Muh fanfix update 3

	“Spi-ike! Did you finish cataloging those books I gave you?” Twilight called to Spike on the second floor, slowly trotting over to monitor his progress. Spike didn't answer. He was busy trying to understand why the newest princess of Equestria suddenly needed her assistant to catalog every book in the library at three in the morning, and after a day in Canterlot, too. “Now Spike, I want to make sure that we know exactly how many copies of Your Magic and You we have, Ponyville Elementary is just starting to teach basic levitation to the unicorn foals and I don't want to run out.”

	“Uh...sure...Twilight... just let me get a new quill...” He yawned. Twilight gave him a bit of a smile and a pat on the head, then began to head back downstairs. “Just gotta get these ones cataloged,” he said with a yawn. The baby dragon then promptly slumped to the floor and quickly fell fast asleep. Twilight heard the noise and looked at her number one assistant, the dragon who she she could rely on for almost anything. On a pile of books, he slept, exhausted from the day. “Sleeping on books...” Ordinarily she would be shocked at the lack of respect given to the printed medium, but instead, she smirked. Somehow Spike had adapted to that situation a lot better than she had.

	Twilight walked over to the pile of books and the dragon that slept upon them. She picked him up and placed him on her back gently, though she knew that he wouldn't stir. She stopped at his basket, lowered Spike in, used her wings to pull the covers over him, and let out a sigh. “He must be really tuckered out from all that work. Maybe tomorrow I'll make it up to him somehow,” she thought. Leaning over, she gave him a kiss on the forehead and said “Sleep tight.” Her bed was somehow less comfortable that night, and she fitfully managed to fall asleep to the sound of dragon snores.

	The morning came earlier than either Twilight or Spike expected. Twilight had been planning a picnic with Pinkie and Rainbow Dash for weeks now, and she had to get up early to prepare the daisy sandwiches. “Spike, get down here! The market always sells out of the best daisies just after dawn!” Twilight knew that if she didn't end up getting the sandwiches made, then everypony would have to eat whatever was Dash's latest attempt at cooking with Pinkie. She shuddered at the thought of her chocolate-covered buckwheat cakes. “Took eating half a dozen of Pinkie's Crazy Candy Cane Cookies to get that taste out of my mouth,” she thought. “Spi-ike! Come on! I don't have all day!” she screamed.

	Spike began to stir, but only a little bit. He'd gotten used to hearing Twilight yelling from at the door for him to get ready. Sometimes he was lucky, and convince Twilight to go out by herself. Other times, not so much. Twilight wasn't afraid to overturn his basket, even if that didn't wake him sometimes. But he heard his stomach growl, and it felt like something was cutting into his back even more than usual, so he got up. He'd been meaning to ask Twilight or Zecora why his back had been hurting, but he figured it was just from lifting heavy volumes in the library. He walked over to the mirror that Twilight had hung near her bed. “Ugh, those gemstones looked so good,” he said with a slightly sick look on his face. His eyes moved down the mirror,. “Lookin' good Spike, lookin' real good!” he said to himself. He turned his back to the mirror, still hurting from his basket. He stopped at his shoulder blades, and began to rub the spot that hurt the most. Spike felt a gust of wind and a sudden release of pain. He looked up into the mirror.

	He had grown wings.

	Spike fell back hard onto the floor. His eyes opened wide, and he could only stammer gibberish as the wind from the window blew through his wings. They shuttered closed on his back. “I-I...what happened last night?” His mind went straight to that one birthday that he would never forget. How would Twilight react to this? Another growth from greed? Would he be sent away from his friends in Ponyville, and the one mare he depended on more than anything? They'd already seen what happens when a dragon grows, they couldn't possibly want to deal with that situation again. “Spike, come on!” Twilight screamed again, interupting his train of thought. He heard her walking up the stairs excitedly. “If you come we'll stop for ice cream and...” She stopped at the top of the stairs to see her number one assistant standing gaze fixed upon her mirror.

