After a while, the tears had dried. He became intimately aware he had hugged her and was hugging her still. He heard the thumping of her heart, the pace quickened slightly.
“I’m sorry, Princess!” Spike pulled himself away. He shuffled back several steps as he felt the blood rush to his blushing face.
“It has been centuries since someone has held me so.” Luna giggled, pulling Spike back.
“Princess—” Spike words were muffled as Luna buried his muzzle into her fur coat.
“Now whisper pretty little lies into mine ears.” Luna chuckled.
Spike pulled his head from her chest and looked up to her. They both shared a light laugh before they left each other’s embrace.
“Thank you,” said Spike, “for listening. My problems must seem small to you.”
“Do not discount the hurting heart, though it dost not bleed, it is an ailment as grave as any for often that pain can be more real.”
Spike rubbed the back of his head, feeling his frills. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Right now I think I could eat a whole tub of ice cream and it wouldn’t even touch the emptiness.”
“Tis not a healthy habit to indulge so.”
“Don’t I know it.”
“Sir Spike, are thee well enough to walk home?”
Spike slumped slightly. “Yeah,” The lonely trip back would be in his ability, yet he would give anything for anyone’s company.
“Follow. Do not tarry. We shall lead thee.”
Spike walked through Ponyville as he had so many times doing errands in his youth. The shroud of the evening dimmed the brilliance of the colorful rustic architecture. The muted tones made Luna’s ethereal mane only glow more majestic, wafting in the phantom winds. Several paces from pressing his muzzle in it, the twinkling stars in her hair were profound in their detail. He suspected only his star gazing sister, Twilight, could enjoy such a sight and only with the aid of an unnatural telescope.
“Sir Spike?” Luna smiled, warmly.
He was jolted back into the world outside his head. “Yes?”
Luna gestured to their location. “We have arrived.”
His home, the library, was mostly dark, but he noticed the candle holding vigil by the door. He knew who it was lit for and who was waiting for his return. Spike took a deep breath then knocked on the library door. The door swung urgently open, nearly hitting his and Luna’s faces.
“Spike! You had me worried sick! Where were you!?” Twilight’s jaw fell open as she saw Spike’s eyes red from tears. She then turned to Luna.
“Luna?”
The moon Princess awkwardly greeted Twilight. “How fare thee, Princess Twilight?”
“Umm, what are you doing here?”
“Sir Spike was ever so kind, he saw me walking alone in the woods and in true chilvalric spirit volunteered to escort me. Now, we shall be going.” Luna left silently.
Twilight immediately turned to Spike. “Spike, what happened? You and Rarity just left the party.”
Spike swallowed the lump in his throat. His stupefied state left him little eloquence he spoke like Applejack would with a slurring that might have come from a couple bottles of hard cider. “Rarity and me…. it ain’t gonna work…”
“Why?”
Spike unfurled his leather wings and opened his mouth lined with razor teeth. He held nothing back of his draconic nature and race. “Twi, what do you see?”
“I see…” Twilight hugged him without reserve. “—my brother: someone who is caring and compassionate.”
The dragon pried her hooves off gently away. Sullenly, he walked upstairs to his room without a backwards glance.
“He hast a tender heart. It hast been wounded, grievously.” said a voice.
Twilight snapped her head around to see Luna. “I thought you left?”
“We forgot to tell thee, we require Sir Spike’s presence later.”
“What are you doing Ponyville? Where did you find Spike?”
“We were about to inquire as to Sir Spike’s report. We saw he was in no condition to deliver it.”
“Royal we? I thought you were working on that.” Twilight sighed.
Luna cleared her throat. “We try. I mean we… I mean… I thank you for the language lessons. However when one has spoken one way for so long…” She tried to smile in lieu of her embarrassment.
Twilight was quick to detect excuses.
The moon princess relented. “Old habits indeed difficult to break; perhaps my speech is another mask I wear. In my time prose was spoken widely amongst commoners but for nobility exclusively amongst only our truest friends.”
“Luna, aren’t we friends?” Twilight looked downcast.
Luna giggled. “Thou wishes to be an intimate acquaintance? Thou wishes to visit mine bedchambers?”
Twilight blushed and accepted her explanation. “It’s okay, now why are you here?”
“I saw Sir Spike in distress. He can deliver the report tomorrow night.”
“Can it wait? I want to let him recover… he’s never had it so hard.”
Luna shook her head. “Twilight Sparkle, war looms. I requested a secret section of his report to be written and hoof delivered to me.”
“War? Luna, what war?”
“The Dragon Dominions have summoned forth a large host to reconquer their nesting grounds from the Griffins. The Griffin Kingdoms have mobilized their entire airship fleet. Both forces amass at our borders west and east respectively. Should they battle, Equestria shall be bathed in fire.”
