//------------------------------//
// A Windigo Comes To Town 
// Story: Dragonfire 🐲 Enter The Dragon Hero 🐲 
// by Phantom-Dragon 
//------------------------------//

It was a cool day in Ponyville. The pegasi weather teams have finished setting up the wind clouds, the leaves were turning shades of orange and red, and everyone were all setting up decorations for the holidays to come in autumn.

Spike was overseeing progressions with Twilight, "That's it you guys. Keep up the good work," Spike complimented to some earth ponies. "It needs to be a little higher," Spike called out to some pegasi, who were hanging up a banner.

"Like this?" They asked.

"Much better! Good job!" Spike gave them a thumbs up, before he met up with Twilight. "Everything's going smoothly, Twilight."

"Thanks Spike," Twilight smiled. "I'm so glad to have you back with assisting."

"Heh, just trying to make up for lost times, y'know," Then, a loud screech filled the air as Spike looked up to see Peewee flying over to him, with a message secured to his leg. "Hey, Peewee! What's the word?" The phoenix perched on Spike's arm, as the boy took out the message, which reads: 


"Dear Spike, 

I would be happy to come over and watch the running of the leaves. Thank you for inviting me.

Love, Moondancer.

P.S. I hope you don't mind if I bring Minuette and the other girls too."


"Moondancer is coming?!" Twilight exclaimed. "And you invited her without telling me?!"

"Well, yeah," Spike shrugged like it was nothing. "I mean, c'mon, she's our friend, isn't she? What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that now I have to prepare the guest rooms before she arrives! Now I'll have to reorganize my schedules! I'll have to prepare Moondance's favorite snacks! And not just her, but Minuette, Lemon, and Twinkle's too!"

"Don't forget Sassy Saddles and Saffron," Spike added. "They're both official members of Moondancer's posse now." Before Twilight could go into an all out panic mode, Spike quickly cupped his hands around the alicorn's cheeks. "Twilight! Relax! Just take a deep breath, and calm down," With that, the two friends inhaled deeply, followed by an equally deep exhale. "Now, I know how much you wanted to make this perfect. But you're not gonna get anything done right, if you go all haywires on us. Need I remind you of that incident with the Want-It Need-It Spell?"

Twilight blushed in response, "You just had to bring that up, didn't you?" She asked.

"It's the face that got me," Spike shuddered, remembering the picture of a crazy Twilight.

Wanting to change the topic, Twilight asked, "Well, what would you suggest?"

"Like Rainbow Dash always does. Just wing it. Or as uncle once taught me, just go with the flow."

Twilight nodded in agreement, "Thanks Spike," She smiled. "I'm glad I have you for a number one assistant," With that, the alicorn walked over, wrapped a wing around the boy and nuzzled her cheek with his.

Spike blushed a shade of red, before he cleared his throat, breaking up the moment, "I'll just go and check on the race tracks, if you don't mind," He said, as he took his leave, only to bump into a barrel and stumbled. "Oops, he he. Forgot that was there." Sprouting his wings, Spike took flight, with Peewee following. 'Way to go, Spike. Way to go,' Spike mentally berated himself.

Twilight giggled, finding the dragon's sudden clumsiness adorable.





Spike was sitting on a cloud, looking over the track that was set up for the Annual Running of the Leaves. It's an Equestrian tradition, in which ponies of all kinds can compete in a race, across Equestria. The main purpose of this race was to shake the ground they run on, enough to shake the leaves off their branches. Clearly, the laws of physics in the Magic World is different from those on Earth.

"Sure is a sight to behold, huh Peewee?" Spike asked the bird, while looking across the land, colored in scarlet shades of red and oranges.

The phoenix squawked in agreement, while enjoying himself a bucket of ice cream Dibs.

Just then, Spike's ears perked to the sound of wings beating in the air, together with an icy cold aura that gave off a tingling feeling, running up his scales. Turning his head, Spike could see a single cloud, carrying a familiar alicorn from the Frozen North.

"Neira?" Spike called out, catching her attention.

"Oh, hello Spike," Neira smiled.

"What brings you to Ponyville?" Spike asked, kicking his leg out to steer his cloud closer to hers. "I thought you're busy leading the Frozen North."

