//------------------------------// // Valentine's Day...? // Story: A Not-So Draconian Adventure // by Rock-Lee //------------------------------// It was a new day in Spike's life, and the boy found himself walking through the school halls feeling somewhat bored. It was Monday after his visit to Fluttershy's house, so he would have to go to either Pinkie's or Twilight's house next, he wasn't sure which one it would be. Spike would open his locker, letting out a yawn, before starting to search through the papers for his class schedule. After rummaging a bit, he would finally find the paper and unfold it to see which class he had next. "Ah, here it is," he would murmur to himself as he examined the schedule. He would discover that his next class would be Mathematics with... Professor Discord. "Darn" Spike would frown upon realizing that his next class was with the eccentric Professor Discord. It wasn't a secret that classes with Discord tended to be total chaos, filled with impossible riddles and extravagant lessons that often left students confused and frustrated. "Why do I always have him on Mondays?" Spike would wonder to himself, resigned to what awaited him. He was about to close his locker when he would notice a strange red and pink heart-shaped letter. Spike would abruptly stop upon noticing the letter in his locker. The red and pink heart-shaped letter immediately caught his attention, and his curiosity would lead him to take it and examine it more closely. "What's this?" Spike would wonder, turning the letter between his hands and examining the paper closely. He didn't recognize the handwriting or the sender, which only increased his intrigue. Deciding there was nothing wrong with opening the letter, Spike would gently slide his finger along the edge and carefully open it. Inside, he would find a handwritten note with elegant calligraphy and a delicate fragrance filling the air around him. Confused, he would begin to read quietly. "Dear Spike, I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to express how grateful I am for your friendship and for everything you've done for me. Your kindness and support mean a lot to me, and I'm so thankful to have you in my life, even if I doubt you have any feelings towards me, I just wanted to get this off my chest somehow, thank you very much for being my friend." The letter seemed to be a display of gratitude and appreciation towards Spike, and as he continued to read, Spike would feel overwhelmed by the tenderness and sincerity of the words written in the note. Although he didn't recognize the handwriting, he would begin to wonder who could be the sender and why they were expressing their gratitude to him in this way. "Who could have sent me this?" Spike would wonder aloud, looking around for clues. He couldn't help but feel intrigued by the mysterious sender and wondered what had led them to send him this thank-you letter. After a moment of reflection, Spike would carefully fold the letter and tuck it into his backpack, determined to investigate later who might be the person behind this touching gesture. Although he was confused by the situation, he also felt grateful and comforted by the kind words he had received. With the letter safely tucked away, Spike would close his locker and head to his Math class with Professor Discord. Spike would sit next to Twilight in Math class, watching her with curiosity as she read a letter that seemed much more conventional than his. Twilight's nervous expression wouldn't go unnoticed by Spike, and soon he would wonder what might be going through her mind. "Are you okay, Twilight?" Spike would ask softly, leaning towards her to show his concern. Twilight would look up from the letter, quickly hiding it on the table somewhat surprised that Spike had noticed her nervousness. "Oh, hi Spike," she would respond, trying to smile though feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Yes, I'm fine. Just got a... somewhat unexpected letter, but it's nothing important." "Mhhg..." Spike would quickly grab the letter from the table, and start reading it while avoiding Twilight's attempts to grab it from his hands. "...Hehe, so a letter from Flash?" Those words would only earn a sigh of defeat from Twilight, who would cover her face in embarrassment. "Look... It's not what you think okay? Flash has had a crush on me for weeks but...I don't know why, we've never talked much and I don't want to hurt him by saying I don't like him..." That would leave Spike very surprised, not so much by the fact that Twilight is not in love with Flash, but that Flash has feelings for Twilight would give him memories of encounters of the Twilight of his universe and Flash. "(wow...Flash's love is such that Crystal could erase Flash's memories but not the feeling?)" Spike would observe Twilight with understanding as she shared her concerns. Although it wasn't his intention to invade