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// Son of a Pawn 
// Story: Twilight Sparkle the Dragon 
// by PlutoMilo 
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Twilight spent the next few days flying back and forth from Ponyville to Canterlot in order to compare notes and come up with more ideas with Steelwing and Quicksand. Copper was unofficially kicked out of the group and even Quicksand, Copper’s pupil, gave him the cold shoulder.
Spike made it his new habit to go around town and check-in with the five. If Twilight were home, he would update her on any changes. Then he would eat his lunch, read a little, and then make another round.
So far, Twilight always managed to get back to Ponyville in time to avoid getting Spike’s letters. Though she didn’t really sleep much during the nights. It wasn’t looking too good. Twilight even accompanied Spike during one of his regular visits and the reality was so much worse than it was on the surface. 
First of all, Twilight had to make an official public announcement as the pupil of Celestia. Thank the moon that most of the townspeople accepted the fake explanation and didn’t question it. Most were even amicable to help and Twilight’s heart warmed a tad. She’d come a long way from the dragon that nearly plowed over the fountain in the Square.
Several farming ponies agreed to step up and help Pinky Pie with Sweet Apple Acres and Twilight nearly passed out in relief. Poor Apple Bloom and Big Mac were working themselves to the bone in order to pick up the slack that Applejack usually shouldered. 
Some unicorns agreed to help teach Applejack how to actually sew and discreetly help the big contractors that reached out to Carousel Boutique. Why Rarity didn’t have any employees vexed the dragon since it was the first she heard about contractors. The whole town worked together to stay high in spirits and for that, Twilight was forever thankful.
Rarity was the big issue. With Rainbow Dash out of commission, the word couldn’t be sent to Cloudsdale to help remove the dangerous clouds that Rarity somehow conjured. Bulk Biceps offered to fly to Cloudsdale, but Twilight took one look at his undergrown wings and she gently assured him that his strength would be better used for help at Sweet Apple Acers. 
So then, it was up to Twilight to beat away any stray clouds that threatened the citizens. At first, she thought it would be simple. Rainbow Dash made it look simple. But being a dragon named Twilight Sparkle, things weren’t ever truly simple. Clouds were made of water. Her chaos magic gave it sentience. Living things don’t take kindly to something attempting to stamp it out of existence.
When Rarity zapped some poor filly with an errant cloud, Twilight finally had to address the problem. She hated herself for what her solution was but she couldn’t stand idly by and watch another pony get sent to the hospital because they got electrocuted.



“Chaos Master, I am in need of magically constraining titanium. I don’t know where to get it other than from you,” Twilight eyed the draconequus as he thoughtfully stroked his beard, “Please, I don’t want to see anyone else get sent to the hospital,”
Discord hummed, “When will I get it back, my dear Twilight? Leaving something like that out and about really isn’t a good idea. I only used it for you since you were such a large danger,”
Twilight’s eyes flashed and her lip curled, “I am not in the mood for games, Chaos Master,”
Discord chuckled and stood, “I suppose not, my apprentice. Go home. Your titanium will be delivered within the hour. In return, your next lesson won’t be until the next moon. Does that sound fair?”
“Yes, Chaos Master. Thank you,” Twilight blew out a silent breath.
If delaying her lessons meant that lives were saved, she would gladly give that up. She teleported back home only in the way she and Discord could and sagged in relief. Rarity would probably hate her after this but it was a risk she was willing to take.



The next time Twilight ventured outside, she was virtually blind and fighting off vertigo as she carried the magically dampening titanium. She had to ask a random unicorn where Rarity was and offered an apologetic smile as the unicorn in question recoiled away from her. Lyra brightened when Twilight explained why she had the metal in the first place and pointed her to Rarity in relief.
“Oh thank Celestia, the snow yesterday nearly killed off my tulips!”
Rarity shrieked when Twilight divebombed her. Repulsed with herself, Twilight forced the metal over Rarity’s horn and leaped clear. Twilight shivered when her magic senses came back and watched sadly as Rarity turned in circles, trying to orient herself.
