I didn’t expect this. Maybe I should have when I sent the original draft to Cadence and she liked it so much that she offered to help me get it published into a real story. I think she said that the story would raise the love levels across Equestria but I’m not sure if it’s the kind of love that she wants in the Crystal Heart. I was nervous about not only putting my writing out there for ponies to read but even more so getting caught as the author of… that kind of writing. Mom and Twilight would have my scales before I could react. Let me tell you, being the assistant of a princess and the son of another isn’t all fun and adventure. When I get in trouble nothing can save me.

Cadence happened to agree that they tend to overreact when it comes to matters about me so she decided that I should make a pen name and she would spread the rumor that I was a crystal pony. I agreed if only because Cadence was like a cousin to me and she was like the one who saw me as some kind of hero, I mean she made me a statue! I owed her for that so I finished the story in the dead of night when I was sure that Twi was asleep. A few months later and the first of my books, The Neverending Flame, was released with a seal of quality from Cadence herself.

That ensured a million sales right there but then a month later the bombshell came when the book was given the Celestia seal of quality. Cadence told me in a letter that she had asked mom to read it and seeing it was a request from her niece she agreed. That made my book a bestseller and even ponies in a small town like Ponyville began to talk about it. Newspapers asked who the mysterious author was and why they hadn’t revealed themselves even with the book’s success. All I could do was smile and chuckle as ponies everywhere questioned the identity of Emerald Flare.

“Spike! Come on, we’re gonna be late!” A voice echoed through the castle and Spike sighed as he set down his quill and hid his journal in a small hole he had made into the crystal wall. He put a power ponies poster over it and ran downstairs where Starlight Glimmer and Twilight were waiting patiently. Well, Starlight was waiting patiently, and Twilight was trotting in place. “Sheesh, you sure took your time. I thought you got lost for a second there.”

“Sorry Twi, I was just waking up. Come on, it’s not like I’m Starlight or something~.” Spike laughed before a bag appeared above him, crushing him under it for a moment. “Touche…” Starlight flashed a completely innocent smile, one that screamed danger.

“I don’t know what you mean Spike, I was just getting your bags for you.” Before the two could argue, Twilight pulled them by their ears with her magic.

“Come on you two, the girls are waiting for us.” The three walked into Ponyville casually talking about this and that. Starlight tells of the time she took Sunburst and Trixie to the club and how bad it turned out. Twilight was excitedly telling the two about the last letter she got from Tempest who decided to become a royal guard for Princess Cadence. Spike was about to tell them of the events on the last guy's night when he bumped into Rarity. She was last in a very long line that stemmed from the bookstore, mostly comprised of the mares of Ponyville.

“O-oops sorry Rarity, I didn’t see you there.”

“Ahh no worries darling, I’m actually glad to see you three finally here. It’s been dreadfully dull standing here alone.”

“Where are the other girls?” Twilight asked while Rarity pointed at several places in the line.

“Pinkie was fifth in line surprisingly, Cheerilee being first. Fluttershy is somewhere towards the front with Rainbow behind her even if she was complaining about reading a lovey-dovey type of book. Applejack is actually selling apples and sweets to the ponies waiting in line, seems like she is getting good business.”

“No offense Rarity but Twilight went on and on about the kind of book this is and it seems like something you would really enjoy, why are you in the back of the line?” Starlight asked curiously.

“Well I was busy actually making a dress for a client from Canterlot, they wanted one based on a character from this book but since I didn’t have it they had to describe it to me through letters. That took a rather long and annoying amount of time, I had just sent it off when I received another request for the same kind of dress so I came to get the book myself. I must say that I’m quite excited, I’ve heard some very good things about it though and it seems to be what all the nobles in Canterlot are talking about at the moment.”

“Good things!? This book has the Celestia seal of quality! All books that have that are great! I would know I have read every single one after all.”

“She’s right, every time that a new book with the Celestia seal came out Twilight was the first to get it. Even if we didn’t have the space for it yet.” Spike said remembering when the two lived back in Canterlot that they had to remove pictures and posters just to make more room for the books and even then there were piles everywhere since they were always buying more.

“W-well Spike things are different now! I have a whole castle to fill with knowledge of Equestria! This is for the good of ponykind, after all, I plan to make my castle the new Ponyville Library.”

“Yeah, because the books we checked out never came back to bite us huh?” Twilight glared at the dragon who began to count off all the times that books were at the center of an accident.

“Hiya girls!” The group was then interrupted by Pinkie hopping towards them with several books on her back. “I just managed to get several new party and cookbooks, the personal info of several new ponies who are moving to Ponyville, and a new copy of The Neverending Flame!”

“Personal info?” Starlight and Spike questioned but were pushed aside by Twilight and Rarity.

“Let us see it!” Pinkie happily showed them the book which was decently thick with two seals on the cover, one from Celestia and the other from Cadence. The cover showed two ponies facing away from each other, one was a pegasus stallion with a dark purple coat and a blue mane and the other was a yellow earth pony with a sky blue mane. Between the two was a flame that had evil green eyes and red pupils looking through it. The silhouette of the two ponies was dancing near the bottom of the cover.

Spike had to admit that the art was very nicely made even down to the eyes of the villain, the eyes that had been inspired by Sombra. The girls agreed to read the first few pages together before sending Spike ahead to read his comics in the store, saying that the book was too mature for him. He grumbled as he walked away, too mature for him? He had written the thing! Of course, there were a few moments where he had written some more rather steamy parts b-but only where they made sense!

