//------------------------------// // Party at Friendship Castle // Story: The Tale of the Three Sided Medallion // by FlareGun45 //------------------------------// Spike and Scorpan started walking back to the castle from the spa, but not looking eye to eye. Spike was feeling pretty mad at Scorpan for all the questions that made him uncomfortable, and Scorpan was starting to feel bad, but he didn’t say a thing. “I can’t wait till my birthday party!” Scorpan said excitedly, trying to make conversation. “I’m not sure if anyone’s coming though.” “Oh ponies will come.” Spike said. “If I know Pinkie Pie, she would know EXACTLY what would attract the crowd. Remember what I said, Scorpan: just be kind, and help them out.” Once they got to the castle, Spike and Scorpan both open the separate double doors, and they notice the CROWD of ponies inside the castle. “SURPRISE!” Everypony cries out. “Whoa! I was wrong!” Scorpan said in shock. “And I was right! I like being right!” Spike teased. “What happened?” Scorpan asked. “Why is everypony here? I thought they were afraid of me?” “WE ARE STILL!” Bulk yells. “Eeeee…yup!” Big Mac said nervously. “But they’re giving you a chance!” Twilight said. “I told them Tirek would just drain their magic without question.” Rainbow said. “He wouldn’t hide his plan and then pounce!” “We also told them if ya did, we would use our Rainbow power to send you to where yer brother is now.” Applejack smirks at him. “Welcome to your party, Scorpan! IT’S YOUR BIRTHAVERSARY!” Pinkie cries out. The music starts playing as everypony starts dancing. Scorpan just stood there in confusion. “What is everypony doing?” Scorpan asked. “Are they all having seizures or something?” “No, they’re dancing!” Spike said. “That’s what ponies do at a party! They music and dance! Don’t your people do that?” “No.” Scorpan said. “In our parties, we just sit and eat, play some games, and argue about politics that no one cares about.” “Politics?” Spike asked. “Are you kidding? Wrong party, dude! Come on! Let’s celebrate! Prove to the ponies that you’re cool!” Spike runs in to join the party. “Cool… okay, I’ll give it a try.” Scorpan said as he joins in. Ponies started backing away from him, as they didn’t completely trust him yet. Scorpan didn’t know what to do next, so he looked down at Spike as he showed him what he needed to do. Spike starts tap-dancing to the music. He then starts Irish step-dancing as he dances around Scorpan and everypony clops their hooves for Spike’s sick moves. He then slides with his knees across the floor and everypony cheers for Spike. He transfers the dance floor over to Scorpan so he can dance. He was feeling a little nervous as everypony watched him stand there. Spike provides an easier example for him as he bounces his body up and down while moving his knees inwards and outwards. Scorpan knew it couldn’t get easier than that, so he does the same dance move as Spike did. He was a little concerned at first, but ponies started to become impressed on how much he’s learning. Scorpan smiles at Spike as he got the hang of it, and Spike gave him a thumb up. Scorpan begins to dance even harder and having the time of his life. Ponies start cheering for him as he becomes the light of the party, until he accidently kicks Bulk Biceps across the room. “I’M OKAY!” Bulk yells as he rubes his head in pain while climbing out of the hole he made on the wall. Scorpan chuckles in embarrassment as ponies start looking at me nervously again. “Heh… uh… woopsy!” “Uhh…” Spike looks around to try to give Scorpan something to help him feel helpful. “Oh!” Spike spots a plate of donuts up ahead and hands them over to Scorpan. “Use these!” “Oh I’m not that hungry right now for these… o’s.” Scorpan declined. “They’re donuts, and they’re not for you; they’re for the other ponies!” Spike explained. “Offer them some donuts, and ask them some questions; and before you ask, no, not questions about their personal lives.” “Drat.” Scorpan mumbled in defeat. “Just try to make friends with them!” Spike instructed him. “Show them that you’re interested in what they have to say! Also, it’s probably best not to talk about your brother.” “Yeah, I agree.” Scorpan nods. “Are you sure I can do this?” “You did once a thousand years ago! You can do it again! I believe in you, bro!” Spike said. Scorpan and Spike walk their separate ways as Scorpan clears his throat and walks over to a group of ponies hanging out. The ponies include Merry May, Parasol, and Sea Swirl. “Uh, hi!” Scorpan starts the conversation. “Uh, hi!” Sea Swirl said with an awkward smile. “Scorpan is it?” Parasol asked. “Yes, it is!” Scorpan was feeling pretty nervous, as he did not want to screw