Secret to My Success
Twilight's POV
Twilight was in the library preparing to do something important. She lit a few candles and closed the blinds. "No distractions," Twilight told herself. "Today is too important. Re-shelving day!" Twilight used her magic to force all the books to the floor before having them slowly spin around her. She looked at one reading its title. "Understanding Medieval Equestria goes in Pony History," Twilight said, putting the book in the section. "Modern Spellcasting. That's Classics. The Art of the To-Do List... actually, I kinda wanna read that again." She then heard a bunch of chuckling making Twilight lose concentration and all the books fell to the floor.
"Spike! What are you laughing at?" Twilight asked the dragon.
"This little beauty is my birthday present to myself! It's a fire ruby! I've been aging it for months, and it's almost ripe!" Spike explained.
The door then slowly opened and Night walked inside, noticing the mess. "Weren't you reshelving today, Twilight?" Night asked her.
"I had just started when someone distracted me," Twilight answered, referring to Spike.
"Where did you get that gem, Spike?" Night asked.
"It's my birthday present to myself," Spike explained.
"You got a birthday present… for yourself?" Night questioned.
"Your point?" Spike wondered. He then tripped on a book and fell to the ground, catching the fire ruby with his tail. "Hey, you took my advice! Just use the floor as one big shelf." Twilight groaned at Spike's statement.
"You want some help?" Night asked Twilight.
"No thanks. I can handle it," Twilight reassured Night.
As Twilight got back to work, she heard knocking on the door. "Hellooo?" Rarity's voice called out from behind the door. It then opened and Rarity stepped in. "Anypony home? Twilight? Night?" Twilight then heard Rarity gasp. "Is that a fire ruby?! Huh, that must be at least twenty carats! No inclusions, pristine facets…" Rarity awed.
"And totally delicious," Spike added.
"Uhh… if you guys don't mind?" Twilight questioned the two, wondering what Rarity wanted.
"Oh, uh, of course. I just came by to see if you had any books on historical fashion," Rarity told Twilight. She looked through a few books piled on the floor and found something.
"Start with this one," Twilight told Rarity, hovering the book in front of her.
"Thanks, Twilight. I've got a feeling ruffled taffeta capes are going to make a huge comeback this season, and I want to be ahead of the game…" Rarity told Twilight. As Twilight continued sorting, she overheard Rarity talking to Spike.
"I hope it's as tasty as it is beautiful, Spike. I've never seen anything quite so stunning before," Rarity said.
"Gosh… You really like it, huh?" Spike asked.
"Like it? It's magnificent," Rarity explained.
"Then you should have it. This beautiful gem was meant to be with you," Spike told Rarity.
"I don't know what to say... this is so thoughtful. Oh, my little Spikey-wikey!" Rarity told Spike. Rarity then hopped past Twilight in delight levitating the fire ruby behind her. "Thank you so much!"
"Wow, Spike, that's one of the kindest, most generous things you've ever done. I've never seen Rarity so happy!" Twilight told Spike, who was laying on the floor with a kiss on his cheek.
"I will never wash this cheek again," Spike said.
"We're washing that as before the party, right?" Night whispered to Twilight.
"Definitely, that won't look good after a while," Twilight responded.
A week later it was Spike's birthday, and Twilight, Night, and Spike were finishing up on getting everything ready. "Just about finished, Spike? Everypony will be here soon" Twilight told him.
"There. Perfect! Everything looks perfect!" Spike said.
"Not quite everything," Twilight said, giving Spike a washcloth.
"A washcloth? I don't get it," Spike said. Twilight and Night glared at Spike's check and it clicked for him. "Ah, no way, Twilight! I said I wasn't gonna wash the cheek that Rarity kissed, and I meant it!" Spike said. The cheek in question was covered in dirt and was looking kind of gross at this point.
Spike then started running with Twilight right behind him. "It's over, Spike! I'm cleaning that cheek!" Twilight declared.
