I Wasn't Prepared For This

by canonkiller

One

"I still can't really believe this is happening," Spike admitted, sitting on the edge of Twilight's bed as she rushed around the room. "I mean, everything was so weird and messed up, and then you fixed it, and you - you have wings now! When was the last time that happened? When someone had the great idea to move the sun? You're the bookworm, doesn't this feel weird to you?"

Twilight sighed, turning briefly to give Spike a sad smile over her shoulder before going back to digging through her dresser. "I know it's strange, but I trust the Princesses. My magic is just special, that's all." She laughed, a little faintly, as she pulled out another pile of clothes Spike was sure he'd never seen her actually wear.

"Yeah, and your magic first showed up by making me huge. And I'm your family, Twilight. I'm worried about you. What this means for you." Spike folded his hands in his lap. "What's going to happen to the library when you're a Princess? Is Ponyville going to be filled with people all of the time? Will you even have time to come home?"

Twilight stopped her search, turning to face Spike properly. "It's okay to be scared of change, and I want to talk to you about this, but I really, really don't have time right now. I have to find something to wear before the coronation tomorrow, and I have to leave early to make sure everything's prepared. I promise, we can have this talk right after."

She pressed her head against his gently, the closest a grown pony and a small dragon could get to a proper hug in a rush, and then said a soft goodbye as she grabbed her saddlebags and a clump of messy lists and all but ran down the stairs and out the door. Spike stayed sitting on the bed, rubbing his head with one hand.

"I don't think this is really something that can wait until after the coronation," he mumbled to himself, flexing the claws on his other hand against the soft covers, careful to keep them from catching at the fabric. He eyed the mess she had made on the floor, scrutinizing it, and then slid down off of the bed and began picking it up.

"What good is being a personal assistant if she doesn't ever want to talk about anything personal? Doesn't she ever wonder if I get lonely without any other dragons my age?" He spotted Twilight's gala dress rumpled against a shelf and rushed to it, smoothing out the creases and returning it to its hanger. "Just because she liked reading and organizing all of the time when she was a filly doesn't mean everyone else does. Maybe I want to help her shop for clothes! I know what she likes!"

He'd gotten the clothing section of the mess folded and put away - he was proud that Twilight considered him a capable assistant, despite his age, though he wasn't sure which of the lists scattered around the room she still needed and whether the placement was important - and doing something had made him slightly less frustrated. His anxiety had not faltered, though, and seeing the rushed scribbles of Twilight's usually immaculate writing was not helping.

Resigned, he hopped back up on Twilight's bed and lay down with his back to the disarray, staring out the window at the weather team adjusting the cloud cover, and hoped the ceremony, at least, would go well.

---

"I'm sorry for coming by on such short notice, Rarity, really. This is a big event, and I don't want to put you under too much pressure." Twilight stopped herself from rubbing her foreleg sheepishly, having nearly forgotten the fabric pinned carefully over the limb. She thought back to her gala dress, and how hard she had pushed Rarity in altering it, and couldn't withhold a brief wince at the instant recall that she had somewhat thrown it across the room while looking for something new.

"Really, dear, for something this important it's really not a bother. One doesn't get to design clothes for a Princess every day! Though it might be a bit more often than I'm used to after tomorrow. Can you see that ribbon I just had from there? I could have sworn I put it down around here." Rarity turned in place, a frankly alarming amount of fabric spinning around with her as her focus drifted.

Twilight squinted down from the raised podium through the gaps, trying with some difficulty to see anything but - at the moment - blue sequins. "By your left hoof. No, other left."

"Ah! Thank you." Rarity grabbed it quickly, drawing a span of it off of the spool and holding it up to Twilight's side for comparison. She continued working, easy with how much practice she had, as she visualized different designs. "You don't mind pink, do you? I believe it's still in fashion, and you'll be spending most of the ceremony beside Princess Celestia."

"You're the designer, Rarity. I trust your judgement." Twilight watched idly as Rarity sorted half of the bolts of fabric away at once, and multiple pairs of scissors began cutting shapes out of the remaining. "Do you mind if I bring up something personal? To keep between us?"

Rarity stopped for a moment, concerned. "Of course."

"It's about Spike," Twilight admitted, noting as Rarity resumed working at a slower pace. "I think he's worried about me having to leave after the coronation."

Rarity sat down, nodding for Twilight to continue as she pulled up a sketchbook and began to absently record designs.

"I don't know what to tell him. I don't know if I'll be allowed to spend a lot of time at the library once I'm royalty. Everything has happened so fast, and I haven't found anything on the other Princesses to imply that I can or can't stay here. He had friends his age back in Canterlot, and he lost contact with all of them when we moved here, but I wasn't a good guardian. I barely noticed, since Nightmare Moon was so distracting, and it just seemed like I never had the time after all of that. Not that I would change it, no, I'm so happy I met you girls, and so much would have gone wrong if we hadn't-"

"Twilight." Rarity's gentle voice broke her train of thought, and Twilight stopped, noticing she had started crying. She did her best to wipe the tears away with magic, taking the scrap of fabric Rarity offered. "It's okay to be scared," she laughed gently, "and you helped us learn that."

