//------------------------------//
// Absolutely Anonymous 
// Story: Tales of Interest! 
// by Pascoite 
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Spike huddled at a desk in the corner of the library, hunching his shoulders up to shield his scroll from as much of the room as possible. A steady stream of subdued giggles floated away as he looped his quill across the page in his neat, flowing script. His teeth clenched in a giddy smile, he glanced up occasionally to survey the room and make sure nopony would intrude upon his solitude.

The gallant and youthful dragon smote the last of the marauding changelings, swishing his rapier through the air with a flourish. “Thou hast saved us all from certain demise, hero! Whatever thou desirest for a reward, thou hast but to name it,” quoth the grateful Princess.

“A mere touch of thy lips would prove ample remuneration, my liege,” the dragon said, drawing his arm across his body in a sweeping bow.

She raised his chin with a hoof and pressed her muzzle to him, perhaps a little longer than protocol might dictate. “Methinks ’twill not be the last such reward,” Celestia said, a sly smile playing across her features.

“Heh. That one is so money,” Spike said as he rolled the scroll up and added it to the growing pile. He picked the last blue spinel from the dish of gems beside him and popped it in his mouth, his eyes watering as he shuddered. “Whoa! Those’ll clear out your sinuses!”

Sliding a form out from under his scrolls, he said, “Let’s see. Ponyville Bad Fiction Contest. Four-hundred-word limit, check. Up to six entries, check. Heh. I’ve got this sewn up. Nopony writes a bad Celestia romance like I can.” Wringing his claws, he gave an evil little laugh.

“These babies go out first thing in the morning,” he said, slapping an address label on a small box. “Ooh,” he added as he pounded a claw against his chest and hiccupped, “those spinels aren’t sitting quite right.”

He resumed his seat to make a final editing pass, his head slowly dipping as the minutes dragged on.


Spike awoke the next morning with a burning sensation in his throat. He rubbed his eyes, which shot wide open when he saw the nearly empty desktop covered with scorch marks. One more bolt of flame erupted as he hiccupped, sending the final scroll off toward Canterlot. Seconds later, a resonant yell roused Twilight from a sound sleep.