The covers stirred under the warm beams of morning sunlight that filtered through the narrow-arched windows lining the walls of Spike's sleeping quarters, kicking up little specks of fluff that glowed like fireflies in the light. It wasn't long before the little dragon's snout poked above the thick blankets, sniffing at an aroma in the air that he knew all too well – pancakes!
He popped up, threw off the rest of his covers and hopped off the bed, dashing out the door to see what was going on. He knew he had slept in; the sun was never that high when he made breakfast for Twilight, and now it seemed somepony was already in his kitchen cooking!
Once he got to the kitchen door, it was plain to see what was going on. There was Twilight, busy at the table serving two stacks of pancakes with syrup and butter. Or to put it more precisely, a full stack in one plate for himself and the other with a single pancake for her.
“Twilight, you're making breakfast? Why didn't you wake me up? You know that's my job!”
“Oh, good morning Spike! Yep, I'm cooking breakfast today. Impressed?”
“Very,” he replied as he rubbed at his eyes, partly due to just waking up and partly to make sure he wasn't seeing things. “So… Either you're doing this as a thank-you for my agreeing to help – or,” he paused to give a smug smile and raised brow, “you're just trying to prove to me that you can actually cook!” he finished as he crossed his arms to complete the look.
“Well, with that kind of attitude mister, maybe I'll just give your plate to Owlowiscious instead?” she said with a chuckle, levitating his plate back into the air.
Having been called out on his remark, Spike relented. “No, no, no. Really – thanks, Twilight.” he said reassuringly as he climbed into his chair at the table, pulling the floating plate of flapjacks back down in front of him.
“You're welcome,” Twilight replied. “Though I have to admit, a part of me did want to do this just to show you I'll be fine while you're away,” she finished with a slight grin.
“I believe you. These babies look delicious!” Upon getting himself all settled, he looked over his stack. “I don't suppose there are any gems baked into them, maybe some sapphires?” he looked up at her with a hopeful expression.
“No gems, I'm afraid. It's nothing fancy; you're the one who knows all about cooking with them,” she ruefully acknowledged as she sat down across from him at the table and began to carve out bits of her pancake with a levitating fork.
“It's no big deal, really. It's not like you can burn them, unless you're cooking with dragonfire or something exotic like that,” he reassured her. “But don't worry about it, Twilight, these are great!” he continued and began to greedily dig into the flapjacks before him. “Besides, cooking with them isn't exactly common knowledge among ponies. I had to have your mom help me experiment when I first started since there were no books at any of the libraries we've been in on that subject.”
“Tell me about it,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Remind me to use my new royal status to visit the library at the Dragon Council one of these days so I can trade for a few cookbooks on draconic cuisine.”
“I don' know abou' th't,” he worriedly said with a mouthful of pancakes, swallowing them all in a big gulp before he continued. “Knowing the dragons we've met in the past, I'm not sure you'd like some of their recipes…”
“Erm, yeah… you actually make a good point there,” Twilight replied dejectedly. Their run-ins with dragons in the past were not particularly pleasant experiences, and seeing her assistant plow through the breakfast before him only helped remind her of their voracious appetites. “I guess it's a good thing you're a vegetarian, despite being a dragon. I mean, you'd be the first tell me if you had any cravings for foods besides gems and hayburgers, right?” she inquired with a half-smile.
Hearing this made Spike stop and look up, pausing mid-chew, before breaking out in uncontrollable laughter which caused the few remaining bits of pancake in his mouth to spray out onto the table. “Oh, seriously, Twilight! You have absolutely nothing to worry about.”
Twilight, seeing his response and feeling a bit chagrined over the whole affair, couldn't but help join him in his laughter over her unfounded concerns. They slowly regained their composure and he finally spoke in a more steadfast manner to reiterate the point. “I can honestly say I have never felt like snacking on any of my friends. Never,” he finished sternly.
“Anyway,” he continued, “it's not like there's anypony around us preparing foods that would cause me to crave such things, so I guess I've never had to worry about it.”
“Well, that's good to know,” Twilight giggled.
