//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Life of a Dragon: Die for Metal // by MoshKing //------------------------------// Dear Twilight, I have two emissaries from a foreign nation coming to stay with me for the next few weeks, and I require the assistance of you and the other Elements of Harmony to prepare for their arrival. I'm sending a carriage to take you and your friends from Ponyville to my home in Canterlot tomorrow, where you will be staying as guests for the next few days. Your Teacher, Princess Celestia Twilight looked up from the letter after she finished reading it to her five friends. After her assistant Spike had burped up the letter, she immediately called her friends over to the castle so she could share what little information Celestia had given her. Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie all looked at each other, and then back to her. Rainbow Dash spoke first: "Who could be important enough that the Princess would need US to help her get ready for when they finally get here?" Twilight responded,"I don't know. It doesn't specify whose coming, or even where they're from in the letter." Applejack chimed in, "As far as I'm concerned, there ain't no use fussin' about it now. We'll just have to wait until tomorrow." the rest nodded in agreement with the orange farm mare. Rarity stood up from her seat and made her way towards the front door. "Well," she said," If we're leaving tomorrow then I have a lot of packing to do". Applejack responded, "Just don't take half the Boutique with you." Rarity paid no attention to Applejack's comment and left the castle. "Um...is that actually possible? Fluttershy asked Applejack. Applejack responded to the butter yellow pegasus' question, "Knowing Rarity, she'll find a way to make it possible." Soon enough, the rest of the Mane Six left as well (Pinkie Pie bouncing up in down in her usual fashion as she left), with the exception of Twilight. After they left, Twilight turned to the purple-scaled dragon who was sweeping the floor. Spike had grown significantly over the years. When Twilight first became a Princess four years ago, he was only fifteen and was still technically a baby dragon. But now, he had grown nearly two feet, his fangs had grown longer and sharper, and he finally sprouted wings. Since the growth pattern of dragons was different than that of ponies, instead of a steady growth rate, Spike had matured almost overnight. This sudden growth spurt had taken place about a year after Twilight had become Princess. It had been a painful process, for his body wasn't used to that kind of stress at that age. Apparently, his species of dragon were known for maturing sporadically. In Spike's case, it had turned him from a scrawny sixteen-year old that was three years younger than Twilight and her friends into a fully matured nineteen-year old dragon. "Spike..." she called his name. His head immediately snapped up at the sound of his surrogate sister's voice. "What is it, Twi?" he asked her. "Me and the girls will be going to Canterlot for a few days, and I'll need you to take care of the library while we're gone. Think you can handle it?" Twilight asked him. Spike replied halfheartedly,"Yeah, whatever. I'll be fine." Twilight noticed the lack of energy behind his response, but figured that he was just tired. "Alright, then," she said, "I'm gonna go and start packing. You should probably go to bed after you've finished cleaning the floor".Spike nodded and continued sweeping the floor while the purple alicorn left the room where her and her friends met so often to discuss whatever friendship problems needed solving. As soon as he heard the door close, his face contorted into a mixed expression of sadness and agitation. He may have changed both physically and emotionally over the past three years, one thing that hadn't changed was the resentment that he held towards the Elements of Harmony. Especially the anger and frustration that he felt towards Twilight. They were always running off to go hang out and have fun or to go on some adventure together. And where was he most of the time? He was back at the castle, cleaning up some mess that Twilight made while she was studying. He wanted to say something to all of them, but he couldn't muster up the courage to do it. He sighed as he continued his sweeping, his facial expression changing from one of frustration to one of exhaustion. He finished his sweeping and put the broom back in the closet with the rest of the cleaning supplies. He shuffled through the many hallways of the castle to his bedroom. He flopped down on the king-sized bed and turned over onto his back, staring up at the ceiling until he felt a stirring in his intestines. He burped up a scroll marked with the same emblem Celestia put on every scroll she sent to Twilight. Spike, puzzled by why Celestia would send another scroll, opened it up. It read: Dear Spike, I also require your attendance at my castle as well. I believe that you would rather enjoy meeting these foreign emissaries that I will be having to stay with me. I hope to see you soon. Your loving mother, Celestia Even though Spike was confused as to why Celestia believed that he would "enjoy" meeting a couple of emissaries from a foreign nation, he couldn't help but smile at the fact that for once, he wasn't going to be left behind by Twilight and the others. He put the letter on the end table that stood at the side of his bed and closed his eyes, hoping that the Mane Six would finally treat him like he actually mattered to them.