Chapter 25
Our out-of-town visitors had been held up for one reason or another, and rather than arriving during the middle of the week, they arrived much closer to Hearth’s Warming than we planned. That’s not to say we weren’t already prepared to receive them, but anyone that knows Twilight knows how panicky she can get when schedules aren’t followed. As it was, Silverstream and her chaperone arrived early in the morning, before the sun even crested the horizon, and the two immediately fell into their provided beds and passed out. Yona and Sandbar arrived next, shortly after dawn, both chatting happily (and surprisingly quietly) about what each had been doing the past few months, and Gallus quite literally walked into the middle of their conversation, prompting the three to join in a group hug as they reunited. I’ll admit, it was entertaining to watch the two males’ eyes bug out as the yak cow practically squeezed the life out of them.
Jubilation continued when Silverstream awakened and joined the merriment, and as if summoned by the presence of her friends, Ocellus arrived with King Thorax himself in tow. Save for the yet-to-arrive Smolder, the Young Six were back together, and the rest of us simply let them catch up while we continued to prepare for the upcoming holiday. This meant we were still waiting on Twilight’s family, the Canterlot princesses, and the royalty from the Empire, but we had plenty to keep us busy until they arrived.
The catering for the town had arrived earlier in the day, and since it was essentially heat-and-eat food, we just put away the massive amount of food in the cold storage room that was essentially a giant freezer. As for our personal catering for our close friends and family that would be staying, Applejack and the Cakes were still putting the finishing touches on everything, and much of Applejack’s food would be cooked the day of, so as to be as fresh as possible. Pinkie had already left to travel to her family’s rock farm, leaving just the Cakes themselves finishing up the last of our order.
Work had largely tapered off with the holiday fast approaching, since even bureaucrats wanted to be home with their families. This left all of us with plenty of time to just enjoy life, which included catching up with Thorax.
Thorax, in my opinion, was the ideal leader for the reformed changelings of Chrysalis’ hive. He was always friendly and open to forging new relationships, he was devoted to his people, and though his title was “king,” he chose to speak to his people as equals, and considered all their wants and needs before making decisions. He was still soft-spoken and awkward at times, but Thorax truly cared for the wellbeing of his people, and that was enough to make him a good leader.
Thorax, of course, had plenty of questions about the recent formation of my herd. Being creatures that once fed on positive emotions, the new changelings were interested in all things regarding relationships. Freely given love was, after all, an endless fount of food for changelings like Lyla, so it was the most treasured form of love to find.
“So, is everything going well, then?” Thorax asked, sitting across from me in the library as we sipped warm drinks.
I nodded happily, unable to stop the smile that crossed my lips. “Better than I could have imagined. The love is flowing freely, and as far as I can tell, everyone’s happy.” A frown followed, however. “But…Ember is going to have to go back to the dragon lands following the holiday. I’m understandably upset about that, but she has duties to get back to that can’t be put off any longer. Twilight is finalizing her portal system, but it’s going to take time.”
Thorax set his lips in a thin line, nodding understandingly. “I know what it’s like to be separated from those you care about. It feels like spikes of pain under your skin that don’t stop hurting until you’re back with them.”
Raising my brow I queried, “I wasn’t aware you’d been in love before.”
Thorax gave a wearied smile. “Yet another thing that sets me apart from the rest of Chrysalis’ hive. Pharynx used to joke that I should have been born a pony, because I would have fit in better.”
Giving my own look of understanding, I nodded back. “I know what having a crisis of identity is like. Twilight and all the other girls were always willing to support me, but being ponies, they just couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Before I met you and Ember, I was surrounded by friends, and yet still felt alone sometimes.” Following that, I was quiet for a few moments before asking, “Did you ever find them after you guys changed? The one you loved, I mean.”
Raising his own brow back at me, Thorax answered, “Of course I did. Kinda hard not to be able to find a celebrity. Songbird Serenade isn’t exactly difficult to locate.”
Normally, I would be pretty surprised if the average pony personally knew a pony as famous as Songbird Serenade, but by their very nature…well, changelings were embedded in pony culture. Once the alliance was announced between changelings and Equestria, many Equestrian citizens revealed themselves to have been changelings all along, living peacefully with ponies for years -- decades, for some. Frankly, if Thorax had told me he had once been a butler in Canterlot Palace, I would have believed him.
“Did you ever try to contact her again?” I asked, suitably concerned for my friend.
Thorax shrugged, idly scratching his cheek. “A few times, yes. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly the first one to claim I’m a friend of hers, and try to meet her. Her agent and managers made sure I never got to see her. I know that’s normal for someone as high-profile as she is, but it still hurts that she probably doesn’t even know I’m looking for her.”
And suddenly, I knew what I was going to get Thorax for Hearth’s Warming. Sure, it was only two days away, but I could pull it off.
Standing up and patting him on the shoulder as I passed by, I encouraged, “Hey, don’t give up. You never know when fortune will drop in your lap. Now c’mon, I think it’s time we get something to eat before Twilight gets back from Canterlot. We’re gonna have work to do when she does, and you know that means lots of questions for you, and lots of writing for me. It’s been awhile since we’ve spoken with the leader of a hive, so I’m sure you can imagine how many lists she’s written since you told us you were coming to visit.”
Despite his normally sunny demeanor, Thorax still grimaced. He was well aware of just how thorough Twilight was when it came to her questions. Sometimes, that meant hours of them, and I often had to be the one to reign her in.
Rolling my eyes, I assured, “C’mon, it won’t be that bad. I’ll save you if it gets to be too much, I promise.”
“You better, “ he playfully challenged, standing to follow me, “because I have changelings depending on me. I can’t make sure they’re okay if I die of boredom.”
Chuckling at the quip, I just continued to lead us to the private kitchen. It took only a few minutes for us to get there, and upon arriving, we found we were not the only ones that were feeling a little peckish. Starlight had returned from the school for the holiday, since the students were sent home until the new year. Currently, she was munching on some haychips straight out of the bag, while reading the newspaper levitating in front of her. She promptly choked on a mouthful when she glanced up and saw Thorax standing in front of her, hurriedly wiping her face with a napkin and trying with all her power to appear as if she hadn’t just been stuffing her face.
Thorax just smiled brightly and waved at her. “Hi Starlight!”
While not quite as close as Trixie, Thorax was considered by Starlight to be one of her closest friends. Due to all the travelling Starlight would often do when she wasn’t needed at the school, she spent quite a bit of time with the reformed hive, which obviously included Thorax himself. After all, they had worked together to free everyone when Chrysalis had foalnapped the princesses, and besides me, Starlight was one of the first people to offer Thorax a fair shake. We are all good friends, but the fact that both Thorax and Starlight were people that came from darker paths in life meant they shared a special bond.
That didn’t mean Starlight wanted to be caught pigging out by him.
After taking a moment to compose herself, Starlight stood and crossed the meager distance between us and enveloped the tall changeling in a hug, sighing happily when his arms wrapped around her. “It’s good to see you, Thorax. I’m glad you made it.”
Releasing his own sigh of happiness, he closed his eyes and affectionately nosed Starlight’s mane. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Star.” Stepping away, he inspected her with a crooked smile. “I mean, if I’m going to make sure relations between Equestrians and changelings remain positive, it would behoove me to be up to date on pony traditions, wouldn’t it? Hearth’s Warming offers me just such an excuse. And if I should just so happen to need to spend time with good friends for a few days…” he shrugged, his grin becoming decidedly mischievous, “well, that’s just a happy bonus, isn’t it?”
Starlight rolled her eyes. “Well regardless of whatever reason you needed to justify it, it’s good to see you again.” She then focused on me. “So who else are we still waiting on to get here?”
I placed a claw on my chin as I thought aloud. “Well, Smolder is supposed to be coming today, and if she’s anything like Ember, she’ll want to fly during the time of day when the sun is highest. This means she’ll arrive sometime in the late afternoon. Besides the remainder of my herd, Rainbow, Applejack, and the Crusaders, that just leaves Fizzle. I…don’t know exactly when Fizzle’s supposed to get here. She didn’t say when she’d arrive.”
Starlight looked over me with a critical eye before observing, “...you’re nervous. Why are you nervous?”
While my first impulse was to immediately refute her accusation, the narrowed eyes of Thorax silently warned me not to lie to them. With a resigned sigh, I began to explain. “Fizzle and I parted on…less than desirable terms. She was staying with us briefly before she left, and during that time, I guess you could say I was rather…interested in her. I mean c’mon, I was a teenage dragon, and her default outfit was skintight bodysuits.”
“So you were perving on her a little,” Starlight surmised, raising an eyebrow challengingly.
I couldn’t help it as I started to blush, but with a few bobs of my head, I could only agree. “...y-yeah, kinda. I never even really got the chance to apologize for my behavior, and then she just up and left. Twilight swears up and down it wasn’t because of me, and inside I know it wasn’t, but I can’t help but conclude a horny teenage dragon probably contributed to it.”
Starlight nodded understandingly, laying a hand on my shoulder. “Well you’re not a horny…” she paused, pursing her lips before continuing, “well, you’re not a teenage dragon anymore. You can just apologize like an adult, and move on from there.”
“Hey, I’ll have you know I keep all my horniness in private, thank you very much,” I shot back playfully, poking her in the side.
Starlight squinted at me with a smile before schooling her features and looking me in the eyes. “Twilight told me about the letter she sent. In it, she didn’t even mention you, which at the very least means she’s not worried about meeting you again. I think it’s safe to say she isn’t holding a grudge about it.”
“Or I’m so unimportant, she doesn’t even remember me,” I pointed out, feeling an odd weight in my chest as I said that.
“Why does it seem like that would bother you even more?” Thorax asked, obviously noticing my emotional state.
When I really thought about it…I didn’t have an answer. “Maybe…maybe it’s because she’s going to be living with me? I don’t know, actually. We weren’t exactly close when she left, but the thought that Fizzle would just not remember me bothers me for some reason. Like I’m so unimportant I’m not even worth remembering.”
“Or it could be she was suffering from soul-crushing guilt and she had other things to worry about at the time, and so she couldn’t muster the emotional capacity to become particularly close to anypony at all,” Starlight suggested helpfully.
“That’s fair,” I conceded, motioning for the two to follow me as I started walking again. “Regardless, she’s not even here yet, so stressing myself out like this isn’t doing me any good. All I can do is make sure we’re prepared for when she does arrive, which I’ve already done, and put on my most welcoming smile when she gets here.”
We kept walking for a few silent minutes before Thorax eventually commented, “...maybe you should greet her in your own bodysuit or something.” I nearly tripped as I suddenly stopped, and though I blushed at the thought, could only raise a brow at the changeling. He looked completely unbothered and shrugged. “What? I can admit you have a good body, Spike, and it could be a fun icebreaker. It would immediately diffuse any tension in the air, that’s for sure. She’d probably just laugh, which would be a good thing.”
I raised my finger and opened my mouth to retort, only to lower my hand and shut my mouth a moment later as I really thought about it. Even though I was not going to be doing that, “I can admit your idea has some merit, and I hate that it does. It’s ridiculous, but sometimes ridiculous is what we need.” I glanced at the changeling and smiled at him. “I have a feeling you’ve been spending too much time with Discord.”
“Speaking of our resident chaos lord,” Starlight began, sitting back down at the table to continue her reading, “when’s the last time he visited?”
I took a seat at the other end of the table, with Thorax sitting to my right. “Eh, it’s been awhile for us, but Discord explained that he doesn’t experience time the same way we do. He experiences time nonlinearly, so a day, week, month, or year is all relative to him. He doesn’t miss major holidays, so I know he’ll be here for Hearth’s Warming, but we’ve learned that we need to let Discord do as he does. So, he’ll definitely be here in two days, but other than that, we might see him or we might not. There’s really no way to know.”
We were all quiet for a moment, just enjoying the momentary calm, before Thorax suddenly perked up. “Oh, I said in the letter that I needed to speak to Lyla. Is she available?”
I also started a bit, realising that for him to have mentioned that in the letter he sent, it must have been important. I stood and nodded to him before smiling at Starlight. “Welp, looks like I’m out for now. See ya, Starlight.”
With nothing more said, Thorax and I quickly left the castle, and made our way through the snowy town. Of course, with him being a bit of a rarity to be seen in ponyville, as well as being nearly as tall as I was, he drew the eye of nearly everyone that was out and about, regardless of their age or sex. He was a novelty, after all, and even I could admit he had an exotic appeal that most other creatures couldn’t replicate. New changelings had become quite popular, and Thorax himself was no exception. True, he already had a love in mind, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to draw eyes wherever he went.
We crossed the town relatively quickly in silence, deigning not to really say anything until we were approaching Lyla’s home.
“I…I would actually like to speak to her in private, if I could,” Thorax suddenly asked, looking apologetic.
I raised a brow at him. “May I ask why?”
Thorax looked distinctly uncomfortable. “...we’re best friends Spike, and changelings are generally very open, but some things must remain private. Please understand.”
I can’t say I particularly liked being left out of the loop again, but he was right. Not everything was open for discussion, even among the same species, so it stands to reason there are some things regarding changelings I would never know about. For their own safety, if nothing else. The changelings took a huge risk by allying with Equestria, and they knew it. Even though things were generally very positive between the races, exposing every vulnerability would be stupid. I could only assume what Thorax needed to discuss with Lyla was somehow about that, so I was notably less upset that he excluded me from the talk.
