Finding Your Place

Chapters

A Cold Shoulder
An Abstract Future
A Clear Choice- Part One
An Old Habit
A New Hope
The Road Ahead
Just Another Day
A Warm Welcome
A Clear Choice- Part Two

A Cold Shoulder

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Two: A Cold Shoulder

A thick blanket of silence fell over the group as they left the train station, and nopony seemed to want to be the one to break it. Several times Twilight tried to break the oppressive stillness, but one look at Spike’s grimace kept her lips sealed. The only sounds were Spike's plodding footfalls and the occasional gasp from an onlooker as the trio made their way to the castle. Cadance had left the group to take the foals back home. She said it was nap time, but Spike was pretty sure it was to get them away from the "scary dagon."

Shining looked up at Spike and sighed; the massive dragon looked downright tiny with his broad shoulders slumped and his head hung low. "Hey, Spike, if you're uncomfortable, we can walk faster."

"No, we can't, not unless you want me to start carving trenches in the street. Stupid pavement," he muttered.

Shining looked down, and sure enough Spike's steps were ginger and careful, landing on the heels of his claws, his talons flexed high.

"Besides, it's, uh, not safe for me to move very fast." Shining arched his eyebrow, and Spike sighed. "Last week in Ponyville I turned a corner too fast and clobbered a pony in the head with my tail."

"Whoa. Were they okay?"

Spike waved his claw dismissively. "Eh, it was Snails, we never noticed a difference."

They walked in stillness for a few more minutes. They turned a final corner, coming to a long, straight road: Rodeo Drive, the cultural high-point of Canterlot. High-priced shops lined the street, expansive windows showcasing expensive designer clothing. Carriages sped to and fro, pulled by burly stallions dressed in sleek racing clothes, blurring by hooficure salons and high-priced farriers. At the end of the road, Canterlot Palace loomed, pearl and gold gates leading to the heart of Equestrian government. The hustle and bustle exemplified the extreme extravagance of Canterlot.

The hustle and bustle screeched to a halt—literally in the case of one buggy—when Spike came into view. Jaws dropped along with bags of overpriced goods as he began his slow, awkward walk down the road. A pair of elderly mares opens their mouths as if to scream, but they were silenced by the sight of the uniformed General walking next to him, more specifically the icy death glare he shot them.

Shining turned back to Spike with a shaky smile. "So, uh..." his eyes darted around a bit, "you've only had your wings for five months and you still made the flight to Canterlot on your own? Heh, Rainbow must be a real good teacher!"

Spike snorted, sending a plume of smoke skyward. “You’re kidding, right? Rainbow is the worst teacher in the history of everything!”

Twilight scoffed. “Oh, come on, Spike. She wasn’t that bad!”

Spike shot her a very nonplussed glare. "You’re right, she wasn’t bad. She was evil! She drilled me night and day, constantly screaming and blowing that Celestia-forsaken whistle in my ear! After three days of training with her, I couldn’t even unfurl my wings!”

Shining raised an eyebrow at that. "You know, most ponies would be grateful to have a former Wonderbolt teach them how to fly."

"A very cranky, very pregnant, very hormonal former Wonderbolt. One minute she's praising my progress, the next she's walking away, claiming I'm hopeless!"

"Spike, cut her some slack," Twilight chided. "Halfway through her first pregnancy, it's expected that she would be a bit... moody. Besides, she always came back, eventually."

He snorted. “Yeah, only because Macintosh would promise to...” He trailed off, a slight shudder coursing through him.

On his other side, Shining looked between the two. “Promised to what?”

Spike looked down at him. “Uh, have you eaten today?” Shining nodded. “Then you don’t want to know.”

Shining halted mid-step for a second, then shook his head and resumed his pace.

“Okay, so your flight teacher isn’t in the best shape to be effective, but,” Twilight said with a sly grin, “your magic teacher is pretty good, right?”

As Spike jerked to a halt, Shining once more shot a confused glance to Twilight. “Magic? Wait, since when can Spike do magic?"

“Since always. Remember all those scrolls you have me burp up?”

Shining blushed. “Oh, heh, right. But, you mean he can do more now?”

"Yes!” Twilight’s eyes gleamed, her grin threatening to overtake her face. “You see, when,” she shuddered briefly, “he poured so much magic into Spike's thaumatic ganglia, the resulting overload that caused his rapid growth also stimulated his Hoofinberg gland, causing his nervous system to prematurely connect with his internal thaumatic reserves, thus activating his latent magical abilities!" She panted quietly, her eyes beaming.

Shining blinked several times, then looked to Spike, who sighed. "When Parchment aged me, the massive amount of magic jump-started my inherent dragon magic, so now I can use active magic." He looked away, his right hind claw tapping at the pavement. "Well, in theory..."

"Spike, you’ve shown lots of, uh, potential! You just need to give it time."

Shining scratched his head. "So, what kind of magic can he do? Or, is he supposed to be able to do?"

"Well," Twilight said, "according to the only reference guide we have on dragons, Drakenwyrms, like Spike, are 'dragons of both Earth and sky.' I think this means that he has access to all kinds of elemental magics." She gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Spike, show Shining what you learned!"

Spike gave her a sheepish chuckle, his eyes darting around the street. "Uh, that's okay, Twi. I'll show him later."

She hopped in front of him, and expectant smile on her face. "Oh, come on, Show him!"

"Twilight, we're in the middle of the street."

"Show him!"

"Come on, Twi! It can wait until we—"

"Show him, show him, show him!" Twilight was bouncing on her hooves.

"Okay, okay! Jeez..."

Shining chuckled at Twilight's antics. "Well, now I can't wait to see!"

Spike groaned and reared back onto his hind legs, raising his right claw to his face. He took a deep breath and extending his index finger, staring intently at it.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a dull green glow emanated from the tip of his claw. Spike's brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing to slits as he focused. His breathing was loud and harried, a slight tremble coursing through him.

A low thrumming sound filled the air, and Shining winced and took a hesitant step back, the building energy causing an uncomfortable tremor in his horn. Spike was grunting and straining now, focused with deadly intent on the growing point of light on his claw.

Ponies that had gathered in hesitant awe at the huge dragon were now backing away from the building magical maelstrom. Servants and bus colts abandoned their charges and dove for cover. A pair of young looking unicorns held each other tightly, shielding their eyes from the swirling magic. A burly stallion in a hoofservant's suit let out a extremely high-pitched shriek and dove behind the decrepit old mare he'd been escorting.

In the street, Spike was now grunting loudly. The gathering magic formed a shimmering aura around his claw, dancing like heat waves off concrete. Then finally, with a deafening groan, Spike released the swirling miasma of arcane energy.

bzzt

A grand total of two sparks, maybe three depending on the angle it was viewed from, didn't spew so much as fall from his claw. Shining looked, and on the very tip of his outstretched claw was a single, tiny flame, maybe the size of a match, flickering gently in the light breeze.

A combination sigh of relief and groan of disappointment came from ponies popping up their hiding places. Most shared brief glances of shame and amusement before resuming thief shopping. The burly stallion slowly peeked his head out from behind his employer. "Is it safe now?" he asked in a deep baritone.

In the street, Spike opened his eyes and sighed, then threw a venomous glare at the red-faced Shining. "Oh, shut up."

"What? It—snkt—It's... cute."

Twilight's beaming grin faded. "Now, Shining, he hasn't been practicing very long! For somepony of his experience, that's a very... decent size."

Spike groaned as Shining collapsed to his knees. "Oh, Goddesses, Twi, stop helping me!"

"No, no Twi, it's—hehehe—it's just a bit surprising. All that magical build up, and—and... pfft!" He clutched his aching sides, another fit of wild giggles overtaking him.

Twilight didn't notice, having fallen into full-on scholar mode, her brow scrunched and her lips tight. "You're right. He has access to massive stores of thaumatic energy, I can feel it in my horn when he taps into it, but for some reason, when he tries to cast a spell, it just falls apart." She groaned. "I've tried every technique I know to break the dam, but nothing works."

"May—Maybe you should try a f-f-foal's focusing ring! Heheheee!"

"Hmm." Twilight appraised Spike. "That might not be a ba—"

"Can we just go?!" Spike slapped his tail down, causing windows of the nearby shops to rattle.

"I thought it was a very respectable flame, sir," said a voice from beneath him.

Spike looked down. "Thanks." He turned back to the front, but quickly jerked his head back down. With a loud yelp, Spike fell back to his haunches, his eyes bulging from his skull. Standing right next to his right hind leg was an earth pony in a Royal Guard uniform, grinning like a madmare. "Who the hay are you?!"

The earth pony beamed up at him. "I'm your Royal escort!"

"My what?!"

"And may I just say that it's an absolute honor to be guarding the seneschal of Her Majesty's personal student!"

"Oh, quit kissing up!"

Spike's head whirled to his other side to find a mirror image of the first Guard, save for the horn atop his head and the deep scowl that creased his face. "Buh?!"

"I'm not kissing up, I'm being polite."

Spike spun back to the earth pony. "Okay, wha—"

"There's being polite, then there's bucking for a promotion."

Spike spun again. "Look, that's eno—"

"Look, don't get mad at me ju—"

"Guys!" Another tail slap, another cacophony of rattling windows, and both stallions flinched, staring up at the smoke-spewing dragon who glared back at them. "Who are you two?"

The two ponies zipped in front of Spike, standing at attention and snapping a salute.

"I'm Heckel," the unicorn said through a deep frown.

"I'm Jeckel!" the earth pony said through a wide grin.

"We're your bodyguards."

"We're twins!"

Spike's right eye twitched several times, then he looked over his shoulder to Shining. "Uh... what?"

Shining coughed, trying to regain his composure. "N-new policy. All guests of the Crown will have a Guard escort at all times they are off the Castle grounds."

Spike let out a loud bark of laughter. "And what, you don't think I can handle myself?"

"No, but not everypony can, so there you go."

"Well, I think it's ridiculous!" Twilight stomped next to Shining. "I'm a grown mare, a professor! I don't need some foalsitter watching over me while I read Gore Bridle!"

"I agree, ma'am."

Twilight turned to the new voice, and was met by a vision: standing a hair taller and a good deal broader than her brother, a jaw line of granite, a shimmering ocean in his eyes, blonde locks flowing breezily from beneath his helmet, uniform pressed with muscle, but not bulging.

"Such thought-provoking works as The Second Equestrian Revolution are meant to be enjoyed in the company of a roaring fire and a fine sherry, wouldn't you agree?" His voice was thick and rich, like honeyed milk, a medium basso that caused a pleasant rattle in Twilight's bones.

"You... You read Gore Bridle?"

"But, of course! He and Christopher Hitchpost are among the most philosophical minds of the modern era."

"I'm... I'm uh—"

He chuckled, a warm sound like the pealing of a monastery bell. "Twilight Sparkle, of course. I know of you from my aunt and uncle, who run the local confectionary in Ponyville."

"A-A-And you are?"

"Oh, a thousand pardons. I am First Lieutenant Beef Cake, your fidèle serviteur for the duration of your stay." He reached down and took Twilight's hoof in his, leaning in to place a dainty kiss on the proffered limb. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Twilight gulped, then turned to Shining and Spike, who both stared at her. "Heh, not the worst idea..."

Spike leaned down to Shining. "Cadance's idea?"

"Heh, something like that," he said with wry grin.

Spike groaned. "Can we please just go?" He rubbed his arm sheepishly, his eyes cast down.

Twilight snapped out of her daze and glanced around. The crowd from before was slowly coming back, fearful gazes glued on Spike. "Yeah, let's go." With that, the trio and their new guards made their way down the road.

The further they walked, the more the elegant shops tapered off, replaced by large trees tressed up with fine ribbons. Rodeo Drive led, like the pegasi runways of old, directly to the castle. The Palace of the Heavens, formerly the Palace of the Sun, loomed before them, illuminated by the afternoon sun at their backs. The unicorn architect who designed it placed it so that it would have a perfect view of the rising sun. Most ponies thought it made for beautiful symbolism. The ponies who lived and worked at the palace thought it made it impossible to sleep in. Rumors the Her Majesty had paid the architect to place it that way as a prank on her wait staff were never confirmed.

Beyond all that, the palace gleamed like a precious stone, the sunlight from behind them giving it an otherworldly grace. Massive towers of ivory gilded with gold reached for the heavens, large jewels on their tips winking to distant travelers. Ornate domes gave hints of Saddle Arabian influence, impossibly detailed murals of the day and night sky painted with immeasurable care. Higher still, tiny black dots could barely be seen, pegasi guards slowly circling in search of any who would harm the crown.

The group approach the front gate, a large gap in the immense ivory wall surrounding the castle barre with thick wrought iron. The two unicorns stationed there snapped sharp salutes to Shining as he neared. He returned the gesture, and their horns lit up, the gate behind them shimmering with magic before rising slowly.

Twilight and Shining stepped through the gate, nodding at the guards when they passed. They made it several steps beyond when a loud thunk and a groan came from behind them. Turning around, they saw Spike struggling to squeeze through, his wings tight to his sides, the pile of luggage abandoned outside.

Shining glanced at Twilight, then approached the gate. "Hey, Spike, you can just climb over the wall, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm fine." He spoke through gritted teeth, his face contorted in effort. He sucked in loudly, and surged forward. The guards at the gate slowly backed away when the stone around the gate began to creak and moan.

"Spike, really—"

"I said—" he grasped the wall on each side, his talons digging deep into the stone— "I'm... fine!" He sailed through the gate, several chunks of wall with him. Grunting, he shook the dust off his shoulders and made to walk off, but soon jerked to a halt. "Ah, crap, the luggage!"

"I got it, sir!" Jeckel appeared in the gate, the massive stack of bags perched perilously on his back. He shook with effort, sweat beading on his red face, but his wide smile remained. "Whe—where would y-y-you like them, s-sir?"

With an annoyed groan, Heckel lit his horn and relieved some of the burden from his brother.

Twilight just stared at Spike as he stormed off indifferently. She turned back to the guards at the gate, who were both glaring at her. She answered with a bad imitation of a grin. “Eh-heh-heh, uh, sorry.” The guards huffed and turned back to the gate, slowly levitating the broken pieces back to their place, as Twilight turned to follow Spike.

The massive courtyard spread out before them, a patchwork of expensive imported cobblestone pathways and luxurious, lovingly-tended grass. Even Spike's massive frame was dwarfed by the expansive yard.

A spring formed in Twilight's step as they crossed the yard. "You know, I already miss all our friends," she slowly craned her head around, taking in the panorama surrounding her, "but it feels good to be back here, right Spike?"

When she received no answer, she turned around. Spike had stopped at some point and was facing the gate, a strangely blank look on his face as he stared at something in the distance.

"Spike?"

When he didn't answer, she lightly tapped his claw. "Spike."

He quickly shook his head, as if snapping out of a trance, then looked down at her. "Hm?"

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. I just," he cast a brief glance back through the gate, "uh, I feel like I forgot something."

"Oh? Well, did you pack your comic collection?"

"Yeah."

"The scarf Rarity made you?"

"Of course."

"Your old blankie?"

Spike jerked. "Not so loud!" he hissed, darting his head toward Shining briefly before leaning in to Twilight. "Yes."

Twilight frowned. "Well, then what did you forget?"

Spike's left claw drummed on the ground quietly. "Meh, you're probably right. I just... I can't shake the feeling." He shook his head and turned towards the castle. "I'll be fine, lets just go."

She made to protest, but Spike was already walking away. She let out a quiet sigh then followed.

Once Twilight had caught up, Shining spoke. “Well, once you two get settled, dinner will be ready whenever you want. Twiley, I had the chefs make some of that stew you love.”

She smiled. “Oh, that vegetable and bread stew that we had last time we visited the Crystal Empire?”

Shining nodded, then turned to Spike. “And for you, Spike, we got Twiley’s letter about your, uh, special dietary needs. Four crates of apples and a few sacks of potatoes are available whenever you want them.”

“Oh, yay, more applesauce.”

Shining quirked an eyebrow, then looked to Twilight, who grinned sheepishly. “Uh, he’s been having a bit of a problem with his fine motor control.”

"Uh, okay. Anyway, Princess Celestia said its no problem at all for you to stay in your old room is until your quarters on campus are ready."

"Great! I'm actually a bit excited to stay at the castle again."

Spike snorted. "I'm just glad I don't have to sleep in the yard behind the library anymore. Cobblestone ain't exactly the most comfortable bedding in the world."

At this, Shining's steps faltered. "Uh, actually..."

Spike stopped abruptly. "What?"

Shining chewed his lip a bit. "Well, Spike, the thing is—"

"Spit it out, Shining."

He sighed, his body deflating just a tad. "The only place on the castle grounds big enough for you to sleep comfortably is the Guard's old drill pad, on the other side of the castle. It, uh... it's pavement."

Spikes tail slammed down. "What? What about here? There's plenty of open space here, and its soft grass!"

"But this is the entrance to the castle, the Royal Courtyard.”

Spike’s eyes narrowed. “And?”

“And, well, we just can’t have you... well, look!” He gestured behind them.

Arching his eyebrow, Spike turned around to where Shining had indicated, and blanched: deep claw-shaped divots pocked the garden from the gate to where they stood. Looking down, Spike saw large tufts of grass and clumps of dirt dangling from all four of his claws. “I—I’m, I’m...”

Twilight eased up next to him. “Spike, it’s o—”

“I’m gonna go to Joe’s. Maybe get a glazed or two.” With that, he gingerly spun around and resumed his awkward gait to the gate, doing his best to avoid the potholes he’d already made.

“Spike, I’m not too sure that’s a good idea. Maybe you should just—”

“I’m going to Joe’s.” He glared at the two guards next to him. “You two coming?”

Jeckel snapped a salute. “Yes, sir, right away, sir!” Heckel grumbled and followed suit.

Twilight watched him walk away, when a tap on the shoulder brought her attention back to front. Shining nodded towards the castle, and Twilight sighed as the two made their way across the courtyard, Lieutenant Cake following several meters behind.

Shining was the first to break the awkward silence. “Hey, Twiley. I don’t want to appear too insensitive, but it’s been—"

crack

"Oh, come on!"

They both turned to see a pair of seething guards standing before a damaged gate. Shining shook his head. "Like I said, it's been almost six months since Spike... well, you know, but he still acts like he’s never moved in his new body.”

“Well, in Ponyville it was never an issue. It’s a much more open city, nowhere near as many tight streets.” They stepped onto the cobblestone walkway leading towards the castle proper, flanked on both sides by ornate shrubberies. “Most of the roads there are just grass, and there’s so much ambient earth pony magic that whatever divots his claws make fix themselves after a few days.”

Shining jerked to a halt just short of the door to the palace. “Wait, really?”

“Yes, really.” She narrowed her eyes. “Didn’t you read my last publication, ‘The Effects of Ambient Thaumatic Energy Due To Concentrated Mono-Special Population?’ “

“I, uh—I may have skimmed it.” His shaky grin faltered under her withering stare. When she huffed and walked into the castle, he quickly caught up. “Okay, there’s that, but what about the reactions of the ponies on the street? He acted like nopony has ever freaked out."

“They didn’t,” she said with a flick of her tail. “Everypony in Ponyville knows Spike. Sure, there were a few gasps and some minor problems, but for the most part they all accepted him once they realized who it was.” She slowly turned to him. “I’m worried about him, Shiny.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Why? You just said he didn’t have any problems with it until now.”

“No, it’s not just that. He’s... I don’t know, something just feels off about him. It’s nothing he’s said or done, specifically, but his attitude. Right after, you know, he was all smiles, so happy to be alive and not having to sleep for hundred years.” As she spoke, her right foreleg pawed at the plush rug they stood on. “But lately, he’s been getting more quiet and withdrawn. Whenever I ask him, he just deflects.”

“Well, he is a dragon, Twiley.” He raised a hoof when she shot him a cold glare. “What I mean is dragons are solitary creatures, you know this. You said that him being aged kick-started his magic, so maybe it kick-started his dragon instinct to be alone. Just give him time, okay?”

Twilight took a deep breath, but let it out quietly. “Okay.”

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go ruin the career of a certain Major.”

Twilight’s eyes widened slightly. “Shiny, is that really necessary? I mean, yeah he’s a bit of a nincompoop, but ruin his career?”

Shining looked at her with an even gaze. “He knowingly disobeyed a standing order, and in doing so assaulted a member of the Royal Family.”

“Well, I guess s—wait, Royal Family?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, you called him, ‘your little brother,’ I’m your big brother, so...” Shining rolled his eyes at the warm grin spreading across Twilight’s face. “Oh, come on, Twiley, you know how I feel about the little guy.”

“True,” she said, “but have you ever told him?”

Shining balked. “Of course not! We’re guys.” They both laughed, then Shining nodded towards Lieutenant Cake. “If you need anything, just ask the lieutenant, okay?”

“Will do.”

Shining nodded and turned to leave, but paused. Quickly spinning back around, he brought Twilight into a fierce hug. “I’m really glad you’re back in town, Twiley.”

She nuzzled back into him. “I’m glad to be back, BBBFF.”

The siblings released each other, and with a final wink, Shining made his way down the hall towards the Royal Guard wing.

“‘What strange creatures brothers are,’ eh, Madam Sparkle?”

Only a single peep of tittering laughter escaped Twilight when the hunky stallion quoted one of her favorite authors. “Indeed, Lieutenant.”

* * *

Spike gently made his way down a very familiar road. The shops that lined it were nowhere near as gaudy and upscale as those on Rodeo Drive, and considerably less care went into the landscaping, cobblestone replacing pavement in the street and intermittent shrubs instead of ornate planter boxes. Still, he did his best to avoid damaging the road as he walked past middle-class tailor shops and bargain retailers. A tiny part of his mind told him to just walk normally, that the rude ponies gasping and gawking at him deserved a pothole or two. He sighed, cursing his good nature, and continued on.

Flanking either side of him, the twins were dutifully protecting their charge. Heckel would merely glare at anypony who stared too long, lighting his horn in a show of force. Jeckel, on the other claw, was a bit more vocal.

“What are you looking at?! He charged towards a colt and his mother on the sidewalk. “What’s the matter, never seen a giant purple dragon walking down the street before? Move on!” He reared up and slammed his hooves down, causing the two ponies to yelp and canter away. With a nod and a sharp exhalation, he turned and returned to his post next to Spike, beaming up at him with his ever present grin.

“Uh, Heckel—”

“Jeckel.”

“Yeah, whatever. Look, I’m trying to avoid too much attention. So could you, you know, maybe not assault anypony who looks at me?”

Jeckel quirked an eyebrow. “But... you’re a giant dragon.”

Spike opened his mouth, but all that came out was a small surge of smoke. “Nevermind.” He turned his head back to the front, but paused. “Um, do you always smile like that?”

Jeckel raise his hoof to his mouth, feeling it over. “Well, yes. How else would I smile?”

“Perhaps not like a pony with severe mental issues?” grumbled Heckel.

Spike shook his head. “Well, could you, maybe... not smile all the time? You’re kinda creeping me out.”

“Oh, sure thing, sir!” He cleared his throat, then forced the corners of his mouth down, achieving a look not so much like a frown, more like somepony who suffered from chronic constipation. "Hat retter, shir?"

Spike rolled his eyes. “Good thing we’re here. I could use some sprinkles,” he muttered.

Ahead of them, Spike’s goal stood proudly at the very dead end of the road: Donut “Pony” Joe’s Den of Donuts. Spike could already feel rivulets of near-boiling drool escape his maw as he quickened his pace, sending more pronounced shudders through the street. In his mind, he was already awash in a sea of sprinkles, surrounded by luscious Long-Johns, crispy churros, mouth-watering malasadas, and mounds of marshmallows floating in hot chocolate. The worries of the day melted away, but as they neared, Spike’s steps began to falter.

Jeckel noticed his charge’s slowing. “Shumhin wrong, shir?” he asked, his words muffled by the pronounced frown he still wore.

“I don’t know.” He came to a stop a few meters away from the door. “This is usually Joe’s rush hour, but... well, the place looks deserted.”

Jeckel’s fake frown faltered. “Ha! Deserted, that’s a good one!”

“Oh, shut up!” Heckel hissed.

Ignoring the two, Spike looked in the windows of the shop, his confusion growing. The lights were on, several tables had half-eaten donuts and still-steaming mugs of cocoa, but there wasn’t a pony in sight.

He was about to turn around when the front doors opened and a burly stallion wearing a stained apron stepped out. His adam’s apple visibly moved as he gulped, approaching the hulking dragon. “Uh, can I—I help youse, sir?”

Spike grinned down at him, “Hey, Joe! Looking good.”

Joe stiffened when he saw the maw of fangs, but soon narrowed his eyes, studying the dragon. His eyes roamed for several seconds, before going wide. “S... Spikey?” The dragon nodded, and Joe visibly relaxed, though his jaw remained slack. “Jeez, kid, what happened to ya’s?”

Spike self-consciously ran his claw through his head spines. “Heh, growth spurt. Anyway, me and Twilight just got back to town, and I’m starving. What do you have ready?”

“Uh, well,” Joe stammered, his eyes darting away, “I, uh... I don’t really have anything ready. Maybe if youse could come back a bit later?” He offered a shaky smile.

Spike arched an eyebrow. “What are you talking about? I can see so—”

“Is it gone yet?”

Joe stiffened. The voice from behind him and been barely a whisper, but the look on Spike’s face said his sensitive draconic hearing had picked it up. His lips pursed, Spike snaked his long neck around Joe and took a closer look in the window. Through narrowed eyes, he could now see several forms hunched over underneath tables and behind the bar. Nervous eyes gazed at him, lips trembling with fear, ears splayed against heads, tails flicked like mad; all things that Spike had seen far too often over the past month.

He drew his head back. “Joe, what is this?”

Joe chewed his lip for a moment. “Look, kid, ya know I think of ya as a loyal customer, but right now—”

“Quit stalling and get rid of it!” hissed a snooty voice from inside the shop.

“Don't worry, sir, I’ll handle this!” Joe hissed over his shoulder before turning back to Spike, whose jaw was hanging open.

“Joe, please tell me you’re kidding.”

“Spike, let me explain.”

“Explain what?” He slammed his fist on the ground, shaking the windows and earning a series of whimpers from inside the shop. “For Celestia’s sake, Joe, it’s me, it’s Spike! You’ve known me for years! How many nights have I spent here with Twilight? How many times did I make you try cooking with gemstones?”

Joe opened his mouth, but the snooty voice from behind him piped up again. “Mister Cruller, if you cannot keep... beasts such as this out of your establishment, then I shall be forced to take my investments elsewhere!”

Joe turned his head once more, but said nothing, turning back to Spike with a look of exasperation. “Now, Spikey, look. If ya come back after closing time, I’ll make up something real special for ya. That ruby cruller ya like so much, free of charge. It’s just now—” his eyes darted back towards the ponies cowering in his shop— “it’s rush hour, and...”

“And you can’t have the terrifying dragon scaring your customers away, I get it.” Spike spun around, his massive tail slicing through the air just about Joe’s mane.

“Hey, Spike, I didn’t say that!”

Spike cast one final glance over his shoulder. “It’s okay, Joe,” he spat. “You didn’t have to. Come on, guys.”

Heckel and Jeckel both resumed their positions next to Spike as he stomped back down the street, no longer caring about the deep ruts his claws dug.

* * *

Twilight slowly paced on the plush carpet of the main entrance to the castle, pensively chewing on her bottom lip, her tail flicking furiously behind her. She had done her best to take her mind off Spike—rechecked her lesson plans for her first class next week, organized her closet a few times, double-checked her recheck of her lesson plans for next week—but it had done little good. Even the taste of her dinner stew was muted by her worry over her best friend.

She was just about to head back to her room when a pair of familiar voices rang out.

“I still say we should have stayed with him. He looked like her needed somepony to talk to!”

“He looked like a giant, pissed off dragon! Not exactly something that I want to ‘hang out’ with.”

Twilight turned to see Heckel and Jeckel approaching from one of the side doors. She rushed over to them. “Excuse me, sirs, but where is Spike?”

The two shared a measured glance, before Jeckel clear his throat. “Uh, he’s back at the drill pad. Said he wanted to eat in peace.”

She studied the twins, her eyes darting back and forth between them. “Did something happen out there?”

“Ma’am, I suggest you just ask him,” Heckel said before easing past her.

She watched the two leave, still bickering at each other, then turned and walked out the door, her steps worried and rushed.

Despite the long distance, Twilight made the journey to the far end of the castle grounds very quickly, her concern for her friend/charge/number-one assistant driving her steps. When she finally came to the back of the old Royal Guard complex, she heard grunting and could smell brimstone in the air. Her face fell; having lived with a dragon for so long, she knew what that combination of senses meant.

She rounded the final corner, revealing Spike laying down next to the thick, ten hoof tall wall that surrounded the castle. A large, naked bulb set atop a large pole cast cold, bluish light down on the smooth surface that was once used for soldiers practicing drill and ceremony. Old, disused barracks lined the yard, windows shuttered and wild weeds growing out from underneath the wooden steps at their fronts.

Spike sat with his tail to Twilight, a collection of barrels next to him. As she slowly approached, he would intermittently mutter something and let loose a snort of black smoke, then reach at something in front of him. Twilight gently moved in next to him to observe.

A barrel of apples lay in front of him, upturned with its contents splayed out on the ground. Slowly, Spike reached one of his massive claws to an apple. A deep look of focused consumed his face, and he took the apple in between his index finger and thumb. He made to lift it, but the instant it left the ground, his razor-sharp talons crushed the apple, sending a spray of juice and pulp across the floor. He growled and loosed another plume before throwing the shredded remains away, adding it to the large pile of destroyed fruit to his left.

Twilight eased closer. “Spike?”

“I got this, Twilight.” He reached for another apple, but it met the same fate as all the others, its pulpy remains staining the ground.

“Spike, let me help.”

“I said, I got this!” Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then reached for another apple.

Twilight held her breath as his claws connected with the apple. His eyes were narrowed, his jaw clenched. With painstaking patience, he lifted the apple off the ground, bringing it to his face. A smile just started to creep onto his lips. “I di—”

splat

Twilight said nothing, though her feelings were written plainly on her face.

Spike simply stared at the ruined apple, his claw trembling. “Damn it.”

Twilight placed a hoof on his arm. “Spike, it’s...” Her words trailed off when she felt a deep shudder run through his body.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

Spike lashed out. Instinctively, Twilight teleported away. She rematerialized across the field just in time to see the barrels and crates of produce slam into one of the unused buildings lining the par, destroying the wall they impacted. Spike let out an ear-splitting roar and slammed his fists down, leaving a pair of massive craters and shaking the earth so hard that Twilight lost her balance and fell to her knees.

She shot back up. “Spike, please, calm down.”

“Why?” As he spun to face her, his massive tail slammed into the barracks, reducing the dilapidated structure to splinters. “Oh, right, can’t have a rampaging dragon on the castle grounds, now can we?” With another furious roar, he lashed out his arm, obliterating another of the abandoned buildings. Twilight had to take a measured step back; his eyes burned with rage, smoke poured from his nostrils and green flames licked out from his clenched jaw. In that moment, her number one assistant seemed downright hellish.

The sound of hoof falls caught Twilight’s ear. Looking past Spike, a small gaggle of guards were galloping towards them. Twilight’s horn lit and a shimmering purple wall appeared in front of them, halting their progress. She shook her head, her harsh gaze all but screaming, I’ll handle this, stay away. The guards seemed to understand. That, or they weren’t interested in approaching a raging dragon.

Minor problem solved, Twilight set her shoulders, lit her horn again, and turned to face the major problem. “Spike, you need to relax.”

Spike let out a loud laugh, sending an inky swirl of smoke skyward. “Oh, what’s wrong, Twilight? Afraid I’ll ‘raze the whole of Canterlot?’ “ He spun again, facing the castle wall, and raised his clenched fist.

Right as he swung, a lavender mist surrounded it, jerking its movements to a halt. Spike gritted his teeth and pushed against the magic, but Twilight dug her hooves into the dirt and held him fast.

“Stop... it... Spike!” Sweat poured from her forehead, her horn blazed and sparked, but it was a losing battle. Spike roared again, and her horn flared out, releasing him. Unimpeded, his massive fist slammed into the stone wall with a deafening crack, sending rock and dust flying.

When the dust finally settled, Spike stood in front of a large hole in the thick wall, panting and huffing. Slowly, the fire in his eyes died down, his muscles relaxing. His eyes widened, darting between his clenched fist and what he had just done. With a dull whump, he fell to his belly, his angry breathing growing more and more harried, deep gulping breaths making his muscled form shake and quiver.

Wordlessly, Twilight made her way to him, laying back down in front of his head with her legs tucked beneath her. She gently leaned in and nuzzled against his cheek, his smooth scales radiating warmth.

The two sat there for a long while, Spike trying to control his breathing, and Twilight offering wordless comfort. Finally, Spike broke the silence.

“I nev—” he chewed his bottom lips, his long tongue snaking out and licking his lips— “I never planned for it, you know? For after my hundred year sleep. I never made plans for what I would do when I woke up. Every time I tried to think that far ahead, all I could see was,” his eyes momentarily drifted to Twilight, “tombstones.”

Twilight’s body tensed, but she said nothing.

“So, I just planned for my life to continue the way it was, hoping some miracle would come along and I wouldn’t have to. Heh, I guess it did, but now...”

He said nothing for a minute, eyes darting back and forth. “Look, the whole reason I wanted to stay was,” he tapped his claw against the ground, scanning his mind for the right words, “I mean, I understand my biology. I knew it would have to happen sooner or later, but...” A slight tremor passed through him. “The reason I wanted to stay was because I wanted to stay with you! With my friends, with the Princesses.” He snorted. “Heck, even Shining, for as big a jerk he can be sometimes. But now, I... I can’t even fit inside your homes anymore!”

“Spike, you know that’s not an issue, there’s plenty of open space in Equestria.”

“That’s not the point, Twi!” His head raised up, looking to the starry sky. “I—I mean... aw jeez, Twi. Look, don’t for a second think that I regret my life. Being raised by the Princess, then living with you, it was awesome, even the really bad stuff. But, lately I... I realize that all the things I wanted and where I saw myself going are things for ponies! And now, I’m—I’m too big!”

His voice cracked slightly as he continued. “It’s like every day the world around me is shrinking just a little bit, and it’s only gonna get worse. I mean, you remember what that book said: Drakenwyrms grow every year until we die. Well, if it’s bad now, what about when I’m five thousand years old? I won't even be able to fit in the castle! Or... or what if I live some freaky long time? What if I live to be ten thousand?! I’ll,” his massive frame deflated, his shoulders slumped, “I’ll be bigger than Canterlot.

“And what am I supposed to do? Do what a dragon does? Find some cave far away from everypony, hoard gems and be alone for the rest of my life? Well, there's a problem: I'm not really a dragon, am I? I mean—I mean I am, but I'm not. That life, all alone, being greedy and hating and," he shuddered, "hunting animals to eat. I don’t want that!” His tail slammed down, sending a plume of dust in the air. "I want to stay here, with ponies.”

He took a deep breath, laying his head down on the ground. When he spoke, the deep basso was gone from his voice, replaced by a tiny squeak that seemed very out of place coming from his massive body. “I just... I had this picture, this vision of what my life would look like, and now it’s... it’s broken. My life is broken.”

Twilight opened her mouth, but her voice failed. Any words she could think of were hollow, so she simply continued to gently stroke his arm, hating the sick feeling building in her gut. All her years studying friendship, all the lessons she’d learned on how to comfort friends, and here she was, unable to think of anything to help one of the oldest friends she had.

A thought jumped to her mind. “Spike,” she whispered, but the words were lost under his gulping breaths. She reached a hoof to his cheek, gently guiding his head up to meet hers. Offering only a warm smile, her horn lit up. Behind her, large chunks of the destroyed wall began to float back into place. A large cloud of gray dust swirled and flowed around them, coalescing back into solid rock. Within moments, the wall was solid once more.

Spike let out a quiet snort of laughter, turning his head away, revealing a single boiling tear running down his face. “Twilight?” he whimpered.

“Yes, Spike?”

"Wo—" Spike shuddered for a moment, then inhaled deeply before continuing, "would you stay with me tonight?" He clenched his eyes shut and swallowed the lump in his throat. "Just for tonight, please?"

Twilight said nothing. She got up and moved to his right side, laying down and snuggling up against his large body. He draped his wing over her, creating a living blanket for her, with just her head sticking out. Twilight sighed; the pleasant heat from his belly took the bite out of the night air.

Spike’s whimpering breaths slowly calmed, eventually morphing into contented snores as he drifted into peaceful sleep. Twilight’s eyelids grew heavy, but as they fluttered close, her mind was already racing, ideas forming.

Author's Note

Jeez, what's with all these feelz?! Isn't this supposed to be a comedy?!

An Abstract Future

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Three: An Abstract Future

Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns was actually a bit of a misnomer. When it formed in Solar Year 872 it had been for only the wealthiest and most prominent foals of the elite class, namely unicorns. However, following a series of protests in the early 900’s, including one infamous day when an earth pony covered herself in honey while her pegasus coltfriend had unleashed a swarm of flies, the school opened its doors to all. The eager young minds from all races, species, and economic backgrounds flocked here to be taught by the best and brightest that academia had to offer. The School for Gifted Unicorns had become, in more ways than one, a symbol of unity

Located right next to the palace, Her Majesty’s school was nothing like the opulence of the seat of government. A large complex, nearly 300 acres, composed mainly of nondescript beige-walled, black-roofed buildings of various sizes contained the envy of the scholastic world. These days, magical studies still held focus, though courses and degrees of all kinds were now offered, from scientific pursuits like Evolutionary Biology and Natural Thaumatic Phenomenon, to liberal arts classes like Advanced Musical Theory and The Cultural and Socio-economic Influence of Iron Mare and Spider-Mane

Twilight Sparkle stood before the doors, basking in the nostalgia, Lieutenant Cake standing sentinel behind her. The last time she stood there, she was merely a filly, timid and awkward. Despite studying under the Princess herself and receiving the highest marks possible from even the sternest of professors, in her mind she was still very much a foal.

Not anymore; now, her intellect was tempered by experience and maturity. Now, she stood proudly, her mane tied into a smart ponytail, her black-rimmed glasses sitting on her snout, wearing the professional dress suit Rarity made for her, a conservative jacket colored a light purple to match her mane. Setting her shoulders, she strode forward, a confident spring in her step. As her magic swung the doors open, a cool blast of air washed over her, carrying the scent of musty parchment and drying ink. She chuckled quietly as a tiny shot of adrenaline-fueled nostalgia coursed through her veins, the sights and smells reviving old horrors of strict deadlines and frantic cram sessions.

Shaking off the misplaced fear, she made her way through the posh lobby, pristinely waxed floor tiles reflecting back her determined eyes and confident smirk. A brief glance to the far left wall revealed a string of portraits, crotchety old ponies with the perpetual scowls of professional teachers. Twilight shuddered slightly. I hope I don't look that bad later on.

She turned back to the front as she approached the front desk. A wiry gray mare with a jarringly red mane sat behind the desk reading a textbook. Twilight cleared her throat when she got near. "Hello, I'm Tw—"

"Twilight Shparkle!"

Twilight jerked back to avoid the fine mist of spittle. The mare smiled broadly revealing a mess of metal affixed to her teeth, her eyes all but popping out of her head. Twilight gave a shaky smile. "Uh, yes, I—"

"Oh, it is shuch an honor to finally meet you, Professher!" The mare's smile was threatening to break off her acned face, and her eyes held a manic glaze that made Twilight shift uneasily. "I'm Shteely Gaze. I'm your biggesht fan!"

"Uh, heh, th-thank you. Now, co—"

"Oh, I'm so excited to have you here! I signed up for your class as soon as it opened!"

"Thank you, b—"

The mad mare leaned even further towards Twilight, to the point where she could smell the acne medication in her face. "I've been following you for years! I've read every one of your pubilcationsh!"

Twilight brightened a bit. "Oh, have you?"

Steely nodded so fast, Twilight felt a slight breeze. "Yesh! I even have an original print of The Friendship Reports! All of your papersh are incredibly inshightful, but I think your shecond to lasht wash my favorite."

"Oh, you mean—" Twilight's eyes widen at the implication. Silently cursing her one attempt at a clever title, she turned her head away from the oncoming tsunami.

"A Series of Studies Surveying Successful Species Surviving in Special Circumstances!"

When the spittle stopped, Twilight found herself curiously dry. Opening her eyes, she saw Lieutenant Cake standing stalwart in front of her. She stepped to the side, and gasped at the large amounts of saliva dripping off his unflinching face. "Lieutenant?"

He blinked slowly. "Madam Sparkle, I swore an oath, before the diarchs themselves, that I would protect my every charge with life and limb. If I can take a bow through the breast, I can take phlegm to the face."

It was Twilight's turn to blink. "Um... thanks?" She shook her head, Turning to face Steely and floating a stack of papers out of her saddlebag. "I'm looking for my classroom. I'm supposed to be sharing room," she rummaged through a few papers, "214 with a Professor Igneous."

"Oh, Professor Fido! Yes, go down that hallway," she gestured to a door in their right, "all the way down in the left side."

"Thank you." She nodded, floating the papers back in her bag. "Also, if you want to make a good impression on me, you can start by not using derogatory nicknames for your teachers."

Steely Gaze's gaze faltered. "Um, Professhor?"

Twilight remained firm. "I understand if he's not your favorite, but he's a professional, and a pony, just like you. You should treat him as such, understand?"

"Um, I don't think you—"

Twilight’s eyes narrowed. "Do you understand?"

Steely's ears drooped. "Yesh, ma'am."

"Good," Twilight said, her chest puffing out a tiny bit. She nodded then turned to the lieutenant. "Come on, Lieutenant Cake, let’s head to the classroom."

"Yes, ma'am!" He nodded firmly, sending a few errant droplets of moisture flying.

She jerked out of the line of fire, smiling sheepishly. "Um, after a trip to the washroom."

"It would be most appreciated, ma'am."

After allowing Beef to towel off, they made their way down the hall towards what was soon to be her classroom. Twilight failed to suppress a fillyish squeal at the thought: her classroom. After all her trials, all her fretting and worrying, it was finally happening. She stood at the door for a few moments, reading the words written in thick black letters on the window:

Professor F. Igneous

Thaumatic Geology

Professor T. Sparkle

Advn. Magical Theory

After basking in the glow of her own awesomeness, as Rainbow would say, she turned to her bodyguard. "Would you mind waiting out here, Lieutenant? I'd prefer to meet, " she flashed a wide, and very cheesy, grin, "my fellow professor, on my own."

"Madam Sparkle, I—"

"Professor Sparkle," she chided in a sing-song voice.

"My apologies. Professor Sparkle, I would not wish to leave you unguarded. What if this pony is some kind of fiend?"

Twilight let out a snort. "Lieutenant, Princess Celestia told me he's sixty-five. I think I can handle a stodgy old professor."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like you handled Professor Parchment?"

"Do not mention his name!" Twilight snarled, stomping her hoof.

To his credit, Beef only flinched a little bit when the sparks jumped from her horn. He swallowed loudly. "Yes, ma... Professor."

Twilight set her shoulders, cleared her throat, smiled and walked in the door, not caring that it slammed behind her.

As soon as she looked around, her anger evaporated. The classroom, her classroom, was just like the one she had sat in when she was a filly. A large chalkboard took up the entire wall to her right, with a large tabletop in front of it. Facing it, large rows of desks sat on ascending steps, all wide with cushions beneath we them large enough to accommodate creatures of any size. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, the smell of chalk and parchment invigorating like a summers breeze. Standing in front of the rows of desks, she felt more than calm; she felt ready.

A quiet shuffling came from the back of the room. Turning, Twilight approached what she assumed was a desk, though it was hard to tell underneath the mountain of papers stacked in between various jars of fine powder. Between the tall stacks, she could see movement. "Um, hello?"

"Yes, yes, back here." The voice that answered was rough and gravelly, though a Trottingham accent was discernible.

Cautiously, Twilight made her way to the desk. She approached, trying to see over the massive pile of papers topped with an open jar of sand. She could just see the back of what looked like a tweed jacket rustling around. She made to speak when a hellish shape pounced up from behind the stack. Twilight only caught flashes: bright yellow eyes, jet black fur, and razor sharp teeth.

"Hello!"

"Ahh!"

The sudden startle made her jump, her back hooves skidding on the waxed tile floor, throwing her off balance. In a last mad dash to save herself, she lunged for the table, but only succeeded in knocking over the jar of dust. She gasped as she flopped to the ground, all air rushing from her lungs. Before she even had a chance to breath back in, a thick blanket of sand fell on her face.

She groaned and lifted her hooves to clear the dust from her face, but the gravelly voice called out again.

“No, no, don’t!”

Twilight froze, laying on her belly with her hooves hanging in the air in front of her face. She heard movement, then felt a presence before her.

"I'm terribly sorry about this. That's Lucium powder. The granules are very jagged, and could cause serious damage if they got into your eyes." Twilight felt a claw—Oh, Celestia, why does he have claws?!—rest in her face and gently angle it up. "Since you're not writhing in agony, you must have closed your eyes quick enough. Good on you." The voice let out a chuckle that was almost lost under its harsh grumble.

Twilight's tail began to flick back on forth as the claw left her face and a series of clicks sounded, almost like somepony turning a key inside a lock. "Get it off, get it off, please get it off!"

"Alright, alright, calm down," the harsh voice cooed. A few more clicks, and then a low thrumming, and Twilight could feel the humming pulse of magic in the air as his claw once more cupped her cheek. "Now, here we go, just relax."

She let out a quiet yelp as a warm trickle of water flowed over her face, but the gentle claw held her in place. Slowly, she felt the fine dust clearing from her eyes, whatever was pouring water on her face moved back and forth in a gentle pattern.

What felt like a thumb—it was broad and strong, but the surface felt like rough velvet—gingerly swiped across her eye, helping to clear away the moist dirt. Twilight flinched under the contact, but he kept up his gentle ministrations, offering soothing words to calm her, and she eventually relaxed in his grip. Despite her situation, Twilight couldn't stop the bit of warmth spreading across her cheek.

Finally, the flow of water died off. "And," the hand gave one last sweep across her eyes then released her, "there we are. Open your eyes."

Twilight blinked several times, trying to forces the world back into focus. As it did, the figure crouched next to her was not the nightmarish creature she thought it was. The razor-sharp fangs were, in fact, just the front incisors of the angular canine muzzle currently smiling at her. The blazing eyes were a stark amber, radiating with intelligence and youth. What jet-black fur that wasn’t covered by his conservative brown suit and tweed jacket was neatly groomed and shining.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his growling tone somehow warm and gentle.

Somewhere in Twilight's brain, she remembered that in such situations, she was expected to speak. So, she blurted out the first thing to pop into her head. "You're not a pony."

The canine gasped, his paw reaching up to his face. "Are you sure? I could have sworn I was a pegasus!"

Twilight did her best to hold in the snort of laughter as he helped her back to her hooves. Standing up straight, he towered over her, her head just about at his chest.

"No, I'm a Diamond Dog." He bowed low. "Fidelis Igneous, professor of Thaumatic Geology."

Twilight furrowed her brow for a moment before her eyes widened. "Fido."

He laughed, a guttural rumble that somehow sounded both terrifying and inviting. "Yes, that is what the students have come to call me. Sort of a cheeky diminutive, but its all in good fun."

Twilight nodded, making a mental note to apologize to the mare at the front desk. "What spell was that?"

He quirked his eyebrows for a moment. "Hmm? Oh, yes, that. That was my little device here," he said, gesturing to a gauntlet on his left arm.

Twilight's eyes went wide as she examined it. The device consisted of a polished silver sleeve that ran from his wrist, where two straps ran between his fingers to secure it, to just below his elbow, where sat a gleaming ruby. Six bands ran width-wise around it, each containing five brilliant jewels of various kinds and one empty space.

She leaned in close, stepping next to him. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"I would think not," he said, a proud smile on his face. "It's my own design. I call it a runic sleeve. It allows a Diamond Dog, like myself, to focus active magic without having to draw runes on the ground."

Twilight brought her hoof to the sleeve, gently poking and prodding it. "Amazing. An arrangement of gemstones enchanted to resonate with your thaumatic field, aligning it to the Earth’s and allowing for semi-spontaneous spell-casting without the need of a medium.”

He arched his eyebrow. "Precisely. Additionally, this design allows for realignment of the gems." He demonstrated by rotating the bands, rearranging the gems, and Twilight recognized the clicks she heard earlier. "So, I can create any effect I want. From a light trickle to wash sand off of a unicorn," he said with a grin as he slid one last rune into place, "to a gentle breeze to dry her off." Stepping back, he pointed his hand at her and pressed in the humming ruby.

WOOSH!

