Owl's Well That Ends Well

Pony's Log Number 124: When you've been the center of attention for the longest time, it can be difficult to share the attention with someone else...

As the sun was beginning to set in order to make way for the night sky, Spike was busy gathering some items that his friends would need to be a rare nighttime phenomenon. Spike had just put the telescope into his wagon, which already had a nicely folded red checkered tablecloth inside as Twilight was waiting excitedly from upstairs.

"This meteor shower tonight's gonna be amazing!" said Twilight as Spike collected some bananas and tossed them into his wagon.

"You know, this shower only happens once every 100 years," Twilight told him as Spike was juggling some apples he was gonna pack as well.

"A centennial celebration!" Spike remarked as he was beginning to lose control of his juggling. but managed to make the falling apples ride down his back and into the wagon.

"We better get a move on!" said Twilight.

"Don't wanna be late!" Spike added as he wobbled over with a bowl loaded with freshly made punch, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Fortunately he was able to get the punch into the wagon without spilling, despite nearly losing his balance a couple of times. Spike sighed with relief as Twilight began to make her way down.

"Spike, did you grab my quill and ink?" Twilight asked as Spike quickly grabbed her quill and ink.

"Check!" said Spike as he tossed them into the wagon.

"Scrolls?" she asked next.

"Check!" said Spike as he tossed two scrolls into the wagon, "I've also packed a telescope, apples, bananas, fruit punch, and my freshly baked homemade triple decker nut-crazy vanilla cream cookies!" Spike listed off the items with his fingers before lifting a large plate of the cookies. He also had some cookies crumbles all over his mouth. Twilight took noticed and giggled.

"I can see that," Twilight remarked, "Once again you've read my mind, Spike. And that's why you are my number one assistant." Twilight made her way downstairs

"I'm sorry," said Spike, "I didn't hear you."

"That is why you are my number one assistant," Twilight repeated.

"Missed that!" Spike teased, "Huh..."

"I said..." Twilight then realized that Spike was just having fun with her as she turned around to face him and giggled, "Come on, let's get going." Twilight then stopped just as they wear near her front door.

"Wait! I almost forgot!" said Twilight as she faced Spike again, "I wanna bring the "Astronomical Astronomer's Almanac to All Things Astronomy." Spike just stood blankly as he shook his head a bit in confusion.

"The Astronomo-lomo homono what?" Spike asked curiously.

"You know that really old big blue book on stars, moons, planets, the universe...?" Twilight explained.

"Right, Check!" said Spike as he rushed into another room, climbed up a ladder and found the book in just a few seconds. Since the book was covered in dust, Spike used his hand to wipe it off, but the dust got up his nose.

"Ah...Ahh...Ahhh...Ahhhh...!" Spike was about to sneeze but managed to stop himself with a sigh, but then... "AAHH-CHOOO!" With a giant sneeze, Spike accidentally roasts the entire contents of the book to a crisp. Spike begins to panic, unsure of how he would explain what happened to Twilight.

"Hey! What's taking my number one assistant so long?" Twilight called out as Spike just tucked the destroyed book back on the shelves and headed back to Twilight. Some ominous music could be heard as a sign that Spike couldn't hide what had happened forever...

(theme song)

Outside, the stars had already come out to play as Twilight's friends, including the Cutie Mark Crusaders, were already sitting at the top of a hill waiting for them as Applejack was approaching the group. There were also a few other ponies there as well to catch the meteor shower. As for Mario, Twilight and Spike had gone to his house once leaving the Library and the three were now making their way towards the top of the hill.

"I was sure I put the astronomer's guide back," Twilight pondered since Spike had "claimed" that he couldn't find it, "The book would have helped me identify planets and stars tonight." Spike just looked rather nervous as he tried to think of something to say.

"Well...Maybe someone borrowed it?" Spike suggested.

"Maybe," said Twilight, "Mario did you borrow it and didn't tell me?"

"Not that book," said Mario, thinking deeply to make sure he was remembering correctly, "Usually I don't take your books out of the library unless I have to study them overnight, but I always make sure to bring them back."

"Mostly," Twilight teased.

"No pony's perfect," Mario said indignantly as Twilight giggled.

"Besides, you don't need that book," Spike continued, "You can already name all the planets and stars, 'cause you're super smart and astronomically awesome."

"Thanks, Spike," said Twilight, "You're such a flatterer."

"Yeah, I'm a sweet talker," Spike replied.

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

"Check!" Spike replied happily.

"Oh brother," said Mario, feeling a little jealous. This time...Twilight noticed.

"What you're deal?" she asked. Mario just released a breath.

"Guess I'm just wondering where I fit in all of this," he said aloud.