Spike was then surrounded by blue magic from Night, holding the dragon in place. Twilight acted quickly and cleaned it up. Twilight's friends then entered the library with presents. "Happy birthday! Party time, woo-hoo!" Pinkie shouted excitedly.
"Are those… for me?" Spike asked.
"You bet they are, birthday boy," Applejack said as the group gave their presents to Spike. Spike then looked at all the gifts a bit confused.
"Something wrong, Spike?" Night asked.
"Yeah, you usually get presents on your birthday," Rainbow added.
"Well, actually, this is my first birthday in Ponyville... I usually just get one present... from Twilight. A book," Spike explained. Twilight stopped and looked at the book she was going to give Spike. She backed away as Night looked at her amused.
"Speaking of presents, this is from my new line of taffeta capes. I'm going to make one for each of you! Well, except you Night," Rarity said, knowing that Night didn't really care for fashion. "I've been inspired by the generosity of my little Spikey-wikey, who gave me this beautiful fire ruby, one of the kindest acts I've ever experienced," Rarity added.
"Applejack, I can't thank you enough for this great blanket. I really needed a new one," Spike said as he hugged Applejack. Everyponies presents had been open by now and Spike was enjoying the spoils.
"C'mon, Spike, you already thanked me fifteen times. I'm startin' to get a little embarrassed," Applejack told Spike, pulling him off her.
"I know I keep thanking you guys, but I'm just so grateful. I wish this party could last forever," Spike admitted.
"Duh! The party can't last forever 'cause you have to go to Sugarcube Corner, 'cause the Cakes said they have a special surprise for you, 'cause it's your birthday!" Pinkie stated.
"No way!" Spike shouted excitedly. He then started running for the door.
"I said the party couldn't last forever, but it doesn't need to end right now!" Pinkie called after him. Spike didn't listen as he slammed the door behind him.
"Guess the parties over," Night commented.
"Looks like," Twilight noted. She then turned to the rest of her friends. "You all can go home. Night and I can clean up."
"No way we're letting you all clean this up by yourselves," Applejack told them. It didn't take long to clean everything up and everypony headed home.
"Spike's not back yet?" Twilight asked Night, noticing the dragon was still missing.
"I don't think so. He should have headed right back after he got his cupcake," Night answered.
"I'm going to see what's keeping him," Twilight said.
She was in the town square when she saw Spike, wearing a new hat and had a new ball. He was currently talking to Junebug and Twilight caught on to their conversation. "Aren't you gonna give me something? You know, like a birthday present?" Spike asked.
"Um, I... I don't have anything," Junebug answered.
"Well, how about those flowers? I'll take those–" Spike started. Twilight noticed the greedy look in his eyes and she called out to him.
"Spike!" She said, pulling his ear with her magic. Twilight then faced Junebug. "Uh, sorry, Junebug, I think Spike might've gotten a little carried away," Twilight apologized.
"Uh, no problem... H-Happy birthday, Spike!" Junebug said as she left. Twilight then turned to face Spike.
"What are you doing? You're out here demanding gifts now?" Twilight asked. Spike then dropped the ball and shook his head.
"Wow, you're right, Twilight. I don't know what got into me. Thanks for snapping me out of it. I'd better go give Cheerilee her hat back," Spike told her. Twilight was satisfied with that.
"No problem. See you at home later?" Twilight asked him.
"Sounds good! Bye!" Spike said as Twilight left.
Twilight reached the library and found Night upstairs trying to find spots for Spike's new things. "Need some help," Twilight asked.
"I'd appreciate it," Night answered. "You find Spike then?" he asked as they worked.
"Yeah, found him demanding presents," Twilight answered. Night looked at her slightly shocked.
"And you're okay with it?" Night asked, confused.
"I wasn't, but Spike said he'd give everything back. So, it works out," Twilight answered.
"Has he always been like that?"
"No. To be honest, I've never seen him like that."
"Probably a one-time thing then."
"That was my thought."
The sun was starting to set when Twilight went to bed. Spike wasn't back yet, but he was probably still trying to find Cheerilee. Twilight didn't think about it as she fell asleep.
