"Spike!  Wake up!  Oooh, how late did you stay out last night, mister!  You need your sleep!  Especially now!  I expect you to
 
take a two hour nap today and go to bed early, or you could stunt your growth!"
 
"Here, mail this, while I go get us a quick breakfast.  Don't go anywhere!  We need to have a talk about this 'puberty' thing!  
 
And I want to check your height.  I could swear you're getting taller..."
 
>Twilight trailed off as you feigned sleep for as long as possible.  You cracked one eye open once you were sure she was in the
 
>kitchen.  You really want some eggs and bacon today,  but you know that's not going to happen.  Maybe if you hurry, you can
 
>curtail whatever she's doing in there and make you both omeletes, yours with topaz.  Topaz tasted vaguely similar to bacon that
 
>had nearly gone bad with copious amounts of flavor enhancer and salt added.  Maybe add some fresh herbs if you have any.
>You make a mental note to help Twilight write the next grocery list, and accompany her to go shopping in the marketplace to
 
>make sure you can make edible food around here.
 
>You find the letter she intended you to deliver lying on your 'bed', which you had rolled out of in the night.  
>Back and neck pain is always a great way to start your day.  It's gonna be a great one...
 
>You carry the scroll with you into the kitchen to verify who it's being delivered to.  You're still sleepy and you vaguely
 
>recall that you can now send these to either Celestia or Luna.  It was easy once realized you could distinguish different
 
>ponies' magic via their scent.  Luna's was a weird hot and cold berry flavor that you couldn't clearly identify beyond that.  A
 
>few more tastes...
 
"Twilight, does this scroll go to Celestia?"
 
"Of course it does, Spike!  Who else can you deliver letter to?"
 
>You really loved to make Twilight Sparkle confused.  It made you feel really clever.  It's probably a bad habit, though.
 
"Actually, I can also send them to Princess Luna now.  It was explained to me when she taught me how to use the claw writing
 
trick."
 
>And now the surprised thoughtful look and the long silence that would be awkward if you didn't already know how this mare's
 
mind >worked.
 
"I see.  I will have to make note of that for the future.  Perhaps Princess Luna would like to recieve reports as well?  I'll
 
have to write up a letter to ask her.  Maybe.....no, I'll think about it later.  Spike, deliver that letter to Celestia.  Also,
 
do you mind some of my oatmeal hay grits for breakfast?  I'll add some butter and carnelian to yours if you want.  We still have
 
some."
 
"That sounds good, but I was hoping to make omeletes today.  I really want the protein.  You were right about staying out too
 
late.  I'm kind of sore today."
 
>Twilight looks leary of having eggs again.  You know she only has them on very rare occasions, but damnit, you need meat!
 
"You can have both.  You probably need it.  I swear you're an inch or two taller today.  I'll stick to my grits, however.  
 
Thanks."
 
>She starts preparing the stuff that you refer to in your head as 'moldy mush with grass' and you quickly get out another
 
skillet >to and start making the two egg omelete.  You don't have any cheese or herbs left, so you just crush the topaz and
 
slice up half >an apple to add to it, eating the other half while you cook.
 
"So, Spike....about what Fluttershy was talking about..."
 
>Okay, here it comes.  What is she going to do?
 
"I think...I'm not sure we should have this talk.  Maybe I should ask Mom, or Princess Celestia about...giving you, 'the talk'."
 
>Yeah, there it is.  Time to head this off at the pass.
 
"Actually, Twilight, Princess Luna has warned me that it's turning out to be worse than expected, and that I've actually, at
 
least for now, switched from Greed, to....well, you know.."
 
>Twilight looks confused for a moment, but then catches on.  Her mouth is hanging open.
 
"The grits are going to burn on the bottom."
 
>She snaps out of it and quickly transfers the pan away from the stove onto the table, and starts getting out bowls and a plate.
 
"She said that, uh, it was causing her extra trouble in policing the local dreamscape, and that, uh,  Cadence would be coming by
 
next week to help me learn some love magic to get it all under control.  Hopefully nothing bad will happen before then, and
 
things will stay under control."
 
>You move your food out of the pan onto the plate.  It's the trickiest part of dealing with omeletes, but luckily this one is
 
>understuffed, since you need to go shopping.
 
"To be honest, I'm afraid, Twilight.  I've never experienced anything like this, although Luna did say I was repressing most of
 
it, which is why my dreams have been causing trouble in the first place."
 
"Did she offer to teach you how to control the dreams?"
 
>Twilight was nibbling at her food.  Obviously kind of put off by the conversation.  You really wanted to wait til later for
 
>this.
 
"She said that it wasn't an option yet.  That I need Cadence's help first.  She seemed to think that between the three of us, we
 
can figure something out, but that we should study up on Love and....er...well, that kind of magic in order to be ready, since
 
she can only afford about three days to help."
 
"R-Right."  Twilight said in a highly strained and awkward tone.  "Uh, I'll definitely look into making a study plan for us for
 
the week, then."
 
>You're finishing your last bite of the goop, which thanks to the carnelian, tastes like it has ham in it at least.
 
"Also, we need to go grocery shopping."  You said in a desperate attempt to change the subject.  "Like, desperately.  We'll make
 
a list later today, but right now, I'm supposed to go apologize to Applejack.  Apparently, around when all this started
 
happening, she got affected more than everyone else.  I'm not clear on the details.  I'm not sure I want to be, but Luna said I
 
should apologize.  Speaking of which, Rainbow D-"
 
>A very loud knocking on the back door interrupted you.
 
"Hey, Spike!  Wake up already!  You promised you'd go make ammends with AJ, remember!  It's morning already!"
 
"Yeah, cool it, Dash, I'm ready to go now!  Hang on for five seconds, geez!"  
 
>You shout through the door, getting up to waddle over to it.
 
>Twilight will probably realize later that you'd said that Cadence would be visiting.  Hopefully she doesn't freak out too badly
 
>or get over excited and start firing off random magic everywhere.
------------------------
 
"Ugh.  What was she thinking challenging me to a race to Applejack's.  I'm so fucking slow compared to a normal pony, let alone
 
her."
 
>You jog by Lyra sitting at a park bench playing her lyre.  It's a nice tune.  You catch her eye and do a wiggly fingered wave
 
>at her with a smile and mouth the word 'hands'.  She smiles back, oblivious, and you drop a couple of bits in her music case
 
>along with the others already there.  Sometimes your sense of humor is just stupid.  You never seem to get tired of that joke.
 
>You head onwards outside of town past the cow pastures and towards the orchards.  It's a boring fucking walk/jog.  You wish you
 
>still had internet access and some way to play mp3's.  Instead your left thinking about things, and trying to appreciate the
 
>beauty of the natural world around you.
 
>There's a sign at the main gate to the Apple Family's property that says 'Sisterhooves Social sign up!  Inquire within or sign
 
>up at the Town Hall!  Event held this weekend from 9 a.m. - Noon.  Compete for trophies and Apple Family Goods prizes!'
 
>Great.  It had been a while since you'd seen the show, but you had hoped you'd already missed this particular event.  Maybe you
 
>can just stay out of it entirely?...
 
>You don't know.  You've grown to kind of like Sweetie Belle.  The two of you even made plans to attempt more illusion tricks
 
and >such, although she did mention inviting the rest of the CMC for that.  You didn't really want Rarity to suffer, either.  
 
You >enjoyed the rapport between the two of you, despite yourself.  But sisters fight all the time.  And this was never a really
 
bad >fight, you think?  You could make it worse by interfering somehow...
 
"Well, Spike, I don't reckon you can join in on the Sisterhooves Social no matter how long you stare at the sign, but if'n you
 
want, you can come help me with my chores today.  You are pretty good at chopping wood.  Gotta get ready for winter, you know?"
 
>You turn around to find Big Macintosh looming over you.  Oh.  You wondered why it had gotten darker all of a sudden.
 
>You've never heard Mac say that much before, but then again that was probably just a running gag for the show, maybe?  He looks
 
>to be almost fully recovered from his burns and whatnot.  That's good.
 
"Oh, right.  Well, I'll help, sure, but first I gotta go talk to Applejack.  I think there's a misunderstanding going on I gotta
 
clear up."
 
>Mac's eyebrows lower, and he fixes you with a very scrutinizing stare.
 
"Yup.  If you're the cause of that particular bit of hooplah, you'd best go sort it out right quick.  I'll meet you afterwards
 
on the back 40.  Gotta big one to cut down and haul back today, before you can start with the splitting.  That is, if AJ says
 
you're still welcome..."
 
>You nod, and say "Yep.  I'll see you there."
 
>Up ahead you can hear Applejack and Rainbow Dash apparently arguing about something in the main barn.
 
"He's just a kid, AJ!  I was there when Luna said it's all just to do with dragon puberty or something!  It's not like he did it
 
on purpose!  And hey, at least now you know it's not that there's something wrong with YOU!  Most ponies were affected
 
somehow...you just..got the worst of it, I guess."
 
