Here be too much Dragon.

by Golden Paw

The Basics of Beasts

The Basics of Beasts

"Please do come in, it's a bit of a mess I'm afraid," Twilight pushed open the door to her home and quickly ignited her horn as Warden raised a curious eyebrow at the state of this princess's house. His manner darkened as he took in the soot stains, claw marks and general dilapidation that Twilight was even now doing her best to cover up.

"Spike I'm home and I have a guest I think you will want to meet!" Twilight called out in a distracted way before turning to smile weakly at Warden.

"I see that Spike has been making himself, well, at home here." Warden commented with a disapproving glance.

Twilight's eye twitched and her brittle smile cracked, "Well we have been very busy recently," She quickly ran a cloth over a chair before offering it to the black dragon, who looked at Twilight as if she had suggested he sit in the outhouse.

"That is very kind, but I think I will stand if that's all the same to you 'Princess'," Twilight knew Warden's expression would haunt her nightmares for years to come.

"It's normally much neater than this I assure you....." Twilight began but wilted under her guest's disapproving stare.

"How ponies choose to live is of little concern to me Princess, I am however very concerned that you are trying to raise a dragon in such a... flammable place as this." Warden waved his claw at the general state that Twilight's home had become.

Her voice took on a sing-song quality now, "Well it's only until the new place is built and then everything will be fine." Warden watched as the alicorn gave him another weak smile.

"I see," Was the only response Warden gave and Twilight felt her mane 'poing' again. With her being so busy these days between royal duties and her research, the place had really gotten into a mess. If she was honest Twilight had given up trying to repair the everyday damage done by her marauding brother.

Warden sat on the floor carefully avoiding some scorched timbers and looked Twilight in the eye in a not unkindly manner, "Do you really feel you're up to this Princess? I can see you have a lot on your plate and having a growing dragon is only adding to that burden. I could arrange for him to stay somewhere else for the time being?"

Twilight's eyes filled with horror, "What! No-no-no-no-no-no, I couldn't be without my number one assistant."

Warden raised both eyebrows, "Assistant? I can see Spike is being very helpful right now," Warden waved his taloned hands to indicate their surroundings.

Twilight sank to her hunches and let out a massive sigh, "You're right of course, but I don't want to lose Spike, he's just become so......."

Warden finished the sentence for her, "Dragon like? Or maybe a 'hoof full' as you ponies are fond of saying?" Twilight nodded as she feebly tried to clean another soot stain out of the carpet in a distracted way. "Well the simple reason is that Spike's a dragon, you ponies may have done your best to teach him your ways, but there are some things about dragons you will never understand," Warden had taken on a softer tone as Twilight gave a little sob.

Twilight looked up from her cleaning with huge tears in her eyes, "You're not going to take him away are you?"

Warden was taken by surprise by this question, "A young dragon seeking to make his own space? All that hot headed aggression that comes with the early years? I would have thought you would want rid of him as soon as possible?" Twilight just stared in disbelief at this statement.

The dragon smiled once again, "But here we are with a hatchling raised by ponies, something I have never witnessed before in all my years. There are bound to be some 'differences' in how we handle this situation." Warden paused for a thoughtful moment, "No Princess, I would never try to take Spike away."

Twilight visibly relaxed, but Warden wasn't finished, "But if he chooses to leave then I will not stop him."

She pressed her ears back in confusion, "Why? What would make Spike leave? This is his home and we love him!"

Warden rubbed his temple's in frustration, "Oh Princess how do I even begin to explain," The dragon paused for a moment before taking a deep breath, "When a dragon begins to come of age they feel compelled to make their own way in the world for a time. They need to be out and bout; testing their limits and they certainly don't want any permanent company during that time."

Twilight's eyes began to fill with some measure of understanding, "You mean he has to 'leave the nest' as it were?"

Warden nodded, "I have never heard it put quite like that but yes, it does have the right kind of thinking to it. Surely you have noticed that kind of behaviour from Spike?"

Twilight would have needed to be a blind idiot not to have, "Of course, but I never knew it was so 'instinctual'. He's been so helpful and dedicated before now., but recently..."

