//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Love's a Drag-on // by The Lord Thunder //------------------------------// Spike entered the library that evening, whistling and dancing his way up the stairs, all the way into his little basket bed. This oddly jubilant behavior brought Twilight’s attention away from the book she’d been reading. Now was the time to get to the bottom of things. She shut her book with her magic then followed Spike up the stairs to her room. “Spike?” The echoes of Twilight’s hooves against the wooden steps filled the library. “Oh, Spiiiiike!” Spike opened his eyes as he lay on his back to find Twilight Sparkle standing above him. “Yeah, Twilight?” Spike answered with a lovesick sigh. “I know you’ve been keeping something from me, Spike.” Uh-oh. Busted. Spike forced the smile away in an effort to play innocent. “What are you talking about?” Twilight flashed a knowing smile as she looked Spike right in the eyes. “Who is she, Spike?” “Who’s who?” Spike scratched the top of his head to augment his attempt at playing dumb. “Don’t ‘who’s who’ me. I know about your new girlfriend.” Gritting his teeth to fight the sudden frustration and embarrassment in his gut, Spike sat up. “Rainbow Dash spilled the beans, didn’t she?” “I’m sorry, Spike. I didn’t ask her to.” Spike risked a look up at her. “You’re not mad at me, are you?” “Maybe a little annoyed that you kept it a secret.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “But mostly I’m happy for you!” Spike twirled his thumbs, hanging his head in shame. “Well, I thought if you found out, you might think I didn’t want to be your number one assistant anymore.” “Of course not!” Twilight sat down beside Spike and draped a foreleg over his shoulder. “Why would you think that, Spike?” “Because I’ve been wanting to spend time with Sapphire instead of with you?” “It just means that you really like this girl. I would’ve understood if you’d just told me. In fact, why don’t you bring her on over to Ponyville sometime? I’d love to meet her!” Spike stood up from his bed to embrace Twilight around her neck. “Thanks, Twilight. You really are the best.” Bring her on over to Ponyville. That thought brought an idea to Spike’s mind as he let go of Twilight and turned back for the stairs. “Where are you going now?” Twilight asked. “I gotta go talk to Pinkie Pie really quick. Don’t worry, I’ll be back within the hour.” *** The next morning, two tiny dragons topped the horizon just outside Ponyville. “I don’t know about this, Spike,” Sapphire said. “Most other creatures get a little anxious with a strange dragon around. We’re not exactly known as the type of creatures who make new friends.” Spike could feel Sapphire’s paw trembling in his and saw her nervously looking around. “Don’t worry!” Spike answered. “They’re my friends, Sapphire. They aren’t going to kick you out of town or anything like that.” Most of the ponies enjoying the mid-morning sunshine went about their business paying little attention to the two dragons. Some of them were tending to the gardens in their yard; a few of them had spiraling horns coming from their foreheads. A few even fluttered about with feathered wings. “My parents told me about unicorns and the winged pegasi but I never thought I’d see them with my own eyes, let alone so many in one place,” Sapphire said. Several ponies, including a lazy-eyed blonde pegasus, stopped what they were doing at the sight of the strange dragon walking through their village. Wide untrusting stares followed Spike and Sapphire. “Spike?” Sapphire pulled herself closer to her new boyfriend for comfort, still shivering. “Why are they staring at me? Maybe we should turn back.” “Uh, we don’t get a lot of strangers in Ponyville, that’s all. Don’t let it get to you,” Spike answered, unable to come up with any other consolation. Spike led Sapphire through the town of ponies until the dragon duo reached a building carved into a tree on the edge of town. “This is where I live,” Spike explained. He held an open palm towards the door. “Why don’t you go on in first?” Sapphire turned the knob and stepped through the door to be greeted by a loud “surprise!” that nearly knocked her off her feet. Six ponies were inside the library, all smiling at their new arrival. Hanging