//------------------------------// // The Spike And Gabby Letters // Story: The Spike And Gabby Letters // by FabulousDivaRarity //------------------------------// As the sun fell below the horizon of Ponyville, Spike The Dragon lit a candle in his room and began to write. Dear Gabby, This is Spike from Ponyville. It was really great getting to meet you today! I think it’s really cool that you wanna be the first Griffon to get a cutie mark. It’s kinda like how I was the first dragon to do friendship. And even though you didn’t get a cutie mark, I think you really helped a lot of ponies today, and you made some new friends too! I just wanted to let you know that you can count me as one of them. Spike A few days later, a letter came for Spike in the mail. Dear Spike, Hiya! It’s so awesome that you wrote me! I couldn’t believe my luck when I got your letter on my postal route! Talk about a great surprise! I’m so glad to hear from you! I admit, coming back from Ponyville to Griffonstone was kind of a downer. I just have so many things I want to teach everygriff, and they seem so uninterested in friendship. How do you deal with that? I know you’ve been there before, and I could use all the advice I could get. Big Hugs, Gabby Spike smiled at the letter on his desk, grabbed some parchment, and began writing a reply. Gabby- I wish I could give you a good answer, but I don’t really think there is one that works for every creature. For me, when I introduced friendship to the dragons, I really only got through to one dragon at first. Of course, it helped that that dragon was Princess Ember, but that’s not really my point. Change starts with one creature, and sometimes the way to do it is to start trying to reach one more, and then work your way up. I know how awesome it would be to change every creature at once, but some of them aren’t going to want to change. But if you can find one that does, it can be a chain reaction, you know? So maybe try and find that one griffon, then I think you’re all set. Hope That Helps, Spike. Gabby eagerly wrote a reply to Spike a week later. Spike- Your advice TOTALLY helped! I think I found that one Griffon. His name is Gallus, and even though he’s not very interested in what I have to say, he still listens. In Griffonstone, that’s saying something. Every griff here is really uninterested in everything unless they get something out of it, which is totally sad. Like yesterday, I found this totally amazing patch of flowers on my way home from making deliveries, but no griff even wanted to hear about it! They don’t even see half the things I see. They’re always muttering about how Griffonstone is in ruins. If they looked, they’d see this really beautiful patch of flowers. And just outside the village is this really beautiful little pond. It’s hidden away by the cliffs a little, but you can still see it if you look. I love sitting there sometimes on my break, because there’s this little frog on a lilly pad who just croaks over and over again, and sometimes if you think of a tune, it can be a song! I wish they bothered to take time to enjoy the little things, you know? Sorry, I know I’m rambling. Say hi to Twilight and the Crusaders for me! Gabby Spike smiled at that and began to write back. Gabby- Twilight and the Crusaders say hi back. And don’t be sorry, I know exactly how it feels to want everycreature to slow down a while. Hay, I wish that from Twilight every day. Last week was a frenzy. She was scheduled to read to the sick foals in the hospital and then her brother and Princess Cadence came and asked her to foalsit her niece. Twilight couldn’t say no, and she ended up in way over her head. She was running, and I mean literally running, all day. I just wanted to tell her to slow down, but Twilight doesn’t take any direction to calm down so well, unfortunately. But in the end she did realize her mistake. On the plus side, while she was making up with Flurry, I got to read to the foals at the hospital. One of them even told me that I look like the Dragon from the book. It was great! I hope you get to see a little reward for your efforts like I did. Take Care, Spike Gabby’s reply to him came the next day, ironically enough. Spike- It’s been a really crazy day here, so (weirdly enough) I was the one who didn’t get to stop and smell the roses because I couldn’t slow down. It doesn’t happen to me a lot but there are some days when I accidentally do too much and then I just have so much to do I can’t slow down. Yesterday somegriff at work got sick so of course I said I would help out, but the extra mail not along my usual route took me way longer than usual to do, and I’d scheduled this time for flying with Gilda so we could talk about what she heard was going on in Ponyville. She told me something about Rainbow Dash writing a book? What’s that about? Hope to hear from you soon! Gabby Spike let out a breath as he replied to her letter. Gabby- Don’t even get me started on what a mess that book caused. Twilight and her friends all contributed to it, and it’s been total chaos ever since it came out. People are always stopping Twilight to ask her questions and trying to get her to sign their books, and asking for pictures. I was kind of used to it to a point because she’s a princess and all, but when it got to the point where all of her friends and I were holed up in the castle trying to wait out a mob of fans and critics, it got out of claw really quickly. I didn’t really get to slow down either that day, so I know what you mean. I hope you get to relax soon! Spike Gabby smiled at that and wrote. Spike- Thankfully as I write this it is my week off from work. I’m using the time to stay at home and just take some time for myself. I visited the pond again today, and I found out that frog again. Guess what? He has a friend now! They two of them kind of chase each other around in the pond and it makes me smile every time! I hope you get to see it someday if you ever come to visit. Here’s an idea: Want to come here to take a vacation sometime? You could stay with me if you liked, and we could go see that pond, and those flowers I mentioned, and maybe say hi to Gilda. Maybe not the best vacation, but I’m sure we’d have a lot of fun! Talk to you soon! G Spike’s reply came a few days later than normal that time. Gabby- Sorry it’s taken me longer than usual to write back. It’s been a busy week. Twilight’s parents invited her on a Zeppelin cruise, and I offered to take over for her