//------------------------------// // Welcome Home // Story: Purple Guardian // by DragonPony //------------------------------// Chapter 1 Welcome Home ‘Man it is good to be back home and to my old self’ was all I could think about as blinding light fading reveling our friends and Princesses Celestia waiting for us. As Twilight and I walk towards the girls I couldn’t help but feel somewhat funny but chalked that one up to just coming back from an alternate dimension. That though was quickly dismissed when I noticed how they all had a shocked and confused look on their faces. “Huh, is something wrong girls? I thought you would be happy to see us.” I asked with a concerned tone. “O-oh we are happy to see you both back save and sound darling. But…”Rarity said not looking me in the eye. This was when Twilight finally looked over to her right to see what could be wrong. The next few words that came out of her mouth raddled me to my very core. “Spike! You’re still a dog!” Twilight shouted running over to me to getting a better look for herself. “WHAT!!” I yell as I turn around to look into the mirror and see a gift from our time abroad that I really do not want. There I stood a dog just like in the human world. But I wasn’t the little puppy I was there, I was much larger then I was there. I was just shy of being around the size of an average pony, my ear fins where now normal dog ears (with fur around the ears to match my old fins.). There I stood a purple and green teenage (just taking a shot in the dark on that) dog. “W-why didn’t turn back to a dragon like how you turned back to a pony!” I shout to Twilight without looking from my reflection in the mirror. “I don’t know Spike. Everything should have gone back to normal when returned” Twilight stated with a somewhat shacking voice. She was clearly racking her brain trying to figure out what could have gone wrong. “Well tell ‘should have’ to my paws, or to my lack of scales!” I say with a somewhat snarl as I wave my paws in her face. “Spike calm down I am sure Twi’ didn’t know anything like this could happen when you two went into that crazy mirror” Applejack says in a calming voice as her and the rest of the girls walk over to me. “Yea and besides look at you Spike you make such a cool looking doggie” Pinkie says as she start to pet my head. I have to admit I do like the feeling of being petted but I can’t help but not like the idea of being treated like a common pet. “She is right Spikey-Wikey you do look like a absolutely adorable like a dog,” Rarity says as walk next to me and stroke her hoof against my cheek causing them to turn slightly red. “Your fur is so soft and silky I know some mares that would kill to have their mane like this” I turn my head away to stop her from touching me and also to try to shack the blush before I speak again. “Thank you girls for trying to make me feel better but I don’t want to be a dog. I want to be a dragon like I am supposed to be.” I turn back around and walk to Celestia. “You can fix this can’t you princess? I won’t be stuck like this right; I spent enough time as a dog in that other world.” Celestia tried to keep her poker face up to keep me calm but with all of the time I spent with her I could see past it. I could see the worry and sadness behind the mask she spend thousands of years perfecting. “I do know what has gone wrong with your return home young Spike but rest assured that we all will do everything we can to try to return you back to normal.” Celestia says as she places a hoof on my shoulder. Looking into my eyes doing everything she can to try to comfort me in this crazy time. I sigh as do the only thing I can do at this moment. I accept that I am stuck as a dog alittle while longer till we find a cure for this. “Thanks Princess Celestia, I trust you and Twilight will find a way to get be back good as new.” I say with a weak smile showing off my new canine teeth. My mind can’t stop thinking how did this all go so wrong. The Princess returned the smile and removed her hoof. “I’ll go to the library to see what I can find to help you Spike. I would recommend taking this time to try to get some rest. You both have been through an experience and even more of a shock returning home. After saying this Princess Celestia disappeared with a teleportation spell. As I am lost in my own mind I didn’t notice Twilight walking up to me till she wrapped her forlegs around my neck and burry her face into me. I feel her start to cry as she nuzzles into my neck whispering something too low for me to hear till she finally start to speck loud enough for me to hear. “I am sorry Spike. I am so very sorry. You are stuck like this because you came with me to help get back my crown. If I had been a better princess I wouldn’t have lost it in the first place. I-if I was a better student I would have made sure everything would have been okay for us to go and come back. *sob* I-if I was a better sister I