Spike is now 6 years old, and as it turned out, he was a little more advanced than what the girls first thought. Miss Board suggested that Spike be moved to the same grade as them, but to make sure that nothing was going to happen to him socially, it was decided that he would go between the 6th grade and kindergarten during the school day. But because of that, most of the colts in the class were scared of 5 fillies. But that was 2 years ago, all the girls were in their final year, and so was Spike, mostly, he still would go to school, but only for another few years, and only for a few hours a day.
But today the school was closed and the town's ponies were inside, well aside from Randolph and Spike, the former inviting Spike to view the yearly dragon migration. Since Spoiled was not around, Randolph was in his little dugout bright and early, getting ready to watch the migration with his dragon companion. "Good morning Randolph." Said Spike as he walked into the dugout with his own binoculars and helmet.
Randolph looked at Spike and gave him a smile. "Good day Spike, are you ready to see members of your own kind?"
Spike nodded as he got ready. Spike having grown up, had learned to control his greed. After his first hatch day, where he learned how to see it coming, he had practiced it every year since, until he hit his 5th hatch day, the age where most dragons should be able to control it fully, and Spike was not so confident in his ability to do it, but all the girls and Celestia were sure, so as Spike's last test, Celestia teleported all the gifts from over the years back to Spike. Everyone watched as Spike was looking at his gifts, they saw his eyes contract, but aside from that, he was perfectly normal.
Fluttershy walked over to Spike, and smiled at him worriedly. "Sweetie, how do you feel?"
Spike looked at Fluttershy and smiled. "Fine, I think I want some cake though."
All the girls cheered as they pulled Spike into a hug. "HE DID IT!" Cheered Pinkie.
Spike smiled at learning to control his greed, he then hugged his mothers.
Because of that, Spike was able to own some of his own things, granted it wasn't much, but that was a limit on his bits. Spike did sell his gems to Miss Shine, but most of the gems went to his stomach. So every week or so he only had around 30 bits to his name. But Spike used those bits for him, that's where he got the binoculars and helmet. Randolph smiled at his companion for the day and he had seen some moments between the dragon and his master's daughter. "So, Spike, may I inquire on how things are going between you and Miss Diamond?"
Spike blushed, he liked Diamond, she was nice to him, she was funny, smart, playful. "Um... we're just fine."
Randolph smirked, he saw Diamond talking to herself in a mirror just a few days ago.
Diamond was looking into the mirror, blushing that she was having this problem. "Ok...one more time...Spike, would you like to get a milkshake with me? No, Spike, would you like to join me for a milkshake at Sugar Cube Corner? Come on, Spike, do you want to go on a date with me?" Diamond groaned as she wanted to ask Spike out, but nothing sounded right in her head. "Why is this so hard!?" She slumped on her bed as she kept trying to think of the perfect line to ask Spike.
Randolph smiled at seeing that the little filly that he took care of had her first crush. But that was something for another time, right now they had to get everything ready for the first wave of dragons. "Spike, lets get the camo ready." Spike nodded as the 2 started moving fake bushes over their trench.
1 hour later, and the migration was in full swing. Randolph and Spike were watching the dragons fly through the sky. Many were massive creatures, and from what Spike could see, he wasn't even a fraction of the size of one of the larger dragon's teeth. But then Spike saw that some of the dragons had wingless dragons on their back. "Randolph, what are those dragon's doing?"
Randolph looked to the few dragons in question. "Awe, those are mothers, carrying their children back to their home. It's not an uncommon sight seeing that the hatching season was only 5 months ago."
"But what if they fall off?"
"That is a rare thing, but I've seen it once, the mother would land and retrieve the child quickly. Thankfully it doesn't take long for a dragon whelp's body to develop, so the worst that happens is a few cuts but no broken bones."
"Wait, so I could survive a fall from that high up?"
"Without a doubt, but lets not try it, I don't think Madam Fluttershy's heart could take it."
Spike nodded as he'd rather not give his mother a heart attack. So they just kept watching the migration's first wave.
After watching the dragons fly, Spike watched as some dragons did tricks like his mom, others were slow fliers like his mommy, some of them rammed each other for fun, but they kept flying, and some just ignored all the stupid actions and went on their way. But then Spike saw a blue dragoness with small white horns on her head, and small blue wings on her back, but she was getting annoyed by a few dragons.
"Garble, seriously, I'm not interested in going down there and messing with the ponies, if my dad finds out, he'll tie my tail into a knot." Said the blue dragon.
