"Dear Spike, how have you been? I apologize for taking so long to respond, but the Gryffonstone trainings have been much more intense since we faced each other. You really bothered my whole team, but I think it was for the better! We've been winning everything since our match, it looks like we'll meet in the finals, and this time it won't be so easy!"
"Ahhh..." Spike would sigh with a deep blush as he read that letter with a dreamy smile. "I have to send her a letter when I can."
"Oh? What are you reading, Spike?"
"Ahh! Nothing, nothing!" Spike would quickly say, holding the letter close to his chest, hiding its contents from the girl at his side.
"Hehe, calm down, calm down."
"Don't scare me like that, Fluttershy..." Spike would say with a sigh as he folded the letter and tucked it into his backpack.
Spike and Fluttershy would be sitting in the plush seats of the city train. The holidays had begun, giving them two weeks completely free to do whatever they pleased. The girls had decided that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie would take turns caring for Spike during this vacation period since both would take the opportunity to visit their families in different cities.
"(Wait... Why does Rainbow Dash live here, and Fluttershy's parents live in another city when they both live in Cloudsdale in my world?)" Spike would think, starting to analyze the logic of that world.
"You're going to love Cloudsdale, Spike. It's the most beautiful city in the whole world," Fluttershy would say with a somewhat small smile, not wanting to speak too loudly and offend someone who might not share her opinion about cities.
"I haven't really been to many cities at this point to make so many comparisons, hehe," Spike would say with a smile, hugging his backpack carefully while looking out the window, watching the night sky pass by quickly. "Did we really have to take this trip at 2 in the morning?..."
"Sorry, but my parents wanted to make the most of every possible moment. So, I usually take the trips the day before to arrive at night and spend the morning with them. But I didn't want to take away Rainbow Dash's last day with you, so... I took the earliest one, hehe," Fluttershy would say, rubbing her arm somewhat embarrassed, her hair covering part of her face.
"...No, it's okay... I used to stay up very late helping my sister," Spike would say, letting out a small yawn, resting his head on Fluttershy's shoulder. "I'll take a nap..."
Before anything else could happen, a tall and muscular man would walk down the train aisle. His large muscles forced him to walk with his arms somewhat close to his body to avoid bothering others, but he wouldn't do so, ending up accidentally hitting the back of Fluttershy's neck with one of his arms. This sudden movement would make Spike open his eyes abruptly.
"Watch out! Iron Will coming through!" the man would say without stopping, walking toward what seemed to be the bathroom.
"Tsk... (Why am I not surprised?)" Spike would think, observing the man entering the bathroom, before hearing a soft sob coming from his seatmate. "Hey... Fluttershy? Are you okay?"
Fluttershy would be softly sobbing, with her hands holding her neck due to the hit she had received from that man. "..Y-Yes, I'm fine, Spike..."
"..." Spike would stay there, watching his friend for a couple of seconds, feeling the blood boiling inside him at the thought that this could happen to the Fluttershy of his world. It was probably the only thing necessary for the fire he no longer had inside to become hotter and hotter.
After a few seconds, the sound of the bathroom sink would be heard, probably Iron Will washing his hands. Even though it showed he was an idiot, at least he cared about germs. Spike would simply stand up and head to the bathroom door, clenching his teeth tightly.
"Eh?... S-Spike, wait!" Fluttershy would say, but it would be too late since Iron Will would come out of the bathroom, encountering Spike.
"Get lost, booger! Iron Will has books to write," the man would say with a frown. He was about to push Spike out of his way by grabbing him by the shoulder, but to everyone's surprise on that train (Fluttershy and Iron Will), grabbing Spike wouldn't even move him a couple of centimeters.
"You're going to apologize to my friend, NOW," Spike would say, clenching his teeth firmly, showing how his teeth had a particular shine, revealing a row of sharp fangs like those of an animal.
"...W-Why should Iron Will apologize for simply being who he is? Make the aisles wider, and that's it!" The human version of the con artist minotaur would say, feeling very nervous but lacking the brainpower to understand that ignoring what the child was telling him wasn't a good idea.
