,” Applejack replied as she put the shovel back. “Can’t believe Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon would do something like that.”

“It was those two?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Who are they?” Babs Seed asked. She was the brown, freckled filly with a red mane.

“Just some bullies who always tease us because we don’t have our cutie marks yet,” Scootaloo replied. “Never thought they would steal something. I thought Tiara’s family was rich.”

“Wow, this float is spectacular,” I said to the girls.

“Thanks, Spike,” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “We’ve been working on it for a while. The float is going to look smashing with the others.”

I then turned to Babs. “Is this your cousin, Applebloom?”

“Yep, this here’s Babs Seed,” Applebloom said as she put an arm around her cousin’s back. “Babs, this is Spike. He’s a dragon.”

“It’s nice to meet you Babs,” I said as I held out my hand.

Babs took a step back.

“Hey, don’t be nervous,” I quietly said. “It’s okay. I’m a good dragon. You don’t need to be scared.”

Babs timidly walked up to me and shook my hand. She cracked a tiny smile.

“Anyway, this float is looking pretty great,” I said. “I can’t wait to see it during the parade.”

It was a good thing I prevented the float from being demolished. As much as I liked the CMC’s “Golden Apple” float, I didn’t want to see their original get destroyed by Babs. That gave me an idea.

“Hey, Applebloom,” I said. “Could I speak to you in private?”

“Uhh...sure,” Applebloom replied.

We quickly snuck away from the group and headed to the back of the barn.

“What’s wrong?” Applebloom asked.

“I’ve noticed how shy your cousin is,” I whispered. “She is from Manehattan, right?”

“Yep. I’d thought she’d act a bit more...bold, but I guess you really can’t judge someone based on where they’re from, right?”

“Yeah, I remember saying that. Applejack told me she was having problems in the big city. Getting teased for having a blank flank and all that.”

“Oh, my. I didn’t know that. No wonder she was actin’ so shy. She must’ve been afraid of bein’ bullied here, too. It was a good thing Tiara and Silver didn’t come to the barn. We were gonna have Babs ride with us on the float so she could feel a might easier.”

I scratched my chin. “Why don’t you let her drive the float? She might enjoy it. Who knows?”

Applebloom scratched her chin. “Well, we did design the float so it would be easy to control... I guess we could show her some of the basics.”

I nodded. “Yeah, you should. Maybe afterwards, she won’t act so timid.”

When we headed back, Applebloom pitched the idea to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, who both thought it was a good idea. Babs was a bit skeptical, but she was willing to try.

The Summer Harvest Parade arrived in a flash. Everypony was standing idly while the floats were being prepared.

I was munching on some hot carrot crepes when I noticed Diamond Tiara and her family close by. I stealthily eavesdropped on their conversation. It sounded like her parents were scolding her.

“Tiara, how could you do something like that?” Mrs. Rich said. “You know we have important associations with the Apple family.”

“I told you, I didn’t steal anything!” Tiara replied. “Silver Spoon and I were just walking by—”

“Don’t lie, Tiara,” Mr. Rich said. “Miss Applejack told us how she caught you and Silver Spoon stealing some of her profits. If you wanted an apple so much, you could’ve simply bought one. They’re not expensive.”

“But I was—”

“You’re lucky the Apple family was able to overlook this situation, Diamond,” Mrs. Rich said. “If you pull something like that again, we’ll see to it that you get a ‘pay-cut’ on your next allowance.”

Tiara gulped and remained silent. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself. I quickly hurried to where the girls were.

“Isn’t this exciting, girls?” Pinkie asked. “I can’t wait to see what shapes the floats are! What shapes do you think we’ll get? Watermelon-shaped? Squash-shaped? Cucumber-shaped?”

“There’s only one way to find out, darling,” Rarity replied. “Say, weren’t you supposed to be driving one of the floats?”

“Yep.” Pinkie nodded. “Oh my gosh! I was supposed to be driving one of the floats!” She quickly zoomed away.

After a short while, the floats came rolling in. Most of them looked rather impressive. The other ponies did a good job designing them. I kept my eye out for the CMC’s float. I hoped that they didn’t crash or anything.

Thankfully, their float appeared moments later. I could see Babs driving and sheepishly waving. The CMC were by her side and waving as well, but with more exhilaration.

“It was just super sweet of the girls,” Applejack said, “makin' Babs feel so special.”

I nodded. “I agree. I’m surprised they picked a pumpkin. I thought they’d go with an apple design or something.”

“Applebloom and I made one last year. We designed it based on the summer rambo apple.”

“But why a pumpkin? Aren’t pumpkin’s fall crops?”

“Actually, since pumpkins take their sweet time to grow, it’s best if ya planted them in mid-summer, so they can be ripe when fall rolls around. If ya plant them too late, you’d have to wait until Winter Wrap Up comes until they’re ready. That’s assumin’ they survive the cold winter.”

“Oh. That makes sense.”

I watched the other floats pass by. There wasn’t any trouble, at least not from Tiara and Silver. I was glad I was able to keep them away from Babs.

After the parade was finished, I hurried to where the CMC and Babs were. They were just getting out of the float. Babs looked like she enjoyed driving.

“Uh, thank you for letting me drive,” Babs said. “It was good to hear ponies cheering at me for once.”

“For once?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I...” Babs sighed. “I would get teased by some ponies for not having a cutie mark. I was hoping I could visit Applebloom during Spring Break to get away from it.”

“You should try talking to somepony about it,” I said as I approached the girls.

“Huh? Oh, Spike,” Scootaloo said. “Good to see you again.”

“Babs, why don’t you tell someone about your bullying?” I asked. “It would help more than just keeping it to yourself.”

“I don’t know, Spike.” Babs rubbed the back of her head. “I don’t want to be a snitch...”

“‘Snitches may get stitches, but it’s better than keeping the itches in your britches for the witches,’” I said. “It’s an old poem I’ve read once.”

“Huh, I never heard something like that before,” Applebloom said. “Good advice.”

Afterwards, the CMC invited Babs to join their club and she accepted. I was glad I prevented Babs Seed from joining Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The same went for saving the CMC’s first float. I also liked the bonus of Tiara getting scolded by her parents, even though one of them wasn’t somepony who I would approve of. I just hoped it doesn’t affect her redemption later on.

Chapter 45 (No canon episode this time)

Cough! Cough! COUGH! COUGH!

I sat up from my bed and covered my mouth. I never felt my throat so dry before.

Man! I gotta drink some water!

When I opened my eyes, I had the feeling I wasn’t in Equestria anymore.

The room was empty and almost pitch-black. It was so dusty, I could see the particles floating around in the thin moon light.

“Where am I?”

The sudden voice change shocked me. I quickly checked my body and discovered the truth.

I was a human again.

“I’m back home? How and when did that happen?”

I looked around the room, and I realized what room it was. It was my old apartment bedroom. The only problem was...there was nothing. My posters were missing, my carpet laid bare, and my desk and computer were gone. The only thing that remained in my room was my bed.

I shook my head in denial. “What’s going on? Where did all my stuff go?”

I hopped out of bed and ran to my closet. All my clothes have vanished as well, leaving me in my white tank top and plaid boxers.

“Something must’ve happened.”

I ran into the living room. Just like my bedroom, the place was entirely vacant. All of my furniture that I spent weeks purchasing had vanished without a trace. I put my hands on my head.

“What happened here?”

I knew that Spike and I didn’t switch bodies because I could regain his old memories, which meant he was still in Equestria with me. So, I knew he didn’t do anything to ruin my old life. However, it didn’t answer the many questions I had on my mind.

Suddenly, a bunch of letters on the floor caught my eye. They looked like they’ve been there for a long time. I picked them up and tried to read through them.

I didn’t have to open the envelopes to figure out what they were. The first one had a pink card inside. The rest had notices about evictions, with the most recent one saying “FINAL EVICTION NOTICE ” in big red letters.

“How long was I gone?!”

If I had to guess, I would have to say the letters were almost a year old. That meant that I had to have been gone for over a year!

“I need to call someone!”

I didn’t have my cell phone anymore, so I needed to find someone in person. I quickly opened my front door, tore off the yellow “do not cross” tape, and ran to a nearby door. That’s when I noticed the door was boarded up and had the same yellow tape stuck upon it. In fact, all the other doors I came across bore the same resemblance. I knew it couldn’t have been a coincidence. I hurried down the stairs hoping to find the landlord. As I went down each floor, I noticed the building had seen better days. The walls were covered in big cracks, the windows had tiny pieces of broken glass, and the floors creaked so much that it sounded like they were going to collapse under me. Eventually, I came to the landlord’s office.

I banged loudly on the door. “Mrs. Amy! Mrs. Amy! It’s me, David Smith! I need to talk to you!”

There was nothing but silence. I suddenly noticed a sign by the office window that said, “Apartment building condemned”.

“What? When did that happen? I gotta get out of here!”

I hurried out of the building, knocking over some of the do not enter signs along the way. Once I got out to the streets, I noticed how significantly dark it was. It was nighttime, I’m sure, but it was still darker than usual. I ran down the sidewalk, hoping I could find somebody to help me. At this point, I hoped that a police officer would stop me and ask why I was running in my underwear. But I didn’t see anyone around. No citizens, no police, nobody.

“Where is everyone? What time is it?”

No matter the time in my town, there would still be at least a few people out and about, and yet there was not a soul. I was getting worried. I started to think leaving the building was a mistake.

“I need to find out what happened. There’s gotta be a newspaper or TV somewhere.”

Sure enough, a newspaper page flew in the wind. I quickly caught it. When I read the headline, my hands trembled in fear.

Dimensional warp dooms humanity! Half of Earth’s population vanishes! Millions dead!

“‘It had been discovered that traveling to alternate places was possible, but it came at a cost,’” I read. “‘For reasons beyond science, the first ever attempt resulted in catastrophic damages. People around the globe have been either vanishing or dropping dead without any particular reason. There’s no doubt that humanity would soon perish within the next few months. Hope has abandoned us all.’”

I sat on the curb trying to drink it all in. I couldn’t believe what I just read. If the first ever dimension jump was my doing, did I really cause all of this? Was it because I temporarily became Spike in a different universe, I caused all of humanity to vanish?

“Th-this can’t be true! There’s no way I destroyed mankind! It’s just not possible!”

I didn’t know what to do. I pretty much ruined everything without knowing how. I never knew how I could travel to alternate dimensions; it was never my idea to begin with, but it was too late to figure it out. I slumped over with my hands covering my face. I did my best to control my breathing.

Someone...anyone...help me out...tell me this is all a lie...tell me that none of this is true…

That’s when I heard a voice.

“I had a feeling you were not what you seemed to be.”

I looked up from the curb to see a tall woman in a blue dress. She had blue hair and a black tiara on her head. At first, I was confused as to who she was, but then the realization struck me.

“Princess Luna? Is...that you?” I asked. “Is this a dream?”

The woman nodded and turned into an alicorn. “When I saw your previous dreams in the past, something was most certainly up with you. All it took was this dream to confirm it. Now, tell me. Who and what exactly are you? It is clear that you are not a dragon.”

I sighed and stood up. “I guess I should tell you. My real name is David Smith. I am a male, adult human being. I came from a universe different to yours.”

“But I recall that you’ve observed the events that played out in our universe. How is that possible?”

“In my universe...” I bit my lip. I was afraid how well she would take it if I told the truth, but I knew I couldn’t lie at a time like this. “In my universe, you and everypony else...are a work of fiction.”

Luna took a step back. “You mean, we do not exist in your world?”

“No. We don’t even have unicorns, alicorns, pegasi, or flying dragons. We don’t even have ponies that can speak our language. You guys are part of a show called ‘My Little Pony’ in my world, created by humans.”

“So when you mentioned that you have seen everything that’s happened in our universe, you mean that you have watched this ‘show’?”

“Yes, that’s what I meant. When I told you I saw everything that happened, I didn’t want to reveal to you that I was a human being or that you were part of a show. Everything I told you at that wedding was still the truth.”

“Such an interesting phenomenon. Not only are there alternate dimensions, there happens to be one where our lives are written by others. There is something that I don’t understand. Why are you doing all of this? What exactly happened that made you want to change everything in Equestria instead of going back to your own world?”

“Well...” I looked away. “To be honest, my life in my old world wasn’t thrilling or exciting. I had a normal life. I worked a normal job. Everything was normal (except for a certain year). When I came to your world, I was excited I could live the life as a pony...or dragon in this case. I realized I went all the way back to when you escaped the moon, so I decided I could try to change certain events and prevent certain future disasters from happening.”

“That would explain why you tried to help me fit into modern day Equestria and Celestia to practice her acting abilities. You witnessed what happened in your ‘show’ and wanted to make sure we didn’t cause any mishaps. But let me ask you something. Do you not have friends or family in your world? Do you ever miss them?”

I took a deep breath. “Sometimes. Though, I rarely kept contact with my parents, and my friends and I weren’t that close. I don’t even know how to get back anyways, and who knows how much time has passed back in my world? I doubt that mirror portal would help.”

“What mirror portal? Are you talking about…?” Luna realized what I meant. “So you are right. You have seen everything. Does anypony else know who you really are? Have you informed Twilight and her friends?”

I shook my head. “No, I haven’t. I didn’t tell anyone else about who I was. Like I said, I want to wait until the time is right to tell them. There was one person who already knew about me, however.”

“Who would that person be?”

“Discord.”

Luna raised her eyebrows. “How did he know about you?”

“I don’t know. Somehow he figured out who I was. I don’t know if it was some sort of ‘Discord sense’ or he had something to do with bringing me here, but he seemed to know everything about me. Is Discord omnipotent?”

“That I do not know. He is a strange creature. Whatever his wisdom and knowledge is, it would be something only he knows.”

I sighed. “So, I guess now you know who I really am, and what a real human being looks like.” I looked down at my clothes. “Trust me, my outfits look better than this.”

“I suppose I can take your word for it. Thank you for telling me. I would try to visit you in your dreams if I need further questioning, but...” Luna looked at me. “Why must you do this alone? Would you prefer it if I helped out?”

I was hesitant with my answer. “I’m...not so sure. I want to keep most of this knowing-the-future stuff private. I know you can keep a secret, but if you helped me, Celestia might grow suspicious and question you. I will only ask for your assistance if I know for a fact nopony else would find out.”

“I understand. If it’s not a secret, does this show of yours have an ending? Have you witnessed it? If so, what happens to Celestia and me?”

“Well...let’s just say that you two would no longer rule Equestria.”

Luna widened her eyes. “What dreadful disaster caused us to pass on?!”

“It was the lack of one. You and Celestia would retire after entering an era of peace, and you would pass the leadership to Twilight. Don’t worry, you wouldn’t...pass away anytime soon.”

Luna looked away. “I would not consider retiring so soon after coming back from the moon. When does this happen?”

“Not very far into the future. I have no idea what the timeline is in your world, and the episodes in the show occur much differently than what I’ve observed.”

“I do not understand why Celestia and I would consider retiring. It seemed like only yesterday I came back to Earth, and to relieve myself of my princess duties so soon seems so sudden. ”

“Yeah, you weren’t the only one surprised. I had a feeling that Twilight would become a ruler someday, but I never knew she was going to rule all of Equestria.”

“Should I oppose the idea when Celestia considers it?”

“It does seem sudden if you two retire, but it would not seem right if she retires alone while you’re still in power. I would say just talk to Celestia about it when she brings it up, and decide for yourself whether you should retire or not.”

“I shall try.”

I sighed. “Thank you for talking to me, and for revealing this was just a dream.”

“You are welcome, and I do hope we meet again. This has been the first time I’ve interacted with such a mythical creature. I give you my word, I will be sure that this information remains confidential.”

And just like that, Luna vanished. I was still surprised I told someone my secret. At least she promised not to tell anypony else about it. Now I had somepony to talk to about my human life.

Seeing how I was still dreaming, I thought I could try to lucid dream. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples.

Okay...think...think…

Within an instant, the sound of chatter filled my eardrums. I looked around and suddenly noticed everyone was back. The hustle and bustle of my old town had returned. I sighed in relief.

“Experts are still looking into the unusual celestial phenomenon that occurred over a year ago,” I heard a TV reporter say, “but it’s safe to say there is nothing to be concerned about.”

Suddenly, I heard a loud honking sound. I turned around to see a gold painted Lamborghini approaching me. It halted right next to me and opened its roof, revealing my boss and a few of my coworkers.

“Get in, David,” Mr. Johnson said. “We’re going to Las Vegas!”

“Mr. Johnson, what’s all this?” I asked. “I didn’t know you owned a Lamborghini.”

“Well, PaperTinc has become the world’s first ever quadrillion-dollar company, so I took the liberty of purchasing some high-top apartments in Las Vegas for all of my top-rated employees, including you. Now, come on. Don’t worry, we’ve got clothes in the trunk.”

I quickly hopped into the front seat and buckled my seatbelt.

“Wait a minute,” I said. “Isn’t Las Vegas pretty far from here?”

“If you go by roads, yes.” Mr. Johnson pressed a button, and wings suddenly appeared on the sides of the car. “But the way we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

The Lamborghini shot off into the night sky. It really was fun to lucid dream.

Chapter 46 (Spike at Your Service)

There was nothing I could change for “Apple Family Reunion.” It wasn’t my business to interfere with Applejack’s plans, and it would be nice for the ponies to learn some lessons every now and then.

One episode, however, was an episode that I was going to change dramatically. “Spike at your service.” In the show, Applejack saves Spike’s life and he believes he needs to serve her for the rest of her life. It was worse than it sounds. Thankfully, I wasn’t stupid. All I needed to do was avoid the desire for a hot air balloon ride.

I was in the library with Twilight. I counted the books she just got from the princess. Just like in the show, there were twelve books.

“I don’t see why Princess Celestia wanted you to read a dozen books over the weekend,” I said.

“Princess Celestia obviously thinks I can or she would never have assigned them to me,” Twilight said as she sat on a pillow. “I'm not planning on letting her down.” She then poured herself a cup of tea.

“Yeah, but shutting yourself from the outside world?”

“I can take a break. Actually, Spike, why don't you take the day off? These books are gonna keep me busy for a while.”

“Well, there are some things that I wanted to do.” I shrugged. “Okay. Just let me know if you need my help.”

As I left the library, I had an idea about what I should do, and it didn’t involve touching my nose with my tongue, playing belly bongos, or smelling my feet. My first task was to learn a new skill. It would be something that I can enjoy or something that could help me later in the series.

I could learn how to play piano. I could also try to workout a bit to improve my strength...

That’s when I noticed a group of ponies out on a nearby field. There were a bunch of abstract structures around them. What surprised me was a familiar filly with the group of ponies. I walked over to her.

“Hey, Scootaloo,” I greeted. “What’s all this?”

“Parkour lessons,” Scootaloo replied. “The first learning session is free, so I thought I could learn a few tricks. Wanna join me?”

Seeing how I wanted to learn a new skill, I decided to accept. Parkour was one skill that I liked to learn about.

“Okay, so how do I join?” I asked.

“Just talk to the instructor over there,” Scootaloo pointed to a white earth pony with a black, straight mane. She wore a black shirt and red sneakers, and her cutie mark was a pony jumping over obstacles. “Her name is Faith Swifthoof.”

“Okay, thank you.”

I talked to Swifthoof about joining in, and she allowed me, but mentioned that it would be a bit challenging for me since I wasn’t a pony. I told her that I understood. She provided me with some small sneakers, a neon shirt, and dark-colored shorts similar to what the others were wearing. I quickly slipped into them and got with the group of ponies.

“Welcome to parkour,” Swifthoof announced. “Many ponies say it’s a difficult skill to learn, but once you know the basics, there’s nothing to it. As long as you can run and jump, you can do parkour. Now, let’s begin.”

Surprisingly, most of the stuff Swifthoof taught us was rather easy to learn, such as rolling to recover momentum and hanging onto a thin ledge for an extended period of time. The trick was to maximize friction and to look before you leap. There weren’t any spectacular tricks, like backflips, but there were some impressive stunts that I once saw on YouTube.

After what seemed like a couple of hours, the session was over. We thanked Swifthoof for the lesson and returned the equipment. She gave us a pamphlet in case we were interested in paying for another lesson. I followed Scootaloo afterwards.

“Woo! That was some intense training,” Scootaloo said as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. “Still, I’m glad I could experience it.”

“Yeah, me too,” I said. “It’s nice to learn about different parkour skills. Maybe I can convince Twilight to sign me up for another lesson. Provided we can afford the classes, of course.”

“Where is she, anyway? I didn’t see her anywhere during our class.”

“She’s in the library reading. She let me take the day off. Say, where are Sweetie Belle and Applebloom? I thought you and the girls would try to get cutie marks in parkour.”

“Oh, we tried that last autumn. Applebloom couldn’t keep her balance. I wanted to learn a bit for myself just in case.”

“Yeah same.”

“That reminds me. I’ve gotta meet the rest of the Crusaders soon! We’re gonna try to get our cutie marks in water skiing.”

Scootaloo and I parted ways. After I had lunch, I paid a visit to Rumble and Button Mash. It was strange seeing them together so often. The two must’ve been really close or something.

Rumble and I watched as Button Mash was playing one of his games on his Game Colt. It looked rather familiar.

“Now, this is the part where I would always get stuck on,” Button said. “This mare’s creature has a move that completely obliterates my entire team.”

“Isn’t it a normal-type creature, though?” I asked. “Why not use a fighting-type? It could help take it down faster.”

“You don’t get a fighting-type this early in the game unless you trade with somepony else. Besides, I tried using creatures that were resistant to its move, and they still got defeated. I swear, this mare’s been feeding it too many scarce sweets or something.”

Just like he said, Button’s team was entirely wiped out in a flash. The brown colt resisted the urge to slam his Game Colt onto the table as the game calmly mentioned his blackout for the millionth time.

After Button Mash calmed down, I asked, “Why does the game always make your character black out when you get defeated? It doesn’t happen to the other trainers.”

“They didn’t want you to explore the world without any creatures,” Button replied as he watched the doctor heal his wounded creatures. “It was easier for them to code you rushing to the center to reheal than have you wander around.”

“Yeah, but blacking out? They could’ve just faded to black and say you rushed to the center after your defeat. The blackout dialogue seems unnecessary.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the one who designed this game. If you ever find the studio, you can talk to their staff about it.”

After about an hour of watching and commenting Button Mash playing his game, I said goodbye to the two and headed on my way.

Hang out with some of my friends, check.

I thought about what else I should do. I felt pretty guilty lying about Diamond Tiara stealing apples. It was the only thing I could do to get her away from Babs, though. It was not like I could politely ask her and Silver Spoon to stay away, distract them long enough until they gave up and headed home, or tell them that I came from the future and saw the events that played out.

I quickly found Tiara and apologized for what happened that day. I explained to her that Applejack was getting protective of her apples recently and was worried about them getting stolen. That was why she assigned me to keep ponies away from the barrels. I told Tiara I wasn’t aware that she didn't intend to go anywhere near them. I just expected the worst, and it was my fault for jumping to conclusions so quickly.

Tiara “forgave” me in her usual bratty way, but at least it was better than nothing. I doubt it would be the last time I interacted with her positively before her redemption. I just needed to make sure I didn't try to get her into any more hot water. The last thing I needed was to unintentionally prevent the CMC from getting their cutie marks.

Since I still had some time left, I decided to visit Fluttershy. When I went to her cottage, I saw her, Winona, and Applejack there. Fluttershy and Applejack were talking to each other.

“Thank you for takin’ Winona out for a walk, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “I’ve been as busy as honeybees in a flower patch back at the farm.”

“Don’t mention it,” Fluttershy said. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Winona licked Fluttershy one last time and followed Applejack out of the yard.

“Howdy, Spike,” Applejack greeted as she and her dog passed me.

“Uh, hey Applejack, could I talk to you for a sec?” I asked.

“What’s botherin’ ya?”

“I...I was talking to Diamond Tiara, and as it turns out, she never planned on stealing your apples.”

“She didn’t? I knew that filly wouldn’t stoop that low...”

“I’m sorry, Applejack. I didn’t know. From where I was standing, it looked like she was going to rob them. I just wanted what was best for you and for Tiara. It was my fault I got so paranoid.”

“At least she told ya what really happened. Thank you for tellin’ me. I guess I better tell Mr. Rich about this. I felt pretty guilty about swingin’ that shovel at ‘em, and hearing Tiara’s side of the story ain’t helping.”

Winona whined. Applejack petted her head.

“Ah, don’t worry, girl. I ain’t one to hold grudges for too long.” Applejack looked at me. “And Spike, please be more careful. Ya shouldn’t jump to conclusions like that. I know Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon ain’t the nicest ponies in Ponyville, but they’re just fillies.”

“I understand.”

“Though, that just leaves another question: why were those two fillies visitin’ the farm?”

“Probably to tease the CMC and Babs. We really ought to start an anti-bully campaign.”

“Probably. Well, we’d better get back to the farm. Talk to ya later, Spike.”

I waved goodbye to them as I approached Fluttershy.

“Good afternoon, Fluttershy,” I said.

“Oh, Spike. Did we miss our tea time?” Fluttershy asked. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was today! Please forgive me!”

“Relax, Fluttershy. It’s not our tea time today. I just wanted to make a surprise visit.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy sighed in relief. “You got me worried for a second. I didn’t have time to prepare the tea.”

“It’s alright. We can drink something else if you want.”

A short while later, Fluttershy and I were drinking some fruit juice while resting outside.

“Shouldn’t you be working with Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

“She told me to take the day off,” I replied. “The princess gave her a lot of books to read over the weekend. Knowing Twilight, she’ll probably finish them all before dinner.”

Fluttershy giggled. “That’s true.”

Suddenly, she rubbed her back before groaning a bit.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“Yes. I just overworked a bit today. I was taking Applejack’s pet, Winona, for a walk today, and she was really hyper. I’m starting to think Applejack and Pinkie Pie switched their pets around sometime earlier in their life. I have never seen a puppy with such energy, and I once took care of a bandicoot who had a nervous disorder. My back has been getting a little sore.”

“Here, let me help you.”

I walked over to Fluttershy. I gently pressed my fingers onto her back and slowly rubbed in tiny circles. She felt rather soft, almost like a giant plushie.

“Huuuh...” Fluttershy sighed. “That does feel quite nice. You make a great massage dragon, Spike.”

“Thank you.”

“Could you please go a little higher?”

I nodded and slowly worked my way up her back. She shivered a bit when I got near her wings.

“Please be gentle, Spike. I’m very sensitive there.”

I eased off a bit. Fluttershy motioned me to move up a bit more. I moved my hands until they were near Fluttershy’s neck.

“Ohhhh...that’s the spot.” Fluttershy sighed with relief. “Stay there.”

I did what she said as I rubbed my fingers around her upper back. I couldn’t believe I was massaging my favorite pony, and she was enjoying it. I didn’t know I was that good at giving massages. It was unknown whether it was the old Spike’s skill or mine. That didn’t matter, though. The feeling of Fluttershy’s warm, soft, silky yellow coat on my fingertips was an amazing feeling.

“Thank you, Spike,” Fluttershy said as I finished her massage. “My back feels so much better. I’m so glad I have you with me.” She then nuzzled my cheek.

“You’re welcome, Fluttershy,” I said as I blushed. “I feel the same way.”

We hugged once again. I will never get tired of feeling her warm embrace.

Suddenly Fluttershy gasped. “Rainbow Dash!”

We quickly split apart to see Rainbow Dash gawking at us.

“Hey, I came by to tell ya that they just came out with this new thing,” Rainbow said. “I think they called it a ‘room.’ Maybe you two should consider getting one.”

“Very funny, Rainbow,” I said. “Do you need to talk to Fluttershy?”

“Actually, I came here to find you, Spike. Have you seen Twilight around? I knocked on the front door of the library, but she didn’t answer.”

“That’s strange. She was going to be there all day. We better investigate.” I quickly turned and kissed Fluttershy on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

Fluttershy waved goodbye as I hopped on Rainbow’s back. She then flew me to the library.

“Don’t say it. Don’t say it,” I said.

“Say what?” Rainbow asked.

“Fluttershy and I shouldn’t show affection out in public because I’m a dragon and she’s a pony. I get it.”

“Hey, I don’t care what species you two are. As long as you two love each other, I’m all for it. It’s just the showing-affection-in-public in general I can’t stand. I get it, ponies want to show they’re in love. Just don’t rub it in everypony’s faces.”

Once we got to the library, I opened the front door, and we both headed inside. It didn’t take long until we found Twilight still sitting in the same spot. Unsurprisingly, she was down to the last three books.

“Twilight,” I called out. “I’m back. Have you been really reading all day?”

“Uh-huh,” Twilight replied, keeping her nose in the book.

“Rainbow Dash knocked earlier and you didn’t answer.”

“That’s nice.”

“Are you even listening?”

“Sounds good.”

I sighed. “By the way, Rainbow Dash came to tell you that she loves you and she wants you to be her special somepony.”

Rainbow’s face blushed redder than the red part of her mane. “I didn’t say that! I swear I did NOT say that! He’s lying!”

“Mm-hmm,” Twilight said in the same monotone voice.

“See? She’s not listening,” I said. I then noticed her row of neatly-placed ink jars. “I have an idea. Watch this.” Following what Applejack in the original episode did, I quickly flicked one of them out of line.

“AH!!” Twilight quickly dropped the book she was reading and turned around.

“Sorry about that Twilight,” I said.

“It’s alright, Spike,” Twilight said as she got up and moved the ink jar back. “I needed a break anyway.”

“And then some,” Rainbow added. “You’ve practically thrown the day away.”

“I know, but I need to finish the book pile before the end of the weekend, and I have one...two...three...that’s all I have left? I could’ve sworn there was more.”

“Twilight, while I did enjoy my day off, I have to agree with Rainbow Dash,” I said. “You should take breaks more often and not get so distracted. What if something like a herd of timberwolves invades Ponyville and you weren’t with us to stop it? I know you want to impress the Princess, but still...”

“Alright, alright. I’ll try to be more aware of my surroundings.” Twilight sighed. “Thank you for looking out for me, Spike.”

“It’s what a noble dragon does.”

“A noble dragon?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s part of my dragon code. If you were a dragon, you would get it.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. It was a good thing the original episode never happened. Rainbow never got injured, the timberwolves never showed up, Applejack’s home never got messy, and I never acted klutzy nor idiotic. I still wondered how Spike ended up like that in the show.

Later that night, I helped Twilight with one final book before bed.

“So what’s this book about?” I asked as I adjusted the lantern abover her head.

“Alicorn history,” Twilight replied. “Say, did you know there were male alicorns?”

Chapter 47 (Keep Calm and Flutter On)

Twilight was able to finish up the books in no time. It really helps to be a bookworm’s assistant. The book about alicorns was the most interesting to me. Apparently, male alicorns were just as common as female alicorns. Seeing how I only saw five of the latter in the show (excluding temporary ones and possible animation errors), I took the book’s word for it.

One day, my stomach started squeezing. Within moments, I burped out a scroll.

“Geeze, I wish the princess had a better way of sending letters to us,” I said.

Twilight picked up the scroll and read it.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I will be arriving in Ponyville tomorrow with a special visitor. Bring all the girls and Spike to the fields at 1 p.m.
Signed,
Princess Celestia”

“Wow, can you believe it, Spike?” Twilight asked. “The princess is coming over to visit us.”

“Oh, no,” I said under my breath.

“What did you say, Spike?”

“I said ‘oh, no.’ I was supposed to have tea time with Fluttershy that day. Oh well, we can arrange one some other time.”

But the truth was that I knew this was when “Keep Calm and Flutter On” was going to occur. That meant Discord would be released from his stone prison, and Fluttershy would try to reform him. The problem was I didn’t know what the two’s relationship was like in the show.

Were they just friends? More than friends? Lovers? Would Discord be upset if he knew I was dating Fluttershy? Should I break up with her before he gets out? I could try to keep the relationship secret, but what if he already knew about us? He already knows my real name and where I came from.

I decided I should just keep things mellow and not show so much affection to Fluttershy for now.

That’s when I had another idea. I quickly looked through some of the books hoping to find what I was looking for.

“What are you looking for, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Reforming spells,” I replied. “I was thinking we might need one just in case the princess’s visitor turns evil or something.”

“Oh, Spike, you’re being too paranoid.”

“Can you blame me? We don’t know who this visitor is. For all we know, it could be some creature who we’ve never seen before. Can’t you write down a few reforming spells?”

“Look, Spike. Princess Celestia would never bring a dangerous creature that could run rampant across Ponyville. I assure you that her visitor will be very friendly, and we’ll get along with them just fine.”

I doubt that.

The next day, most of the girls and I were waiting at a nearby field. Applejack and Fluttershy were absent because some beavers built a dam at Sweet Apple Acres resulting in a minor flood.

“What’s taking the princess so long?” Rainbow asked impatiently. “Is her guest a giant turtle or something?”

“Maybe it's somepony so terribly important,” Rarity suggested, “she still had many more terribly important things to do before she got here.”

I looked up to the sky to see the Princess’s carriage arriving, and the familiar statue that followed close behind confirmed my suspicions.

“Or maybe the visitor is the Lord of Chaos himself,” I said worryingly.

“Yeah, right. That's Discord,” Twilight said.

“Why in the wide, wide world of Equestria would Princess Celestia bring along someone like that?” Rarity asked.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?” I pointed to the arriving carriages. The girls were frightened when they noticed the Discord statue.

Twilight calmly approached Celestia. “With all due respect, Princess Celestia, HOW COULD YOU BRING DISCORD HERE?! Your majesty?”

“I'm fully aware that the last time Discord was here, he created serious havoc,” Celestia said in her relaxed tone of voice.

“If by ‘serious havoc’ you mean ‘turning Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world’...” Rainbow snarked.

“...and nearly making us go through that horrid maze to retrieve our elements...” Rarity added.

“...and making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it anywhere in sight!” Pinkie complained. “Not a single dollop!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Yes, I understand,” said Celestia. “But I have use for Discord's magic if it can be reformed to serve good instead of evil. This is why I've brought Discord here, because I believe that you are the ponies and dragon who can help him do just that.”

“Assuming he doesn’t betray us or enforce some sort of confidence-boosting test for Twilight,” I said as I looked at the statue. I knew Discord could hear me.

“Need I remind you that you are the ponies and dragon who turned him back into stone like this in the first place?”

“I suppose we can just use the Elements of Harmony against him again if it gets out of hand,” Twilight said.

“Should I find that reference guide?” I asked.

“No need, Spike. I have the elements right here, and I've cast a spell so Discord can't take them and hide them again.” Celestia opened a chest to reveal the elements. “Now where is Fluttershy? I believe she may know best how to begin reforming Discord.”

“Fluttershy? Really?” Rainbow asked.

“We better go get her and Applejack,” Twilight said. “We need both of them to use the elements anyway.”

Rainbow dashed to Applejack’s farm. After a few minutes, she came back with Applejack and Fluttershy. Celestia explained to Fluttershy what she told us.

“I realize that this is a tall order,” Celestia said, “but I wouldn't ask if I weren't confident you could get him to use magic obediently of his own free will.”

“And you really think I'll know best how to do that?” Fluttershy asked.

Celestia placed her hoof under Fluttershy’s chin. “I do.” Fluttershy blushed. “Now, I must return to Canterlot for Equestria's royal summit. You may release Discord when ready.” Celestia got back on the carriage and flew away.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I said. “I know Discord was once a powerful being, but if Celestia believes that you can reform him, then so do I. I know that you can do it.”

“Thank you, Spike.” Fluttershy and I hugged lightly before Twilight picked up the elements.

“Okay, ponies and Spike, guess it's time to get started. Let's just hope this releasing spell works,” Twilight said. “We'd best keep our elements on at all times until further notice.”

Twilight put each respective element on each mare. I was a bit envious that I didn’t have an element.

Twilight’s horn glowed brightly as each and every element shot out their respective shapes before being joined by a rainbow ribbon. Soon, the Mane 6 were lifted off the ground. I watched the statue and noticed one of Discord’s legs moved a bit. Before I could question it, a giant rainbow shot out of Twilight’s Element of Magic and collided with the statue. Cracks appeared before Discord shot his limbs right out. Eventually, the draconequus himself bursted out of his granite prison with a loud roar, followed by a series of grunts and groans like he just got out of bed.

“Well, it was about time somepony got me out of that prison block,” Discord said. “What a relief!”

Suddenly he snapped his fingers as he stretched, and a nearby squirrel suddenly became bulky and mean. We all gasped.

Well, this reunion’s off to a good start.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Twilight asked.

“Why, stretching, of course,” Discord replied. “When you're a creature of chaos, stone bodysuits aren't your typical go-to fashion choice.”

He snapped his fingers again, resulting in a nearby bunny turning savage.

“Make that bunny cute again! Now!” Pinkie Pie shouted.

“He's adorable the way he is,” Discord said as he tickled the bunny’s chin. “You know what else is adorable? You ponies and dragon truly believe that you can reform me, and you’re putting your faith in this one here to make it happen.” Discord then appeared in a grandma-like outfit and grabbed Fluttershy’s face. “Makes me wanna pinch your little horsey cheeks...”

I hope you mean her face…

“How'd you know about that?” Twilight asked.

“Being turned to stone doesn't keep me from hearing every word Celestia says,” Discord replied. “Although I admit it makes rolling my eyes a challenge.” He took his eyeballs out and rolled them across the ground.

“Well, unless you want us to turn you back to stone, you'll zap those animals back the way they were, pronto!”

Discord put his eyeballs back into his sockets. “Oh, you wouldn't dare turn me back to stone and risk disappointing your precious princess.”

“Try us,” I said.

“Exactly what he said, Dip-cord!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“You think you can treat poor defenseless animals like that and get away with it?!” Fluttershy shouted at Discord. “You'd best watch your step, buster, or I'll give you... the Stare!”

It was nice to see Fluttershy acting so bold once in a while. Sadly though, her stare didn’t work on Discord. He chucked at the fact that Fluttershy thought it would.

“If it turns out we need to use our elements against you,” Twilight said, “I'm sure we can convince Princess Celestia it was for a good reason!”

Discord sighed. “I suppose that's correct.”

He snapped his fingers once more, and the squirrel and bunny were back to normal. That’s when I noticed his tail snapped. I knew what he just did: he corrupted some of the beavers nearby. I wanted to call Discord out on it, but I didn’t want to see him turning back into stone so soon.

“Well, it looks like I know where I'll be crashing while I'm being ‘reformed’.” Discord suddenly poofed Fluttershy in his arms. “With you, Fluttershy.” He gave her a noogie as he chuckled evilly.

“Oh dear,” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Oh dear” is right. I hope Discord doesn’t get mad over my current relationship with Fluttershy.

We all went to Fluttershy’s cottage. Fluttershy quickly went around the room cleaning up everything.

“Discord may be horrible,” Fluttershy said, “but that doesn't mean we have to act the same way. We should at least try to be hospitable.”

Discord hopped on the couch.

“Uh...you don’t mind giving up your favorite spot on the couch, do you, Angel Bunny?” Fluttershy asked.

It was clear that Angel did mind. He tried to pull Discord off, but his bunny strength was no match for the draconequus’s weight.

“Oh, I'm sorry about Angel. Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh, yes,” Discord replied. “Thank you, Fluttershy, for your concern. If only your pony and dragon friends could be as considerate...”

Just like in the show, most of us were doubtful of Discord being reformed. I knew he'd become friendly soon, but the others thought he was trying to pull Fluttershy apart from us so the elements couldn’t be used. We quickly headed outside. Fluttershy assured us she would try to befriend him in order to reform him.

“Fluttershy’s really alright with him staying there?” Rarity asked as Twilight closed the front door.

“That's what she said,” Twilight replied.

“If it helps her reform him, then I guess who are we to judge?” I asked.

“Personally, I think we should come up with a backup plan,” Rainbow said, “in case this whole ‘befriending’ business doesn't work out.”

“Rainbow Dash is right,” Rarity said. “This is Discord we are talking about, girls. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have another trick up our sleeves.”

“Well, I initially suggested a reforming spell…” I said.

“That can work,” Twilight said. “Come on, we better get to the library, pronto.”

Twilight and I hurried to the library. Unfortunately, the scene played out like in the show. Twilight and I could not find a single reforming spell in any of the books in the library. Most of the pages looked like they’ve been torn out.

“Discord must’ve known we’d have a Plan B!” I exclaimed. “Now do you see why I wanted you to learn some reforming spells prior? And you said I was paranoid.”

“I didn’t know it would be Discord, Spike. He’s the last creature the princess would send to us.” Twilight flipped through the last of the books, but to no avail.

“We gotta warn Fluttershy about all this.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

Twilight and I hurried back to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“I know I have confidence that Fluttershy could reform Discord,” I said, “but she needs to know what he’s been up to.”

When we arrived at her place, the cottage wasn’t in its normal spot anymore. It was floating high in the sky and spinning around. The sounds of crashes and thumps inside didn’t make either of us feel easier.

“Oh, no! Fluttershy!” Twilight shouted. “Fluttershy, can you hear me?!”

A few minutes later, Fluttershy came out of the rotating house with a dizzy Angel.

“Fluttershy, what's going on? Are you okay?!” Twilight asked.

“We’re fine,” Fluttershy calmly replied. “Everything's going great. Isn't it, Angel?”

Angel hopped away like he just came off a spinning carnival ride.

“We've come to get you away from Discord!” Twilight exclaimed. “He's just terrible and, from the looks of it, completely out of control!”

“Oh, but you're wrong. We're making great progress!” Fluttershy said. “I'm earning his trust by giving him a little space to be himself.”

“I guess giving him a little freedom would make sense so he wouldn’t rebel,” I said. “But he kinda also tore out the reforming spells in the library with that freedom.”

“That does explain the paper eating.”

“He ATE them?!” Twilight cried.

Strange minds think alike, huh, Discord?

“But we aren't gonna need a spell,” Fluttershy assured us. “He's already really considering being reformed! He said so.”

“So you’re taking his word for it?” I asked.

“If I'm going to be his friend, I have to start by giving him the benefit of the doubt! Tell you what. Bring all the girls and Spike over for a dinner party this evening, and I'll bet his manners will have really improved by then. I'll even get him to put the cottage back on the ground first.”

Fluttershy flew back into the cottage. Twilight was pretty reluctant to attend, but she agreed.

After informing the rest of the girls, Twilight and I got ready for dinner.

“I wish she told me what dinner party this will be,” I said as I looked through my outfits. “I don’t know if I should wear my penguin tux, just a plain bow tie, or go au naturel like I always do.”

“That doesn’t matter, Spike,” Twilight retorted. “Don’t tell me you believe Discord’s reformed, too.”

“I know Fluttershy. She talked down to a dragon and petted the belly of Cerebus. I think she can handle a creature of chaos. I have full faith in her.”

“Spike, I know you and Fluttershy are a thing, but there’s a fine line between trusting somepony and blindly agreeing with them.”

“Don’t worry, I haven’t crossed that line.”

Later, the girls and I arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. The girls were feeling pretty uneasy. Rarity wore her least fanciest outfit, which still looked pretty fancy to me.

“Fluttershy thinks this is the way to reform Discord and asked us to give it a chance,” Twilight said.

“Say, doesn’t the water back there look pretty high to anypony?” I asked.

“Probably just some heavy rain from a nearby city,” Rainbow said. “The weather team has been a bit behind giving rain in some areas lately, so they made downpours to make up for it.”

Fluttershy’s front door opened, and Discord appeared in a butler outfit.

“Oh, our pony guests!” Discord exclaimed as he rolled out the red carpet with his tongue. “We're so delighted that you've come. Please, do come in.”

We entered the cottage to see the room had changed drastically. The deformed furniture and decorations looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

“See what a beautiful job he did helping?” Fluttershy asked. “Discord set the entire table himself. I'm so proud.”

We sat down and ate dinner. It felt very awkward eating in silence with Discord around. It was similar to having dinner with your family after they discovered you cheated on an exam.

Fluttershy cleared her throat. “As you all know, Princess Celestia hoped we'd help Discord use his magic for good instead of evil.”

Just like in the episode, some of the items in the show came to life, like the gravy boat, candles and soup tureen. At least I avoided the last one’s soup spitting.

“Fluttershy! Can't you see what he's doing?” Rainbow shouted. “He's playing innocent with you so you'll never agree to use the Elements of Harmony against him!”

“Oh, well, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?” Discord innocently said.

Rainbow quickly covered the tureen with a cloche. “You see what I'm saying, right, Fluttershy?”

“You know what I see?” Fluttershy asked. “I see that Discord's far from perfect, but I also see none of you giving him a chance!”

“Hey, I’ve been trying to do the same,” I said. “Giving him the benefit of the doubt and all that.”

Twilight stared at me while Discord raised an eyebrow.

“What's gotten into you, Fluttershy?!” Rainbow complained. “Why do you keep cutting him so much slack?”

“Because that’s what friends do.” Fluttershy wrapped one of her arms around Discord’s shoulder.

Discord’s eyes widened. “We’re friends?”

“Why, of course! I can't remember my house ever being this lively before you came along.”

“Oh...Well, I've...never really had a friend before.”

“Well, now you do!” Fluttershy held his paw.

I couldn’t help but find it adorable. I was starting to second-guess my relationship with Fluttershy. I really didn’t want to break up with her, but I didn’t want Discord to be downhearted if he was looking to be more than friends with Fluttershy.

Soon, my thoughts were interrupted by Angel, who just appeared from a nearby window. He chittered panically like something was wrong, and I knew what that something was.

“Now is not a good time, Angel,” Fluttershy said. “We're having a dinner party.”

“Hold up! I think he's tryin' to tell us somethin'.” Applejack said.

Angel quickly mimed to us what was happening. It didn’t take long for us to figure out what he was trying to say. There was a flood going on at Sweet Apple Acres.

“And we all know who's behind that now, don't we?!” Rainbow asked.

“Who, me?” Discord asked as a halo appeared over his head.

“Oh, give it a rest! What do you think of your friend now, Fluttershy?”

We quickly left the cottage and headed over to Sweet Apple Acres. When we got there, more than half of the farm was underwater.

“Land sakes! My apples are drownin’!” Applejack cried.

“Now it’s becoming Wet Apple Acres!” Pinkie yelled.

“This is a bad time to joke, Pinkie,” I said.

“Who’s joking?!”

“I've never seen the floodin' this bad!” Applejack shouted in dismay. “They've built dams 'round here before, but never like this! What's goin' on?”

Fluttershy tried talking to the red-eyed beavers, but they either ignored her or spat insults at her. Not even her Stare helped.

“It's no use. They won't listen to a word I say!” Fluttershy cried.

“You see Discord's behind all this, right?” Rainbow asked.

“Of course I do! Do you all think I'm a silly, gullible fool?”

There have been mixed reactions all around us. I kept silent.

“I've just been trying to gain his friendship any way I can, so he'd come to trust and listen to me.”

Speaking of coming, Discord arrived in water skis pulled by two tureens.

“Hey there, Fluttershy, you want a turn? The water's great!” Discord called out.

“Time to see if it worked,” Fluttershy said.

Fluttershy told Discord about the flood, and that he needs to fix everything and get Sweet Apple Acres back to normal. There was just one problem: Discord had a small request.

“I ask that you never use your Element of Harmony against me,” Discord said. “As a sign of our friendship.”

The girls all shook their heads. Fluttershy took a deep breath and removed her element and tossed it aside. I quickly caught it.

“I will never use my Element of Harmony against you,” Fluttershy declared.

Discord snapped his fingers with glee. The farm transformed around him, but the water did not disappear. Instead, ice and snow had formed all around us.

“Discord!” Fluttershy shouted. “That's not fixing it! Why, I oughta...”

She quickly slid across the ice, passing Discord.

“Where are you going?” Discord asked. “What's wrong, pal?”

“Don’t call me your pal!” Fluttershy struggled to stay balanced on the slippery surface.

“Come skating with me, and we'll let bygones be bygones.” He then materialized some skates for her.

I quickly slid over to Fluttershy and gave her the Element of Kindness.

“Sorry, Discord,” I said under my breath.

“He fixes this or he goes back to stone!” Twilight called out. “Princess Celestia would understand!”

Fluttershy went back and forth looking at her element and the skates. Discord and I both knew exactly what she was going to choose.

“I made a promise not to use my element against him, and I’m going to keep it!” Fluttershy grabbed the skates and trotted away, much to the girls’ disappointment.

I wonder if I should be the new Fluttershy.

As I skated back to the girls, Discord boasted about Fluttershy being his friend, and that she would not have anything bad happen to him. Just like in the show, Fluttershy was clearly frustrated. She slammed her skates on the ground and declared she was not his friend anymore. Discord was not amused.

“Who cares?!” growled Discord. “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want! I'm Discord, the master of chaos! You think you can boss Discord around? You think I'm just going to turn all this back because you say so? Because if I don't, I'll lose the one friend I ever had?”

It was then Discord realized what he just said. He sighed and cupped his hands together, resulting in all the ice and snow to vanish. The beavers also reverted back to their normal minds. The girls and I cheered.

“I like it better my way,” Discord said, “but...I guess when you're friends, you can't always have things exactly your way all the time, eh?”

The next day, Celestia returned. Discord promised to use his magic for good instead for evil (most of the time). Celestia congratulated us and allowed us to keep the Elements of Harmony with us.

“Go on,” Fluttershy said to Discord. “Say it.”

Discord sighed. “Friendship is Magic.”

“See? He can be a real sweetheart once you get to know him.”

We chuckled sheepishly after she said that.

Suddenly, the air around me grew still. All the ponies stood motionless.

“Girls?” I asked. “Are you alright?”

Nopony responded. I waved my hand in front of Applejack and snapped my fingers at Rainbow Dash. Neither one of them reacted. In fact, they weren’t moving a bit.

“What’s going on?!”

“Ah, I see my spell worked,” Discord said.

“Huh?” I turned to see Discord looking at me. “What did you do?”

“I just stopped time, ‘Spike’. I wanted to talk to you personally.”

“What do you mean?”

“Since my time in that stone prison, I’ve heard about certain changes you’ve done, especially what you did to Chrysalis during the wedding.” Discord poofed a toy Chrysalis with a bandage on her head. “I wouldn’t say it was the most exciting method I could think of, but I’m not you.”

“I knew that you were lying about not changing fate, Discord,” I said. “Knocking Chrysalis out, sending her to prison, and prevented the changelings from entering Canterlot proved that.”

“And you believe that? What about all the other times you fixed something only to have something happen regardless? Like when you saved the Crystal Empire, or when you got rid of all the Pinkie clones? In the end, the Crystal Ponies were still free from Tall, Dark, and Gruesome, and the clones still returned to the mirror pool. All you did was alter your path only to end up back on the main road.”

“What about all the other stuff I did? Befriending Garble and Trixie? Preventing Babs from being a bully and the school newspaper form being a gossip column? Keeping myself from turning into Godzilla and pulling a King Kong? You can’t deny that those changes were significant. Did you seriously stop the world just so you could repeat what you said to me about not changing fate?”

“Actually, I needed to let you know that from here on out, I will be keeping a close watch on you.” Discord pulled out a giant movie camera and pointed it at me.

“Why?”

“Since I had to let you know immediately, and I couldn’t do it in front of everypony, I considered this to be the best option rather than letting you fall under a false sense of security for the next few days.”

“I mean, why do you need to spy on me?”

“Isn’t it obvious, David? It’s clear that you didn’t come from this world, and that you’ve seen every single episode of this show. The fact that you’re behaving exceedingly different from the original Spike, and that your goals mostly involve saving or preventing stuff, is enough to prove that you’re attempting to alter this timeline. And I for one would like to see where this rabbit goes.”

I was suddenly in a yellow bunny costume. I quickly took it off.

“If you truly believe that fate can be changed, then so be it,” Discord said. “Just don’t complain to me when something remains unaltered despite your actions.”

Discord suddenly placed me back in my original position and walked back to Fluttershy.

“And before you ask, yes. I’m fully aware of your relationship with Fluttershy. When I saw you two together at the Gala, it didn’t take much to put two and two together.”

“So you’re not upset?”

Discord remained silent as he returned to his original position. He snapped his fingers, and time moved once again. While I liked having Discord back, I was a bit worried about my relationship with Fluttershy. It didn’t help that Discord didn’t answer my question. I just hoped he wouldn’t get any funny ideas that could make us split apart.

Chapter 48 (Just for Sidekicks and Games Ponies Play)

“Okay...a little more frosting there...complete with more gems...should I use an amethyst or topaz? Meh, I’ll use both. And...done!”

After what seemed like hours of mixing, baking, and decorating, I was able to craft that jewel cake like in the show. It wasn’t that difficult to be honest. All I had to do was resist eating some of the gems. I didn’t know why the old Spike kept failing.

I quickly grabbed the camera and took a few pictures of the finished cake. Twilight came down the stairs looking rather surprised.

“Wow, Spike,” Twilight said. “You made that all by yourself? Good job.”

“Thank you,” I replied as I pulled out the cake slicer. “Want a slice?”

“You do realize I’m not a dragon, right?”

“That’s fine, just pick out the gem pieces that you can’t eat. I’ll be sure to take them.” I cut out a slice for myself.

“Maybe when the girls and I get back.”

“Get back from where?” I secretly knew where, considering this was when the events of “Just for Sidekicks” and “Games Ponies Play” took place.

“The Crystal Empire, of course. Princess Cadance invited the girls and I to help with welcoming the Games Inspector for the upcoming Equestria Games.”

“That sounds nice...wait, why wasn’t I invited?”

“That’s...what I liked to know. Cadence said to bring the girls, but she never mentioned you. You’d think after what you’ve done to save the empire, she’d ask you to come along as well.”

I sighed. “Be sure to ask her when you get the chance.”

“You can tag along, Spike. It’s not like she’s forbidding you to come.”

I then look at Owlowiscious. “Actually, why don’t I pet-sit Owlowiscious and the others while you’re all away?”

“You think you can handle that Spike?”

“I took care of Fluttershy’s animals once. If I could do that, I can handle domesticated pets.”

I couldn’t think of anypony else to take care of the pets, and I actually wanted to interact with some of them. At the very least, I could try to give more attention to Angel.

A short while later, the other girls came along with their pets. They each instructed me how to take care of their respective pets.

Rainbow Dash told me while Tank didn’t need much attention, I should keep an eye on him in case he flies away.

“You also might wanna think about a helmet,” Rainbow added. “You only want to get hit in the head by a flying turtle once.”

“Tortoise. And I’m way ahead of you,” I said as I put on a hard hat.

Applejack said I needed to make sure I had enough time to play with Winona. Otherwise, she’ll get wild without any exercise. Gummy just needs somepony to talk to. I already knew how to take care of Owlowiscious. Rarity gave me a long list of demands needed to take care of Opal. Fluttershy reminded me how important it was to primp Angel, especially his tail. I took note of everything.

“Are you absolutely sure you can do this, Spike?” Twilight asked me.

“Of course,” I replied as I put some books away. “I can assure you these pets are in good hands. All you need to do is relax and make sure Ms. Harshwhinny approves of using the Crystal Empire for the Equestria Games.”

“Ms. Who?”

“Harshwhinny. That’s the name of the inspector, at least from what I’ve heard. Just make sure you ask so you don’t get the wrong pony.”

“We’ll be sure to do that.”

After I finished critter-proofing the library, I bid the girls goodbye as they did the same for their pets. Once the front door closed, I quickly got to work. I noticed Opal and Winona hissing and barking at each other.

“Hey! Hey! Be nice!” I shouted as I pulled them apart. “I know you two don’t get along, but you’re not fighting while I’m here.”

Bang!

“Oof!” I readjusted my hard hat as Tank flew over me. “I’m glad I was wearing this. Be careful where you’re flying, Tank.”

I picked up Angel’s brush and quickly headed over to him.

“Alright, where do you want it the most, and which direction this time?” I asked.

Angel rolled his eyes and pointed to his head. He motioned his other paw to go from front to back.

“Got it.” I brushed gently across his head. Angel kept the same scowl on his face, but his thumping foot suggested a different story. “I know I don’t brush as good as Fluttershy, but you’ll have to make do with me until she gets back.”

Suddenly, I felt something squeezing my tail. I turned my head around to see Gummy biting my tail. I was lucky he didn't have any teeth yet.

“I’ll get to you soon, Gummy. Angel’s a higher priority right now.”

As soon I finished removing the curlers on Angel’s tail and fluffed it, Angel hopped away. I then quickly removed Gummy from my tail.

“Okay, so what do you need?” I asked as I carried Gummy down the stairs. “Pinkie told me that you liked to be talked to.”

Gummy blinked slowly.

“I’m not sure what you’d like to talk about, to be honest. Weather? Baking? Philosophy?”

“Hoo.” Owlowiscious hooted.

I scratched Owlowiscious’s head. “I haven’t forgotten about you. I just have more pets to take care of.” I then turned to Gummy. “I just wish Pinkie was more specific about what I should discuss with you.”

That’s when I noticed Tank approaching. I quickly ducked my head as he flew past me.

“Easy, Tank.” That’s when I noticed where he was heading. “Watch out for that table!”

But it was too late. Tank bumped right into the edge of the table, and the gem cake I spent hours on wobbled like a house of cards.

“Oh, no!” I put Gummy down, grabbed a big plate, and rushed to the collapsing confection.

Ker-splat!

The cake toppled into the ground. I was only able to save the top three layers.

“Dang it! I spent all morning on that cake!” I sighed. “At least I can fit this part in the fridge now.”

I looked at the clock and noticed it was time for lunch. It was a good thing the girls provided some food for the pets. I quickly filled the bowls for Opal, Winona, and Tank. I gave Owlowiscious some food from my hand, since he doesn’t eat from a bowl. I also gave Angel a bowl of salad.

Angel took one look at the salad and pushed the bowl away.

“Eat, Angel,” I said sternly. “You’re a growing bunny. You need your nutrition.”

Angel shook his head. I snorted. That’s when I had an idea.

“Angel...”

Angel turned his head to me. With quick thinking, I glared as hard I could right into his black, beady eyes. Angel looked around awkwardly and tilted his head.

I groaned. “I’m trying to do Fluttershy’s stare thing! Look, just eat the salad before I have her show up and do the real deal!”

Angel sighed and reluctantly ate his salad. I nodded in approval. That’s when I noticed two more pets weren’t eating their food.

“Come on, Opal and Winona. I already struggled with getting Angel to eat. I don’t need anymore pets refusing.”

The cat and the dog sniffed their respective bowls and pushed them away in disgust. I rubbed my forehead in frustration.

“Give me a...wait.”

I took both of their bowls and sniffed them. I then swapped their bowls around. Opal and Winona took one whiff and instantly started eating.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t know I gave you both the wrong foods.”

While the pets were eating, I took the liberty of cleaning up the cake that didn’t make it to the plate. I was able to pick out most of the gems from the cake so I could eat later.

“At least I took some pictures of it.”

I munched on some of the gems as part of my lunch. Once we were all fed, I went to wash up the bowls. That’s when I heard the front door banging. Winona ran over to the door barking as loud as she could.

“Augh! Twilight never told us there was a dog in there!” Sweetie Belle’s voice shouted.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders!

“Wait, Sweetie Belle! I know that bark. It’s Winona!” Applebloom called out.

I put the dishes in the sink and hurried to open the front door. Instantly, Winona jumped out and pounced on Applebloom.

“Heh, heh. It’s good to see ya too, Winona,” Applebloom said as Winona licked her face.

“What’s Winona doing in the library?” Scootaloo asked.

“I’ve been tasked with keeping the girls’ pets company while they are away at the Crystal Empire,” I replied.

“They left already?!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “Ugh! I was going to tell Rarity to get me a souvenir from the Crystal Empire, like one of those snow globes if they had some!”

“I’ll be sure to get you one when we visit for the Equestria Games.”

“If that place is hosting this time,” Scootaloo reminded. “Rainbow Dash told me they’re really picky about choosing a location, and the Crystal Empire had just appeared not too long ago.”

“Trust me, I know the girls. They’re probably doing whatever they can to make sure the Empire gets chosen to host. Anyway, what are you girls doing?”

“Well, we were gonna try to get our cutie marks in skydiving...” Sweetie Belle said.

“...but that instructor won’t let us,” Scootaloo snarled. “Says we’re too young and all that. Can’t he see that we’re trying to get our cutie marks?”

“Why don’t you get your cutie marks in something else? Like...dog walking? Winona does need her exercise, and I can’t walk her around Ponyville while the other critters run rampant throughout the library.”

“Good idea, Spike,” Applebloom said.

I handed Applebloom a leash, and she attached it to Winona’s collar.

“CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DOG WALKERS!! YAY!!” The CMC hurried away with Winona.

“Just make sure to bring her back before the girls return,” I called out.

At least I won’t have to worry about Opal and Winona fighting for now.

I went back inside and continued taking care of the other five pets. I brushed Opal a bit while making sure I gave plenty of attention to Angel, which was easier said than done. It was like he was trying to ignore me. I wonder if he was jealous of my relationship with Fluttershy. I wanted to ask him, but I thought it was best if I asked Fluttershy first. Besides, I didn’t speak bunny.

That’s when I noticed Tank was flying into another room.

“Uh, oh.” I handed the brush to Angel. “Here. Take over. Head to toe very softly.”

I got up and ran into the other room. I quickly grabbed Tank and turned off his propeller.

“Sorry, Tank,” I said. “I know Dashie said you have a strict flying regime, but you need to be where I can see you.” I returned to the main room and closed the door. I then switched Tank’s copter back on. “There. Now, you can fly again.”

As I returned to the two brushing white-colored pets, I heard a scratching sound on the door followed by a few barks.

They’re back already? That was fast.

I opened the door to see Winona running in place with Applebloom showing up out of breath.

“You...can have...Winona...back...Spike...” Applebloom panted. “We’re not...gettin’...our cutie marks...in dog walkin’...anytime soon.” She then collapsed to the ground.

“Applebloom, what happened?” I asked. “Where’s Winona’s leash? And where are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo?”

Applebloom lifted her head. “We were...taking turns...walking Winona. When Scootaloo got a turn, Winona took off runnin’ and dragged Scootaloo along with her all across Ponyville. Sweetie Belle and I tried to chase after her.” Applebloom slowly sat up. “But now both Sweetie and Scoots are tied up against a tree by the leash, and Zecora’s tryin’ to get ‘em untied.”

“Didn’t Applejack tell you how wild Winona would get without her exercise?”

“She did, but I didn't think she’d be this wild.” Applebloom stood up. “I gotta get back to see if those two got out yet.”

I let Winona back into the library and resumed my pet-sitting duties.

After hours of keeping everything in order, I heard the front door knocking once again. Winona ran up to it and barked again.

“See? Winona always knows when I’m knockin’ on the door,” Applejack’s voice said.

I went to open the door. The Mane 6 came in to collect their pets.

“So how did it go?” I asked. “Did you find the right pony?”

“Well...not exactly...” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “I tried to ask what we initially assumed was the inspector for her name, but she kept dodging the question. It wasn’t until much later that we found out that she wasn’t actually the inspector.”

“Seriously?” I groaned.

“Look, I tried to ask her, alright? It’s hard to keep up with somepony when she’s running all over the place.”

“Tell him about the outcome! Tell him about the outcome!” Pinkie erratically shouted as she hugged Gummy.

“Oh, right.” Twilight turned to me. “Thankfully, the real inspector was tired of all the other cities giving her a welcoming show, and after hearing what the fake inspector experienced, she allowed the Crystal Empire to host this year’s Equestria Games.”

“That’s great!” I exclaimed. “Too bad I couldn’t be there to witness it. I still don’t understand how Cadance never invited me.”

“I asked Cadance the same thing. She said she was aware of that, and that you shouldn’t worry about it.”

“‘Shouldn’t worry about it’ my tail! I saved the Crystal Empire. The Crystal folks there should be grateful that I saved their sorry flanks.” I actually knew what the Empire was planning, but I still pretended to be upset anyway.

“Relax, Spike. She said that because she had something planned for you. She wouldn’t tell us what it is, though. I’m sure the ponies there wouldn’t cast you aside after all you’ve done, Spike.”

“I sure hope not.”

It was good that I was able to take care of the Mane 6’s pets. At least it went less chaotic than in the show. And while Angel was rather bitter with me, it was better than him hopping on the train and forcing the other pets, the CMC, and me to ride along to the Crystal Empire and back. Also, I was able to make that gem cake.

“Hey, what happened to your cake?” Twilight asked.

“I’m afraid most of it could no longer be with us,” I somberly replied. “I put the three uppermost layers in the fridge.”

“Sheesh, Spike,” Rainbow said. “I know how much you love gems and all, but your appetite could rival Pinkie’s sometimes.”

“That’s not what I meant...”

Chapter 49 (Magical Mystery Cure)

The next Summer Sun Celebration was around the corner. That could only mean one thing: the Twilicorn was approaching us.

While I didn’t want to prevent it, I was still up in the air about what I should change. I didn’t want to throw Celestia’s plans out the window, but I didn’t want to have the girls suffer through their switched cutie marks. I had to think of something.

One evening, as the sun was setting, I was preparing to take a bath. That’s when I noticed Twilight receiving a package.

“What is it, Twilight?” I asked. I kept an eye on the display case that contained the Elements of Harmony. I didn’t know why she decided to choose now of all days to display it.

“It’s a package from Princess Celestia!” Twilight explained. She opened the package to reveal a book and a letter.

“Dear Twilight Sparkle,
The spell contained on the last page of this book is Star Swirl the Bearded's secret unfinished masterpiece. He was never able to get it right, and thus abandoned it. I believe you are the only pony who can understand and rewrite it.
Princess Celestia”

Oh, no! I knew this day would come, but I never thought it would come so soon!

Twilight pulled out the book and flipped through the last page.

“‘From one to another, another to one,’” Twilight read. “‘A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled.’ That doesn’t even rhyme. Oh, well. Might as well...”

“TWILIGHT! NO!!”

Using both hands, I grabbed Twilight’s horn as hard as I could! The magic aura made an audible zap as it was canceled out by my scaly palms. I quickly released them as they tingled. It felt like I tried to grip an electric fence.

“Ah-ha-ha-ha-haow!!” I shouted in pain. “That hurt like Tartarus!”

“Spike, why did you do that?!” Twilight barked. “You know better than to grab a unicorn’s horn while they’re casting magic!”

I looked at the elements and noticed they retained their original color. Part of me was relieved.

“You should know better than to cast a spell you never heard of or even know what it does,” I said as I kissed my palms. “I didn’t want you to end up ruining everything. What if it was a destruction spell? What if it does something drastic, like...ruin the Elements of Harmony for example?”

Twilight looked at the display case behind her.

“I know Celestia casted a spell to make sure Discord doesn't take them away, but she didn’t say anything about a spell preventing certain modifications.” I shook my hands.

“Do you really think the spell can do something like that?” Twilight asked.

“It's a spell from a book given by the princess herself. There’s no telling what it might do. If you’re still thinking about casting it, then maybe you should bring the girls in here first. That way, if anything goes wrong, the girls will be around to help you.”

“It’s late right now, Spike. We’ll just have to do it tomorrow. Say, shouldn’t you be taking a bath right now?”

“Oh, right! Thanks, Twilight.”

I quickly went to take my bath. As I washed up, I wondered how I could get Twilight to finish the spell. I stopped her spellcasting, but that would only go so far. I didn’t want Celestia to get suspicious, though I think I may have already done so given my actions.

The next morning, Twilight and I woke up a bit earlier than usual. After doing our morning activities, we headed out to find the other girls.

“Maybe the spell didn’t rhyme because it was unfinished,” Twilight said. “So maybe we need to figure out something that rhymes in order to complete it.”

“‘Something, something, fulfilled…’” I said. “‘Such an accomplishment leaves other ponies thrilled’?”

“I don’t think it’s that.”

That’s when Twilight and I spotted Rarity on the bridge staring at the sky. I gulped as we approached her.

“Hey, Rarity,” Twilight called out.

“Oh, hello darlings,” Rarity said.

I looked at her cutie mark and discovered that my casting-prevention method worked. Her cutie mark remained on her flank, just like it was supposed to. I sighed with relief.

“Please do not stare, Spikey,” Rarity said as she covered her flank with her tail. “It’s rude to gaze at a lady’s posterior. You do realize that the gems on my cutie mark aren’t real, don’t you?”

“S-sorry.” I blinked. “I just really admire the design of your cutie mark. That’s all.”

“Well, I do appreciate the compliment, but the design wasn’t my idea. It just happened to be like that when I got it.”

“Anyway, I was hoping you weren’t too busy with anything,” Twilight said. “I need help with a spell, and I want all the girls to come to the library.”

“I would be delighted to come, but why do you need us? We aren’t as talented with magic as you are.”

“Well, the spell is a bit...unfinished, and I want you to be by my side in case something goes awry.”

“I suppose you can count me in, darling.”

“Great! Now we just need to find the others. We’ll head to Fluttershy’s cottage next.”

Twilight trotted over to Fluttershy’s place with Rarity and me following close behind.

“You know, I’ve been thinking,” Rarity said. “The Summer Sun Celebration is coming soon, which means that it has been almost a whole year since we’ve been together.”

“That’s true,” Twilight said. “I can’t believe it.”

“We’ve come such a long way. I’ve been speculating what would’ve happened if we never became such close friends.”

“Well, I hope you’d like the idea of designing dark clothing,” I said. “That and Equestria having a sudden change in leadership.”

“I wouldn’t actually recommend wearing dark colors at night, eternal or not,” Rarity said. “Perhaps I could’ve attempted to bring neon colors back.”

The three of us arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage. Once we entered, we found Fluttershy feeding her animals. Just like Rarity, Fluttershy still had her original cutie mark.

“Oh, hey girls and Spike,” Fluttershy greeted. “I was just finishing feeding my animals. Did you need me for something?”

“We were wondering if you could come with us to the library,” Twilight said. “I’ve been working on a new spell, and I would like it if the rest of the girls could come and watch.”

“A new spell? I guess I can join you if everypony else is doing the same.”

After Fluttershy joined, Twilight decided we should head to Sugarcube Corner next.

“You know,” Fluttershy said, “I can’t help but think how far we’ve come since we’ve met. What we’ve done since we’ve been together.”

“I was just thinking the same thing, darling,” Rarity said. “Just think about all the accomplishments that we’ve achieved. Like beating Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra...”

“Let’s not forget the other activities, like the Gala and the wedding,” I added.

“That too.”

Once we arrived at Sugarcube Corner, Twilight asked Pinkie if she could join the girls and me. She accepted before Twilight could even finish her question. Next was finding Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres.

“So what’s this spell about, Twilight?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Does it make it rain cupcakes? Does it change your species? Does it make musical scenes happen more often?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know what it does,” Twilight said. “The spell’s description went like this: ‘From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled.’ I wanted to cast the spell to see what it did, but Spike stopped me.”

“Spike did have the right idea, darling,” Rarity said. “There’s no telling what the spell might do, and casting an incomplete spell isn’t what I call an intelligent idea.”

“The princess did say that Star Swirl abandoned it, so it never got finished. I was thinking maybe it was missing the other line or something.”

“Ooh! Ooh! How about this?” Pinkie asked. “‘If you attend Sugarcube Corner, you’ll have your mouths and tummies filled’?”

“I don’t think so. I doubt Sugarcube Corner was around during Star Swirl’s time.”

“Plus, it sounds more like an advertisement than a spell,” Rarity said.

By the time we got to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack had just finished her chores. Twilight invited Applejack to join us, and the farm pony accepted.

“Now, the last pony we need to find is Rainbow Dash,” Twilight said. “Anypony know where she could be?”

“Probably up in the sky somewhere,” Applejack replied.

“Maybe she’s at her house!” Pinkie declared. “Let’s go!”

The entire group walked on over to Rainbow’s house. I couldn’t help but notice that Applejack was lost in thought.

“Is something wrong, Applejack?” I asked.

“I can’t believe the Summer Sun Celebration’s comin’ up,” Applejack replied. “Seemed like only yesterday that we just became friends.”

“Well, time flies when you’re having fun, especially with your friends.”

When we arrived at Dash’s house, Pinkie pulled out a megaphone.

“Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie shouted. “Are you in there?! Come on out!”

After a few minutes, Rainbow came flying out of her house.

“What’s going on?” Rainbow asked. “This isn’t another ‘you’re too prideful’ intervention, is it?”

Twilight chuckled. “No, we’re just gathering all the girls so I can figure out this spell I got from the princess.”

“If you’re all joining her, then count me in as well!”

Once we had everypony, we returned to the library. The elements still remained in the display case.

“To think these six elements are what brought us all together,” Rarity said.

“And how,” Applejack said.

“Now, we’re a force to be reckoned with!” Dashie said.

“With all of us together as friends, there’s nothing we can’t face!” Pinkie shouted.

“No matter our goals, we’ll always be together,” Fluttershy said.

“Because friendship is always magic!” I concluded.

“Wait, that’s it! I know how to fix the spell!” Twilight quickly grabbed the book and a quill. “‘From all of us together, together we're friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end!’ There!”

“Wonderful job, Twilight,” Rarity said. “I really do hope that Princess Celestia—wait, what is that clinking sound?”

I turned to the display case to see the Elements of Harmony banging on the other side of the glass.

“It’s the elements!” I said.

“Ooh! You just made them sediment!” Pinkie said. “Sentiment...cinnamon...uh...”

“Sentient, Pinkie,” Twilight corrected. “And I haven't cast the spell yet. Try to open up the case and see what they do.”

“I hope they don’t attack us,” Applejack said.

I slowly lifted the glass. The elements shot out and attached themselves to their respective pony.

“Well, that’s different,” Twilight said. “Had I known the spell did that, we could’ve—”

Suddenly, Twilight’s Element of Magic created an orb of white light that surrounded the lavender unicorn. The girl's elements then shot beams of magic right at the orb. Confused shouts filled the room. This wasn’t the first time I witnessed this, though. A blinding white light filled the entire room. I covered my eyes as the entire library was engulfed in the sheer brightness. A loud poof echoed as the light subsided.

“What happened?” I asked.

We looked around the room. That’s when we discovered one pony was missing. Twilight wasn’t with us. Instead, there was a burn mark in the shape of her cutie mark resting where she stood. The girls were shocked.

“What did you guys do?!” Pinkie shouted.

“Darling, this was involuntary!” Rarity cried. “We weren’t responsible for this!”

“I was talking to the elements.”

“That spell must’ve done something,” Rainbow said.

“But she didn’t even cast it,” I responded.

“We need to contact the princess! Hurry!” Fluttershy yelled.

“I’ll work on that! The rest of you try to find her. Maybe it teleported her somewhere in Ponyville.”

The girls removed their elements and put them back in the display case.

“We gotta find her!” Applejack said. “There’s no way the elements could’ve harmed her.”

As the rest of the Mane 6 ran out of the library, I sat down and thought about what I should do for the upcoming events. I knew Equestria Girls was canon thanks to Sunset’s cameo in the series finale. I needed to find a way for Twilight and I to get the crown back and also reform Sunset, all while being a dog. Season four had all that Rainbow Power stuff, so I’d rather not interfere with the episodes where the girls get their keys. There was also the Equestria Games. I figured I should practice singing all the anthems so I wouldn’t embarrass myself in front of millions. Tirek was going to be a problem. I had the idea of having Fluttershy tag along with Discord, but if that idea didn’t work, then I would have to find some way to prevent Tirek from destroying the library.

I remembered I had to find Starlight’s town before she would try to steal all the ponies’ cutie marks. But I knew I couldn’t leave Ponyville just for that. I needed to find some other locations I could visit. I don’t know if Mount Aris has already been attacked by the Storm King’s forces, but it was really out of the way. Griffonstone had seen better days, so I thought maybe I could try to retrieve that idol from the canyon with the help of some other familiar griffons. I couldn’t think of anything I could change regarding Yakyakistan or the Dragon Lands, though for the latter it would be nice to see Garble and Smolder again. There was also the changeling kingdom, but I didn’t want to take chances in case nothing changed there.

If I do go on this journey, however, I had to convince Twilight that I needed to do this myself. Which meant she and her other friends should not follow me with an unconvincing disguise. I would also need to make sure that I would be back before any major events occur. If I go before Tirek attacks, I would need Twilight to message me when he arrives.

By the time night fell, I heard the front door slamming open once again. The girls were out of breath.

“Did you girls have any luck?” I asked.

“Not a bit,” Applejack replied as she waved herself with her hat. “We’ve searched high and low fer Twilight, but we can’t find her anywhere!”

“This is bad! Really bad!” Rainbow shouted. “Twilight has to be somewhere!”

“Any reports from the princess yet?” Rarity asked.

“None yet,” I lied. I never actually sent one because I knew what happened.

“What’s taking her so long?!” Pinkie shouted. “You’d think the disappearance of her favorite student would shock Princess Celestia!”

“Girls, I don’t think this is a good time to panic...”

“It’s the perfect time to panic, Spike!” Fluttershy cried. “Our best friend disappeared in a flash of light, all because she rewrote a spell! What if the other ponies assume we…?”

“We didn’t,” I said as I placed my hands on her shoulders. “The elements may turn creatures to stone and reduce their power, but they would never do something as morbid as that. Even to their own wielder, no less. I think the best course of action is to wait until Celestia responds and see where to go from there. I’m sure Twilight is alive and well somewhere.”

After the girls calmed down, we left the library.

“I sure hope yer right about Twilight bein’ okay,” said Applejack. “I can’t stand losin’ such a close friend.”

“None of us can,” I said.

Pinkie gasped. “Look! A shooting star!”

We looked up at the sky to see a light moving in the sky.

“Everypony! Wish for Twilight to come back!” Pinkie commanded.

We closed our eyes and made our wish. When we opened them, we noticed the light slowly descending to the center of town. Twilight’s cutie mark appeared from the glowing comet.

“It must be her!” Rainbow shouted. “Let’s go.”

We rushed to the center of town just to see the big ball of light touched down on the ground. What appeared from the orb was…

“Twilight?” Applejack asked. “Is that you?”

Twilight slowly stood up. What appeared on her sides was a pair of wings, a.k.a. 2013’s fandom divider.

“Woah! Who asked for Twilight with extra wings?” I asked.

“I-I've never seen anything like it!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Awesome! A new flying buddy!” Rainbow Dash declared.

“Why, you've become an alicorn,” Rarity said. “I didn't even know that was possible.”

“Alicorn party!” Pinkie cheered with her fake wings and horn.

“You look just like a princess!” Fluttershy said.

“That's because she is a princess,” Celestia said as she flew in.

The girls were surprised to hear that. I pretended to be the same. Pinkie even took out a glass of water to do a spit take.

Celestia continued, “Since you've come to Ponyville, you've displayed the charity, compassion, devotion, integrity, optimism, and of course, the leadership of a true princess.”

“But...does this mean I won't be your student anymore?” Twilight asked.

“Not in the same way as before. I'll still be here to help and guide you, but we're all your students now, too. You are an inspiration to us all, Twilight.”

“So...is she immortal?” I asked.

Celestia chuckled. “While Twilight is an alicorn, she is not the same type of alicorn as Luna or me. I can assure you, Twilight will not outlive her friends.”

Tell that to my brony and former-brony friends.

“But...what do I do now?” Twilight asked. “Is there a book about being a princess I should read?”

“There will be time for all of that later,” Celestia replied.

The rest of the events played out like in the show. A big coronation was held for Twilight. Twilight gave a speech thanking all her friends and family. Everypony cheered for her. Shining Armor even showed some of his “liquid pride,” which was just him crying.

I was thankful I prevented the girls’ cutie marks from switching around, and finding another way for Twilight to get wings. I also learned that she wasn’t considered immortal, though it kind of raised a question about why Celestia and Luna allowed her to rule Equestria during the finale, and why Twilight looked like them in the final episode.

Chapter 50 (Equestria Girls)

It has been about a week since Twilight’s coronation. It was hard to believe Twilight became a princess already. I knew the day would come and all, and I did get used to her wings back in my old world, but it was still a hard pill for me to swallow initially.

One day, the girls and I were summoned to the Crystal Empire. The other princesses, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, were waiting for us there for a royal summit. It was going to be Twilight’s first since her coronation. Twilight herself was feeling both nervous and excited.

“You're 'nervicited'!” Pinkie shouted. “It's like you wanna jump up and down and yell ‘YAY ME!!’ But you also wanna curl up in a teeny-tiny ball and hide at the same time!”

“You've got no reason to fret, Twi,” Applejack. “Everything's gonna be just—”

“TWILIGHT!” Rarity shouted. “Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you're not wearing your crown. You haven't forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?”

“It's in my bag,” Twilight replied as she pointed to the bag I was carrying. “Just feel a little self-conscious about wearing it. Haven't really gotten accustomed to these yet, either.” Twilight unfurled her wings.

Hey, it took me about a year to get used to them, Twilight.

“You are a princess now, Twilight,” Rarity said. “Embrace it! I'm telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why, I'd sleep in the thing.”

“Don’t the other princesses do?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Twilight replied. “I doubt it. They can’t wear royalty all the time.”

We headed into the crystal castle and up to the throne room. We greeted the other three princesses.

“We have so much to discuss,” Celestia said. “But it can wait until tomorrow. You all look tired from your journey. Now, off to bed, all of you.”

Later that night, Twilight and I got ready to go to sleep. Twilight put her crown on and sighed as she looked into the mirror.

“Still worried about being a princess?” I asked.

“Can you blame me? Princess Cadance was given the Crystal Empire to rule over. What if, now that I'm a princess, Celestia expects me to lead a kingdom of my own?”

“I shouldn’t worry. The mayor of Ponyville isn’t considering retirement anytime soon.”

“What if it’s another place? Just because I have this crown and these wings, it doesn't mean I'll be a good leader!”

“Twilight, you already are. You’ve helped the girls and I through many situations. You’ve done so much to prove that you’ve earned those wings. You’d be perfect as a leader.”

“Spike, there’s a difference between leading five ponies plus a dragon and a whole community of ponies.” Twilight put her crown on the nightstand.

“Let’s just get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

Twilight and I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep, though. I knew this was when “Equestria Girls” took place. I had to keep watch so that I could see Sunset Shimmer. I thought maybe I could try to keep her from getting into the mirror. If that happened, we would have to find a way to reform her.

Hours passed, and I was getting ready to fall asleep for real. That’s when I heard the bedroom door opening. I quickly covered myself with the blanket as the door opened. I peeked through the covers to see a black, hooded figure entering the room. I knew who it was.

Sunset Shimmer.

I saw her approach the nightstand. She pulled out a fake crown to replace Twilight’s. That was my cue. I jumped out of bed and grabbed her front hooves.

“Gotcha!”

“AUGH!!” Sunset stumbled backwards and slammed her head against the bedpost. “Ow! Mother of—!”

“What’s going on?!” Twilight turned on the light. She then noticed Sunset without her hood. “Hey! Who are you?!”

Sunset quickly grabbed the crown that she dropped and ran out the door.

“Stop that pony!” I shouted. “She stole Twilight’s crown!”

I swiftly ran out of the room. Twilight hopped out of bed and followed suit. The other girls awakened and joined us with the chase.

“Where’s the guards when you need them?!” I asked.

Quickly, Twilight teleported right in front of Sunset to stop her, but Sunset quickly teleported away. We continued to chase the yellow unicorn. Twilight pounced on her and the two bounced into a room that contained a familiar mirror. Twilight’s crown fell out of Sunset Shimmers bags. I dove for it, but Sunset grabbed with her magic and threw it into the mirror. Sunset stopped fighting with Twilight immediately and ran into the mirror as well. The girls were shocked as to what happened.

Bright and early next morning, we explained the situation to Celestia. Just like in the show, she told us that Sunset Shimmer used to be one of her students before Twilight, but she turned cruel when she didn’t get what she wanted. That’s what drove her to villany.

“She tried to replace Twilight’s with this fake one,” I said as I showed it to Celestia.

“I suppose Sunset Shimmer thought you wouldn't notice right away that this was not yours,” Celestia said. “And by the time you did, it would be too late to go after your crown and Element of Harmony.”

“It’s a good thing I noticed her right away, huh?”

“But I don't understand. Where did she go?” asked Twilight. “Where did she take the crown?”

“You'll soon know more about this place than even I do,” Celestia replied.

We all went to the room that had the mirror. I handed Twilight the fake crown.

“You might need this,” I whispered. “That way you could switch the crown back.”

Twilight nodded and took the crown. We arrived at the magic mirror.

“This is no ordinary mirror,” Luna said. “It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens once every thirty moons.”

“What kind of world is it?” I asked.

“It’s a world that’s full of mystery and confusion, much different than Equestria. It would only be familiar to those who have been in such a place.” Luna removed Pinkie’s hoof from the mirror. “It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. But when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over.”

Celestia sighed. “I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened.”

The princesses told Twilight that she needed to travel to this world in order to retrieve her crown. Otherwise, there would be disastrous consequences between both worlds. Twilight put on her saddlebags. The girls and I wanted to join, but Celestia forbade it.

“Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world,” she said, “creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.”

“Time is of the essence,” Luna reminded. “On the third day, when the moon reaches its peak in the night sky, the gateway will close. And once it does, it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return.”

The girls gave some words of encouragement as Twilight approached the mirror. One she stepped in, I prepared myself to run.

Okay, you can do this, Spike. It’s only a few days. Hopefully, the fleas won’t be as bad as they say it is. 3, 2, 1, GO!!

I dashed to the mirror, ignoring the mares shouting at me to stop. Once I got through, I was introduced with many swirling colors and bright lights. I felt my body stretch and squeeze like I was in a taffy-making machine. I never felt like this the last time I went to a different world. Then again, I was asleep for the whole trip.

After appearing on the other side of the portal, I saw Twilight on the ground. Just like in the show, she was a human being with purple hair. She wore the same light blue blouse, purple skirt, and purple boots. What was different was her skin was actually a light tan color instead of lavender. I also noticed that I was almost at eye level to her. I assumed I became a bigger dog.

“Twilight?” I asked.

“Spike!” Twilight replied. “You're not supposed to...Spike? What happened to you? What...are you?”

“What do you mean? I’m a...” I looked at my paws.

Except they weren’t paws.

They were hands. Human hands.

What? This can’t be right. I thought I was going to turn into a dog. Oh well.

“I...don’t know,” I said to Twilight. “Probably whatever happened to you.”

Twilight looked at herself, and just like in the movie, she was freaking out. She frantically looked at each part of her body, wondering what they were.

“Twilight! Pull yourself together!” I shouted.

“What does the rest of me look like?!” Twilight asked.

“Well, uh…your muzzle is small. So is your ears. Other than that, you look pretty much the same. Now d-don’t panic. There has to be a reason why we look different.”

“Well I don’t see why I have to wear these weird clothes. I’m taking them off.”

“TWILIGHT! DON’T!!”

Twilight quickly snapped her hands away from her bowtie. “Why not?”

“I think I know what’s happened to us. We turned into humans. The furless skin, the clothes, the two legs. We’re humans now.”

“Oh, great.” Twilight rubbed her forehead.

“Don’t worry, Twilight. Lucky for you, I’ve been secretly reading that anthropology book, so I can help you know a thing or two about humans. First of all, clothes are mandatory, so we need to leave ours on.”

“Okay...”

“Secondly,” I said as I stood up, “we need to get into the habit of walking on two legs. Here, I’ll help you walk.”

Twilight draped one of her arms over my shoulder as I slowly picked her up.

“Okay, that’s it. That’s it. Keep yourself steady,” I said.

“Woah! Woah! How are you used to this?” Twilight asked.

“Well, seeing how humans stand on two legs just like dragons, it was pretty easy.” I looked at my backside. “The only problem is the lack of a tail.”

“Alright, we need to find my crown as soon as possible and get back to Equestria. I suggest we start searching the castle first.” Twilight pointed at the building in front of us.

“That looks like a school to me.”

“Huh? But it says ‘Canterlot High’ on it. Whatever ‘High’ means.”

“High? Oh, it must be a high school. I’ve read that in the book. Humans go to this place to learn stuff, like in Celestia’s gifted school.”

“Then let’s explore that school.”

“Okay. Just follow my lead. Left foot front. Now right foot front.”

Still holding on to me, Twilight followed the same foot pattern as I was. A few bystanders were weirded out by what we were doing.

“Hey, are you alright?” a nearby person asked.

“Yeah, we’re fine,” I replied. “She has just got a twisted ankle. Nothing to worry about.”

“Ah, okay.” The people walked away.

“A what?” Twilight asked.

“Just some lingo I’ve read in the book,” I lied. “Now keep walking.”

We continued our awkward walk until we reached the steps. Twilight grabbed onto the rail as we headed up the steps.

“I do not wanna be like this for longer than I have to,” Twilight said.

“Look on the bright side, Twilight,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about those pesky wings anymore. Or your horn for that matter.”

Twilight petted her forehead and gasped. “I don’t have a horn?”

“Humans don’t have wings nor magic, Twilight. I know it’s absurd, but it’s true.”

Once Twilight got the hang of standing and walking, she released her grip from me. I opened the door, and we entered the school.

“Woah, I can see why this is a high school,” Twilight said. “Looks like it’s fit for high-class ponies.”

“People, Twilight,” I corrected. “You need to say people instead of ponies. We don’t want others to think we’re from another world. We need to fit in.”

“Right, right.” Twilight then looked at the nearby trophy case. “Look. What do ya think, Spike? Other artifacts she's stolen from Equestria?” She then noticed her reflection. “I don’t think I like being a human.”

I looked at myself as well. My skin was slightly tanned like Twilight’s. I had green puffy hair that closely resembled my spines, and I had a hint of peach fuzz. If I were to guess my age, it would have to be about 13-14 years old.

As for my clothes, I was wearing a light-green striped t-shirt, a purple hoodie, blue shorts that reached my knees, and purple sneakers. Surprisingly, I’ve noticed a spiked collar around my neck. It was the same one that Dog Spike had in the show.

“Uh...me neither...” I lied. “But we aren’t gonna be here for long anyway. Let’s just find that crown.”

Suddenly, a bell rang out, and soon a crowd of students came in all directions. Twilight and I leaned against the wall.

“Alright, hold my hand,” I said. “It’s the thing I’m showing you right now.” Twilight grabbed my hand. “Now follow me.”

I eased my way into the crowd with Twilight following me.

“Excuse us. Excuse us. Please excuse us. Coming through, excuse us.”

Unfortunately, Twilight lost her balance. She toppled over me, sending us colliding with another student. Thankfully, he wasn’t knocked down.

“Oww...” Twilight groaned.

“Woah, are you two okay?” the student asked. That’s when I recognized his voice.

Oh, snap. Don’t tell me…

I looked up, and sure enough, a blue-haired person with a black leather jack appeared before us. He was Flash Sentry. I had mixed feelings about him when he showed up, and while I didn’t ship Twilight with anypony else, I didn’t approve of the Flashlight ship.

“Yeah, we’re fine,” I said as I brushed myself off. “Come on, Twilight.” I grabbed Twilight's hand and dragged her away. “We gotta find that crown.”

“Hey, look.” Twilight pointed at two doors ahead of us. “Restrooms. Could we stop a bit actually? I need to go.”

“Alright, I guess so,” I sighed. “But you need to take off your pants once you get into the stalls.”

“I thought you said we needed to wear clothes.”

“I know, but humans apparently pull down their pants before using the restroom. The rest of the procedure is the same as for ponies.”

“Okay.”

When we approached the restrooms, Twilight looked at the two signs.

“What’s this? ‘Mehn’? ‘Woo-mehn’?” Twilight scratched her head.

“Oh, that’s how they determine the difference between genders here,” I replied. “‘Women’ are mares, like you. And ‘men’ are stallions, like me.”

“Ah, that makes sense.” Twilight opened the door. “You stay here while I try to wash up.”

“Just remember to put your pants back on when you’re done.”

“I will.”

I waited outside as Twilight walked into the womens’ restroom. A few minutes later, she walked out without any problems.

“It seemed really easy,” Twilight said. “They had toilets and toilet paper just like in Equestria. The sinks and soap dispensers were no different either.”

“It’s nice to know some things stay the same when you travel to different worlds.”

“Oh, I'm really sorry,” A voice called out. “I-I just found it, and-and I thought I should give it to her.”

“That voice...” I said. “We need to investigate. Let’s go!”

We peeked around the corner. There we saw a girl with red and yellow hair talking to a shy girl with pink hair. I knew who those two girls were. Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy.

“I didn't know you had dropped it,” Fluttershy said.

“Well, I did!” Sunset barked. “And I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything! You shouldn't pick up things that don't belong to you. It's as good as mine, and you know it. You really are pathetic. It's no wonder your best friends are all stray animals.”

I know Sunset would be reformed later, but she’s really just asking for it at this point.

“How dare you speak to her that way!” Twilight called out.

“What did you say?” Sunset glared at her.

“I said, ‘How dare you speak to her that way!’”

Both Twilight and Sunset gave death glares to each other like they were about to fight it out. Then Sunset smirked.

“You must be new here,” Sunset said. “I can speak to anyone any way I want.” She then left in a huff.

It’s no wonder why everyone else had trouble trusting her in the sequel.

“I can’t believe you did that,” Fluttershy said.

“I couldn't just stand there,” Twilight said.

“Well, it's just that nobody ever stands up to Sunset Shimmer.”

“Sunset Shimmer? I’ve heard of her...” Twilight looked away.

“I don't think I've seen you around before. Did you just transfer to Canterlot High from another school?”

“As a matter of fact we did,” I said. “My name is...”

Fluttershy’s face lit up the second she saw me. “Oh, my goodness!” She ran to me, nearly knocking Twilight over. “Who's this sweet little guy?”

“Uh, my name is Spike,” I said. “The girl is my...sister, Twilight.” Twilight shot me a confused look.

“Hi, Spike. I’m Fluttershy. It’s so good to meet you.”

“Likewise.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, we couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Sunset. She said you picked something up. What was it exactly?”

“I think it was a crown of some sort.”

“What a coincidence. Twilight and I lost a crown earlier today. Do you have it with you?”

“No. This morning, I was passing out flyers for the animal shelter like I do every Wednesday. That’s when this crown appeared out of nowhere. I have no idea how it got there. But I didn't want anything to happen to it, so I decided to give it to Principal Celestia.”

“Then I’ll guess we’ll ask her. Where is she?”

“Probably in her office. It’s the third door on your left.”

“Great, we’ll head there now. Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“You’re welcome.”

Twilight and I quickly hurried to Celestia’s office.

“Okay, let me do all the talking,” I said.

“But this is Celestia we’re talking about here,” Twilight said.

“Yes, but it’s not our Celestia. I studied that anthropology book more than you have, so I have an idea about what I should say to her.”

Twilight sighed. “Fine.”

I knocked on the office door.

“Come in,” Celestia’s voice said on the other side.

I opened the door as Twilight and I headed inside. There, we saw Celestia reading from a file.

“Good afternoon,” I greeted. “You must be Principal Celestia.”

“How may I help you?” Celestia asked.

“My sister and I just transferred here. We’re here to retrieve a lost item.”

Celestia sighed and looked up. “Let me guess, another phone? Why they let kids have them is beyond me.”

“Uh, no. One of the students reported finding our crown. They said they gave it to you.”

“What do you mean, your crown?”

“Oh, it’s a little trinket my sister and I carry around,” I lied. “You know, for good luck and all that.”

“Well, we were given a crown. I've had Vice Principal Luna put it somewhere for safekeeping. No idea how it ended up in the front lawn.”

“Yeah, that must’ve been ours. We have a replacement for you if...” I looked at Twilight who just bit her lower lip.

“I forgot about it,” Twilight whispered.

“Seriously? After I reminded you?!” I hissed quietly.

“Were you interested in running for Princess of the Fall Formal this year?” Celestia asked.

“The what?” Twilight asked.

“It's Canterlot High's big Fall dance. Here at Canterlot High, the students select one of their peers to represent them. She receives her crown at the Fall Formal.”

“That does sound interesting,” I said. “Maybe you should join, Twilight.”

“Well, if it gets us the crown, then sure,” Twilight said. “How do I get in?”

“You just need to let the head of the Fall Formal planning committee know you'd like to be on the ballot,” Celestia replied.

“Alright. We’ll get right to it, thanks,” I said.

As we left the office, Twilight had a worried look on her face.

“I’m sorry about the fake crown, Spike,” she said. “I knew I forgot something when I went through the mirror.” Twilight sighed. “Looks like if I want my crown back, I'll have to become Princess of the Canterlot High Fall Formal. So that's what I'm gonna do!”

“But...how?” I asked.

“I have no idea,” she said.

Suddenly, the bell rang again. The clock read 12:00, so I assumed it was lunch time.

“We should find Fluttershy again,” I said. “Maybe she knows what we should do.”

We followed the crowd until we appeared in a big room with lots of tables. I told Twilight that this was called the cafeteria. It was where humans ate when at school. Sure enough, we found Fluttershy grabbing a tray for her food.

“Uh, hey Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she and I grabbed a tray ourselves and put food on it. “I know we've just met, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something.”

“Of course,” Fluttershy replied as she grabbed a fruit salad.

“I've decided to run for Princess of the Fall Formal!”

Just as Twilight said that, Fluttershy dropped the bowl of fruits in shock. Some of the juice spilled on Twilight’s shirt. Fluttershy gasped and grabbed some napkins.

“Sorry. It's just, oh, running for Fall Formal Princess is a really bad idea,” Fluttershy said as she wiped Twilight clean.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Sunset Shimmer wants to be Fall Formal Princess, and when she wants something, she gets it! She'll make life awful for anyone who stands in her way. Just ask the girl who ran against her for Princess of the Spring Fling.”

“I have to try,” Twilight said as we followed Fluttershy to a nearby table.

“I don’t think you understand. You'd have to convince everyone here to vote for you instead of her: the athletes, the fashionistas, the dramas, the eco-kids, the techies, the rockers...”

“Why’s everypony...er, body separated this way?”

“Maybe it was different at your old school, but at CHS, everybody sticks to their own kind. One thing that they do have in common is that they know Sunset Shimmer is gonna rule the school until we graduate.”

I signaled Twilight to follow her and my hand movements so she could eat properly.

“Not if I can help it,” Twilight said as she picked up the apple with her fork and took a bite.

“Twilight, you don’t have to use your fork for that,” I whispered. “Just use your hands.”

“Sorry.” Twilight removed the fork. “So, where would I find the head of the party planning committee?” Twilight asked.

“In the gym,” Fluttershy replied. “I would be careful, though. That party planner has their own way of throwing parties.”

Twilight and I continued to eat our lunch. The second I bit into the burger, the nostalgic taste of meat filled my mouth, and this was just cafeteria food.

Oh, man! I almost forgot what meat tasted like. I really need to visit the human world more often.

Judging by Twilight’s reaction, she enjoyed it as well.

“This sandwich is delicious, what's in it?” She asked.

“It’s a hamburger,” Fluttershy replied. “You two never had ground beef before?”

“Beef?” Twilight swallowed.

“Yes, like from a cow.”

Twilight instantly dropped her burger and shoved it away. I pretended to be grossed out as well, even though the burger still tasted good.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were vegetarians. So am I...partially. I can eat ground beef, but I’m against steak and ribs sometimes.”

“Y-You people are sick,” I said.

“Yes, I know. But there’s no way to prevent everyone from eating cows. It’s inevitable, and cows don’t live forever.”

“Yes, but eating them?” Twilight asked.

“I’m afraid it’s the only way to...” Fluttershy gulped. “...get rid of the elderly cows. I’m so sorry for scaring you, but nature isn’t always nice. Sometimes people and animals have to do unkind things to move on.”

After Twilight and I finished our lunch, Fluttershy gave us the directions to the gym.

“Why didn’t you warn me that humans ate other animals?!” Twilight asked as we were on our way.

“I was afraid the fact would shock you,” I replied, “but don’t worry. None of the humans eat ponies or dragons, so we should be fine.”

“But still, it’s a crazy thing to consider. And people somehow act like it’s no big deal.”

“Yeah, I know. But like what Fluttershy said, nature isn’t nice. Sometimes humans have to eat what they can in order to survive. Even if it’s a cow, pig, or chicken. At least no one eats humans. I’ve read that they ethically opposed the idea.”

“Let’s just not talk about it anymore,” Twilight said. “We need to find the gym.”

We approached a pair of double doors.

“This must be the place,” I said.

As we entered, we saw the place decorated by streamers.

“Incoming!” A familiar voice shouted.

Twilight and I ducked for cover as more streamers rained down on us. Once the barrage was finished, we brushed off the debris to see a girl with pink, fluffy hair blowing a balloon.

Twilight greeted, “Hi, my name's Twilight Sparkle and...” She took a closer look at the girl. “...Pinkie Pie?”

The girl released the balloon from her grasp and ran over to Twilight.

“Are you psychic?!” Pinkie asked.

Twilight chuckled. “I don't think so. Unless of course that's something you can do here.”

“Not usually.” Pinkie blew up another balloon.

“Fluttershy said this is where we'd find the head of the Fall Formal planning committee.”

“We assume that’s you?” I asked.

“That’s right,” Pinkie said as she tied up the balloon. “Don’t know why Fluttershy of all people would tell you. She can be a real meanie. That whole ‘shy’ thing is all an act.”

“Huh? What did she do that made you dislike her?”

“Waited a bit to get your name on the ballot, huh?” Pinkie asked Twilight. “Dance is day after tomorrow.”

“We’re brand new here,” Twilight replied.

“Oooh! I thought you didn't look familiar.” Pinkie scrutinized Twilight and me. “Though, now that I'm really lookin' at you... Do you have a twin sister who lives in the city, has a pet dog named Spike that looks just like that one only he’s a puppy dog and not a human being?”

“Uh...yes! We do!” I replied. “And you say Twilight’s the psychic one.”

So Mirror Spike is still a dog in this world. That doesn’t answer how I turned into a human, though.

“Thought so,” Pinkie said as she pulled a clipboard and pen from her hair. “Anyhoo, just need to fill this out and you are officially up for the coveted Princess of the Fall Formal crown.”

Pinkie handed Twilight the pen. Twilight looked at it with confusion.

“Excuse me, Pinkie,” I said. “But is it okay if I write her name? My sister has a disorder that prevents her from writing well.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie handed me the pen and clipboard.

That’s when I decided to mess around a bit.

“Uhh, where’s the ink bottle?” I asked jokingly.

“Ink bottle?” Pinkie chuckled. “Did you two grow up in the Dark Ages or something? There’s already ink in the pen, silly.”

“Oh, that’s convenient.” I wrote Twilight’s name on the clipboard and handed it and the pen back to her. “Say, how come there isn’t a Prince of the Fall Formal?”

Pinkie shrugged. “Eh. Not much demand.”

“Somebody order a dozen cases of fizzy apple cider?” A voice called out.

We turned to see a blond girl and an orange-haired man carrying a bunch of cases to the nearby table. It was Applejack and Big Macintosh.

“Hey, I know you,” Applejack said to Twilight.

“You do?” Twilight asked.

“Sure.” Applejack opened a bottle for herself. “You're the new girl who gave Sunset Shimmer the what for today.”

Pinkie told Applejack that Twilight was signing up for the Fall Formal. Applejack was shocked to hear that, and she told Twilight how dangerous it was to run against Sunset Shimmer.

“About the only girl in this school you can trust less than Sunset Shimmer is Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said.

“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked.

“She's the captain of, like, every team at Canterlot High,” Pinkie said as she bounced on a balloon.

“She's also the captain of ‘sayin' she's gonna do somethin' for ya, and then turnin' around and not even botherin' to show up’.”

I said, “Well, thanks for the advice, miss...miss...”

“Applejack. The name’s Applejack.”

“Thanks for the advice, Miss Applejack, but this is something Twilight and I really need to do.”

“Suit yerself.”

“Well, it sure was nice meeting you both,” Twilight said. “I'm sure we'll be seeing you around.” She quickly left the gym. I quickly followed her.

“Oh, one more thing,” I said to Pinkie and Applejack. “From what I’ve heard, I don’t think Dashie or Fluttershy would be the ones who’d ditch you or be mean.”

I caught up with Twilight.

“Okay, so we signed up for the crown. That’s a start,” Twilight said. “The next part is trying to convince everyone to vote for me instead of Sunset.”

“That should be easy, given Sunset’s behavior,” I said. “Though, I’m concerned about how some of the girls aren’t friends with each other.”

“That is concerning. I mean, back home they were just acquaintances before we came along, but here they’re practically enemies. I wonder what happened that made them angry with each other.”

“Probably Sunset Shimmer, no doubt.”

“You really think she caused all of this?”

“Given what she does to get what she wants, I’d be surprised if she didn’t.”

That’s when we turned to a certain area of the hall that was dark. The only source of light was a flicker fluorescent lamp right above us.

And...cue Sunset.

“Can't believe I didn't recognize you earlier.”

There she is.

Twilight and I turned to see Sunset Shimmer leaning against the lockers.

“Should’ve known Princess Celestia would send her prized pupil here after my crown, and one of her friends, too.”

“It's my crown!” Twilight rebutted.

“Whatever. This is just a minor setback for me. You don't know the first thing about this place, and I already rule it.”

“If that's so, why do you even need my crown? You went to an awful lot of trouble to switch it with the one that belongs here.”

“Pop quiz: what happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world?”

“All life as we know it stopping instantaneously?” I replied. “And every molecule in our bodies blowing up at the speed of light?”

“Seriously?” Sunset chuckled. “You let a kid speak for you? And you're supposed to be Princess Celestia's star student?”

“Hey, I’m mature for my age.”

Sunset turned to Twilight. “Then again, what were the chances she'd find somepony as bright as me to take under her wing after I decided to leave Equestria? Bit embarrassing that you were the best she could do.”

“Now see here, Sunset Shimmer,” I said. “You may always get what you want, but so do we. We’re getting that crown back one way or another, so you’d best watch out...”

“Or else what? You’ll tell my parents? Inform Princess Celestia? Burn me into a crisp? You can’t breathe fire as a human, ‘whelp.’”

I exhaled sharply.

“You wanna be a princess here?” Sunset asked Twilight. “Please. You don't know the first thing about fitting in.” Sunset left.

“We did a great job so far!” I rebutted.

“Spike. Enough.” Twilight put her hand on my shoulder. “There’s no point in angering her further.”

We left the dark hallway. Twilight did seem a bit uneasy from Sunset’s threat.

“You alright?” I asked. “You know Sunset said all that just to destroy your confidence.”

“I know, but...” Twilight sighed. “Sunset Shimmer is right. I don't know the first thing about this place. Don’t get me wrong, Spike. I was grateful that you could help me with walking and stuff. But if I'm gonna really fit in and win votes, we need to do some research.”

“You’re right. We need to learn about this school in order to get those votes. Fluttershy said that the school is divided into different groups and that we need to convince each group to vote for you, but we’ll need more information than that.”

“I think I have an idea where. This place has a school. I have to believe it's got a...library!”

Twilight and I entered the school’s library. There were a lot of books, maybe even more than the library back home.

“Alright, you look through the books, I’ll try to see how those blocky things work,” I said as I pointed at the computers.

“Good idea.” Twilight nodded.

“Remember, use your hands, not your mouth.”

Twilight and I split up. I quickly sat down at one of the computers. Not wanting Twilight to get suspicious, I decided to play dumb.

“Uhm, excuse me,” I whispered to a human named Cheerilee. “How do I use this?”

“You never operated a computer?” Cheerilee asked as she put some books on the book cart.

“No...”

Cheerilee approached me and pointed at the mouse. “You use that to navigate the computer.”

“Really?” I picked up the mouse and held it like a microphone. “Uh...Hello, Computer.”

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “Not like that.” I put the mouse down, and she used it to double-click on an icon on the screen, pulling up a search engine. “Here, you can search for anything as long as it’s for research purposes. You press the buttons right there…” Cheerilee pointed at the keyboard. “...to type what you want to find. Then you press the enter key to search.”

“Oh, so it’s like a typewriter. I get it.” I cracked my knuckles.

Cheerilee sighed. “Just remember if the site says you won or it’s selling something, don’t listen to it.” She then walked away.

I proceeded with my internet searching. I wanted to look myself up in case another version of pre-Spike me existed in this universe, but I decided not to. I checked the date and noticed it was in the year 2013. I don’t think I even touched social media at that point.

Huh. So, it’s 2013 here when in Equestria, it’s 2011. Either time moves quicker in this world, or it’s two years ahead of Equestria.

I did some research on Sunset Shimmer. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t much said about her. The earliest story I could find was that she appeared from nowhere less than two years ago.

I looked around the library. I knew that Snips and Snails were going to record Twilight to set up an embarrassing video. I hoped that my attempts to help Twilight fit in would mostly help prevent that.

What is it with those two working for the enemy? First Trixie, then Sunset. I’m surprised they never became minions for Starlight or Cozy Glow in the show.

After hours of searching the web, I noticed how late it was getting. I decided to call it a day and prepare the book bed like in the show. I hurried up to the upper floor and got some books. I arranged them to make a couple of beds in a secluded area.

I then headed over to Twilight. She wasn’t hard to find, given the enormous stack of books.

That’s when an announcement rang out. “The library will be closing in five minutes.”

Twilight yawned and gasped. “I hadn't even thought about where we're gonna sleep tonight.”

“I’m way ahead of you,” I said. “Follow me.”

I took her to where I made the book beds.

“It’s not much, but it’ll have to do for now.”

“It's perfect, Spike.” Twilight patted me on the head. “How did your research go? You were surprisingly skilled in using those square things.”

“I’m a quick learner. Anyway, the research didn’t go so well. I tried to find something about Sunset to learn about her and maybe find something to use against her, but I decided not to.”

“The last thing we need is to get caught for blackmail, Spike. Even if Sunset is rather nasty, we can’t stoop to her level.”

“I know. I did find some information about this high school, like when it was established and why they chose Wondercolts as their mascot, but I don’t think it’s gonna help us. Did you have any luck?”

“As a matter of fact, I did.” Twilight showed me a book with the Wondercolts’ logo on it. “It's called a ‘yearbook.’ It seems to be something they use to keep a record of things that have happened at the school.”

“Huh, that’s convenient. Looks like it’s been made before Sunset showed up, if my research proved anything.”

Twilight flipped through the pages until she found a familiar picture. “Look. That's Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and I'm gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity.”

I looked at the picture she pointed. “Looks like they were friends once.”

“Exactly, Spike. The girls used to be friends, but now they’re rather ticked off at each other.”

“It could be the work of Sunset Shimmer,” I said.

“It might be, now that you mentioned it.” Twilight closed the book and lied down. “Still can’t believe something like that would happen to them.”

I handed Twilight one of the cloths. “We’ll have to figure something out. Let’s just get some sleep and we’ll decide what to do in the morning.”

“Good idea, Spike.” Twilight covered herself with the makeshift blanket. “You know, there’s something I don’t understand. When we went through the portal, we suddenly got clothes on bodies. Why is that? Wouldn’t it make sense for us to appear without clothing?”

“I have one theory,” I replied as I lied down on my book bed. “You know about the theory of beauty?”

“You mean how different ponies and non-ponies would consider beauty? Yeah, I’ve read about that once.”

“Well, maybe the same goes for modesty. The standard outfit for a pony or dragon is almost nothing, while a human’s is a shirt, pants, and shoes. When we went through the portal, we went from what Equestria sees as decent to what this world sees as decent. That’s probably why we were given clothes.”

“I never thought there would be different views on how much you should wear. But what would happen if a human went through the portal without any clothes?”

I thought about it. “Maybe they’ll end up with a shaved coat or missing scales.”

Twilight shuddered. “I can’t imagine seeing a pony without their coat. Well, goodnight, Spike.”

“Goodnight, Twilight.”

As I went to sleep, I couldn’t help but think about how I could use my new form to my advantage. I could vouch for Twilight in case things go wrong, present evidence that Sunset was trying to frame Twilight, and even talk to some of the students without being weirded out.

But then I realized a downside to being a human. In the show, the girls believed Twilight was from another world because Spike was a talking dog. Now that I was a human, it was possible that the girls wouldn't believe us. I didn’t have any proof that I was a dragon, and neither did Twilight for being an alicorn. My assistance with helping Twilight fit in worked too well.

I decided not to think about it right now. I’ll just have to figure something out tomorrow.

The next morning, I woke up with a very stiff back. I grunted as I tried my best to straighten up.

“Ugh...Spike?” Twilight moaned.

“Sorry about that, Twilight,” I whispered. “I’m not used to this bed.”’

“You and me both.” Twilight clutched her back as she struggled to sit up. “I can see why nopony considered making beds out of books. What time is it?”

“Pretty early,” I replied as I looked up at the dome. “I don’t think the sun has appeared yet. Why don’t I find us some breakfast? Maybe that cafeteria has something.”

“Alright, hurry back if you can. And make sure you don’t get anything with meat this time.”

I nodded as I made my way down the stairs. I stealthily headed for the exit when…

“Excuse me,” a voice said behind me.

I turned around to see Cheerilee looking at me.

“The school’s not open for students yet,” she said as she crossed her arms.

“Oh, my sister and I came early today so we could familiarize ourselves with the layout of the school,” I lied. “Don’t want to be late for the first period.”

“As a former student of this school, I can understand your stress on punctuality, but you do realize that we provide maps to all new students on their first day, right?”

“Really? We haven’t received ours yet.”

“You’re welcome to go to Principal Celestia’s office. It’s to the left and down the hall. She should be there right now, and will be happy to provide you with one.”

“Thank you.”

I quickly left the library. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, I headed in the direction that Cheerilee provided. I picked up a few maps from the box outside of Celestia’s office. I looked through them and made my way to the cafeteria.

When I got there, the place was entirely empty. I headed to the counter.

“Hello?” I called out to the kitchen. “Anypo...er, body here?”

“We ain’t open yet, youngin’,” Granny Smith said as she walked out. “We don’t serve students ‘til much later.”

“Don’t you guys have some extra food? Something you’ve been meaning to get rid of?”

“Well, we’ve received a few extra cups of applesauce...”

“That will do for now. I’ll take two, please.”

Granny Smith went back in the kitchen and returned with two applesauce cups.

“Thank you,” I said as I took them. “I promise to pay you back.”

“No need, youngin’. We’ve got plenty of them cups.”

I grabbed some plastic spoons and headed back to the library. There, I saw Twilight writing a list.

“Here, Twilight,” I said as I handed her a cup and spoon. “Some applesauce. It’s all I could get from the cafeteria, and I doubt they’ll let us in the teacher’s lounge.”

“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight opened her cup and dug in. “At least we could get some familiar food here. Was there any trouble?”

“Just a little. I was thankful Granny Smith gave them to us for free. Did you bring any money?”

“Only a few bits,” Twilight pulled some coins out of her backpack. “But I don’t think this world will accept them.”

After we ate our breakfast, Twilight finished up her list. It took a while for her to write everything she needed to talk to the other students.

“Good morning, students, and happy Thursday,” Principal Celestia’s voice rang from the speakers. “Just a reminder to pick up your ballots for the Princess of the Fall Formal today. They are due at the time the dance starts tomorrow night, so don't forget to turn them in and make your voice heard.”

“Looks like the other students are here,” I said.

“Fluttershy said I'd need to win over all those different groups if I wanna become Princess of the Fall Formal,” Twilight said as she rolled up her list. “So I've compiled a list of talking points.”

“You think that’ll work?”

“It should. I'll start introducing myself, sprinkle in some things I learned about their world into the conversation, show them how I fit in here!”

Twilight and I headed to the double doors.

“Okay, Spike. Time to make a good first impression on my fellow students. The whole world sorta depends on it.”

Once we stepped into the hallway, we noticed all the students walking around. However, as we passed them, some of them whispered and giggled at us.

“Why is everybody looking at us funny?” Twilight whispered.

Before I could reply, we were both grabbed by a student and shoved into a classroom. The student then slammed the door behind us. That’s when we recognized the student.

“Rarity?” I asked.

Rarity quickly took Twilight’s measurements. She then ran to her bag and pulled out a green dress and blond wig. She slipped them onto Twilight.

“Oh, yes. This is good,” Rarity said. “No one will recognize you.”

Twilight cocked her eyebrow. “ Why wouldn't I wanna be...?”

“And we’ll need a disguise for the little one.”

I assumed Rarity was referring to me.

“Let’s see,” Rarity said as she rummaged through her bag. “I know I have something that can change your hair color...”

“Hey, I like my naturally green hair,” I said as I put my hands on my head.

Then the door on the other side of the classroom opened. Applejack came in.

“There you are, Twilight,” Applejack said.

Rarity sighed. “So much for the disguise.”

Pinkie and Fluttershy came in as well. All three of them were looking for Twilight and me, and they were acting pretty sour to each other.

“Why were you all looking for us?” Twilight asked as she removed her wig. “What's going on?”

“Oh, they haven't seen it yet...” Fluttershy said.

“Seen what?”

Pinkie pulled out her laptop and put on a nearby desk.

“What’s with the folding rectangle?” I asked jokingly.

“It’s a laptop, darling,” Rarity replied. “What time period did you two come from?”

Pinkie opened up the laptop and clicked on a website. She then clicked a video. Just like in the show, it showed Twilight having a few embarrassing moments with Sunset Shimmer, as the narrator, dissing her. There were a few scenes that were different, but the message was pretty much the same.

Twilight closed the laptop in distress.

“But this all happened yesterday!” She cried. “At the library! Has everyone in the school seen this? Is that why they were all looking at me that way?”

The girls nodded.

“And they believe this?” I asked.

“People would believe anything they see on the internet these days, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “No matter where it’s from.”

“What am I gonna do?” Twilight asked in despair. “No one is gonna vote for me after seeing this!”

“Not that it'll make any difference,” Fluttershy said, “but I'll still vote for you.”

“I’ll do the same,” I said.

“If ya still wanna run, maybe there's something I can do to help!” Pinkie declared.

“Word of advice?” Fluttershy whispered. “Don't accept her help. She doesn't take anything seriously.”

Pinkie wasn’t amused by this. Rarity also offered to help while also calling Pinkie and Fluttershy out. Soon the girls started arguing, and Applejack joined them.

“Girls, stop,” I said.

I did my best to keep my cool, but the fact that my voice fell on deaf ears didn’t help.

“Stop! Please!” I yelled.

Once again, no pony heard me. I couldn’t take it anymore. I let it all out.

“SHUT THE TARTARUS UP!!”

I slammed my hand on the desk as hard as I could, making all the girls jump.

“What is wrong with you ponies?!” I yelled. “Why are you acting like this?! You all used to be friends in your freshman year! What in Celestia’s name happened with you all?!”

“Spike, calm down right now!” Twilight commanded. She then took a deep breath. “But he’s right, you all used to be friends.” She then pulled out the yearbook and flipped through the pages. “See?”

The girls looked at the photo Twilight pointed at. They all remembered the photo.

I sighed and cleared my throat. “Twilight and I found this at the library. We believe that Sunset Shimmer was the reason you all separated. I did some research on one of those computers in the library. Sunset Shimmer arrived sometime after the year the yearbook was published. It couldn’t have been a coincidence.”

“Well, it's a nice theory, darling, but Sunset Shimmer had nothing to do with it,” Rarity said.

“She's right,” Fluttershy said. “Sunset Shimmer isn't the one who ruined my silent auction for the animal shelter by bringing fireworks and noisemakers! It was supposed to be a serious event, and Pinkie Pie ruined it!”

“What are you talking about?” Pinkie pulled out her phone. “I got a text from you saying that you didn't want a silent auction. You wanted a big party!”

“I never sent you a text...”

“You didn’t? You mean this isn’t your number?” Pinkie showed Fluttershy her contact page. Fluttershy looked at it.

“No, it’s not. My phone number doesn’t end with those last four digits.”

“You don't think she's the one who's been sending me those emails, do you?” Rarity asked. “Every time I volunteer to help with the decorations at a school function, I get an email from Pinkie Pie saying she has plenty of volunteers! And then I find out she's done everything herself.”

“I never sent you any e-mails,” Pinkie replied.

“Your email address is not ‘partygirl127’?”

“Of course not. Even I wouldn’t have an obvious address like that.”

“Maybe Sunset's the reason Rainbow Dash didn't show up for my bake sale,” Applejack said.

“Didn't you ever ask Rainbow Dash why she didn't show up?” Twilight asked.

Applejack removed her hat. “Heh, I guess I kinda stopped talkin' to her at all after that.”

“Then maybe now’s a good time to start,” I said. “Do any of you know where she might be?”

“Probably outside on the soccer field,” Pinkie replied.

“Then that’s where we’ll head,” Twilight said.

“By the way...ya might want to keep the vandalism a secret, kid…” Applejack said to me.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

Applejack pointed at the desk I slapped my hand on. I looked to see it had a giant crack down the middle. My eyes widened.

“Yer pretty strong for someone yer age, I’ll give ya that,” said Applejack. “But ya might want to keep yer cool next time.”

“Sorry about that. This place has a woodcutting class, right?”

The girls and I headed to the soccer field. Rainbow Dash was kicking soccer balls at a goal. We sat in the bleachers as Applejack approached Dashie. None of us could hear the conversation, but the hug the two gave indicated they made up. As it turns out, Sunset tricked Dash into thinking Applejack’s bake sale was moved to a different day, and Dash thought AJ flaked out on her.

Rainbow Dash agreed to help Twilight out on one condition: Twilight can beat Dash in a one-on-one game. Unfortunately, I knew how this was going to turn out, considering Twilight’s athleticism would make Sheldon Cooper look like Tony Hawk.

Alas, my intuition was true. Twilight scored zilch while Dashie got a clean sweep. Despite that, the rainbow-haired girl still joined our group. Twilight was surprised to hear that.

“The Fall Formal Princess should be someone with heart and determination,” Rainbow said. “You've proved that you've got 'em both!”

Later after school, we all went to a cafe named “Sugarcube Corner.” I ordered a milkshake while Twilight ordered a latte. Rarity already paid for us.

“Could I get mine with extra oats?” Twilight asked.

“Oats?” Mrs. Cake asked.

I quickly nudged Twilight.

“Uh, scratch that” said Twilight. “However you normally make it is fine.”

Mrs. Cake handed us our cups. I quickly turned around to see Flash approaching us.

“Heads up, Twi...” I started to say.

But it was too late. Twilight bumped into Flash and spilled her drink all over his shirt. Flash didn’t seem to mind.

“We've got to stop bumping into each other like this,” Flash said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said as I handed him some napkins. I then picked up the cup and wrapped my elbow around Twilight’s. “Let’s go, Twilight.”

We quickly headed to where the other girls were.

“I guess you already know, little one,” Rarity said to me.

“Know what?” Twilight asked.

“Flash Sentry used to be Sunset’s boyfriend before they broke up a couple of weeks ago,” Fluttershy replied. “It’s a wonder who she didn’t do anything to him yet.”

“Maybe she's just waiting until she has the power to do something really awful.”

“Alright girls...and Spike,” Applejack said. “Dance is tomorrow night, and we still don't know how we're gonna get Twilight the votes she needs to be named princess. Right now, folks only know Twilight from the videos Sunset Shimmer posted online. We need to help 'em see her differently.”

We all agreed on that.

“I was thinking we could report the video as fraudulent activity,” I said. “Once the school finds out Sunset was behind the video, she would be kicked out and Twilight would win by default.”

“That would be a good idea in the short run,” Applejack said. “But Sunset ain’t one to take no for an answer. She might take drastic measures to ensure she gets the crown.”

“She might even try to deny it,” Rainbow added. “Say that she never made that video. She didn’t win the previous dances by playing fair.”

“Not only that, she might steal the crown,” Twilight said. “Once she does, there’s nothing we can do.”

Rarity gasped. “I'VE GOT IT!” Everyone in the cafe looked at her. She blushed and toned her voice down. “I mean, um, perhaps I have a solution.”

Rarity went to her bag and pulled out some fake pony ears and a tail. She suggested that by showing their school spirit and how Twilight reunited the girls, they could show the school how Twilight can win the crown. The girls agreed on it.

The next day, the girls and I sat in the cafeteria. We all wore Wondercolt sweaters, tails, and ears. I was included because I was a human and all.

“Do you really think this is gonna work?” I whispered. “What if they don’t believe us?”

“Look, the dance is tonight, Spike,” Twilight whispered back. “Not to mention this is the last day the portal stays open. It’s our only chance. Besides, the girls know what they’re doing.”

“I guess I’ll take your word for it.” I scratched my stomach. “I wish they made these sweaters out of better material though. I feel like I rubbed my belly with itching powder.”

Twilight and I looked at the clock above us. It was almost time.

“Alright,” Twilight whispered. “I’ll get into position. Once the girls give the beat, start that music-playing machine in the corner.”

“Right.”

I quickly headed to the corner of the room as Twilight made her way out. In a few moments, the other girls prepared the beat. Once the beat was in full swing, I pressed the play button on the boombox.

And that was when “Helping Twilight Win the Crown” came on. While I initially had mixed feelings about the movie, I really enjoyed this song. I even got to sing some of the lyrics this time.

Thankfully, the girls’ idea worked as everyone in the cafeteria jumped up and made a sound. It almost looked like something out of a High School Musical scene. By the time the song, and lunch, was over, everybody was wearing fake ears and a tail.

“Doesn't everyone look just fabulous?” Rarity asked.

“It was a great idea, Rarity!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Who knew having a musical scene can convince everyone?” I asked.

That’s when the girls and I notice Sunset, Snips, and Snails. They all shot an evil smug face at us before approaching Vice Principal Luna’s office.

Within a few minutes, Twilight and I were summoned to Luna’s office. The room felt like we were in a noir film, with the room’s only source of light peeking from the blinds on the other side.

“I suppose you two know why I summoned you here,” Luna said.

“Look, I’m sorry about the desk,” I said. “I can pay to replace it.”

“Not that, I’m afraid. We have been meaning to replace them anyway. The desks have been getting debilitated over the years, so it was only a matter of time before one of them broke.” Luna picked up the folder from her desk. “I brung you here because I have firm belief that Twilight Sparkle was held responsible for ruining the Fall Formal decor of the gym.”

Twilight widened her eyes. “But...but I don't understand!”

Luna opened the folder and handed it to Twilight. Inside were photos of Twilight destroying various stuff in the gym. I knew they were fake, though.

“This is clearly you in the photographs, is it not?” Luna asked.

“Yes...” Twilight replied. “But...”

Luna peeked through the blinds. “I think it should be fairly obvious that the school cannot let someone who would do something like this compete for the Fall Formal crown.”

I stood up from my chair. “Vice Principal Luna, I know that you’re a very reasonable mare...er, woman. There is no possible way that these photos are real. I have been by Twilight’s side ever since we came to this school, and not once did we ever separate long enough for her to do such a task. While we’re on the subject, I know that Twilight would never do something as horrid as this.”

“You would say that, being her little brother and all, but if these photos were fake we wouldn’t be here having this conversation. Unless you can provide evidence that the photos have been manipulated in any sort of way, I’m afraid we have to disqualify your sister from competing this fall.”

As if he read my mind, Flash Sentry knocked on the door and came into the office. He was holding some cut-out photos.

“Vice Principal Luna. I found these in a trash can in the library,” Flash said. “Thought you should see them. Someone obviously combined these photos to make it look like Twilight was the one who trashed the gym.”

Luna looked at the cut-outs and compared them to the photos in the folder. She then returned to her seat.

“I appreciate you bringing these to my attention, Flash,” said Luna. She then turned to Twilight. “In light of this new evidence, you may of course continue your bid to be crowned the Princess of the Fall Formal.”

Twilight’s face lit up. She quickly hugged Flash as the room itself lit up.

“Thank you!” Twilight exclaimed. “You have no idea how important this is to me!”

“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” I said. That was a genuine thanks this time.

“What was I gonna do? Not prove your innocence? Wouldn't be much of a Canterlot Wondercolt, would I?” Flash asked.

“I am afraid enough damage has been done to the gym that we will have to postpone the dance until tomorrow night,” Luna said.

“Wait, tomorrow night?!” I asked. “Can’t we just clean up and redecorate?!”

“I’m sorry. In order for that to happen in such a short time, you would need more than just you three.” Luna got up from her seat. “If you will excuse me, I need to let my sister know about this latest development.”

Luna left the office. Twilight was shocked about hearing about the postponement.

“This is bad! This is bad!” Twilight panicked. “The dance can’t be delayed! It has to happen tonight!”

“What’s the rush?” Flash asked. “It’ll only be a day off. No big deal.”

“This is a big deal!” I retorted. “For both of us!” I scratched my chin. “The girls! We gotta find the girls! They’ll help us.”

“Right!” Twilight grabbed her backpack. “Rarity said they’ll be at a clothes shop near Sugarcube Corner! We gotta hurry!”

Twilight and I ran out of the office and the school. We dashed down the street hoping to find the boutique that Rarity mentioned.

“If the dance gets delayed until tomorrow, we’ll never get the crown!” Twilight shouted. “We have to tell the girls that we need to clean up the gym and decorate it in time so that the dance can happen tonight!”

“That sounds easy enough!” I exclaimed. “Right?”

“Not really! What if they ask why we want to make sure it happens tonight?! What should we tell them?!”

Eventually, we made it to the clothes shop. Twilight and I entered and she ran right into the dressing room. I stopped a bit to catch my breath and hurried after her.

“Darling, please,” Rarity said as she stopped me. “She needs some privacy in order to get dressed.”

I pushed her arm away. “I’ve seen her naked before. Nothing shocks me.” I entered the dressing room Twilight was in.

“It's not okay. It's not okay at all!” Twilight panicked again. “If I don't get my crown tonight, I won't be able to go back to Equestria for another thirty moons! Oh, what are we gonna do?”

I sighed. “We’ll just have to tell them the truth. If they realize what’s at stake, then maybe they can help us.”

“But what if they won't? What if when they find out how different I really am...?” Twilight looked at herself in the mirror.

“Twilight, we’ve got nothing to lose at this point. We’re running out of time. As much as I like wearing clothes 24/7, lacking a tail, and eating other animals as much as the next dragon, I really don’t want either of us to spend another night on the book beds. Look, the girls rallied around you because of what’s in your heart. They won’t care if you were a pony or not. They’re not gonna feel any differently about you.”

“I’m glad you followed me here, Spike,” Twilight said as she hugged me.

“Me too.” I hugged back. “Now, let’s tell the girls the truth.”

Twilight and I took a deep breath and exited the dressing room.

“You okay?” Applejack asked. “I know you two ain’t one for privacy, but ya really need to know when—”

“The dance isn’t happening tonight,” I interrupted.

“What?!” Pinkie shouted.

“It had to be postponed because Sunset Shimmer had Snips and Snails ruin all of Pinkie Pie's decorations,” Twilight added.

“WHAT?!”

“But the Fall Formal has to happen tonight,” Twilight and I said in unison.

“WHA—” Pinkie’s mouth was suddenly covered by Applejack’s hand.

Twilight sighed. “You see...it’s because...”

Pinkie quickly pulled a motormouth, “You two are from an alternate world and you're a pony princess and dragon there and the crown actually has a magical element embedded in it that helps power up other magical elements, and without it, they don't work anymore, and you need them to help protect your magical world, and if you don't get the crown tonight, you'll be stuck in this world and you won't be able to get back for, like, a really, really long time!”

The store fell silent. It was a good thing we were the only ones here.

I broke the silence by saying, “Okay, now I know for a fact that you have to be psychic, Pinkie.”

“Wha? Seriously?” Rainbow asked.

“You thought we were just some random humans from out of town? Didn’t you notice some of the clues Twilight and I provided?”

“Now that you mentioned it, it was weird how you asked to write Twilight’s name and for an ink bottle when you signed her up,” Pinkie said.

“And how sometimes you two kept saying ‘everypony’,” Applejack added.

“And how you two were disgusted when I mentioned meat,” Fluttershy added. “And how you were eating an apple with a fork.”

“And how when you ranted in the classroom, you kept using mythical words and Celestia’s name like she was a goddess,” Rarity said. “That and breaking the desk with the palm of your hand.”

“Well for the last part...” I rubbed the back of my head. “...Vice Princess...I mean, Vice Principal Luna said the desks were getting old and brittle. If that’s not enough proof for you, let me show you something.”

I unzipped Twilight’s backpack and pulled out some coins.

“This is the currency we use in our world,” I said as I showed the bits the girls. “We call them ‘bits’. I can assure you that no other place uses these exact coins.”

Pinkie took one and try to bite into it.

“Owie.” Pinkie rubbed her teeth. “Yup, they’re real.”

“So, lemme get this straight. You're a pony? And you're a dragon?” Applejack asked.

“You're a princess?” Rarity asked Twilight.

“And you're both from another world?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight and I both nodded.

Thankfully, like in the show, the girls were delighted to hear that. I was relieved. The last thing Twilight and I needed was to be admitted to a psychic ward. I thought it would be difficult to convince them since I became human, but I guess my intentional and unintentional slip-ups helped.

When the girls and I arrived at the gym, the whole place was a disaster. It looked like it got hit by a tornado, hurricane, and earthquake combined.

“I simply cannot believe they did all this!” Rarity exclaimed in dismay.

“If I only had some kind of party cannon that could decorate everything super fast!” Pinkie declared.

If only…

“I know it seems impossible, but, maybe if we all work together?” Twilight asked.

“Now that's the kinda can-do spirit I'm lookin' for in a Fall Formal Princess!” Applejack shouted. “Let's do it, y'all!”

We all put our hands together like in a team rally, and then shot them up in the sky.

Twilight and I quickly grabbed the brooms, buckets, and more and we all quickly cleaned up the place.

“Say, Spike,” Rainbow said as she swept the floors. “Could I ask you a few questions? There’s something I’d like to know about dragons.”

“Uh...go ahead,” I replied as I dumped the dustpan’s contents into the trash. I had the feeling I wasn’t going to like the questions.

“So, Twilight’s a princess, and you’re a dragon. Does that mean you…?”

I snorted. “No, I didn’t! That is a very offensive stereotype, Dashie. I’ll have you know that even dragons wouldn’t go as far as to kidnap royalty.”

“Sheesh, sorry. I was just curious.”

“Besides, I’ve known Twilight before she even became a princess. In fact, she helped hatch me.”

“Okay, I’m afraid to ask this, but can you breathe fire?”

“Yes,” I bluntly replied.

“Do you have wings?”

“Not yet.”

“Where do you sleep?”

“On a bed.”

“How tall are you in your world?”

That question was hard. Aside from that blooper with Human Rainbow riding Pony Rainbow, I had no idea what the height of my dragon self was compared to the humans here. I decided to guess.

“I’d say about up to the bottom of your skirt,” I replied. “Now that I think about it, it does seem weird you of all people would wear something like that, given your nature and all.”

“Hey, it’s a sports skirt!” Rainbow retorted. “Besides, I don’t wear this all the time.”

“I have a question about dragons, too,” Fluttershy said. “What do you dragons eat? I know it can’t be meat.”

“Gemstones,” I replied.

“I’m sorry, ‘gemstones’?” Rarity asked. “If you don’t mind me asking, darling, are you referring to the same kind of gemstones used in jewelry?”

“Yep.”

“So you eat priceless jewels? They are minerals that take ages to form and you eat them like a haute cuisine?”

“Actually, gems are very common in our world, which is why they’re a reliable food source for dragons. In fact, I dare say that they almost act like plants, given how we can find some wherever we look.”

“In that case, remind me to visit your place whenever possible. I bet I could come up with a few fashion ideas.”

As the girls and I continued cleaning, some of the other students came in to help us. It was a good thing the girls stopped asking questions. Once everything was clean, we decorated and set up all the lights and music. In no time, the gym was prepared for the Fall Formal.

And it was just in time, too. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna arrived and saw what we just did.

“All right, everyone!” Celestia announced. “Fall Formal is back on for this evening.”

We all cheered after that. Before we left to get ready, we all cast our votes, but I knew who was definitely going to win.

The girls and I returned to the clothing shop. We were all excited for the dance.

“Enough chatter, girls and Spike,” Rarity said as she pulled out a dress rack. “We need to get ready, and we need to look fabulous!”

We took the time to decide what to wear. It was a good thing the clothing shop sold suits as well. I picked out a black tux with a purple bowtie. Rarity complimented on my choice as she took my measurements.

By the time we got dressed, a loud honk was heard outside.

“Ooh, that must be the limousine!” Rarity declared.

“The what?” Twilight asked.

“I got one rented for all of us to ride to the formal. You don’t expect us to walk there, do you?”

We got outside to see a long black limo parked in front of the store. Rarity opened the back door and gestured us in.

“So how does it work?” Twilight asked as she sat down. “I didn't see anyone pulling it at the front.”

“No need to pull anything, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “The limo has an engine that does all the work.”

“A engine?”

Applejack sighed. “We really need to teach ya a few things the next time ya visit.”

As the chauffeur drove us to the school, I thought about what might come next. I wondered if Snip and Snails would still try to capture me. If they did, I would have to defend myself, or keep myself occupied so that they wouldn’t try anything. The hard part would be trying to keep the crown away from Sunset. No doubt she would try to blackmail us somehow.

The limo stopped in front of the school, and we all stepped out. That’s when I noticed a sports car pulling up behind us. Out came Flash Sentry in a suit.

Good grief. I almost forgot about him.

I sighed and went along with the girls. I decided that it was best to let them be. He did help us clear Twilight up, and forcing him away would be ungrateful. I followed the girls until we arrived at the gym. We could already hear music inside.

“Ah, I see the festivities have begun,” Rarity said as she opened the door. “Let’s head on in, ladies and gentleman.”

We did just that. A few moments later, Twilight and Flash came in, and the crowd cheered. Flash went up to the stage. He then played a rock song as everyone danced. Even I couldn’t help but enjoy it.

I feel like I’m at my high school prom again. Without the awkwardness, of course.

“Anybody see Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight asked.

“Maybe she was too embarrassed to show!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “She's gotta know you won by a landslide!”

“Maybe…”

I looked around for Snips and Snails. I knew I couldn’t let my guard down.

After the song was done, Celestia appeared on stage.

“First off, I wanna say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job pulling things together after the unfortunate events of earlier. And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown.”

Luna showed up holding the chest that contained Twilight’s crown.

“The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is...Twilight Sparkle!”

The entire crowd applauded. We gave each other hugs as Twilight walked up the stage. Celestia placed the crown on Twilight’s head, and it shined brightly.

“Congratulations, Twilight.”

I nodded. “Congratulations inde e—hmph!”

Suddenly, my mouth and nose was covered in a smelly white cloth! I tried to grab the holder’s hand, but then everything went black!

“Hey! What’s going on?!” I shouted. “Twilight! Help!”

I struggled to get out of the kidnapper’s grasp. Without seeing them, I knew it had to have been Snips and Snails. They must’ve tried to knock me out and put one of their big hats over me.

“Let me go, fatty!” I shouted.

“Hey! I’m big-boned!” Snip’s voice retorted.

“Then let me go, big bony!”

“You know what? Go back to ‘fatty.’”

“I said we should’ve used ether or chloroform,” Snails's voice said.

“I told you I couldn’t find any in the chemistry lab! That’s why I used vinegar! Now hurry and grab his legs! I can’t hold him much longer!”

As I wrestled to be released, I saw an opening at the bottom of the hat. That’s when I noticed Snails’s feet. I knew what I had to do. It wasn’t going to be pretty, but I had no choice. I took a deep breath, and swung my right leg forward as hard as I could!

WA-PUNT!

“AUGH!!” Snails's voice rang out as I heard his body collapse to the floor. “My snail shells!”

“What the?!” Snips released his grip from me. The hat slid right off my head.

“Sorry,” I quickly apologized. “I feel your pain.”

“How dare you! That was a low blow!” Snips barked.

I quickly turned around and punched Snips right across the cheek, sending him stumbling into the lockers before he fell to the ground as well.

“And that was a high blow,” I said.

“Spike!” Twilight called out as she and the girls ran towards me. “Are you alright?!”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said as I readjusted my bowtie. “Just call me ‘Sterling Spike.’”

“Glad you could escape those two, Spike,” Rainbow said. “Don’t know why they’d resort to kidnapping.”

“Well, we know they’re working for Sunset,” Twilight said. “But I don’t see...”

That’s when Twilight and I gasped.

“The portal!”

The girls and I quickly ran as fast as we could to get out of the school. My heart was racing.

“Should’ve known Sunset had one more trick up her sleeve!” Applejack shouted.

“You guys gotta get through the portal before it’s too late!” Dash cried. “Don’t worry about Sunset, we can take her on!”

I bust opened the double doors and ran down the steps with the girls following me. As we neared the statue and the portal, Sunset appeared with a sledgehammer.

“That's close enough!” Sunset shouted.

We all stopped right where we are. Sunset held the sledgehammer above her head. That’s when she noticed me.

“Ugh, those two idiots can’t do a simple task,” she snarked.

“How dare you try to kidnap Spike?!” Twilight asked loudly.

“Hmph. That doesn’t matter.” Sunset held out her hand. “You both don't belong here. Give me the crown, and you can go back to Equestria tonight. Or keep it and never go home.”

Twilight gasped.

“You do realize the hammer will just go through, right?” I asked.

“Maybe so, but the portal will still be closing on its own in less than an hour, and I can make sure you won’t make it in time. So, what's your answer?” Sunset asked.

Twilight took off and examined her crown. She then took a sharp breath.

“No.”

“What!? Equestria! Your friends! Lost to you forever! Don't you see what I'm about to do to the portal?!”

Besides sending a sledgehammer through it?

“Yes, but I've also seen what you've been able to do here without magic,” Twilight said. “Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony. This place might not, if I allow it to fall into your hands. So go ahead. Destroy the portal. You are not getting this crown!” Twilight placed the crown on her head.

“Fine.” Sunset dropped her hammer. “You win.”

The girls praised Twilight and me for our selfless sacrifice. Sadly, I knew what was going to happen. After the appraisal, Sunset quickly tackled Twilight, sending the crown to the floor. The two quickly wrestled as Sunset tried to reach for the crown.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I stomped on Sunset’s hand as I picked up the crown. “Sorry about that!”

I quickly ran away until I saw Snips and Snails approaching me. I made a break for the school entrance. I climbed up the steps, but I suddenly tripped.

“You’ve made a big mistake, kid,” Sunset growled as she approached me.

“Rainbow! Catch!” I threw the crown right over Sunset’s head. Rainbow quickly caught it. The second Sunset’s back was turned, I quickly swept her legs, sending tumbling down the stairs.

“Why couldn’t you’ve been a dog or something?” Sunset groaned.

“Believe me, I’ve been asking myself the same question,” I replied as I got up.

The scene played out like in the show. The girls tossed the crown around like it was a hot potato, keeping Sunset and her minions away from it. Sadly, the last person to catch it was the bacon-haired girl herself.

“At last! More power than I could ever imagine!” Sunset maniacally laughed as she placed the crown on her head.

Shoot. I was trying to prevent this.

The crown suddenly encased Sunset in a beam of cyan light, hovering her above the ground as she transformed into a demon-like creature. Most of the students from the dance came out from the school and witnessed this phenomenon.

Right after Sunset’s transformation, she used her magic to transform Snips and Snails into demon-like creatures. Quickly, the other students hid in the school, but that was proven futile when Sunset blew the front doors down.

“We gotta do something!” I shouted.

“Like what exactly?!” Applejack shouted. “We don’t have any magic!”

“No...but you do have friends!”

Twilight raised her eyebrows.

“Spoiler alert: I was bluffing when I said I was going to destroy the portal,” Sunset announced. “I don't want to rule this pathetic little high school; I want Equestria! And with my own little teenage army behind me, I am going to get it!”

We looked to see all the other students brainwashed with glowing eyes. They moaned like a zombie hoard.

“No, you’re not!” Twilight declared.

“Oh, please! What exactly do you think you're going to do to stop me?” Sunset asked. “I have magic, and you have nothing!”

“She has us!” Rainbow retorted.

The rest of the girls and I lined up with Twilight.

“The gang really is all back together again!” Sunset laughed evilly as she produced a ball of magic. “Now step aside! Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already! She needs to be dealt with!”

Sunset shot her magic straight at us. We huddled together in fear and braced for impact, but I knew what happened next. The magic collided with us and fizzled out, but we felt no pain. We opened our eyes to find ourselves enveloped in a magenta aura.

“The magic contained in my element was able to unite with those that helped create it!” Twilight announced.

A white light appeared from Twilight’s crown and struck the girls and me. That’s when I felt a burst of energy unlike any other.

Wait...am I…getting powers as well?

My question was soon answered as my hands turned purple and scaly. The scales spread until they covered my forearms like a pair of gauntlets. A tail grew behind me and stretched down to my feet. Two fangs protruded from my mouth. Finally, a pair of wings appeared behind my back and expanded until they were the length of my arms. By the time my transformation was done, I looked like a dragon-human hybrid from a fantasy role-playing game.

I just sprouted wings! Oh, that’ll do nicely!

“Together with a crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine, but it is a power you don't have the ability to control!” Twilight yelled. “The crown may be upon your head, Sunset Shimmer, but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship!”

We all held hands. A blast of rainbow magic shot straight up and landed on Sunset, engulfing her in swirling colors.

“Here and in Equestria, it is the only magic that can truly unite us all!”

With a great burst of light, we defeated Sunset and saved the students from her trance. We almost collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

“You alright, Twilight?” I asked.

Twilight nodded. “Looks like your dragon self is kicking in.”

I looked at my hands. “Yeah, it kinda does.”

That’s when the girls and I noticed the giant crater that appeared between us and the school steps. Sunset was lying in the center in her original form. The crowd gathered around.

Boy, my desk slam is nothing compared to all of this carnage.

“You will never rule in Equestria!” Twilight said sternly to Sunset. “Any power you may have had in this world is gone. Tonight, you've shown everyone who you really are. You've shown them what is in your heart!”

Sunset sat up with tears in her eyes, and they were genuine. “I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know there was another way.”

“The magic of friendship doesn't just exist in Equestria. It's everywhere.” Twilight looked at us. “You can seek it out, or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours.”

Sunset crawled out of the crater. “But...but all I've ever done since being here is drive everyone apart. I don't know the first thing about friendship.”

Twilight grabbed Sunset’s hand and helped her up.

“I bet they can teach you,” Twilight said as she pointed at the girls.

That’s my girls.

Principal Celestia showed up holding Twilight’s crown.

“I believe this belongs to you,” Celestia said. “A true princess in any world leads not by forcing others to bow before her, but by inspiring others to stand with her. We have all seen that you are capable of just that.” She placed the crown on Twilight’s head. “I hope you see it too, Princess Twilight.”

“I do,” Twilight replied.

We all cheered. Flash asked for a dance once more. Seeing how much time we had until the portal closed, I thought it wouldn’t hurt.

After a few minutes of dancing at the gym, it was time for Twilight and me to go home. We shared a group hug with the rest of the girls.

“You'll look out for Sunset, won't you?” Twilight asked.

“Of course we will,” Rarity replied. “Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring's debacle.”

“I think she’ll be handing out a lot of apologies,” I said.

“I know we've only been friends for a short time, but we’re gonna miss all of you so much,” Twilight said.

Twilight and I turned and headed for the portal.

“You know, that crown really does suit you,” I said.

“You know what, Spike?” Twilight asked. “I am starting to feel a little more comfortable wearing it.”

“And your wings?”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, Spike, but I'm thrilled the wings are all I'll be dealing with back in Equestria.”

I shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll get used to being bipedal on our next visit.”

Twilight and I stepped through the portal. After witnessing the blinding swirling colors once again, we arrived back in Equestria with the other girls waiting for us. Twilight turned back into a pony, while I turned back into a dragon. I quickly patted my back and noticed my wings weren’t there anymore.

Aww...what a disappointment.

“Twilight! Spike!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“You're back!” Rainbow shouted.

“You've got your crown,” Rarity said.

Pinkie grasped Twilight. “I knew you could do it!”

“Oh, we were so worried,” said Applejack.

“Sunset Shimmer, is she alright?” Celestia asked calmly.

“I think she's gonna be fine,” Twilight replied. “I left her in good hands.”

“I hope she is,” Rainbow replied. “Having one element stolen is bad enough.”

What? No “What are hands?” quote?

The rest of the scene played out like in the show. The girls bombarded Twilight and me with questions, and Twilight wanted to answer them, but she was too tired. Suddenly she bumped into one of the guards, who coincidentally was Pony Flash. The girls teased Twilight about having a crush, but Twilight quickly denied it, saying he just reminded her of someone else.

Twilight and I went to bed afterwards. It was pretty exhausting trying to defeat a villain from another world after all.

I stood firmly on the foggy ground surrounded by a night sky illuminated by the moon. I knew I had to have been dreaming.

“Princess Luna!” I called out. “Are you listening? I wish to speak with you.”

As if I saw this coming, the moon protracted a beam of light down on the floor in front of me. Princess Luna flew down and landed on the spot.

“Good evening, Spike,” Luna greeted. “I suppose you called me to talk about the world you’ve encountered.”

“Well, yeah.”

“It was rather nostalgic, wasn’t it? Briefly returning to your own kind, even if it was not your own dimension.”

“It kinda was nostalgic, but...there was something I wanted to tell you.”

“Go ahead, Spike.”

“I went through the mirror, I became a human. What’s odd was in the show, Spike turned into a dog. I’m not complaining, of course, but I want to know why there was a significant change like that.”

Luna scratched her chin. “That does seem rather peculiar.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have made any changes to the mirror, would you?”

“I have made no such modifications, and neither did my sister. I doubt Princess Cadance had as well.”

“Do you think Discord could have done it?”

“It could be possible. It is also possible that since you were once human, the portal reverted you to the form of a human when you passed through.”

“So you’re saying that the portal knew who I once was? Like it knew I still had a human soul or something?”

“That is a possibility. The capabilities’ of a creature’s soul has been a mystery for as long as creatures have first stepped on the planet. No doubt the same goes for your world.”

“Well, either way, it was rather a surprise that I became a human. At least I could return to Sunset’s world if I ever want to eat some of the food or use the gadgets there.”

“You would have to wait until another thirty moons have passed in order to do that.”

“I’ll be sure to count the days. Say, how long is a moon anyway?”

“It is usually about a month. To be exact, it lasts for 27 and a half days, but ponies round it up or down.”

“I see, thank you, Princess Luna.”

To be honest, I did enjoy becoming a human again. It was a lot better than being a dog. And while there were some complications, Twilight and I were still able to get the human girls to help us get the crown back. Though now, I wondered how I was given the powers to pony-up (or dragon-up in this case) like the rest of the girls.

Chapter 51 (Princess Twilight Sparkle)

It was a warm, spring afternoon in Canterlot. The girls and I were watching as Rainbow Dash taught Twilight how to fly. I tried my best not to laugh at the latter’s crashes.

“I don’t see why she’s struggling so much,” Fluttershy said. “She didn’t have any problems when she flew after her coronation.”

“Maybe all that excitement gave her some adrenaline,” I replied.

“I don’t blame her, darling,” Rarity said. “Becoming a princess would’ve made anypony excited.”

“It seemed rather...easy for Twilight to earn her wings, don’t ya think?” Applejack asked. “All she had to do was rewrite a spell. Had we’ve known it was that simple, we would’ve done the same.”

“Well, you have to remember that it wasn’t just completing a complex spell from Star Swirl the Bearded,” I said. “We have done many heroic acts in the past with her. We defeated villains, saved empires, and so much more. All because Twilight was there to lead and help us. The spell was the cherry on top to complete everything.”

That’s when Twilight crashed into the ground. We cringed in pain.

“Lookin' good up there, Princess Twilight,” Applejack said.

“Applejack, you know you don't have to call me that,” said Twilight.

“Why do you protest so?” asked Rarity. “You've already given up wearing your crown all the time. The least you can do is embrace your new title.”

“If other ponies want to address me that way, I suppose it's fine, but not my friends. It just doesn't feel right. And neither does all this flying business. The Summer Sun Celebration is only two days away, and I'm never gonna be ready to perform my part.”

“Not if you spend all your time down here, you won't!” Rainbow declared. “Now get up there and show everypony the big finish!”

Twilight nodded and shot up into the sky. She looked like she got the hang of it, but then she lost control and fell again. She slammed much harder on the ground, turning the grass into a miniature ditch.

“Wow! That was a big finish!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“I don’t think it’s the kind of finish she has in mind...” I said.

“Maybe you should take a little break,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight agreed. As we all headed to the throne room, I noticed that this was when the events of “Princess Twilight Sparkle” took place. That was when the two princesses would get kidnapped and Ponyville would get covered in thorny vines from the Everfree Forest. Then the girls would have to give up their elements so that the Tree of Harmony could thrive. I doubt I could change anything significant here, but I bet I could let the girls know who was responsible for planting the seeds.

As we entered the throne room, I examined each of the stained glass windows. Each colored glass was an indication of the many accomplishments the girls and I have done ever since we came together. I noticed how some of them looked different from the show, like how I was included in Discord’s defeat. I guess this was justified given how I was getting more involved with the girls.

Twilight was right. I’m starting to become more of the main character in their story instead of the supporting character.

“You look amazing, darling,” Rarity said as the girls looked at the most recently made window.

I caught up with the girls to see the window. It had Twilight wearing the Element of Magic in her new princess form. What I noticed differently was that the rest of the girls and I were added at the bottom of the window below two books. This was probably because we helped her come up with the idea on how to fix the spell.

“They've really captured your regality,” Rarity continued.

“I suppose,” Twilight bashfully said.

“Oh, don't be so modest. It's everypony's dream to someday wear a crown and have their coronation ceremony preserved in stained glass for all to see.”

“I don't know if it's everypony's dream,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Most of my dreams are about frosting!” Pinkie said as she licked her lips.

“Our inclusion to this window is a nice touch,” I said.

“We'd better get going. We don't want to miss our train,” Fluttershy said.

“Fluttershy's right,” said Applejack. “Don't know about y'all, but I've still got bushels to do to get ready. The official celebration may be here in Canterlot, but hoo-wee! Has the Mayor put us in charge of one heck of a party back home!”

Twilight stared down at the ground.

“Aw, don't look like that, sugarcube. You get to be right there with the other Princesses when Celestia raises the sun.”

“And I'm honored,” Twilight added. “Really, I am. It's just that the Summer Sun Celebration is what first brought us all together. It just doesn't feel right not getting to spend such a special day with my Ponyville friends.”

“Yeah, I agree,” I said. “It’s been almost a year since we’ve been together. For us to suddenly part ways on the day we’ve met is like...a punch to the gut.”

“It doesn't feel right to us either, darling,” Rarity said. “If the Mayor wasn't so desperate for our assistance, we'd most certainly stay here in Canterlot. And of course we do understand that your royal duties must come first.”

“The Summer Sun Celebration may have brought us together, but it's something much bigger that'll always keep us connected.” Applejack pointed to the window that showed the Mane 6 defeating Nightmare moon. “Exhibit A: The six of us are united by the Elements of Harmony. And not long after, Spike has been joining us whenever possible.” Applejack pointed at the Discord window. “He helped us find the elements used to defeat Discord, as evident by exhibit B. No amount of royal duties is gonna change that. Right, everypony?”

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

After we bid the girls goodbye as they took the train to Ponyville, I helped Twilight check off each thing on her checklist of royal duties. We were ahead of schedule, and I suggested we take a quick visit to Ponyville, but Twilight was too paranoid about what might happen in Canterlot if we did.

I should’ve known better than to pull an old Spike.

“These are the first royal duties Princess Celestia has given me,” Twilight said. “I can't risk letting her down!”

“And I'm sure you won't,” a voice said.

We turned to see Celestia entering the room. We quickly bowed out of instinct, though Celestia said that it wasn’t necessary.

“I must admit that it is wonderful to actually be looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration,” Princess Celestia said.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

“For my subjects, it has always been a celebration of my defeat of Nightmare Moon. But for me…” Celestia sighed as she watched Luna raise the moon. “It was just a terrible reminder that I'd had to banish my own sister.”

“Well...you did what you had to do,” I said. “Luna couldn’t listen to reason when she transformed into Nightmare Moon, so you were left with no other option.”

Celestia nodded. “But now it has become a wonderful reminder of her transformation back into Princess Luna, and our happy reunion. I am so pleased that you two will be playing a role in the festivities. I know it must have been difficult to see your friends return to Ponyville without you.”

“Maybe a little...” Twilight said.

“It kinda was,” I replied. “I know that we might return sometime after the celebration. I mean, it’s not like Twilight’s gonna be assigned to rule Equestria and can’t see her friends anymore, but it’s still hard to take in.”

“You may no longer be my student, Princess Twilight, but I hope you know that I will always be here if you need me,” Celestia said. “Just as I hope that you will always be there when I need you.”

The two princess ponies nuzzled. That’s when I noticed a messenger pony coming in.

“Uh, Twilight?” I asked. “I think he needs you.”

“A message for Princess Twilight,” the mailpony said as he handed Twilight an envelope.

Twilight opened the envelope and out came confetti.

“A letter from Ponyville, I presume?” Celestia asked.

“Never mind. It's not important,” Twilight said as she put the letter down. “Spike, where were we?”

“Rechecking the checklist?” I asked.

“You’ve read my mind.”

“I’ll leave you to it,” Celestia said as she left.

“Look out for any stray vines!” I called out.

“Stray vines?” Twilight tilted her head.

“In case she wanted to take a stroll through the garden,” I lied.

“Oh, Spike, you know the Canterlot garden is always highly maintained.”

“Anyway, did you want to look over the checklist again?”

Twilight and I spent a few minutes double-checking we did everything. While we were doing that, I couldn’t help but think about what happened that day when Twilight and I visited the human world.

How did I get those powers? I wasn’t an Element of Harmony or anything, so why was I…?

“Spike! Spike!” Twilight clapped her hooves in front of me. “Earth to Spike! Can you hear me?!”

I rapidly blinked. “S-Sorry Twilight!” I picked up the checklist. “What...where were we?”

“Seriously, Spike. What’s going on with you? I thought you’d be over these episodes of staring off into space.”

I sighed. “Do you remember when we turned into humans?”

Twilight nodded. “Yeah. And how we saved Sunset from herself.”

“I was thinking, why did I get those powers when we were in the human world? For you girls, it made sense since you were part of the elements, but I don’t have an Element of Harmony here. So...why did your crown give me powers?”

“Well...maybe...maybe there’s another element of harmony? Maybe there’s one that only my crown knows. One that’s almost never mentioned in the books or legends. One that has not been acknowledged yet. A hidden one.”

“You mean...a seventh element?” I remembered how some bronies back in my old world would theorize the possibility of one. “Then what do you think my element could be?”

“Well...” Twilight scratched her chin. “It could be helpfulness, since you’ve helped us deal with certain problems in the past. It could also be preparation, since you seemed to be prepared for almost any event.”

“Or it could be luck, given the circumstances.”

“You know, there’s a saying I’ve once heard: ‘luck favors the prepared.’ I’ve always taken it to heart.”

“Which is why you always make a checklist for everything,” I added. “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

Twilight nodded. “Speaking of checklists, let’s go back to what we’re doing before.”

After we finished the checklist, I decided to take a quick nap. A few minute later, I felt something shaking me.

“Huh? What?” I slowly woke up.

“Spike, wake up! We’ve got a problem!” Twilight shouted as she shook my bed.

I rubbed my eyes. “What do you mean? What time is it?”

“It's the middle of the night! But it could be morning. That's just it! I can't tell!”

Twilight and I looked out the window to see the sun and the moon up in the sky at the same time.

“What’s going on? Is it gonna be a solar eclipse?” I asked.

“Come on, Spike, we have to find out what's going on!”

Twilight and I dashed out of the castle to see all of Canterlot in a frenzy. The second they noticed us, they bombarded us with tons of questions.

“I'm-I'm sure it's just...Well, there's certainly a logical ex…” Twilight tried to stay calm, but she kept trailing off each sentence.

“Your Highness,” one of the royal guards called out. “You must come with us.”

As we were escorted into the castle, the scene played out like in the show. The guards told us that Celestia and Luna vanished. They need orders from Twilight, since she was the only princess available. Twilight ordered them to search for the two princesses before the crowd outside panics. The guards obliged.

“Way to take charge, Twilight,” I said. “Maybe you could be qualified to run Equestria.”

“I don’t know, Spike,” said Twilight. “Princess Celestia—”

“Your highness! News from Ponyville!” Another guard announced as he came in. “The Everfree Forest appears to be...well...invading!”

Twilight and I gasped.

“We gotta head to Ponyville right away!” Twilight declared. “Keep everypony safe and indoors until this is all sorted out.”

The guard saluted and went out of the castle. Twilight and I hurried to our room to get her crown. We then ran back down the stairs and to the train station.

“What did the guard mean by the Everfree Forest invading?” I asked, though I secretly knew what he meant.

“I don’t know!” Twilight replied as she put her crown on. “Whatever is going on, I'm sure we're going to need our friends and the Elements of Harmony to stop it! I just hope we haven't missed the train.”

“Wait, can’t you fly?”

Twilight quickly halted, and I did the same next to her.

“We could head there faster if you fly, right?” I asked.

Twilight looked at her wings. “Good idea, Spike.” She then used her magic to levitate me onto her back. “Let’s go.”

Twilight took off wobbly with me riding on her. It was then I regretted suggesting the idea. As we were nearing Ponyville, I felt like I was on a roller coaster with a broken safety bar. I quickly wrapped my arms around Twilight’s neck.

Twilight wheezed, “You’re choking me! Release your hold, Spike!”

I quickly removed my arms. “Sorry!” I then wrapped around Twilight’s stomach. “What’s with the thorny clouds I’m seeing?!”

“They must’ve come from the Everfree Forest!” Twilight said. “I’m betting those weird vines are the same story! Maybe that’s what the guard meant by the Everfree Forest attacking!”

“But I never saw them in the Everfree Forest before!”

“That’s why it’s concerning! We gotta get the elements and find the girls!”

Twilight dove for the library, but as she prepared to land, she flailed around. Suddenly, her horn glowed and she teleported into the library...without me.

“Twilight!” I shouted as I flapped my arms.

The window was approaching me fast! With quick thinking, I stuck my leg out in kung-fu style and hoped for the best. I kicked the window wide open and somersaulted across the ground before standing straight up.

“And that’s how it’s done,” I said as I slapped my fist on my chest.

Fluttershy lightly applauded. Twilight appeared from a pile of books.

“Spike! Twilight!” Rarity exclaimed. “Oh, thank goodness!”

“Oh, I hope you know we wouldn't normally go through your books without permission,” Fluttershy said.

Pinkie zoomed up to Twilight. “I dunno if you've noticed, but the Everfree Forest is just a teeny-tiny bit out of control.”

That’s when her tail twitched and she quickly ducked. A vine smashed through another window and knocked Rarity out of the way.

“Guess it turned out you were missin' something here in Ponyville after all,” said Applejack as she closed the window. The vine snapped off like balsa wood.

Rarity rubbed her head and said, “But perhaps you already know what's causing all of this calamity. Has Princess Celestia sent you to dispel it posthaste?”

Twilight rubbed the back of her head.“Not exactly. You see, Princess Celestia is, well...she and Princess Luna are both…”

I sighed sharply. “They’ve vanished.”

The rest of the girls gasped.

“I don't know who has taken them,” Twilight said, “but I've got a hunch we're going to need the Elements of Harmony to get them back.”

Twilight went to the display case and gave each girl their respective element. I then looked through the shelves.

“C…D…E…where’s the Elements of Harmony reference guide?” I asked.

Rainbow Dash handed me the book. “You think it’s got something in there to help us?”

“No, I just didn’t want to be left out. You girls have your Elements of Harmony, and I have the book that helped you get them.”

“Movin’ on,” Applejack said. “We now gotta figure out who to aim these bad boys at so we can get Celestia and Luna back and keep the rest of Equestria from becoming plant food! Any ideas?”

“Hmm...” Twilight scratched her chin.

“What about Discord?” I asked. “All of this could be his doing, you know. The plants, the sky, the clouds.”

“Spike, how could you say that?” Fluttershy asked. “Discord’s reformed now. He promised not to do anything chaotic to the town again!”

“Besides,” Pinkie said as she colored her coloring book, “the clouds would be pink and have chocolate rain! Not black and thorny things!”

“Girls, Spike may have a point,” Twilight said. “Discord may be reformed, but that doesn’t mean he can’t do crazy stuff. We better summon him in order to get to the bottom of this. Come on.”

The girls and I walked outside onto a clearing that wasn’t covered by thorny vines. Just like when they released Discord from his stone prison, the girls went through the glowing elements and rainbows process to summon him. After a swirl of colors, Discord appeared washing himself in a bathtub. I quickly shielded my eyes with the book.

Ugh, if I wanted to see an old man showering, I would’ve gone to my community pool’s locker room.

“Oh!” Discord quickly put a towel on. “Now, Twilight, you know Princess Celestia said that you were to give me a heads up before you summon me with that little spell she gave you.” He drummed his fingers on Twilight’s crown. “In case you haven't noticed, I was in the middle of a particularly invigorating shower.”

“Enough!” Twilight barked. “Release Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and stop the Everfree Forest from invading!”

Discord chuckled as he wrapped himself around Twilight. “Why, whatever are you talking about?”

“Don't you play dumb with us, Discord!” Applejack retorted. “We know you're the one behind all of this!”

“Don't get me wrong.” Discord appeared from behind a house and took some pictures with a camera. “I absolutely love what you've done with the place, but I couldn't possibly take responsibility. I'm reformed, don't you remember?”

Fluttershy had a guilty look on her face.

“Who’s to say you didn’t do this before you were reformed?” I asked. “What if you planted some chaos seeds ahead of time so you wouldn’t be blamed when you get reformed?”

“Now why would you come up with a ludicrous idea like that, Spike?”

Because it’s the truth...which I can’t prove without it sounding ridiculous.

“This has got your cloven hoofprints all over it!” Rainbow shouted.

“I’ll have you know I have one cloven hoof,” Discord said. “Such accusations. And here I thought we were friends.”

“Drop the act, buster!” Pinkie shouted. “We’re onto you!”

Discord held his finger up to Pinkie’s mouth. “Ladies, ladies, I'm innocent. Would I lie to you?”

“Yes!” The girls retorted.

“Uhm...maybe?” Fluttershy asked.

I just shrugged.

“Well then, it seems we've reached an impasse,” Discord said. “I'm telling the truth, but you think I'm lying. What do friends like us do in a situation like this, Princess Twilight? Congrats, by the way, on the promotion. You totally deserve it. Though I wonder whether or not Celestia was right about you not being immortal...”

“I say we blast him back to stone!” Rainbow declared.

“Works for me,” Applejack agreed.

“Here, here,” said Rarity.

The three ponies’ elements started glowing again, but Fluttershy quickly stopped them.

“We can't do that!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “What if he really is telling the truth?”

A halo appeared around Discord’s head.

“Well, finally! Somepony willing to give me the benefit of the doubt,” Discord said as he hugged Rainbow Dash. “The rest of you could learn a lot about friendship from my dear friend Shutterfly here.”

“Um, it's Fluttershy,” Fluttershy corrected.

“Oh, right, whatever.” Discord let go of Rainbow and hugged Fluttershy.

“If you're not the one responsible, then help us figure out who is!” Twilight yelled.

“I suppose I could, but after all the hoof pointing and besmirching of my good name, I just don't know if I'm up to it.” Discord summoned a pair of knitting needles and proceeded to knit an arrow with the vines. “Why don't you ask your zebra friend if she knows anything?”

Just as Discord asked that, the arrow pointed to Zecora walking out of the Everfree Forest with most of her belongings.

“Zecora!” Twilight called out. We hurried over to her.

“From my home, I have had to flee!” Zecora cried as we removed the stuff from her back. “The forest has grown too wild, even for me!”

“Any idea why all this is happenin'?” Applejack asked.

“I'm afraid it is a mystery to me as well, but I may have something that, if combined with a spell.” Zecora rummaged through the cart and pulled out a gold-plated flask filled with purple liquid. “I do not dare to use it myself, the results would be tragic. It only responds to Alicorn magic. Princess Twilight, you can turn the potion from purple to white. After a sip, you may see why the sky is day and night.”

Using the same kind of magic she used at the Crystal Empire, Twilight cast some magic onto the potion, turning it into a milky white. She then levitated the flask close to her lips. She took a long sip before setting the flask down.

“Doesn’t seem to be doing anyth—”

Suddenly Twilight’s eyes widened and glowed white. The girls and I gasped.

Twilight suddenly shook her head and looked around. Her eyes still remained white.

“Where am I?” Twilight asked.

“Y...You’re still in Ponyville, darling,” Rarity replied.

“Princess Luna?” Twilight turned to Rarity and approached her. “I don't understand. Where are we? Why did you and Celestia disappear?”

Rarity and the others looked around. They didn’t see Luna or Celestia.

“Twilight, it is me, Rarity. Did the potion affect your vision? Are you alright?”

“Precious light?” Twilight asked.

“No, I asked if you were alright.” Rarity waved her hoof in front of Twilight. “Twilight, please answer us.”

Twilight cringed and then stared at the sky in fear. We all looked up, but didn’t see anything.

“What’s goin’ on with Twilight?” Applejack asked. “What in tarnation did that potion do?”

“It gives the user a vision of the past,” Zecora replied. “I do not know how long it will last.”

“Luna! Think of how long you were banished to the moon!” Twilight cried. “You'll give us no choice but to send you back there if you don't stop!”

“So she’s seeing when Luna turned to Nightmare Moon?” I asked.

“That might be it,” Fluttershy said.

“Celestia!” Twilight cried as she crouched. “No...why would Luna do this? Why now?” Tears ran down her eyes.

“Okay, either she assumes Celestia got defeated by Nightmare Moon, or Luna didn’t finish her cupcake before throwing it away.” Pinkie said. We all looked at her. “What? Don’t tell me you all have a heart of stone when it comes to throwing away unfinished goods.”

Twilight slowly looked up. “You're all right. You're all right! Princess Celestia?”

“I’m starting to wish we drank the potion as well,” Rainbow said. “So that we could see what Twilight’s seeing.”

“Are those the Elements of Harmony?” Twilight asked. “But that's how they looked in...the past. This is the night you banished her.”

After a few minutes, Twilight’s eyes stopped glowing. She rubbed them and then noticed us.

“Twilight? Can you hear us?” I asked.

“Yes,” Twilight replied. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”

“It's just... you were mumblin' to yourself…” Applejack said.

“Ooh! And don't forget the uncontrollable sobbing!” Pinkie added.

“We were really worried about you,” said Fluttershy.

“It was really awkward how you were talking out of context,” I said. “It was like those moments were we’d sing without music.”

“I for one found it delightful,” said Discord. “Sort of a one-pony theater piece, if you will. You should really consider taking it on the road.”

“Did you find out whose rump we need to kick and where we can find them?” Rainbow asked.

“I saw something from a long time ago,” Twilight said. “But it didn't explain what's happening now.”

“Perhaps farther back still are the answers you seek,” Zecora concluded. “Another sip of the potion will give you a peek.”

Twilight took another sip like Zecora said. Her eyes glowed once again. She looked around in confusion.

“So where and when is she now?” Fluttershy asked.

“Certainly before Luna became Nightmare Moon,” I replied. “That’s for sure.”

“This must be when they turned Discord into stone,” Twilight said.

“Ah, the golden years,” Discord said as he touched one of the vines, which turned itself into gold. “Too bad someponies were there to end it.” He then poofed up an oyster shell. “The world used to be my oyster, but then the pearl got stolen. Ooh! Someone should write that in their fanfic.”

Twilight then shook her head and widened her eyes.

“The Tree of Harmony?” Twilight asked. “My cutie mark!”

Twilight’s eyes ceased their glowing once more.

“So, what did you find out?” I asked.

“I still don't know what's happened to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia,” Twilight said, “but I think I know why the Everfree Forest is acting this way. Something's happened to the Tree of Harmony.”

The rest of the girls were confused.

“The tree of what now?” Dashie asked.

“It's where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna found the Elements. I think it's in danger.”

“Well, all right then!” Applejack declared. “Let's go save a...tree. Uh...where is it exactly?”

“I think it's in...there.” Twilight pointed to the Everfree Forest.

The girls widened their eyes.

“I’m gonna need more popcorn!” Discord singsonged.

The girls and I carefully approached the entrance to the forest. Even its vast openness was covered by those vines.

“Seems like only yesterday we were heading into these woods to find the Elements of Harmony,” Rarity said.

“Seems like only yesterday I was foolish enough to think I should go after them on my own,” Twilight said.

Seems like only yesterday that I came to this world to help alter the entire MLP storyline.

“I don't know what we're going to face in there.” Twilight adjusted her crown. “But whatever it is, I know we need to face it together.”

The girls and I nodded in agreement. We stepped inside and did our best not to get tangled in any of the vines.

“Why do ya still need to carry the book?” Applejack asked. “You do realize it doesn’t produce magic like the rest of the elements.”

“Well...I’m starting to think it’s my ‘iconic hero item’, as it were,” I replied. “That stained glass window depicted me holding it when we stoned Discord.”

“I’m just sayin’ it could get damaged. It’s just a book, ya know.”

“Hey, this isn’t just some random hardcover book that’s made of paper and cardboard. It is the ultimate book. It contains everything anypony can know about the elements, it’s made of pure leather and brass, and it has the classic Golden Oaks Library-y scent. Just ask Twilight.”

The girls looked at Twilight funny.

“Come on,” Twilight groaned. “I can’t be the only pony who sniffs their own books.”

We approached a murky pond. The smell alone reminded me of my high school’s public bathroom.

“We can use those to cross,” Twilight said as she pointed to the rocks in the water.

“Twilight! No!” I shouted. “Those are...”

But it was too late. Twilight hopped onto them and what emerged from the pond was…

“A cragadile!” Rarity shouted. “Run for your lives!”

We quickly split up to escape the rocky reptile. The beast targeted for Twilight. Applejack quickly snapped off one of the vines and lassoed it around one of the cragadile’s legs. The other girls and I helped her pull it back. Within minutes, the cragadile was all tied up.

“That was close,” Twilight sighed.

“A little too close, if you ask me,” Applejack said. “You sure you're alright?”

“I'm fine. I just can't seem to get these new wings to do what I want them to do when I want them to do it.”

Rainbow shrugged. “You'll figure it out eventually.”

“‘Eventually’ isn't soon enough.” Twilight continued through the forest.

“You have been having an awful lot of trouble with those things,” Applejack pointed out. “And, well, who knows what else is gonna to come after us? You know...maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea for Twilight to go back to Ponyville and let us look for the Tree of Harmony without her.”

I raised my eyebrows.

“What?! Why?” Twilight asked.

“For starters, you just about got eaten by a cragadilly.”

“We all did. He wasn't after just me.”

“Sure, but...well, the rest of us aren't princesses.”

“What's that got to do with anything?”

“Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are gone. If something happened to you, I just don't think Equestria can risk losing another princess.”

“Applejack does make a valid point,” Rarity said. “Even if we manage to save the Tree of Harmony, it won't necessarily mean Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will return. Equestria will need somepony to lead in their absence.”

“But the Tree of Harmony! I'm the only one who has seen it and knows what it looks like,” Twilight said.

“Huge tree, cutie marks on the trunk, probably being attacked by something hideously awful? Yeah, I'm pretty sure we'll know it when we see it,” Rainbow said.

Tears started to form in Twilight’s eyes. “All of you feel this way? Feel like I shouldn't be here?”

“It is probably for the best,” Fluttershy softly replied.

Twilight slowly walked away.

If only I could...wait...I can!

Quickly, I grabbed Twilight’s tail. Twilight jerked her head around.

“We’re staying,” I said firmly.

“Spike?” Applejack asked.

“Twilight has the most important element of all: Magic. It’s what brought all of us together. We are not sending her away.”

“Spike, what are you doing?” Twilight asked as she removed her tail from my grasp.

“Helping you.” I held up the book. “The reason why the elements in the past did what they did was because they...we were all together. Without even one of them, Equestria would fall apart.”

“But Spike, you’ve heard what we’ve said about the princesses, right?” Applejack asked. “Equestria needs one in case...”

“What if something were to happen in there and Twilight and I weren’t there to save you?” I replied with a question. “It’s bad enough we can’t find Celestia or Luna. We can’t risk losing five more friends. If we’re gonna find that tree, we’re doing it together.”

“But if we don’t...” Rarity said.

“...then at least ponies will know that we died trying!”

“Spike! Language!” Twilight firmly said.

“My mouth’s the least of our worries, Twilight. Tree or no tree, if you were left to rule Equestria, then it would be pointless without the girls or the other elements by our side helping us. If we all have to sacrifice ourselves, then so be it. Equestria can find a way to keep everything under control without the royals. At the very least, they would know we did it for the greater good. Besides, how do we know for a fact that the princesses are gone for good?”

I took the crown from Twilight’s head.

“I’m going to ask you one question, Twilight. In a game of chance, would you go all in when you realize what’s at stake...or would you fold, and risk the world plunging into a state of despair?” I held out her crown. “What do you think you should do?”

Twilight looked at the crown and then to the girls. She then took a deep breath.

“The right thing,” Twilight replied.

She then placed the crown on her head and approached the girls.

“I don’t know if Equestria can handle losing another princess,” Twilight said. “But it can’t be worse than having it covered in all these vines. We need to find this tree together. Like what Spike said, my element is the most important out of all ours. We’re not leaving the forest until we find this tree!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie shouted. “Come on, everypony!”

“Wait, you believe them?” Rainbow asked.

“Spike was right about one thing,” Fluttershy said. “Twilight’s element is important, and we can’t just send her away like that. It’s better if she was with us instead of being alone out there.”

“But what if there won’t be a princess to rule Equestria?” Applejack asked. “We can’t risk that.”

Rainbow scratched her chin. “Yes, we can! We didn’t get assigned the Elements of Harmony by turning down every chance we had. And now that Spike mentioned it, I’m starting to think that the princesses are still alive somewhere.”

“Look, we are burning daylight, darlings...and moonlight,” Rarity said. “As much as I hate to admit it, I say we let Twilight and Spike join us and see whatever happens. Besides, nopony said she had to use her wings. We just need to find this tree before the vines turn Ponyville into a vineyard, and not the grape juice kind.”

While Applejack was reluctant, she decided to agree with the girls. We continued our path to find the Tree of Harmony.

“Thanks for all of your help back there, Spike,” Twilight whispered. “I’m starting to think that helpfulness really is your hidden element.”

“You’re welcome, Twilight,” I replied. “I didn’t want the girls to separate from you again, like they did back at the wedding.”

Applejack tilted her hat. “Yer never lettin’ that go, are ya?”

“Nope.”

After what seemed like hours of wandering, we spotted Celestia and Luna’s old castle on the horizons.

“Anypony else starting to think this is a lost cause?” Rainbow asked. “We're almost at Celestia and Luna's old castle. Maybe whatever Twilight saw when she took that crazy potion wasn't real.”

“I’m sure that the tree was real,” Twilight said. “Why else did the potion show me it? It showed Nightmare Moon and Discord’s defeat after all.”

“Maybe it's right down there!” Applejack called out.

We hurried to the gorge to see Applejack pointing at a glowing cave down below.

“That has to be it!” I exclaimed.

“How are we supposed to get to it?” Rarity asked.

Suddenly, we heard the sound of a pony falling down a bunch of steps.

“Take the stairs, silly!” Pinkie shouted at the bottom of the gorge.

“Oh, how convenient,” Rarity said.

We hurried down the long flight of stairs, jumped over the vines, and approached the cave. There, we saw a giant tree made of crystals. However, thanks to the vines, the tree’s crystal-like texture looked more like steel. I noticed two piles of vines near the tree.

Boy, the vines were pretty determined to grab Celestia and Luna and take them all the way back here.

“That must be the Tree of Harmony,” Twilight said. “But that’s not it’s original color.”

“I think it's dying!” Fluttershy cried.

“So let's save it already!” Applejack retorted.

AJ quickly tried to pull on one of the vines, but the roots snapped her away. Rainbow tried to do the same, but achieved the same result.

“I’m starting to think I should’ve brung an ax instead of the book,” I said.

Twilight stared at the tree for the longest time. She then turned to us.

“I know how we can save the tree,” Twilight said. “We have to give it the Elements of Harmony.”

The girls widened their eyes. Some of them protested on giving them up.

“Twilight,” Applejack said “The Elements of Harmony...they're what keep us connected no matter what.”

“The Elements of Harmony did bring us together,” Twilight said. “But it isn't the elements that will keep us connected. It's our friendship. And it's more important and more powerful than any magic. My new role in Equestria may mean I have to take on new responsibilities, and our friendships may be tested, but it will never, ever be broken. There's no time to lose. Everypony ready?”

“Ready!” The girls and I shouted. I quickly held the book up.

“Keep the book, Spike,” Twilight said as she pushed it down. “We only need the confirmed elements for now.”

Twilight removed the elements from each of the girls’ necklaces and her crown. She then placed them in each slot on the Tree of Harmony. Suddenly, the tree itself glowed brightly, and the vines that encased it soon disintegrated. The other vines followed suit. The piles next to the tree were the last ones to go. Celestia and Luna emerged from them. Our faces lit up seeing the two alive and well again. Twilight ran to hug them.

“We know how difficult it must have been for you to give up the Elements,” Celestia said. “It took great courage to relinquish them.”

That’s when we noticed a plant growing from one of the roots. Its flower opened up to reveal a blue chest. The chest that contained a special power that was used to defeat Tirek. A special power that was used only once in the show for some reason.

“What's inside it? How am I supposed to open it?” Twilight asked.

“Six locks, six keys,” Luna said.

“I do not know where they are,” Celestia said. “But I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone.”

As the girls and I left the cave, I realized something.

“Excuse me, your highness,” I said to Celestia. “But could I ask you something?”

“As you wish,” Celestia replied.

“Has there ever been a seventh element of harmony?”

Celestia and Luna turned around and looked at me. They then looked at each other.

“If there is one,” Celestia said. “It would have to exist beyond our knowledge.”

“Why do you ask such a question?” Luna asked.

“Let’s just say something happened a while back that made me wonder,” I replied.

“The possibility of a seventh element would be rather small,” Celestia said. “Even a hidden one would have been acknowledged by us. I suppose that is another mystery from the tree.” She then turned to Twilight. “We will meet you back in Canterlot soon.”

She and Luna flew away. The girls and I walked out of the forest.

“So what was with that seventh element question?” Rainbow asked. “Jealous because we mares got to have one?”

“It’s not that,” I said. “Something happened in Sunset’s world that made me think...I could be included as part of your group. Elements-of-Harmony-wise, I mean.”

“Wait...” Pinkie gasped. “I know what’s in the box! It’s the seventh element! That’s why Celestia and Luna didn’t know about it! Aww...now I’m gonna be disappointed that I didn’t build up the excitement for when we open it.”

“Pinkie, while your theory is somewhat sound, I doubt the box would contain another element,” Twilight said. “Why would it be hidden in the first place instead of joining the other six?”

“Perhaps it is not a new element at all,” Rarity said. “The princesses said it would take more than you to open the box. It could be something for all of us.”

“Either way,” Twilight said. “I get the feeling we are going to need all the help we can get to open that chest.”

Once we exited the forest, signs and streamers appeared out of nowhere. Discord showed up with a foam finger and flag.

“Bravo, ladies and Spike! Bravo!” Discord cheered. “How ever did you save the day this time? Blast the beastie with your magic necklaces, I presume?” He then scrutinized AJ’s neck. “Where are those little trinkets of yours? You know, the ones you use to send me back to my extremely uncomfortable stone prison?”

“Gone,” Applejack replied.

“But our friendship remains,” Fluttershy boldly said. “And if you want to remain friends, you'll stop thinking whatever it is you're thinking and help us clean up.”

Discord then appeared in a maid uniform. “Fine. But I don't do windows.”

“One thing I don't get,” said Applejack. “Why did all this happen now?”

“I have no idea. Those seeds I planted should have sprouted up ages ago.”

“What did you say?!” Twilight barked.

“Oh, why should I try to explain it when you can see for yourself?” Discord handed Twilight the flashback potion. Twilight quickly drank it.

“Wait, but when Spike brought up the idea, ya said that it was ludicrous,” Applejack said.

“Was it ludicrous? Yes. Was he wrong? No. My plunderseeds should have stolen the magic from the Tree of Harmony and captured Princess Celestia and Princess Luna thousands of moons ago. Alas, it seems the tree had enough magic to keep the seeds from growing up big and strong. Until now, that is.”

After Twilight’s eyes finished glowing, she asked “You realize this is information we could have used hours ago?!”

“And rob you of a valuable lesson about being a princess?” Discord pinched Twilight’s cheek. “What kind of friend do you think I am?”

“Do you really want me to answer that?” I asked.

On the night of the Summer Sun Celebration, the rest of the girls arrived at Canterlot to witness the celebration first hand.

“I thought you were busy with your plans back in Ponyville,” I said.

“Well, given all we’ve done to save Equestria lately,” Applejack said, “the mayor didn’t want to put too much work on us. She gave the jobs to some other ponies and let us travel to Canterlot to see Twilight.”

The trumpets blared as Celestia and Luna appeared onstage.

“Citizens of Equestria, it is no longer with a heavy heart but with great joy that I raise the summer sun! For this celebration now represents not the defeat of Nightmare Moon, but the return of my sister, Princess Luna!”

The crowd cheered as Luna lowered the moon and Celestia raised the sun. Once the two celestial objects passed each other, Twilight zoomed by creating a blast of magic shaped like her cutie mark.

“Woo-hoo! A Sonic Twiboom!” Pinkie shouted. “Twilight should trademark that!”

“Hey, I was the one who did it first!” Rainbow rebutted.

I chuckled a bit and looked up at the sky. It was still unbelievable that I have been in this world for over a year now. Looking back, I have made a lot of significant changes from making sure the girls enjoyed the Gala to throwing Chrysalis in prison. I hoped by the next Summer Sun Celebration, I would continue to make more.

Chapter 52 (Castle Mane-ia)

I woke up from my nap to the sound of books slamming on the ground. I didn’t have to look to guess who was doing that. After doing a couple of stretches, I entered the main room to see Twilight reading intensely. I had a feeling this was when Castle Mane-ia took place. I didn’t know what I could’ve changed though.

“Still trying to find out how that chest works?” I asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?!” Twilight asked panically. “I've gone through every book in Ponyville, Spike, and there isn't a single mention of the mysterious chest that came from the Tree of Harmony, nor anything about keys to unlock it!”

“Well, you gotta remember that not even Celestia knew about the chest, Twilight. I doubt Ponyville would either given it was built later around Granny Smith’s time as a filly.”

“Still, there has to be something written about the chest. I hope Princess Celestia has some ideas. If the library in Canterlot doesn't have anything, I don't know where else to look!”

That’s when my stomach squeezed. I quickly belched out a scroll. Twilight grabbed and read it.

“My dearest Twilight,
While it would be perfectly lovely to have you in Canterlot once more, I have another option in mind much closer to Ponyville. As you know, the ancient castle that I once shared with Princess Luna lies mostly in ruins, deep in the Everfree Forest. But if you look carefully, you may find a book that could prove helpful to your research, hidden somewhere in what's left of the castle library.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia.
P.S., I’ve included some directions on the back of this letter.”

Twilight clapped her hooves in excitement. “Finally! We’re getting somewhere! Come on, Spike! We’re going to the Castle of the Two Sisters!”

After Twilight and I packed our bags, we made our way to the Everfree Forest. The path was rather spacious compared to the last time we entered.

“Hey, Twilight,” I said. “I’ve also been thinking about the chest, and I think I have a theory.”

“What theory is that?” asked Twilight.

“Well, given how there are six locks, and that Celestia mentioned you wouldn’t open it alone, I’m guessing that sometime in the future, you and the girls will earn those keys.”

“How would we earn them?”

“In order to open the chest, the tree needs to know that you girls are worthy of being an official Element of Harmony. Thus, it’ll give each of you a test in order to prove that you can represent your respective element. These tests might happen at random, and once you pass them, you might earn your key.”

“That does sound like an interesting theory, but how would we know if we’re taking the test? I’ll need to study nonstop until mine comes up!”

“Twilight…” I put my hand on her back. “This won’t be a test you have to study for. You just need to use what your element was, and you’ll be fine.”

Once we arrived at the castle, Twilight took out the letter that we got from Celestia.

“Okay, so all we have to do is go down this hall, up the stairs, and to the right,” Twilight said. “Wow, this castle’s seen better days now that we’re seeing it up close. Maybe we should clean it sometime...with Princess Celestia’s permission, of course.”

We followed Celestia’s directions until we reached the library. Once we got there, Twilight’s face lit up faster than a Christmas tree.

“Wow! Look at all these ancient books!” Twilight exclaimed as she flew around the place. “It's a veritable goldmine of information! I can't believe it!”

“More like a goldmine of star-spiderwebs,” I said to myself. “Strange how all these books were exposed to the elements all these years and aren’t ruined enough to be illegible.”

“This place is perfect!” Twilight squealed. “Now, to find that book Celestia mentioned.”

Twilight and I spent the next few hours looking at some of the books. Most of them were written in Old Ponish, but Twilight conveniently brought a Ponish to Old Ponish dictionary with her. I then remembered a specific book that Spike took from this library. It was what turned the Ponyville streets into gold and everything else into a stylish dystopia. I knew I had to avoid using it, which was going to be surprisingly easy.

I just have to give Rarity a few pointers to improve the puppet theater when she starts crafting it.

“Spike, could you turn on the lights?” Twilight asked. “It’s getting dark in here.”

“Sure thing,” I replied as I went to find the light switch. “Wait, Twilight, this is a millennium-old castle! There’s no modern light system here!”

Twilight looked up. “Oh, right. Then I guess we’ll have to find some candles. I remember seeing a candelabra back there. Come on.”

Twilight and I went out of the library and to the other side of the staircase.

“Look, there’s one,” Twilight said as she pointed to a candelabra on an old side table.

“Careful, Twilight,” I said. “It could be a trap.”

“Don’t be so paranoid, Spike.” Twilight lifted the candlestick from the table. “See? Nothing happened. Now, to light this...”

“I got ya!” I blew my green flames on the half-melted candles.

“HEY!!”

Twilight nearly dropped the candelabra in fright. After a few seconds of smoldering, the wicks started burning.

“Thanks, Spike, but warn me next time,” Twilight said. “You almost singed my mane.”

“Sorry. But what did you expect? I’m a dragon who breathes fire, and you needed fire.”

“Anyway, let’s get back to the library before these burn out.”

I followed Twilight as we returned to the old library.

“I wonder what the girls are up to?” I asked. “What if they came to the castle just like we did?”

“Well, then it would have to be one big coincidence,” Twilight replied. “Don’t know why some of them would.”

“Maybe Rarity wanted to see the castle’s design, or maybe Angel Bunny wandered here and Fluttershy had to go look for him, or maybe AJ and Dashie were trying to settle a bet.”

Twilight and I passed the staircase. I looked out one of the cracked windows to see the sun setting.

“Uh, how long are we gonna be here?” I asked.

“We're gonna be studying late into the night,” Twilight replied. “We have to in order to find that book Celestia talked about.”

“In that case, maybe we should use only one candle at a time?”

Just as we left the staircase, I heard voices.

“This is where we got the Elements of Harmony,” One voice said.

“When I was just a filly, Granny Smith told me of an ancient legend,” said another.

It’s Rainbow Dash and Applejack. I knew they would be here.

I looked at Twilight and had an idea.

“I’ll be right back, Twilight,” I said.

“Uh, okay. Just don’t get lost in this castle,” Twilight said.

I nodded. I quickly shimmied against the wall until I was at the corner where the staircase was.

“You mean, like a ghost?” I heard Rainbow asked.

“Nopony knows!” Applejack replied spookily.

This is where I have some fun.

I cleared my throat and began speaking in a very deep tone of voice.

“Who dares intrude the Castle of the Two Sisters?!”

“Yah!” Applejack shouted. “What was that?!”

“P-P-Probably just some old recording spell Princess Celestia made,” Dashie denied. “You know...like a, uh, magic security system?”

“Who are you calling a security system?!” I bellowed.

“Eep!” squeaked Rainbow Dash. “We’re doomed.”

“Please don’t harm us!” Applejack cried.

“If you do not wish to be tortured by the many ghosts that haunt this castle, you will kiss each other on the lips!” I tried so hard not to make my snickering sound obvious.

“Wha?! Kiss?!” Applejack snapped.

“Woah! Woah! Woah! Why do we have to kiss?!” Rainbow shouted.

“The paranormal beings of this place are strong homophobes! They find same-gender relationships distasteful! You two must kiss in order to scare them all away!”

There was a long bit of silence. Then I heard a sharp sigh.

“Spike, is that you?” Applejack asked.

“Gotcha!” I said as I jumped out of the corner. “Scared you both, didn’t I?” I chuckled a bit.

“I-I wasn’t scared!” Rainbow contested. “I was...uh...making sounds that sounded like I was scared.”

“What in tarnation are ya doin’ here, Spike?” Applejack asked. “Ain’t it a bit late for ya to be roamin’ around here?”

“I’d ask you two the same thing,” I replied. “Were you trying to settle a crazy bet or something?”

“It ain’t crazy! Just figurin’ out which one of us is the Most Daring Pony.”

I scratched my chin, and my brain hatched another idea. “Then I’ve got a dare for both of you. I’ve heard rumors that Fluttershy and Rarity are at this castle tonight as well. The first pony to find both of them and bring them to the castle’s library will be the Most Daring Pony in my book. You just need to go up the steps and turn right until you see a room with a lot of books. Twilight will be there.”

“Hah! You call that a dare?!” Rainbow asked triumphantly. “I could bring those girls back before you can say ‘Rainbow Dash the Most Daring Pony’!”

Applejack glared at her.

“But be warned, ladies,” I said eerily. “This castle is home to dangerous tricks and traps, so you better watch your step if you don’t want to fall victim.” I walked backwards and waggled my fingers. “Mwahahaha—woah! Oof!” I tripped over a rock. “I’m okay! But seriously, be careful. There’s no telling what’s in this old ruined castle.”

I quickly ran up the stairs and back to the library. There I saw Twilight reading.

“Where did you head off to?” Twilight asked.

“You’re not gonna believe this, but Applejack and Rainbow Dash are here, too,” I replied. “They wanted to find out who’s the most daring pony.”

“Why didn’t you bring them up here? We could always use more hooves finding that book.”

“Knowing those two, they’d probably get bored fast and find something else to do.”

Twilight rolled her eyes.

We continued to look for the book Celestia mentioned. I remembered the journal that she and Luna made. I had to find the chair that opens the secret room though. Given how many there were in the library, it was going to be a challenge.

“Any luck yet?” I asked Twilight as I tilted back a chair.

“Not yet,” Twilight replied as she sat at a table. She then noticed a star-spider crawling on the book she was reading. “Woah! Shoo! Shoo!” She brushed the creature off. “Please wait until I’m done reading this.”

That’s when I felt something else brush up against my leg. I jumped away with shivers down my back.

“What was that?!” I shouted. “That felt too big to be a spider!”

A fluffy ball of fur appeared from under the table. Once it revealed itself under the candlelight, I instantly knew who it was.

“Angel?” I asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Is Fluttershy with you?” Twilight asked. “Where is she?”

Angel shrugged.

“Well, you’re welcome to stay with us until she shows up.” Twilight then saw me pull back another chair. “Spike, what are you doing?”

“I wanna see if there’s a secret room or something,” I said. “You know, like in some of the stories I’ve read.”

“Oh, Spike. We don’t have time for that. Please sit down and help me find the book.”

I sighed and walked to the chair on the other side of the table.

“Well,” I said as I sat down. “I guess I’ll just have to…”

Suddenly, my chair leaned back on its own and made a clicking sound. Two of the bookshelves next to us moved with a loud creaking sound.

“Woah! There is a secret room!” Twilight exclaimed.

The three of us entered the room. While the place looked run down, it was more appealing than the library outside. There were a couple of bookshelves that had more books, but Twilight’s eye caught one book perched upon a pedestal .

“‘The Journal of the Two Sisters,’” Twilight read. “Maybe this is the book Princess Celestia was talking about!”

Twilight grabbed the book and sat on a nearby pillow. Angel and I sat next to her.

“Do you think it’s a good idea to look through the princesses’ diary?” I asked.

“She never said we couldn’t,” Twilight replied. “Now, let’s see...”

She opened the book. I quickly took a step back. Twilight looked at me.

“Just making sure it didn’t explode,” I said concernedly.

“You brought that on yourself, you know.” Twilight read the first entry. “‘This journal belongs to Celestia and Luna. If found, please return to...’ Oh, this is written just in case it gets lost.” Twilight flipped through the pages. “‘We still can’t believe it was our first day as princesses! We have not earned our cutie marks yet, and now we have been tasked with ruling an entire country! Our mommy and Mr. Bearded said they have faith that we will do well, but I’m still a bit worried. Luna seems to enjoy her new role. I wish I could be like her. That’s what mommy always suggested.’”

“I guess that was written by Celestia,” I said. “But wow, they ruled Equestria as fillies? Talk about being a prodigy.”

“I’m sure Star Swirl the Bearded and their mother ran the ropes for a while until they became grown-ups,” Twilight replied.

Crunch!

Twilight and I turned to see Angel munching on a bowl of carrots.

“Angel, where did you get those?” Twilight asked.

Angel shrugged. He pointed to the bowl and threw his arms in the air.

“The bowl couldn’t have come from nowhere, Angel,” I said. “Even if it did, I doubt the carrots would be this fresh after over a thousand years.”

Twilight flipped through some of the pages.

“Oh, here’s something! ‘After a long time of searching, we found a great spot for our new castle! We wanted our castle to be at the edge of the Everfree Forest right next to a canyon that contained something called the Tree of Harmony. Mr. Bearded said it had some special magic powers and stuff.’”

“You think Star Swirl knew about the chest?” I asked.

“If he did, we’re way too late to ask him.”

“We could always time travel.”

“No, Spike! The chest may be important, but I’m not gonna risk traveling through time to find answers. I’m sure we can figure it out here in the present.”

Twilight flipped through more pages.

“Oh, you’ve got to hear this. ‘I love to duck behind the paintings, and though the Hall of Hooves still gives her a bit of a fright, the trap door slide is Luna's favorite.’ Looks like they designed this castle with lots of traps. ‘Soon the Organ to the Outside will be finished. I can hardly wait.’”

“An Organ to the Outside?” I asked. “Is it an actual organ?”

“I have no idea!” Twilight happily replied.

Right after Twilight said that, I heard the faint sound of a playing organ.

“I guess they finished that organ,” I said.

“Huh?” Twilight tilted her head.

“You didn’t hear it? The sound of the organ? I guess one of the girls found it.”

I looked at Angel and noticed another bowl of carrots have appeared.

“Say, Angel,” I said. “Is it okay if I have one? Please?”

Angel growled at me. Suddenly, the sound of thunder blasted through the castle walls.

BOOM!!

“Okay! Okay!” I shouted. “No need to get savage!”

Angel looked around with a confused face. I bet he was wondering if he did that. A flash of lightning followed by another loud thunderclap shook the castle once more.

