The Grand Finale

by Miner


It is show time.

Dear Diary,

In my hometown of Ponyville, nothing is boring for long. Why, just four days ago, Rarity had a mid-life crisis in which she declared she had passed her prime and was now an old mare. Until she discovered that her missing glasses were actually on top of her head the whole time. She then declared that the previous several hours did not happen before vanishing back into her store. I didn't get a can to see her because right as I was going to, Pinkie Pie pop out of nowhere and took me to Sugar Cube Corner. Apparently, she finished complete her unique cupcake design for all of her friends and wanted my help to give them out. Oh, course I got mine first, It was a chocolate cupcake with purple, and green frosting in the shape of my head and a small green gem for my eyes would go. Everypony enjoyed their cupcake, however, when we were going to give Rainbow Dash hers, she screamed and flew away. I didn't get why she ran away. All Pinkie said was 'Do you want a cupcake? I made it special for you.' and was holding out a rainbow cupcake. I haven't seen her since. I wonder what scared her? Maybe she doesn't like cupcakes, or perhaps it had something to do with Pinkie's mane being straight (That was because of a random rain cloud) while she asked Rainbow? I don't know, but that is not the best thing that has happened this week.

I finally got wings! I can fly everywhere I want now. But I can overdo it. Last time, I was stuck on top of the castle for two hours until Twilight finally found me. And now I know why Rainbow sleeps on clouds. They are soft and comfy. I am was almost tempted to use them for my bed from now on, but decided against it after a nap on one of them when I almost fell to my death. Or maybe I need to use a bigger one next time.

"Spike are you here?" Twilight called out into the room where Spike was writing in his diary and startled the poor dragon.

"Waah!" Spike quickly got up from the bed and hid his diary behind him and smiles at Twilight in the doorway. "Hi, Twilight, how is it going?"

Twilight as so smiles at Spike as she enters the room."Fine, thank you. I came to see how you are doing."

Slowly but surely Spike moves off of his bed and hides his Journal under his bed. All the while, smiling nervously at Twilight. "I am doing alright. Why do you ask?"

Twilight noticed the moved of something being put under the bed. But resume her conversation with Spike. Knowing whatever it was, it was not any of her business. That is as long as Spike is in the room. "Well, to put it simply. I want you out of the castle." There was a brief moment of pause after Twilight's statement. Spike looks confused as Twilight. He blinked a few times before words found his mouth.

"What?"

Twilight than realizing her mistake and just saying that without no explanation. She then clears her throat and clarifies it. "Spike I not making you move out the castle."

Spike let out a breathe he was holding. Twilight noticed this and felt offended that he still thinks that she would get kick him out. She composes herself and resumes the conversation. "I just think you spend too much indoors and need to go outside to play."

Spike has no idea why Twilight is saying this, but she can't possibly mean what she said earlier. After all, does she not know where they live? "You want me to outside?"

"That is right," Twilight replied with a smile.

"By myself?"

"Yes."

"In Ponyville?"

"Where else?"

"Now?"

"That would be preferred."

"For any reason, besides for my well being?"

"No."

"Is there something you are not Telling Twilight?"

"Why would you say that?"

"You never leave me on my own for long."

"Spike," Twilight said and moved to hug him. "You are a growing dragon. Just think of this as your first steps doing things on your own."

"You are not playing around here are you?"

"I will even give you some bits to go buy something Spike. Just leave please."

Spike was never offered a bribe before to leave the castle. She is most certainly hiding something. But then again, there is the new comic of the Power Ponies being released today. "Okay, I will go out."

"Just make sure you be back before sundown Spike."

"Okay, Twilight." Spike then take a small bags of bits from Twilight and leaves her in the hall of the castle. Once Spike leaves the castle, Twilight's mother enters the hallway to hugs her daughter.

"You handle that very well Twilight."

Twilight looks down at the ground not sure if she did the right thing."Did I do the right thing, Mom?"

