Spike is My Co-Pilot

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In the loft bedroom of the Golden Oak Library in Ponyville, a small purple dragon snored away, tucked up in his basket at the foot of the bed.

That is, until a lavender hoof gently nudged him awake. "Wake up, sleepyhead..." Twilight Sparkle said.

Spike burrowed deeper into his blanket. "Awww... five more minutes, Twi?"

Twilight smiled fondly at him. And decided to play hardball.

"Well... if you really don't want this basket of delicious gemstones, I can always return it to Rarity's and get my bits back."

"Huh?" Spike sat bolt upright, blinking. Hovering before him in the alicorn's magic field was the basket, loaded with brilliantly-cut gemstones in a variety of colors, together with a freshly-starched napkin.

"There you go, breakfast in bed." Twilight set the basket down in easy reach. "Happy birthday, Spike!"

"Thanks! Uh... my birthday's not 'til next week, right?"

"True," Twilight agreed. "Except that yesterday I got a letter from Princess Cadance, informing us that by popular request of her subjects your birthday has been declared an official state holiday of the Crystal Empire."

"Say what now?" Spike rubbed his eyes. "I'm dreamin', right?"

"Nope, you're officially a hero, Spike! The crystal ponies all saw you deliver the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadance just in time to stop King Sombra, and apparently they're extremely grateful for that. In her letter Cadance extended an invitation for, and I quote, "Spike, the Brave and Honorable" to attend the inaugural celebration as guest of honor... along with any friends you might want to bring to help celebrate, of course."

"Woah, cool!"

"Very cool," Twilight agreed. "And since I'm assuming you'll want to go, and that means we'll be away from Ponyville on your birthday, I talked it over with everyone here and we decided we'd celebrate here a few days early, just in case things got hectic closer to the day itself."

"Yeah, like that's never happened," Spike agreed. "All right! So, what're we gonna to do first?"

"You tell me, Spike," Twilight beamed. "As part of my present for you, we're switching roles. I'm going to be your assistant today."

"You? You're a Princess, Twilight!"

"Noblesse oblige, Spike," Twilight said archly. "And, since I'm still figuring out what being a Princess means, it'll be helpful for me, too."

"Uh, okay! I guess that makes sense."

"So, figure out what you'd like to do today, and I'll help."

"Wow... anything? Even reading comic books, or pigging out on ice cream, or playing Ogres and Oubliettes?"

"Anything you want, Spike. Just name it. It's Spike Day in Ponyville!"

"Gosh! I'm gonna have to make a list, just to be sure we don't leave anything out."

"Way ahead of you, Spike." Twilight's horn sang, and a scroll and quill swept over and readied themselves. "Fire away."

But just as Spike was about to launch into a categorical list of The Nine Hundred and Sixty Three Things I'd Most Like To Do Given Half a Chance... there was a knock downstairs.

"Oops, hold that thought," Twilight said. "Someone at the door."

"Oh! I'll see who it is!" Spike replied, moving to get up.

Twilight's hoof stopped him. "Stay put. I'll see who it is. I'm your assistant today, remember?"

Spike gave her an amused look. "You're... gonna be doing that all day, aren't ya?"

"Better get used to it, buster." Smirking, Twilight trotted downstairs. Spike heard the door open, and voices below. Then Twilight called up.

"Uh, Spike? If now's a convenient time, you have a visitor!"

Spike nabbed a large ruby from the basket just for form's sake and gnawed happily at it as he trotted downstairs. Waiting in the main room of the Library he found Rainbow Dash. The cyan pegasus had an excited smile on her face.

"Hey, Spike! Uh... how's the birthday dragon?"

"Great so far, Rainbow! What's up?"

"Ya know, it's funny you should ask that..." Rainbow smiled mysteriously. "I just wanted to come by and clue you in on my awesome present for ya. I was planning on taking you with me when I go flying today."

"You mean watching while you do some of your cool stunts?" Spike nodded. "That's great! I'll put it right on my list, item one!"

"Actually... I was thinking of a more personal service. Like, taking you up with me while I do my stunts."

Spike stared. "Seriously? That would be majorly cool! Count me in!"

"Awesome!" Rainbow glanced worriedly at Twilight. "Uhh, if that's okay?"

To the surprise of both of them, Twilight nodded. "Sounds good to me."

"Really, Twi?" Spike asked, astonished.

"Sure, Spike. You're a grown dragon. You're old enough to make decisions and take risks yourself. I do have one condition, though."

She looked at Rainbow, who looked back worriedly. "Uh, sure... what is it?"

"Spike needs to wear proper safety gear -- like a helmet and goggles -- and be belted in securely up there. I know how you like to show off, Rainbow. I just want to be sure we get Spike back in one piece."

"Oh, is that all?" Rainbow smirked in relief. "No problem! Spike and I can go find the gear we need right now."

"Uh, is that all right, Twi?" Spike asked. "I mean, I know we were about to plan out the day... but this is so cool I wanna get right on it!"

"No need to ask, Spike," Twilight assured him. "It's your day. Just let me know if you need me for anything."

"Okay!" He smiled up at Rainbow. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"I like that attitude, mister!" Rainbow said, as the two of them trotted our through the door. "Catch ya later, Princess!"

Twilight watched them go, a mildly suspicious look on her face.

You're not usually this caring and considerate... what are you up to, Rainbow Dash?

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"The helmet and goggles should be easy to find," Rainbow said, as they trotted across Ponyville Square. "It's the belt that's going to be hard. I mean, we can't get away with tying you in place with rope. Twilight would never go for that."

"Yeah!" Spike nodded. "I'm still amazed she went along with the idea at all." He and Rainbow exchanged a knowing look. "We're gonna need a saddle or something," Spike went on. "I mean, I hope it's not rude to suggest it to a pegasus. I know you're not a pack animal or anything like that..."

"Nah, you're right, Spike," Rainbow agreed. "A saddle it is. And I don't mind, really, if we can find one. And if I know anypony who'd have one going spare, it's Applejack." She swung quickly about, and headed for the road leading out of town.

They quickly found Applejack in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres. When Spike explained about Rainbow's present, the orange farm pony was only too happy to help...

"... 'Cept, the closest thing we got to a saddle around here are the saddlepads we use for hired pack animals taking loads to market. And they're designed to fit earth ponies, not pegasi. Sorry, Spike! Wish I could be more help!"

"It's okay, A.J.," Spike reassured her. "We know you tried."

"Yeah, don't sweat it," Rainbow said. "I... actually do know of a place where we could buy a custom-fitted pegasi saddle. We just figured we'd ask because it would be, well... you know, simpler if you happened to have one."

"Sorry 'bout that! But, actually, if you're gonna go buy one," Applejack said, "... wayall, I'm ashamed to admit it, Spike, but I hadn't been able to come up with the right present for ya yet. So I'd be happy to chip in the bits to help cover the cost of it. Just let me know what it runs to."

"Okay!" Spike nodded. "And thanks again, A.J.!"

"Not a problem, hon. Happy Spike Day, y'all!"

"Come on, Spike," Rainbow said. "Let's go see about that helmet next."

Spike suggested asking Scootaloo, since she usually wore a helmet while cruising around town on her scooter, but Rainbow looked doubtful. "I don't actually know she has more than the one, and I'd rather not put her on the spot if we don't have to. Let's check with Pinkie Pie first, and try Scoots as a fallback."

All seemed quiet as they approached the Sugarcube Corners bakery. But just as they were about to walk through the door, a blast of confetti and streamers hit them from within.

"Surprise!" Pinkie Pie yelled happily. The radioactively pink party pony shoved her party cannon aside, slapped hats on their heads, stuck noisemakers in their mouths, and then blew on a horn herself. "Were you surprised? You look surprised! I hope you were surprised! On a scale of one to seventeen hundred million billion, how surprised were you?"

Rainbow spat confetti. "Pinkie! What the hay was that for?"

"I'm practicing for later when we do the surprise party... gotta be sure I've got the timing juuuuussst right!"

"Uhhh, it's not gonna be much of a surprise if you tell the guest of honor there's going to be a surprise party!"

"Sure it is! Duh! Spike has no idea when the party will be, or who's gonna be there -- big hint, all of us! So it's totally still a surprise!" She trotted happily back inside, humming to herself. Rainbow and Spike looked at each other and shook their heads as they followed. Chopping logic with Pinkie Pie was like trying to bail water with a fork.

Pinkie went upstairs to check her storage trunks, but the only spare helmets she had were in her size. "But I did find these cool goggles," she said, offering them, "which you can totally have! They were gonna to be part of a costume but turned out to be too small for me. They might fit you, though."

"Gosh, thanks, Pinkie!"

"Not a problem, birthday bro-gon! And have fun while you two are flying around up there. Whatcha got in mind, Rainbow?" She gave Dash a conspiratorial leer, jogging her eyebrows. "Gonna show Spike the old Sonic..."

A cyan hoof quickly stifled her. "Yeah, well, we've got a couple other items to get," Rainbow said hurriedly, "so... we should be moving along. Thanks again, Pinkie!"

