13 - Being a Dragon
Chapter 13: Being a Dragon
“They’re already there!?” Twilight’s wings flared in shock as she glared at the little brown dragon in front of her. The hot air balloon was sitting on the sand behind her, still settling on the sandy beach as Zecora climbed out of the basket behind her. “Then it’s all over! The dragons are going to find out about Spike and horrible, horrible things are going to happen to Equestria!”
“You’re very dramatic today.” Discord rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.
Twilight howled. “The end of pony civilization as we know it tends to do that to me!”
“Twilight Sparkle, please calm down. There’s not yet such reason to frown.” Zecora stepped out in front of her, looking down at Discord’s dragon body curiously. “If Spike is there and the dragons are not yet moving in line, it must mean that we have yet more time.”
Discord nodded. “That’s what I was trying to say before I was so rudely interrupted. Your boy has reached Fire Mountain and is fitting in quite well so far, actually.”
“We’ve got to… wait, what?” Twilight blinked in surprise. “He is?”
“He is,” Discord snickered. “It seems despite your best efforts, he still has a little dragon in him after all.”
“Wow…” Twilight felt a swell in her chest. His last experience with those dragon bullies during the great dragon migration had convinced her that he couldn’t possibly get along without her in a dragon den. Yet he was fitting in quite well on his own… well not quite on his own, he was with Pyralsprite, but doing it without Twilight. Equestria-endangering circumstances aside, she was glad… proud, even… that he was able to do what he’d wanted to do.
Zecora thought about this for a moment. “That is good for our cause, but in our quest we must not pause. As long as Spike remains there, it’s a risk we will always share.”
Twilight forced herself out of her thoughts and nodded her head gravely. “You’re right, that buys us some time, but who knows how long it will last. We must retrieve Spike as quickly as possible. The fastest way there would be my balloon, but…”
“A flying dragon would make quick work of us in that. We would be as helpless as a mouse to a cat.” Zecora began to march toward the forest. “It may take us a bit more time, but walk with me, and we can work on your rhyme.”
Twilight stared for a moment, then giggled and rushed after her. “Wait for me; I need to learn from the master. Even if it won’t help us get there faster.”
---
Despite his initial misgivings, Spike felt like he could really get used to a life like this. There was a giant mountain of gemstones waiting for him in his own personal cave while he leaned back in a flowing river of magma a short distance from the base of the mountain, letting the heat wash over his scales, disintegrating and cleansing the filth he’d accumulated during their journey even as it relaxed muscles aching from days of constant travel.
Best of all, he had an adoring dragoness sitting two feet to his right, who seemed to be enjoying herself just as much, sighing and spreading her wings out under the surface of their magma river. “Aaahhhh, this is how a dragon was meant to live.” Pyralsprite smiled and snuggled herself deeper into the magma. “So relaxing…”
“Tell me about it…” Spike smiled. “We didn’t have anything even remotely like this back in Ponyville. I mean I’ve been in lava before, but it was kind of different. I wasn’t just relaxing, I had all these boys glaring at me and judging me…”
“Some dragons are just like that. All contests this and jealousy that. But that doesn’t mean we’re all like that. Some of us are just happy to be where we are, content with what we have.”
Spike scratched his chin with one claw thoughtfully. “Yeah, I’ve seen ponies the same way, come to think of it. Ponies trying to build themselves up as more than they are, trying to prove how strong they are, or become stronger. There was this one called Trixie who was seriously intent on being the strongest pony in Equestria.”
“See? There you go.” Pyralsprite smiled. “Maybe dragons and ponies aren’t so different after all.”
“Heh, yeah, maybe…” Spike trailed off for a few moments, then pursed his lips in thought. “Pyralsprite, can I ask you something?”
Pyralsprite smiled lazily. “Ask away.”
“Lemonsnout said something about a dragon so old being so small… how old are you?”
Pyralsprite tensed. “How old am I? What kind of question is that?”
“N-no offense! I was just curious, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’d just like to know more about you, is all.”
“Nngh…” Pyralsprite took a deep breath with a blush on her cheeks. “I’m fifty-seven.”
Spike’s jaw dropped almost into the magma, his eyes shooting wide open. “Fifty!?”
Pyralsprite grunted nervously. “Is that going to be a problem?”
