//------------------------------//
// Recovery 
// Story: The Dragon Lord's Legacy 
// by Little_Draco 
//------------------------------//

The Dragon Lord Legacy
Recovery 


Spike’s sleep was not easy, nor was able to escape from his vivid dreams. His mind was scattered.  Weaved  with memories from his life. He recounted colors, shapes, voices and other things that made no sense to him.
Quardroped creatures of multiple colors that filled a rainbow. Several stood out more than most. Violet, white, and other colors varied from orange, sky blue, yellow, pink and sapphire. Voices of warmth and laughter echoed in the back of his mind. Vivid images of seeing different areas, parts of the world he never had been too… at least that he could remember.

Then came exotic feelings, strange but wonderful feelings. He felt… love from a white figure in a rainbow hue, her features cascading like a lava fall but more… happily. Then came amethyst eyes that looked into his own, staring at them with love, hope and more. Unlike his mother’s eyes, they were young, intelligent and full of love that he could not describe. It wasn’t the love like a mother, rather they were that of a close friend or even a sibling.

‘...my number one assistant…’
He inhaled and exhaled deeply in his sleep.

‘...my! Is that a baby dragon…’

He felt his claws tighten, almost as if he was trying to hold on to something.

‘...such a gentledrake…’

He whimpered lightly in his sleep, seeking a certain voice.

‘...may not be my blood, but you are still a child I can love…’

Tears slipped from his closed eyes, softly bringing him to a soft sob.

‘...I just want to be with you…’

‘...I…love… you…’ 

That was his voice. That was his voice and he told that to someone. Not his mothers, but to someone dear to him. Someone that pained him physically and mentally to forget. Then, it turned on him. The pain came hard...

‘... Hold the Scepter! We can still save you!’

He twisted and turned, groaning in sleep, pain and fear etching his face. Whimpers left him his mouth.

‘...You dare strike my daughter! She trusted you! She cared for you!’

His blood boiled and he began to frantically toss and turn in his sleep, whimpering as the memories tore at him. Then a memory came to him, something that was so clear, it seemed as if he was there.
His eyes looked up at his mother, her bright violent eyes filled with sadness. The oddness of it was that he almost matched her in height. After that, he looked down and saw Ember. She was in extreme pain, her body looked worn and beaten. But her eyes… her amber eyes betrayed sadness, fear, and a hurt that was more emotional than anything.
The pain returned with a vengeance on his chest as he stared at those saddened eyes, looking back at him. Then his mind went blank as he felt himself floating in a sparkling void. He was surrounded by stars and swirls of colors akin to the night, but what made it stranger was that it felt familiar.

A tug at his mind made him spin, trying to finding where the pull was coming from. 

“Spi…”
He heard a voice, one familiar, yet he couldn’t pin it.

“Spike?” 
It called out to him, this time louder. A feminine and beautiful voice called from the starry void. 

“Spike? Is that you? I… can’t seem to reach you. It is as if your are… blind…”

Blind? How could he be blind? He could see clearly. 

“Your mind is… hollow. Why?” There was a paused before a short gasp. “You...You’ve lost your memory!” The world around him began to spin and from the void, he managed to see a vivid outline of a… figure with a swaying mane of blue, as if her very hair was flowing cloud of stars. “Are you, Spike? Are you… you?” He tried to speak but his mind burned with obscure images of figures and creatures he remembers not. “I...I am sorry Spike, I can’t help you… yet. Recover your memories and reach me out agi-”

Suddenly, he was yanked hard out of the starry void and he gasped awake as he felt a burning feeling in his chest. In a painful growl, he shot his head up and released a massive fire from the bellows of his chest, shooting straight up into the cave ceiling and lighting up the entire cave in a bright green flame.
The flame lasted for a few seconds with pain mixing into his flames until he stopped and groaned, collapsing over to his side, panting and fumes leaving his mouth. Tears fell from his eyes as he began to sob silently. 
He was alone, that he knew for he could not hear nor smell his mothers nearby. They are out and probably trying to take care of their own needs or had other duties to attend. Why did he have to suffer by himself? 
The cave softly echoed his cries, as he laid there with pain in his chest. His heart hurt, both physically and figuratively, as he his memories of hurting Ember filled his mind, replaying the scene. His mind was in turmoil, his body was aching from rapid growth and he had just remembered a bitter part of a forgotten past. Then Ember came to him, trying to comfort him, hoping to provide aid.