>By now you're just outside the side door, listening in.
 
"That ain't how I'd put it, Rainbow.  I feel somewhat violated.  That's not somethin' I'm just gonna forget about overnight.  
 
And don't try an argue that 'I enjoyed it, so it's no big deal'.  That ain't the point and you know it."
 
>Okay, this is awkward, but you're gonna have to move away and then jog back in yelling after Rainbow Dash, so they know you're
 
>coming and shut the hell up with the private talk you're not sure you want to hear.
 
"Oh hey there, Spike.  Didn't know you were here, yet.  I heard the story from Rainbow Dash, but now I want to hear it from you.
 
 And don't you try to lie or sugarcoat it none.  I want the truth, for my own closure.  Maybe you think that's not to your own
 
benefit right now, face to face, as opposed to at a distance.  But I won't accept any apologies from you, without it."
 
>Well, so much for that plan....or any plan you had been thinking of.  
 
>Applejack was...a bit haggard looking.  Like she had avoided sleep as much as possible lately.  She also looked like she may
 
>have been crying.  
 
>If there's one thing you hate, it's causing pain like this without ever having been aware of the risk beforehand.  Luckily it
 
>had only happened to you a few times in your life, but this one was close to the top of the list, if not at the top.
 
"To put it simply:  I had a sex dream about you after I happened to see you exposed one day when I was helping around here.  I
 
didn't know this would happen, and I wasn't in control of it.  I'm still not under control, but Princess Luna is handling it for
 
now, and starting next week, a specialist will help Twilight and I to solve the problem in a more permenant way.  If there's
 
anything I can do to make amends, or if you just don't want to interact with me anymore, I'll accept that."
 
>Of course, on top of everything, you feel like your own privacy was violated as well.  
 
"Spike.  Look at me."
 
>You reluctantly look up into Applejack's perfectly green eyes.  
 
"This ain't really your fault.  I may have avoided you for a while, but I won't do that forever.  I will get over this.  I'm a
 
big girl.  I run the farm and everything.  Now, I think Big Mac could still use some help with that firewood.  He's still
 
healing up, no matter how stoic he is about it."
 
"Oh, and one more thing, Spike.  Once your all fixed up according to this 'specialist', you let me know, okay?  I know you said
 
Luna was takin' care of it, but I'll rest easier, ya know?"
 
"I understand.  You'll be the first to know."
 
"Alright then, sugarcube.  You get along and help Big Mac.  I got to get back to preparing for this 'Sisterhooves' Social'
 
event."
 
"Right.  I'll do that."
 
>As you walk away towards where Mac said he'd be, you are left feeling a lot of things.
>Disgust and guilt with yourself chief among them.  From the sound of it, you basically dream-raped Applejack.  What the fuck?
>You had no idea at the time, of course, but that doesn't make you feel any better about it now.
>You can tell, this feel will never completely go away, either.  It's most likely going to scar you.  You hope you eventually
 
>escape the Lust Dragon state, you can't picture how Cadence could really help fix this.  It could only escalate from here.
--------------------------------------
 
>You aren't in a talkative mood when you find Big Mac again.  Luckily he seems fine with that.  You get to work on chopping down
 
>this old thorn tree.  You always hated these things back in the human world.  They're invasive, and spread pretty quick.  
 
Thanks >to this one, apparently they'd had to uproot a lot of younger ones in the past few years.  You work for over half an
 
hour to get >it cut down safely.  It finally falls with one last almighty kick from Mac's back hooves.  
>Then comes the sawing.  Even though this won't make good firewood, they're still going to make use of it, apparently.  
>Twilight could probably transfigure it all into ash once you're done.  You make a mental note to ask her when you get home.
>As you pull and push the two man saw along with Mac, who is gripping his end with his mouth, he finally stops to ask you a
 
>question.
 
"Spike?  You work things out with AJ?"
 
"It's not that simple.  I didn't know what I was doing, but I ended up hurting her bad enough that I'll probably never forgive
 
myself.  And the worst part is....she said it wasn't my fault.  That she doesn't blame me."
 
>Macintosh looked saddened by this.
 
"Let me tell you a story, Spike.  Once, a long time ago, I thought I knew what I was doing.  I was helpin' my Pa to cut down
 
some trees just like us two are doin' now.  It was getting late in the day, and we were on our 4th tree so far, so we had a
 
system goin'.  The tree was an old oak tree that we knew was just going to fall and damage our apple trees next time there was a
 
big storm, so we needed it down.  It was the biggest one all day.  Over 90 feet tall, and roughly 8 in diameter.  We were just
 
about halfway done when Pa realized it was getting unstable, and it wasn't likely to fall the way we had cut it to fall.  It
 
happens sometimes.  I was sure we could just give it a good buck in the right spot and it would go.  It was late and I was
 
getting tired and wanted to be done with work for the day.  Pa wanted to go get help with ropes and more ponies to pull it back
 
over towards the forest instead of the orchard.  I kicked the damned thing.  To this day I still don't know why I did it.  Maybe
 
it was frustration, or a chance to prove myself to my Pa, or even just laziness.  Plain and simple.  It don't matter none.  The
 
tree fell alright.  Right onto my Pa.  Crushed him to death.
 
"Ever since then, I always make sure everything I do, I do it carefully, and do it right the first time.  Cause you never know
 
when you won't get a second chance."
 
>You just stared at him in slack jawed shock.  You had no fucking idea.
 
"If my sister says you ain't at fault.  Then you ain't.  But between you and me, you'd better start being more careful.  'Cause
 
if you hurt one of my family again, you won't get a third chance.   Now, let's get this cut and load up what we got to take back
 
for splitting."
 
>You nodded emphatically.  You're not gonna fucking argue with the guy four times your size who just threatened you after he
 
told >you he accidentally killed his own Dad.
 
..........
>You finally finish stacking the wood you brought back so far, and Big Mac thanks you, and sends you on your way, claiming that
 
>he didn't care what AJ said, he was fit to do this himself already.
 
>You head out to leave the farm, dazed and confused.  It's only 2pm and it's been a very long day, and you're pretty drained.  
 
>You just want to go to your abandoned construction site and lie around feeling depressed and guilty for a while.
 
>You come to some time later.  It's getting dark and you are lying on a pile of rubble.  It's vaguely uncomfortable.  Something
 
>woke you up.  What was it?
 
"Spike!  What are you doing out here alone?  I thought we were going grocery shopping together today?  And we both need to get
 
to studying!  My schedule is already behind!"
 
"Oh, hey, Twilight.  I'm sorry about that.  I just got roped into helping with the chores at the farm, and then, I was feeling
 
sorry for myself, so, I guess I ended up here.  Oh yeah.  I need you to go transform all the firewood into Ash wood instead of
 
thorn.  Thorn pops a lot and shoots embers out of the fireplace.  It's not as safe."
 
"Ooookayy, I'll look into that, but Spike, we have to get to studying.  Are you feeling okay?"
 
>She presses her hoof to your forehead as if to check for temperature.  Haha, that's funny.  Since you're a dragon.
 
"Well, you don't seem to have a temperature.  Come on, I made some soup at home.  That'll make you feel better and you can tell
 
me about your day.  It must have been a doozy."
 
-----------------------------
 
>You were just finishing up relating your story to Twilight over a tasty sprout and onion soup.
 
>She had been horrified at the full implications of what you related about Applejack, and now she was openly crying at the story
 
>Big Mac had relayed to you.
 
"I don't want you to share Big Mac's story with anyone, please?  I'm not sure how many ponies know about it or anything."
 
>Twilight wiped at her eyes.
 
"Applejack never told me about it."  She said in an upset and somewhat scratchy voice.  "What happened to her parents, I mean.  
 
And of course Macintosh is always so quiet...Why would he tell you all of this, though?"
 
"He was making a point, Twilight.  That ignorance or carelessness can still get ponies hurt, or killed, even if you never
 
intended it to happen.  He's right, and it's not something I'll forget any time soon.  Probably ever.  So, how was your day?"
 
>Twilight is still pretty upset at this point, but doesn't openly disagree with you.  For now.
 
"Well, when you didn't come back this morning, I realized you might be helping with something, and so I figured we would go to
 
market tomorrow instead.  So, I worked out a study plan, and was gathering books when I realized how late it had gotten.  That's
 
when I went out to find you.  Good thing I know several locator spells.  What were you doing out there at that construction
 
site?"
 
"Well, it's just a nice place to practice fire breath and some other things.  And a nice place to just sit and think sometimes,
 
you know?"
 
>Twilight seems to understand you.
 
"I see.  When I need to think, I usually-"
 
"read a book.  I know."
 
>Twilight looks a little perturbed that you finished her sentence like that, but moves on.
 
"Also, Sweetie Belle came by today with her friends.  Scootaloo and Applebloom?  She said she was hoping you could show them a
 
trick or two you'd been working on.  What's that about?"
 
>You guess you should tell her about this one.  Hopefully it's not a big deal.
 
