Spike walked through Canterlot streets, he didn't even try to be happy. He crossed his arms and turned away from Ember, he blew smoke out of his nostrils and glared at Ember to notice.
She didn't.
He rolled his eyes at the insensitivity his so called mother had. Garble walked orderly behind him, though the small antics meant to make Spike laugh had worked. That was another thing he liked about Ember, she didn't care if he made a fool of himself in public.
He looked around and saw what a usual party pony had done with the town for the upcoming celebration. Colorful banners hung from every pole, even if diagonal, though many were charred or half burnt off, it was nice looking. The houses and shops had their own festivities up. Walls and windows had pictures of the pony and dragon royal charm, along with the celebrations symbol: A sun in front of a roaring fire.
It was the Summer Sun Celebration, the ponies rose the sun while the dragons did the main performance. The rest of the day went by with performing ponies and dragons, fire and magic tricks would fill the streets. The farmers and bakers made some of the best profit all you could smell -other than smoke- was the delicious treats they had for sale.
Spike never went to one. Him, Garble, Fume, and a few other dragons just had fun in the dragon lands, where no other dragon was. They'd see who could breathe the most fire, they'd play King of The Hoard -Garble and Spike always were the last two, they are tied. They'd tail wrestle, and play Dungeons and Dragons -Garble made it a competition, him and Spike are still tied- by request of Spike.
Ember always pushed Spike to go, but he never wanted to. He just wanted to sit in the Dragon Lands and have fun with his friends, eating nothing but gems all day long. Seeing all the preparations, he almost wanted to go.
"Don't you ever just want to throw rocks at a phoenix nest? It's fun," Garble started up a conversation while Ember was accepting cheers from the crowds. Spike finally made a small smile at his friend, to think they hated each other before.
"No, I was raised out of no where, so I'd rather not be the cause for others to be raised out of no where," Spike crossed his arms and smirked defiantly at Garble who just looked annoyed.
"But your better at fire breathing than any of us! No matter what you think, I'm telling ya, you're a royal dragon," Garble said, just for Spike to frown again and put out his fire to banter around as they walked to Celestia's castle.
"Of course he's a royal dragon, Garble," Ember hissed his name and Garble just rolled his eyes, knowing she wouldn't hurt a dragon who simply spoke. "He's my son." Garble, again, rolled his eyes, knowing it wasn't true. Most of Spikes guard knew he wasn't Embers child, every dragon knew! Spike looked nothing like Ember, and he had none of her mannerisms either.
They passed a fountain that had a pony statue pouring out water from an urn. Spike hated how 'Canterlot' was all pony and no dragon, Dragon Lands was all rock and nothing. The most dragon you saw in Canterlot were the dragons themselves. It made Spike think, why did ponies and dragons ever get along?
Then he'd always remember the outlaw dragons who were the biggest and nastiest, him and Garble made a pact to be just like them. He was sure Garble forgot all about it. The outlaw dragons were viscious and greedy, they didn't like ponies and wanted each of them dead. They only cared for themselves and nopony else mattered.
Spike wanted to be like that, but then he had Garble, his best friend, standing right next to him. There was no way he could care for nothing his whole life, so he just stayed as the prince of a now pathetic race. Dragons used to be mean and strong, now they lost drinking games to ponies.
Ember was back to accepting cheers from a crowd of dragons that had a pink pony at the core. Some called the pony a dragon pony, she seemed to spend all her time with dragons. Garble smirked, "Would ya ever marry the dragon pony?" Spike turned to him aghast.
"No way!" Spike practically yelled, just sending Garble to a howl of laughter. He crossed his arms, "It's not like Ember would even let me marry a pony. Her dad was the one to befriend Celestia, not her."
"I'm just kidding, though you'd be better off marrying a wimp dragon," Garble smirked, only ticking Spike off further. "And what's that mean?" Spike growled as Fume walked by and gave Garble a high five -four. He was already ticked off about having to even sit at the same table as Blueblood, Garble wasn't helping.
"Any dragons better off with a wimpy one, especially me," Garble smirked and Spike smiled again. Of course, he was just using Spike to talk about himself.
"Yeah," Spike chuckled, "Couldn't have a girl be better than you, now could we?" Spike started laughing, now Garble was the one growling.
"Says the one making goo-goo eyes at the town witch," Garble shot back to cut off Spikes laughter and sent Ember into attention. She grabbed Spikes arm roughly, forcing him to look at her.
