They had a light dinner that evening, in anticipation of Pinkie Pie's party, and the enormous amounts of food she usually provided.
Cliff was expecting an awkward walk through town, but the streets were mostly bare. News of Spike's growth must have spread though, because the few ponies they did see smiled or waved at the trio as they passed, saying things about seeing them at the party later.
“Fair warning,” Twilight said as they neared town hall, where the party was to be held. “Mayor Mare gave Pinkie permission to use some of the town budget on this. She may have gone a little overboard.”
Town hall came into view, complete with a giant neon sign that read, “Thank You, Cliff Runner For Saving Ponyville, And Congratulations On Becoming An Adult, Spike!!!” and ten foot tall statues of the two dragons made entirely out of gummy-ponies.
“Overboard and straight to the bottom of the ocean,” Spike commented.
As if to reinforce his words, fireworks began to go off over the building.
Twilight chuckled nervously. “Well, she did invite everypony in Ponyville.”
“No I didn't,” a cheerful voice behind them announced.
Cliff jumped away in surprise, but Spike and Twilight seemed perfectly at ease as they turned around to greet the pink mare.
“I invited everypony in Ponyville, and everypony in Canterlot!” Pinkie Pie grinned.
“And every draconequus as well,” the ground beneath Cliff's feet added.
He looked down to see a bizarre face staring back at him. It was almost like a pony's, except with bright red eyes, bushy eyebrows, a mismatched set of horns, and a single fang protruding from one side of its mouth.
“Discord?!” Twilight gasped. “What are you doing here?”
A serpentine body that looked like it had been sewn together from at least a dozen different creatures coiled around Cliff. Most disturbingly, its neck ended in a stump.
“Now, now, Princess.” The face on the ground smirked. “No need to lose your head.”
Pinkie laughed riotously. “Don't worry, Twilight. I asked him to help me with the party.”
“Pinkie,” Twilight rounded on her friend, “are you insane?”
Spike raised a claw. “Uh Twilight, did you seriously just ask that?”
Both the body and face disappeared, only to reappear as one in front of the alicorn. “I, for one, think it was an excellent idea.” Discord made a mock bow. “How else would poor Pinkie Pie be able to hold a party for over five thousand ponies in a building designed for four thousand?”
“Yeah!” Pinkie grinned. “Thanks to Discord here, we even had room for a dance floor, and a dance ceiling, and a private booth for the Princesses!”
“Dance ceiling?” Spike asked dubiously.
“Five thousand?” Cliff breathed. His legs felt weak.
“Princesses?” Twilight's pupils shrank to pinpricks. “The Princesses are here?”
Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes like that should have been obvious. “Well doy. How could I invite everypony in Canterlot and not include them?” A spasm went through her. “Uh-oh. Shiver, back itch, and eye twitch. We're going to need more lemon cupcakes! I'll see you three later.” She jumped into Discord's arms. “C'mon, buddy, to the kitchen!”
Discord saluted them all. “We hope you enjoy the party. Oh, and Cliff? Try not to be so stiff. What's a party without a little chaos?” He grinned wildly as they disappeared in a flash of light.
Spike shook his head. “This can't end well.”
“I'm sure it will be fine,” Twilight said with a forced smile. “I mean, the Princesses are here, so he wouldn't try anything too crazy... right?”
Cliff exchanged a look with his brother. Neither had the heart to disagree with her.
“Well, let's get inside before the reporters swarm us,” Spike said.
“Inside?” Twilight blinked. “Oh yes, inside. Things will be fine inside. Just fine.” She didn't even seem to see the small heard of ponies with cameras standing outside of the doors as they walked in.
'Fine' might have been pushing it a little. Discord had somehow altered gravity inside of town hall, allowing ponies to walk on the walls and ceiling like they were just another part of the floor. The walls were covered with long tables full of sweets, and dining tables, chairs, and benches, for anypony who wanted to take a break from the dance areas that dominated the floor and ceiling. Cliff suddenly understood what Pinkie had meant by 'dance ceiling.'
Strangely, or perhaps not, given the circumstances, the ceiling seemed to be made entirely from smooth marble, as opposed to the wood that composed the floor. A glowing disco ball floated midway between the two, sending out rays of light in every color and shade imaginable.
Music so loud that it almost had a physical presence filled the area. Cliff found its source in a machine near the dance floor. A white unicorn with a blue mane and colored glasses seemed to be operating it.
Looking more closely at the crowd, Cliff noticed that plates full of food and drinks were floating around, offering themselves to anypony that looked even slightly hungry or thirsty.
“Where are the Princesses?!” Twilight had to shout to be heard over the music.
“Celestia is up there!” Spike pointed to a booth near the stage. Gravity must have been working normally in it, because the Sun Princess was sitting right side up relative to them as she smiled out across the chaos that was Discord and Pinkie's work.
“I found Princess Luna!” Cliff added. She was on the dance floor and moving energetically to the beat. Somehow, Big Mac being with her was one of the least confusing parts of the scene.
