//------------------------------// // Be a Dragon! // Story: Dragon Training // by BakaOniisan //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Be a Dragon! King brought Spike in a meadow, in front of a rock which size was almost the same as the big dragon. He carried on his shoulders four pots, he put them on the ground, turned to his new pupil, staring at him and at the rock. Spike didn’t understand and asked him what the rock will be used for? “This would be your first main test: pushing this rock from here to my house.” He said it as if it was something banal. The little dragon stared at him with disturbed air, "What?" he asked. The elder replied that it was only a test, "Show me how you're gonna bring this to my house." The assistant approached the rock and looked up to see the immensity of the stone, swallowed and put his little hands on the cold surface of the rock. He pushed with all his might, but was unable to move an inch. He pushed so hard that he slipped and slammed his face on the ground. “We have a long way to go…” sighed the big dragon. He picked up two pots at his feet, and threw them in the air. “Let’s get down to business, to defeat-” he shouted just before breaking the pots with his fists while they were still in the air and reaching his head level “-Your fears!” Spike was speechless at the sight of so much accuracy, and then said: “What about my fears?" "Shut up and try to do the same as me." King said throwing the other two pots in the air. The kid jumped, fist closed, and gave a blow too early, missing the first pot. The second fell on his head, knocking the little dragon to the ground, stoned. “Did they send me a filly when I asked for a dragon?” sighed again the big dragon, when Spike raised his head, a confused look upon his face, King approached the little messenger, “ You’re the saddest thing I’ve ever met, but you can bet. Before we’re through…” he leaned toward him with a look a bit edgy: “Mister, I’ll make a dragon out of you.” Twilight and her friends, which were there because they wanted to see the training of the little dragon, had a sentiment of pity for this latter, "I hope Spike will succeed with his first test," said the purple unicorn. Both dragons advanced a little further into the prairie, leaving the rock where it was. They stopped in front of two trees side by side. King cut out the two trunks and sat on the base of one of the trees, Spike followed suit. The eldest reminded to the young that the rock remains its principal objective. The coach took a yoga position, the smallest imitated him. They both closed their eyes “Tranquil as a forest, but on fire within.” The green dragon spoke, Spike opened his eyes and saw that the trunk where King sat was burning. The coach smiled and stood up, then raised a leg and an arm, the student did the same. “Once you find your center-“he said before jumping and at the same occasion changing his point of support: his right hand. “-You are sure to win!” Spike tried to do the same thing but crashed to the ground. King jumped down next to the kid “You’re a spineless, pale pathetic kid! And you haven’t got a clue…” Spike was scared when the big dragon leaned toward him “Somehow I’ll make a dragon out of you!” “I’m never gonna catch my breath!” exclaimed Spike, running through a wide corridor, where false fire arrows came as ... arrows… through the holes in each wall. A projectile reaches its target setting fire to the bottom of the dragon. “Say goodbye to those who knew me!” he yelled under King’s jaded eyes. Later, Spike stands in front of a brick held by King that he had to break with his fist, he folded his arms before expanding with a brute force, the impact between the fist and the pavement echoed round ten meters then a crackling. The new dragon, surprised, turned the brick to see the crack but there was nothing. He looked to his apprentice, who, was on the ground holding his hand all red, muttering and crying: “Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym?” King sighed. It was the little dragon’s hand who cracked. The girls who were not far, saw the scene and sympathized with Spike’s pain. “This guy’s got ‘im scared to death!” exclaimed Applejack. “Hope he doesn’t see right through me.” said Rarity. All her friends stared with astonishment; “I don’t know why I said that…” she blushed. “Should we go to help Spike?” asked Fluttershy. “No, Spike wants to do it alone. He does not want our help, it is his choice ... we should just remain as spectators.” Twilight explained, but she was still worried about his assistant. The two dragons were now at the river of Ponyville, where were planted thirty wooden pole along the river, the purpose of this training was to jump from one pole to another without falling. “Now, I really wish that I knew how to swim…” whispered Spike. “Why did I say that?” “You can’t swim?” asked King. “Yes! I can!” exclaimed the little one. “Don’t worry, is not deep here.” Joked the dragon. “But I know how to swim I said!” King said to Spike to shut up and do the exercise. The purple dragon went on the first pole and fell into the water at the end of the seventh. “Be a Dragon! We must be swift as a coursing river! Be a Dragon! With all the force of a great typhoon! Be a Dragon! With all the strength of a raging fire!” “Mysterious as the dark side of the moon…” King whispered, concentrated. They were again