By the time Twilight's ears stopped ringing and her eyes decided to stop rotating independently, the Diamond Dog was already at her side, helping to keep her balanced. He offered a sheepish grin. "Eh-heh, it's... it's a work in progress." He suddenly frowned. "Oh, dear..."

"What?"

"Oh, oh, nothing." He flashed a very toothy smile.

Her eyes narrowed. "What is it?"

"Well, your mane. It's a bit... off." She opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a paw, his other adjusting the runes in his sleeve. "But, don't worry, I'm, uh, I'm sure I can design some—some sort of grooming spell t—"

"No!" She gave a shaky laugh when he jumped. "Uh, I mean, don't worry, I've got it."

Her horn lit up, bathing the area in a purplish haze. The air in front of her began to shimmer and crackle, what appeared to be a black hole forming before their eyes. With a quiet pop, a head-sized mirror appeared. Twilight looked into it and swore, somehow, she could hear Rarity shrieking at the tangled, poofy mess that had been her mane.

Her tongue just barely stuck from her mouth as her mane glowed a dull lavender, the ragged mess untangling and reforming into her ponytail.

Beside her, Igneous watched the scene in stunned silence for several moments before finding his voice. "Amazing," he breathed, slowly circling around her. "A multispectral light refraction spell maintained simultaneously with a custom mane-styling program with a Come-to-Life spell woven into the spell matrix!" He ended up back in front of her. "I'm impressed... and not a little bit humbled."

Twilight felt a blush creep across her cheeks once again. "Well, thank you, Professor. I'm Tw—"

"Twilight Sparkle, yes, I gathered."

She huffed quietly, then smiled, eyeing him curiously. "Um, forgive me, but you don't look like the Diamond Dogs I've met before," she said, noting his lean build and narrow muzzle.

"Yes, well, I suppose I wouldn't. I'm a mongrel." He smiled at her raised eyebrow. "A mutt, half-breed. My mother was a from one of the Wolven packs."

She blinked. "Oh, I didn't know that dogs and Wolven interbred."

"Well, it's not exactly common, but it does happen." He leaned in a bit closer. "Makes for very interesting Pack reunions, let me tell you."

Igneous's guttural chuckle and Twilight's fillyish giggle drifted across the empty classroom. When the laughter tapered off, Twilight smiled at him, looking into those keen, welcoming eyes as he smiled right back at her. "You're, uh... you're not what I thought, Professor."

“I know, I’m not a quadroped.”

“Heehee, no, I-I meant... you! You’re much, hm, warmer than I expected.”

"Oh? And what, pray tell, were you expecting, Professor?"

"Well," she said with a sheepish grin, "I thought you'd be a bit more... stuffy. Princess Celestia told me you were sixty-five."

"But I am sixty-five."

Twilight blinked. "Oh! Well, you still look very young."

He arched his eyebrow. "I am young. Well, I mean I'm not a pup, but I'm in the prime of my life." He must have read her bewildered expression. "Diamond Dogs routinely live to around two-hundred. Think of it like reverse dog years. Did someone lead you to believe otherwise?"

Twilight was fighting a losing battle with her tongue at the moment. "B-b-but, Princess Celestia said that you were old!"

"No, I didn’t."

Both dog and pony whirled around to see Princess Celestia walk through the doorway, wavering hair and playful smirk on full display. She nodded to them, bading them to rise from their bows, and grinned at Twilight. "My faithful student, I merely said he was very spry for his age, which he is." She turned to Igneous. "I understand you have a black belt in Sambone, yes?"

He beamed. "Two stripes, working in my third.”

Celestia smiled at him, turning to Twilight as an exaggerated gasp escaped her lips. "Oh, did you not know about Diamond Dog life spans?" She looked back to Igneous as Twilight desperately tried to fight her tongue. "Professor, would you mind giving us a few minutes in private?"

"Of course, your highness." He offered another bow. "I'll be in my office should you need me. Oh, sorry," he said, smiling at Twilight, "I guess that would be our office now!" With that he turned and walked to the door in the far former of the room, quietly closing it behind them.

The moment the lock clicked, Twilight found her voice. "Was that really necessary, your highness?"

Celestia let out a small, melodious giggle. "Such impudence! When did this happen?"

Twilight brought her hoof to her chin, looking up at the ceiling. "Hmm, I think it was around the fourth or fifth eldritch abomination my friends and I stopped while you were in the castle eating cake."

A brief pause, and both princess and professor erupted into a fit of giggles. Celestia opened a wing and brought Twilight into a warm hug. "How have you been, Twilight?"

"Embarrassed," she huffed, pulling away from her mentor. "You could have told me he was a dog! What was the point of that?"

Celestia smiled that knowing, playful smirk Twilight had seen so many times before. "Call it a final lesson before you officially leave my tutelage. Even on your proudest day, one must be humble."

"And the best way to teach that is to make me look like a complete foal in front of my new co-worker?"

"Well, the most expedient way." The two made their way over to the first row of desks, sitting down on the plush cushions facing each other. Celestia was silent for a moment, a sad smile in her face. "Oh, my dear Twilight, you've grown so much. You and Spike."

Twilight smiled. "Him more than me."

Celestia's face fell. "Yes, I heard about what happened when you arrived last week." She reached her hoof to Twilight's foreleg. "I'm so sorry I haven't been able to spend more time with you two. With Luna visiting Gryphonvale, the past few weeks have been hectic. I’m actually in the middle of a meeting with Bean Counter, the head of the Canterlot Chamber of Commerce right now.” She giggled at Twilight’s confused face. “Just a simple illusion spell.”

“An illusion spell... is having a meeting?”

Celestia scoffed. “Oh, come now, Twilight, you know those stuffy business types. A random ‘Yes’ and ‘Uh-huh’ is all they need to hear. Besides, I had to come visit.”

"It's okay, Princess. You control the sun, not time."

"Still, with someone as close to me as you and Spike, I should make the time. Tell me, how has he been?"

Twilight sank a bit deeper into the cushion, lips askew in uncertain thought. "To be honest, Princess, not well." Celestia's expression bade her continue, so Twilight told her about the emotional conversation she had with Spike a week ago. Celestia merely nodded, extending her wing around Twilight, who subconsciously leaned into it as she spoke.

Finally, Twilight finished, and a comfortable silence fell between them, Celestia gently nuzzling her head. Eventually, Twilight pulled away, and looked up at Celestia with tired eyes. "I'll be honest, Princess. I've spent the last week trying to think of someway to help him, to magic away his troubles, but I'm at a loss.”

“I can see that. I can also see the wheels in your head spinning, Twilight.” A sly smile worked across her lips again. “You have an plan?”

Twilight nodded, but her expression remained neutral. “I have an idea, and it’s feasible, at least on a fundamental level, but the numbers just don’t add up. At its most basic level, my theory is sound, but the level of power I’d need is astounding, mind-boggling! Until I can figure out the math, I don’t know what I can do to help him. I mean, I know to be there for him, listen and talk to him, but his problems..."

"Are the kind that can only be solved by the most powerful of magics."

Twilight smiled. "Yes, friendship."

"Possibly." Celestia sighed deeply. "Oh, my dear faithful student. I'm an old fool." Twilight shot her a perplexed glance. Celestia chewed her lip for an instant. "Twilight, I think its time I told you the truth about your entrance exam all those years ago."

"Oh, you mean how it wasn't really a requirement and you were just looking for the Element of Magic?"

"Buh?!"

With super-equine effort, Twilight suppressed the smug grin threatening to tear across her face. It's not everyday one gets to catch an immortal goddess with blinders on.

Celestia's mind finally caught up. "But... how?"

It was Twilight's turn to smile knowingly. "Oh, come on, Princess. It wasn't that hard to figure out. The fact that nearly every foal who failed it before me still got accepted, combined with the fact that nopony ever had to take it again after me, and that you started it a fifty years before Nightmare Moon returned, a long weekend for an immortal, and it was only logical."

“And... it doesn’t bother you?”

“At first. Yes, you were playing a bit of the ‘chessmaster’ role, and yes, that did... bother me for a bit.” Celestia cringed slightly. “But, after awhile, I realized that you didn’t set out to manipulate me specifically, you were trying to save the world. More importantly,” she placed her hoof on Celestia’s, “you were trying to save your baby sister. I understand that now, and it’s okay.” Her eyes got a bit distant. “I only wish I had accepted that a month ago...”

Celestia blinked hard for several seconds, then smiled. "Never change, Twilight." She allowed Twilight several more moments of basking, then continued. "There is, however, more to it than that.

"Yes, I did begin that test with the intent of finding the Element. Dragons are so resistant to our magic, even I, with all my power, have struggled against them in combat. So, when it became apparent that I could no longer sit and wait for the element to reveal itself, a dragon's egg seemed like a good gauge of abilities."

"But, where did you even get a dragon egg?" Twilight had sat up a bit straighter upon mention of Spike's egg.

"It was gifted to me some seven hundred years ago."

Twilight stiffened. "Gifted?! You mean Spike's mother just gave him away?"

Celestia nodded. "The Topaz Depths clan bordered Equestria back then. They were stalwart allies for many centuries. She Of The Depths even fought by my side during the War of the Night. After I helped repel a Gryphonian invasion, She gifted me with Her first-bared egg, the highest sign of respect in Draconian culture."

Twilight's eyes widened slightly. "So, Spike may have living relatives?"

"Sadly, no. The Topaz Depths clan died off several centuries ago. She was a dear friend, and I mourned Her loss greatly."

Twilight gulped, but said nothing for a moment, letting Celestia compose herself. Finally, she spoke. "I'm sorry, Princess, but what does this have to do with Spike's situation?"

Celestia sighed once more. "Promise me you will never tell Spike about this.” Twilight nodded. “Well, you understand now that Spike’s egg had been in stasis for so long, that I... I honestly thought he would be... stillborn.”

The clock above the chalkboard gently chimed out the hour, the bells surprisingly loud in the large class. Twilight swallowed hard. "So, what happened? If his egg was... what happened?"

Celestia smiled. "You happened. Even to this day you underestimate your own abilities."

“Then, if you didn't think he would hatch, why did you include it in the test?”

Celestia shifted uncomfortably on her cushion. “Twilight, even hatching a non-viable dragon egg is a feat of incredible power. It seemed a perfect scenario. I find the Element Bearer, and no creature is harmed.

“But in my haste to find her—that is, you— I never really stopped to think of what I would do if it were to hatch. By all rights, I should have dropped him off at the nearest dragon clan, but..." Her eyes wandered off, glazing over. "I knew his life would be difficult were he to be raised by ponies, but when I saw him there, sucking his tail, I... and since I'm not able to..."

Twilight felt a cold lump in her throat. For all the time she had spent pondering the exact nature of her relationship with Spike, she never paused to think about Celestia's. After Twilight hatched him, Celestia had taken him for the first few years of his life. Twilight still spent every moment she wasn't studying or in classes with him, but the princess was his primary caregiver until he was around seven. If I'm his sister, then would that make her...

Twilight could count on one of Spike’s hands the number of times she had seen this side of her mentor: not Princess Celestia, not Solumveyah, Keeper of The Light, but Celestia, an old pony who had lived longer than any could imagine, and sacrificed so much for her little ponies. As Celestia’s eyes continued looking at nothing, Twilight imagined, just for a split second, that her ever-flowing hair lost just a bit of its ethereal luster.

Then, just as soon as it came, it passed. Celestia shook her head and smiled faintly down at Twilight. “Well, what matters now is now. Spike is going through a very tough time, and he will need more than a guardian or sister. He will need a friend.”

Twilight held her gaze for a moment, quelling the torrent of questions and thoughts, then smiled back. “You’re right, Princess, and we’re all going to be here for him. Spike is spending some quality time with Shining Armor right now.”

“Oh? Are you sure that’s wise, Twilight? You know how those two can get.”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sure they’re fine, Princess, they’re not foals anymore.”

Celestia arched her eyebrow and opened her mouth, but all that came out was a deep sigh. “Oh, no.”

“What is it, Princess?”

Celestia rose to her hooves, an irritated scowl on her pristine face. “I’m afraid I must take my leave. It seems the clone has hit a bit of a... hiccup.”

“Hiccup?”

“Yes. Apparently Bean Counter wanted to take a walk around the Palace as we talked. I am repeatedly attempting to walk through a brick wall.”

Twilight chortled and rose with her. “I understand, Princess. Thank you so much for coming down here,” she said, nuzzling against Celestia, who wrapped a wing around her.

“Of course, my dear Twilight. And please, tell Spike how much I miss him. I will do everything in my power to make the time to se—” She suddenly cringed. “Oh, my. I have to go. I just made it through the wall...” In a bright flash, she vanished.

Twilight shook her head and walked up to the large chalkboard. She turned around and did a slow scan of the room, imagining the young faces of ponies, and all other manner of creatures, eagerly awaiting her words, her knowledge. A smile spread across her face. Though she still didn’t know how to best help Spike, she’d figure it out.

Letting out a breath, she turned and walked towards the back office Igneous had gone to. The office was hidden in the rear of the classroom, the nondescript door set in a slight alcove next to the far end of the desks. Twilight eased the door open with her magic, and almost swallowed her tongue: endless stacks of papers, drawers open and overflowing with notecards, specimen jars scattered across the floor, ensure only someone who walked on two legs could possibly hope to navigate it.

Professor Igneous stood at the back, rummaging through a mountain of textbooks. He looked up and smiled as Twilight entered. “Ah, Professor! Did her majesty leave?”He gulped and let out an awkward laugh when Twilight’s only response was a severely twitching right eye. “Eh-heh, n-now I know it looks like quite a mess, but I assure you that I have a system that w—”

“Professor Igneous.” Her voice was devoid of emotion. “You will allow me to organize this room... or I will not be held responsible for my actions.”

Igneous gulped. “Shall I fetch a broom?”

* * *

On the far side of Canterlot, the midday sun shone brightly across a serene field of summer grass and wildflowers. A cool breeze danced across the blades of grass, creating a pleasant whistling sound that played through the air like the ghostly echoes of a forgotten melody. A huge lake sat in the middle of the field, crested by a gently sloping hill. A large butterfly, brilliantly decorated with stark yellows, deep browns, and dull blues drifted lazily on the wind before landing gently on a wild daisy, its expansive wings fluttering as it dipped down to sample the sweet pollen. In that moment, it truly represented the peace and beauty of Equestria.

The field on the other side of the hill represented Tartarus on Earth. Large platforms and pillars, all constructed of shimmering pink magic dominated the field. On one side stood a platoon of Guards, all dressed in the drab sweatshirts of the standard physical training uniform. At the far end, Shining Armor stood tall, his horn sparking with power, a look of deep focus on his ivory features.

Nearly a kilometer away, Spike gasped in deep lungfuls of air, his purple face twisted in angered focus as he lowered himself down for what felt like his millionth push-up. Every exhalation sent a large billow of smoke skyward, but he kept pace, determined to take what Shining was dishing out.

Right next to him stood a tan pegasus, his crew-cut blonde mane hidden beneath the imposing brown hat crested with the symbol of the Royal Guard. He matched every push-up that Spike did, only where Spike was grunting and straining, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

At some unknown signal, the drill sergeant leapt up and blew his whistle. "Go!"

Spike leapt up and tore off, claws tearing at the earth. He made it twenty meters when the shrill report of the whistle sounded again.

"Roll right!"

Spike tucked his legs tight to his body and rolled to the right then continued running.

"Tumble left!"

Spike bounded to the left, performing a summersault, losing no momentum as he ran on.

"Hit it!"

Groaning, Spike skidded to a halt and began another set of push-ups. The pegasus yelled in his ear. "Keep your back straight, wyrm, or I'm gonna make luggage outta you!"

Spike growled as he continued pushing. "Eh, your mother," Spike hissed through clenched teeth as he pushed himself up.

The pony either didn't hear him or didn't care. He just leaned in very close to Spike's sensitive draconic ears and blew the whistle. "Go!"

Spike took off at a dead sprint towards a shimmering wall about five hooves taller than him. He smirked. "No sweat," he panted.

Behind him, the pegasus waved to Shining across the field. The general's horn billowed out more light, and with a squeaking sound, the wall extended several meters taller.

Spike screeched to a halt, his jaw dropping. He shot an incredulous look to the drill sergeant. "You're kidding, right?" he panted.

The pegasus glared at him. "Get your bucking scaley backside over that wall!"

Spike growled and crouched down, thick cords of muscle in his legs trembling like coiled steel as he eyed the glowing pink wall of pure magic before him. With a loud grunt, he leapt like a cat, easily clearing the tall barrier and landing with fluid ease on the other side, instantly tearing off into a dead sprint.

Before him was a veritable maze of towering pink pillars of pure magic, wild arcs of electrical power dancing across their surface. An intense look of focus consumed his face as he twisted his way between them with incredible care.

"Go, Mr. Spike!"

Spike shot a quick glance to his right. Heckel and Jeckel stood on the sidelines of the makeshift obstacle course, each dressed in the drab sweatshirts of the Guard's PT uniform, huffing and puffing loudly. They had just finished their own physical training regimen, and now stood to watch him. Jeckel waved animatedly, while Heckel stood with his usual scowl.

The brief distraction cost Spike. He yelped as his long tail touched one of the crackling pillars, earning him a jolting shock. This caused him to lose his balance and he stumbled off his claws straight into another pillar. "Glbblebblebble-aaaahhh-ha-hhaaaoooowwww!"

"Eyes forward, you overgrown iguana!"

Spike rolled into his back, smoke rising from his scales. "Oh, shut up, dude," he groaned.

In a flash, the pegasus was above him, hovering inches from his face. "How about you show me some damn respect? Or do they not teach that in that scraggly podunk hole of a town you come from?"

Every muscle in Spike's body tensed. With a loud growl, he flipped back over and fell into a fighting stance, fangs bared, back spines rigid and menacing, his cold, steely eyes boring into the pegasus. “Don’t talk about Ponyville like that!” He huffed a huge plume of smoke out at the airborne pony.

The pegasus didn’t even flinch at the display of draconic rage. He flapped his wings and advanced on Spike, his fierce eyes staring right back at the enraged dragon. “Then don’t give me a reason to. Twenty wing burpees! Knock 'em out!"

Spike snarled and dropped into a pushup position. As he pushed up, his wings gave a mighty flap, sending him bounding several meters into the air. He landed roughly with a thunderous boom, then repeated the process.

Twenty repetitions later, another shrill report from the whistle. "Go!"

Spike leapt up and ran towards Shining. His long claws tore deep ruts in the grass, but he ignored it; Shining assured him somepony would fix it later. The earth beneath him trembled with every step of his powerful legs. He looked not unlike a freight train, with huge clouds of thick black smoke spewing forth with every breath.

Spike tuned out the world. Nothing existed, not the aching soreness spreading in his wings, not the burning in his lungs. The only thing that was real was his goal: the wavering wall of magic that separated him from Shining.

Leaning his shoulder forward, he slammed into the barrier and was immediately rewarded with several hooves worth of give. On the other side, Shining grimaced, a shower of sparks spewing from his horn, but he set his shoulders and glared at Spike, his teeth bared and brow set, and pushed back.

As Spike dug his hind claws into the ground, shouts could be heard over his panting grunts and the loud thrumming of Shining's magic.

"Take it to him, General!"

"Dig in, Spike, you got this!"

"Twenty bits on the General!"

"You're on!"

Spike growled, emerald flame licking out from between his teeth as he rotated to place both claws against the barrier. His hind claws dug deeper into the ground, and he pushed. At a glacial pace, the barrier inched forward.

On the other side, sweat was pouring from Shining's brow, his horn blazing wildly. Suddenly, his right foreleg buckled, sending him to his knees. He cried out as his horn sputtered briefly.

Several gasps could be heard from the crowd.

"Whoa, he's gonna do it!"

"Come on, General!"

"Twenty bits on the dragon!"

"No way, you already made your bet!"

Shining's eyes shot open. Slowly, he raised his head to glare at the smirking dragon before him. With a loud roar, Shining planted his front hooves on the ground and stood, sparks shooting from his horn.

Spike's eyes went wide. The force pushing against him seemed to double, triple. A burning ache shot through his tired limbs, the flames in his mouth sputtering out. Large mounds of upturned earth grew behind his him claws as the barrier pushed him back.

Shining's yell reached a fever pitch, feral and angry. The soldiers around them stepped back, a nervous gaze in their eyes as they looked upon their General. Gone was the smiling pragmatist, the tough but fair commander, replaced by the youngest general in the Royal Guard, one of the most powerful shield mages in recorded history, the Lion from the North. With his battle cry at a crescendo, he surged forward.

Poor Spike had no idea what happened. One second he was struggling against his smarmy, jerky friend/step-brother, the next he was doing his best impression of a sock in a drier. When the world finally stopped spinning, two shapes slowly came into focus.

“Wow, Mr. Spike, that was amazing!" Jeckel said in his much-too-happy-to-be-mentally-stable way. Spike groaned, letting his head fall back to the ground. Jeckel pressed him. “You really took him!”

Spike blinked, moving the only muscles that didn’t scream in agony as his broad chest heaved. “Wha— what do y— he won, he— oh, Godde—”

“What he’s talking about is we’ve never seen the General sweat like that before,” Heckel grumbled.

With titanic effort, Spike lolled his head to the side. Across the field, the dozens of pink magical constructs were vanishing, the deep scars of Spike’s claw marks the only evidence of the workout/flank-beating that he received. Now only several meters away, Shining stood on shaky legs, sweating profusely and taking eager gulps from a water bottle. Beside him, the tan pegasus stood scowling at the group of guards that swarmed around the General, all heaping praise upon him.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough, shut the buck up and get back in formation!” In a flash, the group of nearly sixty guards were back in their ranks, standing at rigid attention. He turned back to Shining. “Sorry about that, sir. Most of these miscreants have never seen power like that before."

Shining Armor nodded at him, taking another greedy gulp from the bottle. “No problem, Drill Sergeant. I just hope they don't ask to see it again anytime soon." He wiped his brow with the towel around his neck. “Whoo, I must be getting old.”

“You’re only thirty-four.” All of them turned to welcome Cadance, who walked up to Shining and wrapped a wing around him. “Besides, you’re only as old as you feel.”

He grinned at her. “Well then, I must be only a foal whenever you’re around.” With that, he wrapped his forelegs around her and pulled her into a deep kiss. She let out a quiet yelp that quickly turned into a moan as he kissed her much deeper than decorum would allow for.

She pulled back slightly, their noses still touching. “Shine, you’re showing off again.”

“Hey, if you were married to you, you’d show off, too.” He kissed her again, snaking his hoof around to give her a playful squeeze on her cutie mark.

She squealed and laughed, pushing him off with mock disgust. “Get off of me!”

“Never.”

A punctated clearing of a throat cut off their display. The Drill Sergeant stood glaring at the platoon of guards, all of whom were all but staring at the loving couple.

Cadance stifled a giggle as Shining stiffened under the sergeant’s scrutiny. “Shining, aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?”

Shining cleared his throat. “Uh, this is Drill Sergeant Tweak from the academy. Drill Sergeant, I believe you know my wife.”

Tweak gave a deep bow. “Of course, your highness, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Tweak was just helping me help Spike with his fine motor control.”

Cadance looked over to the still-panting Spike. “Oh? What exactly were you doing?”

“Cri—” Spike gulped for air— “crimes against equinity!”

Shining took another sip of water. “You’re not an equine.”

Groaning, Spike rolled over and lay on his belly, his back-spines splayed out flat against his body. “You... you’re right. I’m a reptile... and I’m sweating. I... I’m sweating... and I'm a reptile!”

Cadance giggled. “You’re not cold-blooded!”

Spike huffed, his tail impacting the ground with a low boom. “Principle!”

“Uh, sir, if that’s all, I’m gonna take the colts back to the barracks.” Tweak offered a salute.

“Of course. Thank you again for your help, Drill Sergeant.” He returned the salute.

“Thank you, sir.” He gave another deep bow to Cadance. “Again, ma’am, it was a pleasure to meet you. If I may be so bold, your husband is an exceptionally lucky stallion.”

Cadance blushed. “Oh, thank you, sir.”

“Don't call me sir, ma’am. I work for a living.” He winked, then turned to walk towards the formation of soldiers.

Cadance laughed then turned to Shining. “Wow, he’s nothing like the stories I’ve heard about drill se—”

“Alright, you little group of malformed coat hanger dodgers! You have exactly five bucking seconds to get back to the barracks before I rip your Luna-damned throats out and make sweet, sweet love to the hole!”

Shining’s raucous laughter at Cadance’s expression was almost lost under the thunder of hooves. Fortunately, she quickly recovered her bearing. “Um, so, how exactly is making Spike stronger going to help his motor control?”

“Oh, it’s a great plan!” Spike struggled up to his claws, his wings drooping down. “I stay so sore, I can't move my arms. Boom, no more applesauce.”

Shining rolled his eyes. “Spike has plenty to brute strength, but no athletic strength. Growing and toning his muscles will give him finer muscle control.” He looked back to Cadance. “So, what are you doing here, sweetie? Where are the foals?”

“Oh, I left them with the sitter so I could have the afternoon free.”

“Oh, well I wish you had told me,” he said, frowning. “I’m pretty booked. I actually have to go back to the castle now and write up my latest repo—”

“Actually, I was hoping to spend the afternoon with Spike.” She looked to the dragon with a hopeful smile.

Spike, who was busy watching the earth pony gardeners scowl at the massive ruts his claws had dug, shot a look to her, his eyebrow arched. Finally, he gave a tight smile. “Sure, why not? I had them drop my lunch over at the lake on the other side of the hill. I, uh, heh, kinda need to wash off.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Spike was lazing on the banks of the large lake, his bottom half submerged in the cool water while he lay on his back supporting his upper body with his elbows. His tail swayed back and forth in the water, sending gentle waves across its mirrored surface. The combination of the cool water and the bright sun on his scales soothed the aching of his muscles down to a dull burn, but he held little doubt that he would feel it worse in the morning. A half empty barrel of apple sat atop his chest, all but forgotten as he stared into the distance.

Vaguely, he became aware of a voice speaking. Shaking his head, he turned his head to the side and glance down at Cadance. "Hmm?"

Cadance giggled, munching on an apple from one of the large barrels between her and Spike. She sat on the ground just out of reach of the lapping waves. "I said is there something of any interest over there? You’ve been staring since we sat down."

"Oh. Heheh, sorry. It's just... Ponyville is back that way."

She smiled at him. "Homesick already?"

Spike turned back, his massive chest deflating slightly. "I don't know, it's... it's like ever since we left Ponyville, I can't shake this feeling that I left something back, something important. It feels... like there's this, um, void in my chest or something."

Cadance giggled knowingly. "What's her name?"

Spike's entire body stiffened, like an electric current passed through him. He whipped his head around, a hot blush spread across him as he saw her smirking face. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Spike." She gestured back to the crystal heart adorning her flank. "Princess of Love, remember?"

His eyes went wide. "Oh, no, don't you go working your freaky alicorn love spells on me!"

Cadance's ears flicked hard. "Oh for Pete's sake! Do ponies believe that I can actually force two ponies to love each other?!"

"Well... isn't that your special talent?"

"No!" she said, stomping an exaggerated hoof on the ground. "I can sense the positive energy from the love between two ponies, and if given enough time I can inject a bit of power into the system. I don't make ponies love each other. I just remind them why they already do."

"Oh, well... that's very comforting. For a while there I kinda thought you were some crazed Cupid."

"Anyway," she said with a glare, "the point is I can feel the love radiating off of you, which is why I asked her name. Although," she furrowed her brow, scanning him up and down, "the amount is nothing I've ever sensed beyond two ponies deeply, madly in love. So, who is she?"

"There's nopony, alright?" He slapped his tail in the water. "I just... I don't know, okay? It's like you said, I'm probably just homesick."

Cadance was quiet for a moment. "Okay, Spike."

"But..."

She perked her ears up. "Yes."

He sighed, resting his arms in his chest. "There is one mare."

Double checking that he could not see, a satisfied grin spread in her face. “She lives in Ponyville?”

“No. Well, not anymore. I haven’t even seen her in months. She moved to Manehatten to study under some famous voice coach.”

"And does this lucky mare know how you feel?"

"No. She doesn't even know I exist. I mean, she does, but she most likely doesn't have a clue how I feel. Heh, I'm not even sure how I feel, just that... my chest feels all fluttery whenever she talks, especially when she sings." He snorted, wisps of smoke idling from his maw. "Probably thinks I'm still obsessed with her sister," he muttered.

"What was that last part?"

Spike's tail froze in the water. "Um, don't... don't worry about it, okay?" He reached down for the barrel if apples, groaning as his sore muscles complained. “Ugh, do me a favor and slap your husband for me later. I think he’s plotting my untimely doom.”

“Well, what did you expect? The two of you have never been able to spend any time together without one trying to inflict harm on the other, or some innocent creature.”

“What? We weren’t that bad!”

“Oh, remember the Mulistanian Ambassador’s cat?”

Spike stiffened for a moment. “The fur grew back... eventually.”

“And besides, he’s helping you, isn’t he? Aren’t you getting better about holding things?”

He didn't answer. Instead, he reached his claw to one of the apples. With practiced care, he gently lifted it up. He got halfway to his mouth.

splort

He sighed and gave a half-grin. “Baby steps.” While Cadance laughed, he reached and grabbed the barrel, lifting it and dumping several apples into his mouth.

“Spike, I want to apologize.”

Spike paused mid-chew, placing the barrel back down then rolling back onto his back. “No, you don’t need to. I get it.”

“No, Spike, please I real—”

“No, seriously, you don’t, Cadance. You couldn’t help it, I get it.” She arched her eyebrow, and he sighed, laying his head down on the thick grass. “Look, you had just foaled not, what, two weeks prior? Your body was still brimming with hormones, and your primal brain was a bit more in control than it usually is. So, when a large,” he sighed, “predator reached for your baby, the sight triggered an instinctual response. You couldn’t help it.”

Silence reigned for a few moments. Spike turned his head to see Cadance blinking at him dumbly. “What? I’ve spent most of my life in a library. I’m gonna pick up something!”

Cadance giggled and looked back to the horizon. Over the wavering lake, they could see Canterlot proper, the castle looming proudly over it all. She took another dainty bite of her apple. “So... you’re not upset with me?”

“Oh, I was, at first. But then I thought about it and I got over it.”

Cadance waited a few moments. “But?”

He sighed, bringing his hands back behind his head, tracing the clouds with his eyes. “It was Dusk that hurt. I always loved playing with the little dude. He was never scared of me, even when he was just foaled! I was hoping... that at least that part of my life would stay the same."

“Spike, he’s just a foal. He doesn’t understand. Just give him time, he’ll come around.”

“Yeah, time,” he said, idly kicking his legs, sending waves lapping up the shore. “I’ve got plenty of time. Too much time,” he muttered.

Cadance stood and walked closer to him. “Spike, what’s really bothering you?”

A tiny puff of smoke escaped his nostrils. “What do you mean? I’m fine?”

“Spike,” she said in a low voice, “I’ve known you since you were hatched. I changed your diapers, and put out more sneeze-induced fires than I care to remember. I know when something is bothering you.”

Spike shot her a look. “I need to start hanging out with ponies who don't know me so well,” he grumbled.

Cadance sat down next to his head, still having to look up to meet his eyes. “Is it what you talked to Twilight about last week?” Spike stiffened, but said nothing. “Yes, she told me, but only because she is worried about you.”

“No, it’s not that. I mean—I mean it is, but it isn’t.” He groaned, letting out a loud breath. “It’s something that Ambassador Sharptooth said that day outside the hospital.” Cadance merely nodded, and Spike turned his head to face her. “Do you remember a long while back, when Twilight and I came to visit right after Dusk was born?”

Cadance mulled for a moment, then looked at him with sad eyes. “You mean that book you found in the Archives?”

“Yeah, the book that told me I was going to outlive everypony by thousands and thousands of years.”

“I thought you got over that?”

He lifted his head and snorted, a puff of smoke going just over her head. “I didn’t get over it. I just... stopped thinking about it. Heh, like the foal I was, I thought if I just ignored it, it would go away. If I just pretended everything was alright...” His face darkened. “Then I started getting tired all the time. I thought it was just Twi working me too hard. But, of course, she figured it out pretty quick.”

“Your wyrm-sleep.”

“Mh-hmm. I learned in just a few months I’d go to sleep, and when I woke up, you’d all be gone. Just a... a shadow in my mind.”

Cadance touched her hoof to his cheek, feeling the intense warmth radiating from within his body.

Spike let her comfort him for a moment, his fanged maw chewing his lower lip. “Can I tell you something, Cadance? But you have to promise not to tell Twilight!”

Cadance nodded, and Spike turned his head back towards the heavens. “Well... when I learned that I’d be going to sleep, that I’d wake up to them all being dead, I was heartbroken. But, there was... I mean, this little, um... I—”

“You were grateful that you wouldn’t have to watch them all grow old and die."

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “I mean, I was still sad, but... and now, now it’s all back, the same old fears.” He turned his head back to face her, resting his cheek against the grass. “Jeez, why is it so hard?! I know that now I get to spend all this time with all of you, but I... I can’t get it out of my mind. Like... no matter how happy I am, or how high I feel, there’s always this little voice in the back of my head, saying ‘Yeah, well guess what? You’re still gonna have to watch them all die!’ “

Slowly, Cadance turned away and looked back to the horizon. Eventually, she spoke. “You know I'm not a full-blooded alicorn, right?”

Spike arched his eyebrow. “Huh?”

She smiled lowly. “I guess Aunt Tia never told you about the origins of the royal bloodlines?” When he didn’t answer, she continued. “Well, it all goes back to shortly after The War of The Night. After a few years of seclusion, Celestia finally showed her face, and began to prosecute those who had sided with Luna during the fight. Also, she decided to grant a gift to those noble houses that stayed loyal to her. ‘The Blessing of The Alicorn’ is what they called it.” She turned to face him. “Did you know that it was actually Princess Platinum’s great-granddaughter who received the first blessing?”

Spike shot her a blank stare. “Um, I’m more into science, not history.”

She scowled at him. “Anyway, the blessing granted the noble houses with incredible magical abilities, and made them appear as alicorns. All members of the noble bloodlines have some form of the gift. Surely you’ve noticed that my dear cousin Blueblood is quite large for a unicorn.”

“Yeah, a large pain in the flank.”

“Spike, that’s my cousin!”

He shrugged. “Point still stands.”

Cadance grumbled and continued. “Every few generations, the alicorn gene presents more dominantly, and you get one such as myself. So, my magic is powerful, but not nearly as strong as Celestia or Luna's. And beyond some gliding and a few extended hops, these,” she flared out her wings, “are more for show than anything else.”

Spike pondered this for a moment. “So that’s why Shining threw you in the Empire back in the day!”

She giggled, but it soon faded. “The other thing I gained was the alicorn gift of longevity. My great-great-great-great... um, great-great... great grandfather lived to be around three-hundred and eighty seven. Surely you must have noticed my slower aging? I’m in my mid-thirties, and I still look like a teenager. Heehee, I sometimes tease Shine, asking him if I should be concerned that he’s so attracted to me physically.”

Spike chuckled, rolling over onto his belly, angling himself so that Cadance was laying down in front of him. “So, you’ll...”

“Most likely.” She smiled sadly, looking not so much at him as past him. “I know medical technology and magic has grown leaps and bounds, but I hold no illusions. I have, at best, another seventy years or so with Shining. In that time, he will age, grow more weak and frail. Eventually, he will be stricken to his bed, whilst I shall look like I’m in the prime of my life. One day, he’ll die, and I will remain. More than that, I’ll not only outlive him, but Dusk and Glimmer, and their foals, and possibly even their foals’ foals.”

The lakeside was quiet, save for the gentle lap of the waves and the rustle of the wind through the grass. Spike’s head lay on his arms, his eyes scanning anywhere but at her. The massive fire in his belly still sent gentle wisps of smoke through his nostrils, but that was the only movement between the two. Finally, Spike managed to find his voice. “How... how do you manage? How do you enjoy the moment when you know this terrible tragedy is looming?”

She smiled at him, not the sad smile from before, but a genuine, warm smile, the kind that had soothed his nightmares and comforted him back to sleep all those years ago. “Simple. You don’t think about it.”

“Buh?”

“Spike, some ponies think that time is always against us, that we’re... we’re constantly fighting the clock, but that’s not true. Time is always on our side, so long as we make the effort.” She looked up at the sky. “Like we said, our loved ones will not be here forever, so we must make the memories we have of them the best we can. In the end, memories are all that we have, all that remain.”

Spike blinked several times. “That... that doesn’t make any sense!”

Cadance frowned at him, tapping her chin. “Oh! Think of it like this. You’re a dragon, right?”

He frowned back. “No, I’m a parakeet.”

“Heehee! Okay, you're a dragon. So... be greedy for them.”

Spike opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His eyes fell, darting back and forth as his brain processed what he had just heard.

Cadance continued. “Covet every second you can spend with them. Hoard every single memory of them, even the really bad ones.” She lay her hoof gently on his massive snout, looking deep into those slitted eyes. “Because in time, even the most horrible memories of them will bring a smile to your face.”

A few more moments of silence passed. Spike’s mouth hung open before he finally found his voice. “Wow. That’s... wow. I can’t even... I can’t even decide.”

She arched her eyebrow. “Decide what?”

“Which one you would be better at writing, greeting cards or fortune cookies.”

The two of them descended into a fit of giggles, Spike’s twitching legs sending more large ripples across the lake.

“Well, what can I say? Love is cheesy,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. After the laughter died down, she glanced back at him. "So, feeling a bit better?"

He took a deep breath, then smiled at her. "Getting there."

“So, Spike, this is the first time we’ve had to spend together in a long time. What should we do?”

Spike tapped his claw to his chin, humming thoughtfully. “How about we go for a swim?” He pushed back away from the shoreline and took a few massive strokes towards the center of the lake. Slowly, he turned, his half-submerged body looking like a giant purple alligator. “Come on in, the water’s great!”

“No, that’s okay. I’ll just watch,” she said as she picked up another apple.

“Oh, come on, Cadance!”

“No, Spike,” she said firmly.

“Cadance...”

“No!”

“Okay, then...”

She nodded and floated the apple to her mouth, just as Spike’s tail slammed into the lake.

SPLOOSH!

When the tidal wave died down, it revealed a very soaked, very angry Crystal Princess, her mane hanging straight down over her face, an apple hovering in front of her.

Spike laughed uproariously, until he saw the apple begin to shake, smoke, and eventually explode.

“Uh, heh, you know, Cadance, maybe we should just g—”

A large shadow moved over Spike. Gulping, he slowly turned his head upwards. A giant sphere of water, dozens of meters across, at least hundreds of gallons of water, hung above his head, wrapped in a blue cocoon. Spike's jaw, head fins, and back spikes all dropped.

“Aw, crap...”

Author's Note

A Clear Choice- Part One

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Four: A Clear Choice- Part One

From high atop the tallest tower of the Royal Palace, Princess Celestia smiled down on the city of Canterlot with a warmth that rivaled the mid-morning glow of her solar charge. While she was, indeed, the eternal keeper of the light, Celestia secretly enjoyed partly-cloudy skies more than perfectly clear. Golden rays peeking from behind strategically placed clouds bathed the city in both warm light and cool shadows, creating a moving patchwork across the town. Streets and alleys crisscrossed the city, veins and arteries carrying the lifeblood of the world, her little ponies

It never ceased to amaze her; even after the thousands of years since she and Luna had descended from the heavens to guide them, the lives of mortals remained a joy to observe. Though bound by the limitations of her physical eyes, her sun saw all that occurred beneath its rays. Every secret meeting, every stolen kiss, every single moment that happened under the sunlight was witnessed by her purpose and oldest confidant.

"You're doing it again, auntie."

Celestia rolled her eyes as Cadance stepped next to her. "I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"Celestia, you're not their mother, you know?"

"Well, my mother is their mother, which means—"

"Which means, you need to get laid."

Both Princesses giggled at the crass remark, Celestia draping a wing over her “niece.” “Shouldn’t you be on a train for the Empire?

“It leaves in an hour.”

“Oh? Where is Shining Armor?”

Cadance groaned. “The same place he goes at the end of every visit: down to the Guard Wing to pester Generals’ Cloudhammer and Stone Wall."

"Hehe, are we regretting allowing him to maintain his position in the Royal Guard?"

"No, no. Shiny is a military stallion, it's in his blood. He'd never be happy without a role in Equestrian defense." Her feathers ruffled slightly. "It just gets irritating after a while. And besides," she said with a scowl, "you were the one that insisted to him that he remain at his post."

Celestia gave a low smile. "General Armor is one of the best commanders I have had in all my years as ruler. While I would never dream of keeping him from his family or his duties as Prince, as long as he is happy with the current situation," she gave Cadance a predatory grin, "you can have him over my cold, dead body."

"... You can't die."

"Hmm... you're right. How fortunate for me."

Cadance just shook her head, a mirthless chuckle escaping, and looked out on the Canterlot vista. A team of pegasi high above them were shifting the clouds around, going about the business of maintaining the weather.

"So, what is bothering you, Cadance?"

Cadance opened her mouth to question, but only got out a sigh as she met Celestia's knowing gaze. "Well, it's... it's about Spike."

"As it so often is these days."

"When I spoke to him last week, he seemed... oh, I don't know, out of sorts, perhaps?"

"Mmm. The poor dear has been through a lot recently. It's not surprising that he has a lot on his mind."

"That's just it," Cadance said, turning to fully face Celestia. "It's not what's on his mind. Both Twilight and I have noticed it. The things he's been thinking about, those problems about his longevity or his size, he seems to be coping with, as best he can, anyway."

"But?"

"But, in the week since I first spoke with him, he's been getting more and more, well... distracted."

Celestia's ear flicked. "Distracted how?"

"He's always looking off into the distance, in the direction of Ponyville. And he's been so restless."

"Oh?"

"Yes! Twilight told me that in the past week, when he wasn't working out with Shining, he's been racing all over trying to find busy work of some kind. Right now he's at a construction site on the other side of Canterlot begging some old crush of his to let him help."

"And I assume his magic abilities haven't improved either," Celestia more said than asked.

"Not from what Twilight sa—" She paused, her eyes narrowed. "All right, what do you know?"

Celestia's eyes never left the Canterlot skyline. "What do you mean?"

Cadance let out an irritated groan, moving to the opposite side of the balcony. "And now you're doing that again."

"Am I incapable of doing anything original, or must my every action be a repeat performance?"

"Don't do that!" Cadance snorted, her hoof digging at the polished marble floor. "You're plotting, playing the chess master."

"Am I?"

"Aunt Tia, why must you play these games with your subjects?" Celestia's wings ruffled slightly, but she remained silent. Cadance continued. "Why can't you be more straightforward? Just tell them things instead of toying with them!"

"Tell me," Celestia said cooly, "what would they gain if I handed them everything? If I whisked away every problem? My sister and I descended from our Parent's home not to control mortal lives, but to guide them. Strength is borne of struggle, young princess." She cast an eye towards her. "You would do your subjects well to remember that."

Cadance bristled at the comment, but took a deep breath, steadying herself. "And Spike? How will you... guide him?"

"By calling in a very old favor," Celestia said quietly.

The two stood there for a few long minutes, enveloped by the warm breeze carrying the scents morning dew from the mountain face before them. "I'm sorry, Aunt Tia. I only meant—"

"You meant to protect one you care for deeply, as you did so often when he was little." Celestia faced her, a warm smile playing on her lips. "You wish to protect an old friend. I take no offense."

Cadance rolled her eyes, then stepped away. "Well, I'd best get downstairs before Shiny gets into another fight with General Stone Wall over shift rotations. That mare packs a mean buck."

Celestia smiled, offering a final nod before Cadance walked back through the archway and into the castle proper. Alone once more, Celestia closed her eyes and turned her face up, basking in the warmth of her sun. Taking one final deep breath of crisp high-altitude air, she spread her pearl wings and dove off the tower, aiming herself west towards the Everfree Forest.

* * *

On the far side of the city, a construction site that was usually abuzz with activity was eerily still. Large blocks of pure granite lay on massive pallets, awaiting transport to the top of the half-formed wall that lined the perimeter of the large yard. The various bits of machinery strewn about the dirt yard sat abandoned, the ponies that operated them gathered in a large group, staring at the massive green-and-purple dragon before them.

Spike stood on his hind legs, resting his body weight against the large stone. Steaming sweat rose from his body, his breathing a little labored, but he felt good. A slight burn pulsed through his muscles, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been in past weeks. "How's it looking, Moon?"

High above, Moondancer studied the wall with unerring focus. Spike's keen draconic eyes saw her tongue protruding from her lips, her brow furrowed. Finally, he heard her lazy, Manehatten accent drift down. "Okay, Spiker, this level's good. Bring up the next one!”

He smiled, rotating his neck and setting his shoulders. Beside him, a burnt red earth pony spoke up. “Ten bits says ya can’t beat your time!”

"You're on, Rusty!" Spike answered with a smirk before turning to the other side. "You ready with the clock, Heckel?"

"Three years of service for this," the unicorn guard grumbled through his perpetual scowl.

Jeckel stood beside him, wearing an extremely over-sized hard hat. He held a large red flag in his left hoof. "Okay, Mister Spike! On your mark..."

Spike knelt down and threw an arm around a block of granite next to him, letting out a large puff of smoke.

"...get set..."

His long, forked tongue darted out of his mouth, licking his lips before a determined grin set in.

"Go!" Jeckel waved the flag with such fervor he spun around, the hard hat atop his head wobbling wildly and covering his face.

Spike tore off, kicking up copious amounts of dust, the large block of stone in his grasp as he lumbered in a surprisingly graceful three-legged gait. As he approached the wall, his wings flared and gave a mighty flap, launching him up to the top.

Landing with a grunt, he hefted the large stone into place. He took a split second to gauge its position, then shoved it into proper alignment, dust and debris raining down.

"Good!" Moondancer yelled from the next block over.

Spike nodded and took a deep breath. Pursing his lips, he sent a jet of fire towards where the slab met its neighbor, the flame so hot it was nigh-invisible. The two stones actually melted a bit, the small rivers of molten rock blending together and cooling, effectively welding the two rocks together thanks to the magic of Spike’s dragonfire.

Once the block was sealed on three sides, he leaped down and ran back to the pile of blocks, egged on by the loud cheers from the crowd of workers. Without even stopping, he grabbed another block and ran to the other side, taking another wing-assisted leap onto the wall.

In an impressive feat of balance, Moondancer sprinted around the wall, screeching to a halt just as Spike finished locking the stone into place. "Good!"

For the next several minutes, this process repeated over and over. Spike’s claws dug ruts into the soft dirt, his massive foot falls sending tremors through the earth. The construction ponies all whooped and hollered their support, save one, who looked to be very nervous at the looming prospect of losing the night’s drinking money.

Eventually, only one block remained. Spike was sweating profusely and huffing large clouds of smoke that dissipated almost instantly, but a fire danced in his eyes as he leapt down from the wall and sprinted on all fours to the last block. Acutely aware of the cheering throng of ponies, he grinned and decided that since he had an audience, he may as well give them a show.

Eyes twisted in focus, Spike thundered past the granite block, earning a momentary gasp of confusion from the ponies. It was short lived, though. As soon as his massive body past it, Spike’s long, prehensile tail wrapped around the block and yanked it into the air. Thundering footfalls and deep gulping breaths echoed as he bounded towards the wall where Moondancer awaited him with a wide grin.

Just as Spike approached the wall, he gave his serpentine tail a hard flick, sending the heavy block whizzing upward. His wings flapped hard, launching him up to the top of the wall. He landed with a grunt, and instantly threw his arms out, catching the falling stone, then slamming it into place. After breathing the needed jets of fire, he winked down to Moondancer, bent his muscular legs, and flipped backwards back into the courtyard.

Using his wings to stabilize himself, he flipped around and landed hard on the dirt floor, the construction workers all sent off balance by the solid tremor. The instant he landed, he turned to Heckel. “Time!”

Heckel looked down at the watch. "Four minutes, thirteen seconds."

“Yes!” Spike pumped his fist, plopping down on his back and breathing deeply.

Across from him, Jeckel pulled out a large bit bag. “Okay, that’s ten bits from Mister Nails, two bits to Mister Banger, and... uh, three bits to Miss Dancer!” He dug into the bag and began dispensing the proper amount of bits to the proper ponies, while Rusty grumbled and dropped several of the gold coins back in the bag.

Heckel scowled at his twin brother. “What are you, his bookie now?”

Jeckel stuck his tongue out. “Yes. Jealous?”

“Jealous?! Of you losing all military bearing? Ha, I think not!”

Jeckel put the bag away, turning to his unicorn twin while still grinning. “Oh, I’m just being nice!”

"There's being nice, then there's being unprofessional!"

