Granny Smith leaned back on her rocker and sighed. It had been an agitated couple of weeks, with another filly running around the house, being told make wedding preparations and told not and then that dragon roaring around and not letting her have her nap. She just wanted to sit down, close her eyes and have a good afternoon sleep.

“Hi, Granny! Bye, Granny!”

“Hi, Granny Smith! Bye Granny Smithhhhhhh!”

“Youngling these days. Running around the fields in shackles, it´s all them damn funny strips and arcades fault.”

Granny closed her eyes, ready to go to sleep but a sudden turbulence waked her again.

“HI, GRANNY SMITH! BYE, GRANNY SMITH!”

“Well, hello half of Equestria running around mah orchard….”

And it really looked like half of Equestria was chasing after the little filly and the young dragon. Dozens upon dozens of mares, running hysterical, pushing each other and shouting their reason to take a hold of Spike.

“If I capture him, the Canterlot Philharmonic will finally get a new building!” Octavia proclaimed.

“If we marry Mr. Spike, ze spa will be known all across Equestria!” Aloe shouted.

“Photo Finish will make him the most fabulous groom in Equestria!”

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were at the head of the mob of desperate mares but the others were catching up and Apple Bloom got a very good head start.

“We need to hurry, girls! If only one of us catches Spike, then he´ll be saved!” Twilight said.

“Don't worry, Twilight Sparkle! The Great and Helpful Trixie Lulamoon is here to help you!” Trixie exclaimed but she then tripped with her cape, causing the ponies behind her to fall down too.

Right then, they were all zapped by a magical beam.

“I forgot to tell you the final rule, if any contestant trips or falls, they will be automatically disqualified,” Princess Celestia announced from a balloon that was following the race.

“Thanks, Trixie! I owe you one!”

“You owe me? That means...I no longer have to do your dishes! The Great and Powerful Trixie is free!” Trixie shouted, right before being zapped and Twilight merely rolled her eyes.

“Apple Bloom, could we AUH! Can we just AUH! Would you AUH! My head!” Spike complained, his head hitting every single rock in the way.

“No time to talk! Ah need to put ya in a safe place!” Apple Bloom said, rushign the pace and causing Spike´s headache to get worse.

“Twilight, I...I cannot...a fashion designer shouldn't do this kind of exercise!” Rarity said, clearly exhausted.

“Come on, Rarity! We can´t abandon Spike! He needs us!”

“Maybe he doesn´t. Maybe he needs to make a decision on his own, choose who he really loves and stand his ground.”

“He´s just a baby, Rarity! How can he possibly know who he really loves?”

“Well, we´ll just have to find out…” Rarity said and then put a hoof to her forehead. “Oh, I´m fainting!”

Rarity fall to the side and she took a few mares with her. Twilight worried for her but she couldn't slow down the pace.

“Good luck, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity said with a sad smile.

“Good job, Rarity!” Lyra complained and Rarity simply smiled, before she was zapped with the rest of the mares.

“The competition is heating up! Do you have any favourites so far, Your Highness?” the announcer, because the competition now suddenly have an announcer, asked the Princesses that were sitting next to him in the balloon.

“There´s a few enthusiastic ones that are giving their best but for now, I´m just enjoying it the competition. I don´t have any favourites,” Celestia said and the announcer moved to Luna.

“I refuse to comment  in such a foolish contest.”

Twilight looked up and saw that, in addition to the balloon, all the pegasi ponies were closing in into Apple Bloom and Spike.

“Rainbow Dash! You have to get those pegasus down!”

“I´m...trying! Auh! No pulling!” Rainbow shouted, struggling with both Gilda and Lighting Dust.

She kicked them away and rushed to create a tornado, causing half of the pegasus to crash into the trees. However, the remaining pegasus were more than a challenge.

“Spitfire? You too?”

“Sorry, Rainbow Dash. But getting that dragon boy will give the Academy all the founding it needs to branch into other cities,” Spitfire said. “Also...I don't have a boyfriend at the time. I´ll be nice to have someone, anybody.”

Spitfire didn't like the pitiful look Rainbow was giving her and rushed ahead, her sonic boom, while not as powerful as Rain-boom, was enough to knock the rest of the pegasus.

