//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: Kung Fu Dragon 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

She could feel the Amulet's power still coursing through her, even though it was no longer still on her. The Amulet's power had been so potent that it had absorbed into her magic before Celestia had tricked her to taking off the Amulet. Now… it was time to do a trick of her own…
She made loud moans and a guard tapped on her bars, shouting in annoyance, "Quiet! There are other prisoners trying to sleep!"
But she kept up with the moaning, making him ask, "Okay, what's wrong?"
Then she collapsed, ceasing her noise.
The guard called, "Hey, hey! Answer me!"
When she didn't, he opened the cage door and slowly approached her to touch her when he was met with a pair glowing red eyes and Trixie used her hoof to knock the guard out. She then got his keys as she unlocked the chains around her hooves and the clad iron cast around her horn. She was free…
It took Trixie no time to defeat the rest of the guards with her amulet-related powers and was at the entrance of Tartarus where the one guard that had deliver Twilight's message was and was putting on a brave front to face her. She chuckled.
"I'm glad Twilight sent you." She said with a mock pout, "Trixie was beginning to think she was forgotten…You fly back there and tell them, the real Dragon Warrior is coming home…"
"I will do no such thing! Instead, I will make sure you are put back where you belong!" he started to charge at her when he felt himself get strapped to a rocket and saw Trixie with her glowing red eyes and horn as she lit the fuse with an evil smirk. Then he blasted off.



The next morning, the girls lined up for breakfast but they noticed a dragon was missing among the ranks. Applejack felt the guilt all over again as she rubbed her tired eyes from the restless night she had.
At least you kept him safe, and that's more important than you getting a good night's sleep… Still, he wasn't a bad dragon to have around, in fact, I reckon' he was a pretty decent fellow, maybe if things were different… sure, I wouldn't mind hanging around him… But not now… not when things are so dangerous…
	Twilight had showed up and was surprised the dragon hadn't shown up and decided to check his room, "Spike? Spike! It's time to get up-" but when she looked in, he wasn't there. "Oh… he's gone."
After the girls ate, they headed to the library to begin their training as Fluttershy said.
"I can't believe he left so soon… I wonder why…"
Pinkie jumped, "Yeah! He had been so excited to work with us!"
Rainbow Dash said with a smug look, "Guess the little guy couldn't take in my awesomeness and thought he couldn't live up to the expectations."
Rarity rolled her eyes, and said, "Well I'm glad he saw reason and got out before it was too late. He was just too adorable to be put in harm's way, he was even cute when he waddled." she gushed.
AJ thought, Yeah, he was cute wasn't it…? Her eyes widen in shock and shook her head furiously, Where in the world did that come from?!
Twilight turned to them just as they were outside the library's doors and said, "Now that the dragon is gone, we can focus on finding the true Dragon Warrior as we continue with our magical training and combat and hopefully in time, the Dragon Warrior will show up." she opened the doors and there sleeping on a pile of open books was Spike. Twilight exclaimed in surprise, "Spike?!"
"Spike?!" the girls behind her exclaimed as well when they saw him.
The dragon woke up with a jolt and several books fell on him. Fluttershy rushed to him, "Goodness! Are you alright?!"
He got up with a grunt, "Yeah, I barely felt that at all."
Applejack wanted to confront him but decided not to as she would feel awkward after what she said to him and made sure she didn't look directly at him.
Twilight used her aura to examine the books Spike had been sleeping on and read off some of the titles, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them… The Monster Book of Monsters… The Monster-pedia…" she eyed Spike curiously, "You were up all night looking up monster books?"
"And studying them!" he proudly stated.
Rarity looked at the books and said in awe, "Quite the diligent reader, aren't you?"
His eyes filled with hearts and said, "Aw, thanks… that means a lot coming from you, Rarity…"
The unicorn seemed flattered but was uncomfortable by his affections.
Rainbow spoke up, "So he read a few books, so what?"
That brought Spike out of his heart filled thoughts.
But luckily Twilight pointed out, "Studying what you're facing against is great knowledge to have. I commend Spike for learning how important it is to defeat a creature by knowing their weak spots."