"Tell me your little friend is lying," Ember growled as her claws dug into Spikes scales. Spike fought to get out of her grasp until she finally let go, leaving him to rub his arm.
"Jeez, of course he's lying, it's Garble," Spike seethed through his gritted teeth. Ember shot Garble a threatening glare before turning back to a dragon she was talking with. Garble gripped Spikes other arm and dug his claws in, though less hard.
"What was that for? You know you were," Garble yell-whispered as he let go of Spikes arm. Spike just growled as now both his arms were in pain.
"I've saved your scales countless times, just take this one. Besides, I wasn't. I thought she was less punkish and I've never seen her before, 'member?" Spike growled, his eyes narrowed as he was now in a complete bad mood. Now Garble put something on his mind that he didn't want there.
"Fine," Garble mumbled and they didn't talk the rest of the night.
The room they dined in probably had more class than anything else in the castle. It had the iconic purple-pink checkered floors which Spike wish Garble saw, just so he could prove to himself that Garble would hate ponies even more.
The table was long -unlike the one in the dragons castle- but they all sat at one end. Spike and Blueblood sat across from each other, as always. Ember and Spike were offered loads of gems -Spike hid some to give to the wingless dragons in the dragon lands- while Celestia and Blueblood ate normal food like a salad.
Most things were light blue, the chairs, and others were purple, the table if it didn't have a pink-purple checkered cloth sat over it. Of course, the walls were a pearly marble and the pillars in the hall were white and sparkled under the chandeliers light. Pink and blue roses were intertwined on them, along with a few crystal flowers that made Ember and Spike fight temptation with a bite on their lower lip.
Spike finished most of them gems so he didn't sit there and have everypony else wait on him. He hated eating around others anyways, especially Blueblood. He was prestigious and classy, he didn't get a single crumb anywhere. Yet gems were sharp and crumbs were inevitable. It didn't help that he knew Blueblood saw him as competition.
"So Spike, have a fiancée yet?" Blueblood asked with a smirk. Ember jumped to object, but Celestia put her hoof out, telling her not to bother.
Spike sat back in his seat -as always- and crossed his arms -as always. He raised an eyebrow at Blueblood and decided to play along. "No," he decided not to play along. Ember smiled at her son while Celestia seemed ashamed of her own. "I can't say I do." Spike played along. He could see Celestias smile and Embers shocked expression out of the corner of his eye.
"Don't you think it's about time you find one? Just because you're a dragon doesn't mean you can't get married," Bluebloods smirked as his eyes cut into Spike. Spike was used to it, he'd practically grown up with Blueblood.
"I could say the same for you, pick one," Spike scoffed and Ember smiled again. Even Celestia stifled a laugh as Blueblood turned red and shut up. Spike wasn't one for mischief, but when it came to Blueblood, he couldn't help it. It didn't go against his morals, everyone who was his subject deserved respect, Blueblood was more his equal than subject.
Bluebloods smirk returned, even Spike was curious to see what he was thinking. His tail swayed in thought underneath the table as his eyes narrowed on Blueblood, as if trying to read his mind. "Why don't we make a deal, Prince Spike?" Blueblood offered and Celestia wanted to object, but Ember told her to see how it played out.
"What's the deal, Prince Blueblood?" Spike wanted to sound even remotely fine with saying his name, it came out close to a sharp comment as it slipped off his tongue. His claws now dug into his own arms, reawakening the pain Garble and Ember had emplaced. He wanted to bite on his thumb like he usually did, but he couldn't bring himself to move his arms.
"Lets agree to find a girl that we'd want to marry at the Summers Sun Celebration, you'll be there, won't you?" Blueblood asked, sounding somewhat pleasant. Then, he almost growled, "Or will you be in the Dragon Lands with your little friends playing some silly game?"
Spike wanted to ruin his pretty face, but he decided to be there. He would've agreed politely if Blueblood didn't have a rude remark about his friends. "Deal, though I will say it'll be entertaining watching you find a girl that doesn't hate you, more entertaining than a game, I'd say."
Spike smirked as he saw Blueblood want to pounce him. He had more on Blueblood than Blueblood had on him, allowing him an easy win to every remark. Of course, that one shut up Blueblood as well.
He'd never win anything else if it came to comebacks, whenever him and Garble would argue, he'd give up since Garble always had the shot that Spike didn't have wings. And, he had nothing bad on Garble that he knew Garble would hate. Garble loved himself more than anything else, there'd be no way he'd let anyone else know he hated a secret part of himself.