"Well, even a leader deserves a little rest now and then," Neira replied. "Besides, King Charlatan and Edgar can take care of everything with the yaks. So I'm free for the time being," Peewee squawked, as he bounced over and rubs his head affectionately with the snow alicorn's cheek. "Nice to see you too, Peewee," She smiled, before she manages to pet the bird, stroking her hoof carefully atop his head.

After giving Spike's bird some loving treatments, the phoenix flew off to give both Spike and Neira some times to themselves.

"Wow, it's such a wonderful sight," Neira commented, while looking at the land that's colored in autumn's colors. "So bright. So intense. And so many colors, all reflecting the beauty of autumn."

"Wow, I didn't know you're into autumn," Spike commented. "I mean, I didn't take you for the autumn type. No offense."

Neira chuckled, "I get that a lot," She replied. "But there's more to me, than being a Snow Queen, Spike. Just as there's more to you than being the Dragon Prince."

"Like what?"

"Well, often times, when I'm leading the penguins with Edgar and King Charlatan, I would often look through a magic mirror and observe Equestria from there."

"You have a magic mirror? And you watched Equestria from it? Wow!"

"Yes," Neira nodded. "And let me tell you, I have seen many wonders of the world. And I'm fascinated with everything new to me. Especially when it's anything besides snow and ice."

"Guess you got a little bored with being the Windigoes' queen, huh?"

"Mmm-hmm," Neira nodded. "Half Windigo or not, I do have feelings for other things. And a heart."

"And that's good, right?" Spike asked, while trying not to sound insensitive.

"Yes. In fact, having a heart is a wonderful thing. And I love it," Neira held her hooves over her chest as she sighs in content, before she frowned. "But as you already know, to the other Windigoes, it's considered an abomination. Even more when I...I...I enjoy Hearths Warming Eve."

"Hearths Warming Eve," Spike repeated. "That's the Equestrian counterpart for Christmas, right?"

"Christmas?" Neira asked, looking confused.

"Uh, never mind that," Spike said, getting them back on topic. "So continue, you enjoy Hearths Warming Eve, and why?"

"....Because it was the only time I'm together with my mother and father," Neira answered somberly. Turning her head to the side, Neira could see that Spike was confused, "I take it I have to go into full details of my background."

Spike took a glance to the side, before he answered, "If you're okay with that," He replied. "I mean, just wanted to understand you better."

Neira nodded, "Very well," She complied, while manipulating the water vapors in the air, turning them into fine powders of snow in her hooves to take various forms of random ponies, and the flag of Equestria. "If you've been refreshing your Equestria histories, Spike, then you would know that long ago, this land of Equestria was founded by its founders: Princess Platinum of the unicorns and her royal advisor, Clover the Clever. Chancellor Puddinghead of the earth ponies and her secretary, Smart Cookies. And Commander Hurricane of the pegasi and his subordinate, Private Pansy."

"Huh, those guys sounded familiar," Spike hazily recalled. "Oh yeah! I remember now!" He exclaimed. "There was a pageant we always perform, every single year on Hearth's Warming Eve! Mom and I used to go to that. Y'know, back when I was a kid," Realizing he had rudely interrupted, Spike quickly apologized, "Oh, sorry. Please go on."

Starting from where she left off, Neira continues, while making the snows take the forms of ponies bickering and arguing, "Back then, the ponies and their leaders didn't like each other so well. Always bickering among themselves, always at war with each other, always filled with hate. And it was from that hate the Windigoes had used to create a devastating storm that nearly wiped them all out, prompting the ponies to find a new home. My mother was one of them."

"Really?" Spike asked, earning a nod as a reply. "One of the founders of Equestria?"

"No, she's not one of the founders," Neira answered. "But she is, or was, a friend with one of them. She's...she's....." Neira was choking on some tears, as the years of lost times caught up to her, and her show quickly dissipated.

Out of impulse, Spike wrapped his arms around Neira in a hug, with his whole form glowing in a light green aura, "Shhhh, it's okay, Neira. It's alright," He whispered comfortably into her ears.

"So....so...warm," Neira gasped, while sobbing pearls from her eyes.

