//------------------------------//
// A Breath of Fresh Air? 
// Story: Rockabye Dragon 
// by L Drkheart 
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“Wait… what?” Spike stared open-jawed at his sister’s smiling face as she bounced in place out of excitement while Shining looked nervous at how eager for this Cadence seemed to be. “You want to sneak me out with you two to see the Wonderbolts show?!”
“Shhh!!! Keep it down you two! If the princess finds out we’ll all be in deep trouble! My mom will have my tail if I get into trouble again!!”
“Oh relax Shiny, Aunt Celestia is going to be pretty busy with the ambassador from Yakyakistan so we can go, see the show, and get back and she’ll be none the wiser.”
“Are you sure about this Cadence? I mean you almost never go against mom and this is breaking a really big rule…” Cadence nodded and moved close to her brother.
“I know right?! I feel so bad! This force of rebellion can not be stopped! I will eat a carrotdog and put all the messy condiments on it! HAHAHA!!” Spike and Shining stared at the princess in fear and Shining looked at Spike, mouthing the words save me.
“Umm… Cadence are you… in your hyper week?” The hyper week was the name that Cadence and Celestia came up with when the Princess of Love would get moody or strangely lock herself away for a while. The hyper week would occur around every month or so and Shining Armor would always be really sick around this time.
“What?! Nooo of course not my little dragon, I feel fantastic!! Why do you ask?!” Spike opened his mouth but Shining shook his head fearfully and he looked back at his sister. 
“B-because you’re just so cool! I’d love to join you two but mom will know I’m outside if the town sees a dragon walking around.”
“I have thought of that~” Spike shivered at Cadence’s tone before she grabbed the two and pulled them out of Spike’s room. She pulled them to the other side of the castle where a piano could be heard being played expertly. The music got louder as they approached a door and Cadence kicked it open, making Blueblood shriek and jump as he spilled powder all over his face and eyes. He rubbed at his eyes and hit his bed as he tried to crawl under it.
“No please don’t hurt me! I’ll play louder! If you’re a robber take my clothes, just not my hats! Please! Or my conditioner, I imported that from the Griffonstone! Auntie Celestiaaaa!!” The three blinked seeing the prince in such a state but Cadence frowned.
“We don’t have time for this, BLUEY!” 
“Cadence? You’re robbing me?”
“We came for your help not to rob you.” Shining, however, was looking into the prince’s enormous closet and pulled out a black suit that had blue trimming.
“Ooo but if I say I’m robbing you, can I have this suit?” Blueblood crawled out from his bed and scoffed at Shining while cleaning off his face.
“No, do you know how many bits I spent on that suit?”
“Nope and I feel my wallet crying even before hearing the number.”
“Stop it you two! Blueblood we are planning to take Spike out with us to see the Wonderbolts show, do you have something we can disguise him in?”
“You, miss goody-four-shoes, are going to break the biggest rule that the princess ever told us and you want me to help?”
“Yes.”
“No no no no thousand times no! You’re crazy if you think I’m gonna get in trouble for you.” Blueblood turned away and sat on his bed with his nose up in the air. Cadence walked to him, her glazed over look vanishing as she relaxed a bit. 
“Look I know we don’t always see eye to eye and I may not be the soundest mood right now.”
“Great start.”
“But, we both love Spike and we want to give him a time he’ll never forget. Please Blueblood, I’m asking as your sister, not as a princess…” Blueblood opened his eyes as he saw how hopeful and filled with love, her eyes were. He looked at Shining who was smiling gently and had put the suit back before walking to Cadence and rubbed her back in an approving fashion. Lastly, he looked at Spike who was holding his tail and staring at him with big green eyes. He felt his heart lose his defenses as he knew his parents would never approve of this, but this was for family.
“Fine… I got a signed Wonderbolt outfit from when I was little somewhere in the closet. He can wear it for today and he should look like a pony as long as he stays on all fours.” Cadence jumped and ran into the closet while Spike ran over and hugged him tight while thanking him over and over. Blueblood chuckled and ruffled the dragon’s spines. “You owe me for this Spike, I expect you to come in for your piano lessons and you will eat my broccoli for a whole week.” He laughed at the disgusted face the small dragon had but he jumped off when Cadence called to him that she found the uniform. He ran over to try it, leaving Shining with Blueblood.
“You… are a really nice guy you know that?”
