It was mid-afternoon on December 24th, Hearth’s Warming Eve. Spike was racing back and forth throughout the house. He had asked Applebloom to a date on Hearth’s Warming Eve,which she had excitedly agreed to. The teenage dragon had taken a shower, brushed his teeth and combed his scales in the span of twenty minutes.
“Spike, I believe you’re making too big of a deal about this. Y’know, it’s just a date.” Twilight said to the running dragon. Spike immediately stopped and turned to Twilight with a skeptical look.
“Just… a date?” He asked, twitching once. He ran up to Twilight with lightning speed. “JUST A DATE!?” He exclaimed in her face. “This is the first date I’ve ever had in my life, Twilight! I’ll be a laughing stock if I don’t look good!”
“You sound like me when I was preparing for the Crystal Empire test, which turned out fine I should add.” She said as Spike raced to a mint jar and popped a mint in his mouth.
“Yeah, it turned out fine after you went through defeating the King of Shadow and nearly died.” Spike complained. “How do my back scales look?”
Twilight sighed. “Augh, they look FINE. After all, you are dating the little sister of one of the physically dirtiest ponies in town. I reeeally don’t think it’ll matter that much. Also, all you’re doing is going to Sugarcube Corner.”
Spike rolled his eyes. “I know, but I STILL want to make a good impression!”
Twilight smiled calmly. It was that smile that she always gave him when he was a baby dragon. “I remember when you were all ga-ga over Rarity. I doubt you remember it, you were so small.” She said softly. “Now look at you, all grown up and going on an actual date! Dragons grow up so fast…”
“Twiliiiight, stop it!” Spike complained in a child-like manner.
“Alright, alright. I think it’s time for you to head off, Mr. Handsome!” Twilight cheerfully said as she winked at him. Spike groaned loudly at his given nickname and waved goodbye to Twilight. He headed out the door for Sugarcube Corner.
The white powder of winter layered the world calmly. Its gentle wind flowed with Spike as he walked toward his destination. Snowflakes brushed his scales calmly, as if patting him on the back. Holiday cheer spread throughout Ponyville, for all the ponies were outside enjoying the peaceful snow of the evening.
Spike felt very warm inside, even though the temperature was slightly below freezing. His body was warm from the sheer joy and nervousness that this evening was ready to give him.
After walking through the beautiful winter snow for an estimated fifteen minutes, he came up on Sugarcube Corner. There, in front of the restaurant, stood a yellow coated mare with a red mane, most likely in her mid-teenage years, looking around for somepony. Spike recognized her as his date, Applebloom. She glanced at Spike quickly when she saw him, smiled, and waved. When she smiled, the braces in her teeth stuck out like a sore thumb. But, to Spike, it didn’t affect her beauty. Her red mane hung down freely and drifted with the gentle force of winter. She had freckles on her cheeks, just like her older sister, Applejack. Spike simply smiled and waved back as he walked up to her.
“HOWDY, SPIKE!” Applebloom said excitingly. She was on the verge of exploding with happiness. “Ohhh, boy! Ah can’t believe ah’m on mah first date! With you, of all ponies… er… dragons!”
Spike laughed. “Eheh, yep. Twilight couldn’t believe it when I told her, either.”
“Yeeeeah, Applejack kinda didn’t want me to at first, but after pestering her for days, Ah did it!” She said, beaming another excited smile.
“Well, let’s head inside, it’s cold out.” Spike said as smoothly put his arm over Applebloom’s shoulder. As they opened the door to the restaurant, warm, soothing air brushed their bodies. The smell of sugar was in the air, but it wasn’t because of the kitchen, it was because of the pink, poofy pony standing in front of them with a huge smile stretched across her face as if strings were pulling it.
“Hi, Spike and Applebloom! IheardyouguysweregoingonadatesoIgot *gasp* atablereadyforyoutwooverthere!” She said as she pointed to a table near a window.
“Twilight told you, huh? Figured she would.” Spike said as he rolled his eyes. “Well, anyway, thanks Pinkie.”