Garble, a red and orange dragon with a large underbite rolled his eyes. "Come on Ember, me and the guys aren't going to do anything too bad."
Ember sighed as she was sure that this idiot was not even listening to her. "Garble for the last time, dragons are not suppose to land unless a baby falls, and at that, only the mother is allowed. That's what Dragon Lords of the past agreed upon with the Princess. Besides don't you have to watch Smolder, she's only 3."
"Nah, my dad is flying over my mom watching her, but fine, suit yourself, have fun being bored." Garble turned around and accidently whipped Embers wing, stopping her from flapping it.
She started to fall. "Awwww." Cried Ember as she landed in the Everfree.
Garble and his friends looked at the spot Ember landed. "Um... I'm going to tell Torch." Said Garble as he flew as fast as he could to the dragon lord, if he didn't he was dead, and if he went down there, he was dead, but from Ember or the creatures, Garble didn't know which.
Spike watched as Ember fell into the Everfree, and he was sure that he needed to help her. So he ran out of the trench and ran as fast as his little legs could go. Thankfully they had grown quite a bit, but he still was short. Randolph watched as Spike ran off into the forest. "SPIKE!" Yelled the older stallion, but Spike was already too far away to be heard. He looked down at his old knees. "Ok, legs don't fail me now." Randolph ran out of the trench and headed for Sweet Apple Acres.
When Spike reached the forest's edge, he looked into the dark woods. Living next to the forest was dangerous, and Fluttershy being Fluttershy, had taught him never to go in there, but what was worse, all the girls agreed with the statement, telling Spike that was a really bad idea. "When I get my claws on you Garble." Said Ember as she was sure that she damaged her wing on a branch.
Spike took a deep breath as he walked into the forest to help. "Hello, are you ok?" Asked Spike as he was trying to be careful.
"Oh, thank the core, somedragon actually came to help me. I'm over here." Said Ember as she sat up against a tree.
"Sorry, it's hard to see in here, keep talking so I can find you." Said Spike.
"Sure, sorry about taking you away from the migration, that boulder head up there is the worst, can't take no for an answer."
"Yeah, I saw it, who was that?"
"Garble, and if you don't know him by now, then you're lucky, he's a loud mouth that never shuts up, he thinks he's the greatest dragon to ever live, and he thinks that just because he's 12 years old, he thinks that he can get a 10 year old like me to follow him around. Sorry I'm just really mad at him, what's your name?"
"I'm Spike, and you?"
"Ember, I'm Dragon Lord Torch's daughter, but I doubt you've ever heard of me, my father is very protective."
"So is my Mommy, I'm pretty sure that I'm grounded when I get back."
Ember laughed. "Mommy? How old are you Spike?"
"6."
"6? Did you fall?"
"No, wait I think I see some light." Said Spike as he saw the hole in the trees that Ember made when she crashed. Sitting up against a tree was Ember. "There you are."
Ember looked at Spike and the first thing she noticed was that he didn't have wings. "Wait, where are your wings?"
"Don't have any." Said Spike, not sure that was important.
"Then where did you come from? More over, why hasn't your mother come to get you yet?"
Spike shrugged at the idea of his mother of all ponies coming into the Everfree. "Well, I'm sure that can wait, let me help you to my house, my mommy can help there." Spike walked over to Ember and helped her to her feet.
"Wow, your strong for a little guy." Said Ember, she was not expecting a 6 year old whelp to be strong enough to get her to her feet.
"Thanks, I help my Ma on the farm when I can, but I'm not old enough to help harvest yet."
"What's a farm?"
"Don't dragons have farms?"
"No, we dig for our food. Wow it's like you have no knowledge about dragons."
"Well, Mister Randolph helps me when he can, but Grandma helped me get my greed under control last year."
"Really? That's impressive, I think some of the older dragons are still trying to learn that." Ember looked around and saw the edge of the forest. "Um... Spike, where are we going exactly?"
"To my Mommy's house."
"No, I'm sure that is the direction of the pony town."
Spike nodded. "Ponyville, that's right."
"And you live there?"
"I have all my life."
"Spike, did you hit your head when you fell, there's no way a dragon should be living with ponies."
Spike smiled as he reached the edge of the forest with Ember. "Well I do."
Ember looked at Spike, she then looked up to see if there was someone that could help them, but her wave of dragons was already gone. "Great, and the next wave was already late."