He struck her. He struck her down because his mind was broken. He hit and hurt the one that had helped him in the beginning. When she was hurt, he felt the backlash of that. He felt her pain and what was worse, there was some sort of feedback from that. It was like if something was torn or cut from him, and that when he struck Ember, he felt it affect him worse.

He moaned in soft agony as his chest compressed itself. He tried to call for his mothers, call for anyone to help, but all that left him were soft cries of pain.
He didn’t know how long he laid in pain, it felt like minutes or hours, but he knew that it continued on. For the briefest of moments though, he felt as though he might slip and go away. His mind continue to replay terrible scenarios and vivid memories. Nothing deep into the past but something recent prior to his coma. His arrival to the dragon lands, his meeting with Torch up close, the feeling of betrayal from Ember. 
Then came the true horror as he remembered being in the trials set by for elders. Torch, another dragon… both of his mothers. Torch made him go through one of will over greed. The other dragon made him recall history and how to deal with situations. Then his mother… his momma… she did the physical aspect where she planned on hurting Spike. The physical attack being struck by her tail.

The memory was so strong that when he remembered the physical blow, his chest throbbed and he gasped in pain as relived the memory. The memory moved on as she continued to taunt him, forcing him to protect himself and attack. The final part of the memory is when he managed to attack her when she was on the ground and pointing a pointed rock to her weak point on the neck. He could have killed her… he could have pushed it in and killed her.

From there, came that last few memories as his mother, tapped into his brain and looked into his passed. He couldn’t remember all of it, but he felt her mind in his and how she was affecting him inside and out. The physical change as he began to grow. His body spasmed as he recalled each bone cracking or forming as he grew in height. 
His final memory was Eliyinsa unlocking something deep in his mind, something that made him snap.

“...My Special Emerald.” 
“...Mother?” he managed to say through his teeth. It was the one whom gave birth to him. He was in his egg but he could remember that well enough. 
Then came darkness, screams of his mother, motion and fast blur of colors. Finally, came the reveal of the world, as he saw violent eyes staring at him.
‘Twi… li… ght… ‘



“Spike!” Eliyinsa and Zynthia ran into the cave and towards Spike, where they saw him writhing and moaning in pain. “My son! What is wrong? What has happened?!” Eliyinsa cried out, moving close to him.
Spike didn’t answer or couldn’t. His mind was trying to piece together his past and present to quickly. “I-I-I r-remember… I-I remember hurting…” He paused as tears poured from his eyes. “Em-Ember… I-I hu-hurt Ember…” He then shook his head side to side. “Why did you h-hurt me?” He couldn’t understand the pain his mothers caused him. “W-Why?”
Both mothers were struck with grieve as he remembered the pain he received from both. Zynthia from the physical aspect of the trial while she broke his mind. They weren’t even sure how to help him at this point. Even if he wasn’t their blood hatchling, they loved him enough that seeing him in this pain was agony at their own hearts.
It wasn’t until they heard the screams outside their cave, did both dragonesses look towards their entrance and saw Ember, along with her hoard and even Torch entering. They didn’t even wait for permission to enter as Ember flew past them, with a glowing Bloodstone Scepter in claw.

“How?” was all ELiyinsa managed to ask.
Ember, whom had pain etched into her face, ignored them both and quickly landed in front of Spike. She carefully placed a claw upon his face, shedding her own tears as the Scepter continued to glow.
“S-Spike?” she asked, a voice of pain and sadness leaving her.
Spike managed to open his eyes and saw Ember right before him, a beauty he never thought look or feel more real than now. Her gentle brushing against his face, slowly made the pain go away. His vision was starting to clear and he could actually remember the reason why she was here.
“E-Ember?” he asked through a raspy voice. His chest was still tight but, he slowly reached out with his palm towards her. She immediately grasped his and she smiled as he held her claws tightly. 
“Do y-you remember?” Hope tugged at her heart, but staying at bay incase he was just hallucinating. He blinked, with tears streaming down his face, looking away and began to cry softly.
“I-I remember… hurting you…” He quickly inhaled and exhaled with his cry, trying not to look at her but squeezing her palm tightly. “T-The p-p-pain I caused… you! M-Me hitting you! I-I…” He couldn’t continue and began to cry fully.
Despite him remembering the pain he did cause her, it did give her merit that he at least remembered her. His memories maybe returning but there was pain to come with them. She dared not move him, not wanting him to suffer anymore. She moved in close and laid her body right next to his, placing her head on top of his while covering part of his body with her wing. She then used her arms to bring them close, letting him feel safe with her. She didn’t care that she was being watched by others, she didn’t care that she was in the resting area of other dragons and she didn’t care that Spike had hurt her in the past.