Warden smiled again, "Yes, baby dragons are so. We're not known for being the most tolerant of beasts and so to have a 'little helper' around makes up for all the care and attention that hatchlings demand on our time." He chuckled to himself, "We would be a lot rarer otherwise."

Twilight was a little hurt by that, she liked to think she had taught Spike a lot of his good points too, the idea that all her good work was down to natural dragon instinct didn't fit well with Twilight and this displeasure must have shown on her face. Warden cocked his eyebrow again before continuing on in a conciliatory tone:

"Now Miss Sparkle, don't get me wrong I think you have done an amazing job for a pony, most hatchlings when they reach Spike's age practically try to kill their parents. I can see your Spike has massive amounts of self control and cares for you deeply." Twilight couldn't help but feel that Warden didn't think much of ponies from the way he addressed her, "Of course every dragon is different, just as I assume all ponies aren't all simpletons...."

Warden coughed as Twilight felt her hackles rise. "Sorry I miss spoke there, not every pony is as young and naive as we dragons take them for." Twilight's mane had a little bit of smoke curling from it now, and the reptile shook his head while raising a placating claw. "I am deeply sorry Miss Sparkle, most dragons believe we are the oldest and wisest creatures in the land barring Celestia and Luna that is. You must understand that to a dragon a pony is a passing gnat, your lives are so short compared to ours. When a pony is nearing the end of their years a dragon is barely reaching what is to be considered the end of his 'young days'."

Twilight could see a logic to that, but it didn't make her feel much better. To think of herself as being looked down upon by a bunch of grumpy old lizards filled her with indignation. "Well we're more than you take us for," Twilight murmured under her breath.

Warden smiled once again, "Of course you are, ponies achieve so much in such a short time and we haven't forgotten that it is your rulers that raise the sun and moon. Why do you think dragon's have any respect for Equestria at all?"

"Well....." Twilight began, feeling a little foalish at losing her tempter.

"It all comes down to your point of view, we dragons think we are the most important creatures in the world, is that not the same for ponies?" Warden asked in a genuine tone.

If she was being honest Twilight hadn't thought about the world in that way at all, she'd never considered that ponies were more important than any other race in the world and as for Dragons; well they were big scary distant beasts and sure they were powerful while no doubt dangerous, but better than a pony? Twilight shook her head, the thought's feeling utterly alien to her peace loving mind, "Well no, we just try to get along with every pony as best we can."

Warden's confident tone melted a little, "I see it will not just be you and Spike that are learning from this little arrangement, speaking of which where is the hatchling in question?" Twilight suddenly realised that Spike hadn't responded. she had been so wrapped up in Warden's visit that Twilight hadn't even waited for his reply and the frantic pony tore about the house looking for her missing assistant.

"Oh no! What-if-what-no-no-no-no....." Twilight couldn't find Spike anywhere! Fearing she had driven Spike away forever Twilight collapsed onto the floor before sobbing her heart out.

Warden made a very theatrical 'sniff' of the air. "Don't worry Miss Sparkle, I have tracked more able 'students,' we will find your younger sibling in no time.

Twilight raised her tear streaked eyes to the black dragon before her, "You can?” Twilight's demeanour changed instantly as her ears pricked up while a determined expression flowed across her muzzle, “Let's get going then!”

Warden shook his head, "I think all things considered it would be best if I had a talk with your brother, 'dragon to dragon' as it were. Plus the more company he has the more frustrated he will get." He watched Twilight carefully with his amethyst eyes.

"But..." Twilight felt responsible and like she was somehow failing Spike by not going.

Warden bowed once again, "Please Miss Sparkle, trust me on this; I have worked with lots of dragons in my time and even though this is an exceptional circumstance I have every confidence that we can make this situation right."

Twilight agonised over the decision, she so desperately wanted to be there for Spike, but what if Warden was right? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before deciding, “Okay Warden this is how we're going to do this....”

---

Spike was angry, hurt and very confused. He couldn't believe Twilight could think of him like that, he would never.... The dragon dared not return home in case the other ponies had believed Twilight and he be greeted by an angry mob. That Twilight doubted him hurt most of all and Spike hung his head as he made his laborious way out of Ponyville.