this up. “Umm… would you like donut?” “That sounds rad! What kind of flavors do you have?” Merry May asked. “Uhh.” Scorpan observes the donuts, and sniffs them out. He even takes one and gives it a bite, but he was still confused. “Uhh… donut flavor?” He smiles awkwardly at the ponies, and the ponies just stared at him in confusion. All Scorpan could hear was his heart beating faster and faster, and he could feel the sweat rolling down his face, and his cheeks were beginning to feel really sore from all the smiling. Just then, Sea Swirl snorts as she starts laughing, and her friends follow along hysterically. “Scorpan you are sooo totally funny!” Sea Swirl said. “I am?” Scorpan asked curiously. “Of course! We love funny!” Sea Swirl said. Scorpan smiles with glee. “So… what are your names? What do all of you… do for a living?” Scorpan asked. “Well, my name is Merry May,” Merry May started, “I work as a supervisor at the Cloudsdale Cloud Factory!” “Do you enjoy it?” Scorpan asked. “Ehh, yes and no.” Merry answered. “I do enjoy the work there, but my employees… ugh! They’re such a huge pain in the flank! Like this one day, one of my employees, Hoops…” As Scorpan was making friends with the other ponies, Spike was about to get some food from the table where Twilight stops him. “Oh there you are, Spike!” She said. “Are you enjoying the party?” “Yep! I sure am!” Spike said. “I’m so proud of Scorpan! He’s really getting along with everypony!” “I knew everypony would give him a chance sooner or later! They always do!” Twilight said. “Hey, Spike, you think you can do me a favor?” “Well,” Spike started, “I was actually about to-“ “Great! I need to make notes on this project!” Twilight said. “I need you to get paper, and help me write down everypony’s opinions on Scorpan, and then afterwards, I need to talk to you about my friends’ and my strategies on how we persuaded everypony to give Scorpan a chance! He’ll need it for his lessons!” “Well… can I do it later, Twilight?” Spike asked. “I’m really in a party mood right now, and-“ “Spike, please! This is important!” Twilight begs. “This is for Scorpan! This is about trying to get him to rekindle his trust with Tirek.” “I understand that, Twilight.” Spike said. “But I’m really-“ “Please, Spike!” Twilight begs. Spike saw the desperateness in Twilight’s eyes, and Spike could never say no to her. He sighs and says, “Fine, I’ll do it.” “Eee! Thank you, Spike!” Twilight jumped and down in excitement. “I’m going to talk to my friends about strategies on ways to teach Scorpan what he needs to know.” Twilight trots off to join her friends, leaving Spike to feel concerned. “Your friends?” Spike asked. “Twilight making me do a task in the middle of a social gathering?” Meanwhile, Scorpan continued talking to the ponies he was talking to before, but even more ponies came to talk to him. “Hey, Scorpan?” Lucky Clover asked. “Can you tell us a bit about that medallion you have?” “Of course!” Scorpan said pleasingly. “I made this myself! It’s the Symbol of the Three Sides.” “Oooo.” The ponies said, feeling impressed. “What does it mean?” Parasol asked. “Well, each angle represents a certain point in life.” Scorpan explained. “This top angle represents the present; it represents what you need to do, how to reach your goal, and what you currently have. It is the most important angle of the three, as it connects to your past and future. The angle on the bottom left represents your past, your history, the lessons you’ve learned, and how you’ve learned them. You must never forget your past. The side also represents your origins – how you’ve came to be.” “And I’m guessing the right angle is your future?” Lucky Clover asked. “Lucky guess!” Scorpan said. “No, it was pretty obvious.” Lucky admitted. “It represents everything about your future.” Scorpan continued. “It represents your destiny, your goal, your meaning in life. Everyone has a destiny, but not everyone knows exactly what it is yet, and your destiny may not be what you think it is. The center of the medallion, all those shapes inside, represent the zig-zags that is your life. Life is not one big straight line – it does have zig-zags, and it sometimes comes in full-circle, or in this case, full-triangle, and your past may help you achieve what you need to do in your future; or your future might reveal some unanswered questions of your past.” “Wow, that’s deep.” Sea Swirl commented. “It is.” Scorpan agreed. “However, like I said, it all gets connected by the present. Because if you haven’t noticed, your past used to be the present, and your future will soon be the present. That’s what the Medallion of the Three Sides represents.” Meanwhile, Spike has been talking to