Spike started pulling Ember to Fluttershy's home. "Come on, that wing doesn't look good." Ember sighed as she followed Spike to the house.
While this was all going on, Randolph was running to get the Apples to help. When he arrived at the door he started knocking frantically. "Miss Smith, please open!"
"Hold your hooves, I'm coming, I ain't as young as I used to be you know." Said Granny as she was in her rocking chair. Soon the door opened and the mare looked at the stallion. "Howdy Randolph, did you and Spike call it a day already?"
"Miss Smith, Spike went into the Everfree!"
Granny nodded. "Well, I hope he has fun.... Give me a moment." She closed the door and Randolph was worried that Granny was going senile. But once it was open again, Granny was in her helmet, and the rest of the family was ready to get their dragon back.
"Oh, you are so grounded Spike." Said AJ. She was very disappointed in Spike. "He knows that the Everfree is dangerous, that was one of the things we drilled into his head, don't go into the Everfree, don't go into the Everfree, but what does he go and do, he goes into the Everfree." She ran out of the house and ran for the dug out. "Oh, when I tell your mothers about this." Growled AJ.
When she got to the dugout, she was just in time to see Spike, helping Ember into Fluttershy's house. "Wait, who is that?" Asked AJ as she started running for the house, no less angry, but relieved to see Spike was ok.
The moment Spike opened the door to the house, all the animals went to see who it was, but the moment they saw Ember, they all got their tails out of there. Even a large brown bear was hiding behind the couch. "Harry, is mommy here?" Asked Spike.
Harry growled. "She's upstairs. Spike there's a dragon behind you."
"Harry, I know. She's hurt and I brought her here to help."
"But she's a dragon." Said Harry.
"Yes, and so am I, you're not scared of me, are you?"
Harry popped his head out from the couch. "No, but you're nice, I don't know her."
Ember watched as Spike was somehow talking to a bear, that easily out weighed her. "Ember, tell him that you aren't going to hurt me or any of the animals." Said Spike.
"Um... I'm not." Spike elbowed her side. "No, I'm not going to hurt Spike, or you, or any of the animals."
Harry sighed as he got out from behind the couch and walked over to Ember. He wrapped her in a hug while growling.
"He likes you." Said Spike.
"Um... Spike, what is this?"
"Harry?"
"No, what is he doing to me?"
"A hug?"
"What's a hug?"
"Um... its when you wrap your arms around someone, to show them that you like them." That was the best explanation he had.
"Dragon's don't do hugs."
"Oh, Harry, can you let go?" Asked Spike.
Harry nodded as he released Ember. "Sorry about him, he's just a big softy at heart. Why don't you go sit on the couch while I go get my Mommy out from under her bed?" Spike then ran up the stairs. Ember looked at the house, and found a couch.
"What have I gotten my self into?" Asked Ember.
Suddenly the door was nearly punched open. "SPIKE DRAKE?" Ember was scared so she tried to play dead. "Where are you mister?" AJ looked at Ember, and noticed that she looked exactly like the other dragon that Spike was helping. "You, what did you do to my son?" Asked AJ with the full force of a very angry mother.
"Ma?" Asked Spike as he and Fluttershy were coming down the stairs.
AJ looked at Spike and ran over to him. She pulled Spike into a deep hug. "What the hay Spike, I was so worried about you, and why the heck did you go into the Everfree?"
Spike sighed, he knew this was going to happen. "I'm sorry Ma, but I did it so I could help Ember, she fell and crashed in the forest, she hurt her wing and she can't fly, so I brought her here to have Mommy look at it."
AJ sighed, she was so angry at him, but he did the exact same thing that they all did, so she couldn't be angry for long. "Spike, just don't do that again, you had Randolph and the family so worried."
Spike nodded as he looked down. "I'm sorry Ma."
She nuzzled Spike's head. "It's fine, just seriously don't do that again, we love you Spike, and the thought of you getting hurt or worse, I don't think we could take it."
"I love you ma."
"Same here Spike." She kissed his head and smiled.
"So you really do live with ponies." Said Ember.
AJ smiled. "Sure does, he's been with us since we were little fillies."
Fluttershy walked over to Spike and nuzzled his head. "Spike, who is this?"
"She's Ember, she crashed over the forest, and hurt her wing, I thought that maybe we could help before her parents come and get her?"
Fluttershy nodded as she walked over to Ember. "Sure, now let me see this wing of yours."