Spike chuckled as he wiped the last few bits of pancake from his snout. “Besides, you'd probably all taste gamey anyway!” he cracked.
“Ha, ha,” she replied sarcastically. “Well, since you're done eating Mr. Comedian, I guess we can get going to inform the Rich family of your decision to help out?”
“Yeah, let me just wash my claws first. I wonder when they'll want me to start?”
“I'm not sure, but I guess we'll find out when we get there. When you're ready, meet me out on the terrace at the end of the hall and we'll get going!”
“The terrace? Twilight, you're not actually thinking of flying us there?”
“As a matter of fact, I am!” Twilight gleamed. “Their house is across town and we're late enough as it is since I let you sleep in.”
“If I had known staying in bed meant I'd have to risk life and limb, I think I would have preferred to wake up early,” Spike answered weakly. “I made the mistake of suggesting you fly us back from Canterlot when the Tree of Harmony was under attack by the Plundervines, and I almost wound up being a nasty stain on the library window...”
Twilight smiled warmly, trying to allay his fears, “Now, now, there's no need to fret – I've been practicing with a weighted saddle and I truly believe I'm ready to give it another go! Now, go get ready and I'll see you in a bit.”
Spike reluctantly went over to the sink to rinse his claws of the sticky syrup as she left the kitchen. The walk down the down the hall took mere moments, and Twilight soon found herself out on the castle's largest terrace. She took in a deep breath of fresh air and sighed. It was a beautiful morning of blue skies filled with cottony white clouds – the pegasi had really outdone themselves today! Soon after, her faithful assistant arrived at her side.
“Are you really sure about this, Twilight?” Spike asked again with some trepidation.
“Ab-so-lutely! Hop on we'll get under way!”
Spike relented and cautiously climbed onto her back, just as if he was going to ride her for a trot, except he scooted past her wings to keep from getting swatted by them mid-flight. Carefully he pressed himself against the base of her neck, “Is this comfortable for you?”
“Yes, that’s fine. Are you all set back there?”
Spike swallowed hard. “I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Let's try to keep the crashing to a minimum, though. Okay?”
“Hey, give a princess a little credit, why don't you? Like I said I've been practicing!”
“Sure, after we've landed in one piece, thankyouverymuch!” he replied pointedly.
Twilight chuckled and turned toward the open space before her. “Alright, Spike – hold on and get ready for takeoff!”
Spike wrapped his arms around her neck firmly, but not so tight as to cause his driver discomfort. Upon feeling his grip tighten, she started cantering towards the railing that enclosed the terrace. “Here we go!”
She sped to a full gallop towards the edge of the terrace before doing a final lunge forward, kicking out and leaping into the air with maximum force. “Whoooah!” Spike exclaimed as he felt her beating wings create a powerful rush of air at his sides. The vertigo was so intense he had to close his eyes to keep from getting dizzy.
“Just hold on Spike, we're doing fine!” she shouted with a determined look on her face. With a few more flaps of her wings, they gained several more meters of height as the world dropped away once the edge of the terrace went by below. Each downward flap forced him into her spine, and each relaxation caused him to feel weightless. There was so much bouncing around he grabbed her tighter and decided it best to keep his eyes closed until they landed again.
Twilight felt him tense up and spoke up to make sure he was okay. “How are you doing back there?”
“I'm okay, just let me know when we've landed,” Spike replied tersely.
She turned her head momentarily to check on him, and out of the corner of her eye she saw him with his eyes shut tight. She hadn't realized he was so frightened, so with a few more skyward thrusts she then leveled off and went into a calm glide, flapping her wings lightly to keep altitude.
“Okay mister scaredy-no-pants, you can open your eyes again. It should be smooth sailing from here on out.”
“If it's all the same to you, Twilight, I think I'd rather not.”
“C'mon, Spike, it's beautiful up here. Open your eyes and take a look around!”
Spike slowly opened one eye and then the other, and saw that she was right. Sprawled below him was the little town they had called home for well over a year. Without all the bouncing, sliding and grabbing onto her tail he had to do during their last flight, the gentle glide allowed him to truly appreciate the scenery. Even more importantly, this feeling of openness around him – it was exhilarating!
