//------------------------------// // Three is a family // Story: Family Is Love // by Phantom-Dragon //------------------------------// Equestria, a land of magic and harmony. A seemingly utopian setting where ponies and magical creatures commune together as neighbors and friends, under the rule of the kingdom's newly crowned supreme ruler, Twilight Sparkle – the Princess of Friendship – and her Council of Friendship – the friends she knew and loved on her first step of self-discovery. One of her friends is a dragon, named Spike. Unlike her Ponyville friends, Twilight has known Spike the longest, back in Canterlot, from the moment she first hatched him, on her entrance exam to be accepted into Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Since then, Spike had grown up to be a little brother to Twilight, and their friendship had grown stronger after their many adventures, right up to the point when the young dragon became Princess Twilight's official Royal Advisor. By this time, the young dragon had also found love, in the form of a cheerful griffon named Gabriella "Gabby" Griffon. Many years ago, the two first met and became friends by chance, after young Gabby's first visit to Ponyville. At that time, Gabby was an outcast to all other griffons in Griffonstone, feeling lonely and lost in the world, without knowing what her purpose in life is. Hoping to find what her purpose is, she came to Ponyville, seeking help and consultancy from the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Upon leaving Ponyville, she got more than just a purpose. She got a new pen pal, in Spike the dragon. From that day on, Spike and Gabby had became close friends, and stayed in touch with each other. With each passing days, their friendship grew bigger, closing the great distance between them, until finally, it blossomed into a beautiful romantic love between a dragon and a griffon. But only one question remains: When will they tie the knot? Only time will tell, for this is only the beginning. Celestia's sun was shining down on a beautiful valley, where the fields are lush and green, beautiful flowers of every kinds shining in the sunlight, and the soft gentle flow of streams stretched across the land. It is a perfect time and place for a picnic, which Spike had in mind for his girlfriend, Gabby. Over the years, young Spike had grown into a big, tall, and muscular dragon. Sitting by his side, Gabby had too grown into a beautiful griffon. She no longer wore her hair in a knot at the back of her head, but sported a pair of feather bangs that draped over her dazzling moderate turquoise eyes. “Happy 10th anniversary, Gabby-Berry,” Spike smiled loving at his special griffon. “Happy 10th anniversary, Spikelove,” Gabby reciprocated the feeling, before both she and Spike claimed each other’s lips and beaks. “Wow, ten years?” The griffon asked, before she squealed excitedly, “It went by so fast!” “I know, it’s crazy,” Spike smiled in agreement. “It seems like only yesterday when you were delivering mails on your rounds in Ponyville…” “And I have you to accompany me!” Gabby smiled, nuzzling Spike affectionately into his neck. “And now, here we are. Two grownups…” “…having a picnic,” Spike smiled, returning the nuzzle, on top of Gabby’s head. “In our secret place…” Gabby finished. “Where our love will always stay.” Once again, both Spike and Gabby pulled each other close for another passionate kiss. Taking it up a notch, Spike grabbed Gabby by the shoulders and they end up rolling downhill, together, wrestling and tussling to get on top of each other. Spike got on top of Gabby, “So you like o play rough, do you?” He flirted. In response, Gabby grabbed him by the side of his head and rolled on top, pinning the dragon down. “You’d like that, don’t you?” Gabby grinned. Spreading her wings out, Gabby proceeded to repeatedly peck Spike along the neck, making him chuckle in response to the tickling sensation. “Gabby,” Spike smirked. “We’re on a picnic. I’m not the main course. And our foods are getting cold.” “Aw, but you’re even better than a picnic with a plate of griffon scones and energizing turnip soup, Spikey-Wikey,” Gabby cooed. “Maybe I am. But can we just get back to eating our foods, before they go to waste, for nothing?” “Mmmm-okay,” Gabby proceeded to walk back to their picnic, while enticing Spike with a stroke of her tail, beneath his chin. “But we’re not done yet, Spike,” Gabby smiled. Spike was bewitched into a love trance. ‘Oh Spike, how did you ever end up with this one?’ He asked to himself, mentally. It amazed Spike how he alone could bring out a different side of Gabby. Normally, she’s the cheerful, optimistic, bubbly Gabby Griffon. But whenever Spike is around, she becomes more assertive, with the ferocity of an eagle and the dominance of a lion. The young dragon was lucky to have her in his life. Speaking of life, Spike and Gabby have dated for ten years, and they have yet to tie the knot. Spike loved Gabby. He really does. But he wondered if he’s really going to take it up to the next level? Can he really put himself out there to propose to the girl? Asking her claws… in marriage? “Hey Spike!” Gabby called out, from their picnic. “Aren’t you coming?” “Huh?” Spike asked, snapping out of his thoughts. “Uh…sure. No problem…” Spike slowly returned to the picnic, where he sat down and took a bite out of a gem cake he had packed for the date. Looking back up at Gabby, Spike was