If there was one thing I was always amused by when it was Christmas time, it was the desperate look on my student’s faces when they were minutes away from a month long vacation. To be fair, teachers are the same way, we just have better control over our emotions. I calmly began saving my H-Files on my M-Tablet, watching the holograms fade into the various saved folders. I checked the crystal power just to make sure I still had enough to play games on when I took the train to the teleportation station. Normally, I just flew to my house, but it was bitter cold out that day and I hated getting my wings frozen. Even dragons got cold from time to time.
I overheard the various students of mine, both human and pony, talk about various subjects like what they wanted for Christmas, parties for the upcoming New Year, seeing family they hadn’t seen since the semester started, and more. Some were of current events, like Discord’s failing health (I made a mental note to visit him when I returned to Canterlot), the recent colonization of Mars, and rumors of the new Conversion Potion that would allow those who took it to turn into the other races from my old world. Apparently, since Discord was made of multiple creatures, some of them griffin, minotaur, dragon, and such, some scientists believed it was possible to use the potion that once turned humans into ponies, currently modified to do the reverse as well, into the other races of my old world. A part of it was all about preserving the legacy of those races that were lost thanks to Celestia’s actions. Another part of it was just to make it a rich fad the teens could get into.
It was a subject I had often brought up in our classes. Being a history teacher, focusing on the “First Contact” era as it had been called since those years, I often addressed the issue of whether or not it was a good idea. The “Pro” argument stated that the potion was still able to cure disease, mental conditions, and even limbs for those unfortunate and in dire health. Plus, unlike the original Conversion Potion Twilight and Celestia created, they kept the personalities and memories of their past lives as humans. Since then, humans had been using it to become ponies and vice versa. Some only used it to follow the crazed trend, only to change back a year or so later. Others found themselves preferring to be another race, or do it so they and their loved one (if they were the different race) could have children.
The two biggest issues with the first generation of potions was the loss of one’s identity/humanity as well as the loss of free will. With the potion no longer doing that, was it still such a problem?
Of course, the “Con” argument was that this was going against everything that humanity fought for during the Conversion War. Despite it being three hundred years ago, and most relations between Ponies and Humanity now being peaceful, there were those who felt it was a disgrace to everything they tried to avoid. By losing their humanity (or equinness in the other side) they wasted everything their ancestors fought and died for. Another argument was that only the rich could afford such a thing. Even after three hundred years, class warfare was still rampant. One thing that the original Conversion Bureau did was make it free and open to any human regardless of their circumstances. It’s why it attracted a lot of lower class individuals who couldn’t afford the medical bills or wanted a new chance at life. Too bad they became mindless slaves when it happened.
When the new potion came out, it caused a lot of controversy and lot of fighting. It was interesting to see a decent number of people using it back then, arguing that it was a new life choice. It was growing to be accepted among society since the free will of everyone was still in effect. Of course some groups, like the ever infamous “Human Purity Organization” were spreading violence in protest.
Personally, I’d never been fully against it, but I wasn’t for it either. I suppose you could say it was a ‘wait and see’ approach with me. The new Conversion Potion had only been officially sanctioned for sixteen years, despite the research being done long after the Conversion War. At least, that was what Lyra told me when she was still alive.
I would not deny that the idea of more dragons existing was something I didn’t mind. I was tired of being called “The Last Dragon” despite it being truthful. It took a long time, and a lot of therapy, to finally accept that reality that when I die my race would die with me. Of course, they technically wouldn’t be like the dragons from my old world, but then again I barely knew anything about them when I lived there.
But I was tired of social and historical events both present and past for the year. I just wanted to go home and spend the next month in Canterlot with nothing but a peaceful frame of mind. Sure enough, I got my wish as the bell rung and every student ran, galloped, flew, or teleported out.
“Be sure to read about the Battle of Las Pegasus during your break. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!” I shouted before they all left, chuckling as they waved or said goodbye. In less than a minute, I was completely alone in my classroom. I decided to take this time to pull out one of my cigars and light it up with a small burst of flame. Enjoying the taste, I sighed and leaned back into my chair with a smile while my eyes focused on the small picture frame I had. It showed me and my friends in Ponyville, and memories of Hearth’s Warming Eve flooded my mind.
I could smell Pinkie’s cookies being baked in the oven while Rarity had on her winter perfume for the holidays to go with whatever colored scarf she designed. I closed my eyes, pretending I was hearing Dash and AJ argue about the decorations while Twilight and Fluttershy were already working on them, humming some songs along the way. All while Owlicious and I were trying to guess what gifts we were getting that year under the tree.
It was kind of amazing how similar Hearth's Warming Eve and Christmas were, although nopony celebrated the former much anymore. Mostly due to the fact that Equestria was no longer really “Equestria” and now known as the Equine Republic. Many ponies generations later were disgusted by the actions of the Equestrian Kingdom and sought to start a new society with new traditions. It didn’t help that they found the human celebrations a lot better. Another reason was it was also a former religious holiday back when ponies worshiped Celestia and Luna as gods. With that faith crushed, it was quickly abandoned as ponies either joined the human religions or became irreligious.