“Uh, oh!” Twilight said. “Sounds like there’s a storm coming!”

“We gotta go,” I said. “Being inside a ruined castle while there’s a storm is a recipe for a horror novel.”

“More like a recipe for catching a cold. With so many exposed rooms, it would be hard to escape the rain.” Twilight got up and put the journal in her bags. “Let’s find the others before—”

“AAANGEEEEEL!!!”

Angel’s ears perked up at the sound of Fluttershy’s voice. He struggled to get up with his bloated belly.

“That must be Fluttershy,” Twilight said.

“We better find her,” I said. “The thunder must be frightening her!”

“Given how the weather works in the Everfree Forest, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

We all hurried to the staircase. Once we got there, we saw Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity all panicking.

“Okay, I understand Fluttershy, but the other girls?” I asked.

Twilight hopped down. “Alright, everypony, stop!” Twilight sent a big blast of magic across the room that froze everypony in place.

“It’s Twilight,” Applejack said.

“Must...save...Angel...” Fluttershy cried. Angel waved at her from the stairs. “Oh...”

“Fluttershy? What are you doing here?” Rainbow asked.

“She's with me...” Rarity whimpered underneath a torn tapestry.

Twilight undid the spell and removed the tapestry from Rarity’s head.

“Thank you.”

“Have you all spent the whole night running around, scaring each other?” Twilight asked.

“Well, that depends,” AJ replied.

“On what?”

“On whether or not you're the Pony of Shadows,” Rainbow replied.

“The Pony of Shadows?” I asked.

“Oh, that's just an old ponies' tale,” Twilight replied.

“Like Nightmare Moon, the sonic rainboom, and the Crystal Empire?”

Twilight raised her hoof up, but nothing came out of her mouth. She slowly put her hoof down.

Suddenly, creepy organ music played throughout the halls. The other girls huddled close to Twilight and me.

“Wh-who’s playing that?!” Fluttershy squeaked. I held her hoof to calm her down.

“We're going to find out,” Twilight said.

As we walked along the halls, I counted the ponies.

“One, two, three, four, five. Where’s Pinkie Pie?” I asked.

“She told Dash and me that she was ringin’ the bell at the schoolhouse,” Applejack replied.

“But it’s summer. How can there still be school?”

“School doesn’t end on the Summer Sun Celebration, sugarcube. There’s usually a couple of days or so afterwards.”

We continued down a giant set of stairs. The organ music grew louder. Once we came into the room, we saw a hooded figure playing the organ.

“The Pony of Shadows!” Twilight whispered.

Everypony was shivering, but I knew who the organ player really was. I slowly walked past the door.

“Spike, what are you doing?” Rarity hissed.

“Watch this, everypony.” I cleared my throat. “Cease your playing of the Organ to the Outside!”

The hooded figure instantly stopped playing and put their hooves in the air.

“If you ever want to get out of this castle alive, you must vow to never eat sweets again!”

The girls behind me shot a confused look.

“No, wait!” The hooded figure squeaked. “Can’t we talk this out, Mr. Scary Voice?!”

“That voice...” Twilight said. “It can’t be!”

“Refrain from calling me that, Pinkie Pie!” I bellowed.

“How do you know my name?” Pinkie looked around and noticed me. “Spike?! Girls?! Were you playing a trick on me?” She then giggled and removed her hood. “You got me good.”

The girls sighed with relief and entered the room.

“I thought ya went to ring the school bell all week!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Oh, yeah! I only had to ring it for, like, five minutes,” Pinkie said. “They said that was good enough. Can't imagine why...”

Pinkie then explained that she wanted to throw a “finish ringing the school bell” party with bluebells. She went to the Everfree Forest with a tarp to pick some, but then she spotted Rarity and Fluttershy entering the castle, so she followed in and helped them with the “everypony come to the scary old castle and hide from each other while Pinkie plays the organ” party.

We all rolled our eyes. Pinkie pressed a note and a springboard shot up right next to me.

Wow, I was lucky I wasn’t at that spot.

Everypony returned to the room where Twilight found the journal. Rarity was restoring one of the tapestries while Fluttershy was talking with Angel.

“So how did you know it was Pinkie Pie?” Twilight asked me.

“Seeing how she was the only pony absent, I had a feeling she was going to show up sooner or later,” I said. “I guess I was just lucky.”

“What you would’ve done if it wasn’t her? What if it was ‘the Pony of Shadows’ like the girls talked about?”

I pointed to the candelabra. Twilight squinted her eyes and suddenly got the picture.

“Oh...”

“I can't believe I was so frightened,” Fluttershy said as she finished nuzzling Angel. “Guess I let my imagination get the best of me.”

“I think we all did,” Applejack said.

“I always let my imagination run away from me!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Then it comes back with cake!”

“Well, it's good to know that whenever your imagination is getting away from you, a good friend can help you rein it in,” Twilight said. “And even though I didn't find anything out about the mysterious chest, I'm glad I was here to help all of you.”

“You certainly did that, Twilight,” Rarity said.

“Yeah! Why weren't you scared?” Rainbow asked.

“Reading Celestia's diary made it hard to be afraid,” replied Twilight, “because I knew what it was like when she and Luna lived here. Knowing something about the past made it easier to deal with my problems in the present, even the scary ones.”

“It’s like the old saying goes, ‘those who fail history are bound to repeat it,’” I said. “And those who know it can avoid doing so.”

The other girls nodded in agreement.

“I've just thought of a great idea! Why don't we keep a journal, just like the royal pony sisters?” Twilight proposed.

“All of us?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sure! That way we can learn from each other! And maybe someday, other ponies will read it and learn something, too!”

Assuming they don’t turn into either a toxic fandom full of manchildren that overanalyze and nitpick everything, or the brony fandom.

“What a splendid idea,” Rarity said.

“I know what my first entry will be,” said Applejack. “‘Dear Diary, I'm glad Granny Smith's legend wasn't true.’”

BOOM!!

The flash of lightning and the clap of thunder made everypony jump.

“Oh, no! I forgot about the storm!” Twilight shoved some of the books into her bags. “Let’s hurry back to Ponyville’s library before we get drenched!”

“Forget drenched, we gotta get back before we’re wet!” Pinkie shouted as she bounced out of the room.

“That’s what I said.”

The girls, Angel, and I hurried out of the castle as fast as we could. While Twilight was disappointed we couldn’t find anything about the chest, it was nice for her for suggesting the idea of keeping a journal for ourselves. Not only that, we learned a bit about Celestia and Luna’s past. It really surprised me how those two ruled Equestria since they were fillies. If alicorns were smart enough to run a land at that age, then I wouldn’t be surprised if Flurry Heart gets to rule the Crystal Empire before Magic Kindergarten.

Chapter 53 (Daring Don't)

There wasn’t much I could do for “Twilight Time.” All I did was avoid making a ton of nachos nopony would eat. I enjoyed that scene where Twilight ate a lot of burgers, though. That made me notice that Twilight was eating a lot more than usual. I wondered if it was because of some sort of alicorn metabolism or she was just getting really hungry these days.

“Flight to the Finish” was the same story. As much as I wanted to chew out Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon out for making fun of Scootaloo’s disability, I couldn’t. I was already guilty for trying to frame them in “One Bad Apple,” so I did my best not to interfere with them anymore. At least Scootaloo got over it and the CMC still got to carry the Ponyville flag.

The next episode to come up was “Daring Don’t.” In the show, Rainbow Dash is peeved that the next Daring Do book is delayed, so she and the other girls visit A.K. Yearling’s house only to discover she’s the real Daring Do. Then after she gets kidnapped, the girls save her. I couldn’t think of anything to change, but I did want to join them.

The girls and I were having a party at the library. Pinkie considered it a “National Random Holiday Party Day.” We were all wearing different kinds of hats. I wore a brown fedora, which was fitting given the episode.

Just like in the show, Rainbow Dash showed up. When she asked why she wasn’t invited, Applejack replied that she tried to, but Dashie was busy reading the last Daring Do book.

“Yeah, well, in three months and twenty six more days, I'll be able to read the next one,” Rainbow Dash said. She then drank one of the cups of punch.

“Oh, haven't you heard?” Twilight asked. “The release of the next book...”

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” I said. “Let her finish her drink first.”

Rainbow swallowed. “Why? What’s this about the next book?”

“It...got pushed another two months,” Twilight replied.

“What?!” Rainbow dropped her empty cup. “Two more months?! I've been waiting so long already! I don't think I can take another two months! I'll never make it!” She then collapsed to the ground.

“Yeah. I can vouch for that...” Fluttershy said.

“See?” I picked up Rainbow’s cup. “I had a feeling she was going to do a spit take right before you told her the bad news, Twilight.”

“Did they give a reason?” Rainbow asked.

“The publisher just said author A.K. Yearling won't be able to finish the book for another two months.”

“How could you possibly know that before me? I'm the series' biggest fan!”

“Twilight was the reason you were introduced to the series, remember?” I asked.

“Oh, right,” Rainbow sheepishly replied.

“A.K. Yearling just might be my favorite author,” Twilight said. “I know everything about her. Where she grew up, where she studied literature, where she wrote the first Daring Do book...”

“Where she lives?” Rainbow asked curiously.

“No, though I could probably find out somehow. Why?”

“Don't you get it?! The new book is obviously delayed because she needs help dealing with whatever everyday nonsense is distracting her from spending her every living breathing second writing! So I...I mean, fans like me, can get to read the new book ASAP!”

“Rainbow Dash, you have to remember that A.K. Yearling isn’t some book-making machine,” I said. “A lot of ponies can delay their work for important reasons. Maybe Yearling’s sick and can’t think straight. Maybe she ended a relationship with somepony and is trying to cope with the loss. Maybe she’s having a burnout and wants to take a break from writing for a while.”

“Or maybe A.K. Yearling and Daring Do are the same pony and the reason why she’s delaying it is because she hasn’t finished her adventure yet!” Pinkie quickly suggested. We all stared at her. “What?”

“Look, all I’m saying is that we help her out,” Rainbow said. “If she doesn’t want to help, then she can say no.”

While the girls and I were reluctant, we decided to help her find Yearling’s house.

We traveled to the northern part of Equestria to look for Yearling’s house. The trip itself was rather long, and it didn’t help that Pinkie kept stopping to paint a red line on the ground. After a few hours of walking, we ended up in a dense forest that could rival the Everfree Forest.

“You see what I mean?” Twilight asked. “Why would she live in this remote part of Equestria except to keep folks from intruding on her privacy? We should respe—”

Rainbow flew straight out of the bushes. “I think I spotted the house! We're super close! This way!”

We quickly followed her to see a cottage that looked like it was caught in warzone. Furniture, books, and paper were spread around the yard. Some windows have shattered, and the front door was just hanging by a rusty hinge.

“Apparently somepony has intruded on her privacy pretty hard already...” Rainbow said.

Rainbow approached the front door. A light tap of her hoof was all it took for the hunk of wood to collapse to the floor.

When we looked inside, the entire place was in no better shape. So much damaged furniture and parchments scattered the floor like a carpet of trash. We quickly looked around.

“This place must’ve been ransacked!” I exclaimed.

“I hope A.K. Yearling's alright!” Rarity stared at a broken mirror.

“Oh no! What if something terrible happened to her?!” Twilight looked at some of the crumpled balls of paper.

“I know! There might be no more books!” Rainbow then noticed Twilight’s unamused face. “Uh... but, of course, I'd be worried about her, too.”

“What are you all doing here?” A voice asked.

A pony with a maroon cape, red glasses, and a grey bonnet entered the house. Rainbow instantly recognized her as A.K. Yearling. The cute face she made in glee nearly made my heart stop.

“We didn't do this! We swear!” Twilight said to Yearling.

Yearling frantically looked around her home. She quickly grabbed the book Rainbow was standing on. After turning some dials on the spine and twisting the horseshoe imprint on the cover, Yearling opened the book safe to reveal a giant ring. Rainbow tried to convince the author to speed up her writing progress, but Twilight quickly stopped her and dragged her outside. The rest of us followed her.

“A.K. Yearling has made it pretty clear that she wants to be left alone,” Twilight said to Rainbow Dash. “We need to respect her wishes!”

“You should tell that to those guys.” Pinkie pointed to a bunch of stallions that just disappeared through one of the windows on the top floor.

“Uh, oh. We gotta warn her,” I said.

Twilight and Rainbow peeked through one of the lower windows. I followed suit. The stallions surrounded Yearling. She quickly threw her accessories at them, revealing who she really is.

“A.K. Yearling is Daring Do!” Rainbow and Twilight shouted in unison.

“Called it!” Pinkie shouted behind us.

We watched as Daring Do and the others fought over the giant ring.

“Shouldn’t we help her?” I asked.

“It’s Daring Do,” Rainbow replied. “I’m...sure she can handle it.”

Rainbow was instantly proven wrong. All the stallions gained the upper hand, and as a result, the ring was taken by their leader: Doctor Caballeron. Right after they left, the girls hurried inside to see Daring Do taking care of her hurt leg.

“Are you okay?” Rainbow held out a hoof.

Daring Do quickly smacked it away. “I got this!”

“Um, she was just trying to help, Ms. Do,” Fluttershy said.

“Daring Do doesn't need help. She handles her business herself.”

Daring limped out of her house and flew after Dr. Caballeron’s group.

“We've gotta go help!” Rainbow declared.

“You heard her!” Twilight rebutted. “She says she works alone!”

The two then argued about how important the ring was. To put it simply, the ring was very significant, and the world would be on fire without it. This was one of the few arguments where I somehow didn’t get angry.

“We gotta help Daring Do retrieve the ring for safekeeping before it's too late!” Rainbow exclaimed.

Twilight sighed. “Okay, but sounds to me like we're in way, way, way over our heads.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “This is no different from our usual villains.”

“You haven’t read the books, have you, Spike? While neither Ahuizotl nor Cabelleron have the same magic strength compared to what we’ve encountered, that doesn’t mean we can defeat them the same way we defeated the others. We're going to need a carefully thought out plan...”

Before Twilight could even think, Rainbow shot off into the sky to search for Daring Do.

“I'm coming, Daring Do!” Dashie shouted.

“That's not a plan!” Twilight yelled. “Come back!”

Sadly, her shouting fell on deaf ears.

“Ugh! Come on, girls! We need to find Rainbow Dash.” Twilight galopped ahead.

We quickly followed her. The sky was already getting dark.

“I still can’t believe Daring Do is a real pony,” I said. “First those in myths and legends, and now fictional characters?”

“No wonder her stories made her sound like she was actually there,” Twilight said.

“Did you see how she brushed us off like that?” Pinkie asked. “You’d think Daring Do would be honored to see us. We used to save the world so much that some ponies would have recognized us.”

“You’ve seen how recluse she was,” replied Rarity. “Perhaps she didn’t figure out that we were the Elements of Harmony yet.”

“Also, saving the world is Daring Do’s job as well,” Twilight said. “Maybe she did recognize us, but she didn’t want our help.”

“So it would be like if a pro tried to help another pro with something they’re both skilled at, right?” I asked. “Only to have the latter refuse.”

“If ya ask me, it sounds like Daring Do is just like Rainbow Dash initially: not botherin’ to swallow her pride for the sake of acceptin’ help,” Applejack said.

You’re one to talk. I still remember that “Applebuck Season” episode.

“She kinda looks like her, too,” Pinkie said. “If you change her colors and cutie mark.”

After all that running, we were out of breath. We couldn’t find Rainbow Dash nor the other ponies.

“It’s getting too dark to see,” Twilight said. “We’ll have to return to the house and try again in the morning.”

“Are you sure Daring would allow us to sleep there?” Fluttershy asked.

“There’s no other choice. We can’t sleep out here, and it’s a long way to Ponyville. We’ll just make sure we leave anything untouched while we’re in there.”

The girls and I returned to Daring’s home to sleep.

The next morning, we hurried out bright and early to find Rainbow Dash. In no time flat, we found her sulking in a clearing.

“Rainbow! Thank goodness you’re alright!” Rarity sighed.

Twilight noticed the sad look on Dash’s face. “Quick, where does it hurt?”

“In here.” Rainbow clutched her heart. “Daring Do and the ring have been captured by the dreaded Ahuizotl, and it's all my fault.”

We all gasped. Rainbow wanted to give up and head home, but Twilight and the others convinced her otherwise.

“It's fine to look up to Daring Do, but you've put her so high up on a pedestal, you can't even see your own worth anymore,” Twilight said. “She's in the fortress, and we're here, and we wouldn't be who we are if we didn't go in after her! And neither would you! So, are you with us, or not?”

After a brief moment, Rainbow Dash agreed. She then told us where Ahuizotl took Daring Do. We quickly followed her.

It didn’t take long for us to find a giant ancient fortress. I could almost hear voices coming from inside the temple.

“Okay, so you girls and Spike try to find the rings while I save Daring Do,” Rainbow Dash commanded. “We’ll come help you once I help her get out of whatever trap Ahuizotl put her in.”

“A-Aren’t there other boobytraps?” Fluttershy stuttered.

“If what the books say is true, then they should be disabled. You should make it to the center in no time!”

We climbed up the steps while Rainbow flew to the top. Once we entered the fortress, the sound of spears hitting the ground echoed throughout the stone halls. We followed the source until we came across a room full of tribal ponies. In the center of the room was a stack of gold rings. A giant, black and blue, canine-like creature stood behind it. It was Ahuizotl.

“That’s quite a bundle of rings,” Rarity whispered.

“We need to stop him,” Applejack said as she marched into the room. “Drop the ring, Ahui...whatever your name is!”

Pinkie quickly sprung up and grabbed the ring. She then tossed it to Applejack.

“Get it!” Ahuizotl shrieked.

Applejack bucked the ring away, but a tribe pony tripped her with his spear. He then grabbed the ring and tossed it to Ahuizotl. Fluttershy quickly interfered and passed the ring to Twilight, who quickly teleported to the other side.

“Spike! Catch!” Twilight shouted as she threw the ring with her magic.

The second I quickly caught it, I made my own ring out of my fire breath. I quickly surrounded myself as the flames burned around me. The tribe ponies quickly backed away from the scorching inferno.

“The ring is mine!” I declared boldly. “You should never take what belongs to a dragon!”

I used my fire breath to heat up the ring. I was thankful I was fireproof, but I could still feel the heat through my thick scales.

“Gimmie that!” Ahuizotl’s tail hand pierced through flames and grabbed the ring, but he paid the price of not seeing how hot it was. He gave a loud howl as he dropped the blazing ring like a hot frying pan. The ring glowed a bright red as it hissed on the stone floor.

“Get some water! Get some water!” One of the tribe ponies shouted. “Hurry!”

Suddenly, the fortress shook like an earthquake. I didn’t have to guess to know that Daring Do and Rainbow Dash took out the last ring, causing the temple to collapse.

“Ponies! Run!” Rainbow shouted. “This place is going down!”

The girls and I quickly ran out of the tumbling fortress. I evaded any falling debris as I made my escape.

At least there’s not a giant boulder or wall of water chasing us!

By the time we got out, the entire fortress was reduced to a giant pile of rubble. Daring and Dash quickly threw the last ring to the ground, shattering it.

“Could never have done this without you, Rainbow Dash,” Daring said as she exchanged hugs with Rainbow Dash. “I've got a book to finish!”

She then flew off into the sunset. That’s when she halted and turned back.

“Oh, and before you ask: I know that my fourth book sounded like an exaggeration, but it’s all the truth, including the fridge chapter. Reality can be unrealistic sometimes.”

Daring then flew away. While it was nice being on a Nathan Drake/Indiana Jones-like adventure, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ahuizotl and his friends. Watching that “Daring Doubt” episode probably justified that. I had a feeling he was exaggerating about the 800 years of heat.

“Alright, so how do we get back from here?” Rarity asked.

“Follow the red line,” Pinkie said as she pointed to the line of paint that were behind some bushes. “What? You thought I painted all that for the sake of a map-traveling montage?”

Chapter 54 (Power Ponies)

It was late at night. I was so entranced in one of my comic books. I was reading the latest issue of Power Ponies Origins. This one talked about Mane-iac’s and the Power Ponies’ established rivalry. I intentionally bought the issue from that House of Enchanted Comics because I wanted the “Power Ponies” episode to happen. It would’ve been epic to be a superhero every now and then.

“Spike, you really need to go to sleep!” Twilight called out from her bed.

“I will, I will,” I replied. “I’m just getting to the part with the Power Ponies and the Mane-iac.”

“‘The Mane-iac?’”

“She’s the main antagonist of the Power Ponies.” I showed Twilight the first pages. “After a freak accident at her shampoo factory, the Mane-iac turned insane and her mane ended up getting strange powers. Right now, she and her henchponies are gonna break into the museum to steal the Electro-Orb in order to power her doomsday device. Of course, that wouldn’t have happened without Humdrum spilling the beans.”

“Humdrum?”

“The sidekick of the group.” I pointed to a green colt with a red cape, blue boots, and a black mask. “He’s the only one without any special powers, but that doesn’t mean he's useless, contrary to popular belief. He always helps out whenever possible, and no matter the circumstances, luck is usually by his side. He’s just as important as the rest of the Power Ponies.”

“Sound familiar?” Twilight asked.

“Anyway, I’m at the part where the Power Ponies are about to stop the Mane-iac from stealing the orb, and I don’t want to miss that!”

“Believe me, Spike. If anypony understands what it's like to get caught up in a really good book, it's me. But if we're going to make any progress fixing up Luna and Celestia's old castle tomorrow, we all have to do our part. We don't want to be too tired to lend a hoof...or claw.”

“Oh, alright,” I said as I bookmarked my comic book. “Why do we need to do that anyway?”

“I was thinking we could restore their old castle as a gift for them. Maybe we could also turn it into a museum or something if they want that.”

At least I knew why the girls wanted to clean the castle. I didn’t know why that plotline was abandoned later on in the show, though. I yawned and decided not to think about it at the moment. I put my comic book away and went to sleep.

The next day, Twilight and I headed to the castle. By the time we got there, the rest of the girls were already there.

“Alright, everypony,” Twilight announced. “Time to restore this castle. I’ve given each of you different tasks to complete based on your strengths.”

“Including me?” I asked.

“Of course, Spike. You think we would cast you off?”

“Well...to be honest, part of me did.”

“Come on, Spike. We would never do something like that. Moving on, I conducted a list for each of you.” Twilight handed us each individual scrolls. “If we all do our part, we can get this castle in shipshape in no time.”

“Don’t you mean ‘castle-shape in no time’?” Pinkie asked. “Because this is a castle, not a ship.”

“You know what I mean,” Twilight said.

After reading our scrolls, we set out to do our respective tasks. I was mainly in charge of making sure the place was structurally sound and to toss out anything that was damaged beyond restoration, except the books of course.

I was surprised Twilight got me to help out. In the show, Spike was brushed aside whenever he asked for help with the castle, despite Twilight bringing him. Then again, given how I helped so much, this change was to be expected.

Hours later, we sat at the library to take a break. I continued reading my comic book.

“All this hard work is truly strenuous,” Rarity said as she ate some biscuits. “I don’t think we’ve made a significant improvement to the castle since this morning.”

“The castle has been unkempt for nearly a thousand years,” said Twilight. “Restoring a place such as this doesn’t take place overnight, even with magic. Canterlot wasn’t built in a day, you know.”

“Does anyone want to see if the organ still works?” Pinkie asked.

“NO!” we replied loudly.

“Sheesh, I get it. No need to shout in unison.”

When I got to the end of my comic book, I pretended to gasp. “Oh, no!”

“What’s wrong, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“It’s my comic book! I think I got ripped off!”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“I’m at the part where the Power Ponies are battling their enemy at a museum, but then...it just ends there. There’s nothing left but a blank page.”

“That’s what’s called ‘a cliffhanger,’ Spike,” Rainbow said. “No big deal. It’s what draws the reader into looking forward to the next issue or book.”

“Mighty cheap tactic if ya ask me,” Applejack pointed out. “Why can’t them authors just conclude the story right then and there instead of makin’ their fans get more twisted up than a wet towel in a bathtub? I’m sure it’ll be worth the extra pages or so.”

“Well, there are many reasons why authors do so,” Twilight said. “Some haven’t finished adding details to their stories, while others...”

“Girls! Girls!” I shouted. “We’re getting off-topic. That’s not the problem. Usually these comic books would have something at the end, like a ‘To be continued...’ or a ‘The End...?’ But this comic book doesn’t have it for some reason.” I placed my comic book down and pointed at the panels. “See? The last panel has the Mane-iac (the joker with the green mane) taking the orb from Humdrum, and that’s it. Nothing to tell us what happens next. I checked for any tears, but there aren't any.”

“That does sound unusual...” Fluttershy said.

“Where did you get this comic book from?” Twilight asked. “You should stay away from discount store items; they always have questionable quality.”

“I got this brand new from a comic book store in Canterlot,” I replied. “The comic book guy said this had an enchanting story.”

“Well, when we get back, tell them that it was a misprint.” Twilight shrugged. “I’m sure they can get it replaced for you.”

“Say, what is that written at the corner?” Rarity pointed to some scribbles at the bottom right of the blank page.

“Somepony please get me a magnifying glass,” I said.

Twilight handed me one. “Maybe it’s an apology for the incomplete comic.”

I read the text, “‘You can return to the place you started when the Mane-iac is defeated. Take a closer look to join the adventure in this book.’”

“Join the adventure?” Rainbow asked. “Is that some sort of ‘giveaway’ or something?”

Before anypony could respond, a white light appeared from the book. The ponies quickly jumped away.

“Spike, when the comic book pony said it had an enchanting story,” Fluttershy said, “is this what they meant?!”

Soon, I felt the suction coming from the book like a vacuum cleaner.

“I think it wants us to jump in!” I shouted. “Let’s go!”

Before anypony could say another word, I dove right into the glowing orb. I was introduced to many swirling colors just like the Equestria Girls mirror. By the time I got to the other side, I was already sporting Humdrum’s mask, cape, and boots.

I guess my role in this universe hasn’t changed.

“Somepony wanna tell me what the hay is goin' on?” A voice asked.

I quickly turned around to see each pony in their respective superhero outfits, just like in the show.

“Holy persona! You ponies have turned into the superheroes of my comic, the Power Ponies!” I announced. “Each of you have unique abilities given to you based on the character you’ve become.”

“Did you plan all of this?” Twilight asked.

“Believe me, I wish I could. Now listen very carefully! In order to get out of here, we must defeat the Mane-iac. That has to be what the comic book wants us to do. I’ll quickly explain what each of your powers do before the Mane-iac shows up.”

I quickly started with Twilight.

“You’re the Masked Matter-Horn, Twilight,” I said. “You shoot special energy beams from your horn. It should be like shooting magic.”

“It’s that simple?” Twilight asked. “I never shot pure energy before.”

“Trust me, you’ll get the hang of it.” I then turned to Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie, you’re the fastest pony alive.”

“You’re thinking of Dashie, Spike,” Pinkie said.

“No, that’s not what I mean. You’re Fili-second. Your power is super speed. Basically, you’re a wingless Rainbow Dash who runs fast instead of flying.”

“Oh, I get it!”

“Woah, woah, woah!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Why does she get to have super speed? Why not me? I’m the fastest pony alive in real life!”

“Because you are Zapp,” I replied. “You control the weather, but not the usual pegasus way. You use that lighting bolt necklace to summon tornados, lighting, and more.”

“Okay, I admit that is an awesome power.”

“Rarity, you are Radiance.” I pointed to the bracelets on her hooves. “Whatever you can think of, your bracelet can create it.”

“Really?” Rarity pointed her hoof in the air, and a mirror appeared out of nowhere. “I’m starting to enjoy this power.” She looked at her reflection. “Same goes for this costume.”

“Applejack, your power comes from that golden lasso,” I said. “You use your mind to control it. You’re Mistress Mare-velous.”

“Control it with my mind?” Applejack rubbed her forehead. The lasso slithered out of its pouch and danced like a charmed snake. “Well, would ya look at that!”

“So...uhm...what’s my superpower?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

I rubbed the back of my head. “Your power is to grow to an immense size out of anger. Basically, you become Bulk Biceps after losing your temper. Hence, the name Saddle Rager.”

“Oh, gosh! That wouldn't be very polite!”

“Well...somepony has to push your buttons the right way in order to do that...but you shouldn’t worry for now.”

“Okay, so we know our superpowers, what about yours?” Rainbow asked. “I’ve noticed you never turned into a pony.”

“Uh…” I sighed. “In the comic books, Humdrum doesn’t have any superpowers.”

“What about your fire breath?” Twilight asked. “Can’t you use that?”

I blew as hard as I could, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was air. I shook my head.

“It looks like in the comic book world, we can only use the same powers as the characters,” I said. “This might be a challenge for us.”

KA-BOOM!!

A loud explosion shook the building we were standing on. We peaked over to see a nearby museum missing its front door. What came out was a purple pony with a long, green prehensile mane. She was holding the Electro-Orb, an important artifact.

“That’s the Mane-iac,” I said.

“Power Ponies!” Mane-iac laughed maniacally “How kind of you to join us!”

“I guess she’s referrin’ to us?” Applejack asked.

“Power Ponies!” I raised my fist in the air. “Assemble!”

The girls gave me confused faces.

“We’re all here, Spike,” Pinkie said.

I groaned. “Just try to defeat her!”

“Time for the mane event!” Mane-iac shouted. She tossed a pretzel cart straight at us, but we dodged at the last second. Pinkie nearly fell off the building.

“Wow! So this is how Dashie feels!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Gotta go fast!” She zipped down the building and down the streets.

“Alright, lasso!” Applejack shouted. “Tie the maniac up!”

The rope dove down to grab Mane-iac by the legs, but she evaded it. Applejack tried again multiple times, but the crazy villain kept eluding her.

“Stand still, ya bad-mane-day pony!”

“Let me try!” Rainbow pointed her necklace to the sky. “Give me lightning!”

Storm clouds instantly formed in the sky. The lightning bolts quickly struck the ground.

“Ha-ha! I’m the goddess of thunder and lightning!”

Rainbow did her best to shoot Mane-iac with the thunderbolts, but the combination of her poor aim and the swiftness of Mane-iac made it so she too couldn’t land a shot at the evil-doer.

“We’re barely harming her!” Rarity cried. “This mare is impossible!”

That’s when I had an idea. “Rarity! Make me scissors!”

“Scissors? Alright!” Rarity’s bracelets glowed and a pair of scissors appeared in my hand.

I slipped the pair into my belt and hopped on Twilight’s back. “Fly me down there, Twilight! The rest of you keep Mane-iac distracted! I’ll try to grab the orb!”

After Twilight landed on the ground floor, I quickly hopped off. Twilight then ran to the front of Mane-iac.

“Alright, Mane-iac!” Twilight shouted. “It’s time you learned a lesson in stealing.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, but she could not shoot an energy beam strong enough to hit Mane-iac.

“You know, I'm beginning to enjoy this.” Mane-iac cackled.

I quickly snuck behind cover until I was close to the orb. Feeling like I had nothing to lose, I snatched the orb from the Mane-iac’s green mane and dashed in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, I didn’t go far when Mane-iac stopped right in front of me.

“Where do you think you’re going with that?!” Mane-iac barked. “You should never take products from the grown-ups!”

I pulled out the scissors like a gun from a holster. “Don’t make me use these! I’m warning ya!”

“Didn’t your mother teach you not to run with scissors?!”

Suddenly, I felt my cape pulling over my head, blocking my vision. My hands suddenly became empty.

“I’ll have that back if you don’t mind.”

I pulled my cape back to see the Mane-iac holding the Electro-Orb.

“Well, this has been quite the mane-raising experience,” said Mane-iac. “But I really must be going.” She cackled once more as she swung away like Spider-Man with her mane.

“That could've gone better,” Applejack said as she put her lasso back.

“Well, Spike’s comic book did end with Mane-iac taking that orby thing from Humdrum,” said Rainbow Dash. “You can’t change that.”

“But we can change how this ends,” I said. “Power Ponies, we gotta get to Mane-iac’s top-secret lair before she launches her doomsday device.”

“But where in...whatever this place is...would her hideout be?” Twilight asked.

“There’s a shampoo factory a couple blocks from here that she uses. My comic book was generous enough for providing a panel that showed the map of this city, Maretropolis. I was able to memorize it fast. Now follow me!”

“Lead the way, Spike!” Applejack said.

“And we’ll all kick that Mane-iac’s butt all the way to the barber shop!” Rainbow Dash declared.

We hurried down the streets to find the factory. Without all the fighting, I could clearly see how rundown the city was. There was trash everywhere despite obvious “Do Not Litter” signs. Carriages and carts were parked in forbidden areas; some were piled with tickets. Police officers were busy catching minor thugs and other violators that weren’t that big of a threat.

“So...uh...let’s just say...in theory,” Fluttershy whimpered, “we couldn’t stop the Mane-iac from her doomsday device. What would happen then?”

“Then I believe we would remain here until we do,” I replied. “But don’t worry, Fluttershy. Everything’s going to be alright. We can do this. We defeated many villains before. This won’t be any different.”

“Aside from the fact we’re wearing superhero costumes and we only have powers that we’ve just gotten and nothing else,” Pinkie added.

Eventually, we found a warehouse with a flashing neon sign of a shampoo bottle pouring onto a mare’s mane.

“This is the place,” I said. “Obvious, I know, but I didn’t write this story.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “All right, Power Ponies, here's the plan. Rarity, you, me and—”

“Come on out, Mane-iac!” Rainbow shouted. “Or the Power Ponies are coming in!” She shot her lightning necklace up in the air, sending a lighting bolt to strike the neon sign. The short circuiting caused the sign to explode in a shower of sparks.

“So much for the ‘element of surprise,’” Twilight moaned.

“Stealth isn’t Rainbow’s strong suit,” I said. “Come to think of it, neither was Zapp’s.”

“Oh, I don't think she's home,” Fluttershy said as we approached the factory. “Maybe we should just come back later.”

An evil laugh echoed across the empty streets, giving Fluttershy the shivers.

“She’s home,” Rarity quickly said.

The garage door in front of us opened and out came multiple henchponies with styled manes.

“Time to Power Pony up!” Applejack announced.

“Ooh! Nice catchphrase!” Pinkie exclaimed as she trotted in place.

Both sides charged forward. I watched as the girls used their powers to stop the henchponies, while I did my best not to get held hostage. Suddenly, I felt a hoof slamming down on my cape, making me fall backwards.

No wonder Edna opposes capes.

“Any last words?” The henchpony asked.

“Say, is that a split end?” I asked.

The henchpony gasped and grabbed his mane. “Where?! Where?!”

I quickly stood up and karate-chopped the back of his neck, knocking him down.

“Nevermind,” I said as I rubbed my hand. “Just seeing things.”

By the time we were done, every henchpony we encountered was either frozen, shocked, tied, or all three.

“Nice work, Power Ponies!” Twilight called out. “Now let's take care of the Mane-iac and get ourselves home!”

“I don't think so!” Mane-iac appeared from the factory. “I have a city to destroy, and I'm not about to let the Power Ponies stop me! Not this time!”

“Just watch us!” Rainbow shouted.

That’s when the Mane-iac pulled out a giant spray can.

“Look out!” I shouted. “That hairspray will inhibit your powers and freeze you completely!”

Before Dash could summon any lighting, Mane-iac quickly sprayed her. She froze in mid-air. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie tried to attack her, only to meet the same faith anticlimactically. Fluttershy quickly hid behind a mailbox while I hid behind a fire hydrant.

“Just think of something that makes you angry!” I hissed. “Anything! Please!”

“I-I-I can’t!” Fluttershy cried. “I-I'm not so much angry as I am concerned, b-bordering on terrified!”

Suddenly the Mane-iac sprayed Fluttershy as well. She then pointed the can to me. I threw my hands in the air.

“Don’t do it!” I firmly shouted.

Mane-iac gave out an evil laugh. “Oh, Humdrum, why in all of Maretropolis would I use the Hairspray Ray of Doom on you? Rather pointless, don't you think?”

“Excuse me?”

Soon, the Mane-iac and her henchponies dragged the girls into her headquarters. I was left all by my lonesome.

Finding the muggle sidekick pointless, hmph. Clearly, the Mane-iac never read any superhero comic books.

I considered myself lucky that this happened just like in the show. I looked at the top of the building and noticed an air duct leading to the interior.

“Alright!” I cracked my knuckles. “Let’s get dangerous! I’ve always wanted to say that.”

My first task was to get to the top of the building and sneak in. I quickly searched around the perimeter until I saw a ladder in a dark alley. I quickly ducked behind a dumpster when I noticed a henchpony standing nearby. He seemed to be struggling with a lighter.

“Come on, stupid lighter!” The henchpony grunted. “How am I supposed to light these sparklers? I’ve been assigned boring guard duty, so the least I can do is make this shift somewhat entertaining!”

I scratched my chin. I had to think of something. I noticed an old tarp next to the dumpster and an old walking stick nearby. That’s when I had an idea. I quickly covered myself with the tarp and held the big stick out in front of me. I kept my eyes to the floor as I approached the henchpony. I heard him walking up to me.

“Is somepony there?” I asked in a British child’s accent. “Are you the foster lady?”

“Sorry, kid,” the henchpony said. “You’re in a...uh...forbidden area.” He placed a hoof on my back. “Don’t worry, I can guide you out of here.”

“Thank you. You’re as kind as you are handsome.”

“Well, I’m flattered...wait, how did you know—?”

Before the henchpony could speak another word, I swung the walking stick straight across his face. After he collapsed, I struck one more blow to his head, knocking him unconscious.

I removed the tarp. “I never said I was blind.”

I moved the henchpony up against the wall and covered him with the tarp. Thinking the lighter might be useful later on, I picked it up and slipped into my belt. I then hopped up and climbed the ladder. When I got to the top, I noticed a loose vent covering the air duct. I quickly opened the vent and climbed right in.

And here I thought overly-large air vents existed only in movies, tv shows, comic books, and...oh wait.

I crawled through the metallic passageway. I heard the voices of Mane-iac and her henchponies.

“Hey boss,” one of the henchponies said. “This hairspray doesn’t last long. What are we gonna do when the Power Ponies break free?”

“They’ll never break free!” Mane-iac rebutted. “Which is why your job is to make sure of that! Spray them every five minutes and you won’t have to worry about them escaping!”

I spotted another vent ahead. I peeped through to make sure the coast was clear. When it was, I kicked the vent open and dropped down. That’s when a small can of hairspray caught my eye. I grabbed it and read the label.

“‘Warning: Do not use near an open flame!’ Hmmm.” I tucked the can into my belt as well.

Maybe Humdrum should make a utility belt. He could be like Batman without the dead parents.

I’ve read that in one issue of Power Ponies Origins, Humdrum came from a normal background. His parents were alive and well and treated him fairly. His father was a 9 to 5 office worker while his mother was a nurse (Some very early issues depicted her as a housewife, but that was later changed). Aside from a few moments of being bullied, Humdrum had suffered no tragedies whatsoever. He joined the Power Ponies after helping the Masked Matter-Horn with stopping a ruthless thug.

I peered over the overhang to see the girls trapped in a cage. They were still frozen from that hair spray. The Mane-iac stood in front of a large device that was covered in a red tarp.

“Congratulations, Power Ponies!” Mane-iac guffawed evilly. “You shall live just long enough to see me fire...the instrument of your destruction!”

The tarp fell to reveal Mane-iac’s superweapon in the shape of a hairdryer.

And...cue the long villain speech.

“Once the Electro-Orb has powered it up completely, this cannon will amplify the power of my mane one million times, expelling an energy blast that will cause everypony in Maretropolis's mane to grow wild!”

As the ponified joker continued her monologuing, I began my second task. I quickly and stealthily grabbed the red tarp and hooked it onto two different chains. Both of them were conveniently connected to a crate that was on one of the walkways. I sneaked my way back and did my best to push it over the railings.

When I overheard the Mane-iac explaining how useless I was without any superpowers, I rolled my eyes.

“Maybe in your world,” Twilight said to Mane-iac. “But in our world, Spike...uh, Humdrum always comes through when we need him! Always!”

Thank you.

After mustering all the strength I could handle, I lifted the crate over the bars. The tarp quickly scooped up the majority of the Mane-iac’s henchponies and left them hanging.

“What the?!” Mane-iac looked at the struggling bag.

I grabbed another chain and swung towards the pony manning the Hairspray of Doom. I gave a mighty kick, knocking him off the balcony and bringing the giant can down with him. The hairspray showered some nearby henchponies, rendering them frozen.

“Way to go, Spike!” Twilight called out.

The rest of the Power Ponies unfroze themselves. Rarity summoned a giant nail file and cut the cage open. The girls escaped and attacked the rest of the henchponies. I climbed down the stairs to join them, but three henchponies stopped me.

“Where do you think you’re going?” One of them asked.

I quickly pulled out the lighter and small can of hairspray. I flicked the lighter as hard as I could to get a light. The second a flame appeared, I put it in front of the hairspray and pressed the nozzle. A great ball of fire came bursting out.

“FIRE! FIRE!” Another henchpony shouted. “Don’t let it touch my mane!”

The three henchponies quickly stumbled down the stairs.

“Didn’t expect me to pack heat, did you?” I asked.

I looked up at the ceiling and noticed a sprinkler system. I had another idea.

“Rainbow Dash! Over here!” I shouted.

Rainbow zipped up to me. “What is it?”

“Fly me to the ceiling!” I hopped on her back. “I’ve got a plan.”

Dashie flew up to where the sprinklers are.

“Brace yourself!” I commanded. “This is gonna get hot!”

Using my improvised flamethrower, I blasted fire straight at the nozzles. With a snap, the water came spraying out and soaked some of the henchponies underneath.

“NO! I just styled my mane!” One of the henchponies complained.

“Now, zap the wet floor!” I said to Rainbow Dash.

“Ah, I get it!” Rainbow sent a lighting bolt directly to the giant puddle, giving the drenched henchponies a hearty shock and an afro-like mane. They fainted after seeing each other’s messed-up mane.

“Heh-ha!” I chuckled. “I’d make a ‘shocking’ pun, but it would be too cliche even for this world.”

“You just did.”

That’s when I noticed Fluttershy heading towards the exit.

“Fluttershy!” I called out. “I know battles aren’t your forte, but you need to get angry and help us out!”

“I'm sorry,” said Fluttershy “it's just that nothing is making me mad.”

3...2...1…

Suddenly, the Mane-iac quickly flicked a firefly away, which smacked against the wall.

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, goodness! Are you okay?”

The firefly was a bit dazed, but it was alright. Fluttershy glared at Mane-iac.

“Are you kidding me?!” Fluttershy barked. “I mean, I know you're evil and everything, but you hurt a teensy, little, harmless firefly?!”

Like a ponified Bruce Banner, Fluttershy instantly bulked up and hulked out. Mane-iac tried to fire a shot at her with the doomsday device, but the projectile bounced back and hit her, tangling the villain in her own mane. Fluttershy then destroyed the device in a fit of rage.

“Yikes. Remind me to never get on Fluttershy’s bad side,” Rainbow said.

“Remind any of us to never get on her bad side,” I added.

By the time the fight was over, every single one of the Mane-iac’s henchmen was locked up and defeated along with their boss. I hopped off as soon as Rainbow landed. I quickly grabbed a pair of scissors and snipped a lock off the Mane-iac’s mane. It quickly turned white.

“Something to remember you by,” I said as I backed away. “Good job, Power Ponies!”

“Now that the Mane-iac has been defeated, does that mean we are allowed to go home?” Rarity asked.

Suddenly a white light appeared right above us.

“I believe that’s a yes,” I said.

The seven of us got sucked right into the orb of light. We fell back into the Castle of the Two Sisters on the other side. Our costumes and superpowers have vanished. I looked at my hand and noticed that the pieces of mane turned into scraps of paper.

Aw, man. I thought I could make a fortune selling the official mane of the Mane-iac at the next pony convention.

The girls exchanged excited chatter as I threw away the pieces.

“Well, that was quite the adventure,” I said as I brushed myself off. “Wasn’t it?”

“It certainly was,” said Twilight. “But please, Spike, please, please, please ask before you bring us into one of your comic books.”

“I’m sorry, Twilight. But I didn’t know the comic book would do that.” I closed the book.

“It wasn’t all that bad, Twilight,” Rainbow said. “At least we got awesome superpowers while we were there!”

“Yeah! I always wanted to go super fast!” Pinkie declared. “I could’ve made a Sonic Pinkboom!”

“I’m just glad Spike was there to help us,” said Fluttershy. “We would’ve been goners without him.”

“Thank you,” I said. “Alright, let’s get back to restoring that castle.”

“Actually, why don’t we call it a day?” Rarity fanned herself. “All that hero work has made me feel winded. I do not think I have the energy physically or magic-wise to continue.”

“I’m feelin’ tuckered out myself,” said Applejack.

“It seems like we all are,” Twilight said. “Alright. We’ll put off this restoration project for another day. Grab all the supplies and we’ll head back to Ponyville.”

I nodded and went to grab my comic book, but I noticed it wasn’t in the usual spot anymore.

“Come on, Twilight,” I said. “You don’t need to confiscate my comics. I already said it wasn’t my fault the comic created a portal like that.”

“What are you talking about Spike?” Twilight asked “I don’t have your comic.”

“Then where is it?”

The girls looked around the room, but they found no trace of it.

“I don’t understand, it was right here,” I said.

“It couldn’t have vanished, could it?” Twilight asked.

“I guess it did. Shame, though. I would’ve liked for us to try a sequel.”

It really felt awesome being in the comic book world, and unlike the old Spike, I didn’t feel useless whatsoever. And despite going in against their will, the girls enjoyed being there as well. I thought about going back to the comic book store and buying another issue. It would be nice to try to battle the Mane-iac again.

I wonder if there will be an alternate universe comic where the Mane-iac turns into a villain because of a messed-up society instead of falling into a vat of weird shampoo.

Chapter 55 (Bats!)

“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today. I want to be part of it, Manehattan, Manehattan.”

“Spike, why are you singing?”

Twilight entered the room with a confused look. She noticed a bunch of music sheets lying around me.

“Oh, hey Twilight,” I greeted. “Just practicing singing the themes for each city.”

“Why?” Twilight picked up one of the sheets.

“Just in case I have to sing for the Equestria Games. I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of millions of ponies.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure they already have somepony doing it. You don’t have to worry.”

Suddenly, the sound of a large bell rang throughout the town.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Twilight looked out the window. “It’s coming from Sweet Apple Acres! We need to head there now! Come on!” She then ran out of the library.

“I didn’t know the farm had a bell,” I said as I followed her.

As we ran for the farm, I realized this was when the episode “Bats!” took place. In the show, AJ’s orchard gets overrun by vampire fruit bats, and almost everypony but Fluttershy agrees that they need to stop eating the apples. Twilight tries to cast a spell, but it backfires and turns Fluttershy into a vampire. They did manage to save Fluttershy by sacrificing Applejack’s giant apple, but I could never figure out how Fluttershy’s reflection was shown when she’s a vampire.

I wonder what I can change in this episode. I could convince Applejack and the others to agree with Fluttershy, or I can think of an alternate way to stop Flutterbat…

By the time Twilight and I showed up at Sweet Apple Acres, the other girls had already arrived.

Applejack shouted, “Attention! This is a Sweet Apple Acres code red! I need all hooves and claws on deck!”

“Calm down, Applejack,” said Rarity.

“Calm down?! How can I calm down at a time like this?! Vampire fruit bats are attackin' Sweet Apple Acres!”

“But I thought the fruit bats usually stayed put in the west orchard,” Twilight said.

“Not to mention they aren’t that much of a threat,” I said. “They can eat a fruit or two, but...”

“The fruit bats do, but these aren't just your everyday ordinary fruit bats,” said Applejack. "They're vampire fruit bats! I'll be darned if they think they're gonna sink their fangs into my blue ribbon apple.”

Applejack unveiled a nearby tarp to reveal a giant apple that was nearly twice the size of the farm pony herself. We were all amazed by the sheer size of it. Given all the possible work she’d done to grow that apple naturally, it was no wonder AJ was worried about the fruit bats.

“Them vampire bats want to shrivel it up like a raisin!” Applejack cried.

“Oh, I'm sure if we just let them know how special that particular apple is to you, they'll leave it alone,” said Fluttershy.

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. Be my guest.”

Fluttershy flew to the section of the acres that were already infested with the vampire fruit bats. Smushed apples and broken twigs scattered across the ground.

Sheesh, you’d think vampires would have the decency to clean up after themselves.

Fluttershy tried to convince the vampire fruit bats to leave Applejack’s apples alone, but the bats retaliated by spitting seeds at her. Fluttershy quickly ran away.

“This is the first vampire fruit bat I've ever met and, well, it might take some time for me to really understand their language,” Fluttershy said.

“But you talk to all sorts of animals,” I said. “How is this any different?”

“Not every animal speaks the same way, Spike. It took me a whole day to understand Angel. Just because I talk to animals doesn’t mean I understand what they’re saying all the time.”

“And in the meantime, this pest and his vermin friends are gonna go after my prized apple and, while they're at it, every other apple in the orchard!” Applejack shouted. “These vampire bats are nothin' but a bunch of monsters!”

“Hey, now!” I shouted. “While I admit that these creatures have caused an infestation, there’s no need to flat out say that they’re vile creatures.”

“Do ya need glasses or something?! Haven’t you seen all the apples by your feet? They’re practically compost filler!”

“Yes, and that is bad. But calling them monsters is going too far.”

“Look, that doesn’t matter! We need to round these bats all up before they destroy the entire orchard!”

“Wait, Applejack,” Fluttershy pleaded. “What if instead of rounding them up, we...let them have part of the orchard?”

“Have you lost your pest-lovin' mind?!” Applejack shouted.

“They're only here because they're hungry! If we build a sanctuary for them, they could have their own apples to enjoy! After a while, they could even help the rest of your orchard! The vampire bats don't eat the seeds of the apples, and when they spit them out, they grow into even more productive apple trees!”

“She makes a good point, you know,” I said. “It could be better leaving an acre or two for them instead of driving them out completely. We can find a way to keep them within the boundaries. After all, Fluttershy is an expert on animals.”

Applejack sighed. “That sounds real nice and all, but every second we spend buildin' this so-called 'sanctuary' is a second they'll spend destroyin' orchards! You don't know what it was like the last time there was an infestation, but Granny Smith has told me enough stories about it that just the thought of it gives me nightmares! Granny says we lost a huge section of orchard that year. They had to ration out apples all winter!”

“I thought the worst infestation you ever got only cost one month’s worth of apples,” I said.

“This was before I was born, Spike.”

“What about the cider? There was still cider, right?” Rainbow asked.

“Not a drop.” Applejack shook her head.

“No cider?! We need to round up these monsters, and we need to do it now!”

“If Granny Smith wasn't with Apple Bloom and Big Mac checkin' out our produce competition in Appleloosa, she'd be here tellin' us to do just that!”

“There has to be another way, though,” I said.

“What would you suggest? Brainwash the bats into quittin’ the apples?” Applejack asked.

“Actually...that just might work!” Twilight said.

I rubbed my forehead.

Back at the library, the girls and I were finding a spell to save Applejack’s orchard.

“So, there's good news and bad news,” Twilight said. “The good news is that I found a spell that can get the vampire fruit bats to stop wanting to suck the juice from the apples.”

“This is a bad idea, Twilight,” I said. “You can’t alter a wild animal’s eating habits. It’s in the vampire fruit bats’ nature to eat apples. Denying their source of food could result in malnutrition and hunger pangs within the population.”

“I’m only gonna cast it so that the vampire fruit bats won’t eat the apples period. I’ve read that fruit bats can eat other types of fruit, so there’s no doubt in my mind that the vampire fruit bats are the same.”

“Now I’m worried about the ponies who grow other fruits.”

“So what’s the bad news?” Applejack asked.

“In order for the spell to work, I need the bats' full and complete attention,” Twilight replied. She then looked at Fluttershy.

“Oh, no,” Fluttershy squeaked.

“Fluttershy, I need you to do your stare on the bats.”

“Oh, gosh, I don't know.” Fluttershy tapped the floor.

“What's the problem? You've used the Stare plenty of times before!” Rainbow called out.

“Yes, but it's not something I take lightly. I've made a vow not to use it except in dire circumstances.”

“This circumstance is plenty dire to me!” Applejack said.

“Me too! Think of the cider!” Rainbow cried. “Won't somepony please think of the cider?!”

I shook my head. “You really are an apple-holic, Rainbow Dash.”

“Hey, I’ve been cutting back! I only had ten mugs last month!”

“I'm sorry,” Fluttershy sternly shouted. “I just don't like the idea of taking away the thing that really makes the vampire fruit bats...vampire fruit bats! It just feels wrong!”

“But if we don't do this, there won't be any apples left for anypony here in Ponyville,” said Twilight. “Doesn't that feel wrong, too?”

I had to do something.

“Uh, Twilight, is it okay if Fluttershy and I speak in private?” I asked.

Twilight furrowed her brows. “Can you make it quick?”

“Yeah, we will.” I grabbed Fluttershy’s hoof and took her outside. “No eavesdropping!”

The second I closed the front door, Fluttershy sighed heavily.

“What am I gonna do, Spike?” Fluttershy asked. “Applejack won’t listen to my idea, most of the girls are siding with her, and now they’re pressuring me to force the vampire fruit bats to stop eating the apples.”

“I know. Your sanctuary idea is pretty sound, but Applejack isn’t wrong either.”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’re siding with her, too!”

“I’m not. All I’m saying is that both of you bring up a valid point. The vampires are helping the orchard, but Applejack’s too worried about her prized apple to let the bats reside in a part of the orchard. You can’t blame her for fearing about months worth of apple growing going down the drain.”

“I know, but going so far as to remove part of their diet? I don’t know if I can allow that.”

I sighed. “I’m afraid...we have to.”

“What?!”

“Look, both sides are at an impasse. Applejack is too stubborn to let the bats have the orchard, and you and I don’t like the idea of forcing the bats to change. I’m sorry, but there’s no choice but to go with Applejack’s idea for now.”

“But the bats...”

“How about this? We’ll make the bats avoid eating apples temporarily. I’m sure after that competition, we can convince Applejack to let us revert the bats back to their normal behavior. For now, we’ll go with what she suggested. Just remember not to stand so close when Twilight casts the spell.”

Fluttershy sighed. “I guess there’s no other way.”

I opened the front door and we both headed in.

“Come on, Applejack. Are you seriously doubting that I’ve been trying to cut back on how much cider I drink?” Rainbow asked.

Applejack sighed. “I can respect that you’re tryin’, but I...oh, hey, they’re back.”

“Well, have you decided?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy looked at me. I nodded.

“I'll do it,” she said reluctantly.

The girls were glad to hear that, but Fluttershy and I felt otherwise for different reasons. Fluttershy because she had to do something unkind for the sake of the orchard. Me because this was playing out just like in the show.

We returned to the farm to round up the bats. Twilight and I were carrying a few buckets of apples to a dead tree.

“Twilight,” I said. “Please be careful with the spell. There’s no telling what might happen.”

“I know what I’m doing, Spike,” Twilight said. “No need to be doubtful.”

“I’m just afraid it might backfire. What if the bats eat the trees instead of the apples? Or their apple-loving personality gets transferred somewhere else?”

“It can’t be any worse than what we’re dealing with now.”

“Well...make sure not to stand so close to anypony when you cast it.”

After we placed the baskets on the branches, the rest of the girls came with the vampire fruit bats. In an instant, the critters munched on the apples like it was their last meal.

“Good work, everypony,” said Applejack. “I think we’ve got ‘em all!” She then looked at Fluttershy. “Now all we need is for you to do your stare.”

Fluttershy was hesitant. “Are you sure I really need…?”

I sighed and placed a hand on her back.

“There’s no other way,” I whispered. “We’ll figure something out later.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath and approached the bats.

The scene played out like in the show. Fluttershy used her stare, and the bats became entranced. Twilight then ordered us to stand back as she prepared to cast the spell. Her horn glowed, and the creatures were coated in a magenta aura. After a few minutes, the magic dissipated from Twilight’s horn. Fluttershy instantly stopped staring.

“Did it work?” I asked.

“Only one way to find out.” Applejack nodded at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow picked up one of the apples and placed it in front of a vampire fruit bat. The bat sniffed the apple, but it pushed it away and flew off. The girls sans Fluttershy lit up their faces.

“My crop is saved!” Applejack announced. “I wanna thank you for your help. I couldn't have done it without you.”

I noticed Fluttershy’s uneasy look.

“I’m sorry you had to do that,” I said quietly. “I’m sure everything will be alright.”

“I don’t know, Spike,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Now all we gotta do is sweep up these cores so I can start buckin' fresh tomorrow mornin',” said Applejack.

I was worried that something might’ve happened to Fluttershy. I quickly picked up a fresh apple and handed it to her.

“Here,” I said. “Go ahead. Might take your mind off what you did.”

Fluttershy tilted her head and took the apple. She took a tiny bite out of it.

“Thank you,” she said after she swallowed.

That’s a relief.

Sometime after we sweeped the orchard, I volunteered to escort Fluttershy home. I wanted to make sure she didn’t transform into Flutterbat. That moment with the apple wasn’t enough to convince me she didn’t change.

“I still can’t believe I did that,” Fluttershy whimpered. “I only use the Stare in dire situations or when Angel doesn’t eat his food, but not when I have to make some animal not eat their food!”

“I can’t believe it either, but you know Applejack,” I said. “She’s very protective of her orchard and her giant apple. I’m afraid this was the only choice we had.”

“How long are we going to keep the vampire fruit bats from eating the apples?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we can try to persuade her after the fruit size contest.”

I noticed the sun touching the horizon, painting the sky in a mixture of orange, purple, and black whilst doing so. Once the glowing light disappeared, the moon arrived and took its place upon the starry sky. Given how many years Celestia and Luna have done this, they’ve really made the sequence look so natural.

The first cricket of the night chirped its symphony as I arrived at the cottage with Fluttershy. She placed a hoof on the front door and sighed.

“Thank you for taking me home, Spike,” Fluttershy said.

“It was my pleasure,” I said as I hugged her. “So do you feel anything different?”

“Right now?” Fluttershy shook her head. “I don’t think so. I did feel lightheaded when I used the Stare, but other than that, no.”

“Did you have any abnormal cravings or anything when you ate that apple?”

“None that I could recall. Why are you asking me all this?”

I sighed. “I just want to make sure nothing went wrong, that’s all.”

“Spike, I know you’re worried, but I’m sure I’m fine...I think. But if anything does happen to me, I promise that I will come to you and Twilight as soon as I can.”

“Thank you.” I walked down the dirt path. “Goodnight.”

“Are you sure you can walk home all by yourself?”

“I’ll be fine.”

I hurried home as fast as I could. When I got through the front door, I saw Twilight reading a book. The desk lamp was her only source of light. Owlowiscious was on his perch preening his feathers. The second I closed the door, Twilight’s ears perked up.

“Spike?” Twilight sat up from her seat.

“Yep. It’s me,” I replied.

“I thought you were gonna stay at Fluttershy’s.” Twilight got off her chair and approached me.

“I just wanted to make sure she was home safe. I didn’t want to worry about you.”

“I would’ve understood, Spike. Given how dark it was, it would make sense for you to stay instead of traveling across town by yourself.”

I shrugged. “I’m sorry, I guess.”

After we brushed our teeth, Twilight and I went to bed.

The next morning, I got up much earlier than usual. In fact, the sun had just began to rise.

I guess I should use this opportunity to see Fluttershy. Hopefully, she didn’t end up like that British guy when he tried to brainwash those bunnies.

After doing a quick stretch, eating a quick snack, and writing a quick note, I ran out of the library. I jogged across Ponyville until the stone road turned to dirt. By the time I got to Fluttershy’s house, the sun was halfway up. I tapped on the front door.

“Fluttershy? Are you home?” I asked.

After a few minutes, I heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching. The door opened to reveal Fluttershy behind it.

“Oh, good morning, Spike,” Fluttershy greeted as she rubbed her eyes. “You’re up rather early.”

“Good morning,” I said. “Since I got up so early, I decided to take this time to greet you. I’m sorry, were you still sleeping?”

“Oh, no. I usually get up early anyway to feed some of the animals. Say, would you like to help me?”

“Sure thing.”

I helped Fluttershy with carrying some of the bags of animal food. We went all about the cottage filling up different food bowls for different animals.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah, yeah I did.” I nodded. “You?”

“I slept okay...I guess.”

“Any weird or unusual dreams?”

“Not really.” Fluttershy looked up at the ceiling. “Actually, there was one.”

“Oh? What was it about?”

“Let’s see...I think...I was at Applejack’s farm. It was late at night...”

I instantly stopped pouring and widened my eyes.

“Oh yeah, I remember. Applejack’s giant apple grew to the size of the barn,” Fluttershy continued. “I think the girls were there, too. We were congratulating her and stuff.”

I sighed in relief.

“What about you, Spike? Did you have any unusual dreams?”

I thought about it. I could hardly remember most of my dreams. Most of them weren’t significant enough for me to consider. Some dreams that I could remember were about me being back in the human world while others were something out of Discord’s imagination.

“I think...it was something about the moon...” I said.

“You were visited by Princess Luna?” Fluttershy asked as she opened the windows.

“No...I remembered something about the moon itself...I think Twilight was with me...oh! That’s it! Twilight and I went to the moon!”

“Oh, no! What did you two do wrong?!”

“Nothing! It wasn’t a punishment. We went there willingly...uh...”

I closed my eyes and tried to think. I remembered seeing something yellow. A whole lot of yellow.

“When we got there...we found out it was made of cheese.”

“Cheese?”

“Yeah, crazy right? Twilight wanted to do so much research and...I can’t remember the rest.”

“Seems rather weird for the moon to be made of cheese.”

“Yeah, but we know it’s not. It’s a ginormous rock formation that Luna controls during the night.”

Soon a bunch of Fluttershy’s animals came in and ate from their respective bowls. Fluttershy quickly prepared a salad and gave it to Angel Bunny. Angel quickly took a step back.

“What’s wrong, Angel?” Fluttershy asked.

Angel stared at Fluttershy like she was a ghost. When Fluttershy tried to approach him, Angel stumbled backwards.

“Are you alright, Angel?” I asked. “This is Fluttershy, your caregiver.”

Angel motioned his arms.

“What do you mean, ‘are you sure’?” Fluttershy asked.

Angel pointed to the ceiling and shrugged.

“Where was I last night? In my bed sleeping.”

Angel shook his head.

“Of course I was,” Fluttershy denied. “I never sleepwalk. Not since—”

Suddenly, a loud clanging noise rang throughout the cottage. The birds flapped their wings uncontrollably while the land creatures scurried around the room.

“Oh, no! Not again!” Fluttershy quickly closed the windows to nullify the sound, but it only reduced the noise by a few decibels.

“Wait, I know that sound!” I exclaimed. “It’s the Sweet Apple Acres’ bell! Applejack needs help again!”

“Then we better hurry!”

After Fluttershy calmed the animals down, I hopped upon her back. She galloped out of the cottage and to the apple farm.

“What’s the problem now?” I asked. “I thought we took care of those bats.”

“So did I,” said Fluttershy. “Oh, I used my stare for nothing.”

“First we need to see what’s going on. Maybe it’s a different problem.”

Fluttershy and I arrived at the farm first, Applejack was pacing back and forth.

“What happened, Applejack?” I asked as I jumped off Fluttershy’s back.

“I’ll explain everything once the rest of the girls show up,” Applejack replied.

We waited for a while. Eventually, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie arrived at the farm. Most of them were out of breath.

“Goodness, if this becomes the norm, then I wouldn't need to do my calisthenics anymore,” Rarity said as she patted her forehead with a handkerchief.

“What’s wrong now?” Twilight asked.

“Your spell was nothin’ but a bust, Twi!” Applejack shouted. “Come with me and I’ll show ya’ll.”

Applejack escorted us to the same section of the apple farm as yesterday. The trees and the ground were once again covered in mushy apples.

“The spell didn’t work?!” Twilight asked.

“You're darn tootin' the spell didn't work!” Applejack barked. “I think we're gonna have to take more extreme measures!”

“I hear ya, Applejack!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Come on, everypony! Let's track down those vampire bats!”

We hurried across the farm until we found the vampire fruit bats. Surprisingly, despite flying around and resting on the trees, they had absolutely no interest in eating the apples. When Dash tried to give one to the creatures, they smacked it away. The apple landed right on Rarity’s horn.

“Nice shot,” I said.

“Wait a minute...I don't think these bats are the ones that sucked my apples dry,” Applejack said.

Rarity removed the apple from her horn. “But if the vampire bats aren't eating your apples...”

“...who is?” Twilight asked.

“Well, let’s see...it would have to be some other animal who considers apples as part of their diet,” I said. “Applejack, how many apple trees have you seen today that had their apples ruined?”

Applejack scratched her head. “Hmm...if I had to guess...actually, I noticed there weren’t as many trees destroyed as last time.”

“So that would indicate two possible and reasonable explanations. One, the new group of animals are smaller in size or number compared to the vampire fruit bats. Two, it was a vampire fruit bat that somehow escaped before Twilight cast her spell.”

“But we’ve gone through the orchard thoroughly and grabbed every fruit bat possible,” said Rainbow Dash. “Are you saying one of them was smart enough to hide themselves so we wouldn’t catch them?”

“It could be possible.” I looked up at the nonchalant bats. “There are some other possibilities, but they’re not as plausible. All the bats could be tricking us, which seems too much of a stretch.” I picked up the stabbed apple and held it up to Fluttershy’s face. “There’s also the possibility of some other animal suddenly gaining the vampire bats’ urge out of nowhere. Again, just random speculation on my part. Or maybe, just maybe, the vampire bats got some other animal to attack the trees just to spite Applejack.”

“Are ya sayin’ that the vermin are all conspirin’ against me just because I deny them food?” Applejack asked. “I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous. Besides, if the critters were all connected somehow, wouldn’t Fluttershy notice something?”

Fluttershy quickly looked away from the apple. “Applejack, Spike was only guessing. All the different types of animals may be connected, but it’s not like there’s an animal mafia. At least...that’s what I think...”

“Darlings, I believe we’re going nowhere with this,” Rarity said. “Going back to what Spikey Wikey said, the possibility of another creature doesn’t sound so far off. Perhaps it was by pure coincidence that these new pests just happened to arrive right after we dealt with the vampire fruit bats. The only question is who?”

“Any ideas, Fluttershy?” I asked.

Fluttershy shook her head. “I'm sorry. I don't know. I can’t think of any other animal that could do something like this.”

“Well, there's only one way to find out,” Twilight said. “We'll have to catch whoever it is in the act.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Rarity asked.

“A stakeout! Everypony will meet up here tonight the second Luna raises the moon. Hopefully, we can catch this creature red-hoofed.”

Pinkie added, “Or red-pawed, or red-handed, or red-winged, or...”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it, Pinkie,” said Twilight.

The following evening, Twilight and I were at the library. I came down the stairs to see Twilight fiddling with a bunch of flashlights and tracing paper.

“What are you making?” I asked.

“Pony signals,” Twilight replied as she taped a flame-shape piece of paper to one of the flashlights. “The pegasi weather team has made the sky a bit foggy tonight, so I’m hoping we could use that to our advantage. Rarity and I already have a spell prepared, but I’m making these for the rest of the girls and you.” Twilight looked out the window. “We better hurry to the farm. It’s almost nighttime.”

Twilight placed the flashlights into her saddle bag. Once I got on her back, she trotted out of the library and into the night.

“I really hope we find this creature,” I said. “The bats were bad enough, but now we’re finding an unknown creature.”

“I know, and the worst part is that we don’t know what this creature could be capable of. It could be something beyond our control for all we know.”

We arrived at Sweet Apple Acres just in time for the other girls to show up. We all entered the orchard with Applejack. The place looked rather creepy at night.

“The witching hour...” Rainbow said spookily.

“Maybe we should just call this off,” said Fluttershy. She then looked at one of the apples that hasn’t fallen victim to the unknown creature. “Not sure about the rest of you guys, but I'm really hungry…”

I raised my eyebrows.

Oh, shoot. Don’t tell me she’s the creature again!

“Oh, Fluttershy, it'll be okay,” said Rarity. “Don't forget, darling, we're all in this together.”

Twilight gave each of us our respective pony signals. She and Applejack reminded us to use them whenever we see something suspicious.

“Alright, now everypony split up,” said Applejack. "We'll each patrol our own row of the—”

“No, we can’t do that!” I interrupted sternly. “This creature could be after more than just apples. We need to go in pairs. We’ll have company, and we can defend each other should the worst happen.”

“But there are seven of us, Spike,” said Applejack. “Seven ain’t an even number.”

“Then there will be a group of three.”

“Spike does have a point,” Twilight said. “We can split up, but we can’t go alone. We need to have teams. Does that sound fair to everypony?”

Everypony nodded.

“Good. Pinkie, you’re with Applejack. Spike, you’re with Fluttershy. Rarity and Rainbow Dash, you’re with me.”

After our team tagging, we split into our different groups. Fluttershy and I were walking down one of the rows of the orchards.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Fluttershy said.

“So do I, but we need to keep going,” I said. “Applejack’s orchard is at stake, and we can't stand around idly while the creature sucks the place dry.”

That’s when I noticed Fluttershy staring at an apple. Drool dripped down from her lips.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I tapped her shoulder with my flashlight. “Look alive.”

Fluttershy shook her head violently. “I’m sorry. I’m just...a little hungry.”

“Did you eat dinner at all?” I asked as I walked in front of her. “We’ve already got one creature eating all the apples, we don’t need another.”

“I ate dinner. Just...not as much as I thought.”

“Well, after all this is done, we can grab a meal,” I offered. “I think there are a few places in town that are still open.”

Right after I said that, Fluttershy looked at the apple once more. She drooled like a corgi during lunchtime. I tapped her on the shoulder again, but she didn’t respond this time. I quickly flickered my flashlight in her face only to achieve the same result.

“Fluttershy! Fluttershy!” I called out. “Snap out of it! Stop!”

But it was too late. Fluttershy quickly pounced at the apple and disappeared into the bushes. I could hear the sound of munching within the leaves.

“Fluttershy?” I asked.

I backed away and attempted to turn on the signal, but…

WHAM!!

Fluttershy leaped out from the bushes and pinned me to the ground. Her hoofs pushed my arms down like hydraulic presses. I looked up to see Fluttershy’s face in the pale moonlight. Her mane was ruffled up, her eyes were bloodshot red, and her teeth had grown a pair of fangs which dripped a mixture of saliva and apple juice onto my face and on the ground around me! This was not Fluttershy; this was Flutterbat! Her heavy breathing and her sinister look sent my heart into a pumping rampage! I felt like I was the prey of a hungry lion!

“I’m sorry for this,” I whispered quickly.

Using my feet, I bucked Flutterbat right in the chest. She stumbled backwards on her hind hooves. Quickly, I stood up and shot a fireball straight up in the sky, ignoring the directions to use my pony signal. Flutterbat circled me like a panther and hissed like a cobra. I snatched up an uneaten apple from the ground and tossed it by Flutterbat’s hooves. I then dashed in the opposite direction.

I hurried across the orchard never looking back. I avoided any roots or branches I could trip over or crash into. I didn’t know if Flutterbat was chasing me, but I wasn’t going to stop to find out. Suddenly a dark figure with wings approached me. With little time to react, I exhaled as much fire as I could in front of me, hoping to scare the creature away.

“Spike! Spike! Spike!” Twilight’s voice shouted rapidly.

Suddenly, the flames were extinguished by an unknown source of water. I then felt a pair of hooves grab me. The lavender coat and the glowing of the creature’s horn revealed that it was Twilight. She cast a light spell to illuminate the surrounding area.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s just me, Spike,” Twilight whispered softly as she pulled me close to her chest. “No need to panic.”

“Sheesh, Spike, you could’ve burned down the entire orchard,” Rainbow Dash said. “While that could drive the creature out, I don’t think Applejack would like that. It’s a good thing Twilight had that fire extinguisher spell.”

“Whatever were you running from?” Rarity asked. “And where is Fluttershy?”

“And why didn’t you use your pony signal?” Twilight added. “We saw that green fireball flying up in the air. Did the flashlight not work? I just replaced the batteries.”

I took a deep breath and said, “Fluttershy tried to attack me.”

“What?” Rarity asked. “Why did she do that?”

“We were looking through our row when she became entranced at one of the apples. I tried to get her to snap out of it, but she grabbed the apple and dove into one of the bushes. When she came out, she looked like something out of a horror novel.”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.

“She had red eyes, a messed-up mane, and...fangs. Girls, I think the creature who ate all those apples...was Fluttershy herself.”

“Are you serious?” Twilight asked.

“I saw her with my own two eyes. She grabbed the apple, and I heard her sucking it dry. She then pounced at me like I was a giant purple apple, but I was lucky to escape.”

“Where is she now?”

“Back there, I think.” I pointed to the trees behind me.

“Then we better investigate.”

I guided Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash back to where Fluttershy had her transformation. When we got there, the only thing left was my pony signal.

“So you say that Fluttershy attacked you around here?” Rarity asked.

“That’s right,” I replied as I picked up the flashlight. “We better find Applejack and Pinkie Pie.”

“No need to Spike,” a voice said. “‘Cause we’re already here.”

Applejack and Pinkie appeared behind us.

“When we saw that ball of fire, we hurried over here like rabbits on a racetrack,” Applejack said.

“Even though it wasn’t the signal,” Pinkie said. “You did remember the flashlight, right?”

“Now what’s this about Fluttershy attackin’ ya, Spike? Fluttershy wouldn’t swat a mosquito, let alone hurt a baby dragon.”

“Applejack, I think I found out who ate your apples,” I replied. “It was Fluttershy.”

“What are ya talkin’ about? First ya claim she harmed you, and now—”

Rarity tapped Applejack on the shoulder. “Pardon me, Applejack, but I believe Spike might be speaking the truth. Look there.”

She pointed to a dark figure hanging upside down from a nearby tree. Pinkie shined her light at it to confirm that it was indeed Fluttershy, or Flutterbat in this case.

“We've gotta get her down from there!” Twilight declared.

Just like in the show, the girls tried to stop Flutterbat from being a vampire. Flutterbat only responded with hisses and the consumption of apples. She then swooped down by us, freaking everypony out.

“Flutterbat on the loose!” Pinkie shouted. “Run for your lives!” She quickly dug a ditch into the ground.

Flutterbat returned to the branch she was hanging from.

“Pinkie Pie, calm down!” Twilight called out. “See? She's back on her...branch.”

“She's just biding her time!” Pinkie denied. “Waiting for the right moment to pounce!”

“Pinkie Pie, bats don't eat ponies,” said Applejack. “Not even vampire bats.”

“I remember reading a novel about vampires,” I said. “The vampire in the story would only bite ponies, and even then it was to turn them into vampires themselves.”

“That ain’t helpin’, Spike.”

“See?” Pinkie ducked into the ditch. “I don’t know about you girls, but I don’t want to end up as a vampire and be stuck saying ‘bleh bleh bleh’ after every sentence!”

“Vampires don’t say ‘bleh bleh bleh,’ Pinkie,” I said.

“How did this happen?” Rarity asked. “That's what I don't understand.”

“I think this was actually our fault,” Twilight replied somberly.

“Our fault?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“And how'd you figure that?” Applejack added.

Twilight projected a grid with her horn. Three figures in the shape of Twilight, a bat, and Fluttershy appeared.

Twilight cleared her throat. “The spell was supposed to go right onto the bats like this, but somehow the spell must have backfired.” A line went from Twilight to the bats and bounced right to Fluttershy. “It took the vampire fruit bats' desire to be vampire fruit bats and transferred that desire into Fluttershy.” The Fluttershy figure turned into the shape of Flutterbat.

“I told you it was a bad idea,” I said. “My dragon’s intuition is almost never wrong.”

“How are we gonna change Fluttershy back?” Applejack asked. “The family can’t afford another apple massacre.”

“I can reverse the spell to make Fluttershy back to normal, though that would mean the bats would eat the apples again.”

“That’s fine,” Applejack sighed. “It was my fault for not listenin’ to Fluttershy. I should’ve gone with her idea had I known she’d end up like this.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked impatiently. “Let's save Fluttershy before that thing eats us all!”

Flutterbat quickly swooped down at us once again. We quickly ducked and chased after her, but she disappeared into the trees.

“I can't believe we lost her!” Rarity cried.

“There’s gotta be some way to slow her down,” said Applejack.

“Why don’t we expose her to sunlight?” I asked. “If Flutterbat’s anything like the vampire pony in the original novel, the UV rays might weaken her. All we have to do is convince Celestia to raise the sun early and...”

“That won’t work, Spike,” Twilight said. “Even at a time like this, we can’t have the princess raise the sun in the middle of the night. It’ll confuse everypony else.”

Well, we can’t directly hurt Flutterbat either, which rules out stakes and silver. And I don’t know enough about pony religion to use a holy symbol. That only leaves garlic...

“How about garlic?” I asked. “We can trick her into eating it, and when she’s weakened, ZAP! You can reverse the spell and change Fluttershy back, Twilight!”

“How are we gonna do that?” Rainbow asked. “Garlic can be smelled a mile away even if you have a cold. It’s gonna take more than just painting a clove red in order for her to eat it.”

“True. That’s why I have an idea. Twilight, remember when you turned that apple into an orange, but couldn’t get its taste right?”

“Yeah...” Twilight widened her eyes in realization. “Oh, you want me to turn some garlic into an apple, but retain it’s taste, right?”

“Exactly. By the time she realizes it’s a trick, it would be too late.”

“I think we still got some cloves back at my house,” Applejack said. “Let’s hurry back!”

We hurried to AJ’s house. Applejack picked a couple of cloves from a bundle on the wall and placed them on the table.

“Thankfully, I mastered this spell,” Twilight said. “So now I know which part to leave out.”

Twilight’s horn glowed brightly, and the white-colored cloves metamorphosed into shiny red apples.

“Looks like an apple.” Applejack picked up one of the disguised garlic cloves and sniffed it. “Smells like an apple.” She then took a bite out of it, but instantly cringed and spat out the piece. “Blegh! Ugh! Yep, that tastes like garlic alright.”

“Alright. Now one of us has to lure Fluttershy close while we try to grab her and reverse the spell,” Twilight said. “Any volunteers?”

Everypony stayed silent.

“Somepony has to do it. I can’t pin her down and cast the spell at the same time.”

I took a deep breath and picked up the unbitten apple. “I’ll do it.”

“Spike? Why do you want to do this?” Rarity asked. “Do you not realize how dangerous she is? She tried to attack you once before.”

“She may be a scary vampire, but she’s still my special somepony. I have nothing to lose at this point. Even if she penetrates my thick scales, I already have fangs and a prolonged lifetime. I’d just have to give up garlic bread and introduce myself to more apples in my diet.”

“Spike...” Twilight placed a hoof on my shoulder. “...please be careful. Fluttershy may be a kind pony, but we’ve seen what Flutterbat might be.”

“I understand what’s at stake here. This time, I’ll be brave.”

I grabbed a scarf and we headed back outside. Once we got into the orchard, the girls hid behind the bushes while I walked out in the open with the “apple.” I wrapped the scarf around my neck just in case things went downhill.

I hope this works. As much as I love Flutterbat when she’s not attacking, I don’t want her form to be permanent.

Suddenly, I saw a dark form striking the ground. When the dust settled, I saw Flutterbat approaching me like a wolf getting ready to strike. Her hissing sound sent shivers up my spine.

“Here...for you,” I said.

I rolled the “apple” across the ground. Flutterbat sniffed it a bit before pouncing right on it. She snapped her jaw shut as she took a great big bite out of the “apple.” She chewed twice before swallowing the bite completely. Suddenly, her eyes widened. She tried to stand up, but her legs wobbled like gelatin. Flutterbat coughed loudly like she was choking.

“Garlic…!” Flutterbat wheezed. “Garlic!”

I hurried over and held her head. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s for your own good. Twilight, now!”

Twilight hopped from the bushes and galloped towards the vampire bat pony. Flutterbat tried to fly away, but she was too weak to even stand, let alone move her wings.

“Here we go!” Twilight announced.

Twilight’s horn glowed as a bright pink light encased Fluttershy. I watched as her fangs shrunk down to normal teeth, her wings formed into feathers, and the redness in her eyes dissolved into her normal teal color. Once the spell was complete, Fluttershy collasped to the ground.

The others came out of the bushes and surrounded Flutershy. She slowly opened her eyes.

“Where...am I?” Fluttershy asked.

The girls cheered in delight.

“Thank goodness you're okay!” Applejack exclaimed as she hugged Fluttershy. That’s when she smelled her breath. “But...uh...ya might want to...uh...brush...”

“What happened to me?” Fluttershy asked. She then smacked her lips. “Why does my mouth taste like I ate a loaf of garlic bread?”

“You turned into a vampire pony!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Fluttershy gasped. “I tried to eat ponies?!”

“No! No!” I denied. “You only ate apples, thankfully. We used that to help you change back, which is why we disguised a clove of garlic as an apple. Don’t worry, you didn’t harm anypony...or dragon.”

Fluttershy sighed in relief.

“Listen, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “After all that has happened, I’m willin’ to try your idea this time.”

The next morning, the girls and I helped Applejack with preparing an area for the vampire fruit bats. Applejack apologized to Fluttershy about not taking her suggestion initially. Fluttershy accepted and reassured that the bats will produce seeds that would grow into bigger and better trees. She was also able to understand the vampire fruit bats and made sure that they stayed in their section of the orchard.

We later went to Fluttershy’s house. I wrote down Applejack and Fluttershy’s entry.

“Be sure to put in there that I came to see that my short-term solution was a little short-sighted,” said Applejack.

“And that you shouldn't let anypony pressure you into doing something that you don't think is right,” Fluttershy added. “Sometimes you have to tell even your closest friends 'no'.”

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

Applejack pulled out an apple. “Now, how about we celebrate our stronger than ever friendship with a nice, ripe, juicy apple?”

Fluttershy stared at the apple, but then Pinkie Pie butted in wearing fake fangs.

“Stand back!” She spoke in a fake vampire accent. “I vant to suck its juice!”

Pinkie tried to bite the apple, but she only got the fake fangs stuck. We all laughed at that.

I was disappointed that Fluttershy still became Flutterbat. I didn’t see any fangs from her mouth anymore, but I was a little worried that Flutterbat might come back someday. At least Applejack’s giant apple was saved.

Speaking of which, Applejack’s giant apple was put in the competition later in the week. She won first place for size, and second place for quality. It was too bad the vampire fruit bats couldn’t show up a couple of years earlier.

Chapter 57 (Three's a Crowd)

“Do you really think Applejack and Pinkie Pie could be related?” I asked.

“It’s possible,” Twilight replied. “We all share a common ancestor after all. Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns came from an ancient species known as the ‘Hyracotherium’ millions of years ago. Going farther back reveals that ponies and dragons shared a common ancestor once. It was known as...”

“I hate to interrupt you at that particular moment, but that’s not what I meant. Are AJ and Pinkie related much closer?”

Twilight shrugged. “I doubt it. Aside from being Earth ponies, working on a farm, and living in Ponyville, there’s not enough evidence to prove that the Apples and Pie family are related.”

“Huh. So what was that common ancestor that dragons and ponies shared?”

“The ‘Ichthyostega.’”

Aside from that conversation, there was not much I could change for “Pinkie Apple Pie.” I didn’t know if Pinkie and Applejack were related, but given how the former settled for being an honorary Apple, it was good enough for me. I guess it would have to be one of those mysteries that can’t be solved even when I’m in the pony world. Although I did have some thoughts about investigating.

“Rainbow Falls” remained unchanged too due to it being Rainbow’s key episode. After the events of the episode, Rainbow mentioned how she saw a rainbow and how her pin also shined in a rainbow color. Twilight and I told her that Rarity experienced the same thing with her spool of rainbow thread, and that Dash should keep the pin in a safe place just in case.

The next episode to come up was “Three’s a Crowd”. In the show, Discord shows up pretending to be sick, and tries to torment Twilight and Cadance, who is also visiting Ponyville. I didn’t know where the old Spike went during all those events, but seeing how I was Spike this time, I knew I could try to change something. I felt like if I told Twilight to research what “Blue flu” really was, she could find out Discord’s plan long before the Tatzlwurm incident.

I went to the mailbox as usual and grabbed the mail. It was all a bunch of junk mail except for one letter from the Crystal Empire.

Even in Equestria, there’s junk mail. I’m starting to think the only difference between my world and Equestria is the amount of legs the population walks on.

“Twilight! Mail!” I shouted.

I quickly released my grip from the letters as soon as Twilight grabbed them. She opened the Crystal Empire letter and skimmed through it.

“Yes!” Twilight shouted. She then grabbed me with her magic in delight and galloped in circles. “She can make it, she can make it!”

“I guess Cadance said she can visit this weekend, right?!” I asked.

Once Twilight put me down, I tumbled to the floor. I couldn’t tell if the library was spinning or my head was.

“I'm finally gonna get to spend some quality time with my sister-in-law!” Twilight exclaimed. “This is the best news ever!”

Then there was a soft knock on the door. It slowly opened, and Fluttershy peeked in.

“Um, so sorry for barging in like this,” said Fluttershy as she walked in. “But I'm so excited, I just couldn't wait to tell somepony!” She pulled out a piece of parchment. “The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures have given me permission to observe the rarest, tiniest, most adorable magical creatures in all of Equestria: the Breezies!”

“Wow, Fluttershy, that's fantastic!” Twilight and I exclaimed in unison.

“Oh, it's not just fantastic. It just might be the best news ever!”

Suddenly, the front door slammed wide open. I was lucky I wasn’t standing nearby. Pinkie Pie came pronking in.

“I just got the most incredible mail anypony's ever received in all of recorded pony postal history!” Pinkie pulled out a flyer. “It's a flyer about a one-day sale on used patio furniture! Could this day get any better?! Woo-hoo!”

The three of us sheepishly smiled after that.

“Oh, Spike. Could I, um, ask you something real quick?” Fluttershy whispered.

“Uh, sure,” I replied quietly.

Fluttershy took me to the other side of the room.

“I wanted to know...” Fluttershy rubbed her front hooves together. “...i-if you aren’t busy this weekend...it would be nice if…”

I tilted my head. “What are you trying to ask me?”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Would you like to come with me to see the Breezies?”

I raised my eyebrows. Fluttershy asking me to tag along came right out of left field. Was it due to the fact that I was in a relationship with her? I knew that this didn’t happen to the old Spike. But if I went with her, I would miss out on Discord’s antics and helping Twilight. On the other hand, I didn’t want to reject Fluttershy’s offer.

“Sure, I guess,” I replied.

“Oh, thank you!” Fluttershy gave me a big hug.

“But are you sure it’s a good idea for me to join you? I mean, these Breezies sound very delicate. I don’t want to cause any trouble. For all we know, the Breezies and dragons could be enemies by nature.”

“Spike, it’s okay. I don’t think dragons and Breezies are sworn enemies. If it helps, you could read about the Breezies before our trip. After all, you had me do the same for the animals back at the Grand Galloping Gala.”

“That is true.” I rubbed the back of my head. “Wait, what about your animals? Who’s going to take care of them while we’re gone?”

“I can get Doctor Fauna from the animal clinic to look after them. She’s very good with animals, and she enjoys interacting with my animal friends.”

I spent the next few days researching the Breezies. Surprisingly, I was able to find a lot of information about them, such as their diet, their language, their customs, and more.

So ponies could do research on a very rare species, but not on the common dragon if their life depended on it. Granted, the Breezies can’t hurt a pony, but still...

“Make sure you pack the bare essentials for this trip, Spike,” Twilight reminded me. “And I don’t mean just comic books.”

“Don’t worry Twilight,” I said. “I know what to pack.”

“I’m surprised Fluttershy asked you to go with her.”

“I know. Usually, I would invite her, or ask if I could join her.”

“I guess after all you’ve done for her, she wanted to make it up to you besides tea parties.”

“I guess...”

Though, it can’t be a coincidence that I’ll be away when Discord arrives.

“You know, I wonder what Discord’s up to,” I said. “It’s been a while since we’ve seen him. I hope he’s doing well.”

“Probably in his own little world,” replied Twilight. “Figuratively and maybe literally knowing him.”

“Fluttershy told me that she would write letters to him sometimes. Not to mention they also have their own tea time.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that. Maybe she should invite you and Discord together,” Twilight snarked.

“Uh...I don’t think so. It might get awkward. After all, two’s company, but three’s a crowd.”

Wait...did I just drop the episode title?

The day of Fluttershy and my trip came so quickly. We were already at the station with the rest of the girls. Fluttershy and I wore similar hats and bandanas.

Rarity handed Fluttershy a rolled up piece of cloth. “Here's a wrap, in case it gets cold.”

“And I packed you both a basket of nice fresh apples in case you get hungry,” Applejack said after placing said basket in front of us.

“Have a great time, you two,” Twilight said.

“Oh, we will,” Flutters said. “And I hope you have fun with Cadance.”

“Too bad I can’t be here to greet her,” I said.

“Don’t worry Spike,” Twilight said as she hugged me. “I’ll tell her that you said ‘hi’.”

The train gave a loud whistle as the conductor announced everypony to board. Fluttershy and I hopped in. We waved the girls goodbye until the train station was out of view.

Fluttershy clapped her hooves. “Oh, isn’t this exciting, Spike? We finally get to see the Breezies!”

“Yeah it is. I’ve been reading a lot about them. I even brought the book with me.” I pulled out said book from my bag.

Fluttershy giggled. “You’re just like Twilight.”

“Well, ‘luck favors the prepared’. I’ve even practiced speaking quietly so I wouldn’t disturb the Breezies. Listen...”

Just as I opened my mouth, a loud blaring noise blasted throughout the train car! I slammed my mouth such and smacked both my hands to my lips!

“Th-that wasn’t it!” My voice muffled through my scaled palms. “I swear! I didn’t make that—”

“Mommy! Mommy, look!” A colt from the other side of the car shouted. “A train made of crystals!”

“Huh?” The mother of the child looked out the window. “It’s the Crystal Empire train!”

The other riders, including Fluttershy and me, dashed to the other side and pressed our muzzles against the window. The Crystal Empire train came whooshing past us like a bullet. Most of the passengers waved and tried to take pictures of its brief appearance. Once the train vanished as soon as it appeared, we all returned to our seats. Chatter soon followed.

“I can’t believe the Crystal Empire’s visiting today!”

“You think Princess Cadance is on that train?”

“I hope they like our town.”

“Wait, did I remember to bring my keys?”

“I guess that must’ve been Princess Cadance,” said Fluttershy. “I hope she enjoys her visit with Twilight.”

“I hope so, too,” I said. “Say, how are things with you and Discord?”

Fluttershy gave me a confused look. “Why would you ask that?”

“I was just curious. I know that you send letters to each other and have tea. I just want to know if he really likes being your friend.”

“Discord and I enjoy being friends. After all, I am the first friend he ever made. Wait...are you...jealous of us?”

I widened my eyes. “Oh no, I’m not! I just want to know if he’s okay with me being with you. I don't want him to be jealous or anything just because we’re in a relationship.”

“You don’t have to worry, Spike. From what his letters and conversations at tea time told me, he doesn’t mind us being together, even if we’re two different species. As long as I can still be his friend, it’s fine by him.”

“I sure hope so.”

I looked out the window. I prayed that Twilight’s doing well despite Discord’s antics.

I’m sure Discord has arrived out of the blue by now, no pun intended. At least Cadance wanted some excitement for her trip.

“Hey, look. There’s our stop.” Fluttershy pointed out the window and at the station approaching us.

The train slowed down to a halt. Fluttershy and I grabbed our bags and headed out of the train.

“Okay, so we have to travel down this dirt path and through the forest, and we should meet some of the members of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures.” Fluttershy pointed at the forest in front of us.

The forest was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, including in the show! The trees were such an immense height that they were practically touching the clouds. Each trunk was twice the width of the Golden Oaks Library. They must have been Giant Redwoods, or at least Equestria’s version of Giant Redwoods.

“Oh, my!” Fluttershy gasped. “I didn’t know trees grew that high. And I thought the buildings in Manehattan were tall.”

“Amazing,” I said. “Proves that nature can set its own records, too.” I stretched a bit. “Alright, I guess we better get moving.”

Fluttershy nodded.

We entered the giant forest. As we walked across the barely visible dirt path, we encountered a lot of creatures that were not so different from the ones back at home, like squirrels, birds, mice, and more. Fluttershy and I found them adorable, but we knew that the most adorable creatures were just waiting ahead.

“Whew.” Fluttershy removed her hat and wiped the sweat off her forehead. “I didn’t think it would take this long to meet with the members.” She pulled out her canteen and took a sip of water.

“I know what you mean,” I said as I drank from my canteen. “You’d think we’d meet one of them at the station.”

That’s when Fluttershy’s ears perked up. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what? The wind? The birds?”

“No...do you hear music? Like from a musical instrument?”

I removed my hat and remained silent. Just like Fluttershy said, I heard the faint sound of music playing.

“Sounds like it’s farther down the road,” I said. “Let’s go see what it is.”

We both put our hats back on and hurried across the forest. The music got louder and louder. It was then we encountered its source and then some.

On the side of the road stood a light-blue, open carriage with big, colorful flowers painted on the side. A group of four ponies sat around it. Two of them were earth ponies, and the other two were pegasi. They all were wearing unusual clothing, from tie-dye t-shirts to beads to bandanas. In front of the cart sat the two earth ponies. One of them, a long-bearded stallion, was playing a sitar while the other, a mare, sang along. What surprised me was that I recognized the mare. She had a lime-green coat, red dreadlocks, purple eyes, and a heart-shaped tree as a cutie mark.

Treehugger? Oh, right. Fluttershy met her during her trip to see the Breezies.

“‘Cause when you worry, your face will frown,” Treehugger sang. “And it will bring everypony down...don’t worry, be happy.”

Fluttershy and I approached the group. Once they noticed us, the music stopped.

“He-hey, another traveling pony comin’ to hear our vibes,” Treehugger said. “That’s a cute pet drake you’ve got there, dude.”

I assumed she was referring to me as the pet.

“Uh, heh,” I sheepishly chuckled. “I’m not her pet, I’m her special somepony.”

“Woah, man,” a female pegasus with rose-colored glasses said from the cart. “Interspecies relationship, I dig that. So what brings you two this way?”

“Well, we heard the music and wanted to see where it was coming from,” said Fluttershy. “We were just passing by. We’re meeting with some members of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures on the other side of this forest.”

Treehugger raised an eyebrow. “Wait a mo. You’re Fluttershy, aren’t ya?”

“How do you know my name?”

“My folks at the ESPRC told me that you were comin’ to see the Breezies. Righteous.”

“Your folks? Are you a member, too?”

“Right on.” Treehugger pulled out a badge from her bandana. It had the initials of the society’s name stitched in. “Been chillin’ with them for, like, over five years now.”

“Are the rest of you members as well?” I asked.

“Nah, man,” the sitar pony replied. “Just friends of Treehugger. She invited us to see the Breezies, and we didn’t wanna be downers for missing out.”

“We were gonna come pick you and your special somedragon up,” said the male pegasus with the tie-dye shirt. “But we, like, took a short break to mellow out a bit.”

Treehugger put the badge back in her bandana. “But since you’re here, would you two like to tag along with us? We can, like, get you there faster, man.”

Fluttershy scratched her chin. She then nodded. “I wouldn’t mind that.”

“Me neither,” I said. “Count us in.”

“Groovy,” the sitar pony said. “Just hop right into our wagon. But be wary of any glass vases. They’re for my collection.”

Fluttershy and I climbed onto the colorful carriage as the other ponies made room and packed up. The sitar pony buckled the straps and pulled the carriage around. Soon we were on our way down the dirt path and through the forest.

Never thought I would meet a group of hippie ponies while being in Equestria.

“So, I got your name, Fluttershy,” said Treehugger. “But I never got your name, lil’ drake. What do the pones call you?”

“My name is Spike,” I replied.

“‘Spike,’ huh? I knew you had a ‘Spike’ aura around you.”

“Uh...yeah.” I never understood hippie lingo. “What about you? What kind of ‘aura’ do you have?”

“My name is Treehugger, if that’s what you’re, like, asking.”

“Nice to meet you, Treehugger,” said Fluttershy. “And what about the rest of you?”

“I’m Tie Dye,” said the male pegasus.

“Soul Flower is me, man,” the female pegasus said.

“And I’m Sitar String,” said the sitar pony as he waved at us.

“Well, it’s so nice to meet you all,” said Fluttershy. “I hope we will all enjoy seeing the Breezies.”

“I hope so, too,” said Treehugger. She then pulled out a big plastic sandwich bag that had a bunch of brown squares inside. “Care for a brownie? I made them myself with, like, my granny’s recipe. Bless her soul.”

“No, thank you,” Fluttershy said politely. “We’ve got our own snacks.” Fluttershy pulled out the apples.

“Yeah, we’re good for now,” I said as I grabbed one of the apples.

“Suite yourself, man.” Treehugger pulled out one of the brownies and took a big bite. She then sighed heavily. “Oh, yeah. That extra butter makes ‘em go down the hatch real smooth.”

“So how did you become a member?” Fluttershy asked.

“Told the members I had a knack for rare creatures. How I related to them on a spiritual level. Even showed them, like, a few skills I have, like singing a calming sonic bliss. The members liked my flow, so they let me in.”

“That sounds very interesting. Maybe someday I could join the society.”

Come to think of it, why didn’t Fluttershy join the society in the show? She’d fit right in.

I was thankful we were offered a ride. It gave Fluttershy and I more time to admire the scenery. The sound of the forest was like a hidden symphony no orchestra could recreate. The sight of the trees and how the sunlight pierced between each trunk was like a natural painting even Bob Ross would be envious of. I had to admit that it was worth skipping the episode to tag along with Fluttershy.

“Okay, we’re approachin’ a river,” Sitar String said. “It’s gonna be bumpy, so hang tight.”

We held on to the side of the wagon as it vibrated across the river. It didn’t take long for us to reach the other side. However, just when we thought we were in the clear…

SNAP! Crash!

The wagon suddenly dipped forward and to the side, nearly throwing all of us off. None of Sitar’s vases broke, thankfully.

“Oh, no,” said Sitar. He quickly unbuckled the straps. “You dudes alright up there?”

“We’re fine, man,” Tie Dye said. “What happened?”

“Aw, bummer! The wheel came off.”

“Here, let me help you,” said Fluttershy.

“Same with me,” I said.

Fluttershy and I hopped off the carriage. Sitar instructed us to lift the cart up while he tried to put the wheel back on. Fluttershy and I got under and hoisted the three-wheeled cart with all our might. Quickly, Sitar rolled the wooden wheel back and secured it onto the axle.

“Far out, man,” said Sitar. “You folks are outtasight. Thanks for helpin’ out.”

“You’re welcome,” said Fluttershy as we lowered the wagon.

“Shouldn’t be, like, too far now,” said Treehugger. “Hop back in.”

Fluttershy and I did just that. Once we got on, the wagon took off again.

“Love the kindness and helpful vibe you two are pulling off,” said Soul.

Fluttershy blushed. “Well, we were just glad to help. You remind me of a family I once knew back when I was a filly.”

“Really?” I asked. “I didn’t know that. When did this happen exactly?”

“It was when I had my cutie mark. I met a nice traveling family down on the ground. Since I was too weak to fly back to my home in Cloudsdale, I stayed with them for a few days. They were kind, laid-back, and loved animals just as much as me.”

“How did you get back to Cloudsdale?” I asked. “I remembered one of the CMC telling me that you fell during Rainbow Dash’s race and a group of butterflies saved you, but I don’t remember them saying how you got back.”

“Well, my parents told me that the flight instructor told them about the incident, and she sent some staff ponies down looking for me. My parents went with them as well. My father found me with the traveling family. After he thanked them for taking care of me, we both flew back to Cloudsdale.”

“And since you loved animals so much, you decided to move to Ponyville many years later, right?”

Fluttershy nodded. “It was then I met some of my animal friends.” She sighed. “I wish I could meet that traveling family again.”

“Radical,” said Treehugger.

As we continued on the path, I noticed the forest becoming less dense. I assumed that meant we were leaving the woods.

“Hey, Treehugger,” Sitar String called out. “I think I can see the other members.”

Treehugger and the rest of us peeked from the wagon. I could see a half dozen ponies sitting just outside the forest grounds. Unlike the relaxed group we were riding with, the other members were dressed like upper middle class ponies. Sitar stopped in front of them, and Fluttershy, Treehugger and I hopped off.

“What’s up, Ms. Care Giver?” Treehugger greeted. “We fetched Fluttershy for you all, and, like, her plus-half as well.”

Ms. Giver looked at me. “A dragon? I don’t recall dragons being rare creatures.”

“I’m just tagging along with Fluttershy, ma’am,” I said. “She invited me. My name is Spike.”

“Well, Miss Fluttershy and Mr. Spike, as honorary members of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures, we welcome you to this Breezie sighting. I hope there wasn’t too much trouble getting here.”

“Oh, none at all. I got to talk with one of the members and her friends.”

The rest of Treehugger's friends got off the wagon and stood next to Fluttershy and me.

Ms. Giver cleared her throat. “Now all of you listen closely now. While we’re all going to be a safe distance away from the Breezies, we need to be as quiet as possible. The Breezies rely on the wind to control their magic and help them carry certain items such as pollen, so any disturbance could throw them off significantly. Whisper if you need to talk, and warn us if you have to sneeze. Oh, and please refrain from eating crunchy snacks. I’m speaking from experience.” Ms. Giver checked her watch. “It’s almost time. Follow us.”

We followed the group up to the top of a hill. On the other side was a forest next to a ravine. Ms. Giver signaled us to lie down on our stomachs, and the other staff ponies handed each of us some binoculars.

“This is so exciting,” Fluttershy whispered. “We’re going to see the Breezies for the first time!”

“I know,” I whispered back. “I can’t wait to see them!”

We waited silently but surely for the Breezies to appear. My eyes remained fixated on the eyepieces like I was a victim of a glue prank. The air was silent. It was hard to tell if the others were still lying next to me.

I hope I don’t forget how to move after this.

Ms. Giver gasped. “TH...there they are. Look to your left. Your other left, Miss Flower.”

I slightly turned my head to the left. I saw tiny white dots fluttering by. I readjusted my focus and zoomed in to see what Fluttershy and I have been waiting for. Each Breezie was like a ponified dragonfly, flying gracefully in the gentle wind. I could hear Fluttershy squeaking in excitement.

“They’re. So. Adorable!”

I continued observing the Breezies. I checked to see if there were any that were familiar to me, such as Seabreeze.

That’s when the realization struck me. When Fluttershy’s key episode (“It Ain't Easy Being Breezies”) comes up, I would have to repeat what the old Spike did. I had to climb up a tree, hop on a branch, and let a leaf disturb the path of some of the Breezies’ migration. The problem was that I needed to make sure it wasn’t intentional. Given what I’ve done in the past, Twilight might get suspicious if I try to force it too much. Discord said that I couldn’t change fate, but I doubted the leaf would fall regardless.

Once the last Breezie left my sight, I heard Ms. Giver clearing her throat again.

“Okay that’s all of them,” she said in a normal volume. “You are all free to stand up now.”

We all stood up and stretched. There were so many groans and cracks; it sounded like I was at a chiropractor’s office.

“So how did you like seeing the Breezies, Miss Fluttershy?” Ms. Giver asked.

Fluttershy inhaled deeply and said rapidly, “It was so exciting, I never saw any creature so cute, they were so adorable, I couldn't contain myself, I wanted to reach out and let one of them land on my hoof, I hope to see them again...”

Who are you and what have you done with Fluttershy who talks slow?

After Fluttershy controlled her breathing, Ms. Giver asked the rest of us if we enjoyed the sights as well. We all agreed. It was then I noticed Tie Dye was still lying on the grass looking through the binoculars.

“Uh, Tie Dye? The Breezies are gone now,” I said. “Tie Dye?”

Treehugger walked up to him. “Hey, man. The viewing’s over. The little breezy dudes aren’t, like, there anymore.”

I was initially confused, but I realized what might’ve happened. I removed the binoculars from his hoofs, and his closed eyes confirmed my suspicions.

“He fell asleep,” I said.

Treehugger gently shook his back. “Yo, Tie Dye. Wake up.”

Tie Dye woke up and stretched like a giant cat. “Aw man, I must’ve spaced out. The Breezies are gone already?”

Treehugger and I nodded. “Sorry, man.”

“S’alright. That’ll teach me to not, like, stay up making threads.”

“Oh, you make threads?” asked Fluttershy. “I have a friend back in Ponyville who would love to use them. She can make all sorts of clothing with just one spool of thread.”

“He meant ‘threads’ as in clothing,” whispered Treehugger. “He makes colorful shirts.”

“Oh.” Fluttershy blushed.

After we had a brief chat with the members, Treehugger and her friends escorted us back to the train station.

“Say, do either of you, like, know about this upcoming Gala?” Treehugger asked. “One of the other members is from the big city of Canterlot, and before we left for you two dudes she said that the Grand Galloping Gala was, like, right around the corner.”

“We’ve heard of it,” replied Fluttershy, “but we haven’t gotten our tickets yet. We went there last year. I didn’t think it would come up again so soon.”

Neither did I.

“Oh, you hung out at the Gala before?” Treehugger asked. “Righteous. What was it like?”

“Well, there were a lot of high class ponies. There’s music, dance, food. Spike and I got a chance to interact with some of the animals there. Why do you ask? Are you planning to visit?”

“Right on. It would be radical to feel the Canterlot vibe.”

“Do the rest of you want to see the Gala as well?”

The rest of Treehugger’s friends shook their heads.

“Nah, man,” said Tie. “Unlike Treehugger, we’re not interested.”

“So you’ll be attending by yourself, Treehugger?” I asked.

Treehugger shrugged. “I can flow by my lonesome.”

I scratched my chin. I noticed Fluttershy biting her lip worryingly. That’s when she widened her eyes.

“I know,” she said. “How about you come with me to the Gala? We can go together as friends.”

“What about your drake friend?” Treehugger asked. “Thought you two had, like, a thing goin’ on.”

“That’s fine by me,” I said. “If you two want to go to the gala together, then by all means, go ahead. It’ll be better than going by yourself. I’m not the possessive type. Like what Fluttershy said, we both went together last year. Just because Fluttershy and I are in a relationship doesn’t mean we can’t hang out with others. I’ll just go with one of my other friends to the Gala. No big deal.”

I knew that Fluttershy would ask Treehugger to the Gala. I didn’t need to change anything, though I wondered what Discord would do. Knowing him, he would probably do the same thing as in “Make New Friends But Keep Discord.”

In no time, we arrived back at the station. Suddenly, right after Fluttershy and I hopped off the wagon, my stomach squeezed hard.

“Woah, man. You alright?” Treehugger asked. “You didn’t tell me you were wagon-sick.”

With a loud belch, I burped out a scroll. Treehugger and her friends shifted backwards.

Sitar rubbed his eyes. “Am I hallucinating, or did that drake just puked paper?”

I coughed. “Excuse me. Sorry about that. I forgot to mention one of my friends has a close relation to Princess Celestia, so I was enchanted with this spell to help me send her letters back and forth.” I rubbed my throat. “Though this one felt different for some reason.”

Fluttershy picked it up and read it.

“Dear Fluttershy,
Look, I don’t want to bore you with the details. Long story short, Discord’s here, and he got sick from a Tazlewurm. Hurry back as soon as you can.
Signed,
Twilight”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “We need to take the next train back!” Fluttershy turned to Treehugger and her friends. “Thank you for the ride.”

“Don’t mention it, dudes,” said Tie. “Oh, hey. Let me give you something.” He reached into his sack and pulled out two tie-dyed shirts with different sizes. “Made these myself, but one, like, shrunk in the wash. All yours.”

Tie tossed them to us, and I caught them. We thanked the group once again as they left. After a few minutes of waiting, we hopped on the first train that came to the station.

“This goes to Ponyville, right?” Fluttershy asked the conductor.

“Of course,” the conductor replied.

“Great! We’re in a hurry!”

We took our seats and the train took off.

“Oh, I hope Discord’s alright!” Fluttershy said as she tapped her hoof impatiently.

“I hope so, too.” I took off my hat and bag and tried the small shirt on. “Oh, hey. It fits. Maybe the next time you girls have a laundry accident, you can donate the small clothes to me.”

Fluttershy giggled a little, but it wasn’t enough to distract her from the situation. I thought about what I could’ve done had I turned down Fluttershy’s offer. Maybe I could've gone with my initial plan for researching “Blue flu,” or have Twilight and Cadance give Discord a taste of his own medicine by trying some fake procedures. I sighed and leaned back.

Well, it’s in the past now. It’s best not to worry about it anymore.

Once the train stopped in front of Ponyville, Fluttershy and I hopped out to see Twilight and Applejack standing nearby.

“Fluttershy! Spike!” Twilight called out. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here!”

“We got your letter,” said Fluttershy. “Where’s Discord?”

“We put him in one of them plastic bubbles so he wouldn’t spread his sickness,” Applejack replied. “We brung him to your cottage and shooed some of the animals away.”

“That’s good. It should reduce the risk of spreading. I’ll head there right now.”

“I’ll come with you,” said Twilight. “Spike, go get the Friendship Journal.”

I saluted without question. I hopped on Applejack’s back and we headed for the library.

“So how did your trip to the Breezies go?” asked Applejack.

“Oh, it was great,” I replied. “I met new friends, explored a forest, and experienced seeing the cutest creature ever. Oh, and I got to view the Breezies.”

“Sounds like ya had a good time. I’m guessin’ this cutest creature was the same one who invited you to the trip. By the way, where did ya get that shirt? It looks more colorful than a jar of zap apple jam dipped in liquid rainbow.”

“Oh, we met some hippie ponies on our trip and they gave Fluttershy and me matching shirts. One of them was actually a member of Equestria’s rare creature society.”

“Just be careful showin’ that to Rarity.”

Once we got to the library, I went inside, took off my shirt, grabbed the journal, and hopped back on Applejack. She then galloped to Fluttershy’s cottage.

By the time we got there, the rest of the girls, including Princess Cadance, were inside. Discord was in the plastic bubble Applejack mentioned. Thanks to his illness, he looked as yellow as a kitchen sponge. I didn’t have to guess how that happened. Discord faked having the Blue flu in order to test if Twilight was really his friend. During that test, however, a Tazlewurm sneezed on Discord and gave him a real flu.

After I wrote down Twilight's entry, Applejack said, “I don't wanna go sayin' ya got what you deserved...”

Rarity said, “Well, I have no trouble saying it. You got what you deserved!”

“Now, now,” said Fluttershy. “He's learned his lesson. Isn't that right, my little patient?”

“I'm so glad that you're back from your trip, Fluttershy,” Discord said through the thick plastic. “Just your presence here is making me feel so much better. I was just wondering, could I trouble you for just one more thing?”

“NO!” Twilight shouted.

“What? I was simply going to ask for a teeny, tiny glass of water.”

“You had to be there,” Cadance whispered to me.

I sighed. Even though I missed the episode, I really enjoyed my trip with Fluttershy. It was then I decided to write something in the journal. I grabbed the quill and wrote my own entry.

“’Fluttershy and I took a trip to see the Breezies, and we’ve met many peculiar friends along the way. While we are both in a relationship, that should not prohibit us from making new friends wherever we go.’ I hope others can learn from this lesson, too.”

Like a certain draconequus for example...

Chapter 58 (Pinkie Pride & Simple Ways)

There wasn’t much I could do for “Pinkie Pride,” but it was an honor to see Weird Al Yankovic in person (or pony in this case). The only thing I could change was convincing Pinkie Pie to give Rainbow Dash a cake instead of a pie, since Dash didn’t care much for pies. Pinkie acknowledged and later gave her a small cheesecake instead. At least I prevented part of the “Secrets and Pies” episode. I also learned that Rainbow Dash turned 25 years old.

The day after RD’s birthday/anniversary of arriving at Ponyville, Pinkie quickly rushed to the library. She was holding a black case.

“Twilight! Twilight! It happened to me!” Pinkie shouted.

“What happened to you?” Twilight asked.

“That colorful thing! That weird feeling! Whatever it’s called!”

“It’s called ‘love’, Pinkie,” I joked. “It can happen to anypony.”

“No, no, no. Not that feeling. Though I did experience it a little. I meant, during the goof-off with Cheese Sandwich, I saw Rainbow being unhappy. Then for a teensy second, a rainbow covered my eyes. I realized then that I wasn’t representing my element: laughter. Then sometime later after I received Boneless, he shined in a rainbow color!” Pinkie opened the black case to reveal the rubber chicken.

Twilight scratched her chin. “First Rarity and her spool of thread, then Rainbow and her pin, and now you and...Boneless. I’m sensing a pattern. You should—”

“Keep it in a super safe spot until you figure out what’s the cause for all this?”

“Uh...yeah.”

“Good idea, Twilight.” Pinkie closed the case. “But where should I put it? I can’t hide it in Sugarcube Corner. The Cake Twins might find it, and they can find pretty much anything. One time, Pumpkin found my super secret hidden cookie stash in my closet, and I kept it super secret for a reason. I don’t know if she’s over her teething phase yet, but if she finds Boneless, she might chew him up like a diamond dog eating bones.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you, Pinkie. You could leave it here with us if—”

“Wait! I know a perfect spot!” Pinkie shoved the case right in her mane. “There. The twins know better than to go in my mane, so Boneless will be safe and sound in there.”

Twilight and I stared at her blankly.

“I’m not gonna question it,” Twilight said.

“Me neither,” I added.

One day, I was staring out the bedroom window of the Golden Oaks Library. The only thing on my mind was my potential journey.

I need to find the right time to visit Starlight’s village. If I arrive too early, I won’t see them. If I arrive too late, I would have to go back home and witness the entire time travel shenanigans all over again. There’s also visiting other cities. Griffonstone seems like a high priority, but what other cities could I visit? Maybe I could chat with Smolder and Garble in the Dragon Lands. The only problem is when I should…

“Spike? Where are you?” Twilight’s voice called out.

“I’m up here, Twilight!” I replied.

I heard hoofbeats coming up the stairs and approaching me.

“Is everything alright, Spike?” Twilight asked. “You’ve been staring out the window a lot these days.”

“Well, I was just thinking,” I replied. “That trip Fluttershy and I took to see the Breezies got me thinking...what more could I find out there? What places could I see?” I took a deep breath. “Twilight...I...I want to go on a journey.”

“Well, if I can find enough time in our schedule, we could—”

“By myself.”

“What?!” Twilight stepped back. “Why? I can go with you, Spike. Just tell—”

“No, Twilight. I want to do this by myself. I want to explore. See what Equestria has to offer. I need to do this alone. Without any of you girls stalking me.”

“But Equestria is a big place. It could...”

“...be dangerous? Twilight, I’m a dragon. I can breathe fire, and I have thick scales. Sure my stature leaves something to be desired, but that never stopped me before. Heck, I traveled to the Dragon Lands without your assistance, and I even made two new friends there.”

Twilight sighed. “Do you even know when you’ll leave for this journey? Or even how long you’ll be gone?”

I shook my head. “I had thoughts about leaving sometime after the Equestria Games, but that’s unconfirmed. I don’t know about the length either. Maybe it’ll be a week. Maybe it’ll be a few days. Maybe it’ll be half a month. Who knows?”

That’s when we heard a loud knock on the door. Twilight hurried to answer it.

“Rarity, hello,” greeted Twilight.

“Good day to you, Twilight,” replied Rarity. “Is Spikey-Wikey around? I require his assistance at the moment.”

I got down and went to the front door. “You need me, Rarity?”

“Yes, of course. Come with me to the boutique if you please.”

I followed Rarity to the Carousel Boutique. Once we got in, Rarity directed me to a table covered in a giant piece of cloth. She then removed the cloth to reveal a small-scale version of Ponyville.

“What is this? A town for Breezies?” I asked.

“It’s a diorama of Ponyville, darling,” Rarity replied. “I use this for designing decorations for the town during festivals. And with the arrival of the decision of who should plan the upcoming Ponyville Days festival, I already made some plans ahead of time.”

“Ah, like a model version. I get it. But you seem rather confident that you will win.”

“I can’t be too prepared. If, perchance, somepony else wins the title pony of ceremonies, I can always suggest some of my ideas to them.”

“So what would you like for me to do?”

“Just a couple of things, if you don’t mind.”

As I helped out Rarity with her supplies, designs, and ideas, I remembered that the events of “Simple Ways” were right around the corner. In the show, Rarity falls in love with Trenderhoof, who in turn falls in love with Applejack. The episode was pretty much one of those anime love triangle cliches. Eventually, Rarity and Applejack end up switching personalities before realizing that it’s better to be themselves than to change drastically in order to get somepony to like them. Honestly, I was up in the air about what I should change. I could lie to Trenderhoof about Applejack being taken, or explain to Rarity that Trenderhoof is only interested in Applejack because she’s his idea of what an earth pony is supposedly like.

“Wait a minute,” I said. “The Ponyville Days festival? Twilight and I didn’t see that event last year.”

Rarity sighed. “It was cancelled because the pony who was assigned that time got the dates mixed up. It affected some other ceremonies as well.”

A few days later, the girls and I headed to the center of town to see who would be picked to host this year’s Ponyville Days festival. The area around the town hall was already packed.

“Wow! I can't believe how many ponies showed up!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

“I can! I mean, finding out who the Ponyville Days pony of ceremonies is is a pretty big deal!” Pinkie said with excitement.

Twilight noticed Granny Smith sitting with two other judges. “I didn't know Granny Smith was on the selection committee.”

“Of course she is,” said Applejack. “Ponyville Days celebrates the founding of Ponyville, and she was right there.”

“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t on the selection committee,” I said.

Pinkie rapidly said, “I'm glad the committee didn't automatically pick me so everypony gets a chance to see how great being me actually is! Even though the festival's basically a party and the pony of ceremonies gets to organize the whole thing! So it'd totally make sense if they did pick me.”

We all shushed her.

Just like in the show, the mayor announced who was going to play this year’s festival. Predictably, at least from my point of view, it was Rarity. Everypony cheered.

“Congratulations, Rarity!” Twilight said with joy. “Do you know what you're gonna do?”

“Oh, I might have a few ideas,” replied Rarity.

Knowing her, ‘a few’ might be an understatement.

“Come meet us tomorrow morning, girls,” said Rarity. “And we’ll share these ideas with you.”

“We?” Twilight asked.

“I can be an assistant to other ponies, too, you know,” I said.

Rarity and I returned to the boutique to finish up her ideas and practice for the showcase. During our work, I heard the sound of a photograph smacking onto the floor.

“Oh, dear, not again.” Rarity disappeared behind some curtains. “I really should consider finding better tape.”

I had a feeling what Rarity was doing, so I peeked through the curtains to confirm my suspicions. And sure enough, a shrine stood centered in the curtained room with pictures of Trenderhoof and other items related to him cluttered on the table and back wall. Rarity was trying to put one of the pictures back on the wall with an old piece of tape.

“What’s all this?” I asked.

Rarity quickly turned around, nearly dropping the photo she was trying to fix. “Spike! Uh...I was just…” She cleared her throat. “Oh, alright, darling, I’ll admit it. I’ve taken a liking to Trenderhoof, one of the most handsome travel writers ever! He’s been making trends even before they were even trends! Best of all, he’s gonna come to visit Ponyville for the festival! Isn’t that glamorous?!”

“I’ve heard of Trenderhoof before,” I said as I scratched my chin. “I think he was one of the reasons Las Pegasus became popular.”

“And how.” Rarity rubbed her hoof on the picture of Trenderhoof’s face like he was there in the flesh. “I can finally get to meet him: my only true love.”

“I thought Blueblood used to be your only true love.”

“Oh, well, that was before you told me he was rather...uptight. This is much different.”

I rolled my eyes and picked up one of the laminated newspaper articles. It talked about how Trenderhoof gave a review on some of the restaurants in Canterlot and how they gained popularity despite him not being a food critic. I’ve noticed Pony Joe’s donut shop was one of the restaurants.

Amazing. I didn’t think Trenderhoof liked donuts. Then again, who doesn’t like donuts?

“You know, it would make sense for Trenderhoof to come to Ponyville,” I said. “Rumor has it he has a thing for earth ponies.”

“I beg your pardon?” Rarity widened her eyes.

“I don’t mean like he prefers earth ponies over unicorns or pegasi! I meant he likes the general aspects of earth ponies, such as their past tradition, agriculture, or events. Since Ponyville was founded by earth ponies, I bet he would love to learn more about them.”

“I did not know he had desires like that.”

“Heh, I guess the Apple family better watch out. If the rumors are true, then he’s going to be all over them, asking questions like a reporter meeting Princess Celestia.” That’s when something flashed across my mind. “Wait...did you plan all of this?”

“What?”

“You knew Trenderhoof was visiting Ponyville for the festival, and by sheer coincidence, you were voted to be hosting this year. Not only that, you already had some ideas before the judges even decided. I’m starting to believe that you rigged something.”

“Luck prefers those who prepare themselves, Spikey-Wikey. True, I knew Trenderhoof was coming to Ponyville, but I did not know I would be chosen to host the festival. Plus, Applejack mentioned how talented I am when it comes to decorations, so it would make sense that she would try to put in a good word to Granny Smith. With Trenderhoof coming and the possibility of me being the pony of ceremonies, I did not want to take chances, darling.”

I wanted to press further, but I figured I didn’t have room to talk. After all, I’ve been preparing for future events ever since I was put into Spike’s body.

After all our preparation, I stayed the night at Rarity’s. I slept on one of her fainting couches, which felt rather soft and comfortable.

The next morning, the girls arrived at the boutique. Rarity and I were behind the stage curtains, making final preparations for our outfits. I just wore a blazer and necktie, while Rarity’s dress was covered in gems. Rarity peeked from the curtains.

“Looks like the girls are here,” she said as she handed me some flashcards. “Time to begin.”

I nodded as I walked out to the runway. Just like in the show, I presented the girls with Rarity’s ideas. They included a cider tasting, a gala, and a fashion show. Basically, Rarity wanted to turn Ponyville into a miniature Canterlot for the festival.

Rarity stepped out to reveal her dress. “And the theme is…‘Small Town Chic’!”

The girls were thrilled to hear that. They even offered to help her with some of the decorations and events. Rarity sighed in relief and told the girls that with their help, she would focus on her more important goal: impressing Trenderhoof.

“Uh, who's Trenderhoof?” Applejack asked.

Someone who’s going to be attracted to you, soon.

Rarity went on about how amazing Trenderhoof was, and how he was going to arrive in Ponyville soon. Twilight teased Rarity about having a crush, and Rarity explained it was more than just a crush. I was a bit worried about how she’s going to react to Trenderhoof falling for Applejack.

I waited with Twilight and Rarity at the train station. Trenderhoof was supposed to be coming today, and the only pony nervous about it was Rarity herself.

“Thank you ever so much for joining me, you two,” said Rarity. “I don't think I could have met Trenderhoof on my own.”

“It's no problem, but you shouldn't be nervous about meeting him,” Twilight replied.

Aside from the fact he’s your long term crush and that his visit here might make or break the outcome of the Ponyville Days festival.

The train approached the station. As the passengers exited the car, Rarity searched around panically for Trenderhoof.

“Rarity, you have to get a hold of yourself,” said Twilight. “I mean, you haven’t even met him yet.”’

Within seconds, Trenderhoof stepped out of the train. I swore I saw hearts in Rarity’s pupils when she saw him. Rarity quickly ducked under Twilight’s tail like a shy foal at a magic kindergarten orientation.

“It’s him!” Rarity squeaked.

“Well, go up and talk to him,” Twilight said.

Rarity replied with unintelligible high-pitched whimpers that could rival her little sister’s.

“Oh, I’ll do it,” I said as I approached Trenderhoof. “Hello, there. You must be Mr. Trenderhoof. I am pleased to meet you. Welcome to Ponyville.”

“A dragon?” Trenderhoof removed his glasses and polished them with a handkerchief. “Are you with the pony of ceremonies?”

“I am, but she’s...”

“I’m right here!” Rarity galloped towards Trenderhoof and cleared her throat. “Apologizes. Hello, Mr. Trenderhoof. I am Rarity, and I have been chosen as the pony of ceremonies for the Ponyville Days festival.” She then giggled nervously.

“Please, call me 'Trend',” said Trenderhoof.

Rarity quickly fainted.

“Heh, trust me. She’s not normally like this,” I said sheepishly.

“You go on and see if everything’s in order,” Twilight whispered to me.

I nodded and ran out of the train station.

I also need to figure out how to change this episode. Maybe I could try to fake a relationship with Applejack? No, that won’t work. I don’t want Fluttershy to get the wrong idea, and I have no idea what Trenderhoof’s views on interspecies relationships are. I can’t get Fluttershy and Applejack to fake a relationship either. Applejack is a terrible liar, the two would feel awkward, and I can’t just tell them that I know Trenderhoof has a crush on Applejack. I had to think of something.

I went around making sure everything was in place for the festival. Once I finished that, I hurried to Sweet Apple Acres. I made it just in time to see Trenderhoof and Rarity entering the fields.

“And finally, Sweet Apple Acres,” Rarity announced. “Ponyville's core, so to speak, where our quaint little hamlet began.”

Just like in the show, Trenderhoof was really interested in the farm. While Rarity was planning on making the barn into an inn, she was interested in Trenderhoof’s idea of leaving the farm the way it was.

I noticed Applejack bucking some trees nearby. She was all filthy and sweaty from all the work she had been doing. Sadly, all the dirt could not repeal Trenderhoof, as he instantly became infatuated with the orange earth pony. Rarity, downtrodden by this, galloped away. I wanted to hurry up and comfort her, but that’s when I had an idea. I hid behind one of the trees and watched Trenderhoof’s interaction with Applejack.

Trenderhoof approached Applejack and cleared his throat. “Hello there, miss. And what is your name?”

“Uh...Applejack?” Applejack wiped the sweat off her forehead.

“‘Applejack.’ What a lovely name. My name’s Trenderhoof. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Well, likewise, but I ain’t got time to stay and chat. I need to get all these apples bucked before the festival. Speakin’ of which, wasn’t Rarity supposed to be with ya?”

“Yeah, of course. She's right over there.” Trenderhoof pointed behind his shoulders without looking back.

“Mr. Trenderhoof, yer not pointin’ at anypony.”

“Huh?” Trenderhoof turned around. “I guess she must have left.”

“Given how she’s the pony of ceremonies this year, she probably has a lotta work on her hooves. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lotta work to do, too.” Applejack picked up one of the baskets and headed back to the barn.

It was then I appeared from behind the trees.

“Excuse me, Mr. Trend,” I said. “I was in the area, and I couldn’t help but notice you developed a little crush on Applejack.”

“‘Crush’ doesn't even begin to describe it,” said Trenderhoof.

Deja vu.

“What is it that you like so much about her?” I asked. “I never thought Applejack to be the stallion magnet.”

“She’s the very splitting image of earth pony culture,” Trend replied. “Her rustic looks, her farming career, she’s got it all!”

“Have a thing for earth ponies, huh?”

He nodded with a hum. As Trenderhoof trotted to the barn, I went to go comfort Rarity.

I hurried to the Carousel Boutique. Once I went inside, it didn’t take me long to see a puddle coming from behind the curtains. I walked to Rarity’s kitchen to grab a tub of vanilla-and-cinnamon swirl ice cream, a giant spoon, and a box of tissues. I returned to see Rarity crying in front of her shrine.

“Hey, Rarity,” I said. “I saw what happened at the farm. I’m so sorry. Here, I brought ice cream and tissues for you.”

Rarity blew her nose with one of the tissues and wiped some of the black-colored tears from her eyes with another.

“I can’t believe he would brush me off like that!” Rarity wailed. “I've had a crush on him ever since the beginning of time, and it's not fair!”

Rarity grabbed the tub, flipped off the lid, and shoved the spoon deep into the ice cream.

“I knew he had a thing for earth ponies and their culture,” I said, “but I never thought he’d have a crush on one. Especially if that pony is Applejack.”

“What could Applejack possibly have that I don't?!”

The lack of a horn, an orange coat, apples for a cutie mark, a lean yet muscular physique...

“You know what? I think I have an idea.” I pushed the tissue box over to Rarity. “Go on and let it all out. I’m going to find somepony who might help you.”

I knew who that pony was. I ran across town to find that pony. Thankfully, I found her and Trenderhoof near Sugarcube Corner.

“That's my thing,” said Trend. “I take the mundane, the simple, the unappreciated, and I make it relatable.”

“Well, I hope you can relate to Ponyville,” said Applejack. I could tell she wasn’t interested in chatting with Trenderhoof.

“Me too. But enough about me. I wanna know about you! What do apples mean to Applejack?”

Before Applejack could open her mouth, I called out her name.

“Applejack! I need you!” I hurried up to her. “It’s an emergency!”

“What’s the problem?” Applejack asked.

“No time to explain!” I pushed Applejack to the Carousel Boutique. “Rarity needs you...alone!” I glared at Trenderhoof who was starting to follow us.

Once we got to the door, Applejack grabbed me.

“Stop it, Spike! What is the meanin’ of all this?!” Applejack barked. “What’s happenin’ with Rarity?”

I sighed. “She’s having a meltdown after she saw Trenderhoof falling for you.”

“Is that it? But there’s nothing goin’ on between me and Mr. Trenderhoof. All he’s been doing is talkin’ about his travels and how he suddenly likes apples.”

“You’ll have to explain that to Rarity.”

Applejack and I went inside the boutique. Rarity was still at her Trenderhoof shrine, consuming ice cream that almost matched her coat.

The farm pony sighed and tapped Rarity on the shoulder. “Hey, Rares. Spike told me ya need somepony to talk to.”

Rarity sniffed and weeped, “Don’t call me that! You’re nothing but a heart stealer, stealing other ponies' hearts and leaving their lovers in sorrow!”

“You’ve got the wrong idea, sugarcube. I never wanted or needed to woo Trenderhoof in the first place.”

“Don’t lie to me! You grabbed his attention the moment you saw him!”

“Rarity, you’re forgettin’ I ain’t one to lie.” Applejack took off her hat. “I’m tellin’ ya from the bottom of my heart that I am not interested in Trenderhoof whatsoever. I don’t know why he’s attached to me like a skunk to a striped cat. I was just doin’ my business until he showed up. That’s all.”

Something about that analogy seems familiar…and to be truthfully honest, it does work for this particular scenario.

Rarity’s crying eased up a bit. Applejack pushed the tissue box closer to her.

“Look, I’m sorry for attractin’ Trenderhoof by mistake,” said Applejack as she watched Rarity pick up another tissue. “I ain’t the kind of pony who steals other ponies crushes, especially since I know how much ya like Trenderhoof.”

After Rarity controlled her breathing and wiped off the last of her running mascara, she asked, “What did Trenderhoof tell you? Did he at least mention me?”

Applejack sighed. “I hate to be a wet blanket when yer already soaked, but Trend isn’t what you’d consider a humble pony. All he ever talked about was himself and his travels like a broken record player. He even mentioned how he loved apples since the beginning of time, but I don’t need a lie detector to doubt it.”

Are we talking about Trend or Blueblood here?

“Applejack has a point,” I said. “He can also be insensitive at times, at least to earth ponies.”

“I wish he could see that,” said Applejack, “and how I’m not interested in him.”

“Did you not tell him?” Rarity asked with a raised brow.

“I’d thought he’d get the hint by now.”

“Well, you might have to speak to him explicitly,” I said. “Use the direct approach. Whether or not he gets upset is up to him.”

“Alright. I’ll do just that,” Applejack confidently said as she put her hat back on.

After attaching the baskets on her back, Applejack went outside to see Trenderhoof, who just happened to be leaning against a nearby tree.

I see he ignored my “don’t follow us” command.

“Oh, hey, Applejack,” Trenderhoof greeted. “What a coincidence to see you here.”

I wouldn’t call it a coincidence.

“Listen Trenderhoof,” Applejack said firmly. “I know yer a nice stallion and all, but I ain’t interested in you. I’m aware of yer crush on me, but the feeling ain’t mutual. I’m not lookin’ for a relationship or a story about somepony’s journey at the moment. So for the time bein’, leave me be and let me work.”

Trend put his hooves up. “Woah, hey, take it easy. I didn’t mean to upset you. I just thought I could show my appreciation.”

“Hate to break it to you, but your showing of appreciation kinda made the pony of ceremonies downhearted,” I said.

“Oh, I’m so sorry for that. That was my fault entirely. I never intended to upset her either. Is...she around?”

“She’s still in the boutique, but I’d recommend knocking first.”

Trend did just that. Two taps later, I saw Rarity peeking through the curtains. After a few minutes of barely audible shuffling, she said, “Come in.”

Once Trend entered the boutique, Applejack gave a relieved sigh.

“Thank you kindly for helping me, Spike,” she said as she walked away. “It’s nice to finally do some work without some rando tryin’ to flirt with me.”

“Don’t mention it,” I said whilst following her. “When I saw what was going on at the farm, I wanted to make sure everything was cleared up. The pony of ceremonies can’t host if she’s crying her eyes out, and a farm pony can’t work if she’s being shadowed by some trendsetter.”

“Heh. That’s true.”

A couple of days later, the Ponyville Days festival was underway. Despite a few unrelated problems, everything went off without a hitch. Twilight and I were currently at the cider-tasting event. I was wearing my suit and tie from last year’s gala, and Twilight sported her old coronation outfit. It was the only dress that could fit with her wings.

“I’ll need to ask Rarity for a new dress after this festival,” said Twilight. “So I heard about some love triangle that went on between Rarity, Trenderhoof, and Applejack a few days ago. What was that all about?”

“Well, Applejack caught Trenderhoof’s attention when he first saw her,” I said. “That made Rarity miserable, but I was able to cheer her up and help Applejack turn down Trenderhoof.”

“Oh, I see. Did he take the rejection well?”

“Surprisingly, yes. He may have been egotistical, but he understands when somepony’s not interested in him.”

“Well that’s good to hear.”

Overall, I felt almost neutral about changing this episode. Part of me felt like it was unnecessary, while the other part was glad Rarity didn’t pretend to be like Applejack and vice versa. At least the two mares still got to resolve their differences.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight shouted. “We already have some glasses available. Use them instead.”

Rainbow held up a mug the size of her head. “What? Nopony said I couldn’t bring my own cup!”

Author's Note

Sorry if this took so long. My motivation for this chapter was all over the place.

Special thanks to MLPFollower for helping me out.

Chaper 59 (Filli Vanilli)

“Twilight, can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead, Spike.”

“Whatever happened to that castle restoration project we planned?”

“Oh, that. It has been a while since we tried to restore the castle, now that you mentioned it. We’ve been so busy these days. Maybe we should find time to continue it.”

“Have you even decided what we should do when the castle is complete?”

“That’s still up in the air. Maybe we’ll make it into a historical landmark for everypony to see or renovate it as a vacation home for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Anyway, let’s head on over to Fluttershy’s. Her fundraiser for the Ponyville Pet Center is coming up, and I want to make sure she’s ready. She planned everything after all.”

Along our way, we encountered the other girls, who coincidentally were also visiting Fluttershy. By the time we got to the cottage, we could hear Fluttershy singing. That’s when I realized this was when the episode “Filli Vanilli” would happen. In the show, Big Mac would lose his voice to a turkey call contest, so Fluttershy would have to replace him in the Pony Tones via poison joke. While I didn’t have to change that, there was something else I wanted to change.

I didn’t know what the writers were thinking when making that episode, but somehow they made Pinkie really unbearable in that episode. The party pony had put so much pressure on poor Fluttershy, that she almost made her cry. The worst part was, besides Rarity smacking her with a flyer, Pinkie never got karma for her actions. Well, that was definitely going to change today.

After Fluttershy concluded her song, she suddenly noticed us. We were all amazed by her singing.

Fluttershy squeaked, “Oh...you...um…you didn't hear me...um...”

“Singing in the most beautiful voice ever?!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Yeah, we did!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves.

“I've never heard you sing a solo like that before,” said Twilight.

“It’s even better than when we have a musical moment,” I added.

“It was like a little slice of heaven,” Applejack complimented.

“With ice cream on top!” Pinkie shouted.

“Fluttershy, I cannot believe your spectacular voice isn't part of the Pony Tones quartet,” said Rarity. “Especially since you're having us perform for your Ponyville Pet Center fundraiser tomorrow night!” She pulled out a poster to reveal the fundraiser event with the Pony Tones at the bottom.

“I didn’t know Rarity was in a band,” I said.

“Well, they’re pretty recent,” said Applejack. “Big Mac told me they joined up a couple of weeks ago. Didn’t think the big lug was into singin’.”

“Wait, he’s in the band as well?”

“Yep. He’s the...uh...bass singer stallion...whatever they’re called.”

“Baritone,” said Twilight.

“Right, right.” Applejack nodded. “Sorry, I don’t pay much attention to the specifics of music. More of a mare of action, if y’all know what I mean.”

“This simply must be rectified,” said Rarity, pointing her hoof up in the air. “You must share that stunning voice at the event!”

“Yeah! It'll be so amazing!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You'll be there on stage, basking in the hooflights! The center of attention! A shining star!”

“Don’t do it, Pinkie,” I warned.

But Pinkie continued, almost as if she didn’t hear me. “Everypony staring at you, judging you, jealously noting how they could be way better than you! Why wasn't it them? Why wasn't it them?”

“I said don’t do it, Pinkie!” I gripped my fist.

“Spike, are you okay?” Twilight asked in concern.

Again, Pinkie ignored me. “And then, when you choke, they'll turn on you, becoming a seething, angry mob, and you'll be horribly humiliated, never able to show your face in Ponyville again!”

WA-POW!!

What followed after that loud sound was all but a blur. It was as if someone tried to erase the memory to keep it from happening. I couldn’t tell where I was. My vision looked like I had the eyesight of a mole, and my hearing was muffled like it was stuffed with fifty earplugs. The only sounds I could recognize were the voices of the girls, but even then I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

Soon, my vision regained, and I checked my surroundings. A pair of lavender legs, definitely Twilight’s, covered me like they were trying to restrain me. Fluttershy stood with her hoof covering her mouth, probably trying to figure out what happened like me. Rarity was by Pinkie Pie, who lied on the ground and rubbed her swollen cheek. It was then I put two and two together and discovered what I did.

I punched Pinkie in the face.

In a fit of rage, I had just attacked one of my friends. A tidal wave of regret washed over me. I didn’t know why I gave Pinkie such a wicked blow. It could’ve been better if I simply called her out or even slapped her. But no. My anger got the best of me, and now Pinkie had just experienced the wrath of a dragon.

“Pinkie, are you alright?” Rarity asked worryingly.

“Oww...” That was the only thing Pinkie could say.

So far the only damage was her swollen cheek, as there wasn't any other exterior damage and Pinkie didn’t spit out any teeth.

“Pinkie, I...” I tried to step forward, but Twilight’s hooves kept holding me back.

“Can you stand up?” Rarity asked Pinkie.

Pinkie did her best to get up. She pressed on her cheek like she had a toothache.

“Pinkie, I’m sorry!” I said desperately. “I didn’t mean to hit you so hard! I was trying to protect...”

I tried my best to say something more, but every sentence trailed off.

“I’ll take it from here, Rares,” said Applejack. “Let’s get you an ice pack, sugarcube.”

Once both AJ and Pinkie left Fluttershy’s property, Twilight released me from her grip and spun me around.

“Why in Celestia’s name did you hit Pinkie like that, Spike the Dragon?!” Twilight barked.

I stayed silent, trying to think what I should say.

“She’s our friend!” Twilight continued. “You can’t do that! She—”

“She got what she deserved!” I retorted.

“Excuse me?!”

Who was I kidding? The way Pinkie acted towards Fluttershy, anyone could have done the same thing, no matter if they were from Equestria or my old world. Most of the regret I felt soon died away. I reminded myself what Pinkie did in the show, and I hoped that my attempts to shut her up would remind her not to be so insensitive next time.

“You heard me!” I pushed Twilight away. “Don’t make me the enemy here, Twilight Sparkle! You’ve heard those nasty things Pinkie said to Fluttershy! While I admit my retribution was disproportional, I was doing it to protect Fluttershy!”

“Perhaps Pinkie was a bit annoying, maybe even more than usual today,” said Rarity. “But that does not mean you had to resort to such brutish measures like that.”

“What would you have done if your special somepony was being mentally abused by someone, and they didn’t listen to you when you told them to stop?” I asked.

“Well...I...” Rarity looked at Fluttershy and then to the dirt road.

“Exactly.”

“Spike, please listen,” said Twilight. “Pinkie isn’t apathetic, but there are times when she has problems reading other ponies’ emotions. Sure she didn’t help Fluttershy in this case, but it was still a bad idea to punch her. She would’ve understood if you just talked to her.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Alright, I’ll try to be much less violent next time.”

But hopefully, there won’t be a next time.

Rarity cleared her throat. “Anyway, Fluttershy, I was going to say that you should join the Pony Tones quartet, and make the Pony Tones quintet!”

Flutteshy sighed. “No.”

“Pardon me?”

“I love the Pony Tones, I'm one of their biggest fans, but I do not want to perform with them.”

“Why not?” Twilight asked.

“Well, you see...I...I have...um...I...I have...” Fluttershy couldn’t think up a word, let alone a sentence.

“Do you have stage fright?” I asked calmly.

Fluttershy raised her eyebrows. She then nodded slowly.

“Oh, that’s it,” said Twilight. “But you’ve faced problems like this before. I’ve seen you sing with the rest of us, and you performed in front of crowds before, like in that Hearth’s Warming play.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I’m over my fear of performing. My stage fright doesn’t disappear like that.” Fluttershy clapped her hooves together. “I'm very thankful the Pony Tones are singing at the Pet Center fundraiser, and I'm really looking forward to the performance, but I'll be watching safely from the audience,” said Fluttershy.

Rarity sighed. “I think it's a terrible waste of an exquisite talent, but I understand that you're not comfortable.”

“Thank you.”

Angel then jumped in front of Fluttershy.

“Oh! Angel's right,” Fluttershy said. “We'd better get going. There's a lot of work to do before tomorrow's event.”

“We’ve got our fair share of work as well,” said Twilight. “We’ll see each other later.”

As the girls and I split up, Fluttershy quickly approached me.

“Um, Spike? Can I talk to you for a second?” she asked.

“Uh, sure thing,” I said.

Once the rest of the girls were gone, Fluttershy pulled me closer. Angel scratched his head.

“I really do appreciate you trying to protect me…” She then took a deep breath and looked away. “...but I’m afraid you might be going too far.”

I rubbed my forehead. “Look, Pinkie was pressuring you. She wouldn’t listen to me, so I had to knock some sense into her.”

“But you didn’t need to do it so literally.” Fluttershy looked at me with concern in her eyes. “Spike, I’m worried that you might have an anger issue. Sometimes you would shout at somepony because they did something wrong or argued with somepony else.”

In a way, she was partially right. There were times where I did yell at some ponies, including my own friends. But then I remembered the context for some of the scenarios. I sighed and scratched the back of my head.

“Well, there are times where my anger is justified,” I said. “I’m not saying that to deny I have an issue, mind you. Take that time at the Wonderbolts Academy, for example. Lighting Dust threw us off the balloon with that tornado of hers, and yet she never showed remorse for us. I had to let her know what she did. There’s also when Twilight came up with an awful plan to humiliate Dash instead of simply talking to her. For those times, I don’t think it was an anger issue, it was more of an idiot issue.”

Angel shrugged like he thought I had a point. This was one of the few times where the bunny agreed with me.

“We all have our dumb moments, Spike,” said Fluttershy. “That doesn’t mean you have to yell at us. You can quietly say that we’re doing something wrong.”

“I know, I know. But...I think you’re right about one thing.” I sighed and looked at the horizon. “What really ticks me off is when ponies or other creatures argue really loudly. I can accept arguments as long as they’re at a reasonable volume, but when they have to shout so loud that all of Equestria could hear, that’s when I get mad. The whole world doesn’t need to know about the disagreement, so why should it be forced to listen? For times when I have to tell other loud-arguing ponies to pipe down, that’s probably my real anger issue.”

“Why do such loud debates annoy you so much, anyway? Was there a cause for all this? Were you raised this way?”

I thought about whether or not I should tell her.

I think it’s okay. As long as she assumes this occurred in Canterlot.

“When I was younger, my neighbors, who were an elderly couple, would always argue with each other. It wouldn’t have been a problem had they not done it so much in the middle of the night. I would lose sleep because of their squabbles. I told my parents one day, and they told the neighbors, but that didn’t help at all. Eventually, my neighbors divorced and thankfully moved out of their house. But sadly the damage was already done, and to this day I had a hatred for loud arguments. I was thankful the only fights my own family had were resolved easily, quickly, and quietly.”

“Oh, my.” Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hoof again. “But hearing people argue a lot doesn’t sound like it would push your buttons later on.”

“It does when you can’t do anything about it. Throughout my childhood, I was taught peace and to suppress my rage, so that’s why I rarely shouted or fought back then. I guess it was because I was a dragon, and my parents didn’t want me to grow up violent like all the other dragons. And now that all my rage has built up inside me, it’s trying to let itself out.” I exhaled deeply. “But I promise you, I would never harm or yell at you for any unjustifiable reason. Dragon’s honor.”

“I hope not. If it’s not too much trouble, could you promise me that you’ll also try to at least calm yourself down whenever a loud argument is nearby? Or at least, find a different way to stop it?”

“Yes, I’ll try.” I swallowed. “Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”

I hoped that was one Pinkie promise I would never break.

Later that day, I helped Twilight with the decorations. I noticed Applejack and Pinkie next to each other. Pinkie had a vanilla ice cream cone smeared against her striked cheek for some reason.

“Uh, what’s with the ice cream?” Applejack asked. “What happened to the ice pack I gave ya?”

“This one’s tastier,” replied Pinkie. She licked a bit of the melted ice cream.

It’s nice to know even when she’s injured, she still finds a way to be random.

“Hey, Pinkie?” I asked. “I’m sorry for punching you. I couldn’t handle what you were doing to Fluttershy. I had to do something.”

Pinkie shrugged. “Eh, don’t think about it too hard. It’s not the worst pain I felt physically.”

“What was your worst physical pain?”

“I tried to get cheese from a mousetrap with my tongue.”

“Seriously?”

“It was cubed gouda. You can’t say no to cubed gouda. Sliced gouda, on the other hoof, that’s a no thank you for me.”

It was a good thing Pinkie didn’t have a grudge or fear against me. I may have dodged a bullet there.

I noticed Rarity and the rest of the Pony Tones on the stage. After I finished decorating my assigned area, I went over to listen to them.

I knew Rarity and Big Mac were in the band, but I don’t remember the names of the other two. I think the mare is named “Torch Song” while the stallion is “Toe-Tapper.”

“Alright, Pony Tones!” Rarity announced. “Let's run through that again” She then blew through a pitch pipe.

The song they sang sounded incredible. It was a wonder how I didn’t hear about them until now. I could see why Rarity wanted Fluttershy to join them. Sadly, the latter’s stage fright needed to be overcome first.

Once the group’s song ended, I gave a light applause.

“Good job, everypony!” I cheered. “You guys are definitely gonna knock everypony’s non-existent socks tomorrow night.”

“Thank you, Spike,” said Rarity.

“I also thought you were all amazing, Pony Tones,” Fluttershy said as she trotted towards us.

Torch Song giggled. “Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“Now, Pony Tones, I want you all to rest your voices for the remainder of the day,” Rarity reminded. “We'll do a final run-through tomorrow before the big event, alright?”

Once the band parted ways, Fluttershy hopped on stage.

“Oh, Rarity, the Pony Tones are really gonna make the Ponyville Pet Center fundraiser so special,” said Fluttershy. “Thank you so much for helping me help the animals.”

“Oh, yes,” Rarity sighed. “It is wonderful when a plan comes together without any sort of drama, isn't it?”

Way to tempt fate, Rarity.

The next morning, I helped Twilight with a few things at the library and made my way to the festival. By the time I got there, I saw Fluttershy and Angel heading to the stage.

“Good morning, you two,” I greeted. “Are you seeing the Pony Tones as well?”

Fluttershy nodded. “I wanted to hear them practice one more time before I check to see if everything’s in place.”

As we arrived at the stage, Toe-Tapper and Torch Song were already there. Rarity was behind the curtains pacing back and forth.

“Morning, Fluttershy and Spike,” greeted Torch.

“Good morning, Pony Tones,” Fluttershy and I said in unison.

“Oh, wow. We’re starting to speak the same thing at the same time,” Fluttershy giggled.

“Actually, we're the Pony Tones minus one tone,” said Rarity. “Big Mac is inconveniently late.”

Right after she said that, Big Mac arrived out of breath. Just like in the show, Rarity blew on the pitch pipe, but Big Mac couldn’t get a note out.

“Big Mac! Did you lose your voice?” Rarity asked.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac croaked.

We all gasped.

“Whatever did you do to cause this?” asked Rarity.

“I can explain all of it,” said Pinkie, who appeared out of nowhere. “Yesterday was Sweet Apple Acres’ twelfth annual Ponyville turkey call contest, and Big Mac was the six-year champion. I wanted to challenge for the title, but I lost because my cheek was still sore. Big Mac managed to win again, but his voice got sore afterwards. I may be guessing, but that’s why he doesn’t have his ‘eeyup-nope’ voice anymore.”

“A turkey call?!” Rarity shouted at Big Mac. “You lost your voice doing a turkey call?!”

Big Mac croaked another “Eeyup”.

“I don’t see how it could be possible. I came in third place and my voice works just fine,” said Pinkie as she pulled a bronze medal from her mane.

“Now we can't perform tonight,” Rarity announced.

Fluttershy widened her eyes. “Wait, what? No! You have to perform! Otherwise, the fundraiser will be a disaster!”

“Well, we cannot perform tonight with only three voices.”

“Why not?” I asked. “A trio band isn’t so bad.”

“It’s not that, Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity looked at her hoof. “It would take rearranging all the music, and we just don't have time. I'm sorry, Fluttershy, but I have no remedy for this situation.”

I swear I saw a lightbulb form over my marefriend’s head when she heard that word.

“Of course!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “A remedy! Follow me!”

I hopped on Fluttershy’s back as she escorted Rarity and Big Mac out of the festival. I knew where we were headed before we even entered the Everfree Forest.

Once we got to Zecora’s home, Fluttershy knocked on the door.

“Miss Zecora, are you in there?” She asked.

“A knock at the door? Who could that be?” Zecora opened the door. “Why, it’s Fluttershy, Spike, Big Mac, and Rarity.”

“Zecora, we’ve got a big problem,” said Rarity. “Big Macintosh lost his voice and we need him to sing tonight!”

Zecora invited us all in and proceeded with checking Big Mac’s throat.

After examining, she said, “I can cure this pony that is hoarse, but it will take a longer course.”

“Uh, come again?” Rarity tilted her head.

“I can mix a brew that can work just right, but it cannot heal him by tonight.”

“Oh, no!” Fluttershy gasped. “Where are we ever going to find a deep voice to replace Big Mac's?”

Zecora chuckled, which didn’t amuse Rarity.

“Pardon me, Zecora, but this is no laughing matter!” Rarity shouted. “We need a bass voice for the harmonies to work! Without it, the performance will be ruined!”

“Please, forgive my strange elation,” said Zecora, “but I was not laughing at your situation. Remember when you pony folk stumbled into poison joke? Miss Fluttershy had an unusual change, deepening her vocal range.”

“Oh, I remember that,” I said. “Fluttershy, your voice was really low, and Pinkie called you...”

Fluttershy gasped. “...’Flutterguy.’”

Carefully holding a bowl of poison joke, Zecora said, “With these leaves I can mix a brew, creating the same effect on you.”

“Zecora, that's fantastic!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Yes! I'll do it! I'd do anything for the animals!” Fluttershy proclaimed.

“Why, you'd even appear on stage!”

“Oh. Except that. I just can't bring myself to sing on stage in front of everypony.”

“No pony said you had to,” I said. “We could try a lip dub.”

“A what?” Fluttershy tilted her head.

“Big Mac will be onstage, moving his lips while you're behind the curtains singing his part,” said Rarity. “It would be just like singing in your house! Nopony would know it was you!”

“Even still, I just don't think I could sing in front of...”

“You must!”

“For the animals, Fluttershy! For the animals!” I picked up Angel, who gave his owner a sad puppy look. I knew she couldn’t resist it.

“Oh, okay then...” Fluttershy gulped. “Mix it up.”

Zecora nodded as she put some gloves on. She carefully picked up some petals from the poison joke and placed them in the bubbling cauldron.

“Say, Zecora,” I said. “Have you ever been affected by poison joke? If you have, what did it do to you?”

“I would rather not talk about it, little Spike,” Zecora replied with a slight shudder. “Let’s just say it changed the color of my stripes.”

Later that night, the Pony Tones, Fluttershy, and I were backstage. Fluttershy already drank that special poison joke potion, but her voice had yet to be deepened.

“Are you sure that potion was supposed to be effective?” I asked. “I haven’t heard Fluttershy’s voice change all day.”

“Zecora said it would work before nightfall,” said Rarity. “Fluttershy, try singing a few notes.”

Fluttershy cleared her throat. “Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do. Do, ti, la, sol, fa, mi, re, do.”

The second she hit that low note, her voice turned from a shy girl to a tough club bouncer. I was nearly caught off-guard.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Rarity sighed. “Now, do it just like we practiced.”

Fluttershy and Big Mac nodded. Rarity disappeared through the curtains and gave her speech as the other three Pony Tones lined up. I hurried over to Fluttershy.

“Just stay calm and you’ll be okay, Fluttershy,” I said to reassure her. “You’re only going to be behind the curtains. They won’t know it’s you.”

“I don’t know, Spike,” Fluttershy deeply mumbled. “We may have practiced all day, but I’m still afraid to mess up.”

Wow, it’s so uncanny how a deep voice is coming from her. It’s giving me some...confusing emotions.

“You’ll be alright. I’m right beside you for support,” I said.

“So, with no further ado,” Rarity announced, “please welcome the Pony Tones!”

The rest of the band took the stage. Once Rarity blew on the pitch pipe, Fluttershy and Big Mac inhaled at the same time. Fluttershy then bellowed out the music notes.

Just like they practiced, Big Mac and Fluttershy were able to convince the audience the former was singing. Fluttershy managed to match up perfectly with Big Mac’s mouth. Her nervousness was slowly replaced with confidence. She danced around without ever missing a note. I couldn’t help but shuffle a bit to the music as well.

Once the song was over, everypony cheered for the Pony Tones. Fluttershy sighed heavily as she and I hugged.

“That was so amazing!” said Fluttershy.

“And best of all, the audience were none the wiser,” I said.

“Now I should hurry home and take that herbal bath. This voice makes me sound like a jazz singer.”

“Hey, I happen to like jazz music, thank you very much.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Fluttershy and I tried to sneak away, but Pinkie appeared right in front of us.

“Fluttershy! Spike!” Pinkie greeted loudly. “You were on the wrong side of the curtain! You guys totally missed the show!”

Rarity bit her lip. Little did she realize I had an ace up my sleeve.

“Au contraire, Pinkie. Fluttershy and I did witness the show,” I said. “You see, Rarity offered us a few backstage passes to see the performance up close. It was like being on stage without being on stage, if that makes sense. I figured it would help Fluttershy a bit with her stage fright.”

Not wanting to give away her deep voice, Fluttershy nodded quietly.

“I needed Fluttershy and Spike backstage anyway to make sure everything ran smoothly,” said Rarity. “And it was perfect.”

Fluttershy grinned.

“That was fantastic, Pony Tones!” A deep latino-like voice said.

A muscular pegasus and his daughter approached us. The young one, Zipporwhill, was wearing a tiara and holding a small puppy. The bigger one, Nightjar I think, was wearing a black t-shirt. Both of them were wearing thick black glasses that almost matched.

“My new puppy and I thought it was super-duper crazy good!” Zipporwhill rapidly said as she zipped around us like a hummingbird. The puppy looked like it was getting dizzy.

“Why, thank you!” said Rarity.

“And we were wondering if you would consider performing at my daughter Zipporwhill's cute-ceañera,” said Nightjar.

“We'd love to! When is it? Next week? Next month?”

“Tomorrow!” the two glasses-wearing pegasi said.

Rarity gritted her teeth. Big Mac and Fluttershy did the same.

“Oh, gracious, I'm terribly sorry,” Rarity said sadly, “but that's much too last minute.”

Zipporwhill and Nightjar were disappointed, but they understood. They both walked away. The rest of the girls did the same.

“I mean, it was last minute,” I said. “But still, we shouldn’t turn them down.”

“Spike’s right,” Fluttershy whispered. “We can't disappoint that sweet little filly.”

“Are you sure you’re up for it?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy could only nod.

“Well, alright.” Rarity rubbed the back of her head. “But you need to keep quiet until then. We don’t want anypony else to find out, not even the girls.”

“I’ll be by her side all day tomorrow,” I said. “If anypony asks, I can tell them she has a voice problem and can’t speak.”

“Thank you, Spike,” said Fluttershy.

The next day, I quickly finished up my morning routines. I was about to hurry out when Twilight stopped me.

“Where are you going so fast?” Twilight asked.

“Fluttershy told me to swing by her cottage today,” I lied. “She needs assistance with helping some of the new pet-owners, like how to feed and take care of them.”

“But why would she need you? She couldn’t get the vet to help out?”

“She trusted me to help her. The vet was going to be busy today, anyway.”

“Alright then. Good luck.”

I ran to Fluttershy’s cottage as fast as I could. I arrived to see Fluttershy feeding Angel, or rather she was trying to.

“Now eat your spinach, Angel Bunny,” Fluttershy said kindly.

Angel pointed at Fluttershy and then at his own throat. He then shrugged.

“It’s just some poison joke,” replied Fluttershy. “Don’t worry, I’ll have my sweet sounding voice back in no time.”

I knocked on the front door. Fluttershy noticed me and hurried to the entrance.

“Spike, good morning,” Fluttershy greeted. It was still hard to get used to her deep voice.

“Morning, Fluttershy,” I said. “Did Rarity come by yet?”

“Funny you should say that, because here she comes now.”

I turned around just to see Rarity galloping across the bridge.

“Fluttershy, Spike. So good to see you,” she said. “Your voice didn’t change back, did it Fluttershy?”

“Nope,” Fluttershy deeply replied. She almost sounded like Big Mac.

“Good. The Pony Tones and I had to pull a few strings, but we’re able to perform at Zipporwhill’s cute-ceañera later today. But we must hurry in order to practice.”

The three of us arrived at the Town Hall in a flash. Thankfully, the rest of the Pony Tones were already there.

“Morning, girls,” said Toe-Tapper, “and Spike.”

“Morning to you all,” said Rarity. “How’s Big Mac? Is his throat still sore?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac grunted.

“Well, don’t worry,” I said. “We still have backup.” I pointed to Fluttershy.

A few minutes after practicing, Zipporwhill, her friends, and her father showed up for the cute-ceañera.

“Pony Tones, I knew you’d make it,” said Nightjar.

“We were fortunate none of us had anything planned for the week, so we were able to find time to attend your daughter’s cute-ceañera today,” said Torch Song.

“Good, good.”

Fluttershy and I hid behind the curtains while everypony paid attention to the Pony Tones on stage. Just like last time, Fluttershy sang while Big Mac lip-dubbed, and nopony grew suspicious.

It’s a good thing that the poison joke was useful this time. Maybe I should get some if I need to disguise myself as a pony. Come to think of it, I wonder if there’ll be an episode where I could.

Once the song was over, all the fillies and colts cheered.

“Yeah, alright!” Zipporwhill shouted. “We got the Pony Tones! We got the Pony Tones!”

As the band exited the stage, the mayor approached us. Fluttershy quickly dashed off.

“Amazing, Pony Tones!” Mayor Mare complimented. “And it would be even more amazing if you could perform at my ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow!”

With all these performances day by day, it’s really lucky none of the Pony Tones are busy this week.

“Oh, Mayor,” Rarity said, “we would love to, but...” she then noticed Fluttershy asking her to speak in private. “Would you excuse us for a second, Mayor?”

Rarity and Fluttershy got out of earshot. After a brief conversation, Rarity told the mayor that the band would happily perform. The rest of the group was excited to hear that.

Just like in the show, the group performed each day for a different group. They performed for the mayor, the spa patrons, and the schoolpoines (they were there for an early orientation day due to some schedule conflicts). Fluttershy’s confidence grew more each time. She even improvised a bit, but nopony noticed.

Not wanting to arouse Twilight’s suspicion, I told her that Fluttershy was having throat problems, and she wanted me to help take care of her. I even carried some chamomile tea in a thermos to prove it. At least it would explain why she was talking way less than usual and why I kept visiting her so often these days.

One night, everypony was lined-up to see the last Pony Tones show at Sugarcube Corner for this week. I was a bit worried because this was going to be when everypony finds out Fluttershy was the one singing Big Macintosh’s voice.

After I did my job as the bouncer, I hurried backstage with Fluttershy.

“I gotta say, you’re getting pretty good at this, Fluttershy,” I said.

“Thank you, Spike,” replied Fluttershy.

“I really hope this really is the last show for a while. I’m starting to get used to your Flutterguy voice.”

“Fluttershy, we must talk to you,” Rarity said as she entered backstage with Big Mac. “Big Mac's voice is all better!”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said clearly.

“Now you can bathe in the poison joke antidote and sound like your lovely self again.”

Fluttershy dipped her head after hearing that.

“It's just...I didn't know that last performance was my last performance,” she said somberly. She then turned to leave.

“Fluttershy, stop,” pleaded Rarity. She then turned to Big Mac. “Would it be okay if Fluttershy sang for you one last time?”

Big Mac took one look at Fluttershy’s sad puppy face and said, “Eeyup.”

Fluttershy’s face lit up like a lightning bug, and she gave all three of us a group hug.

“Alright, I guess we should get on out there,” said Rarity.

“Good—er, break a leg, Pony Tones and Fluttershy,” I said.

The Pony Tones appeared on stage as applause filled the room. Fluttershy trotted in place like she was about to witness the Breezie migration again.

Man, I have never seen Fluttershy this excited before, animal-related or not.

The second Rarity blew a note on the pitch pipe, Fluttershy instantly sang the first part. I peeked out to notice that Big Mac had trouble keeping up with her improvised lyrics. Some of the audience members were getting a bit dubious.

“Fluttershy! Fluttershy!” I whispered sharply. “Stick to the original lyrics! Big Mac can’t keep up!”

But Fluttershy’s dancing and singing meant that she couldn’t hear me. Her rump bumped into the curtain rack, knocking it over on the Pony Tones and revealing the real singer. Fluttershy didn’t notice until the spotlight shined on her.

“Fluttershy?!” The rest of the girls were astonished.

Fluttershy covered herself with her tail as she fell to the floor. Despite the crowd cheering for her, she still couldn’t handle the pressure. She rushed out the double doors faster than Rainbow Dash drinking Red Bull.

“Big Mac, you got some 'splainin' to do!” Applejack barked as she hopped on the stage. “Turkey call?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied.

“Trash your voice?”

“Eeyup.”

This went on like in the show, up to the point where Applejack said, “And that shy filly was livin' her dream in the shadows because she couldn't bring herself to come into the spotlight?”

“...Eeyup.”

“You seemed to correctly assume our problem to a T, Applejack,” I said. “Has a similar situation like this happened before?”

“Eeyup,” AJ and Big Mac both said bluntly.

“Wow.”

“Well, for corn's sake!” Applejack called out. “Let's go!”

The girls and Big Mac quickly ran out of the bakery. I didn’t know if Pinkie learned her lesson by now, but I didn’t want to wait to find out. I hurried to catch up with the girls.

Twilight said, “We need to get to Fluttershy’s and—”

“HALT!”

Everypony stopped dead in their tracks, including Pinkie Pie.

And Fluttershy says I don’t need to yell.

I ran to the front of the group. “Sorry about that everypony. I needed to get your attention. I think it’s best to leave Fluttershy alone for now.”

“We’re not going to mob her, Spike,” Twilight said. “We just want to praise her for helping Big Mac. For helping the Pony Tones.”

“I know, but she’s too stressed out right now. She needs some time to relax.”

“What’s there to stress about?” Pinkie asked. “It was just a show in front of hundreds of ponies with high standards judging each and every move so that if somepony messes up, they’d...I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

“Eeyup,” Applejack nodded.

I said, “I don’t think you should approach Fluttershy just yet. You should wait until tomorrow to talk to her.”

“Alright, we’ll leave her be,” said Twilight.

“Thank you.”

As the girls walked away, I decided I should visit Fluttershy by myself. It would be better to have only one dragon talk to her than a group of ponies.

I approached Fluttershy’s cottage with tension in my bones. I knocked on the door and headed inside.

“Fluttershy? Are you in there?” I asked.

Steam came out from the upstairs bathroom.

“Yes...I'm here.” Fluttershy came out with a towel on her head. She quickly noticed me and covered herself up. “Oh, Spike. Uh...hello.”

“Why are you covering yourself?” I asked. “You’re always naked.”

“Well, I still need privacy when I’m in the bathroom,” she replied as she put the towel on her back.

“Anyway, it’s good to hear your original voice again.” I approached the steps. “I guess that means the end for Flutterguy.”

“Yes, it does. I hope to never perform in front of an audience again!” Fluttershy marched to her bedroom.

“Wait, Fluttershy, don’t say that!” I followed her inside. “Listen, even when your voice was several octaves lower, you were amazing. All those crowds this past week cheered because they heard your voice among all the other singers.”

“But did you see how the crowd reacted at Sugarcube Corner when they found out it was me who sang?”

Fluttershy hopped on her bed and covered herself with the pillow.

“Fluttershy, I didn’t know what you heard, but it certainly wasn’t boos or heckling,” I said. “Did you even enjoy yourself singing?”

“Well...” Fluttershy muffled. She then removed the pillow. “Maybe a tiny bit...”

“See? Your stage fright is slowly disappearing. All you need is to take baby steps to get there. It was your idea to get the Pony Tones to sing at those events in the first place. I think the Pony Tones agreed to everything because Rarity knew you wanted to perform.”

I lied down next to Fluttershy and stared at the ceiling.

“You know, I think I have an idea about what you can do next,” I said.

“What’s that?” Fluttershy asked.

“Ever consider performing a duet?”

“Don’t you mean a solo? A solo is when somepony sings by themselves. A duet is when...”

“...two ponies sing together. Or rather, a pony and a dragon singing together.”

Fluttershy sat up. “Wait, are you saying...?”

“You and I should perform a duet. Just in front of the girls and your animals. They’ve seen you sing before, so you know you can trust them. It’ll be one small baby step for overcoming your stage fright.”

“Can you even sing? Outside of musical moments, I mean?”

I sat up, cleared my throat, and sang, “There’s music in the treetops, there’s music in the vale.”

“I guess that answers my question.” Fluttershy giggled.

“So here’s my plan. We’ll pick a song to sing, make some disguises, set up a stage in front of your cottage, perform in front of the girls and animals, and finally reveal to them that it was us singing.”

“How are we going to disguise ourselves?”

“I can get Rarity to design costumes for us, and I can get Twilight to slightly alter our voices. I’d have to tell them about our plan, though.”

“So what song will we sing? It’s not going to be a love song, is it?”

I scratched my chin and shook my head. “Too cliche and gushy. I’m thinking more of a simple upbeat song. Maybe we could do a cover.”

“Well, there are a couple of upbeat songs that I know.” Fluttershy nodded. “I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out.”

“Good.” I hopped off the bed. “Go ahead and get a good night’s sleep. If you have doubts about this plan and want to back out, then feel free to tell me. I’ll understand.”

“It’s okay, Spike. Your plan sounds good. Like what you said, it's only going to be my animals and my friends.”

The next morning, I talked to Twilight about my plan with Fluttershy.

“A duet, huh?” asked Twilight. “Sounds rather romantic.”

“Yes, but you must not tell anypony besides Rarity that Fluttershy and I are the ones performing.”

“I won’t tell. So what do you want me to do again?”

“I had some design ideas for our costumes, and I would like to have our voices altered very slightly, just until we reveal ourselves.”

“I’ve worked with a few audio spells in the past. I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.”

Later I went to Rarity’s boutique with my drawing ideas. They were based on an electro-music group that always wore helmets during their performances. I told Rarity the same thing I told Twilight, and I showed her my ideas.

“These are quite some unique designs, darling,” said Rarity. “They look almost mechanical.”

“Do you think you could make them?” I asked.

“Of course, darling. The helmets will be a challenge, but the rest would be effortless. Although...” Rarity scrutinized one of the designs. “These designs are pony-shaped, not dragon-shaped.”

“It’s part of the disguise. Do you know any other bipedal creature my size that lives in Ponyville?”

“Fair point. I’ll be sure to keep this private between us.”

My next and final stop was Fluttershy. She didn’t change her mind about the duet, thankfully. I told her about Twilight and Rarity.

“So in short, they’ll help us, and they agreed to keep it secret,” I said.

“That’s good. There’s a few songs I found that I know the lyrics to,” said Fluttershy as she pulled out some records. “Let’s hear them and see which ones to pick.”

As Fluttershy and I listened closely to the records, I noticed how some of the songs sounded almost identical to the ones back in my human world. The most recognizable song I’ve heard was “Good Time,” which was sung by the pony versions of Owl City and Carly Rae Jepsen. Since the lyrics were somewhat similar to the original, I picked that song for our duet. Fluttershy liked the song, too.

Fluttershy and I spent the next few days keeping our duet under wraps. Fluttershy and I practiced singing, Rarity designed the outfits, and Twilight worked on enchanting the helmets. We also came up with our potential band name: the “Draft Pones.”

There would be times when one of the girls would come by and tell Fluttershy how she did a good job helping Big Mac. Fluttershy would blush and say nothing.

On the day everything was ready, the four of us set up the stage in Fluttershy's front yard. The animals grouped together. They all promised not to tell the girls our secret, though I doubt the girls would even understand them.

Fluttershy and I put on our costumes. The suits were able to disguise our bodies and hide our tails. Since I was going to be on all fours, I had velcro around my “front legs” that matched the color of my sleeves. My microphone had velcro as well.

“Okay, let’s test to see if my spell works,” said Twilight as Fluttershy and I put on our helmets. “Go ahead and sing something.”

“Harder, better, faster, stronger,” I sang. My voice sounded slightly robotic, but other than that it was no different from my normal voice.

Fluttershy was more or less the same way. Twilight meant for the spell to make slim alterations.

“Alright, I think we’re ready,” said Rarity. “Let’s fetch the other girls.”

“Right.” Twilight galloped down the road into town.

Fluttershy and I went backstage. She took deep breaths, but they sounded like she joined the dark side. She then lifted her helmet.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

“I’m positive,” I replied. “The girls won't recognize us. That’s why my costume makes me look like a pony.”

Fluttershy gulped and put her helmet back on.

We heard hoofbeats approaching. I peeked from the curtains to see the rest of the Mane 6 joining Fluttershy’s animals.

“Thank you girls for coming,” said Rarity.

“So...what’s going on?” Twilight asked, pretending not to know.

“Well, it seems our group, the Pony Tones, have been so influential to other ponies. So influential in fact, that two of them have formed their own duet band. They were practicing for a while, and they wished for us to witness their first performance. They also wanted to sing in front of the animals, just like the Pony Tones did back at the fundraiser, so Fluttershy allowed them to do their act here at her cottage. And now without further ado, the ‘Draft Pones.’”

The rest of the girls and Fluttershy’s animals clapped as Fluttershy and I walked to the front of the stage. It felt a bit awkward to be walking on all fours.

“Ooh futuristic-y,” said Pinkie.

“Say, where are Fluttershy and Spike?” Applejack asked. “They’re gonna miss the performance.”

“They both had...certain things to take care of,” Twilight lied. “But don’t worry, they’ll be around soon.”

I nodded to Rarity. She put the needle on the record and upbeat music played.

I cleared my throat and sang the first verse,
“I woke up on the right side of the bed.
What’s up with this swell song inside my head?
I’m in if we’re going to get down tonight. Yeah, it will a good time.
I slept in until noon like I didn’t care.
I feel so alive. Take me anywhere!
Count me in if we’re going to get down tonight. Yeah, it will be a good time.”

I motioned to Fluttershy. She inhaled a bit and sang,
“Good morning, and good night.
I’ll wait until twilight.
It’s gonna be alright.
We won’t even have to try; it will be a good time.”

As we both sang the chorus, which had the same lyrics to the original song, Fluttershy felt more and more confident. When the song first started she was stiffer than a statue, but now she was dancing around.

This was more evident by the next verse, in which Fluttershy sang,
“Flew high! Gonna dive into the pool again!
Hung out in my room, joined by all my friends!
Let’s all go if we’re going to get down tonight! Yeah, it will be a good time!”

It was my turn to sing the next part.
“Good morning, and good night!
We’ll wait until twilight!
It’s gonna be alright!
We won’t even have to try; it will be a good time!”

We sang the chorus again. The girls and the animals either stepped to the beat or sang a bit of the song.

“Doesn’t matter where, it will be a good time there!” I sang.

“Doesn’t matter where, it will be a good time there!” Fluttershy sang out the next line.

“Doesn’t matter where, it will be a good time there!” We sang simultaneously.

We then nodded at the same time and threw our helmets off.

“It will be a good time!”

The girls were surprised but pleased when they found out it was us singing. During our final chorus, I hopped on Fluttershy as we rose to the sky. My heart was like a firework. While performing a duet with my favorite pony wasn’t on my Equestrian bucket list, it may as well have been so.

As the song reached its final notes, Fluttershy and I slowly landed back on the stage. The girls and the animals applauded at our gig.

“I had a feelin’ yer voices sounded somewhat familiar,” said Applejack.

“They did ask for their voices to be somewhat changed underneath the helmets,” said Twilight.

“Wait, you were in on this?” Rainbow asked.

“Of course,” replied Rarity. “In fact, so was I.”

“Why didn’t you tell the rest of us?” Pinkie asked. “It’s that Big Mac and Flutterguy secret all over again.”

“Well, it was going to be a secret initially,” I said.

“And we wanted to reveal ourselves this time,” added Fluttershy.

“So how do you feel, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“Surprisingly...okay!”

I sighed in relief. I had a feeling Fluttershy would be partially over her stage fright regardless of whoever she sang with, but I just wanted to confirm it. The girls were glad as well.

“You know, the Pony Tones have been booked for the Apple Family Zap Apple Jam Extraordinaire this coming fall,” said Rarity. “Perhaps you two could join us. We could do a collaboration.”

“Yeah, you could be the ‘Draft Tones’,” said Pinkie, “or the ‘Pony Pones’, or the ‘Drafny Ptones’, or...”

“Oh, no...I couldn't do that,” Fluttershy politely refused.

The girls were disappointed to hear that. I wasn’t.

“I'll get there someday,” said Fluttershy. “But for now...baby steps, everypony. Baby steps.”

“That’s okay, Fluttershy,” I said as I picked up our helmets. “After all, we only planned for one gig.”

All in all, I was glad to change this episode a bit. I had slightly mixed feelings about punching Pinkie, but at least she didn’t make Fluttershy cry this time. Also, I got to sing with Fluttershy. I hoped one day, we would get to perform as the “Draft Pones” again.

Possibly whenever the later seasons happen.

Author's Note

Special thanks to MLPFollower for helping me out.

Chapter 60 (It Ain't Easy Being Breezies)

Fluttershy and I were having tea as usual one afternoon. That’s when I noticed something was off. I smacked my lips.

“This tea tastes different,” I said “Is this premade?”

Fluttershy giggled. “You’ve got the taste buds of a catfish, Spike. I’ve been really busy lately, so I bought a jug of tea that’s already been made, hopefully to save some time. But when I took one sip of it, I knew right away it wasn’t as good as normal tea you’d make from a tea bag. I mean...that’s my opinion. ”

As we continued drinking, a mailpony arrived.

“Special delivery for Fluttershy!” He called out.

Fluttershy put her cup down. “That’s me!” She fluttered over to the mailpony. “Strange, I wonder who it’s from.”

“Looks like it’s from some organization: The ESPRC?”

Fluttershy gasped. “The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures! Thank you, sir.” Fluttershy took the letter and opened it. “It must be important if it’s a special delivery from them.”

I remained seated as Fluttershy returned to our tea spot. Her smile grew bigger as her wings fluttered faster.

“Spike! You’re not gonna believe this!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “The Breezies are coming to Ponyville!”

I sat up. “Really?!”

“Yes! Read this letter!”

I took the letter Fluttershy had in her hooves and read it.

“Dear Ms. Fluttershy,
I do hope you are doing well. I’m contacting you to let you know that you have been selected to assist the Breezie migration through Ponyville. We chose you not just because you live near Ponyville, but also because you have shown enthusiasm for taking care of other critters. Details for letting others witness the migration are listed in the back of this letter. We hope everypony there will enjoy the Breezies as much as you do.
Sincerely,
Care Giver, honorary member of the Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures”

“Wow, Fluttershy,” I said. “This must be an honor.”

“It is!” Fluttershy clapped her hooves like a wind-up monkey with cymbals. “Words can’t describe how cute the Breezies are, and now the girls can witness what you and I saw during our trip!” Fluttershy grabbed me and placed me on her back. “Come on! We gotta tell the girls, and all of Ponyville!”

As Fluttershy pulled a Paul Revere, it didn’t take long for me to discover this was her key episode, “It Ain't Easy Being Breezies.” I knew what was going to happen. After some of the Breezies careened off their migration path, Fluttershy would take care of them. However, they didn’t want to leave, much to one of the Breezies’ frustration.

I don’t know if I can change anything in this episode, except...

I remembered in the show, Spike was responsible for causing the Breezies’ path diversion.
But I had doubts about doing the same thing, and I wondered what would happen should the leaf not fall.

The girls and I were in the middle of a field. Fluttershy wanted all of us to practice our cheering. I joined as well just to brush up my skills.

“Okay, everypony,” Fluttershy announced. “As you know, the adorable fairy creatures known as Breezies are about to come through Ponyville.”

“Yes! Ooh, it's so exciting!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hung from a nearby tree branch. “I can't wait for Rainbow Dash to make the breeze for them so I can see how cute they are up close!”

“I've never done it before,” said Rainbow Dash, “not that I won't be totally awesome at it, because I totally will!”

I smirked and rolled my eyes.

“And that breeze is very important,” said Fluttershy, “but so is cheering on those teeny-tiny little things, so they have the confidence to ride that breeze to their native land.” She grabbed her own cheeks. “Did I mention how tiny they are? So tiny! I was thinking we could do a special Breezie cheer!”

“I love cheers!” Pinkie shouted.

“But these cheers should be quiet cheers. We don't want to startle them. They need to be able to concentrate.”

“Fluttershy’s right,” I said. “On our last trip, we had to be quiet even though we were about a mile away from the Breezies. Now that all of you will be witnessing them up close, we have to be much quieter.”

Fluttershy nodded. “Why don't we try it? Repeat after me: ‘You can do it, Breezies.’”

“You can do it, Breezies!” Every mare shouted.

“You can do it, Breezies,” I whispered.

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy brushed her mane aside.

“Sorry, Fluttershy,” Applejack said. “I had no idea how hard it was to do a cheer quietly.”

“Why don’t you do what Spike did? He got the cheering down pretty well, and I couldn’t hear anything.”

“Wait, Spike said something?” Pinkie rubbed her ears. “But I didn’t hear a word from him.”

“That’s the point,” I said. “Not only would the loud noise break the Breezies’ concentration, but the air exhaled from your lungs could interrupt their path.”

“It’s okay, Pinkie.” Fluttershy approached us. “Quiet doesn't come naturally for everypony. Let's try it again.”

Just like in the show, the girls’ cheer grew quieter. It was like watching that “Yay” scene from “Sonic Rainboom” in reverse. Eventually, the girls were able to nail that quiet cheer.

“Perfect!” Fluttershy shouted, but suddenly regained her composure. “Oh, um, I mean...yay.”

Good call back.

The day the Breezies would visit Ponyville couldn’t come soon enough. Almost everypony was at the center of town waiting for the G3-immigrants to show up. The pegasi were working on making a breeze to help the Breezies travel across the sky.

I was with Fluttershy making sure the preparations were complete. We were chatting with Mr. and Mrs. Cake who were in charge of the food.

“What I don't understand is why they need the pegasi to make a breeze for them,” said Mr. Cake.

“Well, you see, it's the breeze that activates the Breezies' magic,” Fluttershy replied, “and that magic protects the pollen they're carrying from being destroyed.”

Now that’s what I call “wind energy.”

“So, no breeze means no magic means the pollen goes bad?” Mr. Cake asked.

“That's right,” said Fluttershy. “And they only have two days to get that pollen back before the portal to their home closes. That's why it's ever-so-important that we help them make their way through Ponyville safely.”

During our conversation with the Cakes, I noticed Rarity wearing a shiny cloak. It didn’t take me long to get blinded by her light. Fluttershy quickly put on a pair of sunglasses and handed me another.

“Thank you.” I put the shades on.

“Um, Rarity?” Fluttershy asked. “I, uh, hate to weigh in with you when it comes to fashion, but...”

“Oh, there's too much purple on this, isn't there?” Rarity asked panically. “I knew it! But Twilight refused to admit it.”

“What?! I...” Twilight denied as she looked away from her flashcards.

“Oh, no-no-no-no-no. It's the perfect amount of purple,” said Fluttershy. “It's just that there's an awful lot of sequins on your jacket.”

“Oh, darling, please! One can never have too many sequins!” Rarity announced.

“You can if they reflect the sun, and the light catches a group of Breezies right in their eyes, and blinds them long enough to get them off their course so they never get home!”

“She’s right, you know,” I said.

Rarity sighed. “I stand corrected! I suppose there is the rare instance where one can have too many sequins. I'll just take off my jacket.” She undressed to reveal a blouse that was whiter than her own coat. “I suppose this won't do either?”

Fluttershy shook her head. As I looked away, I noticed Rainbow Dash looking at the horizon. She caught her breath and zoomed down to whisper something to Twilight. I knew what she whispered.

“Everypony, it's time,” Twilight whispered. “Please welcome...the Breezies.”

“Come on, Spike,” whispered Fluttershy.

I hopped on her back. We quickly and quietly joined the crowd just in time to see the Breezies flutter on by. I could hear Fluttershy’s little squeaks of joy.

“They’re just as cute as last time!” She squealed like a baby bird.

“My thoughts exactly,” I whispered back.

I soon realized what was supposed to happen next. I looked behind me to see the same tree as in the show. The same one I have to climb on, disturb the Breezies’ path with a leaf, and have Fluttershy earn her key by the end of the episode. That’s when it occurred to me. Why did I have to do it?

You know what? Forget it! I’m not doing it! I’m not repeating what the old Spike did in the episode! There’s no reason why I should!

I crossed my arms and sat firmly on Fluttershy’s back.

Fate can find it’s own way to give Fluttershy her key! I am not disturbing the Breezies path! There has to be another story that involves Fluttershy getting her key.

I sighed gently and looked up at the Breezies. I didn’t care if I angered some pony god or three mares or whoever controlled this dimension. I wasn’t going to act out of character just for the sake of a plot.

“Everything alright, Spike?” Fluttershy asked quietly as she turned her head.

“It’s fine,” I replied with the same volume. “I was just...”

Suddenly, Fluttershy caught her breath and pointed at something behind me. When I turned to see what that “something” was, I widened my eyes.

It was a leaf! And it was flying towards the Breezies!

I quickly climbed up Fluttershy’s head and tried to catch it. Just when I was about to reach its stem, I lost my balance and fell off. Fluttershy quickly caught me.

The rest of the scene played out like in the show, the leaf disturbed some of the Breezies’ path, and the pegasi couldn’t adjust the wind in order for the group to catch up with the others.

With sheer determination in her eyes, Fluttershy gently put me down and raced upwards to save the Breezies. Just like in the episode, she and Seabreeze (a blue Breezie with a pink mane) managed to group them all together.

The crowd cheered as Fluttershy guided the group of Breezies to a nearby rock to rest on. The Breezies had their turn to cheer.

“Mugudi saikendus?” Seabreeze asked. I’m pretty sure he was saying, “You can understand our language?” I knew that because I obviously saw the episode and that I studied the language back before our Breezie trip.

“I understand the language of all kinds of creatures,” Fluttershy said.

“You must be so proud.” Seabreeze said sarcastically.

“And you speak my language too?”

“I can. This lot can only understand you. Clearly, they're not the brightest bunch around.”

The other Breezies took offense to that.

“That was amazing!” Pinkie shouted as the girls and I walked over to Fluttershy.

“I'm sorry we couldn't get a breeze going that would get them back to the others,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, it's not your fault,” Fluttershy replied.

“I, for one, am very proud of you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said triumphantly. “Leaping into action like that.”

Fluttershy blushed a bit.

“I feel like I should design you a special hero's gown!” Rarity proclaimed. “Or a sash. At least a sash.”

“I still wish I caught that leaf,” I said. “The breezies wouldn’t have fallen behind if I grabbed it.”

“Oh, it’s okay, Spike,” replied Fluttershy. “At least you tried to help. It’s all in the past now.”

I sighed and looked away. “You’re right. I just wish I could’ve prevented it.”

When I said in my mind that fate can find its own way to give Fluttershy her key, I didn’t mean it should move the leaf regardless of whether or not I was on the tree.

It was at that moment I reached one potential conclusion. I figured out why Discord said I couldn’t change fate no matter what I did.

“Twilight,” I said. “I need to head to the library for a sec. It’s really important.”

“Go ahead, Spike,” Twilight replied. “I can meet you there later.”

I hurried to the library and up to the bedroom. I grabbed some parchment and a quill. I took a few deep breaths and thought about what I should write. Once the words popped into my head, I wrote them down.

“Dear Discord,
I need to talk to you immediately. If you have time, please come find me. You probably already know where I am.
Signed,
Spike.”

I rolled up the scroll and used my fire breath to send it to Discord. I didn’t know if it was possible to do so given he could be in a different dimension, but it was worth a shot.

I sat on my bed patiently, hoping that the multi-animal hybrid would appear shortly. Suddenly my bed turned upside down, and I plummeted right into a hole.

“WOOOAAAH!!”

As I disappeared into a swirling vortex of pure purple, a slide materialized below me. The next thing I knew, I was sliding through twists and turns like I was on a giant carnival slide! I couldn’t tell which way was up! The only thing that kept me from vomiting was that I ate a very light meal earlier.

After what seemed like hours of sliding, I reached the exit and tumbled across the ground. With my eyes closed, I felt the ground and concluded by the texture that it was grass. I opened my eyes and observed my surroundings.

Plots of land including the one I was standing on floated around like dizzy planets. The sky was nothing more than a violet void where space and time never existed. Many unnamed objects and creatures drifted across the sky as if I had a hallucination. If I could find a word to describe this place, it would be one of those words a lazy person would use in Scrabble to get rid of all of their letters.

I turned to see a red house with a yellow roof resting on top of the hill. I didn’t have to guess to figure out it was Discord’s house, and this place was where he lived. I walked up the stone path and rang the doorbell.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

The doorbell sounds strangely normal. Wait.

I turned around to see four giant bells right behind me.

Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong!

The bells sheepishly smiled and vanished into the sky.

“Coming! Coming!” Discord’s voice called out from inside the house.

A couple of footsteps later, Discord opened the door and saw me.

“Why, it’s little Spike,” said Discord. “Do come in and make yourself comfortable.”

As I stepped into Discord’s abode, I noticed that his house was no different from whatever was going on outside. Sets of stairs were arranged like they escaped from one of Escher’s paintings. The furniture was oddly-shaped and positioned in different walls. Even the carpets and wallpaper had unrecognizable textures. I couldn’t picture all of this if I had a fever dream whilst taking hallucinogens. The only thing that made sense in this place was that Discord lived here.

I quickly shook my head. I couldn’t let the surrealism distract me from my down-to-earth discussion with the Lord of Chaos.

“I’ve just received your letter, Spike.” Discord poofed out the letter I just sent to him. “So what do you wish to speak about?”

“Discord, I found out the truth,” I said sternly. “You’re nothing but a liar!”

“But I’m standing, Spike.” Discord poofed a red armchair and sat down. “Now I’m sitting.”

“I’m just going to continue. I know the truth about you saying I can’t change fate. Because you are fate!”

Discord remained silent. His nonchalant expression didn’t change.

“You are the one keeping things the same ever since I came here! I remembered you telling me how you kept repeating the timeline expecting things to change, all to no avail. But in reality you wanted the entire series to repeat itself! You pretended to be stoned for the first few seasons so I wouldn’t think it was you! Just admit it, Discord! You’ve been altering everything so nothing would change!”

There was nothing but silence. Suddenly Discord guffawed in the loudest tone he could possibly make without deafening me.

“Oh, Spike.” Discord wiped a tear, which tore up into bits of paper. “Your theory is as preposterous as the one about me and Star Swirl being the same guy. You’d think I, a creature of pure chaos, have been keeping things...normal? You’ve seen that episode about what would happen if I was normal, right?”

“But who’s to say you didn’t alter things a bit, like spawn a cockatrice to scare the Ursa Minor into Ponyville, or brainwash Dashie to convince Pinkie to clone herself, or better yet, moved that leaf so the Breezies could stay with Fluttershy?”

“Who’s to say I did alter those things? All you’re doing is speculating, Spike. I can assure you that I have nothing to do with all of this.”

“I seriously doubt that.” I squinted my eyes like I had no name. “Some of the things I’ve tried to change just happened to fall right back to their original place. As if someone was controlling them.”

“Alright, then let me ask you this.” Discord slithered to me. “Remember how you caught that parasprite and shooed it back into the forest? Did you remember seeing it or its buddies return after that?”

“No, but...”

“So let me ask you another question.” Discord poofed up some colored cotton balls. “If I was fate, why would I, a creature of chaos, let the parasprite go on its merry way back into the Everfree Forest instead of ‘convincing’ it to return to Ponyville and devour everything?”

“Uh...”

Discord slid back into his seat. “If I was fate, why would I let you avoid your greed growth instead of forcing you to become a Godzilla-ripoff? Why would I let Trixie be on neutral terms with Twilight instead of having the former buy that corrupted amulet? Why would I let you stop Twilight from casting that chaotic spell instead of having her friends’ cutie marks switched anyway? Do you seriously believe that someone like me, who spreads chaos at every opportunity, would let things slide if it meant sacrificing havoc?”

“Maybe you’re...”

Discord spawned a Spike-like sock puppet. “‘...trying to get me into a false sense of security.’ Again, Spike, why would I miss my chances? Because I’ve already done them and I’m bored? Spike, you’ve seen how I am. I’m impulsive. I’m reckless. I’m the opposite of Twilight Sparkle. I’m the persona of anarchy and all it brings. I’m Discord. Do you really believe that I’m the one who’s been trying to keep things orderly? You can’t even put those words together.”

Discord spawned his name and the word “order,” and then he tried to push them together. But like the same poles on a pair of magnets, the two words repealed from each other.

“So you see, David? Your theory’s debunked. I’m too disorganized to keep the timeline stable; therefore, I’m not fate as you presumed.”

“Then who is?” I asked.

“If I knew that, I would’ve caught them and turned Equestria into my own utopia by now. I may sound like a broken record at this point, but no matter what you do, you just can’t fight fate. It will always try to pull something out of its hat in order to keep things the same.” Discord shrugged. “However, if you believe you can make a difference for this timeline, then go ahead and believe it.” Discord leaned forward. “But let me tell you a story.”

Discord snapped his fingers, and on the cup-shaped coffee table spawned a bunch of pony and non-pony minifigures. Discord put a figure of himself in the middle.

“Many repeats ago, right after I broke out of my stone prison, I decided to surrender unconditionally to Celestia and Luna.” Discord put a Celestia and Luna figure in front of his own. “I told them that I was a changed draconequus, that I wanted to use my powers for good instead of evil. I even offered them cake and tea. Did they believe me? HAH! Fat chance! Care to guess what happened next?”

“You got turned to stone again?”

“I got turned to stone again!” The Discord figure turned grey. “And get this: some time after that, Celestia started to believe my words, and then that episode where Fluttershy reformed me played out all the same.” Discord pushed the two princesses away. “I don’t want to discourage you or your goal to change everything; I just want to tell you my experience.”

“How many times have you repeated the timeline anyway?”

Discord shrugged. “How many gems have you eaten since you first came to Equestria?”

“Why haven’t you given up by now?”

“If you played one of your video games and didn’t like the ending, would you play again with different variables to see if you could get a different ending?”

“Well, I'd just look up to see if it was possible to get a better ending...”

“Unfortunately, David, there’s no way to do that here. If there was, I’d have already found it by now.”

“Wait, can’t you time travel? You’re a creature of chaos who can bend reality into an origami crane. You must know how to time travel.”

“I can. Sadly, when I do, I end up in a different timeline. Repeating my own timeline from when the show first started was the only way I could truly travel back, change things, and see if they have any effect. Even my power has limits. You’ve seen it before.”

I sighed. “So...how did you figure out I wasn’t the real Spike?”

“I have my ways.”

Figures he wouldn’t answer that question directly.

I was disappointed that my thoughts about Discord being fate was proven false, but in a way, he had a point. He wouldn’t let things change if it meant wasting a chance at chaos. And seeing how there were times in the show where his powers were actually limited, like when he visited the changeling hive, I had to take his word for it. Though I was still fairly sure he was lying.

“Can you at least get me home now?” I asked.

“With pleasure.”

Discord snapped his fingers again, and a book spawned in his hands. He turned the pages until a picture of the Golden Oaks Library showed up. He then grabbed me.

“It’s time for you to bid adieu!” Discord sang as he threw me up in the air.

I flailed my arms in fright as I fell into the book. I passed through the pages until I found myself appearing back at the library, somersaulting across the wood floor. Once the rolling stopped, I lied on my back knowing I was finally back to reality.

“Spike?” Twilight’s voice asked.

I sat up to see Twilight approaching me, dumbfounded by what she witnessed.

“Did you just pop out from that book?” Twilight asked. She went over to the book and read the cover. “‘Entropy and what it used to be.’ How did you do that, Spike?”

“You can thank Discord for that,” I said as I stood up. “I went over to his place to talk to him.”

“About what?”

“I just wanted to know if he’s okay with me being with Fluttershy,” I lied. “I knew she said he was, but I wanted to hear it straight from the draconequus’s mouth to confirm it. Can’t be too sure, you know.”

“Anyway, since you’ve been gone, Fluttershy’s been taking care of the Breezies for a bit. They were a bit shaken from that leaf incident, and they needed some time to relax.”

“Say, where’s that book about the Breezies? I want to study their language a bit more.”

“It just so happens I have the book right now.” Twilight levitated the book towards me. “I wanted to learn about their culture as well.”

I spent some time learning their language more. Aside from greetings and goodbyes, I also studied simple yet important words, such as “please,” “thank you,” “where is…?”, and more.

Twilight looked up at the clock. “We better check on Fluttershy and the Breezies. They need to head home soon.”

“I’m right behind you,” I said.

I hopped on Twilight’s back as we rode to Fluttershy’s cottage. Along the way, we met Applejack, who also wanted to see Fluttershy.

“I reckon ya wanted to see if them Breezies are ready, too, huh?” Applejack asked.

“It has been a while,” replied Twilight. “I’m sure they’re well rested by now.”

Once we arrived at the cottage, Applejack opened on the front door.

“Hey there!” She called out to Fluttershy. “Can we come in?”

“Oh, of course,” said Fluttershy. “But watch your step!”

Fluttershy stopped Applejack just in time, as the latter nearly stepped on one of the Breezies.

“Oop, sorry about that, little one,” Applejack said to the shivering Breezie.

“Yeski hawker dularker enbrinka,” I said.

The Breezie gave me a confused look as it climbed up Fluttershy’s mane.

“Why would they build a well, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“Oh, sorry! I was trying to say, ‘I hope you are well’ in Breezie tongue.”

“It’s ‘Yeski hawker dularpi enbrinka.’ Good job trying, though.”

“Moving on. We just wanted to see if you thought the Breezies were ready to give it another try,” said Twilight.

“Has it been an hour already? Oh, my goodness!” Fluttershy looked out the window. “Time flies when you're making sure little creatures don't feel that you're abandoning them to the cruel world.”

“But they're not going to a cruel world, right? They're going home.”

“Oh, yes, that's right.”

Suddenly the Breezies cried in denial. I didn’t have to translate their words to understand they didn’t want to leave.

“On second thought,” said Fluttershy. “I don't think they're quite ready.”

“Supa laipas data kurpa!” Seabreeze shouted. “Mise neku ersken laika maur! Siripat sulat!”

“Woah! You kiss your mother Breezie with that mouth?” I asked sternly.

“What? What did he say?” Applejack asked.

“I...rather not say,” replied Fluttershy.

“Okay, well, I'm sure you know what you're doin'. No one knows rare magical creatures like you do.”

“We'll just wait for your word,” said Twilight.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said as we left her cottage. “I'll be in touch very soon.”

Applejack, Twilight, and I headed back into town.

“I hope the Breezies don’t overstay their welcome,” said Applejack.

“It’s okay,” Twilight said. “They’ll get back on their hooves soon.”

“Hopefully they will before the portal closes,” I said. “I don’t know what the Breezies will do if they’re too late.”

I knew what would happen though. The Breezies would try their best to stay with Fluttershy, and Fluttershy would put her hoof down and get them to head home.

During my thought process, Rainbow Dash flew in.

“So what did Fluttershy say?” Dashie asked. “Are the Breezies ready?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Seriously? It’s been over an hour. I know Fluttershy’s taking good care of them and all, but we need to create that breeze soon if the Breezies are gonna get home in time.”

“Well, it’s not like we can teleport them home,” I said. “They’re too delicate physically and mentally.”

“We’ll just have to wait for now,” said Twilight.

Minutes turned to hours as we waited for the Breezies. Rainbow went to Fluttershy’s earlier only to come right back.

“Still not ready,” said Rainbow. “At this point, we’ll have to create a hurricane in order to get the Breezies home.”

“I hope Fluttershy’s not considering making them stay permanently,” Twilight said. “The local environment doesn’t seem suitable for the Breezies.”

I sighed. “I’m gonna head on over to Fluttershy’s and convince the Breezies to head home. One way or another they have to understand they’re running out of time.”

I hurried down the road to Fluttershy’s house.

“Duk maklies...jenapu!” I said to myself. “Yeah, that's how you say ‘You need to go home!’”

Soon I arrived at Fluttershy’s place. I was about to knock on the door when Fluttershy swung it wide open and slammed right into me!

“Oh, Spike! I’m so sorry!” Fluttershy quickly got up. “Did you see Seabreeze on your way here?!”

“The blue tough one?” I asked. “I don’t think so. Why?”

“He just flew out! We need to find him!”

