Spike and Scootaloo were just friends, but not so much anymore...
Distraught over her disability and the problems it's causing in her life, Scootaloo seeks comfort in the capable claws of Spike the Dragon, perhaps the only other resident of Ponyville who understands what it's like to be the only one of your kind unable to fly.
But then something happens that neither of them is expecting; a sudden burst of dragon magic that hasn't been seen in centuries. Now Scootaloo can fly as she's always dreamed. But is the change worth the price?
Contains: Transformation and interspecies relations.
Ripples radiated out to the edges of the puddle with every drip rolling off the park bench. Their source was a little orange Pegasus with a purple mane and tail. She wanted to be a good flier, truly she did. She wanted Rainbow Dash to be proud of her, to make her feel like she was worthwhile. Unfortunately, Rainbow wouldn't be back for another three days, and that was way too long.
Damn that Diamond Tiara and her mother! Normally, dealing with them was a cakewalk, because Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were always nearby. But Sweetie Belle had gone to the Crystal Empire with Rarity, finally able to help with an order of dresses. At the same time, Sweet Apple Acres had been right in the path of a swarm of fruit bats, so Apple Bloom was too busy. As she didn't want to add an extra heap onto Apple Bloom's problems or ruin Sweetie Belle's good time, she was alone.
"I'm not a cripple," she sobbed quietly. "I'm not a freak..."
But no matter how much she said it, the words were useless if she didn't believe them. She couldn't fly; she was disabled. The doctor said she may fly in the future, but it was unlikely she would ever be able to do more than hover. She wanted to fly; she was a pegasus, and should have been able with little issue. But it was hard to hold onto hope.
As tears continued to steam down her face, she buried her head in her hooves. She couldn't go on like this. Her role models had more important things to do, her best friends needed to take care of their own lives, and she was left stranded. There was nopony here to lend her a helping hoof.
"Scootaloo?"
She looked up. "Spike?" She wiped her face, not wanting him to see that she'd been crying. She had to look tough, like Rainbow Dash would. "What are you doing here?"
Spike glanced around. "It's a public park. Anyone can walk through it. Have you been crying?"
"Of course not," she lied. "Tears are for babies, and I'm not a baby. I can handle all kinds of tough things."
Spike reached into the bags he was carrying and pulled out a card. "Twilight's organizing the installation of an optometrist. He's supposed to allow walk-ins. You should have your eyes checked out."
"I can see just fine," answered Scootaloo.
"Yeah, but there's something in there scratching up your sclera," he snorted. "Your eyes are really red, so, most probable reasons are either damage, allergies, crying or drug use. You don't have any other allergy symptoms, you say you weren't crying, so the next option would be a grain of sand or speck of dust. Unless, of course, you're on something?"
Scootaloo looked around. They were alone. "Can you keep a secret, Spike?"
"As long as it's not going to hurt anypony, sure."
Scootaloo took a deep breath and patted the bench next to her. Spike hopped up and set the bags beside him.
"I actually was crying."
"I know. I heard you."
"So why'd you even ask?"
Spike shrugged. "I wanted to know if you'd tell me. If you were comfortable telling me that you were upset, you would probably be comfortable telling me why. And then I could help you. But if you didn't want my help, there's not a lot I can do."
Scootaloo sighed. "Not a word to anypony."
Spike nodded. "So, what happened?"
"It was Diamond Tiara and her bitch of a mother."
Spike rolled his eyes. "Figures..."
"I was going over a jump on my scooter, and they came out from behind a blind corner. I tried to stop, but I was going too fast and fell off. When Spoiled Bitch told me to fly away, Diamond Tiara told her that I couldn't fly because I was too stupid to figure it out. I told her it was because of a medical condition, and Spoiled Bitch called me a cripple. A cripple! Even if I am disabled, it's not okay to say things like that!"
"That's rough," agreed Spike. "Still, that's something you should have expected from them."
"I did!" continued Scootaloo. "I called her a snob and started to walk off, and Diamond Tiara started to tease me, but then hre mom stopped her and told her "Don't lower yourself to the level of this crippled freak."" She sniffed. "I'm used to the abuse from Diamond Tiara, but that really hurt."
Spike winced at the insult. Even with his thick scales, he could feel that.
"And I didn't want to ruin Sweetie Belle's time with her sister or call Apple Bloom away from her emergency, and Rainbow Dash won't be back for a few days, so I didn't have anypony I could depend on."
"You can always come to me with your problems," offered Spike. "I'm a dragon who doesn't have wings. I know what it's like to have my own kind flying around when I can't. And once Rainbow comes back from her trip, she can pick you up and carry you around, and stuff. I'd do it myself, if I had a pair of wings. I'd pick you up and carry you all over Ponyville, just to see you smile. Even if we are spread a bit thin right now, always remember that you have friends who love you."
Scootaloo chuckled. "Thanks, Spike. I needed that."
"Plus, even if you can't fly, there's all kinds of things you can do that I can't," Spike went on. "I can't hover, I don't have the build for extreme sports, and nopony in all of Ponyville has as much control on a scooter as you do."
"Too true," smiled Scootaloo.
"And no contest, you're more polite than Diamond Tiara and her mom combined. They may be rich, but they have no class."
With a laugh, Scootaloo leaned in and hugged Spike. "That made me feel loads better."
"Always happy to help," hugged Spike back. "Just come to me if you need someone to talk to. I'll do my best to listen."
Suddenly, Scootaloo pulled back and kissed Spike fully on the lips, waiting there for a few seconds before pulling away. "One of these days, Spike, you're going to be a great coltfriend. I envy the mare who ends up with you."
Spike blushed. "And I hope you find the stallion of your dreams someday. He's a lucky one." He looked up at the sky. "It's supposed to rain soon. I should bring these bags to the mayor's office, and you should think about heading home for the night."
"Okay," smiled Scootaloo. "Thanks for listening. and remember, not a word to anypony."
"My lips are sealed," he answered, hopping down and grabbing his bags. "Have a good night."
As Scootaloo puttered off into the grey skies, Spike smiled to himself. It was always nice to help somepony in need, and he was glad that Scootaloo had found her smile again.
The last thing Scootaloo thought about as she flopped down onto her bed was her time with Spike. She couldn't believe she'd kissed him. That was weird, but it kind of felt right. At the time, she was sure, but even now, she didn't regret it. He'd been good to her, so why not?
She rolled over and pulled up the quilt. She knew her aunts were nice and cared for her while her parents were away, but even though they cared, she didn't want to make them feel bad for her. This was their house, and she was their guest, permanent as she may have seemed. She didn't want to treat them like they were her parents, because they weren't.
With the moon shining down on her through the clouds, she drifted off to sleep, remembering Spike telling her that he would always be around to listen to her problems.
Her dream started the way it usually did. She was standing up on a cloud with Rumble, Featherweight and Rainbow Dash. They were going to race. Rainbow blew her whistle, and they all jumped off at once. Rumble took an early lead, followed by Scootaloo, and Featherweight took up the rear. Rainbow, being the fastest, coolest and most awesome pony in the skies, was ahead of all of them, flying backwards and checking her clipboard.
Around the first corner, Scootaloo was right behind Rumble, close enough that his turn pushed his hips against her face and nearly made her hit the inside corner.
"Watch it!" shouted Rainbow. "Cause a collision, and you lose precious seconds!"
Featherweight was catching up. His small frame made him more aerodynamic, but his low weight and muscle structure made his acceleration suffer for it. He was fast when he came up to speed, but he was always trailing by the first two turns.
Meanwhile, Rumble had a strong back and hips to match. His take-offs were great, but his wing control still needed work if he was going to be a great flier. He couldn't rely on take-offs alone.
At the second corner, Featherweight overtook them both, slipping through the inside corner sideways. He was exceptional when it came to corners.
Rumble kept his eyes on Rainbow, and when she looked down at her clipboard, a swift kick knocked Featherweight into a pylon, knocking him out of the race. Of course, the pylon was made of cloud, so it wasn't a hard collision, but he would need to accelerate from zero again, and that was Featherweight's weak point.
As they prepared to round the third and final corner, Rumble was lagging behind. Scootaloo had picked up her pace somehow, pushing forward. Rumble smacked into her twice, but as he prepared to do so a third time, Scootaloo bolted upward, and Rumble collided with the corner.
"Good evasion, Scoots!" shouted Rainbow. "Well done, and good sportsponyship!"
All that was left was the straightaway, and with both boys far behind her, she could relax. But she didn't want to. She wanted to win. She wanted to be just like Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow was a winner. Scootaloo couldn't risk being a loser. She had to win, and she had to do so without cheating. A win was worthless if you didn't earn it.
She crossed the finish line just as Featherweight was rounding the last corner, and Rumble was halfway down the straightaway. She was a good fifteen seconds ahead of second place, and she'd won that fair and square.
"That's a good hustle," congratulated Rainbow, placing a hoof on her shoulder. "We'll make a Wonderbolt out of you, yet."
"Just like you?" smiled Scootaloo.
"Just like me."
Rumble landed, followed by Featherwighta few seconds later.
"The rankings are in," announced Rainbow. "The winner: Scootaloo with two minutes and eight seconds. Second place: Featherweight, with a time of two minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Good cornering, Featherweight, but you need to work on that takeoff. A full stop will cost you more than any other racer, and in the long runs, you need to stop for breaks every so often. Third place, Rumble. Your time was two minutes and twenty-nine seconds, but with four ten second penalties, your time was up over three minutes. That rough play of yours lost you the whole race."
"He knocked me into the wall!" added Featherweight. "He kicked me right here!" He turned to the side, and while there wasn't a bruise, there was a dirty hoofprint, and a quick check from Rainbow confirmed it.
"Rumble, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"She cheated, too!" Rumble shouted, pointing at Scootaloo. "She's using body modification to increase her flying abilities!"
"No, I'm not!" spat Scootaloo right back. "You're just mad because you lost to a girl!"
"No, that's a body mod," agreed Featherweight. "Those are not regulation wings."
"What are you talking about?" scoffed Scootaloo, spreading her wings. "These are my wings! I just trained really hard and became a good flier through effort!"
Rainbow approached and rubbed her chin. "I'm sorry, Scoots, but I'm going to have to take away your win. They're right; those aren't your wings. Those are stolen."
"What?!" Scootaloo looked back, and it was true. She wasn't using her own orange, feathery wings. These were scaly at the front, leathery between the phalanges, and purple with a green membrane. She had won by stealing Spike's wings.
Rainbow turned to Featherweight. "Well, I can't have a sister who cheats. Looks like you're my new little brother, Featherweight."
Scootaloo couldn't believe what was happening. She'd lost the race and the respect of her role model. "NNNOOOOOO!!!"
She bolted upright in a cold sweat, still in her bed. The sun was just peeking up over the horizon. She took a deep breath. "It was just a dream," she sighed. After a few more, she chuckled. "Of course it was. I'd never steal something from Spike. And I'd never cheat at sports, either! Winners don't cheat. What a silly dream..."
Shaking her head, she hopped out of bed and walked down to the bathroom. She was all sticky and smelly from the sweating, so cleaning up was important. She'd also need to start washing her sheets before she left, to make sure they were clean when she came back.
After her shower, she stepped out and dried herself, then went to the mirror to brush her teeth. When she looked in the mirror, however, she dropped her toothbrush, letting it clatter into the sink. She had wings. Big wings. And they weren't covered in feathers, but in scales.
Scootaloo pulled her crusader cape down from the closet and wrapped it around her shoulders. It had beed ages since she'd worn this thing, and it was a little small, but it covered her wings.
"I stole Spike's wings," she whispered to herself, rocking back and forth. "How could I have stolen Spike's wings? Literally, how?!" She buried her face in her hooves. "And after he was so nice to me yesterday! What a shitty thing to do to a friend..."
There was a knock at the door. "Scootaloo, are you okay in there?"
"Just fine, Aunt Holiday!" she lied.
"Are you sure? You ran back to your room so fast that you forgot to turn off the tap."
Scootaloo smacked her forehead. "Sorry. I forgot..."
"Hurry along, dear. I made breakfast. It's waiting for you downstairs."
Could she even go to breakfast? She couldn't take off her cape, that would let her aunts see her stolen property. A felon, in their home... Even if she hadn't done it on purpose, would they really be willing to house a criminal? She shook her head. She couldn't bear the thought of being labeled a thief.
With a deep breath, she steeled herself. She'd just give the wings back... somehow... and apologize to Spike. That was the right thing to do. That's what Rainbow Dash would do.
Wiping her face, she stood up and adjusted her cape. Spike would be at the Castle of Friendship with Twilight. He was always there in the mornings. She just had to go meet him there and give back his wings.
