Spike meets Mimikyu

by Zephyr Spark

Chapter 3 More Invaders

Author's Note:

Warning: this chapter has slight hints of SpikeBelle. It just ended up happening. The shipper inside me couldn't resist.

Also, this story is going to turn out much longer than I originally anticipated. I couldn't decide where to end this chapter so I kept going and going. There are probably typos I missed in here because my eyes are too self-absorbed to see error in my writing (Extreme Joke. Neither I nor my eyes are self-absorbed. We just got tired of keeping you waiting). Just let me know about any errors and I'll fix them. Thanks for your time, and enjoy this chapter.

“Alright Mimi,” Scootaloo put the final tennis ball into the machine, “Are you ready?”

Spike adjusted Mimi’s helmet straps. He had no idea how to shield her from tennis balls or where her head was, but Mimi did not seem to mind. He jogged several meters away next to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Applebloom held a stopwatch ready to start the clock and Sweetie Belle had a camera on a tripod ready to snap photographs. Spike was reluctant to go through with this at first, but Mimi seemed eager to please Scootaloo. When Spike protested, she marched right in front of the machine and stretched her claws. Purple flames streamed across Mimi’s claws. Feeling a headache, Spike reached for the Roseli medicine Zecora gave him and took a sip. The taste gave him chills.

“Just remember,” Scootaloo said, “if you feel like you can’t take any more give me the signal and I’ll stop the machine.”

Mimi nodded and flexed her ribbon claws.

“Ready?” Applebloom put a hoof on a button, “Go!”

With that, she started the stopwatch and Scootaloo turned on the machine. Three tennis balls raced towards Mimi. Spike watched with wide eyes. He knew Mimi was tough but he could not help worrying. Her purple flamed claws snaked like whips, slicing the balls into thirds with razor precision. The charred remains flew past her harmlessly. Another three balls raced towards her and met the same fate. Then six balls, then twelve, then twenty-four, but not a single one passed Mimi’s blinding claws falling faster than rain from thunderclouds. Each ball erupted with purple flames as Mimi’s claws flurried, ribbons raging in a storm of hail.

“Whoa,” Applebloom mouthed the word. Mimi was hacking through at least six balls a second. At this rate, she would slice through every last one of them. And the CMC could be forever banned from tennis section of the sports shop. Tennis Bob would not be happy to see his precious tennis balls being eviscerated. Sure, they paid for them and Bob had ways to recycle the remains, but he still would give Scoots an unpleasant frown when he saw her again. Scootaloo was too mesmerized by Mimi’s blinding claws to consider turning off the machine. Soon, the last ball fell to the grass beside its brethren. Applebloom pressed the button.

“One minute and fifty-four seconds,” she called. “That was what? A hundred tennis balls?”

“The camera could barely keep up,” Sweetie Belle said as she scrolled through the photos. “It looks like a blur.”

“You’re really something else, Mimi,” Scootaloo grinned. Mimi chirped happily at Scootaloo’s praise. It had been so long since she felt this happy, and even longer since anyone wanted to play with her.

Scootaloo smiled, “So Mimi, would you like to be my super awesome pet?”

“Dash asked the same exact thing,” Spike said as he made his way over to her. “So I guess you’ll have to get in line.” Mimi bounced over to Spike, her wooden tail wagging.

“I guess you’re her favorite.”

“Yeah,” Spike pat her head, watched her eyes close with glee. “I guess so.”

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle rushed over to them. Applebloom reviewed Mimi’s records so far. She scored a minute and thirty-seven seconds in the race to Sugar Cube Corner, chopped up a pile of a hundred and fifty logs in six minutes and forty-five seconds, and made a hundred afterimages with her blur move. Sweetie Belle showed them the best photos she managed to take, showing Mimi’s claws slicing several tennis balls in midair simultaneously.

“Aw mane, I wish we had a pal like you around when Diamond Tiara called us blank flanks,” Applebloom smiled. “You’d have scared her off for sure.”

“If Twilight had someone like you, she’d never have to worry about Tirek or Chrysalis ever again,” Sweetie Belle jumped at the thought, “I bet you could even take down Discord if he went out of control.”

“Seriously though, I think you could be one of Equestria’s greatest heroes, Mimi,” Scootaloo said. “Maybe even Rainbow Dash level of greatness.”

Spike tried to smile and laugh with them. This couldn’t last. Soon, he would have to bring Mimi to Twilight and tell her everything. He just wanted to give Mimi some time with friends before she was sent away. Probably forever. He felt a lump in his throat at the thought of Mimi being sent some place where she could never find friends. At least this way, he could give her some good memories for the road. And maybe he could convince Twilight that Mimi should stay with them. After all, they could use another powerhouse on their team in case some monster ever threatened Equestria. He could learn to take the pain. If he had enough of that Roseli medicine, he could endure Mimi’s presence, her fairy flu. That thought eased the lump in his throat. Maybe, Mimi could find a place to fit in, right here in Ponyville. Maybe, she was right where she belonged, with him.

He picked up an extra tennis ball and tossed it in his hand absentmindedly. Mimi watched as the ball soared up and fell into Spike’s palm. She noticed another tennis ball by Spike’s feet and picked it up. Looking from Spike to the ball, Mimi tried copying Spike’s actions. The ball fell into Mimi’s hands. Spike noticed this action and threw the ball into the air. Mimi threw her ball in time with him and caught it as he did.

Spike smiled and picked up another ball. Mimi picked up a second tennis ball as well. He started throwing both of them at the same time and Mimi did as well. Then, he alternated between his two hands and Mimi repeated his every action. Sweetie Belle snapped a picture as the two threw balls around. Spike dropped one of his tennis balls onto the grass and Mimi dropped one of her balls to catch his. She offered him back his tennis ball.

“Ya think ya could teach her to play catch?” Applebloom asked.

“I don’t know,” Spike said. He took back the ball and backed up a few steps. “Mimi, I’m going to throw this to you. Try to catch it and throw it back to me, okay?”

Mimi squeaked and placed the other ball in her hand down. Spike started with a gentle underhand throw. Mimi’s ribbon claw darted out from her cloak and snatched the ball from midair, eliciting claps from the CMC. Mimi underhand tossed the ball back to Spike and it landed perfectly in his hands.

“Wow,” Applebloom said, “I could never get Winona to throw the ball back like that.”

“To be fair,” Spike smiled, “Winona doesn’t have hands.”

“Neither do I,” Applebloom joked. “But you don’t see me complaining.”

“Hey Spike,” Scootaloo said, “Try to throw it farther.”

Spike backed up a few more feet. Mimi obediently stood still. He threw another gentle underhand throw, lobbing the ball upward. It fell straight into Mimi’s claws and soon flew back into Spike’s claws.

“I want to try,” Sweetie Belle put down her camera and trotted over to Spike, “Please?”

Darn, she’s cute, Spike thought, I can never say no to that face. He offered Sweetie Belle the ball. Mimi noticed the exchange and stood ready. Unlike Spike, Sweetie went for an overhand throw, winding back the ball with her green magic aura. The ball raced to Mimi but she caught it without any visible effort. Then, Mimi drew back her hand and copied Sweetie’s overhand throw, flinging the tennis ball to Sweetie Belle. She caught it with her magic and grinned.

“She’s a quick learner,” she said and Spike had to agree as she threw the ball again. He had never seen a dog pick up an action so quickly, but Mimi seemed eager to please.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Mimi only played catch with Sweetie because she saw him give Sweetie the tennis ball. Spike was sure she agreed to slice those tennis balls because he was watching. He scratched his neck as Mimi tossed the ball back to Sweetie, keeping her eyes fixed on him. He looked away. What was he doing? When Twilight found out, she would send away Mimi and he’d never see her again. Just like Peewee. His throat went ached at the thought. Saying goodbye once was bad enough. How could he do it again to a friend who saved his life? His growling stomach interrupted his musings.

“Hey, I’m going to take a lunch break,” Spike said. He honestly just wanted some time alone to think. “You three can keep playing with Mimi.”

As he walked away, he tried to get his mind off of Mimi. Then, he heard her squeaking. His head swiveled around to see the ragged figure running after him, leaving the CMC behind. He blinked as she stopped in front of him. Spike looked up at the girls. Sweetie Belle’s beaming face revealed she thought Mimi’s loyalty was adorable. Scootaloo looked impressed and Applebloom chuckled as Mimi bounced in front of him.

“What are you doing?” He said, “Don’t you want to play with them?”

Mimi kept standing in front of him, refusing to move. He sighed.

“Well, I guess we’re all going on a lunch break,” Applebloom announced. “Clearly, Mimi doesn’t want to leave ya.”

“I didn’t notice,” Spike deadpanned as Mimi hopped and chirped.

“That’s some friend you’ve got there,” Scootaloo agreed.

“Opal never acts that nice to me,” Sweetie Belle pouted. She took out the camera and aimed it at the two, “Spike, let’s get one with you and Mimi. Smile at the camera.”