Twilight eyes were wider than they ever been. “Luna, has it gotten that bad?”
Luna gave an assuring pat on Twilight’s shoulders. “Do not concern thyself; tis but a normal night…” She looked at the faint glow of the sun star rising above the horizon. “or day in international politics.”
After catching a few more hours of sleep, Twilight awoke. She walked past Spike, who slept in his room. She stopped back and saw him tossing and turning in his bed. He seemed to be in the froes of a particularly bad nightmare.
“So much fire!” Spike murmured. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” He threw aside his blanket subconsciously and shivered in the cold that followed.
Twilight quietly entered his room. Telekinetically lifting his body she set him back onto his bed and tucked him back in with his blanket. She remembered how her brother how stayed up a thousand nights humoring her late evening studies. She had tucked him in for a thousand times back then. Her hearted swelled with sisterly if not maternal feelings for the small drake that followed her like a lost puppy.
Leaving his room, her stroll was with purpose. Twilight made her way to Rarity’s boutique. The home and business that was lit with life during last night’s party was now dark with window curtains closed. Twilight knocked on the door to no response.
“Rarity, we need to talk!”
She knocked again and again… By her twelfth knock Twilight was fuming. “I came here to yell at you for breaking my little brother’s heart!” In a flash of purple magic, she blew apart the door to Rarity’s boutique. The hinges were ripped from their sockets. Breaking and entering, it was a new for her. In her anger the audacity of her actions were ignored.
Twilight walked through the boutique, nearly tripping over bolts of cloth tossed carelessly on the ground. Some of the previous night’s party decorations remained: a couple of banners and bowl of stale punch. There was a whirring of machinery in frantic and random bursts. The small sewing machine light provided enough illumination that outlined a disheveled form in the darkness.
“Rarity?”
Rarity busily hummed. Her usually well groomed mane had many errant strands. “Can’t talk now, darling. I must fill these orders!”
The alabaster mare continued humming while she worked. Using her magic, Rarity was stitching together several dresses with red polka dots. As Twilight looked closer however, she saw that the dots were not a design decision. Rarity’s aim was more than slightly off. Her sewing needle went into her hoof again. Droplets of blood splattered the cloth. “Oh how clumsy of me.” She pulled out the needle and promptly resumed working. There were many dresses with the red dots.
“Rarity!” Twilight projected all of her magic, freezing the unicorn in place. She turned the unicorn around and saw puffy red eyes.
“Twilight,” said Rarity, finally acknowledging the Alicorn. She crunched up, expecting a blow.
“First, we need to get your hooves bandaged,” said Twilight without anger.
Twilight softly wrapped the linen bandage over Rarity’s hooves. She rolled the medical tape until they covered up the red from the white mare’s hooves. Her friend’s immediate injuries took the edge from her the righteous anger she felt. Twilight knew Rarity had the finesse and drama to fake tears, she had seen it, but these tears were real.
She gently prodded for the answers she sought. “I need to know what happened. We talked about this before, years ago I asked you to let him down easy if you weren’t interested. You assured me everything was fine. I love you both; I didn’t want to see anypony hurt.”
“Spike isn’t a pony.”
Twilight’s anger returned but dissipated again as she noticed Rarity’s demeanor.
Rarity eyes welled again with water and weakness. “I tried… I knew I couldn’t keep making excuses. As he grew older, he also grew more terrifying… Eventually, every time we were together, I kept forcing down that fear. Those claws of his can rend flesh. Dragon fire can melt bone. A careless caress could—”
Twilight countered. “Spike hasn’t had an incident in years. He lives with me in the library. We’re surrounded by kindling. I trust him. Those still sound like excuses.”
“I know… but there’s more… then came the rumors in Canterlot. My fashion line was refused, after my name was dragged in the mud. The scurrilous and dreadful things they said! You would not believe!”
“Rarity, I didn’t know it was so bad. Why didn’t you tell us?!”
“I lost sales… I took on debt. The shame! I only recently established myself in Prance, where my name is unknown. Last night, it all just came up. What if he goes on a rampage again?”
“Spike won’t! I know he won’t. You’re using that as excuse.”
“I’m a coward. He deserves better.”
“That may be, but he loves you.” Her own cold words seem to lash out at like a whip. Even Twilight recoiled at the impact they left on her target. Rarity was shuddering. Twilight groaned in frustration. “Last week, you were asking me for more books about dragons! You were so excited about his return!”
Rarity gave off more dry sobs. Her eyes were spent. “I know.”
“Look me in eyes and tell me you don’t love him.” Twilight clamped her hooves around Rarity’s head.
“I can’t.”
“Look me in the eyes and tell me you do!”
“I can’t.” Rarity only buried her face further into her bandaged hooves. “I’m the real monster! I hurt him… I’ve been hurting him all along.”
