Just a few minutes ago Rarity had been confused why her new friend had suddenly left. Now she knew exactly what had happened (or at least that what she thought happened).
"So this is stallion she has a crush on, he's one of Applejack's cousins I think. I must admit, they do make a cute couple" she mused to herself.
Rarity continued observing, curious as to what would happen next.
"My names is Braeburn. Braeburn from Appleloosa. And what's your name sugarcube?" asked stallion, still holding Crystal Flare (AKA Spike) in his hooves.
"Me? I-I..." Spike tried to keep it together, but it wasn't easy with brash stallion holding him so close and in such an affectionate way.
"C-C-Could you let me go first?"
"Anything for girl as pretty as you." Braeburn said as he put her down.
A second later a cloud of dust was the only thing remaining, Crystal had made a run for the nearest exit.
"Oh, the poor thing." thought Rarity "She's even more shy than I imagined."
Luckily Rarity had mastered a few new spells, including one on 'clothing location' (very useful, considering how big her wardrobe is.) She quickly cast it on Crystal's dress. Approaching the surprised stallion, she offered her assistance.
"Hello there, I saw that you met my very shy friend, Crystal Flare."

Meanwhile in other part of Ponyville our ex dragon was slowly recovering.
"Well, that could have went with less panicking" thought Flare catching her breath, "but at least I lost him."
Crystal quickly assessed her situation and it was not good. The town was too crowded, there was no way Spike would find any deserted place (not without leaving Ponyville anyway).
"There's no way I can get that far on four legs." She had been so scared of the mare's romantic advances that she could not even remember how she ran this far on her four legs.
Suddenly her stomach started to grumble.
"Ooh, come on! Haven't you caused enough problems for one day?"
Her stomach answered with more grumbling.
"Arrgh, fine!" Flare noticed a restaurant "At least everything is free today."
Spike picked a table in a far corner and ordered some random dish from the menu.
"Enjoying your hooves, ex-dragon boy?"
Seeing no one, the transformed dragon called out softly, "Discord?"
There was nothing around her but ponies eating there meals.
"A little lower."
Crystal Flare looked down and noticed that one of the ponies had a cutie mark shaped like a Draconequus. And it moved!
"Discord, what are you doing there?"
Spike noticed that cutie mark's owner looked at her confused. She smiled to him nervously and pretended to read something from the menu. Then the meal came, a roasted chicken, which suddenly poofed and Discord's head appeared on it.
The dinner spoke to Spike "Is that better?"
Trying not to attract any attention Spike whispered "I'm not talking to somepony's butt, so let's say, yes. What are you doing here?"
"Just checking on you. How's being a pony?"
"Don't ask" grumbled Spike. "How long before I can change back?"
"Well, I can't tell exactly" Discord looked at his watch, but it had seven hands, with two going backwards. "But I would say two hours, maybe less."
"That's like forever" sighed Spike.
"Don't worry boy, as soon as I'm able to fix you I'll give you a signal to hide, so no one will see you transform." said Discord while tearing off one of his own chicken legs and taking a big bite.
"A signal?" purple pony looked at her meal with skepticism.
"Yes, I was thinking about something subtle, like... everyone's head will start flashing green." Spike gave him very meaningful glance. "Orange? Alright, alright, I'll think about something more subtle." Discord finished with the leg and flung a bone aside "Anyway, enjoy your meal."
Discord poofed turning it back into normal chicken. Crystal stared silently at the meal for a few seconds before ordering something else.
A short time later the waiter brought her a bouquet of roses.
Surprised, Crystal asked, "Is this my food?"
"No madam, it's a present from that stallion over there." said waiter pointing behind Flare.
She looked and immediately turned back. On a opposite side of a room Braeburn was waving from another table, trying to get Crystal's attention.
"What is he doing here?!"
"Stay calm Spike" the boy dragon thought, "just ignore him and he will get the message that you're not interested." Spike picked up the menu and pretended to read it carefully.
Meanwhile, few tables away, Rarity called to a unicorn waiter.
"Pardon me, can I ask for little favor of you?"
"Sorry lady, I'm busy."
"Is that so?" Rarity showed him a huge gem "would this possibly change your mind?"
WHOOSH
Crystal Flare looked up from the menu she'd been hiding behind to see very happy and excited unicorn waiter standing next to her.
"I'm truly sorry miss, but you can't sit here, you see this table is, emm.. Its reserved, yes that's it, it's reserved."
"Reserved? Wouldn't there be some kind of note or sign on the table if..."
"Yes, it is definitely reserved." interrupted here waiter "In fact..."
WHOOSH WHOOSH. In blink of the eye waiter return carrying some random pony he had picked.
"... The pony that made the reservations just arrived!"
"Do you have muffins?" asked the newly seated Pegasus
"Sure, whatever" the waiter answered.
Getting up from the table, and anxious not to attract more attention
Spike started to walk away, "umm, okay, guess I will..."
"Don't worry madam, we already took care of finding you a new seat" the waiter said as he hustled the purple pony to another table.
WHOOSH Suddenly Spike was sitting face to face with Braeburn. (Also somepony put candles on the table, dimmed the lights and ordered romantic music.)
"Why me?" thought Flare.
