//------------------------------//
// Fire Blight Pt.2 
// Story: Firebreather 
// by TAD2 
//------------------------------//

Spike was running through the orchard, a fog of smoke so thick it would obstruct a normal person’s vision. But thankfully Spike was not a normal person. Thanks to his dragon eyes he could see as if it was a clear, sunny day and thanks to his dragon feet, Spike was able to quickly run through the mess of trees and dodge branches. 

Quickly, Spike was deep into the fire, that's when he heard someone coughing heavily due to the smoke. Spike looked around hoping to see AJ, Apple Bloom or Babs. 

That's when he saw her. He saw AJ on the ground trying to crawl deeper into the grove to save her sister and cousin. Spike ran over to her to make sure she wasn't hurt. "AJ!" Yelled Spike.

AJ looked around and noticed Spike. "Spike...*cough* why are you...*cough* here?"

Spike looked around, hoping to find something to help AJ breathe. He looked at her dress and knew something to help her. "AJ do you trust me?" Asked Spike.

AJ nodded, but she wasn't sure what Spike was going to do or why his eyes looked so different. Spike smiled as he moved his hands down to her skirt and tore a large part of it off. Spike then tore the fabric into three pieces. Spike looked up and noticed that there were some apples still on the branches. Spike smiled. 'Perfect.' Thought Spike as he jumped using as little strength as possible. If Spike had used his full strength, he would have been 40 feet in the air. Spike jumped and grabbed a few apples from the branches.

Spike looked at the apples in his hands and using all his strength, he juiced the apples dry, letting the juice soak the rags. Spike took the soaked clothes and placed one over AJ's nose and mouth. Spike looked at AJ. "Ok, AJ take a few deep breaths but only through your nose." Said Spike. 

AJ took a deep breath through her nose following Spike's instructions. It took her a few minutes, but her breathing returned to normal. "Spike, what the heck are you doing here?" Asked AJ. 

Spike sighed. "I could ask you the same."

AJ then took better notice of Spike's eyes and she backed up in shock. "What's wrong with your eyes?" Asked AJ visibly scared.

Spike sighed. "AJ, I'll explain later, but I need to take you back to your family first. It's dangerous to stay in here."

AJ shook her head. "No, I'm not leaving my sis and cousin in here."

Spike shook his head. "No, you’re going back." Said Spike getting angry at her stupidity.

AJ growled. "I'm staying." 

"You’re going." Growled Spike, which was an actual growl.

"AND I SAID, I'M GOING!" Yelled AJ. "NOW STOP ARGUING, WE'RE WASTING TIME." She then got to her feet and started making her way to the old clubhouse that her father had built for her when she was younger. 

Spike sighed and followed AJ through the smoke. When he caught up to her, he tried to make her see reason. "AJ, please listen to me, I can take this, you can't. You need to head back to the others."

AJ glared at Spike. "Listen Spike, I don't know what's going on with you, and right now I don't really care. My sister and cousin are trapped in this fire. They need help, and it would take too long for the family to reach them with water."

Spike groaned as he knew she was right. Spike then started to remove his shirt, he needed a way to navigate this maze of trees, and since AJ refused to leave, she was going to have to tag along. AJ looked at Spike taking off his shirt. "SPIKE? What in the heck are you doing?"

Spike looked at AJ. "Look, I'll explain everything to you after we get your sister and Babs." Said Spike, he then draped his shirt over AJ. "Keep this on, it's fire proof." Said Spike.

AJ looked at the shirt. "Fire proof? Why is a shirt fire proof?" Asked AJ. 

"Because I have a tendency to start fires around normal fabric, but that's not the point, the DDC will be here soon and unless you want to lose your memories, I suggest that we hurry." Spike then changed his arms and back. 

AJ dropped her jaw when she saw Spike's arms and back turn purple. She then took a step back in fear. "Spike what's happening to you?"

Spike gave a dry chuckle. "Long story short, I'm not all human. But like I said, I'll explain everything when you're safe." Spike then picked up AJ and started carrying her in his arms. He looked down at AJ. "AJ, tell me the quickest way to that clubhouse." Said Spike. 

AJ nodded, she then pointed west. "It's about a quarter mile west of the house, we should be about half way there." 

Spike nodded as he began to run through the trees as fast as he could.

While Spike was running, AJ looked up at Spike, and took notice of all the changes he had gone through, but she looked into his eyes, and she saw Spike, the Spike she had a crush on, the Spike that saved her from dying, and the Spike that is risking his life to save her family. She smiled at him, because for the first time while in this fire, she felt safe.

