Spiritual Guidance

Spike sat alone in his little two-room apartment that his mother had given to him when he was only fourteen, who he shared with his younger brother. In accordance with her deceased husband's wishes, she had purchased the apartment when he was only three, and had saved it for them until now.

Until he was eighteen and had chosen a mate with which he was willing to be married to, he was not allowed to either live in Canterlot Castle or assume his rightful title of Prince. His brother was under the same rules, seeing as how he was part dragon himself.

Thus, Spike was stuck out in the little apartment, but that did not deter him in the slightest. Nor did it bother him, for although it was not the castle, it was a place all to himself, well, almost. But it was a place in which he hoped to leave when a certain special somepony that he loved would ask him to live with her in her own little boutique before the end of the year.

The little two-room apartment that he was living in now was perfectly fine for him and his brother, given that the only downside was that it was located in a really bad neighborhood. Never a night went by without the sound of gunshots blazing outside of his home, usually followed be the ill-screeching of tires or an ear shattering scream. Accompanying the usual ruckus of gunfire was usually the tell tale roar of sirens far off in the distance. By this point, they had grown accustomed to it, and knew all to well that nopony really bothered with you unless you were outside bothering them or in their way.

Unlike most typical Friday nights, were he would come home and crash on his couch for a few hours before going to bed, this Friday night was special. Tonight, he was going to go out with Rarity on a harmless little outing between himself, herself, Twilight, Rainbow, Ryder, Applejack, Rain, Cobalt, and Sweetie Belle. Though he felt awkward about him and Rarity being the only two going that were not in a relationship aside from Twilight, he had agreed to it, if only because Rarity had asked him so nicely.

After making sure that he was dressed properly, had showered, and was presentable, he made his way into the living room. Though the apartment only had two rooms, (three if you counted the bathroom) it was still a pretty roomy place, even for his brother and himself.

The living room was covered with bright tan, almost white carpet, with dark oak wood in the main foyer before the door.

Connected to the living room was a small island, behind which was a semi-simple kitchen. In it was a small black two-burner stove with a few cabinets in the backside of the island, along with a black refrigerator to match. Standing on the far side of the island was a black microwave, the interior of which needed to be cleaned yet.

Spike walked into the center of the living room, sitting cross legged between the black leather couch, which was backed up to the island, and the thirty-two inch flat screen television mounted on the opposing wall. Taking in slow, steady breaths, he began to drown out the world around him, feeling a cold chill run down his spine as he watched darkness begin to surround him. An eerie purple glow started to encircle him, with stars flickering to life all around him, almost like numerous heartbeats starting to ignite with the flame of life.

Stepping forth from a purple haze of mist was his father, a tall, lone standing drake with flickering amethyst scales. Adorning his body was a royal purple robe with a half-crescent moon in the center. Holding his hands together behind his back, he smiled warmly at his son, speaking from his heart, "Ah, my son. Seems like a while since we last talked about anything of any real importance, doesn't it?"

Spike nodded his head as he rose to his feet, embracing his father in a warm hug. To this his father responded by pulling him in tighter. "I love you father. I wish that you could have stayed longer to see me grow up."

Lethnal chuckled as he looked down upon his son with grace, and love. "I did get to watch you grow up though son. That is not the reason for your visit I sense however. So tell me Spike, what does the 'Great Prince' of dragons and ponies need from me? As if I didn't already know."

Spike stepped back from the amethyst drake, eying him curiously before speaking, "I came to seek your guidance father. Tonight I am going out with friends, but Rarity is going to be there as well. I want to tell her how I feel, I truly do, but I am afraid."

Lethnal placed a hand upon the younger amethyst drake's shoulder, "What is it exactly that you fear my son? Rejection, or doubt in yourself?"

The younger drake simply looked down towards the misty floor, hoping in is heart that the next words that he spoke were pure and true, honest even. "Father, what I fear most is losing the friendship of one whom I hold the dearest to my heart. My love for her roots within my very soul like a festering bramble wanting to drain the life from mine own body, and I would rather die than lose her trust, her love as a best friend, or lose her in my life. I am so lost without mom to guide me like she used to. Please father, help me." Unable to hold back any longer, he fell to his knees as he let tears fall from his eyes, drifting straight through the sea of mist like nothing more than drops of rain through thinning clouds.

Lethnal adopted a knowing grin as he too fell onto his knees, placing a hand on either side of his son's shoulders. "Your mother and I both love you very much Spike. Never, ever forget that so long as you live. What you see before you however is nothing more than a confused mind." Placing a finger against his son's forehead, he continued, "Quiet the storms in your mind. Do not think, but act. If you must, open your ears to not your heart, but to the hearts of those who you hold most dear. As I have often told you before, taught you even. Please, for once, just listen to your own heart, hear it calling out to you, guiding you. It may be hard to do, but it is well worth it in the end when eternal happiness is your reward."

Younger eyes chanced a glance up at the far older, yet wiser eyes of their father's. Knowledge of the centuries past seemed to be held within his mind, yet he was unwilling to share any with anypony else aside from his mother, as was his right. "Father, when you next speak to mom, can you tell her that I love her very much, and I miss her. I wish that she could be coming out with us later tonight, but I know that she has her own royal duties that she must attend to. I love you father, and I will talk to you tonight, as usual."

"I'm looking forward to hearing more about your night this time than my studies Spike." Tilting his son's head up, he used his thumbs to wipe away his tears before he looked deep within them, seeing that there was something more that he wanted to ask him. "What more do you seek my son?"

Spike took a deep breath of air, gulping loudly before, in a shaky voice, he said, "I-I w-was just w-wondering if maybe you could tell me h-how you and m-mom met, o-or how you two got together?"

Lethnal seemed amused at the sudden curiosity of his son, seeing as how neither he nor Celestia had ever told him of how they came together, nor how they ever met. Opting to sit fully on his knees as his son was, he said, "Tell you what, I will tell you how your mother and I met, then after your alleged, 'Date', I will tell you how we got together. But, you must promise me this, tonight when you are out with Rarity, you must at least, hint to her in some way that you see her as more than a friend. Show her in a way that makes it special, makes it unique, makes it you. Does that sound fair to you Spiky?"

