//------------------------------//
// The Princess Dragoness 
// Story: Season Spike 
// by Haoryu Changer 
//------------------------------//

Piles of rocks and boulders scattered the area where the battle between dragons had just taken place. There were still small pebbles falling and hitting the ground every second, and dust covered all around.

Garble and a few dragons behind him weakly threw off a boulder on top of him, revealing the world of his physical injuries. He, as well as the rest of his gang, had many damaged scales and bruises along their bodies. The red dragon glared up at the smaller purple and green dragon that had just beaten them in a fight flying away and chasing their leader, unable to accept the outcome.

He gritted his teeth and yelled up to the sky at the top of his lungs in pure rage of being beaten by a little baby dragon not even half his size.





Dim Sum unknowingly tightened her grip on Twilight as she flew away from the blast. She knew it wasn't fire, not alone. As soon as the explosion happened Twilight and herself started to feel that same tension in the air whenever powerful magic was being used elsewhere.

She tried to ignore it, but even when the feeling stopped she was worrying over it. Was that Spike or had one of the dragons learned to use magic? If so, did they hurt Spike even more than they needed too? Or was it that another powerful pony came to rescue Twilight as well.

All her thoughts vanished when Spike teleported in front of her.

She grew wide-eyed and gasped as she came to a stop. Spike knew magic, and he teleported in front of her. She thought herself.

Neither her or Spike said anything to one another. The only thing being transferred was physical emotions. Spike looked at Dim Sum with anger, fierceness, and worst of all, disappointment. Dim Sum was a traitor to him and he had no trust for her. She knew that much.

Without a word, Spike slowly descended towards the ground and Dim Sum, knowing she had no choice, followed him down.

They both landed softly on green grass on their two feet about ten meters away from each other.

"I'm not one to hurt girls, Dim Sum. Put Twilight down, and we'll talk terms."

Dim Sum didn't want to do what Spike said, she wanted to shrug him off and fly away with her ticket to respect in the dragon kingdom. But, unfortunately, Spike's piercing eyes and his frown didn't help. She could feel Spike's magic surrounding his body and how intense it was, like lava close to bursting out from a volcano. She wasn't sure if her own fire magic could challenge Spike's. She knew Spike was at least smart and powerful enough to defeat teenage dragons in battle and so she couldn't underestimate him like she does so to other dragons. She was a very cautious dragon when it came to her mission.

Dim Sum slowly and reluctantly put the restrained alicorn mare down with a bend of her knees and back. She then stood up straight and stared at Spike with silence.

"Now." Spike started. "I would like to know why you're doing this Dim Sum. And I want a clear explanation."

Dim Sum stood calmly, but with alertness. She knew Spike wasn't the type of dragon to give her a surprise attack, but she had to be careful being the only dragon standing to fight if need be. She contemplated whether or not she should answer Spike's question truthfully, let answer at all. She came to the conclusion that it didn't matter if Spike knew or not. What could he do? Follow her to the dragon kingdom and fight all the other loyal dragons and the king, her father, himself until one side stood? Not likely, Spike wasn't a brain-dead dragon like those other teenagers. He seemed a bit like her in a sense.

"I... wanted to take Twilight Sparkle, the powerful alicorn princess of Equestria to my father to gain is respect."

This was all a test. Spike, of course, knew what the truth already was. He needed to figure out what kind of dragon Dim Sum is. "I see." Spike crossed his arms. "And what made you think you had the right to take her away from her home?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

Dim Sum didn't answer right away. In fact, she knew the answer herself, but she didn't want to admit it to him.

"Is it because she's a pony and not a mighty dragon?"

She was in the wrong. She didn't have any right to take Twilight away. "I-I didn't have the right to take her away." But then again. "But I needed to! My father's respect is a great honor!"

"But is it worth endangering Twilight?"

Dim Sum flinched a bit in shock. "W-what?!" She never had any intentions of hurting Twilight. She was going to send her back to Ponyville after she was done with her. Dim Sum gritted her teeth and used her magic to make her long teal and pink staff appear in her claws.

Spike raised his eyebrows in surprise and uncrossed his arms, ready for anything she would dish out.

Dim Sum pointed the blue orb on top of her staff at Spike and shot a magic blast at him.

Spike reacted immediately and sidestepped to his right, dodging the attack. The blast flew past him with great speed and blew up a few of the grassy grounds behind him.

"Dim Sum, please. We don't have to fight!" Spike tried to reason.

"Be quiet!" She fired another blast which Spike dodged. "You don't know how it feels to be looked at as a delicate little flower by the most mighty of races! You don't know how it feels to be weak compared to all the other dragons!" Dim Sum flapped her wings and with a powerful gush of air with her staff held up and flew in front of Spike, who pulled his arms up to block any attack. Dim Sum brought her staff down and tried to smash it against the young male dragon's forehead.

Spike used his claws to grab and stop the staff from hitting him. He and Dim Sum pushed against each other and held the staff in the air. "You're right. I don't know how that could feel like, and entire race looking at you like you're some useless living thing." Using more of his strength, he pushed back Dim. "But I do know what it feels like being unappreciated, and it's the worst!"

Dim Sum kicked Spike in his stomach and jumped back with her staff. "How would you know?!" She fired another magic blast. "You've never lived with dragons!"

Spike dodged. "But I lived with ponies! And I felt useless being around them for a while." He used his claw to catch a second blast Dim fired. "But after we made up, I found out what was more important than being noticed."