"I know. But I don't want to take Spike away from here, too. If I have to go back to Canterlot, he has to leave his life behind a second time. He was taken away from other dragons! But I can't force him to come with me, into a busy life that he might not be allowed to be in. He's not a pet like Philomena, he's my... my son? My nephew? My brother?" Twilight sighed, closing her eyes. "He's family, and I can't hurt him like that."

She paused for a few moments before continuing. "I know you have your hooves full with Sweetie Belle, but if I do have to leave, do you think you could... sort something out with the girls? He's probably old enough to live by himself, but I don't want him to hide away in there. If you could invite him over, or, or, or something, I would be so grateful."

"I can't speak for the others, but I would do everything I could to give Spike a place to call home. But," Rarity tapped her hoof on the ground, emphasizing, "I think this is a discussion you have to have with him, first. Even if you don't have time until after the ceremony, there's no way you'll be expected to drop everything at once to take up Princessing."

Twilight nodded, nodded again at Rarity's continued stare, and then straightened herself back up so that it was easier for Rarity to work. She watched as the mare matched colors and adjusted layers, let her mind wander to how she would find time to talk to Spike, and hoped the ceremony, at least, would go well.

---

Spike didn't notice he had fallen asleep until he woke up, smelling burnt pastry and lying on Twilight's concerning untouched bed. A glance out the window revealed the sun was only just rising, and a string of mild curses from downstairs told him breakfast had made a desperate attempt to avoid its fate.

He slid down off the bed, landing heavier than he usually did; a quick glance at himself in Twilight's vanity revealed he was a little taller, looking a little rougher around the edges.

"Not a greed thing, not today," he moaned to himself, walking over to the mirror and running his hands over his crest as if to force it back into being round. With the attempt failed, he steeled himself a bit - partially against Twilight's inevitable reaction, partially against the increasing smoke - and headed downstairs.

Twilight's inevitable reaction proved evitable, as she looked about as frazzled as a pony could. Coat ruffled and matted around the edges of her wing brace - "Just until the muscles strengthen a bit, she should be able to take it off by the coronation," Princess Celestia had informed him when he pried, - eyes reddened from lack of sleep and smoke, nearly dancing off her nervous energy, staring down at a frying pan full of fire and looking a bit charred, Twilight was not exactly looking like Princess material on the day she was going to look like it the most.

"Twi, go open some windows or something!" Spike yelled from the stairs, waving the smoke away from his face. "I'll get the pan, but you're going to ruin the books like this!"

Twilight broke her stare at the pan, seemed to nearly jump out of her skin at the sight of Spike - he thought it was his appearance, until she said something about not hearing him wake up - and obediently, if a little forcefully, started opening the windows. Spike set to his task, noting without surprise that she had somehow melted the pan to the stove-top, and soaked a towel to smother the fire a bit while he tried to pry it off. The fire had turned to charred pancake remains by the time Twilight returned, looking no more composed for the absence.

She moved to take Spike's place at the stove, and he put a hand against her shoulder, not pushing but not letting her closer either. "Twilight, you've been up all night. Go have a shower and maybe a nap, and I'll make breakfast and make sure everything's in order. Okay?"

Twilight nodded, casting a spell to clear out most of the smoke and for her credit only teetering a little bit when she did, and quietly went into the bathroom. Spike waited until he heard the water running to haul the pan off of the stove, wincing at the loud crack it made while it did so, and ran it under cold water in the sink so he could throw it out. He scanned the fridge, found it deplorably empty, decided to just make toast, and then pondered why this responsibility was so easily his while he waited for it. He wasn't sure how dragon age matched pony age, if there even was a direct comparison, and then realized he wasn't sure what responsibilities foals his age in their years even had. It wasn't that he didn't like the respect, he thought to himself, staring vacantly at the toaster light, but it would be nice if he could just... go roll in dirt, or something. Even though having to clean between his scales took forever.

And then the toaster popped - a four-slice, a purchase Twilight would never regret - and he had suitable distraction to keep from thinking about it. He still found himself running a claw along his cheek as he loaded up the toaster again, feeling the edges of his scales catch a little more than usual, but it wasn't worry. Of course not. He couldn't let himself worry until all of this was done; he was a big dragon now, and he had to act like one. Even if he wasn't really sure that he was, or how one would act.

Twilight exited the bathroom just as the toaster finished the second round, looking much more awake and a bit more calm, and wolfed down her breakfast at a somewhat alarming speed. She practically slammed the dish into the sink, composed herself with a deep breath, and then turned to Spike, who was watching her with mild apprehension.

"I've got to go to Rarity's to pick up my dress, and then the Royal Guard is coming to escort me to Canterlot. I already asked, but the chariots have very specific limits and... you'll be taking the train up in a few hours with the girls." She winced, avoiding eye contact. "You're welcome to stay with any of them in the meantime so you don't get lonely, but, you're a big dragon, right? I know this is an important day, but we won't be apart for long."

Spike wondered, but didn't ask, if he should have expected this treatment as her family, as she rarely visited her parents and didn't even know her brother had been getting married. To a Princess.

Taking his silence as enough confirmation, she stumbled over a goodbye, and then the doorstep, and then was gone. Spike watched her run past the window at full speed, skid to a halt, and then disappear in a flash of light as she remembered she could teleport, and went back to picking at his toast. He wasn't really that hungry.

