//------------------------------// // Lesson #1 // Story: Spike's Kingdom // by Guardian Dragon //------------------------------// Princess Celestia received a letter from Spike, but it had inscriptions in macaroni that confused her. However, she quickly realized that it was Discord's work. "Oh, Discord." She chuckled, amused by his playful way of helping Spike. She felt happy knowing Spike would be a great Dragon Lord and looked forward to the upcoming conference meeting. "I should inform Twilight about Spike's decision to withdraw from the meeting." Princess Celestia lowers the sun with her magic, allowing her sister to raise the moon; she hopes that Princess Luna can communicate with Spike in his dreams due to Discord stretching the truth with his storytelling. Princess Celestia strolls down the corridors to the guest room and meets Princess Luna; they hug and embrace each other, knowing Spike will do well as Dragon Lord. Princess Luna tells her sister about finding Spike's dream door when she enters the dream realms later on; Princess Celestia explains the letter Discord wrote for Spike, detailing the recalibration of the meeting to a later date once Spike completes his training. Princess Luna is impressed with Spike's sudden change and respects the wishes of the new Dragon Lord, embracing his heritage to become the leader the Dragons desire. Princess Celestia trots down the hallway to the guest room where Twilight and Rarity are bunking. Inside the room, Twilight looks out the window; in the direction of the Dragon Lands. She couldn't help but think about Spike and wonder why he would choose the Dragons when learning from them didn't work out the first time at the Dragon Migration. He seemed happy in Ponyville, always beside her in every way, sharing memories, playing games, and laughing; more memories appeared in her mind, causing her to shed tears. Rarity is blabbing about Spike finding someone else rather than an elegant, beautiful mare such as herself. She can't stop talking about Princess Ember, and her jealousy gets the better of her, calling Ember names. When Princess Celestia stepped into the guest room, Twilight and Rarity hurried over to her, eager to ask a barrage of questions before giving the Princess a chance to speak. Twilight was curious about the conference meeting and the significance of the bearers being present; Rarity was more interested in Spike's love life and whether he had changed his mind about Ember and was now interested in her. Princess Celestia remained calm and composed, patiently addressing each question. "Girls, listen," Princess Celestia said calmly with authority. Princess Twilight and Rarity shut their lips; they hope to hear good news. "Dragon Lord Spike has postponed the meeting tomorrow." "Why would he request a conference meeting and cancel immediately? What made Spike change his mind?" Twilight asks first before Rarity bombards Celestia with questions about Spike's love life. "Spike seeks to learn all about the Dragons before making any decisions for his kin," Princess Celestia replies and shows the duo the letter Discord wrote for Spike. The two read carefully about Spike's decree and his training; Rarity is first to speak. "During the Dragon Migration, Spike was misled by those awful Dragons. What makes you think Spike will learn anything like those monsters?" Rarity crudely states about the Dragons; she's still hurt about Spike turning her away, setting his eyes on Princess Ember. Princess Twilight Sparkle remains quiet and ponders her thoughts about Spike's possible learning lessons. Would they be impactful or turn him into a Dragon that brings ruin? Ember is only one Dragon, and hundreds are out there, giving and instructing Spike to become a possible tyrant since he's just a young baby Dragon, and most Dragons despise Equestria. Princess Celestia is disappointed in Twilight for the behavior she's showcasing since Spike became Dragon Lord; Celestia feels that Twilight should be more understanding and relate to Spike about learning something impactful for all life. For Twilight, it's about Friendship; for Spike, it's about his birthright. Princess and King; learn the values of importance to become better rulers for their nations. Like staring into a mirror, reflecting on the lessons to achieve greatness. Princess Celestia is also disappointed with Rarity for calling Dragons monsters. That attitude could draw the Windigoes if her subjects believe that Dragons are an awful race, while the Dragons feel the same for Equestrian Ponies. "Girls," Princess Celestia gets serious. "I require you two to reflect on your emotions, destress, and discuss your experiences with other species your friends with. Also, answering your question, Spike will learn what it means to be a Dragon and understand the two worlds in one body. The wisest will encourage and teach Spike all he needs to learn and grow." Rarity doubts that wise Dragons would give Spike wisdom, just teaching him to hoard and be greedy. Twilight, on the other hoof, believe Ember to be an inspiring teacher, but she has little faith in Spike to become a