"Not a prob, Dashie! And I'm totally down with the whole surprise thing! My lips are sealed. See you both at the surprise party later!"

Waving, she headed behind the counter and brought up a tray of cupcakes. Taking down a tin of sprinkles from a shelf, she popped the lid on it.

A spring snake exploded out of the can, whistling past her ear. Unfazed, she looked over her shoulder at it.

"Oh yeah... I wondered where I put that!"

Humming happily, she got on with decorating the cupcakes.

Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief as they headed out through the door. Then she glanced at the sky, as if checking the time. "Let's split up for a bit, Spike. I can go take care of getting the saddle. Do you mind going over to Fluttershy's and asking if she'd be willing to help out? If I know Twilight, she'll feel better if we have another pegasus around as a safety."

"Sure thing, Rainbow. Meet ya back at the Library in an hour?"

"Works for me. Later, Spike!"

Fluttershy, when Spike visited, was only too pleased to help. She also offered to ask some of her chorus birds if they'd mind coming along as spotters. "Oh, and thanks for the invitation to come with you for the Spike Day celebration," she added.

"Invitation? Oh yeah, Twilight must have mentioned it. And sure, I'll want all my friends to come with me for this!"

"I'm so looking forward to visiting the Crystal Empire again. Princess Cadance was very nice!"

"She always is," Spike agreed. "She and Twilight and I go way back. And even though she's in charge of the Empire now, she never lets it go to her head. Whenever we meet her it's like we're right back to her being Twilight's foal-sitter again, looking after the two of us." He sighed. "I kinda miss those days. Things were simpler back then, when I was just helping out Twilight with her lessons."

"Twilight and I chatted a bit about Cadance," Fluttershy said, "when she came by yesterday. And I can tell she feels the same way. It makes me happy for the three of you. It's nice when friends don't grow apart as they move on to new things."

"Yeah." Spike nodded. "Well, thanks loads for being willing to help. I'd stay and chat, but I still need to track down a crash helmet in my size. I'm gonna go see if Scootaloo has one. See ya!"

Fluttershy waited a decent interval after he'd left. Then she looked at the empty armchair on the other side of the coffee table. "All right, Discord. You can come out now."

Poof. "Well! I thought he'd never leave." The draconequus yawned.

"Oh, c'mon. You know you like him. And he sounds so excited, being able to work together with Rainbow on a project like this. He's always been so dedicated to assisting Twilight, he deserves some time of his own, to do something that interests him. And thanks, by the way, for agreeing to keep out of sight and not intrude while he was here. He sounded so happy about all this, I really wouldn't want to spoil it for him."

"Not a problem, my dear Fluttershy! Though I don't promise to be completely disinterested in the outcome." He stroked his goatee craftily. "This does have some delightfully chaotic possibilities..."

"Discord..."

"Oh, fine! Paws, claws, hoofs, and nails off!" He pulled himself back together. "Happy now?"

"Good for you. And did you have any luck locating Spike's present from me and you?"

"Oh, a little," he said, airily. "I've found a griffon in Vanhoover who keeps back issues of all the Power Ponies series. We're still negotiating on price -- even as we speak -- but I think I can wear her down. Though I still don't see why I can't simply conjure up new copies of the issues Spike's missing."

"Because it wouldn't be the same." Fluttershy smiled. "Part of the thrill of collecting is owning an original copy, and part of the joy of giving is showing you cared enough to find one."

"I suppose you're right. Authenticity is important. If only it wasn't such a..." he sighed in disgust. "... plebeian art form. I mean, seriously! There's no depth to the artwork and storylines at all..."

He snapped his claw, and a stack of comics appeared next to him, individually bagged and carefully arranged by number and timeline.

"Except for the surprisingly original turn in this one," he went on, holding up a mint-in-the-bag copy of a Power Ponies special issue. "I mean the Trickster character has such an intricate and moving backstory, with astonishing depth and lyricism. More of an antihero than a villain archetype, I was truly surprised when I came across it..."

Putting it down, he pulled out the reading copy from underneath it and settled in with it, utterly entranced.

Fluttershy patted his arm understandingly with a hoof as she headed toward the kitchen. "Make yourself comfortable," she said. "I'll just go freshen the tea..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An hour and a half later, Spike was standing in the Square in front of the Golden Oak Library, looking up at the sky worriedly.

With a fluttering of wings, Rainbow swooped down and landed behind him. "Hey, Spike! Sorry I'm late. It took a bit longer than I thought to find the place. But I totally got it... check it out!"

She turned to show her back, on which there was a small faux-leather saddle, glossy black, with a harness-like arrangement of straps running around her legs and under her barrel, leaving plenty of room for her wings to maneuver. It also had adjustable leg restraints to either side for the rider.

"Cool," Spike agreed. "Where'd you find it?"

Rainbow looked embarrassed. "Ya know, Spike, let's... just agree never to bring up the subject of where I had to go to get it. Don't want anypony getting ideas..."

"Well... okay!" Spike agreed, puzzled. "And hey, I talked to Scootaloo and it turns out she did have this old helmet she's not using any more." He put it on, and pulled Pinkie's goggles down into place. "So I'm all set!"

"Awesome!" Rainbow glanced around. "Okay, so where's Twilight? And were you able to talk to Fluttershy?"

"Uh huh! They're waiting for us in the meadow back of the Library. Twilight suggested we use it as our airfield since it has plenty of space."

"Sounds perfect... let's go!"

Together they trotted around the oak tree, then across the road beyond and out into the meadow. And found they had a small audience waiting. There were Twilight and Fluttershy of course, plus the Cutie Mark Crusaders and most of the Rainbow Dash fan club, since Scootaloo naturally had to bring her friends to watch. And Derpy was there, on the theory that they could hardly have a midair collision with her if they knew exactly where she was. Plus a number of other interested ponies who had wandered over simply because they saw a crowd gathering.

Spike felt nervous with everypony watching. But Rainbow was in her element. She trotted out onto the field with proud gusto. "Goooood morning, everypony!" she called out. "Thank you all for coming!"

Then she turned to Spike. "All right, co-pilot! Let's give the saddle a try. Climb aboard!"

Spike clambered up onto the seat, being careful to avoid grabbing Rainbow's wings. Then he worked out how to wrap the restraints around his stubby legs, pull them tight, and throw the small levers that locked each of them down. It didn't feel quite tight enough, but he assumed it was supposed to have at least a little give so he could move around.

"All set?" Rainbow asked. "Okay, let's give it the flip test!"

She bounded into the air, and then used her wings to flip over and hover upside down. And Spike's feet slithered right out of the restraints. He hit the ground helmet-first with a hollow clonk like a dropped coconut.

"Aw, geez!" Rainbow did a back flip and landed beside him. "Sorry about that, Spike!"

"Ohhh, Spike! Are you hurt?" Fluttershy asked as she hurried over, ashamed that she hadn't been right there to catch him.

"Nah, I'm fine!" Spike got up and dusted himself off. "I've fallen from the tops of ladders higher than that. Doesn't faze me a bit. Huh! I was sure I had those laces pulled tight. Maybe it's because my legs are so much shorter than a pony's?"

"Here, Spike, let me have a look." Twilight trotted over, giving Rainbow a narrow-eyed glare. She let Spike clamber back up onto the saddle and then carefully examined the leg restraints. "Aha! It's adjusted for a pony with longer legs. But it looks like we can reloop it like this..." Her magic worked busily for a moment, unlooping and relooping the laces. "Okay, Spike, try locking it again."

Spike did, and this time felt the restraints grabbing solidly when he pushed the lock levers in place.

"Yeah, that's much better. Thanks a million, O capable assistant!"

"At your service, Spike the Brave and Honorable!"

"Say what now?" Rainbow asked, looking around.

"Private joke," Twilight replied curtly. "Try it again, Rainbow."

Rainbow jumped and flipped, and this time Spike remained glued to the seat. "Equestria, we are go on the saddle test!" he called, giving an inverted thumbs-up. The crowd cheered.

"All right!" Rainbow said. "Let's get this show in the air!"

She flipped back over...

... and hit atmosphere, leaving a rainbow contrail that arced upwards like a rocket.

"Wooaaaaoohhh!" Spike shouted, grabbing the front edge of the saddle and clinging to it for dear life. The entirety of Ponyville plummeted away behind him, until it felt like there was nothing at all in the world but the roaring of the wind, the blue sky and clouds all around him, and the blur of Rainbow's wings to either side.

Then he was thrown forward as Rainbow slammed on the brakes and hovered easily, high in the air.

"All right back there, Spike?" she asked, barely breathing hard.

Spike took a moment to let his breath catch up with him. Then he raised a claw and punched the air. "Yeah! That was amazing! Woo hoo! I mean, I've been on rollercoasters that only wish they could be that good going downhill!"

"Ohhhhh... you like rollercoasters, huh?" Rainbow glanced backwards with an evil smirk. Spike clapped his claws to his face, pretending fright while at the same time grinning like a maniac.