"I believe I made it VERY clear what I wanted you to do," Spike would say, grabbing the man's wrist firmly, making him grunt in pain and try to free himself from the grip, feeling as if claws were digging into his skin.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he would say, trying unsuccessfully to break free from that grip.
"Not to me," Spike would say, starting to walk toward Fluttershy's seat, dragging the confused and surprised look of the pink-haired girl along with the huge man as if he were a little child.
"I'm sorry! Iron Will is sorry! Iron Will is sorry!" the man would say, kneeling due to the pain in his wrist.
"I... It's okay, I forgive you, sir." And with that, Spike would finally let go of Iron Will, allowing the man to run away while holding his sore wrist.
Fluttershy would turn to ask Spike what on earth had happened or what those things in his hands or teeth were, but she would only find an exhausted Spike sitting next to her, leaning on her shoulder, now without any peculiar features that made everything that just happened believable.
"God, I just want to rest a bit..." he would say, leaning on Fluttershy and letting out a soft yawn.
Fluttershy was about to tell him that it would be better to wait, as if he didn't get his proper sleep hours and only took a nap, it would mess up his sleep cycle. However, seeing his adorable face with closed eyes, starting to breathe to relax and sleep, made her decide to spoil the little one a bit. Taking advantage of the way the seats were made to sleep in them, she would lie down carefully, letting Spike rest on top of her, hugging him gently while stroking his hair.
"Sleep well, Spike," Fluttershy would say, starting to hum a sweet lullaby softly, allowing Spike to sleep for a while.
And if Spike's smile became a bit smaller for not feeling the warm sensation of a group of feathers on his body while listening to Fluttershy's voice, neither of them paid it much attention.
As Spike was already accustomed to at least once a week, he would wake up lying on the floor of the mirror universe, releasing a sigh before getting up. However, he would notice that it was impossible for him to stand on two legs. This would make him raise an eyebrow and lower his gaze, observing that instead of hands or claws, he had... hooves?
"What?" Spike would say, but out of nowhere, a wave of magic would appear, turning him back into a normal dragon. Then another wave would come, turning him into a crocodile. He would transform back into a dragon, then into a minotaur, and so on until it stopped, leaving him transformed into a dragon. "That magic... Discord!?"
With a big smile, Spike would start running forward, assuming that at some point, he would find them. Finally, after easily running for 5 minutes, he would come across a somewhat strange sight.
"Awwww, come on, my great Crystal! Won't you do it for me?" Discord, in a red suit, would be sitting at a table with several candles and a rose in his mouth, talking to a Crystal who was boiling with rage.
"Oh! Now I'm 'Great Crystal'! But when you met that pegasus, you conveniently stopped showing up, huh!?" Crystal would say, hitting the table with her hoof, clenching her teeth in anger.
"Why do you always have to mention her whenever I come to visit? You're quite jealous, sweetheart."
"IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN 3 MILLENNIA THAT YOU'VE COME TO VISIT ME! And don't think I've forgotten how you stopped sending letters right when you went to live with that...that" Crystal would say, starting to search for a word that fits well with the hatred she had for Discord and that mare.
"Hey! Don't you dare insult Fluttershy!"
And there, Spike, who barely knew about relationships, knew what he had to do. Almost in slow motion, while Discord's eyes widened as he realized what he had just said, Spike would throw himself to the ground, covering his head the moment Crystal's horn began to glow with the start of a spell.
"Son of...!"
And so Spike would hear a loud explosion along with a plethora of lights and intermittent sounds that would last almost a whole minute. After a few extra seconds, Spike would raise his head to see the situation. Discord would be completely burned by that beam, inside a mirror where hundreds of Pinkie Pies were bothering him, hitting him with rubber chickens, playing bad pranks, and basically subjecting him to one of the greatest tortures of the modern era.