“Come on!” Twilight motioned as she began pushing her way through the crowd.
Their path led them up one of the walls. Cliff experienced a bit of vertigo as the pull of gravity shifted, and suddenly they seemed to be on the floor, surrounded by ponies who were walking on the walls to either side. He couldn't shake the feeling that they would all come crashing down at any moment.
“What do you think would happen if we fell through a window?!” Spike wondered as he skirted around one.
“I don't know!” Twilight replied. “We'd better not risk it!”
The music suddenly cut out, replaced by something much more soft and cheerful.
Cliff breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank the stars that's over.”
“Actually, I don't think it is.” Twilight pointed to the dance floor, where the ponies were still as energetic as ever. She took a few steps back and winced before rejoining them. “Strange, the music is still playing out there but there's different music in here.”
“I think we're in the kids' area.” Spike gestured to a number of games and activities spread across the floor... or wall. Either one was probably accurate at that point. Younger ponies did make up the majority of the crowd in this part of the building.
Cliff studied the dance ceiling for a moment. “They must have different music too.” He pointed to a small orchestra near the dance area. The ponies were moving differently as well. It was a far more slow and elegant display than the crazed energy of the floor.
Spike whistled. “Pinkie really has outdone herself this time. Three different parties in the same room.”
“Possibly more,” Twilight added.
They reemerged into the deafening noise shortly afterward, winding their way slowly towards the Princess's booth. Unfortunately, some kind of force field was in place there, preventing them from getting through or even being heard.
Celestia noticed them and gestured to a set of stairs on the floor.
Twilight nodded her understanding and led the small group to the stairs, past the royal guards, and into the Sun Princess's booth. All three of them sighed in relief when gentle piano music replaced the noise of the dance floor. The booth itself had a small table filled with food and drinks, and a number of plush chairs, one of which was occupied by the Princess herself.
“It's so good to see you, Twilight,” Celestia said as she embraced her former student. “And you too, Spike and Cliff Runner.”
Both dragons bowed.
“There's no need to stand on formalities.” She lifted them both to their feet with her vast wings. “I actually came here tonight to see the three of you.”
“Really?” Spike asked.
“Of course, Spike. Though I must admit I was surprised to hear of your growth. Do you like being an adult?”
He nodded firmly. “Yes.”
“That's what matters.” She reached out to rub his cheek. “Though to me, you will always be that cute hatchling I helped raise.”
Spike blushed and patted her hoof. “Thanks, Celestia.”
“And you, Cliff Runner.” She turned to the older dragon. “All of Equestria owes you a great debt.”
“Do you mean for delivering the archive, Princess Celestia?”
“Just 'Celestia' is fine, and yes. Twilight's notes from your first night in Ponyville have already taught me more about dragons than I learned in the last thousand years. I can only imagine how much more we will learn from the records you have provided.”
Cliff smiled a little. “I'm flattered, Prin- Celestia, but the thanks should go to Egghead, the record keeper for my coven.”
“Ah yes, that reminds me. We already have a group that would be willing to go live at your coven for a few months. They will likely be ready to leave within one week, if that will be acceptable.”
“That will be perfect.” Cliff nodded. “I'll be happy to guide them there, if you need me to.”
“I will, but not in the way you are thinking.” Celestia took a sip of her drink before continuing. “I can teleport the entire expedition there, but I'll need the assistance of a being who has a firm mental image of the destination.”
Cliff nodded as he considered that. “Would it be possible to bring a few dragons back with you?”
“Of course. Has the Mayor approved your plan then?”
“No, Twilight is going to speak with her about it tomorrow.” He nodded to the purple alicorn.
Celestia smiled at her former student. “I have every confidence that you will be able to convince her. I would also love to hear all about your studies on dragons, if it's not too much trouble.”
Twilight got one of the largest smiles Cliff had ever seen. “It's no trouble at all, Celestia. I'd love to tell you everything!”
The Solar Princess must have heard Spike's quiet groan, because she looked over at the young dragon and said, “Would you like to rejoin the party, Spike? I'm sure you would have more fun out there than stuck in here.”
Spike blushed a little more. “Well, I was going to ask Rarity for a dance. If she doesn't mind, that is. I know she's still getting used to me like this, and I don't want to make her feel-”
“Spike,” Celestia gently cut through his ramblings. “I'm sure Rarity would be happy to share a dance with you.”
He took a deep breath. “Thanks.”
“Oh, and Spike?” she said as he turned to go. “I think you look very handsome as an adult.”
“T-thank you.” He grinned. Cliff could see his brother's confidence soaring as he left.
“And what would you like to do, Cliff Runner?” Celestia asked. “You are, of course, welcome to stay here with us, but I certainly won't force you to do so.”
Cliff weighed his options. Wading into a sea of strange ponies wasn't exactly a comforting thought. Then again, helping other dragons adjust to Ponyville would be much easier if he was more familiar with the ponies in it. Moreover, Twilight would probably appreciate the chance to spend some quality time with her mentor. “...I suppose I'll go mingle.”