Letting out a long breath, I nodded understandingly and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “I get it. Just head back to the castle when you’re finished. I’ll be there most of the day.”
Thorax released a breath he had been holding, smiling gratefully. “Thank you, Spike. I promise we won’t be long, and I’ll try and bring Lyla back with me if she’s not busy.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I agreed, giving him a thumbs-up. “If I’m not home, I’ll probably be out in town somewhere. You know how to find me if you need me*.”
Thorax smiled again and knocked on the door. I shot into the sky before Lyla could answer, since I still had things to do to make the stay for our guests as nice as possible.
“H-how in the n-n-nine hells did Ember m-make that flight?! I just about f-f-froze to death!”
Though she was never going to admit it, Smolder was practically cuddling me as I carried her through the air toward the castle, with her shivering violently to try and warm herself up. To be fair, the younger dragoness was a bit smaller than Ember, which meant less body heat, and complained even in the spring about how Equestria was often too cold. She’d never visited during winter, so even though she knew about the concept of ice and snow, she’d never been somewhere cold enough to have it. Smolder was the opposite of Ember in the sense that she had tons of “book smarts,” but little actual experience with the world and its many wonders.
“To be fair,” I began, ensuring she was held as close to me as possible, to hopefully soak up some of my excess heat, “Ember flew here before it got as cold as it is now. Even then, she didn’t break line of sight with our hearth for the first two hours she was here.”
The flight was a fair bit more awkward because of the fact Smolder had wormed her way up under my shirt to be skin-to-skin.
“W-whatever,” she grumbled, trying to sound tough even as she was shivering with chattering teeth, “j-j-just get us s-somewhere warm.” I glanced down at her just as she locked eyes with me. “A-and if you tell anyone I was d-doing this, I’ll…find some w-way to punish you for it.”
I arched a brow challengingly at her. “Doing what? Cuddling against me? Being like a cute little kitty-cat that wants to get a head scratch?”
Her frills took on a deeper hue as she jabbed me in the ribs with a finger. “S-shut up! Don’t say stuff like that!”
Let it be said that I wasn’t anywhere near as close with Smolder as I was any of the rest of my friends, and I’m pretty sure she had her eye on Sandbar. Still, we had a comfortable banter between us that usually involved petty teasing and poking fun. She did it to me, I did it to her, laughs were had, and life was good. Besides, she had years of it coming since she had been taller than me until fairly recently, and had to teach me darn near everything about dragon adolescence. She made fun of me quite a bit during those times, and it both toughened me up as well as taught me how young dragons related to one another.
So yes, I was going to take full advantage of her current predicament to embarrass the heck out of her.
Turning my eyes back to the quickly-approaching castle, I teased, “I mean, maybe if you ask Ember nicely, she’ll let you get in some cuddles here and there during your stay.”
I imagine if it weren’t for the uncontrollable shivering, Smolder would have frozen when I said those words. As it was, she sucked in a sharp breath and trembled more, hastily hissing, “D-dude, don’t even joke about that! Ember would skin me alive if…” she then stopped and tentatively asked, “...wait, why would I ask Ember about something like that?”
I inclined my head a little bit more to show off the brand. “Notice anything different about my throat?”
It took her a second before she sucked in another gasp. “W-woah, she branded you?”
“And I branded her,” I added, smiling a bit at the thought. “We’re mated in the old ways, and after the holiday, I’ll be heading back with you two to present myself to her parents.”
She was silent for a moment before saying, “Y’know, I knew she kinda always had a thing for you. Even back when you two first met, she said you were a cute little drake. Too young, but cute.” She snorted and shifted against me a little, her teeth no longer chattering uncontrollably. “When she said she was heading back to train you, I didn’t know this would happen.”
I shrugged a bit as I flared my wings, bleeding our speed away as I prepared to land on a balcony. “Neither did I, but it did, and I’m happier for it. Anyway, here we are.” We stood there for a moment as I pressed my palm to the wall, causing a crystal door to appear to let us inside. “I honestly don’t mind, but you might want to slip out of my shirt. It’ll make it hard to walk, and people will ask questions I’m sure you don’t want to answer right now.” She slipped out from under my shirt and quickly brushed herself off before marching inside. I closed the door behind us, and nudged her with a wing. “C’mon, we’ll swing by the kitchen on the way and get you something hot to drink. Then we’ll head to the commons room where the hearth stays lit pretty much the whole winter. If I know Ember, that’s where she’s gonna be anyway, so you can see her, too.”
I didn’t wait for Smolder to respond, but heard her mumble, “Warmth is good,” under her breath. I held back a laugh and just led us through the winding passageways until I finally found the kitchen, and went about steaming some milk for a hot chocolate. While I did so, Smolder just sat on the counter and idly kicked her legs as she examined the room around us. She hadn’t spent much time in the castle, so this was likely the first time she’d seen the private rooms most of the public didn’t get to see.
“I should also warn you, just so you don’t think things that aren’t true,” I began, breaking up a few chocolate bars into the pan of steaming milk, and adding a few spices with a dash of cocoa powder, “that Equestrians practice a form of polygamy, so I have more than one mate. Ember is well aware, and has actually integrated that part of Equestrian culture pretty readily. She’s said it still feels odd for her sometimes, but she understands and has accepted that she has to share me with others.”
While I wasn’t looking at her, I imagine if I turned my head, I would see Smolder staring at me with her mouth hanging open. After a few quiet moments, she could only ask, “...woah, for real?”
I nodded, stirring the mixture vigorously before tasting a spoonful. After analyzing the taste, I added a bit of nutmeg and a bit more cocoa powder before carefully pouring the mixture into a large mug, and handing it to the dragoness. “For realsies, yeah. I’m well aware that’s not how things work in the dragon lands, but it’s how it works here, and Ember is surprisingly okay with that. As long as she has my love and support, she seems to have accepted being part of an Equestrian herd.”
I leaned against the counter next to her and watched as Smolder seemed to take a moment to digest what I had just told her. She absently took a sip of her hot drink, then stopped and stared at the mug in wonder. “...what is this? It’s incredible.”
“Homemade hot chocolate, which is just what it sounds like. Use dark chocolate so that it’s not overbearingly sweet, and use fresh milk to keep it creamy and frothy,” I explained, pointing at the mug with a smile. “Ember likes it too, though she usually adds some cinnamon. I kept it basic, so it wouldn’t overwhelm you or something. Still, this’ll help warm you up from the inside. Now c’mon, let’s get to the fireplace so you can warm up your outside, too.”
Smolder gently eased herself off the counter to avoid spilling her drink, then followed me as I led her again into the winding halls of the castle to our next destination. It only took a few minutes before I could hear the scattered chatter coming from the commons room, and I was able to pick out the voices of both Ocellus and Yona from within. We rounded the last corner to see that, yes, both the changeling and yak were in the commons room, but true to my guess, so was Ember, as usual, sitting on the stone of the hearth to soak up as much warmth as possible.
The older dragoness perked up at our approach, greeting, “Wonderful, you made it. How was the flight?”
Before she could answer, Smolder was glomped by the yak cow, and her drink went flying into the air with the liquid tumbling everywhere. Before a mess could be made, a teal magical aura caught every drop of liquid and deposited it back into the floating mug, holding it aside as Starlight entered the room with a warm smile on her face. Since she had taken over headmistress duties at the school, these were now her students, and she had a special place in her heart for each one. She took genuine joy in seeing them so happy and thriving the way they were.
I glanced at the mare and casually advised, “Thorax is at Lyla’s. He said he’ll head back after he’s done talking to her about whatever he needed to. But that works out, because I met a certain half-frozen dragoness while I was out, and escorted her back here.”
Starlight just kept smiling, but said smile turned a bit more mischievous when she heard that. “Well, that works out just fine, because a message just appeared in Twilight’s study with the royal seal on it. An airship just checked in with security forces in Canterlot, and the passengers include visitors from all over the planet, come to observe an Equestrian holiday in Canterlot. But, a few are heading to the town where the Elements of Harmony had their start, including-”
“It’s Fizzle, isn’t it?” I finished for her.
Starlight almost physically deflated. “Well it’s no fun when you take the wind out of my sails. I was gonna tease you for a few minutes.” She blew out a breath and nodded. “But yes, Fizzle arrived on the airship, and caught a ride on the express line. She’ll be here in the next thirty minutes.”
A spike of anxiety stabbed my heart, and I felt myself start fidgeting. I had expected her to not arrive until later in the day or even tomorrow for some reason, and yet she was going to arrive in half an hour. Less than that, probably.
“Spike…Spike, pull yourself together,” Ember’s robust voice soothed from my side. The dragoness had stood and was encircling her arms around my waist without me noticing. I did as she said, taking a steadying breath and allowing myself to be hugged from behind. “C’mon, it’s gonna be fine. Besides, I told you that we in the dragon lands were terrified of this mare, so you don’t get to freak out, because I’m gonna need you to be the calm one between us.”
Physically swallowing down my anxiety, I settled myself and placed my hand over Ember’s. “You’re…you’re right. Sorry about that. I’m okay, I promise.”
“Big dragon scared of little pony?” the voice of Yona taunted as well, drawing my attention to her. She was smirking at me challengingly. “Perhaps Yona must protect scaredy-dragon this day!”
“Oh, buck you, Yona,” I returned, and yet the challenge actually did make me feel less worried.
The yak only smacked her rump hard with a hand, winking at me. “Only in dreams, lover-drake.” She then dropped her smile and stood tall, pounding her fist into her palm. “Being serious now, does Yona need to break skulls?”
I couldn’t help it as a smile worked its way on my face, and I looked at the cow thankfully. “No Yona, not seriously. Thank you though, because I know you would.”
“Of course Yona would,” the yak immediately assured, flexing as she demonstrated her strength, “yak always stand with shield brother and sister! Yak fear no enemy, for great feasting halls await!”
Once again, I was reminded of the warrior traditions of the yak people, and knew that Equestria had a ready-made war-ally in them, if nothing else. The yaks were an honorable people, and if you fed and housed them, they practically considered you family. The warrior culture of the yaks took time to understand for Equestrians, the latter nation having been at peace for over a thousand years, but once one understood an offer to fight was not a declaration of war, yaks were much easier to get along with. They liked to eat and drink, they liked to tell stories, and they liked to fight in honorable combat.
Changelings, by comparison, were far more peaceful, as was evidenced by Ocellus’ request of, “Or, or, we could, um, not fight? Please?”
But, I knew Yona had to burn off some steam somehow, and frankly, I was the only one that probably wouldn’t get hurt. With that in mind, and the desire to avoid another incident involving the guards, I offered, “I’ll tell you what, Yona: you and I will have a good brawl the day after Hearth’s Warming if you want. That’ll be my present to you, and you can tell the yaks that you got to wrestle a dragon.”
Yona gasped and danced on her hooves excitedly. “You speak truth?”
I nodded with a smile. “Promise. You and I both know almost no one here could take you, and yaks love to tell stories. What better story than one few other yaks can claim?”
“Yona likes this, yes! Thank you, Spike the dragon,” she exclaimed, grabbing my hand and attempting to remove it from the shoulder socket in a good imitation of Applejack.
The three younger creatures made their way out of the commons room, with Smolder snagging her hot chocolate on the way out. Starlight, Ember and I watched them go for a moment before Ember said, “...you’ll make a good dad, Spike. You’re good with kids.”
I laughed in surprise, both at the mention of fatherhood, and her referring to Yona that way. “E-Ember, you do realize her and I are basically the same age, right? Yeah, I tend to relate better to people older than me, but I’m in the same general age group as Smolder and her friends.”
Ember grimaced and glanced away. “Oof. When you say it like that, I just feel old. Makes me feel like I’m robbing the nest or something just by being with you.”
I raised my brow at her and said, “I should remind you that my first love and infatuation was a mare years older than me. I was only up to her knee the first time we met, and I still fell head over heels for her. That and all my friends are older than me, and I didn’t meet anyone my age until we moved to Ponyville. Even then, I almost always hung around ponies older than me, and because of my advanced schooling and vocal skills, I relate better with the older generations.”
“Nice to know I’m one of the ‘older generation’,” she added, though I could tell she wasn’t serious.
I just shrugged. “Eh, I’ve always had a thing for older mares. Guess that includes other creatures, too. Better keep me away from your mom.” Ember scoffed at me, and I noticed Starlight just watching us with an odd smile on her lips. “What’s with the look, Star?”
She seemed to shake herself out of an internal thought she was having, and Starlight smiled sheepishly. “O-oh, it’s just…it’s crazy watching you two sometimes. You only got together not too long ago, but the way you banter and talk to each other reminds me of couples that have spent years or decades in a relationship. It’s nice, but it’s odd.”
Ember blushed a bit, but smiled nonetheless. “W-well, part of it is because of the brand: it deepens the bond we already shared. The other part…well, we were really lucky to find each other so soon. Some dragons don’t meet their destined mate for hundreds of years, but it only took us a few decades.” At Starlight’s confused look, Ember elaborated. “Oh, um, dragons have a…let’s call it ‘cultural belief’ that every dragon born has a mate they are destined to be with. The brand was designed specifically for that mate, and it will activate only with them. There are deep, old magics woven into the spell that no dragon living today completely understands, but it works.”
Starlight perked up. “Really? Wow, that’s incredible. I thought such spells existed only in fairytales.”
Ember merely smiled enigmatically. “Even the most fantastical stories have a kernel of truth within them.”
“Oh don’t get all ‘masterful and wise’ on me, Ember,” Starlight chided, “or do you forget I watched you get sucked into a cheesy action film where you could see the wires?”