The Roseli medicine was still dulling his fairy flu, but his body ached as though he ran a marathon. Still, Spike knew he lacked the capacity to say no to Sweetie Belle (curse her cuteness) or turn away from Mimi’s happy face. He knelt down and draped an arm around Mimi trying to keep some space between their bodies. He pointed to Sweetie Belle’s camera and Mimi followed his finger to the camera. She noticed the lens aimed at her and seemed taken aback, as though she never received this sort of attention. She saw Spike looking at the camera and copied his pose facing the camera. All the while, Spike felt the onset of a burning sensation in his muscles.

“Come on Spike. Would it kill you to smile?” Sweetie Belle gave him a rebuking stare.

So Spike did smile, even though he felt lightheaded and dizzy. The camera flashed and Mimi shrieked, her cloak wavering like a curtain in the breeze, as she began exhaling her violet mist. Without taking a moment to think, Spike grabbed her, wrapping her tiny body in a hug, and stroked her head, ignoring his pain.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he whispered in a soothing voice. “It’s not going to hurt you, okay?”

Mimi began calming, the purple mist evaporated before any of the girls could see it covering the ground. Her body steadied as she rested in Spike’s arms and felt his claws stroking her back. Leaning her onion head on his chest, Mimi pressed her body against Spike. The searing pain didn’t reach Spike’s mind as he focused on his little friend. Sweetie Belle began toying with the camera’s flash settings, when she noticed the two hugging.

Without interrupting the scene, she took another picture. She looked at the image in the digital screen. Spike’s warm eyes gazed down at Mimi, cradled in his arms, her body melting into his scaly chest. This was the picture; the one picture she ever took that meant something beyond her, beyond Ponyville, beyond Equestria. She tried not to squeal and ruin the moment.

Spike backed away and rubbed the back of his neck. “We should probably keep the flashing lights to a minimum.”

“You mean a Mimi-mum?” Sweetie Belle grinned. She lost her smile when everyone looked at her with unsmiling faces. She shrugged, “Sorry.”

“Come on,” Spike said, “Let’s get something to eat.”

“You go on ahead,” Scootaloo said, “I’ve got to get the tennis machine back to Tennis Bob. And all those tennis balls.” She sighed.

“Hold on,” Applebloom said, “I’ll stay and help ya out.”

Spike’s stomach growled even louder. His hands touched his belly as he sighed.

“Sorry, I think I need to get some food now.” Spike said.

“Do you have any bits?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Sugar Cube Corner has these really tasty blueberry muffins that only cost three bits.”

“I was going to go back to the castle and cook a meal or something,” Spike said. “Anyways, Mimi is kind of shy so I don’t want to overwhelm her with a lot of new ponies.”

“Eating alone at the castle?” Sweetie Belle frowned, “That doesn’t sound like fun.”

“I’m not alone,” Spike smiled. “I’ve got Mimi.” Mimi chirped and twirled in a circle. “I’ll see you girls later.”

He waved and turned to walk away. Mimi followed him, staying by his side as they walked towards the castle. When they turned a corner around a building, Sweetie Belle started to follow them.

“Where do ya think you’re going?” Applebloom asked.

“Well, I’m hungry too,” Sweetie Belle pouted. “Can’t I get something to eat?”

“Okay,” Scootaloo said, turning back to the machine.

“I was just joking.” Sweetie Belle rushed back over to her friends. “Come on, you know I’d never leave you two hanging.”

“You would for your dragon crush,” Scootaloo sniggered.

“Oh come on!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed. Her face flustered at Scootaloo’s mere implication. She straightened her mane to appear dignified, “I just asked him to play the piano for me. That doesn’t mean I like him. It just means I appreciate his musical talents. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Uh huh,” Scootaloo didn’t face Sweetie and instead focused on folding up the machine. Thankfully, these appliances came with convenient buttons that did most of the folding. As she worked on the machine, she could not help a sly comment slip out, “Nothing wrong with that at all. Especially when you could ask literally any pony to play the piano.”

“It was just one time!” Sweetie Belle protested. “Besides, no other pony in our town can play like him.”

“You’d know, wouldn’t you?” Scootaloo smirked.

“Scoots, stop teasing Sweetie,” Applebloom said. “We’ve all asked Spike to help us with something at some point. It don’t mean she or any of us have a crush on him.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Scootaloo nodded, “I know. Spike’s got better things to do than look for love. And we’re too crazy for him. Now could you come over and help me out now?”

The blue dragoness staggered onto the grass. Her legs almost fell out from under her as she at last touched the ground. She panted heavily and wiped sweat from her forehead. The constant flight took a lot out of her, but getting landing in Ponyville left her depleted. She would have loved some gems to chew or a nice jug of water to ease her dry throat. A magma bath to relax her muscles would have been perfect, but she did not expect to find one in a pony village.

Remembering her goal, she forced herself to move towards the town. Spike told her about the castle where he and Twilight lived, and Ember guessed he meant the big crystal palace in the distance. She felt lightheaded and struggled to breathe without feeling sharp knives stabbing her throat. A quick shake of the head, and she mustered her strength before heading towards the castle.

She came through field towards the town where she saw three small ponies coming out of a building. They looked disappointed about some failure as they stopped to talk. Ember waved to them and they all took notice. The yellow filly took an unconscious step backwards while the other two looked at her curiously.

“Excuse me,” she coughed as she stumbled towards them, “My name is Ember the Dragon Lord. I’m looking for Princess Twilight.”

“Why?” the yellow pony narrowed her skeptical eyes.

“Because dragons everywhere are getting sick and I don’t know why,” she tried not to bend over. “Please I need help. My dad’s already,” her voice trailed off into memory. They exchanged glances before nodding and walking to Ember.

“Twilight’s in the woods right now,” the yellow filly said. “If ya want to, ya could wait for her in the castle. Spike’s there right now.”

“Spike?” Ember straightened up, “He’s alright? Hasn’t been feeling this flu?”

“Not exactly,” the white filly said. “May I ask how you know him?”

“It’s a long story. Is he sick too?”

“He was,” Applebloom said, “but he’s better now.”

“That’s good. Can one of you take me to him?”

They all nodded.

The yellow filly extended her hoof, “My name’s Applebloom.”

“I’m Scootaloo,” the pegasus smiled.

“Sweetie Belle,” the unicorn had trouble looking the lovely dragoness in the eye. She did not mean to be rude but somehow she just couldn’t help feeling some resentment to this stranger, who came out of nowhere and claimed to know Spike. How many friends did he have outside of Ponyville?

Then, they heard sounds from Everfree. Branches crackling, birds flying away from the branches, as shapes moved through the shadows of the trees. Ember turned around and raised her staff in hand, planting herself between the fillies and the forest. She narrowed her eyes. Her strength was all but gone. If anything came out to fight, she would not be able to hold it off for long. To her dismay, she saw several pairs of green eyes staring at them.

“Timber wolves?” Applebloom gasped, “But they never come this close to town.”

“There must be at least ten of them,” Sweetie Belle said. “Maybe twenty. What do we do?”

“Stay behind me,” Ember ordered them.

“Like heck we will,” Sweetie Belle scowled, “you’re barely standing. You can’t fight them.”

“Neither can we,” Applebloom said.

“You three,” Ember glanced at them from the corner of her eyes, “when they charge, get somewhere safe. I’ll try to lead them away.”

“Mimi could,” Sweetie Belle said. “She could take them all down.”

“She’s at the castle with Spike,” Applebloom grimaced. “It might be our only chance.”

“Scoots, you’re the fastest,” Sweetie Belle glanced at the pegasus, “you should go get them.”

“No, don’t run,” Applebloom whispered, “That only makes timber wolves want to chase you.”

“Okay,” Scootaloo growled, “I’ll just gently walk away from a pack of timber wolves. What pony wouldn’t?”

“Just be quiet,” Ember hissed. “You girls are giving me a headache.”

Spike pulled a plastic spoon from the drawer and returned to the table. In the chair to his left, Mimi grabbed apples and pulled them under her cloak, munching with a purr. He smiled at her happy antics but then looked away. He could not let himself get too attached. After all, he had to tell Twilight about Mimi and then they’d have to say goodbye. Just like Peewee. Spike sighed, remembering his phoenix friend. He raised that bird from an egg, but had to return him to his parents. He knew he should have been happy for Peewee but he felt like he lost a part of himself. Sometimes, he felt like he was a dragon defined by his losses since his birth. His parents didn’t want him after all. A clawed ribbon touched his hand, interrupting his thoughts. Mimi looked at him with pensive curiosity. Spike touched his cheek and realized his eyes were watering. He shook his head.

“I’m fine, Mimi.” He dipped his plastic spoon, “I was just thinking.”