entranced to see the sun illuminating behind her. It was like looking at an angel. Spike was both happy and scared, as he felt his heart beating rapidly at the sight. Gabby was eating her turnip soup, when she looked up and noticed the troubled look on his face. “Spike? Are you okay?” Gabby asked. “Huh?” Spike stammered. “What? Oh. Uh, I’m fine. Why did you ask?” “You looked…upset. Is something wrong?” “No. It’s not like that. I’ve…been having a lot of thoughts on my mind. What with being Twilight’s royal advisor, to being the ambassador to all creatures, it’s…” “You worry too much, Spike,” Gabby said as she cradled her claws around Spike’s cheek. “Just relax and think positive. Everything’s going to be okay. It always has.” Taking a deep breath and exhaled it out, Spike relaxed himself to Gabby’s loving touch. “I guess you’re right…” Spike sighed. “But…it’s not just about my duty as…Twilight‘s royal advisor. I…the thing is…Gabby, I was wondering if…” But before Spike could ask the question, a loud cry of a child was heard, interrupting the moment between dragon and griffon. “Huh?” Gabby exclaimed, letting some paternal instincts take over. “I-I-Is that a baby?” “Definitely sounds like a baby,” Spike replied. “But…what’re they doing here? I thought this place was supposed to be a secret, just for us.” “We’ll find out later. But let’s find the child.” With a spread and a flap of her wings, Gabby became airborne as she took the lead, with Spike following. The young couple searched all over the valley, listening and following the child’s cry. The closer they got, the louder the cry became. At last, their search came to an end, when Gabby came onto a shrub, where she found the child. “Spike! Spike! Over here!” Gabby called out. Spike quickly flew over to the griffon, “What is it?” Spike asked. “Did you find the kid?” “I sure did. Look!” Gabby answered, holding up the infant. To Spike’s surprise, the baby is a minotaur. The young dragon has never seen any other minotaur, besides Iron Will. In appearance, this young minotaur is colored coffee brown, with white spots, on the top half, with the bottom half being a muddy brown. Its horns were only a pair of buds, that were just starting to grow in. It’s eyes were a gentle color of baby blue. The baby minotaur cried, as it struggled to wiggle itself free from Gabby’s grips. But Gabby was gentle and calmly soothed the baby. “It’s okay,” Gabby shushed. “Shhh. It’s okay. We’re not going to hurt you. There, there.” Looking around, looking for any signs of the infant’s parents, Spike called out, “Is anyone here?” But the only answer Spike got was silence. Still unsure, Spike proceeded to search the entire valley, with Gabby and the baby in tow. They searched the trees, the surrounding mountains, and Gabby even searched from the sky, with her innate heightened eagle visions. After a good long hour of searching, the sun was beginning to set, and neither dragon and griffon were successful in locating the baby’s parents. “Poor kid,” Spike frowned in sympathy. “He must’ve been abandoned.” “Then I guess we’ll have to take him in then!” Gabby chirped, while cradling the minotaur. “What?” Spike exclaimed. “Whoa, whoa, Gabby. What do you mean ‘we’?” “What’s wrong, Spike?” Gabby frowned. “Don’t you like kids?” “No, I mean, yes. I mean…well, of course I do,” Spike replied. “But…he’s a minotaur. We don’t know anything about minotaurs, aside from how loud they can be.” “So? That never stopped Twilight from raising you, when you were this little guy’s age,” Gabby countered. “Still…if we’re going to discuss long term arrangements, we need to plan this out,” Spike replied. “We’ll just wing it,” Gabby shrugged. “It’s what I always do. And besides…I’ve always wanted to have a kid, be it dragon, griffon, or even a pony.” Gabby smiled lovingly as she wiggled her fingers playfully with the baby, who giggled in response. Spike looked at his griffon lover, then back at the minotaur. He can tell how much Gabby had already bonded with the minotaur. Furthermore, he couldn’t help but see himself in the baby. The minotaur was like a reflection of when the grown dragon was just as lost and helpless when he was. “Well,” Spike began, as he walked over to stroke the baby’s head. “I can say this much. He does have your eyes.” The baby held his hands up for Spike, “Aw, I think he likes you, Spike!” Gabby smiled. “He wants you to hold him!” “O-Okay,” Spike said as he took the baby in his hands and held him close. “Hey there little guy.” The baby giggled before he unexpectedly thrusted his cloven legs out and kicked Spike in the nose. “Ow!” Spike groaned, holding the baby away. “Wow, that’s a strong kick you got there.” Gabby giggled, before she realized, “Hey! We didn’t even gave him a name yet!” “Mother of Faust, you’re right!” Spike exclaimed. “What should we call him?” “Hmmm,” Gabby pondered, as she scratched her beak’s chin. “He looks like a Spot.” In response, the baby seemed cringe, “I don’t think he likes that,” Spike chuckled. “How about Patch?” Again, the baby rejected the name. “Kick?” “Thunder Foot?” “Guard?” “Charcoal?” “Toro?” “Burnferno!” Gabby and the baby shot a confused glance at Spike’s suggested name. “Childhood hero. He was my favorite dragon.”See A Flurry of Emotions. “Gutsy?” At last, the baby let out a giggle, as if approving the last name. “Gutsy it is then,” Spike smiled towards Gabby, who cradled her little minotaur. “My little Gutsy,” Gabby smiled.