Right now, she didn’t care for anything else but Spike right now.

Eliyinsa and Zynthia had watched and heard everything, both unsure of what to do. It was Torch that had motioned them both to leave them be and follow him outside, along with Ember’s hoard. 
Before any of the two could say anything, Torch spoke low enough only for them to hear. “For now, leave them be. Ember was in agony this morning and now she shares it with him. Let them deal with it together… alone!” He then huffed hotly. “We can discuss what to do with him outside.” He saw them flinch but both nodded. He then looked towards the smaller dragonesses before him. “You two… Keep watch at the entrance. You can’t be to far away but don’t disturb them. They need this.” Both dragonesses nodded without complaint. With that Torch, lead the two dragonesses outside and away from their own home.

Meanwhile, Ember held Spike, while whispering to him. “You didn’t mean to hurt me. You never want to hurt me. You were not you, you had no control. I still care for you.” Over and over, she would repeat that, along with how it wasn’t his fault or that she never gave up on him. He still continued to cry his little heart out, but it slowly transitioned from cries of pain and sadness to cries of his inability to remember more of his past and Ember. 
“I-I-I still can’t remember all o-of you…” he sadly cried. Ember decided then to tell her all of his encounters. From the first time they met at the Gauntlet of Fire, where her father was giving up the throne for the next Dragon Lord, to when she sought him to be her Consort. The lie that came with it, but the truth that was more stronger than the lie. Then, the day they both had physically become intimate.
Seeing his blush made her chuckle. Hearing her chuckle made his heart grow with warmth and make the pain fade quickly. He then asked for details, which got quickly retracted in his state. Ember didn’t hesitate and shared what they had done together. He was intrigued but at the same time, felt a bit happy that his body was still in un-eased state, for the details may have lead to some… awkward holding. 
“Then came the day of the trials…” Her mood turned somber but she didn’t hide anything nor left anything out. She knew that this maybe the only way to get his memories back. Or it may damage him further, but she had to try. 
“My father started the first one… The trial of ‘Will over Greed’. You passed with no problems. Then came ‘Memory and Adaptation’ with Dereian. You were smart with your memory…”
“Like I am now?” he chidded with a small grin. She smiled, enjoying his small humour. 
“Maybe a bit more than now,” she playfully added. She then turned a bit soloem as she spoke. “Then came the physical aspect of the trial which was ‘Survival’.” She ran her claws over his face, reminiscing the pain he endured with Zynthia. 
“You do know that they are not your blood mothers… right?” she asked.
Spike sighed and gave a slow nod.
“Part of me remembers them at the trials… but nothing before. I figured that… they took me in after?”
She nodded, brushing her snout against his. “After ‘Survival’ came… ‘Heart and Soul Lock’... by Eliyinsa.”
A sudden twitch or spasm jolted his body as she said that and he whimpered. He blinked at why his body did that and wondered why. Ember gave a purr of sadness for him. “She would look into your memories, see if your heart is pure, if your memories are good and if your mind is stable.” She blinked and small moisture formed at her edges. “She forced your body to grow but at the same time, she looked into your past. What made you the dragon you are today.”
Spike blinked at that and looked at her questioningly. 
“H-How did she do that?”
Ember gapped, her mouth slightly open and she instantly concluded that Spike had no idea his mother was with ‘abilities’ outside of normal dragons. Another secret held from him, a mother she claimed to be no less. She mentally prepared to lash at her later for that but for now, she continued on with him.
“She has...gifts or powers that exceed normal dragons. I am sure she would have told you at some point but she uses them to look into your memories and your past.” She paused and then sadness cascaded her features. “She looked to deep and found something that damaged you. Something in your past that made you remember something that you were not supposed to.” She then tightly wrapped herself closer, as if worrying he might push away in the next part. “Your mind fractured and you fought against it. You lashed out at…” She didn’t say it. She didn’t have to. Spike finally wrapped his arms around her. 
Despite the uncomfortable laying positions they are in, with Ember’s wings wrapped around Spike’s, he still managed to wrap his arm around and under her wing. His tail, longer than before, managed to reach out and wrap around hers. His snout was directly on her, brushing it on her. 
“I remember… we both suffered…” He swallowed the dry spittle that lingered in the back of his throat. The memory of his forced transformation, the memory he had to endure with his mother. “I hurt you…”
“You didn’t mean for it to happen,” she countered with a stern tone. “You lost your mind and had no idea what you experienced…”