Ember winced as she tried to extend the wing in question. "Oh dear, you poor thing, it's not broken, but it's not fine. I should have some splints for the larger animals that should work, but try not to move it for at least a week." Said Fluttershy as she ran to the closet to get the large splints.
After a lot of work, Ember's wing was locked to her back and she was sitting on the couch with Spike. He was happy to know that Ember was going to be fine. "Spike, are you ok here?"
Spike nodded. "Yeah, I mean, the hay goes bad a little too quick if its not stored in the fridge, but aside from that, I'm happy." Suddenly Spike's stomach growled. "Ok, maybe a little hungry. Would you like some of my gems?"
Ember looked at him shocked. "Wait, you want to give me some of your gems?"
"Yeah, I have a bunch." Said Spike, not seeing the problem. Spike hopped down from the couch and ran over to the kitchen. "We have some Amethyst, a nice ruby that I can roast, oh Grandpa sent a pink diamond this month, I broke it up and stored it in the freezer, so it should be nice and ready?"
"Wait? A pink Diamond, I haven't had one in years." Said Ember.
Spike smiled as he walked back into the room with a bowl of small pink diamond bits. "Here you go."
Ember looked at the large bowl, then to the small dragon. "Wait, you were serious?"
"Of course, what's wrong?"
"Spike, pink diamonds are super rare, and no sane dragon would ever give them away, no matter the size."
Spike shrugged. "Really? Eh, I know they are kinda hard to get, but I've found some in the back yard while helping mommy, but come on, they taste great when cold." Said Spike as he shot out his tongue and grabbed a few.
Ember looked at the anomaly known as Spike. 'Just what the heck are you?' But the chance to get some pink diamond was really tempting, so Ember went to eating them as well.
Once the bowl was empty, and all the animals had calmed down, they all ran away screaming in fear the moment a loud and booming voice yelled. "PONIES RETURN MY DAUGHTER AT ONCE, OR FACE THE WRATH OF DRAGON LORD TORCH!"
Ember sighed as she was actually getting cozy. "That's my dad." She looked to Spike, but he wasn't there. "Spike, where did you go?" Spike was so scared of the yell that he latched himself onto Ember's barrel.
"He's scary." Said Spike shaking like a leaf.
Ember sighed. "That's what everyone says." She got up from her seat with Spike still holding on and she walked outside to tell her father to calm down.
But then there was another equally loud voice booming. "DRAGON LORD TORCH, WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" Yelled Celestia, she was not happy that, A) Dragon Lord Torch was here, and B) That he just threatened her ponies.
"Grandma?!" Asked Spike.
Ember looked at Spike. "Grandma?!"
Spike let go of Ember and looked at Celestia. He shot out a large stream of fire from his mouth and this caught the attention of both rulers. "Spike?" Asked Celestia.
Torch looked to see a whelp and his daughter. "Celestia, what is another whelp doing here?"
Celestia looked sheepish. "Dragon Lord Torch, I'll explain in a moment, let us land and talk this out?"
Torch grumbled but complied with Celestia. He knew that they were equal in power, while he was stronger physically, she was stronger magically, so setting her off was not a good idea.
Once Celestia landed Spike ran over to her. "Grandma!" Cheered Spike as he hugged Celestia.
Celestia smiled as she nuzzled Spike's head. "Hello Sweetie, look at you, you're so big now. Can you forgive me for missing your party this year? Something happened and I tried my best to get away, but it just wouldn't stop."
A few months ago: Celestia was trying to not get angry at some of the stupid, childish, and overall annoying meetings with some nobles, that amounted to which lawn decorations were better, which shape should the army of grounds keepers they employed trim the bushes, and the dumbest of all, if it should be acceptable to wear plad during the winter. It was barely the start of summer, and they were talking about personal opinions, but since she was the princess, and they did make an appointment, she had to hear them out. 'Please, I want to go see Spike, why am I stuck here?' Thought Celestia.
Sadly the meeting lasted all day, and the only conclusion that happened, was that ponies could wear plad only after the first snow fall, and then only until the new year.
"It's ok Grandma, I know you wanted to be there. Oh, this is my new friend, would you like to meet her?" Asked Spike.
Celestia smiled. "Sure." Spike and Celestia walked over to Ember. "Well hello Ember, it's been a long time since I last saw you. You've really grown a lot."
Ember was silent, but she nodded.
There was a massive thud the moment Torch landed. "Ember, what happened?" Asked the giant dragon, but he actually sounded worried. "And who is the whelp, and why have his parents not come to retrieve him?"
