Flurry Heart led Spike through the crowded plaza, laughing as the much larger dragon tried to carefully navigate around the throngs of tourists with minimal disruption. There were always crowds around the statue of 'Spike the Brave and Glorious’ in the grand plaza.
“C’mon Uncle Spike, hurry up!” She flicked her wings in annoyance, “It's almost lunch time, and you promised.”
“Yes, and we have a reservation, they won't give our table away. And could you try to be even a little bit regal? You're Princess Flurry Heart, not Princess Hurry Fleart”
“Uncle Spike!” She shouted, scandalized at the silly nickname. “That's gross!”
“Why? What's a Fleart?” Spike said with a sly grin. Flurry scoffed as she felt her face heat up.
“You know what it sounds like.”
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Eurgh!”
“Come on this way, Flurry. It's a shortcut, and the crowds aren't nearly as bad.” Spike gestured down a nearby alley, and Flurry fluttered up to perch in his shoulder. Spike thought to himself that she was getting too big to do that, but decided not to say anything. He wasn't sure which of them them would have their next growth spurt first.
The alley was a quiet little residential street, a sharp contrast to the bustle of the plaza, but a lack of storefronts kept the tourists away. It was a rather upscale neighbourhood though, and Spike always enjoyed the small and meticulously managed gardens hanging from the sides of the buildings. Before long, the alley ended in another, much smaller plaza. In the middle of the plaza was a pedestal with a life-sized statue of a changeling in guardspony armor.
“Wow! I've never been here before,” Flurry said, “But why is there a statue of a monster here?”
“He's not a monster,” Spike said gently, looking around. There were maybe a half dozen ponies in the plaza, all seemingly going about their business. One crystal mare gave them a brief bow, and Flurry waved enthusiastically back at her.
“Sure looks like a monster.”
“Well, so do I,” Spike said, flashing her a toothy grin full of sharp fangs nearly the size of her hooves.
“Ha, you're not a monster, Uncle Spike,” Flurry said, rolling her eyes. Monsters were supposed to be scary, not silly.
“Neither was he,” Spike said, walking over to stand by the statue. There was a marble slab engraved at the foot of the statue.
'In Memory of Thorax, Hero of the Crystal Empire'
“He was my friend,” Spike said, his eyes gaining a faraway look as the memories came. Not nearly enough of them.
“What happened to him?” Flurry asked, noticing the sad look on the dragon’s face. She hugged the side of his neck, breaking him out of his reverie.
“Oh? Uh, well, I'll tell you when you're a bit older.”
“Uncle Spike, please. I'm nine years old now. You can tell me.”
“It's not really a story for little fillies,* Spike took a long, melancholy look at the statue before turning away and putting on a bright expression, “Besides, you still need to tell me how your studies with Sunburst are going.”
“Eurgh. They are the boringest thing in like, ever!” Flurry said, flopping against the side of his face with a sigh.
“Don't let your Aunt Twilight hear you say that,” Spike chuckled, headed for the alley that would take them to his favorite restaurant in town. While Flurry continued her tirade against academics, Spike spared another glance at Thorax's memorial, and one more thought for his old friend.
'Thank you.’