wouldn’t have put you at risk in the first place!” I feel my heart break seeing her like this. I may be the one in a shitty spot (what else is new) but she is this. I know Twi better then she knows herself, and I know that she will blame herself and run herself ragged to try to fix me back even if she breaks down doing so. There is no way I am going to have her do that to herself not even for my sake, the last thing I want is to see her trying to do everything herself again. I start to run my paw through her man and stroking her gently to try to calm her down. “Hey, hey Twi I don’t blame you for anything. There is no way you could have seen any of this coming. You are a great princess, student and even better sister. I know you will find a way to fix me but I won’t have you overwork yourself for me. We made it back healthy and alive; I see that as a win in my book.” Her crying turns into slight sobbing as she pulled out of my neck and looked me in the eye. “Besides it is not like I don’t have experience being a dog anyway. Also have you looked at me” I strike a pose straighten out my body to its full height showing off every muscle under my fur. As I am showing off my new stature I turn to Twilight and give her a wink. “I am one sexy beast if I do say so myself.” This gets a giggle out my crying mare. Unfortunately for me I forgot all the other girls were still in the room. I hear laughs break out behind me, when I turn around I see every one of them at the brink of tears laughing at my little showing. “Ha ha, laugh it up girls. You all just wish you would look half this good if you became a dog overnight.” I say while rolling my eyes trying to get over my embarrassment. “I- I am sorry Spike it was just too funny seeing you strike that pose like that. But you do seem to be quite a healthy and powerful breed of dog. I would love to give you an examination later to make she everything is okay with you physical.” Fluttershy say as she straightens herself up after her little laughing fit. “Sure Fluttershy that sounds like a good idea. I wouldn’t want to find out that I am missing like a kidney or something.” I say with a grin that is until I see Twi start to get that worried look on her face. “I am kidding Twilight. I am sure nothing is wrong, in case you forgot I have been a dog before. So I kinda know how I should feel to be a healthy one.” I state to her giving her one my famous reassuring smile. That seemed to do the trick since I see the worried look fade from her face. I noticed some extra weight on my back and when I turned around I saw Rainbow Dash leaning against me. “It is kinda funny seeing you this big squirt. Not to mention having hair, just think of all the fun new pranks this opens up for me and Pinkie to play.” Dash says as with a smirk on her face. Clearly she is thinking of all kinds of new ways to try to torture me. If I am going to be stuck as a dog for however long I will not spend that time worrying about what she might be planning for me. So I quick roll my hip to the side making her fall off of me. Before she can grain her balance I turn around and place my paw on her shoulder and press down with some of my weight pinning her to the floor. I look down at the startled Dash with a cocky grin. “Looks like I am not that much of a squirt anymore huh Dash. I wouldn’t get any funny ideas about trying to prank me ether. Who knows what a bad dog could do to something like… oh I don’t know a Daring Do collection or living ‘little’ surprises on your front step” I say with a toothy grin on my face. The look of pure fear at the mention of her prize collection and being left with unwanted presents at her house almost brought a tear to my eye. “Okay okay! You win no pranks just don’t touch the collection and please don’t shit on my step. That is just super gross!” A disgusted Dash pleaded. “You have a deal Dash.” I say in between laughs as I let her up off the floor. “Well I don’t know about you girls but I’m starving and could really use a bite to eat. Anyone want to join me?” I say as I walk towards the door. I hear Twilight stomach growl next to me already giving me her answer. “Sure Spike lets go down to the dining hall and get something to eat as we try to talk and figure out what we are going to do next.” Twilight says as she runs to catch up with me at the door with the rest of the girls following shortly after her. As we walk to the dining hall I can’t stop thinking about why did this happen to me. I mean I can’t say I am surprised, I am a magnet for shit to backfire on me but this is on a whole different level. I was having a hard enough time being a dragon, having people always being afraid of what I could become at any moment. But at least that doesn’t mean being treated like a pet; I have had enough of people looking down on me when I lived in Chamalot. There is no way I am going to let it start up all over again. Even if I am a dog for now I am still Spike.