"Oh, of course, Twilight. Like you said. He is a growing dragon, and soon he will be leaving on his own more often."

Twilight then starts moving back and forth in front of her mother. "But do not you think I follow him or at least see if I can get a Guard to be with him or maybe this a bad idea. I should go get him." Twilight then moves to go after Spike but was stopped by her mother's magic and brought to her side.

She looks at Twilight and shakes her head. "No Twilight. If you cannot trust Spike to be on his own in his hometown, then where and when would you let him have some freedom?" She then let go of Twilight. Who then shouts into the air.

"BUT HE IS STILL A BABY!"

Twilight's mother rubs her ears at her daughter's outbreak but then moves into to comforts her. "And he will always be your baby Twilight."

"I guess."

"I know it is hard, but these things take time to get used to." Twilight sniffs a little and hugs her mother. Once the let go, her mother got a smirk on her face. "Besides. You think I was able to get your father to stop trying to ponynapped you from your studies in Canterlot and bring you back home in one day?"

Twilight turns to look at her in shock "He was going to do WHAT!"


Spike is the king of the town. He has bits, and he has the day ahead of him. And he is bored out of his mind. "She could have given me something to do while I am out," he said, sitting at a table in one of the cafes in Ponyville. It turned out that the next volume of the Power Ponies was delayed; it's released in Ponyville on the count of the store owner of the comic shop got sick, and nopony knows where he put the new issues. So here Spike is. He is sitting alone at an empty table with nothing to do.

*Boom*

"What was that?!" Spike looks in the direction of the sounds to see the source of the explosive was a firework going off followed by three more. "What going on?" Curious, Spike then makes his way to where the fireworks were going off.

Once he has cleared the lasted building, he can see a huge stage set up at the edge of Ponyville. Looking closer, he can see that it is one of Trixie's shows that was about to begin. Now Spike has no real interest in one of Trixie's shows right now, but he did join the crowd. Not for front row seats or the free popcorn nearby. But because he spotted a familiar face in the crowd and was making his way to her.

"Ember! What are you doing here?"

Ember, who was sitting in one of the front row seats, turns to see who called out her name. "Oh, hello, Spike. I am here for the show, and how are your wings fairing?" She said as she continues to eat her bag of popcorn.

"They are doing great." Spike stretched out his wings proudly. "Wait, I never told you I got wings."

"Spike I am the Dragon Ruler. I am sure I can notice any change a dragon may have just by looking at them."

"Oh, I guess that makes sense." Spike rubbed the back of his head.

"That and Celestia told me."

Spike then took a seat next to Ember. "Okay, then but why are you here for one of Trixie's shows?"

"Celestia recommend her as a great entertainer. So I am here myself to see what she met by that."

"Is there not some form of entertainment at the dragon's lands?"

"Yes, we would have the strongest dragons from one dragon's clan to fight another dragon to the death. However, as the new ruler of the Dragons. I am searching for a better means of entertainment for our kind that doesn't require massive blood loss."

"I get it."

Ember then looks down at her bag of popcorn as a sudden thought just occurred to her. "What is this thing I have been eating anyway?"

"That is Popcorn. It is made from boiling pieces of corn in hot oil and covering them with salt and butter."

"It is amazing what ponies can come up with," Ember said as she eats more of the popcorn. Then form the large stage clouds of purple, and blue smoke appeared at center stage followed by a loud voice.

"Watch in awe as the Great and Powerful Trixie," Trixie said emerging from the blue smoke clouds. "along with her assistance Starlight Glimmer," She said as Starlight came out the other clouds of smoke waving at everypony. "performs some of the most spectacular feats of magic ever seen!"

Spike did a double-take at what he was seeing in front of him. Ember continues the watch with mild interest. "Wait. When did Starlight get into Trixie's show?"

Starlight then takes center stage. "For our first display of magic, we need a volunteer from the audience."