"Fit in what?" Twilight asked puzzled.

"If Spike is your number one assistant," said Mario, "what does that make me?"

"Her poodle," Spike answered.

"Very Funny!" Mario retorted as Twilight laughed.

"You are my research partner," said Twilight, "We work together to uncover the magic of friendship." Twilight gave him a smile as Mario returned.

"Sweet," said Mario, satisfied with her answer as they reached the top of the hill. Spike immediately got to work setting up the blanket, a bowl of apples, the punch bowl, and some cups to drink the punch. That was when the rest of their friends had arrived, Rainbow wasted no time grabbing an apple and began to eat it as Spike set up the telescope.

"Wow, Twilight!" said Rainbow as she continued to much her apple, "You're lucky to have such a rad assistant. I wish I had someone to do whatever I told them."

"Ooh! Ooh! Me! Me! Me!" said Scootaloo excitedly and bounced on all four of her hooves, "I'll do whatever you want, Rainbow Dash!"

"Oh yeah, pipsqueak?" said Rainbow as she held the apple core in her hooves, "How about taking out the trash?" Rainbow dumped her core on the grass.

"Yes ma'am!" said Scootaloo as she picked up the apple in her mouth and zoomed away as the others made their way towards the blanket filled with snacks.

"Do we have Spike to thank again for this amazing spread?" Rarity asked as the others gathered around him, "Isn't he simply amazing?" The others shared their complements as well, making Spike look rather bashful at being the center of attention.

"Oh come on," said Spike and then there was a pause of silence, "I said come on." He gestured for the praises to continue as Pinkie got behind him.

"Little Spikey-wikey!" Pinkie cooed as she gave him a hoof noogie to his head, "who knew that big ferocious dragon started off so cutsey wootsy?"

"Spike, you are such a little star that I had to make a little bow tie for you," Rarity used her magic to present Spike with a large jewel studded red bow tie. Spike smiled as Rarity put it on for him.

"Gosh, you guys are embarassing me. Stop it," said Spike, but then paused again. Deep down, he was loving all the attention, "Twilight, your turn."

"Spike, that's enough," Twilight warned.

"No need to get a big head about it," Mario added gently.

"Oh, right," said Spike sheepishly, "That's enough."

"Hey, everypony!" Sweetie Belle announced, "The show is starting!" Everyone made a mad dash to the top of the hills. Sweetie Belle ducked to avoid the dust cloud before trying to catch up to everypony else. She then carefully climbed on Rarity's back to get a better view. It wasn't long before a huge collection of meteors began to stream across the night sky.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"It's really cool."

"Once!" the other ponies commented as they enjoyed the show together. Spike was sitting comfortable on Twilight's back as they enjoyed the meteor shower together.

"Wow..." they said together. As the show went on, Spike suddenly gave a loud yawn.

"Huh?" Spike mumbled as he tried to wake himself up as the meteor shower continued.

Once it had finished, everyone began to enjoy the punch and party snacks Spike had brought along. Everyone was continuing to chatter about as Pinkie tipped the plate and devoured the last three cookies at once.

"Mmm. Wow!" said Pinkie with her face full of cookie crumbs, "These cookies are delish!"

"I'm not too big on nutty cookies," Mario added, "but I couldn't stop myself from eating these. They were that good."

"Spike made them," Twilight told the two ponies, "Speaking of, Spike, can you bring us some more punch? Spike?" Twilight looked around worried since the small dragon hadn't answered. But she didn't need to search for long before she found him fast asleep with his head inside of the nearly empty punch bowl as he snored, making the inside of the punch bowl fog up.

"Oh, poor little thing," said Rarity gently.

"Aww...He's worked himself to the bone," Twilight added with a smile on her face.

"And now the punch has been..."spiked"!" Pinkie added and everyone laughed as Spike just continued to snooze. It wasn't much longer before everyone had returned home. Twilight gently placed Spike into his basket.

"Good night, Spike," said Twilight with a giggle as she tucked him in, "Sweet dreams, number one assistant." Twilight quietly made her way downstairs. With a piece of paper, ink, a quill, and a small candle for light, Twilight got ready to write her latest report on the meteor shower. Mario had gone home to write his own since they each needed to submit their own separate papers for this assignment, but planned on comparing notes in the morning. Twilight sighed contently before getting started.

"The Study of Comets," she began to write and said her words out loud, "Comets are small, irregularly shaped bodies that are made of nonvolatile grains and frozen gases. They..."

Crrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeak!

Twilight was then taken aback by the sound as she looked behind her to see what it was. A dark shadow flew past the door leading to her balcony as she quickly made her way outside.