"Well, Sweetie Belle has been practicing her illusions like you suggested.  But at one point I...helped it along.  It was really
 
frightening the first time.  I wasn't expecting anything that realistic."
 
"What are you talking about?  Helped?"
 
"Yeah.  Since Celestia added the ability to channel through my claw, I used that to combine my magic with Sweetie Belle's
 
illusion spell, and control the illusion.  At the time I was thinking about nightmare night and scary clowns.  So a scary clown
 
appeared and scared us.  About the only thing that made me think it was really an illusion was that I couldn't smell him."
 
"Spike.  I've never heard of anything like that. Or read about it.  Can you try it with me?  Right now?"
 
>Okay.  Not entirely unexpected.  You were curious if it would work with Twilight at all.
 
"Sure.  What illusion did you want?"
 
"Hmmm....Can you...no, that's no good.  Just surprise me."
 
"Okay."
 
>You stand next to Twilight, like you would with Sweetie Belle, but you're not tall enough.
 
"Can you either lower your head or let me stand on your back for this?"
 
>Twilight lowers her horn so you can reach it, and charges the spell.
 
>You visualize the illusion, and then release it like normal.
 
>The two of you are plunged into darkness.  You can hear the sounds of dripping water echoing off of cave walls.  
>Suddenly a wall nearby explodes and two apes burst out of it, the larger gorilla like ape is carrying a large barrel over his
 
>head with the letters 'DK' painted on it.  He is wearing a red tie around his neck with the same lettering on it.  A smaller
 
>chimp like monkey is hanging onto the larger's back for dear life.  They run past you and throw the barrel at some small
 
>waddling crocodile critters that vaguely resemble Gummy.  They quickly disappear around a corner in the cave.
>The illusion fades back to black and then back to reality.
 
>Twilight looks flabbergasted at this new development.  You hope the realitive wierdness of the illusion doesn't cause a
 
problem.
>That one just kind of got away from you.
 
"What were those creatures?  Just some kind of monster you made up?"
 
"Yeah, more or less.  I think they're pretty cool guys though."
 
"Okay then.  It's official.  That was way more realistic than normal.  Especially for a beginner.  It must be something to do
 
with Dragon magic again....*sigh*.  I'm going to have to get some samples and do some research on this."
 
"Okay. Hopefully it can wait til after Princess Mi Amore Cadenza's visit."
 
"Yes.  Wait, who?"
 
"Cadence."
 
>Twilight seemed to brighten up at the mention of who would be visiting.
 
"Right.  About that.  Tomorrow you're reading this book.  Get started on it now before bed.  In the afternoon I'll quiz you on
 
it."
 
>You take the book, and offer a lazy salute.
 
"Will do.  I'm heading to bed.  Thanks for the soup.  Good night, Twilight."
 
"Good night, Spike."
---------------------
 
>The book was a treatise on using emotin in magic, both from within, and ambient emotions from ponies used to fuel massive
 
spells >of various types.  It covered very little about love or sex in magic, however, but you figured this was good as a
 
primer, or at >least that was probably Twilight's thinking.  She's very thorough.
 
>It talked a lot about focuses, or focii.  This was mostly in relation to the massive ambient spell types, which you figured was
>How things like the Crystal Heart worked.  Huh.  It specifically warned against using a focus to store your own internal
>emotions without taking a lot of safety precautions beforehand, as well as being checked out by a psychologist to verify that
>siphoning away that emotion or, in your case, desire, was an appropriate thing to do, as it could be very damaging or leave a
>pony stunted or even dangerously antisocial or sociopathic.  You wondered if the Alicorn Amulet did something like this, or
 
>maybe just created a feedback loop of anger and paranoia somehow.
 
>You really didn't want to do something that would basically leave you neutered, however.  Despite your current remorse.  
>You just couldn't live like that.  It wouldn't be you.  There has to be a better way.  You wish you could just go look up some
>info on tantric meditation and rituals on the internet, but you'll just have to scour the library and hope for the best.
>Someday, you're going to spring the idea of a magical wikipedia on Twilight and watch her brain explode.  You have doubts that
>the magic of this world could even accomplish some sort of etheric knowledge storage like computers do, but the concept would
 
>definitely blow her mind, either way.
 
>Still, the implications of all that's happened are staggering.  What normally happens with 'Lust Dragons'?  Were they
>predominantly male or female?  Did they just seek out other dragons and....what?  Rape them?  You are not a rapist.
>As you lay there trying to fall asleep, you try to recall what it was like to have sex with human women.  Your mind eventually
>drifts towards imagining what it would be like to be with a female dragon, and eventually back towards the dreams you'd had of
>ponies so far.  You wonder if this makes you a freak, and whether or not you care.  You decide that you don't, really.  
>Especially now that you live here.  With that sobering thought, you fall asleep.
-----------------------
 
>The next day you find yourself absently listening to Sweetie Belle's sob story about how Rarity doesn't want to spend time with
 
>her, and how She thinks Sweetie can only cause trouble rather than help out, and that she won't even go to the Sisterhooves'
 
>Social with the little unicorn.  Something seems a bit off about this, but you can't put your finger on it.
 
"Hang on, Sweetie Belle.  Did you, by chance, talk about this with anyone else today?"
 
"No.  Although now that I've gotten some of it off my chest, I think I'll go see what Applebloom is up to.  At least she has a
 
sister that cares about her.  What does that have to do with anything, anyway, though?"
 
"I just thought someone else could probably relate more.  I don't actually know all that much about sister/sister relationships,
 
or their...disagreements.  I'm sure Rarity will come around, though.  She's probably just stressed out about 'an important
 
client's very expensive order!' or something like that."
 
>Sweetie Belle giggles at your poor attempt at mimicking Rarity's voice and mannerisms.
 
>Suddenly, a wild Applebloom appears.  She seems...also a bit upset?
 
"Hey Sweetie Belle.  Hey Spike."  She says unenthusiastically.  "I was just going for a walk.  Applejack and I were supposed to
 
spend the day together getting ready for the Sisterhoove's Social, but she was in a bad mood today.  She said she was dealing
 
with some 'complicated issues that little fillies' don't need to be worrying about', and that she needed some space."
 
>Okay, that is definitely not what happens in the show.  And it's most likely your fault?
 
>Your eyes widen in realization.  You've changed the timeline.....and it's possibly worse now!  Oh no!  What do you do?  Fuck!
 
>Sweetie Belle and Applebloom are currently ignoring you to gripe about their sisters and how they don't appreciate them because
>they're 'little fillies that get in the way too much'.
 
>What have you done?  What is going to happen now?  How can you fix this?
 
>Is this really a big deal, anyway?....You said it before.  Sisters fight, and it almost always gets resolved, mostly....right?
 
>There's no way to know.  And that just makes you panic even more.  You have to make sure that this does get resolved.  
>Starting with Applejack.  But you can't!  It's your fault she's upset in the first place!  You'll have to enlist someone's
 
>help!
>But who?
 
>You run off leaving the girls to their discussion.  You notice Scootaloo shows up as you're leaving.  
------------------------
 
>You come to a stop.  Where are you running to?  There's not really anything you can do, is there?  These things just take time,
 
>and maybe a therapist.  There's nothing you can do to help AJ right now...is there?
 
>So what?  Just wait and see what happens?  Maybe you should have stuck with the girls to see what they're going to do with this
 
>situation?
 
>Yeah.  You decide.  You should follow them, at least for a bit.  Then you could go try to talk to Rarity, at least.
And you
 
>owe it to Applejack to at least try to make sure she's still spending the event tomorrow with her sister...She'd probably
 
>regret it if she didn't.
 
>Something Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were saying catches your attention.
 
"I wish I had a sister to have fights with...."
 
"We're kind of like honorary sisters, aren't we?  Crusaders forever, right?"  She said, her eyes getting a little shiny with
 
unshed tears.
 
"Right!"  Said Applebloom.  "You with us, Scootaloo?"
 
>Scootaloo had a conflicted look on her face.  Like she wanted this, but thought it was gay as fuck at the same time.
 
"Yeah."  She finally broke down.  "You guys have been like family to me for a while now.  This really means a lot to me..."
 
>You watch in amazement as they essentially recreated a blood brothers ceremony and swore to always be sisters to each other.
>You feel an intense wave of magic wash over you as they say, in unison,
 
"Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sisters Forever!"
 
>What just happened?
 
"All right!  Let's go Crusading today!"  said Scootaloo.  
 
>And they all ran off together, supposedly to plan their newest attempts at finding their talents.
 
>Was that supposed to happen?  You plop down where you stand.  Why hadn't you been thinking about this before now?  Did you
 
>really care all that much if the timeline changes?  No, that's not it.  You didn't think you had the power to change it before.
>You thought the main plot points were all set in stone.  After all, you were just Spike, right?  Your story happened in the
 
>background, or off screen, right?
 
>At least this latest development seemed alright on the face of it.
>You get up and continue on your search for Rainbow Dash.  Doubts set aside for now.
---------------------------
 
"Rainbow Dash!"  You shout uselessly up at her house.
 
