Spike laid on his back as he thought of what to do. It had been a week since Emerald Flare met the Princess and while he was properly motivated to write, Spike the Dragon found himself more conflicted with each passing day. To the point that it was affecting his assistant work and Twilight became afraid she was overworking him so she gave him a day off. His heart was making it so all he wanted to do was run to Canterlot and hug his mother, to spend a whole day with her but he also wanted this to be special. She deserved that for all she had done for him.

This deep thinking prompted his stomach to wail and he sighed glaring at the loud perpetrator. “Can’t you see I’m busy?” His stomach continued crying and Spike sighed, deciding that he couldn’t think on an empty stomach. He got up and headed down the stairs towards the kitchen when he saw a light show coming from that direction.

“Hmm, they must be sparring again… Now I could try going around, or going through that mess and risk getting hit by magic, or go to Sugarcube Corner…” A moment later, Spike was outside and stretching as he smiled at the clear day that the Pegasi had made. He waved at Lyra and Bon Bon, jumped out of the way as the Crusaders rocketed past him, and gave a few bits to Dinky who was looking for a gift for her mother, before finally arriving at Sugarcube Corner. The tiny bell signaled his entrance and his vision was immediately swallowed by the color pink.

“Hiya Pinkie.” Spike’s muffled voice caused her to giggle as she let him go and smiled.

“Spike! You haven’t been outside that castle for days! I was afraid that you were getting tired of sweets! Then again what kind of person could ever get tired of the perfection that is the cake! Or maybe a good pie or cookie! How’s your cooking been?”

“Come on, no way could I ever get enough sweets! I’ve just been pretty busy and distracted… I’ve only really been cooking for Starlight and Twilight lately, not really practicing.” Pinkie frowned, sensing that Spike may need a talk, and plopped the oversized dragon on her back as she struggled and crawled, heading for the kitchen. “Uhh, Pinkie? I can walk.”

“N-No! T-this will be just like the old days!"

"But-"

"JUST LIKE THE OLD DAYS! B-besides you seem like a dragon who needs a friend to talk to. We can talk while I bake the sweets for the day.” Spike nodded as they very slowly entered the kitchen and saw some scattered trays of treats, but not as much as usual. He got off and allowed Pinkie to breathe again as he leaned on the counter.

“Where are the Cakes?”

“Oh, Pumpkin got sick and they wanted to get her and Pound checked up. I told them it was just a cold but you know how parents can be.” Spike’s mood diminished a bit at the mention of parents but he thought back to the first time that he had gotten fire sores, a sickness many young dragons get, it was the first time he could remember where he was able to spend the whole day with Celestia. She had no crown, no shoes, no necklace, and she even allowed her mane to turn pink. She let herself be normal for him.

Spike was pulled out of his memory when he felt a warm hoof on his cheek.

“P-Pinkie…” She didn’t say anything and only gently smiled at him. He had been crying. He raised his arms to wipe away the wetness, but Pinkie’s kind stare made him hug her and cry. He felt safe in her hooves like he would in Twilight’s or Celestia’s. After a few minutes, he pulled back and apologized for getting her chest wet.

“Oh, it’s okay Spikey, we all sometimes need to get it out. Tell you what, help me out with the orders and then we can talk about family.” He stared at her in shock, surprised that she had figured him out but he supposed he shouldn’t be surprised. Pinkie was smarter than most credited her to be. He agreed and the two went to work, making sweets as a team. He never realized just how much fun it was to cook with another and how messy.

As the pile of cookies, buns, and cakes grew so did the amount of flour he found on his scales and on Pinkie’s fur. Baking was the same as a mess only the good kind he thought, an edible mess that makes ponies happy.

His eyes were also caught by Pinkie who was quiet and thoughtful with her movements but her eyes and outstretched tongue revealed her thoughts. She was in her own world when she was baking a cake, you could see her building new kinds of ways to make ponies smile in her imagination as she whisked and measured everything perfectly. It was as if she was the definition of organized freedom, wild yet orderly, unpredictable but expected, that was Pinkie Pie.

They finally finished as there were enough sweets that even Celestia would need help eating them all. He sighed in contentment, the usual feeling that washed over him whenever he did something useful.