As she came to the bottom of the stairs, she was waved over to the breakfast table, but she went no further than the door. "Sorry, aunties, but I can't stay for breakfast, I have something really important I have to do, I'll see you at dinner, bye."
As she tried to walk out, Auntie Lofty barred her path. "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, Scootaloo. If you intend to skip it, I'm going to need to hear a very good reason."
Scootaloo swallowed. "Well, uh..." she scratched the back of her neck. She didn't really want to lie. But perhaps she didn't have to. "Yesterday, after hanging with a friend, we parted ways, and I left with something really important to them and didn't realize it. They're probably looking all over for it now that they know it's missing, so I thought it best to return it right away. That way, they're not tearing up their bedroom looking for something that's not there, because I have it by accident."
Auntie Lofty pursed her lips. "What did you take?"
Scootaloo shrunk down. She didn't want to say it.
"Oh, come off it, Lofty," smiled Aunt Holiday. "She said it was an accident, and I believe her. If she'd taken it on purpose, she wouldn't have told us she'd taken it, and she wouldn't be trying to give it back to the pony she took it from." She reached into her purse and pulled out two bits. "Make sure you eat something healthy for lunch."
"I will," promised Scootaloo, dashing out the door.
As she rolled through town on her scooter, she moved very slowly. Normally, she'd rip through the streets as fast as her wings could blow air behind her, but today, she didn't have her wings. She had Spike's wings. They were covered by her crusader cape, so going slow would keep the cape from blowing back and revealing her mistake. Because of this, she was only able to go as fast as her leg could propel her without blowing her cape back. This, of course, drew a lot of attention to her, as her behaviour was definitely odd today.
When she finally arrived at the castle, she parked her scooter and went inside. She was already fed up with having to take extra care to hide her wings. The sooner she could fix this problem, the better off she would be.
"Oh, good morning, Scootaloo," greeted Twilight, coming around a bend. She reached up and wiped a small dollop of mustard off her face from the soft pretzel she was carrying with her. "Sorry for the mess. I had a late breakfast. Was there something you needed?"
"Yeah, where's Spike?"
Twilight pursed her lips. "That's a good question. He should be back by now. Why do you ask?"
Scootaloo sat back on her haunches. "I kinda, sorta accidentally stole something from him yesterday. I didn't realize I had it until this morning, and I wanted to give it back."
Twilight shook her head. "You really shouldn't steal things, Scootaloo."
"I didn't mean to!" she insisted. "I know it's wrong, and it happened by mistake, and now I just want to make it right."
Twilight nodded. "I see. Well, he hasn't been complaining about missing anything, so if you want to return it, you can probably just leave it in his bedroom. He'll see it when he comes back, and he might not even know it was missing."
"It's not so simple as that," sighed Scootaloo. "I have to give it back personally, and I want to apologize for taking it."
Twilight smiled. "That's a good attitude, Scootaloo. Taking responsibility for your mistakes is just as important as trying to correct them. Since you're demonstrating good behaviour, I'll let it slide this time. It was just an accident, right?"
Scootaloo nodded emphatically.
"I'm sure he'll forgive you. But do try to make sure you don't make that mistake a second time. Other ponies may not be so forgiving."
Scootaloo smiled. "I'll try really hard."
"You can wait for him in the library," directed Twilight. "You can read a book while you're waiting for him to come back. Like I said, he should be along soon."
"Thanks."
"By the by, what was it you took?"
Scootaloo froze. After a moment, she lowered her head. "I'd rather not say, if that's alright with you. It's kind of personal."
Twilight nodded. "My lips are sealed, then. Will there be anything else?"
"No, thanks, I..." Scootaloo trailed off for a moment. She still didn't know how she came to take Spike's wings, or how she would give them back. "Actually, can you direct me to your books on dragons?"
Scootaloo poured through the small section of Twilight's library that covered dragon magic, specifically the sections on diseases of the wings. She found one that caused one's wings to fall off, one that weakened the membranes and led to tattering, and one that only happened to young dragons, stunting their wing growth and making them incapable of flying. She certainly knew the feeling. But there was nothing on a disease that would cause a pony to be capable of taking the wings from a dragon.
"Ugh! I'm never going to find the answer here!" She slammed the book shut and tossed it onto the small pile she'd built up. She curled up and hugged her knees. "Am I just destined to be a bad pony? I was a bad flier, and now I'm a bad friend!"
"At least you can recognize your own behaviour," came Spike's response as he rounded the bend. "That's the first step to recovery. And for what it's worth, trying to find a way to fix it is not the mark of a bad friend. I think you're a good friend."
"Spike!" Scootaloo bolted forward and hugged him. "You're back!"
"It's kind of a surprise to find you in the library," chuckled Spike. "Here, let me help you." Spike picked up the pile of books and started putting them away. "So, who was it you wronged that makes you think you're a bad friend?"
Scootaloo glanced up. "Twilight didn't tell you?"
"Nah, she just said you were in here and that you needed to talk to me. She didn't say why."
"Well..." Scootaloo swallowed. "It was you."
Spike looked at her for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head. "You could have just opted not to say. There's not really a need to make something up."
"Spike, I'm serious!"
Spike lowered his head. "You're right, I'm sorry. But also, it's not a big deal. I don't feel wronged, so it's all good."
"It's not, though!" said Scootaloo. "Even if you do feel no scorn for what I did, I still feel bad about what I've done."
"I don't even know what you did," assured Spike. "It can't be that bad if I haven't noticed. What'd you even do that made you feel so bad?"
Scootaloo took a step back. "Just know that, before I show you, I didn't mean it, and I was trying to find a way to fix it."
"I'm sure I'll forgive you," sighed Spike. "Please, just tell me. I'll try not to be mad."
Scootaloo dropped her cape to the floor and extended her wings.
After a moment, Spike shook his head. "So, what was it you did?"
"I stole your wings!" cried Scootaloo. "I was so fed up with being a flightless cripple that I accidentally stole your wings! These clearly aren't mine!"
Spike held up his claws. "Calm down. We're in a library. Even though it's a private library, we still shouldn't shout." He took a deep breath. "Those are your wings, Scootaloo. They're growing out of your back. They can't be mine; I don't have any wings."
"Pegasi like me don't have wings like this, Spike. These are dragon wings."
"Or bat wings," suggested Spike. "There are bat ponies here in Equestria. It's not so uncommon. In fact, a lot of the genetics articles I've listened to Twilight read suggest that bat ponies and pegasi share a common ancestor. Maybe this is telling you that you shouldn't try to be something you're not, and good things will come?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "Bat pony wings don't have scales, Spike. They're dragon wings, I'm sure of it."
Having put away all of the books on dragon diseases, Spike pulled one down from a collection of dragon myths. "This is something Twilight used to read to me back when she was teaching me how. It's supposed to be fiction, but there's a story in here you might find interesting."
He carried the book over to a small nook and popped it open, skimming the table of contents, then opening it further to page forty-seven.
"The Dragon and the Princess?" read Scootaloo.
"I can summarize it, if you like, but if you'd rather read through the details yourself, just let me know."
"Just the summary," sighed Scootaloo. "I just want to know what I need to do to fix this."
"Well, again, there's not really anything to "fix." Even if those were my wings, I'd let you keep them. You've always wanted to fly, and I can just stick with Twilight or take a chariot."
"Even so, stealing is wrong, and I don't like it, even if it was an accident."
Spike nodded. "Okay. Well, basically, there was this earth pony princess a long time ago who longed to soar with the pegasi. She was really sad all the time. Then one day, her knights shot down a dragon. He begged for her forgiveness, and she spared him his execution, on the condition that he take her flying when he recovered. He swore he would, and she ordered him some medicines. As he recovered, they talked, and they soon became friends. When he was almost cured, he asked her if she still wanted to fly. She said yes, he asked if she would be willing to favour him with a kiss, and she said she would, but only after they took to the skies. The day comes, and he takes her up high into the air, higher even than the pegasi were brave enough to go. She was freezing, and he asked her once more for the kiss, and when their lips met, his warmth and kindness enveloped her, and she turned into a dragon, as well, and they lived happily ever after."
"We kissed!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "Could that be it?"
Spike closed the book and shook his head. "It's just a story, Scootaloo. And a fictional story, at that. The whole book is fiction; just a collection of dragon folklore and legends that are all made up. Fairy tales."
"But there's common ground," insisted Scootaloo. "What happened to her is happening to me." She took a deep breath. "I think I know how to fix this." She grabbed Spike by the shoulders and pushed her lips to his, digging her tongue into his mouth.
As they pulled away from the kiss, Scootaloo turned around excitedly, looking at her wings. Unfortunately for her, nothing happened. She glanced at Spike's back, and it was flat, as it had been. Burying her face in her hooves, Scootaloo flopped down onto a bean chair, bawling.
Spike placed a claw on her shoulder. "Please don't be upset, Scootaloo. It's just a fictional story. It's not real. You can't have expected that to work."
"It worked the first time!" she sobbed. "I kissed you, and now I have dragon wings! I tried to kiss them back to you, and it didn't work!"
"Well..." Spike rubbed the back of his neck. "Why don't you just consider them a gift? My contribution to helping you learn to fly."
"It feels like cheating. Like taking performance-enhancing drugs or something."
"It's not cheating," assured Spike. "Despair Bolt won gold in the thirty-fifth Equestria Games distance flying competition, and he had a prosthetic wing."
Scootaloo looked up.
"And before that, Burnt Umber won the kilometre dash with a wooden leg. No ankle, no knee, just hard work and determination."
"That was the twenty-eighth," sniffed Scootaloo.
"And the first Equestria games had a silver medalist in archery who only had one eye. I forget what her name was, bu--"
"Cavalier Blast," answered Scootaloo.
"My point is, you're a magnificent pony, Scootaloo. You want to fly? We want to see it happen. If you signed up to be a contestant in the Equestria games, they'd let you in based on your skill, not based on whether or not your wings have been replaced."
"Thanks, Spike."
"Have you tried to fly with them?"
"No..."
"Why not?"
She wiped her face. "I thought they were stolen. I wanted to give them back, not rub in your face that I had them."
"Well, give them a try." Spike picked up a large cushion. "Try to grab a book off the top shelf."
Scootaloo remembered back to her training. She'd never managed to generate enough lift to move upward. Putting all of her effort into taking off, she smacked right into the high ceiling, and fell right back down onto Spike's cushion.
"Maybe just the third shelf?" joked Spike.
Scootaloo grabbed Spike's neck and shoulders, pulling him down into a hug on top of her. "They're better than I ever imagined," she smiled. "Thank you so much, Spike."
"It was nothing, really."
"It was!" she insisted. "Nopony's ever helped me actually fly before. They've helped simulate it, they've tried to help me figure it out, but nopony's ever actually done it. Except you." She leaned up and kissed him again.
"Scootaloo, that's not going to move your wings back. We tried that already."
"That was for being so good to me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Spike." She traced a claw along his chest.
Suddenly, she froze, bringing the claw up to her face. She didn't have claws, she had hooves. but here they were, claws, like a dragon had.
And yet, for as suddenly as the panic came, it was gone just as fast. "I must have misinterpreted the story," she chuckled, turning to Spike. "He loved her, and she loved him, and knowing that she wanted to be with him, she changed herself so they could be together."
"Is that what you want?" he asked. "I don't want you making this decision rashly. Being a dragon is okay, but there are times I would rather be a pony."
Scootaloo chuckled. "If I'm anything like you, Spike, I'm sure Ponyville wouldn't mind having an extra dragon flying about."
"We still don't have a way to change you back," warned Spike. "As far as we know, this is permanent. Are you absolutely sure?"
Scootaloo held up her claws. "I'm already changing, Spike. If I stop halfway, I'm just going to look like a freak. I'd rather be a good dragon than a poor excuse for a pegasus. Change me, Spike. Make me a better dragon."
Spike took a deep breath. "If this will make you happy..."
"It will."
"Then I shall see it done." Spike leaned down and kissed Scootaloo. For the first time, Scootaloo could feel the warmth that the story had talked about. It washed over her, making her body tingle and her heart beat faster. He had been there when she most needed help, and now he had given her the very thing she'd wanted most in her entire life. She could fly, and it was all because of him. She loved him.
As their tongues caressed each other, Scootaloo could feel her body changing. Piece by piece, she could feel herself becoming something else. Her lips, rather than the soft, supple lips of a pony, became the tough, firm, scaly lips of a dragon. Her teeth sharpened and her tongue grew longer, thinner and more forked. Her ears moved down beside her head, rather than above it, and the room seemed to grow longer, as Spike grew taller. This was not the case, as her round pony pupils were just changing to draconic slits, but all it did for her was make Spike more attractive.