“Wow, Twilight! You're right – this is really a spectacular way to see the town!”
“Isn't it, though? Maybe someday you'll have your own set of wings and we can fly together? Now wouldn't that be great?”
“It'd be awesome!” Spike cried, nuzzling the fluffy lavender neck of his pilot.
Twilight smiled at the thought and the warm feelings they had for one another. However, now wasn't the time to be distracted – she soon refocused on the task at hoof. “Now hold on – we're going to descend towards the Rich's house.”
With that, Spike firmed his grip around her neck again as she did a gradual bank to the left, descending in a spiral glide to the house below them. Spike really tensed up, however, when the bank suddenly turned steep; and even Twilight noticed she was rolling a bit more than she would have liked. She straightened herself out, but the result was she was no longer heading towards the street in front of the Rich's house – instead it was for a hedge…
A hedge in their yard that lined the wall bordering the property.
She flared at the last moment to avoid it, but the loss of speed caused a stall and she dropped the last few feet straight into the ground chin-first, causing Spike to bounce and fly right over her, into said hedge.
“Spike! Are you okay?” Twilight shouted as she got up and hurriedly ran over to him.
Spike rolled out of the dense shrubbery he had been concealed in, bringing along a flurry of leaves and twigs with him. As he stood up, he rubbed a sore spot on his forehead. “Yeaaah, I'm fine. Just getting to know this bush a little better here, that's all,” he quipped, motioning back towards the hedge with his thumb. “Great flight, Twilight. Terrible landing,” he deadpanned, turning to face his ride.
“I'm really sorry about that,” she apologized as she removed a few twigs that had stuck to him due to his untimely visit with the landscaping. “I guess the weighted saddle has a lower center of gravity than you do sitting on my back, and I started to tip over in my turn. Are you sure you're okay?”
“Yeah, don't worry about it. I'm armored, I can take it,” he replied as he rapped on one of the pale green horizontal scales covering his chest. “Let's just head over to the house and get this over with.”
Twilight nodded in agreement as Spike climbed out and walked past her. As he passed, she bit her lower lip – the day wasn't starting out as well as she had hoped it would for him, and she could hear it in his voice. But she still hoped things would go better now that they were here, so she followed him across the lawn.
And quite the lawn it was. In addition to its large size and lush, well-maintained grass, various topiaries were scattered about, along with a pool and patio that took up an entire corner of the property. As the duo looked onward, the double-doored entrance rose up before them, flanked by enormous columns on either side.
Twilight trotted up a short set of steps as Spike stood aside. While it was he who would be agreeing to this arrangement, he felt it best she do the talking, at least initially. She lit her horn to raise the large brass knocker in the middle of the right side door and gently rapped it against its base.
She took a step back towards Spike to wait for a response, and soon after the massive door creaked open there appeared an old, lavender pony standing on wobbly legs with a curly white mane – most of which had fallen out. The coincidence that this pony's fur coat was almost the same color as Spike's scales and that they held similar jobs was not lost on the little dragon. That's freaky…
“Good day, your highness. We have been expecting you,” he said enthusiastically as he bowed and motioned them to enter with his right hoof.
“Thank you. Where would you like us to wait?” she replied as she entered, followed by Spike close behind.
“Over here by the stairs will be fine, your highness. The lady of the house will be with you shortly. Would you care for some hors-d'oeuvres or perhaps a drink for either of you?”
“Some snacks would be great,” Spike chimed in. “Thanks!”
The butler smiled with a twinkle in his eye, clearly amused by the little dragon's pluck. If he has agreed to help out, I truly hope he keeps that attitude – he will surely need it. A look of pity crossed the butler's face; not enough, however, for Spike to notice.
“Very good, sir. As for you, your highness?”
“Nothing for me, thanks,” Twilight quietly answered. With that, the butler turned and headed down the hall and disappeared through a door to the right.
Twilight shot a sharp look at her assistant, “Spike, were you really that hungry? You just ate less than fifteen minutes ago!”