her privacy by reading the letter, he now found himself in a position where he wanted to support his friend in the best way possible. "I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to intrude where I didn't belong," Spike would say, carefully returning the letter and showing a gesture of apology. "But I'm here for you if you need to talk about this. You don't have to face it alone." Twilight would thank Spike for his gesture with a shy smile, feeling comforted by his kindness and understanding. "Thank you, Spike. I really appreciate it," she would respond, feeling a little more at ease knowing she had her friend's support. "So class! This is the rabbit with a rabbit body and a rabbit head!" Discord would say with a large drawing of a rabbit on the blackboard. "...Sir, this isn't biology," a girl would say somewhat confused, raising her hand to get Discord's attention. The girl's comment would provoke laughter among the students, while Discord seemed to ignore the observation and continued with his lesson as extravagant as ever. Spike would find himself trying to contain a laugh, but at the same time, feeling grateful for the brief moment of fun the class provided. Although lessons with Discord were chaotic, sometimes they were just what was needed to break the monotony of the school day. After that, the boy would have his classes as usual until it was time for literature class, where upon sitting in his seat, he would notice a strange box underneath him. Spike would carefully pick up the box, examining its exterior closely for clues about its origin or contents. He would notice that his name was elegantly written on the top of the box, further piquing his curiosity. Spike would open the box carefully, wondering what mysteries it might contain. Upon lifting the lid, he would find a small gift wrapped in bright red paper inside the box. Inside the shiny red paper, Spike would find a small wooden figurine of a dragon, meticulously carved and beautifully decorated. The figurine emanated a warmth and a strange familiarity, and Spike would find himself admiring the craftsmanship and beauty of the gift in awe. "What could this mean?" Spike would wonder to himself, examining the figurine with curiosity. Although he wasn't sure who could have left the gift, he felt a strange connection to the little dragon figurine, as if it held a special meaning that he didn't fully understand yet. "Wow, Spike! Do you already have a girl drooling over you?" Snips would say, appearing out of nowhere and slinging his arm around Spike's neck, catching the attention of some other students. "Darn brother! The only Valentine's gift I've received all day is from my mom," Button Mash would say, observing that dragon with a smile, giving Spike a nudge on the arm. "I see you're a player both on and off the field!" Rumble would say, appearing and piling on top of Spike along with the other guys, leaving Spike very confused. "Huh? What the heck is Valentine's Day?" Spike would say trying to get his friends to stop piling on him. "Is it some kind of celebration or something?" His friends would exchange incredulous looks before bursting into laughter, surprised by Spike's apparent lack of knowledge about Valentine's Day. "Don't tell me you don't know what Valentine's Day is!" Button Mash would exclaim, amidst laughter, while giving Spike a friendly punch on the arm. "It's the day of love, dude!" Snips would add, still laughing as he relaxed next to Spike. "Exactly! It's when you exchange gifts and show appreciation for your loved ones," Tender Taps would explain, smiling as he sat up with the other guys. The laughter of his friends filled the classroom as Spike tried to absorb the new information about Valentine's Day. Although he felt a little embarrassed by his lack of knowledge about the celebration, he also enjoyed the jokes and camaraderie of his classmates. "Mmmm... Interesting," Spike would murmur, continuing to examine the dragon figurine in his hands. Although the gift remained a mystery, the connection he felt with the figurine intensified with each passing moment. "I guess this is another Valentine's Day gift, huh?" Spike would ask, lifting the dragon figurine so his friends could see it better. "Exactly!" Snips would confirm, still laughing. "Looks like you have a secret admirer, Spike. Hope you know how to handle all that attention!" "Wait..." Rumble would say, putting his hand on Spike's desk, making everyone stop laughing as they looked at the serious-looking guy. "Did you say "another" gift?" Spike paused for a moment, realizing he had inadvertently revealed something he didn't expect. The serious looks from his friends made him feel a bit uncomfortable, but he decided to be honest with them. "Well, yeah..." Spike began, searching for the right words to explain. "I got a letter this morning, also from an unknown sender. It's... similar to this gift, in