The next part was a bit more painful. As her skull was reshaped, the bones moving around were not so much an issue. It was the growth of two new ones; a pair of horns, that caused her discomfort. However, as she winced and whimpered at the pain, Spike pressed his body against hers. The feel of his hot scales against her skin filled her mind with ease. Even if it didn't stop the pain, knowing that he was at least trying to be a comfort and ease the transition for her was more than she could ask of him.
With a gasp, the two of them separated, panting as they stared into each other's eyes. "Promise me we'll still be friends after this?" pleaded Spike. "I don't want to be used and then forgotten..."
"Friends?" chuckled Scootaloo. "We're going to be closer than grip tape to a deck! Who better to teach me how to be a dragon than the best dragon in all of Ponyville?"
Spike smiled and held her tightly. "I look forward to it."
Scootaloo smiled back, but that smile was short-lived. "Spike, what's that poking between my legs?"
Spike leaned in and kissed Scootaloo's neck. He embraced her as a lover, right there on the bean chair.
For her part, Scootaloo was all for it, moaning softly as her claw and hoof moved down his body. "I love you, Spike," she gasped. "You're so good to me... I want to repay you."
"You don't have to. I don't want to force you."
"But I want to!" Scootaloo insisted. Gripping his buttocks, she pulled him in close and rubbed her slit against his length. She was already dripping. "Take me, Spike. I'm yours."
Locking lips with her again, Spike pushed until his tip parted her lips. He waited there for a moment, and hearing no complaint, pushed in a bit further.
Scootaloo squeaked out a bit, causing him to stop, but she held onto him to make sure he didn't pull away. "Keep going," she begged.
Spike was nothing if not helpful, and that included being mostly obedient. He continued to enter slowly until he was all the way in. He held there for a moment to let her grow used to the feeling, but he could feel her changing.
At first, Scootaloo's vagina was the same as everypony else's; a vertical slit with a nub at the front end hidden under a hood. But Spike could feel his shaft being twisted as she gripped him. The whole thing twisted anti-clockwise until it was flat, with Scootaloo clamping her jaw shut as it turned. Her back legs held him in place as it twisted around him, neither letting him follow the twist, nor pull out.
When it all stopped, she released her grip, panting. Her pussy was now a horizontal slit, almost matching Spikes, save for the lack of a penis.
Spike pulled most of the way out, his small spines dragging and scraping against her soft flesh as he did. He didn't go all the way out, just far enough that his shaft was no longer twisted. As soon as he was straight again, he plunged back in.
"Ah! Yes! Spike, yes!" moaned Scootaloo, throwing her head back as he began to thrust.
Spike leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. "It's still a library," he whispered, placing a claw against her lips.
Instinct was beginning to take over for Scootaloo. Her forked tongue shot out of her mouth, grabbed his claw, and brought it between her lips. She sucked on it lightly, using her tongue to jerk it off. It was just a claw, but feeling what she did to it filled Spike's mind with lewd thoughts and redoubled his drive.
He began to thrust rhythmically, slowly at first to match the speed of her sucking, but as she increased the movement of her tongue, he sped up his hips. Soon, it wasn't their voices that resounded through the library, but the wet slapping of their hips. Spike couldn't shush that, nor could he be too upset about it, as this was primarily his fault, as he was the one moving. Sure, Scootaloo was responsible for most of the fluids, but he was making the slapping sounds, and he did not want to stop.
He did kiss her again, though. With their long, forked tongues, they held each others' mouths together, muffling their moans as they breathed back and forth. Their breath was so hot that little flecks of fire shot out of their noses. Spike knew that there was a fire protection spell on the books in here, as he'd sneezed while reading something dusty too many times, and Scootaloo was too lost in pleasure to care.
More things began to change about Scootaloo. Her fur was soon replaced with scales, purple spines began to grow out of her back, and her belly was now covered in plates. They were hard, but flexible. Next to disappear were her hooves, starting with the remaining front, turning into a claw that clung tightly to Spike's arse. Then her back hooves, though it was hard to tell at first because her toes were curled up tight.
Things were a bit finnicky when it came to her tail, though. The tails of ponies and the tails of dragons were not at all similar. While ponies' tails were short with little articulation and long hair, cut short in Scootaloo's case, dragons' tails were muscular, with hard scales sliding against each other and a firm, hefty tip. The transition was slow and exhausting, but Spike's cock was a welcome distraction from the pain, and his warm, loving embrace made it easy to forget that she was being changed. She just felt right when she was in his arms.
"Scootaloo..." Spike gasped. "I can't... I can't last..."
"I don't care," huffed Scootaloo. "You've already made me the happiest filly in Ponyville!"
Spike wasn't kidding. A few moments after he spoke, he pushed his hips all the way forward, and a torrent of dragon seed flooded out of his cock, right into her waiting womb. Even that began to change, as his semen permeated her walls, rewriting her physical form.
Their jaws were locked together, their sharp teeth holding onto each other as more and more sperm shot from his tip. Finally, the two collapsed, with Spike on top and Scootaloo beneath. Excess seed dripped from their union down onto the bean chair.
"I have no idea how to clean that up," sighed Spike. "I'm going to have to look that up..."
"Can't you just throw it in the wash?" asked Scootaloo, her eyes glazing over. "I think that's how most ponies handle it."
Spike grimaced. "I want to make sure it doesn't stain, though. Perhaps I should put it in hot water right away..."
As he began to stand up, Scootaloo grabbed him by the wrist. "Please, wait." The look in her eyes was one of worry. "I... I don't want... to be left alone, here."
Spike leaned down and kissed her forehead. "This is the Castle of Friendship. This is one of the most secure places in all of Equestria. You're perfectly safe, here."
Scootaloo didn't budge. "I'll replace the chair if it can't be saved. I'll learn how to fix it myself, if I have to. I'll have Rarity help me to make sure it's not junk. Just please... Stay with me?"
Spike took a deep breath. Scootaloo had never been a dragon, before. She was at her most vulnerable right this very minute. The Castle of Friendship itself seemed to push through him, informing him of the right decision.
"The chair can be replaced," he breathed. "You can't be."
As if in response, a blanket floated over and covered the two of them. Taking the hint, the two settled in for a much-needed nap.
Scootaloo awoke to the sound of Twilight's voice and Spike's movement. They'd shifted during their nap, and she had ended up using his chest as a pillow.
As he tried to stand up, she gripped his side, but with a small kiss of assurance that he was going to come back, she let him go. She pulled up the blanket as he left.
Twilight came around the shelf. "There you are, Spike. I've been looking all over for you!"
"I was here the whole time," answered Spike.
"I told you to come back when you were done with Scootaloo."
"And I was going to, but it took longer than I thought it--"
Twilight held up her hoof. "Who is this?"
Scootaloo tightened her grip on the blanket. She could pretend to be asleep, still. If she made a loud enough snore, could she convince Twilight to leave? No, she'd take Spike, and he'd just be yelled at for this. She could bolt. She had wings now, so she could fly away. Exit the city, come back a few days later with a new name and a sob story, and hope that Twilight didn't remember what she looked like. No, Spike would still be yelled at, and it would make her loved ones feel that she'd abandoned them. What would become of Sweetie Belle? She was so sensitive that being abandoned by her might cause lasting harm. Plus, Spike could call her out on her lie.
She tried to ask herself what Rainbow Dash would do in this situation, but she could only think of one thing: announce herself not just to Twilight, but to all of Ponyville, and even Equestria. The coolest, raddest, awesomest dragon in the whole of Equestria, no offense to Spike.
Scootaloo didn't quite have the guts for that yet. Having Rainbow Dash around made her brave, because she knew she was safe as long as Rainbow was around. With just Twilight to fall back on, she felt less secure.
"So, promise you won't be mad?" pleaded Spike.
"I make no such promise, Spike."
"Can you at least try?"
Twilight sighed. "I'll try to be reasonable and rational. That is what I promise."
Spike took a deep breath. "Do you remember the story you used to read with me?"
"Spike, you're going to have to be a lot more specific. We've read thousands of books together."
"The one where the earth pony princess turned into a dragon."
"I remember. You loved that one. Read it over and over. What does that have to do with anything?"
Spike cleared his throat. "In that story, the dragon and the princess kiss, and the princess begins to turn into a dragoness."
"Spike, it's just an old dragon's tale. It's not real."
"No, but it is!" insisted Spike. "At least, I've seen evidence that suggests that a case can be made to reopen the discussion!"
"What evidence?"
"Well..." Spike paused. "I'm a dragon."
"Right."
"And I kissed somepony."
"Really?"
"Well, they kissed me, but I reciprocated!"
"Go on."
"And she turned into a dragoness!"
Twilight shook her head. "Spike, you're not making sense. We may not have a lot of literature on dragons, but I made sure to grab everything there was on dragon medicine and dragon magic, and even they say there's no spell like that. Even among dragons, that's just a bedtime story."
"But Twilight--"
"No buts, Spike. It's a fictional story, and I know that for a fact."
"But it really happened..." Scootaloo could hear Spike's voice beginning to crack. She couldn't sit here any longer and let him flounder. She was scared of the repercussions, but she wasn't going to let Twilight call him a liar when he was telling the truth.
"It's the truth," she said, sitting up and glaring at Twilight. "Spike isn't lying to you."
Twilight turned to Scootaloo, confused. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. My name is--"
"Princess Twilight Sparkle," finished Scootaloo. "We've met dozens of times."
"My apologies, but I don't remember--"
""Stealing is wrong. Giving back stolen property and trying to make amends for damages done is the best course of action." Does that sound familiar?"
Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Scootaloo?"
"The very same."
"But... you're a dragon."
"Also accurate."
"How?!"
"I kissed her," answered Spike. "It just happened..."
Twilight took a deep breath. "Explain to me the exact steps you both took to make this happen."
Before Scootaloo had even finished, Spike had left to make tea, and as he brought back the pot, Twilight took a sip. "I see."
"And then the blanket literally wrapped itself around us, and we took that as a sign that we should take a nap. And then nothing else until you came in."
"That's very strange," huffed Twilight. "I've never heard of anything like this."
"Other than the book," corrected Spike.
"Other than the book," nodded Twilight. "I guess that we're well within our rights to open an investigation. I wonder if perhaps the Magic of Friendship combined with Spike's dragon magic and your pegasus magic."
"Don't be silly, Twilight," scoffed Scootaloo. "Pegasi don't use magic."
"I wouldn't say that. Several reports have shown that there is a latent magic in the wings of pegasi that helps them fly. It also allows them to walk on and interact with clouds. It's not quite as versatile as unicorn magic, but it's there."
"So how do we even go about testing what magic did this?"
Twilight rubbed her chin. "Well, the most obvious path would be to either replicate it or undo it. Since we don't quite know how to undo it, we'll need to replicate it. For that, though, we'll need to collect some volunteers."
"You'll need some dragon volunteers, too," added Spike. "I'll likely be recording data alongside you, and I'm not too keen on kissing every mare in Ponyville."
Twilight nodded. "You'll be my number one research assistant," she smiled. "We can't let the results be skewed, can we?" she shook her head. "So, here's what we'll do: I'm going to contact your current guardians about having you stay here with me. That way, we can keep a close eye on your condition, and see if anything changes. In the meantime, I'll send a message out to Ember about this. She can bring us a few volunteers, plus she can bring a more practiced expert on dragon physiology to help you stay healthy. Sound good?"
Scootaloo grabbed Spike's claw. "Can I stay with Spike?"
Twilight smiled and nodded.
"It's a deal."
Chapter the Eighth: The Warmth of a Dragon's Embrace
Most of the rest of the day was filled up with organization, paperwork, and some non-intrusive tests run by Twilight. Simple things, like heart rate, blood pressure, reflexes, vision and hearing. Using Spike's results as a baseline of what to look for, she determined that Scootaloo seemed to be perfectly healthy, at least as far as she could tell.
As Twilight was really the only one interested in collecting data, and Spike was along for the ride, the day wasn't all that much fun. There were some things that Scootaloo was interested in, such as looking around Spike's room. If she was to be sleeping there, it was at least nice to have a tour.
Perhaps the most interesting thing, though, was dinner. Spike insisted that she add some sapphires to at least one bite of her spaghetti. Scootaloo had never eaten a sapphire before, being a pegasus for most of her life, but Twilight was also insistent that she taste the spaghetti both ways. Without, first, to see if there was any change to the flavour with her new tongue (there was not), and then with the sapphires to be able to translate the flavour of something she'd never been able to taste, either. Turns out they were sweet, but also a little bit spicy. It was comparable to quite a bit more basil in the marinara, and a few extra shakes of crushed red pepper.