Feeling in his heart that his father was only going to share with him this information because it was more of like a guiding light, he nodded his head. "I promise to show Rarity, if only in the slightest, how I feel about her. Dragon's code honor: Lÿtharin elnõch ven."

Pleased, the older drake repeated what his son had said, shifting into a more leaned back position as he did so. A sharp gasp escaped his lips as he began feeling the soothing presence of one so dear to his heart creeping up behind him. Glancing over his shoulder with his mouth growing slightly wider into a slight grin, he said, "Ah Celesy, I was wondering if you were going to entertain us with your presence this evening."

Another cloud of mist began to encircle them, a light yellow in color, seeming to contain the radiance of one that they both loved dearly. Stepping forth from the mist came his mother, garbed in a white flowing dress that fell to just past her shoulders, with a necklace of a shining star stationed over her heart. "And what might my boys be up to that you wanted me here for Lethnal?" As she spoke, she stepped forth to take a seat beside of the drake, placing her head against his chest while her arms went around him. Their embrace furthered with their wings going around one another, showing to Spike that although his physical body had faded into the soil, their love was undeterred in the slightest.

Lethnal looked down to the Princess who had captured his heart with a certain fondness that Spike had only ever seen his mother do when she was remembering the times together that they shared, before he was killed by his father, who was Spike's Grandfather and King of the Dragons. "I was just about to regal our son with the tale of how we first met, so that it might give him confidence on his unofficial 'Date' tonight to tell the young mare Rarity how he feels about her." Both lover's smiled warmly at their sun, before his mother began to hum deeply, burying her face further into his father's chest.

"Like father like son." Spike looked away as his mother brought the older drake into a long, passionate kiss, one in which nothing was held back as her arms seemed to pull him in tighter. In a whisper so low that Spike was barely able to pick up any sound, his mother said, "I have missed your touch so much Lethnal. Nopony nor dragon could ever replace you. Soon though we will be together, free to love as never before."

Chuckling, the older drake whispered back in the same tone, "I know what you mean, but there is something that I am learning now that I discovered in my studies this morning. Although I may not be able to fully understand at the present what exactly I found, it did speak of a way that I may be able to return to life once more."

Both the Princess and Spike held their breaths as they heard what the drake had said. To them this was utter disbelief, but to Lethnal, this was a dream come true, and for Celestia, this was something that she thought she would never hear again from his lips. "You must tell me, what is this way to return to me? If I have to do something, then tell me so that I may do it."

Letting his grin fade into nothingness, the drake adopted a hard pressed expression as he thought about the writing that he had read. "It was not really specific, and I must read more on the subject to fully understand what it does, but I do know that it is an answer to my prayers."

Taking a moment to clear his throat, Lethnal turned back towards his son, catching Celestia's attention as well. In a smooth flowing voice, he began his vivid tale of how he had met Princess Celestia.

"Rising high into the sky was the early morning sun, painting a multitude of various hues of red across the morning sky. All were beautiful in their own right, and they seemed to instill in me a sort of confidence that I knew I would need later that day. Worming its way through the Dragon Capital of Ulênmore was a soft breeze, perfect enough to help any dragon get an extra boost of speed no matter which direction you were traveling. To say that the day was perfect was an understatement, especially when all around you one could feel the serenity that the day brought. No where in all of Equestria, was an evil thought so much as taking place, nor a greedy one I might add.

"This day was a very special day for me. Your grandfather Spike, was very adamant about me starting to take up the family civil politics. What he wanted me to do that day was to go into the Pony Kingdom capital of Canterlot and discuss a small treaty with Princess Aryan.

"Needless to say, thus far in my life the only real politics that I could master were Military Politics. Basically, I was really good at getting other troops to follow me anywhere that I went, even so much as to create a sense of 'Loyalty' to only me. My father feared this, knowing that most of the military would rather follow my orders instead of my father's. This test of his was a way to try and break my back, but in reality, what he did only made me more rebellious of him.

"You see Spike, we dragons are born as either a normal dragon like myself, or then there are those like your great uncle Garthren, who only ever care about how much treasure that they can get their greedy little claws on. It's those greedy, savage dragons that give the rest of us the bad name that we have to live with on a daily basis. Well, my father was a pleasant mixture of both. What he really cared about was the secret dragon gold that was hidden beneath the Capital, and he did not want the ponies to get their hands on it.

"In other words, your grandfather really hated the fact that I was more open with the ponies and was not really enraged with them like he was. In his eyes, most of the time, the ponies had somehow corrupted me. He wanted to start a war with the ponies, and he knew just how he was going to do it. Or, at least he thought that I would listen to anything that he said, oh how wrong he was.

"Well, when the sun was about half-way through its daily ascent, I was taken by my father and my mother into the Pony Kingdom of Canterlot, where we were escorted through the streets by the Canterlot Royal Guard. During that time I was only about your age, and felt weary about anything that my father was planning. What I had failed to realize was that I was actually going to be the key part of his dastardly plan, but what neither of us had counted on, was that I was going to meet with the most beautiful mare in all of Equestria, one that was needing to be put through a trial just like I was.

"I was led to a room that was secluded from the rest in the West Wing of the Castle, in which I was to be accompanied by a Royal Guard no matter if I went to the bathroom or stepped outside for a fresh breath of morning air. Hell, it felt to me like I was a prisoner more than a friendly Ambassador from a friendly nation. The room I was in was rather small given the space, with only a single table in the center and about a dozen guards around both doors. Knowing that there was no way for me to go anywhere either without a guard or without starting a war, I did as I was told by my escort and sat down at the table.

"It felt like years as I sat there waiting, just waiting for your mother to show her pretty little face. During that time, I had no other option than to think over what my father had told me. 'Lethnal, I need you to kill the pony Princess. I fear that anytime soon now the ponies will try to overthrow me. If you kill her, then we can have our war, and I can finally obliterate those dastardly ponies.' It was no more than an hour later maybe when the door was opened and you mother stepped in, looking very stunning in her elegant flowing golden dress with silver lining. Being the first time that I had met the Princess, I tried my best to keep the straightest poker face in the world, but inside I was suddenly ignited with all of the feelings of love, devotion, passion, so much so that I almost told her in that moment how much I had suddenly fallen in love with her.