Twilight awoke the next morning feeling a little out of it. She did not sleep well last night. "Wow, what a rough night's sleep, Spike. I had the weirdest drea–" Twilight started and stopped when she saw the massive pile of items around Spike's bed. Twilight was furious now.
"I can't believe you! Where'd you get all this–" Twilight started but was shocked at what she saw. Spike had somehow gotten bigger during the night and couldn't fit in his bed now.
"What happened?" Spike asked.
"Night! Get out here!" Twilight called. Night then barreled out of his room and landed in a battle stance.
"What's wrong Twi-" Night started but stopped when he saw Spike. "What the hell happened to Spike?" Spike then got a good look at himself.
"What's happening to me, Twilight?!" Spike asked, concerned.
"I don't know! Think back to last night. Did something happen?" Twilight asked. Spike didn't respond and Twilight noticed him looking at everything like he was in a trance. "Spike? What happened when I last saw you?" Twilight asked again.
"I went to talk… to…" Spike started but he started playing with Twilight's globe. Night then hit him with a magic beam.
"What is with you, Spike?" Night asked.
"Huh?" Spike said.
"You went to talk to who?" Twilight asked.
"Oh, um… I don't remember. Hey, can I have that globe? You're not using it, right?" Spike asked. Before either pony could say anything Spike grabbed it and put it with the rest of his stuff. "What about this book?" Spike asked as he grabbed it as well.
Twilight teleported up to Spike and used her magic to grab the book. "Spike, I'm worried about you. You're usually not so... grabby!" She told him, pulling the book out of his grip.
Spike then grabbed it again. "My arms aren't usually this long either," Spike said, his voice deepening. Spike slapped his claws on his mouth in shock. "What's happening to me?" Spike asked.
"I'd better take you to see a doctor," Twilight answered.
"I'll stay here and see if I can find anything on this," Night said as he headed downstairs.
After getting Spike to the doctor's office, and making sure he didn't take anything else, they waited for the doctor to come in. "Well now, what seems to be the problem?" Dr. Horse asked.
"This is Spike," Twilight introduced while stopping Spike from taking something. "And something's wrong with him. He used to be half this size! And he keeps trying to take things that aren't his!" Twilight explained while slapping Spike's claw multiple times.
"All right then, let's just have a look-see, shall we? Widdle guy not feewing too good? Who's a brave widdle boy, huh? Who's a brave one?" Dr. Horse said, baby-talking Spike while examining him. Spike got mad and breathed a massive plum of fire in his face.
"So? What do you think, Doctor?" Twilight asked.
"Well, I think I know what the problem is. He's a dragon!" Dr. Horse explained.
"That's not the problem. He's always been a dragon," Twilight told him.
"Oh. Well, that would explain it. Listen, I don't know anything about dragons, I know about baby ponies. Maybe you should try a vet," Dr. Horse recommended.
"Okay. Thank you, doctor," Twilight said and the two left to see the vet.
"Hm, well, I'm flummoxed. Y'bring me a dog, I've got it diagnosed in seconds. Snake even faster, but... to be honest, I've never seen a real live dragon before," Dr. Fauna explained. Spike snorted out smoke in response. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?" she asked, starting to treat Spike like a dog. "Sit," she commanded. Spike obeyed and she gave him a treat. Spike took it and put it with a stolen candy bowl he took from the doctors.
"Thanks anyway. C'mon, Spike," Twilight said.
Twilight considered heading back home to see if Night found anything, then she remembered a certain zebra in the Everfree Forest. After getting to Zecora's, she examined Spike. "Ooh, he is starting to mature. Of this fact I am quite sure," Zecora explained.
"Mature? So he's just... growing up? But that doesn't explain why he keeps grabbing things," Twilight noted, pulling a vase out of Spike's claws.
"A dragon's heart is prone to greed, a steady diet to make growth speed. Then, the resulting bigger size only makes their hunger rise. If this trait should go unchecked, if Spike continues to collect, more growth will certainly occur – he is going to turn into a monster," Zecora explained.
