//-------------------------------------------------------// Another Spike isekai -by Claude- //-------------------------------------------------------// //-------------------------------------------------------// Monologue //-------------------------------------------------------// Monologue "Stop me if you've heard this before. A character, Charly, has died, causing a great commotion in the census. A deity or something similar grants him another chance that he didn't seize to make friends. However, the deceased heartthrob Charly doesn't want this, so he does the most logical thing in this situation. Twilight Sparkle was always a loyal student from a young age, never disappointing her teacher or doing anything to upset her. That includes never mentioning the old love letters she found in the princess's trunk. But putting aside her intelligence and self-control, she now rushes home to warn about the arrival of NIGHTMARE MOON (curiously, her name doesn't appear in the census). Meanwhile, Charly gently awakens and softly asks upon seeing his claws, 'Wow, have I transformed into another creature?' This happened in his mind; he was reasonably paralyzed. His once beautiful calloused and sore hands from working as a virtual reality mason had wasted away, now replaced by sharp but somewhat chubby claws. His sculpted face with acne marks was a bland reptilian face with snake eyes. After the initial shock, Charly did the most sensible thing: to see his new member. 'Upon concentrating and seeing it grow,' Charly exclaimed, 'DAMN, I have two penises!' That makes up for everything. And now, Charly, with a smile, embraced his new life "The joy of the moment was short-lived, disrupted by the homeowner, the landowner, and her brooms. Twilight entered, calling for Spike, who decided to hide behind the door from the intruder. "Spike!" Twilight shrieked upon seeing her paralyzed servant, possibly caught being lazy. Spike merely sought to obey Twilight's orders, realizing that the smallest bed was his. Automatically, like moving an involuntary muscle, he did everything asked of him – fetching books, even falling off shelves, vomiting mail, and climbing onto a carriage powered by two horses. But any fear or respect he might have had for the self-proclaimed unicorn Twilight vanished after enduring three hours of her crying and complaints. "Look, Twilight, maybe you should listen to that princess; making friends isn't so bad. Being sent to the edge of the country overnight, now that's bad. And you don't complain about that. You might even make a friend," Spike mentioned with a timid smile, hoping to silence her. Sadly, it only provoked her. "But Spike, I don't understand why the princess would take such a serious situation lightly; it's not like her." Within seconds of the royal guard pegasi landing, they dashed away from Twilight. Before she could comment on this oddity, she was surprised by a pink pony who gasped at the sight of someone from the city. "Remember when I said you could be friends with someone?" Spike queried a bewildered Twilight. "Well, everyone except her." And so, Spike faced his first evening in his new reality." "The first item on the list is to check the food for the festival. Hey, but I don't understand why they send you to do this if you're just a student. Aren't there others qualified for this?" Upon arrival, we were besieged by Applejack and what I think was her partner, Big Mac. I was actually more concerned about the apparent injury Applejack caused to Twilight. Poor thing, should I believe she was a tax collector? Anyone could be mistaken due to her city accent. "Hey, Twi, have you heard about moderation?" Twilight seemed to just continue with the list automatically, ignoring clear derogatory comments about her weight and diet, as we were having amusing situations with a Pegasus of questionable sexuality. Must have had a conflicted childhood. We entered the only place bold enough to have a color different from brown and white: a boutique managed by another unicorn. The difference lies in their makeup. Apparently, no one seems to notice that they all have the same face but with varying colors. Now Twilight is being rude to Rarity. "Hey, Twi, just accept the girl's spaghetti. I think you can still eat a bit more," I said with a disappointed look and a craving for spaghetti. "Spike, what are you talking about? We're talking about decorations," Twilight mentioned before being interrupted by Rarity. "Oh, darling, do you owe me a story about Canterlot, the glamour about...?" Oh great, I'll just ignore this until the next scene! "Spike, hey Spike. Are you okay? You've been lost in thought for half an hour. You didn't react when they put you in that outfit. All day you've just been quiet and still like a statue. Tell me if you're feeling unwell, okay?" "Whatever you say, Twi. Hey, isn't that the next thing on the list?" The next part of the preparations involved checking if the festival music was suitable. A shy and reserved butter-colored pony conducted birds like an orchestra. However, even when Twilight tried to start a conversation with the girl, she only managed to make the conversation more uncomfortable, ending up in silence. As we were leaving, Fluttershy let out a cute scream upon seeing me and started babbling about how cool and manly us dragons are. It's always the shy ones. "So, what do you want me to say?" I asked the sick armadillo-colored pony, enchanted by her pony-colored eyes. "I want to know everything," she responded with a soft sigh that betrayed her true intentions. I decided to comply with her request but without delving into adult