Upheaval: Legacy

by Visiden Visidane

Dragonkind

Upheaval: Legacy

Chapter 3: Dragonkind

"Spike..."

The very familiar voice shook Spike out of his lethargy. "Huh?" he mumbled.

"Spike, pay attention,"

That was Rarity's voice. Spike realized that he was sitting on a bed in a brightly lit and elaborately decorated room. He recognized the bunch of pony mannequins grouped by one corner and the sewing machine that sat on a nearby table. The bed sheet was decorated with a diamond pattern, as were the walls. "Rarity?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"I brought you here, remember?" Rarity replied. Spike's claws went to his tail for comfort. She was staring at him rather seriously.

"W-well, what is it then?"

"Spike, I'm quite aware that you have certain...feelings for me."

"What? But how did you-- I didn't get to say it that time so what could have--"

A hoof stopped his spluttering protests. "Recently, I've become aware that I'm starting to feel something similar."

Spike's jaw dropped. "Really?"

"Which is why I brought you here in the privacy of my bedroom so we can explore these feelings properly rather than embarrassing ourselves out on the street or some such thing."

"Oh...uh...sure, Rarity. I don't mind talking about my feelings and--" Spike shuddered and stopped when Rarity's face moved closer to his. She placed both front hooves on his shoulders and gently pushed him on his back.

"Talking wasn't what I had in mind..."

Spike found himself unable to speak. The room faded into darkness while Rarity's face came closer and closer and...faded into black as well.

Spike still lay there expectantly until reality settled in. He wasn't on the nice, soft bed of the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria. He was laying back-first on a hastily put together pile of ursan furs. He remembered why it was so dark. He was in the deepest part of Seethe Scale's cave. The far away entrance provided the only bit of light.

With a groan, Spike rose reluctantly from his bedding, and looked around. It was useless of course. He was in complete darkness. He had been so for the greater portion of his first week. For the first couple of days, he relied on the torches positioned along the cave, but they eventually burned out, and he couldn't find any replacements. When he asked Seethe Scale about getting more, she didn't even bother to reply. He had started gathering bits of dead branches from the woods nearby, but the few he collected were far from enough to illuminate the enormous cave.

Indeed, his first week with Seethe Scale could be summed up perfectly by stumbling in the dark. He wished that she was an angry, cursing sort of teacher like Doctor Redbrand, or Mage Captain Owlsight. Even that would be something. Seethe Scale didn't shout or growl at him at all, but that was because she would barely even talk to him. He could count on one claw the number of times she would say anything in a day. She hadn't even bothered to set any rules about her lair. The fear of touching something he shouldn't touch or saying something he shouldn't say all but rendered him paralyzed around her.

Instead of talking, Seethe Scale spent hours just lying in the dark. Prince Terrato had mentioned that she “got a little broody at times”. The prince had obviously understated that aspect. Seethe Scale brooded nearly all the time next to her small hoard of golden coins and jewelry.

If she wasn't doing that, she was out getting food. She came home with meat most of the time, but winter had already settled and most of the wildlife had gone into hibernation or migrated. On a few occasions, Seethe Scale came back with pickled vegetables from Wallforge. Spike relished the chance to eat something more familiar. Meat was…delicious, he had to admit that. He also had to admit that his pointed teeth were more at home with tearing through meat than grinding plants or gemstones, but he still favored the familiar comforts of food he had grown up with.

That small comfort did little to make his stay with Seethe Scale any more pleasant. He continued to wait for some kind of instruction on her part, but the week passed with him awkwardly trying to pass the time. That had to end. This morning, he was going to talk to Seethe Scale and straighten things out.

---

Seethe Scale stretched her wings near the entrance, letting the sunlight warm her after a good night's sleep. The first couple of sleepless nights proved the most difficult. It was only now that she was able to rest well.

Spike had no reason to steal from her. He was isolated in her lair, a long way away from any of his friends. If he stole from her, she would find out and he would have nowhere to run. Even if he made it to Wallforge before she crunched him between her jaws, he would not find safe harbor there. She was a servant of the prince despite being outside the Legion. She had enough clout in the city to have the guards hand him over if he came to them. Young as he was, even Spike would know that taking from her hoard would be suicide.

That knowledge did nothing to calm her nerves whenever it was time to sleep. He was right there, snuggled against the ursan furs she got for him. Her hoard was within easy reach. His scent unbalanced the normal odors in it, and the disruptive, tiny sounds of his breathing made her fur bristle. She could barely stand him, and he was not doing anything particularly offensive.