Figuring Twilight wouldn't be checking in again, he rinsed off the dishes, checked himself out in the mirror to make sure he wasn't going to embarrass Twilight on her big day, and left the library as well. His direction was notably the opposite; he wanted to do something, not just sit around and wait to be called. If he was lucky, Sweet Apple Acres would have something for him to tire himself out doing, and that was exactly what he needed.

(He considered Fluttershy, but also realized that if they were all dressing up for today, as they almost undoubtedly were, she would be trying to help Rainbow Dash find something to wear that hadn't been flown ragged, and he couldn't exactly fly up there to help them - though not for lack of trying.)

Winona greeted him at the gate, nearly bowling him over, and was followed pretty shortly by Apple Bloom, who was giggling and looking extremely proud of herself. "Spike! Hey, you got taller!"

"I did," Spike laughed, jogging a bit to meet up with her faster. "Are you doing any work this morning?"

"Aw, nah, we're all invited to the Princess thing, so Applejack told me I couldn't," she paused to deepen her voice, mimicking her older sister, "go around getting yer hooves all dirty and trackin' mud on those fancy carpets. But I had to walk through mud to get over here, and I'm not sure if that counts. Big Mac's helping her get all gussied up and I think they're almost done, so I'll just have to wash 'em real quick."

"Do you know when we're leaving?"

Apple Bloom gave him an odd look. "Didn't Twilight tell you?"

"I, uh, wasn't listening." He rubbed his arm, looking away, hoping it looked embarrassed enough. It seemed to work, because she stopped looking at him like that. Like she was concerned.

"It'll prob'ly be an hour or so, I reckon. Applejack wasn't super specific, but she wants to make sure Granny don't stress herself with a rush to the train. Oh! And Rarity's got a new tux for you, I was supposed to tell you that when I saw you. I wonder if it'll match my dress! I wanted a suit like Mac, but Sweetie Belle convinced Scootaloo to get all dolled up, and I couldn't wear a suit if Scootaloo couldn't. If we hurry, we can make friendship bracelets before we go, and then we can all match!"

Spike laughed out an 'alright' and followed her back up to the house, listening to her recount how much bribery it had taken to get Scootaloo into a dress - according to Apple Bloom, it had taken a promise from Rainbow Dash that she would make sure her favorite little wingpony looked better than her, and made Scootaloo promise to stand with her so she wouldn't steal Twilight's thunder, and nobody was really sure which part of the statement had changed her mind - and letting her chatter push his fears to the back of his mind.

He almost didn't notice the golden carriage swooping gently into town, and definitely almost didn't notice the trumpets and fanfare and awed, distant cheering, and also definitely almost didn't notice Apple Bloom stopping to stare at it too even when she pulled on his arm to get him to turn around. He was used to the fancy Princessing stuff. It wasn't worth being late over.

There was a moment between them, an unspoken question as Apple Bloom turned to face him, concerned. He didn't meet her eyes, clenched the hand on the side she couldn't see into a tight fist. He muttered, "too heavy", and she leaned briefly into his side.

When the carriage lifted off again, feather-light enchantments all but shining in the sun as the six-pegasus team lifted it effortlessly into the clear blue sky, Apple Bloom didn't look up either.

---

Apple Bloom skidded to a stop in front of the door, her face instantly falling. "I gotta go wash before Applejack sees! Head in without me, distract her!"

Before Spike could really reply, she tore off around the side of the house, leaving Spike in front of the door with Winona and not much else. He lifted his hand, but didn't quite make it to the door. He wasn't - he wasn't dreading it, was he? Dreading seeing Twilight's friends?

Winona gave him one long look before nosing his hand, and then stepped around him and pushed the door open with a paw. Spike patted her head as he went past, and she happily followed him.

Spike wasn't sure what he had expected from Apple Bloom's explanation, but it wasn't Applejack and Scootaloo excitedly picking clothes together while Sweetie Belle watched, offering suggestions from atop a pile of makeup that was almost certainly not her own.

"Oh, hey Spike!" Sweetie called, waving briefly, not wanting to topple the hoard. "I borrowed some stuff from Rarity. Do you want any?"

"I'll pass," Spike waved back, moving over to the side of the room to watch. Applejack had chosen an outfit, by the look of it - a simple chestnut-brown dress with a small, golden, apple-shaped pin that, by the way she moved in it, was something she had owned for a while - and Scootaloo had decidedly not, though she seemed to be having a great time trying things on.

She turned to him, waving, and then nearly disappeared under a massive green hat covered in some extraordinary feathers that Applejack had dropped on her, laughing. "Hi, Spike!"

"Hey, Scootaloo." He didn't bother waving, and it didn't seem missed as she ducked out from under the hat and chucked it back at Applejack, happily yelling something about having enough feathers already.

Apple Bloom ran in, soaked from the knee down on all four legs, and simply stated loudly that they weren't allowed to have fun without her before she joined in finding more and more obnoxious choices for Scootaloo to wear. As the three tossed old costume clothing at each other, and Sweetie Belle tried to find equally odd makeup to go with it from the mound, Big Mac quietly led Granny Smith from the kitchen out to the porch, careful to avoid any flying garments and an exuberant shower of chunky glitter, and after a few quick words with her outside, came back in and stood next to Spike.

"I have the suit Rarity picked up for you in my room, if you'd like to try it on. It was in Applejack's closet, but that's been," he eyed the growing mess of clothing, "raided."