Rainbow tensed, gathering herself in. Then her wings snapped shut and she dove hard. The ground came roaring back, straight at them. And right at the last possible moment Rainbow fanned wings and slammed into a forward curve, roaring across the meadow only a few feet above the ground. Then she hit sky again, arcing up and over in a series of barrel rolls. Spike felt dizzy, watching the horizon roll steadily before him, sky-ground-sky-ground-sky, like an out-of-control clock.

Then Rainbow slung skywards, her wings furled, slowing, slowing...

... then she winged over and shot down again. And this time she combined fast aileron rolls with a slow corkscrew precession, which was completely disorienting to Spike: he couldn't imagine how Rainbow herself held focus as the entire world slung round them insanely, rotating around no fixed center.

Rainbow came roaring out of the last roll, slung upwards, and then went into a seemingly endless series of loops -- inner loops, outer loops, vertical loops, horizontal loops, figure-eight loops, and I-don't-know-let's-go-this-way loops. Spike felt alternately as if his helmet was going to squash him right down onto the saddle on the inner loops, and like he was going to be yanked straight off Rainbow's back on the outer loops. But the saddle's restraints held firm, and soon he had taken first one claw and then both off the saddle's edge, and was waving them with abandon in the airstream, cheering like a lunatic.

Finally, Rainbow swung upward and came to a smooth halt, hovering in midair again. "So whaddaya think, co-pilot? Is this the life, or what?"

"This is amazing!" Spike agreed readily. "And you do this every day?"

"Yah, this is pretty much just a step up from my normal daily workout. A day without five hundred loop-de-loops isn't a day worth living, in my book."

Spike peered down toward the ground far below. He located the Town Hall, then the Library, and then the meadow beyond it. He could just see a small lavender shape peering nervously up at them. "We've got to get Twilight to learn how to do this stuff. She'd have a blast!"

"Heh! Don't think I haven't tried, but she wants to take it a step at a time. Which... probably makes sense. She hasn't grown up with those wings like a pegasus. She's having to consciously learn stuff that fliers like me have baked into us from the start. But she'll get there, with me and Fluttershy helping her."

"So what else do you do when you're up here?" Spike asked. "I mean, what would you do if you really wanted to cut loose, huh?"

"Glutton for punishment, eh?"

"Bring it on!" Spike said, tensely excited. "I'm a dragon! I can take it!"

Rainbow smiled. "Well... there's always barnstorming..."

"Barnstorming?" Spike asked, wide-eyed.

Seconds later, Twilight and Fluttershy were startled when Rainbow's contrail sped down to ground level, then roared past them overhead, heading straight for the Library.

"Rainbow, don't you dare!" Twilight gasped.

But Rainbow was fully in control, and quickly banked to put herself in an orbit around the tree's upper branches. Her contrail whipped around the Library at least a dozen times. And then blasted over to the Town Hall rotunda and did the same thing. And then shot away down a seemingly random street, disappearing amongst the rooftops.

Spike was amazed beyond words. It was like the world's fastest tour of Ponyville. The thatched rooftops sped past them, with Rainbow banking left and right and snapping off seemingly impossible box turns, steadily quartering the town in a never-ending, heart-pounding slalom run. They flew over rooftops. They flew under banners. They flew sideways down a narrow alley that Spike was certain they wouldn't fit through, but Rainbow knew her route well, and they made it with inches to spare.

They shot out beyond the train station, then looped around and rocketed back up Haymarket. Spike saw the costume shop blurring by, then the post office. Then the creek with the stone hoof-bridge.

Pinkie Pie waved to them from the doorway of Sugarcube Corners. "Hey, Spike! Hey, Dashie! I'll race ya!" She ran inside to grab her party cannon and shoved it out onto the street, lining it up carefully. Throwing on her crash-helmet and snapping the strap in place, she hopped into the cannon and waited, a determined look on her face.

Rainbow had heard her, and pulled off a swift series of box turns around the block so she was angling up the street past the store again. Just as Rainbow drew even with the store Pinkie slapped her cannon, triggering it.

And she arced gracefully into the air, giggling madly, flying straight up Trotter Avenue beside Rainbow, who willingly matched speeds. Pinkie waved a forehoof at an amazed Spike and winked at him, as she began slowly arcing downwards again...

... and nailed a "Spike Day" banner she'd previously hung up between two lightposts. The banner sung with tension as it stretched out, and Pinkie slowed to a halt, just touching the ground. And then she did a quick flip, letting the banner snap back behind her with the loudest whip-crack in the world as she dropped safely onto her hooves on the ground.

She pulled a small scroll from her mane, and ticked a box on it. "One more off my bucket list!" she said merrily. Then she trotted back up the street towards the store.

Rainbow had long since roared onwards into streets in the tonier sections of town. She buzzed the day spa. She roared over the Retirement Village, startling its residents. And then she swung up Diamond Avenue and gleefully put a multi-looped rainbow halo around the Carousel Boutique.

Rarity threw open the door and glared upwards. "Rainbow Dash! Have you lost your mind? What is the meaning of this?"

Rainbow came to a sudden halt and hovered in the air above her with a totally smug look, for once having the best excuse in the world.

"Hi, Rarity!" Spike called down, waving.

"Spike?" Rarity said, astonished. "What are you doing up there?"

"Having the all-time best ride of my life! I'll tell ya all about it later! See ya!"

Rainbow took that as her cue to rocket away, looping about and heading back up the street towards Ponyville Square.

"Oh, Spikey! Do stop by later!" Rarity called after them, even though she could see they could no longer hear her. She stared after them forlornly for a moment, then trotted back inside.

Back at the Square, Rainbow looped around the Library a few times more, then banked into the sky over the meadow.

And then she suddenly shot upward, accelerating with wild abandon. Her wings blurred madly. She grabbed altitude so fast it seemed that they were leaving all of Ponyville, all of Equestria, even the entire world far behind them, as they headed out towards the depths of space. The sky darkened. There were stars visible. It was getting difficult to breathe.

"Ya know..." Rainbow called back, for once sounding just a bit winded. "There's one thing we haven't done yet."

"You mean...?" Spike's eyes went wide.

Rainbow glanced back, both to check Spike was secure, and to gauge whether they were high enough.

"Spike?"

"Yeah, Rainbow?"

"Did you pack a lunch?"

"No, why?"

"Because if you did I'd tell ya to hang onto it. Now stay hunkered down, so our envelope is smooth."

Spike willingly did so, shivering with excitement. Rainbow flapped a few more times, picking her target.

And then dove.

Spike felt the chill air whipping past them, faster and faster. He cautiously peeked over Rainbow's head, past her furiously whipping mane. Ahead of them he saw the cloud layer, far below, coming straight at them like an immense wall.

Then he noticed the thin, mist-like gleam of the shockwave forming, first at the tips of Rainbow's outstretched forehooves, then spreading out in a gleaming cone around both of them. And Spike felt the strange acceleration, the bizzare stretched feeling as they approached the speed of sound and neared the limits of even Rainbow's phenomenal reserves of pegasus magic keeping them continually accelerating. And the turbulence... it was like riding the back of a leaf in the heart of a raging tornado.

But he trusted Rainbow, and hunkered down again, clinging to the saddle for dear life. He barely heard Rainbow snarling to herself over the roaring wind as she pushed herself to the limit: "Come on... come on!"

Any second now, any second...

( ( ( ( BOOM ) ) ) )

Spike felt it as much as heard it, a massive thundering blast pounding at him from all sides. He was glad that most of the force of the blast went outwards... it was mind-numbing enough just being at the center of it.

"Aw, yeah!" Rainbow yelled, overjoyed. "Nailed it!"

Spike looked back upward along their path, and saw the immense ring of shimmering rainbow light spreading out overhead. It was glorious, absolutely astounding! It was like every color in the world, and then some... it felt like there were entirely new colors hidden in there somewhere, that he would never see anyplace else.

That's a sonic rainboom! he told himself, still unable to believe it. And I've seen it up close -- I've participated in it! Woah. Now that is cool!

"Thanks, Rainbow!" he called out. "That was unbelievable! Best birthday present ever!"

"Hey, my pleasure, Spike! Glad you liked it!" Rainbow gradually cut back on their speed, curving upward until they were flying horizontal again.

"That's only what, the fourth or fifth time you've done one?"

"Yeh, it's kinda my signature move. I don't wanna overdo it." She sighed loudly. "But even so... it just feels like it could be so much more!"

"More than that?" Spike gestured to the expanding ring of color far above them. "Are you kidding?"

"Nope." Rainbow slowed to a hover again, and looked back at Spike. "Ya know what a sonic boom is?"

"Uhhh..." Spike thought back to Twilight's explanation of it. "It's when an object is travelling so fast, it kinda catches up with its own sound, which gets all bunched up, and the object has to basically punch a hole through it?"

"Top of the class, rookie! Now, for extra credit, how long is a sonic boom?"

Spike shrugged. "Instantaneous? Like... pow?"

Rainbow shook her head. "As long as that object is supersonic, it's still boomin', tearing through its own shockwave. It only sounds like a single boom to someone on the ground, as the cone of the shockwave passes them."