"Hey, you catch more flies with honey!"

"Yeah, you know what else catches flies?! Bullsh—"

"All right, all right, that's enough!" Moondancer walked into the middle of the crowd of stallions that were still heaping praise onto Spike. "I ain't paying you mooks to stand around! Back to work!"

"What work, boss?" A burly earth pony with a deep five o'clock shadow spoke in a Manehatten accent even thicker than the foremare. "Ol' scaley here has done more in the past three hours than we have in the past three days!"

Moondancer looked around at the near-completed foundation surrounding them. "Huh, wha'dya know? You're right, Banger! Geez, we must be three, four weeks ahead of schedule!" She turned to smirk at Spike. "You're a Sisters-sent miracle, Spikey!"

"Heh, yeah. You need to stop, Spike. You're making' us all look bad!" Rusty said.

Spike gave an exaggerated sigh, running a claw over his head spines. "Yes, yes. I am quite awesome."

"Hey, Spike!" A cream-colored earth pony mare approached him, her massive frame dwarfing even a few of the stallions. "Do the thing!" A chorus of agreement rose from the group.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, guys! I just set a whole level on the wall, I need a break!"

"What's the matter? Little dragon lost his flame?" Rusty said with a beam.

"Moon, please control your children."

"Aw, come on, Spikey," Moondancer cooed, her voice deep and smoky, "how long do we go back? I know you’ve had eyes for me for the longest." She turned around, looking at him over her shoulder, and gave her rump a seductive wiggle, causing Spike to gulp hard. "Do it for little ol' me, eh?"

"Hey, hey, boss! You keep shaking your flank like that, and I'm gonna start spittin' fire!"

Moondancer turned and smiled. "Yeah? Well, according to your wife, Rusty, you ain't spitting nothing but air!"

A loud chorus of "Ooohhhh's" erupted from the group. Rusty just grinned lasciviously. "Yeah, hows about you follow me home tonight? I'm sure the three of us could figure somethin' out!"

She rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, Rusty."

"Heh, each an' every night!"

"Come on, guys," Spike said. "Can we just do something else?"

"Come on, Mister Spike!" Jeckel ran up to him, bouncing like a puppy. "Please?" he said with a pout, doing a disturbingly good impression of Apple Bloom.

Spike sighed and hung his head, but a smile spread across his face. "Okay, fine. But one more time, that's it!"

A loud cheer rose, and six of the ponies lined up in front of Spike, each a few meters apart.

"Oh, come on, guys! Give me a challenge!"

At this, they dispersed, stopping at random places around the yard. Each stood proud, with an expectant grin on their faces.

Spike took a few steps back, hunkering down and squaring his shoulders. "Alright, you ready, Heckel?"

The unicorn grunted, but lit his horn. Around the yard, each of the six ponies’ hard hats were enveloped by a yellow aura. The burly stallions all giggled at the tickle of magic.

The large yard was still as death. A sudden breeze kicked up a tiny blanket of dust that wafted lazily across the site. Five stallions and one mare that towered over them all stood at the ready, their hard hats abuzz with potential magic.

Spike's forked tongue slithered out of his maw, wetting his lips as the corners crept up into a confident smirk. His eyes scanned his first target, his mind opening up to feel for the ley lines surrounding them. Slowly, the tiny eddies of magic appeared. "Pull!"

With a flare of Heckel's horn, the hard hats flew off there respective owners and soared high into the sky, all veering off in different directions. At speeds that would make the fastest Wonderbolt blush, Spike whipped his head towards the first helmet. His eyes narrowed, tracking his target.

A twitch of his jaw, a sound not unlike somepony hawking a loogie, and a pencil-thin jet of green flame lanced from his mouth, flying at near-supersonic speed before colliding with the helmet. The instant the red plastic touched the flame, it erupted, turning into a puff of smoke that hung in the air for but a moment before swirling in on itself and plunging earthward. Like some kind of hellish snake, it honed in on the mountain of mare beneath it. With a subtle poof and a tiny shower of sparks, a pristine red hard hat dropped neatly into her head.

The process repeated four more times, Spike letting loose jets of emerald flame in random directions, each catching one of the airborne helmets and transporting it back to its owner. Mere seconds after the initial toss, five of the six workers stood with their helmets back in place, whopping in celebration.

Spike eyes the last hard hat and smirked. Raising one claw to his left nostril, he huffed a tiny jet of fire out of his right towards the helmet. It caught, ignited, and rocketed downward. Banger stood grinning, awaiting the gentle impact of his helmet returning.

Clang!

Everypony in the yard let out a collective, "Oooh" as Banger wobbled back and forth. Moondancer raced to his side, a look of concern barely covering her hysterical laughter. "Y—You okay, Bang?"

The earth pony faced her, his eyes rotating in opposite directions. "Mommy, why can't I go to ballet practice? Teacher says I’m a natural!" With that said, he twirled around, performing a perfect pirouette, and fell to the dirt.

Spike walked next to the hysterically laughing Moondancer. "Uh, he going to be okay?"

"Y-yeah, he'll be fine. Heehee, I'll give him some workpony's comp."

Spike joined in the laughter around him, everypony laughing their tails off. Except for Heckel; he still scowled. "Why couldn't it have been me?" he grumbled.

Eventually, the crowd dispersed, the workers returning to their assigned tasks around the yard. Spike turned to Moondancer. "So, anything else I can do?"

"Jeez, Spikey, you just raised half the foundation for this bigwig's new summer home!"

"I know, I know," he snorted, his front claw digging at the loose dirt beneath him, "I just... need to keep moving."

Moondancer raised her eyebrow, taking a slight step back. "You ain't in heat or nothing, is ya?"

"What?! No! I'm just... antsy, I guess." As if to demonstrate, he shifted his weight to one side and back. "Come on, just give me more work, okay?"

Moondancer opened her mouth, but something behind Spike caught her eye, and a slow smile spread across her face. "Actually, why don't you, ah... take an extended lunch."

Raising his eyebrow ridge, he turned. "What do y—" His words faltered, his eyes narrowing as he saw the cart of pastries approaching on squeaky wheels; specifically at the cream-colored, brown maned unicorn pushing it, wearing his trademark stained apron.

A plume of smoke escaped Spike’s nostrils as he turned back around. "You know what? I'll just go back to the castle," he said as he stormed off, purposefully stepping with loud footfalls.

Pony Joe abandoned his cart, chasing after Spike. "Spike, please, wait!"

"I got nothing to say to you, Joe." He jerked to a halt as the burly unicorn jumped in front of him.

"Then don't talk, just listen!"

Spike slitted eyes glared at him. "What are you even doing here, Joe? How did you get in?"

Joe shot a quick glance past him. "Heya, cuz."

"Hey, Joe," Moondancer said with a wave of her hoof, before turning her back. "I gotta go make sure these knuckleheads don't tear the yard down.” She winked at Spike as she turned around. “You two play nice.”

Spike blinked several times in her direction, then turned his scowl back to Joe, who stood with a pleading look.

"Please, Spikey, two minutes, that's all I ask."

Hard, slitted eyes scanned him up and down. Finally, with a sigh, "You've been here for thirty seconds. You got a minute and a half left."

Joe nodded. "Alright. Here's the deal. Business has been booming lately, and I mean really kicking! I'm turning double, triple profits some days!"

"Not exactly winning me over here, Joe."

"Now, now, just hold on a second, alright?! So, I've been thinking of franchising out, maybe opening up a shop back home in Manehatten, ya know?"

Spike drummed his claw on the dirt. "One minute."

"Look, kid, when you came by, there was this investor there. One of them snooty, uptight types, a goon in an overpriced sweater with a matching stick up his rump, you know?"

Despite himself, Spike let out a snort. Joe smiled, but his face soon fell. "Apparently, he, uh... he don't like dragons a whole lot." Spike's scowl returned with a vengeance. "He told me to get rid of you, or he'd take his money elsewhere."

"An you chose a check over an old friend." Spike rolled his eyes, waiting for the excuse.

"Yeah, I—I did."

Spike arched his eyebrow and looked down. Joe visibly deflated, his broad shoulders slumping as he cast his eyes to the ground.

"You’re right, kid. I got blinded by the money. I let bit signs dancing in my eyes make me turn my back on one of the most loyal customers I ever had." He laughed mirthlessly. "Jeez, how many nights did you and Twilight spend in my shop sucking down donut holes and hot chocolate all hours of the night?"

"More than was probably healthy."

"Ha! Don't I know it! I'm mean jeez, kid, I know you was still growing, but how in the Sister's names did Twilight pack all that away?! By all known laws, she should’ve had a flank the size of Jersey!"

Spike couldn't help it. He and Joe both erupted in a fit of laughter at the mental image. When they calmed down, Joe looked up at Spike, his ears splayed against his head.

"Look, Spike. I'm not here to make excuses, cuz there ain't one for the way I treated you. I'm just ho—"

A loud gasp from behind them cut him off. They turned to see a unicorn wearing what looked to be a very expensive polo short with a sweater wrapped around his neck. A look of deep revulsion creased his face as he glared in open contempt at Spike.

"Mr. Cruller!" His voice was deep and nasally, every syllable drenched in superiority. "It's bad enough that you ask me to this—" he looked around and shuddered—" filthy place, but you bring me here when that... that monster is sta—"

"Hey, hey!" Joe leaped in between the haughty unicorn and Spike, stomping his hooves. "He ain't no monster! He's one of the nicest, loyalest customers I ever had, and you can bet your silver spoon-sucking mouth that he means a helluva lot more to me than all of your money!"

The look the unicorn gave Joe could have scalded the cutie mark right off of Princess Celestia. "Mr. Cruller, I will not have the name of Set Investments sullied by an organization that serves... those kinds of creatures."

Joe shot a brief look back at Spike, then faced back at the unicorn, his eyes blazing. "Tell you what, you don't like the way I do business?" He leaned down to reach into his apron, looking back up with a crisp check in his teeth. He held it there for a moment, then in a flash, sucked it into his mouth and chewed several times. The unicorn gasped indignantly right as Joe spit the ruined check at his hooves. "Blow."

Spike wagered he could have fit ten glazed donut holes in the unicorn's gaping jaw. "Wh—"

"Take a walk, ya mooly!" Joe kicked his hooves, launching a small cloud of dirt at the stunned unicorn. "Don't nopony tell Pony Joe Cruller who he can and can't be friends with!"

"Well, I never..." With a final huff, he thrust his nose high in the air and walked away.

"Yeah, I'll bet you never, you stuck-up fleabag." The deed done, Joe turned back to Spike, who watched the scene with wary eyes. "Look, Spike. I'm not asking you to forgive me. What I did—the way I treated you... it was unforgivable. I turned my back on you, when it looks like you needed a friend more than ever."

"No, Joe, it's not that big of a deal, really. You didn't have to do that!"

"Yes, I did," he said, making his way back to his donut cart. "If not for you, for me. If I had taken money from that bozo, I'da never felt right with myself."He leaned down to the cart, opening up the main compartment. "Now, I know this don’t put us back where we were, but—" he pulled out a single donut— "I was hoping maybe we could start over?"

A loud grumble sounded in Spike's gut as he looked down; in Joe's outstretched hoof was a glazed donut, dripping with icing, and dotted with large chunks of rubies and sapphires. With a look of intense focus, Spike reached out as grasped the donut between two claws. Slowly, began to raise it to his face.

Behind him, Jeckel stared through wide eyes, biting his hoof. Even Heckel let a raised eyebrow break his trademark scowl.

As they watched with bated breath, Spike gingerly brought the pastry to his mouth, looking down at Joe with a tiny smile. "Baby steps." With that, he tossed the donut into his mouth. He barely had to chew, the thing was so tiny inside his massive jaw. His eyes rolled back into his head as the sweetness of the icing combined with the tangy spiciness of the ruby and the cool mint of the sapphires, creating a tableau of deliciousness on his tongue.

Whatever Joe was going to say was lost due to his hanging jaw. Before Spike could ask, a mellifluous voice came from behind him

“Well, it appears that Shining Armor’s workouts have paid off.”

For a brief instant, a wide grin threatened to break on Spike's face, but he quickly forced it back, clearing his throat and putting in a mask of professionalism. Turning, Princess Celestia smiled up at him, several ranks of pegasi guards flanking her.

He knelt into a humble bow. "Your highness, such a pleasure to see you again."

"Well met, my little dragon." She inclined her head, then smiled at Joe. "Mr. Cruller, always a pleasure. I take it business is doing well?"

"Oh, yes, your majesty! The Double Diarch Dutch Delight is a massive hit. Thanks again for letting me sell it to the public!"

"It would have been selfish of me to keep such a delicacy to myself. Perfection in that level deserves to be shared."

Joe's cheeks flamed. "Aw, shucks, thank you! Would you like a bear claw? On the house!"

Celestia shook her head. "General Stone Wall has me under the watch of a new personal trainer, her son Snowflake. Even I would fear breaking his diet rules!"

"Princess!" Moondancer trotted up, smiling widely. "So nice to see you again!"

"Ah, yes, um... Moonraker, yes?"

"Moondancer."

Celestia shrunk just a bit under her wilting glare. "Eh-heh, sorry. When you've graduated as many students as I have..."

Moondancer cackled boisterously, slugging the princess on the shoulder. Several of Celestia’s guards gasped, but a withering glare from Spike set them back. "Aw, it's okay, princess! I graduated over ten years ago, right around the time Spiker here left with Twilight."

"Oh, you two know each other?" She turned to Spike with a playful glare.

"Oh, yeah, your highness! Spike here was my little 'plus one' back in the day!" She playfully nudged at Spike, whose cheeks were painfully flared. "He was so cute, being a little hanger-on, always trying to do me favors. I remember one time he—"

"So, Princess!" Had Spike elbowed Moondancer any harder, she would have achieved orbit. "What brings you down here?"

Celestia chuckled warmly. "Well, I was wondering if I could borrow you for a little while, Spike. We haven't spoken one-on-one since you returned to Canterlot. I wanted to catch up a bit. Unless, of course, you still need him, Madam foremare."

"Hay, your highness, if he works for another few hours, I'll be able to take early retirement!"

"Very well, then. Spike, would you mind terribly meeting me on that hilltop?" She pointed to a distant hill, perhaps several miles away. Without another word, she gracefully took to the air and soared off, her entourage in quick pursuit.

Spike waved, but as soon as Celestia was out of sight, he whirled around, showing Moondancer the full weight of draconic fury. "Et tu, Moon?!"

She gave him sultry smile beneath lidded eyes. "You better get flying, lovercolt." With that she turned, flicked her tail against his massive snout, and sashayed off. "Alright, you lazy bums, back to work!"

Spike shook his head, taking several alicorn's names in vain under his breath, then spread his wings, legs bent and primed.

"Wait, Mister Spike!"

He paused mid-leap as Heckel and Jeckel ran up to him. "How are we supposed to get there?"

Spike glanced at the far of hill, then smirked back to his twin guards. "Better get jogging."

His thunderous wing beats almost drowned out a string of profanity from Heckel.

Almost.

* * *

Thanks to his massive wingspan—and Shining Armor's workout regimen, though he would never admit it—the journey to the distant hilltop took only a few minutes. Finding himself almost directly overhead, a strong thermal nudged the bottom of his wings, and Spike decided that Celestia could wait several minutes as he lazily glided in a long arch around the hill.

When he was but a whelp, he feared that he would never fly, that he would be landlocked forever. His infant body showed no signs of wings, and due to the lack of knowledge on dragon physiology, nopony had ever thought it would. Especially after that one fateful birthday, when he had grown to mammoth size and still remained grounded, flight seemed to be a far-off dream.

The day that Twilight had informed him the the growing, itchy lumps on his back were not, in fact, bug bites, but wing sprouts had been one of the happiest days of his life. He and Rainbow Dash spent the rest of the day planning all the awesome tricks she would teach him.

Even now, months after his first spin in the air, the freedom of flight, that invigorating high from soaring above creation, never got old. It was a drug that never lost its bite, all peaks and no valleys. He gently angled to the side, his massive body cutting through the air with ease and widening his lazy glide path. The cool air rushed over his tough scales, tickling him in ways he never thought possible. The feeling of the air currents, the warmth of the sun at altitude, how everything below seemed tiny. He loved it.

Finally, he pointed downward and began the slow spiral to the ground. As he descended, he could see Celestia's eyes upon him, the subtle smirk gracing her lips. His chest puffed out a bit, and he dipped his wings more, intent on getting this right.

The sudden change in angle turned his gentle slope into a tight corkscrew. At dizzying speeds, he cut through the air towards the ground, spinning faster and faster the closer he drew to the earth. The wind pulled at the corners of his mouth, lips trembling from the wind sheer, eyes watering, but he held. In the rapidly approaching hill, his tear-filled eyes barely made out the smile in Celestia's face.

Now less than a few body lengths from the ground, he violently jerked out of the spin, his whole body twirling midair. A few forceful flaps of his leathery wings, and he righted himself just in time to backwing and gently land before her with more grace than seemed possible for his large body. He reared back up, thrust his arms out and smiled. "Ta-da!"

Celestia's eyes roamed his whole body several times. "Meh."

His arms fell. "Meh?"

"Meh."

They held gazes, ones of disbelief and boredom respectively, for several seconds. Celestia was the first to crack, her smile struggling through and showing her true feelings, and she sat back to her haunches and threw her forelegs open.

That was the signal Spike needed. He grinned widely and leapt forward, scooping Her Serene Immortal Highness off the ground and into a fierce bear hug, squeezing her against his broad chest. She reciprocated as best he could, though even her longer alicorn legs didn't come close to surrounding him. Spike could care less; it just felt good to be able to really hug somepony and not have to worry about snapping their spine.

After a few more moments—and more than a few more nuzzles—Celestia pulled back from the crushing embrace, taking a few steps away to look him up and down more clearly. “Look at you, child. Every time I see you you seem to grow more and more.”

“Is that supposed to be a joke?” Spike snorted.

Celestia giggled, like windchimes in a summer’s breeze. “Quite possibly. Oh, Spike, I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you since you arrived in Canterlot.”

“It’s okay,” he said, waving a claw dismissively. “Twilight told me, Luna’s off trying to stop the latest Griffonian temper tantrum, I get it.”

Her wings drooped slightly. “Well, still, I should be—”

“Mom, seriously, it’s okay.” Celestia blinked several times, stunned, and he shot her a questioning gaze. “What?” he said.

“Oh, just... you haven’t called me that since before you went to live with Twilight. Said it was, ‘too foalish for a noble dragon.’ “

“Well,” Spike shifted his shoulders a bit, suddenly finding a blade of grass beneath his foreclaw utterly fascinating, “it’s uh... been kind of a crazy few months.”

She smiled warmly at him. “Indeed it has. Come, sit with me, my little dragon.” She eased down to the ground, tucking her legs beneath her.

“I’m not little, you know,” Spike said, arching his eyebrow ridge.

Celestia looked up at him as he sat down next to her. “Hmm?”

“That’s the second time you’ve called me that today.” He leaned in, a smug grin on his face as he towered over the solar goddess. “I’m not exactly little anymore.”

She smiled that knowing smile she was famous for, leaning in to whisper in his ear. “Child, you speak to one who bore witness to the dawn of creation. You are very little.” With that, she turned back to observe the view, leaving a very large dragon feeling very small.

Upon recovering his bearings, Spike turned his head to look where she was looking. Before them, an emerald sea of lush grass spread out forever, marred only by the occasional copse of trees. A warm spring breeze carried the sweet scent of the grass.

Celestia broke the silence. “So, did you get that book I left for you?”

“The Complete Works of Robert Trotst? Yeah, thanks!”

“And?”

“Oh, it was great! He’s no Lewis Carriage, but The Death of the Hired Stallion was really powerful. Say what you want about him, but Trotst really knew how to make you feel.” Celestia laughed, and he turned to raise an eyebrow ridge. “What?”

She shook her head. “Oh, nothing.”

“No, seriously, what?”

“Hehehe, I merely wonder what Twilight would think if she learned that the little dragon who used to so bemoan her reading habits was now burning through the collective works of Equestria’s greatest poets at a record pace.”

Spike snorted, the tiny plume of smoke dissipating quickly as he shifted uncomfortably. “Hey, I can’t help it if keen insights into the equine condition and deep interpretations of the Equish language are so cool.” He adjusted his shoulders, looking at her through the corners of his eyes. “Besides, I spent most of my life in a library. I’m gonna pick up a book or two, and Daring Do can only hold a guy’s attention for so long, you know?”

“Hmm, indeed.”

The two sat in companionable silence for several minutes, simply enjoying the sights and smells of the Equestrian countryside. Celestia wore a content smile that spike couldn't help but chuckle at.

She looked up at him. "What is so funny?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just... you have that look. You know, the one get when you wander off on one of your 'I love everything' mind vacations."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "Have I really grown so predictable that my every expression is telegraphing? Besides," she said, ignoring his rumbling chuckle, "pony kind rarely takes the time to enjoy the simplicity of nature anymore." With that, she leaned her head down and took a dainty nibble from the grass beneath them. Chewing thoughtfully, she looked back to Spike, who watched through wide eyes. "What? It's quite sweet this time of year."

Spike shook his head, turning back to the sprawling vista before them. Silence once more took hold, the two enjoying a moment of peace that they hasn't had in a very long time. Slowly, Spike found himself leaning in to Celestia, subconsciously longing for the warmth of her ethereal mane, wishing he could wrap himself in it like he had so many years ago.

Finally, Celestia spoke. "So, Spike... how are you?"

Spike couldn't help but chuckle at her awkwardness; he hadn't seen that side of her in years. "I'm, uh... I'm good. It's a lot to take in, you know? It's gonna take some time, but, I have a lot of that, don't I?"

"And I shall be there for you for every second," she quickly replied, leaning her shoulder into his for a brief nuzzle. "So, beyond your workouts with Shining, and cavorting with old flames," she giggled as Spike stiffened momentarily, "what have you been up to since you've been back?"

"Oh, a little of this, little of that. Anything to keep busy."

"Yes, I noticed. You seem to have found roles where your size is a boon, not a bane."

Spike snorted, rolling his lilac eyes. "Oh, yeah, a lifetime of lifting heavy things and setting things on fire. Totally where I want my life to go."

"Okay, then," Celestia said, her gaze still locked in the picturesque countryside, "where do you want your life to go?"

"Doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" He huffed, his foreclaw digging a small trench in the grass beneath him.

“What one wants out of life is always important, child.”

He gave a nonplussed glance. “Even when the building you want to work in is smaller than your butt?” She laughed, and he couldn’t help but smile, as well. “Anyway, it was... meh, it was just a silly thing, anyway. I’ll be fine.” Spike caught Celestia looking at him, imploring him to continue. She leaned in to say something when he cut her off. "So, yeah, I've been fine. I am fine. But you know Twilight's new job is starting to get on my nerves a little bit."

“Oh?”

"Yeah. I hardly get to see her anymore! She’s been so busy with her class, and some secret project she's working on. Won't tell me what's going on, but apparently it's big. Heh, I haven't seen her this agitated since right before her first publication!"

Celestia smiled. "Has she still been giving you magic lessons?"

Spike sighed. “Yeah.”

"Tell me, what kinds of spells have you been practicing?"

"Well, the book said Drakenwyrms are elemental, so we’ve been covering the basics: fire conjuring, earth bending, wind spells, lighting summoning. For all the good it's doing me," Spike groaned, his tail swatting at the ground.

"Oh, come now, child. I’m sure you’ve been getting better!”

He snorted. “Uh, not really, no.”

“Here, show me.” Celestia stood up, moving several meters away. “Make lightning for me.”

"I don’t think so. I’ve only tried that spell once."

"Please?"

For a moment, Spike was taken aback at how effectively an ageless royal could employ the puppy dog eyes. "Okay, okay, fine." With that, he reared up and sat on his haunches, bringing his left claw to his face.

Much like the show from the street in Canterlot, and like every other time he had tried, a swirling vortex of energy quickly built up. Also like before, once released, the energy quickly evaporated, leaving only the tiniest flicker of electrical current flowing between the thumb and forefinger of a very frustrated dragon. His shoulders slumped, and he looked past the crackling arc on his hand to Celestia. "Woo-hoo."

Celestia seemed to not notice the grumpy look on his face, her eyes glued to his sparking hand. "You can actually summon that much mana?"

"Yup," he said, slumping to his haunches.

"But you can't focus it into any coherent effects?"

"Nope."

"That shouldn't be possible."

"And yet...”

"And you're allowing the mana to build up INSIDE your belly before moving it through your ganglia?"

"Always waiting for the tingle of my Hoofinberg gland before I shunt the thaumatic energy."

Celestia slowly circled him, eyes scanning harshly. "And still nothing..."

He sighed. "Zilch. Twilight has taught me techniques from every book in the library on magical technique, and none of them work!"

"Books written by unicorns," she muttered. "Tell me, Spike, have you started hoarding?"

"NO!" Spikes tail slammed into the ground, causing Celestia to emit a very demure yelp. Spike's eyes went wide. "I mean, no, not since... that day."

"What day?"

Spike shot her a deadpan glare. "The day I turned into a giant monster and nearly leveled Ponyville?"

"Wait... you mean you haven't hoarded anything in almost ten years?!"

"No, and I don't want to."

"Spike, it's not a question of wanting to, it's a fact of your biology! I've never met a dragon who didn't feel that insatiable need, the desire for treasure and trinket. You don't feel at all?"

Spike let out a dry laugh. "Not anymore. I mean I did for a few weeks after. But then after awhile it just... kinda faded."

Celestia's tail froze behind her. "Faded, you say?"

Spike nodded. "I figured it just meant I was growing up more naturally."

She cut herself off, taking a deep cleansing breath before looking back to Spike. "And what about now?"

"Huh?"

"Since you've left Ponyville, have you felt that greed like before?"

"N—no, no no, I haven't."

Celestia's ear flicked. "Spike? Please, be honest with me. I am only trying to help."

His shoulder slumped. "Okay, I haven't felt greed, but... jeez, I don't know. I keep feeling like I—I forgot something. That I left something important behind, but I can't think of what."

"And this has been bothering you immensely, yes?"

"Not at first. First it was just this... this itch. Kind of like when my wings were growing in, an itch I couldn't scratch. In the past week, though..." He fidgeted on the grass.

"It's gotten worse."

"Yeah."

"Like a drive in your mind. The longer you stay, the louder the voice telling you to go back, screaming in your ear to leap to the sky and fly to Ponyville."

Spike stood roughly. "Okay, what do you know?"

"Spike, I—"

"No! Look, princess, I know you. You know a lot more than you're letting on." He took the tiniest step towards her. "In the past three weeks there's been a buzzing in my head like a parasprite trapped in a bottle. I can't sleep, I can't sit still, my own damn body won't listen to me! Last time this happened, I turned into a monster!"

"A monster?! Spike, do you truly believe..." Celestia held his eyes for a few moments, then sank into the grass. "Cadance was right. This is all my fault," she said, though it seemed to spike that she was more talking to herself than him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm a selfish old nag. A fool who tries to manipulate the world without thinking."

"Celestia, that's no—"

"We can't conceive." She held her breath for a moment, allowing Spike to blink several times before she continued. "Luna and I. We can't have foals of our own. Long ago we, heh, we thought it would help keep us focused on all our little ponies."

A warm smile played on her lips, though it seemed hollow and distant. "And it did. We love our subjects more than life itself. But, we are still mares, we have... desires, drives."

"Hey, just so you know, me and Twilight already had this talk."

Celestia giggled, allowing him to lift the mood. "Even so, I always wondered what it would like to be a mother. To have someone depend on you in a more personal manner than my subjects. I briefly considered adoption several centuries ago, but mortal life is so fleeting to ageless beings like my sister and I. And then there’s the nightmare of bloodlines, the fallout from the noble houses. So, I... I thought it would always be a forgotten dream. An unfulfilled wish."

"Then I came along," he said quietly.

She smiled against, this time the warmth showing through. "Yes. Here was an infant, a creature totally helpless and depending on one to provide everything, and he would live for millennia. But more than that, I... I thought of what you could be. What you could mean, to the world, to... to me.” She reached up and ran her hoof along his massive jaw.

"Oh, Spike, don't you see? This would all be crystal clear if you had been raised as a proper dragon, and not a... a—"

"Pony?"

She chuckled quietly, then rose. "Well, it's time I was a bit more giving. Spike, I think I can help you with your magic, but it will require a... change of scenery."

"Okay then," he said, standing and unfurling his wings. "Where are we going?"

"Very far away, too far to fly unless we wanted to spend the night. I shall teleport us there."

"Um, I don't think you can. My little growth spurt has seriously upped my natural resistance to pony magic. Even Twilight hasn't been able to teleport me in years..." She shot him a sly grin. "And you move the sun. Got it."

They both stood atop the hill as Celestia's horn began to glow bright gold.

"W—Wait!"

Turning, they saw Heckel and Jeckel racing towards them. Well, Jeckel was racing towards them. Heckel was more limping awkwardly while gasping for air.

The two finally made it to the top of the hill. "What took you guys so long?"

"Too many jelly donuts, not enough PT," Jeckel said smugly, grinning at his twin brother.

"Sit—oh, hay—sit on it and rotate," he grumbled back.

"So glad you could join us, noble guardsponies," Celestia said through a bemused grin, "though we are about to be off. We should be back bef—"

"No!" Jeckel said with an indignant stomp of his hoof, his eyes hard, until he remembered where he was. "Eh-heh, w-w-what I meant to say is, please wait a moment, your highness."

"Yes?" Celestia's face was the picture of divine serenity.

Jeckel's face was the picture of professionalism. "Your majesty, my brother and I have been tasked by General Armor himself to stay by Mister Spike's side and to protect him from danger. I'm afraid I must insist, albeit humbly, that we are allowed to accompany you."

Spike was a bit shocked; this was the first time the blissfully oblivious guard didn't have the dopey, I'm-so-happy-I-must-be-unstable grin in his face.

Celestia's smile brightened a bit. "How professional you are. However, I assure you that between myself and Spike, we can handle ourselves."

"And I don't doubt that for a moment, highness." He took a reverent step forward. "Still, it's our duty to ensure his safety," he said with a nod to the ever more perplexed Spike, "so I must again insist."

Celestia's eyes darted between them, her face scrunched in expression that Spike couldn't recognize—apprehension? Concern, maybe? Or, he mused idly, it could just be general annoyance.

Finally, she sighed, the beatific smile returning. "Right you are, noble guardspony, I would never dream of withholding you from your appointed duties." She had to suppress a giggle at his blush and beaming grin. "Very well. Step closer, and we will be off."

Jeckel all but squee'd, bouncing forward to stand between Heckel and Spike.

Sparkling gold light shone from Celestia’s horn, but before she released it, she turned to Jeckel. "Out of curiosity, Private Jeckel, what did you have for breakfast this morning?"

"Oh, a plate of pancakes with lots of syrup, a bowl of mushed oats drizzled with gravy, a big plate of greasy hay cakes and some chocolate milk. Why?"

Spike and Heckel both groaned, each taking a step away from the grinning earth pony.

"Oh, no reason," Celestia said with a knowing smirk before unleashing the spell with a blinding flash, leaving the serene hilltop once more empty.

An Old Habit

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Five: An Old Habit

Professor Fidelis Igneous, or "Fido" to his students and close friends, walked with a jaunty step towards the building, a humble smile on his face. His fine Neightallion shoes, which matched perfectly with his brown tweed suit, clicked against the cobblestone path, punctuated every other step by the sharp tap of his walking stick. His keen canine senses drank in the signs of summer: the scent of freshly cut grass, the sound of birds chirping as they fluttered about the trees, the warmth of the morning sun on his fur. Off to the right, he could see the topmost floors of Princess Luna’s School of Health and Healing. The navy blue buildings stood in stark contrast to the muted brown structures of Celestia’s estate.

He nodded in greeting to several students that passed him, smiling only slightly to avoid revealing his sharp teeth. Having spent most of his adult life in Equestria, he was fully aware of the effect his canine maw had on ponies. Oh, it was nothing personal, he knew—merely a factor of evolutionary leftovers: a predator showing teeth to a prey animal. The reputation Diamond Dogs held amongst ponykind certainly didn’t help that.

Still, he didn’t let it bother him. He maintained his smile, looking around the courtyard. There weren’t too many creatures about, as it was a scholastic holiday, but there were ponies, griffons, mules, and even a few camels walking about, no doubt engaging in serious study. After all, as he often impressed upon his own students, fierce studiousness and dedication to bettering oneself were the keys to a pro—

Keys.

“Oh, ruddy hell...”

He reached down to pat his trousers, hoping that some kind of wormhole would open and deposit them in his pocket, but the laws of physics stood firm. In his mind, he could see the offending keyring on his nightstand, mocking him with its not-in-his-pocketness. A very loud, very canine snarl left his throat, turning into an embarrassed sputter as his eyes darted around. Thankfully, no one was near enough to hear his little instinctual outburst. Sighing, he marched forward once more, cursing himself silently.

The wide double glass doors closed behind him as he stepped into Clover Hall, home to the more advanced magical studies, and his own classroom. A griffon sat behind the welcome desk, beak-deep in a textbook, but he looked up upon hearing the Professor’s steps. The muscular bird smiled widely. “Guten tag, herr Professor!”

“A fine day to you as well, Gunter. I’m surprised to see you pulling a shift today.” He looked around the empty hall. “Actually, I'm surprised to see you pulling desk duty at all. I would think it to be beneath your station.”

The griffon chuckled, his feathers rustling as he leaned back in his seat. “Professor, while I am here, I am just another member to the student body. My dukedom is not common knowledge, and I prefer to keep it that way. Of course, you are here. A teachers work is never done, ja?’

Igneous sighed. “Yes, yes. Papers to grade, lessons to plan and all that. Say, um, Gunter...” He leaned on the table, doing his best to act nonchalant, “A lot of professors are working this weekend, yes?”

“Yes, there are many in the building.”

“Good, good. I say, would, um, Professor Sparkle be in, by any chance?” He grinned widely.

Gunter eyed him curiously for a moment before a smile slowly spread across his beak. “Forgot them again, Herr Fido?”

“Oi! Stop that, I’ll have none of that from you.” He waggled his finger in the griffon’s face, but the move was offset by his sheepish grin.

“I kid, I kid, Professor,” he said, claws held before him. “Do not worry. Fraulein Sparkle was here when I came on shift.”

Igneous’ ear flicked. “Oh? And when was that?”

“Hmm, it would have been about five this morning. I remember because Evening Star tried to make... me... um, is everything okay, Professor?”

Igneous’ eyes were wandering underneath his creased brow. The sharp rap of a talon on the desk snapped him back to reality. “Hm? Oh, um, nothing. Never you mind, Gunter. Have a fine day.” With that, he left the slightly off-put griffon to return to his book.

Igneous strolled down the hallway a bit quicker than before. In the three weeks they had shared a classroom, Professor Sparkle had been kind, but... distant, for lack of a better word. She always seemed distracted, and if she wasn't actively teaching or grading papers, she had a parchment floating before her or was clacking away in her custom computer. Anytime he would ask about it, she would merely smile and say it was a "personal project."

It worried the Diamond Dog a bit. He'd never met her before she came to the school, but he'd read her book, The Friendship Reports. She sounded like a much more outgoing mare than he had seen so far. Plus, the Dean had mentioned to him the professor’s tendency to... obsess. Reaching the door to their classroom, he flicked his ears, dismissing the worry. It wasn't as if she was burning the classroom down.

Sure enough, when Igneous reached the door to the classroom, he found it unlocked. The class was just as he remembered it from Friday afternoon. The chalkboard was divided in half, his brusque chalk work on the bottom, Professor Sparkle’s flowery script on top. The lecture counter before it was neatly—and, if he was being honest, a bit too methodically—divided between the two professors, and of course, Professor Sparkle’s ever-present shadow, standing sentinel several meters between the counter and the door to their shared office.

“Good morning, Lieutenant Cake.” He offered a cheerful smile and a small salute with his walking stick. Beef said nothing, staring straight ahead. Fido continued to stroll across the floor, crossing the distance between them while removing his jacket. “You and Professor Sparkle got an early start, eh?”

When he still didn’t get a reply, Fido turned to fully face the stalwart guard. He stood still like a statue, eyes still save for the occasional drooping blink. Fido approached him slowly. Though Beef was a large stallion, Fido still had to lean down to be on eye level. He waved one furry paw in front of the guard's face. “Um, Lieutenant, is everything alright?”

A trick of the light caught his eye. Squinting, he noticed a faint sparkle covering Beef’s eyes. Every five seconds or so, his eyelids would mechanically lower and raise. He leaned in even closer, to the point where he could smell the guard’s aftershave. “Lieutenant?”

“Zzzzzzzzz...”

Fido jerked back upright. Clearing his throat, he moved back towards the office, pointedly not looking back at the dozing unicorn. “I’m not sure whether I should be impressed or terrified.”

As he approached the wooden door, he could hear frantic scratching, as well as the hurried tapping of hooves across the hardwood floor beyond. He tried the knob; when it didn’t budge, he gently rapped on the door.

“Go away, I’m busy.”

“Professor Sparkle, it’s me. Could you please open the door? I seem to have forgotten my—” The door flung open in a lavender blur “—keys.”

Professor Sparkle stood before him, her usually-tidy mane a bit unkempt and her smile just a bit too wide for his tastes. “Oh, Professor Igneous! I’m so glad you finally came! I have so much to show you.”

"Yes, well I—" He yelped as she dragged him into the office, shutting the door behind him. The office was a fair size, roomy even with two full-time professors sharing the space. Two desks made of polished oak faced each other, one drowning in paper, and the other neatly kept and tidy, with a state of the art gem-powered computer taking up a good portion of it. A large window on the far wall opened into the courtyard, allowing warm sunlight to brighten the room. Shelves filled with magic tomes and research papers lined the walls behind each desk, along with a pair of large filing cabinets.

As Igneous regained his footing, Professor Sparkle was already back at the far corner of the office, furiously scribbling equations on a blackboard she had set up. A cloud of quills and parchment levitated around her, giving off a near-deafening wall of scritching. “I’m glad you’re finally here,” she repeated. “Now, where was I?”

Igneous looked around the room in muted worry. Bits of paper covered with hastily scribbled equations were pinned to the wall on her side of the office. He brought one close to his face. He recognized the spellwork—a variation of the Aero Glide principle of thaumatic conductivity—but it was heavily modified. "Yes, well, as I said I, uh..." He glanced over at the window ledge, noting the neatly folded pile of bed sheets and pillow, "I forgot my keys at home. Professor, um, pardon me if I overstep my bounds here, but... did you go home at all this weekend?”

Twilight peeked from behind the blackboard to smile smugly at him. “Now, I know where you’re going, and you can relax. I’ve gotten 4.2 hours of sleep every night, which is the exact amount that I need to not sacrifice mental acuity and not risk any adverse health effects.”

"Okay, but still—"

"And," she said, levitating a bowl of a bland-smelling gruel over to him, "I've been eating a bowl of this three times a day. It's a special mix of proteins, lipids, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates designed to deliver the needed calories per day necessary to maintain optimum efficiency." As she spoke, she continued to scribe on the board, the cloud of quills also recording.

Hesitantly, Igneous dipped a single finger into the bowl. The mushy paste was lukewarm, and had the consistency of wet newspaper. He hesitantly brought his claw to his tongue, and immediately frowned and spat. "Oh, by the gods!"

She leaned over to glance at him from behind the black board. "No one ever said science was tasty, Professor."

“That’s all well and good, Profe—” he dodged to the side as she dashed past him to bury her nose in an open book on her desk— “Professor, but it doesn’t change the fact that you haven’t left this room in three days.”

“Don’t be silly. Of course I have.”

Igneous let out a sigh of relief.

“I used the faculty shower last night.”

Igneous took another slow scan of the room, the crumples of paper by the wastebasket, the Apparent nonsense scribbled on the walls. He turned back to see her nose-deep in the book. “Look, Professor Sparkle, I—”

“But! It was all worth it! I think I’ve finally figured it out!” She raced back to the board, the floating quill scribbling furiously onto a piece of paper. “I really should be thanking you, Professor. It was your runic sleeve that tipped me off.”

He idly reached down to rub the gauntlet on his arm. “Oh?”

“Yes! For weeks I’ve been trying to figure out how to generate a sufficient field of mainstate thaumatic energy without having it overflow into a resonance cascade, and then it hit me!”

He blinked. “Um, what hi—”

“Gemstones! If we enchant a stone—I'm thinking quartz, as it has the lowest resistance potential—to act not just as a medium, but as a capacitor, then the mana compression field should be able to maintain the spell!" With a wide, slightly too wide grin, she floated a parchment up to his face.

Igneous’ eyes darted between her wide smile and the parchment. “Look, Professor, I—”

“Please?”

He sighed. “Very well. Let’s have a look.” He grasped the paper out of the air and reached into his vest pocket. He produced a small pair of glasses, placed them on his muzzle, and began to read. Almost instantly, he raised an eyebrow. “Is this a joke?”

"Professor!"

"Alright, alright!" He cleared his throat and took another look at the parchment. His eyes darted furiously back and forth, calculations flying in his mind. "Well, the lattice is sound, and the spell crafting is... hm, actually rather brilliant." He chuckled at her light blush. "But the numbers..."

"I know, but that's where the gemstone comes into play. Like I said, we can—"

"Professor." He raised a claw to silence her, then lowered the parchment and gazed at her with heavy eyes. "You would need several hundred pounds of the highest quality gemstones, military grade even, just to kick start the spell!" He cast another glance at the paper. "Furthermore, if I'm reading this right, you would need exponentially more and more every year to maintain it. I'm sorry, but... it's just not feasible."

The office went dead silent. The army of quills swirling around the room all abruptly ceased scribbling and fell to the ground. Igneous could almost see the vigor and enthusiasm in her eyes die as her tail drooped behind her and her ears fell flat against her head. For a moment, his mind raced with how he should react if she burst into tears.

Then, slowly, the look melted from her face. She took a deep, laborious breath, letting it out with practiced ease. When her eyes opened back up, the heartbreak was gone, replaced with a resolute grin. "Okay, then. Thank you for your input, Professor. Now, back to the drawing board."

He sighed, and tucked his glasses back in his vest pocket. "Profe—"

"No, no, it's fine!" She marched back across the room to the blackboard and began erasing the numbers. "I mean, it's not like I wasted three whole weeks on a wild goose chase." Her toothy grin and somber eyes did not match.

"I really think you should just relax."

She gave him a strained smile. Looking straight ahead, she marched back to the computer and started clacking away on the keyboard. "I'm just fine! Just have to start from scratch while he’s out there struggling to get by."

"Right, that's it."

Twilight was about to ask what he meant when the screen in front of her suddenly went blank. She glared up at him as he retracted his paw, but he was already walking back across the room. "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Nipping the problem in the bud before it goes any further." He began folding up the whiteboard. "I should have seen the signs earlier, but now that I have, I must act."

She marched over to him. "Professor, what are yo—"

He leaned down to her eye level. "You, Professor, need a break." He grinned, then turned to open the window. A warm breeze flowed through the office, washing away the stench of the gruel.

She stomped a hoof. "Now, see here, Professor! I am more than ca—"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off as Igneous gently wrapped a paw around her muzzle, clamping it shut. She glared at him, but his soft eyes, floating in concern, gave her pause.

"Professor, please." His tone was soothing, easy. "I've been teaching for a long time now. I know the early signs of teacher burnout. You may think you can keep this up, but trust me, it will get the better of you eventually." He released his hold on her, slowly standing back up. "Now, I'm sure whatever you're working on is very important, but it can wait a few hours. I know a lovely little bistro just off campus with a fantastic view of Canterlot Central Park. Please, come with me, get some air and some decent food in your belly, then come back and hit this with fresh eyes, eh?"

She eyes him for a few moments. Then, like before, she took a deep breath, and have him a wry grin. "Okay, you're right. Just... don't ever do that again," she said, gesturing to his paws.

He smiled and wiggled his fingers. "Oh, don't worry, I know plenty of other ways to use these."

She blinked.

He blinked.

She blinked.

"Oh, dear." He cleared his throat. "Um... would it help if I said that didn't sound quite so perverted in my head?"

"Not really, no."

They both blinked at each other.

"Right, then, anyway, grab your coat, shut off the lights, lock the door... I'll be outside weeping." He walked stiffly to the door, doing his best to ignore her muffled chortles.

***

Twenty minutes later, the two professors were just leaving the campus grounds, Twilight having decided to leave the napping Lieutenant Cake behind. Fido had always been amazed at the jarring shift from droll utilitarianism to gaudy opulence once outside the gate. Buildings made of the finest imported materials and designed by the most overpaid architects lined well-paved roads that bustled with activity.

The two walked along the sidewalk in companionable silence, the rhythmic rap of Fido's cane the only sound they made, just audible above the din of city life. Twilight glanced over at the cane. "That's a very nice walking stick,” she said.

"Oh, thank you, Professor!” He held it up for her to examine. The wooden cane was a rich ebony, just a hair shorter than her, and tipped with a vibrant pearl cap at the bottom. The morning sun glinted off the polished silver grip, intricate tribal-looking inscriptions carved all over. “It was a gift from my father upon completing my doctorate."

"Twilight," she said with a smile.

"Hmm?"

She giggled. "We've been working together for a few weeks now. We're friends: you can call me Twilight.”

"Oh. Well, in that case, I suppose you may call me Fido." He raised a paw as she opened her mouth. "It's quite alright. As you said, we’re friends now. Now then, this," he raised the cane to his face, "is not a walking stick. It's actually a ceremonial piece. It's called a hrunting."

"A what?"

"A hrunting. A fascinating piece of Dog culture. Elders would walk with these so that their knuckles didn't drag across the ground. Sort of a way of advertising one's station."

"Oh? And what station are you advertising?"

He flashed her a cocksure grin as they neared the corner of a building to their right. "That I'm a nearly tenured professor at one of the most adva—"

A frumpy mare barreled out from behind the corner. Fido nimbly dodged to the side, but the mare, having made no effort to avoid him, ran blindly into his waist, sending them both reeling back. He quickly regained his footing and reached over to help her. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Madame. Are you alri—"

The mare recoiled from his touch and glared at him in open contempt. "Watch where you're going, you... you—" She huffed and walked away, nose haughtily thrust high. Right before she left earshot she muttered under her breath, "Filthy troll."

Twilight's tail froze behind her. She made to follow when Fido's cane stopped her. "Let her go, Twilight. She's not worth it."

"But, she called you a... a..."

"Troll? Heh, my dear, I've lived in Canterlot for many years now. I've heard worse." He gestured in front of them, and they continued walking.

"Really? Here in Canterlot?"

He shrugged. "Nothing prevalent, mind you. Merely a vocal minority that still views my kind as uncouth bandits. Not that the proclivities of some of my species in the fringe country helps the matter at all."

"Yes. I have to admit, before I met you my only experience with Diamond Dogs was... not pleasant."

"Oh?"

She nodded grimly. "One of my friends was briefly kidnapped by a small pack of Dog slavers."

Fido jerked to a halt. "My gods! W—How did she escape?"

"She whined at them."

He blinked hard. "You're pulling my leash."

She giggled at the incredulous face he made. “Nope.”

"How does that work?!"

"Well, I explained to her that her show of such a strong personality triggered an instinctual submissive response, while her voice reached a high enough pitch to cause pain. She insists that she was, 'simply that fabulous’."

They shared a laugh as they continued down the road. Eventually, they came to an imposing wall of trees marking the bounds of Central Park. Much like park in Manehatten bearing a similar name, Canterlot’s version of the urban park was a massive affair: dozens of acres of land in the heart of the city covered in lush grass, sports fields, and jogging paths. They could see ponies spread all over the massive park, engaging in sports, or just enjoying the warm summer day. On the corner before them stood a quaint restaurant, and the two made their way to the patio.

Fido ushered Twilight across the patio, guiding her to a wrought-iron table far enough away to offer some privacy while still having a view of the park. He darted in front of her, grabbing one of the large cushions stacked neatly in the corner, and swapped it with one of the chairs. He gave an exaggerated bow, eliciting a giggle from Twilight as she eased down. As soon as he reached his chair, a thin, mustachioed waiter had appeared at her side. Orders were taken, a chopped salad for her and grilled chicken breast for him, and the waiter dashed off, leaving glasses of water for both of them.

Fido took a moment, as he always did, to simply enjoy the serenity of the scents and sounds that wafted over from the park, and he noted with a slight grin that Twilight was doing the same. The spring blooms had left dazzling flowers and broad emerald leaves as far as the eye could see, painstakingly arranged by the city to create a picturesque view. She smiled, and Fido couldn’t help but feel just a bit of warmth spread across his muzzle; for a pony, Professor Sparkle had a smile brighter than the purest of gems. When she wasn’t in the grip of mania, of course.