Ember blushed again and stuck her tongue out at the unicorn. “Even the wisest being needs some mindless fun now and then to keep their sanity.”
After a moment of staring at one another, trying to keep straight faces, both females erupted into laughter. Again, I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Ember not just getting along with ponies, but actively enjoying their company. Most of them, anyway.
Their laughter slowly tapered off, and after their giggles completely subsided, Starlight turned to me with a serious expression. “Well, I think you should probably head to the train station. Twilight is already going to be there, and you know she would be upset if you aren’t there to support her. Everypony else is busy with preparations, so if you aren’t there, it’ll just be Twilight all alone.”
Twisting my lips into a frown, I nodded resolutely. “Yeah, and she’s already stressed enough. No sense adding more to her anxiety. All right,” I groaned, standing and straightening my shirt, “let’s go get this over with. Do me a favor, Star, and do one more check on Fizzle’s room. I know we spent yesterday preparing it, but I just want to be sure everything’s good before she gets here. I want her to feel like this is her home, and she’s welcome.”
Starlight smiled a little. “You got it Spike. Leave it to me.”
Starlight stood and quickly made her way to the halls, leaving me with Ember. I leaned down to the dragoness and gave her a gentle, unhurried kiss that was infused with as much love as I could convey. If the smile I felt on her lips and happy murmur was any indication, she was quite pleased, so I counted that as a win. Pulling away, I winked at her and said, “Be back soon, babe. Love you.”
Ember raised her brow at me. “‘Babe’? Going right for the pet names, hmm?”
“Term of endearment. Anyway, I’m off. See you soon,” I said, waving as I paced out of the room and toward the front door.
I did my best to ignore the butterflies in my stomach, as well as the little voice in my head telling me that somehow, I was going to screw this up.
“You’re late,” Twilight stated plainly, neither accusatory nor particularly annoyed. It was just a statement of fact.
I stepped up beside the mare and wrapped my wing around her to stave off some of the cold. “...yeah, sorry about that. I uh…I got held up.” I tried my best to ignore the side-eye Twilight was giving me, but eventually, I caved and admitted, “All right fine…I may have walked slow because I’m a little worried about this. Only a little, though.”
Twilight’s expression softened and she leaned into me even as she inclined her head and waved at one of the townsponies. “It’s going to be okay, Spike. You know I’ll be right here, no matter what.”
I stood next to her, trying and failing to stop fidgeting.
The sound of the train horn blowing in the distance caused me to nearly jump out of my skin, and the puffs of smoke that rose from the trees in the distance caused my heart to start racing. Minute by minute, the train approached closer, until I could hear the telltale sound of the engine chugging along. Eventually, the train itself rounded the bend and broke through the treeline, its familiar pastel colors heralding the approach of tourists, out-of-town family members, and a certain special unicorn mare.
The squeal of the brakes announced the train’s arrival to everyone on the platform, and we all waited patiently for the beast of steam and metal to slow to a gentle stop. Minutes seemed like hours as I grew progressively more anxious, until eventually, the engine passed us, and the train cars began to crawl by. Finally, with a hiss of steam and a final toot of the horn, the train stopped completely, and the doors opened to allow the passengers to disembark.
A veritable tsunami of creatures of all kinds (though mostly ponies, obviously) practically erupted from the doors of the passenger cars, all in a hurry to both meet those that were receiving them on the platform, and get out of the cold into the loving embrace of family and hearths. My eyes began scanning the crowd, on the lookout for our quarry.
One by one, the crowd dispersed, the passengers either heading home, or finding the ones waiting for them and following their hosts to the warm indoors. The waves of people became a gathering, which became a trickle, until only a few were left walking to and fro.
I strained my neck to see over the crowd a bit more, wondering aloud, “Did we get the right train? I don’t see her.”
“This is the only train coming for the rest of the day. After this stop, the crew are heading to their own homes to be with their families,” Twilight assured, frowning at the lack of our expected visitor.
And then, as if summoned by our questions, she appeared.
Due to the tense atmosphere her mere presence created, she was dressed in a heavy winter cloak and scarf, with the hood pulled up to cover her head and hide the broken horn that would immediately give her away. She was tall, just a bit taller than Twilight, and had the comfortable, measured gait of an experienced soldier. The scarf was wrapped around her muzzle, leaving all but her eyes covered, but that was enough to identify her from a distance for anyone that was looking. Her deceptively soft opal eyes scanned the platform for a moment before settling on us, and from where I stood, it looked like her eyes widened slightly as she hesitated briefly. Seemingly getting over her momentary pause, she made her way over to us with confident strides, until she finally stood in front of us.
“Hello, Princess Twilight,” she greeted neutrally. Her voice was smooth and concise, as if she planned every word she spoke days before the words ever left her lips. I’ll admit, it was still intimidating, even after all this time. After a moment, those intense eyes moved to me, and I got the distinct impression she was confused, and maybe even a little cautious. But, with a widening of her eyes, she almost curiously ventured, “...Spike?”
She remembered me. I mean, of course she did. Or, at least, the change from “lanky, awkward adolescent drake” to “tall, mature dragon” was profound enough that it was impossible to ignore. Smiling slightly and nodding with far more confidence than I felt, I answered, “The one and only. Hi, Fizzle.”
Those eyes stayed locked on me for a few moments of silence before they rolled back to Twilight. Twilight merely stepped forward and wrapped the taller mare in a hug, which after a moment of surprise, she returned. They held the embrace for a few more moments before separating. Twilight glanced at me and assured the unicorn, “I promise we’ll explain everything, but let’s get back to the castle, where it’s warm. Spike, could you get her luggage?”
“Oh, actually I’ve-”
Shaking my head and walking over to take the suitcase in my hand, I smiled once again at Fizzlepop. “It’s cool, I got it. I know what long trips are like, and I’m sure there’s nothing you’d love more than to get somewhere warm, get a shower, and relax. Now c’mon, let’s do as the princess says and head back to the castle.”
Just as the unicorn was preparing to retort, Twilight added, “And Fizzle, I told you that you can just call me Twilight. We’re friends, and I don’t want my friends calling me by my title, like we’re strangers or something. I have a name, so please use it.”
Fizzlepop seemed to silently debate with herself on how to respond before eventually settling on, “...okay, Twilight. Lead the way.”
Twilight turned and promptly began walking, Fizzlepop following her, and me bringing up the rear. The walk to the castle was quiet, and save for a few questioning glances from locals, nothing particularly interesting happened. I swear once or twice that I saw Fizzlepop glancing at me out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned back to look, she was facing forward. I resolved to remain looking forward in hopes of catching her in the act, but when it never happened, I concluded I must have been seeing things.
Eventually, we approached the castle, and Twilight quickly ushered us inside. When the door shut behind us, Twilight turned with a smile, and reached out to touch Fizzlepop’s shoulder. She looked into the mare’s eyes as she said, “Welcome home, Fizzle.”
Had I not become an expert in body language during the past few years, I would have missed the subtle relaxation of Fizzlepop’s posture at the words, and even though I couldn’t yet see her mouth, I got the distinct impression she was smiling. She turned to Twilight and bowed her head ever so slightly, offering a soft, humble, “Thank you, Twilight. That means more to me than words can say.”
The alicorn practically glowed with happiness, and she nodded to Fizzlepop. “Of course, Fizzle. Now, unfortunately, a princess’ work is never done, so I’m afraid I need to run. Spike, would you mind showing her to her quarters and giving her a tour?”
While it’s true Twilight was busy, the look she sent said there was a reason she was asking me to do this. I swallowed heavily and nodded, hoping with everything I had that I wouldn’t stick my foot in my mouth. I caught eyes with Fizzlepop and tossed my head. “C’mon, I’ll lead you through this maze, and yes, we have maps.”
The quiet thumps of her booted hooves told me Fizzlepop was following, and her question that followed confirmed it. “Maps?”
I nodded, keeping my gaze forward. “Yeah. Sounds like a joke, but you wouldn’t believe the number of times we’ve gotten lost in this place. After a month or two of it, Twilight created maps and placed them all over the walls so you can find your way no matter where you are.” I pointed toward a frame on one of the corridor corners. “There’s one right there.”
It’s true I didn’t know every hall of the castle by heart, but I could find my way to the important areas without a map, most of the time. So, I was able to lead us to the private apartments of the castle, and after taking a moment to count four doors down from Twilight’s, I opened the door and held it open for Fizzlepop, who shuffled past me into the room. Like the other full-sized guest rooms, the front door led to a living area, complete with furniture, a television, and a set of Prench doors leading to the balcony. Off of that was the bedroom, and this was what separated Fizzlepop’s room from the normal guest rooms. The bedroom was fully furnished, the bookcase fully stocked, and the closet full of an array of different outfits, all conspicuously in Fizzlepop’s size, courtesy of a certain seamstress.
I set the large suitcase on the ground and turned to the unicorn, gesturing to the room. “Well, this is your place. Decorate it however you like, and make it yours. And I’ll second Twilight by saying: welcome home, Fizzle.”
Fizzlepop glanced at me before walking around the room, her boots making no sound on the carpeted floor, even as a few bits of snow fell on the carpet. She looked all around, seeming to not know quite what to make of the place, so I just kept quiet and let her take her time to acclimate herself to the new space.
It took a few minutes, but eventually, Fizzlepop favored me with an unreadable look, and a slightly more confident, “Thank you, Spike.”
Cracking a smile, I nodded to her. “You’re welcome. Now, I’ll leave you to get settled in. Did you want me to wait, or do you think you can find your way to the commons room?”
Fizzlepop seemed to consider me for a moment before slowly shaking her head. “No, I think I can find my own way. Thank you again, Spike.”
I nodded once again, backing out of the room. “Sure thing. Anyhow, I’ll be making some hot chocolate, so don’t take too long. I’ll get you a hot drink, and you and I can tour the castle while you ask any questions you might have.”
Again, she seemed to consider me, for longer this time, before giving a shallow nod. “Yes…questions. I’ll see you soon then. Thank you for the hospitality.”
As I opened the door and left, I commented, “This is your home too, now. Remember that. You’ll always be welcome here.” With that said, I shut the door and left Fizzlepop to her own devices, moving quickly and efficiently through the corridors to the kitchen. As was normal this time of day, Twilight was grabbing a snack and mug of herbal tea, and I sent her a raised brow as I entered the room.
“Are you going to tell me the reason why you asked me to escort her?” I half-accused.
Twilight smiled enigmatically at me. “Are you nervous anymore?”
I hesitated for a moment, and admitted, “...no, but that didn’t exactly make things less awkward. Fizzle seemed very reserved, even for her, as if she didn’t know what to say or even if she should say anything. I’m hoping she’ll open up more during the tour, but this would have gone a lot smoother if you had just done it.”
“I disagree,” Twilight said, sipping her tea slowly. “Your presence helps more than you think, and I believe what she needs is to know both of the ‘masters of the household’ welcome her. It’s not exactly a secret that she feels as if she’s unwelcome no matter where she goes, so knowing there is one place in the world that she is cared about and accepted helps more than any of us probably realizes.”
Smiling slightly, I joked, “So I’m just a pawn in your master plan? Gotta admit, I feel used.”
“Oh, you love being used,” she shot back, immediately clapping her hand over her lips as she blushed with a mortified look on her face. “...I did not just say that out loud!”
A predatory grin graced my lips as I moved closer and poked Twilight in the arm. “Oh, you totally did. That’s going in the mental library in the ‘book of times Twilight spoke without thinking.’ It’s a great read.”
Twilight shoved me with a pout, aggressively jamming a biscuit in her mouth and chasing it with her tea. She held her pouty look for a few moments before blowing out a sigh and leaning against the counter again. “Anyway, I really do think this would be good for the two of you. It’s true that the last time Fizzle met you, you were just entering adolescence, so you’ve experienced some big changes since then. She needs to get to know the Spike of now, and you need to get over your anxiety around her.”
Frowning softly, I pursed my lips. “I just don’t want to be the reason she feels uncomfortable around here. A big drake she doesn’t know hanging around would make her uncomfortable, wouldn’t it?”
Shaking her head, Twilight explained, “No…I don’t think so. You have to remember, much of Fizzle’s life has been spent around very negative influences. The last male she trusted was the Storm King, and he took that trust and threw it back in her face, throwing her away like an old toy once he had what he wanted. True, her guilt over her actions was what drove her to spend so much time abroad, doing what she could to try and atone for what she did in the past, but from her sporadic messages, I noticed the distinct lack of any friends she might have mentioned, and every time she mentioned a male with any sort of power, she was cold and distant. Whether you believe it or not, you are powerful in body and spirit, and you even hold some political sway.” She drained the last of her tea, setting the cup in the sink. “You represent an uncomfortable reminder of the last time she trusted a male creature that had power over her, which is why she feels more comfortable talking candidly with me or the other girls. It will take time, but I think you have the ability to soften her heart once again, and she needs that if she’s ever going to be truly happy.”
And then the discomfort set in. “...Twilight, I have to be honest, I’m not nearly as confident as you are. So this is a friendship mission then?”
She bobbed her head from side to side. “Of a sort, yes. You know by now that my calling as the ‘Princess of Friendship’ is to foster positive relations wherever I can, and I believe this is another such instance where that can happen. I have faith in you, Spike. I know you can do this.”
I sighed loudly and moved to the stove, grabbing a saucepan off of the hanging rack above us. “Why do you have to get all princess-ly on me? Now I basically can’t say no.”