“I´m not going to lose against you!” Lightning Dust declared.

Spitfire gave her a smirk and circled around her, making her ditzy and crashed against a tree. This actually helped Rainbow, teaching her how to regain her balance so when Spitfire did the same maneuver on her, she didn't crash, although Spitfire was still way ahead.

Apple Bloom saw her coming and bumped against a tree, releasing a swarm of fruit bats against her. Spitfire proved her skills avoiding them swiftly but Rainbow was closing down on her. She moved faster and faster, stretching her arms to catch the Wonderbolt and then…

“I got him! I got him! Wait,” a confused Derpy Hooves said after catching both Rainbow and Spitfire.

Spitfire didn't seemed that mad and Rainbow, after looking at Spike and Apple Bloom get away, smiled and waited to be zapped.

Scootaloo took the opportunity to rush ahead on her scooter, quickly catching up with Apple Bloom.

“That is cheating! Remove her inemeditaly!” Luna shouted and then blushed, noticing the looks of the announcer and her sister. “I mean..a competition, as foolish as it may be, needs to be fair.”

“Come on, Apple Bloom! Hand Spike over!” Scootaloo shouted.

“No! Ah´m not giving him to you!”

“Oh, come on! We´re the Crusaders! We need to stick together!”

“No, this ain't about the Crusaders! This is about you! Ya always had a secret crush on Spike!”

“What?”

“Really?” Spike asked.

“No! That´s not true!”

“It is! Ya two like the same things and get along well! Ya two make the best couple but ah´m not giving him to you!” Apple Bloom shouted.

“Oh come on, that´s ridiculous! Just because we get along we're in love? I don't love Spike!”

“Well, thanks for that,” Spike said, crossing his arms.

“You know what I mean! I love you as a friend but I don´t want you as my boyfriend! I just want us to be friends again, all of us! This contest is stupid, Apple Bloom!”

“It may be...but ah´m not giving up!” Apple Bloom said and jumped over a log while Scootaloo stumbled down, losing the race.

“Apple Bloom, wait up!” Sweetie Belle said, moving closer.

“Ah´m not giving him to you either, Sweetie!”

“Okay. But Apple Bloom, do you really love Spike?”

“Yeah!”

“I mean, you love him like  a brother, a friend, a boyfriend?”

“Ah...ah don´t know! Ah just know ah don't wanna lose him, ah don´t want any pony to take him away!”

“I understand…” Sweetie said while Spike kept hitting rocks with his head. “No, I do. I know what is to love somepony and being confused about it…”

“That´s because you are in love with him too!”

“No! I´m in love with your brother!”

“....what?” both Apple Bloom and Spike said.

“It´s true! For the longest time, I had a crush on your brother! I never really noticed it until Mrs. Cheerilee started dating him so i understand how Babs Seed felt all this time. I know how it feels when you love somepony and he doesn't love you back. But I also learned that if you love somepony, really really love him, well..maybe you need to let him go and let him be happy with his own choice.”

“I´m proud of you, Sweetie. You´re really mature,” Cheerilee said, joining the conversation.

“Mrs. Cheerilee! Ya in the race too?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I wanted to make sure you girls wouldn't hurt each other...also, it´ll be nice to have a second building in the school.”

“We can´t stop them!” Silver Spoon shouted and they all look behind them, realizing that Silver Spoon and Twist had lost control of the fillies group and they were coming close.

“Class, stop!” Cheerilee ordered and the fillies stop mid -track, crashing with each other and Cheerilee.

Apple Bloom slowed her pace a little, worried for them but after an encouraging look from her teacher, she resumed the race, despite Spike´s protest because he kept bouncing in the ground.

“Mrs. Cheerilee?”

“Yes, Sweetie?”

“I´m..I´m really happy for you and Big MacIntosh.”

“Thank you, Sweetie,” Cheerilee said, patting her head.

“The competition is getting fierce. We have lost half of the competitors and now it´s when the race really begins! Will Apple Bloom keep ahead of the game? The others are closing down on her!” the announcer shouted while Celestia and Luna shared popcorn and waved flags and foamy fingers.

“Apple Bloom. Apple Bloom!” Spike shouted and then noticed how tired the filly was. “Apple Bloom, you can't keep dragging me around. We have to stop.”