"We volunteer," Ember said, finishing up her popcorn in one gulp.

Spike then looks at her in surprise as he realizes that she has unwilling volunteered him as well. "We do?"

"Is that a problem Spike?"

"Ah... Maybe?"

"Come on," Ember said, making Spike follow her to the stage as everypony now realizes who volunteer.

Starlight looks at the two Dragons in excitement. "Oh, this will be a challenge. Dragons are known to be magic resistant."

"But that doesn't discourage the Great and Powerful Trixie."

Spike is a little confused with what they have in mind for them. And he is worried that Trixie might be overestimating her powers again. "It doesn't?"

"No! For there is nothing out of the Great and Powerful Trixie might."

Spike puts a claw to his face. "Might I remind you about the Ursa Minor?"

There were a few seconds of silents before Trixie could respond. "Trixie doesn't talk about that." Starlight then brings two chairs from behind the curtains and motions the two dragons to sit down as Trixie prepares to tell the audience her plan in action.

"Now then. I will use my magic to bend these dragons to my will."

"What was THAT?" Ember said getting up from her chair prepared to roast the pony alive but was stop by Starlight.

"Now, now, Ember. That's just stage talk. She is not really going to do that."

"Then what is she going to do?" Spike asked,

"Have you ever heard of hypnotism?"

"Humf. As if you ponies can hypnotize the rule of the dragons."

"Then you won't mind being the one to be hypnotized."

"Fine then Twilight. But I am warning you. You better not do something you will regret later. I am the ruler of the Dragons, after all."

"Noted. And it is Starlight Ember." Starlight said as she backed away from them as Trixie moves in front of Ember and lift a small gold bit in front of her.

"Watch the pretty coin of gold."Trixie started as she slowly spins the coin left and then right "Soon, your will, will become my own."

Spike put a claw to his face. "You have got to kidding me, Trixie. You can't hypnotize Ember with a little gold coin. Right Ember. Ember?" But Ember gave no response as she continues to watch the gold coin in front of her.

"You are getting very sleepy."

"Ember you okay there?" Spiked continue to get Ember's attention but was ignored.

"Deeper and deeper to sleep, you go."

"Ember?"Spike said one more time before Ember closed her eyes and fell asleep. He then shakes ember a little but still got no response."Well, what do you know?"

"Hear my voice Ember."Trixie continues. "Every time you hear the word Light. You will give Spike a noogie and call him cute."

"Wait? WHAT!"

"You will do this only when Spike is nearby, every time the word Light is spoked."

"Ember don't listen to her." Spiked pleaded on deaf ears.

"You will see this as a friendly jester and won't get a second thought to it."

"Please don't this Trixie."

"Once I stomp my hoof on the floor three times you will wake up." After Trixie stomps her hoof three times, Ember woke up and smirked at Trixie.

"See you couldn't hypnotize me."

"That is yet to be seen Ember. Now then Spike would you join me here in the spotlight for a moment?"

"Oh, s-uuree" Spike was cut off mid-sentence as Ember brings Spike in for a noogie.

"Oh, Spike. You are so cute."

"EMBER!" Spike said blushing red as he has never been that close to a female dragon or been called cute by one before. The audience chuckled at his misfortune as Ember let him go.

"Now go on. I would like to see what else this pony has to offer."

Spike brushed himself off and made his way to Trixie's as she started to talk, "Now then. Sir Spike. Have you ever been in my act before?"

"No."

"So that means you do not know what this box is for, correct?" Trixie said as Starlight brought a small purple box with a silver star in the middle of it from backstage.

"Yeah," Spike said a little worried what she had in mind with him and said box.

"Now then. The Great and Powerful Trixie would like you to enter the box please."

"I am not going to get hurt am I?"

"Of course not, Trixie is a professional Spike; she knows what she is doing."