Spike shook his head quickly. “N-no, of course not, it’s just… wow. You were out fighting your way up the mountain since before I was an egg.”
“It’s really not that long a time. I’ve seen dragon couples with way bigger age gaps. A couple of decades are almost nothing in the grand scheme of things.”
“To a pony it sure would be something… but I’m not a pony.”
Pyralsprite gave him a small smile. “Now you’re getting it…” She floated closer to him to rest her side against his, comfortably slipping one wing behind his back. “That fifty year difference will seem like nothing when we hit the big one triple zero.”
Spike flushed and slipped his claw around her narrow torso. “Gosh, that seems like an impossible amount of time from now…”
“There’s nothing impossible about it. It’s just a matter of time.”
“Time we have plenty of, it sounds like.”
“Oh yes…” Pyralsprite grinned and rested her head against his shoulder. “We have all the time we could ever want…”
Spike slipped an arm around her shoulders slowly, pulling her body against his side. He felt her side press against his, the blood under her scales burning hotter than the boiling magma in which they sat. Her claw lifted to run over his chest, scraping softly across his chest with a screeching noise. Spike couldn’t take a stupid grin off of his face, however desperately he wanted to seem like a suave and dashing hero.
“Mmmh… I think we’re clean.” Pyralsprite grinned.
Spike chuckled. “Yeah… not sure anything that can make us dirty can survive in here.”
Pyralsprite leaned her cheek against his shoulder suggestively. “How about we go back to our cave and see how dirty we get?”
Spike stiffened in more ways than one, his claw gripping her around the back. “I… yes.”
Pyralsprite climbed out of the magma, with Spike following her out, but they both paused when they heard crashing footsteps approaching rapidly from the base of the volcano. Spike jumped and scooted back at the sight of Lemonsnout approaching at a quick pace, but Pyralsprite seemed unperturbed by the approaching threat.
“M-maybe we should go, like… now…” Spike grabbed her.
Pyralsprite just smirked, waiting for her old friend to approach. “You come for round two? I assure you Spike won’t lose this time either.”
“I-I won’t?” Spike gulped. He loved that she had such faith in him, but he really didn’t want that faith to get her eaten.
Thankfully Lemonsnout didn’t hear him, his pounding steps slowing as he reached the two little dragons. “No, Pyralsprite…” the dragon snarled, baring long, terrifying fangs at them… but didn’t move any closer. Instead he lowered his head toward them, until his chin was resting on the rock by the pool. “My insides still feel like they’re on fire… the pain is… unbearable. I come to beg your friend to remove it…”
Pyralsprite turned to Spike. “Geeze, you’re even meaner than I gave you credit for.”
“I-I didn’t know it would do that.” Spiked moved toward Lemonsnout slowly. “I think I can help, though… but if I do, I want your word that you won’t try to hurt either of us ever again.”
“You have it…” Lemonsnout shifted uncomfortably. “You have proven your strength, and you have earned my respect…”
“Okay…” Spike took a deep breath and approached the dragon, eyeing his face warily. True to his word, however, Lemonsnout didn’t move from his pleading, subservient position. Confident enough that he wasn’t about to be gobbled up, Spike turned his attention to the problem, trying to ignore the fact that that open jaw was easily big enough for him to walk inside and make a tent.
He didn’t have a lot of experience with his own magic yet, besides letter delivery, but somehow he could feel his flame settled inside of the massive dragon’s body. No wonder it felt so uncomfortable, it was burning just as brightly as it did when Spike spit it out. Even for a dragon, having that kind of fire inside your stomach had to be like torture. He was a little sorry… but then, the dragon had tried to eat him and his girlfriend. Still, no creature deserved this.
He just needed to figure out how to fix it. Well, if his fire did everything else…
“Open your mouth.” Spike laid his claw on the dragon’s snout, coaxing it open for him. He could see a flicker of emerald green flames deep inside the dark throat, the remnants of the fire he used to ward off Lemonsnout in the first place. He took a deep, slow breath, trying to shape the flame in his stomach once again, as he’d gotten used to doing. He took a little extra time to make sure he got it right this time. A mistake could leave Lemonsnout in even worse condition, but when he was ready he let his fire surge from his lips straight down the dragon’s throat.