“Of course you can,” she commented behind me, and I felt her soft body press against my back as she gave me a hug, “I just know you won’t. You have a good heart, and the Princess of Friendship is nothing without her faithful assistant.”
Smiling warmly, I nodded as she released me. “Okay fine, I’ll do it. Let’s make this holiday a great memory for her to start off this new journey in her life.”
I heard the retreating clops of Twilight’s hooves as she left the room, going off to do whatever she was going to be doing. I focused on the mindless task of preparing another fresh mug of hot chocolate, idly imagining what I was going to do and how I was supposed to basically rehabilitate a strong, imposing mare that had major trust issues. Twilight trusted me, and I trusted her judgement more than I did my own when it came to the concept of me, so I believed her when she said I was the right drake for the job. Still, I had no idea how I was going to accomplish this task.
“Something smells good.”
Had I not become desensitized by Ember being a sneaky dragoness, the statement would have sent me jumping into the sky in fright. As it was, I still flinched and whipped my head around, but did so with a far more reserved start than most would.
The ghost of a smirk on the face of Fizzlepop told me I was fooling no one, though, so I just continued to pretend as if she hadn’t just scared the life out of me. I nonchalantly pointed to the pan and said, “I was planning on having this done before you got here, but you cleaned up really fast.” I noticed her mane was also damp, having not yet stood up into the iconic look she had always worn it as. “And I guess you take showers faster than anyone alive.”
Being able to see her face made it a lot easier to discern what she was feeling, and I could figure out she felt a bit embarrassed at my quip. “Um, yeah. Sometimes clean water can be pretty hard to come by, and not always in a safe place. Let’s just say I learned to be extremely efficient in all things.”
While her clothing was distinctly form-fitting, it was fluffier and closer to winter-wear than what I remembered her wearing all those years ago. I recognized Rarity’s handiwork even at a glance, and she had created a miracle yet again. It made the mare look well put-together, yet still relaxed at the same time.
“W-what are you staring at?” she asked, and I realized I had indeed been staring.
I mentally shook myself and cleared my throat. “Oh, sorry. It’s just that Rarity really outdid herself. You look good.” Realizing how that could be construed, I coughed and corrected, “I mean the clothes, they look good. On you. You look good with clothes on.” Mentally kicking myself again, I tried to start again. “I mean you look good, and not just because of the clothes -- that came out wrong, it sounds like I’m checking you out or something. That’s not what I mean…y’know what? I’m just gonna shut up.”
But, much to my surprise, I didn’t get the awkward silence I was expecting. Instead, I heard the quiet laughter of the mare, and I had to do a double take. No, she wasn’t glaring a hole in my head and preparing to do something to me that would be talked about in war texts in the future, she was laughing. Granted, it was at me, but she was laughing.
Positively embarrassed, I just let her laugh and turned my attention back to the pan, breaking up and adding some more chocolate and the cocoa powder, and allowing the mixture to get steamy before adding a bit of espresso powder, a drop of vanilla extract, and pouring the whole mixture into an oversized mug. I topped it with some chocolate shavings and nutmeg, then held out the steaming cup of hot chocolate to the chuckling unicorn.
“Please accept this humble offering so that you might forgive my transgressions,” I stated in a silly, over-the-top manner, complete with a bow of my head.
She was still laughing, louder now, so I counted it as a win when I felt the mug removed from my hand. Standing once again, I was privileged to see a far more relaxed Fizzlepop than we had escorted home only a few minutes ago. That was more progress than I could have hoped for, so I internally pumped a fist in victory, but outwardly just smiled as I let her enjoy the moment.
Her laughter eventually tapered off enough for her to safely take a sip of the warm beverage. She gave a surprised, yet pleased vocalization in her throat, and took a longer pull from the mug before smacking her lips and nodding my way. “Thanks for the laugh, and the drink. Both were good.” She took a moment to just silently enjoy a few more drinks from the mug before pausing and lowering the mug from her lips. “Can I be candid with you?”
I stood a little straighter. “Yeah. I prefer a straight-shooter, so to speak.”
She nodded again before plainly stating, “I think it’s a safe assumption that you were nervous about me coming to stay here.”
I was a little surprised that she deduced that so quickly. “...y-yeah, but probably not for the reason you’re thinking. I was worried you wouldn’t be particularly pleased being around me, and that me being here was just going to make you distinctly uncomfortable.”
“Because you used to check me out when you were younger,” she surmised, pinpointing exactly what I had feared, and a shame of mine.
I winced at the accusation. “Not even gonna ease into it, are you?”
“Am I wrong?”
I winced again, unable to look at her. “...no.”
“Spike, look at me,” she ordered, though not unkindly. I obeyed, and instead of the harsh, accusatory gaze I would have expected, I saw the understanding, sympathetic face of someone who had seen and done more in a few decades than most did in an entire lifetime. She let out a long, slow breath and said, “...look, I don’t think it takes a genius to be able to figure out that I don’t exactly have the best track record with personal relationships, or experience, for that matter. Twilight was the first real friend I’d had in almost twenty-five years, and frankly, I didn’t know what to do with that fact.” She laughed darkly, running her fingers through her wild mane. “I mean, I captured all of you, stuck Twilight in a cage, and was ready to give her to a psycho on a power trip, all for the promise of getting my horn back. I knew he was going to steal her magic, and probably kill everyone you all knew and loved…and I didn’t care. And yet, after all that, after the Storm King was defeated and his armada laid to waste, the same pony that I tried to take everything from offered to be my friend.” She lowered her voice and her eyes actually got a little misty as she recounted, “She said that even if the world scorned me, even if no one else cared, she would be my friend.”
I smiled despite my lingering shame. “There’s no one in the world quite like Twilight.”
She smiled and nodded in agreement before composing herself. “Anyway, I told you that to get my point across: I don’t blame you for what happened in the past. You were a kid coming into your own as puberty hit you like a cruise ship, so it’d be foolish to hold that against you. I’ve made my own mistakes, and I’m not going to be a hypocrite and refuse to forgive you for yours. I will say that I’ll have to ask your forgiveness in advance, because I have basically no practice relating to others in a way not related to war or relief efforts. Capper told me I can be callous without meaning to, and I’ll probably say the wrong thing from time to time. If you can forgive me for that, I can forgive you for ogling me when you were younger.”
I stuck my hand out to her, which she took with her free hand and shook it. “Deal.” I released her hand, and turned on my heel with a jerk of my head. “Well, c’mon. This castle is pretty big, so we’re not gonna go to every room. Instead, I’ll show you the important bits, and you can ask questions while we walk.”
Before we even left the kitchen, she started with, “Well first off, you’re a lot bigger than the last time I saw you. What’s the story behind that?”
I shrugged slightly. “A little of it is natural growth, a bigger part because of a spell, and also some of my dragon heritage and magic. For the spell, Twilight cast a spell that apparently aged us by ten years in an instant.”
“And the dragon heritage thing?” she asked, sounding more confused than ever.
“Oh,” I breathed, chuckling a bit, “dragons can cast spells, too. I started growing due to emotion again -- not just greed -- and we called Ember here to help me learn to control it. For all intents and purposes, I can essentially be anywhere from the size of my baby self, all the way to the size of a castle. This is my ‘day-to-day’ size that I am most of the time.”
“Oh…that’s interesting. I didn’t know dragons could cast spells, let alone control their size,” she answered, sounding just as confused as I felt when I found out.
I nodded with a smile she couldn’t see. “It was a shock to me, too. Anyway, Ember came here and trained me, so now I’m not in constant fear of growing forever.”
“Eesh,” she said, and though I wasn’t looking at her, I knew she was giving me a sympathetic look. “Yeah, that could be a problem. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you were able to figure it out. I…have my own problems fitting in.”
I glanced back over my shoulder, throwing a grin her way. “Maybe out there, but you’re always welcome here. Never forget that.” Turning my eyes forward, I recognized where we were, and allowed her to catch up as we rounded the doorway that led to the commons room. “First up is the room that gets some of the most use: the private commons room. As you can see it’s got a nice fireplace, a tv and projector, plenty of comfortable furniture, and is well insulated from the outside. It’s warm during the winter, and nice and cool during the summer. More often than not, this is where everyone will be hanging out.”
Fizzlepop slowly tread the soft carpet, investigating the room. “...this is nice. Feels homey.”
When she looked my way again, I beckoned her with a jerk of my head and we continued our tour. The short walk was silent, but soon we arrived at our next destination. “This is the private dining room. Basically, when we actually have a proper sit-down meal, we eat here. Downstairs is the public dining hall, which we basically never use. Except for on major holidays, of course, so a bunch of ponies will be milling around that room when about half of the town will be here to celebrate the lighting of the grand hearth.”
“The ‘grand hearth’?”
I nodded. “We can check it out, but to give you a basic description, it’s a crystal hearth that’s the size of an entire wall. You can fit whole trees in it.”
“We’ll see it on the day of Hearth’s Warming, so I think we can put off seeing that particular room for now,” Fizzlepop suggested.
We remained pretty silent the rest of the walk toward the private apartments, with Fizzlepop only asking a few questions here and there, until we finally arrived in front of Twilight’s room.
I gestured with a hand to the door with a familiar star-themed cutie mark. “This is Twilight’s room, and mine is just across the hall there,” I then gestured to the unadorned door behind us, “so you’ll always know where to find us if you need to. Twilight’s study is where she does all her work, which is next to the library, and other than that, you know where the kitchen and washrooms are. Any other questions?”
Fizzlepop thought for a moment before asking, “Anywhere I could exercise? With readily available food and water, I want to make sure I don’t fall out of shape.”
My mouth formed a silent “oh” as I understood why she was asking. “Right, I imagine life on the road is far less sedentary than life in Ponyville. Yeah, there’s a gym all the girls regularly use on the east side of town. I can show you, if you want.”
She looked a bit uncomfortable at my offer. “Are you sure I’m not monopolizing your time? I just got here, and I don’t want you to feel like you need to wait on me hand and hoof.”
I waved her concern away with a reassuring smile. “Nah, I’m yours for as long as you need. All the major preparations are done, and I was spending today mainly receiving all the guests that were coming to visit from out of town. They’re all here now, so that just left you…and now you’ve arrived. My time is yours to do with as you wish. Twilight and Starlight can handle the rest for now.”
“If you’re sure,” she droned, looking unconvinced.
“I wouldn’t have offered it if I wasn’t,” I countered, keeping my smile.
She stared at me silently for a moment before shrugging. “Well, if it’s really not an imposition…sure, I’d appreciate that. Gotta make sure I don’t pack on any pudge from eating royal food and such.” She then proceeded to theatrically poke her stomach, which I could only imagine was hiding impressive abs under the sweater she wore.
Rolling my eyes at the obvious bait, I scoffed. “Oh please. If anyone’s flabby here, it’s me. I only started regularly exercising a few months ago, and only because Ember told me I should. I wasn’t chubby like I was when I was little, but…well, let’s just say I had better things to do than exercise.” Fizzlepop smiled a bit at my self-depreciation, and started to walk away. “Wait, where are you going?”
She glanced back and answered, “To the- my room. I need to get a scarf and hat to…cover up.”
Her demeanor noticeably soured at those words, and I had to keep myself from hugging her to try and make her feel better. Sure, things seemed to be a lot better than when she first arrived, but besides the fact I wouldn’t exactly call us “friends” yet, I had a feeling Fizzlepop probably didn’t like people touching her. She struck me as the kind of mare that wasn’t particularly “huggy” at the best of times.
Instead, I just replied, “Right. I’ll meet you at the front door then, okay?”
She nodded before plodding off, leaving me feeling like I’d done something wrong by not trying to somehow comfort her.
The town itself was what one would expect of Ponyville two days before Hearth’s Warming: busy. Creatures everywhere, big and small, pony and not were rushing to and fro to do their last-minute shopping, the foals were playing in the snow, and the local government, including Mayor Mare, was putting the finishing touches on the decorations for the holiday. It felt more like a big city than a piedmont town at the foot of Mt. Canter. To be sure, things would revert back to the typical, relaxed Ponyville atmosphere after the holiday was over, but for now, the town was downright crowded.
As we made our way through the town, Fizzlepop was the subject of quite a few inquisitive stares. Ponyvillians were naturally curious about visitors, but this was a new addition to the town that didn’t need to be revealed just yet. We knew this was only a temporary solution after all, and that eventually, Fizzlepop would need to be introduced to the town at large, but for now at least, she didn’t feel comfortable exposing herself to a potentially hostile populace. I didn’t like the fact she felt she had to hide herself from the world…and disliked even more the high probability her caution was likely a wise decision.
Nonetheless, we made our way through town undeterred, until we finally arrived at the local gym that had been built only five years ago. Since it was the only establishment in the town that allowed ponies to get adequate exercise with specialized equipment, it was usually pretty busy. But, with Hearth’s Warming being only a couple of days away, only a few regulars could be seen through the floor-to-ceiling windows installed along the sides of the building.
As we stood out front, Fizzlepop spoke the words we were both thinking. “Not exactly a place where I could be incognito, is it?”
Letting out a sigh, I shook my head. “Not really, no. Twilight knows a few spells to change the shape or color of a pony’s body, but hiding your horn would be significantly more difficult. Because the appendage is innately magical, it resists spells as a general rule.” I noticed she looked progressively more morose at my words, so I chanced and nudged her shoulder. When she didn’t respond other than a questioning look, I did my best to reassure her. “I’m sure we can come up with something, though. Twilight promised you that this could be your home, and if the changelings can be accepted in public, so can you. We’ll figure this out, I promise.”