They curled up next to each other in bed and drifted off to sleep. Normally, Twilight would be against it, but since they already admitted to having sex, she was okay with the two sleeping in the same bed, with the promise that they would at least wear protection. If they weren't going to wait, and they weren't going to ask the permission of their legal guardians, they least they could do was wrap up.
Even with that, they didn't. There was already too much excitement through the day, so they opted to just fall asleep together. Even without having sex, it was nice just to fall asleep in Spike's arms.
Spike was the first awake, as was the norm. Scootaloo woke up to him sliding out from underneath her, and followed him to the kitchen, watching him make breakfast.
"Are you usually up that early?" she asked. "Is that something I need to account for?"
"I don't think it's a dragon thing. I do it because I'm supposed to help Twilight with her duties and such, and not having to worry about breakfast is helpful to starting her day. I had to leave early yesterday due to a problem at the optometrist, so I don't know what she had for breakfast."
"It was a pretzel," nodded Scootaloo.
Spike nodded and flipped another slice of cinnamon toast onto the stack.
"That's quite a bit you're making for breakfast. I mean, I like cinnamon toast as much as the next filly, but you've gone through almost an entire loaf of bread."
"And two dozen eggs," added Spike. "We're expecting company."
"Are we?"
Spike looked up, confused at first, then understanding washed across his face. "You were in the bath when I told Twilight. I remember now."
"Remember what?"
"Your aunts are coming to see you."
Scootaloo swallowed hard. She knew she would have to tell them eventually, and sooner was probably for the best, but she hadn't expected it to be this soon. "G-great. Fantastic."
"We're also expecting Rainbow Dash to come back today, and she usually arrives in the morning if she can, because she likes to invite herself to a free breakfast." He froze for a minute. "Hey, uh... don't tell Twilight that I typically buy Rainbow's punctuality. She's still here to help Twilight, she'll just hop to it better if she thinks she can grab a snack."
Scootaloo smiled. "I'll keep it a secret, but now you have to teach me how to make breakfast so I can bribe her over to my place."
"Deal," chuckled Spike.
There was a rush of air, and part of the stack disappeared in a string of colours. "Breakfast time!" called Rainbow, hovering in the air for a moment before landing.
"See?" said Spike, refilling the stack with two fresh ones. "What'd I say? Shows up early if there's food involved."
"Did you just call me a glutton?" retorted Rainbow through a mouthful of toast, egg yolk dripping down her lip toward her chin.
"Not at all," insisted Spike. "You're here because you have to report to Twilight. You wouldn't decide to show up early just for a free breakfast. You came to deliver the information to Twilight so she can start as soon as possible."
"And don't you forget it," chuckled Rainbow. She nudged Scootaloo. "Can you believe that inference?"
"He-hey, Rainbow," blushed Scootaloo.
"Already a fan, huh? I shouldn't be surprised."
"You'd better tell Rainbow what's going on," suggested Spike. "She can stay and talk to your aunts with you. Probably best to have her looking after your best interests."
"Whoa, slow your roll, Spike," waved Rainbow. "I try not to involve myself in familial arguments."
Scootaloo didn't know if she could say. Rainbow Dash was her hero. Having her back her up would be the biggest boon anypony could ever want. Rainbow had no problem smacking dragons around, so she'd be plenty brave enough to face her aunts. Then again, Rainbow walking out on her would destroy her, and she didn't want to completely scare off her aunts.
Spike put a claw on her shoulder. As if reading her mind, he assured her, "Rainbow Dash is the element of loyalty. She won't leave you to face them alone, I guarantee."
"There you go again, putting words in my mouth. You're on thin ice, Spike." She turned to Scootaloo. "While it is true that I'm the kind of pony that does that, and I'd totally go up to bat for you if we were friends, the fact is that I don't even know who you are, so it's against my principles to promise to be at your side. I would have to know your side of the argument before I could make such a statement. I don't even know your name, kid."
"It's Scootaloo."
Rainbow chuckled. "You, know, there's a pony here in town named Scootaloo. Great kid, real tough, a whiz with her scooter. Nice moves, too." She chuckled. "You know what's funny, you kind of look like her. Same colours, even your eyes."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Be nice if you meet her, though. If I catch you makin' fun of her, I've been known to throw hooves, and I ain't scared a' no dragons."
Scootaloo blushed. She was about to respond when Aunty Lofty burst through the door. "Where is my neice?!"
Rainbow was about to direct her upstairs, but Scootaloo lowered her head. "Hi, Aunty Lofty..."
Realization washed over Rainbow's face as the details clicked together. "Oooohh..."
Twilight sat at the head of the table. To her right sat Spike, then Scootaloo. To her left was Rainbow Dash, Then Aunt Holiday, and Aunty Lofty further down. Scootaloo had just explained everything that had happened up to the library, right after their second kiss.
"That's enough for now, dear," smiled Aunt Holiday. "Take a break from talking and eat up; I'm sure your eggs are cold by now."
"Allow me," answered Spike, blowing a small burst of fire over the eggs, reheating them without cooking them any further.
"How gentlemanly," snorted Rainbow.
"I'll take it from here," offered Twilight. "This is right before I walked in, so I have most of the details." She cleared her throat. "So, after they had sex, I ca--"
"They did WHAT?!" exclaimed Auntie Lofty.
"Didn't figure you for the type, Squirt," chuckled Rainbow. "No judgement; whatever makes you happy, I just always thought you'd end up with a mare."
Auntie Lofty shot Rainbow an angry scowl.
"So how was he in the sack?"
"Rainbow Dash!" shouted Twilight. "That's not an okay question to ask! Aside from prying into her personal matters, It's no doubt an embarrassing subject."
"The question may be divisive," ceded Rainbow, "but it also requires she be decisive." She turned to Scootaloo. "Don't answer. Just think about it. At the end of this meal, you're going to be forced to make a choice, and I want you to consider what you want."
"What are you talking about?" demanded Auntie Lofty.
"The same choice I had to make when I brought home my first sexual partner." Rainbow paused for a moment. "Okay, fine, she was my third, but that's when my parents found out, and I'm sure Scootaloo is going to have the same conflict: She can appease her aunts by saying she'll never do it again, and end up hurting Spike's feelings, or she can say that he's a good lay, which boosts his confidence, but will make you both angry."
"Well, actually--" started Aunt Holiday.
"We're already furious," finished Auntie Lofty. "How could we not be?!"
Scootaloo would have been shaking, were Spike not holding her claw under the table. She already knew what choice she would need to make. She could tell that her aunts were going to make her separate from him, and keep them from seeing each other. She didn't want to leave him behind, even though she wasn't all that impressed with the sex. Twilight and Rainbow would probably help her if she had to move out, wouldn't they?
This was something she had been terrified of facing. There had been a change in her life, what with the dragon wings, and had she stopped there, maybe it would have been okay. With the addition of the claw, she had been almost made to take this path. She had been worried that this may alienate her loved ones, but she didn't want to hurt them.
"Let me assure you, ladies, that Spike is the very picture of health," nodded Twilight. "He's clean, disease-free, and up to date on all of his preventative treatments. On top of that, He spends most of his time under my watchful eye, so there's nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about?" scoffed Auntie Lofty. "They already had sex under your "watchful eye!" Where were you, then?!"
Twilight sighed. "I can't be there every minute of every day. Spike is very trustworthy. I can be confident that, no matter what happens, he'll at least try to make it right."
"Trustworthy, huh?" snorted Lofty. "She may already be pregnant because he couldn't control his penis! What makes you so sure he can control it now?"
"It was my fault," interjected Scootaloo. "Don't blame him, I asked him to."
"We're both at fault," added Spike, squeezing her claw. "I accept full responsibility for it, and if she is pregnant, I vow to do everything in my power to raise the eggs properly."
"You're just a child, yourself!" growled Lofty. "What would you know about raising children?"
"He knows that no one in this room has ever been a parent," retorted Rainbow. "You're watching her, what, twenty percent of the time? That's not counting her time at school, being out with her friends, or anything! That's maybe two days out of the week! You call yourself a caretaker?!"
Lofty stood up and slammed her hoof on the table. "Her parents left her in my care! That means that her well-being is my priority! Anypony who takes the role from me is responsible for her care because if something happens to her in their care, I will make it their problem!"
"Then why don't you stay and watch her full-time?! If she had somepony to rely on every day, she might have come to talk to you about this instead of you having to come to her!"
Lofty grabbed Scootaloo by the wrist. "She is my charge, and she's coming home until she recovers!"
Suddenly, Aunt Holiday leapt up and smacked Lofty's hoof away. "That's enough, Lofty!" She turned to Rainbow. "You, too! Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves!"
"Holly, she--"
"No excuses, Lofty!" Holiday took a deep breath. "This whole time, you've been arguing about what's best for Scootaloo. You want to know what I've been doing?"
There was a pause. No one had looked to see.
"I've been watching her reactions. She's in tears! Did anypony else notice?"
Slowly, Spike lifted his claw from her shoulder. He'd been trying to comfort her, but wasn't doing a great job.
"I believe that. Just me and the young dragon rubbing her shoulders. You can both sit down and be quiet."
Lofty and Rainbow sat back down in their chairs, crossing their front hooves and scowling at each other.
"Scootaloo," said Aunt Holiday softly. "You know why your Auntie and I are upset, right?"
Scootaloo nodded.
"We're concerned for your safety. I know we can't always be around, but you have to understand that seeing you like this, and especially hearing that you're in a relationship, it frightens us. We're not angry."
"Yes we are," argued Lofty, earning her a swift smack from Holiday.
"We want what's best for you. Rainbow Dash is right that you have a decision to make."
"Told you," smirked Rainbow, earning a smack from Twilight.
"We will be back here for dinner," Holiday finished, wiping her mouth. "I want you to take that time to think about what it is you want to do moving forward. Don't worry about what I think, what Lofty thinks, Rainbow Dash, Spike, or Princess Twilight. Ask yourself what you want."
Twilight had called Spike away, making him do chores around the castle. In the interim, she'd told Scootaloo to leave the castle, and to be back by six at the latest, five at the earliest. Aunt Holiday was keeping Aunty Lofty at bay, and Twilight herself had sent Rainbow to Canterlot with some busywork. The point in doing so was to prevent anypony from influencing Scootaloo's decision.
Contrary to this, however, and with Aunt Holiday's permission, Scootaloo was still allowed to come back to the castle to talk with Twilight. This was for Scootaloo's safety, as if there was a sudden health problem, Twilight would be the one who knew the most about caring for a sick dragon. At the same time, Twilight was not allowed to give Scootaloo any advice on the subject, just to make sure there was no bias.
It was strange to walk through Ponyville when nopony knew who you were. She'd left her scooter at the castle, having fallen off twice trying to speed off. She'd have to relearn her balance, as even walking on her back feet was odd. But it wasn't nearly as odd as the way she was being treated.
Ponies waved to her, some introduced themselves, and even Apple Bloom, looking right at her after crashing into her, responded with "Sorry 'bout that, miss," before rushing off with her bag of supplies. They didn't recognize her. If she really wanted to, she could reinvent herself here and now. Be a whole different being entirely.
She shook the thoughts from her head. That was crazy. Sure, she could do that, and it would be nice to break away all of the hurt she'd accrued from her bad relationships. Diamond Tiara would have no insults, as she'd have to build up a new set. But she'd be throwing away her loved ones in the process, and even if Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle didn't recognise her at first, they were still her friends, and she wouldn't trade that for the world.
That was one decision down: She would remain Scootaloo. Whether with Spike or without him, she was the same filly. It was a little late to change, anyway, as Rainbow and Twilight both knew, as did her aunts. If she talked with any of them with other ponies nearby, they'd find out rather quickly who she was, and the relationship she'd built on lies would come crashing down.
She walked into Sugarcube Corner. She still had the bits from yesterday that Aunt Holiday had given her for lunch. She'd skipped lunch and broken her promise to eat something healthy, but perhaps her aunt would agree that what was healthy for her right now was to calm down.
"Hey there, sweetie," smiled Mrs. Cake, waving her over. "What can I do for you?"
"I'm having a bit of a personal crisis," chuckled Scootaloo. "I need a bit of a pick-me-up." She put the bits on the counter. "What do you recommend?"
Mrs. Cake nodded. "Why don't you have a seat over at that table?" she suggested, pointing to a small nook. "I'll send my recommendation in just a minute."
