While Sweetie Belle and Rarity were working on their plan; Spike and Twilight were warming up with the heat of a good fire, accompanied with some cocoa and a good book.
Spike yawned ‘’I’m going to sleep, night Twilight.’’
‘’Wait Spike!’’ Twilight called after him. ‘’There’s something I want to ask you.’’
Spike turned and listened to the lavender alicorn in front of him. ‘’What do you need Twilight?’’
‘’I want you to tell me everything about your time in the ORDER.’’ Twilight was curious about the experiences of Spike in that place, but she wanted to hear them with every detail.
‘’I thought I've already tell you that.’’ He said.
‘’But I want to hear the complete version!’’ Twilight pleaded to her assistant.
Spike wasn’t in mood for that: his day was absolutely horrid right from the morning so the only thing that he wanted was to get some rest.
‘’It can’t wait until tomorrow?’’ He asked to his friend.
‘’Pretty please, Spike?’’ Twilight begged and Spike gave up, wanting this to end quickly so he can get his so badly wanted nap.
‘’Ok Twilight, but pay absolute attention because I’m not going to repeat anything.’’ He warned before start his narration, he cleared his throat and began to speak.
‘’Just after we left the library, Master Bargus teleported us to the entrance of the chamber…’’ He started the story with nostalgia.
FLASHBACK
‘’Here it is Spike.’’ Bargus commented, looking at the enormous door made of stone that was the entrance to the ORDER, and the center of the time chamber.
‘’Wow…’’ Spike was astonished, mostly because of the height of the structure, and it was just the entrance.
‘’Lets proceed, shall we?’’ Bargus said.
‘’Yes, master.’’ Spike agreed with his professor and went inside the ORDER.
Once inside, Spike’s body stops obeying him as he admired the campus, it was colossal!
It was almost like a small city. lots of buildings with signs that indicated the place; the research lab, the mail station, the cafeteria, the gym, the boys and girls dorms respectively, the professors dorms, the library and…
‘’M-master…’’ Spike began. ‘’What is that thing?’’ Spike’s amazement was over the limits when he devised a gigantic pillar made by some class of clear, black metal and it was located just in the middle of the ORDER.
‘’Well Spike I’m glad you asked. It’s…’’ Bargus was interrupted by a calm and deep voice coming from behind them.
‘’It is called the Monolith’’ A figure that was taller than Bargus stepped aside from them. It was obvious that the man was old; the proof was in his voice. the large gray beard hanging from his chin was another hint of his advanced age.
‘’Greetings, Master Razni.’’ Bargus made a reverence before that old man. Spike did the same, following his master’s actions.
Razni looked down and noticed the little dragon’s presence.
‘’Who is this young drake Bargus?’’ Razni asked.
‘’His name is Spike. he is one of our five candidates this year and if you let me say it, he is the one with the best score among them’’ Bargus praised Spike’s hidden potential, and then he turned his attention to his student.
‘’Spike, he is the great Master Razni, the head of the order’’ He presented Razni.
Razni got closer to Spike and looked directly in his eyes. Sensing that Bargus was correct, Razni thought that Spike’s capabilities could dramatically improve with the correct training.
‘’I can see that you will have future here Spike. I will be rooting for your success. If you have any doubt or any kind of trouble, you are free to come and ask me for advice.’’ Razni said in his old and wise voice.
‘’Thank you so much for those kind words and for the warm welcome, master Razni.’’ Spike felt honored to be welcomed by the head of the ORDER in person.
‘’Well then, I’m an extremely busy man so if you excuse me I’ll be going now’’ The elder master trundled out of sight.
‘’C’mon master, let’s go!’’ Spike said more motivated than ever.
Bargus guided Spike through the ORDER until they reach to a beautiful building made of perfectly polished ornamental stone, and with impeccable details incised all over the structure.
Once inside the immaculate structure, they meet the other candidates. Spike noticed immediately that they were all baby dragons just like him.
‘’I see that you brought our last candidate Bargus.’’ A female voice called from a corner.
‘’His name is Spike, and believe me when I say that this one shows great potential. By the way, it’s good to see that you’re doing well Anjh.’’ Bargus answered his comrade.
Anjh looked at Spike and said, ‘’Hello Spike, I am Anjh and I will be the professor assigned to your dormitory. I am also the professor in charge of the field of the science.’’
While Spike was being presented to Anjh, the other candidates were commenting about him.
‘’So, he’s the last candidate huh?’’ A lemon-green dragon with fiery orange spines commented.
‘’It would seem so...’’ A light-gray dragon with red spines next to him answered.
‘’What do you think about him?’’ Asked a dark brown dragoness with tropical green spines to her friend.