"Huh?" said Twilight puzzled. Once she finds nothing outside that is unusual, she heads back inside and closes the balcony door, but not properly. The door slowly creaks open a bit as Twilight returns to her desk and continues writing.

"...have body structures that are fragile and diverse..."

Crrrrrrrrrrreeeeaaak!

The same shadow quickly flies across the window as Twilight opens it and barely misses seeing what the shadow was. Just then, a cold night wind blows into her room, causing the paper she was writing on to float off her desk.

"Shoot!" Twilight muttered as she tried to chase after her paper, but because she didn't close her balcony door properly, the door opened with the wind and the paper flew away into the night sky. Twilight just barely missed seeing the shadow again as she watched her paper disappear and then headed back inside.

"Oh...this is job for Spike," said Twilight, nervously bouncing on her hooves, "If only he were awake..."

"Hoo!"

Twilight then looked at her desk and noticed an owl sitting on top of it with the paper inside its mouth. The owl dropped the paper and turned around to leave.

"Wait! Don't go!" said Twilight as the owl made a perfect one-eighty turn of its head to look at her, "Don't be afraid. Thank you for returning my scroll." The owl then turned the rest of its body to face her when the wind blew by again.

"Hoo! Hoo! Hoo-hoo," said the owl as it shivered from the cold wind.

"Gosh, it's cold tonight," said Twilight, "Say, would you like to relax in here and keep me company while I work?"

"Hoo! Hoo!" the owl replied as it headed over to the side of the desk to get comfortable.

"Now, where was I?" said Twilight as she reread her scroll, "Oh yes..."fragile and diverse with a surrounding cloud of material called a coma, that grows in size and brightness as the comet approaches the sun..."..." The owl just listened quietly as Twilight continued her report.

Next morning, Spike was still fast asleep in his basket as the sun had already risen high into the sky. He awoke with a start once he saw how bright it was outside the room.

"Huh? Waah! I overslept!" Spike exclaimed as he looked at his clock and then rushed downstairs. Twilight was busy packing some stuff into her saddle bags as Mario waited patiently for her so they could get going when Spike rushed into the room, "I know it's already ten, but I'm scaly-tailed and bright-eyed and ready to work twice as fast! Oh please, don't be upset, Twilight! And what do you want for breakfast? Oatmeal? How about a sunflower smoothie? Grass pancakes?" As strange at those last two meal items sound, that is the pony delicacy. Twilight just smiled at him.

"Spike don't worry," said Twilight.

"But my morning chores..." Spike protested.

"It's okay," said Twilight, "Owlowiscious did them for you."

"Who?" Spike asked puzzled with large eyes and shaking his head.

"He's our new junior assistant," Twilight explained, "He's gonna help out with your chores so you won't be so tired all the time."

"Wha..wh...what do we need a junior assistant for?" Spike asked a little uneasily, "I'm not tired. I do fine on my own. I don't need sleep. I..."

"Spike, don't worry," Twilight tried to reassure him, "He's just here to help out a little. Now, Mario and I have to go out, so why don't you introduce yourself to Owlowiscious? He's in the library."

"Worried?" said Spike nervously as he began to sweat, "Do I look worried? I'm not worried. Who's worried?"

"Just brace yourself," said Mario, "He's got this...little trick he does with his neck and beady eyes, but he means no harm okay."

"Uhh...sure...thanks for...the update," said Spike slowly as Mario and Twilight took their leave. spike then slowly made his way down the stairs to the area where Owlowiscious was.

"Hello? Hellooo!" Spike called out when he found the owl just sitting on Twilight's desk. The owl made a slow one eighty degree turn of his head and stared at Spike.

"Whoa! Dude, that's creepy," said Spike as he flinched away in fright before approaching him, "Uh...Hi there! I'm Spike. I'm sure Twilight's told you all about me."

"Hoo," said Owlowiscious.

"Uh, Spike?" the dragon repeated, "You know, assistant number one?"

"Hoo?" Owlowiscious repeated again.

"I'm Spike!" the dragon snapped, getting annoyed, "And who are you? What are you?"

"Hoo!"

"Who?"

"Hoo!"

"I thought your name was Owlowiscious!" Spike retorted in irritation.

"Hoo?" the owl asked.

"Okay, "Who", "Owlowiscious", whatever," Spike said in exasperation, "I'm Spike okay? Look! All you need to know is that I'm number one and you're number two. Got it?"

"Hoo?" was all Owlowiscious said in reply. Spike was losing his patience as one of his eyes began to twitch.

"So, a man of mystery, huh?" Spike retorted, "I'm keeping my eyes on you! I've got eyes in the back of my head too!"

CRASH!