-_-_-_-_-_-
Ponies. Were. Everywhere! Cliff could barely move without bumping into another one. Making his way through the crowd with Spike and Twilight had been simple enough, because he had had a goal. Now, however, all he could do was wander aimlessly.
Striking up a conversation was a lost cause. Most of the ponies were either dancing or busy talking with friends. Some did smile or nod as he passed, and Cliff did his best to return the gestures.
With nothing else to do, he set out to find Spike and see how things were going with Rarity. It was more difficult than he would have thought to find a single dragon in a crowd of ponies. His little brother was about the same size as an average pony, and unless he did something conspicuous, like breathe fire, it would be difficult to tell him from a purple and green stallion at a distance. He actually bumped into a few of those before realizing his mistake.
After thoroughly combing the floor, Cliff's quest led him up to the ceiling. The entire atmosphere was different up there. As opposed to the dimly lit chaos of the floor, the ceiling was bright and tranquil. Most ponies were wearing fancy clothing and moved around with an air of grace and sophistication. He guessed that most of them had come from Canterlot. The music was different as well, and in his own opinion, infinitely better. The gentle tones of string instruments washed over him like fresh rain.
A bit of purple caught his eye. There was Spike, moving gracefully with Rarity across the marble dance floor. Rarity had a nice outfit on, of course. A light blue dress and golden tiara accentuated her looks in a way that Cliff had to admit was quite beautiful.
Spike was probably using the Stillness. He radiated that kind of peacefulness and control as he moved with the unicorn mare in synch with both the music and the other dancers. Cliff wondered where his brother had learned the steps to such an intricate dance.
Shaking aside his curiosity, Cliff made his way back to the buffet on the walls. The last thing his little brother needed at the moment was a third wheel.
An apple fritter and two cups of cider later, the young dragon decided that he had had enough. He wasn't going to disturb Spike or Twilight, which left him in the noisiest part of the party, but that didn't mean that he had to listen to the infernally loud noise they called music.
He reached for the Stillness... and felt it slip away from him. Cliff frowned and tried again, and again, and again. A shiver went down his spine. I can't calm my emotions! It didn't take a genius to guess that Discord was behind this somehow.
I have to get out of here! Cliff's heart starting beating rapidly as he came to grips with two facts. First, something could set off his greed at any moment. If it did, he was worse than dead. Second, if it happened in here, dozens of lives would be lost.
Slow movement, a gentle voice, and good manners all had their place. This was not among them. Cliff ducked through the crowd as quickly as he could, pushing right through groups of ponies wherever necessary. He charged through the front door with a gasp of relief, only to find himself charging back into the party.
“Now now,” Discord's voice echoed in his ears, cutting through the music. “We can't have you leaving your own party so early. What would Pinkie Pie think?”
“What did you do to me?!” Cliff didn't even care who overheard him.
“I did tell you not to be so stiff tonight, didn't I?” The voice laughed.
“I might hurt somepony!”
“Oh I don't think so. After all, there are four alicorns in attendance. Stopping a berserk dragon would be no problem for them... if it should happen to come to that.”
At least that meant Cliff wouldn't take many lives with him, small comfort though it was. “Who's the fourth alicorn?” I may as well know the names of my executioners.
“Why Princess Cadance, of course. She just arrived from the Crystal Empire three seconds from now.”
There was a burst of magic, and a pink alicorn fell in a heap in front of Cliff. She let out a rather undignified shout of surprise, which was mostly lost in the booming music.
“Are you alright?!” Cliff knelt to help her up.
“Yes, I'm fine!” Princess Cadance took his outstretched claw. The noise didn't seem to bother her. “But who are you, and where am I?!”
Cliff bowed. As strange as it seemed, helping this new princess was a welcome distraction from his own problem. “My name is Cliff Runner, and you're in Ponyville! Discord is causing problems!”
“No I wasn't,” the voice objected. “I just thought the Princess might enjoy this wonderful party.”
Cadance's eyes narrowed. “Discord, send me back to the Crystal Empire!”
“Aw, how cold of you,” he mocked being upset. “You don't even want to say hello to Princess Twilight?”
The pink alicorn looked at Cliff. “Twilight is here?!”
He nodded without rising. “Yes, Princess!” Focus on serving her! Focus on serving her! Focus on serving her!
“Ah, I'm such a saint.” Discord's voice somehow conveyed an altruistic smile. “Enjoy your family reunion. Now I really must get back to the kitchen. The next round of cakes is nearly done.”
“Discord!” Cadance shouted, but aside from drawing a few looks of surprise, she got no response. With a sigh, the Princess turned back to Cliff. “I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself earlier!” Her horn glowed and a bubble of quiet formed around them. “I'm Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, but you can just call me Cadance. You're Spike's brother, right?”
Cliff rose from his bow. “Yes.”
“It's nice to finally meet you. Twilight told me all about your arrival in her letter.” She looked around. “Do you happen to know where she is?”
Cliff pointed to the balcony where Twilight and Celestia were talking. “Would you like me to escort you there?”