So she stayed silent throughout the first few days, for both their sakes. Before working on his development and the business involving his inheritance, she first needed to be able to stand him: presence, then talking to him.

Clearly this arrangement did not sit well with her charge. Spike approached her, as he had tried for several times during this week. Surprisingly, his eyes were more determined than ever. “Um…excuse me,” he said. She didn't respond. She could at this point. Before, even approaching him made her want to eat him. Now, she could speak without exhaling fire. However, she wanted to see how far his determination could carry him. He had been trying to talk to her all week. That was his pony-ness reacting. He needed to talk to someone. It didn't have to be anything important as long as he got some words out. She didn't. He shouldn't either.

"Hey,” Spike yelled. “Down here!”

A bold move. A hatchling wouldn't dare. He may quarrel with siblings, but he wouldn't dare with an adult. Was he merely reckless? Had his frustration simply boiled over, or did he have an innate understanding that she was not going to harm him over small matters? Seethe Scale faced Spike. “I heard you,” she said.

“Listen, um…” Spike grabbed a hold of his tail. He did that whenever he needed reassurance, but couldn't get it anywhere else, which was often. He looked away from her stare, his claws trembling just a bit. “I understand if you don’t like me and don't want me in your cave. If you don’t want to have anything to do with me, just say so. I can just go away and find my way back to the Northern Barrier Land.”

Seethe Scale couldn't reply right away. He was partly right, at least right for the first few days. What left her silent though, was that he really seemed to mean his offer. This little hatchling was going to trek back to the Northern Barrier Land just because she didn't want him around. He expected no sense of obligation from her. He must know that she was under orders to help him, but he demanded nothing. “What makes you think that I don’t want you around?” she asked.

“Well, I feel like an unwanted guest in your cave for one thing,” Spike replied. “I just came here to grow stronger. If you don’t--"

“What I feel or want doesn't matter,” Seethe Scale replied. “The prince has given me the task of helping you, and I will do so.”

“But we haven’t done anything in a week! How is just standing around a cave supposed to help me?”

Seethe Scale tilted her head slightly, and took a closer look at Spike. He was the full dragon, but it seemed that he was already used to her presence. “You’re upset,” she said.

The proximity of her head took Spike aback. This close, she could count his pristine teeth. Her own visage reflected on his eyes, his irises focused on her maw. “W-well…maybe a little,” he replied.

Seethe Scale pulled back. There were going to be a lot of things she would have to keep from Spike, whatever truths that wouldn't go against her orders, she may as well share. “I needed some time to get used to having you in my cave,” she replied. “Just getting used to your presence and scent has been surprisingly difficult.”

“We could still talk right?” Spike asked.

“The process goes two ways. I had to get used to sharing my cave with another and you had to get used to some degree of isolation.” Seethe Scale walked out of the cave. Spike followed behind her, taking three steps to match each one of hers. “You've spent too long being a pony. Ponies are day-active herd creatures. You share their love of conversation and need for a great deal of light. I've spent too long living like a full dragon. When you first entered my cave, my first instinct was to kill you before you got anywhere near my hoard. I was hoping that we can spend some time adjusting; you as a dragon, me as a pony.”

“Did it work?” Spike asked.

Seethe Scale glanced behind her and caught the ghost of a smile struggling into his lips. He must be glad that all the awkward waiting had some purpose behind it after all. “I don’t know,” she replied. “I haven’t killed and eaten you. That has to be worth something.”

Once more, Spike looked at Seethe Scale's jaws. “Don’t worry," he said. "It’s worth a lot. But did we really need an entire week for th--” He caught himself. “N-not to question your methods or anything!”

“Interesting,” Seethe Scale said. “Does a week seem that long to you?”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “Well, yeah. Seven days is pretty long.”

Seethe Scale snorted. “For a pony.”

“Huh?”

Seethe Scale flexed her wings some more. She was about to go out hunting, but she changed her mind. The meal could wait. She sat by the entrance of her cave and gestured for Spike to sit nearby. “A week is nothing to a dragon,” she said. “One reason it bothers you is because you’re in pony time. Slow down and try to perceive things more as a dragon.”

Spike sat just a few feet from her, his arms crossed over his chest. Seethe Scale noted the defensive posture. Spike was proud of his upbringing, even if it did leave him stunted and uncomprehending. He was likely to meet any comment on ponies with this posture, if not more. “And what’s the other reason?” he asked.

