Cutie Mark Crusaders Royale Chapter Ten

A Miracle Of Love

The Crusaders were working on another Cutie Mark finding project when a familiar carriage landed in the courtyard.

"Hey, aunt Twilight's here!" Miracle smiled.

The Crusaders raced to greet her.

"Hi, aunt Twilight." Pureblood smiled.

"Hi, kids." Twilight beamed.

"What brings you here?" Vito asked.

"Just some talks over this year's Hearth's Warming Eve celebrations." Twilight shrugged.

"Sounds boring." Hurricane frowned.

"It is." Twilight sighed. "But nopony said being a princess was all fun and games."

Just then, Spike came out of the carriage. No longer the little baby dragon he was once, he had grown to be as tall as Twilight, his body becoming broader and more shapely.

"D-dragon!" Vito yelped, hiding between Pureblood.

"What's your problem?" Hurricane asked.

"I d-don't like dragons!" Vito trembled.

"There's nothing to worry about, Vito." Twilight chuckled. "Spike wouldn't hurt a fly."

"That's not what those teeth are saying!" Vito gulped.

"Easy, kiddo-" Spike, his voice deeper than it once was, stepped forward.

"He's attacking!" Vito ran away. "Aaah!"

"...Well, that wasn't very friendly." Spike shrugged. "So, what are you kids up to today?"

"We're trying to find our special talents." Miracle smiled.

"We're the Cutie Mark Crusaders Royale!" Hurricane cheered.

"Cutie Mark Crusaders, huh?" Spike grinned. "That takes me back. It just so happens, I knew the original Crusaders, way back when."

"Really?" Pureblood gasped.

"Really." Spike nodded. "I remember all those crazy schemes of theirs..."

"Could you help us with ours?" Miracle asked. "Please?"

"If it's okay with Twilight, sure." Spike smiled.

"It's okay with me." Twilight smiled. "Go and have some fun. I'll handle things from here."

"Yes!" The Crusaders cheered.

"Thanks, Twi." Spike chuckled.

As Twilight went indoors, Spike joined the CMCR (minus Vito) for their latest endeavor.

"So, what are you trying for today?" Spike asked.

"Gymnastics." Hurricane smiled. "We've got some balance beams and pull-up beams waiting all set up."

"Sounds like fun." Spike declared.

The Crusaders went to work. Hurricane tried the balance beam, while Pureblood and Miracle tried their hooves at pull-ups. Pureblood's strength made it easy, but Miracle was having a harder time.

"Hrrr..." She groaned, lifting herself up with her hooves (having promised not to use her wings). "Hrr..."

Miracle suddenly felt herself being lifted. Spike had grabbed her by the sides and hoisted her up.

"There you go." He smiled. "That's one!"

"Thanks, Spike." Miracle chuckled. "But I don't think that counts."

"Whoa!" Hurricane slipped off the beam. Opening her wings, she saved herself from the fall. "I don't think this is our thing."

"I don't know, I think I might have a knack for it." Pureblood smiled. The bar then snapped, and he fell on the grass below. "Never mind..."

"So... Gotta plan 'B'?" Spike asked, setting Miracle down.

"Sure do." Miracle smiled. "Art."

The Crusaders went into the empty ballroom, and set up canvases, with plenty of paint.

"This should be interesting." Spike mused.

"And... go!" Hurricane declared.

After thirty minutes or so, the paintings were complete.

"Voila!" Hurricane smiled. "The masterpiece!"

Spike took a look. It was an orangey-green mess.

"Well, that's very... what is it?" He asked.

"It's my mom, exploring a jungle." Hurricane declared. "I based it on one of her book covers."

"Oh, er, not bad." Spike cringed.

Pureblood had made a landscape picture, of a field. It looked better, but the trees looked like lit matchsticks with green flames.

"Love a good landscape." Spike nodded, trying to be charitable.

Spike then moved on to Miracle's. It was a sea of blue, white and purple.

"Oh, wow..." Spike struggled to find the words.

"It's terrible, isn't it?" Miracle sighed. "It's meant to be the night sky, but I got all the colors mixed up."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up." Spike put a claw on her shoulder. "It's still pretty good for a first try. It's better than my first painting. What a mess that was."

"Thanks, Spike." Miracle beamed, feeling an odd sensation within her.

"No problem." Spike smiled. "Whattaya say we get some food?"

"Sure!" Hurricane yipped.

"I could eat." Pureblood nodded.

"Great," Spike grinned. "Wait right here."

Spike left the room, then came back a short while later, carrying small bags.

"Popcorn for all!" He announced.

"But this popcorn isn't popped." Pureblood pointed.

"Isn't it?" Spike grinned. Letting loose gouts of green flame, Spike made all the bags explode with popcorn. He handed the first one to Miracle. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Miracle slowly took the bag.