“No, but thank you.” Cadance spread her wings. “Hopefully we can talk later.”
“Be careful,” Cliff said before she could take off. “Discord did something to the gravity in here. Down is whichever wall you're closest to, and you'll have to go through those stairs to reach the balcony.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Cliff Runner.” Then she took to the air.
With that distraction out of the way, the young dragon's attention turned back to his situation. If he couldn't reign in his emotions and he couldn't leave, then he needed to keep himself from anything that might trigger greed.
The ceiling was out. It had too much wealth on display. Some of the ponies even had jewels sewn into their dresses. The walls were safer, but they had food, and gluttony was just another form of greed. That left the floor. Cliff wasn't especially fond of the music down here, but the pulsing beat did make it hard to focus on anything else.
I'm going to have such a headache in the morning... Cliff worked his way through the crowd. Assuming I live that long. He stopped directly in front of the speakers.
Noise. Lots and lots of noise. His head screamed for mercy at first, but as the minutes wore on, either the music got softer or his ears stopped working. It pulsed through his body like an earthquake, shattering every attempt at rational thought. It must have, because Cliff found himself actually enjoying the wild energy that it inspired in him. He closed his eyes and a grin spread across his face as another song started. This was surprisingly like sitting out in a storm back at Redstone. The songs started blending together, but he barely noticed.
A nudge to his side drew Cliff's attention.
Pinkie was standing there with a wide grin. She led the young dragon away from the speakers so they could talk. “Wow, Cliff, you must really like Vinyl's music to stand that close!”
“Yeah, I do!” Cliff said, much to his own surprise.
“Then why aren't you dancing?!” She giggled. “Music is always better when you dance to it!”
“I'll have to trust you! I've never danced before!”
The pink pony's eyes shot open as wide as they could go. “What?!?! You've never danced before?!” She grabbed him by the arm. “You don't know what you've been missing!”
“No Pinkie, it's fine! I'm fine!” Cliff tried to protest, but Pinkie dragged him onto the dance floor anyway.
“Now stop thinking, and just move to the jams!”
Cliff tried, awkwardly imitating her movements, but she stopped him almost immediately.
“No, you're still thinking! Don't try to dance, just let it happen!” She covered his eyes. “Nopony else is here! It's just you and the music!”
The young dragon almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here he was, a berserker just waiting to happen, and Pinkie Pie was worried about his dancing. It was the one thing he always avoided at gatherings, but if he had to choose between dancing and death... At least it's a distraction. There was only one problem, he had no clue how to dance. Maybe sparring moves will work. Just the thought made him cringe. I'm going to look like such an idiot. He swallowed. At least I'll be a living idiot.
Pinkie seemed to sense the change that came over him. She stepped back with an excited smile.
Cliff assumed a battle crouch and let his mind relax.
A strong beat.
His arms shot up.
It faded.
He changed his stance.
A rush of noise.
Cliff did a back-flip, landing in a light crouch.
Pinkie watched him with an approving grin. “Now let's party!”
He nodded. “Lead on!”
If standing before the speakers had been like sitting out in a storm, dancing, or whatever he was doing, was like becoming a part of the storm. He moved and flowed with the beat, letting it guide him. It was the very air that he breathed.
Pinkie danced beside him. He couldn't really describe the way she moved other than to say that she was like excitement given pony form. “Not bad.” She grinned at her partner. “Now let's see you do something to match this!” She flipped into a front-hoof-stand then came down into a spin before unrolling onto her hooves.
Happy to comply, Cliff spun as quickly as he could before he jumped and landed, still spinning, on the tip of his tail. The rest of his body pulled in to give him a burst of momentum. As that started to fade, he shifted forward and finished the spin on one foot. “Your move!”
Pinkie applauded wildly. “Ooh, I want to do that one!” Then she did. Upside down.
Increasingly ridiculous moves shot back and forth between the pair. Eventually they stopped taking turns altogether, and combined their efforts on maneuvers that no single dancer could manage.
The pink pony jumped at Cliff, who caught her hooves in his claws and shot her skyward. She cartwheeled all the way up and all the way back down, rolling down Cliff's back and onto the floor before coming to a rest on her hind legs and twirling back towards the dragon. Cliff rose to meet her. As soon as his claws gripped her hooves, he threw himself into her spin, and they became a sort of bizarre top for a few seconds. They might have been dancing for minutes or days; he honestly couldn't tell.
“Weeee!” Pinkie squealed in delight. “See, Cliff, didn't I tell you that music is better when you dance to it!”
The young dragon nodded, panting. When did this crowd form? he wondered, and how did I get so tired?
“Oopsie, looks like I wore you out!” Pinkie giggled. “Come one, let's get some sugar in you!” She led him through the crowd amidst shouts for an encore.
As it turned out, Discord had set up a couple of 'quiet-ish' zones along the walls so that ponies could talk without shouting. Pinkie brought her companion to one of these and waved over two floating plates of food. “Here you go, Cliffy.” She took a seat at the table she had chosen, one of the few unoccupied ones in the building.
