"No no no no no!"

Twilight Sparkle was having one of her usual fits, magically throwing books and furniture away. This was such a routine for her that none of the other girls bothered to calmn her down, Pinkie was even having popcorn.

But there was a small seriousness to the whole situation.

"You are not going to marry Spike, Applejack!"

"Of course ah won´t! Ah don´t want to marry him!" Applejack retorted. "Think about it, he´s just a baby dragon and ah´m a full grown mare. ´sides, ah don´t want to get married...not yet."

"Sure as hay you´re not getting married. I already had to go through one brother´s wedding and that´s all I can take!"

Rainbow took another slurp of her hay juice, obviously not caring much about the situation.

"But...the dragon code says he has to..." Fluttershy softly said.

"That blasted code! I wish he had never found it!" Twilight levitated the scroll next to her. "There has to be some rule that could cancel this whole nonsense. No no no no dragons can only have mint flavored cupcakes the second tuesday of a uneven month? no no! There is nothing useful in here! I better go back and ask Mrs. Agate, she may know something..."

"Agate who?" Rainbow asked.

"The librarian back in the Crystal Kingdom."

"Uh I like her!" Pinkie said.

"I have to hurry, if I take the train now, I may be back in just a couple days. In the meantime..." she rushed to poke a hoof at Applejack. "You better not laid a hoof on Spike!"

"Ah won´t do anything like that!"

Twilight took a good look at Applejack´s honest face.

"...Pinkie, you are in charge of watching Applejack. Make sure she doesn't do anything strange."

Pinkie gave her a salute.

"Ugh! How in the name of apple fritters did ah get into this mess?! Rarity, why are yah looking at me like that?"

Rarity, who had been silent this entire time, merely did a gesture of contempt and leave the library.

"Bored now. Let´s go Fluttershy." Rainbow said.

Before leaving, Fluttershy tiptoed her way back and shook Applejack´s hoof. "Congratulations."

Out of frustration, Applejack slammed her own hat against her face.

"...Pinkie, stop staring at me."

*****

Back in the Apples house, Babs Seed was burying her face on the pillow, her broken heart escaping through her tears. Apple Bloom was comforting her cousin, slowly caressing her mane.

"Ah´m so sorry cuz! Ah don´t know how this happened!"

"It´s okay..." Babs said, rubbing her watery nose. "Cuz Applejack is really pretty and nice, I bet they´ll be happy together..."

"But it ain´t fair! Yah were about tah confess when she interrupted yah! Yah were the one who should be married tah Spike!"

"Ma-married?" the sole mention of the word turned Babs redder than Big Mac.

"Applejack should know better! She´s always lecturing me about being generous and now she goes and steals a girls first love!" Apple Bloom moved to her window and saw Applejack coming. She frowned, she was mad. Really mad at her sister for hurting Babs.

Applejack was about to enter the house when Spike came out, carrying a pile of blankets.

"Oh hi Applejack! Granny Smith gave these blankets but I think she overdid it..." Spike said, looking at the huge pile of blankets.

"Yah´r not thinking in sleeping in ´ere, right partner?"

"Of course not! Rule 21 of the Dragon Code..." Applejack rolled her eyes, Twilight was right that whole Dragon Code was getting tiresome. "A Noble Dragon´s lair must always be in the highest point of his assigned spot and since my assigned post is being next to you at all times, I´m moving to the roof of your barn."

Applejack sighed. "Listen Spike, yah know ah really do love you very much..."

Spike put on the most adorable and yet saddest of smiles.

"But ah´m not interest on yah, yah understand right?"

Spike put the blankets down and took Applejack´s marked hoof on his claws.

"Applejack, as a Noble Dragon and your one and true husband, I promise you I will never leave your side and make sure that you are happy every single day."

"..."

Ponyfeathers, why did he have to be such a damn gentlecolt?!

*****

Babs Seed was looking at the barn, pieces of hay and old furnitures being tossed through the window as Spike was making himself comfortable.

She gulped and wished for Apple Bloom to be there but she had gone to town, insisting on finding a way to "fix this". Babs felt like she should get over Spike but for some reason she couldn't understand, the little dragon was fixed on her mind with his bright green eyes and his charming smile. Suddenly, a hoof touched her shoulder and Babs reacted like usual. Punching the pony attached to it.

"Auh!"

"Ups, sorry Sweetie Belle! Didn´t see you there.” Babs apologized.

"It´s okay..." Sweetie rubbed her cheek. "What are you doing standing here in the middle of the farm?"

"I´m just...just standing. Why?! Can´t I?"

Sweetie shook her head, not wishing to get another punch. When Babs returned her sad gaze to the barn, Sweetie finally understood.

"Hey, why don´t you go talk to him?"

"Wut? What for? He already has cuz Applejack..." Babs blew her mane in frustration.

"Well, yeah. But that doesn´t you can´t talk to him never again. Why don´t you just try to be his friend?"

"His...friend?"

Sweetie Belle smiled. Babs Seed wasn´t so sure about this but she wanted to see the dragon so badly.

She climbed the stairs to the roof where Spike was turning the old place into a very comfortable room.

"...hey." she said.

"Oh hey Babs! Tell me, does this couch looks fine in here?" Spike asked, looking at an old red couch he brought from the library.

"I...guess?"

"...nah. I better move it back to the right." and he lifted the couch, apparently unfazed by his newfound strength.