"Oops, I forgot the butter!" Spike realized. "Be right back!"

As the dragon dashed, the Crusader started enjoying their popcorn.

"Isn't Spike great?" Miracle smiled. "He's so helpful, and funny, and kind, and handsome..."

"Uh-oh." Hurricane smirked. "Looks like somepony's got a crush!"

"What? I-I do not!" Miracle blushed.

"Then why are you blushing, Miracle?" Hurricane teased.

"Come on, Hurri." Pureblood interjected. "Leave her alone. She can't help if she has a crush."

"But I don't!" Miracle insisted, before groaning. "Well, maybe I do..."

"Well, tell him how you feel!" Hurricane urged.

"What?!" Miracle spluttered. "I can't just come right out and say it!"

"Maybe what you need is the right moment." Pureblood suggested. "Like a picnic, or something. We can help."

"'We'?" Hurricane snorted. "Why are you so pro-love all of a sudden?"

"No reason." Pureblood blushed lightly. "Miracle's our friend, right? And friends help each other."

Spike returned to the room.

"Here's the butter!" He smiled.

As Spike poured the butter on the popcorn, Hurricane nudged Miracle.

"Ask him!" She hissed.

"Um, Spike?" Miracle asked. "Would you like to go on a picnic?"

"Picnic?" Spike asked. "But we're having popcorn."

"I know, but it's been a busy day." Miracle lied. "Please?"

"Ohh... sure." Spike smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"Great!" Miracle beamed. "We can have it outside, right by the fountain!"

"I'll be there." Spike grinned.

A little while later, Spike arrived at the fountain, finding only Miracle waiting for him. Hurricane and Pureblood had set up the picnic, then made themselves scarce.

"Miracle?" He frowned. "Where are Hurricane and Pureblood?"

"Oh, they had... stuff to do." Miracle fibbed. "So I guess it's just and me."

"Okay." Spike sat down.

"I got you some nice emeralds." Miracle smiled. "Aunt Twilight says they're your favourite."

"They sure are." Spike chuckled, taking a bite out of one. "Mm-mm."

"I can get you more if we run out." Miracle purred. "Anything for you."

"Uhh, thanks." Spike said, mildly perturbed. "This really is very nice of you."

"It's the least I could do, after all the help you gave me today." Miracle blushed. "You're so nice, and helpful."

"I do what I can." Spike smiled.

"And you do it so well." Miracle fluttered her eyes.

For the entirety of the picnic, Miracle made goo-goo eyes at Spike, and complimented him endlessly, but to no avail. Afterwards, Spike went inside, confused at what had just happened. He ran into Blueblood.

"Oh, hey." He declared. Not too long ago, Spike had despised Blueblood (chiefly because of the way he treated Rarity and Twilight). But after Blueblood's change in personality, Spike had come to at least tolerate his presence.

"What's up?" Blueblood asked. "You're looking a little... preoccupied."

"I think something's up with Miracle." Spike declared. "We just had a picnic, and she spent most of it just staring at me, and smiling a really goofy smile."

"You don't say?" Blueblood raised a brow.

"Yeah, and she was complimenting me endlessly. Not that I didn't like it, but it was weird…" Spike shook his head.

"Hmm, Spike, doesn't Miracle's behavior remind you of somepony?" Blueblood asked all of the sudden.

"Uh... no." Spike answered, a bit confused.

"Hmm, you're sure? Because she seems to be fawning over you... as if she has a crush on you." Blueblood suggested.

"What, really?" Spike asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Blueblood pointed out. "I suppose not, since the roles are reversed in this case..."

"Reversed?" Spike was more confused.

"Yes. You, the oblivious good-looking one, and Miracle, the lovesick one pining for the other's affection… does any of that ring a bell?" Blueblood asked.

Spike thought for a moment... it did bring to mind a certain somebody who once had a crush on a beautiful mare… Then it hit him.

"Oh my gosh... she's me from nearly thirty years ago!" Spike gaped.

"Yes, ironic, isn't it?" Blueblood smiled. "My blessed god-daughter has fallen for a much older pony, or dragon, in your case, just as you had fallen for Rarity all those years ago."

"Oh, you heard about that?" Spike cringed.

"Indeed. To be honest, I found it quite... perturbing, to put it nicely." Blueblood shrugged. "But lately, I've gained a new perspective on things..."

"Huh, guess I never knew what it looked like from the outside." Spike shook his head. "...So, what do I do? I mean, she's a little young for me... and I know how much it hurts when somepony you like doesn't like you that way..." He let out a sigh, recalling his heartbreak with Rarity. "Rarity really left a mark..."

"Ah, yes, Twilight had brought that up a while back. Truly tragic." Blueblood nodded. "But you're not Rarity."