She nodded to the ring of colors herself. "Now, the rainboom part happens right as I'm going trans-sonic. I'm not the expert on that part of it, but from what I understand it's the sonic boom interacting with my pegasus magic, and basically blasting my rainbow contrail clean across the sky. The only problem is I can't stay trans-sonic. The shock of the rainboom itself pushes me back subsonic again. I just can't sustain the speed. So it looks instantaneous... but I'm guessing if there was a way for me to stay supersonic, or at least right on the edge of it, the rainboom effect would be continuous. Not just a ring, but a tunnel..."

"Woah!" Spike said, looking back. The idea was dazzling to him: a tunnel of colors... just like those. Now that'd be something worth seeing before ya croaked!

"What would you even call that? A sonic rain... barrel?" he suggested, trying to figure out how to describe it. He looked forward again, and saw Rainbow was giving him a look.

"Eh... not wild on it as a name," she said, "but to be fair, I haven't come up with anything cooler. So let's roll with that for now: a sonic rain-barrel!"

"And you just need a way to stay supersonic?"

"Yeah, I can get us there no problem. It's staying there that's the trick."

"Any ideas how?"

"Not really." Rainbow looked embarrassed. "I'm... kinda hoping we might talk to Twilight about it, see if she has any suggestions."

"Well, sure! I bet she'd be glad to help! Why wouldn't she?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Okay, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight thundered. "Just what the hay was going on up there? Explain yourself!"

Rainbow was sitting on the ground, hunched back nervously, eyes wide. Spike, who had just finished unlatching himself, hopped down to the ground and came around to stand beside her. He looked on worriedly as Twilight berated Rainbow. He'd rarely seen her so livid. "I thought you were just going to fly Spike around, take him through some of your stunt maneuvers. Not take him on a madcap aerial parkour thorough Ponyville... or through a sonic rainboom!"

"Relax, Twilight!" Spike piped up cautiously. "I'm fine! And it was great! Rainbow was in total control the entire time. And seeing a rainboom from the inside was... well, I'm gonna need to borrow a dictionary and look up some new words for utter coolness!"

Twilight glanced at him. "I'm not objecting to the rainboom, Spike."

"Uh... you're not?"

"No." Twilight looked back at Rainbow. "I'm objecting to the fact that we haven't been clued in on the whole story here. Right, Rainbow?"

"Uh..." Rainbow scuffed her mane with a hoof, looking embarrassed. "Yeah, I might kinda have had an ulterior motive here."

"I'm listening..." Twilight said levelly.

"Well, see, it's like this. The Wonderbolts are in their final decision phase on who among their Academy students gets to apply for the Wonderbolt Reserves, and... well, if I could demonstrate a really awesome new maneuver to catch their attention right now, it would seriously help my chances."

"Like a sonic rain-barrel?" Spike asked, excited.

Twilight stared at him. "A sonic what?"

"Rainbow thinks there might be a way to extend a sonic rainboom so it's continuous," Spike said eagerly. "So it wouldn't be just a ring -- it'd be a tunnel of color, stretching across the sky. That would be totally awesome!"

Twilight stared at Rainbow, who looked away uncomfortably. "And I'll just bet that you're thinking it would be a really great idea to perform this sonic rainbarrel maneuver during the celebration of Spike Day in the Crystal Empire."

"Well..." Rainbow shrugged. "That certainly wouldn't hurt."

"I don't believe this!" Twilight facehoofed. "You planned from the start to turn a so-called present for Spike into an opportunity to improve your standing with the Wonderbolts? Do you have any idea how selfish that sounds, Rainbow?"

"Now just hang on a minute!" Rainbow objected. "I didn't plan all of that!"

"Excuse me? It sure sounds to me like you did!"

"Well... that's just because you're the pony of a thousand checklists, Twilight!" Rainbow fired back hotly. "You'd have a checklist for breathing if it wasn't automatic!" Rainbow pointed a hoof at her angrily. "Everything's planned out in your snug, safe little world. You don't move without a plan! Well, with me it's different: I'm a flyer, I can't plan ahead. I have to go with my gut, just try stuff and see what happens, react on the fly, figure things out as I get to them!"

She put a hoof to her forehead, forcing herself to calm down.

"Now look, coming up with a new trick was on my mind when I offered to take Spike flying. But the offer itself was totally genuine! I just realized as I was following through on it that if I showed the two of you what I could do, well... maybe you might see something I didn't!"

"You mean show Spike here," Twilight pointed out. "And get him so sucked into the idea, that he'd want to perform it with you at this celebration, which is supposed to be honoring him for his heroism."

"Yeah, well... that is sorta the way it worked out," Rainbow admitted.

"And I do!" Spike said.

"Huh? -- What?" They both stared at him.

Spike looked from one of his two friends to the other. "Well, I've actually been kinda worried about this whole Spike Day thing. I mean, what if they want me to give a speech or something in front of everypony? I was feeling really nervous! But if Rainbow and I could work up a cool stunt like this to present at the celebration, then... maybe they'd let me get away without doing a speech. And this sonic rain-barrel idea of Rainbow's is really cool, Twi! She even let me come up with the name for it!"

Twilight still looked unconvinced.

Spike trotted over and put a claw on her shoulder. "Please, Twilight? Flying around with Rainbow has already been a blast. And if I could be part of making something like this happen, it would be just about the best birthday present ever!"

Twilight glared silently at Rainbow for a long moment.

Then she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine!"

"Huh? Really, Twi?" Spike smiled hopefully.

"Sure, Spike." She smiled ruefully at him. "I did say you were old enough to make your own decisions and take your own risks. And I meant that! If this is what you'd like for your special day, then I want to help you."

"Great! Because we wanted to ask your advice."

"Do tell... now you want my advice!" Twilight grumbled, glancing at Rainbow. "Sorry, Spike, go on. I am your assistant for the day, after all."

"Well, what we need is some way to keep Rainbow at supersonic speed, once she's gotten there. Do you know of anything that might help?"

Twilight visibly restrained her annoyance, trying to consider it fairly. After a few moments, she shook her head. "Nothing comes to mind right away. I'll have to research it." She sighed. "Look, why don't you two continue flying for now, practice working together. But... just simple aerial maneuvers for now, okay? And I'll let you know if I come up with anything. Fluttershy, would you mind staying here for a while, just in case they need you?"

"Oh, not at all," Fluttershy said. "I think it's a wonderful project for the two of them! And it's so thrilling to watch!"

"Thanks. And if anypony needs me, I'll be in my safe, snug little library," Twilight muttered. "Planning!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Once Spike had climbed back aboard, Rainbow continued stunt-flying for a long while, just to finish up her daily training regimen. And then, for want of a practical task to work on, she and Spike came up with a system of signals to use in the event things were too loud or too busy to talk. And finally Rainbow simply allowed Spike to "fly" her for a while, leaning left and right for turns, and forward and back to rise and dive, which the dragon enjoyed immensely.

But then Spike started to get nervous about where Twilight had gotten to, so they called an end to the current session -- much to the disappointment of their audience which had only gotten larger in the last hour or so.

Spike wanted to help Rainbow get unlaced from the saddle but it turned out to be surprisingly easy: she just threw two lock levers on the belly panel of the harness, hit a quick release, and the entire thing unlatched and smoothly came away as a single piece. They wiped it down and dried it, then hung it in the downstairs closet of the Library. And then they finally went in search of Twilight.

They found her in the basement room that she'd converted as a research lab. Surrounded by open spell-books, she was hunched over and staring intently at a length of dark red hexagonal crystal clamped in a vice on the low table before her. Around it were a half-dozen crystal cutting tools, plus shards and flakes of crystal.

"Uh, Twilight?" Spike asked, carefully. He'd once seen her make a standing leap of eight feet from a position like that when she'd been caught unawares.

"Hey, Spike," she said, absently. "Okay, that looks about right..."

Her horn glowed, and she concentrated intently on the crystal.

"There, that's set the spell," she muttered to herself. "Now to charge it up." Her horn sang again, much louder and brighter. And the crystal glowed with the power it was absorbing. She continued working at it for a few moments longer, and then doused her horn.

"Okay, let's see if this works. Spike, c'mon over here. Now, when I say go, I want you to tap the crystal briefly. Just tap it, nothing more."

Spike nodded, and at Twilight's signal, he barely pinged the crystal with a claw-tip.

And the crystal flared with a brilliant luminescence.

"Okay, now touch it for a few seconds."

Spike did so, and the crystal glowed brilliantly, filling the room with ruby light as long as he kept his claw on it.

"Ha! Perfect!" Twilight quickly scribbled some notes in a notebook. "I found a self-invoking enchantment," she explained, "that permits a spell to be placed on a gemstone and then charged up, so that from that point on anyone, whether magic-user or not, can activate the spell just by touching the crystal."

"So... it's like a magic glowstick?" Rainbow said doubtfully.

"At the moment I've only put a luminance spell on it for testing," Twilight said. "But there's another spell we can use: Newton's Inertial Phase-Lock. When activated, it will place a fixed inertial frame around the object the crystal's in contact with, so its current velocity is held constant, sustained by the crystal's magic energy. Think of it as kind of like the inertial form of anti-gravity."

"Uhhh... okay if I think of it as a magical speed-lock thingy?" Rainbow asked. "That's easier to remember."