"Wow, this really is beautiful." Twilight scanned the park. "It's funny, I was raised in Canterlot, but I never really paid this much attention to it."

Fido gave a small nod. "Say what you will about the overly-opulent architecture, Canterlot certainly knows how to please the senses. I sometimes forget how stark the difference between here and home, as long as I've been here."

"How long have you lived in Equestria?"

"Oh, most of my adult life. Spent the better part of a decade at Her Majesty's school."

"Wow." She grinned sheepishly. "I just realized that I don't really know that much about you."

"Not much to tell, really. I was born in Canidea. Like most pups of semi-affluent packs, I was sent to Trottingham to study. Earned my first doctorate in Thaumatic Geology, then came here to finish my PhD."

Twilight nodded, taking a sip from her water. "You keep mentioning your 'pack.' Is that anything like the old pony herds?"

Fido rubbed his paw along his chin. "Hmm. Uh, somewhat, though there are key differences. Whereas the equine herd is a small family unit, matriarchal in nature, with several mares to every stallion, a pack can consist of anywhere from dozens to hundreds of dogs, all led by a singular male Alpha."

"Wow, one dog controlling hundreds? That sounds... hectic."

"Well, don't think of it as a family, more like... a commune." He leaned back in his chair. As he spoke, he gesticulated wildly, as if speaking to an entire classroom. "Each family is largely autonomous, and can be spread to the four winds, but they each pool resources in times of need, help the others when called to do so. However, all matters of importance to the whole fall under the Alpha, as well as all marriages and breeding."

Twilight choked on a few drops of water. "Um, did you say breeding?"

Fido nodded. "That's another large difference. Now, as I understand it, the concept of the 'herd' came about as a result of a severe gender disparity, yes?"

"Mh-hmm. Pony genetics has always favored mares to stallions, but in ancient times, the ratio was around seven-to-one."

"Yes,” he said with a nod, “sort of a way to 'spread the genetic wealth,' as it were. Well, the pack is the opposite. It's more about breeding rights and population control. The average litter is anywhere from five to seven pups, and with us living as long as we do, you can see how measures would need to be in place."

Twilight nodded. “Okay, but this Alpha, he doesn’t have that much sway over you, does he?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised. If I understand correctly, the herd isn't something practiced anymore?"

"Well, the gender disparity leveled off several generations ago, so it's not exactly common anymore, though both more rural and upper-class areas still practice them."

"Ah, the rustic clinging to their traditions, and the elite clinging to their bloodlines." They shared a laugh. "Well, the pack still figures greatly in Dog society. My Alpha, if he could demonstrate how it would benefit the pack, could make me return home, or do anything, really."

Twilight gasped quietly. "Really? He could do that?"

"He never would, though. My Alpha is a wise old Dog, never meddled in our affairs. But, should I ever wish to marry, then it's 'game on,' as I have heard students say. I would have to prove why my mate would be a good addition to the pack."

"Is that really so hard?"

"Sometimes. I have a second cousin who worked for several years to convince him to allow her husband entry. On the opposite side of that, my mother is a Wolven. She stands almost twice as high as my father, and considerably more solid, and her pack owns a substantial amount of farmland. She was all but welcomed with open arms!"

Twilight giggled over her water. "So, what about you?"

He shrugged. "Me? Oh, there'll be plenty of time for all that later, at least until I've gotten tenure. After all, I'm still young, for a Dog. But, I have thought about it, of course. Settling down, finding a nice bitch." A barely suppressed snerk came from across him, and he turned to see Twilight red-faced, trying desperately not to laugh. "Um, have I said something?"

"I—snkt—I think we just crashed head first into the culture barrier."

The two looked at each other. The instant Fido's eyes widened, Twilight lost her composure and descended into a fit of giggles, soon joined by his barking laughter.

As they laughed, the waiter returned, placing a delectable looking salad before Twilight. The instant the scent of the fresh produce hit her, her stomach let out a disgustingly loud groan. She shot Fido a sheepish grin. "Heh, sorry. I guess I'm hungrier than I thought."

"Well, it's not exactly mushed-up newspaper, but it does look tasty."

Twilight smiled, but her ears boxed down against her head. "Profess—Fido, I really need to thank you. I haven't... well, I haven't freaked out like that in a long time. I thought I was past that kind of thing."

"We are naught but slaves to our nature, Twilight." He delicately cut into the chicken breast. "Though I may be able to be of more help if you told me what exactly you're working on."

"It's a spell to help my brother," she said as she tucked into her salad.

Fido coughed, swallowing a bite. "I'm almost afraid to ask what the Prince Consort could possibly need with a spell outputting more power than the Hoofer Dam!"

"No, it's for my little brother, Spike."

"Oh?" He arched an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware you had another sibling. What is he, unicorn, pegasi?" He took a drink of water.

"He's a dragon."

Years of etiquette training was all that prevented an epic spit take. As it was, Fido merely froze mid-sip, his eyes comically wide. "Well... that would explain the power needs. I've only heard rumors, mind you, but draconic resistance to unicorn magic is legendary." His eyes narrowed as he lifted his fork to his mouth. "What exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

He listened intently as she laid out her plan, chewing thoughtfully, offering the occasional "hmm." When she had finished, he sighed. "That's certainly very... ambitious, Twilight. I also assume that you intend this to be permanent, yes?"

"Yes. Well... maybe. I hope." She sighed, resting her head on her hooves above her now empty plate. "I'm sure later on down the line, the princesses will be able to think of something more practical, but for now, this is my idea."

"I see. Twilight, I hate to be the wet blanket, but you may have to accept that... it may not be possible."

She shook her head firmly. "No. I won't accept that. The answer it out there, somewhere. I just have to find it. I'm prepared to dedicate however long it takes. Even if I have to devote my whole life to it."

Fido set down his fork, dabbing his muzzle with a napkin before setting it on his empty plate. "Twilight, you're a professor now. You have responsibilities. You can't just—"

"Then I'll quit."

"I'm sorry?"

She looked at him with hard eyes. "I'll quit my job if I have to. Princess Celestia would understand. She'd support me."

"Would she?" He leaned across the table a bit, his yellow eyes boring into her. "Would she support you throwing away the summation of your entire life's work?"

"Then I'll make this my life's work."

He sighed. "Twilight, I—"

"I have to!"

Fido yelped, his ears falling flat on his head. Her shout was still echoing when she looked back at him.

"I'm sorry, I..." She sighed. "Do you have any little siblings?"

He nodded. "Four."

"And are any of them going to outlive you by thousands of years?"

"Obviously not."

"Heh, right." She fidgeted in her chair for a moment, her eyes roaming the scenic hill before them. "I've been taking care of him for so long. Taught him to read and write, helped him through his first crush, held him when he had nightmares. All those times I was there for him, he knew he could count on me.

"More than that, I owe him... well, I owe him my life. He saved me from myself so many times. He likes to act so mature, but I know that beneath the snark, he's still... still a child."

"Hmm." He nodded thoughtfully, resting his head on his folded hands. "Obviously I've never met the lad, but perhaps you're underestimating him a bit? He sounds like he has a firm footing."

"For now, yes. He's adjusting, but what about later? What happens in a thousand years when he can't even fit in the city limits of his hometown? When he's so big no one can see past the scales and they only see a monster?"

"You don't know that will happen, Twilight. Ponies are a skittish lot, yes, but you have good hearts. I think ponies would give him a fair shake."

Her eyes narrowed. "Like they give you?"

The fur on the back of his neck bristled. "That's different."

"How? They look at you and only see a troll, yes?" The instant the words left her mouth, she winced and rocked forward ever so slightly, as if she was trying to recapture the words. "Oh, professor, I'm sorry, I—"

He waved his paw with a quiet breath. "It’s alright. As I said, I’ve grown a thick hide about it over the years, but I would think you of all creatures would have faith in the equine heart. Do you really think the ponies who have known him for years would turn on him over the course of a generation?”

"I can't take that chance. I can't..." She took a deep gulp of air. "I can't go to my grave without knowing he's taken care of. When I die, he'll still have thousands of years. I have to set him up right. I know he's strong, but... some ponies can only take so much before they break."

Fido sighed, scooting his chair away from the table and leaning back. "Tell me, Professor, what do you know of Diamond Dog magic?"

Twilight blinked at the seeming non sequitur. "Well, I know it's inherently passive except for a few rare cases, gem based—"

"No, no," he said, interrupting her with a raised finger, "not gem based. Stone based." He chuckled at the blank stare she gave him. "You know what I love the most about thaumatic studies? It is at once scientific and artistic. It's measurable, quantifiable, yet at the same time, there a poetic nature of it not find in other disciplines."

Twilight nodded, but still quirked an eyebrow. "How do you mean?"

He smiled, pulling off his glasses and placing them in his jacket pocket. "Every creature has their place in the realm. Unicorns," he gestured to her, "are of the mind. Dragons, the heart."

Fido stood, slowly walking around the table to stand behind Twilight, who turned to follow him. "Pegasi and griffons are of the sky, earth ponies as well as dozens of others are of the earth." He stopped several meters from her and stood in a wide stance, bringing his fist up to his face. "But the dog..."

Twilight's eyes went wide as a dull orange glow surrounded his fist, his face twisted in concentration. An almost imperceptible tremor built up beneath them, and she gasped as a corresponding glow appears directly beneath him. A low growl of effort in his throat, he raised his glowing fist.

"... the dog is of the rock!"

He drove his fist into the ground... literally into the ground. The instant his hand made contact, the ground seems to lose all solidity, his fist passing through like water. He twisted his arm around as if looking for something, then smiled as he apparently found it. "The very foundation of the planet!" He yanked up, and Twilight jumped back with a loud yelp; his fist pulled up a spire of whitish stone about her height. He stood back, panting lightly, a proud smile on his face.

"Wha... how?" A beam of purple light shot from her horn, scanning the stone up and down. "That's... that's solid granite! That has to be from nearly two kilometers down!"

"Two point five, to be precise," he said, still grinning.

"You mean you summoned bedrock from over a mile underground?!"

He nodded. "The Diamond Dog mages of old were called 'Stonetalkers.' It was believed that they could commune with the spirits of the bedrock, ask for aid in times of need.

"This is a marker. In ancient times, they were used to mark territory when the nomadic packs would move to follow prey herds." As he spoke, his finger waved back and forth in a flurry, all the while glowing that same orange hue. "Messages would be left for others to see, a way to guide stragglers."

With a smile, he stepped away, motioning for Twilight to come closer. She did, looking at the area on the marker he indicated, and couldn't suppress a giggle: carved in the rock, written in perfect cursive, were the words Hullo, Twilight.

"Professor, this... this is incredible! I had no idea Diamond Dog magic was this powerful."

"Oh, it's not about power. Remember, it's passive magic. It's all about skill, finesse." He once more reached a glowing paw for the stone spire and grasped the topmost portion. The stone melted into his hand; the large chunk of rock looked like gelatin in his paw, quivering and twitching. His other hand came up and began to whittle away at it, tiny flecks of rock spilling off his paw, turning solid once more the instant it left. "It's one of the first lessons one learns when studying canine thaumatology."

Twilight stepped closer, intently staring at the new magic happening in his hand. "And that is?"

After a few more swipes, Fido smiled and knelt down to her. "That with the proper application of magic..." Twilight gasped at what was in his paw: a small, near-perfect replica of her cutie mark, complete with outer stars. "... even the firmest of rock is malleable."

While Twilight studied the carved stone, Fido turned and placed a paw on the pillar. Another dull flash of orange, and he gently pressed down, forcing the rock back down into the ground. A quiet pop, and the ground was like new, only a little bit of upturned dirt mixed in the the grass. Nodding to himself, he turned back to Twilight. To his surprise, she was not smiling, but instead was staring at him with a look on her face he could not place. “Twilight? Is everyth—”

“What did you just say?”

“Heh, I didn’t think I would have to spell it out for you of all creatures.” He knelt down to her once more, placing a paw on her shoulder. “Be his friend! Spend time with him and I assure you—”

“No, no, what did you actually say?”

He arched his eyebrow. “Um... with the proper application of magic, even the firmest... of rock...” Her eyes were no longer locked on his. Instead, they were darting back and forth beneath a crinkled brow, her jaw hanging open. “Twilight?”

She didn’t seem to hear him. “Magic... magic, wait if... if I readjust... no, no, it coul—wait, no, yes! If the ionization rate is constant, then the lattice should—would be able...” Her face lit up like she caught on fire, and Fido could have swore he saw a flicker of light in her eyes. “Professor, you’re a genius!” She lunged forward and grabbed him in a hug so tight he had to gasp.

Affection like this wasn’t something he had much experience with. At a loss for anything else, he gave a few hesitant pats to her back. “Uh, eh-heh, n-not that I’m disputing that fact,” he gingerly eased out of her iron grip, “but what exactly did I do?”

She didn’t fight his efforts to release himself. She was already zoned back out, and Fido could practically see the calculations flying in her head. “All I have to do is reconfigure the mana stream to allow for the constant flow from it to him, but I’ll still need a harness of some kind.” Finally, she looked back to him, her eyes wider than he would have thought possible. “I’ll need your help with that part!”

“Um, what part of what?”

“I’ll explain later, I have to go to the princess, okay, thanks for lunch, I’ll get with you later when I need you, bye!” In a flash of lavender, she was gone.

Fido blinked hard, staring at the now empty space before him. After several moments, he stood and made his way back to his chair, a smile on his muzzle. “Heh... what an odd pony.”

* * *

"Pull!"

An apple flew over the warm pavement of the old drill pad, propelled by a bluish haze. Squinting hard, Spike tracked the airborne fruit with his hand, while at the same time thinking back to the first time the Cakes came home with the twins. A flick of his finger sent a single bolt of electricity shooting from his arcing claw, and the apple exploded in a cloud of fine mush.

The sun was just beginning its trek west as the trio sat in the open space. Spike was curled up on his belly, legs tucked underneath him, enjoying the warmth the concrete had saved up during the course of the day. He was more than a little beat after a day full of exercising, a bit more help to Moondancer's construction, and flying laps around Canterlot with "Auntie Luna." When she had first returned to Equestria, Spike had initially resisted calling her that, but when a physical representation of a living goddess begs and makes puppy-dog eyes, even the coldest of hearts tend to melt.

Now, the trio sat on the drill pad that served as Spike’s temporary bedroom. They were surrounded on all sides by the dilapidated barracks, and one pile of rubble that had been a dilapidated barrack building before a draconic temper tantrum had leveled it. On the side farthest from them was the castle wall, though one spot looked much newer than the rest.

"Woo-hoo! Go, Mr. Spike!" Jeckel currently sat on his haunches leaning against Spike, his skinny frame rising and falling with every breath of the big dragon.

Spike smirked over to Heckel, who stood off to the side. "Heads up on this one, Jeckel. Pull!"

Heckel's horn flared, sending another apple flying. This time, Spike thought back to when Rarity held her second fashion show for Hoity Toity. He rotated his claw with a jerky motion. A fierce gust of wind came out of nowhere, instantly arresting the apple's flight and sending it careening back, where Jeckel caught it in his open mouth.

"Hood haim, Hisher Hike!

Spike beamed under the praise. "Yeah, this whole magic thing isn't that hard once you get the hang of it."

"So, let me get this straight," Heckel said. "All you have to do to access untold amounts of magic is... think happy thoughts?"

Spike shrugged. "It's not that complicated, really. Like that jerkface dragon said, draconic magic is controlled by emotion, not thought. Feeling, not will. So, whenever I want to do something, I just think about my hoard—"

"All your friends in Ponyville, right?"

"Mm-hmm. Pull!" Another flying fruit. "I just remember all the good times—" Twilight receiving her first bachelors degree— "and boom!" His claw glowed a bright green, while an identical one surrounded the apple, jerking it to a halt. Spike grinned and floated the apple back to him.

"That's amazing, Mr. Spike! Heh, it took my brother months of hard study to learn kinesis!"

"Hey!" Heckel scowled as both earth pony and dragon giggled at his blush. "I was a late bloomer. Eat me. And while we're on the subject, how in the hoof can you even USE kinesis? That's a unicorn-specific magic. Every foal knows that!"

"Pony-shaped dragon," he muttered, eyes intently focused on the apple floating before his face.

"Huh?"

"Either of you ever been to a town called Tacksworn?" The twins shook their head. Spike chuckled as he floated the apple in front of his face. "It's not surprising. It's not the middle of nowhere, but you can see it in the distance. Anyway, I got a buddy that lives there named Chip, an earth pony. A while back, his parents died, and through a seriously messed-up series of events, Celestia sent him to be adopted by a dragon."

Jeckel spat out his bite of apple. "A dragon?!"

Spike nodded. "It's a long story... but a good one. Anyway, this earth pony gets adopted by a dragon, and not three weeks later, he eating gemstones and spitting fire like he'd been doing it his whole life."

"Horse apples!" Heckel stomped his hoof for effect.

"Nope, true story. It was actually the subject of Twilight's first publication: Sympathetic Yet Unintended Assumption of Species-Specific Thaumatic Traits Due To Familial Links." He chuckled at the blank states from the twins. "Yeah, she kinda sucks at titles. Long and short of it, by truly accepting the pony into his family, a bond was formed between their magic, allowing Chip to absorb some of the dragon-specific magic. Sharptooth tried to spin some crap about, 'the mysterious nature of dragons.' Heh, guess we know that's a load now, don't we?”

“But, Mr. Spike, um...” Jeckel’s brow furrowed hard, like he was contemplating the nature of the universe, “aren’t you a dragon?

Spike rolled his eyes. “Uh, duh! Of course I’m a dra—” The full weight of Jeckel’s words sunk in. “Yeah, well... I mean, it’s not the... Y—” He snorted a large plume of smoke. “Of all the times, now you decide to get smart...”

Jeckel beamed at the insult, then turned to his brother and blew a raspberry. “He thinks I’m smart!”

"Please fall in a hole somewhere," Heckel grumbled. "And would you get off of him? He's your charge, not a Lay-Z-Colt!"

"Aw, come on, Heckel!" Jeckel nuzzled lower into Spikes belly, earning a snerk of laughter from the large drake. "He's so warm! He's like a... a giant recliner with scales!"

"I'm not sure how I should feel about that," Spike mused.

Jeckel scooted over, patting Spike on the belly. "Come on, cop a squat!"

"Not on your life," Heckel growled through gritted teeth.

"Come on..."

"No!"

"Come oooonnnn..."

"Grr, you're not gonna shut up until I do, are you?!"

"Nope!"

Heckel growled one more time, then trudged over and plopped down with a loud harrumph. He wiggled his shoulders back and forth, scootching his rump this way and that before he finally found a comfortable position. As Spike exhaled, the unicorn sank into his belly just a bit.

If one had a microscope and a scholar's patience, one might have seen his scowl lessen, just a tad. "It's... not too uncomfortable."

"Well, slap my flank and call me a mule!"

Spike truly loved his life among ponies, but the one thing that always bugged him was ponies were always looking down on him... literally and figuratively. It's hard to take somepony seriously when they only come up to your kneecaps. But even past that, he had for years begged Twilight to stop referring to him as a "baby dragon." Sure, in the context of his species, he technically was, but he was almost twenty!

Now, though, his physical stature finally matched his ego; when everypony around you is the size of your head, a feeling of superiority is to be expected. Still, even after his unnatural growth spurt, there were two ponies that always made him feel small: Princess Celestia, and the behemoth of a mare that rounded the corner with Shining Armor in tow. Slate grey coat and crew cut mane, feminine head atop a body rippling with the kind of muscle that would make Big Macintosh want to take up crochet, and one of the two or three ponies on Earth who could look Celestia in the eye: General Stone Wall, commander of the Earth Pony Corps of Their Majesties' Royal Guard.

The burly mare looked to Shining. "Jeez Louise, Shiner! When you said he was big now, you wasn't kidding!" Her voice was coarse, like chewed gravel, but somehow light and bubbly. She turned to Spike. "Damn, boy, you get into some Miracle Gro or something?"

Spike grinned, barely having to look down to look her in her old, intelligent eyes. "Nope, just ancient, forbidden magic powered by equine sacrifice at the hooves of a lunatic who wanted to take over the world."

"Ha! Sounds like my average Friday!"

Shining stepped next to her, a bemused smile on his face. "Enjoying the break, gentlecolts?"

Both Heckel and Jeckel emitted a very loud meep, leaped to their hooves, and slammed salutes so hard that Shining cringed a little. Heckel cleared his throat. "Er, just, um... providing him cover?"

"Good evening, General Stone Wall, ma'am!" Jeckel yelled.

She returned the salute. "Private Jeckel, nice to see you again! How ya been?"

"Wait, you know him?"

Stone huffed at Spike. "I know every earth pony in my command, especially the ones I loan out to the screwheads."

"That's what I miss most about living in the Crystal Empire, Stone,” Shining said with a roll of his eyes, “your delightful passive racism.”

"Oh, hush," she said, waving a massive hoof dismissively. "It's all in good fun. One force, one fight, right? Hell, I'm married to a unicorn!" She knelt down to Shining, a lewd smirk on her grey features. "Of course, I'm pretty sure he's a half-breed, cause I'll be Luna damned if'n he don't act more like an earth pony in the sack!”

Shining did his best to suppress a gag. “Be careful, Stone, they say they can hear you when you swear by them."

"Heh, in that case, I should probably find them both and apologize for last night! I didn't know I was that flexible anymore." All four males collectively shuddered as images of the giant earth mare and her diminutive husband doing things best left unsaid played out in their minds.

She didn't seem to notice, turning back to Jeckel, placing a hoof on his shoulder that was bigger than his head. "How are you, son? They treating you right?"

Jeckel nodded furiously. "Oh, yes, ma'am! Just the other day, we got in a fight with a dragon!"

"A dragon?!" She leveled a glare at Spike that could kill a manticore.

He shrugged. "He started it."

She held her gaze for several moments before turning and looking behind him. Spike followed her gaze, only to find she wasn't looking behind him, more looking at his behind. He fidgeted, his muscular legs crossing a bit. "Um, what... what are you doing?"

"Just trying to see where you're hiding them brass balls!"

Without thought, he replied, "Oh, they're internal."

"Aw, dude!" Shining turned away in disgust as Stone howled with laughter.

Spike turned beet red, but the epic grimace from Shining demanded he press on. "What, you mean you never noticed a lack of... well, a lack?"

"I don't make it a habit to check out other dude's packages! Besides, you're like," he shuddered, "family or something."

"And this is officially the most disturbing conversation of my life," Heckel grumbled.

"Ah, you already got a stick on your head, don't get one up your ass, too, Corporal!" Heckel nearly collapsed as Stone cuffed him on the shoulder. "Anyway, I just wanted to stop and check in with ya, Spiker. Ain't seen you since you was knee-high to a parasprite." She took a few steps closer to Spike. "You know you can always talk to me, right? I may not be a damn counselor or anything, but I'm always ready to lend an ear."

For a few moments, Spike could see the glimmer of maternal instinct in her hard eyes. He chuckled. Beneath all the muscle, the huffing and posturing, she was still a mother, wife, and a plain mare. "I know, Mrs. Wall, I know."

They shared a brief moment, then she offered a mocking scowl. "How many damn times I told you to stop calling me that?! You're making me feel old."

"You are old," Shining said, though Spike noted that he took several steps out of hoof's reach when he did.

She glared at him and knelt down into a combat stance, flexing her massive muscles. "Yeah, maybe, but I can still kick your sorry flank six ways from Sunday, you little screwhead twerp!”

“Oh, yeah?” Shining squared himself off, his horn glowing fiercely. “Bring it on, you mud-sucking grandma!”

The drill pad was silent for several precious seconds, save for the thrumming of Shining's horn and a quiet growling from Stone. Spike and the twins stared at the sight, totally and completely not hoping the two formidable warriors would throw down and have what would surely be the coolest and most ferocious battle of muscle and magic the world had ever seen. The two soldiers eyed each other with deadly intent, bulging muscles twitching and horn ablaze, each waiting to see who would blink first.

Stone cracked. She nearly collapsed to the ground in bellowing laughter, one foreleg clutching at her sides. “General Armor, sometimes I forget why I like you so damn much!”

Shining dimmed his horn. “Well, once you figure it out, remind me so I can stop doing it.”

To his credit, only one of Shining’s knees buckled when she slapped him on the shoulder. "Alright, Shiner, I'm gonna head on. Don't take too long, ya hear?" Shining nodded, and she looked back to Spike. "Don't you be a stranger, now, scales."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Wall." He waved at her as she walked away, the ground all but trembling under her hooves.

Shining cleared his throat, looking to the twins. "Why don't the two of you take the rest of the day off?"

Heckel opened his mouth, but Jeckel leaped forward. "I'm sorry, sir, but we can't just leave our charge. We have a duty to protect him."

"We're on castle grounds, you don't need t—"

"Welp, see ya tomorrow, Mr. Spike!" A dust cloud left in his stead, Jeckel bolted at speeds that would make an Olympian blush. Heckel rolled his eyes and grumbled, storming off after him.

Spike shot a look at Shining. "Equestria's finest, huh?"

"Well..." Shining watched Heckel trudge off, "in theory."

They both laughed as Spike stood up and stretched to a symphony of pops and cracks that made Shining cringe. "Jeez, Spike, I thought Luna healed you."

"Even alico-oh, dear goddess." A deafening crack came from his spine. "Even alicorn magic has its limits.” He grumbled contentedly and laid back on his stomach. “Say, shouldn’t you be in the Empire?”

Shining shook his head. “Celestia called an emergency meeting of the Defense Ministry."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just some noise coming from Gryphonvale and Canidae."

Spike arched his eyebrow ridge. "I thought they were both cool with us now."

"Oh, the governments are, but they're not the only ones with sway in those countries. Apparently, several criminal outfits are rising in influence."

"What, like mobs?"

"Yup," Shining said with a nod. "And with Manehatten being so close to both borders, the princesses are a bit on edge about it."

"Wow. So, what are they gonna do about it?"

"I don't know," Shining said with a shrug, "I haven't gone to the meeting yet." As Spike face palmed, Shining's eyes narrowed just a bit. “Shouldn’t you be in Ponyville?”

The mirth instantly fell from Spike's face. He fell back to his belly, suddenly finding something off in the distance very interesting. “I’m... working on it.”

“Oh, really? How so?”

“Well, I... uh...”

Shining’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, for Celestia’s sake. You haven’t even told Twilight yet, have you?”

“I will!" he said, his tail slapping the concrete pad. "Look, it’s complicated, alright?”

“No, it’s not.”

Spike snorted. “Oh, and how would you know? I just found out a few days ago that I feel some kind of genetic feeling of ownership for all my friends and a town! It’s a bi—”

“No, that’s not it. You’re scared.”

Spike tensed, then stood to his haunches, glaring down at Shining. “Excuse me?”

Even in the face of a pissed off dragon, Shining never flinched. “You heard me.”

Spike’s tail slammed on the ground, rattling the windows of the disused barracks around them. “Not three days ago I punched a dragon in the face, then proceeded to beat the ever-loving crap out of him! What could I possibly be scared of?!”

Shining stared straight into him. “Being on your own.”

A tiny plume of smoke escaped Spike’s mouth. Quickly, he turned away and folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, horse apples, you don’t!" Shining marched over to Spike's other side, staring him down. "I can see it plain as day!” When Spike said nothing, he pressed further. "Tell me, have you started packing yet?"

Another plume of smoke. "No," he mumbled.

"Spoken to anypony in Ponyville?"

"Well, I, uh..."

"Made arrangements for a place to st—"

"Okay, okay!" Spike pinched the bridge of his nose. "So maybe I'm a bit... nervous. What would you know about it anyway?"

“I felt the exact same way when I shipped out for basic," Shining answered evenly.

“What are you talking about?! I was there at your going away dinner, remember? You were all smiles and trying to act like you weren’t making googly eyes at Cadance!”

“Yeah, but you went back home to the castle that night. You weren’t there in the morning when the chariot came. Not even Twilight was there.”

Spike huffed and looked away. “So, you were a bit nervous?”

“I was in tears.”

Spike's entire body twitched. “You... you were crying?”

“Not just crying, bawling my eyes out. I was terrified!” He cast his eyes down, scuffing a hoof along the ground. “It... it was the first time I’d left home. Sure, I’d been pretty independent for a while, but this was different."

Spike huffed once more, but a noticeable amount of tension left his body as he watched Shining walk over to the pile of rubble. "How so?"

Shining's voice suddenly got very distant. "It was the first time I'd left home. Oh, I was all excited to be 'a real stallion,' but once that chariot pulled up, and it was right in front of me, that's when it really sank in."

"What?"

Shining sigh, and though he faced away, Spike could all but hear his broad shoulders slump as he idly flicked his hood across a two-by-four. "That I didn't have momma's apron strings to hide under anymore. From now on, everything was on me. My entire life was officially in my hooves... and it scared the horseapples outta me."

Shining finally spun back to look at Spike, his eyes firm. "Look, you can't keep putting this off. As I understand it, you have to do this, right? You need to be near Ponyville."

Spike fidgeted around for a moment. "Well, it... I mean, I don't have to... I don't think."

Shining tilted his head a bit. "But, the Princess made it sound like—"

"I know!" He sighed, resting his hands on his great belly. "I don't really get it myself, but now that I know about the whole hoard thing, it's easier, like... the itch is still there, but it's manageable."

"Manageable?"

"Yeah," Spike replied. "I figure if I just visit Ponyville every now and then, I could stay and help out Twilight with her job. No need to up and leave."

Shining nodded. "Okay. For how long?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me. How long are you going to hang off momma's teats?"

A visible shudder ran through Spike, ending in a sputtering cough of sparks and smoke. "Dude! That's your sister you're talking about! Besides, Twilight is not my mother!"

"Maybe not," Shining said, his eyes still hard, "but you're sure acting like it, trying to hide underneath her legs like a foal."

"That's not it!" Spike finally rose to his haunches and glared down at Shining. "Twilight needs me!"

Shining balked. "Stop trying to make this about her. It's about you, and what you need to do."

Spike snorted, crossing his arms and scowling. "Oh, do tell. What do I need to do?"

"You tell me."

The bluntness of his words had a visible effect on Spike. He all but fell down to all fours, rattling the ancient buildings around the pad. His massive shoulders slumped, and all his back spines and head fins fell flat against his body. "I don't know," he whined. "I know I should go, but... ugh, what would I even do?! Sure, the town is kind of a doomsday magnet, but it's not every day. What do I do on the normal days? Just walk around the city like some stupid guard." He stiffened. "Uh, heh... no offense."

"None taken," Shining deadpanned. "Okay, so what would you want to do?"

Spike just shot him a look.

"Well, before you got all big, what did you want to do? What were your plans for life?"

Spike shrugged. "I, uh, I-I don't know."

Shining looked at him through narrowed eyes. "Spike..."

The whiny, petulant sound Spike made was very out of place coming from the hulking dragon. He rolled onto his side, his tail curled up along his trunk. "Promise not to laugh?"

Shining nodded his assent.

"Well..." Spike groaned again, folding his claws under his head, his head fins twitching. "And you have to swear to not tell Twilight!"

"Spike, spit it out already!" he chuckled.

Spike rustled about for a few moments, looking around to be sure they were alone. "Well, I kinda wanted to, um... whrm... mn-libr-mhmm."

Shinin blinked. "Um, come again?"

Spike groaned. "Ugh! I wanted to work in the library, alright?!"

Thanks to years of living with or around Shining, Spike could plainly see the barely-restrained fit of giggles hidden just beneath his practiced mask of military bearing. "O—Oh?"

"Yeah. I mean, keeping it all organized, it's kind of like a jigsaw puzzle; everything has to be in just the right place. It's fun if you let it be." He rolled back on his belly, head firmly rested on his folded arms. "Plus, I get to read all I want, but not when I don't want, unlike school. Make my own hours, live my own schedule, especially now that I’d be running the show, not Twilight. And it'd be a great way to keep track of my po—er, I mean, my friends." He shot a toothy grin down to Shining, who just chuckled.

"It's cool, Spike, I get the whole 'my ponies' thing." He blinked. "Actually, uh... no, no I really don't."

"Heh, neither do I, at least not completely. It's a bit hard to describe in words." He ran a claw along his jawline. "Hmm, it's, uh... oh! It's like a combination of your soldiers and your kids!"

"Um... what?"

"Well, see, I love them, like you love Dusk and Glimmer, but at the same time, I'm responsible for them, like your soldiers. Like... their lives are their own, but... they're also mine, because I... um, I mean I live through the— uh, no, no that's not right..."

Spike's confusion must have been plain on his face, because Shining silenced him with a hoof before he could embarrass himself further. "It's obviously something I couldn't get, but it's also very obvious how important it is to you."

Spike smiled at him. "Like I was saying, despite what a lot of ponies think, the Ponyville library actually gets a fair amount of business, so it'd be a great way to stay in the loop." His smile fell. "Not that it matters anymore." He shook go head and looked back down. "So, how did you get over it?"

"Heh, I didn't."

A pregnant pause. "What?"

Shining grimaced. "I didn't get over it. I just told you! The recruiter had to all but drag me away from Mom and Dad!" Behind him, Spike slowly rotated back onto his back, the chimney of smoke diluted into the occasional cloudy mist.

"Look, Spike." Shining turned away from him and took slow, even steps towards the castle. Spike rolled his eyes and sighed; he had spent enough time around the Sparkle family to know when one was getting into lecture mode.

"I get that you've been dealing with a lot of 'dragon only' stuff lately, and I'm not going to even pretend that I understand it at all. But this, this is something that every sentient creature on the planet has had to deal with at some point.” Shining turned back to face Spike, a gentle smile on his face. “The sad fact is there isn't any spell or potion you can take, and it's not going to get any easier the longer you wait. You just have to do it."

A moment of silence passed between the two. An errant gust of wind caught Shining’s white-streaked blue mane, sending it flitting in front of his face in a very picturesque manner. His eyes trailed off to some distant point past Spike, his head tilting upwards ever so slightly as a confident smirk settled on his face.

Spike chuffed hard. "That's it?"

Shining blinked hard several times. “Huh?”

“That’s all you got?” Spike said, throwing his arms up. “No words of wisdom? No sage advice garnered from years of experience with this sort of thing that will lead me to a jarring realization? Just... do it?”

“Uh... yeah, pretty much.”

The only response Spike could muster were several loud sputters, combined with wild gesticulation. Finally, he groaned, running a claw over his face. “Dude, you suck at this.”

Shining turned his head and looked around, apparently trying to find whomever it was that Spike thought he was talking to. “Suck at what?”

“Ugh, nevermind.” Before Shining could respond, Spike trudged over to the castle wall and slumped down onto his rump.

For several moments he sat there, pondering Shining’s words. Though he would hate to admit it, especially to his face, his surrogate brother had a point; the decision wasn’t going to get any easier the longer he waited. At the same time, however, he knew Twilight! She was too smart for her own good, and she...

“She’s a grown mare,” Spike muttered.

“What was that?”

Spike briefly looked back at Shining. “Nevermind.” He sighed deeply and ran both claws over his head, smoothing down his spines. “You know, this has been the absolute craziest month of my life, and,” he chuckled, “and for a guy whose family and friends regularly either stop or start apocalyptic havoc, that’s really saying something.”

The two shared a laugh as a warm breeze washed over the pad. Shining shook his head and looked back at the massive drake that, in the most roundabout way possible, had become his little brother. “I gotta head to the meeting. You... you gonna be okay?”

“Heh, I’m getting there,” he said with a half-grin.

Shining smiled and turned, but stopped, whirling back around. "Oh, before I go, there’s one other pony who wanted to say something to you." As he spoke, he made his way back to the building he had first appeared from. There, just appearing from the shadows behind the dilapidated structure, Cadance stood with a warm smile gracing her lips. A modified set of saddlebags around her flank held little Twilight Glimmer, happily mouthing on a plastic toy, uttering an occasional infantile cry of joy.

Spike smiled widely. "Cadance!"

Before he could rise, she shook her head. "Not me."

Beside her, Shining spoke to another pony still hidden by shadows. "Come on, buddy."

After several moments of stillness, Dusk Shine hesitantly stepped from behind his mother's legs. His purple eyes were still wide as dinner plates, though the pegasus colt's wings were not splayed out in fear as they had been last time Spike saw him.

Instinctively, Spike dropped as low to the ground as he could and laid his spines as flush to his body as he could. Dusk's steps were trembling, but solid. He gulped visibly, stopping just shy of Spike's massive snout. "U-Uncle... Uncle Spike?"

Spike's voice was barely a whisper. "Yeah, it's me, flycolt."

Dusk's jaw hung open in awe as he craned his little neck, trying to take in the massive body before him. "How did you get so big?!"

"Heh, I, uh..." He cast a quick glance to Cadance. "I ate my alfalfa."

The colt gasped loudly, then turned and faced Shining. "Daddy, can we have 'falfa for dinner?"

"We'll see, buddy," Shining said, before nodding back to Spike. "But isn't there something you wanna say to Uncle Spike?"

Dusk slowly turned back to Spike. As he did, his wings drooped."Daddy said I made you sad.”

Spike winced a bit. “Well, yeah, it hurt a bit, little dude.”

Dusk’s eyes fell to the ground, and he kicked at the dirt beneath him. “I’m sorry.”

Spike had to chuckle as a twinge shot through his chest at the adorable display. "Aw, it's okay, Dusker. Don't worry about it." He leaned in closer, thrilled that the colt didn’t flinch or shy away, and rustled his mane a bit. "I'm still your favorite uncle, right?"

Dusk blinked hard several times, his face twisted in foalish confusion. "But... you’re my only uncle." It was obvious from his face that Dusk had no idea why that was so funny, but when his parents and Spike all laughed, he quickly joined in.

Suddenly, Dusk's face lit up brightly. "Oh!" His tiny wings buzzed like a honeybee and he raced through the air back towards Cadance. He hovered over her rump and reached down to where baby Glimmer was gnawing away at her pacifier. He let out a little grunt and lifted his baby sister into the air.

“Dusk, sweetie, be careful,” Cadance said.

“Don’t worry, mama, I got her!” His flight path back to Spike was erratic and shaky, and Spike couldn't help but notice the faint blue aura keeping Glimmer steady.

Already exhausted from the strain, but not caring as children are wont to do, he set Glimmer down on her back at Spike's head. The infant's eyes bulged from her head, her mouth open in the enraptured awe of a baby as she looked up at the massive dragon before her.

Dusk walked towards Spike, stopping next to his head. "This is the baby, Uncle Spike. Her name’s Glimmer!” He whirled around to face his sister. “Glim, this is Uncle Spike,” he said, gesturing to him with a hoof.

Glimmer cooed in fascination, and Spike felt his heart flutter a bit. He gently, so very gently, reached a single claw towards her. He noticed Cadance tense just a bit as the razor-sharp claw that was longer than she was tall reached for her baby daughter's exposed belly, but Shining quickly nuzzled against her, soothing her worry.

"Hey, Glimmer," Spike whispered as he poked his claw at her belly.

The foal's eyes never left his face, her jaw still hanging. "A-buh-buh?"

Dusk crept up beside her, laying on his belly, and gently nuzzled against her head. “Don’t be scared, Glim. Uncle Spike’s a big scary dragon,” he smiled up at Spike, “but he’s our big scary dragon.”

As he spoke, Glimmer finally looked away from Spike's face, turning her attention to his jutting claw. She squealed in foalish glee and reached up for his claw, bringing the tip of his claw to her mouth and sucking on it like a pacifier.

"Oh, good grief." Spike grinned at Cadance and Shining. "I think I'm going into diabetic shock."

Cadance stifled a laugh while Dusk began flying laps around Spike. "Yeah, they tend to have that effect.”

* * *

On the other side of the Castle grounds, the ivory and gold-laced halls of the Royal Court echoed with shrill, pathetic sobs. A frumpy, elderly stallion was on his knees, wailing theatrically. He took a gulping, sniveling breath and looked up to the ivory and onyx thrones, where sat the Royal Sisters. "And so you see, y-y-your Highnesses, I would be most honored if, in your in–infinite wisdom, you saw fit to honor his memory."

Celestia smiled warmly down on the quivering pony, summoning as much compassion as her ancient heart could muster. "We shall certainly take your petition under advisement, Lord Bitsmouth, and we are very sorry for your loss." The stallion brightened at this, and Celestia let out a small breath; she didn't think the stained-glass windows of the Court could handle another round of his wailing.

The stallion gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Your Majesties." After another bow to Princess Luna, he turned and trotted off, sniffling quietly.

As he left, Princess Luna maintained her tight-lipped smile, offering a genial wave of her hoof. The instant the door to the court chambers closed behind him, Luna turned to Celestia, fixing her with the deepest glare possible. "No, Tia. Absolutely not."

"Oh, Lulu, have a heart," Celestia pouted.

Luna's eyes all but bugged out of her skull. "I am not creating a new constellation to commemorate his dead goldfish!"

"But Luna," Celestia cried as she gasped in shock, "you heard him! Poor Mr. Shiny-Fins was his only friend."

Luna groaned and sank into her onyx throne. "Only because it forgot about his pompous, arrogant flank every five seconds," she huffed.

The diarchs giggled furiously until the court viser's dusty voice called out from below them. "Next petitioner, a Doctor Twilight Sparkle, Professor of Advanced Magical Theory, Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns."

Celestia perked up, turning to see Twilight cantering down the red carpet towards them. "Twilight, my faith—"

"Former student of Her Serene Immortal Highness, Princess Celestia, and Bearer of the Element of Magic."

Celestia smiled beatifically. "Yes, thank you Quick Wit, we—"

"Savior of the Frozen North, noted scholar an—"

"Oh, shut up!" Luna snapped.

The wizened stallion looked up at her with a devious smile. “Noted scholar and friend of the crown.”

Luna shot him a cold glare usually reserved for only the most petulant of noble petitioners.

He gave a sly grin and bowed as low as his old bones could manage. “Your Highness.”

She huffed, and blew him a very dignified, princess-like raspberry

Celestia snickered at the scene, then turned back to the approaching Twilight. Slowly, her smile faded from her face. She had known Twilight for many years, and was almost as adept at reading her moods as Spike. The thin, not-quite to her ears smile, the ever so slight hesitancy in her steps, and the one or two out-of-place hairs in her mane. "Twilight? My dear, what's wrong?"

Twilight finally reached the thrones, and gave a slight bow before looking back at them. "Princesses," she gulped and flashed a very wide grin.

"I need a favor."

Author's Note

Want to hear more about Chiphoof Irontail, the pony-shaped dragon? Check out The Ambassador's Son by midnightshadow! It's an amazing story... actually, much better than this one...

A New Hope

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Six: A New Hope

Nightmare Moon, Discord, King Sombra. The list of arcane creatures that Twilight Sparkle and her friends had defeated read like a who’s who of the most demented, terrifying creatures to ever disgrace the earth with their presence. Twisted abstracts and ancient demigods had stood before her, and thanks to her deep understanding of magic and friendship, they had all been found wanting.

Even discounting the world-ending nightmares she had prevented, Twilight Sparkle's list of accolades was unparalleled: a PhD, two Masters degrees, numerous publications in virtually every scientific journal of merit, and a best-selling book about her findings on the magic of friendship. In nearly all ways that mattered, Professor Twilight Sparkle ranked among the smartest and most accomplished ponies in Equestrian history.

And here she was, defeated by a big crown thingy.

Twilight sat on her haunches before her dining room table, which was currently doubling as her workbench, head rested on a forehoof. She blew out a sharp breath, clearing away an errant strand of her mane as she eyed the offending thing. It seemed to be mocking her; the polished gold and shined amethyst reflected dazzling colors and motes of light back at her, only adding to her growing frustration.

Battle-scarred implements lay strewn across the table: a state-of-the-art thaumatic laser scalpel, the crystal tip blackened and smoking; diamond-edged wire cutters, supposedly the strongest the botany department had to offer, deformed and cracked; a pneumatic pump attached to a wedge now with springs falling off it.

Twilight eyed them all with disdain through the jewelers loupe affixed to her face. For the better part of three days she had sat at this table, trying and failing at what should have been the easiest part of this whole process. She had tried everything she could think of, starting with the most delicate of touches, ending with violent brute force. At one point, she had even attempted the tried and true "Apple way of fixin' things." Two broken sledgehammers and one noise complaint later, she had finally given up and called for backup. A polite knock at the front door heralded the arrival of said backup.

She removed the loupe from her head and went to the door, passing through her modestly furnished apartment. Peering through the peephole, she saw Fido, clad in a smart button down and jeans instead of his trademark tweed. She opened the door and ushered him in. "Fido, thank you so much for coming."

"Not a problem at all, Twilight. I came as soon as I got your note. I..." He spun several times; the spacious apartment was spartanly furnished, which only made it seem bigger. The high ceilings allowed even his lithe six-foot frame room to breathe, A plush carpet tickled the bottom of his paws, and a large wood and glass coffee table dominated the center of the living room. "Wow, this is much larger than my apartment. You can afford this on our salary?"

She shrugged. "Book royalties."

"Ah." He nodded, still glancing around. "Perhaps I should finish that manuscript after all..."

She cleared her throat, snapping him back to reality.

"Oh, right, sorry. So, what is so important that I had to make a house call?"

"Well, I think I've solved Spike's problem," she said as she moved back towards the work table, motioning him to follow.

"Well, I hope it was worth endangering your career."

Twilight froze for a moment. "What?"

"The Dean spoke with me today. Traditionally, one takes their first sabbatical after their first year of teaching, not the first month."

Twilight snorted. "You'd think saving the world multiple times would give a mare some leeway..." She shook her head. "Anyway, like I said, I think I've finally solved Spike's problem." She motioned towards the living room and the two crossed the plush carpet floor towards Twilight's impromptu work space.

"Oh, so you've figured out how to route enough thaumatic energy to power Canterlot for a year into your brother without turning him into a deep-fried vegetable?"

A small chuckle escaped Twilight. "I had no idea you were so dramatic."

Fido scanned the destroyed implements. "Heh, with the amount of power you're playing with, drama is... hardly... th—" He finally saw the object sitting at the epicenter of the destruction. His eyes narrowed.

"T-Twilight, is... is th—" Fido cast a quick glance to her flank, then back to the purple gem, repeating several the process times. Finally, he rested his awed gaze at the table; specifically, at the shining golden tiara reflecting the warm overhead lights back at him, and the starburst-shaped amethyst atop it that seemed to physically buzz with warmth and power. "Oh... Oh, my, it is!"

Twilight herself was never a spiritual mare. When you wield the power of Harmony itself and your mentor is the physical representation of a living deity, faith becomes something of a moot point. While Celestia had never fully revealed her and Luna’s role in the cosmic sense, her occasional mutterings of, “Oh, for Dad’s sake,” tended to shine a light on things. Still, Twilight had never put too much stock in such things; her mind prefered the firm grounding of logic to the supposed nebulous warmth of faith.

That all being said, Twilight was very sure that what she saw before her qualified as a spiritual experience. Fido clutched his chest, panting slightly, and stumbled back a step. Twilight was reasonably confident that, had there been more room, he would have fallen to his knees. "Oh, by the Eternal Pack..."

Twilight took a very hesitant step towards the awestruck Diamond Dog. "Professor? Are you... okay?"

He cast his wide eyes to her. "Twilight this... this is the... the—"

"The Element of Magic. Yes, I know."

"No, professor, I don't believe you do." Slowly, reverently, he stepped towards the table. His hands reached out, but stopped short of touching the object of his devotion, hovering and caressing the air around it. "This is the holy grail of thaumatic geology! I-I-I-I never thought I would be this close to it!"

"Fido, please—"

"Tell me, what is its thaumic potential? Is it really immune to environmental effects?" His words flowed faster than even Twilight could follow. "Oh! Is it true that it has flaws and facets, but they only serve to increase its capacitance? I've always theorized that, much like friendships, the struggles make it stronger! Oh, oh! Can it really harmonize with an—"

Whap!

Fido snuffled and sputtered as a rolled up newspaper, floating in a purple haze, unceremoniously booped his nose, followed by Twilight's stern call of, "Down, boy!"

A thick silence fell as Fido rubbed his wet nose. He turned to her, his face a mix of shock and slowly rising anger. "Did... did you just—"

To his great surprise, her face was not one of horror or regret, but a smug grin as she flicked her confident eyes down to his fingers. He looked down at them, wiggling them a bit, then his mind clicked to memories of his impromptu muzzle from their last encounter. An incredulous grin spread across his face like wild fire. "Cheeky little filly..." He had to hold back a snort when her grin seemed to grow even more satisfied. "Very well then, Professor," he rolled the "R" hard, "what do you need of me?"

At this, her smile fell, the destroyed tools once more on her mind. "Well, I have the spell matrix figured out. Casting it is going to tax me quite a bit, but I think I can handle the strain."