better Dragon. She wants to protect Spike from the dangers of other mean and cruel Dragons that would abuse him for being a weakling despite his title as Dragon Lord. She hopes Spike will return home, ruing his decision about becoming Dragon Lord. Also, Princess Celestia didn't answer Rarity about Spike's love interest. Princess Celestia doesn't say another word and leaves, hoping that Twilight and Rarity see the error of their ways before it's too late to make amends for their careless mistake, allowing their emotions to drive them away from facing the truths. It's 8:30 at night. Ember drops Spike and hides behind a bush in a forest an hour away from the Dragon Lands' borders. Ember scouts the forest quietly while Spike tipped-toe silently, following Ember's movement. Spike notices footprints on the dirt ground; it looks fresh, but he can't determine what animal Ember is tracking. "Pssst, Spike," Ember shouts quietly to draw his attention; also not disrupting the animal, Ember found with her hunting techniques. Spike slowly advances to Ember's position and peeks through the bush; Ember is tracking down a Manticore; the Manticore is a fusion of a lion with a red mane, dragon wings, and a scorpion tail. Spike gulps at the behemoth. Spike is unsure about hunting a vicious animal in the forest; however, watching Ember from a different angle, looking upward at her divine beauty, Spike couldn't help but stare at her movements. Ember's irises slit and change into predator mode; she roars loudly, allowing the prey to either be brave to fight or petrified and flee for its' life. The Manticore turns to Ember's war cry and growls, accepting the brawl he'll endure to win. Spike is speechless and watches how Ember flies directly at the Manticore; it tries clawing viciously at Ember, but she dodges each swipe, left and right, up and down. The Manticore attempts to stun her with his stinger; however, Ember grabs the tail and unleashes a wave of her blue flames, incinerating the Manticore's tail to ashes. The Manticore aims to take flight away from Ember's onslaught but fails to recognize Ember's wings; Ember flies in front of the Manticore swiftly and ax-chops the head of the Manticore with brute force, causing it to crash land and sustain injuries; It whimpers in defeat while Ember approaches it. "Spike!" Ember calls for Spike to come out of the bushes; she hoists the Manticore with one claw, displaying her strength while her irises return to normal. Spike approaches Ember after watching the spectacle of Ember's fighting techniques during an encounter with the Manticore; Ember shows no fear, keeps her guard up, reads the body language, and devises the finishing blow to weaken the Manticore. The Manticore's eyes become bloodshot, starts grasping for air, and Spike realizes that Ember is choking the creature's life out; it scares him since he's never seen another animal killing another. The neck of the Manticore snaps as Ember lets go of her grip; she turns to Spike and becomes awestruck by Spike's dreaded look. Spike witnessed a killing, something Equestrian Ponies under any regard don't practice. "Ooooooooooh," Ember starts realizing that Spike has much more to learn. Spike walks to the deceased Manticore and places his claw on its' chest, trying to find a heartbeat or any signs of life. He breathes heavily after feeling nothing within. "You killed it..," Spike is appalled to understand that Dragons are more dangerous hunters than Changelings when they desire love. "Spike," Ember tries to sound sympathetic to Spike since he's young with no indication about the Dragon's life. She looks around and locates an abandoned camping ground to roast the Manticore. "I'll reveal more about our culture while heating this tasty, delicious meat I know you'll savor." "Okay," Spike follows Ember to the abandoned camping ground; there's a bonfire with smaller rocks forming a large circle; Also, there's a long rod that Ember uses to tie the wrists and back legs of the Manticore to it, using some rope left behind by other campers that once used it. Ember breathes blue flames underneath the Manticore, allowing it to cook for a while. "Ember," Spike is nervous about the info he'll receive from Ember about Dragons being carnivores. "Do Dragons gain a growth spurt from eating meat, and what qualities does consuming flesh bring to Dragons?" "Eating meat gives Dragons protein and energy; it also helps our spikes and body gain height and muscle mass. Some Dragons look bulkier, and others look skinny; however, those Dragons that look slim are stronger than their appearance." "What about vegetation? Does that help Dragons grow as meat would?" "No," Ember shakes her head. "Eating vegetables delays our growth and strength; eating much of it can sustain fatigue, causing us to become less durable. How much of it you consumed in Equestria, Spike?" "Well," Spike scratches the back of his head. "I had a broccoli casserole before coming to the Dragon Lands; I had steamed asparagus, zucchini, and squash for dinner last night; I made spinach pasta for Twilight and her friends when they came over the