Lemonsnout’s body jerked in surprise as the fire faded down his throat, but his body relaxed fully when the two flames collided in his stomach, and put each other out, leaving his stomach as dark as it naturally should be.
“Oh thank the Gods…” Lemonsnout heaved a deep, relieved breath. “The pain was beyond anything I’ve ever imagined…”
Pyralsprite huffed. “Hmph… you deserved it for betraying me.”
“Ahehe…” Spike blushed. “W-well… just don’t try to attack us again!”
“I gave my word and I will keep it.” Lemonsnout lifted to his full height. “Thank you, Spike.”
“Hey, no problem. Happy to help.” Spike smiled.
“Now go away.” Pyralsprite turned away from him. “We were just on our way back to our cave.”
Lemonsnout growled. “I respect him, not you, Pyralsprite. Nothing has changed for you, you still ran away from your life here, and seemingly, brought back a dragon who could fight your battles for you after I refused to.”
Pyralsprite whirled back toward him, her wings flaring in anger. “That is not why I brought him back with me! I brought him back because we’re in love!”
“In love?” Lemonsnout turned his gaze on Spike questioningly.
“Y-yeah… that’s right.” Spike moved up beside Pyralsprite, sliding his claw around her waist softly. “So if you have a problem with her, you have a problem with me too.”
A burst of orange fire erupted form Lemonsnout’s nostrils. “I hope things stay fine between you. Who knows how quickly she’ll take off if she’s not happy.”
“Lemonsnout! That’s enough!” Pyralsprite sneered. “I mean it! Get the fu-“ Pyralsprite halted suddenly, her glowing red eyes suddenly going wide as her head turned toward the sky.
Spike wasn’t sure at first what was wrong, but suddenly he realized he could feel it too. It was almost as if his body was moving of its own volition, his head looking towards the cone of the volcano, where a brilliant plume of magical blood red fire was spiraling into the sky. Spouts of flames of all hues erupted from the face of the volcano as if in response, from the dozens, if not hundreds of dragons who were emerging from their caves or approaching from the air, sending their fire skyward to join the growing wave of flames.
Unable to stop himself, Spike opened his own jaws and send a magic emerald burst of fire joining Pyralsprite’s and Lemonsnout’s, though it was quickly engulfed and concealed in their own much larger flames. A sensation Spike had never felt before, an urging toward the top of the volcano, swept through his mind and his body until suddenly he regained control of his own breath again, and his fire died along with the rest of the dragons in the area.
“What…?” Spike blinked in shock as he watched the dragons move toward the volcano’s summit. “What was that?”
“It was a summons from the Patriarch.” Pyralsprite leaned down on her stomach, opening her wings to offer her back to him. “I’m sure you can feel it too. We’re meeting up there.”
“You don’t know what that meant?” Lemonsnout peered down at Spike curiously. “Where did you even come from?”
“We don’t have time for that now, the Patriarch won’t wait.” Pyralsprite moved closer. “Come on.”
“Right, I’m coming.” Spike climbed onto her back, leaning forward to wrap his limbs securely around her body just before she took to the sky with Lemonsnout, both winged dragons spiraling up the cone within the flock of massive, grumbling dragons towards the summit.
Spike’s eyes widened when they cleared the volcano lip, spotting a dragon half-submerged into the bubbling magma. Even with half his body out of sight, the dragon’s body was massive and, he had to admit, impressive in its sheer size and dimensions. The fiery orange glow of the magma reflected off of the diamond scales, giving the creature’s body the dark, fierce color of fire. His wings spread out toward the sky overhead, coming off of a broad chest that was easily five times as thick around as Twilight’s treehouse home back in Ponyville. The creature’s diamond blue eye had to be several times larger than Spike’s entire body…
Pyralsprite spiraled in toward the crowded volcano edge, finding a sharp rock that would punch through the foot of a larger dragon, but was just the right size for her to cling onto with all four claws, climbing to the top with Spike perched comfortably on top of her.
“What’s going on?” Spike whispered into her ear.
“I have no idea… this isn’t normal.” Pyralsprite parked them at the top of her sharp rock. “The Patriarch almost never summons the entire horde…”
“That’s the Patriarch…” Spike muttered to himself, almost in awe of the sheer size and beauty of the creature in front of him.