"Whatever floats your boat, Rainbow," Twilight muttered.

"So the idea is," Spike said, "once we're at the right speed, we activate the spell and it keeps us there?"

"Until the charge runs out." Twilight nodded. "It won't last for very long but it should be enough to help you complete your presentation. And once the spell has been set on the crystal, any magic-user can recharge it, if you need to try again."

"That's perfect!" Rainbow said. "I have to concentrate on flying anyway, so I'll get us up to rainboom speed, and when I give you the high-sign, Spike, you hit the magic speed-lock. And then we'll see if it works!"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Rainbow."

"Oh, I trust you, Twi, no question!" Dash said happily, staring at the crystal. "You're the egghead here, after all!"

Twilight gave a long-suffering groan.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Spike was all for giving the speed-lock a try right away, but Rainbow suggested there was one other item of gear they should look into first.

"Team uniforms?" Spike looked surprised, as they trotted along the street past the day spa. "Really? I mean, that'd be cool and all, but..."

"Trust me," Rainbow told him. "It's all in the presentation. I mean, you'd hardly know the Wonderbolts were the Wonderbolts without their flight suits, right? I mean, until they take to the air... then it's obvious."

"Well, okay!" Spike said. "I won't say no."

"And if we want the best," Rainbow went on, "there's only one pony to talk to. And, given how frazzled she gets under pressure, we'll want to give her plenty of lead time while we're practicing."

A brisk walk across town brought them to the Carousel Boutique. Spike pushed through the front door, with Rainbow right behind him.

"Welcome to Carousel Boutique," Rarity called distractedly at the sound of the door's bell. "Where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique... give me just one moment, please!" The violet-maned fashion pony finished a tricky stitch, attaching an elegant lace rosette to the hem of a gorgeous violet-and-purple gown she was working on in one of the store's side alcoves.

Then, sighing in satisfaction, she turned round. And spotted Spike.

Pirouetting like a tornado, she yanked the curtains closed around the garment. "Oh, hah hah! Not quite finished yet, don't want anyone seeing it until it's absolutely fabulous. Well, ah..." She looked around, realized there was nothing else she could appear to be busy on, and settled for smiling brightly. "Hello, Spikey! What can I do for you? Oh, and hello, Rainbow," she belatedly added.

"Uh... hi, Rarity," Spike said. "We stopped by because Rainbow and I are working on a flying routine for the Spike Day celebration, and..."

"Oh yes, I saw you earlier!" Rarity interrupted. "You looked quite strikingly fetching way up there, Spike... like a knight-errant of the days of yore, astride his noble steed!"

Rainbow loudly cleared her throat. "Whinney," she muttered.

"Uh, yeah," Spike went on. "Thanks! And we wanted to ask, well... if you might have time to make us a pair of team uniforms before the celebration? Just so we look the part when we pull off the coolest maneuver Equestria's ever seen?"

"Oh!" Rarity looked startled. "Well, of course I have time for you, Spikey. It is your day, after all. Ah, what did you have in mind?"

Spike glanced questioningly at Rainbow -- who nodded. "Go ahead, Spike! I've learned my lesson with Twilight, and Rarity can do a much better job if she has the whole picture. We have no secrets from her!"

Rarity looked startled at that, but willingly listened as Spike excitedly explained things. "So... let me see if I have it right," Rarity finally said. "You'll need something flashy, yet practical, and emphasizing the rainboom aspect of your performance?"

Before Spike could reply, Rainbow jumped in. "Yeah, something like the cool team outfits that the Wonderbolts wear. I mean, without actually looking like their outfits. Don't want them thinking I'm jumping the gun here. Uh, I mean, it wants to be flashy, but professional-style flashy, ya know? And cool, did I mention cool? Something just as cool. Uh... for both Spike and me, I mean..."

Her voice ran down and she winced uncomfortably, listening to her own words. She glanced at Spike.

"... and Spike's uniform," she added guiltily, "should be more flashy than mine. So he stands out up there. After all, this is his day!"

"Well," Rarity said, "it occurs to me that we're celebrating his heroism in riding out to defeat King Sombra on the back of Princess Cadance, so perhaps we might work that into the design...?"

Rainbow goggled in disbelief, and looked ready to object. Then she gulped, and gritted her teeth. "Yeah. That sounds right. And sure, I can play Princess Cadance, if that's what works out best here."

"Don't worry, Dash!" Rarity assured her. "I think I can work Cadance's mane colors into your garment in a way that'll be unmistakable, without it having to be pink overall."

Rainbow sighed in relief. "Thanks, Rarity!"

"And for you, my little prince," Rarity said, "Flashy it is! Perhaps with the crystal heart worked into the design?"

"That sounds great, Rarity!" Spike smiled. "Thanks so much for being able to do this on short notice!"

"Oh, short notice is what my business is all about, Spikey!" Rarity dimpled. Then she looked uncertain. "Um... was there anything else you might like for your birthday?"

"Uh, nope! That's perfect! Listen, Rainbow and I need to go practice, since we've only got a couple days to get the routine down."

"Oh..." Rarity bit her lip. "Well, let me at least get your measurements again, the both of you. Then I can make a start, and later you can come by for a proper fitting, yes?"

"Sure thing," Spike agreed. He and Rainbow waited patiently while the measuring tape darted about them both like an overcaffinated fakir's rope. It seemed to be taking much longer than usual as Rarity checked the numbers and copied them down on a handy scroll.

"All done!" She finally said, brightly. She followed them to the door and waved as they hurried off back up the street towards the Square.

Then she sighed, and shut the door again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For the rest of the afternoon, Spike and Rainbow practiced manuevers, picking the stunts they'd perform as the lead-in to their grand finalé, and working out how best to give Spike a more visible role as co-pilot. And finally they got down to serious practice of the timing of the big moment, with Rainbow going through dive after dive at increasingly high speed, and Spike slapping the rim of the saddle on cue, until they both felt confident they had the timing down exactly.

Twilight eventually had to call them in for the night like wayward children, as Celestia lowered the sun, or they'd have kept right at it under the moonlight.

After they'd cleaned and hung up the saddle, Rainbow looked around the main room of the library. The only other ponies present were Twilight and Applejack. "Hey, where's Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow asked. "I was expecting we'd be assaulted the second we stepped in here!"

"Nah," Applejack said. "We all knew you'd be tuckered out after all that practice work, and you'd need time to take care of the tack as well. Speakin' of which, I found some spare faux-leather that I kin use to run up a holder for that speed-lock crystal, attached to the front of the saddle. I'll work on it tonight at home, and when you're at breakfast tomorrow, lemme borrow the saddle for a bit and I'll add it on for ya."

"Thanks, A.J.!" Rainbow said, smiling. Then she looked down at Spike. "Hey, co-pilot, ya feel like a ride upstairs? Strange to hear myself say it, but I'm getting kinda used to having ya riding back there."

"Sure!" Spike agreed. He clambered up, and then Rainbow sprang into the air, and swooped up the stairs and into Twilight's loft room.

And got hit in the face by a cloud of confetti and streamers from Pinkie's party cannon... because that's where everyone else had gathered to hold the surprise party.

Rainbow didn't mind too much. As Pinkie had said, it still counted as a surprise party even if you knew it was coming.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After breakfast the next morning, Rainbow took the modified saddle back from A.J. and she and Spike both stared at the crystal, clipped securely to the front of it in the holder Applejack had crafted.

"It looks cool, Twi!" Spike said.

"Yeah," Rainbow said. "And the clip matches the saddle perfectly. Good job, A.J.!"

"Thank ya kindly, Rainbow!"

"I've already put the lock spell on the crystal," Twilight said. "But I haven't charged it up yet, just to avoid any accidents."

"Okay... well, let's get to it!" Rainbow slung the saddle on her back and clipped it tight, slapping the lock levers closed. Then she waited as Spike clambered aboard and locked himself snugly to the seat. They did the flip test again, just to be sure.

And then Rainbow landed, and looked to Twilight. "Ready when you are."

Twilight fired up her horn, shut her eyes, and concentrated. Her horn sang with power; the gem shimmered with stored energy.

"Okay, it's live. Remember not to touch it, Spike, until you're ready to fire it off. It'll drain pretty fast so you don't want a miscue up there."

"Not to worry," Rainbow said, smugly. "We've got the timing down perfect. Right, Spike?"

"Uh, yeah! We sure do, Rainbow!"

"Relax, Spike! We can do this. Now..." she cleared her throat importantly. "Are you ready, co-pilot?"

Spike gritted his teeth. "Ready!"

Rainbow nodded and crouched in readiness. And then she sprang skyward.

Just to limber up a bit first, she went through a few turns and loops, and then she swung into the rising corkscrew maneuver they planned to use to make sure Spike was visible to the audience as they climbed.

And then Rainbow poured it on, and they shot away into the heavens.

"Okay, Spike," Rainbow said, as they climbed. "Just like we practiced. We head down to gain velocity, arc over so we're level, and when we hit rainboom speed over the meadow, I signal you, and you hit the lock."

Spike nervously checked his helmet and goggles were secure, took a deep breath. "Got it!"