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sure." Spike fell into step not-quite-beside him, hovering around Big Mac's hind legs and feeling rather dwarfed by the large stallion.

Big Mac slowed down, only slightly angling his head to look back at him. "Spike," he said quietly, making sure his words weren't audible to the rest of the room, "you're allowed to walk beside me."

Spike shook his head, but moved up a bit anyway. Big Mac led him up a set of stairs and down a wide hallway, stopping at the door closest to the stairs and pushing the door open with a hoof.

"It's hanging in the closet, low so you can reach. I'll wait out here, you just yell if you need help with anything." He tilted his chin towards Spike's crest. "Careful with those points, especially since I haven't seen you try to put anything on with those."

Spike nodded and went inside, carefully shutting the door behind him even though he had already seen Big Mac walk down the hall to the landing of the stairs to wait. The suit was hanging up as Big Mac had said, not actually draped over a chair or hanging somewhere else in the room, and the hanger itself looped around a length of twine tied to the bar higher up so it was easy for him to reach. He lifted it off carefully, like he would have done with anything, but - he wasn't balancing on a stack of books, or clinging to a shelf, or anything. A part of him wanted to throw it on the floor almost to protest it being this easy.

He got the pants on fine, even if they were a tad shorter than they would have been a day before, but he tugged them down low enough to compensate without being too lewd. The shirt and jacket, he had some concerns about; the scales on his elbows were sharper, now, and they felt rough enough to his scaled hand. Having them tear through his clothes at an event like this would be embarrassing beyond belief.

He turned to the door, feeling oddly lewd in just pants even though he was normally completely unclothed. What if Big Mac just laughed at him for worrying? What if he -

Spike nearly jumped out of his skin as the window slid open behind him, and quickly recognized Fluttershy hovering there with one foreleg over her eyes and a wad of... bandages, maybe, in her other hoof. She was wearing a longer and more flowing dress than Applejack was, probably a benefit of being able to fly, and it was close in color and pattern to her Gala dress. Spike wondered if she had this one made afterwards for less party-focused events.

"Sorry, Spike, Rainbow just finished up and asked me to fly ahead with this; she said Gilda used to wrap her claws up whenever they were playing any sport with an inflatable ball, and thought that you might use something like it to keep your scales from tearing things. She was going to fly over herself, but she's not great at... going slowly. I made her walk." Fluttershy laughed, setting the roll on the windowsill, and then frowned. "Spike is in here, right? I didn't want to seem like I was spying on you, so I covered my eyes, and Rainbow said you would probably be in here."

"Yeah, yeah, it's me," Spike said, walking over to the window. "Thank you for not spying. And for the..."

"Claw wraps." Fluttershy clarified.

"Thank you for the claw wraps. Uh, Applejack and the kids are downstairs, you might want to go see if they need help. And you can tell Mac I'll be fine, he's waiting up the stairs."

Fluttershy nodded - her hoof slipped down, and he noticed her eyes were shut tight as an extra precaution - and carefully backed up from the window, turning around before opening her eyes and flying down to the porch. Spike took the wraps with a rush of gratitude, tearing a length off and binding his elbows with it. He tested the strength, moving his arm as much as he could, and the barrier held up. He stopped short of wrapping his claws themselves; he didn't want to look like he had to be prevented from being dangerous. Even, he considered as he pulled the shirt on, if he might have to be.

He flattened down the front of the tux, figured whether he looked good or not there wasn't going to be much time to change it, and left the room. Big Mac had vanished from the landing, but judging by the much more subdued talk downstairs, Fluttershy had brought him down and all ponies present seemed to be involved in preparation. He could hear Rainbow Dash and Rarity's voices, too, and in a quieter moment he faintly heard Pinkie Pie, saying something about cooking, and realized she must have been outside and chatting with Granny Smith. A part of him kept listening, seeking that one last voice, but he mentally pounced on the feeling and pressed it down until he was almost okay with hearing only five mares, and then went downstairs.

As he expected, all of the more odd clothing had been put away again - a task likely made much easier by the presence of a unicorn - and everyone except Scootaloo seemed to be ready to go, and that was mainly because she insisted on comparing every option next to Rainbow Dash before choosing. Rainbow Dash was exceedingly patient, watching the filly fondly and picking for her when she got stuck between options. Spike wandered into the room and ended up beside Fluttershy, who smiled down at him before looking back at the two pegasi.

"Can I trust you with a very important secret?" Fluttershy asked, glancing back down at him. Spike nodded. "Well, I'm sure you know that Scootaloo's birth family isn't very present, even though she doesn't like to talk about it. We - Rainbow and I - asked around, and learned that Miss Cheerilee had been fostering her. After the coronation, we're hoping to have the time to go through all of the paperwork together and formally adopt her."

Spike blinked, shocked but not surprised. He'd noticed how close the two mares were, but hadn't given it much thought, and definitely hadn't considered much of Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo's relationship beyond the latter's admiration of the former. He watched as Scootaloo decided on the final part of her outfit, a simple necklace with a silver pegasus pendant, and definitely did not feel jealous in the least. He forced his hands to relax, his face to stay happy. Why should I?

It was Pinkie Pie, however intentionally, that broke his focus and drove the thoughts away, as she slammed the door open - catching it with a hoof before it actually hit the wall - and announced that it was time to go. She went ahead with Big Mac an Granny Smith as the remaining mares herded the fillies towards the door. Rarity lingered behind, ending up alone with Spike as she cleared up the worst of the mess as fast as she could.