I stood up quickly. “Okay, where could he be?” I bet he was near the beehive like last time.

“Judging by the way the wind’s blowing, he must have headed in that direction!” Fluttershy pointed to the nearby trees. “Let’s hurry!”

I followed Fluttershy as she galloped into the forest. Sure enough, we heard Seabreeze’s voice.

“Ibeku-u-u! Ah, sa-sabada! [Wait-o-ho! Ah, h-help me!]”

“There he is!” Fluttershy called out.

Seabreeze was clinging on a twig for dear life while a swarm of bees was preparing to strike him.

“I’ll get the bees away from him!” Fluttershy declared. “Try to find some sticks in case we need to make a fire! Smoke will tire the bees out.”

I saluted and gathered a few nearby twigs. The scene played out like in the show. Fluttershy politely asked the bees to leave Seabreeze alone. When they ignored her, she tried to distract them with her bee costume (I didn’t know where she got it or how she put it on so fast). Her third attempt was to scold the bees to shoo them off. That last part thankfully worked.

“Menkyulen! [Thank you!]” Seabreeze shouted. “Thank you! Thank you so much! Thank you for coming after me!”

“Varshkagud, [You’re welcome],” I said as I dropped the sticks.

“You could've gotten seriously hurt out there,” said Fluttershy. “Ponyville is much too dangerous for you. One tiny acorn is a threat!”

“Yeah, I know!” Seabreeze shouted. “That is one reason why I have been trying to get us to go from the beginning!”

“Oh, my goodness. I was just trying not to hurt any creature's feelings, but my displays of kindness may have cost you everything.” Fluttershy gasped. “Time is running out, and you may never make it home!”

“That’s why I came here in the first place,” I said. “To tell you and the Breezies that we don’t have long!”

“That is exactly what I have been telling all of them!” Seabreeze cried. “But they do not listen to me! Nobreezie ever listens to me!”

“Seabreeze, I understand your feelings are hurt, but it's hard for them to hear you when you're shouting and being mean. The message doesn't get across.”

Not usually for the shouting part, anyway.

“But what about those bees?” Seabreeze pointed at the beehive. “You were not nice to them, and that was the only way they listened!”

“Yes, but they had to go, and they wouldn't listen to me any other way,” Fluttershy replied.

That’s when Fluttershy’s irises shone a rainbow.

“We need to go, now!” Fluttershy announced.

Seabreeze hopped on Fluttershy’s hoof, and three of us made it back to the cottage. We got all the other Breezies together, and they lined up like they were in the army.

“My dear Breezies, I had to rescue Seabreeze from serious harm,” Fluttershy announced, “and now I know more than ever that you must leave before it's too late! You would never survive in Ponyville.”

“Erski parli polin! [Don’t do this to us!]” pleaded the Breezies.

“I can't help you any more. In fact, I wasn't helping you at all by being nice. Oh... But the truth of the matter is that I must be firm!” Fluttershy opened the front door. “You must go, now!”

The Breezies reluctantly left the cottage. Seabreeze told Fluttershy that she did the right thing, but the tears in her eyes said otherwise. I hugged her to cheer her up a bit.

“I know it wasn’t pretty, but it’s for the best,” I said. “I’ll tell the girls they’re ready.”

Fluttershy somberly nodded. I quickly left the cottage and hurried to find Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Sure enough, I found them and the other girls at a cafe.

“Spike, there you are,” said Twilight. “What happened? Why do you look so glum?”

I shook my head and cleared my throat, “The Breezies are ready.”

“Ugh, about time,” said Rainbow Dash. “I’ll get my helpers.”

As Rainbow zoomed away, Twilight asked me, “So why are you upset? Did something happen to one of the Breezies?”

“Something almost did,” I replied. “Seabreeze nearly got attacked by bees. But that’s not the reason why I’m feeling a bit sad. Fluttershy unfortunately had to be firm to them in order to get them to leave, and...well...she didn’t enjoy it.”

“I’m afraid it was the right thing to do.” Twilight put a hoof on my shoulder. “The Breezies can’t stay any longer.”

“I know, I know. I just don’t like seeing Fluttershy cry.”

“Nopony does, darling,” said Rarity. “For her or for anypony else”

Later, the girls and I returned to Fluttershy’s cottage. Rainbow Dash and her helpers were trying to get a good breeze going, but every breeze they made was either too much or too little.

“Maybe it's because there are too few of them,” said Fluttershy. “When they started their journey, there was more of them to face the breeze together.”

Twilight scratched her chin. “I've been studying an old spell book from the Castle of the Two Sisters. There's a spell that I think could help us. Everypony, group together. You too, Spike.”

My eyes widened. I knew what she was going to do, and I never thought I would join them to become Breezies. Then again, I didn’t see Spike with the girls after his incident.

“This is probably gonna feel a little funny at first, but you're gonna have to trust me.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, and we were lifted into the air. The next thing I knew, my body shrunk down to the size of a teacup, my fingers and toes disappeared, and a pair of antennae and wings sprouted from my body.

I got wings again! Too bad this isn’t going to be permanent.

Once the transformation was complete, the girls and I became Breezies. I could tell the girls were thrilled as well.

“This is amazing!” I squeaked. “Woah! Now I sound like a chipmunk inhaling helium!”

“Maifo flai batendud!” Fluttershy called.

The girls exchanced confused looks.

“She means ‘Let’s go!’” I said to the girls.

With the help of Rainbow’s helpers, the girls and I joined the other Breezies and floated along the breeze. My body was so light that the wind made me float like a tiny piece of paper. To be honest, the weightlessness felt almost unreal for me, like I was either a ghost, in space, or both.

While the trip was long, it wasn’t all that tiring. Since I relied on the wind so much, I didn’t bother flapping my wings. I wondered if this was how migratory birds felt.

Seabreeze apologized to the others for being so harsh. He was worried that they might not make it home. The other Breezies forgave him.

As we continued the journey, some of the landscapes looked familiar. That’s when I recognized them.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I said. “This looks like the place where we observed the Breezies a while back.”

“It does!” Fluttershy exclaimed.

“You observed us?” Seabreeze asked.

“Spike and I were invited a couple of weeks back to see you guys pass by here.”

“Ment viska degu aldrida. [But we never saw you],” said one of the Breezies.

“Well, we were told to be discreet about it.” Fluttershy rubbed the back of her head. “We didn’t want to disturb you after all.”

“If you saw us here, then that means our home is nearby,” said Seabreeze. “We’re almost there.”

The other Breezies cheered after hearing that.

A few minutes later, we entered a cavern. Seabreeze pointed to an opening straight ahead. Once all of us entered, we were granted a spectacular view of the Breezies’ village. From the glowing mushroom houses to the colorful flowing water, the entire place looked like something from a fantasy novel.

Judging by the girls' reactions, I wasn’t the only one amazed.

“Holy mini-sized paradise!” Rainbow squeaked.

“This is simply beautiful!” exclaimed Rarity. “So much inspiration. Where's my sketchpad when I need it?”

“So...stinkin'...cute!” Pinkie squealed.

The other Breezies reunited with their friends and family, including Seabreeze who had a wife and a newborn child.

“You okay, Fluttershy?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy had tears of joy running down her cheeks. “I'm just so very happy they got to be reunited with their family!”

“I feel the same way,” I said.

“We'd better get going before the entrance...well, exit for us, closes,” Rarity said.

As we said goodbye to the Breezies, Seabreeze handed Fluttershy a flower.

“To remember us by,” said Seabreeze.

The girls and I left the cave just in time for the portal to close behind us.

“Whoa! That was a close one!” Rainbow Dash squeaked.

“Okay, gather round,” said Twilight.

Her horn glowed once more. With a big poof, we were back to our normal forms. It felt good to have digits again, though I was disappointed I lost my wings for the second time.

Is this going to be a running gag where I gain a pair of wings only to lose them a while later? I hope my molt breaks the streak.

“So... I've always kinda wondered what it would be like to be a griffon,” Rainbow suggested.

“Not a chance,” Twilight bluntly refused as we left the valley.

“You sure? What about a dragon? It doesn't have to shoot fire!”

“I hate to interfere with this discussion, but where do we go from here?” Rarity asked. “We must be miles from Ponyville by now.”

“Actually, there’s a train station not too far from here,” Fluttershy replied. “We just have to go to where Spike and I first saw the Breezies, climb up the hill, trot through that tall forest, and we’ll be at the station in no time. ”

We did all that and managed to catch a train home. Fluttershy stared out the window like she was lost in thought.

“Is everything alright, dearie?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy blinked. “Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about...nevermind.”

“Don’t tell me,” I said. “The rainbow thing?”

“What rainbow thing?” Applejack asked.

“You mean that rainbow thing where we see a rainbow and realize we’re not representing our elements so we do something about it and receive something that coincidentally also shines a rainbow?” Pinkie asked rapidly.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened but she nodded. “It happened when Seabreeze was in trouble.”

“Yeah, I noticed it too,” I said. “Your irises turned rainbow-colored for a brief second.”

“So it was not something only we could see, then?” Rarity asked.

“Fluttershy, did that flower on your head glow a rainbow?” Twilight asked.

“Yes. It did.” Fluttershy replied. “Right after we just left the valley.”

“Then you need to keep it safe,” I said. “It could be important.”

“Oh, I’ll try.”

“Wait a minute,” said Twilight. “Girls, raise your hoof if this rainbow phenomenon happened to you already.”

The only ones in our group who didn’t raise our hands/hooves were Applejack, Twilight, and me.

“Hmm...I better take note of this when we get back,” said Twilight.

“I wonder if the same thing will happen to us later on, Twi,” Applejack said.

“I wonder if it will happen to me,” I added.

“You don’t have an element, Spike,” Dash said.

“One that isn’t confirmed yet. I'm still hoping for a hidden seventh element.”

I didn’t know what to feel about this episode, honestly. Even though I never touched that tree, the episode still played out normally. I wanted to believe Discord was behind it all, but he told me himself that he was not responsible. I still had doubts, though.

Chapter 61 (Maud Pie)

I didn’t change anything for “Somepony to Watch Over Me”. There was no need to change every episode I came across, and it wasn’t my business to be involved in any family squabbles after all.

One day, I was in the library as usual. I wanted to try out a session of Ogres and Oubliettes with Twilight, but she politely refused.

“Come on, Twilight,” I said. “It’ll be only one encounter. The enemy won’t even have much health. It’ll be like swatting a fly.”

“I said no, Spike,” replied Twilight. “I’m not interested in that kind of stuff.”

“How can you not be interested? You get to make your own character, do your own things, and have your own stuff. It’s a do-whatever-you-want kind of game.”

“Spike, the only thing that game does is put you in a dungeon and have you fight monsters. Who wants to fight monsters all the time?”

I pulled an unamused look. Twilight read my face.

“We don’t do that all the time in real life, if that’s what you’re thinking,” said Twilight.

Before I could say anything else, Pinkie came bursting into the library.

“TWILIGHTSPIKEMYBIGSISTERMAUDISCOMINGTOVISITMETOMORROWANDINEEDYOURHELPSOYOUGOTTACOMEOVERTOTHEBACKOFSUGARCUBECORNERVERYEARLYATSIXAMTOMORROWTOHELPMEWITHSOMETHINGOKAYTHANKSBYE!”

Pinkie zoomed out just as fast as she arrived.

“Well...uh...” I said awkwardly. “That was pretty random. Did you understand what she said?”

I looked to see Twilight’s horn glowing. She had a ball of pure magic in front of her.

“One sec.” Twilight motioned her hoof. “I found this spell that can record other ponies' voices and play them back at whatever speed is desirable.”

A tape recorder spell. How convenient. You’d find spells for anything these days.

“Okay, here we go.” Twilight pressed the orb of magic.

Pinkie’s voice played back in slow motion. “Twilight! Spike! My big sister Maud is coming to visit me tomorrow and I need your help, so you gotta come over to the back of Sugarcube Corner very early at six a.m. tomorrow to help me with something! Okay? Thanks! Bye!”

Then the ball of magic disappeared.

“It took me a while to restore the first part,” said Twilight, “but everything else was easy.”

“So one of Pinkie’s sisters is coming over to visit, huh?” I asked. “That’s nice. I hope she enjoys her stay.”

“I hope so, too. Though, I wondered why Pinkie wants us to see her tomorrow morning.”

“Maybe to help her with a gift for her sister? I wonder if she told the girls about this as well.”

“She might have. Let’s go find them.”

As I hopped on Twilight’s back, I knew this was the episode where Maud, Pinkie’s older sister, comes to visit. The girls would have trouble connecting with the monotone pony, so Pinkie comes up with a dangerous obstacle course for everypony to enjoy. Sadly, it would result in Maud and Pinkie briefly returning to their rock farm. The girls later discovered what Maud and themselves had in common: they cared deeply for Pinkie Pie. I wondered if I could reveal that early.

After visiting the girls and a lot of “Oh, that’s what she was saying” quotes, Twilight and I returned home.

“So...” I began to say.

“Forget it, Spike,” Twilight said. “Not today.”

I sighed sharply. It was no wonder Big Mac was the only player Spike could get.

I wonder if Rumble and Button Mash would be interested.

Bright and early next morning, Twilight and I were on our way to Sugarcube Corner. Even though I went to bed at 8 p.m. last night, I felt more tired than a sloth drinking Nyquil.

We arrived behind Sugarcube corner with the rest of the girls. Just like me, most of them were exhausted.

“Has anypony heard from Pinkie Pie since yesterday?” Applejack asked.

We all said no.

“I don't see what's so important we had to meet her here this early,” Rainbow yawned. “Celestia hasn't even raised the sun yet!”

“I hope everything's okay.” Twilight lightly knocked on the door.

We could hear crashes and bangs on the other side. It’s a wonder how the Cake Twins didn’t wake up from all that. Pinkie swung open the door. She was wearing lab goggles and a chef’s hat.

“Thank goodness you're all here!” Pinkie exclaimed. “There's no time to lose!”

Pinkie threw half of us into the shop and shoved the other half in with her.

It was then we saw mountains and mountains of rock candy piled everywhere in her room. It was like looking at a dragon lord’s hoard.

“What is all this?” Twilight asked.

“My sister Maud's gonna be here soon, and I need your help taste-testing my rock candy recipes!” Pinkie replied as she stirred some of the hard treats with a whisk.

“Uh, we're happy to help you, Pinkie Pie,” said Applejack. “but this seems like an awful lot of candy.”

“I may have gone a teensy bit overboard.”

“That’s an understatement,” I said.

We spent the next few hours tasting many pieces of rock candy. While I did like rock candy, eating so much of it in such little time was sickening. The same could be said for any kind of food, to be honest.

“Everypony ready for more?” Pinkie asked as she wheeled in a bucket of more rock candy.

“Ugh, my teeth hurt,” groaned a bloated Rainbow Dash.

“Same with me,” I said while massaging my jaw. “And I eat gemstones, for Celestia’s sake!”

“I think we've had plenty,” said Applejack. “And shouldn't you be on your way to pick up Maud from the train station?”

“But you've only tried half of the flavors!” Pinkie shouted. “And we have to choose the perfect ones before she gets here so I have time to make more!” Pinkie scarfed down the entire bucket.

It’s a wonder how she doesn’t have cavities...or diabetes.

“Maud is your sister,” Twilight said as she walked over to Pinkie. “I'm sure she'll love your rock candy. And I'm pretty sure you've made enough. She's only staying for the week.”

“Unless she has the same bottomless stomach as you, of course,” I said.

“Aw, it's not just for Maud, silly,” said Pinkie. “I'm making candy for all of us!”

Pinkie went on explaining how making the rock candy was important because of a special tradition only the closests friends and family members could share: making rock candy necklaces. Maud taught Pinkie how to make them with a special kind of rock, and they’ve been trading necklaces ever since Pinkie moved to Ponyville.

“Aw, what a great tradition,” sighed Applejack.

“Hold on. The secret ingredient is rocks?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah,” Pinkie replied. “But these are a special kind of rock that Maud discovered.”

“Is it sugar?” I joked.

Pinkie chuckled. “Good answer, but no. Sure, sugar is crystallized to make it seem like it came from rocks, but in reality it comes from sucrose, a disaccharide produced in plants such as sugar cane or beets. So in fact, sugar is a plant-based ingredient. And Mrs. Cake says I don’t eat enough veggies.”

“Wow, you just spoke egghead for a second there,” said Dash.

“When it comes to baking, chemistry is the most important factor!”

“I can’t argue with that,” said Twilight.

“Now that Maud is heading out to get her rocktorate in rock science, this may be our last chance to trade them for a really long time,” said Pinkie. “I can't wait for you all to meet her. I just know that my best Ponyville friends and my best sister friend are gonna become bestest friends! We can make bestest-est friend rock candy necklaces together!” Pinkie then grabbed all of us for a group hug. “She expresses herself through fashion just like Rarity, and she's really smart and loves reading just like Twilight! And she's honest, and helpful, and loves forest things, and is good at games, and...well, she's awesome!”

“She sounds amazing,” Rarity groaned, “but won't she start worrying if you aren't at the train station when she gets here?”

“She sure will.” Pinkie then gasped and released all of us. “I gotta get out of here!” She zipped out of Sugarcube Corner in a flash.

“Well, that was something,” said Applejack as she brushed herself off.

“If Pinkie wants us to bond with her sister, then we should do just that,” said Twilight. “Let’s set up a picnic with her later today. Then we could see how much in common we really have.”

“Can it be a light picnic?” Rainbow asked, clutching her belly. “I’m still full from fifty pounds of rock candy.”

“Of course, obviously.”

Later at the library, Twilight and I were getting ready for the picnic. I rubbed my slightly-inflated stomach.

“I think all that rock candy killed off my love for real gemstones,” I said. “I think I could go for an entire week without eating one.”

“I know, Spike,” said Twilight. “At least we’ll be eating different food on this picnic.”

“Hoo?” Owlowicious flew from his perch and onto Twilight’s hoof.

“You had to be there, little buddy,” I said.

Twilight checked the time. “We better head on over to the picnic. We told Pinkie to meet us by the lake, and we’ll be bringing all our pets there as well.”

I climbed onto Twilight's back as Owlowiscious landed on Twilight’s head. We then headed down the lake. Some of the girls were already there with their pets.

“I sure hope Maud has an appetite,” said Fluttershy as she arranged some of the food on the picnic blanket.

“Never met a pony or critter who didn't love Granny Smith's apple spiced muffins,” said Applejack as she put the basket down.

“Oh! It’s no use!” Rarity cried.

Rarity showed up with Opal. The former was wearing a giant hat decorated with blocks of quartz.

“I simply cannot find anything suitable to wear!” Rarity shouted again. One of the pieces of quartz fell into the muffin basket.

“I doubt she'll notice what anypony's wearing, so what's the big deal?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“The big deal is that it will be very difficult to show Maud what a strong fashion presence we have in Ponyville if the most fashion-forward pony here can't keep her hat from falling apart!”

“Why not just wear one of those gem-covered dresses you had a while back?” I asked. “A gem is like a rock, only fancier.”

“Because this idea was fresh in my mind, and I wanted to give it a try. Oh, it looked so fabulous, and practical, on paper.”

“I think we're all a little nervous about Maud's visit,” said Twilight. “She's Pinkie Pie's sister, and it's obvious Pinkie really wants us to hit it off. Being able to make those rock candy necklaces together is really important to her. I'm sure everything will be fine…”

“We’re here!” Pinkie’s voice shouted.

We looked to see Pinkie pronking down the dirt path. Her sister, however, was nowhere in sight.

“Where’s Maud?” Twilight asked.

“She’s coming,” Pinkie replied.

Rainbow looked beyond the horizon of the path. “Uh, you sure?”

“She's not quite as fast as me. I asked Gummy to stay with her in case she got lost!”

We watched the path for the longest time. Just like in the show, the only audible noise was Tank’s propeller. And I couldn’t fast-forward this time.

A long while later, Pinkie’s sister approached. She was gray with a dull purple mane that almost matched Twilight’s style. She wore a blue-grey dress with a dark-grey belt. Gummy was attached to her tail. This was definitely Maud Pie.

A ponified Daria Morgendorffer if I ever saw her.

Maud leaned down to a rock in front of her and sniffed it.

“Sedimentary,” she said in a monotone voice.

“Huh?” Rainbow landed between Twilight and a grinning Pinkie Pie.

“This is a sedimentary rock,” said Maud, picking up the rock.

The girls remained silent. Not wanting the awkward silence to prolong any further, I stepped in.

“Hello there, Maud,” I greeted cheerfully. “Welcome to Ponyville. Pinkie told us all about you. We hope you’ll enjoy your week here before your big trip. My name is Spike.” I motioned over to the rest of the girls. “These are my friends: Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity. It’s an honor to see you.” I stuck out my hand.

“Likewise,” Maud replied as she shook my hand. Her tone remained unchanged.

“A mare of a few words and emotions, I see. I understand completely. We all have different ways of expressing ourselves after all.”

“Pinkie Pie tells me you share my love for fashion,” Rarity said.

“I'm really into expressing myself through my wardrobe,” replied Maud.

“And what is the delightful frock you're wearing now saying?”

“It doesn't talk. It's a dress.”

I giggled a bit. “I think what Rarity’s trying to say is what made you choose that dress in particular.”

“It was in my closet. It fits me. I liked the color. So I chose it,” said Maud.

“A mare who experiments on what to wear and see the world’s reaction. I like that. Rarity does it sometimes as well.”

“N-not purely random!” Rarity denied. “I have a system depending on designs, thread counts, colors and more.”

Winona barked, and Applejack introduced Maud to all our pets.

“Pinkie Pie told us you have a pet, too,” said Applejack.

“He's in my pocket,” Maud said.

Fluttershy’s face lit up. “Oh, you have a pocket pet? Like a tiny mouse? Or a baby bird? Or a trained butterfly?”

I could see the green-eyed monster behind Angel’s white furred face.

“It's a rock.” Maud pulled her pet from her pocket and placed him on the ground. “His name is Boulder.”

I kneeled down close to him. “Uh...hello there, Boulder. Is it okay if I pet him?”

“He’s a rock,” Maud replied.

“Right.” I stood up. “Sorry, little buddy. Just trying to be friendly.”

The girls gave each other confused looks. I bet they were wondering if I hung out with Pinkie Pie too much.

“This is going to be the best, most awesome, funnest week ever!” Pinkie screamed. “I can't wait for us all to become bestest friends!”

The girls could only awkwardly chuckle.

We later sat down to eat. There was only light food for either a small lunch or a snack, which was okay given the all-you-can-eat rock candy buffet we had for breakfast this morning.

“Maud? Would you like to try one of Granny Smith's famous apple spiced muffins?” Applejack asked as she pushed the basket towards Maud.

Maud sniffed some of the muffins and that piece of quartz that was still in the basket. I didn’t have to guess which one she took.

“Oh, uh, that’s not…” Applejack stuttered.

That was all she could say before Maud munched on the translucent mineral. It astounded me how Maud never broke any teeth.

“It’s crunchy,” Maud said.

“Pinkie, are you sure your family isn’t related to dragons?” I asked. “It would make more sense than being related to Apples.”

Pinkie scratched her chin. “I had a distant relative who was an expert on using one of those giant dragon puppets. Does that count?”

“So, uh, Pinkie Pie tells us you like games,” Dash said to Maud.

“Boulder and I sometimes play a game called ‘Camouflage,’” said Maud. “It's kind of like hide and seek but way more intense.”

“That sounds awesome,” I said. “Why don’t we play it? What are the rules?”

Maud gave us the basic rules of the game, though I don’t think “Find Boulder” could be any more basic. After we covered our eyes, we waited for Boulder to “hide.”

“Alright, that’s long enough,” said Maud. “Let’s find Boulder.”

The girls looked around the nearby rock pile for Boulder. The only pony who was enjoying the game was Pinkie Pie. I searched around Maud for a bit. While I knew where Boulder really was, I didn’t want the game to end too early.

“Quite an elusive piece of basalt,” I said to myself.

After a few minutes of searching, I decided the game went on long enough.

“Hey, Maud, could you check your pockets, please?” I asked.

Maud patted her dress. I swore her eyelids rose a millimeter when she pulled out Boulder.

“Found him,” Maud called out with her deadpan tone.

The girls and their pets hurried over to Maud and me.

“Wow, that was fast!” Pinkie cheerfully said. “Where was he?”

“In Maud’s pocket,” I replied.

“Seriously?” Rainbow groaned.

“Boulder hid pretty well,” said Maud. “He’s surprised you found him so soon, Spike.”

“Well, it all boils down to simple logic and psychology,” I said. “If you go to a new place, you’d most likely stick with someone familiar, like your friend or your owner. That made me think Boulder had to be somewhere close to Maud. Then I thought Boulder would pick someplace where he was most comfortable. Since I couldn’t find him around any nearby rocks, I assumed he was somewhere on Maud. I concluded right then and there he’d be in the most logical place: the pockets of her dress. I asked Maud to check, and as luck would have it, he was there.”

“You’d make a good detective,” said Fluttershy.

“It’s okay, Boulder,” said Maud. “You’ll win next time.” She put him back in her pocket.

Angel showed up and tapped on Fluttershy’s leg. He then pointed to all the pets who were a bit winded.

“I don't mean to interrupt, but we really should get these little critters home,” said Fluttershy. “It's getting awfully late, and they've had a very busy day.”

“Maud and I had better get going too,” said Pinkie. “I want her to taste the rock candy we're gonna use for our best-friends necklaces! Aw yeah!”

As Pinkie, Gummy, Maud, and Boulder left, the girls were left awkward by the experience today.

“She sure is...different from what I expected,” Applejack said.

“Spike seems to be the only one who bonds with her for some reason,” said Rarity. “He didn’t feel any different from whenever we meet somepony else.”

“On the bright side, Boulder seemed really sweet,” said Fluttershy.

“He’s a rock!” Rainbow shouted.

Well, he’s got nerves of steel.

“Come on, girls,” I said. “Sure, Maud doesn’t express her emotions the same way her sister does, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel alienated around her. I was able to interact with her much better than the rest of you did.”

Rainbow zoomed down. “Spike, Maud eating rocks and having a sister might make you two see some common ground but Pinkie wanted all of us to connect with her. And frankly, with the way she’s acting, it’s pretty hard.”

“How can you not befriend one of your own friend’s siblings?” I asked. “All of you girls? Twilight, especially. How can you set a good example for your subjects if you, the Princess of Friendship, can't even bond with a relative of your best friend?”

“What subjects, Spike? I don’t...” Twilight widened her eyes. “...have...any...subjects.”

“Let’s just skip the identity crisis for now,” Rarity said. “Spike may have a point. Perhaps we’re not giving it a chance. We’ve been disbelieved by her...unique style that we never got to see a connection between her and us.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “Maybe we should spend some time with her one-on-one to try to get to know her better. I'm sure if we do that, we'll be making those best friend rock candy necklaces in no time.”

The girls and I agreed on that.

“Say, if it’s not too much trouble, will it be okay if I join Pinkie and Maud?” I asked. “Maybe I could find a connection that you girls aren’t seeing.”

“I guess that would be fine,” replied Rarity.

The rest of the girls responded with similar answers.

The next morning, I hurried over to Sugarcube Corner right before Maud and Pinkie headed out.

“Good morning, Spike!” Pinkie greeted me. “What’s up?”

“Good morning, Pinkie and Maud. Where are you two going?”

“Well, get this. Twilight suggested that Maud and I should visit each of our friends individually to create a tighter bond! So, I thought about us visiting Rarity first.”

“That’s a good idea. I’m gonna tag along with you two to see how it goes.”

I hopped on Pinkie’s back, and we made our way to the boutique.

“So what are your other sisters like?” I asked. “I was told there were four of you.”

“That’s right!” Pinkie replied. “The other two are my sisters, Limestone and Marble. Limestone is bold and isn’t afraid to share her thoughts, while Marble’s a good listener and a strong, silent type.”

I guessed that was one way of putting it, but I never imagined Marble to be the strong type. I wondered if she could punch rocks like Maud would.

Once we arrived at the Carousel Boutique, Pinkie knocked on the door. Rarity opened up.

“Oh, good morning girls and Spike,” said Rarity. “I’ve been expecting you.”

We entered Rarity’s home. Just like in the show, Rarity offered Maud a range of fabrics to choose from, but Maud was interested in a stained dish towel on the fashionista’s desk. Rarity was confused, but she was willing to make something out of it.

“Rarity and my sister working together to design something amazing!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hugged Maud. “This is the best day ever!”

Rarity brought out a few pieces of cloth that matched the dish towel. Most of them looked like rags.

“Perhaps I could sew all of these together and make you something you'd like,” said Rarity.

“No thanks,” Maud replied. “One is enough.”

She wrapped the towel around her neck.

“Doesn't Maud make the coolest scarves?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh, how clever,” I said. “Using an ordinary dish towel to make a fashionable item. Rarity has her fair share of designing clothes using limited materials. One time, she used stuff from a luxury hotel for a fashion contest in Manehattan, and she won!”

“Quite,” Rarity said uneasily.

“Let’s try Fluttershy next!” Pinkie announced. “Come on.”

Maud nodded and followed her bouncing sister.

“Hey, don’t worry so much, Rarity,” I said. “You’d be surprised how much you girls and Maud have in common.”

“Well...I haven't seen it yet, Spikey-Wikey,” said Rarity.

I left the boutique and caught up with the two Pie sisters. We arrived at Fluttershy’s place just in time, as she wanted us to go on a nature walk.

“I’m sure you all will love what nature has to offer,” Fluttershy said.

We followed her into the forest. As we walked along the trail, we could hear some of the birds chirping. Hummingway, a hummingbird, in particular flew up and greeted us.

“What's he saying?” Pinkie asked.

“He says hello, and he's happy to see us too,” replied Fluttershy.

“Wow, I wish I could speak hummingbird.”

Fluttershy and I noticed Maud was trailing behind. She was looking at a rock that a spider just happened to crawl on. Fluttershy and I hurried up to her.

“These spiders only live in Ponyville,” said Fluttershy, “and even though they may look a teeny bit scary, they're actually very sweet and help keep other, more dangerous insects away!”

Right after Fluttershy said that, the spider gave us a flower, which Fluttershy took and placed in her mane.

“Thank you.”

This is why I usually release spiders outdoors instead of killing them.

“I was looking at the rock,” said Maud.

“Oh.” Fluttershy blushed.

“You know, some insects make their homes under rocks,” I said as we continued on the trail. “That rock back there looked like a good living place for the spider. Maud had the right idea observing it.”

“Mm-hm.”

After our trail, Pinkie and Maud waved goodbye to Fluttershy.

“Thanks again, Fluttershy! Start thinking about which flavors you want to put on your best friend rock candy necklace!” Pinkie called out. “Hurry up, Spike!”

“I’ll be with you girls in a bit!” I responded.

“I'm not sure we're even friends yet,” Fluttershy said under her breath.

“Aw come on, Fluttershy, did you see how Maud observed that rock? Pinkie was right when she said she liked forest stuff.”

“I know what she said, but...”

“Isn’t finding the best shelter important for an animal, especially an insect? For those who reside under a rock, they need to find one that’s not too heavy and can keep most of the rain out, and that’s only a couple of the important factors.”

“That’s true.”

“Just try to find some common ground between you two. That’s what I’ve been doing.”

I hurried back to Pinkie and Maud. Their next destination was the library. The three of us entered to see Twilight organizing some of her books.

“Hey, guys. Good to see you again,” said Twilight. “Pinkie said that you loved reading, Maud.”

“Maud is a total bookworm,” said Pinkie as she rode on the ladder. “She loves poetry!”

“I know a dragon who’s into beat poetry,” I said. “Maybe he and Maud could get along.”

“I've got lots of poetry.” Twilight pulled out a few books. “Do you read anything by Quilland Ink? Or Flourish Prose?”

“I prefer to read my own poetry,” replied Maud.

“Oh, I'd love to hear some of it!”

Maud cleared her throat and began her poem.

“Rock.
You are a rock.
Gray.
You are gray.
Like a rock.
Which you are.
Rock.”

I lightly applauded. “Amazing. Love the use of single syllables.”

“She's so prolific!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“This next one is about rocks,” said Maud. “They're all about rocks.”

“Well, I bet they all rock, no pun intended,” I said. “I guess we have time for one more.”

Maud recited her second rock poem. Twilight looked like she was listening to the world’s most boring lecture. It was a good thing Maud only gave two poems. Any more and Twilight would’ve discovered how to sleep with her eyes open.

“Let’s head to Applejack’s next!” Pinkie declared.

As the Pie sisters left, I whispered to Twilight, “Don’t act so bored. Maybe there’s a hidden meaning behind those poems.”

“Besides the fact that they’re made by somepony who likes rocks?”

“Well...maybe Maud’s first poem is about someone who’s hard and dull, and she wishes the pony to lighten up.”

“You sound like a literature professor,” said Twilight.

“Well, try to decipher her second poem while I’m gone.”

I ran out of the library and met Maud and Pinkie once again.

“Sheesh, Spike, pick up your feet,” said Pinkie. “You always seem to be falling behind.”

“I’m sorry. My legs aren’t built the same way as yours,” I snarked.

We arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack offered us to help with the cider. Just like in the show, Pinkie gathered the apples, Maud peeled them, and Applejack prepared the cider. I joined Maud too, knowing how she’d peel them.

“You 'bout done peelin' them apples for the cider, guys?” Applejack asked.

“I’ve done my share,” I replied.

“I think this one is done as well,” said Maud pointing to the squashed apple.

“Uh, Maud. We’re making peeled apples, not applesauce.”

“This is how we peel stuff on the rock farm.”

I looked at Pinkie and she nodded in agreement.

Remind me to send your family a peeler next Hearth’s Warming Eve.

“I'm...sure that's plenty enough,” said Applejack.

After a few minutes of preparation, Applejack poured some cider into three mugs for each of us. Maud and I held our mugs normally, while Pinkie just grabbed hers with only her mouth and chugged the entire thing faster than I could say “Rainbow Dash has a cider addiction.”

“Wow!” Pinkie screamed as she put the cup down. “That's the best apple cider I've ever had!”

I took a swig of mine and enjoyed the taste. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“What do you think, Maud?” Applejack asked.

Maud took one small sip and said, “It tastes like apples.”

“Ah, good taste buds, Maud,” I said. “Some of the other ponies who’d make cider would usually cheat by adding something else, like orange juice or artificial flavors, and claiming it’s made with nothing but apples. Or they would add so many ingredients in there that you couldn’t taste the apples. But not Applejack. She uses apples, and she makes sure the taste is obvious!”

“And she’s honest!” Pinkie said. “Just like Maud is.”

“We're practically twins, heh,” AJ nervously said.

Our final stop after the cider drinking was visiting Rainbow Dash. She took us to the nearby lake with a bunch of rocks.

“Okay, here’s my game that involves rocks,” said Rainbow. “It’s called ‘Who can toss the rock across the lake?’ It’s like skipping stones, but more intense!”

“Hey, you repeated what Maud said about ‘Camouflage!’” Pinkie gleefully exclaimed.

“Yeah, I’m aware of that.”

Rainbow Dash picked up a rock. I did the same. I tossed mine as hard as I could. The rock reached to only about three-fourths of the lake before plunging into the watery depths.

“Not bad,” said Dashie. “Now it’s my turn!”

With her rock, Rainbow Dash spun around and threw it with great force. Unlike my now-wet one, hers landed on the soft sand on the other side.

“Yeah! Let's see you beat that!” Dash shouted to Maud.

Both Rainbow and I wished she never said that, because the next thing we knew, Maud heaved a pony-sized boulder straight over the lake and beyond the hills. I knew instantly what was going to happen next. I ran in the opposite direction and ducked behind a small hill.

BOOM!

My attempts to hide were futile, but then again, I wasn’t expecting to stay dry anyway. I was introduced to a wall of water that drenched me to the bone! With so much water, I couldn’t tell if it was falling on me, or somehow Steven Magnet the sea serpent managed to pull me into the lake.

I peeked from the small mound to see Pinkie and Rainbow in the lake, and Maud still at the shore. Just like me, they got soaked from the rock’s shockwave.

Rainbow was shocked at what she witnessed. “How did you do that?!”

“I threw it,” Maud bluntly replied.

Maud would make a great Earthbender.

“Well, what did I expect from someone who grew up on a rock farm?” I asked as I dried myself off.

“I guess you won this one, Maud,” said Rainbow Dash.

“I'm not really into…’winning,’” Maud responded.

“Nice, a pony who’s in it just for fun,” I said.

Later that day, the girls sans Pinkie and Maud visited the library.

“So...how did everypony’s visit with Maud go?” Twilight asked.

“Well...uh...” Applejack scratched the back of her head.

“It was...okay...” Fluttershy said quietly.

“Quite a...unique experience...” Rarity tapped her hoof on the ground.

“Yeah, it went as could be expected,” said Rainbow Dash bluntly.

Twilight sighed. “I’m afraid I have to say the same thing. I did my best to bond with Maud, but her poetry isn’t what I would call epic.”

Murmurs were heard all around. That’s when I decided to speak up.

“Am I the only one who is genuinely bonding with her?” I asked. “All day, I’ve been by her side, and I was able to understand her under her monochrome face and monotone voice.”

“But don’t you see, Spike?” Twilight asked. “You might be able to bond with her, but the same can’t be said for the rest of us. I’m afraid we have to tell Pinkie that nothing clicks between us and her sister.”

“You know what I see? None of you noticed the things you have in common with Maud.”

“What things?” Rainbow asked. “What could we have in common with Little Miss Grayscale? And don’t just say that we’re ponies.”

“Oh, there’s much more than that, Dashie. Maud can be resourceful when it comes to fashion, just like Rarity. She likes to learn about the places animals live under, like Fluttershy. Both her and Twilight like poetry and sometimes write a few themselves. She likes to stick to traditional tactics, like Applejack and her family. As for being similar to Rainbow Dash, she’s not afraid of showing off her unadulterated strength.”

“Okay, yaa might have a point there,” said Applejack. “But...”

“But most importantly, she has one trait that all of us have.” I stood up. “We care a lot for Pinkie Pie!”

Everypony’s ears perked up.

“Maud may be as emotionless as a stone, but that does not mean she doesn’t show love for Pinkie.” I walked to the center of the library. “Why else would she visit Pinkie a week before leaving for her rocktorate’s degree? Why else did she agree to make the rock candy necklaces with her one last time? Why else did she interact with us as a whole and individually for Pinkie? Do you think someone who doesn’t care for their sister would do all that?”

“Spike may have a point,” said Fluttershy.

“Tell you what, why don’t you girls and Maud do something together for Pinkie Pie? Like...making a cake? You can chat with her about Pinkie, and I’ll bet she can share some interesting facts about her that aren't rock related.”

Twilight shrugged. “It’s worth a shot, but what if it doesn’t work?”

I sighed. “Then you’re welcome to tell Pinkie that you girls can’t bond with her.”

Hopefully, it won’t come to that. Creative as it was, I’m not fond of that dangerous obstacle course Pinkie built in the show.

“If we’re gonna do that, we need to tell Pinkie to hold off the rock candy necklaces,” said Rainbow Dash.

Later that day, we went to Sugarcube Corner and explained to Pinkie that we needed some more time to connect with Maud, but we didn’t tell her how. Pinkie allowed it since there was still time left before Maud had to leave.

The next morning, Twilight and I spoke to Mrs. Cake about our plan.

“...so could you find a way to get Pinkie away from Sugarcube Corner for a bit while the girls, Maud, and I make a cake for her?” Twilight asked.

“I guess I could try,” Mrs. Cake replied. “But I don’t know how I can tell her without her getting suspicious.”

Suddenly, I felt something pulling my tail. I turned around to see Pound Cake clinging onto it.

“Hey, let go. My tail is not a pull toy,” I said whilst grabbing it. “Wait, that’s it! Why don’t you have Pinkie take the foals out for a walk, Mrs. Cake?”

“Oh, that’s perfect, Spike.” Mrs. Cake adjusted her apron. “It’s going to be a sunny day today, and I’ve been meaning to bring the children outside.”

“Great. I’ll join up with Pinkie to make sure she doesn’t come back too early.”

“We’ll send one of the girls to come get you once we’re done,” said Twilight.

I headed out the front door and walked around the bakery until I was at the back door. I waited a bit until I heard hoofbeats approaching. The second the door opened, I pretended to walk towards it. Pinkie came out pushing a stroller containing Pound and Pumpkin Cake.

“Oh, Pinkie, hello. I was just about to knock on the door,” I lied. “What are you doing?”

“Taking the Cake Twins out for a walk, of course,” Pinkie replied. “Mrs. Cake told me they could use some sun on this beautiful day.”

“She’s got a point.” I looked up at the sky. “Say, can I join you? It helps to have an extra pair of hands watching after the little ones.”

“Sure, by all means, Spike. It’ll be great for you to tag along.”

If only she was this accepting last time she babysat the foals.

I followed Pinkie as she pushed the stroller down the street. I hoped I could be by her side long enough for the girls to finish that potential cake.

“So what made you show up at my place initially?” Pinkie asked.

“I wanted to talk to Maud a bit about what she thought about hanging out with the girls yesterday,” I lied. “But now I think it’s best to hold that off until after the girls are done interacting with her today. Plus, I couldn’t say no to helping babysit the little Cakes.”

I ruffled Pound’s mane a bit, and he giggled.

“I was thinking about taking them to the park,” said Pinkie.

“Good idea, Pinkie,” I said. “It may be far, but I’m sure the foals won’t mind the journey.”

I wouldn’t mind it either. Any time added to keep Pinkie away from Sugarcube Corner was good enough for me.

We were able to get to the park without any problems. The playground in the center had simple stuff, like a swing set, slide and sandbox. Nothing too fancy compared to the one at the school. At least it would be something the Cake Twins will look forward to when they begin kindergarten.

“There you are, my little ponies,” Pinkie said as she unbuckled the seatbelts. “Go on and play.”

Pound and Pumpkin hopped off and ran to the playground. Pinkie and I sat on a bench and watched them play.

“Ah, it’s nice to take care of foals when they aren’t flying around chaotically,” said Pinkie.

“Heh, I guess so,” I chuckled.

Pumpkin hurried up to us babbling about something. She pointed to the sandbox where Pound was sitting. In an instant, Pinkie pulled a shovel and pail from her mane and gave them to the baby filly.

“Here you go, Pumpkin,” she said.

Pumpkin babbled once again and carried the stuff back to the sandbox with her magic.

“I can always tell when the foals need something,” said Pinkie. “Even though I can’t speak foal.”

“Say, is Pumpkin still going through her magic surges, or has she calmed down?” I asked.

“Oh, her magic calmed down a lotta lots!” said Pinkie. “She can still levitate light objects like her toys, but I don’t have to worry about her teleporting into the sweets again. I nearly got a heart attack when she blasted out from a chocolate cake one time!”

“I see she learns from the best when it comes to practical jokes.”

As we watched the twins play, a foal around their age nervously walked up to them. She had a cream-colored coat that almost matched Pound’s, and she had a light-purple mane. I assumed her name was “Cream Puff.”

Cream bashfully talked to Pound and Pumpkin. Pound handed her the shovel, and soon they were playing together.

“Aw, look. Pound and Pumpkin made a friend,” said Pinkie.

“Yeah, it’s a good idea to have foals socialize at an early age,” I said.

If only the girls could’ve been friends with Maud just as fast.

“Say, Maud told me a lot about you,” said Pinkie.

“Really? What did she say?” I asked.

“She said she never saw anypony or dragon with so much enthusiasm to meet her sans me. You're one of the few creatures who understands her.”

“Well, I wanted to be polite after all. No matter how emotionless, any friend of the girls is a friend of mine.”

“Wow! Maybe you should’ve been the Princess of Friendship, Spike.”

“Prince,” I corrected. “The Prince of Friendship. I’m a male, Pinkie.”

“Right. I knew that.”

Minutes passed as I waited for the other girls to get done. It was a good thing Pound and Pumpkin were full of energy today. They didn’t show any signs of exhaustion as they swung on the swings, slid on the slide, and sculpt in the sandbox with their new friend.

“We really ought to take the twins out more often,” said Pinkie. “I’ve never seen them so joyful.”

“So how did they react when they first saw Maud?”

“Just like any foal seeing their aunt’s sister: with babbles and giggles. Oh, and you should’ve seen how Maud interacted with them. She’s really good with foals, I tell ya.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Last night, she told them a bedtime story about rocks, and those two Cakes were out like a light!”

Maud’s story about rocks would put anypony to sleep.

“Uh, oh!” Pinkie hopped off the bench.

Her ears flopped, her knees twitched, and her eyes fluttered. I knew what that was.

A Pinkie Sense combo! That means a rainbow’s gonna appear, right?

My ears suddenly picked up the sound of a jet engine. I remembered there was one pony who’d make such a sound.

Within seconds, Rainbow Dash zoomed right past us before doing a complete 180 and stopping in front of us. The rainbow trail she left remained in the sky, amusing bystanders young and old.

“There you two are,” said Rainbow. “Maud’s been...uh...looking for ya!”

I could tell she was trying to hide our secret.

“I was taking the twins for a walk,” said Pinkie. “I thought I told her before I left.”

“I’m sure you did,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s just...she needed to tell you something and she wants to meet you back at Sugarcube Corner right away.”

“Okie dokie loki!” She then turned to the playground. “Pound! Pumpkin! Time to go home!”

The Cake Twins groaned disappointedly. After saying goodbye to Cream Puff in their usual rugrat language, Pound and Pumpkin returned to us with the bucket and pail. Pinkie picked up Pumpkin and strapped her into the stroller. She was about to do the same for Pound, when she saw him orbiting around Rainbow Dash like a babified moon.

“Voom! Voom!” Pound Cake declared.

Rainbow scratched the back of her head. “Uh...what is Junior saying?”

“I don’t know about Junior,” said Pinkie as she put the bucket and pail back in her mane, “but it looks like Pound wants you to race him!”

“Ha! Seriously? I’m the fastest pony alive! Are you sure you want to race me?” Rainbow gave us a wink.

Pound Cake nodded.

“Alright, whoever can make it to Sugarcube Corner first wins.” Rainbow Dash got into position. “Ready, set, go!”

Rainbow zoomed ahead while the rest of us followed her. Most of the time, she would slow down so Pound Cake could catch up.

“Hurry up, Dashie,” Pinkie joked. “Pound’s right behind you!”

Rainbow pretended to gasp and speed up a bit. I could tell she was going to let Pound win.

By the time we got to Sugarcube Corner, Pound Cake was in the lead. In fact, he managed to get to Sugarcube Corner first. Rainbow Dash arrived by a close second.

“Aw, ya beat me!” Rainbow pretended to groan. “I knew I should’ve taken Tank’s advice.”

Pound Cake giggled.

Pinkie Pie unstrapped Pumpkin from the stroller and the five of us walked up the stairs. Pinkie then opened the front door.

“I wonder why Maud wanted me so bad—”

“SURPRISE!”

Pinkie nearly jumped backwards. The rest of her friends and Maud appeared in front of her with a big cake. It was a single-layered vanilla cake decorated with some of the rock candy from Pinkie’s experiments earlier.

“Wow!” Pinkie exclaimed. “This is...wait, today’s not my birthday, is it? Short year.”

“It’s not, darling,” said Rarity. “We all made this cake to show you our appreciation.”

“Maud really cares for you, and so do we,” said Twilight. “When we had her bake a cake with us, we found out a certain dragon was right about that connection.”

“Which dragon?” Pinkie asked. “That beat poet one?”

I cleared my throat loudly.

“Ohhhh, it was you, Spike.” Pinkie squeaked.

“We were worried that we might not have had anything in common,” said Fluttershy.

“Turns out we’re two peas in a pod when it comes to likin’ Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said as she placed a hoof on Maud’s back. “Right Maud?”

“Yep,” replied Maud. Once again, both her tone and expression remained unchanged.

“Now, let’s dig into the cake,” said Twilight. “But be sure to save room for the rock candy necklaces later today.”

“You guys really are best friends!” Pinkie declared with tears in her eyes.

We spent the rest of the day eating cake and making rock candy necklaces. Even the Cake Twins joined in, though their necklaces looked more like bracelets.

After we made and exchanged our necklaces, the sun was beginning to set. We said goodbye to each other and headed home. I rode on Twilight’s back.

“That certainly was fun,” said Twilight.

“I hear ya,” I said. “I’m glad you girls could bond with Maud.”

“So am I. We were reluctant to have Maud help us at first, but once we said we were making a cake for Pinkie, she was instantly on board. She didn’t show it so much, but she was rather enthusiastic. I think I might’ve seen a smirk.”

“I bet she was fun to chat with this time.”

“Well, it was nice to talk to her without mentioning rocks for a change.”

Once we entered the library, Twilight pulled out the Friendship Journal.

“Spike, write this entry down if you please,” she said.

I grabbed a quill and an ink bottle. “Go ahead.”

Twilight cleared her throat. “‘Sometimes it can be challenging to make friends with somepony. For example, the girls and I had problems interacting with one of Pinkie’s sisters, Maud Pie. However, we all learned that while you might have trouble seeing eye-to-eye with somepony, another friend can help you find a connection you didn’t notice. We were able to befriend Maud instantly once we found out she cared for Pinkie just as much as we did.’”

As I finished the journal entry, I looked back at what I did. I was glad I was able to get the girls to find common ground with Maud without the obstacle course. I even enjoyed being by her side.

I wonder if she’d be interested in Ogres and Oubliettes.

Chapter 62 (Leap of Faith & Testing, Testing, 1-2-3)

“Okay, Applejack. Tell me what happened. Spare no detail.” Twilight pulled out a parchment and a quill.

“Alright.” Applejack cleared her throat. “It all started when the Flim Flam brothers were sellin’ some fancy, cure-all elixir. It didn’t take a genius to know something smelled fishy, but Granny Smith took the bait and bought a bottle from ‘em. She acted all eccentric since then and...”

“I’m sorry, Applejack, but how is this connected to you seeing a rainbow? I know I said spare no details, but I didn’t mean you have to cover everything.”

“I’m gettin’ there, Twi. Anyway, I went ‘n investigated ‘n found out (surprise, surprise) it was all a buncha hooey. I...wanted to keep it quiet so Granny would be happy, but...” Applejack sighed and took off her hat. “When I saw her about to perform that high dive, I knew right then ‘n there I had to put a stop to it. I was able to save Granny, thankfully, but she was a might unhappy after that. However, after she downed yet another bottle of that elixir stuff, I saw that rainbow thing like the rest of ya’ll. Then I realized I should’ve been honest from the very start. So I told everypony the whole thing was a sham. The Flim Flam brothers’ reputation got soiled again, and Silver Shill, one of their workers, quit his job and gave me this bit.” Applejack pulled out the coin. “Coincidentally, it also shined like a rainbow. Anyway, that’s all I can say. Nothin’ else happened afterwards.”

By the time Twilight was done writing, the quill was practically smoking. “Thank you, Applejack. I guess I don’t need to tell you to keep it safe.”

“Don’t ya worry none, Twi. I’ll keep this bit safer than a cider barrel in December.”

As Applejack left the library, Twilight pulled out a chalkboard filled with tables and graphs.

“Okay, so Applejack got a bit this time,” she said as she scribbled on the green board. “That’s five of us who experienced that rainbow event.”

“That only leaves you,” I said. “And me if there is a hidden element.”

“Let’s assume this only works for confirmed elements, Spike. Based on these facts, it is possible when the rainbow phenomenon happens to me next, it will have to be when I’m not representing the Element of Magic well, there’s a slight chance it will happen before the end of summer, it will be something related to my talent, and the item I receive will contain some shade of yellow.”

“Wait, what makes you think you’d get something related to yellow?”

“Rarity’s rainbow thread had a hint of yellow, Rainbow’s pin was yellow, Pinkie’s rubber chicken was yellow, Fluttershy’s flower had yellow pollen in the middle, and Applejack’s bit was yellow. Would it not make sense for my gift to have some sort of yellow-ish hue to it?”

“I guess. Why do you think you’d get your gift before summer ends?”

“Given how we received that chest in the beginning of summer, and how the girls had experienced all that rainbow stuff so far, it’s likely I’ll get mine by the end. And given how we’ve got a long way until the first day of autumn, I say the possibility is probable.”

“I see.”

That conversation was the only thing that changed during the events of “Leap of Faith.” I wanted to help Applejack out, but it was her key episode.

I didn’t change anything for “For Whom the Sweetie Belle Tolls” either. Come to think of it, I’ve been skipping most of the episodes involving the CMC lately.

I thought about what Fluttershy said that day about me getting angry around arguments. I knew I had to stop yelling so much. So one day, I went to the store and bought myself a whistle. It was only a cheap, plastic one that was bright orange, but it wasn’t like I was a coach for a professional football team. I just needed to make a loud noise and release my hot air without risking laryngitis.

After paying for the one-bit instrument, I hung the whistle around my neck and I headed home. I showed it to Twilight once I got there.

“Why did you buy a whistle?” Twilight asked with her head tilted.

“It’s to help me with my problem,” I replied. “I wanted to find a better way to stop arguments without shouting at the top of my lungs.”

“And how does the whistle help?”

“Argue with somepony, and you’ll see. Actually, please don’t.”

It was then we heard the sound of Rainbow Dash passing by. Twilight looked out the window and sighed sharply.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Rainbow Dash has an upcoming test soon, but she’s so busy slacking off that I’m beginning to worry about her.”

“What test? I didn’t remember Rainbow Dash still being in school.”

“It’s this Wonderbolt history test.”

“Oh, you mean the one where if she passes, she’ll become a member of the Wonderbolts Reserve?”

“Exactly, Spike.”

“I guess Spitfire believed that Dashie had potential back at the Wonderbolts Academy. She probably told her that they had openings for reserves if she was interested. No doubt Rainbow was.”

Twilight nodded. “If only she didn’t apply to take the test so soon. Her test is the day after tomorrow, and the only books I’ve seen her read so far have Daring Do in them.”

“Oh dear. What would happen if Rainbow Dash fails?”

“She’s probably gonna have a meltdown, despite knowing that she brought this on herself by not studying.”

“She can’t retake the test?”

“They might have her for a later time, but I’m afraid they might run out of openings by then.”

I knew “Testing Testing 1, 2, 3” was going to come up eventually. In the show, the girls would try to help Rainbow study using their own methods, all to no avail. Twilight later discovers Rainbow has her own method of studying. I could probably introduce that early like I did with Maud Pie’s love for Pinkie Pie.

And hopefully, my whistle will work if they start to argue.

The next day, Twilight and I were outside the library. I checked the sky to see when Rainbow Dash would swoop in.

Twilight read her book, “The magical properties of this spell will only have lasting effects if you focus on—”

“Heads up!” I shouted as I grabbed the book.

Rainbow swooped right past us, creating a huge gust of wind. At least I was able to save the pages in Twilight’s book.

“How in Equestria does that pony expect to pass her history of the Wonderbolts exam tomorrow if she's wasting time flying?!” Twilight asked in disgust.

“Maybe we should talk to her,” I said as I returned Twilight the book and hopped on her back.

“My thoughts exactly.”

As I rode on Twilight up to the sky, I noticed her ascension was improving.

“Hey, you’re getting better at flying, Twilight,” I said. “At least I don’t have to carry a barf bag anymore.”

“Very funny,” Twilight said. “Now, let’s see if we can’t surprise—”

“Surprise!” Rainbow shouted.

Twilight nearly threw me off.

“I spoke too soon,” I said as I covered my mouth.

Twilight was at a loss for words. “Wha...uh...how did you…?”

“Puh-lease, guys. That was the worst sneak attack ever,” said Rainbow as she landed on a cloud. “I saw Twilight giving me the stink-eye from the ground and heard you two flying towards me and muttering from a mile away.”

Twilight landed next to her. She struggled a bit on the cloud, but she was able to stand on it with no problems. I remained seated on her back since I’d fall through without wings.

“Well, if you heard us ‘muttering’, then you must know what we were ‘muttering’ about,” said Twilight as Rainbow turned over.

“Yeah, yeah, the Wonderbolts history test. No big deal.” Rainbow slowly descended from the cloud.

“No! Big deal!” Twilight rebutted as we followed Rainbow Dash. “Really big deal! It's a test! A test that will determine if you can join the newly-formed Wonderbolts Reserves, and being part of the Wonderbolts Reserves means you'll have the opportunity to live your dream as a Wonderbolt! This is the most important test of your life!”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Twilight, not everypony gets all freaked out about tests like you.”

“I do not get ‘all freaked out’ about tests!”

“Pffft! If I had a bit every time I heard that…” I said.

Twilight glared at me.

“See, Twilight?” Rainbow asked. “Your freakouts are so epic, you sing whole freakout arias about freaking out.”

“I can attest to that,” I said before receiving another one of Twilight’s dagger-shooting glares. “But in a way, Twilight’s got a point. History may not sound all that exciting to you, but it will determine if you really are a fan of the Wonderbolts and should be considered as a reserve. Plus, they don’t want you to repeat some sort of catastrophic failure in the past. That’s why you need to study for this test.”

Twilight’s face lit up. “And I know just the pony who can help you!”

Rainbow gave a facehoof and pointed to Twilight.

“Me!” Twilight exclaimed. “This is gonna be so much fun!”

In a literal flash, the three of us were back at the library. Rainbow sat at a desk while Twilight and I stood in front of a blackboard.

“Sure. Fun,” said Rainbow unamused.

Twilight pulled out a giant book from one of the shelves and slammed it on Rainbow’s desk. I was surprised it didn’t collapse under the sheer weight.

“This is the most complete book on the history of the Wonderbolts,” said Twilight.

“Okay, but how am I supposed to get what's in there into here?” Rainbow asked as she pointed to her head.

Twilight pulled out a clipboard. “With my handy-dandy study checklist, of course!”

“Of course.”

Just like in the show, Twilight’s first study method was reading and highlighting the most important facts in the book. The same went for the outcome, unfortunately. Some of the pages of the book were coated in a shade of bright yellow, others were covered in crude drawings of Rainbow Dash or Twilight.

“Hey! I am not that tall!” Twilight pointed to a sketch of herself.

Not yet, anyway.

That’s when I realized something. If Celestia said Twilight was mortal, why did Twilight look similar to her in the finale?

Was it some sort of illusion spell Twilight cast? Or was Celestia lying? No, Celestia wouldn’t lie like that. Would she?

“Okay, Rainbow, clearly reading and highlighting is not your style of studying,” said Twilight as she put the giant book away. “So let's move on to the tried and true: History lecture!”

As Twilight brung the blackboard closer, Rainbow raised her hoof.

“Yes Rainbow?” Twilight asked.

“Is it snack time?” Rainbow asked as she pulled out a lunchbox.

“No.”

“Recess?” Rainbow twirled a soccer ball.

“No.”

“Can't we just watch the history of the Wonderbolts movie?”

“No!”

“Wait, is there a movie like that?” I asked. “It could be useful.”

“There is no such movie!” Twilight retorted. “Now, let’s get back to the subject at hand.”

Rainbow sat on her stool while Twilight gave her lecture. It didn’t take long until the pegasus was more interested in rocking in her seat than the chalk drawings. Eventually, Owlowicious joined in with his hooting. I had thoughts about grabbing a drum and joining in as well, but I decided not to. After all, as funny as that scene was, I didn’t want Twilight to chew out two creatures.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight shouted.

Rainbow instantly stopped rocking, and Owlowicious flew away.

“Can you repeat any of my lessons?”

Rainbow could not. That was another failed study attempt. We went outside for some fresh air and for Twilight’s third and favorite way to study.

“Flashcards!” Twilight announced.

“Oh, does that mean I'll learn in a flash?” Rainbow asked as she circled around us.

“Let’s hope so,” I said.

Twilight tried to get Rainbow Dash to focus on the cards, but the latter was too busy throwing spitballs. I could read Twilight’s impatient face like a comic book.

“Well, if you can horse around like this, then you clearly must be ready for the test,” said Twilight.

“Clearly,” Dashie said.

“Well then, I guess you're also ready for a...” Twilight teleported to Rainbow Dash. “Pop Quiz!”

“Bring it!”

Both of them poofed back into the library. I entered through the front door.

Twilight asked Rainbow a bunch of questions. However, none of Rainbow Dash’s answers were correct in the slightest. Even I knew the correct answers, and I didn’t have to study much.

“So, did I ace it or what?” Rainbow asked with a smug look on her face.

“If you were studying for an international house of breakfast foods, maybe,” I replied. “But for the Wonderbolts history test, your answers were anything but right.”

“Spike is right, Rainbow,” Twilight said sternly. “If you had taken the official test today….”

Rainbow gasped. “My dreams of being in the Wonderbolts Reserve would have been totally crushed!”

“Now you’re seeing the problem,” I said.

Rainbow Dash flew out of the library.

“I'm gonna fail! I'm gonna fail! I'm gonna fail!” she cried. “And it's all your fault, Twilight!”

“My fault?! I'm the one helping you!” Twilight rebutted.

“Maybe your famous study methods aren't all they're cracked up to be, eh, teacher?!”

“Girls, stop this!” I shouted.

But the girls continued arguing. I was about to blow my top when I remembered something.

My whistle!

I quickly pulled it out and gave a big blow.

TWEEEEEET!

Twilight and Rainbow froze in midair.

Hey, it works!

“Sorry about that, girls,” I said as the two regained their compsture and landed on the ground. “At least now you know what the whistle sounds like.”

“Sheesh, warn me the next time you blow that,” said Rainbow as she rubbed her ears.

“I think you two arguing was enough. Anyway, I think we’re doing this studying all wrong. Let’s get back inside and calmly discuss what we can do.”

“Good idea, Spike,” Twilight said.

After the three of us went back into the library, Twilight put the blackboard and desk away.

“How am I gonna pass the Wonderbolts History test tomorrow if none of Twilight's methods work?!” Rainbow cried.

“That’s the problem,” I said. “You and Twilight are not the same pony. All we’ve done was study Twilight’s way. Why not do it Rainbow’s way?”

“What do you mean, ‘Rainbow’s way’?” Twilight asked.

“Why doesn’t Rainbow Dash do what she normally does to study? Maybe it could help her with her test.”

“That could work. Rainbow, what would you normally do when studying for a test?”

Rainbow shrugged. “I don’t know. I never studied for a test.”

“What about flight school?” I asked. “Didn’t you take an exam or something?”

“Meh, I winged it back then. They were all hooves-on anyway, and none of them involved sitting in a chair writing stuff.”

I decided it was time to introduce Rainbow’s observant skill.

“Tell you what, girls? Why don’t you two take a casual stroll in the sky while I think of a way for Rainbow Dash to study.”

“Well, we could use some more fresh air anyway,” said Twilight.

Twilight and Rainbow exited the library. I did the same.

I walked along the road until I spotted Fluttershy.

“Hey, Fluttershy.” I ran up to her and hugged her. “Good to see you.”

“Oof! It’s nice to see you, too,” said Fluttershy.

“I hope this day’s treating you well.”

“It is. Say, um, you wouldn’t happen to have heard about a loud tweeting sound earlier, would you? It sounded like it came from the library.”

“Oh, that was me.” I showed her my whistle. “I wanted a better way to get ponies to stop arguing so loudly, just like you said. Sorry if I blew too loud. It helped me calm down, though.”

“I did suggest you to calm yourself. What was the argument about anyway? And who were the ponies arguing?”

“Twilight and Rainbow Dash were arguing because Rainbow had a test tomorrow and doesn’t know anything about the Wonderbolts’ history. None of Twilight’s methods helped.”

“Would you like me to assist you? I could round up a play in a short amount of time.”

I sighed and shook my head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think Rainbow Dash will concentrate long enough to understand the play. She couldn’t last forty seconds when Twilight lectured her. Thanks for the offer though.”

I doubted any of the other girls’ methods would work. Pinkie’s rapping may be catchy, but Rainbow wouldn’t remember the lyrics. Rarity’s historical fashion show would scare her. As for Applejack, she didn’t have anything to give except personal experience, which wasn’t going to be much.

I headed back to the library just in time to see Rainbow and Twilight returning as well. Rainbow looked like she already failed the test.

“Any luck?” Twilight asked me.

“Not really,” I replied. “I can’t think of any methods that could help.”

“Well, maybe if you spent more time thinking instead of hanging out with your marefriend, you’d already come up with something!” Rainbow snarked.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight retorted. “I know you’re stressed out about this test, but you have no right to...wait, how did you know Spike and Fluttershy were together? You were with me all this time.”

Rainbow snorted. “You're such a rookie, Twilight. An experienced flyer like me knows how to multitask.”

“While you’re flying?”

“Yes, I was paying attention to you, but I was also scanning the sky and the ground for any problems. In order to stay safe in the sky, I've got to hear and see everything down to the littlest details. For instance, I saw Spike and Fluttershy talking to each other; they were discussing Spike’s new whistle. And I saw Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo entering Sugarcube Corner. Apparently, there was a special on a new cupcake flavor, and they wanted to try one. Then there were these bunch of colts, Snips and Snails, watching Button Mash play one of his games. But the kid was annoyed at them reading over his shoulders. Must’ve been one interesting game. I always make note of everything when I fly. No biggie.”

“Wait, maybe this is a biggie! A big biggie!” I announced. “Twilight, I hope you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

Twilight and I huddled together and discussed our plan, which was similar, if not exactly, to what was in the show.

“Hey, what are you planning?” Rainbow asked. “Come on, don’t leave me out!”

“How about you go ahead and rest for a bit?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah I should. It’s gonna be my last rest until my big failure.”

As Rainbow flew away, we gathered the other girls and explained our plan.

“Are you sure this will work, darling?” Rarity asked.

“It’s worth a try,” replied Twilight. “Rainbow can remember stuff by flying and scanning the area, so maybe if we act out important facts as she passes by, she can recall them and pass her test.”

About an hour later, I sat on one of the balconies in town, holding a giant poster of one of the Wonderbolts’ old logos.

“So, what are we doing again?” Rumble asked. He was on the other side holding a poster as well.

“Helping Rainbow Dash study,” I replied. “Trust me, this will help her a lot. Did Thunderlane pass his exam?”

“Yeah, I helped him study a week before his. When’s Miss Dash’s test?”

“Tomorrow, which is why we’re doing this. Just wait until Rainbow and Twilight pass by before putting the poster down.”

We waited a bit. It didn’t take long for us to see the two girls fly right on by. I could see Rainbow looking at where we are. I was positive she noticed the posters.

A few minutes later, I headed back down and met up with the other girls at the edge of town.

“Do ya think it worked?” Applejack asked.

“I really hope so,” said Pinkie as she scratched her chest. “Boy, those old Wonderbolts weren’t kidding when they said that their old outfits were uncomfortable. I’m so glad they have spandex nowadays.”

“Is that what their suits are made of? I always thought it was some sort of latex.”

During our conversation, Twilight and Rainbow Dash approached us. This time, Rainbow’s face was the opposite of the one she had last flight.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Thank you! Thank you all so much!”

“You're welcome, but it all came from you,” Twilight replied. “You learned without knowing you're learning. Your main focus is flying, but then your brain is also absorbing lots of other information! It's actually really brilliant!”

“Ha, I always knew I was brilliant!”

We all chuckled after hearing that, including me.

The next day, Twilight and I visited Sugarcube Corner just in time to see Pinkie decorating a cake.

“...O...N...S,” said Pinkie as she wrote in icing. “How many exclamation points should I add?”

“I’d say two,” I replied.

“What are you doing, Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie turned around. “Hey, guys. I’m making a cake for Rainbow Dash.”

“She already passed? When did she tell you?”

“She doesn’t need to tell me. After that confidence and knowledge Dashie obtained yesterday, she has to pass that exam. That’s why I’m making this ahead of time.”

I hope she does. This is one of the few times where I hope things stay the same.

Right after Pinkie placed the last dot, her ears suddenly flopped, her knees twitched, and her eyes fluttered.

“She’s coming!” Pinkie announced. “You two! Grab the cake and head outside!”

Twilight and I lifted the cake and followed Pinkie, who was holding a bunch of balloons. Once we were outside, we looked to see a rainbow trail followed by the sound of a rocket approaching us. The figure landed down on the ground and kicked up more dust than a sandstorm. Twilight quickly shielded the cake with her magic.

The air cleared, and Rainbow stood with the biggest grin on her face.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight coughed. “Did you pass?”

“I don’t know,” Rainbow said with a sudden nonchalant tone. “Does THIS answer your question?!”

Rainbow pulled out her exam. A giant gold star with “100%” in big numbers was plastered upon the front page.

“Looks like it does,” said Twilight.

“Amazing how you passed with flying colors and such little time to study,” I said.

“Woo-hoo! I knew you’d pass!” exclaimed Pinkie. “This calls for a party! I’ll grab the other girls!”

I was relieved I could reveal Rainbow’s skill early without any problems. Now Rainbow was a step closer to becoming a Wonderbolt. Also, my whistle helped with my anger...and my throat.

Chapter 63 (Trade Ya!)

Twilight and I walked past the town hall when we saw Rainbow zooming above us for the fifth time.

“Am I having deja vu?” Twilight asked. “I swear Rainbow Dash passed us already.”

“We better check it out,” I said.

We followed the path Rainbow took on her many flights until we reached the edge of town. There we saw Rainbow with Fluttershy. The latter was wearing a stopwatch.

“Come on, Fluttershy. I had to be faster that time!” Rainbow complained.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. It was thirty-five seconds just like the previous two runs,” said Fluttershy. “I could start the stopwatch much later if it helps.”

“What’s going on here?” Twilight asked.

“I’m training, duh!” Rainbow replied.

“For the Wonderbolts Reserve?” I asked.

“The Equestria Games! It’s only a couple weeks away, and I’ve gotta make up for all the training I’ve missed!”

“Oh, that’s right! I almost forgot it was coming up,” said Twilight. “Well, good luck, you two.”

As we headed back home, I realized I needed to set up my journey soon. I thought about what supplies I needed to bring.

I’ll need a map and a compass so I’ll know where I’m going. Food and a sleeping bag are a must as well. I’ll also need a rope for those cliffs near Griffonstone. I’ll bring some bits, too. Maybe some paper and quills if I wanted to write a letter…

Suddenly, my stomach squeezed, and I burped out a scroll. Twilight quickly caught it.

“I wonder what it could be.” Twilight unrollled the paper and read through it. “‘Dear Twilight, I hope you’re doing well...’” She continued reading before pausing. “Oh, my.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that...I’m going to be in charge of the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange this coming weekend.”

“Really? That’s great news! The girls and I should come along as well. No doubt all of us have stuff to trade after all.”

I decided to put my journey plans on hold and figure out how to change the events of “Trade Ya!” Rainbow and Fluttershy would go through a chain of trades just to get a Daring Do book. Applejack and Rarity would have trouble trading all their stuff for one “valuable” item. Twilight would have problems trading away her books, no thanks to Pinkie. That was quite a lot of issues to solve, and I didn’t include any time for me to trade for a comic book.

Hopefully, I’ll figure something out.

I came up with the idea to solve some of the girls' problems before the episode happens. I started with Twilight and her books.

"So what will you trade at the exchange?" I asked Twilight.

"I don't know if I'm allowed to trade, but I've been meaning to trade some of my books away," Twilight replied as she took some off the shelves. "As much as I like Princess Celestia sending them to us, I'm running out of room here."

"What books are you going to be trading away? Is the anthropology book one of them?"

"Actually, I'm going to keep that one. If we ever visit Sunset Shimmer’s world again, it could come in handy."

You mean when we visit again.

"What are you going to be trading away, Spike?" Twilight asked.

"Probably some of my comic books," I replied. "Ones I haven't read in a long time. I think I have one that's still in mint condition. Maybe I could trade it for another mint comic book."

"Hmm. I should’ve guessed."

Twilight looked away with a worried look on her face.

"Something wrong, Twilight?" I asked.

"It’s just that…" Twilight sighed. "I don't mind attending and hosting the exchange, but it feels like all this princess stuff is forced upon me. I never asked to be a princess, and yet fate tells me this is my destiny somehow. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I never fixed that spell. How things would be different...for the better or for worse."

I rubbed the back of my head. "Twilight...I remembered when Discord told me I couldn't fight fate. Perhaps the same goes for you, too. Maybe you'd still become a princess regardless of whether or not you fixed that spell."

"That’s not helping, Spike."

"I'm just saying even though you never asked for this, that doesn't mean you should doubt yourself. Sometimes destiny isn't what we expected. Instead of moping about what should have happened, maybe you should use fate to your advantage. Maybe you can stop a disunity with your princess title. Or invite the girls to a royal gala if possible. You becoming a princess might have been a good thing for all of us, including you."

"Even so, why make me a princess? Why not any of the other girls? Or you a prince?"

"Twilight, you're Celestia’s star student. She saw potential in you from when you first got your cutie mark. It would be a surprise if she didn't choose you to be a princess. I know all this royal stuff is too sudden for you, but she wouldn't give you the rank without a good reason. Just don't worry about it so much."

Twilight rubbed her temples. "I’ll try not to."

"Anyway, you can still trade your books away if they allow it. Don't let anyone discourage you because you’re a princess. You're just there to keep everything in place."

After all that talk about Twilight’s identity struggle, I went to visit the other girls.

My next stop was in Sugarcube Corner. I chatted with Pinkie Pie about the trade.

"What stuff will you bring, Pinkie?" I asked.

"Meh, I'll just browse," Pinkie replied. "Don’t know why I would trade stuff for other stuff. Wouldn't it be simpler to just buy something I want? Equestria uses bits for a reason."

For once, Pinkie has a point.

"What will you and Twilight trade?" Pinkie asked.

"I'll be trading my comic books, and Twilight will trade away her books, though she's having doubts about leading the event."

"Want me to help her?"

"NO!" I cleared my throat. "No. I’m positive she can manage on her own."

"Okie dokie loki!"

Next, I visited Rarity at her boutique.

"What items will you trade away, Rarity?" I asked as I helped her move her mannequins.

"Perhaps some bundles of fabric and miniscule sewing kits I have lying around," Rarity replied. "I also have thoughts about Applejack joining me. She, too, is trading some of her trinkets away. I was thinking we could combine all our items to trade for something valuable."

"Is that really a good idea? You and Applejack have different ideals. What you find valuable may not be what Applejack finds valuable."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"What if she finds something like a pickaxe or a rusty pie plate that's worth all of your stuff combined? Do you think your needles and patches are worth that?"

"Well...we could discuss…"

"Or what if you found some jewelry or clothing that was worth the same price? You think Applejack would be happy if she gave up all her stuff for that?"

"It all depends on the item, Spikey-Wikey."

"I'm just saying, maybe you two should have second thoughts about this."

After helping Rarity a bit with her work, I went to Sweet Apple Acres and talked to Applejack. I told her the same thing I said to Rarity.

"It's not like we're gonna trade all of our stuff for one thing, Spike," said Applejack as she bucked one of the trees. "We're just gonna use each other's assets."

"Still, the possibility of finding something worth all of your items combined could happen," I said as I caught the falling apples with a bucket.

"If there really is an item out there, I can just tell her not to trade for it."

Something tells me it’s not going to be that simple.

My next stop was Fluttershy’s cottage. Her item to trade was a bear call.

“I usually use it to call for Harry,” said Fluttershy as we had tea. “But every time I do, all the critters in my home get scared and scurry around. Now, I found a different way to call for him, so I’m thinking of trading the call for a bird whistle.”

“That could work,” I said. “Just don’t lose it.”

“I won’t...I don’t think.”

My final stop was Rainbow Dash. She wanted to use her lucky rusty horseshoe to trade for a Daring Do book, but instead she would go through all sorts of trades before giving up her friend by mistake. I felt like I should have her trade with something else.

I arrived at Rainbow Dash’s house and called for her. She picked me up and invited me in. Despite the majority of her home made out of clouds, I could easily walk on the floor without falling through. I bet it was made out a special material by pegasi so non-pegasi ponies can walk around without a cloud-walking spell.

“So what brings you here today?” Rainbow asked. “Twilight didn’t want that Daring Do book back already, did she? I thought I had another week left.”

“It’s not that,” I said. “I just wanted to chat with you about the upcoming Trade Event. Any stuff you’re willing to trade away?”

“As a matter of fact, I have one!” Rainbow Dash pulled out a U-shaped piece of rusted metal.

“A rusty old horseshoe?”

“It’s my lucky horseshoe!” Rainbow retorted. “One of my most valuable possessions.”

“What are you going to trade with that?”

“I heard that there’s gonna be a vendor that’s gonna be giving away a signed first edition of ‘Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Statue’, and I'm gonna get it! I've been able to get first editions of all of the Daring Do books, except this one! Nopony's ever put together a whole set, and I'm gonna be the first!”

“I don’t think that...wait, ‘statue’? I thought it was a sapphire stone?”

“Eh. Twilight said that the newer versions were renamed ‘stone’ by mistake. Even A.K. Yearling, which we both know is Daring Do, noticed this error and talked to the publisher about it. Don’t know if it ever got fixed yet.”

“Anyway, I don't think that horseshoe will help you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Did my ‘old and rusty’ quote not give it away? It may be valuable to you, Rainbow Dash, but others won’t see it the same way. To them, all you’re doing is giving away garbage.”

“It’s not garbage! This helped me so much during my fillyhood days.”

“I know that, and you know that, but whoever’s selling the book won’t know that. You need to consider what might be valuable to them. That horseshoe is anything but.”

“What else am I supposed to trade away? My Daring Do books are out of the question, and I’m not giving up my Wonderbolts memorabilia either!”

“How about stuff you have but don’t need? Like some outfits you haven’t worn lately? Utensils you never use? Or non-Daring Do books you might have? They might have some value. Heck, you could even trade away a signed photo of yourself if the vendor’s a Dashie fan.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll try to find something else. But I’m still hanging on to my horseshoe just in case.”

I nodded, hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

When the weekend finally arrived, the girls and I hopped on the train all the way to Rainbow Falls. Most of the girls had their usual trinkets like in the show. While I was sure there would be no arguments between the girls, I still brought my whistle along with me.

“Whatcha got in them bags, Rainbow?” Applejack asked, pointing at the saddle bags.

“Just some stuff I found lying around my house.” Rainbow pulled a plastic-wrapped dress from one of them. “I haven’t worn this dress in a long time, and I doubt I will ever again.”

I assumed Rainbow got it before I arrived in the pony world, because I didn’t recognize the dress at all. Rarity, on the other hand, noticed it immediately.

“Hold on, why are you giving away that dress?” Rarity pleaded. “I made it specifically for you!”

“Oh...uh...it’s to...promote your business,” Rainbow lied. “Yeah. When ponies realize this dress is from your boutique, they’ll...want to come over and visit!”

“Hmph. You are fortunate that I wished to expand my horizons, as it were.”

“Moving on, I’m also trading some of my books.” Rainbow pulled out one from her other saddlebag. “I’ve been reading some other stories, but they weren’t as good as Daring Do.”

The train stopped in front of the Rainbow Falls station. We all got out and made our way to where the trading event was.

“Yes! Best day ever!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We're all going to the Rainbow Falls Traders Exchange! And not just going! We're accompanying a princess on an official royal duty!”

“Please, it's not that big of a deal,” Twilight said as we entered the tunnel. “There always has to be a princess at the Exchange. Last year was Princess Cadance, this year it's me. It's just a formality. I'm sure none of the other ponies will even notice I'm here.”

The second we exited the dark cave, we were all introduced to a huge crowd of cheering ponies and a downpour of confetti. Twilight’s face on the overhead banner was the indication that the entire town was expecting her.

“Could be wrong, but I think they might've noticed,” said Applejack.

After the cheering died down, the seven of us split up to begin our trades. I grabbed a map and checked to see where the comic book stall was, since it wasn’t nearby like in the show. Once I got the location, I made my way down the road.

I just hope my comic book won’t be the only successful trade out of our group.

“Hey, Spike! Over here!” A colt’s voice called out.

I looked to see Button Mash waving at me. He was sitting in a tent behind a table full of game cartridges for different systems.

“Hey, Button Mash.” I greeted as I approached him. “Are you trading here, too? I hate to break it to you, but you’re on the wrong side of the table to trade.”

“What do you mean? This is my booth.” Button showed me the games. “I’m trading away some of my games.”

“But aren’t you a little too young to be a vendor?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

Well, I’m not gonna argue with that, given the reference.

“So these are the games you’re giving away?” I asked.

“That’s right,” Button nodded. “Most of these have been sitting on my shelf and collected so much dust you couldn’t blow it off the cartridges, which I wouldn’t recommend doing unless you want your games to corrode faster. Others were either too boring to continue or have been completed so many times I could beat them with a blindfold. I actually did that with some of these games.”

“It’s a wonder how you don’t have a cutie mark in video games yet.”

I looked through some of the games. I’ve noticed they were ponified versions of real games back at my old home world. Most of them were for consoles like the PES and Game Colt systems, which I assumed were a ponified NES and Game Boy. There were a few games for more recent consoles, though.

Only in Equestria where the time period is in the 2010s, the majority of technology is in the 1990s, and the homes and magic stuff are in the medieval ages.

I picked up one of the cartridges that was red and had the title: Ponyture Red.

“So did you catch them all in this game?” I asked.

“It’s ‘capture them all’ if you’re trying to say the slogan,” Button corrected. “And I have. I already transferred my creatures to my recent game, so the one you’re holding has a clean slate. Interested in trading?”

“No thanks.” I put the game down. “I don’t have anything I want to trade with right now. More importantly, I don’t even have a Game Colt or PES.”

“Suit yourself.”

I left Button Mash’s stand and hurried to find the one with comic books. Eventually, I found it just a few rows down.

After a brief discussion with the vendor, I was able to trade my mint comic book for one of his without any problems. We also exchanged some of our used ones between each other. I received some that I haven’t read yet but was planning to buy.

Once we finished our trade, I placed all of the comic books in my backpack. The mint one was in a safe pouch on the interior of the the backpack, where the previous one was. I bid the vendor farewell and left the stand.

Hopefully, my comic books won’t be damaged this time.

I was a bit worried about when Tirek was going to show up. There was no news about him so far, and Celestia confirmed that she sent her guards to look for him and the others. I knew it had to happen after the Equestria games, but I didn’t know how long. Plus, my journey was going to keep me occupied, and I didn’t want to spend too long away and end up coming back to a charred ruin of what was my Ponyville home.

“Excuse me, child.”

A posh, male voice interrupted my train of thought. I looked to see two unicorns looking at me with more monotone expressions than Maud. Both of them had a light blue coat, a light-brown mane, yellow eyes, and clothing from the Edwardian period.

The male unicorn levitated a coin towards me.

“Heads?” He asked as he pulled out a chalkboard with tally marks.

“Or tails?” asked the female unicorn as she pulled out a ceramic plate.

With one of my eyebrows furrowed, I took the coin. It had a dragon head on one side and a dragon tail on another. It didn’t look like any kind of currency I ever saw. I assumed it was some sort of collector’s coin.

Not wanting to keep the two ponies waiting, I flipped the coin. It landed on the plate and spun for a good five seconds before resting with heads on top.

“Told you,” said the mare to the stallion. She got out a piece of chalk and made another tally mark under heads. There were a lot more marks for heads than there were for tails.

“Have I seen you two before?” I asked.

“Perhaps you have,” the stallion replied .

“Perhaps you haven't,” the mare added.

“In a different life.”

“In a different universe.”

“In a dream.”

“In a book.”

“It’s all the same.”

“More or less.”

The mare dropped the coin by my feet. I squatted down and picked it up. I was about to hand it back to them, but the two ponies mysteriously vanished into thin air. I only took my eyes off of them for a few seconds, and I didn’t even hear them cast a spell. This felt familiar somehow.

I shook my head and decided to see what the other girls were up to.

I went to Twilight first. I was a bit relieved that Pinkie wasn’t nearby.

“Hey, Twilight,” I greeted. “How’s the trade going?”

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight replied. “Aside from the obnoxious fans, it’s going along okay. Did you trade for what you wanted?”

“Yep. I, uh, also got this.” I showed Twilight the coin.

“Huh, I’ve never seen one designed like that. Did you get it from that comic book stall?”

“No, a pair of peculiar ponies gave it to me,” I replied. “They didn’t trade or anything. They just handed me the coin. I wanted to give it back to them, but they were already gone.”

“Interesting. May I see the coin?”

I gave Twilight the coin. She carefully scrutinized it.

“It has a dragon design,” she said. “That’s very unusual. Doesn’t look like it contains any magic. It must be for a coin collection.”

“That’s what I thought,” I replied as she handed it back to me.

Suddenly, Twilight gasped. “Spike! Your nose is bleeding!”

“What?!” I pressed my fingers against my nose. I then checked them, and they indeed had a red bloodstain. “Oh, shoot! How did that happen?”

I quickly pinched my nose shut. Twilight gave me some tissues, and I inserted some of them into my nostrils.

“It must’ve been the change in pressure and humidity,” Twilight suggested. “Nosebleeds can sometimes happen if you’re at a high altitude. Don’t worry.”

“So how many of your books did you trade away?” I asked with my new nasally tone.

“About a few.” Twilight showed me a plastic bin with all sorts of trinkets. “At least most of these things will take up less space than my books.”

I looked through the bin. That’s when I noticed a broken quill among the pile. I remembered in the show a filly asked to trade if for all Twilight’s books, but it looked like she asked for one this time.

“You traded one of your books for a broken quill?” I asked.

“It was the filly’s first time trading,” Twilight said defensively. “I couldn’t say no to a cute face.”

“You could’ve just politely turned her down, or at least made a counter offer.”

“And disappoint her? Spike, I may have mixed feelings about being a princess, but the last thing I need is ponies thinking I’m a bad princess. By the way, you shouldn’t plug your nose with tissues. I only gave you those to wipe off any blood that was leaking out.”

“Sorry.”

I stayed with Twilight until my nose stopped bleeding. Applejack and Rarity were my next targets, so I went to find them. I didn’t have to go far to see the two sulking at each other.

“Uh, oh. What happened?” I asked.

“She wanted something worthless that would cost all of our stuff!” The two mares shouted in unison.

“The pie tin ain’t worthless!” Applejack retorted. “It’s made of a metal that heats up pies faster! I can wash the rust off, and it’ll be spick and span again!”

“Well, that brooch was not worthless either!” Rarity shot back. “It was one of a kind! That’s why it was worth so much! It did not matter that I had the same exact one!”

“Alright, that’s enough!” I shouted as I pulled out my whistle. “Don’t make me use this!”

“What is that?” Applejack asked.

“My argument whistle. Instead of yelling at ponies to pipe down, I just blow this whistle.”

“Quite a unique color,” said Rarity. “I didn’t think they still used neon orange.”

“Look, we’re getting off-topic here.” I put my whistle away. “It’s clear that neither of you have the same idea about what is valuable. I knew something like this was going to happen when you two had thoughts about combining your assets.”

“Well, which do you think is worth it? My pie tin, or Rarity’s second brooch?” Applejack asked.

“Tell you what, you two go on ahead and see what else you can trade for. I’ll check the tin plate and the brooch and see which one is worth the trade. Just show me where the stalls are, and I’ll decide for you.”

Applejack and Rarity showed me where the stalls were on the map. I went to where the pie tin was first.

The plate was still there. Rust covered more than half of the pie tin, and the parts that weren’t covered were a shade of dark grey similar to cast iron. I picked it up and tapped it a bit. A few loose flakes floated off and lightly coated the tablecloth like ground cinnamon.

“See something you like, kid?” the vendor asked.

“Just browsing,” I replied.

I left and went to the other stall. Just like the pie tin, the brooch remained at the stall untraded. Its arrangement of jewels glistened in the sunlight. After checking to make sure nopony was looking, I wiped the brooch with one of my clean tissues and gave it a quick lick. I tasted many flavors, but the watermelon flavor from the green gems stood out the most to me.

It was going to be a challenge to solve this. Both of the items were legit, and their cost was more or less the same. I pondered on what I should say to Applejack and Rarity.

Maybe I could lie to them and say the items are fake, or not exactly worth all their items.

“Is there something you are interested in, sir?” The vendor stallion asked. “I noticed you were looking at that particular brooch.”

“I’m just looking,” I said. “Sorry.”

I returned to the girls. They were browsing a coat stall.

“Oh, Spike, thank goodness,” said Rarity. “So what did you find out?”

“Which one of our items is worth it?” Applejack asked.

I sighed. “Neither.”

“What?!” The two mares asked in unison.

“Rarity, could I see your brooch, please?”

“Oh, alright.” Rarity handed me the brooch. “Now, I know what you are thinking, and yes, I am aware it’s the same as...”

“I just need to check something.”

Like what I did to the brooch back in the stall, I wiped then licked the brooch. The flavors were much more diverse, and instead of watermelon, I tasted green apple.

“I knew it. Rarity, that brooch you wanted isn’t as valuable as this one. While the one at the stall is made with genuine gemstones and is probably worth a lot, yours is worth much more. It’s not worth the trade.”

“Now, wait just an apple-buckin’ minute,” Applejack butted in. “How in tarnation did you know the difference just by licking Rarity’s brooch?”

“Simple. I’m a dragon, and dragons eat gemstones. I also cleaned and licked the brooch over at the stall, and I tasted something that was much different from Rarity’s. The brooch over there was made of emerald, while Rarity’s brooch is made of demantoid, a more valuable gem.”

“I did not know this was demantoid,” Rarity gasped as she took the brooch. “I initially thought it was emerald when I first bought it in Ponyville. I suppose that would explain the unusually high price at the time.”

“So you can tell the difference between gemstones simply by taste?” Applejack asked.

“We dragons have specific taste buds.” I answered. “You thought all gemstones taste the same to us? Each gem has a unique flavor. It’s how we tell the difference between a rare gem and a common one.”

“And what do them gems taste like to dragons?”

“Just like rock candy. I’m sure you two already know what that’s like.”

“I’m afraid I do,” said Rarity as she rubbed her belly. “And I still haven’t burned off all those calories.”

“Okay, so why ain’t the pie tin worth it, huh?” Applejack asked. “If the brooch Rarity wanted is less valuable, what’s wrong with the pie tin? Did ya taste the metal, too?”

“No. I didn’t need to taste it to know what metal it’s made of,” I said. “I don’t think the extra seconds are worth it, given the material.”

“What are ya talking about?”

“There’s a reason why they don’t make them anymore. Pie plates such as that one used to give the crusts a metallic taste no matter what you used to prevent stickage. That’s why they discontinued using the metal. Granted, the thermal conductivity of the new material made it so pies would cook slower, but it was much safer and healthier.”

“Is this true?” Rarity asked.

Applejack scratched her head. “Come to think of it, I recall one time Granny Smith was ramblin’ about how slow bakin’ took these days because they changed the pie tins. Reckon’ this was one of the reasons why they done it.”

“So you see? This is why you should be careful when combining your assets,” I said.

“Well, I didn’t think we’d actually find something that was worth all of our stuff,” said Applejack. “Or how Rarity would be so defensive over something she already has.”

“You two go on ahead and continue trading for something else. I’m gonna see what Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are up to.”

I really hoped that Rainbow’s stuff was enough to trade for the book, or at least enough so that she wouldn’t have to go through multiple trades like in the show.

I spotted Fluttershy at a stall with a bunch of different animal calls. At least I knew this was different from the show, which was promising.

“Here ya go,” said the vendor as he gave Fluttershy a bird whistle.

“Thank you, sir,” Fluttershy said. “I hope you’ll enjoy the bear call.”

Fluttershy blew on the whistle, and a bird came and landed on her hoof.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I said as I appeared by her side.

“Oh, Spike. I didn’t know this was also a dragon whistle.”

“Heh, sorry. I just came on my own terms. Anyway, I see you got to trade what you wanted.”

Fluttershy nodded. “I was surprised how much the vendor wanted a bear call.”

“So I take it Rainbow’s trade went well, too?”

“Oh, my. I still need to check.”

“Check? What do you mean?”

“Rainbow Dash and the vendor were arguing about the value of the Daring Do book. I quickly left to trade for my bear call. Oh, I hope they’re done arguing.”

I hope so, too.

Fluttershy and I were just about to head to the stand when Rainbow came up to us.

“Rainbow,” said Fluttershy. “Did...did you get the book?”

“Sure did!” Rainbow showed us the book that was in a plastic bag like my mint comic. “That stall pony was one tough negotiator, though. It was a good thing most of the books I traded away weren’t of use to me.”

“At least you got what you wanted,” I said. “Say, have either of you seen Pinkie Pie?”

Both of them shook their heads.

“Was she with you?” Rainbow asked.

“No. She wasn’t with Twilight or the other girls either. I’m guessing she’s browsing, but she doesn’t have anything to trade with.”

“Unless she’s got something in her mane. That cotton-candy like fluff can hold practically anything.”

Once the sun set, The trading event was declared over by Twilight. Everypony packed up and headed back to the train.

“I hope everypony got what they were looking for,” Twilight said as we rode back to Ponyville.

“I got my mint comic book without any trouble,” I said. “Along with a few others that were used.”

“Wish I could say the same thing,” said Rainbow Dash. “I got my book, but it was so hard to trade with that vendor. I had to explain to her three times how important some of my books were.”

“I was able to get a bird whistle,” Fluttershy pointed out. “At least the cottage can rest easy.”

“Here.” Rarity gave Applejack a pie tin. “It’s not the same as you wanted, but it should make do.”

“Thanks. I got ya this.” Applejack gave Rarity a hair clip. “It only cost half of our stash, but I’ll know you love it.”

The two shared a small hug, which I found adorable.

“So did you get anything, Pinkie?” Twilight asked.

“As a matter of fact, I had a spare rubber chicken (not Boneless), so I traded it away for this.” Pinkie pulled out a book from her mane.

“A book?” Rainbow asked.

“A cookbook, Dashie! It’s a cookbook! It has so many dessert recipes that I couldn’t resist trading for it!” Pinkie opened it and read through. “Hey, this recipe rings a bell. And so does that one. And that one. And...wait a minute. I know these recipes! What’s going on?”

“Let me see that book,” said Twilight.

Pinkie gave Twilight the book. She read through it and widened her eyes.

“This book was from my library!” Twilight announced. “You must’ve traded with a pony who I traded with!”

“Wow! Ring around the rosie!” Pinkie giggled. “What about you, Twilight?”

“I traded a few of my books, but now I’ll need to find some use for a few of these things.” Twilight placed her hoof on the plastic bin.

In the end, I was glad to change a few things for this episode. Twilight traded some of her books away with no issues, and Pinkie thankfully didn’t interfere. Rainbow got her book, and Fluttershy got her bird whistle. I was neutral about Rarity and Applejack, but at least they still made up like in the show.

Only a few episodes left of Season 4, and I know that they’re all gonna be changed dramatically.

Chapter 64 (Inspiration Manifestation & Equestria Games)

I was in the boutique with Rarity. She had just put the finishing touches on a puppet theater. I knew that this was when “Inspiration Manifestation” took place, and I already figured out how to change it.

“And that should finally do it,” said Rarity. “Now, be honest, Spikey-Wikey. What do you think of it?”

I sighed. “It needs a bit of improvement.”

Rarity sat down in disappointment. “Whatever do you mean? I worked really hard on this and made sure everything works well.”

“Hey, you told me to be honest. Anyway, you should remove the vases from the stage for starters. The audience has to focus on the puppets, and the puppeteer can’t risk knocking the vases over.”

Rarity scratched her chin. “Now that you mentioned it, it seemed a bit much to add those.” She took the vases off the stage.

“Secondly, the commissioner's a traveling pony.” I pointed to the wheels attached to the theater. “He needs wheels that function properly if he wants to take it with him.”

“I thought those wheels looked too small. I think I have bigger ones lying somewhere.”

“Other than that, it looks good. Sorry about the criticism.”

“It’s alright, Spike. That’s why you are here. I’ll install the wheels by the time the Ponyville Foal and Filly Fair begins.”

“Now that I think about it, you ponies have so many festivals here. Forget Ponyville, you should rename this town ‘Partyville.’”

“Actually, I do believe Pinkie Pie tried that once, but she never got enough signatures.”

Rarity quickly spruced up some bigger wheels and replaced the smaller ones. She also removed the legs underneath them.

I gave a thumbs up. “Much better. He should be satisfied now.”

I hope.

The festival was soon underway. Rarity brung the theater to the puppeteer. I kept my fingers crossed that he wouldn’t criticize her like in the show.

The puppeteer looked at the theater from all directions. “Good enough.”

“You like it?” Rarity asked.

“A bit flashy ‘n small, but I'll work with it. Thank you.”

The puppeteer paid Rarity and left to set up the theater.

Rarity sighed in relief. Twilight came up to us.

“I see that the stallion liked the theater,” she said. “You did a good job designing it.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” said Rarity. “But I couldn’t have done it without assistance from my favorite dragon, Spikey-Wikey.” She wrapped a hoof around me.

“Heh, don’t mention it,” I said.

“Rarity, why do you still call him ‘Spikey-Wikey’?” Twilight asked. “You know he’s in a relationship.”

“What? I’m not allowed to use nicknames on him?” Rarity asked.

“It’s fine, girls,” I said. “I don’t mind. If Rarity wants to call me that, then let her do so. Fluttershy understands.”

“If you say so,” replied Twilight.

As we went on and enjoyed the fair, I was glad to solve this episode way early. I would have to warn Twilight about that book, though.

HOOONK!!

“YAH!” Twilight and I fell right out of our beds.

“On your hooves and feet, you two!” Rainbow shouted as she put the air horn away. “We’re leaving!”

“Rainbow Dash! It’s six in the morning!” Twilight rebutted.

“Exactly! If we’re gonna get to the Crystal Empire in time for the Equestria Games, everypony’s gotta get up to catch the train!”

“Alright, alright!” Twilight yawned as she rubbed her eyelids. “Just don’t use that air horn next time.”

“Oh, you sound just like Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity.” Rainbow dashed out of the library.

Twilight stretched a bit. “Well, I guess we should check our bags to make sure we packed everything.”

I nodded.

I couldn’t believe the Equestria Games were arriving so soon. I knew what was going to happen. Spike would humiliate himself in many ways in front of lots of ponies. It wasn’t until he saved the stadium from a giant ice cloud that he got his pride back. But since I was Spike now, I would do my best to be humble and leave certain tasks to the professionals.

One thing that bothered me was despite the season’s build-up to the games, the majority of the episode was focused on Spike, which was a disappointment. At least I would get to witness the events first-hand this time.

That’s when it occurred to me. Since I was going to be visiting the Crystal Empire again, I should find time to visit a certain unicorn there. The same unicorn that was important to a certain upcoming villain.

After we ate breakfast, Twilight and I put our packs on and headed to the train station. We saw some of the other girls and athletes there as well. Some were tired while others were as full of energy as Rainbow Dash.

“Did we have to arrive so early?” Rarity yawned and pulled out her pocket watch. “I don’t think the train is supposed to arrive until much, much later.”

“That’s what you think!” Rainbow Dash retorted. “I don’t want any of us to miss this train or the Equestria Games! I speak for all of us when I say this is an event worth watching!”

“Not if some of us fall asleep while we’re in the crowd...or performing the events,” I said.

“Ah, don’t worry. They can give us time to rest after the opening ceremony.”

As we waited for the train, the rest of the town showed up to wish us good luck, for the athletes and the potential spectators. The mayor showed up as well. She was going to join us on our trip.

“As the mayor of Ponyville,” Mayor Mare explained, “I, too, have been invited to witness the Equestria Games.”

“I’m sure every available leader would be attending,” said Twilight.

A few hours later, the train arrived at the station. We all bid Ponyville goodbye and hopped onto the train. The train gave a cheerful hiss as it took off from the station.

Inside one of the train cars, the athletes did multiple warm-ups such as weightlifting and wing-ups (push-ups with their wings). I checked the baggage as the CMC practiced their flag-carrying.

“I’m so glad we got to be chosen to carry the Ponyville flag!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

After double-checking everything, I went to find Twilight in the other car. She was reading a book while sitting next to Mayor Mare.

“Are you excited to witness the Equestria Games, Twilight?” I asked.

“I sure am,” Twilight replied as she looked over her book. “I hope you are, too.”

“You bet!”

That was the truth, since I saw only two events in the show. Not only that, this episode would make up for missing the Tokyo Olympics back in my home world. I planned on purchasing plane tickets to see the Olympics in person, but like every other plan in 2020, this was ruined by the virus. I heard they delayed the Olympics to 2021, but I involuntarily left the human world before then.

My eyes then caught onto the book Twilight was reading.

“Hey, isn’t that one of the books you tried to trade away?” I asked.

“Yes, it is,” replied Twilight. “But lately, I started to regret trading some of them away. They’ve helped make me who I am. They were filled with such fond memories that are more valuable than anything I could trade for. I may not ever need to read them again, but that doesn't mean they don't have value.”

I looked away. I felt like I should’ve had Pinkie join Twilight instead of turning her away.

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “Maybe you should’ve kept those books if they were so important to you.” I sighed. “Heck, it would be worth the diminishing space we had left.”

“I guess I could find some way to increase storage space in the library.”

“Or maybe we could move to a bigger building,” I joked. “Like a castle or something.”

“Very funny.”

The train stopped in front of the Crystal Empire. We quickly got out with all our baggage. The girls already left the station by the time I collected all the luggage. I looked to see the CMC looking through the gift shop window.

Sweetie Belle squealed. “I’m in crystal heaven! I need to ask Rarity for some money!”

Applebloom turned to the baggage cart nervously. “Is everything in there?” She pointed to the pink bag. “The flag? The flagpole? The ramp?!”

“Yep.” I patted the pile. “It’s all in there.”

“Give it a rest, Apple Bloom,” said Scootaloo.

“She’s just a bit nervous, that’s all,” I said. “It can happen to any of us, including me. When I’m nervous, I usually take a few deep breaths. I inhale for five straight seconds, hold it for six, and exhale for seven. I call it my ‘5-6-7 method’.”

It was what I sometimes used before I hosted meetings back in my home world.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of hoofbeats approaching me. The next thing I knew, I was picked up by two guards in crystal armor and carried away.

“Hey! What’s going on?!” I cried.

However, I knew exactly what was going on. Soon the guards stopped in front of Twilight and Cadance and bowed down. I managed to jump off just in time.

“Spike! Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“Aside from the sudden dragon-napping, I’m fine,” I replied with a snark.

“A thousand pardons, O Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious!” one of the crystal guards said.

“Thanks for bringing Spike to us,” said Cadance. “It's okay, Spike. We'll have our hoofponies go back for your bags.”

“Okay.” I followed Cadance and Twilight to the castle. “But could you tell me why the guards did all that? And gave me that long name?”

“Do you want me to tell him?” Cadance asked.

“I’ll tell him,” said Twilight. “Spike, remember how you weren’t invited to help represent the Crystal Empire to the inspector? Well, as it turns out, the ponies here have a little surprise just for you for saving the empire.”

“Really?” I asked.

We entered a room, and two more crystal ponies bowed and addressed me by the same name the guards gave me. I was taken to a soft sofa. One pony fed me gems while the other fanned me with a big leaf.

“So the ponies think I’m some sort of hero?” I asked after I ate one of the gems.

Twilight said, “Last time you were here, you got the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadance in time to save this entire empire from destruction!”

“You are known throughout my empire as ‘Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious’,” said Cadance.

“Isn't that awesome? You're a big shot here, Spike!” Twilight motioned me to the balcony, where she pointed at a giant crystal statue of me holding the Crystal Heart. “See that? That's you!”

I rubbed the back of my head. “Well, heh. I can’t get all the credit. You were the one who found the Heart after all, Twilight. And Cadance was the one who caught me and the Heart.”

“Yes, but I was trapped in that black crystal and couldn’t get out.”

“And you were the one who bravely risked jumping off to bring it to us, Spike,” said Cadance. “This is why we all hope you do us the honor of lighting the torch at the opening ceremony. You'd be the very first dragon in the history of the Equestria Games to do so.”

“I wouldn’t mind,” I said. “I guess dragons never attended the Equestria Games?”

“Not from my knowledge.” Cadance looked at the stadium. “The opening ceremony is about to start soon. We better head over there.”

I hopped on Twilight’s back as we rode to the stadium. Once we got there, a brown earth pony with a blond mane was waiting by the entrance. She wore earrings, a purple suit, and a pink polo neck. This was Ms. Harshwhinny, the Equestria Games inspector.

“Afternoon, Ms. Harshwhinny,” Cadance greeted. “We brought Spike here to light the flame.”

“It was about time,” said Harshwhinny. She sounded more snooty than a Canterlot pony.

“Good afternoon,” I said calmly as I hopped off Twilight. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Harshwhinny.”

I shook her hoof as professionally as I could. It was like meeting with a guest at the office.

“Hmph. I did not expect much professionalism, but you certainly surprised me,” said Ms. Harshwhinny with a straight face.

“We’ll see you after the opening ceremony,” said Twilight as she hurried to follow Cadance.

“Follow me if you please.”

Ms. Harshwhinny escorted me to the torch. She also explained what I had to do in order to light the torch properly. I wanted to say she was strict, but it was best if I didn’t.

“Welcome, everypony and non-pony to the 2011 Equestria Games!” Shining Armor’s voice announced through the loudspeakers. “It is with great honor that the Crystal Empire has been chosen to host this year’s games! We hope that all the athletes will do their very best to strive for excellence! We also like to thank our following sponsors: Crystal Empire’s Cryztal-Clear Water, ‘The Ultimate Mineral-Free Water’; and the four princesses: Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle.”

Huh, it’s been about half a year since the Crystal Empire returned, and already they have brand names.

“And you're quite certain you also understand exactly what you're supposed to do?” Harshwhinny asked.

“Of course,” I replied. “I stand where you want me, then light the torch once you give me the signal.”

“Mm. Couldn't be simpler.”

We exited out to see the torch and thousands of ponies. Seriously, everypony who’s anypony was here to watch the games. And I thought Manehattan had a large population.

I continued following Harshwhinny. I did my 5-6-7 method to reduce my nervousness.

“Now, please welcome the delegation from Ponyville!” Shining Armor announced.

I peeked over the balcony just in time to Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and all the other Ponyville competitors come out onto the field. Scootaloo stood the Ponyville flag up by the others. I noticed all the other athletes that were competing, such as ponies from Manehattan, Appleloosa, Saddle Arabia, and even Griffonstone.

So I know that griffons can enter the Equestria games, but I wonder if other non-ponies can enter the next Equestria Games.

“Mr. the Dragon!” Harshwhinny called out. “Stand where I told you!”

“Apologies.” I ran over and stopped in front of the ladder. “I was just making sure everypony and non-pony was there.”

Harshwhinny stomped her hoof two times. That was the signal. I climbed the ladder all the way up to the top. I took another deep breath.

I declare these Equestria games...open!

I inhaled deeply and blew with all my might. My green flames ignited the fuel inside the giant torch. The fire made a satisfying “ka-FWOOSH!!” as it burned a deep shade of blue. The crowd cheered immensely.

And that's how it's done.

I slide down the ladder and watched Shining Armor make his announcement .

"Let the games begin!" He shouted.

The crowd cheered so loudly, I almost didn’t hear Ms. Harshwhinny clearing her throat. She escorted me out of the stadium. Once outside, I hurried to where Pinkie, Rarity, Rainbow, and Applejack were. The CMC were there as well.

“You three really were wonderful,” Twilight said as she flew down. “Has anypony seen Spike?”

“I’m right behind you,” I replied.

“Woah!” Twilight almost jumped. “You surprised me.”

“Good job lighting that torch, Spike!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Well, it was my job,” I said.

“Why must you act so modest?” Rarity asked. “You’re just like Twilight when she became a princess. You’ve done something so heroic and deemed as a hero, yet you behave like it’s no big deal.”

“It is a big deal, and I’m proud of it. I just keep myself humble so I don’t let all the pride go to my head like some egomaniac...present company excluded.”

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash glared.

“I’m happy to have saved the Crystal Empire, and all its ponies. Don’t take my nonchalant expression for a lack of enthusiasm.”

“Look, look!” A voice called out. “It's the Great and Honorable Spike the Brave and Glorious!”

I looked to see two crystal ponies approaching me.

“Can we get your autograph?” the other pony asked as she handed me a photo of myself.

“Sure thing,” I said. I quickly wrote my signature on the photo.

“How you saved our Empire last time you were here was really amazing!” The first pony said.

“Especially how you took that swan dive to save the Crystal Heart. You must’ve been so brave!”

“Yeah, let’s call it that,” I said.

Though, it was more of foresight than bravery.

Once my fans left, Sweetie Belle quickly gasped and turned to Rarity.

“Rarity! I almost forgot!” Sweetie Belle squeaked. “You need to buy one of those snow globes at the train station for me! Please?!”

“Can it not wait until after the games are done?” Rarity asked.

“No! There won’t be time then!”

“She does have a point,” I said. “The gift shop might run out of stock once everypony leaves the Crystal Empire after the games.”

“See?!”

“Oh, alright,” said Rarity. “I think I have enough bits...”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!” Sweetie Belle pulled her bigger sister’s hoof like a child pulling his mom to a toy store. “Come on! Let’s go already!”

As Rarity and Sweetie Belle hurried over to the train station, Rainbow checked the time.

“Well, I guess I’d better meet up with Fluttershy and the others if we’re gonna participate in the events tomorrow,” said Rainbow Dash.

Twilight said, “I believe Cadence offered some guest rooms for us to sleep in during the Games...”

“No need. They provided rooms for us competitors. Tell her I said thanks anyway.”

Rainbow zoomed off. I’d be surprised if she didn’t participate in any event that involved racing.

Later that evening, Twilight and I were in one of the guest rooms in the castle. It was almost identical to the one we stayed at during the events of “Equestria Girls.”

“So what event are you looking forward to, Twilight?” I asked.

“I’d like to see the gymnastics,” Twilight replied. “What about you?”

“I think...uh...the aerial relay.” It was the only event besides the ice archery that was shown in the episode.

“I think Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are participating in that event. Let’s hope they win.”

Then there was a knock on the door.

“Come in!” Twilight called out.

The door opened, and Cadance entered the room.

“Cadance!” Twilight exclaimed with joy. “It’s good to see you again.”

“Evening, Twilight and Spike,” said Cadance. “I hope both of you enjoyed the opening ceremony.”

“We certainly did,” I replied. “Though, I might be biased since I was in it.”

Cadance giggled. “You did a wonderful job lighting that torch. I was afraid you’d get nervous.”

“I was a little bit, but I got over it. So how have things been going since my last visit here, Cadance?”

“It’s been going great. I can’t complain. My subjects have never been happier.”

I guess it’s no competition given their last leader.

“We’ve also had some visitors staying here,” said Cadance. “About a month ago, a unicorn from a small town moved here.”

I raised my eyebrows. “A unicorn from a small town?”

“Yes. He said he came from Sire’s Hallow and was looking for a change of pace.”

“Huh. Interesting.”

I would have to find where he lives soon.

The next day, the girls and I headed to the stadium for the first set of events. There were going to be at least five events per day. The events for today were the 100-meter dash, pole vault, rings, trampoline, and an obstacle course.

As I passed the entrance, one of the guards called for me.

“Come with us, Spike the Brave and Glorious,” the guard said.

“Just call me ‘Spike,’ sir,” I said. “No need for that long name.”

“Apologies, Spike.”

The guard escorted me up the stairs and to a door with the letters, “V. I. P.”

“This was reserved for you to watch the Equestria Games, sir,” said the guard as he gave me a key.

“Thanks,” I said. “Is it possible to bring some of my friends over here?”

“We’ll get right on that.”

I used the key to enter the room. Upon entering, I noticed how spacious it was. There were about three rows of seats to see the action, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. All it needed was a bedroom, and it would feel like a small penthouse.

As I admired the decoration, I heard the door knocking.

“It’s unlocked!” I shouted.

Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders came in. Just like me, they were amazed by the room.

“Land sakes!” Applejack called out. “And they just gave this to ya, Spike?”

“It’s the upsides of saving an empire,” I said.

“Such magnificent decor,” said Rarity. “Now I’m feeling inadequate with those stained-glass windows.”

“Oh, look!” Pinkie exclaimed from the kitchen. “They stocked the fridge with Cryztal-Clear Water! ‘The ultimate mineral-free water’!”

The sound of the crowd getting louder filled my eardrums.

“Looks like the events are startin’!” Applebloom yelled. “Let’s hurry up and see ‘em!”

We sat down in our seats and watched the events unfold.

Ponyville was the first town to get a medal by coming first in the 100-meter dash, but Cloudsdale managed to score two gold medals for the pole vault and rings. A few other towns got medals as well. Griffonstone, for example, got silver for both the obstacle course and trampoline. In the end, Cloudsdale was in the lead with about six medals, Ponyville had five, and Manehattan had four.

I seemed to notice that for some events, winged ponies and griffons had to wear a belt to prevent using their wings. It was safe to say that the belts were strong enough to not break, yet light enough to avoid hindrance.

“Certainly a vigorous experience when you are watching the Equestrian Games first hoof,” said Rarity once the events were over for the day.

“You said it,” replied Applejack as we left the stadium. “I hope Ponyville doesn’t fall too far behind.”

“I’m sure they’ll catch up,” I said.

Later that evening, the girls and I ate at a nearby restaurant. Cadance and the other princesses were there, too.

“You gotta admit, Ponyville’s got it good when it comes to these events,” said Rainbow. “I knew I taught that stallion well when I saw him win the 100-meter dash.”

“Looking through this guide, they seem to have so many events,” said Rarity. “I’m surprised they enforced one sport per pony, especially since some of them have multiple ponies from the same town.”

“Maybe it’s just in case a pony gets injured or tired,” I said.

After dinner, I met up with Cadance.

“So, Cadance,” I said. “Remember that stallion you talked about yesterday?”

“You mean the one from Sire’s Hallow? Why do you ask?”

“Because I’d like to know how he’s settling in the empire. Plus, he might be wanting to see its hero in the flesh.”

“Well, I’m not sure about the exact address off the top of my head, but I know he lives in the southern district. Just ask around, and they’ll tell you.”

“How would I know it’s him? What’s his name?” I already knew, but I didn’t want to raise suspicion.

“His name is...Sunburst...I think. He’s orange and wears a blue cape. That’s all I know.”

“I think that’ll be enough. Thank you.”

Since it was late, I headed back to the castle and turned in.

The next morning, I got up a bit earlier than usual. I ate a light breakfast and headed out of the castle. I made it to the southern district without any problems aside from signing a few autographs.

Alright. Now where’s that unicorn’s house?

I looked up and down the streets until I saw a house that looked like it was wearing a giant hat. It had to have been where he lived. I took a deep breath and approached the front door. I gave it a few loud knocks and waited.

The door cracked open.

“Yes?” A stallion’s voice asked.

I cleared my throat. “Good morning. Are you Sunburst?”

“That’s me.”

The stallion peeked his head out of the door. He was orange with a white stripe on his nose. He had a red unkempt mane and a small goatee of the same color. He also wore round, silver glasses.

“What can I do for you?” Sunburst asked awkwardly.

“I just came by to say hello,” I replied with a small smile on my face. “My name is Spike. I’m the hero of the Crystal Empire.”

“Wait.” Sunburst opened the door a bit more, revealing his blue cape with stars. “You’re the brave and glorious Spike everypony’s talking about?”

“That’s right. Thought I would be bigger?”

“I didn’t think so when I saw your statue. I-I’m sorry, did you want to come in or something?”

“If you’re not busy right now. If you are, I can come back later.”

“No, I’m free right now.”

Sunburst brung me inside. I sat at a wooden table while Sunburst carried out a teapot and a couple of teacups.

“All I have is green tea,” said Sunburst. “Dragons drink tea, right?”

I replied, “I do. I don’t know about other dragons.”

Sunburst poured me a cup. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard a dragon saved the empire, let alone a baby dragon. So do you live nearby?”

“Not exactly. I’m from Ponyville, but I was born in Canterlot.” I received the cup he gave me.

“Interesting. I used to visit Canterlot but...nevermind. So why did you come visit me of all ponies?”

“Princess Cadence told me you weren’t from here, so I thought about chatting with you and seeing how you’re liking the place.”

“Well, rent’s a bit costly, but I seemed to manage. No nosy neighbors, which is a plus.”

I took a sip of the tea. “I was told that you were from Sire’s Hallow. What’s that place like?”

“Uh, just your usual small town. Like...it has shops and homes. Nothing too famous or anything.”

“Hmm. I assumed you moved out because you wanted a change of scenery, right?”

“Y-yeah, of course! That’s why I did it. Heh.”

I could tell Sunburst was hiding something, and I knew what that something was.

“So are you enjoying the games?” I tilted a bit in my chair.

“The Equestria Games? I don’t watch them.”

I stopped tilting. “How come?”

“Not really a sports kind of pony. Sure the events sound interesting, but it’s not really my thing. Not to mention ticket prices are outrageous.”

“To each their own, I guess.” I looked around the room. “I see you like reading in your spare time.”

“Oh, of course. I prefer reading books about magic and stuff. I pretty much know a thing or two about spells and whatnot.”

“Really? Can you cast anything?”

“Oh...uh...not...by command.”

“That’s okay. You remind me of my guardian, Twilight. She too likes to read about magic.”

“Twilight? You mean Princess Twilight is your guardian?”

“The same one. Life is full of surprises isn’t it?”

“I guess so.”

I looked around a bit more. That’s when I noticed a picture frame on a nearby bookshelf. It had a picture of a colt and a filly playing together, and I recognized both of them.

“Hey...that picture,” I said. “It looks familiar.”

“Huh?” Sunburst turned around. “Oh, you noticed that.” He then used his magic to bring the frame closer. “This is an old photo of mine when I was just a colt.”

I looked closer at the picture. It showed Sunburst as a colt holding a book and levitating a bunch of blocks while the pink filly was clapping.

“Who’s the filly next to you?” I asked.

“Oh, her? She’s an old childhood friend. We used to play with each other a lot back then. We were really close.”

“What was her name?”

“I think it was...Starlight...Glimmer! Yeah, her name was Starlight Glimmer.”

“She’s pretty cute. Are you still in contact with her?”

“No. In fact, I haven’t even heard from her ever since I got my cutie mark.”

“Really? How come?”

“I don’t know. I mean, she helped me get my cutie mark. I was going to thank her after showing it to my family, but I never could.”

“Why not?”

“Well...you see...no, I shouldn’t.”

“Just tell me, Sunburst. I won’t judge.”

Sunburst sighed. “You’ve heard of Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, right?”

“Of course I do. I was born there.”

“Really? Anyway, my parents, mostly my mom, forced me into that school because they thought I was a ‘prodigy’ all because of my cutie mark. I never got the chance to thank Starlight at all.”

“Why couldn’t you send a letter or something?”

“Because my mother assigned me some really advanced courses. I didn’t have time to breathe, let alone write a letter!” Sunburst sighed again. “I was thankful I got kicked out.” Suddenly, he covered his mouth.

“What? How did you get kicked out? Was it because of poor grades?”

Sunburst slowly nodded. “After a few months of failing so many courses in a row, the board decided I wasn’t fit to be in their school and expelled me. I was somewhat relieved. At least I didn’t have to lose sleep trying to study for all those tests. I headed back to Sire's Hollow, hoping I could find Starlight and apologize to her, but she wasn’t there.”

“She moved out?”

“No. Her father said that she ran away. He seemed really casual about it, for some reason.” Sunburst looked at the picture. “If only I could see her again, I can talk to her about how much she helped me. If only my parents weren’t in the way so much. I hope she doesn’t think I stopped caring for her after my cutie mark.”

“From what you’ve told me, I just hope she doesn’t oppose cutie marks.”

“Me neither, but it’s just like opposing growing up. It inevitably happens, and there’s almost no way to stop it unless you have some sort of advanced spell.”

I looked away. I remembered that I still have to stop Starlight. And with the end of Season 4 around the corner, I was running out of time.

“Thank you for telling me all this, Sunburst,” I said. “If Twilight and I ever find her during our adventures, we’ll let her know you still remember her.”

“Well, good luck,” Sunburst replied. “Equestria’s a big place, and I doubt anypony at Sire’s Hollow would help you.”

“Hey, my friends and I can be pretty lucky sometimes. I wouldn’t be surprised if we find her on our next adventure.” I looked at the clock on the wall. “Uh, oh. The next set of events are coming up! I gotta head to the stadium. Thanks for the tea, Sunburst.”

I finished up my cup and bidded Sunburst adieu. I hurried to the stadium and up to my VIP lounge. I noticed Pinkie Pie at the door.

“About time you showed up!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We’re missing the events!”

“Sorry about that, Pinkie.” I quickly unlocked the door. “You must be really desperate to sit in the lounge.”

“Well, duh! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are gonna be doing the aerial relay, and I want to see them up close.”

“Actually, we wouldn’t be significantly closer to them here than if we were sitting...and she’s gone.”

I sighed and entered the lounge. A few minutes later, the CMC, Applejack, and Rarity came in.

“I had a feelin’ Pinkie was already up here,” said Applejack.

We sat back and watched the second set of events: gymnastics, ribbon, weight lifting, aerial relay, and steeplechase.

We were on the edge of our seats when the aerial relay came up, since that was where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were participating. Unfortunately, just like in the show, they came in second place, just barely behind Cloudsdale.

“Aw, so close!” Scootaloo complained.

“At least Fluttershy is getting less nervous at being in front of large crowds,” said Rarity.

The Cloudsdale’s anthem came up afterwards. Since I didn’t ask to sing it, the scene where Spike messes up the lyrics never happened. However, I didn’t want all that memorization to go to waste.

“We will fly high, up to the sky,” I sang along. “With our friends, victory is nigh…”

“Wow. You should’ve sung the anthems, Spike,” Pinkie suggested.

I shrugged. “Maybe next time.”

After this set of events, Ponyville received about nine medals, which was one less than Cloudsdale. Manehattan and Appleloosa tied for third with seven medals.

The next day, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy joined us at the VIP lounge. The two of them were also impressed by the luxury.

“Woah! The girls weren’t kidding when they told us how awesome this place looks!” Rainbow exclaimed. “You could practically live here if you don’t mind the noise!”

We watched the third set of events, which were high jump, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, and judo. Basketball was the most interesting event to me. I don’t think I ever saw ponies playing basketball in the show, so this was a surprise.

Why am I getting Space Jam vibes from this?

The end result was Ponyville in the lead, Cloudsdale in second, and Saddle Arabia in third. I’ve also noticed Griffonstone was catching up.

The events for the next day were long jump, fencing, table tennis, regular tennis, and discus.

As I was watching the events, a realization struck my mind.

The ice cloud!

In the show, an archer accidentally fires an arrow straight into a cloud, turning it to ice and causing it to plummet to the stadium. While Spike manages to save the crowd, I wanted to prevent the whole thing this time.

Right after the events were over, I went to find Cadance. She had just finished talking to Twilight.

“Excuse me, Cadance?” I called out.

“Good evening, Spike,” greeted Cadance. “Sorry about Ponyville falling to third. Those griffons are pretty athletic, aren’t they?”

“I guess. But that’s not why I wanted to see you. Ice archery is going to be the last event, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Well, something’s been bothering me. I’ve noticed it’s been getting cloudier these past few days. I’m afraid a stray ice arrow is going to hit one of those clouds, and there’s no telling what might happen.”

Cadance rubbed her chin. “You raise a fair point. I’ll have some pegasus ponies clear the skies tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you.”

The next morning, true to Cadance’s words, the entire sky was cleared out. I was a bit relieved. I just hoped that a cloud wouldn't appear out of nowhere.

Today was the last set of events and the closing ceremony. The events were as follows: javelin, shot put, cycling, triathlon, and ice archery. Much to my surprise, Derpy won gold at shot put. I guess she built up all that strength carrying all those packages.

Now there’s only one event left: ice archery.

“Too bad Ponyville doesn't have any ice archers competin',” said Applejack as we watched the finalists. “We don't have anyone to root for.”

“That's okay. Ponyville has thirty-seven medals, and Cloudsdale thirty-six, so it looks like we'll be medal champs of the Games anyway! Woo-hoo!”

“Wait, there’s only twenty-four events so far,” I said. “Twenty-five including this one. How’d you come up with thirty-seven medals?”

Pinkie replied, “I’m counting individual teammates. Like in the aerial relay, for example, Ponyville won three medals!”

“Don’t worry, Spike,” said Rainbow Dash. “Given the math, Ponyville is still ahead by one medal. Oh, wait. Cloudsdale has two ice archery finalists down there now. If they both place, Cloudsdale wins the medal count!”

Pinkie gasped. “So you're saying that it all comes down to this one event?!”

“Pretty much,” replied Applejack.

“Omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!”

Pinkie tilted over the ledge so much that I swore had it not been for Pinkie physics, she’d fall into the crowd below us.

Suddenly, the door knocked.

“Oh, come on!” Rainbow Dash moaned. “Who’s knocking this late? We’re at the final event!”

“Allow me to go check,” Rarity said as she got up.

She hurried to the door and answered it. She returned with a familiar pony.

“Twilight?” Applejack asked. “What are you doin’ here?”

“I didn’t want to miss the last event with all my friends,” Twilight replied. “I could’ve gone here sooner had I known sitting with the royals was optional.”

Pinkie grabbed Twilight’s head. “Then get over here and freak out over the medal count! I'll show you how: Omigoshomigoshomigoshomigosh!”

We continued watching the archers. Sweetie Belle squinted her eyes.

“Where are those ponies aiming?” She asked. “Isn’t the goal of archery to shoot the center?”

“For normal archery, yes,” replied Dashie. “But this is ice archery. Those aren't your average arrows. They freeze whatever part of the target they hit. Whoever encases their entire target in ice first wins. Keep your eye on number seven from Cloudsdale: he's the favorite.”

As the girls viewed the competitors, I looked up in the sky. Despite the stadium’s bright lights, I could see the stars, and not a single sign of a cloud. That was a relief.

I looked back at the athletes. One of them accidently knocked over their bucket of arrows, and just like in the show, they tripped over it and sent the arrow straight up into the sky. What was different was that there was a loud whistling sound, and everypony ran off the field. The spectators in the front rows moved back as well.

“What’s going on?” Applebloom asked.

“One of the athletes misfired!” Twilight replied. “They’re evacuating everypony until the arrow comes back down!”

After a few minutes of panicking, the referees were able to located the arrow. It landed about a few feet away from the archery arena without any casualties. It froze a small patch of grass, but the staff removed it without any trouble.

“Sorry about that, everypony,” Shining Armor announced. “We’ll resume the event as soon as possible.”

After a brief talk with the pony who fired that arrow by mistake, the event continued on like nothing happened. The bucket was more secured this time.

“That was scary!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Can you imagine if that arrow hit something?!”

“Just be glad it didn’t hit anypony,” I said. “Or a cloud for that matter.”

At the end of the event, neither of the Cloudsdale members could reach the podium. Which meant Ponyville got the most medals! The girls and I cheered loud and proud!

“Let’s get a quick bite to eat before we head down for the closing ceremony,” Twilight suggested.

We ate at one of the vendors and went downstairs. Once we got to the field, we saw Ponyville’s flag raised. It stood firm above the other flags.

“We did it!” Pinkie screamed in joy. “Ponyville won the medal count, and only by one medal!”

“The other teams did well, too,” I said. “I think every town won at least one medal here.”

“I’m surprised how close Griffonstone came,” said Rarity. “They were only three medals behind Cloudsdale.”

“Spike!” A voice called out.

I saw Cadance waving at me. She motioned me to come over. Shining Armor and Ms. Harshwhinny were by her side.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked as I approached them.

“Nothing is wrong,” said Cadance. “You’ve been tasked with lighting the fireworks for the closing ceremony.”

“I’ll be honored to do so, then.”

Shining Armor gave a final speech to everypony, “Thank you all for attending the Equestria Games! We like to congratulate all our competitors for doing their best!”

I stood by the fireworks. Once Ms. Harshwinny gave me the signal, I lit all the fuses at once with my fire breath. They shot up into the night sky and exploded into many different colors. It was truly a spectacular sight.

The best part about all of this is that I got to see the games from beginning to end.

The next morning the girls, the athletes, and I were all packed to head home. We waited outside the train station. Cadance and Shining Armor were with us, along with a few of my fans who haven’t gotten an autograph.

“It was great meeting you two again,” Shining Armor said to Twilight and me.

“Likewise,” I replied as I signed a photo. “And this time there weren't any villains to deal with.”

Cadance chuckled. “That’s true.”

“I hope to visit you guys real soon,” said Twilight.

Once the train arrived, we quickly boarded. Shining Armor and Cadance waved us goodbye as the train departed back to Ponyville.

“That was amazing!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Of course, I knew Ponyville had it in them.”

“Wonder where they’ll host the games next time,” said Applejack.

“We’ll just have to wait and see,” said Twilight.

“I hope it’s Ponyville!” Pinkie shouted.

“Ponyville doesn’t have a stadium, darling,” said Rarity.

“Oh, right.”

I sighed as I looked out the window. I was really proud to change this episode majorly, and to actually witness the Equestria Games for once.

Now my next task was to finally embark on my journey.

Author's Note

This chapter is brought to you by the Crystal Empire’s Cryztal-Clear Water: “The ultimate mineral-free water.”

Chapter 65: Spike's Journey Part 1

I knew the day would come. I told myself that I had to do this after the Equestria Games.

I had to leave for my journey. I had to save Griffonstone and Starlight Glimmer. This had to be done. I didn’t know how long it would be before Tirek arrives, but I wasn’t going to wait around until then.

The evening before my big day, I packed my backpack with water, gems, comic books, rope, a helmet, a compass, a sleeping bag, bug spray, a first aid kit, paper, and a pen.

I got out a map and circled the locations I would visit. My first stop would be at the Dragon Lands to catch up with Smolder and Garble. My second destination would be Griffonstone to find that idol. I don’t know if it will restore the town, but at least the griffons will get it back. My final stop would be Starlight’s village. I just needed to find that stone and convince Starlight that Sunburst still remembers her.

“Spike?” Twilight’s voice asked. “What are you doing?”

“Planning my journey,” I replied. “I told you I would leave after the Equestria Games.”

“I know, but this is all so soon. It’s only been a day after the games.”

“I’m aware of that.” I sighed. “I’ll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”

Twilight bit her lip. “I’m just worried about you. This is just like when you left for the Dragon Lands. But now you’re going to unknown territory. There’s no telling what’s going to happen to you.”

“I know what I’m doing, Twilight,” I said. “I’ll send you a letter every evening. I suggest you do the same.”

Twilight sighed. “I will.”

The next morning, I got up at the crack of dawn. I packed a black hoodie in case of colder climates. I also packed my toothbrush and toothpaste. I collected some of my bits and put them in a pouch. Knowing griffons, this would come in handy. I put my backpack on, kissed Twilight goodbye, and left the library.

I didn’t take two steps out of Ponyville when I saw Rainbow Dash stopping in front of me.

“Hey, Spike,” Rainbow greeted. “Where are you off to so early?”

“The Dragon Lands and beyond,” I replied.

“Uh, is Twilight aware of this? Wait, are you running away? I didn’t know kids still did that these days.”

“I’m not running away. I’m just going by myself on this journey. And I already told Twilight about this weeks in advance.”

“But you’re going all alone. Don’t you want a companion or something?”

“No. I don’t. You are all my best friends, and I love to have you around, but I need to be on my own. I’ll return soon. Trust me, and don’t follow me! Seriously, I don’t want you or the others following me under some pathetic disguise.”

“Alright. Just...good luck out there, Spike. And don’t be afraid to come back if things get too rough for ya.”

Rainbow flew back into Ponyville. I took a deep breath and continued walking.

When I reached the hills, I turned around to see Ponyville being the size of my palm. I could hardly tell if the windmill was moving from where I was standing. The sun had already peaked fully from the horizon. I resumed my path.

I got out my compass and map to make sure I was heading in the right direction. I still had a long way to go before I reached the Dragon Lands.

The path I took became less familiar the farther I went. Which made sense considering I was following a group of migrating dragons in the sky the last time I left Ponyville by myself.

The road then turned to the right and looked like it was going straight in that direction for a while. That meant I had to diverge from the path if I wanted to head to the Dragon Lands. I walked to the forest ahead. Once I got to the edge, I made an arrow on the tree pointing inwards. That way if my compass wasn't working, I could use the trees to know where I’m going.

I walked into the lush forest, making arrows on every twentieth tree I passed. My compass told me I was still heading southeast.

I took a breather by a small river up ahead. I sipped some of my water and munched on a few gems. I looked up at the sky. The sun was already at the top. I guesstimated the time to be around noon. I was walking for about five hours now.

As I sat on a nearby rock, I could hear a rustling noise behind me. I quickly spun around.

"Who’s there?" I asked.

A squirrel popped out of the bushes. It cleaned its face for a moment and hopped away.

"Just a squirrel," I said. I wiped some sweat from my forehead. "Boy, it's hot out."

It was a good thing I didn't put my hoodie on. The summer sun was really beaming down. It was hot, even for August. At least I was near a river. I took off my backpack and swam for a bit. The water felt so cool and refreshing. The current was noticeable, but it wasn’t too strong to pull me away. The water itself was clear, maybe even more than the river back in Ponyville.

After my lavish “skinny dipping,” I used the sun's rays to dry myself off.

Thank goodness it’s a dry heat today.

I put my pack back on, crossed the river without getting wet, and went on with my travels. I dabbled a bit of bug spray around my neck just in case I ran into any pesky insects, especially mosquitoes. I bet even Fluttershy would dislike them.

It was hard to keep track of where I was going, even with the compass and tree-marking. All I remember was that the Dragon Lands were in the southeast, and if I found the ocean, I went too far. The forest itself was no different to the other forests I came across back in Ponyville. While I passed a few clearings, it felt like I was going in circles.

I sat at a nearby stump and wondered if I was lost. I checked my compass, and it was working fine. I haven’t encountered a tree I already marked either.

I know the Dragon Lands aren’t a brisk walk from Ponyville, but they can’t be this far out, can they?

I sighed. I was about to grab a few gems to eat, when I heard the sound of squawking followed by a red and orange figure zooming by. It left a few feathers in its wake. I suddenly recognized the creature.

“A phoenix! That must mean the Dragon Lands are nearby! I better follow it.”

I jumped off the stump and followed the phoenix as fast as I could. After jumping over many branches and roots, I caught up with the phoenix just in time to see it land in a nest above the trees. I looked around and noticed a path nearby. I was willing to bet the gems in my backpack it was the path to the Dragon Lands.

I double-checked my compass and took the path up to the mountains. Once I got up there, I could see a bunch of dragons flying around. I was definitely in the Dragon Lands.

Finally.

I climbed the mountains until I was at the top. I searched around for Garble or Smolder. The problem was I didn’t know where they lived. I didn’t see Garble with those teenage dragons, and I doubt Smolder would be throwing rocks like last time.

I tried asking around, but none of the dragons knew where my friends were or even acknowledged my existence. I had a feeling I wouldn’t get any help talking to the dragons.

Just when I was close to giving up, I heard the faint sound of bongo drums.

That must be Garble!

I slid down the hill, and I saw Garble playing the bongos with Smolder listening to him.

“Brother and sister, red and orange, going together like...ugh! I did it again!” Garble placed his head on the bongos. “I was trying to avoid the word ‘orange.’”

“‘Sister and brother, orange and red, going together like butter and bread,’” I said as I walked up to them.

Garble jerked his head up. Smolder turned her head to me.

“Hey, it’s Spike!” Smolder exclaimed as she stood up. “Good to see you again.”

“Same,” I said as I gave her a fist bump. “Glad I could find you two.”

“What are you doing here, Spike?” Garble asked. “Are any of your pony friends with you?” Garble peeked from above the rocks.

“Nah, I’m by my lonesome...for real this time.”

“I sure hope so.”

“Why? You got something against ponies?”

“Not that. Ponies rarely come here,” Smolder said. “We don’t want any of them to get attacked by the others. So why are you here? Still trying to find your parents?”

“No. I gave that up a while back. I actually came for a different reason.”

“Such as?”

“You know Griffonstone, right?”

Garble shrugged. “I’ve heard of the place. Never been there. From what I’ve been told it’s full of greedy griffons. Always wanting your bits no matter what. Why do you ask?”

“Because...” I sighed. “This may sound crazy, but I’m planning on helping them.”

“What?!” Smolder and Garble asked in unison.

“Now, hear me out, okay? I was helping Twilight do some research on Griffonstone, and we found out that the place fell apart a long time ago. We don’t know why, but we believe it had something to do with an idol getting stolen. Twilight assigned me to help Griffonstone out by finding this idol.” That was a lie, but I don’t think Garble or Smolder would believe me if I told them the truth.

“Why would she do that?” Smolder asked.

“Because even though Griffonstone is full of grumpy griffons, it does not deserve to be in such a state of despair.”

“I mean, why would she let you do this alone? You don’t even have your wings. Why couldn’t she get that rainbow flying pony to do it?”

“Because she has full trust that I alone can do this. I have actually made a name for myself back in the pony lands. I saved a wedding from a group of changelings, I helped save Ponyville from the Lord of Chaos, and I even saved the Crystal Empire.”

“Wait, what?!” Garble nearly dropped his bongos. “The Crystal Empire?!”

“You’ve heard of the place?”

“Only in folklore,” Smolder replied. “Dragons would rumor of a place made entirely of gemstones, but the fact that a place exists is mind-blowing!” I noticed her drooling.

“Sorry, but the Crystal Empire isn’t what you think,” I said. “You’re not allowed to eat any of the crystal structures, or ponies for that matter. But they do make and serve interesting gemstones if you ever get interested. I had some myself during the Equestria Games.”

“The Equestria Games?” Garble asked.

“Yeah, of course. The Crystal Empire was the host this year. Did dragons ever compete in them? I didn’t see any.”

“I doubt it. We never got any information about the events.”

“That’s a shame. If you guys won any gold medals, they would’ve sung your anthem.”

“You know our anthem?” Smolder asked.

“Not really. I, personally, memorized all of the anthems for the competing teams ahead of time even though I wasn’t going to sing them. I also memorized those who weren’t competing just in case. But I never found yours though. How does it go?”

“Well, it’s a very old tone,” Garble replied. “It was written in an old language by dragons. It went something like this...”

Garble then cleared his throat and began to sing deeply in a slow tempo.

“Pah yein Dovah Himdah. [All hail the Dragon Lands.]
Pah yein dovah nahlii. [All hail the dragon beings.]
Mu kent kos mul, mu kent kos boziik. [We must be strong, we must be bold.]
Dovah Himdah, mu fen ni mah. [Dragon Lands, we will not fall.]”

I was bewildered. “Wow...that’s...really impressive. Never heard dragons use that language here, though.”

“It used to be a common language in the Dragon Lands, but it died out even before our grandpa was born. The only way dragons remember it these days is because of the anthem, and even then only a few can translate it.”

“That’s very interesting,” I said. “Maybe I can tell Twilight about it when I get back.”

“I’m still skeptical over this saving Griffonstone thing,” Smolder said. “Do you really think you can help them?”

“Hey, one of my friend’s friend is a griffon. She may have been mean during her visit to Ponyville, but if what Twilight and I read is true, then she’s been going through a lot. Retrieving that idol might help the griffons or at least put them on the right track. There’s also another thing I must do: I need to save a pony.”

Garble put his hands up. “Hey, dragons don’t kidnap ponies anymore. That hasn’t happened in, like, forever.”

“Not from the dragons. From herself.” I sighed and hoped they would believe my next story. “There’s a pony out there who will do crazy things. I’m trying to find her and convince her to change her ways before it’s too late.”

“Do you even know who she is?” Smolder asked. “Or where she lives for that matter?”

“Her name is Starlight Glimmer. She used to be friends with one of the ponies of the Crystal Empire. From what he told me, she escaped their hometown sometime after he got his cutie mark. Now he’s worried she got the wrong idea, so I’m making sure to clear things up.”

“So what? You’re trying to fix some pony relationship?” Garble asked. “Why? Don’t you think the mare moved on by now?”

“No, I’m sure of it. With an event like that, I wouldn’t move on either. That’s why I’m doing this.”

“How do you even know if she’ll trust you? I mean, if a kid came out of nowhere and told me that my old childhood friend still liked me, I wouldn’t believe them.”

“There’s no shame in trying, though. If she doesn’t believe me, I can always show her.”

The sun had already touched the western horizon. The sky looked like a giant lava pool.

“Looks like it’s getting late,” I said. “I better be on my way.”

“Wait! Spike!” Smolder called out. “Why don’t you stay with us for the night?”

“Smolder!” Garble rebutted.

“Traveling at night is a bad idea, and I doubt Griffonstone is over the hill, Gar-Gar. Besides, he’s probably tired from all that traveling he’s done. He had a leg cramp last time he came here, remember?”

“But does he really want to live in a cave when he’s probably gone soft sleeping on pillows?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” I said. “I’d sleep on a hard surface regardless. And...I’ve wanted to see how dragons live.”

“See?” Smolder asked.

Garble groaned. “Fine. But you’re carrying him, Smolder.”

“Alright then.”

I got on Smolder’s back as Garble picked up his bongos and flew off. Smolder and I followed close behind.

After a few minutes of flight, we landed in front of Garble and Smolder’s home. The entrance was about three times Garble’s height.

“This is it,” said Smolder.

I hopped off Smolder entered the cave behind her and Garble. We came up to a rather spacious room. It was almost bigger than the main room in the library. A stone table and chairs sat in the middle of the room. A sofa that was also made of rocks sat at the edge of the room. The “kitchen” had a giant oven like in an old pizza parlor, a stone counter, a cabinent, and a fire pit with a cauldron in its center. There were also a few decorations, such as a patterned rug, a picture of a bowl of gems, and a small chandelier. It felt like I was in Bedrock.

“Wow, nice cave,” I complimented.

“Yep. This is where Gar-Gar and I live,” said Smolder. “Just make yourself at home. Bathroom’s down the hall...”

“And stay out of our hoard rooms!” Garble concluded boldly.

“Hoard rooms?” I asked. “Oh, are they like dragon bedrooms?”

“Uh, no,” Smolder replied. “We have normal bedrooms. A hoard room is a room where we store our treasure and stuff.”

“Wait, so you never actually sleep on the pile?”

“No,” rebutted Garble. “I don’t know how the grown-ups are used to it. I tried that once and I felt like somedragon’s been poking me with swords all night.”

“What’s in a dragon’s hoard?” I asked curiously. “Bits? Artifacts? Gems?”

My stomach growled when I said that last part. I clutched my stomach in embarrassment.

“Speaking of which,” said Smolder. “Why don’t you sit down? I’ll get you something to eat.” She went over to the kitchen. She filled up three bowls with gems from the cabinet. She then placed them on the table.

Garble and I sat down with her and ate our meal.

Smolder swallowed. “To answer your previous question, it’s a combination of all three.”

“Where do you guys get the stuff?” I asked.

“Our parents sometimes give it to us, but Gar-Gar’s been looking for his own source of income.”

“Oh, dragons have jobs?”

“What? You think we lived in a cave?” Garble realized what he just said. “Don’t answer that! It was rhetorical.”

“Yeah, dragons have a variety of jobs here,” said Smolder. “Some protect the land from dangerous threats while others trade gems with the diamond dogs.”

“You and the diamond dogs work together? I didn’t know that,” I said.

“Reluctantly. From what I’ve heard, we’re pretty much on neutral standings. It’s a ‘don’t bother us and we won’t bother you’ kind of situation.”

“Huh. So what’s your dream job, Gar-Gar...I mean, Garble?”

“Well, I’ve been wanting to join as one of the dragon lord’s bodyguards.” Garble rubbed his chin. “Maybe then I could finally get a chance with his daughter.”

“Never gonna happen, Gar-Gar,” Smolder singsonged.

“Hey, you’re just jealous.”

“I’m not jealous!”

“Then what about your crush? You think he’s gonna know—”

Smolder blushed. “You shut your mouth!”

I didn’t know why, but I found their sibling arguments funny instead of infuriating. I guess it was because they weren’t debating so loud, which was good since I forgot my whistle.

“Say, is there a place where I’m supposed to sleep? Or can I sleep anywhere here?” I asked after finishing my bowl.

“Well, you’re welcome to sleep on the couch,” said Smolder. “It’s pretty much the same compared to our beds.”

After dinner, I set my backpack next to the sofa. I was about to go to the bathroom to brush when I noticed Smolder and Garble leaving the cave.

“Hey, I know it’s none of my business, but where are you two going?” I asked.

“To wash up,” said Smolder. “Do you want to come?”

“Uh...I guess so.”

“Then come on.”

I left my pack and essentials aside and followed the two dragons out of the cave. I got on Smolder’s back once again, and we flew off into the night.

“Where are we going?” I asked. “I noticed you guys didn’t leave with any towels or soap or anything like that.”

“Seriously, Spike,” said Garble. “You’ve been around ponies for too long.”

We arrived at a nearby dormant volcano. Lava pits were everywhere along with dragons of all shapes and sizes occupying them.

“Uh, oh,” said Smolder. “I hope we can find a good spot.”

“We will,” said Garble. “Look! There’s one right there!”

Garble zoomed down to a small pit of lava. Smolder and I quickly followed him. By the time Smolder landed and I got off, Garble dipped himself into the lava with a resounding sigh. He sank lower and lower until the magma reached his shoulders.

“See, Spike?” Smolder asked. “This is how dragons wash themselves. With lava.”

Garble scooped up a bit of lava and poured it over his head.

“Oh, I get it,” I said. “The lava burns away any dirt from your bodies.”

Smolder nodded. “Just don't get any in your eyes or down your throat. It doesn’t do any permanent damage, but the lava might sting your eyes a little and swallowing it feels like drinking a very hot beverage without cooling it.”

“Ouch.”

Smolder and I slid into the lava, giving off the same type of sigh as Garble. I picked up some lava with my hands and rubbed it against my face.

So this is just like a public bathhouse. I had a feeling dragons used lava to clean themselves. Now I know.

After a few minutes of bathing, the three of us were clean. We flew back to the cave and prepared for bed.

I went to their bathroom to brush my teeth. Garble and Smolder told me while they personally brush their teeth with a toothbrush, adult dragons just used their claws to get out any bugs and stuff. I asked them about cavities, and given their reaction, it was safe to say while dragons do contract other diseases and illnesses, tooth decay wasn’t one of them.

When I came into their bathroom, they only had a sink, a mirror, and a toilet. The sink was just a bucket of water. As for the toilet...let’s just say they used lava and leave it at that.

I’m starting to miss indoor plumbing.

After I brushed my teeth, I unrolled my sleeping bag on the couch. That’s when I realized I should send a letter to Twilight. I pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from my backpack and wrote my letter.

“Dear Twilight,

I hope that this letter gets to you well. My journey has been going great. I was able to meet up with Smolder and Garble from the Dragon Lands. We chatted for a bit, and I learned a lot more about dragon culture.

Dragons have jobs here like being bodyguards and trading treasure. They also have neutral interactions with the diamond dogs. Dragons live in caves, but I found out smaller dragons like Garble and Smolder have something called ‘hoard rooms’ for their treasure instead of sleeping on it like adult dragons. Their caves have rock-like furniture, which is rather impressive.

As for their hygiene, while they don’t have the luxury of indoor plumbing like we do, they have unique yet effective ways of getting cleaned. For example, they participate in public baths via lava pools, as all the dirt and grime just burns right off. While I like that, I’ll just stick to showers and baths with soap and water. Smaller dragons also brush their teeth like ponies do, but since dragons don’t get cavities, the grown-ups just pick their teeth with their claws.

Anyway, Smolder and Garble let me stay at their place for the night. I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Be sure to keep me posted about what’s happening in Ponyville.

Signed,
Spike, your #1 assistant”

I rolled up the piece of paper and blew my fire breath upon it. It disappeared in a poof.

I yawned as I layed down in my sleeping bag. In a few minutes, I was fast asleep.

Chapter 66: Spike's Journey Part 2

I sat up and stretched my arms. It took me a little while to notice I was still in Garble and Smolder’s cave. I slid out of my sleeping bag and gave a big yawn. The couch itself wasn’t too uncomfortable, although the cushiness of my bag might’ve helped.

I did my morning stretches and rolled up my sleeping bag. Right after I put it away, Garble came in looking groggy and scratching his tail.

“Good morning, Garble,” I greeted.

“AH!” Garble jumped back. “Son of Scaledin, I forgot you were staying over.”

“Heh. Sorry about that. Nothing like a good scare in the morning to get your blood pumping, right?”

“Don’t make a habit out of it.” Garble got out a couple of mugs. “I’m gonna make some coffee. You thirsty? Want something to drink before you leave or something? We got water...” Garble looked into the cabinet. “And uh...hot water.”

“Coffee’s fine.”

Garble gave a confused yet amused smirk.

“Yeah. I drink it. Not every morning, but enough to have it black.”

Garble shrugged and set fire to the fire pit to boil the cauldron’s water. He then got out a bag of coffee beans, poured a few into a mortar, and crushed them with a pestle. Once the water boiled, he dipped the cups into the water and later poured a little bit of the coffee grounds into them. He swished them around and handed one to me.

“Thanks,” I said.

“Just remember, don’t blame me if you end up feeling hyper,” said Garble.

I took a sip of the coffee. It tasted a bit watery and bitter, but it was still good. I guessed asking for sugar or milk was out of the question.

“I didn’t think dragons had coffee,” I said. “Did you grow and roast those beans by yourself?”

“I wish,” Garble replied. “I bought these a week ago from the market.”

“You guys have a market?”

“Well, yeah. Sometimes we get stuff for our hoard we don’t need and sell or trade it to other dragons. It’s how I got my bongos among other things.”

I heard the sound of a cute dragon yawn. I turned to see Smolder rubbing her eyes while wearing an oversized grey t-shirt.

I see dragons have clothes as well.

“Smolder!” Garble hissed. “Spike is still here!”

“Huh?” Smolder suddenly gasped when she saw me. She threw off her shirt and tossed it on the couch. “You didn’t see...oh, who am I kidding? You already know I like tea parties.”

“Don’t worry,” I replied. “If anyone asks, I’ll tell them you sleep naked.”

“Thank you.” Smolder walked over to the kitchen and made herself some coffee. “I thought I smelled Gar-Gar’s liquid caffeine.”

I continued sipping my coffee, thinking about how I should get to Griffonstone. Taking a train would take a long time and be costly, though. I could hop on a boat, but that would mean I’d have to find a boat that goes even close to Griffonstone.

That’s when I remembered something offtopic.

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you both,” I said to Smolder and Garble. “I’ve always heard stories about greed-induced bigness, but has there ever been a time where somedragon uses their greed for good? I’m just curious.”

Garble and Smolder looked at each other.

“Not that I know of,” Garble replied. “I’ve never heard such stories.”

“While it takes a while, dragons can grow big naturally,” said Smolder. “It’s much better than to go on a greedy rampage. You’d have to have a mature mind or something if you can control your greed, which is next to impossible.”

“I see.” I looked out of the cave.

“Yeah, greed-induced bigness isn’t something worth dabbling in. I’d rather not think about it if I were you.”

All of a sudden, my stomach squeezed and my cheeks puffed out.

“Spike?!” Smolder put her cup down.

I jumped out of my chair with a grunt.

“If ya didn’t like my coffee, ya should’ve said so!” said Garble.

I held up a finger and...

BELCH!!

“Ew!” Garble slid back. “Did you just upchuck a piece of paper?”

I coughed. “Ugh, excuse me. Sorry about that, guys. I forgot to tell you that I can receive letters to and from other ponies.” I picked up the scroll.

“I didn’t know we could do that.” Smolder scratched her head.

“It’s a spell that was cast on me when I was really young.” I unrolled it a bit and read the first line. “Oh, it’s from my guardian. I sent her a letter last night about my journey. I’ll read this later. I should probably head to Griffonstone as soon as I can.”

“Where is Griffonstone anyway?” Garble asked. “Do you even know how to get here?”

“One sec.” I went to grab the map. I spread it out on the table and pointed to the location. “This is where Griffonstone is located.”

Garble’s eyes widened. “Wow. It’s closer than I thought. I can practically fly you there.”

“Are you offering?” I joked.

“I…” Garble looked to Smolder and back to me. “Yes I am.” He put his cup down.

“Oh...thank you.” I didn't expect him to take me seriously.

I rolled the map back up and put it back in my backpack. I stored my letter as well. Garble headed outside. I was about to do the same when Smolder stopped me.

“I almost forgot,” she whispered. “Wait here.”

She ran to her bedroom and hurried back carrying a small sack.

“Something for the road,” she said. “Some gems and bits from my hoard. You’re gonna need a lot of the latter when you get to Griffonstone, if what I’ve heard about griffons is true.”

“Thank you,” I said as I took it. “I already have some bits, but it wouldn’t hurt to have more.”

I added the gems to my snack pouch and the bits to my money sack. I gave Smolder a fist bump goodbye, put on my backpack, and hurried outside.

“Okay, so Griffonstone is in the east,” said Garble. “Given where the sun just rose, it has to be over there, right?” He pointed to the horizon.

I pulled out my compass and checked. “Yep. That’s the right direction.”

Garble looked around. “Let’s get out of here quickly. I don’t want my buddies to see me helping you. They’ll think I’ve gone soft.”

I nodded and hopped on Garble’s back. We then took off into the sky.

Riding Garble felt faster than riding Smolder. The air rushing around my head made me regret not packing air goggles. It was like riding a dragonified Rainbow Dash.

“There’s the beach,” Garble said as he pointed below us. “From here on forwards it’s gonna be nothing but water.”

“Are you sure you can get to the other side?” I asked. “I’m sure the oceans are bigger than you think.”

“I checked your map, and this is the shortest distance. We’ll be fine. Just try not to fall off.”

Garble took off flying once more. This time he was much faster than before. I don’t know if a Sonic Dragonboom was a thing, but if it was, Garble was getting close to making one.

“Land!” Garble shouted.

Despite my squinting eyes, I could see the land fast approaching us. I also noticed something that looked like a dead tree. That had to have been Griffonstone.

Garble landed at a beach once we approached the coast. I got off immediately.

“That might be Griffonstone,” Garble said as he pointed to the town. From where we were, it was the size of my thumb.

“Yep, that’s the place,” I said. “Let’s go.”

“Actually...I’m gonna head home. I don’t know about baby dragons, but I doubt griffons are gonna like it when a big dragon like me comes to visit. I’ve heard enough stories about how nasty they can be.”

In a way, he was right. I’d pester him about coming along had I not known that Griffonstone wasn’t the nicest place on the map. He would have been useful to help retrieve the idol, but it wasn’t worth the risk.

“Alright then. Good luck getting back,” I said.

As Garble took off and disappeared into the ocean horizon, I left the beach and took the path north up to griffonstone.

The path became steeper and steeper. That was definitely a good sign. The air also became cooler as the sky became cloudier.

I sat down on a fallen log and caught my breath. I ate some gems and drank my water. I suddenly remember the letter Twilight sent me. I quickly pulled it out and read it.

“Dear Spike,

Thank you for sending that letter. Your findings about dragons are really intriguing. From what you’ve written, they’re more civilized than we thought. This would make wonderful research.

I informed the girls about your departure. It seemed weird I was the only pony you talked to about this. We all miss you and hope you’ll come back to Ponyville soon. I also told Princess Celestia and Luna just in case they send you a letter by mistake.

Nothing much has happened in Ponyville since you left. Pinkie’s been working on new cupcake recipes and Rainbow Dash is helping her. Fluttershy and Discord had tea with each other. Rarity had just made a few dresses for one of her clients. And Applejack’s been working harder than usual at the farm. It must have been applebuck season again.

As for me, I found this unusual book at Celestia and Luna’s old castle. It looked rather dangerous, so I told them about it. They immediately said to give it to them so they can lock it away in a safe place in Canterlot. I don’t know what was in that book, but given how its cover was made of stone and the front had a circle of spikes, I wouldn’t dare to open it.

Anyway, that’s all I have to write for today. I hope this scroll-sending spell still works. I’ve been trying to perfect it just in case you’re not available. (Don’t worry, I’ll still use you if you're nearby.)

Sincerely,
Twilight Sparkle”

I sighed. Partially in happiness and partially in relief, especially about the part where Twilight found that book. I didn’t want somepony else to find it and have Ponyville turn into a luxury nightmare like in the show.

Although, I would have to kick myself for not telling Fluttershy. I wanted to keep my journey a secret to avoid being stalked, but I doubted Fluttershy or her animals would follow me.

When I put the letter away, the wind felt chilly. It felt more like late October than August. I took this opportunity to put my hoodie on. I also put my bits in my pockets, since I knew I’d be spending a lot of it soon.

I climbed up the mountainous path. I couldn’t tell if the air was getting thinner or if I was running out of breath. I already passed the train station, and I could see Griffonstone just up ahead.

I can’t wait until I get my wings.

I took another sip of water and finally went through the gateway. I sighed as I looked around Griffonstone.

Boy, this place is in shambles.

I wasn’t kidding, Griffonstone was in such a terrible state, it made a developing country in my old world look like a utopia. How the griffons lived, let alone thrived, was beyond me.

Alright, I just need to get to Abysmal Abyss and retrieve that Id—

Bump!

Something rammed right into me, almost knocking me down.

“Hey! Watch where you’re—!” I patted my pockets only to realize they were suddenly empty. “Thief! Thief! They stole my bits!”

Given how I knew the other griffons wouldn’t give a hoot, I took matters into my own hands. I chased after the thief while avoiding collisions with anyone. I couldn’t tell who the creature was, as they were wearing a black hood. However, that didn’t slow me down!

“Come back here, you thief! Stop! I said stop!”

The creature quickly turned the corner. By the time I did the same, I heard squawking and wings flapping. I looked to see a gray griffon with mailbags wrestling with the hooded figure. The gray one I recognized immediately: Gabby. She was holding my coin pouch with her tail as she tried to pin the creature down.

“Let me go!” the hooded figure shouted. “I stole that money fair and square!”

Wait, that voice. Could it be…?

Gabby stripped the hood and cape right off the creature, and my suspicions were confirmed. A blue and yellow griffon was exposed.

“Not again, Gallus!” Gabby said as she let Gallus go. “You need to stop stealing other griffons’ money.”

“You’re not my mother!” Gallus retorted. “Now gimme that pouch back or—”

“Hey!” I shouted. “That’s mine!”

“Oh, no!” Gallus quickly grabbed his cape and ran off.

I quickly approached Gabby. She took the pouch from her tail and handed it to me.

“Here you go,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said as I put my coin pouch back in my pockets.

Gabby’s eyes widened. “Wait, what did you say?”

“Thank...you…?”

Gabby gasped and lifted me up. “That’s the first time I ever heard someone say that to me!” She squealed. “I didn’t think anygriffon could show gratitude, but you’ve proven that there’s hope!” She then squeezed me.

“That’s great...” I grunted. “Can you let me breathe now?”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” She released her grip on me. “I can get so excited easily. My name’s Gabriella, but you can call me Gabby.”

“I’m Spike. If my form doesn’t give it away, I’m a dragon.”

“A dragon? Ooh! You must be a baby dragon! I’ve never seen a baby dragon before! You’re so cute!”

“Heh, thanks.” I blushed a bit before realizing I had a case of deja vu.

“So what brings you to Griffonstone, Spike?” Gabby joyfully asked. “We never had dragons come visit us in a long, long, long time!”

“Well, actually, I’m here on a...special mission,” I replied. “You’ve heard of the Idol of Boreas, right?”

Gabby gasped. “You know about it?”

“All I know was that it got stolen by Arimaspi and caused Griffonstone to look like...well, all of this. My leader sent me here in hopes that we can help restore the place by finding the idol.”

“You did your research!” Gabby clapped her hands together. “But...there’s just a tiny problem. Nogriffon knows where the idol is.”

“What about the Abysmal Abyss?”

“It’s too dangerous to go down there, so nogriff...wait, don’t tell me you’re going down there!”

“I need to do whatever it takes to restore this kingdom. If I have to climb down a canyon to get to it, then so be it.”

“You don’t understand Spike! There’s a reason why Arimaspi never came back after falling down there! It’s extremely deep, the winds blow like crazy, and don’t get me started on how much Gimmy charges for equipment!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a plan.” I unzipped my backpack to reveal some rope. “I brought some climbing equipment with me just in case.”

“But still, a whelp like you could be blown all over the place! How are you going to do this alone?!”

“Actually, I don’t have to. I just need a couple of willing griffons to help me...”

“I’ll help! I’ll help!” Gabby raised her hand. “Please let me help!”

“Alright then. You can join me.”

“Thank you!” Gabby squeezed me again. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

After she released me, I said, “I still need another one, though. Someone like...that blue guy.”

“Gallus?” Gabby tilted her head. “But he tried to rob you. Why do you want him?”

“I’ve noticed how agile he is even when he’s not flying. I’m thinking I could try to find a way to put his skills to the test.”

“We better find him then.”

I followed Gabby around Griffonstone. In no time, we saw the same hooded figure peeking from an alley.

“Hey Gallus!” Gabby called out.

“Ugh! Not again!” Gallus dashed off, but Gabby quickly stopped him.

“Wait! Wait! Wait! We’re not here to put you under griffon arrest!” Gabby pleaded. “We need your help with restoring Griffonstone!”

“Forget it, I’m not—”

“You’ll get paid if you help,” I interrupted. “I know where the idol is. If you help us, I’ll forgive you for trying to rob me, and I’ll pay you more than half the bits in my pouch. Is it a deal?”

Gallus sighed. “Alright. Fine. I’ll help.”

“Great. Just to make sure there’s no funny business, I’ll pay you after the job is done. I know how you griffons prefer payment upfront, but I don’t want to get betrayed or anything.”

“What’s this job of yours anyway?” Gallus asked. “You said something about an idol?”

“I need to retrieve the Idol of Boreas from Abysmal Abyss. I know, I know, it’s crazy. But I was given high hopes for this, and I need to fulfill that promise.”

“How do you even know that idol is down there? Just because some monster fell down there after stealing the idol, it does not mean it’s down there as well.”

“It’s the only place that none of you went to, so it’s worth a try. If we don’t find it, then I’ll still pay you.”

“And just what are you going to do with the idol exactly?”

“Before you ask: No, I’m not gonna steal it and put it in my hoard. I’m gonna give it to whoever’s in charge of Griffonstone. Trust me, I wouldn’t steal anything that would benefit another kingdom.”

While still skeptical, Gallus agreed. I hopped on Gabby and we flew to the outskirts of Griffonstone until we arrived at a gorge.

“This is it: Abysmal Abyss,” Gabby said. “Don’t ask how deep it is, because nogriffon knows.”

“Don’t worry,” I said as I hopped off. “I’m not gonna go in that deep.”

I took out the rope and tied it around my waist. Then I secured some of it around the rock.

“Okay, you two,” I said as I put on my helmet. “You have to hold on to the rope and lower me down. I don’t know how far I’m going to go, so I’ll give you some signals. One yank means to stop. Two means higher. Three means lower. Got it?”

“Got it!” Gabby replied.

“Good.” I walked to the edge of the cliff. “And if anygriffon comes, tell them we paid in advance.”

Both Gabby and Gallus grabbed the rope and lowered me down.

Don’t be scared, Spike. The idol can’t be too far down.

I was only a few feet below the surface, and already it was starting to get dark. Suddenly, I heard a howling sound.

“Uh, oh!”

I quickly tugged the rope once, and I stopped lowering. I quickly hung onto the cliff wall as the wind gusted around me.

I can see why this place is abysmal!

Once the wind died down a bit, I tugged the rope three times. The lowering happened again.

“I better find this idol soon.”

A glint instantly hit my eye. I searched around for the source until I found what I was looking for. The Idol of Boreas was just resting on top of a ledge right across me. I quickly tugged the rope once.

Figures. I should’ve gone down from the other side.

Seeing that there was no other choice, I tried my best to jump from the wall and reach the idol. On my first attempt, I barely touched it. On the second one, I touched it, but I didn’t get a good grasp. The idol teetered on the edge. The howling sound was heard once more.

“Oh, no! I need to get that idol before it’s too late!”

With all my might, I sprung from the wall and snatched the idol with both hands. I quickly swung back and gripped the wall with one hand and the idol with the other. The wind was blustering even harder.

At least I got the idol.

Once the wind ceased, I tugged the rope twice. I was soon raised, but I noticed I was going slower than usual.

Must be the idol giving me some extra weight.

That’s when I heard a different noise. It sounded like the rope was creaking. That’s when the realization struck me. I tugged quickly to get Gabby and Gallus to stop, and I grabbed onto the wall.

Snap!

The rope broke right above me. I was clinging on for dear life. It was just like the dilemma with Rainbow Dash in the show.

“Spike! Spike!” Gabby called out. “The rope broke! Can you hear me?!”

“Yes!” I shouted back. “Help!”

“I’ll get another rope! I’ll be back soon!”

Gallus gasped. “There’s no time!” I then heard him rushing down. “Jump into my arms! Hurry! I can hear the wind coming!”

Just as he said that, the howling picked up once again.

“There’s no other way! Jump! I’ll catch you! NOW!!”

With no time to think, I pushed myself off the walls. Gallus quickly caught me and zipped straight out of the canyon right before the wind came rushing through.

“Are you two alright?!” Gabby cried as Gallus landed.

“Yeah, we’re fine,” I said as I was put down. “Thanks for saving me, Gallus.”

“I-It wasn’t for anything sedimental. I-I needed to get paid,” Gallus denied, but I knew it wasn’t just for money.

“So that’s the Idol of Boreas?” Gabby asked. “It looks so cool up close! Tell me, can you feel it?! Its magic powers?!”

I took a look at the idol. It was clear it’s been through a lot of weathering. The gold coat looked like unpolished brass, and the orb in the center looked like a giant, sun-bleached marble. Other than that, I didn’t feel anything from it.

“Not really. I can feel how heavy it is,” I said. “It must be pure gold.”

“Let me see!” Gallus grabbed the statue from my hands. “Come on! Come on! I...feel nothing.”

“No sense of pride or glory?” Gabby asked.

“Nope. Here, you try.” Gallus handed the idol to Gabby.

Gabby rubbed the idol across her forehead. “Come on...pride and glory! Pride and glory!” Again, nothing happened. “I don’t understand!”

“Maybe it’s fake,” Gallus said.

“It can’t be! It’s extremely heavy, the orb looks almost like the one in the story, and I don’t see any stamps or price tags or anything on it that would indicate that it’s fake!”

Gallus groaned. “Then it must be broken.” He snatched the idol from Gabby and gave it to me. “Here, you can have it. Put it in your hoard or something. I’ll be taking my bits now.”

“No,” I said. “I think I understand why the idol doesn’t work. Maybe it was a placebo effect.”

“A...what?” Gabby asked.

“A placebo effect. It’s when someone assumes the benefit of something despite no clear evidence. I’m starting to think that there was no magic in the idol to begin with. The griffons believed it would give them pride, when in reality, they had it in them all along. They didn’t realize it after Arimaspi stole it. That’s probably why Griffonstone fell apart.”

“Now, hold on!” Gallus shouted. “You come to our town, force us to work with you, and nearly put our lives on the line just so you can say that this idol was nothing but an expensive paperweight that our ancestors foolishly worshipped?!”

“Easy! Easy!” I said. “I never said the idol was worthless. My leader said that the idol would help you guys restore Griffonstone. They never told me that it didn’t have any magic. I believed it would restore your kingdom like that.” I snapped my fingers. “It’s not my fault that it doesn’t work! I was just guessing!”

Gallus tossed the idol to the ground. “Do you realize how much Griffonstone folklore and legends are gonna be thrown out the window because of all this?! Now I know what your real goal was! It was to prove our stories were nothing but a hoax! To prove that griffons were just some greedy creatures worse than dragons! Well, I hope your dragon leader knows what’s coming to them, because when I tell Grampa Gruff about all this...”

“Gallus! Stop!” Gabby screeched. “Spike didn’t mean to have all of this happen! He was trying to do what was best for our kingdom! Not only that, most of the griffons who saw the idol firsthand are no longer with us. You can’t assume a foreign creature comes to our place just to spit on our culture. You saw the real idol and what it did, or not did in this case, so you can’t pin the blame on him.”

“But he...”

“He what? Did something to the idol when we weren’t looking? I’m not a historian, but I’m positive the idol looks just like the one in the stories. There’s no way he could’ve altered it while he was down there. You should be grateful that he was able to retrieve the idol in the first place instead of throwing it down further down there.”

Gallus stayed silent. Gabby took a deep breath.

“So what do we do now?” Gabby asked.

I picked the idol up and brushed off the dirt. “We’re going to bring this to whoever’s in charge of Griffonstone.”

“There’s Grampa Gruff. He’s not an official leader though. He’s only a historian who has more authority than the other griffons. At least, that’s what I think.”

“Then we’ll bring the idol to him.”

“What if he yells, too?”

“We’ll just say the idol lost its magic and nothing more. He’ll understand.”

I wrapped the idol up with an old newspaper Gabby had with her. We then went to where Grampa Gruff lived.

“This the place?” I asked.

“Mm-hm,” Gabby replied. “I must warn you, he’s a bit of a grouch.”

“Given what every other griffon is like sans you, Gabby, that’s concerning.”

“Ha ha ha,” Gallus sarcastically laughed.

I knocked on the door. The sound of things falling over and an old man coughing rang behind the rotting wood. The door creaked open as a dagger spitting eye glared directly into my soul.

“What do you want?” A raspy voice asked. “We ain’t open for tourists!”

“I’m not a tourist, sir,” I said. “We came to give you this.”

I unwrapped the newspaper a bit to reveal the idol. The eye widened. The door slammed shut initially, but after the sound of a removed chain lock, the door swung wide open, revealing an old griffon in the fez.

Grampa Gruff.

Gruff snatched the idol from my hands, leaving the deflating newspaper in my palms.

“Where the Tartarus did you get this?!” Gruff squawked.

“Abysmal Abyss,” I said. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s where Arimaspi fell to his doom.”

“How’d ya know that?”

“I looked it up.”

Grampa Gruff scrutinized the idol. He even pecked it a few times like a parrot.

“This is the real deal!” He clamoured. “But why is it not working?!”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. We all tried it, and it did nothing to us.”

“Maybe the idol lost its magic,” Gabby said. “It has been down in the abyss for a long time. The elements must’ve weathered it down.”

“Bah!” Grampa Gruff coughed. “They don’t make relics like they used to anymore!” He wrapped the idol back up. “Listen, kids. I ain’t the grateful type, but thanks for trying to help us.”

“What are you going to do with the idol?” I asked.

“That’s none of your concern. But if you’re really curious, I’m gonna put it back where it was and hope for the best. If nothing happens, I’ll just wrap it up and store it somewhere in here.”

He then shut the door forcefully.

“Well...that was something,” said Gallus.

“I’m so sorry about all this, Spike!” cried Gabby.

“What are you sorry about?” I asked. “You two helped me, and we got the idol back where it belongs.”

“I know, but it didn’t work. I’m worried you’ve failed your mission.”

“No. I didn’t. My plan was to retrieve the idol and help restore Griffonstone. As far as I can tell, I’ve accomplished both.”

Gallus scratched his head. “Wait, I understand the first part, but since when did you restore Griffonstone? I haven't seen any improvements since you got here.”

“Well, I got you two to work with me. Maintaining a positive relationship with one another is the first step to restoring a lost kingdom.”

“Who are you, the prince of friendship?”

“You’re thinking of my guardian.”

Gallus rolled his eyes.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” I took out my coin pouch. “I still need to pay you two for helping me.”

“No need, Spike,” said Gabby. “Just hearing Grampa Gruff giving a small thank you is enough of a reward for me.”

“Alright then.”

“No, wait!” Gallus butted in. “C-can I still get half? I...need to pay the bills.”

“You don’t have bills,” said Gabby. “I’d know. I’m the mailgriffon.”

I split my money and gave Gallus half of it anyway. After saying goodbye to the two griffons and getting another bear hug from Gabby, I left the two and went on my way. I bought some bread from a nearby shopkeeper right before heading to the train station.

I was glad I could find that idol, even though it didn’t do anything. Hopefully, Griffonstone will be a better place by the time Pinkie and Rainbow Dash show up.

My next goal was to find Starlight Glimmer and her village.

“Dear Twilight,

I got your letter without any problems. Things have been going well over here. Garble was able to take me to Griffonstone, or at least nearby.

When I got there, however, I found out the place was pretty run down. As it turns out, they had their Idol of Boreas stolen by someone named Arimaspi. Thankfully, I had two friendly griffons help me find it.

The good news is we were able to retrieve the idol from a gorge. The bad news is that it doesn’t seem to work, at least that's what the griffons told me. They don’t seem to have any sort of leader, so we gave the idol to the historian named Grampa Gruff.

That’s all I can say about my trip to Griffonstone. Maybe when you girls visit, it'll look somewhat better. Hope everything’s peachy back in Ponyville. Tell everypony I said hi.

Signed,
Spike.”

Chapter 67: Spike's Journey Part 3

“Dear Spike,

I can’t believe you actually went to Griffonstone! I was going to say I’m jealous, but from what you told me, I’m not missing anything. Good job getting that idol, though.

Everything’s fine here in Ponyville. It’s been hard keeping things on track at the library without you, but I’ve managed. Rarity hosted a small fashion show for all our pets, and Fluttershy helped out. I’ll show you the pictures we took when you get back.

I’m glad everything’s okay. It’s a good thing there are some griffons who are willing to help other creatures.

Sincerely,
Twilight Sparkle”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I shot up from my bed. I rubbed my eyes and looked around. I noticed I was in the sleeping chamber of the train.

My thoughts recollected themselves. I remembered buying a train ticket from Griffonstone to the closest station near Starlight’s village. I knew it was a long journey, so I got a room on the train to sleep. I was feeling tired from my time in Griffonstone so I went to bed early…

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Is somepony in there?!” A voice called out.

“Y-yes! There is!” I responded.

“Well, you need to get out! This is the last stop!”

Last stop? I don’t remember...oh no!

I quickly got my things and left the train. Once I stepped onto the platform, my fears came true.

Instead of plains and mountains, I saw nothing but tall buildings all around. I shook my head in denial. I ran over to the ticket stand.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” I said. “But what city is this?”

“This is Fillydelphia, my child,” the ticket clerk replied.

I slapped my forehead. I overslept on the train and now I missed my stop!

“Is everything alright?” the clerk asked.

I pulled out my map. “Is there a train that stops near here?” I pointed to where Starlight’s potential town was.

“There is not. At least not one that is from this city.”

I sighed. My only choice now was to walk.

“Thank you,” I said.

I followed the train tracks until I was at the outskirts of town. I opened my map and placed my compass on a flat surface.

“Okay...” I said to myself. “Since Fillydelphia is here...and Starlight’s village is over here...”

I checked the distances, and I found that traveling to the village from where I stood was going to be a challenge. Despite the gap being only a fraction of the space between Ponyville and the Dragon Lands, the mountains on the map weren’t added for decoration. I didn’t want to head back into the city and wait until another train came. I wasted enough time missing my stop.

I put the map away and strayed off the tracks to follow the compass. I was grateful the plains were flat for the time being.

Sadly, my relief with the minor slope came to an end when the ground became rockier and steeper. I was definitely at the mountains, and climbing them wasn’t as easy as stacking blocks of cobblestone under my feet.

I did my best to conserve my energy and climbed only if there was no alternate path. I kept a firm grip on the metal device pointing north. I was thankful my hoodie was still on, as the air was getting as cold as Griffonstone, maybe even colder.

It feels like I’m climbing Mount Everhoof.

My travels through the mountain range was a real chore. I took careful steps, jumped over gorges, and climbed cliffs that I was sure was safe. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any sign of Starlight’s village, the train tracks near it, or even a sign of life that could tell me where I was. The only thing the compass told me was the direction I was going, and there weren’t any significant landmarks on the map to help me.

Equestria needs to invent a GPS soon.

I sat on one of the cliffs. I was running out of steam. I pulled out my snack pouch when…

“Whoops! NO!!”

The pouch slipped out of my hands. It slapped on the edge of the cliff and spilled its contents. I quickly grabbed the bag and closed it, but the majority of my food trickled down the mountainside like a colorful avalanche and disappeared down below.

“Augh! Son of a Diamond Dog!”

I sighed and looked into my pouch. Only a handful of gems remained along with half a loaf of Griffonstone bread. I ate what few gems I saved. I also broke a piece off the bread. It wasn’t hard as a rock, but with its toughness I couldn’t tell if the bread was freshly baked, over done, or just left out in the open too long.

After my small “meal,” I put my pouch away and put my pack on. I continued my climbing as usual.

If I’m too late, at least I could order some of Sugar Belle’s muffins. It would be better than nothing.

I really hoped it wouldn’t come to that, though.

I lost count of how many cliffs I climbed and how many mountains I passed. The sky was so cloudy, I couldn’t see the sun. I don’t know if it was going to rain. The lack of thunder was promising.

I sat at another cliff and reconsidered my options. I felt like traveling to Starlight’s town was a waste of time. I had no idea when she took that stone, and for all I know, she probably did it way before I even thought about going on this journey. I could still find that cave and destroy that rock to release all the cutie marks, but I’d be on Starlight’s bad side if she found out. Then again, she’d be upset regardless of when I found that stone.

As I rubbed my head, my stomach grumbled. That meal of gems and bread did nothing to hinder its hunger. I clutched onto it and shushed.

I wonder if these mountains have any gems.

I was about to dig into the mountain with my bare hands, but suddenly I heard music. It was very quiet, but it sounded like it was nearby.

I climbed the cliffs a bit more, and the music got louder. I then noticed the music didn’t sound like it was from an instrument.

Is that...someone singing?

Once I got to the top, I peeked over a rock to see a bunch of Diamond Dogs digging into the ground.

“I am a dog and I’m digging a hole,” one of them sang. “Diggy diggy hole, digging a hole.”

“Will you knock it off, Chase?” Another asked. By her femine voice and slightly curvy figure, it was safe to assume this one was female.

“Come on. Can’t I lighten the mood for once? The sky isn’t doing any favors.”

Next to the trio of dogs was a minecart full of gemstones that caught my eye. My stomach growled again, and I quickly grabbed it. All I had left was bread and tiny gems, and my chance to refill my tummy and pouch were right in front of me.

Maybe I could ask the Diamond Dogs to share a few gems? No, they wouldn’t give any to a random dragon.

Despite my hunger, I had an idea. I grabbed a large pebble and threw it over the dogs’ heads. It smacked the ground on the other side.

“What was that?”

The dogs lifted their ears and turned to the sound of the impact. Since the minecart was no longer in their field of view, I made a break for it. I slid behind the minecart with none of them the wiser.

“It was probably nothing,” I heard Chase say. “Hang on.” The sound of sniffing was heard. “Do you guys smell that?”

“Smell what?” The female dog asked.

“It smells like there’s a dragon here.”

I gulped.

“Dragons used to come here all the time,” the third one said. “Of course it’s gonna smell like there’s one here. We should be lucky to even find this many gems on the mountain in the first place.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Chase said.

I silently sighed. I peeked over to make sure none of the Diamond Dogs were looking back here. None of them were, so I quickly grabbed a few handfuls of gems and placed them into my bag.

Celestia, forgive me for succumbing to thievery, but it’s for the sake of survival.

Suddenly, the sound of creaking metal filled my eardrums. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the minecart was moving. I quickly zipped up my bag, jumped off the cart, and hung down off the ledge of the cliff.

“Huh? Hey! The cart’s rolling away!” The female diamond dog shouted.

From where I was hanging, I could see the minecart sliding down the tracks. A few moments later, the three diamond dogs were running after it.

“You were supposed to apply the brakes, Marshall!” Chase yelled.

“I did! You can’t blame me for using a rusty old cart!”

Once the voices were well out of earshot, I climbed back up into the cliff. I didn’t know how long it would take until the group returned, but I didn’t want to wait around to find out. I munched on some of the gems I stole and hurried in the opposite direction. I climbed down the rocks and spotted a mineshaft entrance. I could hear more voices from inside.

I should’ve known I wandered into Diamond Dog territory.

I quickly ducked behind a rock and listened in. It sounded like one of the Diamond Dogs was significantly younger than the others.

“Please, just one gem,” the pup pleaded. “That’s all I ask.”

“Look, I’m sorry, kid,” a bigger Diamond Dog said. “We’re not allowed to just give away our gems. I know you’ve been through a lot, and I pity you, but it’s against the rules here to directly hand gems over to a random dog. Now, hurry out of here before our boss sees you trespassing again.”

I peeked over the rock to see a Diamond Puppy exiting the mine. He was around the same height as me, and his fur was a light grey with some white spots on his muzzle and belly. Just like the other Diamond Dogs, he wore a spiked collar and a dark-colored vest. He sighed heavily as he walked. I had to do something.

“Psst! Psst!”

The puppy’s ears perked up. I appeared from behind the rock. The pup gasped, and I pressed my index finger on my lips and motioned him to come over. He looked around and came my way. We both hid behind the rock.

“Here.” I pulled out some gems from my pouch and handed them to him. “You need them more than I do.”

“Oh, thanks,” the puppy said as he grabbed them. “These are real, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. None of the grown-ups would help me. I just needed something to pay for food.” He shoved the gems into the pockets of his navy-blue vest.

“I still have some food, actually.” I gave him some of my bread. “Straight from Griffonstone. It’s a bit crunchy, but it’s better than nothing.”

“Thank you.” The puppy checked the bread and quickly munched on it. “You’re really kind for a dragon. What are you doing here anyway? I thought dragons didn’t come to this area anymore.”

“I was just passing through. I didn’t know the Diamond Dogs would be working here. So you guys use gems to exchange goods?”

“It’s how we pay for food and stuff sometimes.”

“Okay, now I’m starting to feel guilty about eating your currency.”

“Don’t be. Since gems are very common, we don’t have to worry about losing any, and we sometimes use bits as well.”

“If gems are so common to find, then why were you turned down when asking for some?”

“Oh, you heard that. They said they had to figure out which gems are worth using as money before sending it out, which I think is silly.”

“I guess that makes sense. They didn’t want to give you something useless like a piece of quartz by mistake. Believe me, I tasted one before. It was like eating an ice cube without the coldness.”

“Yeah, but still. I can tell what gems are good or not.”

“Well, I can assure you all the gems I gave you were good. What’s your name by the way? My name is Spike.”

“Heh. Mine’s Tyke. That kinda rhymes.”

“Yeah, it sure does. So why were you begging for gems? If you don’t mind me asking, do you have a family?”

Tyke sighed. “Not really. I used to have one. A big one. But my parents got sick and went away, and my siblings and I grew distant with each other after that.”

“That’s terrible.”

“I know. Sometimes I wanted to leave this place and explore, but...”

“But what?”

“I’m...afraid of ponies.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. What happened that made you fear them?”

“Not ponies in general. I’m just worried about their reaction to me. I’m afraid they will attack me because I’m not a pony.”

“They won’t do that, Tyke. Sure, some ponies get skeptical of other creatures, but they wouldn’t flat-out attack them unless it was in self-defense.”

“How do you know?”

“Well...” I rubbed the back of my head. “I guess I can tell you. I was actually born and raised in a pony town.”

Tyke widened his eyes. “Really? They weren’t afraid of you?”

“No. I was only a baby, so I didn’t do any major damage. Some ponies didn’t mind that I was a dragon. I’m sure the same would go for you if you ever visited. Heck, you might even make some friends like I did.”

“I don’t know, Spike. I really don’t want to take chances.”

“Hmm...Have you heard of Ponyville?”

“Yeah, it’s about a couple miles west of Rumbling Rock Ridge, right? South of Canterlot?”

I nodded. “That’s the town. If you ever visit the place, look for a giant library tree in the center of town. You’ll find a pony named Twilight Sparkle who lives there. She’s purple with wings and a horn, and her cutie mark is a bunch of sparkles. She’s very friendly even to non-pony creatures, and I’m sure she’ll be friendly to you. I’ll let her know about you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. It was really nice meeting you, Spike. I never thought I could talk to a dragon for the first time.”

“I never thought I could meet a Diamond Puppy, either. Guess that makes two of us.”

“Say, speaking of pony towns, do you know anything about the one nearby?”

I raised an eyebrow. “What one nearby?”

“There’s one about a few miles north from here...”

I pulled out and unfolded the map. “Can you find it on this map?”

Tyke pointed at the one I circled. “They just started building there. I heard there was nothing important there, though, so I don’t think it would cause any trouble.”

“Actually, that’s where I have to go next. Thank you for telling me, Tyke. I have to go now. It was nice meeting you.”

“Same here. Be careful out there, and thanks for the gems and food.”

I waved goodbye and quickly snuck away from the dogs. Once I got down the mountains, I dashed across the fields until I spotted some train tracks.

“Thank goodness! Starlight’s town should be nearby,” I said to myself.

I pulled out the map and checked my compass. I followed the direction away from the rails. After traveling for only a few minutes, I could see the town right in front of me.

This must be the place.

I put the map away and looked at the small town. It looked like it was under construction. The ponies there didn’t have equal cutie marks or creepy smiles, so I knew I wasn’t too late. I sighed with relief.

Now, to find Maud.

I climbed up the mountains once more and found just the pony I was looking for.

“Hey, Maud,” I called out. “Fancy meeting you here. Say, you still know a thing or two about rocks, right?”

“Yes,” Maud bluntly replied, not looking up from her notes.

“Great. Twilight wanted to study some sort of stone that can manipulate cutie marks, so she sent me out here to find one. Has there ever been a stone like that?”

“There’s one that can store them after they’re removed from a pony.”

“I think that’s the one. Where is it?”

“In the big cave.” Maud pointed to a cave just over yonder.

“Thanks. By the way, did anypony else come by to talk to you?”

“No.”

“Okay. Just curious.”

I quickly dashed into the cave and looked around. Sure enough, I found a stone that looked out of place. It was more brightly colored than any of the other rocks around here.

That must be it.

I took the stone, and I did the only thing possible to get rid of it and its powers. I ate it. It tasted very bland. The Griffonstone bread had more flavor than this, but it was the only way to get rid of it. I bit half of it off when it made a dying hissing sound. Its color vanished instantly.

As I exited the cave, I saw a pink pony with a purple mane running towards me. It was Starlight Glimmer. The pony who thought cutie marks were bad and nearly ruined Equestria when she traveled back in time. What luck I had to encounter her in the nick of time.

Let’s hope my silver tongue works.

"YAHHH!!" Starlight yelped when she noticed me.

“Relax, I’m not that kind of dragon,” I said as I continued munching on the stone.

“You scared me! Is...this your cave?” Starlight asked.

“Nah, I’m just roaming around looking for a bite to eat. I couldn’t afford a place like this.”

That’s when Starlight noticed the rock I was holding.

“What is that?” she asked, concerned.

“Oh, this? Just some random rock I found. I couldn’t find any gems, so I decided on this.” I then chuckled. “But get this, some mare told me that this kind of rock is capable of storing cuties marks. Can you believe that? I think she got hit in the head by some of the boulders or something.”

“No! No! NO!!” Starlight fell to the floor.

I put the last piece in my mouth and swallowed. “Something wrong? Did you actually want the rock?”

“That rock was supposed to help me! Ugh! Now what am I going to do?!”

“Wait...you wouldn’t happen to be Starlight Glimmer, would you?”

“How do you know my name?” Starlight raised her head.

“I was hanging out with this guy in the Crystal Empire. He told me a lot about you.”

“What did this guy look like?” Starlight squinted her eyes.

“Uh, gee, uhm...He was a unicorn. He was orange, with some white spots. Let’s see...he was wearing glasses and a cape. And...he had a red mane and beard.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know,” Starlight took a deep breath, “what his cutie mark was, do you?”

“I think it was some sort of sun? I couldn’t tell, he was always wearing that cape. I think his name was...Sunny? Suntan? Sunburn?”

“Sunburst,” Starlight growled.

“Yeah, that’s him. He told me all about you. How you two used to be together.”

“Used to be...” Starlight looked away.

“Right, you somehow disappeared from Sunburst’s hometown. After he flunked out of that School for Gifted Unicorns, he wanted…”

Starlight’s ears perked up. “Woah! Woah! Woah! Wait, what? He flunked out?!”

“Apparently. After getting his...you know what, his parents immediately sent him to that school. But he told me he was so bad at casting magic that the school board decided to kick him out. He said he wanted to look for you, but his mother kept getting in the way.”

“Sunburst...still cared for me?”

“Yes, and he still does. He even has a picture of you two as fillies. It’s one where he’s levitating blocks. Anyway, Sunburst said that after his folks celebrated, he wanted to thank you for helping him find his special talent, but he never got the chance. He was put in really hard courses thanks to his mom, so he couldn’t even send a letter.”

“Parents always tend to screw things up.” Starlight sighed.

“So you thought that after Sunburst got his cutie mark, he didn’t want to see you anymore. I bet that’s probably why you hated cutie marks so much. You’ve had a bad history with them.”

“How’d you figure that out?”

“When Sunburst told me how you two were close friends and how he was taken away after his cutie mark, I put myself in your horseshoes. If one of my best friends got their cutie mark and left town without so much as a goodbye, I too would get upset. There was also the fact you wanted the rock that stores cutie marks.” I burped a little. “Excuse me. For somepony to want it so desperately tells me that they wished to dispose a nearby town of their cutie marks. Finally, the way you reacted when you said the C-word yourself has led me to believe you don’t like saying it, let alone admitting it exists.”

“All this time I thought Sunburst didn’t care about me. I was upset with him when he left, but even I wouldn’t want him to get expelled from Princess Celestia’s school. And now I find out he still remembers me.” Starlight rubbed her face. “What do I do?”

“We can travel to the Crystal Empire if you want to make amends with Sunburst,” I said.

“No.” Starlight shook her head. “No, I...I don’t know if I can. Ever since I ran away, I never made friends with anypony else.”

“Well, you’re in luck, because I know a mare in Ponyville who can help you.”

Starlight stood up. “If we're gonna travel, then I'll have to talk to the town, first. I needed to anyway.”

“Take your time.”

After Starlight and I went down the mountain, she told her town that she was stepping down from being their ruler. Confusion and shock filled the air. I was in the crowd with my hood up. I felt like a hidden assassin.

“I know that this is all sudden,” Starlight announced, “but for the longest time I led you all to believe we could achieve greatness without the aid of cutie marks. However, that can no longer be the case.”

“How come?” A stallion asked. I was sure it was Party Favor, but it was hard to tell because of his mane.

“Because I learned the idea of removing one’s cutie mark, let alone an entire town’s, is not the answer to a lifelong problem that plagues the mind of ponies. Equality cannot be achieved by denying special talents.”

“But if you’re not gonna lead us, who is?” A mare asked. I think it was Sugar Belle.

“That is up to you all to decide. Whether you lead independently or vote on a new leader does not matter to me anymore. I wish you all the best of luck running this town, and hope that you will all thrive with your cutie marks intact.”

I quickly left the crowd and hurried to the edge of town. Starlight came up to me biting her lip.

“I have to say, that must’ve been pretty sudden to the townsfolk,” I said.

“So was the fact that Sunburst still remembered me.”

“Touche.”

Starlight and I left the town and took the train back to Ponyville. I was surprised to see a train stop at the end of the tracks. I thought in the show, Twilight asked the driver to stop there.

As we rode on the train, Starlight looked out the window.

“And you say this mare will help me?” Starlight asked.

“Of course,” I replied. “She’s the Princess of Friendship, and she’s really talented with magic, just like you.”

“Wait, you can tell?”

“You wanted a stone that can store cutie marks, and not one that removes one. That made me think you knew a spell that can do that. I’d let the others know about that if I were you. Also, Sunburst told me you were skilled as a filly.”

“What else do you know about me?”

Might as well tell her.

“You have a strong interest in kites,” I replied. “You’re a bit of a daddy’s girl, but you wish you weren’t. You grew up in Sire’s Hallow with Sunburst, and he was the only friend you ever had.”

“And...Sunburst told you all that?”

“Not all of it. I’ve got a good eye for detail, and can draw sufficient conclusions.”

“You’re pretty smart for a baby dragon.”

“When you’ve been raised in a library, sometimes you soak up information from the books.”

After a long train ride, the locomotive halted in front of Ponyville. I was glad to be back in Ponyville. Starlight and I hopped off and went to the library.

Starlight looked around the place. I bet she was eyeing at the cutie marks. Her look of worry and regret was obvious even to those who were blind. To see everypony getting along regardless of their cutie mark must have given Starlight some confusing emotions.

Once we got to the library, I knocked on the door, and Twilight answered.

“Spike! You’re back!” Twilight hugged me. “I didn’t think you’d return so soon!”

“It’s good to see you again, Twilight,” I said. “Oh, and...somepony wants to talk to you.”

Starlight awkwardly waved hello.

“Come on in, miss,” Twilight said.

The three of us entered the library. I unpacked everything and relaxed on my bed.

Later, Starlight told Twilight everything about her past, her old friend, and what she was going to do if I didn’t eat that rock. Twilight sighed.

“I thank you for telling me all this, Starlight,” Twilight said.

“What should I do?” Starlight asked. “I don’t think I’m ready to head back and see Sunburst again. I don’t even know how to interact with an old friend.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “If you're willing to learn, then I'm willing to teach you what I know about friendship.”

“Really? Then...where do I start?”

“Starting is easy,” Twilight said. “All you have to do is make a friend! And you've got two of them right here.”

“And a bunch more coming your way,” I added.

And that was the end of my journey, and another major villain reformed. I was glad to help Griffonstone and reform Starlight Glimmer. So the premiere and finale of Season 5 would not happen. I was sure “The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone” would still happen, but it’d be somewhat different than in the show.

Now all that was left was to wait for Tirek.

Chapter 68 (Twilight's Kingdom)

It’s been three days since I came back from my journey. Things in Ponyville have been rather peaceful.

While Starlight was reformed early, most of her activities with the Mane 6 have been similar if not identical to the one in the Season 5 finale. In fact, she already changed her manestyle. I kept an eye on her in case of any funny business, but so far, she didn’t show any plans for taking over the town. The last thing I needed was somepony pulling a Cozy.

I was having tea with Fluttershy. We were discussing my journey.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell the rest of you girls that I was leaving,” I said. “You must’ve been really worried."

“It’s okay,” said Fluttershy. “Twilight told me you were interested in traveling ever since you and I went on our Breezie trip. I’m still surprised you went all by yourself. Especially to those scary places.”

“They weren’t so scary once I learned about them. I already had friends in the Dragon Lands, and they were nice enough to let me stay with them for the night. As for the griffons, I knew to keep cautious and only ask for help when I’m positive it will be provided.”

“Do you...do you plan on going out again?”

“Nah. It’s gonna be a long time before I do that. So how are things going with you and Starlight?”

“It’s been going good. She really likes chatting with me about animals. It’s hard to remember that she once tried to brainwash a village into giving up their cutie marks.”

“Yeah, thank Celestia that I showed up just in time.”

That’s when I had a familiar squeezing feeling in my stomach.

“Uh, oh,” I said. “One sec.”

I burped out a scroll instantly and read it. “‘Dear Twilight, you are invited to...’ Oh! I better find Twilight.”

Fluttershy nodded. “You do that.”

I hurried to the library to see Twilight and Starlight talking to each other. Apparently, Starlight kept snoring through most of the night. While Twilight and I have used earplugs, Twilight wanted to help Starlight out.

“I can buy some nasal strips for you if it helps,” said Twilight.

“Oh, that would be great,” Starlight said.

“Excuse me, Twilight,” I said. “But you got a letter.”

I handed Twilight the scroll. She unrolled and read it. A worrying sigh left her mouth.

“What is it?” Starlight asked.

“I’m being summoned to the Crystal Empire for a royal meet-and-greet,” Twilight replied. “I guess I better tell the girls.”

Twilight left the library. Starlight scratched her head.

“What’s with Twilight?” she asked.

“She became the Princess of Friendship only a couple of months back, before this summer even began,” I replied. “And since then she’s been having doubts.”

“Oh, you mean she’s been living as a normal pony her whole life only to find out recently she was related to a royal figure?”

“No, no. She was Princess Celestia’s most-trusted student from magic school. After Twilight saved Equestria multiple times with her friends and completed a spell, Celestia gave her the title...and her wings.”

“Wow. That’s really impressive. But I guess all of this is pretty sudden on Twilight, right?”

“Given how soon it happened, it kinda is. Say, why don’t you come with us to the empire? Maybe you can patch things up with Sunburst while we’re there.”

Starlight bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Spike. I don’t think I’m ready to meet him again. It hasn’t been a week since I relearned friendship, so going over there seems too soon for me.”

“If you say so. Just don’t enslave Ponyville while we’re gone.”

“That’s not funny.”

The Mane 6 and I rode the train over to the Crystal Empire. I sat on my seat wondering about the upcoming events. “Twilight’s Kingdom” was happening, and I knew what that meant.

Tirek was returning.

In the show, Tirek returns, and Celestia sends Discord to capture him. Sadly, Discord changes sides and betrays everypony, but gets his just desserts when Tirek betrays him. Tirek later challenges Twilight, and as a result, blows up the entire library. The girls then use their keys to unlock the Tree of Harmony’s chest that contains a rainbow power orb and a castle.

This episode was going to be a challenge. I needed to make sure Discord didn’t betray us. If that didn’t work, then I could try to make sure Tirek didn’t blow up the library. Should the worst come, I would need to move all my comic books to a safe place before things got too nasty.

We stopped at the Crystal Empire’s train station and got off the train. We then made our way to the castle.

“Doesn’t it feel like we visit this place a lot?” I asked. “We must’ve come here at least four times this year.”

“Now that ya brung it up,” said Rainbow, “you might have a point.”

“Oh, posh,” said Rarity. “It’s a treat to visit such a lavishing place, no matter how many times one does it.”

“I'm glad you all wanted to come, but I don't think it's gonna be that exciting,” Twilight said. “I pretty much just have to smile and wave as the dignitaries arrive.”

“And how is that a problem?” I asked. “You get to meet famous royals from other places, learn about their culture, and even find out how they run their land.”

“I don’t know how I’ll get that just by watching them show up.”

“What’s wrong, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

Pinkie grabbed Twilight’s cheeks. “Why the looooooong face?”

“I've just been feeling a little unsure about things lately,” replied Twilight. “It doesn't seem that my new role as a princess equates to all that much.”

Applejack chuckled. “That's just silly. You've got a real important role in Equestria.”

“Princess Celestia wouldn't have asked you to come today if she didn't think so,” Fluttershy added.

Twilight sighed. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course we are,” Rarity said. “Now hurry along! You don't want to risk having that important role diminished because you were tardy for your regal meet-and-greet.”

The rest of the day played out like in the show. The duke and duchess of Maretonia arrived with fanfare. Twilight unfurled the banner from the balcony and waved to the ponies below. I kept my mouth shut instead of complaining like the Old Spike. Despite that, Twilight still felt disappointed.

Later that night, the girls and I talked about what happened.

“Did anypony else feel like this visit didn’t last very long?” Applejack asked. “We only saw them fancy ponies for five minutes tops.”