When he tried using a regular spoon, its metallic sheen must have caught light because Mimi shrieked. Spike wondered if she disliked the metal or the light. He had to throw away the spoon and stroke Mimi’s onion head before she calmed down. Now, he ate his gem soup with a flimsy plastic spoon that had trouble holding many gems at once. The crunchy rubies slid down his throat, which already burned with tears and heartache. The problem that haunted him since he met Mimi returned full force in his mind: what am I going to do?

He glanced at Mimi as she plucked another apple, stem and all, and dragged it under her cloth. Would she understand if he tried to explain? Tried to explain what? That they couldn’t be friends because being close to her was killing him and soon they would have to say goodbye? How was that fair? To her or anyone else? He swallowed the remainders of his soup and pondered, hoping a solution might drop onto his table. If only. His bandaged hand twitched, remnants of pain ebbing through his muscles. This couldn’t work, could it? Falling back into his chair, his head sunk into the headrest and gazed at the crystal ceiling. He just wished he had someone to talk to, someone who could tell him exactly what to do.

His eyes widened, “Of course! Princess Celestia!”

He hopped out of the chair and raced to his room. He laid a piece of paper on his writing desk next to a quill and a cup of black ink. As the quill tip touched the parchment, Spike realized that he had no idea how to explain everything or what to say. The actual task of writing seemed difficult, and articulating his thoughts was impossible when his thoughts were a blinding whirl of emotions. He decided to start at the beginning from when he met Mimi in the forest until now. He tried not to leave out any relevant details and to express his gratitude to Mimi for saving his life, as well as his reluctance to become friends with Mimi for fear of saying goodbye. The ink dried in minutes, the parchment was ready for transport. He rolled up the letter and sent it off in a puff of green embers.

Mimi’s chirps came from the door and sure enough, he turned to see her standing in the hallway, peering into his room. She took a tentative step forward and glanced at him. Spike felt some emotion pouring from her eyes. Could she guess what he was thinking? Could she read his mind?

“Listen, Mimi,” Spike began. He sighed, wishing they could just go on without facing the inevitable, but he knew better. They had to talk. If he let Mimi think they could be friends any longer, he would hurt her feelings even more. Saying goodbye would be even harder on both of them. He gritted his fangs, “We need to talk.”

Mimi blinked and took a step towards him, and Spike noticed an object in her claws. He recognized Zecora’s bottle of Roseli medicine. He must have forgotten it on the table when he came here to write a letter. Her hand extended to Spike, offering the dark liquid. He looked at the bottle then turned to Mimi, who chirped with winking eyes. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but nonetheless, a smile found its way onto his face. The smile was more unstoppable than their inevitable goodbye, especially when he looked into Mimi’s olive eyes brimming with joy. His smile must have affected her because he could see happiness in her quivering body, in her eyes, in her whistles. She seemed pleased to help him, to make him smile. Nothing else in the world mattered to Mimi, except making him happy.

Spike returned to reality. He took the bottle and nodded his thanks. Mimi seemed confused at his sudden change in mood, wondering if she displeased him. He closed his eyes, practicing what he had to tell her and how to explain in a way that did not hurt Mimi. The second task was plainly impossible. There was no way to explain this in a way that would not hurt Mimi. It had to be done. Every second he delayed tortured him and would agonize Mimi.

As he took a deep breath to begin his speech, he heard a knock on the door, accompanied by a mare screaming his name. The door muffled her words, but he recognized Scootaloo’s voice and her urgent tone. This talk would have to wait. He bolted out of his room and raced downstairs to the door, with Mimi close by his side. When he reached the front door, he wrenched open the door to find Scootaloo. She looked ragged, her mane soaked with perspiration and her frantic eyes darting.

“Sweetie Belle and Applebloom are in trouble!” Scootaloo yelled, “You’ve got to come quickly!”

Spike tensed, “Why? What’s wrong?”

“Timber wolves, Spike.” Scootaloo panted, “A whole pack of them. They just came out of Everfree and charged Ember.”

“Wait, Ember? You mean Princess Ember?” Spike’s eyes widened. They couldn’t lose Ember. She was the biggest reason ponies and dragons could live in peace today. And more importantly, she was a dear friend. He glanced at Mimi who stood by his side and focused her eyes on Scootaloo.

“Mimi,” he said, “Think you can fight off a pack of timber wolves again?”

Mimi sharpened her ribbon claws against her claws and growled. Her body began exhaling telltale signs of purple mist. She was ready to fight for him. They would need weapons. No sense in going down to help if they couldn’t fight. Spike rushed to the broom closet, passed Scootaloo a baseball bat. Then, he grabbed a frying pan from the kitchen. After practicing a few quick swings, he turned to Scootaloo.

“Show us where they are.”

They raced out the doors towards Everfree, and Spike could already hear the distant sound of timber wolves snarling and barking. He could hear at least a dozen howls sounding beyond the edge of town. Those sounds only grew as Scootaloo led them forward. His knuckles turned white from gripping the frying pan. Why did the Spike of a minute ago think a frying pan could stop a single timber wolf, much less a pack? At best, the pan would give the wolves a way to cook their remains over a fire.

“They’re just up ahead,” Scootaloo panted between breaths as they rounded Sugar Cube Corner. Now was not the time for fear Spike realized. Their friends were counting on them.

The trees came into view, and Spike turned to the source of the growling. His eyes widened and his heart sank. Spike counted at least twenty to thirty wolves covering the clearing. All of their eyes looked wild, with intractable rage. Twenty timber wolves surrounded a blue shape that resembled Princess Ember, forcing her against a building wall. Spike and Scootaloo could only catch glimpses of the dragoness through the wooded crowd. A few ponies watched from behind the buildings, too terrified to intervene. A brave, gray pegasus with a yellow mane urged the ponies to pick up a weapon and help their friends. Her voice fell silent on the quivering ponies.

A red stallion faced off against three wolves. Scootaloo recognized him as Big Mac, Applebloom’s quiet, stalwart older brother. A pile of smashed branches surrounded his hooves. He swayed like a tree in the breeze. The wolves feinted lunges at him, darting out of reach from his powerful hooves. There was no mistaking his fatigue, his body drenched with sweat and a long crimson gash on his side. One misstep, and the wolves would get his throat.

“Oh mane,” Spike breathed, his knees knocking, “We need Twilight for this.”

“Spike,” Scootaloo’s voice snapped him to attention, “Big Mac needs our help.” He glanced in her direction and saw the red stallion, surrounded by four timber wolves.

“No!” Spike howled, “Not my friends, you don’t!”

He charged with his pan raised for a backhand strike, vaguely aware of Mimi in his peripheral vision. He swung the pan at a wolf’s hind leg. Its branched sinews tore and cracked beneath his force and the wolf toppled over, whimpering on the ground. The other three stopped to glance at him, and Big Mac took the chance to slam his back hooves into another wolf. His mighty hooves, strengthened from a decade of farm work, sent the wolf soaring into a building, crumbling into a stick pile against the wall. A yellow blur appeared between the other wolves. Before either wolf could react, Mimi extended her ribbon claws, brimming with purple fire, and cut both wolves in halves. Other wolves took notice and a dozen turned from the blue figure to face their new opponents.

“Applebloom!” Big Mac yelled, tears streaking his face.

“Big Mac,” Applebloom’s voice replied from behind the blue figure. Spike guessed Ember must have put herself in between the girls and the wolves. “I’m over here.”

“Hang on! I’m coming.” Big Mac staggered along the grass.

Spike looked to the forest and saw more timber wolves rushing out from the trees with every second. Branches around him reformed into new timber wolves and replaced the pack, intent on striking down Ember. Spike gritted his teeth. Timber wolves were nasty, but he never could have imagined they would do something like this. Was it because of Mimi and him? Did their attacks provoke this frenzy? Spike glanced above the trees and narrowed his eyes. A faint trail of smoke emerging deep with the forest stained the blue sky. The wolves weren’t invading; they were running away from a fire. When they came to Ponyville, Ember must have breathed fire in defense and provoked them. But where did the forest fire come from?

“Spike,” Scootaloo shook him, “use your fire.”

Spike glanced at the wolves and shook his head, “Those wolves are surrounding our friends. If I set them on fire, I could hurt Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. I’d be trapping them behind a wall of fire.”

“So what do we do?”

Spike glanced at Mimi, who stared expectantly. Her eyes betrayed no doubt as she stood by Spike’s side. She believed in him, and would follow him to the end. She would protect him and Ponyville, and even sacrifice herself. Spike could sense her resolve as she sharpened her claws to dagger tips. If she wasn’t going to give up, neither could he or Ponyville.

“We hold the fort until Twilight gets back,” he turned to face the ponies waiting on the sidelines.

“Ponies of Ponyville,” Spike called. The gathered ponies stopped bickering and listened to him. He nervously licked his lips, tasting bitter sweat. Twilight was not here. He had to step up and motivate the ponies.