“Why didn’t you tell anyone you felt this way?”
“I thought I could overcome it. When I couldn’t, I tried faking it.”
“Why couldn’t you just continue?”
“I couldn’t do that to him. It wouldn’t be right anyway.”
Twilight grumbled. “I suppose it wouldn’t.”
“Twilight darling, I don’t suppose there’s a spell to turn Spike into a pony?”
Twilight blurted out. “This isn’t a cheap romance novel! You can’t magic your problems away!” She murmured to herself. “Celestia knows I’ve tried.” Twilight recalled the disastrous results of her magical solutions. The memories flooding back were cringe worthy. There were certain things a come to life animation spell wasn’t intended for.
Rarity nodded.
“Even if there was, could you ask him to change a fundamental aspect of himself just for you? Could you stand giving up your unicorn horn and becoming a dragoness?”
Rarity said, somberly. “You’re right.”
Twilight stuttered to ask. “So-so it’s all over?”
“I don’t know,” Rarity replied.
“You at least—”
To Twilight’s surprise Rarity cut her off. “I owe him explanation. I’m a mature mare. I need to talk to him. Twilight, please could you get him to speak to me? Not immediately… I still need time to sort my feelings… but sometime this week.”
Twilight smiled. “I will but… Rarity, what will you say?”
The alabaster mare put on her bravest face. “I don’t know.”
“WE DO NOT KNOW!” Luna blasted her voice in the full glory of the Canterlot Royal tradition. The entire hall was compelled to silence. The waiting lines of ponies and various citizens of Equestria all gasped. The in the front center of the throne room were two groups of angry buffalo and earth ponies. The leaders of the two groups however quickly resumed quarrelling.
“Princess we need answer! Appleloosa is in danger! These buffalo are breaking the peace! They refuse to move!” cried the earth pony with the cowboy brown hat.
“The settlement has grown too large; they’re expanding into our food fields! The land is rightfully ours! We Native Equestrians will stand no more broken promises!” cried the buffalo leader. Feathers adorning his head marked him as chieftain.
The auburn earth tilted his hat and turned snapping at the buffalo. “We give you enough food from our crop!”
The buffalo chieftain turned and snorted. “Your offerings have turned to a trickle! Our children starve!”
“Our children are starving too! There’s a drought!”
“You ponies control the weather don’t you?!”
“The cloud factory coverage doesn't go that far!”
“There would be no drought if you had not over expanded irrigation!”
“There’s no neigh-gotiating with y’all!” The earth pony leader threw down his hat and turned toward the Princess. “Make a call!”
The chieftain bellowed. “We need a decision!”
Both irate parties directed their expectant stares at Luna. “Court is closed for deliberation! We shall consider all requests in due time! Captain Nightshade, control the unruly masses!”
The night guards formed a defensive line. Their leader, a bat pony, flashed her fangs and deployed her leathery wings. The mob scattered in fright at the sight. They rushed away, scurrying out of the hall.
Their thundering hoof steps matched the throbbing she felt in her head. Luna reclined into her chair and felt the heaviness of her crown. “We thank thee for thy intimidating display. I wouldst myself but last time it caused a national panic.”
Captain Nightshade looked worriedly to her commander. “Princess, are you alright? It’s unusual for you to adjourn court early.”
Luna took off her crown and felt the icy metallic sting of the ornament against her hooves. “Tis times like these I miss him most… ministering to the masses was his role.”
“Your former Captain?” Nightshade questioned, her tone hinted her hurt.
Luna noticed. “Captain Nightshade, you are a fine officer, we do not disparage or dishonor thy service. However, he’d come up with one clever ploy or another, like splitting a foal in half.”
Nightshade recoiled. “Princess, you walk in darker circles than I.”
Luna sighed as she explained. “No, twas a classic dilemma; two mares came forth, both claiming ownership of a foal. The trick was that the parent who cared the most wouldst surrender the foal first rather than let it die. Affection proved the one worthy of parentage.”
“I see…”
Luna laughed. “Thou should have seen the look upon the mare’s faces, when we brought forth the battle axe.”
The bat pony frowned. “I’m sorry Princess, I don’t understand how that is amusing. If one of the mares did not surrender, a foal’s life would have been lost.”
“Goodness no! Captain Nightshade, tis but an exercise in thought. No foals were intended to be harmed. Thou art ordered to relax. We see Celestia’s rule has made thee all humorless. Your minds mustn’t be as rigid as your armor.”
“I prefer to call it discipline. I thought thousands of years ago it was like so.”
“Flexibility, a sharp wit can win more battles than a sharp sword.”
