Spike scurries downstairs, increasingly drawn by the tantalizing aroma of Applejack's cooking. Dragon or pony, it didn't matter; The apple family knew their treats, and they'd be delicious one way or another. Spike flares his wings out to his sides to help balance himself as he trots down the stairs, then turns the corner at the bottom and leads the way towards the kitchen. Twilight's lessons earlier that day had helped alot, and now he feels fairly confident in his ability to move around in his new body.
Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Starlight were all sitting around the dining room, lazing about- with exception to Starlight, who was glancing around nervously as she tries to stay on her best behavior. Spike can hear Pinkie Pie and Applejack in the kitchen. They are still cooking, whatever it is; All Spike can tell definitively from the scent is that apples and cinnamon are involved.
Twilight trots into the dining room after Spike, looking around, shrugging. "Well, I wasn't planning on having a dinner party tonight, but I can think of worse ways to spend an evening." She announces, trotting over to her usual spot. It doesn't take long after Spike sits down by Twilight, for Applejack and Pinkie Pie to emerge from the kitchen, carrying their latest concoctions, AJ looking a mite proud.
"Ah thought since Spike usually cooks around 'ere and he's otherwise indisposed, ah'd give y'all a taste of some apple family cooking." Applejack announces, dishing out plates of apple strudel and mugs of apple cider to all present. Rainbow Dash's eyes light up as the pegasus licks her chops, barely containing herself from ripping the mug straight out of Applejack's hands and downing it immediately.
"Do you ever get tired of eating exclusively apples and apple-related dishes?" Spike asks, pointedly, and Applejack just stares at him like he'd just asked if hay belonged in a barn.
"How would ah get tired of apples? That's like getting tired of breathing." Applejack states, and Spike just snickers in response.
"Yeah! If I could drink this every day of my life, I wouldn't hesitate one second!" Rainbow Dash agrees, in between slurps of deliciously fresh apple cider.
Applejack shrugs. "Besides. It's not like ah only eat apples. Ah've had Pinkie's cooking plenty 'o times too. And everypony has had their fair share of hay."
Spike ponders that last statement. It was one of the few pony foods that were entirely inedible to dragons, so whenever his friends had eaten hayburgers or other hay dishes, he'd had to find something else. But the hayburger he'd had for lunch had been fairly appetizing. But regardless of what his digestive system might look like now, he is sure that the food in front of him looks quite delectable, and finally stuffs his face with it.
"Hey! Spike!" Pinkie waves from the other side of the table. "Show us some crazy Alicorn magic! I wanna see what you can do!"
Spike glances at Twilight uncertainly, as if looking for permission, and Twilight places her hoof on his. "Go on, show them what you can do." Twilight says, encouragingly. "You've managed to get a handle on it exceptionally quickly. Don't worry, I'll be right here ready to make sure nothing goes wrong." Twilight states, tapping on her horn.
Spike nods, and stands up, clearing his throat. "Attention everypony! Spike the brave and glorious shall now perform for your amazement!" Gulping nervously, Spike flares his wings out and settles into a ready stance, focusing. His horn ignites with green flame, climbing up to the point where it forms a small green fireball. Narrowing his eyes and focusing, Spike wills the flame to leave his horn, and it slowly drifts up through the air before stopping above the table.
"Well, ah'll be. I ain't never seen magic like that before." Applejack states, removing her hat and holding it to her chest. "Twilight, that's unusual, right?" Applejack glances at Twilight to make sure.
Twilight nods, standing up. "Yes. It seems like somehow Spike's draconic essence combined with alicorn magic has given him novel abilities never seen before, at least not that I've ever heard of. He's repeatedly demonstrated an ability to control dragonfire with magic, something conventionally considered impossible." Twilight starts prancing from hoof to hoof excitedly. "Oooh, how I long to study it!"
Rainbow dash swoops down in front of spike, appraising the draconic alicorn. "I gotta say, That is pretty cool."
Spike glows at the praise. "You really think so?" But before there is an answer, there's a loud pop sound, and the fireball behind Rainbow Dash bursts out of control, exploding in midair before Twilight quickly catches it in a shield spell.
"Whew!" Twilight wipes her forehead with her hoof, before looking over at Spike. "You have to be careful not to lose concentration while your magic is still active, Spike. If you aren't sure you can focus on a spell its best to let it stop before you focus on something else. Otherwise, it can run out of control." Twilight chides gently.
Spike looks down, embarrassed. "Ehm, sorry, Twi."
Twilight wraps a reassuring wing around him, shaking her head. "No need to be sorry, you're doing great! I'm just giving you some tips. And remember, I'm always here to make sure you're safe." Spike looks up at Twilight gratefully, and the two share a brief, affectionate nuzzle. Spike's still getting used to how that felt, Touching the soft fur of another pony felt so much different now, without his whole body covered in scales.
The moment between the two is interrupted by Rainbow Dash lifting Spike's wings and studying them. They are scaly on the underside yet feathery on the top, and Rainbow has no clue how that would affect their aerodynamics. "So, how about these bad boys? You tried them out yet?" Rainbow asks, glancing back at Spike's face quizzically. "You know I'm always happy to have another flying partner."
Spike shakes his head. "I've barely learned to walk, you really think I already know how to fly?" Spike deadpans. "No, so far these are just for show." Spike retracts the wings.
Rainbow steps back and flips their mane. "Well, if ya like, I could try and teach you how to use them. You know, show you some tricks."