“You’re waiting for lessons the way ponies teach them,” Seethe Scale replied. “You’re not here for lessons like some foal in a pony school.”

Before Spike could say anything, Seethe Scale’s ears perked up and her nostrils flared. Somepony was walking the trail to her lair. This was not an appointed time. Wrath flared up again. This time, she let more of it bubble out. She had held it back so much during these past few days, enough so that it started to hurt physically. A little show of it would ease her within and deal with these unwanted guests. She jumped towards the trail and glared down it. “That’s far enough,” she growled.

Spike walked over to see who had arrived, but her heat aura quickly made him recoil. He backpedaled from her for several feet before curiosity got the better of him again. His claws outstretched to protect him from the worst of her emanations, he perched on a nearby rock to take a look.

“G-greetings, mighty Seethe Scale!” somepony said from down the trail. It was a group of five ponies; two of whom were pulling a wagon behind them while the other three led the way. The lead pony, a green unicorn with a long, curly mane of bright yellow had stepped forward to speak for their group. Though he stumbled with his opening words, he carried himself with a degree of confidence.

“Deliveries have been already made,” Seethe Scale said, her tone low and dangerous. “I don’t like ponies being this close to my home.” She snorted a brief stream of dark red flame from her nostrils. The snow around her was already melting. If they made her worse, the soil would start to char and any scattered twigs and leaves would burn.

“We mean no disrespect,” the lead pony said. He bowed low to emphasize his point and the others followed his example. “We are here on behalf of Mayor Gold Plate.”

Gold Plate. The name boiled the blood. While his predecessor maintained a respectful distance and silence, Gold Plate seemed to have come upon the idea that she was a useful tool. This was not the first time she had to deal with his overtures. Seethe Scale glanced briefly at Spike. Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to let too much wrath out. It would be hard to teach him anything if he was constantly huddled in a corner screaming. “Leave,” she hissed. She dug a claw into the hard ground, leaving deep furrows as she took a step forward.

“We will, mighty Seethe Scale,” the lead pony said. He gestured towards wagon behind him. At once, the two ponies who were not pulling the wagon trotted over and removed its cover. Underneath was a sizable pile of gold coins and jewels. Nearby, Spike wiped some drool off his mouth. “All we ask is that you accept this tribute from the mayor in honor of your constant vigil over Wallforge.”

What swill. Seethe Scale looked the wagon over, a low growl resounding within her throat. It was a good pile, a worthy addition to her hoard if she chose to accept it. But she wasn't going to. She kept track of the days. Wallforge elections were coming up. What better way to garner support than to have the approval of the reclusive kirin that protected the city? It would be something that no other mayor had achieved. If only because none of them were stupid enough to pester her.

“I said leave,” Seethe Scale said. They unfastened the wagon, and departed hastily after one final bow. The messengers, at least, understood when she did not want attention. She grabbed hold of the wagon, and placed the entire thing in front of Spike. She may as well make use of this ill-conceived campaigning idea. She would be more at ease if Spike had a small hoard of his own. “It’s yours,” she said. “Eat what you want and bury what’s left somewhere outside my cave.”

Spike’s mouth watered some more as he clambered over the wagon. He took a particularly impressive sapphire and was about to pop it into his mouth when he looked over to Seethe Scale. She relaxed a little as she watched the trail to her home. “Are you sure I can have this?” he asked.

“Yes."

“But why? Those ponies gave these to you for watching over them!”

“No,” Seethe Scale said. "They didn't. You want a lesson, Spike? Learn this one well. As your strength grows, so will the number of those who want to use it." She watched with interest as Spike inspected his new hoard. There was no knowing look on his face. Perhaps the ponies that raised him were of a far better sort than Gold Plate's ilk. They had not taken advantage of what he was and what he would eventually become. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Great,” Spike replied. “Thank you for giving all of these to me!”

Seethe Scale continued to quietly observe. He was such an odd creature. Not even a hint of suspicion over his sudden gain. Not even a question as to what the catch was. That was sheer delight on his face, not the craven gleam that any dragon would look at a free pile of gold with. He tried to focus on eating, but her scrutiny clearly weighed down on him. He glanced nervously at her several times before finally turning around. “Um…do you need something?” he asked.

“Your temperance is surprising,” Seethe Scale said. “Do you not feel any urge to collect more treasure after gaining such a large hoard?”

Spike's eyes widened. “What? Oh, no, I’m done with that! One hoarding spree is enough for me.”

