//------------------------------//
// The Journey Part 1 
// Story: The New Dragon Prince 
// by G4forever 
//------------------------------//

"Wow Spike, I didn't know you could cook," Ember said while eating sapphire pancakes.  Twilight, Starlight, and Ember were stuffing themselves with blueberry (and sapphire) pancakes. Meanwhile, Spike was cleaning the kitchen. "Ok. Spike get your bags ready. We have to leave before sunset," Ember said while getting up. Spike took his apron off and ran upstairs. 
Starlight, Twilight and Ember just sat there in silence. They weren't really friends without Spike. Heck, Ember couldn't even remember their names. Suddenly, Ember burped up a letter. She read it in her head, and glared at Twilight. "I'm going to the bathroom," Ember rushed up the stairs. She kept on running until she heard zipping noises from a nearby room. "Spike we have to-" she stopped once she saw the dog bed. "Spike, I thought your phoenix became an adult already?"
"Yeah PeeWee is out of the house,"
"Then why do you have a dog bed in your room?"
"MY ROOM! You make me laugh. This is Twilight's room, I sleep in the tiny bed," Ember was horrified. Was Twilight keeping Spike as a pet, like ponies did before? No no no, the Dragons and Ponies were in an alliance. They wouldn't do anything this cruel, right?
"I realized we need to leave earlier than expected. Pack light, ok?"
"Yeah, I just realized I don't have many other belongings than my comics," Ember just snorted a puff of smoke and left the room to talk to Twilight. 
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WHY DOES SPIKE SLEEP IN A DOG BED," Starlight knew what was about to happen and put a bubble of silence around them.  "SPIKE IS A PET TO YOU ISN'T HE?" Twilight looked very offended, "I LOVE HIM MORE THAN YOU EVER COULD. HE IS NOT MY PET!"
"Who does all the cooking?"
"Spike,"
"Who does all the cleaning?"
"Spike,"
"WOW HE'S A SLAVE. SO MUCH BETTER THAN A PET!" Ember motioned at Starlight to take down the bubble. As soon as she did, Ember rushed upstairs to check on Spike. "Spike we need to leave right now," The letter Ember had gotten was from a guard dragon. They had told Ember that the ponies were always watching, always listening. "Ok, but why?" Ember just ignored the question and opened a window. But before flying out, Spike wrote a note to Twilight saying he had to leave early. Then Ember picked up Spike, and flew out the window.

Ember landed in the Everfree forest. "Come on, I have a campsite ready," Ember and Spike walked until they say Ash cooking some deer. "My Lordship, Spike," Ash bowed to Ember, and shook Spike's claw. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ash. Ember's right claw dragon. I will also be escorting you to the Dragon Lands," Spike didn't like the vibe coming off from Ash. But, Ember trusted her so would he would try.

In the castle, Twilight was venting to Starlight. "AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF, EMBER VISITS AND SAYS SPIKE IS MY PET OR A SLAVE!" 
"Yup, let it all out. I'm going to check on Ember and Spike," Starlight went into Spike's bedroom. 'Where is he? He wouldn't leave without telling us'. She searched his whole bedroom but couldn't find anything. On her way out she saw a note one the door. "TWILIGHT! COME LOOK AT THIS!" A purple flash later, Twilight and Starlight were reading the note together.
'Dear Friends, Ember and I have to leave early. She says that we will meet my siblings halfway there. COOL RIGHT! I wish I could've been at my farewell party. Have fun!! And learn how to cook without me.' Twilight just gritted her teeth and stomped out the room. 

"Is everypony ready!??" Pinkie Pie asked while yelling. 
"HERE TWILIGHT COMES!" Applejack yelled peeking out of SugarCube Corner. All of the ponies went to their hiding places, and got ready. When Twilight and Starlight walked in everypony came out and yelled, "SURPRISE SP-". They all stopped mid sentence, not seeing Spike. "Twilight darling, where is Spike?" Twilight just looked away and shoved the note in Rarity's face. Pinkie Pie took the note off Rarity's face, and put it on a nearby table. After they all read the note, they discussed. "NOOOOOOO!!! I WAS RIGHT!! SPIKEY WILL BE GONE FOREVER!!!" Pinkie cried while getting Applejacks fur wet. "Spike won't be gone forever, and you're not making Twilight, Rarity, or Fluttershy feel any better," Rainbow Dash said. It was a sad sight to see for the ponies of Ponyville. It was saddening because, if the Main 6 are having a crying fest, Bon Bon can't get her cupcake without feeling awkward. Twilight was crying on Starlight, Pinkie was crying on Applejack, Fluttershy on Rainbow Dash (no shipping fuel) and Rarity-wait. Rarity got her fainting couch from...somewhere and also got a tub of ice cream from the back of SugarCube Corner. 

Ember and Spike were making small talk as they ate gems. Ash was looking around as if something could pop out any second. "So, did you ever feel like a slave with the ponies?" Spike was very confused. Ember totally changed the subject randomly. Her last question was 'Are you excited to meet your family'. "Um no, not really. It is quite annoying when Twilight and our friends make me clean up the messes that they make, but no,"
"Dragon Lord Ember, I need to go...find food!" Ember nodded knowing what Ash was going to do. "Spike, do you still have a crush on-what's her name-that white unicorn?"
"Rarity? Oh, kinda. She's pretty and all but it's obvious it's not gonna work out. Also, she seduces stallions,". Ember was a little surprised at that last sentence. 'A pony? Seducing males? Kind little ponies seducing stallions. And one of the Elements of Harmony does it.' Ember was happy that he was over it. She had a chance. "Why do you ask?" Spike asked. Ember froze, not expecting the question. In this universe Spike wasn't stupid and saw the signs, unlike every other story ever. "Uh...cause...OH your older brother that I met wanted to know. So yeah,"

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh, that dragon is looking for us!" 6 ponies and a draconequus were hiding in a bush. They were hiding from Ash. Ash's amazing sense of smell led her to the main 6, Starlight, and Discord. Twilight cast an invisibility spell over them. Ash was looking around and passed over the group. They held their breaths afraid of the scary looking dragon. She passed over them and got ready to leave. "I can see you," Ash said, then flapped her wings, going off into the darkening sky.