"Does your suit fit alright?" She asked, eyeing it. "I had some extra dress shoes, but they were made for hooves. I've got a pair custom-made and waiting in Canterlot, on the way to the castle, so we can stop by there and pick them up on the way in. How are you holding up?"

Spike fidgeted with the sleeves, self-conscious. "It fits fine. Thank you."

Rarity smiled warmly at him, even though they both knew a question had gone unanswered. "If you ever want to try those extra shoes on, you're always welcome to drop in for a stay, alright?"

Spike hoped he wasn't so easy to read, but he found himself smiling anyway, genuinely. "I'd love to."

---

"Thank Celestia, it's the fast train," Rainbow Dash sighed dramatically as she nearly flung herself into one of the plush benches, stopping short as Fluttershy fixed her with a pointed glare to remind her she was not going to wrinkle her clothes after so much prep time, and settled more gracefully. Pinkie Pie picked out a seat, unintentionally ending up with the fillies all sitting around her, and happily exclaimed that she was the Pie-d Piper to a ring of giggles. Fluttershy and Rarity sat across from Rainbow, and Applejack and Big Mac went ahead with Granny Smith. Spike barely had a moment to look around before Rainbow patted the window seat next to her.

"Hey, Spike, sorry we didn't get a good chance to chat earlier. Didn't think Applejack would have had so many options for Scoots." She opened her wings a bit, looking casual but easily blocking the line of sight between Spike and the fillies. "Pinkie wants to talk to you a bit too, but she's not great at being subtle, so she wants to make sure it's more private first."

"You don't have to be so nice," Spike said quickly, almost stumbling on the words. "This is Twilight's big day, and-"

"And we want to make it special for her little brother too." Rainbow finished for him, wrapping a hoof around his shoulder. "Just because we share magical friendship rocks with Twilight doesn't mean we can't have any other friends. Or family."

"Oh. Yeah, Fluttershy mentioned adopting Scootaloo. That's great."

He had tried to sound excited, but it didn't seem to have come through as Rainbow squeezed his shoulder a bit. "I'm hoping to get rings soon, before the paperwork goes through. They make special ones for wings, now, so there's no worry of them falling off during flight like on a hoof. It's just a bit pricey for three." She paused, as if feeling his confusion, and then continued, "one for me, one for Flutters, one for Applejack. They aren't together, but I'm with both, and - well, three rings, anyway."

"But don't you two have a rivalry?"

"Of course! But sometimes you have to have little fights with the ponies - the people - you love. If we ever did anything to really hurt the other, we'd say so, but we both like racing and challenges. It's an added bonus that we can enjoy them together."

Spike definitely did not think about how he didn't think Twilight had ever sounded so wistful with him as Rainbow Dash did about Applejack. Maybe it was different for family.

"But I didn't bring it up to talk about my love life. I brought it up because, well, if Twilight's going to be... away, you can have a place in our family too. Scootaloo can't fly yet either, and since Applejack and Fluttershy both have homes on the ground we'd love to have you stay with us. Unless you don't mind staying in the library alone, in which case, you know, visits." Rainbow Dash tried to look nonchalant, but pulled him into a tighter hug to show she did mean it.

Spike halfheartedly tried to shrug her hoof off. "That's only if Twilight's too busy."

"Only if," She confirmed.

He looked out the window, watching the scenery whip past. He hadn't even noticed the train beginning to move, and felt distinctly out of place. The gleaming castle looming closer with every second seemed unnatural and foreign despite all of the years he'd lived there. He realized first that he hadn't said thank you, and realized a second later that Rainbow had started chatting with Fluttershy over her wing and he had been leaning into her hug and she didn't mind the lack of reply.

It felt much different from when Twilight simply changed her train of thought and ended up ignoring him, even if that was a totally okay and not-bothersome thing. He was okay with this.

He glanced up at the castle once more, squeezed Rainbow's hoof in affirmation, and felt her wings fold back up in acknowledgment.

He was okay.

---

"-and you will be expected to move back to Canterlot," the unicorn mare standing in front of Twilight finished. Twilight had forgotten her name almost after she was introduced, the only part sticking with her being the fact that she wasn't allowed to talk to the Princesses until afterwards, and being struck with the sensation this was quite possibly the time she needed her mentor's affirmation most.

Twilight shook her head, unbalancing her crown. "I can't move back. I haven't talked to Spike. I need to see the Princesses."

The mare frowned, straightening the crown again with a quick flare of blue magic. "It is not up for discussion. These are the terms of being a ruling party in Equestria, and the Princesses do not have time for discussion until the ceremony's reception."

"If these are the terms, I didn't agree to them," Twilight snapped back, deflating just as quickly to ask, "you can't even send a note?"

"Miss Twilight Sparkle, you have been agreeing to these terms ever since you began tutoring under the Princess Celestia herself and have continued to agree to them with every completed assignment you turned in."

"Those were letters," Twilight protested weakly.

"And with the affirmation of the Element of Magic, your position has been set in stone to lead, if not Equestria, some sector of ponykind for the benefit of all of it. All of which involve your initial rule beginning in Canterlot, and no, I cannot send a note to her."

"Can you send a note to a guest?"