Spike was so busy trying to show Owlowiscious who was boss that Spike walked right into the front door. Spike was a bit dazed for a bit before he recovered.

"Well, not really, but...You know what I mean!" said Spike angrily as he opened and slammed the door shut. Outside the library, Spike was fuming.

"That bird is out for my job," said Spike angrily, "He wants to be number one. I'll prove to Twilight that I deserve to be number one. Not Freaky Feathers over there. I won't let him have my job if it's the last thing I do!" Spike was unaware that Owlowiscious was starting at him from a window with ominous looking eyes.

Later on, Spike was just sitting on a tree branch outside the library. He was currently reading a book about owls as Twilight was showing off Owlowiscious to the rest of her friends.

"Oh, what a fantastical, flufficious feathery little friend!" said Pinkie, "I'm...hooked!" Everyone laughed at her little joke as Spike continued to read his book.

"He's just wonderful," Fluttershy added.

"He's just wonderful," Spike repeated in mock tone, but was left eating his words when everyone turns to look at him. He smiled at them sheepishly.

"Uh, yes. wonderful," Spike tried to say casually before adding under his breath, "He's quite...the charmer."

"And Owlowiscious is just such a star I just had to make this little bow for you," said Rarity before presenting and tying on a bow that was almost identical to the one she had given Spike the other day. That really got Spike angry.

"Grrr!" Spike growled before crawling inside via a window and slammed it shut. Everyone just looked at him blankly.

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

"He's probably just jealous of Owlowiscious," Rainbow pointed out.

"I could tell," Mario added.

"Maybe Spike feels threatened or worried that Owlowiscious will replace him?" Fluttershy added with concern.

"Both of those would make sense," said Mario in agreement.

"Replace him? Hah! That's crazy!" said Twilight with a laugh, "Spike knows he can't be replaced." Owlowiscious just sat quietly with its new bowties sparkling in the sunshine. Mario just looked at her skeptically and shook his head.

"What?" Twilight asked with a glare.

"I'm just gonna be upright and honest this time," said Mario, "Twilight Sparkle, you are so clueless sometimes."

"Hey!"

"I know jealousy when I see it," said Mario, "Rainbow and Fluttershy are probably right about Spike. Why else would be look so steamed?"

"Well, I think he's just cranky over lack of sleep," said Twilight, "Just you wait and see."

"And if I'm right?" Mario asked with a raised eyebrow, but only got silence for an answer.

"You know by now we're not gonna admit you were right, don't ya?" Applejack asked plainly. Mario gritted his teeth, snorted loudly before heading back inside his house and slammed the door.

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

"He just can't accept the fact that when it comes to arguing with girls," said Fluttershy smugly, "he'll never win." The others snickered as Mario just sulked in his living room.

Back inside the library, Spike was stomping about.

"They're trying to replace me!" said Spike, "I better step it up and make sure that Twilight and Owlowiscious both know whose still number one!" Spike didn't realize until after he had been talking to himself that he had been heading downstairs and saw Twilight with Owlowiscious at the bottom of the staircase.

"Hey, Spike!" said Twilight, "Can you fetch that book called: "Two-headed Myth-"

"...Mythological Mysteres!"," Spike finished for her, "I know where it is." In his efforts to be useful, Spike had done his very best to memorize the locations of most of the books on the library shelves. Using a ladder and a small stack of books, Spike reaches the location where the book was...only to find it empty.

"Thanks, Owlowiscious," said Twilight, "Hey Spike, no worries, Owlowiscious flew up and got the book for me. On and gee! I guess I need "Ferrets of Fairyland" too." Spike felt rather annoyed until Owlowiscious flew up and grabbed the said book that was under the stack Spike was standing on.

"Hey! Whoa! Whoa!" Spike retorted as he wobbled to try and regain his balance.

"Climb down from there Spike," said Twilight, not even bothering to look at him, "before you fall."

CRASH!

Twilight was too late as Spike came tumbling down into a small pile of books. Spike rose out of them angrily.

"Grrr!' Spike growled, steam spewing from his ears.

Later on that day, Twilight was busy writing some notes when her quill snapped and broke.

"Shoot!" Twilight remarked.

"Yes, sir!" said Spike as he appeared beside her.

"My last writing quill," said Twilight, "it's broken."

"Never fear!" said Spike confidently, "Spike, your number one assistant, is here!" Spike immediately begins to search for something that would make a good writing quill.

"Quill...quill...where is it?" said Spike as he began to search through a basket, the kitchen, under the bed, "Not here...quill...quill, where is it?" He then searched the bathroom and opens a curtain.

"Hoo," said Owlowiscious, wearing a shower cap on his head and in the bathtub. Spike just shuts the curtain and moves on.