>You take notice that it is a Really nice house.  Very extravagent.  Guess clouds are cheap when you're a pegasus.
>Finally Dash's head pops out of a large window.
 
"What!!?"  She shouts.  She must have been busy napping or something, then.
 
"I need your help!  I think there might be a bad situation developing!"
 
>You hear her grumbling under her breath as she lazily floats down to your level.
 
"This better be good, Spike.  I am not in a good mood right now, and you happen to be part of the reason for that."  She says,
 
her voice thick with exasperation.
 
"It's that Sisterhooves' Social thing.  I think it might have been cursed by somebody."
 
"What?  I thought Twilight said curses weren't real?  You know, during that whole Zecora thing!"
 
>You shake your head, leaning in to talk with a lower voice.
 
"Twilight thinks that way about anything that she can't pin down with science or look up in an old book!  But that's not the
 
point!  I'm pretty sure someone has it out for this event for some reason.  First it was Rarity and Sweetie Belle fighting and
 
then Rarity refusing to participate.  Then there's the fact that Applejack hasn't been at her best lately because of.....well,
 
you know, and so I got to hear both Sweetie Belle and Applebloom complaining about their sisters for...quite a while.  Then
 
Scootaloo showed up wishing she had a sister to fight with, too, so the three of them did some kind of impromptu magic thingie
 
and declared themselves sisters instead.  Also while I was yelling up at your house I saw Dinky and Amethyst Star walk by
 
arguing about something as well.  I think it's spreading!"
 
>Rainbow Dash didn't look convinced in the slightest.
 
"What does any of that have to do with anything?  You're overreacting, Spike.  It's none of your business anyway what arguments
 
other ponies have with their family.  They'll work it out on their own.  You'll see.  Besides, what can you and me do about it
 
anyway?  I doubt there even is a curse, and even if there was, shouldn't you get help from, I don't know, Zecora or something?"
 
>Okay, maybe she has a point.  This is really none of your business from anyone's perspective but your own.
>Maybe you should just roll with the punches from here on out and not depend on the timeline happening at all like you remember.
 
....
 
>You can't help it.  You have to try one last thing, and that's it.
 
"There is one thing you can do that I can't.  You can go to the Sisterhooves' Social tomorrow with Scootaloo as an honorary big
 
sister."
 
>Rainbow had looked ready to shoot down whatever you were going to say, but this gave her pause.
>You could see the wheels turning in her head.
 
"Okay, I give.  How is that going to stop this supposed 'curse'?"
 
>You shake your head.
 
"I'm sorry, but if I told you that, it might not work.  Besides, Scootaloo really looks up to you, you know?  I think it would
 
really make her week.  Maybe month, even, to be sisters for a day with Rainbow Dash."
 
>This time Dash lifts her hoof to her chin, obviously considering it.  Then she lowers it, offering a smirk.
 
"Okay, I'll do it. But not because of your stupid curse nonsense.  I figure that kid could use a good role model like me from
 
time to time.  I'll have to go ask Granny Smith if it's allowed in the rules first, though."
 
>Shit, you hadn't thought of that.  Here's hoping the old matron would allow it in any case.  That mare was possibly the
 
>toughest old bitch you'd ever met in your life.  And that was saying something.  You'd met Celestia and Luna, after all.
>She didn't suffer any nonsense, but usally, she was fair and kind, which in this case was in your favor.
 
>You nod, thanking Dash for her help.  She quickly flies off, bad mood seemingly set aside for now.
 
-------------------
>Okay, now to at least check in on Rarity.
>You knock at the door to the boutique....And get bowled over as the door slams open and Rarity sprints off..
>ranting about 'never be sisterless again!' or something to that effect.  What?  Oh, right.  Something is coming back to you.
>Normally Sweetie Belle would have spent the day hanging around Applebloom and Applejack, exuding jealousy over their
>obviously superior Sisterly relationship.  And in the evening Rarity found them around a campfire...after having a..
>Change of heart.
 
>Only now the CMC are together and not with AJ, as far as you know.  Who knows where they are, really....Crusading somewhere.
>There's really nothing else you can do today.  It's getting late anyway.  You decide to head back to your 'quiet place'
>and start a fire.  That always relaxed you.  Rarity didn't even notice you.  You now have a crick in your neck as well.
 
>You sigh heavily and make your way there.  You wonder if your gambit could ever really work...
.........
>It was getting dark when your impromptu green campfire was intruded upon by...Sweetie Belle and Applebloom?
>They looked a bit sad, and thoughtful now.  What happened?
 
"Hey Spike.  Mind if we sit here and watch the fire for a while?  It looks pretty relaxin'."  asked Applebloom.
 
"Fine by me.  Where's Scootaloo?"
 
>Suddenly Sweetie Belle made this oddly cute squeal of frustration.
 
"Ugh!  It's not fair!  We were tryin' to enter the Sisterhooves' Social as the Cutie Mark Crusader honorary sisters group, but Granny Smith and Big Mac kept telling us no!  And then,"
 
"Then, Rainbow Dash showed up out of the blue!"  Applebloom took over from here.  "And straight up asked Scootaloo if she wanted to enter together with her instead!  Scoots is a big fan of Rainbow Dash, so a'course she said 'yes!'"
 
"And Granny Smith allowed that?  After saying no to you three beforehand?" you asked
 
"Yep." said Applebloom.  "She said it was allowed because it had been done before and it wasn't the same as us because they both have no 'real' sisters.  We didn't have the heart to complain about it after she put it that way.  Scoots and RD are prob'ly still out doing practice stuff for tomorrow.  It's really made me think how precious family is.  How could I ever forget that?...I have to go apologize to Applejack.  I'll see you tomorrow, Sweetie Belle.  Good night, Spike.  Maybe next time you can finally show us that movie illusion trick of yours."
 
"Sure thing!  See ya around, Applebloom."  You give her a wave as she walks off back towards the farm.
 
"Spike?"  said Sweetie Belle.  
 
"Yes?"
 
"Are you like...Sister and Brother with Twilight?  Do you two ever get into fights?"
 
>you really wish you knew the answer to that for certain yourself...
 
"Sometimes it feels that way.  But it's quite a bit more complex than that.  However, yes, we do fight sometimes.  Why?"
 
"I was just wondering how you fix things after a fight...."
 
>Huh.  Well, you hadn't Really done that yet, unless you count those fights over little organization things that sometimes drove >you up the wall.  It happens when you have to live with anyone.  They were small fights, and you gave in mostly.  For Now.  
 
"Well, Sweetie Belle, I usually start by offering to go get hayburgers and fries.  Or maybe some doughnuts and coffee.  And then, when it comes to Twilight, we usually hammer out a compromise over the meal."
 
"Compromise?"
 
"Yes.  An agreement reached between two parties wherein neither side is fully satisfied, but both are able to tolerate the arrangement.  I get the food to tilt the odds in favor of me."
 
>Sweetie Belle laughs at this.  In fact, she is laughing so hard, you guess at trying to picture the situation, that she falls >off the log she is sitting on.
 
"Sweetie Belle!"  a voice calls from nearby.  Woah.  It's dark already.
 
"Oh there you are!  What are you two doing way out here?"  says Rarity.
 
>You may have to find another 'quiet place'.  The old construction site just has too many people that know where it is, now.
 
"We were just sitting by the fire, and talking.  I didn't realize it was so late already." you say.
 
>Sweetie Belle has gotten over her laughter now.
 
"Rarity!  I just want to say..."
 
"Sweetie Belle!  I just want to-"
 
>They spoke at almost exactly the same time.  Your eyebrow raises, unbidden.
 
"You first, Sweetie Belle." said Rarity.  Clearly still emotional.
 
"I just want to say, I'm sorry, Rarity.  I didn't mean what I said earlier.  You will always be my sister.  Even if you don't want to go to the Sisterhooves Social with me because it's 'uncouth', or 'too dirty'.  And I'm sorry for causing trouble earlier today.  I just wanted to help out!  But so many things went wrong!"
 
"Oh Sweetie Belle!"  Rarity gathered up her sister in a hug.  "Can you ever forgive me?  Of course we will alway be sisters!  I didn't mean any of it either!  I wasn't even really upset with you.  I was just frustrated with some difficult clients and their orders!  I should never have taken it out on you.  I'm so sorry!  Will you go to the Sisterhooves' Social with me tomorrow anyway?"
 
>Sweetie Belle pulled away from her sister's embrace.
 
"What?  You mean it?  I'd love to!  Applebloom and Scootaloo are entering, too!  I think we can take them!"
 
"Oh yes!  They will rue the day they let Sweetie and Rarity into their little competition!" said Rarity in a villainous tone that was surprisingly arousing, despite the mood here.
 
>With that, they forget all about your existence as they start plotting their strategy for tomorrow, heading for home.
 