“Thanks.” Cliff started on a slice of apple cake. “Did you and Discord make all of these?”
“Nope, Applejack, Granny Smith, and Big Mac made all the apple foods. Sugercube Corner made the rest. Princess Celestia and Mayor Mare both gave me some of their budget for this party, so I was able to pay the Apples and the Cakes a whole lot for catering.” She smiled.
“That was nice of you.” Cliff pointed to the more formal dance taking place on the wall to his left. Not wall, he reminded himself, ceiling. “Is Celestia the one who asked you to have that over there?”
Pinkie giggled. “No, silly! I did that for Spike.”
“Spike?”
“Yup, yup, yuppers.” She ate a slice of pie in one bite. “I knew Spike would want to dance with Rarity, and I knew Rarity would never be impressed by dancing like what we just did, so I got the Princesses to come. I knew if they came, a lot of important ponies from Canterlot would too, and since Spike has been learning to do formal dancing, I knew he'd be able to ask Rarity to dance up there with all of them, and then they'd be really impressed with Spike, because the Princesses came to a party dedicated to him and you, and that would make them impressed with Rarity, because she's dancing with Spike, and that way they'd both be happy.”
Cliff blinked. “That's... amazing. You actually planned all that out?”
“Of course!” She downed the rest of her plate. “This party is for you and Spike, and a little for Twilight, so I wanted to do something special to make all of you happy. I love to see my friends smile!”
If the ceiling is for Spike, and Celestia is probably for Twilight... “You mean that craziness on the floor is for me?”
“Who else? You don't like it when ponies act scared or angry around you, and what better way to calm everypony down than to let them see you grooving out on the dance floor?”
Cliff had to admit it, he had been completely wrong about her. “Thank you, Pinkie Pie. I really appreciate everything.”
“Ah, thanks Cliffy. Ooh,” she jumped onto the table and began waving, “Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, we're over here!”
Cliff followed her gaze and saw the two pegasi making their way towards them.
“Whew.” Rainbow dropped into a chair next to Cliff. “Pinkie, I gotta tell ya, this is one heck of a party.” She propped her back legs onto the table.
“It really has been a lot of fun,” Fluttershy said, taking a seat on the blue mare's other side. “Rainbow Dash and I have been on the dance floor since it started.”
“You like to dance?” Cliff asked in surprise.
“Oh yes,” Fluttershy nodded, “but normally I'm too embarrassed to do it in front of ponies I don't know.” She leaned towards him and pointed at his plate. “Are you going to eat that fritter?”
Cliff stared at her. “Uh, no, go ahead.”
“Thank you, Cliff.” She grabbed the fritter and took a bite. “Mmm, these are good.” She giggled. “I've been avoiding apples for a while now because I was afraid of growing fangs again. That seems kind of silly now that I think about it.”
“Well yeah.” Pinkie laughed. “You looked super cool with fangs. Scary, but cool!”
“Ah, that's so nice of you, Pinkie!” Fluttershy jumped across the table to hug her friend.
Rainbow leaned over and whispered in Cliff's ear, “Is it just me, or is she acting a bit weird tonight?”
He nodded. “Do you think its something to worry about?”
“Worry?” Pinkie asked, climbing back into her seat. “What are you worrying about?”
“No, it's nothing.” Rainbow chuckled nervously. “We were just talking about how much fun everypony is having.”
“That's good to hear.” Pinkie grinned. “Ooh, let me go get you all some more snacks. A party isn't a party without a whole ton of delicious, sugary treats!” No floating plates were nearby but the pink mare just shrugged and headed towards the nearest snack table.
“I'll go with you,” Fluttershy volunteered. “You'll need help carrying all those plates.”
Rainbow Dash watched the two of them walk away. “Fluttershy has been acting like that since we got here. Any idea what's going on?”
“...Maybe.” Cliff tried to suppress a sinking feeling in his chest. It didn't work, of course. Every emotion controlling technique he knew relied on the Stillness in some form or other. “Think about who helped plan this party.”
“It was Pinkie and... Discord!” She pounded the table with her hoof. “I should've known that troublemaker would do something like this!” She rose and spread her wings.
“Rainbow, wait!” Cliff grabbed her before she could take off. “Just what do you think you're doing?”
“I'm gonna go throttle him until he puts Fluttershy back to normal!”
An all-too-familiar face appeared on Cliff's plate, where the pegasus couldn't see. It winked at him before fading.
The young dragon swallowed. “M-maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea.”
“Why not?” Rainbow demanded.
He looked around to make sure nopony was listening. “Fluttershy isn't the only one he pranked tonight.”
It was a little heartwarming to see the concern in her eyes. “Oh no, what did he do to you?”
“I... I can't block out my emotions anymore.” Cliff winced. Just like that, all of his worries were back.
She frowned. “So what?”
“So,” Cliff took a deep breath, “if I start feeling greedy, then every pony in town could be in danger.” He couldn't control the surge of fear and disgust that statement caused.
“All the more reason to make him fix this!”