"Where am I gonna get a quill?" Spike asked as he even searches inside of a sandwich and then makes a fast exit from the Library and into town.

"Spike, wait! Wait!" Twilight called out from the above balcony, but Spike was already out of hearing range.

It wasn't long before Spike reaches a store that is known for selling only two things, quills and sofas. Yet today had to be the day they were out of the one thing Spike needed the most.

"But the store is called, "Quills and Sofas"," Spike protested to the owner, Davenport, "You only sell two things!"

"Sorry, Junior," said Davenport, "All outta quills until Monday. Need a sofa?" Spike just groaned loudly and stomped away to look elsewhere. It wasn't long before he found himself just outside Sugarcube Corner talking to Pinkie Pie.

"I swore I had one here somewhere," said Pinkie, "Ah, here it is! A quince." Pinkie tossed a peach colored fruit before Spike.

"Not a quince. A quill!" said Spike as he kicked the fruit away.

"Right," said Pinkie, "A quail? A quilt! A quesadilla? Aha! A quiche!" As Pinkie mentions all the items beginning with the letter Q, the quail simply flew away, the quilt hits Spike in the face, which Spike pulls off and nearly misses the quesadilla splattering in front of him. Spike just groans as he manages to catch a quiche that had a fork stuck into it.

"Not a quiche," Spike retorted annoyingly, "A quill!"

"Nope," said Pinkie, "Sorry. All outta quills." Spike just sighed.

"Shoot," he muttered before taking a bit out of the quiche and walking away. Once he had finished it, Spike was now at a farm chasing a chicken.

"Come on, Chicken!" Spike called out, "Here, chicky-chicky-chicky! Here! Chick-chick-chick-chicky! Come here! Ugh! Come here!" The chicken then ducked into its coop as Spike continued to pursue it until the chicken left though its door and Spike crashes into the wall. The entire wall comes crashing down with Spike on top. Spike grunts angrily before continuing the chase. The chicken comes to stop and Spike attacks the chicken.

"Not the face, not the face!" Spike shouted as the struggle continued, "No! Hey! Stop! Quit it!" Soon the chicken left the dust cloud unharmed as Spike looked rather beat up. As he lay there, a single chicken feather floated towards him. His mission was complete. The sun was already setting when Spike finally arrived back at tree house with the chicken feather in his hand.

"Spike...to the rescue," he panted before Twilight as he plops the floor on his stomach in exhaustion.

"Oh Spike," said Twilight, "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 showed Spike the owl feather. Spike rose to his feet, fists balled as he burns up the feather with the anger swelling inside of him.

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

"Oh, no-no," said Twilight, "There are quite a lot of them."

"Well, that's fine," Spike snapped as he sat on one of the step leading upstairs, "Because I can stay up all night and finish-" Spike said no more, he had fallen asleep on the steps. Twilight just smiled.

"Poor Spike," said Twilight to Owlowiscious, "He'll come around. He's genuinely a good little guy." Owlowiscious said nothing.

By morning, Spike was still fast asleep before the sound of a loud book plopped next to him.

"Huh?" Spike woke in surprise. Until he noticed the book that had been dropped next to him was the very book he had accidentally ruined the other day.

"Spike, what is this?" said Twilight sternly, "You said this book was missing. Well, Owlowiscious found it right where is belongs, but like this. How did it get this way?" Spike looked rather uneasy.

"Uh...Well, um...You see," Spike stuttered, "I...I just didn't wanna disappoint you and uh,...have you ever seen a dragon sneeze?" That last part was actually Spike telling the truth, but because he made a rhetorical question out of it as he hugged his tail, Twilight took his answer as an excuse.

"I've seen a dragon lie," Twilight retorted, "I'm very disappointed in you, Spike." Twilight then excused herself from the room as Spike felt ashamed. Until he saw the owl standing nearby and his shame turned into anger when he remembered it was Owlowiscious that had shown the destroyed book to Twilight in the first place.

"You set me up!" said Spike angrily, pointing a finger at the owl, "Well, two can play at that game!"

"Hoo!" said Owlowiscious.

"Not "who"! Two! Urgh!" Spike bellowed in frustration as he stomps his way out of the Library steaming with fury.

"Owlowiscious is out to take my place," Spike snorted as he continued to stomp about the town, "I just know it! I've gotta stop him, but how?" It was just then Spike sees a white mouse run by. He then get a devious smile on his face.

"Ah!" Spike exclaimed as he zips away and returns now wearing a black top hat, matching cape, and a villainous mustache, which he twists one side with his hand and laughs, "Muahahaha!"

Spike has officially gone to the dark side.