topics out of respect for Twilight. "Well, it all started when I was a small and tender egg, living happily where dragons live. Until the evil Princess Celestia kidnapped me. Yes, she used her magic to snatch me and keep me as a trophy in her castle. Until one day, this pony..." I emphasized my point by tapping Twilight's rear end with my chubby paw, "...used me to pass her entrance exam at the Princess's School of Magic and Combat. Celestia was so impressed that a filly could hatch a dragon from its shell that she gifted her a palace, a pufferfish, and a personal servant – that would be me, a servant for all eternity, or for as long as ponies live." As I finished my story based on my vague new memories, Fluttershy had vanished, and I was alone in a dark room. "Spike, how could you tell such a terrible and false story!?" But my sweet Twi's scolding had to wait given the new circumstances. A group of ponies led by the pink pony (now Pinkie) decided to crash into our residence to give us a welcome that only Twilight would hear, probably threats and rules about the town. I decided to immerse myself in the atmosphere and might end up kissing a girl in the dark part of the treehouse. After three hours of a wild party that was essentially an embellished twelve-year-old's celebration, I discovered a sad reality. For the ponies, I was a cute nine-year-old, chubby and spoiled. There would be no kisses under the table, and worse yet, nobody cared that I was a dragon. I was the biggest beast in this world but in miniature form, and the only one who seemed to care was the loser Pegasus, Fluttershy. "Oh no, that story you told me was awful, Spike. I thought the princess was sweet and kind." Tears streamed from Fluttershy's lovely eyes, and a growing fear about her ruler only intensified. I decided to confirm it. "Yes, but that's not the worst thing the princess has done. Once, she took away birthday cake from all the orphaned children in Equestria." I got up to find Twilight, leaving the now non-believer in her system of government, Fluttershy. Maybe she could dance with her. I remember she likes that a lot. "Hey, Twilight, do you know how lame it is to throw a party at your house and then not show up? Besides, it's almost time for the festival and everything." "Oh no, she's becoming rude again, I'm going to ignore her while she talks about how terrible it is to behave in society. "Hey Twilight, we're here already and I only had to endure you for an afternoon." "I was worried about you until you called me rude." "Did I say that out loud?" "Everyone, praise Princess Celestia!" shouted the mayor as she looked at Twilight. "Hey, don't you find it curious that the princess made her most important festival in a small, remote town in the middle of nowhere? And that she sent you instead of one of her own ponies?" The curtain revealed a black pony laughing and acting like me after my parents' divorce. Nightmare Moon caused panic in the entire place. Twilight dragged me to the treehouse. I distanced myself from her problems, leaving her alone in the library. Before leaving, I heard Twilight's new friends entering the place to confront her. I entered the forest; it should be safe if it's close to the town and there's no sign of danger. I only remembered eating gems and cakes, but with these fangs, I could probably eat some small animals. Maybe that way, the locals would respect me, and I'd get kisses in the closet. I must have changed for less than an hour until I was captured by Nightmare Moon, the pony. "You were the friend of that lavender pony, but it seems she left you to your fate. But now you'll be my dragon slave. If you obey me, I'll grant you the privilege of being my main pet," Nightmare Moon held me with her magic, putting me in a dilemma. Being demoted from a pet to a slave would be a big step back in my career, but I'd work for a better company, maybe even get medical insurance." Alright," I replied, "but I'll have to give my resignation to my old employer, you know, for a reference." Nightmare Moon ignored me and teleported me to the ruins of a castle just in time for 'that' conversation with Twilight. Instead, Twilight tried to confront Nightmare Moon; I must be a great employee to her. I cried with happiness as my boss called her followers to beat Nightmare Moon with lasers, who didn't want to discuss my employment benefits. "Spike, I'm glad you're okay. How did Nightmare Moon catch you?" "That doesn't matter, Twilight. I just want you to know that I'll never consider another job offer." But evil Celestia killed the joy and silenced happiness with her majestic entrance. She threatened the now defeated Nightmare Moon to never rebel against her again, making her cry. Now Twilight had a crown and would be a new resident of Ponyville. And Fluttershy would be in a vegetative state after seeing the princess. Poor thing, she's the only one who knows 'the truth.' Meanwhile, I can only watch as Twilight decides our new residence and accepts that her teacher sent her on a suicide mission to retrieve her sister, whom she banished because she was bored. I guess life is amazing. //-------------------------------------------------------// "Touch and I'm gone." //-------------------------------------------------------// "Touch and I'm gone." "So, Twilight, you working, I don't believe it. Early in the morning, Twilight woke up Spike with the excuse of preparing his breakfast. They had plans to help Applejack with her work on the farm, and apparently, Twilight was forbidden from going within ten meters of the kitchen. This left Spike confused; memories of him and Twilight filled