“No… I’m not. I’m a jerk to everypony who has ever tried to be friendly with me and pushed away my chances at ever having a good mare, unlike you. You are a trainee with potential to be a captain someday, you have a family that loves you no matter what, you have a sibling who adores you and most importantly to me, you have a real chance with my sister, you can be her knight in shining armor.” The two chuckled a bit at the pun but Blueblood got down from his bed and sighed. “I… wish I could have what you worked for. I was given everything and told to appreciate nothing… then those two arrived. One a baby dragon whose kind I was told to always fear and the other a common girl who was lucky enough to be a princess.”
“You are selling yourself short prince, I've been with Cadence enough to see whenever she or Spike drag you on an adventure you complain sure but that smile you have when you think no one can see. That is who you are.” 
“Maybe… I hope you’re right Shining and as much crap as I like to give you. I’m glad she made a good choice for once, you better treat her well or the princess will be the least of your worries.” The two nodded at each other before Cadence hopped out, dressed in a Wonderbolt outfit herself to disguise her wings, and announced the pony, Wonder Bolt! The two facehoofed as Spike walked out on all fours, his claws peeked out from the uniform and his head looked a bit funny from his spines being pushed down. 
“How do I look?!”
“Like a million bits heh,” Shining said while chuckling but then Blueblood hit him in the side as Cadence was giving them a glare.
“Okay Shining let’s go, Bluey… thanks, and if Auntie comes looking for us come up with something, you’re good at storytelling.”
“Nice way to call me a liar there.” The group left as Blueblood went back to his piano playing. As the music turned to a familiar tone close to his heart he decided he would go around the castle some later… maybe he’d try out the nice thing again…”
.   .   .
“I-I’m scared…” 
“Don’t be Spike, this door is a secret exit for the guards when one of us wants to escape guard duty, completely safe.”
“Not that… I’m scared of outside… I only ever seen it from the castle windows!”
“Aww don’t worry Spikey, we’ll be by your side every step of the way, you can ride on my back if you feel better that way.”
“Thanks, Cadence.” He climbed on her back and nuzzled her which made his sister smile. Shining led the way to a small door and unlocked it before they found themselves out on the edge of the gardens. She made sure Spike was okay, he was trembling as she took the first step out and then another and another. He opened his eyes as nothing had happened to him and he looked around at all the trees and animals that his mom had gathered from across Equestria. “I-I did it! I’m outside! Oh, my mom! She is gonna ground me for this… I’ll be grounded for five hundred years!” 
“Oh come on Spike she’d never do that. Would she?” Shining asked Cadence in a whisper as they began to walk to the stadium. 
“She did tell me that he wasn’t allowed to date until he was a thousand years old when it comes to Spike anything is possible.” The group walked through Canterlot and Spike hid the best he could in Cadence’s mane, his head and tail popping out as he looked around at all the sights. Luckily the nobles of the city weren’t too interested in the small group as there were many dressed like Wonderbolts for the show. 
“So how did you get these tickets Shining? Everything I ever heard about shows like this is that they are expensive.”
“Yeah they can be but my captain is a friend of one of the Wonderbolts and I bought some great seats off him. I umm… told him they were for a date to get them cheaper…” Cadence turned sharply at that and the two stared at each other, never before had they used that word to describe one of their outings but Cadence liked it. She was glad her mask hid her blush while Shining had to show his. They leaned towards each other when Spike popped his head between them. 
“Ooo is that the stadium?! It’s so much bigger than I thought!” They turned and looked at the big stadium where the Wonderbolts would be putting on the show. 
“Yep that’s it, I used to want to perform in a place like this, have all the ponies shouting my name.”
“Shining! Shining! Shining!”
“Heh just like that, but I decided that there were more important things to me like friends, family… a special somepony.” Cadence smiled and nudged the stallion.
“You wanted to be famous? What happened to the nerdy guy who hated attention back in school?”
“Nerdy?! I’ll have you know milady that I was a level fifty knight, back then, what’s cooler than a knight?” The group shared a laugh as they enter the arena, not noticing the group of masked ponies who were dressed in black robes and blue masks…
.   .   .
Blueblood gave another maid a smile but she only tilted her head and excused herself, causing the young prince to groan in anger. “Why is it so hard to be nice?! Why am I doing wrong? This isn’t fair!” He stomped in frustration before hearing something break behind him. “Ooo that sounded expensive…” He turned slowly to see a vase had fallen and he trotted in place as he looked around for witnesses or a way to cover up the crime. “Oh no oh no! Auntie Celestia is gonna be so mad!”