The mare nodded, slowly. "As long as that guest is not of royal standing and the message contains no classified information."

"Perfect." Twilight scanned the room, finding an abandoned notepad and quill, and scribbled out a messy, fast note. She magically passed it to the mare, who read it over with some difficulty and then nodded her assent. "I need it given to my assistant."

"It will be done before the ceremony begins. May I have the assistant's cutie mark for identification?"

Twilight stared at her, somewhat incredulous. "The dragon."

---

Spike's toes felt cramped in his shoes, but if the awkward steps the fillies were making was a tell, it was a universal sensation. The rest of him didn't feel much more comfortable either, pressed between his companions in the crowded entry hall. Big Mac and Granny Smith were taking them aside, though with the number of attendees and Granny Smith's age it was a slow process. Twilight's friends were doing their best to give them more room to move by drawing people away with tales of their adventures, each now showing off their Elements freshly polished around their necks. He almost wanted to yell out that he was related to the Princess-to-be, but with how intense some of the interactions with the mares were getting, it was an easy feeling to hide.

"That stallion keeps staring at Applejack's flank!" Apple Bloom whispered angrily, flicking her ear towards her sister. "I think we should go and pull his trousers down when he's not looking so everyone can see he's got a-"

"Nope," Big Mac interrupted, stepping away from Granny Smith to block off the fillies.

"She's your sister!" Apple Bloom hissed. "Betrayal!"

"And you're an earth pony," Big Mac reminded her quietly, "while she's standing next to a friend who isn't."

Big Mac moved ahead again, clearing the view, and it was obvious to anyone seeking it that Rarity's horn was sparkling with magic under the applied glitter. His belt buckle glimmered with the same hue as it silently undid and began to slide out of place. The stallion eyeing Applejack took a step towards her, halted, and then looked around rather frantically. Applejack caught Rarity's eye and mouthed a silent thanks; Rarity shrugged back in a don't-mention-it kind of gesture; the fillies giggled. Spike wondered if it was normal for ponies that close to do things like that for each other. Or maybe they were closer, like Applejack was with Rainbow Dash? Surely she would have mentioned it. Or maybe they were all dating each other somehow and hadn't mentioned it? Maybe not Twilight, after all, he was always with her, he would have known.

The thought of Twilight standing with them and being stared at like that made his blood boil. He looked down at his claws; he wasn't sure he would have taken the same solution as Apple Bloom would have. He wasn't sure he could. A seam on his undershirt snapped.

The crowd ahead of them parted as a royal guard approached, a pristine white stallion with gleaming golden armor, a unicorn, the usual. He somewhat pushed past Big Mac, in the way that they didn't touch but it was clear that it would not have stopped him, and loomed over Spike. He didn't look down, keeping his gaze firmly ahead as if meeting eye contact with a pony.

"Are you the assistant of Miss Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and Princess-Heir of Equestria?"

Spike all but bristled, and could see Twilight's friends drawing closer out of the corners of his eyes. He didn't lift his head to look at the guard, either, just stared into his own reflection on the polished chestplate. "I'm Spike, yeah."

"I have a letter for you from Miss Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and Princess-Heir of Equestria." He levitated the slip from a hidden slot in the flank of his armor, presenting it to Spike while still staring ahead. He then turned, meeting the eyes of Spike's group, and addressed them to their faces to inform them they were wanted in the ceremony room ahead of the crowd.

Spike wasn't listening; he turned the folded paper over in his claws; it was crumpled at the edges, and blots of ink were showing through the blank side. It felt like an afterthought, like giving someone a gift that was unwrapped and still had the price tag on it, like the kind of thing you only gave someone you had almost forgotten about. He almost didn't want to read it.

Apple Bloom shoved his side a bit, and he noticed the group moving away. He placed a hand on her shoulders as she waked, guiding him while he tried to decipher some of the worst handwriting he had ever seen. He picked out a few words - Canterlot, moving, staying, library, apart, Spike - and decided he didn't want to know the rest. He crumpled the paper in his fist and shoved it into his pocket, smiling weakly at Apple Bloom as she cast him a sympathetic look.

The room they were led into was, at least, devoid of ponies that didn't look incredibly official. One lone reporter was setting up a camera at the corner of the aisle, monitored by two guards who were pointing out who was going to be standing where. Another four guards, unicorns, flanked the door, two holding it open while the other pair briefly gave the group a magical scan, and six pegasi guards were perched on platforms above the seating area. The whole room had the faint bitter tang of powerful magic, and Spike doubted anyone with a weapon could have made it to the raised platform where the Princesses would be standing without being incinerated, guards or not.

The stallion who had fetched them led them to the front row, placing Twilight's friends next to the aisle and letting the rest of them sort out the remaining spots. Once he had turned away, Rainbow Dash and Rarity switched so that Rainbow was next to Scootaloo, and then kicked up her hind hooves on the decorative barrier in front of them and loudly exclaimed that she hated crowds. Spike tuned out the resulting discussion, which was mostly you know the Wonderbolts usually have an audience, right?, and stared down at his hands.

He couldn't help but feel out of place. He seemed to be the only non-pony present; there hadn't been so much as a griffon feather in the greeting room, never mind another dragon. He flexed his claws, felt the wards placed on the room resist even that small of a movement. He felt angry, but it was a deep anger, something cold and quiet. The Princess's Prized Assistant, a dragon she couldn't live with, who was pushed out by just the protective wards around her quarters. He could almost picture ponies protesting, once he was older, dragging her name through the mud for owning a creature made to be a weapon.

