• Published 18th Jun 2021
  • 1,645 Views, 94 Comments

Taking Flight - David Silver



Both on the edge of adulthood, they found each other, but look out over a vast and terrifying time. Hand in hand, scales against feathers, they draw strength as they take the next step together. Spike and Gabby had much to look forward to.

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5 - Where the Road Led

"Twilight." He was watching her, fussing with her mane again. "Twi, pretty sure I know what's up."

She peeked up at him. "Hm? You do? Well then, kindly share that knowledge with me." She threw down her hoof, giving up on her mane. "This is impossible!"

"I bet it always will be." Spike stepped up to his upset sister, running his talons gently through her mane. "But heavy is the crown."

"I'm handling my responsibilities quite well," she insisted with a little huff. "What does that have to do with my mane?"

"Think about that." Spike gently mussed the hair. "Think about what you've accomplished, and the ponies that rely on you. What does that make you feel?"

"Um, it..." This conversation had taken a turn she was not expecting. "We've... come a long way." A little smile appeared. "We're overseeing a thriving Equestria, and I am very proud. We are bringing creatures together, pony and not, all across the lands, unified... in friendship."

Her mane pulled away from Spike's hands, but only to waft on its own, with its own will. Twilight angled the mirror held in her magic. "W-what... Oh... oh no..."

"Oh yes," countered Spike with a finger gun. "Your mane isn't rebelling, it's growing. You're a real princess now."

Twilight slapped a hoof to a cheek. "What will the girls think?!"

"Um..." He affected Pinkie's voice as best he could. "Golly wow! Can I put things in it?" He shifted to Rarity's tone. "Darling, that is so working for you." He chuckled softly, grinning at his sister. "Seriously, you look fine, and they'll go crazy, but not in a bad way."

"Right, of course. They're not like that." She let out a soft breath, regaining her composure. "Thank you." She turned her head left and right. "So... how do I look?"

"Like a princess."

They went on to face the day, just a little bit more sure in themselves.


"Gonna have to miss the next game." He wasn't at the game. He was at Rarity's store. Gabby was there, being worked upon as a dress as adjusted right on her willing form. "Equestria needs me to head on over to Baltimare."

"Baltimare?!" squeaked Gabby, resisting the urge to move, lest one of the many pins involved caught her. "What for?"

"Big argument." He lifted his shoulders with a faint frown. "The griffons are in some kind of tizzy about docking and duties? I'll have to get the full details there, work it out."

"Bummer." Gabby focused instead on the unicorn, Sassy Sandles, before her. "So, hey... Gonna need a few days off."

"But we have not put a pin in this yet," objected Sassy, inclining her head. "Is something wrong."

"My buddy needs my help. He's Rarity's bud too, don't forget." She smiled without turning her head, the dress still being worked on.

"This is true..." Sassy continued her work quietly a moment. "The store will miss you. I will miss you, so get back as soon as you can, hm?"

"Of course!" She grabbed Sassy, getting a squeak from her as she squeezed her employer firmly.

Sassy gently nudged Gabby back. "Spike, let me put a pin in today's work, then you can have her."

Not that Spike had actually asked for her! "Uh, yeah... Gabby, you're sure? I can handle this."

"I'm sure you can." She turned a bit for Sassy. "But it'll be easier with a friend, and I know griffons." She snort-giggled at the idea. "You know, being one and all."

"That's true," allowed Spike with a musing expression. "If you're sure?"

"Totally sure."

And that was that. Soon they were seated side by side on the train, Gabby bouncing a bit on her seat. "Now, the thing is, griffons are not nearly as mean as they seem."

Spike hiked a brow at that. "Not you, obviously. But they do seem to... have a bit of a streak going."

"It's for show." Gabby waved it away. "Most griffons aren't actually angry. They're scared."

"What?"

"Have you seen our lands recently?" Gabby shrugged expansively. "It's a mess, and creatures wonder how they'll make ends meet. Anycreature would get a bit... prickly in a situation like that."

"But not you."

"Nope." She had a smile, bright and white. "I mean, I am living in Equestria. You guys don't have any of those problems, but I was nice before I got here, so I guess that makes me a bit strange." She shrugged at the idea. "But that's me."

"You're just fine how you are." He set a hand on her closer shoulder. "So, alright. They're a little desperate, a little scared. How does that help?"

"It tells you what they're thinking." She tapped the side of her head. "Put everything through those goggles and it'll make sense, trust me."

"Alright." Things grew quiet, just the sound of the train rumbling beneath them. "I'm not mad you're here... but you coulda told me that in Canterlot."

"Coulda," she half-sang. "But now I'm here."

He quirked a little smile. "That's true..." He watched the scenery go back, the quiet returning. Gabby was a friend, a good friend. Who cared a lot about him. She never hesitated to leap into action if she saw something she could do to improve things around herself, especially if Spike was involved.

"Be right back." He scooted off towards the bathroom, not because he needed it for its intended purpose, but to gaze into the mirror provided. "She never noticed you," he told the dragon he knew he'd find in that mirror. "Until it was too late..."

And there was somecreature... "I'm her." He could imagine it, Rarity's mane draped over his shoulder. "She's waiting on me to notice, to react... To say yes... or no..." He could just be quiet... stay in that nice spot.

Until that day came, when she found somecreature else, much as he had. He would finish being Rarity. He would be left behind, with not a creature to blame but himself.