‘’I don’t know, he’s cute’’ A golden dragoness with pink spines commented rather sweetly.
Spike was formally presented toward Anjh and vice versa.
‘’Well Spike, why don’t you go over there and meet the other candidates?’’ Anjh suggested to the little purple dragon.
Spike went to the other dragons and tried to be nice.
‘’Hi’’ He said.
‘’Hi there…uh…Spike right?’’ The lemon dragon asked.
‘’Yes, and you are…?’’ He asked to his new comrade.
‘’I’m Grey, but you may call me ‘the one and only’!’’ Grey pounded his chest proudly ad he talk.
‘’Ugh, you’re such a pretentious jerk!’’ The golden dragoness whined.
‘’What did you say?!’’ Grey was really pissed off for the comment.
‘’I wouldn’t say that, in fact I think that it’s great to have that level of esteem, that’s the mark of a warrior’’ Spike commented.
Grey chuckled‘’ Thanks Spike, you’re the only one who get it, you’re the man!’’ Grey extended his fist for a broofist that Spike accepted.
‘’Ok. How about you?’’ Spike talked to the gray dragon.
‘’I’m Vice…’’ He said in a very cold and distant way.
‘’Don’t mind him, he’s always like that’’ The brown dragoness talked.
‘’It doesn’t bother me. I could tell that you’ll be a great leader. Your attitude tells me that you’ll be capable of making important decision under a lot of pressure and that’s awesome!’’ He offered a friendly handshake.
‘’Heh… ‘’ Vice accepted the handshake and offered Spike a small but satisfactory smile.
‘’Now, who are you mi ’lady?’’ Spike asked to the brown dragoness.
‘’I’m Lynn, nice to meet you’’ Lynn presented herself in front of Spike.
‘’Something tells me that you’re not from here…’’ Spike guessed.
‘’You’re correct. My hometown is a tropical village on Nugah Salan, a peaceful and beautiful island. I also have the capability of reading someone’s fortune. I know that this aspect will prove useful as well’’ Lynn explained.
‘’Wow, that’s awesome Lynn! I’m jealous of you.’’ Spike commented, making Lynn blush a bit in embarrassment.
‘’Thank you’’ She said.
‘’And who are you?’’ Spike asked to the golden dragoness.
‘’She’s Miss Airhead!’’ Grey’s comment wasn’t nice.
‘’What?! Ugh, that’s the kind of attitude that pisses me off!’’ the dragoness shouted at him.
‘’Umm…I assume that you two aren’t exactly the best of friends?’’ Spike said rather uncomfortable.
‘’I’d rather clean the entire campus myself that talk to that rotten jerk!’’ She said angrily.
‘’Same to you ugly’’ Grey said.
‘’WHAT?!’’ The golden dragoness was exploding.
‘’I really think that you two should knock it off since our professors are still in the room...’’ Vice said.
The two bickering dragons both turned their heads to see that Bargus and Anjh were glaring at them.
They then looked at each other.
‘’I’m…uh…sorry.’’ Grey said slowly. Being tormented by his professor’s mean looks wasn’t exactly a pleasant feeling.
‘’Me…too.’’ The golden dragoness said, nervous as well.
‘’Ok…since this little quarrel is finally over, why don’t you tell me your name?’’ Spike asked.
‘’Oh, um…sorry, I’m Elycia.’’ She beamed cheerfully at Spike.
‘’Elly for short if you don’t mind. It’s a pleasure to meet you.’’ Spike took Elycia’s claw and kissed it, causing her to blush like mad.
‘’It seems that you already made new friends Spike.’’ Bargus said as he and Anjh approached at the cadets.
‘’I hope that you’ll feel comfortable in here Spike.’’ Anjh said, looking at Elycia, who blushed even more.
‘’You bet!’’ Spike said.
‘’Alright then, follow us and we will show you all to your respective rooms.’’ Bargus guided the group with Anjh to their dorms.
They arrived at the dorms in little time. There was a dormitory for the boys and another for the girls. the professors went on to do other tasks, leaving the young dragons alone in their rooms;
‘’Ok, so what do we do now?’’ Grey asked.
‘’Let’s take a good look at the campus...’’ Vice suggested.
‘’Good idea, we should get familiarized with the campus’’ Lynn supported Vice’s idea.
‘’That sounds like a plan’’ Spike commented. ‘’What about you two?’’
‘’I guess its fine’’ Elycia said.
‘’Ok, ok I’ll tag along too’’ Grey agreed.
Just as the 5 dragons were preparing to leave, an annoying laugh stopped them from doing what they planned to do.
‘’Well, well, well, look at what the wind dragged in! A bunch of pathetic, inexperienced, good-for-nothing cadets!’’ A tall griffin said burly tone.
