Author's note: Two things: Chrome and Twilight are not in a relationship, at least not yet. And this chapter is going to be a little shorter.

Chapter 20: Green Eyed Dragon

"Come on Daddy, we don't want to be late," Nyx called out ahead of me.

Right now, Nyx and I are going to meet the girls to see a meteor shower, and Nyx is ecstatic about it.

"Don't worry Nyx, the meteors aren't going anywhere yet," I replied to her.

The two of us end up arriving just as Twilight and Spike do as well.

"I was sure I put the astronomer's guide back. The book would have helped me identify different planets and stars tonight," Twilight said to Spike

"Well... Maybe someone borrowed it? Besides, you don't need that book. You can already name all the planets and stars, 'cause you're super smart and astronomically awesome!" Spike said nervously. Oh great, what did Spike do now?

"Thanks, Spike. You're such a flatterer," Twilight said as we found our set up spot.

"Yeah, I'm a sweet talker," Spike said as he laid out his supplied from the wagon he brought.

"And a number one assistant, right?" Twilight asked.

"Check!" Spike said proudly.

"This is going to be so exciting!" Nyx exclaimed.

"Yes, and this will be you first meteor shower," I replied.

"Wow, Twilight!" Rainbow said, while eating an apple, "You're lucky to have such a rad assistant. I wish I had someone to do whatever I told them."

Yeah, and inflate your ego further.

"Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me! Me! I'll do whatever you want, Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo shouted.

"Oh yeah, pipsqueak? How about taking out the trash?" Rainbow told her, and gave her an apple core.

"Yes ma'am!" Scootaloo said, running off with the apple, but came right back with it.

"Do we have Spike to thank again for this amazing spread? Isn't he simply amazing?" Rarity asked.

"Oh, come on," Spike said flattered, "I said come on."

"Little Spikey-wikey! Who knew that big ferocious dragon started off so cutesy wootsy?" Pinkie joked.

"Spike, you are such a little star that I had to make a little bow tie for you," Rarity said, putting a bejeweled bow tie on Spike.

"Gosh. You guys are embarrassing me. Stop it," Spike said, "Twilight, your turn."

"Spike, that's enough," Twilight told him.

"Oh, right. That's enough," Spike agreed.

"Hey, everypony! The show is starting!" Nyx called out when she saw the first meteor.

At that, we all watched the night sky as the meteors flew across.

When it finally stopped, all of the ponies went back to eating the snacks that were brought.

"Mmm. Wow! These cookies are delish!" Pinkie said with a full mouth.

"Spike made them. Speaking of, Spike, can you bring us some punch? Spike?" Twilight asked.

We turn to look at Spike, and found him asleep in the empty punch bowl

"Oh, poor little thing," Rarity said.

"Aww... He's worked himself to the bone," Twilight said.

"And now the punch has been... "spiked"!" Pinkie joked, and caused the ponies to laugh.

After Spike fell asleep, the party was over and we all returned home.

"That was amazing," Nyx said on my back.

"It sure was Nyx, they are rare for a reason," I agreed with her.

"I can't wait to tell everyone at school about this."

"I'm afraid you will. Remember young ponies need their sleep," I told her as we enter our house.

"Why can't school be at night," Nyx pouted.

The next day, Nyx went off to school with her friends, and I went back to the library, or at least I was.

When I came to the library, the girls were gathered around Twilight with an owl on her back.

"Oh, what a fantastical, flufflicious feathery little friend! I'm... HOOked!" Pinkie told Twilight, causing the ponies to laught.

"What is with the owl?" I asked.

"Oh, hello Chrome. This is Owlowiscious, and he is going to be helping me as an assistant," Twilight explained.

Sigh, these ponies are idiots sometimes.

"He's just wonderful," Fluttershy added.

""He's just wonderful." Uh, yes. Wonderful. He's quite... the charmer," I heard Spike's voice from above.

"And Owlowiscious is just such a star I just had to make this little bow for you," Rarity said as she put Spike's bow on the owl. At this, Spike started to growl.