"You mean the more things a dragon collects, the bigger and greedier he gets? But how do we stop him before he's completely out of control?" Twilight asked.
"If his monstrous ways you wish to impede, you must prevent him from practicing greed," Zecora answered. That's when the two noticed that Spike had looted the entire place, taking everything.
Twilight ran back to Ponyville to try and find Spike. "Get away from her, you brute!" she heard Applebloom shout. Turning to look, Twilight saw Spike trying to take Scootaloo's scooter.
"Spike want!" Spike shouted.
"You're not getting my scooter!" Scootaloo countered.
"Spike want!" Spike said again. Twilight then saw a broom nearby and got an idea.
"Hey, Spike! Check out this amazing broom!" Twilight called out. Spike noticed and let go of the scooter.
"Spike want!" Spike shouted as he grew right there. He then ran toward Twilight and she led him to the library.
"C'mon, big boy! Look at this incredible broom!" Twilight said, continuing to taunt Spike.
"Spike want!" Spike shouted as Twilight threw the broom into another room with Spike right behind it. Twilight then closed the door behind him.
"Twilight! I just found-" Night started.
"If it's about how greed makes a dragon grow, I found out from Zecora," Twilight said quickly.
"Okay then, so how do we stop it?" Night asked.
"We just have to keep Spike from taking things," Twilight told him.
"But isn't that room full of books?" Night asked, pointing to the room Twilight had locked Spike in.
Opening the door, she saw Spike sitting on the books, now in a large pile. "Oh, Spike, I just re-shelved this room!" Twilight said as she pulled the books away from him with magic into the room she was in.
After closing the door, the two heard something crash. "What was that?" Night asked. They looked into the room and saw a Spike-shaped hole in the wall. "I'll give him one thing, he's determined," Night commented.
The two tried to find Spike and they tracked him to Sweet Apple Acres. "Now who in Ponyville would steal my apples? For that matter, who would steal my leaves?" they heard Applejack wonder.
"Applejack, help! Spike's running wild and I need you to lasso him!" Twilight told her. Applejack burst out laughing.
"Oh, that's a good one, Twilight. Sweet little Spike, running wild. Ha, what a laugh," Applejack joked. Spike then ran past the three holding all the leaves and apples.
"Twilight, get my rope," Applejack said bluntly.
"I'll try to slow him down," Night said as he flew into the air after Spike. Applejack and Twilight followed, each holding one end of the rope. The two tried to jump on Spike but he ducked down causing them to collide with Night. Now, all three ponies were tied to a tree. Spike hissed at them as he ran off.
"Help!" Applejack and Twilight called out. Rainbow then swooped down, saw the situation the three were in and started laughing.
"Don't tell me! You-you tied yourselves up?" Rainbow asked.
"Get us out of here right now!" Applejack demanded as they heard a high pitched scream.
"What was that?" Applejack asked.
"That sounded like Fluttershy!" Night realized. Rainbow quickly got them out of the rope and they headed to Fluttershy's cottage.
"Fluttershy? Fluttershy?!" Twilight called out.
"I'm up here!" Fluttershy called out from a tree.
"What happened?" Night asked.
"I was helping my squirrel friends with a dance step, and all of a sudden, a giant, r-rampaging d-d-d-dragon stormed through!" Fluttershy explained fearfully.
"That was Spike!" Twilight explained.
"Spike?" Fluttershy asked in shock. "But why would Spike steal my chicken coop? He just pulled it out of the ground and filled it with a bunch of apples and stuff!" Fluttershy told them. That's when another high pitched scream was heard.
"That sounded like Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow noted.
"C'mon everypony," Twilight said.
The five ran into Sugarcube Corner and found Pinkie on top of a cake shelf throwing cake at Spike. "Pinkie Pie! Stop giving him cake!" Twilight ordered.
"I'm not giving him cake, I'm assaulting him with cake!" Pinkie clarified. She threw the two cakes she had in her hooves and went to grab more when Spike grabbed all the cake on the shelf. "How dare you take the cake!"