‘’Hey, watch out your words!’’ Grey said feeling very annoyed.
‘’Who do you think you are, talking to us like that?!’’ Elycia glared at the griffin.
‘’You talk like you’re a superior to us, but you’re just a weirdo with no brain and no sense for the ridiculous!’’ Spike openly insulted the griffin.
‘’W-what?! How crude, vulgar, reprehensible!’’ The griffin said dramatically loud.
‘’Even when you’re mad, you look and talk like a clown...’’ Vice said, making the griffin angrier.
‘’How dare you speak to me that way?! I’m the fantastic, stunning, and extraordinary Zatch!’’ The griffin proudly announced his name to the dragons.
‘’I don’t know who you are and I don't care’’ Lynn said harshly.
Zatch was furious and indignant. He flew off without saying anything else.
‘’What a weirdo...’’ Vice commented.
‘’Yeah, who the hay did he think he is?’’ Spike said a bit irritated.
‘’We should get going.’’ Lynn suggested and the group nodded.
The rest of the day was pretty pleasant. The 5 dragons became good friends in no time including Grey and Elycia (to some extent). By the appointed time for lights out they went to the dormitory and rested all night. They needed to be ready for tomorrow because their training would start exactly when the sun begins to rise.
The next morning Spike and his new friends woke up, ready to give it all in their first day in the ORDER.
They first went to talk to Bargus.
‘’Good morning everyone.’’ Bargus greeted his students.
‘’Good morning professor Bargus.’’ They replied.
‘’I see that you slept well last night. I assume that you are ready to begin your training.’’
‘’Yes we are!’’ Spike spoke with energy.
Bargus smiled a bit. He knew that their first day of training is going to be absolute hell for them but he needed to test their will.
They soon reached to a room filled with stems, but the stems were covered by some kind of metallic spheres. It was a really bizarre contraption.
‘’Alright everyone’’ Bargus called. ‘’Your first exercise objective will be to endure your palms’’
All the dragons give their master quizzical looks.
‘’You are going to hit those stems with the palms of your hands, and before we continue I am in need to warn you all. THIS IS REALLY GOING TO HURT, but it’s necessary so I need you do it.’’
All the dragons, except Vice gulped at the warning.
‘’So, any volunteers?’’ Bargus asked.
All the dragons doubted it.
‘’I-I will do it.’’ Spike raised his hand.
‘’Wow, you really are nuts Spike.’’ Grey said to his friend.
‘’Don’t overdo it...’’ Vice said as well.
‘’Be careful.’’ Lynn didn’t want to see Spike getting hurt.
‘’You can do it!’’ Elycia encouraged him.
‘’Thanks guys.’’ Spike went to the selected spot and stood in front of the stem.
‘’Alright Spike, all you need to do is to hit the surface of the stem with your palm with all of the strength you can muster.’’ Bargus was aware that Spike was going to cry out from the pain. It was natural in the first session of this exercise, but Spike needed to do it in order to progress with the training.
Spike’s palm impacted one of the metallic spheres on the stem and the pain was beyond measure. All he could do was let out a scream.
‘’Do it again!’’ Bargus commanded.
‘’What?! But it hurts a lot!’’ Spike complained.
‘’I know that Spike but it’s the only way you can continue on the training program.
‘’B-but…’’ Spike started but he was interrupted by Bargus, trying to taunt him.
'’Unless you don’t want to protect Twilight, that’s it!’’ Bargus shook his head slowly, pretending to be disappointed.
Spike felt a fantastic rush of wrath coming from his chest, enough to hit the stem again. The result didn’t change in the slightest; it still was a nearly crippling pain.
But Spike didn’t stop. he hit the stem again, and again, and again.
He started to cry from the pain just like Bargus predicted but he kept hitting that stem. He thought about all the good things that Twilight did for him and how every hit, every pain was one step closer to being capable of protect Twilight.
It was like that on the second, third, fourth and fifth day of training; being tortured with insane amount of physical torment.
Every morning the pain that invaded their whole bodies was beyond bearing, but everyone had their own reason to be in the ORDER. They shouldered the pain since it was just one of the many obstacles they’ll have to face to become members of the ORDER.
After the eighth day, their bodies started to get used to the training. With their heads head up high, the 5 baby dragons started to give 110% in everything the ORDER had in store for them. (If you want to get deeper in the history recommend you to imagine all the training that Spike and his comrades had to do with this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knkkkjiapa8)
Seven years have passed since their training began; now the five dragons were teenagers. The males had developed strongly refined musculatures. They often shaved in order to keep a good, clean look. Their voices were a rich, deep baritone pitch. Their round-pointed spines grew to be razor sharp.