“My mother,” He cut her off with that. She balked a that. He pressed on. “My birth mother… I don’t remember much but she is what I remembered. She was… talking to me, in my egg. I heard her voice.” His eyes went vacant as he remembered more. “She called me… her ‘Special Emerald’.” Ember’s eyes glittered in amazement as she saw Spike remember a past, that would be near impossible for most dragons to remember. 
But his eyes then turned to sadness with a small whimper leaving him. “Then I hear her scream, I feel myself being… carried. Tossed or turned, I’m not sure. But after that, I suddenly feel like the warmth of the sun holding me. I hear another voice, not my mother’s but ‘she’ sounded like one. After that, I remember a bright light, brighter than the sun and it felt just like it. Then it went away and I was looking into the eyes of… violet.” He opened his eyes and matched Ember’s with intensity of warmth and hope. “She was staring at me, not like my mother, like… Eliyinsa. No, this was someone else, this was someone I don’t recognize.”    
Ember was about to answer but she heard the approaching steps of small feet on the cave floor. She knew who it was and decided that for now, that conversation could wait. She gave a quick lick across his snout before smiling. “I want you to meet the rest of the hoard. Come on!” She untangled herself from him and slowly rose. He did the same, albeit softly with any lingering pain just softening his joints. From his view, he saw the two dragonesses he had met before. He didn’t catch their names but he knew they were important to Ember.
Ember motioned them closer, where the pinkish dragoness, taller than Ember and Spike, seemed joyful and giddy with them both. The smaller one, however seemed a bit off. For one, she had taken a good look at him, before she became stiff and her face flushed. He saw her cheeks turn a bit red as she stared at him wide eyed and near motionless.
“I know you’ve seen them yesterday but I like to properly introduce them.” She motioned for the pink one. “This is Amethyst, though I am sure you would remember her before.”
Vague and un-detailed memories of the dragoness come to mind, though the color was familiar, as was the warmth of the smile coming from her. She gave a quick nod and even quickly reached out, pulling him into a hug. He was caught by surprise by the taller dragoness, as she squealed loudly next to his ear.
“Oh! So glad your back! Somewhat!” She then pulled away, clapping her claws in delight. “Can’t wait to have you back!”
Spike blinked and gave a cautious smile. “Um… I hope that I can get back?” he wasn’t sure of his own words. He then looked to the smaller, meek looking dragoness. Ember moved to her and brought her close to both herself and Amethyst. “And here we have Smolder, the youngest of us.”
Spike gave her a warm smile, Smolder tried to return it but failed as she felt her cheeks flushed. “I...I’m sorry that we didn’t meet… properly…” she rubbed her arms. “It was… weird at the time.”
Spike nodded in agreement. “It was.” Was his simple reply. He looked up towards Ember. “Are they… were they with us before?”
Ember’s smile dropped, as did the mood. “No,” she said, shaking her head with a soft tone. “After the trials…” she paused, really trying to find the right word. Spike nodded in understanding. “After I struck you.” It did not come out easier saying it.
Ember and Amethyst flinched at that while Smolder looked a bit frightened to hear it directly from the source. She was not there at the trials, but she had heard what had happened.   
“After that,” she repeated uneasily, “The backlash from you and I sharing the Scepter’s power caused me to receive most of the feedback. It would have begin to tear at me,” Spike was beside himself, trying to phantom how much pain he put her through, even as she went on, he did not like how this all turned out. “So, I quickly choose Amethyst to join my hoard.” She paused as her eyes glistened with minor regret, but it was based on survival that she had done so. “At least, when you came back.” she stated with certainty, saying ‘when’ instead of ‘if’. 
“But it wasn’t enough?” he asked, innocent enough to let Ember know that he wasn’t upset on taking more than one dragon.
She shook her head. “You and I are different. Our different interactions with the Scepter has us at odds that we two alone could handle that energy. Normal dragons our age would need three or more dragons to handle it. Few would be able to handle it for a time before needing a Consort or a Hoard.” She paused and motioned for Smolder and Amethyst. “They were the only ones I can trust to not seek being my… Hoard for the gems or fame.”
Spike liked knowing that Ember trusted these two females with her. He also liked knowing that one of them was kind and warm and bubbly but the other seemed…
“And Smolder?” Was his question. 
Smolder jolted when she heard her name, as if she was spacing out. Ember gave a grin and laid a palm on her shoulder. “She is just shy and perhaps… she enjoys your grown new looks.” Smolder turned a deep shade of red as she flushed.
“Ember!” she growled lightly in embarrassment, not meeting Spike’s eyes. Amethyst giggled at the display and Ember rubbed her arm, teasing the younger dragoness. Spike seemed perplexed and looked down at himself, as if just noticing his body for the first time. He didn’t see himself any different, but then again, Ember said he was smaller before he fell into his coma.