I could tell she was trying not to seem bothered by it all when she answered, “It’s fine. I kinda deserve it, after all.”
“Fizzle, you spent years dedicating your every waking moment to atonement for the things you did,” I reminded her, deciding against touching her again at the moment. Instead, I just stayed close by, a little less than arm's length, as I continued trying to make her feel a little less guilty. “Trixie has been forgiven, Starlight has been forgiven, and even Discord has been forgiven. All of them are my friends now, and so are you. I’m not in the business of being friends with bad people, Fizzle.”
Unfortunately, even with her stoic demeanor, I could read her enough to tell she wasn’t particularly convinced. “Yeah…” After a few moments, she straightened up and caught eyes with me. “Anyway, where to next?”
I certainly wanted to comment on that, but let it go for the moment. Fizzlepop was a pony that kept her true thoughts and emotions close to her chest, at least when it came to her personal life, so I knew pressing her was just going to push her away. That was not what she needed at that moment, so I swallowed my curiosity and pointed the way back to town. “If you want, we can get a snack from Sugarcube Corner, and then, if you don’t want to head home yet, we can check out some of the local shops to see if they have any cool stuff left to snag.”
Perking up a little, FIzzlepop nodded. “Yeah, that sounds nice. Let’s do that.”
We finally arrived back at the castle hours later, just as night was falling. Instead of picking up random things from the market and a few stores that were still open, I had suggested we get a few things for Fizzlepop specifically that she might like to decorate her room with. True to my assumption, she was a bit resistant on the idea; not so much because she didn’t like accepting charity (though that bothered her too), but more so because of the fact she had lived life with very little to her name, and had traveled so often that she didn’t have a reason to really collect anything to keep around. She had made do for many years with very little, and her wardrobe (if it could even be called that) contained only three outfits she had regularly worn on the road, and all three had numerous repairs done to them over the years. For better or worse, Fizzlepop lived life frugally, and it would take time for her to truly settle in and feel at home for the first time.
I was still able to convince her to pick out a few things that I happily bought for her. These included a bedside reading lamp, a new journal (her old one was basically falling apart), a set of ballpoint pens in multiple colors, a new boot knife (she had lost her old one a few months ago, and felt uncomfortable without a blade on her), and lastly a new scarf and hat set that were made of thicker material to keep her warmer when outdoors.
The walk back was largely in silence, and it felt awkward for some reason that I couldn’t discern. Eventually though, upon nearing her suite, Fizzlepop broke the silence with, “...why are you doing this?”
“Why am I doing what?”
“This,” she motioned to the bags we carried, stopping to set some of them down on her sofa as we entered her suite. “You just spent several hundred bits out of nowhere, all of it for me.”
Cocking my brow at her as I lowered the bags I was carrying, I couldn’t help the confused expression on my face. “Yeah, and? You came here with basically nothing. I have a feeling you don’t place a whole lot of value on most of the stuff ponies are interested in, but I know everyone has a natural instinct to have a place of their own. I know right now you feel you would get along just fine with a bed and a few drawers for your clothes, but I also know that having a private corner of the world is good for the soul. This,” I gestured with my hand around the room, “is a place where you can come anytime you want, and it’s yours. This is your place, where only those you want here will be here. This isn’t just a bed in a tavern or a bunk on an airship: this is Fizzle’s home, where she’s always welcome, and where she can just be herself, by herself, if that’s what you need.” I waved my hand at the crux of her question. “As for the bits, don’t worry about it. Besides that being a drop in the bucket for me, I enjoy spending my bits on the people important to me, and causes I think are worth it. You’re both, so why would I mind doing this?”
For the first time I could remember, Fizzlepop looked distinctly embarrassed, turning her head away and hugging her arms tight to her body as she kept shifting her weight on her hooves. She was silent for a moment or two before quietly saying, “...I’m not used to people doing things for me, Spike. This feels…strange. Usually when someone does something for me, they want something in return, and sometimes that thing is not exactly innocent in nature.”
My eyes widened at that. I knew Fizzlepop had likely seen and experienced things I could only imagine, but to hear she had dealt with such unscrupulous individuals was more than a little upsetting to hear. I was under no delusions about the whole world being full of sunshine and rainbows, and things like abuse and assault happened even in Equestria, but I didn’t like hearing that Fizzlepop had dealt with that kind of stuff. I wasn’t going to assume what might have or had not happened, but I knew she had traveled to lands that ponies rarely tread, and for good reasons. The Princess of Friendship had done more in a few decades than anyone had done in centuries to unite the races of the world in friendship, but establishing positive relationships around the world was an ongoing battle that would never truly be won. After all: the brightest, radiant light created longer and darker shadows.
“Do you think Twilight is expecting something in return for offering you a home?” I asked rhetorically. After giving her a moment to absorb my words, I continued in a gentler tone, hoping I was being reassuring. “I don’t know how I can convince you that the ponies in this town aren’t like that, but I’ll keep showing you kindness and trust until you believe it. For now,” I motioned to the bags strewn on the floor, “did you want help putting this stuff away?”
She seemed to consider my offer for a moment before slowly shaking her head. “No, I’ll handle it. I want some time to think to myself, if you don’t mind.”
She seemed so open and even playful earlier in the day, but with this, it felt like I had taken one step forward, and two steps back. I understood, however, that Fizzlepop’s view of the world -- of people -- was very different from those like Twilight and I, who grew up in a world of loving family and friends. It was going to take time for Fizzlepop to come out of her shell, and it might take months or years before she completely opens up to us. Luckily, this wasn’t my first time dealing with a troubled pony, so I knew that if she openly admitted she needed to think, I should give her the time and space to do so.
Giving a single nod, I made my way to the door and pulled it open, stopping briefly in the open doorway to glance back at the mare that was standing in the middle of the room, looking very lost. “Hey, Fizzle.” She raised her eyes from the floor to look at me, and I gave her my best close-lipped smile. “Just know we’re always here for you, no matter what. Take all the time you need, and remember that we’re just a short walk away anytime you need us for anything. I’ll be making a nice dinner for everyone tomorrow, and I really think you’d enjoy it.”
Despite her hesitance, Fizzlepop’s lips upturned just slightly. “I think I can do that. See you later, Spike. And…thank you.”
Giving another shallow nod, I stepped into the hallway and closed the door behind me, leaving her to her thoughts. With my only real task for the day completed, I let my feet lead me to the commons room, hoping to rejoin my herd or chat with some of our guests while I waited for dinnertime. Fluttershy was going to be staying the night, and she had offered to prepare dinner with Starlight, which left me with nothing particularly important to do until then.
To my surprise, when I arrived, the commons room was empty, the only sound in the room being the cracking of the coals in the hearth that warmed most of the upper portion of the castle. I listened closely to see if anyone was nearby before plopping down on the chaise and putting my feet up, opting to just enjoy a few moments of quiet solitude.
It was, in fact, only a few minutes later that I heard the telltale sound of hooves on the floor that told me someone was approaching. I didn’t know who it was, but, being a social creature, I welcomed the company. By the lighter steps, I could tell it wasn’t Yona, and the mere presence of hoofsteps told me it wasn’t Rainbow Dash. The sound of the gait didn’t match the familiar measured poise of Rarity, nor the often-distracted uneven steps of Twilight (usually when she was reading while walking). The steps were also too noisy for Fluttershy, which basically left me wondering who else it might be.
My curiosity was sated when Thorax himself rounded the corner, his face brightening when he saw me. “Ah, Spike. Just the dragon I was looking for.”
I waved at Thorax and gestured to the open chair across from me. “Sure, take a seat. What can I do for you?” As he entered the room, a familiar changeling female entered behind him, causing me to pause for a moment. “Oh, and Lyla. Good to see you, Lye. Is everything all right?”
“That’s actually what we need to talk about,” Thorax began, sitting down with a loud sigh and motioning to the changeling soldier as she took the seat next to me. “Go ahead, Lyla.”
With the floor given to her, I turned my attention to Lyla herself and raised a brow inquisitively. “What’s up, Lye?”
Lyla scooted a bit closer, leaning against the armrest of the sofa in an effort to close the distance between us. She opened her mouth a few times in false-starts, before growling to herself, taking a breath, and beginning. “I need to be up front about a few things that Thorax has brought to my attention, and I just want to stress that I never said anything before because I didn’t know.”
I nodded slowly. “Whatever it is, we can handle it Lyla.”
She fidgeted, absentmindedly reaching out to grasp my hand in hers as she took a deep breath and prepared to speak. “I’m…not what I claimed to be. I’m not who I claimed to be. The signs were there all along, but I didn’t even know for sure until Thorax told me.” Her horn lit up, and off of the pouch on her hip, a thick stack of folded papers levitated out, dropping into my free hand. I looked at Lyla curiously before freeing my other hand from hers and carefully unfolding the papers.
“Those are my notes from research I’ve been doing over the years, trying to track who everyling is and where they came from,” Thorax explained softly. “Chrysalis didn’t exactly keep the best records, because to her, who we were was far less important than our absolute loyalty. It’s true, all changelings trace their lineage back to a single queen, the first queen, in time immemorial, but since then, we’ve branched out as a species, and formed our own family lines and even family trees.”
Fully opening the last fold of the first page, I looked upon lines upon lines of single-spaced, carefully written block lettering, the letters so small I had to bring the sheet closer at times to be able to read it all. There was more information about changelings in this one piece of stationary than I had ever seen in one place, and it traced multiple family lines back centuries into the past. Each page was the same as the last, with names upon names leading to parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on. After the first five or so pages, the information was actually arranged in the more familiar visual representation of family trees.”
“Look at the last page,” Lyla requested, sounding distinctly nervous.
Skipping over ten or so pages, I reached the last page, which was not from the hive that was once led by the tyrannical Queen Chrysalis.
“Queen Tarantula was not exactly forthcoming with information, but let’s just say I called in some favors and made her an offer she would be stupid to refuse,” Thorax explained.
I was looking at a single page from Lyla’s home hive, information that was guarded zealously by the changelings of that hive. So, to have even this one piece of information, Thorax must have basically done the equivalent of rolling a nat 20 on a persuasion check. This page showed a sparse family tree -- and by sparse, I mean it only had a total of three members on it. One of them was Lyla, and the other two…
My jaw dropped open. I looked up at Lyla for clarification, and she could only nod as she bit her lip, anxiety clear in her stature and expression.
The box for ‘sire’ was a question mark, which meant no one knew who Lyla’s father was. But as for the ‘dam’...I saw a name I had only heard of once before. “Queen Draco.”
Having named herself after the constellation that was revered by dragons (for obvious reasons), Queen Draco was a legend among changelings across the world. To her enemies, she was ruthless and uncannily cunning, but to her allies and hive, she was loving and benevolent. Queen Draco was one of the few queens that never cut contact with the other races, even after the Masquerade Protocol* was implemented. Queen Draco was so beloved that the creatures that her hive lived with and near kept their existence a secret from everyone, even Princess Celestia. Her reign lasted over five hundred years, and her changelings never wanted for love, comfort, or even modern amenities.
And that legendary queen was Lyla’s mother.
“But,” I began, taking a moment to swallow and wet my suddenly dry lips, “Queen Draco died two hundred years ago. How…?”
Lyla was silent, still apparently anxious about what I’d think of her, so Thorax decided to handle explanations. “For lack of a better term, Lyla’s egg was in stasis. We still don’t know how or why, but it was sealed in stone to look just like any other rock, and powerful spells were placed upon it to essentially stop time for the helpless grub within.”
“B-but then how did-”
“It was Twilight, actually,” Thorax continued, smiling softly. “She didn’t do it on purpose, but when she ascended to become an alicorn, her power multiplied and began to radiate out across the world in gentle waves, like the waves of a tranquil beach. We’ve grown used to it with time, but even though noling knew just what had happened, we all felt it. Then, every time she performed a particularly incredible feat of magic, a pulse was sent out. Unbeknownst to the changelings, those pulses began to awaken Queen Draco’s sealed egg. Queen Tarantula was caring for what she thought to be some sort of artifact, only for the ‘artifact’ to hatch into a grub on a very special day. It was the day Harmony basked the entire world in its warm embrace as every creature, big and small, pony and not, rose to counter a threat greater than anything anyone can even find in history books.”
I nearly jolted with understanding. “The day they sealed away Tirek, Cozy Glow, and Chrysalis.”
Thorax was positively beaming at the memory, likely reminiscing on how much that day meant to his people. “Yes. For changelings, that day marked a new path in our journey, where we were once again able to stand side by side with other creatures, as equals and friends. That day, the light of Harmony was bright and warm enough to break through the barriers Queen Draco had placed on her only surviving progeny, and birthed her last daughter into the world.”
My mouth continued to remain open, and I was unable to stop it. It even took me a few seconds to regain enough control to stutter out, “...b-but I thought you were just a soldier.”
Lyla glanced up at me and smiled apologetically. “I was raised that way, yes. I was even told that by Queen Tarantula herself. I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure why she never told me -- changeling queens are notoriously secretive -- but I would like to think she wanted me to be able to live my own life, free from the burdens of a queen. To be a changeling queen is to live in absolute service to the hive, giving everything you are and everything you might become to the hive. Your time, your energy, your blood, sweat, and tears, and eventually, your life will be given for the good of the hive.”
