Lessons Learned

by RoyalBardofCanterlot

Prologue

Twilight levitated her marshmallow over the flames of the fire dancing in the chimney fireplace. It was turning golden brown. Surrounding her were her five best friends in the whole wide world, her big brother who was visiting for the weekend, her former foalsitter turned sister-in-law and Princess Luna who had decided to take her up on her open invitation.

Twilight lifted the treat to her lips and slowly bit into the gooey center. The sweetness of the marshmallow and crunchiness of its texture mixed, sending a delightful sensation down her throat.

Luna bit into her marshmallow and devoured the thing in a state of flavor-induced rapture. "What a delicacy! We didst not have such things in my own time."

Twilight took a second bite of the toasted marshmallow and frowned as it vanished. She stabbed another one that sat in the ceramic, blue bowl and placed it over the fire. "Marshmallows were only invented around sixty years ago."

Luna stabbed a second marshmallow and it crossed over Twilight's. "And did the inventor of it get a statue?"

"Yep. Your sister was quite impressed with him."

Luna chuckled. Twilight noticed the bowl was getting perilously close to empty. "Hey, Spike!" She stopped. A lump formed in the back of her throat and tears came unbidden to her eyes.

Shining noticed it immediately and laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Something wrong, LSBFF?"

Dash was the next to notice there was a problem and slapped Twilight's withers. "Cheer up there, Egghead! I can get the marshmallows! Is Spike on vacation or something?"

Shining gave the Pegasus a flat look. "I don't think it's about the marshmallows."

Nonetheless, Dash took off and soon returned from the kitchen with a new bag of the sweets. She liberally poured them into the bowl.

Rarity glanced around. "Where is the little darling? He's not sick is he?"

Twilight shook her head, her purple mane flying around. "No. Me and Spike sort of had a fight."

Cadence left her place by Shining's side to stand next to Twilight."What happened?"

Twilight sighed. "Sometimes, Spike steals. He can't help it. It's part of his dragon nature. He wants to stop. He fights it so hard. I told him I would help him through it. And, I decided on a bit of, ahem, behavior modification. Today, I found out he stole my necklace. Again. So, I...I spanked him with my hairbrush."

Dash raised an eyebrow. "He feel anything beneath those scales?"

Fluttershy looked to Dash. "Most reptiles have a soft underbelly. A dragon's posterior is about as sensitive as a Pony's. I don't know if dragons spank their young though."

Twilight stared into orange and golden flames. "I made him stand in the corner afterward. We hugged and talked about it after. Then, he left. Hasn't been back since. That was three hours ago."

Luna frowned. "Mayhap the young drake had a prearranged event upon his schedule which he had to attend to. Er, I mean, maybe there was something he was going to do."

Twilight stretched. "I don't think so. I think he's upset. Oh, why did I let him go?"

"Has he reacted that way before?"

"No, never. He normally takes a punishment and moves on."

That's when the door creaked open. The subject of the conversation was standing in the threshold. Twilight nearly pranced over to him and wrapped him up in an embrace. Spike returned it. "Um, hi?"

Twilight kissed him. "Oh, Spike, I'm so glad you're back. Why'd you leave so suddenly?"

Spike glanced down at the wooden floorboards. "I was ashamed. I try so had not to steal and...I just had to get out."

Twilight rubbed his back. "You're okay, right?"

Spike smiled. "Of course I am."

He passed by the bowl of marshmallows, roasted one with his firebreath and popped it into his mouth. Shining held up his hoof which Spike bumped. "Yo, Bro. What's up?"

"I'm good. I was just remembering all the spankings Twily used to get."

Dash gaped. "Twilight used to get spanked?"

Applejack scratched her head. "Really, now? She's always so well-behaved. Can't imagine her getting into trouble."

Shining shrugged. "Sure she is now..."

Twilight rejoined the herd. "I was an unrepentant brat."

"Aw, Twily, you weren't that bad."

"Was too, BBBFF. How about the time I..."

Comments

[Princess Echo]

Ooh, I wonder if I should skip to one I want to hear, or..