"Being the Prince that I was however, I opted for the safer route and simply said, 'My, nopony ever told me that Princess Aryan was this beautiful.'

"Your mother simply laughed at me while she said, 'As much as I am sure that my mother would enjoy to hear such things, I will take the compliment for mine own and say thank you, seeing as how I was the one you spoke to. Now, I am not Princess Aryan, I am her daughter Princess Celestia. I was told as a trial for my teachings to permit you to perform a negotiation treaty with me. We have all the time in the world to perform this, and seeing as how you are the guest, you are entitled to the first move.'

"No matter how hard I tried, I could not tear my eyes away from her. Seeing nothing but an overwhelming sense of love for all ponies, a sort of fire igniting ever so slowly telling me that she would kill me or my father if it meant safety for them, told me that I could not follow through with what my father said. There was no way I could lift a finger to her, for I would be doing unto myself the same damage that I did to her. I love you mother Spike, and even at that moment, I could not bring myself to do as my father had said.

"Instead, I did something that neither he nor your mother had expected. Reaching over, I took her hands within mine and asked her to lean forward, when she did, I whispered into her ear, 'Do not be alarmed. What I must say has to remain between us until my family leaves. My father fears that all ponies want his gold, and being the tyrant that he is, he told me to start a war for him so that he could kill you all. Princess, he wants me to kill you.'

"I could feel your mother start to pull away slightly from fear that I was going to kill her, but when she looked at me, I saw in her eyes a sense of fear but also a burning desire to know why I had told her anything and not acted upon it. 'I told you this Princess, so that you will know that I cannot do as he said. I cannot, in a good conscious, do as my father has asked of me. Please, help me out of this, help me to live amongst you ponies. Please, I have no life back home, except for trying not to be a savage like my father.'

"I cannot tell you what went through your mother's head, but I do know that I was expecting an attack from either her or her guards. If that were to happen, then I would not fight back, I would just let them do as they wished with me. Instead, I found your mother starting to smile as she leaned back over whispering in my ear, 'I can help you, but at the same time you must help me. See if you can convince a few of your dragon brothers to come with you in three months time to the East Wall of Canterlot. There I will meet with you beneath a full moon and allow you inside of the city, so long as your intentions are just, the city will allow you to enter.'

"In an almost shaky voice, I said, 'Thank you very much Princess. I will never forget this.' Before I departed, I placed a kiss on her cheek, watching as her cheeks grew a deep shade of crimson.

"Turning to my escort, I was led back to the entrance of the Castle, where my father and mother were waiting with Princess Luna and Princess Aryan, all of whom seemed absolutely ignorant as to what had happened in the room. Thankfully, were departed the castle just in time as Princess Celestia was just coming up to her mother and sister."

Celestia looked down towards her son, seeing that his face was now staring at the swirling mist of various rainbow colors that was between his feet, seemingly lost in his own mind. After a few minutes of silence, in which the couple managed to sneak a few kisses, Spike spoke out. "So, in other words father, you and mom fell in love the day that you both first met. In a sense, when you two met, you both had feelings for each other, but you did not get together then."

"Well, not exactly. You are right, we fell for each other that beautiful day, but we did not get together until about a year or two after that. What we had during that time before the war, and even during it, was magical to say the least. There is nothing in this world that I would ever give to take that all back." Celestia and Lethnal shared yet another deep kiss before they remembered that their son was there, with a look of utter disgust on his face. "Sorry son, keep forgetting that you are right in front of me."

"Father, that does not bother me, it's mom. She keeps scooting closer. If you two wanted to do that, all you had to do was say so, and get a room, please." All three started to laugh at what he had determined she wanted ever since she had arrived there that evening. "Well, I must be going father. I will leave you and mom to have some time to yourselves, besides, I think that Applejack is almost here. Goodbye for now, and I love you both."

"We love you too Spiky." No other words were spoken as the drake rose to his feet and began to walk away, the mist enveloping him before he was no longer able to be seen. When he was gone, Lethnal looked down to his wife before asking, "Do you think that he will be alright Celesy?"

Celestia looked up to her husband as she said, "Spike is a great dragon, just like you are dear. I have full confidence in what you have taught him as well as his own special abilities. I just hope that his nerve does not fail him as it often has with her. To tell you the truth Lethnal, I really like this mare, and I would like to one day call her my daughter."

"As would I Celesy, as would I. Rarity is a rather fine mare who just so happened to catch the eyes of a drake far superior to I, one who will never hurt her, never leave her, and always put her first in everything. I hope that she realizes what she is missing before it is too late."

Neither Lethnal nor Celestia spoke another word, opting to let nothing but their closeness speak for them in this hour of fate. No more than a few minutes had passed before Lethnal felt Celestia starting to nibble on the underside of his jaw, dragging her tongue across the scales ever so lovingly and making him shiver with excitement. "Please Lethnal, give me this. I need this. Though my own body will not feel this, my mind will. I want to be one with you again Lethnal."

The drake smiled warmly at his darling wife before he leaned down to place a kiss on the side of her neck, bringing his lips to her soft, furry flesh. "I found a spell that I wanted to try out. Open your eyes."

Celestia opened her eyes to see that she was all alone in her bedroom, high up in the North Tower of Canterlot Castle. Whispering softly in the room was the sound of the gentle breeze carrying along its back the scent of some wonderful cooking from the various cooks preparing food down in the city far below. Glancing around, she found that she was still sitting upon her knees on her bed, with her sheets still cleanly pressed and made. Sighing, she lied back down on the bed, staring up at her ceiling and thinking of her husband. Lost in thought, she was almost unaware of the layer of mist that had started to encircle her floor.

Dark grey clouds began to form above the mist, with lightening shooting down towards it. With a resounding crack, and a flash of bright, white light, a figure rose from the most before it slowly began to dissipate. Stepping forth into the light of the setting sun, Celestia held her breath as she beheld her dead husband, garbed in his royal purple robe with a smile upon his face. "Hello Celesy, I figured that now was as good a time as any to test a new spell that I found the other day. During a full moon, like tonight, I am able to conjure up enough spiritual energy to be able to take my old form once more, but only during the full moon, and I will be gone by dawn. I want to share this time with you, and if he ever plays a game during a full moon, I want to be there. For tonight though, I am all yours my beautiful Celesy."

