Spike led me towards the tower, big and jutting and purple as he was. "Well, alright. So there was this huge wedding..."

"Weddings have what to do with me?" I peered at him suspiciously.

"Oh, well, that's where the story starts." He looked back at me. "You holding up there? You don't look so good."

I felt even worse. "Can we fast forward to the part where I eat?"

Spike held up his claws. "Sure sure, alright, so, Chrysalis took on the form of one of our princesses and used the love Shining Armor had for her, the princess that is, to feed. Most changelings do that, I think. Become somepony somepony else likes and poof, dinner time!"

Right, dinner time... "I'm not trying to fool ponies like that. That sounds pretty mean, hiding as their loved ones."

Spike shrugged softly, then clapped his claws. "Well why not do it with somepony that already knows what you are?"

I raised a hairless brow at him. "What, like you? Then you'd know it wasn't whoever I pretended to be. Would that even work?"

Spike looked uncertain, tapping his feet on the ground. "Well... Do you have a better idea?"

I hadn't. I brought a pony to mind, but it almost hurt to even think about. I pushed through it anyway, gritting my teeth as I kept it firmly in place. The flames weakly sputtered over me, and it was done. I was a little larger, white, with, well, fabulous mane and tail.

Spike perked up. "Oh! I... guess I should have seen that coming." Despite his words, I could feel something coming from him as he stepped closer. "You really do look like her, wow!" He started to circle me, but my awareness of him was changing. He wasn't a friend, he was food. Food I desperately needed.

I suddenly jumped for him, pinning him with white hooves and leaning in for what would have been a kiss if our faces actually touched. I drew the energy from him and it rushed from his open mouth right into my empty belly. It was a pleasure I never knew before and I trembled on top of him even as he squirmed in the throes of whatever it felt like from his end.

A little thought managed to creep back into me and I got worried. Was I hurting him? I slapped my mouth shut and the energy stopped flowing. He went limp even as I stepped off of him. "Spike?" I had Rarity's accent. "Darling, are you alright? I'm terribly sorry."

Spike put a claw to his head before slowly sitting up. "It feels like the train ran me over. Oh, hey Rarity!" He scrambled to get up to his feet and I could feel a warm little trickle coming from him. Did he really forget I was a changeling? It was delicious and warm and sweet. It ran over my tongue like light cookie dough and for just a moment I just savored being in his presence. My hunger was fleeing quickly.

"You alright, Rarity?"

Oh! Right. "Spike, dear, did you forget?"

"Huh?"

"Now don't be alarmed, but this is Noah, remember?"

Spike jerked back, his eyes going wide. "Oh!" He reached out anyway, putting a claw on my chest. "If you didn't say that, I wouldn't have known."

I smiled gently at him. "I should turn back. Are we sure you aren't being hurt by this?"

Spike patted himself down before looking back up at me. "I feel fine, besides getting a little dizzy back there. How'd I end up on the ground anyway? Did I fall over?"

I was tempted to go with his theory, but he'd been a friend to me and deserved truth. "I knocked you over. Sorry, darling, but I was simply overcome and needed it." I put a hoof to my belly. "I feel much better now."

Spike gave an uncertain nod. "Maybe it would be best if you went back to normal, if you're all better?"

I imagined myself as a bug, but caught myself. If I could imagine myself as a bug... Why not a human? I thought about my old self and tried to hold it, but nothing happened besides me snapping back to being a bug in a flash of fire. "Damn it."

"What?"

"I tried to go back to being Noah and it didn't work." I stomped a hoof. "Maybe I can only be ponies?"

Spike shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. Changelings are made to hunt ponies, or maybe you just need practice?" His tone made it clear he was out of his depth. "Anyway, now that you're better, we really should get going to Twilight's. She'll know what to do!" He turned away and started walking towards the tower.

"I'm glad I ran into you, Spike." I trotted after him, stumbling, but moving. "You've been really great through this, thanks, really."

"Aw, it wasn't nothing big." He waved it off. "I'm just following the Dragon Code."

I moved up beside him. "What does that entail, exactly? Humans don't have a human code. Do ponies have a pony code?"

He cocked a brow. "Are you making fun of me?"

"What? No! I promise." I flashed my new fangs. "You're my hero of the day, Spike. I'm serious, what is the Dragon Code?"

Spike fished out a card with a crude crayon drawing on it. "The dragon code is what all good dragons follow to be honorable and to uphold the ideals of justice and civility."

I blinked softly. "Twilight is rubbing off on you."

"Tell me about it." He cracked a smile. "Make sense?"

It made perfect sense. It was his personal set of rules. If he wanted to call it the Dragon Code, nothing wrong with that. "Sounds good. I wish everyone lived up to those standards."

Spike beamed with pride. Next stop, Twilight's castle/tower/home.

Nothing could get in our way!

Author's Notes:

Noah, don't do it Noah! Too late.

He's typo chow now.