“Thanks, Spike! Always nice to have the help of a fellow baker! Oh, I nearly forgot! Did you see that the Annual Canterlot Cook-Off will be in a month? Applejack and I already joined! I’m representing the Cakes, plus Bon Bon and Twist are planning to go too! You should come, Spike! We’d be a powerhouse shoo-in for gold!”

“The Annual Cook-Off? I don’t know Pinkie, I take plenty of pride in my work but that’s... well it’s for the best of the best. I don’t really know if I have what it takes.”

“You make food for princesses! You were trained since you were little to be the best little dragon assistant ever. I know you could do it to it! I heard Celestia will be the main judge again this year, it would be a good chance to show her how much you’ve grown.” Spike thought about that, she wasn’t wrong. This could be his chance to show her and Equestria as a whole his improvement as a cook, something he enjoyed doing.

“I’ll think about it Pinkie, thanks.” She nodded and sipped at a milkshake. “Hey Pinkie… do you ever miss your family?” The party pony smiled gently and put her shake down.

“Every moment of every day.” Spike blinked in shock, he wondered if she was lying but the look in her eyes showed one of a girl who wanted to go home.

“But then… How do you deal with that? How do you ignore those feelings?”

“You don’t or you shouldn’t. I love my family, and I always have. As rough or old-fashion as they can be, they have always supported and encouraged me and my dreams even if they led me down a path that a pie never taken before. They never failed to let me know that if I ever felt the need, I would have a home back at the farm.”

“I see… I mean I feel that. I know my mother always cared for me and that I could go home but… I barely visit and I… feel like a bad son.” Spike looked down and then felt a hoof on his shoulder.

“Spike, the princess gave you a job. A duty to stay with Twilight and be there for her. I know we all may have used you for our own means and maybe we should thank you more often for everything you do, but you’ve always seen a job to its end. You’ve done exactly what she has asked of you and this guilt you seem to be holding on to, would a bad son even feel it? Would a bad son even care?”

“Maybe not…”

“Definitely not. You are anything but a bad drake Spike.” Spike looked down at his hands and smiled a bit. She was right, he wasn’t bad for leaving. For forgetting, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t go back home.

“Thanks, Pinkie, you’ve really helped me but I need a favor.” Pinkie giggled and smirked.

“I’ll get my party cannon.”

. . .

Celestia sighed as she walked towards her gardens, another long day of princessing nearly done. She already put the sun to its sunset position and walked out of the castle to see the gardens fully decorated with cakes, streamers, ornaments hanging from the trees, torches with green fire… wait green fire?

“Hey, mom…” Celestia turned her head to see Spike smiling there.

“Spike… you did this?”

“Well, I had some help.” He pointed to a tree nearby where Pinkie was very obviously watching them with binoculars. Celestia giggled a bit and looked back at Spike.

“Of course, I don’t mind a good party but why?” Spike looked down at his feet while grabbing his tail, resembling his younger self. Celestia’s smile vanished when she saw the tears falling down his cheeks. “Spike…”

“I-I… I missed you!” He ran to her and she allowed her crown to fall to the grass as she caught the dragon and held him to her chest. She had forgotten how much he had grown as she held him but she had flashes of holding him like this so long ago. Had she truly allowed so much time to pass? It seems they had both missed this feeling. They held each other for what felt like hours, hugging out the familiar love and all the unsaid emotions they locked away for the sake of their duties.

“Sister! What is the meaning of this? The sun remains in the sky and I- Oh…” Luna walked out, but all of her annoyance disappeared seeing the two sobbing and hugging. She looked away and rubbed her leg with a hoof. “I can lower the sun for you. You seem to be busy…” She took a step back but hit something and turned to see an angry Pinkie. “What is the meaning-” Pinkie pointed behind her and Luna turned to see Spike and Celestia holding out for her.

“Aunt Luna… you’re part of this family too. Tonight… we can forget princesses, duties, all of it. We can be a normal family.” Luna blinked as she stared at the spot. Celestia gave her a smile.

“Join us Loony.”

“Heh… shut up, Tia.” She ran over and hugged her sister and nephew as they lowered the sun and let the moon rise, beginning a perfect night for a small broken family. Two crowns lay on the grass forgotten and uncared for the first time in so long.

Author's Note

This has been my most popular story so I apologize for not updating! The world has been quite crappy but soon I'll be back to a regular ish schedule thanks for all the support though.