Apple Bloom leaned against him, even though he hadn't said anything. "It's a lot to get used to, huh?"

Spike just huffed.

She prodded his leg with a hoof. "It took me a while to get used to knowing most fillies had a mom and dad around, and Twilight's the closest thing to a mom you've ever had. But she'll still be around, 'n you can still write to her. I'm sure she'll come to visit."

"Ponies aren't scared of fillies." Spike grumbled back. His suit was uncomfortably tight, and he knew it wasn't just his imagination.

"Well, I know some fillies who aren't scared of you," she said sternly. "If other ponies can't be as brave as me, 'n Sweetie Belle 'n Scootaloo, that's not your fault."

"Can anyone be as brave as you?" Spike asked, smiling a bit despite himself.

Apple Bloom sat up, looking mock-mortified. "I would hope so! Applejack dropped a pan last night when I was readin' scary stories under my covers, and I couldn't sleep for hours thinkin' something was gonna eat me!"

Spike's laughter, and Apple Bloom's indignity at him laughing, were drowned out as the doors were fully opened and the rest of the crowd began the lengthy process of being scanned and seated. Spike felt like sinking down in his seat, not wanting a stranger sitting as his back and staring at Twilight over his shoulder, but he didn't.

---

Twilight stood anxiously in front of the great door to the audience chamber, hearing the din of ponies chatting while they waited for her though not able to make out the words. The Princesses stood at either side of her; Celestia dressed in a luxurious gold and red gown edged in black, Luna in an equally stunning purple and blue dress with silver accents. Twilight felt almost frumpy between them in frills of pink and gold - the colors of her element - with her crown's oversized crystal dwarfing those of the two sisters.

Celestia spoke, quietly, informing Twilight that she was to enter once they had made it halfway down the aisle, and that there were spells in place to keep her hidden from sight until she crossed into the room. Twilight was grateful for the last part; it would not be a good image for her to stare out, scared and confused, from a door at the back of the room, while her co-Princesses walked gracefully between the rows of seats like they had been born to do it.

Twilight considered if there were medications to make this easier, and if there were, whether or not she could get some and have them work in half a minute. The answer was probably not, and by the time she had reached that conclusion she noticed Celestia and Luna had already been announced and were nearing the halfway point.

Twilight suppressed her emotions in a quick, tight knot and put on her formal-well-behaved-student face, just in time to hear her own name being announced. Forcing herself to walk slowly instead of sprinting up to reach the safety between the Princesses ahead, she entered the room.

Aside from the band playing, it was dead silent. She walked slowly, purposefully, with her chin up and her wings tight against her back. She kept her eyes fixed on the short ramp up to the platform, feeling the eyes of the room on her and looking at none of them. The awkwardness of the attention set her on edge; she was just a student! Just a librarian! Just a socially awkward bookworm! This wasn't her place!

Reaching the platform couldn't have been more of a relief, just for that brief moment of being able to look out the grand windows at the rolling landscape below before turning back to face the crowd. She swallowed the lump in her throat, all eyes still on her even as Celestia launched into her grand speech, followed by Luna with hers. Twilight couldn't help but scan the crowd, smiled a bit easier as she got encouraging waves from her friends in the front row, and then her heart sank as she found Spike, staring at her with an expression she could barely force herself to read.

Fear? Anger? It was - distrust, she pinned down, though the idea tried to wriggle out from under her and she almost wanted to let it go. A foal who looked up and found their parent had walked away without saying anything, suddenly lost and alone and in a sea of strangers. A dragon who hatched from an egg and saw a mare instead of a mother. She felt the need to comfort him more than she felt the crowd, or Celestia and Luna turning to face her, or the magic beginning to coil around her hooves. If the spell hadn't held her, she would have run to him, and the thought that circled with astounding clarity was that she was an alicorn, she could break this if she wanted, but - did she want to?

She hesitated, and the spell leaped up around her, a column of shining ethereal light that was solid until you tried to focus on it, shredding and reforming like clumps of soap bubbles around a tap. She stared at Spike, unable to form words, unable to form movement, but able to see him standing, growing in size, in strength, and crashing through the wards with force alone - or maybe they let him through, she could see his claws were sheathed, even as he dug into the polished marble for purchase and hauled himself towards her, and Celestia and Luna turned towards him with the beginnings of a warning, and for a moment their eyes met through the magic, and then -

---

The column of magic erupted like a supernova, shoving him backwards until he slammed upright against the partition between the crowd and the stage, white-hot strands whipping through the air like lightning. The protective wards blew out with a bang, and everything was filled with noise as guards dropped down, began forcing ponies to move, screams of terror - of the lightning or of him? - and thousands of hooves on stone, the faint chiming as glass fell from the chandeliers and windows and bounced off of the now-cracked stone.