“I know you’re scared. I’m scared too,” Spike admitted with reluctance. “I know this looks bad, but you’ve got to remember, we’ve been through crazier stuff than this. Remember when Rarity went on a glamorizing rampage? We came through that didn’t we?”

A few ponies nodded in agreement, prompting him to continue.

“When I changed into a hundred foot tall monster, Ponyville didn’t fall. When the tantibus almost got into the real world, we all worked together to stop it. You’ve never stopped proving that Ponyville can come through anything. Ever since the day I came here, you all have taught me that even when things look hopeless, Ponyville will always win because everyone of us loves our town, and would never let it fall.”

Several ponies cheered at Spike’s words. Dozens of ponies who were hiding deep in the town now stood side by side with their neighbors. The crowd grew larger by the second, flocking to him. Some questioned where Twilight and her friends were and kept begging him to summon them. He would have to tell them that they were on their own. Twilight was deep in Everfree. But if he did that, then every pony might flee, afraid of perishing without Equestria’s heroes. An idea came through his head.

“Twilight’s in Everfree right now,” Spike explained. “And you can bet your hooves she’s going to find a way to stop these wolves. But she can’t do this alone. She needs us to defend Ponyville until she can find a way to stop them. She’s counting on us, every last one of us to defend our home. But we’re not alone.”

Spike gestured to Mimi, “We have an ally against this invasion. Her name is Mimi and she is strong enough to destroy dozens of wolves. How do I know? Because I saw her do it.”

The ponies gasped. Their eyes locked onto the yellow rabbit, who squirmed under their gaze.

“Mimi and I will defend Ponyville until we can no longer stand. And I know everyone of you will too. Because we are Ponyville! We’ve never fallen apart when danger came to our doorstep, and we won’t today,” he raised his frying pan over his head, “Now who’s with me?”

Every pony shouted and stamped their hooves. Their voices became a torrent of thunder as they faced the wolves, unified in their resolve. Spike raced into the pack of timber wolves next to Big Mac. By his side, Mimi raced with her claws extended blazing with violet flames. Behind him, Ponyville stampeded in a chorus of hoof steps. He leapt into the air and brought his frying pan down on a timber wolf’s head, splitting it in between the eyes. He raced forward and delivered a backhand smash to another wolf. The momentum threw it off balance onto the ground, where it groped its mangled head.

Spike rushed another wolf who saw its comrades fall to his weapon, and knew better than to let him get close. Its long claws swiped at him, forcing him to dodge out of reach as the blow grazed him. Smoke pouring from his lungs out of his mouth, Spike let the adrenaline take control and jumped over the wolf’s claw, landing a lethal strike to its head. The wolf toppled but three more replaced it and charged him with open mouths. Mimi’s violet-fire claws tore them apart like paper. Spike caught his breath, as Mimi turned every wolf around them into charred ashes, her claws slicing every wolf in her path. He rejoined the fight by her side as they carved a path through the startled wolves.

All around him, earth ponies smashed timber wolves beneath their hooves, working in teams to force the wolves back. Some ponies began throwing rocks at the wolves or beating them with improvised weapons from branches to brooms to baseball bats. A tennis ball whizzed past Spike’s head, belting a wolf right in its eye. Tennis Bob grinned as his tennis ball machine launched tennis ball bullets into several unsuspecting wolves. Injured and exhausted, Big Mac continued to plow through wolves. His powerful hind legs sent three wolves flying twenty feet in the air, where pegasai joined the fight. Several pegasai mounted an aerial assault, knocking a wolf’s head and then darting out of claw reach to distract their opponents. The gray pegasus from earlier used a lightning cloud to fry a timber wolf into ash, prompting the other wolves to circle her wearily. Unicorns unleashed beams of magic light from their horns, knocking wolves over to the ground. Snails launched several balls at the wolves, confounding them with attacks from every direction. Ponyville was pushing back against the invaders, and somehow it was holding out.

Spike growled and slammed his pan onto another timber wolf’s head. He rubbed a clawed hand along the warped metal. If he was not fighting for his life, he would have been disappointed to ruin such a useful frying pan. To his relief, Applebloom had joined the fight, manning a tennis ball machine to shoot the wolves. He glanced through the crowd, hoping to spot Ember or Sweetie Belle. His arms trembled from the impact of his swings, but he could only think about his friends. He only noticed the timber wolf lunging at him too late. In a blur of purple and a barking whimper, the wolf became a pile of harmless branches.

“Thanks, Mimi,” Spike said. Mimi raced towards another wolf, vanishing with the wolf in a cloud of smoke. Spike could see actual stars springing from the cloud as Mimi peppered the victim with blows. His hand clutched his heart, and he fell to his knee.

“No, not now,” He groaned as cramping heartburn grew and familiar pain wracked his body. Mimi rushed to his side, eyes full of concern. Spike shrugged her off, “Never mind me. You need to focus on taking these things down.”

Mimi nodded and tore through another timber wolf with her claws. With the element of surprise now lost, the wolves began pressuring the ponies. The wolves the ponies destroyed had reformed from the broken branches and took their place next to their comrades. Their strength redoubled the wolves, who lashed against the ponies with the desperation of caged animals. A few ponies limped away from the fight or fell beneath the crowd, unable to fight any longer. Thankfully, he could not see any ponies with serious injuries. The wolves seemed less eager to fight them than Spike would have expected. Their normally fearsome blows were restrained. Mimi must have done something to weaken their attacks. Nonetheless, they began overpowering the ponies. Spike frowned. They were running out of stamina. At this point, Mimi held off the bulk of pack on her own. Her razor claws snapped wolves in half as her yellow afterimages danced across the field.

He brought the frying pan down on another wolf and jumped onto its back. He hammered its thorny hide with desperate attacks. The wolf rolled, shaking him off his back and onto the ground. Rising to his feet, Spike faced the piercing green eyes. He snarled right back, flashing his fangs, dripping with fiery green saliva. This was his home. He wasn’t letting anyone take it from him.

Hidden from sight, Garble watched the battle unfold from the cover of the tree canopy. Ember still had the Dragon Lord staff, but he could tell she was struggling just to stay awake. Her attacks were soft, robbed of power. Still, those attacks crumpled wolves with ease. He could not swing down just yet. That yellow rabbit was fighting wolves a few meters from Ember and just being near that creature made Garble feel sick. That must be the creature causing dragons so much pain. He had never seen anything like it. Those purple, flaming claws slashed through wolves, knocking them down faster than dominoes. Its speedy afterimages misdirected the wolves, causing them to hit thin air or each other. But when it surrounded a wolf in a cloud, Garble felt like barfing, as though his stomach had been turned inside out. Spike and Ember had similar reactions. Spike fell to his knee, weakened but still on his feet and capable of fighting. Ember lost the last trace of her strength. She collapsed to the ground, the scepter rolled from her hands and faded with the dragoness beneath the waves of battle.

He snarled with frustration. In this chaos, he could not see the scepter or the Dragon Lord. Even if he could, rushing down to take it would be foolish. Being close to that yellow rabbit when it performed that spell made him and Spike weak and fell Ember. If it did that move again while he was down there, Garble was certain he would perish. For now, he kept his distance, spying that creature for any weaknesses.

Sunlight reflected off Spike’s frying pan into Garble’s eyes, flaring in his eyes. He cupped his eyes and moved out of range, when he heard an unfamiliar, unworldly screech. The yellow rabbit stopped fighting for a moment. It shifted away from the bright light. When Spike took a step towards her with the frying pan outstretched, the creature shrieked even louder. Garble narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. The pan no longer reflected the sunlight, so why was that thing nervous? Spike stroked its head and calmed it. Soon, they both returned to the fight, leaving Garble to puzzle this mystery. Maybe, he thought, maybe it’s afraid of light and pans? As a pony smashed a wolf with a metal baseball bat, the creature shrieked again. This startled the pony who backed away. Spike returned and calmed the rabbit again, before they both returned to the fight. Metal, Garble grinned, that’s its weakness.

Garble jumped from the branch and glided away. Boiler was waiting for him back where they parted with Matchstick. He told Boiler that he would examine this creature in action and find its weakness. He considered his mission accomplished. Now, he had to take care of those other pesky ponies in the forest. A one on one confrontation would end poorly for him, especially against that purple alicorn. There were plenty of other creatures he could drive towards that pony town. Sooner or later, the alicorn and her friends would come back to town and see the fight. With any luck, he could take out that alicorn and leave those ponies defenseless from an army of dragons. Or better yet, some creature could destroy her and her friends.