He slightly flexed his chest and wings out of habit to see more of his body. This made Smolder look wide eye at his form, rippling with mass and stature that wasn’t on him when he was her height. When she saw him over the course of the months as the molts changed him, she grew attached to his form, even dreaming of him being next to him, holding her, along with Ember and Amethyst. The truth was never a doubt that she would like him, for Ember described all the best qualities about him, including his life before, but now that he stood before her, handsome yet strong, intelligent but mindful, tall and gentle, she saw the ideal drake that would make anyone dragoness happy or loved...

“Your not doing any favors for us either, Spike.” Stated Ember. Spike looked up and saw that Ember and Smolder were both staring at him like if he was a hunk of meat that was being scrutinized with greed… or in this case lust. Amethyst was just staring at him and then staring at the other two before nodding with a grin.
“Things about to get heated in here… and I ain’t talking about lava pits we all might jump into later.”


Outside the caves, Torch had just finished talking to the two Elders.
“I had hoped that this would be easier for him.” He grumbled lightly. “Clearly, there is much that we are unaware of.”
“It’s not like his past is fully cloaked.” stated Eliyinsa, shuffling on her feet. “I’ve seen that the ponies have done good, but even they know nothing of his origins.”
“We haven’t had dragon hunters, missing eggs or even foul play on other dragons, reported for half a millennium.” Added Zynthia. “His age and the description provided to us show that his egg would be no older than a couple of decades. Anything longer, he would be dead or stone.”
Torch grumbled in acceptance on that statement. “Then there is clearly something we are missing. Dragons outside the lands still keep in touch during the ‘migration’, so nothing has been reported then either.”
Eliyinsa shook her head. “Either nothing was reported or…” she paused as a disturbing thought came. “A dragon didn’t wish to report it.”
This alerted both her mate and Torch, though the former dragon lord growled lightly.
“Any dragon who abandons their egg…”
“Would be dealt with harshly.” Finished Zynthia with venom in her own voice.

Eliyinsa didn’t like the idea either but that was the only clear case on Spike’s egg. She then gave a quick glance at her cave, hoping the others weren’t close enough to hear before speaking low to the others. “Perhaps we need to pay Equestria a visit and speak to the Alicorns. They may be the ones that hold the key to his past and finally resolve where he comes from.” She lowered her head and shook it lightly. “It’s not fair for him to not know of his past.” She quickly raised it back up and looked at them both. “But it is not fair that we, as his mothers, are not fully understanding why he is the way is. His reaction to my abilities should have been a meer headache when all was said and done but it went beyond that and I cannot phantom the pain I…”
“We put him through!” Clarified both Torch and Zynthia aggressively and simultaneously.
Eliyinsa huffed and briefly smiled in appreciation, before continuing on. “He has suffered because of us.”
“I agree with that.” Torch said before sighing loudly. “Though I would love to speak to the Sun Princess again after a few centuries, I’m afraid that Saphira has not fully recovered yet, so I will not join you.”
Both nodded in understanding. “You want us to leave so soon?” asked Zynthia. 