In order for his dastardly plan to work, he first headed to the outside of the Carousel Boutique. His timing couldn't have been more perfect as Rarity and Opal both stepped outside.

"Come along, Opal," said Rarity, "Let's hurry up and get to Fluttershy's tea party." The cat just walked with Rarity in its snooty manner as they passed a particular bush. Once they were far enough away, Spike pops out of the bush and makes his way inside through the bottom half of the Boutique door. As he tip toes about the shop, he looks around to see a ball of yarn, some rolled up fabric, and then a particular toy mouse.

"So lifelike," said Spike as he picks it up and examines it, "An when Twilight discovers it shredded up on the floor, she'll think mouse eating Owlowiscious is too blame. And I'll be number one...again! Muhahaha!" Spike then opens the door, makes a rather dastardly pose, before making his escape.

Once back at the Library, Spike began to put his dastardly pan into action. With the toy mouse in his hand, he first tears off a patch rarity had sewed on it and shakes it a bit to make some of the stuffing come out. Next, he roughs up the whiskers a bit as well as the face, causing one of the button eyes to dangle by its thread. He then tosses some of the stuffing into the floor. Then Spike rushes into the kitchen and grabs a bottle of ketchup and pours a large glob of it around the mouse to add a gruesome factor to the destroyed toy mouse. Then he grabs Twilight's pillow and began to toss the feathers around to leave a trail. Walking backwards, Spike laughs evilly as he continued to make a mess and becomes unaware of two things: One, he had stepped into the ketchup and was leaving foot prints on the floor and stairs. Two, he was so in the moment of his little scheme that he didn't notice that Twilight and Owlowiscious were right behind him...until he bumped into her.

Busted

Twilight just gave him a stern glare as Spike just shifted his eyes from Twilight to the mess and back again. He then zipped away to removed his costume and then came back in seconds flat.

"That poor little field mouse!" said Spike melodramatically, "Torn to pieces! It must have been Owlowiscious! You know, since owls eat, you know, mice. What a terrible, terrible bird! He must be punished! Right?"Twilight was now at her wits end.

"Spike! I don't know what upsets me more," Twilight scolded angrily, "That you deliberately tried to set up Owlowiscious or that you actually thought this pathetic attempt would work! You let your jealousy get the best of you, Spike! I am truly disappointed. This is not the Spike I know and love." If the fact Twilight was disappointed in him didn't hurt enough, hearing that last statement really broke the poor dragon's heart. Twilight just left the room without another word as Owlowiscious just did a one-eighty with his head to look at Spike as they left with a hard slam of the front door. That last sentence continue to repeat on Spike head.

Not the Spike I know and love...

Not...know and love...

Not...love...

"She...She doesn't love me anymore," said Spike, feeling like he going to cry.

It was later that evening when Twilight finally returned just outside the library, after what had happened, she needed some time to cool down and recollect her thoughts. As wrong as Spike was, she felt rather guilty herself.

"Maybe I was a little hard on Spike," said Twilight to Owlowiscious.

"Hoo," Owlowiscious replied.

"Well, he shouldn't have felt so jealous," Twilight retorted as Owlowiscious just stared at her, "there's no reason to think that you're meant to replace him or that he's not needed."

"Hoo" the owl said again. Twilight sighed.

"I should let him know," said Twilight as she headed inside, only to find the mess was still there, including the foot prints.

"Ugh, Spike, I had expected you to clean up this mess!" she snapped annoyed as she headed upstairs to find him. Soon her annoyance turned to concern when she saw Spike was nowhere to be found.

"Spike? Spike? Where are you?" Twilight called out, but there was no reply. She quickly searched the entire Library/living space, but no sign of a baby dragon anywhere.

"Spike, this isn't funny!" Twilight said worried.

"Hoo!" said Owlowiscious as he pointed a wing towards a set of familiar tracks. She didn't need to look that much farther to see that Spike had made his way out of town.

"Oh no," said Twilight before she ran towards Mario's house and banged the door frantically.

"Mario! Mario! Mario!" Twilight shouted as Mario opened the door.

"What's with all the banging?!" he asked, holding a mug with his magic, "you nearly made me spill my cup of cocoa!"

"He left!" said Twilight. Mario didn't need long to figure out who.

"Spike?" he asked for confirmation as he set the mug down by a nearby table.

"Yes, he ran away," Twilight replied and began to talk rather fast, "You were right Mario! He was jealous and what did I do? I scolded him! Now he's gone! And if anything happens to him I'll never..." Twilight didn't get to finish as Mario wrapped his fore-hooves around her in a hug. While Twilight was still worried, his hug did at least settle down what was clearly becoming a panic attack. Mario held her a few seconds until he could tell Twilight's breathing was close to normal again.