the sense that it also made me feel appreciated." The faces of his friends filled with surprise at Spike's revelation. They exchanged looks among themselves, clearly intrigued by this new information. "A letter too?" Button Mash asked, squinting as he processed the news. "Wow, Spike, that's doubly mysterious!" Snips exclaimed, with a raised eyebrow. "Looks like you have two secret admirers." The idea of having two secret admirers made Spike blush slightly, feeling both flattered and bewildered by the situation. The unexpected attention from these mysterious individuals was puzzling, but it also sparked his curiosity and a sense of excitement. "Two secret admirers, huh?" Spike murmured, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the idea. "It's... interesting." "Double luck for you, bro!" Rumble exclaimed, giving Spike a friendly shoulder punch with a smile. "Do you have any idea who they could be?" Tender Taps asked, with a pensive expression on his face. Spike shook his head, feeling frustrated by his lack of clues about the identity of his secret admirers. "No idea. The letters and gifts are completely anonymous," he replied, with a resigned sigh. "How exciting!" Snails said, his eyes shining with excitement. "It's like a romantic movie come to life." Button Mash nodded, sharing his friend's enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's like a detective mystery. Let's solve this, guys!" Spike smiled, grateful for the support and camaraderie of his friends. Although the situation was puzzling, it was also exciting and made him feel special. With his friends' help, he was determined to uncover the identity of his secret admirers and thank them for the kind gestures they had made. "Thanks, guys," Spike said, with a smile. "I couldn't do it without you." "Hey guys! What are you talking about?" Applebloom would say, approaching the group while placing her backpack on the seat next to Spike, sitting down calmly. "We were talking about the mysterious Valentine's gifts that our champion here has been receiving," explained Button Mash as he messed up Spike's hair with a smile. Applebloom would stay silent for several seconds before saying with a forced smile, "Gifts?... Like...plural?" Spike nodded, noticing Applebloom's surprised expression. "Yes, it seems I've received more than one gift and a letter from a secret admirer," replied Spike, trying to hide his own surprise at the situation. "It's true!" added Snips, excitedly. "Spike has not one, but two secret admirers!" "Hmm, well, between a gift and a simple letter, it's clear which one put more effort into it," Applebloom would say, crossing her arms and looking away, confusing the group. Applebloom's statement took the group by surprise, leaving them in an awkward silence for a moment as they processed her words. It seemed that the idea of Spike having more than one secret admirer was a new unexpected twist in the mystery. "I guess so..." replied Spike, feeling a bit uncomfortable with Applebloom's comment. "But, what do you mean by 'it's clear who put more effort into it'?" Applebloom smiled enigmatically, enjoying the effect her words had on the group. "Well, it seems someone has been paying close attention to our friend Spike's actions," said Applebloom, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. Spike's friends exchanged confused looks, trying to understand the meaning behind Applebloom's words. It seemed there was something more behind her comments, but they couldn't quite grasp what it was. "What do you mean by that, Applebloom?" asked Rumble, with evident curiosity in his voice. Applebloom shrugged, maintaining her mysterious smile. "Figure it out for yourselves," she replied, before getting up from her seat and heading towards another seat to talk to one of her friends. The group watched Applebloom walk away, still puzzled by her enigmatic words. It seemed that the mystery of Spike's secret admirers was becoming increasingly intriguing and complicated with each new revelation. "What do you think she meant by that?" asked Button Mash, frowning as he watched Applebloom chat with her friend. "No idea," replied Snips, shaking his head incredulously. "It seems there are more secrets here than we thought." Spike nodded, feeling the intrigue growing inside him. It seemed that each new development in this mystery only made it more complex and difficult to understand. "I think we should talk to Applebloom later and try to figure out what she meant by that," suggested Tender Taps, with a determined look on his face. "Hey guys, I think she was just-" Snails's comment would be silenced by Snips's hand covering his mouth. "Snails... Not the time, we're trying to figure out who Spike's admirers are," Snips would say, making Snails gulp nervously and nod slowly. The day passed slowly, with Spike and his friends continuing their classes while keeping their minds busy with