Rainbow reached altitude, arced over... and dove.

The air screamed past them. The shockwave formed. Rainbow furiously poured it on, her teeth gritted determinedly. Spike tensly hunkered down over the gem, carefully gripping the saddle to either side of it.

He felt squashed into the saddle as Rainbow swung into the arc, swinging horizontal even as they continued to accelerate.

They came level, the turbulence reached a peak. Spike readied his claw...

"Hit me, Spike!"

Spike grabbed the crystal.

( ( ( ( BOOM! ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( BOOM!! ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( BOOM!!! ) ) ) )

And there it was... all around them, a tunnel of glittering, shimmering, detonating rainbow color, stretching out behind them as they roared above the meadow. Spike gasped in astonishment. Rainbow crowed exhilaratedly, as they slammed through the turbulent, shimmering air.

But while it was merely a rough buffeting to Spike's tough scales, the punishing battering of trans-sonic flight was quickly taking its toll on the pegasus. "Spike!" Rainbow called out worriedly. "Ease up!"

Shocked, Spike realized he was still holding onto the crystal, and quickly yanked his claw off it. With a last concussive detonation, the sonic rain-barrel effect ended. They banked around in a long curve, heading back across the meadow.

But Rainbow was weaving about now, drunkenly, shaking her head.

"Are you okay, Rainbow?" Spike called worriedly.

"Yeah... I'm... fine... um... uh... okay... not so fine..."

And she suddenly plunged groundward.

"Whooaaaahhhh! Rainbow!" Spike clung to her shoulders, helplessly watching the ground approaching. He shut his eyes...

... and thus he missed the moment when they landed smack in the middle of the world's largest marshmallow, which had suddenly appeared beneath them.

Far down the meadow, Fluttershy sighed in relief. "Thanks, Discord!"

"Well, I hope you notice I didn't interfere until they absolutely needed me," he said, just a little snidely.

"Your timing was perfect! Now we'd better go see what happened!"

They all hurried out across the field, gathering around the marshmallow. "Spike!" Rarity nervously called up. "Are you all right up there?"

Spike appeared at the edge above them. "Yeah, I'm fine! But Rainbow's out cold!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

They brought her over to the Library and tucked her up in Twilight's bed, where Fluttershy did a quick examination.

"I don't think she's hurt seriously," she finally said. "Nothing's broken, as far as I can see. But that turbulence... oh, it must have been brutal!"

"Ugghhhh... tell me about it," Rainbow groaned blearily, putting a hoof to her head. "Ow! Now I know what a shoe nail feels like."

"Are you okay, Rainbow?" Spike asked worriedly, from his seat beside her. "I'm sorry... I kept the lock on for too long."

"Hey! Don't sweat it, Spike." She smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm okay, and you did just great. And wow, we did it! A sonic rain-barrel! Are we Team Rainboom, or what?"

"It sure was a purty sight, I'll give ya that!" A.J. said. The others nodded in agreement.

"But obviously," Twilight suggested, "you'll want to limit the duration of the effect to something more manageable. I could just put a lesser charge on the crystal, and the effect will automatically cut out before it becomes too punishing."

"Nah!" Rainbow waved a hoof. "I'd rather have too much power available than too little, in case we need it. We just need to practice our timing a bit. And now we've been through it once, we'll know what to expect."

"Are you sure we should, Rainbow?" Spike asked.

"Hey, you're my co-pilot, Spike! I trust you. We can make it work."

Spike still looked uneasy. "I dunno. I just don't like the feeling that you got hurt because of all this. No performance is worth that!"

Rainbow looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. "I hear ya, bud. And you shouldn't stress about me getting knocked around a bit. You and Twilight both know how many times I've crashed into this Library. I can take it." She sighed, looking at his expression. "But... okay, fair's fair. I'm not gonna force ya. We've proved the trick works, we made it happen, there were witnesses who can vouch for it. That's plenty! We can call it a success and stop right now if you want. And I mean that!"

Spike thought about it for a while. He glanced at Twilight, who carefully kept her expression neutral. And then he looked at Rainbow.

"No, I wanna see this through. If you're still in on making it happen for the celebration, so am I!"

"All right!" Rainbow said, pleased. "There's my team-player! Now just let me rest up here for a bit. And then we'll go again and do a few dry runs to work out the exit timing. And then we should be good to go!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rarity was running a bit late on the designs for their uniforms, so they did the final fitting onboard the Friendship Train as it chugged towards the Crystal Empire, the morning of the celebration.

"Now this is classy!" Rainbow said, admiring herself in Rarity's mirrors. Her uniform was a flightsuit of sedate royal blue, swirled with Cadance's mane colors of rose, violet, and gold. It also came with a matching clip-on cape for events before and after, though for the moment Rainbow was wearing the saddle over it instead.

Rainbow swung round. "Hey, co-pilot, hop on up here and let's get a proper look at ya!"

Spike waited patiently as Rarity fussed with his collar, making final adjustments. Then he hurried over and leapt onto Rainbow's back. And there was no doubt whose day it was. His uniform was glittering gemstone blue, with the Crystal Heart emblazoned front and back, and in miniature on his arms. There were epaulets of tasseled gold on his shoulders. And he had his own small cape, of Spike purple with the Crystal Heart on it as well.

Spike struck a pose and flexed proudly. "Yeah!" he said. "Look out, King Sombra! Spike the Brave and Honorable is comin' atcha!"

And then he sat right down on Rainbow's back and looked scared.

"Ya nervous, co-pilot?" Rainbow asked, gently.

"On-n-nly my t-t-eeth," Spike said, as they chattered.

"Hey, look," Rainbow said. "You are doing me an unbelievable favor by letting me share the spotlight with ya. So I've got your back. I'll carry ya in, I'll carry ya out. All you have to do is smile and wave for your fans. We'll do our act, we'll take a bow, and if they look like they want to dragoon us into talking about it, I'll remember something important and fly us right outta there. Unless, of course, you tell me otherwise. Sound good?"

"Thanks, Rainbow!"

Rarity came over to tweak Spike's collar and cape some more. "You look simply smashing, Spikey-Wikey!"

"It's beautiful, Rarity!" He smiled at her gratefully.

"Why, thank you, Spike! Oh... I mean, yes, I really went all out. I wanted you to look like the prince you are! Um..."

The connecting door to the next car opened, and Twilight looked in. "We're almost there. Places everypony! Oh, wow!" She trotted over to stare at Spike and Rainbow. "You two look amazing! Spike, I'm so proud of you!"

Spike shrugged. "Aw, Rarity did all the work!"

"But you wear it well, Spikey," Rarity said.

Twilight came over to charge up the crystal. When she'd finished, Rainbow nodded thanks. And then, just as she was about to turn away, spoke up. "Hey, Twi... uh, sorry about what I said the other day. And trust me, I get it... this is Spike's day. And we're gonna make it a special one for him."

Twilight smiled. "I'm glad to hear it, Rainbow!"

"So, uh... we good?"

"More than good. Knock 'em dead out there, both of you!"

Rainbow sighed, relieved. "Okay, you ready for this, co-pilot?"

Spike stood up, took a deep breath. "Ready!"

"And don't worry," Rainbow said, with a smirk, "after this, the sonic rain-barrel will be a breeze!"

Rainbow led the way through the connecting door, to where the other ponies were waiting. As the train slowed to a stop, they formed up as a group behind Rainbow and Spike. The train came to a halt, the doors slid open...

And the band struck up. What looked like the entire pony population of the Crystal Empire crowded around to watch as Rainbow stepped out through the door, with Spike standing on her back. The moment the crowds caught sight of Spike, a massive cheer went up.

"Geez!" Rainbow hissed. Then she whispered over her shoulder. "Okay, Spike, remember... smile and wave!" Spike did so, and somehow the crowds managed to become even louder.

A phalanx of armored crystal guards fell in around Rainbow, and acted as escort to keep the crowds back as she trotted smartly off the platform and out onto the main street, heading towards the spire of the Crystal Palace, with Twilight and the others following close behind.

As they finally entered the open space in front of the Palace, Spike pointed ahead. "Hey look, there's Princess Cadance, and Shining Armor!" He looked to his left. "Oh, man... Celestia and Luna are here too!"

Rainbow suddenly tensed, glancing to her right. "Omigosh! Omigosh!"

"What is it, Rainbow?"

"Spike! Do you know who's standing in the front row over there? Spitfire! And Soarin and Fleetfoot! Practically the entire top brass of the Wonderbolts are here!"

"That's good, right? You wanted them to see our performance."

"Yeah, but what if they get the wrong idea? Princess Cadance must have asked them to put on a show for the Celebration. What if they think we're trying to upstage them? What if Spitfire's offended and drops my name from the short list?"

"C'mon, Rainbow, they won't do that," Spike said. "You've said it yourself, they're professionals. They've got nothing to prove. And you're just gonna show them what a great flyer you are. Why would they be offended?"

Rainbow swallowed uncomfortably. Then she nodded. "You're right, Spike. And thanks! You're the best co-pilot a flyer could have. Anyone who thinks different will have to go through me!"