to the two cut trunks for balance exercises, but this time under the rays of the moon, which gave them a sense of power and mystery. The big dragon changed his point of support while Spike was about to fall. He fell. The green dragon jumped out of the trunk. “Time is racing toward us, and your training is not finished yet.” The little dragon looked at him. “Heed my every order, and you might survive.” “From what?” asked Twilight’s assistant. “From all dangers will threaten your friends. If I train you it’s not for you to boast fire on your wrists, but to protect those who are dear to you. Do you want to protect them?” asked the elder one. “Yes!” “Can you protect them?” “Yeah!” yelled Spike with authority. “Even after failing all this exercises today?” asked for the last time King, with a serious face. “I……….”Spike stopped; he began to doubt his sincerity. Could he really protect his friends despite all these failures in a row? He wasn’t sure. “Pfff ... he hesitates ... He is not ready yet…” Though the dragon. “You’re unsuited for the protection, so pack up, go home you through.” He said, turning his back on the child. “Wait! I’ll protect them! I swear!” he said, catching the elder. “Oh yeah? Then moves that rock!” he yelled, designating the main test. “This is your last chance. Bring me this rock to my door. You have until dusk.” Conclude the dragon. Spike rushed on the rock shouting "I'll do it!" and tried to push the rock with all his might. The coach sighed and resumed his way home. Spike noticed, fell on his knees, with tears in her eyes. King threw a last glance over his shoulder, “How could I make a dragon out of you?” he asked himself, leaving the little one with his test. Spike stood alone, thinking of a way to move the rock to King’s house. This is when the girls decided to approach the dragon, some told him they were sorry for him, others offered their help that the young boy rejected. He turned and tried to push the boulder again. Twilight said to his friends that it was late and if Spike wanted to try to pass his test, it’s his choice. However, she said to his assistant that force does not solve all by seeing the dragon counted only on his strength to move the object, "…Must use our head occasionally," she said before leaving for library. The last sentence echoed in the dragon's head, and if King didn’t expect him to push the rock with his tiny strength but with some technique? … But which one? Then he remembered a book that Twilight had given him: How the pyramids were built? He remembers this technique that was to roll heavy objects on logs, we called it the undercarriage. He remembered that there were a lot of logs not far away, near a house. He had enough time to succeed in bringing the rock. He said to himself: “Be a Dragon! We must be swift as a coursing river! Be a Dragon! With all the force of a great typhoon! Be a Dragon! With all the strength of a raging fire! Mysterious as the dark side of the moon…” He smiled, he would pass the test! King rose from his bed, went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth and then donned his white waistcoat. He descended the steps of his stairs to get to the dining room to swallow a few emeralds, "it tastes like chicken curry, as usual .... I should take topazes who have the taste of bacon ... "thought the dragon. King threw one quick glance out the window hoping to see any rock material ... but no ... "I hope not to have too unmotivated tonight ... it looks like he has not succeeded ... too bad ... I'll pick him up in the library and continue his training." He went to the door, opened it and gasped when he saw a large rock that was almost his size, he looked up and saw a small purple dragon, smiling, sitting on the rock. King smiled back. “Be a Dragon!” “We must be swift as a coursing river!” cried the two dragons, while Spike crossed the hallway to false fire arrows, dodging projectiles rhythmically. “Be a Dragon!” “With all the force of a great typhoon!” shouted the two dragons, while Spike crossed the columns on the river he fell at the twenty-fifth but whatever, “…it’s a nice improvement.” King thought. “Be a Dragon!” “With all the strength of a raging fire!” exclaimed the two dragons, while Spike punch ten times in a row on a brick held by the elder, at the last stroke, a large crack was heard, King returned to the pavement and saw a big crack, he looked up at the young man who held his hands all red but he did not cry this time. The big dragon smiled. “Mysterious as the dark side of the moon…”whispered the two dragons, concentrated. They were to the two cut trunks for balance exercises, under the rays of the moon. The big dragon changed his point of support: his right hand, Spike knew that he will not reproduce the movement of his coach so he waited a few seconds and when King once again changed its point of support to make an easier pose, the little dragon imitated him. The elder one noticed and smiled again. The next morning, King, Spike and the mane six were reunited. The little dragon closed his eyes, folded his hands in front of his muzzle, concentrated, and suddenly spat his green flames on his hands, and the flames remained on his wrists. The assistant looked at his burning hands without hurting him with wonder, listening his friends’ cheers. He raised his head towards the green dragon. "You've passed the test, kiddo." He smirked.