"Then let's go find him," said Mario gently as he pulled away, "I'll get the rest of our friends to..."

"No need," said Twilight as a certain owl hovered nearby, "Owlowiscious found some foot prints leading out of town. If we hurry we can find him before the trail disappears." Mario nodded as the three soon headed out of town.

Meanwhile, Spike had aimlessly headed into the Everfree forest carrying just a simple sack on a stick as he continued to walk through the dark forest with his head low.

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

KA-BOOM!

It was just then a small thunder storm hit the forest and rain began to pour down on the small dragon. Spike was startled for a moment.

"Guess that's a yes," he remarked. He hadn't walked that much farther before he found a small cave.

"Hello? Hello?" Spike called out from the outside edge before deciding to make his way inside to get out of the rain as the lightning outside struck a few times behind him. As Spike walks further inside, his eyes catch a glimpse of something sparkling in the distance.

"What is that?" he wondered as he made his way close to it. There before him was a large mountain of gems. His eyes widen excitedly.

"If this is what running away is all about," said Spike, "I never wanna go home!" He then swan dives into the gems.

"Gems! Mmm...woohoo!" Spike shouted as he surfaced once and then surfaced again as he gobbled up a few gems happily. A few minutes later, Spike was now reclining against the mountain of gems with a nicely sized potbelly to show that he had eaten his share and gave a satisfied hiccup.

"Even if my tummy's full," said Spike as he patted his stomach, "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 then holds a half-eaten yellow gem and begins to suck on it when some mysterious steam begins to float near Spike.

"Wow, seems to be getting warmer," Spike said aloud as he tried to fan himself a bit, "The steam is great for my complexion, but it's sure getting hot in here." Spike looks around for the source and then gasped silently as he sees another dragon. A large, fully grown green dragon, snorting and glaring at him.

"What are you doing in my cave?" the green dragon demanded, "And why are you eating my gems?"

"Heyah bro!" said Spike, trying to play it cool, "I didn't know this was your cave. And I didn't know these were your gems, but...we're cool right?" Spike's question was soon met with a threatening growl from the green dragon.

"Whoa, whoa! Hey...We're like brothers, you know," said Spike, trying to reason with him, "I mean, you're a dragon, I'm a dragon...it's us against the world, right?" The green dragon just roared, making it clear that he was not willing to relate or make friends with him. Spike was startled a bit before trying to rustle up some courage.

"You don't scare me!" said Spike bravely, "So you're big." The green dragon growled at him again, making Spike cower back a bit.

"Really big," Spike continued, feeling more nervous by the second, "And you're claws are super sharp. Tail...extra spikey..." Spike got a good look at his claws and tail and felt his courage began to fade, but then tried again to stand strong.

"But, uh...You don't scare me!" Spike tried to act tough and blew a rather feeble green flame from his mouth, "Ha! How'd you like that?"

BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRP!

The green dragon released a huge flame towards Spike. The baby dragon just ducked in time to avoid being barbequed, thought the top of his head was slightly singed.

"Uh...I'd love to stay, but gotta go!" said Spike, "See ya! Wouldn't wanna be ya! Aah!" Spike then ran underneath the green dragon's legs as it tried to roast him again. Spike ran for dear life and ducked behind rock, but the green dragon easily smashed the rock with his tail. Spike then continued to run away as the green dragon tried and grab Spike with his jaw, but just barely missed. Soon Spike was pinned against the wall with nowhere to run. The green dragon gets ready to deal with Spike when...

"Hoo-hoo!"

Help had arrived in the form of Owlowiscious as he begin to fly around the dragon head to distract it. The green dragon roars and tries to attack the owl, but Owlowiscious is too quick as is able to avoid the spiked tail. He is even able to trick the green dragon into slamming his tail on his own head. The green dragon wails as it painfully removes the tail from the top of his head. Spike just watches in awe.

"Spike! Over here!" shouted a voice.

"Hurry, while that big pile of scales is distracted!" said another voice. Spike looked towards the caves exit to find Twilight and Mario standing outside.

"Am I glad to see you!" said Spike as he ran as fast as he could towards the two ponies.

"Hurry! Hop on!" said Twilight as Spike climbs into her back and they ran away from the cave with Owolowiscous close behind. They just barely avoided getting roasted as a huge blast of fire came out of the cave. The end of Mario's tails gets slightly burnt as the green dragon pursues them. Spike looks back nervously and Mario looks back as well.

"Big bully," he muttered as he pulled out a blue shell with spikes and a pair of wings on it from his saddle bag.

"Why do you have a turtle shell?" Twilight asked in surprise.