“How can I be mad when you actually called me auntie?” Blueblood jumped and turned to see Celestia smiling down at him.
“P-Princess! I’m so sorry! I was trying to be nice but everyone looked at me weird and I got so mad and the vase-” Celestia gently shushed him as she put her hoof over his mouth and giggled. 
“Relax, I know that you wouldn’t do this on purpose Blueblood.” He sighed in relief when he suddenly realized that she wasn’t at the meeting she was meant to be at.
“T-thank you, princess, umm weren’t you supposed to be meeting the representative from Yakyakistan right now? Can’t have you missing that!” He tried to push the princess but tired himself out after thirty seconds. She just rubbed his back for the valiant effort. 
“Actually I was meant to do that but the meeting had to be postponed so my afternoon is free and I was planning to spend it with Spike-”
“No! I mean… I was hoping to spend some time with you. Ever since I arrived I spent so much time with Cadence and Spike but barely any with you and none with just us…” Blueblood bit his lip as he realized what he said was the truth, he really hasn’t been able to spend any time with her and just at that moment, he realized that he wanted to. Celestia blinked as she couldn’t believe that she had been so neglectful of her blood nephew. She and Cadence would spend a lot of time together for her lessons and her being with Spike whenever she could have been the constant in her life for so long that she had forgotten the third charge she took care of. She hugged him and nuzzled his face a bit.
“Oh I’m sorry about this Blueblood, I never realized how much I ignored you.”
“It's okay auntie, I know that Cadence needs you to help guide her and Spike is your child and he is young so he needs you more than I ever do. I guess I was wondering… is there something wrong with me? I’ve been trying so hard to be nice to everypony but all give me weird looks and make me feel just… horrible…” He looked down but then smiled as Celestia sat down and hugged him.
“True they do need me but that isn’t an excuse when you do also. Believe it or not, I know a bit of what you are going through, everywhere I go ponies expect me to be the princess when all I want to be is a normal pony. These ponies have always seen you as the prince that your parents made you into and they aren’t used to the Blueblood that I know you were back then. The little colt that used to wear an eyepatch and went on daring adventures as a pirate captain named Blue Eye with his stuffy first mate, Mister Cuddles.” Blueblood blushed as he remembered his childhood and the times she would join him in his fantasy. “You are trying too hard to be something you’re not, I know you are a kind boy under all the pride but trying to force that part of you out won’t help. It needs to happen naturally and you’ll be just fine.”
“Thank you pri-auntie… I want to be better… seeing Shining and Cadence so close I wanted a connection like that with some pony. I want to find a mare that loves me for me instead of my name…”
“Well, if that is what you want then you have to be willing to let a girl in.”
“But how will I know it’s real… what if I get hurt? Is there a spell or something you can teach me?”
“Maybe but that wouldn’t be right, pain isn’t fun especially when it comes from the heart but love isn’t something that should be forced from magic. If you have to use magic to find out if someone really likes you then you shouldn’t be with that pony, if it’s real you’ll know.”
“Do you think I can be different than my family?”
“I think just asking that question makes you different.” They hugged and Blueblood thanked her before asking if they could go see a movie, she agreed, asking what he wanted to see. 
“The Power Ponies movie! I just got Spike into the series and we read all the comics!” 
.   .   .
“When is the show gonna start!? I can’t want any longer!” Spike turned away from watching Shining and Cadence arguing which Wonderbolt was best for the filly beside him. She was around his size, cyan in color with a messy rainbow mane. She was wearing a Wonderbolt costume and seemed to be in a grumpy mood. Spike chuckled making the girl turn towards him and get close to his face. “You got something to say, buddy?”
“N-no! Wait we’re buddies?” Spike held his claws together, hopeful that he just made his first friend. The girl gave him a strange look and then laughed.
“That’s a first, you’re a weirdo but one that likes the Wonderbolts like me so you’re cool. I’m Rainbow Dash, I’m gonna be the best flyer Equestria’s ever seen one day.” She jumped and fluttered in place with her parents cheering her on and making others look at her. She blushed and complained a bit but stared back at Spike, daring him to laugh. 
“That’s a pretty big goal there, shouldn’t you aim for something smaller?”
“Nope, if you don’t aim high then you’ll never get higher.”
“But what if you aimed too high? Aren’t you afraid of falling?”