“It does feel like it,” said Fluttershy.

“I do hope Twilight isn’t too depressed,” Rarity said. “She didn’t feel so proud after pulling down that banner.”

We went to bed after our conversation. However, I couldn’t fall asleep. It was only a matter of time before Tirek came. The best option I could think of was to have Fluttershy tag along with Discord. This could work for two reasons: Not only would she be by Discord so that he doesn’t betray us, Tirek would be outnumbered. Granted, Fluttershy isn’t the sort of pony to throw fists, but her stare and scolding should be enough even for a centaur like Tirek. I’d say she could go as far as to befriend Tirek, but that was too optimistic.

I sat up and walked out of the guest room. I roamed around the halls until I heard three ponies singing.

The princesses.

I hurried over until I noticed a pair of curtains leading to the balcony. I peeked out to see Celestia, Luna, and Cadance singing to Twilight. There was no background music, but the song was still beautiful.

“Know that your time is coming soon!
As the sun rises, so does the moon!
As love finds a place in every heart!
You are a princess; you'll play your part!”

I’ll admit it was one the best songs of Season 4. After the princesses concluded their song, I hurried back to my room. I was about to get into bed when Twilight entered the room.

“You’re not asleep, yet?” Twilight asked.

“I was just about to,” I replied. “I hope the visit went well.”

“It did.”

Twilight and I got to bed and went to sleep. We had a big day tomorrow in more ways than one.

I sat in a cafe with my boss. I took a bite of my BLT sandwich.

“Thanks for the lunch, sir,” I said after I swallowed. “So as I was saying, the recent project might increase the company’s profits by 4%, however we’ll need to ensure everyone does their part thoroughly in order to...”

“Relax, David,” Mr. Johnson said. “We’re on lunch break right now. I admire your professional attitude and your enthusiasm to work, as that is what made us hire you, but you don’t have to hold onto it outside the office.” He ate a forkful of his stir fry.

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s just that I’m really lucky to have landed this job, especially these days given my age. I don’t want to blow it because of some slip-up.”

“Hey, one of the many reasons why I hired you was because I wasn’t one of those crazy employers who would look for someone with twenty years experience for an entry-level job.” Mr. Johnson chuckled.

I smirked a bit.

“I appreciate your involvement with Papertinc, but why don’t we just have a casual conversation for once? Hmm?”

“Okay, well, what do you want to talk about casually?” I asked before taking a sip of my lemonade.

“Here’s a thinker.” Mr. Johnson clasped his hands together. “What would you do if you went back in time with all the information you learned now? Like, what would you change if you could relive your life?”

I let the stray ice cube melt in my mouth as I thought about my supervisor’s question. “I don’t know, Mr. Johnson. I would probably do the same thing.” I swished my glass a bit. “Actually, I could’ve just picked business as my major from the very beginning instead of throwing two years and a bunch of grand down the drain.” I placed my glass down. “My student loan would be much smaller, then.”

“Heh, I’ll bet.”

“In fact, I could change a lot of stuff. I could warn about disasters happening, fix relationships, maybe even ask my parents to invest in companies that were just starting out. Assuming they would believe me, of course.”

“Yeah. I bet anyone would have done that. I, personally, would’ve steered clear of my first wife if I knew she was in it for the paychecks I received.” Mr. Johnson sipped his ice tea.

“Ouch. You know, I’ve been thinking,” I said. “What if we could change how a fictional story played out?”

“You mean like a TV show or a movie?”

“Of some sort.”

“Yeah, that could be probable. Of course, you could just simply write a story about the show with a different ending if you don’t like it.”

“That’s true. I’ve read many online stories that do that.”

We continued our lunch in silence.

I woke up in the middle of the night. I didn’t know why that memory came to me all of a sudden.

I looked to my side and noticed Twilight’s bed was empty.

“Twilight?” I asked.

There was no response. I had a feeling I knew why. I got out of bed and went down the hall once again. This time, I heard concerned voices instead of ponies singing this time.

One of the double doors was cracked open, projecting a sliver of light on the other side of the wall. I could hear the voices from inside the room. I hid behind a giant plant and eavesdropped on the conversation.

“Princess Celestia, I don’t understand!” Twilight’s voice shouted. “Why would you send Discord of all creatures?!”

“Because I have firm belief that he can stop Tirek,” Celestia’s voice replied.

“With all due respect, your highness, Discord’s unpredictable! How is he qualified for this job?”

“I knew Discord even before he was turned to stone. He can sense whenever there's a magical imbalance. If Tirek were to steal magic again, Discord would be able to track him down.”

“Can’t I just tag along with him?”

“No. Tirek has yet to discover that you’re an alicorn,” replied Luna. “As such if you present to him as you are, even with a disguise, he would take your magic away without hesitation.”

“Then what do you want me to do?” Twilight asked.

“Nothing at the moment,” replied Celestia. “The time will come when you are most needed.”

I heard nothing but silence. I wanted to bust in and tell them it was a bad idea, or at least bring up the intention that Discord could play double-agent.

I heard hoofbeats approaching the door. I hid behind the plant and held my breath as the four princesses went their separate ways. Once I was sure they were out of earshot, I went back to my room.

I carefully opened the door and slid back into my bed with Twilight none the wiser.

The next morning, the girls and I hopped the train back home. Twilight stared out the window for what seemed like hours.

“Everything alright, Twilight?” I asked.

“Girls, there’s something I need to tell you all when we get back to Ponyville,” Twilight announced. “It’s really important. Meet me at the center of town.”

Once we got to Ponyville, we hurried home to unpack our stuff. Twilight and I brung Starlight with us. It was a relief she didn’t take over the town.

“So what’s been goin’ on, Twi?” Applejack asked.

Twilight told us everything the princesses told her. Tirek had been getting powerful since his escape from Tartarus. Celestia sent Discord to stop him, much to everypony’s, including Starlight’s, shock.

“Discord is on the good guys side?” Starlight asked. “Since when?”

“About a few months now,” replied Pinkie. “I can make an accurate assumption if you want.”

“So what are you supposed to do in the meantime?” Rainbow asked Twilight.

“Nothing.” Twilight sighed. “Unless of course one of you needs me to smile and wave.”

Twilight headed to the Everfree Forest. That gave me an idea.

“Hey, girls,” I said. “While we’re waiting for Discord to defeat Tirek, why don’t we focus on some other important task. Like...uh...how about the chest?”

“The chest?” Rainbow asked.

“What chest?” questioned Starlight.

“The one at the Tree of Harmony,” I replied. “It appeared when the girls gave it their Elements of Harmony: trinkets that the girls once wore to defeat evil.”

“But we don’t have the keys to open it, Spike,” said Twilight as she came back. “The only thing I could think of that could help us is...is...” Twilight eyes widened in realization. “Of course!”

Rarity blinked rapidly. “What? What?”

“Girls! Remember those things you got that shined a rainbow?”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah. And?”

“I’ve been theorizing that those things have a correlation to the chest.” Twilight flew into the air. “Everypony, bring your stuff over to the Tree of Harmony. I’ll meet you there.”

Everypony split up, leaving Starlight confused.

“Can somepony please tell me what’s going on?” Starlight asked.

“I’m not a pony, but I can tell you what’s going on,” I replied. “Follow me, and we’ll talk.”

Starlight and I went into the Everfree Forest. I explained to Starlight everything that’s happened to the girls since they discovered the Tree of Harmony.

“So in short,” I concluded as Starlight and I took the stairs down to the tree, “we believe the items we got could be important, so the girls are keeping their respective gifts safe until they figure out what to do with them. Now, do you understand?”

“I guess,” Starlight replied as she rubbed her head. “But from what you’ve told me, Twilight doesn’t have her...rainbow thing yet.”

“Yeah, I’m surprised. Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll come soon.”

We headed to the tree to see Twilight pacing back and forth.

“So this is the Tree of Harmony?” Starlight asked.

Twilight stopped pacing once she noticed us.

“Oh, you two are here. And yes, this is it.”

A short while later, the rest of the girls came with their items.

“It was a good thing you suggested we kept these safe,” said Rarity. “I had ideas about using the rainbow thread for one of my designs when I first received it from Coco.”

“So how do these things help us get our key?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight said, “All of you had tough choices to make. But when you made the right one and embraced your element, it helped somepony else make the right choice too. Each of you received something from the pony whose life you helped change. And the objects you hold could lead us to our keys. The chest is connected to the Tree of Harmony, the Tree is connected to the Elements, and the Elements are connected to all of us.”

“But how will we get our keys with these?” Fluttershy asked.

“Fluttershy has a point,” said Applejack. “I don’t know about ya’ll, but to me, these seem like common objects ya find lyin’ around a discount box at a trade stand.”

Pinkie Pie picked up Boneless. “Come on, Boneless! Give us that key!”

“I don't think that's going to work,” said Twilight.

In a fit of rage, Pinkie threw Boneless against the chest. Boneless suddenly got encased in an aura of magic and transformed into a key. The key then inserted itself into one of the six keyholes.

“I guess that’s one way to get your key,” Starlight said.

The other girls put their respective item on the chest, and just like Boneless, each item turned into a key and inserted themselves into the remaining keyholes.

“There's still one key missing,” said Twilight. “The key that represents the element of magic. My element.”

“Oh, but I'm sure that if we've gotten our keys, you have too, Twilight,” said Fluttershy.

I shook my head. “She hasn’t. At least, I don’t recall her earning one.”

Twilight looked down to the floor.

“Uh...don’t worry, Twilight.” Starlight patted her mentor on the back. “I’m sure you’ll get your key soon.”

“I see you’ve learned well how to express sympathy,” Twilight said with a small smirk.

“Hello down there!” A voice called out.

We exited the cave to see Discord floating down towards us. He held an umbrella and a suitcase like a British nanny in a Disney Musical.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise,” Discord said as he landed. “You ponies are already in the process of opening up that chest.”

“Woah, Discord looks a lot freakier up close,” Starlight whispered to me.

I nodded, knowing I had the same feeling when I first met him in person.

Discord then saw Starlight.

“Now, hold on,” he said. “Do I have double vision, or are there four Twilights here?”

“Oh, uh...” I cleared my throat. “Discord, this is Starlight Glimmer. I found her while I was exploring Equestria, and she’s been taken under Twilight’s wing to learn about friendship.”

“She’s here early. Ah, well. Welcome to the dream team, Glimmer.” Discord spawned next to her. Both of them were wearing t-shirts with the Mane 6 plus me on them. “I hope you make a wonderful addition to our posse.”

Starlight and Discord materialized on the shirts.

“What are you even doing here, Discord?” Rainbow asked.

Discord spawned the journal. “Oh, just a bit of light reading before I head off on my extremely important mission. I suppose you all know that I've been tasked to capture a certain escapee. I was gonna subtly remind you about that chest, but I guess somedragon beat me to it.”

I stayed silent.

“Anyway, it seems I possess a magic that gives me quite an important role in Equestria. Maybe they should make me an Alicorn princess.” Discord poofed up fake wings, horn, and crown. Everypony was not amused.

“In your dreams!” Rainbow retorted.

“Oh, I never dream of such things. Ask Princess Luna.”

What does Discord dream of? I should probably ask Luna if it’s nothing too private.

“Don't you have a creepy magic-stealin' villain to track down?” Applejack asked.

“Yes, yes, yes, of course,” replied Discord. “It's just that I couldn't help but notice that Twilight hasn't received her key yet.” Discord walked over to the chest and knocked on it. “It got me thinking, what if what's locked inside is something that could help her prove her royal worth? I only brought it up because she said that she's been feeling like her role as a princess doesn't equate to much.”

“Wait a minute!” Pinkie exclaimed. “How do you know how she was feeling?!”

“Oh, my. Is eavesdropping not the way you're supposed to find out what your best pals are up to?” He pretended to sob. “Woe is me. Will I ever learn the intricate nuances of being a good friend?”

We were all once again not fooled by Discord’s acting.

“Well in any case, I suppose now is as good a time as any for me to make my exit.” Discord approached a moped that appeared out of nowhere.

“Wait!” I called out. “Take Fluttershy with you.”

“WHAT?!” Everypony shouted together, including Discord. His moped fell over like a bicycle.

“Spike, are you crazy?!” Rainbow yelled. “Why would you send Fluttershy to help stop Tirek?!”

“Because I have full faith that she can do it,” I replied calmly.

“I-I don't know, S-Spike,” Fluttershy said nervously. “T-Tirek sounds like a d-d-dangerous creature.”

“Look, Fluttershy. You've tamed all sorts of dangerous creatures in the past. You talked down that giant dragon like it was nothing. You petted Cerberus's belly like he was a puppy next door. You're the reason Discord is on our side and not a permanent resident in Princess Celestia's garden.”

“But...but do you think I can really help?”

I nodded and softly held her head. “I do. You are a very sweet talker. You can put your hoof down when needed. Plus, you’ve got your Stare if all else fails. You’d be perfect for this mission.”

Fluttershy looked at the other girls. They, too, were dumbfounded by my suggestion.

“Is...is it alright with Discord?” Fluttershy asked.

Discord was speechless, much to my surprise. Was it because in all of his timeline repeats, he never had Fluttershy help him? Or was he faking it?

Discord regained his composure and said, “I will allow it. Celestia never said I couldn’t bring a plus one. But I must warn you, dear Fluttershy. It’s not going to be easy.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “It wasn’t easy making you my friend, but I did it anyway. I’ll do my best to help you.”

“Very well, then.” Discord put the moped back up and extended the seat. “Whenever you're ready.”

“I don’t know if having you with Discord will help, Fluttershy, but it’s worth a try,” said Twilight. “Good luck out there.”

We shared a group hug with Fluttershy. She then hopped up onto the moped and put on a helmet with goggles.

“Bon voyage!” Discord announced.

He revved up the engine before disappearing in a white light.

“Discord sure is a weird one,” said Starlight.

“That’s putting it lightly, Glimmy,” I said.

“Do ya really think Fluttershy can handle Tirek?” Applejack asked.

“Hard to say,” said Rainbow. “I had doubts when she was tasked to reform Discord, and yet I was proven wrong.”

“Wait, Fluttershy’s the one who reformed Discord?!” Starlight asked.

“Yeah, you’d be surprised that she doesn’t always live up to the last three letters of her name,” I said.

“So what shall we do in the meantime?” Rarity asked.

“I guess we'll wait,” said Twilight.

The girls and I returned home. Starlight and Twilight continued their friendship lessons. I read some of my comic books. That's when I realized I should store them somewhere safe just in case.

I quickly grabbed a box and stored every comic book in it. I then covered the box with a lid and left.

I know just the pony who can keep this safe for the time being.

I approached his house just in time. I noticed it looked very similar to the one in the fan video. I knocked on the door very loudly.

“I’ll get it, mom!” His muffled voice called out on the other side. He opened the door. “Oh, Spike. What’s going on?”

“Hey, Button Mash,” I greeted. “Listen, I need your help with something. Do you have a minute?”

“Uh, sure. Come on in.”

We entered Button Mash’s home.

“Who is that?” A mare’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Just a friend, mom,” Button replied. “So what do you need me for, Spike? And what’s with the box?”

I put the box on the couch and opened the lid to reveal my comic books.

“Comic books?” asked Button Mash. “I’m sorry, Spike. I’m more into stories that I can interact with.” He pointed to the TV that showed the level he paused. “If you’re looking to trade, you’re a few weeks too late.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” I said. “Is it possible for you to keep this box and its contents safe for the time being? I have a bad feeling that something is going to come up, and I want to make sure these aren’t involved in any catastrophes.”

“But why would you ask me to guard them? I don’t know how to take care of comic books.”

“I know how you are in protecting your video games, so this would be no different. You don’t have to do anything special. Just keep the comic books in the box, and put the box somewhere in your room, like in your closet or under your bed. I’ll come back to get them when I’m sure that everything’s alright.”

Button sighed. “Alright then.”

“Thank you.”

Button Mash took the box to his room. Should the library blow up regardless, at least some of my rarities would be safe. Unless Button spills juice on them.

I returned to the library. Twilight had a surprised look on her face when she saw me come in.

“Where were you, Spike?” She asked.

“I just needed to take care of—HURK!” My sentence was interrupted when my stomach squeezed once more. If I had a bit for every time this happened, I could afford one of the higher quality comic books in Canterlot.

A scroll came out of my mouth in a raging fire. My heartbeat picked up.

“Woah! I didn’t know dragons sent letters like that,” said Starlight.

“It’s a spell,” I replied as Twilight read the scroll.

“Uh, oh. Looks like I’m needed in Canterlot at once!” Twilight exclaimed as she put the scroll away. “I better go see what’s going on.”

“Do you need us to come with you?” Starlight asked.

“No. The letter said that I have to arrive alone. I don’t know why. Don’t worry, I’ll be back shortly.”

Twilight left the library instantly. I controlled my breathing the best I could.

“Spike, what’s wrong?” Starlight asked. “It sounds like you're hyperventilating.”

“I-I’m sorry,” I said nervously. “It’s just that...I have a really bad feeling about this. And most of the time, my gut feeling is right.”

“Really? I don’t want to doubt you, Spike, but I’ve heard some stories about Discord and how he can be pretty powerful. Also, Fluttershy herself is really kind, and you were the one who said she should go with him.”

“I know. I’m just afraid Discord would betray us or something, and I hate to see the look on Fluttershy’s face if he does.”

“But Fluttershy was the one who reformed Discord, right? Why would he backslap her?”

“I don’t know. Maybe Tirek gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

“I guess we’ll have to wait until Twilight gets back with the news.”

I prayed that whatever happened with Tirek would not be like in the show. Discord may be chaotic, but he would never be heartless enough to double-cross his one and only friend when she’s right in front of him.

I spent the rest of my day keeping myself calm. I drank some chamomile tea, read relaxing stories, and even listened to a few smooth jazz records. Anything to keep my mind off what might’ve happened during Tirek, Discord, and Fluttershy’s encounter.

I chatted with Starlight and brought her up to speed about what happened ever since Twilight and I first visited Ponyville. Needless to say, it was quite a lot of ground to cover. I was just glad she didn’t show up during the much later seasons.

Night had already fallen. I was worried that Twilight, Discord, or Fluttershy had yet to return. I bit my lower lip in fright. After I did my nightly routine, I hopped into bed. Starlight came up the stairs afterward holding a bandana. She had a nasal strip on her nose.

“I wonder what’s taking those guys so long?” Starlight said. “It’s been hours since Twilight left, and we haven’t even gotten a letter.”

“I know,” I replied. “It’s very worrying. By the way, I take it the bandana is in case the nasal strips don’t work?”

Starlight nodded. “Let’s hope they do work.”

I sighed and went to bed.

The next morning, I slept so late that Starlight had to wake me up.

“Huh?” I yawned. “What’s going on?”

“You were asleep for a long time,” said Starlight. “It’s almost ten o’clock.”

I checked the clock above Twilight’s bed, and Starlight was correct. I quickly got out of bed.

“Did Twilight come back?” I asked.

“Yes she did,” replied Starlight. “When I woke up, she was already home. I wanted to ask her about what happened in Canterlot, but all she said was that everything was fine and then rushed out of the library.”

“Any news on Fluttershy and Discord?”

Starlight shook her head. “They’re probably still catching Tirek.”

“Well, find Twilight and ask. Meanwhile, I’ll head on over to Fluttershy’s cottage to feed her animals.”

Starlight and I left the library. I hurried down the road and up to Fluttershy’s house. I knocked on the door. I heard the sound of little paws running up to open it. The door swung open, and Angel stood in front of me. He gave a groan in disappointment.

“Sorry, Angel,” I said. “Fluttershy’s not back yet. I’m here to feed you and the others.”

I went about the cottage filling up bowls and feeders with different animal foods. I gave Angel a salad as usual.

As he ate, he looked out the window all confused.

“Something on your mind?” I asked.

Angel pointed to the sky and shrugged.

“You’re wondering why there are clouds in the sky?”

Angel shook his head. He munched on a cucumber slice until it was shaped like the sun.

“Something with the sun?”

Angel nodded. He then motioned it upwards in a jagged, snake-like pattern.

“The sun acted weird when it rose this morning?”

Angel nodded.

“Well, I slept through most of the morning, so I wouldn’t know what happened.”

But the truth was I actually knew. The sun must’ve been raised by Twilight, which meant she was given Celestia, Luna, and Cadance’s magic. That was not a good sign, at all.

I quickly exited the cottage and hurried back to the center of town. Applejack quickly approached.

“Spike! There you are!” She exclaimed.

“Applejack!” I called. “Did you find Twilight?”

“Yep. She told all of us to get everypony to stay indoors ‘til Tirek’s back in Tartarus. Now, I already told the lot of the folks in this area of Ponyville, but I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Let me help you warn the other ponies.”

I followed Applejack as we went around the town asking ponies to stay in. We later met the rest of the girls in the center of town.

“All right, y'all. I think we've warned everypony to stay inside,” said Applejack.

“I sure hope so,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Is anypony worried about Fluttershy and Discord?” Pinkie asked. “They’ve been gone for a really long time.”

“That does seem concerning,” replied Rarity. “Perhaps they’re still chasing Tirek.”

That’s when my ears picked up the sound of somepony struggling. I turned around to see…

“Fluttershy!” I shouted. “And Discord! They’re back!”

Fluttershy was dragging Discord’s body like a giant boa constrictor. Both of them had whiteness in their eyes. After a few drags, Fluttershy plopped to the ground.

“Oh, no!” Rainbow exclaimed.

We all hurried to her and Discord’s side.

“What happened?!” I shouted concernedly.

“It was a long and brutal battle,” Discord announced weakly.

“My goodness!” Rarity cried. “But at least you two got Tirek, right?”

There was silence.

“Right?” Rarity repeated with more anxiety.

“I...never said that,” replied Discord.

My heart sank and my face grew pale.

“W-what do you mean?!” Rainbow asked. “You...lost?!”

Discord coughed. “I don’t know how long until Tirek gets here, but I’ll tell you everything.”

Discord got off of Fluttershy and layed down like a sick bulldog.

“Fluttershy and I found Tirek at an alley up in Canterlot. We already had him up in chains. That’s when he offered what he thought was better than friendship: freedom. Now I had initial thoughts, but even I knew that it wouldn’t be worth betraying my one and only friend, Fluttershy.” He petted Fluttershy’s head with what remaining strength he had left. She smiled a bit. “After all, while I am restricted from turning Ponyville into my own playset, I could still act chaotic in my own world and beyond. But when I turned down his offer he...attacked...Fluttershy!”

Just when my heart couldn’t sink any lower, it did just that. And I thought Discord's betrayal was terrible.

“Tirek wouldn’t listen when Fluttershy sweet-talked him into surrendering,” Discord continued. “He broke out of the chains and shot a beam at Fluttershy, but she dodged it. She scolded him and even tried to use her Stare on him. Neither one worked. The sheer sight of him stealing my friend’s magic sent me into a blind rage. I fought back in protection. While I did put up a good fight, I realized too late what a dumb mistake I made. He took my magic too and got away. Fluttershy mustered up as much strength as she could to get us back home.”

“No! No! NOOO!!” I slammed my fist into the ground. “This can’t be true!”

Fluttershy wheezed. “I’m...afraid...it is. I didn’t think anypony could be so cruel.”

The thought was mutual. Not only did Tirek attack Fluttershy, but it was for the fact that Discord rejected his offer. Just when I thought Tirek’s forgiveness died when I saw him blow up the library in the show, this happened. Rage filled me more than any argument combined.

“Spike, are you alright?” Rarity asked.

“I need to leave!” I shouted. “I need to be by myself and clear my head!”

I ran out of Ponyville in a fury. I heard voices from behind my back.

“What’s that in your paw, Discord?” Pinkie asked.

“It’s Tirek’s necklace,” Discord replied. “I ripped it off during our struggle. He didn’t seem to take it back for some reason.”

I didn’t know how long I walked until I was out of Ponyville. I was angrier than a gumball machine employing a blue jay and racoon. I sighed as I sat by a nearby river bed. I needed some time to clear my mind.

“I can’t believe this is happening!” I shouted to myself. “How could this happen?!”

I tried to recollect the events and calm myself down.

Was it my fault I had Fluttershy join him? Should I have let Discord betray us? Should I have gone instead?

What difference did it make? Tirek would still attack Ponyville. Perhaps Discord was right about me not changing fate. I wanted to lay down and never do anything again for the rest of the show. It would be no different than being back in my old world rewatching the series.

During my thought process, I heard the sound of squeaking. I sat up and saw a brown mouse struggling on the side of the rock as the water splashed upon its back! As if I was channeling my inner Fluttershy, I swifty waddled through the knee-deep water and picked up the rodent. I then carried it back to dry land. I swear I saw it nodding at me a bit before shaking itself dry and getting all the leaves and twigs off.

The leaves and twigs that once clinged onto the mouse’s fur gave a hint of rainbow colors. Suddenly, like a corporation in June, a giant rainbow flashed across my eyes.

What am I doing? It wasn’t my fault! I didn’t know that Fluttershy would be attacked! I can still change this! I need to make it up to her, to everypony! I need to help them!

That rainbow moment surprised me. I never thought it would happen to me. I guessed there really was a hidden seventh element. One that didn’t need a key.

The mouse scurried to a nearby berry bush. It picked a few twigs of berries with its teeth when a robin flew in. The mouse gave the bird a few berries and twigs. The robin ate the berries and grabbed the twigs with her claws and flew into the sky.

I watched the bird fly away. That was when I noticed the clouds. One was shaped like a triangular necklace, and the other was a simple key. I could barely make out two small parallel lines between them. I knew what it was trying to say.

I don’t need clouds to know what Twilight's key will be.

I stood up and stretched.

I need to find Twilight and talk to her! She needs to know what to do! I just have to find her before—

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A loud rumbling sound shook the ground. I widened my eyes as I ran out into the field to see…

“Lord Tirek!”

The muscular centaur was approaching the village. His height was bigger than all the buildings combined. Needless to say, he probably already got the rest of the girls’ magic by now. I didn’t have time to find Twilight anymore! I had to face the big guy on my own!

I gotta stop Tirek before it's too late! But how? He's practically the size of the Canterlot castle right now. The only way for me to attack him is to…

That's when it hit me. I knew what I had to do. I promised myself that it would never happen, but I had no other choice.

I had to turn into my greed-zilla form.

There was no other way. It had to be done. I took a deep breath.

Now would be a good time to get greedy!

I closed my eyes tightly and thought of greedy thoughts. It had to work since collecting a bunch of stuff in a short time was out of the question.

Come on, come on. I want to get greedy. Greed is good. I want greed. I want to protect Fluttershy. I want to protect Twilight. I want to protect everypony. I want everything.

I want…

I want…

I WANT…

"Spike WANT!!"

Like Goku going Super Saiyan, I felt the energy rushing through my veins! I felt my own body getting bigger and bigger. My claws got sharper, my spines got longer, and my fangs got pointier. I was no longer a baby dragon. I was a full grown dragon! I released a powerful roar that shook the ground!

I saw Tirek getting ready to release a powerful blast of magic. I knew where he was targeting, and I couldn't let him do that. The library survives this time.

I charged head on towards Tirek. By the time he noticed me, it was too late. I slammed right into him, knocking him down and sending that blast of magic into the sky. Instead of a giant tree, the beam exploded a cloud without any casualties.

You're welcome, Twilight.

"You son of a—!"

POW!

Tirek couldn't finish as I drove my fist right across his jaw. Just because Twilight can't punch Tirek doesn't mean I couldn't. I prepared for another punch when he grabbed my fist and knocked me back with his front hooves.

“I don’t know who you are,” Tirek snarled, “but you’re gonna pay for that!”

“Sorry, I’m low on bits...” I picked myself up. “Do you take CHECKS?!” I rammed my entire body into him once again.

Tirek stumbled backwards. He prepared another magic blast when he got struck with one himself.

The source of the blast was from Twilight, who flew in and joined me in fighting Tirek. The giant centaur swung a fist at Twilight, but she was too small and agile for him to hit her.

I blasted my fire breath straight at Tirek. He could only cover himself with his arms as the green flames attacked him. He escaped with only burn marks on his arms and part of his hair singed off. Just when he was going to fight back, Twilight sent another magic blast right on his back.

"Augh! Dang it!" Tirek thundered.

Now was my chance. With all my might, I smacked my forearms on both sides of his head. Whilst he was discombobulated, I delivered a walloping punch right across Tirek's face, knocking a tooth out and him down.

"That's for Fluttershy!" I grumbled.

Twilight sent one of her most powerful blasts straight at him. Tirek tried his best to fire a counterattack, but he failed, resulting in his entire body being blown backwards.

I approached Tirek. He lied on the crater moaning like a sick dog. I picked him up by his shoulder.

"Any last words?" I growled. My mouth started glowing as I was ready to shoot one heck of a fireball.

Suddenly, I was feeling weak. I released my grip as I fell to my knees. All that power I felt drained from my body. I looked to see Tirek with his mouth open. I knew what was happening. He was sucking the magic out of me. Every painful second he did that made me feel weaker and weaker. I felt myself shrinking until I was back to my normal size. I collapsed to the ground.

My eyelids got so heavy. I felt like I was awake for a month straight. My vision grew blurry. I could barely make out Twilight approaching me.

"Spike! That was you?!" Twilight picked up my body.

"The necklace is the key!" I whimpered. "Find the necklace. The necklace...is...the key..."

Everything went dark. The sounds faded away.

Beep...beep...beep…

I opened my eyes. The scent of medical supplies and the sight of bright lights told me I was in the hospital.

I slowly sat up. A yellow hoof held my chest. I traced its source to see Fluttershy looking at me.

"Have...have I kicked the bucket?" I asked. "Because I'm seeing an angel right now."

Fluttershy giggled. "No, Spike. You're still alive."

I held her hoof. "Does that mean...we won?"

Fluttershy nodded and told me the whole story. Sometime after I left, Tirek came along and took the rest of the girls' magic. He then kidnapped them along with Fluttershy and Discord. After I passed out during that fight, Tirek made a deal with Twilight. Like in the show, Twilight was willing to give him her magic in return for the rest of her friends. Tirek may have been a backstabber, but he kept his word. Discord then gave Twilight Tirek's necklace, which made her realize what I meant by "the necklace is the key." So, the Mane 6 returned to the Tree of Harmony and unlocked the box, which contained a special orb that gave the group something called "Rainbow Power." Despite the girls not having magic, the Rainbow Power helped them defeat Tirek. Because of his defeat, everyone got their magic back.

"That's amazing," I said. "I wish I could've seen it. I'm surprised the Tree could do that."

"It's not the only thing the Tree of Harmony did," said Fluttershy.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll soon see."

After the doctor said that I was good to go, Fluttershy and I headed out. I rode on Fluttershy's back.

A giant castle caught my eye. Actually it was less of “caught” and more like “grabbing my eye and forcing me to look”. It rested beside a mountain with a flowing waterfall.

"That's from the Tree of Harmony?" I asked.

"Mmm-hmm," Fluttershy said. "It appeared after Tirek's defeat."

"How long was I out?"

"About a few hours. We were all so worried that you didn't wake up even after getting your magic back, so I volunteered to take you to the hospital until you felt better."

I hugged Fluttershy. "Thank you. That was very kind of you."

"You're welcome. I’m still the Element of Kindness."

“I’m sorry you and Discord had your magic stolen. If I knew Tirek would’ve done that, I would have never suggested you to join Discord.”

“It’s okay. We got it back, and that’s all that matters.”

We passed the library, which was still intact. Never have I been so relieved.

"Looks like the library survived," I commented.

"Yeah. Twilight said that Tirek almost blew it up. If it weren't for you, she would've lost all her books. I didn't even know you could grow like that."

I rubbed the back of my head. "It's called 'Greed-induced bigness.' I wanted to avoid using it, but I had no choice."

"You had to do what was right, Spike. Even if you had to turn into a...giant dragon." Fluttershy shivered.

"Don't be afraid," I said as I patted her head. "You were right. I had to do it to protect everypony. Especially you."

Fluttershy blushed.

We entered the castle. The hallway was so spacious, it could fit two of the old libraries in it.

"Twilight should be in the throne room," said Fluttershy. "Let's go."

It didn't take long for us to get to the throne room. The rest of the girls and Discord were on a star-shaped floor that was surrounded by six chairs plus a small one. I guess that one was mine.

"Spike!" Twilight picked me up and hugged me. "I'm so glad you're okay! We all missed you."

"Yeah. I missed you girls as well," I said as I hugged back. "Fluttershy told me this castle came from the Tree of Harmony."

"That’s right. This is where Starlight, you, and I will live from now on."

"But the library…"

"We're gonna move out of it. Since we've gotten this castle, we might as well make the most of it. And hey, we get our own rooms."

"I guess I'm okay with that. At least I won’t hear Starlight snore."

“Very funny.”

We all shared a group hug. I'll admit fighting Tirek was pretty awesome, and while Twilight, Starlight, and I were still gonna live in the castle, the library itself would live to see another day. The only question now was who's going to live in it.

Chapter 69 (Rainbow Rocks)

Twilight and I were at the insurance office in Ponyville. Ever since her castle was newly added two days ago, Twilight had applied for homeowner’s insurance. I guess castles were qualified as well.

“Alright, Princess Twilight,” said the insurer. “Just read the contract thoroughly and let me know if you have any questions.”

Twilight picked up the contract and read through it. “Let’s see. Looks like the castle will be covered in the events of fire, water damage, uncontrollable weather, giant creature attacks larger than three meters or ten feet…”

“The basics if you will.”

Those were the basics? And yet in my old world I needed premium just to cover no-fault fender benders.

After a few more discussions (and complaints about insurance rates being through the roof), Twilight signed the documents. The insurance pony copied the papers and handed Twilight her copy.

“Alright, you're good to go,” the insurer said. “If you have any more questions, feel free to swing by. Our office is open 8 a.m.-11p.m. every day of the week.”

“Thank you,” said Twilight.

We shook hooves and left the office. I rode on Twilight’s back.

“Those costs look pretty high,” I said. “Are you sure we can afford them?”

Twilight nodded. “Thanks to the mayor. She insisted on having me accept Ponyville's tax money since I'm a princess. I still have to pay my taxes, though. Royalty isn't exempted after all.”

Even when traveling across dimensions, there’s no escape from the IRS.

We passed by the library once more. A real estate agent hammered a giant “For Sale” sign right into the ground. If I was honest, selling the library was a much better alternative than it being blown up. I was still relieved I could save it.

“That was some fight with Tirek, huh,” I said.

“I guess,” Twilight replied. “I’m surprised you could turn into a giant dragon, let alone control your greed.”

“Well, it wasn’t easy. I...hope you girls don’t view me differently.”

“Why would we do that?”

“Think about it. I, a baby dragon, am capable of growing fifty times my own height out of greed. I don’t want to be feared because of that.”

“Oh, Spike. None of us are going to be afraid of you, not even Fluttershy. What you did, you did to protect all of us. Had you not grown, Tirek would’ve destroyed Ponyville, I wouldn’t have been motivated to fight him, and all our friends would’ve been gone.”

“I...motivated you?”

“When I first saw you charging at Tirek, I initially thought you were some other dragon. Then I noticed your familiar color scheme and how you went for Tirek instead of the town. That’s why I joined the fight to see if it was really you. It wasn’t until you mentioned Fluttershy and Tirek drained your magic that I confirmed it.”

“Well, I’m glad you joined me.”

“Me too. Now, let’s hurry to the castle. The girls are waiting.”

We rode for the castle. Before we went through the entrance, I looked to the right to see the giant waterfall flowing down the mountainside. I remembered that some time in the future, the School of Friendship would be built near there. Though, it bugged me how the girls could juggle working at the school with their full-time jobs. I would have to discuss that when it comes up.

“Okay, I think the throne room is...to the left,” said Twilight as we got through the double doors.

“Remind me to sketch a map of this place,” I said.

We went through the hallways until we approached another pair of double doors. We opened them to see the rest of the girls in the throne room. Pinkie Pie was painting Starlight’s cutie mark on a white, padded folding chair.

“Here ya go!” Pinkie said as she finished. “Sorry you didn’t get a throne.”

“It’s okay,” replied Starlight. “I just joined you all, and I’m not an Element of Harmony, so it would make sense for me to not have one.”

“Hey, everypony!” Twilight greeted the girls.

“Twilight! Spike!” Rainbow flew in. “So where were you two?”

“Just making sure this castle’s covered,” said Twilight.

“In what?” Pinkie asked. “Chocolate? Powdered sugar? I still got some rock candy if it needs that.”

“I meant ‘covered’ as in ‘it’s insured,’ Pinkie. My income might’ve increased, but I don’t want to pay the full price for repairs should they be needed.”

“Oh, Spike.” Applejack pulled a box from my throne and gave it to me. “Some brown colt swung by here earlier and said to give ya this.”

I got off of Twilight and quickly opened the lid. “Ah, nice. My comic books. I told Button Mash to deliver them to the castle while Twilight and I got the insurance. Thanks. I’ll put these in my new room.”

I hurried out with the box and down the hallway. A door with my name in all capital letters stood out from most of them. I entered through that door and into my room.

I took out my comic books and arranged them on a bookshelf. They were organized via issue number and series name. Once I was done using a fifth of my bookshelf, I put the box away and looked around the room. A smile appeared on my face, knowing that I had the room all to myself.

The place looked more or less like in the show. There was a bookshelf, a desk, a table, and a bed that was three times bigger than my old one. The blue blanket and pillows weren’t provided by the castle. Rather, Twilight bought them for me. That also included the wastebasket, wooden chairs, and circular patterned rug. A few rolled up posters layed on my bed. I still had to hang them whenever I got the chance, and thank Shining Armor while I’m at it.

My argument whistle sat beside the posters. I picked it up knowing it was gonna come in handy in the near future. The very near future.

“Rainbow Rocks” was coming up, and I knew what was going to happen. A group of sirens would be found in Sunset Shimmer’s world, so Twilight and I would have to go and help her stop them. I would need to find some way to change this. Maybe if I could get the girls to stop arguing, the sirens won’t have a way to fuel their gems. I could also prevent other things from happening while I’m there, like stopping Wallflower from finding that memory stone, or that Anon-a-miss fiasco if the EG comics are canon.

I took a deep breath and made my way back to the throne room with my whistle in one hand and a recent comic book issue in the other.

When I came into the throne room, Starlight looked up at Rarity’s throne with her head tilted. Rarity sat on it polishing the arms.

“There’s something I don’t understand,” said Starlight. “How come your throne lights up when you sit on it?”

“I have no idea, darling,” Rarity replied. “Perhaps it’s to signify that it’s being occupied.”

“But I can clearly see you sitting on it.”

Rarity shrugged. “I did not design this castle, darling. Although, I can think of a few inspirations.”

I sat on my throne and noticed the glowing green flame on it. I didn’t recall Spike’s throne having a symbol in the show.

I read through my comic book while waiting for one of the delivery ponies to come by. Eventually, one of them arrived in the throne room towing a cart full of books.

“Excuse me, Princess,” he said. “Where do you want all these books from Princess Celestia?”

“The library,” Twilight replied. “The one in the castle, not the tree. Third door on the left.”

That’s when my eardrums picked up the sound of an electric razor. I knew where that came from.

“Even this one that's glowin' and vibratin'?” the delivery pony asked as he pointed to the book on top of the stack.

Twilight levitated the book towards her. She opened it up and flipped through the pages.

“What is it, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

I peeked over Twilight’s shoulder. Words materialized in the blank pages.

“Dear Princess Celestia,

I know it’s been a long time since I’ve written to you, but I’m afraid it’s not for idle chat. I need Twilight to come over to this world as soon as she can.”

“It looks like a message to Princess Celestia from my friends at Canterlot High,” said Twilight.

“How is that even possible?” Rarity asked.

“I guess Sunset took a book with her that still had some magic properties,” I said. “I’m surprised it didn't cause an imbalance.”

“Either way, it sounds like they need my help!” Twilight announced.

All of us went to the library. I continued reading the message.

“There were three weird girls who came to our school. They all wore these weird red pendants around their necks, and were very protective of them. I thought nothing of it when I took them on a tour of our school. However, when they showed up during lunch, they sang this song and soon everyone argued. There was also this green mist that got absorbed by their pendants.

I knew it had to be some sort of dark magic. My friends and I tried to tell Celestia and Luna in my world, but those ‘Dazzlings’ had put them under some sort of spell. I’m hoping you could tell Twilight about all this.

Signed,
Sunset Shimmer.”

“Should I be worried about this?” the delivery pony asked.

“Nah, you’re fine,” replied Twilight. “It’s occuring in a different world, so Equestria is safe for now.”

We entered the library. The delivery pony dropped off the books and headed out. I noticed that the majority of the shelves were empty. Twilight had already moved most of the books from the Golden Oaks Library to here, and she even got some books from the Castle of the Two Sisters. Despite all that, there was plenty of room for more books.

I also took note of a tall structure covered by a white cloth. I knew what was under that cloth was going to be important in a few minutes. I’m glad Cadance gave it to Twilight after hearing about her new castle. I didn’t know if it was a gift or if Celestia told her that it would be better in Twilight’s hooves.

“I have a feeling who these new girls are,” said Twilight as she pulled out a thick textbook from one of the lower shelves. She placed it on the table and searched the pages. “The way Sunset Shimmer described them, I think these new girls sound an awful lot like... the sirens.”

“Not the sirens!” Pinkie exclaimed. “I don't actually know what that is.”

Twilight told everypony about the history of the three sirens. To be frank, the sirens were more than just some alluring mermaids who crashed ships. They were capable of forcing ponies to fight one another and consume their negative energy to make themselves powerful. Thankfully, Starswirl the Bearded banished them to another world where their magic would be useless. Un-thankfully, that world was Sunset’s world.

“I take it this world doesn’t have the same kind of magic we do?” Starlight asked.

“You might say that,” I said.

“But Star Swirl must have sent them there ages ago,” Applejack pointed out. “How come they're just surfacin' now?”

“Maybe it’s like what happened with Tirek when he escaped,” I replied. “It took them a while to collect their power before they made themselves public. And they probably chose to come to this school because they sensed Equestrian magic there. I mean, after that phenomenon Twilight and I had when Sunset turned into a demonic creature, I bet our magic still lingered on the school grounds.”

“That’s possible.” Twilight nodded. “If my hunch is right and it is the sirens who have come to Canterlot High, this spell they've cast is just the beginning. My friends need me. Spike and I have to get back to them!”

“I hate to burst your bubble, guys,” said Rainbow, “but the connection between their world and Equestria will still be totally cut off for a super long time.”

Pinkie zoomed up to us. “Okay, first of all, if there was bubble-blowing going on, why wasn't I told about it?! And secondly, if the connection is totally cut off, how was Sunset Shimmer able to get a message to Twilight?”

“If only there was a way to increase the occurance of the portal’s opened gateway,” I said.

Twilight gasped. “Pinkie! Spike! You’re a genius!”

Twilight went out and retrieved a bunch of magic gadgets. She then uncovered the mirror under the cloth and arranged the gadgets around it.

“That’s the portal?” asked Starlight. She seemed to ask a lot of questions these days.

“Yep, it’s what Twilight and I used to visit Sunset’s world,” I replied.

“What’s it like there?”

“Let’s just say you’d have to get used to standing on two legs and not using your horn if you ever want to visit. Also, clothes have to be worn daily.”

I wondered if Starlight would visit the portal early. If that were the case, I would need to find that handheld mirror before Juniper does.

After an hour of construction, followed by another half of Twilight explaining how it works, the portal was complete. So now, Twilight and I could go through whenever we wanted to instead of just waiting for months.

“Now to see if it actually works.” Twilight grabbed the book and placed it on top of the portal.

After we witnessed a spectacle of magic, the portal was officially opened!

“I think it does,” I said.

“Don't suppose we could join you this time around?” Applejack asked.

“Better not,” Twilight replied. “It could make things pretty confusing if Canterlot High all of a sudden had two of all of you.”

“What about me?” Starlight asked.

“I don’t think I’ve seen someone like you last time Spike and I visited.” Twilight scratched her chin. “But I think you should stay here just in case. Somepony needs to keep Owlowiscious company.”

The girls understood. Owlowiscious flew in and landed on a nearby table.

“Guess it’s just you and me, Twilight,” I said.

Twilight nodded and said to the girls, “We won't be gone long.”

We shared a group hug. I stretched a little as Twilight and I prepared to enter the portal.

“Ready, Spike?” Twilight asked.

I wrapped my whistle around my neck and proclaimed, “I’m ready!”

Twilight and I ran right into the portal. Just like last time, the swirling colors zoomed past us as our bodies were stretched and squeezed. With a bright flash of light, we appeared on the other side, transformed into human beings.

Twilight and I stumbled before collapsing onto the ground.

“Twilight! Spike!”

We looked to see the human girls and Sunset Shimmer approaching us. They helped us stand up.

“We’re back,” said Twilight.

The girls gave us a group hug and a bunch of greetings.

“...but we've got some bad news about those new girls,” I added.

We told the girls everything we knew.

Later that day, the girls and I headed to the local cafe and ordered our drinks. Twilight got a chocolate shake while I got an ice cream float.

“Oh, I do hate that you had to return at a time of crisis,” Rarity said as she stirred her tea. “There's so much catching up to do!”

“For starters, a certain blue-haired guitar player was just askin' about ya,” said Applejack.

“Flash Sentry was asking about me?!” Twilight asked excitedly. She then cleared her throat. “Isn't that nice?”

“Perhaps you would give us just the slightest bit of gossip from your world?” Rarity asked.

“Well, we just got a new castle a couple of days ago,” I said. “Twilight can’t be a princess without a castle, after all.”

“A castle?! You have your own castle?!” Rarity exclaimed, nearly spilling her teacup. “I mean...ooh, uh, lovely.”

“Wow, that's really impressive,” Sunset complimented. “Guess you really were Princess Celestia's prized pupil.”

“So what's new here?” asked Twilight. “I mean, besides your school becoming the target of dangerous magical creatures from Equestria?”

“Yeah, so, that isn't exactly the only strange thing that's happened since you left.” Rainbow Dash pulled out her phone and showed Twilight and I a video.

The video had Rainbow Dash playing an electric guitar. What was unusual was she grew pony ears, wings, and a tail while playing. I could see Twilight’s shocked face without even looking.

“Pretty sweet, huh?” Rainbow tilted her chair. “It happens to all of us when we play.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “My crown was returned to Equestria, but some of its magic remained here at Canterlot High. Now that we're all back together, we can use that magic on the sirens.”

“Yeah, but...something tells me that our old method won’t work this time,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

“Last time, you used the crown to defeat Sunset. But now we don’t have it anymore.”

“What do you propose then?” Rainbow asked.

I scratched my chin, but I already knew what to do.

“We fight fire with fire,” I said. “You girls seem to pony-up when you play instruments, so we should use a song to defeat the sirens!”

“So we’re gonna have to participate in that Battle of the Bands?” Applejack asked. “Are ya sure the sirens didn’t affect ya too, Spike?”

“You know, Spike may be on to something,” said Twilight. “Maybe the way to use that magic to defeat the sirens is by playing a musical counter-spell! And in order to free everyone who's been exposed to the sirens' spell, we'll need them all to hear it.”

“Well, the band competition is perhaps the next time we can be certain everyone will be in the same place at the same time,” offered Rarity.

“Guess the Rainbooms are the band to beat,” said Applejack. “That’s the name of our band, by the way.”

“And I believe you two just became the Rainbooms' newest members,” said Rarity.

Sunset’s face gave off an inadequate look.

“Well, we’re honored, but there’s just one problem,” I said. “Aside from singing, Twilight and I can’t play any instruments.”

“Wait, what about the piano, Spike?” Twilight asked. “You used to be so good during your toddler years. You could play a Haythoven sonata like a prodigy.”

“I haven’t played the piano since we moved to Ponyville, Twilight. I’m out of practice.”

“‘Haythoven?’ Heh, I forgot almost everything’s a pony pun back in Equestria,” said Sunset.

“I guess we’ll just sing,” said Twilight. “I might take a little too long to learn how to play something with these.” Twilight showed her hands.

“Like, as in, lead singer?” Rainbow asked. “Cuz that's usually my gig. This being my band and all.”

“It’s our band,” Applejack corrected. “And, of course, as lead singer. She's the one with the magical know-how to help us pull this thing off.”

“Okay, yeah, that's cool. I'll just use this as a chance to hone my already insanely good lead guitar skills.”

“And I could try out a couple of instruments to see which ones I could play,” I suggested. “If nothing else, I could be a backup singer or a dancer.”

“What about that whistle thingy around your neck?” Pinkie asked, pointing to the orange piece of plastic.

“I only use this to stop arguments. I’m not implementing it into your band.” I tucked the whistle under my shirt.

“We’re only going to join the band temporarily, anyway,” said Twilight. “And we don't have to win the Battle of the Bands. We just have to perform during the first round of the competition.”

Rainbow slapped her fist. “Then let's get to learning that musical counter-spell!”

“Well, that's just it. I don't know any.”

The girls groaned.

“But that doesn’t mean she can’t make one up,” I said, attempting to raise the girls’ enthusiasm. “She’s good at poetry.”

“Writing poems and writing songs are two different things, Spike,” Twilight pointed out.

“Tell you what, why don’t we head on over to the music room?” Applejack asked. “Twilight can think of a song to write, while Spike can figure out what instrument to play. I’m sure the school is still open at this time.”

After our drinking, we all went to the music room at Canterlot High. While Twilight was thinking up words, I was attempting to unleash my inner music. Sadly, true to my gut, my piano skills left something to be desired, like my violin and guitar skills.

Rarity sighed. “Darling, you have to use all of your fingers to play, not just your index fingers.”

“I did say I was out of practice,” I responded. “We need to get a piano of our own when we get back, Twilight.”

“I’ll make a note of that,” said Twilight. “Right after I find words that rhyme fully and not partially.”

“Maybe I should use my whistle. We could change our instruments and be like a samba band.”

“Not a bad idea, but it would be too short notice,” said Rarity. “Are you sure you didn’t play any other instrument in your world?”

“Nope.”

I remembered Spike played an unusual flute during the end of “Hurricane Fluttershy,” but I didn’t do the same. I guess it was because, like the piano, I couldn’t play a woodwind instrument in my old world. I doubt the girls would like it if I played that giant horn either. While playing a percussion instrument seemed like a better idea, the Rainbooms already had two members that did so.

“Don’t sweat it, Spike,” said Rainbow. “You’re gonna be in the band for only a short while. We can always use two lead singers.”

Applejack looked out the window. “Looks like it’s gettin’ late, gals. We better head home.”

Twilight nodded. “I guess we’re sleeping in the library again, Spike.”

“Are you crazy?!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We're besties now! Slumber party at my house!”

“Uh...are you sure it’s okay for Spike to join us?” Rainbow asked.

“Don’t worry about that,” Twilight replied. “In our world, Spike’s one of the girls.”

“Oh.” Pinkie widened her eyes. “Ohhh...I’m sorry. I thought Spike was a boy.”

“I am,” I retorted. “She means ‘one of the girls’ as a figure of speech.”

Twilight, Sunset, and I were the last ones to enter Pinkie’s home. We took turns changing into our pajamas in private. I was thankful Rarity could design them for us, although making mine dragon-themed was a bit much.

We joined the others for the slumber party. We chatted, played games, and a lot of other stuff. I even took the chance to photobomb Rarity’s selfie like in the show. Only this time, I gave a peace sign instead of holding a dog treat.

“Spike!” Rarity called out once she saw me in the photo.

I chuckled. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

“So, Twilight,” said Rainbow as she twirled her video game controller. “How’s that counter-spell coming along?”

Twilight looked up from her notebook. “Oh, uh, good. Great!” I could tell she’s lying. “Thanks for letting me use your notebook, Fluttershy. I really like the song you wrote for the Rainbooms.”

“Thanks,” said Fluttershy as she hugged an alligator plush, which I think is supposed to be Gummy. “Hopefully, one day we’ll get a chance to play it.”

Oh, you girls certainly will.

“Twilight, I think I speak for all of us when I say I don't know what we would have done if you and Spike hadn't come back to help us,” Rarity said.

The rest of the girls nodded in agreement.

Then the doorbell rang.

“Pizza’s here!” Pinkie announced.

The girls dashed out of the room, leaving only Twilight and me.

“Let me guess,” I said, “you’ve got nothing. Am I right?”

Twilight sighed and showed me the notebook. The page contained nothing but scribbles and poor drawings.

“It’s hard to think of a poem off the top of your head when the Battle of the Bands is right around the corner and said poem will determine the fate of the human world,” said Twilight.

“Well...maybe you don’t need a specific song,” I suggested. “Any upbeat song that influences positivity and togetherness could be enough to break the curse the sirens put upon the students.”

“How do you know if it would work?”

“I don’t,” I lied. “I’m just theorizing.”

“But it sounds too easy.”

“Hey, don't you want any pizza?” Pinkie peeked her head into the room. “There’s one with veggies and one with cheese. I included them with my order since I was told you two don’t eat meat.”

“We’re coming, don’t worry,” I said.

Twilight put the notebook inside Pinkie’s nightstand, and the two of us ate pizza with the other girls. I took two slices of plain cheese. I wanted to sneak in a slice of pepperoni, but I was afraid that Twilight would give me a disapproving look.

After our pizza time, the girls returned to Pinkie’s room. Most of them anyway. Sunset sat on the couch staring at the tv. Her dark reflection was all she could see.

“Is everything alright, Sunset?” I asked.

Sunset sighed and shook her head. “It’s nothing, Spike. I’m fine.”

“Doesn’t sound like it. You’re worried about your past, aren’t you?”

Sunset sat silently. “Is it really that obvious?”

“From what I can tell, everyone is giving you a hard time because of the incident at the Fall Formal. Despite the fact you’re reformed and turned over a new leaf, they still try to avoid you. Feel free to prove me wrong.”

“No, you were pretty much in the ballpark.” Sunset leaned forward and looked at the coffee table stained with condensation circles. “It’s hard to get everyone to trust me. Even after I did my time in detention and in-school-suspension. Then again, after pulling a stunt like that and all else I have done prior, I wouldn’t trust myself either.”

I looked at the tv. My right arm was the only part of my body that had its reflection shown.

“People always say that trust is like a mirror. If you break it, you could attempt to fix it, but the cracks would still remain.” I ruffled my hair. “But that shouldn’t stop you from trying.”

Sunset said nothing.

“My advice: keep doing positive things,” I offered. “Help others, get involved. It may take a while for others to see you as a good person, maybe even more given social media, but they will understand and accept you’re not a villain anymore. After all, this place seems to be no different from Equestria other than the type of species and the notions of modesty.”

“I guess.” Sunset scratched the back of her head. “How do you know so much about the human world, anyway? You and Twilight have only visited it for a few days in total.”

I looked around and sarcastically replied, “Well, Sunset, the truth is that I was actually born in this world, and that I would only visit Twilight periodically to help with her studies and what not.”

“Alright, Spike. That was really funny...now tell me the real reason.”

“There’s a book about anthropology in the library back in Equestria. I also looked up on this block thing called the ‘eye-turn-eet’.” That mispronunciation was intentional.

“‘Internet’. It’s pronounced ‘internet’.”

“Right. That.”

“Sunset? Spike?” Applejack left Pinkie’s room. “Oh, there you two are. I feared the worst when you two were missin’.”

“I should take this time to point out that I’m already in a relationship with somepony back in my world,” I said.

“That ain’t what I...nevermind. Come on back, we’re takin’ turns playin’ on Pinkie’s console.”

“We’ll be right there.”

Sunset and I joined Applejack and returned to the bedroom.

“Come on! I want to be the plumber!” Pinkie called out.

“You’ve been the plumber for the last three rounds!” Rainbow retorted. “I’m sick and tired of being the gorilla. Let me switch!”

A few hours later, we were all fast asleep in our respective sleeping bags. I was awakened by the sound of footsteps leaving the room. I opened up one eye to see Sunset sneaking out. No doubt Twilight already did the same.

I snaked out of my sleeping bag and followed Sunset’s footsteps. I creeped up to the entrance of the kitchen.

“Hey, Twilight,” said Sunset. “You’re up late.”

I pressed my back up against the wall.

Twilight and Sunset’s conversation was more or less like in the show. Twilight was worried about the pressure put on herself, and Sunset understood. Also, Maud came to feed Boulder.

“I still can’t get over the fact that she’s related to Pinkie Pie,” Sunset whispered.

“You and me both,” Twilight replied.

As for me, I sorta expected the ‘siblings having opposite personalities’ cliche.

Seeing there was nothing else to do, I snuck back to bed without any problems.

I’d be lying if I said band practice at Applejack’s went well. There was not enough sugar to coat it.

Despite multiple attempts, we could not make a song that sounded pleasant. The percussion section was out of the beat, the bass and keyboard were off-key, and Dash kept pulling way too many solos. All that so-called ‘music’ made Twilight and I sound like we had never sung in our life.

Once the song was over, I sighed. “I can see why we only sing whenever a musical scene happens.”

“Eeyup,” said Big Mac as he passed by the window.

“I think it's pretty obvious what's going wrong with this counter-spell,” said Rainbow Dash.

“You're turnin' what should be the chorus into a five-minute guitar solo?” Applejack asked.

“I have to pick up the slack somehow! Are you guys even trying?!”

“I’m trying,” whimpered Fluttershy.

Twilight nervously giggled uncontrollably. “It’s fine. It'll be fine. One more time from the top!”

“Uh, I think we should just go ahead and sign up for the event,” I said. “Anybody know the deadline?”

Sunset pulled out her phone and gasped. “You're supposed to check in at the Battle of the Bands in fifteen minutes!”

Everyone gasped in response. They quickly packed everything up.

“But it's not ready!” Twilight denied.

“Then it’s simple, we don’t use the song yet,” I said.

The girls stopped in their tracks.

“What are you saying?” asked Rarity.

“I believe he’s sayin’ that we'll have to buy ourselves some time so Twilight can keep workin' on it,” Applejack replied.

“But how do you propose we do that?”

“We compete in the Battle of the Bands for real!” Rainbow announced. “I take over lead vocals again and we stay alive until the finals! We’ll unleash the counter-spell then!”

“Exactly!” I said. “Just make sure you all get along. Don’t want any more fuel for the Dazzlings’ fire.”

We hurried to the school with our supplies and signed up just in the nick of time. We were the last ones, and seeing the sirens on the list was predictable. After all, they were the ones who came up with this idea.

The girls and I watched the first few bands perform. Most of them were either too cringy to listen or had their band members playing against each other. Snips and Snails’ rap in particular made a Kidz Bop rapper sound like Eminem and Notorious B.I.G.

Well, at least it’s only the Dazzlings that we should be worried about.

“Let’s get ready to rock!” Rainbow announced as we got ready backstage.

“Wait! Where's Rarity?” Asked Pinkie.

“I’m here!” Rarity came in wearing a coat full of metallic tassels. We all gave her a confused look. “We will be performing in front of an audience. I'm not going to wear something fabulous?”

“Hold on,” I said. “Rarity, you wouldn’t happen to have a small, black t-shirt in your fashion trunk, would you?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

Rarity pulled out her trunk and handed me what I wanted. I quickly took off my hoodie, shirt, and dog collar and slipped into the black t-shirt. I then tucked it into my pants.

“There,” I said.

“Uh, what’s that for?” Sunset asked.

“I’ve seen how competitive the other competitors can be,” I whispered as I looked at the audience. “No doubt some of them will try to sabotage us. I’m gonna be backstage to make sure there’s no funny business. You can help me if you want, Sunset.”

“Actually, there’s one thing that I’m worried about. What if you all ponied-up while playing your instruments? The Dazzlings might see you. I might need to...watch and warn you girls if it happens.”

“We’ll just have to play well enough to pass, but not too well that we accidentally pony-up,” replied Twilight.

“Strange how the pony-up thing is activated differently,” I said. “I wonder why.”

“Your guess is as good as mine, Spike. Maybe the instruments gave off the same magical energy as my crown?”

The girls quickly arranged their instruments on stage. I made my way up to the catwalk since that’s where the first band would try to interfere with the girls.

“And now, please welcome the Rainbooms,” Celestia announced.

The curtains unfolded and the crowd cheered. The competitors shot a dirty look at the girls. That was to be expected.

Pinkie started the song with a “One! Two!”

I leaned on the railing as I was treated to a backstage pass of the Rainboom’s “Shake Your Tail.”

I was so entranced by the music, that the clacking sound of heels on the metal railway snapped me back to reality. I turned to see Photo Finish and two of her bandmates. They held magnets attached to marionette strings. I knew what they were gonna do.

“Hey!” I hissed sharply.

The trio nearly jumped back.

“Nobody’s allowed up here!” I continued. “Principal Celestia’s orders! Now get outta here before I throw you all off!”

“Alright, alright, vee go now!” Photo replied anxiously.

The three ran off, dropping their magnets in the process. I quickly picked them up.

At least Rarity’s outfit is saved.

I resumed watching the girls. Pinkie had just unleashed a shower of confetti on the stage. The girls’ reaction indicated they were unaware of this.

I looked around the catwalk for any more signs of saboteurs. That’s when my eye caught Sunset waving down at me. I waved back, and Sunset pointed to something to the left of me. I moved my head and saw Snips and Snails fiddling with a spotlight.

Oh no, you don’t!

I nodded to Sunset and sprung into action. With quick thinking, I tied the magnet strings together and tossed them at the duo like a bolas weapon. The strings swiftly wrapped around Snips and Snails and tied them together.

“Hey!” Snips wheezed.

“You’re not supposed to be here!” I called out without disturbing the band below me. “Any forms of disruption will result in immediate disqualification. Now leave. This is your final warning. I regret what I did to you two back at the Fall Formal, but I’m not afraid to do it again.”

“Okay! Okay! Sheesh!”

Snips and Snails hopped away and climbed down the ladder without slipping. It was amazing how they could do it while still being tied up.

“Shake your tail 'cause we're here to have a party tonight!” The Rainbooms concluded.

The crowd applauded. I quickly slid down the ladder just in time to see the girls backstage.

“Well, that could’ve gone better,” groaned Rainbow Dash.

“I thought it was perfect,” I replied.

“That’s easy for you to say, Spike. You weren’t distracted by the flying confetti out of nowhere!” Rainbow turned to Pinkie. “What was with all that, Pinkie? How am I supposed to shred if there's paper stuck in my frets?!”

“It was pretty distracting...” mumbled Fluttershy.

“At least you weren’t distracted by a certain outfit!” Applejack cried. “Rarity’s dress sounded louder than a wind chime in a hurricane! I couldn’t hear myself play over the jingle jangles!”

“Uh!” Rarity scoffed.

“You still sounded much better than most of the other bands,” Sunset said reassuringly. “I'm sure you'll make it to the next round.” She rubbed the back of her head. “But it won't matter if you don't have that counter-spell ready, Twilight. You all find a place to practice where the sirens can't hear you. I'll keep an eye on things around here.”

“Watch out for the Dazzlings,” I said.

The Rainbooms, Twilight, and I walked out of the gym and down the hall.

“Can’t we just play an uplifting song?” I asked. “It seems to me that the others are being forced to fight, so if we could sing a song to bring them together, we could defeat the sirens.”

“That last song didn’t do the trick, and it was as cheerful as Pinkie Pie in a candy shop,” said Applejack.

“Well, that song was more about shaking your tails and getting ready for a party.”

“So where are we gonna practice?” Rainbow asked.

“I don't think we should use a classroom,” Twilight suggested.

That’s when she collided with Flash.

Twilight nervously giggled. “We really need to stop bumping into each other like this.”

Flash looked away. “Uh, you guys hear something?”

Flash’s other two band members responded no.

Twilight held her hands together. “I said, we have to stop—”

“There it is again,” said Flash. “So annoying.”

Just like in the show, Flash acted really competitive against Twilight. He and the others left in a huff. Tears ran down Twilight’s eyes.

“Don’t take it personal,” I whispered as I patted Twilight’s back. “He’s only saying that because he’s under the Dazzlings’ spell.”

“It still hurts,” Twilight whimpered.

Rarity sighed. “Let’s just focus on the counter-spell.”

I didn’t know how long we spent trying to perfect that song, but it wasn’t long enough. Eventually, Principal Celestia announced for us to return for the semi-finals. The girls and I quickly hurried back.

Once we got back to the gym, Sunset was there waiting for us. She pointed to the scoreboard. We were competing against Trixie’s band, and the Dazzlings had already moved on to the finals after beating Flash.

I want to say he deserved it after talking to Twilight like that, but again he was under the siren’s spell.

“This is it! Last round and you're in the finals!” Sunset announced. “Unless you think the counter-spell is ready to be played now.”

Twilight bit her lip.

“Don't worry, Twilight,” said Applejack. “Finals aren't until tonight. We'll get in a little more practice before we're supposed to hit the stage. We won't let you down!”

“You won't let me down...” Twilight repeated.

After Trixie’s performance, the Rainbooms set up their instruments on the stage.

“Good luck, girls,” I said. “I’ll stay back here to keep out any more intruders.”

“I'll be here, too...just...watching,” said Sunset somberly.

“What’s wrong? Did the Dazzlings talk to you?”

“N...no...” Sunset’s guilty face betrayed her.

“You’re just jealous because the girls asked Twilight and me to be in the band, right?”

“Uh...”

“If you wanted to join, you could’ve asked. After all, the worst they could say is ‘no’.”

Before Sunset could lift a finger, the girls’ next song “Awesome as I Wanna Be” started playing. Sunset and I watched as the girls played their instruments and sang. I looked around for anyone trying to sneak backstage, while Sunset was checking to make sure the girls didn’t pony-up by mistake.

I stayed by Sunset’s side, since I knew what she would try to do. She would tackle Rainbow Dash after seeing her pony-up, only to humiliate herself and the band in front of everyone.

I observed my surroundings. A rope was tied on a hook next to Sunset. I traced it to see the other end attached to the front curtains. A thick black cord from the amps was attached to an outlet on the back wall. I had an idea what to do.

Suddenly, Rainbow’s head and back glowed. Sunset widened her eyes. That’s when I took action.

“Sunset! Lower the curtain!” I commanded as I pointed to the rope. “I’ll handle the sound!”

Sunset nodded and quickly undid the rope. I ran over to the cord and yanked the plug right off the socket. I could hear the curtains dropping as the girls’ instruments ceased their playing.

“Hey!” Rainbow shouted angrily.

Despite the sudden abruption, the audience still cheered.

Rainbow stomped to the back of the stage. “What was that?!”

“You were showing them your magic!” Sunset denied. “W-we didn't know what else to do!”

“And it’s not like we could just run up there and tackle you,” I said as I approached Sunset and Dashie. The rest of the girls appeared.

“But stopping my song mid-way?!” asked Rainbow. “I still had three minutes left!”

“Our song,” Applejack corrected again. “Wait...on second thought, you were the only one who wrote that song. Nevermind.”

Sunset sighed. “I'm sorry, I just wanted to help.”

“It was my fault anyway,” I said. “We saw Rainbow about to pony-up and we didn’t want the Dazzlings to suspect anything.”

“Spike does have a point,” said Twilight.

Rainbow snorted like a horse. That’s when Trixie showed up,

“Good show, ‘Rain-brooms,” she mocked. “But Trixie’s sure that a song has to have a minimum length. And quite frankly, your one-minute ditty doesn’t cut it.”

“Hey, as long as it sounds good, it doesn’t matter,” said Sunset.

Trixie shrugged. “If you say so.” That’s when we saw Celestia and Luna. “Ooh! Looks like they've already decided who'll be moving on to the finals! I'm guessing it wasn't too difficult a decision.”

We saw the Dazzlings come in and vocalize near the principal and vice-principal. The pendants glowed. Sunset scratched her chin.

Later, Celestia and Luna appeared on stage.

Celestia cleared her throat. “The band that will be joining the Dazzlings in tonight's finals is...The Rainbooms!”

Everyone was surprised, including the girls.

“This isn’t over!” Trixie stormed out.

We walked onto the stage. The sirens appeared on the other side.

“Congratulations, girls,” said Celestia. “You deserve it.”

Pinkie asked. “Seriously?! We didn't even finish our—”

Rainbow quickly nudged her.

“See you at tonight's big show, Rainbooms,” Adagio said. “We are really looking forward to it.”

“Same here,” I replied. “Let’s make it a battle no one will forget!”

“Spike!” Twilight hissed.

“What? I’m not allowed to boost morale?”

We left the gym with all the previous competitors jeering at us.

They’re under the sirens’ spell. No need to get angry.

Late that evening, the girls and I were at the amphitheater. I checked for any signs of Trixie and her band, since I knew they would try and trap the girls. I fiddled with one of the microphones attached to a nearby amp.

I would have to avoid the trap door and find Vinyl Scratch immediately. Or I can make sure Trixie doesn’t activate the trap door, period.

“This doesn't make any sense,” said Fluttershy as she adjusted her tambourine. “We were awful. Doesn't anybody else think it's strange that we're the ones that made it to the finals?”

“Who told you girls you were awful?” I asked. “Aside from that sudden interruption Sunset and I pulled, both of your songs were amazing.”

“It didn’t feel like it.”

“It was very strange,” a voice said.

We spotted Trixie on the stage. Only one of her band members was by her side this time.

Where’s the other one?

“What are you doing here, Trixie?” Rainbow asked.

“We’re sorry that you got eliminated,” I said sincerely. “If you want, we can combine our bands together. You sounded pretty good at the semi-finals.”

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is the most talented girl at Canterlot High,” Trixie proclaimed. “It is I who deserves to be in the finals. And I will not be denied!’

She snapped her fingers and her band member pulled a nearby lever. I leaped out of the way as soon as the trap door opened, sending the girls plummeting down below.

“That was close,” I said to myself. “I better find—”

PUSH!

I found out too late why I didn’t see Trixie’s other band member. She pushed me right into the trap door. I tried to grab something to stop my fall, but whatever I grabbed couldn’t support my weight. I fell straight into Twilight’s arms.

“See you never!” Trixie exclaimed as the trap doors slammed shut.

“Hey!” Rainbow jumped up to grab the doors, but failed. “You won’t get away with this!”

“Wait! The door!” I shouted as Twilight put me down.

“I’m trying to reach them! Applejack, give me a boost!”

“No, the other door.” I pointed to the one on ground level.

Pinkie tried to push it open, but it wouldn’t budge. I rolled my eyes.

“Let me do it,” I said. I turned the knob and pulled, but the door couldn’t open either way.

It’s locked? It wasn’t in the show.

I kicked the door in frustration. I was trying to prevent this. Now I couldn’t even find Vinyl Scratch to help me.

“Great! We’re trapped!” I shouted.

I sighed as I sat down against the wall.

Trixie’s band had already started playing. Rainbow rammed against the door for the thirtieth time, almost in rhythm with the loud song above. I sat in the same dark spot trying to think of what I could do.

“Give it up, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack groaned. “You've been tryin' at this for hours. It's not gonna open no matter which way you turn it.”

Twilight stared at the floor. “Maybe it doesn't even matter that we're trapped down here. I don't think the counter-spell would have worked anyway.”

“Of course it would have worked, Twilight. Assumin' a certain band member didn't try to hog the spotlight the whole time we were tryin' to play it!”

“Hey, now!” I stood straight up. “Even if Rainbow Dash was a bit egocentric during that last song, this is not the time to argue.”

“I’m just trying to make sure my band rocks as hard as it needs to!” Rainbow snapped back.

“OUR BAND!!” The girls corrected for the third time.

Twilight sulked to the floor. “But why wasn't the spell working? I should know what to do. How could I not know what to do? How could I have failed like this?”

The girls quickly got into an argument. This time I was more anxious than angry.

I gasped. “Girls! Stop! The sirens are—”

I saw a green mist forming around their bodies. With haste, I reached down into the neckhole of my shirt and yanked out my whistle. I pressed the orange mouthpiece against my lips and gave a big huff.

TWEEEEEET!!

The girls quickly covered their ears. Even I was aghast by how loud I blew.

“You girls need to stop!” Sunset announced. “This is what the sirens have been after all along! They're feeding off of the magic inside you!”

As Sunset talked to the girls, I still wondered how the whistle made such a loud noise.

Was it because my human lungs were bigger than my dragon ones?

That's when I noticed Trixie’s song wasn’t playing anymore. I looked around and noticed a microphone hanging right behind me on the wall.

Of course! That microphone must’ve been still attached to one of the amps! How I didn’t see this until now is beyond me. Must’ve been the dark.

After the girls, including Twilight, hugged and made up, Applejack asked, “Now, how do we get out of here?”

“Apologies for that loud sound, everyone,” Celestia said above us. “We don't know how that happened. We'll check the equipment and try to—”

“Attention, everyone!” I shouted through the hanging mic. “This is the Rainbooms! The Dazzlings have trapped us under the stage! Hurry up and save us!”

“It was Trixie's band that trapped us, Spike,” said Rainbow.

I covered the mic with my hands. “Just trust me. Something tells me this wasn't just Trixie's doing.”

We waited for a few minutes when we heard the sound of keys jingling. The door opened to reveal Celestia and Luna.

“Oh, thank you for letting us out!” Rarity proclaimed.

“Don’t mention it,” Celestia replied.

“Now what’s this about the Dazzlings trapping you here?” Luna asked.

“They manipulated Trixie’s band into opening the trap doors,” I said as we all exited. “They were trying to get rid of us.”

“And what makes you so sure of that?” A voice asked.

We all turned to see the Dazzlings approach us. The confident looks on their faces spelled trouble.

“Who’s to say they didn’t set this up so they’d try to disqualify us?” Adagio asked.

“Because we would’ve disqualified Trixie’s band if that were the case?” I asked.

“Come now, Principal Celestia, they’re obviously lying.”

Sonata and Aria nodded.

“Obviously...lying...?” Celestia asked.

I saw the trio’s pendants glowing. I knew what I had to do.

“Why are you believing them?!” Rainbow shouted to Celestia and Luna. “What’s wrong with you?!”

“I know what’s wrong!” I said sternly.

In hopes that my actions weren’t done out of stupidity, I grabbed Adagio’s pendant and pulled with all my might. The gem snapped right off. Knowing my human jaw was too weak to eat it, I threw the gem right onto the stone pavement. It smashed into tiny pieces and gave off a light brighter than a flashbang. A small area of red mist followed soon after.

“NOOO!!!” Adagio grabbed her own hair. “Why did you do that?!”

Sonata’s jaw dropped and Aria covered her own mouth.

Celestia rubbed her eyes. “Wha...what happened?”

“They’re controllin’ ya’ll with the those necklaces!” Applejack announced.

“Quick, grab the others!” I shouted.

“Bring it on!” Aria declared.

Rainbow charged towards her, only to be thrown aside. Applejack threw a punch only for it to be diverted. I guessed the sirens were skilled fighters as well as singers.

I focused on Sonata. She put her right hand out while covering the pendant with her left.

“Hey, look! A taco truck!” I pointed behind Sonata.

“Okay, I’m not the smartest girl,” said Sonata, “but even I can tell that’s the oldest trick in the—”

“Tacos!” The vendor shouted from the truck. “Come and get your deliciosos tacos!”

Sonata turned around. “Oh, wow. It is a taco tru—”

Punt!

I swept Sonata’s legs, sending the siren slamming into the ground. I then undid her necklace and ran away with the gem. However, I traveled no less than three feet when Adagio tackled me.

“Give it back, you little brat!” She shouted.

“Over my unconscious body!” I rebutted.

The gem avoided Adagio’s swiping fingers. I shoved it into my mouth, much to her disgust. She pinned my shoulders to the ground and grabbed my face cheeks.

“Spit it out!” She barked like she was scolding a dog. “Spit it out now!”

Ptoo!

I did exactly what she told me. The gem bounced off her nose and landed a few inches beside me. While Adagio rubbed her face, I snatched the gem once more.

“Sunset! Catch!” I shouted right before throwing the ruby-like jewel.

Sunset caught it right before dodging Aria and Pinkie Pie, who picked the wrong time to play piggyback.

“Get off of me!” Aria called out.

“Tell that to your red necklace,” Pinkie responded as she attempted to reach for it.

Aria slapped Pinkie’s hands away from her neck. The other girls couldn’t even get close to them.

For a group who’s outnumbered ten to three, the sirens put up quite a fight.

Eventually, Aria threw Pinkie off. Sunset tossed Sonata’s gem over to Rainbow Dash like they were playing hot potato. Adagio and Sonata joined in as well.

Unfortunately, the girls’ game of “Keep Away” ended when Aria caught the pendant.

“I got Sonata's jewel,” she said. “Let’s get—”

“EL KA-BONG!”

“Wha—?”

KA-BONG!!

Like something out of a 1960’s cartoon, Pinkie Pie smashed an old acoustic guitar right upon Aria’s head. The latter collapsed, dropping the jewel.

“Pinkie, where’d you get that guitar?” Rarity asked.

“From under the stage,” Pinkie replied. “Don’t worry. It was old and begging to be used as a melee weapon.”

Twilight and I held Adagio and Sonata back as Applejack tore off Aria’s pendant. Fluttershy grabbed the other glistening gem. Both her and Applejack tossed them to Celestia and Luna.

“Destroy them!” I shouted.

Without any time to waste, Celestia and Luna threw the gems into the ground. Celestia’s shattered to pieces, while Luna picked her cracked one up and reattempted to smash it. This time she was successful. Like the one I demolished, the gems gave a bright light followed by a thin, red mist.

Luna blinked. “Wow. I can think clearly now.”

Adagio and Sonata helped Aria up. The trio then ran off in fear. Rainbow tried to chase after them, but Twilight stuck her arm out in front of her.

“Let them go,” said Twilight. “Without those pendants and the magic Sunset brought here from Equestria, they're just three harmless teenage girls.”

“What a shame,” said Rarity. “I truly expected us to go head to head with the Dazzlings in a musical way instead of resorting to such brutish tactics.”

I looked at the crowd. “Well, we still have an audience to cheer up. Why don’t we play the counter-spell anyway?”

“About that, I’ve been thinking,” Twilight said. “I don't think it matters what song we play, as long as we play it together as friends.”

“I know just the song,” said Rainbow Dash. “Fluttershy's written a really great one.”

Fluttershy grinned.

Applejack pointed out. “Personally, I think we should play it in style. Rarity?”

Rarity’s face lit up. “I thought you'd never ask!”

“Woo-hoo!” Pinkie exclaimed. “We're getting the band back together!”

“We’re getting our band back together,” said Rainbow.

“Double Woo-hoo!”

“Hey, I know it’s kinda late,” said Sunset. “But is it okay if I join your band?

“Shoot, Sunset!” Applejack called out. “We were just about to ask ya!”

Sunset’s smiled.

We later got backstage and got into their costumes. The girls’ outfits were just like in the show. Mine was a white tank top, a black studded vest, navy-blue jeans, black boots, and a pair of dog tags.

“Due to unforeseen events, the Dazzlings are unable to perform at this time,” Celestia announced in front of the stage.

“However, we have another band who’s willing to take their place,” Luna added.

The two women then said in unison, “Please welcome...the Rainbooms!”

The crowd applauded as the girls and I made our way to the stage.

“Alright girls and Spike,” Twilight whispered. “This time, don’t hold back. If we pony-up, we pony-up.”

“Or dragon-up,” I said.

“Or dragon-up.”

Pinkie counted loudly, “One! Two! Three! Four!”

“Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh!” We sang. “I've got the music in me! Oh-oh, oh-whoa-oh!”

As we continued singing, I felt a glowing sensation. Just like in the fight with Sunset, I grew wings, fangs, and a tail. Also, my human arms turned into dragon arms. It was clever for Rarity to not give me sleeves.

The girls also gained their respective wings, ears, and tails. Even Sunset Shimmer had her share of ponying-up after her solo verse.

Once the song was over, the crowd rallied louder than before. We transformed back into our human selves. The song felt shorter than usual, but then again we weren't fighting a bunch of sirens this time.

“Rainbooms rule!” A familiar voice shouted.

Flash ran up the stage and hugged Twilight.

“That was amazing!” He exclaimed.

Told you he was under the siren’s spell, Twilight.

That’s when Trixie butted in. “You may have replaced the Dazzlings’ spot, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

She then threw a smoke bomb. I quickly covered my nose and mouth. Once the smoke settled, I could see her climbing the bleachers to get away.

“You know, Twilight is going back to Equestria soon. The Rainbooms could really use someone to help Fluttershy on backup vocals,” Rainbow said to Sunset.

Sunset picked up an electric guitar and strummed a few riffs, much to the girls’ astonishment.

“I also play guitar,” she sheepishly said.

“We’ll see,” Rainbow said with a smirk.

We all gave Sunset a group hug.

The next morning, Twilight and I were at the front of the school, ready to go home.

“You’re welcome to use that journal if you want to chat with me,” Twilight said to Sunset. “Celestia gave me hers.”

“Sure wish you two could stay longer,” Applejack said.

“Me too. But I have responsibilities in Equestria that I have to get back to. Its citizens need me.”

“And while I enjoy being a human,” I said, “I need to be by Twilight’s side. I’m still her number one assistant, after all.”

“But now we can go through the portal whenever we need to. This isn't goodbye. It's just goodbye until next time. Ready, Spike?”

“One sec. Sunset, can we talk in private?”

“Uh...sure?” Sunset replied awkwardly.

I took Sunset near the double doors of the school.

Then I whispered, “Now, you didn’t hear it from me, but rumor has it the CMC have issues deciding what secrets they should and shouldn’t post online. You might want to teach them about online safety why they should never reveal any secrets to the whole school.”

“I’ll...keep it in mind,” Sunset replied quietly.

Sunset and I returned to the group.

“Okay, now I’m ready,” I said.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow, but shrugged afterwards.

The rest of the girls waved goodbye as Twilight and I stepped into the portal. A few seconds later, we appeared back in the castle library. Starlight looked up from one of the books she was reading.

“Oh, you two are back,” she said. “How did it go?”

“The sirens won’t be a problem anymore,” replied Twilight. “Where are the girls?”

“Probably somewhere in Ponyville. They left a few hours after you two went into the portal. We should probably tell them you returned.”

“Let’s.”

As Starlight and Twilight left the library, I looked back at the portal. It was nice to participate in the Rainbooms. Now that I could access the human world whenever I wanted to, I had an idea. I needed to find a few things before some of the potential EG villains did, such as the memory stone and the mirror. There were also the Friendship Games...

“Hey, Spike!” Twilight called out from the hallway. “Are you coming?!”

“Yes!” I called back. “Wait for me!”

But for now, I would consider what I could change in Equestria.

Author's Note

Sorry this took so long. Thanks to MLPFollower for helping out.

Oh, and one more thing:

Chapter 70 (The Cutie Map)

“HEY!! Privacy!”

“Yikes!” Starlight slammed the door. “I am so sorry, Spike! I thought it was the library.”

I readjusted my towel and sighed. “This is why we need to label the rooms. I think the library is the third door from the left.”

“Thanks.”

I finished brushing my teeth, and I dried the rest of my body off. I then went to the library just in time to see Twilight and Starlight leave.

“Oh, Spike,” Twilight said. “I was just about to find you. Could you help us get the rest of the girls?”

“Uh, sure,” I replied. “What for?”

“There’s something I need to discuss with everypony.”

I had a feeling about what this episode was. I obliged and went to get Fluttershy and Applejack. The three of us returned to the castle and met up with the others.

The Mane 6, Starlight, and I entered the throne room together.

“Let's go through this one more time,” Twilight said.

“We've been over it like a million times, Twilight!” Rainbow barked as she and Pinkie sat on their respective thrones. “We found all six keys, defeated Tirek, and got this sweet castle! End of story!”

“That’s true. I’m glad you found yours in the nick of time, Twilight,” I said.

“Yes, but...” Twilight sat on her throne. “...how did you figure out Tirek’s necklace was my key, Spike?”

“Well, believe it or not, that rainbow phenomenon happened to me, too. When I left Ponyville after Fluttershy and Discord’s defeat, I rescued a mouse from a river. The leaves and twigs on its fur gave off a rainbow glow, and I realized that I still had a chance to help you all.”

“So what was your key, then?” Applejack asked. She climbed onto her throne.

“I didn’t actually receive a key. Instead, I saw a vision of some sort in the clouds that hinted what Twilight’s key would be.” It was a good thing that actually happened.

“So ya saved a mouse, saw some clouds, and concluded that Tirek’s necklace was Twilight's key?”

“I know it sounds weird, but that’s what happened. Maybe I am the hidden element of harmony that doesn’t require a key.”

“Or maybe your key wasn’t a physical key!” Pinkie theroized. “Maybe it was that vision, or that supersizing powers you received, or...”

“Okay, okay, we get it,” Twilight said. “Moving on, why were we given this castle?”

Applejack shrugged. “I dunno, sugarcube. Maybe it's just your new house and there ain't nothin' more to it than that.”

“I must say, speaking strictly on aesthetics, there really doesn't need to be more to it. It's all simply divine!” Rarity looked around the throne room before positioning herself on her own seat.

True, but I still say it looks out of place in Ponyville.

“I agree with Twilight,” said Fluttershy. “And Rarity. And Applejack. And Rainbow Dash. And Pinkie Pie. And Spike. Oh, and probably Starlight.” She plopped herself on the throne with her cutie mark.

“I didn’t say anything,” Starlight pointed out as she sat on the painted folding chair.

“As princess, I've been chosen to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria,” said Twilight. “So why would the Tree of Harmony want us to sit in a castle in Ponyville? It doesn't make any sense.”

The girls agreed. I noticed everypony was seated and the thrones glowed. However the table didn’t appear.

How come...oh, right. I have to sit down.

I hurried to the small throne right beside Twilight’s. Once I planted my rear, the green flame glowed.

Soon, everypony’s cutie marks except Starlight’s glowed brighter. Crystals formed towards the center, and immediately a flat, circular shape peaked from the structure. In a flash, figuratively and literally, the crystals formed into a table that revealed all of Equestria.

“So that’s why your thrones glowed!” Starlight exclaimed.

“Amazing!” I called out. I rubbed the back of my hand on the table. I could only feel the smooth surface, and the mountains pierced through my hands. “It’s like a hologram in one of my comic books!”

“Hi, Mom and Dad!” Pinkie said as she stared at her rock farm.

The Mane 6’s flanks vibrated as a projection of their cutie marks appeared on the map. They grouped up and moved from Ponyville to another location.

“But if this is Ponyville, why are our cutie marks over there?” Fluttershy asked.

“I don't know,” replied Twilight. “But it seems like the map wants us to find out. The Tree, the chest, this castle, and now the map. How can we not follow it?”

“Maybe somepony over there needs your help,” I said.

Rainbow stepped on the table. “Y'know what? There's a ton of room for dangerous adventure along that route. Count me in!”

Applejack sat up. “Aw, shoot, I reckon you're right.”

“Well, I was planning on organizing my baking sheets, but okay!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Rarity sighed and said, “Very well.”

“Um, maybe I'll just stay here,” Fluttershy said.

“Come on, Fluttershy.” I patted her back. “The map said you should go there with the others, so you might as well. And don’t worry. If there’s a dangerous creature there, your friends will be with you this time.”

Fluttershy inhaled. “You’re right. I'd better go with them. In case they need me.”

Starlight stared at where the cutie marks were. “Wait a minute. I know that spot! That’s where my town is!”

“Sire’s Hallow?” I asked.

“No, my other town. The one...the one where I nearly got everypony to give up their cutie marks.”

I checked and she was right. The cutie marks were in the same position as in the show.

Wait, but I got Starlight reformed before she even got a chance to remove the town’s cutie marks. Why would the map still call the Mane 6?

“But if that’s your town,” said Fluttershy. “Then...what could be happening over there?”

“Whatever it is, it looks like it needs all of us!” Rainbow declared.

“Not all of us, I’m afraid,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “I can only see six cutie marks, and I don’t see Starlight’s or anything for Spike. I think the map only wants the six of us to go.”

“Listen, I don’t know if the map can forbid it, but is it okay if I come too?” Starlight asked. “I won’t interfere with anything. I just want to see how the town is doing.”

“I guess you can tag along. Spike, how about you?”

I looked at the swirling cutie marks. There was no reason for Starlight to fall back into villany, and I already ate that stone in case she would. I figured it was worth the risk.

“No thanks,” I said nonchalantly. “I’ll just stay home. There’s nothing for me to do there.”

“If you say so,” said Twilight. “Let us know if something happens while we’re gone.”

“Will do.”

The girls quickly left the castle, leaving me all alone.

I went to my room. I sat at my desk and thought about what I can change for Season 5.

Starlight was already reformed, so the season debut and finale were already done. I couldn’t interfere with the map episodes, so I would leave them to the girls. I didn’t know if Twilight would feel homesick like in the show, so I would have to wait and see. Neither “Tanks for the Memories” nor the other half of “Amending Fences” should happen thanks to my past actions. I still needed to think about what to do for Discord during the Gala. I would use common sense in “Princess Spike,” and I would have Pinkie Pie throw that friendship party early in “Party Pooped.” I should try to tag along and see what that inside joke was between the girls and Discord. As for the rest of the episodes, I would have to decide when they come up.

For the human world, I remembered that some items would be affected by magic that escaped through a crack when the statue blew up during the Friendship Games. That meant I couldn’t just wait at the store with Juniper’s mirror or snatch Vignette’s phone the moment they get affected by magic. I could attempt to restore the crack, but I knew nothing about making cement other than the fact I had to wear gloves. I would need to find that memory stone, though. As for that time-looping device, I thought it would be best to leave it alone. Otherwise, Sunset would remain barred from the concert during “Sunset's Backstage Pass!”

There was also the factor of other assignments I could do. I wanted to restore the Castle of the Two Sisters, since that project seemed recently abandoned. I would also like to try to install a sprinkler system into our castle.

During my thought process, a faint sound of knocking was heard. I got off my chair and peeked into the hallway. The knocking continued, and I realized where it was coming from. I quickly got out of my room and headed towards the front doors.

“I’m coming!” I called out.

I opened the door to see the mailmare holding a box.

“Package for Mr. Spike!” Derpy announced.

“That’s me,” I replied. “Strange, I don’t remember ordering anything.”

After signing for the package, I brought the box inside and opened it. An envelope rested on top of an O&O Deluxe kit. I quickly opened the letter and read it.

“Dear Spike,

I almost forgot to send this to you. I have no need for it anymore due to my work and my time with Cadance.

Have fun with it, and once again congrats on the new castle!

Signed,
Shining Armor

P.S., I’m afraid I couldn’t find our character sheets, so you might have to make a new one.”

I put the letter away and took out the kit. It contained a bunch of minifigures, blank character sheets, game boards, and that trifold poster the dungeon masters use.

There was no reason to let this set collect dust. I didn’t have to go through with my plans immediately, so it would be nice to try out a session.

I knew Big Mac would be into this, but I did not know if Button Mash or Rumble would be interested. It wouldn’t hurt to ask.

I went to Sweet Apple Acres first. After helping the red stallion with his chores, I offered him a chance to play a short session with me. All I got from him was an “Eeyup,” which was fine by me. I told him to meet me near the castle while I find more players.

Rumble was next. I went to his house and asked him to join my group. I told him he didn’t have to if he didn’t want to. Luckily, he had nothing planned today, so he accepted. He flew to the castle.

My final stop was at Button Mash’s house. I rang the doorbell, and a cream-colored pony with a brown mane answered the door. My eyes widened; I knew who she was.

“May I help you?” The mare asked.

“Uh...” I cleared my throat. “Is Button Mash home right now?”

“He’s in his room right now. Why don’t you come in?”

I nodded and followed the mare inside.

“Go ahead and take a seat,” the mare said. She then approached the stairs. “Buttons! One of your friends is here.”

After hearing the faint sound of Button Mash’s voice, the mare walked away.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” I said as I sat on the couch. “But you look rather familiar. What’s your name?”

“My name is Cream Heart, child,” the mare replied. “I’m with the leading members of the Single Parents Association if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Ah, that must be it.”

So Cream Heart is a canon character? No wonder Jan had legal issues with Hasbro. I guess it was too late to show her in the series.

Button Mash trotted down the stairs holding his Game Colt. I could hear the 8-bit music from where I was sitting.

“Spike?” Button Mash pressed a button on his Game Colt, and the music stopped. “What brings you here?”

“I was wondering if you were free today,” I replied. “I’m setting up a game of...Ogres and Oubliettes, and I was wondering if you were interested.”

“What’s ‘Ogres and Oubliettes’? Is it that board game eggheads play?”

“No,” I replied sternly. “O&O is a board game that anypony or non-pony can play without being judged. You can make your character however you want, choose what to do at any time, and ask questions if you don’t understand. Basically, it’s a ‘do whatever you want’ kind of game.”

“Oh, so it’s an RPG. I get it.”

“Anyway, if you want to play a round with us, you’re welcome to come to the castle with me. If not, that’s fine. I’ve already got Big Mac and Rumble joining me, so we can manage with three players.”

For some reason, Button’s ears perked up when I mentioned Rumble’s name.

“You know what?” Button turned off his Game Colt. “It wouldn’t hurt to try new methods of gaming.”

“Okay,” I said. “As long as your mother—”

“Go ahead,” Cream called out. “Just make sure to get home before sundown.”

Button and I left the house and took the dirt road up to the castle.

I said, “Hey, your mother is—”

“I know,” Button interrupted with an annoyed tone. “You’re not the first creature to think she’s pretty, believe me.”

Once the two of us arrived at the doorstep, I took everypony to the dining room (the map was still up in the throne room) where we set up the game and our characters. I kept things simple for everypony so they wouldn’t be overwhelmed with the skill sets and classes.

“Now, don’t be afraid to ask questions during this campaign,” I said. “Just don’t ask too many detail questions, like what specific color the enemies are or what bricks the dungeons use. Use your imagination.”

We spent the next half-hour creating our characters. Big Mac’s was exactly like in the show: a unicorn knight named “Sir McBiggun.” As for my character, I chose to be a wizard like the Old Spike, however I picked a few spells different from what he would choose. I also named my character “Grand Oaf the Wise.”

“How are your characters coming along?” I asked Button and Rumble.

“Just finished mine,” said Rumble as he showed me his character. “Sticky Hooves is a pegasus thief who’s been living in the shadows and stealing ever since his parents passed when he was a colt. Then one day, he gets caught and now owes a huge sum of money to a bad king. Thus, he is forced to do quests in order to clear his debt.”

“Huh. And how about you, Button Mash?”

“Hammer Locks. An earth pony warrior,” Button said bluntly.

“What? No backstory?” Rumble asked.

“I didn’t think a backstory would be necessary.”

You sound like the guys who made Cozy Glow.

“Alright, I think we’re good to go,” I said. “Remember to keep track of your stuff, don’t be afraid to add any dialogue, and I’ll let you know if we ever enter combat so you won’t have to draw your weapon at an awkward time.”

I cleared my throat, and began the campaign.

One evening, a local tavern was polluted with different creatures of unknown intent. Their bulkiness and slimness varied as the benches and stools they sat on compressed all the same. Off-key piano music filled the air, but the loud conversations drowned it out at every chance they got.

The double doors opened as a party of four walked in. Only a handful of patrons looked before returning to their vices.

The leader of the gang, Grand Oaf, stood as the tallest. He donned a blue robe that draped all the way down to his bare dragon feet. His pointed hat was of the same color. His face was covered in a white beard that reached the belt of his robe, and his green slitted-eyes hid behind a pair of tiny silver eyeglasses that provided no advantage but for style. A worn, wooden staff with a red gem was gripped in Grand Oaf’s right hand.

Right beside him was Sir McBiggun. The red unicorn reached only half the height of Grand Oaf. Black armor coated the stallion, covering multiple scars and cuts. The only areas of his head that weren’t covered by his helmet were his emerald eyes, five o’clock shadow, and pointy horn. A dark-grey claymore rested snugly in its hilt on the left side of the knight’s armor.

Following close behind was a light-grey, late-teenager pegasus, Sticky Hooves, who also chose black as his color of clothing. However, in place of metal, his outfit was all cloth and leather that covered the majority of his body sans his hooves. Pouches were decorated across his chest and around his belt. A black hood obstructed his face, hiding the lavender eyes from anyone’s view. The part of his face that was shown was his nose and mouth, which had a scar running down his lip. His weapon of choice was a dagger, and like Sir McBiggun’s sword, it rested untouched in its hilt. Sticky Hooves was a head shorter than the knight before him.

The last member, Hammer Locks, stood by Sticky Hooves. Despite Hammer and Sticky being the same age, the former’s muscular build made him nearly as tall as Sir McBiggun. The metal trousers and sash across his torso was his only form of armor, as evident by the scars scattered across his body. His beard covered the lower half of his face, but his head was covered by nothing but stubble. One of his amber eyes was whited out, however it was merely a cosmetic damage. His weapon was a steel sledgehammer covered in runes. Its sheer size and power would make even a god of lightning envious.

The group of four creatures approached the bar. The stout bartender halted his mug cleaning to see the group.

“We’re here to see the lancer for a quest,” said Grand Oaf. “Is he around?”

Without speaking a word, the bartender pointed to a nearby table. Said table had only one occupant: an abyssinian in brown, leather armor with his lower paws on the table. He didn’t need to adjust his cavalry hat to sense the presence of the new visitors.

(“Excuse me, but what’s an abyssinian?” Rumble asked.)

(“It’s a giant cat who walks on two legs,” I replied.)

“So you’re the guys who responded to my post,” said the abyssinian. “Honestly, you were not what I expected.”

Grand Oaf avoided taking that personally and asked, “So what is the quest you have for us?”

The abyssinian sat up. “An ogre from a local dungeon owes me a lot of gold, but he refuses to pay up. I need you four to traverse down there and teach him a lesson. You’re welcome to collect any loot the big guy drops, but his gold is mine.”

The abyssinian gave the quartet directions to the cave. The group exited the tavern and made their way to the local shop.

“Feel free to buy whatever you can,” said Grand Oaf. “Lantern oil, rope, explosives, potions. This store has everything. I’ve already provided fifty gold for each of you, assuming Sticky didn’t get his hooves on them already.”

“Very funny,” said Sticky.

Grand Oaf and the others spent half of their gold on items that they assumed were needed, such as darts, food, and health potions in case Grand Oaf wasn’t able to cast any healing spells.

The members left the village afterwards and traveled for no less than a mile to the entrance to the dungeon. The mossy cobblestone glistened in the approaching moonlight.

“Any second thoughts before we go in?” ask Grand Oaf.

“Nope,” Sir McBiggun said.

“Not me.” Sticky Hooves shook his head.

“Of course not,” replied Hammer Locks.

Grand Oaf looked at the entrance. “Then down we shall go.”

The group descended into the darkness. Grand Oaf casted a light spell that gave the crystal on his staff a white glow and illuminated the path in front of them.

Strolling through the cobwebby halls was rather uneventful. Hammer would attempt to smash pots in case of loot, but all he could find were ash and dust.

(“I think that twenty-sided dice is loaded,” said Button Mash. “I’m getting nothing over 10.”)

(“Relax,” I said. “It’s just bad luck is all. One time, I got three 1’s in a row.”)

The four creatures entered a rather spacious room. Dry bones littered the floor.

(“I’d like to observe the bones,” Rumble offered.)

(“Okay, roll the d20, the twenty-sided dice, for perception,” I said.)

(“13. Is that good?”)

(“Let me check you stats...yes.”)

Sticky Hooves looked at all the bones. While it was safe to assume they were from a bunch of ponies, they gave off an eerie feeling.

“There are so many bones around,” said Sticky. “Do ogres eat ponies?”

“I do not think so,” Grand Oaf replied.

(“Alright, I’m gonna roll for a wisdom check,” I said. “15.”)

Grand Oaf widened his eyes when he realized what kind of bones they were.

“We have to hurry!” He bellowed. “These bones are—”

Suddenly, a metal gate slammed the entrance shut. The torches on the wall ignited like matchsticks until the room did not need Grand Oaf’s staff for light.

The bones jiggled until they rearranged themselves and came to life. Soon, the quartet was surrounded by at least thirty skeletons.

“Looks like we’re going to have a bad time,” said Grand Oaf.

(“Roll for initiative,” I said. “The highest number goes first in combat.”)

(“I got 17,” said Rumble.)

(“I got 11,” Button Mash said.)

(“Big Mac has 7,” I said. “Let me roll for myself...11. Now for the skeletons as a whole...13. Alright, Button, roll again. We’ve got the same number, so we need to decide who will go after who.”)

(“10.”)

(“2. That means you’ll go before me. So the order is gonna be Rumble, the skeletons, Button Mash, me, and finally, Big Mac. Rumble, you start.”)

Sticky Hooves pulled out his dagger and swung at one of the skeletons. Despite the dagger leaving no trace of a cut, the skeleton fell apart back into a pile of bones. Another nearby skeleton grabbed a femur and struck Sticky on his side. He fell down, but took only minor damage.

Hammer Locks held his hammer with both hooves and swung at a different group of skeleton ponies with full force. Miraculously, he plowed through nine of them like glass pillars.

With twenty skeletons remaining, it was Grand Oaf’s turn next. He used a light spell with maximum power. It blinded ten skeletons, and four of those bumped into each other, knocking each other out.

Sir McBiggun pulled out his sword. He struck only three skeletons in total. Which meant while the bone army was quickly depleting, they still outnumbered the mortals thirteen to four.

Sticky stood there motionless.

(“Rumble, you’re next,” I said.)

(Rumble looked up from his character sheet. “Oh, right. Uh...”)

Sticky tried to trip one of the skeletons. It didn’t work. The skeleton struck back with its bony hoof, but only tore part of Sticky’s armor off.

Hammer once again used his hammer on one of the skeletons. Its bones splitted in all directions and collided with three other skeletons, breaking them apart.

“Never mess with a raging warrior!” Hammer shouted.

This time, Grand Oaf casted a fire spell, and even though none of the skeletons wore anything flammable, at least five of them ignited into flames and poofed into ashes.

Sir McBiggun sliced the remaining four skeletons in half. Once the last of them were defeated the bones lost their white color and faded to a sickly yellowish tone.

The entrance gate rose up, followed by one on the other side of the room.

“We must keep moving,” said Grand Oaf. “We’re getting close.”

“Shouldn’t we loot first?” Hammer asked.

“If you wish.”

The group searched the room to find some sort of loot, however all they could find were either rusty weapons that the skeletons didn’t bother using, or a few coins.

After a disappointing find, the group entered the corridor.

The rest of the journey was rather anticlimactic. They managed to find a room with better loot, but the items weren’t worth replacing any of the group’s equipped weapons or armor. They still kept the items just in case it was possible to sell them.

Finally, the group came up to the last room. There, they met their final boss: the ogre. The teal giant had a plump figure that could not be hidden by his torn clothing. He sat on a rotten log and stirred a cauldron filled with bubbling purple liquid. The group didn’t take one step when the ogre noticed them.

“Hey! What are you doing in my dungeon?” barked the ogre. He then coughed.

“We’re here to collect your debt,” Grand Oaf said. “An abyssinian told us you owe him a lot of gold.”

The ogre slammed the charred spoon onto the stone pavement. “You’ve got to be joking! I handed all my gold to that furball personally!”

“If you did that, we would not be here at the moment.”

“Look, how about we negotiate?” asked Sticky. “You just give us the gold you have now, and we’ll tell the cat it was all we could get.”

“Forget it!” The ogre picked up a giant club. “If you want my gold, you’re gonna have to grab it from my cold, gargantuan hands!”

“As you wish,” said Grand Oaf. “Roll for initiative!”

(I cleared my throat. “Sorry. Roll for initiative.”)

(“Darn it!” Rumble exclaimed. “I only got a 3.”)

(“Only 5,” sighed Button Mash.)

(“Looks like Big Mac got a three as well.” I rolled the d20. “19! Nice. And the ogre gets...8. Big Mac and Rumble, roll again.”)

(“16,” said Rumble.)

(“10,” Big Mac said.)

(“So the order will be me, the ogre, Button Mash, Rumble and Big Mac.”)

“You! Will not! Attack us!” Grand Oaf shouted as he slammed the bottom of his staff. A blinding red light flashed right into the ogre’s eyes, sending the creature into a daze.

“Where did everybody go?!” The ogre swung wildly at the group. While everypony and non-pony dodged, the ogre managed to sweep Grand Oaf’s legs, causing him to fall on his own back.

“Ow. What did I just say?!”

Hammer rushed in to trip the ogre, but despite the latter being temporarily blind, he avoided the sledgehammer.

“Yeah, that didn’t work for me either,” said Sticky.

Sticky tried to disarm the ogre, but unfortunately he was knocked back after trying to slash his dagger on the ogre’s arms.

Sir McBiggun was the only pony who scored a successful and physical hit. He used his claymore to whack the back of the ogre’s knees, causing the latter to stumble.

Grand Oaf pointed his staff at the ogre and prepared a lightning strike, zapping him.

Unfortunately, the electricity resulted in the ogre standing straight up, with the blindness effects wearing off early. He swung his club once more, but missed entirely.

Sticky had an idea on how to blind the ogre again. He pulled out a hoof-made smoke bomb from one of his pouches and...

(“A natural twenty!” Big Mac and I shouted in unison.)

(“A what?” Rumble asked, tilting his head.)

(“You scored a twenty without any modifiers,” I said. “That’s means something extremely lucky will happen.”)

The smoke bomb exploded, and the ogre inhaled the smoke. That’s when he choked uncontrollably. The smoke bomb, as it turns out, had an ingredient that the ogre was severely allergic to. He coughed as the smoke exhaled from his mouth and nostrils.

“You...got...me...” wheezed the ogre.

He collapsed near the cauldron. He grabbed a mug, dipped it into the bubbling liquid, and took one last chug.

“Needs...more...sugar...”

Then he literally poofed out of existence.

“The ogre’s defeated!” Grand Oaf announced. “Let us gather his loot. I’m sure he doesn’t need it anymore.”

Sure enough, the loot the group gathered was a lot more valuable than what they found in the dungeon combined. Grand Oaf found a tome for advance enchantments, Sir McBiggun found a shield, Hammer found some steel ingots, and Sticky found slumber darts. They all also found some health and mana potions.

But what they found was the most important aspect of this quest: the gold. A huge leather sack rested on the table. Grand Oaf undid the strings to be introduced to a massive pile of coins.

“This must be the debt money,” Grand Oaf said as he tied the bag back up. “Sir McBiggun, would you kindly carry the sack for us?”

“Eeyup,” said Sir McBiggun. He put the bag underneath his chest armor.

“I was gonna offer,” said Sticky, “but then again I think the cat would assume I took some from the bag. You know, me being a thief and all.”

The group exited the dungeon and returned to the village. When they entered the tavern, the place looked a lot less crowded than before. It was safe to assume that “Happy Hour” was over. However, the abyssinian still remained at his table in the same sitting position as when the group first met him. The only difference was that a couple of apple cider mugs littered the table.

“Ah, so you have returned,” said the abyssinian. “Do you have the ogre’s money?”

“Indeed,” replied Grand Oaf. “However, I’m afraid he’s not gonna ask for money from you again anytime soon. Sir McBiggun?”

Sir McBiggun pulled out the bag and tossed it onto the table. It landed with a thump, causing the mugs to jump and one of them to roll off.

The abyssinian opened the bag and bit into one of the coins. He nodded.

“Thank you all,” said the abyssinian. “I do hope he’ll be the last customer to default on his loan from me.”

“Say, there was something that’s been bothering me,” said Hammer. “Before we defeated him, the ogre said he already paid you.”

“Indeed he did, but it was not real gold. The coins were nothing but wooden circles painted gold. He only did that because he thought I wasn’t bright.”

“Well, we’ll be on our way,” said Grand Oaf. “Do let us know if you have any more quests for us.”

“And do let me know if you’re in need of a loan,” replied the abyssinian.

“Trust me, I don’t need to owe another guy money,” Sticky said.

“And that’s it for this campaign,” I said. “Did you guys enjoy it?”

The boys gave pleasant comments.

I adjusted the game board. “If you want, we can try another quest. I’ll need to come up with one first, but—”

“We’re home!” Twilight’s voice shouted from the hallway.

“Uh, oh. Guess we’ll call it a day. Thanks for playing, guys. I’ll hold onto the character sheets for you next time.”

As Button, Rumble, and Big Mac left, I put everything back into the box. I then put the box in my room and hurried to find the girls.

“Twilight?” I called out.

“In the throne room, Spike!” Twilight’s voice echoed through the halls.

I quickly hurried there to see the Mane 6 and Starlight sitting on their thrones.

“So how did it go?” I asked as I climbed into my seat.

“Terrible!” Rainbow groaned.

“Uh, oh. What happened? Did you fail your mission?”

“No, we passed,” Twilight replied. “Turns out most of the problem was just mundane stuff, like what should be built, who should live where...”

“Where to put different shops, what goodies to sell,” Pinkie added.

“Just minor disagreements,” Starlight said. “It had nothing to do with their cutie marks, of course.”

“So why did Rainbow say it was terrible?” I asked.

“Hello?! ‘Cause I wanted to fight giant monsters!” Rainbow rebutted. “Not deciding which paint color the houses should have! How can our first mission be so boring?!”

“Well...maybe the map wants to make sure you’re familiar with how it works. Like a tutorial, as it were.”

“Tutorial, schmutorial! If my next mission doesn’t involve action, I’m getting my cutie mark removed!”

“You’re welcome to do an O&O campaign with me.”

Rainbow blinked. “Uh...I’m not that desperate.”

“Suit yourself.”

It was quite an experience playing Ogres and Oubliettes with some of my male friends. I kind of expected the map to not call for me, which was a good thing since the girls needed to learn without me sometimes. Though I was surprised it still sent the girls to the Starlight’s village.

I just hoped that Griffonstone would still be exciting enough for Dashie. I didn’t know if she was serious about getting rid of her cutie mark.

Chapter 72 (Make New Friends but Keep Discord)

I went to the castle’s dining room with a plate of reheated pancakes in my hand. Pinkie wasn’t joking when she said she and Twilight made a lot. We had enough for three mornings, and I was including second breakfasts.

“Good morning, Spike,” Twilight greeted.

“Morning, Twilight and Starlight,” I replied. “Studying already?”

“Mmm-hmm,” Starlight hummed as her nose was stuck in a book.

I ate one of the pancakes. “So what are your girls’ plans for the day besides the obvious?”

“I’ve been meaning to have my books rearranged in the castle library,” said Twilight. “You?”

“Well, I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I think this castle could do with a sprinkler system.”

Starlight looked up from her book. “A sprinkler system?”

“In case of fire hazards. There’s no telling when a fire might happen, and the chances are increased since one of us can breathe fire.”

“But wouldn’t we risk ruining some of Twilight’s books? I haven’t known her that long, but I don’t think she wants to see the library flooded because of some kitchen or dragon mishap in another room.”

“Actually, Starlight,” Twilight said, “Sprinklers these days have a tiny glass tube in them that breaks under intense heat, so they would only activate where the fire is and nowhere else.” She then turned to me. “I’ll check to see where we can purchase one.”

All of a sudden my stomach squeezed and I burped out a scroll. Starlight nearly jumped back.

“I keep forgetting you did that,” Starlight said.

I unrolled the scroll and skimmed through it. “Hey, Princess Celestia is inviting us to this year’s Grand Galloping Gala!”

Twilight gasped. “I almost forgot about it. She’s a bit late this year.”

I saw a note attached to the scroll. “‘Twilight, apologies about sending this so late. Lately, the mail service system in Canterlot has been facing a few problems. Hopefully, they will be resolved soon. Your friends might also get their tickets late as well.’ I guess that answers your question, Twilight.”

“Hey, I just got an idea! Why don’t you come with us to the gala, Starlight? This can be a great friendship exercise for you, and we can tell Princess Celestia about your friendship lessons.”

“But aren’t those kinds of galas full of rich, snooty ponies?” Starlight asked. “I don’t think I’m that high up on the social ladder to attend.”

“Neither were Twilight and me,” I said. “Yet, we were invited by Celestia last year along with the rest of our friends. And...” I counted the tickets. “...there’s three here anyway.”

“Well...I guess I could give it a try...”

“Great!” Twilight exclaimed as she grabbed Starlight’s hoof. “Let’s find Rarity. She’ll need to make a dress for you!”

As Twilight pulled her “student” out of the dining room, I thought about what I need to do for Discord. Since Fluttershy invited Treehugger to the gala already, Discord would be jealous since he wanted Fluttershy to invite him. I figured he and I should go together as friends. At the very least, he wouldn’t bring the Smooze with him.

It was only a few days before the gala. I walked into my bedroom to see a huge lump on my bed. I yanked off the covers to reveal a ticked-off draconequus.

“Discord!” I shouted. “Get off my bed!”

“Where’s Twilight?” Discord asked sternly.

“She’s helping Celestia with some last-minute decorations for the gala. I take it you didn’t get your ticket yet?”

“How did you know that?” Discord winked at me. He was testing me. We were in a place where the walls had ears, and I didn’t mean he poofed up some lobes around my room.

“Well, Celestia said that there was a problem with the mailponies. Twilight and I got ours late as well.”

Discord nodded. “But who says that Celestia even considered inviting me? You think she’s gonna let a creature of chaos into a party?”

“If I remember correctly, Celestia would complain about how boring the gala was each year. Given how many she attended in her life, I don’t blame her. I’m sure she’d invite you to liven things up a bit.”

“Hmph, as if. She’s not the pony to let chaos reign on her events, and I’d know.”

“Well, she is the kind to make things interesting in her own way. Say, I was thinking, since Fluttershy is unavailable, how about you and I go to the gala together?”

Discord blinked. “Spike, I thought you were into shy pegasus ponies with butterflies as their cutie mark, not centuries-old mishmash of creatures.”

“I meant as buddies!” I retorted.

“Tell you what, I need to stick to the script for a few minutes. I’ll get back to you on that offer.”

Discord then disappeared.

I made sure I had everything for the gala. I checked my closet, and I still had my penguin tux from last year. There was no need for Rarity to make me a new one. My gala ticket rested on the table. I couldn’t think of bringing anything else.

About five minutes later, Discord poofed in my room yet again. At least it was better than him appearing in my bed.

“I thought about what you said.” He showed me his ticket. “Let’s go together.”

I stood silently. I didn’t expect Discord to accept my proposition so easily. Part of me thought he was going to say that he found another friend to bring. I was skeptical, but I played along.

“Just don’t be jealous of Fluttershy,” I said.

“I’d say the same to you, since she wanted to bring somepony else to the gala instead of her...special somedragon.” Again, this was another one of his tests.

“I let her do that,” I said. “We already dated during last year’s gala.”

The night of the gala approached already. It seemed like yesterday Twilight and I just got the tickets. Twilight and Starlight went to Canterlot early to check on everything before the gala started. I remained in Ponyville, waiting for Discord.

I was tying my bowtie when I noticed my suit felt a bit confining. I took a step back from the mirror and realized the sleeves were about an inch shorter.

Did this suit shrink? It didn’t feel as tight during Rarity’s Ponyville party, and I dry cleaned it before then. Maybe it’s related to my greed-induced bigness after my fight with Tirek?

I shook my head. I was certain it was just me growing up regularly. I would have to ask Rarity to sew me another suit for next year’s gala whenever I got the chance.

I left my room and went down the hallway towards the entrance. Just when I was about to head out to the train station, my ears picked up a strange whirring sound.

What is that?

I turned around to see an orange tornado swirling towards me. I quickly opened the double doors and got out of the way hoping the strange vortex would just zip past. That’s when it slowed down and revealed the creature inside.

“I should have known it was you,” I said.

“Smokin’ suit, Spike!” Discord announced as he brushed his orange suit and top hat. “It looks just like the one you wore last year, albeit a bit smaller.”

“Well, it is the same suit. I wasn’t in the market for another one.”

“Ah, whatever.” He then grabbed me by the hips. “Let’s get on out there and show that gala (and a certain pegasus) how to party!”

After a snap of his fingers and a blinding white flash, the two of us were in front of the Canterlot castle.

“Wait until you see what I’ve got planned,” Discord said. “You've got your ticket, right?”

I checked my pockets and found it in my inner jacket. I gave him a nod.

As we passed the gates, the sounds of bugles filled the air.

“Announcing the spirit of chaos, Discord!” One of the guards shouted. “And his guest, Spike the Dragon!”

We entered the foyer as the ponies murmured around us. I could see Celestia and Twilight staring on top of the stairs.

“Good evening, everypony! What a glorious affair!” Discord called out.

I sheepishly waved. Twilight came down the stairs and approached us.

“Spike, why are you hanging out with Discord?” She asked quietly.

“He’s invited to the gala, too,” I replied. “Since Fluttershy was going with Treehugger to the gala, I knew Discord would be lonely, so I offered to go with him.”

“But you know how chaotic he can be. I don’t want him to be a bad influence on you.”

“I’m standing right here, you know,” Discord said.

Twilight turned to Discord and said, “This night is extremely important to me, Discord. Keep yourself under control!”

You’re better off asking a mongoose and a snake to get along, Twilight.

“Yes, yes, yes, of course,” replied Discord. “Tell me, have you seen Fluttershy anywhere?”

“She’s in the ballroom with Treehugger.”

Twilight took our tickets, and Discord headed to the ballroom.

I quickly whispered to Twilight, “Don’t worry. If I get a sudden urge for chocolate rain, I’ll warn you immediately.”

I quickly followed Discord. As I entered the spacious camber, I looked around for the rest of my friends. Pinkie and Maud were near the buffet. The CMC were dancing on the ballroom floor while Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash watched. Starlight was by herself, looking around the room.

“There they are,” Discord growled. We both saw Fluttershy at a table chatting with Treehugger.

We approached the table. Discord cleared his throat, but Fluttershy didn’t notice.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I greeted. That got her attention.

“Oh, hello, Spike,” Fluttershy said as she hugged me. “And...Discord?”

“Finally, you notice me,” said Discord.

“I thought you didn’t want to come to the gala.”

“No. I actually never said that. But funny how you remembered it that way.”

“Well, anyway, it’s nice seeing you two here,” I said. “Glad we could meet again, Treehugger.”

“Nice to meet you, lil’ drake,” Treehugger greeted. “Blessings.” She then turned to Discord. “And you as well.”

Discord snorted. “You have met me before actually!”

“Cool! Like, in another life, maybe?”

“You've gotta be kidding. You don't remember me? We met back in Ponyville a few days ago!”

“I meet a lot of different creatures, each one of them perfect and unique.”

“That is true,” I said. “She is from The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures. Although, I’d admit it’s nigh impossible to forget a creature such as a draconequus.”

“Indeed,” said Discord. “As I was saying, it's just great to be here with my friends.”

“Um, I was just thinking, the four of us should go out to dinner sometime,” Fluttershy suggested.

“We should all go out to dinner sometime?!” Discord gasped. “Have you no heart?”

“What’s the big deal?” I asked. “It would be nice for us to hang out and share stories with each other. Ooh! Fluttershy, we can tell Treehugger how you and I became Breezies that one time.”

“Far out,” said Treehugger.

Discord stretched. “Well, I’d better mingle with some of the top ponies here. Come along, Spike.”

Discord left the table. I bid the girls goodbye and caught up with him.

“What’s your problem, Discord?” I asked. “Why are you acting so hostile towards Treehugger?”

“Oh, gosh. Where to begin?” he sarcastically asked. “First, Fluttershy asks her to the gala instead of moi! Then Treehugger completely forgets who I am despite meeting her recently!”

“I don’t understand how you can be so jealous of Treehugger just because Fluttershy asked her to one gala. You weren’t jealous of me when I started dating Fluttershy. At least, you never confirmed it.”

“This is different, Spike. Being somepony’s best friend and being somepony’s special somepony are two completely different things! Besides, n-nopony said I was jealous of Tree-flower.”

“Look, Discord. Just because Fluttershy’s your first friend does not mean you should prevent her from making new ones. I even wrote that in the friendship journal.”

Discord looked to see Fluttershy and Treehugger chatting with Rainbow, Applejack, Scootaloo and Applebloom.

“Excuse me for a sec,” Discord said as he teleported to the other group.

I rubbed my forehead. I went to find some refreshments.

To my surprise, the buffet table had much better meals than last year. The food was properly labeled and looked appetizing. The punch itself was actual fruit punch instead of plain cucumber water. I bet my scales Twilight suggested these. I would have to thank her later if that were the case.

I poured myself a cup of punch and took a circular cracker topped with cottage cheese and parsley. As I ate my light meal, I could tell that some of the party folks weren’t amused at seeing Discord in the flesh. Or anyone else from Ponyville for that matter.

“I swear, this used to be a party of refinement, now they let any commoner in,” a snobbish stallion said. “Why the princess would invite such low-lives is beyond me.”

The mare and other stallion that was with him nodded in agreement.

“Hey, she invited you guys, didn’t she?” I asked.

The group left in a huff. I ate the other half of my cracker without any regrets about what I just said.

I looked around for any other familiar ponies. I didn’t see Moondancer anywhere. Whether it was she didn’t want to attend, she wasn’t invited, or she wasn’t here yet was beyond me. It was a disappointment since I would like to see her interact with Starlight.

Speaking of which, I spotted her talking to Twilight at a nearby table. It didn’t hurt to see what they were up to, so I approached their table.

“So how are you liking this gala?” Twilight asked.

Starlight shrugged. “It’s fine...I guess.”

“Made any new friends?”

Starlight sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Twilight. But I can’t seem to interact with anypony here. They mostly are all like...” Starlight pushed her nose up and spoke in an over-the-top Trottingham accent. “‘Please do not speak to me unless you want to discuss high-class stuff, myes.’”

Twilight tried not to chuckle. “It’s alright, Starlight. There’s no pressure if you don’t make a friend here.”

“You still got us,” I said as I showed up.

“Oh hey, Spike,” Twilight said. “I hope you’re enjoying this gala, too.”

“Yeah, I am. For once, the food here’s both edible and free.” I took a sip of punch. “I wish Discord could enjoy it, though.”

The three of us saw Discord with Fluttershy talking to Treehugger. No doubt he was talking to her about the “two cakes” story.

“What’s with Discord anyway?” Starlight asked. “It looks like he’s being protective of Fluttershy.”

“It’s because he’s jealous of Treehugger,” I replied.

“Really?”

“You have to remember Fluttershy’s his first friend, so it would make sense that he wouldn’t take kindly to her asking somepony else to the gala.”

Starlight looked at me. “But...you’re in a relationship with Fluttershy, right? Shouldn’t you be the jealous one?”

I shook my head. “Fluttershy and I went together last year. We met Treehugger on a trip to see the Breezies a few months back. That’s when we learned she wanted to go to the gala. Since none of Treehugger's friends wanted to go, Fluttershy offered to go with her, and I allowed it.”

“Twilight! Twilight!” A voice cried.

We turned to see Rarity galloping towards us. She had a distressed look in her eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

“I can’t find my necklace! My ensemble is ruined!” Rarity screamed.

“Alright, relax. Where’d you last have it?”

“Out in the gardens! Somepony must’ve stolen it! Oh, how could somepony ever be so cruel?!”

Twilight and Starlight got up from their seats.

“We’ll help you find it,” said Twilight.

“Oh, thank you!”

“Quick question,” I said rapidly. “You didn’t see any green slime, did you?”

“No...” Rarity replied. “Why would you ask such a question like that?”

I looked around for Discord. “Just making sure.”

I finished my cup and went to find Fluttershy. Eventually, I found her with Treehugger as usual.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh, Tree Hugger, I've never known anypony as fun—”

“Excuse me, Fluttershy,” I quickly interrupted. “But can I talk to you in private for a minute?”

“Uh...sure.”

I took Fluttershy aside and whispered to her, “I hate to alarm you, but I think Discord’s jealous of you and Treehugger.”

“Why?”

“My guess is he’s afraid of being abandoned and replaced.”

“But I’m not gonna replace him.”

“Then tell him that. He’ll understand when it’s coming from you.”

“Alright, I will. Where is he now?”

“Probably on one of the chandeliers.”

“No, I’m not!” Discord called out from one of the hanging lights. I could see his horn and antler poking out.

“Discord, please come down here.” Fluttershy sounded like a disappointed mother.

Discord poofed in front of us. The light fixture was still attached to his body.

“Put the chandelier back.” Fluttershy squinted her eyes.

Discord snapped his fingers and got his orange suit back.

“Spike told me that you’re jealous of Treehugger because she would replace you,” Fluttershy said.

“And here I thought our little dragon could keep secrets,” Discord said.

“I don’t recall you saying your jealousy was a secret,” I replied. “And if it was, you’re not doing any better hiding it.”

“I don't understand why you're acting like this, Discord,” Fluttershy said. “We’re all getting along so well.”

“As well as we could,” Discord rebutted, “considering you've already stomped all over our friendship by inviting Treelover to the biggest night of the year as if I didn't matter at all!”

“You do matter, Discord. Did you really think I'd abandon you just because I have a new friend? What if you had a friend that you could discuss chaos-based magic with? Would that mean you and I weren't friends anymore?”

“I...uh...eh...” Discord looked at me. “No...it would just mean that I'd have different friends for different things…”

Fluttershy nodded. I raised an eyebrow.

He’s caving in so soon?

“I’m just so new at this whole friendship thing,” said Discord. “It's so much more complicated than it looks.”

“Do you think maybe you owe somepony an apology?” Fluttershy asked. Discord spawned a flower in his hand. “Not me.”

“Oh, right.”

Discord snapped his fingers again. Treehugger appeared and collapsed to the floor.

"Woah," said Treehugger. "For a moment I thought I was sitting on a chair."

“Er, Treehugger,” Discord said, “I'm sorry that I gave you the...er, you know...brush-off.”

“Oh, it's all groovy.”

Discord held out a paw. “Need help getting up?”

“Nah, I’m gonna lay here for a spell.”

“In the middle of a ballroom?”

“I need, like, a few minutes to clear out my chakras.”

“Oh, your chakras.” Discord chuckled nervously. “Fair enough.”

“What are chakras?” Fluttershy whispered. “Are they a type of chocolate?”

“They’re like pools of energy in your body,” I replied. “I read about it in a meditation book.”

“This drake gets it,” said Treehugger.

“Say, why don’t you and Fluttershy go hang out, Discord? I’ll stay here with Treehugger.”

“Sure thing.” Discord replied.

As Discord and Fluttershy left together, I sat down next to Treehugger.

“Say, Treehugger, could you sing that...blissed sonic song, please?” I asked. “I’d like to hear how it goes.”

“You mean my sonic bliss? I’d love to.”

Treehugger cleared her throat and sang. The song was identical to the one in the show. The only difference being there was no green slime filling the ballroom this time.

The rest of the gala was very enjoyable. Fluttershy and I met with the exotic animals again. They shared a lot of stories since last year. Some of them had wanted to see Fluttershy again this year. I guess Fluttershy really is a friend to all animals.

Discord, true to his name, caused a few chaotic “slip-ups,” but they weren’t as bad as the galas in the show. All of them were simply harmless pranks, like causing it to drizzle chocolate rain in one half of the garden. It was a good thing Celestia invited him to make the gala more interesting. Though I wonder if that was her true intention or she got loopy from all that sugar in the punch.

Discord and I shared a couple of dances with Fluttershy as well. I thought Discord should have at least one dance with her.

Rarity found her necklace. It got caught on one of the bushes at the garden and snapped off without her knowing. That had to be one weak chain.

By the time the gala was over, the girls, Discord, and I went to the donut shop. I ordered a pink-frosted donut with sprinkles, and it had just the right amount of sweetness without the taste being overwhelming. Fluttershy ordered a lightly-powdered donut like last year. Treehugger wanted a donut with wheatgrass, but she settled for a whole wheat donut since Pony Joe didn’t have wheatgrass. Discord ordered an everything bagel with chocolate frosting. I didn’t think one could order something like that, but apparently it was possible.

I sat with Fluttershy, Discord, and Treehugger. We chatted about Fluttershy and my time with the Breezies.

“...and migrating for so many miles wasn’t all that tiring,” said Fluttershy. “The wind kept us on course, and we didn’t even have to flap so much. It was like being a feather.”

“Righteous,” said Treehugger. “I wish I could’ve tagged along with you. It would be hip to be a Breezie for a short while.”

“I can help with that,” said Discord.

“Don’t even think about it.” I pinched Discord’s talons together.

“What? She said for a short while. You know, I think I may actually grow to like this multiple-friend thing.”

“I’m just glad we could all enjoy the gala,” said Fluttershy cheerfully.

I couldn’t agree more. I was glad I could prevent the Smooze from ruining the gala and make Discord friends with Treehugger early. In a way, I may have been one of the few to stop the Smooze, and nopony can stop the Smooze.

Chapter 73 (Bloom and Gloom & The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone)

Fall came to Equestria, as evident by the slight changes in leaf color and the kids going back to school. Summer seemed to have lasted longer than usual this year for some reason. At least, it felt like it to me.

Applebloom and I were helping Applejack buck some of the apples in the orchard.

“Thank you for helpin’ me and Applebloom with these apples, Spike,” said Applejack. “I swear, it’s like we got a second Applebuck Season this year!”

“No problem,” I said as I kicked a tree. “At least you accepted my help this year.”

“Aww, Spike, can you let that go? I was just a little stubborn back then.” Applejack sighed. “Oh, I nearly forgot to tell ya. Babs Seed sent us a letter, she—”

“She finally got her cutie mark!” Applebloom interrupted.

“Really? That’s great!” I exclaimed as I picked up a bucket. “What’s her talent?”

“I dunno. Her cutie mark is a pair of scissors, so I guess it might mean her talent’s cutting manes and such.”

“Huh, interesting. You’d think she and Snips would get along? His cutie mark is a pair of scissors as well.” I chuckled a little.

Applebloom picked up another bucket. “I doubt it. Anyway, I told the CMC about it, and we wondered what Babs might do since she’s not a Cutie Mark Crusader anymore.”

“Who decided that? Nopony said she can’t help others find their cutie mark. Sure she found her special talent, but it shouldn’t force her away from the club and her blank flank friends. She can still guide those who are looking for their special talent. At least, that’s my two bits on it.”

“Well, honestly, I felt like that should be true. I had this nightmare about gettin’ a cutie mark. (I know, ironic since I’m a Cutie Mark Crusader.) That’s when I learned that a cutie mark won't change who we are or how everypony feels about us. So the next morning, the girls ‘n’ I sent a care package to Manehattan for Babs so she wouldn't feel worried about receivin’ her cutie mark.”

The “Bloom and Gloom” episode. Well, it wasn’t like I could change it by visiting Applebloom’s dreams.

Applebloom and I put the baskets in the barn. Applejack came up to us with two more on her back.

“Hey, Applejack, are you and Rainbow Dash gonna do the Iron Pony competition this year?” I asked.

“Nah, that was only a one-time thing for me ‘n’ Rainbow.” Applejack put her baskets next to the others. “You could try bringin’ it back. Ya just need somepony to challenge ya.”

“Ah, I don’t think so. It’s an Iron Pony competition, not an Iron Dragon competition.”

“It’s just a name, Spike. I am gonna participate in the Runnin’ of the Leaves again this year, so if RD wants ‘nother shot, she’s willin’ to join me.”

“Actually, I heard the Runnin’ of the Leaves was gonna be two parts this year,” Applebloom said. “One for the beginning of fall, and one for the beginning of winter.”

“Huh, didn’t know that.”

“I guess it was because last year, a lot of trees still had leaves even before winter came,” I said. “So it would make sense for the ponies to do the marathon again.”

We returned to the orchard with empty baskets and continued our applebucking.

One day, Twilight and Starlight were in the throne room working on Starlight’s friendship lessons via flash cards. I sat on the opposite side of the table reading one of my comic books.

“Alright, Starlight,” said Twilight. “Third question: You see somepony accidentally drop their bag of bits right in front of you. What do you do?”

“I let them know they dropped it and give it back to them,” Starlight replied.

“Good job.” Twilight pulled out another flash card. “Fourth question: It’s a florist’s birthday today. What would you give them as a present?”

Starlight gasped. “The map!”

“Uhh...I’m sorry, Starlight, that’s not correct. I’d accept any form of gardening supplies or flowers, but I’m afraid a map isn’t—”

“No, Twilight,” I said as I peeked over my comic book. “She’s saying the map is activated.”

Twilight looked to see the crystal table revealing the map of Equestria. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark appeared on the map.

“Looks like RD and Pinkie need to solve a friendship problem,” I said.

“But where?” Twilight put her flashcards away.

We watched as the cutie marks moved from Ponyville, through the mountains, and finally stopping near Griffonstone.

So “The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone” is still happening. Figures.

Rainbow Dash blasted through the double doors.

“Twilight!” Rainbow shouted with glee. “Is the map calling for me?! My cutie mark’s glowing here!”

Twilight nodded. “It called for Pinkie Pie, too. Both of you are going to Griffonstone.”

Rainbow’s wings drooped. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Oh, Rainbow.” I closed my comic book. “Pinkie may be annoying, but she’s still your friend. You shouldn’t—”

“That’s not what I’m disappointed about. Do I really have to visit Griffonstone?”

“Well, I doubt there’s a way to reject the friendship problem or do it while staying at Ponyville.”

Rainbow Dash slumped on her throne like an annoyed child. A few minutes later, Pinkie Pie came pronking in.

“Twilight! Twilight!” She exclaimed. “The map’s calling for me! My flank’s shining!”

“So was Rainbow Dash’s,” said Twilight.

She and Pinkie then gazed at the model of Griffonstone on the map.

“This is so exciting,” Twilight said as she pulled out a book. “The map is summoning you to Griffonstone, the very heart of the griffon kingdom! I don't know if either of you have read ‘Bygone Griffons of Greatness’, but griffons were known to be—”

“Rude, insensitive bullies?” Rainbow asked.

“You mean Gilda?”

“Yeah, I mean Gilda!”

“Who’s Gilda?” Starlight asked.

“One of Rainbow Dash’s old friends from flight school,” I replied.

“When she came to visit Ponyville, she was a total jerk to all my friends, especially Pinkie Pie!” Rainbow pointed out.

“She was a bit of a party pooper,” Pinkie said while lying on her back.

“Yikes.” Starlight covered her mouth.

“So, maybe Gilda was a little rude,” said Twilight. “You still get to go to Griffonstone, and according to this book, it has a rich, fascinating history!”

Twilight then gave a history lesson to all four of us on King Grover and the Idol of Boreas.

“It's said that that one great treasure is responsible for turning Griffonstone into the most majestic kingdom of all the land,” Twilight concluded. “It’s a shame about what happened to the place, though.”

“What happened to the place, though?” Pinkie asked.

“Spike said that last time he was there, Griffonstone had fallen under dilapidation for many moons because the idol got stolen by Arimaspi.”

“So we find the idol and restore the kingdom, right?” Rainbow asked.

“You didn’t let me finish,” Twilight sternly replied. “Spike managed to find the idol and give it back to the griffons, but it didn’t seem to do anything.”

“But who’s to say that Griffonstone hasn’t tried to get back on its feet?” I asked. “I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve been to Griffonstone, so the griffons could be in the process of restoring the kingdom by now.”

Rainbow groaned. “Don’t tell me this is another one of those missions where we have to resolve differences on how to operate the town!”

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” said Twilight.

“Why do you care so much about griffons anyway, Twilight?”

“It was actually Gilda's visit that made me curious. So I picked up this book, and I've been hooked ever since!” Twilight sighed. “Now you two get to see Griffonstone with your very own eyes.”

“Just me and Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie asked.

“Hey, you can totally take my place if you want, Twilight,” Rainbow offered. “I still have half a nap to finish.”

“Why don't you just come with us? I mean, you are the Princess of Friendship, Twilight.”

Twilight shook her head. “No, no, if the map wanted me to go to once was the coolest kingdom in all of Equestria and help the griffons restore what was once theirs, I'm sure it would've said so. You two can handle whatever the issue is just fine. I'll stay here and do important princessy things...I guess.”

“Come on, Twilight,” Starlight said. “There’s no shame in going. I mean, I went with you girls when you were summoned to my old town, and the map didn’t even call for me. All you have to do is not interfere.”

“She has a point,” I said. “As long as you let Rainbow and Pinkie sort things out on their own.”

Twilight bit her lip. “I’m sorry, but it’s better if I stay here. I might end up helping by mistake.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Well then, come on, Dashie!” Pinkie announced. “We're going to Griffonstone!”

Rainbow sighed. “Fine.”

“That's the spirit!” Pinkie pulled out and blew on a party horn.

Starlight, Twilight, and I waved Pinkie and Rainbow goodbye as they took the train to Griffonstone.

“Tell Gabby and Gallus I said hi!” I shouted.

“I hope that booklet will help them,” said Twilight.

“I’m surprised you wrote that in such little time,” said Starlight.

“Well, it’s back to the castle, I guess.”

“Hey, girls, I was thinking,” I said. “Why don’t we try working on restoring the Castle of the Two Sisters again?”

Twilight’s ears perked up. “Oh, right! I completely forgot. Yeah, maybe we should work on that.”

“Are you two talking about those ruins above the Tree of Harmony?” Starlight asked. “Isn’t it a bit too late to restore it?”

“Not really, Starlight. The girls and I tried to spruce it up during the beginning of the summer, but we never finished. I don’t know if it was due to time constraints or that it was too much work overall. It wouldn’t hurt to give it another shot. Let’s see how much more work needs to be done.”

We trekked through the Everfree Forest and approached the ruins.

“We did a bit of cleaning and disposing last time,” said Twilight. “Although, we might have to do a bit more.”

“So we’re going to restore all of it before wintertime?” Starlight asked.

“Not all of it. We should focus on restoring some of the walls and roofs for now.” Twilight picked up a small brick. “If we can find out what materials they used, we can order some to patch up a couple of rooms.”

I said, “We can also try to find some building plans for the castle so we’d know the exact layout and dimensions.”

“You think there’s gonna be something like that still around?”

“The books here seemed to have held up nicely for a thousand years. Who’s to say the same can’t be said for ancient blueprints?”

“I didn’t see any last time I was here. But it wouldn’t hurt to look.”

We entered the ruin’s library and searched through the remainder of the old books and scrolls. Unfortunately, our search turned up null as the books we found were either in an old language we couldn’t understand or became too ruined to be read.

“Any luck?” Twilight asked Starlight and me.

We both shook our heads.

“I don’t speak Old Ponish,” I said. “I can’t tell if these scrolls are ancient spells, blueprints, or the Princesses’ old grocery lists.”

“Why can’t we just ask Princess Celestia and Luna?” Starlight offered. “I mean, they did live here before. Maybe they still know how the castle works.”

“Yeah, why don’t we try that? It’s not like we’re planning this restoration project as a surprise or anything. Oh, how about their journal? Is it still here?”

“I gave it back to them a while ago, Spike,” Twilight replied. “I doubt they want me to read through it again.”

“Then we’ll send them a letter.” I pulled out a parchment and quill. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “Alright.” She then cleared her throat.

“Dear Princess Celestia,
My student, assistant, and I were roaming the Castle of the Two Sisters, and we had a few questions about the place. First of all, do you recall keeping any plans for the construction of the castle? Secondly, what materials were used for the main walls and ceiling? We’ve had thoughts about fixing the place up.
If you do not have anything, that’s okay. We’ll try our best to figure it out ourselves.
Sincerely,
Twilight Sparkle.”

I signed Twilight’s name on the scroll and used my fire breath to send it away.

“Let’s hope she responds quickly.” Twilight shivered. “Ooh. We better head back. I can feel the autumn breeze kicking in.”

“Sure it’s not ghosts?” I joked.

“Very funny.”

The three of us left the ruins with a couple of books and bricks. My ears picked up a weird howling sound, but I shook my head.

Back at our castle, Twilight examined one of the mossy blocks while reading a book titled, “Ancient Architecture.”

“How’s the process?” Starlight asked as she entered the library.

“Not so good.” Twilight put her magnifying glass down. “Apparently, construction materials weren’t as varied back then as they are today. I can’t find anything specific other than ‘stone bricks.’ What kind of stone did they use for those? That’s what I need to know.”

“Any news from the princesses?”

“Not yet,” I replied.

Starlight sat down next to us. “I wonder how Pinkie and Rainbow are holding up. You think they’re done with their friendship problem by now?”

“Hard to say,” I replied. “Does the map tell us?”

“Did it not tell you when the seven of us went to my old town?”

“I was doing an O&O session at the time. All I remember was that it was still up when you girls left, so I guess it disappears when you girls solve the friendship problem.”

“I can go check right now.”

“You do that.”

As Starlight left the library, I looked at one of the blocks.

“So are we going to hire a construction company to help us?” I asked. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not experienced in making brick walls for ruins.”

“It would depend on our budget,” Twilight replied.

All of a sudden, I felt a squeeze in my stomach. I burped out the scroll with the usual green flames.

“That must be the princess,” I said.

Twilight opened the scroll. “‘Dear Twilight, I just got your letter…’ Ah, here we go. ‘I vaguely remember the exact materials used on our old castle; however, I remember they used common stone bricks for the majority of the castle. Whatever modern brand you use would work similar to, if not the same as, the old bricks. I know of a reliable construction company in Ponyville who is willing to rebuild the castle for you. I provided their information on the back of this letter. As for the building plans, I do not believe we still have them, but I will search the Canterlot Archives for any just in case.’”

“At least we don’t have to worry about the type of stone bricks,” I said.

Twilight finished reading the letter and flipped it over. “Oh, I think I’ve seen their place here in Ponyville. Applejack told me she gets help from them in case her family needs the extra hooves for some of their projects.”

“Hey, guys,” Starlight called out as she reentered the library. “I don’t see the map on the table anymore.”

I stood up. “I guess now we just wait for Pinkie and Rainbow to...”

“We’re back!” A voice shouted through the halls.

“Nevermind.”

The three of us exited the library and hurried to the front door just to see Pinkie and RD come in. The former was eating a plain-looking scone.

“Good to see you girls back! So how was it?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie replied, “Well, I told Gilda they could be improved with a bit of baking powder, so...”

“I think Twilight’s talking about the friendship quest,” I corrected.

“Oh, that.” Pinkie swallowed the last of the scone and spoke rapidly, “When we entered Griffonstone, it was quite a dump, so your comments about the place made a lot of sense. Oh, and we met Gilda there! I know, right? Gilda’s a griffon, Griffonstone has griffons… Anywho, we were trying to figure out how to help Griffonstone. Since the idol was already returned to them, they should’ve gotten the kingdom restored, right? So Dashie and I went around the place thinking about why the griffons never bothered sprucing the place up. When we asked Grampa Gruff if the griffons did anything to restore Griffonstone, we found out they did zilch, even with the idol back. Turns out none of the griffons bothered befriending one another, let alone coming together to help out. So we gave them a nudge in the right direction by helping one of the griffons rekindle a lost friendship. And that griffon was Gilda, again. She and Dashie made up, and soon she made better scones. Did I mention she sold scones? I don’t think I mentioned she sold scones. Moving on, after Gilda sold one of her new scones to a satisfied customer, our cutie marks glowed again. I think that meant our mission was done. Before we left, we wanted Gilda to spread friendship across Griffonstone while we were gone. And that was our friendship mission. Anything else to add, Dashie?”

“Uh...no. You pretty much recapped the majority of it,” Rainbow said.

At least you, Pinkie, and Gilda weren’t hanging off the edge of a cliff.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed that the episode still happened. I thought that once the idol returned, the griffons would be somewhat pleased and tried to do something with Griffonstone. Although, I was able to help the girls resume that castle restoration project that they abandoned for some reason. I just hoped the construction company’s fees would be affordable.

“Oh, Twilight? Could you spare a few bits?” Pinkie asked.

“I told you to bring some over to Griffonstone,” Twilight replied.

“I did! I did! It’s just that the train food is very costly these days.”

“Right. I forgot about your sweet tooth.”

More like sweet teeth.

Chapter 74 (Made in Manehattan & Brotherhooves Social)

Twilight and I were reading in the castle library. Given her moans as she read, it was safe to assume…

“I'm bored,” said Twilight.

“From reading?” I asked. “That’s a first.”

“I've read all these books already, and Starlight doesn’t have her friendship lessons today. I wanna do something! Things have been so slow around here and I just—”

“Twilight! Spike!” Rarity’s voice shouted.

Twilight and I quickly left the library and went to the throne room. There, we saw the map activated again with Rarity waving at us.

“Ooh, Twilight, darling!” Rarity called out. “Oh, thank goodness! It seems that my—”

We heard hoofbeats approaching. Applejack came galloping in the room like she was running from a bugbear.

“Whew!” Applejack wiped her forehead. “Got here as fast I—”

“Yes! Finally!” Twilight cheered as she looked at AJ’s and Rarity’s glowing flanks. “We've been summoned! I wonder where the map wants us to—”

“Twilight, your cutie mark’s not glowing,” I said, joining the interrupting bandwagon.

Twilight groaned once more.

Just like in the show, the map called for Applejack and Rarity to go to Manehattan. I realized then the events of “Made in Manehattan” and “Brotherhooves Social” would occur soon.

I knew what was going to happen. Applejack and Rarity would visit Manehattan to solve a friendship problem. However, that would mean Applejack had to miss the Sisterhooves Social with Applebloom. That left Big Mac resorting to crossdressing to take Applejack’s place in the social, despite the fact that it wasn’t necessary.

I could convince Big Mac not to crossdress. He could still participate in the Sisterhooves Social as he is, since they were relaxed on what qualified as a “sister”. I could also try to talk to him early so he’d get a chance to practice with Applebloom for a short while.

Rarity gasped. “I just remembered something! The Sisterhooves Social!”

Applejack sighed. “We'll have to miss it. No tellin' how long we'll be in Manehattan. I sure hope Applebloom and Sweetie Belle aren't too upset.”

“Big Mac could help Applebloom,” I said. “I don’t know about Sweetie Belle, though.”

“I suppose we should tell our sisters about this,” said Rarity.

Applejack and Rarity left the throne room. Twilight threw her body onto the table in defeat.

“Hey, guys,” Starlight greeted as she walked in with a kite in her hoof. “I just saw Rarity and Applejack leaving the castle. I take it they were summoned to solve a friendship problem?”

“And then some,” I replied. “Much to Twilight’s disappointment.”

“Ah, yeah. It has been rather slow around here these days. When were those construction ponies supposed to come again?”

“Not for another week,” Twilight replied. “Same to the plumbers who were gonna install that sprinkler system. For now, it’s just nothing but boredom.”

Starlight put her kite on the table. “Now that I think about it, doesn’t it seem...unusual that you’ve got very few duties as a princess? I was surprised you had enough time to teach me about friendship, but now you seem to have much more time even with me.”

“Well, her princess status hasn’t even been a year old, Starlight,” I pointed out. “Of course she’s not gonna be busy right from the get go. In fact, all this extra time could be good for her.”

“Not if there isn’t anything I can do,” Twilight rebutted.

“I know. Why don’t we participate in the Sisterhooves Social again, Twilight?” I offered. “It’ll give you something to do.”

Twilight rubbed her chin. “Alright. It wouldn’t hurt to try it once more.”

“The Sisterhooves Social?” Starlight asked.

“It’s an event where somepony and their sibling work together to compete with other ponies and their siblings,” I replied. “Twilight and I competed last year and came in third.”

“Wait, but you’re a male dragon. Isn't it supposed to be for sisters only?”

“Nah, they’re very loose on the guidelines. I’m allowed to join even if I’m not a mare, a pony, or even blood-related to my sibling.”

“Still, with a name like ‘Sisterhooves Social,’ it would invoke some restrictions.”

“Well, it’s not like they can change it to ‘Sibling-appendages Social’. Doesn’t roll off the tongue very well.”

As Twilight talked to Starlight about the different events at the social, I left for Sweet Apple Acres. By the time I got there, I saw Big Mac standing over a hill, staring at the orchard. I was no less than five feet away from him when he acknowledged my presence.

“Hey there, Big Mac,” I greeted softly. “You lost in thought about something?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac replied.

He looked to the barn. I did the same and saw Applebloom leaning against the barn door and sulking. I guessed Applejack had already left for Manehattan.

“I heard Applejack had to solve a friendship problem,” I said. “Looks like Applebloom doesn’t seem too happy.”

“Eeyup.”

“She and Applejack were supposed to compete in the Sisterhooves Social, right?”

“Eeyup.”

“And now Applebloom may not have a partner for the social?”

“Eeyup.”

“I see. I guess you can’t substitute for Applejack?”

“Ee…uh…” Big Mac turned his head to look at me.

“What’s keeping you from attending? The social allows stallions. I was there last time, and I’m clearly a boy dragon. No doubt they’ll allow you as well. You won’t need to disguise yourself as a mare or anything like that.”

Big Mac stared at me in silence.

“Just ask Applebloom if you can join her,” I said. “There’s no shame in trying.”

Big Mac turned back to the barn. He walked down the hill towards his home. I knew Big Mac was a stallion of a few words, but hopefully, he’d used those words to talk to his little sister.

On the day of the social, Twilight and I signed up to compete in the race. Just like last year, we chose to only race. Starlight was with us to cheer us on.

“Remember not to use your magic or wings to cheat,” the attendant said as she handed us a couple of yellow bandanas.

“Understood. Thank you,” said Twilight.

Twilight and I quickly tied the bandanas around our necks.

“Good luck, you two,” said Starlight. “I hope you guys win the obstacle course.”

“Thanks,” I replied. “Say, do you have any siblings, Starlight?”

“No. I was an only child. In fact, so was Sunburst.”

“I guess that would explain how you two were so close.”

“Since we have time before the race, how about we take a look around?” Twilight asked. “We can see what the others are up to.”

As we toured around the festival, I checked for any signs of the CMC. I knew Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were competing, but I hoped Big Mac and Applebloom were as well.

That’s when the realization hit me. Rainbow Dash hated pies, and there was a section in the obstacle course where both siblings had to eat an entire pie before continuing. In the show, it was implied that Rainbow and Scoots already passed that part, meaning both of them ate one whole pie. I would have to address that plot hole when it comes up.

“Well, howdy-doo!” An old mare’s voice greeted.

The three of us saw Granny Smith walking up to us.

“I’d a feelin’ you two were gonna compete in the social once more,” said Granny.

“I’m sorry that Applejack had to miss out on this event due to a friendship problem,” said Twilight. “Applebloom wasn’t too upset, was she?”

“I ain’t gonna lie to ya, princess. Applebloom was sadder than an onion cutter when she heard her big sister was gonna be out for the event. But thankfully, she found somepony else to take her place.”

“Really? Who?”

“Her big brother!”

“Big Mac?!” Twilight widened her eyes.

Thank Celestia.

“Yup,” replied Granny. “You wouldn’t believe our surprise when he came by ‘n’ asked Applebloom if he could join her. That big red stallion’s got a big red heart.”

“I mean, they do allow stallions for this event,” Starlight said.

Granny looked at Starlight. “Say, are ya competin’ here too?”

“Just a spectator, Granny.”

“Oh, what a shame. We’ve been gettin’ a lotta your friends competin’ this year. Rainbow has young Scoots competin’ with her.”

“Rainbow Dash is in the competition as well?” Twilight asked. “Small world.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if every one of the Mane 6 competes in the race next year.

Starlight, Twilight, and I continued watching some of the social’s events. It didn’t take long for us to find Big Mac and Applebloom at one of them.

Thankfully, the only thing Big Mac was wearing was his traditional brown yoke. I sighed in relief. I liked his “Orchard Blossom” persona just as much as the next brony, but I didn’t want him to make a fool of himself in front of everypony just to impress Applebloom.

The event that Big Mac and Applebloom were currently participating in was the jump rope competition. Unlike in the show, Big Mac was able to jump with only minimal problems. That made me wonder if his outfit in the episode weighed him down or his shoes got stuck to the ground.

Despite the improvement, Big Mac and Applebloom couldn’t come first in the competition. Judging by Applebloom’s disappointing expression, this wasn’t the first contest they lost today.

“Nice to see those two having fun together,” Starlight said.

“I think only one of them is,” I said.

It was then the speakers announced that the race was about to start soon. We quickly hurried over the course.

By the time we got to the starting line, Big Mac, Applebloom, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo were already there.

“I’ll be watching from the sides,” said Starlight. “Looks like a difficult course.”

“We’ll manage,” Twilight replied. “We got through it last time, and it looks like they didn’t change the obstacles that much.”

“Alright, Scootaloo. Remember the parts where teamwork really comes into play!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“How could I forget? We've been training all week!” Scootaloo replied excitedly.

“Wow, those two really got their spirits up,” Twilight said quietly.

“That’s RD for ya,” I responded with the same volume of voice.

“Competitors! Take your positions!” Granny Smith announced from her megaphone. “And a-ready, and a-set, GO!”

Twilight and I instantly took off down the track. Both of us got over the mud pit just as easily as last time. The barrels weren’t a challenge this time, and neither was the crates. It was a good thing I still remembered some tips from my parkour lesson.

By the time Twilight and I got to the pie table, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were already there. Scootaloo was halfway done while Dash was just staring at hers untouched.

“Yeah, you gotta eat the whole thing, Dashie,” I said. “That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Hurry up, Spike!” Twilight called out as she pushed a pie towards me.

“Right! Sorry!” I quickly ate it.

I was only halfway done when I heard Rainbow Dash yell, “Done!”

I looked up to see Rainbow’s tin already empty with the cyan pony wiping the crumbs from her mouth. My eyes widened.

She ate the pie that fast? No way!

Twilight and I finished our share and followed swiftly after Rainbow and Scootaloo. Our next task was to push a hay bale. We pushed ours only a few feet when we saw Big Mac and Applebloom shoving theirs right past us.

“I never imagined Big Mac to be the competitive type,” Twilight said.

“Yeah, you’d be surprised,” I replied.

We turned the corner to the next set of obstacles. Starlight was sitting at the top rows of the bleachers, cheering at us.

Once we got to the grapes, I hopped on Twilight’s back and climbed into the barrel. I smashed the grapes with my feet until Twilight told me to stop. I climbed out and followed her as she carried the jar of purple juice to our respective stools.

Next was apple-catching. I knew how bad Twilight was at throwing apples without magic though.

“Twilight, how about I throw the apples and you catch them?” I offered.

“Sounds good to me,” Twilight replied.

She ran to the other side and grabbed a basket. I threw every last apple in the basket. Thankfully, Twilight was much better at catching them by hoof than throwing them.

Our attempts at balancing an egg went as well as last year. Twilight nearly dropped hers, but we were able to pass that section of the course without any problems.

The final obstacle was the hurdles. As Twilight and I leapt over them, I noticed Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo ahead of us. So were Big Mac and Applebloom. I guessed I didn’t pay much attention to the latter duo.

Unlike in the show, Big Mac actually jumped over the hurdles instead of charging through them like an oncoming train. I guess not pulling a Mrs. Doubtfire curbed some of Big Mac’s enthusiasm for competition.

I wasn’t the only who noticed the ponies up ahead.

“Looks like they’re neck and neck up there,” Twilight said after jumping over her sixth hurdle.

By the time we were done, the four ponies ahead of us had just passed the finish line in a literal flash.

“A photo finish!” Twilight called out as she and I passed the finish line.

The photographer’s camera printed out the picture. Big Mac, Applebloom, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo were peeping right over his shoulder, waiting for the photo to be developed.

“Hey! Gimme some space here!” The photographer barked.

Everypony took one step back.

“Thank you.”

A few minutes later, the photo developed. Rainbow and Scootaloo’s cheering was all I needed to figure out who won.

“Looks like we win, squirt!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Woo-hoo! Yeah!” Scootaloo gave her honorary sister a hoof bump.

Applebloom groaned at Big Mac. “I told you I should've just waited until the next social to win with Applejack.”

She then stormed off. Big Mac looked at the dirt ground below him. Twilight covered her mouth with her hoof.

At least they weren’t disqualified this time.

I looked to see some of the judges at the pie table.

“Hey, did you count the pies correctly?” One of the judges asked another. “There seems to be one extra pie here.”

“Of course I did,” replied the other judge. “Twice. I was sure there was exactly enough for each pony and their respective sibling.”

“Then why is there an extra?”

“Must’ve been a mistake,” a third one replied. “With so many pies baked, there’s bound to be one that was made by accident.”

“Sorry you two came third again,” said Starlight. “It looked like a close race.”

“It’s alright, Starlight.” Twilight framed our third place ribbon and hung it beside the one we got last year. “As long as Spike and I had fun, that’s all that matters.”

“I’m a bit worried about Applebloom and Big Mac, though. Applebloom didn’t seem to be happy about coming second.”

“I’ll head to the farm and see how she’s doing,” I said. “Hopefully she’s not too sore anymore.”

I left the castle and made my way to the farm. The sun setted on the many apple trees by the time I got there. I didn’t have to go through the arch to see Big Mac and Applebloom resting on top of a hill. In fact, it was the same one Big Mac was on yesterday.

I could see the stallion's lips move from here. If I had to guess, the scene was playing out like in the show. Applebloom and her brother made up, and he would explain how she used to look up to him before Applejack became the “hero of the Apple family.” But it turned out, Applebloom still does look up to him.

“Yer gonna stand there blockin’ the path, sugarcube?”

I turned around to see Applejack looking at me.

“Oh, hey Applejack. Back already?” I asked as I got out of the way.

“Yep. Hope the social went okay.”

“It did. Twilight and I participated in it again…and got third again.”

“Heh. Talk about a coincidence. Well, I gotta head inside. I’ll be sure to tell you ‘n’ Twilight about our adventure tomorrow.”

I nodded while Applejack went into the barn.

As I headed back, I was a bit relieved about how this episode turned out. While Big Mac didn’t win with Applebloom, he didn’t crossdress or cause himself and Applebloom to be disqualified. I would have to wait until tomorrow to hear about Applejack’s story, but I was positive it was going to be the same as in the show.

Chapter 75 (Scare Master)

Twilight, Rarity, Applejack and I were at the throne room drinking tea. It had only been yesterday since Rarity and AJ returned from their friendship quest.

“So how was your time in Manehattan?” Twilight asked.

“Truly glamorous, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “We’ve gotten the chance to explore more of the city a bit before we started our friendship problem, and you wouldn’t believe who needed our help.”

“Coco Pommel?” I joked.

“How’d ya know that?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, wait. Was it actually her? I was only joking!” That was a lie.

Rarity continued. “Anyway, Miss Pommel was tasked with hosting this event called ‘the Midsummer Theater Revival’ after Charity Kindheart moved away, and she had a lot on her plate already. She had to fix some costumes for ‘My Fair Filly,’ and she couldn’t get any volunteers to help her with this event. That is why Applejack and I pitched in.”

Applejack adjusted her hat. “Unfortunately, none of the ponies we’ve met could volunteer for us. So…we took matters into our own hooves. I’ll spare the details on how run-down the park was, even with my attempts to restore it. Just when we were ‘bout to give up, however, we decided to work on what we could do to help.”

“We had a simple small stage in front of the park, and soon every Manehattan on the block came to see it. They remembered what Charity used to do, and soon everypony got together and became a community again. Then our…ahem…cutie marks glowed once more. That meant we must have solved the friendship problem.”

“And we also learned how a small contribution can have a mighty big impact.”

Twilight clapped her hooves. “That was amazing. I sure wished I was there...not that there was anything wrong with the Sisterhooves Social, of course!”

“How’s Coco doing these days?” I asked.

“Well, she’s been managing work on her own terms after what happened with Suri,” Rarity replied. “Honestly, that thief, Polomare, got what she deserved for ripping off my whole design.”

“Now that I think about it, doesn’t it seem over the top that Suri got arrested just for stealing one pony’s design?” Twilight asked. “I mean, I can understand if she was fined or disqualified from the contest, but having to face jail time just for infringement of somepony’s original idea?

“From what Coco told us, I wasn’t the first pony she stole designs from, darling.” Rarity sipped her tea.

I did the same for mine. I didn’t expect any difference in this episode compared to what happened in the show. It was not like I could be in two places at once, and I wanted to avoid using the mirror pool.

Nightmare Night was coming up, and I already thought of what my costume should be. Since I went as a Night Fury last year, I wanted to continue the theme of going as a dragon from pop culture. This year, it would be a red dragon with a long mustache and blue horns. He was from another movie that I watched back in my old world.

The day before Nightmare Night, I purchased some red and orange body paint, orange pipe cleaners, and a pair of blue styrofoam cones for my costume. I had thoughts about getting something to extend my tail to make me look longer and slimmer, but I decided against it since I knew about the upcoming episode: “Scare Master.”

In this episode, Fluttershy would join the girls for Nightmare Night, but would constantly have the girls dial back on the scariness. That is until she would dress up as Flutterbat again and scare us for real. There wasn’t anything I could change for this episode, though. I respected Fluttershy’s choice on not celebrating Nightmare Night like the rest of us. If she wanted to have the tradition of staying under her bed after this night, that was fine by me.

On the night of Nightmare Night, I spread old newspapers across my room. I grabbed a paintbrush and carefully painted my face and arms with the red body paint. I was about to do my legs when I heard a familiar voice.

“Twilight? Spike? Hello?”

“Fluttershy? Is that you?” I asked.

“S-Spike? Where are you?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’m in my room. But be careful coming in! I’m wearing red body—”

“EEEK!!” Fluttershy shrieked when she opened the bedroom door.

“…paint.” I put the paintbrush down. “I was trying not to scare you.”

“You didn’t say how red it was going to be.” Fluttershy put her hoof on her chest.

“Actually, now that you’re here, could you please help paint my back red?”

“Uhm…okay…” Fluttershy walked over to me. “Your whole back or…?”

“My whole back, please. Including my spines. Don’t worry about leaving any brushstrokes. Once the paint dries, they should disappear.”

Fluttershy dipped the brush into the red paint and stroked it gently down my back. It almost tickled me a bit.

“Wait a minute, why are you here, Fluttershy?” I asked despite knowing the answer. “I thought you liked staying under your bed during Nightmare Night.”

“I do, but I foolishly forgot to stock up on food for Angel.” Fluttershy replied as she redipped the paintbrush. “I had to go out to get him something, but I got spooked in town. So I came here hoping Twilight had some lettuce I could give him.”

“That’s a shame. I thought that maybe you were brave enough to join us for a change.”

“Goodness, no! I couldn't be out tonight. I just couldn't.”

“Well, you’re out right now. Why don’t you stay with our friends for a bit more? I’m sure they’d love that.”

I could sense Fluttershy’s worried face without having to turn around. That’s when both of us heard the distant sounds of ponies laughing.

“Before you freak out again, that’s the rest of the girls,” I said. “They’re over at the library telling each other spooky stories. In fact, let’s go see them now.”

“But what about the paint?” Fluttershy asked.

“It dries quickly. I can do the rest later.”

Fluttershy and I went down the hall and into the library. The girls, including Starlight, were sitting around a lantern telling ghost stories.

“Hi, everypony,” Fluttershy greeted as I turned the lights on.

Everypony freaked out immediately.

“Relax, it’s just body paint,” I said.

“Fluttershy, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.” Fluttershy replied. “In fact, it's more than fine. I've decided to join you in your Nightmare Night festivities.”

Everypony was aghast at what Fluttershy said. She explained it would be like when she sang in front of everypony. The girls all cheered once they heard that.

“You will need a costume for Nightmare Night,” said Rarity. “I can take you to the boutique and we can pick one just for you.”

As Fluttershy left with Rarity, I hurried back to my room to continue my painting. After finishing with the red paint, I put the orange paint on my belly and the underside of my tail. I then taped the orange pipe cleaners to my upper lip to look like I had a long but thin mustache. Finally, I glued the blue cones to my head. I used regular glue because I’ve heard way too many stories about idiots who used superglue for their costumes only to instantly regret it.

Once my costume was all done, I checked the mirror in case I missed any spots. Afterwards, I left the castle and hurried to the Carousel Boutique. I quickly knocked on the door as soon as I got there.

“Come in!” Rarity called out.

I opened the door to see Fluttershy and Rarity. The latter was wearing a mermaid’s outfit.

Is there a difference between a pony mermaid and seapony?

“Oh, Spike. You’re just in time,” Rarity said. “We were just in the process of choosing a costume for Fluttershy.”

“Need any help?” I asked.

“Not really, but you’re welcome to stay if you like. The girls should arrive soon in their costumes.” Rarity then looked at my costume. “Is this another dragon?”

“Yep. I was going for one of those long, slender dragons, but I was a bit too pudgy.”

“Ah, like the ones in some of Mistmane’s myths and legends. Good choice.” Rarity then turned to Fluttershy. “Now, let’s pick your costume.”

Rarity pulled out a rack with lots of costumes.

“Mummy? No. Headless pony? No. Vampire fruit bat? Ugh, definitely no. You see, Fluttershy, the beauty of Nightmare Night is that you don't have to dress up as something scary.”

As Rarity turned around to get another rack, her tail slapped Fluttershy’s cheek by mistake.

“Careful, Rarity,” I said. I quickly walked up to Fluttershy.

“Ooh! Yes. This one will look gorgeous on you.” Rarity pulled out a puffy dress. “Period costumes are all the rage this year.”

Fluttershy’s anxious look on her face did not go unnoticed.

“What? No good?” Rarity asked.

Fluttershy asked, “What if we encounter something terrifying and need to get away quickly? All those layers could slow me down, or worse, make me trip!”

“Oh. I never...considered that. Never fear!”

Rarity turned around again. This time I caught her tail to avoid Fluttershy’s cheek getting abused again.

“Thank you,” Fluttershy whispered.

“How about an animal costume, Fluttershy?” I offered. “Maybe you could go as a cute bunny rabbit.”

“Oh, that’s going to be a big no for me, Spike,” Fluttershy said boldly. “I’m sorry, but I’m against dressing up as one of my animal friends. The last time I dressed up as a bunny, Angel couldn’t speak to me for a week.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Ooh, now this is a real stunner!” Rarity pulled out a black dress and a fancy eye mask. “I call it ‘Masquerade’! Just a simple black dress underneath but with this ornately decorated mask!”

But just like in the show, Fluttershy preferred to wear that costume under one condition: she didn’t have to wear the mask. She justified this by saying it would be difficult to look around her. Rarity reluctantly allowed it.

“You could try putting on some black eyeshadow,” I suggested. “It could make you look goth. Plus, you’d be wearing something on your face that doesn’t obstruct your vision.”

“I…guess it would be okay…” Fluttershy mumbled. “...but I would need to find…”

Rarity pulled some from one of the drawers and handed it to Fluttershy. She took it and the black dress and slipped into one of the fitting rooms.

“It's so plain, it's frightening,” Rarity whispered. “Even with that black makeup.”

The front door opened, and the rest of the girls came in wearing their costumes. Twilight wore a Greek soldier’s armor, Rainbow Dash was an astronaut, Applejack was a lion, Pinkie was a roller skater, and Starlight was in a pink princess outfit complete with fake wings and crown.

“Oh, my! Look at all of you!” Rarity exclaimed delightfully. “My costumes fit you to a T!”

I nodded in agreement. That’s when Fluttershy came out in her black dress. She had the black eyeshadow on her eyelids. She almost looked like the mother of that creepy and kooky family, but without the black mane.

“Hey, Fluttershy, where's your costume?” Rainbow asked.

“I'm wearing it,” Fluttershy replied.

Pinkie scratched her chin and gasped. “I get it! You're a robber escaping into the night! You're a ninja escaping into the night! You're black licorice escaping into the night!”

Fluttershy shook her head for all three guesses. “Close. I'm going to a masquerade ball. But with goth eyeshadow instead of the mask.”

“Oh...that’s...great,” Twilight said. “Isn’t it great?”

The rest of the girls tried to show enthusiasm and encouragement. Fluttershy gave a tiny smirk.

We all went to Sugarcube Corner later that night. Pinkie Pie had already set some games up for us. They were mostly tame given how Fluttershy was with us tonight.

“I figured I'd save the really scary games for next year when Fluttershy's more used to it,” said Pinkie.

Each of us took turns pinning the horn on Nightmare Moon. Rainbow Dash was the closest one. When it came to Fluttershy’s turn, however, she didn’t want to put the blindfold on.

Fluttershy rubbed the side of her leg. “Well…uhm…it's just that if I'm blindfolded and somepony were to leap out in front of me, I'd never have the chance to defend myself.”

“I could defend for you,” I said. “If you want me to, that is.”

“That's fine, darling,” Rarity said to Fluttershy. “You don't have to do anything you don't want to.”

“We're just glad you're here,” Twilight said.

“We don't have to finish that game,” said Pinkie. “I have another one I know you'll love: bobbing for apples!”

Pinkie grabbed a basket of apples and dumped them into a big tub of water.

Once again, Fluttershy’s worried look appeared.

“Fluttershy, what’s wrong?” asked Twilight.

“It's just that, uhm…” Fluttershy stared at her reflection in the apple-polluted liquid. “What happens if, when my head is deep down in the water, some kind of scary monster appears? How would I even hear to know I was under attack?”

“I could…tap you lightly on the shoulder to let you know,” I proposed.

“Time for candy!” Pinkie shouted. She slid over the counter and placed seven paper bags with our faces poorly-drawn on them. “Each bag has been made with each of you in mind, complete with each of your favorite candies!”

The rest of the girls and I took our bags. However, Fluttershy kept staring at hers.

“Take it. Take it! What are you waiting for?” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy peeked into the bag. “Well, it's just...what if when I'm eating one of these chewy taffies, my mouth becomes glued shut and I can't scream for help?”

“I could scream for y—” I sighed sharply and shook my head. “No. That’s being too ridiculous.”

“Oh, goodness. We've only just started to celebrate Nightmare Night together, and I'm already taking all the fun out of it, aren't I?”

“You're not taking out all of the fun,” Pinkie denied.

Rainbow said. “Just about ninety per—”

Her helmet got bonked by a piece of candy.

“...some of it,” RD corrected.

“I really wanna do this,” Fluttershy said concernedly. “But there's just so many things that terrify me about tonight. I couldn't possibly predict what might upset me.”

“Then…why don’t you do the scaring?” Starlight suggested.

“Her scaring us?!” Rainbow Dash guffawed so much her helmet fogged up. The silence made her quiet down. “Oh. You're being serious.”

“Starlight might be onto something,” Twilight said. “The thing you hate is being scared, Fluttershy, but if you're the one doing the scaring, then...”

Fluttershy widened her eyes. “Then I can help you all have fun and I can still be a part of Nightmare Night!”

“You like the idea?” I asked.

“I think I do! And I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I think I have the perfect idea for how I'm gonna do it!”

She then backed away creepily.

“Meet me at my cottage in an hour,” she said in a spooky voice. She then peeked through the doorway and spoke in her normal voice, “I'm excited to see everypony soon!”

The hour flew by already. The girls and I headed up the path to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“What do you think Fluttershy has in store for us?” Starlight asked.

“Who knows? I hope it’s something good and scary,” I said.

Twilight knocked on the door, which slowly creaked open to reveal the room inside. The room was almost pitch black, with a grey fog surrounding a table fit for eight ponies.

“Welcome to Fluttershy's tea party,” Fluttershy’s voice echoed through the walls.

“Did she just say…‘tea party’?” Rainbow asked.

“It sounds like it's a scary tea party?” Twilight guessed.

I’m afriad Rainbow has a point. I wouldn’t use “tea party” for something scary either.

Fluttershy’s voice spoke again. “Have a seat. Don't be scared of what awaits you.”

We did just that. We felt a bit more confused than scared.

“Go on. Pass the sugar.”

Rarity levitated the sugar bowl to Applejack, but the lion pony turned the bowl upside down to reveal that it was empty.

“Oh, no! There is none!” Fluttershy’s voice exclaimed. “You're a terrible host!”

I guess I can play along. No shame in doing so.

“How could you?!” I said to Applejack and Rarity. “Now the guests will be as bitter as the tea they’ll drink.”

“Spike, what in tarnation are ya doing?” Applejack asked.

“Rarity, put your coat on!” Fluttershy’s voice called out.

“Why would I do that?” Rarity asked.

“You need to cover up because no one has complimented your dress!”

I gasped. “She’s right! Not a soul noticed! How can a fashionista design such a lavish and eye-catching dress only to fail at grabbing everypony’s attention?”

“Are you serious about all this?” Rainbow asked me.

Fluttershy’s voice rang again. “Pinkie Pie, look to your left and ask your best friend to pass the cucumber sandwiches!”

Pinkie replied, “I can't. There's nopony there.”

“That's right. Because she didn't care to show up.”

“What?”

“A friend who didn't come through. That must scare you to the core!”

“That’s true!” I exclaimed. “Just imagine the guest of honor not even bothering to show up. All those hours setting up a party to find out you’ve done it all for zilch!”

“I have a party cannon that does it in seconds, Spike,” Pinkie said. “Same for when I take the decorations down.”

“Quick, everypony, look behind you!” Fluttershy’s voice shouted.

In an instant, cardboard cutouts of various ponified manga characters dropped down from the ceiling.

I nearly forgot Fluttershy was an otaku. That, and manga is canon in Equestria.

“Uh…what are those?” Rainbow asked.

“They're unplanned guests,” Fluttershy’s voice replied. “Your worst nightmare. You don't have enough food for them!”

“Oh the shame of it!” I exclaimed. “How did we not prepare for this? After having one failure of a tea party, I’m ashamed to show my face in public!”

“Now, cut that out, Spike!” Twilight retorted.

Just then, a wind-up toy cat plopped onto the table.

“Oh, no! There's a tiny kitten that needs a home! But you are over-scheduled right now. You don't have time to help!” Fluttershy’s voice cried.

Everypony stayed silent. I quickly picked the kitten up and petted it.

“I said, ‘You don't have time to help!’” This should appear to scare you!” Fluttershy peeked out from behind a nearby sofa. She said in her normal voice. “Why don't you look terrified? You showed up to a party and everypony was extremely disappointed in you. Can you imagine anything more upsetting?”

“It was a really good try, darling,” replied Rarity, “but the scares at Nightmare Night are of an entirely different nature.”

Twilight got off her chair. “It was really creative, though. I never would have thought of...all this.”

“I…I enjoyed it,” I said. “It was rather unique. Granted, it was more bone-cooling than bone-chilling, but it’s not bad for a scary tea party.”

Fluttershy looked to the floor. “Oh, I'm just not cut out for this. Just go on without me.”

“Oh, no,” Rarity denied. “We couldn't possibly…”

“You have to. This is the night you look forward to all year.”

“We could...stay here?” Pinkie suggested.

Rainbow Dash glared at her.

“It's okay. I really want you all to have fun.” Fluttershy walked over to the front door. “This is how I spend every Nightmare Night. Please go. I'll be fine.”

We all left Fluttershy’s cottage. By the time we returned to Ponyville, Rainbow gave out a harsh sigh.

“I’ll say it: I can’t believe we wasted our time at her cottage,” Rainbow bluntly said. “Serves us right for believing Fluttershy could scare us.”

“Rainbow Dash, she was trying her best,” Twilight scolded. “Sure it was a disappointment, but you don’t need to be like that.”

“So now what?” Starlight asked.

“Well, the maze event should be happening right about now,” Applejack said. “What say we go there?”

“Good idea. Let’s go,” Twilight said.

We headed over to Applejack’s farm where we saw the corn maze. There was a hooded figure standing near the entrance. By the time we approached, the figure unveiled its hood to reveal Granny Smith in an uncanny horse mask. We all screamed and then laughed. Granny motioned us into the maze.

“It's a good thing Fluttershy isn't here because she would never be able to handle this!” Rainbow said.

We explored the maze, encountering almost every trap. From Big Mac in a mummy costume, to white-painted sticks that looked like bones, to hanging peeled grapes resembling eyeballs, we were frightened yet thrilled.

“So the goal is to reach the other side, right?” I asked.

“Actually, it’s to get to the center,” Applejack corrected.

“Right. Sorry.”

All of a sudden, a dark figure whooshed behind us.

“What was that?” Applejack asked.

“Don’t you know?” I scratched my head.

“Uh…o-of course I do. It was, uh…”

That’s when three glowing ghosts appeared right in front of us. I knew who they were, but I didn’t want to spoil it for the girls.

Every one of us dashed away from the floating ghouls. We made a lot of twists and turns. Thankfully, we didn’t split up like in every horror movie made. But no matter what we did, the haunting bed sheets were always right behind us.

I kept myself behind Rarity since I knew what would happen next. In an instant, Rarity tripped over her mermaid tail. Much to my surprise, Starlight next to her also tripped on her own costume, tearing a small portion of her dress off.

“Are you two girls alright?” I asked as I helped them up.

“Fluttershy had a point with the layers on the dress,” Rarity said.

Starlight noticed the slash on her outfit and moaned, “Oh, speaking of dress…”

“Yeah, this is why the real princesses go naked,” I said.

The three of us quickly caught up with the other cold-sweated costume-goers. By the time we got there, the girls had all fallen into the hole right beside the tree. We screeched to a halt just at the edge of the hold.

“Just jump in!” I shouted. “There’s no other way!”

Starlight and Rarity did just that. I quickly followed suit and landed right where the other girls were.

“What is this? Is it a tunnel? Where does it lead?!” Rarity asked in a panicky tone.

The hole above us was soon covered by what I assumed was a boulder, blocking out all the moonlight. The ones with horns in our group casted a light spell to illuminate the darkness.

“Is everypony okay?” Twilight asked.

Moans were the girls only reply.

All that running made me sweat. I instinctively wiped my forehead with the back of my hand, but I remembered too late that I was still in costume. My purple scales peeked out from the redness covering my body.

“Aww, man. My body paint’s coming off,” I groaned. “I’m gonna spread dishonor on those ghosts when we get out of here!”

“Which way are we supposed to go now?!” Twilight asked as she looked around.

“I don't know!” Applejack retorted. “I don't know what's goin' on!”

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked as she tried to push the entrance open. “Didn't you help plan this?”

Applejack was interrupted when she saw Granny Smith on a rocking chair nearby. The scene played out like in the show. Applejack unconvincingly denied that she was afraid, and she approached Granny Smith. But the reveal that it was a skeleton in Granny’s shawl was all it took for Applejack to run in the other direction. We followed in fright after her until we came across a tunnel that split in all directions.

“Applejack, was this some sort of secret tunnel your family planned without you knowing?” I asked.

“Alright, I got to admit I didn't know about any of this,” Applejack confessed, “but maybe they're just tryin' to make it interestin' for me, too! I'm sure Granny Smith or Big Mac is behind this.”

Unfortunately, her hypothesis was instantly proven wrong when Granny Smith and Big Mac’s voices were heard right above us. From what we heard, they were busy scaring other ponies who wandered into the maze.

“That's what we were supposed to do!” Applejack shouted. “I don't know why we're down here! This is really scarin' me now!”

And it’s about to get worse.

True to what I was thinking, the sound of stomping shook the ground around us. From behind a corner appeared a swamp monster.

“How did that get down here?!” Pinkie asked.

The Mane 5, Starlight, and I dashed off in the other direction. That’s when I realized what was coming up next.

“Girls! Watch out for the web!” I shouted.

But my voice fell on deaf ears as every mare got caught in the trap. Thankfully, I slid under it at the last minute.

“I can't see!” Pinkie cried as her vision was blocked by Rarity’s mermaid tail.

“I can barely move!” Rainbow shouted. “It's like glue!”

“Twilight! Teleport the girls to my side! Hurry!” I yelled.

This time the girls heard me. Twilight’s horn lit up, and the Mane 5 plus Starlight poofed right off the web and appeared right by my side in the nick of time.

“I see an exit!” Starlight pointed to a light at the end of the tunnel. “Let’s go!”

We ran down the tunnel and out of the cave. Once the moonlight hit us, we discovered we were on a cliff peaking over the entire corn maze.

“Wait, how did we get here? I don’t remember us going up,” I pointed out.

Before my question could be answered, a loud cackle sent shivers up our spines.

It’s a surprise how Fluttershy can laugh like that.

A dark pony hung from a nearby branch, and then she swooped down on us. Everypony huddled together as the moonlight shone on her body, unveiling Flutterbat from the darkness. I pretended to be scared with the girls, because I knew the vampire was wearing a costume and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

“Oh, my,” Fluttershy’s voice said.

She lowered herself and stepped forward. The moonlight got brighter, showing to everypony that it was indeed Fluttershy wearing a vampire fruit bat costume.

“I'm so, so sorry!” Fluttershy pleaded, “Can you ever forgive me?”

Just like in the show, the girls were shocked but then thrilled Fluttershy did all this. Fluttershy explained that she got Granny Smith’s permission to make the maze scarier for us. She got her animal friends to help with the maze as well. Angel was the dark figure, the birds were the ghosts, Harry the bear was that swamp monster, and Fluzzy Legs the spider spun that giant web. The spider must have quite the spinner to make something that huge.

“Wow! That was inspired!” Twilight exclaimed.

“You have to do this every year!” Pinkie suggested.

The rest of the girls agreed. Well, almost the rest of the girls…

“We could celebrate Nightmare Night together every year,” Fluttershy said. “But the truth is…I really don't want to.”

“You don't?!” Pinkie gasped.

“But you've done it,” said Rarity. “You found a way that we can all have a fabulous time together.”

“Yes, but I've also realized something.” Fluttershy removed her fake wings and ears. “You all may love Nightmare Night and I may be good at being a part of it, but it's no fun for me to see my friends feel like they're in danger, even if I know they're not. I really don't like it. It's just not my cup of tea.”

“Spooky tea?” Pinkie asked.

“No. Just regular tea.” Fluttershy rubbed her leg. “We do lots of fun things together, but I'm afraid this just isn't gonna be one of them. Actually, I'm not afraid. I'm perfectly fine with it.”

“Then we are, too,” said Twilight.

We all shared a group hug afterwards.

Back at the castle, I grabbed a wet washcloth and rubbed my face until the red and orange paint came off. I had already removed my fake horns and mustache.

“Spike, Nightmare Night isn’t over yet,” said Twilight. “Why are you removing your body paint?”

“I had enough scares for one night,” I replied. “There’s something I want to do now.”

Twilight shrugged. “Okay. If you say so.”

After I washed the rest of the body paint away, I grabbed my candy bag and left the castle. I walked down the dirt path up to my special somepony’s cottage. I gently knocked on the door.

“Hello? Fluttershy?”

The door slowly opened, revealing Harry the Bear.

“Hey. Is it okay if I see Fluttershy?” I asked.

Harry motioned me in. I nodded as a thank you and went up to Fluttershy’s bedroom.

“Fluttershy?” I called out softly. “Where are you?”

“I’m under here.” Fluttershy’s head peaked out from underneath the bed. “Spike. What are you doing here?”

I slowly approached the bed. “Is it okay if I join you tonight?”

Fluttershy widened her eyes. “Spike…I didn’t know you disliked Nightmare Night.”

“Oh, no. Far from it. It’s just that…this year I would like to see how you celebrate Nightmare Night. I figured you could use another companion.”

Fluttershy smiled a bit. She motioned me with her hoof. I carefully crawled underneath her bed. The lantern shined on the small yet comfortable place. Books, pillows, and snacks were spread all around.

“I hope it’s not too cramped for you,” Fluttershy said.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m not claustrophobic or anything.” I pulled out my bag. “Would you like some candy? I ate all the taffies, so you don’t have to worry about those.”

“Thank you.” Fluttershy took a candy that was in a blue wrapper. It was a hard caramel candy. Fluttershy smirked as she unwrapped the piece and plopped it into her mouth. “You’re welcome to read some of the books here.”

“Thanks.”

As I took the topmost book from the stack, I thought about how this episode played out. I was happy that Fluttershy still had a chance to participate with the girls on Nightmare Night, and I understood that she still wanted to stick to her old ways. And just for tonight, I joined her in staying under the bed.

“Say Fluttershy. I have a question for you,” I said.

“Go ahead.” Fluttershy looked up from her puppy book.

“What’s your favorite manga?”

Fluttershy smiled bigger as her wings fluttered. I had a feeling this was going to end in her pulling a Makoto Takiya from that dragon maid anime.

Chapter 76 (The Hooffields and McColts)

Twilight and I were watching a plumber tightening the last sprinkler on the castle wall.

“And that should about do it,” said the plumber as he climbed down. “There are shutoff switches at both ends of each hall, so you can turn these off when the fire’s put out. I’d also recommend getting fire extinguishers for some of the rooms as well.”

“Thank you, sir,” Twilight said as she paid him.

“Have a good day.” The plumber took his tools and left the castle.

“Well, now this castle’s a bit safer.” I said.

“I agree.” Twilight then noticed the strange book I was holding. “What’s that?”

“Huh? Oh, this is a manga.” I showed it to Twilight.

“Gesundheit.”

“No, that’s what this book is called: a manga. It’s like a Japonese comic book.”

I said that region correctly. There is actually a pony version of Japan called “Japone.”

“I knew you were into comics, but I never thought you’d be into comics from other places,” said Twilight.

“Well, I’ve been dabbling in manga ever since I learned Fluttershy was a…big fan.”

“Is it any good?”

“She told me this one is. The only problem I have with it is that I keep reading it the wrong way.”

“What do you mean, ‘the wrong way’?”

“When you read a manga, you have to read from right to left. I keep going the other way out of habit.”

I handed Twilight the book, and she read a few pages.

“Oh, I see what you mean,” she said. “You know, I’ve read that some old Japonese scrolls were written the same way. I guess some things never change.”

We entered the library. The selves have been filled up a lot more since we moved into the castle. Twilight had gotten the last of the books from the ruins at the Everfree Forest, and she had been trying to translate and restore them.

Speaking of the ruins, the construction ponies had already begun working on the walls and ceiling there. The cost wasn’t as expensive as we thought, though we were going to reduce our budget for Hearth’s Warming Eve gifts this year.

“Starlight’s lessons are coming up soon,” said Twilight. “I really hope I’m being a good teacher to her.”

“She’s not questioning your methods,” I replied as I continued reading my book. “That’s a start.”

That’s when a faint glow caught my eye. I looked over my manga and widened my eyes.

“Twilight!” I shouted. “Your cutie mark! It’s glowing!”

“What?!” Twilight checked her flank to confirm it. Her smile grew wide. “Yes! Finally!”

She snatched a bunch of books and dashed out of the library. I knew what this episode was.

In the episode, “The Hooffields and McColts”, Twilight and Fluttershy visit a valley to solve a dispute between two feuding families. Once again, there was nothing I could change since it was a map episode.

I bookmarked my manga and headed over to the throne room. Once I opened the double doors, my eyes were feasted with books, scrolls, and blackboards cluttering all over the room. I knew Twilight works fast, but all this could make Rainbow Dash look like a Slowpoke.

“Geeze, Twilight,” I said. “You must’ve really been waiting for this moment to happen.”

“Of course!” Twilight exclaimed. “After hearing what Rainbow, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack have done for their journeys, I’ve been anxious to get my friendship problem!”

To be honest, when I first watched Season 5, I thought the map was going to call everypony but Twilight for the sake of comedy.

I pushed some books away to see Twilight’s cutie mark swirling around the Smokey Mountains. But hers wasn’t the only one present.

“Looks like Fluttershy—”

“—will be joining me!” Twilight finished my sentence. “In fact, she should be coming right about now!”

Twilight lit up her horn and vanished in a shower of sparkles. Within a few minutes, Twilight returned with Fluttershy.

“Ever since the map called us, I've been doing a ton of research,” Twilight said to Fluttershy. “Testing out potential friendship problems, diversifying my solution portfolio…”

“Ever since the map called us?” Fluttershy repeated. “But…that happened five minutes ago.”

“You’re forgetting that Twilight was really looking forward to this,” I pointed out.

Just like in the show, Twilight told Fluttershy that they would be heading to the Smokey Mountains. Twilight couldn’t find much information about the place other than from an old book. Fluttershy lightly clapped her hooves in delight over to the possibility of finding cute animals there.

“I can't wait to get started!” Twilight squealed. “I'm a little nervous since that's all I could find. I usually like to be a bit more prepared.”

Fluttershy looked at the stack of books. “You seem pretty prepared to me.” That’s when she noticed the overstuffed saddlebags. “Are those...for us?”

“Yep, I've prepared our things. Snacks, books, blankets, books...”

“You said ‘books’ twice.”

“There are a lot of books.”

“If you ask me, Twilight, you’re overdoing it.” I patted one of the bags. “The rest of the girls went with almost nothing for their friendship problems.”

“Luck favors the prepared, Spike. You know that.” Twilight put her bags on and levitated the other bags to Fluttershy. The latter almost collapsed.

“I hope you girls aren’t flying all the way there.” I helped Fluttershy up.

“We’ll rent the balloon for most of the trip,” Twilight said.

I followed Twilight and Fluttershy to the front door.

“What do you think our friendship problem's gonna be?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know,” Fluttershy grunted. “But I'm sure we'll figure it out.”

“Good luck, you two,” I said.

I watched as the two ponies left the castle and trotted down the road to the balloon.

I wonder what I should do today. Maybe I can take care of Fluttershy’s animals while she’s—

Crash!

The sound of stuff falling grabbed my attention. I dashed down the hall and found Starlight covered in sports equipment.

“Starlight! Are you okay?” I asked as I removed the skis and hockey sticks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I forgot Rainbow Dash gave us all this stuff.” She removed the tennis ball from her horn with her hoof. “Did Twilight leave already?”

“Yep. She and Fluttershy headed to the Smokey Mountains.”

“I don’t think I’ve heard of that place.”

“Well, there wasn’t much written about it. Say, since Fluttershy is going to be away for a while, why don’t you come help me take care of her animals?”

“I was supposed to study for Twilight’s next lessons, but since she’s not here, I guess I can join you.”

“Great.”

Starlight and I left the castle and headed over to Fluttershy’s cottage. When I knocked on the door, Angel answered immediately. He exhaled in disappointment.

“I’m sorry, Angel,” I said. “Your owner’s away on a friendship quest. But don’t worry. Starlight and I are here to help take care of you and the other creatures until she gets back.”

Angel rolled his eyes.

“Hey, come on. I did a good job feeding you last time. Fluttershy said so herself.”

Starlight and I entered the cottage. I got out all the food bags, and Starlight and I filled up the bowls and feeders.

“How much food am I supposed to give each critter?” Starlight asked.

“Just enough to fill the containers,” I said.

After we fed Fluttershy’s furry critters, we both had a cup of tea while Angel reluctantly ate the salad I gave him. It was the same kind of salad Fluttershy would make for him, so I didn’t know why he was acting so sour.

“I never seen a grumpy bunny, to be honest,” said Starlight. “Is he always like this?”

“Probably. It’s hard to tell whether or not he’s jealous because I’m in a relationship with Fluttershy,” I said right before being pelted by a cucumber skin.

“Say, I’ve been thinking about you and Fluttershy…and…well…” Starlight rubbed the back of your head. “I really don’t want to say this…but…I’m a bit worried.”

“About what? We’re doing well.”

“I meant…you’re a dragon…and Fluttershy’s a pony…”

“You got something against interspecies relationships? Wow, Glimmer. Maybe Twilight should’ve taught you how not to be…”

“I’m not against interspecies couples!” Starlight quickly denied. “I’m all for them! Honestly! What I’m trying to say is dragons tend to live longer than most ponies. I'm worried about what will happen when Fluttershy...won't be with you anymore.”

I looked at my teacup. I knew what Starlight was implying, but her sentence worked the other way as well. I wasn't sure how long I was going to be in Equestria, whether it was until the series finale or for the rest of my new draconic life.

“Our life spans may be different, but that’s not going to stop Fluttershy and me from being together,” I said calmly. “We’ll still have tea and hang out. And when the time comes, I’ll still have the memories of us together. Sure, I’ll be mourning and grieving over my loss initially, but it can’t be worse than if we never started our relationship at all. As Twilight once told me, don’t be sad because it’s over; be glad that it happened. It's just like you and Sunburst. Even though your departures were sudden, you both still cherish the memories you have.”

“Well, that’s different, Spike. I can simply visit Sunburst if I wanted to. I just…need to find the right time…”

Gee, I thought she’d be more confident this time.

Come to think of it, despite the fact that Starlight was introduced early, not much has changed with her. I honestly expected some Season 6 episodes to start sooner than in the show, but that wasn’t the case. Of course, I would have to give that more time. I didn’t know how long it was between the ending of Season 5 and the beginning of Season 6, and for all I know it might’ve been a few days at least.

After every animal, especially Angel, was done with their meal, Starlight and I checked that every critter was taken care of before we left the cottage.

Starlight sighed. “I’m sorry for what I said back there. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Don’t be,” I replied. “You did bring up a valid point. Fluttershy may not live as long as me, but we can’t let that keep us apart. Maybe when my time comes, I’ll see her again. Who knows?”

“There’s something else that’s kinda bothering me. Um…how old are you?”

“Pony years or dragon years?”

“Uh…pony?”

“Twelve.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m also concerned about. Fluttershy seems old enough to be your…” Starlight muttered a bit. “...big sister.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. In dragon years, Fluttershy and I are practically the same age, more or less. Even then, we keep things mild for both our sakes,” I replied. “The most we've ever done is hug and hold hooves.”

“Ew.”

“What? You ponies are Amish or something?”

“Oh, I wasn’t referring to the hoof-holding. I was reading that.” Starlight pointed to a poster on one of Sugarcube Corner’s windows.

“‘New Cupcake Flavor: Spinach and Raspberry Flavor!’” I read. “Ew indeed. Must be Pinkie’s idea. She always comes up with ideas like that.”

“Figured as much.”

We returned and waited for Twilight and Fluttershy to return. While Starlight was fixing one of her kites, I continued reading my manga.

The manga itself was about a school-pony who had a special spirit with her, and they would travel around the world fighting other ponies with special spirits. I had no idea if this was based on one anime, a combination of a few anime shows, or a new series altogether.

“Come on, Mesu-chan!” The spirit in the manga whined. He looked like the hybrid of a mouse and dragon. “I wanna fight other spirits! Not waste time drawing numbers and shapes!”

“It’s called ‘geometry, ’” Mesu said as she adjusted her oversized glasses with her magic. “I may be away from school, but I still need to keep my education in check, Iki-kun.”

“But if you stay here and read all the time, we’ll never find ponies to battle!” Iki slithered his yellow transparent form around Mesu like a garden snake.

A thought bubble appeared above Mesu’s annoyed face. “Maybe this is what it’s like to have a younger sibling.”

I was so entranced in the manga, that I didn’t notice Twilight and Fluttershy returning until the former opened the library doors.

“Spike?” Twilight asked. “Oh, there you are.”

I looked up from my manga. “Twilight! You’re back already?”

“What do you mean already? It’s almost nighttime.”

Twilight pointed at a nearby clock. Both hands were on the 6.

“Oh, oops. Guess this manga really makes time fly.”

“Did you spend all day reading it?” Twilight took a book off one of the shelves and sat down at a nearby table. “And I thought I was the only pony who can be so hooked on books.”

“I didn’t spend the entire day. Starlight and I fed Fluttershy’s animals during lunchtime. We also chatted a bit before heading back.” I closed the manga book. “So how were the Smokey Mountains?”

“Well, as it turns out, two families had settled on top of those mountains, and they’ve been feuding with each other for a very long time. There were a few complications, but we found out that both families had ancestors who wanted to preserve the valley, but due to creative differences, they kept fighting each other instead. Thankfully, we were able to sort things out, and soon both families started working together to restore the place for all the animals.”

“That’s good. I’m glad you two could solve the problem.”

Twilight nodded. “You know, the map called for all of us except you. I wonder what your friendship problem would be? Or better yet, how would the map call you? You don’t have a cutie mark.”

I shrugged. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

I don’t know if I will get called to the map anytime soon. Once the changelings get reformed, I would purposely get them and the dragons unified and hopefully avoid the events of “Triple Threat” altogether.

But for now, I continued reading my manga. I needed to know the outcome of Mesu and Iki's first battle!

Chapter 77 (Tanks for the Memories)

Applejack was able to win this year’s rodeo. Also, the CMC were able to help find an unlucky Troubleshoes a job as a rodeo clown. Once again, I changed nothing because there was nothing to change. Applejack restarted her rodeo streak, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were one step closer to finding their true talent.

It was late fall when the air got colder and clouds were brought in from Cloudsdale. I stood on the balcony. With the lowered temperature, I resorted to wearing my black hoodie.

I heard the doors behind me open followed by some hoofbeats approaching. Starlight revealed herself and leaned against the railing. She donned a pair of earmuffs and a striped scarf.

“I can’t believe winter is coming so soon,” Starlight said as her voice produced a cloud of its own. “It feels like only yesterday that it was warm enough to swim in the lake.”

“That’s what seasons do,” I said. “Unless you live in a desert or a mountaintop.”

As we were talking, a bundle of balloons floated in front of us. I didn’t have to guess who they were tied to.

“Hey, guys!” Pinkie greeted us. “Special invitation for you!”

Pinkie handed me a pink envelope. It had Rainbow Dash’s cutie mark stamped in the middle.

“Say, could one of you give me a teensy nudge in…” Pinkie pointed. “...that direction?”

Starlight leaned forward lightly pushed Pinkie in the direction she wanted.

“Thank you!” Pinkie said as she floated away.

I opened the envelope with my finger and read the card inside.

“‘You and your pets are invited to Rainbow Dash and Tank’s super awesome going-away party! Food and entertainment will be provided!’”

“A going-away party?” Starlight asked. “I didn’t know Rainbow Dash was leaving Ponyville.”

“Me neither.”

I knew that since winter was coming, Tank had to hibernate since he was a tortoise. But since Fluttershy already told Rainbow that when the latter got him, the events of “Tanks for the Memories” should have been changed. At least changed enough so that Rainbow wouldn’t ruin the weather factory.

Was this a change for the worse, though? Instead of accepting that Tank has to hibernate, Rainbow decides to move to a warmer climate so Tank wouldn’t have to?

Starlight and I went into the castle and showed Twilight the invitation. The party was going to take place at Rainbow’s house on the last day of fall, which was right around the corner.

“Strange. Rainbow never mentioned that she was moving away,” Twilight pointed out. “I thought she liked it here.”

“You know what was also strange?” I asked worringly. “Pinkie Pie seemed cheerful when giving us our invitation. If she helped Dashie arrange the party, wouldn’t she feel a bit down after hearing her sudden departure?”

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

On the day of Dashie’s party, the girls, their pets, and I arrived at her house via balloon. Twilight cast the cloud-walking spell on all of us including the pets.

“Well, here we are,” Twilight said as we got off.

The pets were hesitant to walk on the clouds. Most of them were anyway. Winona rolled around like she was playing in the snow.

“Easy, girl,” Applejack said. “Don’t wanna fall through, after all.”

“Ow!” Rarity glared at Opal on her back. “What did we say about using your claws on my back?”

Opal glared back as she clung on to dear life.

Pinkie pronked to the door with Gummy on her tail.

“We’re here!” She announced as she rapidly tapped on the door.

Rainbow immediately answered. “Hey, girls and Spike. Glad you all could make it. Come on in, and we’ll get this party started!”

The party itself had its fair share of usual arrangements. There was food, games, decorations, and music. There were even a few activities for the pets.

We spent the day chatting and eating snacks.

“I have to say, this seems nice,” Twilight said as she sipped her punch. “It’s not everyday we have a party together, let alone one with all our pets.”