"SPIKE!" Yelled all the girls, they were coming to see what was going on. Fluttershy and AJ ran out of the house, Rainbow and Rarity were running from town, and Pinkie who was across town getting supplies, was flying through the air pony cannonball style to catch up. They all gathered around Spike after Pinkie inhaled so much air that her head was a balloon. "Spike, what is going on, I thought you and Randolph were going to watch the migration?" Asked Rainbow.
"Pony, move away from the youngling!" Growled Torch. "I will take him back to the Dragon Lands immediately." That was the absolute worst thing the giant dragon could say.
All the girls got in front of Spike and glared at the massive dragon that was easily 100 times larger than Celestia. "Do you want to say that again?" Asked Fluttershy.
"I'm taking him back."
Fluttershy growled as she flew right up to Torch's face. "I WILL NOT LET YOU TOUCH A SINGLE SCALE ON MY LITTLE BABY'S HEAD, I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM US, AND NO WAY IN TARTARUS AM I, OR ANY OF HIS MOTHERS GOING TO LET YOU MAKE HIM CRY!!!!" Yelled Fluttershy.
Everyone, in the whole world, dropped their jaws at this outburst. Even those who don't know Fluttershy dropped their jaws.
Sitting in his cell was someone we haven't seen in a while, Swift Flight was playing cards with some of the other inmates. "Hey, why did we all just drop our mouths?"
"Who knows, now what do you want?" Asked Tirek.
"You got any threes?"
"Go fish. Cerberus, any of you have a six?" The middle head growled as he pushed the card with his nose to Tirek. The first head looked to Swift and stomped his paw 8 times.
"Dang it, how is it that a dog is beating me at a card game?" Asked Swift as he gave the head all of his eights.
Back with Spike and family. "Celestia, what is this creature?" Asked Torch, he was actually terrified of her, and she sounded like his mate when he screwed something up royally.
Celestia smirked. "Well Dragon Lord Torch, that just so happens to be Spike's Mommy, her name is Fluttershy and I've seen her get very protective of Spike. Fluttershy, can you please get off the ruler of all dragon kind?"
Fluttershy huffed as she gave Torch one more look. "Fine." She flew down to Spike and nuzzled his head. "Sorry about that, but I don't want my little baby to go." She then nuzzled his head even more.
"Mommy, not in front of Ember." Said Spike as he tried to push his mommy away.
Torch looked down to Spike and all the fillies. 'Seriously, but we haven't had a egg go missing in over 400 years?'
Celestia looked to Torch. "Yes, I know what you are thinking, he is probably that egg, but when he was brought to me, by a traveler, not even I could feel a warmth from it. So I kept the egg, in hope of one day finding his parents and telling them, but I also used his egg for my school. Then 6 years ago, a powerful filly seemingly hatched him."
"Then why was he not returned to us?"
"A poor judgment call on my behalf, the carrier I ordered to deliver Spike to a cave, was a coward, so he decided to leave him in the Everfree to die."
Torch growled, dragons were greedy, uncoordinated, and borderline lawless, but even before the position of Dragon Lord was established, every dragon always protected the youngest of them, if a whelp was abandoned, they would be brought before him and if a pair wanted, they could raise them, that was how it was done for generations, heck his own grandfather was taken in by a family, who taught him how to be strong. "Where is the offender?"
"In Tartarus, locked up for many crimes against both the crown, ponies, Spike, and dragons."
Torch nodded. "Good, now what about him?"
"Torch, you saw what Fluttershy did, I don't doubt that all the others would do the same. Please leave Spike here with his mothers?"
"Fine, but what of him learning about being a dragon?"
"I have taught him all that I know, and Fluttershy has done her best to guide him. In fact just last year, he was able to fully control his greed."
"Really, but dragons are still trying to learn that up into their 10th year."
"Really, but I thought it was 5?"
"Celestia, that hasn't been the case in over 200 years, I'm lucky Ember got out of it at 7. But what of his fire?"
"A truly rare flame, green by nature with the ability to send objects."
"Green flames? That color has not been seen in even longer, but the ability is a first for me." Torch looked down at Spike, he was happy, he looked healthy, and Torch was terrified of the fillies. "Very well, I shall leave him here with the ponies." Celestia smiled as they ended their little conversation.
Torch looked at his daughter. "Ember, are you ready to return?"
Ember nodded. "Yes, but my wing is hurt, you'll need to carry me."
