//------------------------------// // 4 - The Former Wings of a Dragon // Story: Alicorn Princess // by Bad Dragon //------------------------------// Spike opened the door to Twilight’s bedroom and peeked inside. “I heard something break.” I put my head between the doorway over Spike’s mohawk scales. “Oopsy...” Twilight smiled over the shattered remains of the bowl. Half-eaten peaches were scattered all over the room. “What happened?” Spike asked. Twilight pointed a hoof at me, accusingly. “It’s Trixie’s fault. She put the peaches too close to the bed and I knocked over the bowl when I bounced up and down on the mattress.” Spike walked inside. “Why were you jumping on the bed?” “It’s my bed and I do what I want to.” Spike turned to me. “Trixie, get a broom before somepony gets a shard stuck in her hoof.” “On it!” I said and ran to the cabinet with orderly placed brooms. With one in my mouth, I raced back, but stopped in my tracks when I sensed the seriousness in Spike’s tone, “Twilight, do you remember when I went on a dragon migration?” It was the same question he had asked me. Was it a test of sorts? I crouched by the door on the other side of the wall to avoid getting seen. “Yes, I do seem to remember,” she answered. “A dragon going on migration by foot. That was a very stupid thing to do.” It was wrong to eavesdrop without their knowledge, but the conversation could prove very informative for all sides involved. I needed more information to have at least some chance of helping them. It was for that reason that I didn’t want to miss out. “But, you supported me then.” I stayed quiet so I wouldn’t interrupt the conversation by letting them know of my presence. “Yes, You were told that you need to sate your aspirations. That advice was stupid. I should have just told you right there and then how bad your idea was.” She shook her head and looked at him. “Why are you even asking me this?” Their friendship was shaky, and they were clearly expressing it. “I don’t know. I’m actually sorry I did.” With appropriate communication, they could mend it, but not if I interrupted them. She just needed to reach out to him. “It’s okay, wings regrowing dragon.” I silently gasped upon hearing the rough expression she used. “Why—why did you just call me that?” “Don’t you find it odd that all dragons have wings, and yet, you didn’t have them most of your life?” “What made you bring this up all of a sudden, Twilight? The wings come with the molting. You know this.” “Hey, if you want to stay in the closet that’s fine by me.” She squinted her shoulders. “No!” He raised his voice. “If you want to say something, say it!” “The molting isn’t a metamorphosis. It’s just a regeneration process. You used to have wings even before that, but you forgot about that because you were too young at that time.” “No, I never had wings before molding... did I?” “They were big and spikey. The ones you have now vane in comparison.” I couldn’t resist peeking inside the room. “I had wings bigger than this?” He reached back with a claw and caressed the small wings on his back. “Mhm, but then we cut them off.” Grinning, she focused her eyes on his face. He gasped. “Please, tell me this is just some kind of a sick joke.” “Everything I’m telling you comes directly from the memories I have. I guess even princesses have a hidden past, ey? Surprise!” “So you’re not lying, after all.” His voice broke. “It’s all true.” “You better believe it. You were flying all over the place, making a mess of everything. Wings had to go.” “No way!” Spike hyperventilated. “Yup, that’s what happened. Memories don’t lie. Oh, and then they let me keep you, wasn’t that nice?” He tensed up. “I always thought I was born without wings. I never brought up this issue with you before because I was afraid you’d get curious and would do tests on me.” He looked up at her with teary eyes. “What if you found out that I’m some degenerate freak of nature? I didn’t want you to look at me that way. I liked what we had between us and didn’t want to risk it.” His claws clenched into fists. “But you knew about it, all along. You were a part of it.” She smiled at him. “Twilight, I want you to know that I’m not okay with this. I’m not okay with any of this by a long shot!” His body tensed. “It will take me some time to process what you told me. I'll need some alone time, away from this place. For both our sakes.” I gasped and retracted my head just when he turned to the exit. “You’re free to do whatever it is that you want to do, wingless dragon. Good luck on your new migration.” Spike gasped then sighed. “Right… We’ll be having this discussion again in a few days.” His voice broke as he shut the door behind him. “Maybe.” He noticed me. I hugged both hind legs and bit on my lip. My body shook. I looked up at him and reached out with a hoof toward one of the tensed shoulders. Spike swatted it away with a claw. “Your sympathy is the last thing I need right now.” He faced away from me and thumped down the hallway. I wanted to pursue him, but I was afraid I’d only make things worse. Maybe I was the one responsible for everything bad. If I could learn about the spell that I had used and find a way to undo it, perhaps I could make things right again. Getting myself to the library was my best bet for that. If I stayed stuck in the amnesic condition, I might even make a bigger mess of everything. Spike’s departure was a testimony to my ineptitude.