It was a bright and sunny day in the town of Ponyville. Many a pony were outside, enjoying the warm weather and loving the pleasant day. Birds were chirping, ponies in the market were haggling the prices, and somewhere I could only hope Angel Bunny was getting stomped on.
With a soft sigh of hope and thoughts of bunny abuse, I leapt down from the window sill and landed softly on the floor. With complete silence I moved my small black form through one of the many hallways in the recently grown castle. My mission was simple, it was lunch time and Spike usually freaks out if I’m not where he left me in his room.
Truly the small dragon was a bit annoying at times, but he is a very good caretaker. Something he told me, in confidence, was because Twilight would often times need to be taken care of when she got too involved in her work. Such a thing was becoming more and more common as she was introduced to... politics. Though her new staff was helping a lot.
A shiver went through my black fur as I even thought the word. I ignored my own inner musings for now as I rounded a corner and saw my target. As I approached Spike’s room though I did notice something that threw a wrench in my plans, the door was closed.
Confused, I walked up beside the door and tilted my head to the side while giving it a small push with my paw. It stayed shut and I looked up to see the doorknob way out of my reach. It truly was one of the most hopeless situations I had been in... that I could remember.
Either Spike was in the room looking around for me frantically, Twilight had been in, or is in there looking for Spike, or somepony had actually broken in for Spike’s comic book collection.
If it was the first, I was in trouble. The second, Spike was in trouble. If it was the last, I would willingly eat generic brand cat food from a can because I didn’t believe it for a second. So, I did what I always did when in a situation such as this, I did what came naturally.
I pawed the door, barely making any noise before I let out a loud meow. Nothing responded for a few seconds before the door began to slowly open to a completely dark room. Red flags number one and two went up in my mind.
I slowly began to walk into the room only for the door to slam shut behind me and a net was suddenly thrown over me. I started to panic and began thrashing in my restraints before the true assault began.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Dragon Catchers! Yay!” I stopped as my small ears flattened themselves against my skull. I could feel a headache coming on and I wasn’t even sure if I could get one as a cat.
“Uh, Scoots, I don’t think we got Spike.” one of the attackers stated with a southern accent.
“What? Then who did we catch?” another voice I assumed to be ‘Scoots’ asked as light flooded my vision.
There was a large gasp to my right, “Oh no!” my ears were assaulted once again by a squeaky third voice, “We caught a little kitty!”
“Explains that meow we heard.” the southern one said before she grabbed the edge of the net with her teeth.
As I felt the net get lifted off of me I took off like a bullet across the room and hid under the bed. Spike would be here soon and he could fight off these three terrors... or at least run and get help.
“Aw, we scared him.” the third voice had thankfully turned down the weapon’s grade squeaky-ness. I heard hooves making contact with the hard floor before three faces looked under the bed.
I pushed my back against the corner where the bed and the wall met, “It’s okay little kitty," the squeaky one said holding out her hoof, trying to wave me over, "We’re sorry.” the three of them were just little fillies, but I wasn’t taking any chances.
“Apple Bloom why did you drop the net on it?” the orange one and second voice owner asked.
“I though’ it was Spike. ‘Sides, you’re the one who gave the signal.” the yellow one with the southern voice.
“Girls!” oh my poor ears, so squeaky, “You’re scaring her.” the fact she got my gender wrong was something I had gotten used to recently. For some reason everypony who saw me thought I was a girl, after a while I got used to it.
The orange one looked at me then got that look in her eyes. That look that just said ‘I’ve got a stupid plan’, “Girls I’ve got a plan.” she backed away from the bed and walked towards the door.
“Ya gonna let us in on it?” the southern one, Apple Bloom I think, asked as she got up to follow.
Sweetie, the white one, looked to her friends then back at me, “We’ll be right back kitty.”
‘Don't worry, I'll be hiding somewhere better by then.’ I thought to myself as I moved towards the edge of my safe haven. I poked my head out and saw them all huddled together and not looking towards me at all. Now was my chance.
They all had their backs to me as I moved from the bed and slowly began my journey to safety. With the closet door shut I had to improvise and try to reach the bathroom and it’s open door. I passed behind a small nightstand that was beside the bed and slowly looked back to the fillies.
They were all seeming to discuss something before the door to the room opened and my savior walked in. Spike walked into the room holding a small bowl of food, “Okay Scruffy I got-” Spike stopped talking as he saw the Crusaders, “... What are you doing in my room?”
The three of them were quiet as they looked at Spike, “... What are you doing in your room?” Scoots asked as they continued the stare off.
“I live here.” Spike answered a bit confused. His eyes suddenly widened and he hid the bowl behind his back. I slapped my paw to my forehead as he tried to hide my food bowl from them.
“Wha’s ya got behind your back?” Apple Bloom asked, “An who’s Scruffy?”
The stare off between them continued and I decided that the whole thing was Spike’s problem. I only thought about my food as I came out from behind the nightstand at let out a large meow. All eyes turned to me as Spike began waving his free hand to try and get me to hide again.
Instead I moved further out from hiding with a smile. I loved messing with Spike like this.
The little dragon let out a sigh, “That, is Scruffy.” he walked passed the three crusaders and towards me. The small bowl of food was placed in front of me and I happily began to eat.
“Her name is Scruffy?” Sweetie asked as I munched happily on the hard food.
“His.” Spike corrected, “His name is Scruffy, and you can’t tell anypony about him!”
“Oh...” Sweetie said looking back at me while I ate. I knew this because I kept a close eye on them. I was okay with being picked up by Spike, but hooves were not like dragon’s surprisingly soft and trimmed claws.
“Why?” Apple Bloom asked.
“Twilight doesn’t think I’m old enough for my own pet. She’ll make me get rid of him.” Spike got down on his knees, “Please don’t tell anypony!”
From my spot on the floor I watched Scoots look to Apple Bloom and nod before looking at Sweetie and doing the same, “Alright.” she looked to Spike, “We’ll keep quiet about this.”
“If you let us play with him!” Sweetie quickly said with a large smile on her face.
Spike scratched the back of his head as he got up and looked to me, “Scruffy really only likes me, I think.” ‘Darn right, forget hooves they suck.’ “Plus he’s really lazy.” I wanted to glare at him for saying that, but instead I just took another bite of the dry food.
They all looked really sad as they lowered to the floor slightly and looked at Spike with big eyes and their lips pouting slightly. I used the same trick with Spike anytime he was eating something in his room. I was doomed.
“I guess you can pet him while I hold him, but be gentle.” Spike said as he walked over to me. I trusted the little dragon, I did not trust the three little fillies, but I didn’t shy away when he picked me up and held me to his chest.
Being a dragon, Spike was naturally warm and I let out a happy purr as I felt his claws scratch behind my ears. I could try with all my might, but anytime I was scratched behind the ears, I was happy.
“Ah call first.” Apple Bloom suddenly said. The resulting war between the three was lost to me as I began to fall asleep in the dragon’s claws. My last thoughts as I tried to stay awake were on how peaceful this life was. Being the pet of an assistant to royalty of a peaceful nation, my life was sure to be calm for once.
... Right?