>An apology for being run over would have been nice, but meh.  You once again sit and stare at the fire.  Alone.
>You should probably head 'home' now, too.  You really wish you understood what Spike was to Twilight.  And by extension, what >you were to Twilight, aside from roommates and Wizard/Librarian and Dragon/Assistant.  It had remained unspoken about, in the >entire time you had been here.  At least you could alert Twilight to the fact that she should collect friendship reports on all >this after the competition tomorrow.  Should be interesting reading for Celestia, you guess.
 
>You carefully put out the fire and head to the lone tree sticking out higher than all the houses and other trees around it.
>There are lights on inside as you approach and Twilight is out on the balcony, using her Telescope to look at the stars.  
>It's a nice night for it.  Maybe you'll join her tonight.
-------------------
"Hey Twilight?"
 
"Yes, Spike?  What is it?"
 
>It was really late at night now.  Twilight and yourself had been stargazing for quite a while.  Apparently she was also doing a
>detail sketch of the moon she had been working on for a while now that the 'Mare in the Moon' image was gone.
 
"I've been wondering about something.  Is this home, now?  If Celestia asked you to, would you move back to Canterlot and leave
 
our friends here behind?"
 
>Twilight turned her full attention onto you.
 
"What brought this on, Spike?"
 
>Judging by her bewildered expression, you were pretty sure Twilight hadn't really thought about this.  
>Suddenly she starts to look upset.
 
"I was just thinking.  I know you're fairly close friends now, at least within the Elements of Harmony.  I'd also like to
 
imagine I've made a few friends here in Ponyville myself.  Will this assignment come to an end at some point?"
 
>Twilight looks all sad and conflicted now.
 
"Well, Spike.  Yes.  I suspect it will come to an end at some point.  There's only so much we can report about friendship,
 
right?  Only I..."
 
"..Yes?" you add, after she falters, obviously trying not to get upset.
 
"I don't want to go."  she said in a voice so quiet you almost couldn't hear it, turning away from you now.
 
"Oh, good.  Becuase I don't really want to, either.  I wouldn't worry much, though.  I mean, you guys aren't likely to be
 
separated now, right?  What with the Elements being so handy in a pinch and all.  I'm sure Celestia wouldn't ever want to go
 
back to not having that power on hand, anyway, right?"
 
>As you spoke, she slowly turned back to listen to you, and suddenly burst into giggles at your last sentence.
>You join in with a laugh or two.  It is kind of infectious.
 
"Well, when you're right, you're right.  Why did you get me all worked up like that, Spike?"
 
"Eh, I just needed to talk this out with someone to make sure I had it all straight in my head.  Sometimes things are like that,
 
you know?  Sorry if I upset you."
 
>She smiles and giggles a little more.  This must have actually been weighing on her up 'til
>now.  It's no wonder she accumulated enough stress to have that whole 'Lesson Zero' breakdown in the first place.
 
>You carefully pat her on the back as she lets out a long sigh of relief.
>You didn't expect the nuzzling and hugs that followed.  And definitely not that kiss on the cheek.
 
"Thanks for that, Spike.  I think I'm going to bed now."
 
"Oh yeah.  I think there's gonna be some friendship reports you or I can collect tomorrow.  There was a bit of drama going
 
around lately over that Sisterhooves' Social thing."
 
"Really?  Well, *yawn*, let's be sure to go to watch the competition tomorrow then.  I assume AJ and Applebloom are in it?"
 
"Yep.  Pretty sure.  Along with Rarity and Sweetie Belle, and, also, Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo.  As 'honorary sister/big
 
sister' I believe."
 
"Wow.  That does sound interesting.  I hope they don't get too competitive.  You know how Rainbow Dash and Applejack can get..."
 
>Welp....she's right.  Maybe you should have thought of that.  But they've learned their lesson already, right?  Maybe?
>In any case, it'll be interesting to see, you guess.
 
"Well, good night.  I'll put this stuff away."
 
>Amazingly, Twilight didn't protest you handling her telescope setup.  That's a first...
------------------
 
>You needn't have worried too much about the competitiveness angle that much.  The way the competition was set up cleverly kept
 
>pretty much all focus of the participants on the task at hand, and their partners.  
 
>You do notice that Rainbow Dash's wings were once again bound, however.  You had a chuckle at that.
 
>Amazingly, Berry Punch and Berry Pinch ended up winning the competition, although it was really closely behind that that
 
>Rarity/Sweetie and Applejack/Applebloom crossed the finish line.  Rainbow Dash had sneezed while carrying the egg with
 
>Scootaloo, and then they had both laughed about it for a bit before trying again, so they were in fifth behind Amethyst and
 
>Dinky.  
 
>After you got done congratulating everyone and Twilight had collected her reports for you to send via fire, she had a couple
 
>questions for you.
 
"Spike?  Did you make up some cock and bull story about a curse to Rainbow Dash to trick her into doing this with Scootaloo?"
 
>You cross your arms, tapping the three scrolls you were holding hostage now against one arm as you raise an eyebrow.
 
"I did no such thing.  I was merely working a countercurse to prevent disaster.  I think it all turned out peachy.  Or apple-y
 
in this case, I guess."
 
"You are so full of it, Spike!  That's it!  When we get back to the library, it's straight to studying for you!  It's only three
 
more days til Cadence gets here, after all!"
 
"Aww, I was hoping you'd forget about that for today...." you whined.  You really were hoping for that.
 
"Not a chance, mister..."
 
>You facepalm.  Before you forget, you decide to incinerate the letters/reports for Celestia's reading.  Better than carrying
 
>them the whole way back.  
 
>You barely manage to overhear the six sisters laughing at Rarity demanding to go to he spa straight away.  
 
-----------------
>You were taking a bath later that evening when she struck.  You were contemplating why Twilight even had a rubber duckie, for
 
>the third time, when Pinkie Pie was suddenly and inexplicably in the bathtub across from you.
 
"Okay, Spike.  You pass."
 
"What.  Pinkie, this is the bathroom.  And I'm occupied right now with 'Spike Time'?"
 
>She looks around, as if just noticing where the two of you are.
 
"Oh you're right!  Silly me.  Whoopsie!"
 
>In a move that you honestly couldn't tell whether it was accidental or not, somehow Pinkie had attempted to stand up, slipped,
 
>and somehow ended up pressing against your dicks with the soft inner underside of her right hoof.  
 
>You gently remove said hoof.  
 
"I'm serious, here, Pinkie.  Get out.  And pass what, exactly?"
 
"I said I'd be watching you, and I have.  I was really impressed with what you managed to pull off yesterday.  Fixing the
 
sisters' relationship by making brand new sisters out of nowhere?  That was some kind of a miracle, Spike.  Remember, I make
 
ponies' happy, that's pretty much what I do for a living.  That and baking.  What you pulled off was a work of art.  How did you
 
ever come up with that idea?"
 
>Yeah how did you forget about that?  That Pinkie had straight up told you she'd be watching you?  Creeped out mildly now...
 
"Honestly?"
 
>She nodded.
 
"Will you Pinkie Promise not to tell anyone else?"
 
>Nodding intensifies.
 
"Okay, honestly, I knew what to do because In the future I gain the ability to do magic on my own, and I set my memories to my
 
younger self, which I suspect has created an offshoot timeline that we are now in.  That's how I knew what to do, as well as why
 
it might be important.  Cool, huh?"
 
>Pinkie stares at you in confusion, and then disappointment.
 
"Aww...I thought you were just hit by the inspiration to do all that.  The 'curse' angle was a good one, too, by the way."
 
"Yeah, that's great and all.  Now, going through puberty a second time is really messing with my dragon magic, and you being in
 
the bath with me is really pressing most of my 'lust buttons', so unless you want me to possibly lose my mind and go on a
rapey rampage through town, as well as grow to at minimum twice your size, please get out, before I try to jump you."
 
>Pinkie is suddenly across the room from you.
 
"Okie Dokie then.  In future, I'll try not to bother you in here until you tell me it's safe."
 
"That would be for the best.  Don't get me wrong, I really like you, Pinkie.  I'm just a little worried about the consequences
 
right now."
 
>At this point she finally had the good grace to blush.  Ha.  Win.
 
"Oh, and please actually do the promise before you teleport out of here, or whatever it is you do.  This is serious."
 
>Pinkie sighs, obviously busted trying to get out of this, and then does her promise.
 
"Spike, can you please at least tell me-"
 
"Not a chance.  If I tell you it won't happen."
 
>She shakes her hoof and says 'Darn!' in a comical fashion.
 
"Don't worry abot it.  Yet.  I'll let you know if we need to worry about it."
 
>She nods, and you move to stand up.  Your tail is falling asleep at this point.  When you turn back to where Pinkie was, she's
 
>vanished.
 
>'Time travel?'  Well, whatever.  Hopefully Pinkie is no longer closely watching you at this point.
 
>You sigh and attempt to get back to 'Spike Time'.
--------------------------------
>So, now a nice day off from pressing timeline issues to scour the damn library looking for safe ways to channel all this sexual
 
>energy without getting neutered, either magically or literally...Nah, these people wouldn't do that to you, would they?  
>You would run away first, in any case.
 