Wasting no time, Celestia practically jumped out of her bed as she wrapped her legs and arms around her husband, using her magic to pull him back towards the bed as their lips came together in a dancing furry. Falling backwards on the bed, Celestia was happy to once again feel the loving touch of her dead husband over her once more, placing kisses on her body where only he could, his hands touching her in places no stallion would ever dare to go. "I love you Celesy..."

---

Lights from the various street lamps flashed by as Spike sat utterly alone in the back seat of the two-and-a-half door pick-up, with Applejack driving. Sitting beside her was a stallion with orange fur, slightly richer than her own, with purple stripes laid throughout. Adorning his head was a spiked mohawk, dark forest green in color with a few strips of dark indigo. "So Spike, are ya excited to see Rarity tonight?"

His voice was soothing, caring, and surprisingly soft for a stallion. Yet it still retained some of the masculine deepness, roughness to it. "I suppose so." Letting out a pent up sigh, he looked out the window at the passing lights, wondering if he was going to ever be able to tell the mare of his dreams how he truly felt about her. Feeling a few tears in his eyes, he glanced back at the couple out of the corner of his eye, "Rain, do, do you think t-t-that Rarity likes me?"

Scoffing, the stallion chanced a glance at the drake from out of the corner of his eye, "Of course she likes you Spike. Wouldn't really be your best friend otherwise."

"No, what I meant was..."

"Shh, I know exactly what you meant. Trust me, I truly believe that she has some feelings for you, but I also believe that she is waiting for you to tell her how you feel. Believe me when I say that it is not an easy thing." As he spoke, the orange stallion turned his attention to the mare that was behind the wheel of the truck, "But it is well worth it when you find that courage within yourself. Spike, you must find within yourself the strength, the heart to tell her how you feel on your own. None of us can do that for you."

"I know, but it is so hard to tell her. I worry, I worry that I might lose her, that I am not good enough for her, that she sees nothing more than a friend in me."

Turning to face the drake, Rain glared at him with a sense of understanding. "I know how you feel little man, but just trust in your heart to tell you when the right time to tell her is. Spike, I believe in you, I believe that you are destined for great things, but only you can chose whether or not to achieve those things. This is no different, if you truly love her, show it to her." Ending his words, as well as the conversation, he turned back to Applejack, taking her free hand within his own.

Looking back out the window, Spike found that they were almost to their destination. Although he was eager to be out of the truck, he could not hep but wonder about what it was that both Rain and his father had said. Is it truly in myself to make the first move with Rarity, is it truly in me to be with her? "My Guardian Angel". What she had said to him many years ago on that dreadful bridge where he had truly become her best friend after having saved her life for the second time. Am I truly her Guardian Angel, or was there something more to it than that?

Hearing Rain'ssoothing voice brought him out of his fast flowing river of thoughts, and back into the world which was thrust upon him sense birth. "Spike, wake up sleepy scales. We're here. Time to have some fun with that special mare of yours."

Groggily, Spike complied with what his body was telling him, letting his mind begin to wonder why it had begun to fall out of the open door of the truck. With his head colliding with the warm asphalt, he realized that the truck had come to a complete stop. Opening his eyes, he saw that before him was the large boardwalk that stretched out for a short span into the ocean that bordered Ponyville.

Despite the fogginess that was threatening to cloud his vision, Spike managed to see the lights of the modern technology that was on the boardwalk, watching them flicker in complete unison. Towering over everything, including the wall that surrounded the boardwalk, was the giant Ferris Wheel, where many couples often wanted to go. Lighted on each ring, each pillar, each outstretched arm, with various shades of the rainbow, it was a very romantic spot for many. Beside of the Ferris Wheel was the tall tower of mayhem itself, the Longshot, which made any pony go almost two hundred feet into the air, just short of the Ferris Wheel by a hundred feet.

Thundering past the tower was the roller coaster of death itself, the Atomic Wasteland. With a top speed of over a hundred miles per hour, the coaster could make even the most toughest of ponies loose their lunches with the various drops and loops that were interwoven into it, along with a fairly short span that left you hanging upside down in the coaster seats. Spike himself had ridden the coaster when the park had first opened, back then though, it only reached a top speed of eighty miles an hour.

Smiling at the memories that looking at the park brought him, he managed to find enough strength to pull himself up into a sitting position. Leaning back against the now closed door of the truck, he took a moment to wipe his eyes and catch a breath, unaware of the mare kneeling beside him.

Not wanting to waste a moment as peaceful as this, the mare decided that it was her turn to make the drake blush, to make him feel the warmth that she felt a few days ago. Holding herself against the closed door, she brought her lips close to his cheek, pressing against them without so much as a second thought. Letting her touch linger, she waited a few breathless seconds before pulling away, watching as the drake put a hand to his cheek, looking at the mare with wide eyes and a heavy blush, tainting his cheeks a dark crimson. "W-what was that for R-Rarity?"

The silvery-white mare giggled at his response before she said, "Because you are my best friend, and because I love you as such." He could hear a faint sense of pain at her final words, but he just shrugged it off as his mind playing tricks with him. "Besides, I figured that you deserved one since your mom was not here with us tonight."

Smiling, he took a moment to glance over her attire. Wearing a pair of freshly pressed blue jeans with a snow white t-shirt adorning her upper body, her trademark azure tri diamond stamp on the lower right. A fresh press of powder had been applied to her face, just under her eyes to give her sparkling blue eye liner a sharp pop, with a fresh shade of purple lipstick pressed onto her lips. "I hope you don't mind Spikey-Wikey, I just wanted to be simple tonight."

His smile growing wider, the amethyst drake rose to his feet, bringing her up with him. Looking past the mare, if only briefly, he could see that Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Ryder, Rain, Applejack, Cobalt, and Sweetie Belle were all standing around, having a great time with their conversations while they waited for the drake and silvery-white mare. Bringing his eyes back to the mare at hand, he let his hands slide down to her's before he said, "We should join the others." With a slight limp in his step, he managed to make it over to the rest of the group without having to lean on Rarity.