“No problem! Go on and sit down, I’ll be with you in a minute!” Pinkie Pie said as she bounced back into the kitchen. As the two sat down, a line of lights that ran across the ceiling of the restaurant turned on. The red and purple lights fit so well together, though the reason behind it couldn’t be explained. As soon as they got comfortable in their seats, Pinkie Pie rushed back to them with two menus.
“Okey Dokey, here’s your menus, guys. Be back in three minutes!” Pinkie said quickly as she dealt the menus like cards. She then dashed off back into the kitchen.
“So, Spike…” Applebloom started, “Ah, uh, need to say something. Ever since ah told Sweetie ‘bout you and I, it spread around the school. Ponies are pokin’ fun at me and calling me weird… just ‘cuz I’m datin’ a dragon…” Applebloom trailed off with the word dragon, blushing with a depressed face.
“Well…” Spike began nervously, “wh… why should they care about your personal life? They shouldn’t be involved.”
“But they ARE.” Applebloom rebutted. “Ah’m… getting scared they might hurt me. I’ve been the school dork for all mah life and now, to them, Ah’m even more of one!” Applebloom sniffed. Spike shook his head angrily when he heard the word ‘hurt’.
“If they EVER hurt you, you come find me. I’ll take care of that proudly and personally. Also, you’ve never been a dork and you never will.” He said proudly as he crossed his arms. Applebloom looked up to see the same face she remembered years ago, the same confident arm-crossed look of a kid dragon.
She smiled as she wiped the tear from her eye. “Thanks… Spike.” She said softly. Pinkie suddenly rushed back into the room with a green plant in her mouth. She put it on a nail on the wall near Spike and Applebloom.
“I know it’s only been thirty seconds, but I forgot to hang the mistlehoof…” she paused as she winked at them. “… up for the holiday.” She then giggled and leaped behind the counter.
“Hey… Spike…” Applebloom said as she nudged at the mistlehoof hanging from the wall. Spike’s cheeks almost suddenly grew as red as Applebloom’s mane.
“Oh… I… Uhh… well… umm…” Spike muttered as he scratched the back of his head. He looked to see Applebloom grinning at him mischievously.
“It’ll be fun, come on.” she asked, expecting an answer. Spike rolled his eyes in nervousness.
“Oh… Umm… I dunno if we should—“ Spike was interrupted by a hideous voice crack. Applebloom couldn’t resist laughing at the horrid sound. As she was laughing, Spike grew an agitated face.
“Yeah, yeah, it was funny. I know.” Spike said as he groaned embarrassingly.
When Applebloom stopped laughing and looked back up into Spike’s eyes, both their faces immediately turned blank. Applebloom’s braces had disappeared and she was wearing a bow in her mane. Spike’s scales had become far less pointy and his tail was shorter. They were no longer in Sugarcube Corner, but in a field near Sweet Apple Acres, running around and laughing in the midst of a beautiful summer day.
“Betcha can’t catch me, Spike!” Applebloom yelled in a high-pitched voice. She continued to giggle and run from the baby dragon.
“Oh yeah? You just wait!” Spike yelled back, as he chased the red-maned filly.
Applebloom jumped behind a tree, attempting to dodge Spike. The field became silent as Applebloom looked around, neither seeing or hearing Spike. “Spiiike?” She called, but no response. As she took a couple steps out from behind the tree, a voice from behind startled her.
“Gotcha!” Spike yelled as he launched himself onto Applebloom. He gripped on to her as they rolled a few times on the ground, giggling with their eyes closed. When they had stopped, Spike felt a gentle force against his lips.
As he opened his eyes, he saw that he was back in Sugarcube Corner with his lips pressed lightly against his date’s. Applebloom opened her eyes not too soon after he did and slowly drifted away. They both stared at each other with dumb smiles on their faces.
A sudden blast came from behind the counter of the restaurant, interrupting the two lovers’ trances. Spike and Applebloom immediately shifted their attention to the counter. Pinkie Pie with a lot of streamers and confetti blasted out from behind the counter.
“WEEEE!” Pinkie yelled as she flew onto the floor. The dragon and mare stared at her with surprise.
“… Too soon?”
Thanks for one year of pony-awesomeness and Happy Early Hearth’s Warming!