from the ceiling above them was a large tissue banner that read, “Welcome, Sapphire!” Streamers flew through the air. A few balloons were scattered about the room, and a delicious looking cake sat on a table against the far wall of the room. “Wow,” was all Sapphire could think to say at first. “This is neat! Did you set this up, Spike?” “Um, yeah. I did. Pinkie Pie did most of the work, though.” At the mention of her name, a bright eyed smiling pink pony bounced up to the two dragons. “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie, and let me be the first to welcome you to Ponyville, Sapphire! Spike’s told us all about you. It’s great to meet you. It’s so cute that little Spike has a girlfriend! So where are you from? How old are you? Do you like cupcakes? I love cupcakes! Blueberry cupcakes, lemon cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes! Cupcakes with sprinkles and chocolate frosting and cherries on top!” Sapphire turned away from Pinkie’s seemingly infinite rant to shoot a shrug at Spike as if to say “what’s going on?” “Eh, don’t mind her,” Spike said as Pinkie continued with her incessant monologue. “She’s just being Pinkie Pie.” “Nice to meet you, Pinkie.” Sapphire turned around to shake Pinkie’s hoof. “If you’re Spike’s friend, then you’re my friend!” Pinkie’s big blue eyes seemed to glow at Sapphire’s last word. “Friend!” With no warning, the pink pony snatched Sapphire in a hug that nearly crushed her spine. “Oh, I’m so happy to be your friend! Because I’m everypony’s friend and now I’m every dragon’s friend, too!” It took Sapphire a few seconds to catch her breath after Pinkie set her back down. After such a tight hug it was a miracle she was even breathing properly. “Wow, thanks. I wasn’t expecting this. I didn’t think I’d be welcome here.” “Not welcome?” a mare with a wide brimmed hat and blonde ponytail stepped forward and smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Why in Equestria would you think you wouldn’t be welcome here? This here town’s got the friendliest buncha ponies I ever met!” “Because I’m a dragon who didn’t grow up here?” “Aw, shoot. Don’t y’all give it another lick of thought. Any friend of Spike’s is welcome here! Especially one he speaks so fondly of.” Sapphire blushed and fidgeted at the mention of Spike telling his pony friends good things about her. “Well, I have only good things to say about Spike, too.” “Name’s Applejack. Pleased ta be makin’ yer acquaintance!” “Likewise,” Sapphire replied as Applejack gave a polite bow. A violet unicorn with wide bangs was the next one to step forward from the crowd of ponies. “Hello! I’m Twilight Sparkle.” Sapphire smiled wide, shaking Twilight’s hoof. “So you'rethe Twilight Spike’s told me so much about. I'm Sapphire.” “It’s nice to meet you, Sapphire. I can tell you, you’re one lucky little dragon for winding up with Spike.” Smiling, Sapphire leaned her head on Spike’s shoulder. “I already know that.” A white unicorn stepped forward to greet Sapphire now. “So, you’re the one who’s been looking after Spikey-Wikey this past week. It’s a pleasure, I suppose.” The name Spikey-Wikey forced the purple dragon into a facepalm. “I guess that would be me,” Sapphire said, taking notice of Spike’s reaction. “And you are?” The unicorn held one hoof to her chest, which she held out in pride. “Rarity, of course. I’m sure Spike’s mentioned a thing or two about me, right?” “You might have come up once or twice. I’m sorry, he hasn’t said much about you.” Though Rarity feigned a smile, her right eye twitched with effort to restrain growing frustration. Spike had seen this display on numerous occasions. “Oh, well that’s quite alright, darling. After all, not everypony can be popular, right?” Rarity's purple curly mane danced as she gave her head a little shake. A blue pegasus hovering in midair suddenly caught Sapphire’s attention. A rainbow of six different colors streaked down her mane and tail. “Let me guess,” Sapphire said, pointing a claw at the pony suspended in midair, “you’re Rainbow Dash.” “The Rainbow Dash!” Just to show off a little bit, Dash did a midair backflip. “Why? Have ya heard of me?” “Not much other than what Spike’s mentioned.” There was one pony among the crowd who had not taken the initiative to introduce