//------------------------------// // Last Day of Winter // Story: AJ and the Dragon // by MiraculousDragonMaster //------------------------------// AJ and the Dragon Chapter 14 Last Day of Winter One night, Applejack couldn't really sleep. Her thoughts kept leading her to Spike. She still wondered how such a nice dragon like him turned into who he was when they had first met. After finally giving up on sleep, she got out of bed, slipped her feet in forest green slippers, and grabbed a velvet red robe. She tiptoed past a sleeping Winona and quietly left her room. After walking through the castle a bit, she saw that the door to the greenhouse was slightly left ajar. She peeked in and saw a familiar dragon reaching up on the tips of his feet and picking a ripe red apple from one of the trees. "I didn't expect to see you here." AJ said, making herself known. Spike nearly dropped the apple and blushed a little when he saw Applejack in the doorway, with her navy blue pajamas under a red robe. This was also the first time he had seen her without her usual hat. She giggled when he finally lost his balance and fell onto his back. "You okay, Spike?" She asked as she went over to him and helped him up. "I'm fine." He said, dusting himself. "Did I wake you?" "Naw." AJ replied. "I couldn't sleep anyway." "Oh." Spike grabbed his apple and cleaned it. "So, why are you here?" "I just thought I'd take a stroll and grab a late-night snack." Applejack said as she grabbed another red apple from the tree. She then sat down below it, and invited Spike to sit beside her. The dragon was a little surprised at her invitation, but then complied. "Ya know something?" AJ asked him. "I wonder why such a nice feller like you ended up like..." "This?" Spike asked, gesturing to himself. "Yeah." Applejack replied. "In the first place." Spike sighed. "Well, I'm sure that Twilight told you that I used to live in the Dragon Lands." AJ nodded. "Yeah. And that you had a sister." Spike had a painful look in his eyes as memories came back to him. "Yeah. Through all my troubles, Ember was always right there. Until that day." He clenched his fists. "I was framed for attempted robbery." "Of what?" Applejack asked. "I was accused of stealing the Bloodstone Scepter." Spike explained. "It's the sacred relic that decides the next ruler of the Dragon Lands. It rightfully belonged to Ember, so I would never steal it, and Ember knew it too. But no one else believed me. It was thanks to Ember that I was only banished instead of executed. After that, I lost all pity and feeling for anyone but me, which resulted with this curse." Tears slowly began to fall down his cheeks. He then froze when he felt a gentle hand wipe away some of them. "Well, I know what it's like to lose someone you cared about." AJ said. "My parents, they've been gone ever since I was a little girl." She wrapped her arms around her legs, hugging them. "But, I still tried to be who they always said I would be, and to support the family that I still have, no matter what. My ma and pa have always told me to stick with family, even though my ma had to lose her own." "I'm sorry." Spike said. Applejack then began to softly cry as well. In search for comfort, she buried her face in Spike's chest. The dragon was a little hesitant, but he eventually wrapped his strong arms around her. "But I do know this: you are making your parents proud by being the person you are now." "Really?" She asked, looking up at him. Spike nodded. AJ gave him a grateful smile and hugged him. This time, he was ready to welcome the warmth and tenderness that she gives to everyone. Soon, after they ate their apples and talked a bit more, Applejack let out a small yawn as she tossed away her apple core. "We should get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow." "What's tomorrow?" Spike asked. "It's the last day of winter, sugarcube." AJ explained. "Winter Wrap Up." Though she didn't see it, Spike seemed to freeze for a second. "We clean up the snow and welcome back the animals and get the ground ready for planting." She placed a hand on Spike's shoulder. "You can help in whatever way you can. We need every hand we can get." "Sure." Spike said a little absentminded. He then stood up. "Let's get some sleep, then." Applejack nodded, stood up, and they both left the greenhouse. A few minutes later, they arrived back at AJ's room. She stifled another yawn. "Night, Spike." She said as she entered her room. "Night, AJ." Spike answered as Applejack gave him a small smile and closed her door. Once she did, he went up to the West Wing. He definitely needed to talk to Twilight as soon as day breaks. Twilight was definitely surprised to receive a note from Spike at the break of dawn to meet him in the West Wing immediately. But then, she saw good reason why he did when she arrived. Spike showed her the Ice Iris. Only six lavender petals remain. Spike was panicking as he went back and forth across the room. "What do I do? What do I do?" Twilight breathed sharply at the dilemma. "I didn't think that time would fly by so fast." She then turned over to the jittery dragon. "That means that you have until midnight tonight." "WHAT?!" Spike exclaimed. "But we can't worry about that right now." Twilight said as she led Spike outside onto the balcony. "We have the whole daylight ahead of us." Two by two; excluding Applejack, everyone came out into the crisp late winter dawn, dressed in warm winter gear and specific colored vests. One for the Weather team, one for the Animal team, and one for the Plant team. Rainbow Dash, Soarin', Pinkie Pie, Cheese, and Scootaloo wore royal blue vests. Fluttershy, Rarity, Fancy Pants, and Sweetie Belle wore tan vests. Spike noticed that only AJ was wearing a green vest. Just then, Discord popped beside Fluttershy, grumbling and wearing a vest that had all three colors. He turned to Twilight and saw that she had just put on a similar vest. Music then began to fill the air. Rainbow Dash: Three months of winter coolness, And awesome holidays. Pinkie Pie: We've kept our cold feet warm at home, Time off from work to play. Applejack: But the food we've stored is runnin' out, And we can't grow in this cold. Rarity: And even though I love these boots, This fashion's getting old. Twilight then began leading Spike outside. Twilight: The time has come to welcome spring, And all things warm and green. But it's also time to say goodbye. It's winter we must clean. How can you help? You're new, you see. What does everybody do? Spike: How do I fit in with everyone? I haven't got a clue! Everyone: Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Let's finish our holiday cheer. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Applejack: 'Cause tomorrow, spring is here! Everyone: 'Cause tomorrow, spring is here! Spike looked up and saw the fast flying trio moving away the snow clouds. Once in a while, one of them would fly off and then come back with a flock of birds following. He then saw Pinkie and Cheese having fun, skating on the huge frozen lake nearby, cutting through the ice. Discord would pop by to skate along or to help lead the birds. Rainbow Dash: Bringing home the southern birds, A Pegasus' job begins. And clearing all the gloomy skies, To let the sunshine in. Soarin': We move the clouds And we melt the white snow. Rainbow and Pinkie: When the sun comes up, Its warmth and beauty will glow! Everyone: Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Let's finish our holiday cheer. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here. 'Cause tomorrow spring is here! Twilight used her magic to check off something on a list in her hand. She then lead Spike to where the Animal team was. Rarity, Fancy, and Sweetie Belle were weaving bird nests with colorful ribbons, while Fluttershy rang a system of bells over burrows, waking up the hibernating creatures. Discord would sometimes join her with stirring the sleeping animals. Rarity: Little critters hibernate Under the snow and ice. Fluttershy: We wake up all their sleepy heads, So quietly and nice. Rarity: We help them gather up their food, Fix their homes below. Fluttershy: We welcome back the southern birds, Both: So their families can grow! Everyone: Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Let's finish our holiday cheer. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here 'Cause tomorrow spring is here! Twilight checked something off her list again, and led Spike to the gardens, where Applejack was hard at work, clearing the ground and getting it ready for planting. He was a little upset that she was the only one doing this, but Discord would come by and help her. Applejack: No easy task to clear the ground, Plant our tiny seeds. With proper care and sunshine, Everyone, it feeds. Apples, carrots, celery stalks. Colorful flowers too. We must work so very hard. It's just so much to do! Everyone: Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Let's finish our holiday cheer. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Pinkie and Cheese: 'Cause tomorrow spring is here! Everyone: 'Cause tomorrow spring is here! Twilight checked off her list a third time, and led Spike towards the edge of the castle grounds. Twilight: Now that you know what they all do, You have to find your place, And help with all of your heart. Tough task ahead, you face. How will you fit in with everyone, Help 'til the end of the day? She handed him a green vest and gestured to where AJ was. In Spike's eyes, he saw a very pretty sight; her golden hair was flying gently in the cool late winter breeze, her emerald green eyes were sparkling as she did her job. Her smile was just the perfect finishing touch. You wanna win her heart, So do your best today, Do your best today! Spike then got a determined smile on his face as he put on the green vest and joined Applejack in planting the flower beds. The cowgirl grinned as the dragon helped her sprinkle seeds into the ground. Everyone: Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! Let's finish our holiday cheer! Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here. Winter Wrap Up! Winter Wrap Up! 'Cause tomorrow spring is here, 'Cause tomorrow spring is here, 'Cause tomorrow spring is here! Finally, when the afternoon sun was getting lower in the sky, there were only a few specks on snow on the ground that would melt at the end of the day, the southern birds were back and singing, and the gardens were ready to start growing. "Well, that was the easiest we've ever done for Winter Wrap Up." AJ said as she wiped some sweat from her brow. Spike, though, looked ready to collapse from exhaustion. "You call all that easy?" He asked. "At least you're not restrained from doing magic other than teleporting today." Discord grumbled. "You know the rules, Discord." Fluttershy said. "This is how we have always done it back in Ponyville." "We should celebrate tonight!" Pinkie exclaimed. "That's a great idea, Pinkie Pie!" Applejack said. She turned to the dragon beside her. "Can we, Spike? It's been too long since I had been to a Pinkie party!" Spike looked over at everyone, and they were all bursting at the seams. "Well... okay." Everyone began cheering. "Yay!" Pinkie cheered. "We'll have lots of food, we can dress up, we can have a dance-" "Dance!" Twilight exclaimed. "Pinkie Pie, you're a genius!" Everybody looked over at the princess, confused. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, we need to get ready for one party we won't forget." Everyone began talking excitedly again, but not Spike. He was a little nervous about what Twilight has in mind.