This patience was killing him, but vengeance felt so satisfying. Garble could already see himself leading the dragons against all ponies, crushing Spike beneath his heel, and taking his Dragon Lord Staff. And then, no dragon could refuse his commands, not Matchstick, not Spike, and not Ember. He could force Spike to wear a collar, and keep him as a pet. Then, he licked his daggered teeth, then he would own her. She would be his queen as he ruled Equestria from Dragon Land. He shook his head. He wasn’t doing this to get a girl or humiliate Spike. At least, those were not his only motivations. Dragons needed a strong leader, someone who wouldn’t take orders from ponies. Ember had ties to Princess Celestia through Spike. Who was to say she would not influence the Dragon Lord one day to do her bidding? Ember might surrender more Dragon Lands to ponies for jewel excavations or pony research. She could bring an apocalypse where Dragon Lords became puppets of ponies. He would not stand by and watch his race become slaves. Once he had that staff, he could make dragons return to their rightful place above ponies. Patience, he reminded himself. Soon, I will get everything I deserve.

Spike heaved the warped metal onto another timber wolf, caving in its face. He kept fighting through sheer willpower, pressing beyond his limits. Almost all of Ponyville had joined in the fight, swapping out the worn out defenders and adding new strength to their ranks. Mimi never stopped fighting or showed any signs of fatigue. She repelled waves of timber wolves with her strange powers. Any pony could tell she did the brunt of the fighting from her flashing violet claws that left a trail of charcoal. Now, even when the wolves formed, Mimi reduced their attacks to feather brushes with her charming stare. Not a single pony had been injured, thanks to Mimi.

A single wolf reformed after Mimi’s claws raked its flank and limped back into cover of the trees. It was the first to turn tail and run. Spike did not know why it fled. Perhaps, it realized they could not win this fight or Mimi scared them. Or maybe, Spike’s eyes widened with a dreadful thought. He glanced around the battlefield for any signs of a blue dragoness. If they finally took down the source of fire, then why should they stick around anymore? Spike cupped his mouth and called to Ember but found no response. Then, another wolf burning with dark purple sparks followed its comrades. The pack began retreating back into the forest. It started as a slow retreat but gained momentum. Wolves began their retreat to Everfree in mass numbers, leaving the clearing. As the last wolves faded into the forest, ponies began cheering. They pushed back the remaining wolves with new vigor.

The final wolf left in the clearing was ten times bigger than the other wolves. It was almost the size of Sugar Cube Corner. It snarled and foamed at the mouth, reluctant to surrender. Spike covered his ears as it howled avalanches in defiance. They had to take that thing down, before it rallied its soldiers. But no pony could defeat it with brute force alone. If he could get Mimi close enough, maybe she had a power that could daunt the wolf. Spike looked at Mimi’s eyes. She nodded. Without any command, she circled to the left of the timber wolf and sharpened her claws to diamond tips. Spike darted right and then at the wolf’s face, his pan raised over his head. A massive paw raced towards him. Spike could not dodge. He braced for impact, the thorn-tipped claws inches from his face.

Then, he was airborne. A gray pegasus with a yellow mane plucked Spike off the ground moments before the claws struck thin air. As the wolf’s eyes darted to the purple dragon in the gray mare’s hooves, Mimi charged. The wolf disappeared in a cloud of smoke and yellow stars. Spike’s stomach twisted into knots. His mind slipped into dark unconscious, but returned in sharp alertness. The dust settled and a figure became visible. Mimi stood at the center of the dust, unharmed and strong. The final wolf lay in shambles around her feet. When branches formed its wooden body once again, it no longer had any will to fight. It fled from Mimi with its tail between its legs back into the forest.

Spike slumped in the mare’s hooves with relief. It was finally over. Ponies all around cheered and danced. The gray mare set him on the grass, where he fell onto his back. The pan dropped from his hand as he stared at the blue sky, which seemed to whirl around him. Big Mac embraced his little sister as she put a bandage on his flank where the wolves tore his skin.

“What were ya thinking?” Applebloom sniffled, “Ya could’ve been hurt.”

“I don’t care. I’d never let a wolf hurt my sister. When I knew y’all were in there, I had to do something.”

Spike rose up and groaned, “Sweetie Belle? Where are you?”

He had not seen the white unicorn since the fight broke out and he feared the worst. He didn’t want to lose her. Not because Sweetie was Rarity’s sister and she would never forgive him for losing her, but because she was his friend and Spike would never forgive himself for losing her. His eyes shut, stinging with sweat. Headache made standing difficult.

Lips soft as velvet lily petals pressed on his cheek as familiar hooves wrapped around his chest and his head. His eyes darted open to find Sweetie Belle sitting beside him. Her face streaked crimson, as her green eyes looked away and an awkward smile touched her face. Spike felt heat rising in his face as his eyes rested on Sweetie Belle. Her mane was ragged and drenched with sweat, her coat matted with dirt and branches. But Spike swore she was the most beautiful thing he had seen all day. Her snowy coat caught the sun’s beams and shined like a pearl. Her eyes shimmered like emeralds blazing green luster. Her hooves around his chest and neck were like an angel’s touch. She was a light at the end of a tunnel, especially after this harrowing ordeal. Nothing like a life and death scenario to make a best friend become a goddess.

Spike rose to his feet and embraced her, “Oh thank the stars. I thought I’d lost you.”

“Come on, Spike,” Sweetie Belle chuckled, “you’ve seen the crazy things I’ve done for a Cutie Mark. Did you really think something like this could stop me?”

Spike grinned. Then, a frown returned to his face as he remembered Princess Ember. Where was she? Sweetie Belle seemed to sense his thoughts.

“I lost sight of Ember in the crowd,” Sweetie said. “She put herself between us and those wolves. She let some fire loose to warn them but they went crazy and attacked.”

A few ponies called, exclaiming they found a blue dragoness. Spike and Sweetie hobbled over. She supported him as he stumbled towards the Dragon Lord. Mimi rushed to his side, but he waved off her concern. Her onion head bent to the floor, but she seemed fine. Spike had to smile. If he didn’t have Mimi, he would never have rushed those wolves or felt brave enough to encourage Ponyville to fight back. He wasn’t sure they could have won the fight without her.

His smile faded when the blue dragoness came into view. She lay motionless on the ground, her eyes were stony and gray. Her blue scales had a brown tint, as though she was fruit on the verge of rotting. Some doctors tried to help her but they had no idea what to do for a dragon. Mimi glanced at Spike’s gaze and noticed the dragoness. He must care about her, Mimi thought, and she has so much pain. But I have grown strong enough, Mimi’s eyes set with determination, I can share her pain. Mimi broke from Spike’s side and rushed to Ember’s side. Her presence startled the doctors who flinched at her sudden appearance. Spike did not have the strength to order her to stay away from Ember. If Mimi touched Ember, Spike gulped and felt his bandaged hand still searing with painful sensations.

Mimi’s body jerked as yellow stars blinked on her flinching body. Ember’s body jerked and sprouted brief yellow stars in perfect synchronization. Spike blinked, wondering what Mimi could be doing. Dragon and Mimikyu stopped jerking, and Mimi ran back to Spike. He noticed the signs of fatigue on Mimi. Her body drooped a bit, her tail dragged along the ground. She now moved with less speed and precision. Whatever she just did, Spike realized, it hurt her.

“She’s stabilizing,” a doctor working on Ember cried. “Her pulse is back.”

Spike and Sweetie glanced from Mimi to Ember with agape eyes. Ember’s scales returned to a healthy sheen of blue. Her chest resumed a rhythmic rise and fall. She was still suffering, but now she had life in her body. The doctors lifted Ember onto a stretcher and carted her towards the hospital.

“Mimi, did you just,” Spike blinked, “give Ember your life?”

Mimi nodded. Spike smiled again. Mimi kept saving his friends and proving useful. If she had not been here, not only would Ponyville have fallen, but Ember could be dead. She chirped with pleasure to see his smile.

“Spike,” Mayor Mare trotted towards him and Mimi. Her frazzled mane, dripping nose, and battered baseball bat indicated she did not sit by idly and watch the fight. She stopped in front of him and called every pony to attention.

“We all owe you a great deal,” she said. “If you hadn’t reminded us that we need to stick together, we wouldn’t have found the courage to fight back. You’re a hero.”

Every pony agreed and chanted his name, cheering for the exhausted drake. Spike rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. He was not usually the center of attention, but he sure didn’t mind it when he could be. Sweetie Belle beamed with admiration.

“Please,” he raised his bandaged hand to silence the cheers. “I just did what anyone of you would have done. And I lied. Twilight isn’t looking for a way to stop the wolves in Everfree. She’s just looking for a creature. I said that so that I could get you all to fight.”

“Regardless, you helped us find the courage to protect our town. We all owe you a huge debt of gratitude, Spike.”

“If you want to thank anyone, thank her,” Spike gestured to Mimi. The yellow rabbit straightened as eyes centered on her. “She reminded me that in Ponyville, no pony is alone. If she wasn’t by my side, I wouldn’t have been brave enough to fight myself.”

“Your friend did more than that,” Mayor Mare exclaimed, “She single-clawedly fought back most of the timber wolves. She kept fighting when most of us had no strength left. I saw her give those timber wolves that charming stare and then none of them could so much as scratch us. And she took down that massive timber wolf in a single blow. I even saw her bring the Dragon Lord back to life,” Mayor Mare bent forward to gaze into Mimi’s eyes. “Do you have any idea how many lives you’ve saved today?”