"..." Spike would turn a bit to see Crystal, noticing how she was breathing heavily, with her hair falling over her face, leaving only her body and snout visible. Clearing her throat, the mare would straighten up and shake her head, letting her mane start to float in the air as always. "Mhhg!...I apologize that you had to see that, young Drake."
Spike would stay staring at the surreal scene in front of him, with Discord being bothered by countless versions of Pinkie Pie, and Crystal showing her anger in all its splendor. While Crystal apologized, Spike could only nod with a small amazement.
"No problem, I guess... What the heck is going on here?" Spike would ask, trying to make sense of the madness taking place in the mirror universe.
"Oh, Crystal and I were just having a friendly chat. You know, like old acquaintances," Discord would reply, trying to appear nonchalant despite the chaotic situation he was in.
"Friendly? We were having a FRIENDLY chat? Discord, I hate you!" Crystal would shout, raising her front hooves in frustration.
"It's just a little difference of opinions, no need to dramatize it so much, my little snowflake!" Discord would say with a mocking smile.
"Little snowflake? Are you kidding me?" Crystal would snort, looking at Discord in disbelief.
"Spike, can you explain to this dislocated creature that I don't appreciate his visits?" Crystal would look at Spike with some seriousness.
"Well, Discord, I think you should consider stopping provoking Crystal. You're only making things worse," Spike would say, trying to act as a mediator.
"But where's the fun in that if I can't annoy someone from time to time?" Discord would respond with his characteristic mischievous smile.
Crystal would release a frustrated snort. "You can have fun without disrupting my peace. Besides, I don't need your company."
"Oh, but how could you resist the incomparable company of Discord?" Discord would stand up in a dramatic way, as if he were performing in a play.
"Quite easily, actually," Crystal would respond sarcastically while Discord continued to be hit by all those Pinkie Pies.
"Crystal, should we... do something about it?" Spike would ask, looking at Crystal with a raised eyebrow.
"That's Discord's business. If he wants to stop this madness, he can do it himself," Crystal would respond firmly.
"Oh, come on, Crystal! Don't take everything so seriously. We're here to have fun," Discord would say, trying to downplay the matter.
"Have fun! Do you think this is fun? You're insufferable!" Crystal would exclaim, pointing towards Discord while he continued to be bothered by the Pinkie Pies in the mirror.
Spike, seeing that the situation wasn't going to improve on its own, would step forward and suggest: "H-Hey! How about you... calm down a bit? I still don't understand what the heck is going on here!"
Crystal would frown and look at Spike, considering his words. Discord, on the other hand, would cross his arms with a thoughtful expression.
"An agreement? That sounds rather boring, but I suppose I could consider it," Discord would comment, apparently willing to listen.
Crystal would sigh, resigned. "...Alright, I'll give it a try. But make it clear, Discord, any heavy prank or attempt to disturb me again won't be tolerated."
"I'll try, my dear Crystal. Maybe we could even organize a card game or something," Discord would suggest, smiling maliciously, summoning a deck of cards with all the drawings changed to his face.
Spike would watch the scene with caution, noting how Discord and Crystal seemed to reach a fragile agreement. Still confused about what was happening, Spike thought that maybe a card game could divert attention and calm tensions.
"Well, a card game doesn't sound so bad, right?" Spike would say, trying to be optimistic.
Crystal would sigh again but nod her head. "Yes, it could be a less destructive way to pass the time. But, Discord, I warn you, if you try to cheat or anything..."
"Don't worry, Crystal, I'll be as fair as I can be," Discord would interrupt with a slightly unsettling smile.
"Hey... I don't understand, why don't you just banish him from this universe if you don't want him here?" Spike would say, somewhat confused.
"He can do whatever he wants... Yes, my power is still superior to his, but I'm not in the mood for everything that entails throwing him out of here."
Crystal, feeling affected by the chaotic conversation and Discord's jokes, decides to take measures to relieve her headache. With a sparkle of her horn, she summons a glass and some medicine. She carefully pours the liquid into the glass, preparing to take it in the hope of finding some relief.