Scootaloo nodded and took a seat. It wasn't often that Sugarcube Corner brought food to the customers. It was often only with catering orders or private functions and public events. Normal customers would order at the counter, and then pick it up and carry it back to the table, or out the front door.
She buried her face in her claws. Even with something to eat, how would she figure out what she wanted to do? All she knew was that she didn't want to hurt anypony, but in either case, someone was going to be hurt.
Suddenly, a party horn smacked the tip of her nose. Looking up, she spotted Pinkie Pie, holding a tray of cupcakes. "Howdy-doo, Scootaloo!"
Scootaloo shrank down. "How'd you know it was me?"
Pinkie shrugged. "Same colours, same body language, same voice, same filly!" She chuckled. "Plus, I guessed."
Scootaloo sighed. "I suppose some ponies will be able to make the connection. Plus, I don't suppose I was hiding."
"So what's up?" asked Pinkie, sitting across from her and scooting a cupcake her way. This one had emeralds on it. "Mrs. Cake said there was an upset dragon in need of friendly conversation over here."
"Did she recognise me?"
"Not that I could tell. She thought you were new in town, and wanted me to come talk to you to find out whether or not you wanted a "Welcome to Ponyville" party."
"I'm not really in a party mood..."
"I figured as much." Pinkie produced a pillow and clipboard from under the table. "Now, when did your troubles seem to start?"
Scootaloo hugged the pillow. "Can we skip ahead to the part where I tell you what's bothering me, and you tell me what you think I should do?"
"Okey-dokey-lokey! What's up?"
Scootaloo took a deep breath. "I'm not supposed to seek a bias, so I have to keep this anonymous."
Pinkie zipped her lips with a hoof.
"A friend of mine, a colt, engaged in coitus with another friend, a filly. Now the colt's mother is angry at the filly, even though it was the colt's idea. She's threatening to never let the two of them interact again. The colt can either make his mom happy and leave his partner, or make his partner happy and his mom angry. They may be pregnant."
"Ooh..." Pinkie rubbed her chin. "That is a tough one..."
Scootaloo picked an emerald off the cupcake and stuck it in her mouth. "What am I going to tell him?"
Pinkie took a deep breath, then snorted. "I know exactly what you're going to tell him."
"It can't be a party," warned Scootaloo. "This is anonymous."
"It will be," nodded Pinkie. "How long do we have to set up?"
"Until dinnertime."
"That's plenty of time." Pinkie ripped off the top page of the clipboard and hastily scribbled something down. When she was done, she sealed it in an envelope and gave it to Scootaloo. "Give this to your friend. Tell him not to open it until dinner, and then he has to read the whole thing aloud to the table. Make sure the girlfriend is there, too."
Scootaloo looked at the envelope. "Are you sure about this, Pinkie?"
"Positutely!"
Scootaloo put the letter on the table. "Just for my own reference, who'd you pick?"
Scootaloo walked around Ponyville and asked several more ponies for their advice. So as to avoid bias, she primarily talked to complete strangers. Some of the advice was bad, such as leaving both of them and starting a new life elsewhere under a fake name or having the filly seduce the mother, but otherwise, it was split rather cleanly down the middle, with most ponies taking the route of staying out of the discussion. It seemed cowardly not to pick a side, but as she turned and walked back toward the castle, she realised that she'd spent the whole day doing the exact same thing.
In the end, all she had were three accounts of "love conquers all" and three votes for "respect your elders." There was also Pinkie's letter, but she hadn't read it yet. Pinkie had said to do so at dinner, and as it was almost time, she may as well wait a little bit longer.
She rounded the corner, and spotted her aunts approaching in nice clothing. They spotted her, as well, and Aunt Holiday put a firm hoof on Auntie Lofty's shoulder. They would arrive at the same time, unless Scootaloo waved for them to wait, but instead, she waved them closer.
"Have you thought about it, Sweetie?" asked Aunt Holiday as they met at the door. " I realized after we left that ten hours isn't really enough time to make a decision that will impact your whole life, so if you need more time, we can agree to talk it over some more."
Auntie Lofty shot an annoyed scowl at Aunt Holiday for allowing this to go on any further.
"Hold it right there!" shouted Rainbow, skidding as she landed. "You're not supposed to talk to Scootaloo until dinner time!"
"She's my neice," growled Lofty back, scowling.
"Stay and fight if you must," sighed Aunt Holiday, moving her hoof to Scootaloo's shoulder. "If you can find your manners, Scootaloo and I will be inside."
After they were inside, she took her aunt's hoof. "I don't want them to fight."
"Nor do I, dearie," smiled Aunt Holiday, rubbing her cheek. "But if it's what they want to do, I've done what I can to hold them back all day. Did you have anything to eat? You barely touched breakfast, and I don't know if you had any lunch today."
"I had a snack with Pinkie Pie," she smiled. "I forgot to eat lunch yesterday, so I had the two bits you gave me."
Aunt Holiday put a hoof to her lips. "Pinkie? I hope it was something nutritious..."
"She gave me this." Scootaloo pulled out the envelope. "I'm supposed to open it up at dinner and read it. I don't know what it says, but I hope it's helpful."
Aunt Holiday pushed it down. "Let's make sure you have something healthy to eat, first."
The table arrangement was different this time than it had been at breakfast. Twilight had brought out a shorter table. She was still at the head, but at the foot of the table was Scootaloo. Spike and Aunt Holiday were sitting next to Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash and Aunty Lofty were on either side of Twilight, with a barrier under the table so that they couldn't kick each other like children.
As promised, Aunt Holiday would not let the discussion begin until Scootaloo had eaten some of the asparagus Spike had roasted, and at least half of the black bean and rice burger. After that, she let Scootaloo eat as much as she liked, as her first loyalty was to Scootaloo's health and well-being.
When Scootaloo had eaten her fill, which was not as much as she thought, given how little she'd eaten today, she stood up. Lofty and Rainbow had been growling at each other, but when Scootaloo cleared her throat, all eyes were on her. She pulled out the envelope and tore it open.
"There's one pony missing from this table, whose opinion I've asked, but have not yet heard. They sealed it in this envelope, and requested that I read it aloud." She unfolded the letter and began reading. "Dear Aunty Lof--"
She had told pinkie that it was an issue between a colt's mother and marefriend. Pinkie was actually addressing Aunty Lofty by name, and scanning further down, Spike, as well. She shook her head and started again.
Dear Aunty Lofty,
You know I love you with all of my heart. When I fell off my scooter and cut open my leg on the fence, you helped me build up the confidence to hop back on the scooter and try again after the scar closed. When I was knocked off the balcony at City Hall, you dove after me and caught me before I hit the ground. And when that dog bit me, you bit him right back. You've always been a staunch protector of my health, and I appreciate everything you've done for me.
(turn to Spike)
Dear Spike,
I know we haven't been very close for very long, but you've always been nice to me, even when nopony was watching or even when it was inconvenient for you. You're a wonderful dragon, and a credit to your kind, and I love you very much.
(turn to center of table)
However, there is something you both need to understand, and it's very important: cutting me off from the other side is not going to solve anything. If you separate me from my loved ones, all it will do is breed resentment for the one holding me captive. I don't want to be kept from either of you, when I love you both so much. I don't like to see you fighting like this. It's very upsetting.
This is my ultimatum: If you love me; if you truly love me, you will not keep me from my loved ones. Aunty Lofty, if you want me to be healthy and happy, make sure Spike and I have a safe place to come home to. Spike, if you want me to be healthy and happy, I need to go check in with my aunts from time to time. I'm not asking you to be the best of friends. You don't have to like each other. I just want you to not fight.
With all the love in my heart, Scootaloo, care of Pinkie Pie.
P.S. I didn't actually guess, I heard it all from Rainbow Dash. I was trying all morning to think up a way to fix this for you. Good luck, Scoots!
Twice while reading, Scootaloo nearly broke down in tears. She hadn't known how to express her thoughts on the matter, and wasn't even sure what her opinion was, or what she wanted. She was glad Pinkie had a handle on the situation. She knew exactly what to say to make everything better.
Spike grabbed her claw. "You know, I'd never stop you from seeing your aunt. I didn't even want you to separate from her. I just wanted to stay with you."
Auntie Lofty was still stewing over the words in the letter. She was mildly insulted by them, but there was a truth to them, and even if she didn't like it, she had to accept it. She stood up and walked to the door.
"Lofty, don't pout," insisted Holiday.
"I'm not pouting," growled Lofty. "I have something important that I have to take care of right away."
"More important than your niece?"
"Told ya," snorted Rainbow.
Lofty turned around. "If you must know, I'm pissed. So I'm going to grab a hammer and take out my frustrations on a box of nails."
"Lofty..."
"Besides, if Spike is going to sleep over more often in the future, Scootaloo will be needing a bigger bed. Perhaps some flame-retardant sheets?"
"I can't believe your aunts are okay with this," breathed Spike, pulling back the covers for his bed. "I thought for sure that your Aunty Lofty was going to rip me to shreds, for sure!"
"If she so much as grabbed your ear, Twilight and Rainbow would have stopped her," assured Scootaloo. "I knew you weren't in real danger."
"I was in danger of never seeing you again. She'd have hauled you off to Celestia-knows-where, and what then? I'd not see my hatchlings until they were fully-grown!"
Scootaloo slid into bed. "We don't even know if I'm pregnant, yet. Who says you even have hatchlings, or if they have eggs to hatch from to begin with?"
"I guess that's just wishful thinking on my part," chuckled Spike. "I don't know, I like the idea of having kids. I had hoped it would be later in life, but..."
"And I always thought my foals would come from a stallion, and that my wings would be covered in feathers. Maybe it's not exactly right, but I can be happy with a dragon and dragon wings. Better than nothing, anyway."
Spike huffed. "Glad to know I'm better than nothing..."
Scootaloo shook her head. "I didn't mean it like that, Spike. I'm sorry. What I meant was, this isn't exactly what I pictured my life to be. I had thought it would be different, and having it sort of come true is better than not having it come true at all. Think of it this way; If you walked into Sugarcube corner and wanted an emerald cupcake, and they were out of emeralds, but they gave you a sapphire cupcake instead, isn't that better than leaving empty-clawed?"
"That still sounds like you're settling," sighed Spike, climbing into bed. "Think of it this way; I want you to be happy. If you're not happy with me, but you are happy with a stallion, isn't that better than being with me?"
Scootaloo pulled Spike in for a hug. "Spike, I'm sticking with you. Maybe it's not perfect, but it's still good! You may not be the stallion I always dreamed about, but I still love you. I would be honoured to raise a... litter?"
"I think it's called a clutch."
"A clutch of hatchlings with you! And I stand by that statement."
"Are you sure? I don't want you to come to me when they're able to walk and tell me that you regret it," he sobbed. "I don't want to be left alone. I don't wa--"
He was cut off as Scootaloo leaned up and kissed him. "There's nothing we can do to change the way things happened. If we didn't end up with what we wanted exactly, tough. But I'm willing to push hard and make this relationship work. Are you willing to help me do that?"
Spike took a deep breath and kissed her. "I guess I'm just scared."
"Yeah, me too," sighed Scootaloo. She squeezed his claw. "That's why I need you standing beside me. It'll be easier to face this together."
Spike nodded and squeezed her back. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Scootaloo began to disappear under the covers.
Spike was confused until she started to open his knees. "Scootaloo?"
"Rainbow asked at breakfast whether or not you were good in bed. Do you remember?"
"I do," breathed Spike. "I also remember you staying silent. It made me nervous."
"I didn't want to embarrass you, but you could be a little better when it comes to satisfying me."
Spike swallowed hard. "I'm not good?"
"Well, I'm certainly not an expert," sighed Scootaloo, "but I've felt better with just my hoof."
"So I'm not enough to satisfy you?"
"Not as you are." She licked what little of his shaft was peeking through his slit. "But you just inferred that you'd like to make this relationship work, even if it takes some effort. Or did I misread that?"
"No, I'm willing to work on it with you!"
"Then tonight, we work on your longevity."
"Longevity?"
"You want to be better, right? This is training. Hold it in for as long as you can."
Spike nodded, but as Scootaloo was about to take the tip into her mouth, Spike grabbed her. "Wait!"
Scootaloo looked up. "Why? What's wrong?"
Spike leaned over and grabbed the box of condoms Twilight had left. "I made a promise to Twilight. If I broke a promise to a princess right in front of you, I'd be proving to you that I can't keep my promises." He guessed that medium would be the right size and tore open the sleeve. As he unrolled it over his length, however, he noted that it was way too big.