his mind while memories of his past life faded away. The few memories he retained intact were clearly different, seeing his old friends as pony versions of themselves. Although he knew what a human was, his mind was capable of recreating the idea. Breakfast was light, and Spike's movements in the kitchen were mechanical, making hay oatmeal and heating bread brought from Canterlot. For him, a gem with ketchup. Twilight left excitedly, mentioning how important it was for her studies to interact with her new friends. At that moment, Spike understood her motivations: Twilight sought to earn friendship points to write about it to the Princess. He knew they had left the village when the atmosphere changed completely; Twilight was late and went straight to the apple fields. Applejack had a brief exchange of words with Twilight; she didn't notice, but Applejack was visibly upset by her lateness. They kicked trees and filled baskets. Spike just stayed thinking and analyzing his memories with Twilight. Applejack and Twilight talked about mare things. Twilight talked most of the time about the wonders of taxes and the tax advantages that family businesses have. Their emotional chat was interrupted when Spike vomited a letter with two tickets to the Gala Gallop. "The Gala Gallop is the most exclusive and important event in Equestria," Applejack mentioned with her characteristic accent, pointing at the ticket. Princess Celestia had invited Twilight plus one person to the event, and since Applejack was a visionary, she wanted to set up a food stand to raise funds for her grandmother's surgery. Apparently, the profits generated by the farm were not enough for surgery for a priority patient, even though this farm supplied three villages besides Ponyville! Rainbow Dash (the most epic pony) appeared on the scene asking for the second ticket, her dream was to meet the Wonderbolts and hassle them a bit, a dream more possible than Applejack's. The discussion between the two ponies ended with both of them facing off in a fight for the ticket. Spike, who was still on top of Twilight watching the show, kicked Twilight in the side with his hooves, making her whinny and run. Twilight went out for a run when Spike hit her, dropping the tickets just a few seconds after they had entered the town. Twilight angrily pulled Spike off of her, furious at being used as a mount. "Come on, Twi, it's not that big a deal. We had to leave, and you froze; I had to get you out of there," Spike mentioned as he brushed the dirt off his scales. "Besides, you're a pony; you should be used to that." Spike finished with a mocking smile directed at Twilight, who gave him a terrifyingly serious look. "You know you shouldn't make those kinds of comments, Spike. You know very well that those kinds of comments are harmful." "Aw, Twi, I was just kidding," Spike tried to lighten the awkward moment, but Twilight interrupted him again. "Kidding? Spike, what's gotten into you?" Before he could continue, Fluttershy appeared between them with the tickets in her mouth. Fluttershy completely ignored the argument they were having and began to discourse about the animals in Canterlot's garden, fantasizing about the unconditional love of all animals. Spike decided to thwart her dreams by mentioning that the garden was private and that if she entered, she would go to the dungeon. Poor Fluttershy believed his lies again and became paralyzed with fear, thinking she had committed a crime in her head. Twilight tried to continue her discourse about the historic racism that ponies have suffered, but she was attacked by Pinkie Pie and her dream of going to the Gallop Gala, which she considered the best party in the country. She sang about the wonderful games, but Spike decided to ruin her idea of the gala again to keep talking to Twilight. "Pinkie, the gala is a type of social gathering, not a birthday party." Pinkie wouldn't give up on her dreams, claiming that such an important party should be just as fun. Twilight helped Spike by telling Pinkie that at the party, nobody dances the "Pony Okie Dokie," which broke her heart. Twilight's words were once again cut short by Rarity's presence and her dreams of finding love at the gala and marrying a prince. Spike and Twilight found nothing to say to her, and Rarity celebrated, thinking she would keep the ticket, but she was tackled by Rainbow Dash, who argued with Twilight about her decision to give the ticket to Rainbow Dash, being tackled by Applejack, who was still fighting with Rainbow over the ticket. The situation worsened when Applejack and Rainbow were on the floor, grabbing each other's manes in their attempt at Greco-Roman equestrian "combat." Twilight exploded again in front of all the girls and left with Spike to eat their lunch. Alone again in the restaurant, they tried to resume their discussion. Twilight wanted to start her exposition about offensive comments towards different species, but she quickly noticed Spike's lack of interest. "Hey, I'm talking about something important. Look at me instead of staring at the sky." A storm was raging in Ponyville, leaving houses flooded and foals abandoned, but a small ray of light was above Spike and Twilight. It was Rainbow, who initiated a storm 10 meters around to prevent Twilight from getting wet. Their fight had gone wrong, and Dash's missing tuft of hair confirmed it. Spike couldn't help but notice how a small house next to the restaurant was cruelly destroyed by the storm, leaving a family homeless. When the small storm ceased, Spike decided to distance himself from Twilight and what was happening in the town, trying to