Spike opened the palace door to see an unfamiliar mare waiting outside.

“Oh, hi,” Spike said. “You’re Maud, right?”

Maud Pie gave him a nod.

“Twilight said you’d be stopping by,” Spike continued as he took a step aside. “Pinkie Pie told us you’re here to research something?”

“Mmhmm.” Maud slowly entered the palace and let her eyes wander.

“You study rocks and stuff, right?” Spike closed the door behind her. “Did you want to look at the castle?”

Maud took a moment to consider her answer.

“No,” she finally said, “but maybe someday.”

“Oh,” Spike said, his eyes narrowing in confusion. “Then, why are you here?”

Maud looked him over, as if searching for something.

“I’m here to study you.”

[hr]

Spike and Maud sat in the middle of Spike’s room, and had been sitting there in silence for quite some time. Spike shuffled restlessly, but Maud remained absolutely still besides occasionally blinking.

“So…” Spike finally said, “Twilight told me to help you however I could. I’m her number-one assistant, you know.” Spike gave a proud grin that faltered slightly when she didn’t react. He cleared his throat into his claw before continuing. “Why do you want to study me?”

Maud turned to her saddlebags and pulled out a notebook and pencil. “Ponies don’t know very much about dragons.” She stared at him for a moment. “But we do know what they eat.”

“Well,” he said slowly, “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Maud carefully thought over her first question. “Do you like eating gems?”

“Oh, yeah,” Spike said with a smile. “Gems are great.”

“Why?”

“Uh…” Spike said eloquently. “Well, uh—they taste good. I guess?”

“Hmm.” Maud took her pencil in her mouth and scribbled into her notebook. She set them down again before continuing. “Do gems ever taste bad?”

“Nah,” Spike said, waving her off. “I’ve never met a gem I didn’t like.”

More scribbling. Far more scribbling than seemed to reflect what Spike was saying. “Do you have any favorites?”

“Sure!” Spike got up and ran over to a small chest across the room. “I keep some of my favorites in here, for special occasions.” He brought the chest back and opened it up. His eyes widened and sparkled as he looked at his little horde. He pulled out a pale blue gem and held it up for Maud to see.

“That’s tourmaline,” Maud said. “It comes in a lot of colors. Are the blue ones your favorites?”

“Uh, I guess so.” Spike stared at her in confusion as she continued scribbling in her notebook. She seemed even more single-minded than Twilight. “Are you sure this is helping?”

“Mmhmm.” Maud returned her attention to Spike. “What else?”

“Well…” Spike rummaged through his chest, unsure what he should be looking for. He liked all of them, after all. “There’s this one.” He pulled out a small, clear gem.

Maud’s eyes widened slightly. “That’s corundum.”

Spike stared at her blankly. “Co-run-dum?”

Maud nodded. “Rubies and sapphires are different types of corundum.”

“Really?” Spike looked at the little gem in his claw with a smile. “Cool.”

Maud resumed scribbling in her notes as Spike looked for another gem.

“Oh, here’s one.” Spike pulled out a green stone covered in red flecks, licking his lips as he stared at it.

“That’s heliotrope.” Maud began scribbling again.

“That’s a cool name,” Spike said absently.

Maud nodded and put down her pencil. “It’s also called ‘bloodstone’.”

Spike blanched. “‘B-bloodstone’?” He looked at the stone in his claw, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

Maud tilted her head at him slightly before reaching into her saddlebags. She pulled out a brilliant green gem and held it out to him. “Here.”

Spike blinked at her in confusion.

“If you’re stomach hurts, hold this,” Maud said. “You’ll feel better.”

“Really?” Spike took the gem and held it to his chest. Slowly, he started to smile. “Thanks, Maud. I feel much better.”

Maud gave him a nod and the softest of smiles. “Just don’t lose it.”

[hr]

Maud looked over the notes from their first interview:

[quote]Dragons have a concept of flavor for gems.

Dragons do not seem to find any particular gem repulsive.

Gems do not possess a quality of freshness.

[s]Gems appear to gain flavor based on impurities.[/s]

Gems have flavor regardless of impurity-content.

Dragons are capable of consuming gems despite perceived hardness.

Dragons also consume semiprecious stones.

Dragons can lose their appetites.[/quote]