	As she stepped around him, he was silent. “Spike, did..did something happen?” she asked with an inquisitive look on her face. Spike scrambled away from the mirror. “Oh, it's nothing Twi! I was just making my bed and nothing strange was going on up here, no ma'am.” He leaned up against Twilight's bedpost and tried to act “cool.” Unconsciously, his wings unfolded and expanded to their full lengths, much to his horror. “SPIKE! What in the name of Celestia happened? You grew wings! Did you-” Before she could finish her sentence, Spike broke down in tears. “P-please don't send me away! I love all of my pony friends and couldn't live without all of you!” he managed to get out before collapsing into a fetal position on the floor. Twilight got down on the floor and laid her hoof on Spike's newly formed wings.

	“Spike, why would you ever think that I'd send you away for this?” she asked, holding him closely. “B-because dragons are giant beasts that hurt ponies and-and I can't control myself and-” Twilight put her hoof on his mouth, and levitated  a tissue down from a shelf to wipe the tears out of his eyes. “It's not my fault, Twi...” he said with a whimper as the tissue wiped away his tears. “Spike, I know it's not your fault. Dragons don't grow wings from greed, after all.” A look of shock shot over Spike's face. “So it really isn't my fault?” Twilight laughed. “No, you're just becoming a big dragon.” Spike's tears stopped and he began jumping up and down with joy. He began to flap his wings, slowly lifting into the air.

	“Sweet! Now I can fly with you and Rainbow Dash and maybe Fluttershy if she feels like it and I can help Scootaloo-” He seemed to wobble in the air for a few seconds before crashing down back onto the ground. “Now you know how I felt,” said Twilight with a giggle. Spike dusted himself off and followed Twilight, who was heading back downstairs and out the door. “Come on, Spike. I think I can afford a treat for my big brave dragon assistant,” she said as she put on her saddlebags. Spike eagerly began to spread his wings slowly in an attempt to glide down to the first floor, before falling face first. “I'm okay!” he cried as he picked himself up again and rushed out the door. Twilight looked at him and patted him on the head. “Note to self,” she thought, “buy more pillows.” They walked out the door and headed into town, two pairs of wings flapping in the wind.


	Ponyville Market was busy as usual. Twilight trotted up to Daisy and began to pull some bits out of her saddlebag. “Hi Rose! I need some good eating daisies, the fresh ones from the fields if possible.” Daisy looked at her excitedly. “Oh, Twilight! Haven't you read any books about edible horticulture? What are they teaching you princesses now? Ponyville daisies can't hold a candle to the ones that they grow in Canterlot! I know the common bellis perennis is what you're probably used to, but if I could just convince you to try the subtle and delicate flavors of the Leucanthemum vulgare...” Spike yawned. He remembered why he never liked to accompany Twilight on these early trips, and how a short trip to the market in the morning often wouldn't end until midday.

	Spike's mind began to wander as Twilight eagerly listened to every detail and wondered where the other ponies were. Off in the distance, he could see Fluttershy carrying Angel on her back, with Pinkie Pie pronking around her excitedly with Gummy in tow. “Hey Twi, I'm gonna go uh...check out those zucchini,” he interjected into a conversation that was now about the correct variety of cider to pair with flowers. “Uh huh, just don't wander too far off because you don't know how the townsponies may-” Spike didn't wait for her to say anything else, and zipped towards the two ponies.

	Fluttershy and Pinkie initially didn't notice anything different about their baby dragon friend. “Oh hi, Spike. What are you and Twilight doing up so early? I'm just picking out a particular kind of lettuce that Angel likes. He won't eat his salads without it!” Spike could barely get a word in before Pinkie came to a stop in front of him and interjected. “They're coming to my super-special Just Because You're Both My Friends Picnic this afternoon! I know Twilight's going to be bringing those yummy daisy sandwiches she makes so well, and Spike said that he'd make those awesome cookies, didn't you, Spike?” He knew that there was something there was supposed to do last night. It's not like you can make enough cookies to satisfy Pinkie when you're up all night cataloging. Besides, his apron was still at the cleaners from an incident with Owlowlicious. “Uh...hey, you two notice anything different about me today?”