Seethe Scale leaned on a claw. She hadn't expected such an answer. He may still look like a hatchling, but this would certainly add to her estimation of where his physique should be. “I see…did you grow at an alarming rate during that time?” she asked.

Spike nodded. “I turned into a real monster for a day.”

“Tell me how it all happened.” Seethe Scale walked over and lay down just a few feet away from Spike. He related the whole incident, which involved a fire ruby, unicorns, a panicked village, and torn cloaks. Seethe Scale found herself listening intently. It was an account of life within the barrier as well as how the ponies there reacted to a dragon. She wasn't too shocked at both the devastation he caused and the defense it provoked.

One thing caught her attention though. “This Rarity…do you love her?” she asked.

Spike’s jaw dropped briefly. “No!” he protested. He clamped both claws on his mouth. “I mean, how’d you-- I mean, why’d you say that?”

Seethe Scale almost smiled, a pleasant memory of her own coming to her thoughts. What do dragons see in ponies? What sparks that attraction for a creature so different in shape and form? “The tone you take and the look on your face say it all,” she replied. “You may as well wear a shirt with her face on it.”

“That’s not a bad thing is it?” Spike asked. He shifted about and repeatedly glanced at her. It was so easy what was on his mind. “I mean, I’d understand if you don’t like the thought of it because…well…”

He tiptoed around the issue as if it mattered, but Seethe Scale was more curious than offended. He held affections towards a pony, but didn't undergo lust phase. Why not? Dragon aggression could turn a precocious crush into a vicious perversion. Yet, rather than become something to turn him to a monster, Spike's affection became his strength. “Why should what I think matter?" she asked. "Are you going to force yourself on this Rarity and make her bear a kirin foal?”

“What?" Spike glared. "Of course not! I would never think of doing such a thing to her!” For the first time since he came to her lair, he not only met Seethe Scale's gaze, but held it angrily. The strength this mare granted him was admirable.

Seethe Scale's eyes narrowed briefly. But it must be at a cost. Why greed? The straightforward answer pointed to a dragon's typical need to acquire a hoard. But, as he narrated in his rambling tale, it was clear that Spike had no hoard to call his own, and the finest gem he acquired went to Rarity instead. Perhaps the greed is not merely his.

Seethe Scale shook her head. No need to judge harshly. Not right now, at least. Regardless of how she did it, this Rarity aided in preventing the birth of another Lust dragon. That was more than enough to give her the benefit of the doubt. Besides, Rarity was far from the only one who needed Spike to do things.

“Decide for yourself what to make of your feelings," she said. "Spend more time understanding your dragon aspect, then look at your relationships. I will say this, however. This Rarity has been a good influence to you. She’s taught you to control your gluttony, lust, and greed. From your story, you've successfully overcome your Appetite Phase thanks to her.”

The indignant glare melted into a half-lidded smile, likely fueled by thoughts of this Rarity. That lasted for a few seconds before the rest of what she said came to him. “What’s this Appetite Phase?” he asked, eyes wide now.

Seethe Scale turned her thoughts from this Rarity for now. Perhaps there was room during Spike's stay for a more more pony-like style of lecturing. “It’s the first of the phases that dragons go through in their life time. Dragons in this phase are overcome by lust, gluttony, or greed, whichever resides within them the strongest. If your greed had defined you strongly enough, you would have remained a Greed Dragon for the rest of your life.”

“What about the other phases?” Spike asked.

“The Expression Phase tests your pride, wrath, or envy. If you are still not defined by these things, you will go through the Apathy Phase, which guarantees that you’ll turn into a Sloth Dragon.”

“Is that it?” Spike asked glumly. “Are dragons always defined by bad things?”

“Supposedly--” Seethe Scale stopped herself. No need to bring in that myth. Spike would strive for the impossible. He clearly did not appreciate the future forms she had outlined for him. She couldn't blame him. Pride, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Lust, and Gluttony, were not things any dragon, let alone one raised by ponies, looked forward to. But dangling hope in front of him would only lead to frustration.

“Supposedly what?” Spike asked.

“Don’t concern yourself too much about these things. They will come in time, and what sort of dragon you are will be revealed.” Seethe Scale stood up, and flapped her wings. She had a hunt to attend to, and a meeting. Now that he had his own little hoard, she knew Spike would leave hers alone. “I have to go,” she said. “Stay in the cave as always.” She flew off afterwards.