>Suddenly you feel a bit more urgent in your search.
 
>You find absolutely no books about sex or sex magic, tantra, or even a kama sutra analogue, although you did find a dry medical
 
>text that seemed to cover pregnancy, reproduction, and beyond that, mostly gynecological issues.  It was very thorough,
 
>actually.  With several diagrams.
 
>It occurs to you that maybe Twilight keeps such things upstairs, out of the general public view, or at least on a much >higher
 
shelf.  This causes you to sigh heavily.  You got up early for this, so you don't want to attempt looking up stairs >without
 
waking Twilight.  And you hate using the ladder.  Your little dragon legs really sucked sometimes...
>You wish you could just grow taller and be done with it, even if you would lose some of your 'cuteness points'.
 
>It's hard to tell without having made a note of it somewhere, but you appear to have grown about three inches since you got
 
>here.  Yippee.
 
>You spend about thirty minutes scouring the upper portions of the library, and manage to come up with one 'Estra Sutra', oddly
 
>enough apparently written by...Llamas?  Well, whatever, you'll take it.  Although you really didn't enjoy seeing the drawings
 
>in the back all that much.  Still, the obvious differences between bipedal and quadrupedal sex made it interesting, anyway,
>even if you didn't find the subjects of the drawings all that attractive.  Some of them had twisty weird horns, even.  Kind of
 
>like Discord's...
 
>Still, this is really promising, and the book did detail some magical practices regarding sex and sexual energy, which you
 
>might be able to make use of.  Most of it was actually about marital aid type of magic, a lot of which had to do with lasting
 
>longer in bed for males, or temporarily altering the size of the phallus to better fit the partner, which made you giggle a
 
>little.  You wish you had a notebook to take a notes on some of these, though.  
 
...
>There was nothing in the book about controlling excess sexual energy, though.  It's cheif recommendation for such things was
 
>clearly having regular sex with a partner, something that you weren't likely to pull off any time soon, what with being such a
>'young' dragon and all.  Then again, you knew the Great Dragon Migration was happening soon.  If you could manage to grow to a
 
>more teenaged size dragon by that time, maybe, if you were lucky, you could find a girlfriend.  
 
>It was unlikely, but probably more likely than finding a pony that was interested.  After yesterday you really wondered about
 
>Pinkie Pie, though.  You're pretty sure she was just overexcited then, though.  Plus you knew it probably wouldn't work out
 
>long term.
 
>You did finally find one book about Tantra, although it kept talking about using sexual energy to commune with 'the Divine',
 
>or 'Goddess'.  But what did that mean in this world?  Celestia?  Luna?  Some other deity-like entity?  This was obviously
 
>written long ago, so you knew it couldn't be referring to Cadence, the so called 'Alicorn of Love'.  
>So who or what was it then?
 
>Well, it obviously was a way of expending the excess energy so you could stop having these dreams and urges to jump ponies on a
 
>constant basis.  You think you were hiding it well, but it was getting troublesome, as proven by yesterday's encounter with
>Pinkie.
 
>What the hell, you'll try just about anything once, right?
 
>You take the book into the bathroom and start the shower so you hopefully won't be barged in on and get down to business.
 
>As you sit in the prescribed position, or as close as possible for a biped, you slowly start to meditate on all the sexual
 
>thoughts and feels you'd been having since you got here.....there were a literal fuckton of them...
 
>Slowly, images and feelings danced through your head.  The unbridled sex dreams you had had about Applejack, Luna, Pinkie Pie,
 
>and despite your better judgement, Twilight, flow out of your head and through to the point your hands made in front of your
 
>face. You're not sure how this is working, but it seems to be doing something.
 
>It was somewhere after your depraved fantasies about tieing up Rarity and having a nonsensical foursome with Lyra, Roseluck,
 
>and  Gilda that you decided this was enough for a first try, and, eyes closed, released all the gathered mess of lust filled
 
>thoughts and feelings skywards.
 
>You didn't expect the blinding flash of red tinged light that followed.  You just caught the tail end of a beach ball sized
 
>comet of energy phase through the roof and, you presume, out of the treehouse.  It appeared to have been orange-red in color.
 
"Well, that was unexpected...but it makes sense I guess?  I hope whatever that was doesn't come back to haunt me...I did
 
actually include humanized in there, I think...At least I feel a lot more clear-headed now.  Time to go get some breakfast,  
 
finally."
 
>Then you notice the mess you had made all over the rug in the bathroom.  
---------------
 
>You were cooking some eggs with a crushed sapphire for flavor, and considering pancakes, when you felt a pulling sensation
 
>somewhere in your gut.  At first it was weak, and you ignored it, but then, it yanked, and you were suddenly flying over the
 
>world at impossible speeds, only to suddenly stop, still holding a spatula and wearing a chef's hat.
 
"Ah, new prey.  It's been a while.  And a dragon this time I see.  So, what leads you to seek me out, Spike the
 
Dragon.  Or is it Anonymous, the human?  Which do you prefer?"
 
"I prefer Spike.  I don't know how it happened, but I was pulled from my world and granted this one's body.  I do not know what
 
happened to him."
 
>You were standing in what appeared to be a volcanic cavern, judging by the heat and the walls.  Before you was a truly colossal
 
>dragon, female judging by the voice.  You assume this must be the 'Goddess'.  Her form was sleek and her red scales very shiny.
 
>They sparkled in the relatively dark cave.
 
"I didn't realize using those techniques would actually take me somewhere?  Who are you?  And why would a book written by
 
Llama's lead me to a Dragoness?  They worshipped you?"
 
"Not me specifically.  It's more generally the Divine Feminine.  They have trouble with it, being a patriarchy for so long.  I
 
just happen to be a near immortal Lust Dragoness that somehow fell into the position a couple thousand years ago.  It's a sweet
 
gig.  I get lots of gifts for my hoard, and all the sex I want.  My name is Alaya, by the way."
 
>Judging by how she seemed to read your mind, you try desperately not to think of this as a whorish statement.  After all, who
 
>are you to talk?
 
"So, why am I here?  And am I here physically or not?  Also, I'm really surprised you're a dragon and not a changeling queen."
 
"You are here physically.  And you are going to be my lover for the day.  Don't get that confused look on your face.  I am an
 
master of transformation magic.  You think I want to bone Llama's all day?  I have more self-respect than that.  Your size is
 
still that of a baby dragon, as I'm sure you are already sick of being called.  And I've never met a human before, but the magic
 
you sent me was filled with all this delicous new information.  So to start, that is what we will be.  You seem to think that
 
your desire for the human form is nearly gone, but you're wrong, and I'm going to prove it to you."
 
>The massive horns atop her head light up with a deep green aura, matching Alaya's eyes, and then you notice you are covered
 
>with the aura as well.  
 
>You can feel yourself start to change.  Your point of view rising from it's low position as you look down and suddenly see
 
>hands and toes again.  And...green hair?  So you are still Spike, in body.  You pull down a bang from above of more spikey
 
>green hair.  heh.  At least your body is pretty fucking sculpted.  You guess Alaya wouldn't settle for anything less.
>You notice she still hasn't answered that last question.
 
>You look back in her direction and find that she has also changed.  Shrunk down to size, to be just slightly shorter than you,
 
>which is still really fucking tall for a human woman.  Over 2 meters.  Her long red hair sways a little in the cool breeze
 
coming from >somewhere behind you as it alternates hiding and revealing her nipples from your vision as she attempts a sexy walk
 
towards >you.  She's doing pretty good at it.
 
>Her eyes are still slitted like normal, and guess yours probably are as well.
>You decide 'what the hell, I might as well just go with this, I don't even know where I am', and strike a pose,
>your fist in the air, flexing your muscles, and giving her a wink, causing her to laugh and stumble a bit.
 
"Oh, you are a charmer, Spike-Anon.  I bet you can make all the girls laugh."
 
>You start to protest at the odd combo name, but decide it's not that horrible.  So long as she doesn't blab your secrets.
 
"I hear and see many secrets, young man.  I have never once shared them.  Not for gold, or mates, jewels, or even threats.
Now, before we go any further," she said as she placed her arms around you, her breasts pressing into your chest. "I want you to
 
understand this clearly.  Put all of your thoughts about commitment or consequence or guilt aside.  They ruin the purity of the
 
experience for me.  Now...I'm a hungry dragoness, boy.  Feed me."
 
>With that, she grabbed your chin and pulled you into a deep kiss, which quickly led to you grabbing her ass and lifting her up,
>prompting her to wrap her legs around you.
 
>What followed was hands down the best sex of your life, it was true.  At first as humans, and, when Alaya had had enough of
 
>that, 'for now', she had said.  Then she had promptly turned herself into a pony, leaving you as you were.  She made a sexy
 
>Unicorn, that was for sure.  The double 'demonic' horn look was definitely hot.  You could swear your dick actually grew an
 
>extra inch spontaneously when she struck that pose, ass in the air, looking back at you with that look in her eyes...
 