The Patriarch turned slowly, peering at dragon after dragon, as if looking for something. Spike thought he felt his heart stopped when those massive eyes focused squarely on him for a bit longer than they did for the others, but his gaze simply swept on until he’d examined every dragon present.
His low, powerful voice made Spike’s blood run cold, and his breath freeze in his chest. “I can feel Draconequus magic in our lands.”
“Draconequus?” The rumble of stunned and confused voices around Spike only put him further on edge. He glanced down at Pyalsprite, whose lips were set in a grim line. “The Draconequus were wiped out…”
“The vile ones were wiped out back before our ancestors were hatched, when the dragons took power, and made the lands tremble in awe.” The Patriarch narrowed his eyes. “But it is no jest that Draconequus magic has appeared in our lands. We will not rest until we hunt it down, and make sure that they truly are gone for the rest of time. Any here who can help us find this creature, speak now… or die a traitor’s death when we find it.”
Spike couldn’t breathe. For just an instant, as the Patriarch looked over the crowd again, he was sure he would be picked out. He didn’t even start breathing again when the gaze passed over him, sweeping across those gathered.
“Keep your eyes open, and come to me directly if you see anything strange. The Draconequus is a vile imp, a trickster, and their twisted chaos magic can allow them to assume any form. We must remain vigilant against its corruption.” The Patriarch closed his eyes and waved them off with a blast of his massive wings. The wind alone blew several dragons off their perch, sending them hovering into the air around the cone. “Now go, and bring glory to your kind.”
No sooner were they dismissed than Pyralsprite kicked off of their perch, sending them spiraling down towards their cave ahead of the other dragons. They zoomed inside, only coming to a stop once they were in the main chamber, where she skidded to a stop so fast in a plume of dust that Spike flew off of her back, landing on the floor across the room.
The two little dragons rushed up to each other. “We’ve got to keep Discord out of here!”
“Ah, I heard my name.” The little brown dragon form popped into view overhead with a cackle. “I knew you’d grow to love me.” He plucked a handful of potato chips out of a bag resting on his stomach to pop them casually into his jaws.
Spike whirled on him. “Discord! The Patriarch can sense you somehow! They’re looking for you! You’ve got to get out of here, before they find you!”
“Hmmm… nah.” Discord shrugged.
“Nah? Nah!?” Pyralsprite shrieked. “What do you mean nah!? All three of us are going to die if you don’t leave!”
“Oh they can’t catch me.” Discord waved off their concern with one claw.
Pyralsprite howled. “Well that’s fantastic for you but I’m pretty sure they’d catch us! Don’t you care?”
“Pyralsprite! Ssshhhh!” Spike shushed. “Don’t yell too loud, someone might hear you!” Pyralsprite growled, but slunk away a bit to collect herself while Spike moved closer to Discord. “This is serious, Discord. They can sense your magic, and if they trace it to this cave, we’re both going to be killed as traitors. Besides, you said you wanted to join us until we got here and we’re here now, exactly what else are you hoping to accomplish by sticking with us?”’
“Maybe I like it here.” Discord puffed out his lower lip in a deep pout. “Maybe I see you both as the first friends I’ve ever had…”
“Fluttershy,” Spike said drolly.
“Second friends I’ve ever had, but no less important.” Discord pouted almost supernaturally hard. “Won’t you be friends with me?”
“No! Go home and leave us alone you annoying, perverted, cockblocking freeloader!” Pyralsprite squawked.
Spike really wanted to agree with her. It would make his life easier, safer, and more enjoyable if the master of chaos would just leave them alone. Still, maybe it was his pony upbringing, or maybe it was his own personality, but he couldn’t bring himself to say no to such a question. It would just feel far too cruel, even if the question was being asked by a creature who was just as likely to be serving his own strange nefarious purposes as he was to be genuine.
“Fine, Discord.” Spike moved up close and grabbed his hovering dragon tail. “But we need to establish something.” A sudden yank brought Discord crashing to the cave floor on his back with a heavy whump. “Rule one and only, no magic! They sense you because your magic is different from ours, I bet if you simply don’t use it you will fade off of their senses.”
