ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ
"I don't really want to talk about it." Spike looked away.
"So then," I started as I jumped down from my branch. "Tell me, what are you going to do about it?"
"What is that suppose... Who are you?"
I smirked at Spike's question. It was a good question but not one that I was going to answer just yet. Well, not completely... I can't. "Don't you already know... Spike?" I asked as walked around the tree and activated an invisibility spell.
I had to suppress a chuckle as I watched Spike try and figure out where I went to. I had all I needed to get an unbiased assessment of him. It seems the he is approaching a very important juncture in the life of all dragons. It was good that I saw him on the Migration then. But something is troubling me. I should have known prior to that. I should have known the day of Spike's First Hoarding.
I am miffed that Celestia did not contact me about this. I know she knows how to get a hold of me Soots and Philomena are mates after all. I warned her that being hatched and raised by ponies may not suppress his dragon heritage! Clearly it was a mistake to give Celestia permission to let Twilight raise Spike.
Ten years ago...
The door to the chambers open slowly revealing the pony I came to see: The sun monarch of Equestria Celestia. I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to head to bed. It must have been a very busy day as she didn't even notice me as she tiredly took off her regalia.
"I sensed a rainboom Celestia." I spoke, carefully moving from the shadows and into the light provided by the fireplace.
"Gah!" Celestia jumped in fright, her wings furling out. "Must you do that every time you show up!?"
"I wouldn't have had to if you kept me informed Celestia. Like agreed."
"I... I didn't think it was important." Celestia stuttered as she walked past me and to the window where the moon could be seen.
"THE ELEMENTS ARE AWAKENING CELESTIA!" I snapped. This was not the time for the standard deflecting the question. I was not a 'high and mighty,' 'most important' noble partitioning for something idiotic. "How is that not important?"
"I... I..." Celestia whispered. I felt bad for just a moment when I the glisten of tears dropping to the ground.
What is causing this reaction? She should be happy the time of the alignment was merely a decade away. It wouldn't be long before she would reunited with her sister Luna. If all went well of course. "You do know what this means? That you sister can be returned to you."
"I know..." Celestia sighed. "It's just so much after so long..."
"Yes, I suppose it could be..." I agreed leading to a prolonged silence.
"There is one other thing I should tell you..." Celestia began breaking the silence. "The egg you had me guard over..."
"Yes, what about it?" I narrowed by eyes. What is she hiding? She is hesitating.
"It hatched or should I say a pony hatched it..."
I nearly jumped with joy when she said that. This was wonderful news! I didn't think it would ever be able to be hatched. Damn rules of dragon magic... "So... my..."
"Spike..." Celestia whispered out before turning to face me, "Twilight Sparkle, the pony that hatched him, named him Spike."
"Spike..." I echoed. It's a good name... not one I would have picked but it was a nice dragon name nonetheless.
As the joy of the news faded a bit something began to bothered me. Why did she hesitate like she did? I have no qualms with the hatcher naming Spike. "Celestia what are you hiding? And don't say its because this Twilight Sparkle named Spike."
Celestia sighed and rubbed her forehead. "She hatched him at the same time that a Rainboom shockwave passed through Canterlot."
"Okay then its highly likely she's a Bearer of Harmony... might even be how she was able to hatch Spike..." I had always expected that the Elements might be part of the solution needed to hatch Spike. But I never could figure out how... Something I could figure out later as Celestia was still withholding something. "But as fascinating as that is you are stalling. So end this charade before I lose my temper...NOW."
Celestia gaze locked into mine. "Twilight is to raise Spike."
"Are you daft!" I scoffed. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Even if Twilight Sparkle is truly a Bearer raising a dragon as a pony could have disastrous consequences! Besides that, this is not part of The Draco-Equine Treaty."
"The treaty is exactly why I want her to raise him."
"The treaty doesn't allow this!" I countered. "Spike still has family! He must be returned to them. The treaty was for the ponies to guard a dragon egg and attempt to hatch it and if managed to be returned to his family. In reversea pony was to adopted by the dragons and live as one of them for life."
"And how one sided is that!? A pony raised as live as dragon but not the dragon!?" Celestia responded to my counter. "If we are ever to have true lasting peace both sides must come to the middle!"
"And it could backfire badly!!" I roared. "There are certain aspects of dragon nature that can't be nurtured away."
"And how do you know that!?" Celestia bellowed right back. "How can anyone know that!? Has it ever been tried!? How can dragons and ponies ever have peaceful relations unless both sides understand each other fully?! How?! When only the pony has to live as dragon and not the dragon living as pony!"
"Gah!" I hollered in frustration. "Do you know how hard it was to get as much as we did!?"
"Yes, I know..." Celestia softly spoke, walking past me and back to the window. "But we must try."
"Very well Celestia." I relented nursing a building headache. This could bite me in the ass but she has a point. It could strength the currently tenuous peace between Equestria and dragons or... It could cause an all out war. Dragon Lord Torch was not as pragmatic as his predecessor but in this case I think I could get him to agree to the modification if I add a certain stipulation. "But! If his dragon instincts awaken at any point you are to notify me right away, and he is to be returned to his dragon family to learn how to deal with them."
"I will."
"You had better... for your little ponies' sakes..."
Current day...
What stunt are you pulling Celestia? I wondered as I made my way to my camp through the Everfree. It was not like her to go back on her word unless something bigger was going on. I just had to figure it out without, hopefully, revealing all of my cards...
"Worm, find any more of those changelings?" I grumbled as I entered the clearing that housed our camp for the past two weeks.
"No master."
Damn. I was hoping to let off some steam. I knew it was a long shot. The chances of any changeling making it two weeks in the Everfree was slim. I groaned as I sat down by the campfire. I needed to think.