other day; oh boy..," Spike looks down and recalls the many veggies he consumed throughout the years; he does mention the sugary sweets like ice cream, cake, cupcakes, and candy. He questions Ember about eating Equestrian junk food. "I can't say I've eaten those sugary treats, but judging where you stand, I guess it's a pass. Are they similar to eating gemstones?" "Not quite," Spike responds. "Also, I don't eat as many gemstones as I would in Equestria; Twilight controlled my portions and feared that I may regress, fearing that eating more would start a different growth spurt that could go rampant." "By not eating enough Spike, you'll succumb to any illness mother nature will throw at you and suffer more with injuries doctors in Equestria can't repair." "WHAT?!" Spike panics at the sound of becoming sick by eating fewer gemstones, including succumbing to injuries. "Gemstones are delectable within our community, but they hold another purpose for our bodies; they replenish cells too damaged to heal, give us newfound energy, restore any organ that sustained an injury from anything, and keep us full whenever we can't find meat." "Wow, I would have never known that..," Spike is astounded by how gemstones have such a magical effect on Dragons like Spike. He's absolutely speechless about their purpose, but it's clear that they give him an incredible boost of energy. He noticed that whenever he ate them, he effortlessly lifted Rarity's suitcases and Twilight's books throughout the castle's libraries. Even more astonishing is gemstones seem to have a pain-dissolving effect on him. Whenever he's had minor injuries, they dissolve his pain and make him forget about the ache. It truly is remarkable for Spike! Ember spends a few minutes turning the rod of the Manticore, anticipating what questions Spike may ask and mentally preparing to answer each one. "Any other questions you want to ask?" "Have you tasted a vegetable?" Spike asks out of curiosity since he thinks he's the only Dragon that ate anything vegetation. "I have; the ones you named are some I've tried. They taste good, but it's not nourishing to our bodies; meat and gemstones are our best sources of nutrition when building muscle mass, strength, speed, and endurance. So is weightlifting boulders and mountains to gain muscle mass; however, that's a different story." "What meats are best for consumption?" Spike is interested in hunting those younger than older whenever they are no gemstones. "Anything except for our kin, Spike. The same goes for fish that swims in waters," Ember says, breathing more flames into the bonfire. "Even Ponies?" Spike asks since they would be delicious to any Dragon during starvation. It was hard to say since he cared about his friends in Equestria. "Only those who trespass into our lands unannounced or looking for trouble. Throughout centuries, some out there gave us a bad name, and many Unicorns and Pegasi thought of slaying us out of pride, sport, and to become legends," Ember said bitterly with anger and disgust. Spike inhales deeply; he imagines the horror that Equestrian Ponies would stir conflicts to make a name for themselves with the story in the mind of defeating a tall terrorizing monster that breathes fire. "Well, uh..." "I know," Ember already knows what Spike is trying to say even though it's a rough topic of discussion. "Equestria won't document all the facts of their history, unlike us; we Dragons know the truths and have drawn hieroglyphics depicting all events of Dragon Kind. We know that horrid pasts are imperative knowledge to learn and grow better; that way, history won't repeat." "So.., uh.., what was the worst thing Equestria has done to the Dragons..?" Spike is already regretting asking that question; he hopes Ember doesn't have an answer. Ember grinds her teeth, and her irises become slit; she bellows her roar in anger at the thought of the crime committed by Equestrian Ponies. That causes Spike to sweat nervously and gulps in fear at Ember's sudden change in demeanor. Ember balls her fists and stomps left and right, thinking about the atrocity Ponies did to Dragon Kind, something that former Dragon Lord Torch wanted to initiate but couldn't at the time. "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THOSE SCUMBAGS HAVE DONE TO OUR RACE!" Her anger boils with every fiber in her body; she breathes flames at the Manticore, nearly incinerating the flesh in rage. "YEARS AGO, THOSE PONIES LED BY A WRETCHED PRINCESS CAME TO OUR LANDS AND STOLE DRAGON EGGS!" Spike hears the echoing of Dragon Eggs in Ember's voice in his mind while his heart drops and shatters into a million pieces. His eyes roll up, and he passes out from the shocking revelation. "Spike!" Ember rushes over to him. Her anger becomes worried over the new Dragon Lord. "Spike, are you okay? Please, answer me!" Ember picks him up and checks his heartbeat. "Still beating," Ember wonders why he passed out. Then it hits her like a dagger piercing someone's back. "Oh.., no. No, no, no," Ember shakes her head. She doesn't want to believe Spike is a survivor of the egg raid Ponies devised years ago.