He was usually good-hearted, so he didn't get into that many arguments anyways. But with Blueblood, he could go for hours and never run out of comebacks all surrounding the same thing he does, and there'd never be a repeat. He always called Blueblood his own fuel when it came to comebacks. Blueblood would start something, thinking he'd win and he never repeated himself, so if Spike could twist words -which he was pretty good at- he'd always win.
Ember finally stepped in, "Spike! You don't need to marry, you're the dragon lord next, no point wasting it on a stupid dragoness." Her eyes narrowed on Blueblood, obviously forgetting her place, "I think you should let the ponies play romance, a fierce dragon doesn't need that."
No one objected, how could they? Ember was obviously mad, and she didn't handle feelings well. Celestia would've stepped in, except for the fact that she hadn't had a husband either, she simply took Blueblood as the prince/son because he was her oldest relative fit for the crown. Blueblood didn't need a queen either, after two queens ruling over Equestria, the public was probably ready for a set of kings.
Yet, one of those to-be-kings was determined to find a queen to bring light to their home. And it wasn't Blueblood.
Spike never wanted a queen, or a marriage. But after seeing all the dragons in the dragon lands, he felt bad for them, and wanted a queen as kind and generous as him, a queen who would treat dragons with more respect than anything else.
"We have our deal," Spike said sharply, never taking his eyes off Blueblood. "I intend to keep it," he hissed and the prince just smirked back, as if to say 'game on'. No one talked the rest of the night, and Blueblood and Spike wouldn't dare take their eyes off each other, it was like losing a battle before it started. Spike liked things starting with a staring contest, as he won. Once Blueblood blinked -being fully aware of the staring contest- Spike stuck out his tongue with a smirk, Blueblood was on the verge of growling.
Rarity sat in her aged boutique, wincing as she brushed the tangles from her mane in a vanity mirror. She looked at the intertwining dark orange and black on the frame of the mirror. The dresser it sat upon was a rustic old brown, brushes and makeup laid upon it.
She sighed as she brushed through the same part of her mane for the thirty fourth time. Her cat with a studded black collar curled up against her leg, purring loudly.
Rarity sighed again, pushing herself away from the vanity, away from herself.
"Oh Opal," Rarity whimpered and looked at herself in the mirror. She saw the sparkle in her diamond blue eyes, no... she saw the blue flame that was her hatred light up her eyes. She looked down at her cat. "Why did those ponies get friends and I didn't?" She pouted as she rested her head on her hoof, wincing at the pain from Rainbow Dash's slap-punch.
"I mean that Rainbow is loyal to the one thing she seems to really care for... but that couldn't get her a friend forever, could it? I mean, that Twilight must be so jealous that Rainbow has yet to ask her for a night," Rarity growled, the blue flame glowing brighter.
"And that Applejack, she's so honest with every word she says, like nothing lies and nothing is sugar coated!" Rarity threw herself from her seat and turned to her boutique, rage pumping through her veins. "She should get a grip! That's all this world is! Lies and sugar coatings."
Opal jumped up on the stage, watching her witch owner do her magic.
"And precious Twilight," Rarity gagged. A magic image of Twilight appeared next to her, dancing away with Rainbow under a star casted night. "She has everything a witch would want! Her cutie mark is magic for Celestias sake!"
"Rainbow has friends, something a witch could use!" A blue flame obliterated the image that was the two dancing. She rolled her eyes with distaste. "Applejack has family and trust! Also something a witch would love to get her hands on!" She jumped onto the stage, knocking Opal off of it with a meow.
"That Fluttershy too! She's not any better!" Rarity gritted her teeth as she looked away. "Everyone follows her like she's a goddess! Only to get rejected with a broken wing or hoof. She has some magic, something a witch could want.... or more a protector.... yes, still something a witch would want!" Rarity's eyes narrowed on a magic image of the beauty that was Fluttershy. It went up in smoke and she turned away. "And such a crowd! Perfect for massive spells to see the effects!"
"And that petty, petty dragon pony! Such a witch she is, except not. She's a betrayal to her own kind! She loves the town of Canterlot," Rarity's expression fell to one of annoyance as a hoping pink pony bounced around her head. "Yet she decorates it with dragons and throws parties for them! Without her, those heathens wouldn't even be here!" She bit at the pink pony, snatching off her front half, leaving the other half to squirm and run in confusion and agony.