He had awoken when the sun was setting. Spike regretted having slept through the day, however he realized how immensely better he felt afterwards. He supposed that after hitting rock bottom, he could only rise. He made a quick flight to Canterlot, fighting the thoughts that chased him the whole way lest he succumb to melancholy. He made his way through the familiar castle where and he and Twilight had studied and lived.
A stampede of frightened ponies and buffalo ignored him as they ran opposite of the direction he was headed towards. Gulping down the lump in his throat, he arched his head, seeing around the doorway. He poked and peered timidly past the corner at the long walkway to the throne.
Luna spotted him immediately. She waved hoofed. “Ah just the dragon we wished to see. Come hither, Sir Spike!”
“Princess Luna, I have the report you asked for.” Spike presented the rolled up parchment.
She levitated the parchment and lit a small ball of spell light for illumination. Luna looked on pensively as she read the details of the scroll. “So the Griffins are producing a new dreadnought class airship… hmmm the Dragon Lords are calling for a great gathering… and the Zebras have concocted a new healing brew that has military applications.”
“So whaddya think?” asked Spike.
Princess Luna opened her mouth and blew a plume of blue fire incinerating the report.
“Whoa,” said Spike, whose own mouth opened wide in surprise.
“These are dangerous times. We must not allow our enemies to know what we know. Our enemy is everywhere yet nowhere to be seen.”
“I was referring to the fire from your lips.”
Luna chuckled. “Convincing illusion no? Tis simple spell fire. Let us dine!”
Spike followed Luna through the palace gardens, guards posted at certain vine archways signified they were walking away from the public visitation path. They sat at a small table set in the edge of the garden. It was an outcropping built into the castle. To his right was a spectacular view of the castle’s battlements and the equestrian landscape. To his left was the garden where white lilies were especially radiant in the moonlight. Spike only took minor note of his surrounding his attention was fully captured by Luna.
Ponies dressed in black and white maid outfits swiftly set their table with porcelain plates. The maid dresses seemed to be the ones found in certain stores that catered to tastes of the perverted. He supposed the uniforms could just as likely be of an old style the former were inspired from. Speculating which reason was something Spike dare not ask. He was served a plethora of gemstones while Luna had a light salad.
Spike barely breathed in between inhaling his food. Having missed meals, he devoured the gems eagerly. He stopped when he noticed Luna’s dignified dining by small bites and cuts. He slowed down and began savoring the rich mineral taste.
Luna levitated her utensils and cut small chunks of her leafy salad. She growled in frustration then flung the utensils aside and began wolfing down her food. “Let us dispense with pretense. We are both very hungry.”
He nodded in agreement. Spike asked. “So Princess Luna, how are things?”
The subject seemed to bring a migraine back. “The tortures of Tartarus are preferable than governing. My specialty is conquering.”
“Conquering?”
“Yes, I was the sword and my sister was the shield. Thine modern history books miss much. Uniting the three pony tribes was not clean as we wouldst like to believe. Our safe haven was not won without much sacrifice. Great powers sought to strangle our attempt.”
“I’ve read some of Twilight’s more ancient books. Things weren’t rosy or easy back then, huh?”
Luna nodded sadly as she nibbled a leaf of her salad.
“Even my book on chivalry… a great deal of it involved combat instruction.”
Luna’s ears perked up. “As well as a scholar, are thee a studied sword?”
He flexed his muscled forearm and made a swiping motion. “I know how to swing steel.” He knew his claws could do more damage but somehow he always liked swords. As symbols of masculinity they were obvious.
She smacked her hoof on the table and declared. “Glorious! We must fence sometime!”
“When you returned a lot of ponies thought you were shy.”
“Modern culture was confusing enough; mine time was spent reading up upon a thousand years of social and political change. Twas not my choice to become a recluse. Well, what wouldst thou hath done in my stead?”
Spike raised a claw. “After a thousand years of banishment? Scream into a pillow?”
Luna giggled. “Indeed… afterwards then?”
“I would maybe travel the world as a stranger, see things how they are. I mean it’s a fresh start. Only Twilight really knew about you and she’s mad into history. You could walk down the street and ponies wouldn’t notice.”
“We had not consider that. We art creatures of habit. We swiftly took up the crown… perhaps too swiftly.”
“Responsibility is hard.” Spike face-palmed. “Argh, and the sky is blue. Sorry for stating the obvious. I have a terrible sarcastic streak.”
“No need to apologize, tis refreshing. Perchance, how might thee solve a land dispute between two groups with an equal claim? Say if sharing was no longer an option?”
Spike scratched his chin. “That’s tricky. I recall Twilight having a problem sharing tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala. Everypony wanted one.”
Luna leaned on the edge of her seat. “What resolution came?”
“She wrote to Celestia and was mailed more tickets. I even got one. The difficult decision was never made.”
Luna rubbed her forehead. “What bucking lesson was that meant to impart?! My sister was always soft.”