Scootaloo was disappointed at first, but after a quick thought, rolled her eyes. "Medium when compared to an adult stallion... You're what, shoulder high to Twilight?"
"A little above that."
Scootaloo pulled out a small one. "You still have some growing to do. You won't be this small forever."
Even the small one was pretty loose, but at least they could honestly tell Twilight that they tried. "At any rate, we're not doing anything that can possibly make me any more pregnant," chuckled Scootaloo. "Tonight is all about you. Try to hold on for at least thirty minutes, okay?"
Spike nodded and Scootaloo lowered her head. Last time had been so chaotic and wild that she'd not had the time to really appreciate his anatomy. And now, she had new anatomy, as well, and that would change the way everything worked.
She split the fork in her tongue and ran it up to the tip from the base. She could feel every bump, every spine, every pinched clump of skin, every vein and artery. She could feel his heart beating fast through his dick, and every pulse reverberated through her tongue.
No sooner did she touch the tip than he shot his first load with such force that the condom would have slipped off, had she not been holding it to him with her tongue.
Scootaloo shook her head. "It's okay. We have time. Let's try it again. Who knows, you'll probably do better the second time because you'll know what to expect."
Twilight woke them up the following morning. "Come on, you two, it's ten o'clock already!"
Spike fell to the ground in a panic, and then limped out of the room, his left leg still asleep. Scootaloo had been on top of it since three.
Scootaloo picked herself up, rubbing her sore jaw. "Sorry about that, Twilight. We were up half the night."
"Doing what?"
Scootaloo reached over and grabbed one of the condoms. "These don't work, by the way. They're too big, and they slip right off."
"Did you try the small ones?"
"These are the small ones. They're small as compared to an adult stallion, not a baby dragon. We even tried using the spines poking out of his base to hold it in place." She held one up that had been shredded. "Don't you have anything smaller and more durable?"
Twilight's pupils retracted. She hadn't considered that. Were there even condoms for dragons as small as Spike?
"I'll see what I can do," she sighed. "In the meantime, it's almost lunchtime. You should start working on what you're going to be doing today. I have it on good authority that Sweetie Belle is back, and Apple Bloom should be done with her chores. Plus, your center of balance has changed, so you might want to check to see if you're still crafty with the scooter."
Scootaloo smiled, remembering her falls the day before. "I think I'll do just that."
Twilight escorted Scootaloo to the front door, but just as they were about to open it, there was a loud knock. Twilight pulled the door open, and there stood Ember, Garble and Smolder.
"This her?" asked Ember, folding her claws. "Or is she still in the castle, somewhere?"
"No, this is her," nodded Twilight. "She was just on her way out."
"She should stay," said Ember. "It is her future we are here to discuss, and she needs to be present for it."
"I will take care of whatever tasks she needed to do," volunteered Smolder. "What are they?"
"She needs some exercise," stated Twilight. "Three laps around Ponyville. Off you go, then. And keep an eye on her balance; that's important."
Smolder pouted. "You're fucking with me."
"It really is good for her health," argued Twilight. "We'd have been ready for you if you'd responded to my letter."
"We're here, aren't we?" snorted Garble.
"Yeah, but I have meetings today, and Scootaloo here has other things she needs to do. If you'd sent back a letter saying when you'd be here, I'd have rescheduled."
Ember narrowed her eyes and turned to Garble. "I did send a message back. Did I not?"
"You did," he confirmed. "I sent it myself."
Spike came running to the door with a scroll from Celestia. Inside of that was a scroll with Ember's seal. Twilight looked it over, and read the one from Celestia aloud.
Dear Twilight,
This arrived yesterday, and I prepared a meeting room here in Canterlot to meet with Ember and her entourage. I was a bit confused at what she was hinting at, but I've only just realized it was meant for you. I hope you have time for this.
Yours, Princess Celestia.
"You sent it to the wrong princess?!" shouted Ember, grabbing his ear. "I said Twilight! Her name was on the letter! How could you fuck that up?!"
"I thought this one was Celestia! Look, she has the sun on her flank!"
"That's an asterism, you clod!"
"That's enough!" shouted Twilight. "I'll try to reschedule some stuff for tonight. In the meantime, Spike can show you to a room. I'm sure you're tired from the journey."
Spike waved for them to follow him, and they came inside. With Twilight's ushering, Scootaloo went out, with a promise to Twilight that she'd be back in time for dinner.
"I can't believe you didn't call us," said Sweetie Belle, walking another circle around Scootaloo. "We'd have found time to come check on you."
"Ah'd'a been done yesterday if ya asked," insisted Apple Bloom. "Ya should'a told me when Ah bumped inta ya!"
"I didn't want to interrupt. Apple Bloom, I knew you were in an emergency, and Sweetie Belle, you've been waiting for two years to take a trip like this!"
"Well, yeah, but that's because Rarity wouldn't let me go. If I had to leave, she would understand and I can always go on the next one."
"An' Ah take breaks every so often. Ya could'a helped me make apple lemonade and served it. An if ya'd come in an' helped, we could'a been side-by-side."
Scootaloo sighed and sat down against the wall to stop Sweetie Belle's circling. "I didn't want to do anything that would cause harm to you. Either of you. What kind of friend puts their problems on the shoulders of a friend who already has too much to deal with? A bad friend, that's who."
"An' by doin' that, ya made us out to be bad friends," argued Apple Bloom. "What kind a' friend doesn't help a friend in need? A bad friend, that's who."
"Look, we're not complaining that you didn't come to us for help," interjected Sweetie Belle. "We just wish that we would have known that you had a problem in the first place. We can't offer to help if we don't know what's going on. Tell us, next time?"
Scootaloo nodded. "So, there's more news."
"More?" Apple Bloom sat down next to her. "Can we help ya in any way?"
"I didn't say bad news."
"Good news, then?" smiled Sweetie.
"Not quite. Just news. I may or may not be pregnant."
Both of their jaws dropped. That was about the reaction she'd expected.
"We don't know for sure yet, and I don't even know how to go about testing that. Twilight had me pee on four little sticks, and three of them said I have "Err.""
"What'd the fourth one say?" asked Sweetie.
""Error.""
"Them things are built for ponies," said Apple Bloom. "It's probably different for a dragon. Applejack says that we can't use the sticks for the sheep on the pigs, or the pig thing on the sheep. There's prob'ly a special one just for dragons."
"Do you think Smolder or Ember might have one?" asked Scootaloo.
"Probably," chuckled Sweetie Belle. "Why do you ask?"
Dinner was quiet. Not the sort of dinner where nopony talked because the food was just that delicious, and not the soft-spoken closeness of a whispered conversation. It was quiet because most of the creatures sitting there were either scared, angry, or unsure. Perhaps even some combination thereof. Only Twilight seemed to be calm, and even that was going to fade if all of the dragons remained silent.
Ember had not taken her eyes off of Scootaloo throughout the meal. Scootaloo would have been shocked to hear that she blinked. She hadn't been able to meet her gaze, as the fire behind her eyes was far more intense than her own. In a similar set of circumstances, Smolder had been staring at Scootaloo, too, but rather than being angry at her, she seemed almost jealous.
Spike dropped his fork and it clattered to the floor. "I'll be right back," he mumbled, dropping beneath the edge of the table.
"Claws where I can see them!" shouted Garble, standing up and slamming his own claws on the table.
Ember stood up and smacked him, hard. "You're paying for the damage to that table and its cloth!" she growled. "That's coming right out of your horde!"
As Spike returned to his seat, Garble sat down, fuming at him.
"He's not even the one we're here to see," she sighed, turning her attention back toward Scootaloo.
Scootaloo swallowed. There were obvious claw marks left by Garble that she could see from across the table. If picking up a fork was so frowned upon that it meant the destruction of private property, she was terrified to find out what would happen if she asked for another kreplach.
"It's not that expensive," waved Twilight. "Don't worry about it."
"We've already caused quite a bit of upset just by being here," said Ember, sitting down. "And what I have to say may only make things even more problematic. But it must be said, and actions must be taken. And I don't know about you, but I'm seriously pissed off, and I'd like to refrain from adding any more shit to the top of this sundae."
Twilight cleared her throat. "Well, we probably won't be having dessert tonight..."
"It's an expression."
Twilight sighed and put her fork down. "Enough of this, then." She pushed her plate away. "If what you have to say is going to cause problems, I'd rather they be out in the open so we can deal with them."
Ember pushed her plate away, even though there was still some matzah and a few latkes remaining. "I was going to wait for everyone to finish eating. If we began too soon, we'd tuck into the plates when tempers were hot and the kugel was cold."
"It's a shame, I know," said Twilight. "But this silence is unsettling, and it's just delaying the inevitable."
"Then I should begin by reprioritizing the list of things we need to talk about."
Twilight's eyes lit up. "You have a list? Can I see it?"
"Not a tangible list," sighed Ember.
Twilight's smile faded into a mild pout. "A list would have been helpful..."
"It's in my head," said Ember, turning to Garble. "Item one: What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"He is," growled Garble, glaring at Spike.
"What'd I do?" asked Spike.
Garble snarled and narrowed his eyes, but before he could answer, Smolder chimed in.
"He's probably just butthurt because your girlfriend looks very similar to his sister," she scoffed. "Part of me has been wondering the same thing."
"You don't look that similar," smiled Twilight.
Smolder pointed to the wall. "Scootaloo, stand over there."
Scootaloo did as Smolder told her, and Smolder went and stood next to her. Smolder was taller, had blue eyes, longer ears, and a fibrous mane. Scootaloo was shorter, had purple eyes, short ears, and spines on her head and neck like Spike's. They did look very similar from a distance, and if they were in the same crowd, it could be difficult to pinpoint which was which. However, side-by-side, it was pretty clear which was which.
Spike furrowed his brow at Garble. "If that's your problem with me, you have nothing to worry about. The reason I liked Scootaloo, even when she was a pony, was because of her personality. Sure, she's beautiful, but more importantly, she's loyal, caring, tenacious and tough!"
Scootaloo blushed.
Garble growled. "If I catch a single one of your claws on my sister, I--"
"You'll what?" interrupted Smolder. "Beat him up? Go ahead! He's such a pivotal figure in the relations between our species that you'll be branded a threat to both sides. And I'll be given commendations for fighting you off."
Spike swallowed. "R-really?"
"If you're a good lay," chuckled Smolder, not taking her eyes off of her brother.
"Not. A. Claw," Garble growled.
Smolder grabbed Spike's wrist and pressed his claw to her breast. "And what are you going to do about it?"
Garble's fists were shaking. Ember had tented her claws to watch what was going to happen. Twilight had prepared a spell, just in case. Spike was trembling, and Scootaloo was poised to jump to his aid.
Finally, Garble sank back into his chair. He had a sour look on his face, having been bested.
"Pussy," snarked Smolder, dropping Spike's claw. She returned to her side of the table and sat down.
Scootaloo released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Was this the way dragons normally behaved? She knew Spike wasn't a normal dragon, as he had been raised like a pony, but she'd been raised like a pony, too. If this was the way she was expected to behave as a dragon, she would rather just continue to be a pony.
"Is that item one dealt with?" asked Twilight. She was still holding her spell.
"That's the first item on the agenda dealt with," nodded Ember. "You can put away that frost bolt."
Twilight's spell dissipated. "How'd you know that's what I was doing?"
Ember smirked. "I'm working with the Princess of Friendship to establish good relations with Equestria. Why would I not look at some pony literature?" She clapped her claws together. "Now, moving on, it's time to start something that's going to be very uncomfortable. Scootaloo, climb up on the table."
Scootaloo did as Ember commanded. "Why?"
"Item two: we're going to check your health." Ember reached into a small bag she'd brought to dinner with her and pulled out a book, which she gave to Twilight. "This is a gift. It details how to conduct a physical examination of a dragoness. Let's use it now, shall we?"
"And that's everything," said Twilight, closing the book. She was arguably more embarrassed than Scootaloo. While Scootaloo had been the one on full display, it was Twilight who had to be the one to verify the information, with assistance from Spike and with consultation from Smolder. "You can return to your seats, now."
Scootaloo closed her legs and climbed off the table. It was embarrassing to have been on display like that, especially with Spike groping and prodding at her. Twice, he'd tried to stop the activity, claiming that the method couldn't be real and was being made up, but Twilight showed him the diagram and instructions every time, and Ember would explain the purposes of each test.