"Oh sorry," Spike apologized, as he released his grip. "Does it hurt?"

"No! Not at all!" Neira exclaimed, as she quickly pulled Spike back in her hooves. "In fact, I love it," Neira crooned, metaphorically melting into his embrace. "It reminds of me of....my father...."

Sensing her depression building up again, Spike offered, "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

"No...it's alright..." Neira sniffled. "It needs to be told. I need to confide it, in you." Composing herself the best she could, Neira resumed, "My mother is named, Prism Light. She was a unicorn sorceress, and one of Starswirl's pupil, alongside her best friend, Clover the Clever, himself," Spike's eyes widened with wonder, "My mother and Clover grew up alongside each other, like siblings, and were inseparable. A little too inseparable, perhaps. Because one day, when Princess Platinum and Clover left to search for a new home, my mother secretly followed behind. And that was when she got lost, trapped in a storm."

"Yikes," Spike grimaced.

"Blinded by the snows, cutting and blowing in her face, by chance my mother found her way inside a cave, where she took shelter. But not for long...." Spike looked at her snows taking shape of a unicorn mare, surrounded by Windigoes. "The Windigoes had discovered her, and were closing in for the kill. But thankfully, they didn't, as my grandfather stepped forward, and offered her a choice: Spend an eternity as a frozen statue as addition to their garden, or become the bride of his only son."

"So I'm guessing your mother chose the latter," Spike deduced.

"Correct," Neira nodded, before she continued with her story and her show. "My mother and father were married right then and there, just as the Fire of Friendship from Clover the Clever, Smart Cookies, and Private Pansy banished my grandfather and the Windigoes, which led to the foundation of Equestria, and the birth of the annual holiday that many Windigoes considered to be the bane of their existence, Hearth's Warming Eve."

"Whoa...." Spike gasped. "So what happened then? When did you came into the picture?"

Resuming her show, Neira manipulated the snows to take form of her unicorn mother, together with a windigo, most likely her father, "After my grandfather died, my father took over, and became the new leader of the Windigoes. He left to search for my mother, who was out on a nightly stroll. My father appeared before her, reminding her of their marriage, and that she is bound to him. And if she refuses to come to the Frozen North with him, then he'll attack Equestria, back when it was still young. With little choice, my mother complied."

"That must've been hard for her," Spike frowned in sympathy. "To leave behind her home, her family, and friends, just to protect them. She is one brave unicorn."

"She is," Neira nodded, while shedding some pearls of nostalgia. "All the reason why I can never ask for a better mom," Neira cried lightly, as the unicorn and the windigo danced around together. "So my mom lived with my father for some times, in the Frozen North. Although it was rocky at first, eventually the two just....just...they fell in love. Contrary to many windigoes who were hostile towards my mom, my father was kind and gentle with her. And before they knew it, I was born," Neira said, as she conjured a snowy image of herself as an infant, in the arms of her parents.

"My father then revealed everything to my mother," Neira continued. "He planned on building another icy empire over Equestria, as his desire on building my future. He was carrying out the plan my grandfather had set for me, all those years ago. Grandfather had anticipated that the Windigoes would lose on Hearth's Warming Eve, so as a backup plan, I was made. They had hoped that a half-breed, such as myself, would be the key to the downfall of Equestria. But my mother would have none of that."

Spike looked to see Neira's mother taking her daughter away from her father, before she walked solemnly away. "Even though my mother had become the Snow Queen, through marriage with my father, her loyalty for Equestria remains. And the life as leader of the Windigoes, and supposed conqueror of Equestria, was not the life she wanted for me. So she left, hoping to lead a normal life with me."

With that, the magic snows transformed themselves to take the form of a small pegasus filly, bouncing happily around an equally happy unicorn mare, "You mean, you lived with her as a normal pegasus?" Spike asked, to which Neira answered with a nod. "But why a pegasus? Wouldn't a unicorn filly make much more sense?"

The snow alicorn scratched her head, "It's complicated," Neira replied. "Let's just say my mom was seeing some pony else after she left my father. Some pony who is a pegasus," Resuming her show, Neira continued the story, "Meanwhile, my father was hurt at the loss of my mom, feeling rather lonely and cold, without her presence. Realizing his love for her was too great, my father did the unthinkable. He left the Frozen North, to visit us, on Hearth's Warming Eve."