>Eventually, you take a break, and start wondering if anyone is looking for you today.  Nah, probably not.
>But just to be safe, you wonder if it's okay with Alaya if you write quick message with your claw trick to let Celestia know
 
>who you were with, that you're safe, and will be back tomorrow, supposedly.
 
"Don't mention my name, lover boy.  Celestia doesn't 'approve' of me, exactly.  And least of all with someone of your apparent
 
age."
 
"Alright then.  Thanks for clearing that up." you say as you write the message and send it off with a snap of your claws.
 
>For the moment, you are in what you think of as 'man-spike' form.  Just earlier the two of you had shaken up the whole mountain
>doing it in adult dragon forms, which you had been somewhat less interested in than she had been.
 
"Okay, what do you think about this?"
 
>You turn back around to find her in foal form.  The demon horns just look cute now as she wiggles her butt at you.
 
"I'm sickened, yet curious and I think that's adorable.  That's about it."
 
>She looks disappointed, which is also cute.  Then she changes to match your current form, making a very shapely woman-dragoness
 
"Aww...maybe I'll tranform to that mid coitus and see what you think then?"
 
"Please don't, Alaya.  I don't need a complex."
 
"Alright then, Spikey Wikey!  No promises, though.  Now come on, I still have all night with you!"
 
"And then you can return me to Ponyville, right?  Not that I'm not enjoying myself, but I'm sure you get lots of visitors, and I
 
wouldn't think you normally spend so much time with just one person, do you?"
 
>She seems annoyed with your questions....uh oh.  What did you just say again?
 
"Hmph.  You should count yourself lucky I can read minds.  Your brains are obviously addled by all this pleasure.  You should
 
eat and drink something before we continue."
 
>As you eat a mixed plate of gems, cheeses, fruit, and spiced meats, which Alaya says came from giant wild boar, which isn't
 
>sentient for some reason.
 
"You worry too much, Spike-Anon."  She said as she stretched out on her back along the tabletop.  Obviously enticing you to
 
'eat' her, next.  "You've got to live in the moment whenever you can.  Because the moment is the only thing that's real.  
 
Understand?"
 
"Yes ma'am." you say as you swiftly stand up, knocking over your chair and grabbing Alaya by her feet, pulling her around
 
towards you as your long forked tongue pokes out of your mouth.
 
---------------
>After an even longer night of all kinds of fun, Alaya turns you back into your normal shape, although you notice you're
 
>slightly taller, and something else feels different, but you can't place it.
 
"Okay, Spikey Wikey, you have fun with those little ponies down there."
 
>As you start to feel the little pull again, signaling Alaya's unique method of transporting her victims, you look back and see
 
>she is now also in 'baby dragon' form, as she moves up and gives you a kiss goodbye.  
>Then she pulls away, and you get yanked into the distance just as she's miming the 'call me' gesture which she must have
 
>pulled from your thougts a some point.  'What a whore,' you think with a smile.
 
>And promptly fall on your ass in the kitchen of the library, once again wearing your chef's hat and holding the spatula.
 
"Spike, you're okay!"  
 
>Suddenly you're being crushed by Twilight in a hug.
 
"What happened?  Celestia got your message, but we couldn't trace it, and you didn't say who you were with!  Where were you?  
 
You had us all really worried!"
 
"Well, I was doing more reading up on how to deal with my...'dragon problems', and I found a technique that I was sure would
 
work.  I'm pretty sure it was written by Llama's?"
 
>She nodded, listening intently.
 
"Wait, Llama's?  Which one?"
 
"Uh, I think it's called Ton-Tontra?" you stuttered out.
 
>Twilight is blushing now, you see.
 
"R-right.  I've read it, but never tried any of it.  So I assume it worked then?  I just thought it was nonsense after it
 
mentioned a 'Goddess'.  You know I don't believe in such things."
 
>You give her a look.
 
"Okay, just because I don't know the details of how Discord's power works, doesn't make him a God, Spike!  I've told you this!"
 
"Okay, you're probably right.  Anyway I did meet someone.  She said I shouldn't mention her name, since, and I quote, 'Celestia
 
doesn't approve of me.'  I don't want to get in trouble with the Princess, Twilight.  Suffice to say, it was a perfectly
 
acceptable way for me to deal with my issues, and, whatever we figure out once Cadence gets here, I will probably use it again
 
in the future.  Although now that I know how it works, I'll warn you beforehand if I'm going to be gone for the day."
 
>Twilight is glaring at you now.  You have no idea over which part, so you take a stab in the dark.
 
"Uh...will three days beforehand warning work for you?"
 
>She relents and smiles at you.
 
"That's fine.  Don't ever make me worry like that again, Spike.  There was literally no way to find you!  I could have never
 
seen you again!  What were you doing for a whole 24 hours anyway?"
 
>You smirk at her.  
 
"That's top secret!  I'm not telling."
 
>Twilight looks at a loss.  Mouthing the words 'top secret' under her breath.
 
>Suddenly she gets a look of absolute horror and disgust on her face.
 
"Spike!  Did this person molest you?"
 
>You can't help it.  You start laughing your ass off as you sit at the table.  
 
"N-..hehehe..no, they did not.  I am perfectly unmolested.  And I'm feeling much better than before, as well.  You can consider
 
it like a long therapy session, Twilight."
 
"So, what's been going on while I was gone?  Anything interesting?"
 
"Well, there was an incident where Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo all made a potion to get their cutie marks while
 
Zecora was absent from her hut.  It ended up with them getting this rare affliction called 'Cutie Pox', which causes a pony to
 
suddenly develop many talents.  There was a lot of chaos, and Town Hall was somewhat damaged by Scootaloo's skydiving double
 
gyrocopter bungee scooter stunt, but it all worked out once we found Zecora and got a way to reverse the effects of the potion.
The bad thing is, now they're convinced since the potion actually did something besides poison them, they should try getting a
 
cutie mark in potionmaking.  I hope Zecora is okay."
 
"Well, I'm glad there was something going on to distract you from me being missing and all.  Did they at least write a
 
friendship report for you?"
 
"They did.  Do you want to read my copy of it?  I already sent it by some of your bottled flame since you were missing."
 
"Sure, I'll read it later.  Cadence is coming by tomorrow, right?"
 
>Twilight gets that excited smile on her face again.
 
"Yes!  Oh, we have so much to catch up on!  It's been so long since we've seen each other, you know?"
 
>You nod.
 
"I know.  Hopefully she knows more than I do about what to do, which isn't much.  I can't always use what I did this time.  
 
That's going to be periodical at best.  I assume you have been researching the problem as well?"
 
>Twilight looks really uncomfortable now.  
 
"Well...yes, I have, and...most of what I read said that the healthy way to deal with such things is to have a happy healthy
 
relationship...but I don't really have much information on dragons in the same situation...or how they deal with puberty, or
 
anything else, really.  And you're still only 13, Spike."
 
"I know, it's really frustrating for me, Twilight.  One of these days, I'll just have to go and ask some dragons what being a
 
dragon is all about.  Not that that's likely.  Most of them seem to like breathing fire first and chatting about things later.  
 
But that's not nearly as frustrating as being 13."
 
"Please don't be in such a hurry to grow up and leave, Spike.  I need my number one assistant, after all."
 
"Didn't say I wanted to leave.  I don't.  You shouldn't worry so much, Twilight.  You need to go out and enjoy yourself.  Maybe
 
go to the spa?  It's on me."
 
>You produce from seemingly nowhere, a small white star shaped gem which was shimmering with barely contained energy from the
 
>inside.  
 
>Twilight accepts it into her hoof, examining it.  You have one other like it, plus a fire ruby in the shape of a heart you got
 
>from Alaya's lair.  They were some of the few you thought looked too pretty to eat, and Alaya wants certain things in life a
 
>lot more than she wants gems, of all things.
 
"A star gem!?  Do you have any idea what this is worth, Spike?!"
 
"No, I forget.  Can you tell me?"
 
"I don't know an exact amount.  Rarity would be able to tell.  But these can only be found extremely deep beneath the earth.  I
 
can't take this to the spa.  They probably don't make this much in a year!"
 
"Ah, so you are going to the Spa, then?  Let me find something that isn't quite as impressive then."
 
>You reach into your hat and pull out an emerald that seems to drink in the light around it.  Huh, you didn't notice that effect
 
>before.  
 
"Will this do?"
 
>Twilight looks from the emerald to the star gem in shock.
 
"I'm beginning to think my host has played a joke on me, knowing I didn't know the properties of these gems.  I'd better show
 
you the rest then."
 
----------------------
"Hey, Owlowlicious."
 
"Who?"
 
"Yes, you.  I need you to make sure Twilight goes to bed soon.  Cadence will be here tomorrow and she should rest instead of
 
trying to restudy everything and stay up all night.  I'm going to bed now.  Good luck with that."
 
"Who..."
 