“That was, of course, until you all helped me change things,” Thorax happily added, his wings fluttering behind him. “Now, all changelings, even me, are free to live for ourselves. No longer must we share everything just to survive. No more insatiable hunger, no more dependence on emotions for sustenance: we can live just like most of the other civilized races of the world, free to pursue our own goals and desires in life.”
I glanced back to Lyla, my confusion becoming clear on my face. “If that’s all true, then why hasn’t Lyla transformed like everyling else? It seems like a much better life overall.”
At this, Lyla deflated a bit and twiddled her fingers. “...I’ve tried, actually. A few times. I can’t…and we didn’t know why until just this afternoon.”
Thorax took a deep breath as he obviously prepared to say something important. “From what we can gather, royal changelings can’t transform like the rest of the hive.” At my obvious displeasure, Thorax amended, “Perhaps that was the wrong choice of words. What I mean to say is that royal changelings can’t transform the same way as the rest of the hive does.”
At the term used, I cocked my head in confusion. “Royal? Wait, so you really are-”
“I was raised as a soldier, Spike,” Lyla interrupted, nodding once, “but I’m not a soldier-morph. I’m a queen-morph. It’s why my eyes are the same as a pony’s, and why I have a mane and tail. As you can see, not even Thorax has those characteristics.” She squirmed a bit. “I too thought it was just a rare trait very few changelings were naturally born with…but it isn’t. Only royal changelings look like me. I never questioned it, quite frankly because I didn’t think it was my place to do so. Like I said, I was raised as a soldier, and a soldier doesn’t ask their queen such things.”
“Anyway,” Thorax chimed in, bringing our attention back to him, “from everything we’ve learned and what I’ve studied about Lyla’s biology, it’s still very possible for her to transform like the rest of us. But, since a royal changeling is already sort of ‘ascended,’ it takes a bit more of a ‘kick’ for her to become one of the ‘new’ changelings.”
Leaning a bit closer, I devoted my attention to Thorax. “Tell me what I can do.”
“There’s some things I’ll need to set up, and we’ll need Twilight’s help,” Thorax stated, standing and heading out of the room. “We’ll do it tomorrow, so that Lyla can enjoy her first Hearth’s Warming without hunger, and I can spend it with friends, knowing I helped make this happen. See the two of you tomorrow.”
I watched Thorax leave for a moment before turning back to Lyla. “You’re still hungry? Even now?”
Lyla hesitated briefly before carefully answering, “I don’t want for sustenance, Spike. I have more than enough love to be healthy and strong, and enough physical food to supplement me that I am in no danger of malnourishment.”
“That’s not what I asked you,” I countered, narrowing my eyes at her.
Lyla held my gaze for a moment before glancing away and sighing. “...yes, I am still hungry. Changelings are always hungry. It is part of what made the transformation such an easy sell for the rest of us: the promise of no longer feeling constant hunger pangs was a great motivator. Some of my fellow changelings told me that they felt an odd sense of loss after the transformation, because the hunger had been there since the beginning of their lives, and was suddenly gone. Uncomfortable feeling or not, hunger is normal for us. Losing that was jarring for most of them.”
Shaking my head with a grimace, I reached out to Lyla. She stood and without prompting sat herself on my lap, curling up and allowing me to cradle her lovingly and in what I hoped was a comforting manner. “I wish you’d told me.”
Snorting softly, Lyla challenged, “And what could you have done? You’re a strong, smart guy, but there are some problems you can’t solve, Spike.”
“But tomorrow I can do something about it,” I countered, smiling as she nuzzled closer to me.
“Yes…yes you can. And thank you for being so willing,” she murmured, snuggling and generally being a cute changeling.
We sat that way for a few minutes, completely silent, just enjoying the closeness. It wasn’t often I had the time to just…y’know, sit, but it was nice. I enjoyed those moments as much as I could, because I know similar moments didn’t come by too often.
Eventually though, I heard the familiar scuffing of non-hooved feet on the crystal floor, and a few moments later, Ember rounded the corner and smiled when she saw me.
“Y’know, even though I’m still adjusting to this ‘herd’ thing, even I can admit you two look cute,” she commented, making her way over to sit next to us. She wiggled herself into the plush loveseat, reaching behind and pulling the throw blanket to cover herself with, bundling up with the blanket around her neck, and only her tailtip poking out under the fuzzy cocoon. Ember still had no idea how adorable she was when she did stuff like that. Made it hard not to cuddle with her every second of every day. Besides, adult life tends to get in the way.
But, now was the perfect time to spend with two of my girls, and I was going to relish it. So, instead of leaving Ember to sit all alone, I gently prodded Lyla to get up, and when she did, led her over to the loveseat, where I took a seat near the middle. Ember looked a bit confused, but made some room for us. It was a bit of a tight fit, but there was enough room for all three of us, and a wrapped wing around Lyla and Ember ensured the two wouldn’t be cold. Plus, it allowed me to get some much-desired snuggles from the two of them, and neither Ember nor Lyla were the type to turn down physical affection.
So, with the stressful stuff out of the way, and a few hours to kill, I just enjoyed a moment of peace with two girls I care about.
It should be said I wasn't a naturally vain drake. I liked to be sure I looked nice and was clean and all that, but I didn't spend half an hour or more looking at myself in the mirror and crowing about how good I look. True, I had moments here and there where I would catch sight of my reflection and admire how put together I looked, but other than general hygeine and ensuring my clothes matched, I didn't spend an inordinate amount of time fixing myself up.
Rarity, for all her amazing qualities, was not like me.
We planned to have a night out with the herd as a whole, to discuss how everyone was settling into the new herd, life in general, and our plans for the future. With Starlight’s assurance she would keep things held together back at the castle, we all prepared for a relaxing night together at what was quickly becoming our go-to restaurant for dates. I had generously planned to allow us three hours to prepare so everyone could finish whatever they were doing, get cleaned up, and then head as a group to the restaurant. Even Twilight, with her taller stature, wings, and long hair, didn’t take that long to get herself together for an outing.
I found myself sitting in the boutique, drumming my fingers on my knees, as I regretted thinking Rarity would be able to meet a deadline not related to work or our business as national heroes.
“Dear, does this dress look okay, or is the *ehem* openness a bit too scandalous?”
Rarity was currently wearing a dark blue dress that actually looked more like a military tabard. The sides were closed along her torso, but it was sleeveless, and her legs were completely exposed up to her cutie marks. I knew any underwear she wore would need to be of the -string variety, and normally, this would arouse me in more ways than one. However, this dressing and modeling had lasted for nearly two hours alone, and she still had to do her makeup and curl her hair. Stars know I love Rarity, but no one is perfect, and that includes my beloved girls.
“Rarity, dear,” I pleaded, doing my best to convey urgency, “anything you wear makes you look fabulous, and you know I always think you look beautiful. As long as you are at my side, you could wear a potato sack and still be one of the most beautiful ponies alive. So please, keep that in mind when I say that we are going to be late if you don’t make a decision on a dress so you can finish getting ready. If I allow you to go through every dress you own, we’ll be here for the next week. Please, you know fashion better than anyone I know, so pick something you like and put it on so we don’t stand up our herd.”
I saw it in her eyes when she looked at me: she wanted to argue. Part of our relationship involved teasing of an amorous nature, and Rarity loved getting a rise out of me. I won’t even lie and say I don’t enjoy it, or that I didn’t look forward to her “modeling” sessions she would often invite me to. But, what I said was true: we had somewhere to be, and she knew it. She knew we didn’t have time to waste, and that even though I had essentially killed her plan to tease me a bit more, it was for a legitimate reason that she knew was important.
Rarity lowered her ears and sighed. “Y-you’re right. I’m sorry, Spike.” She glanced down at herself, swishing her waist from side to side and cupping her breasts, adjusting them in a way that immediately caught my eye, despite my light chastising. After taking a moment to inspect herself, she nodded resolutely. “This will do just fine. Thank you for keeping us on schedule.”
Before she could walk away, I stood and caught her in my arms, lowering my hands to cup her cutie marks from behind as I pressed my chest to her back. She gasped at the contact, and looked over her shoulder at me questioningly, which I answered with a smile. “Rares, don’t misunderstand: I would normally love to watch you model everything you own, but we have others expecting us, and it would be cruel to not show up. I’ll make it up to you with some cuddles and kisses when we get back, if that’s what you want.”
Rarity snorted with a smile. “You’ll ‘make it up’ to me, will you? You weren’t planning on doing that anyway?”
Moving my hands to rest on her stomach, just above her “private zone,” I settled my chin atop her head. “Okay fine, you caught me. But yes, I’ll do those things because I love you. Now go finish getting ready so we’re not late.”
I felt her shudder briefly before she pulled away, throwing a look over her shoulder at me. “You make it very difficult to remain celibate before marriage, Spike. I hope you know that.”
Smiling back at her, I answered, “And I’m just fine with that. I love your body, and I love reminding you of that frequently. Now seriously, go. I’ll be waiting when you’re finished.” She only gave a single nod before disappearing into the bathroom to put her face on and curl those luscious violet locks I so loved to run my fingers through.
Thankfully, this time, Rarity kept our timetable in mind and reappeared only thirty minutes later. With her pale fur, she only had a very light dusting of blush, but her eyeshadow and liner perfectly framed her beautiful eyes, and as had become the norm since we got together, she wore the fire ruby necklace proudly across her chest.
I gave myself a moment to fully take in the beauty that was my head mare. “Well...as always, you never cease to amaze me. Are you ready to go, gorgeous?”
Rarity walked over to her hallway closet and opened it, briefly looking over her collection of handbags. After a moment, she chose a silver bag and placed her wallet within, clutching the bag in her hand as she made her way over to me. Stretching a bit, she placed a kiss on my jaw before donning her winter coat and scarf, then looping her arm in mine. “Now I am ready, dear. Let us depart.”
I led her to the front door, hesitating a moment to ask, “Are you sure you’re going to be warm enough in that? I mean, not to question your style, but this dress seems more like something you’d wear in late spring or summer than winter.”
Rarity nodded again. “It’s only a short walk, so I will be fine. Once we arrive at the restaurant, I’m quite sure you’ll do everything in your power to ensure I’m warm enough, won’t you?”
Knowing exactly what she was alluding to, I grinned as I closed the door behind us. “Of course, Rares. Any reason to pay respect to those tantalizing curves is a choice I’ll never pass up.”
Blushing just a bit, Rarity smiled victoriously. “Naturally. Only a fool would pass up such a chance, and you are no fool.”
Leaning close and offering her a single, chaste kiss on the lips, I countered, “Well, I had to do something right to win your heart. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Glad to hear it, darling.”
It only took us roughly five minutes of walking through the snow to reach the restaurant in question, and both Twilight and Fluttershy were waiting out front for us to arrive. Both were dressed in far more appropriate clothing than Rarity was, yet both still looked beautiful and classy enough to be seen at any royal function. Fluttershy especially was a surprise, as she had done up her hair in beautiful braids, highlighted by flowers woven into the pink locks of her mane. More surprising was the fact the flowers she wore were of a variety I thought only grew in Canterlot, in the royal gardens, but somehow, she had found a few and was using them to accentuate her beauty. I was understandably pleased.
Smiling broadly as we approached, I broke away from Rarity and surprised each mare with a kiss. Fluttershy was, understandably, far more surprised, seeing as how we hadn’t yet made kisses a normal part of our dynamic. That’s not to say she didn’t enjoy herself, but rather she was still acclimating to the fact that this was real, and this was okay.
As I pulled away, Fluttershy’s eyes were closed, and her lips were still pursed, as if she was still caught in the sensations the kiss gave her. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the image, and promised myself to create it as often as she would let me. After a moment though, she did come back to us, and blushed brightly as she buried her face in my shirt.
I laughed softly before extending my wing and motioning inside with it. “C’mon, let’s get out of this cold. Lyla and Ember are waiting for us, and it’s not polite to be absent for too long.”
“Quite right, dear. Let us be off,” Rarity answered, looking at the blushing hostess and smiling brightly. “We’re meeting the rest of our herd here. I believe the reservation should be under ‘Spike’, and I assume a certain changeling and dragoness are already seated.”
The hostess fanned herself with a hand before clearing her throat and grabbing three menus. “Um, y-yes. Right this way, please.”
As the mare walked away, I threw a look at Twilight. “Do you think that was too much?”
Twilight giggled as she followed behind the hostess, keeping her voice low enough to not be overheard. “Your clothes are still on, and it lasted less than fifteen seconds. That’s fairly reasonable for being in public, I would say.”
“So if we’re in private we can take our clothes off? Got it,” I snarked, grinning lecherously. I glanced down at the pegasus that was trying her best to hide under my wing. “Hear that, Shy? Once we get back home-” Fluttershy predictably squeaked out something adorably and forcibly pulled my wing to cover her face as we continued walking.
“Oh, do take it easy on the poor dear,” Rarity playfully chastised.
I didn’t respond, but wrapped my arm around Fluttershy’s waist as we continued our way through the interior of the building, blindly following the hostess to wherever our table was. After twists and turns, and a single flight of stairs, we arrived at the table to see that, yes, Ember and Lyla were already seated and enjoying their drinks as they waited patiently for us to arrive. Both perked up when they saw us, and Ember pat the space next to her expectantly. Unwilling to deny the dragoness, I carefully maneuvered into the booth, not letting go of Fluttershy, and sat us in the cozy corner next to Ember. Ember’s tail immediately wrapped possessively around my leg, and with everyone gathered together, all was right in the world.