Torch nodded. “If we are to uncover Spike, as well as any other secrets on dragons the Equestrians are hiding, I suggest we find them quickly. Something in my gut tells me we have a little bit of time to get some answers.”
Zynthia snorted in sympathy. “That something telling you that you want to find the answers for Ember’s sake as well?”

Torch grumbled in seriousness. “Ember was with us when she screamed in pain, including Saphira.” Both females flinched and felt sorrow for the young dragon lord. Her own mother having to witness her daughter in pain, no sooner than her awakening.
“I-I’m sorry, Torch,” Eliyinsa apologized. “I had no idea…”
“None of us did,” He grumbled lightly, huffing once more before motioning towards the cave. “Speak to them all. Tell them that you need to head to Equestria.”
“I agree,” said Zynthia. “We need to find his origins, his history and where his parents are.”
“But he is not ready!” ELiyinsa bristled with worry. “He has not fully recovered his memories, let alone aware of his changes.”

“Then be quick with it!” Stated Torch. “We need him to at least be presentable with the Equestrians.”
“What’s the worst they can do?” snorted Zynthia. “Go to war? We would turn them to ashes, despite their past deeds.”
Torch growled at the thought of war, not directly at her. “The chaos chimera is on their side now, as well as the changelings. They have low numbers but their magic can surpass our own in but raw power, just with them. The twisted freak and the bugs can target us in many different ways.” He then shook his head. “This was all done within the last year. I’d rather not take our chances on angering them.” He paused, his mood suddenly lightening a bit. “Besides, despite the issue with Spike, Ember has made allies with them, along with dragons living with them peacefully in towns.” 
Eliyinsa knew of this but she never cared for dragons that lived within pony society. They abandoned their roots and forsaken the ‘Call of Dragons’ when they disbanded from dragons life. Shaking her head, she moved past the topic.

“How do you suppose we help our son recover his memory?”
Torch gave her an eye. “Tell him everything, leave nothing.” Short and simple, but for her, complex and annoying. 
She growled inwardly but nonetheless nodded. “If you must, use your abilities to help.” She was about to retort but he cut her off before she could. “His reaction to your abilities have had effects that could help him further along.”
“Or it could cause permanent damage and erase his mind altogether.” Stated Zynthia. Torch looked at her briefly before focusing back on the smaller dragoness. 
“Do you doubt your abilities?” Was simply asked by Torch. Eliyinsa’s tail twitched. The metal band around her tail, glowed a vibrant purple. Torch watched it from the edge of his eyes but focused on her own. She wanted to test his words on him, but she knew he wouldn’t take to kindly to it. 
“I have no doubts,” she stated coldly, “But my son should not have to suffer if I trigger another relapse on him. I warn that I will do whatever I want to help, regardless of what you may think!”

Torch kept his stern gaze on her, not giving her even a hint of emotions. She was intelligent beyond other Elders but her little gifts made her also dangerous. She was ticking to use them, eager to unleash them on anydragon, if need be. But she was not stupid. 
He snorted when she remained glaring at him, knowing she wouldn’t do anything. “Don’t let your emotions cloud your judgement… or your performance to help Spike.” He leaned down at her, matching her glare. “We already dealt with this in the past, we don’t need another ‘incident’ again.” He growled the last bit. She tried to hold her own. She was not afraid of him, but… she was afraid of losing control. She wilted and stood down.
Zynthia whom was watching, had enough and quickly pushed herself between the two. “We will do what we must,” she quickly answered, trying to ease the tension between her mate and Torch. “But we also know that we can help Spike, without needing to use her abilities on him.”
Torch leaned back, giving space between the two. He looked down at the now wilted dragoness. Her eyes remained on him, but her gaze was anything but strong. “I...I will try…” Was all she replied.

He gave her a stern look before he too eased and lowered his posture. “That is all I ask.” He then released a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “And perhaps… we can find a better way to help our hatchlings. For their sake.” A soft whine, barely audible was heard. “I can’t stand to hear Ember scream again, nor Saphira to see her daughter in pain again.”

Zynthia and Eliyinsa nodded to that, knowing that it was the worst thing to see a hatchling in pain. Especially when you can do nothing about it. 

For the sake of their young, they would do what they must.