No pony had tried to stop him as he walked through the Ponyville's streets, a dragon in a foul mood was best avoided and so Spike was unchallenged as he made his way out of town. He didn't pick any direction in particular and just struck out without a plan or intended destination, mulling over the disastrous events of the day.

Thoughts and worries spun around the dragon's head, Spike knew he should be happy for Rarity, more than anything else Spike wanted all his friends to be happy, but part of himself, deep down at his core was feeling trapped. He didn't know any other life than with Twilight in Ponyville, but something in him longed for space of his own.

The jealousy at Honest was not the be all and end all of it either, he wasn't jealous of any pony, just every pony. Honest was just a prime target for his feelings, but any pony near him would conjure a burning desire to chase them away. It was the same with his friends and his family. Spike cared so much about them all and especially Twilight which hurt the most. She had practically raised him from day one, it had been Twilight that had hatched him for Celestia's sake.

This made it all the worse when his anger flared up at her. Spike found himself raging at Twilight for the smallest perceived insult or jibe, most of which turned out to be just his imagination. The mix of emotions wouldn't relent or give Spike a moment's peace as what he 'knew' warred with what he 'felt'.

Cursing himself again, Spike looked around to find he had travelled far further than he realised, his steady path had taken him close to a familiar mountain which now loomed above the drake. Spike would have smiled remembering how his five pony friends and adoptive sister had shooed away the smoke snoring nuisance all those years ago. It had been one of his favourite stories of how Fluttershy had overcome her fears and saved the day from an inconsiderate beast, but now that event felt a little too close to home for Spike's liking.

Looking up at the imposing rock face Spike noted that the day was fast reaching its end and without really knowing why he began to climb. Digging his sharp claws into the stone, Spike hauled his large frame skyward, grunting, wishing more and more that his wings would hurry up and grow. Just as Celestia's sun began to touch the distant horizon he finally drew level with a large cave mouth which he instantly recognized from the descriptions Twilight had told him.

Spike gave another sorrowful look at distant Ponyville and smiled grimly as he noted how the Village had grown along with him over the last few years, Ponies and other sentient creatures were coming from far and wide with hopes of studying at Twilight's new academy. The work on its construction was proceeding apace and the edifice was already taller than any other building in Ponyville, reminding Spike of a huge tree stump among the tall grass.

Magical machines were nothing new in Equestria, construction, medical and many other elements of pony life had some form of technology these days, apart from a few die hard 'classical' ponies, but since Twilight had become a princess she seemed to have leaped from one new invention to the next at a alarming rate. This scared many inhabitants of Equestria, but few could deny the improvements she was implementing were a wonder and of great help to land as a whole.

With a resigned sigh Spike turned his attention away from the progressing town and back to the dark cave mouth before him. At first glance the rocky hole was just as abandoned since the last dragon had left, being cold, dark and as far as the exploring reptile could tell empty of any other creature lager than a bat.

He pressed further into the gloom and after a simple search confirmed his suspicions, he curled his large body around himself and lay looking out to the now shining stars beyond the mouth of his shelter. The confused dragon rested his head on his claws as he struggled to resolve the plight he found himself in.

Now he had a bit of distance from others Spike felt his frustrations and tensions of the past few days begin to cool, but instead of the peace he was hoping to find, all that was left in its place was loneliness. He desperately missed the reassuring smile of Twilight and the good old days of being her number one assistant.

Spike laid there for what felt like hours, mulling over his thoughts and feelings while reminiscing about the good times he and the pony gang had gotten up to. The dragon's thoughts were interrupted by his nose: As the moon climbed high in the sky, Spike's nostrils detected a new smell that was strangely familiar and he felt with cold certainty he wasn't alone.

Spike felt his back spines rise up and a small trail of smoke leaked from his mouth as the dragon's tempter began to rise once again. It seemed even here Spike couldn't find peace and solace and so with a deep growl he sent out a brief flash of flames casting the whole scene in a green glow for a moment before the shadows returned and darkness reclaimed it hold on the cave. Spike had half hoped it was Twilight coming to find him, to bring him home again despite the evidence of his nose, still he could see no other creature in the cave with him.