Luna’s outburst caused Spike to chuckle. “I suppose even Princesses swear.”
Her facial features became stern and cold. “Most humorous, we shall have thee flayed for that.”
He recalled the dictionary definition of flaying. He was scared to sit straight in his seat.
It was Luna’s turn to laugh. “Thine scales would make a most lovely armor.”
Both of them laughed. Soon the crescendo of their laughter descended into uncomfortable silence.
The bold Princess became abashed and momentarily meek. “…Sir Spike, how would thee like to accompany me again for another night such as this?”
He taken a drink from his glass, Spike sputtered, nearly spitting. “Lu-Lu-Luna, are you asking me out on a date?”
Luna timidly rubbed circles around edge of her wine glass. “As we understand it, dating is defined as an activity spent amongst interested parties. Courtship is casual in this age, is it not? Are we not embarking on such a venture now?”
“What?!”
“Thou art a noble soul, and we are kindred in our alienation from the world. Thou have mine attention.”
Spike blushed profusely.
Luna pursed her lips. “Are thee not interested in me?”
Spike babbled. “Y-Y-You’re a Princess!”
“Twas entrapment, I apologize. Let us forget this conversation.” Luna stood up from her seat to promptly leave.
“Wait, Luna. That’s not what I meant.”
Luna turned to her cheek and closed her eyes. She huffed. “Thy words were clear.”
Spike sighed. “I am a dragon.”
She opened her eyes and gave him a bemusedly raised brow. “That is most evident. We would not have suspected with thine spines and wings protruding thus.”
“What would your subjects say? What message would that send?”
“My sister Celestia represents the stability of the day. The night is wild and free.”
“Princess Luna, you don’t fear me?”
“No Sir Spike, thou should fear me.” She laughed and for a moment she transformed her teeth to razors edge knives. Her sterling smile was bewitching. She exuded an element of danger that excited him and scared him at the same time.
“Ummm wow,” He scratched the frills on the back of his head. “You’re intense. It would be like having ice cream all the time—”
Luna frowned as she anticipated the unfavorable response.
Instead Spike grinned. “Somehow I’d be okay with that.”
Luna giggled. “Thou makes the most amusing metaphors involving frozen custard. So?”
“Yeah, I could use a change.” Spike smiled. He looked upwards at the moon. “Maybe it’s time to see things in a new light. See you tomorrow night? Eight?”
Luna pointed at their plate. “Ate? We have just eaten.”
Spike raised a bemused brow ridge. “Puns? Seriously?”
She nodded with a smile. “Tomorrow night it shall be.”
Spike walked back through the garden with a slight bounce in his step. His melancholy seemed to be vanquished; however a gust of wind attacked him. Bearing a particular fragrance, it entered his nostrils and invaded his mind. It was immediately distinguishable in familiarity: the scent of roses, the choice perfume of Rarity. It was such a simple thing, yet he was forced to take a knee. Tears threatened to burst forth.
He and Rarity had history: their gem hunting expeditions, her romantic disasters with snobs, and the late nights feeding her thread for her sewing machine. Memories like a malevolent spell, he cursed how it affected him yet he could never hate her. For a moment his present happiness turned sour as it seemed a betrayal of all that.
His contemplation was interrupted by a bat pony before him. He recognized the guard as being Luna’s captain. There was a suggestion of concern in the pony’s voice. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah.” Spike got back on his feet.
The bat-pony’s concern was quickly replaced by her icy words. “Dragon, you have taken an interest in our Princess.”
“You’re Nightshade, Luna’s lieutenant, a pleasure to meet you. I’m Spike.” Spike offered a claw.
The bat pony grimaced and left Spike hanging. Her undaunted demeanor seemed serious and self-important. Lacking was the mischief he could detect from when Luna was so severe. “You are unworthy of our Princess’s affections. I come to give a word of warning. Do not return tomorrow night. So long as you are an agent of her majesty we will permit you live but do not overstay your welcome, dragon.”
Spike folded his claws. Her arrogance rubbed him like sandpaper. “You’re not my keeper, and you’re sure as buck not Luna’s. I can see her if I want. It’s just one date.” He stuck out his forked tongue at her.
“Your kind are base and bestial in nature. You shall not corrupt the Princess with your ill manner and avarice.”
He wasn’t one to exploit his increased stature but Spike recalled the appreciable effect it had on others. “Bite me.” He stood up on his hind legs to tower over Nightshade.
Nightshade snorted. She pressed her muzzle against Spike’s and stared directly into his eyes without fear. “Do not tempt me, beast.”
“You better back off or I’ll show you how ill-mannered I am.” Spike growled with a flickering flame in his throat.