Spike observes the situation, noting the tension that has built up between Crystal and Discord. Meanwhile, Discord, although seemingly entertained, shows a hint of curiosity at Crystal's response to discomfort.
"You're not telling me you're giving up so easily over a simple headache?" Discord jokes, raising an eyebrow with his characteristic playful expression.
"No way. I'm not going to let your behavior ruin my day," Crystal responds, taking the glass with determination and drinking the medicine.
The medicine seems to take effect quickly, gradually relieving Crystal's headache. The tension in the room decreases a bit, and Crystal feels more capable of facing the situation calmly.
Spike, seeing the interaction, decides to intervene again. "Can we try to keep the peace here? I don't think there's a need to continue with the confrontations."
Crystal nods, recognizing the wisdom in Spike's words. "You're right, Spike... I summoned you to talk to you about something, but Discord here decided to ruin everything."
"Come on, Crystal, I was just trying to add a bit of excitement to this boring mirror universe," comments Discord, playing with a card between his fingers.
"Excitement is the last thing we need here. I wanted to talk to you, Spike, but this...Buffoon's appearance ruined it as always," explains Crystal, directing her attention towards the young dragon but repeating her comment so that Discord knew exactly how much she hated him.
"Hey, why do you two get along so badly?" Spike would say with a raised eyebrow.
Crystal sighs before responding, trying to explain the complicated relationship she has with Discord. "It's a long story, Spike. Discord and I have had our...romantic moments in the past, maybe a few millennia ago, I don't know anymore."
Spike raises an eyebrow, surprised by the revelation about the past history between Crystal and Discord. The situation begins to make more sense, considering the tension between them.
"Ah... that explains a lot," comments Spike, trying to understand the complexity of the situation. "And does that... still affect your relationship?"
"This idiot abandoned me without reason years ago, stopped appearing, sending letters every few centuries until he met that...Pegasus you call a friend, and just forgot about me until today," Crystal would say, looking at Discord angrily, thinking if maybe setting him on fire again would be a good idea.
Discord lowers his gaze, seemingly affected by Crystal's words. Although his playful expression diminishes for a moment, he stands up again with a defiant smile.
"Come on, Crystal, don't dramatize so much. I've gone through many changes over the years. Why don't we make a deal? You give me back into my favorite dragon, and I'll leave you alone," suggests Discord, extending one of his claws theatrically.
"No way. I've lived too long with the pain you caused me to simply let it go. I don't need or want your deals," responds Crystal, rejecting Discord's offer firmly.
Spike watches the interaction, feeling the tension in the air. Meanwhile, Discord sighs theatrically.
"Always so stubborn. But if that's what you want, Crystal, so be it. I'll go my way and leave you in peace, as long as you don't interfere in my... activities," says Discord, pausing before adding the last term, hinting at his chaotic antics.
"As if I could trust your words. But at least I'll be able to live my life without you showing up to ruin everything," responds Crystal, maintaining her firm stance. "Just go away, Discord... And don't say a word about what happened here if you want to stay alive."
Discord accepts Crystal's demand but not without letting out a mocking laugh. "Oh, Crystal, always so dramatic. But if that's what you wish, I'll be on my way. Goodbye, my dear friends." With an exaggerated bow and a snap of his fingers, Discord disappears in a flash of chaotic lights, leaving Crystal and Spike in the mirror universe.
After Discord's departure, the room falls into a strange silence. Crystal sighs deeply, relieved that the confrontation has come to an end. Spike, however, remains thoughtful in the face of the complexity of the situation.
"Thank you, Spike. I appreciate your intervention. Things tend to get complicated when Discord is involved," says Crystal, breaking the silence.
"No problem. It seems like you have a complicated history," comments Spike, still trying to process all the information.
"Yes, we do. It was... interesting to have him back in my life after so long," responds Crystal, looking into the distance. "But well... it seems like we can finally talk."
"Talk about... what?" Spike would say, raising a confused eyebrow.