“How?” he demanded. “One snap of his fingers and I turn into a raging berserker.”
Rainbow sighed. “Fine, what do you suggest?”
“...I don't know.”
Pinkie and Fluttershy's return cut off further conversation.
“Fasten your sweet tooth-teeth-es.” Pinkie giggled. “Because we've got a whole stack of sugar for you!” The mares set four plates piled high with treats on the table. “There were so many tasty things that we decided to just grab some of everything and share it all.”
“Hehe, sounds good.” Rainbow forced a smile. “How are you feeling, Fluttershy?”
“Really good.” Fluttershy popped a chocolate in her mouth. “Cliff, do you want to slow dance later?”
Rainbow glared at the young dragon.
Cliff was still trying to calm himself down. His heart seemed determined to beat its way out of his chest. “Oh, uh, sure.” Any distraction would be a welcome one.
“I'm glad.” She smiled.
“Is that why you want to leave her like this?” Rainbow Dash hissed in his ear.
“No,” he whispered back.
“Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked. “You both seem anxious about something. Maybe I can help.”
“They're over hear!” a voice shouted in the background. More shouts followed.
Cliff glanced that way to see a crowd of stallions approaching. “It's nothing, Fluttershy. You don't need to worry about it.”
“Oh.” She looked sad. “So you don't want my help?”
“No no, it's nothing like that.” The group was getting closer. “I just don't want you to worry.” And thinking about it is only making it worse.
“C'mon, Cliffy.” Pinkie patted him on the back. “Friends need to trust their friends.”
The crowd of stallions parted, revealing the most beautiful pony that Cliff had ever seen. His breath caught at the gentle flexing of well toned muscles under her orange coat, and the way her yellow mane caught the light made his heart leap. He wanted nothing more than to stare into those deep green eyes, to caress her freckled cheeks, to hold her in his arms...
“Oh fer pony's sake, Cliff! Not you too!”
The young dragon looked away, blushing furiously. As soon as he did, his mind started working again. “Applejack?!”
“Yup, tha's me.” She sighed and took a seat while her entourage set up a defensive barrier around them. “Ah don' know why, but as soon as ah left the kitchen every boy tha' so much as looks at me goes all googly eyed an' starts actin' like them.” She jerked a hoof at the stallions.
“Wow,” Fluttershy breathed. “You should avoid Rarity. She'd be so jealous if she found out.”
Applejack chuckled. “Tha' would be pretty funny ta see, though.”
“Mmm hmm.” Pinkie nodded. “Discord sure picked out a fun one for you!”
“Picked out?” Rainbow repeated, at the same time that Applejack said, “Discord?!”
Pinkie laughed. “Well of course, sillies! Every good party needs a couple of fun surprises, and Discord offered to take care of that part. I normally wouldn't trust it to a novice party planner, but he promised to make them really really good.”
Cliff cringed, Rainbow Dash facehoofed, Applejack stared in disbelief, and oddly, Fluttershy smiled.
“Ooh.” Pinkie leaned over to Cliff. “Did you get a surprise too? Is that what you're worried about?”
The weight of their stares pressed down on the young dragon. “I...” Cliff looked away. “Yes. He... took away my ability to manipulate my emotions.” His heart was beating so loudly that he was surprised they couldn't hear it.
“...Why were you upset by that?” Fluttershy asked after a few seconds of silence.
“No offense, Cliff,” Applejack added, “but that don't seem too bad.”
Cliff meant to look up at them like they'd gone crazy, but then he saw Applejack and his thoughts were washed away in a sea of warmth and love.
The farm mare sighed. “Somepony cover his eyes.”
“I'll do it,” Fluttershy volunteered.
A pair of yellow hooves clapped across the dragon's face, blocking his vision and restoring his brain. “Sorry.” He blushed.
“T'ain't your fault,” Applejack said, “but maybe ya should keep yer eyes closed.”
“...Maybe I shouldn't,” Cliff replied. “Even if it's just Discord's magic, love is still the opposite of greed.”
Fluttershy turned him around to look at her. Her teal eyes were filled with concern. “Greed? Are you in danger?”
Cliff tried to meet her gaze, and failed. Just standing this close to his friends was wrong. He was putting them at risk. “I am the danger... you know what happens when greed takes over a dragon.”
“Well yeah,” Pinkie said. “We all saw Spike grow huge that one time.”
The exclamations of fear and revulsion that Cliff was expecting never came. “...Don't you realize that I'm a threat right now?” he said at last.
“What threat?” Applejack asked from behind him. “Ya ain't exactly greedy, Cliff.”
“You don't understand.” He instinctively reached for the Stillness, but it evaded him like before. “All it takes is one spark. If I can't stamp it out, it spreads, and I turn into a monster.” Each word made the fear more intense. He tried to look at Applejack, but Fluttershy held him in place. It was getting harder to breath, like a weight was pushing down on his chest.
“You won't turn into a monster,” Fluttershy assured him.
“And even if you did,” Rainbow Dash added, “we could just change you back like we did with Spike.”
