One day, in a comic book store, Mina was behind the counter, reading a comic book issue of a fictional dragon heroine, Flashfire, when the door opened, and Spike stepped in.
"Welcome to Dragon Town Comics! Let me know-" Mina looked over and smiled, "Spike! Red rubies to see you!" She shouted, getting up from her seat.
"Red rubies to see you again, Mina," Spike smiled, as he and the dragon girl both exchanged a secret handshake together. "It's been ages since we hung out together. Y'know, when the fate of our worlds aren't being threatened."
"Definitely," Mina agreed. "Though it's no surprise. The life of a superhero was never easy. Just ask Flashfire here."
"Flashfire?" Spike asked.
"Uh-huh, my new favorite!" Mina smiled, showing him the cover of the book she was reading, which shows a pretty looking red dragon, wearing a yellow mask and a dark purple superhero costume. "The writer, Scaly Sue, is amazing! It's about how all these old evil dragons escaped from Tartarus and this super heroine dragon has to put them all back."
"Wow, cool!" Spike awed in newfound admiration.
"Right? Wanna try it?"
"Sign me up!"
"Red rubies!"
Taking the book, the young Dragon Prince cracked it open as he began to read the comic. After about a good ten minutes, Spike reached the end, "So, what did you think?" Mina eagerly asked.
"This is by far beyond red rubies," Spike answered.
"I know, right? Right?" Mina squealed. "It was crazy good! The way she swooped in and stopped the ice dragon!"
"Or how she used her nun-chucks to fight off the mountain dragon!"
"Or how she used the one-inch punch to defeat the Demon Sorcerer!!" They smiled together, before they both shared a laugh together.
"Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say Flashfire is another warrior of the Dragonfire!" Spike smiled.
"Aw man, that would be so awesome!" Mina smiled. "Who knows, if you and she ever met, she would destroy you!" With a smack of her knee, Mina broke out laughing, while Spike had a deadpan expression on his face.
"Oh hardy har-ha," Spike muttered.
After an hour of laughing, Mina caught her breath and asked, "So, Spike-ums, what brings you to town?"
"I just thought I'd come by to pay a visit," Spike answered. "The local dragons here told me that you were running this store, so I thought I'd drop in." Spike looked around at the red dragon's choice of interior decorations, "And from the looks of it, you've really outdone yourself."
Mina chuckled, "Thanks." She blushed, while twirling a lock of her hair. "It hasn't been easy, but I managed. That and Ember did came to help out a bit."
"Oh yeah, good ol' Ember," Spike mused, before he decided to strike up a new conversation. "So, besides running the store, how're things going with you and sensei?"
"Uncle Mako?" Mina asked, before she looked worried. "I don't know. He hasn't been back in months now."
"What? What happened to him?"
"I'm not sure. Before he left, he told me he and General Scorpan had something important to attend to. But he wouldn't tell me what it is. And I haven't heard a word from him since. I'm a little worried."
"Iām sure he and uncle are okay," Spike reasoned, trying to lighten the mood. "Knowing sensei, for a dragon his age, he's tough. And both he and uncle make an awesome team."
"Maybe," Mina frowned. "But still, I'm a little worried. I just hope he comes back alright."
Spike nodded as he comforted the dragon, "Same here Mina. I hope he and uncle come back soon."
There was nothing but silence between the two dragons. No customers have yet to enter the shop to break the ice. Finally, having enough, Spike asked, "So....um, while I'm here, anything else we can do today?"
Mina looked around, seeing how quiet it has been, "Well, business is kinda slow," Looking to her left, checking on a nearby clock, Mina noted, "And my shift is just about over. So, let's go out for some noodles! My treat!" She beamed.
"No way. I'm paying this time," Spike argued.
"No, I am!"
"I am!"
"I am!"
The two dragons laughed as they took their leave out of the store.
Later, both Spike and Mina were sitting outside a restaurant in Dragon Town, both eating a bowl of noodle soup. As much as he enjoys the meal, Spike was very surprised to see the vast amount of bowls Mina can consume, without any ill effects.
"Wow!" Spike noted. "You must really like this place!"
"Mhmm," Mina agreed, slurping on some noodles. "There's no other place better than this that serves roasted sparrows."