The guards peeled off to the left and right, and Rainbow kept trotting forwards towards Princess Cadance, who was standing beside a huge, tarp-shrouded shape in the square in front of the Crystal Palace.

Rainbow slowed and came to a halt just short of the Princess, then knelt down so that Spike could hop off and trot up to her, while Rainbow pointedly stepped off to the side to wait.

Spike approached Cadance and essayed a deep bow of his own.

"Your Highness!"

"Spike, it is so good to see you again!" Cadance smiled warmly at him. "We'll definitely catch up properly later, but right now I need to shower you with honors, if that's all right?"

"Absolutely, m'lady!"

Cadance nodded, then lifted her head. Her Royal Voice boomed out across the crowds: "WE WELCOME THEE, SPIKE THE BRAVE AND HONORABLE! ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CRYSTAL EMPIRE, WE THANK YOU! AND LET THIS SMALL TOKEN OF OUR EMPIRE'S GRATITUDE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST REGARD AND EVERLASTING RESPECT!"

A tug of her magic shook loose the tarp, which fell away, revealing a massive carven crystal statue of Spike holding the Crystal Heart aloft.

"Woah!" Spike breathed, otherwise speechless.

Rainbow whistled, from her seat off to the side. "Okay, Spike," she stage-whispered, "next lifetime I'll save the Empire, and you can join the Wonderbolts!"

Cadance glanced Rainbow's way. And then she motioned with her head. Surprised, Rainbow got up and came over to stand beside Spike.

"AND NOW," Cadance went on, "TO HELP OPEN OUR FESTIVITIES, OUR GUEST OF HONOR, SPIKE THE BRAVE AND HONORABLE... WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF HIS CLOSE FRIEND, RAINBOW DASH, THE SWIFT AND LOYAL... HAVE GENEROUSLY PREPARED AN AERIAL DISPLAY FOR US. CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE, PLEASE JOIN WITH ME IN GIVING THEM YOUR FULL ATTENTION AND SUPPORT!"

There were cheers and a thundering of hooves, as Rainbow stepped closer and knelt down to let Spike climb aboard again. She stood up, and waited until Spike had secured himself to the saddle. Then Rainbow took a deep breath, spread her wings, and launched herself out over the crowds.

With a quick slap of her wings, she inverted, sweeping in an easy loop over the entire crowd, giving them a good view of Spike sitting on her back. They went through their planned initial routine of fast loops, rolls, and dives, interspersed with slower arcs over the crowds, during which Spike "flew" Rainbow left and right, just to make it clear he was more than just a passenger for the flight. The crowd oohed and aahed excitedly, and broke into a rousing cheer for some of the steeper dives and sharper turns.

Then Rainbow swept upward into the rising spiral, keeping Spike visible on the outside as they rose above the crowds. And then she slammed on the speed, and they shot high into the air, angling away from the city center, rising high above the protective sphere of warmth projected by the Crystal Heart.

The air up here was thin and chill, and the arctic winds slapped at them mercilessly. Rainbow reached dive height, and looked back to Spike, who checked his helmet and goggles and the crystal, and then gave the thumbs-up.

Rainbow nodded. Spike hunkered down. And Rainbow folded wings and dove.

They roared back down into the warmth of the Empire, with the Crystal Palace a great icy spike off in the distance ahead of them. The plan was to make their horizontal run parallel to the main street, ending as close to the Palace as possible, but high enough so that their passage over the city wouldn't damage its crystalline buildings and other structures.

Spike kept his attention firmly focused on the crystal, readying himself for Rainbow's signal. This was the run that counted, and he wasn't going to mess it up. He felt the rushing of air, felt the tingling, stretched sensation, felt the crushing pressure as they arced over, felt the turbulence reaching its peak as they came horizontal...

"Hit me, Spike!"

Spike's claw landed on the crystal, right on cue.

( ( ( ( BOOM! ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( BOOM!! ) ) ) )

( ( ( ( BOOM!!! ) ) ) )

He felt, rather than saw, the continuous thundering detonation of the rain-barrel all around them. And as well, he felt the merciless battering of their flight just above the sound-barrier. He felt Rainbow wavering, being slapped first one way then another by the airstream. He felt her corrections becoming looser, less certain.

"Rainbow!" he called out.

"Don't let up, Spike!" Rainbow shouted. "A little longer! I can take it!"

Spike gritted his teeth, and kept his grip on the crystal, wincing at the buffeting his friend was taking.

"Come on! Come on! COME ON!!!" Rainbow screamed, determinedly, dementedly...

... and then in pain. "Aaaaagggh!"

Rainbow yanked his claw off the crystal as if scalded. The rain-barrel effect slammed to an end, and silence fell. Then he looked up.

And saw the upper spire of the Crystal Palace coming right at them.

Rainbow was weaving drunkenly, nearly out of control. Then she suddenly dropped downwards, heading for the front edge of the crowds in the Square.

Her forehooves swept downwards, clumsily batting the levers on the belly panel. She swatted the quick-release, and did a quick buck that sent Spike and the saddle flying loose behind her. Then she careened helplessly onwards, no longer able to control her flight.

"Spike!" Rarity's cry was piercing in the silence that had fallen.

Spike tumbled down helplessly...

... and was smoothly caught by Fluttershy. Who was nearly knocked out of the air herself. Both of them wound up being caught in the magenta glow of Twilight's magic, and lowered to the ground.

And Rainbow nearly pancaked into the crystal pavement, right in front of the statue. She was belatedly snagged by Princess Cadance's magic field and drastically slowed, so that she merely landed roughly, collapsing in a heap on the ground.

Spike disentangled himself from the saddle, and from Fluttershy's mane, which had nearly cocooned them both. And then he suddenly found himself smothered in a warm hug from Rarity. "Spikey, dear! Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm okay, Rarity! Lemme go a minute! I gotta check on Rainbow!"

He hurried over to where Rainbow was resting on a grassy plot nearby where Cadance had gently moved her.

"Rainbow?" he asked nervously.

There was no answer. Rainbow was unconscious, battered and bleeding.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Rainbow came to, in a comfortable bed in a room in the Palace, with her head, wings, and one forehoof bandaged.

And with Spike snoring gently on the covers next to her.

"Hey, co-pilot," Rainbow said, weakly.

"Snrk... uh... Rainbow!" Spike jumped up, overjoyed. He turned to the crystal-armored guard standing by the door. "Hey, would you let the others know she's come round?"

The guard saluted smartly, and left the room at a run.

"Sorry I spoiled the big moment," Rainbow said. "I really shoulda let you call it. I was so determined to put on a good show for your big day that I didn't want to quit, even when I could feel I was losing it. Which was dumb of me! I pushed it farther than I should have."

"You didn't spoil a thing, Rainbow!" Spike said. "The rain-barrel worked perfectly, just the way we planned it. The crystal ponies loved it! But that was nothing compared to when Cadance announced you were alive after the crash. You shoulda heard the cheering! They all saw how you tried to keep me safe at the last minute, and they love you for it. You're almost as much a hero here as I am!"

"Wow." Rainbow stared at him. "These crystal ponies are really starved for heroes, aren't they?" She smirked... and then her face fell. "I bet the Wonderbolts weren't all that impressed. Aw, geez! I'm "Rainbow Crash" all over again!"

"Oh! Hang on a sec!" Spike scurried over to the side table, and grabbed a scroll. "Here... it's your invitation to apply to the Wonderbolt Reserves. Spitfire asked me to give it to you when you came round. She said they'd already decided to pick you, but when they heard you were planning this routine with me for Spike Day, they were going to surprise you with it at the Gala this evening. And they saw how you handled the crash at the end. Spitfire said, and I'm quotin' here: that was the most insanely selfless crash-and-burn I've ever witnessed... in keeping with the best tradition of the Wonderbolts!"

"She said all that?"

"Dragon code of honor," Spike replied, putting up a claw as he said it.

"Wow..." Rainbow held the scroll, her eyes sad and damp.

Then she put up a hoof. Spike, startled, bumped it with a claw.

"Best... co-pilot... ever!" Rainbow whispered.

"Oh! Excuse me! Er... if this isn't a good time, I can come back!"

"Nah, c'mon in, Rarity! We're just sharing a camaraderie after putting on the greatest aerial exhibition in the entire history of the Crystal Empire."

Spike looked at her. "Say what now?"

Rainbow lay back, looking smug even as she winced a little. "Well, I mean they have been locked away for a thousand years. Can't be a lot of competition for the title, right?"

"Oh!" Rarity said, "It's wonderful to see you're almost back to your old self, Rainbow! Well... I just wanted to say how marvelously I think you both did. The two of you make a great team... and you look so happy flying together." She looked mournful. "And if the two of you feel like spending even more time together, well... I'll understand..."

Rainbow stared at her, frankly puzzled. And then she rolled her eyes.

"Woah-woah-woah-woah-woah!" she said, waving her hooves. "Okay, let's just get one thing clear right now, huh?" She rested a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Spike is my co-pilot. Best co-pilot a flyer could ever have. And that's it, period! Hey, I'm a flyer! We don't do relationships with teammates, they're a distraction we don't need in the air. So whatever you think is going on between me and Spike, you can just forget it right now, okay?"