"You see, Spike, I assume you remember how your friends defeated Sunset Shimmer."
"Of course! They transformed into those super cool pony versions with their pony features!"
"Exactly," Crystal nods. "And that transformation was possible thanks to the magic of friendship. Now, you've found yourself in a universe where those transformations are not only real but...something that you can also do"
With a puzzled expression, Spike tries to make sense of Crystal's words. "Wait, so you're saying I can transform into something else too?"
Crystal nods. "Indeed, You didn't realize that after you barely use it against somebody who hurt your friend?"
"I...I was using that transformation against Iron Will?"
"Exactly young Drake...Those transformations exist because of the power of friendship, let me guess, you always assumed that only your friends were able to do those kind of things?"
Spike, now realizing the implications, scratches his head with a somewhat embarrassed expression. "Well, yeah... I mean, it's always them who transform, and I'm just... me."
Crystal chuckles softly. "The magic that flows through your friends can also be found here inside you. You share a connection with them, and that connection grants you the ability to tap into the magic of friendship as well."
Spike blinks in surprise. "So, you're saying I can transform too? Like, into a pony or something?"
Crystal would just shake her head. "A dragon"
Spike's eyes widen in astonishment. "A dragon? But I'm already a dragon!"
Crystal smiles, nodding. "Yes, you are. But in the human world, you are just a human, with the link you have with your friends, you can use the magic of friendship and do the same thing they do but...with your own race."
Spike ponders this revelation for a moment. "So, how do I do it?"
Crystal tilts her head, looking thoughtful. "It's not about a specific spell or incantation. It's about embracing the magic of friendship within you. Think about your friends, the strong connections you have with them. Let that magic flow through you, and you'll discover your ability to transform."
"Wait...I don't get it! If you are saying that my friendship with my friends is that strong...Why are you saying that they are bad? Why you are keeping me away from them!?"
"..."I had assumed we were past this phase" Crystal would say, letting out a disappointed sigh. "A strong friendship doesn't mean a friendship worth keeping."
Spike, now even more confused, furrows his brow. "I don't get it. If you have a problem with my friends, why did you summon me here? What do you want?"
Crystal looks at Spike with a mix of frustration and regret. "I wanted to help you, to understand why you are here, you have to be able to understand why i'm keeping you away from your friends before even thinking about comming back"
"But I can't ignore my friends. They're a huge part of my life, and if I can transform like them, why should I stay away?" Spike questions, a determined look in his eyes.
Crystal looks away, conflicted. "It's not that simple. I don't want to see you hurt or disappointed. The world you come from is not as straightforward as this one."
"Even if there are challenges, my friends and I have always faced them together. I can't just turn my back on them," Spike insists, the bond of friendship fueling his determination.
Crystal looks at Spike, conflicted and torn between her own concerns and Spike's conviction. After a moment, she sighs, realizing the strength of the bond Spike shares with his friends. "You still don't get it right?...Okey...We would talk again, goodbye young drake"
With that, Crystal's horn would glow, and a portal would open, enveloping Spike. Then he would find himself back in the human world, surrounded by the familiar sight of the train, still lying on Fluttershy's body, sleeping peacefully in the quiet train cabin.
"W-What just happened?" Spike would mumble, rubbing his eyes and trying to make sense of the surreal experiences in the mirror universe.
Fluttershy would stir slightly, waking up from her nap. "Oh, Spike, did you have a strange dream?"
Spike, still feeling a bit disoriented, would sit up and look around. "I... I think so. It was ...I don't know."
Fluttershy would smile gently. "Well, you're safe now. We're almost at Cloudsdale. Did you sleep well?"
Spike, contemplating the events in the mirror universe, would nod slowly. "Yeah, I think I did. Thanks for letting me rest on you, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy would blush a bit but smile warmly. "Of course, Spike. We're here for each other, after all."
As the train continued its journey, Spike couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the mirror universe and Crystal's intentions than he had discovered.