"Roasted sparrows?" Spike asked, before he noticed the small bird meat he and Mina have been eating in their bowl.
Fun fact: According to some Chinese stories, dragons loved to eat sparrows.
"Yep," Mina replied. "Besides gems, they're a popular delicacy for us dragons. Didn't you know that?"
When Mina mentioned that, Spike quickly recalled the times he had in China with Scorpan, and how he sampled the country's unique cuisine, one of them including roasted sparrows which he enjoyed.
"Well, not until now," Spike admitted. "That explains everything."
"Explains what, Spike?" Asked Mina.
"Why I enjoyed some roasted sparrows during my trip to China with uncle."
"China?" Mina asked. "What's China?"
"Oh y'know, this other country, back on Earth," Spike answered. "It's kinda like Dracasia, except it doesn't have any dragons. I mean, there are some dragons, but..." Looking up, seeing Mina looked rather confused, while somewhat intrigued, Spike ended the conversation. "You'd have to be there to understand what I was saying."
Mina nodded, "Yeah, I guess so," Looking back up, Mina asked, "So, what other places have you gone to, back on this 'Earth' world of yours?"
For the rest of the day, Mina was giving Spike the tour of Dragon Town, as well as the other districts of Fillydelphia, so as to give the young prince an update on some of the changes that were made over the years, since his absent.
At the same time, Spike relayed the stories of his trips on Earth to the red dragon, "Interesting," Mina commented. "This Earth world of yours sounds like a total alternate universe counterpart of Equestria, without magic."
"When you put it that way, yes," Spike answered.
"How did you survive in a hostile world? And without your dragon fires and everything?"
"Oh it's not too bad, once you get used to it," Spike reassured. "Being a human, I mean."
"Being a human, hmm?" Mina pondered. She has seen how Spike looked whenever he's in human form, but the idea of her being human didn't occur much. "How would I look, if I were a human?" She asked.
Spike looked at Mina, and tried to envision the red dragon, the best he could, as a human girl, "Honestly Mina," He began. "I'm afraid that's a question I can't answer," Mina pouted in disappointment. "But whether you're a human or not, it doesn't change the dragon you are."
"Really?" Mina smiled. "Thanks."
Suddenly, Spike's ears perked up to the sound of a young dragon, screaming, "What's going on?!" Spike asked, spreading his wings and flying towards the source, with Mina following close behind. When Spike arrived at the source, he was shocked to see a little dragon, covered from head-to-tails with blemishes, glowing in a blinding light, with fire erupting out of their jaws.
Furthermore, "EW!! Ugh!" Spike groaned, covering his nostrils at a foul stench he just sniffed. "What is that?!"
Mina soon came up to Spike's side, looking at the scene, before she too held a claw to her nostrils, "Oh, looks like we got another one," She said.
"Another one?"
"Another molter," Mina clarified, as she and Spike watched the scene transpiring for the young dragon.
It wasn't long before the light show died down and the dragon panted in relief. Before they knew it, stones were forming all over the dragon's body, until it was fully cocooned, in the form of a statue.
"Oh my god! Hang on-" Spike was stopped by Mina, who held him back by the tail.
"Wait a minute!" Mina shouted. "It's okay, Spike. Just watch." Spike complied, as the two dragons sit back and watched see a crack forming on the dragon's statue, until at last, the young dragon broke free, with a new pair of wings on their back.
With a whoop of celebration, the young dragon flapped their wings, ascending to the air and out of sight, "Uh....what just happened?" Spike asked.
"It's the molt, of course," Mina smiled.
"The....molt?"
"It's a thing we dragons all go through when we grow up," Mina explained. "Super painful stone scales, fire burps, uncontrollable volume shifts, foul stenches, then at the end, stone suits, and voila! Wings sprouted. Of course, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Mina smirked, nudging her elbow against Spike's wings.
"Uh.....you could say that," Spike nervously laughed, as he recalls his experience of the molt in Dragon Metamorphosis.
Spike and Mina were later at a bar, where they were both sipping a drink from their cups, when Spike lets out a light burp, "Oops! Sorry," He apologized.