---

Although still confused, Spike popped the first gem into his mouth, and savored the crunch against his teeth. He grabbed a handful of gems to snack on, then began looking around for a good hiding place. He doubted that there would be any thieves willing to risk approaching Seethe Scale's home, not after seeing how she treated ponies who wanted to give her things. But he wasn't going to risk this bounty. This was going to be his own treasure to guard. It was nowhere near the size of Seethe Scale's hoard, but it was his. For the first time in his life, Spike felt just a bit more...dragon-y.

It was already sunset when Seethe Scale returned. During that time, Spike had kept himself busy burying his new loot all around the cave. He had decided to hide his treasure well in several spots. Hopefully, if he kept his new loot hidden, Seethe Scale wouldn't suddenly change her mind and take it back. The frozen ground was difficult to dig up, even for his practiced claws. He didn't dare place a single coin inside the cave though. He didn't even dare step into the deepest recesses of the place.

He had also reflected upon how Seethe Scale behaved around ponies. By the time she arrived, he had questions already rehearsed. He stood by his space in the cave and quietly watched her, trying to find some kind of sign that it was a good idea to speak up.

“Um…Seethe Scale?” he finally ventured to say.

Seethe Scale lay down by her bed, really nothing more than an elevated section of rock, before looking at Spike. “How is your vision?” she asked.

“It’s fine, thanks, I just--” Spike paused. Fine? He looked around. He should be completely blind in this cave, but he wasn't. Seethe Scale lay there in plain sight. Well, sort of plain sight. Her fur was white as before, but her mane was also white, as well as the nearby gold coins and gems. Behind her was mere blackness, it thickly outlined every single object. It was as if he was staring at the world through a very well detailed monochrome sketch. “W-what’s going on?” he asked. “I can see in the dark, but it’s all weird and gray!”

“Hatchlings develop that much earlier,” Seethe Scale said. “Yours was hindered by spending too much time out in the light. Did you think that dragons would prefer the darkness of caves if they had to rely on illumination?”

“This is…” Spike looked around, and walked forward. He could see even the pebbles by his feet in detail. “This is pretty cool,” he said.

“A week spent well,” Seethe Scale said.

Spike leaned forward, claws itching to do something, whatever it was that was in Seethe Scale's regimen of dragon training exercises. “So what are we going to do next?” he asked.

“Sleep.”

---

It was barely dawn when Spike was awake and walking about the cave, marveling at his new-found ability. He picked up a pebble, and inspected it, picking out individual grooves and niches on it just for fun.

“Cute,” Seethe Scale said softly from behind him. She stretched out from her bed and stared at him. “You’re acting like a hatchling given his very first bauble.”

Spike tossed the pebble away in embarrassment. “I can’t help it,” he said. “I've never been able to do something like this.”

“Darkvision has its uses.” Seethe Scale rose and flexed her wings.. “You’re lucky to still be able to develop it.”

“So what are we doing now?” Spike asked.

“We're going out. I’m taking you with me this time. Before we go, we must go over a few rules.”

Spike sat, and listened eagerly. The mention of rules was one more familiarity he could take comfort in. “What are they?” he asked.

“Anywhere outside my cave, I will call you ‘Seifralhadar’. You must answer to this name only. The ponies you've encountered in Wallforge have been similarly warned.”

“What’s wrong with ‘Spike’?” Spike asked.

“It’s not a dragon name. If the Draco’dim find out, you’ll die along with whoever gave you that name.”

This new worry quickly crushed any enthusiasm Spike had. “Draco-what?” he asked. “Who are they, and why should they care about my name?”

“They are currently the strongest and most influential group within dragonkind,” Seethe Scale said. “We shouldn't have too much trouble with them with the Heartland purge underway.”

“So they’re sort of the dragon rulers and-- hey, what do you mean by 'Heartland purge'?”

Seethe Scale looked grimly towards the outside of her cave. “With the barrier down, the Draco’dim are extending their influence towards the Heartland. A purge is already on the way.”

“And by 'purge' you mean--”

“Yes, killing.”

Spike paused, outrage temporarily taking away his ability to talk. He remembered all the dragons he had encountered in the Heartland. None of those encounters had at all been pleasant, but for them to be killed just didn't seem right. “We've got to stop them,” he said. “Equestria would never allow dragons to be killed just like that!”

“You’re wrong,” Seethe Scale replied. Her emotionless tone ran counterpoint to Spike’s angry words. “Equestria would allow it. The Draco’dim’s methods may be harsh, but Equestria stands only to benefit from their actions.”

