A Dragon's Selection 2: Follow Your Heart

by CartoonNerd12

Prologue

Author's Note:

Okay, I was going to release this close to Christmas, but given how I might have limited time to update come next semester, I want to see how far I can get before then.

It was quiet and peaceful evening at Sweet Apple Acres. The entire family was sitting around the living room relaxing. On the floor were Pear Jam and Apple Jewel who were the fraternal twin dragon-pony hybrids of Applejack and Spike. And they were going over old photo albums with their cousin, Caramel Apple who was the son of their Uncle Big Macintosh and Aunt Sugar Belle. It was easy to tell he took after Big Mac but he was a unicorn like his mother.

Eight-year-old Pear commented, "Wow, we sure have a lot of pictures of our family."

Granny Smith who was rocking in her rocking chair proclaimed, "Darn tootin' we do! Why we Apples have the biggest family in all of Equestria!"

Applejack chastised, "Now Granny… Grand Pear told us grandkids that the Pears had just as much kin as the Apples."

Granny sighed, "Okay, so maybe we're one of many families that are the biggest in Equestria."

Applejack and Big Mac exchanged a smile. Apple Bloom mentioned, "Ever since we found out we were half Pear we make it a point that the Pears are just as much our family as is the Apples."

Caramel said, "I can't believe that the Apples and Pears had that feud in the first place."

Apple Jewel added, "Or how our grandma and grandpa fell in love during the fighting."

Apple Bloom looked over to Spike and Applejack that were sitting close together on the couch. She voiced, "You know, I can't tell who had the harder romance… our parents or you guys."

The twins looked on in confusion, "Uh?"

Both Spike and Applejack glared at Apple Bloom with the mare shrugging, "What?"

Apple Jewel questioned, "Mommy? Daddy? Did you fall in love during a feud too?"

The parents went, "Um…" then Applejack said, "Not exactly, sugar cube."

Spike added, "It's very hard to explain…"

Pear asked with a curious expression, "What is?"

Applejack sighed and motioned for the kids to come closer and had them sitting on their parents' laps. Jewel sat on Spike's lap while Pear sat on Applejack's. Their mother started, "Well… you see, your dad and I met during somethin' called a Selection."

"What's that?" the twins inquired at the same time.

Granny spoke up, "It was when the ponies and the dragons had a pact to keep peace between their species. It was decreed that the youngest dragon prince would have a selection of 35 mares to choose from."

Jewel questioned, "But what does that have to do with Mommy and Daddy?"

Spike slowly started, "Well… it just so happens… that I am a member of Dragonian Royalty."

"What?!" the kids shrieked.

Spike nodded, "I was the youngest prince about to have his own Selection. It was important for me to continue on the tradition."

Applejack gestured, "Meanwhile it was up to me to fill out a Selection form but I figured I didn't have much chance in winnin' but for the good of my family I entered in."

Jewel motioned, "Let me get this straight. Daddy was a prince, an actual prince and we didn't know about this until now?!"

Spike told her, "I gave up my title before I married your mother and for that there was never need to tell you about my royal past. Until now that is…" he glared again at Apple Bloom.

The red-haired mare countered, "What? They were goin' find out eventually! It's not like the Selection was a big secret or somethin'!"

Sugar Belle interjected, "I'm afraid she has a good point. The Selection was always a big deal in Equestria especially when the dragon prince chose his bride to keep peace between the kingdoms."

Pear asked, "So… does that mean you two didn't marry for love?"

Applejack quickly replied, "Of course not!"

Spike nodded, "Your mother and I married purely out of love."

Granny pointed, "It's true, in their Selection they were the only couple to marry for love. In all the other Selections, the prince chose a mare solely on her greed."

Sugar Belle said, "And their Selection was the last one we saw in Equestria."

Caramel questioned, "How did the Selection get started anyway?"

Spike answered, "Well it began a thousand years ago when the dragons and the ponies were at war with each other and it just so happen that the youngest dragon prince, Prince Matchstick fell in love with a pony name Brambleberry."

Applejack added in, "At the same time, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were figuring out a way to settle things peacefully with the dragons. But once all three leaders discovered the lovers' affair they agreed to use their marriage as a way to bring the two kingdoms together."

Spike finished, "And since then, there was a Selection once every generation. But thanks to my sister, Ember who is now the Dragon Lord decided to dissolve the Selection shortly after I chose your mother to marry me."

Apple Jewel commented, "I'm glad to hear that. So that means we never have to worry about another Selection happening?"

Applejack and Spike exchanged a smile with them both saying, "Exactly."

Jewel didn't know it then but the question she had asked only sealed her fate…

Comments

[SkyRacer]

Oh boy! Excited for this one!