With the momentary interruption of a server asking for our drink choices and orders (I again chose to leave myself in the capable hands of the head chef), we settled in together and chatted nonsensically about all kinds of things. Eventually, though, we had to have a serious conversation, and we all knew it.
Thankfully, as the head mare, Rarity took the lead. “Okay everyone, I believe now is a good time to speak seriously about how things are going between us. First of all, is everyone happy with how the herd is progressing? Any comments, questions, or concerns?”
Twilight immediately raised her hand, and Rarity nodded to her. “Um, yes, is there any plan in mind for general herd hierarchy? As in, who is in charge in case you are otherwise occupied, and so on..?”
Rarity nodded, a grateful look on her face. “That is a very good question, and I thank you for asking it.” She was briefly interrupted as the server returned with our drinks, quickly passing them out before leaving us once again. After taking a sip of her glass of wine, Rarity began her explanation. “Thankfully, all of us live in close proximity, so I don’t believe such a situation should come about, but just in case…well, the second would be you, Twilight. After that would be Ember, Lyla, and so on.” Looking at the dragoness, Rarity quickly explained, “And do not think it is a slight against you, dear. The reason Twilight is above you is only because she is better versed in Equestrian culture and politics than you. I would actually have you as the second if not for that fact, because your personality is what I would consider ‘dominant’.”
Ember thought for a moment before nodding without any indication she felt insulted. “Nah, I get it. I’m not all that keen on taking a leadership role here, because frankly, I feel like I’d screw something up. I’m quite happy to let you two take the reins, so to speak, while I just make sure everyone’s kept safe.”
“Which is just fine with me, dear,” Rarity assured. “I believe it’s safe to say that if you have to take the helm, so to speak, then something bad has happened, and we could use the survival skills of a dragon to ensure things are well in hand.” Perking up a bit, Rarity continued. “Ah, and that reminds me: Ember, do you have any plans to wed Spike in Equestria? I know the brand you two share means far more than any ceremony, but Equestrians will not accept that at face value without a traditional marriage.”
Ember frowned and looked down at the table for a moment before looking Rarity in the eye. “Is it really necessary? I’m not really the kind of girl that enjoys big events, least of all if it’s just some spectacle that’s to please others.”
“And I understand that darling, I do,” Rarity assured, reaching across her place beside Lyla to take the hand of the dragoness, “but Equestrians will not accept your union without an Equestrian ceremony. It’ll just be one day, a few cameras and questions, and then everything will be as it is now. It’ll be small, private, and most importantly, all the necessary paperwork will be filed. After that, there’s nothing more they can say about it.”
Ember snorted and crossed her arms. “Y’know, part of me wants to just say those self-righteous jerkoffs can take a long walk off a cliff, but…I know you’re right. If I’m gonna be here more often, which I plan to, then I need to do things to make sure I don’t make unnecessary waves, y’know?”
“Not wanting confrontation? That doesn’t sound like you,” I teased, poking Ember in the side.
The dragoness poked me back, smirking. “Yeah, well a dragon lord knows not every battle is meant to be fought head-on.”
“Anyhow,” Rarity continued, smiling at Ember and I, “I’ll keep an eye on the social climate of Equestria and let you know when a good time for it will be, unless you already have one in mind..?”
Ember shrugged. “Not really. Sometime in the summer would be nice, so that it’s warm. And someplace outside, so my mom and dad can be there. Other than that…no. Remember, to me, this all seems pretty pointless other than as a way to placate the ponies in positions of power that it would otherwise bother. In my eyes,” she looked at me, “we are already mated, and nothing could make us closer.”
Rarity let out a lovestruck sigh. “I must admit, I am somewhat jealous. While not every pony will understand the brand, the truth of it is far more romantic than I initially thought. For what it’s worth, I am happy you are with us, Ember.”
Ember seemed momentarily stunned. It took a silent moment for her to compose herself, but eventually, she answered with a shaky, “...and I’m happy to be here too. It’s a lot nicer than I thought it would be, and I’m coming to believe all of you truly have my back, should I need it. Like I said: it’s weird, but it’s nice. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes in the years that follow.”
Rarity just smiled again before looking at the others at the table. “Does anyone else have any concerns or questions to bring up?” Fluttershy’s hand started to raise before she lowered it again. “Do you have a question, Fluttershy?”
“O-oh, no. I-I mean yes, but…” she took a deep breath and steeled herself before sitting up a little straighter. “I’m sorry. Yes, I do want to ask something. Are we scheduling out time to spend with each member, or do we just let it all happen organically?”
“Organically is probably best,” Twilight said, resting her chin on her hand.
Rarity nodded. “I agree. I know herds of the past were a bit different, but as a modern herd, I believe a modern approach would be the most beneficial to everyone involved.” She looked out over everyone gathered, taking in each member individually. “We are one unit: one family. We are not competing with one another, and we are not playing favorites. That means that if you want to spend time with another member of the herd, do it. Just know that others have the same privilege. This means that any dates we schedule are herd dates, and while it may start with just two or three of us, if everyone else decides to join, that is welcome and encouraged.” This time, she focused directly on Ember. “I know that this isn’t exactly the type of thing for a public setting, but I think it’s prudent I address this while we’re on the subject, so I do not forget. We are all equal members in this herd, and we will share anything and everything. This might mean that you could be having an intimate moment with Spike, and another herd member may join you. Are you prepared for that?”
Ember blushed in embarrassment, unable to stop the flush that turned her head spines a much darker blue. She took a breath before she answered, visibly trying to settle her heart and mind. “Dragons…are kinda private with that stuff. Gosh, we barely even talk with our mates about it. I mean, if we’re being honest, compared to ponies, dragons are kinda prudes.”
“So you’re saying-”
Ember held up her hand, silencing Rarity. “No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is, like everything else, I can and will adapt. It’s not what I was raised with, but if this is what it means to be a part of your lives, then that’s what I’ll do. Just be patient with me.”
Rarity smiled and again reached across to take Ember’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Of course dear. I don’t believe any of the others besides Lyla have been intimate with Spike anyway, so I don’t think you have anything to worry about at the moment. I just wanted to make you aware that ponies are very open with such things, and it will become an issue in the future if you are unprepared.”
Ember smiled back. “Thanks for letting me know. I kinda figured, but I wasn’t sure until just now.”
Rarity released her hand and leaned back against the cushion, looking everyone over again. “Anyone else?” When she was only answered with silence, she continued. “Well, I believe we should now discuss where we feel this life should go for all involved. I have made everyone aware that this is not a herd for flings or short-term relationships: when you come into this herd, you are doing so with the intention of this possibly being your lifelong relationship. Is everyone in agreement so far?” A chorus of affirmatives and nods answered, so she kept going. “As most of you can surmise, the original point of a herd was to birth and raise foals. However, as far as we can tell, dragons and ponies are not compatible in that manner, and so having foals with Spike will be impossible. Does anyone have a problem with that?”
Again Fluttershy raised her hand, and Rarity nodded at her. “Um, w-we can still adopt though, right?”
Nodding with a smile, Rarity folded her hands in front of her. “Yes, of course. I think I speak for all of us here when I say an adopted foal will be loved just the same as if they had been birthed by one of us, and I would love to raise a little filly or colt, no matter where they come from.”
“Wait, who told you that dragons couldn’t mate with ponies?” Ember asked.
Twilight tilted her head a little in confusion. “Um…science did? Ponies have 24 chromosome pairs, and dragons have 26. Biology dictates we can’t breed.”
Ember snorted, chuckling. “Yeah, that’s wrong. Dragons have mated with pretty much every sapient species that walks the earth, and have sired whelps with all of them. Well,” she bobbed her head from side to side, “I say ‘whelps,’ but the species is dependent on the mother. If the dragon is the mother, it’s a whelp. If it’s another creature, it’s a hybrid. Where do you think kirin came from?”
“Wait, so then why…?”
“When did you test Spike?” Ember asked, wrapping her wing around my back.
Twilight frowned, looking down at the table. “Um…two or three years ago, I think.”
“His flame wasn’t mature yet,” Ember stated resolutely, still smiling. “Just because his body was sexually mature doesn’t mean his magic was. Dragons are a lot more dependent on magic for their biology than anything physical, and as you know, magic can change a lot of things. The *ehem* sexual material changes to be compatible with whatever it comes across, if the dragon’s magic is also mature.”
Hearing this, my eyes widened and I looked at Lyla, who also had wide eyes. Her eyes slowly moved to meet mine, and she blushed when she caught my gaze. Rarity noticed the two of us, and gasped as her hand rose to her lips. “O-oh dear. Lyla, are you-”
“NO!” the changeling practically screamed, wincing and shrinking in on herself. After a moment of silence, she added, “...changelings don’t really work like that. We can’t just ‘get pregnant’ from mating. And queens are very different even compared to the other castes.”
Rarity motioned with her hand. “Well go on darling, don’t leave us in suspense.”
Lyla nodded and took a breath. “Well-” she was interrupted as the servers arrived with our food, and we all collectively waited for all the food to be placed down in front of us. After the servers ensured everything was fine, we were again left in privacy, so Lyla began again. “Anyhow, changelings aren’t normally fertile. Like some insects, we have both a ‘nymph’ and ‘mature’ form -- and don’t worry, those are just technical names. We are considered legal Equestrian adults after we shed our larval form and grow wings. Unlike insects, we can transition back and forth between our nymph and mature forms, as the need arises. It does, however, require shedding our exoskeleton and entering metamorphosis, so it’s not exactly pretty, and leaves us vulnerable. Because of that, we don’t usually do so unless we’re absolutely sure we want to procreate. But,” she paused, taking a forkful of her small meal and chewing, seemingly thinking on how she was going to word the next part, “...well, queens are, for lack of a better word, ‘weird’. Their bodies store any seed they might take, and use it only when they lay eggs. I was under the impression that I would have to undergo metamorphosis to birth larva, but instead,” she rubbed her stomach absently, “Spike’s ‘contribution’ is still in here, waiting until I decide to use it.”
“So,” Rarity began, tapping her lip with her finger, “if I’m understanding correctly, your reproductive processes are completely under your control?”
Lyla thought for a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I guess they are.”
Rarity hummed to herself. “Darling, I don’t mean to sound callous, but that sounds amazing. Nearly every other creature on this planet must bend to the whims of their bodies, but changelings can actively control their biology. I must admit, I find myself a bit envious.” Once again, she looked at the changeling. “So…are you planning on having your own foa- I mean, larva sometime soon?”
“Not…just yet,” Lyla answered, blushing even harder. “Don’t get me wrong, I would love to, but we’re still feeling out herd life, and I want to be sure everyone is secure before doing that. Changelings have evolved to be raised by an entire community, so I need to be sure all of us know enough about one another that we can all raise a new life properly.”
“That’s very responsible,” Twilight commented, taking small bites of her meal of roasted carrots and squash. “Though, I suppose changelings didn’t survive this long due to irresponsibility.”
Lyla smiled gratefully at her alicorn herdmate. “True, but neither are we perfect. Chrysalis was proof enough of that, and she is far from the first queen to become, shall we say, a little too selfish. She became obsessed with a vendetta she seemed to have with Equestria, and threw as many lives and resources at it as she deemed necessary, even though her hive suffered for it.”
“Well,” I started, halting briefly to think about how to word what I felt, “...do you want to start a hive? I mean, that would count as something for the future we should discuss, right?”
Lyla seemed to be thinking hard about this, going so far as to put her fork down and sit back against the backrest of the booth. We all just kept enjoying our meals as she thought, until she finally said, “...I don’t think so. Not in the traditional sense, anyway.” When we all stared at her, she shifted a bit. “Well, there’s really no reason to have a traditional hive in Equestria. A hive was designed to maximize our survival in a world where we were shunned, or at best, unknown. We as changelings evolved and actively modified our own species to be able to remain hidden, scavenging love here and there, and sharing it with everyone else in the hive. But…with changelings largely being integrated into Equestria as a whole, the hive is inefficient. And, for the changelings Thorax leads, love as a source of sustenance is completely unneeded, so that we can live like normal creatures. I might have a few grubs of my own -- no more than maybe ten -- but an entire hive? No, I don’t think that’s in my future.”
“T-t-ten?!” I choked out, nearly literally choking on my meal.
Lyla, other than looking a bit concerned that I looked like I was about to faint (which was accurate), looked otherwise normal. “Yes. Is that not a normal number for ponies?”
Rarity, who also had wide eyes, took a moment to finally answer, “N-not for most of us, no. Perhaps for farm families, such as the Apples, but generally speaking, most pony families have between two and four foals. More than that is rare, and ten is oft unheard of, darling.”
I tried to throw in my own thoughts, but my tongue was frozen due to the fact my brain was imagining a house full of babies, with Lyla and I at the center of it. The dragon in me was driven to procreate and ensure my bloodline lived on, but the Equestrian in me was grounded in reality, and found the idea of that many babies at once to be ludicrous. I mean, the castle would barely be big enough, and if I thought I had little time to myself now, I could only imagine what having ten kids would be like.
A hard slap to my cheek shocked me out of my spiraling thoughts, followed by Ember grabbing my cheeks and forcing her eyes to look at me. “Spike, breathe. You’re going to pass out if you don’t get some air. C’mon, in, out. Do it.”