Spike roared in pain, drowning out the chaos, blinded and burned from the explosion, and fell back on all fours between the crowd and Twilight. For a moment, it seemed as though he had been physically blown open, with great swathes of purple scales drooping in limp sheets on either side of his back - but - no, they were moving, and he was whole, and he was winged, and he pushed himself up on to his hind legs and stared down at the new weight on his paws and between his claws at the Princess, at Twilight, lying sprawled on the ground in front of him, and -

- she was moving, pushing herself up into a sitting position and shaking terribly, but she -

- Spike swallowed the lump in his throat -

- she was so different, and it was his fault. His brain caught on all of the little things, the changes, the parts of her he could see through the torn, burned mess her dress had become; her mane was tangled and matted from the blast, but her horn was now a sleek spike with a crest behind; her ears had notched at the tips; her front hooves had sharp, curved dewclaws -

- he choked back a sob, tried to reach out to her but couldn't bring himself to touch her -

- and her wings, so beautifully feathered, were draconic and leathery; and her - her entire body was marbled, patched with round amethyst scales, but - her hind legs had warped completely, leaving no trace of equine past behind, replaced by thick, four-taloned paws.

A dragon's paws, Spike thought to himself, staring down at his own claws outstretched to her. He pulled his hand back, trembling. I did this..

He saw her eyes open, staring up at him in - fear? anger? pain? - and closed his own, turning to flee, when magic like a branding iron wrapped around his muzzle and shoved him to the ground, holding his jaws shut and searing into his skull. A second force pinned his limbs down, frostbite digging into his flesh, and he bled through his clenched teeth where new fangs met tongue.

Twilight was standing, now, he could see her just at the corner of his vision, and she was looking at him, at herself, at the crowd - they had seen her rising, were pushing back against the guards trying to get her to leave, the noise was rising - and looking almost insignificant in her terror and pain, turned away from the crowd and leaped through the gaping hole left by the blown-out windows, and was gone.

Someone was yelling for the guards, and they were yelling back that she was flying, and fast, and there was nothing -

- there was nothing. Spike sank into the pain of the Princess's binding spells, against the cool, shattered stone under him.

The Princesses had taken too long, and some part of him could feel it. Twilight had gone to where they could not safely follow - could not find her, could not find her body, either - and Spike grabbed a hold of that fleeting glow and held it close to his own, whispering to the darkness that she still had a home to return to, even as the binding spells broke him into unconsciousness.

---

Twilight stumbled from the air, legs folding underneath her, and scrabbled with both wings and hooves for the nearest thing that resembled shelter, leaving scraps of blackened, glimmering fabric coiled behind her as it ripped off in strips. She slipped between the roots of an ancient, gnarled tree, slipped down into the cool earth, her body hot and shivering, and lay curled in the damp earth.

And withdrawn into herself, trembling in an abandoned den deep below the ground of the wildest place she knew, she sought him out in the same, strange way, and with them together, on some level, she let herself fall into a dreamless sleep.

Comments

[MadMaxtheBlack]

If this is anything like the first one, this is gonna be a fun ride.

[Tbillz]

7673207 Same.

[Ri2]

Nice job, Spike.

[Ratmandango]

So, this is gonna be like the old one, eh?

[IceOfWaterflock]

7673931

It will probably vary quite a bit in the story to come; a stronger, more cohesive plot and such.

[Ratmandango]

7674075

I have to say, don't end it the same way the old one did. I can't speak for others, but, I absolutely hated it when they all became kirins.

[RadicalDishonesty]

So, I'm definitely digging this first chapter.

Especially how you do a great job portraying Spike trying really hard not to freak out... but freaking out and losing it. All the things he's dissatisfied with come to the top, even if normally he thinks they're no big deal (like Twilight suddenly not noticing him once she gets off on something else). And particularly with how he notices (and insists he's not jealous) of everyone else's little mundane expressions of care for each other, and getting paranoid that maybe everyone is extremely close and he's on the outside.

All building tension and escalating to the big climax at the end of the chapter.

I got a good feelin' about this story.

I guess this is a total rewrite of a story that Spike didn't really have a role in? Is it safe to say he's going to have a rather important role in this one? I gots an itchy groupin' finger.

[IceOfWaterflock]

7674148

You'll have to wait and see.

[IceOfWaterflock]

7674310

Thank you! Yes, Spike is going to play a much larger role in this one than just 'catalyst'; there's going to be a lot more interaction, especially between him and Twilight's friends while she's gone. Won't say much about what might change when she comes back, though...

[wlam]

Well, that's certainly an unusual idea. Not the typical kind of "ascension story" I'd be expecting with that title.

I gotta say, though, the story image creeps me out massively somehow. It looks like Twilight has a really weird rash more than like she's growing scales.

[IceOfWaterflock]

7674596

I would imagine the early stages would be similar. Probably pretty itchy.

[Conspire]

7674148 Yeah, I didn't like the 'let's make everyone a Kirin' thing either

[IceOfWaterflock]

7674923

Oy, nobody was stopping you two from writing something yourselves!

[OpaliteWindTheCryptid]

7674148
You could be less rude, I highly doubt Cannon is writing purely for your amusement. It's their story and while we may offer suggestion or opinion it is not our will that has the final say. Just read and enjoy or simply stop reading if you dont instead of demanding changes like you're paying for it.
Have a pleasant day
~Lady Sugar Violet Hooves & family

[Giant_Neckbeard]

Faved, saved, can't wait for more.

[Cross Lament]

Wow, this is one heck of a beginning! Also, lovely cover-art you've made.

[Alpha123]

make more please

[Illi]

Could you somehow bring your "Starfall" story from your old account and continue it on this account? I thought it was a great story and should continue!