herself—a pegasus who radiated tense nerves behind two locks of long pink hair. “Oh, you must be Fluttershy. The quiet one.” Drooping under the weight of the sudden attention, the pink maned pegasus scraped her hoof across the floor, her eyes averted to the wall. “Um… yes.” “Isn’t this great?” Pinkie bounced up and down in place, eyes shut tight with glee. “Now you’ve met all of us and we’re all your friends! Come on, everypony! Let’s cut the cake and have some fun!” The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent playing games, eating cake and drinking punch. Sapphire had proven to be talented at Pin the Tail on the Pony, as well as a skilled dancer thanks to her dexterous footwork, which Spike had seen before on the frozen pond. Spike’s friends told her the stories of their adventures, plus how they’d had several run- ins with dragons in the past, which only amazed her further that she was welcome in Ponyville. As the morning rolled on, Spike’s friends left one by one until only the two dragons and Twilight Sparkle remained inside the library. With the party over, Twilight suggested that Spike show Sapphire around Ponyville while she went about the cleanup. “So what’s there to see?” Sapphire asked. “Well, Ponyville’s not anything like Canterlot. Just a small town. But it does have its charms, and you’re about to see one of them.” Spike led Sapphire over to Ponyville’s sandwich shop, where Rainbow Dash was preparing to have her lunch. Having vengeance in mind before he left Twilight’s library, he’d managed to sneak a couple Dragon Peppers out with him. “Sapphire,” Spike whispered to the dragoness holding his paw. Without a word she leaned in for Spike to explain the plan to her. “You sure?” Sapphire asked. “Oh yeah.” Spike let out a malicious chuckle. “She was spying on us the other day, you know.” Sapphire hadn’t known that; in moments she shared Spike’s sinister grin. “Do it.” “Okay, on three. Ready?” Spike asked. “One, two, three.” Spike darted inside a nearby bush. Sapphire sauntered innocently up to Rainbow Dash as she was about to take the first bite of her sandwich. “Um, Rainbow Dash, I hate to bother you, but I need your help with something,” Sapphire said. Rainbow brought her attention away from her sandwich to look at the little dragon. “What’s the matter, shrimp?” “I can’t find Spike. I was wondering if you could fly around and see if you can spot him for me.” “Playing hide and seek, is he? Well you’ve come to the right pegasus! I was queen of hide and seek when I was a filly! You just wait right here, kid. I’ll find him in ten seconds flat!” More eager to show off to a stranger than to actually help, Rainbow Dash bolted into the sky and out of sight. Sapphire waved for Spike to go. The coast was clear. Peppers in paw, Spike crept out of the bush, ran onto the patio of the restaurant and slipped three peppers inconspicuously into Dash’s sandwich. The trap was set. Spike jumped back inside the bush just as Dash came back into view in the sky. “Sorry, kid. Couldn’t find him. Guess I’m a little rusty,” Rainbow Dash said. Sapphire shook her head. “No, that’s okay. Thanks for looking.” “Why not go find Pinkie Pie? She loves hide and seek!” “I might do that. Thanks again!” The sandwich beckoned for Dash’s attention at the growl of her stomach. Sapphire had walked away. With no further interruptions, Rainbow opened her mouth wide and took a voracious bite. Something was different. Blinking her eyes in confusion, Dash chewed more slowly. For some reason, her mouth was growing warmer. The tingling sensation in her mouth grew from warm to hot to absolutely volcanic in a matter of seconds. Dash held her hooves to her mouth to stifle a groan of pain, sending out a puff of smoke as she did. “Water! WATER!“ She shot into the air, swinging her head from left to right, desperately searching for relief. There was a small lake off in the distance. A plume of smoke trailed after the rainbow pegasus as she shot off and a loud splash of water followed soon after. Both baby dragons fell over on their backs, their stomachs tightening with fits of uncontrollable laughter. “Nice one, Spike!” Sapphire laughed. Spike grinned, satisfied, puffing his claw like a smoking pistol. “Nothing for the old master. Now, let’s see Ponyville.”