the mystery of the secret admirers. Despite their efforts to find additional clues or decipher the riddles posed by Applebloom, it seemed that the mystery only grew deeper and more complicated with each new development. The only exception was lunchtime, where Spike would be standing in line with his tray to receive his food, encountering Granny Smith distributing lunch. "Good morning, Spike!" The woman would say as she handed Spike his food, also pulling out a letter from behind her. "You must be quite the charmer, a very pretty girl came and asked me to give you this!" Spike took the letter with curiosity, feeling his heart beat a little faster. It seemed that the mystery of his secret admirers was not going to be solved so easily. "Thank you, Granny Smith," Spike replied with a smile, putting the letter in his backpack along with the other gifts and letters he had received. Granny Smith winked knowingly before returning to her task of distributing food to the students waiting in line. Spike walked away from the lunch line, feeling the intrigue growing inside him as he wondered what the new letter might contain. He sat at the table with the Cutie Mark Crusaders to open the letter and start reading it while eating his food, ignoring the confused looks the three girls gave him. The letter was handwritten, with elegant and delicate calligraphy that reflected careful attention and meticulousness. Spike opened the envelope carefully and took out the paper, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness as he began to read the message. "Dear Spike, I hope this little gift finds you well. I wanted to express my admiration for you and the way you've always been so kind and considerate to everyone around you. Your kindness and gentleness do not go unnoticed, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you. You don't need to know who I am for my gesture to have meaning. What's important is the feeling behind the gift: a sincere acknowledgment of your wonderful personality and generous heart. Keep being the amazing person you are, Spike. You are special, and you deserve all the love and happiness in the world. With affection, Your secret admirer" Spike finished reading the letter with his heart pounding in his chest. The sweetness and affection behind the words filled him with warmth and gratitude. Although he still didn't know who his secret admirer was, the letter reminded him how lucky he was to have people in his life who appreciated and valued his kindness and gentleness. "What does the letter say, Spike?" Sweetie Belle asked, curiosity evident in her voice. Spike smiled, putting the letter in his backpack before responding. "It's from my secret admirer," he said, with an enigmatic smile. "It seems the mystery remains unsolved, but at least I know there's someone out there who appreciates who I am." The Cutie Mark Crusaders exchanged looks, clearly intrigued by the situation. "It's so romantic!" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, her eyes shining with excitement. "It's definitely an exciting mystery," added Scootaloo, with a smile. Spike nodded, grateful for the support and curiosity of his friends. Although the mystery of his secret admirer had not yet been solved, he was determined to uncover the truth and thank the mysterious person for their kindness and appreciation. The day continued with Spike and his friends sharing speculations and theories about the identity of the secret admirer as they enjoyed the rest of their classes and activities. As the day drew to a close, Spike found himself eager to discover more clues that would bring him closer to solving the mystery. After classes, Spike met up with his friends in the soccer team locker room, ready for practice, where they continued discussing the day's events and the surrounding mystery. Although each had their own theories and suspicions, it seemed they were as puzzled as ever. "What do you think we should do now?" Spike asked, looking at his friends with determination on his face. "We could try analyzing the letters and gifts to see if we find any hidden clues," suggested Tender Taps, with a thoughtful look on his face. "Good idea!" exclaimed Rumble, nodding excitedly. "We could look for watermarks or distinctive seals that might give us a clue about who could be the secret admirer." "...Rumble, we're kids," Button Mash would say, watching Rumble with a teasing smile, crossing his arms. Rumble would pause for a moment, reflecting on his suggestion before smiling and nodding, acknowledging the reality of the situation. "You're right, Button Mash," Rumble admitted, laughing a bit at his excessive enthusiasm. "I guess we're a bit out of our league here." "Hey Spike! Is this for you!?" They would hear Snails say from the benches in the locker room, making the group go to see what was there. Upon arrival, they would see a soccer uniform almost identical