"What's he all saddle sore about?" Applejack asked.

"He's probably just jealous of Owlowiscious," Rainbow surprisingly understood.

"Maybe Spike feels threatened or worried that Owlowiscious will replace him?" Fluttershy suggested.

"Replace him? Hah! That's crazy! Spike knows he can't be replaced," Twilight said, dismissing their worries.

After that, the group went their own ways, and Twilight and I went into the library.

"Hey, Spike! Can you fetch me that book called "Two-headed Myth..." Twilight called out.

Sigh, what is with her and yelling in libraries.

"...Mythological Mysteries!" I know where it is," Spike said to himself.

"Thanks, Owlowiscious," Twilight said as the owl gave her the book first, "Hey, Spike, no worries. Owlowiscious flew up and got the book for me. Oh, and gee! I guess I need "Ferrets of Fairyland" too."

I heard Spike making some noises, and looked up from my book to see Spike about to fall off the shelves.

"Climb down from there before you fall," Twilight said, but Spike fell anyway.

I heard Spike growl again. That boy really doesn't like the owl.

After that I just went back to my book, but was interrupted by Twilight's loud voice again, "Shoot!"

"Yes, sir!" Spike said, rushing to Twilight.

"My last writing quill. It's broken," Twilight explained.

"Never fear! Spike, your number one assistant, is here!" Spike exclaimed as he went around looking for a quill.

Spike ended up looking all around the library trying to find it, but ended up running out to find some.

"Spike, wait! Wait!" Twilight called out as Spike left.

"Shoot, he left," Twilight said to herself, "I tried to tell him Owlowiscious found one already."

"Twilight, you really should be more considerate of Spike," I said looking up from my book.

"What? I am plenty considerate of Spike. It is just that he doesn't listen sometimes," Twilight defended.

"Or maybe you don't explain clearly enough," I replied.

Twilight ended up pouting from that, and began to write whatever she was writing.

Spike ended up bursting through the doors about half an hour later, holding a chicken feather.

"Spike... to the rescue," Spike said as he collapsed on the floor panting.

"Oh, Spike. I was calling out for you when you were turning this place upside down. Owlowiscious gave me one of his feathers to use as a quill," Twilight told him.

This got Spike rather upset, and he somehow burned the feather with his hand.

"That's just great. Perfect! Sweet! I think I'll just, uh... finish up the rest of my chores! Or did Owlowiscious already do them?" Spike asked upset.

"Oh, no no. There are quite a lot of them," Twilight told him.

"Well, that's fine. Because I can just stay up all night and finish-" Spike tried to say, but ended up falling asleep on the stairs.

"Poor Spike. He'll come around. He's genuinely a good little guy," Twilight told me.

After that the peace lasted an hour before Twilight interrupted it again.

It turns out that Twilight needed some Astronomy book, and when the owl brought it to her, the insides were burned.

Twilight was upset that the book was this way, and slammed it next to Spike's sleeping head.

"Huh?" Spike asked, being woken up by the book.

"Spike. What is this? You said this book was missing. Well, Owlowiscious found it right where it belongs, but like this. How did it get this way?" Twilight asked.

"Uh... Well, um... You see, I... I just didn't wanna disappoint you and, uh... Have you ever seen a dragon sneeze?" Spike tried to explain.

"I've seen a dragon lie. I'm very disappointed in you, Spike," Twilight told him with a stern look as she walked back to her work.

"Twilight, I think I'm going home," I told Twilight as I got up.

"Hm? Alright see you tomorrow," Twilight said, not looking up.

I ended up back home reading the Discord book. I really wish the thing wouldn't fire confetti every time I open it.

I was about to the half-way point when somepony knocked on my door. I set down the book, and found Spike there holding a hobo bindle stick.

"Um, hey Chrome. I was wondering if you had any supplied for a… camping trip?" Spike asked nervously.

A camping trip?

"No, I don't Spike," I told him.