clear his mind of the uproar and the novice writing. When he reached the edge of town, he thought about leaving, leaving Twilight and going to the dragon lands. He thought he could send a letter to the Princess explaining why he left, but it was right on the edge of town that a pain in his chest froze any idea of leaving Twilight. He dug deep into his new memory and understood: in his oldest memory, it was Twilight who, with her magic, made him hatch, and it was that same magic that prevented him from abandoning his unicorn. The path he had traversed through the forest seemed to mock him and his attempt at a new life, but his attempt at independence vanished when he was teleported to the treehouse. Twilight, who was trying to hide from the whole town, found her friends in her room, waiting in the darkness. "Oh, come on, completely unnecessary, girls," Twilight spoke with the girls about her thoughts and concerns, having a nice intimate moment very different from what Twilight had planned to have with Applejack. But her moment of reflection ended when Spike vomited five extra tickets with a letter from the Princess. In the end, everything was resolved incredibly for Twilight and her band of social misfits. Twilight made her friends happy, Celestia was able to read about Twilight and Spike's friendship progress, and Spike discovered that the only thing his new body retained from the previous owner was an immense devotion to the nerd Twilight. //-------------------------------------------------------// Silly little dragon //-------------------------------------------------------// Silly little dragon I woke up late, not so late, but enough for the god of this world to send me a stampede of cows to wake me. Since the ticket business, Applejack had been very busy around town. She helped cook for Pinky, feigned interest in Twilight’s sermons and even convinced Fluttershy that Princess Celestia was not an evil being, as I told her, which was absurd. But this is how the dictatorships are kept, with propaganda. Anyway, the stampede... Applejack was crowned as the ultimate exponent of altruism by preventing cows (beings as intelligent as ponies) from destroying the town, which should be cataloged as a terrorist attack if you think too much. But that’s the problem, I think. After the ceremony and a very funny and witty scene by the protagonists, I decided to ignore everything and return to the edge of the forest. I’ve found that, for some reason, I can’t get away from Twilight unless she tells me to. At first, I thought it was magical because, duh, unicorn, but there was no spark or any sound that indicated the use of magic or a horn. I returned to the village feeling that Twilight needed me or would need me, but only sick, green and sad ponies surrounded me. " Spike, where were you?" asked the eloquent Twilight. "You’ve been out most of the day, while I have had to deal with Applejack and...". Pointed to a medical tent with dozens of sick ponies. "... the accident of Pinky." "Accident!? Do you consider it an accident to make half the town sick?! Pinky is the governor’s daughter. Why isn’t she in the dungeon?" "Spike!!" replied Twilight. "That’s not nice at all. I don’t care if it was a 'joke'. It’s not good that you wish the ponies something like going to a dungeon for a little accident. Besides, she is also sick. You know...". "Why don’t you stay and watch her while I go with Applejack? That way, you’ll learn to be more empathetic." Twilight left, and nurse Red Brain took me to Pinky. "Hey," I waved. She threw up. Learned a lot from Pinky. Apparently, parties are those things that happen between vomit and vomit. Decided not to mention his terrorist acts when he was a victim of them. Maybe not being able to kill your neighborhood was a delicate thing for the ponies. That would explain Twilight’s anger. The ponies sound like a sadistic species. Maybe that’s why the owner of this body hadn’t escaped before. Fear. I was so afraid of Twilight that it’s impossible for me to get away from her. Pinky got better after the doctors gave out tea and tummy massages. Twilight took all the ponies to the apple tree and gave a valuable lesson to Applejack: no farm can be maintained without some labor exploitation. I came home, where Twilight made me write another letter and send it to Celestia. Interesting ritual of sending letters to the evil entity so that it does not devour us. What a great pony is Twilight. //-------------------------------------------------------// Flake agglomerate //-------------------------------------------------------// Flake agglomerate Dawn of a new day. Twilight woke me early. She was slightly upset because she would go out with Pinky and wanted me to make her breakfast, avoiding the cheek of waking someone up to cook for her. He also ordered me to clean the library and collect some parchment from the town hall. I took advantage of my situation to rummage through the books in the library. Something that bothered me was the complete indifference to the fact that a dragon walked through the village without anyone being moved. I thought dragons were a kind species, then I discovered that couldn’t be, since the reason there are no books on dragons is because ponies are too afraid of us to come close. I think the ponies don’t know that I’m a dragon. So, now I’m looking for fantasy ponies where dragons appear. That would be a base. It was terrible. I moved to the "adult" part of the library. I picked up a dark fantasy book that caught my eye. The cover showed a pony in armor carrying a spear, before him a pony on a throne with large wings lay on a golden