“Sorry, Twilight. When somepony offers food, I can't help myself,” he replied sheepishly. Twilight made a quiet huffing noise in her throat – she supposed it didn't matter since the refreshments were offered. She and Spike then turned their attention to the surroundings.
The interior of the house was exquisitely decorated – colorful drapes tied back with tussles at their midsections hung everywhere, columns with decorative flower-and-gem-themed carvings were holding up arches in every doorway. The rooms were painted in pale earth tones and golden yellows – much more subdued than, say, the interior of the Carousel Boutique. The floor was polished hardwood and appeared to be finished in a dark burgundy stain, the color of which carried right up the treads on the ornate curved stair before them.
“Hey, check it out, Twilight. These floors are so shiny I can see my own reflection!” Spike exclaimed as he pointed to the fairly clear image of himself before squatting down to get a better look. “Hello there, you handsome dragon,” he quietly said to himself with a bit of a dreamy look in his eyes.
“Fawning over yourself again? Enjoy it while you can,” Twilight replied with a chuckle. “You'll probably be responsible for keeping these floors so sparkling!”
“And you had to go and ruin the moment,” he replied morosely. “Sometimes I think you-”
Spike's rebuke was interrupted by the voice of a mare bursting through the door the butler had gone through earlier. “Princess Twilight, your highness! It's truly an honor to have you pay a visit to our little home.” Her coat was light strawberry in color, with her mane being two shades of deep purple. Her cutie mark was a diamond ring, and she was wearing a studded apron.
“Pardon my lack of formal attire,” she continued, “my husband and I were busy in the kitchen planning where to put the cooking utensils we are to bring from our home in Canterlot later today.” She stopped and finally took notice of the little dragon standing next to Twilight. “And this must be your darling assistant, Spike.” She raised her brow momentarily after getting a good look at him. “Hmm, I thought you might be taller from your picture…”
Spike's features drooped upon hearing this.
“He's still a baby dragon,” Twilight interjected, having taken notice of the change in her partner's mood. “But don't let his size fool you, Mrs. Rich – he may be young for a dragon, but he's been with me nearly all my life, and he's proven himself to be an amazing helper!”
“Oh, I'm sure he does quite alright,” Spoiled conceded. “Besides, it's wonderful to have someone as famous as The Great and Honorable Spike bestow his presence on us.”
Twilight rolled her eyes – oh, he's going to be insufferable after all of this is over!
“Well, the Great and Honorable Spike,” Twilight said in an ever so slight mocking tone before speaking more formally, “wishes inform you that he has agreed to assist Diamond Tiara while you're family moves your belongings from Canterlot to Ponyville.”
“Splendid! The move should only take three days, and seeing how young you are, it will be fine if you wish to return to your castle in the evenings. Randolph here won't be needed with the move after dark, so he and the maids will be available for their usual duties during that time.”
Spike was overjoyed to hear he would be able to return to the castle every night, and felt emboldened by the upswing in his mood. “Twilight mentioned there would be a payment in gems? Two per day, ahem, in fact?” he posited sheepishly.
“Yes, that is quite right. Randolph, if you could be so kind,” she said and motioned for her butler, who had since rejoined the party in the foyer. He made his way over to the far end of the living room and lifted a wooden chest with a gold handle from a cabinet using his mouth. He then carried it back over to Spike and placed it on the floor between him and his host.
“After you have completed your job adequately, you're welcome to take any of the gems from here, two for each day you work for us,” Spoiled continued. She then flipped the lid open, revealing the chest's contents. “I trust these will suffice?”
Spike looked down and saw collection of gems of various types and sizes – amethysts, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, topaz – if Spike could name it, it was there. While there were some small ones, most of them were of a good size and would make for an excellent meal.
Spoiled Rich closed the lid and pushed the chest aside, at which point Randolph took her cue and proceeded to haul it back into the living room for storage. “Now, if all goes well, you should be able to return to your duties with the princess by the end of the weekend. We'll get you started with your duties right now.”
Spike suddenly felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't expected to be leaving Twilight so soon! He shot Twilight a pained look before turning back to face Spoiled to make sure he heard right: “Wait, you want me to start right now, as in right this very moment?”
“Of course – the move is already underway, my dear.”