Spike turned the scale over in his hand with a sigh. "Well. It's definitely a dragon's scale. Only kind I can think of is an eastern dragon. You said you found where River was?"
Twilight nodded. "But why would it be there? It makes no sense."
Spike rolled his eyes. "One reason I can think of. You know they can change shape." He smirked. "Wish my end of the family got that. Think of everything I could do if I had it?!"
Twilight rolled her eyes, giggling. "Point. But why would she show herself to me? I'm no one to her. And I've been to the river many times before, and nothing has ever happened. Why now?"
Spike bit his lips. "Well... You did mention the war. If her family was one that survived the purge, can you blame her for being mad?" His head fell as Twilight's ears fell. "Come on, Twilight. I don't think she means you any harm. She had the chance if she did. Will you look for her?"
Twilight rubbed her forehead. "I don't know, Spike. It wouldn't be right of me. And why would she even seek me out again even if I didn't look for her?"
Before Spike could reply, a pink blur broke through the door with a shout of "Twilight!"
Twilight groaned in annoyance. "Pinkie. What have I said about using the door?"
The party pony only giggled. "Doors are for squares, silly. But you're late, young filly!"
Twilight and Spike shared a confused look. "Late? For what?" Spike asked.
Pinkie gasped in horror. "Why. My 'Welcome to Ponyville!' party for our neighbors, silly! Duh."
Twilight's eyes widened. "That was today? Oh, I'm so sorry, Pinkie. I've just had a lot on my mind recently."
Pinkie's annoyance abated somewhat at seeing the apologetic look from the alicorn as she pulled her friend into a hug. "That's okay, Twilight. You haven't missed anything! And I think you're going to enjoy this family. Why. You already practically know them!"
Now Twilight was really confused, sharing a look with Spike, who could only shrug. "How can I know them, Pinkie, if they just moved here?"
Pinkie only smiled widely as she dragged the pair towards Sugarcube Corner.
Twilight tried her best to hide her shock as the filly before her continued to bounce excitedly. What were the odds?
"Oh. My. Gosh. I can't believe I'm finally meeting you!" Pearl Rose squeed happily, before gasping as finally looked at Spike. "And Spike! Do you know how long I've wanted to meet an actual dragon? It's a dream come true!"
Spike blushed at the praise, while Twilight giggled. Aside from being younger than her counterpart, Twilight could tell how much the two were alike. "You must be Pearl. Rarity's said so many good things about you," she smiled.
Pearl blushed, pawing the ground. "I'm nothing special. Just another Pegasus in the crowd." Her smile grew. "But I've wanted to live in Ponyville for so long. Do you know how hard it is to meet any dragon in Baltimare? Very! How the hell am I supposed to be a Dragon Scholar if I can't even meet one?!"
Spike was taken aback by this. "You want to be a Dragon Scholar? There hasn't been one in centuries last I looked." Twilight nodded in agreement.
Pearl sighed. "Yeah, I know. But it's been a dream of mine since the last Dragon Migration. Dad was able to get us a great view as it flew over the city. I was hooked from then on. Even if it kills me, I plan on being Equestria's foremost Dragon Scholar someday."
Twilight smiled. It always warmed her heart to hear someone pursuing their dream, no matter what it might be or how hard or out of reach it was.
"That's my girl," an older Pegasus mare chuckled as she joined the group. She bowed slightly to the princess. "And it is an honor to meet you, Princess Twilight. Pearl could not stop talking about you all the way here."
Pearl groaned in annoyance, getting a giggle from her mother. Twilight's smile grew. "It's no trouble, ma'am. And I'm happy to help Pearl as much as I can with her dream. Spike as well." The drake nodded.
Cirrus nodded, before biting her lip. "There is one more thing, princess. My daughter has, shall we say, a very short fuse. Especially when it comes to her friends."
Pearl growled. "Nopony picks on my friends and lives to tell about it."
Twilight's eyes widened. "You didn't..."
Pearl shook her head. "They're fine. As much as being in the hospital is fine anyway. Some of my best friends were ponies I protected from bullies."
Cirrus nodded glumly. "It's true. Even if they did not know each other before those incidents, Pearl will stand up for those she cares for. School was becoming more and more dangerous. I didn't want that for my daughter, so we moved here."
Twilight could see what she meant by that. Something in the back of her mind seemed to click. "I'm not sure what I can do though. Ponyville has its own school, and miss. Cheerilee is a fine teacher."
Pearl nodded glumly. Damm it. Maybe it had been asking for too much. Why would the princess be interested in her?
Twilight saw the dejection, and her heart fell. Before she knew what she was doing, wrapped a wing around the young filly and smiled. "But that does not mean that I cannot be your teacher as well, Pearl. It would not be the same as being my Personal Student, but I do not see why not."
Pearl's smile would make Pinkie Pie proud as she hugged the alicorn with a cry of "YES!"
"You did very well, Pearl," Cirrus said, the two of them finally home. She smirked as her daughter nodded, still over the moon with the news, and her fear now receeding. "But I also know that look in your eyes. What's wrong sweetie?"
Pearl tried to hide it, but her mother would soon see through any lie she told. "It's never going to work, mom. I saw it in her eyes."
Cirrus immediately understood what Pearl meant. "Oh, honey. You're too young. Princess Twilight knows that as well."
Pearl shook her head. "It's not the age difference, mom. I can wait if it was just that."
Cirrus was confused. "Then what is it, Pearl? You know Princess Twilight cares about you."
Pearl nodded with a sniff. "I saw it in her eyes. Her heart already belongs to somepony else. Even when I'm older, that won't change. Maybe it was just a stupid fillyhood crush talking, thinking we could ever be anything else."
Cirrus' heart fell right out of her as she pulled her daughter close, letting Pearl release her tears now. "Oh, honey. Never say never. You know how things change though. And never think that Princess Twilight does not love you. Perhaps one day, you can try. You never know."
Pearl tried to smile, but it came out forced. Something told her that it would not be that simple, but she soon shivered at what else she had seen. "What the hell was that... thing? I've never been so scared."
Cirrus could only shake her head. "I don't know, honey. It almost looked like a kitsune. But they're just a myth."
Pearl snorted. "Yeah? Go tell that thing that. Dad's shown me enough from Neighpon that I know what a kitsune looks like. I think that was one." She gulped. "I think I'll just stay in my room."
Cirrus smiled gently as she kissed her daughter's forehead as they entered the house. "Princess Twilight said she would come by later and discuss how this will work for you two. Are you up for seeing her? I can send her upstairs if you don't feel like coming down."
Pearl sighed as she flew up to her new room. "I don't know, mom. Ask me when gets here."
Cirrus' ears fell as Pearl closed the door to her room.