A knock on my door made me open my eyes and shout, “It’s open”. Sure enough, a human with dark blond hair dressed in a suit with a bow tie entered my classroom, accompanied by a chestnut earth pony with a dark smooth mane with a tie and a musical note on his rump. Each of them carried champagne and glasses. A smile decorated my lips as my two fellow teachers and friends made their way for my desk to place the refreshments dead center.
“And thus the semester is over!” shouted the human as he popped the cork and laughed. He poured three glasses as we all took one and raised them in a toast. “May we get fat, lazy, and laid for the next four and half weeks.”
“Speak for yourself, Adam,” said the earth pony as he took a sip. “I’ve got six kids I have to get presents for, not to mention a seventh on the way.”
“Seriously, Beatstep, you ever heard of a condom? They do have ones for ponies, right?” asked Adam, shaking his head before Beatstep threw some champagne at his chest. “Hey! Watch it!”
“You’re not gonna use that shirt for awhile, suck it up,” whispered Beatstep.
I chuckled while taking in my drink. During my three hundred years of living, I have had many friends. At first, I tried to avoid it, especially when Fluttershy, Lyra, and their children all passed away as time went on. Being a long lived being such as myself, you tend to outlive all those you care about. Discord, for the longest time, was my only friend and even he was slowly dying. However, I opened up again and accepted the fact that while I would lose friends, I would have them in my heart as time went on. Not to mention there was the afterlife, if it did exist. Although of all my friends, Adam and Beatstep were the most amusing I’ve had.
“So Spike,” said Adam as he poured himself a second drink. “You’re heading back to Canterlot this year, right? You finally gonna ask that art chick out?”
I nearly choked on my drink before glaring at the grinning language teacher. “How many times do I have to tell you? We’re just friends!”
“Then why do you blush every time we mention her?” asked Adam, chuckling. “Seriously though. It’s been what? Six years?”
“Seven,” I muttered thinking about the human who... for the lack of a better word, attracted me. I met her years ago when I took leave for a while and visited and art gallery. There, I saw a painting of something that actually made me cry. It was a painting of my friends. All of them, just standing there smiling and having a picnic. Most of the time, every one of them except Twilight and Fluttershy were always painted in a bad way, especially Rainbow Dash and Applejack. To see them together, happy, as the friends they were, made me tear up. A woman asked if I was okay. I told her I loved the painting. She told me thank you and I learned that not only was she the owner of the gallery, but it was her painting as well. I told her my name was Spike. She said her name was Rebecca. We chatted. I took her out to dinner. We kept seeing each other and she learned more about who the girls really were in life. Not what the propaganda and movies spoke of. The real truth of six girls, each unique, who held a true bond of friendship.
Since then we had... clicked I guess. We had dinners, coffee, talks, and even just walks. I saw her every chance I could when I returned to Canterlot.
“Seven years is a long time,” said Beatstep as he raised an eyebrow. “What’s stopping you from committing?”
“... because I’m a dragon,” I whispered, shaking my head. “She’s human. Which means she’ll live at most a hundred years. Me? I’ll be still in my young adult life when she passes on. When I lost my first friends... it was hard. What will happen if I lose my first love? What if I fall in love again?” I shook my head. “I cannot have children with anyone who isn’t my race, and I’ll be young and healthy while they will be old and weak. It just can’t happen... even if I want it too.” I looked into my drink. “Besides, I have to focus on my job. I cannot let myself be distracted.”
“Yeah, but don’t you want to be happy?” asked Adam, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Look, I get that you're dedicated to your obsession with giving the truth of those days during the Conversion War to each generation, but it’s been three hundred years, man. I think both humanity and ponies have learned their lesson. You don’t need to burden yourself anymore.”
“... you’re not the first person to tell me that, Adam,” I whispered as I gave him a sad smile. “But this is all I have now. If I lose that... I don’t know what to do.” They couldn’t understand. Nobody really could. Twilight was gone. Fluttershy too. Even her adopted children and their grandchildren passed away. I barely keep track of them anymore. Everyone I ever loved in my old life was gone. I had to focus now, the present, and teach it the past for as long as I could. If I didn’t have that. If I let myself lose focus... I was scared to think what would happen.
The worst of it was that I couldn’t even change into a human or a pony. The one thing that doesn’t change is your age. If I was to be hit with the potion I would die in an instant the moment my body changed due to old age. No, I was stuck with my burden until death. Only in death could I relax at last.
I could tell I was ruining the mood by the saddened looks in their eyes so I got up and grabbed my coat. “Thanks for the drinks, guys. I’ll call you to wish you both a Merry Christmas.” I left before they could say anything.