The snows floated around before they take the shape of a traditional Christmas wreath, hanging above a windigo who appeared before a unicorn mare, by her window.

"My father came to visit my mom and I, while everyone else were asleep," Neira continued. "He said that we were both his snow and ice, and that we're too precious for him to lose. And my mother returned his love, feeling the same way," Neira cried, as she came to the end of her story. "Since then, every year on Hearth's Warming Eve, my father would come from the Frozen North to visit me and my mom, before he has to return. And every start of summer, we traveled to the Frozen North to visit him." More pearls spilled from her eyes, as she continued, "It stayed that way until......until......." The snow ponies burst into fine powders, as Neira collapsed into Spike's arms, and cried. "They left!" Neira sobbed. "Taken away from me by........the traitors who murdered my father......and worst of all, by me......for abandoning my mother......my own flesh and blood for.....for revealing my powers."

"What? What do you mean for revealing your powers?" Spike asked, further confused. "Your power is a gift. It's a part of you. You shouldn't-"

"Ponies and creatures weren't like that, back then Spike!" Neira sobbed. "Any beings, besides an alicorn, that appeared to be too powerful, is considered a threat!" Spike's eyes widened, as if the last words struck him like lightning. "And no matter how valiant my effort was, whether it was to protect my mom, or any pony, from the Cerulean Hunters, I was exiled and it's just not fair! Just not fair!" With that, Neira continued to sob even more hysterical into Spike's chest, pouring more and more pearls from her eyes as she cried.

In response, Spike could only do the best thing he knew how. Tighten the hug, and stroke her mane as gently as he could, "What am I going to do?" Neira sobbed.

"Simple, just be yourself," Spike answered comfortingly. "Your mom and dad obviously loved you for being who you are, so honor their memory by being the daughter they all know and love. And more importantly, you are your own pony. You are good."

"Rather absurd, isn't it?" Neira asked. "Me, half-Windigo. And I rather enjoy Hearth's Warming rather than fear of it."

"Then I guess that's from your mother's side of the family," Spike pointed. "And there's no reason to embrace it, if you love it, just as much as you love your mom."

Neira thought about what Spike had said, before she smiled, "You're right," She gasped. "I remember now. I remember all the beauties of the world she had shown me. Even now, I still see the beauties of the seasons she had shown me all those years ago." Neira sighed, "But I still wished she and father were still here to see it all. You included."

"I know, Neira," Spike answered. "But just know this. That even though you can't see them, just know that they're still with you."

Neira nodded, "I know," Neira then nuzzled her cheek affectionately with Spike's. "Thank you, Spike. I never realized how much I needed to hear this."

"Anytime, Neira. Anytime."

"Spike?" Neira looked up at Spike.

"Yeah, Neira?"

"Can you hug me again? I...I needed to warm up." Spike complied, as he wrapped his arm around the snow alicorn. "Thank you," Neira sighed, loving the warm hug from her dragon friend.

Though her icy cold aura aggressively bites his skin, Spike continues to hold Neira close; the fire within was burning ever so brightly, which ignited a heartfelt beating, deep within her. With that, Neira moved her head as she looked intensely into Spike's eyes, moving ever so slowly and gently, before she.....

"Yo, Spike!" The moment was interrupted by the timely arrival of Rainbow Dash.

"What is it, Dash?" Spike asked. "What's wrong?"

"Moondancer and the Canterlot Gals can't make it!" Rainbow answered. "Their train's being hijacked, by gremlins!"

"What?! Lead the way!" Spike said, spreading his wings, flapping into actions as he followed Dash.

Neira let out an exasperated sigh at the rotten timing, "Oh, popsicles," She muttered. Nevertheless, she smiled, knowing Spike has to do what he has to do to help others, or he wouldn't be Spike, "I guess it wouldn't hurt for me to help out, a bit," She decided, flapping her wings and followed. Little did she know, a piece of her mane and tail began to change, adopting the colors of pink, green, and red.