"Hi there again sugarcube." said Braeburn with a smile, clearly still oblivious about Spike's thoughts. "Funny how we keep bumping into each other, isn't it? I guess fate just means for us to be together."
"I-I-I... gotta use the little fillies's room" Spike said as he stood up.
"Oh, OK" said Braeburn with more that a little disappointment on his
face. "Take all the time you need, just make sure you find your way back to me" he lifted Crystal's dainty hoof and kissed it.
Crystal Flare stood up and walked away from a table, though she fought the urge to break into a gallop. But the stallion was watching her all the time. He'd just start another chase after her, so she really went to bathroom.
Once there, she turned on the tap and splashed her face with cold water.
"Careful darling, you don't want to ruin your make-up."
Spike turned around to see a familiar white unicorn.
"Rarity, I'm so glad to see you, you gotta help me. There is this guy that keeps hitting on me..."
"Calm down Crystal, I've seen everything."
"You did?" asked Spike, surprised.
"Yes, I saw you together next to my house. And while Braeburn seems to be a nice guy, he's also a bit... pushy" ex-dragon nodded her head in agreement. "Well, don't worry about anything darling, I have a plan."
Rarity used her magic to levitate some few cards.
"Just go talk to him. I'll be showing you those cards with written what to say to 'control' him a little."
"Are you sure this is going to work?"
"Sweetie, trust me on this one." Rarity flicked her hair with hoof. "I know how to work with a man."
Spike thought about all those times Rarity convinced him into doing work
for her and had to admit she was right.
Returning to the table a calmer pony, or at least as calm as a boy dragon turned into a female pony with an unwanted suitor could be. Crystal Flare sat near Braeburn, she put one hoof on the table to conceal that the other one held the magic cards Rarity had given her.
"I hope this works" the disguised dragon thought as he started reading. "Braeburn, I know you're attracted to me, but you must understand, I'm a very shy pony. I'm just not used to having a handsome stallion like yourself pursuing me." Spike saw where this was going, he'd seen Rarity talk to men like this just before she broke off a romance with them.
Magically the card had changed to a new one and Spike continued reading.
"I cherish the fact that you're in love with me and this very difficult for me to say." Braeburn reached over and gently touched Crystal's hoof which distracted her for a moment, but she forced a smile and looked back at the card. "Difficult for me to say because of my shyness," the card magically changed again. "That I love you too."
Spike smiled at the stallion taking a second to realize what he'd just said. Just as he did he found himself being embraced and kissed by Braeburn. Suddenly Spike heard ringing of bells.
"Does that mean I AM in love with Braeburn?" the very confused dragon boy thought as the kiss continued.
"What's that?" asked Braeburn as he at last released the liplock.
"It's town hall's bell" said Rarity. She dabbed tears from her eyes with a magical hankie seeing what she thought was the beginning of a great love she'd helped get started. "But they shouldn't start ringing until midnight" she said as the mystery chased romance from her mind.
Then the bell changed to the sound of some dog's barking. Crystal was just recovering from the kiss and realized that must be Discord's signal. Conveniently everyone got confused by the bell barking, so Flare had a bit of head start before Braeburn noticed she was gone.
But not too much of one.
"Sugarcube" he called out to her as she left the restaurant.
Crystal Flare ran down the street and noticed Discord waving to her from a small bush. She jumped right into it, loosing one crystal slipper in the way.
Braeburn showed up seconds later. He lifted lost slipper but didn't see his Special Somepony anywhere. Without hesitation he ran to first mare she saw and asked her to asked her to try it on.
"This won't end well" sighed Flare watching her would-be boyfriend assaulting every female he saw with crystal slipper.
"Maybe, but look at bright side, at least you may have learned something" a smiling Discord said.
"...To never ask you for a transformation spell?"
"I hoped something about friendship, but that will work." Discord pulled of a piece of paper and filled it with text. "I was sending a much worse letter to Princess Celestia."
He quickly finished it and then turned it into origami Rainbow Dash. The paper pegasus flew up and soared towards Canterlot.
"Still, I'm all recharged now. You're sure you don't want me to turn you into stallion?"
"Yes, I'm sure" the purple pony said as she watched Braeburn continue his frantic search. "Just change me back into a dragon before anyone finds us."
"Very well, the angry customer is always right." Discord took a step back and then pulled his hand together, like he was trying to make fist.
A green ball of energy showed up and once again Spike was blinded by a flash of light.
"You did it, I got claws back!" said Spike happily, then realized how high his voice was. "Discord, I'm still female!"
"This wasn't what you wanted? You did say 'just to a dragon'."
"Discord!" Spike was about to burst with anger, when he heard Rarity calling for Crystal Flare, and she was walking to their hiding place.
"Argh, how does she knows we're here?"
"I don't know." Discord shrugged his arms. "Maybe she has a locating spell on that dress (which you're still wearing, by the way)."
"She can't see me like this." Spike was close to panicking.
"Don't worry, I'll teleport you to somewhere you won't stand out." Before Spike could stop him, Discord snapped his fingers and our heroine dissipated.
Our purple dragon reappeared in the volcanic area. Seconds later, she was surrounded by teenage dragons, trying to get her affection. Spike later regained his normal form and gender, but not before rejecting several offers of marriage.
Since then, Spike has never tried transformation spells again.

THE END