“I’ve crashed time and time again. You can’t be scared of falling, it only matters if you can pull yourself back up and I keep getting back up because I know someday I’ll reach the top. I’ll get there!” She points at the Wonderbolts who just entered the stadium.
“I bet you will, you’re pretty awesome you know that?” Dash blinked and stared at the dragon again before smirking. 
“Of course I am, I’m me after all.”
“Can you sign my uniform I got signatures from the other Wonderbolts, why not one from a future one?” Rainbow nodded and asked her mom for a pen and began crudely writing her name on his side, making her mom giggle. Spike thanked her and told Cadence and Shiny he had to use the restroom before he left his seat. On his way back from his break, he saw the masked group and wondered if they were performers, maybe he could get them to sign an autograph for Blueblood since he made him stay home alone. He walked over to the door the group entered and lightly opened it to hear them talk. 
“Mikey is already laying the first charge, I’m laying mine on this floor, and Basket will lay his on the top floor. We have twenty minutes until they go off so lay them down and get other of here, no need to get caught running from the firework show.” Spike ran from the door as he thought hard about what they talked about and wanted to tell Shining as he thought it didn’t sound right. Apologizing as he pushed past ponies he grabbed Shining and Cadence pulled them with him away from the crowd and told them what he overheard. 
“Sounds like bombs… if we tell everyone it would cause a panic and they may make the charges explode early. If I try to get the guards it will take too long. We have to stop them ourselves, Cadence are you up for this?” The princess of love tore off her uniform and had her horn glowing brightly. 
“No pony threatens my brother and… boy who is a friend! You hunt down the one on this floor and I’ll go on the top floor then we’ll meet on the bottom.” The two nodded but Spike asked what he should do. “Go back to your seat, this isn’t a game Spike, these ponies are bad. I don’t want you getting hurt.” 
“But-”
“No buts, now go!” She flew to the next floor as Shining galloped away to find the first bomb. Spike pouted as smoke came from his nose, but bit his lip as he looked back at the crowd and then at the stairs leading below the stadium. Ponies are in danger and as a prince of Equestria… it’s my duty to protect them.” He ran down the stairs, not noticing the eyes that watched him. 
.   .   .
Shining raced around the entire stadium and cursed as he realized that he was just wasting time. He calmed himself and began running again, but this time looking for doors that led right under the bleachers as he guessed this shady group was trying to hurt as many ponies as they could. Just their luck that the first day they try to show Spike how good the world can be, they have to stop a bomb threat. If he didn’t know any better then he would think Celestia was playing a prank on them. He ran through the bleachers before noticing a sparkle in the distance, running faster he saw the mask and tackled the pony as they were sticking the explosive to one of the bleacher’s pillars.
“What in Tartarus?! Who the heck are you?”
“Buddy you chose the wrong day for this, my friend who happens to be a girl is in heat and driving me batty, my sister has been going on and on about every little fact she finds out about the princess, I’m supposed to be giving a tiny friend of mine a good time, and I’m hungry! You are under arrest for attempted terrorism and attempted murder. In the name of Celestia surrender or face me.”
“A guard huh? Well then, let’s see what they teach you in that castle.” Shining growled and wished he had brought his sword, having to only rely on his brute strength was not his favorite way of fighting. He swung and bucked at the pony, but he was bigger and knocked the hits away, countering with several of his own. “Not so tough without that armor are ya?” Shining jumped back up and tapped his hoof against the ground readying for a charge.
“Think kid, you’re tough but plenty of ponies are! You have something most ponies don’t have; brains. Use them and there isn’t a fight you can’t win!” His captain’s words reminded Shiny why he was as good of a guard as he was, he was smart and would think outside the box. He smiled as he rushed at the pony who steadied himself against a tackle but Shining jumped off the bleacher’s pillar and kicked the stallion in the face before dropping down and kicking his legs from under him. As he tried to get back up, Shining delivered several solid punches to the face before headbutting him and using his magic to blast the earth pony away. Shining watched his foe fall unconscious before cursing and rubbing his forehead.
“Owww no one wins with a headbutt ugh…” He looked at the bomb and put his strongest shield spell around it before making the spell smaller and smaller, crushing the bomb. “Okay, now to help Cadence!”
.   .   .
