//------------------------------// // Evocation by Fuzzyfurvert // Story: Magic of Love: A Twidance Prompt Collab // by ArguingPizza //------------------------------// by Fuzzyfurvert My Little Dynamite: Book One Part 1 ~~~ “Spike, are you sure this is the right platform?” Spike held the note that they had received earlier and re-read it before craning his head back to look at the sign above the arch that lead back to the station. “Um...looks like it. The note says we’re to meet the Princess here on platform seven when she arrives on the 4:15. And according to the hourglass on the wall there, it should be pulling up in just a few minutes.” Spike folded the note and tucked it gingerly into one of the bags at his side and grinned at his boss. “Relax, Twilight! We’re just going to be looking after an Equestrian Princess. It’s not like we don’t have relevant experience with that sorta thing.” Twilight scoffed. “Of course not. But Princess Mi Amore Cadenza is an old friend of mine and I haven’t seen her in years. She’s been off abroad, touring the nations of our allies and doing Celestia knows what!” “Oh I’m sure it couldn’t be that bad, Twilight.” “No, Spike, I’m serious. Celestia knows what she’s been up to, but it’s a state secret. I may be Princess Celestia’s top marked battle mage, but she doesn’t share everything with me.” Twilight frowned. “Besides, I’ve been assigned as Princess Cadance’s personal guard and escort for the foreseeable future by royal decree. You don’t assign a battle mage to that sort of detail unless you expect magical trouble and a lot of it.” Spike raised his head, looking out into the blue sky, the frills along his spine and jaw flexing a moment before a rift opened and the huge State Class airship, Excelsior, slipped into Canterlot air space and began it’s short approach to the tower platform. The zeppelin's enveloped blocked the sun as it started to pull close and they could hear the shouts of airponies as lines were secured and ballast adjusted. The deck of the carriage house it carried began to fill with ponies and dogs that were ready to disembark, their throats adding to the sounds that made up the song of the airways. Twilight shifted the position of the strap on her shoulder with her spellbook and staff on it, and tugged her long cloak tighter about herself. She couldn’t hide the fact that she was a noble born mage, but she could downplay her royal commission. Battle mages tended to be treated like a bomb about to go off by the general public. Which, all things considered, wasn’t an entirely undeserved reputation. “Do you see her?” Twilight lifted herself up on her tiphooves and scanned the faces of the amassed ponies as the Excelsior made it’s final maneuver before docking. “I don’t see her. You don’t think she died her mane, do you?” Spike chuckled and remained seated. The public reacted poorly enough to battle mages without adding in a wall of scales and wings and green fire. “If she did, I’d still smell her, Twilight. Princess Celestia gave me a few of Princess Cadance’s things to huff before we left.” His nostrils flared as the wind changed slightly and the zeppelin rocked slightly as it’s bridge was lowered and connected to the tower platform. “She’s in there. Just hold tight.” Ponies and diamond dogs of all colors and stations passed before them as the Excelsior was unloaded. Folks from the farthest flung corners of the Equestrian Alliance passed in a cacophonous parade of every language and smell imaginable. They gave Twilight Sparkle - or most likely Spike - a wide margin as they entered the tower and descended towards the customs and commons area where they would find food and a place to rest from their travel while waiting on the next departure or moving into Canterlot proper. As the throng started to thin, Spike turned his head as his strong senses picked up on a familiar scent. A tall pony in a heavy cloak of it’s own approached them slowly, a small suitcase floating besides it. The taller pony stopped a few yards away from the two and took a moment to throw the hood of the cloak back dramatically. “Twily!” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza smiled, her eyes lit with happiness. “I was told to expect a guard, but you and Spike? This is awesome!” Cadance laughed as she rushed forward and scooped up a startled Twilight in her wings and magic grip and pulled her into a tight hug. “I haven’t seen you in forever, Twily!” “I-I’m um...happy to see you too, Princess.” Twilight gasped as she was lifted and spun around by her charge. “I am on duty, Princess Cadance. I’m here to protect you.” Cadance giggled and let Twilight down to stand on her own hooves but kept her wings draped over the smaller unicorn’s back. “I feel safer already, my hero.” Cadance smiled as Twilight blushed and then looked at Spike as the drake rose on all fours to loom above them. “I am, of course, happy to see you too, Spike. You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you.” “It has been a while, Princess. Whenever you and the battle mage are ready, we do have clearance to fly back to the castle. The Royal Sisters are expecting us.” “Battle mage?” Cadance looked back at Twilight, who was somehow blushing harder than before. “I can’t believe it! You actually kept your promise to me and became a battle mage!” The Princess grinned and then leaned in closer to Twilight. “I suppose that means I have to keep my end, huh?” Twilight Sparkle, the one they called Sun’s Wrath and Moon’s Missile, started to shake her head when Cadance closed the remaining distance and placed the softest kiss she could ever remember experiencing on her lips. “I’m happy to be home and in good hooves, my little dynamite.”