Every pony cheered and shouted their approval. Their voices raised a chorus of praise to their savior, who felt the jubilation raining from their bodies. They were thanking her, not chasing her away like everyone else. When they surrounded her, they did so with love. They all wanted to touch her, to pet her. Some ponies wanted to make costumes just like hers. Several ponies asked Spike if his friend would stay for a dinner celebration. Mayor Mare raised her hoof and called for silence once again. Her head turned to Spike.

“What’s her name? I’d like to thank her properly.”

Spike smiled, “Mimi.”

“Well then,” Mayor Mare turned back to the yellow rabbit, “Mimi. Thank you for saving our town that you barely knew. Thank you for risking your life to protect us. And thank you for rescuing Dragon Lord Ember. From this day forth, you will always be welcome in Ponyville. We will greet you as our dearest friend and family. Your friends will be our friends, and your foes will be our foes. You will be a hero alongside the likes of Twilight Sparkle, Starswirl the Bearded, and Clover the Clever. Mimi, on behalf of all of Ponyville, I’d like to thank you and formally offer you a place to stay in Ponyville.”

Mimi’s heart fluttered like a bird in the warmth of spring. Her eyes watered with joyous tears as every pony chanted her name. She looked around and could only find admiration and genuine love. She gazed at her partner, Spike. He too grinned and had proud tears running down his cheeks. Mimi beamed. She finally found a home. She finally found a family. Every worry and sorrow she ever felt faded in her mind, as a new promise rose from her heart. She would protect all of this town called Ponyville and her partner Spike to her last breath. Her eyes rose to face the crowd and she sang with them, melting into their light.

As the revelry died down, ponies turned their attention to the mess. Those who could work began cleaning up the destruction caused by the wolves. Spike scratched his head, marveling how ponies agreed to help each other without exchanging a word. Ponyville sure was a special place. He helped out his own fair share but found himself depleted. When he sat down in a chair next to a restaurant, no pony stopped him. He more than earned his rest.

Mimi enjoyed her popularity. She purred as several fillies brushed her coat with brushes and scratched her back. Bon Bon offered her a box of specially prepared chocolate candies. Mimi accepted them with delight. Delicious rich chocolate melted in her mouth. Her onion head straightened out thanks to Nurse Redheart’s expertise. Pipsqueak snapped countless photographs of Equestria’s hero and interviewed Spike about Mimi. Lyra sketched Mimi, paying careful attention to her claws. Even Tennis Bob offered Mimi a generous discount on tennis balls.

Spike still hadn’t told any pony that she was a dragon killer. How could he? If they knew what she really was, he had no idea what they might do to her. They might shun her and force her to leave Ponyville, afraid of provoking dragon attacks. Or worse, they could become greedy and try to weaponize her as a tool against dragons. He shook his head, driving away his panic. He learned today that Ponyville ponies stuck together no matter what. If they didn’t turn him out when he became a monster, then he was sure they wouldn’t turn Mimi out for injuring dragons. Every pony loved Mimi. They would never force Mimi to fight dragons. And even if they tried to, Mimi only responded to his orders. Most importantly, Mayor Mare promised that Mimi would always have a home in Ponyville. Although she too could go back on her word like most politicians, Mayor Mare tried not to flip flop on her statements more than most politicians.

What was he doing? Mimi had to go back to her home. Ember was still injured. If she came close to Mimi again, she could fall into a coma. Years of bringing peace between dragons and ponies would crumble in an instant. He couldn’t be sure that she wasn’t already in a coma just from being close to Mimi. I still have the Roseli medicine, Spike reminded himself, if dragons all got some of that, they wouldn’t be too bothered by Mimi. He brushed aside that implausible solution. Zecora said the Roseli berry came “from the rarest of trees.” They probably weren’t sprouting all over the place, waiting to get picked. No way could Equestria supply enough berry medicine to take care of every dragon. Even if they were common, the berries did not eliminate the pain. They just made fairy flu symptoms tolerable. Spike fell back into his chair, positioned feet from Mimi and her adorers. His head fell onto his chair rest and stared into the sky, which had faint traces of sunset.

He glanced at Mimi and felt his throat constrict. She was so happy. How could he ever think of sending her away? When the town accepted her, she looked elated as though she now had everything her heart desired. She cried with pure joy. This little rabbit, who once struggled to approach Spike, now enjoyed the company of hundreds of ponies, all of whom loved her. Deep down, he could tell she loved all of them as well. What kind of heartless monster would take that from her?

Ponyville needed a hero like her. She fought off a timber wolf invasion largely on her own. After all the wolves had left and she shared her life with Ember, Mimi had yet to pass her limits. If Ponyville had a power like that, they could repel any threat even when Twilight was absent. Equestria would never be in constant danger. But then again, they overcame all previous threats without Mimi. Was it fair to keep her bound in Ponyville just to beat up anyone they didn’t like?

There wasn’t any solution. Twilight and the others would come back soon and he would have to make a decision. He had no clue where to start. His stomach grumbled. He belched green flames and a scroll baring Princess Celestia’s insignia fell into his lap. In all the confusion, he forgot all about his earlier message. He sighed and broke the seal. Part of him wanted Her Majesty’s sage advice but another part of him feared what she would say. Opening the scroll, he unrolled the parchment and read the letter.

Dear Spike,

I can’t pretend to know a perfect answer to your problem. I recognize there are equally valid arguments to send Mimi away and to keep her. I must confess reluctance on keeping something capable of destroying dragons and undoing all of Princess Ember’s work to bring our kingdoms closer together. Yet, I also recognize that there are still many threats to all Equestria and having a powerful ally when Twilight and her friends are absent could benefit us all. Despite lengthy discussions with Princess Luna, neither of us can completely agree one choice is better than the other.

As a ruler, I would say send Mimi away so not to antagonize the dragons. As your friend, I would say keep Mimi close and give her a home. But I want you to know one thing: I trust you. If you can prove Mimi can stay without killing any dragons or threatening our peace, then I will wholeheartedly support your decision. I will do my best to keep her from harm’s way and try to mass grow these Roseli berries for dragons. On the other hand, if you believe Mimi would be safer back at her home where no one could use her and dragons cannot harm her, I will support that decision as well, and send some royal guards to ensure she returns safely back home. No matter what you decide, I want to leave you with two crucial pieces of advice.

I understand your reluctance to become friends with Mimi when you’re afraid of saying goodbye. After centuries of watching wonderful friends and family age and pass on, Luna and I know the pain of goodbye all too well.

Spike noticed a discolored part of the parchment where the ink smeared. He remembered Princess Celestia was mighty, but even she felt heartache like any other pony. He returned his attention to the letter.

However, I can tell you that I am grateful to have met each and every one of them even if every friendship entailed an inevitable goodbye. Even Luna would not trade the joy they gave her to escape the inevitable anguish of loss. I know sending Peewee back to his family hurt, but I’m sure you never once wished you two had never met. I would urge you not to lose this chance. You want to be friends with Mimi. Don’t fight that feeling. Even if you have to say goodbye to her, please do not be too afraid to love her. There’s an old saying a poet wrote two hundred years ago when he lost his dearest friend. ‘Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

As for sending or keeping Mimi, I will abide by whatever you decide. But you need to talk to Twilight. She needs to understand your situation so she can help. My student is wise and thoughtful. I know she can help you decide what to do. More importantly, she can be there for you. Twilight can support you every step of the way no matter what you decide to do. And I know that she will stand behind your final decision. Talk it over with her. Once you two have reached a decision, send me another letter and let me know.
Sincerely,
Princess Celestia
PS: Sorry for taking nearly an hour to respond. I was trying to think of a definite answer but could not. Hope you found some way to pass the time while you waited.

Spike sat in silence. For a moment, he could feel the world around him, from the drip of dew on a blade of grass to a yellow-orange leaf, falling to the ground. He closed his eyes and sighed. Strangely, he felt a strange weight lifted from his shoulders. His problem hadn’t vanished but he felt calmer now that he told someone. The drake came to a decision. When she returned from Everfree, Spike planned to confess everything to Twilight. He would then beg her to let Mimi stay. He didn’t care if she made him sick; he never wanted to say goodbye. He could prove to Twilight that Mimi was more than worth keeping around just for her powers and loyalty alone. The townsfolk would back him up on both points.

Nurse Redheart tapped him on the shoulder. Spike jumped in surprise. He did not want her to drag him back to the hospital for another checkup. But he knew he could never outrun her or hide, even if he had not exhausted himself in a fight. She made no move to grab or restrain him. Her eyes seemed nervous but not furious. Spike composed himself and looked her in the eye.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s Ember,” she said. Spike noted with amusement Redheart referred to the Dragon Lord simply as Ember. He supposed in a hospital, only the nurses and doctors had any titles. He shrugged off the thought and rose to his feet.