Spike then stopped in his tracks. "I hear them." Said Spike, he then turned to the right and ran straight towards the sound of crying. It didn't take long for Spike and AJ to find the club house in question. The only problem was they now knew why the girls didn't run. One of the nearby tree's had fallen in front of the door, they were trapped. Spike placed AJ down on the ground, he was looking for a way to save them. The club house was a bunch of 2 by 4s and nails, with a small balcony, and all of it was painted light orange.  

"Apple Bloom, Babs, are you two alright?" Yelled AJ. 

"AJ, we're up here, but the door's jammed, we can't get out." Yelled Apple Bloom.

AJ was worried, she looked at Spike. "Spike, there has to be something we can do?"

Spike nodded. "There is." Spike then looked at the tree house. "Babs, Apple Bloom, cover your eyes and hold your breaths for a few moments. I'm going to get the door open and when I do it could force the smoke inside of there, I'll tell you when, but for now just keep calm." 

"Ok, Spike." Yelled Babs.

Spike looked at AJ. "AJ, when I get them down, get those rags over their mouths as soon as you can." AJ nodded. Spike took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Once he was calm, Spike jumped up to the small balcony of the tree house and began to cut the tree that had blocked the path. After the tree wasn't a hazard anymore, it was time for the two to cover their eyes. "Ok Apple Bloom, Seed, close your eyes, I'm about to open the door."

The two girls did so. "Ready!" Yelled the two. With that confirmed Spike used his strength to pry off the door to the clubhouse. He looked at the two girls huddled together in the corner. 

Spike moved closer to them and pulled them into his body. "Ok I got you girls. Keep your eyes shut and don't talk." Said Spike. The 2 nodded. Spike quickly ran out of the clubhouse, jumped down from the balcony and ran over to AJ. "Ok, cover them." Said Spike.

AJ nodded as she covered the girls faces with the wet rags. She looked at her sister and cousin. "Ok, slow breaths through your nose." Said AJ. 

Apple Bloom and Babs listened to AJ; the rags were helping them. Spike nodded seeing that everyone was safe, but now they needed to get out of here. "Ok, were going back to the farm, once you three are safe I'm going to stop this fire." 

AJ nodded. "Fine, we're only about a quarter mile from the house, but what about you?"

"Trust me AJ, I'll be fine." Said Spike, he looked around and noticed the smoke, it was much blacker than it was a moment ago. He looked at the three girls, they weren't going to be able to make it through all the smoke. He looked at AJ. "AJ, don't freak out, but I'm going to need you to keep quiet about what your about to see." Said Spike as he started to grow his wings and change into his dragon form. Spike's skin changed to his scales, his pants were torn apart by his legs changing, he grew his tail and one by one his spines shot out of his back. He looked at AJ, Babs, and Apple Bloom, the latter two keeping their eyes closed. Spike looked at AJ, she was visibly scared of Spike now. "I'll explain everything soon." Said Spike as he used his arms to grab the two girls and his tail to grab AJ, and without a word, Spike started flying.

When they were above the smoke, Spike looked around, he could see a ton of fire trucks pushing the fire back. But it was a losing battle, it was spreading too fast for them to keep up, if he didn't do something they could go up in flames. Spike quickly flew to the other side of the farm, using the smoke as a cover and landed to the ground. He looked at AJ. "AJ, get to the house, and don't tell anyone." Said Spike. 

AJ nodded as she ran with Apple Bloom and Babs back to the house. Spike sighed as he took to the air again and flew back to the fire side. But while he did, he noticed a small pond in a clearing. "That'll work, but I'm going to be tasting it for a month." Said Spike as he landed over to the clearing and started to grow into his full dragon size.

When he was finished, he stuck his head into the pond and gathered as much water into his mouth as he could. Once he was filled, he started flying over the fire and started spraying the water through his teeth like a forest fire water run. 'I hope Uncle D isn't here.' Thought Spike. 

Down below, Discord was shocked to see Spike flying above helping put out the fires. "Oh, the moment he lands, I'm going to call his mother." Said Discord. He looked at the DDC agents disguised as the Canterlot Fire Department. "Come on, the longer we take the easier it will be for the media to show up." Yelled Discord. 

Back with Spike, his tank was almost empty, but he was able to carpet a large chunk of the fire. "Good, it's working, time to make another pass." Said Spike as he turned around and headed back to the pond to refill. 



 

10 minutes and 5 trips to the pond later, Spike was smiling at the small groups of agents running around the farm taking care of the little fires that were left. Spike nodded as he headed back to the lake, to change back to normal.