Spike's mouth hung open for a few seconds. “What? Why?”

“The Draco’dim enforce many rules," Seethe Scale replied. "Among them is the rule of not eating ponies, and leaving their settlements alone so long as they don’t monopolize resources. Without the Draco’dim, the Legion would have to deal with more than just your occasional rampaging greed dragon.”

“So all of Equestria will just let these Draco’dim kill as many dragons as they like?”

“Yes.”

Spike stamped his foot as hard as he could. The barely audible thump only made him angrier. “But that’s not right!”

Seethe Scale answered with a snort. “Right for whom? It’s right for ponies to not want to be eaten.”

“What about the dragons?”

“What dragons do to each other is not Equestria’s concern.” Seethe Scale moved closer towards Spike. There was nothing threatening about her movement, but Spike still felt the urge to back up a bit before looking up at her "You’re right, however. The Draco’dim’s continued existence will only continue to hurt dragonkind as a race.”

“Then why do you just let it happen?” Spike asked.

Seethe Scale snorted again. This time, a brief gout of flame escaped her nostrils. Spike caught a whiff of smoke in the air. “I’m not a dragon. Why should I be bothered if the dragons destroy themselves?” She gazed at Spike intently. “Let them settle this issue among themselves.”

“I am a dragon,” Spike said, his tone low and defiant, his arms crossed against this chest.

“Are you sure? It was only yesterday that you could even use your darkvision.” Before Spike could retort, Seethe Scale’s unicorn horn glowed slightly. “I need to be alone,” she said. “Go outside and prepare yourself. We’ll be leaving soon.”

---

Spike left the cave in a huff, whatever goodwill that had showed in his face when Seethe Scale arrived now gone. Once he was out of sight, she pointed her unicorn horn at a cave wall. Unicorn magic did not come easily to her. Indeed, she normally suffered from mild headaches, even with basic spells like receiving the prince's magical communication. The projected image of the prince looked at her a few seconds later. “Your highness,” she said reverently.

“Seethe Scale,” Terrato said with a smile. “How is your new ward progressing?”

“Faster than expected,” Seethe Scale replied. "He has a strong will under that timidity. I believe he will respond to what will be asked of him"

“Good as I am asking a lot.” Terrato’s eyes narrowed as he went on. “Some chosen should have arrived in Wallforge by now, have you noticed?”

The last trip to Wallforge confirmed it. Seethe Scale did not like mingling with a great many ponies, but, even from afar, it was easy to notice the fuss over the new arrivals. “Yes, your highness.”

“Luna’s taken a page from my book by having her own personal eyes among them,” Terrato said. There was a tinge of admiration in his tone as well as more than a hint of annoyance. "It’s possible that she may try to contact you as well. I don’t want my sisters to get wind of your other task. Not yet.”

Seethe Scale knew little of the prince's sisters, but she had no interest in serving them. They were not there when her life was ransomed, and she was no citizen that she had to owe loyalty to all of Equestria's rulers. “She will learn nothing save for Spike’s condition, your highness,” she said.

“Good. What of the others involved?"

“Nazhadar and Himfadora have already agreed to your propositions, your highness. I am making headway with the others, but Spike’s progress will be crucial.”

“I’m counting on you, Seethe Scale.”

The image disappeared and Seethe Scale walked out to meet her "ward”. The dragon kept his eyes on her. Though he was still a little angry, she noticed something in his gaze that wasn't there when he first entered her cave: trust. “Let’s go,” she said.

Comments

[defunct321]

I'm really enjoying the duality to Spike and Seethe Scale's actions, and how neither of them are really assholes which is rare in duality in this. Seethe kind of is, but from a dragon perspective she's practically a beacon of morality.

[djthomp]

“Is that it?” Spike asked glumly. “Are dragons always defined by bad things?”
“Supposedly--” Seethe Scale stopped herself. No need to bring in that myth.

Oooo, excellent. I had forgotten that there was support in-story for Spike becoming something other than a Sin dragon.

[Cerulean Voice]

“Anywhere outside my cave, I will call you ‘Seifralhadar’.

You know, it's been almost two years since I've seen this name and yet for some reason I've always remembered it. No idea why.

I'm noticing as well that you have some straight " quotes and some curved “ quotes. Did you perhaps make edits to this fic after it was posted here from an outside writing program? Barely anyone will really pay attention, but it's something I tend to notice.

As for Seethe and Spike Seifralhadar, I remember love where this is going.