throne. It was catchy, although the title was not so: "The knight of the princess". Anyway, a book like this should contain an idea of how dragons behave according to ponies. Nothing. The book was a romance story. It contained drawings of the characters (drawings colored by Twilight). The reason why it is an "adult" story is because it depicts explicit scenes. Of course, explicit for a pony. It seems that licking behind the ears and kissing for more than 5 seconds is considered obscene love. But no dragons. At least now I know the public. Perhaps I should make pony versions of human tales. I will start with "Chronicle of a Death Foretold". I leave my house disappointed with the species that holds me hostage. I come out waving Twilight scrolls when I hear thunder near me. " Awwww," I heard the harmonious voice of Pinky. "You must have been scared, because you weren’t scared." "" "Yes, my friend." Oh, no. That’s the boy-girl’s voice. " Yes, look. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing. I have to ask you something." No. Call your attention before they go to... I don’t know... make the other half of the city sick, I suppose. "What is your opinion on dragons?". I see that both of you have uncomfortable faces, so I decide to ask my question better. " It is that I have discovered that ponies fear dragons, but I am a dragon and no one fears me". " Why do you want them to fear you?" Pinki answers me. "Oh, silly Spike. You’re a baby dragon. No one would fear a cute little thing like you. Don’t worry about that. We would never be afraid of you". I ignore the rest of your textual paragraph and find myself in the central idea: I’m not great. Sure, duh. They will only fear me when I am fifty meters high and only think of killing and eating. But how long would it take to pass? Perhaps someone with the princess knows more about it. I spent a couple more hours organizing the scrolls and thinking about how to approach being big and strong with the princess. Hope he doesn’t take me to a reeducation center because I want to be anything but a miner. Twilight came and then Pinky. Apparently, a friend of Rainbow’s, a griffyn, was being mean and taking her away. That surprised me. Not the part of having to give attention to Pinky, but the fact that another species was worse than a pony. Not very credible truth, especially because the pony who complains is a terrorist. If I’m gonna stress that again, Twilight mentioned the obvious to her: Gilda was a Griffyn and Pinky, a silly pony. I think I know how this will end: that Griffyn will be a great creature, Pinky will be institutionalized and Gilda will be an element of harmony. It will probably be called "The element of trust" because you have to trust your friends. Do you understand? I prepared my letter for Princess Celestia to send at the same time along with the friendship report. I didn’t want Twilight to think that I was trying to contact the outside world. Unfortunately, I got to Gilda’s party just in time. Twilight wanted me to write her report. Apparently, Gilda fell for many jokes and had a heart attack. Murder, another classic of Pinky. I know it’s a classic because nobody was stalling and Twilight acted normally, which is sadistic. Fortunately, I was able to send my letter about growing up and generating fear as a dragon to Princess Celestia. It was a wise decision. //-------------------------------------------------------// Hungry scales, yum //-------------------------------------------------------// Hungry scales, yum -Twilight, please, this is ridiculous. Morning came as usual, or so I would say if hell hadn’t spread across the pony land. A cloud of ash covered much of the sky. According to Celestia’s letter, a dragon had come to purge the souls of the ponies, and that was the ash. Celestia also mentioned that Twilight and her anti-social gang must defeat the dragon and avoid the Technicolor apocalypse. Now, the real problem is that Twilight didn’t want to let me go. -Twilight, please, I’m a dragon. How do you treat this guy? said Twilight looking at Spike. We don’t know anything about this dragon. As far as we know, he is using the mountain for winter. Maybe he’s too tired to want to cause trouble, but I’m not going to risk it. Also, just because you’re a dragon doesn’t mean you know how to deal with dragons. I stopped talking when I realized it was impossible to change her mind. I waited outside the library for Twilight to gather her group of thugs. It took longer than expected because of Fluttershy, who is afraid of dragons. That’s silly. I looked at Fluttershy to explain why she shouldn’t be scared. -Fluttershy, don’t be silly -I said, looking at Flutter with an arrogant look. A dragon wouldn’t eat you. Fluttershy stopped and looked at me intrigued by my statement. -How are you so sure, Spike? -asked before being interrupted by Pinky. -Spike, how do you know? Is it something dragon, like a draconian bond that lets you know what a dragon would or wouldn’t do? -No, silly-I said. I know because it’s so obvious. Fluttershy, you’re bone-pure. You’re too skinny. No dragon would waste energy to eat you. If I wanted to eat someone, it would be Pinky, because she’s chubby and looks stinky. Then to Twilight, because she’s also chubby. Then to Rarity, because... -Spike, shut up!! - yelled the offended Twilight because I mentioned that she was fat. -You’re not helping. Just stay here and take care of Fluttershy’s animals- she said. The girls left. Just like the Pegasus rabbit did. It’s a shame. If I was here, it would generate some funny and interesting moments. But no, I’m just feeding dumb animals. They’re