"Oh, well that's ok. I was just asking because… Twilight want me to investigate something… in the Everfree," Spike said sweating, "Well bye!" And Spike ran down the road toward the forest.

Ok, Spike needs to work no lying, that was awful. Wait, he is going to the Everfree? That boy has a death wish.

With that thought, I decided to follow him. I wrote a letter to Nyx that I would be out late, and then fazed out of my suit to catch up to Spike unnoticed.

I followed Spike deep into the forest.

"Twilight hates me. I'm cold, hungry, tired and lonely. Could it get any worse?" Spike said to himself.

It seems that the weather has a sense of humor as it starts to pour down rain.

"I guess that's a yes."

Spike then spots a cave nearby, and runs to the shelter.

"Hello? Hello?" Spike shouts in the cave's darkness. Spike was about to not go in, but some thunder changed his mind.

As the two of us continue into the cave, we find something odd.

"What is that?" Spike asks.

The first things we see are piles of gems

"If this is what running away is all about, I never wanna go home! Gems! Mmm... Woohoo!" Spike called out in excitement as he begins to devour the gems.

Odd, what are so many gems doing here?

I decided to see if anything was odd with these gems, but something odd happened. Right as soon as I got within two feet of the gems, they began to glow.

What the?

I then retract myself, and the glowing stopped. I then move closer again, and they began to glow again.

The gems are reacting to me? I wonder…

I then pick up one of the gems, and it glowed brighter than the rest.

So I am right, but why are the gems acting this way?

I then put the gem back with the rest. This is a mystery best left for later. I looked over to where Spike was, and saw him with an enlarged stomach.

"Even if my tummy's full, the rest of me is still empty. I miss Twilight and the pony gang. But she doesn't love me anymore. So, I'm better off here, all by myself," Spike said sucking on a gem.

I then heard something move further in the cave. I don't think we are along in here.

I then saw some green serpent like head came from the darkness.

"Wow. Seems to be getting warmer," Spike said oblivious, "The steam is great for my complexion, but it's sure getting hot in here,"

"What are you doing in my cave? And why are you eating my gems?" The green dragon asked Spike

"Heyah bro! I didn't know this was your cave. And I didn't know these were your gems, but... we're cool, right?" Spike said, trying to remain calm, but the green dragon was no amused by the sound of its growling.

"Whoa, whoa! Hey... We're like brothers, you know? I mean, you're a dragon, I'm a dragon... It's us against the world, right?" Spike said, trying to calm the dragon down.

At that, the dragon roared at Spike, knocking him into the gem piles. Ok, I need to stop this before Spike gets eaten.

"Now, now, now. There is no need for violence," I called out to the dragon.

"Who is there? Another intruder?" The dragon asked, looking around for me.

"No point in trying to find me," I said to him, "My young friend here is ignorant of the dragon's laws."

This caused the dragon to arch one of its brows, "How does he not? All hatchlings are taught our laws."

"Well mighty dragon," I said, working on the dragon's pride, "You Spike here is a dragon raised by the ponies."

The dragon suddenly looked angry. "Yes, that blasted treaty," He spoke, releasing billows of smoke, "I despise that thing so."

I guess he meant the Pony -Dragon Treaty.

"We give them one of our young every 20 years, and that one grows up not knowing its proud heritage," the dragon continued.

"Yes, it is quite a horrid thought of one of your precious children being given to stranger," I agreed.

The dragon began to calm down, and looked at Spike.

"Um yeah, I don't know anything about the dragon laws," Spike said, still afraid of the dragon.

"Very well then, I will forgive you for eating my gems hatchling," the dragon told Spike, causing him to release a sigh of relieve, "On the condition that you return here once a week to be taught."

"Deal," I spoke for Spike, "It would be good for him to learn of the great history of his ancestor."

"Yes it will, but for now, I will return to rest," the dragon said then turned to Spike, "If you do not show, I will burn your home to the ground."

Spike turned pale at that thought, "I-I will be here."

And with that, the dragon went back into the darkness of the cave to rest.