On the females, their spines had grown long and floppy closely resembling hair. Their bodies grew to be slim and well-toned. Their voices had developed a more mature and pleasant sopranos. They also were starting to be noticed by the males of their group.
They were all in the training room. Each dragon was doing their own routine.
Spike, with the arms of a bodybuilder, was doing push-ups on his thumbs.
Vice was lifting weights, and was making good timing.
Grey was hitting a large training bag filled with sand with such strength and speed that made the steel support column holding the bag start to buckle.
Linn was meditating focusing on letting her mind and body to become one.
Elycia was turning large blocks of ice into powdery snow from the powerful round house kick that she was able to create from her powerful legs.
‘’So…are you ready for today?’’ Bargus asked to his former students as he entered to the room.
‘’Why wouldn’t we?’’ Grey answered Bargus’s question with another question.
‘’Yeah, we’ve trained almost a decade for this moment mas…I mean Bargus.’’ Spike said, feeling odd for calling his master for his name.
‘’And to think that seven years ago we were just trainees...’’ Vice commented.
‘’And that’s what surprises me Vice. For me, it is like I was just teaching you how to properly sit on your knees. Then I look away for ten seconds and turn to see that you are going to obtain your graduate diplomas’’ The veteran said with a hint of sadness in his voice.
‘’Aww, we’re going to miss you as well Bargus, don’t worry!’’ Elycia cheered.
Bargus let out a small laugh that surprised everyone, being as serious as he is.
‘’Never change, even a bit, any of you. Do you hear me?’’
They all went to the center of the Monolith where the ceremony to be was taking place. Seeing and visiting every building with happiness in their hearts and minds. Everyone gave them their goodbyes, including Rebecca the librarian, Jackie the reporter that was a crush of Grey’s who had a hard time saying goodbye to her, Rusty the chef that got along with everyone and last but not least Skipper, the dorm’s supervisor and a close friend of the 5 dragons.
‘’Ah, I see that you came without delay.’’ Master Razni commented about the punctuality of his former students.
‘’Of course Master Razni.’’ Lynn said calmly.
‘’Well then, I shall leave you graduates alone so you can say your goodbyes. Meet us at the Monolith when you are ready.’’ The elder went off with those words.
Spike sighed. ‘’So…this is the goodbye huh?’’
‘’It seems so...’’ Vice said.
‘’I’m going to miss you all so much, even you Grey.’’ Elycia got emotional.
‘’Do you think we’ll meet again someday?’’ Lynn asked sadly.
‘’If Lady Luck wants it that way.’’ Spike sighed again.
Then the five friends hugged each other before they went into the Monolith.
Once there, they stood silently at the center of the stage as Master Razni gave the traditional ‘'farewell and good luck’' speech.
‘’Attention everyone!’’ Razni started. ‘’We are all gathered here to say goodbye to these 5 young dragons that I had the honor of meeting…’’
Zatch was in a bench, grumbling about his miserable failure at the final tests and whining about how those 5 dragons made it and he couldn’t. ‘’How did this happen?! Beat by those kids, those twerps, those brats!’’ He babbled between cries.
‘’…And for everything you’ve done for us, thank you.’’ Razni said concluding his ceremonial speech.
Spike, Vice, Grey, Lynn and Elycia were called at the front of the stage to receive their diplomas, and their most sincere congratulation from Bargus.
He sniffed a couple of times, a sign that he was crying.
‘’Master, are you crying?’’ Spike couldn’t believe it. His master was always strict and serious but now he was crying, and that means that he cared about them.
‘’I have already told you that now that you have fulfilled your training. I am not your master anymore.’’ He paused. ‘’But it was wonderful to take you under my mentoring. Please promise me that you will never forget about me.’’ He requested to his ex-students.
‘’W-we promise Master Bargus.’’ Now all of them were crying. This was hard for everyone but their paths needed to split up and maybe one day they will cross again.
Spike was the first to exit the Time Chamber and when he did, he returned to the size that he was when he first arrived to the ORDER. He heaved out sigh before starting his journey back to Ponyville and back to home.
FLASHBACK END
‘’And that’s all…’’ He finished with a sigh.
Twilight was crying both tears of joy and sadness. ‘’I can’t believe that you went through all of that physical pain and mental burden for me, but at the same time I’m happy that you’ve gained so much from that trip.’’ She said sobbing a little.
‘’Now Twilight, there’s no reason to cry. I’m here for you and that’s all that matters.’’ He smiled warmly at Twilight.
Twilight hugged Spike before she closed her book and went to their room.
‘’Good night, Spike.’’
‘’Good night, Twilight.’’
The door of Twilight’s room closed smoothly as Spike went to his basket and shut his eyes, waiting anxiously for the next day to come around.