“This is like one of our Pony Pet Playdates,” Applejack pointed out.

Owlowiscious landed on Twilight’s back, and Starlight scratched his head.

“It’s sweet that all of you are enjoying this,” Rainbow said.

“Yeah. We’re all gonna miss you, though,” I said.

“Miss me? How come?”

“This is a going-away party, is it not?” Rarity scratched her chin.

“Well, yeah, but it’s not for me: it’s for Tank.” Dashie pointed to her flying tortoise. “I guess I should’ve had that invitation written better.”

“Oh, is Tank going somewhere?”

“Is it someplace tropical?” asked Pinkie Pie.

“Uh, no.” Rainbow shook her head. “It’s not that kind of going-away.”

Rarity looked at Tank and widened her eyes. “Oh! Are you saying that…that…?”

“Tank's hibernating,” I concluded.

“That’s right,” Rainbow replied.

Murmurs of understanding filled the room.

“You threw all this for Tank?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow nodded. “I’m not gonna see him for a long time. That’s why I got Pinkie to help set this up. I want Tank to enjoy one last time with me before he hits the sack for the winter.”

“I thought he was hibernating, not working out,” Pinkie said.

“You know what I mean.”

“It was nice for you to throw this party,” Fluttershy complimented. “In fact…I don’t normally do this…but I propose a toast…” Fluttershy lifted her cup. “To Tank!”

“To Tank!” The rest of us cheered loudly and raised our cups as well. Fluttershy flinched a little.

The party continued, but this time most of our conversations were related to Tank. We all showed sympathy for Dash. She was the only pony whose pet had to hibernate for the winter after all, and there was no doubt that she would feel lonely this winter.

The party lasted until Pinkie noticed white specks at the window.

“Hey! It’s snowing!” Pinkie announced. “It’s…oh…”

We all rushed to the window. The flakes no bigger than a Breezy’s pupil emerged from the silver clouds.

“Oh, my.” Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hoof. “The weather team is early this year. The first day of winter isn’t until tomorrow.”

Tank gave a big yawn. It didn’t matter when winter was coming. He was still going to hibernate regardless.

Rainbow Dash bit her lip and sighed. “Guess this is it…”

The wilting grass disappeared under the ever-thickening white blanket. The girls and I wore heavier winter clothes as we followed Rainbow Dash to a nearby forest. She already had Tank in one of her bags. His flying equipment was removed back at her house.

“I know Tank has to hibernate eventually,” Rainbow said. “I just didn’t expect it to happen so soon.”

“Yes, some dates tend to sneak up on you even when you expect them,” said Twilight.

We went deeper into the forest until we came across an empty burrow. Fluttershy nodded to Rainbow Dash. The latter took Tank out and placed him down near the entrance.

“See ya, Tank,” Rainbow said somberly. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Tank slowly walked into the burrow and buried himself underneath the dirt. Rainbow put a rainbow-colored flag near him.

“So I can find you when winter ends,” she said.

The rest of us said goodbye to Tank as well. A tear ran down Rainbow’s eye. It was the first time I saw it raining and snowing at the same time.

“We’re here if you need us,” Fluttershy softly spoke.

We all stood silently. The only audible noise was the flakes landing on the soft snow.

In a way, this episode was an improvement. Rainbow Dash never destroyed the weather factory, and since she knew Tank was hibernating, she hardly got upset. Although, it still was going to be a long winter for Dashie without Tank.

Chapter 78 (Hearthbreakers & a non-canon Winter Wrap Up episode)

Hearth’s Warming Eve was coming once again. I was in the kitchen with Starlight making gingerbread cookies. I had just finished decorating my third dozen.

“‘Trot, trot. Catch me if you dare,’” said Starlight as she levitated one of the cookies. “‘But I know you won’t, I’m the Gingerbread Mare!’”

I chuckled a bit. “Say, did you have any Hearth’s Warming traditions, Starlight?” I asked as I put the plate down. “Uh...before you left your hometown of course.”

“Well, my father and I used to bake cookies,” Starlight replied. “He’d be so good at decorating the reindeer-shaped ones. We even played with them a bit before eating them.” She then sighed. “Of course, he would keep calling me ‘Chipmunk Cheeks’ afterwards.”

“Why would he call you that?”

I turned around to see the plate already half empty. Starlight’s cheeks were inflated like pink balloons.

“No reason,” her voice muffled as some crumbs grossly spilled out of her mouth.

“Well, one tradition Twilight and I have is that we open presents on Hearth’s Warming Eve instead of the morning after. It happened because I was too impatient to open my presents when I was a hatchling, and we eventually kept it as a tradition ever since. That and giving each other books.”

“Hey! That was supposed to be a surprise!” Twilight retorted as she entered the kitchen. “And I don’t always give you books for Hearth’s Warming.”

“Okay then. What was the last item you got me that wasn’t book-related?”

Twilight raised a hoof, but she said nothing. Starlight downed a glass of milk to break the awkward silence.

“Uh…oh! I just remembered that Applejack was supposed to give us some cider today,” Twilight said. “Could you head over to her farm to pick it up, Spike?”

I nodded despite knowing she was trying to change the subject. I quickly put on my winter clothes and left the castle.

I traveled through Ponyville, watching as everypony was preparing for Hearth’s Warming Eve. What caught my eye was Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash sitting on a bench drinking hot chocolate. Both of them seemed to be hanging out more often than usual. I guess it had to do with Tank hibernating and Dashie feeling lonely.

I made it to the farm just in time to see Applejack adjusting some crates in the barn.

“Hey, Applejack,” I greeted. “I’m here for the cases of cider.”

“Howdy Spike. They’re over there.” Applejack pointed to the table with three cases. “Yer lucky. Ya came here just in time.”

“Rainbow was about to grab some?”

“That and…my family ‘n’ I are gettin’ packed.”

“Packed? Where are you guys going?”

“We’re headin’ out to Pinkie’s rock farm. Pinkie and I were having a discussion the other day, and we decided this year the Apple family can come to visit Pinkie’s family for the holidays.”

“Ah, that’s nice.”

I remembered this episode: “Hearthbreakers”. In the show, Applejack and the others would have trouble getting along with the Pie family and their Hearth’s Warming traditions. It gets worse when Applejack accidentally causes the Pie family’s sacred boulder to fall in a ditch, but in the end both families were able to resolve their differences and get Holder's Boulder (the boulder’s name) out of the ditch.

That’s when I noticed a discrepancy. In the show, “Hearthbreakers” happened after Applebloom got her cutie mark, but this time it was happening before. I don’t remember hearing about a school election yet, and neither Button Mash nor Rumble told me about it.

The school playground had seen better days, though, so I know “Crusaders of the Last Mark” had to come up soon. While I didn’t want to change anything, I wondered if Tiara’s statue had something to do with the school board's depleted budget. I would have to contact Neighsay about this after the CMC get their cutie marks.

“It is always nice to visit other families,” I said as I grabbed the cases. “Say, want me to give you some advice?”

“Well, yer always doin’ that, so go ahead.” Applejack tilted her hat.

“Try to keep an open mind when visiting others. Even when you might share the same traditions, they can still do it much differently than you do. You’ve seen how different Maud was when she visited Ponyville, so there’s no doubt that the rest of her family might be the same way.”

“Well, it wasn’t easy befriendin’ Maud, but I did it anyway despite our differences. It can’t be that much harder for the rest of the Pie family.”

“From what Pinkie told me, her big sister, Limestone, acts tough like Rainbow Dash. As for her little sister, Marble, she acts shy like Fluttershy. As for their parents…they’re a bit…archaic.”

“Heh. I’ll keep that in mind, Spike.”

“Applejack!” Granny’s voice shouted.

“Uh, oh. That’s Granny’s ‘I can’t find something’ tone. Just watch.”

Granny Smith came into the barn. There were a pair of cat-eye glasses on her head.

“Applejack, have ya seen my readin’ glasses?” Granny asked.

“They’re on ya head,” Applejack replied without turning around.

“Huh?” Granny patted her forehead before she noticed. “Oh. If they’d been a cross-eyed snake, they’d have bitten me. Say, why ain’t ya packed yet, Applejack? We’re leavin’ on Hearth’s Warming Eve, not New Year’s, dagnabbit.”

“I’m just makin’ sure everything’s in place ‘til we get back. I’ll be in shortly.”

I collected my crates and headed back to the castle.

Once I put the cider in the fridge, I grabbed a couple of bottles and looked for Starlight and Twilight. I saw them at the library making Hearth’s Warming dolls.

“Come on, Starlight. My cutie mark isn't that big,” Twilight said.

“It’s just a Hearth’s Warming doll, not a merchandise collectible,” Starlight replied. “No pony’s gonna notice.”

“But the stars are reaching up to my torso.” Twilight pointed to the plush figure. “I’m sure somepony’s going to notice.”

“Hey, girls,” I said. “I brought back the cider. Here’s a couple of bottles to get started.”

“Oh, good. Thanks, Spike. We’re just in the middle of making our Hearth’s Warming dolls. Would you care to join us?”

“Sure.” I handed the girls their respective bottles. “By the way, Starlight, you need to make Twilight’s cutie mark bigger.”

“Oh, very funny, Spike.” Twilight undid the bottle cap with her magic.

The three of us later spent the entire afternoon fixing our dolls.

Hearth’s Warming Eve went rather well. True to Twilight and my tradition, the three of us opened our presents early. It was no surprise we all got books. Starlight’s book was about the history of kites, mine was a Ponish to Japonese book for when I find a manga that hasn’t been translated, and Twilight’s was about modern politics since she became a princess.

Sadly, fate didn’t rest even during the holidays. Two days after Hearth’s Warming, Applejack told us about her family’s trip to Pinkie’s rock farm. Her story was exactly the same as in the show, much to my chagrin. I was hoping that I could prevent Holder’s Boulder from falling into the crevice, but then again that seemed to help the Apple family and the Pie family come together, so I was okay with letting that one go.

Speaking of coming together, I remembered there was a scene where Marble Pie and Big Mac showed interest with one another. I found that cute, but I also remembered Big Mac’s relationship with Sugar Belle. I didn’t want to prevent Big Mac from seeing Sugar Belle, but I didn’t want Marble to be upset either. The best thing I could think of off the top of my head was that Marble could try to see somepony else, but I would have to figure out who it should be.

New Year’s went pretty well, too. After quickly explaining Starlight our New Year’s tradition, we dropped the ball off a nearby set of stairs. It bounced up to 50 inches exactly.

“Wow! That’s twice in a row a ball bounced up to a number divisible by ten!” Twilight exclaimed. “I wonder what this year’s big change is gonna be.”

“Aside from becoming a princess and getting a castle?” Starlight asked.

“Hey, you never know,” I said as I walked down the stairs. “Maybe somepony will have a baby, or achieve their lifelong dream, or get their cutie mark. Anything can happen in this year of 2012.”

“Okay. I’m just saying that it’s kinda unusual that you two can predict the future just by bouncing a playground ball.”

“When you live in Ponyville, the unusual can become usual.”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

I shot up from my bed to hear the sound of a loud pounding noise at my bedroom door.

“Wake up, Spike! It’s Winter Wrap Up Day!” Twilight’s excited voice rang from the other side. “Come on! Wake up!”

“I’m awake! I’m awake!” I retorted while rubbing my eyes.

After doing my stretches and splashing cold water in my face, I went to prepare some breakfast.
Later, I found Starlight in the dining room drinking some coffee.

“Good morning, Starlight,” I said as I entered with my toast and scrambled eggs.

“Oh, it’s morning?” A groggy Starlight asked. “It’s so dark, I can’t tell.”

“Yeah, I forgot to mention Twilight really looks forward to Winter Wrap Up Day.”

“So I heard that Ponyville ‘cleans up’ winter here, is that right?” Starlight took another sip of her coffee.

“Yep. They don’t use magic to do it either. Well…that is they don’t use magic from their horns. It’s part of Ponyville tradition ever since it was found by earth ponies.”

I heard the sound of grunting noises. Twilight came in struggling to put on her Winter Wrap Up vest.

Starlight sat up. “Are you alright, Twilight?”

“Yes, it’s just my vest.” Twilight’s wings fluttered underneath the cloth. “Maybe I should’ve had Rarity make some wing holes in it.”

“Why do you need to wear that?”

“To let the ponies know which team I’m in. Since I’m the head organizer, I’m pretty much on everypony’s team.” Twilight removed her vest. “Green is the plant team, blue is the weather team, and tan is the animal team.”

“Wait! Was I supposed to sign up for a team?!” Starlight hopped out of her seat. “I’m sorry, Twilight! I didn’t know! Is it too late? Is it mandatory to…?”

“Starlight, relax.” Twilight draped her vest over her back. “It’s okay. You can join whichever team you prefer. Don’t worry. Spike and I went through the same thing last year.”

“Yeah, but I don’t think there’s an opening for a third head organizer, is there?”

“Oh, I’m actually part of the plant team,” I said. “I’m responsible for pushing the snow with one of the plows. In fact, I should get into my vest as well.”

I quickly finished my breakfast and headed back to my room. I got out my green vest from my closet and tried it on.

Unfortunately, just like my gala suit, the vest felt tight on me. I really was getting older and taller. This was a bit weird since Spike’s form never changed throughout the show, excluding the greed and molting of course. I left the vest unbuttoned and joined up with Twilight and Starlight.

Later that morning, we headed to the center of town where the rest of the Ponyville civilians were. The mayor was just outside of town hall.

“I’d like to thank everypony for coming today to help wrap up winter,” the mayor announced. “I hope that everypony will do their part and clean out the snow for the upcoming spring! Before we begin, Princess Twilight would like to say a few words.”

Twilight appeared on the platform. “Thank you, Mayor Mare. Now, I’ll try to keep this brief. I wish you all the best of luck with your assigned tasks. Be sure to read your directions carefully, and inform your team leader of any problems. So without further ado, let’s get galloping!”

The crowd dissipated into their respective teams, leaving Starlight, Twilight, the mayor, and me left.

“Oh, you’re new to Winter Wrap Up, aren’t you Miss Glimmer?” Mayor Mare adjusted her glasses.

“Uh, yeah. I am,” Starlight replied.

“Why don’t you come with me, Starlight?” Twilight offered. “We can see how the other ponies are doing and maybe you could find something up your alley.”

Starlight followed Twilight while I headed to Applejack’s group.

I arrived in an open field to find Applejack with the rest of the plant team.

“Alright y'all,” Applejack announced. “It ain’t gonna be easy to clear away some of this snow. But hopefully with Twi’s extensive organization from last year, we’ll be done before y’all can say ‘apple cider’. Let’s get started with the plowin’.”

The plowing team including me went to the snowplows. That’s when I noticed one that was rather small.

“That there’s yours, Spike,” Applejack said. “Built it with Applebloom a few months back. Figured ya needed one yer size since ya joined the plant team.”

“Oh, thank you,” I said.

I got into my plow and joined up with the rest of the snowplow team. After Applejack gave us the signal, we immediately plowed the snow in a straight line. My plow didn’t pick up as much snow as the rest of the team's, but it was significant enough to make a difference.

About an hour later, the fields laid bare while the plows had already made their own hills of snow. I got out of my plow and took a break with Applejack.

“I’m mad glad that Twilight came up with this stuff last year,” Applejack said. “Normally, it’d take us all day to clear the fields, even with the sun shining hotter than mid-August.”

“That’s Twilight for you.”

“Say, how’s Starlight? If I recall, this here’s her first Winter Wrap Up, right?”

“Right, but she’s having trouble finding out what to do.”

“Sounds just like what Twi went through.”

“Let’s hope it’s not completely what Twilight went through. You know, failing to make a nest, crashing into ice skaters, scaring creatures awake, and all that.”

That’s when a pegasus in a blue vest flew in.

“Howdy,” greeted Applejack. “Somethin’ wrong?”

“Yeah, we need a bit of help,” the pegasus replied.

“Sorry, but I’m with the plant team, ma’am. You’ll want to find Rainbow Dash for help with the weather stuff.”

“That’s the thing, I don’t know where she is. We can’t get rid of any more clouds until she gives us the go-ahead, but none of us have seen her.”

“Huh, strange. I know I saw her by the town hall during the mayor’s speech.”

“I think I know where she is.” I stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

I left the fields and went into the forest to find Fluttershy. It didn’t take me long to see her on a log tying bells to a rope.

“Hey, Fluttershy.” I said. “Have you seen Rainbow Dash lately?”

Fluttershy looked up. “Oh, hello, Spike. I did see her earlier. She came by asking for one of the bells. I think she might be looking for Tank.”

“Yeah, I had a feeling that was the case. Let’s go find her.”

Fluttershy and I walked across the forest until we found a location that looked familiar. Sure enough, Rainbow Dash was at the clearing, digging into the snow.

“Oh, here it is.” Rainbow uncovered the rainbow-colored flag from the snow. Its colors remained unchanged despite it being outside for three months straight.

Rainbow pulled a bell out from under her wings. She crouched down in front of the burrow and quickly chimed the bell. She waited patiently for her pet tortoise. Fluttershy and I were watching silently from the bushes. This was a moment for Rainbow Dash after all, and neither of us wanted to ruin it.

Dirt slid out of the burrow. Soon, Tank slowly crept his way out of the hole. Dashie gave a small smile.

“Hey there, Tank,” Rainbow greeted softly. “Sleep well?”

Tank sluggishly smiled. Rainbow picked him up and hugged him.

“Good to have you back, little buddy,” she said. Her voice crack did not go unnoticed.

Neither were the yellow hooves wrapped around my body.

“Fluttershy?” I asked.

“Oops. I’m sorry.” Fluttershy quickly let me go. “I can’t help it; I get all warm and fuzzy at moments like these.”

Rainbow quickly turned around. “Woah! Uh…how long have you two been there?”

“Long enough,” I replied as Fluttershy and I stepped out of the bushes. “We didn’t want to interrupt your touching reunion.”

“Thanks…I guess…”

“You don’t have to hide it,” Fluttershy said. “We were all there when Tank began hibernating.”

I cleared my throat. “Anyway, somepony from the weather team came looking for you.”

“Already?” Rainbow put Tank on her back. “That can’t be right.”

She looked up at the sky. About half of the sky was cloud-free, with the sun’s rays piercing through the rest of the tufts of evaporated water.

“Heh, I guess Twilight’s method really works.” Rainbow opened her wings and grabbed Tank. “Tell the weather team I’ll be back in a jiffy. I gotta take someone home first.”

Rainbow flew away. After Fluttershy and I told the pegasus worker about Dashie, we returned to our duties.

However, I hardly got into my plow before Applejack stopped me.

“Sorry for botherin’ ya, sugarcube,” she said. “But I just saw Starlight leavin’ the fields by herself before I got a chance to talk to her.”

“Twilight’s not with her?”

“Nope. Didn’t see her.”

“That’s weird. I’ll go talk to Starlight.”

I found Starlight brushing snow off a park bench before sitting on the cold wood.

“Hey, Starlight,” I said. “Is everything alright?”

Starlight sighed. “Not really. I’m having trouble figuring out what to do.”

“Wasn’t Twilight supposed to be with you?”

“She was, but then something came up and she had to return to the mayor for a while. So she told me I had to be on my own. I promised I would try my best to find something, but…”

“You’re not good at any of those tasks?”

“That’s the problem, I haven’t even started. I keep trying to ask, but everypony’s so busy that they can’t hear or notice me. And with Winter Warm Up almost done, I’m pretty much left out.”

“Don’t feel bad,” I sat next to Starlight. “Even with Twilight’s organization skills, we still have a long way to go. You’ll find something in time; you just have to speak up.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Starlight sat up. “Maybe you could…vouch for me?”

“Starlight, I can’t always speak for you. Can you imagine how awkward it would be if I had to talk to every friend for you?”

Starlight looked away.

I hopped off the bench. “Here, let’s go back to the fields, and maybe Applejack will offer something. All you need to do is talk to her. Oh, by the way, it’s ‘Winter Wrap Up,’ not ‘Warm Up.’”

Starlight followed me back to the fields. We found Applejack fanning herself with her hat.

“Now go ahead and talk to her,” I said to Starlight. “No need to be nervous, you talked to her before.”

“That’s not what I’m nervous about,” Starlight replied. “What if she turns me down?”

“She won’t. Everypony’s looking for newcomers this year.”

Starlight sighed and approached Applejack.

“Excuse me...Applejack?” Starlight called out.

“Uh, howdy Starlight,” said Applejack. “I saw ya leave earlier. Is there something you need?”

“Um…yeah…uh…” Starlight hoofed the ground. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Well, we’re always lookin’ for more plow pushers. Care to give it a try?” Applejack motioned Starlight to an empty plow. “We just had these oiled, so they should be easier to move around.”

Starlight entered the plow. Unlike what Twilight experienced last year, Starlight was able to move the plow on her own. She managed to scoop up a good pile of snow before stopping.

“Not bad, Starlight,” Applejack said as the pink unicorn exited the plow. “Ya got the skills to be a good plower. We could use somepony like you on board.”

“Actually, Applejack, is it okay if I try out all the other tasks first?”

“Sure. Don’t know why yer startin’ so late.”

“I had a lot of…delays.”

“Alright then. This position will still be open for ya if ya reconsider.”

I joined up with Starlight again. We headed to a frozen lake where we found Pinkie skating and making squared figure eights.

“Hey, Pinkie!” I shouted.

“Hey, Starlight and Spike!” Pinkie slid off the ice and stopped in front of us. “What brings you here?”

“Well, uh, I’m trying to find a task I’m good at,” Starlight replied. “Is there anything I can do here?”

“You could help me cut the ice before the other skaters arrive. You’re good with skates, right?”

Starlight scratched her head. “Uh…I used roller blades when I was a filly.”

“Perfect! Let’s go!” Pinkie pushed Starlight to the lake.

She then gave Starlight some skates from her mane. Starlight put them on her hooves and carefully got on the ice. I kept my distance in case this became a repeat of last year.

Thankfully, it didn’t. Starlight had a few slip-ups, but she was able to maneuver around the ice rather well. I thought she would pull a Bambi like Twilight did and slide all over the place.

“That was totally spectacular!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Maybe you should join the skating team!”

“I should,” Starlight said, “but I’d like to try out my other options.”

“Okie dokie loki!”

Starlight took off the skates and left the lake. I hurried beside her.

“So which one is better?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Starlight replied. “It would be nice to skate around the ice, but plowing the snow isn’t a bad idea either.”

That was when we found Rarity at a nearby picnic table, putting the finishing touches on one of her many nests.

Starlight cleared her throat.

“Starlight! Spike! How marvelous to see you,” said Rarity. “Apologies for not noticing you earlier, Starlight. Was there something you wanted?”

“I’m looking to help out,” replied Starlight.

“Would you care to design some nests with me?”

“I don’t know about nest-building, but sure.”

Starlight sat on the other side of the table as Rarity handed her the supplies.

“Now, remember, these have to be hoof-made,” Rarity reminded Starlight. “It’s quite a hassle, but it’s worth it to keep it traditional.”

Starlight tried her best to make a bird’s nest. Once or twice her horn would glow out of habit, but she was able to control herself without levitating anything. By the time she was done, the nest didn’t look too shabby. It wasn’t as fancy compared to Rarity’s nests, but it was better than Twilight’s first nest.

“Ooh, that does look rather nice,” Rarity said.

“Thanks, I guess all that kite-making has paid off,” Starlight said.

“Perhaps you could join the nest-making team. We could use the extra hooves.”

“Er…I’ll think about it. I wish to try out some other tasks first.”

“As you wish.”

Once again, Starlight and I left. We walked down the road until Starlight looked up at the sky. Pegasi were moving and getting rid of all the clouds.

“Thinking about joining the weather team?” I asked.

“No. I don’t have any wings.” Starlight pointed to her torso. “And I’m not allowed to use magic to move the clouds either.”

“Just asking.”

We went to the outskirts of town. We found Fluttershy once more, resting a string of bells on a protruding stick.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Starlight greeted.

Fluttershy gasped quietly. “Oh, Starlight, Spike. You surprised me.”

“Sorry about that. I wanted to know if I could help you in any way.”

Fluttershy looked around. “Uhm…oh. You can ring these strings of bells to wake the critters up.”

“Uh…okay.” Starlight grabbed the string with her hoof.

“N-not too hard now. We don’t want to scare the animals awake.”

Starlight gave the string a light tug. The bells gave a barely audible dingle.

“Time to wake up, critters,” Fluttershy said.

“Shouldn’t it be louder than that?” Starlight asked.

“Oh, don’t worry. Give it time.”

A few seconds later, all of the critters who heard the bell came out of their holes yawning and stretching.

“You know…there’s still a few creatures left to wake up,” Fluttershy said to Starlight. “Would you care to join me?”

Starlight remained unsure and wished to think it over. I followed her to the town hall. Twilight was there looking over her checklist.

“Oh, hey, Starlight,” Twilight put her checklist away. “Sorry I had to slip away for the moment. Did you find something you were good at?”

Starlight replied, “Yeah, but…”

“But what?”

“There were too many things that I’m good at. I don’t know what to pick. What if I join the plant team but realize I’m more interested in the weather team? What if I prefer nest-making but get stuck ice skating?! What if—?!”

“Starlight, get a hold of yourself.” Twilight quickly suspended Starlight with her magic. “I know that this is all overwhelming, but there’s no need to panic. I had trouble fitting in here as well during my first Winter Wrap Up.”

“But you got to join all three teams at once. I have to choose only one.”

“Who told you that?” Twilight put her student down. “Just because you pick a team for one year doesn’t mean you have to stay on that team for the rest of your life. Trust me, a lot of ponies have changed teams over the years here.”

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“While I was talking to the mayor, she brought up past Winter Wrap Up records and I had to see for myself. Turns out some ponies have been on multiple teams over the years. Mayor Mare allowed it after repealing the idea to assign random ponies to random teams and have them remain there.”

Starlight sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight. It’s just that there are so many choices, and I’m spending more time deciding on what to do than actually doing it. And given how things are going right now, I might not have the chance anymore.”

“Oh, don’t worry. It’s not too late to decide. You still have time before winter is completely wrapped up.”

“Well...okay...uhm...I could try nest-making with Rarity again since she’s closer to the town hall.”

With that, Starlight left to find Rarity.

“You might want to head back to your duties as well, Spike,” Twilight reminded me.

“Right. Will do, Twilight.” I quickly hurried back to the fields.

The rest of Winter Wrap Up went pretty well. Spring was able to come on time once again. The citizens of Ponyville gathered in front of the town hall.

“Well done, everypony!” the mayor announced. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed by this year’s Winter Wrap Up. Thank you all for doing your part.”

Everypony cheered and disbanded. I met up with Twilight and Starlight.

“I’m glad you found something to do for Winter Wrap Up,” Twilight said to Starlight. “Love the tan vest you have there.”

“Thanks.” Starlight pulled out a green vest and a blue vest. “Rarity also made me vests for the other teams.”

“Maybe we should’ve had Rarity fix our vests as well, Twilight,” I pointed out.

“Yeah, I was wondering why you didn’t button yours up,” said Twilight.

This was a good day, all things considered. Winter Wrap Up was a breeze, Rainbow was reunited with Tank, and Starlight managed to find something to do. Now all I hoped was that Rarity could upgrade Twilight’s and my vest a bit for next year’s Winter Wrap Up.

Author's Note

Sorry if this took so long to make.
Special thanks to MLPFollower for helping me with some of this chapter.

Chapter 79 (Slice of Life)

Hearts and Hooves Day came once again, and I had plans on what to do.

After doing my morning routine, I went to the town square and purchased a simple bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. I then went down the road to Fluttershy’s cottage. I knocked on the door and patiently waited for my favorite pony.

Fluttershy answered quickly. “Oh, hello Spike.”

“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day.” I gave Fluttershy the flowers and chocolates.

“Oh, wow! Thank you, Spike.” Fluttershy hugged me. “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day to you, too.”

After she put my gifts away, I said, “Say, if you don’t have any plans for today, how about we go for a nature walk?”

“I was going to suggest the same thing.”

Later, Fluttershy and I went into the nearby forest. Fluttershy was hopping so much I swore that she was Pinkie Pie in disguise.

“Oh, how I enjoy spring!” Fluttershy exclaimed as we walked along the path. “It’s like nature itself waking up from its own hibernation.”

“I don’t mind it either,” I said.

That part was true. It was nice to enjoy the blooming flowers in the spring for once. The better part was that I never needed to consume an entire box of allergy pills like I did back in the human world. I just hoped that I wouldn’t get another cold like last year.

A bird landed on Fluttershy’s hoof. Both of them had a small conversation before the bird flew off.

“What were you two talking about?” I asked.

“Oh, well Mordy had found a lover last migration and now he and his partner were considering having children.”

“Ah, good for them.”

Fluttershy and I continued into the forest. We stopped at a clearing and sat beside an old tree stump.

“Sure are a lot of birds singing today,” I said.

Fluttershy replied, “Yeah, there is now that you mentioned it. Not that I mind, of course. I always love hearing the birds sing.”

“Do you understand what they’re singing about?”

“Of course. Mostly they talk about what they like about each other. It’s almost like a love song.”

“Yeah, that makes sense since they’re trying to attract a lover.”

Fluttershy and I looked up at the sky. A few puffy clouds floated on by like glaciers in an arctic ocean.

Fluttershy then turned to me. “Spike, can I ask you something?”

I nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Do you ever think of what you want your dream goal to be?”

“Sometimes. Why?”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it myself. There was one goal I wish to achieve…but it’s kinda silly.”

“What? What is it? I promise I won’t laugh.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “I was thinking of having a place where all kinds of animals can roam free while still getting the care and treatment they deserve. Almost like an animal sanctuary.”

“But you already have a cottage. Not to mention you have animals visit you from time to time.”

“Yes, that’s true. But my animal friends are mostly forest creatures. All the journeys I’ve been on so far showed me that there are lots more animals to meet in different places. Tigers, mantacores, bugbears…oh my, to see all of them in one place…I’m sorry, it sounds ridiculous…”

I shook my head. “No, no it doesn’t. It sounds like a good plan. A great plan. Having exotic animals come visit your animal sanctuary sounds like something an animal lover would create right away.”

Fluttershy giggled. “Thank you, Spike. And…what about your ultimate goal?”

That was a good question. On the off chance that I could never return to the human world, I would have to consider a long-term goal while I’m in Equestria after Twilight’s coronation for the ruler of Equestria.

“Well…I don’t know, honestly. I’ve always helped you and the others, but lately I’ve wanted to do much more than that. I want to explore all of Equestria and learn about everyone’s cultures. Maybe I could also help others out there. Unite kingdoms, settle arguments, avoid conflicts…it would be like being an ambassador. I know it sounds rather generic, but…”

“Oh, don’t worry, Spike. It’s okay if you have a generic goal. I’ve heard some ponies wanting to start a family or have a simple job, and that’s okay. Sometimes goals don’t have to be so extravagant or unique. As for yours in particular, you always were helping out and settling conflicts here. I’d think you’d make a perfect ambassador. And you seemed to handle arguments well. I haven’t heard you use your whistle these days.”

I pulled out my whistle. What Fluttershy said was true, it had been a while since I blew it. While I still get annoyed by any nearby arguments, I was able to calm things down before things got too hectic.

“Yeah,” I said. “I still have a way to go. I’m not throwing this away anytime soon.”

After our respite, we returned back to Fluttershy’s cottage. Fluttershy gave me one last hug.

“Thank you, Spike,” she said. “Hope you enjoy the rest of Hearts and Hooves Day.”

“You’re welcome, Fluttershy.” I hugged back. “Same to you as well.”

I hurried back to the castle. There, I saw Twilight going through the mail. She was reading one of the letters with a smile on her face. It definitely wasn’t a bill.

“Hey, Twilight. What are you reading?” I asked.

“We just got invited to a wedding, Spike!” Twilight announced. “It’s going to take place here in Ponyville!”

Twilight gave me the letter. As it turned out, it was the wedding for Cranky and Matilda, the two donkeys that Pinkie hooked up a while back.

“Oh, wow. That’s great!” I exclaimed. “I can’t wait to attend.”

I gave back the invite and hurried to my room. “Slice of Life,” the show’s one hundredth episode, was coming, and I was going to have a lot on my plate. Getting the girls to the town hall was a priority, but so were a lot of other things, such as getting Doctor Whooves’s suit tailored. I had to devise a plan to make sure everything would go somewhat better than in the show.

The day before the wedding, I hurried over to Rarity’s boutique. I was able to find the unicorn at her sewing machine.

“Hey, Rarity,” I said. “Are you busy right now?”

Rarity adjusted her glasses. “Oh, hello, Spike. No, I’m not at the moment. Why do you ask?”

“Well, the wedding is coming up, and I wanted to know if you had time for a last-minute repair. There’s this pony who needs a patch done.”

“I’ve still got time to do a few stitches. But the pony would have to come by the boutique with their outfit if that were the case, darling.”

“I’ll be sure to let them know that. Thanks.”

I went out of the boutique and searched for the doctor’s house. It took a while, but I was able to locate his home. I knocked on the door, and the doctor answered immediately.

“Yes? What can I do for you?” Dr. Whooves asked.

“Hey, I was just passing by,” I said. “I wanted to wish everypony good luck for tomorrow’s wedding.”

The doctor slapped his forehead. ”Great whickering stallions! I completely forgot! And I still need to get my suit tailored!”

“Oh, don’t worry, doctor! Rarity still has time to fix a few more suits.”

“Oh, good!” The doctor closed the door and came out with his suit on a hanger. “I shall get there right away!”

He galloped a few feet before stopping and turning.

“Actually, there is something that I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Dr. Whooves said. “Have you ever experienced an event that has occurred before?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason. I just want to know if you experienced deja vu.”

“Oh. Yeah, I had deja vu before.”

“I see. Alright, see you at the wedding.”

The doctor hurried to the boutique. At least that was one problem solved for the upcoming episode.

The next morning, I woke up and did my normal routine. I entered the kitchen and made myself a bowl of cereal. The doors behind me opened quickly.

"Good morning, Twilight," I said without turning around.

"Good morning, Spike," Twilight replied enthusiastically. "Ready for the big day?"

"Of course. It’s Cranky and Matilda's wedding after all. Everypony who's anypony is gonna be there."

I sat at the table and ate my cereal. Suddenly, I felt the familiar squeezing in my stomach. I instantly burped out a scroll.

"Heh, didn't think scrolls were part of a complete breakfast," I said as I took the milk-stained scroll from the bowl. "It must be for you, Twilight."

Twilight shook the scroll a bit before unraveling it. As she read the letter, her face went from happy to worried.

"Oh, no!" She squeaked.

"What’s the matter?" I asked.

"A bugbear is heading for Ponyville! Of all days this could happen! I gotta get the girls!"

"But what about the wedding?"

"We'll try to make it afterwards!"

Twilight dashed out of the castle. I quickly finished my cereal before heading out as well.

I thought about what else would be done today. I needed to make sure that the girls would attend the wedding, but that part wasn't going to be for a while.

I already solved the doctor's issue, so that was off the table. At least I hoped so. I could join those dudes at the bowling alley, but…all I could say was even though I never saw the Big Lebowski, I'm aware of some of the characters there.

I decided to let the rest of the episode take its course until the wedding starts. I would only patch a few things if needed.

Vinyl Scratch came walking down the road, bopping to her music. I quickly ran up to her.

“Excuse me, Vinyl,” I said.

She looked at me. Not wanting to make the same mistake the doctor did, I pointed to her headphones. She removed them.

“Have you seen Twilight around?”

Vinyl pointed in the direction of the bowling alley.

“Alright, thanks,” I said.

“Don’t mention it,” she replied.

I hurried down the road, but suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks and looked back.

Did…did she just…?

At least I knew she wasn’t mute. I continued to the bowling alley.

Once I got there, a large crowd gathered in front of the building. The Mane 6 were huddled together. I quickly joined the crowd.

“Do we know what they're on about?” Octavia asked.

“The way they're huddled up like that,” replied Applebloom, “I'd say it's either a friendship problem or a monster attack.”

“It’s a monster attack,” I said.

Everyone turned to me like I just gave away the ending to a popular movie.

“How do you know that?” Sweetie asked.

“I received the letter from Celestia,” I replied. “Why else did you think Twilight gathered all the girls?”

“A monster attack?!” Octavia cried. “Blast! I'm performing at the ceremony this afternoon, and I still haven't sorted out what to play. How am I meant to practice with a monster invading Ponyville?”

“You could always get Vinyl to help you. Sure, she’s more into modern music than classical, but I’m sure she can lend a hoof.”

Before anypony could say anything else, Matilda came running in with a panicked look on her face.

“Where's Pinkie Pie?!” She shouted. “I need my wedding planner!”

A loud roar soon followed. A giant, black and white bear with wings, a stinger, and extra arms appeared. This was definitely a bugbear. The Mane 6 quickly took action.

“Alright, everypony clear the area!” Amethyst Star announced. “Let Twilight and her friends take it from here!”

We quickly evacuated from the scene. I hurried over to the local costume shop.

“Hey, kid, you came at a bad time!” The store-owner called out. “There’s a bugbear attacking, and I’m closing up shop!”

“Oh, relax, Twilight and the girls will handle it,” I said. “Besides, I’ll be quick.”

“If you say so.”

I browsed quickly to see if I could find a decent wig for Cranky. He had seemed to lose his toupee a lot throughout the series, so it wouldn’t hurt to have a few spares every now and then. I didn’t think he’d like a hat, and I doubt Zecora can whip up a hair-growing potion within a short timeframe.

That’s when I remembered about Rarity’s hair-loss episode. If wigs were a thing, why didn’t she consider getting one? Or better yet, why did neither Twilight nor Starlight know of a spell that could regrow hair, especially since the former was an alicorn who can give a dragon a mustache? I’d have to figure that out later.

I bought a curly brunette wig and had it gift-wrapped. I left the shop before realizing Celestia and Luna would be attending the wedding as well. I sat on a nearby bench and wrote a letter.

“Dear Celestia and Luna,

I heard that you two are gonna attend today’s wedding. I hope to see you there. Don’t forget to bring a gift if you can.

Sincerely,
Spike.”

I used my firebreath to send the letter away.

Hopefully, it will reach the two sisters before it’s too late.

Seeing as I still had time before the wedding, and Vinyl’s mobile turntable ride, I decided to look for some of my friends.

I found Rumble just outside of Ponyville. He was practicing air stunts over the trees. When I got his attention, he flew over and landed in front of me.

“Hey, Sp-ike! Woah!” Rumble quickly covered his mouth.

“Heh, puberty?” I asked.

“No, it’s just a frog in my throat.” Rumble coughed. “I was helping Thunderlane clean our house this morning and I ended up breathing in some of the dust.” He pulled out a water bottle and took a sip.

“Anyway, I hope to see you at the wedding, Rumble. You are invited, right?”

“Yeah, so is Thunderlane. It seems like all of Ponyville is invited for this ceremony. What’s weird is that I hardly know the bride and groom.”

“Still, it’s not everyday you attend a wedding.”

“I guess so.”

The nearby clock tower chimed. It was already lunchtime.

“Wow, time travels fast,” I said. “Let’s talk again later, Rumble.”

“See ya!” Rumble flew off.

I hurried back into town. After having a quick meal, I checked to see what the girls were up to. I noticed Bonbon leaning against a nearby building. She sported a pair of sunglasses and rope.

“Uh, hey, Bonbon,” I greeted. “What are you up to?”

Bonbon instantly grabbed me and yanked my body right beside the building.

“Keep quiet,” she whispered. “It’ll hear you.”

“You mean the bugbear?” I whispered back. “But the Mane 6 got it under control, right?”

“For now, but who knows what it will do once it heads for the rest of the town ponies?”

“Why do you doubt the girls’ ability? Do you know something about the bugbear that nopony else does?”

“For the sake of your safety, kid, I rather not say.”

No need to, Sweetie Drops.

“Okay, looks like the bugbear won’t come this way,” Bonbon whispered. “Hurry in that direction, and it won’t hear you.”

“Uh, sure thing,” I replied with the same volume. “Good luck playing ‘secret spy’.”

Bonbon said nothing as I got away from the fight. I headed to the spa next. By the time I got in, I saw Matilda at the reception. Judging by the look on her face, I hoped she was getting an extra-relaxing massage.

“Hello, Mrs. Matilda,” I greeted.

“Oh, I’m not a ‘Mrs.’ yet, little one,” Matilda replied. “If it’s not obvious by now, this wedding’s all out of whack!”

“Well, nobody could foresee the bugbear attack, or poorly-scheduled wedding day.”

“How did you know the wedding was scheduled for the wrong day?”

“I noticed the invitation was poorly printed, so I was confused as to what the number was for your date,” I lied. “No doubt the rest of Ponyville had the same thought.”

“You’ve got some eyesight. I was thinking you saw all this before and came back from the future or something to fix everything.”

I remained silent.

“We’re ready for you, Miss Matilda,” Aloe called out from the reception desk.

“Oh, finally!” Matilda hopped from the couch.

“Oh, and Matilda,” I said. “Don’t worry so much about the wedding. It doesn’t matter how well it goes, all that matters is that you and Cranky are together. Don’t let anypony or non-pony say otherwise.”

“Thanks, Spike.” Matilda quickly entered the spa.

I just hope Steven Magnet doesn’t ruin Matilda’s motivation.

I left the spa and rethought the events happening so far and what will happen next. After Steven’s conversation with Matilda, Vinyl and Octavia’s mobile turntable would cruise across Ponyville.

I hurried down the road until I saw where Button Mash was. He was playing an outdoor arcade game. I also noticed he was still in his original colors. I remembered in the show his colors were redesigned for some reason.

“Hey, Button Mash,” I said.

“Hey, Spike,” Button replied without turning around.

“Ready for the wedding?”

“Hey! No spoilers!” Button glared at me.

“I meant the one in real life! Not in the game.”

“Oh, sorry. Yeah, I’m almost ready for the wedding.”

I stayed around for a while longer. I’ve noticed other ponies showing up nearby. I knew Octavia and Vinyl were going to arrive any minute. I just had to know when.

“Huh?” Button leaned his ear closer to the arcade’s speakers.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“They must’ve added a newer soundtrack to this game. I can hear some weird dubstep music.”

I raised my eyebrows. I knew where the music was coming from, and it wasn’t from Button’s game. I quickly climbed the arcade machine as Button tilted his head.

“What are you doing?” Button asked.

“You’ll see,” I replied.

The music grew louder and louder. As if right on cue, a neon turntable with giant speakers turned from the corner with Vinyl and Octavia riding on top. With careful timing, I hopped on top of one of the speakers as the other nearby ponies were picked up unwillingly.

“Does this ride lead to the town hall?” I asked jokingly.

I held onto the speakers as the turntables picked up more and more ponies on its path, along with a sofa, a wedding cake, and the bride.

I don’t know if I should enjoy this or be scared since I know what’s going to happen next…oh wait!

I remembered Discord gave Twilight a cane with her face in the show, but since I prevented Twilight from leaving the Everfree Forest when those vines showed up, the Twicane never appeared.

So the question is…what’s gonna happen this time?

“Alright, Vinyl, we’re nearing the town hall!” Octavia called out. “Slow down! I said slow down! Vinyl, SLOW DOWN!!”

Vinyl could only shrug and sheepishly smiled. Looks like brakes weren’t considered a high priority when making a mobile turntable.

“BRACE YOURSELVES!!” I shouted.

The music machine slammed onto the bottom steps, sending everypony and non-pony flying. Thankfully, as luck would have it, the majority of us landed on soft chairs while the rest of us landed on the ground unscathed.

At least fate was kind this time.

After smoothing out all the creases on the gift box, I placed it with the rest of the wedding gifts. Then Celestia and Luna came up to the table.

“See? I told you we’d make it,” Celestia whispered to Luna.

“I still say it was unnecessary to go all the way back to Canterlot for the gift,” Luna hissed.

“Relax, dear sister. We barely got out of Canterlot before we got that letter.”

I quickly left the table and bumped right into Starlight.

“Oh, excuse me!” Starlight called out.

“Starlight,” I said. “Glad you could make it. Haven’t seen you all day.”

“I was up late last night studying and didn’t get up until noon. I wish Twilight woke me up before she ran out.”

Starlight left to find a seat.

Shining Armor and Princess Cadance sat at the end of one row of chairs. The former was crying his heart out.

Way to show that liquid pride, brother.

Suddenly, the double doors swung open. Bonbon came in, taking her sunglasses off.

“Attention, everypony!” Bonbon announced. “Our friends have done it! They defeated the bugbear!”

Everypony cheered after hearing that. I made my way to the doors as Bonbon made her way to Lyra. I knew what was going to happen next. The Mane 6 would try to enter the town hall, but Derpy would accidentally close and lock the doors. As funny as it was in the show, I couldn’t let that happen again.

I was about to go outside when I saw an unusual creature sitting on one of the chairs. It was a changeling. I raised an eyebrow. I assumed the changeling showed up in the show because of that magic love blast during the Canterlot Wedding. I supposed I was proven wrong.

What was also unusual was the changeling didn’t have any sparkling wings. Either Thorax didn’t go through with spreading friendship throughout the hive, or this changeling hasn’t consider friendship yet.

“Uh…excuse me?” I asked.

The changeling looked at me. I’ll admit I was a bit startled, considering the fact that there was no telling what this changeling’s nature was.

I asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I was told there’d be free food,” the changeling replied nonchalantly.

I furrowed my brows. “You mean actual food or the love from—?”

“Well, is everypony here?” The mayor announced.

I gasped.

“No! Not yet!” I shouted.

I hurried to the doors just as Derpy was about to close them.

“Wait! STOP!!” I grabbed the door. “Don’t forget about the girls!”

Derpy looked out the door. “Oh, oops.”

The Mane 6 ran inside, out of breath.

“Thanks, Spike,” Twilight panted.

I nodded as we quickly took our seats. Derpy closed the door once more and locked it.

“All set, Mayor!” Derpy announced.

Mayor Mare then gave her speech. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join these two in mare-trimony.”

As she continued on, I whispered to Twilight, “Was it hard taking down that bugbear?”

“You don’t know the half of it, Spike,” Twilight replied quietly. “I thought it would take us forever to finish it off.”

“I’m just glad you girls are here and not locked out of town hall.”

The Mayor concluded, “Then I'm proud to say, I now pronounce you jack and jenny!”

Matilda and Cranky shared a kiss as we all applauded. All at once, the flowers glowed and shot off right above us.

The flameless fireworks. I hope they’re actually harmless.

“Of course!” The doctor shouted. “They need love to ignite! How could I have missed it?!”

As we watched the colorful spectacle, I thought about how this episode turned out. Overall, while my changes may not have been that significant, they were an improvement. The doctor got his suit tailored in time, Matilda was motivated a bit, Celestia and Luna were able to bring a gift, and the girls made it to the wedding without getting locked out.

100 episodes down, 121 episodes to go.

Chapter 80 (Princess Spike)

I drummed my fingers rapidly on the dining room table. Twilight finally came in.

“So?” I asked.

“I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight said. “We did everything possible. We talked to everypony, we checked everypony out. I’m afraid that changeling you were talking about is not in Ponyville anymore.”

“But I saw it at Cranky and Matilda’s wedding.”

“I’m not saying there wasn’t a changeling. In fact, some of the colts and fillies said that they saw it, too. It’s just that we did a thorough search and didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. No missing ponies, no suspicious civilians, no stolen love...”

“What about Chrysalis? The changeling could be looking for her.”

“Princess Celestia said that she’s still locked up in the Canterlot dungeon, and it has very tight security there.”

“But, I’m still worried.”

“So am I, Spike. But I promise if somepony here sees a changeling again, we will take action.”

That conversation was all I could get about the changeling that appeared in “Slice of Life”. I was hoping to learn what was going on in the hive, what Thorax was up to, and if the changeling’s name really was “Kevin.” Sadly, this was going to be another mystery left unsolved for now.

Twilight’s birthday already passed, which meant she was now 23 years old. Thankfully, I was able to attend her party for once.

I still have yet to learn about Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy’s birthdays. It has been over a year since I came to Equestria, and I learned nothing about the trio’s birthdays or ages. Maybe when I find Pinkie’s hideout, I could find something about them.

The Grand Equestria Pony Summit was coming. Twilight and I helped Celestia, Luna, and Cadance get everything ready in Canterlot. I took frequent breaks, and I tried to get Twilight to do the same. But no matter how many times I or the other ponies tried, Twilight kept insisting that she wouldn’t rest until everything was perfect.

Eventually, the opening ceremony was underway. Ponies from across the globe arrived here in Canterlot for the summit. Even a griffon from Griffonstone showed up. The princesses and I were currently backstage watching the crowd.

“Sure are a lot of ponies here today,” I said.

“Equestria is not a small world, after all,” Luna replied.

Twilight yawned.

“You alright, Twilight?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, I’m fine. Just a bit tired is all.”

The bags underneath her eyes told a different tale.

Fanfare echoed through the ballroom. The four alicorns and I took to the stage. Just like in the show, Luna and Celestia welcomed everypony and revealed the giant crystal statue. Everypony in the crowd cheered upon seeing the colorful mosaic sculpture.

“Now I'd like to turn things over to the one who organized the summit: Princess Twilight Sparkle!” Celestia announced.

Twilight stood front and center as the cheering grew louder. She thanked everypony for coming and noted that it took more than one sleepless night to put everything together. I, sadly, could vouch for that.

“And now my faithful assistant, Spike, would like to say a few words,” Twilight announced.

I stepped forward and cleared my throat. “Hello everypony. Glad you all could come. I hope you enjoy what Canterlot has to offer.”

I took a step back as everypony praised the princesses.

Later that day, I headed back to the room where Twilight and I were staying for the event. The episode “Princess Spike” was happening, and I already knew how to end it early. I patted my backpack as I put some of the books away.

A loud thumping sound came from the door.

“It’s unlocked!” I shouted.

Cadance came bursting in, knocking all of the books off from the nearby bookshelf. I was glad I wasn’t near it like the old Spike.

“Spike! There you are!” Cadance exclaimed. “We need you!”

“What’s wrong?” I asked, but I already knew the answer.

Twilight came in. She was as wobbly as grape jello and looked like she drank too much cider, and I didn't mean the one Applejack makes.

“Twilight! Are you okay?” I asked.

“Oh, I'm sorry, Spike. I just…” Twilight gave a big yawn that almost made me sleepy. “...need a quick…nap…napkin!” She tumbled backwards into the pile of books. “Tell…the delegates…I…” She said not another word as she fell asleep on the books like a hoarding dragon.

“She's been awake three straight days preparing for the summit!” Cadance exclaimed. “We need to make sure she gets some rest today! She'll never be able to attend the welcome reception in this condition. Can I count on you to see to it that she isn't disturbed, Spike?”

“Don't worry,” I replied. “I promise.”

“Good. Now, let's get her in bed.”

Cadance lifted Twilight's body with her magic. I pulled the covers on the bed back as Cadance carefully placed her sister-in-law on the bed. I then draped the blanket over Twilight’s body.

“And that should do it,” said Cadance. “I'm going to head out now. Remember what I told you.”

“She'll be in good hands,” I replied. “Oh, hey, if anypony is having problems and needs Twilight, tell them that she sent you on her behalf.”

Cadence nodded and left the room. That's when I took action.

I pulled out some earmuffs and a sleep mask from my backpack and carefully put them on Twilight’s head. Then, I went around the room, closing and locking every window. I pulled the curtains together to make sure no stray sunlight could pierce through. Finally, I got out a sheet of paper and wrote in big red letters, “DO NOT DISTURB.” I taped it to the front of the door right before closing and locking it as well.

I sighed as I wiped my hands. I pretty much turned a typical half-hour episode into a five-minute short. That’s what happens when Spike isn’t stupid.

Seeing as I had a lot of time to kill, I indulged in a few activities to pass the time. I read some of my comic books and mangas with the help of a flashlight. I did a few push-ups and sit-ups. I played solitaire with a deck of cards. I even tried to make a house with the cards, but I couldn’t for the life of me get past the second layer. Basically, if all this happened in the show, it would be a time passing montage.

I leaned against the bed, wondering how much time has passed since Twilight went to sleep. That’s when I heard her mumbling.

Must be talking in her sleep.

I stood on my toes to hear what she was saying.

“Why, Flash…of course I’ll read the entire encyclopedia with you…” Twilight murmured.

She’s still into him?

I peeked through the curtains to see what was going on in the outside world. Like in the show, there was a polo game happening, a landscaper cutting down branches, and a construction pony fixing the water main. I don’t know why the last two picked today of all days to do their work. They could have done it earlier before the summit happened. At least I didn’t have to go down there and keep them quiet.

I rummaged through my backpack to find more things to pass the time. That’s when I found the Canterlot newspaper. I sat by the desk and read through the current events.

At least most of the events happening in Equestria are more uplifting than the news in the human world.

I flipped through the pages until I came across the real estate section. A picture of the Golden Oaks Library caught my eye. It was still up for sale, and the price itself wasn’t too expensive from what I can tell. I guessed not everypony would be interested in living in a library.

I’m sure somepony will buy it. It’s not like it’s haunted or anything.

After my daily dose of news, I went back to reading some of my manga. I was already on the seventh book about Mesu and Iki. To be honest, I was really interested in this series just like Rainbow Dash was into Daring Do. After seeing how victorious Mesu and Iki were at their first battle, I just had to get the next book. The more I read about them, the more I noticed that they shared similarities to Twilight and the old Spike respectively. Mesu was interested in books and education like Twilight, and Iki was interested in being rambunctious and helping Mesu.

I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a future manga that has Iki growing out of control or Mesu sprouting wings.

I was on the last page of my manga when Twilight gave a big yawn and stretched her arms.

“Huh? It’s nighttime already?” Twilight looked around. “How long was I asleep?”

I hurried over and removed Twilight’s sleeping mask and earmuffs.

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I said. “It’s still daytime. You were asleep for a couple of hours.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes and hopped off the bed. I quickly opened the curtains.

“I haven't slept like that since I was a filly!” Twilight stretched her legs. “Anyway, we've still got a lot to do. Do you know if the water main was fixed?”

“I’m not sure.” I shrugged.

After Twilight’s long respite, we packed some of our things and left the room. Twilight and I went about Canterlot joining meetings and helping delegates out with each situation they had. It was a good thing Twilight and I were together. She came up with solutions that were a lot better than the old Spike suggested. Some meetings even lasted shorter than others thanks to Cadance’s involvement earlier.

Evening had approached fast. Twilight and I were already in the ballroom. The other three princesses were there as well. Twilight took to the stage.

“Thank you all for coming to this welome reception,” Twilight announced. “I do apologize that I had to meet with some of you so late. I had…certain matters that needed attending to.”

Like the pillow and blanket?

Twilight continued, “In a way, it taught me that sometimes, it’s better to take breaks once in a while, and to listen to those who suggest it. Especially when hosting important ceremonies like this one.” Twilight looked at me. “Would you like to say a few words of advice, Spike?”

I nodded as I stepped forward.

I cleared my throat and said quickly and calmy, “Remember to use common sense. It’s just as important as friendship.”

The crowd chuckled a bit. As Twilight continued with her speech, I joined up with Celestia, Luna, and Cadance.

“Thanks for helping Twilight get some sleep,” Cadance whispered. “I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”

“Not really,” I whispered back. “I just closed all the windows and doors, covered Twilight’s eyes and ears, and made sure nopony or non-pony disturbed her. Common sense.”

“That would explain that rather short speech you gave.”

“Well, I just wanted to let them know. Otherwise, we might’ve ended up with something like a flooded ballroom, a destroyed statue, or a crowd of angry ponies.”

“That sounds weirdly specific, Spike. Heh, almost like you’ve seen it happening before.”

I stayed silent, and so did Luna. It was a relief to solve this episode so early. The Dragon Sneeze trees were trimmed properly, the main water line was fixed, the polo ponies played their game without any interruptions, the statue never got destroyed, the ballroom remained dry, Twilight got her rest, and most of all, none of the ponies got angry and formed a mob.

Maybe I should’ve been the Element of Common Sense.

Chapter 81 (Party Pooped)

“I can’t believe this is happening!”

Twilight rubbed her temples as I reread the letter she’d gotten from Princess Celestia. Celestia’s letter in question talked about the success of the summit. In fact, it was so successful, she was willing to open borders with one of Equestria’s neighboring regions: Yakyakistan.

“Yeah, I can’t believe it either,” I replied.

In truth, I knew that this episode, “Party Pooped,” would happen. In the show, the yaks come over to unify with Equestria, and Twilight was responsible for the whole ordeal. Unfortunately, too many bad first impressions ended up with Yakyakistan declaring war on Equestria. It would’ve ended badly had Pinkie Pie not come up with a better idea for a party. That and the train conductors being too stupid to know what the cow catcher in front of their locomotive was for.

This wasn’t my most favorable episode, mostly because it put yaks in a bad light despite the ending. In fact, it wasn’t until Yona showed up that they grew on me. Hopefully, my idea to fix this episode would change that. Hopefully.

“You know, I think I might know somepony who can help you,” I said.

“Oh, good,” Twilight said as she slowed her breathing. “Bring them here if you can. I’ll try to find research on Yakyakistan.”

As Twilight went into the library, I left the castle and made my way to Sugarcube Corner.

“Hello, Mr. Cake,” I greeted as I entered the confectionery. “Is Pinkie Pie around?”

“Hey, Spike,” Mr. Cake replied. “She might be. Last time I saw her, she said she needed to do some organization then went up to her room. I think she’s still up there, but I haven’t heard any of her hoofbeats.”

“I see. I'll see if she’s available myself.” I headed towards the stairs before stopping myself. “Quick question. When you and Mrs. Cake started working here, were you aware of any secret rooms or floors?”

“I don’t know about ‘secret’, kid, but there have been a lot of unused rooms at first. I can’t tell if they still are.”

“I see.”

I headed up the stairs until I was at Pinkie’s room. However, I found neither her nor Gummy.

Then that means…

I went over to the banister leading upstairs. I pressed on top of the ice cream cone statue. Within seconds, the trapdoor swung open just inches behind me. I grabbed onto the railing to retain my balance.

There it is.

I took a deep breath and jumped onto the slide. I immediately landed in a room filled with filing cabinets and party supplies as far as the eye could see.

I approached a table that had a few folders. They were ponies I haven’t seen often, but I was sure they live in Ponyville. Pinkie wasn’t joking when she said she knew everypony in Ponyville. I wondered how she finds her information about other ponies. I did recall her having access to some of Ponyville’s files in the town hall at one point in the show.

I was about to look into one of the folders when I heard a loud stomp approaching me.

“You picked the wrong party cave, thief!” Pinkie shouted as she marched from the darkness with a pinata stick.

“Hey! Hey!” I grabbed a chair. “Pinkie Pie! Wait! It’s me, Spike! Relax! Relax!”

“Spike?” Pinkie tossed the stick aside. “Oh, that’s a relief. I thought you were somepony else. How did you get down here?”

“The door was open,” I replied. That was a half-truth this time.

“I really need to fix that.”

“So what’s all this?” I pointed to all the files. “You’ve got a secret party cave going on here?”

“Well…not so secret anymore. Was anypony else with you?”

“Don’t worry, I was by my lonesome. My lips are sealed.”

“What are you doing here anyway? Were you looking for me?”

“As a matter of fact, yes. You see, Twilight needs to entertain some guests…”

“And you want me to help her throw a party?”

“Heh, your Pinkie Sense never fails.”

“I’ll be happy to do it! Just one thing, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Which is?”

“Help me file some of these folders.”

I did just that. There were a lot of files to organize. In fact, there was so many, I was sure that Pinkie Pie was somehow Twilight in disguise.

The organization of the Ponyville population was not just for killing time, however. With Pinkie’s permission, I was able to learn about some of the girls’ birthdays and ages. I also learned why they don’t have parties.

Rarity’s birthday was in early December, but she prefers not to party because she wishes to keep her age a secret. Her birth date indicated she was 23, the same age as Twilight.

Applejack’s age was 25, the same age as Rainbow Dash. Her birthday was in late September. The reason why she prefers not to have an extravagant party is that she feels like a birthday isn’t all that special. Although, according to her file, she was willing to give the party a try on her next birthday.

Finally, Fluttershy’s age was 24, and her birthday was in late May. Being shy, she doesn’t like having a big party. That was fine by me. Not everypony enjoys a big party.

Since Fluttershy was a year older than Pinkie Pie, I used simple math to confirm the latter’s age was 23.

After Pinkie and I organized the last of the files, we sat down at the nearby table.

“Thanks for helping me, Spike,” said Pinkie. “Now then, tell me more about this party you and Twilight want. Spare no detail!”

I replied, “Okay, so Twilight got this letter from Princess Celestia about how successful the Royal Summit was in Canterlot.”

“I’ve heard about that summit. Go on.”

“So she decided to unify with areas outside of Equestria. One such area is Yakyakistan. If the name doesn’t give it away, it’s populated by yaks.”

“Ohhh, you want me to help Twilight throw a party to introduce these yaks to Equestria?”

“That’s the gist of it.”

“Then consider it done. Just one teensy problem: I don’t know anything about yaks. Hmm…I could hurry over to Yakyakistan to learn a few of their concepts. What do you think, Spike?”

I scratched my chin. While the idea of heading there early wasn’t at bad idea, I still remembered what Discord said about fate. If he was telling the truth, then Pinkie would end up sliding all the way back to Ponyville just like in the show.

I shook my head. “I doubt there’ll be enough time. Plus, I’m not sure if they’ll let you in when you arrive there.”

“That’s true. Oh! Oh, oh! I have another idea for a party.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a social gathering of guests, but that’s not important right now. What if we show the yaks what Equestria means to us? We can teach them a thing or two about Equestria culture.”

“That’s a good idea. The yaks might be interested in learn what others find perfect. We should tell Twilight about this.”

After getting out of the party cave, Pinkie and I went to Twilight’s castle to tell her our plan. But even though one of the best party planners had a great idea for the yaks’ welcoming party, Twilight’s nervousness did not subside.

“I’m not sure about this idea, you two,” Twilight said.

“Why not? It’ll give the yaks a rundown of how things are done in Equestria,” Pinkie replied.

“Have you two heard of the term, ‘Culture Shock’?”

“Oh, is it when you get struck by lightning and learn about everypony’s holidays? Is it when someone greets you with a joy buzzer as part of their greeting?”

“I think it’s when someone gets overwhelmed by how another culture does things differently,” I said.

“Exactly,” Twilight replied. “I’ve been doing research on these yaks, the best I could find is that if they don’t find something perfect, they would get angry and smash it. If that’s the case, they might destroy everything that’s not related to yaks!”

“I’m pretty sure they only do that when somepony shows them what they assume is Yak culture. They won’t smash anything that would anger Equestrians.”

I hope…

“Don’t worry your pretty purple head about those Yakety-Yaks, Twilight,” Pinkie said as she noogied Twilight. “Once we show them what Equestria has to offer, they’ll wish they joined us sooner!”

“Plus, I believe Applejack has a few old barrels in case the yaks still feel like smashing something,” I added.

The day of the yaks’ arrival could not come soon enough. The girls and I were in the main hallway. Twilight paced back and forth, acting so panically that I wondered how she didn’t get hospitalized for heart palpitations.

“Twilight, tell those butterflies in your tummy to beat it,” said Pinkie. “Making new friends is always fun, and I told you that we’ve got this under control.”

“They're probably just as nervous as you are,” Fluttershy said to Twilight.

“You've been plannin' this shindig for weeks,” Applejack said. “It's gonna be dandy.”

Twilight took a deep breath, but it was just as useful as the other deep breaths before. While it was true that Yakyakistan and Equestria had not opened their borders in a long time, let alone visited each other, there was no need to be that nervous.

Soon, fanfare rang out. The front doors opened as a red carpet rolled down the hall and up to us. A giant brown yak in royal attire appeared followed by two other associate yaks.

My and Pinkie’s idea better work. I don’t want the yaks declaring war for a different reason.

“Greetings, ponies!” The brown yak bellowed.

Twilight teleported to the front of the yaks.

“Prince Rutherford, your Majesty,” she greeted. “On behalf of all of us, I welcome you to Equestria.” Despite her calm tone of voice, I could see the sweat subtly run down the back of her neck.

“Yaks honored,” Prince Rutherford replied. “Yaks hope for great friendship between ponies and yaks. Friends for a thousand moons!”

“You must be hungry after a long journey.” Twilight and I brought out a table of food towards the yaks. There were traditional sweets from Sugarcube Corner, apple products from Sweet Apple Acres, and hayburgers that were quite similar to the ones they had at the local burger joint.

“What food is that? It not yak food!”

“I-it is Equestrian food,” I said. “We thought that it would be perfect to show you what we eat to smash our hunger.”

I hoped that my wordplay helped persuade the yaks not to flip and smash the table like in the show. Prince Rutherford took a bite out of one of the cupcakes. I took a step back in case he wasn’t satisfied, but the sound of him swallowing sounded promising.

“Who made this?” Rutherford asked.

“I did! I did!” Pinkie blurted out.

“Pink pony make well! If things not perfect, yaks get mad. Yaks always get mad when things not perfect!”

I smiled slightly. The first of many first impressions was off to a good start.

Later, the girls and I grouped together in the other hall.

“Okay, girls, so far we’re on the yak’s good side,” Twilight whispered. “If we can keep this up, we’ll be able to befriend them by the time the party starts today. I hope...”

“And you were afraid of electrocuting them,” Pinkie said.

“Of doing what?”

“You know, the shocking culture thing?”

“I don’t mean to butt in,” Applejack said, “but how are we gonna keep ‘em from…smashing stuff?”

“Just leave it to me and Spikey!” Pinkie lifted me up. “We’ll make sure that no yak is left unsatisfied.”

“...and that no wars are declared,” I added. “I think using the word ‘perfect’ in our sentences could also help.”

Pinkie and I escorted the yaks to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was already at the barn.

“Now, I’ll admit that how we do farming is different from yours,” Applejack said to the yaks. “That does not mean our goals are different, too.” Applejack took out an apple from one of the barrels. “Here at Sweet Apple Acres, we work our flanks off to make sure our apples are right for the pickin’, and nothin’ less!”

Rutherford gave a confused yet annoyed look. I repeatedly mouthed the word “perfect” to Applejack. She noticed and raised her eyes in realization.

“And I’m being perfectly honest about it. Why don’t you try some of our apple cider?”

Big Mac pushed in a cider barrel. Applejack filled up three mugs and gave them to the yaks. Rutherford took a whiff of the drink, and then both he and his associates chugged their mugs down instantaneously. Suddenly, they smashed their mugs against their own forehead.

Applejack trotted backwards. “Were they not up to yer standards?! Sorry about that! I was sure as sugar we added the best apples to—”

“Drink is best!” Rutherford retorted. “We smash mugs to show we enjoy it!”

“The cup shop must be booming in Yakyakistan,” Pinkie whispered to me.

That and the neurologist department.

Seeing Fluttershy’s animals was next. We went to an open field where Fluttershy was setting up a picnic blanket.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” I greeted.

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, Spike. You guys are here early.”

“Yellow pony cold? Why yellow pony shivering?” One of Rutherford’s associates asked.

“I-it’s nothing.” Fluttershy cleared her throat. “And now, for your entertainment pleasure...presenting Equestrian animals.”

Angel Bunny and a few other critters showed up to the blanket.

“Now these creatures may not be native to Yakyakistan, but you can’t deny how perfectly adorable they are.”

“Animals cute,” Rutherford said.

“Oh. Thank goodness.” Fluttershy then whispered to me, “I was afraid they’d be mad at the lack of horns.”

“It’s going well so far,” I whispered back. “I bet Twilight would be proud.”

“Uhm, where is she exactly?”

“She’s probably still at—”

“Spike! Spike!” A voice shouted.

I turned to see Starlight galloping towards me.

“Thank goodness I found you!” Starlight said. “Oh, good to see you, fellow yaks.” She quickly bowed. “Spike, Twilight needs you!”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I think the nervousness is getting to Twilight’s head! Hurry!”

I turned to the rest of the group. “I need to leave for a second. Pinkie, can you handle things from here?”

“Absolutely!” Pinkie saluted.

I left with Starlight and headed to the castle. We entered the library where we found Twilight inflating and deflating a paper bag with her breath.

“She’s been like this ever since the yaks left the castle,” Starlight said.

I sighed. “I got this.”

I grabbed a nearby flower vase and—

KER-SPLASH!!

“Ahh!” Twilight spat out some of the water. “What did you do that for?!”

“To calm your nerves,” I replied. “I had the feeling slapping you was going to make it worse.”

“Can you blame me, Spike? I’m skeptical that this plan is going to work and that the yaks will—”

“Starlight, could you refill this vase, please? Make it icy water this time.”

“Wait, I’m not panicking this time, Spike.” Twilight breathed. “I’m just worried something might go wrong. These yaks are sensitive after all.”

“Come on, Twilight. The reason why I picked Pinkie to host this party was because I knew she was the perfect pony for the job. She knows how to throw the best party for each pony, even to those new to Ponyville; you and I can vouch for that. Pinkie can surely handle someone as sensitive as the yaks.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re right. I was so worried about the outcome of this visit, I took Pinkie’s party skills for granted. I just wanted this visit to go well.”

“And it already has. There’s no significant damage so far. Why don’t we join up with Pinkie and the others?”

“Yeah, let’s. I’ve been meaning to get a new paper bag while I’m out anyway.” Twilight levitated the one that was now a ball of wet, brown mush.

“I think I’ll stay at the castle,” Starlight suggested. “I’ve seen those yaks, and if Twilight’s books on them are true, then it’s best if I avoid saying or doing anything to offend them.”

Twilight and I exited the castle and joined up with the yaks again. Everything from that point forward seemed to go well. Rarity talked about how she strived for excellence and perfection for fashion, and RD explained how the pegasi controlled the weather and made sure they were on time to a T.

Later that afternoon, Pinkie had already prepared the party. Everypony and non-pony was out having a good time.

“Wow, Pinkie,” Twilight said gleefully. “This came together quick, even for you.”

“What can I say?” Pinkie asked. “I'm good at what I do.”

“Say, wasn’t Princess Celestia supposed to be here by now?” I asked.

My question was answered when the princess of the sun herself flew in.

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Apologies if I was late,” Celestia said. “Apparently, there has been an epidemic of sheep sleeping on the tracks.”

“Boy, I hate to be those ponies who have to ride the train,” said Pinkie. She then went up to the yak prince. “Prince Rutherford, when I heard that you would come, I’ll admit that it would be difficult to throw a party fit for you, but after some assistance from someone, we decided to try to make you feel at home in Equestria. And that means showing you why we love it here, so you'll love it too. ”

“Pink pony work hard to make yaks feel at home,” Rutherford said. “Now yaks happy.”

The yaks declared to be friends with the ponies for over a thousand moons, and everypony cheered. Rutherford and Pinkie Pie shared a bear hug.

I’ll admit, I was a bit worried myself, but I was glad this episode turned out okay. Pinkie was able to throw a great party for the yaks. No wars were declared. And best of all, nothing got physically smashed.

“So…what should I do with them old barrels we stashed ‘round Ponyville?” Applejack whispered to me.

Chapter 82 (Amending Fences)

One morning, I poured myself a cup of tea. The kitchen was vacant today. I didn’t see Twilight show up yet, and she’s very punctual about having breakfast.

“Twilight?” I called out.

It was not like her to sleep late, even on a weekend. Owlowiscious came flying in.

“Hey, buddy,” I greeted as I scratched his head. “Have you seen Twilight?”

“Hoo,” Owlowiscious replied.

“You have? Where is she?”

He flew out of the kitchen. I quickly followed him up the stairs. We went down a large hallway until he stopped at the doors leading to the balcony. There, Twilight was sitting near the ledge, her right eye glued to a telescope and her tail wagging like a dog.

“Thanks,” I said to Owlowiscious.

“Hoo.” The owl then flew off.

“What are you looking at through the telescope, Twilight?” I asked as I entered the balcony.

“The old library, of course,” Twilight replied without turning around. “I was walking by it the other day, and I noticed the ‘For Sale’ sign had a big ‘SOLD’ plastered on it in all caps. Ever since then, I’ve been waiting to see who’s the proud pony who bought the place.”

I took a sip of my tea. “You think they’ll be a bookworm just like you?”

“I sure hope so. You don’t buy a library on the market and not love books. It’ll be like buying Sweet Apple Acres and hating apples.”

“Don’t let Applejack hear you say that.”

I left the balcony and saw Starlight approaching me.

“Oh, hey Spike,” Starlight said. “Is Twilight around?”

“She’s outside with the telescope.” I pointed to Twilight on the balcony.

“Uh...what is she looking at through the telescope?”

“The old library, of course. She was walking by it the other day, and she noticed the ‘For Sale’ sign had a big ‘SOLD’ plastered on it in all caps. Ever since then, she’s been waiting to see who’s the proud pony who bought the place.”

“Spike, you’re a dragon, not a parrot,” Twilight called out. “No need to repeat everything I said.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t repeat everything you say,” I replied with giggles.

“Whoever bought the library must really like books,” Starlight said.

“Guys! Guys!” Twilight gasped. “It’s the moving cart! And I see a carriage following it!” Twilight adjusted the telescope. “Alright...the carriage is stopping in front of the library. Somepony’s getting out...wait...” Twilight wiped the telescope with the back of her hoof. “It can’t be! It’s her!”

“Who’s she talking about?” Starlight asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know.” I genuinely didn’t know. Since the library was spared in this timeline, there was no telling who was going to occupy it.

“I didn’t think she would move here!” Twilight said. “I better go see her!”

Twilight placed the telescope down and hurried out of the castle. I quickly picked up and looked through the telescope. I saw a cream-colored pony with a red mane and black glasses thanking the driver. It was then I realized why Twilight acted so surprised.

“Moondancer?” I asked.

“Who?” Starlight tilted her head.

“She used to be an old friend of Twilight’s before we moved out of Canterlot.” I handed Starlight the telescope. “This I gotta see!”

I quickly hurried out of the castle and chased after Twilight. By the time I caught up, the moving ponies had already begun moving some of Moondancer’s furniture into the library. The sound of our hooves and feet caught Moondancer’s attention.

“Twilight! Spike!” Moondancer said gleefully. “Small world, isn’t it?” Moondancer quickly hugged us both. “Love the new wings, Twilight. Makes you look very princess-y.”

“Moondancer, what are you doing here?” Twilight asked. “I never thought you’d be the one to buy the old library.”

“Well, I was looking for a change of pace. I saw this library up for sale in the papers, so I went and bought it.”

“I didn’t know it was that affordable.”

“You’d be surprised at how well the housing market is these days.”

Why do I get the feeling the same can’t be said for my old world?

“Well, I better finish moving in,” Moondancer said. “Maybe when I’m done, I could invite you over for tea.”

Moondancer went inside the library. Twilight stood dumbfounded. She walked back to the castle. I quickly followed her.

Twilight went into her bedroom and looked at the photos on the wall.

“Are you alright, Twilight?” I asked.

“No, I’m not,” She replied bluntly. “I just realized…seeing Moondancer move to Ponyville has reminded me of when I…we moved to Ponyville. I never even said goodbye to my old friends. I can’t remember their names now! I don’t even have any pictures of them! Spike…do you think I was a bad friend?”

I twiddled my thumbs. “Well…you did prioritize your education over friendship, but you’ve come a long way since then. Plus, you already cleared things up with Moondancer.”

“But what about the rest of my friends?” Twilight took a deep breath. “Spike, we’ve gotta make it up to them! Pack a bag, we’re going to Canterlot!” She ran out of the room before peeking back in. “And make a list of my old friends' names. Oh, and postpone Starlight’s friendship lessons for the next few days.”

I obliged. Honestly, while I did prevent the majority of “Amending Fences” from happening, I had a feeling that some minor scenes would still happen.

It was nightfall by the time Twilight and I arrived at Canterlot. I didn’t know why Twilight refused to take a train. Once we landed on the castle grounds, Twilight headed for our old apartment.

“The only logical place to start is at the beginning,” she said.

We entered our old room through the double doors. To say the place has seen better days was an understatement. Dust and cobwebs scattered throughout the place. Plants were dried up. Even the sand in the giant hourglass stuck to the bottom like glue.

You’d think Celestia would send somepony here sooner to clean everything after we moved away.

“Look!” Twilight brushed the dust off a book. “It's ‘Predictions and Prophecies!’ And it's still open to the Elements of Harmony!”

I went up to the bedroom where I found the mirror. I looked into my reflection to see those green reptilian eyes staring right back.

I'm still Spike. I'm still in Equestria.

I pressed my hand against the looking glass. I couldn’t believe how much progress I’ve made since I first arrived. From saving Moondancer to saving the library, it was quite a ride. But it wasn’t going to be over anytime soon.

“How could I have let this happen?!” Twilight’s voice called out.

I took one last look at the mirror before joining up with Twilight.

“Look at the way I left this place,” Twilight continued. “It's a total mess! Just like how I left my friendships.”

“You know, there’s still time to make amends,” I said as I put a hand on Twilight’s back.

Twilight sighed. “You’re right, Spike. I’ve got to make it up to—”

“—Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lyra, and Lemon Hearts.”

“Yeah, them.”

After a brief cleaning, we spent the night in our old bedroom. The next morning, I was woken up by Twilight, who was already up and ready to head out.

“Wake up, Spike!” Twilight shouted. “Come on! We've got work to do!”

I rubbed my eyes. “Right. So are you going to start with Minuette first?”

“As a matter of fact I am. How did you know?”

I got out of my bed. “Well, since I mentioned her name first, I had a feeling you would start with her.”

“Anyway, I did a little research, and I think I know where we can find her! Let’s go!”

Twilight and I hurried out of our old apartment. We went down the streets of Canterlot until we came across a house that was decorated with hourglass-shaped sigils. It was definitely Minuette’s place.

“I hope Minuette is still happy to see you,” I said.

“I hope so, too, Spike.” Twilight knocked on the door. “These ponies have probably been suffering ever since I left. Wondering why their supposed friend would treat them so badly!”

The door opened slowly.

“Hello?” Twilight called out. “Minuette?”

“Twilight Sparkle!” A blue unicorn with a blue mane came rushing out. This was Minuette. “You old so-and-so! What are you doing here?!”

Just like in the show, Minuette’s enthusiasm was through the roof from seeing Twilight and me visit her in Canterlot. She got me to take a picture of her and Twilight together as proof that they were old friends. At least I got my fingers out of the way as I took the pic.

“So what are you two doing here?” Minuette asked as I gave her back the camera. “I mean, I know you're here all the time, but you never come to see me.”

“We’ve been planning to,” I replied. “We just had a lot of stuff on our hands…and hooves.”

“Hey! I just had the greatest idea! You two wanna go see Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine?”

Twilight fluttered her wings. “Of course! My old friends!”

Later that day, we joined up with Lemon and Twinkleshine. The five of us then attended the donut shop. I sat with the group instead of at the bar. Twilight and I heard about the girls’ stories and what they’ve been doing since we were gone. Lemon became an event planner for Canterlot, Twinkleshine was a choir member, and Minuette was an event decorator with a side job in dentistry assistance. At least I knew her “Colgate” persona was canon.

The girls also mentioned how they were surprised at the fact Twilight became a princess and that they saw her at the coronation. They also said that they would often visit Ponyville to see their friend, Lyra. While it would explain why I would see the girls at different places in the show, there was no clarification as to why there were times they had different forms such as a pegasus and earth pony form. I guess those were just animation errors.

“So what brings you by, anyway?” Lemon asked. “All those times you've come back to Canterlot, you never had donuts with us before.”

Twilight looked away. “I came to apologize.”

“For what?” Minuette asked.

“Before I left Canterlot, I didn't really appreciate my friends.” Twilight looked out the window. “And that's because I didn't know how important friendship was. But I've learned so much since I moved to Ponyville. From Spike and from my newer friends. I learned what it means to be a good friend and that I certainly wasn't one to the three of you. So for all the pain I caused you, I am truly sorry.”

The unicorn trio giggled.

“Oh, come on, Twilight,” Minuette said. “Sure, it stung a little when we heard from Spike that you had to leave for Ponyville, but it's not like we weren't used to that from you!”

“Yeah, we didn't take it personally,” Twinkleshine added.

“But it's really good to see you now,” Lemon said. “Hey! Anypony up for a blast from the past?”

After our donut meal, the girls and I went to Twilight’s old school. I could tell by the relaxed look on her face that she was feeling nostalgic. For some reason, so was I. I chalked that up to remembering some of the old Spike’s memories.

“Remember when Lemon Hearts got her head stuck in that beaker?” Minuette asked. Both her and Twinkleshine laughed, but Lemon Hearts wasn’t amused.

“I thought it was a flask,” I said.

“We were only fillies,” Twinkleshine replied. “We didn’t know the actual names at the time.”

Twilight stared into one of the classrooms. I didn’t have to guess to know that she was having a flashback to when she studied with Moondancer.

“I’ve made so many memories here,” Twilight said. “With you three, Spike, Lyra, and Moondancer…I took all of that for granted.”

“But the important thing is that you still made amends to everypony. You made it up to Moondancer at the gala, and you made it up to the rest of your friends today.”

“Oh, speaking of Moondancer, did any of you girls tell them the big news?” Twinkleshine asked.

“What big news?” Twilight asked.

Minuette replied, “Well, Moondancer moved away, and you’ll never guess where she’s living now!”

“In Ponyville?” I asked.

“Wow, okay. Maybe you can guess.”

“We kinda witnessed it first hoof,” Twilight said. “She moved into the old library where Spike and I lived.”

“Sounds like she’s taking after you,” said Lemon Hearts. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she adopted a small creature to help her out.”

“I’m surprised she moved out at all,” I said. “Did she even tell you three that she was moving?”

“She did more than that, actually,” replied Minuette. “She invited us to a going-away party, and told us it was going to be a surprise for you, too.”

“That would explain why she didn’t invite me.” Twilight rubbed the back of her head. “It’s also a surprise that she was so…outgoing.”

“It was a shocker to us, too,” Lemon said. “Usually, she’d rather have her nose in a book, but ever since her party a few years ago, she’s been getting out more and socializing with other ponies. I guess whatever happened that day ignited a spark in her.”

“Now I wish I got the chance to see that.”

“Oh, don’t sweat it, Twilight,” Twinkleshine said as she patted Twilight’s back. “Spike told us why you couldn’t come even though you wanted to, and we understood. Heck, we’d all put saving the world first even if it meant missing out on somepony’s party.”

You just have to give a fair warning to the somepony first.

Twilight, her old friends, and I spent the rest of the day touring Canterlot, bringing up memories at certain places. From the libraries to the gardens, Twilight and I admired the sights and discussed our past events.

After all that, Twilight and I returned to our room for the night. She dusted the shelves a bit before breaking the silence.

“I’m feeling a lot better now,” said Twilight. “I thought that all my friends would act moody to me and call me out on being a bad friend to them in the past, but I guess I was worried about nothing.”

That’s when the door knocked loudly.

“Come in!” I called out as I walked down the steps.

The double doors opened to reveal…

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight trotted down the steps. She and I quickly bowed. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I’ve heard that you and Spike were visiting Canterlot,” Celestia replied as she stepped in, “and I wished to see for myself. I see you took the liberty of cleaning your old apartment. I’ve been meaning to send somepony over to do that.”

“We didn’t come here just to spruce up the place, I’m afraid. Spike and I were visiting some of my old friends.”

“Ah, yes, your former schoolmates. I had a feeling that one day you would come see them. I hope they weren’t too upset about your sudden departure.”

“To be honest, none of them were. If anything, I’m the one who was upset for not telling them in the first place.”

“Yes, but it seemed like sending you away at the last minute was the better option than to have you remain in Canterlot, closed in from the outside world.”

And studying prophecies that later turn out to be true.

“It was nice of you to meet up with your old friends,” Celestia continued, “and that they’ve forgiven you so easily.”

Twilight nodded.

“I have a question for you, Princess,” I said. “Did you ever have any friends besides Luna?”

“Yes, I had,” Celestia replied. “Luna and I used to have friends even before we became rulers of Equestria.”

She walked over to a nearby table and sat down.

“Really?” Twilight wagged her tail as she and I followed suit. “What were they like?”

“They were amazing,” Celestia replied. “It was at a time when the unity between earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns were still fresh and everypony was still facing a few challenges. The same could not be said for our group. We were what the future Equestria would be. One was a unicorn with an interest in alchemy, one was a pegasus who wanted to be a knight, and one was an earth pony who researched in agriculture improvements. We’ve been together even after Luna and my coronation as Equestria’s leaders.”

“Astounding! It’s so rare to hear about your past.”

That makes two of us, Twilight.

Celestia sighed. “Sadly, the issue with having such great friends is that, eventually, the time will come that you might not see them again. Such were the problems of immortality. It pained me to lose our last mortal friend from our group. Eventually, I got over it, and I continued making new friends down the road while also remembering my old ones by heart. Even so, I did not want to have others suffer the downsides of immortality the same way I did.”

“That is why you didn’t grant me eternal life when you gave me the alicorn status,” Twilight said.

“The way you and your friends work and hang out together, that is the reason why I did not want you to carry the burden of their loss when their life comes to an end.” The princess of the sun stood up. “But enough of that. I didn't mean to come here to discuss mortality and bring the room down.”

“Oh, it’s fine, princess,” I said. “I just wanted to know if you had any past friends.”

“Well, I must be off. I hope you two will enjoy your time here in Canterlot.”

With that, Princess Celestia left. Twilight scratched her chin.

“I’m glad to hear some backstory of the royal sisters,” I said. “I never knew how similar she was to you back then.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said. “Hey! I just thought of a great idea! Do you remember those ruins that the construction ponies restored?”

“They’re already done? Since when?”

“I think it was a week or so ago when we were busy with all those events. Anyway, I was thinking that we could finish it by decorating and adding some finishing touches. It’ll be a group project for both my old and new friends.”

“That’s not a bad idea. It was about time this castle restoration project came to a finish.”

The next morning, Twilight and I joined up with our old schoolmates and talked about our idea.

“The Castle of the Two Sisters?! We’d love that!” Twinkleshine exclaimed.

“Great! Now we just need to pick a time to do it,” said Twilight.

We discussed what times are viable for everypony. Twilight had an idea of what schedules the Mane 5 had (except for Pinkie Pie, but she would be down for our idea anyway).

Afterwards, Twilight and I packed up, said goodbye to our old friends, and headed home. We took the train this time.

We entered our castle just in time to see Moondancer and Starlight talking to each other.

“Just think of what we can find beyond the stars,” Moondancer said. “Maybe we could visit the moon and learn more of its contents.”

“Is that really possible with today's technology?” Starlight asked.

“I’m not saying it would be done today, but who knows when it will happen? It could be a thousand years from now, or it could be just a few months. You never know.”

“Hey, you two,” I greeted.

“Twilight! Spike! You’re back!” Moondancer exclaimed as she closed her book. “Starlight here told me you two were at Canterlot.”

“Moondancer and I kinda chatted and soon became friends,” Starlight said. “I hope you don’t mind, Twilight.”

Twilight held up a hoof. “No, no, it’s fine, Starlight. Great, actually. Making new friends is obviously a great step into learning about friendship. Anyway, I’ve been meeting up with some of our old friends, and we’ve decided to work on a group project. Are you two interested?”

“What’s this project about?” Moondancer asked as she got up.

“You know about the Castle of the Two Sisters?”

“Of course. I’ve heard some construction ponies had worked on it recently to restore it. I guess the princess commissioned them after feeling some wave of nostalgia.”

“Actually, I was the one who hired them. I was thinking since they’ve recently finished, we could add a few touch-ups of our own.”

“Our friends in Ponyville will join us, too,” I added.

“I’ll be down for that,” Moondancer said. “What about you, Starlight?”

“Well, since the girls and your old friends are going to be involved, I might as well join you. Maybe I could learn what Twilight used to do before coming to Ponyville.”

“Wonderful!” Twilight exclaimed. “I’ll tell the girls about this as well.”

After we unpacked, Twilight went around Ponyville telling the Mane 5 about the future project. Everypony agreed to it, with some of them admitting they forgot about it last year.

The day for the restoration project finally arrived. The Mane 6, Twilight’s old friends, Starlight and I traveled through the Everfree Forest. Some of us lugged carts of supplies such as paint, fabric, small tables, and other related items to the castle.

“Twilight, you didn’t tell me Minuette would be here!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“You two know each other?” Twilight asked. “Since when?”

“She was one of Cadance's bridesmaids. We hang out all the time when she's in Ponyville. Didn't you know that?” Pinkie chuckled. “And you call yourself the Princess of Friendship!”

Sheesh, if this world was any smaller, we would all end up sharing the same bathroom.

“Uh, beg pardon, Twilight,” Applejack said. “But didn’t you say that the workers were done with renovatin’ the castle? If so, why do we still need all these supplies?”

“After Spike and I came back from Canterlot, I talked with some of the ponies from the construction team. While they have been able to restore some rooms to their pristine condition as historically accurate as possible, there were some rooms that were made plain due to little or no references.”

“Does that mean we could decorate the rooms however we want to?” Pinkie asked. “‘Cause I got a few ideas.”

“Come to think of it, what was the plan after we’d finished with the castle?” asked Rarity. “Did we ever agree on what we would turn it to?”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be some sort of museum?” Rainbow rubbed the back of her head.

“I thought it was gonna be a vacation house for Celestia and Luna,” Fluttershy pointed out.

“Why not both?” Lemon Hearts suggested.

“Actually, that was what I was thinking,” Twilight said. “A museum would be nice, but it’s too much out of the way and near a dangerous forest for regular tourists. On the other hoof, a vacation home would be seldomly used by the princesses themselves, even if they take a vacation. That’s why I believed that we should compromise and do both. Some rooms will have different artifacts on display, and some rooms will be made for accommodations. The princesses will have memories of their past and a place to stay at the same time.”

“I don’t want to be a wet blanket,” said Starlight, “but wouldn’t this castle bring up…unpleasant memories between the two?”

Twilight sighed and replied, “Yes, it would, but both Princess Celestia and Luna have moved past it. In hopes of restoring this place, they will make memories that they will enjoy more than they will regret.”

Everypony arrived at the Castle of the Two Sisters. The exterior had already been done, and it looked a lot better than when we first saw it.

“It’s like we time-traveled to the past!” Minuette exclaimed.

“Alright, everypony and non-pony,” Twilight announced. “Let’s split into groups of two. I’ll assign each of you a specific task.”

Twilight did just that. I teamed up with Moondancer, and our task was to decorate the halls. We hung paintings on the wall and put flower pots on some end tables. We had to use fake plants since we did not know how often the place would be maintained and if the plants would survive without being properly treated.

“So how’s your time in Ponyville so far?” I asked Moondancer as we measured part of a wall.

“It’s been going great,” Moondancer replied. “Everypony is so friendly and close here. I’m glad to have joined such a community.”

“Are you liking your new place? The one Twilight and I used to live in?” I showed Moondancer the measurements.

“You bet.” Moondancer looked through the paintings. “The place was a bit empty, though. I’m hoping if I get enough books, I could be a librarian.”

“Twilight and I actually have some books that were originally from there. We could give you some if you like. Say, when Twilight and I came back from Canterlot, I’ve heard that you and Starlight were discussing about going to space.”

“So you’ve heard that.” Moondancer handed me a painting. “You see, I’ve turned my studies to the focus of astronomy. It fascinates me how little we know about other planets, and what questions need to be answered. Such as what other planets are habitable? Is there life out there? How are the other planets affected by the princesses’ moving the sun and moon?”

“Come to think of it, I’ve been wondering about that last question myself.” I hammered a nail into the wall. “That and what happens on the other side of the globe during that time.”

I hung the painting on the wall. It was a landscape painting of a desert. It must have been somewhere in Southern Equestria near Appleloosa.

“Do you think we could go to space?” Moondancer broke the silence with a question.

“I wouldn’t mind, but don’t we need a rocket ship?” I answered with a question as we went down the hall.

“No, I meant, do you think it’s possible that Equestria could someday find a way to go into space?”

“I guess so. It would be a while though. I mean, the only flying technology we have are balloons and pedal or magic-powered aircraft.”

“Yes, but that’s just only for today. With the help of science and magic, we might find a way to travel to different planets or galaxies or even different universes if possible.”

Well, I can’t confirm nor deny that I’ve experienced that last part.

At the end of the day, the Castle of the Two Sisters had finally been completed. Twilight summoned Celestia and Luna to see the final reveal.

“Surprise!” Pinkie shouted.

Celestia and Luna had nothing but stunned faces. Their next reaction indicated it was the good kind of stunned.

“Why…everyone…” Celestia’s attempts to regain her composure were made pointless by the happy tears in her eyes. “This is amazing!”

“We’re glad that you love it,” Twilight said. “Let us show you inside.”

We all showed the princesses the different rooms. Some were restored to their pristine conditions, others were made for a by our own ideas and imaginations.

“I have to admit, this seems a bit smaller compared to our castle in Canterlot,” Luna said. “Regardless, almost everything seems more or less the same.”

“Now, I was with one of the construction ponies some time ago,” Twilight said, “and they said that they had to make a few modern modifications to make sure the place was built up to code.”

“Such as?”

“For sanitary purposes, modern plumbing has been implemented in the bathrooms. I’ve done research on what past bathrooms looked like, and…let’s just say I don’t blame the construction ponies.”

“Neither do I. One of the many reasons I’m glad to have missed a millennium whilst being banished to the moon.”

“Oh, and do you remember that organ that triggered the booby traps?”

“I certainly do,” Celestia replied. “I take it that it does not perform that task any longer?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, they said it was too dangerous and complex to restore, so now it only plays music like a normal organ.”

“What a pity. At least I would worry not if Luna is in one of her prankster moods again.”

“I heard that,” Luna called out.

After a tour of the castle, we all headed back outside.

“Once again, thank you all for taking the time to restore this castle for us,” Celestia said. “We are grateful for this. I’ll be sure to send somepony to occasionally maintain this place, and I look forward to visiting here for our next vacation. I shall also thank the construction team for their part in all this.”

“It was the least we could do,” Twilight said. “From all of us. Friends new and old.”

Minuette set up a camera in front of our big group and placed the timer.

“Okay everypony, just smile for the camera!” Pinkie announced as we huddled together.

Minuette quickly got into the shot. The camera gave a loud snap before setting off a big flash of light.

As I regained my vision, I enjoyed how this episode turned out. What I thought would only be Twilight making amends with her old friends turned into Moondancer moving into the Golden Oaks Library, Celestia telling us of her first friends, and everypony restoring the Castle of the Two Sisters. I smiled knowing how much of a difference my choices have made.

Author's Note

Sorry if this took a while. I’ll make sure the next chapter doesn’t take as long.

Chapter 84 (Canterlot Boutique)

Pinkie and my birthday came and went. Pinkie turned 24, and I turned 13, the starting age of adolescence. I wondered if I’ll be going through certain phases again like my last teen years. I hoped not.

One day, the girls and I were summoned by Rarity to meet in the castle throne room. I wondered what episode this was going to be, but if I had to guess, it was “Canterlot Boutique.”

“I do thank you all for coming,” Rarity announced.

“So what’s this meeting about, Rares?” Applejack asked.

“I’m glad that you asked, Applejack. Everypony, it is with great pleasure to inform you that I am now the proud owner of a new boutique in Canterlot!”

Everypony cheered loudly.

“I already knew that,” Pinkie whispered to me.

“So, unfortunately, that would mean I would have to stay in Canterlot for a few days to get everything ready for its grand opening,” Rarity pointed out.

“That’s okay, Rarity,” Twilight said. “We’re all proud of you for getting that boutique you wanted.”

“So when and where is this boutique going to open up?” Fluttershy asked.

“If everything goes swimmingly, it should open by the weekend,” Rarity replied. “It is located near the center district, and it will be called ‘Canterlot Carousel.’”

I knew that this episode would happen. Rarity would open this boutique, and while it initially becomes a success, she ends up making the same exact dress over and over, causing her to almost close up the business. I don’t know if I wanted to change this episode or let it slide so Rarity could learn something. Sassy Saddles wasn’t that bad of a character in my opinion, and she learned from her mistakes if future episodes proved anything.

“How are you gonna run two different boutiques in two different locations?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” Rarity responded as she stood up. “I’ve also been looking for a manager to run the shop.”

“Just be careful who you hire,” I said out of instinct.

“I certainly will, Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity rubbed my head. “That is why we have resumes and interviews when we hire somepony.”

It had been a couple of days since Rarity left for Canterlot. Fluttershy and I were having tea with Moondancer at the Golden Oaks Library.

“I can’t remember the last time I stepped in here,” Fluttershy said as she looked around. “It almost looks like nothing has changed.”

“Yeah, it’s like a nostalgia trip,” I said.

Moondancer did well on organizing everything. The shelves were filled with books once again. Some were Moondancer’s, and some were from Twilight’s castle library. It was generous of Twilight to offer her old friend some of her books.

“So a little birdie told me that Rarity opened up a shop in Canterlot,” said Moondancer as she added a sugar cube to her tea.

“Oh, my. Was it Twitty?” Fluttershy asked. “That bluebird is always spreading stories around without a second thought.”

“Heh, no. It wasn’t a real bird, Fluttershy. It was just a figure of speech. I wanted to know if the rumors about Rarity opening a new boutique was true.”

“Yep,” I replied. “She told us it’ll be called ‘Canterlot Carousel.’”

“Oh, yeah. I think I saw that property for sale when I was browsing the real estate section,” Moondancer said. “It’s a busy street there, I hope Rarity can handle it.”

“She was planning to hire somepony to help her, so I think she can manage.” I stared at my teacup. “I hope.”

“Don’t worry, Spike,” Fluttershy wrapped one of her wings around me. “It was always Rarity’s dream to have a business in Canterlot. Plus, given how she’s been to Canterlot a few times, she knows a thing or two about what her customers want.”

I leaned against her body. “I guess you’re right.”

“Wow, you two really are a couple,” Moondancer chuckled.

On the day of the boutique opening, the girls and I took the train to Canterlot.

“Explain to me again how Rarity is able to afford a place here in Canterlot?” Applejack asked as the train stopped in front of the station.

“Rarity's such a savvy businesspony,” Twilight said as we exited. “I'm so impressed she used the huge bonus she earned making the costumes for Sapphire Shores' Equestria-wide tour to open this second boutique!”

After following the directions Rarity gave us, we approached a giant boutique at the corner of a busy intersection. A sign hung from the side of the building with “Canterlot Carousel” in big purple letters.

“Oh, my!” Fluttershy put her hoof over her mouth. “I didn’t think it would be that big.”

“Did Sapphire Shores give Rarity a bonus or her yearly salary?” Rainbow asked. “Is this even the right place?”

“It must be,” Twilight said.

We all entered the boutique. Just like in the show, the place was filled with suits and dresses. A table of snacks were placed on the ground floor, and a bunch of balloons and banners hung on the wall.

“Why hello, girls and Spike!” Rarity announced from the top of the stairs. “Nice to see you all here.”

Rarity descended down the steps as everypony admired the decor. We all praised Rarity for her hard work.

Rarity said, “I never could have gotten the boutique ready for the grand opening without the help of my new manager: Sassy Saddles!”

Just as she said that, a light blue pony with an orange mane and black-studded dress appeared with a clipboard. This was Sassy Saddles.

“Bust my buttons, Rarity!” Sassy exclaimed. “The ponies and dragon from Ponyville!”

We all exchanged greetings with her. Rarity explained that she hired Sassy on the spot after seeing her resume and doing an interview. According to her, Sassy was quite the planner and manager. Sassy even told us her plan and what style to put on the market.

“Turns out that everypony here loves royalty!” Sassy explained.

“So I created a collection that beautifully revolves around the royal element of Canterlot,” Rarity added.

“And it just so happens there's a hot new princess in Equestria!” Sassy looked at Twilight.

“In every poll Sassy Saddles took, you were the most popular princess!”

“Really?” I asked. “Twilight’s coronation didn’t seem that recent. Also, what about Celestia and Luna?”

“Well, it may have been almost a year since Twilight became a princess, she still is the newer princess compared to the others,” Rarity replied. “As for the two princesses, they were behind by only a few points in the polls.”

“That would make a lot of sense.”

“Anyway, it was by pure coincidence that one of my gowns is inspired by the window in Canterlot Castle commemorating Twilight’s coronation!”

The nearby stage curtains unfurled to reveal a turquoise dress decorated with gems. The girls were amazed by the design. I would’ve been the same if it hadn't been for the fact that it was going to be the dress that Rarity would soon copy many times. Her “Rules of Time, Love, and Couture (TLC)” would only do so much.

Sassy then went on explaining how ponies would purchase an outfit if somepony famous wore it (simple society logic). So, Sassy and Rarity asked if Twilight would wear the dress tonight.

Twilight replied, “If being a princess and wearing that dress can help your boutique in any way, then I say stick a pin in it. It's done!”

I looked out the window to see a crowd of ponies showing up. They must’ve heard about the Canterlot Carousel opening up.

“Ever since I was a little filly, all I've ever wanted was to own a boutique here in Canterlot!” Rarity exclaimed. “Somepony pinch me!”

“Okay, if that’s what you want,” I walked up to her.

“N-not literally, darling,” Rarity nervously giggled as she took a step back.

The scene played out like in the show. Rarity finally opened the doors to her Canterlot boutique, but Sassy was the one who welcomed everypony, much to Rarity and the rest of the girls’ annoyance. Rarity let it slide and made the final preparations for the showcase.

Fluttershy and I were backstage on the upper floor helping Twilight get dressed for the show.

“Okay, I don’t want to sound like I’m ruining Rarity’s dreams,” Twilight said, “but doesn’t anypony else think that Sassy is a bit too…monopolizing?”

“Well, she has been hogging the spotlight a bit during the opening ceremony,” I replied as I handed Twilight some makeup.

“Maybe it was for the best,” Fluttershy suggested. “Sassy does know a thing or two on how to run a business in Canterlot, so maybe she was helping Rarity a bit by showing her how it’s done.”

“Even so, does it not seem like Sassy is subtly sweeping Rarity under the rug?” Twilight put a bit of blush on her face.

“I’m sure Rarity would remind her who owns the shop if that’s the case,” I said as Fluttershy removed the gown from the mannequin. “Worst case scenario, she fires her if she takes over.”

Once Fluttershy and I got Twilight dressed, the purple princess took the stage. Fluttershy and I peeked from behind the curtains.

“Oh, dear. There sure are a lot of ponies here, tonight,” Fluttershy said.

She wasn’t kidding. Anypony who was anypony was here tonight, including Fashion Plate, a famous and eccentric fashion photographer and editor.

“Well, Rarity wanted a boutique in Canterlot and to have a lot of ponies come visit,” Twilight said nervously.

I watched as Rarity showcased her outfits, with Fashion ecstatically taking pictures. It was then Rarity announced her final dress. The name was initially “Reign of Stain,” but Sassy changed it to the “Princess Dress.”

Twilight trotted down the stairs as a spotlight shined on her. Of all the dresses here, the one she wore excited Fashion Plate the most.

“Everypony, please follow me and you can all place your orders for the Princess Dress!” Sassy announced.

Once the crowd gathered to make an order, the girls and I congratulated Rarity on her display.

“Rarity's Royal Regalia is amazing,” said Twilight. “And everypony seemed to love the Princess Dress!”

“You bet your saddle they did,” Sassy replied as she carried a stack of paper. “Rarity now has one hundred orders for her signature gown!”

Rarity’s loss for words did not go unnoticed. “O-ob-oh-one hundred orders?! All at one time?!”

“According to my pattern, the next piece is ‘The Success of the Signature Dress,’ so I do not see the problem.”

“I do,” I said. “I feel like you’re forgetting who made this collection in the first place.”

Rarity cleared her throat. “Spike indeed has a point. First of all, Sassy Saddles, I would have appreciated getting to name the final gown from my collection myself.”

“My research shows that your ‘Reign in Stain’ name was a play on words that was both very confusing and quite unappealing,” Sassy replied.

“While I see your point, we should have discussed it prior to the grand opening, Sassy.”

“My only goal is for Canterlot Carousel to succeed. That's why I changed the name, and that is why I took all those orders for the Princess Dress.”

“But still, I don’t think Rarity could handle making over a hundred dresses on such short notice,” I pointed out. “Especially on the first day of her boutique.”

“Then perhaps we should hear from the fashionista herself.” Sassy looked to Rarity. “What do you think we should do, Rarity?”

Rarity took a deep breath. “Promises were made, and I shall sew my very best to provide each and every pony a Princess Dress full of TLC.” Despite her enthusiasm, she still looked worried.

“Oh, thank you, Rarity, thank you!”

Later, the girls and I left the boutique and took a train back to Ponyville.

“I’m surprised Rarity didn’t consider our help,” Fluttershy said.

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Rainbow replied. “I do not want to go through that sweatshop fiasco again like we did in Manehattan!”

“Rainbow, Rarity has learned her lesson from that,” Twilight sternly said. “Not to mention the deadline is at a later date compared to the fashion show. It’s going to be a lot of dresses to make, but I believe that Rarity can manage.”

I spent the next few days passing the time. I convinced Twilight to sign me up for parkour lessons. After the lesson I took last year, I wanted to improve on this skill, hoping it would help me in the future.

One day, I chatted with Button Mash and Rumble. We were at a picnic table, watching Button Mash play one of his games.

“I hope they fix that playground soon,” Rumble said.

“The one near the school?” I asked.

“That’s the one. I can barely swing without worrying about the chain snapping and causing me to crash into the ground.”

“Wait, but you’re a pegasus. You could just fly.”

“True, but what about the other ponies who can’t?”

“There’s a school election coming up soon,” Button Mash said, keeping his eyes glued to his Game Colt as usual.

“Then I hope the class president has ‘playground repair’ in one of their plans,” I said.

I still had plans to leave the CMC alone until they had their cutie marks. Initally, I wanted to infrom the EEA about the possible embezzled funds, but I remembered some of their members had something against non-ponies. I would have to remain anonymous if that were the case so they wouldn’t suspect it was a dragon who tipped them off.

That’s when my eye caught a poster on one of the trees. It had a go-cart surrounded in big letters. I got off my seat and took a closer look. Turns out, it was about the upcoming Applewood Derby. It was going to take place in late May, and while school foals will attend, other contestants were allowed to join.

“Oh, right, I forgot that was a thing,” Rumble said as he approached me. “Are you interested in joining?”

“I don’t know yet,” I said. “It’s going to be a long time before the race happens. What about you two?”

Rumble and Button shook their heads.

“Maybe next year,” said Rumble.

“I don’t race unless it involves a powerbox,” Button called out.

“Hey, at least you wouldn’t have to worry about banana peels or shells,” I said.

“Very funny.”

After checking where to sign up, I said goodbye to Button and Rumble and went to the town hall. There, I found the mayor.

“Excuse me,” I said. “But who do I talk to about the Applewood Derby?”

“Oh, I think somepony who was in charge of that just came in here,” the mayor replied.

“That would be me,” a light blue pegasus appeared. “You’re a bit early to sign up. We just put those posters up earlier today.”

“I just want to know what sort of racetrack the carts are going to use.”

“That hasn’t been decided yet, kid.”

“Well, I’d like to suggest a track that does not have any sort of crossroads. I’m worried about cars crashing into each other at an intersection.”

“That’s actually a good point. Thanks for the suggestion. We’ll be sure to keep it in mind during our next meeting.”

That was one part of “The Cart Before the Ponies” episode fixed. I would have to wait until much later to fix the other parts.

With Twilight’s permission, I took a train to Canterlot to visit Rarity. When I entered her shop, every dress that she had in her grand opening was replaced with the same exact dress Twilight wore. I was already getting tired of seeing them myself and I wasn’t the one who had to make over a hundred of them.

I entered the back rooms to see Rarity working on another Princess Dress. Her unkempt mane and baggy eyes was distinguishable even to a blind pony.

“Rarity?” I called out.

Rarity gasped and turned to me. “Oh, Spikey-Wikey.” She hopped from her stool and hugged me. “What are you here doing in Canterlot?”

“I’ve been wondering how you’ve been these past few days. Though, given the amount of dresses out there and that tired look on your face, something tells me you haven’t been well.”

“Could you ever blame me, Spike? With the popularity of the Princess Dress, I’ve been getting more and more orders of the exact same couture. I never have the chance to show off all my other styles, and I can’t change any details on the dress itself no matter how small!” Rarity looked around. “Of course, Sassy isn’t much help.”

“Then why don’t you just terminate her?”

“You do mean fire her, right?”

“Y-yes, of course. She may have doubtful business strategies, but physical harm would be too excessive for somepony like her.”

Rarity rubbed her eyes. “While firing Sassy would be a viable option, I’m afraid it would not do any good. I hate to say this, but working in Canterlot is not how I dreamed it would be.”

“But you’ve always wanted to have a shop here in Canterlot. Ever since you were a filly.”

“That I did, but if that means that I would have to make the same exact dress for such detail-oriented ponies, then I do not wish to be part of the Canterlot culture any longer.” Rarity sighed. “I’m going to have to close Canterlot Carousel.”

“What?!” A pony’s voice shouted.

We turned to see Sassy with her jaw dropped. She dropped a bunch of dress orders to the ground like snow from a roof.

“R-Rarity! You can’t!” Sassy ran up to us. “I-I've worked too hard to make this a success!”

“That’s one of the many issues!” Rarity retorted as she removed her glasses. “This was not your boutique! Now, help make up flyers for a going-out-of-business sale!” She then left the backrooms.

“I can't be a part of another failed boutique!” Sassy cried as she ran after Rarity.

You’d think Rarity would notice something was up when she saw the many businesses Sassy worked for on her resume.

I don’t know how long it took Rarity and me to replace all of the Princess Dresses with newer, more unique ones, but it was a long while. Sassy could only watch our progress from the balcony on the second floor.

“Thank you so much for helping me, Spike,” Rarity said. “It’s so nice to see these dresses out here again.”

“You’re welcome, Rarity.” I replied.

Once every dress was in place, Rarity sighed and made her way to the door.

“Seems Sassy Saddles isn't rushing to open the door this time,” Rarity mumbled.

“Maybe she learned her lesson,” I whispered.

Rarity opened the door to see the crowd of ponies gathered around.

“Welcome to the going-out-of-business sale of Canterlot Carousel,” Rarity announced.

Everypony shuffled in. Just like in the show, the customers had more interest in the other outfits than the princess dress. Rarity’s burnout ironically burned out. The satisfied customers reminded her of why she dreamed of having a boutique in Canterlot in the first place.

“Attention, everypony!” Rarity declared. “Canterlot Carousel will not be closing!”

Everypony cheered once they heard that.

“But this stuff's still on sale, right?” One of the ponies asked.

“Yes, yes, of course.”

Sassy Saddles came down the stairs wearing saddlebags. “Oh, Rarity, I'm so sorry. I focused on that one dress, and the rest of Rarity's Royal Regalia paid the price.”

“Well, so did the Princess Dress,” Rarity said. “The more I sold, the more each dress lost its time, love, and couture, becoming terrible, lackluster, and common.”

“At least they had the same acronyms,” I pointed out.

“I think I finally understand the Rules of Rarity...and will apply them at my next job.” Sassy left for the door.

“Wait, where are you going?” I quickly stopped her. “Rarity didn’t terminate you.”

“That is correct.” Rarity stepped in front of Sassy. “The Rules of Rarity are only to be applied at Canterlot Carousel. Which is why you must continue to manage the boutique while I'm in Ponyville.”

“Ponyville?” Sassy asked.

“Well, yes, I'll come to Canterlot with new designs and to see the customers of course, but Ponyville was always going to be my home base.”

Sassy’s face lit up. “Bobbins and bodkins, Rarity! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! And I promise to run everything following your rules.”

“I would expect nothing less.”

Hopefully.

As Rarity and Sassy hugged, I was a bit disappointed that I couldn’t think of anything to change for this episode. Then again, there was nothing to change, and two ponies learned a valuable lesson.

“Oh, my gosh, a sale!”

I turned around and was nearly taken aback by a rather…generous pony, and I didn’t mean “generous” like Rarity and her Element of Harmony.

Woah Nelly! I almost forgot about her.

“Do you have the Princess Dress?” Nelly asked.

“No!” Rarity and Sassy shouted in unison before sharing a laugh, much to Nelly’s confusion.

Chapter 85 (Crusaders of the Lost Mark)

There was not much I could do for “Rarity Investigates.” I had no reason to visit Canterlot again, and while I could have revealed that Wind Rider was the culprit early, it was better if Rarity did her detective persona.

I had a bigger priority anyway. Sooner or later, I needed to invoke an investigation from the EEA to determine if Spoiled Rich used money from the Ponyville School Board to build that Diamond Tiara statue. It couldn’t have been a coincidence since Pipsqueak would later point out the board couldn’t afford a new playground.

One day, as I was walking down the road from Sweet Apple Acres, I saw a crowd of fillies and colts outside the schoolhouse with Pipsqueak and Diamond Tiara talking to them. I hid behind a tree and listened to the conversation.

“Our playground equipment took quite a beating during Twilight and Spike's battle with Tirek!” Pipsqueak announced. “If I'm voted in as student pony president, I'll go to the school board and right this wrong!”

The school election! Also known as the day the CMC get their cutie marks!

I had an idea on what exactly I would do. I quickly left the area and hurried back to the castle. I searched the drawers and shelves in my room for what I needed.

“What are you looking for, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“A camera,” I replied as I looked in my closet.

“What for?”

“Taking pictures.”

“Of what?”

“Birds,” I lied. “Oh, here we go!”

I found the same camera I used to prove Suri stole Rarity’s designs for the Manhattan fashion show. It still had some pictures left.

“I think that one has an adjustable flash,” Twilight said as she walked up to me. “That would be useful if you don’t want to scare any birds.”

“I didn’t know you could adjust the flash on this.”

“It’s a bit tricky. Let me see it.”

I handed Twilight the camera. After a few minutes of magic, she handed it back to me.

“There. The flash will still activate, but it’ll be less noticeable. Just keep in mind that your pictures will be a bit darker than usual.”

“Thanks, Twilight.”

I departed from the castle and sat patiently at a bench in the middle of town. I didn’t know how exactly long it was until Tiara confronted her mother, so I waited for a sign.

“Hey, Spike!” Pinkie pronked up to me. “What’s with the camera? Are you gonna take pictures? Ooh! Take one of me!” She struck a pose. “How’s this?”

“Sorry, Pinkie, but I need these photos for something important. All I can say is that something big is going to happen today.”

“Tell me about it. This morning, I had one heck of a doozy, even more so than the time Twilight accepted my Pinkie Sense. Whatever it is, I’m gonna need lots of party decorations. In fact, I should probably get them right now! Seeya, Spike!”

Pinkie galloped away. I continued sitting on the bench until I saw some worker ponies passing by.

“I know she pays well, but I wish that mare was somewhat nicer,” one of them said.

“I wish she was nice, period,” the other replied. “I know she cares a lot about her daughter, but this wasn’t the first statue we ever made of her.”

That was my cue. I got off the bench and secretly followed the two ponies. They approached the back of a building. After knocking, the two ponies went inside. I snuck around the side, and I didn’t have to wait long to see Spoiled Rich and some of her servants enter the building.

Now, Tiara should come up any minute now…

As if she read my mind, Diamond Tiara came up the street looking disappointed. She must’ve already lost the election, and given how she was by herself, Silver Spoon must’ve also cut her loose.

Tiara’s mother exited the building just in time to see her. “Diamond Tiara! Why are you making that face? That is not the face of a winner.”

Spoiled’s servants left the building with a few trinkets, including a statue of Diamond Tiara. Given how the butler, Randolph, was carrying it with only minor strains, either he must’ve had a strong back or the statue was made of pumice.

Quickly, I pulled out my camera and snapped a photo of the statue. Thanks to the dimmed flash, nopony noticed. I then snaked my way to the front door.

“It's bad enough you lost to that transplant from Trottingham, but imagine if you'd lost to one of those blank flanks!” Spoiled exclaimed to her daughter.

I immediately made a fist, but I went against my instincts and opened my hand back up.

Don’t do it, David. You’re already in the process of taking Pony Umbridge down a different way.

I entered the shop and rang the desk bell.

“What’s the issue, now, Mrs…?” The salespony looked over the counter at me. “Oh, I apologize. I thought you were Mrs. Rich. How can I help you?”

“I’m doing a private investigation,” I replied. “Do you have a ledger or any sort of record of past purchases?”

“Yes, we do.” The clerk reached below the counter. “I know you said ‘private,’ but may I ask why?”

“All I can say is that there have been suspicious purchases and I need to know where the funds came from and how they were used.”

“Well, child, I can assure you that all our payments and expenses are legal and legit. The only laundering we’ve done is with our work uniforms. In fact, we already got some of the richest ponies in Ponyville buying from us already. Not the nicest, but they keep us in business, so it would be unnecessary to get funds from any other means.”

The salespony took out a big book. I flipped through the pages until I found Spoiled Rich’s name, the product she ordered, the estimated cost, and the date of the order. According to the ledger, she made the order a few days ago. Given how Spoiled was the head of the school board, she must have been really confident that her daughter would win and ensured that her campaign promises were fulfilled.

I took a picture of Spoiled’s order and gave the log book right back.

“Thank you,” I said to the salespony. “Oh, and remember. If a pony in dark robes from the EEA comes by, do not tell them a dragon was here. Tell them it was a pony who wished to stay anonymous.”

“Why?” The clerk put the book away.

“All I can say is that the EEA wouldn’t believe a dragon did all this. A pony would be more believable to them.”

“Alright, I’ll tell them you were a pony.”

“Thank you.”

I exited the building and checked my photos. One showed the statue of Tiara while the other one showed the order of the statue. Both of them were a bit darkened, but they were still legible enough to show every detail.

My final stop was at the Ponyville Schoolhouse. I took my time getting there since I was in no rush to send the evidence.

When I got to the school, I could hear ponies arguing from an open window. I already knew who the ponies were and what they were arguing about. It was also another argument that didn’t frustrate me for some reason.

“This is an outrage!” Spoiled’s voice shouted. “How can my daughter lose?! A recount must be done!”

“I’m sorry, Spoiled,” Cheerilee replied calmly, “but I’m afraid that your daughter only got one vote. All the other students voted for Pipsqueak. When it comes to voting, the majority wins. It’s how we have fair and agreeable laws in Equestria.”

“Hmph! We’ll see how fair and agreeable your new student president is after he finds a way to fulfill his promises.”

I heard hoofsteps stomping out. I climbed up the window and called for Cheerilee.

“Spike?” Cheerilee approached the windowsill. “What brings you here?”

“I heard about a school election and an unexpected victory,” I replied. “Not to mention a slightly sore loser.”

“Diamond Tiara is not the only pony upset over her loss, I’m afraid. Her mother, Spoiled Rich, doesn’t believe it either. Thankfully, there’s not enough power in her position as the school board president to overthrow the polls.”

“So is it true that Pipsqueak will have a new playground established?”

“That’s uncertain. We don’t have enough money in the school budget to afford a decent playground. Which is funny, since I was sure we had plenty.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have a record of the board’s funds, would you?” I showed her my camera. “Maybe there’s some suspicious activity going on.”

Cheerilee went to her desk and took out a maroon book. She showed me the most recent entries.

“We keep track of the funds and update the log every week.” Cheerilee pointed to the bottom of the page. “Here’s what today's amount is. As you can see, it’s rather low.”

She wasn’t kidding. While previous amounts were somewhere in the upper hundreds or lower thousands at most, the current one barely hit double digits. I took a picture of it immediately.

“I’ll try to reach the EEA and see where these funds went,” I said. “Hopefully, this will be sorted out.”

“Good luck, Spike,” Cheerilee said as she returned the book to the desk.

“Oh, and if you meet any of their members, don’t tell them that it was me that sent them the pictures. They don’t trust anyone who isn’t a pony.”

“I’m afraid I’m already aware of that. Don’t worry, Spike. Your secret is safe with…uh, oh.”

Cheerilee and I heard the sound of ponies arguing outside.

Cheerilee sighed. “I better go see what’s going on. Take care, Spike.”

“You, too,” I replied.

I ran back to the castle and headed to my room with all three photos I took today. I got out a quill and a piece of parchment, and I wrote a letter to the EEA.

“To the members of the EEA,

For security and privacy reasons, I wish to remain anonymous at this time. I hope you will understand.

It has come to my attention that I have noticed signs of embezzled funds from the president of the Ponyville School Board, Spoiled Rich. Attached are photos of this possible misappropriation, which includes a sudden depleted school budget, a rather costly purchase of a statue, and the statue itself. I also believe that her husband and daughter, Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara, are of no accomplice to this state of affairs as I found no evidence of their involvement.

It would be wise to have this event investigated as soon as possible to confirm the situation. I do not believe that the reduced school funds and commissioned statue are of coincidence.

Thank you for your time.”

After double-checking to make sure I wasn’t in any of the photos, I attached them to the letter with a paperclip and rolled the whole thing up. I wrote “For the EEA, keep anonymous” on the outside and sent the letter to Princess Celestia.

Here’s hoping they believe me. I kept my species a secret in that letter, so they shouldn’t suspect I was a dragon.

I lied on my bed, thinking about what would happen if the EEA discovered the funds were indeed embezzled. I explicitly said that neither Tiara nor Mr. Rich was involved, so the worst thing that could happen is that Spoiled would be removed from her position or put on probation.

Whatever the case, it’ll serve her right for—

“SPIKE! SPIKE!!”

I instantly sat up. Twilight slammed open my bedroom door. She looked like she just won the lottery.

“What’s going—?” I began to ask.

“It’s the Cutie Mark Crusaders! They finally got their cutie marks!”

I pretended to be surprised. “Really?! And you’re sure there’s no potions involved this time?”

“Nope! They’re real cutie marks! Go to Sugarcube Corner and see for yourself! I have to go and get Starlight!”

After Twilight left, I headed back outside. I got into town just in time to see Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Applejack singing to the CMC. Just like in the show, the CMC had their new cutie marks on their flanks.

“I told you it was a big doozy,” Pinkie whispered to me.

“And a big doozy it was,” I replied.

The crowd around me expressed excitement and joy over the CMC’s accomplished goal. However, there was one pony I saw who had yet to join in conveying their jubilation.

“Is something wrong, Starlight?” I asked. “You look lost in thought.”

“Oh, sorry.” Starlight blinked. “It’s just that…seeing the Cutie Mark Crusaders so happy like that. I never knew how much of a big deal it was getting a cutie mark around here.” She looked at her own flank. “It’s a good thing I stopped opposing cutie marks. I never knew how special they could be.”

“Well, the CMC had been trying to get their cutie marks ever since they met. You can’t blame them for being so ecstatic.”

Starlight giggled. “That’s true.”

As we continued celebrating the CMC’s cute-ceañera, I hoped that the EEA would get my letter and conduct an investigation to see if Spoiled did use the school’s budget for the statue. The only thing left to do now was to wait and enjoy the festivities.

Chapter 86 (The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows)

I was at the new schoolhouse playground one day with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. I was surprised they made up so quickly after that whole fiasco at the election.

“How have you been holding up, Tiara?” I asked.

“I’ve been feeling a lot better, all things considered,” Tiara replied. “Even with all the stuff going on at my home.”

“What’s been going there?” I knew what the possible results were, but I wanted to know the details.

“When my dad heard how I called my mom out, he wasn’t happy, but he was able to hear my side of the story. Then much later this weird pony came to our estate.”

“What did they look like?”

“They were some sort of teal unicorn. They wore this maroon cape and silver medal. They said they were from this group called the EEA, whatever that means.”

So it wasn’t Neighsay. He must’ve sent one of the other members of the council.

“Anyway,” Tiara continued. “They said that my mom had been accused of using the money from the school to buy personal stuff, and she’ll be put under probation until they confirm it.”

“Wait. Aren’t your parents, like, super rich?” Silver Spoon asked. “Why would your mother use somepony else’s money to buy stuff when she’s married to a wealthy businesspony?”

“How should I know? I can’t tell what her reasoning is. My dad and I didn’t even know she would do something like that. So this EEA pony is gonna check if she really did bedazzle the school’s budget.”

“‘Embezzle,’” I corrected.

“Yeah, that. Worst case scenario, she loses her job. Best case, she gets a slap on her wrist. Or was it the other way around?”

Honestly, it was a good thing I sent that letter. Hopefully, Spoiled does face punishment.

It was also better that I could talk to Tiara and Silver Spoon now that the CMC had their cutie marks. I didn’t know why the show decided to drop focus on those two after the events of Season 5.

One day, I was helping Twilight and Starlight in the library when all of a sudden, my stomach squeezed.

BURRRP!!

I burped out a scroll. It had a sigil of the Crystal Heart. Twilight picked it up and read it.

“It’s from Shining Armor!” She exclaimed.

“Dear Twily,

Cadance and I are planning to come visit Ponyville this Friday. Since this is a casual visit, we’ll be taking the Friendship Express in hopes we don’t cause too much of a scene. We hope to see you then. I’ve got some great activities in mind for all of us to do.

Signed,
Shining Armor”

“Ohh! This is so great!” Twilight trotted in place “I’ve actually got some plans myself for when they come to visit! Excuse me.”

As Twilight left the library, I realized this episode was “The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows.” In the show, Pinkie knew that Princess Cadance was pregnant, and tried her best to keep it secret until much later.

In my opinion, this was one of my favorite episodes of Season 5 along with “Slice of Life” and “Crusaders of the Lost Mark”. It had both its funny and cute moments. I remembered there was one moment in the episode where Pound Cake was riding Gummy. I found that to be the most adorable, and I wasn’t the only one. I recalled that back in my world, there was an artist who used to draw different ponies riding on Gummy. I wondered what he’s been up to these days.

I didn’t know what to change for this episode. The only fix I could do is not accidentally burn one of Shining Armor’s old comics, and that’s about it.

On the day before Shining and Cadance’s scheduled visit, Twilight had summoned the girls and I to the throne room. Pinkie acted nervous while Rarity looked at her confused. I guess the party pony already knew about Princess Cadance’s pregnancy.

“Great! Everypony's here,” Twilight said as I handed her a scroll. “Now I don't have to wait any longer to tell you all the wonderful news! Somepony special is coming to visit Ponyville, and I need your help getting everything ready!”

Everypony cheered after hearing that. Just like in the show, Twilight announced that it was Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, they will be coming tomorrow, and they’ll take the Friendship Express. She would’ve announced it by herself, but Pinkie Pie kept finishing her sentences.

“And?” Pinkie got up close to Twilight.

“And…that’s it.” Twilight shrugged.

“Oh.” Disappointment appeared on Pinkie’s face.

“How did you know all that?” Rainbow asked.

Pinkie nervously giggled before answering, “Pinkie Sense?”

That’s your answer for everything. Besides “a party,” I mean.

Pinkie quickly returned to her seat.

“So, you said you needed our help with something?” Rainbow asked Twilight.

“Follow me,” replied Twilight as she got out of her throne.

Twilight escorted us to one of the guest bedrooms. Instead of being decorated with general items, it was covered in kids items, such as toys, posters, and even child-themed furniture.

“When Shining Armor said he wanted to come to the castle and visit,” Twilight said. “I started collecting things he liked when he was a colt as a surprise!”

The instant Twilight said that last word, Pinkie got all perked up. I know keeping secrets wasn’t her forte, but she could at least try to pretend she wasn’t hiding anything.

The rest of the girls took to admiring the decor. Fluttershy enjoyed the ant farm, while I looked at some of the old comic books. I was careful and did not blow on them like the Old Spike did. Pinkie took note of Brutus Force, a plush that Shining Armor used to carry around.

“It is a bit juvenile for castle décor, but it is very sweet of you,” Rarity said to Twilight.

“I'm sure Shining Armor will love it,” Fluttershy added.

“Me, too,” Twilight said. “But there's a few more things I'd like to add before he gets here, and I could really use a hoof collecting them.”

Everypony agreed to help and couldn’t wait to see how surprised Shining and Cadance would be.

“Watching somepony else be surprised with something is almost better than being the one who's getting the surprise!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“But…what if the surprise is something so incredibly exciting that a pony can't keep it in any longer, and she has to tell the pony standing next to her what it is or she might explode?!” Pinkie asked in fear as she gripped Fluttershy.

“I would say…no,” Fluttershy responded.

“The pony who ruins a surprise for somepony else has to live with that guilt forever!” Rarity said sternly.

“Forever!” I shouted, causing Pinkie and Rarity to jump. “Heh, sorry. Couldn’t resist.”

“Gotta bounce!” Pinkie literally bounced off the walls before breaking through one of the castle walls to exit.

“I know the bar is set pretty high,” Rainbow said, “but does anypony else think Pinkie Pie was acting weirder than usual?”

“Perhaps.” Twilight cast a spell to restore the hole in the wall. “But for now, let’s get everything ready.”

We exited the bedroom.

“Okay, let’s see.” Twilight scratched her chin. “We’ll need some decorations. A few places need to be cleaned. Oh! We’ll need snacks. Fluttershy, go and tell Pinkie to bring some snacks.”

“Sure thing.” Fluttershy walked a few steps before turning right around. “Just one question. What snacks should she bring?”

“How about a vegetable platter? Have her bring one with lots of baby carrots. They’re Shining Armor’s favorite.”

“Baby carrots, got it.”

Fluttershy flew away. The rest of us went on to prepare for the visit.

Twilight and I left the party store with a couple of paper banners. Pinkie Pie came running down the street lugging a dessert cart behind her.

“Hey, Pinkie,” Twilight greeted. “We were just—”

But Pinkie zoomed past us without acknowledging our existence.

“Huh. That’s weird.” Twilight scratched her head. “How did she not notice us?”

“Well she was carrying that dessert cart,” I replied. “Maybe she has—hurk!”

“She has what, Spike?!”

“BELCH!!”

A scroll shot straight out of my mouth. Twilight picked it up from the ground.

“Another letter from Shining Armor.” Twilight undid the seal and skimmed through the paper. “Aww, what a shame.”

“What is it?” I rubbed my mouth.

“Cadance and Shining Armor have to hold back on visiting us for another day. We better tell the girls about this.”

“Well, you’re in luck, because here comes one now.”

Rainbow Dash came flying back. Unlike her previous attempt with Pinkie, Twilight was able to get Dashie’s attention.

“What’s up, Twilight?” Rainbow asked.

“Could you find the rest of the girls and have them meet up at the picnic tables?” Twilight asked. “I’m afraid I’ve got some disappointing news.”

“Sure thing.” Rainbow saluted before dashing off.

A short while later, the girls and I were at the picnic benches. Most of us anyway. Pinkie Pie was absent.

“Has anyone seen Pinkie Pie today?” Rarity asked.

“Briefly,” Applejack said.

Everypony else had the same experience.

“Oh, wait, here she comes!” Rainbow got up. “Hey, Pinkie, we’ve been—”

Once again, Pinkie ignored Rainbow and continued on her swift delivery route.

“Seriously, what’s with her?” Rainbow asked. “It’s like she’s been purposely avoiding us for some reason.”

“Well, somepony has to deliver all those treats,” I said. “Pinkie Pie takes her sweets seriously.”

“I’ll say, she even left her glasses.” Fluttershy showed us Pinkie’s groucho glasses before putting them on.

“She must have quite the backlog,” Rarity pointed out. “Earlier, my order of macadamia nut cookies came via zipline. I’ve heard of ponies not having enough time to stay and chat, but Pinkie takes it to the utmost extreme as it were.”

“Well, anyway,” Twilight sighed. “I asked you all here because, unfortunately, Shining and Cadance have delayed their visit for Saturday.”

“Ain’t that a misfortune?” Applejack said as disappointment filled the air.

“It is, but we can still spruce up the place. It’s only one extra day.”

The girls and I returned to the throne room to finish preparations. Starlight joined us to help.

“You know, I never really got to know your brother or his wife that much, Twilight,” Starlight said. “Other than the fact that he cries a lot at weddings.”

“You might want to call that ‘liquid pride’ when he’s around,” Twilight said. “Just trust me on that.”

Much later, Pinkie Pie came in carrying vegetable platters. Twilight thanked her and enclosed the food with silver cloches.

“We better cover them up so they don't get spoiled,” Twilight said.

“Why would they get spoiled?” Pinkie asked. “We're all gonna eat them super soon!”

“Oh, didn’t anypony tell ya? Shining Armor and Cadance are held up,” Applejack said. “They may not arrive 'til Saturday.”

Pinkie sprang up in shock. She held onto one of the branches of the chandelier for dear life, rapidly breathing.

“You mean...I have...to wait...another whole day?!” She hugged the branch like a toddler to a parent’s leg. “I don't know if I can!”

“Pinkie Pie, do you have something you need to say?” Twilight asked. “You seem like you've been keeping something in.”

“We're here to listen,” Fluttershy assured Pinkie.

“Well, go on then, sugarcube,” Applejack encouraged.

“We're not going to judge you, darling,” Rarity added.

“You don’t have to tell us if you don’t want to,” I said.

“Spike!” Twilight said.

“Come on, Twi, don’t pressure her. If she doesn’t want to talk about it right now, then—”

“Okay, okay, you win!” Pinkie inhaled deeply. “Shining Armor and Cadance are gonna have—”

“—an awesome weekend with the best little siblings in all of Equestria!” a familiar stallion’s voice interrupted.

We all turned to see Cadance and Shining Armor with their luggage.

“Hi, everypony,” Cadance greeted.

Pinkie sighed sharply as she floated down to the map like a piece of pink construction paper.

“Shining Armor, Cadance!” Twilight exclaimed. “You're early! I thought something had come up and you weren't gonna make it until Saturday.”

As it turns out, a couple of events that Cadance and Shining Armor were supposed to attend had to be rescheduled, so they were able to visit Ponyville much sooner, which was good news for Twilight and Pinkie.

We all cleared out of the throne room. I carried the luggage.

“Where do you want these, Cadance?” I asked.

“Oh, just set those aside for now,” Cadance replied. “We’ll put them in our room later.”

I shrugged and obliged.

“So you’re Twilight’s student?” Cadance asked Starlight.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Starlight replied. “My name is Starlight Glimmer. I think I saw you and your husband at Cranky and Matilda's wedding, but I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Starlight. I’m Princess Cadance, the ruler of the Crystal Empire.”

Starlight widened her eyes. “The Crystal Empire?”

“Y…yes.” Cadance stared at her awkwardly. “Is something wrong?”

“Uh…well…” Starlight rubbed the back of her head. “Let’s just say I have history with somepony there…”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.” Cadance cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’m sure we're gonna have a lot of fun on our visit, everypony. Let’s head on out.”

“Ooh, wait!” Twilight said. “I’ve got to show the surprise to my brother first!”

Twilight escorted Shining Armor to where the newly-decorated kid’s bedroom was.

About a few minutes later, we were out of the castle. I took it from Shining and Twilight’s gleeful expressions that Shining Armor loved the surprise. Maybe even more since I didn’t burn any of his old comic books.

“Thank you so much for that, Twily!” Shining exclaimed.

“No problem,” Twilight replied.

“Say, since we’re in Ponyville right now,” Cadance said. “There were a few things Shining Armor and I needed to take care of.” She discreetly winked at Shining.

“Right,” Shining said, taking the hint. “We’ll meet you all at the town square shortly.”

The married couple hurried down the road. The Mane 6, Starlight, and I walked leisurely.

“I’m glad Shining liked the surprise you made,” I said.

“You should’ve seen him,” Twilight responded. “He couldn't stop raving about it!”

That’s when Rainbow’s stomach growled.

“Where did Shining Armor and Cadance say they'd meet us again?” Rainbow asked. “I'm starving!”

“Now that you mentioned it, we never had lunch, did we?” Starlight pointed out.

“What happened to those vegetable trays Pinkie brought?” Fluttershy scratched her head. “I thought we were going to eat those.”

“So did I,” I replied.

“I guessed not.” Twilight shrugged. “To answer your question, Rainbow, Shining and Cadance are going to meet us in the town square. I wish they'd waited to walk over with us, but they did say they had something to take care of first.”

Pinkie whispered through gritted teeth, “They're gonna have a lot more to take care of soon...”

“What?” Twilight turned to Pinkie.

“Nothing!” Pinkie zoomed past us.

By the time we arrived at the town square, there was nopony else around.

“That's odd.” Twilight looked around. “Usually, they're quite punctual.”

Dashie groaned. “I need a hayburger in my belly right now!” She smacked a nearby statue, which had a scroll in its mouth.

“Hey, what’s that?” Starlight asked. “I don’t remember the statue having a scroll.” She levitated the paper towards her and read it. “Is…this some sort of filly’s poem?”

Twilight raised her eyebrows and gasped. “Let me see!” She grabbed the paper. “It's a scavenger hunt! Shining Armor used to set these up for me when I was a filly! At the end, there was always a big prize, like a new book, or several new books, or—”

“We get the picture,” Pinkie snapped. “You like books!” She swiped the scroll from Twilight and read it.

“So what's the first clue?” Applejack asked.

“I hope it's something about eating lunch!” RD complained.

Pinkie read rapidly:

“You've got a scroll.
You're on a roll.
Why don't you take a peek,
where young ones spend their week?
A piece of paper,
will continue this caper.”

Twilight scratched her chin. “I've got it! ‘Where the young ones spend their week.’”

“I’m not quite followin’,” AJ said.

“Follow me.”

Twilight quickly took us to where the next clue might be, which was at…

“The Ponyville Schoolhouse!” Twilight announced.

“Good enough for me!” Pinkie declared. “Now where’s the next clue?!” She panted and sniffed the ground like a dog.

That’s when Featherweight came by carrying a stack of newspapers.

“Extra, extra!” He announced. “Get your Ponyville news! Read it in the paper!”

“‘A piece of paper will continue this caper.’” Twilight then realized what the last stanza meant. “It's in the Foal Free Press!”

Twilight got a paper from Featherweight and flipped through the pages. Rarity was temporarily distracted by an outfit the mayor wore in one of the pictures, but Pinkie was quick to put her on track.

“Aha! There!” Pinkie pointed to a box that had another poem.

Twilight read:

“Though this hall
is rather small,
in it you'll find
files of all kinds.
Take a look on the back
of the birth certificate of Applejack.”

We all stared at the farm pony, who also had no idea she was involved.

“I don’t like where this is goin’,” AJ said uncomfortably.

We immediately headed to the town hall. Mayor Mare was anxious to let us in. I bet she also knew about the pregnancy.

“Does anypony know where the birth certificates are kept?” Twilight asked.

“Ooh! I do, I do!” Pinkie answered. “Go down that hall, then you take a left, then a right, then another right, then a slight left, and it's the third door from the right!”

“Wow, Pinkie. I never knew you knew so much about town hall,” Fluttershy said.

“Maybe that’s how she knows every pony in Ponyville?” I asked.

“There's a lot of things I know that you don't know I know!” Pinkie exclaimed.

I know what she was implying, but out of context, that seemed creepy.

When we entered the room of the birth certificates, Pinkie opened a file cabinet. She pulled out a folder that contained AJ’s certificate and a very cute image of the farm pony as a baby. Much to my surprise, her eyes were completely black just like the ones in “Apple Family Reunion.” What was weird was that in the show, baby Applejack’s eyes on the birth certificate were similar to Flurry Heart’s, which caused an inconsistency. However, I supposed that was just a design error.

I shrugged it off and continued fawning over the baby picture before a bashful Applejack turned the document over.

After Twilight giggled, she read:

“This next place is where
you can buy a table or chair,
or some comfy beds
to rest little heads.”

“Oh!” Starlight clapped her hooves together. “Is it the furniture store?”

“That could be it,” I replied.

“It IS it!” Pinkie grabbed all of us and carried us to our destination.

We all entered the store. The establishment was covered in more furniture than in an IKEA outlet.

“Are we sure it’s in here?” Applejack asked.

“Well, it’s what the clue said,” Twilight said unsurely. “We’ll have to check every table, chair and bed to—”

“It’s here! It’s here!” Pinkie shouted from across the store.

We gathered up to find Pinkie bouncing on the crib. A note was attached to one of the bars.

“Wow, you're scary good at this, Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash pointed out.

“Get off of there, Pinkie,” I scolded. “It’s not a trampoline, it’s a crib. It’s to be used for napping, sleeping, and (with permission) an old-timey Western fort.”

“Huh, I just had the strangest case of deja vu for a second there,” Pinkie calmly said.

Twilight read the final clue:

“It seems we've saved the best for last.
We hope that you have had a blast.
Now it's time to take a break
where you can get a slice of cake!”

“Sugarcube Corner!” The girls shouted in unison.

“That was an easy one,” Pinkie scoffed.

After we left the shop, we made our way to Sugarcube Corner. There we found Shining Armor and Cadance. The place was also decorated with balloons and banners.

“Surprise!” Shining announced. “Twily, did you like the scavenger hunt?”

“It was perfect!” Twilight exclaimed. “Just like old times, except even better because this time I got to share it with my best friends.” She then looked around. “There's just one thing missing, isn't there?”

“What’s that?”

“The book prize at the end.”

Shining chuckled. “There's still a prize, but it's a little different this time.”

“I don’t understand.”

Pinkie giggled with excitement.

“All the places we sent you today had something in common,” Cadance pointed out.

“Besides all of them being in Ponyville?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s not the only reason why they’re connected.”

Twilight tried to connect everything while Pinkie tried not to burst. I tried to hold back my laughter. Only one of us was succeeding.

That’s when Twilight's mind clicked.

“Can it be?! Are you two...?!”

Cadance and Shining revealed a cake with a baby carriage on it. “We're having a baby!”

Pinkie then let it all out. “A baby, Twilight! It's a baby!”

Twilight stood in silence. “You mean... I'm going to be an aunt?!” A smile appeared on her face as her wings unfurled. “This is the best prize ever!”

As everypony celebrated, Pinkie praised herself for keeping the secret to the very end. Then she fell apart figuratively and literally.

Twilight, Starlight and I sat together.

“I can’t believe Princess Cadance is pregnant,” Starlight said.

“Me neither!” Twilight clapped her hooves. “I wonder what the baby will look like.”

“Do you think the baby will be an alicorn?” I asked. “I mean, it could happen, given their mother.”

“I…don’t know, Spike. No pony has ever witnessed a baby alicorn being born into Equestria. Even with unicorns and pegasi being together.”

“What about Princess Celestia and Luna?” Starlight asked. “And Cadance for that matter?”

“Princess Celestia and Luna weren’t born in Equestria, and Cadance was a pegasus,” Twilight explained.

The two girls and I continued celebrating. This was a hilarious day. Seeing Pinkie trying to hold a secret was perhaps one of the funniest moments in the show. Also, Shining Armor’s comic books never got burned.

I didn’t know how long a pony’s pregnancy was in Equestria. It could have been nine months like humans or eleven like actual horses. All I knew was that some episodes of Season 6 were going to occur much earlier than the premiere even without my changes to the timeline.

Author's Note

Here’s some dad jokes I made up.

What did one burger say to the other? “Hay, burger!”
Which pony is the best at letters? The one with a “QT” mark.
What do you call Luna after she eats? A full moon.

That’s all I got.

Chapter 87 (What about Discord?)

I skipped “The Mane Attraction.” There was nothing for me to change. As much as I wanted to punch Svengallop so hard that his nose would end up in his brain, I needed to not let my rage take over me like it did in “Filli Vanilli”. Since I never saw him in later episodes excluding background moments, there was no need to do anything.

There was one episode that had a mystery I really needed to solve, anyway. The one with Discord and Twilight’s friends. In the show, Twilight and Spike would be stuck in the castle for three whole days and miss out on something with her friends. What I wanted to know was how the inside jokes came to be.

I had one idea I could do to find out about these inside jokes and get Twilight to do the same. I could join Discord and the rest of the girls while also taking pictures and writing notes. If that doesn’t work, I could try to find that flashback potion Twilight used when the Everfree Forest attacked Ponyville. I remembered that Zecora had it last, but I don’t know if there’s still some left or if Zecora has to make more.

I was in my room fiddling with my camera. I restored the flash to its original setting and got some more film for the pictures.

“Hey, Spike.” Starlight peeked into my room.

“Starlight.” I sat up from my bed. “I thought you were doing friendship lessons with Twilight.”

“Twilight said I could take the next three days off.” Starlight walked in holding a kite. “She wanted to do something called ‘book-sort-cation.’”

“Oh, I see.” I got off the bed. “Go on ahead and enjoy yourself. I’ll go talk to her.”

I entered the library to see mountains of books piled everywhere. The shelves themselves were bare.

“Hey, Twilight,” I said. “You’re going to be sorting all these books again? I could’ve sworn we’ve done this recently.”

“Yes, but that was because we needed to. This is just because I want to. I call it my ‘book-sort-cation.’ Three uninterrupted days of reorganizing books. Can you think of anything more relaxing?”

Listening to smooth jazz, laying down at a beach, drinking hot tea, cuddling with your special somepony…

“I guess I’ll leave you to it,” I said as I left the library. “If anything happens in the next three days, I’ll make a note of it for you to read later.”

I left the castle with my handy notebook and my dandy camera. I thought about what events would happen, where they would occur, and when they would show up. It didn’t help that I didn’t have much to go by.

I remember it all started when the girls and Discord all had lunch together. I would need to—

BUMP!!

I collided with Fluttershy and fell to the ground.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Spike,” Fluttershy apologized. “Didn’t see you there.”

“It’s okay,” I replied as Fluttershy helped me up.

“What are you up to?”

“Twilight is working on her book-sort-cation, so she’s going to be busy for the next three days.” I showed Fluttershy my camera and notebook. “I figured that she might miss out on something, so I’m keeping track of all the events that might happen this weekend. Speaking of which.” I opened my notebook. “‘I bump into Fluttershy.’”

“I don’t think you need to keep track of everything, Spike.”

“Hey, you never know. So what’s been going on with you?”

“Well, the girls and I were planning a lunch date together. You can join, too, if you’re interested.”

“Actually, I would. Count me in.”

I hopped on Fluttershy’s back. That’s when I noticed an odd occurrence.

“Hey, Fluttershy, since when did you have two shadows?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy looked at the ground. “I’ve only got one...two? How is that—?”

“Surprise!” The shadow gained a face.

Fluttershy nearly threw me off, but I kept hold of her coat. A figure emerged from the shadows to reveal himself.

“Oh, Discord,” Fluttershy sighed. “It’s just you.”

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” Discord replied.

I groaned and rubbed my face.

“Hey, I thought it was a good pun,” Discord defended. “Anywho, would it be too much trouble if I could join your posse? I could use a bite to eat myself.”

“The more, the merrier,” Fluttershy replied.

That depends on who’s merrier.

Fluttershy, Discord, and I joined up with the other girls.

“Oh, I was not aware that Discord would be joining us,” Rarity said.

“And where’s Twilight?” Applejack asked.

“I'm afraid Twilight cannot be with us because she is working on sorting her books,” Discord replied.

“Then why can’t we just invite her?” Rainbow asked. “I can go and get her right now!”

Discord pinched her tail. “Now, now. We cannot interfere with Twilight when she is in her ‘sorting mode.’ We all know how she is with her organization skills.”

“For once, Discord’s got a point,” Applejack said. “Twilight’s always one to stress about being neat and tidy. It’d be best not to disturb her.”

“If you girls want, I could substitute for her.” Discord put on a Twilight wig.

“Oh, hey, Twilight!” Pinkie greeted Discord. “We were just talking about you. Glad you could show up. Say, did you know that Discord was standing in the exact same spot as you a few moments ago?”

“I think we can manage without her,” Fluttershy said.

“Ugh, fine. Whatever you say.” Discord removed the wig.

“Hi again, Discord!” Pinkie exclaimed. “You just missed Twilight. She was just here a moment ago. I don’t know where she is now, or how she traveled so fast without casting magic.”

We all sat down at a nearby restaurant. I checked my notes in case I missed anything, but so far I was able to write most of the important events.

I could’ve gotten Twilight to join us like what Rainbow was trying to do, but maybe she would understand the inside jokes if I wrote down what happened. At least it would be better than the girls trying to explain everything.

“Ugh, you have got to be kidding me!” Rarity looked at the menu in disgust.

“I know, right?” Pinkie asked. “There’s hardly any dessert options!”

“I was talking about the menu’s design, darling.” Rarity pointed to one of the words. “This font clashes entirely with the color of the tablecloth!” She rubbed her hoof over the red fabric.

“Seriously, Rares?” Rainbow asked. “You care more about the design of the menu instead of the price or contents of the food?”

“Well, I very much should. No point in making delectable and affordable nourishment when you cannot possibly offer a suitable atmosphere to dine in.”

The rest of the lunch date was uneventful. While we did mingle with each other, I haven’t noticed anything that would lead up to the peanut butter jar joke. I wondered if Discord was trying to prevent this episode from happening since he knew I was keeping track of everything.

After our soups, the girls wanted to order dessert. Contrary to what Pinkie said, the dessert menu had plenty of choices. I guess working at a place that sells nothing but desserts can spoil a pony like Pinkie Pie.

“Ooh, now isn't this interesting?” Discord asked as he looked at his respective menu. “Toasted rye bread topped with peanut butter and cut into circles. Looks like it is called the ‘Peanut-Butter Hoof.’”

Applejack cringed. “‘Peanut-Butter Hoof’? Blegh! Not even with jelly!”

Everypony and Discord immediately burst out laughing. I slipped my notebook out and scribbled down the event.

In all honesty, that was pretty funny in context.

“Good one, AJ!” Pinkie giggled. “Did you come up with that yourself?”

“Uh…pretty much, heh,” Applejack replied. “Didn’t think it was that funny.”

“Are you kidding?” Discord asked. “With a joke like that, you should’ve been the Element of Laughter.”

“Hey! The position’s already filled!” Pinkie retorted.

“Well, shucks,” Applejack said. “We’ve all got our funny moments, whether or not they’re peanut-butter-related.”

“You know…” Fluttershy looked at the menu. “The ‘Peanut-Butter Hoof’ doesn’t sound all that appetizing now that Applejack mentioned it.”

“No kidding,” Rainbow said. “It sounds like what somepony would get after they got their hooves stuck in peanut butter jars.”

Discord steepled his fingers. “That gives me an idea.” He stood up from the table. “Allow me to present my own version of the ‘peanut-butter hoof.’”

With a snap, Discord spawned peanut butter jars on his foot and hoof. He then tap danced across the ground and on the table. The girls applauded amusingly. Surprisingly, so did I. I even took a few photos.

I guess Twilight did have to be here to find it funny.

After dessert, everypony went their separate ways. Fluttershy and I hung out at her cottage.

“I noticed that we’ve hung out with Discord and not once did we get annoyed or bothered by his antics,” I said.

“It’s like I said once before, he’s a real sweetheart once you get to know him,” said Fluttershy.

“If you like Discord so much, why don’t you marry him?” I joked.

“Because I don’t know if polygamy is legal in Ponyville, let alone in Equestria,” Fluttershy joked back.

We both shared a laugh.

I sighed. “Anyway, it’s a shame Twilight had to miss out on this unforgettable luncheon. At least she can look at the pictures and read my notes if she’s ever curious.”

“That’s true.” Fluttershy stared out into the distance. “But we all miss out on some events. I’m sure Twilight would understand that she doesn’t have to be with her friends all the time.”

The rest of the day was uneventful. I didn’t hear anything from Applejack, Discord, or the other girls, so I assumed the snake and orange incidents would occur the next two days. I returned to the castle to get some sleep.

The next morning, I woke up around the usual time and did my morning routine. I didn’t see Twilight at breakfast, but for some reason, I didn’t see Starlight either.

Maybe she stayed up late.

I shrugged it off. I grabbed my camera and notebook, and I hurried to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was by the barn.

“Howdy Spike,” Applejack greeted.

“‘Applejack says hello to me,’” I wrote.

“Why are ya jottin’ that down?”

“‘Applejack wonders why I’m writing in this journal.’”

“Alright, cut that out!”

“‘Applejack wants me to…’ Oh, sorry.” I put the notebook away. “I just want to make sure that Twilight doesn’t miss out on anything.”

“Well, I’m afraid there ain’t gonna be anything worth missin’ out on. It’s a slow day here on Sweet Apple Acres.”

“‘Applejack tempts fate,’” I scribbled.

“Aside from a dragon who’s narratin’ like he’s in some sort of detective story.”

I giggled sheepishly. “Would you mind if I helped out around the farm?”

“The rest of our friends are gonna come over to do so, but you can lend a hoof...or hand…with organizin’ the barn.”

“Okay.”

Applejack and I finished putting the tools back in their respective place when we saw the rest of the Mane 6 sans Twilight entering the farm. Discord was also with them.

“Howdy gals…and Discord,” Applejack greeted. “Fancy seein’ you again so soon.”

“What? Is there a limit to how often I should see you all?” Discord asked. “If anything, I am not seeing you enough.”

“Er, anyway, I’m glad ya’ll could make it. Applebloom and I were tasked with workin’ on the garden, and we could use the extra hooves.”

Applejack assigned us each to different assignments . I was tasked to plow some of the fields with the farm pony.

We were about halfway done with the tilling when I heard Applejack snicker.

“What are you chuckling about?” I asked.

“Oh, sorry.” Applejack adjusted her hat. “I was just thinkin’ about yesterday and all the craziness that went down. Especially with the ‘Peanut Butter Hoof’ jokes.”

“Yeah, that was rather eventful. Then again, with Discord around, when is it not?”

Applejack and I finished up plowing the fields in no time flat.

“Mighty fine plowin’,” Applejack said. “I’ll have Pinkie ‘n’ Fluttershy get the seeds and we—”

“YAAAHHH!!!”

Both of us jumped in fright. Before we could process what happened, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applebloom and Discord ran from the barn.

“Take cover!” Applebloom shouted. “Hurry!”

Rarity, Applejack, Applebloom and I hid in the nearby bushes while the rest of the group scaled the trees.

“What are we hiding from?” I whispered.

“The snake!” Applebloom wheezed.

“A snake?”

“Rainbow Dash saw it!”

“What did this snake look like, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash’s head popped from the trees. “Well, it was big, and long, and green…”

Applejack furrowed her eyebrows. “Where was this snake?”

“At the shady side of the barn. It was dark, but I could tell it was a snake because it made a loud hissing sound. Everypony who was nearby heard it, too.”

“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” Applejack left the bush. “Ya’ll were spooked by the garden hose!”

“No I wasn’t!” Rainbow flew down. “The hose would make a gurgling sound, not a hissing sound.”

“That’s because sometimes there’s a heap of air in the pipes after a period of unuse. Somepony else might’ve turned on the hose and caused the air to escape. That must've been what scared ya’ll. Come on.”

Everypony and non-pony returned to the barn. Applejack and I went to the shady side to see nothing but a garden hose.

“See? What did I tell ya?” Applejack asked. “You must’ve mistaken the hose for a snake.”

She walked up to the hose and turned the tap. It made a deafening fizz before squirting out water.

“Nothing to worry about,” Applejack said as she turned the water off.

“So the shade made the hose look like a snake, and the trapped air made it sound like a snake,” Pinkie said, “so what’s making it move up your leg like a snake?”

“That would be…WHAT?!”

Applejack jerked her head around to see the hose slithering up her hind leg. She jumped a whole meter to escape. The garden hose snake danced and hissed. I swiftly snapped a picture of it.

“What in tarnation is causing that?!”

That’s when we all heard the sound of music that would be heard in a Middle Eastern bazaar. We turned around to see Discord sitting on a rug, sporting a turban, and playing a flute.

“Oh, I am sorry.” Discord stood up. “Was this a bad time to be practicing my pungi?”

He despawned his items, and the hose collapsed to the ground.

“Ya tryin’ to give me a heart attack, Discord?!” Applejack exclaimed.

“Now, now, Applejack,” Rarity said calmly. “There is no need to act so hysterical.”

Everyone except Applejack, Rarity, and me gave a hearty laugh.

“What’s so funny? All I said was…oh…” The realization hit Rarity, causing her to cover her eyes. “‘Hiss-terical.’ I did not mean to intentionally provide such a pun.”

“To be honest, I can’t be plum mad after hearing a joke like that,” Applejack smirked.

The rest of the day went by quickly. I wrote down the events that occurred. That was two inside jokes that finally got their context revealed. All that was left was the orange joke, and I had a feeling it would happen the next day.

A new day arrived. Once again, I didn’t see Starlight nor Twilight at breakfast.

I was on my way to Sugarcube Corner when I saw Rarity looking through one of the windows of the Golden Oaks Library.

“Hello, Rarity,” I greeted. “You do realize you can simply go into the library if you’re looking for a book.”

“That’s the issue, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity replied. “I’ve been trying to enter the establishment, but for some reason, it’s closed and Moondancer is nowhere in sight.”

“Maybe Moondancer closes the library on certain days of the week.”

“That couldn’t be it. The hours have not changed even after you and Twilight moved out.”

“Weird. Oh, well. She probably took the day off. Do you want to see what the other girls are up to?”

“I might as well. My attempts to bring back a historical fashion statement will have to wait for another day.”

Rarity and I walked down the road to Sugarcube Corner. I had a feeling some of the girls would be there.

“Just out of curiosity, are you still writing down every event happening and taking pictures for Twilight?” Rarity asked.

“Yeah, I am.” I showed her my notebook and camera. “After all, her book-sort-cation is still going on, but I’m sure today’s the last day.”

“I sure hope so, darling. I hate to admit it, but she’s been missing out on quite a few events these last couple of days.”

When we arrived at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Discord were giggling at a nearby table. Fluttershy had just sat down with them, but she didn’t join them with the snickering.

“What’s going on here?” I asked as we grouped with the clique.

“I just thought of an awesome prank we could pull on Applejack,” Rainbow replied. “Discord will turn the apple trees into oranges, and we’ll pretend she’s been running an orange farm. Of course, we’ll reveal the prank if things go too far.”

Pinkie chuckled. “We must do that! We’ve got to make those apple trees orange!”

“While it is not in my nature to be mischievous,” Rarity said, “Applejack has been late for our spa days together one too many times already. I understand she has chores to be done and the farm cannot take care of itself, but at this point in time she hasn’t found some way to improve her punctuality. I wish to be a part of your scheme.”

“I never thought you of all ponies to join us, but welcome aboard, Rarity,” Discord said. “I think I’ve got some prank membership cards somewhere.”

“How about you two?” Pinkie asked Fluttershy and me. “You in?”

“Sure.” I shrugged.

“Um…I don’t know…” Fluttershy rubbed her foreleg. “What if Applejack gets angry or traumatized?”

“It’s not a harmful prank, Fluttershy,” Pinkie said. “Discord can turn the trees back into apples just as quickly as he can turn them into oranges.”

“But still…is pranking one of our friends a good idea? I can’t help but feel sorry for what’s about to happen for her.”

“Oh, please Fluttershy,” Rainbow groaned. “You’d feel sorry for anypony no matter what prank is done. One time, you sympathized with the pony who fell for my loosened-salt-shaker prank, even though they genuinely laughed it off.”

“Well, those fries were ruined and had gone to waste.”

“They were fast food fries!”

“If you’re that concerned for Applejack, darling, you may comfort her after the practical joke is finished,” Rarity suggested.

“Uh, okay,” Fluttershy replied.

“So, here’s the prank…” Rainbow motioned us together.

At the farm, Rainbow Dash and I went up the hill to the barn.

“Now, you know what to do, right?” Rainbow whispered to me.

“Yes, we’ll keep Applejack in the barn until Pinkie gives the signal, then you ask your question to Applejack,” I replied.

“Exactly.”

Rainbow Dash knocked on the double doors.

“Come in,” Applejack called out from the other side.

Dashie and I entered. I kept the doors closed behind me.

“Hey, Applejack,” Rainbow greeted. “Need help with anything?”

“Uh…oh, sure,” Applejack replied. “My tools need reorganizing.”

“Huh? But I thought you organized them yester—OW!”

I nudged Rainbow Dash.

“I mean…sure, we’ll help you,” Rainbow replied, rubbing her side.

RD and I rearranged the tools with Applejack. That’s when somepony knocked on the window.

“What was that?” Applejack asked.

“Uh…it was just me playing with the tools,” Rainbow replied as she tapped some of the tools. “Shave and a manecut, two bits!”

“They ain’t musical instruments, Rainbow Starr. They’re farming instruments. I’d appreciate it if you could tell the difference.”

“Very funny.” Rainbow cleared her throat. “Quick question: why are you named ‘Applejack’?”

“Well…my parents named me after an alcoholic drink made from apples. Granny told me it was mighty hard for them to come up with the name. In fact, it wasn’t until breakfast time after I was born that they…”

“No, I mean, why is your name apple-related?”

“Look at the trees outside and tell me what’s on ‘em.”

Rainbow looked out the window. “Oranges?”

Applejack’s ears drooped. “Ah! Did ya get knocked upside the head one too many times?!” Applejack stomped outside the barn. “As you can see, they’re clearly…what in tarnation?!”

True to Rainbow’s word, every tree within sight was covered in oranges. Rainbow’s snickers were audible through her hooves and wings. I pulled out my camera. Words could not describe how dumbfounded Applejack was.

Nor would they describe what happened next.

“Well…I guess I better buck ‘em then.”

Rainbow immediately stopped laughing. I lowered my camera. Applejack carried some baskets to one of the trees.

“Did…did we break her mind or something?” Rainbow asked worryingly. “I’d expect a… ‘what have ya done to mah trees?!’ or a ‘gimme back mah apples or Ah’ll get sore!’ but I didn’t expect this.”

“Me neither,” I said as I put the camera away.

With all the trees sprouting oranges, it wasn’t like Applejack to take it so well. Something had to be up with her.

Rainbow and I caught up with the farm pony.

“Applejack, are you alright?” I asked.

“Never better,” Applejack replied as she bucked one of the trees.

“Are you sure?” Rainbow asked. “There’s no…sudden snaps or hidden feelings of anger?”

“Nope.” Applejack bucked one of the trees, and the oranges filled the baskets.

I looked to see Rarity and Pinkie, peeking out from the bushes all confused. I shrugged back at them.

Rarity left the bushes.

“Er, pardon me, Applejack,” Rarity said, “I was in the area, and I couldn’t help but notice that the fruits on your trees have been changed.”

“Good to know you have eyes, Rarity,” Applejack snarked.

“Aren’t you a teensy bit upset?” Pinkie asked as she followed Rarity.

“Not at all.” Applejack bucked the tree again.

Rarity bit her lower lip. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Applejack, look! We’re sorry!” Rarity cried. “Please don’t do anything rash or explode in a rage! We can simply turn the oranges back into apples! This was all just a simple prank by Discord, alright?! A prank by Discord!”

“Who said it wasn’t?” asked Applejack.

“Wait, what?!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Applejack laughed. “Gotcha!”

Discord and Fluttershy appeared from behind her. For the first time today, the yellow pegasus had a big smirk on her face.

“Which one of you told her?!” Rainbow asked.

“Both of us, actually,” Fluttershy replied.

“You see, I know Fluttershy and how she can, or rather cannot, handle pranks,” Discord narrated, “and I could not let my dear friend see another one of her friends get mad at a prank. Thus, we both agreed to tell Applejack about the prank in advance and add our own twist to this practical joke.”

“Since when was Applejack into pranking others?” Rarity pondered. “And yes, I’m aware of my hypocrisy.”

“To make a long story short…never,” Applejack replied. “When Discord first offered me a role in his trickery, I gave 'im a hard pass. But then I heard from Fluttershy what ya’ll were plannin’, so I decided to listen in to what they had to say. Now, I ain’t one to lie, but I do know how to keep a secret.”

“I don’t know whether to be mad at Discord for tricking us, or be impressed by how he turned the tables on us like that,” Rainbow said.

“How about mad-pressed?” Pinkie suggested.

“Well, Fluttershy,” Discord said. “Aren’t you glad we told Applejack in advance?”

Fluttershy giggled. “Orange…”

“Oh, so it is only funny when I don’t force the pun.”

After Discord turned the trees back into Apples, everypony and non-pony left the farm. I rode on Rarity’s back to the castle.

“I must say, this has been quite a weekend,” Rarity said. “From the lunch date to the sentient garden hose to the fruit transformation, I pity Twilight for not witnessing this with us.”

“Well, I’m hoping my notes and pictures will help Twilight understand our potential inside jokes.”

“Even so, she won’t experience it the same way as we did. I do hope she doesn’t grow jealous of our time with Discord.”

“I hope not.”

Once Rarity arrived at the front doors, I hopped off and went up the stairs.

“Rarity, if you could,” I said, “bring the girls and Discord to the throne room tomorrow. That way we can all paint a picture of our weekend to Twilight.”

“I shall try. Enjoy the rest of your day, Spikey-Wikey.”

I entered the castle and went into my room. I laid out my notebook, my camera, and all the photos I took for the past three days. I checked over every important detail, and edited every entry needed.

Remember, Spike. You can still get that flashback potion should all else fail.

Morning arrived. I gathered up my collage and made my way to the throne room. That’s when I picked up the sound of mares laughing. One of them I recognized.

Twilight? Did the girls arrive already?

I opened the doors to see Twilight chatting with Moondancer, Starlight, and Minuette.

“Uh, morning girls,” I greeted.

“Spike, good morning.” Twilight got off her seat.

“So, how was your book-sort-cation?” I asked as Twilight and I shared a hug.

“It was certainly enjoyable.” Twilight looked at Starlight. “In fact, you could say it was rather ‘ex-kite-ing’!”

Sparkle and Glimmer laughed. I raised my eyebrows.

“Of course, you don’t have to ‘scope’ out much to see how something even as book-sorting can be fun,” Moondancer added with a chuckle.

My arms drooped to the side.

Minuette said, “When it comes to relaxation, it’s not that much of a ‘stretch.’”

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I exclaimed exasperatedly.

“Spike, what’s wrong?” A smile ran away from Twilight’s face.

“I did all of this for nothing!” I looked at my photos and notes.

The double doors opened behind me.

“We’re here!” Rainbow announced. “Oh, hey Twilight…and Starlight, Moondancer, and Minuette.”

“What’s going on with Spike?” Rarity asked.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” Twilight replied. “What’s all that stuff you’re holding, Spike?”

“It was memorabilia for all the events the girls, Discord, and I had during the past three days,” I replied. “I kept track of everything so you wouldn’t miss out on any inside jokes. But now I find out that you’ve made inside jokes of your own, making my notetaking all but pointless!”

“Why is this such a big deal to you?”

“Because I didn’t want you to get jealous of our activities.”

“Oh, Spike. I am a little jealous that I couldn’t hang out with you or the others, but that’s okay. I can’t always be with all my friends.”

“I can vouch for that.” Pinkie raised her hoof.

“But you don’t have to go out of your way to write down everything that has happened. If I wished to know what happened, I would ask.”

I answered, “But I’m afraid all the girls and Discord would say is, ‘You had to be there.’”

“Now why would we ever say anything like that?” Discord innocently asked.

My only reply was an unamused glare.

“You don’t have to worry about me missing out on anything, Spike,” Twilight said. “You should enjoy the time you have. Sure, I would envy your time with the girls and Discord, but I won’t let a few missed moments ruin a lasting friendship between everypony…and non-pony.”

I sighed. “I guess you’re right, but just to be on the safe side...” I handed Twilight the photos and notebook. “...you can look and read these in your spare time.”

“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight clapped her hooves together. “Since everyone’s here, why don’t we go out for brunch together?”

Everyone shared an agreement.

“Great! I know just the place.”

“I do hope it has menus with better designs than the other restaurant we went to,” Rarity said.

“And better dessert options,” Pinkie added.

In the end, I was disappointed that Twilight didn’t need to learn about the inside jokes; however, the silver lining was that I was able to figure out what happened with Discord and the girls during the book-sort-cation weekend. Thus, it wasn’t a total loss.

Now I want to know what Twilight’s inside jokes were.

Author's Note

I'm sorry if this took a while.

Chapter 88 (The Cart Before the Ponies)

Twilight told me about what happened during her book-sort-cation, and how her inside jokes came to be.

The kite joke came from when Starlight was flying her kite. The string broke, and the kite ended up flying away with Starlight chasing after it. It entered one of the windows in the castle, which happened to be one of the windows Twilight opened in the library for fresh air. She freaked out, briefly thinking the kite was attacking her. Starlight showed up to retrieve her kite, and she apologized to Twilight for disturbing her. She then stayed in the library to fix her kite while also helping Twilight with her book-sort-cation.

The telescope joke happened the day after that. While organizing her books, Twilight noticed a blinking light hitting one of the shelves. She traced it back to the Golden Oaks Library. The sequence of blinks made Twilight think something was wrong, so she immediately teleported there. However, it turned out Moondance and Minuette, the latter of whom happened to come over for a visit, were using the telescope to look at some of the clouds. After settling the confusion, the trio went to the castle to assist Twilight in sorting her books.

The stretch joke was when Starlight wanted to practice certain spells under Twilight’s watch. Cliche as it was, something went wrong, and as a result, Starlight ended up elongating uncontrollably. Thankfully, the spell was reversed without any physical damage. Also I learned that Long Glimmer was canon.

Unlike Twilight in the show, I actually found those moments to be pretty funny without having to be there. I suppose as long as the ponies try to describe the moment as accurately as they can, instead of just saying “you had to be there,” you can understand why they find it so funny.

Also, Twilight was able to read my notes and look at the pictures. She made only a few giggles, but it was better than in the episode.

One day, I showed Twilight a poster for the upcoming Applewood Derby.

“Huh, I didn’t know Ponyville had a racing derby,” Twilight said. “It must’ve been one of those events that got mixed up like the ones last year. Did you want us to participate?”

“Of course,” I replied. “We get to design our own kart and race with other ponies. Does it sound like fun?”

“Well, I’ve got nothing else planned for that day. Where do we sign up?”

There were two reasons why I wanted to join the Applewood Derby. The first was that I wanted to participate in a real cart race for fun. The second was the episode, “The Cart Before the Ponies.”

This episode bothered me so much, I couldn’t fully rewatch it. From the poorly designed track, to the girls overshadowing their little sisters, to the CMC not saying anything, it was like the episode took place on “National Idiot Day.”

As Twilight signed us up for the derby, I saw a layout of the track on the table. Thankfully, it had no intersections, which was a big relief for me since I suggested it a while back.

I applaud whoever’s in charge for making that decision.

My next task was to find Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack. Coincidentally, I found all three of them at a nearby hill.

“I’ll meet up with you later, Twilight,” I said.

“Sure thing.” Twilight headed back to the castle.

I ran up the hill. “Hello, girls. I’ve been looking for you three.”

“Howdy, Spike,” said Applejack. “What do you need us for?”

“Well, as you girls know, the Applewood Derby is coming soon, and you know what that means, right?”

“Duh, everypony will build their own carts and race them!” Rainbow replied ecstatically as she did a loop. “Why do you ask?”

“Because rumor has it, the CMC would be interested in signing up, and they could use a hoof with creating their carts.”

The trio’s excitement shot up like a rocket, much to my chagrin.

“We’d be glad to help them!” they exclaimed in unison.

“I’ve got tons of ideas to make the fastest cart!” Rainbow shouted. “I think I still got the design from my old derby cart back home!”

“I know a thing or two ‘bout crafting a traditional cart, since the Apples had always won the most traditional cart ever since the derby started,” Applejack declared.

“I made the mistake of coming in second in my last derby, but now I know what the race cart audience wants,” Rarity exclaimed. They want big! They want bold! And that’s what I’ll give them!”

“Girls! Girls! Stop it!” I called out.

“Stop what, Spike?” Rainbow shrugged. “Friendly banter isn’t an argument. Lower your standards, will ya?”

“You three are forgetting something, this is the CMC’s race, not yours. It’s not some do-over for you, girls. The fillies want your help, not for you to take over everything.”

Applejack asked. “What, ya think we’ll—?”

“Yes,” I bluntly replied.

“Wow, ya didn’t even let me finish.”

“Spike, darling,” Rarity said. “We just want our little sisters to have fun and enjoy everything the derby has to offer.”

“Then let them enjoy it their own way, without any of you hogging the spotlight,” I said.

“Fine, we’ll swallow our pride just this once,” Applejack sighed. “For the sake of our sisters. Though it’s gonna be a challenge for Rainbow…”

“I heard that!” Rainbow rebutted.

The day before the preparations, I headed to the Ponyville Schoolhouse. As much as I wanted to take Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash’s word that they’ll let the CMC do the crafting and racing, I wanted to cover all my bases.

I found the Cutie Mark Crusaders just as they gave a high-five to each other.

“Hey, crusaders,” I greeted. “I was in the area, and I overheard you three talking about joining the derby.”

“That’s right,” Scootaloo replied. “You’re going to take part in it, too?”

“Yep. I also wanted to give you all some advice. If you’re looking to take home one of the three ribbons, you should have a helper who’s an expert on one the three categories. For example, if you want speed, you’d best get Rainbow Dash to help you. If you want tradition, you can get Applejack to assist you.”

“Huh, we were gonna ask our respective sisters to help us,” Applebloom said, “but maybe we should swap if it’ll help us get those ribbons.”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo agreed.

“Also, make sure to remind them that you’re the one who’s making and racing the carts, not them,” I continued. “The girls can get pretty…prideful when it comes to a racing event like this.”

“I can understand Rainbow Dash being prideful,” Sweetie Belle pointed out, “but I didn’t think Rarity or Applejack would be as well.”

“You’d be surprised.”

That was the CMC part done. With that, the entire episode should play out differently.

Hopefully.

The next day, Twilight and I made our way to the farm to get our block of wood.

“Okay, Twilight, you should work on all the mechanics of the cart while I work on the design,” I suggested.

“Will do.” Twilight stretched her wings. “I know every physics equation by hoof. And my Canterlot friends said I wouldn’t need to use them in the real world. There’s just one thing. Have you decided what the cart should look like?”

“I had a few ideas.” I took out a few pieces of paper. “I’m thinking we should go for a simple design. That way, it’s easier and faster for us to work on.”

The cart design I had in mind came from a very old anime I watched back in the human world. In fact, I don’t think my father was born when the anime came out. The car in the anime had a lot of gadgets, such as a jump boost, buzz saws, and even bulletproof glass. But since this was going to be a one-time race, I wanted to focus more on the design.

Twilight and I grabbed our tools from the main event stand and got to our respective stall. That’s when I saw the CMC with Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack behind them. The older ponies were carrying the tools instead of the fillies.

This looks promising.

I shared with Twilight my design for the cart so she would know where to put the wheels and other accessories. Afterwards, I sketched shapes onto the block.

“Have you ever been in a Derpy…I mean, derby before, Twilight?” I asked as I got out the chisel and hammer.

“Not really, but I do know a thing or two about cart-racing; you probably already know where I learned it from.” Twilight replied as she rummaged through the tools. “Oh, no.”

“What is it?”

“They forgot to give us paint brushes.”

“That’s okay. I’ll go around and ask if anypony has some spares we can use.”

“But what about carving the cart?”

“I’ve got time.”

“If you say so. I’ll continue working on the gear ratios.”

I needed an excuse to find the CMC and their big sisters anyway, so this was the perfect opportunity. I went to the first stall I found. There, I found Applebloom and Rainbow Dash working on their cart. It looked just like the one at the end of the episode, so it was safe to assume that the other two carts would be the same.

“Do ya think floor wax will make the cart speed up, or the wood varnish?” Applebloom asked.

Rainbow replied, “Personally, I used wing balm during my last cart race…but this is your cart after all, whatever you pick is up to you.”

“Floor wax it is. Oh, howdy Spike.”

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash saw me. “Hey, cheater! You can’t steal ideas from our cart!”

“Oh, no! I’m not doing that!” I defended myself. “I was wondering if you had any extra paint brushes.”

“Sorry, Spike, we’ve got only two here,” Applebloom replied. “Maybe the other girls have some extras.”

“Okay, thank you.”

I tried the next stall over. I knocked on one of the walls.

“Come in!” Sweetie Belle called out.

I entered the stall to see Applejack and Sweetie Belle crafting a rather historical cart.

“Hi, do you girls have a spare paintbrush or two?” I asked. “Twilight and I need some.”

“Sorry, Spike, but our cart kit here has only two,” AJ responded. “Did yours not come with any? It was supposed to.”

“It didn’t. I’m hoping one of the other participants got some extras by mistake.”

“Come to think of it, I did hear Rarity comment about paint brushes with Scootaloo before we split up,” Sweetie Belle pointed out. “Maybe you should ask them.”

“Alright, I will.” I left the stall. “Nice job on the cart design! Keep it up!”

I kept my fingers crossed that I would luck out with the next duo.

I overheard Rarity ask, “Are you sure you want to use this arrangement for the wings?”

“Hey, my design, my rules,” Scootaloo reminded her.

“Right. I apologize.”

“Pardon me, ladies,” I said as I entered the stall. “But by any chance do you have an excess amount of brushes?”

“As a matter of fact we do,” Rarity replied as she searched in the toolbox. “I assumed they gave us extras since Scootaloo was going for the most creative cart.”

“You’re welcome to take some, Spike,” Scootaloo offered.

“Thanks,” I said as Rarity gave me a pair of brushes.

I hurried back to Twilight and resumed carving. After hours of chiseling, planing, and sanding, the body of the car was complete. Twilight and I carefully added the gears and wheels among the other features needed. The cart would have two pedals. One would make the car accelerate by being tapped repeatedly, similar to a bass drum pedal. The other would stop the cart, and it functioned like a normal car’s brakes.

Twilight and I grabbed some paint buckets and painted the exterior completely white. Afterwards, I took what remaining time we had left to add a few details.

“Why are you painting a number five on the side?” Twilight asked.

“It’s gonna be the design for the cart,” I replied. “I call it the ‘Pone 5’.”

“I gotta say, this is one weird design for a cart. Is this from one of your comic books?”

“Uh, yes! It is.”

The sound of trumpets filled the air, indicating that the race was about to begin.

“Derby racers to the starting line! Derby racers to the starting line!” Cheerilee called out.

Everypony lined up their carts at the starting line. Twilight and I put our helmets on and hopped into our cart. Much to my relief, I saw the CMC in the driver’s seat of their respective carts instead of their sisters.

“Do you even know how to drive?” Twilight nervously asked.

“Of course,” I responded. “The long pedal’s for going, the wide one’s for stopping, and the giant circle is for steering. All I have to do is not crash.”

“It was a good thing we added seat belts to this thing.” Twilight clicked hers in. I did the same with mine.

Cheerilee blew the trumpet once more. “On your marks. Get set. Go!”

I jammed on the pedal and the cart took off in a flash.

“Woah!” Twilight shouted. “I must’ve underestimated the aerodynamics of this cart’s structure!”

The other carts were already speeding along with us. Some of them passed us. The wind in my scales and the sound of the speeding carts gave me a big rush of energy.

Here he comes.
Here comes Spike Racer.
He’s a dragon on wheels.
He’s a dragon and he’s gonna be chasing after someone.

“We’re coming up to our first turn, Spike!” Twilight barked. “Slow down!”

I lifted my foot up from the “gas” and slowly stepped on the brakes, surpassing our first turn.

“Thank Celestia!” Twilight yelled. “I’m glad we could balance the handling with the speed!”

“Twilight, you don’t have to yell,” I calmly said. “I can hear you just fine.”

“Oh, sorry about that, Spike.”

That’s when I heard paper rustling behind me.

“What’s going on back there?” I asked. “Tell me you didn’t bring a book with you.”

“I sketched a map of the track,” Twilight replied. “Since it’s only one lap, I want to keep notes of any important obstacles and turns so we won’t be in for a surprise.”

“Okay. What’s the next obstacle?”

“We’re gonna hit a small ramp soon, so brace yourself!”

“I’d advise you to do the same. Hey, I see Scootaloo’s cart up ahead.”

It didn’t take long for me to catch up with Scoots and Rares. By the time we were neck and neck, we hit the ramp at the same time. However, Scoot’s cart glided much farther than mine.

“I see Scootaloo and Rarity took advantage of the tail spoiler to further increase their landing distance,” Twilight pointed out.

“I guess they really want to win that creative ribbon,” I added.

Many twists and turns were made. Some carts caught up with me and vice versa. It was hard to tell what place we were in. I didn’t have any HUD telling me.

“Okay, we’re going to be driving through Ponyville for this section of the race,” Twilight said. “Try not to crash into any buildings.”

“Relax, Twilight. I’ve been staying on the road all this race.”

“Let’s keep it that way.”

We soared through the streets of Ponyville. The crowd cheered us on from behind the barriers.

“Hey, I think I just saw Starlight and Moondancer!” Twilight called out.

“Want me to pull over and check?” I joked.

“We’re racing right now!”

“I know, I was only joking.” I chuckled.

We drove back to the outskirts of town. Thanks to Twilight and my design, we overtook many carts. That’s when I saw Applebloom and Rainbow Dash. They were in first place since I didn’t see any carts ahead of us.

“Look alive, Applebloom,” I said. “I’m gaining on you.”

Our two cars sped down the final stretch, the lead separated by only a few millimeters.

“We’re almost at the finish line, Spike,” Twilight said. “It’s anypony’s game here.”

I looked at Applebloom’s cart and bit my lip. “Yeah, and I know who’ll win.”

I slowly lowered the tempo of my foot-tapping, causing my cart to slow down ever so slightly.

“What are you doing, Spike?” Twilight asked when she noticed.

Her question was answered when Applebloom's cart zoomed past the finish line with mine doing the same a half-second later. The crowd bellowed with applause as we hit the brakes.

After the race was over (it took a while thanks to Sweetie and AJ’s cart), the ceremony was held to announce the winners. Applebloom’s cart took first place for the fastest, Sweetie Belle’s took first for the most traditional, and Scootaloo’s took first for the most creative. I swore I saw Rarity smirk at Derpy for a brief moment. Twilight and I came in second for the fastest cart.

Later that evening, Twilight and I rolled our cart back home.

“In all seriousness, it was nice of you to let Applebloom win so she can earn first place like her other friends,” Twilight said. “But how did you know that all three of them would earn first place?”

“I had a feeling,” I replied.

To be honest, however, the show didn’t reveal the outcome of the second race, so I never learned who won what.

As for today, I was so glad the episode turned out better than what happened in canon. The CMC made their own carts, their sisters didn’t steal the spotlight, there were no crashes, and the outcome of the race was revealed for once.

“Say, Spike, where are we going to put this cart?” Twilight asked.

“I’m not sure,” I replied. “You think we’ll get a roommate who’ll want a racecar bed?”

Chapter 89 (Friendship Games)

Twilight and Starlight tightened the saddlebags around their waists.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with us to Canterlot, Spike?” Twilight asked.

I looked down the hallway then back to Twilight.

“I’m sure,” I replied. “Now don’t get me wrong, I would love to help you with your guest lecture about cutie marks, but the thing is there’s a lot of things I need to get done today, and they are a much higher priority.”

“If you say so, Spike.” Twilight wheeled in a black box containing the projector. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“Good luck, you two.”

After Twilight and Starlight closed the double doors behind them, I immediately went to my room to prepare for my visit to Sunset’s world once more.

In the movie, “Friendship Games,” the Twilight from Sunset’s world would come to Canterlot High to not only compete in the Friendship Games, but to also study the magic phenomenon going on there recently. Unfortunately, the device she carried with her ends up sucking magic from the other humans, causing strange rifts to briefly appear. Later on, she would end up possessed and turned evil with Sunset Shimmer saving her.

For that, I hoped I could find a way to get the necklace and destroy it before things go too far south. While I’m there, I could also work on other tasks. I needed to find that memory stone before Wallflower does, and if the statue still gets destroyed, then I would have to find the phone number for a construction company to immediately seal up the cracks before too much magic spills out.

I entered my room and got into my closet to make a disguise. I grabbed my black hoodie along with a pair of sunglasses. I also grabbed a notebook just in case.

I made my way to the library section whilst putting on my hoodie. I didn’t know how clothing worked when crossing dimensions, but I bet that I would still wear it when I come to Sunset’s world. Once I got in front of the portal, I wrote a note for Twilight.

“Went to the human world.
Be back soon.

-Spike”

I placed the note on the table. Then after putting my sunglasses on and my hood up, I walked through the portal.

I appeared on the other side as a human again. I checked underneath my hoodie and confirmed that I still had my green-striped t-shirt. I guess since the portal noticed me wearing the black hoodie, there was no need to give me the purple one.

The Crystal Prep bus sat firm in the parking lot, occupying at least four perfectly good spaces with no plans to move. If that didn’t justify how tough the Crystal Prep students were, nothing will.

I took a deep breath and entered the school. I checked around to make sure the coast was clear, and I walked down the halls.

Mirror Twilight’s already here, so I can’t let the girls see me. I just hope that I’ll—

“Hold it right there!”

I stopped dead in my tracks.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Principal Celestia?

My suspicions were confirmed when a hand grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

“We do not wear our hoods up while indoors,” Celestia said. “The students here will think you’re some sort of criminal. Put it down at once.”

I sighed and obeyed, revealing my green hair. I also decided to remove my sunglasses while I was at it.

Celestia raised her eyebrows. “Spike, it’s you. Oh, wait…you’re the Spike from Crystal Prep, aren't you? Strange, I thought Crystal Prep had a strict dress code there.”

“My school uniform was in the wash,” I lied.

“I see. No matter, the opening ceremony is about to begin. You should hurry to the gym soon.”

“I’ve got some important things to do while I’m here. Principal Cinch’s orders.”

“Very well, but be quick about it. All I can say is I have a feeling things will be a lot different from the last Friendship Games.”

You have no idea.

“By the way, do you know where the garden is?” I asked. “I heard about a garden club being set up this year.”

“Hmm, I remember one of the students suggesting one behind the school building, but I’m not sure if we ever confirmed it.”

“That’s fine. I’ll go check it out anyway.”

I hurried outside and into the forest where I saw a trio of small rocks.

Perfect, now to find that stone.

I remembered the stone being buried in front of a group of bushes after they were uprooted. After finding the general area, I grabbed a small, flat rock and dug around. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for me to find a pouch.

For wanting to hide the stone, Clover the Clever sure didn’t bury it deep.

I undid the string to reveal the memory stone and the instructions that were conveniently written in modern English.

…at least he had the foresight to make the instructions clear.

I read through them, and it seemed easy enough. All I had to do was just silently tell the stone what memory a person/pony should forget, and it will be removed. Also, if I kept the memory in the stone for more than three days, then the memory would be erased for good.

“Is someone there?”

“Uh, oh!” I stood up just in time to see a girl with green hair walking up to me.

“Who are you? And…what are you holding?” The girl asked.

I looked at the stone.

I guess it wouldn’t hurt to give it a test.

“Okay, I’ll tell you,” I said. “Just let me get my glasses.”

I quickly put my sunglasses on and pointed the rock straight at Wallflower.

“The answer you’re looking for is right here,” I pointed to the sigil on the rock.

“Just who are you?” Wallflower asked with confusion.

“I go by many names, but you can call me ‘Spike’.”

The rock glowed. Immediately, a cyan beam pierced through the sky. A green reel slithered out of Wallflower's forehead before making itself a home in the stone. Wallflower fell to her knees as the stone gave off one last glow.

Quickly, I shoved the stone and instructions in my pocket. Wallflower stood up and rubbed her eyes.

If I knew I was going to make this reference, I would’ve worn a suit instead of a hoodie.

“Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Wallflower,” I said as I took my shades off. “I really like your idea of turning this place into a great gardening club. Maybe Crystal Prep will finally have some real competition in their flora department for once.”

Wallflower blinked rapidly. “Uh…thank you…um…I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

Looks like it worked.

“Spike.”

“Right, Spike.”

“And like I said before, you should spend more time with Sunset Shimmer when you get the chance. Who knows? Maybe you won’t be alone or ignored anymore, and she might help you extend your club and get more members.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks.”

“See you later.” I left the forest, but I quickly turned around. “By the way, did I show you the stone?”

“What stone?”

“Okay, I didn’t. I’ll show you it some other time when I get the chance.”

I ran out of the woods and back to the school parking lot.

I’ll just leave a note for Twilight about this stone and…wait.

I stopped in front of the statue and placed my hand on it. True to my downplayed dismay, it didn’t go through.

Figures that Sci-Twi already suck the magic out of this portal. Guess I’m staying here a little bit longer.

I entered the school once more. I kept my hood down and my sunglasses off, as I didn’t want to get in trouble with Principal Celestia again.

I wonder if the lost and found has a spare hat I could use?

“Hey, Spike!”

My body froze up. Footsteps drew near me. I slowly turned around to see Flash approaching me.

“It’s good to see you again,” he said. “I knew Twilight wasn’t visiting by herself.”

I swallowed. “Yeah, I didn’t want to come initially, but I changed my mind soon after.”

“Well, I’m glad you came. Twilight’s been acting weird lately. Also, does she normally wear glasses?”

“Uh, no. I did hear her complain about losing her contacts, so those might’ve been her back-ups.” I didn’t know if pony Twilight even wore corrective lenses, but I doubted it. “Do you know where she—?”

All of a sudden, I felt sick to the stomach, like I just drank a carton of expired kefir. I covered my mouth with my hands.

Flash’s eyes widened. “Are you alright?!”

“I don’t know!” My voice muffled through my fingers. “I think I’m gonna puke!”

Flash looked around and grabbed me by my arm. He pulled me towards a nearby trash can.

“Here! Do it in here!” He shouted.

As Flash held my hood back, I removed my hand and opened my mouth. But what came out wasn’t a failed attempt to digest my previous meal. My eyes were closed, but my tongue felt a dry and bitter taste. The size was longer than a ruler. The object that came out plopped into the empty trash bag.

I gasped for air as I raised my head. The sickness I felt vanished instantly.

“You good?” Flash asked as he let me go.

I wiped my mouth. “Yeah, I think so. I don’t know what...”

I looked into the trash can. Much to my surprise, there was a scroll inside. I reached in to grab it.

“Woah, dude!” Flash stepped back in disgust. “What are you doing?”

I showed Flash the scroll. “This is the only thing that came out of my mouth. And...it feels very dry for some reason.”

“Okay...I’m just gonna go now.” Flash speed walked away.

I didn’t expect to get a letter while I’m in the human world. At least now I know how it feels.

I unrolled the scroll and read it.

“Spike,

I don’t know if this letter will get through, but what the hay is happening over there?! I read your note and tried to access the portal, but it wouldn't open!

I really hope you’re alright. If you can, try to use Sunset’s journal to send a message back as soon as possible. Starlight and I tried different spells to re-open the portal. So far, nothing’s worked.

Please try to write back or something! Let us know you’re okay!

Signed,
Twilight Sparkle”

Uh, oh! Twilight and Starlight are back already?

Obviously, writing them back was out of the question since I didn’t have my firebreath abilities. I’d get Sunset to write to Twilight, but that would blow my cover.

I got back outside to get some fresh air and to look for Mirror Twilight. No sooner did I find her, Fluttershy, Dog Spike, and a few other animals together. I dove behind some bushes.

“Did you hear that?” Fluttershy asked.

“Hear what?” Mirror Twilight asked.

“Nevermind.”

I listened to the two girls’ conversation. Just like in the show, Mirror Twilight was feeling down because her schoolmates didn’t show gratitude for her taking the win despite being on the same team. That’s when my eye caught Dog Spike sniffing the ground. I cocked an eyebrow, but my heartbeat increased when he got closer to my hiding spot.

“Oh, no, shoo! Shoo!” I quietly hissed. “You’re not supposed to notice me!”

Suddenly, strange vortexes littered the air around us. Mirror Twilight’s necklace was already sucking Fluttershy’s magic out. A rabbit with antlers hopped out of one of the portals. Dog Spike quickly chased after it.

That’s somewhat of a relief.

Sci-Twi tried to comprehend which rift Dog Spike would jump out of, but with so many vortexes, it was hard to find him. Just like in the show, Dog Spike got struck by the yellow beam of magic after exiting one of the portals.

However, what followed wasn’t just him getting his voice.

Dog Spike’s limbs and body grew longer. His fur dissipated except for the one on his head. His face morphed until he looked humanoid.

I don’t remember Dog Spike turning into a human! Was it because I was a human when I first came here?

Sci-Twi immediately closed her necklace. “Spike, are you alri…i…i…?”

What kneeled before Twilight was a human version of her former pet dog.

Former Dog Spike rubbed his forehead. “Um, I think so.”

Sci-Twi stared for a few more seconds before...

“YAAAAHH!!”

She quickly took off running back into the school, still shrieking. Mirror Spike stood up and chased after her.

“Twilight! Wait!” He shouted.

Wow, he learns fast.

Fluttershy struggled to get up, but she collapsed to the ground.

“Bye,” she sluggishly said.

I threw my hood back on and got out of the bushes. I got to Fluttershy’s side and put her in a recovery position.

“Just rest,” I whispered.

“Wha…who…?” Fluttershy asked.

I put my index finger up to my lips. Fluttershy closed her eyes.

I hurried back into the school. I followed the sound of Mirror Twilight and Spike’s voice.

The second I saw them, I dove into a nearby room, which just happened to be one of the staff’s offices. I listened to their conversation.

“Why did you run away like that?” Mirror Spike’s voice asked.

“Um, oh, I don't know,” Sci-Twi sarcastically answered. “Maybe it has something to do with the glowing girl, or the hole in space, or my dog turning into a human!”

“Yeah. Weird, right?”

“Are you okay? How do you feel? What happened? Where did you go?”

“Hey, one question at a time! This is pretty new to me, too.”

“Sorry.”

“All I know is I chased that pointy rabbit through the glowy thing and then I was somewhere else. Next thing I knew, I felt like someone was pulling all my limbs and shaving me, and then I became…this. Uh…is it normal for me to feel embarrassed? Because that’s what I’m feeling right now.”

“Oh, geez, yes!” Mirror Twilight replied with disgust.

I looked around the room and found a box of clothing labeled in big letters, “LOST AND FOUND.”

How convenient.

Right after I grabbed a red baseball cap from the box, I heard Principal Cinch’s voice followed by a locker door slamming shut.

I hid underneath the desk and listened to what Cinch and Twilight were talking about. Cinch wanted Twilight to interact with the girls to learn about how they were passing all the trails at the Friendship Games. Twilight was reluctant, but Cinch reminded her that her application to the Everton study program was on the line.

With all the blackmail she’s done to Twilight, I’m so glad Mirror Cadance replaced her in later Equestria Girls episodes.

I crawled out from under the desk to see Cinch walking away. That’s when I heard the locker door opening.

“Man, she’s awful,” Mirror Spike said. “What are you gonna do?”

Twilight sighed. “I don’t know, Spike. For now, let’s get you some clothes before someone sees you.”

On cue, I grabbed the box and pushed it out of the room.

“What was that noise? Oh, it’s a box full of clothes.”

“How convenient,” Mirror Spike said.

Twilight picked up the box with one hand and grabbed Spike’s wrist with another.

“Come on, I think I saw a bathroom nearby.”

Once the duo were out of earshot, I checked to make sure the cap I took was clean. After I found out it was, I put it on.

I need to find a way to get that necklace before there’s too much damage. I can’t nick it from Twilight while she attends the events, because I would risk getting caught. That would be likely considering how many students are going to be watching.

I decided that it would be best to let some of the events play out until the time was right. Mirror Twilight was going to have that device around her neck during the events, so it wasn’t worth stealing it for now.

I sat at the bleachers with the crowd watching the entire Tri-Cross Relay. It was a wonder how they set everything up so fast. Canterlot High’s side cheered blaringly while Crystal Prep would only mildly applaud. I was wearing the cap and my sunglasses, which made me look a lot less suspicious than having my hood up.

“This is awesome!” Applebloom exclaimed from the row in front of me. “I knew my sister could hit that target!”

Just like in the show, Applejack and Fluttershy nailed a bullseye, which gave Rarity and Pinkie Pie a head start on speed-skating. Eventually, Applejack purposely helped Mirror Twilight score a bullseye as well so Crystal Prep wouldn’t fall too far behind.

“Yeah, that’s my girl!” Mirror Spike called out from the sidelines. His outfit consisted of a light blue t-shirt, a pair of brown baggy pants, and a pair of red high-top sneakers. He looked like a rapper from a 1990s music video. He also still had his collar on like I did.

Suddenly, after giving a brief hug, Applejack ponied up. Mirror Twilight’s necklace reacted to that by sucking up all the magic from the farm pony.

“What’s going on with Twilight and Applejack?” Scootaloo asked.

That was the only time someone noticed what was happening. Afterwards, the two schools ended the speed-skating in a tie, which led to them starting the motocross together.

Unfortunately, Twilight’s necklace summoned portals that caused vicious venus flytraps to appear across the tracks. It was then that more spectators took note of the unusual phenomenon.

“Is this part of the event?” Sweetie Belle tilted her head.

“How did they make them…things…look so realistic?” Applebloom wondered.

One of the plants caused Sunset to wipe out, but Rainbow did a full 180 to save her. Immediately after she did that, wings sprouted from her back.

“If this is supposed to help make the events more interesting, then it’s working!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

“I have got to know what special effects they used for that,” a random onlooker commented.

Rainbow kept the plants at bay while Sunset raced through the rest of the track. Thankfully, she made it through the finish line, resulting in Canterlot winning.

“Attention, students, please proceed to the gym,” Dean Cadance announced.

Everyone left the bleachers just as the unusual flora disappeared. I followed the crowd back into the building before sneaking away to an empty classroom.

This is not good. I gotta find Twilight to get her to destroy the necklace before it’s too late.

I left the classroom to look for Twilight. I approached the gym when I heard voices. I cracked open one of the doors and looked inside. There was a big crowd of students with Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Cinch on the stage.

“...and while the source of the unusual plant life is unconfirmed, the events will continue as planned,” Dean Cadance concluded. “On another note, there has been a slight chance of rain later in the day, so the final event may be moved indoors if that happens.”

I removed my sunglasses and scanned the crowd for any signs of Twilight. However, my search came up null, and the crowd already dispersed before I could get a second look.

Everyone was back outside, but this time, they gathered in front of the school. Black clouds scattered through the sky.

With all these clouds, it’s a wonder how it didn’t rain in the show.

I sat in the front row where all the Crystal Prep students were, and it was a wonder how none of them noticed a student not wearing their school uniform. I looked down the row to see the competing students standing in a group. I barely made out Twilight’s hair and glasses. I shook my head.

It’s gotta be done.

I got off my seat and snuck underneath the bleachers. Once I got to the middle, I heard the students singing:

“Unleash the magic, unleash the magic.
If we lose, then you're to blame.
They all have used it, maybe abused it,
So then why can't we do the same?”

Even without the background music, the song still sounds sinister.

I took off my glasses and rubbed the bridge of my nose. I reached into my pockets and felt the memory stone. That’s when my brain hatched an idea, albeit a reluctant one.

I would have to destroy the necklace while she has it, but I might risk hurting her. She may not be my Twilight, but she’s still Twilight.

I sighed. There was no other option. I hurried to the other end of the bleachers and hopped into a bush. Sunset and Twilight ambled towards each other. Twilight held her necklace out while Mirror Spike was running towards her.