Altogether, the group passed the threshold of no return, bringing in with them their good spirits, high amounts of energy, love for each other, and their undying loyalty to have fun as a group.

Rainbow Dash took the lead as they made their way through the mass of ponies to the first event of their evening, the various game booths on the very edge of a massive boardwalk, which housed the various rides that he had seen before. Each couple broke off into their own little section of games that they wanted to play, each with the intent to win something for the one that they loved the most out of the group.

Spike eagerly wound his way through the crowd of ponies, not even caring when his bare, scaled feet pressed against the warmth of the loose sand. He managed to find one of the games that very few ponies wanted to play, a game which made him slightly angry, Dragon Shooting. As the name of the game implied, you had to shoot a dragon. Using only a water pistol, your goal was to shoot at a cardboard cut out of a dragon straight in the heart, pumping it with enough water to make the head start to flash colorful lights all around the booth.

Walking up, Spike noticed that standing in the booth was a roughly aged stallion, with a silver mane and a black coat of fur, wearing an old beat-up leather jacket and torn jeans, with various holes in places he wished they were not. Upon seeing the amethyst drake, the stallion caught his attention with a wave of his hand, "Can't you read sonny? No dragons allowed on the pier. Your kind might east us ponies." Laughter escaped his wretched throat as he turned away from the drake, looking back to the rear of the booth.

This made Spike glare at the stallion with pure hatred, but he did little more than cough before he placed two gold bits on the table. "How about you stop making up foolish rules and let me play a game. Tell you what, I will even make it worth your while. If I win, you give me the prize, but if you win, I will leave, deal?"

Smirking, the stallion took the bits before saying, "Ready?"

Sporting a smirk himself, Spike grabbed the pistol and aimed at the dragon, waiting for his mark to begin. Green lights flashed him, almost blinding him with their brightness. Finding the trick to be a bit old, he aimed at the heart and began to squirt as fast as the water would come out. His eyes remained locked on his target. His concentration was solid, never broken even when Rarity slid an arm around his outstretched one.

Spike felt a sense of pride swelling up within himself as he continued to pump water into the cardboard cutout, making him grow even more angrier with both the stallion and the game. Nevertheless, he managed to never miss his mark, even when the stallion began to speak foul, dirty, rotten things to him.

Shrugging it off, he let his smirk turn into a chuckle when the head began to spin around while the lights flashed in unison. "I'll take that prize sir."

Grumbling, the stallion grabbed a slightly large brown teddy bear with a heart held in its paws and a red bow around its neck. He practically threw it at the drake. "Get the hell out of here before I call security ya little punk. Ya heard me, scat."

Spike simply grinned as he walked away, glancing down at the teddy bear. Seeing the heart that it held gave him a sense of relief. He felt that this was his father's way of saying that their friendship was stronger than it had ever been before. Placing a kiss on the mare's cheek, Spike gave Rarity the teddy bear. Taking it, the silvery-white mare began to cuddle it close to her chest, My second gift from you Spikey-Wikey. Thank you.

Walking down the row of booths a way, Spike found the rest of the group, along with a mass of other ponies, gathered around a single game at the end of the row. Curious as to what had stirred up the mass of ponies, he took Rarity's free hand within his own and together they made their way down to see what all of the fuss was about.

Arriving at the end of hearing an argument of how the game was cheating, Spike pushed the ponies aside until he was at the forefront of the group. The game was simple, yet it was very rigged as he watched Rainbow Dash throw another ball. The name of the game was Strike Out Dodger. The object of the game was to throw a baseball into tall tower of bottles, knocking them all down. When all of the bottle were gone, there was a picture of a Baseball Legend by the name of Ruck Dodger, who was the fastest pony to ever play the game.

Rainbow Dash growled as she threw her second ball, hitting only the second bottle of the three she had left standing. "Aww, I'm sorry young lady, but I am afraid that you did not win. Next up!" Speaking to Rainbow Dash and the gathered crowd was a golden mare with a few stripes of black, sporting a dark black pony tail mane. She was garbed in a pair of azure blue shorts with a black tank top, chewing on what he hopped was her own wretched tongue.

Glancing over, the mare caught Spike as he was pulling a few bits out of his pocket, placing them on the booth. Eying the bits with a wicked lust in her eyes, yet hatred at the drake, she said, "Sorry dragon boy, I don't play your kind here."

Flashing the mare a wicked grin, he pulled out a few more gold bits for her gazing. "Not even for, twenty gold bits?"

Rarity, feeling that what Spike was doing was outrageous, brought her lips close to Spike's ear. Pulling him closer, she asked, "Are you crazy Spike? That is way to much to pay to a cheating liar like her."

Spike placed a hand over Rarity's, winking at her. Holding the golden mare's gaze, he said, "I guess that I should take my business elsewhere, seeing as how they say you cheat. Guess you'll have to tell your friends you were just too stuck up to take an easy twenty gold bits." Spike took satisfaction in the glare that he was getting from the golden mare, even though it was nothing more than pure hatred, and a lustful greed that he had only seen before in dragons.

"Now wait just a minute. No dragon boy is going to tell me what I can and can't do. You want to play eh? Fine, I'll let you play dragon boy, but first I have to set a few rules. Rule one; you only get one ball, seeing as how you are a dragon. Rule two; no running home crying to mommy when you lose. Rule three; don't you dare try and cheat me." Spike agreed to the deal, passing the bits to the mare in exchange for a happily evil smirk and a baseball.

Clear out your mind my son. Achieve that focus that you must use during your games. Think only of those you love, drown out everything else. Whispering to himself, Spike said, "I know that you will help me with this one, dad." Bringing back his arm, taking a deep breath, and closing his eyes, Spike felt peace, focus, and determination flowing through him. Feeling the ball pressed against his palm, making his teeth clash together from his concentration.