"Thanks Chrome, you really saved by scales," Spike told me, "But how did you know that I was in danger?"

"Spike, you are poor at lying so I knew something was up when you talked to me," Spike looked away from my voice, "So I have been following you since you talked to me to make sure you aren't in any danger." I told him

"Well thanks Chrome, it is nice to know someone cares," Spike said.

"Spike, is that why you left? You thought no one cares about you?" I asked. How did he get that in his head?

"Yeah, Twilight doesn't need me anymore, and doesn't love me," Spike said poking at the ground.

"Spike, Twilight cares greatly for you," I told him.

"I doubt it; she cares only for that darn owl now."

I sigh at this, "Spike, I bet you 10 bits that Twilight will come here trying to find you."

"Fine," Spike agreed.

As if to prove I was correct, Twilight's owl came into the cave and circled over Spike.

"Spike! Over here!" We heard Twilight call from the entrance of the cave.

"Told you so," I said to Spike, but he was already running towards Twilight.

"Am I glad to see you!" Spike shouted, hugging her.

"Spike. We were so worried about you. I was so worried about you. Why did you run away?" Twilight ask, hugging Spike back.

"I thought you didn't need me anymore. And that you didn't love me anymore," Spike admitted.

"Spike. Sure, I was disappointed, but you are my number one assistant! And friend. And you always will be. It's just that sometimes I need some help at night. I can't ask you to stay up late. You're a baby dragon and you need your rest. Owls are nocturnal. So I asked Owlowiscious to help. But not to take your place. No one could ever replace you, Spike. Not even when you are being a jealous numbskull," Twilight told him.

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I've never should have been so jealous," Spike apologized.

"And I'm sorry too, Spike. I should have been more sensitive," Twilight admitted.

"And Owlowiscious... I know now that you weren't out to take my job. Forgive me?" Spike asked the owl, but received a "Hoo".

"Me. Forgive me, Spike," Spike said again, but the bird repeated its "Hoo"

"He forgives you," I said, surprising Twilight.

"Chrome, what are you doing here?"

"Meh, I just followed Spike when he came to me asking for camping equipment," I explained.

"Hey! How did you guys know where I was?" Spike suddenly asked Twilight.

"It was your ketchup-covered feet. Owlowiscious discovered your footprints and we followed them all the way to the cave," Twilight explained. Ketchup-covered feet? What did I miss?

"Oh yeah, the ketchup. It looked pretty real though, didn't it? Uh..." Spike gave a nervous laugh.

With that, the four of us walked through the forest and towards the exit.

"Did anything happen while you were gone Spike?" Twilight asked while we walked.

"You bet, me and Chrome found a large pile of gems, they were so delicious," Spike said licking his lips.

"And we found the large dragon who the gems belong to," I added, causing Twilight to stop.

"You found a dragon?!" Twilight shouted in surprise.

"Yeah, he was a cool guy, he let us go and everything," Spike added quickly.

"Well, he let Spike go under special conditions," I explained.

"Conditions? What did the dragon want?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, the dragon wants to be Spike's teacher for all things dragon," I said.

"Wow, that's great! Ponies know so little about dragons' customs, and systems," Twilight said excitedly.

"Yeah, that means I can learn to be a real dragon," Spike said proudly.

"Yeah… and there is also the point that you have no choice in the matter," I said as we exited the forest.

"No choice? What do you mean Chrome?" Twilight askd, and Spike was looking nervous again.

"Oh, if Spike doesn't show up for his dragon lessons once a week, the dragon will burn down your tree," I explained to a wide-eyed Twilight, "Well, I have to go see if Nyx is ok."

I then floated away back to my house, leaving the three back there.

When I entered my house, I found Nyx in the living room curled up in my suit. She must of waited for me to come back.

With that thought in mind, I picked Nyx up, and brought her to her bed, and laid her down.

"Goodnight Nyx, you won't believe the story I have for you tomorrow," I said gently as I left the room.

Maybe being a father isn't so bad.