I focused on what she was saying, following along and taking deep breaths in, then slowly letting them out. With each breath, the spots began to clear from my vision, and my heart slowed as my thoughts cleared and I could think a little more logically. Needless to say, I felt pretty silly, but didn’t say so. Twilight had her own freakouts, most of which I had been privy to, so I knew she wasn’t going to judge me. As for the others, they knew me well enough to understand panicking for me was only temporary, and luckily, I had a grounded dragoness to bring me back when I started thinking crazy things.
After nodding to Ember to show that I was okay, I glanced at the others. “Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to freak out, but thinking about ten kids running around had me panicking a little.”
“A little?” Twilight teased, her teeth gleaming as she grinned. “You looked like you were about to faint. Or run screaming. One of the two.”
Taking another breath to settle my nerves, I shook my head. “Nah, I’ll be okay. Just…it was a bit much to take in all of the sudden.”
“Well, we don’t have to nail things down right now, so to speak,” Lyla assured, nodding my way. “We’re still young, and I don’t exactly have a ten-year plan for that kinda thing. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, and besides that, I don’t think I’ll be the first to bear you young.” She gestured to Ember, causing me to blush again.
Ember appeared to be completely unbothered as she answered, “Yeah, probably. I was planning sometime within the next year. Spike and I are both of age, and I know in my heart he’ll be a great sire to his whelps. I’m not worried about it at all.”
I was more than a little surprised at the absolute certainty in Ember’s words, and it appeared the rest of the table was, too. For a long few seconds, none of us could do anything but sit in silence and think, all while Ember just continued her meal as if nothing had happened. If nothing else, at least she had faith in my ability to be a father, which counted for a lot. But, it seemed that I was just a little baby dragon only a few years ago, barely able to do much on my own other than daily chores and stuff. Now, there was my dragon mate saying that not only did she plan to create life with me in the immediate future, but that she was absolutely positive I could raise a child, and do a good job.
“For being so reserved regarding sexual acts, you seem oddly matter of fact when it comes to procreation,” Rarity noted.
Ember shrugged, swallowing a mouthful of whatever she was drinking. “I mean, procreation is a part of life, and while sex can be fun, procreation is every living creature’s end-goal. The reason for forming relationships and mating is to create more of your kind, and dragons understand all that. It’s normal, and so it’s nothing to be embarrassed or worried about. You all got here for that reason, and dragons have survived for the same reason: having young is normal, and has been for as long as animals have existed. It’s pointless to be all embarrassed by it.” She then glanced my way. “Besides, I’m the one who has to lay the egg and keep it safe until it hatches. Whelps are ready to eat soft foods as soon as they hatch, and besides all that, you have an entire herd here to help you do it.”
I swallowed to try and moisten my suddenly dry throat, unable to come up with a logical rebuttal. All I could say was, “...are you really sure about this?”
“I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” she assured, winking at me. “I love you, and I want to have a family with you.”
For another long few seconds, there was silence, until Rarity could no longer contain herself. “Oh my stars, how romantic!” This, of course, suddenly made her the target of four pairs of eyes, which caused her to huff and ask, “What? It is. Forgive me for finding romance in such a simple statement. Well Spike,” she raised an eyebrow at me, “what say you? Don’t leave your dragoness waiting in suspense.”
I danced my eyes between the two females before sighing and smiling at Ember. “Well, you have a lot of faith in me, so it would make me stupid to just ignore it. Besides, you’re right, and we’re the right age where most Equestrians start families. There’s really no reason not to.”
Ember smiled back, the warmth in her eyes and heart strong enough that I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling it. Still, she smiled back before throwing a smirk to Twilight. “This time next year you’ll be an aunt twice, Twilight. And that’s only if I’m the only one to have a youngling.”
Twilight just smiled back. “Oh, I love being an aunt. Flurry is such a joy to have around, and while growing up with Spike was…let’s call it a challenge, I don’t imagine raising a baby dragon will be all that difficult, especially with two dragons to do most of the raising. With Spike, most of it was done by Celestia, with some by my parents, but it would help to have a dragon raised as a dragon to help. I’m not worried, and I’ll get to be the best aunt in Equestria. Again.” And yes, Twilight looked particularly pleased with that fact.
Rarity also looked happy, likely for the same reason as Twilight. True, she wasn’t an aunt yet (Sweetie had not yet found her forever someone), but she could appreciate how much fun it was being an aunt, seeing as how she came to love the adorable Flurry as well. “Well, I believe it is safe to say we can expect this family to start growing sometime this coming year then, yes?” At my tentative nod and Ember’s smile, Rarity only smiled wider. “Well, I believe that answers my questions as to the future. Now, before we close serious talks for the night, does anyone else have anything important to bring up?”
Fluttershy again raised her hand, and when Rarity gave her the nod to go ahead, she said, “Well, I just wanted to remind everyone that my parents will be coming too, so I-I wanted to introduce all of you as my herd, if that’s okay.”
I couldn’t help the wide smile and urge to hug Fluttershy at her request. And so, I did both as I replied, “I’d be insulted if you didn’t. We’re happy to have you, and you have a right to want to introduce us as your herd. Never be afraid to tell others.”
“Oh, I’m not afraid,” Fluttershy assured us, smiling before snorting softly. “It’s just that m-my mother is going to interrogate everyone, for lack of a better word. You know how she is.”
Remembering that her birth mother was going to be visiting, my joviality bled away a bit and I nodded more soberly. “Right. Well, we have nothing to hide, so if she needs to ask questions, we’ll answer them.”
Fluttershy smiled brightly and snuggled against me again, leaving me just enjoying the attention and trying to finish my meal before it got cold. With all that out of the way, the six of us talked here and there about notably less-important things, and generally just enjoyed a night out together. As usual, I generally just enjoyed the company and listened, adding my two bits here and there, but otherwise letting the others steer the conversation. Eventually though, we were sharing three desserts between us, and finishing up our night before returning home. I’ll admit that the meal was nice, but with the early evening transitioning into night, I knew we had to get home soon to be able to get up at a reasonable hour. So, it was with great reluctance that I reminded everyone of our obligations, and we paid and prepared to leave.
With it being around nine at night, the streets were largely deserted, which left us with a snowy walk home lit by Princess Luna’s brilliant moon. As per usual, we all made our way to the castle, silently agreeing it was the place to be whenever we could. Besides, with the holiday fast approaching, there really wasn’t any need to be at our separate homes for long periods of time, because we were going to be spending the holiday together regardless. Rarity had taken a break from work, Lyla wasn’t doing any more commissions or contracts until after the new year, and Fluttershy was, of course, largely bored at her home. So, since we were all in a herd together, it just made sense to sleep at the castle together.
After getting everyone inside and out of the cold, I helped Twilight dust everyone off from the snowfall, then escorted everyone upstairs. Starlight was waiting for us in the commons area, telling me that all was quiet while we were away, and to her knowledge, the Young Six were playing games in Gallus’ room, while our other guests had either retired for the night, or were entertaining themselves in their own quarters. In other words, the night was winding down, which meant we could all have hot showers and get dressed for bed without any obligations getting in the way.
“Did Fizzle need anything while we were out?” I asked, concerned about our new housemate.
Starlight shook her head. “Not really. I fixed everyone a simple meal for dinner, but other than that, she’s kept to herself. She did ask about where you all went though, and I kinda had to explain the fact that you were all in a herd together.”
I winced a bit. “Oof. Yeah, I forgot to bring that up during the tour earlier. How did she take it?”
Starlight shrugged. “Okay, as far as I can tell. She seems to purposely keep her emotions under lock and key, but she didn’t seem upset or anything. She did ask when it all happened though, as well as…” she blushed a bit and cleared her throat, “she asked how private you are with displays of affection.”
“And what did you tell her?”
At that, Starlight grinned like a cat that caught the canary. “Oh, just that she should knock before entering any rooms, and probably learn to navigate with her eyes closed. And she should try and ignore any noises she might hear echoing the hallways at night.”
Twilight blushed at that. “Going a little hard on the teasing there, Starlight. You make it sound like we’re a herd of exhibitionists.”
“Well, she took it in stride, and just made a joke about washing her hands after touching anything,” Starlight countered. “She didn’t seem particularly bothered, and she also doesn’t seem like the kind of mare that can’t take a joke. Hay, with what she’s seen in the world, she’s probably more accepting than any of us when it comes to weird things.”
Wait, that sounded kinda insulting. “Oh, so I’m a weird thing now?”
“Kinda, yeah, but we love you that way,” Lyla joked, poking me in the side.
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. But if Fizzle didn’t say it bothered her or something, I guess we’re good. I’ll ask her about it tomorrow, but for now, I think we’re heading to bed. What about you, Star?”
Starlight was already dressed in her pajamas, which meant she had already prepared for bed awhile ago. “Well, I think I’m gonna finish reading this book,” she waved a paperback in front of her face, “and then I’ll turn in for the night. I’ll throw another few logs on the fire to keep it burning, so you all just go get some sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
I gave a thumbs up. “Sounds good, Star. Thanks, and goodnight.”
With that said, we began making our way through the hallway toward Twilight’s room. I broke away from the group and entered my own room to change, since not all of my herd was going to be comfortable with me seeing them naked just yet. With that said, Ember, as usual, followed me, since she had taken a shower earlier in the day, and hadn’t done anything to dirty herself between then and now. Ember merely sat on my bed and watched as I quickly undressed and then slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms. Once I was finished, since I knew it would be some time yet before the others were prepared, I sat next to Ember on the bed and lay down, coaxing her to follow as we just held each other. Again I was treated to the adorable image of Ember closing her eyes, sighing happily, and curling up against me as she nosed my throat. Had it not been for the fact four others were going to be expecting us, I would have shimmied us under the blankets and fallen asleep with my dragoness in my arms.
“I meant what I said at the restaurant, Spike,” Ember murmured, squeezing me a little before beginning to run her clawtips over my bare chest. “I want to have a family with you, and I don’t want to wait much longer. Frankly, my mother is going to ask if we’ve started growing our family yet, and when you say no, she’s going to tease you about it.”
Ignoring the comment about her mother, I instead asked, “How do you think your parents are going to react to hearing you’re in a relationship with multiple individuals?”
At that, Ember’s hand stilled, and she was quiet for a few moments. “Honestly…I don’t know. I mean, I’m a dragon lord in my own right, so it’s not like they can really tell me what to do anymore, but at the same time, we are expected to respect our elder family members in dragon culture. Like I told you before, I don’t think my mother is going to be a problem, and that goes for this hoard too. My father, however…well, as you can imagine, he tends to have strong opinions, and he’s used to others falling in line when he says something.”
I snorted at that. “Well, I hope he doesn’t feel the need to throw his weight around too much. You’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. I don’t care what he says.”
And, I was able to hear the rare giggle from Ember, as she hugged me a little tighter. “I love it when you get all possessive like that.”
We lay like that for a good span of time until eventually, a knock is heard. A moment later, Twilight pokes her head in and smiles at us. “We’re ready. Come join us, we’ll watch a movie while we wind down for the night.”
Lurching up from my prone position, I hefted Ember up with me before following Twilight out of the room. We were silent as we padded just one door down, and entered Twilight’s bedroom, where the sound of a movie intro could already be heard. After a quick greeting from everyone, and a few kisses to go around, we all found places on the bed that were sure to change as we all became more comfortable and sleepy.
I found myself looking forward to the coming holiday. After all, I was going to be presenting myself to all of my herd’s parents (minus Ember and Lyla, of course), and this Hearth’s Warming was already priming to be one of the greatest I’d yet seen. I was equal parts excited and anxious, but knew that things would be okay in the end. And besides that, this was for us to recover from the hard parts of this year, so I was going to make sure everything went well.
And so, as the opening credits rolled, I settled in for a nice night with my girls, idly wondering what joy Hearth’s Warming had in store for all of us.
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yay it updated
Always amazing to see a new chapter. You, good sir, are a fantastic writer. Great chapter and I hope to see more soon!
Amazing chapter, and already eager for the next. Absolutely love this story
Bombshell. While the bottom section dealt primarily with Ember's and Lyle's feeling about Spike's compatibility, I wonder how: the other herd mates -> close non-herd mates -> general public/everyone else will react to that news.
Another chapter come and gone were I spend the entire time reading hoping that AJ finally joins, only to be disappointed in the end.
11141814
She's coming.
No, I don't mean that sexually. Probably. Or maybe I do.
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Don’t make innuendos unless you’re planning on breaking down and making this a hard Mature.
And my hopes can only be DASHed so much.
11143504
The tease is half the fun.
11143714
A tease that’s been going on for eight years now??
Fantastic. i look forward to the day the kids are born.
11143840
Yep
Haha! Another chapter comes and goes, however, I'm a little late to the party reading it, but no matter. I can wait 3-12 months for the next chapter, take all the time you need to do so, I'll be waiting ever so patiently.
I love this story.
I know that he view Celestia and Luna as family but any chance for them to join the harem?
Any plan for Chysalis or will she stay as stone?
11149602
Rationalizations of "they're not your biological family" are useless to Spike. Anyone he considers "relatives" (which includes Celestia, Luna, Flurry, Cadence, and Twilight's parents) are off limits, to him. As for Chrysalis, I've done a story with a redemption arc for her. This will not be another.
Beautiful! Spike, has 2 Queens, 2 Princess, and an Ace.
11164317
And don't forget the bashful butterfly!!!!
Another great chapter, i love this story :DD Thought...i hope we will get another update soon. I saw how often this story was updated and am a bit afraid that this story was abandoned :///
11196979
Already got 14k words done. Almost there.
11197020
Thats great to hear !!! I'll be waiting :))
11139375
For Spikes safety i think its better kept secret