“Not use my magic?” discord gasped in genuine shock. “I couldn’t possibly-”
“This isn’t up for debate! If I see you use magic I’m turning you in to the Patriarch myself! I mean it!”
Discord sat up slowly with a look of utter shock in his eyes, and even Pyralsprite had a stunned look on her face. “You wouldn’t dare…”
“I may be willing to put my life on the line for a good friend, but I’m not willing to put Pyralsprite’s life on the line. I won’t have her harmed because you have no sense of self-control! Got it?”
Discord looked him over for a few moments, before a wry, almost proud smirk tugged at the edge of his lips. “Very well, my boy. You leave me with no option but to comply.” He jumped up to his feet, standing instead of hovering for once. “Of course, if I can’t use my magic to leave, that means we’re roommates!” He leapt forward, throwing an arm around each of their necks with a bright grin. “We’re going to have such a lovely time together, you and I!”
Spike suddenly ran out of his backbone reserve, and was left sputtering helplessly. “Uh…”
“It’s about dinner time! And since I’m a dragon, I think I should have my first draconic meal! Come on!” Discord leapt away from them suddenly toward the pile of precious gemstones lying against the back wall of the cave.
“You couldn’t just tell him off.” Pyralspriite huffed. “Had to let him stay. Had to invite him in.”
Spike blushed deeply. “Oh come on, we’re just going to be living normal dragon lives. I’m sure it won’t be long before he gets bored without his magic and leaves. Let’s just play along for a while.”
“Fine, fine…” Pyralsprite’s tone softened. “Besides… as pissed off as I am that you invited that creep to stay with us… what you said about me was still really sweet. Did you really mean it? About turning him in if he put us in danger?”
Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought I wouldn’t mean it… but… yeah, I meant it. I can’t even imagine letting you get hurt because of him… so if he puts you in danger, yeah, I’ll turn him in.”
Pyralsprite nodded in acceptance. “I believe you, Spike. Come on, I really am getting hungry.” She turned away from him toward the gemstones. “Of course you realize, until he leaves, we aren’t getting dirty together.”
Spike heaved an even deeper, resigned sigh as he followed her towards their meal. “Yeah, I know… the things I do for a friend…”
To Be Continued
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Sweet, funny, and dramatic all in one. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
This was a great chapter. Spike is becoming more and more of a badass every chapter and I am loving it. But he is getting the most cock blocks I have ever seen lol. I think I would have started banging my head against the wall if i was him. I think if i was Spike tho I would remind Pyralsprite that we can always run off to your cave for a while lol.
Great story - Wonder why this doesn't have more recognition...
Seriously - It's a pretty good story.
Huh, Spike is getting better with his magic fire each day. Though it looks like Spike won't have his first time for a while. As my grandma always says, "No good deed goes unpunished.
Discord, cockblocker extraordinaire!
4308137 Since her entire hoard was already in Spike's new cave, she probably abandoned it. She did say it was 'our' cave, not 'Spike's' cave, after all. For all we know, some other dragon may have decided to take up residence. After all, Lemonsnout needs a new place to live now.
DAMN IT DIPCORD.................................JUST WHEN SPIKES ABOUT TO GET DIRTY, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING...........................
Great chapter, interesting points, shocking truths, and MUTHERF****** Discord...........................................
SPIKE WILL NEVER GET ANY NOW.................................
#5everavirgin
4310474 Lol he is going to lose if it he doesn't get any of that soon. I bet the next block will from Twi and that will be the last straw when he just start yelling to every god there is lol.
4308524 4309262 4310474 4311153
The kings of blocks.
discord master of cockblocking
This story is great. Please post soon :)
Spike, listen to me. TURN DISCORD IN NOW. He's an idiot fool who doesn't know how to leave well enough alone.. TURN HIM IN. He's just going to make you miserable and possibly blow your cover. He's a liability. Keeping him around is too big a risk. TURN. HIM. IN. NOW.
God damn cockblocker!
What?!?! The last chapter already? But...but...I want to know what happens next.
I seriously love this story. The way you are writing these characters is amazing. You have very good writing skills, author.
Can't wait for more.
5409502
my thoughts exactly....looking for the non-existant next button XD
ok what happened to this story, writer's block or what?
Discord! The ultimate third wheel!
And
Damn! That's all kinds of hotness!