Twilight winced at Rarity’s cry, “Twilight! How dare you!” she hoofed at the metal uselessly and tears gathered in her eyes, “After being in these yourself, I would have thought you would have more sympathy,”
The dragon looked away and quietly said, “It’s worse for me, you’ll live,”
Without looking back, Twilight fled back to the library and made it to the restroom just in time to be sick. Someone pounded on the library doors just as she exited the restroom. She opened the door with haunted eyes and the small colt shrank back.
Forcefully, Twilight smoothed her face into a more lighthearted one and kindly asked what was wrong.
“My Da said to tell you that there’s more lightnin’ clouds over by the farm. He wonderin’ if you could get rid of ‘em so they can work again,”
Twilight promised to do her best and sent him away with stern words to stay safe. When the door closed, she let herself slide down the floor in a boneless heap. This was going poorly and she hadn’t even been able to go to Canterlot today.
When she moped enough, she got up to go and tackle those clouds. As she did, the door in front of her was flung open so fast it smacked her snout. There was a thud as a small body collided with the door that they expected to open all the way.
Twilight opened the door with watering eyes and saw Spike’s blurry form standing on the doormat. She supposed that it was only fair that he got to accidentally hit her with the door every so often as she did him.
“Oh! Sorry. Um, is now a bad time?” Spike asked, kicking the mat, “I think this can wait,”
“What happened now?” Twilight sighed.
“Rainbow Dash’s animals have committed mutiny and they put her in a pot,” Spike said so quickly that if Twilight didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought him lying.
“How do you even know that word?” Twilight mumbled as she pressed her claws along the bridge of her snout to ward off the growing headache, “Ok whatever, is she in any immediate danger? I need to save some farmers from lightning. I’m sorry. I’m really tired right now,”
Spike hesitated, “Maybe?” he hedged, “I mean I don’t know how rabbits and squirrels can eat a pony,”
“Do whatever you can then,” Twilight dismissed, pressing her paws into her eyes, “Fried ponies are a bigger issue right now,”
Spike nodded, “Ok. When I come back, I’ll set up the iron rods in the back,”
Twilight huffed a laugh, “And when did you get all grown up? Thank you, Spike,”
When Twilight went on her way, she mourned the way Spike was growing up too fast. She’d done all she could to prevent Spike from turning out like her. But she had no proper role models for good parents. Her own sent her off to the Princess at such a young age she never really knew what a good parent was.
She became a dragon at age four. An age too young to get discriminated against. An age too young to understand why her parents didn’t take her places anymore. An age too young to feel such confusion about who she really was. An age too young to question ‘why me?’.
She became Celestia’s student at age six. Too young to be away from her parents. Too young to start absorbing books like air. Too young to know why there were more whispers than ever before. Too young to understand the magic she was learning. Too young to become a pawn on the chessboard. Too young to throw her life away for studies.
She was a mother at age fourteen. Not old enough to know the world. Not old enough to be a responsible adult figure for the infant placed in her arms. Not old enough to properly balance school life and parenthood. Not old enough to be an adult and not young enough to be a child. Not old enough to prevent her own child from growing up like her.
In each situation, she had to grow up and learn. In each situation, she had to learn on her own how to grow a tough mental mindset. She had to learn how to be independent. She had to learn that Celestia wouldn’t show affection like a parent. She had to learn that a life was more precious than failing a test. She had to learn that being a pawn meant very little was in her control.
Her claws clenched and tears burned her eyes as she battled the ornery storm clouds, knowing that Spike was learning how to put less stress on her. He was learning how to take care of problems himself. He was learning that the world had to come before him in his mother’s eyes. He was learning that being the child of a pawn meant that things were out of his control.
She was proud of him. So very proud of the way he was taking it. But she wished, in another life, that he got a full childhood as he deserved. She wished she could be allowed to put him before everything. She wished that Spike wasn’t the son of a pawn, commanded by Celestia. 
Spike was twelve and too young to be so old. Twilight was twenty-six and too young to carry so much.