When he got there however, he noticed two people standing there. Discord looked at Spike and pointed to the ground. Spike nodded as he quickly landed and changed back into his normal form. Discord looked at Spike. "I want an explanation right this moment." Said Discord as she showed AJ in his grip. "Do you have any idea, how much trouble you just put you and your mother in by doing such a stupid stunt, and the media, the media is going to have a field day when word gets out that a dragon was sighted in the human world. We're going to have to do so much to make you disappear again, and this time you’re not getting a new alarm clock." Said Discord angerly. 

Spike sighed. "I know, but I wasn't going to let three girls die just because people might see me, I was raised to put others before myself."

Discord groaned as he looked at AJ. "And you Ms. Apple, will have your memories wiped and will be returned to your family. I am not going through the hassle of relocating a full farm and giving an explanation to where you are, that being said, I will have agents monitoring you for the rest of your life." 

AJ gulped. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because it won't matter in a few moments." Said Discord. He tossed Spike a little box. "Also Spike, Sombra dropped this off for you earlier."

Spike looked at the box, there was a little note attached.



Hey kid, if your reading this, you did something really stupid. I'm only going to do this once and don't expect to get another. Inside this box are two things, one is a full set of clothes for you that have been modified to emit a small interference field that will block the color purple from being seen, second is my latest creation, I call it the neural inhibitor, it's a small version of the memory wiper. I originally wanted to give this to you when you got the button, but it wasn't ready just yet. The prototype kinda exploded, but this is the first working prototype. Use it if you have no choice but to go full dragon in front of someone else, also if you do use it, make sure to use it at least 5 feet away from someone. If you don't, then it will be messier than a Gallagher show. I'm only doing this because I don't want my baby girl to get upset when she finds out that you moved. Don't tell Discord. 



Spike looked at the note and opened the box. Sitting inside was three sets of cubes and a small silver tube. The cubes were nothing new to Spike. This was how he got all his clothes from the DDC, Spike grabbed the cubes and tossed them into the pond. Instantly, a shirt, a pair of jeans, and both a pair of socks and underwear floated to the surface. Spike dove into the water and grabbed the clothes and swam back to shore. Spike blew a gout of fire on to the clothes to dry them off and put them on. Spike looked at AJ. "So how do I look?" Asked Spike.

AJ looked at him and to her eyes, he looked wet, but normal. "How did you do that?" Asked AJ. "You were purple a moment ago." 

Spike sighed as he motioned for AJ to take a seat on the shore of the pond. She nodded and took the seat. Spike sighed. "How are they doing?" Asked Spike. 

"Apple Bloom and Babs are going to be fine, but their having problems seeing right now, they got some smoke and ash in their eyes when they got trapped. The rest of the family were moved to the cellar, when the firefighters showed. So, I don't think anyone saw anything." 

Spike smiled at hearing that. "Good, I'm sorry for lying to you all." Said Spike. 

AJ sighed. "I understand why you did it though, but what I don't understand is exactly what you are."

Spike gave a dry chuckle. "My full name is Spike Drake Solaris; I am destined to be the 37th Dragon King. My mother married the 36th Dragon King, my father, Bahamut. I am their son, making me the prince of all dragon kind."

AJ nodded. "Ok, but what about turning into a dragon?" 

Spike sighed. "When I was born, I was just like you, a normal human, the only thing that was weird were my eyes and hair. At that time the DDC was just starting to operate."

AJ nodded again. "Yeah, they protect humans from dragons, in case they attack again." 

Spike shook his head. "No, they protect one person from both humans and dragons, the DDC's one and only job is to avoid another war. I'm pretty much all that is stopping the destruction between humans and dragons. I have been protected by the DDC since the day my mother found out that she was pregnant."

AJ figured out why. "Because if you're killed by a human, the dragons will retaliate and demand revenge."

Spike nodded. "Yep, and if a dragon kills me, it would be more than likely that someone would notice that a dragon had killed a human and the humans would start the war again." Said Spike. "That is why I need to keep a low profile around everyone because if people found out that I am a dragon, I paint a giant target on everyone that knows me." 

"So, who knows about you?"

Spike sighed. "Well, the obvious ones, my mother, aunt, uncle, the whole DDC, all dragons, and Fluttershy." 

"Flutt…" Yelled AJ but she was stopped by Spike. "SHH, she found out last week." Said Spike quietly.

AJ calmed down and looked at Spike. "How does Fluttershy know?" 

