Previously, after their triumph against Nightmare, and saving the Tree of Harmony, Spyro, Spike, Sparx, Twilight Sparkle and their friends have begun their training with Zecora. Thus, they have taken their first step of their arduous quest to defying the Storm King and the Dark Army.
In loving memory of Princess Celestia, the sun has set. But the sun rises on a new generation of heroes. The Dawn of Heroes has begun.
After many tiring hours of labors and cleaning, the heroes have succeeded restoring the training grounds to their former glory.
"Finally!" Rainbow sighed. "I thought for sure we'd never be done!"
"Well done," Zecora began. "Now your training begins in 3, 2, 1!" With a stomp of her hooves, the training grounds sprang to life, with a pack of fighting dummies bursting from the grounds as if they are living creatures, and several equipments started to move on their own.
"Whoa! What the hay?!" Applejack exclaimed.
"Were you surprised?" Pop Fizz asked.
"Definitely!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "I love surprises!"
"Just what kind of training ground is this?" Twilight asked.
"Behold, the sacred grounds of olds," Zecora began.
"A thousand year old training ground for warriors, long before you were even born!" Pop Fizz added, to which Double Trouble voiced his opinion. "That's what I said!" The gremlin retorted, to which the tiki-masked creature shook his head in dismay.
"Now we can truly begin, to prepare you for the coming Storm King!" Zecora declared.
"Cool! Then let's get this started!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed enthusiastically.
"BEGIN!" Zecora shouted, starting the training.
Of course, not everyone did so well on their first try with the training course.
Rainbow Dash was zipping through a course of hoops, but spiraled out of control when one of her wings was hit by one of the flying disks she was tasked to avoid. Fluttershy was standing in a clearing, with a large cannon positioned ten feet away from her. She was suppose to block and deflect the cannon’s fires, but she immediately cowered in fright, and ducked her head down, just as the cannon fired a harmless bouncing ball at her.
Applejack was running through a course of moving targets, kicking, stomping, and punching all of the targets in the best possible fluid movement she can muster, but ended up stumbling and tripping over her own legs in the process. Rarity was too busy grooming herself to care about fighting. Pinkie Pie was too busy using the net as a makeshift trampoline to focus on her acrobatics.
Lastly, none of the ponies had it worse than Twilight. The lavender unicorn would always be seen, skimming through the pages of a spell book to find an appropriate spell for the given situation she's been put in. However, by the time she finds what she was looking for, it’d be too late, and she'd always get hit before she had the chance to cast the spell.
"Aye me," Zecora shook her head in dismay.
"We've got a long way to go," Pop Fizz grumbled, with Double Trouble voicing his agreement.
Nevertheless, the heroes all got back up to improve from their failures. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were a little less clumsier and more coordinate, after every practice. Fluttershy was still a little afraid, but she started getting the hang of it when she happened to catch a ball with her tail. Pinkie started to become more focus, yet she still manages to surprise her friends with the her usual hyperactive, carefree, cartoonish quirks. It also doesn't help that somehow, she manages to manipulate both her mane and her tails as if they're some form of interchangeable tools at her command. For instance, one moment, she was using her tail as a grappling hook, and the next, a propeller.
Rarity, though she's usually not about fighting, she makes up most of the training courses with her elegance and grace in her movements. Almost as if she was dancing to defy the dangers. Unfortunately, while five of the ponies were making progress with their training, only Twilight appears to be falling behind. Though Twilight had memorized all the spells she could find in every books she could recover from the Castle of the Two Sisters, it still wasn't enough to prepare her for the increasing difficulties the trainings had in store for her.
She wasn't able to project a strong shield to defend her from all the incoming attacks and projectiles. She wasn't quick enough to evade some of the obstacles that hinders her from reaching her goal. And worst still, she could still hear the mocking laugh of Nightmare echoing in her head, taunting the unicorn of her failures and the burden of carrying a heavy disappointment that weighs her down.
The boys couldn't stand watching their unicorn friend failing anymore.
Just when it seemed Twilight was ready to give up, her three adopted brothers came up to her and offered their supports. Needing all the help she can get, the unicorn accepted. Later, the four were out in the Everfree Forest, where Spyro and Twilight were both sparring against one another, while Spike and Sparx sat on the sideline, reading out loud the notes Twilight had written on the spells she's been studying.
At first, Spyro would always come out victorious against Twilight, no flying or fire and all. And yet, the three boys never gave up on their unicorn friend. Every defeat comes with a lesson for Twilight, as she learned every mistakes she had made, courtesy of the guidance she received from the boys.
No longer did she hear the mocking laugh of Nightmare, but the encouraging whisper from Princess Celestia. No longer did she feel the cold touch of fear creeping through her vein, but the life-giving warmth of the sun's ray. She kept her head up, determination written on her face, and tears streaming from her eyes, as if she was possessed by Princess Celestia.
By the time the four returned to the training course, Twilight impressed the ponies with her new drive. She blew both her friends and the training away, when she displays her newfound determination that fuels her magical prowess, as well as a new sense of creativity. She was able to conjure powerful shields to block and deflect incoming projectiles. And when it seems she is stuck in a tight spot, in a flash of light, Twilight magically teleported herself out of harms way, then the next, quickly achieving her goal on par with Rainbow Dash's speed. It looked as if Twilight has become a whole new pony.
"Alright, Twilight!" Spike cheered, with Spyro nodding and smiling proudly at the unicorn, and Sparx whooping.