	He tried to unfold his wings, and managed to get them open a little bit. “Did you get a mane cu-oh silly me, you dragons don't have manes!” exclaimed Pinkie. “Um, did you shine your scales?” Fluttershy asked. Spike slapped his forehead with his claw. He opened his wings fully and looked up at the two with a proud look on his face. “Oh...my. Y-you've got wings now. Um, just a question, but you haven't been inside my cottage recently have you?” Fluttershy asked with most of the color drained out of her face. “Oh no, Twilight said this isn't like that, I'm just becoming a big dragon now.” Fluttershy let out a sigh. “Oh thank goodness. I don't think I could stand to see one of my friends  hurt us like those awful dragons do.”

	Spike couldn't help but feel a little sad at the last part of that statement. “What do you think, Pinkie?” She began to shake and suddenly began to pronk all around Spike. “THIS IS AMAZING! Now I can throw that Congratulations On Getting Dragon Wings party I've always wanted to! And Rarity said that it was unrealistic to plan for such an occasion,” she said with a beaming smile. She tightly began to hug Spike. “It's just soooo awesome that I know a dragon who has wings!”

	“Wings? A dragon that has wings?!” one of the townsponies near Pinkie screamed. “Everypony run!” The market that was once full quickly began to clear out, vendors hastily closing up shop. “W-what? No, I'm not an evil dragon I-” Spike stammered out to no avail as ponies ran in fear of him. Fluttershy quickly picked Spike and Angel up and began running, with Pinkie following. “Oh my goodness, Spike, ponies aren't really taking this well. Where in Equestria is Twilight?” “She's at the daisy stand, hopefully!” Spike screamed over the cacophony of stampeding ponies. They rushed over to the other end of the market.

	Daisy's stand, like all the others, was closed up and Twilight was nowhere to be seen. Crushed daisies littered the ground, pounded flat from the movements of worried hooves. “Uh...I guess we should check out the library?” Fluttershy said timidly. “Yeah, we can throw the party there instead!” Pinkie said as she pronked off with Gummy, ahead of Spike and Fluttershy. “We'd better catch up to her before she riles up other ponies,” Fluttershy said nervously. Spike anxiously said “Yeah, she'll know what to do.” Angel began whining. “Oh, don't worry Angel. Everything's going to be fine. Oh, and that goes for you too, Spike.” She began to nuzzle his face. “Thanks, Fluttershy.” It only helped a little bit, he thought. Twilight was always the most reassuring to him.

	The walk back to the library was desolate. It wasn't exactly unusual for Ponyville residents to board up their windows and hide in fear, but Spike had never felt particularly in danger when they did. This time it was different. He was the reason why they were hiding again. He hadn't grown a single inch, but his two new wings were now the most feared things in Ponyville.
	Twilight paced around the library. All of her friends had come over the second that they heard the commotion in town. Applejack was chatting with Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had her snout buried in the newest Daring Do. Twilight looked out the window. “I hope Spike and the others are okay, it's so easy to get caught in one of Ponyville's stampedes.” Rainbow lifted her head up from her book. “Relax, Twi. Spike can handle himself. He's got that dragon bravery thing goin' for him.” Twilight nodded, but Rarity only looked nervous. “I know my Spikey-wikey will be fine, right girls?” Applejack put her hoof on Rarity's back “Ah, yah worry too much Rare. He's a strong little fella, I'm sure he's just fine.”