too scared to challenge me. Apparently, the news of my feeding ran fast, and no one wanted to rat me out. Maybe they hated the rabbit too. I should eat a bird. Gems are very bland. But if an animal under my care disappears, it will be too suspicious, and I doubt Fluttershy would let me live if she found out. But I’m very hungry. I walked through the desolate, ash-covered streets as some squirrels walk behind me. All the ponies are locked in the house, and I think I saw Big Macintosh with a hook and harness. Poor thing, the girl is kind of boring. So pretend that he was part of a secret organization against monsters. Why would you have a secret organization to fight monsters in a world where everyone knows there are monsters? It wouldn’t be easier if everyone knew they existed. That way, you’d have the easiest job. Still, we all go along with her, except Gilda, but it’s because she’s dumb. How much longer will the girls take? I can’t think of anything else to do. If I don’t see anything in town, the forest will be worse. So that’s not an option. Well, anyway, I’ll take a nap. The world fades to my left. Little fireflies run beside me, whispering memories and beautiful moments. There is a chasm, and in it I see myself. See it: Spike sleeps as the memories that escape from his scales swirl around the room. Vague forms, figures and moments that I now feel are mine. I move away from his sleeping form, only to realize that my own memories, thoughts and ideas are escaping from my scales, mixing with those of Spike. Changing the human for the equine, modern technology for a strange version of the Renaissance. I don’t know what to think. I hear nothing but the last beep and a cry. The girls saved the day. I wrote a nice letter to a nice princess, and for now, Fluttershy is a little more brave. I acted normal the rest of the day. After all, we all have strange dreams. //-------------------------------------------------------// Of love and other scales //-------------------------------------------------------// Of love and other scales Ehm, Twilight, is this for real? New assignments came this morning from Princess Celestia. The most important was a series of complicated spells. As her faithful slave, I was dragged by her to practice these difficult and important magic tricks. -Spike, stand still. Physical appearance-affecting spells are dangerous if you aim wrong-said Twilight. -Twi, my dear, my beautiful angelic pony, could you remind me why the princess would make you practice the moustache and orange spells? You’re her student. I thought it would make you practice more difficult and complex things-I said. -Spike, you don’t have a horn. You don’t know what’s difficult or complex. Besides, I’m practicing my non-hair-spellcasting magic-Twilight replied. Twilight made her horn shine and put a cute mustache on Spike’s face. -Well, that was number 25- said. -Cool, Twilight. You made hair appear on the face of a scaly creature. You should be proud. Don’t look at me like that. It was really awesome. Now, take it off, please, great and powerful Twilight-I said. With a movement of his horn, Spike’s mustache disappeared, leaving him flaky again. -Don’t call me that, Spike- said Twilight as we left the house. -I just have more magic potential than other ponies because of my size. That’s why I could do those tricks, but not for that much-said Twilight. -Hey, speaking of which, why do ponies have cutiemarks? - I asked. -Well, Spike, you don’t know...- started answering Twilight. -The numbers are the way we have...- continued. -I stop her by putting my tail on her lips. -That I know, but why do they have it? Why are ponies the only species that has it? - I asked. Twilight thought for a moment, but her response was stopped when two foals beat me and took me to a crowd of ponies. The people gathered. Wait, all the townspeople gathered for a cheap magic show, including that ugly green-haired pony who, I think, makes me want to puke. Besides, this town is full of idlers. Also, there are social misfits, friends of Twilight. -Admire the great and powerful Trixie! -Oh, God, that annoying voice, the self-centered personality and the fact that he just humiliated Apple Bloom’s tomboy and mom (someone had to). I think this has made me fall in love. Oh, there’s no Twilight. -Hey, Twi! Hehe, how about you use your magic on Trixie? - I said. -No, Spike. You heard the girls (I didn’t). I don’t want them to think I’m self-centered-Twilight replied. Twilight walked away with the rest of the town. I stayed to appreciate Trixie. That cute pony is asking for more participants for her show and show her talent. Maybe I should step forward and show my two... Oh, that was an intrusive thought. Although I would win if I did, I’d be kicked out of town too. But it would be great. Wait, Twilight is a magician too, and very good. If I convince her to show up, she would humiliate Trixie. That would allow me to comfort the wound Trixie and be with her. I’m a genius. Now, where is Twilight? I got to the library to see Twilight practicing the old spells. -Twi, I have an idea. How about you show up where Trixie and... and... humiliate her? I asked. -Spike, you heard the girls- he replied. -No, I didn’t- I said. She just gave me that stoic look when I tell the truth. -If I use my magic, the girls will think I’m a know-it-all fool -he said. -Aren’t you? - I asked. -What do you want, Spike? - He said. -Twi, your friends don’t care if you’re a know-it-all or something. They just want someone to humiliate Trixie. They don’t care if you’re a nerd or if you’re good at using magic-I said. -No, Spike. Stop bothering