With a sound almost akin to a pony running a finger around the lip of a wine glass when it was wet, the ball sailed into the bottom left of the bottles, making the entire bottom row give way to the force which was delivered with the ball. Slowly, as if the world itself was taking a shuddering breath, the bottles fell off of the table, every, last, one.

All that remained on the table was the giant poster of Ruck Dodger. In the lower right corner, he could see that it was a fake one too, one that the mare had most likely made in her own basement judging by the water mark it had. In one single voice it seemed like, the gathered crowd erupted in a chorus of cheers and praise for the young drake, many going so far as to pat him in the back. Flashing the golden mare a wild look, Spike said, "I suppose that I won. Hey, I didn't even cheat either. You on the other hand really need to stop using that cheap glue from Ponymart. Just a waste of perfectly good bits if you ask me."

Without giving the mare a chance to respond, he turned around and made his way through the crowd with Rarity by his side. His friends fell in shortly after they watched the golden mare grow frightened of the amethyst drake. Some even laughed as her face became one of confusion, wondering how she had been outdone by a simple drake.

Spike pulled Rarity close to him with a hug, watching all around at the loving stares that his friends gave him. "Tonight is about us. Tonight, we are going to have fun, no matter what tricks these hooligans throw at us. This is our night."

No longer wanting to play any more of the rigged games, the group made their way towards the boardwalk. Laughter rain forth from their small group as they drew closer, getting a joy unlike any from the simple friendship that they were sharing, together. To Spike, who took the lead this time as they made their way to the second event of the night, dinner, this was a special night. This was a night that he wished was going to last forever. A night that he was going to remember for the rest of his life.

Arrayed along the far end of the boardwalk, past the numerous rides that aligned it, were various concession stands, countless places where one could grab food or a simple drink. Salad stands, ice cream stands, cotton candy, soda, adult beverages, and even a few little candy shacks. The boardwalk had everything, yet it held nothing for the drake. Unknown to him however, Rarity had brought him his own little special treat that she knew he would love. Quietly, she asked, "Spike, is there anything that you would like me to get for you?"

Sighing, he said, "I suppose a cream soda with a side salad would be nice." Rarity stopped him from handing her the bits with a wave of her hand. Sharply, she turned, walking off with the rest of their friends for food. This left him all alone to find a table that was big enough to fit their rather large group.

As if his Aunt Luna herself was working with his father to instill in him some sort of illumination, he found that the only table large enough to situate them all was at the end of the boardwalk, almost touching the open, majestic deep blue ocean. One side was placed against the railing, while the other practically ran up against another smaller table, with a lamp post the only thing between them.

From this table, he could hear the sloshing of the ocean being pulled out into the deeper waters, where they would roll into large waves before coming back to crash into the sandy shore. Though it was light, and no pony could ever hope to hear it, his ears picked up the strange rustic sound of the salt water slipping in between the various pillars that held up the boardwalk. They creaked slightly against the pressure of the high tide, but they fought hard and refused to buckle to the ocean's call.

High above in the clear night sky, he could still see the very hesitant tint of reddish-orange that was his mother's sun. Yet, rising to fulfill its absence was his Aunt Luna's full, gracious moon. It looked beautiful tonight, as it always did. But there was something different about the moon tonight. It seemed, almost as if, it reminded him of Rarity. His mind began to plaster her face against the barren shape of the moon, making her illuminate like never before. His voice caught in his throat, while his palms grew sweaty.

To say that the drake was nervous, excited, or just plain in love, was unclear at best. With the hungry look that he was giving his Aunt's glorious moon, one would have thought that he was in love with the moon itself. That, or he thought it was like a giant lettuce leaf or head of pig that he would devour within the blink of an eye, or in his case, the bat of an eyelash.

Leaning against the railing that ran the span of the boardwalk, he looked down into the sloshing waves below him. Though they did not sound as loud here as they did more towards the front of the boardwalk, he still took solace in knowing that he was still alive to hear them. Feeling alive was something that he always cherished, for it meant that his best friend, the mare whom he loved the most above all else in the world, was safe yet another day of her life. Just as he had vowed before on that bridge, he was going to keep her safe, he was never going to let anyone or anything harm her like he was everyday of his life.

The memory of that awful day was always present in his mind, yet he always seemed to find peace when he thought about it. When the bridge had fallen, and he stood there with her in his arms, knowing that she was no longer in danger, gave him the greatest sense of joy that anypony could ever hope for. She was still alive, and it was because he chose to never give up, when she told him that it was hopeless. Just like when ever he would still go to school, even when he would get into fights, where he would never lift a finger to stop it, even though he could with a snap of his fingers. Never before had any drake in the world aside from his father ever felt this way, but that was also due in part to his mother. Celestia had raised him right, she had raised him to be the kind of drake that his father always wanted to be, wanted for him.

Serenity. Pure and unadulterated serenity washed over his very bones. His scales seemed to ripple with the fresh ocean breeze that was brought in with the high tides. Lingering around his nose was the smell of the salt in the water, the wet sand that covered the beach, and the dry, or wet seaweed that washed up on shore. Taking in a deep breath, he felt his serenity only increase when he found her scent assail his nose, the most prominent being her natural body scent of vanilla cream.

Without even looking, just relying on his draconic sense of smell and sound, he could see without seeing. His sense were heightened more so than any other dragons or any other ponies, as as such, he could always see things in his minds eye as clear as if his eyes were looking at the scene. In a sense, he watched as she placed their food gently on the table, followed there after by the light tap of aluminum against wood as she placed their drinks on the table. Without saying a word, the mare tiptoed over to where the drake was against the railing, stepping up on it like he was to gaze out over the ocean.

Far off in the distance, more towards the distant, deeper waters of the ocean before him, he could hear the playful splashing of dolphins as they jumped out of the water, often chatting with each other in their own tongue. Behind him, he could hear the laughter from his friends, growing louder as their conversation drew nearer. Beside him, he felt Rarity lean against his side, placing her head against his shoulder as she looped an arm through his. "Thank you Spike, for everything that you have done for me all of these years. Just seeing you out here tonight with us, with me. It means a lot to me Spikey-Wikey. You are not only the greatest best friend that a pony could ask for, nor the greatest son that a mother like Princess Celestia could ask for, but the greatest drake that any pony could ever have the privilege of ever knowing. I want you to know too, I believe in you. I always will, just as I always have sense the day that I met you. Sense the day that you saved me from Thunderlane, and that bridge."