No turning back now.

I just had to hope for the best. I pulled out the memory stone and took another deep breath.

Alright, Spike. This is just like throwing that vase at Chrysalis. I apologize in advance for hurting your hands, Sci-Twi.

At that moment, time slowed down. I threw the stone straight at the necklace, hoping it would hit.

SMASH!!

“OW!”

The necklace broke into chunks and snapped off of Twilight's neck like it was made of candy floss. Mirror Spike stopped running immediately.

“What was that?!” Twilight shook her hands. “It nearly broke my hands!”

“Wow.” I got out of the bushes. “I did not expect that to hit.”

“Spike?!” The girls shouted.

“Yes?” I took my hat off.

“Yes?” Mirror Spike asked.

“Wait, there’s two of them?” Rainbow darted her eyes from Mirror Spike to me. “How?”

“Hold on, you're the Spike from the other world, right?” Pinkie pointed to me.

“Yeah, I am.” I lifted my hoodie to reveal my lime-striped shirt.

“I thought the portal was closed.” Sunset scratched her head. “How did you get through?”

“Well, you see…”

“Uh, Twilight,” Mirror Spike said, “what’s going on with the necklace?”

Sparks shot up from the pieces of the neckwear. A purple shockwave blasted everyone backwards. A bright white ball appeared in front of Twilight, sucking her in.

I slumped my shoulders and slammed my hat to the ground.

Dang it! I was trying to avoid this!

“Help…me!” Mirror Twilight pleaded as the magic orb consumed her.

What appeared out of the orb was the complete opposite of who went in. She had dark purple skin, hair that looked like a mauve fire, a sinister dress, giant black wings, and a glowing horn and glasses. This was a villain-ified Twilight, a.k.a. Midnight Sparkle.

“You were right! I didn't understand magic before,” Midnight Sparkle cackled. “But I do now!”

Midnight fired a massive magical beam at the horse statue, splitting it into millions of pieces! A portal formed in front of it, followed by a plethora of cracks and smaller portals!

“Everybody clear the area right now!” I shouted.

“Will do, random doppelganger who we just met less than a minute ago!” A nearby bystander called out.

Despite my pleas to have everyone evacuate, there were still a lot of innocent people in distress. It didn’t help that portals were opening by the minute.

“There’s gotta be some way to open this portal,” A familiar voice rang out.

My eyes widened. “Twilight?”

I looked around and saw an opened rift next to me. I gazed in to see my Twilight and Starlight at the mirror portal.

“Twilight! Over here!” I shouted.

“Huh?” Twilight saw me and gasped. “Spike! How did you…?”

“Get over here! Hurry! Something's going down in the human world!”

“Oh, no! Stay here, Starlight. I'll be right back!”

Twilight ran through the opening. Upon doing so, she instantly transformed into her human form.

“Woah. That felt weirder than going through the mirror.” Twilight looked up at the sky. “Who is that?!”

“Your evil twin! Well…to be specific, your twin turned evil.”

Midnight Sparkle slammed her fist into the ground, creating an ever-expanding hole to Equestria. Every student, including those from Crystal Prep, helped prevent everyone from falling through.

“Princess Twilight!” Sunset ran up to Twilight. “You gotta do—WOAH!!”

The ground collapsed underneath Sunset. She held onto the ledge for dear life. Twilight was about to sprint over to help her, but someone else beat her to it.

The girl pulled Sunset up with as much strength as possible.

Sunset controlled her breathing. “Thanks, miss…”

“Wallflower,” the girl replied. “We haven’t spoken since ninth-grade English.”

“Right, let’s rekindle this friendship after we deal with Evil Twilight.”

“How do we do that?!” Good Twilight shouted. “Defeating evil me I mean, not the relit friendship.”

“Don’t you know?!” Sunset grabbed Twilight’s shoulders.

“I’ve been here for only a minute!” Twilight retorted. “All I know is that she’s me and she somehow turned evil!”

“Sunset, wait!” Wallflower pulled out some pieces. “I found some remains of that necklace. Maybe they can help!”

“I found some, too!” Mirror Spike said, running over.

Sunset widened her eyes in realization.

“I’ve got it!” Sunset declared. “Give them here!”

Mirror Spike and Wallflower gave Sunset the remnants of the magic-stealing necklace. Sunset then ran up to the front of the school. Shortly after, the rest of the main girls and Mirror Spike glowed brightly.

“What’s happening to me?” Mirror Spike asked. “Am I turning back into a dog?”

“This isn't the way!” Sunset shouted to Midnight Sparkle. “I know you feel powerful right now, like you can have everything you want! I've been where you are, I've made the same mistake you're making! I put on a crown and, just like you, I was overwhelmed by the magic it contained! I thought it could get me everything I wanted!”

“Oh, you’re wrong!” Midnight barked. “Unlike you, I can have everything I want!”

“Are you sure this is me?” Twilight asked. “I know she’s evil right now, but I don’t like sound that, do I?”

Just like in the show, all the magic from the glowing group collected near Sunset, forming yet another ball of magic. I was surprised that the necklace still worked considering it was smashed by a magic rock. That and Mirror Spike being included into the group.

Sunset said, “I understand you, Twilight, and I want to show you the most important magic of all...”

She threw the pieces back into the ground, causing the orb to encase her. Thankfully, she reappeared in a brighter and warmer-colored outfit compared to Midnight Sparkle.

“...the Magic of Friendship!” Sunset declared.

Sunset used her magic to seal up all the portals, including the one Twilight came out of.

“Wait, don’t close it!” Starlight called out on the other side. “This was just about to get inter—!”

The portal sealed shut before Starlight let out another word.

Enraged by Sunset’s fixes, Midnight Sparkle immediately fought back. The two higher beings were neck and neck, but Midnight was closing in on victory.

“Twilight!” Mirror Spike shouted.

Midnight looked to see Mirror Spike’s puppy-dog eyes. I guess there are some things he still retains even after becoming a human.

“Spike…” Mirror Twilight’s voice said.

At that moment, Sunset quickly got the upper hand. After striking Midnight with her magic, a giant beam of magic materialize out of nowhere. Nobody knew what was happening, but I did.

The scene played out like in the show. The hole in the middle of the school grounds disappeared, the beam dissipated, and Sunset and Mirror Twilight reverted to their normal human forms.

“I am so sorry…” Mirror Twilight said somberly. “I didn't mean for any of this to happen…”

“I know,” Sunset replied. “And going by my own experiences, they'll forgive you.”

“Deja vu,” My Twilight whispered.

I nodded in agreement.

Principal Cinch declared to have Canterlot High forfeit the Friendship Games following the recent events, but everyone else, especially Crystal Prep, objected. Cinch threatened to take it up to the school board, but she was reminded how they wouldn’t believe any word she'd say. Cinch left in a huff.

Principal Celestia announced. “Well, I know these Friendship Games haven't been what any of us expected, but given what we've all just been through, I think it's fair to declare us all winners.”

Everyone cheered resoundingly after hearing that.

Much later in the day, the girls, Mirror Twilight, Mirror Spike, Sunset, Wallflower and I were having a picnic in front of the statue. There were a few construction workers nearby, fixing the statue.

“I didn’t know ya had connections with some of the construction folks, Wallflower,” Applejack said.

“Yeah, my father worked as a project manager,” Wallflower replied sheepishly. “It was a good thing Spike in the black hoodie reminded me.”

“All I said was that we should have the statue repaired as soon as possible,” I said. “I didn’t think you knew people either.”

That’s when I saw my Twilight talking to Sci-Twi. The latter considered transferring to Canterlot High, and while her chances of going to Everton were slim, she was willing to hold it off to learn about friendship.

“I’m sure you’ll do great at this school,” my Twilight said. “Just like you, I once considered my studies to be more important than friendship, but now I can never imagine my life without my friends.”

“Thank you,” Sci-Twi replied. “I just hope I’ll fit in here…and if I can explain to my family how my pet dog suddenly became a real boy.”

“I hope your Spike can get used to being a human from now on.”

“I think I can handle it,” Mirror Spike replied. “Humans don’t get fleas, right?”

“Not as much as dogs, no,” I answered.

“Then I’ll definitely handle it!”

My Twilight then turned to Sunset.

“I’m really sorry I couldn’t help you,” Twilight said. “I wish I could’ve gotten here sooner and done more.”

“It’s alright, Twilight,” Sunset said. “In a way, your help wasn’t necessary. I think I may have figured out how magic works in this world. The girls pony up when we're showing the truest part of ourselves. I was so busy waiting for someone else to give me the answers that I gave up looking for them myself. I'm sure there will be more magical problems that pop up in this world, but we can't expect you to always be around to help us.”

Twilight nodded. “Magic is always changing no matter where you go. Whatever happens here, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.”

The sun disappeared though the hills in the horizon.

“Looks like it’s getting late, Spike. We better head back to our world,” Twilight suggested.

“Right,” I replied.

Twilight and I head towards the statue. One of the construction workers smoothed out the top of the statue with the cement.

At least there would be a smaller amount of items gaining magic than in the show.

“Spike, wait! Wait!” Mirror Spike caught up with me. “Before I forget, I found this.” He gave me the memory stone. “I didn’t know if you wanted it back.”

“Oh, thank you.” I put the stone back in my pocket. “I was wondering where that went.”

“I do hope we’ll see you all real soon,” said Twilight.

Everyone bid us goodbye as Twilight and I went through the portal. Immediately, we were back in Equestria safe and sound.

“Whew!” Twilight brushed her chest. “For what it’s worth, that felt a lot better than going through one of those rifts.”

“Twilight! Spike!” Starlight ran up to us. “I’m so glad you two are back! What happened after that new portal closed? Did you save everyone? Did anyone get hurt? What happened to Evil Twilight?”

“Starlight, relax. Everything’s okay. The Twilight in that world is no longer evil, and she’s attending the high school with Sunset. Everything went back to normal there. Well, as normal as that world can get.”

Starlight sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear.”

In the end, I liked how this movie turned out. I was able to get the memory stone out of Wallflower’s hands while also getting her to interact with Sunset more. While Midnight Sparkle still happened, I got the statue repaired earlier than in the show.

What was interesting was how Mirror Spike turned into a human. I would like to visit some other time to see how he handles it.

Chapter 90 (No canon episode this time)

I wiped my mouth as Twilight read through the letter.

“Looks like Princess Celestia received the memory stone safe and sound,” she said, “and she’s making sure it’s locked up so nopony or non-pony can get it. Good job finding that stone, by the way, Spike. How did you know where it was?”

“I was just roaming around the forest near the school when I found it,” I replied. “I knew it couldn’t have belonged in Sunset’s world, so I nabbed it before someone else did.”

“That’s a good idea. There’s no telling what might happen if it fell into the wrong hands…or hooves.”

I figured that would be the case, which was why I came up with the idea of sending the memory stone to Celestia instead of keeping it for myself. Another reason was that while I could erase future antagonists’ memories to reform them, the three-day removal process was too long to keep the memories forgotten; and that someone might end up reminding them of their evil deeds and goals, be it unintentional or intentional.

Twilight, Starlight, and I organized the library. Twilight looked out the window and sighed blissfully.

“The Summer Sun Celebration is coming up once again,” she said, “and you know what that means.”

“It’ll mark the second year of the girls and us being together?” I asked.

“Exactly, and hopefully there won’t be a catastrophe for us to deal with this time.”

I chuckled. “I sure hope not.”

“Right,” Starlight said. “You two and the other girls had to take care of Nightmare Moon in the first Summer Sun Celebration, and for the second one you had to deal with the Everfree forest attacking.”

“Yeah, for what it’s worth, it would be nice to have a celebration that didn’t start with something going wrong in apocalyptical proportions.”

Twilight nodded. “We’ve got a lot of planning to do this year. Celestia may not visit Ponyville again to raise the sun, but that doesn’t mean the town shouldn’t celebrate less.”

“Uh, actually, Twilight, can’t we relax for a bit?” I asked. “I mean, the Summer Sun Celebration isn’t going to arrive that soon.”

“Yeah, Twilight,” Starlight added. “I think we deserve some rest before the event.”

“Oh, alright, suit yourself,” Twilight replied. “I’ll still write some plans just in case.”

After we tidied the library, I went to my bedroom. I layed on my bed, thinking about all my previous actions ever since the last Summer Sun Celebration. Even though there were less episodes to change mostly because of the girls’ keys and map episodes, I still made a lot of improvements. The library survived, Moondancer moved in, we rebuilt the Castle of the Two Sisters to its former glory, Starlight reformed early, Griffonstone got their idol back, Tank hibernated without Rainbow getting too upset, the yaks never declared war, an investigation of Spoiled Rich’s embezzled funds started, and so much more.

I was lucky to be in Spike’s body when I came to Equestria. It helped that he was already a bipedal creature, like me. Had I been a pony, it would’ve been difficult to operate with hoofs, and it would make others grow suspicious of me. Although, I couldn’t help but wonder what would’ve happened if I was in somepony else’s body instead of Spike’s. What would I say or do? What choices would I make?

Hmm…what would happen if, instead of Spike, I came to Equestria as…

…Twilight?

I entered the courtyard of Moondancer’s place. The area was surrounded by streamers and balloons.

“Moondancer?” I called out.

“Twilight!” A cream-colored unicorn with a red mane and black glasses galloped up to me. “I’m so glad you came! I thought you were gonna miss out on my birthday!”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, but…” I sighed and rubbed the back of my head. “I’m afraid I can’t stay long.”

“Aww, why not?”

“Now, don’t be upset. I admit I’ve not been the best friend to you, or the rest of the girls for that matter, and I really wanted to attend this party to make it up to all of you.” I looked up at Celestia’s castle. “Unfortunately, Princess Celestia assigned me to visit Ponyville to check on the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. As much as I wanted to object, turning down the princess’s offer isn’t what I would call a viable option.”

“I understand. Thanks for telling me, Twilight. Just you being here is enough for me.”

“You’re welcome.” I gave Moondancer a present. “This is from Spike and me. Happy Birthday, Moondancer.”

Moondancer took the gift and hugged me. I could feel her warmth and smooth coat as I returned the warm embrace. I never thought my very first pony hug would be my first hug goodbye.

“I promise the next time I visit Canterlot, I’ll come find you,” I said softly.

I took a few cookies before bidding Twilight’s, or “my” in this case, adieu.

…Pinkie Pie?

“Alright, let’s see if I can test this body.”

I grabbed a stool and stood on top of it. I then looked straight up at the ceiling and counted the beams.

“One, two, three…”

I slowly walked forward, keeping focus the planks of supporting wood.

Okay, moment of truth.

I immediately looked down. For a few seconds, I was hovering in mid-air!

“Woah! Oof!”

Unfortunately, true to toon logic, gravity took over. It was lucky for me that I was only a few inches off the ground.

Now that it’s clear I follow the same logic as every other Looney Tunes character from now on, let’s see how I can detect Pinkie sense.

I picked up a book and placed it on a nearby table. Slowly but surely, I pushed it closer to the edge. Once it was teetering, I could feel a tingling feeling on my backside. I looked behind me to see my fluffy tail twitching like crazy. A moment later, the book fell off the table on its own.

Plop!

“So that’s what Pinkie Sense feels like,” I said. “Now I know.”

“Is everything alright up there?” A mare’s voice called out from downstairs. I knew that voice.

“Y-yes, Mrs. Cake. I just dropped a book! Apparently, books can’t fly. Who knew?”

I needed to say something random to avoid suspicion.

“Oh…okay, Pinkie,” Mrs. Cake said. “Just remember to get everything ready at the town hall for the Summer Sun Celebration. It’s not every year the Princess visits a small town to raise the sun.”

“Okie dokie loki!”

…Applejack?

“Ugh, my legs.”

I sat down and rubbed one of my hind legs.

“Move your caboose, Applejack!” An old, familiar mare called out. “Did ya lose yer buckin’ skills or something?!”

“Uh…sorry, Granny Smith,” I replied. “I’m…not myself this morning.”

I guess that’s one way to put it.

“Well, start bein’ yerself!” Granny Smith retorted. “With the family reunion and the Summer Sun Celebration, we’re at our wits end here!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get back to work.”

I got up and bucked one of the trees. It vibrated, but not enough to shake the apples off.

“Land sakes, Applejack, ya did lose yer buckin’ skills.” Granny Smith pointed to where I just kicked on the tree. “Ya don’t buck the tree that low, you’ll just hit the roots and end up hurtin’ yerself.” She then drew an imaginary circle higher up. “Yer supposed to hit right here. It’ll go much better for both ya’ll.”

“Right, sorry.”

I aimed much higher. With one swift kick, all the apples fell off the tree and into the baskets.

“There ya go,” Granny nodded. “Didn’t think I had to reteach ya again.”

The next set of trees I bucked got the same result, and my legs didn’t get as sore. After I’ve done my fair share of the applebucking, I made my way to the barn.

…Rainbow Dash?

“Woah! Woah! WOOOAH!!”

In an instant, I was on the other side of Ponyville. My head was still spinning.

How does the real Rainbow Dash not suffer from vertigo so much?

I had no choice but to land. I tried to descend slowly, but I learned the hard way why “slow” wasn’t in the rainbow pony’s dictionary.

“LOOK OUT!!” I shrieked.

I quickly leveled out before digging my hooves into the ground. Within seconds, my vision was filled with nothing but dirt. I climbed out of the freshly-made ditch, shaking any debris off my coat.

“Are you alright, miss?” A child’s voice asked.

On cue, a small, purple dragon appeared from behind the dirt. This was definitely Spike, and where there’s Spike there’s usually…

“Ugh, my mane!” A mare’s voice complained.

I walked around and found a purple unicorn. Her name was Twilight. She had dirt all over her mane and tail. Needless to say, she wasn’t happy.

“Er, sorry about that.” I trotted over without using my wings. “Let me help you.”

Immediately, I brushed the dirt off Twilight. By the time I was done, she was clean, but her hair was rather messy. At least it looked better than in the show.

“Let me guess,” Twilight said. “You're Rainbow Dash.”

“The one and only!” I declared, but inside I cringed hard.

I can’t believe I said that! I know it’s supposed to be in character for her and all, but still…

“You need me for something?” I asked.

“I heard you were supposed to be keeping the sky clear.” Twilight sighed. “I'm Twilight Sparkle, and the Princess sent me to check on the weather.”

“Oh, right. I’ve been working on clearing the clouds. It’s just that…” I looked at my wings. “...I’ve been trying out this new wing balm, and it’s throwing my flying way out of whack.”

“I never heard of a balm affecting a pegasus’s flight that much.” Twilight scratched her chin. “Is it possible you’re having an allergic reaction?”

“Probably. Anyway, I’ve gotta get back to clearing the clouds. It was nice talking to you, Twilight. We should hang out sometime.”

With that, I gave flying another chance. However, as if gravity was suddenly reversed, I shot straight up into the sky.

“You’re not making this any easier!” I shouted to my wings.

I looked at the clouds and shook my head.

I can’t clear these clouds out if I can’t fly straight. Hmm...what if I got some pegasi ponies to help me out?

…Rarity?

Spike was still ogling at me. It gave me some confusing emotions. As much as I shipped Spike and Rarity, I was afraid that I had to turn him down.

“Oh, little one,” I said. “You don’t want somepony like me.”

“Why not?” Spike asked, not dropping his smile.

“Well…I’m not who you think I am.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Y-you don’t understand, Spike,” I said. “I…well…I used to be a stallion.”

“Well, nopony’s perfect,” Spike nonchalantly said.

I couldn’t tell if Twilight’s bewildered expression was for me or for Spike.

…Fluttershy?

After feeding the animals, I gave a bowl of salad to Angel.

“Finally, I thought you would never get to me!” Angel snarked.

“I have other animals to feed as well,” I replied.

“Did I ask?”

I exhaled sharply and left the kitchen.

After hearing Angel talk, he makes Alex sound like a desirable co-worker.

When I got to the living room, three little birds were pitched by my front door.

“We’re ready, Miss Fluttershy,” One of the birds said.

“For…what?” I asked.

“The rehearsal of course,” another bird said. “Weren’t we supposed to have one more rehearsal before we sing at the town hall? I thought we did. Didn’t we?”

“Oh, right, of course.” I rubbed my forehead. “Sorry about that. I had a rough morning. Let’s get every bird to the field, please.”

I opened the door and headed out with the avian trio following me.

“Um, Fluttershy?” The third bird asked. “I’m sorry if this was too soon, but…um…what voice pitch was I supposed to use again? Tenor or Countertenor?”

“Oh…uh…” I looked down at the path. “Whatever pitch you feel comfortable using. You don’t have to force yourself to sing at a certain pitch range.”

“Ah, okay, I’m good at singing tenor.”

The little robin gave off a few tweets, which sounded amazing.

“Yeah, you should do tenor,” I said. “If you want to, that is.”

Now that I think about it, being in Spike’s body was the best option. It gives me a lot more chances to change events without acting too out of character or getting anyone suspicious of me.

The sound of hoofbeats stopped my train of thought. I sat up from my bed just to see Starlight walking by my door, holding a kite as usual.

“Hey, Starlight,” I said as I got out of my bedroom. “Are you going to do one last kite-flying for the spring?”

“Heh, I don’t know if it’ll be the last one,” Starlight replied, “but I feel like I should take this opportunity to enjoy myself before Twilight bombards us with a bunch of tasks for the upcoming celebration.”

“Fair enough.”

As Starlight and I walked down the halls, a thought came to my mind.

“So how did Twilight’s guest lecture go?” I asked. “I haven’t asked about that.”

“It went pretty well,” Starlight replied. “I’m still surprised about how the girls got their cutie marks at the same time, and that it all happened thanks to a Sonic Rainboom.”

“Funny how fate finds a way to bring everyone together.”

“Yeah, I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if the Sonic Rainboom never occurred.”

“Well, it’s not like you could find a time travel spell, go back in time, stop filly Rainbow Dash from flying, and then travel to the future to see the results.”

“That’s a weird and specific way to put it, Spike. Say, you were born during when that Sonic Rainboom happened, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I didn’t want to make this sound dark, but…do you think you would…still be born even without the Rainboom?”

I looked away, thinking about what she said. Had it not been for the Rainboom, I would still be an egg. Then I remembered what Discord said about fate, even though I took his musings with a grain of salt smaller than in a bowl of low-sodium soup.

“I was once told that fate always finds a way to make sure certain things happen,” I said. “Maybe I would still be born, but it would occur in a different time. Another pony could hatch me, or I could get sent to the Dragon Lands to have someone hatch me there.”

“Yeah, that could probably happen.” Starlight looked at her kite. “I’m sorry that I brought that up. I didn’t mean to give you any bleak thoughts.”

“It’s fine, Starlight. You just need to think more positive thoughts. I mean, the girls might still get their cutie marks, albeit in a different way and at a different time, but the Sonic Rainboom already happened, and the girls, you, and I are already together.”

“I know.” Starlight opened one of the doors. “Do you want to watch me fly my kite?”

“No thanks. I appreciate the offer, though.”

“Suit yourself.”

Starlight left the castle, and I returned to my bedroom. I gave a long sigh.

Oh, Starlight. If only you knew what would’ve actually happened if the first sonic rainboom didn’t come to be.

In the show, every timeline that was affected by Starlight stopping Rainbow Dash changed for the worse. There was Sombra putting Crystal Ponies at war with the rest of Equestria, Chrysalis kidnapping everypony, Nightmare Moon making it always night, and the futures just kept getting worse from there.

That’s when I figured out something. Even though Starlight prevented the rainboom from happening in the episode, Twilight still had her wings and Spike was still alive. That meant that the doctor’s second theory on time travel was correct: traveling to the past or the future was just a fancy way of traveling to alternate dimensions. While he did say that it would be hard to travel to the future of the same timeline, the spell was able to easily send Twilight and Spike back to the future to reveal what changes were made.

In a way, it was like Father Time saying, “Yeah, you kind of messed up the timeline. Here’s what that did to the future. If you could go back and not do what you did earlier, that would be great.”

I wondered what the Spike in those bad futures were up to, and I was being optimistic that he wasn’t hurt or worse.

Assuming Spike was still alive, what could he be up to in the…

…Sombra timeline?

Swish!

I dodged the kick at the last second. I palm-smacked my foe’s side, but the sudden numbness in my arm made me regret my decision.

Those fighting comic books made this look a lot easier.

Sadly, my attempts to gain the upper hand ran dry, and a quick leg sweep once again slammed me down to the ground, adding another point to my large streak of defeats.

“I yield,” I moaned out.

My rival held out a hand and helped me up. She then took off her helmet to wipe the sweat off her forehead.

“You’ve been getting stronger, Spike,” she said. “For once, it feels like a challenge instead of being one-sided.”

“If you say so, Ember,” I replied. “I’m getting tired of training everyday. Can’t we just get a day off?”

Ember sighed. “Look, Spike, I don’t like doing this either, but we have no choice nor say in this matter. This is what my…our father wanted. Every day, that Sombra guy wins more and more battles, and as much as I don’t care for those ponies, I can’t help but pity them. Plus, it isn’t just ponies that he’s after, remember? Griffonstone already fell under Sombra’s rule, Yakyakistan went down fighting, and we could be next. We’ve got to be ready when he comes knocking on our door.”

“I know, I know.” I rubbed my shoulders. “I just wish this war never happened. That we could all live in peace without having to worry about an evil figure ruining our lives.”

Ember looked away. “So do I. But let’s not think about this now. We’ve still got a good half-hour to kill.” She slipped her helmet back on. “Get ready for round ten, Spike. I’ll use only my fists this time.”

I took a deep breath and stretched a bit before letting Ember know I was ready.

…Chrysalis timeline?

I entered the cave with what little food I could find. Smolder was by the fire, slowly warming her hands.

“Oh, you’re back already,” she said as she stood up. “How did it go?”

“I didn’t find as much food as…wait…” I glared at Smolder. “‘The rooster crows at midnight.’”

Smolder sighed. “‘...and the hen tells it to pipe down.’ It’s still me, Spike.”

“You can’t be too sure. Anyway, this was all I could find.” I dumped my contents onto the rocky floor.

“Some blueberries, a handful of smelts, and a few nuts.” Smolder shrugged. “At least it’s better than nothing.”

“Yeah, but our resources are growing thin.” I sat by the fire, hugging my knees. “We keep going farther for food. Sooner or later a changeling is gonna see us. We can’t stay here any longer.”

“What choice do we have, Spike?” Smolder looked at the cave’s entrance. “The Dragonland’s have been taken over, our parents and big brother are kidnapped, and there’s no way to take on those oversized shape-shifting insects! Being on the run is all we can do.”

I covered my eyes. I could feel Smolder’s hand reaching over and pulling her close to me.

“Listen, it may not be the life we want to have, but we should still do our best to survive.”

I looked up at my big sister. “Do you think this war will stop? That Chrysalis would give up, or at least be defeated?”

Smolder stared at the fire for the longest time.

“Y-yeah,” Smolder said. “I’m sure it will come to an end, all this invasion and kidnapping.”

It was pretty clear Smolder was just saying that so I could feel better, but I didn’t want her to know that.

“Thanks.” I gave a small smirk as I leaned into her.

We cooked what little food we found, and had our “dinner.” I prayed that it would be the smallest meal we would eat in all this fiasco, but I didn't have my hopes up.

…Nightmare Moon timeline?

I turned off my flashlight and tossed my backpack aside as I entered my cave. My eyes were glued to the ground.

“I’m home!” I shouted, trying not to sound like I was venting out my frustration.

“Welcome back! Dinner’s almost ready!” My father called out from the kitchen. “Go ahead and wash up!”

I sighed as I washed my hands. After that, I sat at the table while my dad gave me a bowl of vegetable soup and a few gems for dipping. He then prepared himself the same thing and took a seat on the other side of the rocky table.

“So…how was…oh.” My father could clearly read my brooding face, not that I was trying to hide it anyway. “What happened?”

“I got my history test back.” I looked away. “I didn’t do so well.”

“Oh, Spike.” Dad pinched the bridge of his lumpy nose. “How bad was it this time?”

I grabbed my backpack and took out the sheet of paper. I then gave it to Dad, who shook his head.

“The teacher could dip this entire paper in ink and it would have much less markings than this,” my father said with exasperation.

“All I did was write the truth,” I defended. “I know for a fact that the world wasn’t always lit up by the moon, that there was a big ball of light that once gave out more light and warmth than anydragon could imagine! It makes more sense than what my teacher told me.”

“Son, listen, I’ve read that old pony book just as much as you did, but you have to understand that these history teachers...”

“...are a bunch of blind lemmings trying to spread propaganda onto the youth culture?”

“Okay, maybe that part’s true too, but…the point is, these guys are just following orders. We can’t always do or believe in what we want, and I’d know.” My dad stared at his soup bowl.

“Quite a crummy world we live in if that’s the case.”

I returned to my seat and ate in silence. Dad still looked at the paper.

“You know…” He shifted forward in his seat. “We could try to find these answers out ourselves…”

I looked up from my bowl. “Really? How?”

“Somedragon…or non-dragon out there might know something that isn’t written in the history books. For all we know, a big light ball did exist at one point and we never knew about it. Maybe we could venture out of the Dragonland borders and find that creature.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” I jumped out of my chair. “Let’s hit the road already!”

I was about to run out of the cave, when my dad’s light-green hands stopped me.

“Woah, easy, son,” he said. “You still have school, remember? This isn’t one of those stories where you can just start an adventure at the drop of a hat. We don’t know how long this journey might be, and we can be certain it won’t last a weekend.”

“Right.” I rubbed my forehead.

“Let’s wait until you’re done with school for the year, then we can set off. Plus, we’ll have time to prepare. I can teach you how to use the crossbow, even though I meant to give you that for your sixteenth birthnight.”

“Okay.” I resumed eating dinner.

I don’t know how Spike will manage in the bad future timelines, but I hope he’ll be alright.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Come in!” I called out.

Twilight entered my bedroom, holding out a sheet of parchment that I almost mistook for a roll of paper towels.

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight said. “What have you been up to?”

“Just…thinking,” I replied.

“About what?”

“Well…how lucky I am to be here with you and the girls.”

“Aww, how sweet, Spike. Anyway, I’ve just finished making a list of what we should do for this year’s Summer Sun Celebration.”

“I thought you were going to let us relax.”

“I am. I just want to make sure you and Starlight know what you two have to do when we start preparations.”

“I hope that list isn’t just full of my tasks.”

“Don’t worry. It’s only a fraction of your total tasks. Go ahead and read the scroll what you’re assigned to while I find Starlight.”

As Twilight left, I rolled my eyes with a smirk. I read the long list and took note of my assignments.

Even with Twilight’s strict scheduling, this timeline is still more preferable to the others.

Author's Note

Which alternate character/timeline did you find the most interesting?

Chapter 91 (The Gift of the Maud Pie)

The Summer Sun Celebration came and went, marking the second anniversary of Twilight and I moving to Ponyville, and me coming to Equestria. I had to admit that all the preparation the girls and I did for the festival paid off, and for once there weren't any major catastrophes.

With Season 5 already done, I focused on what future episodes to change. It was possible that Season 6 and 7 would happen together and out of order, so I would have to prepare for that.

For Season 6, Flurry Heart wasn’t born yet, but when that happens I could prevent the Crystal Heart from breaking, or convince the citizens to evacuate early if that doesn’t work. I don’t know if anything changed with Thorax, so I would have to wait to see if he still shows up before determining anything. Again, like in Season 5, I would skip any map episodes. I could still let the “Gauntlet of Fire” play out like in the episode, but I would react more positively with Garble. With Twilight being neutral to Trixie, I bet that “No Second Prances” would end with them being on better terms than in the show. Obviously, I would have to remind Rainbow how the Wonderbolts come up with embarrassing nicknames to prevent her from being called “Crash,” and I should talk to her so she wouldn’t pull any more pranks in “28 Pranks Later”. I didn’t know where the old Spike was during “the Saddle Row Review,” so I planned to join the girls to help with opening Rarity’s boutique in Manehattan. I could try to convince Zephyr that failure is nothing to be worried about, and not fall for his schemes to get out of work.

For Season 7, I could take care of Flurry while Twilight helps the fillies and colts at the hospital. I could also call out those “experts” that tried to make Fluttershy’s sanctuary into their idea instead of hers. I wanted to prevent Rarity’s mane from messing up, or at least find a way she can have her mane back. I also had to find a way to get rid of the Friendship Journal to prevent “Fame and Misfortune” from happening. When the changelings get reformed, I could get Dragon Lord Ember and Thorax together early instead of keeping them apart.

The rest of the episodes for the two seasons would have to be decided when they show up.

Wow, I’ve sure got quite a lot of events to change, and I didn’t even think about the movie.

The movie itself had a lot of ground to cover. I felt like as long as I called the girls out and prevented Twilight from being separated and captured, the events should play out better than in the movie.

One day, Rarity, Pinkie, and I were riding on a train to Manehattan.

“I do appreciate you coming along with us, Spikey,” Rarity said as she filed her hoof.

“No problem, Rarity,” I replied. “I haven’t been to Manehattan since last year, so it would be nice to visit it again. I hope you’re excited.”

“Oh, I am. Although, not as much as Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie hopped around the train car singing about going to Manehattan, much to the annoyance of some of the passengers.

My attendance wasn’t just from the sheer desire to sightsee Manehattan once again. This episode was “The Gift of Maud Pie.” In the show, Pinkie and Maud would get gifts for each other while Rarity finds a boutique. However, in order to get Maud’s gift, Pinkie gives up her party cannon. While she does get it back in the end, I was left wondering why Pinkie couldn’t just get Rarity, who is a fashion designer, to make a pouch exactly like the one she needed. My plan was to suggest just that.

“Yes, yes, Manehattan, the height of sophistication, elegance, culture...” Rarity put her emery board away. ”Since my boutique in Canterlot has been doing so nicely, it only makes sense for me to open one there as well.”

“And hopefully be extra cautious when hiring a manager to run the shop,” I added.

“Not to worry, Spike. I learned my lesson last time.”

Pinkie squealed like a pink pig. “We're almost there! Why don’t your faces look like this?!” She stretched the corners of her mouth upwards.

“I don’t want to get too overwhelmed by the big city,” I replied.

“This is just a business trip for me, Pinkie, dear,” said Rarity.

While the fashion pony attempted to remain humble before arriving at the city, one look at the skyscrapers slung all those unsuccessful shots out the window. Rarity kept that fawning attitude even after we left the station.

“This city's simply amazing!” She announced. “It's just... everything, ever!”

“And it's about to get everything ever-er!” Pinkie shouted. “Because guess who I see!”

The three of us saw a familiar deadpanned pony at the bottom of the steps.

“Oh, hey, Maud,” I greeted as we descended down the steps.

“Hey,” Maud replied with the same tone of voice she always used.

BOOM!!

Pinkie’s party cannon went off, showering the surrounding area with confetti.

“Maud, Maud, Maud!” Pinkie gave us all a group hug. “Yay!”

“Well, I have to say it’s a coincidence meeting you here, Maud,” I said as I brushed the confetti off my head.

“Oh, it’s not a coincidence, silly,” Pinkie said as she broke up the hug. “I told Maud to meet me here.”

“How so?” Rarity asked as we walked down the street.

“It’s part of the Pie Sister’s family tradition! Every year, I set aside a special day to spend with each of my sisters! I do separate trips with each one, and we make it super fun by picking a different location every year! We see the sights all day and then swap gifts at sunset!”

“Oh, you Pie sisters have just about the sweetest family traditions!”

“Maybe we should do the same for our siblings, Rarity,” I suggested.

Pinkie continued, “And since Maud's getting her rocktorate nearby, we figured this would be the perfect spot for PSSSD!”

“Okay…what’s the secret?” Rarity whispered.

“Huh?”

“You were making a ‘pssst’ sound,” I replied. “Or was that something else?”

“It was something else,” Pinkie replied. “P-S-S-S-D stands for Pie Sisters Surprise Swap Day!”

“I guess Twilight’s not the only one who uses overly long acronyms.”

“Well, I'll just leave you two to your PSSSD,” Rarity said. “And now, Spikey-Wikey and I are off to scout possible locations for my new boutique!”

“Before you two go,” Pinkie said, “can I ask you a quick question?”

“Shoot,” I said.

Pinkie checked to make sure Maud, who was near a stack of postcards, was out of earshot. Then she quickly grabbed our legs.

“Will you please help me?!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. How Maud never noticed was beyond me.

“Only if you let go of our legs and stand up…” Rarity nervously replied, seeing the crowd drawn to us.

Just like in the show, Pinkie said that she always had trouble finding a gift better than Maud’s. But this year, she planned to turn things around by buying a rock pouch for Boulder. She showed Rarity and me a poster for a rock pouch store.

“A rock pouch would be perfect for Boulder, and I know Maud will love it!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Wait a minute, doesn’t Maud’s dress have pockets?” I asked. “Why a rock pouch?”

“Because from what Maud told me, Boulder complained about her dress pockets being too small and stuffy lately, probably because he’s growing up.”

“How can a pet rock…?” I shook my head. “Nevermind, I’m not gonna question it.”

“For the sake of my sanity, me neither,” Rarity concurred. “But that rock pouch really is the perfect gift for Maud.”

Since Pinkie hadn't purchased the pouch yet, we three agreed to route a sight-seeing path to the store and keep Maud distracted so that she wouldn’t notice. Plus, it would give Rarity a keen opportunity to find potential spots for her clothes store.

Maud returned from the postcards. Apparently, Boulder couldn’t find a suitable postcard for his cousin. The fact that rocks had relatives made just as much sense as them outgrowing dress pockets.

“Maud! I'm giving you the greatest PSSSD gift in the history of ever!” Pinkie shouted as she fired her party cannon again.

The four of us toured the city, taking in the sights. I wondered if there were a lot of book series that took place in Manehattan. I have read some comic books that took place in a big city similar to Manehattan, but the name wasn’t mentioned explicitly.

We also took this time to look for available estates for sale. Unfortunately, so far the ones we found were either too expensive, too small, or both for Rarity’s potential store.

Each of our visits concluded with Pinkie Pie firing off her party cannon. Honestly, she was using it more often than usual this time. It’s a wonder how she never got in trouble for disturbing the peace or littering the city streets. I also hoped that the confetti was biodegradable.

We took a respite from our roaming at a restaurant. Pinkie was doodling on a map with a pink crayon.

“Pinkie, put down that crayon!” Rarity hissed. “The Cantering Cook isn't that kind of restaurant!”

“Oh, let her have a little fun,” I said. “We’re in Manehattan, not Canterlot.”

“That does not matter, I don’t want ponies to think we’re…uncouth.”

“Fine,” Pinkie sighed as she gave me her crayon.

Rarity looked around the restaurant. “A pony could get used to eating at places like this!”

“I know,” replied Maud. “It's the only restaurant in the city with nepheline syenite in their bathroom tiles.”

“Good to know,” I said enthusiastically.

“You know what, Pinkie and Spike?” Rarity pulled out a tall menu. “Uh, maybe you could help me figure out what to order.”

Rarity, Pinkie and I huddled close together.

“We're so close to the pouch store,” Pinkie whispered. “It's just a block away. I could practically smell it from here…if I knew what a pouch store smelled like.”

“Okay, remember the plan,” Rarity quietly responded. “I will stay here and distract Maud while you two go get a pouch.”

“Gotcha,” Pinkie and I said in unison.

Rarity put the menu down. “Oh, why, thank you for the kind assistance, Pinkie and Spike. And now I know exactly what to order.”

“You’re welcome, Rarity,” I said. “Oh, I need to use the restroom. Could you excuse me for a sec?”

“Oh, I need to use it, too,” Pinkie replied. “Let’s go together.”

We hurried out of the restaurant and down to the city streets.

“Follow me, Spike!” Pinkie pronked down the sidewalk. “I know where the pouch store is.”

“I’m right behind you!” I quickly followed Pinkie as we traversed over the crosswalk.

“Ooh, I can’t wait to see what the pouch store might have for Maud!”

“I hope they’re open.”

“Of course they’ll be open, Spike. It’s still daytime, and it isn’t a weekend.”

“I know, but I still—HEY! WOAH!”

A taxi screeched to a halt in front of me.

“Careful, kid!” The driver shouted.

“Watch it! I’m walking here!” I retorted.

I should’ve known I’d make that reference while I was in Manehattan.

Pinkie and I got to the other side of the sidewalk.

“Anyway, I still have a bad feeling about this,” I said, “and my gut feeling is usually right.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, Spike. We’ll be fine.”

The last minute, we arrived at the pouch store. Pinkie pressed her face against the glass window.

“Look at that hand-stitched ten-thousand-thread-count velvet-lined rock pouch!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Maud will love it!”

“Hand-stitched?” Does a non-pony own this store?

I looked at the door and noticed a familiar sign.

“Oh, no,” I said.

“What?” Pinkie enthusiasm dropped like an anvil. “Don’t tell me that this is a display model and they can’t sell it because it’s the only one left!”

“I’m afraid it's something worse. Look at the sign.”

Pinkie read, “‘Took a sudden vacation to Canterlot with my grandniece. Back in a few moons.’ Oh, no. Oh, no-no-no-no-no-no-no! Well, maybe, just maybe, he's already back from vacation.”

I squinted at a date on the sign. “This was put up yesterday.”

“NOOOOOO!!”

I could see the bystanders staring at us.

“S-sorry,” I said as I pushed Pinkie away. “She just changed her prescription recently.”

We walked back to the restaurant.

“Okay, so buying a pouch is off the table,” I said. “But what if we had Rarity make one for us?”

“Wow, great idea!” Pinkie clapped her hooves. “You think Rarity can make an exact duplicate of that pouch?”

“I’m sure she will, or at least be very close since she has hooves and not hands.”

Pinkie and I went back up the restaurant just in time to see Maud concluding her story about how she met Boulder. Rarity was clearly trying to feign interest.

“Oh, you two are back,” Rarity said.

“Yeah, the restrooms were busy,” I replied. “Oh, and there was something that you should see, Rarity. I think it could help you with your next design.”

“Uh, sure thing.”

Rarity left the table, and Pinkie immediately took her spot.

Once Rarity and I were out of the Pie sisters’ earshot and viewpoint, Rarity turned to me.

“So what is that you wanted to show me?” Rarity asked.

“Okay, I’ll be honest with you,” I replied. “I got you out of the way because I have some bad news to discuss in private.”

“Oh, dear, what’s the issue?” Rarity looked behind her. “Did Pinkie not get what she wanted?”

“It’s that obvious, isn't it? The pouch store was closed because the owner had just left to visit Canterlot with his grandniece and won’t be back for a few months.”

“Well, we'll just have to help Pinkie find a new present for Maud. We have plenty of time before the gift exchange at sunset and all of Manehattan to explore.”

“Actually, I’ve got a better idea.” I took out some bits. “You wouldn’t happen to accept last-minute commissions, would you?”

Rarity widened her eyes in realization. “You want me to create the pouch?”

“Of course. Pinkie and I agreed on it. Plus, there’s a market nearby if you’re in need of supplies.”

“I suppose, but it doesn’t feel right accepting money from friends…”

“Then you can think of this as a business transaction. After all, this could be your first sale in Manehattan.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll see what I can do. It was a good thing I brought my emergency sewing kit with me today.”

“Great! Now, let’s head back.”

Rarity and I returned to the table.

“By the way,” I said. “How did Maud meet Boulder?”

“To put it simply, she found him in the rain when she was just a filly. There was a bit more to it, but it’s more or less the jist of it.”

After our time at the restaurant, we continued scouring the city. We still went to the big toy store and the jewelry shop, and Maud still didn’t show any interest in the potential gifts.

We arrived at the market square, and Rarity immediately found a stall that sold fabrics.

“Ooh, excellent!” Rarity exclaimed. “Er, Pinkie, why don’t you help me decide which fabrics to use for my future shop while Spike and Maud explore the market district?”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie replied.

I quickly escorted Maud to the other side of the market square.

“So, Maud,” I said, “did you already get your gift for Pinkie?”

“Yes,” Maud replied bluntly.

“Oh, good. I was worried you might get a last-minute gift.”

“Like what Pinkie is doing?”

I stopped walking. “What makes you say that?”

“Maud Sense.”

“So it runs in the family. I wonder what Limestone and Marble’s senses are like, and whose side you get it from.”

“Similar to Pinkie and mine. Mother’s.”

“Heh. Thanks for solving that brief mystery.”

When sunset arrived, the four of us traveled to the central park. I watched as the swan boats floated by.

“Do hurry, Spike,” Rarity called out. “It’s almost time.”

“Coming!” I hurried to the blanket and sat down.

Rarity said to Pinkie and Maud, “After the day we've had, I'm probably looking forward to the swap part of the Pie Sisters' Surprise Swap Day even more than the two of you! And I'm not even a Pie sister!”

“Yeah, we can't wait to see what gifts you got for each other,” I added. But I already knew what the gifts would be.

“Well, you're both going to have to,” Pinkie said. “We don't just swap, silly. We always sing the ‘Pie Sisters' Surprise Swap Day’ Song first! Ready, Maud?”

“As I'll ever be,” replied Maud.

“It's the Pie Sisters' Swap Day Song!” Pinkie sang loudly.

“Hey.”

I lightly applauded. “Best song of the season.”

“Okay, time to swap presents!” Pinkie announced.

Pinkie and Maud exchanged their gifts. Just like in the show, Pinkie got cupcake-scented confetti for her party cannon.

“Maud,” Pinkie said tearfully. “You know me so well. You really are the most thoughtful gift-giver in the world! I'm gonna love it five-ever! That's even longer than forever.”

Maud opened her present. It was a rock pouch designed like Pinkie saw on the store window.

Rarity did a good job replicating the design. At least, I hope she replicated it.

“Thanks, Pinkie and Rarity,” Maud said.

“W-w-why are you thanking me?” Rarity nervously asked. “I-I had nothing to do with this.”

“You made this.”

“Oh, p-please. Even I wouldn’t…” Rarity saw Maud staring at her, despite the latter not changing her expression. “Oh, alright, it was me. Did Spike tell you?”

“She already knew,” I replied. “Maud Sense.”

“I knew you'd love it!” Pinkie exclaimed. “It was all worth it! Next year, I’ll step up my game and make sure your next gift is—”

“Pinkie, wait,” Maud held up a hoof. “Gift giving isn't a competition. It's an expression of love, and you always make sure to give your gifts with lots of love. That's why I'll always love them, and you, five-ever. That's even longer than forever.”

“Aww!”

The two sisters hugged each other for the longest time.

We left the park after that event. Maud had her rock pouch, and Pinkie with her cupcake confetti.

“Before we leave for Ponyville, I wish to show you three something,” Rarity said. “Follow me.”

We did just that and came up to a building that had boarded up windows and a locked gate. There was also a “For Sale” sign nailed to one of the boards.

“Voila! Welcome to the future home of ‘Rarity For You’!” Rarity announced. “I found it on our way to the park. What do you think of the place? Is this the right location? Did I pick a good spot?”

“No,” replied Maud. “You picked the perfect spot.”

“You know, I think this might be my favorite PSSSD ever!” Pinkie exclaimed. “But I can't wait 'til next year's PSSS-D-W-R-S!

“Wait. PSSS-D-W-R-S?” Rarity tried to pronounce “What's that?”

“P-S-S-S-D-W-R-S! It's a new tradition that Maud and I came up with! Pie Sisters' Surprise Swap Day...”

“...with Rarity and Spike,” Maud concluded.

“Uh, thanks,” I said. “I’ll look forward to that.”

Rarity also showed interest, but was worried about the gift she had to bring. Pinkie assured her it didn’t matter what gift it was as long as it was given with love.

“But now that you mention it,” Pinkie said, “I could use more confetti for my party cannon. You wouldn't believe how much of that stuff I go through in a day!”

Her cannon went off one last time.

I liked how this episode turned out. Pinkie was able to get Maud a rock pouch for Bolder without sacrificing her party cannon, and I got to experience PSSSD first hand. I just had to remember this annual tradition from now on.

Chapter 92 (The Gauntlet of Fire)

I didn’t change anything for “On Your Marks.” Some ponies need to learn on their own sometimes, and I couldn’t think of anything to change.

Rarity and I were deep in the caves collecting gems.

“Thank you so much for helping me, Spike,” Rarity whispered as she picked some gems from the wall.

“No worries, Rarity,” I mumbled back as I collected them in the basket. “Okay, this looks like enough, let’s leave before we wake the bats up.”

Rarity nodded as we made our way out of the caverns.

“I’m so glad I have you as my bodyguard, Spike,” she said in a normal volume.

“Thanks,” I replied. “At least we don’t have to worry about any diamond dogs showing up.”

“Oh, that reminds me. I don’t know if you've heard this, but rumor has it that Moondancer…Spike, you’re glowing.”

“I’m flattered, Rarity, but I’m still in a relationship with Fluttershy.”

“No, I mean you’re glowing as in you’re illuminating light!”

I looked at my hands, and they indeed glowed a bright light. Suddenly, my whole body felt like I had one immense sunburn.

“Ah! Why does it hurt so much?!” I cried.

“We better find Twilight!” Rarity picked me up. “She might know something about this!”

As Rarity carried me, I knew this was when the “Gauntlet of Fire” episode happened. In the show, Spike would get called by the Dragon Lord to participate in a trial for the title of the next Dragon Lord.

There was nothing major to change for this episode. Although, it was going to be a challenge to befriend Ember and to stay on positive terms with Garble.

Rarity burst through the double doors of the castle's dining room. Twilight was having tea with Celestia and Luna.

“Twilight! There's something wrong with Spike!” Rarity cried as she placed me on the table.

Twilight got up from her seat. “What's wrong?!”

“My scales are glowing and burning!” I retorted. “I think it's a dragon thing, but Smolder never mentioned this!”

“Little is known about dragon culture, but this is a phenomenon we've seen before,” Luna said. “It is the call of the Dragon Lord.”

“Dragons glow whenever the Dragon Lord has need of them in the Dragon Lands,” Celestia added.

“Okay, so I guess I have to see what Dragon Lord Torch wants,” I said.

“How are you aware of his name?”

“I’ve heard it from Smolder and Garble.” I also saw the show, which Luna and I both knew but were keeping private.

“B-B-But the Dragon Lands are full of...dragons!” Rarity pleaded. “And they're ghastly creatures!”

“Hey, I’m right here, you know.” I glared at her.

“Oh, oh, not you, of course, Spikey-wikey. Or Smolder…or Garble if his brutish attitude really is a facade.”

“You two are welcome to come with me if you want.”

Twilight’s face lit up. “Oh my goodness, I'd love to! We’ve only got so much information about dragon culture and customs. I could do more research on them, maybe even write an article! This could be my chance to make a great contribution to the knowledge of Equestria! A-and be there for Spike, of course.”

“Be very careful,” Celestia warned. “The Dragon Lands are particularly dangerous for ponies. It would be wise to be discreet.”

“Ooh!” Rarity clapped her hooves. “I'm sure I still have the dragon costume we used the last time we snuck into the Dragon Lands!”

“I think we might want something a little more practical this time,” Twilight suggested.

“What if you two transformed into dragons yourselves?” I offered. “Twilight, remember when you had that spell that turned the girls and I into Breezies?”

“As a matter of fact, I do! Rarity and I could transform into dragons and draw less suspicion that way.”

Twilight, Rarity, and I took a train as far down to the southwest as it could. When it reached the end of the line, we made the rest of the journey on foot. Once we got to the Dragon Lands’ borders, Twilight quickly stopped us.

“Alright, Rarity, before we go any further, I’ll need to cast the spell,” Twilight said.

“Very well.” Rarity took a deep breath. “I’m ready. Just out of curiosity, will we have the same abilities as the other dragons?”

“Yeah, pretty much. We’ll be lava-proof and have the ability to breathe fire, but we’ll still cast magic like our pony selves. Oh, and you’ll be given a set of wings, too. I hope you’re not too out of practice.”

“That is fine. I still have flight experience from when we were Breezies…and when I had those butterfly wings.”

Twilight lit up her horn as she and Rarity were encased in a white aura. One blinding flash later, the two ponies were no longer ponies.

Both Rarity and Twilight were now bipedal and more than twice my height. They both had wings and two dragon-shaped horns coming out of their heads. Their color schemes were pretty much the same to their pony counterparts, and their head scales matched their manes to a T. The differences were that Twilight had a six-pointed star on her chest, and Rarity had a curvier figure than Twilight.

I bet the old Spike would be practically drooling if he saw Rarity like this.

“Looks like it worked,” Twilight said. “We’re dragons now!”

Rarity pulled out a mirror and looked at her reflection. “Oh, my. This is impressive. I kept my expectations low, but you would’ve still surpassed them regardless, Twilight.”

“Don’t get too attached, Rarity. Remember, this is a temporary form until we return to Ponyville.”

“Yes, yes. I’m aware of that.”

I hopped on Twilight’s back as we entered the Dragon Lands. Rarity initially had a difficult time flying, but she got used to it quickly.

And to think it took Twilight all of Season 4 to perfect her flying.

“Hang on, I know this spot,” I said. “Twilight, land somewhere.”

“What about the Dragon Lord?” Twilight asked.

“I’m sure he can wait.”

Twilight shrugged and landed in front of a cave. Rarity landed after, but stumbled a bit.

“These dragons make it look so easy,” Rarity said. “Why are we here again?”

“I want to meet with an old friend first,” I replied. “And there he is!”

Garble came out of the cave. Just like me, he was glowing from head to toe.

“Hey, Garble! Over here!” I called out.

“Oh, hey, Spike,” Garble said. “Guess the Dragon Lord called you as well?”

“Pretty much.”

That’s when Garble saw Twilight and Rarity. He straightened his posture, and I swore I saw a pink tint on his cheeks.

“Uh, hi,” He said. “Did I meet you two from somewhere?”

“I’m just going to be blunt, Garble. We’re ponies that turned into dragons,” Twilight pointed out.

“Oh, okay,” Garble slouched a bit as his blushing dissipated. “Good to know.”

“Just don’t tell anyone else about this.”

“Hold on, where is Smolder?” Rarity asked. “Did her scales not glow, too?”

“No, it was just me for some reason,” Garble replied. “I don’t know what Dragon Lord Torch wants, but it's gotta be something important if he went as far as to call for you, Spike.”

“Then we better not keep him waiting,” I said. “Where is he?”

“There’s a spot near one of the coasts where he usually talks to his subjects. I can take you three there.”

“Lead the way.”

Garble escorted us to a massive area covered in strange shaped rocks. There were a lot of other glowing dragons around as well.

“Wow, there's so many dragons here!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Sure looks like it,” Garble said as he looked around. “And they're all glowing as well.”

“Then Rarity and I better make ourselves glow as well so we don't stand out.”

Twilight's double horns illuminated before she and Rarity lit up.

“Let’s quickly find a spot,” Garble said, “before my friends see me.”

The four of us got to an empty spot.

Garble looked around. “I don’t know how long until my friends show up, so I’ll tell you this now. I'm gonna be acting tough near them, so please don’t take any insults I say personally.”

“Got it,” I replied.

I suddenly saw a couple of teenage dragons approaching. I pointed to them, and Garble took note.

“Uh...you best stay out of my way, shrimp!” Garble barked at me. “You got it?”

“C-clearly,” I said, pretending to quiver my knees.

“You tell him, Garble!” A charcoal-colored dragon called out.

“Yeah!” Added a chubby purple dragon.

“Baff! Vex! Glad to see you two made it for once,” Garble said.

That’s when Vex noticed Twilight and Rarity. Especially Rarity.

“Ooh, now who’s this blue-eyed white dragon?” Vex asked. “She yours, Garble?”

“N-no!” Garble denied. “I…haven’t met her before.”

“Your loss.” Vex held out a hand towards Rarity. “Hey babe, wanna hang out at my cave after this?”

“Come any closer, and I shall break your wings off!” Rarity threatened as she took a step back.

“Oh, I love females with fire!”

Even Garble cringed when he heard that. It’s nice to know even in his jerky attitude, he has some standards.

“Look!” Twilight announced.

From the distant mountains came the largest dragon I’ve seen so far. Dragon Lord Torch landed on the tallest perch, still donning the same armor as when he led the migration. What followed was his daughter, Princess Ember, who was also glowing.

Ember was around the same height as dragonified Twilight and Rarity. She had light blue scales, red eyes, and white horns. I remembered when she first appeared in the show, she took the entire fandom by storm. Seriously, if I had a dollar for every Ember fanart I’d seen since the episode’s debut, I would’ve bought a good portion of Papertinc’s stocks.

“Dragons of Equestria, hear me!” Torch bellowed. “I have been Dragon Lord for longer than many of you can remember, and my reign has been extraordinary! AGREE WITH ME!!”

The dragons around us chanted Torch’s name. Rarity, Twilight, and I awkwardly joined in.

“This is fascinating,” Twilight whispered under her breath. “Dragons are notoriously reckless, but they do whatever the Dragon Lord says.”

“Unfortunately, according to dragon law, it is time for me to step down. Sad, I know. BE SAD!!”

The dragons cried, but not as much as Rarity, who was fitting in a little too well.

“You don’t have to go that far, you drama dragon queen,” Twilight pointed out.

“He said to be sad,” Rarity said calmly as she instantly pulled herself together.

“This is why I have summoned you,” Torch continued. “To compete for the throne in the Gauntlet of Fire!”

The dragons cheered without having to receive orders from him.

Torch got out a tiny, dark-purple staff with a big red jewel. “Whomever has the strength and fortitude to retrieve this Bloodstone Scepter from the heart of the Flame-cano will be crowned Lord of the Dragons!”

He then flicked the scepter towards the nearby volcano like a toothpick. The mountainous structure sent a shockwave across the land, relieving the dragons of their glowing coating. Twilight quickly used her horns to get rid of hers and Rarity’s.

“Whew! Feels cooler now,” I sighed.

“When the scepter disappeared, the dragons stopped glowing,” Twilight whispered as she scribbled on a piece of parchment. “We are learning so much.”

“Darling, this isn’t the time,” Rarity hissed.

“What? They’re both fireproof.”

“The Gauntlet is dangerous, for I designed it myself!” Torch bellowed. “Only dragons with my ferocity, strength, and determination will be able to finish. We will gather at the cliff when the sun is at its peak!”

The crowd cheered and dispersed. I could see Ember and her father arguing about her joining the Gauntlet. Ember may have been smart, but Torch explained it would take more than that to compete.

“Let’s head back now,” Rarity whispered. “What’s one…er, three less dragons competing?”

“Right. Come on, Spike.” Twilight put her writing materials away.

“No, I want to compete,” I objected.

“Spike, are you crazy?! You’ve heard what Torch said! Even if you were in your greed-zilla form, you won’t last long out there!”

“Look, I have to try, Twilight.”

Right after I said that, we picked up a nearby conversation. Garble was chatting with some other dragons.

“When I become Dragon Lord, I will make burps an official greeting!” A purple female dragon announced.

“Ugh…” Rarity muttered with a wrinkled nose.

“Ha! You?” A brown dragon chuckled. “Please! When I win, I will pillage Equestria for all their pillows. Why should these ponies be comfortable while we sleep on rocks?”

“Oh, dear,” Twilight mumbled.

“Uh, that's nothing!” Garble declared. “When I'm in charge, the first thing I'll do is get revenge on those puny ponies! They'll regret they ever crossed Garble! We'll take whatever we want from Equestria and burn the rest!”

Twilight and Rarity covered their mouths in shock.

“I like your thinking, Garble,” the purple female dragon said. “Let’s get suited up before the Gauntlet starts.”

The teenage dragons departed, leaving Garble, Twilight, Rarity, and me by ourselves. Garble hung his head.

“Really, Garble?” Twilight asked. “Talk about peer pressure.”

“Now you see why I wanted to compete?” I asked.

“Spike, you can’t win this Gauntlet,” Garble said, “and that’s not my rude side talking. You could get seriously hurt out there. I didn’t mean anything I said to my friends, so why not let me win? Or have these two win, better yet?”

“Because if you win but don’t fulfill your promise, the dragons won’t trust you. Rarity or Twilight could win, but if the Dragon Lands find out they’re ponies in disguise, it could cause a nationwide outcry. We’re barely on decent terms as it is.”

Garble pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Later on, Twilight, Rarity, and I arrived at the edge of the cliff with the other dragons. The majority of them were wearing armor.

“If we’re going to participate, then we can’t use our magic,” Twilight whispered.

“Then what was the point of keeping mine?” Rarity asked.

We joined in with the group when Torch noticed me.

“Who are you, little dragon?” Torch growled.

“My name is Spike,” I replied. “Silly as it sounds, I wish to participate.”

Some of the other dragons guffawed.

“All dragons are welcome to compete, but they do so at their own peril!” Torch pointed out. “Flying to Flame-cano Island is the first of many challenges you will face in your quest to find the bloodstone scepter!”

Torch erupted a giant fireblast, signaling the start of the trial. Every dragon took off into the sky. I took a deep breath and looked over the cliff.

Remember to keep your legs straight when you hit the water, Spike.

I gave a big inhale and leaped off the ledge. I crossed my arms and legs and grabbed my nose as the air rushed past me.

Ker-splash!

Despite the fact I hit the water at terminal velocity, the only impact I felt was from my feet, and even then it felt less painful then stomping a tiled floor with my bare feet.

Once I emerged to the surface, Twilight and Rarity flew down.

“You know, you could just hitch a ride on either of us,” Twilight said.

“Just trust me,” I said as I swam to the island. “I have a feeling that this will be easier than flying.”

At that exact moment, we saw bubbling nearby. Out of nowhere, a massive serpent shot water straight into the sky. Its buddies appeared and copied it, knocking any unfortunate flying dragon into the water.

The scene played out like in the show. Garble dodged one of the geysers at the last minute, but accidentally bumped into a green dragon in yellow armor. The dragon fell from the sky and plunged into the water.

With quick thinking, I dove in and grabbed the unconscious body before they sunk too low. Once I swam to shore with Rarity and Twilight following me, I slipped the dragon's helmet off to reveal…

“Princess Ember?!” Twilight exclaimed.

Ember immediately regained consciousness, which was good since I didn’t need nor preferred to give mouth-to-mouth.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ember asked as she got up.

“Only saving your ungrateful scales!” Rarity retorted.

“You keep your nose out of this!” Ember stomped over to her.

“G-get away!” Rarity’s horns glowed out of instinct as well as her fingers.

“Rarity!” Twilight grabbed her own head in exasperation.

“Glowing horns?” Ember gasped as she put two and two together. “You’re both ponies in disguise! What are you doing here?!”

“Ember, wait!” I got between the two female dragons. “They're my friends!”

“Friends? Dragons don't do friends with ponies.”

“I do.”

“Whatever.” Ember swiped her helmet off my hands. “I don't care as long as none of you get in my way. I have a Gauntlet to win.”

Rarity said, “I thought your father forbade—”

“I don't care what my dad said!” Ember shoved her helmet back on. “I'll show him and every dragon who thinks I'm just a little princess there are better things than being big and strong!”

That’s when I noticed a slingtail flinging rocks at some of the dragons. One of the rocks smacked Garble, who careened straight to the ground with the giant boulder.

Without anyone asking, I dashed over and pushed the boulder off. Garble was about to thank me when he saw the trio of female dragons.

“Knew you'd do it,” Garble teased. “Your pony friends made you soft.”

“You're welcome.” I played along.

“For what? I didn't say thank you. But I've wasted enough time making small talk.”

Garble took off into the sky.

“Why did you help him?” Ember asked as she and the other two dragons approached. “You could've had one less competitor.”

“Because what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help out?” I answered with a question. “Besides, you didn’t tell Garble about my friends’ disguises even though you could’ve.”

Even though he already knows.

I looked up at the sky, and Ember followed suit. Dozens of slingtails had already appeared, littering the sky with giant boulders like car-sized hailstones.

“Yikes, that looks rough,” Ember removed her helmet. “But that's what makes it a challenge.”

“An impossible challenge, maybe,” I said. “Why don’t we work together? I can ride on your back and give you a fresh set of eyes so that you could avoid the boulders.”

Twilight ran up. “Ahhh, excuse us for a second.”

Twilight pushed me to Rarity and had us huddle close together.

“Spike, are you sure it's a good idea to team up with Ember?” Rarity whispered. “You don't know her too well.”

“I know we can trust her,” I replied. “She didn’t give away your disguises.”

“That is true,” Twilight said. “Same can’t be said for Rarity.”

Rarity glared. “Can you blame me? I was preparing to defend myself.”

“Hey, you, little fella!” Ember called out. “I've thought about it, and your plan makes sense. Let's do it.”

“Oh, great!” I exclaimed.

“Just so you know, this doesn't mean we're gonna pick flowers or exchange necklaces or whatever pony friends do.”

Twilight feigned a disappointed pout.

“Let’s fly!” I announced as I hopped on Ember’s back.

“Good luck,” Twilight said. “We'll meet you at the top.”

Ember launched into the air, and we were on our way up.

Words could not describe my ride with Ember. With so many rocks and slingtails to avoid, riding with her made Twilight’s first flight feel like a kiddie ride. At least Ember was able to dodge every boulder thanks to my warnings.

By the time we made it to the summit, some of the participating dragons entered a large cave.

“I think we go through there,” Ember said.

All of a sudden, a colossal ball of fire blasted out of the cave, causing a few dragons to leave the cave covered in ashes.

“Whoever’s in there can have the scepter!” One of the dragons groaned as he brushed the soot off himself. “I don’t care if I get teased! At least I know when to fold them!”

“I hear ya,” the other dragon said. “That may not have hurt, but it’s still not worth becoming the Dragon Lord if we have to endure that!”

“Oh, that looks scary!” Rarity’s voice called out.

Ember and I turned to see Rarity and Twilight approaching us.

“I mean, you can do it!” Rarity corrected herself.

“Hang on, where were you two?” Ember asked. “I didn’t see you in the sky.”

“We were climbing the mountainside,” Twilight replied. “Slingtails wouldn’t dare to throw rocks at anydragon near the cliffs and cause an avalanche.”

“Why didn’t we think of that?”

“I thought it was against the rules,” I replied.

“Torch said fly to the island,” Twilight pointed out. “He never specified that we still had to when we got here.”

Ember looked into the cave.

“Listen, Spike. I wouldn't have made it this far without you,” Ember said. “So I guess, if you want to, we could keep working together. I mean, just until we get through that tunnel.”

“That’s fine,” I said.

“We'll be right behind you!” Twilight called out.

Ember and I entered the caves just to encounter an assortment of smashing stalactites and stalagmites. I got on Ember’s back again and we flew past them. Thankfully, the ride was easier to handle, as the sedimentary stones were slower and more foreseen than the ones thrown by the slingtails.

The next obstacle was the protruding crystals. Dodging them was tricky, but thankfully, I knew a thing or two about vaulting over and sliding under obstacles.

“Wow, you’re pretty agile for a small dragon,” Ember pointed out.

“Thanks. I’ve been taking parkour lessons,” I said. “I wanted to learn it before I molt, and in case there comes a scenario where my wings are disabled. LOOK OUT!!”

I shoved Ember out of the way just as a crystal slammed into the ground. I quickly helped Ember back up before the two of us got out of that crystal obstacle course. Once we exited, we encountered numerous pools of lava, and a mountainous cave system with tons of rocky bridges.

“Oh, you made it!” Rarity exclaimed as she and Twilight followed us. “Oh, we were so worried!”

“At least we made it through.” I sat down to rest. “That was tough, though.”

“Wait. How did you two get through?” Ember asked.

“I did various aerodynamic calculations and physics equations to ensure us both a safe flight path from all those obstructions,” Twilight replied.

“Er, what Twilight said,” Rarity added.

Without warning, a loud rumble shook the caves. Rarity lost her balance and teetered on the edge.

“Rarity!” I ran up to her and pulled her arms. We got away just before a pillar of lava shot up. Rarity collapsed right on top of me.

Rarity panted and got up. “Thank you, Spike.”

“You do realize that you’re both lava-proof, right?” Twilight asked.

“Even so, with the magma rushing up that fast, it would still hurt,” Spike said.

“I don’t believe it!” Ember exclaimed with amazement. “You just risked everything to save her! And they're putting themselves in danger just to support you!”

“That’s what friends do. Don’t you have anyone who looks after you besides your father?”

“Not really. Unless I count you.” Ember rapidly shook her head. “Which I don't! Because we were only helping each other get through the tunnel, and now we're through the tunnel, so that's it.”

“Wait, you’re just going to leave us like that?” Twilight asked.

“There's only one winner, one scepter, and one Dragon Lord.” Ember looked away. “So I guess it's every dragon for themselves.”

Ember flew off, leaving the three of us alone. We followed the path down to the caves and crossed one of the many bridges.

“Spike, listen,” Twilight said. “I’m sorry that Ember ditched you like that.”

“Don’t be,” I replied nonchalantly. “I’m sure Ember didn’t mean it.”

“If she did, she would’ve come back,” Rarity responded. “In all honesty, you're better off. She was only looking out for herself. She's just like all the other dragons...e-excluding Garble, Smolder, and us two, of course.”

“But she’s not like the other dragons. She let me help and not once did she reveal that you two were in disguise. Any other dragon would’ve refused my assistance and immediately informed Dragon Lord Torch of your camouflage. Even though Ember might deny it, she’s still a friend to me.”

“If you say so.” Twilight looked up at the caverns. “Boy, is this place a maze!”

I looked around. It didn’t take long to see one of the caves emitting a different light.

“Let's try that one!” I called out.

We entered the cave just to see the Bloodstone Scepter resting on a crystal structure.

“I have to admit for someone as monumental as Torch,” Rarity said, “he’s fairly accurate with a scepter the size of his pinkie finger.”

“Spike?” A voice called out.

I looked behind to see Garble entering from the shadows.

Garble bit his lip. “Oh, why did it have to be him?”

I swallowed and raised my fists. “I’m sorry, Garble, but I need to win this gauntlet. I’m not afraid to fight you.”

Garble squeezed his eyes shut. “I’m sorry too, but there's only one winner. I can rebuild the dragons’ trust after one lie.”

He unfurled his wings and flew straight to the scepter. I quickly chased after him.

In the nick of time, Ember came out of nowhere and nabbed Garble. I rolled out of the way as the two crashed to the ground. But when I stood up, something slipped.

“Woah! Woah! Woah!” I gyrated my arms to regain my balance, but my lost footing made it clear that my attempts were futile. Gravity took control and sent me falling.

“HELP!!”

“Spike!” Ember and Garble shouted in unison.

In a matter of seconds, Ember swooped in and grabbed me. She flew up and got me back on stable ground.

“Thanks for saving me,” I said after breathing normally.

“That's what friends do,” Ember replied. “And I am. I mean, we are. I never should have left you back there. Agh, please don't make me talk about my feelings!”

Garble stood in silence. He looked away in regret.

“Not to ruin the moment, but could somedragon get the scepter already?!” Rarity shouted. “I think I hear the other dragons coming!”

“Spike! Get the scepter!” Ember commanded.

I dashed up the path and scaled the crystals. Ember grabbed hold of Garble again and pinned him to the ground.

“You don’t have to do this!” Garble pleaded at Ember.

“I won’t let you take the scepter!” Ember retorted. “I’m letting Spike win!”

“Then that makes two of us now.”

“Wait, what?”

The second I gripped the staff, a red magic flame emerged from it and spread throughout my body. The tingling I felt was like being pierced by a thousand heated needles. The scepter blasted out a massive tower of red flames as a shockwave of the same color spread throughout the caves.

Ember released Garble. The other dragons appeared, gasping at the end of the trial and its victor.

“Spike has the scepter now,” Garble said. “That means he’s...”

“The Dragon Lord.” Ember bowed. “Dragon Lord Spike.”

The other dragons bowed, including Twilight, Rarity, and Garble who pretended to do it reluctantly.

“Dragon...Lord...Spike...” Garble grumbled.

“Th-that’s right,” I said. “My first order: I want you, Garble, to head home and hug every dragon along the way without telling them why. Excluding the three female dragons before you.”

“Wha…seriously?” The way Garble asked that was less of “But it's so embarrassing!” and more of “You picked that as your first order?”

“Do it,” I said sternly, “Dragon Lord’s orders.”

Garble sighed. “Fine.”

He hugged a blue dragon with big teeth, who showed delight in the hug. Garble also hugged a white dragon with pink spines, who blushed profusely for some reason.

“Dragon Lord Spike. Hm, has a nice ring to it,” said Ember as I got down from the crystal structure.

I looked at the scepter. It would be interesting to see what would happen if Spike kept his title as the Dragon Lord, but I would miss too many important episodes back home if that were the case.

“Yeah, but Dragon Lord Ember sounds better.” I gave Ember the staff, and she experienced the same flames as I did, but they were less intense.

“What? No.” Ember held the staff out. “You're the Dragon Lord now.”

“Torch said that whoever returns the scepter is the Dragon Lord. I know that you’ll be a great leader. I only did it to protect the other nations, and I’m sure you’ll do the same.”

“You sure about this?”

“I’m positive. I would do whatever I can to help my friends.”

“Well, you'll have at least one more friend here too.”

I quickly hugged Ember, who tensed up immediately.

“W-what are you doing?” She asked.

“It’s called a ‘hug,’” I replied.

“Oh. I don't know if I like it. But...okay…” She patted me on the head.

Ember flew back with the rest of the dragons trailing her. I rode on Twilight while she and Rarity kept close to Ember.

“Say, Spike, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Ember said. “Was…there some sort of history between you and Garble? He seemed to want you to win at the last minute.”

“We’ve met sometime after the dragon migration,” I replied. “We’ve been hitting it off rather well.”

“I didn’t think he would like you so much to let you win the Gauntlet.”

“There’s something that’s been bothering me.” Rarity scratched her chin. “Why is the event called the ‘Gauntlet of Fire’? A gauntlet is supposed to be a type of glove.”

“I don’t know the exact details, but I think one of the early events to decide the Dragon Lord involved retrieving a gauntlet, and the name stuck afterwards.”

I looked back at the other dragons.

“You know, I can’t help wondering,” I said. “How come when Torch called for us, he only called for those who were only twice my height? Why didn’t he call any of the big dragons?”

“I asked him about that. He told me it was dragon law for the next Dragon Lord to not be a fully grown dragon yet, at least for this trial. It was also by law to call only one dragon per family if they have kids, and it’s usually the oldest child.”

“I guess that makes sense. Now I can rule out the fact I have an older sibling somewhere.”

“Wait, then why did he call for you if he prohibited you from competing?” Twilight asked.

“That’s…a good question.” Ember pondered.

We returned to where we started the gauntlet. Torch was still resting on the perch. When he noticed us, his eyes dilated at seeing Ember with the scepter.

“Ember? You?!” Torch exclaimed.

“I know you didn't think I could do it, but I did!” Ember declared.

“I expressly told you not to do it, because you're not—!”

“I'm not big and strong. I know. But you know what? I won anyway. So maybe it takes more than just being big and strong to be a good Dragon Lord!”

Like being smart and lucky...and having a friend willing to pass leadership.

Torch slouched down. “I was wrong, Ember. You might not be big, but you are strong and smart, and perhaps that counts for more than I thought. And you will make an excellent leader.”

“Boy, he gave in too easily,” Twilight said as she and Rarity landed.

“Thanks, dad.” Ember turned to the other dragons. “AGREE WITH HIM!”

The other dragons raised their eyebrows.

“Just kidding!” Ember teased. “That's not gonna be my thing.”

Rarity sighed with relief.

“Dragons, hear me!” Torch announced. “I present to you our new Dragon Lord, Ember!”

We all cheered at full volume after hearing that. Garble came in and hugged Torch on the snout.

“What is the meaning of this?!” Torch shouted.

“I…can’t tell you,” Garble replied.

I could see Ember stifling a laugh.

Later that day, Twilight, Rarity, and I met with Garble and Smolder back at their cave.

“I’m sorry you didn’t win, Garble,” I said.

“No, it’s fine, Spike,” Garble said. “I should’ve let you win in the first place. At least I won’t have to worry about fulfilling that promise.”

“That makes three of us,” Rarity said.

“Have you decided what your first new rule would be for the Dragon Lands?” Smolder asked me. “It wouldn’t happen to be mandatory hugging, would it? Because I didn’t expect Garble to hug me out of nowhere, and he hasn’t hugged me since his first stone scale.”

“Oh, I’m not the Dragon Lord anymore,” I said. “I gave the staff to Ember.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I’m only thirteen,” I replied. “I don’t have enough leadership skills to rule an entire land, even with a couple of right-hand dragons. I figured since Ember has been with her dad a lot, she would pick up a few tips. Besides, there were no rules saying I couldn’t pass the staff onto someone else.”

“That makes sense.”

“Plus, with Ember as the new Dragon Lord, the ponies would be safe and gain an additional ally,” Twilight pointed out. “She also said I could write to her anytime I had additional questions about dragon culture.”

“Why don’t you ask us?” Garble questioned. “We might have some answers.”

“One question off the top of my head is…what kind of dragon magic do you guys have besides the Gauntlet? Maybe you can do something special with your fire breath?”

“Nah, dragon fire isn't that magical,” Smolder replied. “The only thing I can think of is when you laugh and breathe fire at the same time, the flames would get significantly hotter.”

Right, the laughing fire. Wished Hasbro foreshadowed and explained it better.

As Twilight, Rarity, and I bid adieu to Garble and Smolder, I was relieved about the outcome of this episode. I made a new dragon friend while also staying on Garble’s good side.

“Say, Twilight,” Rarity said. “Is it possible to keep this form a little while longer? I gained tons of ideas for a new line of fashion for dragons.”

“Sorry, Rarity, but like I said before, we’re ditching the dragon disguises once we get to Ponyville,” Twilight responded. “Besides, I don't think there's dragon here that would want to wear a dress.”

“AH-CHOO!!” A sneeze rang from behind us.

“Woah, bless you, Smolder,” Garble replied.

Chapter 93 (No Second Prances)

I was in the dining room with Twilight and Starlight. With us was a cart full of silverware and plates. Twilight placed a plate on the table with her mouth.

“First lesson of the day,” Twilight said, “we very carefully set the table without using magic, so that—YIKES!!”

Twilight and I ducked our heads as the silverware arranged themselves on the table. We peeked just to see Starlight smiling over her accomplishment.

“Did you...?! How? When? What?!” Twilight stuttered.

“What?” Starlight shrugged.

“I said ‘no magic’. You were supposed to do it by hoof so I could work in a friendship lesson.”

“Oh, sorry.” Starlight rubbed the back of her head. “I heard ‘set the table’ and just kinda went for it.”

Talk about selective hearing.

“So why are we setting the table again?” Starlight looked at the cutlery. “I mean, we usually do that, but not with silverware this fancy.”

“Because tomorrow night, Princess Celestia will be joining us to see how your recent friendship lessons are going.”

“This can’t be done by sending a letter?”

“It’s more special when done pony-to-pony. Plus, this gives you the chance to make a new friend and invite them over.”

“Well, I can't choose. I like all your friends.”

“I meant ‘make a new friend’ as in ‘pick a pony who you never or rarely met before, and see if you can hit it off’.”

“Well, I’ll try. Though, I think it’s going to be harder than forcing friendships by magically enslaving the entire population of Ponyville.” Starlight chuckled awkwardly.

“Too soon,” I said.

I remembered this episode. In the show, Starlight makes friends with Trixie, whose reappearance was long overdue. Twilight was skeptical and didn’t trust Trixie (even though she did back in Season 3), but then realized she should let Starlight decide on her own.

Honestly, I didn’t know if I could change anything or not. On one hand, Twilight in this timeline accepted Trixie, but on the other hand, I was afraid she still wouldn’t trust her. I just had to see the outcome before making my decision.

The next morning, I woke up to see Twilight alone in the dining room, staring at her cereal bowl.

“Morning, Twilight,” I greeted. “Where’s Starlight?”

Twilight raised her head. “Oh, good morning, Spike. Starlight left early. She said that she wanted to get an early start on making a new friend.” She sighed. “I probably should’ve mentioned it was an option.”

“Well, I hope she does well regardless. She managed to befriend Moondancer.”

“That’s true, so maybe this won’t be different.”

We spent the rest of the day doing our usual tasks. Sometime after lunch, we got out the fancy silverware once again. Twilight quickly arranged everything on the table.

“I'm beginning to think that after friendship,” Twilight said, “the greatest magic of all is proper silverware placement.”

I chuckled. “So if the next bad guy doesn’t go down with friendship, we could lecture them on which soup spoon to use. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Twilight!” Starlight’s voice rang out.

She burst through the doors.

“Guess what? I made a new friend!” Starlight announced.

“That's fantastic news!” Twilight exclaimed.

“She's great!”

“Great!”

“She’s powerful!”

“‘Powerful’?”

I gave a small smirk.

Starlight continued, “She’s—”

“Hello, Princess Twilight.”

The famous blue unicorn entered the dining room. Twilight was bewildered, but she never squinted or frowned.

“Hello, Trixie!” I greeted.

“Spike.” Trixie tilted her pointed hat.

“You two know her?” Starlight asked.

“She’s visited Ponyville a couple of times,” Twilight replied. “Although, it has been a while since she last dropped by.”

“Trixie is a traveling stage performer,” Trixie said. “There are other towns that I occasionally visit, but Ponyville holds a special place in my heart for some reason.”

“Well, it’s nice to see that you and Starlight are friends now. If she trusts you, then so do I.”

I sighed heavily.

“Thanks, Twilight,” Starlight said as she and Trixie left the room. “You won’t regret it.”

“See you at dinner!” Twilight called out.

“You sure took Starlight’s friendship with Trixie rather well,” I said.

“Why wouldn’t I? They seemed to enjoy each other’s company.”

“I was just worried you wouldn’t trust Trixie.”

“Oh, Spike. I may not have known her for that long, but that doesn't mean I should forbid my student from befriending her.”

It was great to see my interactions with Trixie paid off so far, and I hoped it would be a continuing improvement.

Knock! Knock!

“Yes?” Twilight replied.

Moondancer entered the dining room wearing saddlebags.

“Hey, Twilight,” Moondancer greeted. “I hope I didn’t come at a bad time.”

“Don’t worry, Moondancer, you didn’t.” Twilight shared a hug with Moondancer. “What brings you here?”

“I was hoping you had some extra astronomy books I could borrow.”

“I’ve got some in the castle library, I can show you.”

“Great! Oh, and have you met…uh…” Moondancer looked around. “Excuse me.”

Moondancer left the room and looked around the hallway, then she looked down and right next to her.

“Come on,” she said softly. “It’s okay. Twilight is very friendly. She’ll love to meet you.”

“Okay...”

I hardly heard the other voice, but something rang a bell. What entered was a small, shy, grey Diamond Puppy in a dark blue vest. That’s when the familiarity hit me.

“Tyke?” I widened my eyes. “Hey, remember me?”

Tyke looked up at me. “Spike? Oh, hey! Good to see you again!”

“What is this? National ‘Meet Up With Old Acquaintances' Day?” Twilight chuckled. “How did you two meet?”

“I met Tyke when I was on my journey,” I replied. “I didn’t expect to meet again so soon.”

“I didn’t expect Tyke knew some of the residents here in Ponyville either,” Moondancer added.

“Tyke, this is Princess Twilight Sparkle. She’s the princess of friendship and my guardian.”

“Oh, uh…” Tyke got down on one knee. “It’s an honor to meet you, Princess Twilight.”

“Uh, heh.” Twilight giggled awkwardly and darted her eyes. “You don’t have to do that, Tyke. I'm not that formal.”

Tyke quickly stood up. “S-sorry.”

Twilight walked up to him. “It’s great to meet you. I hope you'll enjoy what Ponyville has to offer.” Twilight looked at Moondancer. “Now, let’s get you some books.”

The four of us left the dining room.

“So how did you and Moondancer meet?” Twilight asked Tyke.

“I came to that library tree about a week ago,” Tyke replied. “I was going to find you, but I met Moondancer instead.”

“That’s true,” Moondancer added. “I gave him shelter, and he's helped me a lot around the library. So I let him stay with me.”

“That’s sweet,” Twilight said. “Are you planning to stay here long, Tyke?”

Tyke rubbed the back of his head. “Well, I wanted to actually live in the library tree and help Moondancer out. She said it was okay.”

“Then it’s fine with me, too. Though, you don't need my permission. I don't own the Golden Oaks Library anymore.”

We entered the castle library. Tyke gazed upon the everlasting shelves of books.

“Woah!” Tyke exclaimed. “There’s so many books here! Even more than the Golden Library!”

“Yeah, if there's one thing you should know about Twilight, she loves her books,” I said.

“I can see why she lived in a library before this castle.”

Twilight looked around the shelves for astronomy books. Tyke and I sat at a nearby table.

“If you were here for almost a week, how come I didn't hear about it, aside from Rarity almost mentioning it?” I asked.

Tyke replied, “I was indoors because I was too shy to go out. But Moondancer thought today I should give it a chance, so I was ready and willing to give it a try.”

“And I'm glad you did. Ponyville is friendly to a baby dragon, so I’m sure the same will go for a Diamond Puppy.”

Twilight gave some astronomy books to Moondancer.

“I hope these are what you're looking for,” Twilight said.

“These will do nicely,” Moondancer replied. “Thanks. Come on, Tyke.”

“Coming!” Tyke quickly got up.

“Say, Twilight, is it okay if I tagged along with Moondancer and Tyke?” I asked.

“Sure,” Twilight replied.

I quickly left the library and caught up with the two visitors.

“Ponyville may be a small town, but there's still a lot of places to visit here,” Moondancer said as we left the castle. “There’s the Apple Farm, the boutique, the town hall. Is there someplace in particular you want to see first, Tyke?”

“It’s kinda hard to choose,” Tyke replied. “What would you recommend, Spike?”

“Let’s start with the boutique, first,” I suggested.

I guided Moondancer and Tyke to the Carousel Boutique.

“This is where ponies and non-ponies can get specially designed clothing,” I said. “Plus, I think you’re gonna like who runs the shop.”

As we entered the boutique, the bell above the door gave off a familiar ring.

“Just a moment!” Rarity called out.

A moment later, Rarity appeared. Tyke’s pupils dilated and his tail raised.

“Ah, Spike and Moondancer, how wonderful to see you.” Rarity noticed Tyke. “So the rumors are true, you really did take a Diamond Dog under your wing. And I must say, as far as Diamond Dogs go, this one’s adorable.”

Rarity rubbed Tyke’s head, causing him to blush greatly and his tail to wag like a windshield wiper.

“What’s your name, little one?” Rarity asked.

“T-T-T-Tyke,” the nervous puppy replied. “Uh, th-there’s only one ‘T’ in it.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Tyke.” Rarity looked at Moondancer. “I take it you’re showing him around Ponyville?”

“That’s right,” Moondancer replied. “This was our first stop.”

“I’m flattered. Ooh! Since Tyke’s here, I could whip something up for him. I’ve been meaning to expand my fashion horizon to other creatures.” Rarity pulled out a tape measure. “Hold up your arms, please.”

Tyke put his arms in front of him like he was a zombie.

“No, no. Out to your side.”

Tyke obliged.

“There we go.” Rarity took a few measurements. “While I’ve only encountered a few Diamond Dogs before, I noticed a common fashion theme. So if you want, I could fashion some fitting accessories for you. Or you could have a chance to ditch the vest and collar for a new outfit.”

“NO!” Tyke’s hands snapped to his collar.

Everyone took a step back.

Tyke breathed and held up a paw. “No.”

“I-I deeply apologize!” Rarity rolled up her tape. “I didn’t mean to show any disrespect!”

“It’s okay,” Tyke replied calmly. “I forgot to tell you, but where I used to live, going without a collar is…frowned upon. I mean, I can go without my vest any day, but having my neck bare is considered indecent no matter if I’m wearing anything else.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. You’re welcome to keep your collar on, then.”

That would explain Rover’s “I’m in public!” quote when I tore his collar off.

“D-don’t feel bad, Miss Rarity,” Tyke said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Not to worry,” Rarity replied as she wrote something in her notes. “I can work with your collar staying on.”

“Well, it doesn’t have to be my collar that covers my neck. As long as I have something wrapped around it, it’s fine.”

“Do you always have to wear it? Even if you’re taking a bath?”

“Oh, heh, heh.” Tyke waved a paw. “Not all the time. I can take it off when taking a bath or if I’m changing clothes.”

“Yeah, that’s how I learned about his collar policy,” Moondancer said.

“So, is there any outfit in particular that you’d be interested in?” Rarity asked Tyke.

“Uh, not off the top of my head.” Tyke looked down. “Actually, what can you do about my vest?”

“Well, I could spruce it up real quick. Not to offend you anymore, but it looks like it’s seen better days.”

Rarity did have a point. I could see the miniscule tatters and impermissible dirt stains that couldn’t be washed off with an industrial-grade detergent.

“Sure thing.” Tyke slipped out of his vest and gave it to Rarity.

Rarity quickly trotted to the sewing machine and got to work on the vest.

“By the way,” Tyke said to me, “Miss Rarity mentioned seeing some Diamond Dogs before. Do you know anything about that?”

“Oh, yeah.” I exhaled deeply. “A couple of years back, I was gem-hunting with her and we encountered a trio of them. And…well…let’s just say things didn’t turn out so well. They attacked us, but we were able to defend ourselves.”

“Oh, my.” Tyke raised his eyebrows. “Did you remember seeing one of them wearing a gem on their collar? Do you remember the color and shape?”

“Yes, I did. One of them had an orange diamond-shaped gem on their collar.”

“Ohhh…” Tyke pinched the bridge of his nose. “You encountered the Orange Rhombus group. I’m so sorry about that.”

“Uh, I’m not following.”

“Let me explain. Diamond Dogs are split into different groups. And each group represents different social standings. The important Diamond Dogs, like supervisors and leaders, wear the gem that matches their respective group. Each shape and color depends on different factors, like job type or location. It gets complicated, but basically the Orange Rhombus aren’t the best group to meet. They like to do things their own way, and that’s the most polite way to put it. The group I was in was three times better than the Orange Rhombus, and it was one of the poor groups.”

“So I assume that kidnapping ponies isn’t far off of what Orange Rhombuses normally do, right? Because, they attacked us so they could nab Rarity for her gem-searching spell.”

“They tried to do that? That’s a new low even for them.”

“Can’t the other groups do something about them?” Moondancer asked. “Like, make new rules, or kick the group out?”

Tyke shrugged. “Sadly, while they're the most chaotic and nastiest group, they still provide gems just like the rest of the groups, so kicking them out isn’t the best option. But don’t worry; there are some things, at least from what I heard, that they would never do, and the top groups have made sure to intervene if things get too overboard.”

“You know, after our first encounter with those bad dogs, we never saw them or any other Diamond Dog in the area after that,” I pointed out. “You think that the leaders heard about the attempted kidnapping and did something about it?”

“If that was the case, then maybe.”

“I never knew how Diamond Dogs have different groups. I should come by the Golden Oaks Library some time and learn about the other groups.”

“And…finished!” Rarity announced. “What do you think, Tyke?”

Rarity levitated the vest to Tyke. Its color was more saturated, there were visible hems around the edges, and even a lapel was added, making it look like a new vest altogether.

“Woah!” Tyke slipped the vest back on. “Is this the same vest I gave you?”

“Of course, darling,” Rarity chuckled. “I took to restoring the fabric, removing some of the stains, and adding a few details to make your vest look more presentable. I hope you like it.”

“I love it! Thanks, Miss Rarity!”

“You’re very welcome.” Rarity saw Moondancer’s coins. “Keep your bits, darling. This one’s on me.”

Moondancer, Tyke, and I left the boutique. Tyke brushed his vest.

“I may have gotten this vest a long time ago, but I know that it didn’t look as good as this,” Tyke said.

“That’s Rarity for you,” Moondancer said. “She knows how to make the best clothes for everypony.”

Tyke looked at her and then to me. “Wait, if she’s so good at making clothing, why does almost everyone here go without them?”

“It’s more a preference,” Moondancer replied. “Some ponies like to wear clothes all the time, others only do it on occasion.”

“I’ll take your word for it. So what place should we go next?”

“Why don’t you decide this time?”

Tyke looked around the streets until he saw the barn on the hill. “What about that red house near the south?”

“Huh?” Moondancer looked at where her pup was pointing. “Oh, you mean the apple farm. Yeah, let’s try that.”

In no time, the three of us got to…

“Sweet Apple Acres!” I announced. “No guess as to what they farm here.”

“Woah!” Tyke looked at the trees in astonishment.

“Do you know what apples are, Tyke?”

“I’ve heard of them, but I never tried one.”

That’s when Applejack opened the double doors of the barn.

“Now you take it easy, ya hear?” Applejack said as she exited with a basket of apples.

“Eeyup,” Big Mac croaked from inside.

“Oh, howdy,” Applejack greeted us. “Didn’t expect visitors to come by here.” She noticed Tyke. “Is…that a Diamond Dog?”

Tyke took a step back, regressing to his shy persona from earlier today.

“Yes, he is,” Moondancer replied enthusiastically. “Applejack, this is Tyke. He came to me one night, and I let him stay with me. Tyke, this is Applejack. She takes care of the farm here.”

Tyke nervously walked forward.

“Well, if Moondancer likes having ya around, then so do I,” Applejack held out a hoof. “Pleased to meet ya, little Tyke.”

Tyke held Applejack’s hoof and carefully shook it. “L-likewise.”

“Ah, don’t be on pins ‘n’ needles. As long as ya don’t steal our apples, we’ll get along just fine.”

“Okay…may I try one?”

“Sure.” Applejack put the basket by Tyke’s side. “Take yer pick.”

Tyke held one of the fresh apples in his paw. The second he took a bite, however, his face scrunched up, and he spat out the piece like it was from a hot potato.

“Augh! That was so sour!” Tyke shouted.

I covered my mouth. Applejack widened her eyes, but she took a closer look at the bitten apple.

“Oh, ya nabbed a Granny Smith,” Applejack said with relief. “Unlike my granny, those are the most sour kind of apples. I don’t blame ya for disliking that one.” She pulled out a red apple from the basket. “Try this one: it’s a Gala apple.”

Tyke bit into the Gala, and unlike his first apple, he actually kept it in his mouth.

“So sweet!” He exclaimed.

“Glad ya like it.” Applejack picked the basket back up. “Everypony and non-pony have different tastes in apples.” She picked up the green apple. “Guess this one’s goin’ in the compost bin.”

“Uh, Tyke?” Moondancer said. “Looks like there’s someone else who’s taking a liking to you.”

“What do you—HEY!!” Tyke pulled his tail away. “Don’t sniff my tail!”

“Woof! Woof!” Winona barked happily.

“Heh, Winona must think yer one of her kind,” Applejack snickered.

“Diamond Dogs and regular dogs are not the same,” Tyke pointed out.

After a brief chat with Applejack, we left the farm.

“Oh! I just realized there’s somepony who you definitely should meet, Tyke,” said Moondancer. “She loves animals and is really friendly to them. I think she’ll like you as well.”

“Okay, let’s see her,” Tyke said.

We got to Fluttershy’s cottage. Moondancer knocked on the door, and Fluttershy opened the top half.

“Oh, hello, Spike and Moondancer. I’m a little busy…” Fluttershy saw Tyke and gasped. “Is that a Diamond Puppy?!”

Fluttershy hopped over the door like a giant cat and grabbed Tyke like a teddy bear.

“You’re so cute!” Fluttershy fawned. “This is the first time I saw a Diamond Puppy in the flesh!”

“Th-thanks!” Tyke wheezed. “Can you please put me down now?!”

“Oh, sorry.” Fluttershy placed the overly-hugged pup down. “I get easily excited around small creatures.”

Can you tell?

“What’s your name, little one?” Fluttershy asked. “I’m Fluttershy.”

“My name is Tyke,” replied Tyke.

“Oh, it’s really nice to meet you, Tyke. I’d love to invite you and everyone else over, but I’ve been behind on my feeding schedule and I need to make it up for my animal friends.”

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Moondancer said. “We’ll come back another time.”

The three of us left as Fluttershy resumed feeding her other animals.

“She seems nice,” Tyke said. “Aside from the unexpected hugging.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” I pointed out. “Her hugs aren’t going to be what you’ll have to worry about.”

As we were walking down the path back to Ponyville, I saw Starlight Glimmer sitting by herself on the hill.

“Uh, oh.” I looked at Moondancer and Tyke. “Uh, why don’t you guys go ahead without me? I’ve got something to take care of first.”

“Sure thing,” Moondancer said.

She and Tyke continued down the road, and I ran up the hill to Starlight.

“Hey, Starlight,” I greeted. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know what to do.” Starlight shook her head.

“May I have some context?”

“So you know how Twilight’s dinner with Princess Celestia is tonight, right? Well, by sheer coincidence, Trixie is doing her show at the exact same time. She’s already got the stage up and everything, so moving her show to the castle at the last minute is out of the question. And I don’t think Twilight can bring the dinner here. What should I do?”

“I guess…whatever you want to.”

“That’s not helping, Spike.”

“Starlight, sometimes we have to make tough decisions, and the outcomes of them aren't obvious. Sure, it would make Twilight happy if you make it to dinner, but that would mean losing the new friend you just made. While going over to your friend’s show would make them appreciate you, that would mean that you would miss out on the dinner. It’s best to go with your gut.”

“Alright. Guess this is up to me now.”

“I believe you’ll make the right decision. I know Twilight would, too.”

I went down the hill to look for Moondancer and Tyke. Incidentally, I found them near the town hall, talking to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.

“See ya soon, Tyke,” Rainbow said as she rubbed Tyke’s head.

She and Pinkie left just as I rejoined Moondancer and Tyke.

“Welcome back, Spike,” Moondancer said. “We just met with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.”

“I saw,” I replied. “Looks like you hit it off with those two, Tyke.”

“Yeah, I did,” Tyke replied. “I liked how Rainbow did all those flying tricks, and Pinkie was very happy to meet me and throw me a future party. Although, I could see what you meant about Fluttershy’s hugs.”

“I tried to tell you, but I guess I should’ve been more specific.”

“At least she wanted to learn about me. And, wow, did I have a lot to say. Honestly, I don’t know why I always give my life story to random creatures I just met.”

“Well, to be honest, as long as you don’t come off as someone just wanting attention, giving a little exposition doesn’t hurt.”

And for what it’s worth, some Diamond Dog lore was well overdue.

The three of us returned to the library. Moondancer placed her borrowed books on the table.

“So, how was your first day outside of the library?” I asked.

“It wasn’t bad,” Tyke replied. “I thought the ponies here wouldn’t like having a Diamond Puppy around, but I’m surprised there were some who actually wanted to learn about me.”

“Yeah, there are those who want to know more about the unknown than fear it.”

“Oh, hey guys. I forgot to mention,” Moondancer said. “There’s a magician’s show happening tonight just outside of Ponyville. Want to check it out?”

“Okay,” replied Tyke with enthusiasm.

“I’ll come, too,” I said. “I’ve been meaning to go there, actually.”

By the time night fell, everypony who’s anypony came to Trixie’s stage. I sat with Fluttershy, Pinkie, Tyke, and Moondancer.

“There’s something I don’t understand,” Tyke said. “If everypony can do magic, why are there pony stage magicians?”

“These ponies can do tricks without having to resort to simple horn magic,” I replied. “Plus, they can make any magic trick spectacular with the right effects.”

“Come one, come all!” A familiar pony’s voice announced. “Come and see the Great and Powerful Trixie's Equestrian Magical Tour!”

I sat up as Trixie appeared on stage in a puff of smoke.

That’s new. Her working title is different than in the show

“Behold, your fears come true! A pony-eating manticore!”

At the side of Trixie sat a ferocious, chained-up manticore. It even gave Fluttershy the shivers.

“Why are you afraid, Fluttershy?” I asked. “I was told you didn’t show fear of that manticore from the Everfree Forest.”

“I’m afraid of seeing him chained up like that,” Fluttershy responded. “Not the manticore himself.”

“For tonight, the Great and Powerful Trixie will be performing the Moonshot Manticore Mouth Dive!” Trixie bellowed.

The crowd around us gasped.

“Now, now, save your gasps for when I defy the beast's jaws of doom and appear inside that black box.” Trixie pointed at the box next to her.

We cleared the aisle as Trixie trotted over to her cannon. Starlight stood next to it as she gave Trixie her helmet.

I wondered what happened between Trixie, Twilight, and Starlight? Whatever it was, I hope it went better than in the show.

Trixie got into the cannon. She said something to Starlight, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. It might have something to do with Trixie having doubts about this trick, and Starlight reassuring her.

The cannon was positioned as the manticore took center stage. Starlight lit the fuse as the crowd awaited with anticipation.

That’s when I saw a familiar white alicorn appear from a hill in the distance. Her former student was next to her. Neither one of them looked upset.

Okay, I really have to know what happened while I was with Tyke and Moondan—

BOOM!!

The cannon fired Trixie at Mach 1, straight into the manticore’s mouth. The furry beast swallowed with a loud burp. I was more disgusted than frantic at that.

In an instant, the black box vibrated. The overhead spotlight shone on the box just as it opened itself, revealing a dazed but otherwise unharmed Trixie.

“Behold, the Peat and Growerful Triskie…” Trixie woozily said before collapsing.

We all cheered ringingly at her. Starlight made her way to the stage and helped Trixie up.

After Trixie regained her composure, she announced, “And now, I'm proud to introduce my great and powerful assistant (and best friend), Starlight Glimmer!”

The crowd applauded as Trixie and Starlight gave a bow. The manticore himself bowed as well.

After the show, I parted ways with Tyke and Moondancer, and I went backstage to see Starlight and Trixie.

“Spike? What are you doing here?” Starlight asked.

“I wanted to see you,” I replied. “I see you chose to assist Trixie.”

“Well, it wasn’t an easy decision, but I realized that I wouldn’t make a good impression on a friend I just made if I flaked out on them.” Starlight looked at Trixie. “So, I told Twilight I couldn’t make it, and joined up with Trixie.”

“What did Twilight have to say?”

“I allowed it.” A voice responded.

I spun around to see Twilight entering the stage.

“I’ll admit I was a bit disappointed that Starlight wouldn’t come to dinner,” Twilight said. “However, I saw how well she and Trixie got along, so I was willing to sacrifice discussion of proper silverware placement if it meant my student could help her friend with her show. I wouldn’t be a good friendship teacher if I couldn’t allow my student to hang out with her friends.”

“I’m still sorry about not making it to our dinner with Princess Celestia,” Starlight said.

“Don’t be. Princess Celestia didn’t arrive until after you warned me of your absence.” Twilight peeked through the curtains.

“That would explain why I didn’t see her at the castle yet.”

“Hmm, actually, the night’s still young. I don’t suppose you can still invite Trixie over. We don’t normally have dinner this late, but I can make an exception.”

“I would be honored to come,” Trixie announced. “I hope that Princess Celestia remembers me personally.”

I looked through the curtains. Celestia was talking to Moondancer and Tyke, the latter of whom genuflected before the princess.

“Is it okay if I invite Moondancer and Tyke to this dinner as well?” I asked.

“Uh, sure, Spike,” replied Twilight. “I hope we have enough silverware.”

It was surprising but fortunate how this episode turned out. Twilight trusted Trixie and had no objections to Starlight befriending her. Also, as a surprise, Tyke returned and decided to stay in Ponyville with Moondancer. I hoped to hang out with him more in the future.

I wonder if he's into RPG board games.

Chapter 94 (Newbie Dash)

SLAM!!

“Spike! Spike!”

“What?! What?!” I shot up from my bed and tossed my comic book aside.

“It’s Rainbow Dash!” Twilight exclaimed. “She said we need to head to her house immediately for some exciting news!”

“She’s becoming a Wonderbolt?”

“Probably! We have to hurry and see if it’s true!”

As Twilight and I left the castle, I had a feeling this was the infamous “Newbie Dash” episode. In the show, Rainbow Dash achieves her dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. But sadly, this milestone was overshadowed by the fact that the Wonderbolts kept calling her “Crash,” an embarrassing nickname Dashie had during her days at flight school. It didn’t help that Rainbow tried various ways to get them to stop calling her that, like imitating the Mane 6 or trying to pull a dangerous stunt, and failing each time.

One method I could try doing is warning Rainbow Dash how the Wonderbolts get their nicknames. I could also remind her to be cautious when crossing the runway. While I wouldn’t guarantee that it will prevent Rainbow Dash from getting an embarrassing nickname altogether, it should prevent her from being named “Crash.”

The Mane 6 and I arrived at Rainbow’s house. Those without wings had a cloud-walking spell cast on them. Once we went in, Rainbow Dash zoomed around the house collecting items and shoving them into a suitcase.

“Anypony seen my wing balm?!” Dashie frantically asked. “I don't want to be stiff when I show up at Wonderbolt headquarters!”

“Here it is.” I picked it up from the couch and tossed it into the air. “Catch!”

Rainbow caught the balm and slammed it into her case.

“Do you have time to tell us what happened, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, yes, we must know every detail!” Rarity added.

“Start from when you were a foal and you first knew your destiny was to become a Wonderbolt!” Pinkie declared.

Just like in the show, Rainbow announced she’ll be doing a show with the other Wonderbolts after one of the members retired. She had to leave for the Wonderbolts headquarters this afternoon, and she would have to go through training for the next two days for the show. The girls wished her luck, and I wished she didn’t brush it off.

“Hey, Dash, could I say something real quick?” I asked.

“As long as it doesn’t take too long,” Rainbow replied.

“I know you’re excited that you’ve become a Wonderbolt. In fact, we all are, but be careful out there. Obey what your superiors say, look both ways on the runway, and all that stuff.”

“What are you, my Uncle Blaze?” Rainbow put her goggles on. “I know the Wonderbolts are tough fliers, but I didn’t let that stop me from going through all those hoops to get to who I was today.”

“What hoops?” Pinkie looked out the window. “I didn’t see any on the way here.”

I continued, “Okay, but I just want to let you know that the Wonderbolts have a tendency to give nicknames based on rookie mistakes, at least that’s what I heard.” I watched Rainbow open the doors. “Don’t want you to get an embarrassing nickname like ‘Rainbow Crash.’”

Rainbow froze like a deer in headlights. Fluttershy gasped like I just insulted Daring Do.

“Who told you that part of my past?!” Rainbow zipped up to me. “I want names!”

“Rainbow, stop!” Fluttershy pushed her away. “He didn’t know any better. He was just trying to look after you.”

Rainbow looked at me.

She then sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll be careful…and maybe see if they can give me a cool nickname.”

“Rainbow,” Fluttershy said sternly.

“Right, sorry.”

Rainbow took her suitcase, put her goggles on, and flew off to the Wonderbolts headquarters.

“Why did Rainbow snap at Spike like that, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy looked out the window until Rainbow was no longer in sight. “Rainbow Dash was called ‘Crash’ before. She had a flying accident one time at our flight school, and everypony, including some of the teachers, started calling her that at least once. In fact, I may have been the only pony to never call her that. Since then, she hated that nickname.”

“If I recall correctly,” Rarity said, “her former bullies used that sobriquet back during the Best Young Flyer Competition, and yet she showed no signs of rage like she did with Spikey-Wikey.”

“Well,” Fluttershy rubbed her hooves. “She was used to those bullies calling her that, so she was expecting the nickname to be used then.”

“I’m sorry for making Rainbow angry like that,” I said. “I was trying to warn her.”

“You’re fine, Spike. For now, we have to hope that the Wonderbolts don’t start calling her that nickname, too.”

The next day, I was in Sugarcube Corner with Rumble and Button Mash.

“Uh, Spike?” Rumble asked. “You’re supposed to drink your milkshake, not stare at it.”

“Oh, sorry.” I quickly sipped my half-melted mint shake. “I was just thinking about Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh, yeah! I heard from Thunderlane that Miss Dash became a Wonderbolt. She must’ve been so excited to hear that.”

“Heh, you don’t know the half of it.” I stared at my glass. “But…I’m a bit worried about what might happen. To be specific, they might give her a nickname she doesn’t like.”

“Well…maybe she’ll get used to it. After all, it’s just a name.”

“Not if the nickname constantly reminds you of your past mistakes and the endless bullying due to your past mistakes.”

“Oh…well, then I don’t know what to say about that. Oh, I know! I’m going to take a tour with Thunderlane around the headquarters later today. You could join us and find Miss Dash. And make her feel better if she’s sad about her new name.”

I sat up. “Okay, sounds great!”

Rumble told me where and when to meet him and his brother.

After I got Twilight to cast me a cloud-walking spell, I met with the two pegasus brothers, and we flew to the Wonderbolts’ base. We met with a tour guide, and she showed us around.

A short while later, we got the most important part of the base.

“And this here’s the runway,” the tour guide announced. “Hopefully, I don’t have to remind you three that you should always look both ways before crossing it. Especially in a place like this.”

“I’m pretty sure everypony knows that,” Rumble said.

Except for a particular light-blue-colored pegasus in the show.

“Ah, looks like Captain Spitfire is here,” the tour guide pointed to the sky and waved.

Spitfire took note and made a quick landing.

“You must be the private tour group,” Spitfire said. “I hope you guys will enjoy your trip around the headquarters. I’m supposed to help train the Wonderbolts for our show in a couple of days, but I have time for a few quick questions, if you have any.”

“Actually, I have one,” I said. “Is it possible for a non-pegasus to join the Wonderbolts? Like a dragon, or a griffon for example?”

Spitfire stood silently, adjusting her goggles.

“Well…it would be unlikely, I’m sure. But I’m not saying that the Wonderbolts forbid non-ponies, mind you. It’s just that most of our flight patterns are usually made for pegasus ponies. The non-pony can join the Wonderbolts, but they would have to understand that it would be…difficult for them.”

That’s when I saw Rainbow Dash and another Wonderbolt fly by.

“Keep it up, Flatfoot and Birdwing!” Spitfire called out.

Rainbow squeezed her eyes shut.

“Uh, Spitfire, one of them was Rainbow Dash,” Rumble pointed out.

“Oh, that’s the new nickname that we gave Dash.”

Dashie’s new nickname is “Birdwing”? Well, it’s a better alternative to “Crash,” but why that name?

We continued the rest of the tour, concluding our stop at the mess hall to eat.

“I have to say, if this is what they feed the Wonderbolts, I should’ve signed up years ago!” Thunderlane rubbed his hooves as he eyed his cafeteria tray.

“Mine could’ve used a bit more salt,” Rumble said.

“Ah, it’s not for everypony.” Thunderlane looked at me. “...or nonpony. Come on, Spike, eat. Are you waiting for it to be your midnight snack?”

“Oops.” I snapped out of it and ate my food. “I was lost in thought again.”

“Is this about Dash’s new nickname?” Rumble asked. “I thought it sounded pretty cool.” He grabbed the spoon like a microphone. “Presenting the newest and most awesomest flier: Rainbow ‘Birdwing’ Dash!”

I chuckled. “Yeah, but she doesn’t see it the same way. I know I came here to comfort her, but I think I'll wait until she comes back home.”

After our meal, we returned to Ponyville. I hurried back to the castle just to see Twilight leaving.

“Spike, you’re back!” Twilight exclaimed. “Did you see Rainbow Dash at all on your tour with Rumble and Thunderlane?”

“Yes, but only briefly,” I replied.

“Well, you’ll be seeing her more soon. Pinkie wanted to throw her a party, so she invited the girls and the Cutie Mark Crusaders to Dash’s house. You’re welcome to come as well.”

“Sure thing.”

We got to Rainbow Dash’s house. Everypony else sans Rainbow was already there. We quickly set everything up. Within the hour, Rainbow Dash showed up.

“SURPRISE!!” We all shouted as Rainbow got covered in confetti.

“Hooray, Rainbow Dash!” the CMC announced. “Our favorite Wonderbolt!” They pointed to a banner they drew of Rainbow Dash.

“We know you're probably tired, Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight, “but Pinkie wanted to throw you a real party.”

Surprisingly, Rainbow actually joined the festivities this time. We mingled and ate the snacks Pinkie provided. With all that she’s done, it was like she was celebrating Rainbow’s birthday.

However, while Rainbow did join the party, I noticed something off. Everytime somepony asked about her time at the Wonderbolts, she would give a vague answer and change the subject. Only a few others besides me picked up on that, but I was the only one who didn’t shrug it off.

Hours later, the party was over, and everypony left Rainbow’s house.

Almost everypony.

“Alright, Spike, party’s over,” Rainbow said. “I gotta get up early tomorrow and get back to base.”

I replied, “You probably already know why I’m really here, 'Birdwing'.”

“Ugh!” Rainbow covered her face. “You heard that, didn’t you?”

“It’s kind of hard not to when the captain yells it out loud. So tell me, Rainbow Dash, how did you get that name and why are you so embarrassed about it?”

Rainbow sat on the couch. “I was crossing the runway while looking both ways (like what everypony and non-pony keeps telling me to do). Right after that, Soarin and Fleetfoot flew by, and I’ll admit I was a bit too amazed by their flying skills.”

“A bit?”

“Okay, I was over-the-top amazed. I got so distracted, I didn’t hear Spitfire until she blew a whistle right in my ears. I jumped into a tree and hit my head on one of the branches. Then I landed on another branch and while I was rubbing my head with my wings, one of the Wonderbolts said I looked like a preening bird. Now they’re calling me ‘Birdwing’ because of that. I wanted a cooler nickname like ‘Rainbow Lighting’ or ‘Fast Past’ or something else other than what they gave me.”

“I warned you of how they give each other nicknames. At least it’s not…your other nickname.”

“But still, ‘Birdwing’? How am I going to get them to stop calling me that? I can’t just tell Spitfire because it’ll sound like I’m complaining on my first day.”

“Well, then try not to let it get to you. You're still a Wonderbolt, and you can’t let one embarrassing nickname take that away.”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Huh? Who is it?!” Rainbow called out.

Twilight opened the doors. “Hey, Rainbow, is Spike…oh, he’s here. I was wondering where you were.”

“Sorry, Twilight. I was just leaving.” I turned to Rainbow Dash. “Be sure to remember my advice.”

Twilight flew to the castle with me on her back.

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight said, “I…heard your conversation with Rainbow Dash, and what her new nickname was…and that she's not taking it well.”

I replied, “I don’t want her to be discouraged and let all that build-up to become a Wonderbolt go to waste. Plus, ‘Birdwing’ isn’t a bad nickname compared to ‘Crash.’”

“Well, you know Rainbow Dash. She may have taken some lessons in humility, but her ego’s not going to go away like that.” She clapped her hooves together.

“Even still, I hope she can keep it in check during her time as the Wonderbolts.”

And hopefully not imitate all her friends.

Two days have passed since Rainbow’s house party. I don’t know what she did when she returned to the base, but I hoped she didn't poorly impersonated her friends.

The girls, the CMC, and I were in the outskirts of town, eagerly waiting for the Wonderbolts to perform.

“This is gonna be so amazing!” Scootaloo exclaimed.

Pinkie added, “I can't wait to see Rainbow Dash's first performance as an honest-to-goodness Wonderbolt! I hope there's cotton candy!”

She instantly zipped away.

“We should all remember to be extra supportive for Rainbow Dash too,” said Fluttershy. “I can't be the only one who noticed how strangely Rainbow behaved back at the party.”

“I noticed it, too,” I said.

“That will make three of us,” said Rarity. “You don’t suppose they started calling her 'Crash' as well, do you?”

“I’m pretty sure she would be a lot more upset if that were the case,” Twilight replied. “Even then, Rainbow Dash is a pretty resilient pony. I'm sure she's shaken off whatever was bothering her and turned it around by now.”

Applejack looked up in the sky. “Speakin' of...Hey, Dash!”

Rainbow Dash flew in and picked up Scootaloo. I raised my eyebrows.

“Perfect! Hey, can I borrow Scootaloo?” Rainbow asked.

“Me? What for?” Scootaloo questioned.

Just like in the show, Rainbow needed Scootaloo for assistance, and it was something that the Wonderbolts Reserves couldn't do at the moment. I knew what that something was.

After Rainbow and Scoots flew off, I got up from my seat.

“Where are you going, Spike?” Twilight sat up. “The show's about to start at any minute.”

“I'll be right back,” I replied. “I need to use the restroom.”

Once I was out of sight, I scaled the steep hills behind me. In no time, I got to the cliff where Dashie and Scootaloo were. There was a ramp to the side of them with a giant, black thundercloud at the end.

I knew what was going to happen. Rainbow wanted Scootaloo to roll down the ramp with her scooter. Then she would kick the cloud to summon a lightning bolt for Rainbow to use for her tricks. Unfortunately, the stunt would go more downhill than Scootaloo’s ride, and Rainbow would not only make a fool out of herself, she would be put on probation for a month. I needed to put a stop to it.

“...and then I'll do some incredible Rainbow Dash flying with it to create the coolest, show-stoppingest, lightning-tastic light show anypony has ever seen!” Rainbow concluded.

“HALT!!” I screamed.

Rainbow immediately tensed up.

“Hi, Spike!” Scootaloo greeted.

Rainbow turned around. “Oh, phew. I thought it was one of the members.”

“I might very well be.” I marched up to Rainbow. “What are you doing, Rainbow Dash?”

“Uh…the Wonderbolts wanted me to…improvise on the finale. Yeah, they were looking for that Rainbow Dash flare, heh.”

“I know you’re lying. You’re doing all this because of your nickname, aren’t you?”

Rainbow bit her lip and covered her eyes.

“What nickname? ‘Dashie’?” Scootaloo asked.

“‘Birdwing,’” Rainbow and I said simultaneously.

Scootaloo looked around. “That’s it?”

“Come on!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Can’t you see how bad it is?!”

“No?”

“See?” I motioned to Scootaloo. “You’re blowing this way out of proportion, Dashie. There are far worse nicknames than ‘Birdwing’.”

“Name a few.” Rainbow crossed her arms.

“Chicken, Dodo, Blank Flank,” Scootaloo counted.

I continued, “Clipper, Flatfoot, Dizzy, Slowpoke, Hoof-in-Mouth,…Crash?”

Rainbow’s eyes widened slowly.

“Honestly, Rainbow, you’ve finally accomplished your dream of being a Wonderbolt, and yet you let one slip-up cloud your judgment. Are you seriously going to risk your one true dream just to get ponies to call you something else?”

Rainbow stared at the ramp and cloud. She hung her head.

“I guess I took things too far,” she whimpered. “Maybe I’m not Wonderbolt material after all…”

“Don’t be ridiculous!”

From underneath the ramp appeared…

“Captain Spitfire!” Rainbow quickly saluted.

Scootaloo did the same.

“At ease, you two,” Spitfire said. “So what’s this talk about you not being Wonderbolt material, Rainbow Dash? You're the most talented flier we've ever had! And you saved all of Equestria almost a dozen times...not to mention three of us that one time…”

Rainbow rubbed her hooves. “Uh, I…”

“Of course you're supposed to be a Wonderbolt. We've been waiting for a spot to open up ever since you joined the Reserves! And trust me, you’re not the only one with an embarrassing nickname. The young dragon pretty much nailed most of the other member's names except mine.”

“What was yours?”

Spitfire whispered in Rainbow’s ear, “Burnt-bun.”

“Whoa! That is so much worse than Crash. So does this mean I'm...still on the team?”

“Do you think you can be part of this team and not try to showboat?”

Rainbow stood firm. “I promise! I spent my whole life trying to be a standout flier, but now that I'm a Wonderbolt, it's time to be okay with fitting in.”

“Good, but…we’re also going to have a talk after the show since we were supposed to perform fifteen minutes ago. Got a problem with that?”

“No, ma'am!” Rainbow saluted.

Aside from the quarter-hour setback, the Wonderbolts’ show went off without a hitch. We watched as Rainbow performed spectacular stunts with all her Wonderbolt members.

“Ouch!”

“Pinkie, what’s wrong?” Rarity asked.

“I accidentally bit into my tail instead of the cotton candy.” Pinkie rubbed her fluffy tail. “Would you believe me this wasn’t the first time it happened?”

“Well, that’s what you get for having such a massive treat with you.”

Pinkie spat out some hair.

After the show ended, Rainbow stayed to clean everything up.

“Hey. Rainbow Dash.” Twilight greeted as the girls, the CMC, and I approached her. “We just wanted to check on you. Are you doing okay?”

“I'm doing great, thanks,” Rainbow happily replied.

“No more attempts to have your name changed?” I asked.

“Nope. I’m perfectly fine with ‘Birdwing.’”

“Sure you don't need any help?” Scootaloo requested.

“Nah.” Rainbow threw some banners in the trash can. “It was my responsibility that the Wonderbolts started so late, so I've gotta clean up myself. And after this, Spitfire's got me cleaning the Wonderbolts' compound for the next few days.”

“So why are you in such a good mood?”

“Duh! Because I'm a Wonderbolt!”

I was relieved how this episode ended. Rainbow got a better nickname than “Crash,” and she never pulled off that humiliating stunt. Also, I learned Spitfire’s nickname, and I didn’t have to guess how she got it, or why Hasbro didn’t reveal it in the show.

Chapter 95 (The Saddle Row Review)

I was sitting in a diner at Manehattan. The server delivered my meal, an Equestrian breakfast special, while a reporter sat on the other side of the table.

“Normally, I don’t interview kids,” the reporter said, “but your pony friends told me you were sharp for your age, so I’ll let this be an exception.”

“Thank you for having me,” I replied. “Before we begin, I have to ask. Have I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar.”

“You must’ve seen our scoop on Suri Polomare’s trail. We’ve peaked in popularity after that day.”

“Yeah, that must be it.”

Though to be honest, I thought you would be somepony who wanted pictures of a hero with spider powers.

“Now, onto the interview.” The reporter clapped his hooves together. “Miss Rarity talked about how she got her store up and running, but tell me in your own words how it went down.”

“Well, there were some bumps,” I replied. “But we were all able to pull through.”

“Elaborate.”

“Okay, so the girls and I just made it to Manehattan…”

The girls and I walked down the streets of Manehattan.

“Thank you so much for coming with me, girls and Spike,” Rarity said. “I know this was last minute, but with all I’ve done lately, I almost forgot about my shop’s grand opening tonight.”

“It’s fine, Rarity,” responded Twilight. “That’s why we’re here to help. We’ll be sure to get your shop up and running in no time.”

But I knew what was going to happen. The girls would try to organize everything to what Rarity wants, but their first attempts would end in a disaster. They would then learn that Rarity wants everypony to bring out the best in themselves, and they would later fix everything just in time to open the boutique.

“Stop, stop, stop,” the reporter held out a hoof. “I’m sorry, but what did you mean by that?”

“Huh?” I raised an eyebrow.

“What did you mean you knew what was going to happen?”

“Well, I’ve been around the girls long enough that I can predict everything they’ll say or do. It’s both a blessing and a curse.”

“I see.”

“Moving on…”

By the time we went into Rarity’s store, the place was in shambles. There was dust, cobwebs, and rotten wood everywhere. How the girls would manage to spruce everything up in such little time was beyond me.

“Rarity, it's lovely,” Twilight said, “but are you sure you'll be ready to open tonight?”

Pinkie sneezed, covering almost everypony in dust. Luckily I was behind Twilight and only got a few dollops on me.

“No need to fret over a mere moderate amount of preparation,” Rarity said as we brushed the lightweight filth off ourselves. “My clothes arrive soon, my sales associate after that, and with a little...dusting, we'll be ready for the grand opening tonight.”

That's when Mr. Stripes, the landlord of Rarity’s new boutique, came in with his daughter, Plaid Stripes. He wanted Rarity to hire Plaid for her shop, and he mentioned that he’ll raise the rent if Rarity doesn’t.

I’m pretty sure that’s blackmail.

I was willing to overlook that threat, partially because it was too late to find another shop, and there were some of Plaid’s ideas (besides the glowing teeth and horn doorbell) that weren’t too bad.

Rarity hired Plaid on the spot, and we continued cleaning. Rarity went to the back of the store when…

“YAAHH!! Fluttershy!” Rarity screamed. “Your assistance is required in the stockroom posthaste!”

Flutttershy hurried over to the back. I followed her even though Rarity didn’t call for me.

“Aw, hello,” Fluttershy fawned.

I entered to see a trio of racoons. Rarity was on the barrel, shivering.

“But what are they doing here?” Rarity asked.

One of the raccoons chittered to which Fluttershy translated, “Smoky made too much noise eating garbage, so Softpad's mother made them move out of the trash can.”

The smallest racoon chittered.

“Then Smoky Jr. found a nice home in the crawl space behind the building. But after it was demolished, they camped out here until they could find a new place to live.”

Rarity hopped off the barrel and exited the small room. “I can't have a family of rubbish-scented raccoons living in my boutique!”

“We can always clean them and hire them as workers,” I suggested.

Before Rarity could respond, a low booming sound shook the dusty ceiling above us.

“Uh, did you hear that?” Rarity asked worryingly.

(“Turns out there's a Club Pony Party Palace upstairs,” I said. “I bet you already heard that from some of the other girls.”)

(“Would you believe me if I said ‘yes’?” the reporter asked.)

“Continue cleansing if you will, girls and Spike,” Rarity said. “I shall try to get the ponies upstairs to tone the music down.”

She left the building. The rest of us resumed our cleaning, but with the thumping music, it was hard for them to concentrate.

“I wish we were having as much fun as they are,” Rainbow complained.

“Well, sweeping can be fun, too.” Twilight swept to the beat. “Sweep, sweep, sweep, sweep. Sweep, sweep, sweep, sweep, sweep...”

(“I know that if you can remix it properly, any song can be catchy,” I said. “Don’t tell Rainbow or Applejack I said this, but they actually liked Twilight’s sweeping song.”)

As we continued sweep-sweep-sweeping, Rarity returned looking like she was told off by her own mother.

“What happened?” I asked.

Rarity cried, “Apparently, DJ Pon-3 has a residency at the Party Palace upstairs, but security won't let me speak to her!”

HONK!!

“Aah! What in the name of Celestia was that?!”

Plaid initially installed one of her father’s old horns to the door, which Rarity seemed against.

Things didn’t get better. Just like in…er…my mind, Rarity’s clothes arrived completely disorganized, and Coco Pommel had to call in sick. With everything going on, Rarity behaved in her usual fashion.

“My dream is doomed!” screamed Rarity. “Doomed, I tell you! Doomed!”

“I know things haven't gone perfectly so far, but we've done this kind of thing before.” Twilight reassured her dramatic friend. “If we all work together…”

“I appreciate the offer, but this is Manehattan. To make it in the fashion scene here, everything has to be perfect. The perfect location! The perfect clothes! The perfect opening!”

“Maybe we should just postpone.”

“Postpone?! Darling, tonight is the last night of the fall season!”

“It’s the middle of summer, Rarity,” I pointed out.

“I’m sorry, last night of the mid-summer season,” Rarity corrected herself. “If we don't open tonight, it won't be...”

“Perfect,” Twilight and I said simultaneously.

“Yes, and I know what needs to be done. I just need more of me! Oh, how I wish I could make copies of myself.”

“No! We are not doing that again!” I stepped in front of Rarity. “Having one of our friends cloned last time was bad enough.”

“Rarity, listen. We can do this,” said Twilight. “And we can stay true to your vision.”

After Rarity gained most of her composure, she assigned all of us to different tasks. Fluttershy was to take care of the raccoons; Applejack was to handle Plaid’s ideas; Pinkie Pie, the upstairs music; Twilight, the dress-sorting; Rainbow Dash, the hiring; and me, keeping everypony’s sanity in check.

(“We both agreed that there should only be one pony freaking out,” I said.)

Rarity entered the window display. The second she closed the door, I propped a chair against the knob.

(“Uh…please don’t add that part,” I firmly suggested.)

“Is everything alright out there?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, but the knob just broke,” I lied. “Don’t worry, we’ll have it fixed before opening.”

“Oh, dear. Thanks for the update. I’m going to be here for a while anyway.”

I quickly hurried to the rest of the Mane 6.

“Okay, girls, before we begin, do we all understand what Rarity wants us to do exactly?” I asked.

“Duh! She wants us to get rid of the raccoons, turn off the party music, and all that other stuff,” Rainbow replied.

“Are you sure that’s what Rarity really wants?”

“What else could she want?” Pinkie asked. “For us to solve her problems our way instead of what she would do herself because she knows all of us so well and why she asked for our help opening the store in the first place?”

Everypony stared at her with wide eyes. The realization arrived on Pinkie’s face soon after.

“Ohhhhh, doing this our way is what Rarity wants!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Precisely!” Twilight replied.

Everypony split up and did their respective tasks. Pinkie went upstairs to get Vinyl to implement her music into the shop. Fluttershy suggested to the raccoons that they can stay as long as they were willing to work for Rarity’s boutique. Applejack listened to some of Plaid’s ideas and was willing to give her a chance. Rainbow used her own process to hire the potential workers: a race. Twilight arranged the dresses with her own organization method. I made sure there weren't any slip-ups.

After hours of prepping, the store was ready to open. I quickly removed the chair from the window display’s door, and I instantly caught Rarity as she fell out.

“Heh, fixed the knob,” I said.

“Thank you,” Rarity said as I put her down. “Oh! What's all this?”

Thanks to everypony’s efforts, the shop was set up and decorated swiftly and stylishly. Dresses hung on every wall, mannequins stood on every corner, and a set of speakers and DJ rested on the back wall.

(“We can all thank Twilight for that.” I rolled my eyes.)

“I knew I could count on all of you!” Rarity quickly hugged Twilight. “Alright...I suppose this is the moment of truth...”

Rarity opened the door, ringing the bell above it.

(“Applejack and Plaid compromised on replacing the horn,” I said. “Thankfully, Mr. Stripes had an antique bell that fit with the store’s style.”)

“‘Rarity For You’ is now open!” Rarity announced to the crowd.

And what a crowd it was! The long list of ponies flooded the sidewalks as if Rarity’s boutique was a raving club.

“Oh, dear. I wasn't quite prepared for such a crowd,” Rarity said as the horde shuffled in. “How will I handle them all?”

Thankfully, Rainbow Dash took care of that. There were three ponies qualified for the shopping assistant position, so she hired them all. It was lucky that Rarity was able to afford all three at once.

The rest of the girls handled everything else. Pinkie invited Vinyl Scratch to play a shopping music remix. Fluttershy washed the raccoon family and made them outfits so they could serve snacks to customers. Applejack let Plaid show off her new spoon accessories.

“This is the most whimsical and wonderfully fashionable boutique I've ever seen!” one of the patrons announced.

The rest of the crowd joyfully chattered at that.

“...and later on, a reporter came in asking to interview the girls and me,” I concluded, “and now here we are.”

“You don’t need to include that part, kid,” the reporter pointed out. “Okay, that’s it for this interview. Thanks for taking the time to be here.”

“No problem.” I shook his hoof. “I look forward to seeing the review in the papers.”

After the reporter left, I quickly finished the rest of my meal and paid the check with tips included. That’s when I bumped into Pinkie wearing a fedora.

“Oops, sorry, Pinkie,” I said.

She quickly tilted her hat and raced to the bathroom.

“Huh. Weird.”

Back in Ponyville a few days later, the girls sans Rarity were speeding through town to get to Carousel Boutique. I casually ambled along.

“For pete’s sake, Spike!” Rainbow zoomed up to me. “Will you keep up with us already?!”

She shoved me onto her back and zipped up to the Carousel Boutique.

“What’s the rush?” I asked as I hopped off. “That review can’t be that bad.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Rainbow retorted. “I still can't believe we all just blabbed everything that happened to that reporter!”

“Look, Rarity’s opening was still a success, and we solved the issues with only minor problems. Do you honestly think that the reporter would straight up make a bad review?”

“Who knows how Manehattan reporters do their job? For all we know, he could pretty much point out such problems without even mentioning anything else!”

The rest of the girls showed up out of breath and with the same panicked face as Dashie’s.

“You're all overreacting, you know that?” I asked.

Twilight said, “Spike’s right. Rarity's our friend. If anypony is gonna understand, it'll be her.”

Twilight was about to knock on the door when Rarity opened it with a brooding look on her face.

Rarity said grimly, “I was wondering when all of you were going to show up.” She then instantly changed her expression. “Now we can all read the review together!”

“Um, I have an idea. How 'bout we don't read it?” Rainbow Dash suggested as we all went inside the shop.

Twilight took the paper away. “What she means is, before you read it, we should probably tell you about—”

Rarity snatched the paper back. “No, no, darling. Please, no spoilers.”

“But—”

“NO SPOILERS!!”

Everypony sat at the nearby table as Rarity put her glasses on.

“Now, is everypony ready to hear what I'm sure is a stellar review that describes in stunning detail exactly how each of you contributed to the successful opening of Rarity For You?” Rarity asked.

“Yes!” I said enthusiastically.

Everypony else looked at me.

I shrugged. “Am I the only one who’s not acting so worried?”

Rarity read the review. It was similar to what was written in the show, with only a few minor details changed, like the disaster of the girls’ first attempts omitted and some aspects added from my interview.

“‘In the end,’” Rarity finished, “‘Rarity's grand opening was a smashing success, as predicted! True, it got off to a rocky start, but somehow this rag-tag group of ne'er-do-wells (oh, heavens, I think he means you) came together and created the perfect boutique. A vision of Rarity combined with the expertise of her friends! This reporter, for one, is a believer.’” Rarity put the paper down. “Is that why you didn’t want me to see your process or read the paper?”

“We all figured you had enough on your mind,” Twilight replied.

“And we didn't want you to think that the opening wasn't perfect,” added Applejack.

Rarity chuckled. “Ne'er-do-wells or not, I know I can always count on all of you. And nothing could be more perfect than that.”

We all shared a group hug. Honestly, I didn’t expect to change this episode very much aside from preventing the girls from messing up the first time. At least I got the chance to do an interview with a news reporter. That never happened back in my old world.

Author's Note

Am I using the “[ HR ]” command too much here?

Chapter 96 (Applejack's "Day" Off)

“Spike! Will you stop jumping around?!” Twilight exclaimed. “Those chairs are for sitting, not springing!”

“Sorry, Twilight.” I hopped off one of the chairs. “Just practicing my parkour skills.”

“I understand, Spike, but you need to be careful. Some ponies and non-ponies can get hurt jumping around, even more so without any wings. Anyway, have you seen any more pie tins? We need to pick up some of Applejack’s pies today.”

“I think there’s still some in the kitchen. Let me help you look.”

It was then I realized this was when “Applejack’s ‘Day’ Off” occurred. In the show, Applejack’s chores had been eating up more and more of her time, so Twilight and Spike would help out on the farm while AJ and Rarity take a spa day. However, the first two would discover that Applejack overcomplicates her chores, and they would help the farm pony simplify them. I couldn’t find anything major to change, but I wanted to know why AJ would make such unnecessary impediments to her tasks.

You would think somepony like Applejack would know how to optimize her work.

After we got a dozen pie tins, Twilight and I headed to Sweet Apple Acres. Along the way, we met Rarity.

“Hi, Rarity,” Twilight greeted.

“Morning, Twilight, Spike,” Rarity responded. “Good heavens, that's a lot of empty pie plates.”

“We’re getting a lot of pies from Applejack,” I answered. “What about you?”

“I’m going to get Applejack. Although, I'm quite sure she'll be too busy once again.”

“How so? Has she been late to your spa days again?”

“Precisely, and it’s become more and more obvious. Last time, we only had ten seconds together in the steam room. Ten seconds!”

“You two really should set aside some time,” Twilight said.

“Darling, I have been trying for moons!” Rarity retorted. “But Applejack is so busy these days, it's next to impossible.”

“Wow. I didn't realize Applejack had so much to do.”

“She’s a farmer, what did you expect?” I asked.

“Even farmers would try to make some free time available.” Twilight scratched her chin. “To be honest, I’ve noticed Applejack being late for other activities as well. I remember how she showed up an hour late for our recent Pony Pet Playdate.”

“So you see?” Rarity asked. “Something’s going on down at the farm.”

We arrived at the barn just in time to see Applejack take out some pies from the oven.

“Hello, Applejack,” I said. “We’ll take our usual, please.”

“Sure thing, Spike.” Applejack filled up the tins.

Unlike in the show, I picked up each pie individually and placed them on the nearby haystack.

“I don't suppose those pies are the last chore on the schedule for today?” Rarity asked unamusingly.

Applejack slapped her forehead. “Land's sakes! Is it time for our spa day already? Rarity, why don't you go on ahead and I'll meet ya there?”

“Oh, please, Applejack. Let's not kid ourselves!”

Applejack exited her house. “Well, it ain't 'cause I don't wanna. But the work on the farm has just been taking up more and more of my time.”

I asked, “Have you tried adjusting your chores to improve efficiency? Leaving out what’s considered unnecessary?”

“I’ve been tryin’ to.”

“Can't you get somepony else in your family to take over for a bit?” Twilight suggested.

AJ sighed. “Wish I could. But Granny, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom all have chores of their own. And today, they're all busy taking the harvest to market.”

“Twilight and I could try to handle your chores for the time being,” I offered.

“Are ya sure?”

“We could do at least one chore while you’re away.”

“Well... I suppose if you two got started on feedin' the pigs, I could maybe leave for an hour.”

“Ooh!” Rarity clapped her hooves. “An hour of spa perfection? I can work with that!”

Twilight’s face lit up. “Perfect! You head out to the spa, and Spike and I'll take care of things here.”

Applejack guided us to the pig pen and pulled out a list.

“Say, why do you have pigs anyway?” Twilight asked. “What do you use them for?”

“You’d be surprised how much truffles go for these days,” Applejack replied.

Huh, I feared it was for something…less family-friendly.

“Okay. This list pretty much covers everything you need to know to feed the pigs.” Applejack handed Twilight the list. “But...uh...maybe I should go over it with you just to...”

“Applejack, please,” Twilight assured her. “If there's a list involved, I am one hundred percent on top of it.”

“Hey, it won’t hurt to cover our bases,” I pointed out.

“Now, now. I really do not want to prolong our spa day any further,” Rarity said as she pulled AJ along.

Twilight waved. “Don't worry about things here! Spike and I have totally got this! I mean, it's just feeding the pigs. How hard could it be?”

I unfurled the list. “Well…it’s not as long as your other lists.”

Given how it stretched to about ten feet, that was saying something.

“Woah,” Twilight said in an unconfident manner.

“It shouldn't be different from how we normally do our chores.” I shrugged.

Twilight took a deep breath. “You’re right.” She walked over to the gate. “Okay, Spike, ready with that list?”

“Yep.” I read the first step. “‘Open the gate.’”

Twilight did just that. The gate gave off an audible creak, but the pigs were left unstirred.

“‘Step 2,’” I read. “‘Close the gate.’”

“Huh?” Twilight cocked an eyebrow.

“That’s what the list says.”

Twilight shut the gate. Once again, the pigs gave no reaction.

“‘Step 3: Walk away,’” I said.

Twilight trotted at least twenty feet from the pigpen.

“Step 4: Walk to the side of the pen.”

Once again, Twilight obeyed.

“Step 5: Cover your face with your hooves while leaning on the fence.”

“Really?” Twilight asked me. “Okay.” She put her hooves in front of her face.

“‘Step 6: Make a funny face while waving your hooves around’?”

“Uh…okay?” Twilight flapped her arms. “Belelele!”

I kept my face concealed as I snickered. “Okay…okay…‘Step 7: Walk back to the gate.’”

Twilight returned to our starting spot.

“‘Step 8: Put your arms by your side and do the chicken dance.’”

Twilight furrowed her brows and then complied. “Bawk! Bu-bu-bu-buck!”

“Bah, ha ha ha!” I guffawed.

“I knew it! You were pulling a trick on me!” Twilight snatched the list from my hands. “Give me that! Okay, let’s see what the list…oh, that’s exactly what the list really says.”

“Heh, you thought I was joking?” I looked at the pigs. “It looks like the pigs aren’t responding to anything we’ve done so far.”

Twilight read the list. “‘Step 9: Place the food bucket on the fence next to the troughs.’ Now we’re getting somewhere.”

She levitated the bucket of swill to its location.

“‘Step 10,’” she continued, “‘Grab rope from the barn, along with a stick, some string, and an ear of corn.’”

“Or not,” I replied.

Twilight hurried to the barn and returned with the items.

“If you can trust me again, the next step says to tie the rope around your waist,” I said, showing her the list.

Twilight double-checked the step and wrapped one end of the rope around her body.

“‘Step 12: Tie the stick to one end of the string.’” I read. “Step 13: Tie the corn to the other end of the string.”

“I’m starting to see why Applejack takes so long with her chores.” Twilight combined the stick, string, and corn together. “There.”

“Now, for step 14, you have to hang from the barn using the pulley.” I pointed to the contraption sticking out on the plank of wood.

Twilight threaded the other end of the rope through the pulley. I quickly grabbed it.

“Ready, Twilight!” I called out.

“Okay, start lifting,” Twilight signaled.

I quickly pulled the rope back, but once Twilight’s hooves left the ground, it was clear that my draconic strength had its limits.

“Jeez, Twilight!” I groaned. “Lay off the hayburgers, will ya?!”

“I’m going to ignore that,” Twilight said sternly. “What’s the next step?”

I grabbed the list with my free hand. “‘Lure pigs to other side of the pen with corn.’”

Twilight levitated the corn above the pigs. Immediately, they sprung up and followed the corn all the way across the pen. In the following stampede, the bucket toppled over into the trough. The pigs instantly lost focus on the corn and scurried to the trough to munch on their lunch.

“Finally,” Twilight sighed with relief. “Lower me down, Spike. Gently!”

I obliged. Twilight undid the rope just in time to see Applejack and Rarity returning from the spa.

“Oh, you two are back already?” Twilight asked.

“What do you mean ‘already’?” Rarity pulled out her pocket watch. “It’s been a full hour.”

“I guess we lost track of time feeding the pigs. So how did your spa day go? Was it relaxing?”

“Well, if watching Applejack fix plumbing counts as relaxing, then yes.”

“What about your hour of spa perfection?”

“As it turns out, the Ponyville Day Spa had a few problems with their steam room, and somepony refused to relax until she had fixed them.” Rarity glared at Applejack.

“I'm sorry, but I just couldn't let those spa ponies go another minute puttin' up with problems they didn't even know they had,” said Applejack. “Somehow they just got used to a huge bottleneck of ponies standing around waiting. I took one good look at that spa jam, and I knew I had to do something!”

“While we’re on that subject, Applejack,” I said as I joined the pony group. “Have you noticed that some facets of your chores are rather…unnecessary?”

“What do ya mean?”

“Well, I’ve noticed how Twilight had to do some things that were out of place. Like opening and closing the gate, making funny faces, doing the chicken dance. I’m worried you’re going off your rocker.”

“Spike’s right, Applejack,” Twilight said. “I know the Apple family can have rather unique ways to care for their crops (if the zap apples prove anything), but are you sure everything we did on the list is mandatory to feed the pigs?”

“Of course,” Applejack replied. “Why would I be doing it myself if it weren’t?” She walked over to the gate. “See, this gate here used to squeak so loud, the pigs would run to the other side of the pen and never come out! So I open and close it to let them know it's safe.”

“It didn’t sound that loud to me,” I said.

“Of course not. I fixed that ages ago. Then I realized putting a little fright into 'em got 'em all hustlin' out of the pen.”

“And yet when Twilight did it, she couldn’t phase them.”

“Well, no. They got used to it. Which is why I started doing the chicken dance! To show 'em that if they didn't get to eating their food, the chickens would. 'Course, being a chicken, I couldn't very well open the gate. Getting the food bucket to spill into the trough was just a happy accident because one time I left it there by mistake.”

“And this is done instead of just simply dumping the bucket of food into the troughs because…”

“Because…uh…you see…” Applejack tapped the ground with her hoof. “Huh.”

“It seems that the spa ponies weren’t the only ones who were stuck doing extra work,” Rarity pointed out.

“I wonder if I've been doing that around here with anything else.”

“Let’s find out!” I declared. “If you don’t mind changing your farming methods.”

“As long as it gets me more free time and it’s within Apple Family traditions,” Applejack replied.

Our first stop was the chicken coops. Applejack’s method was to give each chicken a morsel of food while she collects their eggs. Her reason being was that the farm once had a feed shortage. Of course, it happened a long time ago, and the farm currently had significantly more feed than what to do with them. We resorted to dumping the feed into a big pile and releasing all the chickens at once so Applejack can feed the chickens and collect the eggs at a faster pace.

Next was the watering system for the gardens. Applejack used to open and close each valve individually because a plumbing issue caused the water pressure to dwindle. She fixed that plumbing problem months ago, but still opens and closes the valves out of habit. We showed her she just needed to open all the valves at once and still get enough pressure to water her crops.

Our final stop was repairing the metal wire fence. This part was debatable, as Applejack’s method of filling the holes was already an effective way to fix the fence in my opinion. The girls and I agreed that Applejack should patch the fence if there’s only one or two holes, and she should replace the entire section if there’s a lot more.

In the end, we were able to streamline Applejack’s chores, giving her more free time than usual.

“Thanks, y'all,” Applejack said. “I guess I just got so used to doing everything a certain way, I didn't realize there were any problems.”

“It helps to have a fresh pair of eyes to see what you’re doing,” I pointed out.

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Twilight responded.

Rarity concluded, “And I suppose if it weren't for our unsuccessful time at the spa, none of us would've realized it.”

“Well, now that your chores are streamlined, what are you gonna do with all the extra time?”

Applejack looked at Rarity. “I think I have a few ideas.”

It didn’t take a psychologist to see how delighted Rarity was. Both she and Applejack trotted down to the spa.

“It’s best if we take our leave as well,” Twilight suggested.

As I followed Twilight, I thought about how this episode turned out. To be honest, I didn’t expect any crucial changes, with or without fate being involved. At least I got a laugh out of Twilight making funny faces and dancing like a chicken.

“Wait, Twilight, what about the pies?” I asked.

“The pies?” Twilight slapped her forehead. “Oh! The pies!”

She quickly galloped back to the farm.

Chapter 97 (Stranger Than Fan Fiction)

I was in my room one morning, trying on a green safari shirt while staring in the mirror.

“I bought this last month,” I groaned. “I couldn’t have outgrown it now.”

Twilight knocked on my bedroom door. I let her in.

“Hey, Spike,” Twilight said. “What are you dressing up for? The gala isn’t for another couple of months.”

“This isn’t for the gala,” I said. “I’m going with Rainbow Dash to the Daring Do convention.”

“You wanted to go?”

“Yeah. I asked Rainbow if I could tag along and she accepted.” I shrugged. “Provided I packed my own items and paid for my own ticket.”

I was aware that this was when the episode “Stranger than Fan Fiction” occurred. In the show, Rainbow meets another fan of Daring Do, but he’s only interested in the first three books and disregards the rest as canon. That is until both of them are plunged into an actual Daring Do adventure.

There was nothing to change for this episode honestly, aside from getting an autograph from Daring Do which Rainbow forgot. I was more interested in attending the convention for fun, since the last convention I went to was back in my old world.

I packed my things and rode with Twilight to Rainbow’s house. Rainbow answered the second Twilight tapped on the door.

“Oh, hey guys!” Rainbow greeted us. “I’m almost done packing. Actually, I need you, Twilight!”

“Me?” Twilight asked as we walked in. “What for?”

“I just need somepony to read the rest of my recent Daring Do book while I pack. I can’t do both at the same time.”

“Okay, fine.”

Twilight and Dashie went to the latter’s room while I rested on the couch. I double-checked my items to make sure I had everything.

Toiletries, bits, spare clothing, water…just because I haven’t been to a convention in a long time doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be prepared.

A few minutes later, Rainbow and Twilight exited the bedroom.

“This convention will be fun, but it's nothing to get too excited about,” Rainbow said as she carried her briefcase. “Alright, Spike, time to head out.”

Dashie and I hopped on the train to Manehattan.

As I adjusted my shirt, Dashie tapped her hooves with excitement.

“I still can’t believe A. K. Yearling is gonna be there!” she squealed.

“Yeah, I bet it’s gonna be fun to see her,” I said. “But…don’t you think something is up?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean, if Daring Do’s author is attending a convention, which she never does, shouldn’t that raise a few questions?”

“Oh, please, Spike. Why shouldn’t A. K. Yearling have some time off from writing her books? Even I take the time from my Wonderbolt duties to talk to my fans.”

“I’m just saying the reason for her visit might be more than just seeing the members of her fanbase.”

“Just because somepony does something different for a change does not always mean something is wrong.”

Once we arrived at the Manehattan train station, we took a taxi to the hotel and checked in. After a lot of unpacking, dressing-up, and registering, Rainbow and I were finally at the convention.

Around us was nothing but Daring Do memorabilia.

“So excited!” Rainbow trotted in place like a foal in a candy store.

“‘Nothing to get too excited about,’ huh?” I asked.

I followed Dashie as she scoured around the events. I may not have been as big of a Daring Do fan as Rainbow Dash, but I couldn’t help but admire some of the decor.

That’s when a vendor pony zipped up to us.

“You two look like you'd be up for an all-inclusive one-of-a-kind adventu-cation,” he announced, “where you can get to live the Daring Do experience!”

“No thanks,” Rainbow declined. “We did that already.”

The vendor cocked an eyebrow as we left.

Our next stop was a replica of one of the traps. Specifically, the one in Daring Do’s first book with the spring-loaded traps on the ground. Even though both of us knew the pattern, Rainbow purposely stepped on the wrong tile to see what would happen. Just like in the show, steam hissed from the ceiling as yellow and red streamers popped out the walls..

Rainbow declared, “This is the...”

“...awesomest thing ever!” she and another pony concluded.

We looked to see another fan admiring the trap. He had a gray mane, brown coat, fake wings, and Daring Do clothing. This was Quibble Pants.

Quibble pointed to the tiled floor. “Now this is something that only a true fan can appreciate.”

Rainbow nodded. “They even put the tiles in the right order.”

“Good catch. Oh, I'm Quibble Pants. Nice to meet you two.”

“I’m Rainbow Dash, and this is Spike.”

After we exchanged hoof bumps, Quibble and Rainbow took turns complimenting on the authenticity of each other’s costumes, right down to the hats.

“Wow, now I’m feeling inadequate with my own costume,” I said as I took my hat off.

“Don’t sweat it, kid,” Quibble said. “Not everypony gets it right on the first try.”

Quibble joined us as we toured the event. We tried out different obstacle courses, purchased figurines, and even admired some of the artwork. Quibble himself was interested in a Daring Do body pillow, which creeped both Rainbow and me out. I wasn’t that kind of brony.

Later, the three of us relaxed at the snack bar, enjoying our delicious yet overpriced smoothies.

“I am so glad we ran into you,” Rainbow said to Quibble. “It’s always nice to meet another pony who really knows Daring Do.”

“I know what you mean,” Quibble replied. “It's so hard to find a pony who really gets it.”

Rainbow looked at a brochure. “That's weird. We've only done stuff from the first trilogy. After lunch, we should probably start working our way back through the other books.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Quibble suddenly held up a hoof. “There are no other books.”

“You got something against them?” I asked.

“I’m saying that I refuse to acknowledge them.”

“What are you talking about?” Rainbow asked. “What’s wrong with Daring Do’s other books?”

“They're horrible!” Quibble retorted. “I mean, there isn't a single thing after ‘Ring of Destiny’ that is even remotely in the realm of the possible!”

“Uh, Quibble?” I sat up. “‘Ring of Destiny’ is not Daring Do's third book.”

“Exactly!“ Rainbow barked. ”Plus, I know for a fact that everything in every one of those books is one hundred percent possible!”

“Okay, so ‘Ring of Destiny’ was a slip the tongue on my part, but how could you two possibly know that the modern books are still considered ‘realistic’?”

“The last time we were at A. K. Yearling’s book signing, we heard her say that she does many equations and likes to picture herself as the main character,” I lied. “It helps her figure out if the average pony can survive and make it through the traps realistically.”

“Really?” Quibble squinted his eyes. “I happened to have been at her recent book signing, and I’m sure that I never saw you nor Rainbow Dash there.”

“I meant the last signing Rainbow and I went to, not her most recent one.”

“Uh huh…”

“Why would you even come to this convention if you hate Daring Do so much?” Rainbow asked.

“I don't hate Daring Do!” Quibble rebutted. “The first series was smart and cool and an amazing nod to old-time serialized adventure books that somehow manages to be self-reflective and ironic while at the same time celebrating the art form without a hint of cynicism.”

He sure nails the over-analyzer persona.

Quibble continued, “Which is why I came here to ask A. K. Yearling muzzle-to-muzzle why she sold out and dumbed down the rest of her books into just a series of impossible action sequences!”

“I’ll admit there are some scenes where survival is almost improbable, but have you considered the reason why there’s more action in later books is because Daring Do is attracting more attention from the bad guys?” I asked politely. “It’s possible the added action is to show tension and that there’s more at stake than just collecting an artifact.”

“As if! Name one chapter from the modern books where ‘the average pony’ can survive unscathed. Trust me, you can’t do it.”

“Okay, now I know you're crazy,” Rainbow yelled. “A. K. Yearling is awesome, and every Daring Do book that comes out is better than the last!”

That’s your rebuttal, Dashie?

Quibbled sighed sharply. “Okay, yeah. I’m sorry, but I could never be friends with somepony who's willing to believe impossible stuff is possible as long as Daring Do does it.”

“Uh, guys, we’re drawing a crowd,” I pointed out.

Rainbow ignored my comment. “That's okay, because I could never be friends with somepony who's so focused on things being possible that he's willing to turn his back on the coolest hero of all time!”

Both Rainbow and Quibble split up. I went over to the bar to get a refill.

That’s another argument that didn’t tick me off.

I went to find Rainbow Dash. I caught her just as she was about to leave the building. I quickly followed after her.

“Rainbow Dash, where are you going?” I asked.

“I need to prove to Quibble that all of Daring Do’s stunts are legit!” Rainbow slipped out of her shirt. “To do that, I need help from the pony…er, pony’s author herself!”

We entered the hotel and got to the desk. Rainbow rapidly slammed the bell.

“May I help you?” the clerk pony asked.

“What room is A. K. Yearling staying in?” Rainbow asked.

“I’m sorry, but we are not allowed to divulge that information. Especially Miss Yearling since she made it clear she did not want to be disturbed by the other guests.”

“Look, just tell A. K. Yearling that Rainbow Dash is here, and I need her help to convince a know-it-all pony that everything Daring Do's ever done actually happened.”

The clerk pony stayed silent.

“Rainbow Dash? Spike?” A voice whispered.

We turned to see…

“A. K.!” Rainbow announced. “We gotta talk to you. It's an emergency!”

A. K. gasped and looked around. “Not here.”

She quickly grabbed us and escorted us to her room, which was a lot nicer than the room Rainbow and I were staying at.

“Now tell me, what's going on?” A. K. slammed the door behind her. “Is it Caballeron? Did you see him?”

“See? I knew she wasn’t here just to see her fans,” I told Rainbow Dash.

“How are you always right?” Rainbow shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. A. K., there’s a pony downstairs who thinks everything you've written after the first trilogy is totally unrealistic and terrible. And I need you to help me prove to him that it's all totally possible.”

Miss Yearling closed all the curtains and checked under the beds. “I've got bigger problems on my hooves than dissatisfied fanponies.” She then took out an amulet from underneath her cloak.

“Woah!” Rainbow gazed at the shiny object.

Yearling told us that this amulet was a key to open a lost temple. The reason why she came here was to hide from Dr. Caballeron and his henchponies. The high security and the Daring Do cosplayers here would help her blend in and keep her safe. She quickly ditched her robes and donned her Daring Do outfit.

“How can we help?” Rainbow asked enthusiastically.

“Just keep your eyes out for anything suspicious,” Daring Do said.

“Understood. Oh, before we go…” I pulled out a Daring Do book and quill. “...could you sign this real quick, please?”

Daring rolled her eyes. She scribbled her A. K. signature on the inside of the cover.

“Thank you so much,” I said.

Rainbow and I quickly left the room.

“Thanks for doing that,” Rainbow said. “I almost forgot about getting Twilight’s book signed.”

I nodded. I didn’t know what happened after the episode, but I bet Twilight was disappointed that Rainbow couldn’t get an autograph from Daring Do. At least this time it happened.

Rainbow and I returned to the convention. Instead of searching for cool shirts, we searched for Caballeron.

“Ugh! It’s hard to tell with all these cosplayers,” Rainbow hissed.

“Just keep looking,” I said.

“You know, it’s strange how you took my side back there when I was arguing with Quibble. I thought you were going to blow your whistle and tell us both why we shouldn’t argue about Daring Do’s books.”

“Well, we both know her secret, and Quibble doesn’t. I can’t always be neutral.”

That’s when both of us bumped into a familiar face.

“Well, if it isn't the pony and dragon who know impossible things can happen because A. K. Yearling ‘supposedly’ told them so,” Quibble said.

“Quibble, I understand that you believe the books to be non-canon because you don’t have all the facts yet, but this is more important right now,” I replied.

“Yeah, just stay out of our way,” Rainbow added as we left.

“No, wait!” Quibble called out sarcastically, “I want to hear more about how you're one hundred percent sure that in ‘Curse of the Jungle Queen’, Daring Do could survive a sixty-story drop from the top of a waterfall after sustaining a broken wing in a category-six rapid!”

“Obviously, her wing wasn't broke—Caballeron!”

“See, now that's a great character. Solid backstory, good motivations...”

“No, she means that there’s Caballeron,” I hissed, pointing at the group of stallions behind Quibble.

“Of course he is.” Quibble pointed around the convention. “He's also over there, over there...”

Rainbow followed the Caballeron’s gang as they went outside. Quibble and I went after her.

Quibble asked, “And we're out here because...?”

“Because there is…a group of criminals somewhere in the convention,” I replied, “and Rainbow and I need to stop them.”

“Does the word ‘police’ mean anything to you?”

Before any of us could respond, two of Caballeron’s henchponies shoved a mail bag over Quibble. With little time to react, I shoved Rainbow Dash out of the way only to find myself in nothing but darkness.

“You fools!” Dr. Caballeron’s voice shouted. “The girl’s getting away!”

The rest of the voices were muffled. As much as I wanted to get out, I did my best not to struggle.

After what seemed like an eternity in the bag, I was shoved out along with Quibble right beside me. Surrounding us was a jungle, camping supplies, and a bunch of angry henchponies. Rainbow was absent, which wasn’t really a surprise thanks to my actions.

But the real question is: where is Rainbow Dash now?

Cabelleron came to the scene.

“I do not know what Daring Do is playing at, but if she told you two fans of my plan to steal the amulet, you must work for her!”

“Really, Spike?” Quibble asked as he brushed himself off. “This was your and Rainbow Dash’s plan to prove the Daring Do books are realistic? You bought a Daring Do Experience Adventu-cation?”

“I don’t think this is part of Rainbow’s plan...if she had one,” I replied.

Just like in the show, Quibble wasn’t buying the fact that Cabelleron, let alone the entire hostage situation, was real. He tried to leave, but Cabelleron’s cronies interrupted his casual departure and chained both of us up with a Griffon Lock. Cabelleron left to search for the temple.

Quibble whispered, “Listen, if I pretend to believe this nonsense is real, will you call off the henchpony repertory theater over there?”

“I’m not able to do that.” I shook my head. “They won’t listen.”

“Oh, wow, so you're gonna stick with that script?”

Suddenly, the nearby bushes rustled violently. Quibble didn’t even have to throw a pin.

“What was that?!” One of the henchponies exclaimed. “Fan out! We can't let Daring Do rescue these two!”

Everypony ditched the campsite, leaving Quibble and I alone.

Quibble chuckled. “All four?! I mean, shouldn't at least one of them stay behind to guard us? Oh, oh, wait, the... No, because then it wouldn't be a terrible Daring Do adventure.”

“Just hurry up and solve the Griffon Lock,” I sighed.

Within a few clicks, the chains unraveled around us.

“Thank you,” I said. “Now, let’s get out of here!”

Quibble grudgingly replied, “No kidding. Just point me to the hotel and you can play fan-dragon and hunt treasure out here all day long.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Okay, listen. If you believe that this is a fictional adventu-cation, that’s fine. But in order to get back, we’ll have to play along for now.”

Quibble groaned. “Fine.”

We snuck out of the campsite and into the jungle.

As we traversed through the greenery, Quibble went on about how the recent Daring Do books were inferior compared to the older ones. Honestly, he made Cinemare Sins sound like Cinemare Wins.

“...and that is everything that's wrong with ‘Daring Do and the Trek to the Terrifying Tower,’” Quibble concluded.

“While I admit that Cabelleron’s motive in that book was kind of vague,” I said, “you can’t deny that the artifact at the time was better off in Daring Do’s hooves.”

“Hmph, how so? Cabelleron’s idea was to sell it for money, while Daring Do’s was to put it in a museum, which produces money.”

“But the museum also produces knowledge of pony and non-pony history as accurately as possible.”

Plus, I don’t know if Cabelleron’s story about his museum is true or not.

“And yet the end result would still be the same. Money is earned from the artifact. There is no difference.”

“Then let me ask you this. A thief steals a diamond and then sells it to somepony for money. A miner digs up a diamond, gives it to a local jeweler, and gets paid. Even though they both earn the same amount of money, would you say they’re the same kind of pony or non-pony moral-wise?”

“That’s…er…I…” Quibble frustratedly tried to find a counter-argument, but I could tell he couldn’t find one.

Quibble and I approached a gorge, and the only way across was…

“A precarious rope bridge,” Quibble snarked. “What Daring Do adventure would be complete without one?”

“Since we’re one pegasus short, we’ll have to cross it,” I said. “Be careful.”

I scooted inch by inch while Quibble ambled behind.

Quibble pointed out, “If this were really a real Daring Do adventure, I'm sure I'd step on the wrong plank at exactly the wrong—”

CRUNCH!

“Quibble!” I shouted.

Quibble’s front hooves dangled underneath the bridge. I hurried over and pulled him up by his shirt collar.

“Good thing this is all just a pretend adventure,” Quibble reassured me. “Least we know all of this struggling won't make the bridge fall apart.”

I retorted, “Quibble, don’t tempt…!”

SNAP!!

“…fate.”

The bridge dropped a few feet. Quibble got a hoof over the hole.

“Grab my hand!” I barked.

Quibble obliged just as the bridge split in half. I grabbed one of the boards as we slammed onto the other side of the gorge!

“You're awfully strong for a preteen dragon!” Quibble called out.

“Save the compliments for after our brush with death!” I looked around. “Rainbow Dash! Daring Do! Where are you?!”

Quibble grabbed another plank with his other hoof, straining to keep himself up.

“You just had to cut gym class at school, didn’t you Quibble?!” Quibble said to himself.

All of a sudden, a bruised Rainbow Dash appeared with a rope.

“Guys! Grab onto this! Hurry!” Rainbow cried.

Quibble and I did just that, and Rainbow dragged us down to the river.

“Hold on to your potatoes!” I shouted.

Rainbow tied the rope to a tree just above a waterfall, hoping to slow our momentum. I managed to grab a branch, but Quibble’s end of the rope snapped off, causing him to tumble into the jungle. He bounced across three trees before sliding down the fourth one unscathed. Rainbow flew me to him.

“You alright, Quibble?” I asked.

“Y-yeah…” Quibble breathed. “I’m, I’m f-fine.”

“How's that for not possible?” Rainbow questioned.

“Not a good time, Rainbow,” I retorted. “Anyway, thanks for saving us. So what happened after Quibble and I got captured?”

“After you prevented those guys from abducting me (which I kinda thank you for that), I went to find Daring Do to tell her what happened. She told me there was a temple somewhere in this jungle and that Dr. Cabelleron’s campsite wouldn’t be far away from it. When I found you, I distracted and fought those henchponies while you two escaped. After that, I nabbed a rope from one of their tents, since I had a feeling it would come in handy when I found you two.”

Quibble then praised Rainbow for her skills. Rainbow pointed out that if it happened in the book, he would’ve passed it off as being unrealistic. Quibble admitted to that, but he came to a dawning conclusion.

“We could have been done for!” He exclaimed. “W-What kind of Adventu-cation is this?! I mean, that's just, that's just bad business! What, what are these ponies thinking?!”

“Right now?” A voice called out.

Dr. Cabelleron emerged from the bushes, followed by his minions, who looked a lot worse for wear than Rainbow.

“We are thinking that we should thank you for escaping,” Cabelleron boasted. “For you have led us directly to the Lost Temple of Chicomoztoc!”

Despite their injuries, the henchponies immediately tied all three of us up. They then led us into the temple.

“Make sure they are secure this time!” Cabelleron commanded. “We can't have them escaping again.”

The scene played out like in the show. Quibble concluded that this wasn’t a Daring Do Adventu-cation, but rather a poorly thought out knockoff with no safety measures. He released himself from the ropes and ranted about how not only the “staff” had no regards for our well-being, but also how the entire adventure didn’t persuade him from altering his opinion on the Daring Do books.

In Quibble’s fulmination, he indiscriminately triggered a trap in the temple, causing mud to spill out everywhere. He didn’t notice this mistake until a huge creature known as a Cipactli appeared from behind him. Cabelleron and his stallions dashed away.

“Y…you’re real…” Quibble whimpered. “This is real…”

Rainbow and I quickly grabbed him and sprinted away.

“This is real!!” Quibble repeated.

“I’m pretty sure that has been acutely acknowledged!” I replied as I removed the ropes from my torso.

Rainbow, Quibble and I raced to the end of the hallway, but Cabelleron slammed the doors shut in front of us. Just when I was about to fire a fireball at the Cipactli out of instinct, a figure swooped down and grabbed all three of us.

We all landed on a platform three stories high. Quibble’s jaw dropped at who saved us.

“When you said these two were in trouble, Rainbow Dash,” Daring Do said as she unraveled the rope around Dashie, “I didn’t think this would be the trouble.”

“Y-you're real!?” Quibble sputtered. “You-you-you're both friends with her?!”

Only in this world where meeting a book character is more surprising than meeting a pegasus and a dragon who have saved the world multiple times.

“We'll have to do introductions later.” Daring removed Rainbow’s wing from her back. “Right now we have to—”

“G-Get out of here, yes! Thank you!” Quibble cried.

“Actually, no.”

“WHAT?!”

“We can't leave without the treasure. And we should probably get to it before our friend gets any higher.”

Daring pointed over the ledge at the Cipactli swimming in the rising mud.

“Then let’s hurry,” I said.

We rushed down the hall. Daring Do pulled a lever at the end, spinning the wall around until we were in a room with tons of doors.

“Seven doors, seven locks,” said Daring. “One of them leads to the treasure. I'd rather not think about what the others lead to.”

“Yeah, yeah, the classic ‘Pony and the Tiger’ bit,” snarked Quibble. “All you have to do is—”

Rainbow put a hoof in front of Quibble. “Um, maybe you should let Daring Do figure it out?”

Just like in the show, Daring Do checked the doors, and through Quibble’s “subtly” dropped hints, she found the correct one.

“It's the only one without a match!” Daring declared. “How did I miss that?”

“I've been asking myself that ever since book four,” Quibble said under his breath.

I rolled my eyes.

How is this the same guy who voiced a cute French rat?

Daring inserted the key and opened the door, revealing a small, shiny, gray chest on the podium.

“The Seven-Sided Chest of Chicomoztoc!” Quibble exclaimed.

Daring snatched it just as mud formed beneath our feet and hooves. We returned to the flooded room just to see the entrance submerge underneath the opaque liquid.

“The way out is totally covered!” Rainbow cried. “How are we gonna get out of here?!”

“There!” Daring pointed up at the hole in the ceiling.

“Seriously, do you ever not escape out of the top of a temple?” Quibble asked.

“You call it a cliche, I call it a common theme,” I replied.

“How are we going to get all four of us out?” Rainbow asked. “Spike can ride on our backs with no problem, but we won’t be fast enough with Quibble.”

“Guys, I think Rainbow Dash and I have this covered.” Quibble tore some vines off one of the walls.

Quickly, we wrapped the vine around Quibble’s torso. I hopped on Rainbow’s back. Both her and Daring Do took off flying with Quibble dragging behind like he was on waterskis.

All of a sudden, the Cipactli popped out of the mud.

“Go around!” Quibble shouted. “You can't go over him!”

“Go over him?! Are you crazy?!” Daring Do retorted.

“Around! Around!” I yelled. “He said go AROUND him!”

“Around it is!” Rainbow replied.

Not making the same mistake as Indy and Elsa, Daring and Rainbow pulled to the right. The Cipactli dove for Quibble, but the sudden turn left the creature with nothing but mud in his mouth.

“Now’s our chance!” Daring announced. “Brace yourselves!”

Once the two pegasi got up to speed, they launched Quibble up in the air and through the hole. We then flew to the jungle and landed in a nearby clearing.

“That was intense,” I said.

“We’re not out of the woods, yet,” said Daring Do. “Figuratively and literally.”

We hid in the foliage just as Cabelleron and some of his henchponies passed us.

“Okay, I got it,” Quibble whispered. “Let's create a fake treasure out of mud and rocks, give that to Caballeron, and then we—”

Daring interrupted, “Not every Daring Do plan has to be super-complicated.”

Daring tossed a rock at the temple wall. She then gave us wide reeds and dove for the nearby pond. We quickly followed suit.

Even underwater, I heard the rock crumbling followed by the sound of Cipactli roaring. Once the hoofbeats dissipated into the distance, the four of us emerged from the water.

Sorry for that, Caballeron.

“There's some stairs on the other side of the temple that lead out of the ravine,” Daring pointed out. “I suggest you three take them and head west.”

“What about you?” Rainbow asked.

“I've gotta get this to a museum.” Daring pulled out the tiny chest. “Thanks for your help. I couldn't have done it without you. All three of you.”

Daring then flew off. Quibble, Rainbow and I followed her directions out of the woods.

“So...” Rainbow began to say.

Quibble replied. “So... maybe the later books are…slightly more realistic than I gave them credit for. Still don't like them.”

Rainbow stopped in her tracks. “What?! How can you—?!”

“Wait, hold on. Before we get into another fight, I think I finally figured it out.”

Quibble then went on how they both liked Daring Do in their own way. Quibble liked her for her puzzle-solving skills, while Rainbow enjoyed her actionpacked bravery. While I wasn’t a huge fan, I liked both aspects.

“I guess we don't have to agree on everything to get along.” Quibble held out a hoof. “Friends?

“Friends,” Rainbow and I said as we did a hoof bump with him.

As we left the jungle, Quibble rambled on about the possibility of Daring Do getting him to be the writer, as he made a fan fiction regarding her stories.

After a couple days at the Daring Do convention, Rainbow and I returned to Ponyville with nothing but Daring Do mementos. Rainbow dropped me off at the castle.

“Oh, you’re back!” Twilight exclaimed as I entered the castle. “How was the convention?”

“As what Rainbow would say, ‘Awesome,’” I replied as I removed my backpack.

“That’s great to hear. Were you able to get an autograph from A. K.?”

“Yep. The book’s in my backpack.”

As I got undressed, I thought about this episode. I didn’t do any major changes (aside from preventing Rainbow’s kidnapping), and I didn’t need to anyway. Rainbow needed to learn that some ponies have different opinions, while Quibble need to learn that Daring Do was real.

“Hey, Spike?” Twilight uncomfortably rubbed her hooves. “I know that you’re at that age where you start to get…certain feelings for others...and it’s normal for those your age to get something to help with those feelings, but…”

“What on Earth are you talking about?” I asked.

“I’m talking about this.”

Twilight pulled out a giant pillow. She flipped it around, revealing a picture of Daring Do tied up.

“That is not mine!” I waved my hands.

Twilight pulled a sticky note from the pillow. “‘Gotcha! Signed, RD.’”

“Rainbow Dash!” I shouted. “I’ll get you for that!”

Author's Note

Thanks to DraquineWarrior for helping me with an inconsistency.

Chapter 98 (Spice Up Your Life)

I sat on the train with Moondancer and Tyke. Tyke had his head out the window, staring at the landscapes.

“Be careful, Tyke,” Moondancer said. “You don’t want to fall out. Anyway, thanks for tagging along with us to Canterlot, Spike.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied. “I had nothing else better to do back at the castle. So what do you plan to do in Canterlot?”

“I was going to run a few errands there, but I also wanted to bring Tyke along so he could get a taste of Canterlot culture.”

“About that,” Tyke said as he leaned back in. “Are you sure I’ll feel welcome there? One of my siblings told me how everypony there is high-classed. I’m not sure I’ll fit in.”

“Don’t worry, Tyke,” said Moondancer. “As long as you’re with us, you won’t feel left out. Plus your upgraded vest wouldn’t be out of place at one of Canterlot’s boutiques.”

Tyke looked down at his outfit. “I guess.”

The train slowed to a halt at Canterlot’s train station. Moondancer, Tyke, and I quickly hopped off. Tyke stared up at the buildings’ architecture. Despite his open mouth, he said not a word.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” I asked.

“Let’s get going,” Moondancer said.

Tyke hopped on Moondancer’s back while I followed them both down the road. Tyke still stared at the sky. Specifically, he eyed some of the airships passing above.

“Here’s our first stop,” Moondancer announced. “The Canterlot Library.”

Somehow, I foresaw this.

The three of us entered the library. The massive amount of shelves and books gave me and the old Spike a wave of nostalgia.

“It’s like every library I go to gets bigger and bigger,” Tyke said.

Moondancer approached the front desk.

“Oh, Moondancer, hello,” the pony behind the desk greeted quietly. The pony in question had a dark green coat, a light blue mane, a yellow sweater, and red glasses. “How nice to see you again.”

“Likewise, Bellflower.” Moondancer removed some books from her bag. “I’m here to return these.”

“Excellent. How’s your time in Ponyville? I heard you’re their new librarian.”

“You heard right. And I’m enjoying every minute there.”

“Glad to hear it.”

Bellflower stamped the tickets on each book. That’s when I caught her eye.

“You must be Princess Twilight’s assistant, Spike,” she said. “I’m Bellflower Blurb, the new head librarian.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” I responded. “Before you ask, no. Twilight’s not with me right now.”

“What a shame. I’ve been wanting to help the Best Book Borrower check out a book.” Bellflower looked at Tyke. “And who is this?”

“Um…my name is Tyke,” Tyke nervously replied. “I’m with Moondancer and Spike.”

“Then welcome to the Canterlot Library, Tyke. Hope you’ll find something interesting to read here.”

Moondancer closed her saddle bags. “Let’s see what books they have today.”

We followed Moondancer down the aisle. She skimmed a few titles before taking them off the shelves.

“Say, Moondancer,” Tyke said, “are there any books about Diamond Dogs here?”

“I think there are some,” Moondancer said. “Let me check.”

Moondancer went through the library. While she didn’t find a book about Diamond Dogs specifically, there were a few that provided some useful information. Once she was done, we got to a table and read through some of the books.

“How’s the book?” I asked.

“It’s not inaccurate, but it does leave out a lot of details about Diamond Dogs,” Tyke replied. “At least for this one, it says that there are different groups for each section of Equestria.”

“You know, I don’t think you told me what the gems on the Diamond Dogs’ collars specified.”

Tyke cleared his throat. “Okay, so I Diamond Dog territory is divided up into different sections in Equestria. The colors of the collar gems represent each location. Different places have varying quantities and qualities, so it's not just about which district can produce more gems, but how rare are those gems and how many can be used for currency. The district I grew up in was the yellow district, which had a below average amount of gems in both numbers and worth of each gem, at least by Diamond Dog standards.”

“Where’s the yellow district?” I asked.

“It was that mountain range where you and I first met. Moving on, the shapes of the gems are based on a pack’s job. Usually, the supervisors or leaders of a group wear these on their collar, but regular Diamond Dogs can wear them under the right conditions. Rhombuses are the most common. They mine, dig, carry…basically, if you meet a Diamond Dog for the first time, they’ll most likely be from a Rhombus group. Depending on where you are, they can either be very friendly, or really nasty. I don’t have to tell you what the Orange Rhombus group is since your last encounter with them.

“The Diamond Dogs with the five-sided collar gems are called the ‘Pentas.’ They’re in a higher position than any Rhombus supervisor. They decide a gem’s worth and if it can be used for spending purposes. Pentas are also the ones who trade with dragons. I don’t know if anyone told you this, but dragons and Diamond Dogs are on a neutral standpoint. As long as they don’t try to attack us, we can provide food and money for them and vice versa.

“Next up are the Hexes: scientists with six-sided gems. They’re responsible for testing, experimenting, and naming gems. The next time you wonder how a gem got its scientific name, you can thank the Hexes. They usually reside in the higher-income districts, usually in underground laboratories. The only time you see them anywhere else is when they do field work, and even then it’s once in a while.

“Octos, the ones with eight-sided gems, are very important economists. They control their entire respective district and make decisions based on different factors, such as what areas need and don’t need to be mined, where and when trades with dragons should take place, and who should be assigned which job. I don’t know the exact number for my district, but I know the maximum number of Octos is six while the minimum is two for each district.

“Finally, the most important group of all the Diamond Dogs is the Stars. These shapes are exclusive to the royals, representatives, and members of the parliament. The only ways to be a Star are by relation or public opinion. These Dogs are only seen in the richest districts most of the time, and even then you’re more likely to find the world’s rarest gems than a Star there. In fact, a Diamond Dog could go through their whole life without seeing someone from the Star group. While Octos control their own district, Stars control all of the Diamond Dog territories.

“So, that’s all there is to know about the Diamond Dog districts and positions.”

“Wow, that was very intricate,” I said. “I do have one question. You mentioned royals, so where would your capital be?”

“It’s in the area northwest of Canterlot, between Galloping Gorge and Vanhoover in equal number of miles. If you see mountains, that’s where the royals would be.”

“You sure have some good map skills, Tyke,” Moondancer said.

“It was something one of my bigger brothers taught me before we fell apart,” Tyke said.

We spent the rest of the morning at the library reading some of the books. Moondancer took the liberty of helping Tyke get his own Canterlot Library card. Afterwards, we left for lunch.

“Let’s see, which is the quickest way to Restaurant Row?” I asked.

“Really, Spike?” Moondancer asked. “You want to eat there of all places?”

“Isn’t that where most of the eateries are?”

Moondancer looked at Tyke. “I was thinking about eating at a more familiar place. Come on.”

Tyke and I followed Moondancer to a place that really was all too familiar: the donut shop.

“Spike! Moondancer!” Pony Joe called out. “Great to see you again. Whose pet dog is that?”

“Uh, I’m not a pet, sir,” Tyke said. “I’m a Diamond Dog.”

“Oh! S-sorry, kid! I didn’t mean any offense. We almost never have Diamond Dogs visit Canterlot.”

Moondancer and I got our usual orders. Tyke stared at the display counter.

“Which donut would you like, Tyke?” Moondancer asked.

“I don’t know, there’s so many!” Tyke replied. “Which one should I choose?”

“How about a plain, glazed donut? It’s a good one to start with.”

“Okay, I’ll have that.”

After Moondancer ordered for Tyke, we sat at a nearby table. A short while later, Pony Joe served our meals.

Tyke took a bite from his donut. “Woah! It’s very sugary!”

“That’s a donut for you. You don’t have to finish it if you don’t like it.”

“Oh, I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” Tyke munched a bigger bite from the donut.

“Say, Moondancer,” I said, “what do you have against Restaurant Row? Earlier, you didn’t like my decision to go there.”

Moondancer sighed. “It’s just that all the restaurants on that street are the same, and the food’s not even that great. You eat at one place there, and you don’t have to eat at any of the others.”

“But don’t those places have a three-hoof rating from Zesty?”

“Gourmand? Oh, that pony’s nothing more than somepony getting paid to express their opinion. Honestly, seeing any place with her three-hoof rating is a red flag. Canterlot has a lot more restaurants that have better food than what you can find in Restaurant Row.” Moondancer levitated her donut. “Case in point.”

I took a sip of my cocoa. I remembered The Tasty Treat, but I wasn’t sure if it appeared on the street yet.

“But I’m not saying every fancy restaurant is bad,” Moondancer continued. “In fact, when I lived here in Canterlot, I’ve had my fair share of the fancier restaurants.” She leaned forward. “And I can tell you each eatery is grouped in four different tiers of fanciness.”

“Huh, I didn’t know that,” I said. “What is each tier like?”

“So the lowest tier is Tier 0. This has restaurants that don’t care much for being fancy, such as coffee shops, fast food places, and donut eateries. Keep in mind, that doesn’t mean that they are bad restaurants; they still provide great food and service. Places like these are perfect for those who just need a bite to eat without the hassle of dressing up or having proper table manners.

“Tier 1 has the basic fine dining restaurants. If you want to start eating fancy, these places are usually the first ones to start at. They’re good for when you want to practice table manners since these places are lax on any slip-ups. However, you shouldn’t have the habit of eating like a pig at these places. Every restaurant in Restaurant Row is on this tier, but there are a lot of better ones all around the city. You can also dress in casual or formal wear as long as it’s clean.

“Tier 2 restaurants are where things get serious. You need to have some experience in fine dining and a suit or formal dress to wear. These restaurants can overlook a few mistakes, but make too many and you might as well find another place to eat. In spite of the stricter rules, the food there is better and tastier. I’m speaking from experience.”

To think this was the same pony who was nothing more than a recluse in the show.

“And last but not least: Tier 3. Only a few restaurants are in this category and for good reason. They are very exclusive, very expensive, and very elaborate. The only way to get in is either being rich, getting invited by a royal, or having an accepted reservation. Only one percent of the one percent has dined at these places at least once. Obviously, I’ve never been, but I’ve heard good things about these places from those who have. They say the Princesses themselves can be seen dining at these places.”

“Amazing,” I replied. “And here I thought restaurants in Canterlot fell into only two categories: fancy and non-fancy.”

Moondancer finished the rest of her cocoa. “When you’ve been in Canterlot long enough, you begin to learn its secrets and see how everything is arranged in this town.”

After our not-so-nutritious lunch, we explored more of Canterlot. Moondancer showed Tyke her old home, Celestia's school, and a few popular Canterlot sites. She also chatted with some of the citizens she knew before she moved.

Surprisingly, Canterlot was more appreciative of Tyke than I thought. While there were a few uneasy stares given to him, there weren’t any direct, offensive comments about him being a Diamond Dog. I guessed Diamond Dogs weren’t as nasty to ponies as I thought (the Orange Rhombus group being the exception).

We were in the fashion district when Moondancer’s eye caught Rarity’s “Canterlot Carousel.”

“I just remembered I still need to get a dress for this year’s gala,” Moondancer said. “Plus, I’ve been meaning to see Rarity’s new boutique. Why don’t we head in?”

The three of us entered the boutique just in time to see Sassy Saddles trot down the stairs.

“Oh, you must be Miss Moondancer!” Sassy exclaimed. “I’ve heard about you.”

“Huh, I didn’t know I was that popular in Canterlot,” Moondancer replied. “Anyway, I’d like a dress for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala.”

“Wonderful! Fashion stores always get busy here in Canterlot right before the Gala, so I praise you for purchasing an outfit so far in advance. Let’s see what style is right for you.”

Sassy took Moondancer aside while Tyke and I browsed the shop.

“I didn’t know Miss Rarity had a boutique here,” Tyke said.

“She has one in Manehattan as well,” I replied.

“Really? Does she have a headquarters somewhere? A head shop?”

“Well, the Carousel Boutique in Ponyville isn’t exactly a headquarters, but it’s where she started her business.”

After a few minutes, Moondancer returned wearing a dark, purple dress with added arm gloves. Her mane was also tied up in a bun.

“You'll be sure to stand out in the crowd with this outfit!” Sassy announced.

“I’ll take it!” Moondancer responded. “Oh, and is it possible to make something for Tyke as well? Just make sure there’s something covering his neck.”

Sassy looked at Tyke. “Well…I never made something for a Diamond Dog before, but I’ll see what I can do.”

Sassy took some measurements, and then headed to the back carrying a few rolls of fabric.

“You want me to go to the Gala, too?” Tyke asked.

“Of course,” chuckled Moondancer. “We received two Gala tickets in the mail after all. What did you think the other one was for?”

“I thought you were going to ask somepony out.”

“Heh, maybe for next year’s gala. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all there is to know about the Grand Galloping Gala when we get back.”

Much later, Sassy came back with a small, midnight blue blazer and a light blue dress shirt underneath. There was also a white cravat to boot. Tyke tried them on, and if his wagging tail meant anything, he liked it.

“I did my best to show off Rarity’s TLC, and I must say it worked well,” said Sassy. “And how about you, Mr. Spike? Do you need a suit for the gala?”

“Maybe some other time,” I declined. “I feel like it’s too early for me.”

“Suit yourself. Ah...no pun intended.”

After Moondancer paid for her and Tyke’s outfits, we left the boutique. The sun already set behind the buildings, casting large shadows all over the streets.

“Wow, evening already?” Moondancer asked. “What say we grab a bite to eat before we head home?”

“That would be great.” Tyke then noticed a signicade. “Look! I think it’s a sign for a new restaurant.”

“‘Come to the newest restaurant: The Tasty Treat. The most exotic cuisine in Canterlot.’ Alright, we'll give it a try.”

So the “Spice Up Your Life” episode did happen. Well, it was a map episode anyway, so I didn’t need to change it.

Moondancer, Tyke, and I followed the signs to the Tasty Treat. Moondancer grew reluctant when we arrived at Restaurant Row.

“Uh, oh. This restaurant better not have joined the bandwagon,” she said.

We continued down the path until we came up to the restaurant. Unlike its neighbors, the Tasty Treat’s outdoor decor was extremely colorful and decorated with Indian-styled sigils. Or in this case, the ponified version of India.

We entered the establishment, and already dozens of ponies were seated about.

“Huh, guess not all restaurants are the same here,” Moondancer said.

“Hey! You three! Over here!” A voice called out.

We turned to see Pinkie Pie and Rarity sitting at a table.

“Pinkie! Rarity!” Moondancer announced. “Funny seeing you in Canterlot.”

“Likewise,” replied Rarity. “I see you brought Tyke and Spikey-Wikey with you as well. Come sit with us. We were just about to order.”

Moondancer, Tyke, and I obliged. We all ordered our unique Indian dishes. I ordered some dal soup with some naan.

“So what brings you three to Canterlot?” Rarity asked.

“Spike and I wanted to show Tyke the sites around this city while also running a few errands,” replied Moondancer. “How about you two?”

“The map called for us to solve a friendship problem!” Pinkie declared. “The funniest thing was that earlier this morning after Spike left, Twilight just happened to say…” She straightened her mane. “‘You know something? It’s been a while since the map has called for anypony.’ And just after she said that, the map called for me and Rarity! Isn’t that a coincidence?” Her mane poofed back to normal.

“How can a map call for you?” Tyke tilted his head.

“It’s a special kind of map. I’ll explain it when we get back.”

“Twilight told me about the map before,” Moondancer said. “So what was your friendship problem?”

Rarity replied, “Well, when Pinkie and I arrived at Canterlot, we didn’t know where the friendship problem was, but since we were here we decided to have lunch first. We tried eating at some of the three-hoofed-rated restaurants, but the food quality wasn’t all that great.”

“I probably should’ve warned you about that.”

“Moving on, our last stop was here, the Tasty Treat. That was when we found our friendship problem. The chef, Saffron Masala, was having issues with her father, Coriander Cumin. He believed that the restaurant would not stay open for long, while Saffron thought otherwise. Pinkie and I attempted to refurbish the restaurant and get Zesty Gourmand to come and review this establishment, but our attempt was lackluster. Despite such a dreadful failure, Saffron and Coriander made up over an old filly-hood dish. It was then Pinkie and I discovered that a review from somepony wasn’t needed to make a place popular. Thus, I helped draw in a crowd while Pinkie restored the Tasty Treat to its original decor. We even got chefs from other restaurants attending, and they wished to add variety to their own dishes at their businesses. Of course, Zesty returned once again.”

“Did she change her mind about the restaurant?”

“No. She left in a huff. Although, I have a feeling ponies aren’t going to listen to her reviews anymore.”

“Good riddance. Maybe it’ll be worth going to Restaurant Row for once.”

Coriander served us our food, and we dug in. I enjoyed hanging out in Canterlot with Moondancer and Tyke. It was certainly a surprise to meet Pinkie and Rarity here as well. Then again, I didn’t know when this episode would occur.

“Tyke, darling, I know food can get one excited, but you don’t have to be that ecstatic,” Rarity said.

Tyke panted rapidly with his tongue out.

“It burns…burns…burns!” He wheezed.

“Oh, no!” Moondancer quickly gave him a tall glass of milk. “Drink this! It’ll cool you down.”

Tyke quickly chugged the entire glass down.

“Ahhh…that’s better.” Tyke wiped his mouth. “Thank you.”

“It was a good thing I ordered milk in advance,” Moondancer said. “Why did you pick the wild-spiced curry for your meal?”

“I thought it meant it had a lot of flavors.”

Chapter 100! (Viva Las Pegasus!)

I didn’t change anything for “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks,” but it was a pleasure to meet Gabby again.

I hurried to the center of town wearing a backpack. Moondancer and Tyke were already in the balloon.

“Hop in, Spike!” Moondancer announced. “We’re departing soon!”

I climbed into the basket just as Moondancer undid the last knot holding the balloon down. The giant aircraft ascended into the sky and picked up the western air currents.

“Oh! I can’t wait to see Las Pegasus!” Moondancer tapped her hooves on the basket’s rim.

“Me neither,” I said. “I’m sorry Twilight couldn’t join us.”

“Don’t be. Twilight and her student come first. Heh, she’s almost like Princess Celestia: taking a talented unicorn under her wing.”

I chuckled. “I noticed the connection. So, are you eager to see Las Pegasus, Tyke?”

Tyke stared at the passing clouds.

“Tyke?” I asked again.

“Huh?” Tyke snapped out of his trance. “Yeah? What did you ask me?”

“Are you excited to visit Las Pegasus?”

“Oh, yeah. I…guess I am. Do I have to gamble there?”

“No,” Moondancer giggled. “It’s not a requirement. Don’t worry. There’s a lot of other things to do in Las Pegasus besides playing games. Just you wait.”

An hour later, the sound of loud chatter filled the air. The balloon emerged through the clouds to reveal buildings as tall as the ones in Manehattan but twice as colorful. Signs of neon and traditional light bulbs filled the sky. This was definitely a pony Las Vegas.

“Woah!” Tyke’s eyes widened. “This looks like a giant party.”

After Moondancer landed the balloon, we got out and went to a Crystal-Empire-themed hotel.

“Hi,” Moondancer greeted the receptionist. “We have a reservation here.”

“Name?” asked the receptionist, staring at the log book.

“Moondancer.”

“Oh!” the receptionist’s head shot up. “You’re this year’s raffle winner, aren’t you?”

“That’s right, and I only put in one ticket.”

“Looks like the mare of luck is on your side already.” The receptionist gave us two keys. “Your room is number 100 on the top floor. Enjoy your stay.”

We took our luggage up to the top floor. The room we stayed in was massive, at least three times bigger than a normal hotel room, including the ones at Manehattan. It reminded me of the real Crystal Empire’s castle, albeit with a few inaccuracies.

“You won all of this in a raffle?!” I exclaimed.

“That’s right,” replied Moondancer. “I couldn’t believe it myself either.”

A suspicion ran over me. “When you applied for the raffle, do you remember when this happened, and what the ponies looked like?”

“Let’s see…I know it happened during the Summer Sun Celebration. One of the ponies was a light blue mare with a long, blond mane, and the other was a lime-green stallion who had a short, auburn mane. Why do you ask?”

I sighed in relief. “Just wanted to make sure you didn’t get scammed.”

Moondancer chuckled. “Don’t worry. Applejack told me about Flim and Flam.”

“Good. The last thing we need is to fall for any of their cons.”

That reminded me of the episode, “Viva Las Pegasus.” Applejack and Fluttershy would go to Las Pegasus to solve a friendship problem. They would then discover that Gladmane, the pony in charge of one of the luxury resorts, was manipulating some of the employees to turn against each other, including the Flim Flam Brothers. Once again, I couldn’t change the episode because it was a map episode. Although, it would be kind of funny if we just happened to meet AJ and Fluttershy during our stay, like how we met Pinkie and Rarity back at Canterlot.

“Hey, check it out!” Tyke called out from the bathroom. “We get our own pool!”

“Really?” Moondancer left the bedroom and looked inside. “Oh, heh. That’s a bathtub, Tyke.”

“This big thing is a bathtub?!”

I entered the bathroom to see the giant tub. It was filled with jets, faucets and plenty of hotel-brand toiletries. It was big, but I've seen bigger.

“You should see the royal bathtub in Twilight’s castle,” I said.

After unpacking our stuff, the three of us took a tour around the city. Each district's theme was based on a popular pony city down in Equestria. I noticed a few inaccuracies for some of the districts, but I applaud Las Pegasus for trying its best.

“Kinda makes you wish there was a district based on the Diamond Dog territories, huh Tyke?” asked Moondancer.

“I guess so, but I said before that Diamond Dogs are spread all across Equestria. I don’t know how Las Pegasus can replicate our tunnels.”

“I know. The city could have an underground passage system with gemstones decorating the walls,” I suggested.

“Not a bad idea, but we’re in the clouds, Spike,” Moondancer pointed out.

“An under-cloud tunneling system then.”

We took pictures of the buildings, statues, and even ourselves. After so many camera flashes, I swore it took a full minute to regain my vision. We must have taken about a hundred pictures!

After our sight-seeing, we went for lunch at the buffet in Gladmane’s resort. I didn’t see Applejack nor Fluttershy in the crowd.

“What are you looking for, Spike?” Moondancer asked as she and I sat down with our meals. “You keep looking around like somepony’s after you.”

“Sorry. I was just checking to see if one of the girls is here.”

“Heh. What would the odds of that be?”

“I don’t know. I was once told how fate can always find a way.”

Tyke showed up carrying three plates filled with various foods. The piles were as big as his head.

“Uh, Tyke?” Moondancer asked.

“What? The sign said ‘all you can eat,’” Tyke defended.

“It’s not a requirement, you know.”

“Don’t worry. I can finish all these plates.”

Tyke finished only a plate and a third. At least Moondancer and I didn't need to go back to the buffet for seconds.

Unfortunately, we had to spend the rest of the day in our hotel room, mostly because Tyke was too full to walk around. He laid on one of the beds, stuffed. He reminded me of my grandma's pomeranian with how bloated he was.

“This is what happens when you overeat,” Moondancer said as she rubbed his belly.

“Still worth it. I haven’t eaten this much since my family's last feast with my parents.” He let out an audible belch. “Sorry.”

The next morning, Tyke had recovered from his overindulgence. We all ate a light breakfast after eating over a hundred types of food last night.

Afterwards, we visited our hotel’s casino, or rather its arcade plaza. The place was filled with various games, from racing to dancing to ball-tossing. All of them provided tickets to the happy-go-lucky ponies around us.

When I first watched the episode, part of me was a bit disappointed when I learned most if not all of gambling activities were replaced with arcade games. Then again, given how some adult activities like bachelor parties were family-friendly in Equestria, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that the casinos in Las Pegasus were a bunch of luxury-styled Chuck E. Cheeses.

“The raffle gave me some free tokens to spend at this casino,” said Moondancer.

Moondancer redeemed her free tokens at the lobby. We divided the tokens up equally and spent them on every game we wanted to play. The ones I liked were the dance machines and ring toss.

After hours of playing, we earned a generous amount of tickets each. I exchanged mine for a stuffed dragon plushie and a lava lamp. Moondancer got a plasma ball and a pair of light-up shutter shades. Tyke, who earned the most tickets out of all of us, got a Crystal Pony action figure and a pair of binoculars.

Once we put our prizes back in our hotel room, we once again took to seeing the sights.

“Hey, what’s that?” Tyke pointed to a ride in the sky.

“That’s a roller coaster,” Moondancer replied. “Ponies sit in these special carts that race around the tracks at a fast pace.”

“That’s allowed here?”

“Of course. Provided they abide by the safety regulations.”

“Can we go? Please?”

“I was just about to suggest that.”

We went to where the ride was held. While there was a long line, Moondancer’s raffle winnings thankfully gave her a VIP pass to skip the line. The employee measured our heights. Moondancer was tall enough, but for Tyke and me…

“Sorry, kids,” the worker dug into the box.

“Aww,” Tyke whined.

“Don’t worry, maybe next time we visit we’ll be tall enough to ride,” I said.

“Oh, kids, you can ride on this coaster,” the worker clarified. “You just need to sit in a booster seat.” He pulled out a couple of plastic chairs.

“Oh, yay!” Tyke hurried up to the coaster.

Moondancer, Tyke, and I sat in one of the front rows. I’ll admit it was a bit humiliating to ride in a booster seat, but at least it was better than not riding at all. We quickly secured ourselves with the safety harnesses.

“Remember to keep all arms, legs, hooves, tails, and wings inside the cart at all times,” the worker announced.

The coaster took motion, ambling its way up the hill.

“They strapped us in for this?” Tyke asked unenthusiastically.

“Oh, don’t worry,” said Moondancer. “The best part is coming.”

The coaster reached the top of the hill, and once it descended...

WHOOSH!!

The coaster careened down the tracks at top speed! The riders around me cheered raucously as the ride threw them around at over one hundred miles per hour! I joined their clamor as well!

This is definitely better than Discord’s ride! At least I know where the ride goes!

Three minutes had passed, and the ride decelerated and returned to its starting location. We left the ride with unkempt manes and rapid heartbeats.

“Wow! The minecarts got nothing on this!” Tyke exclaimed.

We tried out the other rides as well. I especially enjoyed the ferris wheel.

“You can see all of Las Pegasus from here,” I said as we ascended to the peak of the wheel.

“And then some.” Moondancer looked across the horizon. “You know, I heard rumors that they planned to build a giant glowing sphere somewhere in the center of Las Pegasus.”

“Seriously? Who would want a giant light-up ball in the middle of a city?” I asked.

“I don’t know. I heard it from the same ponies who suggested adding a grocery store here, too.”

Day three arrived already. It was our last day before we were to leave tomorrow. Moondancer was at the receptionist desk, checking one of her tickets.

“So I get free three…I mean, three free shows with my winning raffle package?”

“That’s correct, madam,” replied the receptionist. “Current showtimes are provided by the brochure stand.”

“Alright, we’ll check it out.”

The receptionist held up a hoof. “I…just hope you’re not planning on seeing some of the shows at Gladmane’s resort.”

“Why?” Moondancer furrowed her brows. “What happened?”

“From what I’ve heard, the ponies working there have a reputation of arguing with each other, even those who are usually close together. Normally, things are sorted out quickly, but the arguments have become more frequent as of late, so much so the shows have been either postponed or all but cancelled.”

“Is that so?” Moondancer scratched her chin. “Maybe we should check this resort out. Come on, guys.”

Oh, no! She’s gonna prevent the map episode!

“Moondancer! Wait!” I ran up to stop her. “We came here to relax, remember?”

“I know that, but you heard what was going on at Gladmane’s hotel.”

“I won’t deny that, but this is not our business. So, some employees are having creative differences, so what? We can’t just butt in at every problem that arises.”