Spike still thought it was odd to stick a claw into Scootaloo's pussy and taste the discharge as a medical procedure, but when he described the taste as rich, Ember informed him that being too sweet was a mark of kidney or liver problems, and bitter meant an infection. Rich meant healthy. He also thought that the test where he shoved his penis down her throat was untoward, but he did learn something from doing so: Dragons come equipped with a secondary tube leading from their nasal cavity directly to their lungs. It was a very old mutation, which was intended to keep them from choking on their food, but in recent years, had been seen as something to keep them from choking on other things.
The last test before they sat down was a chemical test, and would not be ready for a good few minutes while the reaction was happening, but it would confirm the pregnancy.
"What outcome are you hoping for?" asked Smolder.
"I don't want to jinx it," smiled Scootaloo shyly. "I'll just wait for the results."
"I hope it's negative," said Ember, meshing her claws together.
Twilight furrowed her brow. "Really? You don't want her bringing forth more dragons?"
Ember leaned back. "You like to think, Twilight. Consider the following: Being a parent is already a difficult task, no matter the species. This is true for yaks, ponies, gryphons, et cetera. It does not become untrue just because she's a dragon."
"That's true," nodded Twilight. "However, with proper guidance for her, as well as for Spike, I trust that they can manage it together."
Smolder shook her head. "While your faith in them is reassuring, it is not their willpower I doubt. Being as young as they are, they very likely are lacking experience, something all new parents share. It is a task many have overcome, to good effect or ill, depending on their circumstances. I trust that Spike and Scootaloo will do their best to raise their offspring if they have any, with help from more experienced parents."
"Then why do you hope she's not?"
Ember held up a claw. "I have several more reasons. Consider, as well, that Scootaloo, here, is new to being a dragon. While her knowledge of dragons may possibly be grander than my estimate, due to her closeness with Spike, she was unquestionably confused by some of the methods used in her physical examination. Her knowledge of dragonkind is lacking, and as a result, I question her knowledge of how to care for baby dragons, especially when she herself is still having trouble walking without wobbling."
"She can learn," argued Twilight. "I learned dragon care, and I didn't even have the benefit of up-to-date literature. She has access to better, clearer information than I did raising Spike. Even if she doesn't have the books, I can always add my own advice, clearly better than nothing, if you'll look at how Spike turned out. And even better, there are lines of communication with the dragons, now, so she can always send a letter to you or one of your vassals, or you can send a dragon of your choosing to check in on her periodically. She may be inexperienced and not very knowledgeable on dragon physiology, but she's certainly not dumb."
Scootaloo blushed at the vote of confidence. It was true that she wanted to learn more about dragons, now that she was one, and it couldn't hurt to do a bit of research. Spike helped Twilight with research all the time; he'd be a huge help in figuring out what to do.
"It's not just the physiology," sighed Ember. "This is the big reason." She reached into her bag and pulled out another book. "This one is not a gift, as I have to bring it back with me, but for as long as I am here, you may look over it."
"What is it?" asked Twilight, waving for the book to be passed to her.
"This is volume eighty-six of the collection of dragon rules, codes, creeds and guidelines. Chapter sixteen, section thirty-six, subsection B, point four. If you would?"
Twilight flipped open to the five paragraphs associated with that rule. As she read, her jaw began to slowly drop, and her face began to pale. "Does this mean..."
"It does," confirmed Ember. "And that is neither a code, creed nor guideline. It's a hard and fast rule."
"But you're in charge of the dragons now," insisted Twilight. "You can grant an exception!"
"Spike was granted exemption," she nodded. "Scootaloo is also exempt from this ruling. Any hatchlings, however, are bound by it."
"Can't you grant them exemption? Let them be with their mother!"
"Point sixteen," answered Ember, pointing to the book.
Twilight rushed to that section and quickly read it, burying her face in her hooves. "I'm such an idiot..."
Spike put a claw on her shoulder. "You're not an idiot," he smiled. "You're one of the smartest ponies I know!"
"Read those two sections, Spike," commanded Ember.
Spike did as she said, and when he had finished, he swallowed hard. Immediately, he returned to Twilight. "It's not your fault," he breathed. "You did the right thing, and you made sure it was all above-board. It's not your fault, Twilight."
Smolder checked the vial. "It's blue," she announced. "Scootaloo is carrying fertilized eggs."
Ember sighed and clasped her claws together. "Well, this has gone to shit. I almost knew it would, but I was hoping to avoid this." She turned to Scootaloo. "By the laws of the dragon lands, those eggs will need to be taken back with us, where they can be hatched in the claws of a more experienced parent. The main reason I was hoping you weren't pregnant was that I didn't want to be forced to confiscate your eggs."
After dinner, Scootaloo didn't want to be near any other dragons, save for Spike. With Twilight's permission and a written note, she brought Spike back to her aunts' place. They were still up, and Aunt Holiday even offered them a bowl of ice cream for their long faces. Scootaloo explained why they were upset, and then pulled out the letter from Twilight, which basically said the same thing, as well as a notice that Spike needed to be in bed before midnight and awake by eight thirty.
Aunty Lofty was actually okay with Spike staying over now, though she did give him a few stern looks. She didn't have a problem with the dragons taking the eggs back with them, citing that Scootaloo was simply too young to be a parent. Aunt Holiday agreed, though not so bluntly.
Scootaloo's bed had been replaced, as promised, and though the new mattress was on its way, it had yet to arrive, so they would have to make do with the small one, which had just been pushed off to the side, with the sheets still on it. It was a simple matter to bring it back over to the bed frame.
"It's not fair to you," said Spike, once they'd curled up together. "They shouldn't be allowed to take your eggs like that."
"Me? It's you I'm more worried about," sniffled Scootaloo. "Whether I was pregnant or not, I didn't really mind, as long as I had you. You were really into the idea of having kids."
Spike shifted a bit. "Yeah, well, that's when I thought that I would be allowed to see them on a regular basis. Going out to the dragon lands is a day trip, as is coming back. That's two days of flight, and that's not counting spending any time with them. Three consecutive days of break per month is not fair to Twilight, and even then, I'm still only spending a day with them. If I can't find the time to see them, to talk to them, to help them with their troubles, am I even really a parent? Or just a poor excuse for an inseminator?"
Scootaloo hugged him tightly. "I know how you feel. Having to pick between you and my aunts was horrible. I can't ask you to pick between Twilight and your eggs. I'm not calling Ember a monster, but forcing that decision on you is monstrous. And what's worse, I don't know if Pinkie Pie can save us again."
"Yeah, wouldn't that be something special?" remarked Spike. "You know Pinkie, always working to make her friends smile. I wonder if she could find an addendum in the laws."
"Or some kind of exception?" offered Scootaloo. "After all, Ember did say you and I were exempt. What's standing in the way of more exemptions?"
"Standardized laws," answered Spike. "If more ponies are exempt from following a rule than are made to follow it, is it really a rule, or is the rule itself an exception?"
Scootaloo shrugged. "What am I, a lawyer? How should I know how to manipulate the law?"
"Especially one we only just found out about," sighed Spike. "Twilight's probably beating herself up over that."
"You said she didn't know," insisted Scootaloo. "If she didn't know that this was the way dragon laws worked, as she claims, then she can't really be at fault for making a report where following the law causes pain to somepony she loves. Why would she try to hurt you like that, Spike?"
"She wouldn't, of course. That's why she's beating herself up over this." He took a deep breath. "Hey, listen up for a moment. When I wake up, I'm going to dash back to the castle and see if she needs anything. So if I'm not around here when you wake up--"
Scootaloo interrupted Spike with a kiss. "You don't need my permission. Do what you need to do. As important as she is to you, and as kind and helpful as she's been to me in regard to this, she deserves some peace of mind. And so do you. I wouldn't dream of tearing you away from Twilight. You two have always been inseparable."
"Well, yeah. She hatched me from my egg. We've been together since we were kids. She's kind of my sister, kind of my mother, and I never knew my real parents." He shifted uncomfortably. "I'd always kinda hoped to be a better dad than my own was, by at least being there."
"Spike, you'd make a great father."
"But I don't want to leave Twilight, though."
"I'm not saying you should. It's a tough decision." She sighed and pulled him close. "Look, whatever it is you decide, I'll support your decision. I want you to be happy, Spike. What do you want to happen?"
Spike sighed. "I want my kids to grow up with their real parents. But I suppose I'd settle for just good parents. Is that so much to ask?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "I don't think so."
Spike sighed. "I'll see if Pinkie can talk to me tomorrow morning. I'll stop by Sugarcube Corner on the way back to the castle." With a deep breath, he tightened his hug around Scootaloo's shoulders and slowly drifted off to sleep.
Scootaloo, however, was unable to drift away. While she wasn't the one on the chopping block this time, she still felt bad for involving Spike in this mess. He'd been nothing short of kind to her throughout this whole ordeal, and now he was forced to suffer the consequences.
She had to find a way to fix this. She'd been the one to instigate this whole ordeal. It had been her decision to have sex, it had been her decision to turn into a dragon, it had been her decision to kiss him and sprout wings in the first place. Like the princess of the story, she had fallen in love with her dragon, and realizing that, she knew what she had to do.
She finally managed to drift off, wrapped in his warm embrace. It was a comfort, but also a reminder of what she was about to do. She'd never been more afraid of a choice she had to make, but perhaps that was for the best. If she had a nightmare, maybe she could ask Princess Luna for advice.
When Aunty Lofty woke Spike up, it was with surprising grace. Given their rocky relationship, Spike was almost expecting to be brought back with a bucket of ice water. Then again, that would be just as harsh on Scootaloo, and Aunty Lofty didn't dislike Scootaloo in the slightest. Then again, Scootaloo wasn't in bed.
"Where's Scootaloo?" Spike asked. "She was here last night."
"She left early. She said she didn't want to wake you, but I have orders from Twilight to do so anyway."
Spike climbed out of bed. "Did she say where she was going?"
"She said she was going to talk to the princess. That's where you were heading, anyway, so you should have no trouble finding her."
Spike nodded. "Right. Thanks." He stood up and trotted over to the door, then turned and looked back. "And, uh... Thanks as well for being so kind this morning. I really appreciate it."
As he made his way down the stairs, he was stopped by Aunt Holiday. "Spike, dear, would you like some breakfast? I made waffles."
"No, but thank you," declined Spike. "I'm supposed to make breakfast for Twilight, and I'll just make some for myself, as well. But it's kind of you to offer."
"Okay, well, just make sure it's something healthy. You're a growing boy, after all."
Spike rushed back to the castle, completely forgetting to stop by Sugarcube Corner. By the time he thought about it, he was already in the middle of making a batch of his own waffles, blueberry and sunflower seed.
Just as he was finishing, Ember walked in. "So this is where you've been hiding."
Spike looked back. "I wasn't hiding. I have chores to do. This is one of them."
Ember shook her head. "Your mate is a real pain in my arse."
Spike looked back over his shoulder. "My mate?"
"The one with your eggs; Scooter-something."
"Scootaloo."
"Yeah, her."
"What'd she do?"
"She pounds on my door this morning, demanding to speak with me. Garble answers the door and tells her that the law is non-negotiable, and she straight-up punches him in the cloaca." She chuckled. "He had it coming, honestly..."
"Where'd she go after she left?"
"She didn't leave," scoffed Ember. "I was impressed enough to grant her an audience. At first, she was trying to negotiate a new exemption, but I'm not granting one. She tried everything, first trying to make me forget that she was having eggs in the first place by citing a twenty percent chance of pregnancy based on four failed tests and the fact that I haven't seen the eggs, so how could I know they exist. Well, that didn't change my mind, so she tried to argue that I could just send a midwife to watch over you."
"Wouldn't that work?"
Ember shook her head. "While it would solve the problem of their education and care, it's still not going to solve the sovereignty problem." She sighed. "Look, if it weren't for the fact that there were other, more important rules to change, I'd try to fix this one, but changing the laws of all dragonkind takes a lot of work. And if we throw them out, the two hundred and forty-eight alliances would all collapse, and we wouldn't be a united nation, but a warring group of petty states. Confederacy has a way of giving minorities inferiorities."
"We use a tetrarchy," chuckled Spike.
"She did suggest a plan that would absolutely work, but there's a problem with it."
Spike's eyes shot open. "I'll make it work! What is it?!"
Ember held up her claw to silence him. "One of the most interesting factors in diplomacy is the ability to establish and maintain embassies. If we, the dragons, were to negotiate for a small enclave right here near Ponyville, say, just outside of the city, we could install an ambassador to Equestria right outside your gate. Not only would it make communications between the two sides easier, but it would make that plot of land the sovereign territory of the dragons, meaning any eggs hatched on that soil would be rightful citizens of the dragon lands. Having a midwife stationed there would then solve all of your problems."
"Great," answered Spike. "Let's do that! Twilight would totally agree to international and interspecies cooperation!"