Spike then started to grow again and went through the roof before heading off with Fluttershy's chicken coop in his tail. "He's completely out of control! Who knows where he'll go next!" Twilight noted.
"I think we should head toward Rarity's. He's gone after Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie already. Rarity is the only one who he hasn't gone after yet," Night said, pointing out a pattern.
Night's POV
By the time they found Spike again, he'd grown once more, holding the water tower in his claws, and had Rarity wrapped with his tail. "Put me down you brute!" Rarity demanded. Spike responded by roaring in Rarity's face, causing her hair to become a big line extending from the back of her head. "How rude," Rarity muttered.
"Don't worry Rarity, we'll save you!" Fluttershy told Rarity as her, along with Rainbow and Night arrived.
"Put her down, right now!" Rainbow demanded.
"I-If you wouldn't mind, that is…" Fluttershy added.
Night flew right in front of Spike's face and started sparking lightning. "Put her down," Night demanded coldly. Spike visibly flinched back at that and started swinging his tail at them.
"Hey! I'm– not some– sort of common– fly swatter!" Rarity shouted. Her cape then caught Rainbow and Fluttershy causing the two to fall into the water.
"You two okay?" Night asked. Three shapes then flew by and Night recognized the Wonderbolts. Night flew in toward Spike firing lightning beams at him, but he wasn't reacting much.
Spike then started to head toward a nearby mountain. "Where do you think you're going?" Night asked as he followed him. He continued to try to stop Spike but his dragon scales made it hard for Night to get a good shot. Spike started climbing and put his stuff in a cave. The Wonderbolts then charged Spike and he used the water tower to catch and trap them. Spike then turned to Night.
"Night! Look out!" Rarity shouted and Night noticed Spike's tail heading right for him. He dodged the tail but Spike grabbed him with his claws and slammed Night into the cliff face.
"Ugh, damn it," Night muttered. He tried to stand up but his legs wouldn't support him. He summoned lightning to heal him, but it may take a bit depending on the damage. Spike let out a roar of triumph at his victory.
"Oh, be quiet. You've got nothing to be proud of. You steal everypony's things, terrorize the town, and use me as a weapon against my own friends! Which, as horrible as it is, I can almost understand because you're a dragon and all. But this!" Rarity tells him as she pulls off her cape. "This is a crime against fashion!" Rarity told him. Spike seemed to be looking at Rarity's fire ruby.
"Oh no. You are not getting this gemstone! This was given to me by my dear friend Spikey-wikey, the kindest, sweetest, most generous dragon ever. And it is too precious to me to give to a greedy old beast like you!" Rarity told Spike. Night guessed she hadn't realized that she was talking to Spike.
Spike suddenly shook his head and started to shake. "Oh, what now? I suppose you'll be eating me or something?" Rarity asked. Spike then returned his normal size. "Spike?! You're the rampaging dragon?!" Rarity asked in shock.
Before Spike could say anything the two started falling. Night then felt his strength come back. "Alright, back in it," Night said as he took off and swooped under Spike so the dragon fell on his back. "Hang on, Spike!" Night ordered. He dove toward Rarity and used his magic to stop her fall.
Night landed by his friends who were waiting on a bridge by the town square. "You did it, Night! You did it!" Fluttershy said excitedly.
"It was nothing," Night commented. Rarity then headed to Spike, who was sitting on the railing looking at the destruction.
"Spike, I just have to tell you how absolutely proud I am of you," Rarity told Spike.
"Proud of me?" Spike questioned.
"Yes. It was you who stopped... w-well, you, from destroying Ponyville. You are my hero, Spikey-wikey!" Rarity told him and she kissed his cheek.
"Let's hope I never have to fight another dragon," Night commented to Twilight.
"True, that's the second time one's kicked your butt," Twilight teased.
"Okay, next time, you fight the dragon while I watch from afar as you get beaten," Night countered with a teasing smile.
Twilight sighed with relief as she looked at Spike. "At least he's alright," she said. Night couldn't help but smile.