“It’s not like you to shy away from an issue. I know you never liked ponies arguing loudly, but ignoring them won’t solve anything.”

“My point is that we don’t know who these employees are or what makes them tick. If we really needed to solve this friendship problem, wouldn’t the map call us first?”

Moondancer looked at her flank. “I thought the map only called for Twilight and the other girls.”

“Hey, you never know.”

“Say, Moondancer,” Tyke said. “I actually agree with Spike. Didn’t we come here to have a good time and not deal with any drama? I don’t know how Las Pegasus works, but I’m sure the manager could help the workers with their problem if it’s postponing their shows.”

Moondancer sighed. “I guess you’re both right. We’re here for pleasure, not work.”

As she made her way to the brochure stand, I exhaled with relief.

As much as I wanted to help those ponies too, I don’t want to interfere with a map episode.

Since there were three shows to watch for free, we each got to pick our own.

Tyke was the first to pick. He decided on a magic show in the Manehattan district. The show was hosted by two unicorn stallions, who performed such spectacular tricks that even Trixie would be envious. I did notice the blue stallion, whose name was “Jackpot” looked a lot similar to Trixie herself, and I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

“Does that blue magician look familiar to you?” Moondancer whispered to me.

I shrugged, but I knew that Jackpot was actually Trixie’s father if what one of the show's creators said was true. However, Jackpot was unaware that he had a daughter.

Maybe someday I’ll bring Trixie to Las Pegasus and see how she and Jackpot will interact.

Moondancer chose a concert in the Canterlot District. Specifically, a Sapphire Shores concert. Honestly, Shores hadn’t made many appearances since Season 4 of the show. I hoped she might collaborate with Rara in the near future.

My pick was a cyclist show in the Fillydelphia District, and, boy, was it a good pick! The bike riders showed off many tricks and stunts as they hopped through hoops, grinded across rails, and leaped over ramps without the use of wings or magic. I almost wanted a bicycle after watching their show.

Forget the Washouts. Scootaloo should’ve been seeing this group!

After seeing all three shows, we spent the rest of the day talking nonstop about them.

The next morning, we repacked and checked out of the hotel. We then made our way to the hot air balloon platform.

“That was great!” Tyke exclaimed. “Kinda wished we stayed longer.”

“Me, too,” Moondancer responded. “But we only had three nights for free from the raffle.”

I said, “With so much fun we had, we could’ve stayed a hundred days and not get bored.”

We got to the platform just in time to witness another balloon landing. Moondancer’s eyes widened when she saw the two ponies riding it.

“Fluttershy? Applejack? Is that you?” Moondancer waved at them.

“It’s Moondancer, Spike, ‘n’ Tyke.” Applejack hopped off the basket. “What are ya’ll doin’ in Las Pegasus?”

“I won a raffle back in Ponyville for a couple of nights here. We were just heading back home. How about you two? I didn’t think you were the type of ponies who would visit this kind of city.”

“We aren’t. We came here ‘cause the map called for us.”

“Another friendship problem?” I asked.

“Uhm...pretty much,” Fluttershy replied.

“Well, I wish you both good luck,” Moondancer replied. “I don’t know if it’s against the map rules or whatever, but I’d start at Gladmane’s resort.” She pointed to the pony-shaped building. “I heard the employees there are having trouble getting along.”

Applejack rubbed her chin. “Well, I don’t know if it’s relevant to our friendship problem, but it’s worth a shot. C’mon, Fluttershy.”

I guess what Moondancer did is okay. AJ and Fluttershy were going there anyway in the show.

Fluttershy followed Applejack behind as we waved goodbye to them. We then hopped on the balloon back to Ponyville.

“I bet Twilight’s going to be jealous of our time in Las Pegasus,” Moondancer said.

“Don’t worry. I bought a t-shirt for her.” I pulled out the shirt from my backpack.

“‘My #1 Assistant went to Las Pegasus, and all I got was this tacky T-shirt.’”

“I had it custom-made.”

I was glad I could spend time with Moondancer and Tyke in Las Pegasus. Aside from a few slip-ups, such as almost preventing a map episode, I had a swingin’ time.

Viva Las Pegasus!
Viva Las Pegasus!
Viva, Viva Las Pegasus!

Author's Note

How many times did you see the number 100 or word "hundred" in this chapter?

Chapter 101 (Every Little Thing She Does & P.P.O.V.)

“Hey, Spike.” Twilight opened an envelope that had a snowflake sigil. “We got a letter from Cadance and Shining Armor.”

“Nice. What do they have to say?” I asked.

Twilight read through it. “Looks like things are going well. They've already set up a room for the baby. Aww, they even sent us a photo of Cadance pregnant.”

Twilight showed me the picture. Cadance's belly was slightly bulging out, like she just had a big dinner.

“Cute,” I said. “Did they ever find out what gender and type of pony their baby will be?”

“They did, and they said they'll tell us the next time we visit.”

It was going to be a while before Flurry Heart was born. It was still summer, and Cadance announced her pregnancy in the spring. I wondered if Thorax would still show up. I hadn’t heard any news regarding him or the other changelings, and Chrysalis was still in the Canterlot dungeons. I would just have to wait until the Crystalling happens.

One morning, I woke up to the sound of books tumbling.

What was that?! An intruder?!

I hopped out of bed and rushed to the library.

“What’s going on here?!” I busted open the double doors.

I was introduced to every book piled on the floor instead of organized on the shelves. Starlight and Twilight stood in the middle of the room.

“Oh, morning, Spike,” Twilight greeted. “We thought we could do some spell-casting for today’s lessons, but I think we went a little overboard.”

“Don’t worry, I can fix this,” Starlight said. “As you know, speed spells like Accelero are not easy. But if done correctly, they can allow you to be much more efficient with your day.”

Just like in the show, Starlight cast a speed spell and organized all the books in seconds as if she was Rainbow Dash. That's when I knew this was the episode, “Every Little Thing She Does.” The one where Starlight brainwashes her friends and fails spectacularly.

“Impressive,” I said as Starlight finished.

“I’ve also discovered a very old spell, Similo Duplexis, when combined with Accelero in just the right way…” Starlight cast the spell, causing herself to double. “...you can literally be in two places at once!”

As Starlight returned to normal, Twilight said, “I have to admit, your skills with magic really are nothing short of amazing. I'm very impressed.”

“I guess I've always been something of a natural.” Starlight rubbed the back of her head.

Twilight pulled out a clipboard. “However, it doesn't look like you've tackled any friendship lessons since you met Trixie.”

“Are you sure? I could’ve sworn I’ve done a few.”

“I’m sure.”

The scene played out like in the show. Twilight suggested Starlight to work on a friendship lesson while she and I were in Canterlot today.

After some light packing and extensive color-coding, I went to Starlight's room. There, I saw her by her desk looking at some index cards.

“Hey, Starlight,” I said. “You okay?”

“I'm good here,” Starlight nervously replied. “Oh, not good: great! Not a problem in the world! Heh.”

“So you are doing…what exactly?”

“I... was... just trying to decide which friendship lesson I was going to tackle while you two were in Canterlot.” Starlight rearranged her cards. “Let's see…‘bake a cake with Pinkie Pie, scrapbook with Applejack, sew with Rarity, help an animal with Fluttershy, chillax with Rainbow Dash’ (whatever that means).”

“It's a combination of ‘chill’ and ‘relax.’ Look, I know you're nervous over your lessons lately...”

“Nervous? Me?” Starlight faked a laugh as she walked around the room. “Oh, Spike, you really are hilarious, ha-ha. You think I'm nervous that I'm gonna fail at something as simple as baking a cake?”

“Starlight, it wouldn’t be a big deal if…”

“Twilight just said how impressed she was that I combined a speed spell and a duplication spell.”

“Starlight, I…”

“That was a challenge. These? Pfft! I could combine all five of these—”

“Starlight Aurora Glimmer!”

Starlight froze in her tracks.

“Why did I ever tell you guys my middle name?” She squeaked.

“These lessons aren't about whether or not you succeed in something,” I pointed out. “They're about how you bond with your friends.”

“But Spike, how can...?”

“You're not gonna fail a lesson because you burnt a cake or made a bad dress or couldn't find a suitable spot to chillax. All that matters is the time you’ve spent with your friends.”

Starlight looked at her cards and sighed. “You're right. I guess I got so worried I nearly forgot what Twilight really teaches me.”

“Just be sure to take one lesson at a time. And, uh, don't cast spells on your friends.”

“Uh…okay…?”

After that conversation, Twilight and I headed out.

When we got back, there was thankfully no flooded castle or hypnotized friends. Starlight had just got done helping Pinkie Pie with baking and Rarity with sewing. I half-expected Starlight to still break down and cast Fiducia Compelus, but I guess even fate lets some things change once in a while.

Fluttershy and I were having tea at her cottage one day.

“I see you got a new tea set,” I pointed out.

“Thank you for noticing,” replied Fluttershy. “I got it on a sale where if you bought the teapot, you’d get two free teacups of your choice. I think it was called a ‘tea for two for one deal.’”

That was when Rainbow Dash zoomed into the yard.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Ya plan on going?”

“Going where?” Fluttershy asked.

“To our class reunion, remember? You didn’t get the invitation in the mail today?”

“No, I never got my mail yet.”

“Look out!!” I shouted.

I grabbed the tea set just as Derpy slammed onto the table, causing Fluttershy to jump. Derpy pulled out a letter and gave it to the leaping pony. She then flew off.

“Now I got my mail,” Fluttershy said.

She opened the envelope and read through the message. It was an invitation to Cloudsdale’s upcoming flight school reunion.

“So, do you plan on going?” Rainbow asked again. “I know I am. I already RSVP'd.”

“Well…” Fluttershy rubbed one of her legs. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to visit our old school. Do you want to join us, Spike?”

“Why?” I shrugged. “I never went to flight school.”

“You can see how Fluttershy and I learned to fly,” replied Rainbow, “and how I became the most popular pony in our class.”

“Intentionally or unintentionally?” I joked.

“Hey…” Rainbow loomed over, but Fluttershy’s hoof got in the way.

I checked the invitation. “I have nothing else better to do that day, so I can join you two.”

I remembered when Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went to their flight school reunion, Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie would go on a boat trip. Sadly, things would go south for the trio, and they would have a feud with each other. There wasn't anything to change for my part. Twilight sorted everything out, and I already know how the girls got back after their ship capsized, disappointing as that reveal was.

On the day of the reunion, Twilight cast a cloud-walking spell on me.

“Sorry you, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash have to miss out on the boat trip,” said Twilight.

“It's okay,” I replied. “I’ll be getting out of my element in a different way.”

A loud knock rang across the halls. I grabbed my backpack and headed to the front doors.

“Hey, Spike,” Rainbow greeted me as I opened the doors. “You ready to go?”

“As I’ll ever be.” I hopped on Fluttershy’s back.

Rainbow and Fluttershy took to the skies.

“Just wait ‘til my old classmates see me!” Rainbow exclaimed. “And learned that I became one of the Wonderbolts!”

“I wonder who’s going to be at the reunion,” Fluttershy said. “We graduated with a lot of students that year. Maybe we’ll see a lot of familiar faces.”

“Like Gilda?” I asked.

Rainbow slowed down. “Oh, yeah…”

“Why the uncomfortable response? I thought you and Gilda had already made up.”

“We did, but it’s still hard to forget how she acted to all my friends. Especially you, Fluttershy.”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked. “I remembered I bumped into her, and Spike just happened to show up just in time to stop her from doing...whatever she was going to do, then I resumed helping the ducks.”

“Really? Pinkie told me something else happened.”

“She’s not really the most reliable pony to tell stories,” I said.

After a short while, we approached various cloud buildings, runways, and obstacle courses. This was definitely the flight school. We approached a table littered with name tags.

“Hey, we’re here for the reunion,” Rainbow said to one of the staff ponies.

“Name?” the vendor asked.

“Rainbow Dash! The one and only!”

The vendor looked around the table. “There’s one that just says, ‘Rainbow Dash.’”

“Good enough for me.” She swiped the name tag and placed it around her neck.

“And your name…?” the vendor pony asked Fluttershy.

“F…Fluttershy,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Uh, could you repeat that?”

“Fluttershy!” She squeaked.

“Fluttershy?! Hey, great to see you again!” Without looking at the tags, the staff mare grabbed one and handed it to my special somepony. “We’ve really missed you since you graduated. And who’s the dragon on your back?”

“My name is Spike, madam,” I replied.

The staff pony scanned the table again. “Sorry, we don’t have any Spikes here.”

“He’s my plus one,” Fluttershy said.

“Oh, that explains it.” The vendor got out a sticker and wrote my name. “I would’ve remembered us having a dragon in our school. We had a griffon once.”

“Yeah, we know,” Rainbow, Fluttershy, and I unenthusiastically said in unison.

“I hope you all enjoy this reunion.”

After I stuck the name tag sticker on my chest, the three of us explored the flight school.

Our first stop was a small building that had one room. Said room had a couple of tables and a multitude of cubbyholes.

“This was where we had our first year of flight school,” said Rainbow Dash. “Our teacher would greet us, give us the rundown of our daily flight lessons, and took us outside to practice. Hey, Fluttershy, remember on the first day you were so shy you hid in one of these cubbyholes?”

“Well, that was partially true…” Fluttershy nervously hoofed the ground. “I also thought they were going to be our new dorms. That would explain why the teacher still had our parents pick us up.” She looked in one of the holes. “This was much bigger when I was a filly.”

We headed back outside. That’s when Rainbow saw a nearby obstacle course.

“Oh, I remember this one,” Rainbow proclaimed. “This was one of my favorites. Of course, every obstacle course here was my fave. Hey, can one of you time me?” Rainbow pulled out a stopwatch. “I wanna see how fast I can clear this!”

“I’ll time you,” I offered.

Rainbow gave me the stopwatch and zoomed up to the start of the course.

“Okay, ready?” I called out. “Set…go!”

Rainbow dashed through each obstacle effortlessly, which made sense since she knew the courses like the back of her hoof.

Once she passed the finish line, I hit the stopwatch.

“Twelve seconds,” I said.

“Heh-ha! I still got it!” Rainbow declared.

Fluttershy looked to the side and gasped. “Look!”

“What?”

“It’s her!” Fluttershy pointed to someone on the other side of the course. That someone was no other than…

“Gilda?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Huh, didn't think she'd be interested in attending the reunion.”

“Let’s go talk to her,” I offered.

“A-are you sure?” Fluttershy asked.

“Sometimes we need to show a little kindness.”

“Now where have I heard that before?” Rainbow Dash smugly questioned.

“Alright. We might as well…” Fluttershy sighed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll intervene if she tries anything.”

“Tries what?” A voice asked.

“Eep!” Fluttershy zipped behind Rainbow and me.

“Er, hey Gilda,” I greeted the voice’s source. “Good to see you again.” I made a fist bump.

“What’s with the hoof bump? We're not that close, kid.” Gilda sternly pointed out.

“Sorry, I was just greeting a fellow non-pony.”

“Until I know you better, I'm not one of your ‘fellows.’ You got that, dweeb?”

I nodded.

“Glad you could come to this reunion, Gilda,” Rainbow said to quickly change the subject. “Looks like you got invited, too.”

“You can blame…sorry, ‘thank’ Gabby for that.” Gilda rolled her eyes.

“Wanna tag along with us? We could view the school together.”

“Fine. Got nothing else to do.”

Once Gilda joined us, we continued exploring the school buildings. In one building, we encountered a wall filled with class pictures. It didn’t take long to find Rainbow, Fluttershy and Gilda's class. The photo showed Rainbow Dash with her hooves around Gilda and Fluttershy. At least I assumed the latter pony was Fluttershy unless there was another yellow pegasus that would cover themselves with their wings whenever they had their picture taken.

“We were so young and carefree back then,” sighed Fluttershy.

My eye caught a bookshelf. “Looks like they added some yearbooks here.”

“Let me see!” Rainbow skimmed through the titles. “Here’s our senior year!”

We huddled together as Rainbow flipped through the pages. She stopped at the individual student pictures. Each of them had a quote underneath their image.

“Here’s mine,” Rainbow pointed to her picture. “‘Keep Calm and Stay Awesome!’ Heh, as if there’s a better quote for me than that.”

“I see Gilda’s,” I said. “‘Griffons of a Feather Fly Together.’”

Gilda cringed and covered her face. “It was a quote from King Grover! I thought it was cool a cool saying back then.”

“I think it still is,” Fluttershy reassured her. “It’s certainly better than mine.”

Fluttershy’s photo, which was probably her first flight school photo where she didn’t cover herself, rested above three small dots.

“Couldn’t think of a good quote, huh?” I asked.

“Actually, that was my quote: an ellipsis.”

“Fitting,” Gilda and Rainbow said before staring at each other in surprise.

Our next stop was the school's cafeteria. The sound of chatter and music amplified as we approached the establishment.

“Sounds like fun in there,” said Rainbow Dash. “Time to meet the rest of our classmates.”

Rainbow pushed both the double doors open. Once we entered the room, we saw the entire crowd of pegasi mingling with each other, chowing down on the refreshments, or dancing to the blaring music.

“Hey, it’s them!” A party-goer exclaimed.

Soon, most of the ponies surrounded us, greeting us and asking questions like they were reporters for a famous newspaper.

Rainbow Dash attracting fans was nothing new, but what surprised me was Fluttershy having a few. Even Gilda had some ponies eager to talk to her, and I could tell she wasn't used to so much positive feedback.

Certainly better than the last pony social gathering she attended.

“Didn’t expect you of all ponies to show up,” a voice called out.

Three bulky stallions approached us. The same ones that teased Rainbow Dash in flight school and that one time during Best Young Flyer Competition. Gilda immediately stepped forward.

“You better choose your next words carefully, dweebs!” She threatened as the boys halted in their tracks.

“Woah! Woah! Woah!” Rainbow got in front of her griffon friend. “Chillax, Gilda. They're cool now.”

“What? Since when?”

“A while back,” Fluttershy said. “I think it was when Rainbow Dash won that flying competition,”

“We were cool,” the orange pegasus said. I believed his name was “Hoops.” “But I guess your definition of ‘cool’ is to ignore your buddies when they aren’t bullying you anymore, isn’t it, Rainbow Crash?”

Rainbow said, “Okay, I admit it has been a while since we talked…”

“It’s been over five years!” The brown stallion, Dumbbell, retorted.

“It’s been only two.”

“That doesn’t matter!”

Rainbow Dash sighed sharply. “Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t find time to hang out with you guys. It’s not that I’m still sore for all those times you tormented me, Fluttershy, or Gilda. There’s a ton of stuff taking up my time these days. Helping with the weather team, taking care of my pet Tank, doing my Wonderbolt duties…”

“You’re a Wonderbolt?!” Half of the crowd asked, including Gilda and the three stallions.

“Yeah. It wasn’t common knowledge by now? I thought news of my greatest achievement had already spread far and wide.”

I rolled my eyes.

“You guys are welcome to hang out with me and my buddies now,” Rainbow said to the male pegasi trio. We can talk about what each of us did after graduation.”

“Oh, we had something else in mind,” the gray stallion, Quarterback, said.

“Like what?”

Rainbow, Hoops, and Dumbbell were at the race track.

“A race?” Rainbow asked. “Ha! That’s all?”

“This will just be like last time!” Hoops barked. “But without you cheating!”

“Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you.”

Fluttershy and I stood by the starting line. Fluttershy held a checkered-flag with her mouth.

“At least your honor’s not at stake this time,” I said.

Fluttershy nodded.

That’s when Gilda flew to Rainbow’s side.

“Gilda?” Rainbow questioned.

“I’m not letting you race these guys alone,” Gilda responded. “Not again.”

The crowd around us cheered loudly. I guessed we weren't the only ones getting deja vu from this.

Fluttershy waved the flag. The four fliers zoomed straight past us. The sudden gust of wind blew me right off the edge, but Fluttershy immediately caught me.

“Yeah. That happened to me once,” she said as she helped me back up.

Fluttershy and I watched as the racers zoomed around the track. Dumbbell slowed down at one corner. Meanwhile, Dash and Hoops were ahead neck and neck, passing each ring effortlessly. Gilda stayed close behind the duo.

“You can do it, Rainbow Dash!” I shouted.

Rainbow saluted back.

The racers neared the last set of loops. That’s when Gilda caught her breath.

“Look out!” She shoved Rainbow forward right before Hoops slammed into the griffon, sending her into a spin and colliding into a cloud.

“Oh, no! Gilda!” Fluttershy cried. “We gotta help her!”

I jumped onto Fluttershy’s back as we flew to where Gilda crashed. Rainbow raced there, too.

“You alright, Gilda?” Rainbow asked as she pulled Gilda out of the cloud.

“Ptoo! Ptoo!” Gilda spat out the clumps of water vapor. “I’m fine. Aren’t you supposed to be racing?”

“Yeah, but what kind of friend would I be if I abandoned you? If my other pals and my time as a Wonderbolt taught me anything, I don’t always need to fly solo.”

Gilda stared at Rainbow Dash astonishingly.

“Uh, girls?” Fluttershy pointed out. “I don’t want to alarm you two, but Hoops is nearing the finish line.”

“Heh, don’t worry about that.” Rainbow spread her wings. “Let’s just say history’s gonna repeat itself today! How about giving me another push, Gilda?”

“You got it!” Gilda picked up Rainbow and hurled her towards Hoops. Rainbow picked up speed and then…

KA-BOOM!!

“A sonic rainboom!” Fluttershy and I exclaimed.

“Oh, that’s what she meant by repeating history,” Gilda said as she flew back on course.

Rainbow zoomed through the last loop, past by Hoops, and crossed the finish line faster than I could blink. The audience applauded generously and boomingly!

“And that’s how it’s done!” Rainbow announced as Fluttershy and I regrouped with her.

“Hey, no fair!” Hoops shouted. “I thought we agreed not to cheat for this race! Sonic rainbooms count as cheating!”

“But bumping creatures off-course is somehow fair game?”

“Er…well…you didn’t finish with Gilda. Both team members have to cross the finish line to win!”

“You were saying?” Gilda asked after doing just that.

Hoops jumped. “Wha…? What happened to…?”

Dumbbell flew sluggishly across the checkered banner, out of breath and covered in sweat.

Gilda said, “Yeah, I think your friend is a bit out of practice when it comes to racing.”

“Dude! You could’ve told me!” Hoops shouted.

“I thought you knew,” Dumbbell defended. “Have you seen me race since we graduated?”

“Wha…I…eh…”

“Ran out of excuses to pull out of your hat, huh?” Rainbow joked.

Hoops snorted. “Fine, you win.”

We spent the rest of the reunion chatting with the other ponies. At the end of the day, the former classmates join together for a group photo. Gilda and Rainbow held the same poses as their last photo, while Fluttershy nervously waved.

Later, Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Fluttershy and I departed from the flight school.

“You should come visit Ponyville again sometime,” suggested Rainbow Dash. “I promise there’ll be no more pranks pulled on you.”

“I hope you’ll make sure of that,” Gilda replied.

Gilda parted ways with us, and we headed to Ponyville.

“I can’t wait to tell the girls about our time at the reunion,” Rainbow said. “And I should probably find time to hang out with those stallions more.”

“Did you enjoy the reunion, Spike?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah, I did,” I replied. “I was glad to join you two, and we got to interact with Gilda more.”

In the end, I really meant it. I remember there was a comic about Fluttershy and RD attending their reunion, but thankfully the events here transpired much differently, further solidifying the comics to be non-canon.

At least in regards to the flight school reunion story.

Chapter 102 (It Isn't the Mane Thing About You)

Fluttershy and I were having a picnic with Moondancer and Tyke by the Castle of the Two Sisters.

“It was nice of you to invite us over for a picnic, Fluttershy,” said Moondancer.

“The pleasure's mine,” Fluttershy replied. “I've wanted to see how the castle held up since our restoration project. Princess Celestia's guards did a good job maintaining it.”

As we continued eating, Tyke stared at some birds flying by. He then climbed on Moondancer’s back and flapped his arms. He leaped off but landed on the picnic blanket just a foot away from Moondancer.

“What was that all about?” I asked.

“I'm trying to fly,” Tyke said. “I don't know how birds are able to do it, or other flying creatures for that matter.”

“Birds can fly because they have light bodies,” said Fluttershy. “As for other creatures, like pegasi, their wings can produce enough thrust to keep them airborne. That and a little bit of magic.”

“I didn’t take you for someone interested in flying, Tyke,” I said.

“Yeah, I liked seeing the pegasi flying around and the different flying machines the other ponies used,” said Tyke. “Maybe someday, Diamond Dogs will join the skies.”

“I don't know,” Fluttershy circled her hoof. “To me, it seems like it will take a while, but it’s doable I guess.”

Moondancer said, “You could be the first flying Diamond Dog if you try hard enough, Tyke.”

“And as long as you don’t give up, you’ll go far,” I concluded.

“Thanks, you g—AH!” Tyke quickly covered his ears. “Ow! Ow!”

“Tyke, what’s wrong?!” Moondancer stood up.

“You didn’t hear that?!”

“Hear what?” Fluttershy asked.

“That high-pitched scream,” Tyke replied. “None of you heard that?”

“No. Maybe you have tinnitus?” I asked. “It’s when your ears make a ringing sound all of a sudden.”

“No, it’s…it’s gone now…” Tyke looked around. “I don’t hear that sound anymore.”

“Some dogs have highly sensitive hearing,” Fluttershy suggested. “Maybe the same goes for Diamond Dogs.”

“That would explain how I caught so many mosquitoes that one night without them biting me.”

Once our picnic was done, we left the Everfree Forest. Moondancer and Tyke went home while Fluttershy and I returned to her cottage.

“Thanks for the picnic,” I said.

“Your welcome, Spike,” Fluttershy looked at the forest. “To think that nopony would go anywhere near the Everfree Forest. Now it’s not as scary, at least a little less.”

I gave Fluttershy a hug before parting ways. On my way back home, something didn’t feel right.

Did I miss out on an episode? Maybe I’ll figure it out if I head home.

“Wow, that’s a lovely sofa, Sprinkle!” A voice called out.

I turned to see two ponies talking to each other; one of them was driving a wagon with a yellow chaise.

“Thank you,” said Sprinkle. “It wasn’t easy to get. Everypony wanted to buy it.”

Wait…I remember that couch from that scene in…uh, oh!

I dashed over to Sugarcube Corner. I didn’t have to enter to see bubbles coming out of one of the windows.

“Geeze, this remover sure takes its sweet time to remove,” Pinkie said from inside.

Oh, no! This episode is happening already! I know some episodes would occur out of order, but this of all episodes just had to show up so soon?!

I rushed over to the castle, thinking about this dreaded episode. In the show, Rarity accidentally ruins her mane, and has to find a way to restore it before her upcoming photoshoot.

While Rarity does find a way to work around her conundrum, it confused me how Twilight and Starlight were unable to help her, even though it was confirmed that growth spells were a thing. More importantly was why Rarity couldn’t wear a wig, as there were plenty in Ponyville.

I busted through the double doors and sped to the library. I slammed open the doors just to see Twilight and Starlight talking to Rarity. Rarity quickly threw her hood up.

Great! I really did miss the first half of this episode.

“S-Spike! How marvelous t-to see you!” Rarity nervously greeted. “Well, d-don’t let us waste your t-time, off you go!”

“Let me guess,” I said. “Your mane got messed up.”

“Who told you that?!”

“Gray robe. Distressed look. Pleading with Twilight and Starlight. How bad is it?”

“You don’t want to know, darling.”

“Try me.”

“Very well. You are not going to like it.”

Rarity unveiled herself. Just like in the show, her mane looked like it got hit by a weedwacker, run over by a lawnmower, and hacked by a hedge trimmer all at the same time.

“Yikes,” I said weakly.

“I know! It’s a disaster!” Rarity cried. “I accidentally used a remover potion Zecora made and this happened! What’s worse is that I have a photoshoot tomorrow, and Twilight and Starlight are too stubborn to restore my mane!”

“We’re not being stubborn Rarity,” Twilight retorted. “We just can’t do it ability-wise.”

“It’s just like Zecora said,'' Starlight pointed out. “Fixing manes with magic is...”

“TRICKY! I KNOW!” Rarity shouted.

“Hold on a moment,” I said to Starlight and Twilight. “You can duplicate yourself, make a dragon travel through time, teleport to tons of locations, even move a ginormous ball of gas across the sky, and yet growing a simple mane is nigh impossible?”

“Pretty much,” Starlight bluntly said.

“But it can’t be that hard. If Twilight can cast a spell to give a dragon a mustache, I’m sure she can do the same to give a mare a new mane. Hint, hint?”

“Growing a mustache is much different than growing a mane, Spike,” Twilight said.

“Much different, my tail! All you have to do is cast it on top of her head rather than on her face.”

Twilight bit her lip. “Okay...” Twilight held Rarity’s head. She then pointed her horn on top of her scalp. “Keep in mind, it’s been a while since I cast that spell. Here goes…”

One flash of her horn, and suddenly hair grew, but not on Rarity’s head.

“Gah! Twilight!” Rarity had a goatee on her face.

“Sorry! Sorry! I can fix it!” Twilight screamed. Another flash and Rarity was clean-shaven. “See, Spike? I can’t grow hair directly from her mane.”

“Can’t Rarity just wear a wig, then?” I asked. “There’s a store that sells plenty of them.”

“Oh, no! I am not wearing those plastic things!” Rarity barked. “Photo Finish has the eyes of a hawk. She will know and think I’m a fraud! I never wore a fake mane, and in spite of my demolished hairdo I am not that desperate to do so today!”

Good grief…

All at once, Zecora showed up.

“At last, Rarity, I have searched for so long!” Zecora said. “What I told you before was totally wrong!”

“Zecora, you found a cure?” Twilight asked. “That's amazing!”

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Even with Zecora's potioneering, Rarity's mane wouldn't be restored in time before her photoshoot, much to the fashionista’s chagrin.

“Hey, Rarity, listen.” I gave her some tissues. “I know your mane getting ruined has destroyed some of your confidence, but you shouldn't let that hold you back. You've done a lot of things, such as building a fashion business in three different cities, making all your friends look and feel fashionable in all your creations, and even sacrificing your tail to help a sea serpent. It doesn't matter what happens to your appearance. You could have an entirely shaved head, hot butter spilled on your face, and the skin of an elderly walrus and that wouldn't alter a thing. You're still our friend, Rarity, and nothing will ever change that.”

Rarity wiped away her tears and took a deep breath. “I do appreciate the encouragement, Spikey-Wikey, but unfortunately these photographers at Vanity Mare couldn’t care less of somepony’s personality as long as their looks are exceptional. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth.”

She pulled out a mirror and looked at herself. I half-expected it to shatter like in a cartoon, but thankfully, it didn’t happen.

“If you ask me, those ponies are punks for thinking that way,” I snarked.

“Punks…punks…” Rarity gasped. “That’s it!” She sprang up from the sofa. “I know just how to fix this mane! Get all the girls and bring them to the boutique later today! I’ve got something that just might work!”

She raced out of the room, not even bothering to pull her hood up. Twilight, Starlight, and Zecora exchanged confused looks.

“I wonder what she has in mind,” Starlight pondered.

“We'll just have to wait and see,” I responded. “Oh, and Zecora?”

“Hmm?” Zecora raised an eyebrow.

“Try to label your potions better!”

“For that kind of advice, you don't need to say twice.”

Later that day, the girls (excluding Rarity), Starlight, and I headed over to Rarity’s boutique. Pinkie’s mane was significantly puffier than usual thanks to the shampoo.

“I knew something was off about the remover when it hardly made a dent in the sticky-string,” said Pinkie. “Good thing you stopped me, Twilight. I could've filled the entire place with bubbles. Not that I wouldn't be thrilled if it happened.”

“Yeah, and now I know how and why Rarity used a remover potion on her mane,” Twilight said.

“Didn't see her all day,” Applejack said. “Was it really that bad?”

Twilight, Starlight, and I shared uncomfortable verbal confirmations.

“Oh, my. I can't imagine how devastated she felt when it happened.” Fluttershy shivered.

“The important thing is that she found some way to fix it.” Twilight scratched her chin. “Whatever it was.”

Once we arrived at the boutique, Twilight knocked on the front door.

“Come in!” Rarity singsonged from the other side.

“She doesn't sound so devastated now,” Rainbow said.

We entered the boutique. Rarity was nowhere to be seen, but shuffling noises emitted behind one of the changing screens.

“We’re all here, Rarity,” announced Twilight. “What did you want to show us?”

“Well, I'm sure at least half of you already know about my predicament in regards to my mane earlier today, but fear not. Since I cannot shine from the outside in…”

Rarity appeared from the screens. Her mane was now a mohawk, and she wore a studded vest and bracelets to boot.

“...I'm preparing to shine from the inside out!” She concluded.

Everypony around me reacted with great astonishment.

“Wow, Rarity. You look different,” Pinkie pointed out. “Did you get a new hoof polish?”

The rest of the day played out like in the show. Rarity returned to each shop she previously visited with her ruined mane, but with significantly better results.

Later, the girls and I met up with Rarity at the furniture store.

Applejack said, “Well, Rarity, if you wanted to shine from the inside out, I think this afternoon, you became the brightest filly in Equestria!”

“Oh, Applejack. I'm simply making up for all the time I wasted feeling sorry for myself,” Rarity said humbly.

“I don't know why you were so upset,” Rainbow said. “Your mane looks awesome!”

“Thank you. I'm just glad Spikey-Wikey reminded me that I can look good on the outside as long as I feel good on the inside.”

“Yeah,” I said. “The ‘It’s the inside that counts’ lesson may be a cliché, but it’s still a great lesson nonetheless.”

“I hope the ponies at Vanity Mare will admire your new look,” said Starlight.

“Not to worry,” Rarity responded. “I've a good feeling about this.”

Tomorrow arrived so quickly. I grouped with Rarity to witness the photoshoot.

“Thank you for joining me, Spike,” said Rarity.

“Don’t mention it. I wanted to see how Vanity Mare would react to your new style.”

We entered the studio and checked in. We then went to the photo room just in time for the photographers to finish with another model. From what I could tell, they looked like they were ready to fall asleep.

“Alright, that’s enough time,” Photo Finish’s voice said. “You go now, Floo-er.”

Fleur-de-lis nodded and left the studio. She passed us with wide eyes.

“Oh, I love your manecut, miss,” Fleur said as she exited the building.

“Next is…Miss Rarity! Vhere is she?!” Photo called out.

“Here I am!” Rarity announced as she and I approached the photographers.

Immediately, everypony perked up and pointed their cameras at Rarity.

“Finally! Something diff…er, something with zhe magics!” Photo declared. That’s when the sound of camera shutters resonated behind her. “No! No! Vait until she’s near the backdrop!”

The photographers stood patiently as Rarity got into position. Then the flood of flash photography came bursting in. The session lasted so long that by the time the crew finished, they ran out of film and were half an hour behind schedule for the next models.

“Wunderbar!” Photo exclaimed. “You will shine across Equestria, I vill guarantee it!”

Rarity’s face lit up as if the cameras took more photos.

Photo Finish wasn’t kidding about Rarity shining, because once the magazine published, Rarity’s punk rock style took the entire town by storm. Most residents wore mohawk wigs and punk outfits. I almost convinced Twilight to buy me an electric guitar.

“Who knew Rarity could turn a ruined mane into a new fashion trend?” Twilight asked as we walked down the street.

“Yeah, once she gets over the drama, she can pretty much make lemonade out of her given lemons, or rather a gourmet platter of lemon-themed treats,” I said.

I was still disappointed that this episode happened. I could’ve prevented the potion mix-up or the super sticky string incident had I known sooner. But I still liked Rarity’s new look, and I was glad to see it firsthand.

“Hey, guys,” Pinkie approached us. Her mane was…different.

“Pinkie! Your mane!” Twilight gasped.

“Oh, yeah,” Pinkie patted her head. “I accidentally used the remover potion as shampoo by mistake. Don't worry, I can fix it.”

She blew into her hoof, and her mane poofed back to normal. She then pronked away.

“‘Fixing manes is tricky,’ huh?” I asked Twilight.

“She’s Pinkie Pie,” Twilight retorted. “It's different.”

Chapter 103 (Legend of Everfree)

I was in the library when I noticed Twilight reading from Sunset Shimmer’s journal.

“Looks like Sunset Shimmer is planning to attend Summer Camp in the near future,” Twilight said as she read the entries.

“Aren’t we nearing the end of summer?” I asked.

“According to Sunset, it just started in her world. I guess time moves differently there than here.”

So they’re technically two years ahead when Twilight and I first came to her world, but time is slower there than in Equestria? Even Einstein would be confused about this relativity.

“Say, Twilight,” I said. “This might seem like a random request, but is it okay if I joined Sunset’s Summer Camp for the week?”

“Why?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I want to learn how humans spend their time in a summer camp. I’d also like to see how Spike is faring as a human these days.”

While both of them were true, I also wanted to change some of the events of “Legend of Everfree.” I had to admit that my actions were a bit lackluster the last time I was in the human world, almost as if it was something Hasbro themselves made. Then again, the only significant thing I did that had an effect was getting Wallflower and Sunset back together again. I hoped this time I could prevent Gloriosa, the camp counselor, from turning evil, or at the very least prevent the docks from getting destroyed so much.

“Well, I guess you can go if it’s alright with Sunset,” said Twilight. “I’ll ask her.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

Twilight scribbled into the journal. A few minutes later, some new text appeared.

“She says it’s okay,” Twilight confirmed. “She’ll let you know the day they have to leave.”

I stood in front of the portal, donning my backpack full of trinkets including but not limited to pencils, a notebook, a few non-gemstone snacks, bug spray, and sunscreen. I had thoughts about bringing some gems along to help with Timber and Gloriosa’s financial issues, but I doubted there was any pawn shop or jewelry store near the camp, let alone one that could believe the Equestrian gems to be real.

“I know this isn’t an official summer camp session for you, Spike,” Twilight said, “but it’s still going to be lonely here without you.”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I said. “I’ll just be gone for the week, or at least the human equivalent of a week. I could borrow Sunset’s journal to keep you updated, with her permission, of course.”

Twilight and I shared one last hug before I stepped through the portal. The swirling colors were never easy to get used to. By the time I arrived at the other side, I was once again in my human form.

I took in the surroundings. The statue above the portal had already been replaced, if the pristine marble proved anything. Buses filled the parking lot behind it. I noticed Principal Celestia examining a clipboard. I hurried up to her.

“Hello, Principal Celestia,” I greeted. “Does this bus go to Camp Everfree?”

“It does.” Celestia looked up at me. “Wait a minute. Spike? I thought you were already on the bus.”

One of the windows opened, and Sunset Shimmer’s head popped out.

“He’s with me, Principal Celestia,” Sunset called out. “He’s the other Spike. I had him registered for this week.”

“Oh, that explains why you were listed twice.” Celestia flipped through the clipboard. “I thought it was a computer glitch. Well, hop in and take a seat. You can change into your summer camp outfit when we get there.”

I went up the steps and walked down the aisle. Sunset motioned me over, and I sat next to her. Once everypony was seated, the bus took off down the road.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Sunset said. “I didn’t think you’d be interested in joining us.”

“I wanted to study more about this world,” I replied. “And since I’ve never been to a summer camp, this could be the perfect opportunity.”

While I didn’t recall the old Spike attending a summer camp, in the show or in his memories, I had attended a few summer camps in my old world. However, they weren’t overnight stays at a cabin. In fact, most of them felt like attending a school: getting dropped off and then picked up at the end of the day. Therefore, Camp Everfree was going to be my and old Spike’s first time at an official summer camp.

“Well, there won't be much to go on,” Sunset said. “It's just going to be a few outdoor activities. Nothing exciting compared to the last few times you visited.”

“Hey, you never know.” I shrugged.

“I hope we can tell ya apart from the other Spike,” Applejack said. “It's gonna get confusin’ without knowing who's who.”

She pointed to the Spike across the aisle, who sat next to a napping Twilight.

“Don’t worry,” Alter-Spike said. “I'll be wearing this blue cap.”

“And I'll wear my purple hoodie if the weather’s not too hot at Camp Everfree,” I said. “Say, Spike, how’s your time as a human going? You look like you’ve got the hang of it.”

“It's been good, actually. I have Twilight and her friends to thank for that. Rarity taught me table manners. Rainbow Dash and Applejack showed me how to walk and move properly. Fluttershy gave me advice on how to keep my instincts in check. Pinkie informed me of different types of food to eat. Sunset told me how to use different types of technology, and Twilight helped me reach the same academic level as the other high school students.”

“Do you miss being a dog?”

“Yeah, but not so much. I don't have to worry about fleas or shedding. I can taste a lot more flavors, and now I know why everyone likes chocolate so much. Clothes don't bother me that much, and neither does bathing anymore. I get to see and enjoy places that don't allow dogs outside of service animals.” Alter-Spike looked at his fingers. “Some parts of my body I enjoy having, some I miss. I still have some dog abilities, like having a good sense of hearing and smelling.”

“Are there any slip-ups? You know, times where your dog instincts kicked in?”

“There were a few, but they were minor, like that one time I barked at the mail carrier. I think she looked more confused than frightened.”

“Did Twilight's parents ever find out about you turning human?”

“Yeah, and they were disappointed in Twilight. They lectured her, saying stuff like, ‘this is what happens when you play a god,’ and all that. But, they happily accepted me as part of their family in the end. Shining Armor said that he always wanted a little brother to play with him and Twilight.”

Suddenly, Twilight twitched uncomfortably. She waved her arms in front of her.

“No! Stop!” She shouted.

“Twilight! Wake up!” Alter-Spike called out.

Twilight sat straight up, hyperventilating like she just ran a mile.

“We can’t stop, silly,” Pinkie said. “We're not there yet!”

“Twilight, are you alright?” I asked.

“I was just about to ask the same thing,” said Sunset.

“I’m…fine,” Twilight replied.

I said, “Did this have anything to do with—?”

“We are gonna have so much fun!” Pinkie interrupted.

The girls quickly changed the subject, hyping up for the camp. Celestia and Luna even joined in for the other students.

I sighed as I leaned back.

Guess that will have to wait until later.

The rest of the bus trip was uneventful, aside from the passengers singing.

By the time we passed the wooden arch, the bus riders all leaned against the windows. We exited the bus, taking in the nature around us.

“Isn't Camp Everfree just beautiful?” Fluttershy fawned. “I can't wait until we have our first nature walk.”

“I definitely wanna go on one of those,” Alter-Spike said.

“You wanna see all the adorable woodland creatures, too?”

“Yeah! Specifically squirrels. More specifically, so I can chase them!”

“Spike…” Fluttershy spoke like a scornful mother.

Alter-Spike covered his mouth. “Sorry. It slipped out.”

Everybody else shared what they wanted to do at camp. Applejack wanted to rough it, even though food and shelter was already provided. Rarity wanted to relax, and given the various enemies she and the others faced since Pony Twilight and my first visit, I don’t blame her.

“Canterlot High has become a regular magic magnet,” Applejack said. “Guess you ‘n’ your Twilight are sorta responsible for that.”

“Hey, all we wanted was the crown,” I said. “We didn’t mean for all this to happen.”

“In any case, it’s gonna be nice gettin' away to a place where we don't have to worry about that kinda stuff.”

I wouldn’t count on that, Applejack.

That’s when Flash ran up to Twilight and handed her her backpack. Just like in the show, both of them acted rather awkwardly with each other. No doubt it was because Sci-Twi reminded Flash of my Twilight, the pony he had a crush on.

All of a sudden, a high, screeching sound of audio feedback rang through-out the forest, causing everyone to cover their ears.

“Hey, everyone!” A girl’s voice rang from a nearby speaker. “If you could start heading to the courtyard, that would be rad! It's time to start the best week of camp ever!”

Once everyone regained their hearing, we grouped in the middle of the campsite. On the gazebo, two people approached a mounted microphone. The first was a magenta-haired girl donning summer clothes, a flower crown, and a necklace with familiar gemstones. Her name was Gloriosa Daisy, this movie’s temporary villain. The green-haired boy next to her wore a red shirt, cargo shorts, and a beanie. This was Timber Spruce, Sci-Twi’s crush.

Honestly, I didn’t mind this ship too much. It was better written than with Flash and my Twilight. Although, I had no idea what Timber and Sci-Twi’s age gap was, and I hoped Timber was still in his teens.

As the two hosts announced to the crowd, I observed my surroundings. While I saw the same characters that were in the original movie, I noticed a few new ones. Wallflower was one of them. I guessed that having her rebond with Sunset made her more outgoing.

Kinda reminds me of when I changed Moondancer’s future for the better.

I turned my attention to Gloriosa and Timber, both of whom showed small signs of tension between each other over the camp gift: a tradition where campers craft a big project for future campers to enjoy. I wasn’t the only one who noticed; I could see Sunset talking to Pinkie and Twilight about it.

“Now's the time when we give out tent assignments so you can leave your heavy bags behind,” Timber announced.

“Girls will be getting their assignments from Timber,” Gloriosa added. “Guys, you're with me.”

I grouped up with the other guys just as Gloriosa got out a bag. I picked mine, which was Topaz. By sheer coincidence, it was Alter-Spike’s as well.

“Wow! What are the chances?” Alter-Spike said.

“Heh, are you sure the bag’s not rigged?” I joked to Gloriosa.

“All tent assignments are signed at random,” Gloriosa told us.

Once we all got their assigned tents, Gloriosa told us to drop our stuff off. Just as she said that, Filthy Rich arrived on the scene in a black limousine.

Honestly, Mr. Rich’s EG design reminds me of Donald Trump, but with black hair.

Goriosa assured us Mr. Rich was an alumni of Camp Everfree, but I knew the real reason. The camp was experiencing financial problems, and Mr. Rich wanted to purchase the place so he could build a spa over it.

Alter-Spike and I went over to our tent and unpacked our stuff. Conveniently, the staff left us some spare Camp Everfree shirts.

“This will be my first time being away from Twilight,” Alter-Spike said. “My Twilight anyway. I hope she’ll be alright without me. How about you, Spike?”

“This isn’t my first time,” I replied. “But I still hope my Twilight will be okay as well.”

I stared out of the tent, thinking in more detail on how to change this episode. I could sneak into the quarry and take the other two gems, but then it would prevent the girls from getting their super powers.

“Spike? Spike?” Alter-Spike grabbed my shoulder. “Hey, Mirror Spike. You good?”

I blinked rapidly. “Oh, sorry. I was just lost in thought.”

“Yeah. You know I think there’s something up with Timber and Gloriosa, and something tells me that filthy guy is more than just an alumni.”

“I was thinking the same thing. Say, is your Twilight still worried about what happened at the Friendship Games?”

“I don’t know.” Alter-Spike shrugged. “I tried asking her, but she either avoids the question or says a broad answer and changes the subject.”

I know Midnight Sparkle was a bad experience for Twilight, but to keep her feelings from even her own former-pet?

“Well, in any case let’s unpack our stuff and get to the docks.” Alter-Spike scratched his nose. “Maybe you’ll get some info about how summer camp works then.”

“I’m already getting some good material, such as how you guys arrive at a summer camp, what outfits you would wear, where you sleep, et cetera.”

“You should write that down in your red notebook when you get the chance.”

“Yeah, I should. In fact, I’ll do it right now.”

I walked over to my backpack. That’s when it clicked.

“Hey, wait. How did you know I had a red notebook? I didn’t take it out of my backpack yet.”

“I…” Alter-Spike scratched his chin. “I don’t know. I guess I had a feeling.”

I raised an eyebrow as I pulled out the book and a pencil.

Is it possible he’s seen this before? Nah, it’s got to be something else.

After writing down my entry, I took off my hoodie and lime-striped shirt. Then I slipped into one of the camp shirts with a green collar and put my hoodie right back on. Alter-Spike and I left our tent and made our way to the docks.

“So, Sunset told me you’re a dragon in your world,” Alter-Spike said. “Is…is that true?”

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Really? No joke?! That’s amazing! What kind of dragon are you? Are you the muscular four-legged ones, the two-legged ones with attached wings, or the noodle-shaped ones?”

I chuckled, “None of those, I’m afraid. I’m currently the chubby, two-legged, wingless one. But I’ll get my wings someday.”

“You think I could visit your world sometime and see what life is like as a dragon there?”

“If you want to.”

We arrived at the lake just to see the other campers hanging around. We met up with Twilight and Sunset. Twilight had a worried look on her face.

“Twilight! Good to see you again!” Alter-Spike ran up to Twilight and hugged her. He had his tongue out, but he immediately stuck it back in. “Oop, sorry! I was just about to lick you.”

“It’s okay, Spike.” Twilight hugged back.

“Was everything alright at your tent?” I asked.

Sunset looked at Twilight. “It’s…been fine. Nothing unusual.”

I knew she was lying. In the show, the objects in Sunset and Twilight’s tent levitated all of a sudden, like something out of a Gravity Falls intro. As much as Sunset wanted to tell the other girls, Twilight forbade it thinking she brought the magic with her.

“Who wants to go canoeing?!” Twilight proclaimed, changing the subject.

Both she and Alter-Spike slipped into life jackets, and they walked onto the deck. I followed them.

“Do you know how to swim, Spike?” I asked.

Alter-Spike replied, “Yeah, Rainbow taught me a few strokes.”

“Including dog-paddle?” I teased.

“No. I already knew that one.”

We passed Fluttershy just as she fed some ducks.

“Aren't they just the cutest?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight turned around to see the ducks. That’s when I saw a familiar board.

“Twilight! Look out!” I shouted.

Snap!

Twilight stepped on the weak board and lost her balance. Thankfully, Timber caught her.

“Whoa!” Timber said, “I know I'm charming, but you don't have to fall for me.”

“Aren’t you a bit too old to be flirting with high schoolers, Timber?” I asked suspiciously.

“I'm 16, kid,” Timber replied. “My sister's 20, which is why she's the owner of the camp.”

“Alright then.”

At least it makes me feel a little more comfortable about the Sci-Twi and Timber ship.

The scene played out like in the show. Luna suggested the docks be closed down, much to the campers’ disappointment. Gloriosa convinced us that she could patch the dock up, but Applejack offered to rebuild the deck as part of their camp gift. Almost everyone was on board, except for Timber.

We discussed how to design the dock and what features to add. Sunset suggested adding a sign, Fluttershy wished to add feeding boxes for the fish and ducks, and Rainbow offered to include lanterns. We spent the rest of the day restoring part of the dock.

Later that evening, we gathered around the campfire roasting marshmallows and swapping scary stories. Although, the stories so far were more dull than daunting, especially Rarity’s tale. I hated to admit it, but Alter-Spike’s spiel wasn’t any better.

“...and then she spoke, ‘See you soon,’ and she closed the door behind her, never to return,” he concluded.

Everyone around us bore the same monotonous expressions as the other stories.

“That’s it?” Rainbow asked unenthusiastically. “What happened to the girl?”

“That’s the thing,” Alter-Spike said. “Nobody knows.”

“Actually, the girl came back after ten minutes, as she specified,” Twilight said.

“Do you have any idea how much that is in dog years?!”

“There is no set dog-to-human time ratio. A dog’s age correlates to their size and breed.”

“Heh. Typical human mindset,” Spike snarked under his breath.

“How about you, Mirror Spike?” Rainbow asked me. “Got any scary stories from the other world?”

I answered, “Well, there's one where Vice Principal Luna's pony counterpart turned evil.”

“What?!” Luna asked astonishingly.

“It’s gotta be better than the other ones,” Rainbow Dash said. “Go ahead, we’re all ears.”

“Well...” I looked at Twilight. “I’m afraid it might bring up a sensitive topic for some of us.”

“I-it’s okay, Mirror Spike,” Twilight responded. “You can tell it anyway.”

“Okay, but just to make things clear, if at any point you guys wonder how a pony can do something, just remember it’s because of magic.” I said.

I cleared my throat and told the story. While I had to pause the story to clarify certain factors, I had a few people interested, including Luna and Celestia. Even Twilight was engrossed in the tale, which was a surprise.

“...and while Princess Luna turned back to good, the evil spirit of Nightmare Moon still lives on to this day, waiting for its next victim,” I spookily narrated. “That’s why once every year, we dress up in costumes to keep Nightmare Moon’s spirit at bay.”

“Okay, that was definitely better,” said RD.

“I never thought there could be an alternate version of myself,” Luna said. “Let alone one where I live almost indefinitely on the moon due to a past misdeed.”

“Hey, it’s the truth,” I said. “Thankfully, like I said before, my Luna’s a good guy now.”

“If you like that story, then you’ll love this one,” Timber said to everyone. “But I'm warning you, you might as well hug a friend now. That's how scary it is!”

Everyone huddled together in fright. I scooched over to Fluttershy and Alter-Spike.

“It's time I told you about the legend of Gaea Everfree,” Timber said.

Timber went on with the story. He explained how his great-grandparents built a cabin in the Everfree Forest only to be confronted by Gaea Everfree herself! After pleading with her, they were granted permission to build a camp for future generations; however, they were warned that Gaea would return someday to retake the entire forest.

Even though I heard the story already, it still sent chills up my spine.

“So if you see a trail of gem dust,” said Timber, “you'll know that it is…Gaea Everfree!”

A pair of eyes appeared from behind him, freaking everyone out. I heard more screeches here than in a horror movie theater.

“Hey, guys,” Gloriosa greeted as she appeared from the shadows. “Sorry, didn't mean to scare you!”

“Then why'd you come out of the bushes?” Sunset asked.

“I...took the scenic route, because the forest is beautiful at night. B-but no one else should do it without a guide, kay? All right, everybody, time to head to your tents.”

As the campers dispersed, the girls, Alter-Spike, and I grouped up.

“Erg! Fluttershy?!” Alter-Spike choked. “You can stop hugging me, please!”

Fluttershy immediately released her grip. “Sorry, Spike. I guess that story got to me.”

“Why?” Applejack shrugged. “It can't be real.”

“I don’t know,” Rainbow said uneasily. “Gaea Everfree could be some creature that got booted from Equestria and ended up in this world. That's what happened with the sirens. Mirror Spike, you’re from Equestria. Has there ever been a Gaea Everfree there?”

“I can’t confirm nor deny that,” I replied. “Mainly because I don’t know.”

“Sounded more like something that Timber was makin' up just to scare us.” Applejack said. “At least I hope it was. Last thing I want is to have camp ruined by some power-crazed magical creature.”

“Oh, hear-hear,” Rarity agreed. “We've had to deal with more than our fair share of those. At the Fall Formal, a musical showcase, the Friendship Ga—” Rarity noticed Twilight’s disturbed expression. “Well, I mean, you know, everything turned out alright, of course.”

“I'm kinda tired. I'm gonna turn in,” Twilight said as she walked away.

Sunset suggested, “Maybe lay off bringing up what happened at the Friendship Games? I think she's still pretty sensitive about it.”

Everyone agreed, including me, even though I wished to cheer Twilight up early.

Alter-Spike and I returned to our tent. We got into our pajamas and hopped into bed. I wrote a few new entries in my notebook.

“I wonder if Gaea Everfree really was from Equestria,” I said. “I’ll ask Twilight when I get back home.”

“I don’t know if she’ll be in the mood to talk about evil creatures, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike said.

“I was talking about my Twilight.”

“Oh, sorry. It’s getting confusing which people you're talking about.”

“Then I’ll call her ‘Mirror Twilight’ for the time being, like how some of you calle me ‘Mirror Spike’.”

After writing the entries, I put my notebook away and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Alter-Spike and I got to the lake. He wore a pair of chartreuse swimming trunks.

“Did you bring any swimsuits, Mirror Spike?” Alter-Spike asked.

“Not really,” I replied. “I don't think they would fit me if I brought them through the portal.”

“Do ponies even wear swimsuits in your world?”

“I think so, but it’s more of a fashion choice than for the sake of modesty.”

“Wow. And here everyone wears clothes for everything. I wonder why.”

“Well, I read about humans a while back. During primitive times, humans used to have fur all over their bodies, but over time each generation had less and less fur, so they adapted by wearing the fur from animals they’ve hunted. That helped them bear the elements. Then as the years went by, humans got so used to wearing clothes that going without them was seen as outlandish. Therefore, they made rules to remain clothed for mostly every activity.”

“Wow, Sunset was right. You are pretty knowledgeable about this world.”

“Hey, it gives me something to do outside of reading comic—INCOMING!!”

A sailboat rushed straight to the docks. Everybody evacuated immediately just as the boat smashed into the front end. We hurried to get the riders, Sandalwood and Derpy, out of the water.

“Is everyone alright?!” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re fine, dude,” said Sandalwood.

“What happened?” Sunset ran up the dock.

“It was so weird. We were stuck in the middle of the lake with no wind, then all of a sudden, bam! The wind picked up, and we were pushed right into the dock.”

“I didn’t hear any wind picking up,” Alter-Spike said. “And I have very good hearing.”

“Let’s get you two dried up,” Timber said.

That’s when I noticed Pinkie, Trixie, and Twilight together. Both Pinkie and Trixie think it was some sort of spirit, while Twilight believed it was herself that caused the boat to crash.

“What’s that?!” Rarity pointed to some strange purple glitter in the water. The bystanders took note of it as well. Some of the glitter appeared behind the boat as well.

“Maybe I shouldn’t go swimming today,” Alter-Spike said. “I’m gonna go change again.”

Twilight entered the forest. I quickly followed after her.

“Hey, Twilight,” I said as I caught up. “Listen…”

“I’m sorry, Mirror Spike, but I need to be on my own,” Twilight said.

“I know why you’re upset, Twilight, and—”

“Just….leave me alone.”

Twilight hurried deeper into the forest. I sighed and put my hands on my hips.

So much for that. Guess I’ll try again after her musical number.

Being alone in the forest gave me another opportunity. After checking to make sure no one was looking, I hurried over to the quarry.

When I got there, I saw the entrance blocked by three large boulders. I knew what was inside them: geode crystals charmed with Equestrian magic. To take them was a tricky decision.

I could take the geodes now and then reveal them to the girls after camp. That’s one possibility.

I got to the entrance. I tried to push one of the boulders aside when…

“Hey! What are you doing?!”

I quickly jumped. Timber came out of the forest.

“Campers aren’t allowed to hike near the quarry, remember?” Timber asked.

“Well, the place doesn’t look too dangerous,” I said. “We can easily move some of these boulders.”

Timber sighed. “Sorry, kid, but we can’t take chances. If you’re looking to do some rock-climbing, there’s a wall back at the camp. Come on.”

I obliged, disappointed as I was. Timber escorted me out of the forest just to see Twilight returning.

“Now, hurry back to camp,” Timber said to me. “I don’t want to see you at the quarry again. Do you understand?”

I exhaled sharply. “Yes.”

I walked back to camp by my lonesome. There, Sunset and Alter-Spike were with each other, and Rarity and Applejack were at the rock-climbing wall.

“Hey, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike asked. “What happened? You don’t look very happy.”

“Timber caught me trying to get into the rock quarry,” I replied.

“Why would you go there?” Sunset asked.

“I wanted to find some gemstones and bring them back to Equestria,” I lied. “You know, to see what they would taste like.”

“I hope you plan to eat them after you return to Equestria.” Sunset looked behind me. “By the way, have you seen Twilight?”

“Probably flirting with Timber Spruce again, or the other way around in this case.”

“Hey, you’re right.” Alter-Spike pointed behind me.

The three of us walked up to Twilight just as Timber left.

“Twilight, there you are,” said Sunset. “I was looking for you.”

Before Sunset could utter another word, the ground shook violently. The four of us huddled together as purple glitter emerged from the grass. Rarity slipped from the wall and gripped her rope viciously.

“I believe I'd like to come down now!” Rarity pleaded.

Applejack tugged the rope. “Sorry, it's a little bit stuck.”

The scene then played out like in the show. Applejack’s hands glowed, and Rarity shot straight up. Panically, Applejack let go of the rope but immediately grabbed it before her climber stopped just inches off the ground.

“Applejack!” Rarity screamed. “What are you doing?!”

“Is everything okay over there?” asked Principal Celestia.

“I don't know what happened,” Applejack shrugged. “I didn't even pull the rope that hard. It's like she was light as a feather all of a sudden.”

“I was scared half to death!” Rarity hyperventilated as she struggled to get her harness off.

Applejack offered a hand, but before Rarity could refuse, a large, shiny, hexagon appeared out of nowhere and pushed Applejack into the lake. The surrounding campers were not having any luck comprehending the phenomenon.

“I'm gonna go get Applejack a towel,” Twilight said as she left the scene.

“Me, too.” Sunset followed after her.

“We better join them,” I suggested to Alter-Spike.

“You read my mind,” he said.

We regrouped with the two girls just as Gloriosa showed up.

“Hi, girls! Anything I can do for you?” Gloriosa asked.

“Uh, Applejack just fell into the lake!” Twilight cried.

“Oh, no!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll handle it,” I said. “We’re just getting some towels.”

“Aw, you shouldn’t do so much work while you’re at camp. Let’s see, aside from the warm towels, Applejack needs dry clothes, oh, and a hot cocoa! I've got this!”

Before I could object, Gloriosa ran off.

She complains on the inside about the many burdens, and yet she refuses to let others help out.

All at once, a low booming sound rang out followed by the screech of a familiar shy girl.

“Fluttershy?!” The four of us said together.

We hurried to the mess hall, and we found the place coated in cupcake batter when we entered.

“What happened?” asked Sunset.

Just like in the show, Pinkie and Fluttershy explained that the former was handing the latter some sprinkles when they glowed pink and exploded out of nowhere like fireworks. Pinkie even threw a few more to prove her point.

“Okay, why don't you lay off touching stuff for a while?” Sunset asked.

Fluttershy went to get some paper towels, when a bird flew in and helped her. That’s when she discovered she could talk to the bird. The bird themselves invited all their other friends, and soon a swarm of them landed on Fluttershy’s arms.

Applejack and Rarity came into the mess hall, telling Pinkie and Fluttershy about their incident at the rock-climbing wall.

Rarity concluded, “the diamond knocked Applejack over and then it disappeared!”

“Speaking of disappearing, has anybody seen Rainbow Dash?” Applejack asked.

As if fate answered the call, Rainbow zoomed into the mess hall and smacked against the wall on the other side.

“Whoa! How'd you do that?” Applejack assisted Rainbow to her feet.

“I don't know,” replied Rainbow. “I started running to get the harness, and the next thing I knew, I was practically back in town!”

“But if you had some sort of super speed, why were you gone for so long?” Rarity asked.

“Because I lost it when I got far away. And then it came back when I got close to camp.”

“How can—erp!” Alter-Spike squeezed his stomach.

“Spike? Er, the Spike with the cap? Are you alright?” Fluttershy asked.

“Erg!” Spike held up a finger while his other hand switched from covering his mouth to gripping his chest to patting his stomach.

“Are you choking?! Are you gonna vomit?!” Sunset panicky asked. “Say something!”

“I…don’t feel…so…”

BRAAAARP!!

A massive cloud of green flames spewed from Alter-Spike’s mouth. The girls screamed and backed away as Alter-Spike fell to the ground from the sheer recoil. It was a wonder how he didn’t burn anything.

“Goodness, darling!” Rarity exclaimed. “What have you been eating?”

“I thought spittin’ fire was Mirror Spike’s specialty,” Applejack said.

“Man, that felt painful!” Alter-Spike thumped his chest.

“You alright?” I asked as I helped him up.

“Now I am.” Alter-Spike placed his hand on my shoulders. Suddenly, his eyes glowed a bright yellow. He immediately jerked away from me. “Woah! What was that?”

“What was what?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I saw a glimpse of you and Rainbow Dash. She was slapping you for some reason.”

“What?!” Rainbow and I shouted in unison.

“Why would I slap Spike out of the blue?” Rainbow asked. “That’s ridiculous.”

“I don’t know.” Alter-Spike shrugged. “All I did was touch Mirror Spike, and then I saw it.”

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Being at camp is giving us all new magical abilities!”

“Not all of us have gotten new abilities,” said Sunset. “I haven't, but Twilight…hasn't, either. I don’t think Mirror Spike has as well.”

“Eh, I’ve had magic abilities before in this world,” I pointed out. “I’m not complaining.”

Applejack slumped her shoulders. “So much for my theory that leavin' CHS would mean leavin' any new magic business behind.”

“Hey! Shoo!” Pinkie shouted.

“Now what?” Sunset asked.

“There’s a bunch of bugs in here!” Pinkie swatted the air. “Get away! Bugs aren’t on the menu, and they definitely don’t belong on the cupcakes!”

“Uh, oh! Spike! Hold still!” Rainbow barked.

I asked, “Wait, which Spike are you—?”

SMACK!!

“Ow!” I rubbed my cheek. “Why did you do that?!”

“There was a mosquito on you.” Rainbow looked at the smashed bits on her fingers. “Bleugh!”

“Was it a male or female?” Fluttershy asked.

“It was…small.”

“Oh, then it was a female. That’s fine.”

“Wait, that’s what I saw!” Alter-Spike shouted.

“Huh?” Rainbow tilted her head.

“That’s exactly what I saw in my vision…thing. Rainbow slapped Mirror Spike just like that!”

“Does that mean…you can see the future?” Sunset asked.

“It must be!”

“That’s weird. I don’t have that kind of power,” I said. “Not even in Equestria.”

While I do know what’s going to happen, it’s not me being a psychic.

“Aw, man, how come he gets a twofer?” Rainbow complained.

“The better question is what, at the camp, is making all this happen?” Sunset wondered.

“Gaea Everfree?” Fluttershy suggested.

Gloriosa then came in with a bunch of towels for Applejack before she took note of the mess around us. That’s when some other campers and Timber Spruce entered the building and needed Gloriosa’s assistance. She assured us she “got this,” but I didn’t need Sunset’s upcoming empathy abilities to tell she was in over her head.

After Gloriosa left, Sunset immediately cringed.

“Fluttershy! Enough with the screaming!” Sunset barked.

“I didn’t scream,” Fluttershy responded.

“For once,” Rainbow snarked.

“Nobody did,” Rarity pointed out.

“She’s right. Even I didn’t hear anything,” Spike added.

Before Sunset could wonder about the source of the screech, Celestia’s voice rang from the speakers.

“Attention, campers! Anyone who's interested in making floating paper lanterns, please meet us by the picnic tables.”

Everyone left the cafeteria, agreeing to keep their new magic powers at bay for the time being.

Alter-Spike and I sat at a table decorating our lanterns with Twilight. I painted green flames on mine, while Alter-Spike covered his in purple paw prints and dog treats. Twilight decorated herself with stars.

“So, why aren't we with the girls again?” Alter-Spike asked.

Twilight sighed. “Sunset said something at camp is causing the other girls to get new magic. I think it's Midnight Sparkle. She's still part of me. I can feel it. And I think her magic is infecting my friends.”

“Oh, Twilight, you don't need to worry about Midnight Sparkle,” I reassured her. “Whatever’s causing the girls and Spike to have new powers is not because of you.”

“How do you know?”

“You're forgetting I’m Mirror Twilight's number one assistant back in Equestria. I've been around her so long I know a thing or two about magic.”

Twilight looked away.

Once we finished our lanterns, we met up with everyone on the unfinished dock.

“Ready?” Gloriosa announced. “And... go!”

We all released our lanterns into the sky. The flying lights drifted into the night. Pinkie’s, however, fell to the ground the moment she let go because of the excess marshmallow passengers.

“Oh, well! Now I get to eat it!” Pinkie munched on some of the sweet treats not contaminated by the wooden surface.

Later that night, I layed in bed staring at the cloth ceiling. I already wrote today's entry in my journal. I was still up in the air on whether or not I should grab the rest of the geodes before Gloriosa does.

That’s when I noticed Alter-Spike tying his shoes. He was still in his camper uniform.

“Where are you off to?” I asked.

“I…have to meet with Twilight,” Alter-Spike replied.

He dashed out of the tent. I was about to follow him, but then I realized what would happen next. Sunset would catch up with him and Twilight just as they're about to leave camp. Then she would discover she has the ability to see other people’s past.

I didn’t go for two reasons. First, it was unnecessary since Sunset would already assure Twilight and get her and Spike to stay at camp a bit longer. Second, since I didn’t know how much of the past Sunset could see, I didn’t want her to accidentally grab my arm and see my past. I wasn’t ready to reveal my intentions just yet.

Morning arrived already. I was alone in the tent. A note stuck by Alter-Spike’s bed.

I quickly read the scribbles.

“Couldn’t get you up,
so I had to leave you be.
The girls and I are at the docks.
Come by if you can.

-Spike”

I got dressed and exited the tent. Immediately, I saw Sunset approaching and I leaped out of the way.

“Woah! Spike.” Sunset put her hands up. “You’re jumpy today.”

“You just surprised me, that’s all,” I said. “Spike told me the girls were at the dock, so I’m heading there right now.”

“Actually, why don’t we go together?” Sunset took a step forward, and I took two steps backward out of instinct. “What’s wrong?”

Shoot! Now she’s getting suspicious! Why did I do that?!

“I just got out of the wrong side of the bed,” I replied.

Sunset looked at her hands and sprinted up to me.

“Wait! Wait! Don’t touch—!”

Sunset grabbed my arm, and suddenly her eyes turned white. Once her pupils returned, she stared at me.

“Spike…what…?”

I quickly took Sunset to the back of one of the cabins.

After checking to make sure the coast was clear, I asked Sunset, “What exactly did you see?”

“I can’t really describe it…” Sunset replied. “I saw your Twilight and her friends being together on this laptop. Then I saw what seemed to be them but much older. After that, I saw you waking up in Canterlot, looking at yourself in the mirror, and then there was this montage of you doing different things as if…” Sunset looked at me. “Spike…are you someone from the future?”

I sighed deeply. “Yes, I am. In fact, my real name isn’t actually Spike. I just happened to appear in Spike’s draconic body one day, and…I’m sure you saw the rest.”

“Does anyone else know about you? The real you?”

“Only Discord and Luna in the pony world. Luna found out one night, and Discord…he already knew for some reason. Now please keep this a secret for the time being. I haven’t told anypony or non-pony else, and I’m waiting for the right time to reveal it.”

“I got it. I promise I won’t reveal anything you told me.”

“Thank you. Let’s get back to the girls and pretend this didn’t happen.”

Sunset and I arrived at the docks just to see the others rebuilding the last section, or at least they were trying to. Rainbow Dash ironically walked like a sloth, Applejack kept tapping the nails like they were made of glass, and that was just scratching the surface. That’s when I noticed Alter-Spike wearing a face mask.

“What’s with the mask?” Rainbow asked. “You sick or something?”

“No, I don’t want to accidentally burn down the dock with my new fire breath,” Alter-Spike replied.

“That’s not gonna help, Spike,” I pointed out. “The fire breath would just go right through the mask. You might as well tape a piece of paper to your mouth. Trust me, I’d know.”

“Aw, shoot!” Applejack exasperated. “I'm all out of nails.”

“Here you go!” Pinkie announced as she tossed the box of nails.

“PINKIE, NO!” Everyone except Sunset and me shouted.

Rarity instinctively summoned another diamond shield, pushing Rainbow and Fluttershy away. Applejack hit the deck and Alter-Spike crouched near a post.

“What?” Pinkie looked around, confused. “Oh, did you think the nails would explode like the sprinkles? Wow! Glad that didn't happen, huh?”

“Sorry, girls.” Rarity helped RD and Fluttershy up. “I didn't mean to. I don't know how to control this.”

“It's okay,” Rainbow responded.

“None of us do,” added Fluttershy.

“Which is why we shouldn't pretend this isn't happening,” Sunset Shimmer declared.

“Do you have them now, too?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“It started last night. When I touch people, it's like I can feel what they're feeling and see their memories.”

“Try me, try me!” Pinkie offered.

Sunset touched Pinkie’s forehead. After the former worked her magic, she returned to the real world with a thousand-yard stare.

“That explains so much.” Sunset shook her head. “Girls...and Spike, we can't just brush these powers aside because it doesn't seem like the ideal time to get them. What if it turns out that they could actually make things better?”

That’s when she started singing. The lack of background music once again made the song a bit awkward, but I got used to it at this point. After her singing, everyone rebuilt the deck to its former glory.

“I've gotta go find Twilight,” Sunset declared. “Seeing what we've been able to do here might make her embrace the new magic, too! Uh, not that she has any.”

“I’m coming with you,” I said.

Once we got to the edge of the forest, Sunset heard an argument near one of the cabins.

“Go in ahead and find her,” Sunset said. “I’ll catch up.”

“Got it.”

This gave me the opportunity to return to the quarry. I hurried over there. I got to the entrance and pushed the boulders aside. Once I entered, the cave was decorated with glowing stalactites and stalagmites. At the center stood a geode with three remaining crystals of red, purple, and green.

Weird. In the show, there were two crystals. I guess the third one is for Alter-Spike, but how did the Equestrian magic know he was a human now?

I reached out to grab one, but…

Zap!

“Yeow!” I shook my hand. “I thought you guys would be more friendly to someone from Equestria. Guess we’ll do this the hard way.”

I stripped off my hoodie and used the cloth to grab the gems. I then shoved them in my jacket’s pockets.

Sorry, girls. Maybe next time I visit I’ll show you these.

“Hold it!”

I gasped and turned around. Thankfully, it was just Sunset, Twilight, and Alter-Spike.

“Mirror Spike? You’re the one who’s spreading magic?” Twilight asked.

“What?! No!” I firmly denied. “I was trying to take these gems before they landed in the wrong hands.” I held my forearm out. “Sunset, you can read memories. See for yourself.”

Sunset grabbed my arm again and had her vision. She then let go.

“He’s right.” She rubbed her forehead. “But those crystals…they’re giving off Equestrian magic. I can...I can feel it.”

“That’s weird,” said Alter-Spike. “We’ve been thinking it was just Timber faking there was a magical nature creature.”

“Then what would explain the sudden magic powers we all had?” Twilight asked. “More importantly, what does Timber have to do with any of this?”

“Nothing. It's all me.” A voice called out.

Gloriosa emerged from the shadows.

Sunset said, “But... Timber. I was sure he was the one trying to make it seem like Gaea Everfree was back. It was you who was trying to scare everyone away?”

“I would never try to scare anyone away from Camp Everfree.”

Sunset quickly grabbed her arm. I knew what she was seeing. Mr. Rich gave Gloriosa until the end of the month to get her payments. Then she found the gems which gave her powers to control the plants around Camp Everfree. However, Timber Spruce disapproved of her using them, and no one could blame him as she caused a few accidents around the camp such as the boat crash and earthquake.

“Timber wasn't talking about letting go of the camp,” Sunset said. “He was talking about you letting go of the magical geodes.”

“How do you know what I was doing with the geodes?” Gloriosa asked.

“I can see things. Feel things. Because I have magic, too. And so does Twilight and Spike. And so do our friends.”

Twilight said, “Gloriosa, Timber wasn't wrong. Maybe you should stop using magic. Too much of it can be dangerous if you can't control it.”

“Spike,” I whispered to Alter-Spike. “Use your future sight.”

“Oh, okay.” Alter-Spike walked up and grabbed Gloriosa’s other arm. Then his eyes glowed again.

“Hey! Stop that!” Gloriosa pushed him away. “What’s with the arm-grabbing?”

“Miss Gloriosa, the girls are telling you the truth,” Alter-Spike said. “If you take any more power, you’ll turn into a monster and trap everypony inside. That’s what I saw in your future.”

“Oh, I got this. And I'm going to use it to save my camp.” Gloriosa walked up to me. “The gems, please.”

“No! I won’t let you!” I ran away.

“Get back here!”

Gloriosa spawned numerous vines, but I put my parkour lessons to work. I dodged, slid, and jumped over every vine.

“Okay, I admit that was impressive,” Gloriosa said under her breath.

More vines appeared from all directions and grasped me firmly. The hoodie slipped from my hands and spilled its pockets’ contents.

“Finally!” Gloriosa shouted. “I just need more power!”

“No!” Everypony yelled.

Sadly, our verbal attempts to stop Gloriosa were made moot. She grabbed the gems and entangled Sunset, Twilight, and Alter-Spike in vines before turning into a wicked plant-based villain that even Poison Ivy would envy.

“Shoot, I was trying to prevent this,” Alter-Spike and I said at the same before looking at each other.

Gloriosa levitated out the cave and sealed the entrance up with the boulders and vines.

“Oh…” Twilight sighed broodingly. “Now what do we do?”

“We get out of here,” Sunset said. “Spike!”

“Yeah?” Alter-Spike and I responded.

“The Spike with the cap! Use your flames!”

“But I don't know how!” Alter-Spike pleaded. “Mirror Spike, how did you breathe fire back in your world?”

“I just went with my gut feeling.” I shrugged. “Maybe the same could go for you.”

“Okay…”

Alter-Spike blew on the vines. Nothing happened.

He blew on them again. He disturbed a leaf.

His third blow was even less successful.

“I can’t do it!” Alter-Spike complained.

“You have to, Spike!” I commanded. “Everyone’s lives are at stake, including your owner’s!”

Alter-Spike looked at Twilight. He straightened his back and stared at the vines. He then inhaled deeply.

FWOOSH!!

A green flame spewed from his lips. The vines charred and crumbled among the inferno. Alter-Spike escaped without a single singe on his body.

“Good boy, Spike!” Twilight praised. “Now the rest of us.”

Spike burned off the vines for Twilight, Sunset, and me. Thankfully, none of us were burned either. We hurried out of the cave only to see a bundle of vine-covered boulders blocking our path.

“Oh, no! We’re trapped!” Twilight cried.

I tried pushing the boulders, but they wouldn’t budge this time.

“The vines are too strong!” I declared.

“Twilight, you have to use your magic!” Sunset directed.

“I don't think I can lift something that big,” rebutted Twilight.

“It's our only chance of getting out of here and helping our friends!”

Twilight walked up to the boulders and held her hands out. They emitted a purple glow, and the boulders soon followed suit. Twilight pushed them out of the way, and we left the cave.

“Uh, is it just me or did the forest get taller?” Alter-Spike asked, pointing to the horizon.

“Those aren’t trees!” Sunset gasped. “They’re vines! We gotta hurry!”

We scurried down the forest path.

“You know, back there I could’ve burned the vines off while you move the boulders, Mirror Spike,” Alter-Spike whispered.

“I know,” I replied. “But then Twilight wouldn’t get her time to shine.”

When we got to the wall of vines, Sunset and Twilight tried to pull them away.

“Stand back, girls,” Alter-Spike said.

He inhaled once more and blew at the vines, burning a giant hole for us to enter. Then a tail and wings emerged from his back.

Once he scorched a hold big enough, he checked himself. “Woah! I hope this is permanent.”

“Get in, quick!” I barked. “We’ll admire our bodies later.”

The four of us jumped right in just before the hole repaired itself.

That’s when we noticed the battlefield around us. Campers and buildings were entangled in the vines, and the girls were in their “pony-up” forms. They tried to get everypony out, but Gloriosa clearly had the upper hand.

“Guys! Thank goodness you came!” Rainbow zipped up to us. “Gloriosa is—!”

“Yeah, we know!” Sunset rebutted.

We dodged more vines before Gloriosa landed on a nearby sundial.

Alter-Spike said, “Gloriosa, next you’ll say, ‘Why are you fighting me?! I'm doing this to save our camp!’”

“Why are you fighting me?!” Gloriosa exclaimed. “I'm doing this to save our camp! Wait, what?”

Really, Alter-Spike? A Jojo reference?

“This is what I saw in your future!” Alter-Spike shouted. “That’s why you have to stop!”

“Let's just think about this for a moment, shall we?” Rarity suggested. “I mean, I think Camp Everfree is absolutely delightful, but I just don't know that I'm quite ready to give up my weekly trips to the—”

“I-I don’t think she cares about that, Rarity,” I quickly interrupted.

“Gloriosa, this isn't the way!” Timber shouted.

Gloriosa rebutted, “I appreciate your concern, Timber, but I got this!”

Immediately, Timber was encased in the vines like the rest of the camp.

Timber cried, “Please, Gloriosa! What you're doing is crazy! You have to listen to me!”

“That isn't Gloriosa,” Sunset answered. “It's someone who's been consumed by Equestrian magic!”

Which would still be Gloriosa…

Soon, the vines covered the sky, but Gloriosa was far from done. Vines filled every empty space. The girls, Spike, and I huddled together.

“Rarity!” Applejack called out.

Rarity formed a shield around us. The vines smacked and shoved the outer layer, attempting to break in.

“I can't keep this up forever!” Rarity cried.

“It's up to you,” Sunset said to Twilight. “You can use your magic to pull the brambles apart!”

“No,” Twilight refused. “There's too many of them. It would take too much magic. I can't!

“It's the only way!” Sunset formed pony ears and a tail. “You have to embrace the magic inside you!”

“What if she takes over? What if instead of saving everyone, I turn into Midnight Sparkle and only make things worse?”

“That won't happen! We won't let it. You have to be stronger than she is!”

Twilight’s hands glowed. She squeezed her eyes shut.

The scene then played out like in the show. Twilight grew pony ears, wings, and a tail and bursted through the shield. She then tore the vines apart and nabbed Gloriosa’s necklace. The crystals then transferred themselves to each of the girls and Alter-Spike and gave them special, superhero-esque outfits. Soon they all grouped up and sent a shockwave of magic all across the camp, vanishing the vines and stripping Gloriosa of her powers. Green, glowing specs floated down the sky like snowflakes.

Once Timber was freed, he ran up to his unconscious sister.

“Gloriosa?” He asked as shook her shoulder.

“Wha…” Gloriosa stirred awake. “What happened?”

“It’s okay.” Timber hugged her. “It's okay. It's gonna be okay.”

The campers cheered as the girls and Alter-Spike admired their new uniforms and necklaces. I liked how Alter-Spike’s outfit resembled a combination of Scorpion’s and Syzoth’s outfit but with a headband instead of a mask.

As we cleaned up the remaining vines, Gloriosa apologized for the incident and believed that it was for the best that Filthy Rich bought out the camp. Celestia and Luna objected, claiming how the camp meant so much to them and why they brought everypony from Canterlot High here. The girls and Alter-Spike suggested a fundraiser, such as holding a ball in the caves. While Gloriosa was skeptical on how they’ll run a ball by tomorrow, the Mane 8 assured her…

“We got this!”

This saying is popping up pretty often.

We spent today and the next day prepping the gala. Timber and Twilight prepped the invitations, Rainbow sent them out, Applejack moved the bigger boulders away from the cave, Rarity tailored our outfits, and everyone else decorated the cavern.

By the time night fell, the fundraiser was underway. The girls performed a song in the cave as every party-goer cheered them on. I praised the cave for providing natural acoustics.

Once the girls completed their song, Gloriosa hopped on stage.

“Thank you all so much for coming!” She announced. “And for helping us raise enough money to save Camp Everfree!”

Everypony applauded boomingly. I swore I saw a glimpse of Filthy Rich leaving the cave in a huff.

“Thank you,” Glorisoa said to the band. “For everything. Oh, if I'd just asked for help in the first place…”

“Hey, don't sweat it,” Rainbow replied. “It's kinda what we do.”

A while later, I chatted with Alter-Spike outside the cave.

“I wonder if I can get this jewel attached to my old dog collar.”

“I’ll admit I’m a bit envious that you and the girls get your own power stones,” I chuckled.

“You can borrow mine if you want,” Alter-Spike took his necklace off and gave it to me.

“Woah! No thanks!” I took a step back. “I was just joking. These guys don’t seem to like their natives very much.”

Although, technically I wasn’t native to Equestria from the start. Maybe that’s why the gems zapped me.

“Maybe I can open up one of those psychic booths they have in carnivals with this,” Alter-Spike wondered. “See how many people will believe me.”

“Heh, that’s a start.”

Sunset and Twilight joined us.

“There is one thing I'm still wondering about, though,” Sunset said. “When I saw Gloriosa’s past, I saw these gems charmed by Equestrian magic. Where did it even come from?”

“Maybe it was from Mirror Spike?” Alter-Spike suggested. “He could’ve brought some magic with him by mistake.”

“No, I would’ve noticed,” I said. “Perhaps the statue emitted some magic when it was destroyed?”

“Is that possible?” Twilight asked.

“Excuse me?” Wallflower exited the cave. “Sorry, I overheard your conversion, and I think I might know something about that magic statue stuff.”

“What is it?” Sunset asked.

“When I met with the construction workers after they were done, they said they saw some weird colored particles coming out of the cracks. One of them thought it was a weird chemical reaction with the cement, another said it was tiny fireflies or glitter trapped in the statue. It might be the magic that you mentioned, but I don’t know.”

“Maybe it is.”

Figures some magic still escaped. I wonder if I prevented any of the Equestria Girls episodes. I guess I’ll have to find out some other time.

The next day, the girls, Alter-Spike, and I completed the dock.

“Well done, everyone!” Alter-Spike said as he put his arms around Sunset and Pinkie Pie’s shoulders.

“Third time's a charm,” Rainbow scratched her chin. “Or is it fifth? I've lost track.”

“All that matters is that the runway is finished,” Rarity assured us.

“I think ya mean the ‘dock.’” Applejack corrected.

“Oh, to-mah-to, tomato.”

“Let's celebrate!” Pinkie threw confetti and marshmallows into the air.

Alter-Spike immediately gasped and dashed forward. Grabbing his new charm, he blew a wall of fire, causing the marshmallows to burst in the sky like fireworks. The girls cheered.

“Nice one, Spike!” Twilight exclaimed. “Did you and Pinkie plan that?”

Alter-Spike replied. “No, I saw a vision of the dock being blown up by Pinkie’s confetti, so I intervened.”

On our last day, we packed up and left Camp Everfree via bus. I sat with Sunset once again.

“Man, this week flew by fast.” Sunset looked out the window. “Especially with all the magic occurrences. Stuff like that doesn’t normally happen at a human summer camp. I hope you understand, Spike.”

“No matter, I still enjoyed Camp Everfree,” I said. “And I’ve written a lot of information about what humans do at camp. I bet Twilight would like to read what I wrote.”

“You know, the next time you and your Twilight visit, you should bring some of your gemstones,” Rarity suggested. “Think of how well off we’d all be!”

“I’m sorry Rarity, but if I gave you too many gems, the value of them in this world would plummet, turning every jewel into worthless colorful rocks. Think of all the gemologists going out of the job if diamonds and rubies and whatnot are as common as finding a piece of quartz. I’d rather not risk ruining your economy.”

“Wow, were you a businessman in a past life?” Sunset asked.

“You might say that.” I winked.

The buses stopped at Canterlot High, and everyone got off. I made my way to the portal.

“Say, Spike, before I go, could you give me one more prediction?” I requested.

“Okay.” Alter-Spike grabbed my arm. Once he was done with my prediction, he uttered a single word: “Woah.”

“What did you see?”

“You’ll have to see for yourself.” He smirked.

“Ah, you tease!”

“Be sure to tell your Twilight I said hello,” Sunset said.

“Will do.” I waved goodbye to the other girls and stepped through the mirror.

When I got to the other side, Twilight was reading at a nearby table.

“Spike, you’re back!” She ran up and hugged me. “Sunset told me you’d come home soon. How was your time at summer camp?”

I responded, “It was good, and boy, do I have a lot to say about what happened.”

“Heh, I bet you do. Go ahead and unpack. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures.”

I left the library and headed to my room, thinking about how this movie played out. As much as I enjoyed Camp Everfree, I was disappointed I didn’t change much again. At least I got to meet Alter-Spike again and discover he has psychic and pyro powers. Plus, the dock was saved from exploding again.

I think I’ll let the other Equestria Girls episodes play out on their own. They seemed to manage without me.

Author's Note

Thank you for your patience with this chapter.

Chapter 104 (28 Pranks Later)

I explained to Twilight what happened at Camp Everfree. I even showed her my various notes. Although, I left out the part where Sunset saw my real past.

“Huh, I didn’t know humans climbed walls like that,” Twilight said as she read my notebook. “I’ve got to say, your trip to Camp Everfree sounded really eventful, and that’s without the new magic stones.”

“Are you envious you didn't tag along?” I asked.

“A little. The girls getting new superpowers sounded interesting, Alter-Spike’s especially. Kinda makes you wish we had psychic powers aside from Pinkie Sense.”

I chuckled. “I wish. So, did anything happen while I was gone?”

“Let’s see…I helped with preparations for the Grand Galloping Gala, and Rarity made me a new dress for the occasion. Oh, Applejack and Rainbow Dash arranged a buckball team.”

“Buckball? Is it that sport where you kick a ball into a basket?”

“That’s what I’ve heard from Applejack. Apparently, it’s a new sport that’s starting to pop up in small towns like Appleloosa and Ponyville.”

So I missed “Buckball Season”. Well, I can’t think of anything significant to change for that episode, but I could’ve tagged along and find Little Strongheart or anyone else from the buffalo tribe. It’s been a while since we chatted with them.

“Who’s on AJ and RD’s team?” I asked.

“Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Snails,” replied Twilight.

“Heh, I didn’t expect Fluttershy to be into sports, Snails either.”

“Rainbow Dash told me she and Applejack were surprised about Snails too, but they let him join since they needed a unicorn and the ones who tried out didn’t quite make it.”

“Why didn’t they ask you? Or Rarity for that matter? Or even Starlight?”

“Because I’m not a unicorn anymore, remember?” Twilight unfurled her wings. “Plus, I’m not really the athletic type. I heard Rarity and Starlight were offered to try out, but they declined because they weren’t into sports that much.”

“Such a shame. Although now that I think about it, Rarity would have focused more on the style of sports uniforms than the game itself.”

Twilight giggled. “I hate to admit how true that is.”

The Grand Galloping Gala came and went. It was more or less uneventful with a few exceptions. Discord, who was invited again, caused a few mishaps, but most of the party-goers laughed it off. I also allowed him to go with Fluttershy this year since last time he didn't take getting allegedly snubbed so well.

Tyke and Moondancer participated in the gala as well. She taught him in advance how to behave at a social gathering, but he already knew a few pointers from previous Diamond Dog events from his old district. Tyke got to dance with a few ponies, including the CMC and Rarity.

Rarity in question was sporting a short buzz cut mane with a fitting dress. Zecora, after hours of studying potions, was able to make a potion to help Rarity accelerate the growth of her mane. However, even with the potion it was still going to be a while before Rarity had her original mane, but the unicorn didn’t mind it. It gave her the chance to make short manes trendy again and experiment with different short mane styles.

I wore a white tuxedo with a red flower and black pants to the gala. Since my old suit stopped fitting me, I got a new one made by Rarity. I enjoyed wearing it, and even Fluttershy liked the design. Both of us met with the animals again, and we shared a few dances together.

A week after the gala ended, Twilight and I headed to the local school supply store in Ponyville.

“I hope this doesn’t take long,” I anxiously said. “I’m supposed to meet up with Fluttershy soon.”

“Will you relax, Spike?” Twilight asked. “I told you we need some new quills and parchments among other things, and since the store’s having a back-to-school sale, this is the perfect opportunity to buy them. I’m sure Fluttershy and her tea set can wait.”

“Actually, I’m going to join Fluttershy and her animal friends’ picnic, and I don’t want to be late.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be quick.”

Twilight and I entered the store just to see the place filled with more ponies and their disgruntled children than the supplies themselves.

“Rainbow Dash quick, or three-toed sloth quick?” I asked.

Twilight ignored my snark as we traversed through the crowd. We got to the aisle where the pens and stacks of parchment were. Twilight grabbed a few of each with her magic.

“With these prices, it’s no wonder this shop is so crowded this time of year,” Twilight said.

“Hey, Twilight and Spike!” Moondancer came down the aisle with Tyke riding on her back.

“Moondancer!” Twilight exclaimed. “I didn’t expect to run into you here. Aw, is Tyke considering school this year?”

“Oh, no, I’m already homeschooled,” Tyke clarified. “Plus, I live in a library, so I can read some textbooks there.”

“So then what brings you two here?” I asked.

“The sales, of course,” Moondancer pointed at the signs. “We were running low on writing supplies at the Golden Oaks Library, so we’d thought about taking advantage of this event while we still can.”

“Strange minds think alike; Twilight and I are doing the same thing. Make sure you save some for those who really need it.”

“We will, Spike. We’re just getting a few items, not taking the store’s entire inventory.”

After our brief chat and checking out, Twilight and I parted ways. I dashed down the road up to Fluttershy’s cottage just in time to see her coming out with a picnic basket along with her animal friends.

“Fluttershy!” I shouted. “Fluttershy, wait! Wait for me!”

“Spike,” Fluttershy replied as I ran up to her. “We were just about to leave. You came right on time.”

“Yeah…” I panted. “I had to join…Twilight…in getting…writing supplies…”

“You didn’t need to worry, Spike. We all would’ve waited for you.”

Something told me Angel was the exception, and I didn’t mean the unamused look on his face.

“Well, now that you’re here, let’s get going.” Fluttershy walked to the Everfree forest with the rest of us following close behind.

We got to a clearing and set everything up. Fluttershy and I watched as the animals played and chatted.

“So, did you ever put much thought into your future animal sanctuary?” I asked.

“I have…well, just a little bit,” Fluttershy said. “It’s not like this dream goal is going to be completed within a day. I have an idea where it should be built, but so far that’s about it.”

“Could I offer some advice?”

Fluttershy giggled. “You may. Nothing’s stopping you.”

“Be careful who you hire to help you. Some ponies claim to be ‘experts,’ but they might not have the same vision as you do.”

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.”

After a big meal, Fluttershy and I took a nap on the blanket. When we woke up, the sun disappeared through the trees.

Fluttershy quickly stood up. “What time is it? It wasn’t supposed to get dark that soon.”

One of the birds tweeted.

“Oh, my. Thanks, Margie,” Fluttershy said. “It’s already 6:50. We better head home.”

We quickly repacked everything and walked back into the forest. That’s when I realized this was when the infamous “28 Pranks Later” episode started. In the show, Rainbow Dash would prank Fluttershy, which would get the former scolded by her friends. However, their poor choice of words would lead to Dashie pranking the entire town. In turn, they would prank her by believing she started a cookie zombie apocalypse with her prank cookies.

There were two reasons why I didn’t like this episode. The first one was that the episode was basically a rehash of “The Mysterious Mare Do Well” by setting Rainbow up instead of talking to her properly. The second was that the girls’ idea of a zombie outbreak, while not a bad concept, was a rotten move to pull on their part. I hoped to prevent either Rainbow from scaring Fluttershy, or the “zombies” from emerging.

“I'm so sorry I lost track of time at our picnic,” Fluttershy said as we travelled through the dark forest. “I didn't mean for us to get caught out here after dark.”’

“Don’t worry about it, Fluttershy,” I said. “If Twilight made dinner, I could always eat the leftovers. I just hope we don’t run into any creatures.”

“There's really nothing to be afraid of. The forest at night is the same as the forest during the day.”

The wind picked up as the leaves rustled in the dark.

“Only... darker…” Fluttershy’s eyes darted around the place.

Harry the bear quickly dove under us, shivering.

“Still, maybe we should hurry back to the cottage,” Fluttershy suggested.

That’s when a dark figure zoomed behind the vegetation. Fluttershy immediately grabbed me.

“Hey! Fluttershy!” I shouted.

“S-stay back! Please stay back!” Fluttershy pleaded to the trees. “I-I have a dragon, and I’m…I’m not afraid to use him…properly.”

“Fluttershy, put me down! My fire is to only be used in an emergency or if I have to send letters to and from Twilight…!”

Suddenly, the dark figure’s red eyes peeked from the bushes. Fluttershy firmly clutched my belly, causing me to instinctively belch out my fire breath.

“Wait!” The creature’s familiar voice shouted.

But it was too late. The green flames engulfed the creature, vanishing her into thin air.

Fluttershy sighed. “That was close.”

“Fluttershy!” I squirmed out of her arms. “Why would you do that?!”

“I’m so sorry, Spike. I didn’t mean to hold you like that. I was just trying to protect us from that creature.”

“That ‘creature’ was Rainbow Dash.”

“Rainbow Dash? Does that mean…?” The color drained from Fluttershy’s face. “Did…did I just…?!”

I sighed. “No, my flames just teleported her. I didn’t see any burn marks or her flying away screaming.”

“Then where did she go?”

“I had Twilight on my mind when you activated my fire breath, so Rainbow Dash must’ve been taken to wherever Twilight was. I better go find her.”

“You go ahead, and once again I’m sorry for doing that. It won’t happen again.”

“No problem, Fluttershy.”

After a quick hug with Fluttershy, I ran out of the forest and back into town. I headed into the castle just to hear two ponies talking to each other.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got some ice in the freezer,” Twilight’s voice said.

Twilight and Rainbow Dash appeared in the hall. Twilight was all wet and wearing a pink towel around her body. Rainbow Dash was slightly less wet and had her hoof against her eye, which was dark and swollen.

“Rainbow Dash! Are you alright?!” I ran up to her. “What happened?”

“The consequences of my actions showed up, apparently,” she replied.

“How did you get a black eye?”

“I was taking a bath when Rainbow Dash poofed out of nowhere,” Twilight said. “I freaked out when she fell into the tub, and then she slipped out and ran face-first into the bathroom door. After that, well, you can see the result.”

We took Rainbow Dash to the kitchen. Twilight filled up a bag with ice cubes, and I handed it to Rainbow Dash, who pressed it against her black eye.

“Where did you even come from, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked as she dried herself. “The bathroom door and windows were shut and I didn’t hear them open.”

“I partially had something to do with that,” I replied. “When Fluttershy and I were heading home, Rainbow was trying to scare us. That’s when Fluttershy used my fire breath to teleport her away. I didn’t know I could teleport ponies like that.”

“Rainbow Dash.” Twilight glared. “Why would you do that?”

“It was just a harmless prank,” Rainbow denied. “Keyword being ‘was.’”

“Didn’t a pony tell you that Fluttershy was so sensitive that even the most harmless prank would hurt her feelings?” I reminded her.

“That was, like, a few years ago. You’ve seen how confident she’s gotten since then. I thought she’d be brave enough at this point to handle a prank.”

“And look where that got you.” Twilight pointed to the ice pack. “You should be lucky you got away with just a black eye after pulling a prank like that.”

Rainbow sighed sharply. “You’re right. I guess I’ll hold off pranking for a while…a long while.” Rainbow pulled out a mirror. “Ugh, my depth perception is gonna be out of whack all week.” Rainbow Dash looked up. “Wait a sec. Spike, how did you know it was me in the shadows? I’m sure I was well-hidden before Fluttershy pulled out her little coltfriend.”

“You weren’t,” I replied. “I saw a glimpse of your tail when you flew past us.”

“Now you go home and keep that eye cooled,” Twilight said to Rainbow Dash. “Make sure to refill the ice pack if it melts.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ve been injured before. Sorry about pranking you and Fluttershy, Spike,” Rainbow said.

“Just don’t do it again,” I sternly said.

“Like you need to tell me twice.” Rainbow walked away. “I hope I can come up with a cooler story on how I got this shiner, and if Pinkie still has eyepatches stashed around here...”

Twilight sighed deeply. “Well, this wasn’t how I expected this day to end.”

“Me neither,” I responded.

That was unfortunately the truth. I wanted to chastise Rainbow for pranking Fluttershy, but I didn’t expect Fluttershy to uncharacteristically use me as a sapient flamethrower. I thank Celestia that Rainbow’s only injury was her eye and her pride. At least Ponyville was safe from her pranking spree…for the time being.

“Oh, I forgot to mention.” Twilight pulled out a piece of paper. “The CMC joined the Filly Scouts for the Filly Guide Cookie Drive. Is there any kind of cookie you want to order from them?”

“Oh, sure.” I read through the list. “I’ll take a box of Skinny-Minties, a box of Lime-Ups, and two boxes of Coconut Delights.”

“Bleh! Really, Spike? Why would you want cookies such as those? Lime-Ups, of all treats...”

“Hey, they taste good with the right kind of tea. Don’t judge.”

Chapter 105 (No canon episode this time)

I didn’t change anything for “Where the Apple Lies.” It was mostly a flashback episode anyway, and there was no immediate need for me to go back in time.

With Nightmare Night coming up, I continued my tradition of dressing up as pop culture dragons. This one would be a dragon from a video game. I bought dark-purple, orange, and yellow body paint, some cardboard for the wings, and two big styrofoam cones for the horns. It was too bad I didn’t know any glowing dragonflies; it would’ve really helped with my costume’s aesthetic.

When the night arrived, I set my room up with old newspapers just like I did last year. I cut out the cardboard into a pair of wings and painted them yellow. I then carved the horns to make them slightly curvy, and I gave them the same color. I painted my stomach, my head scales, and the tip of my tail yellow as well. When I moved on to the purple paint, I got Twilight to help me with my back.

Twilight scrutinized one of the paint bottles. “Purple body paint? But you’re already purple.”

“This is a darker shade of purple,” I replied. “My original scale color won’t work well for this costume.”

After Twilight helped me, I taped the wings to my back and glued the horns to my head. Then, I went to the foyer to join up with Twilight and Starlight.

Twilight was wearing historically-accurate viking armor. I was disappointed she didn’t wear this costume two Nightmare Nights ago when I was dressed as a Night Fury. Starlight was wearing a familiar stage-magician outfit.

“Nice costume, Starlight,” I said. “It looks familiar.”

“Thanks, Spike,” responded Starlight. “Trixie let me borrow one of her old outfits for me to use. Although, this doesn’t look different from her newer ones.”

The three of us exited the castle and into the night. Suddenly, Starlight caught her breath.

“Look! The moon!” Starlight pointed to the sky.

Twilight and I looked up and had the same expressions. The moon was glowing a cherry pie red.

“Why is it red like that?” Starlight asked.

“Maybe…maybe it’s for the sake of aesthetics?” Twilight asked. “Perhaps Luna wanted to turn it red to make this holiday feel a bit more spooky?”

“I hope it’s that,” I said.

And hopefully it won’t respawn any downed enemies.

“We still got some time before Pinkie’s Nightmare Night party,” Twilight said to change the subject. “Do you guys want to do anything before then?”

“I’ll go collect candy and drop some off at Fluttershy’s place,” I said.

“I’ll go see what party games they’ve got at the center of town,” Starlight suggested.

“Okay. I’ll go meet up with our friends and check out their costumes,” Twilight concluded.

We went our separate ways. I went door-to-door collecting candy while also receiving praise for my dragon costume. By the time I completed a street, my bag was already half full.

I was about to head to the next street when I bumped into Tyke and Moondancer. Both of them were also in costume. Tyke was in a blue-armored vest and cap, while Moondancer was wearing a white and blue suit and fedora.

“Hey, guys,” I greeted. “I like your costumes. What are you two supposed to be?”

“I’m a police officer,” Tyke happily replied as he flashed his sticker badge.

“And I’m Sapphire Shores during her ‘Slick Villain’ music phase.” Moondancer quickly did a dance kick. “Ow!”

“Ooh, nice. You nailed her catchphrase pretty well,” I complimented.

“No, ow, I accidentally pulled a muscle.” Moondancer rubbed her thigh. “I knew I should’ve stretched first.”

“So are you guys getting candy, too?”

“I already have.” Tyke pulled out his candy bag. “I’ve got a lot of pony sweets. I’ve got taffies, caramels, lollipops, chocolates, and…” Tyke took out a large stone from the bag. “I’ve got a rock for some reason.”

“It was from one of Pinkie’s sisters visiting Ponyville this year,” Moondancer explained. “It’s supposed to be some sort of geode when you open it.”

After our conversation, I continued my trick-or-treating. Once my bag was full, I made my way to Fluttershy’s. Down the road, some fillies ran past me giggling.

“Boy, she sure knows how to give a good scare,” one of them delightfully said.

“I wish she’d do it every year,” another replied.

“Do you guys remember if she had fangs when she first returned?” A third asked.

As the group departed, I was left wondering who they were talking about. I assumed it was Pinkie Pie at first, but the third colt’s question threw me off.

That’s when the wind picked up. The trees bared their leaves among the howling breeze. I looked around wondering if the wind was natural.

Boom!

A giant figure landed in front of me. They had a dark coat, light blue armor, and a mane of starry nights. My heart sank when I recognized who they were.

“N-Nightmare Moon?!” I shouted. “You’re back?!”

Nightmare Moon flashed her fangs.

I held out my candy sack. “T-t-take it! Take it, it's yours!”

An uncharacteristic and playful giggle came out of her mouth. “I got you, Spike.”

What? Why is she…? Oh….

“Princess Luna!” I exclaimed. “Thank goodness it’s you.”

“Good evening, Spike,” said Luna. “I see you’ve decided on a dragon-themed costume once again.”

“Well, yeah. It’s pretty much my thing when it comes to Nightmare Night.”

“I do hope that you’re enjoying this year’s festivities.”

“I sure am. So is everypony else. Well...almost everypony...”

“Whatever do you mean?”

I sighed. “It’s Fluttershy. Every Nightmare Night, she would hide under her bed until the next morning. Last year, she tried to join us and eventually scared us, but she still decided the holiday was not for her. Now I respect her decision, mind you, but I don’t want her to miss out on too much. So that’s why I decided to deliver some candy to her.” I showed Luna the candy bag I was holding. “I made sure to bring her ones that aren’t too chewy or too hard. She’s not very fond of taffy or jawbreakers.”

“I suppose that would be a good idea. Would you like me to come with you?”

“I guess that would be alright. You might want to drop your Nightmare Moon look, though.”

Luna followed me to Fluttershy’s cottage.

“I never thought you’d willingly don Nightmare Moon as your costume,” I said. “Especially given…your past.”

“I know, Spike,” Luna said. “Nightmare Moon isn’t something I’m proud of, but everypony including myself has forgiven me. Furthermore, given the traditions some ponies follow, it wouldn’t hurt to play along. Obviously, I would drop the act should things arise too far.”

As we were walking along the dirt path, I noticed the blood moon again in the sky.

“Say, do you know anything about what’s going on with the moon?” I asked.

Luna looked up and replied, “Well, very seldomly, I would incidentally put the moon in such a position from the sun that it would glow a bright red color. I named it the ‘Luna Eclipse.’ Many ponies theorized that formidable things occur under such a moon, but honestly it is only a cosmetic thing. You should worry not of any unsettling creatures roaming around.”

Once we got to Fluttershy’s cottage, Luna turned back into her original form and removed her fake fangs. I lightly tapped on the door.

“Fluttershy?” I asked calmly. “It’s Spike and Princess Luna. Is it okay for us to come in?”

I took a step back. A few minutes later, the top half of her door cracked open. I could make out Harry’s eyes. He opened the door and let us in.

“Thank you.” I entered the cottage and up the stairs with Luna following close behind. When we got up to Fluttershy’s bedroom, I noticed a light under her bed. What seemed out of place was that one of the windows was open.

“How peculiar,” said Luna. “If Fluttershy is afraid of Nightmare Night such that she resides under her bed, why did she leave this window open?” She then closed the window.

“I don’t know.” I slowly approached the bed. “Fluttershy? Can you hear me? It’s Spike. I brought you some candy.”

I didn’t hear anything from underneath. I wondered if she was sleeping.

“Fluttershy, I’m going to lift the covers slowly and look under the bed,” I said softly. “Don’t be afraid. I am wearing purple and yellow face paint as part of my costume.”

I pulled the covers up gently like they were made of tissue paper. I lowered myself until I looked under the bed. My eyes widened at what I saw. There were pillows, stuffed animals, snacks, light-hearted books, and more. But there was not a single sign of Fluttershy.

“Ms. Fluttershy,” Luna said. “You needn’t be worried. Spike has come to offer you sweets. You don’t have—”

“She’s not here,” I interrupted.

“I beg your pardon?”

“She’s not under the bed.” I quickly got up. “See for yourself.”

Luna peeked under the bed. She was met with the same sight like I did.

“What has happened?” Luna asked. “I thought you said Fluttershy was usually under here at this time of night.”

“I did! Something must’ve happened to her.” I then noticed Angel Bunny hopping up to us. “Angel, do you know what happened to Fluttershy?”

Angel put his ears in front of his face in the shape of Fluttershy’s mane. He then pointed to the blood moon and made a shocked face.

“Fluttershy was about to close the window when she saw the moon being red?” I asked.

Angel nodded. He then grabbed a few pieces of lettuce and some carrots from his bowl. He munched on them until the lettuce was formed into jagged wings and the carrots were a pair of fangs. He then ruffled up his fur, put the carrots in his mouth, and the lettuce on his back. Finally, he made a hissing sound.

“Then all of a sudden, her wings changed, she grew fangs, and her mane got all messed up?” I asked again.

Angel nodded once more. He then imitated different animals acting scared. He pointed to the window and spread his arms out.

“Then her animal friends got scared and she jumped out the window and ran off?”

Angel gave a thumbs up.

“How did you figure out all of that?” Luna asked.

“While I can’t speak animal like Fluttershy can, I'm pretty good at guessing charades,” I replied. That’s when the realization struck me. “Oh, no! If what Angel says is true then that means Fluttershy turned into a vampire bat pony again!”

“’Again’? This has happened before?”

“A couple of years back, AJ’s farm got infested with vampire fruit bats! Fluttershy wanted to leave them be, but Applejack wanted them gone, so Twilight conducted a spell to make them stop eating the apples. But the spell backfired and turned Fluttershy into a vampire. We were able to stop her and reverse the spell. Everypony assumed that would be the end of it, but now it looks like it’s not!”

“We have to warn the other ponies then!” Luna declared. “If Fluttershy attacks the other ponies, it could spell disaster!”

“You go get Twilight! I’ll go warn Applejack! Her apples are going to be a more likely victim! Meet me at the castle as soon as possible.”

Luna and I ran out of the cottage and parted ways. I dashed to Sweet Apple Acres as fast as I could. By the time I got there, I saw Applejack in a tin suit carrying a basket of apples.

“Well, howdy Spike,” Applejack greeted. “Hope yer havin’ a—”

“Applejack, we have a problem!” I shouted. “Flutterbat has returned!!”

“Wh-what?!”

“I was visiting Fluttershy’s cottage and noticed she wasn’t there. When I asked Angel, he told me that she turned into a bat pony and escaped!”

“Oh, no!” Applejack hugged her basket. “I can’t let my apples go through that again! Where’s Twilight?!”

“Princess Luna’s going to grab her! We gotta head to the castle! Hurry!”

Applejack placed her basket down and covered it with a blanket. “Alright, now lead the way!”

We ran all across town until we arrived at the castle. Luna and Twilight had just landed in front of the double doors.

“Twilight! Thank goodness Luna found you!” I cried.

“Luna told me everything,” said Twilight. “So is it true that Fluttershy became Flutterbat again?”

“That’s what Angel told me,” I said. “And knowing him, he ain’t one to kid around.”

“What’s the meaning of this, Twi?” Applejack asked. “I thought ya reversed that spell on Fluttershy!”

“I did! I did!” Twilight pleaded. “I don’t know why she suddenly became a bat pony after so long! Maybe it has something to do with the moon!”

“The blood-colored moon is only a moon that’s just red,” Luna denied. “Nothing else. Any myths and legends you’ve read about it are just speculation and fictional.”

“Well, something made Fluttershy a vampire bat pony again!” Applejack shouted.

“Girls, we can figure this out later,” I said. “We need to find Fluttershy first!”

“Spike’s right,” Twilight said. “It’s a higher priority to search for her! Applejack, you go search your farm for any sign of Fluttershy. If you run into Big Mac or Applebloom, you need to warn them about what happened. Luna, you search the skies! Spike, help me search around Ponyville!”

We split up to find Fluttershy. I hurried with Twilight to the center of town.

“I can’t believe this is happening again,” I groaned.

“Neither can I,” Twilight said. “I guess my reverse spell didn’t work as well as I thought it would. Flutterbat sure took its sweet time returning though.”

“I’m starting to think Luna was lying about the moon just being colored differently.”

Twilight and I got to the fountain and looked around.

“Keep an eye out for Fluttershy, or Flutterbat in this case,” Twilight pointed out.

“I’ll try,” I said.

Hopefully, it’ll be easier than finding a striped-shirt fellow in glasses.

Twilight and I went separate directions. I checked for any signs of ponies hanging upside down, dried out apples, or concerned costume-goers, but so far I came up empty-handed.

That's when I saw Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash by Sugarcube Corner. Rarity was in a 1920s flapper dress, Pinkie Pie dressed up like a Japonese idol, and Rainbow Dash wore her Wonderbolts suit.

“Honestly, Rainbow Dash,” said Rarity. “Why must you don your Wonderbolts uniform? I could’ve created a costume for you if you wished.”

“I just wanted to go as a Wonderbolt this Nightmare Night,” retorted Rainbow.

“Girls! Girls!” I ran up to the trio. “We've got a problem!”

“Oh, don't worry, Spike,” said Pinkie. “It’s just Luna dressed up as Nightmare Moon. She's not really back.”

“No, not that! It's Fluttershy! She's turned back into Flutterbat!”

The three mares gasped.

“Are…are you certain?” Rarity asked.

“Is this some sort of prank?” Rainbow crossed her arms. “Are you and Fluttershy getting back at me for that Everfree Forest incident?”

“Trust me, we wouldn’t leave the rest of the girls in the dark if that were the case,” I replied.

“Where is she now?” Pinkie questioned.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know. She’s not at her cottage. Luna is checking the sky, Applejack’s checking her tree farm, and Twilight and I are checking around town. Could you three help us?”

“Okie dokie loki, Spike-chan!” Pinkie replied.

“You bet!” Rainbow announced.

“How could I say no?” Rarity sighed.

“Great! Just be careful and let Twilight or me know when you find Flutterbat,” I said. “By the way, Pinkie, ‘chan’ typically refers to a young filly. You should be using ‘kun’ instead when speaking to a young colt like me.”

“Got it, Spike-kun,” Pinkie replied.

Once again, we all split up. Pinkie went with Rainbow while Rarity followed me.

We hurried down the road, examining each stall for any traces of the bat pony.

“Of all nights for Flutterbat’s return,” said Rarity, “it just had to happen on Nightmare Night.”

“It’s…just a coincidence, I’m sure,” I responded. “Luna assured me that the red moon was just for decoration.”

“Let’s hope so, darling.”

That’s when we noticed a mare glaring at a candy apple stand.

“Hey! You’ve got to pay for those, ma’am!” She shouted.

Immediately, a yellow and pink blur shot out from the stall and down the alley.

“Flutterbat!” Rarity and I shouted in unison.

“After her!” I hopped on Rarity’s back.

Rarity quickly ran through the alley; the dark figure darted her head and zipped away.

“It’s a good thing I chose not to wear heels for this costume,” Rarity pointed out.

Rarity galloped close behind the figure, but with each random turn Flutterbat took, it was difficult to keep up. Eventually, we were able to see her leave town.

“Looks like she’s heading back home,” Rarity sighed as she patted her forehead dry. “At least Ponyville is safe for now.”

“Wait a minute, she’s going the wrong way." I pointed towards the opposite of Flutterbat’s trajectory. "Her cottage is in that direction.”

“But then the route she currently took could only lead to…” Rarity widened her eyes.

“Sweet Apple Acres!” Rarity and I concluded.

We followed the route up to the entrance of the farm. Twilight, Luna, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash were already there.

I called out, “Flutterbat went into—!”

“Yeah, yeah, we know!” Rainbow rebutted. “Princess Luna and I were in the sky when we saw her.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Pinkie asked. “Let’s get her already!”

“Wait, hold it!” I shouted.

Everypony froze in their tracks.

I hopped off of Rarity. “Only one of us should confront her. Otherwise, she’ll run away again. We’re not going to approach her, angry mob style.”

“We ain’t?” Applejack came in carrying sticks and pitchforks. “Dagnabbit! So I got these out for nothin’!”

“Then who’s going to face her alone?” Twilight asked.

I sighed. “I will.”

Rarity widened her eyes. “Spike? But…we don’t know what she’ll do to you.”

“I met with her alone before when we tried to change her back to Fluttershy. This will be no different.”

“Except we don’t have a garlic clove disguised as an apple or a reliable transformation spell-thingy.” Pinkie pointed out.

“Still, I mentioned before that turning me into a vampire isn’t going to change much aside from my meals.”

Everypony exchanged glances with each other.

Twilight exhaled slowly. “Very well, Spike. But if it looks like she’s going to attack you, send off a fireball and run away as fast as you can.”

I nodded and headed into the orchard by my lonesome.

The fog slithered through the apple trees like boa constrictors. The stars and moon were my only source of illumination. It felt like I was rewatching “Bats!” but with a red tint.

I hope Flutterbat is nearby. This orchard always feels scary at night.

That’s when I noticed a few apples sucked dry. I quickly followed the trail. It led me to a section where dozens of them were strewn about. But just when I thought I found her, a bunch of bats appeared from the tree branches.

Darn it. It just led me to the vampire fruit bat section of the orchard. Unless…

“Excuse me,” I called to the bats. “Did any of you see a yellow bat pony pass by here?”

The majority of the bats pointed in one direction.

“Thank you!” I followed where the bats were pointing.

Eventually, I came up to a hill. A dark figure sat on the top next to a tree. It had to have been Flutterbat.

Well, here goes.

I grabbed an untouched apple and traversed up the hill. When I got to the top, I slowly approached the figure. That’s when I picked up the quiet sound of somepony sniffing and weeping.

Is she...crying?

“Fluttershy?” I asked softly.

“Go away,” the creature whimpered.

“Fluttershy...it’s me, Spike.”

“Leave me alone. I’m a monster.”

“You’re not a monster. You are a very adorable pony.”

Fluttershy lifted her head. Her face was still covered by her unkempt mane. “But don’t you see what has happened to me? I’ve become the very thing I swore to never become again.” Fluttershy covered her face with her hooves. “What will the girls think of me? What will Ponyville think of me?”

I bit my lip as I heard her weep once more. I sighed and sat down next to her.

“I used to think the same way,” I said.

“Huh?” Fluttershy rubbed her nose.

“When I learned how dragons could grow due to greed, I made a promise to myself to make sure it’ll never happen to me. I promised I would never succumb to greed, and I would always be generous.” I sighed and rubbed my face. “But when Tirek came to attack Ponyville, I couldn’t just sit idly while he took over and destroyed the entire town. I had to break that promise. I had to experience greed-induced bigness. I had to turn into a greedy monster, something I never wanted to do.”

“Spike, you did that in order to protect us. This is different.”

“Is it? After that battle was over, I was left thinking about how you girls would think about me. I wondered if the girls would view me differently. That Spike the cute, little, baby dragon is capable of turning into a violent creature.”

I looked up at Fluttershy. I could see her fangs glistening under the moonlight.

“Over time, I learned to accept it. I learned to not beat myself over a promise I failed to keep. While the girls acknowledged my greed, they did not fear me or show any other negative feelings because of it. In the end, I found I was worried about nothing.”

I placed my thumb and index finger on Fluttershy’s chin and turned her head until she was facing me. While the red eyes and fangs gave Fluttershy an eerie look, I did not fear her.

“Listen, while the girls are fearful of you turning into a bat pony, they just want to know that you’re safe. They want to know that it’s still you instead of a mindless vampire.”

“How…how can I prove it?” Fluttershy asked.

“I’ll take you to the girls.” I stood up. “If they see that you’re still Fluttershy instead of an apple-sucking creature, they’ll probably take it easy. I’ll protect you if needed.”

Fluttershy followed me until we reached the farm’s entrance. The rest of the girls and Princess Luna were still there.

“Spike’s back!” Twilight announced. “And so is Fluttershy.”

“But…she is still Flutterbat,” Rarity pointed out.

“Spike, if you’re being held hostage, wink twice,” Pinkie whispered.

“Um, I can still hear you, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said.

“She can talk coherently?” Twilight ambled up to her. “Fluttershy, is that really you?”

“Y-yes, it’s still me.” Fluttershy bashfully hid part of her face with her mane.

“It’s her alright,” Rainbow said. “Flutterbat wouldn’t act so shy.”

Everypony’s tension eased off. They grouped with Fluttershy like she never had her bat pony form.

“I still don’t see how this happened. Why did she turn into a bat pony again?” Twilight asked.

“I think the better question is if she’s gonna be like this from now on,” Rainbow said.

“It is possible that there was a part of her vampire persona that Twilight could not remove,” Luna replied. “Which is why she has transformed this night. However, you would need to worry not, as she will return to her normal self in the morning.”

“R-really?” Fluttershy asked.

“But what about the nights after that?” Applejack asked.

“I have reasons to believe that this won’t be something that occurs every night,” said Luna. “I presume it would be about a moon or longer until this happens to her again.” Luna approached Fluttershy. “Do not fear of your new form. The fact that you have appeared before us with no intention of harm is proof enough that you have control over yourself when this happens.”

“Thank you,” Fluttershy said.

“I know you said it wasn't your cup of tea before, but I don’t suppose you could take advantage of this form to join us this Nightmare Night, could you?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Um…not for this year.”

“Ah, well. It was worth a shot.”

“I should probably go home and let my animal friends know it's still me.”

“I'll go with you so they’ll know to trust you,” I offered.

Of all events to occur on Nightmare Night, Flutterbat’s return was the least expected, especially since it never happened in the show outside of Luna's group dream.

“Just one more thing before I leave,” said Fluttershy. “You don’t mind sparing a basket of apples, do you Applejack? For some strange reason I’m in the mood for some.”

Chapter 106 (The Perfect Pear)

I hurried down the road to Fluttershy’s cottage. Once I arrived, I rapidly tapped the front door, and Fluttershy answered.

“Good morning, Fluttershy,” I greeted. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Yes, I am,” Fluttershy replied. “You didn’t need to travel all this way to ask me.”

“I just wanted to make sure. Looks like you’re back to your pony form.”

“I know. I must’ve changed back while I was sleeping.” Fluttershy pulled out a mirror. “I’m glad to be a pony again, but I’m going to miss having fangs. They looked rather cute on me.”

“Hang on, how could you have a reflection as a vampire? In the novels, vampires don’t have reflections.”

“Well, in a way, I wasn’t a real vampire. I was more of a vampire fruit bat, and I'm pretty sure they have reflections.”

That would explain Twilight's mirror idea in the show.

I stayed with Fluttershy for the rest of the morning to help feed her animal friends. They were significantly less tense than last night, even though they already knew she was in control of her Flutterbat form then.

I left Fluttershy’s cottage around noon, and I took a stroll down Ponyville until I got to the Golden Oaks Library.

I wonder what Tyke and Moondancer are up to. I’ve seen them so often I’ve lost count.

I opened the front door. “Hey Moon—”

“LOOK OUT!!”

Whoosh!

I jerked to the side just as a flying triangle zoomed past me. Moondancer galloped up to me.

“Spike! Are you alright?” She asked panically.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” I picked up the triangle and discovered it was a paper airplane. I didn’t remember seeing one in the show outside of Equestria Girls. “Did you throw this?”

“No, Tyke did. Heh, he’s been making paper gliders all morning. I’m glad I had the foresight to buy extra paper.”

Moondancer and I entered the library. Tyke was at the top of the stairs folding another glider while a book sat on his lap.

“Make sure you unfold the clean ones when you’re done, Tyke,” Moondancer said.

“I will. Don’t worry,” replied Tyke. “Hey, Spike.”

“Hello, Tyke. What are you up to?” I asked.

“So you know how I wanted to fly?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I had the idea of making something that ponies and non-ponies could ride on, like those airships but faster.”

“Aren’t there already non-airship machines like pedal-copters?”

“Yeah, but I want to design a machine that doesn’t require the user to pedal constantly to stay in the air or use balloons. In fact, I want to make a flying machine that doesn’t require magic.”

“No magic?!” Moondancer and I exclaimed.

“Why wouldn’t you use magic?” I asked.

“Well, only a fraction of Diamond Dogs are involved with magic in some way, so having something that doesn’t require magic could be useful to Diamond Dogs and others who don’t rely on magic. I mean, what if one day all the magic disappears from Equestria?”

“Oh, Tyke, that will never happen,” Moondancer said. “While there are times magic is suppressed or taken away, it doesn’t disappear completely.”

“Still, it wouldn’t hurt to make a magic-less machine that can fly.” Tyke looked at his new glider. “The only problem is a good source of thrust to counteract the drag.”

“How are you so knowledgeable about flying machines?” I asked.

“This book helped me understand how flight works.” Tyke showed me the book on his lap. “I had thoughts about using a slingshot, but that would just make the machine a fancy glider. I would need a way to continually provide thrust, and to do that the source would have to be on the machine itself.”

“Well, propellers have been known to be good thrusters to airships and pedal-copters. Maybe you can implement them into your machine.”

“That could work. But the only problem is how I can turn…” Tyke noticed Moondancer tying her hair up with an elastic hairband. “Hmm…I think I’ve got an idea.”

Tyke unfolded his glider and headed to the other room. I scratched my chin.

I wonder if I could invite Tyke over to the human world. Maybe he could learn about how human airplanes operate.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I returned to the castle after the library and read some of my comic books in my room. That’s when I heard the front doors open. It didn’t take long to hear two ponies talking, and who they were.

“Come with me to the dining room,” Twilight’s voice said. “We’ll talk there.”

“Lead the way,” Applejack’s voice replied.

I wonder what’s going on?

I left my room and knocked on the dining room doors. After being given verbal confirmation from Twilight and Applejack, I entered.

“What did you want to talk about, Applejack?” Twilight asked. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” Applejack removed her hat. “Applebloom, Big Mac, ‘n’ I just learned our folks were more…diverse than I thought. To be specific, we recently learned Ma used to be part of the Pear Family.”

“You mean your mother?” Twilight gasped. “I didn’t know about that!”

“Neither did any of us besides Granny Smith. We asked some folks who knew our parents about what happened, and they told us how despite the Pears and Apples goin’ at each other like cats and dogs, our ma and pa were like two peas in a pod.”

“The Perfect Pear” episode, a.k.a. My Little Pony’s version of Romeo and Juliet.

“We learned a lot about our folks’ past,” Applejack said. “How they sent messages, got a private wedding, and planted two trees that ended up interlocking with each other.”

“Sounds like quite a story,” Twilight said. “You know, I don’t think I’ve heard you talk about your parents.”

“Me neither,” I added. “Why is that?”

“Well, the truth is I was as young as an apple blossom when they…” Applejack looked away. “...they had to unfortunately leave for good. I never asked about their past, so I didn’t know much about it until today.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened to your parents?”

Applejack put her hat back on.

“I-I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” I shivered my hands.

“Oh, no, yer fine, Spike,” Applejack reassured me. “I just needed to remember the exact details.” She cleared her throat. “It all started when Applebloom was only two years old. One night, everypony woke up to the stench of smoke. It was then we saw our barn got caught in a ragin’ inferno, and what’s worse was we had some livestock still in there. That’s when Pa sprung into action; he doused himself in water and hurried inside to save every chicken and pig he could get his hooves on. All it took was one trip to rescue all the farm animals with only minor burn marks to them and Pa. The barn burnt to the ground that night, but everypony and non-pony was alive and well.”

“Wow! Your father was so brave!” Twilight exclaimed.

“We’d all thought so. However, problems snuck up on us like a snake in a wheatfield. About a week after the barn was rebuilt, Pa started gettin’ some coughin’ fits, but he told us it was nothin’. But as the days went by, his fits grew longer ‘n’ louder. We tried to get him to take it easy, but he refused and assured us it was just allergies. Then one day, he collapsed to the ground after one cough too many. We rushed him to the hospital, and the doctor told us Pa inhaled so much ash from the barn fire that it triggered a massive reaction in his lungs, similar to asthma but worse. We urged them to treat our pa, and even Granny Smith was willin’ to use modern medicine, but the doctor told us Pa’s condition was too severe and the only thing to do was to have him take it easy.

“Pa laid bedridden back home. We’d always take care of him and find different ways to cheer him up, like tellin’ him funny stories, showin’ him our accomplishments, singin’ a few songs. We even had frequent doctor visits to help keep Pa’s condition down so he wouldn’t feel so much pain. Sadly, about a moon after I got my cutie mark, I discovered my baby sister cryin’ non-stop when I got home from school. I put two and two together and Granny, Ma, and Big Mac confirmed it: we’d just lost an Apple.

“It wasn’t a pleasant time for any of us, especially my ma. After Pa’s passing, Granny Smith interacted with Ma more often. They were on neutral grounds prior to the barn incident, and after learnin’ today how my ma was a Pear, it kinda made sense. But those two bonded together a lot more, with Granny even treating her kindly like Ma was her own daughter. I never thought about it at the time, but since Pa’s departure, Ma kept holding her chest pretty often. I assumed it was normal since ponies do it when they’re heartbroken. However, I didn’t know it was something way worse.

“Two months after Pa’s departure, the family noticed how Ma would slow down on her chores, or at worst never do them at all. When we asked her, she was more open about her problem than Pa. She told us she was havin’ heart issues, and in a way I didn’t blame her. Bein’ disowned by her father and losin’ Pa put a lot of stress on her, even with us tryin’ to brighten her day. But even she didn’t realize how severe her heart problems were. One day she had a heart attack, and we took her to the hospital. The staff had to put her on life support, and they told us, like Pa, she may not have long.

“We weren’t ready to lose another Apple so soon, but it was an unfortunate reality. I didn’t want to believe it, and I was worried who was gonna be next. But Granny comforted us, and she let us know that while it would be hard losin’ our folks, we should never forget the memories we had with them, and that they’ll always be watchin’ us. Our ma passed a week after Applebuck season that year, and losin’ her was as painful as losin’ our pa. But I took Granny’s word to heart and was grateful for the time I spent with Ma and Pa.”

“Oh, Applejack, I’m so sorry!” Twilight cried. “To lose your parents at such a young age, it must be so heart-wrenching!”

“It was. For all of us. I lost count how many times Applebloom and Big Mac cried that week. But we supported each other over the hard times, and we learned how to cope with the grief in our own ways. Eventually, we all made peace with our parents’ departure. Even Applebloom accepted the loss and she was still a tot.”

I didn’t expect this day to take a sobering turn. As much as I wanted to learn what happened to Applejack’s parents, I’d never thought they’d go in the way Applejack described.

Applejack cleared her throat. “So, ya both fancy makin’ some flapjacks?” She took out a jar. “I was told pear jam was a perfect topper.”

“Uh, isn’t it too late for flapjacks?” Twilight asked.

“It’s never too late for flapjacks!” I replied.

Chapter 107 (A Hearth's Warming Tail)

Winter had arrived. Once again, Rainbow Dash threw another going away party for Tank before his hibernation.

Twilight had the notion of hosting a Hearth's Warming Eve party at her castle for everypony in Ponyville. After some continuous decorating, and a few musical scores, the holiday party was underway.

Starlight rested against the railings of a nearby balcony. Twilight and I approached her.

“Hey, Starlight!” Twilight greeted. “Ready to celebrate your second Hearth's Warming Eve here in Ponyville?”

“I was thinking I might just skip it,” Starlight nonchalantly replied.

Twilight immediately gasped. I knew this episode would arrive. In the show, Starlight wanted to bypass Hearth’s Warming Eve, but Twilight reads her a story to change her mind. I didn’t think of anything major to change.

“Starlight, why would you skip Hearth’s Warming Eve?” I asked. “You celebrated with us last year.”

“I know, but I just find it all a little silly. It's mostly a day dedicated to presents and candy, isn't it?”

“It’s more than that, Starlight. It’s a chance to hang out with friends and family whilst celebrating an important milestone in Equestrian history.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Spike,” Twilight said.

Starlight shrugged. “I think to most ponies, it's just an excuse for silly songs and fun, not a day to remember some old story.”

Twilight teleported in front of Starlight. “Maybe you just haven't heard the right Hearth's Warming Eve story yet!”

“Earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns sing songs around a hearth to fight back an eternal winter caused by the mythical windigos? I’m pretty sure every foal and filly knows that story.”

“Not that one. My favorite holiday story, ‘A Hearth's Warming Tale’!”

Which is pretty much an MLP adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” with a little Grinch added into the mix.

“Spike, why don’t you go pick up Moondancer and Tyke while I read the story to Starlight? I didn’t see them yet, and they were supposed to be here by now.”

“Will do.” I saluted.

After donning my winter clothes, I hurried out of the castle and into the snowy town. The gentle flakes danced through the cloudy sky, making Ponyville look like a giant luxurious snow globe. I was so entranced by the spectacle, I didn’t notice I was already at the Golden Oaks Library. I quickly entered.

“Hello? Moondancer? Tyke?” I called out.

“Oh, Spike!” Moondancer called out from the top of the stairs. “Come on in. You’re just in time!”

“I am?” I asked as I undid my scarf.

“Yeah,” Tyke said. “We’re about to light the candle.”

“What candle? Is it your birthday today?”

“What? No.” Tyke chuckled. “Maybe you should join us and see for yourself.”

Still in the dark but keeping an open mind, I joined Moondancer and Tyke in the other room. Said room had all the curtains drawn while a lone candle rested on a table in the center of the room.

Tyke kneeled down and softly said, “Everypony and non-pony sit or kneel by the candle.”

Moondancer sat down next to Tyke, while I kneeled on the other side of him.

“Is everyone ready?” Tyke noticed our nods. “Light it.”

Moondancer cast a spell, and the wick ignited brightly. Tyke put his paws together, lowered his head, and closed his eyes. Moondancer followed suit, and so did I.

Tyke muttered. “As the candle burns, let it be my light and guide. Heal my wounds of the past, and lead me toward a better future.” He inhaled deeply. “Now a period of quietness as we make our wishes silently. You may open your eyes when you’re done.”

Stillness filled the room. I gave my wish from my mind.

I wish everypony and non-pony has a happier life, at least those who deserve it.

I opened my eyes. Tyke and Moondancer did the same. Tyke blew out the candle, encasing us in darkness once again. Moondancer opened the curtains to let the natural light fill the room.

“Thank you for joining us, Spike,” Tyke said as he stood up.

“No problem,” I said. “Is praying to a candle a Hearth’s Warming Eve tradition for either of you?”

“No, it’s actually a holiday we Diamond Dogs call ‘Three-day Candle Wick.’ It’s been a holiday tradition ever since Diamond Dogs first mined in caves.”

“Wow, I didn’t know Diamond Dogs had holidays. Is there anything else you do during this holiday?”

“Well, on the first day, we buy or make a candle. It can be a normal candle or a scented kind depending on what you prefer. On the second day, we eat a hearty meal while sharing our goals, accomplishments, failures, and lessons we received for the year. Then on the last day, which coincidentally occurs on Hearth’s Warming Eve as I found out today, we light our candles and give our wishes.”

“That sounds like a really fun tradition.”

“It is. It was one of the few times my siblings got together.”

“Oh, speaking of getting together, Twilight’s looking for both you and Moondancer.”

“Oh!” Moondancer slapped her forehead. “The Hearth’s Warming Party. I almost forgot. Come on, Tyke. Let’s get dressed.”

A short while later, Tyke, Moondancer, and I left the library.

“So how did ‘Three-day Candle Wick’ come to be?” I asked Tyke.

“Well…” Tyke rubbed the back of his head. “It’s kind of a long story.”

“Long stories seem to be your forte. How is this one different?”

Tyke chuckled. “Good point. Okay, so you know how Diamond Dogs are usually underground? Well, it didn’t used to be like that.”

“Way back then, Diamond Dogs lived above ground. They weren’t even called “Diamond” Dogs, but rather Standing Dogs, Biped Dogs, or just simply Dogs. They all lived in this kingdom known as Canineton, ruled by King Garm.

“King Garm was a good king, but he was also a bit of a neat freak and a germaphobe. He even invented his own type of soap. King Garm always wore white gloves to keep his hands from getting dirty, and he made sure they were washed thoroughly. In fact, even Diamond Dog historians were unsure how many times his gloves were washed per week. In spite of that, he made sure to help the common dogs and made sure everything was fair under his rule.

“Then one day, a massive blizzard struck the kingdom. Snow was nothing new in Canineton, but this weather came out of nowhere, and it greatly affected the crops and living conditions. The king couldn’t take it lying down, so he had the citizens rest in his castle until the blizzard blew over. While it was cramped, the castle provided warmth and food for the Dogs. Some of them worked to help out the castle staff, even though King Garm mentioned it was not needed.

“Sadly, days had passed and the blizzard never let up. The food ran low, not to mention the firewood for the many fireplaces in the castle. Even with the hospitality, the Dogs weren’t going to survive long. So King Garm made the decision to venture out for more resources, or at the very least new land to settle in.

“The king brought his family and a couple scout dogs to venture out into the wilderness. They bore the elements, searching for any reliable sources of materials, but they found nothing. They rested in a cave, wondering if they should continue or return to Canineton empty-handed. That’s when a massive avalanche buried the entrance deep in snow, ice, and rocks, sealing the group inside.

“To counteract the darkness and provide a little bit of warmth, the queen lit a candle. The group of Dogs shared what remaining meals they had left with each other. They told stories to pass the time, tried breaking the ice in the entrance, and discussed ways to escape. All while the candle itself burned nonstop.

“About three days later, the Dogs were down to their last meal, and the cave’s entrance still remained blocked without any sign of melting or budging. The candle remained lit despite its continuous flame. That was when King Garm did something no one else expected him to do. He went to the edge of the cave, took his gloves off, and started digging.

“The rest of the group didn’t know if the king had gone insane from the isolation or if he dug as a last resort, but they joined him in his excavation figuring it could help them all out of the cave. As they dug through the ground, they encountered a massive cave system big enough for the entire Canineton population. Not only was it warmer than outdoors, but it also had various ores and jewels. It was a perfect place for the Dogs to reside until the blizzard let up. So King Garm and his group dug back to his castle to announce his subjects of their discovery.

“The subjects agreed to move into the underground caves, and soon they discovered other useful assets, such as good soil for some of their crops and special gems that could increase the torches’ brightness. Eventually, the Dogs decided to stay underground even after the blizzard ended. Some of the miners taught the other Dogs how to dig and mine properly, and soon after, the Dogs’ new area grew more and more. They found various gems and jewels, so much so that anyone who saw them on the surface would often see them carry at least one on hand. They started calling them ‘Diamond Dogs,’ and the Dogs liked term so much they made it their official creature name.

“Anyway, that’s how Diamond Dogs became underground gem hunters, and why we celebrate ‘Three-day Candle Wick’ every year.”

“Wow, interesting story,” I said. “I noticed how it sounds familiar to the Hearth’s Warming Eve story. A group winds up in a blizzard, they reside in a cave, and eventually they work together and form a new territory.”

“Yeah, I discovered the similarities when Moondancer told the story. I wonder if those windigos caused the Diamond Dogs’ blizzard, too.”

The three of us arrived at Twilight's castle. We entered just to see Starlight and Twilight partying together.

“Hey, you three!” Twilight greeted us. “Glad you could make it.”

“Sorry for being tardy,” Moondancer said as she removed her winter garments. “We were doing our own traditions.”

“It’s okay. This party’s still going strong.”

We joined up with the other ponies and participated in the festivities.

“So how did it go with Starlight?” I asked Twilight. “I take it she’s giving it a second chance?”

“You got it,” Twilight replied. “I could tell she was really interested in the story. While I did let her go to bed if she wanted to, she decided to join the party instead.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

I admitted I almost expected Starlight to still not show interest in the party, as it would provide the lesson that there are those who prefer not to celebrate the holidays, but I was okay with her joining us.

Hearth’s Warming Eve passed, and we were already on New Year’s. I stood at the top of the stair railings while the meterstick leaned against the wall at the bottom.

“Ready, Spike!” Twilight announced.

“Okay, here it comes!” I immediately dropped the ball.

Twilight quickly snapped a picture of the ball the moment it bounced. Once the photo was printed, she placed it on the nearby table. A few minutes later, the photo developed.

“Uh, oh,” Twilight said.

“‘Uh, oh’?” I asked. “What’s wrong? Did we hit a prime number?”

“That’s the thing, I don’t know.” Twilight scrutinized the photograph. “The ball is between 43 and 44 inches, so I don’t know if we’ll have a good year or a bad one. I knew I should’ve adjusted the shutter speed before this.”

“Should we bounce the ball again?”

“I don’t know. We never had to before.”

“Well, whatever year we’ll have, we’ll still be together,” Starlight said. “We can get through whatever 2013 throws at us!”

We three shared a group hug together.

Chapter 108 (The Crystalling)

Winter Wrap-Up flew by in a flash. Twilight and I got upgraded vests for the occasion. Mine was a size too big, but I didn’t mind since I had a feeling I would grow into it by next year. Starlight joined the skating team this year, while Moondancer and Tyke joined the animal team in waking the animals. Also, Rainbow reunited with Tank once again.

Spring had arrived once more. My lack of allergies made me yearn for this season more than usual, that and the combination of warmer weather and blooming flowers.

Twilight, Starlight, and I were in the library. Twilight was shuffling some papers around.

“I have to say, Starlight, you’ve really come a long way since we first met,” Twilight said. “You passed your friendship lessons with flying colors.”

“It helps that I have a good teacher,” Starlight replied.

“Aww, I was just telling you what I know.” Twilight cleared her throat. “Anyway, since you’re doing so well, I thought I could provide a challenge for you. An exam, as it were.”

“What sort of challenge?”

“Rekindling a past friendship.”

Starlight’s ears dropped as her pupils contracted to the size of pins.

“What’s wrong?”

Starlight shook her head. “I…I’m sorry, Twilight. I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of challenge.”

“I know you and Sunburst didn’t exactly part on good terms, and that separation almost made you remove a town’s worth of cutie marks, but it’s not going to do much good if you keep distancing yourself from him.”

“Besides, you do realize it wasn't Sunburst’s decision to go to Celestia’s School, right?” I asked, looking up from my comic book. “He was forced there. He still cares for you, and I bet he’s willing to see you again.”

“Still, it’s been a long time since we’ve met. Can you imagine how awkward it’ll be to just walk up to his house and act like the whole cutie mark incident never happened?”

“Starlight, listen.” Twilight held Starlight's chin. “I’m not forcing you two to become best friends again after just one day. You should, at the very least, talk to him. Let him know how you feel.”

Starlight looked away, then back to Twilight. “Does it have to be so soon?”

“Well, since Cadance’s baby is due any day now, I was thinking we could also have you visit Sunburst while the rest of the girls help with the upcoming baby in the Crystal Empire. Speaking of which, they should be in the throne room by now. Why don’t you and Spike check?”

“Sure thing,” I responded.

As Starlight and I traversed down the hall, I recognized this episode. In the show, Flurry Heart would be born, but her antics would cause a blizzard, and the Mane 6 and the princesses would have to fix everything before the Crystalling, an event held for when somepony was born in the Crystal Empire. Starlight would also meet Sunburst again.

I hoped I could prevent the Crystal Heart from breaking, or at the very least Twilight’s potential spellbook. I could also convince the town to evacuate early before the big blizzard, which probably wouldn't be a problem because of my fame there.

Starlight and I entered the throne room just to see the rest of the Mane 6. They were all discussing the Crystalling.

“Frankly, I'm not exactly clear on all the customs and traditions of the Crystal Empire,” said Applejack, “especially when it comes to a Crystalling.”

“What’s a Crystalling?” Starlight asked.

“Well, that's just it, darling,” replied Rarity. “Princess Cadance and Shining Armor's baby is due any day, and we're still not sure. If only they had provided more information when they sent us that letter last week.”

“A Crystalling is a ceremony held for somepony's birth,” I said.

I then pulled out a vase and explained to the girls the details of the Crystalling, which was more or less like in the show. Basically, the baby is brought to the Crystal Heart, and everypony shares their love with the Heart, increasing its power.

“What do you mean it increases the Crystal Heart's power?” Starlight scratched her head.

“It makes the Heart able to protect the Crystal Empire more.”

“Protect it from what?”

“Any kind of threats, like blizzards, storms, or evil unicorns like King Sombra.”

“I thought Sombra kicked the bucket when we first restored the Crystal Empire,” Applejack pointed out. “What're the chances he'll show up again?”

“I have to agree,” said Rarity. “For him to show up on the baby's birth of all days would be nothing short of a coincidence.”

I know he doesn't in the show, but the way these girls are talking sounds like King Sombra will show up when Flurry Heart is born.

The next day, I saw Starlight staring out the window.

“What’s on your mind, Glimmer?” I asked. “Thinking about Sunburst?”

“Are you a mind reader?” She questioned.

“Just a good guesser.”

“I can't help it, Spike. I know Twilight told me things would be okay, but I’m still not sure. What if Sunburst doesn’t remember me? What if he hates me for being gone for so long?”

“Sunburst will not hate you, Starlight. If you want, I can come with you.”

“But what about the baby?”

“I think we’ll have enough time to see her or him afterwards.”

“Guys! Guys!” Twilight shouted. “Come quick!”

Starlight and I hurried to the balcony. Twilight leaned on the railing just as the wind picked up. A giant snowflake sailed through the breeze and landed on Twilight’s outstretched wing.

“The Crystalling Invitation,” I said. “Nice aesthetics, but they could’ve just sent the invitation the normal way.”

Twilight read through the invite. “Shining Armor's a father! I'm an aunt! We need to get the girls! Come on!”

The three of us gathered the rest of the Mane 6. We then took a train to the Crystal Empire. Some of the girls brought gifts for the baby. Applejack carved a crib, Rainbow Dash made a mobile, and Rarity sewed a soft blanket.

“I see you have your original mane style back,” I said to Rarity.

“Thank you for noticing,” Rarity replied as she twirled her mane. “Zecora’s potion worked wonders. However, I have thoughts of trimming my mane short again this year.”

Starlight and Twilight sat together on the other side of the aisle.

“I know you're still nervous about seeing Sunburst, which is why I made a few pointers in case you forget your friendship lessons.” Twilight took out a scroll. “Think of it as a formula sheet.”

The train stopped in front of the Crystal Empire Train Station. Shining Armor stood on the platform, looking like he pulled more all-nighters than a college student on finals week.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight ran up and hugged her BBBFF. “I didn’t know you were meeting us.”

Just like in the show, Shining Armor was happy to see Twilight, but his drowsiness and loopiness made it clear that his sleep schedule was out of whack ever since the baby was born. The girls agreed to help both him and Cadance out while Starlight and I would go to Sunburst’s house.

Starlight and I headed down the road. I avoided the path to my crystal statue since I knew she would try to stall for time. I had a few fans stop us for my autograph, though.

“I didn’t think you were that popular here, Spike,” Starlight pointed out.

“Yeah,” I replied. “I helped save the empire with Twilight and Cadance, and everypony who lives here praises me as their hero. I'll show you the statue after our talk with Sunburst.”

We arrived at Sunburst’s house. Starlight skimmed through the scroll one last time as she climbed the steps. I remember this was Starlight’s first lesson in the show, and that Spike put a little bit of pressure on her. Thankfully, this wasn’t her first, and I was Spike.

“Starlight, you’ve done well with your friendship lessons, so you shouldn’t let this one hold you back,” I said. “Plus, I can help nudge you in the right direction and provide some topics in case of any awkward silences or pauses.”

Starlight gave me the scroll. “Well, here we go.”

She lightly tapped the door. There was nothing but silence.

Are we too early? I don’t remember Sunburst going out for anything prior.

Starlight turned around, but I held up a hand. She remained in her spot. That’s when the front door opened.

“Yes?” An orange stallion’s snout appeared from the door.

“S…Sunburst?” Starlight asked.

“Yeah, I…Starlight?” Sunburst threw open the door. “Starlight Glimmer?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“M-my goodness! It’s been…wow, I….I never thought…I meant to…”

I walked up the steps.

“S-Spike. Uh, heh, hi.” Sunburst cleared his throat. “This is a surprise. Have…have you met…?”

“Hello, Sunburst.” I nodded. “Yes, I have. Starlight has been living with Twilight and me for a while.”

“Wow…I…I didn’t know that. I-I’m sorry. Do you…you two…want to come in? To my house?”

“Uh…sure,” Starlight awkwardly replied.

Sunburst motioned us in.

“So far so good,” I whispered to Starlight.

As we entered Sunburst’s domicile, Starlight looked around the room, taking in all the books and scrolls. Sunburst entered the kitchen to brew some tea.

“And I thought Twilight was the only one into reading,” Starlight said under her breath.

Then she noticed the picture on the bookshelf. The same one I saw last time I was in Sunburst’s place. She slowly walked over and stared at it for the longest time.

“He really did care for me…”

“I, uh, I made some tea.” Sunburst walked into the room with a tea tray.

Starlight quickly took her seat as did I. Sunburst poured us a cup each. When nopony spoke, I did.

“So, how have you been since my last visit?” I asked Sunburst.

“I’ve…I've been fine,” Sunburst replied.

Sunburst took a sip of his tea. I looked at Starlight and pointed my head to Sunburst. Starlight motioned me to continue. I shook my head and pointed to her. I wasn’t going to let this conversation be just between Sunburst and me.

“So…what have you been up to?” Starlight asked.

“Just…reading scrolls and books and…whatnot,” Sunburst replied.

“Heh, we can see that.” I looked around the room.

“What about you, Starlight?” asked Sunburst.

“Oh…uh, I’ve been studying friendship with Twilight.” Starlight rubbed the back of her head. “She’s…kinda the reason why I’m here…”

“So...the Princess of Friendship wants you and I to be friends again or something?”

“Heh, I know. Weird, right?”

“Uh, I don't understand. What happened to you after I was put into magic school?”

“What?! Nothing!” Starlight quickly refilled her cup. “I-I don't see what…”

“Starlight, just tell the truth,” I said.

“What if he judges me?” She hissed.

“Judge you for what?” Sunburst tilted his head.

“Let’s just say Starlight didn’t take your sudden departure so well,” I replied before being nudged.

“When I returned home, your dad told me that you ran away. Was there…more to that story?”

Starlight looked away. “Sort of…I may or may not have almost started a small club for ponies against cutie marks…theoretically.”

“Oh…?”

“B-but it never happened, thankfully! Spike helped me disband the group before things went too far.”

“Really?” Sunburst looked at me.

I shrugged. “Well, I was just wandering around the caves outside of her town when I found a stone to eat. I found out too late that Starlight needed the stone, but given what she initially planned to do with it, I did us both a favor.”

“Starlight…I…I’m sorry…” Sunburst put his cup down.

“W-Wait! Like I said before, I-I never went through with forming that anti-cutie mark cult!” Starlight panicked.

“Breathe, Starlight,” I reminded her.

“Oh, no, I meant I’m sorry I couldn’t try to find you sooner,” Sunburst clarified. “I’ve been wanting to ever since I failed magic school, but life…” He sighed sharply. “...no, my mom got in the way.”

“Believe me, I know the feeling of an intrusive parent,” said Starlight.

Good, they're finding common ground.

“So what brought you to the Crystal Empire?” Starlight asked.

“I got tired of living with my parents, so when I heard about the Crystal Empire returning, I left town and found a place to live here.” Sunburst held a scroll. “It wasn’t a bad place to settle down, and I've read spells in my spare time.”

“Can you cast any?”

“Well…not really.” Sunburst rubbed the back of his head. “I'm not really good at magic in practice.”

“Kinda makes you wish you had a pink unicorn who knew a thing or two about casting, huh?” I chuckled.

Sunburst looked at Starlight. “I kinda do.”

“Well, I think we should be going,” Starlight said. “We don't want to miss the Crystalling.”

“Ah, okay.” Sunburst checked the teapot. “I was running low on tea anyway. It was nice meeting you again, Starlight. I hope...huh?”

“What?”

“Is…is that snow?”

Sunburst pointed out the window. Snowflakes the size of quarters fell from the sky.

“That’s…not right,” Sunburst said as the three of us looked out the window. “I mean, the Crystal Empire usually gets a small amount of snow during the wintertime, but not this much. And during spring, no less.”

I gasped. “The Crystal Heart! Something must’ve happened!”

And I knew exactly what happened. The newborn baby shattered the Crystal Heart with her cry, and without it the Empire would be buried in the harsh blizzard.

“We gotta find Twilight and the others!” Starlight proclaimed.

“Right. Sunburst, you better come with us,” I offered.

“Me? What for?” asked Sunburst.

“Something tells me we might need you.”

Starlight, Sunburst, and I raced out of the house. The freezing wind felt like knives piercing my scales. No doubt Starlight and Sunburst felt the same way.

“Knowing Twilight, she's probably at the library!” I shouted. “Let’s hurry!”

We got to the library, praised it was less cold than outside, and went into the main room. We saw Twilight and Princess Cadance at a nearby table while Pinkie, Rarity, and Shining Armor were chasing a white alicorn foal with a purple mane and cyan diaper.

“Is that the baby?” Sunburst asked.

“It must be,” I replied. “Though their wings and horns look pretty huge.”

Pinkie immediately tackled the baby. The foal sneezed and burst a huge magic beam from its horn.

“Watch out!” I shouted.

I shoved Sunburst and Starlight out of the way and dove the other direction. The beam zipped out the room and smacked into a chandelier, shattering it into bits.

“That was close!” I sighed. “Are you two alright?”

Sunburst laid on top of Starlight. Both of them stared into each other’s eyes before they quickly and awkwardly got back on their hooves.

“W-we’re fine. We’re fine.” Sunburst said with tinted cheeks. Starlight had the same glow.

“Spike! Starlight! Stallion whose name we haven’t gotten yet!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Thank goodness you’re here!”

“What is going on here?” Starlight asked.

“You want the long or the short version?”

“Short.”

Pinkie then said rapidly, “The baby's an alicorn and she accidentally destroyed the Crystal Heart, but Twilight and Cadance just found a spell to put it back together and save the Crystal Empire from turning into a giant wasteland of ice and snow.”

“Oh.”

Good grief. Poof was somewhat less chaotic than her and he always made bad stuff happen when he cried.

“I just hope this will work,” Twilight said.

“Excuse me, your highness, but what spell are you planning to use?” Sunburst asked.

“The ‘Spell of Relic Reconstitution.’” Twilight handed him the tome. “You may see for yourself. Page 108.”

Sunburst flipped through the pages. “Uh, I’m sorry, Princess Twilight, but this won't work.”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “W-what do you mean it won’t work? It has to work!”

“This spell can’t restore the Crystal Heart alone; it's been around for millennia. You need to combine it with something else. Something unique to the relic itself. Something that strengthens it and provides it with power…”

“The Crystalling!” Twilight and I declared in unison.

Sunburst nodded. “Combining that spell with the light and love of everypony gathered for the ceremony, together with Somnambula's Weather Abjuration to clear away the snow…” Flurry Heart flew past him and he immediately ducked. “...and adding a little Fledgling's Forbearance for the parents...should curb the little one's power fluctuations.”

“You must be Sunburst,” Cadance said as she caught her daughter. “I have to say you certainly came at the right time. You must be quite the wizard.”

“Oh, I’m no wizard…”

“B-but he studied magic his whole life!” Starlight assured. “You should see his house!”

Shining Armor looked at Twilight, then to the baby, then to Sunburst.

“I had planned on asking Twilight to be our crystaller, but since it seems like she'll be busy...”

“I’d be honored.” Sunburst bowed his head. “I’ll get the spells from my home. You can come with me if you want, Starlight.”

Starlight nodded contently.

“I’ll find Celestia and Luna and tell them to meet Twily and me at the Crystal Heart,” Cadance declared.

“I’ll find the rest of the girls and stop the Crystal Ponies from evacuating just yet,” I offered.

“The rest of you should follow me to the castle,” Shining suggested.

“Like there’s any other place we’d wish to be,” Rarity pointed out.

We exited the library and back into the blustering blizzard. I dashed to the castle and towards the Crystalling stage where Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash were.

“Spike, there you are!” Rainbow Dash zoomed up to me. “You’re famous here. Tell these stubborn ponies to book it to the train station before they all become snowponies!”

“We’re not leaving,” I retorted.

“Aw, don’t tell me yer on their side, too!” Applejack exasperated.

“It’s not that. The Crystalling will still go as planned; we've got somepony to help us restore the Crystal Heart. Trust me.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Fluttershy replied.

A short while later, Sunburst appeared from behind the curtain holding the alicorn foal, the latter of whom giggled whilst being in the former’s arms. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Shining Armor, and Cadance showed up soon after.

“We’re ready for the Crystalling!” Pinkie clamored.

“But we must hurry!” Rarity looked behind her. “Even with Princess Celestia and Luna, the spell can only do so much.”

We all took the stage. The air was so cold I swore I felt my blood freezing up. Shining and Cadance gave their child a kiss on her face cheeks and touched horns, causing the foal to levitate into the air. Rarity handed Sunburst a case of crystal shards, and he picked the purest one.

“Citizens!” Sunburst announced. “May I present the newest member of the Crystal Empire!”

The scene played out like in the show. The citizens of the Crystal Empire bowed, emitting a cyan glow beneath their hooves that spread throughout the streets. Sunburst touched the ground with the crystal shard, and it absorbed the glow. He then raced into the curtains, hoping to restore the heart.

A shockwave emerged from the curtains and gave everypony plus me a crystal coating. A massive rainbow column pierced through the storm. The blizzard clouds dispersed as the air grew warmer. The foal floated back down as the crowd cheered.

“And you girls wanted to evacuate everypony,” I joked.

“Hey, don’t make us the bad guys here!” Rainbow rebutted.

Once the crystal skins vanished again, we all returned to the train station. I stood next to Shining Armor, who was holding the baby.

“I’m glad I could see the baby up close without all the crazy stuff happening,” I said.

Suddenly, the foal grabbed me by the snout and giggled audibly.

“Hey!”

“Heh heh, she’s got her uncle’s nose,” Shining Armor chuckled.

“You were waiting for that one, weren’t you?” I asked unamusingly.

The train arrived, and Twilight Velvet and Night Light appeared.

“You would not believe the crazy weather that delayed our train,” Night said. “Came out of nowhere.”

“But it was all worth it to see this peaceful little angel,” Velvet added. “Awww, so sweet. Come to your grandmare.”

“Peaceful now, anyway,” said Applejack.

“I suppose that spell really did the trick,” Twilight said.

Suddenly the baby inhaled like she was about to sneeze. The girls quickly took cover while I took a step back. Thankfully, the only thing that came out of the foal was a normal sneeze.

“We have Sunburst to thank for that,” Shining said.

“I hope he takes his role as crystaller seriously,” Cadance said. “Something tells me the baby will need a pony like him to look to for magical advice.”

Shining Armor handed the baby to his mother. When Velvet asked what they would name her, they decided on “Flurry Heart.”

The Mane 6 and I got on the train. Starlight gave one more farewell to Sunburst before joining us.

“So how did it go with Sunburst?” Twilight asked.

“Well, we talked to each other about what happened after we got separated, and we agreed to keep in touch,” Starlight replied.

“That’s good to hear. You may not have been best friends again, but at least you’re heading in the right direction.”

“You should give her a gold star for her efforts,” I suggested.

“If I had any gold stars, I would be sure she got one,” Twilight considered.

I didn’t mind this episode’s outcome. While nothing major changed, the Crystal Heart was repaired early and Starlight and Sunburst initially bonded a bit more than in the show. Also, Trotter's Tome of Reliquary was saved from Flurry’s stray blasts. I wondered if Thorax would still show up later on, as I still had no idea what happened to him or the changeling hive.

“So Flurry Heart is considered the first alicorn born in Equestria, right?” I asked.

“That’s what Princess Celestia and Princess Luna said,” Twilight replied.

“Is that because neither of them had a partner for the past millennium?”

“Well…Luna was banished to the moon at the time, while Celestia…er…” Twilight tapped her hoof on the seat. “You know what? That’s a good point. Why didn’t Celestia ever have a partner?”

Chapter 109 (Flutter Brutter)

I had tea as usual with Fluttershy one afternoon. Despite the frequency, I’d never tire of visiting my special somepony.

“Sure is a nice day today,” I said. “So what’s new with you, Fluttershy?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Fluttershy replied. “I just received a letter from my parents a few days ago. My dad is retiring from his job at the weather factory.”

“That’s good to hear.” I drank my tea. “More time to spend on his hobbies and family.”

“That actually brings me to my next point.” Fluttershy shifted in her chair. “I’m planning on visiting my parents this weekend for lunch, and I was thinking that you should come with me to meet them.”

I lowered my teacup. “Really? But…do they know about us?”

“I’ve told them before I was in a relationship with you, so yes. They’ve been wishing to meet you.”

“I don’t know, Fluttershy.” I traced the rim of the cup with my finger. “I’m a bit worried about what they’ll think of me. Of being a young dragon and whatnot.”

“Oh, Spike, you don’t need to worry. If I’m being honest, my parents were always relaxed about my decisions. They’ll happily support us being together.”

“If you say so.”

I knew that Fluttershy’s parents were pushovers, but I was worried that there were some things that they drew the line at. I hoped that this was not one of them.

I feel like that ogre who visited his wife’s royal parents.

When the weekend arrived, I donned a red bowtie, received a cloud-walking spell, purchased a bouquet of flowers, and hurried to Fluttershy’s cottage. I found Rainbow Dash with her, ready to leave.

“Hey, girls,” I greeted. “What brings you here, Rainbow Dash?”

“Fluttershy’s parents invited me, too,” Rainbow replied. “Uh, what’s with the bowtie and flowers?”

“Well…I am visiting Fluttershy’s parents for the first time after all. I want to make a good first impression.”

“It’s a casual lunch, not the Grand Galloping Gala. You’ve got nothing to worry about, Casanova.”

“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one who’s in a relationship with Fluttershy.”

I hopped on Fluttershy’s back, and the three of us flew to Cloudsdale. As my nerves calmed down, I realized this was when “Flutter Brutter” happened. In the show, Fluttershy’s brother, Zephyr Breeze, would show up acting like a freeloader. While he’s given various jobs, he loses them all due to his laziness and then lives in the forest. Then he reveals he’s afraid to try new things because he might fail. Thus, the girls would assure him failure shouldn’t prevent him from continuing his goals.

I hoped to convince Zephyr early that there’s nothing wrong with failure. Although, I first wanted to see how he would react to his big sister having a special somedragon.

We arrived at Fluttershy’s parents' home. I triple-checked that my bowtie was straight while Fluttershy knocked on the door. A cream-colored pegasus mare with a red, curly mane, teal glasses and a yellow pearl necklace answered the door. By her side was a light-green stallion with a light-pink mane and mustache and a blue, v-neck sweater. This was Fluttershy’s mother and father respectively.

“Oh, Fluttershy,” Mrs. Shy softly greeted as she and Mr. Shy hugged their daughter. “We’re so glad you could make it. You as well, Miss Dash.”

Dashie puffed up her chest. I got off Fluttershy’s back.

“Is this your special somedragon you mentioned, dear?” Mr. Shy asked, gesturing to me.

“He is.” Fluttershy nodded. “Mom. Dad. I’d like you to meet Spike. Spike, these are my parents.”

“I-it’s nice to meet you two,” I said as I held out a hand.

“Likewise.” Mr. Shy shook my hand. Mrs. Shy did the same.

“I brought these for you two.”

I handed them the bouquet of flowers. Fluttershy’s mother took them.

“Why thank you, Spike,” she said. “These are lovely. Why don’t you all come in?”

We entered the home. The rooms we trekked through had various decorations related to clouds or rainbows.

“Did Fluttershy ever tell you I was a gardener?” Mrs. Shy asked me.

“She mentioned it before,” I replied.

“Well, I can tell you that you’ve chosen the right kind of flowers. Daisies are always my favorite.”

I knew about Mrs. Shy being a gardener, but her favorite flowers were a lucky guess.

We sat at the table in the dining room. Mrs. Shy already brewed some tea for us.

“So, Spike, do you have a job?” Mr. Shy asked as his wife poured us a cup of tea.

“I wouldn’t call it a job, per se, but I am Twilight Sparkle’s assistant,” I replied.

“I heard she was a princess now,” Mrs. Shy said. “It must be a tough job.”

“It’s mostly about writing letters, finding books, and making sure she doesn’t get a heart attack when things aren’t in the right place.”

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash giggled.

“Oh, speaking of jobs,” said Rainbow Dash, “I don’t know if Fluttershy told you or not, but I—”

“—just became a Wonderbolt,” Fluttershy’s parents concluded.

“I guess she did.”

“News travels pretty fast in Cloudsdale,” Mr. Shy pointed out.

Then how come Rainbow’s parents didn’t hear about it until Scootaloo mentioned it?

“Where do you live, Spike?” asked Mrs Shy.

“Well, I live in a castle with Twilight.” I took a sip of tea.

“Ooh, a castle. How luxurious,” said Mr. Shy.

Mrs. Shy added, “It would be a wonderful place for the children.”

I instantly choked on my tea!

“MOTHER!!” Fluttershy shouted. “Not this again!”

Rainbow’s snickers could be heard behind her double-hoof-covered mouth.

“Just a suggestion, sweetie,” Mrs. Shy said. “It’s not an immediate request.”

I wiped my face with a napkin. “I-it’s way too early for that.”

“Just something to consider for the distant future,” Mr. Shy said.

I don’t think it’s even biologically possible for ponies and dragons to have foals together. At least, the show never confirmed it.

“Anyway, the castle is located in Ponyville,” I said to immediately change the subject. “If you ever want to visit, it won’t be too hard to find.”

“I’m sure we’ll figure it out,” Mr. Shy said.

Fluttershy’s parents brought out the food, which consisted of vegetable platters, falafels, and a jello mold.

“We're so happy you could come have lunch with your father and me, Fluttershy,” said Mrs. Shy. “And for bringing your special somepony…or dragon with you.”

“I'm so glad you asked,” replied Fluttershy.

“I’m so gratified to be here,” I said.

“And it was super awesome of you to invite me too!” Rainbow added. “Things have been so busy with the Wonderbolts lately, it's great to get a chance to relax someplace quiet besides my home.”

“That's exactly what I intend to do now that I've retired,” said Mr. Shy. “In fact, I converted the back house to showcase my cloud collection.”

He pointed out the window to the small building filled with jars of clouds.

“Fascinating collection,” I said. “I bet each cloud has a story to tell.”

“Collecting clouds was always a hobby of mine. I can show you some after lunch…if you want to, that is.”

“Do you have any hobbies, Spike?” asked Mrs. Shy.

“I like to read mystery novels and listen to jazz music from time to time,” I responded. “I also like indulging in a few graphic novels and enacting idealistic scenarios with my friends.”

That’s one way to say I read comic books and play O&O for the last part.

“Such a classy dragon,” Fluttershy’s mother said. “I can see why Fluttershy started a relationship with you.”

“We all have our unique hobbies,” said Mr. Shy to her daughter. “I have my clouds, your mom has her flowers, you've got your animals, and your brother...”

“Zephyr Breeze has his...interests.”

“I'll say!” Rainbow snarked. “Remember when he was convinced square clouds were gonna be the next big thing?”

“I’m sorry, but who’s Zephyr Breeze?” I asked despite knowing already.

“She’s Fluttershy’s brother,” Mr. Shy replied. “She never told you?”

“No, she didn't.”

“Believe me, she did you a favor,” said RD under her breath.

“Is Zephyr really that bad?” I asked.

Awkward noises and averted eyes were what I got from the surrounding ponies.

“Really? What did he do? Did he get arrested for something?”

“Oh, nothing like that,” Mrs. Shy chuckled. “He’s just a little more…outgoing than usual. But don’t worry; he's matured a lot since then.”

Mr. Shy said, “Actually, it's funny we brought Zephyr up...”

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, no! Not again!”

I pretend to look around awkwardly. “Uh, I’m not in the loop, guys. Can someone clue me in?”

“Zephyr is coming home again…just for a little while,” said Mrs. Shy. “'Til he gets back on his hooves.”

Rainbow widened her eyes. “Wait, you don't mean—!”

SLAM!!

The back door swung open, and entered a lanky stallion with a man-bun and five-o’clock shadow lugging a duffle bag. This was Zephyr Breeze.

“Guess who's home!” He announced. “That's right, big sis, it's your one and only favorite little brother: moi.”

The stallion threw his bag off. I quickly nabbed the jello mold just as the bag smacked onto the table.

“Hi, Flutterbutter! How's the bestest big sister ever?” Zephyr squeezed Fluttershy tightly. “Hey, where's the love? How about a little excitement to see your baby brother?”

Just like in the show, Fluttershy assumed Zephyr went away for mane therapy training, but he left early since the ponies didn’t like his own style. He even pulled out a hair mannequin with said style, and honestly it made Rarity’s remover-induced mane look like it belonged on the front page of a fashion magazine.

Zephyr flirted with Rainbow Dash a bit. The latter wasn’t amused.

“And whose pet lizard is this?” Zephyr pointed to me.

“Um, I’m a dragon, sir.” I cleared my throat. “My name is Spike. I’m Fluttershy’s special somedragon. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Zephyr stared at me as his optimism dropped. “You’re kidding, right? Fluttershy, are you feigning a relationship to get me jealous?”

“Excuse me?!” An offended Fluttershy asked.

Of course there’s that one disapproving in-law in every family.

“Their relationship is pretty much genuine, Zephyr,” Mr. Shy said.

“Seriously?” Zephyr asked. “Come on, Fluttershy. You can do better.”

“I’m still here, you know,” I pointed out.

“Zephyr, could you please come with me?” Fluttershy asked with her rage looming.

“Finally, some sibling-to-sibling talk,” Zephyr said enthusiastically. “Lead the way, sis.”

Fluttershy and Zephyr left the kitchen. I never thought I’d miss the awkward silence.

“So…Rainbow Dash,” said Mr. Shy. “How is life as a Wonderbolt?”

“It’s totally awesome,” Rainbow replied. “You should’ve seen our last show. We tore through the skies like they were wrapping paper.”

I looked behind me. As much as I hated loud arguments, I had a feeling I needed to hear what Zephyr had to say behind my back.

“Excuse me for a moment.” I got up from my chair. “I need to use the restroom.”

“It will be past the living room, down the hallway, second door to the left,” Mrs. Shy said.

I nodded and followed her directions. At the hall, I heard ponies debating at the first door. I leaned against the wall and listened in.

“What do you mean, I could do better?” Fluttershy asked.

“Did you even see him?” Zephyr retorted. “The drake looks like he just started kindergarten.”

“He is thirteen and a half…almost fourteen.”

“See? Only a kid.”

“Our interactions are tame. We don't go beyond holding hooves. Besides, compared to the lifespan of a dragon, we're relatively the same age.”

“Even I know that's not mathematically correct. Another thing: he’s a dragon. You know how nasty dragons are.”

“Ah! Spike is not like that at all! He is very sweet, he is very smart, and he treats others respectfully.”

“You guys can't even have foals.”

“Have you heard of adoption?”

“I'm just saying having a dragon as your boyfriend just isn't right. Some things aren't meant to happen.”

“I'll say, like you giving relationship advice. I'm not going to break up with Spike just because you don't like him. Mom and Dad support our relationship. So should you.”

“Come on, don't make me the bad guy here.”

“I'm afraid that bird has flown.” Fluttershy left the room and immediately bumped into me. “Oh, Spike! I'm so sorry!”

“It’s okay. I was just heading to the restroom.”

“It’s just down the hall. Er…how much did you hear?”

“Hear of what?” I asked, playing dumb.

“Nevermind.” Fluttershy returned to the dining room.

I passed by to see Zephyr glaring at me. I exchanged a mutual glance. After using the restroom for real to avoid any suspicion, I returned to the kitchen. Fluttershy came back from the entryway with her parents.

“We may not be as bold as you, Fluttershy, but don't you worry.” said Mr. Shy. “We know how to stand up for ourselves.”

Somehow, I doubt that.

Fluttershy reunited with Rainbow Dash, who was already tired of hearing Zephyr yapping about mane therapy school.

Zephyr yawned. “Anyway, good talk, Rainbows. I am so touched you came to see me, really. I hate to deprive you of my presence, but this breeze needs his Z's.”

“You know it's the middle of the day, right?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I know. Siesta!” Zephyr trotted up the stairs. “I'm just gonna assume you made up my room the way I like it, right, Mom? Oh, I almost forgot! All my stuff is out front. Wanna grab that for me, Pops? Thanks.”

He then disappeared into the upper hallway.

“Same old Zeph.”

“We better get going,” said Fluttershy.

“Oh, well, it’s nice meeting you three,” said Mr. Shy.

“Do you want me to help you two?” I offered. “With moving Zephyrs stuff?”

“Oh, Spike, you’re kind, but we’ll manage.”

“We don’t want you to have to do so much manual labor during your visit,” Mrs. Shy replied.

Rainbow, Fluttershy, and I headed to the front door.

“I hope we’ll see you again soon, Spike,” Mrs. Shy said. “Maybe next time you visit I can show you our childrens’ foal pictures.”

Fluttershy shoved me onto her back as she blushed. We waved Fluttershy’s parents goodbye as we left their house. We flew across the sky and down to Ponyville. The only audible noises on our journey were the wind blowing and the pegasi wings flapping.

Rainbow Dash broke the silence. “I know you weren't expecting to see your brother, Fluttershy, but you've been kind of quiet, even for you.”

Fluttershy replied, “I'm sorry, but I am just so...so…”

“Upset?” I quickly said.

“YES!! Yes, that’s what I meant. Although, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me finish my own sentences.”

“Right, sorry. I was just afraid you’d swear or something.”

“Even at a case like this, I don’t think Fluttershy would be one to—”

FWEEE!!

Both pegasi froze in their tracks.

“Spike!” Rainbow barked. “We were not arguing!”

“That wasn't me,” I looked down to the ground and spotted two ponies waving at us. “It’s Applejack and Pinkie Pie.”

The three of us landed. I hopped off Fluttershy’s back.

“Oh, um, sorry about that,” Fluttershy apologized.

“We just had lunch with Fluttershy's parents,” Rainbow said, “and you'll never guess who showed up.”

“Ooh!” Pinkie pulled out a wallet with hundreds of photos. “Mayor Mare? Cranky Doodle Donkey? Cheese Sandwich? Ms. Harshwhinny?!”

“Zephyr Breeze,” I replied. “Fluttershy’s brother.”

“Oh, that makes more sense.”

“And from the look on yer face, I'm guessin' it's for another one of his ‘extended stays’?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy covered her face.

“She’s a bit…upset,” Rainbow pointed out.

“Hey, how come you two know more about Zephyr than I do?” I asked AJ and Pinkie. “I didn’t even know about his existence until today.”

Applejack replied, “We kinda knew about him long before you ‘n’ Twilight came to Ponyville. Fluttershy didn’t like to talk about him, so we never brought it up.”

“From what I’ve experienced within the past few hours, I don’t blame her.”

“Zephyr's my brother, and I love him, but he's never learned to do anything for himself,” Fluttershy said. “I don't know why my parents keep letting him trot all over them!”

“Gee, if only there was an assertive course for them to take so they don’t end up as a pair of doormats,” I joked.

“Yeah, I think it’s better if that didn’t happen,” Pinkie said. “Fluttershy and I can attest to that.”

Fluttershy rubbed her arm.

“Besides, I don’t think Iron Will does those courses anymore.” Pinkie looked into her wallet. “I think he either took cruise ship lessons or got into politics.”

“If your parents won't stand up for themselves, maybe you need to stand up for them,” Applejack suggested to Fluttershy.

“You know, you’re right!” Fluttershy declared.

“Want me to come with you?” I asked.

“This is something I need to do myself, but you can still come for support.”

“Don't worry. I’ll let you take the persuasion wheel this time.”

Fluttershy and I returned to her parents' home. Fluttershy was about to knock when the sound of shattering glasses rang out. We hurried to the backyard just to see Mr. Shy’s cloud collection scattered across the yard and Mrs. Shy’s garden trampled. Mr. Shy tried to recollect his clouds while his wife attempted to replant her flowers. Another jar flew out the window. I rushed up and caught it before it hit the ground

“Oh, you’re back already, Spike?” Mrs. Shy asked. “I didn’t think you’d be that interested in Fluttershy’s foal pictures.”

“I’m not here for that, I’m afraid,” I said.

“Zephyr Breeze!” Fluttershy called out.

“Oh, hey, sis,” Zephyr replied from the window. “Oh. You brought your shrimp lizard lover with you, again?”

“I’m just going to ignore that.” I rolled my eyes.

“Come to see me work my magic and turn this place from drab to fab, huh? Well, watch and learn!”

“Can't you see what you're doing?!” Fluttershy barked.

“Yeah! I'm getting rid of this old stuff so I can turn the backhouse into my art studio! I've decided I'm gonna be a sculptor!”

Fluttershy then pointed out that he was ruining his mother’s flowers and his father’s cloud collection. Zephyr brushed it aside as he pointed out his mother could easily relocate the flowers. Mr. Shy suddenly dropped one of the jars, and I quickly caught it.

“Thank you,” Mr. Shy said.

The scene then played out like in the show. Fluttershy convinced Zephyr that he needed to move out on his own. Despite seeking support from his parents, they sided with their daughter. Zephyr teared up and gathered his stuff.

“I mean,” Zephyr whimpered. “I really just came back here to keep you guys company, but...whatever's best for the family. I just...I just gotta grab a few essentials.”

“And...y-you definitely have somewhere else to go?” asked Fluttershy’s mother.

“Of course! There's plenty of ponies who'd love for a little breeze to blow their way...”

With that, Zephyr left the yard. Mr. and Mrs. Shy stared at each other in sorrow while Fluttershy had a guilty look on her face.

“I’m sorry you had to witness that, Spike,” Mr. Shy said.

“It’s okay,” I said. “Whatever is best for the family.”

At least there’s no argument that required my whistle.

“Spike and I better get going as well,” Fluttershy said.

“See you soon, you two.” Mrs. Shy gathered her flowers. “Oh, and you don’t have to dress up every time you come to visit us, Spike. We aren’t at a Grand Galloping Gala.”

“I’ll make a note of that,” I said as I adjusted my bowtie.

Fluttershy dropped me off at Twilight’s castle. I made my way to my room when Twilight noticed me.

“Welcome back, Spike,” Twilight said. “So how did it go with Fluttershy’s family?”

“Bad,” I replied as I undid my bowtie.

“Oh, Spike, I’m so sorry to hear that. Did her mom and dad not like that you were a dragon?”

“Oh, no no. Fluttershy’s parents were supportive of our relationship regardless of our species. Her brother on the other hand…”

“Ah…I see…”

“I mean, while he had some valid points, his way of expressing them left a lot to be desired. I wonder if he did that out of envy or if he really has something against interspecies relationships.”

“Spike, there’s always going to be some ponies like that.”

“I know, but of all ponies to be against it, it had to be my special somepony’s brother?”

“Yeah, life is funny that way.”

“It needs to change its sense of humor.”

After recharging my social battery with comic books and manga, I went to Fluttershy’s cottage. There, Rainbow Dash knocked on the front door.

“You here to see Fluttershy, too?” Rainbow asked.

“It’s supposed to be our tea time today,” I replied.

Fluttershy answered the door. “Oh, hey, guys. Come on in.”

We entered the cottage. Fluttershy gave her pet a carrot.

“I’m sorry, Spike,” said Fluttershy. “I know you came all this way for our usual tea time, but I’m afraid I didn't make any. I had a lot on my mind lately.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m assuming you’re thinking about Zephyr?”

Fluttershy sighed and nodded.

“So where's Zeph gonna go now?” asked Rainbow Dash.

“I'm not sure. Oh, I hope I did the right thing...”

“Are you kidding? One hundred percent!”

“Hey, sis!” A familiar annoying voice singsonged.

Zephyr barged into the cottage.

“Your new roomie's here!” He announced.

“Okay, maybe like seventy percent,” Rainbow corrected.

“Oh, don’t tell me your lucky…I mean, shrimpy dragon is living here, too.”

“I live in the castle,” I pointed out.

“Um, Zephyr,” Fluttershy said boldly. “When Mom and Dad told you to find someplace else to live, I don't think they meant here.”

Zephyr plopped his bag down. “Well, it's not their house, so by definition, it's someplace else.” He placed a bunny garden gnome by Angel, who didn't admire the recent redecoration. “Am I right, Rainbows? Stop oogling me and help settle this.”

Rainbow sighed sharply. “You know what? I totally forgot that I promised to help Pinkie Pie... sprinkle... something.” She then took off.

“I remembered I need to keep up with my parkour skills.” I got out of my chair. “I don’t think your brother likes shrimp anyway.”

I ran back home. I met with Twilight at the library.

“Back already, Spike?” Twilight asked. “What happened? Did Fluttershy run out of tea so soon?”

“Worse,” I replied. “Zephyr came to stay with her.”

“Oh, no.”

“Yeah, I just hope he doesn't stay long.”

In truth, I knew what was going to happen. Zephyr would try various simple tasks only to either outsource to someone or not do the task at all. I hate to imagine what would happen when he shows up to clean the windows at the castle, but I hoped to not fall for his tricks.

The next morning, I heard the front door knock. I took a deep breath and followed Twilight. When she opened the door, Fluttershy was there. Surprisingly, instead of Zephyr Breeze, Moondancer was by her side.

What's wrong with this picture?

“Fluttershy! Moondancer!” Twilight hugged them both. “Glad you two could make it.”

“Where’s Zephyr?” I asked. “And Tyke for that matter?”

“Zephyr got a job cleaning the library windows,” replied Fluttershy.

“And Tyke’s supervising him,” Moondancer added.

Strange. In the show, Zephyr has to clean the castle windows only to trick Spike into doing it. Was it because he didn't want to get involved with me due to my relationship, or was it a coincidence since the library was spared in this timeline?

We went to the dining room for tea.

“I hope this makes up for missing our tea time yesterday,” Fluttershy said to me.

“It does,” I replied. “But I understood you had a lot on your plate when Zephyr came back.”

“Oh, I just remembered,” said Moondancer as she rummaged through her saddlebags. “I also came to return the book I borrowed. Kinda funny that it’s a librarian who borrows a book this time.”

“Thanks,” said Twilight.

As Twilight levitated the book towards her, she noticed a few strains of short gray fur on the cover.

“What’s all this?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, it’s Tyke’s fur. He’s shedding.”

“Ugh! Gross!”

“It’s not gross, it’s just fur,” I said. “It’s spring, after all. New leaves, new animals, new fur coats. All part of nature.”

Fluttershy giggled.

Twilight brushed the fur off the book. “I like nature as much as the next mare, but there are limits on where it should happen.”

“So you said that Zephyr is working on your windows?” I asked.

Moondancer nodded. “Fluttershy told me he needed a job, so I thought he could lend a hoof in cleaning the library.”

“I just hope he keeps this one,” Fluttershy said.

“How so?” Twilight asked.

“His first job was to dye some of Rarity’s fabrics, but he got some critters to do it for him…poorly. You don’t want to know what Rarity’s room looked like after that.”

“Yikes. So what’s new with you, Moondancer?”

“Nothing much,” Moondancer replied as she stirred her tea. “I’ve finally finished a novel I put off. Tyke’s been drawing flying machines and building some out of cardboard and rubberbands.”

“Wow, he’s really that interested in flying?” Fluttershy asked.

“Looks like it to me. If he wants to become the first Diamond Dog to fly, then I won’t slow him down.”

After chatting and drinking, Moondancer and Fluttershy left the castle.

“See you later, Twilight!” Moondancer called out. “We’ll see if Zephyr's done with his job.”

Twilight and I waved back. In my head, I had doubts that he actually succeeded.

Those doubts were correct. I learned later from Moondancer that Zephyr indeed got Tyke to do his job for him.

Later that day, I was about to get some lunch when I saw Rainbow Dash mumbling to herself.

“...can't even push a broom, that Zephyr…”

“Hey, Rainbow Dash,” I greeted. “What’s going on?”

“Zephyr lost yet another job!” Rainbow exasperated. “I warned him if he stepped out of line, I’d zap him, and I kept my word.”

“Geeze, sounds like Zephyr’s not having any luck keeping a job.”

“More like not having any desire. I’m going to Fluttershy’s and tell her about this.”

“I’ll come with you.”

We got to Fluttershy’s cottage only to find her rubbing her temples.

“Hey, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said as she flew in. “Your brother’s not home is he?”

“No, I kicked him out,” Fluttershy said.

I asked, “Shouldn’t you have given him another chance?”

“We already gave him three chances, Spike,” Rainbow said. “In my opinion, it's three too many.”

“So where is he now?”

“He went out to the woods.” Fluttershy pointed outside. “He wanted to live like his ‘foreponies.’”

“Want us to help you clean up?”

“Yes, please.”

Rainbow, Fluttershy, and I cleaned the massive mess Zephyr left behind during his temporary stay. The mixture of guilt and sadness on Fluttershy’s face did not go unnoticed.

“Aw, cheer up, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said as she swept. “I know it was hard, but you did the right thing. You couldn't let Zephyr pull the same stuff on you that he's always pulled on your folks!”

“I guess so…” Fluttershy murmured.

That’s when a bird flew in and tweeted rapidly.

“Oh, hello, Constance.”

The bird twittered some more.

“Oh? Oh, dear.”

“What’s he saying?” I asked.

“He found where Zephyr is, and…well…my brother needs help.”

“He needs all the help he can get,” Rainbow snarked.

“Then we probably should give it to him,” I responded.

The three of us followed Constance until we got to the Everfree Forest. There, we saw Zephyr’s unkempt campsite. The stallion himself struggled to light a fire, but to no avail. He then thrashed around in frustration.

Rainbow Dash sighed, “I know he needs to learn to do things for himself, but...”

“...it doesn’t look like he’s passing the class,” I concluded.

“Oh...I can't let him live like this,” a somber Fluttershy said.

Zephyr kicked his “hut,” causing it to collapse on top of him.

“Actually, I don't think he'd make it through the night,” Rainbow pointed out.

We approached Zephyr. Just like in the show, Zephyr assured us it was his sleeping bag and he was tucking for the night…in the middle of the day. The three of us weren’t fooled.

“Ugh...I can't do this,” Zephyr groaned. “I can't do anything.”

“Zephyr, you're smart and talented,” Fluttershy said as she and I removed the branches. “You could do anything if you just tried!”

“And what if I give everything I have and still fail? Honestly, I think it's better not to try at all.”

“But then you won't ever do anything,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Exactly,” I added.

“I don't expect you three to understand. I mean, when have you ever failed? You've literally helped save Equestria, like, a dozen times. Fluttershy, you even scored a dragon as your boyfriend. The one creature you used to be afraid of.”

Ah, so it was out of envy.

Fluttershy said, “Just because we saved Equestria multiple times doesn’t mean I wasn’t worried I’d fail every time! Sometimes you have to do things, even though you might fail.”

“But failing is the worst!” Zephyr complained.

“Sometimes, failure is a better teacher than success,” I said. “And certainly a lot better than quitting.”

Zephyr sighed. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but…you’re right.”

“So here's the deal,” Fluttershy proposed. “You can come back with me, but you have to do exactly what I say. No exceptions.”

Zephyr agreed.

Back at the cottage, Fluttershy set up the bathroom with Zephyr’s messed-up wig.

“You think he can do it?” Rainbow asked.

That’s when Fluttershy started singing. I’ll admit the sudden musical drop came out of nowhere in the show. It didn’t help that there wasn’t any background music this time. Thus, I sat out this song.

Once the song completed, Zephyr’s mane mannequin had a much better style than before.

“I did it! I actually finished something! By myself!” Zephyr praised.

“And it looks exactly like it's supposed to,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Well done, Zephyr,” I said.

“I knew you could do it, Zephyr,” Fluttershy complemented.

“I didn't, but I do now.” Zephyr hugged Fluttershy. “Thanks for believing in me, sis. I can see why Spike likes you.”

“That's what big sisters are for.”

“So, Zeph, now that you've accomplished this, what's next?” Rainbow asked.

“Anything I want! I mean, the sky's the limit, right?”

We all stared at him.

“But, y'know...I've got some baby steps in mind.”

It had been a week after Zephyr returned to mane therapy school. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and I had tea at Twilight’s castle.

“Did you hear anything from Zephyr recently?” I asked Fluttershy.

“He’s enjoying his time at Mane Therapy,” she replied.

“That’s good to hear,” said Rainbow Dash. “Hopefully, he’ll stop being a freeloader for once.”

All in all, I had some good feelings about this episode. While it was nice meeting Fluttershy’s parents, Zephyr was a mixed bag, and it didn’t help that his initial unapproval of my relationship hindered an early change. At least he warmed up to me.

“You know, maybe you and Zephyr should spend some time together, Rainbows,” I joked.

Rainbow Dash retaliated by splashing creamer in my face.

“I deserved that.”

Chapter 110 (Mirror Magic)

I changed nothing for “Forever Filly.” Rarity needed to learn that her sister Sweetie Belle was growing up. Although, I never figured out how old the CMC were. I knew they were around Button and Rumble’s age, but I never knew the exact numbers.

On another note, I turned 14. I didn’t know how long it would be until I molt, but I knew it had to be sometime after the School of Friendship was established.

I was in the Golden Oaks Library with Tyke. He built yet another scale model of a flying machine made of cardboard and rubber bands. He twisted the propeller twelve times before releasing it. It flew about a good six feet before plummeting to the ground.

Tyke groaned. “I’m never going to make a good flying machine!”

“I don't know, Tyke,” I said as I bookmarked my comic book. “That one got some good air. You designed it well.”

“Design-wise it’s fine, but do you know what the real issue is?”

“Is it that you need to find or make a giant rubber band for the real deal?”

“Well that, and once the rubber band stops spinning the propeller, the entire flying machine falls down. I could try to find a way to retwist the rubber band while the flying machine is still in the air, but the design would be too impractical, and the user may not have enough time to wind the propeller up before they hit the ground!” Tyke sighed. “Maybe I should just give up on this whole flying machine idea.”

“Now you do not mean that!” I shot up. “You’re just going through a rough period. Do you think Princess Celestia gave up after failing to raise the sun on her first try? Do you think the process of the first train engine was flawless? Do you think King Garm’s kingdom had a smooth transition going underground? You’re always going to hit some bumps in the road, and you shouldn’t let them slow you down.”

“Alright. Okay. But how am I going to get a reliable source of thrust? Rubber bands are out of the question, and I said before that I’m trying to avoid pedaling the propellers or using magic.”

“Well, I’m no expert in flying machines.” I rubbed the back of my head. “Plus, I don’t think there’s any other flying machine in Equestria that operates…”

That’s when it clicked. I had no idea if it would help, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try.

“Hey, I know,” I said. “Have you heard of the mirror portal?”

“Well…I heard Princess Twilight talk about it a few times,” Tyke replied. “Why do you ask?”

“The creatures on the other side are very technologically advanced. They have flying machines that work without any magic, and from what I’ve heard they can make them big enough to carry a big group of ponies.”

“Okay, you’re just making that up.”

“I’m not. How about you and I visit the place? Maybe you can learn how they built their flying machines there.”

“I guess I could give it a try. I’ll have to ask Moondancer first.”

“Great. Twilight was expecting someone to come from the other side to pick up a journal, so maybe we could meet that someone.”

After getting Moondancer’s permission, Tyke followed me to the castle’s library. When we got there, the only occupant was a note resting on the table.

“Twilight,
I went to Sunset to see her world.
I’ll be back soon.

-Starlight Glimmer.”

Figures we missed Sunset. This must be when Mirror Magic occurred.

I remembered in the show, Starlight would visit Sunset Shimmer’s world, and help the human girls fight off an evil girl with an enchanted mirror (not the mirror portal). Since Starlight and the others fared on their own, I didn’t have to interfere.

As I wrote down my own note, I said, “Now Tyke, the human world that we’re about to encounter will be much different than here. We’ll even turn into humans to fit in. Therefore, I’ll tell you a few rules. First, you’ll be given a set of clothes; keep them on like they were your collar.”

Tyke nodded. “Got it.”

“Next, stay by my side. I never saw your human counterpart, but we should stay vigilant just in case. If anyone asks, you’re a foreign exchange student from the mountains.”

“Understood.”

“And finally, don’t be afraid to ask me any questions about the human world. I have plenty of experience being one of their kind.”

In more ways than one.

“Okay.”

I left my note by Starlight’s and walked to the portal.

“Just follow me,” I said. “You’re going to see a lot of colors and feel stretched around, but it’s normal.”

I entered the portal. After the magical ride, I appeared in front of Canterlot High in my human form. A few seconds later, Tyke emerged from the statue. He immediately lost his balance, but I caught him before he hit the floor.

“Woah!” Tyke shook his head. “That was weird. Thanks, kid.”

“Tyke, it’s me, Spike,” I said.

Tyke looked at me and took a step back. “Oh, sorry, Spike. I almost didn’t recognize you.”

“I did say we would turn into humans when we crossed that portal.”

Tyke checked himself. He had a darker skin tone than me. His hair was messy and matched his previous fur color. Instead of his vest, he wore a navy blue puffer vest, a denim shirt, jeans, and a pair of yellow high-top sneakers. He still had his collar on.

“This is what a human looks like? Wow.” Tyke looked behind him. “My tail is gone! What happened to my tail?!”

“Humans don’t have tails, Tyke,” I replied.

“They don’t? Humans are weird.”

Had it not been the truth, I’d take offense to that.

“In any case, this school has a library filled with human history,” I said. “There’s no doubt they have something about past flying machines.”

“Alright then. Let’s go.” Tyke walked forward before wobbling. “W-whoa! What’s with these things covering my lower paws?”

“They’re shoes. Human feet are a lot more sensitive than hooves, paws, and scaled feet, so the people here wear shoes for protection. You’ll get used to them.”

We got into the school and into the library. We browsed the shelves until we found the history section.

“Here we are.” I pulled out a thick book. “‘The history of airplanes, helicopters, and other flying machines.’ This could help you.”

We got down to a table and read through the book. Tyke scribbled down a few notes. An hour passed, and Tyke had some great information from the humans.

“I never knew these humans were this advanced,” Tyke said as he skimmed through his notes.

“Goes to show how imagination makes up for a lack of wings and magic,” I said. “What information have you written down?”

“Well, the most important info is that these planes use a special engine that sets small pieces of fuel on fire. The problem is finding this fuel called ‘gas-o-lien’ in Equestria.”

“I think it's pronounced ‘gasoline’, but I get your point. I take it you can't use coal?”

“It could work, but the plane engines here use only liquid fuel, and there's no way I can fit a train engine onto a plane if I use charcoal. It would be too heavy.”

“Maybe there's a different way to make fuel. After all, I bet humans found ways to produce energy more effectively during their time.”

Tyke and I searched the library again. This time, Tyke found a book on alternate fuel sources.

“Wow, you were right, Spike,” Tyke said as he read through the book. “Look at this. Humans really did find other ways to make energy without having to use gasoline or coal, such as the sun, wind, and water. I wonder why.”

I shrugged. “Maybe humans didn’t like using resources that produced harmful remains when used, or that there wasn’t enough gas and coal for everyone.”

We returned to our study table. Tyke jotted down some renewable resources.

“Okay, I got some ideas,” Tyke read through his notes. “A solar panel may work if I put one on the plane, but it could be problematic if it gets cloudy or dark. A wind turbine won’t work either, as it would require me to fly the plane on a windy day. Not to mention the laws of thermodynamics.” Tyke turned some pages. “Having the plane run on water may sound good, but that would mean the plane either has to provide its own water source, or be kept under a waterfall. There’s also something about glowing green rods, but I don’t think Equestria has anything like that.”

“That is a problem,” I said.

“I did find a fuel that wasn’t as renewable, but it seemed better than coal.” Tyke flipped through the book. “It’s something called ‘ethan-niel’ that’s made from corn.”

“‘Ethanol,’ you mean. Yeah, I’ve heard of that.”

“And from what this book told me, ethanol isn’t just used for fuel, looks like it’s used in adult drinks and other products, so it’s a common liquid in the human world. I wonder if there’s something like that in Equestria, or if it’s possible to make it.”

“Let’s find a chemistry book to find out.”

For the third time today, we scoured the library. Sadly, unlike our previous runs, we found zilch in regards to ethanol production.

“Any luck?” I asked Tyke.

Tyke shook his head. “None. Making ethanol isn’t against the law here, is it?”

“I don’t think so. This library just doesn’t have a book about it.”

“Now what do we do?”

That’s when I noticed the computers.

“We’ll browse the internet,” I suggested.

“We’ll what the what?” Tyke questioned.

“I’ll show you.”

We went down the stairs, only to bump into Cheerilee.

“Oh? What are you children doing here in the library?” She asked. “School's out for summer.”

“We’re doing an independent summer school project together,” I lied.

“Strange, I haven’t seen you before,” Cheerilee said to Tyke. “Are you new here?”

“Yes, I’m exchanging for students,” added Tyke. “No wait…sorry, I’m a student for exchanges…er...”

“You mean foreign exchange student?” Cheerilee corrected.

“Yes, foreign exchange student. I’m sorry, I haven’t gotten used to this place’s language just yet.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll do well. Where are you from, by the way?”

“I’m from the mountains.”

“Oh, like those other three students? That makes sense. Well, good luck with your project, and don’t spend all summer on it.”

Cheerilee walked away.

“What other three students was she talking about?” Tyke asked me.

“Remember when you told me about the Orange Rhombus group?” I answered with a question. “Well, some of their human counterparts go to this school.”

“Oh, no.” Tyke slumped his shoulders.

“Don’t worry. I doubt we’ll encounter them while we’re here. Anyway, to the computer.”

Tyke and I pulled up a chair and got to a computer. I pulled up the search engine and typed for ethanol procedures.

“This is called the internet,” I said to Tyke. “You can do more than just research here. Shopping, drawing, chatting, writing, posting your opinion and praying they’ll go easy on you if they disagree...” I cleared my throat. “Just be wary of any suspicous links, ads, or sites.”

One process of ethanol caught my eye. I clicked on the link and showed it to Tyke.

“Will this work?” I asked.

Tyke read through the article. “Milling, liquifying, saccharifying, fermenting, distilling...yeah, this looks easy to make. Miss Applejack could provide some corn, and Moondancer and Princess Twilight could help me with the process. The hard part would be to make an engine that can run it.”

“You guys could try to convert one of the magic engines in Equestria to run on ethanol.”

After hours of researching the benefits, risks, and details of ethanol, Tyke had enough notes to make an entire novel. He gathered up all his notes and put them in a manila folder.

“I hope this is enough,” Tyke said as we left the school.

“Well, if you need more information, you’re always welcome back to the human world,” I said. “It’s not like there’s anything preventing you before.”

Tyke and I stepped through the mirror and returned to Equestria. Twilight was reading, as usual.

“Whew! It’s good to be a Diamond Dog again.” Tyke wiggled his paw toes. “Although I’m gonna miss wearing shoes; they kinda grew on me.”

“Oh, Spike and Tyke.” Twilight stood up. “Welcome back. I got your message, Spike. I was just about to send you a letter while you were there.”

“Trust me, it’s better if you didn’t,” I said. “The last one didn’t agree with me.”

“Okay…anyway, did either of you meet Starlight while you were there?”

“Not really, why?” asked Tyke.

“Well, from what Sunset and Starlight told me, there was a girl who had this magic mirror that transformed her into this evil creature, but they were able to stop her and free the other girls from the mirror.”

“I thought humans didn’t have magic.”

“They didn’t, initially,” I said. “But ever since Twilight and I first came there, a select few got a hold of a few magic abilities, mostly the human version of the girls and me.”