No words can describe how relieved Twilight was, as if a huge weight has been lifted.
But now that all of the ponies are busy making improvements on their skills and abilities, it was time to resume Spike’s training.
Because he’s not as big, strong or athletic like his brother and the ponies, Spike’s training started off with a few simple basics for a dragon his age.
Pop Fizz and Double Trouble has taken Spike out to a field, where a dummy of a pony was hung by a pole, surrounded by fires. Spyro and Sparx both watched from the sideline.
"Rule #6: When rescuing a damsel, always handle with care." Pop Fizz instructed. Then, with a blow of his whistle, Spike took off running, picking up the dummy off its perch, before he was on his way. Unfortunately, Spike tripped and fell into a ditch.
"Oh man," Spike frowned.
"It could be worse kid," Sparx buzzed. "That could've been Rarity."
Later, the boys were out in a field, with several large targets set up for fireball practice.
"Rule #95 kid: Concentrate!" Pop Fizz lectured.
With a long inhale, Spike exhaled a large explosive fireball, letting it fly across the field, but it didn't hit any of its intended targets.
"Rule #96: AIM!" The gremlin scowled, with the top of his head singed.
Despite all his failures, Spike was determined that somehow he can perfect his firepower to be on par with his brother’s. But no matter how hard he tried, it seems he hasn’t been making any improvements.
"OK! THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Spyro shouted, interrupting another seemingly impossible training for Spike. "You guys take five," The older dragon shooed the trainers away. "Spike. You're coming with me."
Spike looked scared, “Did I do something wrong, big brother?” He asked nervously.
"You guys keep doing what you're doing. Spike, little bro," Spyro began. "I'm gonna teach you the same way dad taught me to use my fire!"
With that, Spyro took Spike out to some target practice, where he demonstrates his method to breathing an explosive fireball to his brother. Spike tried to repeat his brother’s example, but instead, he ended up blasting himself off his feet, from the kickback.
A little discouraged at first, Spike pouted, before he felt a tap on the shoulder, beckoning him to look up to see his brother giving him an encouraging smile. With that, the two brothers began on fixing Spike’s stances, encouraging to keep his legs bent at a certain angle, to keep him rooted to the ground. Then, after some fluid, natural, and relaxing breathing intakes, Spike exhaled a fireball that barely singes upon impact.
However, after Spyro encourages Spike to roar at the last second, the target exploded upon impact from the tenth fireball Spike breathed.
Spike and Spyro immediately exchanged smiles, joyful at the little dragon's success of a perfect fireball. With a newfound enthusiasm, Spike happily shot several more explosive fireballs at the targets, until he accidentally blasted Zecora.
"Run for it!" Spyro yelled, and the two dragons took off, running and laughing, escaping the irked zebra, until the arrived back to where the targets were set up.
“Okay, I can do this,” Spike told himself.
"Just relax, calm your breathing, and think no one is watching you but your judging brother and the father you never knew."
"Uh, not helping," Spike spoke up.
"Oh, right. Sorry. You got this, Spike!" Spyro encouraged, watching Spike determined to make both his big brother and late father proud, as he blasted all of his targets with ease.
The ponies had finished their training for the day, and were ready to call it day, when they saw the progress of Spike’s training as he uses his firepower the way Spyro taught him.
Needless to say, every pony were impressed, "Wow!" The ponies cheered. "Spike! You're a walking cannon!"
Watching his little brother doing so well made a heartwarming and fuzzy feeling welling up in Spyro's chest, so strong that the dragon couldn't help but smile proudly for his little brother.
"Ooh, that's the first time I've ever seen ya smile," Sparx smirked. "Feels great to teach him something huh?”
Spyro could only chuckle in response, “Yeah. It does.”
Meanwhile, back in Canterlot
Sitting in his office, peering through a communication potion, Chancellor Neighsay consulted with Tempest Shadow.
"Well miss Shadow, do you have anything to report?" Neighsay asked.
"Chancellor! I-I bring terrible news!!" She said in a frantic manner.
"What is it?"
"It's Princess Celestia, she's...gone." Tempest said dejectedly.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?!" Neighsay demanded.
"I don't know how else to put this Chancellor but the princess....is dead." She replied lowering her head. To prove her point she brings out a charred tiara.
The unicorn widens his eyes upon seeing this, "I-I don't believe this?!?! How could this have happen?!?!"
"It was those two dragons your eminence. I don't know how they did it, but they lured her into a trap and did the deed. I tried to stop them, but I got there too late." She explained.
Neighsay was enraged when he heard this, “I knew those dragons were trouble! But the princess wouldn’t listen, and now it’s too late!”
"What will you have me do your eminence?" Tempest asked, but deep down she already knows what the Chancellor wants her to do.
"I want you to find those backstabbing lizards and make them pay for this treachery!!!" He yelled, with a slam of his hoof.
"It will be done your eminence." Tempest said as she made her leave, bearing a slight smirk on her face.
Little did either of them know however, is that a couple of figures were listening in.
“Ah, my little protégée has done well on her part. I can sense the seed of negativity has been planted in the mind of one who is so prejudice of other species than his own. Now the dragon I seek will have nowhere to hide.”
“And with the death of the beloved Princess Celestia announced, it’s only a matter of time until the dark hour can begin. All of Equestria will soon be plagued with so much negativity, and I will destroy it from the inside out.”