a lot of ponies, and taking notes of how the Mane Six persuaded them to give Scorpan a chance. Spike walks over to Trixie next to see what she might have to say. “Well, I wouldn’t say that Starlight really persuaded me to give Scorpan a chance.” She explains. “I just trust her judgment, and I decided to just go with it! I don’t care if he’s the brother of the biggest evil sorcerer in Equestria; I mean after all, you know how I was!” “I have to admit to you, Trixie; you were not as bad as he was!” Spike teases. “Trixie is so glad to not be the WORST!” Trixie said as she chuckles. “Hey, Trixie, can I ask you something?” Spike asked. “Ask away, Twilight’s dragon servant!” Trixie said. “Oh… umm… okay.” Spike said, starting to feel uneasy. “Do you… uhh… do you think I really… fit in?” “Well, you are a dragon in a pony world.” Trixie said. “I mean, heh, dragons are considered evil by pony standards. I’m sure you’re lucky everypony here likes you. I mean, if Twilight hasn’t said anything about you being nice and all, I don’t think anypony here would’ve given you a chance; much like Scorpan for example! You’re two of a kind!” “Oh…” Spike said, feeling in doubt of himself. “Of course there is Discord.” Trixie said. “But nopony really likes him. I don’t! I at least like you, Spike! Be lucky to consider the Great and Poweful Trixie as a friend!” “Oh… thanks… Trixie.” Spike said in grief. “Anytime! Feel free to chat whenever you want; you know, when ponies stop treating you like a punching bag.” Trixie chuckles as she trots away. Spike has never felt so hurt and lost in his life. Of course that was just Trixie talking, and Spike really doesn’t want to believe her, but Scorpan said the exact same thing, and that’s what made him feel in grief. Starlight notices Spike standing around, so she walks over to him to chat. “Hey, Spike! Everything okay?” She asks. “Oh I’m… fine!” Spike fakes a smile. “I’m really enjoying the party!” “I can tell Scorpan is too!” Starlight said. “I can see the Cutie Mark Crusaders giving him a big present! Wonder what it is?” “Um, Starlight?” Spike asks. “You think ponies would’ve liked me if Twilight wasn’t around?” “Umm… I don’t know, I can’t really answer that question.” Starlight said. “I know dragons aren’t really considered to be on good terms with ponies, but I thought you were an exception?” “I thought so too.” Spike said. “Well ponies wouldn’t have liked me if Twilight didn’t vouch for me.” Starlight informed him. “Her friends gave me a chance only because Twilight said so, and I’m lucky to have them!” “Ok, I guess, that’s… a good point.” Spike said. “How about my destiny? Do you think I might have one?” “Isn’t your destiny to be Twilight’s number one assistant?” Starlight asked. “Well… I… umm… kinda.” Spike said. “I love helping her out! But… I’m a dragon in a pony world, do you think I might, you know, have more of a purpose in living in a world full of ponies?” “Spike, your destiny is whatever you want it to be.” Starlight said. “I understand you’re confused. I don’t know what my purpose in life is either. I’m still trying to figure it out. But for the time being, I’m just happy being Twilight’s pupil!” “That’s good!” Spike said. “But if you had to guess, what do you think my purpose in life COULD be?” “I’m not an expert at destinies, Spike.” Starlight informed him. “You should talk to somepony with a little more experience in that field. Maybe a cutie mark expert or something.” “Hmm.” Spike thought. He then turns around and spots the Cutie Mark Crusaders giving Scorpan a huge homemade blanket. “This is so nice of you! Thank you!” Scorpan said gratefully to them. “Any time, Scorpan! A friend of our sisters is a friend of ours!” Apple Bloom said. “And we really want you to feel welcomed here in Ponyville!” Sweetie Belle said. “This is so sweet!” Scorpan said. “This is almost as nice as the first medallion my mother gave me. I gave it to Tirek before I left him, and- oh… woops!” Scorpan slaps his forehead in embarrassment. “Ugh! I mentioned my brother again! I’m sorry!” “Nah, no sweat it!” Scootaloo said. “You’re nothing like that mean old brother of yours! Um, heh, no offense.” “None taken!” Scorpan said as he rubs the blanket against his cheek. “This blanket is really soft and warm.” “Granny Smith taught me everythin’ ah know about sewin’!” Apple Bloom said. As Spike overhears the conversation, he smiles and says, “Perfect! Destiny, here I come!” “HAPPY BIRTHEVERSARY, SCORPAN!” Pinkie cries out in glee as she blows on a streamer. “HAPPY BIRTHEVERSARY, SCORPAN!” Everypony else in the room all yell out after. Scorpan felt really happy to finally be accepted into pony society again. He felt like he was right at home!