"Ah think the poor fella 'as enough on his plate as it is, Dash." Applejack calls out from across the table.
Rainbow Dash rolls her eyes as she hops back into her seat and gets back to eating. "Oh, whatever, I'm just offering."
it isn't much longer before everypony present had licked their plates clean. Clapping his hooves together, Spike licks his chops. it did taste somewhat different than he was used to, but the apple strudel was still quite delicious in its own way. But he wasn't done yet. "Alright! Whose up for desert?" Spike clamors.
Applejack raises a brow. "Wut? You're still hungry? Apple family cooking not enough for you?" She asks, almost a tad suspicious.
Spike shakes his head. "It's not that- though, I haven't eaten much today. But more importantly, I've got a treat I've been holding off on eating all day cause Twi said so." Spike affirms, before looking over at Twilight. "It's been a while since I ate that gem, can I go have more now?" He pleads, with big, round eyes.
Twilight frowns, raising one hoof. If he was really still hungry for it, that did mean it was probably fine... And he hadn't shown any signs of gastric distress. "I... Guess, you can have a bit more. But be careful and don't eat your fill. I'm still worried about you." Twilight states.
Spike wilts on the spot. Knowing he was making Twilight worry makes it hard to actually enjoy the treat. "You know, it makes it hard to enjoy when you say it like that." Spike complains ruefully.
Twilight frowns. "...Sorry. I just don't want to see you get hurt. You know that, right?" Twilight offers.
Spike nods and pushes her shoulder playfully. "Of course I do, you big dork. But..." Spike jumps up to his feet and runs off, before coming back a moment later with one of the jewels. "If I'm not having any, I wanna at least know how it tastes to you. I don't think I've ever seen a pony actually taste a gemstone before." Spike suggests.
Twilight recoils. "What? Its a rock, of course we can't eat it!"
Spike arches his brow. "Have you seen the pie family?" He snarks, before continuing. "Besides, its not like I'm asking you to eat it, just... taste it. I'm curious."
Twilight pauses. Somehow... The diamond does look tasty. Hesitantly, she reaches out for it and tests it with her teeth, not biting down but just nibbling like one would if trying to ascertain the legitimacy of a golden coin. Then, she pops the faceted jewel back and contemplates the flavor. She had expected a dull earthy flavor, but instead got a completely alien assortment of flavors she could only describe as if the sensation of being electrocuted was a taste; a potent zing, almost tangy in a way. Somehow, it wasn't at all unpleasant.
Spitting out the gem once she was done, Twilight turns to appraise Spike again with newfound interest. "It's surprisingly tasty." She is forced to admit. "Its a shame ponies cant eat them. Though, I guess that means there's more for you, doesn't it?" She contemplates, scratching her chin with her hoof.
"You know it." Spike eyes the delectable assortment of gems in front of him and sighs wistfully. "Rest well, my pretties, cause I'll be back for you once Twi here stops being such a worrywort."
"WAIT!" The duo's conversation is broken off by Pinkie staring at them wide eyed. "I wanna try! I've never had that kind of rock before!" Pinkie announces, trotting over at breakneck speeds and chomping down on the jewel with enough force that Twilight winces in imagined pain, though Pinkie seems unnaffected.
Pinkie munches for a moment, contemplating the flavor before swallowing, but then just shrugs. "I don't see what the big deal is. Tastes like any rock I've ever had." She remarks, confused. "I think I'll stick to sweets." Twilight gives a confused look to Spike, who just shrugs.
Meanwhile, everypony else is finishing up, Rainbow Dash gulping down the last of the cider that AJ had brought. Applejack is the first to get up on her hooves, and nod her head at the castles occupants.
"Well, Ah'm mighty glad t'see that you're taking to your new body like a sheepdog to pasturing, Spike. Ah think for now, we should probably leave you to it, ah'm sure you need the rest and that Twilight wants to get back to studying." Applejack states, putting her habitual hat back on her head as she prepares to leave.
"But make sure to tell us if anything else CRAZY happens!" Pinkie Pie chimes in. "Like if one of you turns into a shark! Or a shark-unicorn! A sharkicorn!" Pinkie exclaims, eliciting a giggle of amusement from Twilight.
"I don't think I'm going to have to worry about that..." Twilight remarks wryly. "But thank you all for coming over. It was great to see you all."
Rainbow Dash quickly hovers up to look over her friends back at Spike while leaving to leave one last remark. "And remember, if you need help figuring out how to use those new limbs of yours, I'm always down to help a new flying buddy find their wings." Spinning in place, they dart off, leading the pack of departing guests.
Spike and Twilight wave as their visitors leave, once again leaving the dining room to just Starlight, Spike, and Twilight, the sun nearing the horizon. Starlight breathes a sigh of relief, and collapses down to the floor.
"I hope they can warn me next time... I felt like i was going to explode the whole time they were here." Starlight complains, while Twilight looks at her, confused.
"Huh? Why's that?" Twilight asks, causing Starlight to look up at her incredulously.
"Did you not see Rainbow Dash? She was shooting daggers at me the whole time." Starlight shudders. "Even though I told the truth, she still thought I was plotting something, I could just feel it. I didn't wanna say anything the whole time for fear I'd say something wrong and make things worse."
"Well, you did almost end the world like... half a dozen times over." Spike remarks, dryly.
Starlight shoots a dirty look his way and shakes her head. "Gee, thanks for reminding me." Starlight grumbles. "Well, whatever, it's been a long day. I'm heading to bed." She announces before trotting out of the dining room.