Cadence was not one for violence, she was raised on love and understanding of other creatures. It was the reason she was chosen to become an alicorn after all. However, for the first time, Cadence fully understood one of the lessons that Celestia had tried to teach her. Not all creatures, especially ponies, can be reasoned with. With more capacity for emotion, you get creatures much more dedicated to their reasons and those most dedicated would never stop. Cadence never wants to hurt anypony, but these were threatening not only her citizens but her family. That love for them turned into hate for the intruder whom she finally found flying high and connecting the bomb to the stadium. She rocketed towards the pegasus and tackled her, before blasting her. 
“W-what?! An alicorn!?”
“A very pissed-off alicorn and now you’ll see why you don’t buck with love!” Shining ran out from the stadium as the ground shook and a cloud of dust came from nearby, followed by an explosion in the sky that was drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. Shining coughed as he used his magic to make the dust vanish and found Cadence standing over a pegasus that was begging for death. “Hmph, let that be a lesson. Oh Shining! I suppose that your bad guy was beaten too?”
“Uhh… yeah arrested him and everything… are you okay?”
“Fantastic, I think we should get going to the last one I doubt this pony will be walking away anytime soon.” Shining glanced at the pony as Cadence pulled him away.
.   .   .
Spike walked deeper into the depths of the stadium until he was underground. Judging from the sounds, he must have been right under the Wonderbolts.
“Steel yourself, Spike, the Wonderbolts are counting on you.”
“On us.”
“On us… wait what?!” He jumped and found Rainbow Dash walking with him. “R-Rainbow? What are you doing here?! It’s dangerous!”
“Really? Well, good thing you got me here then. You’ll need all the help you can get and being a hero does sound pretty awesome!” Spike realized that he was wasting time and sighed, letting her go with him and explaining to her what they were looking for. She got mad that anypony was willing to attack her heroes and punched the air. “Ooo let me at 'em! I’ll give them one of these and one of those!” Spike smiled and led the way as they walked around until finally hearing something clang and a bit of cursing. The two raced toward the sound and found a unicorn who was using their magic to slam a walkie-talkie on the ground.
“Dammit, why aren’t they answering?! This timer is still ticking and I can’t stay down here any longer.” 
“Sorry, but you aren’t leaving either!!” Rainbow shouted as she ran at the unicorn and jumped on their face, punching and biting wherever she could reach. The unicorn screamed and threw Rainbow to the ground before aiming their horn and yelping as Spike bit their tail and they hit the ceiling above them. “Good one Spike!”
“I will not be stopped by children!” The unicorn lifted Spike and threw him hard into Rainbow Dash. The two groaned as the unicorn sent a small bolt of lightning at Spike, but Dash pushed him out of the way and screamed before fainting. Spike groaned and rushed the unicorn who easily dodged and tripped the dragon. “I’ve had enough. Say goodbye little one.” The unicorn levitated several sharp objects they had brought to break into the stadium in the first place and sent them flying at Spike, who covered his face with his arms. The unicorn smiled at the sound and began to leave when they heard something. They turned to a flame burning the left side of their mask and the face under it. They threw off the mask and glared at the dragon that was in front of them.
Spike’s uniform was torn in places and his arms had sharp objects embedded in them before he plucked them out. 
“Dragon scales, they come in pretty handy.”
“A dragon in Canterlot? Just who are you?” The unicorn looked at the time left and struck the floor between them with magic, making it collapse and vowing he’d meet the dragon again. Spike picked up Rainbow Dash and began to run away as the stadium above fell in and the Wonderbolts realized something was wrong, helping ponies escape in an orderly manner. Spike huffed as he wasn’t used to this, but thankfully Cadence and Shining were there to help him. Shining informed the Wonderbolts of the situation as Cadence looked over Spike and gave Rainbow back to her parents. They thanked Spike but he only smiled and said it was nothing. The three left as the last bomb exploded but thanks to the Wonderbolts, the bomb wouldn’t leave any lasting damage as it was buried under lots of rubble. 
The three heroes headed back to the castle tiredly as Spike yawned and told them he had a great day and asked when could they do it again. They laughed as they walked into the front door of the castle and an angry Celestia stood there with a guilty-looking Blueblood in her magic. The three all sighed, speaking in unison.
“Ooo… so close…”
.   .   .
In a far corner of Equestria, the unicorn bowed before their leader. “Sir the attack on the Wonderbolts failed due to a guard and the princess of love. I was also attacked by a filly and… a dragon of all things.”
“A dragon? In Canterlot?”
“The child seemed to have been in disguise, if I may, I believe that he may have something to do with the princess.”
“Hmm… good work, let’s see what we can find out about this dragon… he may yet prove useful to our master’s resurrection.”