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// The excitement of watching clouds 
// Story: Short stories about ponies and whatnot 
// by shutaro 
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	Spike had gotten his wish: The girls were on some epic adventure, and he had to stay behind to housesit the library. The best sleep he had had in weeks. But there was a good side to this too! Without Twilight to mess up his day he had completed his list of chores my lunchtime. To celebrate he went to the Sugar Cube Corner and ordered a Pepper-Ruby-Cupcake, extra spicy. The rest of the fine early summer day was wasted away with comic books and unhealthy amounts of ice cream.

Day two started an hour late, the magic in Twilight’s alarm clock had run out. But it only delayed him so much, and when the afternoon rolled around on Scootaloo’s roller with the Crusaders on a quest for a book about jousting Twilight’s list of chores for him was complete for three days in advance. The fillies got the book after showing a slip of paper signed by Big McIntosh. A safety precaution the major had insisted on after Ponyville had become Equestria’s main airship- and hot-air balloon-hub for a very exciting afternoon, courtesy of the CMC and a small book about signal flags.

The third day of free house showed without a doubt that Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were not in town. Spike had settled down with his comics on the upper balcony, but he realized all too soon that he had read them already. Every single one of them. Twice. He didn’t feel like spending the day inside, so he just rolled on his back and watched the sky. Not a single cloud marred the deep cerulean, whoever covered for Rainbow Dash had a lot better work ethics than her. Thinking about Rainbow Dash brought him to wonder what the girls were up to now. They had left so suddenly, Rarity had hardly found time to collect her curlers and special mane lotions.
The sky was totally empty. Spike had watched for about ten minutes now and neither birds nor pegasus ponies had showed a single feather. Maybe if he waited a bit longer?
Had it not been for the murmur of ponies that drifted up from the marketplace Spike might have just as well been in some clearing in the Everfree Forest. Just the rustle of the leaves, no animals, no birds, just the wind in the ancient trees.
Scratch that! There, high up in the endless blue traveled a messenger. Far too distant for even Spikes sharp eyes to recognize the color of coat or mane, he wasn’t even sure if it was a pony or a griffin. And yet his eyes stayed on the tiny dot in the sky until it disappeared into the sun. He tried to find it again but couldn’t. That had been quite a distraction for a few minutes. Spike's only connection to civilisation told him that he had spend another hour here: The clocktower rang ten times. So much time and so little motivation to start anything.
For a moment he considered to consult his personal to-do list, but getting up felt like a chore and so he just touched his nose with his tongue, even playing bongos on his belly was too much now. He was quite sure there was a third item on his list... Ah, why bother? 
For another hour the little dragon weighed his options: A bubble bath? Or more ice cream? But past-Spike had already eaten most of his share for this week on the first day. Thanks a lot, you’re a real backstabber. Unconsciously he rolled onto his belly and examined the texture of the wood. Not very exciting. He rolled on his back again.

Spike blew a bit of fire, just for fun, but as the minutes ticked by he did not actually feel that somehow the world dropped a bit of gray gauze on him. He did not sleep, contrary to many images dragons could not breath fire in their sleep and he had played with his green flame the whole time. He had even heard the clocktower’s bell, but somehow he had not registered the passage of time. Suddenly the sun had rushed over the sky and a few clouds had jumped from some hiding place right into the blue. Maybe the weather pony stand-in was not as diligent as Spike had assumed. Or maybe there was a bit of overcast scheduled for the afternoon. He would have to check ... Nawww, it was still warm enough and the sun on his belly was a real blessing. For a bit of time he pondered if Gummy would enjoy this, too. Oh yes, he would. But wild horses would not get Spike to leave his spot. Well, maybe one furious purple winged unicorn would get the job done, but she was far away and the thought disappeared back into the haze it had come from. Spike payed close attention as the sun and the clouds raced over the sky, he even tried to find pictures or objects in the form of the clouds. But they just looked like clouds. Maybe cotton candy. But that was only when the sun dipped low and painted the whole sky in pink and orange.

Finally a bit of his sluggishness lifted, he got up and scratched his back. Where had the day gone? He blew his green flame on his comics, walked down the stairs and belched them back onto the table. A short note from Princess Celestia followed and asked that he paid better attention to his flame, getting plastered in “Daring Do” and “Supermare” during an official reception for the returning heroes was not a laughing matter.
A few minutes later second note signed by Luna, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash told him that they thought it was. And they would bring him some of the cake from the party tomorrow.

The small dragon grinned. “Great, tomorrow the rut and routine will return. Better enjoy my last night of good sleep before Pinkie Pie is back.”