“No!” Apple Bloom said and put Spike on her back. “Ah won´t let go of you, ya hear me? Ah won´t!”

Hearing this, Babs Seed snapped of her depressed state and stopped just pacing and rushed to a trot.

Apple Bloom saw her coming along with the other mares and looked around, searching for a way to stall them. She then found a pile of logs next to her and untie them, letting them roll over the mares. Most of the them tripped and fell down but Babs Seed wasn´t one of them. She showed high skills, jumping over the rolling logs and quickly catching up. Apple Bloom jumped over the logs too, using one to roll down the hill.

“Apple Bloom! Look at the mess ya making! Ya´ll have to clean all of this after the race, young lady!” Applejack shouted, managing to keep over the logs.

“Apple Bloom!” Babs shouted, getting into the same log and rolling around with them.

“Ya won´t get him, Babs!

“Hey Apple Bloom, I´m confused! I was supposed to capture you or Spike?” Pinkie asked, playfully rolling in the log but Apple Bloom ignored her.

“Ah´ll do everything to protect Spike even form you!”

Applejack heard that exchange and let go a sigh. She then saw Little Strongheart showing her skills, easily jumping over.

“Oh no, ya don´t!” Applejack shouted and used her rope to catch the buffalo, putting her down although she also got pulled. “This is a family business!” she said and got zapped.

“Now this is a family duel! cousin versus cousin! Tell me Your Highness, have you ever resolve your disputes with a competition?” the announcer asked.

“Of course not. As Rulers of Equestria, we need to settle an example from our subjects,” Celestia said and then her Sock em Robot took the head of Luna´s robot.

“Five out of ten!” Luna shouted.

Apple Bloom and Babs Seed kept struggling in the log, trying to change its direction, all the while making Spike feel sick. Apple Bloom finally jumped and made Babs fell down but she managed to land on her feets, avoiding being disqualified. Apple Bloom smiled but then she noticed she wasn't falling down.

“I caught him! Let go!” Cloudchaser said, pulling Spike from his right arm.

“No, I caught him! You let go!” Flitter said, pulling Spike from his left arm.

“Umh could you please hand me Spike? I need to have a few words with him,” Fluttershy politely asked them.

The sisters looked at each other and then sighed.

“Here you go, Fluttershy,” they said.

Fluttershy hold him Spike with her hooves and blushed, struggling to find the right words. “...hi.”

“Hi, Fluttershy.”

“Listen Spike, you know I love you, right?”

“Of course! I love you too.”

“No, I mean...I really love you.”

“Oh, you mean…” Spike said, blushing while Apple Bloom couldn't believe what she was hearing.

“I know it sounds strange but I just couldn't help it. You're kind and sweet and we're not so different, if you think about it. Plus, you're not a pony and you know I have an easy time talking to other animals beside ponies…”

“Fluttershy, I...I don't know what to say…”

“It's okay, Spike. Because I don't want to have you. Forcing you to be with me, it will be like having one of my animal friends in a cage.”

“Don't you have birds in cages?”

“They can leave if they want. I never force anybody to stay, it wouldn't be nice. And it wouldn't be nice of me to do the same thing to you.”

“But Fluttershy…”

“I love you, Spike and that´s why I have to let you go,” Fluttershy said, putting Spike on the ground. “Now, you need to decide for yourself. Listen to your heart, just like I did and decide.”

Spike touched his chest, trying to find the answer while Apple Bloom looked sad.

“Seems we have new competitors! All the way from the Crystal Empire!” the announcer shouted and they all looked behind to see the swarm of crystal ponies approaching.

“Oh, you better leave! I´ll slow them down!” Fluttershy said and Spike took Apple Bloom´s hooves, rushing ahead.

“Oh my, they're so many…” Fluttershy said, facing the incoming horde. “Please, slow down. I´m...I´m not moving from my spot! Please, stop…”

Fluttershy closed her eyes, ready to be trampled down when suddenly…

“Surprise!” Pinkie Pie shouted, her party cannon shouting into the air and putting down all the ponies, including her and Fluttershy,

“Ooops, looks like I over do it! Well, everypony makes honest mistakes. Right, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy looked at the innocent smile of Pinkie and smiled too. “Yes, honest mistakes,” she said.