>You head up to bed, sick to death of reading and getting quizzed by Twilight, which had pretty much been your day today.  
>It's not like Twilight wasn't avoiding the real issues here anyway.  She was obviously uncomfortable thinking of you as a
 
>person in your own right with your own sexual needs.  It left you feeling more confident overall in your assessment of Spike
 
>and Twilight's relationship as an odd kind of Big Sister/Little Brother scenario, though.
>Eventually, the day before, Twilight had gone to the spa and taken most of her friends with her for the rest of the day.  You
 
>had given up that one sapphire, but the oddly rare gems had all been locked up in a trunk in the basement until you could
 
>figure out what to do with them, not to mention why Alaya had allowed you to keep them.
 
------------------
 
>You wake up bright and early, feeling good about today.  You were highly confident that you'd be meeting the actual Cadence,
 
>and not Chrysalis, although you wondered if, for your own purposes, would it even matter?  Chrysalis probably knows a thing or
 
>two about manipulating lust herself, right?
 
>Twilight was, of course, sleeping in.  You start making the pancakes you failed to complete a couple days ago.  That would get
 
>her up, especially if you also made some strong coffee.
 
>Eventually, this works, as Twilight enters the kitchen half an hour later, still brushing her hair out and yawning.  You've
 
>already eated a full stack of pancakes yourself, and are currently sucking on a nice garnet, which is basically beef flavor.
 
>Twilight had just drained her first cup of coffee and was about to take a bite of her pancakes, when there was a knock at the
 
>front door.  
 
>For a moment, you think of demanding that Twilight stay here and finish breakfast, but you know it's hopeless.  She's already
 
>halfway to the door anyway.  You get up and follow at a more leisurely pace, still sucking on your 'meat candy'.
 
>When you get to the front, you are greated to the sight of Twi and Cadence's ridiculous greeting dance.  So...this is most
 
>likely before the kidnapping thing.
 
"Oh, hey, Spike!  How's the hoard coming along, little guy?"  said Cadence.
 
>You assume this must be an old joke between the two of you.  Or some cheesy way to break the ice.
 
"It's coming along.  I keep most of it hidden in the basement."  You hold your hand up next to your mouth in a mock whisper.
"Don't tell Twilight!"
 
>This causes them both to laugh awkwardly.
 
"So...It's great to see you two again, and I'd love to just spend the whole time having fun, so, let's get down to business
 
right away!  Hopefully we can figure this out before lunchtime!"
 
>This really seems to raise Twilight's spirits, which you were grateful for.  She overstresses about almost everything
 
>sometimes.
 
"Right.  First things first.  I need to do some of my specialized scans on you, Spike, so we can know exactly what we're dealing
 
with here.  I've never encountered many dragons, you know?"
 
"Okay, then." You say, also eager to get this over with, and maybe learn something. "Fire away then."
 
>She chuckles a bit, but then takes on a serious expression.  Her horn lights up with that sky blue color, oddly at odds with
 
>her own eye color which you've noted is the typical rule.
 
>You can feel a tingly sensation all over, and then a more probing feeling which tugs at your...feelings?  It's a very strange
 
>experience.  You're not too worried about things being off kilter, when you woke up today you had been feeling as horny as
 
>before you met Alaya.
 
>Cadence finally ends her spell, a somewhat perturbed look on her face.  Most likely because of your apparent age vs....well,
 
>you know the drill by now.
 
"Well, you're definitely growing up, Spike.  I can see you've gotten a bit taller as well.  Luna was right to put me up to this.
 
 You could have gone through a massive growth cycle if this was left unchecked, and then flown off, or who knows what.  But
 
thankfully, I know of a solution."
 
>Well, you can't wait to hear it.  Judging by Twilight's look, she can't either.
 
"Spike is a little too young to go out and get himself a little girlfriend, so it's simple.  We're going to split his rather
 
impressive libido into fourths, using a trick or two I know."
 
>You knew it.  It had to come to this.  You didn't know if you were offended, rebellious at the mere thought of it, or grateful.
 
"You can do that?!" shouted Twilight.
 
>What, is that against some law of magic or something somehow?  You were probably about to find out.
 
"Yes, *I* can do that, Twilight.  It's one of several things I've learned to do since becoming an alicorn.  But I'd appreciate
 
it if you kept this to yourselves, since as you know, normally a pony can only do this kind of alteration with a pre-prepared
 
focus, which is illegal, or maiming themselves directly.  What I do bypasses those things, and I would only use it to help
 
someone, like this situation."
 
"I'm sorry, Cadence, I just....I thought."
 
"Don't worry about it, Twilight.  I'm sure you were just worried that it might fall into the wrong hands.  Which isn't possible
 
as only I can do this."
 
>Twilght nodded, quick to agree regardless.
 
"Okay, Spike, I'm actually going to need some gems from your 'hoard' for this to work long term.  But it'll have to be ones
 
you're not going to accidentally eat.  You'll need them when you get older."
 
>You think about it for a second....well, you're not likely to eat those.
 
>You hold up a claw.
 
"Be right back."
 
>Then you run off down the stairs, leaving the basement door wide open as you go for the new gems you'd gotten.  You come back
 
>up the stairs a couple minutes later with an armful of them.
 
>Cadence's eyes widen when she sees the two star gems.  She obviously wants them.  But then she seems to shake herself out of it
 
>and refocuses on that emerald.
 
"That's perfect!  An Empty Emerald.  We won't need the others, then.  Just go put those others down somewhere, please."
 
>You look to Twilight, and as you lift up the emerald with your free hand, she grabs the rest with her magic, arranging them
 
>neatly on a nearby writing desk.
 
"Thanks." you say.
 
"Okay.  Now hold that one over your heart, please.  No, a little more to the left.  Perfect.  Okay, this is going to feel a
 
little weird."
 
>Cadence's horn lights up again, this time much brighter.  You feel a sense of dread deep in your stomach.  Wait a minute, what
 
>is this going to do to your ability to perform?
 
>The magic is making your balls hurt. Great.  
 
........
 
>The spell finally ends almost 45 minutes later.  Cadence looks exhausted.  The emerald you are holding now shines with a dark
 
>green light.  Skewing the colors in the room a bit.  It looks eerie.  You feel incredibly clear-headed now.
 
>Twilight looks impressed.  You wonder if she was able to learn anything.
 
"Did you go so slowly because there was risk involved, or is it just that difficult?"
 
>Cadence is obviously trying to shake out some of the cobwebs.
 
"Both."  She says.  "I couldn't ever risk harming someone with this, but also that gem is resistant.  Which made it harder, but will also make it nearly impossible for anyone to tamper with it now that I'm done.  When Spike is older, he can just eat the gem and get all that energy back."  She turns to you. "That is if you think you can handle it, Spike.  That was enough libido for roughly any five average ponies.  Are all dragons like this?"
 
>You're not sure if that was rhetorical or not.
 
"I don't think so.  But some, yeah.  Most likely.  I wish I knew more about it." you shrug, helplessly.
 
>Cadence and Twilight both nod their heads.  
 
"Anyway, if you think it's still too much, or you're worried about it, you come to me and I can do a partial siphon.  I reccomend we take this to a jeweler straight away, and get this set in something, to separate it from the rest of your gems.  I don't want my hard work to go to waste by it getting accidentally eaten.  Twilight, I'm going to need the rest of the time to relax and recover.  Think you can make some reccomendations on the relaxing spots to hang out in the area?" She finished with a conspiratorial smile.
 
"I can.  In fact, normally my friends and I spend some of tomorrow playing with our pets in the park.  It also has a well maintained pool ponies often swim in.  I can also reccomend a hotel in town, or you could stay here in our guest bedroom.  I'm sure one of my friends would be happy to put you up for the night or two as well.  Rainbow Dash does have an incredibly lavish cloud home just outside of town.  I haven't tried it myself but I hear sleeping on clouds is addictive for some ponies, it's so comfy."
 
>Okay.  The pool.  Wet mane central.  A decent experiment to figure out exactly what the damage is.  You look at your emerald, >now obviously much more important to you than before.  A jeweler sounds good.  You'll take this to Rarity along with that Fire >Ruby she liked so much in the show.  You had already licked it earlier and didn't like it anyway.  Cinnamon flavored chicken >livers?  Gross.
 
"Let's head to Rarity's shop, then.  Either she can make something for this, or she'll know who can, right?"
 
>Twilight nodded, in good spirits now that the problem was seemingly resolved.
 
>You go over to grab the fire ruby, as well, causing a bit of confusion.
 
"What do you need that for, Spike?" asked Twilight, exasperated tone evident.  
 
>You hold up the heart shaped gem.
 
"I was going to give this as a gift to Rarity anyway.  I think she'll like it."
 
>They both chuckled.
 
"Well, it's good to see you can still maintain a crush, Spike.  I guess even this isn't going to change that, is it?"
 
"Nope!  Wait, what crush?"  you said, pretending confusion.
 
>They both laughed at you, as you all headed out of the library.
---------------------