Ember shook her head. "To say it is easy. To actually do it is much more complicated."
"Well, you just stated the steps. It sounds like it'd be pretty easy."
"Okay, Spike." Ember crossed her mind and leaned back. "Name one dragon who has the social skills to interact with ponies, the selflessness to speak for the whole of dragonkind, and the generosity to spend his own horde to build a structure to house the eggs of another dragon."
"How about Spike?" he smiled, puffing out his chest. "I'll gladly do it!"
"And also, is a legal citizen of the dragon lands?"
Spike's chest sank back in. "Surely, there's someone..."
"Perhaps," sighed Ember, "But I'm not familiar with any. Who knows; your kids may be the first. If they're up for it, they can prevent this problem from ever happening a second time."
The door opened and Scootaloo walked in. She looked scared, but she walked up to Spike and grabbed his claw. "I'm sorry, Spike, but I had to. Even Princess Luna thinks it's for the best."
Spike furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?"
Ember chimed in. "I haven't finished, yet. You might want to hold off on your apology until I've told him what you decided on."
Spike's jaw dropped. "What'd you do?"
Scootaloo swallowed hard. "I made it so that your eggs won't be abandoned by their parents, and you don't have to leave Twilight." She took a deep breath. "I agreed to the terms this morning. Twilight's gathering the paperwork right now."
"Scooperoo here has found a way to keep you here in Ponyville without separating your eggs from their parent," agreed Ember. "Not by changing the law, ignoring it, or through means that almost no dragon would agree to, but by way of her own tenacity and resolve. She knew what she wanted, and she made it happen. Very brave, for a pony."
Spike was still for a moment. "What did you actually do, though?"
Spike clicked into place the lock on the luggage. "I wish you'd discussed this with me before making this decision."
"I know," sighed Scootaloo, folding up and putting away the rest of her pony clothes. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, either."
"I just can't believe you're leaving," breathed Auntie Lofty. "All of the work we put in trying to keep you safe here in Ponyville, and now you just up and leave? Begging your pardon, but it's a punch in the face."
"I know," nodded Scootaloo. "I'm sorry."
"I mean, honestly, what were you thinking?"
Scootaloo wiped her face. "I didn't want my children to grow up without their parents around. I know how harmful that can be. At the same time, separating Spike and Twilight would both be detrimental to both parties, and it would cause damage to the administration of Ponyville and Equestria. He's the number-one assistant to the Princess of Friendship!"
"Yes, but you know it's going to hurt us when you leave," sniffled Spike. He looked at her with his big eyes. "It's not too late, you know. We could run away together. Just you, me and the eggs!"
"Ponyville would still suffer," argued Lofty. "Come with Holly and I. That way, Ponyville still runs properly."
Scootaloo held up a claw. "Look, this whole thing is my fault. That means I have to be the one to fix it."
"No it doesn't," argued Auntie Lofty. "As your legal guardian, it's my job to fix it."
Scootaloo shook her head. "I've already done all of the setup. I'm going out to the dragon lands, and I'm going to live there until my hatchlings are old enough to leave. When they can come to Ponyville, I will return to Ponyville. Twilight and Ember have already agreed to supply you both, and also Aunt Holiday, with visitor's passes. I want you to stop by. I want you to visit. And I want you to write. I'll keep in touch."
Lofty shook her head. "Your parents aren't going to like this..."
Scootaloo huffed. "Then they should be here to say something about it."
That came as a shock. While Auntie Lofty knew that Scootaloo's parents were never around, a fact that gave her great chagrin, she'd never heard anything negative about them come from Scootaloo's mouth. While this wasn't exactly a scathing commentary on the state of their relations, it was more than she had expected.
"Although," added Scootaloo, "them being absent all the time is what made me realize that Spike was right. Growing up without parents sucks. If I'm going to be a parent, I should be there for my kids. That'd be the right thing to do, right? Spike can't, at first, but when I come back, he will be."
"You keep saying "when I come back,"" noted Auntie Lofty. "I know your hatchlings have to reach a certain age for that, but how long, exactly?"
Scootaloo leaned her head back. "The youngest has to be at least nine. The last one to hatch, plus nine years."
"So you'll be an adult when you come back," noted Lofty. "You won't need us to watch you, anymore."
Scootaloo walked over and hugged her aunt. "Maybe not, but I'd appreciate you being around. I'll need you to help me settle in."
"I'll help!" volunteered Spike. "From now until you return, I'll try to put together a home for us."
"And I will make sure it's a sturdy, safe, comfortable place for you," finished Lofty. "We love you, Scootaloo, and when it's time for your return, we'll make it a happy one. I guarantee it."
Scootaloo pulled Spike into the hug, making it a group activity. "I love you. Both of you. Even if it's just a little hole in the ground, I--"
"It's not going to be a hole in the ground!" interjected Auntie Lofty. "I will make sure it's a proper home."
"Doors, walls, windows, a kitchen, a bathroom, two or three bedrooms..." added Spike. "The whole nine yards."
"Even so, as long as I'm with you, I can be happy."
After packing up, everyone gathered outside of the castle gates. Scootaloo had all of her bags. Spike and Aunt Holiday had both given her non-perishable foods, with gemstones from Spike and dried and preserved fruits from her aunt. Twilight had gifted her a box of scrolls and a calligraphy set. Pinkie, an illustrated guide to rock farming, reasoning that she would be best helping if she gave Scootaloo an edge by making her able to farm gemstones. Rarity and Sweetie Belle banded together to make her a lovely fireproof faux-fur travelling cloak that doubled as a warm blanket. Apple Bloom had called for Applejack's help in organizing a photo album for Scootaloo to remember her friends in Ponyville. But it was Rainbow's gift that she appreciated the most. Rainbow was going to go with her and help her settle in. Rainbow already had a visitor's pass, granted just for this, and with all the stuff Scootaloo had to bring with her, she would be needed.
"Is this everything?" asked Rainbow. "Return trips are really long, so don't expect me to keep coming back to pick stuff up."
"I think so," answered Scootaloo.
"Any necessities you require will be provided," assured Ember. "Princess Twilight and I have worked out a short contract to ensure that Scootaloo remains in proper health. Food, water, shelter, it's all on us."
"What about medical?" insisted Lofty. "If she cuts her shoulder ope--"
"Yes, that's covered, too," grunted Ember. "Any harm that comes to her is to be responded to with punishments two levels higher than normal. She is a diplomatic asset, after all."
"She's my niece," growled Lofty, "not a diplomatic pawn. No harm will come to her, or I will personally pay you a visit, with or without a pass."
Scootaloo put a claw to her aunt's chest. "No more fighting. Please."
"Right, then," called Rainbow, slipping into the harness that would pull the cart. "Ready to go. Waiting on you, now."
Scootaloo turned back to all of her Ponyville friends. "I want to thank you all for your gifts. I promise, I'll keep you all up to date in my letters. I'll even take the time to learn how to send them, myself."
Rather than answer back, they all converged on her at once in a massive group hug. Some had tears in their eyes, others were holding them back, but they all knew that they would miss her.
When the hug broke apart, Scootaloo took to the sky, following Ember and Garble, keeping pace with Rainbow, and followed by Smolder. She looked back only once, to see them all waving, but it only made her heart hurt. She didn't know when she'd see them next, and Rainbow wasn't staying for more than a few days. If she didn't find new friends, she'd be completely alone again, with no one to fall back on. And that feeling was what had started this whole mess.
Spike clung tightly to the reins Rainbow was wearing. She didn't like wearing them, but this was a special occasion. She and Spike had to reach Scootaloo's cavern as soon as possible. Spike had almost fallen off twice already, so there was no time for further delays.
"C-can we go a l-little lower?!" shivered Spike. "It's f-f-freezing up here!"
"No chance!" shot Rainbow back. "Can't have you slipping loose that close to the ground! Besides, the cold air is keeping me awake!"
Twilight and Scootaloo's aunts were still several dozen kilometres back. They'd opted to take the train to the border and fly the rest of the way, but Rainbow was much faster at full speed. She'd be even faster without Spike, but he deserved to be there more than she did, so she didn't mind the extra weight. He was lighter than Lofty, at any rate.
As soon as they crested the last peak, Rainbow opened her wings and began to glide down. Immediately, two guards flew up to chase her down. Spike had their passes, and a quick flash in either direction diffused the situation. A closer inspection would have to be performed after they landed, but just having passes proved that they were cooperating.
They landed just outside of Scootaloo's cave. Having been here multiple times in the last year, they knew exactly where they were going.
Spike was about to hand over the paperwork, when Ember herself came forward. "Don't bother," she commanded. "These visitors are expected and approved for entry. No inspection necessary."
The guards nodded and backed off.
"Thanks, Ember," smiled Spike.
"Why are you still out here?" she grunted. "Scootaloo's inside!"
Spike didn't need to be told twice, rushing inside, followed by Rainbow, who just flopped down on the couch. She'd flown all the way here, a trip that usually took a whole day, in a seven-hour flight. No bathroom breaks, no food breaks, and she was exhausted. It was time for a nap.
Scootaloo was in the nursery, a large chamber off the side of the main hall. Her hosts, a couple named Scepter and Mace, were coiled up at the far end of the room, watching Scootaloo bouncing a tiny dragon on her knee. When Spike entered, she waved him over.
"Is this him?" Spike smiled. "Is this my son?"
Scootaloo shook her head. "There have been a few developments since last night," she shushed. "This is your daughter, Barb. Your son is asleep in his bed."
"Two hatched at the same time?" exclaimed Spike, quietly now so as not to wake him. "That's astounding!"
"Well, no," answered Scootaloo. "Come with me."
They stood up and walked over to the rock pit that had been designated as their bed. Aside from the one Scootaloo was carrying, two more hatchlings were curled up and napping.
"Three?" Spike was on the verge of fainting. "Triplets?"
"Well, one and then the twins," corrected Scootaloo. "Do you know what this means?"
Spike fell backwards, into a chair that was quickly pushed up to him by Scepter's tail. "I'm a dad..."
"More importantly," urged Scootaloo, "We can all move back to Ponyville nine years from right now."
"Nice try," snarked Ember from the doorway, "but they still have to finish out that school year. But you can move back in the summer. That is, assuming that I can't change the laws, but I guess we'll wait and see."
"They do need the basic levels of dragon education," nodded Scootaloo. "Even I'm doing my best to learn through a private tutor, but it's all so much."
"I don't even have a proper dragon education," smirked Spike. "You'll probably know more than I do when you come back."
The other two hatchlings began to stir from their slumber. Scootaloo was quick to climb in with them and be close to them. "Ready to meet them?"
The oldest by a few hours, having hatched the previous night, was the only boy. Cudgel was his name, in honour of Scootaloo's hosts while she was here, and he looked very similar to his mother, except with bright green eyes with a yellow tint. He also had a fanned-out claw at the tip of his tail that could open and close.
Barb, the youngest, looked just like her father, but instead of the hard spines her parents were sporting, hers were fibrous, similar to the way Smolder's was. She also had bitonal irises, but it was far more noticeable than her brother's. Hers were green on the inside, and pink on the outside. Her tail ended with a spade tip, just like her father.
Lastly, as would be expected between purple and orange, the middle child, another girl, was bright red. Her spines started at red near the tip of her tail, which just ended with a point, and changed colour to be purple on top of her head, hitting the entire colour wheel along the way. They were very short spines, but she was also the only one with horns, black and curling backward. She had heterochromia; her left eye was pale blue and her right dark brown. With permission from her eventual godmother, Scootaloo wanted to name her Rainbow Slash, but that would have to wait until after her nap.
"They're all so beautiful," smiled Spike, looking down at them. "And I love their names, too. I do wish I'd have been here to help pick, though."
Scootaloo shook her head. "It all happened so fast. No sooner had we brought Cudgel home than we had to go back because Rainbow was hatching. Scepter stayed behind, of course, to make sure he was supervised, but not ten minutes after bringing Rainbow in, it was right back to the hatchery. And this time, I knew they wouldn't be calling me back in, because I only laid three eggs."
"Yeah," chuckled Spike. "Could you imagine if they called you about another egg hatching?"
"I did imagine it," sighed Scootaloo. "I was worried about it, actually, because I'd already grown attached to them, and giving them back... I don't know if I could. I mean, Rainbow doesn't look like either of us."
"Trust me," interjected Ember, still leaning against the doorframe. "They're yours. I kept them in a secure place and verified that they were all there every day."
"Even so," sighed Spike, "Even if there was a mix-up, I love them either way. As far as I'm concerned, they're my kids."