He heard whispers here and there of the mares waiting, excitedly telling each other of the parts they had heard about and of the rumors surrounding the author. He smirked a bit to himself before entering the store and heading for the comics. A full hour of epic battles and fun cheesy one-liners later. he yawned and got off his bean bag chair seeing Twilight, Starlight, and Rarity were just getting their books. Applejack walked in after them, saddlebags full of bits before she got a book herself, smiling as she didn’t have to wait in line.

As the group of friends exited the store, Spike stretched and turned to them. “So should we get something to eat?” All the girls seemed to be absorbed in their books and Spike frowned. “Hello? Food?” At no answer, he pretended to dramatically fall. “Ahhh the pain! My tail is broken!” They all walked by him and he blinked grumbling again after them. The group entered the castle and decided to sit around in one of the castle lounges. Spike started a fire in the fireplace before he turned to them. “So you all want snacks?” He was shooed from the room with only Applejack, Rainbow, and Starlight answering with yes.

“Sheesh if I knew the books would do things like this then I may have never made the thing.” He muttered to himself as he walked to the kitchen to start making some of his famous (at least to him and Celestia) nachos when he coughed up a letter. Instead of the normal horseshoe seal of Celestia, it was a blue crystal heart and a pink background. “Cadence.” He quickly opened the letter and began to read as he prepared the cheese.

To Spike, The Brave and Glorious

Come on you know whenever I write I have to add that title, the crystal ponies love it! Anyway, I wanted to see how the life of a secret popular author was treating you, regretting not putting your name on it now? If I’m honest, Auntie had me exposed to the limelight slowly so I’m glad that you weren’t trying to take it all as others do. Anyway it seems like we may have a bit of a slight problem…

“Of course we do, we can never have things just go smoothly… I swear it’s like we’re all bad luck or something. I blame Discord.”

“Maybe you should~” Spike lifted the talking spoon out of the cheese and nonchalantly tossed it into the sink where he turned on the water on it. “PFFFFFTHHMMMFF”

“You should know better than to try and mess with my special nachos.” Discord appeared in front of Spike, drenched and spitting water from his mouth.

“Well that was rude and here I was trying to be nice.” Spike raised an eye ridge in a very Applejack-like fashion.

“What’s the catch?”

“I’m hurt, we’ve fought across the world as Captain Wuss and Garbunkle and I still haven’t earned your trust?”

“Captain Wuss has but Discord? Hmmm.” Spike pretended to think about it before he smiled at him. “So what did you come for?”

“I only figured that I should warn you before you start down your path that it will be hard but I believe it will end well.”

“I guess that’s all you’re willing to say?”

“There are some rules even I can’t break like seeing the future. Oh and don’t touch Fluttershy. Now I have to go play a prank on Tia, see ya Friday!” Spike nodded as Discord vanished and he returned to the letter.

It seems that the book commission is unwilling to give me the money for the sales of the book unless the author makes a public point about it. You will need to attend a public appearance as Emerald Flare, but don’t worry! I’ve been looking up new magic to change your appearance if only for an hour or two. I will set up a small book festival here at the Empire and there you can make your debut and state your plans for the money. I’ll explain more when you arrive, I’m gonna send you, Starlight, and Twilight a royal invite since she loves books and so they don’t get suspicious.

Remember Spike, if you plan to keep this a secret, then you’ll have to be careful. Twilight and Auntie are not fools and they’ll notice if we mess up anywhere. Anyway, answer this when you three receive your invites.

Love Cadence, Shining, and Flurry!

Spike smiled before he hid the letter in his secret gem cabinet and finished making the nachos before walking back to the lounge. As he neared the door he could hear the girls talking inside.

“I think I can actually relate to this Ivory Frost a bit, being turned into an alicorn isn’t easy but at least I wasn’t turned against my will or lost my memories,” Twilight said to her friends, being the farthest one through the book.

“I like the action, starting off with a real fight is pretty awesome. Ivo and Wild Dare gave that robot a beatdown, plus it was funny too. Sure sounds like he wasn’t a pegasus before, he flies like you do egghead!” Rainbow laughed while Twilight glared at her.

“Ah like the mare that comes to help em out. She’s pretty strong and she bucks like an Apple.”

“Oh you mean Violet Impact, yeah she’s cool and packs a sweet punch and kick!” Pinkie shouted while jumping and doing some of her own.

“She’s a bit brutish for my tastes. I like the mare Ivory finds when he falls to the lower part of Maregar. Moon Lily is a sweetheart and designs her own fashion.”

“Big shocker you’d like her…”

“I like her too, she's a bit shy but helps someone even if she doesn’t know them…”

“She sounds a bit like you Fluttershy.”

“Y-you think so Starlight?” Spike chuckled silently to himself, he had based his characters on the girls and himself. He entered the room and smiled.

“Hiya girls! Here are some nachos! I hope you enjoy them!”

“Thanks, Spike. You can have the rest of the day off so try and have some fun, but not too much fun!”

“Whatever you say Twi.” He left and hoped that everything would turn out fine when he went to that book festival as Emerald Flare. Looking at his hands he wondered for a moment what he’d look like as a crystal pony.

Author's Note

This is short and more so just was the basis for this story. I decided this would be my first try at a harem type story but I found it would be funny if Spike was fighting for the girls with himself. Tomorrow I have another new story and then either the sequel I teased or the next chapter of the Dragon Alchemist.