Or... Or... he could give an answer. He could try. He could reach out and give it a try.

Maybe it'd work out?

A knocking from the door made him jump. "Excuse me," came a muffled male voice. "Someone in there?"

That was polite speak for 'please finish what you're doing' in public bathroom speak. Spike ran the water a hot second, not that he needed it. "Comin' out!" he shouted.

He scooted past the pony, and several others that had formed a line, oops. The line was moving again without him in the way and he hurried past it to plop himself in the seat he started from. Gabby was right where he had left her, reading one of the brochures that came with the train.

"Hey." The quiet returned, but he fought against it. "Gabby."

"Yeah?" She looked up at him, the pamphlet lowering to her lap. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah..." The quiet threatened to return. "I mean no." She was looking at him intently at that. "Gabby..." He reached, setting a hand on one of hers. "Thanks."

"Aw!" She curled her fingers around his, squeezing him right back. "What are friends for."

"Lemon and Moon are friends," he noted. "But they aren't here... Uh, I mean, you're a friend... but I... think maybe more?"

Gabby's cheeks began to go red. "I care about you!"

"Yeah... Yeah! I get... that. I really do." He squeezed her hand, an anchor. A dangerous anchor. "Gabby, I don't know how to do this, but wanna try... being a... thing?"

Gabby's response was not a yes or a not. She began to vibrate a little, then increasingly more as giggles erupted at the same tempo.

"Uh..."

"Yes!" She pulled him towards herself, and they were in an embrace suddenly. "Yes!"

Spike smiled in the smothering embrace, a touch overwhelmed, but... happy... "I'll, uh, do my best."

"Do your best what?" She let him sit back up to look him in the eyes. "Oh, about the griffons? I'll help!"

"Not that..." He rubbed behind his head awkwardly. "I don't actually know how to do the, uh... boyfriend thing."

"You're kidding." She was suddenly leaning in so far her beak pressed against his face. "You're a pro at it."

"What?"

Her eyes rolled. "Pretend I'm Rarity."

That got his cheeks burning with new vibrance. "What?!"

"I'm not kidding." She folded her arms cross her chest. "The way you acted around her was pretty spot on. Maybe a bit much, but about there. Don't worry, I'll return the favor." She burst into fresh giggles. "Being a 'thing' means we both get to gush at each other." She suddenly grabbed his cheeks. "Like how cute you are." She was pinching his cheeks and rubbing them as she laughed with obvious joy.

Was it that simple? Had that all worked out so... No catch? "You're really cute too."

"Aw."

"And, uh, pretty." He glanced off. "When I see you showing off for Rarity and Sassy, it takes my breathe away."

"You sly dog." She suddenly thumped him in the side with a fist, but her cheeks were on fire. "Stop that!" She hid her face behind her hands, giggling a bit oddly, caught off balance herself for a change. "I'm not pretty."

"Yes you are," he insisted, smiling at the embarrassed griffon. "And you're super nice, and awesome to be around. I always know I'm in for a fun day any time you're around."

"That goes both ways, you." She flopped back against the seat she was in. "A Spike day is always a good day. So... thanks, for inviting me... to the game, you know? Your friends are great too! I... mean... they're my friends too now? But they were yours first, so thanks for sharing."

"You're very--" He didn't get to finish, being smooched on the cheek by Gabby without warning, and without even noticing the movement until it was happening. Everything was quiet again, but it was not a tense quiet of unsaid words. "--welcome..."

She had a hand over his, but sat back. "I thought you weren't interested."

"Huh?"

"You never said anything... until you did."

Spike could imagine that. He had made it through much the same thing... "Why didn't... you say something?"

"I didn't want to scare you off. We were friends. I didn't want to ruin that... You're my best friend. My best best friend!" She squeezed his hand gently. "I didn't want to ruin that, you know?"

"Yeah... I do..." He squeezed her hand gently in return, smiling. They had a long ride before reaching Baltimare, but it was with his new girlfriend, and not so new best friend. The ride went by surprisingly quickly.


"Great job, Spike." Twilight sat upon her throne, her mane wafting in a breeze that wasn't there. "You calmed down the situation quite nicely. Oh, let me introduce you to someone."

"Hm?"

She gestured to a young unicorn filly with her nose buried in a book. "Welcome Luster Dawn. She will be my personal student."

Spike let out a little 'huh'. "Like Celestia used to do."

"Well, yes," admitted Twilight with a faint pinkening. "I learned on my own the joy of being a teacher, and I want to pass it right along. Luster?" The filly looked up. "This is Spike, a dear friend of mine and an agent of the crown."

"Hiya." Luster inclined her little head at Spike towering over her. "Nice to meet you." And back to reading she went, not distracted for long.

"Work in progress," awkwardly defended Twilight.

"No offense taken. I remember another little filly that was even worse when she started." He waggled his brows at Twilight.

"I was not!" She huffed, but thought back on it. "Maybe a little..." She coughed into a hoof lightly. "Be that as it may, thank you, Spike. You've done Equestria, and me, proud."

"Glad to be of service." He snapped a salute that looked better with his mature arms allowing the proper motion. "Gonna celebrate with my girlfriend." And off he went.

"Girlfriend?" But it was too late to ask Spike. Twilight was left, confused.

Author's Note:

He made the move! She said yes! Woo!

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