Tears threatened to seep out of his eyes as he listened to her wonderful speech. When her voice had faded, he could not stop himself from turning to her and bringing her into a deep, warming, and caring hug. Burying his face into the crook of her neck, he let out what little tears he could before stopping himself. "You have no idea how good that makes me feel to hear you say that. I always wanted my friends to believe in me, and knowing that you do, makes me all the more happy. It's because of you that I keep going everyday in this life that was thrust upon me. Rarity, it's because of your friendship that I live to see another day. Thank you, for everything."

Taking her hand in his, he led her back to the table, sitting beside each other while the rest of the group did the same, each one sitting beside their respective partner.

Looking down at the salad, as well as the cream soda beside it, he sighed, cursing himself under his breath for being a dragon. This did not go unheard by any pony however, and soon, they were all looking at him, then at the salad. Realization clicked in within a microsecond. Rarity was the first to remember that because he had not eaten a whole lot at school as far as meat was concerned, he needed to have it. Just eating what they eat was never enough, he needed meat to survive, for his body needed the nutrients in it.

Rarity giggled as she reached into the bag that was behind her. Pulling out a plastic disposable container that was tainted red on the inside. From what, nopony aside from her knew. Handing over to Spike, she said, "Saw this in my freezer this morning. Thought that you might like it tonight if wanted to go out with is, when you did that is." A smile was graced upon her lips as she watched Spike take the container.

He hesitated as he looked at the crimson red color of the container, knowing that he had seen that color often enough, as well as the slimy splatter marks that were all around. Thanking Rarity, he opened the container. Assailing his nose like the speed of a bullet was the mouthwatering scent of freshly cut meat, along with the metallic smell of blood. Knowing that he had to be careful around his friends, he simply used his sharp talons to slice up the meat into sizable chunks before he threw it into his salad. Without even thinking, he licked each of his talons clean. Gazing back over the group, he saw that only Sweetie Belle had a disgusted look on her face, while the rest, minus Rarity, had gone back to eating. "Sorry Sweetie Belle, forgot that you really haven't seen me eat before."

---

Rain took the lead to their third and final installment of tonight's ventures, the rides. With only the three big attractions to choose from, it was no surprise that most wanted to save the most romantic one for last. Being the way that he was, Rain chose the Atomic Wasteland as their first stop for on their journey through the rides. The Atomic Wasteland had been Rain's favorite ride since he was a kid, and as often as he was able to, he loved to ride it. Tonight was no different, and with his friends to share it with him, it was alright to yet go for another chance at the thrill it gave him.

Spike and Rarity kindly declined the invitation to join there friends, both stating that they wanted a nice relaxing ride on the Ferris Wheel first. If for nothing else, they wanted to just be with each other, enjoying the others company with no outside influence or distractions. Most believed that this was not the reason, but nopony said a single word. Waving to their friends, they walked away from the line, stating that they were going to meet up with them at the Longshot afterwords.

Stacked across from the Ferris Wheel were large wooden crates, the contents of which were unknown to them, yet there was something that Spike himself did not like about them. They seemed to harbor some dark force, an evil intent that he simply wanted to do away with and never again have the pleasure of seeing. Thus he never chanced a glance behind them as they awaited their turn for the ride, idly chatting about nothing as they did so.

Watching the amethyst drake from afar were a set of deep golden eyes, a burning fire of both pride and hatred burning in them. Little flickers of flames some would say when they saw them would touch the tips of his mint colored mohawk. Grinning evilly as he shifted his gaze to the silvery-white mare that was beside the amethyst drake, his eyes landing directly on her curving hips, then trailing further to the base of her tale. He said, "Well boys, looks as if we will be having some good pony for a treat tonight. How tight do you think that she is boys?"

"I don't know Thunderlane, but I sure would like to get a taste of her."

"As would I Grape Crush, but we can't be to hasty, otherwise we might lose her. What do you think Snow Flight?"

"I suppose zat ve could always just grab her now and be done vith it. Vat are your zoughts Notevorthy?"

"Well, I agree with y'all in a sense. But what about this. Instead of just going in there, let them come to us. Their friends are over riding the Atomic Wasteland. They are going to meet at the Longshot afterwords. Between here and there is a small break between the rides that forms a sort of alley way with a chain link fence blocking off one end. Why not wait until they walk by before we nab them. We would have the element of surprise at that point."

"That's some good thinking Noteworthy. I knew there was a reason that I liked ya. Alright boys, we go with Noteworthy's plan. So uh, where is this alley way exactly..."

Spike chuckled softly as Rarity pushed her head against his, letting her cheek rest against his beating heart. Rarity was mesmerized by the soft, soothing beat that she could hear through his scaled chest, creating what seemed like an eternal moment of bliss as they sat alone in their little pod. High above the world with no care, just each other, this was what he and she both had always wanted. Although, they both wished that they were more at this point, but both were too scared to admit their feelings for fear of losing the other.

Sighing softly, Rarity said, "It's beautiful up here Spike. Sometimes, I wish that I could fly high up in the clouds like you can. I must admit, I rather like the ground, but like now with these breeze blowing, I feel free, yet I feel even safer and more free with you here to share this wonderful moment with me. You are my best friend Spikey-Wikey, and I would never want to lose that. I cherish it too much. Just know that, I uh..."

Spike let his gaze lower so that he was looking her directly in the eyes. "That you really enjoy our friendship. I do to, and like you, I would never want to jeopardize that." Sighing himself, he looked away, gazing out of the slightly tinted window to the ocean beyond. "Listen, I've been thinking. I know that this is a little early for your birthday, but I know how much you love to fly, or wish that you could I mean. So I was thinking, maybe for your birthday, I could fly you around anywhere that you wanted to go."

Spike nearly fell over when she pushed harder against him, squeezing him tightly as she said, "That would be perfect Spikey-Wikey. I would love that. Thank you."