to theirs but black with green and purple lines, with Spike's name embroidered on the back in green and a perfect 10 also embroidered in green, surrounding the school emblem would be a purple dragon spitting green fire, it was a completely personalized uniform for the boy, next to this, there would be a large bouquet of red roses. The group stopped in front of the personalized soccer uniform and the bouquet of red roses, surprised by the unexpected gesture. Spike approached cautiously, examining the uniform with awe and admiration. It was evident that a lot of time and effort had been put into creating such a personalized and meaningful gift. "Wow! This is amazing!" exclaimed Spike, unable to contain his excitement as he admired the uniform and the roses. "Who could have done this?" Button Mash wondered, looking around for clues. Spike checked the uniform for any indication of the sender's identity, finding a small letter that he would open to read. "Hey Spike! This is Gabby, I asked one of your friends to leave this in your locker for you to find, I hope you like this uniform, and my older sister said the roses would be a good gift, I hope to be able to send you more things, but it's a way of thanking you for all the advice and words you've given me during our friendship, thanks for being the best friend of all! Sincerely: G, the best striker from Gryffonstone" "Gabby..." Spike would murmur, his face blushing all over. "...THREE ADMIRERS!" Rumble would say, making everyone remain silent for several seconds, before starting to celebrate for Spike as if they were animals, grabbing the boy and shaking him while cheering excitedly. "ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LEAVE THERE RIGHT NOW WILL DO 500 PUSHUPS RIGHT NOW!" Spitfire's voice would silence them all, making them quickly run away from the place, except for Spike, who would quickly go to put on his new personalized uniform, coming out a few minutes later. With a radiant smile on his face. As he headed to the soccer field, Spike felt overwhelmed by the excitement and gratitude towards Gabby for the incredible gift she had sent him. It was evident that their friendship meant a lot to her, and Spike was committed to continuing to be a good friend and support for her in the future. "Drake... That uniform doesn't look bad at all," Spitfire would say with a somewhat proud smile for the boy, ignoring the previous order to do the push-ups. Spike smiled proudly at Spitfire's praise, grateful for his coach's support. With the personalized uniform on and the red roses in hand, he felt more confident and determined than ever to face the next training session. "Thanks, Coach Spitfire," Spike replied, with a grateful smile. "Gabby did this for me. It's amazing, isn't it?". Spitfire nodded in approval, impressed by Gabby's gesture and the magnificent personalized uniform. "It's definitely amazing," Spitfire agreed, with a smile. "It seems you have some very special people in your life, Drake." Spike nodded, feeling grateful for the support and friendship he had received from Gabby and his other friends. It was comforting to know that he had people in his life who appreciated and valued him, and he was determined to return that love and support in the best way possible. "Let's give our best in today's training!" exclaimed Spike, with determination in his voice. Spitfire smiled, impressed by Spike's determination and enthusiasm. "That's the spirit, Drake," Spitfire responded, putting on her sunglasses and grabbing Spike's roses to take care of them during training. "NOW GO DO 50 LAPS FOR MAKING YOUR TEAM WAIT!" "AAH!" Quickly Spike would run in the direction where everyone else was running, starting the training with his team. After a few hours of training, Spike would leave the school with a yawn, all his gifts carefully packed in a bag, his uniform in another, and the roses in his hands, before out of nowhere he would feel someone covering his eyes with a blindfold. "Surprise!" He would hear Scootaloo's voice as they pushed him to guide him down the stairs. "Eh!? What's going on!?" Spike would say, holding his gifts firmly. "We were asked to help you go to the girl you'll be staying with this week, it's a surprise!" Sweetie Belle would say as they helped Spike into a car, closing the door and leaving before Spike could say anything. "What the heck was that? Did you ask for this Pinkie?" Spike would say as he took off the blindfold assuming Pinkie had requested something so silly, but as he turned around he would raise an eyebrow surprised. "Sunset?" "Surprise!" Sunset would say with a somewhat embarrassed smile, regretting a little everything she had asked for. "Sunset, what are you doing here?" Spike asked, still processing the situation. "Well... Remember that the girls and I were going to talk to allow you to stay with me for a week like with the others? Well... We convinced them!"