Nightshade stepped back but did not step down instead she whistled. A spear was flung through the darkness. It landed blade first onto the ground next to Nightshade; she affixed the pole weapon onto a notch of her war saddle. “We are the guardians of the night. Shadows shall consume all. Your meager fire is no match.”
Leathery wings rustled in the darkness as they cut through the air. Two bat pony guards landed to Spike’s left and right for a total of four. The guard’s impacts unto the ground were unsettlingly silent. Mounted on their war saddles were silver crescent pikes that gleamed menacingly. The combined five bat ponies had him surrounded.
Nightshade pointed her lance at his chest. “This is your last chance to leave with your life.”
Spike folded his claws and planted his feet. “I had training with Shining Armor, Reagle Hawkmor, and the Lord Firestorm. Plus I’m a dragon.”
“Do not insult our commitment. We would gladly die for the princess but not without taking you with us.” The bat-ponies snarled at him.
Spike smirked at the bat ponies. Once through Twilight’s magical mishap Fluttershy had transformed into a fruit bat. Only Applejack’s crop had been threatened. “You really think you’re going to bully me with fruit bats?” He pretended to reach for pockets. “I think I have an apple here for you somewhere.” He pulled out his claws and performed a crude finger gesture he learned in the Griffins Kingdoms.
The bat-ponies tilted their heads in confusion. Ponies and hooves obviously had no cultural significance for hand gestures.
Spike sighed as he dumbly withdrew his claws. “It means buck you.” He grumbled. “Fruit bats.”
Up until this point Nightshade’s countenance betrayed no emotion however she grinned licking her fangs. Her break in reserved mannerism and eagerness somehow disturbed him. Nightshade cackled. “Fruit bats… right… that’s what we tell the public.”
The squad of bat-ponies stretched and hissed like felines as their fangs lengthened. They took on more low to the ground feral postures. The irises of their eyes glowed red. Fully transformed, their presence itself seemed to sap energy from him. He was instantly reminded of the vampires of lore. The frills on Spike’s back stood up on their ends.
The shadowy guards coiled and sprang at him.
great story still, did you draw that picture of nightshade yourself?
4039016 Yup I do my own cover art and I love illustrating my characters!
4039026 lol i might ask you for some cover art/illustrations one day then, if you dont mind
Luna is going to be pissed!
I foresee and unpleasant future for Captain Nightshade.
Alright, I'm liking this story a lot now. Can't wait for more.
4039039 I would be glad to illustrate for you. Perhaps you could help me edit. I accept moneyz too. It keeps me fed, the lights running, and my computer on.
Now here comes the chapter where Spike and Rarity talk, Rarity comes in to say that she wants to break off because of what other people have said about them behind her back, and Spike comes out telling Rarity that Princess Luna of all ponies is willing to take a chance with him regardless of who he is.
>>>> In essence, Spike will, in somewhat more civil and politically correct terms, say to Rarity this:
"Fuck you, and you can take this engagement ring I made for you and shove it up your plot. I'm done. Obviously your true self shows me that it matter more to you of what your lover has to be, rather than WHO you love has to be. I bet even Twilight thinks this way as well. Whereas Princess Luna is the same as I, an outsider, even though she's technically a pony like yourself. Yeah, that's right: Princess Luna, the Princess of The Night. THAT Princess Luna. And she's my new marefriend. Maybe with a little more time, she could be my wife as well, unlike you. And she doesn't care about the fact that I'm a dragon, because she understands being a black speck in a sea of white, like me.
Have a nice life with your stallion....but know this. You will never have as much love and dedication as that which I have had for the past Celestia-knows years, and you probably will never know royalty as intimately as I. We may still be friends, but as for anything more? Again, Rarity, buck you.
Oh, one more thing---your excuses for saying that you can't love me like I love you? Those are just that---excuses. If you truly loved me, you would have not given a damn what any-bucking-pony thinks about us. Why didn't you tell me this before, when it was just growing? We could have broke it off then.
I'm pretty sure that Princess Luna will do something that obviously you pathetically failed in doing---loving me for who I am, Sir Spike, knight of Equestria and the Crystal Empire, and not for WHAT I am---A dragon. Because I cannot change what I am, even with magic, but I can sure as hell change who I am and what people think about me. I could even set it up that your dress-making business would never become insolvent. You can do as much as you can to try to repair the damage, but you will NEVER, EVER, completely repair my broken heart.
Goodbye, Rarity, and have a nice life."
Great chapter! I did have one problem with it though. When Spike was telling Luna about the events of the episode Ticket Master, he said no difficult decision was made, and then Luna said her sister had grown soft and should have let Twilight learn a message. But that`s now what happened at all. Twilight made a difficult decision and so instead sent the tickets back thus getting rid of her own chance to attend the Gala. Because Twilight made the hard but necessary decision she was rewarded.
wheres Lincoln when you need him
4039435 That's communism where everyone is equally miserable. Sooo Appaloosa should be leveled to the ground with a meteor strike? I'll tell Luna.