	“Twilight!” Spike screamed as he ran into the library with Pinkie and Fluttershy following not far behind. “I know you said not to go off and make trouble but I swear I really didn't mean to this time and I know that you're probably going to be mad but I-” Again Spike's wings unconsciously unfolded. There were three audible gasps in the room,  a reaction loudest of which came from the one pony Spike cared the most about. He didn't feel pride as he did when he had shown them off to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. He blushed, and managed to spit out “Uh, hi everypony.”

	“Oh my dear Spikey-wikey! What happened to you, darling?!” Rarity cried as she stared in a mix of fear and apprehension. Spike blushed. Of course she'd be the first one to react to something like this. Rainbow's mouth went from being agape to a wide smile. “Another new flying buddy? Alright! Hopefully you'll do better than Twilight's first experience with me.” Twilight glared at Rainbow. “You took me out in a thunderstorm!” she said curtly. “Not my fault you couldn't blow away the clouds.” Twilight grimaced, and noticed Applejack was just standing in the corner of the room, not particularly interested in what was going on.

	“Now why y'all gettin' worked up about this? Our little Spike is just growin' up, and for real this time. I think we all owe him our support after all he's done for us.” The five other mares nodded in agreement. “I just don't know if the townsponies might change how they see him...” Twilight said as she glanced out the window. A few ponies were starting to come outside and take down the boards. Pinkie took a deep breath and began excitedly said “Oooh ooh ooh! We can make his “Congratulations on Getting Dragon Wings!” party into a festival for the whole town! They'll see that this cute little thing wouldn't hurt a fly.” She patted Spike on the head.

	“Good idea, Pinkie. Rarity, can you help Pinkie get the decorations ready?” Twilight asked confidently. “It's going to be the most fabulous party ever for my little Spikey-wikey!” she squealed. “Me and Rainbow are gonna go and buck some apples for cider for the party. Can't have a party without cider!” Rainbow cut in “And this time, I get first dibs! Well, after the dragon of the hour here, I guess.” They all walked out of the library, leaving Spike alone.

	Twilight stepped next to Spike. “See? They still love you, don't they? It doesn't matter what you are, Spike. You'll always have someone to love you.” Twilight had to hold a tear back as she looked into Spike's eyes. “Twi...you're the greatest.” She hugged him and said, “You too, kiddo.” Spike ran back up stairs and promptly fell back asleep.

	“Oh! I should probably alert the princess to the celebration. A royal visit certainly would help calm down the townsponies. Spike take a-” She heard snores from upstairs and went to get the quill and paper herself.

	Dear Princess Celestia...


	Spike decided to get up before dawn to take a walk and air out his wings. It was unlike him to get up before noon if he didn't have to, much less before Twilight. He tiptoed out of the house and out the door. The sun was just rising, but Ponyville was still asleep. He walked down the main street, folding and unfolding his wings. “They don't have those ugly holes in them, thank goodness,” he thought. Spike remembered how intimidating those teenage dragons were with those gashes in their wings.

	All of a sudden, Spike heard a loud noise that was undoubtedly a certain pink pony. “Hiya, Spike!” she shouted as she ran towards him. “What's my best dragon friend doing up so early? Ya don't want to spoil the surprise you'll get from your awesome festivale today!” She beckoned to a cart full of decorations and a large banner. “Oops, I almost forgot to post these all over town,” she said pulling out a large stack of fliers. “How can we have a super-duper-special-awesome dragon party if nopony knows it's going on? Gotta go and spread the word!” She bounced away happily.

	“That pony...” Spike shook his head. He didn't really ever know where she got her energy, but she never did fail to make him smile.

	But his thoughts turned to another pony. Rarity seemed supportive, but what would happen during the festivale? Would she still be like that then, with everypony else around? Spike remembered seeing Rarity keep the Fire Ruby on her shelf, and everything it represented to her. “I'm probably just overreacting to all of this...yeah...overreacting.” Spike thought, trying to reassure himself. The first ponies began to emerge from their homes as the sun rose higher, and Spike decided to head on back to the library before Twilight got too worried.