"Oh! Um. Well then... I see I was mistaken, and I apologize. Ah, Spikey, could I chat with you privately, outside?"

"Sure thing, Rarity!" As she trotted out through the door again, Spike glanced at Rainbow.

Who smirked. "Spike, you can see that I'm gonna be fine. And right now, there's somepony else who needs you around a lot more than I do. So get outta here, co-pilot! Before I kick you out the door myself!"

Spike grinned, fired off a quick salute, and then lowered himself to the floor and trotted out through the door. Rainbow smiled after him, and lay back again.

"I love my job!" she murmured happily.

Out in the corridor, Spike found Rarity waiting tensely for him. "Spike," she said, "I realize that you've been busy with planning your performance with Rainbow. And given how things have been between us lately, perhaps I'm just stirring up things that should best be left alone. Yet given how short we are on time... oh, I'll just ask it straight out..."

She took a steadying breath. "Spike, would you do me the very great honor of being my beau this evening, at the Gala celebrating your birthday?"

Spike was floored. His eyes went wide. "Seriously, Rarity? Absolutely!"

"You don't mind?"

"Why the heck would I mind?" He took her hoof, and bowed over it. "It's everything I've always wanted!"

"Really, Spikey? Well why didn't you say so? You've seemed so distant lately."

Spike winced. "That's because, well... I was worried you'd say it was silly. That it was just a childish crush. That I didn't really understand what love is. But it's not, Rarity..." He gulped, and went on. "I've always wanted to be with you, ever since I first saw you."

"Spikey..." she breathed. "It's such a relief to hear you say that!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Grand Ballroom of the Crystal Palace was packed to capacity. The bunting, balloons, and other decorations were almost up to Pinkie Pie's standards. The cake was a stepped pyramid of chocolate and vanilla, covered in sky-blue icing and purple gemstones. It wasn't quite the Grand Galloping Gala, but the Spike Day Gala was impressive, nevertheless.

And wherever Spike went in the crowd, the crystal ponies thanked him and congratulated him. They hung on his every word as he described the rigorous training regimen he and Rainbow had undergone to prepare for their joint performance. He felt it important to speak up for Rainbow, given that she was still resting up from her injuries. And if that meant talking up the truth just a little, Rainbow-style... well, that was all part of being a good co-pilot, now wasn't it?

Spike was dressed in a smart black tuxedo with tails, accented by a bright green bow-tie with a ruby accent. And beside him, head held high, was Rarity, wearing the elegant violet-and-purple gown with matching cloak that she'd been working on in her shop, the one she'd planned to wear if Spike happened to ask her to the Gala himself. And Spike, ever her little gentleman, introduced her to everyone he met and went out of his way to ensure she was comfortable and happy as they navigated the ballroom together.

Later in the evening, Twilight casually strolled over, and leaned close to whisper to them. "Princess Cadance asked me to let you two know that the Ballroom's front balcony is currently off-limits... except to the guest of honor and whomever he feels like sharing it with!"

Spike looked at Rarity, who nodded. They headed over to the balcony door, and stepped past the crystal pony guards, who saluted smartly and then turned to shut the doors behind them.

The night was warm and comfortable. Before them, near the balcony railing, was a pair of seating cushions, an ice-bucket containing a bottle, and a tray with two crystal goblets.

"Aw man. Good ol' Cadance!" Spike sighed. "She never misses a thing."

"Well, she is the Princess of Love!" Rarity replied.

They settled themselves on the cushions, and looked down upon the square, with its statue of Spike glittering under Luna's brilliantly shining Moon.

"Spikey," Rarity said, after a while, "I'm so terribly sorry for misjudging how you felt. After that business with Trenderhoof and Applejack, it finally hit me how I'd been treating you. Making you do things for me, not giving you anything in return. So when Twilight told me about this celebration, I decided as my present to you to give you what I sensed you always wanted: the two of us, out on a date together."

She sighed. "And then when I saw you flying with Rainbow... well, I'll just own up to having felt just that tiny bit jealous. I mean, she can take you through a sonic rainboom. Even Twilight can take you flying with her. While the best I can do is dangle you in the air like a living clothespony."

Spike smiled wryly. "Even so, Rarity, every minute I can spend with you is worth it!"

"Hush, Spikey! I'm opening up here. And then when you didn't ask me to the Gala, well, I was afraid to ask you myself. I was afraid to discover what I thought was the truth: that you had finally given up on me, didn't need me anymore. That you'd finally moved on from me."

"Not in a million years, Rarity! You know that."

"I see that now, darling," she agreed. "And you know what, Spikey? I've also realized how important that is to me. Through everything that's happened in my life, all the ups and downs, the stallions I've longed for, the crushing snubs and disappointments... you have always been there for me. You're a constant in my life, Spike. I let myself become blind to that, let myself take your kindness for granted. Well, no longer! From now on we're going to be honest with each other, and pay attention to each other, like we should have done all along."

"Wow," Spike breathed. "I mean, I'd always kind of assumed you thought I was too young for you -- and that's okay, because it is kinda true. And after a while I got to thinking, well, maybe you didn't want me mooning around after you like that, so I just stuck with doing stuff for you, just so we could be together. And yeah, whenever you found somepony you thought would be special, it hurt because I felt I might be finally losing you... but I wanted you to be happy, so I didn't say anything to you about it. And I guess after a while that just got to be a habit. I'm sorry, Rarity!"

She smiled at him. "Spike, even if a lady may not wish to be caught, that doesn't mean she'll object to being chased... if it's done properly, with thoughtfulness and respect. And you have always been thoughtful and caring, often to a fault. That deserves respect in return!"

"So..." Spike asked hesitantly, "is it all okay if we spend time together like this more often?"

"Hmmm..." Rarity looked thoughtful, and Spike fretted. Then she looked at him, smiling.

"Spike, how long do dragons live?"

"Uh, I dunno -- hundreds of years, Celestia told me once. Though it's hard to tell -- dragons tend to be kinda rough on each other out in the wild."

"And how long do ponies live?"

"Um..."

"A few decades at most," she said. "And I'm already close to middle-aged. So we have a real May-November relationship going here... and it's not even February yet! By the time you're even approaching full adulthood, I'll already be old and gray." She dragged her hooves down her cheeks, making a hideous face. "Do you really think you can love me when I'm old and gray, Spikey-Wikey?"

"Well, about that..." Spike stared up at her. "At first, yeah, I loved you because you were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. And I suppose I really didn't see much beyond that. But over time, I've come to realize it's more than that, a lot more." He shrugged. "So yeah, even if you were old and gray..." He made a face back at her, making her smile. "... I'd want to be with you because, well... when I'm with you, I simply don't want to be anyplace else..."

He sighed. "...because I love you, Rarity."

She looked at him for a long moment. "Spike, just by saying that you've set yourself apart from pretty much all of the thoughtless, useless, self-centered stallions I have ever met. You have always been my perfect little gentleman, on whom I can rely to treat me like a lady. And that is deserving of something special in response."

She reached out a hoof, and waited for him to take hold of it.

"Let us make a promise between us, you and me, Spike. I can't say I won't finally meet a pony gentleman who sweeps me off my hooves. And if you should meet a nice lady dragon of your own, I would never object to that. And if that happens for either of us, then we'll always be the close friends we are now. But let's just agree that at the end of, oh, let's say ten years, round figure... if I haven't found that special somepony and you haven't found a special somedragon of your own, or even if we have, and for whatever reason it hasn't worked out for us..."

She took a steadying breath.

"... then it'll be the two of us, Spike. You and me, together." She shrugged gently. "We'll get married, or elope, or live together, or... well, I don't know what! Social mores seem to change almost quicker than fashion lines nowadays. But we'll think of something."

She smiled at him. "Let's promise each other, Spike, that no matter what else happens... we will always have each other!"

"I promise, Rarity," Spike said seriously.

"And I promise you, Spike... because I love you too."

Spike stared up at her, speechless, his expression wavering between joy and tears.

She leaned closer, her eyes moist. "I believe we have," she whispered to him, "what is called in the romances... an understanding."

And then she kissed him. Not a brush on the cheek, or a motherly peck on the forehead. Square on the snout, lingering long enough for him to return it. And Spike's heart felt like a teacup trying to contain an ocean of joy.

Rarity sat back, and then lifted her hoof to brush the spines on his head. "You think you can be patient with me that long, Spike?"

"Rarity, I can be patient forever, now I know how you feel. And now that you know how I feel... and now I know that you're okay with it!"

"I am totally okay with it, Spikey-Wikey. And from now on you shouldn't feel obliged to do things for me just to be around me. We can spend time together just because we want to, because we're such close friends."

"Well, thanks! But I don't mind doing stuff for you. Like, for instance, are we still going gem-hunting next Tuesday?"

"Spikey, next Tuesday we'll do something you want to do. After all, who says Spike Day only happens once a year, hmm?"

And she leaned in for another kiss. And Spike the Brave and Honorable felt that it was the best present of all.

The End

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro.

No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.