"I know you're there so you may as well come out," Spike muttered in a menacing way, but under the anger could be heard the slight tremble of unease. He was alone, without his friends and despite his impressive form Spike still felt very small inside.

A voice that didn't seem to come from anywhere floated by with a gentle hiss, "Not bad young one, I had feared living with ponies would have dulled your senses. I'm pleased to be proven wrong," Spike's eyes narrowed as he sought the source, the voice had a similar quality to his own deep rumble.

"I'm not in the mood for games, get to the point and then get out so I can get back to my thoughts," Spike grumbled.

"As much as I would like to leave a fellow drake to his sulking, I can't you see: I have been commanded to oversee your induction into a dragon culture," The voice explained, it's tone easily matching Spike's impatience, "I take my duties very seriously and as such I can't go anywhere until my task is complete."

"Teach me how to be a dragon?" Spike's interest was roused despite his earlier annoyance.

The voice chuckled, "No, you're a dragon there is no doubt in my mind about that now, but I can teach what it means to be a dragon, a true dragon and not some pony's pet."

"I'm no pony's pet!" Spike roared as he pulled himself up and glared about the cave with green eyes aflame with anger.

"Really? Staying in a small wooden building with a princess who thinks of you as her number one slave? Eating food that she deems proper rather than hunting as your blood must be crying out for you to do? Sharing the things that are yours by right of conquest and taking care of those weaker than you rather than dominating them?" That sounds more like a well trained puppy to me rather than a true dragon," The mysterious voice listed full of scorn.

Spike felt his fury rise with every point raised, these were aspects of his life but described in a twisted way, "It's not like that at all! Twilight is family and family takes care of each other!"

"And she's been taking great care of you hasn't she, being at her beck and call. I have seen that flimsy excuse for a dwelling you call home. I have seen the claw and scorch marks covering the surfaces and a pony at her wit's end with what to do with the monster her little 'Spikey Wikey' has become," The taunting was relentless and Spike wanted to lash out at the source, but no matter which way he looked, no target presented its self.

"You're being smothered under a cloud of 'kindness' and not letting yourself be the true free dragon you should. Quite simply, you are pathetic." This was the last straw for Spike, his temper broke like a dam bursting and taking a huge breath he let out a roaring torrent of flame which he swept back and forth. The raging torrent banished the darkness and shrivelled the mosses along with hanging lichens that covered the abandoned cave. Spike vented all his fury into the blast of fire and soon the rock's all around him glowed red with heat before he finally ran out of breath.

The dragon was left standing in a small ring of clear stone while all around him the aftermath of his fury slowly smouldered. Spike was panting heavily, standing on all fours with his wings spread out in a powerful display as his tail whipped back and forth in agitation. "I-am-no-pony's pet." Spike growled once again and to his sudden surprise he heard the sound of slow clapping coming from behind him.

Spike revolved on his axis to confront his tormentor and to his amazement saw a black dragon about two thirds his size perched nonchalantly on a stone outcrop, "Much better, I always find that things get off to a better start once we clear the air somewhat," The smaller beast spread a pair of leathery purple wings as he bowed to the now thoroughly confused Spike.

"You were trying to get me worked up?" Spike asked in mounting suspicion.

"Indeed hatchling, I wanted to see your fire and your temper before we go any further. It's good to know how far I can push you," The smaller reptile held out a claw to Spike which simply glared at in return, "My title is Warden and I have been sent to help you and Princess Sparkle in adjusting you to your 'unusual' situation."

Spike looked down at the claw before gazing back up at Warden's unreadable face and then back to the claw once again. Spike had to admit he felt a lot better and had a much clearer head even if he was still angry at Warden, "Do you really think I'm just a pony's pet?"

Warden cocked his head to one side before answering, "I don't really know what to make of you hatchling, we're all treading on unknown ground here, but I made a promise to my Lord that I would teach you the ways of a dragon and so that's what I intend to do."

Comments

[GranLeon]

Finally a well Written coming of age story about spike that isn't It Takes a Village. Keep it up

[Golden Paw]

3885917 Thank's that means a lot to me

[redmar]

I think Warden also riled Spike up so that Spike would vent his anger and clear his mind somewhat.