"That would be a first," Spike said as he climbs into the box. As he was doing this, Starlight had him lay on his back so that his head and feet were sticking out of the box. Spike was wondering how did they have a box his size, to begin with. Did they plan for a filly or a colt to be in his place instead?

"Now then Starlight would you be so kind to give Trixie her wand," Trixie said as Ember was once again giving Spike a noogie.

"Ember stop doing that." Ember only smiles at Spike and takes her seat back in her chair, as Trixie continues the show.

"As you can see, there is nothing in Trixie's hat."She said, showing the empty hat to the audience. "But with a few waves of my magic wand," Trixie then waves her wand over the hat then reaches inside, "there is now a diamond hoofsaw," she said pulling out said saw causing Spike to panic.

"There is what!"

"I will now cut processed to Spike down the middle, and he will remain unharmed."

"YOU ARE GOING TO DO WHAT!?"

"Fear not dragon. You will remain unharmed. The Great and Powerful Trixie is a master of all magic."

Starlight then turned to address the audience. "Ponies do not try this at home. We are trained professionals."

As Trixie got in position behind Spike, he struggles to get out of the box. "Somepony help me!" He then turns to Ember. "Ember get me out of here!"

But she shakes her head. "I am sorry, Spike. But I am curious to see if she can do what she claims. But if you shall die here, so will she."

Trixie puffs out her chest at Ember's statement. "Your threats have no meaning to the Great and Powerful Trixie. For Spike, the dragon will remain unharmed."

"Can't we talk about this!?" Spike pleads with the Merciless and Monstrous Trixie.

"Let Trixie think about it... No." She then begins to cut the box down the middle.

Spike was screaming the whole time. "AAAAAHHHHH!" After a few seconds, he notices Trixie has stopped and sets the saw on top of the box. "You change your mind?" Trixie's only answer was to put her hooves on top of the box and separate the two ends. The crowd cheered as Spike has no idea why.

"What happened? I can't see. Am I still one dragon?"

"Curious?" Ember said as she walks between the now two boxes and moves to Spike's feet. "I wonder?"

"Wonder about what?" Spike asked only for Ember to start tickles his feet. "Ahhaahahaa stop that! ahaahahhaaaaa."

"It would appear that you are about half the dragon I thought you were Spike."

"What?"

Before Ember could reply, Trixie then puts the two sides together and opens the box and helps Spike out. Spike gives himself a go over to see if anything is missing. The audience cheered, and Trixie and Starlight took a bow.

"Give it up for Spike the dragon and Ember." Starlight said,

The two dragons not sure what happened, shrug and took a bow as well.

"And that is just a taste of what the Great and Powerful Trixie has in store for tonight's performs."

"So everypony come back at sundown for the whole show. This is Starlight and Trixie saying farewell for now." Starlight said as she and Trixie took one more bow and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

As the smoke disappears, Spike got out of Ember's grip, and he looks around to see no sign of them. "Hum. She got it right this time." He then turns to Ember. "You aren't going to consider them for the dragon lands are you?"

"I am not yet certain. I would have to see their main event to get my final opinion." Ember then notices that one pony in the audience is still there smiling at them. "It would appear that we have a fan, Spike."

"Huh" Spike looks to see a sky blue pegasus mare with a red mane sitting near the stage and is smiling at them. Spike then moves to address the mare to clear up the misunderstanding that they are now part of the act.

"Look I did want to become part of the show. Ember made me. So don't expect us to be in the next- do I know you?" Spike said realized that this mare looks very familiar.

The mare looks to the left and the right before motioning for him to come closer. Once he was close enough, she leans in and speaks in a familiar voice. "I am telling Rarity," Rainbow said, taking off into the sky. Spike was left on stage with his mouth open.

Ember looks that in the direction where Rainbow Dash went. "It is me, or is it elementary for ponies to be hiding in plain sight with just a simple dye job?" Ember says out loud, all the while Spike is facing to end of his love life.

"Nnnnooooo!"