"Relax, it's not a real turtle shell," said Mario, "That's just a false sense of security." Twilight and Spike looked puzzled.

"Go get 'em boy!" Mario called as he used his magic to bring the shell to life. The blue shell then takes off at high speed at the dragon. The shell circles around the dragon's neck, slowing him down before...

KA-BOOOOOOOM!

The blue shell exploded, dazing the dragon, giving Twilight, Mario, Spike, and Owlowiscious some distance between the dragon before he gave chase once again. Then there was trouble.

"It's too dark!" said Twilight, "I can't see!"

"She's right," said Mario, "Remind me to work on some magic glasses that can let us see in the dark next time!"

"Hoo! Hoo-hoo!" Owlowiscious called out. Both ponies smiled as they remembered that Owls had a natural ability to see in the dark. They allowed the owl to guide them through the dark forest, which allowed them to keep up their pace from the approaching green dragon. Soon, the green dragon got stuck behind some fallen trees. Fortunately this dragon couldn't fly, so he roared out a large blast of five from above the tree in frustration as Spike gave a sigh of relief. Eventually, they finally make it out of the Everfree Forest. Twilight and Mario slow down near a lone tree on the outskirts and set Spike down.

"Spike, we were so worried about you," Twilight panted, "I was so worried about you. Why did you run away?"

"I thought you didn't need me anymore," said Spike sadly, "And that you didn't love me anymore." Twilight just looked at Mario sadly, but Mario just rested a hoof on her back, urging her to say something.

"Spike, sure, I was disappointed," said Twilight, "but you are my number one assistant! And Friend. And you always will be. It's just sometimes I need some help at night. I can't ask you to stay up late and...I don't feel comfortable always asking Mario pull off all-nighters to help me. He has things to do as well. Besides, you are 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 noogied his head, making him smile before they exchanged a hug with each other.

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

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

"And Owlowiscious...I know not that you weren't out to take my job," Spike told the owl, "Forgive me?"

"Hoo?" said Owlowiscious.

"Me, forgive me, Spike," the dragon repeated.

"Hoo!" the owl repeated and Twilight giggled as Mario chuckled.

"He forgive you, Spike," said Twilight.

"Remind me to get you a owl translator," said Mario, "It will help you understand him a little better since all "hoos" are not the same."

"Quite true," said Twilight, "and thank you for helping me find Spike." Twilight then kissed his cheek. While Mario had received a handful of cheek kisses from Twilight in recent times, he still blushed when receiving one.

"Hey!" said Spike in realization, "How did you guys know where I was?"

"It was your ketchup-covered feet," Twilight told him, "Owlowiscious discovered your footsteps and we followed them all the way to the cave." Spike lifted his foot and saw that his feet still had some of the ketchup coated on them.

"Oh yeah, the ketchup," said Spike, "It looked pretty real though, didn't it?" Twilight and Mario gave him a skeptical looks.

"Uh..." Spike just chuckled sheepishly to himself, regretting that comment had come out of his mouth.

Once they had returned back to Library, and Spike had finally cleaned up his mess and repaired Twilight's pillow, Spike had collected a scroll and quill for Twilight to begin reciting her letter. Mario just stood next to Twilight and Owlowiscious was perched nearby.

"I know Princess Celestia will wanna read about what happened today..." Twilight told Spike.

"I'm ready when you are," said Spike, quill at hand. Then Twilight got an idea.

"Hey, Spike," said Twilight, "Why don't you write to Princess Celestia? And tell her what you've learned?"

"Really?" said Spike surprised, "Why, that's a big responsibility."

"I know," Twilight replied, "But nothing my number one assistant can't handle." Spike smiled and began to write.

"Dear Princes Celestia," Spike recited aloud as he began to write,

"This is Spike, writing to you about my adventures. This week, I've learned that being jealous and telling lies gets you nowhere in friendship. I also learned that there's plenty of love for everyone to share. So from here on out, I promise, that I, Spike, will...

As Spike recited his letter, Mario and Twilight listened with smiles on their faces, but were then stunned when Spike stopped. They then noticed that Spike had dropped asleep on the desk.

"Oh, Spike," said Mario and Twilight together shaking their heads.

"Hoo?" Owlowiscious asked.

"Who?" said Twilight puzzled, "Spike! You kno...Ohhhh..." Twilight then giggled to herself, realizing she had fallen into the same trick of misunderstanding the owl. Owlowiscious just turned his head one-eighty degrees and gave a wink.

Sometimes it's hard being a boy of few words. They are often misunderstood.

Looks like we're approaching the end of season 1. Things are gonna get interesting in the next few episodes so keep reading.

Peace Pony Fans!