I jest. Luna controls the moon... sooo maybe a tidal flood?
4039427 Now now there! Rarity may just make a dramatic return.
I refuse to disclose more!
4039449 Do you have a better solution
4039026 Your design for Nightshade is nice! Her spear is cool. I read Zig Zag Love. You love pony combat in your stories don't you?
...
Luna is going to be PISSED.
4039460
It's gonna be one hell of a heel-face turn if that is the case, but even though I love Sparity, I just can't see Spike and Rarity together after that in this story. As they say, the genie is out of the bottle. And once the genie is out, it's hard as hell---if not impossible---to get the genie back in.
And Twilight said it best---you cannot get someone to change a fundamental (i.e. natural) part of that person just because of what others say or think. It should only matter because of what you think and what your significant other think. There's plenty of shades of the debate of interracial relationships and marriages in the conflict.
And even if Rarity does realize that it only matters on who the person is inside, as opposed to what someone looks like, it really looks like it would be too late for her because I can see Princess Luna tending to Spike's broken heart. And Luna seems to be the ideal pony to help with Spike, considering how remarkedly close in personality they are---plus they fact that they are blatant ousiders: Spike, for the obvious of being a dragon in a pony world, and Luna, who is basically 1000 years out of touch of pony society (thanks to being banished).
Screech to luna and then fight to knock out
Don't prove them right
L
25 bucks on the dragon curb stomping their asses any takers!!!!
Just like you can't magic yourself up a boyfriend, Princess Twilight Sparkle?
love the story and the premis. A few things I noticed though, you need something to separate the points of view. Transitioning from Luna to spike to Luna again back to spike... It's a bit like a run on sentence. It looks wierd and interrupts the flow of the story in a big way. Please add some page breaks.
Second and perhaps more concerning to me is the suddenness of the events in this chapter. The interactions with twi and rarity was pretty good, but every thing after that seemed to happen without much prompt. Luna comes across as both coy and brash at once. That's not bad per say but one needs to dominate over the other. Her telling the guard to be more flexible and cunning is followed by a rather unsubtle confession to spike. Again not wrong per say but it seems to me she would either make a game of it for a few visits and simply proclaim them as dating, messing with spike and teaching him a lesson about something in the process. Or that she would ask very frankly and be more forceful.
Than there's the guard.
I can see vamponys.
I can see butthurt guard.
I can see a fight.
But the way it all happened made it seem like a playground fight. The was no professionalism at all from the captain, a character who has already stated the he believed more firmly in discipline than flexibility. If he had been introduced as a hot head, or he and spike had history of dislike maybe. But that really was the nail in the coffin for my like of this chapter.
That being said I am still following. I really love the premis and hope for more
In before Luna is watching the whole thing.
I do wish spike had taken a slightly different approach, asking what the bat pony was willing to die for, Luna's wishes to have a date with Spike or her own desires of what Luna can do.
Also in before Spike wins and later becomes the captan of her guard or some other highly ranked military position.
4039845
4039792
4039533
Bravo! You are most astute readers! I'm holding onto my plot map right now. I must say some of your speculations are spot on and are actually addressed! Of which ones I shall not say.
4039729 I'll go thirty!
Looks like we're going to have an epic fight in our hands. Show them why they don't fuck with a dragon!
4039427 I have to agree with you dude, Rarity had her chance and if it did become a problem she should have told Spike so they could nip it in the bud. Not only is Spike tight with the royal family and has a lot of connection with the Crystal Empire but Rarity is also the Element of Generosity, they both hold a lot of weight and could have gotten everyone off their backs if they did it right away. But she let others influence her and now probably lost her greatest lover and has no idea about her own feelings.
Its Official.......
Luna is the Master of Flrting, its canom, and I approve!!!!!!!
Great Chapter, and next one will be even better!!!!!
4039533 There's also the fact that they both struggle with their inner darkness - Luna from her time as Nightmare Moon and Spike from the greed growth incident. They also make a good couple since the two of them will live for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Unless Rarity suddenly ascends and becomes a princess - which she would probably love more than anything - I don't think that there is anything she has that can top that.
Yes!
This was a great chapter, so much depth and character building in it. I love seeing how Spike and Luna interacted with each other. It was refreshing to see how they seem to really only be able to unwind and be themselves around each other. I am dying to see the next date where they know there is a chance for romance and my man Spike can put that silver tongue of his to work.. This fight tho has me pulling my hair out wanting to see it. I hope Spike is as bad ass as I envision a older Spike being. It would be only be cooler if he stands up for the guard when Luna see all the fuss. Knowing they were only trying to protect her ( if not alittle to much lol)
Gonna be a lil angry if spike loses the fight or if one starts for that matter
4039475
Yeah, he has quite the addiction to combat stories that span long periods of time and entire continents. It's a good addiction though, his stories are definitely good reads. I've read all of them, even his unreleased ones.