"Yeah, but in this case, I am. I mean, I don't want to hurt her, but I don't want her to face the same heartbreak that I did…" Spike frowned.

"She won't have to." Blueblood declared.

"Say what?" Spike looked at him in confusion.

"Spike, you seem to forget that Miracle is an immortal Alicorn. She may be a small filly now, but give it ten or twenty years time, and she will be a beautiful young mare..."

"But that doesn't change the fact that I'll be about thirty years older than her still." Spike stammered. "I mean, that would make me out to be one of those weirdos..."

"So? Celestia and Luna are thousands of years older than Shine and Gothic, and yet you don't see anypony calling them out on the age differences." Bluebood explained.

"Yeah, but a dragon and a pony?" Spike asked.

"Hey, it could work." Blueblood smirked. "My step-uncle Lars had told me of several instances of successful dragon-pony relationships... heck, some of them even had offspring. Kirins, I think is the proper term for them."

"I... I don't know..." Spike shook his head.

"Look, Spike, if Dusty has taught me anything, it's that love comes when you least expect it." Blueblood smiled. "I mean, you do like Miracle, don't you?"

"Well, yes… but not that-" Spike muttered.

"Not now, maybe... but I have a feeling that one day, you might look at her, not as a child, but as an adult, and possible love interest." Blueblood declared. "Besides, it's not like there's some other female dragon, is there?"

"Well, no..." Spike replied.

"I'm not asking you to imprint her or something." Blueblood declared. "But who knows, she might be the one for you."

Spike considered the possibility. Over the years, he had watched his friends find love, settle down, and raise families, He couldn't help but feel left out. As a dragon raised by ponies, Spike was so unlike the rest of his kind, he had secretly doubted he could ever find love with a lady dragon. He'd also known (though he hadn't dwelled on it much) that he would outlive most ponies, meaning that even if Rarity reciprocated his feelings, she would eventually pass away, leaving him alone. The same could be said of almost any pony he could have feelings for. Spike had carried these lonely thoughts within him for so long. Perhaps one day, Miracle could help him exorcise those thoughts, once and for all.

"You know, Blueblood, you're right." Spike noted. "Maybe someday, it could work. Still, I'll have to let her down gently."

"That's the ticket." Blueblood nodded. "Now if you'll excuse, I have to go back to looking for Vito. Where is that boy?"

"You got me. He ran off at the first sight of me." Spike deadpanned.

"Oh, that's right." Blueblood sighed. "He's always had a problem with dragons. Ever since I took him to that puppet show with a 'mean dragon' puppet when he was four..."

"So it's not just me." Spike acknowledged. "Good to know..."

"He's bound to be around here somewhere." Blueblood walked away. "Good luck out there."

Spike found Miracle quickly in the gardens.

"Hi, Spike." She smiled.

"Miracle, we need to talk." Spike declared.

"About what?" Miracle asked. "Do you want to go on another picnic?"

"I know you like me, Miracle." Spike revealed. "And to be honest, I'm quite flattered."

"Oh, really?" Miracle got giddy. "I was afraid that I might had went overboard with the compliments. But now that you know, I can be more straightforward."

"Let me finish, Miracle." Spike sighed. "I am flattered... but you gotta understand, you're a little young for me right now..."

"...What?" Miracle frowned.

"Look, I was like you once. Young, happy, and hopelessly in love with a mare... but there were differences between us that prevented us from ever being together. She even said so herself... and I'm afraid I have to say that we can't be..." Spike sadly stated.

"Oh..." Miracle sighed, on the verge of tears.

Then Spike smiled. "For now at least. Maybe when you're older, we could give it a shot."

"Really?" Miracle gasped. "But you said-"

"There may be differences between us, but to me, they are just minor bumps that can easily be overlooked. Besides, I'm a dragon, remember?" Spike smiled. "You and I can live for hundreds of years, thousands even. If we do get together by then, we'll have plenty of years to enjoy it."

"Well, I guess I can wait..." Miracle smiled.

"And until then, we can always be friends." Spike grinned.

"We sure can!" Miracle hugged him. "You're the best, Spike!"

"So I've been told." Spike chuckled.

As the day came to an end, Spike departed with Twilight. Miracle and the others waved them off. That night, Miracle could barely sleep, giddy at the prospects the future could bring.

Blueblood looked in the room with a smile, as Shine passed by.

"Hmm, my little sunbeam seemed really happy today." Shine smiled. "I wondered why."

"I'm sure she had a good reason." Blueblood smirked. "Say, Shine... what you would think if you had a dragon for an in-law?"

"Well, that would actually be awesome." Shine chuckled. "How many ponies could say that they are married to a princess and have a dragon for an in-law in a lifetime?"

"Only a few, probably." Blueblood smiled.

"Yeah..." Shine smiled back, before pausing. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason. Just a thought for the near future..." Blueblood shrugged.