me- he screamed. Agh, it’s like this situation is something that will always happen. What a pain. Snips and her boyfriend ran past me towards the caravan of that beautiful unicorn. -Trixie, tell us again how you defeated the Big Bear! - they said. The couple of indecents were harassing Trixie, which was good for me. -Ahm, Trixie is exhausted. Besides, I’ve told that story a lot of times, Trixie said. This was my chance. -Hey, Trixie! - I stopped her before she could lock up her trailer. -I heard Twilight the Great has been talking down to your magic, I said. Trixie turned to me, with a defiant look. -And what about that? - he asked. -Well, she says your stories are lies and that you never beat a big bear.. -Ja, I doubt very much she can beat me. If she had to send her footman, she’s too scared to come challenge me. Call me when she has the courage to challenge me-Trixie said, closing her caravan and leaving me with the degenerate couple. -Did you hear what he said, Spike? Really, do you think the story of the bear was a lie? - Snips asked as he continued to talk with his spouse. As I was thinking about what to do next, the conversation with Trixie made me think. If I bring a Big Bear into town, Trixie would be ridiculed. Also, Twilight would have to leave home to defeat the monster, and in the worst case, the town would be destroyed. I would win. -Hey, you lovebirds? You want to find out if Trixie’s stories are true? - I asked. After walking half an hour with the ambassadors of Sodom, we found a cave with a big bear... or what I think is one. When Ponyville fell, I was there. When the bear swept it all away, I watched in wonder as that majestic animal tore apart the horse huts. Seeing Trixie crying in fear made me realize it wasn’t worth it. Fortunately, Twilight used the spells she practiced and put the beast to sleep. There were no injuries and now I must write a letter to the queen. -Spike, I realized something when you left -- said Twilight. -- You said the girls were my friends, but they’re our friends. You know that, right? -Twilight, don’t be silly- I said. -They’re your friends. I’m your assistant. Don’t confuse the terms- that look is new //-------------------------------------------------------// Bureaucracy and grandeur //-------------------------------------------------------// Bureaucracy and grandeur I think you take everything too personally. Since the bear incident, Twilight has been closer to me. It’s only been two days, but I’ve already participated in three picnics and a trip to a water park. Fortunately for me, my letter was answered, though the answer was a trip to Canterlot to help Princess Celestia with some preparations. It seemed strange at first, but when I dug into Spike’s memories, I noticed that the princess trained him to be Twilight’s assistant. Another proof in my theory of the evil of the princess and her fanaticism for giving cruel punishments to different people Twilight walked me to the train station. We had to leave earlier than planned because of the glued and a threat of sabotaging the weather. Those rats with wings, one day I will catch them. -Hey, Spike, remember to behave with the princess and be alert when she asks you for something, Twilight said. Twilight kept reminding me how bad it would be if I didn’t attend to the Queen’s requests. -By the way, Spike, remember that here in Ponyville we are all your friends, me included, he said. -I know, Twilight, it was just a joke, I said. Well, that humor is strange... Don’t make those kinds of comments anymore, Spike, please -he replied. Last time I said goodbye to Twilight. Unlike before, I didn’t feel weird about walking away from her. I didn’t see him do anything with his horn, so my theory that it was magic is out of the question. So, if it must be psychological. So he cared so much about my little chuckle. He doesn’t want me to become aware of my slave status. How perverse The ride was quite serene. The ponies still don’t notice that a bipedal, clawed lizard is locked in with them. Will they be warned in advance? Or is it normal behavior? Maybe I’m misjudging these horses and the ponies don’t judge those who look different. I’ll keep looking. After four hours I arrived in the capital. The city had fairy-tale architecture, marble streets and high-nosed ponies and funny hairstyles. . These ponies, which are a clear parody of the snobs, but in pony version, do not mind my presence. Getting to the castle was easy. After the initial impression, you realize that Canterlot is a horrible city. All the streets look alike, it feels like a maze and not like a city. The only interesting thing is the castle hanging from a mountain. I suppose if it’s a fantasy city... No one questioned me to enter. The guards (all brothers) recognized me and let me into the throne room. Spike - said Celestia jovially -. You arrived earlier than I thought. Celestia descended from her throne of... I don’t know, bones. There was a problem with the weather and it was best that you arrived early - I said -. Anyway, why did you need me?. Celestia told me in a simple way what was my main task while I stayed at the castle. Celestia’s secretary was indisposed, so I, the scribe of birth, was asked by Celestia to help in any way possible. That sounded like Twilight borrowed me, but I don’t blame her. I’d give my friends to the crazy woman who sends her sister to the moon for losing a game of Jenga. -That’s all you have to do for now, Spike -said Celestia. Shit, she kept talking. -Shining Armor will be here in a few minutes to lighten your duties. I’ll have to take care of the court, so we’ll see you in a few