He nodded. "Okay, so what is the problem?"

"I can't get the stupid, loopty-looping thing off the mount!" A pathetic stomp of her hoof called off the whining tantrum.

"And... why is that a problem? I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't enjoy wearing a tiara, but if it lets him—"

Twilight shook her head. "No, no, that's not it." She turned from him and gazed at the Element. "Every time I've tried to cast the spell, it's been rejected, which makes no sense. The gem is, for all intents and purposes, just an overpowered transistor."

"Hmm, I see," Fido said with a nod. "So it should be receptive to any spell you wish to put on it."

"Exactly! But there's something blocking it. I ran it under a thaumatic resonance imager, and there's some strange signature coming from the gold in the tiara."

Fido scratched his chin, eyeing the gem this time with a more appraising gaze, then looked to Twilight. “May I?”

When she nodded, Fido reached down to the tiara. He reverently ran his hand over the gilded frame, then gently picked it up. “Ooh, it’s... tingly,” he said with childish glee as he held it to his face.

Twilight watched the display with a smirk. “If you’d like a moment alone, I could leave for a bit.”

“Oh, get off it,” he snorted in response. “Do you have any idea how many times I have begged the princesses to allow me to study this?”

“Twenty-seven times over the past six years, according to Princess Luna.”

“Heh, then you should know that this is somewhat of a moment for me, and I’d appreciate you not ruining it with snark.” His eyes flicked to her thigh. "Tell me, Twilight, how is it that the element resembles your cutie mark? I doubt that destiny is that specific."

She shook her head. "The elements are sympathetic to their user, taking whatever form is required of them. Celestia tells me that when she and Luna used them against Discord, they were horn rings."

“Hmm, and for you it becomes a tiara.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “Fantasies of princesshood, eh, Professor Sparkle?” He chuckled at her slight blush, continued his appraisal, moving the tiara this way and that, studying every facet he could. "Twilight, tell me, how thoroughly have you studied the element?"

Twilight cast her eyes down a bit. "Well... I have but, um..."

"But what?"

"Well," she fidgeted slightly, "I've run countless tests on the gem, everything from thaumic resistance to radioisotope dating."

"But?" he repeated.

She sighed. "I've run plenty of tests on the element, but I never thought to test out the metal."

"Mm-hmm... have you ever tested its lumen rating?"

"Yes," she said with a nod. "A positive rating, holding steady at three point four lumens."

"And its thaumatic conductivity?"

"Through the roof! I used the most sensitive scanner I could get my hooves on, and I couldn’t find an upper limit."

At this, Fido's tail froze behind him, and Twilight could see an excited tremble in his hands. "And... it's nigh impossible to damage it?"

"Yes," Twilight said.

Fido suddenly let out a quiet yip, and his tail began wagging furiously behind him, creating a light whap everytime it slapped against his trouser leg. "I knew it, I knew it! Bloodsteel!"

Twilight giggled at the display. "What?"

"Oh, um, old... old Diamond Dog legend." He turned to face her, though his eyes remained firmly locked on the tiara. "This isn't gold. This, Twilight, is lucrettium."

She blinked. "Luca... Luca-what, now?"

"Lucrettium. An extremely rare ore, one of the the strongest natural materials known to exist. Only several kilos have ever been found." He finally tore his eyes from it and looked to her. "I'd be willing to bet that this, along with the other Elements of Harmony, are the largest concentrations on the planet, and probably the purest."

Twilight followed him as he gently set it back on the cloth. "So, how can we remove the gem?"

He frowned. "We can't. Lucrettium is a highly potent thaumatic medium, meaning that at power levels like this, the gem and the metal are most likely bonded at a subatomic level. Now, it may be possible to..."

His voice faded into the background; Twilight's eyes were focused on the gem. She had long since memorized its every facet and flaw, every shaped surface reflecting her furrowed brow back at her. Tiny motes danced in the imperfections, a kaleidoscope every time she moved her head. This jewel was as much a part of her as Spike; the two were both pieces of her heart, she just had to make them fit.

Fit...

"What if we melted it?" Twilight nearly whispered.

"... Then the molecular structure co—" Fido jerked to a halt and looked back to her. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"What if we melted the metal?" She looked up to face him.

"Melted th... Professor Sparkle!"

She arched her eyebrow. "What?"

"You can not melt the bloody Element of Magic!" he shrieked.

She flicked her tail. "No, not the jewel, the tiara!" His expression was unchanged, so she continued. "You said the gem and the metal were magically bonded, yes?"

"Correct."

"Right. So," she turned her furrowed brow back to the tiara, "we can't remove the metal, but thaumatic metal becomes malleable at high temperatures. So..."

Fido gasped, walkin back to the table. "So, if we heated it to, say, three thousand kelvin, it should lower its resistance enough to—" He frowned. "Wait, no... no, if you heat it that much, the metal will be highly susceptible to outside radiation. At those temperatures, even the slightest bit of background radiation could contaminate it, possibly to the point of failure. Could you cast some sort of shielding spell?”

“No. With the amount of focus I’ll need for the actual spell, I couldn’t maintain both spells simultaneously. But we could use—”

"Gemstones!" they cried in unison.

Twilight raced back to the table. "If we charge a gemstone, perhaps—”

Fido appeared next to her. "—a mana-saturated emerald, with the shielding spell—”

She turned to face him. "—at the very least fifteen thaums worth—"

He turned to face her. "—then the spell will last long enough for us to perform the procedure—"

"—without compromising the gem!"

"You're a genius!" they cried in unison.

The nervous energy in the room danced between the two as they looked into each other’s eyes.

After sharing the glance for a few more seconds than decorum called for, both turned away, their cheeks flaming beneath their fur. Twilight cleared her throat. "So, uh, how can we heat the metal that much without throwing it into the sun?"

"Hmm." He knelt down to carefully study the tiara, stroking his chin. “Tartarian brimstone should do the trick. If ignited by a—hmm, one kilo should do it, so maybe red... no, a green runic flame will burn hot enough to melt the bloodsteel."

Twilight felt the familiar feeling of nervous energy that always accompanied a breakthrough snake its way down her limbs, her left forehoof tapping a steady rhythm on the plush carpet. "So, where can we get some?"

"Well, it is very rare. The nearest supplier I know of is down in Mareami."

Twilight's hoof froze and her ears fell. "That would take... nearly a week to get here."

"Yes, yes it would." He let out an exaggerated sigh and folded his arms across his chest. "If only we knew a handsome, brilliant, and devilishly charming thaumatic geology professor who happened to have several kilos in his personal collection."

"You're right," Twilight said, squinting her eyes at the tiara. "But where could we find such a pony?"

Several moments of silence.

Fido huffed. "You know, with you, Twilight, it's a bit difficult to know when you're being sarcastic."

"You're daft."

"I'm a genius."

Fido let out a sharp bark of laughter. "No, you're a nutter, and I won't hear another word of it."

To Twilight's simultaneous delight and ire, the addition of Professor Igneous had allowed them to accomplish more in the past two hours than she could have hoped to in two days. After a trip back to his loft to collect the brimstone and some tools, Fido now sat next to Twilight—the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, exposing his jet-black fur—making adjustments to his runic sleeve using a small device that Twilight had never seen before. The past two hours had been a flurry of theoretical speculation, highly advanced spellcasting, and the kind of high-end mathematical equations that would make most ponies' brains smoke.

Needless to say, the two were having the time of their lives.

Twilight looked up from the emerald she was charging, causing the beam of magic running from her horn to the gem to bend and twist, and grinned playfully at him. “I’m telling you, Fido, I’ve done it before!”

"And I'm telling you that time travel is impossible! The Laws of Harmony would never allow it! A single paradox could annihilate the entirety of creation!"

"The paradoxes resolve themselves."

Fido snorted. "Oh, don't give me that 'time is immutable' rubbish. Rexinious' Multi-verse Theorem demands that anything that can happen, will."

"Ah, but you forget Starswirl's Causality Principle," she chided, waving a hoof in the air. "Any and all actions must had direct observable consequences, no matter how small or large."

"Starswirl was talking about direct thaumatic experimentation!" he cried. "He didn't mean it as some... abstract theory allowing one to break every known law of physics and thermodynamics!"

"I don't understand why you're being so grumpy about this." She shot him a sly grin. "You forget to take your nap today, grandpa?"

Fido almost dropped the pen-like tool he was using. "Wha—I... I'm in the prime of my life, thank you very much!"

"You're nearly seventy. That's almost in the grave for a pony."

"Yes, and you're, what, twenty-five?"

"Twenty-eight."

"Ha! Still a pup! Why, when I was your age I'd had al—"

Fido suddenly tensed, accidentally driving the tool into a sapphire on his gauntlet, loosing a crack of electricity and a tiny shower of sparks. He sat still as death for a moment. "Did I... did I really just say 'when I was your age'?"

Twilight's only answer was a loud cackle and nearly dropping the gem she was working on.

Fido growled quietly. "Are you done with that gem yet?"

"I... am..." She squinted in a final bout of concentration. "... Done!" With a satisfied grin, she floated the now-humming gemstone into the table, setting it between the Element of Magic and the foul-smelling lump of whitish stone Fido had brought over. On the other side of the table sat a squat machine with a circular display and dozens of knobs on the front. Two wires ran from its back to the element, where a pair of pads were affixed. "The spell inside the gem should contain more than enough power to levitate the tiara and shield it from outside radiation for at least seven hours."

"Plenty of time, I'd say," Fido said, making a few final tweaks to his runic sleeve. "If my calculations are correct, it should take around twenty minutes for the bloodsteel to reach critical temperature."

Twilight nodded. "Once we have the stasis field set up, the thaumometer will let us know when the resistance is low enough to begin the spell."

Both professors stood up and faced the center of the table, canine and equine tails wagging in excitement. "Very well, then. If you would be so kind, Professor?" Fido said, giving an exaggerated bow.

Twilight chuckled, then turned towards the gem. A tiny spark jumped from her horn to the gem, which instantly glowed a bright purple. Next to it, a lavender aura surrounded the tiara and it rose slowly in the air, hovering about a foot off the table.

With everything now prepared, Fido took a step back and raised his arm. Gleaming gemstones pointed towards the floating tiara like a pegasi landing strip, capped at his end with a glowing ruby. He reached down to press it.

A high-pitched whine built up, causing Twilight's ears to flick down in her head. The gemstones inlaid on Fido's sleeve began to glow brighter in sequence; tiny wisps of magical energy snaked in between the stones, before reaching the last one by his wrist. The energy swirls around his open palm, and with a bright flash, a baseball-sized orb of green fire birthed in his grasp.

Twilight watched the whole scene with wide eyes. Tiny wreaths of magic danced around its surface, like a miniature jade sun. Every now and then, a line would arc to his hand, swirl around one of his velvet-like paw pads before leaping back to the emerald fireball. Twilight wetted her lips. "Isn't it hot?"

Fido shook his head with a slight smirk. "It's a runic flame, programmed to only affect the brimstone. Now," the playful look on his canine face fell to one of business, "while the flame itself will not burn anything but the stone, it will give of a fair bit of heat, so keep your distance, and do not look directly at the stone when it initially ignites. The flash could cause permanent damage to your eyes." Twilight gave him a slight nod, then turned away and closed her eyes. She cringed away in anticipation of a giant blast of heat, but after several moments of nothing, she peeked open her eyes, seeing Fido looking at her with a pensive gaze.

"Last chance, Twilight. Are you sure about this? Mucking about with something connected to one of the fundamental elements of nature?"

Her eyes didn't meet his; they were locked on the floating tiara in a look of deep determination. "Yes, I'm sure. And don't worry, both princesses know what we're doing, it's fine."

He nodded, turning back to the table. His paw tensed once more. "And, you're sure this won't explode in our faces and destroy half of Canterlot?"

Several extremely uncomfortable moments of silence later, Twilight blinked. "Relatively."

Several more moments of silence.

Finally, Fido nodded, facing the table once more. "Very well, then. Tally-ho." With one last shrug, he pressed the ruby on his arm.

Moments later, a deep whooshing filled the room, Twilight's mind instantly thinking back to all the times Spike used his breath to send a letter. The scientist in her desperately wanted to watch what was happening, but Fido's warning held her curiosity at bay. Some tiny part of her mind found slight amusement in the fact that this was the second time her vision was at risk because of him.

The building tone reached a crescendo as an impossibly bright flash filled Twilight's vision. Even through her eyelids, she could make out the outline of Fido next to her, shielding his eyes as well. In an instant, the bright light vanished, and Fido tapped her in the shoulder. "It's safe now, Twilight." She opened her eyes, and quickly widened them.

The ugly lump of off-white rock had transformed into a sparkling fountain of pearlescent fire. Flames of the purest white shot nowhere but up, creating a blazing column that surrounded the Element of Magic, bathing it in fierce heat. Sparks of all colors of the rainbow popped and fizzled off the tiara as it heat up, sending tiny flashes of color across the room.

Twilight slowly circled the table, mouth slightly parted in muted awe. The raging inferno did no harm to anything but the tiara, not so much as a scorch mark marring the ivory cloth beneath it. Twilight made a mental note to study up more on the particulars of thaumatic geology. "I... I didn't think it would be so... so beautiful."

"Yes. Neither did I," Fido mumbled.

Twilight tore her eyes from the flames to look at him. Fido was now on the opposite side of the table. The ivory light from the flaming stone highlighted his every feature in stark contrast from his jet-black fur. Reflections from the tableau of colors danced in his yellow eyes, bathed in the same awe as hers were, but they were focused on her.

They shared their gaze for but a split second. Just as Twilight felt the first inklings of warmth on her cheeks, Fido sputtered and turned to the side. "So, er, bloodsteel! As I said its an old Diamond Dog legend, dating back millennia."

While he spoke, he nonchalantly paced around the table, hands clasped behind his back. Twilight smiled at the sight; he looked like he was lecturing. "Do tell, Professor."

"Long ago, shortly after the Dawn of All, the immortals of the world were embittered in the first War of the Gods. The Celestial Parents, King Radian and Queen Terra, the great dragon god Calcipher, Nevlamas, Warrior Goddess of the Eryes, and King Lucaretta, the first High Alpha, all joined forces against the demon god Tirek. For months they raged, entire swaths of earth were destroyed or left uninhabited. Countless mortal lives were lost by their fighting."

Twilight watched him as he paced. The whole world seemed to fall away, only the quietly roaring flames and his voice.

"Finally, after so long a stalemate, Calcipher made the ultimate sacrifice." Fido gestured to his chest, sliding a finger down his shirt. "He sliced open his own belly, exposing his inner flame. Using the blood of the Immortals Lucretta forged in those flames a metal of unrivaled strength, one that could focus the very essence of the gods."

"Bloodsteel," Twilight mumbled.

Fido nodded. "With that metal, he crafted the Blade of Harmony, a spear sharper than Wolven teeth and stronger than dragon scales. King Radian took the blade and slayed Tirek, ending the Great War and returning harm—"

From behind them, a series of loud pops, like wet logs in a fire, accompanied by bright flashes of purple light. Fido and Twilight turned, and both were struck dumb by what they saw.

The once solid metal of the Tiara wavered and flickered, as if viewed from beneath the surface of a lavender lake. The occasional spark still danced from its ends, giving off fresh waves of ozone. The gem, however, still stood untarnished by the flame. Not even a single flicker of light bounced from the raging inferno.

Fido shook his head and quickly went to the scanner, pausing only to place his glasses back in his muzzle. He deftly adjusted several of the knobs. "Hmm, well... that was much quicker than I thought it would be.”

Twilight heard none of it; her eyes were locked on the gem floating inside the pearlescent blaze. She leaned in closer, feeling the scorching heat from the fire lapping at her face. The amethyst was still as death, despite the gently wavering metal it was attached to.

"Twilight!"

Fido's sharp bark snapped her back to reality. She shook her head and stepped back. "Okay, what does the scanner say about its resistance levels?

Behind her, Fido was twiddling with various knobs and switches on the machine. "Fifty seven point five thaums—” he frowned and slapped the side of the machine— “and dropping.”

A warmth spread across Twilight’s face; not from the brightly flickering blaze, but from within. She could feel it! This was the answer to Spike's problem. All his worry, all her agonizing doubts were finally going to pay off.

“Twenty-five... seventeen... ten thaums, and... holding steady at two point eight thaums.” Fido left the scanner and joined Twilight next to the table, pearlescent light reflecting from his eyes and fur. “I think that’s the best we can hope for. The brimstone will only burn for another ten minutes or so, so I’d suggest we get to it.”

Twilight nodded, then lit her horn. "Okay, beginning the casting." A wisp of purple magic snaked from her horn to the gem. The beam of light connected with the floating element, and a searing flash consumed Twilight's vision.

The sensation of nothing was very odd to Twilight. She was adrift in a sea of black nothing, an abyss that consumed her. Slowly, however, her senses began to return to her, from within: a harsh buzz in the back of her skull; a high-pitched whine, growing in volume, filled her ears; a foul taste of sour magic, like spoiled milk, danced on her tongue.

Twilight groaned and stood up, waving a cloud of dust away from her eyes to survey the damage. Her once pristine dining room looked like a coal mine. A thick layer of ebony dust clung to every surface, crackling with leftover magical energy from the violent reaction. Wispy tendrils of smoke rose from center of the table where the Element of Magic sat in mute defiance, like a puppy sitting amid a spilled trash can looking up at its owner with pride.

A sniffle came from behind her. She spun and gasped. Fido's entire form was black, but where his fur had been neatly groomed and shiny, it was now dull. Slowly, he reached up and removed his glasses, leaving his yellow eyes in stark contrast to his blackened frame.

He opened his mouth, coughing and sending forth a tiny cloud of smoke. "I think," he said, blinking slowly, "that we can chalk that up as a failure."

Twilight had already turned back around. Her lower lip quivered, and her ears fell against her skull. "It... it didn't work."

Fido slowly approached and knelt beside her. He bit his lip for a moment, then later an arm around her shoulder. "Twilight..."

"Everything went right," she droned, shrugging off his hug. "The numbers added up, the spell work was sound, but it... it just rejected it. Some kind of barrier..."

"Twilight, I'm so sorry. Look, maybe we can—"

"I need to go," she droned. She shuffled away from him towards the door. "Don't bother cleaning up. There's a guard at the front desk, so you can leave the door unlocked." With that, she left the apartment, leaving a great mess and a very sad Diamond Dog.

Mount Canterhorn jutted up from the picturesque landscape of the Everfree Province like a lavender finger pointing to the heavens. The city of Canterlot stuck out from its side atop an unthinkably large strutted platform held together by unicorn spells and near-unmatched earth pony construction, visible for endless miles away. Unlike others, the peak of the tallest mountain in Equestria was unmarred by ice caps or snow flurries; ancient pegasi magic kept summit the same temperature as the bottom. It was rumored that, should one reach the top, you would be able to see all of creation.

This, combined with the relatively gentle slope of its smooth face, made the summit the premiere destination for thrill seekers, mountaineers and common tourists. Even the most amateur of climbers could make it to the top with comparative ease.

The beading sweat on her brow and gulping breaths proved that Twilight Sparkle was not among even the most amateur of climbers.

Twilight stopped in her tracks, craning her head in front and behind to gauge her progress. A series of teleports had gotten her a little past halfway, but she needed to save her magic for the upcoming experiment, so the rest of the journey was on hoof. A mumbled prayer of thanks to any and all alicorns she could think of escaped her when she saw the bulk of the journey behind her. Ahead, the wide domed summit sloped away from her a mere few hundred meters; already she could see a thin column of inky smoke rising from just beyond the ridge line, signaling the creature she was seeking. With a deep, determine breath, Twilight willed her tired legs back into action and trudged forward, making a mental note to look into developing some kind of exercise regimen. It was hardly becoming of a savior of the world to not even be able to climb the gentlest of slopes.

The growing soreness in her legs served a decent distraction from the whirlwind raging in her mind. None of it made sense! She had double-checked her double-checks on the math and spell crafting, the element was heated to the point of lowest resistance, her casting was flawless! So why hadn't it worked? Even Fido had checked her work.

The brief thought of the Dog brought a tiny smile to her sweaty face. His presence made the time fly by. Twilight was thrilled that she found a friend who actually challenged her mentally, while at the same time had a cultured sense of humor, kind nature, sharp eyes that radiated warmth and intelligence, a smile that was somehow both intimidating, yet welcoming, like—

Twilight coughed and shook her head. The torrent of thought in her mind was bad enough; she didn't want to think about the tiny flurry building in her chest. The occasional bouts of comfortable silence, sneaked glances out of the corners of eyes, and warm smiles were the least of her concerns.

She set her shoulders and continued her trek up the mountain. The slope was gradually leveling off, and the faint scent of brimstone made her keenly aware of what should be dominating her thoughts.

First, her surrogate brother manifested magic more powerful than even she had thought he could. Then, it was revealed that the source of his magic was some alien sense of ownership over their former home and all their friends. Twilight let out a breathy chuckle remembering the awkward way Spike had tried to explain it to her.

Of course, this revelation carried with it the bombshell that weighed her steps down: Spike was finally leaving her.

Twilight finally crested the hill and saw him. Spike lay on his belly, his arms folded beneath him and both of his legs tucked at his sides, what appeared to be the most comfortable position for his new large body. The ever present flow of smog rising from his nostrils rose straight into the air, starkly framed against the purples and golds of the setting sun.

Twilight paused for a moment to compose herself before approaching. She collected her breath, but her mind refused to calm. Even though both herself and Fido had run through every single variable, her plan was audacious, dangerously so. There were so many variables, so many questions. As she stood behind him, however, only one screamed in her mind.

What am I going to do without my Number One Assistant?

"How long are you going to stand back there?"

Twilight jumped a bit at Spike's voice, booming and deep even in the open air. Spike chuckled and ran a claw through the fins on the side of his head. "Draconic hearing, next best thing to ESP."

She rolled her eyes as she crossed the last few meters to come to his side. "Well, I've always said that... you... must..."

It's true that Twilight had grown up in Canterlot, but her nature as a bookworm didn't lend itself to outdoors adventure, so she had only heard stories of the view from atop Mount Canterhorn. As she slumped down to her haunches next to Spike, she found that mere words could never have fully done justice to the beauty before her.

Wide beams of gold, crimson, and lavender sunlight kissed the Equestrian countryside for seemingly endless miles. The setting sun winked at them from behind a massive thunderhead snarling out of control over the Everfree Forest, but even the dark expanse of woods seemed tiny from this vantage. Entire cities, forests, rivers, and swathes of farmland blended together in a patchwork that stretched out to forever. Just at the bottom of their field of vision, the gem-and-gold-studded top of Canterlot spewed dancing motes of light upwards, a reverse waterfall of sparkling luminescence.

For once, Twilight's unrivaled vocabulary was found wanting. "I... it's..."

Spike's only response was to gently place a claw around her and ease her against his body, pulling her into the closest thing his impossibly strong body could equate to a hug. He chuckled at the sound of her rump dragging across the rocky summit, then gently pressed her against him, letting her body lean on his elongated neck.

Eventually, her body snapped out of the awe-induced shock that had claimed her mind, and she snuggled into his side, her eyes never leaving the scene before her. Slowly, her mind returned enough to feel her tired muscles moan in relief at the warmth radiating from Spike's glossy scales. The thick cords of muscle in his neck twitched and writhed beneath her, a soothing blanket that helped her further relax.

She had no idea how long they sat there together, snuggled against one another like they had for so many years, though their positions reversed. A thick blanket of silence wreathed the pair, but neither seemed to want to break it, nor were they inclined to; for the nearly life-long duo, communication by voice was moot. Every hitched breath, muscle twitch, and vain attempt to scoot closer to the other spoke more than words ever could.

The sun had dipped slightly lower in the sky, now almost touching the raging storm over the Everfree. In the distance, barely audible over their own breathing, the roiling thunderhead growled and gnashed against the magical barriers that prevented it from leaving its unnaturally natural home.

When Spike's booming voice finally cut the silence, she almost jumped. "Hey, Twi?"

"Hmm?"

He turned his great head to face her, a wistful smile just barely hinting at his sharp teeth. "You remember the first time Celestia let you babysit me without Cadance being there?"

After a moment's recollection, a very unladylike snort of laughter escaped her. "I still can't believe you ate the whole thing!"

"I was four years old!" He rounded on her, glaring down his snout playfully. "You were the one who decided to play dress up, and you were the one who decided to basically put a giant piece of candy on my head!" Loud bellows of laughter interrupted his train of thought. "Besides, you just sat there the entire time and let me eat the whole thing!"

Twilight scoffed indignantly. "I was twelve, and you were eating my mentor's favorite diamond necklace! I panicked!" The two collapsed in a fit of giggles. Spike fell to his side, and Twilight lay next to his massive belly.

"Did you really walk all the way up here?" Spike asked after they had collected themselves.

Twilight shook her head. "I teleported three quarters the way up and walked the rest."

"Why didn't you just teleport the whole way?"

"I've been working in a project lately that's been taxing my magic reserves more than I'm used to."

At this, Spike quirked an eyebrow ridge. "Oh, this your uber-secret project?"

"Uh-huh," she said with a nod and a smirk. "Think of it as... you're going away present."

Once those last words left her lips, the air between them seemed to drop in temperature by a few degrees. Their eyes suddenly fell away, darting back and forth, each trying to find someplace to look other than at the other.

Eventually, they both settled on the sunset once more. Spike rolled back onto his belly, but this time Twilight snuggled up next to his head. Before them, the golden and red sunlight just began to dim as the sun sank even further behind the wild Everfree storm. Clouds dotted the landscape outside the wild woods, but no shadows fell due to the suns failing position. At the very top of the sky, the faintest of dark blue was beginning to fade to black, making way for the Lunar Princess's tapestry. This all combined in a slight nip of cold, which Twilight fought by nuzzling harder into Spike's ever present warmth.

As Twilight sat in the most comfortable silence she could imagine, her mind raced with thoughts; feelings she wanted to convey, but failing to find the words to elucidate them. For the first time in a long time, trying to categorize their relationship.

For so many years, Twilight had simply designated Spike as one of her best friends, a constant companion through her greatest trials, but she soon realized that wasn't the case. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy; these were her friends. What she felt for Spike was so much more.

So, if not friends, maybe Spike was family. For a brief time, she thought maybe these emotions were maternal. After all, Twilight had been the first face Spike had ever seen. However, the numerous times she heard Spike call Celestia "mommy" when he thought she couldn't hear was proof that he didn’t see her that way. Besides, what she felt for the dragon was stronger still.

Very briefly, thoughts of romance had flitted in her head, but they were quickly and summarily dismissed. Her longing to be in Spike's presence was not out of desire for partnership; more, it was exactly the way she felt for Shining Armor, which made it all clear.

When she had called Spike her baby brother, she had meant it as firmly as she could.

After another incalculable amount of time, Spike nudged her out if her reverie. When she looked to him, a playful, but slightly manic look danced in his slitted eyes as he gave his wings a small flap. "Hey, Twi," he nodded towards his back, "hop on."

She stared at him blankly for a few moments before the full weight of the words sunk in, and she jumped to her hooves, backtracking slightly. "Uh, heh, t-that's okay, Spike. I'll, uh... I'll just walk down."

"Oh, come on, Twi! You know you want to."

Twilight laughed nervously, her eyes everywhere but at the expansive wings he was tempting her with. "It's not a question of wanting! It's unsafe."

"Pft," Spike snorted with a large plume of smoke. "Come on, it'll be fine!"

"Spike, I—"

"Twilight." The sudden gentleness of his voice gave her pause. She finally cast her eyes to his. The manic playfulness was gone. In its place was a confidence and strength, the effect compounded by his gentle, warm smile. "Trust me. You'll be fine."

The words twisted like a rusty knife in her heart. Instantly, her resolve cracked, and she didn't just believe, she knew; Spike hadn't let her fall over the past nearly twenty years. He wouldn't let her now.

Her hoof steps were still timid as she climbed up the offered arm, a tiny squeak leaving her lips when he lifted her the remaining distance and gently placed her on his back just between his shoulder blades. Twilight nestled herself in, wrapping her forelegs around his neck, taking just a moment to feel the tightly-packed muscle that ran beneath her. Part of her was still amazed that this was the same chubby whelp she had known for so long.

Spike cracked his neck and crouched down. "Okay, hang on, Twi."

Her grip tightened as she felt the hard muscle beneath her tense. "N-now, Spike, you haven't flown with a passen-ggaaaaaaaa-haaaa-haaaa!"

With speed that caused the world to drop out of focus momentarily, Spike leaped up and took flight. Twilight barely had time to squeeze her eyes shut before her stomach flew into her hind legs and cold wind howled in her face, sending her mane whipping against her back. They fell forever, the nauseating sensation of weightlessness sending her insides tumbling, all the while Twilight’s hooves gripped Spike so hard she was surprised she didn’t pierce the diamond-hard scales.

Just as Twilight had finished her checklist of what her last will and testament should read, the torrent of air rushing at her face eased to a gentle breeze, and her stomach settled back in her belly. No longer falling, her body instead was rocked in a gentle up and down, as a parent would coo a foal to sleep, though she could still feel Spike's powerful wings flapping beneath her chest. She creaked an eyelid open.

By Twilight's best guess, Spike had settled into a gentle flight around two kilometers off the ground. His expansive wings flapped in a gentle rhythm, while his body snaked up and down in a lazy, yet graceful pattern, swimming through the air currents with ease.

Eyes now wide, Twilight's face broke into a wide smile as the breeze tousled her mane behind her. Each time his body would rise and fall, she felt her stomach flutter slightly, though it was now a pleasant, almost giddy feeling.

"How you doing back there?" Spike turned his head to face her, the break in aerodynamics causing the breeze to whip her mane angrily.

Twilight answered with an excited whoop, throwing her arms up carelessly. "This is amazing!"

Spike beamed at the comment. "You ain't seen nothing yet. Hang on!"

Twilight did just that, and Spike gave his wings a mighty flap, then tucked them tight to his side, angling his body downward and bringing them into a steep dive. She cried out in joy again as he picked up speed. Her eyes teared up from the biting wind and her mane stung the back of her neck, but she couldn't have cared less. Despite his bulky frame, Spike sliced through the air at frightening speeds.

A mere few hundred meters up, Spike flared his wings and leveled off. Now much closer to the ground, Twilight could make out the individual trees that blurred by underneath them, smell the damp earth on the driving wind, and it only fueled her gleeful cheers.

Spike expertly ran through a series of tight turns and semi-steep dives. Twilight felt as if she were on the worlds fastest roller coaster, whooping with abandon on every twist and turn, though something told her that Spike was holding back a bit.

They had just arrived over the top of a large lake on the opposite side of the mountain when Twilight felt the cold tickle of magic across her back. "Spike, are y—"

Her question became a shriek as Spike deftly twisted upside down. Twilight hugged his body even harder, but chanced an open eye. Fading sunlight danced and played off the mirrored surface of the lake, a thousand blinking suns beneath her... or above her. Looking down, a blanket of sparkling green magic fell across her back, keeping her firmly between Spike's flapping wings. Slowly, she reached out a hoof for the sparkling lake, but couldn't reach.

Spike eventually flipped back over in a lazy arc. Twilight slapped his back as hard as she could, knowing his diamond-like scales would barely register the hit. "Don't do that!" she yelled over the loud buzz of the wind, a wide smile on her face.

"What? This?" Spike snapped his right wing out taut and jerked his body to the side. The rigid wing sliced into the lake with a loud roar, sending twin geysers of water careening up to the sky. Twilight yelped, but it quickly mutated into laughter. Spike held the position for several seconds, cutting across the surface of the lake, before finally righting himself and flapping his wings hard to get altitude.

"Rainbow Dash teach you that?"

"Nope," Spike huffed before leveling off about a kilometer off the ground. He inclined until they were facing Canterlot, the massive city now tiny in their field of view, then he turned his head to face her, showcasing his confident smirk. "That was a Spike original." His smile took on a predatory gleam, and Twilight once more felt the chilly itch of magic overtake her. "And so is this."

Before Twilight could ask what he meant, she felt a gentle tug on her hind legs, slowly lifting them off his body and into the air.

Her forelegs gripped his hide even tighter. "Spike!"

"Relax, Twilight, I got you." His magic tugged her a little stronger.

Her forelegs gripped him a little stronger. "Levitating me with magic you had less than a months experience with while several kilometers off the ground is the exact opposite of 'having me'!"

"Twilight..."

"Spike, you put me down or I will declaw you with my bare hooves!"

"Twilight!"

His booming shout almost made her lose her grip. She looked up, her frightened eyes meeting his pleading gaze.

"Please, just let go. Trust me."

Let go..

The words echoed loudly in her head. A sudden tiny spark launched a maelstrom of thoughts and calculations flying in her head faster than her current flight speed. Everything she knew about the Elements of Harmony, magic, life, friendship, love. Her eyes went wide despite the howling wind, and a smile spread across her face like a brushfire.

“Sympathetic to its user...”

She released her hold on his neck.

Spike noticed the sudden lack of a deathgrip. With a grin, he floated her over to his head and turned to look at her. Instead of the look of sheer terror he had expected, she wore the dopey smile he knew all too well. He chuckled and shook his head, then angled his body back towards the distant castle.

Several minutes later, Spike swooped down over the disused drill pad behind the castle, back-winging hard enough to rattle the broken-down barracks, and gentle landed on his claws in the center of the concrete pad. Tracking her with his glowing right claw, he gingerly set Twilight down before him. “So?”

Twilight looked up at him with an almost manic grin. “I take back all the things I ever said about you and Rainbow Dash being obsessed! That... that was amazing!”

“I told you!” he chuckled, easing down to a seated position on the concrete pad. “Almost makes you wish you had wings, doesn’t it?”

“Almost,” Twilight giggled as she paced back and forth in front of him, adrenaline from the flight and the revelation she’d had refusing to let her muscles settle.

Spike lounged on his side, propping his head up with his elbow. “So, you want to tell me what it is?”

“What what is?”

“I know you, Twilight, better than you know yourself.” He grinned at her, baring just a bit of teeth. “Up there, you got that, ‘look at me, I’m so smart I figured it out all on my own’ look you get.”

Twilight arched an eyebrow. “Wow, that was... specific.”

“Mm-hmm. Spill it.”

She chuckled and settled down on the concrete pad next to him. “When are you planning on leaving?”

Spike suddenly found the ground beneath him very interesting. “Well,” he said, picking at the ground with a claw, “I’ve been mailing AJ. She said that I can stay in the barn until we figure out what I’m gonna do on a permanent basis. Since I don’t have a whole lot to take with me, I was gonna leave, um... well, whenever we’d said goodbye.”

Twilight smiled warmly at him and nuzzled his massive head. When she pulled back, she reached a hoof up to his cheek. “Wait a few more days?”

“Can I ask why?”

“I just want to double and triple check my calculations before I go ahead with... well, you’ll see,” she said with a smirk. “So, can you wait?”

Spike held her gaze for a few moments, the two sharing more with their eyes than most ponies could with words, before Spike sighed loudly and rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fine! Jeez, you are so clingy!”

“Hey!”

bzzt

Twilight’s horn sparked to life, and a thin wisp of electricity shot into Spike’s flank.

“Ow!” Spike rubbed the spot on his rump, glaring at her. A tiny ring of blue lightning built up around his claw as he flicked a finger at her.

bzzt

“Ouch!” Twilight skittered back a few feet, staring at the tiny wisp of smoke rising from her shoulder. “Did... did you...” She turned her raging eyes to Spike, whose smile dripped smugness. As knowledge dawned on her, her shock and anger filled features morphed into a predatory grin. A bright purple shield popped up around her, and her horn began to spark wildly. Twilight squared her shoulders towards him. “Oh, it is on, lizard boy!”

Spike crouched down and raised his claw, which was now swallowed by a swirling vortex of blue electricity, and bared his razor-sharp teeth. “Bring it on, Sparkle-butt!”

Luna sighed, running a hoof across her tired brow. It was far too early in the evening for this. "General Wall, as I have told you before, I come from a time where discipline was of the utmost importance. When my sister and I were first crowned, it was common for soldiers to be reduced in rank for merely twitching a hoof whilst in formation."

General Stone Wall beamed, the light bouncing off of her pearly whites almost as brightly as it did off the polished armor just barely covering her hulking frame. Beside her, a tan pegasus wearing a brown round hat stood at rigid attention, to the point where Luna was genuinely curious how much longer it would be before his spine cracked. "Then you understand, your highness! What the Drill Sergeant did was mer—"

"But," Luna interrupted with a flick of her silver-shod hoof, "even back in those dark times, soldiers were treated with basic equine dignity. Furthermore, the non-commissioned officer was thought to be professional beyond measure, and officers even more so. Does that standard not still stand?

"Well, yes, but—”

“Therefore, Drill Sergeant Tweak, would you care to explain how it is that you are being a professional and treating your trainees with dignity by threatening to,” she floated a piece of paper up to her snout, then flinched in disgust, “‘anally fornicate with his soul’?”

Tweak’s eyes flickered fearfully between his General and his Princess. “Well, you see, your highness, he... he really pissed me off!”

Luna growled and made to unleash the power of the Voice when a violent explosion rattled the windows of the throne room. Luna grabbed the side of her onyx throne to steady herself, and snuffled at a bit of dust that landed on her snout. “What in the—”

“Great flamin’ whoreballs!” General Stone Wall cried as she leapt back to her hooves. Either not seeing or ignoring the scathing glare from Princess Luna, the massive earth pony charged towards the entrance way to the throne room, already barking orders at the unicorn guards that stood by the door. “Get the lead out, you screw-headed pipsqueaks, we’re under attack!”

Luna growled and followed her out as another resounding crash came from beyond the walls of the throne room.

By the time they reached the outside perimeter of the castle grounds, a small army of Royal Guards were galloping behind Princess Luna and General Wall. Loud cracks of electricity and thundering crashes were still echoing in the air, and bright flashes could be seen just beyond the corner of the castle.

“Get me some damned pegasi in the air in case it’s a griffon incursion!” General Wall barked as she galloped along. “It sounds like it’s coming from the old drill pad. Set a perimeter around the inner walls, and lock down this damned castle!” As they neared, the bangs and flashes had finally died out, but Luna could taste the immense amount of magic in the air; it bubbled on her tongue like soda, and the tingling in her horn agreed that whatever was going on, there was serious magic being almost casually thrown about. Luna’s horn blazed to life, silver moonlight bathing the area. They finally reached the corner. The scene was eerily quiet for a moment. Luna looked to the general and opened her mouth, but a sound finally pierced the calm: snorting, breathy giggles. Sharing a confused glance, Luna and General Wall rounded the corner.

The old drill pad was decimated: the barrack buildings surrounding it were all knocked to the ground, and a veil of dust hung in the air above the piles of rotted wood; large chunks of concrete were blasted into oblivion, leaving only smoking craters, tiny wisps of leftover magic still arcing from the ground; and seated atop the massive pile of rubble and debris were a lavender unicorn and a large purple and green dragon, fur and scales singed in places, mane and head spines ruffled and wild, and both grinning like morons while desperately trying to breath under the fit of giggles that overtook them.

General Wall walked up to Princess Luna, who stared open-mouthed at the destruction before them, and cuffed her on the shoulder.

“Heh, kids.”

The Road Ahead

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Seven: The Road Ahead

Even on the best of days, Spike was not known for his patience. With the awakening of his draconic nature and a prolonged separation from his newly claimed hoard—the inhabitants of Ponyville—the problem was magnified tenfold. He snorted in annoyance, sending inky smoke into the air as his claws drummed an antsy beat on the grass of the Royal Courtyard. With a grumble he shot a glance up to the clock tower, groaning even louder upon seeing that it hadn't even been a minute since he had last checked. "Ugh, come on, Twi..."

Spike turned back to the front, plopping his head back down in his arms, and closed his eyes, hoping the warmth of the early morning sun would ease away his nerves. After all the events that had lead him to this point, Spike was quite eager to get going. He had planned to leave as soon as the sun rose, but a sudden burp carried a letter from Twilight telling him to meet her in the courtyard to receive her mysterious "going away present." And so, instead of rushing back to his hoard, he found himself doing the one thing he had hoped to avoid: waiting.

The lush grass of the courtyard tickled his chin, and the breeze carried the sweet scent of summer grass across the noses of himself and his two faithful guards. Heckel stood off to the side, keeping watch through his perma-scowl, while Jeckel sat atop the steamer trunk filled with Spike's few possessions. An uneasy silence had fallen over the group.

Finally, Heckel marched up to his brother. "Not that I'm complaining," he said, sending the closest approximation of a concerned look his perpetually grimacing features could manage, "but you’re not this quiet when you’re sleeping. What gives?"

Jeckel smiled at him, but Spike noted it was far from reaching his ears. "W-what do you mean? I'm fine!"

"I didn't want to say anything, but he's right." Spike lazily swung his head to face the seated guard, grateful for the distraction from the growing impatience. "You haven't said more than a dozen words in the two hours we've been waiting here. That's, like, a biological impossibility for you."

"I mean it, M-Mr. Spike! I'm just... just peachy!" His quivering lower lip suggested otherwise.

"Don't make me pull rank, Private Jeckel." Heckle moved to loom over his twin brother.

"Really, guys," he squeaked, "I'm a-okay."

Spike sighed. "Jeckel, look, I—" He was unable to finish his thought, due largely in part to the bawling earth pony clamping down on his muzzle with all four legs, squeezing with unseen strength.

"I don’t want you to gooo-hooo-ho-ho-ho!”

"Um... there... there?" Spike mumbled through his teeth.

Heckel just shook his head. "And the dignity of the Equestrian Royal Guard dies a slow, painful death."

The trio sat there for a good several minutes while Jeckel's wails of sorrow rolled across the expansive courtyard. Spike gingerly patted him on the back with a single claw, doing his best to not think about whether it was tears or snot staining his scales.

Finally, Jeckel took a few deep, gulping breaths, apparently immune to the tendrils of smoke from Spike's nostrils, and extricated himself from Spike's snout. "I'm sorry," he sniffled, running a hoof across his nose with a honking snort. "I, uh, I guess I lost my bearing for a minute."

"Oh, you think?!"

"Shh!" Spike hissed, still looking at Jeckel. "It's okay. Now, what's the big deal?"

Jeckel plopped to his rump, forehoof idly toying with the grass for a moment, then reached up and removed his helmet. The instant it left his head, the bleach white color melted from his fur, revealing a light green coat and shaggy, striped emerald mane. "Well, like I said, I... I'm sad that I'm not going to be your guard anymore."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Heckel said. "We're gonna have to start doing actual work again!"

Jeckel shook his head. "No, I... I-I mean Mr. Spike won't be... he, uh..."

Spike lay his massive head on the grass, bringing him eye level with the still quivering pony. "What is it?"

Jeckel gave a sad smile. "I know that I'm not exactly the brightest crayon in the tool drawer."

"That's sharpe—Hmph!"

A flick of Spike's pinkie sent a shimmering green glow around Heckel's muzzle, and Jeckel continued. "Ponies are always making fun of me, laughing at me. They say I'm too, um, obli... uh, obli—oblicivious? And I don't care, really! If it makes them smile, I'm okay with it, but... the only pony who doesn't treat me like a complete moron is my brother."

Heckle nodded sagely after Spike released his muzzle. "I just treat him like a normal moron."

Jeckel smiled widely at Spike. "But then you came here! I mean, you’re big, strong, and you have really neat magic! You're cool, and you... you don't make fun of me." His smile faltered. "It makes me feel cool. And now with you going away, we won't be friends anymore." He stammered a bit. "I mean, I know I'm your guard, you're my charge, so we're not really friends, but—"

"What are you talking about? Yes, we are."

Jeckel did a double take. "W-w-we are?" Spike just nodded. "But.. But we work together, or I... I mean I work around you, or for you, or... uh, I... I don't really know what I'm saying."

Heckel growled a chuckle. "As is so often the c—Hpmh!"

"Well, Jeckel," Spike said, moving his claw away from Heckel, "first off, I wouldn't call you 'oblivious'. Maybe, um... blissfully unaware." Jeckel beamed at the comment. "And as for the other comment, of course we’re friends!”

Jeckel gasped. "Really?!"

“Yes, really,” Spike said through a half-grin. “Dude, over the past month, you and your sourpuss brother—”

“Eat it, scaly.”

“—have done more to help me than anypony else, save Twilight. You... I mean, I... nrgh, look, I kinda suck at the whole... feelings thing, but... at a time when everything in my life has been changing, you two have been a constant. You were there for me when I needed somepony. So what if you were on duty?”

Jeckel sniffled. “B-but, you’re leaving Canterlot.”

Spike chuckled and shook his head. "So? Look, just because I'm leaving doesn't mean we're gonna stop being friends!"

"It... it doesn't?" Jeckel gasped.

Spike nodded. "Well, yeah! I mean, I have friends here in Canterlot and in Ponyville. Besides, it's not like I'm never coming back! Twilight and the princesses are here, so I'm pretty much required by law to visit at least once a month."

Jeckel began to bounce up and down in a manner disturbingly similar to another excitable earth pony he knew. “You mean... we... we can still be friends?!”

Spike just chuckled. "Trust me. True friendship can't be stopped by something as silly as distance."

"A very wise lesson, my little dragon."

All three spun, Jeckel fumbling to get his helmet back on, and saw Celestia and Luna walking down the cobblestone path leading from the castle, their effervescent manes billowing and beatific smiles shining. Behind them, much to Spike's surprise, walked Princess Cadance and Shining Armor.

Heckel and Jeckel stiffened, the former snapping a crisp salute, the latter bowing deeply.

"Sir!"

"Your Majesties!"

The twins exchanged glances, then switched positions.

"Your Majesties!"

"Sir!"

Luna chuckled, answering their awkward dance of bows and salutes with a gentle nod. "Be at ease, noble guardsponies. We are merely here to render farewell to dear Spike." She giggled at Spike's eye roll.

"You were planning on saying goodbye, weren't you?" Celestia asked with a sly grin.

Though outsiders would only see her usual gentle smile, Spike gulped, suddenly feeling very small under what he knew to be a glare for the ages. "Uh, eh-heh... um, Cadance, Shining! What are you two doing here?!"

“Twilight asked us all to come,” Cadance said with a smile

“She made you both come all the way from the Empire? Jeez, you must be going broke from all the train tickets!”

Shining shrugged. “We travel on the Royal account.”

“Ah,” Spike said with a nod. “My taxes hard at work. Anyway, I told Twi I didn’t want a big goodbye!”

"Well, she said it wasn't just to say goodbye," Shining said. "Something about an experiment. Where is she, anyway?"

"Sir!" Heckel snapped to attention. "Lieutenant Cake sent word that he and Miss Sparkle would be arriving shortly."

As if on cue, a deep, melodious peal of laughter came from the castle gates behind them. Lieutenant Cake threw his head back and laughed. "Oh, madam Sparkle, I had no idea that Platrot's allegories could be summed up with such colorful academic imagery!"

Twilight chuckled. "That's not surprising. A lot of ponies don't bother to see the beauty in the simple."

"'Everything has beauty, but not everypony sees it,' eh?"

As this was going on, Cadance watched the two unicorns with a smug grin. “Those two seem quite... chummy, don’t you think, Shine?”

Shining just smiled and cleared his throat. "Are we interrupting, Twiley?"

At the sound of her nickname, Twilight looked up and ran to her brother. "Shiny, Cadance! You made it."

"Heh, of course we did!" Shining replied, delivering a friendly noogie. "I'd never miss an opportunity to see you experiment on Spike. Remember that last time? Right before I left for Basic?"

Spike shuddered. “I still can’t look at grilled cheese the same way...”

"Well," Twilight said through a fierce blush, "today will be much different... theoretically,” she muttered.

"Ahem, Professor Sparkle," Beef said gently, "I believe my services are no longer needed, so I shall take my leave."

"Very well, lieutenant. Are we still on for Tuesday evening?"

Beef bowed deeply. "But of course."

Cadance appeared next to Twilight, a devious smile on her lips. "So, Twilight, you have plans with the lieutenant?"

"Oh, yes! Beef is taking me and Buckshot to the Canterlot Philharmonic."

Cadance's smile faltered a bit. "Um, wh-who's Buckshot?"

Lieutenant Cake smiled. "My husband. And might I say, Twilight, he is so looking forward to meeting you." A final wink, answered by a blush from Twilight, and Beef turned and walked away.

As Twilight went over to the princesses, Spike barely suppressed a chuckle as the Princess of Love glared daggers at her husband. "Shining Francis Armor..."

"What?" Shining smirked and shrugged. "You said to find somepony that Twilight would be interested in. You never said anything about them being interested in Twilight." His innocent façade almost broke thanks to the barely stifled giggles from Spike.

“Aren’t you the one always saying she needs to get out more?” Cadance said.