“No you couldn't. Less than one in twenty dragons can ever come back from going berserk.” Cliff pulled away and looked at Applejack. Growing terror was washed away by love for a moment, but then Fluttershy's hooves covered his eyes again. If anything, the fear came back even stronger this time. “Please,” he whimpered, “I could kill somepony.”
“Don't worry.” Fluttershy hugged him from behind. “I promise not to let anything happen to you.”
Cliff was drowning in emotions. Fear, anger, concern, and... was that affection? He couldn't control any of it. He was too dependent on the Stillness. The young dragon's eyes clenched shut and his breath started to come in ragged gasps.
“Cliff?” Rainbow Dash sounded like she was leaning towards him. “Cliff, you alright?”
“Maybe I should go talk to Discord.” Pinkie's voice was unusually somber. “I don't think Cliffy is liking his surprise.”
“Ah'd say that's an understatement,” Applejack said, her voice heavy with concern.
“What can we do to help?” Fluttershy whispered in his ear.
“T-tell me... h-how ponies control their fear,” he whispered between gasps. Panic was setting in, and Cliff didn't know how to stop it.
“Cupcakes?” Pinkie suggested.
“Focus on something you like,” Rainbow added.
“Maybe we should let 'im look at me,” Applejack said.
“No, he just needs to feel loved.” Fluttershy turned the dragon to face her and hugged him tightly. “It's okay, Cliff,” she whispered. “We're all here with you.”
Cliff wanted to wrap his arms around her. He wanted to nuzzle into her mane and wait for this whole nightmare to be over.
I can't let myself do that!
Fluttershy was in danger. They all were as long as he was with them. The young dragon knew he had to push her away. Even if fear was tearing him apart, he couldn't risk hurting an innocent pony... but he couldn't bring himself pull away either.
“It's okay,” Fluttershy repeated. “Think about Spike. He must be so proud to have a big brother like you.”
Spike... Cliff grabbed at the thought with everything he had. I'm his older brother, like-
A violent shudder coursed through the dragon, ripping him free of Fluttershy's grasp. “No,” he whispered, curling into the tightest ball he could. “Not like those two...” Memories that he had forced away for years began to attack him once more.
Broken limbs and lifeless eyes.
“Not that,” he begged.
Roaring berserkers standing over the bodies of their families. Dead hatchlings, killed by those they had loved.
“No, please!”
Twilight and her friends, roasted alive.
“Please!”
Cliff saw Spike, crushed beneath his oversized claws.
“H-help...” he whispered.
The young dragon felt a pair of hooves wrapping around him.
“Cliff!” Fluttershy shouted. “Cliff, I'll help you! I'm so sorry!” He could hear her crying. “I'm so sorry!”
Driven by panic, he grabbed the pegasus and buried his face in her coat. Weak sobs escaped his lips as tears began to flow. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. All he could do was cling to her and beg for it to end.
“That's it!” Rainbow shouted. “I'm finding Discord RIGHT NOW!”
“Y-yeah!” Pinkie Pie was crying.
“Ah'm gonna get the Princesses,” Applejack said from nearby. “Think he'll be okay 'til ah get back, sugarcube?”
“I-I don't know.” Fluttershy's hooves tightened around him.
“Ah'll hurry,” she promised. “Ya'll stallions stay here, and do anythin' Fluttershy tells ya to!” Galloping hooves announced her departure.
“It's okay,” Fluttershy whispered into the young dragon's ear while she held him tight with one hoof and stroked his back with the other. “I-I promise, we'll make everything okay.”
Cliff's sobs continued, unabated.
-_-_-_-_-_-
Endless minutes later, a gentle tingling sensation wrapped around Cliff, and in a flash of energy the background music disappeared. He was too lost in his emotions to understand what it meant.
“Oh my goodness!” Twilight's voice reached him. “Cliff, Fluttershy, are you two okay?!”
“Y-yes,” the yellow mare's voice cracked. “I'm fine, but Cliff...” Her hoof continued to stroke the crying dragon's back.
“Don' worry, sugarcube, the Princesses here'll find a way ta help 'im,” Applejack assured her.
“First I will need to see what Discord has done to him,” Celestia's warm voice said. “Fluttershy, please make sure he doesn't move for a few seconds.”
“O-okay.”
More tingling. He tried to flinch away from it, but the pegasus mare held him in place.
“It's okay,” Fluttershy whispered in his ear. “We're here for you.”
“...It is as we feared,” Celestia told them. “Discord has affected Cliff Runner's mind, causing his emotions to spiral out of control.”
“Do you know how to help him?” Twilight asked.
“The spell should wear off by tomorrow morning. Until then, Cadance's magic can help calm his fears. If you don't mind, of course.”
“No, of course not.”
Love began to flow through the young dragon. It was painful at first. Awakening his numbed heart made the negative emotions fresh and sharp once more, but then they began to fade. The memories lost their power over him.
Cliff loosened his grip on Fluttershy, though he still couldn't bring himself to let go of her completely. “T-th-thank y-ou,” he whispered between unsteady breaths.