Spike smiled bright at Twilight's compliment but it faltered the moment she said, "However, I am still uncertain if he should face these creatures by himself…"
The dragon declared, "Then test me! Let me use my knowledge to see if I can beat the monster!"
The Elements exchanged worried looks as Twilight faced him with a raised brow. She saw determination in the dragon's eyes and she knew he wasn't to give up on this. Finally she sighed, "Very well. We begin."
The girls gasped and wanted to protest but Twilight lift her hoof up to keep them quiet. She turned back to the dragon and stated, "But you should know that knowledge can only take you so far, I'm going to cast a spell that will create a holographic world like you're really in the creature's natural habitat and from there the monster will show up. The girls will demonstrate firsthoof of how to deal with these creatures…" then turns to the Elements, "Fluttershy would you go first please?"
The pegasus slightly nodded and stepped forward. Twilight instructed, "Spike stand next to her so I can begin the spell."
He obeyed and the alicorn's horn glowed as she asked, "Ready?"
Fluttershy nodded as Spike puffed his chest up, "I'm ready!"
The magical aura then engulfed them and the next thing Spike knew he and Fluttershy were in the middle of some dark woods. They could hear growling coming from all around them. The dragon felt a twinge of fear and tried to brace himself, but when a manticore suddenly popped out of nowhere and roared ferociously, he let out a yell!
Spike closed his eyes waiting for the beast to attack, when nothing happened he heard cooing and he opened his lids to see Fluttershy taming the fierce creature by rubbing his belly!
"Aw, whose a good boy?" she said in baby talk. The manticore purred from the touch.
"Whoa…" Spike uttered.
Fluttershy turned to him and explained, "Sometimes you just need to show kindness and the creature will leave you alone."
He asked, "Does that work with every monster and beast out there?"
"No," she sighed, "not every creature is as sweet as manticores are…"
Spike felt ashamed and said, "Guess I'm not battle ready like I thought I was… I wasn't able to face up to a cuddly manticore…"
Fluttershy assured him, "You'll get there… I was afraid all the time, actually I'm still afraid but I am willing to face any danger as long as I have my friends by my side."
"But how did you overcome your insecurities to join the Elements in the first place?" he asked.
She was about to answer when the spell ended and they were back in the library with Twilight asking him, "Are you sure you want to continue?"
Spike frowned and stated, "I'm not giving up! Bring on the next monster!"
Twilight had no choice but to comply to his wishes and signaled Pinkie next.
The party pony and Spike waited for Twilight to cast the spell and when she did, they were in some woods like the last time but he heard no growling this time. Instead a cute little round colorful bug with cute eyes came up to him.
"Aw, hey little guy."
Pinkie screeched loudly making him startled as she shouted, "Quick! Trap it before it-" too late, the bug coughed up another bug like him but it was a different color.
"Ugh! Parasprites!" Pinkie gagged then started getting out a bunch of instruments like a trombone, harmonica, accordion, and tuba.
"I don't get it, what's so bad about these guys?" he asked but his question was soon answered when the two parasprites started devouring everything around them and were multiplying at a rapid rate. He stared at Pinkie as she gathered the instruments around her body. "What are you doing?!" he fretted.
"What does it look like? I'm getting rid of the parasprites!" she began to play the instruments all at once and that soothed the parasprites as they formed a single line and bobbed up and down back into the forest.
"Wow…" Spike muttered in awe.
Pinkie told him, "Yeah, the girls thought it was silly to do this at first when parasprites invaded Ponyville a couple of years back but once they saw how effective it was and how threatening parasprites can be, Twilight added them into the training hologram."
"What made you think of these things that look silly that can fight off monsters?"
"That's actually a funny story," and she started to go on a tangent, "I was a young mare who had left her family's rock farm when I came to Canterlot and-" but she was cut off when Twilight stopped the spell and she told him, "Oops, looks like I'll have to tell you another time." she skipped away happily.
Twilight stated, "Rarity, you're next."
The prim and proper unicorn gracefully made her way to the dragon making his heart skip a beat as he stared at her with a lovesick grin. Rarity gave an indifferent expression and inwardly sighed. Once Twilight casted the spell again, they found themselves in an area that appeared like they were underground and heard a raspy voice that was high pitch.
"Excellent, more workers to find and dig up our gems!"
