//------------------------------//
// Crash and Clash 
// Story: Spike's Centennial 
// by CinnamonFritter 
//------------------------------//

	Pinkie nudged at Spike softly with her snout as his laughter faded.
The dragon perked and reached into the chamber once again, pulling out one of the older scrolls there. He cleared his throat, and then began to read.


My Dearest Assistant and Beloved Little Brother Spike:
We fought today. Even though we made up fairly quickly, I wanted to make sure you knew how I felt. I don’t want to see you get hurt. I know you can take a lot, as a dragon, but I don’t want to find out how much it takes to break you. I care about you deeply. I would hate to have been able to keep you from hurting, and failed. Wow… this letter got sappy quickly. I think I’ll just set this letter aside until later. See how I feel about it. Anyway. I wanted to make sure you knew I do the things I do because I care. I’m not trying to smother you, or anything like that.
Sincerely, Twilight Sparkle.


Spike took a moment to remember what the fight was even about, but soon it all came rushing back to him.

“I can’t believe you, Spike!” Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth, as the adolescent dragon in question was being tended to by Fluttershy.
“How am I supposed to learn to fly if you freak out every time I try to use my new wings?” Spike sighed, and grunted a bit as Fluttershy’s hooves pressed a joint back into place.
“Oh dear, I hope that didn’t hurt too much…” Fluttershy rubbed the area gently.
“How you’re supposed to learn to fly, is wait until you’re ready, then get -supervised- lessons from talented fliers!” Twilight stomped a hoof.
“Hey, you sayin’ I’m not a talented flier, Twi?” Rainbow Dash got in Twilight’s face. “You sayin’ Rainbow ‘Danger’ Dash, First Lieutenant of the Wonderbolts isn’t qualified to teach flying?”
Twilight pushed Dash out of her face with a careful application of magic. “You expect too much, too fast out of him! He’s just a—”
“I’m not a Baby anymore, Twilight!” Spike practically roared, sending Fluttershy skittering under a sofa.
Dash shot a dark look at Twilight, and went off to check on Fluttershy.
”You crashed really hard today. I…” Twilight sighed. “I don’t like it when you get hurt, Spike.”
“It’s not exactly a piece of cake for me either.” Spike hmmmphed, crossing his arms across his scaled chest.
“At least let me know when you’re trying to fly so I can be there to help.” Twilight sat down, looking up into Spike’s face.
The dragon rubbed over his shoulder with one claw, “Well… as long as you don’t wrap me in magic padding or anything.”
“Nothing like that. Just a 43, a 27, and perhaps an 82 if things get crazy.” Twilight smiled hopefully.
Spike chuckled, “Yeah, because 43 and 27 are never crazy when combined.”
“Spike…” Twilight moved over to him, and nuzzled at his uninjured side.
The dragon sighed, and hugged the purple unicorn close. “I know you worry, but it’s like you’re smothering me in pillows so I don’t hit any hard edges.”
“You used to like playing ‘pillow submarine’…” Twilight sighed.
Spike smirked, “Da, comrade.”
Twilight laughed despite herself, pushing at Spike with her hooves. “Your accent is still atrocious.”
“Maybe, leetle poneee. Maybe.” Spike grinned, and blocked a telekinetically thrown pillow with a claw. “Just… Try not to worry about me? I’m a big guy now.”
“Tell me about it.” Twilight rolled her eyes.
“Well, this morning I found etch-marks in the wood at the head and foot of my bed from my footclaws and headspikes, I have to duck my head going through every doorway…” Spike started to count off on fingers.
Twilight pushed him again. “Figure of speech.”
“Gosh.” Spike said melodramatically, hiding a smirk.
Fluttershy blinked, and looked to Rainbow Dash. “Do they always go this quickly from yelling to not?”
Rainbow Dash sighed. “And back again, sometimes.”
“I’ll never understand siblings.” Fluttershy muttered.

“Pillow submarine? Isn’t that from someone else’s story?” Pinkie mused a bit.
Spike looked down at her. “What?”
“Nothing.” Pinkie smirked a bit, and slipped out from under Spike’s wing. “For now, I say pace yourself. This is a good place to stop. Nice and upbeat.”
“We had a fight.” Spike raised a brow ridge at her.
Pinkie nodded. “And you made up, and said things in silly accents.”
Spike was about to ask how Pinkie knew about that part of the argument, when she winked, “You flashback pretty loudly.”
It was moments like this when Spike wondered if Pinkie ever truly changed. He half expected her to reach up, grasp a zipper pull hidden in her mane, and unzip her old pony disguise to reveal her true young bouncy self.
Pinkie walked around Spike and gently nudged his hindquarters, “C’mon, I’ve stalled long enough.”
Spike stood up, setting aside the scroll. “Stalled?”
“Yup. I was supposed to keep you company until it was ready, but I didn’t think you’d take this long. Sugarcube Corner awaits.” Pinkie nudged again.
Spike chuckled, “Sorry, Pinks.” He started to walk back out, careful not to bump into his friend.
Pinkie suddenly hugged Spike’s tail, and let out a quiet “wheeeee” as he descended the stairs.
Spike smirked. “I don’t remember offering dragon rides.”
“That’s okay, Spikey. I didn’t ask!” Pinkie Pie slipped off the tail and walked out the door into Ponyville, the sun getting low in the sky. 
Spike followed, carefully slipping through the door and locking it behind him. “So, Sugarcube Corner?”
“Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie grinned.