"Oh come on, honey. Aren't you the one who is always saying that you can't force love, and that it has to find itself on its own?"

"I wasn't trying to find her love," Cadance huffed. "I was just... trying to get her laid."

Shining and Spike both grimaced. "Eww!"

Twilight pulled back from Celestia and looked to her brothers. "What?"

Shining and Spike both blinked. "Nothing."

Twilight eyes them both curiously for a moment, then sighed. She trotted over to Spike, embracing his foreleg in a tight hug. "So..." She cast a glance to the steamer trunk beside him, and Spike could see her throat constricting. "All ready to go?"

"Well, I was until you stopped me via burp mail, which is kinda dangerous these days. My burps are a whole lot bigger." He knelt down to whisper in her ear. "You may want to avoid the Royal gardener for a few days."

"Um, why?"

"Well, I may or may not have told him that it was your fault I burned down a wall in the hedge maze." Before Twilight could yell, "So, where's this experiment of yours, and why does the entire royal family have to witness it?"

She glared at him for several moments. "Because they all have a stake in it. And the experiment will be here shortly."

"It's here!"

Professor Igneous strolled up to them, once more clad in his trademark tweed suit, pushing a metal cart carrying several odd devices and a small, nondescript box. Upon reaching the Princesses, he bowed deeply. "Your Highnesses, lovely to see you, as always."

"Likewise, Professor," Celestia said, inclining her head.

Fido rose and stepped towards Cadance, reaching his paw out, which she placed her hoof in. "Empress Cadance, a pleasure to meet you."

She nodded. "Likewise. You are?"

"Ah, forgive me, your highness. Professor Fidelis Igneous, a colleague and friend to Professor Sparkle." He gave a chaste kiss to her gold-shod hoof, earning a giggle from her and a glare from Shining.

Fido looked to him obviously. "Prince Armor, nice to meet you as well." Before Shining could answer, the diamond dog had already moved on, coming to a stop in front of Spike. "And my keen powers of deduction tell me that you must be young Spike."

"Yo," Spike said.

"Twilight has told me such good things about you."

"All lies, I assure you," Shining said with a smug grin.

Spike huffed a small cloud of smoke and flicked his pinkie at Shining, launching a small lightning bolt. A loud pop sounded as it bounced off a tiny patch of magic that appeared in front of Shining's head. The unicorn's grin got even wider.

"Shine!" Cadance elbowed Shining in the gut.

At the same moment, Twilight lightly shoved against Spike's leg. "Quit it!" She blushed and turned to Fido. "I'm sorry about that."

Fido simply grinned. "Oh, don't be. I've always been curious as to what a familial spat between some of the most powerful beings on the planet would look like."

"Ugly," Cadance said, shuddering a bit. "Trust me, I had to clean up after them."

Following the round of fierce blushing, Fido turned back to Twilight. "So sorry I was delayed, Twilight. I had to do a last minute check of the atomic stability of the gem."

Twilight’s brow tensed momentarily. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. It’s the oddest thing. I ran the numbers seven times, and it always checked out." He scratched behind his ear. "Then on the eighth, it failed to show a covalent bond in the spell lattice, only to work perfectly again the next dozen times!”

"Well, you know what they say," Twilight said with a grin, "you can't trust atoms. They make up everything!"

Fido's barking laugh mixed with Twilight's snorting giggle for several moments, the two eggheads lost in the moment, before they both noticed the distinct lack of any other noise. Turning, they were met by a collection of blank stares.

Spike rolled his eyes. "I can see why you two get along so well..."

"Well," Fido said, clearing his throat, "I believe we should skip the rest of the comedy portion and skip right to the experiment, eh, Twilight?"

"I agree." Spike leveled a playful glare at Twilight. "You disappear for three days, then insist the entire royal family be here to witness some experiment you plan on running on me. I'm not sure whether I should be curious or terrified."

Luna stepped forward. "I, for one, am curious, Twilight Sparkle. When you first spoke to us about your plan, I was... dubious that you could achieve such an effect. You believe you have solved the problems?"

Twilight nodded firmly. "Yes... I think."

"Not exactly installing a lot of confidence here, Twi," Spike deadpanned.

Twilight just flashed a confident smile, then took the box from Fido. "Well, let's get started. Spike, hold out your claw and close your eyes.

After eyeing her for a moment, he snorted, launching a plume of smog, then did as he was told. Despite himself, he cringed just a bit when a small... thing was placed on his right ring claw. While he had known Twilight for most of his life, and knew how brilliant and competent she was, he had also known Twilight for most of his life, and knew how a good deal of her experiments ended. The prospect of leaving a devilishly good-looking corpse spattered on the castle lawn was not outside the realm of possibility.

"Okay, Spike. Open your eyes."

Slower than he would ever have admitted to Spike opened his eyes and looked down. Much to his surprise what lay atop his finger was not some medieval torture device or some obscure science thingy but a very familiar tiara, topped with a starburst amethyst. It took a moment before his brain finally kicked in, and he jerked his eyes up to face her. "Twi, is this... this is the..."

"That was precisely my reaction," Fido said as he walked forward, wheeling the cart with him. Several moments later, a series of sensors were attached not just to the element, but to Spike, as well.

Shining stepped forward. "Princess, what is going on? Why is the Element of magic just hanging out in the hooves of a university professor?!"

"Oi! I have paws, not hooves, thank you."

Shining shot him a glare, then turned to Celestia. "Your highness, please tell me this is a joke. Tell me that you're not letting Twilight give a vital part of national defense as a going away present!"

"Take a deep breath, General." Celestia raised a hoof. "Be assured that I have taken everything into account. The element needs to be protected, yes?"

"Of course! So why—"

"Then tell me, where could be safer than in the hands of a mighty dragon?"

That seemed to bring Shining up short. His eyes darted between the three alicorns, each looking at him with different levels of amusement, and sputtered. "Buh? A dragon versus an entire army and enchantments from two alicorns?”

“I understand, Shining,” Celestia said calmly. “You’re right, it is a risk, but the potential benefits are worth that risk.”

Spike hadn't moved his claw since he opened his eyes. It remained hovering just a few feet off the ground, and his eyes were transfixed on the tiara adorning his finger. "Look, Celestia," he momentarily forgot protocol, finally tearing his eyes away from his hand, "I appreciate the fact that you consider me 'mighty' and all, but I don't understand. I mean, if you want me to guard the elements, I... I guess I could do that, but... why are you giving me this?"

"Because," Twilight said, "it was the only way to get the spell to work."

"Spell?" Spike arched an eyebrow ridge. "What spell?"

Twilight simply smiled and took her place in front of him. "Princess Luna, I'll need your assistance."

Luna inclined her head, but stepped forward to her side. "Me?"

"Yes. Something I found while studying the element. While it is bonded to me, there are parts—at the subatomic level, mind you—that are still bonded to you. So, I'll need a bit of your magic to initiate the spell. Nothing major, just a touch of you."

"Wait, it's attached to Luna?" Spike shot a glance to Celestia." But, I thought that..."

Luna smiled. "Everypony does. While yes, my sister is, indeed, more powerful than myself, there is much more to magic than brute strength."

"You always were the artist," Celestia said with a giggle.

"Okay, so is somepony going to tell us exactly what is going on here?" Shining huffed. “I know I’m not well-versed on theory, but I have been briefed on the abilities of the Elements. What in Tartarus are you trying to do that requires that much power?”

"Yeah, inquiring minds would like to know," Spike said.

Twilight swallowed hard. "Well, Spike, I've been working on a possible solution to your problem."

"And which one would that be? I've, uh, heh, I've had a couple in the past few months."

"Your size." Twilight walked over to the cart Fido had brought.

Spike arched an eyebrow ridge. "My... Twilight, you can't fix my size. I'm big, and I’m only gonna get bigger.”

“I know,” she said as she helped Fido. Monitors and cables hung from the top of the cart in a slapdash manner that didn’t exactly put Spike at ease

“You know? Then... well, then what are you trying to do here? What, you going to turn me into a dog?!”

“And what, pray tell, is wrong with being a dog?” Fido asked, his back still turned.

Spike rolled his eyes. “Tried it once, didn’t like it.”

"It's easier to just show you," she said, then cast a nervous glance to Fido.

The dog nodded. “I’ll be monitoring the thaumatic infusion rate. You just concentrate on the spell itself.”

She took a deep breath, then set her shoulders. "Okay, lets get started."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Spike recoiled slightly. "This, uh... this isn't going to hurt, is it?"

"Oh, no, no!" Twilight's horn blazed to life. "It shouldn't... much... at first."

Before Spike could raise further protest, a beam of lavender light lanced from Twilight’s horn. Despite himself, a very feminine yelp escaped from Spike as the beam connected with the element upon his finger. After several moments, Spike noticed something odd: he had not exploded. Not even once.

Cautiously, he opened his eyes. Sure enough, all his bits and pieces remained in place. Stealing a glance at his claw, the element was flashing, slowly at first, but much like an old engine starting after long periods of rest, the flashes began to grow in frequency and brightness. Oddly enough, no matter how bright it got, Spike never had to squint away, and he was glad he didn’t have to. Every time the amethyst would glow, a torrent of swirling energy could be seen within, seething and writhing like a building hurricane. Spike summed it up very succinctly. “Whoa, cool. Heh, hey, Twilight. It doesn’t hurt at all!”

Beneath him, Twilight’s horn was blazing almost brighter than the element. Her brow was creased in extreme concentration, beads of sweat formed on her face, and her lips were peeled back, showing gritted teeth. She grunted something unintelligible.

“Huh?”

“That… ngh, th-that was just the… groundwork. Laying the f-foundation for the r-real work.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Okay, everything’s ready. Princess Luna, I need a sustained stream of four point seven thaums, oscillating at four-hundred kilohertz.”

Princess Luna chuckled and lit her horn. “Yes, your highness.”

Spike opened his mouth, but his snarky retort died as a midnight blue glow shot from Luna’s own horn. Instantly, a large shower of sparks flew from the element. Spike cringed; his three claws still on the ground dug deep ruts into the soft grass, but he remained as rigid as possible. “Twi—“ To his extreme despair, the Element of Magic erupted into lavender flame, tinted by flashes of dark blue. The acrid tang of ozone played in his nostrils, and his spines ached from the massive amounts of magic swirling around him, but oddly enough, Spike felt no heat from the fire blazing on his claw. A deep, humming tone pounded in his ears. His eyes went wide as numerous green ethereal tendrils snaked out of the gem and began to wrap his enormous body like a cocoon.

“Okay, that’s enough!” Shining stepped towards his sister, yelling to be heard over the droning hum of magic. A fierce wind had kicked up, whipping his electric blue mane in his face. “Twiley, something wro—“

An ebony paw halted his advance. Shining whirled around. Fido was adjusting the knobs on one of the sensors, keen eyes trained on the readout. “Prince Armor, please be calm, everything is under control.”

“Under control?! His bucking claw is on fire!”

Fido didn’t even blink. “And I assure you, this is expected. Your sist—“ a loud crack and another shower of sparks interrupted him, but he recovered quickly—“Your sister and I have run through the calculations and simulations dozens of times. He’s fine.”

“Shining, it’s… it’s cool.” Spike’s shaky words did not instill much confidence, but he stood still. “If Twi says it’ll work, it’ll work.” The green haze had enveloped his entire lower body. A coolness began to flood him, like someone was holding a giant block of ice inches above his scales.

“Spike…”

Spike made to speak, but all he got out was a muffled cry of shock as the green field wrapped around his mouth. He barely heard Shining yell something when the haze completely overtook his head, and the world fell into silence. Freezing tendrils of magic slithered their way across his scales towards his eyes. The last thing he saw before darkness claimed his vision was Twilight, horn blazing with power, smiling at him through gritted teeth.

The stillness was absolute. All his senses were blocked by the blanket of magic that was smothering not just his outsides, but inside. He could feel it inside him! It permeated him, soaking in past his diamond-hard scales like tissue paper. With each thumping beat of his heart, the coolness spread to every inch of his body.

Spike’s breath came in panicked gulps, but inside his emerald cocoon he couldn’t even hear that. The only clue he had that he was still alive was the frantic pounding in his chest and the feeling of movement against his scales, icy tendrils of magic sinking into him

Suddenly, the field surrounding him contracted. The ice hanging above his scales pressed down. Spike cried out through his clamped mouth, but the noise was swallowed by the oppressive blanket of magic. Every fiber in his being felt like it was being pressed down, he swore he could hear his scales cracking.

The writhing mass on his scales tightened its grip further. He could feel his insides shift and writhe, his muscles cramping, ice water pumping through his veins with each terrified beat of his heart.

Finally, he’d had enough, and pushed back against the magic. His coiled-steel muscles surged and contracted, pushing back with the entirety of his draconic might, but the field didn’t budge. Panic set in. He couldn’t breathe, can't think, can't move, oh, Celestia, can't even open my mouth to scream I have to get out have to run have to—

Spike.

A soothing voice echoed in his mind.

Relax. Stop fighting.

But, I can’t it’s going to kill me crush me need to get out need to—

Trust me.

A burst of warm air cascaded over his being. His pounding heart slowed, his muscles relaxed. As if sensing his acquiescence, the magic intensified. The weight of the world, the heavens, the entirety of creation fell on his shoulders, but he felt no pain, only the all-encompassing coolness and the odd pushing on every inch of his body.

Then, in the most anticlimactic way imaginable, it simply... ended.

Spike gasped and felt his knees truly give out, and he hit the ground with a dull whump. He simply laid there for several moments, minutes, hours, he didn’t know and didn’t care, reveling in the tickle of the grass against his belly scales and the warmth of the sun on his back.

Slowly, his senses began to return. The air still reeked of the pungent sting of ozone, bright sunlight shone through his closed eyelids. A residual tingle pulsed throughout his body, accompanied by twitches on muscle, but the warm sun quickly banished the frigid void from before. He lay there, taking slow, deep breaths as his heart relaxed, until a shadow fell across him. “Spike?”

Groaning slightly, Spike groggily opened his eyes. “Ugh, T… Twilight?”

“Yeah, it’s me."

Slowly, the blurry blobs of colors began to coalesce. The instant it did, his eyes went wide. "Twi... when did you get so big?"

"Hehehe, I didn't."

Confusion spread across his features, Spike brought a hand up to her face, a hand that not five minutes ago could have crushed the life out of her, and found that it barely covered half her face. With a quiet yelp, he jerked his hand back. "M... mirror, I need a mirror."

"Spike, it—"

"Mirror!"

Twilight sighed and lit her horn. A large sphere of air popped and hissed before them, and a large mirror appeared. Gulping, Spike rose back to all fours, his tail twitching and shaking behind him. What had she done to him? What would he see in the mirror? He took a deep breath and looked up to see himself... looking exactly as he had a few minutes ago. He had the same wicked claws, same pointy green spines running down his back, expansive wings folded neatly against his body, thick hind legs and muscular forelegs built for quadrupedal motion, narrowed muzzle filled with razor sharp teeth. Everything was exactly the same, just... smaller.

So entranced by his reflection, Spike didn't notice Twilight standing next to him, also facing the mirror, until she spoke. "Well?"

His eyes darted to her reflection; with them both on all fours, the tip of her horn just reached his shoulder. "Y... you," Spike gulped, "you shrunk me."

"Mhmm-hmm."

Spike ran his hand through his head fins. "You used the element as... as a capacitor, supercharging the spell to overcome my inherent magical resistance."

"Yup."

"Twilight, you..." he slowly turned to face her, looking right into her gleeful eyes, "you permanently imprinted a spell into the single most powerful and important artifact in the history of equine kind for me."

"Eh, no one else was using it."

Spike let out a belt of laughter. Nearly falling into her, Spike embraced her, gently at first out of habit, but he slowly began to squeeze tighter, until he was hugging her with all his might. A move that would have crushed her yesterday, just made her groan and tap a hoof on his shoulder.

"Spike... air!"

He pulled back, now grinning like an idiot. "Ha, sorry! I just... Twilight, this is..."

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as everypony present rushed to him.

"Holy smokes, Spike!" For the first time since Spike had known the surly unicorn, Heckel's face was not twisted into a frown, opting instead for complete awe. "You... you're so... so—"

"So not big!" Jeckel squee'd.

Just like that, the frown returned. "Be careful, I can see smoke coming out of your ears."

"Again?!"

"Grr..."

While the twins bickered, Celestia was making Spike feel a bit uneasy. Her deep lavender eyes, usually overflowing with warmth and wisdom, were scrutinizing every inch of his new body. "I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Magic at this level, performed on a dragon, no less. And with such precision!" She made a slow circle around him as she spoke. Spike noted with elation that he was now only slightly shorter than the alicorn. "Everything appears to be in perfect proportions. Tell, me, child, are your wings still functional?

Spike flinched ever so slightly at the comment. Even the thought of his newfound flight status being revoked struck a deep nerve. "Everypony take a step back." They did so, and he flexed his wings. As always, the sunlight filtering through the thin membranes cast a slightly purple haze on the green grass, though the smaller size meant the many veins no longer showed through. He gave a few experimental flaps, enraptured in the exact same feeling of control as he had before.

"Step back a little more!" His excitement overrode etiquette, and both princesses giggled at him. Either ignoring or not caring, Spike tensed the same flight muscles he had grown to love so much and gave his wings a mighty flap. To his unending delight, the hard downswing launched him several feet straight into the air, only for him to pitch forward on the way down and hit the ground with a yelp, only just catching himself on all fours. "Eh-heh... need to get used to the new weight."

"This is incredible!" Cadance said as she placed a hoof over his shoulder. "How is this even possible?"

"A boatload of advanced mathematics and theory so advanced it would make Einstallion blush." Fido joined the group, a beaming grin on his narrow muzzle. "This is incredible! It's one thing to see it in paper, but to see it right before your eyes..." He knelt down and placed a paw on Twilight's shoulder, "Twilight, you did it!"

"We did it, Fido."

"Oh-ho-ho, no, my dear," he said as he stood back up. "I just double checked your arithmetic. This is your pup, and this is... well, let's be honest. This is probably the biggest advancement in spellcasting since Twinkle Shine's cloud-walking spell! Actual shifting of molecular structuring via thaumatic induction. My word, can you imagine the commercial applications?!" He smiled warmly at Twilight. "A bit of refinement, and I dare say you're a shoe-in for a Neighbel Prize!"

Twilight's cheeks flamed under the praise. "Oh, I don't know about that."

"But I am." Luna laid a wing across Twilight's withers, beaming with pride. "I tell you truthfully, young professor, even when I was tied to the elements and at the height of my abilities, I doubt even I could have achieved such a feat. It is obvious that you have a deeper connection with, and understanding of, the Elements than I ever did."

"Now, now, it's not perfect, okay?" Twilight eased out from Luna's wing and rejoined Spike, laying a hoof on his shoulder—which she barely had to reach up to do, he noted with elation—and smiled at him. "For now the spell requires recharging approximately every..." Twilight cast a quick glance to Fido.

"Roughly six hundred and seventy-five hours."

"Right, so every month or so I'll need to recast the spell."

Spike blinked, then laughed. "So, I really AM required to come back once a month!"

"Um... yes. Also, the spell only works as long as you wear it, so don't take it off unless you have some room to grow."

Spike arched an eyebrow ridge. "Wear? Wear wha—" He looked down at his right hand, eyes going wide.

"Okay, wait!" Shining stormed up to the both. "Twiley, where is the element?"

"Uh, Shining, I think it's right here," Spike said, raising his hand. The Element of Magic was gone. Where it had been there now lay a silver ring that fit snugly over his claw. In place of the starburst amethyst was a brilliant emerald, shaped into what looked like a flame.

Shining balked. "What, you're trying to say the element... transformed? That's impossible!"

Spike shot him a deadpan stare. “Uh, Shining?” He held his arms out and looked up and down his body several times. “I think ‘impossible’ went out the window about five minutes ago.”

“I... I-I still don’t get it.”

“You see, young General,” Luna said, stepping forward to stand next to Spike, who noted that they were now almost exactly the same height, “The Elements of Harmony are intrinsically linked to Harmony itself. They are connected to life, and by their very nature are sympathetic to their users. This is why it for so long resembled your sister’s cutie mark.”

Twilight nodded. “It’s also why now that Spike is using it, it changed into a form he can wear comfortably and the gem reflects him. If he were to take it off, it would revert to the tiara.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you saying that... that I’m the bearer of the element now?!”

Twilight chuckled. “No. The gem is still linked to me. I just... hmm, lent it to you.”

"Oh! So, you just lent him one of Equestria's primary weapons o—"

"Shining, stop." Everypony jumped a little at Twilights outburst. She fixed a scholarly glare at him. "The elements aren't weapons. They're conduits of harmony, physical manifestations of magic, love, of... of friendship. This is exactly the type of thing they were intended for,” she finished, looking at Celestia.

A slight halo of light appeared around Celestia’s body as she beamed down at Twilight. "She is correct, dear General. The Elements of Harmony seek only to maintain order and balance in all things. They do not destroy..."

"Merely instill harmony as best they can," Twilight finished. "Whether that's purging the Nightmare from Luna's mind, encasing Discord in stone, or," she turned back to Spike, "allowing one of the most important creatures in my life lead a normal one."

Shining nodded. "Okay, but the fact remains that historically, the elements have been out best defense against some very nasty customers. What happens when the next King Sombra or Discord show up?"

"Well, General Shiny," she said through a smug grin, "I've already thought of that. I wrote a tethering spell into the gem, one that utilizes a low-frequency pulse to create a constant link between the gem and myself. If at anytime I need it and Spike is away, I can recall it near instantaneously." She turned to look at Celestia. "I'm currently working on a way to cast the same spell on the other elements. It shouldn't be too hard for Generosity, but the others are proving tricky since they're linked to non-unicorns. I think I can design a sustained mana-pulsing device that could stabilize the quantum tunneling, but it would require such an—"

Fido tapped her on the shoulder, pointedly clearing his throat. "Focus, Twilight."

She blinked several times. "Uh, heh... sorry." She then turned back to Spike. "Just a warning: if I do, you'll only have about thirty seconds to find an open area."

"Um... why?"

"Because that's how long it takes for the spell to wear off once you remove the ring. When it does, your body will rapidly expand back to its true size."

Spike nodded. "Wait, so what if I'm somewhere that I can't get outside in thirty seconds? What if I'm, like, asleep or something?"

"Well, ideally I'd let you know via burp mail before I do."

"That a technical term, burp mail?" Fido chimed.

Twilight elbowed him softly. "Oh, hush. As I was saying, the only reason I would recall it without warning is in case of a dire threat. I'd think that if Nightmare Moon returned, the last thing we'd be worried about is property damage."

"I would certainly hope so," Luna said with a wry grin.

Twilight was saved from her death by embarrassment as Fido cleared his throat. "Well, it appears that the' 'show and tell' portion of the day is over." As he spoke, he wound the wires that had been attached to Spike back up, resetting the cart as it had been when he arrived. "This seems to be a family affair now, and I really must be getting back to class."

"Of course, Professor," Celestia said with a brief nod. "Please know that we cannot thank you enough for your help."

Fido gave a small bow. "A pleasure as always, your Majesties." He walked up to Spike and extended his paw. "Spike, my boy, best of luck."

"Dude, um...” Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “I-I can't—"

"And you don’t have to."

Spike chuckled and took his paw, giving it a firm squeeze and a shake. "All the same, thanks."

"Of course." He turned back to the cart, and with a wave of his paw, began to depart, but not before he walked past Twilight, and whispered, "Still on for Saturday, seven o'clock, yes?"

Twilight's lavender cheeks turned deep crimson. "Oh, yes, of... of course."

Fido gave one last grin and walked away, tail nearly breaking the sound barrier.

Twilight watched him leave, still blushing furiously. When she turned back to the group, she was meet by the mother of all big brother glares.

"What was that?" Shining asked.

Twilight blinked several times. "What was what?" She turned to walk back to Spike, but not before giving a sly wink to Cadance, who giggled at her husband's glare.

“Snkt—Hehehehehe!” Spike had moved over to where Heckel and Jeckel stood. He was currently lifting his large steamer trunk off the ground, all but squealing with joy as his arms barely fit around it lengthwise, and he actually had to put effort in to get it off the ground. “It’s heavy! It’s actually heavy!” Dropping the trunk, he raced back over to Twilight, who was still weathering a scowl from Shining, and spun her around to face him and hugged her again. “Twi, this is incredible! I... I mean... wow! I don’t get it. Where did the rest of me go?”

Twilight giggled at his enthusiasm. “Technically, you’re still occupying the same amount of space-time, but your atoms are in a constant state of quantum flux due to the saturation of thaumatic energy, which also allows for simultaneous exertion of a steady-state compression field, thus keeping all your matter in place."

Spike blinked. “Uh... yeah, I have no idea what you just said. But it’s awesome! I mean... look at me!” With a whoop, he leapt into the air and gave his wings a strong flap. It barely mussed Twilight’s mane, and he pitched forward awkwardly and just barely landed on his claws, to the sound of nothing but the soft crush of grass. “No more earthquakes! Of course, now I can’t really fly, but ah, me and Rainbow can figure that out in a weekend! Oh, but how am I gonna get back home now?”

“I can dispatch a chariot to take you there,” Celestia said.

Spike's eyes brightened and he snapped his fingers. "You know what? I actually think I'll take the train!"

"The train? Why?"

"Well, I told the girls I was going to land at the train station in Ponyville at four. If I hurry, I can still catch the ten o'clock train, which should put me in town around that time." He showed a toothy grin to Twilight. "Can you imagine the look on the girls' faces when I step off the train? Ha! Rainbow will probably go into labor!"

They all laughed at the image. After a moment, Celestia stepped forward to Spike. "Well then, I suppose you should be off." She leaned down—leaned down!—and wrapped her wings and a foreleg around him, gripping him tightly, and Spike returned the gesture. "Be safe, child. I am so proud of you."

Spike nuzzled back into her. "Thanks, Mom," he whispered.

He disengaged from her only to be caught in an even tighter hug by Luna, who squeezed tight enough to elicit a crack from Spike's spine. "Fare thee well, nephew."

"Th—hrkk—thanks," he squeaked.

"Corporal Heckel, Private Jeckel!" Shining barked behind him.

The twins snapped to attention. "Sir!"

"Escort Spike to the train station and see him off, then report back to your commanders. You did a damn fine job guarding him, so tell them I said you can take the rest of the week off."

Jeckel's shoulders slumped just a bit. "Th—thank you, sir." He turned and trudged off towards Spike. Heckel, however, remained in place.

Shining arched his eyebrow. "Something wrong, Corporal?"

Heckel cast a glance towards his slowly retreating brother, then mumbled under his breath, "Damn bleeding heart." With a final growl, he turned to Shining. "Yes, sir, there is."

"Oh?" Shining eyes the unicorn curiously. "And what would that be?"

Heckel stood so rigid Spike was worried his back may break under the pressure. "Sir, with all due respect to Professor Sparkle, I think leaving the Element of Magic out in the open like that seems very... risky."

"Well, I tend to agree, but the princesses, and my sister," he emphasized, "seem to think they have thought of everything. Tell me, corporal, what have you thought of that they haven't?"

Heckel fidgeted under Shining's withering eyes. "Y-yes, sir. If I may be so bold, I believe it—" his eyes darted to Jeckel, who was watching through wide eyes—"that as long as the Element is there, it may be prudent for the Guard to set up, uh... a presence in Ponyville."

Shining's face screwed up in confusion for a moment, until he heard the loud gasp from Jeckel. A tiny grin flashed on Shining's face before the mask of professionalism slammed back down. "That actually sounds like a fine idea, Corporal."

"Yes, sir!"

"It wouldn't, uh, have to be a very large contingent, would it?"

"No, sir!"

"One soldier should be plenty, wouldn't you say?"

For the briefest of moments, Heckel's frown cracked. "I was thinking two would be best, sir."

"Oh?"

"Er... strictly to ensure the safety of the element, of course! Sir!"

"Of course, of course. So, Corporal Heckel, have you any thoughts as to who might want such an assignment?"

"Well, sir, I—"

"Oh!" Jeckel zipped in front of Shining and bounced up and down, hoof raised high in the air. "Ohohohohohoh!"

Shining just barely stopped the smile threatening to break his countenance. "Need to use the latrine, Private?"

"No, sir! Well... no, wait, yes, sir! B-but that's not important right now!"

"Oh?"

Jeckel nodded. "I would like to volunteer me and my brother for the Ponyville assignment!"

Shining arched an eyebrow. "You feel you can handle it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Operating as an autonomous unit, plain clothes soldiers on near constant duty?"

"Yes, sir!"

“This wouldn’t just be a vacation, Private. You’d be charged with watching over the element and a member of the Royal Family.”

“Yes, sir!”

"Hmm, I don't know..."

"Shining..." Cadance frowned at him.

"Well," Shining said, "it really should be Spike's decision. What do you think?"

Spike looked at the twins before him, one bouncing in place and the other somehow frowning while still looking hopeful. "Hmm..." He stroked his scaly chin thoughtfully, eyes darting between the two. Slowly, he opened his mouth. "Hmmmmm..." Spike looked up at the sky, brow furrowed in deep meditation. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth, then paused for several moments. "Hmmm—"

"Oh, for pete’s sake, would you just say something before his head explodes?!" Heckel cried.

Spike shrugged. "Eh, why not."

Throughout the castle, dogs howled, windows rattled, and Spike grabbed his ears in pain as Jeckel squealed at a pitch Spike didn't think was possible for a stallion. The earth pony lunged forward and embraced Spike with strength borne of glee.

Shining just chuckled. "Okay, okay. You two run back to the barracks, change out of your uniforms and pack an overnight bag. We can ship the rest of your belongings later. I'll talk to your commanders and sign the appropriate paperwork."

"Yes, sir!" the twins cried, then turned to run, but Jeckel hesitated. After several moments of chewing on his lip, he whirled around, ran up to General Shining Armor, Commander of the Equestrian Royal Guard's Unicon Corps and Prince Consort of the Crystal Empire, and squealed like a filly as he embraced him in a fierce hug. Several seconds later, he disengaged, hopped once more time, then blurred away.

“Are we sure we want him and Pinkie Pie in the same zip code?” Spike whispered to Twilight, who chortled.

"Luna, kill me now," Heckel grumbled as he turned to follow.

"Well, since you asked nicely..."

Heckel whirled around just in time to see Luna, horn blazing, glaring at him with an evil intent, as a tiny bolt of lightning shot from her horn and impacted the ground at his hooves.

"Eep!" Heckle danced on his hooves for an instant then tore off after his brother.

Celestia looked to Luna. “Really?”

Luna grinned at Celestia and blew her a very dignified, princess-like raspberry.

Cadance rolled her eyes, then walked up to Spike. “You two better get going if you’re going to make that train.” She leaned forward and hugged Spike with both wings and a foreleg. “Remember, time is always on your side,” she whispered, then kissed him on the forehead.

“Yeah, I know.”

After a few moments, Cadance pulled back as Shining stepped up, offering Spike a hoof. “Take care of yourse—”

For the second time in as many minutes, Shining Armor was locked into a tight bear hug. He stiffened the instant the dragon grabbed him, but with a roll of his eyes, he returned the embrace. “Don’t you go getting sappy on me, scaly-butt.”’

Spike pulled back from the embrace and smiled at Shining, who looked back with his trademark smarmy grin. "Not on your life, Shiny."

The two held the look for a moment, then Shining stepped back. "Well, you better get going if you want to catch the train. Don't want to keep your hoard waiting, right!"

A brief flash of annoyance passed over Spike's face before he full weight of Shining's words sank in. He threw a glance to the clock tower behind them: nine thirty. "Aw, crap! I gotta go! Princesses, thanks for... er, everything, I guess. Cadance, great to see you again. Shining, you're a jerk." He didn't wait for any of them to answer, running back to his trunk and hefting it onto his back. "I'll send you a letter when I arrive. Love y'all, bye!" He began to run away from the castle, then jerked to a halt and cast a glance over his shoulder. "Come on, Twi! Let’s go!"

Twilight rolled her eyes, then turned back to face the others. "I guess I have to go."

"It's fine, Twiley. We'll meet up for dinner, kay?"

She gave a nod, then ran off. "Wait up, Spike! You know I could teleport us, right?!"

Spike's slitted eyes were transfixed on the brilliant emerald adorning his claw. Somewhere in his mind, he realized that it should be making his mouth water. The emerald was, as far as he could tell, flawless. Unlike any other piece of jewelry he had seen, the stone was impossibly smooth; not a single rough edge could be felt. Stranger still, the gem reflected no light. Even as he moved it around, catching the bright sunlight streaming into the train station at all angles, not a single ray fell from it. It was amazing; the longer he stared, the deeper the gem seemed to go.

A sharp tap on his shoulder snapped him back. "Hmm? What?"

Twilight giggled. "I said your train is here."

Sure enough, Spike looked up just in time to see the large red engine car squeal to a halt, a jet of steam pouring from the wheels, and a belch of black smoke rising from the top. As the doors slid open, a river of ponies poured out onto the platform. The well-dressed denizens of Canterlot shuffled on and off the train, snazzily-dressed station attendants scurried about carrying bags and trunks to the luggage compartment. Spike noted with idle amusement that the river tended to bend around him. "Heh, some thing will never change."

"I guess not," Twilight said. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and her horn began to glow. "Oh, Spike! I just remembered, I have something for you."

"Something else?" He rubbed at the silver ring on his claw. "Jeez, Twi, haven’t you already given me... well, my life back?"

A brief look of fierce concentration, and a book popped into existence before them. Spike plucked it out of the air and read the title: The Equestrian Library Association's Official Study Guide for Prospective Librarians.

A low growl eked out of Spike's clenched jaw. "Shining Armor..."

"Oh, relax, Spike. He was only trying to help," Twilight chided.

"Yeah, yeah," Spike grumbled. "Tell him thanks... then flick his ear for me."

Twilight chuckled. "Anyway, the princess messaged ahead, and the interim librarian has no problem with you moving back into our old room. She'll also let you work there as an assistant, but you'll need to get accredited before you can officially take over, so study."

"Hehe, yes, ma'am!" He snapped a quick salute.

Twilight smiled, but before she could reply, a burly stallion carrying a pocket watch bellowed, "All aboard for Ponyville, with continuing service to Dodge Junction and Apploosa!"

Twilight and Spike's eyes met for a few precious moments before Spike opened his mouth. "Well, I, uh... I guess that's me."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Spike's eyes flicked back to his new ring. "Twi, this... I mean, I can't believe this! How long have you been planning this?"

"Since that night we got in," Twilight said. "When I saw how badly this was affecting you, I, uh, well I had to do something."

"So, I throw a fit and your first idea is to break all known laws of physics? Ha! That is so you."

"Hehehe, I guess." Her smile fell a bit. "I almost didn't pull it off."

Spike's eyebrow ridge rose. "Oh?"

"Yeah," she said with a nod. "I mean, it was difficult, of course, but near the end I had it all worked out. The science, the math, everything was perfect, but the element kept rebuffing the spell, refusing it."

"What changed?"

Twilight's ears fell flat against her head. "Well, it's like I said. The element is sympathetic to its user. That's not just in a physical sense. It's literally connected to me, so it knew... that I didn't really want you to go."

Spike's head fins twitched. "Oh? But now you do?"

"No," Twilight said, gnawing her lip a bit. "But, I realize that I have to. You're a grown dragon, Spike. You have to find your own place in life. If that's back in Ponyville, that's great! Me wanting to keep you close by was me just being selfish. I didn't want to think about life without my Number One Assistant."

"Twilight," he groaned. "I'm not going to sleep for a hundred years. I'm a train ride away! And once I figure out how to fly again, it'll be even quicker."

"I know, I know, it's just," she hesitated, "a chapter of my life is closing, you know?"

"Yeah, I know,” he said as a grin spread across his scaly face. "And another is starting. So, giving the dog a bone, eh?"

Twilight sputtered for several seconds as her cheeks erupted. "Spike!"

"Ha, I knew it! You have a date with a Dog!

"It's not a date! Professor Igneous is a friend and colleague, and he invited me to dinner so we could discuss the experiment."

"Ah, 'experiment.' So that's what they're calling it these days." Spike could have sworn he saw steam coming out of ears.

"Spike..."

"What?" he said, lifting both hands up. "Oh, come on, I'm not gonna judge! Heck, I'm in love with a pony! Although," his eyes narrowed a bit, "isn't he, like, eighty?"

"Sixty-five, and from a relativistic viewpoint, he's not that much older than me. Besides, numerous studies have been done on the attraction of younger mares to older stal—"

"Okay, yeah, details, no thanks!"

"Last call for Ponyville!" the burly stallion bellowed. "All aboard that's coming aboard!"

"Okay, then!" Spike smiled at Twilight. "Any last minute things I should know about this?" he asked, holding up his right claw.

Twilight "hmm'd" for a moment. "Yes. If the gem starts to glow rhythmically, it means the spell is wearing off quicker than I thought. Take it off and get outside."

"Right," Spike said with a firm nod.

"Oh, and if you happen to start tasting oatmeal, take it off immediately... and run."

Spike's tail twitched. "Wait, but what if I'm actually eating oatmeal?"

A deep shudder ran through Twilight. "I... I wouldn't."

"Uh... got it."

Twilight's lip trembled slightly and she lunged forward, throwing her forelegs around his neck and burying her face in his shoulder. "I'm going to miss you so much."

Spike reciprocated, one claw stroking her mane. "I know, Twi, I'm gonna miss you, too."

A shrill whistle made them both start. They pulled away from the embrace and gazed at each other. Despite the growing growl of the engine and the bustle of activity on the platform, the two shared a moment of deep silence.

Twilight's lips parts several times, as if chewing on her words, fighting to give voice what they were both feeling. Finally, she decided on a sad smile. "Goodbye, Spike."

Spike held her gaze for a moment, then leaned in and gave her a light peck on the cheek. Pulling back, he grinned widely. "See ya in a month, Twi!" With that, he turned and bounded towards the train door like a giant, scaled puppy.

Spike very carefully made his way down the train; apparently no matter his size, his tail had a tendency to slam into things. After a few muttered apologies to other passengers, he finally arrived at the first-class cabins, internally thanking his relation to the Royal Family.

He paused occasionally to check the numbers on the cabin doors against the gold ticket in his claw. Finding the right door, he opened it to find a lime-green unicorn sitting in one of the plush cushions.

"Oh, sorry sir, I—" Spike squinted. The unicorn had a mane of dark green with stripes of lighter mixed in, cut into a sharp crewcut. More importantly, Spike looked at the deep scowl on his face. "Heckel?"

The unicorn growled at him.

"Yeah, it's you." Spike chuckled and closed the door behind him then made his way to the cushion across from the surly guard. The felt padding was designed for two ponies, which made it a perfect size for Spike to lay on. He sank into it with a satisfied moan. "Oh, yeah. This is the only way to travel. You know, you look good without the enchantments. Is your brother—"

The door flew open, and Jeckel bounded into the room, his thick, shaggy mane bouncing up and down, and landed on the cushion next to his brother, wrapping a foreleg around him. "Isn't this exciting, Heckie?!"

"Pft—H-Heckie?"

Jeckel ignored both the chuckles from Spike and the death glare from his twin. "You and me, guarding Mr. Spike! I had no idea you were so attached to him.”

A muffled chuckle came from Spike, and Heckel flushed. “I-I-I’m not! I only took the assignment because I knew you would mess it up! Somepony has to be professional, here!”

Their bickering faded into the background as Spike looked out the window. Twilight still stood on the platform, smiling wistfully at him. He smiled back as the train car suddenly lurched into motion.

A weight fell in his chest. This was it, the moment he had been both dreading and anticipating for so long. His old life stood on the platform, waving gently through the slight shroud of steam and smoke, while the train slowly began to move to—

"Oh, hey, it's Professor Sparkle!" Jeckel leaped to the window and stuck his entire top half out, waving frantically. "Bye, professor! Don't worry, we'll take real good care of him for you! You can count—glck!"

Heckel yanked him back into the car. "Would you please maintain some form of decorum?!"

"Oh, relax! We're on vacation!"

"We're on assignment!"

"General Armor's said we could take the rest of the week off. That order was never rescinded, so..." he blew a loud raspberry.

"Ugh, I should have let the princess kill me..."

Spike laughed and turned back to the front as the train picked up speed, taking him back to his ponies. His friends.

His home.

The End

Just Another Day

Some years later

A long-suffering sigh bounced of the newly-rebuilt walls off the Golden Oaks Public Library. A combination of draconic magic and earth pony engineering had expanded the tree house into an even more breathtaking affair, now double the size it had been in years past. The center foyer now housed a front desk, complete with a state-of-the-art gem powered catalogue that was the envy of libraries throughout the Everfree Province. Behind the desk, the librarian removed the reading glasses from his scaley snout and ran a claw over his head to smooth down his head spines. Sunlight peeking in from the large ornate window above them caught the silver ring on his claw, sending dazzling spectres of light dancing from the flame-shaped emerald laid on it.

“Okay, let me see if I understand you.” Spike rubbed his eyes, then looked back to the stallion and his wall-eyed wife on the opposite side of the desk. The mare was perusing the book that Spike had been trying to finish before bothered by the absurd request. A tiny pegasus colt, sharing his father’s spiky brown mane and his older sister’s light purple coat, sat atop the mare’s head. A pacifier held in his mouth, he eyed the spines on Spike’s head with a predatory gaze. “You want me to strike your house... with lightning?”

Doctor Time Turner-Hooves nodded enthusiastically. “A few times, if you can manage it!”

Another protracted sigh escaped Spike’s maw. “Look, Doc, I—”

“Oi! Doctor, thank you very much.” He huffed indignantly. “I didn’t spend twelve years at university to be called ‘Doc’.”

“Sweetie, let it go,” Derpy said without looking up from the book... or, at least Spike didn’t think she was looking away. All these years and he still had a hard time remembering which eye wandered.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Okay, Doctor, then tell me, have you asked the weather manager about this? I’m sure he’d be thrilled to know about me casting weather magic in city limits without permission.”

“Uh, eh-heh, funny thing, that,” the Doctor said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. “I went to ask Rumble, but apparently the Wonderbolts are in Cloudsdale, so he ran off to spend time with his brother.”

“How convenient.” Right then, the colt atop Derpy’s head pounced, fluttering his tiny wings to land on Spike’s head with a growl and attacked the topmost spine, gnawing at it with his several stubby teeth. The only response from Spike was a lopsided smirk, but his eyes remained on the fidgeting stallion. “And what about the assistant manager?”

The Doctor snorted. “Oh, don’t even get me started on Raindrops! That mare must be the stingiest weather mare I’ve ever seen! Did you know that she even refused to give me a cumulous?! Even after I filled the appropriate paperwork! And prejudiced, too! Telling me I can’t handle the cloud because I’m an earth pony! I’m a PhD, Neighbel Prize winner! I should—”

“Muffin,” Derpy said, nuzzling into his side, “you’re rambling again.”

From atop Spike’s head, the foal removed the fin from his mouth. “Daddy ‘bamblin’!”

Derpy giggled, finally looking up from the book to beam at the colt nomming on Spike’s head fin. “That’s right, Diddly! And what do we do when Daddy talks too much?”

“Shushies!” The colt let out a squeal of joy as a green haze enveloped him, and with a twirl of Spike’s also glowing claw, he rose from the drake’s head and began to circle the trio slowly above their heads.

"Celestia above, my own family is against me," the Doctor muttered.

“Look, Doc—” A glare from the stallion. “—tor, why do you even need this? What could you possibly be doing that requires enough electricity to power Ponyville for a week?!”

“I'm... I'm not at liberty to say."

"You're not taking another defense contract, are you? Remember what happened last time?"

Derpy shuddered slightly. "It was raining gelatin for a week."

"Oh, come now! The foals loved it," the Doctor muttered with a nod to the still floating Diddly, who was giggling with infantile glee as he circled the adults, forelegs outstretched like a Wonderbolt.

Spike sighed once more. "Doctor, I don't think this—"

"Spike." The harried tone was gone from the Doctor's voice, replaced with a calm pleading. "Look, you know me. I’m not one to break the law, but this is the culmination of my life's work. If this device works, it will revolutionize... everything! But I need at least one point twenty one gigawatts of electricity to make it work, and the only way to get that kind of power is..."

"A bolt of lightning," Spike finished with a slow nod.

"Precisely. Right now, the box is sitting in our back yard, just waiting to change everything we know about the laws of physics. The weather team is stonewalling me, and love here doesn’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to lightning—” he gave a quick nuzzle to Derpy, who smiled sheepishly at Spike— “and that leaves you, the only creature in the province who knows weather magic. Spike... I need you.”

With a final twirl of his claw, Spike floated young Diddly back onto his mother's head, and she greeted him with a pacifier. Spike then looked up at the two ponies before him. "Look, even if I wanted to help by breaking several city ordinances by practicing pluvomancy inside city limits without a permit—”

“It’s only a misdemeanor...”

“I can't right now! The twins are in the middle of an inspection from their new liaison from Canterlot, so there’d be nopony to watch the library."

Doctor Hooves flashed him a strained grin. "Well, what about your little assistant?"

"Zap doesn't even have his cutie mark yet!” As if fate deemed punctuation needed, a loud crash came from somewhere in the library proper, one that sounded suspiciously like a brand new twelve-volume set of the Encyclopedia Canterlotia being knocked over.

Several seconds later, a tiny voice chimed in with, “I’m okay!” Spike gestured with his claw, as if to say ‘see what I mean?’

“W-Well, perhaps after closing time...”

Spike shook his head. “Twilight’s coming down for my monthly recharging,” he gave a light tap to his silver ring, “and she’s bringing Shining and his family for a visit. Look, Time, I’m sorry but...” His words crumbled to dust and his heart melted as, after a tap on the haunches from her husband, Derpy looked up from her book and flashed the puppy-dog eyes of the century at him. Even as her bottom lip quivered, the act made all the more heart-wrenching with her left eye—left eye! Remember that, left eye—made a slow scan of the ceiling, Spike could swear he literally heard his will break.

After only several seconds under Derpy's assault, his broad shoulders slumped, but a wry grin spread across his face. "Okay, okay! I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon, alright? Just... put that away."

The Doctor squealed in delight, throwing his hooves around his wife and bounding in place. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Spike!"

"Yeah, yeah," Spike said with a dismissive wave of his claw. "You know, forget whatever you're working on, you need to figure out how to weaponize cuteness!"

"Oh-ho-ho, no, my dear boy. This one's all for me." The stallion leaned in and kissed his wife deeply, and Spike groaned. As the Doctor pulled back, he lifted his hooves to snatch the foal from atop her head and placed him on his own. "Spike, mate, trust me, you won't regret this."

Spike shook his head as they walked towards the ornate wooden door. "Oh, I'm sure I will."

"Eh, more likely than not! Anyways, come along, Derpy! Diddly, what do we say?"

The colt squealed and pounded his forehooves on the stallion's head. "Allons-y!"

"That's my boy!" With an exaggerated whinny, he reared up and charged out the front door.

Derpy shook her head and smiled at Spike. "Thank you, Spike. This means a lot to him. Me, too."

"Well, you can thank me by telling Dinky to pay her late fees." Both dragon and pony crossed the foyer towards the front door. "Charisma's Compendium of Combat Magic is overdue to the tune of ten bits. One more week, it'll be fifteen."

"F—fifteen bits?!" For a moment, both her eyes slammed home together, boring down on the dragon.

Spike just shrugged. "Hey, that's what happens when you borrow from the Restricted section."

Derpy's left eye floated back to the ceiling. "Okay, I'll talk to her."

"Please do,"'Spike said as he opened the door for her with a slight bow. "It's not wise to hold back gold from a mighty dragon."

"Oh, Spike," Derpy giggled. "You're not a mighty dragon." She laughed once more at Spike's befuddled look. "You're Ponyville's dragon." She leaned in and gave him a chaste peck on the cheek, then walked out the door and took to the air, dancing a dizzy path away from the blushing dragon standing in the doorway.

Spike took a deep breath of the warm summer air wafting past his doorway. A taste of freshly cut grass was in the air, and the tantalizing scent of grilling treats—most likely Truffle Shuffle experimenting with some bizarre spice—came from the restaurant on the corner. A gaggle of giggling foals ran circles around the large fountain that stood in the courtyard before the library. Marble reliefs carved in the shape of his five closest friends and his sister stood boldly and proudly—demurely and withdrawn in the case of Fluttershy—in the center, beneath the gentle sprays of water. Standing beneath Twilight's forelegs, to Spike's simultaneous glee and chagrin, was a chubby dragon whelp. Ponies mulled around the rim of the fountain, some were tossing bits in, accompanied with a mumbled wish, while others sat on benches, nuzzled next to their special somepony, basking in the scenic day.

"Hey, Mr. Spike!" A young unicorn across the courtyard looked up from her comic book to wave at him.