In response, Mina lets out another burp. Seeing he was being challenged, Spike took it up a notch, letting out a bigger burp, before he had a smug grin on his face, feeling proud. In retaliation, Mina lets out an even louder and longer burp that shook the whole room, and blowing Spike's hair back. The two dragons quickly shared a laugh together, while some of the pony patrons around them looked rather disgusted.
Finally, as their last stop for the day, Mina took Spike to a fountain, with the statue of a mighty dragon, surrounded by waters, while holding an orb in its huge maw, while surrounded in a circle of pillars with huge jewels at the top.
"This is my most favorite place in all of Dragon Town!" Mina smiled. "Uncle used to take me here when I was just a little kid. Whenever the moon rises, the jewels light up, and they make the water sparkle and they reflect in the most beautiful way," Grasping Spike's claws tightly, Mina smiled gleefully, "Watch."
Looking up, seeing his mother's sun setting to make way for his aunt's moon, Spike watched as the moon's light travels down towards the orb in the dragon's maw. The orb started to light itself up as several beams of lights were shot out, striking the jewels, creating the most dazzling display of light Spike has ever witnessed.
"Whoa!" Spike gasped. It was exactly as Mina described it.
"I know, right?" Mina smiled. "This is where we dragons would say, it's crystal clear!"
"Crystal clear is....um," Spike trailed. "What does that mean in dragon tongue?"
Mina chuckled, finding Spike's lack of dragon knowledge, amusing, "It's an expression for 'beautiful,' or 'serene,' or 'dazzling,'" Mine smiled.
"Oh," Spike nodded in acknowledgement.
The two young dragons watched the beautiful sight, before Mina looked at Spike with half-lidded eyes, while brushing a strand of her hair out of the way, before she grasped Spike's claws, intertwining with hers. Spike turned his attention towards Mina, knowing where this is going. Mina closed her eyes as she leans forward, until her lips finally touched Spike's.
It was only for a brief moment, before Mina pulled away, but it was still enough to send a jolt through Spike's whole form, as well as making his wings stand on end, along with his whiskers.
Shaking the shock away, Spike looked at Mina, and his eyes widened. The reflections of his auntie's lights all shined on Mina, outlining the red dragon's form, displaying her beauty in ways he could never explain.
"What's wrong?" Mina asked. "What is it?"
Silent at first, Spike simply answered, "Nothing," Letting his instincts take control, Spike wrapped his arms around Mina, in which the red dragon's wings stiffened from the touch of his claws on her back. Spike too locked his lips with hers, which Mina welcomed. Wrapping their arms around each other, the two dragons made out in an intensive heating sensation, tongues battle for dominance, rapid heartbeats that could only multiply their fires tenfold, all the while letting their instincts take control.
Eventually, the two dragons parted for air, "Wow....that was....amazing," Spike panted.
"It's....it's like wild red fires," Mina commented.
Getting up to brush themselves, Spike walked Mina back home, "Thanks Spike," Mina smiled. "I had a really good time today."
"Same here. This is hands down the most crystal clear outing I've ever had," Spike smiled. "Well, I'll see you around," Spike quickly spreads his wings and was about to take flight, when Mina grabbed him by the claw.
"Wait, Spike!" Mina began. "Why don't you stay the night with me?"
"Huh?"
"It's been very lonesome with just me looking after the place for Uncle Mako. So, I could use the company for the night, if that's alright."
After hearing that, Spike couldn't find it in himself to say no.
Soon, both Spike and Mina were later in bed, snuggling up close, "Comfy?" Spike asked.
"Very," Mina answered. "How about you?"
"I'll admit, it's not exactly like my room, in New York," Spike answered. "Or Twilight's guest room at Friendship Castle, but as long as you're comfy, that's fine with me."
Mina giggled, "You're so sweet, Spike," She beamed. "We're all so lucky to have you."
Spike modestly waved it off, "I thought I'm the lucky one," He said.
"Either way, we're both lucky to have known each other," The red dragon lets out a yawn, as she snugged up close to the purple dragon. "Good night, Spike," Mina said, slowly letting sleep overtake.
"Good night, Mina," Spike returned, pulling the red dragon close with his wings. "Sleep tight."
Mina quickly pecked Spike for the last time, before she and Spike were both out.