Dim lowered her staff. "And what was that?"

"Have true friends and family that love and care for you." Spike said.

Dim looked down towards her staff in deep thought with furrowed brows.

"I'm sure your father loves you Dim. You should know that too! Don't let this go to your head like it did with me and don't think he nor the other dragons don't care for you!" Spike said with a much softer expression.

Dim looked up and looked like she was about to say something before she quickly raised her staff and fired again. 

Spike teleported away before the blast contacted him, and he was nowhere to be found. Not in Dim Sum's eyes.

Just then, right behind her, Dim Sum was knocked down by a push from two small claws. She landed on the ground on her belly and accidentally let go of her staff, which she saw was picked up by a purple claw. Before she could get back up, however, she was pinned down by Spike's right foot and claw.

Now she finally realized the difference in power. She may have her fire magic with her staff to aid her, but Spike was much faster and stronger than her. She guessed it was her end.

"Listen to me! He may think that you're only his precious little daughter, but that doesn't mean you can't change that. I'm sure over time you can prove your strength another way, other than doing terrible things..."

Dim Sum gritted her teeth. "Why do you care?"

"Because I've gone that path before! I took the wrong path and ended up almost destroying Equestria... Almost... killing Twilight."

Dim silently gasped.

"I'm not saying you'll walk the same dark, wrong path I took back then. But it has the possibility of becoming similar. I don't only care about Twilight, Dim Sum. I could have beaten you to the ground, kicked you out of Equestria, and taken Twilight home. But I didn't. I didn't want to leave you doomed to walk down a dark passage. I care about you as well."

Dim Sum took in Spike's words and thought deeply. Once again, this dragon she just met a couple of days ago was right in their argument. She didn't know where she was going with this, what if taking Twilight hadn't succeeded? Would she try different, ruthless methods of gaining respect? She didn't know, and neither did Spike when he went down that path.

"I-" Before Dim could say anything she felt Spike getting off of her and lifting her up with her magic. She was gently let down on the grass in front of the drake, who was smiling warmly at her. "I'm sorry, Spike. You're right. I'm already doing terrible things to reach my goals and it could only get worse. I didn't think about Twilight and only thought about myself, which was really selfish of me."

"I accept your apology, but I'm not the one who you should apologize to," Spike said.

Dim Sum saw a hint of purple behind Spike and when she tilted her head to look behind the other dragon, she saw Twilight, free of her binds. 

"While I had you pinned I freed Twilight with my magic," Spike explained.

The sun started to rise on the horizon, making a beautiful orange and purple sky.

She walked up to the mare meekly with guilt and said, "I'm so sorry Twilight. You trusted me and helped me even if it was just an act, and I betrayed that trust with my actions."

Twilight stood in front of her with a small sad smile. "Apology accepted. I heard your conversation with Spike, Dim Sum. And I'm sorry to hear what you're going through."

"It's no worries." Dim Sum said with a shake of her two claws. "Like Spike said, I can always work to prove my father that I am strong with another way. Something less horrific than what occurred today and yesterday."

"I'm glad you realize this Dim Sum."

"Me too." She turned to Spike. "Thank you so much, Spike. You helped me so much today!"

"It was no problem, Dim Sum. It's what friends do."

Dim Sum looked at him with sparkling eyes, which made him feel weird. She started to slowly walk towards Spike who was frozen still. She puckered her lips and reached in to give Spike a kiss on the lips...

"I have a fillyfriend!" Spike said in shock as he pushed her away.

Ten minutes later, and Spike and Twilight were seeing Dim Sum one last time before heading home.

"Do you really have to leave so soon? You could stay at Ponyville for a while." Spike said with a bit of disappointment.

"Sorry, you two. But my father doesn't even know that I left. If I'm not home soon then there will be trouble." She explained. "And besides," She smirked and looked to her right. "I have to take these morons to the kingdom." The group of injured dragons glared at her. "I kinda promised them that I would let them get into the kingdom. They have the tastiest gems in the Capital of Dragons." Dim explained.

Spike's mouth watered. "U-uh... you think I could com-"

"Definitely not mister. You can't just leave me and Equestria behind! Besides, I would need to get my quills, inks, and sheets of paper to get all my notes down."

Spike chuckled.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Dim said, a bit sad.

"For now," Spike said. "We could always try to see one another again someday. We could introduce you to our other friends."

"Of course. Any friend is always welcome in Equestria." Twilight said.

"You guys are the best." Dim wiped a single tear from her eye and walked over to the group of dragons. She took out her staff and twirled it in the air.

Suddenly, she and the other teen dragons slowly started to turn into pink mist and vanish, and before she herself disappeared she turned back and waved at her two newest friends, who waved back with big smiles on their faces.

Finally, Dim Sum and the three dragons were teleported far away, to the Dragon Kingdom, the Captial of Dragons.

"So..." Twilight said. "I heard something... interesting."

"Interesting?" Spike asked.

Twilight nodded. "Mhm! It sounded like puckered lips. Spike~, are you cheating on Sweetie Belle?" Twilight teased.

Spike's cheeks warmed up, appearing bright red. "Twilight! I would never do that!"

Twilight giggled. "I know you wouldn't, Spike. Now, let's head back to our castle." And she took off in flight.

Spike sighed and followed her, up into the beautiful orange sky.