4039792
Nightshade is a 'she' As for what you can see... I'll let you continue guessing, until CH3 comes out.
4040950
Oh yeah, you're gunna love what happens next man. I can guarantee it.
4039729
25 bucks? Laying it a bit on the thick don'tcha think? Anyway, I'll be taking all bets. But remember that's there always more than two variables in a fight.
This is InfiniteZero, Lieutenant of the S.S Lunacy.
4041674
Well, I feel like I haven't done my job properly now. Thanks for the heads-up.
Would you mind showing me these errors in a PM? It's always good to learn where I went wrong so I know for next time.
~InfiniteZero
4040731
There is one thing she could do.
Rarity could figuratively grow a set and fight for her man. If he meant that much to her before the proposal, then she should work twice as hard to get him back afterwards, and even more so to keep him despite what popular opinion thinks. Not to mention that whether she knows it or not, she now have stiff competition with Luna.
Rarity hardly didn't have to work at all to court Spike in the first place, in the beginning (the crush age) it was all on his end, and as he grew up and matured, she did as well. She finally gave him a chance. And as we saw, up until Spike's return party, everything was peachy. But with so little work, she could have essentially burned this huge bridge between pony and dragon. That is why I say it's gonna take at least twice as much, if not more for Rarity to mend that bridge just to get Spike back, not to mention all the additional work she will have to take in order to retain her relationship with Spike should she actually be successful in getting Spike back. He's already been burned before, and he's more than likely not going to allow himself to get burned again.
Love Luna's sheer bluntness
4041580 Great I will take your word for it, but that is bittersweet. That will just the wait for the next Chapter all that much harder knowing I will love the next chapter lol.
Enjoying it so far. My only real, I don't want to say complaint just, odd thing that stuck out to me, was just how damn fast Nightshade is willing to basically try and kill Spike. And not just that, but that she would summon other ponies to help fight him. I understand she doesn't like him (or dragons at all apparantly) but she comes off as very dishonorable and frankly a Bitch.
"We would gladly die for the princess but not without taking you with us". I dunno. He plans on going on a date with her. That seems a tad extreme. I suppose this all works if your going for the hole we are strict no-nonsense guards, but alas.
Sorry for rant, keep up the good work!
*reads the part at the end about the guards changing and just gets an EvilWolfGrin*
I think those guards forgot One very important things about Dragons in general and Spike in particular, a dragon's emotions controls how his magic makes his body look like, AND they already know what his Greed Growth form looks like, do they REALLY want to see what his Anger or his Fight for My Life Growth looks like?????
Pretty obvious this is not a real fight, bats are making sure Spike is worthy of Luna, as if Luna needs their permission
however if this is set up by Luna, then she is clearly not worthy of Spike and he will have to go with best choice
Oh yeah,, needs more jokes xD.
Go for record!
Spike n Luna. Breaken you funny bones.
Spike is about to lay out some guard ponies!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=KPxDoFbsvWA]
I thought of this immediately. Sorry the video is a link.
I want to say firstly, I loved the way this chapter ended. Cliffhangers are said to increase the desire to continue reading by a lot and this did just that. There's plenty of questions to be asked, but I'll wait for the answers. The biggest (question) to me is what the war is over at this point as this should be very interesting... Oh, and what Rarity will say to Spike too, I guess. Nah, more about the war. I can't wait to see what you have up next.
Anyway, this was very good chapter, but was lacking the emotional connectiveness(is that a word?) I was hoping for. While the emotions are there and can be felt between Spike and Luna, I was hoping for more exploration on these new feelings, but a sudden whirlwind romance fits the pacing just as well. I do love their interactions here and they are very cute. I wonder how they will fair in a war setting? Anyway, a good chapter as always and I'm looking forward to more.
Hmm... Spike seems to be a bit antagonistic, no? I mean, yes he was baited but he responded rather poorly. I suppose this just means that he hasn't grown up completely yet.
How dare Nightshade!!
That would be intimidating, IF IT WASN'T SO FUCKING CHILDISH.
4353307 well shit happens
Uh huh, I don't know if this is a setup or not, but a whack across the muzzle is really deserving for those kinds of comments.
4353307
To be fair he has just had the mare he loved all his life, give him the shunt and then when somepony agrees to a date he gets these bastards annoying him.
Well. This characterization is certainly... something, I guess.
Seriously what is it with all these stories I'm finally catching up on having absolutely horrendous characterization?
That sounds very familiar 🤔