for a few days. I’ve been answering fan mail so much I almost started writing this letter as a reply to a fan letter! Other than answering fan mail, I’ve been visiting everywhere the last few days, trying to help keep everypony’s spirits up. On top of that I’ve been keeping track of the friendship log, too. So you can see why I’m a little stressed out. But getting Twilight to take a break for once and get some quality time in with her family? Totally worth it. Once she gets back I’m planning on taking a day off, just to do the things I like. I’m thinking of going to the gem caves and getting myself some gems to eat, before making something delicious. A jewel cake or some deep friend gems, maybe. Possibly both, because who knows? I think it’d be fun to take a vacation, but I’m not sure Griffonstone would be my ideal vacation. Maybe we could go to Las Pegasus or something? Anyways, It’s probably the best mini-vacation I could give myself. Hope I get to talk to you soon! Spike Gabby grinned as she wrote him back. Spike- Sure, we could go to Las Pegasus sometime! I hear the food is amazing! My week home was just what I needed to relax and enjoy myself. I’m sorry you didn’t get some time to yourself this week, but I hope your week went well after that! Hopefully you got a lot of sleep. It’s been pretty calm around Griffonstone this week, but I keep getting the feeling something is gonna happen. I just don’t know what yet. Maybe it’s just me. Ah well. I have to get to bed soon, but I hope things go well for you. -G Spike frantically penned a letter to Gabby the next day. Gabby- I have awesome news! Twilight has decided to start a friendship school and she’s getting Princess Celestia’s help in reaching to the neighboring kingdoms! So that means Grampa Gruff might be sending a griffon over to learn about friendship! Now it won’t just be you out there if the lessons sink in! I don’t have all the details yet, but hopefully you and I will get to see more of each other soon! -Spike Four days later, Gabby wrote him back, Grinning. Spike- That’s amazing, But it’s about to be doubly amazing with the news I have for you! Remember Gallus, the griffon I told you about a while ago? Well, it turns out that when Rainbow Dash came to Griffonstone a week ago, It was to see Grampa Gruff, and to see who he’d picked as a student. And guess who he picked?! Yep, Gallus! So you’ll be seeing at least one of us griffons in Ponyville! I’ll have to try and get back there sometime, but you’ll have to let me know how things go! I’m really excited to think that somegriff other than myself is gonna care about friendship! Gilda tries, but she doesn’t quite have that “friendly disposition” down yet. Hopefully the lessons you give Gallus can help us bring friendship to the Griffons! Keep an eye on him for me! -G Spike wrote her back a few days later. Gabby- I’m happy to say that Gallus is doing really well in the school of friendship. He’s made friends with a few other creatures, and he’s pretty well liked. We had a rocky first few days (I’m sure you heard all about that) but now everything is good. So hopefully things will start to get normal soon. -Spike Gabby was beaming the next time she wrote him. Spike- I’m so excited! Guess what??? I get to come to Ponyville next Thursday! Grampa Gruff made an all-call for volunteers to go and help check in on Gallus, and we’ll get to see each other more! I can’t stay for too long this time, because I have a different mail route than usual, but the next time he calls, we’re hanging out! Can’t wait to see you! -G Spike grinned at that. Gabby- You’re coming to Ponyville? Awesome! I can’t wait to see you. If you can’t stay for long, we could just talk by the Ponyville Cafe, or maybe by the lake if you want. They’re both pretty great. And maybe we could schedule a day to see each other later in the month? It might be easier that way. Let me know what your work schedule looks like. -Spike Gabby wrote back immediately. Spike- Would Friday the 5th work for you? I have that day off from work, but I wanted to check in because you must be busy with things for the School of friendship right now. Let me know! -G When that letter came, Spike had a lot to write her about. Gabby- The fifth works fine for me. I’m so excited I can’t even see straight right now! And not just because we’re hanging out. I molted! I finally have wings like other dragons and I can fly now! Twilight and Smolder have been giving me all sorts of lessons. I can’t wait to fly with you! See you soon! -Spike Spike- I can’t believe you got your wings! That’s awesome! Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to make it like we thought. They rearranged this one griffon’s mail route and because he wasn’t paying attention when he flew he knocked into this building and broke a wing. So now we’re all working overtime and each taking a bit of his route. I’m so sorry. I can maybe do next month? Would that work? -G Gabby- Next month works great. It’ll be nice to get away for a while. Goodness knows I need it. Twilight just found out that Celestia and Luna are retiring and they’re leaving the kingdom to her. So I’ll be in for a lot of chaos as she tries to sort that out. I’ll do my best to keep writing to you in the meantime, but If I get a bit slow, you’ll understand why. If nothing else, I’ll see you the next time you drop by. -Spike Dear Spike- I can’t wait till we get together! I’m thinking we can maybe get some sweets at Sugarcube Corner and go flying now that you have your wings. Maybe we can have a picnic by the park. Let me know! -G Gabby- Sounds great! I can’t wait to take a day away from home for this. I’ll see you in two weeks! -Spike Spike- I’m set for our day together! I got off work a little early especially for the occasion! We can meet up at the post office when I reach Ponyville. We can go flying, have our picnic, and get some sweets too! If you like we can even go back to the castle of friendship and play Ogres and Oubliettes. I know how much you like it! On a more personal note, I just wanted to say thanks for all the help you’ve given me. I know it can’t be easy doing all the things you do and maintaining a penpal at the same time. You’re really such a good friend, and I’m so excited to see you again. I can’t wait to talk to you face to beak next week. It’s going to be a great day, because you’re a great friend. I’ll see you soon! Have a great rest of your week, and say hi to every pony for me! Your Friend, Gabby