"Hey, Ruby." He waved back, and a warm, prideful smile spread across his face. My ponies.

He may not be the most modest of creatures, but Spike was truthful when, in his many letters to Twilight, he said that he now rivaled Pinkie Pie in knowledge of the town. He knew something about everypony, and took pride in being at least somewhat involved in their lives. Whether it was helping Archer with building her firing range or watching Shady Daze play in the Equestrian Poker Tournament, his hoard was—

"Incoming!"

An orange blur flashed in the corner of his eye. "Whoa!" His wings gave a mighty flap, and Spike just barely took to the air in time to miss the buzzing torpedo beneath him, the unruly purple mane tickling the bottom of his claws. Before he even began his descent, his claw flared with magic just in time to grab Scootaloo before she slammed into the rim off the fountain.

Scootaloo, apparently noticing a distinct lack of being a pony pancake, opened her eyes as Spike floated her back over to him. "Uh... hey, Spike!"

"Scootaloo, what ha—" Before he could finish, the sound of rolling wheels caught his ears. Turning, he reached out and stopped her signature more of transport just before it crashed into him. He took one look at it, then turned back to her, earning a nervous twitch of her half-sized wings. "Okay, what's the trick this time?"

"Well—"

"Scoots!"

A flash of white plucked Scootaloo out of the air and tackled her to the ground, buck-toothed mouth frowning with concern. "Babe, you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm—"

"Are you sure nothing's broken?! No cuts or abrasions?"

"Feathers, I said—"

"We need to get you to the hospital! You might have internal—"

She silenced him with a deep kiss, instantly turning his concerned frown into a dopey grin. She pulled back slowly. "Featherweight, I'm fine, okay?"

"Huh, okay."

"You're dating a daredevil; try and keep the hypochondria to a minimum, 'kay?"

"Huh, okay."

"Now, did you get the shot?"

Featherweight's expression did another one-eighty, this time to manic glee. "Oh, Scoots, it was awesome! The light bounced off your helmet just right, I got the exposure perfect, the framing was beyond awesome! I think we have your new cover shot!"

"Mmm, good." With that, she rolled him over to land atop him and pressed back in for a kiss, this time with copious and unabashed tongue.

Spike stood there awkwardly for several moments as a crowd gathered, drawn in by the couple's passionate moans. Finally, he coughed. "Um, you mind?"

Scootaloo pulled back, gasping, and tossed him a grin. "Not in the least," she panted, then dove back in.

"Uh... O—okay."

As he turned to leave, she came back up for air. "Oh, Spike! Don't forget, you promised to come by this weekend and help me build my new half-pipe."

"Sure. Don't forget to let Featherweight breathe."

"Breathing is a crutch!" Featherweight cried.

"Goddess, I love you," Scootaloo breathed before once more attempting to eat his face.

Spike eased the door shut, turning back to the front desk, eager to return to his book. Truthfully, he didn't have a whole lot to do in order to prepare for the upcoming visit. The large treehouse now had an entire floor of living space, more than enough room to house them all. Shining and Cadance would have the one room—soundproofed this time, not wanting anymore all-night shudders from hearing the effects of the Princess of Love—and their kids in the other. A light smile played on his lips at the thought of Dusk having to share a room with his two sisters, memories of the poor colt waking up with pigtails from the last time they visited running through his mind. This would require him and Twilight to share a room, not that either would care. An evil chuckle escaped him. Instead of a bed, maybe I’ll lay out a big basket for her.

Ding-a-ling!

Just as Spike was rounding the corner to return to his book, the front door opened. He sighed through a smile, turning to face the newcomer. "Welcome to Golden Oaks Pu—oh, hey, Cheerilee!"

The magenta mare smiled warmly at the drake. Time—not too mention several generations of Cutie Mark Crusaders—had left streaks of gray marring her pink mane, but her eyes still blazed with youth. "Good afternoon, Spike. I saw Doctor Hooves galloping away, grinning like a madmare. Should I run for cover?"

"Hehe, maybe stay indoors tomorrow. What can I do for you?" he asked, taking his seat behind the desk.

"Well, I wanted to double check that you're still coming down next week to give that demonstration on draconic magic. The little ones had so much fun last time, they've been begging for another show."

Spike sighed and futzed with his head spines. "Yeah, well, you can't blame them for demanding the best, now can you?"

"Mmm-hmm, and you can't blame me for having a few extra fire extinguishers on hoof, can you?"

"Not in the slightest," he said with a wink, then snapped his fingers. "Oh! I just remembered, that book you ordered finally came in."

"The Collected Works of Langston Hooves?"

"Mm-hmm. Hey, Zap!" Spike leaned back in his chair and yelled towards the archway leading to the library proper. "Run back to my office and grab Ms. Cheerilee's book off my desk!"

"Right away, Master Spike!" came the high-pitched reply, followed by tiny hoofsteps and a metallic clanging across the wooden floor of the library.

"And stop calling me that!" Spike hollered, a bit more high-pitched than he would admit.

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow, but before she could speak the metal rattling grew louder, and a small unicorn colt came bounding into the room, a book held in the shaky grasp of his emerald magic. More surprising was the strange armor he wore: odd horseshoes of polished steel, complete with spikes jutting out in the front and back, adorned all four hooves; strands of tri-colored hair stuck out from beneath a champron atop his head, and matching haunch plates covered his blank cherry-red flank, while what looked like bolas hung from his braided tail.

"Hey... Hngh... H-hey, Miss Cheerilee." A final grunt of effort, and the book wobbled over to the mare, who plucked it out of the air before it could fall and placed it in her saddle bag.

"Good morning, Zap." Turning back, Cheerilee stifled a giggle as the colt strutted and posed for his teacher. "Um, Spike, what is he wearing?"

"That," he said with a grin, "is ceremonial draconic battle armor, slightly modified, of course. Had a friend in Tacksworn make it for the little guy."

Cheerilee slowly shook her head in obvious confusion. "And... why?"

Zap beamed up at her from beneath the champron that seemed just a hair too big. "I'm Master Spike's noble dragon apprentice!"

"Are you, now?"

"Uh-huh! Master Spike is teaching me the ways of the noble dragon," he said, chest puffed out in what was most likely supposed to be a stallionly manner. Spike and Cheerilee both found it adorable.

Cheerilee shot Spike a perplexed look, and he just shrugged. "Hey, some colts want to be rock stars, he wants to be a dragon."

"And Master Spike?"

"Uh, eh-heh," Spike rubbed the back of his neck, "the thing—"

"Eeyup!" Zap said with a little bounce and rattle of his armor. "According to Wyrmic tradition, when a dragon takes on an apprentice, the apprentice officially becomes the master's legal property. Master Spike even cast a spell on me to make it official! I'm Master Spike's slave! Isn't that cool?!"

"Yes, very... cool," she said evenly, glancing at Spike.

"Uh, o-okay, Zap! Now, how about you go clean up whatever mess you made back there?"

Zap's grin suddenly got much less toothy. "Uh, I-I didn't make any mess!"

Spike narrowed his eyes. "Zap, a noble dragon doesn't lie..."

"No... r-r-really!"

"Zap..."

The tiny colt crumbled quickly under the might of Spike's stink-eye. "It's, um, not that big a mess..."

"You lied to me, fledgling," Spike growled. "Twenty lifts. Now."

"But... But—"

"Now."

Zap eyes spike desperately for several seconds before letting out an adorable pout and snorting. Spike and Cheerilee both blinked hard when a tiny jet of smoke blew from the colt's nostrils as he walked towards a large weight in the corner of the room. His horn lit, and with a grunt, his magic lifted the hunk of metal to his eye level before falling to the ground with a clunk. "One... Two..."

Spike turned to Cheerilee. "Ooo-kay, maybe Macintosh is right and Zap is spending just a bit too much time over here."

"Oh, and what does Mac think of you making his son your property?"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Zap got a hold of one of my old books on Wyrmic tradition. He wouldn't let it go until I made him my apprentice!"

"So you cast a spell to make him your property?!"

"Oh, lighten up. It's just a minor ward of ownership, it can't even make him go against his will. I can't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do, and the only people who would even be able to sense it would be other dragons!"

"So, you would be fine if I, say, went and told Rainbow Dash about it?"

"No! Uh, I-I-I mean..."

Mercifully, Spike was saved yet again as three stallions emerged from the basement door: two emerald colored ponies, one scowling deeply and the other grinning like an idiot, identical save for the horn on the scowling one's head. Leading them was a stout young earth pony with an easy-going smirk on his dusky face, wearing the full regalia of the Night Guard. His yellow, slitted eyes scanned the room, and his smirk turned into a fanged grin at the sight of the magenta mare. "Oh, Miss Cheerilee! I was hoping to run into you while I was here," he said in a thick Trottingham accent.

Cheerilee smiled awkwardly. "Um, I'm sorry, sir, but... have we met?"

"Oh, come now, ma'am! It hadn't been that long, has it?" He removed his helmet, revealing a shaggy purple mane, cut coitishly atop his head.

Cheerilee stared absently until she finally noticed the slightly darker patch of fur around his left eye. "P... Pipsqueak?!"

"That's First Lieutenant Pipsqueak, Her Majesty Princess Luna's Night Guard," he said, puffing out his chest.

"Wow, Pip, you... uh, you look..." She shot a look to Spike.

"Different?" Spike offered.

"Yes, that... Different about covers it. I heard from your mother that you graduated from West Hoof, but... wow." She made a slow circle around him as she spoke. "When, did all... this happen?"

"Yeah, got enrolled in the Night Guard as soon as I graduated, and the enchantment ceremony was the next week. Stung like the dickens, let me tell you. I was in bed recovering for days. Still, I think I cut a rather dashing figure in purple, eh?"

Cheerilee giggled. "So, what are you doing back here?"

"Oh, Princess Luna appointed as the official Canterlot liaison for these two chaps," he said, gesturing towards the twins. "It's great! Looks good on my record, and let's me spend more time with Dinky without having to uproot her."

"Speaking of Miss Hooves," Spike leaned across his desk and grinned at Pip, "when are you gonna buckle down and make an honest mare out of her? It's been almost six years..."

"So, everything here appears to be in order, lads," Pipsqueak squeaked, his purple cheeks flaming to a delightful shade of pink as he turned from the snickering dragon and towards Heckel and Jeckel. "Operation seems to be running smooth, no signs of trouble at all?"

"No, sir!" Jeckel said. "Everything's been hunky-dory, tip-top, lean-and-me-ow!" He rubbed the back of his head, looking to his brother. "Heh, thanks."

"Don't mention it," Heckel growled. "Ever."

"Roger that, Sergeant Jeckel," Pip said with a nod. "And you, Staff Sergeant Heckel, need to start filing your RG-1594's on time, got it?"

"I'm a decade older than you," Heckel growled.

"What was that?"

"Roger that, sir!"

As this was going on, a slightly sweaty Zap walked back to the group. "All done, Master Spike."

"Good," Spike said with a warm smile. "Now, go clean up that mess, and once you've finished your homework, I might be in the mood for some ice cream before I take you back to Swe—"

The switch was quicker than any of the ponies could have thought possible. Mid-sentence, Spike's words devolved into a loud, feral growl as a plume of smoke jetted from his nostrils and green flames licked from in between his clenched jaw. Every muscle in his body tensed, to the point that his claws dug deep ruts in the library's wooden floor. His eyes blazed with emerald fury as his deafening growl echoed in the large foyer.

Cheerilee instinctively moved to shield Zap, while all three guards leaped backwards before lowering into combat stances. They all stood there, stock still save for harried breaths, until the fire in Spike's eyes finally dimmed and his body released some of the tension it held.

Pip was the first to venture a step towards him. "S—Spike, mate, you alright?"

Spike took a deep breath, shaking his head vigorously. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm... I'm so sorry," he said to the still-trembling school teacher. "Cheerilee, I—"

"I-it's okay, Spike. What... what was that?"

"Something... something just crossed the wards into my territory. Something big."

"Big?" Pip took another step towards Spike. "What wards? What do you—"

"Mister Spike!" The front door of the library nearly exploded off its hinges as a massive pegasus colt slammed into it, his shaggy brown mane plastered to his skull with sweat. A tiny white rabbit wearing a gold color sat in between his wings. He fluttered his wigs several times before plopping down in front of Spike. "Mis—Mister Spike," he gasped, "y-you... you gotta..."

Spike and Cheerilee both rushed to the teenager. Spike could all but smell the terror wafting off him. "Pound, Pound! Calm down, breathe."

Pound Cake took a few cleansing breaths as Cheerilee soothingly rubbed his back. Once he had collected himself, he gulped and spoke. "Me... me and Ms. Fluttershy were in Froggy Bottom Bog, helping Snails tend to a sick turtle when this... thing came crashing in from the trees! It was big, and it had, claws, big fangs..."

Pound began to hyperventilate again, but Spike gently shook him back to reality. "Pound, focus. Where's Fluttershy?"

"W-when it started to crawl out we, she told me to run and get you. She said she and Snails were going to get Silver Spoon and the foals from their cabin and run to Fluttershy's cottage. I know I shouldn't has left her and I should have made sure she was okay but I was just so scared and I didn't want—"

"Pound, calm down, honey. You did the right thing," Cheerilee said gently.

Spike had already stood up. Smoke once more poured from his nostrils; the instant Pound has said something was in the Bog, his instincts were screaming. Something was in his territory, threatening his ponies. A low growl escaped him. "You did the right thing, Pound. Angel, let's go."

The tiny rabbit on Pound's back nodded, a tinkling sound coming from the orange, carrot-shaped gem on his collar, and leapt from Pound into Spike's back as the dragon stormed to the door.

"Right." Pipsqueak's ever present smirk was gone, a mask of seriousness in its place. “I’ll go radio the Guard. If I push the panic button, I can have an entire brigade her in less th—”

“No!” Spike roared.

Pip flinched when the dragon rounded on him, but soon regained his countenance. “What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“This is my territory, Pip. I don’t want a bunch of armed strangers walking around my town. Angel and I can handle this.”

“Now, you see here! We may be mates, but I’m a Royal Guard, and I’m not going to—ow!”

Little Zap charged and swung his tail, nailing Pip in the shins with his bolas. The tiny unicorn glared up at him. “Don’t interfere with a dragon defending his territory!”

“Why, you—”

“Pip! He’s right. This town is under my official protection. Don’t believe me? Ask Celestia.”

“Th... the Princess?”

“The claim to my territory has been documented and recognized by both the Equestrian government and the High Wyrmstadt council. Celestia is still the ruler, but I’m the law around here.”

“Are... really?” Pip asked.

Spike nodded. “I get you want to help, really, but this is something that I have to do, my way, no outside help. It’s a dragon thing.”

Pip seemed to chew on this for a moment. “Okay, but you can’t expect me to just sit here while some abomination stalks into town!”

“It won’t make it that far," Spike said evenly, "and no, you’re not going to just sit here. I need you and Jeckel to run to Snails’ cabin, make sure they got out okay, then head to Fluttershy’s cottage. It’s the nearest place to the Bog.”

Jeckel saluted. “Right away, Master Sp—” He flinched at the glare from Spike. “Er, I mean, Mister Spike! We’ll head over there right now! Er, that is, as soon as you order it, sir.” He flashed a wide grin at Pipsqueak

Spike then turned to Pound Cake. The muscular colt had finally calmed down, though his eyes were wide with worry. “Pound, you did good. Now I need you to go home, okay?”

The colt gave a shaky nod. He took to the air, but paused in the door to cast one last glance at Spike. “Y... save her, Mister Spike.”

Spike nodded. “All of you.” Pound flew out, and Spike moved to leave as well. “Heckel, come on.”

As Heckel grumbled and followed, Zap scurried behind Spike. “All right, let’s get going!” He made it halfway through the door before a large green claw blocked his path.

“Oh-ho-ho, no, no, Zap. You’re staying right here.”

“Bu... why?!”

“Way too dangerous,” Spike said. “Besides, I’m, uh... I’m honestly more scared of your mother than I am whatever’s out there.”

The tiny colt gazed up at him with deep, moist eyes. “But, I... I wanted to see you defend your territory. I... wanted to be a noble dragon...”

Spike leaned down and gently touched a claw to the colt’s face, gingerly wiping a tear away. “Zap. Zap, look at me.” The unicorn reluctantly cast his teary eyes to his master. “It’s too dangerous for a fledgling like you. Being a noble dragon means knowing when you’re outclassed. Besides,” he leaned in to whisper into Zap’s ear, “somepony has to stay back and keep watch on my hoard while I’m gone.”

The colt gasped. "You... you mean you want me to..."

"Mhm-hmm. Can I count on you?"

A giddy smile broke into Zap's face, but he shook it off as he bowed before Spike. "As your noble dragon apprentice, I, Zapurnicus Aurora Apple, swear to defend your hoard with tooth and claw!"

"Good. Cheerilee, can you..." Spike nodded towards the colt.

Cheerilee nodded. "Be careful, Spike."

"Right. Heckel, Angel, let's get a wiggle on."

The air in the bog was as muggy and thick as Spike remembered. Every step in the mire caused a lewd shluck sound and lukewarm mud to spread in between his toes. “Ugh, jeez, this is nasty.”

“At least you don’t have armor to polish,” Heckel grumbled behind him.

A tiny snickering came from Spike’s back, where Angel Bunny was reclined in between his spines, lounging like a king.

“You know, you could at least try to be sympathetic!” The bunny stuck his tongue out at him, and Spike rolled his eyes. “Whatever, let’s just get this—

A piercing shriek came from in front of them, like several different voices all howling at once. All three looked at each other, then raced to where it came from, on the other side of a cluster of trees. There, standing in the muck and roaring like a conquering hero, stood an amalgamation of nightmares: probably twenty meters tall. its head looked like some twisted parody of a lion, while its hulking body more resembled a goat, though with lmbs bulging with muscle and shaggy fur like an ill-kept dog. Where its deformed hooves touched the ground, the rancid water was steaming and boiling. Writhing in the air behind it, its segmented, scorpion-like tail sported the head of a cobra, hissing and spitting a green puss. The vile slop hit a copse of trees behind it, and immediately burst into flames and withered to ash.

Any sane creature would have fled in terror at the sight. Spike just sighed. “Hey, there!”

The monster ceased its battle cry, both its lion head and snake head focusing on the group at its hooves.

"How you doing? I'm Spike. This is my buddy Angel," he said, nodding down at the rabbit, who blew a raspberry at the creature. "Look, I can feel your aura from here, so I know you felt the wards I placed around my territory." The dragon's eyes narrowed. "It's not very smart to enter a dragon's territory uninvited."

The creature roared again.

"Shut up!"

Its cry of fury abruptly ended at the scream that seemed far too loud and booming than it should have been from Spike’s relative size.

"Look, I got crap to do, and you don't sound too bright, so I'm gonna make this quick. Ponyville is mine. Everything in it is mine, everypony in it is mine! They're under my protection!" Every time Spike said that word—mine—he felt his body flex and tense. "So, that being said, how about you be a good little freak of nature and crawl back to whatever pit you came from?"

With an unearthly howl, the thing’s tail reared back and emitted a sound like somepony hawking a loogie, and a stream of putrid acid rained down on the group. Spike quickly threw up his left claw, and a shimmering green force field enveloped the trio. The water surrounding them instantly evaporated in a searing cloud of steam. Trees behind them burst into flame and shrank to withered husks within seconds.

After several long moments, the beast’s assault finally ended. When the steam and smoke cleared, all three were standing right where they had been, looking as nonplussed as before. Spike glanced down to Angel and sighed. "He said no." The two nodded at each other, then with an audible crack of energy, pulled off their silver ring and gold collar respectively and threw them into the air.

In a flash, the pony with them caught what was now an amethyst-studded tiara and a necklace with a pink butterfly pendant. He took one last opportunity to grunt at the demon, then teleported away.

Spike then looked back to the monster. "You know, I was really hoping you'd say yes." He spoke calmly, casually. "I got family coming in tonight, and it's a pain to wash blood off my scales."

As he spoke, the muscle beneath his skin began to twist and writhe. "But my friend here," he pointed down the the rabbit, "he was hoping you’d say no." The rabbit flashed a predatory grin as pink energy began to arc across him.

Spike, now with green energy doing the same to his body, continued. "See, a few years ago, an entire new menu got added to his diet. But he only gets to indulge in it when freaks like you threaten my hoard." The dragon flexed his arm and groaned as the limb began to pulse and inflate. "And buddy," his voice was now deep and booming, "he's veeeeerrry hungry."

The rabbit, now swathed in pink magic and nearly twice the size he had been, growled as a very long, forked tongue slid from his maw and licked his lips.

High above them, the mighty creature whimpered.

Thirty minutes later, as green dragonfire dissolved the last remnants of rancid blood and vile flesh, the waters of the bog trembled under the weight of the massive dragon's steps. Spike groaned and cracked his neck to the side as a deep cut in the side of his face slowly healed itself. Riding on his back, a huge, muscled beast covered in a patchwork of white fur and black chitin, held what looked like the remains of a rib in his segmented tentacles. He brought it to his tubular muzzle and took a large bite, razor-sharp teeth gnashing on the putrid meat like it was candy.

Spike turned to look at Angel. "Dude, that's enough. Fluttershy will kill me if you ruin your appetite before the barbeque tonight."

Angel swallowed, then opened his deformed muzzle, the two top halves raising up and away, and issued forth a loud belch.

Spike gagged. "Ugh, dude! Carrots and necro-flesh. Not a good combo."

A Warm Welcome

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter One: A Warm Welcome

The train car jerked slightly, accompanied by the light squeal of brakes.

"Now approaching Canterlot Station! Last stop!"

Twilight looked up from her book and peeked out the window. The dull view of the craggy mountainside was gone, replaced by the breathtaking panorama of the Equestrian countryside. If she squinted, she could just make out Ponyville down below, glinting like ancient treasure in the mid-afternoon sun. A small void threatened to build in her gut, but she quickly squashed it.

She eased up from her cushion, letting out a contented sigh as blood rushed back into her sore limbs. Her saddlebags, enveloped in a lilac hue, floated down from the storage shelf above her, easing onto her haunches and cinching themselves tight, the cutie mark-shaped clasps snapping shut. She spared one more glance out the window, now showing the massive Canterlot train station slowly coming to a halt. With a light smile, she floated her book into her bag and made her way to the opening car door.

The elegant, almost gaudy, architecture of Canterlot never ceased to give her pause, even after all these years. Through the thin veil of steam and smoke cast from the engine, extravagant walls of pure ivory, inlaid with large gems of various sizes, housed large ornate windows. Ponies dressed in the finest wares strode about, their noses haughtily thrust in the air. Flecks of gold could be seen winking sunlight back at her from the surrounding parapets as she stepped onto the fine rosewood platform. She had only a second to enjoy the breathtaking view before she was assaulted by a black blur of fur and feathers.

"Auntie Twi!"

Twilight let out a cry of surprise as the tiny colt slammed into her chest, sending her falling unceremoniously to her haunches. Small forelegs wrapped around her neck with a steely grip, the colt's purple mane tickling her chin under the strength of his nuzzles. Collecting her breath, she gently embraced him and smiled warmly. "I missed you, too, Dusky."

Dusk Shine immediately released her and began to hover before her, his tiny wings buzzing like mad to keep him aloft. "Oh, oh! Lookit wha I kin do!" Brow creased and tongue slightly protruding from his mouth, he jerked his body to the side, completing a very shaky midair roll.

Twilight gasped in exaggerated awe. "Oh, wow! You're such a big colt!" She reached out and gently ruffled his mane, brushing the bangs away from his face that was struggling to contain his grin.

"Oh! An' dis!" Concentrating once more, he slowly flew forward and up, apparently attempting a loop-de-loop. He made it halfway before bumping into a passing mare, who grumbled and leered at the colt. Dusk cried out and fell, only to be instantly caught by a pink aura.

"Okay, that's enough, Danger Dusk. Let Auntie Twi take a few breaths."

"'Kay, Daddy." The magic relinquishing control, Dusk flew with sounds and speed not unlike a hummingbird towards Shining Armor, who was approaching the scene with a bemused smile.

"Shiny!" Twilight stood and hurried towards him, embracing him in a tight nuzzle. She pulled back, nodding towards the still hovering Dusk. "Does he ever land?"

"Only to sleep and crash," he said with a half-grin. "You know, it's kinda of sad that I have an easier time keeping track of an entire army than I do a three year old!" He lightly flicked his tail at Dusk, earning a loud giggle from the wobbling colt.

"And they're probably easier to clean up after."

Both turned to see Princess Cadance walking out from the inside of the elegant station. Even without her full regalia, ponies immediately recognized the Princess of Love and quickly moved out of her way.

Twilight smiled even wider, if such thing were possible, and ran to her. She knelt down, preparing to launch into what had been their standard greeting since her foalhood, but the sight of the tiny bundle wrapped around Cadance's neck robbed her of all conscious thought. "Is... is that..."

"Mm-hmm." She motioned to Twilight, who slowly approached with wide eyes and a hanging jaw. The faintest blue haze gripped the edge of the blanket as Cadance gently peeled it back to reveal the precious cargo. "Twilight Sparkle, meet your new niece, Twilight Glimmer."

Swaddled in cloth, a tiny unicorn foal looked up with the wide-eyed awe that only a newborn could have, sucking gently on her tiny pale-blue hoof. Twilight felt her heart melt at the sight of the filly's slightly pudgy face framed by an aquamarine mane streaked with white, apparently a gift from her father.

"Oh, she's so beautiful!" She gingerly poked the foals belly with her hoof, earning a gurgling cry of happiness. "How much did Mom bribe you to keep that tradition alive?" she said without ever taking her eyes from the precious sight before her.

Shining balked. "Absolutely nothing!" His indignant face turned quite sheepish under Twilight's deadpan glare. "Heh... first dibs at the dessert table the next five Hearths Warmings."

"You sold out cheap," Twilight said before turning back to her niece. "Daddy sold out cheap, yes he did!" she cooed as she tickled the filly’s tummy, earning a blubbering giggle.

"Hey, now," Shining said as he eased next to her. "Number one, the first mare in every generation of our family for the past seven has been named 'Twilight Something.' " He looked down at Glimmer, his face bathed in warmth that could only come from a father. "Number two, Dad's zap apple pie."

Twilight chuckled, giving the filly one last nuzzle before stepping back. "Okay, fair enough." She looked to Cadance. "I'm sorry I couldn't come for the birth."

Cadance waved her hoof dismissively. "Oh, it's fine. You were busy, Professor Sparkle," she said with a sly grin.

"Don't remind me," she groaned as the group moved back into the train station, heading for the front door.

"Oh, come on, Twiley! You can't still be nervous. Celestia already said she's only going to start you off with half the students you'd normally have."

"I know, I know!" She flicked her tail as they stepped out into the crowded courtyard. Dozens of ponies mulled about the cobblestone ground, some carrying luggage, others being followed by well-dressed servants carrying luggage. As they walked, passers by still stared with muted awe at the royal family. "Still, it's... a bit nerve wracking, okay?"

Shining nodded. "We'll just remember, you have lots of family here ready to help." They stopped next to a large fountain, a large statue of some famous pony spouting water into an expansive pool that came to about mid-leg. Shining looked at Twilight's slim saddlebags. "Say, don't you have anymore bags?"

"No, the moving ponies teleported most of our belongings here over the past few days. Spike is bringing the last few things we own."

"Speaking of which," Shining said, scanning the skies for a sign of the drake, "where is old scaly butt?"

Twilight gasped, prodding him with her elbow. "Shiny!"

"Ow! Oh, calm down. It's a guy thing."

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Spike took off shortly before the train left. He should be here anytime now."

“I still don't think it was a good idea for him to fly all the way here by himself, Twiley," Shining said with a slight frown. "I mean, it's only been five months, and Ambassador Sharptooth said he needed to give his bones time to heal after...” He trailed off, casting a worried gaze to Twilight.

Twilight closed her eyes for a moment, fighting off a wave of shudders as horrible memories of Spike howling in pain, of dark and forbidden magic tearing his flesh and bone to age him by one-hundred years in mere seconds, flashed through her mind. Months later, she could still hear the terrible sounds of his body breaking and reforming, like groaning metal and grinding rock; still smell the sharp, coppery scent of his blood as it stained the ground. And she could still see the glowing eyes of the cackling lunatic who caused it all.

She shook her head, looking back at Shining. “Well, you know how stubborn he can be. Rainbow Dash's lessons have really helped him out. Plus, he said he would stop and rest at least once, so he should be okay."

Dusk Shine shot into the air. "Unca Spike comin'?!"

"He sure is, Dusky. I know he ca—"

A bloodcurdling scream made all three ponies jolt. Dusk’s wings locked up, but a blue aura caught him before he could even cry out. Turning to their left, they saw an old unicorn mare standing beside a pile of dropped luggage, gazing upwards in horror as a large shadow fell upon the crowded street.

"D-D-Dragon!"

At her prompt, the street exploded in a cacophony of screams and cries. Ponies young and old whipped their heads skyward, only to turn and run at the sight of a large purple dragon descending in a slow, lazy circle.

"Run for your lives!"

"We're doomed! Doomed, I tells ya!"

"The Draken are coming! The Draken are coming!"

In less than a minute, the once bustling courtyard was a ghost town. Forgotten luggage and discarded clothing littered the ground, abandoned by ponies fleeing from the scaled abomination falling from the sky. Only three ponies remained as the giant green and purple drake neared the ground and backwinged hard to slow his descent, sending discarded bags and a great cloud of dust flying.

With a very undignified yelp, Spike didn't so much land as fall from the sky with the barest hints of grace, sending deep tremors through the ground that nearly knocked Twilight and Cadance off their hooves. Towering over the fountain statue, his expansive wings took up most of the courtyard, the sunlight filtering through the thin membrane a purple tint with a web of veins casting shadows on the cobblestone.

"One of these days I'm gonna get the landing right," he groaned, his deep basso voice reverberating off the surrounding structures. He reached up and untied a rope attached to his shoulder. Catching the rope, he gently laid the bundle of bags to the ground, then flopped down to all fours with a resounding thud.

"Spike! Watch your claws!"

He looked down, and instantly felt heat rise to his face. His long talon-like claws had cut deep gouges in the cobblestone courtyard. "Aw, crap. Sorry!"

"Don't apologize to us, save it for the repair colts!"

"Nice to see you, too, Shiny." He stuck out his tongue, the appendage easily three hooves long, then turned to the alicorn next to him. "Cadance! It's been too long." He smiled, fully exposing the razor-sharp fangs that filled his maw.

Cadance offered a shaky smile, gazing up at the dragon she had often sat for, now easily three times taller than her on all fours. "H-hey, Spikey. You've, uh... grown, heh."

"Gee, I hadn't noticed." His eyes widened when he looked lower. "Oh, that the new baby?!"

Spike reached in with a foreleg-sized claw. As soon as he moved, Cadance instinctively jerked her body away, raising a hoof to cover her foal. Spike yanked his claw back as if he'd been burned, looking down at the alicorn with narrowed eyes, his lips pursed with a question he didn't want to ask.

Shining, ever the perceptive one, all but leaped in between them. "Uh, hey, Spike! Look who's here to meet you!" He stepped to the side, revealing the trembling Dusk Shine. The poor colt's eyes were wide as dinner plates, and his wings were locked to his sides, pinion feathers twitching.

Spike held his eyes on Cadance for a brief moment, then looked down to the colt, his slight scowl melting into a toothy grin. "Hey there, flycolt!" He leaned down, bringing the colt eye-level with fangs that were bigger than him. "You a Wonderb—"

Dusk let out a high-pitched shriek and dove back behind his father's legs. "Scary dagon! Go'way!"

Spike quickly withdrew his claw, his eyebrow ridges raised. "Oh, hey, Dusk, no. It's me, it's Uncle Spike." He took several steps to the side, which had the unfortunate effect of sending tremors strong enough to knock the poor foal of his shaking hooves.

He scrambled backwards, scampering to Shining's hooves. "Daddy, help! Scary dagon gon' eat me!"

"Dusk Shine!" Shining's horn flared, a pinkish hue enveloping the terrified colt and dragging him to his father's face. "You stop that this instant!"

"Don't—don't worry about it, Shining. It's... it's okay." Spike shrank back, his eyes roaming everywhere except forward.

"No, it's not okay. Dusker, what's gotten into you?" He plucked the colt from the air and hugged him close. Dusk latched onto him with a death grip, burying his face into the safety of his fathers coat, staining it with hot tears.

Spike continued to backpedal. "No, seriously, Shining, it's—" He stumbled as his left hind claw stepped on the rim of the fountain. The solid marble cracked like eggshell under his mammoth weight. A torrent of water gushed through the new hole, quickly soaking the group's hooves.

Spike instantly picked his claw up. "Oh, jeez! I'm sorry, I—"

"Now!"

The telltale tickle of magic hit Spike's hind leg an instant before a massive tug sent him to the ground in a heap of scales and smoke. He barely had time to let out an "Oof" before the tickle reappeared, this time on his back. He whirled his head around to see a glowing golden rope wrap itself around his midsection at frightening speeds. He surged his muscles, but the instant the rope went taut, trapping his wings to his back, all strength was sucked from his muscles and his mind decided to take a holiday. He lay back down on the ground, a goofy smile beneath empty eyes. "Guh..."

Twilight and Shining rushed to his side, but they both bounced off a translucent wall of magic. Before Twilight had even hit the ground, the glimmering red dome contracted driving her and Shining back towards Cadance and the foals. Twilight pressed against the shield. "Spike!"

The massive dragon's slitted, serpentine eyes were currently crossed. "Gubba-wubba-huh-huh-huh..."

A burly white earth pony guard stepped between them and the now apathetic Spike. In a deep, booming voice that befit his massive frame, he barked orders to the dozen or so Royal Guards that seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Quickly, get those restraints around its arms and legs! Don't get in front of its mouth, it may still be able to breathe fire."

"What are you doing? You let him go this instant!"

"Not now, miss. Yes, that's it, secure the beast's tail. Someone escort the Royal Family out of here!"

"Sir, please this is all a misunder—"

"Please, your highness, let me do my job. This is a ferocious beast and it must be properly subdued, lest it raze the whole of Canterlot!"

"Buh-huh... Bunnies 'r f-f-f-flllluffy. Huh-huh..."

"Stand clear of its jaws, colts, or—"

"Enough!"

Two voices, one mare and one stallion, echoed across the courtyard as two beams of magic, one lavender and one pink, broke through magic shield shield like it was tissue paper. Seconds later, every royal guard in the area found themselves dangling precariously nearly ten meters off the ground. The earth ponies and unicorns of the group all whimpered pitifully; two earth ponies grabbed onto each other for dear life. A nearby pegasus snorted. "Ground-pounders..."

The large earth pony who had been barking orders floundered upside down, his legs kicking furiously at nothing. "W-What in blazes—" Whatever lament or curse he was trying to utter turned into a surprisingly feminine yelp as he was yanked downward so fast he swore his tongue ended up in his stomach. When he finally clear his head and opened his eyes, his throat defied gravity and he gulped hard at what he saw: the near-legendary Sparkle siblings, one with glowing white eyes, one with pink magic crackling and sparking from his horn, both upside down, and both very pissed off.

For a few moments, the only sound in the still courtyard was young Glimmer’s bawling cries the the thrum of magic. Twilight made to speak, but in a voice that rivaled the so-called "Royal Canterlot Voice," Shining voiced his displeasure with the dignity and grace of a career soldier.

"What in the name of Celestia's flaming teats do you think you're doing?!"

The hanging pony tried to answer, but his brain had decided a better option was to whimper pathetically.

"What's your name, soldier?"

"Maj—" he cleared his throat— "Major S-S-Simmer, s-s-sir."

"Tell me something, Major." Shining's tone was pleasant, even conversational. One might think he was having a chat with a friend were it not for his eyes attempting to burn a hole through the dangling pony's head. "When you reported to work this morning, did you happen to receive the morning brief?"

"Uh, w-well, I—"

"Because I could have sworn that there was an entry in there about a large purple dragon who would be landing at Canterlot train station around 1430 hours." Shining was slowly pacing around the poor guard, looking not unlike a shark. "And that this dragon was to be allowed to land unmolested."

Simmer tried to follow the General, but the purple haze that kept him airborne also kept his head locked on Twilight, whose eyes had yet to regain any pigment. He swore he could feel his coat heat under her glare. "Yes, but—"

“I know it was in there, because I put it in there myself.”

“Sir, unde—”

“So, Major,” he reaching his hoof up and spun the airborne pony around by his leg, bringing them eye to eye, “that being the case, would you mind explaining why said purple dragon is currently tied down in the middle of the courtyard, rendered retarded by arcanium fiber?!”

Said purple dragon was also currently examining his claws. "Aye-yi-yi-I-I have two fingers. Hur-Hur."

To his credit, Major Simmer held the General's gaze, though he was happier that he held his bladder. He gulped once more before finding his tongue. "S-Sir, und—under the treaty signed by Her Majesty Princess Celestia and She of the Wyrmstadt in Solar Year 137, no Wyrmstadt citizen may cross Canterlot without esc—"

Cadance spoke up. "Spike is a free citizen of Equestria!"

"What?!" Simmer wiggled his body like a snake, slowly turning to face her. "That... that beast is a f—"

"That 'beast' is my little brother!" Twilight's voice rattled the cobblestone ground, and earned a fresh wave of whimpers from the airborne guards.

Simmer very suddenly found himself splayed on his belly, the faint sound of ringing bells echoing in his head. Just as his eyes finished spinning, Shining leaned down to his ear. "And she is my little sister. You know her, right? Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia?" As he spoke tiny tendrils of magical energy crackled and hissed between the strands of Twilight's hair, her eyes still blazing white. Large wisps of steam rose as the water around her hooves from the destroyed fountain boiled away, the cobblestone beneath cracking under the extreme heat.

Simmer's pupils were so tiny they resembled Twilight's, his chattering teeth drowned out by his rattling armor. Shining's voice was but a whisper. "One of the most powerful unicorns in recorded history, who mopped the floor with not one, but two deranged demigods?"

Shining took the guard's choked squeak as a "yes."

"So, I highly advise you chose your next words carefully." Slowly, Simmer was brought to his hooves, just as Shining stepped back and leveled an even gaze at him. "Personally, I'd suggest, 'Release the dragon at once.' "

Luckily for Simmer, the newly released guards translated his blubbering cries to, "Release the dragon at once."

"Guh-flubba-wubba-eeeeeeyow!" The instant the glowing rope was removed, every muscle in Spike's body lurched. He jumped up, back arched like a cat and his spines rigidly straight. He landed roughly, sending a large tremor through the ground. The pegasi guards all yelped an instantly took to hovering a few hooves above the ground. A nearby earth pony snorted. "Sky jockeys..."

Shining turned his back to the whimpering officer. "Thank you, lieutenant. You can go now."

"I—I'm not a lieutenant, sir."

Every enlisted soldier winced, some sucking air through their teeth, as the Major poked the metaphorical bear.

Slowly, glacially, Shining turned to face him. He leaned in, his eyes harder than dragon scales. "Major, if you and your squad don't un-ass this A-O in the next five seconds, you will be."

Simmer offered a salute, his hoof hitting his helmet so hard his eyes momentarily crossed. "Very good. Have a nice day, General—" he turned to Cadance, giving a deep bow— "your highness—" he looked to Twilight, but all that came out was a breathy squeak, so he spun on his hooves and ran. "Fall back," he yelled over his shoulders to his squad. The guards looked at each other, shrugged, then ran after him.

Across the courtyard, Spike shook his head vigorously, knock the last cobwebs out of place. "Ugh, what the hay was that?! I felt like I lost my mind for a second."

"Arcanum fiber," Shining said as he watched the fleeing soldiers shrink in the distance. "Made from an extremely rare mineral, one of the few things known that can suppress draconic magic.” Turning, he made his way to Cadance and the foals. "I'm actually a bit impressed they got it here so quickly."

"Wait, you're saying the guard keeps this stuff just in case of dragons?" Twilight glared at Shining, but never left Spike's side.

Shining knelt down to his son, briefly shooting Twilight a hard gaze. "News flash, Twiley: most dragons aren't as polite as Spike." He stood back up, nuzzling Cadance. "You two okay?" he said, looking down at the still-blubbering Glimmer.

"We're fine. It was just too loud for her." She gently rocked the bundled foal, slowly easing her tears.

Across from them, Twilight gently ran a tender hoof over Spike's arm. "Are you okay?"

Spike just stared in the direction the soldiers had run. A hollow look filled his eyes. "They—They didn't even..." His eyes fell to his claws—to the wickedly curved talons, all but gleaming in the afternoon sun—the near pony-sized fists that could crush steel. "They just—"

Twilight stepped in front of him, throwing both her forelegs as far around his massive head as she could, nuzzling into him. The smoke from his nostrils made her eyes water and his blistering breath caused a sheen of sweat to form, but she held firm. "I'm sorry, Spike. I know this has been a big adju—"

Her words of comfort became a yelp as she found herself suddenly without support. Spike had reared back up, rotating to retrieve the fallen luggage. He grasped the rope in his claw, roughly slinging the bundle over his shoulder, then fell back to all fours, sending a tremor through the ground and earning another whimper from Dusk. "Let's just go."

As he lumbered past them, Twilight and Shining both shuffled up to him. "Spike," Twilight said on his left, "if you'd ju—"

"It's fine, Twi."

On his right, "Look, Spiker, I thi—"

"Guys!"

Both ponies jerked to a halt. Spike sighed deeply, turning to face them. "Seriously, it's okay. Those ponies are dumb, I get it. It's fine, really."

"Spike..."

"Twi!" He gave her a grin, though it didn’t quite make it to both sides of his face. "It's okay."

She held his gaze for several seconds, her brow creased with concern, before nodding. "Okay, Spike. Lets head to the castle."

He nodded. "Good." He readjusted the bundle on his shoulder then moved out. Twilight and Shining shared a brief glance, then followed.

Behind them, Cadance stood with the now-sleeping Glimmer across her chest and the trembling Dusk beneath her. She watched the massive dragon brazenly step on discarded luggage, heading down the road towards the distant castle. She chewed her lip pensively, her forehead crinkled.

Dusk finally poked his head from underneath her. "Scary dagon gone, Mama?"

Cadance blinked, then smiled warmly down to him. "Yes, sweetie." She picked him up with her magic, placing him in her back. Dusk curled up between her wings as she slowly walked towards the castle.

After a few minutes, Dusk spoke. "Mama, when Unca Spike comin'?"

She craned her head back to nuzzle him. "He'll... He’ll be along soon."

A quiet gasp. "Scary dagon didn' eat him, did he?"

Cadance sighed, turning back to the road ahead. "I hope not."

A Clear Choice- Part Two

Finding Your Place

Jake The Army Guy

Chapter Four: A Clear Choice- Part Two

In a scenic stretch of woods somewhere in Equestria, the peaceful tranquility that defined the country was on full display. The only sounds to be heard were those indicative of harmony: the rustle of the wind between broad leaves, the quiet snuffling of foraging creatures, the bright chirping of spring birds serenading prospective mates. The violent retching of an earth pony guard recovering from his first long-range teleport.

Spike shook his head, clearing the last remnants of magic-induced cobwebs, then looked down at the heaving Jeckel. "Uh, you okay, dude?"

In a lull between the spasms, the poor guard looked up at him, a thin trail of snot and bile hanging from his lips and nose. "Oh... Oh, dear Celestia..."

"Yes?"

Jeckel apparently only remembered the company he was in at that moment, evident by the horrified pall on his face. He looked up at her for a few moments, lower lip trembling, before his cheeks bulged again. He turned, checked his target area, nodded a quick confirmation to himself, the vomited again.

Celestia smiled to Spike. "Well, it seems our escort is currently... occupied, Spike."

"I want my mommy," came a shaky voice below her, followed quickly by another set of heaves.

"Corporal Heckel, would you mind remaining here and tending to your brother?"

"Yes, ma'am," he grunted, roughly patting Jeckel on the back several times. "Bring it up, ya big baby."

Celestia nodded. "Very good. Spike? Walk with me." Without waiting for a response, she turned and began trotting away through the woods.

Spike shrugged, then turned to his escorts. "You two gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine."

"I can taste my spleen..."

"Gotcha." Spike left the two and followed after Celestia.

The woods around him was budding with life. The remnants of winter and autumn still littered the ground, though the forest was quickly breaking down the sea of brown leaves and needles into fertile soil. Tiny green sprouts covered every tree, wisps of dead vines still trying to choke the returning life.

As he danced through the maze of trees, nimbly maneuvering his muscular body between the larger ones while crushing the weaker saplings beneath him, an odd feeling crept into his mind: a kind of warmth, like the first drink of hot chocolate after a day of playing in the snow, slowly working from his belly out to his extremities. His pace quickened, partly out of wanting to catch up to Celestia, but mostly due to the giddy energy winding up his nerves. "So, what are we doing out here, princess?"

"Making up for lost time," she called over her shoulder. He was moving quickly, but the dense wood kept him from reaching the more nimble pony. Spike made to speak, but Celestia continued, never slowing her march forward. "Tell me, Spike, what do you know of dragons?"

The question gave him pause, but he quickly recovered, still trying to worm through the trees. "We're devilishly charming?"

Her lack of response said volumes.

He snorted and continued. "They're cold, greedy monsters who don't care about anything and only feel anger."

Celestia's steps faltered for an instant before she recovered. "You truly believe that of your own kind?"

"Based on what I've seen, yeah."

"Oh, and what have you seen, pray tell?" Her pace quickened. "A group of impudent teenagers just as ignorant of their culture as you, and one you met not minutes after gorging yourself on his hoard." She stopped, looking over her shoulder at him. "Hardly basis for an objective view, yes?"

"I, uh... I guess."

"It's not surprising that one dragon tried to kill you. Dragons are never more fierce and powerful then when their hoards are threatened." She turned back to the front, again moving forward. “Remember that, young dragon.”

"And that's why they suck so bad. Who would care so much about jewels? I mean, I like gemstones as much as the next guy, but–"

"You see, Spike, a hoard need not be trinket or treasure. A dragon's hoard is that which he holds dearest to his soul. That which he covets above all else, even his own well being. It is that which he would fight for, die for." Her voice fell. "That which he would kill for."

Spike tensed. "Kill? I could never kill anything."

"And that is what makes you so special, child."

When Celestia continued walking, Spike followed. "Okay, so then what? What are they really like?" Though the mood was still somewhat sour, his tone was light, eager. That feeling from before had grown, a pleasant tingle to a consuming warmth. And is it me, or do these woods look real familiar...

"The truth, child, is that dragons are wise and noble, creatures of unparalleled passion. Some of the world's most talented artisans have been wyrms. The pearl and onyx thrones my sister and I sit upon were carved by He of The Badlands, an ancient friend whom I still converse with."

Spike grunted, pushing a tree out of his way with a loud crack. "If he's such a good friend, why don't you use his name?"

"I don't know it."

Spike blinked. "What?"

Her steps never even faltered. "In Draconic culture, a name is considered a dragon's first possession, and is hardly ever shared. Most commonly, a dragon is referred to by their territory."

“Hmm, makes sense, I guess.”

Celestia continued her purposeful march. “You were right about one part of your assessment of them, however.”

“And that was?”

“They’re antisocial nature. Dragons have no true friends. The ones that I know, though I consider them friends, would list me as no more than an acquaintance of opportunity. They associate with me because of what I can give them, not because they actually care for me. Once they believe I have ‘outlived my usefulness,’ they cut all contact.”

"Wait, what about Ambassador Sharptooth?"

Celestia chuckled quietly. "Sharpie is a... unique case. Much like yourself."

"Oh, well I guess—" Finally, he could take it no more; Spike stopped, standing beneath a large tree. "Okay, what are you doing to me?"

Celestia stopped as well. "What do you mean?" Her back was to Spike, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

"I mean, for some reason I feel... happy! Like I just left one of Pinkie's parties! Like... like..."

"Like your itch has finally been scratched?"

Spike's eyes went wide, his grin faltering. "Where are we?" he asked quickly.

Celestia gave her usual sly smile. "The western edge of the Everfree."

"So, that means that—" Whatever he was going to say next morphed into a gleeful cry as he turned and ran off, bowling over saplings and shrubberies.

Leaves and twigs flew into the air as Spike bounded towards the tree line. Now, he could see it: the familiar trees, the terrain, the distant yet discernible scent of apples and earth. Spike all but exploded out of the woods, nearly all his teeth showing his grin. A massive open field sprawled before him, short blades of grass just regaining their emerald sheen, ending in a sheer drop off. A craggy cliff face stood to his right, maybe three times his height.