With a sigh of relief, she hugged him to her chest. “Thank goodness. How are you feeling?”
“Be-better.” Shivers pulsed through him erratically, and he couldn't stop crying, but at least he could fight down his raging emotions enough to think once more. “I-I'm s-sorry.”
“There there. It wasn't your fault.” He felt her shift as she looked up. “What should we do now, Celestia?”
“He just needs to rest, dear Fluttershy. By the time he wakes up, all of this will be over.”
Sleep. That sounded good, until Cliff remembered that ponies slept alone. He tried to let go of Fluttershy again, but couldn't convince his arms to move. The tiny voice of reason in his head was drowned out by an overwhelming need for companionship. If there was ever a night where he yearned for a nest full of friends and family, it was tonight.
“Would one of you mind carrying us somewhere where Cliff can sleep?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight gasped. “Huh?”
The yellow mare's head settled down across his own. “I don't think Cliff should be alone right now.”
Twilight laughed uneasily. “Uh, Fluttershy? It isn't exactly appropriate for you to be sleeping next to him like that.”
She nuzzled his cheek. “I know, but I can't abandon a friend in need.”
Gratitude and affection soared within Cliff at her simple words.
After a few moments of silence, Celestia spoke again. “If she wants to stay with him, we shouldn't argue, Twilight.”
“...Okay, Celestia. If you're sure.”
“Don't worry, Twilight,” Fluttershy assured her friend. “I'll be fine.”
A feeling of weightlessness surrounded Cliff. He could feel them moving and heard two doors open and shut before he and Fluttershy were placed on something soft and comfortable.
“Will this be alright, Fluttershy?”
“Yes, thank you, Celestia.”
“Then I'll let you rest. Call if you need anything at all.” The door shut, leaving the pony and dragon alone.
“T-thank you,” Cliff whispered, still unable to control his breathing. “You... d-didn't have to stay.”
Fluttershy nuzzled him again. “I wanted to; stay, that is.” She chuckled softly. “I could never have said that if Discord hadn't taken away my shyness.”
“You r-realized that he w-was... affecting you?”
“Yes. It was very sweet of him to give me at least one night when I could say what I was thinking.” She wrapped a wing around him like a blanket. “I'm sure he didn't realize his prank on you would make you hurt so much.”
Cliff couldn't even muster the energy to be upset at the draconequus. “At least t-the other pranks... w-were harmless.”
“Yes.” Fluttershy nestled her head into the crook of his neck. “You don't have to answer if you don't want, but what did I say to upset you? I don't want to hurt you like that ever again.”
Pain coursed through him when he thought of the memories. His heart began to pound in his chest again. “I-is it okay... if I... t-tell you tomorrow?”
“Yes...”
A few drops of moisture fell onto his scales.
“I just made it worse, didn't I?”
Strange feelings welled up within the young dragon as he realized that she was crying. “Y-ou w-would-n't a-ask,” he took a deep, but uneven, breath, “if y-you didn't care.”
“Of course I care.” She shifted, probably to wipe her eyes. “It's just sad that tomorrow I'll be too timid to show it again.”
Why did that thought upset him? Cliff hugged her a bit more tightly.
“No stallion has ever given me gifts before, or talked with me like that, and it was... nice, to feel like I mattered, even though I knew you were only being polite.”
“I e-enjoyed talking w-with you,” another shudder coursed through him, “and... y-you do matter.”
“Thank you.” She rested her head in the crook of his neck again for a few moments before she said, “Cliff? Could I ask another personal question?”
“G-go ahead.”
“What does love feel like?”
“... It's a l-lot like love for your friends and f-family, but... a little stronger, s-sharper almost, and more physical, l-like...” he blushed, realizing the position they were in, “you always want to be hugging them. A-at least, that's how they taught me to make it.”
“You haven't felt it yourself?”
He shook his head. “I was... infatuated once, but it n-never matured into real love.”
“I'm sorry.”
“I'll f-find love when I find it,” Cliff gave the same response he always used for River Wind.
Fluttershy's hooves tightened around him as she whispered into his neck, “Please don't be angry, but I have to ask you one more question before tomorrow.”
“I-it's okay,” Cliff nuzzled into the soft fur on her chest. It was probably a mistake to let emotions control him like that. He couldn't remember why.
“Does it make me strange that...” she tensed, “I like hugging you like this?”
Cliff felt a surge of joy. The emotion was like a burst of warming fire on a cold night. “No,” he whispered back. “I-I don't think that makes you strange at all.”
Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable, asking such strange questions.”
He could have remained silent or tried to laugh it off. Instead, Cliff tightened his grip around the mare and whispered, “I like hugging you too.” May the stars help me, I actually do.
“Really? That's a good thing, isn't it?”
Cliff pulled back just slightly, and for the first time since his collapse, opened his eyes. Even in the dark he could see Fluttershy's tear-streaked face, lit by a warm smile. “I-I think so. Yes.”
Somewhere in the back of his mind, the young dragon found himself dreading the morning, and all the problems it would bring.