"She found out, when me and Ember were being followed by Adagio, Aria, and Sonata."

"How do they fit into all of this?" Asked AJ even more confused. 

Spike chuckled. "Well, Ember is a dragoness that is my personal guard, and the trio are all sirens that ran away from an arranged marriage." Said Spike as he pulled out the Neural Inhibiter and held it in his hand.

AJ looked at the little device and accepted that this was going to happen. She looked at Spike and smiled at him. "If it's any consolation, I think Granny gave you her approval." She leaned over to Spike and kissed him before she lost her memory of Spike. She pulled back and smiled at Spike. "I wish I wouldn't forget about you Spike." Said AJ. 

Discord walked over to Spike and AJ. "Time's up." Said Discord. "Ms. Apple, please follow me and you will be returned to your family in a few hours, I have to make some calls about relocating Spike and his family." 

Spike looked at the inhibiter and really hoped this would work. He got up and got in front of Discord. "Hey Uncle D." Said Spike as he readied the device. Discord looked at Spike and saw a bright light. The device then started to play a prerecorded message. 

"Hello and thank you for using the DDC's Neural Inhibiter, please say the amount of time you wish to be forgotten." 

Spike pulled out his phone and looked at the time, it's been 20 minutes since he last made his call to Discord. "Twenty minutes." 

"Acknowledged, please create a cover story to replace the memory that will be overwritten, please say it to the target." 

Spike looked at Discord. "Uncle D, you showed up with the DDC agents and successfully put out the fire, you did not see me in my dragon form, when you are done, you will pull the agents back and head home." 

Discord nodded and shook his head. "Ugh, what happened?" He looked around and noticed Spike in front of him. "Oh, thank goodness your safe Spike, I was worried about you." 

Spike smiled that it worked. "Don't worry Uncle D, I kept away from the fire and no one was hurt." Spike then pointed to AJ. "But I think she's getting suspicious of you, so I think it would be best that you guys pull out." Said Spike. 

Discord nodded and he had no memory of what had happened. "Ok Spike, I'm proud of you for not doing anything reckless." Said Discord. He looked at AJ. "And don't worry, the fire has been contained and it is perfectly safe to return." Said Discord. AJ smiled. Discord looked at Spike. "She's cute, don't mess this up." Whispered Discord as he walked away from the two. 

Spike sighed in relief as he couldn't believe that worked. He waited until Discord was out of view before Spike fell back to the ground, disbelief that that worked. AJ walked over to Spike and gave him a smile. "I won't tell anyone; you have my word." Said AJ. 

Spike smiled. "Listen, I can't let others know about this, so if anyone asks where I disappeared to after I saved you, Babs, and Apple Bloom, you need to keep it straight." 

AJ looked at Spike. "And where did you disappear to?" Asked AJ she wanted to be clued in. 

Spike gave a dry chuckle. "I'm still working on that part."

AJ laughed when she heard that, but to Spike it only showed that she was ok with all of this, so he started to laugh as well.

When the two stopped laughing, it was time for them to face the music. "AJ, can I have my shirt back?" Asked Spike.

AJ blushed, she completely forgot she was still wearing his shirt. "Um... Sure, sorry for not giving it back earlier."

Spike smiled. "It's fine, but I think it would raise a few eyebrows if I walk back in a different shirt, I already lost my pants and socks." Said Spike as he buttoned his shirt up, he was still missing his tie, but he never liked the formal noose. Once Spike was ready, he looked at AJ. "I'm glad your safe." Said Spike. 

AJ smiled at him. "I'm glad I had a knight in shimmering scales to come rescue me." She got closer to Spike and gave him another kiss on the lips. 

Spike couldn't help but smile. But then he noticed a lot of the Apple Family stareing at him and AJ, many of the men were holding shovels. Spike gulped as he was kissing a girl with a very protective family. 

AJ pulled back and noticed Spike's worried face, she sighed. "My family is right behind me, aren't they?" Spike nodded. AJ groaned and turned around. "I like him, touch one hair on his head and I'll get mad. Mac, I will show Sugar Belle all your old photos. Pa, if you make him scared, I'll never forgive you, and the rest of you lot, I am 16 years old, I can make my own decisions on a boy I like." Yelled AJ.

All the guys in the crowd gulped and walked away to avoid the girl’s wrath. AJ turned around to look at Spike, he was blushing. "AJ, I'm not going to lie, I am both scared of you and very very impressed." Said Spike. 'Damn, I guess me and dad have a thing for strong independent women.' Thought Spike. 