“Is she hurt?”

“She’s recovering. That medicine you gave us from Zecora is helping,” Nurse Redheart pursed her lips. Spike seldom saw her this worried. “Princess Ember wants to know where is the Dragon Lord Staff. I’ve asked around but no other pony has seen it since the battle.”

“She lost it?” Spike tensed. “Oh no. This is bad. This is really bad. Without that staff, dragons won’t recognize her as Dragon Lord. They could all start fighting for control and tear each other apart.”

“Or worse, a no-good scoundrel could find the staff and become Dragon Lord.”

Spike’s mind went to a bully dragon who once threatened all ponies. If Garble ever got the Dragon Lord Staff, Equestria would erupt in civil war. He swore he would attack ponies and reclaim Equestria for all dragons. Garble was not the only dragon who wanted to rid the world of ponies. Anyone of his cronies becoming Dragon Lord would spell trouble. Spike balled his fists. They had to find that staff, right away.

He scratched his chin and thought. The staff was distinct, with a red gemstone at its tip and standing taller than a filly. Some pony should have spotted something like that on the ground. He folded his arms and thought.

Nurse Redheart gasped, “The wolves must have taken it.”

“What?”

“If it’s nowhere in Ponyville, a wolf must have stolen it and ran back to Everfree.”

“Maybe,” Spike mused. “I can’t think of anything else.”

“We can’t go wondering Everfree after dark. It’s too dangerous.”

“Twilight will be back soon,” Spike said. “We can tell her and go searching tomorrow.” He folded his arms and grimaced, “But it will be like looking for a literal needle in a hay stack.”

Within the mossy heart of Everfree in an open glade beside a deep cave, a timber wolf dislodged the final tennis ball stuck in its shoulder. The ball bounced on the grass and rolled beneath a tree’s gnarled roots. Branches grew over the indentation left by the projectile, and soon a bright patch of freshly grown vegetation was the only trace of the injury left. The timber wolf flexed its shoulder, testing the stem sinews. Its comrades bore similar injuries from warped faces to twisted legs. They worked together, removing the weapons lodged in their backs where a single wolf could not reach. A pack hunted together and took care of their own. Their bonds were strong, so they would never leave a comrade in pain. Still, even they had to acknowledge their limits.

When those giant lizards attacked them with fire, they fled. Their bodies took weeks to reform after burning. Even then, their new bodies would be crackled, brittle, and stiff. Every step would cause sharp agonizing sensations throughout their frames, rendering the wolf essentially useless. Those bodies could not run through the woods or tend to the pack. As all creatures, they learned to fear fire and run from it. Those lizards chased them to that pony town before they left them alone. But then there was another lizard in the town who dared to threaten them with flames. Their instincts took over and they charged. When the blue one with fire fell, the wolves had no reason to stay. They dared not to face those ponies or that yellow rabbit with violet not-flames.

A wolf howled as another plucked a scepter lodged in its back. The wolf held the scepter in its jaws as the branches regenerated on its comrade. The red gemstone at the hilt refracted the sunbeams, creating an illusion of fire to nearby wolves. Their backs arched with agitation, until they realized there was no fire, just an alien staff. It must have gotten stuck in the wolf’s back while its body reformed. Its origins and its future were of no consequence to them; timber wolves had no use for jewels or scepters. They would dump it somewhere far from their den. Or they would have.

The jewel’s lustrous glow caught the eye of an uninvited guest. This guest was not a native of Everfree or Equestria. While the wolves fled from the fire lizards, it took residence in their cave. Ever since escaping that temple, this creature searched for a new cave to call home. It loved caves. The darkness suited it. Few humans ventured deep into caves, where this creature lived. Alone, it could collect its favorite food: gemstones. Digging in the ground with its claws for scrumptious morsels, hoarding them by the dozens in their nest, all this made the creature content. It consumed so many gemstones that its eyes became white gems. It found at least five caves littered with troves of mouthwatering gemstones, but it could never get so much as a sliver. Every time, a dragon unleashed a flood of vicious fire and drove it away. It escaped with injuries and learned to avoid most caves in this vicious world. It came to this dark forest, hoping to find a new home and some gems. Now, it found both. Days of starvation and hostility drove it to a wild frenzy.

Its purple claws flashed with violet flames. Drool poured from its shark teeth. It charged into the open and ripped three wolves in half. Purple claws slapped together with a loud smash on another wolf’s face, startling the wolf who staggered back. The wolves overcame their shock and charged the intruder, but its diamond eyes flashed with sinister lights and it disappeared from the wolves’ vision. All around, they saw demons and monsters where they should have seen pack members. They tore each other apart. This gave the creature a chance to finish them off. It put its hands close together and formed a night blob between its palms. The blob grew to the size of a basketball, pulsing with unworldly energy. After raising its hands over its head, it launched the missile into the mob, bowling the wolves over like waves of dominoes.

The wolves had suffered too much pain from their previous battle to fight back. The alpha female sounded the retreat and wolves tripped and staggered into the forest. As the last wolf reformed from the branches, it too followed its pack into the trees. The creature shifted its gaze, making sure it was alone. Then, it rushed to the staff that fell to the ground, eager to claim its prize. Clutching the staff, it opened its mouth to swallow the gemstone in a single bite. Its teeth fell on the gemstone. They bounced back from the ruby, unable to penetrate its surface. The creature snarled in frustration. Even the gems in this world were alien. It would have to dig for food. It turned back to its shelter, with the staff in its hands, and vanished deep into the shadows.

Within ten minutes, Twilight came through the forest trees just as the sun began to set. When her friends caught glimpse of the battlefield, they rushed to investigate. Spike hobbled over to them and patiently answered their questions, explaining everything that happened in their absence.

“Is my brother okay?” Applejack’s eyes widened with fear.

“He’s fine,” Spike smiled as he placed a reassuring claw on Applejack’s shoulder. “His injuries aren’t bad.” Applejack still had concern in her eyes but her shoulders settled and her fear diminished.

“We should have been here,” Rainbow Dash groaned. “We could have stopped any fight in the first place.”

“I’m just glad you’re all fine,” Twilight exhaled with closed eyes. Her lips curled into a smile as wrapped Spike in a tight hug, “I am so proud of you, Spike. You got everyone to defend Ponyville and saved Ember.”

Spike flushed red, embarrassed by his hero’s praise. Just a simple “Well done, Spike” made him happy. He was content to serve Twilight in any possible way. Her compliments were a validation of his usefulness. These compliments reminded his life was not an accident and he made a difference to her life every day. When Twilight applauded him for his actions, he could swear his heart grew massive with pride, threatening to burst from his chest.

When she broke from the hug and placed her hooves on his shoulders, Spike could see the pride in her eyes. He felt a pang of regret. He had to shatter her pride and tell her about Mimi. He could only hope she would not despise him for not telling her sooner. She seemed to sense his turmoil, for her smile faded and she tilted her head.

“Listen Twilight,” Spike ran through his planned speech in his head. “There’s something I need to tell you. It’s about Mimi.”

“You mean your friend from Everfree?”

“Yeah, her. You see the thing is,” Spike swallowed and took a deep breath. “She’s the dragon-killer you’re looking for. I met her in Everfree and when I touched her,” Spike lifted his bandaged hand, “I got burned. It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt. Just being near Mimi made me weak before I got the Roseli medicine. I think Ember collapsed in the fight because she was too close to Mimi.”

Fluttershy gasped, her hoof rose to her mouth, “No it couldn’t be. Not sweet little Mimi.” Her friends had similar reactions. They seemed shocked that Spike’s rescuer and Ponyville’s recent hero hurt dragons. They glanced at the yellow rabbit who sat a few feet away. When fillies heard Spike say Mimi and dragon-killer, they stumbled back from the rabbit, leaving her confused. A brown pegasus, who Spike did not recognize, narrowed her eyes and adjusted her hat. Twilight made no visible reaction.

Spike explained everything. He told how he grew close to Mimi, who refused to leave his side even now, and how she saved Ponyville and Ember’s life. He then explained his conversation with Princess Celestia and how she offered to mass-harvest the Roseli berries for dragons everywhere. He argued how Mimi could be a useful ally in the fight against evil and how she would give her life to protect Ponyville. Then, he explained why he didn’t want to say goodbye to her. All the while, several ponies stopped repair works to watch him speak. Twilight listened, absorbing his every word. He could not read her expression. His throat constricted with overwhelming emotions. Tears formed in his eyes. Mimi walked to his side and stood loyally beside him. Her presence spurred him onwards.

“I don’t care if I spend the rest of my life in pain or have to drink medicine for the rest of my life,” Spike blubbered. “I want Mimi to be a part of our family. So I’m begging you, Twilight. Please let Mimi stay.”