Spike ran full tilt towards the edge, earthshaking footsteps marring the ground. The whole world had faded away, his vision narrowed and focused. It was an odd feeling, one that he hadn't felt before, like the most indulgent sugar rush. Right now, all that mattered was the voice in his head, no longer a whisper, but a loud scream, urging him forward. He skidded to a halt, gazing over the edge with wide eyes and a beaming smile. "Ponyville!"

Off in the distance, far enough away that he couldn't make out individual ponies but close enough for him to pick out their homes, Ponyville stood proud, gleaming like an ancient treasure in the midday sun. Spike could swear that he saw glinting flare coming from the buildings, that even the dull bricks of city hall beamed and glinted.

So enraptured by the view of his home, he forgot about Celestia behind him until she spoke. "This is the longest you've been away from Ponyville since you and Twilight moved there, yes?" Her voice was faint and distant, the entirety of his being engrossed by what sat before him.

"Uh, yeah, uh-huh." He never even looked away.

"Unlike Canterlot, where you spent all your time with Twilight and nopony else, you were out, around the ponies."

"Uh-huh."

"You did what few dragons have ever done: made true friends. Not acquaintances of convenience, but actual, meaningful connections." She slowly made her way to his side. "You care for them, not because of something you may get back, but because they matter to you."

Spike just nodded absently.

"Instead of baubles or coin, you simply desired to spend time with them. You probably know the town better than those who have lived there all their lives."

"Yeah."

"Tell me about it."

Spike shook his head, finally tearing his eyes away to look at her. "Huh?"

She smiled at him. "Tell me about Ponyville."

"Oh, where do I even start!?" There were crocodiles that would be jealous of the amount of pearly whites visible in his mouth.

"Well," he said, turning back to face the town, "Mister Davenport recently expanded his store again. Quills, Sofas, Parchment, & Ink is now the biggest business solely operating in Ponyville, now that Rarity expanded the boutique to Manehatten and Canterlot. And speaking of Rarity, she and Hoity Toity just debuted their first official collaborative fashion line in Canterlot. She said early orders alone have more than paid for the price of opening a shop there."

"Oh?"

"Yeah! She's almost reached the top of the fashion game, but she refuses to move from Ponyville. Heh, said she wanted to show the elites that 'fashion knows no zip code.' "

"Oh, my," Celestia said through a grin. "It sounds like your town is prospering quite nicely."

Spike nodded. "Oh! You reminded me, Mayor Mare finally lost reelection. Her approval rating had been dropping for years, and the recent accusations of corruption probably sealed the deal."

With each word he spoke, every memory he recalled about the town, the electric tingle in his limbs grew stronger, his words coming faster. Yet for some reason, though his mouth raced, a strange sense of calm flooded his veins; a serenity that he had not felt in months.

Celestia grinned at his enthusiasm. "And what of the ponies? How are they?"

"Well, with Apple Bloom busy with her apprenticeship, Big Mac asked his cousin Braeburn to come and help tend the farm, at least until Rainbow Dash foals this summer." Spike leaned in conspiratorially. "Now, you didn't hear this from me, but apparently Braeburn has been spending a lot of his free time with a certain pink party pony. Swapping recipes, if you know what I mean," he said with a waggle of his eyebrow ridges.

She giggled. "I won't tell a soul."

"Good. AJ said she doesn't want anymore of her friends marrying into her family."

"And the rest of your ponies?"

Spike smiled again, though this one seemed more beaming with pride than affection, eyes still locked on the town below. "Fluttershy is just a few credit hours away from finally earning her degree in veterinary medicine. That way she can be an actual licensed animal caretaker. She even has a little apprentice now! Apparently, Pound Cake loves animals almost as much as she does. Little guy got his cutie mark not a week before we left! Butterflies, just like Shy! Tell me that ain't fate!"

"Spike..."

"But the pride of the Cake house is Pumpkin. She'll be applying to your school in the summer. Oh, I'm supposed to put in a good word for her. I don't think she needs it, though. She was self-levitating when she was a month old!"

"Spike..."

"And you are never gonna believe this one! Snails, the dopey, lanky colt that was bullied and Silver Spoon, the snooty filly that picked on him? Married last summer! Bought a home out near Froggy Bottom Bog, and now he tends the animals and she gives etiquette lessons to the local fo—"

"Spike!"

He shook his head, just now noticing that Celestia had moved behind him. "Huh?"

She smiled. "Look at your arm."

"My arm? What do—" Spike looked down, and lost his speech. Spike had spent most of his life in the company of a scientist, so the first thing that popped into his head was a Haycob's Ladder. At regular intervals, a thin ring of blue electricity flowed from his shoulder down to his fingers. Slowly, as if he was afraid the movement would snuff out whatever miracle was happening, he brought his hand in front of his face. As the arcs reached his fingertips, they danced in between them like a spiderweb before flowing out of the tips and releasing a few sparks, before the process repeated.

He stared, slack-jawed. "Wh—what's go—"

The ground beneath their feet rumbled from the overwhelming force of the roar behind them. Celestia and Spike spun; off in the distance, tree tops shook and swayed from something very big pushing its way through the sense foliage. Deep, rumbling footsteps shook the earth, inky smoke swirled angrily from the trees.

Spike and Celestia shared a look, then turned just in time to see several trees get ripped from the ground, casually batted aside by the impossibly large dragon that stalked towards them with thunderous footfalls. A miasma of choking smoke belched from his nostrils, almost concealing the murderous rage in its eyes.

Celestia quickly jumped in front of Spike, her wings flared. "Stay behind me, child." Her tone was cold and even.

Spike couldn't bring himself to argue. His legs had turned to lead weight as his wide eyes recognized the dragon that came to a halt not ten meters from them. Massive claws clenched at the earth, teeth the size of a full-grown pony bared, as the green dragon that had almost killed him as a whelp glared at him.

No one moved for what seemed like an eternity. Celestia's horn glowed softly, leveling a calm gaze at the dragon. However, the dragon wasn't looking at her; it seemed to be looking through her directly at Spike. The seething hatred in his eyes bit at some dormant nerve in Spike, a long-forgotten instinct now awake and screaming at him that he had performed some grave insult towards the towering wyrm. He gulped.

Celestia demurely cleared her throat, taking the tiniest of steps forward. "Greetings, noble dra—"

Later on, Spike would be amazed at how fast the hulking dragon was. At the moment, he could only feel the sharp gust of wind as the dragon backhanded Celestia, swatting her away as one would a fly. Before Spike had even registered that she was gone, she slammed into the large cliff face to the right, burrowing deep inside, leaving only a dusty hole.

"Celestia!” Spike lunged towards the wall, but a massive claw slammed down in front of him. Terrified eyes slowly turned back to the seething dragon. Bale fire licked from his maw, and Spike was sweating from the proximity.

The dragon leered at Spike. "I remember you." The guttural growl reverberated in Spike's head, almost a pressure wave instead of actual sound.

"Hey, brimstone breath!"

The giant green dragon whirled his head around, a trail of thick smoke in its wake. Behind them, near the demolished tree line, stood a lanky earth pony in Royal Guard armor that seemed a size too big for him. Jeckel glared at the imposing creature with hard eyes, a look somewhat offset by his ever present grin. "Why don't you pick on somepony your own size, you... um, you... you overgrown iguana!" For emphasis, he pawed at the ground, digging a small trench.

A low, rumbling snarl came from the dragon. He turned back to appraise Spike, snorting as he did so. An effortless flick of his wrist sent Spike flying into the cliff, leaving a sizable crater in the rock. The dragon roared in fury and turned to the earth pony Guard.

The dust hasn't even begun to settle before Spike sat up, groaning and rubbing his head. He looked up and his heart skipped. The massive dragon had reared up onto his rear legs, head thrown back, loosing a plume of fire into the air so hot that Spike could barely see through the blistering heat. To his horror, Jeckel had not budged from his spot. His left forehoof pawed at the ground again, though this time he left behind a noticeably large trench. "Jeckel, run!"

Jeckel didn't even flinch. He just stamped his hoof down again, this time leaving a crater in the hard earth, several cracks spiderwebed out from the epicenter. He lowered his head and closed his eyes as the dragon finished its battle cry and balled up its fist, raising it high in the air. Cold ice filled Spike's veins as the massive dragon swung on the skinny pony. Spike squinted and turned away, not wanting to see his friend pulverized

Even though he looked away, Spike could hear the incredible impact of the enormous fist. What surprised him, though, was the sound that accompanied it: not the wet squishing sound he had expected, but a low, yet impossibly loud crack, like a tree splitting in half, followed by a deep, rumbling howl of pain that shook Spike's bones. Looking back, Spike had to physically shake his head, just to be sure of what he saw.

The dragon was recoiling in pain, grasping his claw. Even from the distance, Spike could see several jagged bones jutting out from his cradled fist. But what really made Spike doubt reality was the sight at the dragon's feet: Jeckel, standing tall and unharmed, at the epicenter of a massive impact zone, large fissures and cracks spidering out from beneath him.

As the dragon cradled his broken claw, Jeckel reared up on his hind legs, braying loudly, before slamming them down with thunderous force. His hooves dug several inches into the hard ground, and he charged forward. Spike could feel every hoof fall, see the massive craters left as the skinny earth pony raced towards the looming giant; and if he squinted, he could have sworn that Jeckel's icy blue eyes were glowing ever so slightly.

The dragon looked down just in time to see Jeckel lower his head and ram into his massive leg. A deafening crack, and the dragon was sent tumbling, the diminutive earth pony impacting him with the force of a being a hundred times his size and weight. With another loud roar, the dragon tumbled over the cliff, landing below with an earth-shaking boom.

Jeckel cricked his neck to the side, looking down over the edge. “Humph, serves you right, ya big meany.” He blew a raspberry, then turned around, his dopey grin once again on his face.

Spike finally shook the stupid from his head. “What in the hay was that?!”

Jeckel shrugged. “Earth pony ma—glk!!”

From behind him, a massive green fist clenched his body, along with a sizable chunk of earth. The hulking form of the dragon leapt back onto the plateau, massive wings propelling him at mind-bending speeds. Once back on the ground, he brought the helpless guardspony up to his face, glaring at him. He then turned his attention to his other hand, jagged bone still jutting through the skin, as a green glow surrounded the damaged claw. A few sickening cracks along with a disturbing sound, like wet meat slapping and grinding together, and the bones forced their way back into place, the flesh and scales sealing up before their eyes.

Wound repaired, he turned his attention back to Jeckel. “Filthy equine...” Jeckel’s eyes bulged out as the drake slowly applied more pressure, grinning all the while.

Down on the ground, Spike spun around and began to dig through the rubble. As much as he wanted to help his friend, he knew he stood no chance against the great beast. The thing had casually batted aside both him and a living goddess; his pitiful excuse for a flame wouldn’t so much as char the hulking drake’s scales.

Another guttural cry made him stop and spin around. Once more, Spike found his jaw agape. What he could only describe as a lasso made of blue lightning wrapped around the dragon’s wrist, sending untold amounts of energy into its muscles. In a fit of spasms, he dropped the gasping Jeckel. The guard’s body fell like a rag doll, only to be caught by a blue aura and eased down to the ground.

Heckel dissipated the lasso and stepped towards the dragon, horn and eyes blazing as his brother lay unconscious, “Nopony beats up on my brother but me!” His horn sparked, and a barrage of tiny bolts of energy flew towards the dragon with lethal velocity.

Roaring in frustration, the dragon shielded his face with his claw, the countless bolts showering his scales with sparks and leaving them charred and smoking. He leaned into the barrage and raised his foot, bringing it down right on the unicorns head.

The foot caught nothing but dirt. Moving so fast that Spike swore he teleported, Hekel dashed away from the giant claw, coming to a halt on the other side of the enraged dragon. He whipped his head around in a circle, loosing the electric lasso once more, aiming it towards the drake's foot.

By the time the dragon realized he did not have to scrape unicorn off his foot, the lasso had wrapped around his other foot. Heckel gave a hard jerk of his neck. The dragon let out a surprisingly high-pitched yelp as he was dragged to the ground.

Heckel did away with the lasso and dashed back to his brother’s side, looking down at Jeckel with his usual scowl. "How many times do I have to tell you? Wait until you know your opponent is down before you talk sh—"

"Look out!"

At Spike's warning, Heckel instinctively raised a shield around himself and his brother, only moments before a wall of flame consumed them. The dragon was back on all fours, roaring loudly. Heckel grunted under the strain, the impossibly high temperatures of the dragon's flame pushing him to his limits. The instant the inferno died, Heckel fell limp to the ground, the shield evaporating.

"Insufferable pests!" The dragon snarled, staring down at the two guards.

Behind him, Spike was still frantically digging through the rubble, effortlessly tossing away boulders while choking on the thick blanket of dust permeating the air. A thin coat of mud formed on his scales, the cloud of dirt mixing with his sweat as shaking claws searched the debris. "Celestia?! Come on, come on." He threw another large boulder out of the way. "Celestia!"

Celestia, now free from the crushing weight, gasped and coughed. Spike reached down and helped her to her hooves. "Nrgh, this... this wasn't supposed t—" A shadow passed over them. "Spike!"

With a golden glare of her horn, Spike was violently flung across the field. Before he even landed on the soft grass, a harrowing scream pierced the air. He struggled to find his breath, struggled to his feet and looked. "No!"

The mighty dragon stood before Celestia, an angry yellow fire in his eyes. A dark green and black cloud had engulfed Celestia, lifting the solar goddess off the ground and suspending her in the air. Inky black tendrils wrapped her body, pulling on her ethereal mane and plunging into her eye sockets. Her shrill cries echoed across the field, reflecting some all-encompassing pain, and all the while, the dragon watched with a dangerous smile playing across his scaly lips.

"Maybe this will teach you to br—ugh!"

A purple and green cannonball slammed into his side. Both dragons tumbled to the side, already exchanging blows. Celestia fell limply to the ground, thin wisps of black smoke rolling off her body. Her ethereal mane was gone, replaced by pink strands of dirty hair. She struggled to get up, but fell flat in her belly, groaning.

The two dragons rolled across the open field in a deadly embrace, snarling and exchanging blows. The air rang with the crunching of iron-hard scales clashing over and over. The larger dragon surged his muscles, timing just right to effortlessly toss Spike off of him. In an impressive show of draconic agility, Spike flipped mid-air, using his wings to land on all fours, then dropped his shoulders, flexed his wings, and shifted his weight forward, just like Shining taught him. "Don't touch her!"

The other dragon flipped over as well, his long tail curling around to his side, burning eyes glaring cold hatred at Spike. "You dare to invade my territory and give me orders?"

"I didn't invade anything! We were just talking!" he said, slamming his tail in the ground.

The other dragon roared and swiped his massive claw at Spike. He dodged, but only just; he felt the razor-sharp claw cutting the wind behind him. Spike leapt back to his feet, eyes locked on the dragon as they slowly circled around the open field.

"Ignorant hatchling!" The large dragon loosed an immense cloud of smoke. "Do you know nothing of your own traditions? Did you not learn your lesson all those years ago when you had to be saved by a pony?" His body jerked to the side, bringing his massive tail to bear.

Spike never even saw the blow coming. The sinewy tail slammed into his side with a loud thwak, sending him sprawling to the side. He grunted in pain each time his limp body bounced across the field, until he finally came to rest and jumped back to his feet, ignoring the cries of pain from his body. "I didn't know it was your territory. I don't even know your name!"

"And now you ask my name? How can you be so ignorant of your own culture?!"

Spike snorted, trying to stall the dragon. He knew he didn't stand a chance against the massive drake by himself. "Okay, no names? Fine, I'll call you Greeny, how's that?"

The dragon—now Greeny—roared and leapt at him, claws outstretched. Spike nimbly rolled to the right, but wasn't fast enough.

"Gah!" A long ribbon of crimson streaked across his left side from leg to leg. Spike fought the urge to clench at the wound, resuming his combat stance as Greeny rounded on him, snarling.

"Oh, I understand now." His eyes narrowed, tiny slits burrowing into Spike. "No wonder you couldn't feel the boundaries I laid around my territory. You don't just cavort with ponies. You live amongst the wretched creatures!"

"Don't talk about them like that!" Spike lunged at the dragon, claws and teeth bared.

"Ha!" Greeny easily saw the telegraphed attack and leapt to the side, simultaneously swinging a massive fist down on top of Spike, batting him out of the air and slamming him into the ground with crushing force.

"Guah!" Spike felt the air violently ripped from his lungs, his head bouncing off the ground. He fought to his elbows. "Nrgh, your mother..."

Greeny lumbered towards him, his every footstep shaking the ground beneath him. "Life surrounded by soft flesh has left you blind to even instinct. Those accursed equines ruined you. You were dead before you even left the shell!" His foot lashed out, sending Spike sailing through the air and impacting the cliff wall with a sickening crunch.

Spike slowly rolled onto his back, a thin river of green blood trickling from his mouth. He had to get up, had to fight back, had t—

A large green foot pressed down on him, sending shooting pains down his chest. Greeny now stood on his hind legs, sneering down at Spike. The smaller dragon gasped for air, his claws feebly trying to push the impossibly heavy weight off and bring in much-needed air.

"Pathetic. I'd be doing you a favor by killing you now. Better to die a dragon than live as a lost whelp."

"W-Why—nrgh—why are you d... doing this? I... I didn't—" Spike's words turned into a pained wheeze. Greeny twisted his claw, sneering cruelly at him.

"You're very existence is an affront to me! Living down in that pony village, so close to my territory and not even aware of my claim." He snorted flame and smoke into the air. "I let you be, you were but a whelp. But now, now you bring equines into my woods!"

Spike coughed. "B-but, Zecora—"

"My arraignment with the shaman is none of your concern, hatchling. All you need to know is that now you are a threat to my territory, and so I am going to kill you."

"I don't even w... w-want your—"

"Even worse!" he roared. "You, a dragon, and you don't even feel that pull, the drive to slaughter any and all threats to your hoard!" His eyes narrowed. "Do... do you even have a hoard?"

Spike merely groaned.

"Pathetic," he spat. "A dragon with nothing to protect. No wonder you're so weak. I hope you enjoyed your life amongst the equines, whelp, because now you die, and your pony bodyguards, as well."

"No!" Spike surged his muscles, lifting the immense claw just enough to bring his teeth to bear.

Greeny howled in pain, falling backward. As soon as he landed, he leapt on all fours, rounding to face Spike. "Ah, have some fight in after all, eh, hatchl—"

In the brief time it took Greeny to turn around, Spike was right in front of him. With a loud snarl, Spike delivered a vicious uppercut, earning a satisfying crack and a moan of pain as the dragon fell over, landing on his side.

Spike flapped his wings hard, landed on top of the dragon, and began to rain down savage blows. "You! Won't! Hurt! Them!" Each word accompanied a thunderous crack, Greeny's face scales denting and deforming.

Greeny answered with a gout of fire. Dragons have been known to bathe in lava, but dragonfire burned with an intensity rivaled only by solar plasma. Spike flinched away, feeling his scales char and crack. He rolled off the dragon's neck, pawing at his face.

“Oh, and who’s going to stop me? You? Ha! You’re not even a proper dragon!”

Spike roared and charged, head low. Only scant meters between them he pounced, jaw open. Greeny dodged the attack, sliding out of the way, leaving nothing but the sheer drop off to stop Spike.

Once more, Spike surprised Greeny with his agility. As soon as he passed the large dragon, Spike drove a claw into the earth, using it as a pivot point to slingshot his body around to deliver a wrenching drop-kick to the other dragon's face.

Spike grinned as Greeny clutched at his bleeding snout. "Ha! Enough of a dragon to kick your a—"

A tidal wave of green scales slammed into Spike. The two dragons tumbled over the edge wrapped in a deadly embrace. Low, rumbling grunts of pain came from both as they repeatedly bounced off the cliff wall, trading vicious punches the entire way down.

Between blows, Spike peered behind him and blanched; the ground was approaching at dizzying speeds, and the massive dragon was on top of him, poised to crush him under countless tons of weight.

"Nrgh—grah!"

His muscles surged with strength he didn't know he had, and Spike gave his wings a mighty flap. Combined with a violent twist of his body, he and Greeny traded positions nanoseconds before they hit ground.

The earth for miles around groaned from the impact. The instant they landed, Greeny gave a loud gasp, the air violently forced from his chest, and Spike pressed the advantage, firing off several lightning fast punches to his snout. To his dismay, the dragon recovered quick, flinging Spike overhead and sending him rolling across the earth.

"Ugh." Slowly, Spike crawl back to his feet. Greeny was already bearing down in him. Spike's eyes narrowed, teeth clenching through the pain. "I'm n... not gonna let you hurt them."

"Why?" Greeny's jaw flexed, and a fireball launched towards Spike. He dove out of the way, but could still feel the heat from the projectile. Greeny never stopped his advance. "What do they matter to you?"

"They're my friends!"

Greeny balled up his fist. "Ha! And that is why you lose, whelp!"

A green blur filled Spike's vision, then the world flashed red. "Ugh!" Spike flew backwards, droplets of blood flung from his maw.

Greeny was close behind, picking him up by the scruff of his neck, lifting him to eye-level. "You fight for foolish things, pony things. A dragon, a true dragon, has no need for petty concepts like friendship."

Spike growled and let loose a torrent of green flame, but the large dragon didn't even flinch, a predatory grin spreading across his face as the fire did him no harm. "You have lived your life among equines, therefore you think like an equine. You feel like an equine." Without so much as a grit of effort, he slammed Spike down to the ground.

"Guah!" An audible crack accompanied a blinding pain lancing through Spike's chest.

"Do you know why I'm beating you, hatchling?"

A witty reply died on Spike's tongue. The sickening sound of grinding gravel from inside him was deafening, every breath sending a fresh stab of pain down his chest.

"It is not because I am bigger and older than you. Although, that helps!" Greeny lashed out with his foot. Spike cries out as he sailed through the air. He bounced across the ground, amazed that the pain was worse each time before he mercifully came to a rest on his belly.

He could feel Greeny approach, each thunderous step sending yet another jolt of white hot pain through his ruined body. Everything hurt: it hurt to breathe, to move, to blink.

Rotten, scalding breath fell in his neck. "It is because I fight to protect my hoard, my territory from an outsider. My strength, my magic, is fueled by the very nature you shun in favor of these soft ponies. Even the highest order unicorn Mage could not hope to match the pure, unyielding fury of a dragon's heart! It is something a... heh, a dragon-shaped pony like you could never understand."

Spike's only response was a wet cough, the act only increasing his agony, green blood trickling from his mouth.

"I can see it in your eyes, smell it on you. You fight the greed, not knowing what you reject. That greed, that power has driven gods to their knees!"

Spike tried to move, but the pain in his belly was too great, an impossibly sharp knife stabbing his insides with every movement.

"A dragon defending what is his is unstoppable!" He drove his knee into Spike's back.

"Gaaggh-haow!" He had run out of words to describe the pain. It was everything: his insides, outsides, his entire reality, but the worst was in his mind. Part of him knew that the large dragon was right. He had no hoard, nothing to protect anymore. He owned nothing of any value, denying himself all but necessities to ensure the safety of his loved ones. Even they were above him; his mother was immortal, and his sister was safe in her care. His friends were—

"F-f-fr—friends." A dry croak escaped blood-caked lips. Spike looked up; there, now a mere few kilometers away, stood Ponyville, still glimmering and pure in his swollen eyes. A shaky claw reached out to the town, trembling fingers straining.

"Oh, so this is where you run to, eh?" Greeny grabbed the back of Spike's head yanking it up to properly face the town. "This is where those tiny creatures ruined you, turned a mighty dragon into a quivering mewel?"

Spike mumbled something. In the distance, he could just make out several ponies in the edge of town gathering, no doubt because of the presence of the great drake above him.

"These are the creatures you live among? Pathetic." Greeny snorted one last time before looking down on Spike contemptuously. "I will kill you," he knelt down, bringing his massive head close enough that Spike could smell the rotted meat from the large dragon's last meal, "and then I will descend upon that accursed village and end the pest problem once and for all."

Even underneath hundreds of tons of dragon, Spike tensed. "No."

A deep, rumbling chuckle left the dragon's smiling maw. "Yes. It is our way, a way you will learn before you die. A dragon invades my territory, I kill him and destroy what is his."

His.

The word resonated in Spike's mind. Some tiny spark, buried under a lifetime of propriety and etiquette, flickered.

"And since you have no hoard, I will simply have to destroy whatever it is you do care about."

Greeny's words were like a hot wind, the tiny spark in his mind suddenly spurned into an angry flame. From some deep, forgotten corner of his mind, images and words flashed before Spike's eyes.

Sweet Apple Acres turned to ash, a weeping mare mourning the loss of her family.

Spike’s eyes narrowed.

"And there is not a single thing you can do to stop it, pony."

Sugarcube Corner in ruins, the charred bodies of two earth ponies feebly trying to shield their adolescent foals from death.

Thick black smoke belched from Spike's nostrils, the tingling from before now an angry buzz rattling every fiber of his spasming body. A series of loud cracks came from his chest, the pain lessening with each heaving, furious breath.

"Mmm... mmi—"

Town Hall ripped from its foundation, Market Street filled with burnt remains of stands, the grass stained with blood.

The spark in his mind was now a raging inferno. Green flame licked from between clenched teeth, tufts of choking smoke billowing out with every sharp gasp he breathed.

"Oh? Something to say, hatchling?"

The torrent of emotions inside him, Greeny's arrogant speech, Celestia's words from before; all of it swirled and danced in his mind as a boiling fury built in his gut. All of it came together in one simple word, a word he had denied himself for so long for fear of becoming a monster, now such a pure and true thing that is bubbled from the depths of his soul, rolling off of his forked tongue like the sweetest of emeralds.

"M... m-mine."

Spike planted his arms and began to push his body up.

Carousel Boutique in shambles...

"Th—they're mine!" A bright blue glow built up in Spike's eyes.

The dragon blinked. "What?" He pressed down harder on Spike's struggling form, but he still rose, his muscles trembling with newfound strength.

... a ruined corpse on the ground, once immaculate ivory fur stained with blood...

"They're mine!"

The dragon cried out in pain and shock; tendrils of blue electricity flowed from Spike's eyes, encompassing his whole body, as Spike reached up and grabbed Greeny's arm pulling it from his neck with otherworldly strength.

... and next to her, a slightly smaller body with a curly purple mane.

"They're mine, and you can't have them!"

The thunderous crack of electricity was lost under the dragon's howl of pain. Lightning lanced through Spike's claws and into the dragon atop him. Every muscle in the dragon’s body spasmed under the torrent of electricity. Spike roared again, his muscles surging with strength borne from somewhere primal in his mind, and flipped the impossibly large dragon over him like he weighed nothing.

Greeny cried out as he tumbled end over end, finally coming to rest nearly a hundred meters away. Spike heard him mutter something underneath his breath—most likely a threat of some kind—not that Spike would have cared even if he could understand it. His conscious mind was no longer in control, rational thought pushed to the back of his mind by something primal and forgotten. All he could see and hear were flashes, memories of his town, his ponies.

Standing next to a large apple tree with all his friends as Rainbow Dash, the toughest pony he knew, wearing a frilly blue dress, cried tears of joy while Big Macintosh recited his vows.

An odd feeling built up in Spike’s claws. Something beneath him, deep in the ground, felt like it was pulling him down. He could feel the other dragon charging towards him; not just the physical vibrations of his thundering footsteps, but in his very soul, his essence, he felt the incoming blow. Acting on some instinct, Spike reached down and grabbed firmly on that alien pull.

Greeny roared and lunged at Spike with his mouth wide, ready to cleave the glowing dragon in half. The sunlight glinted off of his massive fangs as he chomped down on Spike.

Crack!

Purple blood and jagged shards of teeth fell to the ground. Greeny recoiled, howling in pain as his jaw met with magically-enhanced scales, the power of the Earth itself coursing through Spike's body. With another roar, Greeny lashed his fist out at Spike.

Spike never even felt the blow. The ground beneath him cracked and fractured, a billowing cloud of dirt and debris flying, but the only other effect was Greeny pulling back his now bleeding fist. He stumbled back, already focusing his magic on his injured claw. "I'll rend the flesh from your bones!"

Doctor Whooves receiving the Neighbel Prize for his study on chroniton particles.

Spike felt it again, but this time is wasn't pulling him down... no, now the alien feeling was reaching up to him. Spike’s heaving breath caught, and he reached into the aether around him, pulling towards this new power. Flame and smoke belching from his mouth, he yelled and yanked up on whatever it was.

"My ponies!"

The dragon fell to all fours, sucking in a deep breath to roast Spike, but never got the chance. A thick pillar of earth shot up beneath him, smashing into his jaw in a vicious uppercut. The force of the blow sent him reeling back, his massive body landing on his back with a deep thud.

Apple Bloom beaming with pride as the local blacksmith gave her her very first shaping mallet.

"My town!" Flecks of whitish spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke. Spike's mind was ablaze with new sensations. It felt like a whole new set of limbs had suddenly sprouted from his body. He could feel the magic around him, sense all the ley lines, the very life force of the planet swirling around him. The odd pulling sensation returned, but this time from above. Reaching out with his mind, Spike aimed his blazing eyes at the slowly recovering dragon.

Greeny lay on his side, still reeling from the vicious hit. He turned to look at Spike, and his glowing yellow eyes widened. The relatively tiny dragon's body was blazing with ambient magic, his eyes a raging inferno of hatred. Greeny made to get up when a crack of thunder echoed above him. A mass of angry black thunderclouds was swirling and dancing over his head. Before he could react, the heavens ripped open, and countless bolts of lightning slammed into him. His massive body twisted and spasmed in agony, a pitiful cry coming from his bleeding, broken jaw.

"My ponies!" Spike's voice was thunderous, echoing across the earth for miles.

Through the pain, Greeny reached out and grabbed the thick pillar of earth from before. With strength borne of desperation and pain, he flung the large chunk at Spike.

Scootaloo whizzing over town square on her scooter, performing her first show with her newly formed extreme sports troupe.

Spike didn't really see the incoming rock; he couldn't really see anything through the haze of magic and burning fury. He more felt it, the disruptions in the aether around him as it sailed towards him. Without thought, he threw up a claw. A shimmering green glow engulfed the large pillar, and it jerked to a halt midair, floating in a haze of magic.

The dragon blanched, bloodied jaw hanging wide open. "Wha... but, that's—that's unicorn magic!"

"Dragon-shaped pony," Spike muttered before roaring again and flicking his wrist. The rock sailed back towards the dragon faster than he could react. Another howl of pain saw the great dragon reel backwards again, this time falling on his back in a daze.

Lyra and Bon Bon coming home from the orphanage with their new little filly.

Spike did not hesitate. With a loud snarl, he leapt, covering the distance between them effortlessly and landing atop the drake's neck, his hind legs clamping down. As the large dragon gasped, Spike clenched his fists and growled, once more feeling the pull of some unknown magic, this time within his own body. Answering the pull, his fists erupted in greenish-white flame. "My town! My ponies!"

Spike brought his fists down, earning a satisfying crunch and a howl of pain from the elder dragon.

"Hatchling, w—"

"My town!"

Crack!

"Ugh! You will ne—"

Crack!

"My ponies!"

Spikes mind was a blank as he continues to rain down blows. All he could hear were memories of his town, his ponies. All he could see was the enemy beneath him that threatened them.

"Ngrragh!"

Greeny’s right eye was swollen shut, scales beneath and above cracked and broken, but Spike kept swinging. Vile snapping sounds, Greeny's scales cracking under the power of Spike's assault, were lost under the demonic, otherworldly roars from Spike.

“My town!”

Drops of blood flew every time Spike pulled his fists back, along with molten flecks of scales from Greeny's battered face.

“My ponies! Mine!”

Frothing spit built up at the corner Spike’s mouth. A dull ache throbbed from his fists, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t care. All that mattered was the threat to his town, his ponies. Over and over again, he pummeled the elder dragon, who was rapidly losing the strength to fight back, offering only an occasional claw to block the steady rain of blows.

Exhaustion began to pull at Spike's muscles, but he ignored it, pushing past the burning in his muscles and the throbbing in his fists. This new, feral part of his mind kept howling at him to push harder; to use this new-found strength and power to crush this interloper, but with each blow, old thoughts surfaced.

Aw, it's okay, Spikarooni! It doesn't matter how super big, super scary, super dragony you get! You'll always be our little dragon!

"Nrgagh!"

His blows began to lose strength.

Oh, um, no, I'm not scared of Spike. Even if he is bigger now, he's still the same sweet, gentle, funny little guy.

"Hah...hah."

The smoke billowing from his nostrils began to thin.

Hey, he ain't no monster! He's one of the nicest, loyalest customers I ever had!

"Nrgh—no..."

The flames that engulfed his fists evaporated into the wind.

That beast is my little brother!

"No!"

And Spike couldn’t bring another blow.

Spike sat there for several moments, taking deep gulps of air. Slowly, he raised his hands to his face; they were caked in purple blood from Greeny, while his swollen, bruised knuckles oozed his own emerald tinted blood. Beneath him, the great dragon lay ruined, his once wicked muzzle now bent and deformed, the scales melted under the heat of Spike's fury. He didn't move; the only sign that he hasn't killed the massive drake was the quiet, gurgling breaths escaping his broken snout.

Though Spike stood still, his body was wracked with involuntary movement. His chest heaved as his body came down from an adrenaline high it had never experienced before. Every muscle in his body slowly released the steely tension they held.

After several more moments, Spike hopped off the dragon's twitching form and shambled away, taking shaky, unsure steps. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he had to get away, away from the dragon struggling to breath through a broken face, away from the seething rage, the roiling in his gut.

Eventually, Spike's quivering legs could not hold him. He fell to his elbows and knees, clenching his eyes tight as he took shaky, gasping breaths. His brain was screaming, racing in circles: his old mind slowly returning, waves of guilt and shame that beat down on the newer mind, that urged him to finish the job. To turn around and kill the threat, to cut him, slash him, burn him, tear, rip, shred, claw—

A deep tremor surged from his belly. His entire body tensed, his chest heaved, and he vomited.

Spike spat the last of his breakfast, the taste and smell of the bile almost causing another wave of sick. "Nrraargh!" A scaley fist, still stained with blood, slammed into the ground.

Slowly, Spike turned away from the puddle of shame, crawling towards the now much closer Ponyville.

He sat there for what felt like an eternity, jaw trembling and fists clenching as the magic eked from his body. He could still feel it, in the far reaches of his mind: the boiling rage, the voice in his mind, screaming at him to deal with the threat to what was his, the bloodlust. He looked down at his shaking claws, then grunted in annoyance, wiping them on the dirt in an effort to clean the blood off. It didn't work.

It was odd: Spike could clearly remember what happened, everything that transpired, every word said between him and the other drake, but somehow he couldn't trace the emotional path. He had never been that angry before, had he?

No, there was once before. When...

"When Angel attacked Ponyville," he muttered.

"The first time your hoard was threatened."

Spike whipped his head around. "Celestia! You're... you're okay?"

She stood next to him , looking off towards Ponyville. Her wounds were healed, her ethereal mane waved in unfelt winds, even her horn was completely whole. She continued like he never spoke. "Yes, the town had been in peril before. Nightmare Moon, Discord, Trixie. But when Parchment sent poor Angel in to destroy the town, that was the first time Ponyville had been in true peril since you claimed it as yours." She reached a hoof to his shoulder. "You se—”

“Don’t you touch me!”

Celestia drew her hoof back like she burned it. “Spike, pl—”

“You planned this!” He rose to his claws, eyes still raging infernos. Slowly, he circled her, just as he had the other dragon; just as he had the other threat to his hoard. “That dragon’s cave is on the other side of the Everfree, and yet he just happens to know exactly when and where we show up?”

Celestia said nothing.

His eyes became slits. “Oh, of course you did! That’s what you always do, isn’t it? Princess Celestia, always with a piece on the board!”

Celestia flinched a bit. “Spike, you must understand—”

"That what?" He snorted a large plume of smoke into the sky. "That you got some huge dragon to attack me? That you risked my life, the lives of Heckel and Jeckel!”

"Your guards have already been teleported to Ponyville. They are fine."

“And you risk the lives of my town, my ponies, by bringing this dragon here! Was it necessary for them to be put at risk? Or did that just enhance the thrill for you?”

Celestia stiffened. “I do what I must for the safety and security of my subjects. They must learn to fend—"

Spike lunged at her, stopping so close that had it been any other pony, his breath would have burned their flesh. “They’re not yours, they’re mine!”

Celestia started. “Spike, they are still my subjects.”

A deep, rumbling chuckle came from behind them. Spike and Celestia both spun around. Greeny was slowly rising to his haunches. Ash fell from his hide like black snow leaving gleaming scales. A blinding green aura surrounded his face, the same wet sliding sound from before signaling his injuries healing. With a loud crack, his massive jaw set, and he glared down at him. “She did this to save your pitiful life, hatchling.” He turned to Celestia with an evil grin. "Why so glum, Day Bringer? Is this not what you wanted? His draconic instincts are now fully awakened.”

Celestia stepped forward, blazing white fury in her eyes. "This was not part of our agreement, He of the Everfree! You almost killed Spike! You attacked me, and—"

"You play games with dragons! I felt it necessary to remind you of what can happen when you do so." He turned to Spike with a cruel grin. "And as for you, whelp, I still owed you for gorging yourself on my hoard all those years ago. Perhaps now you understand?"

The ground beneath Celestia began to char. “Do not let my many years of peaceful reign deceive you, wyrm. I have felled more dragons than you have ever met.”

“Rabid beasts from the Reign of Chaos, and even then you had your little sister with you. If you care to test your might against a mature dragon, you’re more than welcome to give the Lunatic a call."

Celestia stomped her hoof, a plume of white flame licking the ground. "You will not talk about my sis—”

"What did you mean, she did it to save me?" Spike stepped between the two ancient beings, glaring at Greeny.

He ignored Spike. "I speak however I plea—"

“Hey!” Spike felt that rage build up again. This time, he grabbed it. Spike raised his fist into the air. Greeny tensed as a green aura surrounded his snout. Spike yanked his claw down, dragging the great wyrm down to eye level. “Look here! You’re in my territory now, so you're going to answer my questions!” With a snap of his fingers, he released Greeny’s snout.

Greeny rose back up to his hind legs, lips curled, snout leaking smoke and flame. "That, hatchling, was your one.”

“Answer me.”

Greeny snorted. “I could feel it as soon as you stepped into my woods. Your magic was backed up, dangerously so. Let me guess: in recent weeks you have been restless, anxious, yes?" Spike slowly nodded. "With no way to release it, especially being separated from your hoard for so long, your magic was building up. You had to learn the nature of draconic magic quickly."

"What nature?"

Greeny rolled his eyes. "That unlike pony magic," he cast a scathing eye at Celestia, "dragon magic is controlled by emotion, not will. It comes from the heart, not the head. The strength of the pony is the mind, this that is where their magic stems from."

"And... and dragons are creatures of great passion," Spike said with a resolute nod.

"But you, hatchling, you are something unique. Somehow you are able to use kinesis. Only unicorns can use that magic."

Spike kept his eyes hard. "Dragons are creatures of passion, ponies are creatures of thought. Just because you are unwilling to see it doesn’t mean everyone else is.”

Greeny bristled, his massive tail slamming against the ground. "I wasn't lying when I said the ponies ruined you," he sneered. "They've soured your magics, and your heart. A dragon caring so much for soft creatures. It is pitiful."

Spike growled, staring up at the dragon defiantly. "Yeah? Well, maybe I'm just a better dragon than you."

The drake's eyes went wide. Rearing up in his hind legs, he let loose an earth-shaking roar, then fell down, slamming his fists into the ground, glaring at Spike through a wall of heat and smoke. "You disgust me, you little thing! You live amongst soft flesh, you bow to pony goddesses, you use unicorn magic!" He bent low, coming so close to Spike that sweat began to be on his forehead. "You may look of dragon, but you reek of pony!"

Spike glared right back. "You know what? Yeah, I do. I may be a dragon, but I’m a pony where it counts." He smiled, keeping his steely gaze. “I’m dragon enough to beat you, but I let you live because I’m pony enough to know that I will not kill unless I have to.”

The two dragons stared each other down, seething anger and defiance smoldering behind slitted pupils. The air between the two popped and hissed from the ambient magic.

Eventually, Greeny snorted, turning his attention to Celestia. "I believe this satisfies my debt to you, Solumveyah."

Celestia's wavering mane flared brightly. "Satisfies?! How could you—"

"Both of your pony guards are alive and unharmed, and your..." he cast a disgusted glance at Spike, "son, is now aware of his nature." He turned a tight face to Celestia. "I fail to see how I did not live up to my end of the bargain."

She held his gaze for several seconds, mane flickering between its usual rainbow of colors and pure white. Finally, she closed her glowing eyes and took a deep breath. "That you did."

"Then say the words!"

She tightened her jaw, leveling a cool gaze. "Very well. In accordance with the Pax Terras, as agreed upon by my father, King Radian, and the great dragon god Calcipher at the Dawn of All, I hereby absolve you of your debt, He of the Everfree."

As she spoke, a swirling green haze enveloped the dragon's head. Once finished, the haze dissipated, and the dragon shuddered.

He turned to leave, but stopped to glare at Spike. "I hope you learned your lesson well, hatchling. Here is your second: do not enter another dragon's territory without permission." His eyes narrowed. "If you set foot in my forest again, I'll feast on your flesh before I turn on your little equines."

Spike growled up at him. "And let me warn you. If you so much as look at my town or my ponies, you'll see just how dangerous a dragon-shaped pony can be. Got it?"

Standing back up, the drake glared hatred at Spike, but a smile slowly spread across his face. "Hmmph. There may be hope for you yet, whelp." With that, the dragon turned and walked away, heading back towards the distant tree line of the Everfree.

Once he faded from sight, Celestia turned back to Spike. The young drake lay on the grass, staring at Ponyville through heavy eyes. She slowly walked next to him. "Spike, please know th—"

"Don't. Just... not right now, okay?"

Celestia said nothing. She eased herself down, sitting next to Spike. The two sat there for what seemed like hours while Spike took deep, calming breaths. Before them, Ponyville sprawled out across the earth. It was still a small town, but it had expanded so much in recent years. Idly, Spike wondered just how large the tiny hamlet could get. He pictured a Ponyville far in the future, spreading as far as he could see, a hub of culture and economy. And inside, his ponies.

My ponies...

The term still sounded odd to his ears, but the more he thought of it, the more comfortable he was with the idea, and the more it made sense. Spike had a few meager possessions: a small comic book collection, one or two trinkets of sentimental value, so what did he truly care for besides his family? His ponies. They were more than friends, more than family; they were his. Every face in that sea of ponies was precious to him in some way, be it a treasured friend for years, or a kind face he would see on the street or in the library. As he pictured that Ponyville far in the future, he smiled. It would grow, and he would be there every step of the way.

Celestia saw his face, and nuzzled into his broad shoulder. He resisted he at first, but after a few minutes he was leaning into her. "Spike, I—"

"I get it now."

She blinked. "Hm?"

"Why you call them 'my little ponies.' " His tone was even, his jaw tight. "They're like your hoard. More than just subjects, but something... deeper than that, further. You love them enough to let them fail. That’s why you plot like you do. You can’t just tell ponies things.”

“They must experience it first-hoof. That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”

Spike let out a mirthless chuckle. “Well, today it almost did!” He turned to her, his lips tight, but his eyes soft. “Heckel and Jeckel could have died today. I could have died.”

“Spike, I...”

“These are my ponies, Celestia.” He could feel her tense, so he continued. “Oh, relax. I’m not saying I actually own them or anything. Like I told brimstone breath back there,” he jerked a thumb behind him towards the woodline, “I’m a dragon, but I’m also a pony. When I say they’re mine, I mean they’re mine to protect, to care for. I have a really long life ahead of me, right?"

"Very. I've never met a Drakenwvyrm that died of old age."

"Heh, right. So, I'm gonna be here for a long time, and I'm only going to get bigger." Celestia ran her hoof across his arm, and he continued. "There's not a whole lot I can do for them anymore. Can't really be a librarian's assistant without a librarian, can I?"

"Very true, however you were much more than that to them."

"Right. But one thing I can do is protect them."

Celestia quirked her eyebrow. "Protect them?"

Spike's eyes never left the town, deep thoughts and memories playing out in his mind. "Between the Everfree Forest, Froggy Bottom Bog, and the Elements of Harmony being smack-dab in the town, there's never a shortage of monsters or creeps trying to level the place. This... this new body of mine took a lot away from me, but it gave me the ability to fight those things. Just ask Greeny back there." He went silent for a minute, gathering his words. "The ponies in this town are good, pure, and I want them to know that they can rely on me, trust me. That they'll be able to trust their foals, grandfoals and so on to my care. That I'll be here to protect them.” He finally turned to face her, a bit surprised at the neutral expression she wore. “And that will never happen if you keep playing these little shadow games behind my back. Besides, some lessons... just aren’t worth the game, you know?”

She sighed, leaning into him a bit harder. She turned to look at him, once more scanning his body slowly. As she sat there, watching him look out upon his newly claimed hoard, words she’d said earlier echoed in her mind. A lump swelled in her throat. “Spike?”

“Hm?”

Her horn glowed, and she gently tilted his head towards her. “You two are so much more than subjects to me, you know that, right?” Her ears splayed against her head, her glowing mane dulled ever so slightly. “You and Twilight, you both mean so much to me. I know I don’t tell either of you this enough. Twilight can handle it better, she’s a grown mare, but you,” she sniffled, “for all your size and power, you’re still an adolescent. A... a child.” Celestia fought back a hiccup, bringing her forehead to his. “I love you, child. Never forget that.”

Spike let her hold him for a moment longer, then pulled back from the embrace. He turned back to the front, throwing his arm around Celestia and snuggling her close. “I love you, too... Mom.”

They enjoyed the view a little while longer before Celestia finally spoke the question on both their minds. “You know what you have to do now, yes?"

He shook his head. "I know, but... she needs me with her. I can't just abandon her like that."

"What she needs, child, is for you to be happy. You underestimate her, Spike. Twilight is a fine young mare. She will be okay. Even as we speak, she is forming new friendships." She smiled. "She is where she needs to be. You need to be, as well."

Spike looked to her, but upon seeing that smile, that knowing, sly smirk he knew so well, he shook his head and looked back to the front. “Not yet, okay? I have to break it to her gently, or else things might get ugly.”

"Hehehe, okay.” Slowly, the two stood up, a symphony of loud cracks reminding Spike of his little scuffle. “Well then, noble dragon, shall we return to Canterlot?”

He smiled. "Sure."

"Don't forget us!"

"Gah!" Spike whirled around to find Heckel and Jeckel standing beside him, once-polished armor dulled and immaculate white fur scuffed, but very much alive and grinning and scowling respectively.

Spike's eyes darted between them. "How... how did yo... but I... what was all that?!”

The twins blinked, Jeckel’s head cocked slightly to the side. “Um, what was all what?”

“That! The whole uber-badass, ninja, I-can-kick-a-dragon’s-flank-without-breaking-a-sweat thing! Who... who are you?”

They shared a brief look, then turned back to face him.

“I’m Heckel.”

“I’m Jeckel!”

“We’re your body—”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Spike said, rolling his eyes.

"Ah, welcome back, noble guardsponies!" The twins saluted Celestia, who have a slight nod in return. "I trust Ms. Pie took care of you?”

At the mention of her name, Jekel let out a deep sigh, and Spike could have sworn he saw tiny hearts flickering in his eyes. “Oh, yes ma’am. What a filly...”

“Your Majesty,” Heckel said, leaning in close to her, “I will take any horrible detail you want to put me on, just please... never put me in the same room as those two ever again.” He shuddered, then rapped Jeckel on the head. “Snap out of it, Romeo!”

Jeckel shook his head, then turned to Spike. “Oh, Mister Spike, she wanted me to tell you that she was a bit miffed that you didn't tell her you were going to be in the area. Said she was gonna hunt you down and, um... 'try out her new party bazooka?' "

Spike and Celestia both chuckled. Heckel stepped forward. “Uh, she sounded pretty serious...”

“Ah, she’s just Pinkie,” Spike said with a dismissive wave of his claw. “It’s nothing.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, child.” Celestia gestured behind them with a hoof.

Spike arched an eyebrow ridge, looking to where she pointed. The townsponies had apparently decided it was safe, now that the giant, rampaging dragon was gone; a large group of ponies were rapidly approaching, two very recognizable ponies in the lead. Even at this distance, he could see Rainbow Dash huffing, her rotund, pregnant belly keeping her grounded. Next to her was Pinkie Pie, a manic smile on her face, murder in her eyes, and cradled in her hooves was what appeared to be a rather large pink rocket painted with balloons and streamers.

Spike stiffened, turning to Celestia. "You'll protect me, right?"

"Until my dying breath."

"... You can't die."

"Hmm... you're right. How fortunate for you."