"So umh...the place is looking fine, uh?"

"Yeah but there is still something missing....got it!" Spike snapped his fingers and rush in front of Babs, their snouts practically touching.

"W-w-w-wut?!"

Babs was already burning red but all Spike did was lift her high and took a carpet she was standing on. He put her down and placed the carpet on the couch.

"Perfect!"

Spike sit down on his couch, feeling like the boss in there. Babs scratched her arm, trying to find a new subject to talk.

"So..do you like life in the farm?"

"Its nice but then again I don´t have much of a choice. I must be at Applejack´s side at all times."

"Oh yeah, Applejack. She is really pretty, uh?"

"I guess so..."

"You don´t think she´s pretty?"

"Oh nononono, I didn´t say that! its´s just..." Spike sighed. "Its just I never thought she will be my one and true wife."

"Umh, and who did you think it will be?" Babs asked, blushing.

"Of course the most beautiful creature in all of Equestria...Rarity!" he basically gleamed at saying her name.

"Oh, you like those kind of ponies?" Babs blew her mane in frustration.

"Yes she is so gracious and majestic! Hehe, its funny now that you mention it. Twilight once joked that I should go after a pony closer my age, like Sweetie Belle. She almost looks identical to her sister after all. Oh well, I have to follow the code now, where did I put that footstool?"

Spike went downstairs. Once he was gone, Sweetie Belle climbed up.

"Hey Babs, how did it go?"

Babs answer was to punch her. Hard.

"...auh."

****

"That was a long day! Ah´m going to take a bath big bro!"

Big Mac nodded as Applejack got inside the house. She entered the bathroom, filled the tub, put down her hat, let loose her hair and was about to enter the water when...

"Horseshoes! Pinkie Pie, get out of mah house!"

*****

Spike reached above the clouds and spread his wings, letting the morning wind fill renewed his strengths.

He loved flying.

The past couple days he had been doing his best to help at the farm. Applejack was against it at first but they soon discovered that Spike was almost as strong as Big Mac and could fly like any pegasi thus, he had plenty to offer. Still, he tried to interfere the least, spending his days on his room at the barn. Without Twilight around, he didn´t had to work on the library so he was free to do whatever he wanted, mostly eating and sleeping; but he had found a new hobby, flying.

He started doing practice to get used to his new set pf wings but by now he had grew accustomed to fly around the orchard for hours. Now he understood why Rainbow loved flying so much, it was the best feeling ever!

Spike folded his wings and let himself fall. Faster and faster. When he was about to hit the ground, he spread his wings again and flew in a straight line at full speed, letting go the loudest yell of happiness he ever let go.

He flew back to the skies and roar, an actual dragon roar.

He loved his new body! He loved his new life! He couldn´t wait to start a family with Applejack and having tons of foals and...how did one exactly makes foals? He tried asking Twilight once but she just teleported out of the room. Oh well, he´ll find eventually. Right now all he wanted was to fly some more.

*****

Twilight returned a few days later bringing Mrs. Agate with her who, like always, was a little bit not quite there.

She did brought a book that offered a solution. If there was another suitor for the Noble Dragon intended wife, and the marriage had not been officially confirmed, then the two suitors will fight each other in a duel.

And the pony that would be Spike´s rival would be...

****

"YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT?!"

Rainbow Dash yelled, finally paying attention.

"You want me to fight for Applejack´s hoof?"

"It won´t be for real, Rainbow. You will only have a little duel against Spike to free Applejack of this silly business." Twilight explained.

"But then why don´t you ask one of the guys in town, like Thunderlane?"

"Because I need a pony I knew wouldn´t hurt Spike. The little guy is still just a baby!"

"Umh Twilight...maybe you don´t know because you have been gone this past few days but Spik-"

"I still don´t get why it has to be me?" Rainbow Dash interrupted Fluttershy.

"She´s right Twi. We need a pony who can actually do the job." Applejack said, knowing exactly what buttons push. "Maybe ah should call another pegasus, a nice looking stallion. Like that Soaring fellow..."

"Back off sister! Soarin is mine!"

"Oh yeah, then why does he keeps coming to visit me for pies every weekend?"

"He does what?!"

"Ah thought yah knew. Funny he never visited yah once..."

"SHUT UP!" and Rainbow pushed Applejack.

ROOOOOAAAAAARGGGHHH!

Fluttershy jumped to hide behind a couch, terrified of the dragon´s roar. But there was no dragon in the sky, instead there was one in the ground, standing between Applejack and the pegasus.

"Don´t ever touch her again!"

Spike was growling, his nostrils letting go smoke and all the spines on his body made a sound to indicate they were sharp. He looked pretty much like a...a real dragon.

Twilight finally snapped and whispered to Rainbow. "Hit him with your tail."

"What?"

"Do it, now."

Rainbow did it, a very soft whip since she was so scared.

"Rainbow Dash is challenging you to a duel, Spike. One for Applejack´s hoof!" Twilight said.

"...very well. You will regret hurting my lady."

Rainbow saw her reflection on the dragon's eyes.

Rainbow Dash simply gulped.

****

Applejack went to bed, wishing that tomorrow this whole business will be over. There was no way Rainbow Dash will lose after all. right?

Right?

She got in the sheets and closed her eyes and open them again when she felt something watching over her.

"Pinkie Pie! Get out of mah room!"