“Zecora?” the alicorn turned to the zebra and asked, “Is it possible to grow the Roseli berries on Canterlot soil? Do you think we could grow enough for every dragon?”

“Hmm,” the zebra scratched her chin and frowned. “It’s not a berry one can grow in their backyard. Growing that many Roseli berries would be very hard.” Zecora glanced at Spike and saw tears brimming in his eyes. Her hoof fell from her chin and she nodded, “But I’m sure if we planted the few seeds I have and I helped supervise, in a few months we’d have berries to save dragon lives. Make no mistake; it would take the best farming crew. But if we worked together, maybe we’ll pull through.”

Spike felt relieved that Zecora was at least willing to try. That was one vote of confidence. He still needed the most important vote. Twilight stared at him and then at Mimi. Her eyes narrowed slightly and her brows furled just a bit. She pursed her lips, turning her gaze back to Spike’s teary eyes. Every pony held their breaths, waiting for her verdict. Her right hoof plodded the grass. She closed her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she took a step towards Mimi. For what seemed eternity, she stood in front of the yellow rabbit. Then, she placed a hoof on Mimi’s head and smiled.

“Mimi, if you truly wish to stay with us in Ponyville, then it would be my pleasure to welcome you as our new friend.”

Spike’s tears turned to joy as Mimi hopped on the ground and sang. Ponies all around cheered and danced, as Mimi pulled Twilight into her claws for a hug. Spike wiped the tears from his eyes as all of his friends welcomed Mimi to Ponyville. They pat her back, nuzzled her head. Rainbow Dash managed to get a high-hoof. She let out a squeal of delight, but then noticed every pony staring at her outburst. Her face reddened, so she brushed her shoulder and nodded at Mimi, trying to regain her composure. Only the brown pegasus seemed reluctant to join the revelry. She had a small scowl on her face, but said nothing in protest. With every pony surrounding her with love, Mimi did not notice this one dissatisfied expression. Neither did Pinkie Pie, who wasted no time in proclaiming a welcome party for their new friend. She bounded away with Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and several ponies in tow to prepare the town for an unpreparable Pinkie Pie party extravaganza. Twilight chuckled as the pink mare galloped with renewed energy,

“Actually, there is something Mimi could help us with,” Twilight’s smile dissipated and the revelry diminished as other ponies followed Pinkie into town. “We found some unusual tracks in Everfree. There were maybe half a dozen that don’t match any creature in Equestria. Some of us found tree trunks with purple scorch marks.”

“Purple?” Spike tilted his head. “Mimi can make purple fire. Show them, Mimi.”

Mimi extended a black ribbon claw and ignited her limb with violet flames. Twilight stared at the fire, her mouth agape as the creature wielded the flames without harm. Rainbow Dash’s eyes sparkled.

“That’s so awesome!” She exclaimed. “I want one.”

“Yes well,” Twilight blinked as the fire faded into the black ribbon arm, which returned under Mimi’s cloak. “Fluttershy talked to some forest creatures. They’ve been seeing some unusual creatures with strange powers like Mimi. The animals said they could float through trees, control purple fire, and do all kinds of crazy stuff.”

“What does that mean?”

The brown pegasus finally spoke, “They must be escapees from the other world like,” she gestured to the yellow rabbit with visible discomfort, “like Mimi. I must have missed more than one.”

“Wait,” Spike frowned, “Are you saying there are other creatures like Mimi running around Everfree?”

“Maybe not exactly like Mimi,” Twilight shrugged. “But they’re disrupting the forest’s natural ecosystem and harming the forest creatures. As long as Mimi stays with us in Ponyville, she’s more than welcome to stay. But these other creatures seem to have made their homes in Everfree. I’m worried that the forest is even more dangerous for ponies now.”

“Okay, but what do you want Mimi to do?”

“She has her own powers, right? The only way to subdue these creatures might be through Mimi’s abilities. I’m not sure my magic can touch something that could float through a tree, but Mimi might stand a chance,” Twilight glanced at Mimi, “If you could help us find these creatures and get them home, I would be very grateful for your help, Mimi.”

Mimi sharpened her claws and released an eager mewl. Twilight smiled. She was about to ask Spike if he would allow Mimi to assist them, when she noticed a frown on his face. His eyes, flickering with apprehension, darted across his companions. His mouth fell open. His next words pierced them with icy realization.

“Where’s Starlight?”

Every pony tensed. They looked at their group and realized the pink unicorn was absent. They were sure she came out of the forest with them, but now, they could not find a trace of her. None of them saw her run with the crowd to help plan Pinkie’s party, so she was not in Ponyville. Twilight glanced around, searching for the pink unicorn. Rainbow Dash and Daring Doo flew into the air and scanned the town and the forest line.

“I thought she was by my side,” Twilight sputtered. “I—.”

“Some pony help me!” A shrill shriek echoed from the forest. Starlight bolted from the cover of the trees towards the town. Her eyes wild with desperation, she stumbled towards Ponyville. Mimi bristled like an angry cat.

A shadow surged along the grass closing in on the mare. No pony could warn her. A five-foot figure burst from the shadow and struck, flinging Starlight into the air. She landed in a heap on the ground, too dazed to run as the specter closed in. Starlight screamed, as her body levitated into the air. She came face to face with a jack-o’-lantern face at least two feet tall. A creature shaped like a dark brown pumpkin connected to a light brown candle giggled as Starlight trembled in its grasp. Yellow eyes on the candle tip blazed as pearly, hairy claws wrapped Starlight in a smothering vice grip. They stood terrified as one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria fell motionless in this monster’s claws.

Rainbow Dash snapped out of her surprise and charged, ready to pound the creature into the dust. It moved one of its pink claws from Starlight and pulled in dark particles from the air, creating an inky blob radiating with unnatural energy. The energy grew to the size of a basketball. Rainbow Dash was a few meters from the beast, when it drew back its arm. Twilight’s eyes widened.

She screamed, “Dash, don’t let it touch you!”

The creature flung its arm forward and the sphere raced towards the pegasus. Rainbow Dash heard Twilight’s warning and rolled out of the way, her feather tips grazed the projectile but she was unharmed. She charged even faster.

“You’ll have to do better than that!” she belted.

The creature’s eyes flashed at the pegasus. It made the most haunting glare Dash had seen in her life. A cloud of purple mist surrounded the creature’s face. Within that cloud, two hollowed eyes with blood red pupils leered at her. Sharp, jagged teeth grinned. Her heart drummed in her ears. She lost her bravado from seconds ago, considering a retreat. Twilight watched Dash do something she never usually did: she slowed down. The pumpkin head leapt into the air with a claw blazing violet. Spike realized what was coming and screamed at Dash, warning her to get out of the way.

To his dismay, Dash was seconds too slow. She took the attack full force. Her scream echoed throughout the town as the violet flames engulfed her. The claw knocked her to the ground, where she fell limp, her body still burning with violet flames. Before anyone could move, the creature grabbed Rainbow Dash in its free claw and melted into the forest, darkened with sunset.

“We’ve got to go after them,” Twilight said, rushing into the forest.

“What exactly are we supposed to do against that?” Spike shouted. “It took down Starlight and Rainbow Dash like they were nothing. We can’t beat that.”

“I’m going to save my friends,” Twilight called. “Now either come with me or stay there.”

“Wait, you’ll need Mimi,” he said but Twilight already vanished into Everfree, He turned to Zecora and Daring Do, “Can you two look after Ponyville while we’re gone?”

“Are you crazy?” Daring Do’s mouth dropped, “You go in there and you’re playing right into that thing’s trap.”

“I know!” Spike screamed, “But I can’t stop Twilight and I’m not letting her go into that death trap alone.”

With that, he raced after Twilight. Mimi sprinted by his side.

“Do you even have a plan?” Daring Do’s voice did not reach Spike. Darkness between the trees seemed to consume him and Mimi, erasing them from the known world. Their pitter-pattering feet dissipated in the obscure foliage of Everfree. Do felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising as a sinister, malicious cackle sounded from deep within Everfree, and the forest claimed more victims.

Comments

[Madara1442]

It's getting Intense and the game is afoot.

I'm glad that Mimikyu was Accepted and welcomed into Ponyville.

What kind of Pokémon are in the Everfree if it's not just Mimikyu?

[Zekoroh]

the pokemon that took dash was gourgeist wasn't it?

[Ekhidna]

Arceus, we need you!

[Zephyr Spark]

8151877 Correct!
From the Pokémon Y Pokédex: It enwraps its prey in its hairlike arms. It sings joyfully as it observes the suffering of its prey.
They're in for a hard fight.

[Zephyr Spark]

8151842 Soon, we shall see. Soon.

[Belladonna Nightbloom]

Awww, Mimi used Pain Split on ember!

Three poor baby is scared of Steel.

[BurningLance]

8153631

those pokedex entries sure can be dark regarding various pokemon.

and yay Mimi gets accepted by Ponyville