“Spike, about what Fluttershy said…” Apple Bloom began, the shackles losing its grip but suddenly, a cloud of green smoke appeared in front of them.

“If you slow down, you might trip and miss sight.  Keep your pace steady and hold each other tight.”

“Zecora! Not you too!” Apple Bloom cried.

“I'm not after the dragon prince´s hand although I won´t deny the temptation of a bigger house to have. I´m here to ask you why you race so fierce, has your heart finally find peace?”

“Ah...ah don´t know! Ah thought ah knew but now, ah´m confused again! What should ah do Zecora? Ah donna wanna lose Spike but ah donna hold him prisoner! What´s the right answer?”

“You must look back your tracks when in doubt and more importantly, follow the kind spirit advice and listen to your heart,” and with these words, she disappeared in another puff.

“Zecora! Wait!”

“Zecora? Where?” Spike asked, looking around but before Apple Bloom could said she was just right there, Babs Seed tackled them and the three fell down a sliding hill.

“Apple Bloom!”

“Babs! What do ya want Spike so badly? Ya don´t really love him? Ya just have a crush on him! Ah´ve known him for years, we´ve been friends for longer, ah should be his one and true love!”

“Why? because you know him the longest? You're acting like a spoiled child who doesn't want her toy taken away! You're just the same as Diamond Tiara!”

“Do I get a saying on this?” Spike asked and both fillies shouted “NO!”

“So ah´m being spoiled but ya want to take Spike away from his family and friends!” Apple Blooms aid.

“I don´t want to take him away!” Babs retorted.

“How else are ya going to have a relationship? Ya going back to Manehattan and you´ll take him with you!”

“No! I don't want to take him to manehattan and even if I wanted to, I can´t!”

“What ya mean ya can´t?”

“Because I accept the scholarship!”

“...what? What scholarship?”

“My parents enrolled me in the School for Earth Fillies Future Talents! I´m staying there a full two years!”

“The School for Earth Fillies Future Talents? Along with Celestia School for Gifted Unicorns and the Cloudsdale Flight Academy it´s one of the most prestigious school for ponies! Congratulations, Babs!” Twilight said, teleporting in between them. “Also, I'm taking Spike with me. Sorry, girls!” Ans she teleported again.

Twilight hugged Spike while they fell down a cliff, Apple Bloom still cuffed to his leg and Babs falling along with them.

“I got you, Spike! And I´m never letting you go!”

“Twilight...Twilight, you're squishing me! Twilight, stop right now! Stop treating me like a baby!”

“I´m not treating you like a baby! Now, let´s go back home and get you back in your bed! Will you like a warm bottle of milk?”

“Seriously Twilight, I´m no longer a baby dragon! I grew up and you need to accept it! Let me make my own decisions, my own mistakes!” Spike insisted.

“But...but I don't want to lose you.”

“You won´t lose me, Twilight. But you need to let me go.”

Twilight looked at Spike, really looked at him, and finally saw that the dragon in front of him was a young adult and not a helpless baby.

“You´ll always be my baby brother, Spike.”

“And you always be my B.S.B. F. F.”

Twilight smiled and let go of Spike, teleporting in a flash, her tears staying in the air and hitting Spike.

“Umh Twilight, I think you forgot something…” Babs said and then she shouted as the ground kept coming closer.

“Babs, cuz, ah just want to say...that ah´m sorry. And you were right. Ah love Spike and ah love you too but ah can´t force you two to stay with me,” Apple Bloom said, her shackles finally coming loose.

“I love you too, Apple Bloom. And since I´m not going to see you in a long time, I want you to know that you´ll always be my favorite cousin.”

“I love you two so, now can we avoid being crushed to death?” Spike said and he grabbed both fillies and used his newly grown wings to glide and safely land.

Once they hit the ground, the three shared a hug.

“And we have a winner! Mrs. Babs Seed of Manehattan got the price!” the announcer shouted and all the ponies cheered.

“Congratulations, Babs Seed! You are the one and true love of Spike the Noble Dragon,” Celestia said, approaching them.

“What are you going to do now, lovebirds?” the announcer asked but an angry Spike broke his microphone.

