Chapter One –
Twilight Sparkle had begun to get used to what all being a Princess entitled. She wasn’t as regal or renowned as Celestia or Luna. She was loved by those who knew her, but she wasn’t as loved as her sister-in-law Cadance was. None of these facts bothered her much, she was happy with her friends and Spike. Being the princess of friendship also entitled having to sort out disputes that happened within Ponyville and the few towns in between that laid in her area of domain. However the other princesses never minded it when she came to their areas of domain to settle disputes they couldn’t handle or didn’t have the time to. Being a princess was finally starting to make sense to her.
“Hey Twilight check this out!” Spike called. He and Twilight were currently out in a large grassy meadow practicing on Spike’s flying. In the past few years Spike had hit a growth spirt and had grown a few feet since she first became a princess. Now he resembled more of an adult dragon than he did when he was younger. The only thing that was different was that instead of walking on two legs, Spike now walked on all fours. Twilight had guessed this was because he wanted to fit more into Pony society.
Twilight turned and watched Spike launch himself from a tall rock and hover in the air for five minutes before plummeting towards the ground. Twilight caught him in a bubble of purple magic and lowered him lightly to the ground. Once on the ground Spike laughed before rolling over. “That wasn’t bad at all. You’re getting the hang of your wings. If you want, Rainbow Dash could teach you. She kicked Triple Stripe off a cloud to get him to fly.”
Spike’s green eyes widened. “I prefer the safer method with you.”
Twilight smiled. “Good choice,” she said looking down at the book she had brought with her to the meadow. Tucking her hooves under her she began to read the book. She glanced up occasionally to check on spike and to catch him if he fell.
Finally after an hour and a half Spike finally stopped and came to slump down beside Twilight. “I don’t see how Pegasi and Alicorns do it. Flying is too hard.”
Twilight closed her book. “Well you are a dragon. Dragons are naturally heavier and thicker than most of the other sentient species in Equestria. It’s natural to have a hard time learning how to fly since you are being taught by Pegasi who don’t exactly know how to teach a dragon to fly.”
Spike huffed and laid his head over a long scaly leg. A couple minutes of silence passed until a young Unicorn mare with a curly light pink and purple mane came trotting through the meadow. She was singing a tune lightly to herself as she wandered through the meadow. Finally coming to a stop she pulled a blanket out of her saddle bag and plopped down on the ground. Spike watched her with unwavering eyes.
“So Sweetie Belle is it?” Twilight said making Spike jump.
“W-what?” Spike stuttered.
“It’s Sweetie Belle now is it?” Twilight rolled her eyes when Spike didn’t say anything. “You used to have a crush the size of Canterlot on Rarity when we were younger. However I have noticed you have lost interest in her in recent years. So what I’m saying is have your affections gone to her little sister?”
Spike didn’t say anything as he turned his head away from her. She doesn’t understand, he thought. I was always in the shadows of the Mane Six. They never really involved me in anything unless it had to do with Princess Twilight Sparkle or they needed somepony to record something. Neither of them understand. He turned his gaze towards Sweetie Belle again. At least she understands. How long as Sweetie Belle had to live in her sister’s shadow? Although in recent years since Rarity lives part time in Canterlot she has been able to become more noticeable and become recognized for her singing talents.
“Where are you going?” Twilight asked surprised when Spike got on his legs. He didn’t say anything, but lumbered off towards where Sweetie Belle laid in the meadow. Twilight just shook her head and returned to her book.
“Hey…” Spike stopped when he heard Sweetie Belle begin to sing an Appaloosian Folk song.
Sweetie Belle moved as she sang the folk song and he had imagined that she would look good in the outfit that would match the song that she was singing. As she sang Spike was swept away to the mountains where the Appaloosian people lived. He had visited the mountains once when he was with Twilight and the rest of the mane six when they had been trying to help other ponies. He imagined roaming around in the forest with her just being one with nature. Without noticing Spike had moved so close to Sweetie Belle he was now standing on her blanket. Her voice had entranced him to he point he had forgotten where he was. When Sweetie Belle finished she turned around and jumped when she saw spike with a dreamy look in his eyes. “Spike…are you okay?” she asked carefully not wanting to startle him.
Coming out of the trance he said simply, “You sound pretty.” He snapped to attention when he heard a snicker from Twilight. He turned his head to glare at her, she waved her hoof mouthing ‘Sorry I couldn’t help it’ while her shoulder still shook with laughter.
“Well…thank you,” Sweetie Belle blushed. “I love Appaloosian Folk music. I can almost feel the history behind the song when I sing it.”
“What…what was this song called?” Spike asked gently while biting back an annoyed expression as he heard Twilight’s muffled snickers.
“Oh it’s called ‘Go to Sleep little baby’,” Sweetie Belle said.
Spike’s ears perked. “Why does it say baby or babe instead of foal?”
“Do you know anything about the Enslavement Era?” she asked.
“The Enslavement Era was when Princess Celestia had the hundred year illness that nearly killed her. She barely had enough energy to raise the sun and the moon so Prince Blueblood’s great-great grandmother had to take over the role of the ruling Princess while Princess Celestia recovered. Power went to her head and she started to have Zebras from Zebrica brought over to Equestria against their free will. By the time Princess Celestia had recovered she had seen what had happened to her beloved kingdom. So the Civil War broke out between those who sided with Prince Blueblood’s great-great grandmother and those who sided with Princess Celestia. While Princess Celestia’s powers were still weak from the hundred year illness, she had much more followers than the false princess did. In the end the Civil War brought the end of the Enslavement Era and the end to Prince Blueblood’s great-great grandmother’s reign. Princess Celestia gave the newly freed Zebras the choice to go back to Zebrica or stay in Equestria. Half went back to Zebrica and half stayed here. The half that had stayed here either were born here, felt no hatred to what happened, or had no ties to Zebrica.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyebrows were raised impressed that he knew all of that. Spike blushed. “Twilight taught me all that I know,” he could have sworn he heard Twilight say ‘that’s my Spike’.
“She is a good teacher, she was the one who helped me learn to hone my magic. Anyways the song says baby and babe because some of the Zebras and Ponies that lived during that time called their foals that. It was kinda like slang. Also during and after the Enslavement Era folk songs came from those Zebras who had been enslaved. This song was one of them. While the Era was one of the darkest in Equestria’s history, it gave us some meaningful music and art,” Sweetie Belle said.
“Maybe you should become a historian with that brain of yours,” Spike said attempting to flatter her.
Sweetie Belle blushed slightly. “No I couldn’t, Apple Bloom is the brain in the group. I’m just the singer in the group.”
“Hey!” a tomboyish female voice said startling them. They looked up to find Scootaloo standing on her scooter. “Stop flirting and come on! We have a CMC ceremony today.”
Spike helped her pack up her things. “Well it was nice talking to you,” before she left her bravely gave him a smooch on his scaly cheek before running off to catch up with Scootaloo.
“Huh so dragons can blush,” Twilight said coming up next to him.
“Oh shut up,” Spike said looking away with a stupid grin on his face.