They turned to face three Diamond Dogs!
In no time Spike watched in amazement of how Rarity outwitted the dogs and they ended up cowering in fear of her. This made Spike crush harder on her much to the unicorn's discomfort.
Finally he said, "I don't get it."
Rarity questioned, "What don't you get?"
"How can a beautiful pony like you want to join the Elements in the first place? They need you, sure, because you're so smart but why did you willing go to them?"
"Well I was-" but she couldn't finish when Twilight brought them back.
Rainbow Dash went next and Spike and she were in a gorge of where Quarry Eels appeared and Rainbow easily outmaneuvered them as Spike watched in astonishment to the whole thing. When the pegasus had landed in front of him with a show bow he exclaimed.
"That was awesome!"
Rainbow pffted, "That was nothing. Now had I performed my sonic rainboom, now that would have been something."
"That's right! I heard about you doing it but I've never actually seen you do it!"
"If it wasn't for that sonic rainboom I wouldn't be where I am today."
"Really? How?"
She was about to answer when they were back in the library once again and it was Applejack's turn.
Both Spike and Applejack hardly glanced at each other given what happened last night when the spell was casted over them they were in a fire swamp as fire spouted out of geysers.
"Just so you know, I don't plan on quitting." he told her.
Applejack frowned, "I admire your dedication, but surely after seeing some of those other creatures with the girls you know that is this not something to be taken lightly. I tried to warn you last night…"
"If anything your warning made more determined than ever."
She face-hoofed then she shouted, "Why do you have to be so darn stubborn?! What's it going to get through your head that we're trying to protect you?!"
"Well maybe I don't need protection! If you would just give me a chance!"
She would have retorted back but she heard something coming toward them. Spike keep babbling, "Okay, sure, maybe I'm small, weak, and a bit useless… but all my life all I wanted was to do is fight side-by-side with you guys and maybe be a hero-" but he got muffled by her hooves around him.
"Hush! I hear something…"
They stood quiet for a moment and when Applejack thought it was safe to let him go, a large silhouette and six pairs of yellowing eyes appeared to them. A chimera showed themselves with the tiger head saying.
"Look sisters, we have can have dragon for an appetizer and pony for the main course…"
"Hmmm…" the snake head and goat head said.
Applejack jumped in front of Spike in a protective stance completely forgetting this wasn't real in the first place and declared, "You'll have to go through me first!" She charged toward the large beast.
Spike knew Applejack was the most battle ready of the Elements but to see it in action was beyond words. The way she handled herself when she had the snake head chase after her and to wrap around the shared body of her sisters causing them to fall, giving AJ the chance to use a big tree branch to put in the tiger head's mouth so it couldn't bite her.
Spike couldn't stop staring in wonder and once again the warm bubbly sensation returned.
Once Applejack had defeated the chimera, she went toward him. "You okay?"
He still stared as he tried to find the words, "You're- that was absolutely amazing!"
She gave him a sad look, "It may look incredible to someone on the sidelines… but when you actually do it… it's not so great…"
He slightly frowned as he took in the words. She's right, you know… after what you saw today… can you really deal with a monster as any of them did? This is what she was trying to tell you last night… 
	He looked up to face her and said, "Thank you…"
She raised a brow in confusion as she inquired, "For what?"
"For trying to make me see that this shouldn't be taken lightly… I know it's not some big game that you're doing to protect Equestria… But I want to do what I can to help… Maybe as the Dragon Warrior I can…"
Applejack was speechless by this dragon. It was truly mind-boggling how this small dragon that showed up all of sudden could have such a noble heart…? Then it hit her. Legend often told of the Dragon Warrior being courageous and having a righteous heart… Could it be…? She still found it hard to believe but it wasn't impossible…
Maybe Celestia was on to something after all…
	When spell had been lifted, Twilight addressed them.
"Well, Spike? Do you wish to proceed with the training?" she silently prayed he wouldn't.
The dragon replied firmly, "I do."
Twilight's heart sank as she solemnly said, "Well… alright… Training begins at the same time. I shall see you then." she flapped her wings and flew out of the room.
Spike sighed and said to the girls, "She doesn't believe I can become the Dragon Warrior either, does she?"
They exchanged cringing looks and slowly nodded.