hours. Celestia came up to me and planted a soft kiss on that green thing I have up on my head. An obvious way to remind me of the fact that I am now under their control. How perverse. -I’ll be back soon, Spike. don’t be afraid to ask for anything from the servants if you wish. Now he wants me to fall into his network of corruption. A despicable being. There was little time between the departure of Celestia and the arrival of Shining, which was very convenient to conceal my ignorance about my obligations with the pile of papers I have in front of me. Spike - Shining caught me in a tight hug with their front helmets. Do these guys make distinction with their front and back legs? Long time no see, buddy. You been taking care of Twilight? -asked Shining. God waits, the one that is of Twilight... If he wants me to protect her, it must be someone close. Hell, I don’t have time to dig into Spike’s memories. I’ll have to go to safety. -Yes, you know, I help with what I can. I keep the stallions from coming to him, heh, I said, trying to sound convincing. -Please believe it -I thought. -Spike, we’re her brothers. I don’t think we should interfere with Twilight’s love life. Apples is not his girlfriend! -Wait, since when does Twilight have suitors? -Yeah, look, I was just bothering you, ha ha. Can you remind me what we’re supposed to do here? The work was really simple. I was even surprised that I, a dragon trained in the art of bureaucracy since childhood, was called to do something so crude. Basically, I had to sort an approximate five thousand scrolls into 17 different stacks. The scrolls ranged from issues and problems with embassies; these files were to be separated depending on what was considered more serious, in addition to the country in question. This was the easiest part, since either there are few countries or Equestria has few embassies. Then, he had to make groups of scrolls on the budgets that the crown would allocate in the most remote areas of the big cities. It was really simple, almost mechanical work, even when Shining kept complaining about how he didn’t understand the lyrics or his astonishment at the idea that there were more types of graphics than just bars and pastels. -Spike, how did you do that? You just made the bureaucracy look like it was quick and easy, said Shining in amazement when I finished the pile of papers in less than four hours. -Isn’t it? -I asked Shining. According to the Royal Guard’s finance department? No, Shining replied. We were waiting for the princess. Shining took the time to tell me his life, his emotional stories in the Royal Guard, like the time he helped with the migration of fairy ponies (of course that exists) or the time he found out one of his best friends was, In fact, the leader of a group that sold illegal weapons to rebel groups in the swamps. Well, that’s a lie. They just stopped a pony who sold unauthorized rakes so the ponies could defend themselves from a tiger-headed monster. They were silly stories, but they worked to not think about what the princess would do to me. As the sun set, the gates opened and the princess allowed Shining to return to her post. Goodbye, Spike. See you tomorrow -said Shining goodbye to me, unaware of my sad fate. Celestia is too powerful. She probably already knows I’m not the real Spike. Maybe she’s angry at me for sending her an unauthorized letter. Or maybe I’m looking for a friend to play Jenga with. I will not leave this room in one piece. -Read your letter, Spike, said Celestia. Pony feathers are angry at my insolence. I was too bold. At least I will die before the Twilight Light, ha. -I wanted to talk to you personally about its contents, Celestia added. It was a conversation I always hoped to have with you, or that you would have with Twilight when she was more prepared, but I guess I underestimated your growth, said Celestia. Do you want to talk about what I wrote? Maybe, if it was a good idea, it’s better than winning at Jenga and being banished to a celestial body. -Spike, I won’t lie. My knowledge of dragons is limited. I know dragons take a long time to grow, as far as I can tell, you’re a baby dragon until your wings grow, which I hope will be a long time, Celestia said. Celestia looked nostalgic; her wings rested on her sides, brought me to an inviting embrace. -You’re just too cute, said Celestia. We stayed in this position for a few moments until Celestia was back in a position worthy of the title of princess. The magic that dragons use is strange and peculiar. I think I remember things like greed could make a dragon grow in size, Celestia continued. But I ignored it to concentrate on that detail. I could magically force my size, be big and strong and terrorize the population. But why did Celestia tell me all this? Why would she be sweet and cordial to me? Besides, he is always looking at the window as the moon rises, with a melancholy look, as if he remembers simpler times. Will it be part of your plan? Use my desire to become stronger? Or was it a small slip on your part? Anyway, now I know how to become more cool. Night fell on Canterlot, the halls of the castle changing gold and sun to silver and moon. Celestia decided to take the long way to her room. Her conversation with Spike reminded him how fast time feels when it’s just a memory. The days of foals playing in the meadows while a grumpy unicorn watched from the shade of a tree seemed like seconds. Even a thousand years on Equestria are ephemeral when compared to the seconds it took him to realize he had banished his sister. Now, the memories of little Spike and his student felt equally ephemeral.