“So where is Miss Starlight now?”

Twilight replied, “She’s still in the human world. I let her stay for a few more days.” That’s when she noticed the folder Tyke was holding. “What’s all that?”

“Oh, this is all the information I got on flying machines from the human world and how to produce a special fuel to run the engines.” Tyke took out a sheet of paper and showed it to Twilight.

Twilight read through it. “Huh. I didn’t think ethanol could be used as a fuel source.”

“We have it here? Do you think you could help me make some?”

“Yeah, it should be easy to make under the right conditions. As long as you…”

“...ask Miss Applejack for the corn.”

“And I thought Spike was the only one who’d finish other ponies’ sentences.”

It was good seeing Tyke getting some motivation to continue his flying machine project. I hoped to help him with his dream, and to show him more of the human world if he wanted to.

“I just hope using information from the humans doesn’t upset the balance between their world and ours,” said Twilight.

“Don’t worry,” I chuckled. “I’m sure we’ll give them credit down the road. And if the Wright Brothers come out of the grave to sue us, we can afford a decent lawyer within our budget.”

“You guys have a budget?” Tyke tilted his head.

“Of course,” Twilight replied. “It’s how we keep track of what we spend.”

“But you’re a princess. Aren’t you super rich or something?”

“Just because I’m part of royalty does not mean I can spend a ton of bits whenever I feel like it, Tyke. Everypony has a budget, some bigger than others.”

“Even Celestia and Luna have a budget,” I said. “Somepony needs to keep track of how much cake and tea Celestia eats.”

“Very funny, Spike,” said Twilight.

“No, I’m serious on that part. Luna once told me how 10% of their expenses were due to Celestia’s snack time.”

Chapter 111 (The Times They Are a Changeling)

I was sitting with Scootaloo on a park bench.

“So I heard you did your report on Rainbow Dash,” I said. “That must’ve been fun.”

“You bet!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Her parents even helped me out.”

“Right, I heard about them coming to town. How did Rainbow react to seeing them again?”

“She was embarrassed at first, but in the end she was grateful how they made her so confident.”

“That’s good to hear, although from what I’ve heard I don't blame her initial reaction. They did interfere with her flying routines after all.”

“I agree that the fireworks display and the towel praise may have been a bit much, but her parents are still amazing for raising her! If only my parents were like that.”

“You have parents?” I already knew that, but I feigned my surprise.

“Oh, yeah.”

Scootaloo pulled a very weathered photo. The folds were so worn down that any more attempts at creasing them would’ve torn the photo. The edges were frosted white, and the colors faded like the photo was originally a red monochrome. As I leaned closer, I could see Scootaloo as a five-year-old while a bulky, brown earth pony and a lanky, peach pegasus stood behind her. These were Scootaloo’s father and mother, Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood respectively.

“Huh, I thought you were an orphan,” I said. “I never saw your parents before.”

Scootaloo put her photo away. “That’s because they’re usually out traveling the world, looking for many exotic plants and animals. So, I stay with my aunts, Holiday and Lofty. But I just know one day Mom and Dad will come home and invite me to join them on their next journey. That would be amazing.”

“No doubt about it, but…that would also mean one day you’ll have to say goodbye to the CMC.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, if you’re traveling with your parents, then you won’t be able to help those with a cutie mark issue. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle would have to work by themselves, or have somepony replace you if you leave.”

Scootaloo scratched her chin. “You know, I never thought of that. Meeting Applebloom and Sweetie Belle helped us three get our cutie marks.” She stood up and looked at her flank. “Not to mention how similar they look, as if something’s telling us we’re meant to stick together. Maybe I should rethink about joining my parents.”

“Don’t worry. When the time comes, I’m sure you’ll make the right decision.”

At least I hope so. After seeing her join the Washouts in the show, I have some doubts.

Aside from my conversation with Scootaloo, I didn’t change much for “Parental Glideance.”

Starlight, Twilight, and I rode the train to the Crystal Empire. I donned my black hoodie and a pair of sunglasses.

“I hope Shining Armor and Princess Cadance don't think it's too soon for me to come back to the Crystal Empire for a visit,” said Twilight as she gazed out the window. “But I just know Flurry Heart's grown so much already. I wonder if I'll even recognize her.”

“She's the only baby they have, Twilight.” Starlight replied, looking up from her book. “I think it'll be pretty easy to figure out who she is.”

Twilight gave off an unamused grunt.

“Sorry.” Starlight closed her book. “I know you want to visit your niece as much as possible, and I'm excited to see Sunburst again. I just don't wanna fall behind on my friendship lessons back home.”

“Starlight, your work in Ponyville isn't going anywhere. Besides, I think we all know you can learn about friendship anywhere. Right, Spike?”

“Mmm-hmm.” I nodded.

“Uh, why are you dressed like that?” Starlight asked. “The Crystal Empire is not that cold in the springtime. If anything, it feels a little warmer than in Ponyville.”

“It’s not that.” I pulled down my shades. “I just know when I show up to the Empire, I’m gonna have a crowd mob me, asking for autographs, photos, and whatnot. As much as I’m proud of saving the Crystal Empire, I’m not in the mood today to see fans.”

“Whatever you say, ‘Spike the Brave and Glorious’.”

As I looked out the window, I knew this was when “The Times They Are a Changeling” would occur. In the show, a rogue changeling would show up, causing the Crystal Empire to be on lockdown in fear of him being a spy. In actuality, the changeling left the hive on his own accord and just wanted a place to stay.

This would finally answer the question once and for all: Did talking to Thorax back at Canterlot change the future events? Or would he still come to the empire after being outcasted? One thing is for sure, I hoped to convince the residents early that Thorax wasn’t an evil creature.

The train gave off a loud hiss as it halted at the station. The three of us exited the locomotive only to find the platform vacant.

“Disguise or not, Spike, I don't think you need to worry about being mobbed,” Starlight pointed out. “Nopony's here.”

So Thorax still left the hive. Dang it, fate.

“I've got a bad feeling about this,” Twilight said.

We scoured the streets. Once again, any signs of Crystal Pony life were nil.

“You know you can take your outfit off, Spike,” Twilight said. “We’re the only ponies and non-ponies here.”

“I’m not taking chances,” I replied. “I’ll wait until we see Shining and Cadance.”

“Fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you sweat like a pig later.”

We arrived at the castle. Two Crystal Pony guards stopped us. Just like in the show, they doubted our appearance. That’s when the Royal Family and Sunburst showed up.

“Oh, Cadance, thank goodness!” Twilight exclaimed. “What's going on?”

Shining Armor replied. “We can explain, Twily...if it really is you.”

“Why don’t you ask us some questions only the real us would know?” I suggested as I removed my sunglasses and pulled my hood down..

“Okay…what were the original colors of the Masked Matter-Horn?”

“Black and mahogany. The costume was changed to light blue and maroon when the original design team agreed it made her look too angsty. This was mentioned in issue #10 of the original Power Ponies series, which happened to be given to me on my tenth birthday.”

Thank you, old Spike.

“Starlight, how did I get my cutie mark?” Sunburst asked.

Starlight sighed. “A tower of books was about to fall on my head, but you used your magic to save me.”

Shining Armor nodded to Cadance. She approached Twilight.

“Sunshine, Sunshine…”

Twilight joined in. “Ladybugs awake…”

“Clap your hooves and do a little shake!” The two said together.

“It's okay, everypony,” Shining Armor announced. “It's them.”

Everypony breathed a sigh of relief as Cadance and Twilight hugged.

“Of course it's us!” Starlight exclaimed. “What's all this about?”

“A group of changelings have been spotted nearby,” Sunburst replied.

“Changelings?!” Twilight gasped.

“A group?!” I asked in shock.

In the show, there was only one changeling: Thorax. So the fact that there was more than one this time came out of left field.

“They’re the creatures that feed off of love, right?” Starlight verified. “Twilight and the others told me about them once.”

“Exactly,” replied Sunburst. “And ever since Flurry Heart's Crystalling, the Empire is filled with more love than anywhere in Equestria. It's possible they've come for the baby.”

Sunburst looked to Flurry Heart, who was innocently sucking on her bottle.

Shining Armor said, “That's why we posted the extra guards, and why we're—”

“—checking everypony's identity.” Twilight concluded.

“I'm sorry for all of this,” Cadance apologized. “Flurry Heart's really been looking forward to seeing you.”

Flurry Heart cooed as her aunt approached her.

“Aw, she's gotten so big,” Twilight fawned. Although, I saw no physical difference between now and when we first met her. “Starlight, Spike, and I will do whatever we can to help protect her.”

“To be honest, having you three here is already a big relief,” responded Cadance.

“So what can you tell us about these changelings?” I asked.

"They tried to cross the border,” Shining replied, “but we shooed them off before any of them could enter."

"What was weird was...none of them bothered to put on a disguise," Sunburst said.

"What do you mean? What exactly happened? What did they say?" I asked.

"Well…" Shining Armor cleared his throat. "The group arrived asking for shelter. They said that they were kicked out of their hive, and they needed a place to stay. We assumed it was some sort of trick, so we forced them to leave."

"Then we better go look for them. We need to hear their side of the story."

Everypony around me shared concerned faces, except for Flurry Heart.

"Spike, you want to actually find the changelings and talk to them?" Twilight asked. "Do you really think they can be reasoned with?"

"Sunburst said they didn't put on a disguise," I replied. "Now, why would they do that? If they wanted to attack the Crystal Empire and steal the baby, then they could've gone undercover. For them to arrive at the Crystal Empire’s doorstep in their natural bodies tells me that something did happen back at their hive. I say we go in a group and find this clan so we can fully understand why they're here."

“You’re in luck, Spike.” Shining Armor said, “It just so happens that the royal guards were wondering if you would like to join in the search for the changelings.”

“I’d be honored to.”

“Uh, I don't know if that's such a good idea, Spike,” Twilight anxiously spoke. “It sounds dangerous.”

I sighed. “I know, but we need to learn about these changelings one way or another.”

Ten Crystal Guards and I traversed outside the Crystal Empire and into the snowy climate.

“Spike the Brave and Glorious,” said the yellow guard named Radiant Gold, “you've faced the evil changelings before. What can you tell us?”

I replied, “Well, as you know they can feed off of love, and they can transform into any creature or non-creature…”

“You hear that?” Radiant announced to the other guards. “These monsters can look like any of us, so be on guard, guards! Even more than normal.”

“They also can be anywhere. I say we’ll cover more ground if we split into groups of two and one group of three.”

“Understood.” The second guard, Amethyst Stone saluted.“We’re also gonna need a code phrase or something so we can tell who’s a guard and who’s a disguised changeling.”

I scratched my chin. “I have one. When somepony says, ‘Sugar Sugar,’ the response will be, ‘Honey Honey.’ Can you all remember that?”

Everypony agreed.

“Good, now let’s find this group of changelings. First sign of them, fire a magic flare into the sky and the rest of us will come help you.”

We all parted ways. I joined Radiant and Amethyst. We walked across the deep snow. I watched my footing to avoid falling into the caves underneath. I didn’t see that cracked rock anywhere.

“So how many changelings were there exactly?” I asked.

“There were twelve, Spike the Brave and Glorious,” Radiant replied. “We counted.”

As much as I admire being a hero, I really wished the guards stopped calling me that.

“Which is why we should be careful,” Amethyst replied. “Just because a dozen showed up at our borders does not mean they have only twelve in total.”

“Maybe so,” I said. “But I have the feeling that these changelings are genuine with their pleas, so we should—”

POMF!!

The snow suddenly collapsed under me. I slipped down into the caves.

“HELP!!” I shouted.

I slid up to a deep chasm, and unlike in the show, there were no stalagmites to stop me. I tried to grab the ground, but the icy slope proved too solid to dig into. I soared over the edge, but right when I was about to plunge into the deep darkness, a pair of purple armored hooves grabbed me.

“Gotcha!” the Crystal Pegasus said.

My normal breathing struggled to return as the Crystal Guard placed me on solid ground. Another sentinel ran up to me.

“Are you alright, little one?” He asked.

“Yeah…yeah…I'm fine,” I replied.

The two guards who were with me before slid down the tunnel and struck their spears into the ice before they got close to the edge.

“Great job saving him,” Radiant said. “It was a good thing you two were down here.”

“Oh, well…” My savior rubbed the back of his head. “We were just in the area. When I heard your friend shouting, I quickly took action. I didn’t want him to get hurt after all.”

“I didn’t know this place had a cave system underneath.” Amethyst looked around.

“It’s…not that spectacular,” The second guard said. “These caves are dangerous to be in, and the slippery ice doesn’t help. Especially for the little guy.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” I said. “There’s something off about you two.”

“H…huh?” The guard who saved me took a step back.

I know there is. These guards never addressed me as “Spike the Brave and Glorious.”

“Sugar, sugar,” I said.

“What?” The crystal guard tilted his head.

“Sugar, Sugar.”

“Why do you keep saying that?”

Radiant gasped and grabbed his spear. “It’s the changelings!”

“Oh, no!” The first unnamed guard immediately dropped his disguise, confirming his species. “Run!” He then flew off.

The second changeling revealed himself as well, and he went after his friend.

“After them!” Radiant shouted. “Send off the magic flare!”

I hopped on Radiant’s back as Amethyst fired a magic ball through the snow ceiling. We flew down the tunnels after the two changelings.

“Keep following them,” I said.

The two changelings split up at the fork in the road.

“You take left, we’ll go right!” Radiant said to Amethyst.

“Roger that!” Amethyst saluted.

We parted ways and followed our respective changelings. Radiant flew full speed towards our eluder. In spite of the narrow paths and various turns, we never fell behind him. Eventually, he was reunited with his changeling friend as did we and Amethyst.

“Seriously?” The first changeling said.

“I didn’t mean to cross paths again,” the second changeling said. “I was just making random turns.”

“We’ve got you now, changelings!” Amethyst shouted.

“I’ve got an idea! Keep flying!” The first changeling ordered.

The second one flew away. The first one stopped and transformed into a fire lizard. He then spewed a smokescreen straight at us. Radiant and Amethyst halted, and the three of us stood back to back.

“Be on your guard!” Radiant barked. “This could be an ambush!”

The smoke cleared around us, but the only living creatures visible were the two Crystal Guards and me.

“Where’d they go?” Amethyst asked.

“We lost them!” Radiant slammed his spear into the ground.

I picked up the faint sound of someone shouting in the distance.

“No we haven’t,” I said. “Come on.”

We hurried down the tunnel. It wasn’t until we exited into a bigger cave that the voices were clearer.

“Guys! Code red! Intruder Alert! Mayday! Oh, whatever the emergency signal is, they found us!” The changeling that saved me shouted.

We arrived at what looked like a campground. Various, crude sculptures of ice resembling blocks and small homes littered the walls. A fire rested in the center. Like what the guards confirmed, there were twelve changelings in all, including the two we first met.

“They're here!” Radiant shouted.

A few of the changelings got into a fighting stance before the rest of our guards arrived.

“Wait! Don't hurt us!” A familiar changeling cried out. “We just needed shelter! We don't mean any harm. Stand down, guys.”

The changelings obeyed as one of them approached us. I stepped forward.

“Hold on.” The changeling squinted at me. “Hey, I know you. You're the dragon from Canterlot.”

“Thorax?” I asked.

“Yes.”

The guards suddenly turned to me.

“You recognize this bug, Spike?” One of the guards asked. “Explain.”

I sighed. “When Chrysalis was taken out, I knew the rest of the changelings would either try to find a new leader or keep everything organized until she escaped. I didn't want to have another invasion happen again in my hometown, so I thought I could speak to one of them. I saw one of them looking worried, so I thought it would be easy to convince him to share love instead of eating it.”

“Wait, even though the Captain's wife was kidnapped by a changeling who planned to invade Canterlot with her minions, you still thought they could turn over a new leaf?”

“You can't judge an entire species by a single person's actions. That would be like if I saw Princess Celestia burning a book, I would assume that all ponies hate books. The changelings were just following orders. I know they can be reformed like Discord or Princess Luna.”

“Discord? The lord of chaos?” One of the changelings asked. “He’s been reformed?”

“Yep,” I replied.

“So how do we know these changelings are supposed to be good?” Amethyst pointed his spear at the changelings. So did the rest.

“Hear them out first,” I said. “Then we can decide if their story holds water.”

I walked closer to Thorax.

“Thorax, please tell us what exactly happened after we last met, and how you all came here,” I said.

“Okay.” Thorax took a deep breath. “When Spike suggested I could share love instead of just feeding on it, I wanted to follow his advice. It wasn’t easy when you’re the first changeling who didn’t want to act all mean and nasty. But eventually, I found one changeling who didn’t deter from my attempts to be nice: Frenulum.”

“That was me.” A changeling near the back raised their hoof. “At the time, I was glad someone said something about my battle style besides ‘do better than that!’”

“We hung out more often than other changelings. We discussed the idea of sharing love, and found out it really did work better than feeding off love. Eventually, we had more and more changelings interested in our idea.”

“If that’s the case, then why are you here and why are there so few of you?” Amethyst asked.

“To answer both of your questions and Spike’s second one, not all changelings liked the proposal,” Thorax replied. “A few months ago, the other changelings noticed they had less captured ponies than usual. The news spread through the Changeling Kingdom, and it didn’t take long until I was pinned as the responsible party. They told me I was infecting the hive with my problems, that I was ‘destroying everything Queen Chrysalis stood for.’ I defended myself, but they wouldn’t listen. That’s when those who accepted sharing love came to my side.

“I was grateful they spoke up, and I still am, but the changelings who tried me still wouldn't stand for my actions. They said I was no longer allowed back at the hive, and any of my loyalists would join in my banishment or worse. These guys are all who left with me.”

Thorax motioned to his followers.

“We searched for a place to stay. We avoided any pony towns because, well, changelings had a bad reputation almost everywhere. That’s when we found this place. We knew about the Crystal Empire and detected its massive amounts of love, but since we could share it, our only need was shelter. We tried to convince your guards to let us in, but they drove us away. So, we took refuge in the nearby caves instead. It wasn’t the most ideal place, but it was better than nothing.

“Anyway, that’s how we got here,” Thorax concluded. “I can assure you it’s the truth, and my friends can vouch for me. But…we understand if you still don’t believe us. ”

I looked at the guards. They still gripped their spears like clamps on a pipe.

“I believe your story, Thorax,” I said. “Although, I noticed you said that some changelings were still loyal to Queen Chrysalis.”

“That part is true,” one of Thorax’s friends, Scutellum, said.

“So correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Chrysalis still behind bars? I never heard any news from Canterlot nor anywhere else that she broke out.”

“In all honesty, we were wondering, too,” Thorax’s other friend, Patagium, said.

“I lost count how many times the others would say ‘she’ll come back, just you wait,’” a third, Elitra, pointed out. “Even though it’s been about, what, a year since the failed Canterlot Wedding heist?”

“Almost two years,” replied a fourth, Sclerite.

“Yeah,” said Thorax. “Unfortunately, it didn’t stop the changelings from believing in her return.”

The cave stood silent. The guards gave no reaction. That’s when I stepped in.

“Alright, here’s what we’ll do,” I said. “We will escort all of you to the Crystal Empire. You can tell your story to Princess Cadance, and I’ll convince her that your intentions are true.”

Thorax sighed in relief. The guards looked at each other.

Radiant cleared his throat. “If Spike the Brave and Glorious is willing to offer you changelings a second chance, then we’ll stand by on his decision.”

Thorax responded, “Thank you…”

“However, we’ll need to keep a close eye on you as a safety measure. You are also required to maintain your pony disguises until stated otherwise.”

The changelings understood. They immediately took forms of Crystal Ponies. Thorax’s form was the same as his Crystal Hoof persona in the show.

We returned to the Crystal Empire with the changelings. The guards surrounded them intensely. When we got to the streets, a few of the locals who were outside had worried looks on their faces. One of the disguised changelings sheepishly waved. A Crystal Pony awkwardly waved back.

I kept an eye on both the changelings and the guards. I made sure the guards didn’t do anything rash to the changelings like shoving or name-calling them. While I understood they couldn’t trust the changelings, the last thing I needed was it done vice versa.

We all entered the castle and the throne room, where Cadance and Shining Armor and a majority of the guards rested. Twilight, Starlight, Sunburst, and Flurry were not present.

“Who are these ponies?” Shining Armor asked. “I don’t remember seeing them before.”

Radiant went up to Shining and Cadance and whispered in their ears. Both of them caught their breaths and took defensive positions.

“Why would you bring them in here?!” Shining barked.

“Wait!” I stopped him. “They’re not here to steal love. We talked to them, and they honestly just wanted to live somewhere.”

Cadance retorted, “But Spike, these are changelings—”

“Just listen to what they have to say first before you cast your biased judgement.”

Cadance reluctantly nodded. Thorax gave her the same story he gave to the guards and me. While it wasn’t ad verbatim, it wasn’t inconsistent.

“I still don’t see why we should shelter you guys,” Cadance said.

“Then let them prove that they're not here for malicious intent,” I suggested. “I’ll show them around the empire and keep watch.”

Princess Cadance looked at the changelings and back to me. “Very well, Spike. But keep in mind this is a big risk you’re taking for some changelings you just met.”

Let’s just say I’ve known some of them for much longer than you think.

“I understand, Cadance. By the way, where’s Twilight and the others?”

“They’re…” Cadance gave the changelings another glance. “They’re somewhere else at the moment protecting the baby.”

Thorax’s group and I left the castle. The guards still remained on high watch.

“Now remember to be polite, guys,” I said, “and try not to reveal that you’re changelings.”

“We’re not savages, Mr. Spike,” Scutellum said. “We were taught (mostly forced) basic pony etiquette during our time at the hive. We know how to act around ponies; it was kinda our thing in the past.”

“I’m just making sure. Now, let me show you around the Crystal Empire.”

Without the plethora of guards surrounding them, Thorax and his friends had a better view of the crystal structures. One statue they admired was the statue of me holding the Crystal Heart.

“Woah, is that you, Spike?” Thorax asked.

“Yeah, it is,” I replied.

“I didn’t know you were that famous,” said Frenulum. “What did you do to get so popular?”

“Spike the Brave and Glorious saved all of us from King Sombra!” One of the real Crystal Ponies exclaimed as she zoomed up to the group.

“And lit the torch during the Equestria Games!” Another added.

“I was just doing what I was told for both events,” I said.

“Interesting,” said Sclerite. “Especially the King Sombra bit. Why don’t you tell us in more detail?”

I looked around and noticed the crowd forming. It would get too suspicious if I refused.

“Alright, I’ll tell you all the story.”

I explained to the citizens, new and old, how Twilight, her friends, and I first visited the Crystal Empire and found a way to help the Crystal Ponies. I also explained how Twilight and I found the Crystal Heart, and my heroic (and secretly foreseen) leap from the castle.

“...so then King Sombra got blown to pieces, and that’s how the Crystal Empire was saved,” I concluded.

“Amazing!” One of the Crystal Fillies cried. “That story gets better every time he tells it.”

“I’m glad we’re on your side,” Thorax said to me.

I held an autograph session. Not only did the Crystal Ponies interact with me, but they talked to some of the disguised changelings as well. It was a wonder how none of the locals questioned the slew of new Crystal Ponies.

After signing and giving out photos for my fanbase, I gave Thorax’s group a tour of the Empire. Some of the changelings did their fair share of minor assistance as we traversed the city, such as helping ponies cross a street or picking up an item they dropped.

A few hours later, Thorax’s friends and I returned to the castle. While the guards stood vigilant, they were more relaxed at seeing the changelings than last time.

“This place is everything we've ever dreamed of!” Thorax exclaimed. “We should’ve come here sooner.”

“It also helps that we’re winning the general public over without ill gains,” Patagium said. “At least when we’re in our disguises.”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” I said to Thorax. “Did you ever suggest the idea of sharing love to Pharynx or Ocellus?”

“They were my first two options, and both of them rejected me before I could get another word in.”

I understand Pharynx, but even Ocellus of all changelings turned him down?

We entered the throne room. Princess Cadance emerged from her throne.

“The guards have told me all about what happened,” she said. “They found no suspicious activity among your group. Maybe you changelings are telling the truth…maybe…”

Just then, Twilight, Starlight, and Sunburst came in with Flurry Heart. The foal herself was encased by a thick, yellow, magic bubble.

“Oh, hey, everypony,” Twilight greeted. “I didn’t know the castle was open for tourists today.”

I said, “Actually, Twilight, they’re…”

“Have you ponies seen the baby yet?” Sunburst levitated to crib to the group. “Mind the protection spell around her.”

Thorax, the closest, took a gander. Flurry Heart giggled adorably.

“Oh, she's so beautiful!” Thorax fawned. “There's so much l-love around her!” Suddenly, his legs wobbled. “I…! I…!”

Thorax eyes glowed as he backed up forcefully. Immediately he dropped his disguise and hissed uncontrollably. The four changelings close to him did the same involuntarily.

Twilight gasped and got in front of Flurry. “The changelings!”

Thorax! I was trying to prevent this, and we were so close!

Thorax and his newly-revealed friends tried to force their tongues back into their mouths, but it was like making energetic snakes return to their burrows.

Thorax continued hissing. “I...I'm so...sorry...! I can't...can't...stop!”

“Get them away from the baby!” Sunburst cried.

Thorax immediately bolted, and so did the other four that picked the wrong time to reveal themselves. The remaining seven changelings stayed put, keeping a good distance from Flurry Heart.

“After them!” Shining ordered. “Don't let those changelings escape!”

Shining Armor and a good portion of the soldiers exited the throne room.

“What in Equestria was that?!” Cadance asked.

“It was too much love,” one of the still-disguised changelings, Petiole, replied. “Should too much love be present, something like that happens.”

“I thought you guys sharing love would prevent such a thing occurring,” I said.

“It does, but a sudden, massive increase in love can still cause our instincts to pop up. Even standing a good distance away I can sense more love near the foal than in our group.”

“Wait, you guys are changelings, too?!” Starlight exclaimed. “Are we being invaded?!”

“No, no,” I said. “They mean no harm, honestly.”

“Tell it to the near-half-dozen changelings that almost attacked the baby,” Twilight pointed out.

“Let me find them and I can prove they’re still on our side.” I looked at the group. “You can keep the rest detained here, but do not hurt or restrain them.”

Before Twilight could say anything else, I rushed out of the castle and passed the Crystal Empire’s borders. I traveled a good distance before finding Shining Armor and his posse.

“Keep searching!” Shining Armor barked. “The changelings are probably still nearby!”

“Shining Armor! Wait!” I shouted as I ran up to him.

“Spike? This place isn’t safe for you. Head back to the castle before it’s too late.”

“Thorax and his friends didn’t mean to act like that. I was told it happens when a sudden increase in kindness and love appears near them.”

“And you believe this?” Radiant asked.

“I do. If you find the changelings, then please promise me you won’t hurt them.”

“Spike, I’m sorry,” Shining said sternly, “but you need to understand that these changelings are not reasonable creatures. They’re nothing more than...okay, whose stomach is that? I’m trying to have a serious moment here.”

None of the guards spoke up.

“Come on, I can hear the rumbling clear as day.”

The rumbling grew louder. I turned to the mountains, and my face paled to match the snow.

“Sh-Shining…that’s not a pony's stomach,” I said weakly. “I-i-it’s an…”

“AVALANCHE!!” Everypony shouted.

A wall of snow careened down the mountain slope like a ghostly stampede.

“Everypony run!!” Shining Armor commanded.

I immediately jumped onto my brother’s back as we galloped away from the snow tsunami. Even at full speed, the snow was closing in on us.

“We’re not gonna make it!” One of the guards cried.

“Just keep going!” Shining retorted.

Suddenly, a group of giant dragons landed between us and the avalanche. They spewed a massive fire wall to counteract with the one made of snow. Once the two elements collided, the frozen water melted and evaporated in mere seconds. By the time the dragons were done, any remains of the avalanche had vanished into vaper.

“Woah!” Shining Armor approached one of dragons. “We are grateful that you showed up to help. I didn’t even know there were dragons this far up north.”

The dragons closed their eyes and encased themselves in a cyan aura, revealing their true species.

“It’s you guys!” Shining grabbed his spear.

“Shining, wait!” I got off of him. “They saved your lives. This is how you’ll repay them?”

Shining lowered his spear. “Why did you guys save us?”

Thorax replied. “We saw the avalanche, and we didn’t want you to get hurt.”

“Even though we’d capture you?” Amethyst asked.

“Well, it was a risk we were willing to take,” responded Frenulum.

“You still have our gratitude for saving us,” I said. “We’ll escort you back to the castle. From there, I can persuade Princess Cadance to give you a second chance.”

We returned to the castle once more. The only difference was neither Thorax nor his companions wore their disguises. Once we set foot in the throne room, everypony turned their attention to us. Flurry’s magic bubble was thicker than last time.

“I see you found the rest of the changelings,” Princess Cadance said.

“I would say they found us,” I corrected. “We got caught in an avalanche before they rescued us.”

“Is this true?”

“It is…” Shining Armor replied. The rest of the guards confirmed it.

“Your highness, I…” Thorax quickly bowed. “I’m sorry for our behavior earlier. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“How can we be sure of that?” Cadance asked. “How are we to know this isn’t another trick?”

“Cadance, if I may,” I said. “These changelings had just saved us from an avalanche. If they were faking their sympathy all this time, then they would’ve let the snow bury us. They risked their freedom to save us. After all that, can you believe that Thorax and his friends are reasonable creatures? Can you believe they aren’t here to steal love? Can you believe that a changeling can, not just physically, but morally change?”

Cadance stood silent. So did the others. I looked at Thorax, and I inhaled deeply.

“If you don’t want them to stay, then that’s fine. I just have one request. Should you send them away, I wish to join them.”

Everypony gasped.

“Spike?” Princess Cadance asked.

“I believe wholeheartedly that these changelings want nothing more than to live their lives among the general public.” I sighed. “I’ll stand by these beliefs even if it means losing my fame here. Everyone has a fall from grace, and even I can agree that being idolized was good while it lasted.”

I stood by Thorax, waiting for the Empire’s final judgment. I remembered I read a fanfic where no one believed Thorax was reformed, so he and Spike had to go on the run. As much as I didn't want the same thing to happen this time, I had to be ready on the off chance it did.

“Spike, wait,” Twilight said.

She walked up to Thorax and me.

“When you left to find Thorax, the other changelings told me all you did to help them fit in. How you made them accepted in the Crystal Empire. Even the guards confirmed your actions. If you think that these changelings deserve a second chance…so do I.”

“You do?” I asked.

“You're a celebrity here in the Crystal Empire, and you risked all of it to help Thorax and his friends! I can't imagine anything more brave than that.”

“I agree,” Starlight added. “After hearing what these changelings went through, maybe we should grant them a second life.”

Soon, more and more ponies gradually sided with the idea of letting Thorax and the others stay at the Crystal Empire. Normally, this would be the part where the ruler would bellow out a “Silence!” or “Enough!” before casting out their judgment.

Princess Cadance wasn’t that kind of ruler.

Once the clamoring simmered down, Cadance emerged from the throne.

“On behalf of the Crystal Empire, I will overlook the last incident, and I would like to extend my hoof in friendship. Thorax and his friends may stay at the Crystal Empire. We might face a few challenges, but we’ll do everything we can to make sure everypony and non-pony is treated fairly and equally.”

“Thank you.” Thorax bowed as did all his changeling friends.

The guards applauded. Flurry babbled her usual language, and unlike last time, none of the changelings threw a hissy fit over the excessive love flux.

Shining Armor said, “Welcome to the Crystal Empire. I'm sorry we didn't take the time to get to know you. Maybe we can change that now.”

“That'd be so amazing!” Thorax exclaimed. “We all want to know more about friendship, and maybe one day we can take that knowledge back to the Changeling Kingdom!”

“Perhaps then they could learn that they don’t have to steal love anymore,” added Elitra.

“To Spike the Brave and Glorious!” Radiant cheered.

While I enjoyed Thorax and his friends being accepted in the Crystal Empire, I didn’t like how this episode turned out initially. More than one changeling left the hive, which made it harder for the Crystal Empire to accept them. I had hoped that all the changelings would accept sharing love, but for them to banish Thorax and his disciples left me worried. I just hoped things would get better down the road.

Author's Note

For some of the changelings in Thorax’s group, I had to research bug anatomy and the MLP wiki to get their names. If they coincidentally share names with any changeling OCs, I apologize in advance.

Chapter 112 (Fluttershy Leans In)

The girls and I were all seated in the map room.

“So did I hear y'all correctly?” Applejack asked. “A bunch of changelings have started livin’ in the Crystal Empire now?”

“That’s correct,” I replied.

“And somehow Princess Cadance and Shining Armor are A-okay with it?” Pinkie questioned.

“Pretty much,” Twilight responded.

“Is it really such a valid idea?” Rarity queried. “These are changelings, after all. For all we know, they could be tricking everypony.”

“I know Thorax,” I pointed out. “He’s not one to trick others, and it’s safe to say his friends aren’t either. At least not anymore.”

“Plus, the changelings themselves learned to share love with each other instead of stealing it,” Twilight added.

“Well I still say it’s dubious!” Rainbow exclaimed. “We were nearly invaded by those things at Canterlot, and now we’re just rolling out the red carpet for them? What’s next, inviting Tirek to be Twilight’s new roomate?”

“You know, we had Discord reformed, and he used to terrorize our town,” Fluttershy noted. “If we can reform a creature of chaos, then why not a group of changelings?”

Twilight sighed. “I understand you all have mixed feelings about this, but you should at least give them a chance. Maybe the next time we visit the Crystal Empire, Spike and I could introduce you to Thorax and his friends.”

The show never mentioned the girls talking about Thorax being reformed, but at least I got to witness it first hand.

Not much changed for “Rock Solid Friendship.” It was nice to hear that Maud graduated and got her rocktorate degree. The only event that did change was when Pinkie introduced Maud to Tyke, and while they hit it off, they stayed acquaintances for the time being. At least Maud still became friends with Starlight.

Speaking of Tyke, he finally got some ethanol made from Applejack. In Equestria, making ethanol required a permit, which Applejack coincidentally and thankfully had. The next step was to make or convert an engine to run on the ethanol. For that, Tyke searched for any magic-running engines from various machines. I haven’t heard or seen any progress since then.

I jogged down to Fluttershy’s cottage with Twilight. For some reason, not only did Fluttershy invite me, but Twilight and the rest of the girls as well.

“I wonder why Fluttershy wanted all of us to meet at her cottage,” Twilight said.

“I don’t have a clue,” I replied.

In truth, I had a feeling this was when “Fluttershy Leans In” took place. In the show, Fluttershy wanted to build an animal sanctuary, but the workers her friends recommended weren’t very helpful. They would end up ruining Fluttershy’s image with their own ideas, and then they would blame Fluttershy for the entire mess. I told Fluttershy a while back that she should be careful before considering who she should hire. I just hoped she remembered.

Twilight and I met up with the other girls. We entered her cottage, and every one of Fluttershy’s animal friends occupied almost every square inch of her home. The only vacant spots were the sofas, so we quickly took our seats there. I noticed Angel with a blue foot cast resting on his bed. I guessed parkour wasn’t for everypony or non-pony.

Fluttershy entered the room. “I want to thank you all for rushing right over when I called. Doctor Fauna needs my help with a serious problem.”

“A friendship problem?” Twilight asked.

“No. Her vet clinic is a bit...maybe overrun with adorable critters in dire need of a safe place to lay their heads, and they don't have anywhere to go!”

The girls and I were perturbed to hear that. Doctor Fauna had always taken care of the Mane 6’s pets, so we agreed that helping her would be necessary.

“Oh, that's great news!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Because it means you'll all be helping me with something special, too. Something that's been a dream of mine for a long time.”

“Oh, goody! Is your dream to make a bouncy castle shaped like a gigantic bundt cake?” Pinkie asked.

“Um, no. Not exactly.”

“Is it to build an animal sanctuary?” I asked.

“Yes,” Fluttershy replied. “A beautiful habitat where every animal—whether sick or scared or even just lonely, feathered or furry, scaly or slimy—every critter would be welcome. My sanctuary can be the one place in Equestria they call home until they feel ready to take on the world.”

“Wow, Fluttershy! I've never heard you speak with such conviction,” Twilight complimented. The rest of the girls shared the same positivity.

“Oh, thank you, everypony. You all taught me so much about building my confidence over the years. It's because of your friendship that I finally feel able to make my dream project a reality. But I can't build the sanctuary alone. Will you join me?”

Just like in the show, the girls recommended some expert ponies that helped them out before: Wrangler, a sheep herder; Hard Hat, a construction worker; and Dandy Grandeur, an interior designer.

“Wow, everypony! Thank you! I…” Fluttershy suddenly paused. “Actually, if you don’t mind, would it be okay if I talk to these ponies first and then decide if I should have them help with the sanctuary?”

“You mean like conducting an interview?” asked Twilight.

“I-if it’s not too much trouble. I just want to know who I’ll be working with…probably.”

“Well, if it helps ya,” Applejack replied.

“I’ve no objections,” Rarity added.

“Whatever works for you!” Pinkie concluded.

I sighed contently knowing Fluttershy recalled our conversation.

Fluttershy and I met with Hard Hat at a local diner.

“Thank you for taking the time to meet us, Hard Hat,” said Fluttershy.

“No problem,” responded Hard Hat. “So, uh, Pinkie Pie said you drew up some blueprints?”

“Um, not exactly. It's more of a dream board.” Fluttershy pulled out a manilla folder. She took a rough sketch of the sanctuary, and she also provided a picture of its future location.

Hard Hat scrutinized the sketch. “Hmmm, that sure doesn't look like an animal hospital.”

“Well, that's because it's not. It's a sanctuary. A place that is safe but not restrictive. Cozy but natural. A place where the animals can come and go as they please.”

Hard Hat turned his attention to the photo. “You know, uh, I designed the Ponyville Hospital. I could do the exact same thing right here. I still have the blueprints. Though it’ll take a while to clear all these trees.”

“Oh, no. I don’t want to clear the trees. I want to use them. I would like the sanctuary to have an open floor plan. No walls. More like an enclosure that melts into the trees. With a gate in the back. That way, the animals can return to the forest right when they feel ready.”

“Are you sure? What you’re talking about doesn’t really seem like a cohesive structure. Or any structure I’m familiar with.” Hard Hat handed the photo and sketch back to my special somepony.

Fluttershy rubbed her hoof on the table. “Um…tell you what, why don’t I…think about this design a bit more and come back to you later if I find a solution?”

Hard Hat shrugged. “All right then.”

Fluttershy and I left the diner. Once we were a good distance from the establishment, Fluttershy exhaled deeply.

“Not the ideal candidate?” I asked.

“Not the ideal candidate,” Fluttershy answered. “I hope the other two are much better.”

Dandy Grandeur met up with us at a local and expensive cafe.

“I do appreciate you coming to see us before the project,” said Fluttershy.

“If there’s any interior decorating to be done, you can count on moi,” Dander replied.

“Rarity mentioned you were pretty skilled.”

“Indeed I am. In fact, I’ve even provided some samples for the window treatments.” Dander showed Fluttershy some small pieces of pattern cloth. “Which one would you like?”

“Um, not to be rude, but that is not necessary. We have no need for curtains at the sanctuary.”

“And whyever not?”

“Everything is gonna look natural in the animal habitats, not like it was made for ponies.” Fluttershy showed Dander the photograph.

“All those shades of brown and green? But...they're so...drab, you know?”

Fluttershy jerked her head back. “Drab? You're calling the colors of beautiful trees drab?”

“Exactly! The natural look is not in right now.” Dander motioned to the colors he provided. “This is better. Trust me.”

Fluttershy sighed sharply. “I appreciate your input, but I need some time to think about this.”

With that, Fluttershy and I left the cafe without even ordering anything.

“How could he call such hues of nature drab?!” Fluttershy snapped.

“You ask me, he’s not one to paint with the colors of the wind,” I said.

“That only leaves Wrangler. I’ve got my hooves crossed she’d be a decent applicant.”

We had our interview with Wrangler at Sweet Apple Acres.

“I’m glad to meet you before the Ponyville sanctuary project,” said Fluttershy.

“I'm just lookin' forward to helpin' ya out, ma'am!” Wrangler exclaimed. “And the animals.”

“That’s good to hear. Applejack told me you were an expert in animal enclosures.”

“Ya heard right. I’ve even got some ideas ya might like.” Wrangler took out a cage and placed it on a table. “This here’s yer standard chicken-travelin’ cage. Dependin’ on size, it fits one critter comfortably.”

“Mmm. I'm looking for something less like a cage and more like a nice hug. Maybe if we lose this part.”

“Uh...Well then, it wouldn't be a cage.”

“Exactly. I want to give the animals the freedom to come and go. It's the only way they'll feel comfortable.”

“I can provide a pillow for each cage if it helps.”

Fluttershy stared at Wrangler. “I apologize, but I have to reject your services.”

Fluttershy and I left the farm.

The next day, Fluttershy summoned the girls and I to her cottage once more.

“You rejected all three of them?” Twilight asked dismayed.

Fluttershy sighed. “I’m sorry, but it was the best option. When I spoke to the experts, I had doubts they would envision the sanctuary the same way I did. So I played it safe and let them go. Now, I really do appreciate you girls trying to find ponies to help with this project; I just don’t want to take chances.”

“If ya don’t think they’re the right bunch to build the sanctuary, then I guess ya made the right choice,” said Applejack. “To be honest, I’ve never seen Wrangler using anything but cages for her enclosures.”

“I suppose Dander has a certain way of doing things and wouldn’t listen to any disagreeing ponies,” Rarity said. “The only reason I go along with him is because we both have the same tastes.”

“And checking out some of Hard Hat’s work, he does use the same type of architecture for all his buildings,” Pinkie pointed out. “Who would've guessed that Hard Hat wouldn't build whatever you want?”

“So what are you gonna do now?” Twilight asked.

“After I turned down Wrangler, I called in a favor from an old friend. He'll be here any minute. This is one expert I know I can trust to put the animals first. Plus there's nopony better at building.”

Then there was a knock at the door, and Angel answered. A short stallion in baggy overalls and a tall hat entered.

“I heard somepony needs construction help fer them critters,” The stallion said.

“Big Daddy McColt!” Twilight exclaimed. “We met each other back when the map called me and Fluttershy to the Smokey Mountains!”

“And he certainly knows his stuff when it comes to buildings and caring for animals,” Fluttershy added.

“Well, shucks,” said Big Daddy. “Let's not stand around talkin' about it. Let's build us a sanctuary!”

We all cheered after hearing that.

The next scene played out like in the show. The Mane 6, Starlight, Big Daddy, Big Mac, the CMC, and I all pitched in to build the sanctuary. We spent the entire day digging, hammering, sawing, filling, and crafting. After hours of landscaping, the sanctuary was fully built.

“Thank you all for helping me construct the sanctuary,” Fluttershy said as she served us lunch. “I can't wait to show all the animals and Doctor Fauna.”

We appreciated assisting Fluttershy. All the hard work was worth seeing a proud smile on her face.

A few days later, Fluttershy and I had our tea time at the sanctuary. The animals that once clogged every space of Doctor Fauna's clinic could now rest wherever they wanted here and still have plenty of breathing room.

“This place is looking great!” I complimented. “The animals look so peaceful here.”

“Thank you,” said Fluttershy. “I have everypony to thank for helping achieve my dream. Especially you, Spike.”

“Really?”

“You supported my idea, and you suggested I should be careful who I should hire. Without you, I don't think all of this would happen.”

“Heh.” I rubbed the back of my head. “At least it wouldn't happen in the same way.”

As we shared a hug, I thought about how this episode concurred. Fluttershy’s Sweet Feather Sanctuary was built early, as she didn't have to deal with the experts messing up her idea. Plus, Doctor Fauna could breathe easily knowing she didn't have to deal with so many animals living in her veterinary clinic.

Chapter 71 (Castle, Sweet Castle)

“Hey, Starlight,” I greeted. “Have you seen Twilight?”

“She went out,” Starlight replied as she adjusted the sticks she tied together.

“Again? That’s the third time in a row this week!”

“I know. The other day, she pestered me about doing my friendship lessons outside. I kept asking why, and she said that the sunlight would help me relax and concentrate. Keep in mind, it was completely cloudy that day.”

I should have known “Castle, Sweet Castle” would still occur despite the library being spared. I guess fate really does find a way to keep things the same.

The problem was what the girls would do for Twilight. I knew they couldn’t make a chandelier out of the library’s roots like in the show, so what would they do now?

I guess I would have to wait and see.

One morning, I woke to the smell of fresh pancakes. I got out of bed, did my morning stretches, and hurried to the dining room. There, I saw the rest of the girls each with a giant stack of pancakes. Twilight was half-awake and looked like someone smashed a mud pie on her mane.

“Morning, girls,” I greeted.

“Good morning, Spike,” Starlight responded. “I hope you’re hungry for pancakes today.”

I pulled up a chair and received a plate of fluffy pancakes. They were covered in whipped cream, chocolate chips, and fresh strawberries. I cut a slice on the topmost layer and consumed it.

“Mmm, these are really good,” I said after swallowing.

“Thank Pinkie and Twilight,” said Applejack. “They were the ones who made ‘em.”

“Thanks!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Twilight spent all night helping me pick the flavor! I kept thinking we’d found the right one, but she insisted I make even more to try.” Pinkie added more pancakes to her stack. “And more. And more and more and more and more! It was like she never wanted to...”

“...leave?” asked Fluttershy.

“Exactly! Eventually we ran out of time so we just went with every-berry-any-chip-surprise!” She then whispered. “The surprise is I lost a measuring spoon in the batter. Somepony’s gonna get a very special pancake!”

“Up all night, huh?” Rainbow asked. “Is that why she’s so, uh... out of it?”

Twilight cuddled with her stack like a pancake pillow.

“Um, I don’t mean to sound unappreciative,” said Fluttershy, “but has anypony else noticed that Twilight has been a little too helpful lately?”

The rest of the girls agreed. Twilight dug a lot of holes for Applejack, spent an entire afternoon arranging gems for Rarity, and raced Rainbow Dash so many times despite losing every race. I didn’t need to guess that she also helped Fluttershy clean every animal at her cottage.

“Spike and I seem to have noticed something off about Twilight as well,” said Starlight. “These days she’s been teaching me outdoors so often, I can’t actually remember a time when we’d have a lesson in the castle.”

“It’s like she’s avoiding the castle for some reason,” I said.

“Whatever the reason is,” said Applejack, “as soon as she wakes up, we’re gonna find out what.”

Suddenly, Pinkie coughed up a measuring spoon.

“I win!” She declared.

Twilight shot up with a pancake stuck to her horn. “I’m pancake! I mean, awake.”

Rarity removed the pancake and Pinkie quickly grabbed it like a hungry dog.

“Uh, Twilight? Is there somethin’ you wanna tell us?” Applejack asked.

“You know how much we appreciate all you do for us,” said Rarity, “and we simply adore having you around, but...we worry you might be...avoiding something else?”

“Oh, has it been that obvious?” Twilight stuttered. “I’ve been...the thing is...I know it’s silly, but I...I’ve been avoiding...this place.”

“Called it,” I said. “But why are you avoiding the castle? If I remember correctly, it was your idea to move in here.”

Twilight sighed. “I know, Spike. It’s just that...it’s hard to get used to it.”

“I already got comfortable sleeping here,” said Starlight. “Granted, I’ve only been in the library for about a week tops.”

“I’ve gotten used to it, too,” I said.

It was true, if I’m being honest. It took me about halfway through Season 5 to warm up to the castle initially, but now it took me less than a few days. I guess it was due to the fact that the library was still alive, and we moved out on our own terms instead of being forced out.

“If only the feeling was mutual,” said Twilight. “This castle is amazing, but to me...it doesn’t feel like home.”

Rarity chuckled. “Is that all? Why, you simply need to decorate, darling. Make this space your own!”

“It’s just so daunting! Look how big it is! I don’t even know where to start!”

“How about your bedroom?” I asked. “Didn’t you buy anything for decoration?”

“I only bought the necessities, Spike, like blankets and chairs.”

“You can start by letting us decorate for you,” Rarity offered. “We will make this the castle of your dreams while you go to the Ponyville spa for some much needed rest and relaxation. I’m saying this with love, but...have you looked in a mirror lately?” She pulled up a handheld mirror. “I’ve never seen you look this…”

“Frazzled?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes! That is absolutely the word I was going to use.”

Twilight sighed. “I guess I do need a little help. And so does my castle. And I just know you’ll do a great job, because nopony knows me better than you.”

“We’ll make this place feel cozier than hot cider on a rainy day,” said Applejack.

“There’s gonna be cider?!” Rainbow exclaimed. Applejack and I gave her a glare. “Uh, I mean, let’s decorate!”

“Alright, Twilight,” I said. “Let’s get ready to head on out.”

Twilight nodded and left the dining room.

I quickly turned to the girls. “While you girls are decorating, would you also mind labeling the rooms? It’s getting kinda hard to tell which door is which without any signs.”

“I was just about to suggest the same thing,” Starlight said.

Twilight and I left the castle and made our way to the spa. We entered and I rang the desk bell.

“Ah, welcome, Princess Twilight and Spike,” Lotus greeted. “My, you don’t look so well, princess.”

“I’ve been getting that a lot,” said Twilight.

“We’d like the super-ultra-deluxe set, please,” I said.

“Wow, not even Miss Rarity requests such a lavish treatment. You do realize that would mean you two will be here all day?” Lotus asked.

“I know.” I pulled out a pouch of coins and gave it to Lotus. “Please make it happen.”

“If you wish. Follow me, if you please.”

As Twilight and I went through the door, she said, “I’m not that frazzled, Spike. Is this necessary?”

“Of course,” I replied. “It’s not like you’ve got anything planned for today, right?”

“Starlight seemed to be ahead of her friendship lessons, so I guess skipping one day won’t hurt.”

Our first treatment was getting our hooves and claws done. I was so glad I gave up on my masculinity a long time ago.

After roughly an hour’s worth of cleaning, filing, and polishing our fingers and hooves, it was time for the mane treatment. However, Aloe and Lotus said they could only give Twilight the procedure because it doesn’t work for dragon scales.

“That’s okay,” I said. “I’ll be right back, Twilight. I’m gonna see how the girls are doing.”

“Take your time, Spike,” said Twilight as Aloe shampooed her mane.

I left the spa and returned to the castle. As I headed to the throne room, I noticed most of the rooms were labeled with wooden signs.

At least if the throne room looks disastrous, the girls did something right.

I passed the broom closet and approached the double doors that read “Throne Room.” I took a deep breath before entering.

“Hello...girls...” I said right before seeing the atrocity before me.

The throne room was littered with various items. Posters, hay, animals, flowers. There were even a few kites hanging around.

“Oh, Spike! Are you and Twilight done already?” Rarity asked sheepishly.

“No, I got her a super-ultra-deluxe set. She’s gonna be at the spa all day.” I looked around the room. “I hate to be brutally honest, but this place looks terrible.”

All the girls sighed with relief.

“Thank goodness somepony said something,” said Fluttershy.

“It’s pretty bad, right?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“This place looks like a mishmash of knickknacks,” Applejack pointed out.

“I suppose it is a little cluttered.” Rarity rubbed her chin.

Starlight said, “Maybe we should’ve eased a bit on the decorations. The kites were a bit much, in my opinion.”

“What are you guys talking about?” asked Pinkie PIe. “I think it looks super fun!”

Sadly, just like the show, one of Pinkie’s hidden cannons went off, scaring the animals and destroying the decorations.

“Okay, now it’s a mess,” said Pinkie.

“What’re we gonna do?!” Rainbow cried.

“Something,” I said. “Twilight’s spa day may last for a while, but if she comes back and sees this, it’ll plague her memory forever!”

“Come on, guys! Twilight’s counting on us!”

“Spike, you’ve got to get back to that spa and stall her!” Rarity exclaimed. “Whatever you do, don’t let her come home!”

“Relax, she’s gonna be there until sundown. No big deal. You girls can spruce this place up by then, right?”

Rarity looked. “I think we’ll manage.”

“Good. I’m gonna head back. Best of luck.”

I went back to the spa just in time to see Twilight done with her mane. Her new style looked just like the one in the show.

“Spike, you’re back!” Twilight called out. “How do I look?”

“Great,” I replied. “Maybe you should keep that manestyle.”

“Well, you weren’t here, but this style requires a lot of work done. So how does the castle look?”

“Eh.” I wiggled my hand. “The girls are still working on it, but it’s improving.”

“I can’t wait to go home and see it.”

“Me neither, so what’s next?”

Twilight pulled out a pamphlet she got from one of the Spa Twins. “It seems the massages are next. The ‘Extra-strength-hot-stone-deep-tissue massage’?”

Uh, oh.

“I think I’ll just have a traditional massage, but you can go for it,” Twilight said.

“A-actually, I want my massage to be traditional, too,” I said. “Is that possible?”

Lotus nodded.

The massages Twilight and I received were relaxing. I sighed as Aloe pressed her gentle hooves upon my scaly back. The last thing I needed was to be turned into a pretzel by someone who belongs on an old Schwarzenegger workout video.

We got a bunch of other treatments as well, such as mud masks, mud baths, saunas, and so much more. It was like we were given every type of service the spa could provide.

I was still curious on what the girls would do this time. Given Starlight being reformed early and the library still standing, I really didn’t know.

After hours of pedicures and pampering, our spa day was over. By the time we left the place, the sun was about to touch the distant horizon.

“Oh, wow!” Twilight exclaimed. “Those spa ponies weren’t kidding when they said that deluxe treatment would last all day.”

“Yeah,” I said. “Shall we head home?”

“Actually, there’s one more stop I’d like to make. Hop on.”

I jumped on Twilight’s back. She took a brisk walk to a familiar location.

The Golden Oaks Library.

I got off Twilight’s back as we observed the giant tree. The majority of its outdoor items, such as the telescope and lanterns, were missing. The “For Sale” sign still remained rooted to the ground. The letters faded slightly by their 24/7 exposure to the elements.

Twilight walked over to the front door and pressed her hoof against it. She looked around and turned over a nearby stone. Underneath it was a plastic container. Twilight removed the cap to reveal a spare key. She unlocked the front door and slowly entered the library. I quickly followed her inside.

We took a good long look around the library. The shelves were bare all around us, with nothing to occupy them sans a thin layer of dust. The only source of light was the remains of the setting sun piercing through the windows, revealing dust particles floating in the air.

Twilight took a deep breath. “I really miss this place, Spike. We had so many wonderful memories here.”

“We sure did.” I sighed.

“Oh, Spike, I’m so sorry. Of course moving out of the Golden Oaks Library was hard for you too.” She wrapped her arms around me.

“It was a little hard, but it’s not like this place going anywhere. It’s still alive, and it’s available for anypony to buy it. Maybe somepony will move here and make their own memories. Who knows?”

Twilight and I continued looking around the vacant room. That’s when the sound of hoofbeats interrupted our trains of thought.

“Excuse me,” a voice said. “Open House isn’t until Friday.”

We turned to see a mare in a red blazer entering the library. She must’ve been a real estate agent, if her name tag proved anything.

“Oh, Princess Twilight,” she said. “Didn’t know it was you. Is there something I can help you with?”

“I was just looking around,” said Twilight. “Making sure I gave it one last goodbye...”

“You know, if you want, we can take the library off the market for you. We haven’t gotten any messages about it yet, and it’s only been about a week. What do you say? Would you rather keep the place?”

Twilight pulled out her spare key and stared at it for the longest time. She gave a long sigh.

“No,” Twilight said calmly with a small smile on her face. “My assistant and I have made a lot of memories here ever since we came to Ponyville. I just hope that somepony else will do the same.”

Twilight gave the real estate agent the key and trotted out of the library.

“Come on, Spike,” Twilight called out.

“I’m coming,” I replied.

I left the library and approached Twilight on her left.

“You were right, Spike,” she said. “Maybe it was best to sell the library. There’s no point in keeping it for ourselves or moving back in. We have our memories, and nothing will change that.”

“So then,” I said, “let’s make new ones at our castle. I’m pretty sure the girls are done decorating by now.”

Twilight and I headed back to the castle. I almost forgot about the scene where Spike wanted to get a new bed, but I was fine with the one the castle provided.

Twilight opened the entrance and announced, “Hello? We’re home!”

“Welcome home!” The rest of the girls came down the hallway.

“Oh, I, uh... love what you’ve done with the place.”

Twilight and I followed the girls to the throne room.

“You did such a good job of...preserving the integrity of the original design,” said Twilight.

“Well, not entirely,” said Starlight. “We added signs on each of the doors so the three of us wouldn’t get lost.” She pointed to a door with a bathroom label on it. “I’ve also had an idea of putting a map near the entryway.”

“What really makes home feel like home isn’t what it looks like,” said Applejack as she removed her hat. “It’s the memories you make when you’re there.”

Rarity added, “So we’ve made something that celebrates the memories we’ve made with you since you two moved to Ponyville.”

Rainbow and Fluttershy opened the doors to the throne room. Twilight and I looked up to see a giant wooden chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

The chandelier resembled tree roots like the one in the show, but was vastly different in terms of size and shape. It was significantly smaller, and the roots were only half as thick. The jewels hanging from each branch were the only unchanged parts.

“The ornaments on the chandelier are reminders of all the fun we’ve had together,” said Fluttershy.

“That one shows your party at the Golden Oak Library welcoming you to Ponyville!” Pinkie pointed to an orange jewel that had a picture inside.

Fluttershy held a blue one. “This one is the time we shared donuts after the Grand Galloping Gala.”

Starlight showed a purple one. “And this one shows the time you first helped me learn about friendship.”

“We were hoping that being able to look at your beautiful old memories would inspire you to make new ones,” said Rarity.

Applejack said, “And the best part of it is, we’ve had the wood specially carved to resemble tree roots, so you’ll never forget where you came from.”

So they still went for the chandelier decoration. Interesting.

Tears of joy ran down Twilight’s eyes. “It’s exactly what the castle needed.”

We all gave her a group hug.

“And I am ready to make new memories here,” Twilight said.

“Then let’s start right now with a new memory cake!” Pinkie exclaimed. She quickly zoomed away and brought back a really tall cake. “Seven layer what’s-that-flavor mystery surprise! These might be chocolate chips or they might be super-spicy black beans!”

“Let’s go to the dining room. It’s a little sparse, but at least there’s a table and chairs.”

Once we entered the dining room, we were all introduced to a spectacle of flowers, banners, statues, and curtains.

“Whoa! What happened in here?” asked Twilight. “Last I checked, this place was empty!”

“I couldn’t help myself!” Rarity confessed. “It was just begging for the personal touch!”

“Truth be told...I couldn’t either,” said Applejack. “Yer kitchen might have some rustic farm decor, Twilight.”

“And there may or may not be some Daring Do posters up in your library,” Rainbow pointed out.

“And some stuffed animals in your bedroom,” added Fluttershy.

“And a couple of kites near the balcony,” concluded Starlight.

BOOM!!

“What was that?!” Twilight exclaimed as confetti rained down on the room.

“One of Pinkie Pie’s confetti cannons,” AJ replied, wiping the cake off her coat.

“What? It’s not my fault I hid them so well,” Pinkie said.

We all giggled a bit. It was a surprise that the girls would still make a chandelier, but I wasn’t complaining. At least Twilight wasn't homesick anymore.

“You wouldn’t happen to have another seven-layer cake, would you Pinkie?” I asked.

Pinkie pulled out another cake. “It’s a good thing I made two of these just in case.”

Chapter 83 (Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?)

I was typing on my computer. I glared at the screen as my fingers pounded each button on the keyboard.

I’m starting to have second thoughts about working on Saturday.

There was nobody else nearby. No co-workers, no janitors, not even my boss was here. The silence was creeping me out. All that was missing was a British narrator talking about my life story.

My typing slowed down. I soon realized that I have experienced this before: working back at the office despite knowing I never came back from Equestria. I was dreaming. I lost count how many times I dreamt I was back in the human world. This had to be another one of those dreams.

Just when I was about to pinch myself, the phone rang, which nearly made me jump out of my seat. The caller ID indicated it was probably a spam caller. I let the answering machine get it.

“Hello, we’ve been trying to reach you,” The robotic message called out. “Are you sick and tired of the same routine? Well, you’re not the only one.”

I rolled my eyes. I was prepared to press the delete button when…

“Take David Smith for example…”

I put my finger down and raised my eyebrows. It couldn’t have been referring to me. I had the most common surname known to mankind, and anyone could be named “David” as well.

“Let’s look at his formulaic routine. It starts with a mundane event in Equestria. Then David encounters an event that reminds him that an episode is happening. He goes on explaining about what happened in the episode despite it being unnecessary. David explains how and why he wants to change the episode. The episode goes on as if David was reading an online transcript. Then he implements the change. The change ranges from being insignificant or significant enough to just change the one episode. David concludes with how he feels about the change followed by a witty sentence by either him or his friends. End formulaic sequence.”

I pressed the delete button quickly and forcefully. I darted my head around the cubicle. I shoved my cellphone into one of the desk drawers and checked the monitor for any hidden cameras.

I didn’t want to let the message get to me, but it did have a point. There were times where I would go through a certain process to change things. However, I did deviate from the formula before. There were times where I let episodes happen either because I was unable to or I didn’t need to change anything. There were also changes that were significant enough to last more than one episode, like how the library survived. Also, I don’t always have a witty sentence. Often, maybe, but not all the time.

I sighed. If this dream was to scare me into thinking I’ve been doing the same thing over and over, then it was not doing a good job. I was an office worker after all; doing stuff over and over was what I did for a living. It had its boring moments, sure, but given the state of the economy where I lived, I would rather have a routine job than quit and try to find excitement. That was what videogames, movies, and YouTube videos were for.

“To answer your question, phone,” I said. “No, I’m not sick and tired of the same routine.”

I continued my work as usual.

Suddenly, the lights around me grew dimmer and dimmer. I didn’t see a clock, but I knew it was too early for the sun to go down. Soon, only a few lights remained on. The rest of the office floor sat in pure darkness.

It can’t be nighttime already.

The phone rang once more. Thankfully, the caller ID indicated the call was from Mr. Johnson. I immediately answered.

“Hello, Mr. Johnson?” I asked.

“I need you in my office at once,” Mr. Johnson replied in a serious tone of voice. The dial tone followed afterwards.

I put down the receiver and exited my cubicle. As I followed the path that was coincidently lit by the remaining lights, I realized that it was not like Mr. Johnson to act so sternly. I remembered he only does that if someone missed an important deadline or if he has to fire them due to severe incompetence. Even then, he’d give a few fair warnings beforehand.

What was also unusual was the fact that I was sure Mr. Johnson wasn’t working today. I had no idea what the reason would be for him to show up on such short notice.

I swallowed right before knocking on the door to my supervisor’s office.

“Come in,” the stern tone of voice said from the other side.

I opened the door. Mr. Johnson was at his desk, staring at the papers he was holding like they were failed lottery tickets. The blue fog outside the window was so dense, I could not see any of the neighboring buildings.

“Sit,” Mr. Johnson commanded.

I sat in front of the desk.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused?”

The color drained from my face.

“That typo you’ve overlooked in this project has cost this company everything!”

“Mr. Johnson, I don’t understand,” I said. “I’ve double-checked every file, email, and letter to a T to ensure no mistake slips through. Even so, I would like to know why this mistake is making you upset.”

“This typo has caused our potential buyers to not only drop us, but to see to it that they disallow funding for everything! We’re going to be bankrupt in less than a week!”

My throat was drier than sand. It got worse from there.

Mr. Johnson shook his head. “I’m sorry, but after all this fiasco, the best course of action I have is to let you go.”

I jumped out of my chair in desperation. “Mr. Johnson! I have been one of the best employees of this company. Do you realize how hard it is to find a new job in this day and age?!”

“I know it’s difficult, but our jobs would be lost either way if we stay with this company. This is the better option, I’m afraid. Goodbye.”

Mr. Johnson pressed a red button on his desk when I noticed something off about his hands. But before I got a good chance to look, the ground below me disappeared, plunging me into the fog.

The blue-grey mist consumed me, draining out every last bit of light in my sight. I let out a shriek at the top of my lungs!

“HEEELLLP!!”

GASP!!

I controlled my breathing before gaining my bearings. The crystal structure and matching furniture told me I was back in Equestria. The peaceful sounds of the night outside were a relief compared to what I just experienced.

What a terrible dream!

I took a deep breath and tried to go back to sleep. But for some reason, I just couldn’t. My eyes laid wide open. Any feelings of being tired did not show up. It was like my body was preventing me from going back to sleep.

I checked the clock on the table next to me, and it indicated it was still the middle of the night. Despite that, I wasn’t feeling the least bit tired.

Maybe I should eat a snack or something.

I got out of bed and carefully tiptoed to the kitchen. Before I opened the door, I saw a low, flickering light peeking out from underneath the door. Somepony was in there.

I opened the door to see Twilight at the stove boiling something.

“Twilight?” I asked.

“AA-IEEE!!” Twilight jumped at least a meter before pulling out a wooden spoon! “Stay away from—oh, Spike. It’s just you. Don’t scare me like that.”

“Sorry, Twilight. Did you have a bad dream?”

Twilight sighed. “It’s that obvious, huh?”

“That makes two of us.”

“I’m sorry to hear about that, Spike. I’m boiling some milk right now. Do you want some?”

“Sure. Anything to sleep.”

Twilight added a dash of cinnamon to the pot.

“Do you wish to talk about your nightmare?” Twilight asked.

“Well…” I looked away. I guessed if I kept it vague enough, she wouldn’t get suspicious. “I made a mistake on something. I overlooked an important letter and didn’t notice the obvious oversight.”

“Yeah, we all make a few mistakes. I’d be lying if I said I never fell victim to it myself.”

“It’s not making the mistake or failure itself, mind you. I know mistakes are inevitable and I don’t mind if I fail at something.” I took a deep breath. “In my dream, when the mistake happened, it made it worse for everyone. That’s what frightened me.”

“Oh, I see.” Twilight hugged me. “The best advice I can give for that is to learn from your mistakes, and do whatever you can to atone for them. I’ll admit I made a few problems worse before, but I took that as a lesson as to avoid making the same mistake twice and look over everything carefully.”

“Thanks, Twilight. What was your nightmare about?”

“Books were outlawed and had to be burned. Also, they were selling free quesadillas.”

Once the milk was done boiling, Twilight filled up two glasses and handed me one. I took small sips to let the warmth and sweetness take over my body. Once Twilight and I were done, we put our glasses in the sink and returned to our respective rooms.

Unfortunately, despite the relaxation I got from my midnight beverage, I still remained wide awake. The nightmare was terrible, but I didn’t think it would be bad enough that I wouldn’t be able to sleep for the night.

I took a deep breath. I knew that eventually, my body would give in, and I would be asleep. I kept my eyes closed and thought calming thoughts.

The sound of birds chirping interrupted my train of thought. The morning light slipped through the curtains. I slowly sat up, and the exhaustion soon made itself known as I tried to move.

“Oh…man…” I yawned.

I was too tired to even do my morning stretches. I slithered out of bed and dragged myself over to the kitchen. I made myself some cereal before heading to the dining room. There, I saw Twilight slumping over and Starlight being the only pony in the room with the most energy.

“Morning,” I groggily said.

“Uh, morning Spike,” Starlight awkwardly greeted. “Wow, and I thought Twilight didn’t look so good.”

I rubbed my eyes. I sat down next to Twilight and ate my cereal.

“I thought boiled milk was supposed to help us sleep, not prevent it,” I said.

“It was,” Twilight replied. “Where was all this tiredness when we needed it the most?” She slowly sat up. “I’m sorry, Starlight, but I have to cancel the friendship lessons for today. I think I’ll head back to bed.”

“Hoo!” A familiar voice called out.

Owlowiscious flew in and landed next to Twilight.

“What is it, Owlowiscious?” Twilight asked.

“Hoo,” Owlowiscious replied.

“Oh, right. Our pony pet play date. I forgot about that.” Twilight put her head on the table. “I barely have the energy to walk through the castle, let alone join all my friends.” She stood up and yawned. “Oh, well. I think I can manage. Come on, Spike.”

I hopped on Twilight’s back.

“Twilight? What happened to your head?” I asked.

“Over here, Spike,” Twilight said behind me. “You’re looking at my tail.”

“Oh, sorry.” I quickly adjusted myself.

After we did our morning routine, we headed out to the Carousel Boutique.

“I hope the girls can forgive us for being so tired,” Twilight said.

By the time we arrived, everypony else was there with their respective pets. Surprisingly, they all had bags underneath their eyes just like Twilight and me.

“Hello, Twilight and Spike.” Rarity yawned. “Do come in, and we’ll start our pet-grooming session.”

I may have been deprived of sleep, but I knew that this was the episode with all those strange dreams. In the show, a creature called “the Tantabus" infects the Mane 6’s dreams, causing them to have nightmares. It ends with everypony in Ponyville having the same dream and Luna confessing that she made the creature to punish herself. I had a rough idea on what I could do, but I wasn’t sure it would help.

Everypony tried their best to stay awake while they groomed their pets. Sadly, like in the show, it didn’t go well due to everypony being tired. Even Pinkie was bouncing around at a fraction of a second slower. Rarity accidentally poked Opal with a comb, Applejack mistook Gummy for a brush, and Twilight got knocked into the bathtub. I could’ve prevented all of this, but I barely had the strength to stand.

It was revealed the girls had all suffered a horrendous nightmare, even those who slept early.

“Uh…only…you know…I didn't think mine was that scary!” Rainbow denied.

I rolled my eyes.

“Mine sure was,” Twilight said as she got out of the tub. “There was this blue smoke monster and...what?”

Everypony stared at her with their jaws dropped. As it turned out, everypony dreamt of a blue smoke monster.

Wait…did I do the same?

As much as I wanted to forget about it, I thought about that nightmare I had. Mr. Johnson called me out for bankrupting the company, and he was about to fire me. I saw his hands looked unusual...

That’s when it clicked. I remembered seeing some blue smoke coming out of his sleeves when he pressed the red button! It must’ve been the Tantabus!

It infected my dreams as well? But how? I don’t remember Spike suffering a nightmare in the show. Unless…

“Probably just a coincidence,” Rainbow said.

“That's an awfully big coincidence,” Twilight said as I handed her some towels.

“I don’t mean to pile on, but I saw a blue smoke monster in my dreams as well,” I said.

“So then, what could've given us all the same nightmare?” Rarity asked.

“Maybe Luna might know something about it.” I pulled out a parchment and quill. “We should tell her about this.”

“Good idea, Spike.” Twilight cleared her throat.

“‘Dear Princess Luna,

Last night my friends and I all dreamt of a creature made of blue smoke. I'm sure you're very busy, but when you have the chance, please let me know if you have any idea what it could mean.

Yours,
Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“You can leave out the yawns,” Twilight reminded me.

“I already did so,” I said as I rolled the scroll up.

No sooner did I send out the scroll did Luna immediately showed up.

“Which of you saw the creature of blue smoke in your nightmare?!” Luna shouted.

“Wow, that was fast,” said Fluttershy.

“We all did,” Twilight answered Luna’s question. “So you've encountered the smoke monster too?”

Luna nodded. “The Tantabus is a creature of my nightmares. It escaped from my slumbers yesterday.”

“But how did it get into ours?” Fluttershy asked.

“The Tantabus is like a parasite. My dreams must no longer be enough for it. Now it seeks others to infect and corrupt. It must have learned of you seven from seeing you in my dream.”

“Uh, so Smokey gave us bad dreams.” Rainbow shrugged. “No biggie.”

“I have a feeling it’s a big biggie, Dashie,” I said.

Indeed it was. Luna explained that it grew strong enough to escape her dreams, and it will continue to grow stronger until it escapes into the real world.

“Okay, okay, okay, I take it back! It’s a huge biggie!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“What are we going to do?” Fluttershy shivered.

“I would have to find the Tantabus and make sure it returns to my dreamland,” replied Luna. “To do that, I would have to access each of your dreams while you sleep. If it is possible, arrange yourselves to sleep in the same room so that it would be easier for me to infiltrate your dreams.”

“We could use my bedroom in the castle,” Twilight suggested. “Of course, I’ll provide beds for each of us so that we won’t have to share the same bed.”

“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” I said to Luna.

“Proceed,” Luna replied.

“Was this Tantabus something you’ve created yourself?”

Luna took a step back and looked at the girls.

“I am unfortunate to say that I am responsible for this creature’s existence,” Luna replied. “However, my reasons for its presence are not relevant to the current situation at the moment.”

“If it ain’t a secret, what did you dream of that made this Tantabus turn to us?” Applejack asked.

“If you really must know, I went under the transformation of Nightmare Moon, and you six mares used the Rainbow Power to defeat me.”

“Wait, then where was I?” I asked.

“The girls arrived via riding on your back. You were in your ‘greed-induced bigness’ form but with added wings.”

“How did you know about my greed-zilla form? I don’t remember seeing you when I was fighting Tirek.”

“Twilight informed me of your transformation when my sister, Cadance, and I returned from Tartarus. I must say, it is a rare sight to see a dragon your age using their greed to their advantage.”

“I guess I’m a rare dragon.”

By the time nightfall came, Twilight had just finished putting the last bed in her bedroom. The rest of the Mane 6 and I were waiting outside.

Rainbow yawned. “Can’t we just sleep now? I barely kept my eyes open all day!”

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight replied as she fluffed the pillows, “but we must wait for Princess Luna to arrive so that she can get this Tantabus effectively. It shouldn’t be long now.”

“I don’t see why we have to do it so late. And why can’t we just sleep on your bed, Twilight? I’m sure it can fit all seven of us.”

“Oh, hush, Rainbow,” Rarity said. “While some of us don’t mind a partner, there is a limit on how many ponies can sleep on the same bed at once while still feeling comfortable.”

“Okay, I’m back.” Starlight came in holding a tray with seven mugs. “Here’s the warm milk you requested, Twilight.”

“Thank you, Starlight.” Twilight levitated the mugs to each of us. “This will ensure we sleep quickly and long enough for the princess to find the Tantabus.”

“What? No cookies?” Pinkie asked.

“Sorry, Pinkie, but we can’t risk a sugar rush.”

“Oh, that’s just a myth.”

The sleepy seven of us drank our respective beverage, complimenting on the warmth and the hint of cinnamon. After our milk time, Luna arrived.

“Is everything ready?” Luna asked.

“Yes, it is.” Twilight entered the bedroom. “We've prepared everything exactly as you requested.”

“Good. As you seven slumber here, I will pursue the creature into whichever of your dreams it infests.”

“It'll be like a princess sleepover!” Pinkie exclaimed as we got into each of the beds.

“Speaking of princesses, aren't you gonna ask Celestia for her help as well?” Twilight asked Luna.

Luna shook her head. “I’m afraid there is nothing my sister can do. She has no power in the realm of sleep. Currently, only I have the experience to move from dream to dream. I am afraid no one can help me tonight.”

“Not even us?” Applejack asked.

“Especially you. You have all suffered so much because of me. You need only slumber while I hunt the Tantabus in your dreams.”

“So we can’t just try to take on the Tantabus ourselves?” I asked.

“You may attempt to do so, but I’m afraid it would be futile.” Luna looked at everypony. “There’s no telling how powerful the Tantabus is, or what it can do if you attack.”

“Hey, if this Tantabus infects dreams,” Starlight said. “Would it be safe to assume that everypony should avoid dreaming of any outside parties?”

“That would be recommended.” Luna looked down. “No, it would be essential to avoid such an act.”

I stealthily smiled at Starlight.

“Say, Luna,” I said. “Just out of curiosity, can the Tantabus travel to different worlds? Like for example, if I dream of Sunset Shimmer, would the Tantabus be able to infect her dreams then?”

Luna scratched her chin. “No. Unless Sunset coincidently visits this world, there’s no way for the Tantabus to harm her dreams.”

“Alright, thank you.”

“Is there anything I could do to help?” asked Starlight.

“You are welcome to stay and watch over us just in case,” Luna replied.

“I can do that.” Starlight pulled up a chair and sat down.

“One good thing about not sleepin' well last night,” Applejack put her hat away, “is that it shouldn't be too hard to fall asleep now.”

“Are you kidding?!” Pinkie exclaimed as she suddenly appeared next to Applejack. “This is so exciting, I don't know how I'm ever going to—” She fell asleep immediately.

The rest of us did the same. I closed my eyes and hoped to dream as soon as possible.

Ring! Ring!

“Sknx! Huh?!”

I sat up and looked around. I was back in my office. The beige cubicle walls, the black monitor, and the sound of chatter was enough to convince me I was at work.

Ring! Ring!

I saw the phone ringing. I quickly answered it.

“Hello?! Hello?!” I panically asked.

“Woah, take it easy, son,” Mr. Johnson said on the other side. “I was just calling to let you know that I’ve noticed a typo on the project you sent me.”

I stood up. “Mr. Johnson! Wait! I-I can fix that for you! Hurry and send it back before we go bankrupt!”

“Relax, relax. It’s just a typo. I already fixed it for you. Papertinc isn’t going to go belly-up just because of one simple slip-up.”

I sat down. “I’m sorry, sir. I just had this dream that I made a mistake, and we went bankrupt and were all out of the job…”

“That’s only a dream. You won’t lose your job just for one mistake. Alright, I'll let you get back to it. Just try to relax once in a while.”

“Thank you.”

I sighed as I hung up. That’s when the realization hit me.

Wait a minute…I’m dreaming, aren’t I? But how can I tell without pinching myself awake?

I remembered that there was a movie where the characters had something to determine if they were dreaming, such as a top or a pair of dice. While I didn’t have either, I had something that might work. I pulled out a quarter and flipped it three times. Three times in a row, it landed on its edge.

Now I know I’m dreaming.

I had to check to see where the Tantabus was. I kept watch as I sipped my coffee and deleted the 500-page document of Z’s.

“Hey!”

I nearly jumped to see one of my co-workers slamming his hand against the cubicle wall. He had short but messy blonde hair, and a goatee that was obviously out of place. This was Alex, my…least-preferred co-worker.

I sighed in annoyance. “What’s wrong now, Alex?”

“You sent me a file that completely destroyed my computer!” Alex retorted.

“Huh? I don’t remember that. The last thing I sent you was a word document.”

“I don’t care what you sent! Now my computer’s useless and all my work is down the drain!”

“Just call a technician to fix it.” I shrugged, wishing this conversation would be over soon so that I could find the Tantabus.

“I already did, but you’re gonna do my work until it gets prepared.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I’ll accept your punishment and finish off what little projects you had.”

“You’d better, Spike!” He then walked away.

My eyes widened. I stood up and caught up with him.

“Excuse me,” I said sternly.

“What now?” Alex turned around.

Punch!

I swung my fist straight across his jaw, knocking him downwards. A few gasps echoed throughout the room. While he was still dazed, I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and tossed him against one of the cubicle walls. I was about to knock him out, until Alex got up and lunged at me. I grabbed both of his arms as we struggled to get the upper hand.

I could hear the co-workers' comments during our fight.

“Oh my gosh!”

“What’s going on?”

“Finally, something interesting is happening!”

I quickly grabbed the closest object I could find, which was a vase with flowers. I swung the ceramic pottery straight across his face. He released his grip and tumbled down. Wasting no time, I grabbed him and put him in a headlock position.

“Luna!” I shouted. “Luna! I got him!”

That’s when Mr. Johnson came into the scene. He looked like he just witnessed a car crash.

“David, have you snapped?!” He shouted. “Why are you attacking a co-worker?!”

“I’ll take it from here, sir,” Luna’s voice said.

A dark-skinned female co-worker with silver hair showed up. Like a scene out of Mission Impossible, she removed her face to reveal Luna’s head. She then removed her outfit to expose the rest of her alicorn body. If my co-workers weren’t shocked before, they were now.

“Is that a talking horse?!”

“Everybody is seeing this, right?!”

“I knew that mayonnaise tasted funny today!”

“It came to no surprise you would choose this as your dream, David,” Luna said to me. “Now to take care of the Tantabus.”

“Forget it!” The Tantabus shouted as it morphed into its blue, misty form. “You won’t catch me!”

The Tantabus elbowed me in the stomach, forcing me to release my grip. It then escaped into a portal that appeared out of nowhere. Luna followed after it.

The office stood in silence for a long time. Not even a phone rang. Everyone was trying to figure out what just happened.

“David...” Mr. Johnson tried to say. “W...what was that?”

“If you don’t mind, sir,” I said as I undid my necktie, “I’m going to take my vacation now.”

I hurried out of the office door and into a flash of light.

I immediately woke up. Judging by the reactions around me, everypony woke up as well.

“Huh?” Starlight opened her eyes and sat up. “Oh! Is everypony and non-pony alright?”

Fluttershy shivered. “That... that was terrible! I-I never want to have that nightmare again!”

“Me neither!” Rainbow rocked in her bed.

“I take it the capturing didn’t go well for the rest of the pony’s dreams?” I asked Luna.

Luna sighed, “I am so sorry, my friends. I did my utmost best, but I failed. I do praise Spike for attempting to assist me by temporarily restraining the creature.”

“I had to do something. It’s hard enjoying your dreams when you know that they’ll turn into a nightmare.”

“I am afraid it will be back to infect your dreams the next time you sleep.”

Disappointment and fear spread across the room. Even Starlight had the cold shivers running down her back.

“As long as none of you dreamt about another pony, the Tantabus remains confined to your dreams,” said Luna. “I still have a chance to catch it before it's too late.”

Pinkie widened her eyes. “Uh, oh.”

“What’s wrong, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.

“I might’ve accidentally dreamt of some other ponies in my dream.”

Luna rubbed her forehead. “Who, praytell, did you dream of?”

Pinkie bit her lip and said rapidly, “The rest of Ponyville?”

“WHAT?!” Everypony shouted.

“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight shouted annoyingly.

“Hey, you try fully controlling your dreams!” Pinkie retorted.

Dang it, Pinkie. Starlight was trying to prevent this. I’d thank her for the effort if I could.

“That means the Tantabus could be turning every dream in Ponyville into a nightmare!” Twilight exclaimed.

“And getting strong enough to escape into the real world!” I added.

“Then we must help Princess Luna stop this before it happens!” Rarity declared.

Fluttershy asked, “But how? The Tantabus was able to escape Luna when it only had seven dreams it could get to! Even with one of us trying to hold it down.”

“It is true,” said Luna. “With so many dreams to hide in, I do not know how I can catch it. Nor can I convince the ponies to restrain it before it’s too late.”

“What if we all had the same dream?” I asked.

“You took the words right out of my mouth, Spike,” Twilight pointed out.

“I... can create shared dreams, yes, but for so many ponies at once?” Luna looked out the window. “I have never done anything like that. The amount of power it would take...”

“Well, it is worth a try, isn't it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Of course. I will do anything to end this, including accepting your help. I cannot allow the Tantabus to escape into the real world. All of you must now go back to sleep and hope that I can create such a dream. I’d advise you to do the same, Starlight Glimmer.”

“But I don’t have a bed in this room.”

Twilight shifted herself to the side. “You may rest here with me.” She then handed Starlight a bandana.

“Thank you.” Starlight tied the cloth around her mouth.

Once everypony got comfortable, we went back to sleep.

When I opened my eyes, I noticed the girls and I were in the middle of Ponyville.

“Are we still dreaming?” Fluttershy asked.

I didn’t need a coin to answer her question. Around us, ponies were of different sizes and forms compared to their real-life forms. Berry Punch had a balloon head, Derpy was a giant pony who meowed like a cat, Big Mac was a unicorn, and Lyra and Bonbon were combined like they cameoed in CatDog. It was like seeing Discord taking over Ponyville again.

“Princess Luna did it!” Twilight shouted with excitement.

“Ponies!” Luna’s voice shouted.

We all hurried to see Luna in a transparent orb and white strings coming out of her horn.

“Princess Luna!” everypony exclaimed as they bowed.

“There is no time for bowing, my friends!” Luna warned. “There is something coming, something terrible! No, it is already here!”

The Tantabus appeared from the horizon, already the size of the town hall. For some reason, it reminded me of a furious Bowser in a game trailer I saw once. Just like in the show, Luna tried to stop it, but between holding the dream together and restraining the Tantabus, it was a struggle even for an alicorn.

The girls and I took over saving the Ponyville dreamworld. The Tantabus turned a few houses into monsters, and we saved the ponies inside. Fluttershy even turned to Flutterbat briefly, and Big Mac ripped a scene out of Sailor Moon and transformed into an alicorn.

“If that Tantabus thing turns any more of this dream against us, we'll be too busy saving ponies to catch it!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “And it'll grow powerful enough to escape into the real world!”

“How are we even gonna know when it's able to escape?” Applejack asked.

I pointed to the sky. “Does that answer your question?”

The Tantabus struck the sky, cutting a hole to reality. Twilight shot a magic blast at it, and Luna quickly patched the hole.

“Please, we need your help too!” Fluttershy said to the citizens of Ponyville.

“But how can we help?” Mrs. Cake asked. “Nopony in Ponyville has your magic or your speed!”

“But this here isn't Ponyville!” Applejack reminded the town. “It's a dream!”

“And not just any! This is your dream!” Twilight added loudly. “Anything you can do in your dreams, you can do now!”

I looked at the Tantabus and realized it was time it fought someone its own size.

“Everypony stand back!” I shouted. “I’m gonna grow!”

I soon turned into my greedzilla form. My size matched the Tantabus.

“If you’re gonna dream, you have to dream big!”

I charged at the Tantabus, but I went right through it. I then blew fire, which thankfully hurt the being.

Ponyville did their fair share of keeping the Tantabus at bay. Scootaloo grew giant wings to flap it away. Filthy Rich turned into a superhero and shot coins. Rainbow and Applejack turned into Zapp and Mistress Marevelous respectively and used their superpowers.

There were even ponies who I didn’t see in the episode helping out. Moondancer, instead of Twilight, sent books out from the library. Button Mash donned diamond-plated armor and shot explosive arrows. Rumble, who was dressed as Sticky Hooves, carried Button on his back as he flew around the Tantabus. Starlight rode a pony-lifting kite and fired magic beams in the shape of shurikens. Everypony who was anypony tried to keep the Tantabus in the dreamworld.

I didn’t know how much energy a Tantabus can have, but it was clear it was more than any of us. I was out of breath from breathing so much fire. I could barely stand.

How can someone be out of energy in a dream?

I still remembered that I could do anything in a dream, and I had one more ace up my sleeve. I didn’t want to make this reference, but anything at this point had to help.

“Alright, Tantabus! It’s time I showed you my own darkness!” I then struck a pose.

“ゴゴ「Night Fury!」ゴゴ”

On cue, a titan-sized Night Fury appeared from behind me. It gave a mighty roar that shook the dream sky!

“What kind of dragon is that?” Rainbow asked.

“Must be from one of his comic books,” Twilight said. “He dressed like one during a previous Nightmare Night!”

The Night Fury charged at the Tantabus and snapped its jaws upon the spirit’s back! Like a dog with a shoe, the dragon jerked the Tantabus away from the hole to reality!

“At least it’s helpin’ us!” Applejack pointed out.

The orb around Luna and the strings soon flickered like a dying lamp.

“I cannot hold this dream together much longer!” Luna cried. “Equestria will fall because of me!”

Luna should not have said that, because the next thing I knew, the Tantabus grew three times its size.

“Luna, I think your guilt made it stronger!” I called out.

Luna replied, “If that is so, then perhaps that is how it grew strong enough to escape in the first place!”

The Tantabus took the form of a giant pony. It ripped a hole into reality with its horn. The Night Fury chomped on its tail to slow it down.

“I created the Tantabus to give myself the same nightmare every night,” said Luna, “to punish myself for the evil I caused as Nightmare Moon!”

Just like in the show, Luna explained that she couldn’t forgive herself for her actions when she was evil, and the Mane 6 convinced her that all that negative emotion was what made the Tantabus stronger in the first place. As emotional as the scene was, I wished Luna would hurry up and forgive herself. My “stand” could only restrain the evil spirit so much.

“Everypony who knows you knows that Nightmare Moon is in the past!” Twilight shouted. “We all trust you, Luna! Do you trust us enough to believe we're right?”

Luna looked at the Tantabus and then to the girls. The tears disappeared and a smile appeared on her face.

“I do.”

Those two words from Luna was all it took to defeat the Tantabus. It shrunk down to Luna’s size, escaping my Night Fury’s jaws. The Tantabus then disappeared into Luna’s collar.

“Thank you,” Luna joyfully said. “Thank you all.”

I finally woke up after all that dreaming. I never thought I’d miss being well-rested for so long, and it was only one night of unrest. Everypony around me woke from their slumber as well.

“Luna did it!” Twilight exclaimed.

“She sure did,” Applejack said as she put her hat back on. “Only...I'm not exactly sure what she did.”

“Luna created the Tantabus to punish herself! The worse she felt, the more power it had! But once she finally forgave herself for what Nightmare Moon did…it just disappeared.”

“Shh!” Fluttershy hushed before pointing to Luna, who was resting comfortably upon a couple of pillows.

“I guess we should let her rest,” I said.

As everypony exited the room, I was relieved about how this episode turned out. Even though some aspects and the outcome of the episode was still the same, it was nice to add my own powers and twists to the dreamworld.

“I wonder what Princess Luna dreams about,” Twilight said.

“Magic sheep?” Pinkie replied.

“That was rhetorical, Pinkie.”

End formulaic sequence.

Author's Note

Stand Name:「Night Fury」
Stand User: Spike/David Smith
Type: Close-ranged. Natural Non-Humanoid.
Abilities: This stand can attack beings of physical and spiritual nature by the user's request. Its size is dependent on the user’s. In turn, it also helps the user by controlling their negative emotions and making sure they are expressed healthily. Of course, there are a few slip-ups that even it cannot control.
Other info: The original stand name was 「Imagine Dragon,」 but the user nicknamed it for a quicker summon.

Chapter 99 (Dungeons and Discords)

“Okay, one more time,” Rumble said. “Why are we in your room?”

“Because I’m bringing you guys to see Discord,” I replied as I wrote my letter to Discord.

“And what’s with the O&O Manuel and rough sketches of our character sheets?” Button Mash asked, pointing at the book and pieces of paper on my bed.

“We’re going to convince Discord to join our next O&O session.” I gathered up the items. “Maybe even get him to host his own campaign.”

“Why Discord of all creatures?”

“I’ll be honest with you. Even with all the adventures we’ve done, you can’t deny its staleness is forming. Discord being…Discord, I figured we could use a bit of uncertainty.”

Rumble pointed out, “Now that you mentioned it, it does get boring to do all those sneak attacks when you can predict where the enemies will go for the next five turns.”

“So let me see if I got this right,” Button said. “We, two colts and a baby dragon, are going to persuade an immortal being, known for destruction and chaos, to play a board game with us. Is that correct?”

“Silly as it sounds, yes.” I used my fire breath to send the letter. “Oh, and one more thing. If we get transported to Discord’s home, do yourself a favor and don’t question anything there for the sake of your sanity.”

“So it’s like with Miss Pinkie. Got it,” said Rumble.

“Uh, guys?” Button Mash asked. “Why are you both blue all of sudden?”

Rumble and I turned to Button, who was instantly encased in a blue column.

“Button, we’re not blue,” Rumble replied. “You are.”

“Wha—?”

Zap!

Button soon vanished into thin air. Then, Rumble and I had a blue column beaming down on us. In an instant, shapes and colors changed before my eyes. After seconds of such madness, I appeared with Rumble and Button Mash again, who had nothing but puzzled looks on their faces.

“That was unexpected!” Button Mash called out.

It didn’t take long to realize we were on the ceiling, as gravity took over and sent us crashing down onto a keyboard-styled sofa. Said sofa rung a note for each of us landing.

“So was that…”

“Well, well, well,” Discord entered from his kitchen. “I understood you wishing to see me, Spike, but I did not think you would be bringing two colts with you to this visit. I take it they are not just here for an autograph?” Discord spawned a couple of notebooks and pencils.

“Discord has fans?” Rumble whispered.

“Rumble!” Button hissed. “No questioning! Remember?”

“Right! Right! Sorry.”

I cleared my throat and stood up from the couch. “Discord, we asked to be here because we’d like to invite you to our upcoming Guys’ Night.”

Discord slithered up to me. “And why should I accept?”

“Because Twilight told me that she and the rest of the Mane 6 are taking a trip to Yakyakistan, and I knew you’d feel alone without Fluttershy. Plus, a new character could freshen up our game.”

“Why not ask your canine counterpart to join you? Er…what is his name? Bike…Sike…Mike?”

“Tyke? I asked him a few days ago, but he wasn’t interested.”

“Hmph. What a waste. Very well, seeing how I may not have anything to do when Fluttershy leaves, I will join your little colt band. So what is this game of yours?”

“Ogres & Oubliettes. An action-packed tabletop game.”

Discord squeezed his eyes shut. “I knew I should have asked before accepting.”

“Now, now, Discord. It may seem like a geeky game on the surface, but it gets more fun the more you play it.”

Discord walked away. I looked at Rumble and Button Mash and nodded. They raised their eyebrows in realization.

“This game might be…something you’ll like,” Rumble said. “You get to make any choice you want here.”

Discord halted in his tracks.

“Basically, it’s a ‘do whatever you want’ kind of game,” Button added. “Like that post-apocalyptic Las Pegasus game.”

Post-apocalyptic Las Pegasus? Is that a reference to New Vegas? Wow, so Fallout Equestria is canon after all.

“And I figured that you could run the campaign,” I said. “You can even add your own twist to the game, provided you abide by the basic game mechanics.”

“Hmm.” Discord steepled his fingers. “This game does play to my interests. I suppose I can see how this goes.”

“Great!” I pulled out the O&O manual. “This will tell you all there is to know about the game and how to make your character. We could use an archer, but you can pick whatever class you like. I provided copies of our character sheets so you can get an understanding on how to design yours.”

Discord poofed up some half-moon eyeglasses. “I have been meaning to catch up on my reading skills.”

“Hope to see you for our game. I provided the date and time in the book. Oh, and could you return us to Equestria, please?”

With a snap of Discord’s fingers, a long metal bar appeared above the colts and my heads and plopped down on our laps.

“Please remain seated, and keep arms, legs, and hooves inside the sofa at all times,” Discord announced through a loudspeaker. “Enjoy the ride.”

The floor opened up beneath us, and then…

ZOOOOMMM!!

“AYIEEEE!!!”

We plummeted down to the great beyond. I couldn’t tell if the high-pitched screech was the wind blowing past my ears or the two colts shrieking their lungs out. The couch took so many twists, turns, and loops, I forgot which end was up.

Eventually the cart slowed to a halt as a bright light encased the three of us. When my vision regained, I was introduced to the view of normal playground equipment. I checked my seat only to find out what was once piano keys was now a plastic seat on a swing set. Rumble and Button Mash sat next to me sharing the same dizzy faces as I possessed.

Button adjusted his hat. “Spike, I know you said not to question anything, but did all that stuff with Discord really happen, or did we just drink expired apple juice and have a bad dream?”

“It was the former,” I replied. “Believe me, you’ll get used to it…eventually.”

That’s when a small piece of paper printed out from the bars above, and floated down to Rumble’s hooves.

“At least we got a photo of our ride,” Rumble said. “Aw, man! I had my eyes closed!”

I looked up at the sky. I didn’t know what Discord had in mind for O&O, but I hoped deeply that I wouldn’t regret it.

I was in Twilight’s bedroom, watching her pack up for Yakyakistan.

“Fluttershy told me you’ve invited Discord for your game tonight,” Twilight said. “Sounds like you guys will be in for quite a ride.”

“Well, Rumble, Button Mash, and I already had one the last time we met him,” I replied, “but I get what you’re saying.”

“It’s really kind of you to let him join your activities. He may be a mixed bag, but even he needs friends.”

After Twilight donned her winter outfit, she took her saddlebags, and we ventured to the train station. The rest of the girls, Big Mac, Rumble, and Button Mash were already there.

Applejack double-checked her supplies, “Uh, anything I forgot, Pinkie Pie? You're our resident Yakyakistan expert.”

“Nope! I brought yeti food!” Pinkie Pie declared. “My Pinkie Sense told me we’re going to encounter one on our way there.”

“If he messes with us, I'll turn that yeti into confetti!” Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

The train arrived at the station. We shared our goodbyes to the girls as they boarded the train.

“Don't y'all have too much fun without us,” Applejack said.

“No promises,” I replied.

We waved to the girls as the train departed from the station. Once the caboose disappeared from the horizon, the four of us guys were still on the platform. I looked around, but any sign of Discord never made its presence.

“What are you looking for?” Button Mash asked.

“I thought Discord would be here somewhere.” I scratched the back of my head. “Anyway, let’s get ready for tonight! Who wants to be in charge of snacks?”

Both Rumble and Button Mash raised their hooves.

“Not again, Button,” Rumble groaned when he noticed. “You’ve been the snack pony for the past three weeks.”

“Hey, I always provide the best snacks,” Button defended.

“For your taste maybe. I’m getting sick and tired of apple juice.”

“Hey,” Big Mac said sternly.

“Guys, guys, guys,” I got between everypony. “Leave the disharmony to Discord. This is his first night with us, so we shouldn’t pick today of all days to verbally fight.”

Rumble sighed sharply. “Right, sorry.”

“Both of you can provide snacks, and it won’t hurt to have a bit of variety now and then.”

When sundown arrived, Big Mac, Rumble, and Button Mash entered the castle and met with me in the foyer. Rumble brought bags of chips while Button Mash brought a juice box pack.

“They're a variety pack this time,” Button said.

“Say, where’s Discord?” Rumble asked. “Shouldn’t he be here by now?”

Before I could respond, the front doors slammed shut, and the castle plunged into darkness.

“Welcome, young mortals!” A booming voice rang across the room. “Follow the torches to your quest!”

Behind us, dancing torches and a flashlight emerged from the ground.

“I’ve a feeling he’s here now,” I said.

We followed the prancing lights up to the map room. I opened the double doors and saw Discord sitting on one of the thrones with the O&O set spread out over the table. The room retained its original lighting.

“Ah, so you all finally arrived,” said Discord. “I do hope you liked my short theatrics.”

“It was certainly interesting,” I replied as we all sat down. “So, did you come up with a campaign?”

“Indeed I did.” Discord pulled out a small picture of a poorly-drawn stallion. “King Crouton of the Salad Kingdom yearns for more power, and it is not until he is granted that power from the infamous Eris Amulet. Now the kingdom has plunged into wonderful…er, I mean terrible chaos, and it is up to everyone to save it.”

“Ooh, a new kingdom!” Rumble clapped his hooves. “I wonder if it neighbors Dragondor.”

Dragondor was the name of our main kingdom.

“And were you able to make a player character for yourself, Mr. Discord?” Button Mash asked.

Discord placed another drawing on the board. This one was Discord himself, but with green leather armor, a bow and quiver, and long blond hair.

“I read through the book and your character sheets and found that a chaos-neutral archer with some experience in magic was the best option.”

He went for the same player character as in the show? Weird, since Spike created the character last time.

“What’s your character’s name?” I asked.

“I beg your pardon?” Discord answered my question with a question.

“You need a name for your character.”

“I already have the best name in the universe.”

“The point of the game is to give yourself a different persona, especially a different name. How about…‘Q’?”

Discord’s ears immediately perked up. The rest of the boys shared confused looks.

“Wh-why that name?” Discord asked.

“I know how much you like puns, so your name could be a pun in itself. ‘Q the archer,’ almost sounds like someone shouting ‘cue the archer!’”

Discord relaxed his posture. “Fine, my character's name is ‘Q’. Now then, is everypony ready for this adventure?”

Everypony plus me nodded our heads uneasily but contentedly.

“Then let us start this adventure!”

Discord snapped his fingers. A bright light blinded my vision.

When I regained my vision, I realized I wasn’t at the castle. Walls of cobblestone surrounded me, filled with giant cracks and wilting moss. A door to the left of me was made in nothing but rusty iron bars, and I could feel the rotting wood I currently sat on.

Am I…in a dungeon? How?

That’s when I noticed three other figures in front of me. Sure enough, they stirred awake.

“H-hello?” I asked as I grabbed a big stick. “Who are you guys?”

“Who said that?” The center figure asked in Rumble’s voice, but they were too big to be him.

“Rumble, is that you?” Button’s voice asked from the right. Again, the figure did not match Button’s body shape.

The remaining figure gave out a grunt as he stood up. This time, I recognized him as Big Mac, and his figure looked more similar to his original form.

I looked at the stick I held and noticed that it felt a lot less rotten than the wooden platform. I looked at one end and found a red jewel. Two and two came together in my head.

Could it be…?

“Guys, get ready,” I called out. “I’m going to try something.”

I tapped the other end of the staff to the ground, and sure enough a bright light spewed out of the gem. The figures revealed themselves, cringing and covering their eyes at the sudden radiancy.

It was then I recognized the figures in front of me. One was a unicorn in black armor, one was a pegasus in leather armor, and one was a muscular earth pony with a sledgehammer.

“Oh my gosh!” I shouted. “We’ve turned into our O&O characters!”

Rumble pulled out his dagger and checked his reflection. “You’re right! Huh, at least the scar’s on the right side.”

“Woah!” Button smacked his own chest. “This must be what Mr. Biceps feels like.”

Big Mac pulled out his sword from his scabbard before swishing it around. “Eeyup.”

I stood up and checked myself. I confirmed I was taller, and I had my blue robe, beard, and glasses.

“This must be Discord’s twist,” I said.

“Right you are,” Discord’s voice bellowed.

He soon appeared on the other side of the iron door, donning a police uniform.

“Welcome to my campaign!” He announced.

“Hold on, why don't you have your archer outfit on?” Rumble asked.

“Not only that, why are you dressed like a modern police officer when O&O takes place in a medieval fantasy land?” Button added.

“Not to worry, you will meet Q in due time,” Discord replied. “And I am still Discord, so the laws of physics and logic do not, nor will they ever, apply to me.” He zoomed up to us. “Now, let us see how you tackle your first task: getting out of here.”

“How did we get in here anyway?” I asked.

“Oh, right. You ponies and dragon have a starting narrative before you start your mission. Okay, then.” Discord vanished, but his voice remained. “‘You four were tasked into saving the Salad Kingdom from King Crouton, but you were caught the second you entered his territory and have been teleported to this dungeon. You must escape and find a way to get to Crouton himself before it is too late!’”

Rumble rubbed his hooves. “Okay. First things first, we unlock the cell door. I attempt to pick the lock.”

Silence filled the air, destroyed by only the creaking walls and hushing breeze.

“I said ‘I attempt to pick the lock!’” Rumble raised his voice.

“I heard you,” Discord said as his head popped out from the ceiling. “You actually have to do the actions.” He then disappeared.

“Oh, I get it.” Rumble took out some pins from one of his pouches. “I never picked a lock in real life before, but I’m sure Sticky Hooves is an expert.”

Rumble stuck the pins into the lock and fiddled with them.

Button asked. “So how do we know if he’s…?”

Click!

“...successful?”

“Does that answer your question?” I asked.

Rumble pushed the door, but it didn't budge.

“Nope,” said Big Mac.

“Huh?” Rumble shoved harder, but the door remained still. “I thought I unlocked it.”

“‘Despite Sticky's successful lockpicking, the door remains closed,’” Discord said. “‘I suppose the Salad Kingdom did not know anything about oil.’”

“Discord’s right.” I pointed to the hinges. “The hinges are covered in rust.”

“Dang it!” Rumble punched the door. “I should’ve known it was too easy.”

“Wait, I have an idea!” Button Mash pulled out his sledgehammer. “Stand back, you guys.”

We all complied, even though the amount of space we had was limited.

“EEE-YAAHHH!!”

Button charged at the door and whacked the lock with his sledgehammer. The door ripped off its hinges and slammed onto the other side of the wall, shattering into tiny slivers of metal.

“Good work, Button,” I said. “Or Hammer Locks. Should we call each other by our character names for this session?”

“I have no objections,” replied Rumble. “It helps with the immersion.”

“Eeyup,” added Big Mac.

“I’m fine with it,” Button said.

“Alright, then. Let’s go,” I said.

Sir McBiggun, Hammer Locks, Sticky Hooves, and I exited the cell and walked up the stairs. We entered a bigger room with a lot more cells. At the end there were more stairs that served as an exit. A tall, muscular Diamond Dog sat near the left side wall. He wore silver, metal armor that was so unpolished it looked more like it was painted gray. Instead of a helmet, he wore a flat cap that covered the top half of his face.

“On your guard, guys,” I said. “We might be in for a fight.”

“Uh, excuse me, sir,” Discord’s voice called out.

In one of the nearby cells, Discord was in his archer uniform, gripping on the black-colored bars. One of his hands was made of parsnip.

“What is it?” I asked as I walked up to the cell.

“Listen, you need to get me out of here!” Discord demanded. “I’ll spare you the sob story of how the king locked me up. If you let me out, I can help you get to him.”

“You can just teleport out, Discord.”

Discord broke character. “You are forgetting I am ‘Q the Archer’ now. Or am I not allowed to play along?”

I sighed. “Okay, we’ll get you out, Q. Hammer?”

“One smashed cell door, coming up!” Hammer Locks announced.

“Wait!” Q shouted.

Hammer Locks swung his hammer at the lock, but then…

BOING!!

Hammer’s tool swiftly bounced off the bars, sending Hammer into a swirling rampage. The group quickly spread out as Hammer slowed down and collapsed from the dizziness.

“I forgot to mention,” said Q. “The king made the cell doors on this floor out of hardened rubber. The walls are indestructible as well.”

“That would’ve been useful a few seconds ago!” Hammer shook his head to clear the circling stars.

“The only way to get me out is to get that key from the warden.” Q pointed at the diamond dog.

“Leave it to me,” whispered Sticky Hooves.

He then disappeared into the shadows. No sound of hoofbeats emerged. A few minutes later, I saw Sticky right behind the warden’s chair. Slowly he reached for the set of keys dangling from the Diamond Dog’s belt. But the second he touched the metal ring, the warden grabbed Sticky’s hoof and threw him across the room. Sticky somersaulted before colliding into us.

“How did he see me?!” Sticky exasperated. “I was being really sneaky.”

I looked at the warden, who retained his original position instead of getting up and fighting us.

“Wait, I know.” I then whispered to Sticky. “Walk up to him and just take the key.”

“Wha…?” Sticky furrowed his brows over the sheer absurdity. “Sneaking up didn’t do the trick, why would the direct approach work?”

“Just trust me.” I looked at Q.

Still doubtful that it would work, Sticky approached the warden casually. The bipedal canine looked at the pegasus thief. Sticky inhaled and grabbed the set of keys. This time, the Diamond Dog did not respond. Sticky slowly backed away until he was in the middle of the room, then he turned around back to us. I watched the warden, but he did not make any sudden moves. In fact, he just lowered his head.

“That worked?!” Hammer exclaimed. “How?”

“I don’t know, but we better take advantage of this while we still can,” said Sticky.

“Eeyup,” added Sir McBiggun.

Sticky stuck the key into the lock, and the door slid up, releasing Q.

“Why thank you,” Q said. “To think King Crouton locked me up of all creatures.”

“Now let’s get out of here.” I declared.

The five of us headed up the stairs. We opened the double doors and found ourselves in the middle of a royal hallway.

“Oh…no!” Q ran up to the windows. “He is really going all out here! Look!”

We looked out the windows to see the mayhem unfolding. The ground was twisted so much it was hard to tell where the gravity was pointing. The sun was nothing more than a glowing lemon slice while the moon was a block of feta cheese.

The pony citizens had it bad, as they tried to fight vegetables as big as themselves. The sailors swung hooves at spinach leaves, the cartographers cut up carrots with compasses, the librarians locked horns with lettuce, and the peasants punched potatoes.

“We need to stop that king!” Hammer barked.

“But where is he?” Sticky asked.

“He might be in his throne room,” replied Q. “Assuming he has not changed the layout of the castle yet, it’s this way.”

We followed Q down the hallway. We turned the corner just to see two bipedal creatures in suits of armor. I didn’t know what species they were because I didn’t see any tails, manes, or anything coming out of the armor. Both of them carried sharp-tipped spears.

“Halt!” shouted one of the armored guards. “Thou hast escaped the dungeon! However, thou shalt not take a step further!”

“Dude, stop talking like that.” The other guard backhand-slapped his friend’s arm. “I told you we don’t use that language anymore.”

“Let us through!” I ordered. “We need to see the king!”

“Fat chance. King Crouton may be disorienting the world, but stopping you is a higher priority.”

“Looks like a battle is brewing!” Q announced as he pulled out an arrow. “It’s on!”

We stood silently. Nobody made a move.

“Well? Who’s going first?” Q asked.

“Uh, Discord? We have to roll for initiative,” I reminded.

“Seriously? Fine.” He snapped his fingers and spawned a giant d20. “Everyone roll this die.”

We all did just that. Even the guards had their turn.

“I’ve got a 7?!” Q shouted. “Is this a dirty trick?!”

“I’m not better,” I said. “I’ve got a 2.”

“20,” said Sir McBiggun.

“16.” Hammer rested his hammer on his back. “Nice.”

“Darn, a 10,” Sticky sighed.

“We hast a fourteen!” announced Guard 1, the Shakespearian guard.

“I’ve got a 6,” said Guard 2, the modern-speaking guard.

I concluded, “Then the order will be Sir McBiggun, Hammer Locks, the outdated speaking guard, Sticky Hooves, Q, the newer-speaking guard, and finally me. Sir McBiggun, you go first.”

Sir McBiggun drew his blade. He aimed at the Guard 1. Sadly, the guard dodged the unicorn’s swing, and the sword only slashed a nearby curtain.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get him!” Hammer shouted.

Hammer drew his sledgehammer. A quick smack of the hammer sent Guard 1 slamming to the wall like a tin can.

“Ow-eth,” Guard 1 groaned, too stunned to have his turn.

“Now it’s my turn!” Sticky declared. “Have a taste of stainless steel!”

Sticky drew his dagger and lunged at Guard 2, but the latter veered away with only a cosmetic scratch on his chestplate. Guard 2 glared at Sticky.

“Well, I didn’t say which steel would be stainless,” defended Sticky.

“Q the archer!” I shouted. “You’re next!”

“Huh, that does have a nice ring to it.” Q drew his bow. “I’ve got a present for you, Guard 2!”

Q fired an arrow, bouncing off Guard 2’s helmet. Guard 2 stumbled backwards with an obvious dent in his armor.

“That’s it!” Guard 2 clenched his spear. “One of you is going down!” He checked for the nearest opponent, which happened to be Sticky. “I’ll start with you.”

Guard 2 tossed the spear like a javier. Sticky’s attempt to roll away failed as the spear sliced through his leather armor and grazed his coat underneath.

“Ow!” Sticky rubbed his shoulder. “That hurt. Wait…that really did hurt! Guys, I’m literally hurt right now and I’m not faking it!”

“Discord!” I called out. “You put actual pain in this game?!”

Q lowered his bow. “Oh, how kind of you to notice. It's the little details that really bring alternate dimensions to life, wouldn't you say?”

Hammer ran up to Sticky. “We don’t need that much detail! Some of us are just kids in older ponies’ bodies.”

“Oh, alright. I’ll break the immersion a little bit for you.”

Q immediately snapped his parsnip fingers. Sticky’s damaged armor repaired itself, and individual green bars appeared above us. Sticky’s had a bit of red.

“Instead of feeling pain, you’ll just have a health bar,” said Q. “When it runs out, you’ll be knocked unconscious for the rest of the battle. Don’t worry, the enemies can’t see it.”

“Much better,” Sticky said as he stood up. “Thank you.”

“Whose turn is it?” Hammer asked.

“Mine,” I replied. “Eat fire, tin can!”

I launched a fire spell straight at Guard 2. The fireball exploded, launching Guard 2 backwards across the hall.

During the fight, Guard 1 regained his bearings and stood up.

“Have at thee, brethren!” Guard 1 shouted.

“Sir McBiggun! It’s your turn!” I called out.

“Eeyup!” Sir McBiggun charged at Guard 1 and then…

CRINK!!

The clamore struck through Guard 1’s armored torso, but…there was no blood.

“Huh?” Sir McBiggun and I tilted our heads.

McBiggun slid out his sword. The hole he made was clean cut, and we could see the other side of the hall, but no signs of flesh.

“That hurt-est us,” Guard 1 said casually before collapsing to the ground.

His armor scattered around the floor, but that was all that was left of him. No flesh or bone appeared.

“The guards!” Sticky concluded. “They’re just reanimated suits of armor!”

“Nice perception check, Stacky,” Q said.

“Sticky.”

“Guys, look out! We still have one more guard left!” I reminded the group.

Guard 2 grabbed his spear and ran towards us. Sticky quickly tripped him, causing the armor to tumble and fall apart across the ground.

“Finally, that trick works,” said Sticky.

With the last guard defeated, the battle was over.

“We’re almost at the throne room,” Q said. “Let us proceed.”

Once again, we followed Q close behind as we trekked down the hallway.

“Say, Q?” Hammer asked. “Why is one of your hands made out of parsnips?”

“When King Crouton discovered the amulet, I was one of his first…test subjects. Let’s just say I got off lucky with just a parsnip hand.”

“Oh, dear.”

As we toured the castle, the walls and floors got wavier and the decor grew more surreal. A clear sign we were getting close. The doors leading to other rooms were tempting enough for us to loot, but considering this was Discord’s campaign, we decided against it.

After following Q, we approached a pair of double doors that changed shape and style every two seconds.

“This has to be the throne room,” Q pointed out. “Any objections before we continue?”

I looked at the rest of the gang. Even though our faces had nothing but overwrought looks, we would rather not delay the inevitable.

“None?” Q pulled out another arrow. “Then let us meet King Crouton in the flesh! Hammer, if you please.”

Hammer struck the doors down. We marched right into the throne room, and the center of the chaos cyclone. The walls and floor had such motile textures that it was difficult to determine the overall size of the room, and the swinging windows sure weren’t helping. Strange shapes floated around us, and I had no idea what they were supposed to represent. The only aspect that was the most down-to-earth was the throne in the center and its occupant.

The brown, paunchy, angular-faced stallion donned a metal collar, red cape, and a tan crown. The Eris Amulet Q mentioned rested right around the king’s neck, looking similar to that of the alicorn amulet but with a sickly-green color than red. This was definitely King Crouton, and if the deranged look in his eyes proved anything, he was already drunk with power.

“King Crouton! We’ve come for you!” I announced.

“So, you’ve finally arrived,” declared King Crouton.

“You expected us?” Sticky asked.

“Of course. You are here sooner than expected, but I thought nothing less of my right-hand creature.”

Q slowly ambled forward.

“Q?!” Sticky and Hammer shouted in unison.

“You’re King Crouton’s assistant?!” Hammer exclaimed.

“Did some of my subtle foreshadowing quotes not give it away?” Q asked. He then flew to King Crouton’s side.

“Soon, you all will witness what I, King Crouton, am capable of!” the king declared.

“Your highness! You need to remove that amulet at once!” I ordered. “Can’t you see it’s corrupting you?! Making you crave power?!”

“Oh, I’ve been craving power long before I knew of the amulet!” Crouton stood up. “And I’m not going to give it up to some foreign ragtag!”

“He’s too far gone to be reasoned with,” I said to my buddies. “Ready yourself.”

A d20 appeared before us, and we took turns rolling it. I got a 9; Sticky, 3; Hammer, 15; McBiggun, 14; King Crouton, 17; and Q, 4.

Thus, the order would be King Crouton, Hammer Locks, Sir McBiggun, Grand Oaf (me), Q the Archer, and finally Sticky Hooves.

“Let’s make this battle fair!” declared the king.

He clapped his hands together, and sure enough pony-sized vegetables spawned from the floor and surrounded us.

“There’s more vegetables here than all of us combined,” Sticky pointed out. “How is this battle fair?”

“I don’t know, but I’m not just gonna stand here.” Hammer aimed his hammer at a potato. “Hope you like being mashed, potato!”

The sledgehammer smacked the starched vegetable, sending it tumbling backwards. However, it stood straight up not long after, as if it never took damage.

“Uh, oh. Brute force is not very effective on these plants,” Hammer said worryingly.

“How about some shear force?” I asked. “Sir McBiggun?”

“Eeyup!” Sir McBiggun pulled out his sword.

He aimed at a stalk of broccoli. Three swishes turned the vegtable’s “afro” into a buzz cut, but the do didn’t last long. The second the cut veggies hit the floor, the broccoli’s florets popped back into their original shape.

“Nope…” said McBiggun.

I looked at the king. “I have an idea.” I aimed my staff at him. “Eat this!”

The gem launched a fireball straight at the king. He held out his arm, revealing a gauntlet. The fireball smacked said gauntlet, dissipating into small embers and leaving not a singe on the king.

“You think your smoldering marbles are gonna hurt me?” The king arrogantly asked. “Fat chance! Fire at will, Q, and the group as well!”

Q pulled out an arrow and aimed upwards. After a brief hesitation, he shot up into the sky. The king circled his glowing hooves, and the arrow multiplied sixty-four times before raining down on us. I thanked Celestia that Discord gave us health bars instead of actual pain. Once the storm of flint and sticks was over, everypony’s respective health bars gained a good chunk of red.

“Still better than feeling actual arrows hitting us,” said Sticky. “Hmm. I remember taking that ogre out with a smoke bomb, so maybe…”

Sticky tossed the bomb at an onion. Aside from a plethora of smoke and a fine coating of gray mist, the onion was left unscathed.

“Guess it only works once.”

“Enough standing around!” King Crouton called out. “Attack them, you salad spinners!”

The vegetables lunged at us. While we were able to block and dodge most of their attacks, we still took significant damage.

“These guys are impossible!” Sticky cried. “Nothing we’re doing is affecting them.”

“Wait, I might have an idea.” Hammer put away his weapon. “During this campaign, I noticed how often unexpected things happened, whether or not it was coming from us. I might know how to beat these animated veggies.”

Hammer casually walked up to a spinach leaf.

“I bet my mom would be proud if she saw me right now,” Hammer said.

CHOMP!!

Hammer snapped his jaws onto the giant greenery, tearing a good piece off. The spinach and the other vegetables shivered in fright.

“Looks like we found their weakness!” I announced.

The vegetables ran around the room in panic with Hammer and Sticky chasing after them. Sir McBiggun and I were about to follow suit, but I had a plan.

“Sir McBiggun, you need to convince Q to take our side again,” I whispered.

“Huh?” The red unicorn raised an eyebrow.

“I know I have the higher charisma between the two of us, but I have a feeling given all that’s happened, it would be surprising if you were the one doing the persuasion check.”

McBiggun closed his eyes, nodded his head, and approached the throne.

He then cleared his throat. “Uh…Q…? Please refrain from working with King Crouton and assist us instead.”

Silence filled the room. Suddenly two fireworks appeared out of nowhere and shot up into the sky, producing the numbers “2” and “0.”

Does that mean he got a natural twenty?

“Don’t listen to that armored stallion!” barked the king. “What does he know?!”

Q pulled out another arrow. He looked to the sky, to McBiggun and me, and then to the king.

“He knows which side to fight for.”

Using his parsnip hand, he enchanted the tip of the arrow in some yellow aura. Then he held it like a dagger.

“Speak parsnips for me!”

Q’s arrow struck the back of King Crouton’s collar, snapping the amulet off the corrupted king. The gem smashed into pieces as the magic from them dissipated. King Crouton stood frozen.

“You too, Q?” Crouton asked weakly. “Then fall caesar salad.”

The king fell to the ground and collapsed into tiny squares of crispy bread. With no amulet nor king to control the chaos, the throne room morphed back into its original organized state. The floor and ceiling gained white tiles, the walls obtained marble and curtains, and the vegetables shrunk to their original size and lost their sentience.

“We finally did it,” I announced. “Great job, Q.”

“It was a shame, really,” Q replied. “I always liked him. Too bad he fell off the slippery slope.”

“Well done, everyone!” A female voice called out.

From one of the doors entered a pegasus mare in a princess outfit. She was purple with a violet mane styled almost exactly like Fluttershy. Q immediately bowed.

“Who are you?” asked Hammer Locks.

“I’m Princess Plumshy,” the mare replied. “I was to be the next ruler after King Crouton stepped down, but I suppose it’s happening sooner than expected.” She looked at the croutons around the throne.

“Sorry about what happened to the king, your highness,” I said.

“Oh, please don’t be, he was my stepbrother anyway. Strange how it’s always the step-relatives that are the evil ones.” Princess Plumshy cleared her throat. “In any case, I would like to thank you all for saving the Salad Kingdom. Especially you, Q the archer.”

Q blushed a bit.

Plumshy continued, “I hope to meet you all again someday. You’re welcome back to the Salad Kingdom at any time.”

We all took our leave. Q then snapped his fingers.

A quick poof and we were back at Twilight’s castle, and to our normal forms.

“Aw man,” Button rubbed his arms. “I liked having a muscular figure.”

“And that is it for this campaign,” Discord said as he stood up from his chair. “I better be going now.”

“Same time next week?” asked Rumble.

“You…actually enjoyed my company?”

“Yeah,” Button replied. “I had doubts at first, but now I realized we should’ve invited you ages ago.”

“After this session, I don’t think we could ever go back to just rolling dice and narrating,” added Rumble.

“Nope,” Big Mac concluded.

“Lucky for you, gentlemen, this game grew on me.” Discord spawned a tiny tree on his lion palm. The tree sprouted tiny O&O manuals. “I’ll be sure to return for the next campaign.”

He swirled around and vanished into thin air.

“So you guys really meant it?” I asked. “You want Discord to join us more often?”

“Of course,” Button replied. “The story may not have been the most original and the message of ‘eating your veggies’ was borderline obvious, but actually playing as our characters like that is more immersive than any modern console can provide.”

I checked the time and realized it was almost midnight.

“Geez, that campaign sure lasted long,” I said. “Why don’t you guys stay the night? We’ve got some spare sleeping bags in one of the closets.”

The colts and stallion agreed.

I quickly went to search for the sleeping bags while also thinking how this episode transpired. Since we invited Discord ahead of time instead of last minute, he came on his own terms and made his own campaign. Not only that, everypony enjoyed it in the end.

“Hey, Spike?” Starlight Glimmer came down the hall donning a night shirt. “Was Discord here by any chance?”

I nodded. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

“I was making a salad for a midnight snack, and…this happened.”

Starlight pulled out a bowl, showing the vegetables inside struggling to climb out.

“King Crouton will be avenged!” One of the veggies squeaked.

Prologue

My name is David Smith. Although, that won't matter in the long run. I'll explain that later. I've been in the brony fandom for over a decade. It has been over a year since Friendship is Magic has ended. There were still a few bronies here and there, but until Generation 5 comes out, that number wasn't going to increase anytime soon.

As a brony, I always wondered what life would be like in the pony world. I could interact with my favorite ponies, eat some of the delicious treats, and explore some of the different cities around Equestria. I also wondered what pony species I would be. I could practice magic spells as a unicorn, I could fly almost anywhere as a pegasus, and as an earth pony I could grow interesting plants. Little did I know that I was going to be none of the above.

It started like any other day, I browsed the internet, looked at videos and whatnot. That's when I decided to do something nostalgic. I went on Netflix and searched for My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thankfully, it was still on there. I was going to watch the very first episode just to see how much has been improved.

Just when I was about to hit play, I suddenly felt lightheaded and very tired. This was unusual for me, as I get plenty of sleep, and I haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary. My eyelids felt really heavy, so I thought that maybe I should take a quick nap. I turned off my laptop and went to bed. It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

Chapter 9 (Boast Busters)

There was not much I could change when Gilda came to town. I was able to stop her from making Fluttershy cry, but that was as much as I could do. I doubt she wanted to talk after storming out of that party.

But I had a higher priority, this time with one of the great and powerful unicorns: Trixie. In the show, she claimed that she could stop an Ursa Major. Snips and Snails wanted to prove that, so they went and woke up an Ursa Minor. It took Twilight’s magic to calm it down. Trixie hit an all time low after that. Her career was stained, and she resorted to buying an amulet from the black market which corrupted her mind. She then ended up kicking Twilight out of town. It wasn’t until the rest of us were able to trick Trixie into giving up the amulet. While Trixie was reformed in the end, she still left a dark mark. Hopefully, I could change that.

Twilight was practicing spells in the library while I watched closely.

“Come on Twilight, you can do it,” I said.

Twilight’s horn started glowing. And just like that, a mustache grew on my lips. I doubt dragons even had hair, but since it was magic, I didn’t question it.

“He-ha! You did it!” I said. “Growing magic, that's number twenty-five. Twenty-five different types of tricks and counting. And I think this is the best trick so far.” I looked at myself in the mirror. I did look good with a mustache.

“Sorry, Romeo. As attractive and enticing as you look, it's just for practice, and it's gotta go.” Twilight’s horn glowed again, and the mustache was gone. I was a bit disappointed.

Twilight and I decided to take a stroll around Ponyville.

“You’re really good with magic, Twilight,” I said. “All those spells you can cast. Heck, if you keep this up, you may end up being as powerful as an alicorn some day.”

“Oh, stop,” Twilight giggled. “I'm sure there are lots of ponies right here in Ponyville that know just as much magic as me.”

There will be soon.

“Gangway!”

Almost on cue, I quickly dodged past Snips and Snails. The blue and orange colts had barely even given us a warning as they galloped towards the center of town.

“Wonder where are those two going?” Twilight coughed from the dust cloud kicked up from the colts.

“We better go check it out,” I said.

We headed to the center of town. There was such a huge crowd, all standing in front of a stage on wheels. Twilight and I pushed our way to the front, where the rest of our friends were.

“Come one, come all!” a voice shouted. “Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and Powerful Trixie!”

A large puff of smoke and shimmering dust filled the stage. Almost as soon as it appeared, it began to disperse as I managed to make out the trademark purple cap and cape of the blue unicorn known as Trixie.

“Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs the most spectacular feats of magic ever witnessed by pony eyes!” Fireworks and flares filled the sky.

“My! My! My! What boasting,” said Rarity.

“Relax, Rarity,” I said. “It’s all part of the act. No need to be rude. She’s just a unicorn with magic, like you and Twilight. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”

“Nothin' at all,” said Applejack. “Except when someone goes around showing it off like a school filly with fancy new ribbons.”

“What is wrong with you girls?” I asked. “Trixie is a performer. She’s supposed to exaggerate about her skills. Why can’t you enjoy the show like normal ponies? You act like she stole your lunch money.”

“Spike is right,” Twilight said. “You girls don’t need to heckle somepony who’s just doing her job. How would you like it if somepony chewed you out for bucking apples or sewing clothes?”

The girls stayed silent after that. The rest of Trixie’s show went pretty well without any interruptions from the audience. I even got to volunteer for one of her tricks, which was unexpected. I was a bit nervous standing in front of a large crowd, but Trixie managed to calm me down.

The trick went something like this:

“Pick a card! Any card!” Trixie held up a bunch of cards.

I picked the ace of spades.

“Now, put it back!” Trixie covered her eyes as I placed the card back into the pile. She quickly shuffled them, and flashed a card in front of me. “Is this your card?”

It was the seven of hearts.

“No,” I replied.

“Are you sure about that?” She rubbed her hoof on the card, and it turned into the ace of spades.

“That’s my card!” I said. The crowd applauded.

After the show ended, the crowd of ponies left. The girls were still sour about Trixie’s attitude, but at least they didn’t try to prove they were better than her.

I actually wanted to talk to Trixie. As I was heading in her direction, I saw Snips and Snails backing up.

“What are you two doing?” I asked.

“Just bringing the GNPT (the Great and Powerful Trixie) a smoothie,” Snips replied.

“You guys sure are big fans of her,” I said. “Do you really believe she’s that talented?”

“Of course she is! She claimed she could vanquish an Ursa Major!”

“She can do that? Amazing.” I knew that she couldn’t, but I didn’t want Snips and Snails try to find one to prove it.

“See? Even you admit she’s a powerful pony!”

“Well, unless somepony else comes along and proves that they can defeat an Ursa as well, I’d say Trixie has my full respect.”

As Snips and Snails left, I was glad that they didn’t come up with the idea of waking up an Ursa Major. That was one weight off my shoulder.

I walked up to Trixie. “Hi, there. My name is Spike.”

“Trixie does not want to sign autographs, now begone!” She then looked at me. “Wait, aren’t you that dragon who volunteered in one of my tricks?”

“That’s me. I just came by to say that I really liked your show. That card trick you pulled really got me.”

“It’s what I do best.”

“I heard that you were able to defeat an Ursa Major, is that true?” I knew it wasn’t, but I didn’t want to get her angry.

Trixie explained her story. She didn’t do it during her show because the girls didn’t call her bluff.

“It all started in Hoofington. An Ursa Major was threatening to obliterate the town. Just when all hope was lost, the Great and Powerful Trixie came in and vanquished it into its cave of Everfree Forest!” Never had I seen a pony’s eyes more lit up than hers.

“Wow! That’s amazing! Twilight would be jealous of you,” I lied.

“Who is this Twilight?”

“Oh...uh...She’s just some unicorn I know. She’s really into magic, and was really fond of your tricks.”

“Maybe she can convince me to teach her a few things.”

“I'm sure she will. Well, I better get going. See you later, Trixie.”

“You too, Spike.”

Later that night, I saw Twilight reading a book, as always.

“So, did you like the show?” I asked.

“I thought it was entertaining,” Twilight replied.

“If only the others could agree.”

“I’m sure they were just annoyed by her boasting.”

“It’s not as if Trixie could speak in a quiet tone, though. Could you imagine how boring she would be if she spoke like Fluttershy? If you ask me, the girls were just being mean.”

“The girls don’t know what it’s like to perform in front of an audience. It’s not everyday somepony comes to visit Ponyville.”

As fate would have it, the floor started to vibrate.

“W-What’s going on?!” I asked. The floor shook harder. Before long the entire tree was shaking. “What’s happening?!”

“Nothing good, I’m sure,” Twilight replied.

As we headed outside, my worst fear came true. An Ursa Minor was roaring and stomping around town.

What the hay?! But I thought…

I scrunched my eyebrows. I knew who was behind all this.

“I’ll be right back, Twilight.”

I dashed for Trixie’s cart, and sure enough Snips and Snails were approaching.

“Stop, you two!” I shouted.

“This isn’t the time, Spike!” Snips said. “We’re in big trouble!”

“You’re right about that! I know you two were responsible for bringing that Ursa here!”

“Yeah right. And we were responsible for Nightmare Moon’s return as well.”

“Quit joking and tell me the truth!”

“Neither of us were responsible for that Ursa! We didn’t even think about finding one at all!”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Spike, leave those kids alone!” Twilight called out. “We’ve gotta take care of that Ursa!”

“We’ll talk later,” I said to Snips and Snails.

The Ursa Minor was right before us. I had to admit, it was a scary creature. Its nightly fur did nothing to hide the fangs and claws of the vicious beast. Given how it’s capable of breaking somepony’s horn off, you’d best hope it wasn’t coming for you.

I knew what Twilight was going to do. In all seriousness, I was thinking Fluttershy should’ve calmed it down with her stare, but she wasn’t here right now, and it would take a while to get her.

“Twilight, use your magic!” I cried out.

Twilight’s horn glowed. The rest of the events played out like in the show: a wind spell for the lullaby, the water tower and milk for a bottle, and a levitation spell to get the Ursa Minor back into its cave.

When all that was done, Twilight was practically out of breath. The entire town cheered for her. Even Trixie was impressed (Snips and Snails had woken her up).

“That was amazing!” I said.

“Heavens to Betsy!” said Applejack. “We knew you had ability, but not that much!”

“I’m sorry,” Twilight said.

“Don’t be sorry, Twilight,” I said. “You’re magic spells are amazing! It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“It’s just that, the other girls weren’t fond of Trixie’s show...”

“We didn’t hate the show,” Rainbow Dash said. “It was just the host that we couldn’t stand.”

“Hey!” Trixie called out.

“Face the facts.”

Applejack walked up to Twilight. “Your magic is a part of who you are, sugarcube, and we like who you are. We're proud to have such a powerful, talented unicorn as our friend. Even more after saving us from that Ursa Major.”

“That was an Ursa Minor,” I replied.

“Spike’s right,” Twilight said. “It was only a baby, and it was acting all scared and confused, like it woke up from a bad dream. I was reading a book about it a while back, so I had an idea about what to do.”

"That was a baby?" Trixie quickly covered her mouth after asking that.

“If that’s what an Ursa Minor looks like,” Rarity asked, “what does a Major look like?”

“You...don’t want to know,” Twilight replied.

“Guess you don’t need me to teach you!” Trixie called out. “You may have vanquished an Ursa Minor, but you will never have the amazing, show-stopping ability of the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She disappeared in a puff of smoke, and by “disappeared” I meant she ran away after throwing a smoke bomb.

“That mare sure is full of herself,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Just leave the black kettle be, pot,” I said.

“What?” She gave me a confused look.

“Nothing.”

Later on, I sent Twilight’s lesson over to Princess Celestia. I was happy that Trixie didn’t humiliate herself, but I didn’t know how or why the Ursa Minor still came to Ponyville. Twilight and I interrogated Snips and Snails, but they claimed they didn’t even go near the Everfree Forest. We decided to take their word for it. Twilight did say that the Ursa Minor was acting all scared, so it might have had a bad dream.

Author's Note

Thanks to _Kenzu_ for helping me a bit.

Chapter 21 (MMMystery on the Friendship Express)

As always, Twilight and I were doing our normal routines in the library. It was really boring, and this was coming from a human who was transported into the pony world and turned into a dragon.

"So how come Discord didn't try taking the Elements again?" Twilight asked. "He had a chance to, and he didn't look like the kind who would accept defeat so easily."

"I wish I could tell you, Twilight," I said. "But I can't because I don't know."

"I know, Spike. But it's still a thinker. Discord could've easily turned you evil, or replace the Elements with something else. And yet he does nothing but gloat at us. For a guy who can bend reality like a paperclip, his intelligence is somewhat lacking."

"Okay. This is going to sound ridiculous, but what if...what if he fought us before?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"What if Discord already fought us at an earlier time, but only he remembers it? Maybe he wanted to repeat the same events until he won. But no matter what, he gets defeated one way or another. Maybe that's why he came and told me I can't change fate. He lost hope and just wanted to get it over with."

"Well, it sounds almost plausible…"

"But I don't think it's that. You could be right. Discord was probably too much of an idiot to…" I suddenly closed my mouth.

"Huh? Oh. 'Idiot' isn't a bad word, Spike. Well, not as bad as the...other bad words. You can say it. But even if Discord's an idiot, him teleporting the elements and coming up with that riddle was pretty clever."

After all our daily chores were done, I sat down and read one of my comics. I still thought about what Discord said. I also remembered that sooner or later, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance's wedding will happen.

That's when Queen Chrysalis and her minions attack Canterlot. They still get defeated in the end, but Chrysalis would lose everything in the future and go insane. Now, reforming her wasn't a high priority for me. I just needed to defeat her before the changelings penetrate Shining's shield.

If what Discord said was true, would the changelings still attack Canterlot regardless of whether or not she's been defeated? Would they all be blasted away like in the show?

I decided to come up with a few plans in my head for the wedding. Plan A would be trying to get the other girls to believe Twilight, which should be easy for me. But if that doesn't work, then I would resort to taking Chrysalis out myself. As for her swarm, I know how to fight well enough, but I would have to make sure I didn't confuse the other ponies for them.

That's when I had an idea. I got up from my bed and went to see Twilight.

"Hey, Twilight." I said. "I'd like to ask you something."

“Go ahead, Spike,” Twilight said. “What is it?”

“Has there ever been a relic or spell that prohibits unicorns from casting magic? I've been reading one of my comic books and found a device that could do such a thing. I was wondering if it was real.”

"That device itself was probably fictional, but yes. There have been multiple gadgets in legends and in real life that can prevent a unicorn from using their horn."

"What about devices that the unicorn can wear? Like a ring or something?"

"Actually, there's something like that. One sec."

Twilight trotted up the stairs and pulled out a box from under her bed. She took something out of it and headed back down.

"This is an inhibitor ring," Twilight said. The ring itself was silver with a red stone. "It was crafted by Princess Celestia herself. However, it's an early model, so it doesn't prevent magic all together. It just suppresses the magic until you're left with just levitation spells. Shining Armor used it during his training days for the Royal Guards."

"How does it work?" I asked.

"I'll show you." Twilight placed the ring on her horn. "Now I will try teleporting." Twilight's horn glowed, but the ring glowed brighter. Twilight's horn fizzled out, and she was in the same exact position. "See?"

"Huh. So you can still do levitation spells?"

"Yes, but it only works on light objects except the ring. I can still pick up regular books just as fine, but encyclopedias and textbooks are a different story."

"How can you take it off without your horn?"

"Simple." Twilight removed the ring using her hooves.

"Oh, I figured as much. I'm surprised Princess Celestia doesn't use it to catch criminals."

"Like I said, it's a work in progress. The kinks still need to be worked out before they can be used outside of training."

Work in progress or not, I believe I could use the ring to defeat Chrysalis. But that just leaves her hooves. I would need to find a way to disable them.

The National Dessert Competition was only a day away. I kind of figured that the episodes would happen out of order. I don’t think the wedding will happen until next spring because I saw flowers and trees in bloom in the show, and it was early autumn.

The girls and I were riding the train to Canterlot. I tagged along even though it didn't happen in the show. Unfortunately, some of the tracks have been damaged due to Discord’s antics, so the train had to take an alternative path to Canterlot. I guess it would explain why the train ride lasted overnight.

Like in the show, the contestants riding the train were Pinkie and the Cake’s Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness, Mulia Mild and her Chocolate Mousse Moose, Gustave le Grand and his eclairs, and finally, Pony Joe and his Donutopia. It’s a wonder how I didn’t lose my temper after hearing everyone argue about whose respective creations would win.

“Well, it sure looks like we're in for a delicious competition tomorrow,” Twilight said. “Maybe we should all settle in for a good night's sleep.”

“Wait!” Pinkie called out. “Didn't you hear those chefs? We have to protect ‘MMMM’. I know for super sure that 'MMMM' is the best dessert in all of Equestria, and I know that they know it too. So one of them is going to sabotage the Cakes' cake tonight! You have to help me stand guard!”

I could’ve volunteered, but it would be interesting to participate in a mystery, and everyone’s desserts looked even better combined into one cake.

“Relax, Pinkie,” I said. “No pony, griffon, or donkey is gonna sabotage that cake.”

“But they are!” Pinkie retorted. “I just know it.”

“Fine!” Rainbow Dash said. “If you want to stand guard, go for it. We're going to bed.”

We all headed into our sleeping quarters. I had to share mine with Twilight, which wasn’t a problem.

“Hopefully, you can sleep without your comic books this time,” Twilight joked.

I snorted. “Very funny.”

As Twilight went to sleep, I lied in the other bed and stared at the ceiling. I still needed to know how to stop Chrysalis. If providing evidence and persuading the girls don’t work, then I would have to take the queen out personally. I already got the horn covered, but it would only go so far. She probably wouldn’t be able to transform, but she might still find a way to attack with what little magic she has left. Also, her legs would still be exposed, so she might physically attack me. I’m not sure how skilled she is in combat, but I don’t think I can defeat her with my small body.

I could try to knock her out, and when she’s unconscious, I could tie her legs together. The problem with that idea is that I don’t know how to tie a hard knot. I know how to tie my shoes, but I was sure that it’ll take more than a double knot to secure the rope. Maybe I could have Applejack teach me.

I yawned and went to sleep. I would have to figure it out after we head back to Ponyville.

Boom!

I shot straight up from my bed.

“What was that?!”

I looked around the room and noticed that I wasn’t in the train car anymore. I was lying on a twin-sized bed with a blue blanket over me. The walls and ceiling were white and covered in pony posters. The floor was a beige carpet with a persian rug in the middle. Next to my bed was a black desk and a silver laptop resting on top. I knew where I was. I was back in my old apartment in the human world.

It was...all a dream? But it felt so real.

It honestly felt like I’ve been asleep for months. I yawned and got out of bed.

“I wonder how long I was asleep. Oh, well. I should make myself a snack and--”

BOOM!

My entire apartment shook like an earthquake.

“What’s going on here?!”

I ran out to my apartment’s balcony. My heart sank at the disastrous sight right in front of me.

Chaos reigned across the streets, and not the kind Discord would make. Buildings were consumed by gigantic flames that showed no signs of dissipating. Cars exploded like giant firecrackers, joining the buildings in the inferno. High-pitched, ear-piercing screams filled the streets. People everywhere were attacked by black-colored creatures. I knew what those creatures were.

Changelings?! What are they doing here?! Is this year not bad enough already?!

“Hello, David!”

I yelped as one of the changelings appeared right in front of me. She was twice as big as the others. She had a thin blue mane, a crooked horn, and a crown on her head. She was Queen Chrysalis.

I quickly dashed out of the balcony, but my feet were soon stuck to the ground thanks to some changeling slime. I struggled to get out, my attempts to escape were futile.

“What’s wrong, Dave?” Chrysalis asked. “Are you humans that impolite? I’ve come to thank you for what you’ve done.”

I was speechless.

I did this?!

“Oh, don’t act so surprised. When I discovered you were capable of traveling to different dimensions, it didn’t take long for me to replicate its magic. And since the other humans didn’t have magic, taking over your dimension was a piece of cake. I’ve already got the swarm spreading across this pathetic planet like a virus. This is all thanks to you, David Smith.”

I tried to say something. Anything. But nothing came out of my mouth.

Chrysalis grabbed my arm. “If it weren’t for you, none of this would've happened. This will be a new Golden Age for the Changeling Empire! Let me show you my gratitude.” Chrysalis horn glowed. “You’ve been a big help to me, and I hope to see you again in future.”

My arms slowly turned black. My tannish skin was being replaced by a thick, black exoskeleton.

“No! No! NOOO!!”

I sprang up from my bed. My forehead was sweating like crazy. I could hardly breathe. I looked at myself. My green belly and purple arms told me I was still Spike.

“Oh, thank Celestia.”

I was still in the sleeping quarters of the train. Twilight was still sleeping on her bed.

What a nightmare. Chrysalis can’t really travel to alternate dimensions, can she? That would be something only Discord could do, and I doubt he would give some of his magic to her.

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden feeling in my lower body. I got out of bed and exited the sleeping chamber.

I think the bathroom is on the other side of the car.

I entered the dessert car and saw Pinkie sleeping in front of MMMM. I’d wake her up, but I didn’t think I should. I went to the bathroom section, did my business, and went back to my sleeping chamber.

On my way back, some figure bumped into me.

“Hey, excuse you,” I whispered as I rubbed my shoulder.

I got into my bed and scratched my nose. Suddenly, I detected a familiar scent. I sniffed my fingers and confirmed my suspicions.

“Frosting...”

It was already morning. The girls, chefs, and I were rudely awakened by a mare screaming her lungs out. We all quickly entered the dessert car. I noticed Rarity’s mane was over one of her eyes.

“What is it?” Applejack asked.

“What happened?” Rainbow asked as well.

“It's the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness,” Pinkie cried. “It's been mutilated!”

Gasps filled the room.

“Now we just need to find out who done it!” Pinkie declared.

“Who did it,” Twilight corrected.

“Exactly. Who did-done-dood it!”

Just like in the show, Pinkie was the “chief detective,” while Twilight was her dear “Watson.” Already Pinkie jumped to conclusions like a cat to a laser. She accused Mulia, Gustave, and Pony Joe when it was illogical and unbelievable for them to commit the crime. Twilight called her out on it.

“But I was so sure that it was one of the other bitter bakers that destroyed the 'MMMM'",” Pinkie said. She then discussed how good each of the treats were and wondered why the culprit didn’t try to munch on the other treats. As fate would have it, the train entered a tunnel, sending the entire cart into a state of darkness. When the lights went back on, all of the other treats had been mostly eaten.

“Everypony go back to your cars while Pinkie and I do a little investigating,” Twilight said.

“Twilight, if you don’t mind...” I said. “I think I might have a testimony that could help you both.”

Twilight and Pinkie switched hats. “Then go ahead. Tell us what you know,” Twilight said as she wiped her pipe.

“Well, I had to visit the ‘little dragon’s room’ in the middle of the night. I passed Pinkie, who was asleep at the time. After I was done, I headed back...”

“Wait, did you wash your claws?”

“What does that have to do with—?”

“Did you wash your claws?!”

“Yes! Yes! I did! Anyway, on my way back, and I bumped into someone. I had no idea who they were, but when I got back to bed, I had a bit of frosting on my shoulder. I could tell because I rubbed it and later scratched my nose. That’s when I smelled the frosting.”

“Excellent. Thank you for your testimony. I’m sure it will help us later.”

I returned to my quarters and waited until Twilight and Pinkie searched for clues.

After what seemed like ten minutes, we were all called back.

"I bet you're wondering why you're all here again," Twilight said. "It's because we have discovered the true culprit of this cake carnage."

"Then tell us, Twilight," I said. "Who murdered the Marzipan Masquerade Merin—bleh! You make alliteration sound so easy, Pinkie."

"Anyway, when committing a crime, it's crucial that one never leaves behind clues, especially an obvious clue like... this!" Twilight revealed a blue feather.

"Ah-ha!" Pinkie shouted. "A blue feather! I knew it was you, Gustave le Grand!"

"Uh, Pinkie?" I asked. "The feather is blue. Gustave doesn't have blue feathers. It would have to be from somepony else. Right, Rainbow Dash?"

"I-I don't even like cake," Rainbow quickly denied.

"The same reason you don't like pies?"

Rainbow darted her eyes. "I...uh...don't know what you mean…"

"Moving on," Twilight continued. "When we went to the engine, I saw the conductor's hat. And inside the hat was...this!" Twilight revealed a pink mane. "Pinkie, you chased a pony to the engine, where you thought you saw the conductor shoveling coal, but that wasn't the conductor at all. It was Fluttershy!"

"Oh, my!" Fluttershy shivered.

"You're going down, Fluttershy!" Pinkie declared as she prepared to pounce.

I stepped in front of Fluttershy and barked, "How dare you accuse her? She would never do something so criminal!"

"Th-Thank you," Fluttershy squeaked.

Twilight then said, "But then another clue confounded my suspicions. Pinkie, you were guarding the cake when the curtains mysteriously closed. But that's no mystery, that's magic. When the thief tried to make their great escape, they left a little addition to the portrait." Twilight showed us a false eyelash. "Has anypony else noticed that Rarity is wearing her hair rather differently today?"

I raised my hand. “It was kinda obvious.”

“What? Is it a crime to change one's style now and again? Why, I think it's a crime not to,” said Rarity.

“Really?” asked Twilight. She then moved Rarity’s mane to reveal that she was indeed missing some eyelashes.

“Fine! I’m guilty!” Rarity cried. “I wear false eyelashes! Oh, and I took a bite of the cake.”

After Rarity confessed, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash did the same. After hearing Pinkie describe how good it tasted, the three of them couldn’t resist a bite. To be honest, I would’ve done the same.

“I guess that part of the mystery is solved,” I said. “We found out who were the quadruple-M munchers.”

“Actually, there is a fourth,” Twilight said.

“Doesn’t quadruple mean four?”

“I’m talking about the amount of ponies who ate the cake. Right, Applejack?”

Applejack widened her eyes. She stood there speechless. I guess being the Element of Honesty can have its disadvantages.

“But...we never found any clues related to Applejack,” Pinkie said.

“That’s right,” Twilight said. “There weren’t any physical clues. That’s why it’s also a good idea to gather testimony from others and determine if they line up with the other evidence. Earlier, a young dragon had given us a rather sound one. Some time after Pinkie fell asleep, Spike had some...business to take care of in the bathroom. When he was coming back, he bumped into somepony who had frosting on their body. None of our previous culprits could've gone back for seconds, and it couldn’t have been Spike. If he really was the fourth, there would’ve been claw or fang marks on the cake, and he would’ve noticed the cake itself had already been eaten. So, Applejack. I know you can’t lie well, so tell us the truth.”

Applejack sighed and tilted her hat. “Fine, ya got me. Like the others, I couldn’t resist takin’ a bite after Pinkie told us how good it was. I thought I would slip away faster than a greased pig. Once Pinkie fell asleep, I seized the opportunity to sneak a bite in, but the half-eaten dessert told me that I wasn't the only one with that idea. After I took a bite from the cake, I had to make sure I left no trace of nothing. I was headin' to the little filly’s room to clean up when I bumped into someone. I just assumed it was Pinkie, 'cause I heard her snorin' louder than the congested nose of a bear.”

“Thank you for your confession, Applejack.”

The four mares apologized for their actions. It was a good thing I tagged along, or else Applejack would’ve gotten away with it. I didn’t even know she was one of the culprits.

“At least this mystery is finally solved,” declared Pinkie.

“But it isn't,” Twilight said. “We figured out who ate the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness, but we still don't know who devoured the other bakers' goods.”

“You're right, Twilight. You know what we have to do?”

“Well. Yes, I do. Do you?”

“Look for clues.”

After Twilight and Pinkie switched hats again, Pinkie searched around the car looking for clues. It only took Pinkie twenty seconds to confirm that the other bakers were the ones who ate each others’ desserts. The portion of food on their faces proved her point.

Like the girls, the bakers apologized to each other. The train then stopped in front of the Canterlot train station.

“Well, everypony, we finally have the mystery solved,” said Twilight.

“Yes, but now we don't have any desserts to enter into the contest,” Gustave pointed out.

Pinkie knew what to do. Later all the desserts were combined into one big cake. It looked much tastier in person. The judges and Celestia couldn’t agree more.

After Pinkie did her friendship letter, she literally dove into the cake, and I used that term correctly. I guess Celestia wasn’t the only one who liked cake so much.

"You know something, Twilight?" I asked. "Between you and me, I knew it was our friends all along."

"You did?" Twilight asked. "How?"

"It was elementary, my dear Twilight."

"For the record, the detective never said that in the real novels."

Chapter 36 (Baby Cakes Part 1 and Read It and Weep)

I was having tea with Fluttershy. Ever since I confessed my crush to her, we've been interacting with each other more. I still made time for Rarity to help her out, and Fluttershy was right about her taking the friendzoning well. I thought it was going to be a repeat of "Green isn’t your color," but if what Rarity’s friends said was true, then I didn’t have to worry about it.

As we were sipping tea, Rainbow Dash zipped right to us.

"Guys! Guys!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed with a big grin on her face. "Mrs. Cake's in the hospital! You need to come see!"

"Oh, my," Fluttershy gasped. "Is she alright?"

"Of course she's alright! She just went into labor! Pinkie Pie told me to come get the rest of the girls and Spike so we can see the new foal!"

After we finished our cups, Fluttershy and I followed Rainbow Dash to the hospital.

"I can't believe Mrs. Cake is gonna be a mother," Fluttershy said. "I wonder if it's going to be a filly or a colt."

"I'm surprised I didn't know about her pregnancy until much later," I said. "I guess I wasn't paying any attention."

When we arrived at the hospital, one of the nurses escorted us to where the other girls were. They were looking through the window at all of the newborns. Dash, Fluttershy, and I did the same.

Just like in the show, Mr. Cake revealed the new babies: a pegasus colt named Pound Cake, and a unicorn filly named Pumpkin Cake.

"Now how in thunderation is one of them twins a pegasus and the other one a unicorn?" Applejack asked.

"My great-great-great-great grandfather was a unicorn," Mr. Cake replied, "and Cup Cake's great aunt's second cousin twice removed was a pegasus. That makes sense, right?"

"Well, I'm no expert on pony genes, but I guess it checks out," I said.

Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity warned Mr. Cake about how pegasi can fly all over the place and unicorns can get magic surges from time to time.

I knew that a month later, the events of "Baby Cakes" would take place. In the show, Pinkie Pie would babysit the Cake Twins, only to find out how much of a handful they really are. There was nothing I could change for that episode. I didn’t think I could, if Pinkie’s interaction with Twilight proved anything.

As we all left the hospital, I asked, "Hey, Twilight, was I a hoof-full when I was a baby?"

"Well…" Twilight rubbed the back of her head. "All I can say is that fire extinguishers were a lot cheaper than we thought."

A couple of days after the Cake Twins’ birth, Twilight and I were taking a stroll around town. That’s when we saw Rarity and Pinkie Pie looking up at Rainbow Dash. We decided to join them to watch Rainbow Dash perform a few stunts. That’s when I realized this was when “Read It and Weep” took place. In the show, Rainbow Dash would end up liking the Daring Do series after an accident lands her in the hospital. She would then try to break into the hospital and steal the book. I didn’t know what to change here, as it was too late to tell Rainbow Dash to be careful. However, I could try to find a way to get Rainbow Dash to admit she liked Daring Do before she resorted to stealing.

“Isn't she the most daring devil?” Pinkie asked. “I mean, the most devilish darer? I mean—”

“She’s dazzling!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Ooh, yeah, that's a good word. She's dazzling!”

“I just hope she’s careful,” I said. “We don’t want our daring Dash to get in a disastrous despair. Huh, I think I’m getting better at this alliteration.”

Unfortunately, just like in the show, Rainbow Dash lost control and crashed right into the ground. We were all wincing in cringing at the impact she made on the ground.

“Rainbow Dash!” I called out. “Are you okay?!” The silence did nothing to decrease our anxiety.

We quickly ran to where Rainbow fell. She lied there motionless, and one of her wings was mess-up.

“We gotta get her to the hospital!” Twilight declared. “Pinkie! Spike! Get the others! Rarity, help me lift Rainbow!”

Pinkie and I saluted and quickly dashed into town.

“I’ll get Fluttershy, you get Applejack!” I said.

“Okie dokie loki!”

We split up, and I sprinted to Fluttershy’s cottage. Once I was there, I banged on the door.

“Fluttershy! Are you in there?! Open up! It’s an emergency!”

I heard hoofbeats swiftly approaching. I took a step back as Fluttershy swung the door open.

“What’s wrong?!” Fluttershy asked. “Is there an animal in trouble somewhere?!”

“Worse! Rainbow Dash is in the hospital, and it’s not for labor!”

Fluttershy gasped. “Oh, no! We gotta get to her!”

“Exactly! Follow me!”

Fluttershy and I quickly ran to the hospital.

“Do the girls already know?!” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes!” I replied. “Pinkie, Twilight, Rarity and I saw the crash! Pinkie went to get Applejack, and Twilight and Rarity are taking Dash to the hospital.”

“I hope she’s alright!” Fluttershy said.

“I hope so too.”

By the time we got to the hospital, Rarity and Twilight were already there. The absence of Rainbow Dash made me assume they already took her.

“There you guys are,” Twilight said. “Where’s Pinkie and Applejack?”

I was about to open my mouth when I heard the double doors open behind me.

“We’re here!” Pinkie panted. “Sweet Apple Acres was farther from the hospital than it looks.”

“So what’s this talk ‘bout Rainbow Dash gettin’ injured?” Applejack asked as she fanned herself with her hat.

“Nothing good,” Twilight replied. “Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground, her wing got messed-up, and she was unconscious.”

“Oh, I hope it’s not a concussion,” Fluttershy whimpered.

After a few minutes of waiting and comforting each other, the doctor came in.

“Thank you for bringing her in,” the doctor said as he looked at a clipboard. “The only injury she sustained is a broken wing and a few scratches. We’ve placed her in room 12. We’ll take you there now.”

As we followed the doctor to Rainbow’s room, I couldn’t help but notice something unusual about him.

“Excuse me, doctor, but you look familiar,” I said. “Have I seen you before?”

“You’ve probably seen my twin brother, Caramel,” the doctor replied. “Ponies always get us two mixed up.”

By the time we arrived at Room 12, the girls and I were filled with anxiety again. The doctor opened the door, and we rushed to Rainbow Dash’s bed. She had a dazed look on her face, and her right wing was covered with bandages.

“Is she gonna be okay?” Applejack asked.

“Oh, I'm so worried!” Fluttershy said.

“Is her face gonna stay that way?” Pinkie asked.

Then Rainbow Dash slowly opened her eyelids. We were all relieved that she was okay, sans the broken wing of course. The doctor said that she’ll have to stay in the hospital for a few days, much to Dash’s chragin.

“It's not so bad, Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said.

“I bet the chow in here is hoof-lickin' good,” Applejack remarked.

“And the hospital gowns,” Rarity added, “they match the curtains!”

“And look! You have a roommate!” Pinkie rolled back the curtain to reveal a pony covered in a body cast.

“And...I’m sure your hospital bill won’t be that high,” I said. “You’ve got health insurance, right?”

None of our reassurance seemed to help Rainbow Dash feel better about staying in the hospital. That’s when Twilight noticed a book cart rolling by. She quickly grabbed a book and showed it to Rainbow Dash.

“What's this?” Rainbow asked. “’Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone’?”

“This is the first story in the series,” Twilight replied. “I own all of them.” That was true. Daring Do had a lot of books about her. Given how all of them are considered autobiographies, she must’ve had quite a lot of adventures in her life.

“No way!” Rainbow Dash growled. “I so don't read. I'm a world-class athlete. Reading's for eggheads like you, Twilight. Heh, no offense, but I am not reading. It's undeniably, unquestionably, uncool.”

That’s when we all chuckled at the remark.

“Is she serious?” Applejack asked. “Who doesn't like to read a bang-up tale from time to time?”

“Why, a good book is almost as magnificent as silk pajamas on a Sunday morning,” Rarity said.

“Even I take a break from my comic books to read a novel from the library,” I said.

“Reading is for everypony, Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight.

“Yeah! I love reading,” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, “and my head isn't even close to the shape of an egg! It's more the shape of an apple, or maybe an orange, but a big orange! More like a grapefruit really...”

That’s when the nurse came by and told us we had to come back tomorrow to visit Rainbow Dash. We all said goodbye to her as we headed out.

“I think you'd like Daring,” Twilight said to Rainbow Dash. “She's a lot like you. Adventurous, fierce, and undeniably, unquestionably, unstoppable.”

The next day, Twilight and I headed to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie was tapping the counter and staring off into space like something was on her mind.

“Hey, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight greeted. “How are you today?”

“It’s super freaky, isn’t it?” Pinkie asked.

“What do you mean?” Twilight tilted her head.

“Remember that picnic we had where Spike read our hooves? Two small, cute cakes. A pony with a grey mane that looks and acts like Rainbow Dash. His predictions came true! Try a prediction right now, Spike!”

I chuckled. “Okay.” I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. “The next pony to come in will be a...unicorn.”

That’s when the doorbell rang.

“Howdy, ya’ll,” Applejack called out as she opened the door.

“Huh, I guess I was...”

“After you, Rares.”

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity replied as she entered Sugarcube Corner.

“See?!” Pinkie exclaimed. “A unicorn! Spike’s a fortune teller!”

“Oh, Pinkie, it was just a coincidence,” I said. “I only said those things at the picnic to mess around.”

“But you can’t deny that it was freaky. You’ve got psychic powers, Spike. Somehow, you figured out what will occur in the future, and now you’re telling us so we can either avoid a catastrophe or making dumb descisions.”

“Oh come on, Pinkie Pie. Like what Spike said, it’s just a coincidence,” Twilight said. “Besides, you have Pinkie Sense, so why are you surprised?”

“My Pinkie Sense can only predict immediate events, not events that’ll happen in a few days, months, or years. Ow, my shoulder.”

As Pinkie was rubbing her shoulder, a mare’s scream was heard upstairs.

“Pinkie Pie! Your pet alligator is in the tub again!” Mrs. Cake called out. “Get him out so I can bathe the foals!”

Pinkie quickly hurried up the stairs. “Sorry about that!”

“I know this is Pinkie Pie we’re talkin’ about,” Applejack said. “But do ya really think Spike has psychic powers?”

“Of course not,” I denied. “I was just playing with you girls. The Cake Twins being born and Daring Do was just a coincidence.”

“Even so, it is awfully convenient that those two events happened,” Rarity said.

“How about I make another prediction since you girls believe in this stuff?” I asked. “The next game Rainbow Dash will play...she will...win!”

“Ya call that a prediction?” Applejack asked. “Rainbow Dash wouldn’t lose at nothing and accept it with grace.”

“Let’s find out, shall we? Twilight, you should probably check up on Rainbow Dash. While you’re at it, why don’t you bring a board game with you?”

“Well, I have been meaning to do so,” Twilight said as she scratched her chin. “I’ll get Fluttershy to come along with me. She knows what board games Rainbow Dash likes.”

Twilight left Sugarcube corner just as Pinkie Pie was carrying a wet Gummy down the stairs.

“You know you have to share the tub with those two foals from now on,” Pinkie said to Gummy.

Later that afternoon, I was in the library cleaning up. That’s when I heard the front door open.

“Oh, hey Twilight,” I greeted. “So, did my little prediction come true?”

Twilight shook her head. “No, it didn’t. Rainbow Dash somehow lost before she even got a turn. The strangest part was how she was okay with it.”

“Seriously? Rainbow Dash okay with losing? That doesn’t sound like the Rainbow Dash I know.”

I actually did know why Rainbow Dash lost. She was curious about the book and was instantly hooked onto the series, and she didn’t want the girls to know. Honestly, she was just like me when I first came into the Brony fandom.

“It was really weird,” Twilight said. “It couldn’t have been a concussion. The doctor said the only injury she had was her broken wing. She didn’t have any else other than a few scrapes.”

“What if she’s hiding something?” I asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Remember that book you gave to Rainbow Dash? What if she became interested in the book and was trying to hide it from you and the girls?”

“I don’t know, Spike. You saw how reluctant she was to read. If she was really interested, she would’ve told me herself.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

The next day, I decided to browse through some of the books to see if there was anything worth reading. I was going to look for a book about changelings when I saw an old, worn book sitting on the end of one of the shelves. As I slid it out, a big cloud of dust nearly made me sneeze. It was clear that Twilight didn’t bother to read or even touch this book. I brushed off the cover and read the title.

“Anthropology: A study on the mythical Homo Sapiens.”

I widened my eyes. It was a book about human beings. My own former self. The fact that my kind was considered “mythical” in the pony world seemed pretty funny to me considering there were many mythical creatures here in Equestria that didn’t exist in my world.

Not wanting to squander the opportunity, I opened the book and read it.

“Humans, also known as Homo Sapiens, are intelligent primate-like creatures that have appeared in folklore and myths throughout pony history. There have been little to no scientific evidence of such creatures existing in real life, but many ancient stories have implied that they once roamed the Earth.”

Boy, wait until they find out who I was.

I flipped through some of the pages.

“Due to their significant lack of fur, humans have made clothing mandatory to protect themselves from the elements. The materials they’ve used might’ve been similar to the ones ponies of today use, which might indicate that humans once co-existed with ponies thousands of years ago.”

I continued reading the book. I giggled at some of the inaccuracies the book had, and I agreed with some of the details that were accurate.

I can’t believe I’m reading a book about my own kind in a world where my kind doesn’t exist.

“Spike!”

I quickly slammed the book shut. I gave out a yelp as I pulled my thumb out.

“What are you doing?” Twilight asked.

“Complaining how much my thumb smarts!” I said as I sucked on my swollen thumb. “But to be serious, I was reading this old book.”

Twilight took the book from me and groaned. “Oh, no. Don’t tell me you believe in this, too.”

“What do you have against huh-mans, Twilight?” I mispronounced “humans” on purpose to avoid suspicion.

Twilight placed the book back on the shelf. “An old friend of mine minored in Anthropology, and she would talk non-stop about these creatures. It was so annoying. Why anypony would waste their study time to learn about some creatures that don’t even exist is beyond me.”

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to learn a thing or two about them,” I said. “What if we meet one?”

“If we meet one, which I doubt. Just read something else, Spike. There’s no need to learn about human beings.”

Oh, Twilight. Once we get to Canterlot High, you’ll be wishing you knew about humans.

Later that evening, the girls and I sat down to eat at a nearby diner. Rainbow Dash was still in the hospital, so she couldn’t join us.

“So, you three went to visit Rainbow Dash earlier today,” Twilight said to Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack. “How was she?”

“I think the stay at the hospital is gettin’ to poor Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said. “She’s been gettin’ really sweaty. Not to mention when she had dinner, she was eatin’ like a pig. Actually, I think the pigs could’ve eaten with much more grace than that.”

“It’s like she’s a totally different pony!” Pinkie exclaimed. “What if she got some sort of disease from her roommate?”

“Pinkie, the hospital wouldn’t put the injured ponies in the same room as the sick,” Twilight said. “That could result in an infection to the injured.”

“But you can’t deny something’s up,” I said. “Yesterday, you and Fluttershy were playing a game with her, and she lost after one turn and accepted it without any problems.”

“It almost felt like she wanted to lose,” Fluttershy said. “But...why would she do that?”

“I think...I think it was the book.”

The girls gave each other confused looks.

“It must’ve been the book. Rainbow Dash must’ve really liked reading Daring Do, but she was too afraid to admit it. She must’ve purposely lost and ate sloppily to drive you girls out so you wouldn’t know she was reading the book.”

“Why would she do that?” Twilight asked.

“Do you really need to know, egghead?”

“Do not call me that, Spike.”

“If you’re implying that Rainbow Dash is worried about being an...egghead,” Rarity said. “She has nothing to worry about. Like what Twilight said, reading a book is for everypony.”

“Maybe we should see her tomorrow and ask her about it,” Fluttershy said. “We could tell her that there’s no need to be upset over reading.”

The next day, Twilight, Fluttershy, and I headed to the hospital. When the doctor arrived, he told us that Rainbow Dash already checked out.

“Everything was alright for her, so we checked her out an hour ago,” the doctor said. “She does need to keep off that wing for a while, though.”

“Okay, thank you,” Twilight asked. “Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask. Are you sure the broken wing was the only damage she sustained? Because we’ve been visiting her these past few days and she was acting weird.”

“We made a thorough scan of her entire body, and we haven’t found anything wrong besides her wings. There was no sign of a concussion or brain damage, and her previous medical records didn’t indicate any sort of mental disorder.”

“Is it possible for somepony to go insane from staying at the hospital too long?” Rarity asked.

“Of course not. We’ve got nurses comforting the patients, visiting hours, and plenty of ways to keep our patients entertained, like books.”

“Is it possible to check one of the books out?” I asked.

“This isn’t a library, son. All of the books here are hospital property. Anyway, Rainbow Dash has been doing fine, and we discharged her out without any problems. If you girls are worried about her, you should go talk to her.”

“We’ll do just that,” Twilight said. “Thank you.”

We left the hospital.

“Where do ya’ll think she could be?” Applejack asked.

“Let’s check her home!” Pinkie said.

“The doctor said that she wasn’t supposed to fly,” Twilight told Pinkie. “If she needed to go home, she would’ve asked one of us to help her up.”

I looked around the area. There were bushes everywhere. That gave me an idea.

“Say, Twilight, you’ve read ‘Daring Do and the Quest for the Sapphire Stone,’ right?” I asked.

“Of course,” Twilight replied. “Why?”

“Because I wanted your opinion on something. You see, there was this chapter in the book that I really liked. I think it’s the one where Daring’s trapped in a sand chamber? Anyway, I really liked the part where she used—”

“DON’T SPOIL IT!!”

We quickly turned to see Rainbow Dash pop out of a nearby bush. She quickly covered her mouth.

“Uh...I mean...I...uh...” Rainbow Dash groaned. “Alright you got me. I’m an egghead!”

“Pardon?” Rarity asked.

“See, I was trying to get back into the hospital to finish that Daring Do book.”

“I thought you didn’t like the book,” Twilight asked. “I guess you changed your mind after finding out how good it was.”

“Good? Try awesomely amazing. That book is undeniably, unquestionably, un-put-down-able! But then I had to put it down; I was sent home before I could finish it.”

“Well, I'm glad that's all this is about, but you don’t have to hide it from us. We would’ve understood. Reading is for everypony, you know. If you wanted the book so badly, you could’ve just asked me.”

Twilight and I took Rainbow Dash to the library. There, Twilight gave Dash the book she wanted. Like in the show, Rainbow learned that it was okay to express their interests in something, and not to hate something until they try it. I wrote the friendship letter as Rainbow dashed off to read the series.

“At least she didn’t resort to stealing,” I said under my breath.

“What?” Twilight asked.

“Nothing.” I shook my head.

Chapter 56 (Rarity Takes Manehattan)

Twilight and I finished organizing the library when we heard a rapid knock on the door.

“I’m coming!” Twilight called out.

She hurried to open the front door. Rarity appeared looking like she just won the lottery.

“Twilight! Spike!” Rarity exclaimed. “I have wonderful news to share with you!”

“You discovered a new sewing technique?” I asked.

“Oh, I wish, darling, but no. I’ve been invited to participate in Fashion Week in Manehattan!”

“That is good news!” Twilight said. “Do you want us to come with you for support?”

“That would be delightful.”

It was then I realized that this was when the events of “Rarity Takes Manehattan” took place. In the show, somepony named Suri Polomare steals Rarity’s idea after she gives her some fabric to use. This results in Rarity forcing all of her friends to make new dresses in such a short time. It was later she saw how ungenerous she was, so she apologizes and makes up for their troubles.

There was just one problem: I didn’t know how I should change this episode. Since it was an episode where one of the girls would get their key, I couldn’t interfere too much, but I didn’t want Suri to get away scot-free sans losing her cute assistant, Coco Pommel. Suri needed to learn that even in a big city, stealing doesn’t pay off.

Maybe I could try to get Suri in trouble after all the crazy events Rarity goes through. I think I know how.

A couple of days later, I helped Rarity finish off the rest of her dresses. I had to admit they looked rather stylish. It was no wonder Suri played the copycat card. I brung an instant camera with me so I could take some pictures of the dresses.

“And that should do it,” said Rarity. “Thank you so much for helping me out, Spikey-Wikey.”

“It was my pleasure,” I replied as I picked up the camera. “Hey, do you mind if I take a picture of you and your dresses?”

“Not at all, darling.”

Rarity arranged the mannequins and sat in front of them. I positioned myself so that the camera could see all the dresses and the fashionista herself.

“Okay, smile,” I said.

Rarity gave a small grin as I pressed the button. A bright flash and the click of the shudder soon followed. A few seconds later, the photo was printed out. I placed it on a nearby table to let it develop.

“So tell me, Spike,” said Rarity. “How are things with you and Fluttershy?”

“Pretty good,” I replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just curious and wanted to make sure that you’re truly happy with her.”

“You’re not jealous of our relationship, are you?”

“Of course not, Spike. It’s just that...sometimes I see you two together, and it looks like you’re just going out as friends. Very seldomly do I see you two holding hooves or kissing. I’m just worried that you two aren’t hitting it off.”

“We’re taking things slow for now. Fluttershy is a very gentle pony, and we just started this relationship last spring. Kissing and doing so much romantic stuff like in those novels can get too overwhelming for her. We’re not some crazy lovebirds who would rub their interspecies affection in everypony’s faces. We do hold hooves and hug, but that happens rarely so it would be enjoyable for both of us.”

“I suppose that would make sense. Everything is good when done with the appropriate amount of moderation.”

After a while, the photo finished developing. I picked it up and checked to see if it got everything. Sure enough, the photo captured the dresses and Rarity. I also noticed a date at the bottom right corner, which I bet was going to come in handy later on.

“And that should do it,” I said. “At least if something happens to your dresses, you can always show the photo to the judges.”

“I doubt they would judge outfits based on photos alone, darling,” said Rarity.

The day we left for Manehattan arrived in a flash. I helped Rarity with her luggage. With so many bags and suitcases, I wondered if she was bringing the entire Carousel Boutique with her.

“An entire week in the fabulous city of Manehattan!” Rarity exclaimed. “Plus, all of my very best friends there with me!”

“Of course we'd all come along to support you during Fashion Week, Rarity,” said Twilight.

“Not that you'll need it,” said Fluttershy. “We're sure you'll win.”

“I can't begin to tell you how excited I am that you'll all be there with me!” Rarity squealed. “However...perhaps I can show you…”

Rarity opened one of her bags and pulled out seven tickets. They were all for an upcoming show called Hinny of the Hills, which was a famous musical on Bridleway. The girls cheered with delight, since the show had been sold out for months.

We hopped on the train and headed for Manehattan. I stared out the window and watched Ponyville disappearing into the horizon.

“Can you believe it, Spike?” Twilight asked. “We’re finally going to Manehattan!”

“Y-yeah,” I replied. “I can’t wait.”

But the truth was I was feeling pretty neutral about visiting. My father visited New York City once, and he said while his experience wasn’t bad, the people there pretty much keep to themselves most of the time. He said that basically, if you wanted to talk to someone, you’d have to get to the point immediately or else they’ll ignore you and move on. Given how Manehattan is just a ponified New York City, there’s no doubt in my mind that some of the ponies there will behave the same way.

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the station. The grand size of the place and the sheer number of ponies around surprised me. There were practically more ponies here alone than in Ponyville altogether.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering this is a pony version of the Big Apple.

“Come along, ponies and dragon,” Rarity said as she exited the station. “I found us a place to stay only a block from the train station in the very heart of this glorious metropolis.”

The girls and I took in the scenery around us. Despite me carrying Rarity’s bags, I was still able to see the gigantic structures above me. Even the buildings in my old hometown didn’t look so tall, and I lived in an apartment.

“Hey, look!” Applejack pointed to a theater. “That's the theater where Hinny of the Hills is playin'!”

I noticed an extremely long line at the theater’s entrance. It was so long that it stretched to the end of the block and turned at the corner. And the ponies weren’t even social distancing.

“Wow, Rarity! How'd you manage to get us seats for tomorrow night?” Twilight asked.

“Oh, I gave some designs to the costume designer, so he pulled a few strings,” Rarity replied. “That is what makes Manehattan so splendid and amazing. You do something nice for somepony, and then you never know when they'll do something nice for you!”

You’ll never know when they’ll take advantage of your kindness either. Not being pessimistic, just realistic.

“So then you can do something nice for us!” Applejack declared.

“Like get us in to see Hinny of the Hills!” Fluttershy added.

“Which is only the best musical in all of Equestria!” Rainbow Dash concluded.

“It must be good if Rainbow Dash is impressed,” said Applejack. “Normally she doesn't even like musicals.”

“I know. Ponies just bursting into song in random places at the drop of a hat? Who does that?”

“Uh...we do?” I asked.

Rainbow shrugged. “Yeah, but we usually have a build-up to the song, like somepony saying...”

“Oh, I feel a song coming on!” Rarity exclaimed.

“...that.”

Rarity sang “Generosity” as we dropped off our luggage in the hotel and toured the city. We helped out different sorts of ponies with her, such as a bellhop, a taxi driver, and a pony with a grumpy cat as a cutie mark. I was able to hear the background music this time, and I didn’t get my carrot dog stolen from the bird.

Once Rarity finished her song, she observed some of the dresses at a nearby dress shop.

“To think my dresses could soon be displayed on the most glamorous shopping thoroughfare of the most glamorous city in Equestria!” Rarity exclaimed. “Oh, it would be my dream come true!”

Oh, it would and it will.

“Is there anything left to do we can help you with?” asked Twilight.

“Nothing I can think of. The dresses are all completely finished, all made from a fabulous new fabric I've been developing for months. Stretchy, but not clingy. Shimmery, but not showy. There's nothing left for me to do but check in at the runway with my dresses by two this afternoon.”

“Oh, that's funny.” Pinkie pointed at a clock on a skyscraper. “Because that clock over there makes it seem like that's only ten minutes from now!”

Rarity widened her eyes at the fact she was going to be late. It didn’t help that it started to rain. The girls and I tried to find an available taxi, but just like in the show, there was a big line just to get into one. To make matters worse, none of the Manhattan ponies would allow Rarity to cut in, even when Twilight explained her situation.

“You guys do realize that Twilight’s the Princess of Friendship, right?” I asked the crowd.

Before anypony could respond, the taxi driver who we helped during Rarity’s song appeared and offered her a ride.

“Fashion runway plaza in seven minutes,” said Rarity as she hopped in. “Can you make it?”

“Hang on!” shouted the driver.

He then took off carrying Rarity close behind. The girls were relieved, except…

“Wait! The dresses!” I shouted. “We left them at the hotel!”

The girls gasped. We galloped back to the Manefair Hotel. Once we entered the lobby, one of the bellhops recognized us. It happened to be the same one that Rarity helped earlier.

“Oh, hey,” greeted the bellhop. “You’re friends with that white unicorn. Good to see you again.”

“Excuse me, but where did you put the dresses?!” Twilight asked. “My friend needs them for Fashion Week!”

“I was just about to send them up to your room.” The bellhop pointed to a rack that had a bunch of dresses covered in a plastic tarp. “I can bring them to your friend for you. I’m pretty fast, and I know where the plaza is.”

“You’d do that for us?”

“Anything for that nice mare.” The bellhop patted his shirt pocket. The pink gem was just peeking out of the miniscule pouch.

“Oh, thank you!”

The bellhop grabbed the rack and pushed it out of the hotel.

“I was planning on doing that,” said Rainbow Dash. “I’m pretty fast myself. I just needed to know where the plaza was. Oh well.”

“I hope he brings them to her on time,” Fluttershy said. “I can’t imagine Rarity’s reaction if she doesn’t get her dresses.”

Twilight sighed. “For now, let’s head into our hotel room and hope for the best.”

We checked in with the receptionist, and he gave us the keys for our rooms. They were both up on the sixth floor. We took the elevator and went down the hall.

“It was nice of Rarity to get us some rooms here,” said Applejack.

“I agree,” said Twilight. “I just hope you all are okay with sharing beds.”

“As long as I don’t have to share it with anypony who sleeps in uncomfortable pajamas,” said Rainbow Dash.

The girls and I approached our suite doors. Twilight, Fluttershy, and I got the first room, and the rest got the other. Twilight pulled her key out and unlocked the door. The three of us entered our room and instantly admired the luxury around us. The room had a couple of beds, a bathroom, and other normal hotel stuff, but its design looked like something out of a Canterlot magazine.

“Wow, this place is great,” I complimented. “I’m surprised Rarity could afford us a day here let alone a week.”

We unpacked some of our bags and got comfortable. I found a menu in one of the nightstand drawers. I wanted to ring up room service and see what they offered, but one look at the prices made me lose interest completely.

Suddenly, one of the doors in the room knocked loudly. Fluttershy jumped like a cat seeing a cucumber!

“Somepony’s in our closet!” Fluttershy cried, pointing to the door across from the beds.

“The closet’s right here,” said Twilight as she stood near an open door right next to the bathroom.

“Th-then what’s that door?”

The door knocked again. Fluttershy hopped onto one of the beds and hid under the covers.

“Who is it?” Twilight asked.

“It’s me, Applejack,” Applejack’s voice said. “That you, Twilight?”

Twilight hurried to unlock the door. Fluttershy peeked out from under the blankets. Twilight opened the door to reveal the other girls: Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack.

“Wait, I thought we had separate rooms.” Rainbow scratched her head.

“We do,” said Twilight. “They must be one of those interconnected rooms for when there’s more than two ponies.”

“Heh, that’s convenient,” I said.

About a few hours later, Rarity showed up. She explained to us that while she did show up early and got her dresses in time, she was going to be the last pony to show her designs.

“Prim Hemline was a very strict pony,” said Rarity as we left to get something to eat. “She wants everypony to come half an hour early tomorrow for a run-through appointment.”

“Ponies from Manehattan can be pretty stuffy, and I’m speakin’ from experience,” Applejack said.

“Yes, quite. Oh, I forgot to mention. I met an old acquaintance of mine from the Ponyville Knitters League: Suri Polomare. She’s going to participate in Fashion Week as well. I offered here some of my special fabric to use as accents for some of her dresses.”

Shouldn’t have done that Rares.

We left the hotel. It stopped raining a while ago, but the sidewalks were still wet like sponges. It didn’t help that the sun was setting and already disappearing behind the tall skyscrapers.

“Any idea where we should eat?” Twilight asked.

“I’m down for whatever,” said Rainbow Dash.

“Don’t worry. I know just the place,” said Rarity. “There’s a cafe not too far from here.”

I just hope it’s not as expensive as the hotel. I could buy a dozen donuts from Pony Joe with the price of one of the hotel’s branded water bottles.

After a quick meal at one of the cafes, the girls and I returned to our rooms and tucked in for the night.

The next morning, we all helped ourselves to the hotel breakfast buffet. Afterwards, we went to the swimming pool. The sheer size of the pool could rival a royal’s bathtub, and the hot tub was practically bigger than the one at the Ponyville Spa. Rarity, Fluttershy and I relaxed in the giant jacuzzi while the other girls swam in the pool.

“I do wish I could join you girls and Spike as you tour Manehattan once more,” said Rarity. “Alas, I need to prepare myself for Fashion Week.”

“That’s okay,” I said. “We can get you a souvenir when we get the chance. Do you prefer snowglobes or keychains?”

After we dried up and returned to our rooms, Rarity departed for the plaza. The rest of us went out to explore what Manehattan had to offer.

Our first stop was the Manehattan State Building, the tallest building in Manehattan. We all witnessed the view from the top floor. From where we were standing, the entire city looked like a toy model.

“Boy, howdy, we’re pretty high up!” exclaimed Applejack. “I reckon if Cloudsale was nearby, we could hop right onto it from here.”

“How high up are we exactly?” I asked as I looked through a viewfinder.

“About 1,250 feet, or 381 meters,” replied Twilight. “Which isn’t far from the lowest point in Cloudsdale now that I think about it.”

After we examined the entire city from the top, we took the elevator all the way back down. It was a long and slow ride. Not even the elevator music made it interesting. Once we hit the ground floor, we exited the building and continued our tour.

Our next stop was the local museum. The exhibit talked about the founding of Manehattan. Manehattan was the second city to be created in Equestria after Canterlot. Back then, Manehattan started as a giant camping spot for frontier ponies, but later it evolved to a small town, and then grew larger and larger until it became the city we knew today. I’ve noticed how the city experienced certain issues over the years, such as sanitation, homelessness, and economic problems, and what they did to solve them.

I guess even in a world of talking magical ponies, they still face issues that are no different from the human world.

We left the museum and had lunch, which was just a bunch of carrot dogs from a nearby stand. Afterwards, we explored the streets near our hotel. Just like in the show, the girls spotted a nearby salon and applied for an appointment there. Then they noticed the Far-Afield Tavern. We quickly entered to make a reservation.

“I’d like to make a reservation for six ponies and a dragon, please,” Twilight said to the greeter.

“Name and time?” the greeter asked.

“Twilight Sparkle and company at six p.m.”

The greeter jotted that down. “We look forward to seeing you.”

I noticed a bin in front of the greeter’s stand that had a bunch of paper inside. A closer look revealed they were menus.

“Excuse me, but is it okay if I take one of the menus?” I asked.

“Go ahead,” the greeter replied. “We have them for those who want to view our options before they get seated. You’re welcome to keep one.”

“Thank you.”

I grabbed one of the menus and looked through it. The pictures of the food looked very interesting, and the prices were a lot cheaper than the hotel’s food. The girls made the right choice by picking this restaurant to eat.

We spent the rest of the afternoon doing various activities, such as listening to street musicians, browsing stores, buying souvenirs, and even going bowling. I started to see why Mr. Bellic liked the last part so much.

After our fun little adventure, we returned to the hotel to drop off some of our stuff. I put the menu into my backpack.

“Oh, my gosh, what a great afternoon!” Twilight exclaimed. “That was almost too much fun!”

“Better pace yourself, 'cause the rest of the day is jam-packed!” Rainbow adjusted her new “I Heart Manehattan” cap.

Applejack said, “First there's the salon appointment to get our manes done...”

“...then our fancy dinner at the Far-Afield Tavern!” Pinkie added.

“Then after that...” Fluttershy said.

“Hinny of the Hills!” we all shouted in unison.

That’s when Rarity came in looking like she just got mugged. Knowing Suri, she probably was.

“Rarity, what’s wrong?” I asked.

“You got the dresses the bellhop brought you and everything, right?” Pinkie asked.

Rarity slumped on one of the beds and cried her eyes out. As it turns out, Suri stole Rarity’s designs and passed them off as her own. That’s when I remembered I put the photo in my backpack. I wanted to butt in and have Rarity present Prim the photo to prove that she made them first, but that would mean preventing Rarity from getting her “key.” I needed to wait until that happened before changing things.

“Now, Rarity, whatever went wrong, we're all here to help you get through it, no matter what it takes,” said Twilight.

The girls agreed on that.

“Come on, Rarity, buck up!” said Applejack. “All we need is some fabric and you'll be back in business!”

Rarity wiped her tears as she observed the hotel room around her. That’s when she had an idea.

“This new line is going to be marvelous!” Rarity shouted. “Perhaps even better than the last! It's daring, it's bold! Perhaps I still have a chance after all!”

While I admit it was rather convenient for Rarity to pack a spinning wheel and a couple of sewing machines, it didn’t help the fact that she ended up turning one of the hotel rooms into a sweatshop. The girls and I were working our tails off just to help Rarity make her dresses.

“Can’t believe we gave up our salon appointment for this,” Applejack said as she folded some pieces of cloth. “I know we agreed to help her, but this ain’t what I had in mind.”

“I know, but there’s no other choice,” I said. “We can’t let Rarity down after all.”

I looked up at the clock and noticed it was half past five.

“We might have to miss our dinner reservation as well,” I said.

“Don't worry about that!” Rarity yelled. “I’ll order a meal for you girls while you work!”

“No, wait! I have a better idea!” I pulled out the menu from my backpack and grabbed a pen. “Girls, circle what you want, and I’ll run down to the restaurant and order for you.”

Each mare examined the menu, circled their desired meal, and passed it onto the next mare. Once everypony was done, Twilight gave me her coin pouch. I grabbed it and the menu, and I headed out of the hotel.

It didn’t take me long to find the Far-Afield Tavern. I quickly headed inside. The place looked busy, but there wasn’t a big crowd or anything up at front. I approached the greeter and cleared my throat.

“How may I help you?” the greeter asked.

“I'd like to order some meals to go.”

“Whatever for?”

“I was with a group of ponies, and they booked a reservation here. One of them was named Twilight Sparkle.”

The greeter read through the reservation book. “Ah, yes. Miss Sparkle and her six friends are supposed to arrive here tonight.”

“Well, something came up, and we can’t make it. We already wrote down what we wanted.” I pulled out the menu and handed it to the greeter.

He read through the menu.

“Alright. We’ll get to it as soon as possible. Sit tight now.”

I sat patiently at one of the chairs in the waiting booth. About twenty minutes later, a waiter came to the front with a big bag.

“Take out for Miss Sparkle and friends?” the waiter asked.

“That’s me.” I raised my hand.

“The total cost is 105 bits.”

I took out the coin pouch and handed him 121 bits. “Here. Tip is included.”

“Thank you.”

The waiter handed me the food bag. I quickly took it and ran back to the hotel. I hurried up the stairs and back into the room where the girls were.

“Alright, I got your meals!” I announced.

“Thank goodness,” said Twilight.

“You girls better not spill a single crumb on these fabrics or else!” shouted Rarity.

After sacrificing our salon appointment, restaurant reservation, musical showing, and sleep, we completed every single dress by next morning. Rarity snatched all the dresses and galloped out of the room.

“You’re welcome!” Twilight shouted. She then rubbed her eyes.

“I can’t believe we missed everything!” complained Rainbow Dash. “All because somepony plagerized Rarity’s dresses!”

“Why don’t we just take a quick nap?” I asked. “We can go to the plaza and talk to Rarity afterwards.”

The girls agreed. We slipped onto the beds and closed our eyes. By the time we opened them, the sun was high up in the sky.

“Oh, no! How long did we sleep?” Twilight asked. “What time is it now?”

Applejack looked at the clock. “Half past eleven! We’re missing the fashion show!”

As everyone went out of the room, I quickly dashed to my backpack and pulled out the photo of Rarity and her original dresses.

I just need to show Prim this and hopefully give Suri her just desserts.

“Spike! Hurry up!” Twilight called out.

I joined the girls as we hurried out of the hotel. Twilight tipped the staff extra for replacing the stuff Rarity used for her dresses. Ignoring the use of a taxi, we dashed straight for the plaza. Once we got there, we saw Suri and Coco near the entrance.

“Oh, hey, you’re some of Rarity’s friends,” said Suri.

“Is Rarity inside?” Twilight asked. “We’ve come to look for her.”

“We just saw her come in...but I don’t think she’s in a good mood right now. You see, she just lost the fashion show.”

“You’re kidding!” Rainbow said in an exasperated tone.

“I wish I was, okay? The judges thought her dresses looked like they were made out of cheap hotel toiletries, and that was after Rarity left early for some unknown reason. Either way, Prim Hemline was not happy and had to give her a terrible score.” She and Coco then entered the building.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t comfort Rarity!” Applejack declared. “Come on!”

We all entered the lobby to see Rarity at the front desk. She turned around and noticed us.

“There you all are!” Rarity cried. “I can't believe it, I thought you went back home!”

As Rarity apologized to the other girls, I checked to see if Suri and Coco were looking away. After confirming they were, I quickly snuck away and headed backstage.

Different staff ponies were packing up and moving stuff around. I tried to find Prim Hemline. Sure enough, I spotted the dark grey mare chatting with one of the staff ponies.

“I really admired Miss Rarity’s designs,” said Prim. “I recognized the materials from the Manefair Hotel, but the fact she could pull off such clever designs with them astounds me. If only she was here, I could congratulate her for winning the contest. I guess I would have to...”

“Excuse me, Ms. Prim Hemline?” I asked.

“Huh?” Prim turned towards me. “Sorry, child. The Colts and Fillies Fashion Show doesn’t happen today.”

“That’s not why I’m here. I’m friends with one of the contenstants of Fashion Week.” I pulled out my photo. “Take a look.”

Prim took the photo and examined it. “This is Miss Rarity with Suri’s dresses.”

“Nope. Those are Rarity’s dresses. The ones that she was supposed to submit for Fashion Week had it not been for Suri. If you don’t believe me, check when the photo was taken.”

Prim took a closer look and widened her eyes. “This was taken about a week ago!”

“That’s right. Rarity and I were still in Ponyville at that time. She made that fabric all by herself, and she never released it to the general public. So there was no way Suri could’ve designed the same exact dresses with the exact same fabric before Rarity. The latter gave her only part of the fabric to use for accents, not for the entire dresses.”

“I had an intuition something was off when I noticed Suri’s dresses looked like they were made in less than a day, like Miss Rarity's ‘Hotel Chic.’ Thank you for informing me, young one.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you later.”

I allowed Prim to keep the photo and headed back to the front desk. Suddenly, the double doors opened. I quickly dove behind one of the crates as two sets of hoofbeats went past.

“I’m so sorry, Ms. Hemline,” Suri’s voice said. “But Rarity wanted to forfeit the contest. What a shame. Though, given what she used to make her dresses, I wouldn’t blame her.”

“Miss Suri, just when exactly did you make your dresses?” Prim asked.

“Oh, a couple nights back, why?”

“And I would assume the same goes for the fabric?”

“More or less.”

“Well, it just so happens that I received proof that you plagiarized. This photo was taken a week prior, showing Miss Rarity and her dresses made with a fabric that she kept secret. The same exact one used on your most recent line.”

“Now, wait a minute, okay? She gave me the fabric willingly to use for my dresses. Plain and simple.”

“I was informed that she gave it to you for accents only. I don’t know if that’s true, but seeing this photo proves that you’ve copied somepony else’s designs without their permission, and we have zero tolerance policies for that when it comes to fashion shows like these. Don’t blame your assistant for this one, Suri Polomare.”

I wanted to hear more about how it was going to go down, but I was missing a musical. I snuck back out and hurried to find the girls. Luckily I found them just a couple of blocks away. I quickly caught up with them.

“Say, anypony seen Spike?” Rarity asked.

“Right behind you!” I called out. Fluttershy almost jumped.

“Where did you go, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Bathroom,” I lied as I made my way to the front. “And before you asked, I already forgive Rarity for her actions. Given how much stress she was under, I don’t blame her.”

Eventually, we made our way to the theater. Twilight told me that Rarity was willing to make up for her behavior with an exclusive performance of Hinny of the Hills. I was delighted to hear that.

To say Hinny of the Hills was enjoyable would be an understatement. The songs were catchy, the costumes were extravagant, and the story was impressive. The play was about how a mare fell in love with the leader of a thieves guild, much to the other thieves’ dismay. She was later taken by a corrupted general who offered her freedom if she gave away the guild leader, but the mare turned down the offer. Meanwhile, the guild leader disguised himself as a general from another town and tried to infiltrate to save the mare. However, he fell in love with the corrupted general’s daughter, and the mare, witnessing the affair, gave away the leader’s disguise and had him thrown in prison. It was later that she regretted doing so. So she headed to the prison and convinced the warden to release the leader. The leader apologized for his actions, saying that his love for the general’s daughter was nothing but an infatuation, and the mare apologized for betraying him due to her jealousy. The warden released the leader, and the play ended with the leader and mare escaping together. I didn’t know what the whole play was a reference to, but it must have been an old play that happened before I was born.

We all applauded once the curtains fell. Even Rainbow Dash thought the musical was spectacular.

“How did you ever get them to agree to do an extra performance just for us?” Twilight asked Rarity.

“Remember my costume designer friend who got me the tickets? Well, I offered to make all the costumes for his next show!” Rarity replied.

“Um, here in Manehattan?” Fluttershy asked.

Rarity was hesitant with her answer. “Y-yes...it will keep me away from Ponyville for a while.”

The rest of the girls were disappointed, but I knew what was going to happen next. At least, I hoped it would happen unless something changed since I left the plaza.

“But I so wanted you to see this show!” Rarity exclaimed. “And working for this designer is such a great opportunity!”

“We know,” said Applejack. “We're happy for you, Rarity. We're just sad for us.”

That’s when the double doors behind us opened. We turned to see Coco Pommel at the doorway.

“Mind if I join you?” Coco asked.

“Sure. Come on down,” said Rarity.

Coco calmly approached Rarity. She then pulled out a trophy from her saddle bags. Rarity read the label and realized that the trophy was for her.

“But I thought I lost,” said Rarity.

“You didn't. You won. Suri was hoping that if you didn't claim your prize, the judges would consider it a forfeit and first place would go to her. So she lied to make you and your friends go away, and, well, I lied too. I've worked for Suri for so long, I started to believe that it really is everypony for herself in this town. Until I saw how generous you were with your friends and how generous they were with you. It made me start believing there was something better for me out there. So, I...I quit. My job as Suri’s assistant would’ve ended anyway given her current legal problems. I brought you something to say thank you.” Coco pulled out a small gift and handed it to Rarity.

“I suppose you'll need a job now that you're no longer with Suri,” said Rarity. “How would you like to work for my friend making all the costumes for his next show?”

Coco’s face lit up like a light bulb. It was enough to say she agreed.

Later that night, we had dinner at a local pizzeria. The thin-crusted pizza was amazing. Twilight and I would order pizza back in Ponyville, but it was nothing compared to what we ate.

Those mutant turtles picked the right city sewer to live in.

For the rest of the week, we continued exploring the city. Applejack took some time to visit some of her relatives, like her Aunt and Uncle Orange and Babs Seed. Pinkie ate some of the street confections. Rarity taught Coco a few tricks about fashion. Fluttershy chatted with some of the pigeons. Rainbow Dash checked out some of the billboards. Twilight and I looked through a few bookstores.

“Wow, almost every book here is a Manehattan’s best seller,” Twilight commented.

I didn’t know what happened to Suri. Last time I saw her, she was handcuffed by a police officer. Whether she was going to face jail time or not didn’t matter to me. As long as Suri had faced the consequences of stealing other ponies’ designs, I was happy.

By the time we finished our trip, we had a little more luggage than before we came to the city. This was probably because souvenir shops in Manhattan had much cheaper prices than in other cities. We hopped back on the train back to Ponyville.

“Hoo-wee, that was quite the adventure!” Applejack said. “The city sure changed a lot last time I was there.”

“I couldn’t believe how big the buildings were,” said Pinkie Pie. “It makes Ponyville’s town hall look like a tiny garden shed.”

“By the way, Twilight,” Rarity said. “There was something I wanted to ask you about.”

“Go ahead,” replied Twilight.

When I was at the fashion show, and I saw the group of empty seats, for a brief moment I saw a rainbow.”

“Maybe it was a refraction from some of the jewelry?”

“No, not a small rainbow. It was like my entire vision was briefly nothing but a rainbow. As if someone rubbed a rainbow-colored flag across my face. It was then I realized I wasn’t representing my Element of Generosity very well. Do you believe there’s a correlation?”

Twilight scratched her chin. “Not likely. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. That rainbow you saw could’ve been a brief hallucination due to sleep depravity.”

“I don’t know, Twilight,” I said. “Maybe there was something to it. Sure, hallucinations are a common side effect to being tired, but the rest of us didn’t experience any and we were just as tired as Rarity. What if...what if it had something to do with the Tree of Harmony? It could’ve been one of those tests I theorized about.”

“Either way, it was a pretty unusual experience,” said Rarity.

“Tell you what. If you experience seeing a rainbow out of nowhere again, come see me as soon as you can,” said Twilight. “Maybe then we can figure out what’s really going on.”

Later on the train, stopped at Ponyville and we hopped off. Rarity requested our friendship journal so she could write her entry. After she received it, I followed Rarity back to the Carousel Boutique and helped her unpack as she filled out one of the blank pages.

“‘...Nothing feels worse than taking advantage of the giving nature of your friends,’” Rarity concluded. “Alright, I have finished writing down my lesson.”

“Same with me doing all this unpacking,” I said as I brushed myself off. “Say, did you open that present you got from Coco?”

“As a matter of fact, I was just about to do that.” Rarity took out the small present and undid the ribbon. The box unfolded itself to reveal a spool with rainbow thread. “Oh, how quaint. Coco has excellent taste in colors. I know a few ideas that could—”

Suddenly, the spool shined a rainbow color. Rarity jumped back.

“It happened again!” Rarity gasped. “I saw a rainbow vision again!”

“So did I,” I said. “And it wasn’t just the thread. I saw the spool shine as well.”

“Wait, you saw the rainbow, too?”

“Yep. Maybe the spool and thread are really important somehow. You should store them in a safe place. They might come in handy later on.”

“I suppose so. I have never seen a spool do that before. Had it been the thread only, I would’ve assumed it was made of something metallic.” Rarity put the spool in a glass case and placed it on the touch shelf. She then placed a “Do not touch” note in front of it. “I would have to inform Sweetie Belle about this. If it’s so important like you say, I don’t want anything to happen to it. Thank you for your help, darling.”

“Don’t mention it.” I quickly picked up the journal.

As I left the boutique, I felt a little proud of my actions in Manehattan. Even though most of the events of the episode happened the same way, I was able to get Suri in legal trouble. Not only that, I actually enjoyed visiting Manehattan. Perhaps it was because I could experience it with all my friends. I hoped we could return there someday.

If I can make it there, I'll make it practically anywhere. It's up to you, Manehattan, Manehattan!