Silence fell between them as they grew closer to the ground. Though their ride had been shorter than they remembered the past few times when he had come with his mother, they would neither one ever trade that for anything else in the entire world. This night thus far had been perfect for the drake, between the good news that his father had given him as well as the night out with friends and Rarity, he felt that he was on top of the world. And the only thing that ran through his mind was how this night could possibly get any better.

After helping Rarity out of their pod upon stopping at the station platform, she took the lead as they made their way towards the Longshot, where he could see Twilight waving to him. Waving back, he almost let his smile grow wider until his senses started to kick into overdrive.

His nose caught the biting stench of some cheap store-bought cologne, one that he would know anywhere. Carrying with the scent was also the heavy stench of freshly cooked fish, sweat, dirt, and the lustful desire of pure masculine stupidity. Hearing the shuffling of furry feet in the sand, as well as seeing a few drifting shadows, made him shove Rarity out of the way when they passed the break between the Ferris Wheel and the Longshot.

Turning around to scold at the drake, Rarity found that instead of a laughing Spike, he was now struggling with a silver pony with a mint mohawk mane. "Well hello there Spike ol'buddy. Wondering when you were going to drop by with this little skank for us. Thanks buddy, we'll take her from here."

Dashing forward from the darkness of the alley, Grape Crush seized Rarity within his grasp before pulling her back into the dark abyss with him. Hearing the mare of his dreams scream his name in plea as well as help seemed to ignite within him a new passion. Gritting his teeth, he brought his knee up to Thunderlane's gut, making him cringe in pain, releasing the drake. Not even stopping to take a breath, the drake jumped up and swung his leg in a full three-sixty, hitting the stallion in the head and sending him spinning a few times before striking the sandy ground rather roughly. Not stopping to take a breath, he dashed into the darkness to face their assailants.

Seeing as how he was a dragon, Spike had an advantage over any of the other stallions. Thus he was easily able to see in the darkness of the alley. As he drew near to the end of it however, he wished that he did not have that gift of sight. His eyes caught Rarity, pressed up against the fence, with her pants around her ankle, and her shirt torn slightly. Watching the three stallions trying to pull at Rarity's undergarments made him grit his teeth even harder, almost to the point that he was about to break his fangs.

Snarling with pure rage in his eyes, he grabbed the nearest pony, Grape Crush, and threw him against the fence beside her with a sickening crunch. Blood began to spew forth from his nose, which was now broken from the force of the impact. Not yet finished with the pony, he grasped his left arm and snapped it back without a single shred of thought, and broke it without much effort, getting a sort of sickening pleasure out of hearing him scream in pain. Snarling even more, he threw the pony into the sand, making it spew into his face.

Latching onto the back of Noteworthy's torn leather jacket, he yanked the pony to the ground, sand spewing into his face. Next, he brought a leg up to the middle of his spin and kicked as hard as he could, hearing a satisfying crack before he jumped out of the way of a blow from the final assailant, Snow Flight.

"Ya fight pretty vell for a small one dragon boy. Now, how's about ve settle zis vith ze fists eh?" "Sure, why not. Tall dipstick like you should be easy." Running forward, he slid underneath of the muscular stallion and arose behind him. Jumping into the air, he kicked against the strong pony's chest, sending him into the wooden post that was behind him. Yet he was still not going down. Dashing forward, he thrust his fist in an uppercut into the pony's jaw, hearing his teeth clatter together. Then, with a slight roar, he punched the pony numerous times in the chest, not stopping until the pony fell down to the ground in pain.

With the three assailants out of the way for the moment, he turned to Rarity and saw her shaking with fear. Knowing that he did not have much time, he slid over to her and helped her up, waiting so that she was able to pull back up her pants. "Rarity, you have to climb over the fence and get help, quick."

Not wanting to leave, she said, "But Spike.." With tha glare of pure rage that he was giving her, she knew that he was no going to allow her to stay. Nodding, she brought him into a hug before he helped her to scale the fence until she was able to pull herself over, where he pushed her legs over and watched as she felt the other side.

Seeing that she was safe, her turned around, only to find Thunderlane standing beside of Grape Crush, who was holding his broken arm upright. Beside of him was Snow Flight, clutching his chest and lower stomach while glaring at the drake with pure hatred and rage. Noteworthy however was struggling trying to stand back up, Spike having broken his back almost completely in half.

"Now Spike, was that all really necessary. You know that she doesn't love you, that she really is disgusted with you deep down."

"Shut up Thunderlane. If she hated me so much, she wouldn't be around me. You just need to stop being a lust filled jackass who only cares about trying to get into her pants. Cause here's the truth of the matter, it ain't ever going to happen. So long as I have breath in me, you will never touch her again."

"Eh, now I know why she hangs around you. You are too much of a pussy to do any real physical damage to us, but you sure like to try and talk your way out of things. Let's cut the crap alright. Bottom line is, she was my bitch to begin with, and you have no right to interfere with us and what is destined to happen eventually." Thunderlane was shocked when he felt a fist collide with his jaw, dislocating it. Before he could even react to the swing, a bare, scaled foot was pressed against the middle of his face, breaking his nose and spraying blood down his chest, turning his white t-shirt crimson red.

"Don't you ever say that about her again. You don't call her that, you don't look at her like that, hell, you don't even dare think about her like that."

The drake was forced to hold his tongue as Snow Flight threw a punch right into his gut, making him cringe in pain as he fell to the ground. Thunderlane rode to his feet to stare hard at the drake, laughing slightly as he was now towering over the drake. "That one will cost you spiny. Snow Flight, you know what to do."

"Ja, I know vat to do Vunderlane. I am going to take ze pleasure in hurting the little dragon one. Get ready spiny one, I am going to enjoy zis greatly."

Cracking was heard as the stallion began to kick at his ribs, possible breaking a few. Grape Crush jumped behind him to kick his back while Thunderlane went to punch him in the face continuously.

His vision began to grow blurry, and darkness began to envelope him. Feeling cold, he began to shiver. With another kick to his torso, he coughed up blood onto the sandy ground. As the lights of the world began to dim on him, and the crashing of waves sounded so distant, he managed to still hear one final pony speak. "Spike! Hang on brother, I'm coming..."