She snickered as she turned to the mirrors, she saw the edges darken, the blue flame rise behind her. The world around her fell to one that was the Canterlot fountain, the central of town. Ponies around her looked in fear, dragons tried to attack, only to fail miserably.
She burst into a maniacal laughter. Opal tried to run away, but Rarity swooped her up in her hooves, still in her central Canterlot. "Can't you see it Opal? A world for me? All of Canterlot to myself?"
She snickered again as she dropped the cat and looked up at the mirrors image of herself. A vicious witch who wanted Canterlot for her own, who wanted no pony around. "It is a wonder that I am not like other witches. I don't need loyal friends, or the truth. I don't need amazing magic, or a crowd, or kindness, or a party."
She glared daggers at her image as some light tried to show through the darkness in her heart. "Not like any pony was ever nice to you anyways," her image fell away as she pouted. Her mind flashed to that dragon and she slowly raised her head to her reflected images.
She didn't see the wicked witch. She saw two pearly eyes staring at her and a kind smile. She held out her hoof and touched her own. She shivered at the mirrors cold glass. She sighed and fell, tears left her eyes.
"Not like you need friends," she breathed and smiled weakly as she looked up at herself in the mirror. She wiped her eyes and recollected herself, "You can have everything." She breathed and touched her reflections hoof again, almost touching the mirror with her chest she was so close.
"Why risk it all for friends?" She breathed again, her breath blurred the mirror. She wiped her hoof across it and saw her blue flame, barley alive. She thought of Rainbow Dash and saw it roar.
A smirk played its way on her lips as she danced. "I have the perfect plan!" She smiled cheerily. "I'll take Canterlot from under it's own feet!"
She smiled up at the ceiling, "I'll marry that player of a prince, surely he'll have the only mare he hasn't had an encounter with yet! I'll take Canterlot from under him and make a fool of him in the process! Insult the king, ruin his reputation..." she sat in through, calculating the pros to the situation.
"Yes! My taking of Canterlot will take Equestria down with it! The fall of everything I hate! Opal, don't you see!" She looked around for Opal. "Opal?" The cat was no where to be found.
She groaned as she saw the doggy door flapping with Opals exit. Opal knew not to go out after dark. She picked herself up from her thoughts and followed Opal, mumbling and commenting about her cat.
After about twenty minutes of searching, she started to give up. She sighed as she walked back to the boutique. She had looked everywhere! The usual blue-green rose bush her cat slept in, the branches and holes of her favorite trees, the patches of flowers and herbs she'd ruin for fun, or defend for her own ravaging. Opal was no where! As she turned a rock onto the straight path, she realized she had no idea where she was.
She stared down the path and could barely seen the entrance, had she really gone that far? She shook her head, no matter, I'll just start back at the start, she thought. I'll know the route from there.
She trotted back to the start of the woods, she could've just turned when she recognized the woods, but she wanted to see the night sky. She turned at the front of the woods and looked up at the moonless night. She took in the fresh air that was Canterlot, nothing like the scented air that covered the woods. She smiled up at the sky.
The stars floated in the inky darkness, only a deep blue around stars that glowed bright. The trees swayed in a breeze and took her spiked mane with it. It was... nice. It was peaceful, like nothing could ruin it. The dark leaves blended into the night sky, just an endless pool of darkness, such a quiet darkness too. She wanted to hum, but couldn't dare ruin the moment.
Another breeze passed, it felt like it could last forever. The cold tickled her skin underneath her fur, she was tempted to leave and get warmer, but found the cold nice. No wonder ponies liked night air, it was like a fan that ran for twelve hours after the hot summer day.
"What are you doing?" A familiar voice asked. She turned to see the Prince of Dragons with a tall, red dragon next to him. Her heart froze to fear and shattered. Was he planning to take her away? To burn her for running?
"Oh... I -um, I-I was just looking at the sky," she smiled nervously and told the truth. The prince smiled while the red dragon rolled his eyes with a huff and a smirk. She wanted to snap and tell him he was a ruffian, but she couldn't insult the princes guard.
"It is pretty tonight, isn't it?" The prince asked and looked up at the sky. She stared in confusion. Her will taking over her head. She took a step towards him and saw how young he looked, though her was certainly a few years older than her. He noticed her looking at him and smiled at her. Heat rose to her face and she was suddenly happy the moon wasn't out that night.
"I-I... I was - I... I, um-," she stammered and her hooves were shaking so bad. Her smile wavered as she started backing up towards the woods. Knowing her luck, she tripped on a loose branch and waited for her impact with the ground.