"I see, was it that annoying little runt Garble?"
"Yep, tail whipped my wing and sent me into the Everfree. Thankfully Spike saw me and ran to help."
Torch directed his attention to the little dragon and all the mothers got defensive. "Be calm little ponies, I wish to thank the dragon for helping my daughter."
All the girls were unsure, but they moved away for Torch. "Youngling..."
"Spike!" Yelled AJ.
Torch sighed. "Spike, thank you for rescuing my daughter, only fully grown dragons are strong enough to survive in there, and I fear that without your intervention, I believe that I would not have seen my daughter again. You have my respect." Torch then blew a large golden fire over Spike. Much to the girls horror.
"SPIKE!!!!!" Cried all the girls.
But when Torch ended the flame Spike was perfectly fine. "Um... why did you do that?" Asked Spike.
"Wait, I thought Celestia taught you all her knowledge of dragons?" Spike nodded. "So you don't know about the fire wrap?" Spike nodded again. "Celestia?"
"In my defense, I have never seen it before." Said Celestia.
"Spike, it is a show of respect, shared between dragons, I have deemed you worthy to one day be my daughter's mate."
This stopped the whole conversation right there. "WAIT?! WHAT!?" Yelled Rarity, she was the first to come back and put together that Spike, her little 6 year old son, was told that he had a mate.
"What, it is a great honor that very few dragons bestow? Heck I had to fight my mate's father to show him that I was worthy, but out of not wanting to upset you all, I don't think that is going to work. But I hold my little Ember in my heart, Spike, risked his own life to help her. That is worth more than my title, more than my life, and even for one so young and tiny, he has the heart of a mighty dragon."
Celestia sighed, that was not the problem at the moment. "Torch, I think she meant that he is a little too young to have a mate?"
"Oh, right, ponies... Listen Spike, this is not a engagement, you do have the right to not mate with Ember, I would never force her into something at such a young age. But if the time comes, I will honor your deeds."
This seemed to calm down many of the fillies worries, thankful that Spike was not just tossed into an arranged marriage. Ember was blushing on the other hand, her mother had told her many stories of brave dragons helping a dragoness. 'So he saves me, gives me a pink diamond, and my father likes him.' Thought Ember. She walked over to Spike and smiled at him. "Spike, thank you for saving me." She pulled him into a hug.
Spike blushed, but he returned the hug. "No problem Ember, I'm glad to know you're ok."
Torch smirked at seeing that his daughter actually liked Spike back. He's been around a while, and he knows what a hug is. "Well Ember, it is time that we leave, your mother is waiting, and I have a feeling that I'm going to get a lecture for losing you."
Ember smiled as she let go of Spike, she walked over to her father, who placed his palm out for her. "Bye Spike, I hope to see you soon, maybe we can have some more pink diamonds." Said Ember as she waved at Spike, as Torch took off.
'Wait, pink diamond? Oh this is not going to end well.' Thought Torch. Dragons hold pink diamonds above many gems, equal to the fire ruby, but unlike the ruby, a pink diamond was a symbol of a new family, gifted to the female by the male as a promise to be with them. Torch and his mate Sapphire, had saved some of their diamond over the years, and then one day it was gone from his hoard. He had a feeling it was Ember, and it was over 200 years old, so he let it be. But hearing that they shared a pink diamond, was not good. "Ember, you ate a pink diamond with Spike?"
She nodded. "Yep, and it was super yummy, I remember having one, one night when I was hungry."
"Ember, I think we need to tell your mother about your mate, then we need to hope she doesn't kill me."
"Dad, why would she kill you?"
"I'm pretty sure that I gave you away to Spike, and that you are his official mate."
"Wait, I'm married?" Asked Ember shocked, but then she calmed down. "Do you think he likes me?"
Spike was watching Torch and Ember leave. Celestia walked over to Spike and smiled at him. "So, I saw that blush mister, you like her, don't you?"
Spike blushed as he looked at Celestia. "No I don't, she was just really nice, and she was fun to talk to, and warm..."
Celestia giggled as she nuzzled Spike's head. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. But Spike, I want you to know, that when the time comes, you will need to enter the Everfree again. Just don't do it before that, ok?"
Spike nodded. "Yes Grandma."
She kissed his cheek. "Good drake. I love you Spike."
Spike hugged Celestia's neck. "Love you too grandma."
So with that settle, Spike walked back to his trench and continued to watch the migration.