“Enough! I´m tired of all of this! I never wanted this competition and I don't want you to decide for me!”

“But she wont the competition and according to the Code…” Celestia insisted.

“I don't care! I´m tired of everybody telling me what to do! You, Twilight, that dumb Code! I want to decide on my own!”

“And what do you want Spike?”

“I want…” Spike said and he took a good look around at all the ponies around him. “I want to stay here, with Twilight, in Ponyville. I´m not a bay but I still have a lot to learn. But I also don´t want to lose touch with Babs so...how about letters? I´m good with the correspondence,” he asked Babs who blushed.

“The best answer you could give, Spike. You've proven to be a mature individual and a true Noble Dragon,” a voice said above them and they saw Princess Cadence descending next to them.

“Cadence? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.

“Well, I was in the Crystal Kingdom, cleaning up the mess on information about Noble Dragons that Shining Armor left behind when he disappeared all of a sudden this morning, when I learned about this silly contest,” Cadence said and looked at her aunt who just smiled. “I´m glad to see that Spike has shown enough maturity to call it off and took the adult decision.  Love can be difficult, even painful to some, definitely complicated but when you find it, the right decision becomes clear.” And she winked at the couple.

“But what about my mark? Shouldn't Babs have the mark?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Babs Seed, do you really love Spike?” cadence asked.

“I do. And I want to keep in touch with him.”

And upon saying these words, the mark in Apple Bloom vanished and a pair of glowing marks appeared on Babs´ back, glowing along with her incoming Cutie Mark.

“Your Cutie Mark!” Sweetie shouted.

“Look at the marks! That´s when Spike caught her the first time at the library!” Scootaloo said.

“Your mark was incomplete, AppleBloom. Neither of you felt true love and thus there was no sign. Now, it´s your time to chose and get the mark forever,” Cadence explained.

“Be aware that said mark will never disappear. Just like a Cutie Mark, it will remain with you two forever,” Celestia said, placing a hoof on her chest ornament, that now seemed to be guarding a secret behind it.

“I accept it,” Babs Seed said and she extended a hoof.

“I do too,” Spike said and took her hoof.

The mark of a dragon tail appeared on Babs´ hoof while on Spike´s chest the sign of her Cutie Mark was engraved.

“What´s that? A flower?” Scootaloo asked.

“An orange flower. Pretty appropriate,” Cadence said.

“So, Babs had the mark the entire time?” Sweetie asked.

“Yes, it only needed for them to recognize their love to appear,” Cadence explained and all the ponies nodded their heads.

“Guess this whole race business wasn´t necessary,” Scootaloo said.

“You know, this whole thing could have been over have you just simply asked me, the Princess of Love, about it,” Cadence said, raising an eyebrow and causing both Sparkle siblings to blush.

“Ah´m happy for both of you,” Apple Bloom said, smiling at the beaming couple.

“Hey hey, what about the whole Spike going to be expelled business?” Pinkie Pie asked, bringing them all back to reality.

“None Noble Dragon was ever expelled from Equestria,” Princess Luna said. “They left the kingdom on their own.”

“What? Why would they do that?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“What transpired earlier, attack by jealous dragons, was a common occurrence on the old days. Noble Dragons couldn't tolerate that ponies were attacked because of their presence. they left, before letting their love ones get hurt,” Luna explained, looking at Celestia who kept caressing her chest ornament.

“Noble Dragons are the symbol of undying loyalty and love. They prefer to abandon us rather than seeing us being hurt, just like you Spike, they took the most painful but adult decision,” Cadence added.

“So, that means I don´t have to go? Won´t other dragons come after me?” Spike asked.

“Times have changed, Spike. Now that you're the only Noble Dragon in Equestria, words will be known that the whole kingdom protects you and not even the most confident of dragons will try my wrath. After all, I can't let my baby getting hurt,” Celestia said, nuzzling Spike.

“Come on, I already said a hundred times I´m not a baby!”

“No, you´re a Noble Dragon,” Babs said, daring to kiss his cheek.

This of course, got all the ponies to shout and cheer, including Apple Bloom who shouted the loudest.

That night Ponyville got their biggest party ever, worth of a Noble Dragon and his partner.