Once nothing happened she noticed the new weight on her hoof, she creeped one of her eyes open that shot to both eyes being open. She screamed and jumped away, pulling her hoof out of his claw. He seemed somewhat hurt, though he shook it off and smiled nervously.
"C'mon Spike, nights young," the red dragon growled at Rarity. "Shouldn't really be making goo-goo eyes at the witch like earlier." A smirk crept across his face as a red blush turned to cover the princes.
Rarity's heart seemed like it was floating out of the fear pit. Goo-goo eyes? At her? And with such a young looking soul, there could be no harm or bad intentions behind it, did he really find her that pretty? Or that enticing? She shook her head and the spark lit back up, pulling her heart down from its float.
The prince growled and kicked the red dragon. "I told you it was because I never saw her before." He seemed so enraged and sure of his statement. Rarity's heart didn't need the heat to pull her heart down, it fell at the statement.
Such genuine care and such a nice heart. Could really make goo-goo eyes at her? What was she thinking! Why could a dragon -a heathen, a beast, a ruffian!- care about her. Her expression cooled to steel as she glared daggers at the two. Beasts and ruffians, no hearts or care. At least she had the remorse she didn't want to admit, these two had nothing but holes.
She turned away in midst of their arguing and started home. She wanted away before they tried anything, or she snapped. Before she could turn her usual first turn, something slammed against a tree. She turned to see the prince of dragons smile at her though he was slightly panting.
It was almost... adorable? Well that's what Rarity thought, then she'd told herself she needed to bathe in a crystal bath to purify her thoughts of this dragon.
"M-my name's Spike, what's yours?" The prince smiled eagerly. She looked at him like he had a couple of screws loose, yet she didn't care for ponies with screws loose, so she just looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Excuse me, your highness," she tried to make out without being rude, but couldn't help it. "But I'm sure you know my name, every pony knows my name." She turned back, but he grabbed her hoof again. She snatched it away and stood there, waiting to finish the conversation.
"I know, it's just... it doesn't feel like an official greeting without you saying your name, just cause I know it," Spike the prince smiled at her. His eagerness was obvious to Garble who was snickering at the fool he made of himself, but Rarity didn't see it pass her own feelings.
Why did he talk to her like she mattered though? "Rarity, my name is Rarity." She said, she wanted to be snarky, but instead sounded interested. She'd need some poison joke to fix her tongue.
He held out his claw to her, "Nice to meet you, Rarity." He instantly put his claw behind his back nervously. "Sorry, sorry, I know you don't like dragons."
Why did he respect her wants? She smiled genuinely, like she did when she looked at the night sky. "It doesn't seem like officially getting to know each other if you say you know things about me," she smiled. He only chuckled and waved good-bye to her as he exited the woods.
Her heart wouldn't leave her throat as she walked towards her own home.
Once she got home, she let out a dreamy sigh and then stared at nothing in confusion Opal started walking towards her. She shook her head and smiled. Her mind was working ahead of her. Of course if she won over a dragons loyalty could she get her way to Canterlots owner. Yet, the idea made her sick to her stomach.
Garble smirked as Spike confidently left the woods. Spike turned back to see if Rarity had gone, once he was sure she left, he let his confidence fall into a sigh of relief. Garble started laughing and smirked. "Well played, Spike. You let her see your kidish charm."
Spike's relief turned to panic. "Was I that bad? It probably would've gone better if you didn't talk." He bit down hard on his thumb as his other arm dug into his upper arm.
Garble laughed. "I'm kidding! She's never been nice to anybody, so you're doing great. She's a charmer, not a sweet heart, yet she was actually nice. I should be taking notes!"
Spike smiled in relief as him and Garble started leaving, "You have a way of making other feel like they did something."
"You have a way of making others feel important because you're such a wimp," Garble smirked, only to receive a playful punch from Spike. The two erupted into laughter. "Still, Spike, pick some one else. I'll let ya marry a namby-pamby pony, but not that one."
Spike was confused. "Why?" He glared up at the sky and internally cowered, she was right. It was a pretty night.
"She's just gonna take Canterlots stash and move us out, she'll make a fool of you!" Garble hissed, taking Spike away from his night gazing.
"But what if she's different and just doesn't know how to ... you know... be nice? Maybe I could help!" Spike smiled happily at Garbles disapproving stare. His expression fell and he rubbed his arm sheepishly. "I know, I'm being stupid and hopeful, two things that don't go well with dragons."