AJ smiled as she gave Spike a playful boop to the nose. "Good, because the best apples are always the hardest ones to pick, so they need to be tough." Said AJ. She then grabbed Spike's hand and started escorting him back to the house. 





When they arrived, they noticed all the female apples yelling at their husbands. But Pear was yelling at Bright Mac the loudest. "And, even after you knew for a fact that Spike saved AJ, Babs, and Apple Bloom, where in that head of yours, did you think that poor boy deserved to be ganged up by you idiots?"

"We saw them kiss, and she's my little girl." Said Bright Mac.

Pear looked at Mac. "I don't care if she was going to do it with him, well I do, but thanks to you knuckle heads, the poor boy is probably terrified of AJ."

Spike laughed. "Well, in all honesty, I am. But my dad was terrified of my mother, something about a woman protecting what's hers." Said Spike.

Pear smiled at Spike. "Spike, please forgive my husband, son, and family, they sometimes don't have a brain between them."

Spike smiled. "There's not really anything to forgive, they were just looking out for AJ, and I respect that." Said Spike, 'Mainly because I could just dig my way out, but still.' He added in his thoughts.

Pear sighed. "I fear for your child if your this chill about something like this." 

Spike laughed. "Oh, don't be, if I have a girl, I'm making him into a roast pig."

Mac snickered at the thought of seeing Spike over a fire, rotating on a spit. Pear heard that and looked at Mac. "I heard that, your thing is digging, don't steal other ideas on how to get a boy to stop seeing your daughter." Mac stopped snickering.

Spike looked at Pear. "Ms. Pear, please forgive your husband, today has been a tragedy for everyone. People got hurt and most of the trees in the fire have been destroyed, I don't think all the guys need to be punished as well."

Pear sighed. "You heard him, you lot are free to go, but if I get word of you making him feel uncomfortable, your asses are on the line." Said Pear. All the guys in the crowd nodded. 

Spike smiled at seeing that he helped the guys, but then his stomach growled loudly. Spike blushed at how loud he was. "Um... I'm sorry." Said Spike. 

Pear smiled at Spike. "Don't be, we never did eat lunch. Let’s head inside and finish cooking so we can get back to the reunion." Said Pear. 

Spike smiled at hearing this. "Yeah." 



 

Once the cooking was finished and the meal scarfed down, it was almost time for Celestia to come pick up Spike. But right now, He and AJ were sitting on the porch while everyone else was playing some games. "So..." Said AJ. 

"So..."

"Are you planning on telling the others?" Asked AJ.

Spike sighed. "No, not really, but I have a feeling that somehow my opinion won't really matter sooner or later." Said Spike.

AJ shrugged. "Probably not, but is that really a bad thing, what's the worst that could happen?" 

"Memory wipe, relocation, new lives, plus I have to write an apology to each countries leader saying I won't do it again. Relocation is not cheap, but the German prime minister is pretty nice, but the Spanish one is kinda pompous. Don't know If I'll like the new president though, they can be pretty random." Said Spike.

AJ sighed. "I'm just going to ignore that you know some of the most powerful people in the world. So how many times have you been moved around?" 

"8 times, sometimes they last years, some a few months. Losing friends and getting away from people like Rover. It's all just par for the course, but this was the first time I have made so many new friends and the first time I actually got back with a few of them. I honestly don't want to leave this place." Said Spike as he leaned back.

AJ smiled at hearing this. "Well, I rather you stay too." Said AJ as she leaned on Spike.

Spike blushed at feeling AJ next to him. This was the first of the girls who owned up to their feelings. But that was not going to last long as Celestia was driving down the road ready to pick up Spike. Spike sighed. "Well AJ, that's my ride." Said Spike. 

AJ sighed as she really liked being so close to Spike, but she got off him. "I'll see you Monday Spike." 

Spike nodded. "Yeah, see you Monday AJ." Said Spike as he got into his mother's car. 

Celestia looked at Spike as she drove home. "I have a few questions, but the DDC scientist are requesting that you show up tomorrow with Ember and the sirens." 

Spike sighed. "Ok, how many tests?" Asked Spike. 

"Standard number, for all of you, maybe a few more for the trio since Sirens are very hard to work with." 

Spike nodded. "Ok, and your questions?" 

"Did you cause the fire?" 

"No."

"Did you do something stupid?" Asked Celestia. 

"Yes, but I'm not in trouble." 

"Did AJ kiss you."

"No comment."

"She did, didn't she?" 

"Like I said, no comment." Said Spike as he closed his eyes to rest on the drive home.