Twilight and Rainbow Dash had payed a visit to Fluttershy's cottage, they had some important news to share with her.
"You want to invite me to see The Great Dragon Migration?" Fluttershy asked "Oh my, I don't think I like the idea."
"Don't worry Fluttershy, you'll be safe. Applejack and Pinkie Pie have been working very hard to get a trench ready in time for the migration." Twilight explained "The dragons won't even know you're there."
"Besides, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity are going to be there too. You're the only one missing out." Rainbow Dash added.
"I really don't like dragons, haven't I made that clear by now?" Fluttershy asked.
"We're well aware of that, but it's not like you'll be staring one straight in the face." Twilight replied. "I can even put up a protective barrier if that will make you feel safe."
"I don't know, what if one of the dragons does spot me?" Fluttershy said, panic begining to set in "I don't wanna get fried to a crisp!"
"I can assure you that won't happen." Twilight reassured Fluttershy.
"You'll be fine." Rainbow Dash added "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"I don't know." Fluttershy said uncertainly.
Rainbow Dash sighed "I really didn't want to have to do this." she said, and pulled out a photograph. It showed her with Fluttershy, watching a migrating flock of butterflies. Fluttershy seemed incredibly happy, as she obeserved the butterflies with her binoculars. But Rainbow Dash seemed a bit bored, though she was trying her best not to show it "I watched that Butterfly Migration with you a few weeks ago, and I wasn't a big fan of it. You owe me, Fluttershy."
Fluttershy sighed "I guess I don't have a choice. It would be pretty selfish of me to decline after you brought that up." she replied.
"So, does this mean you'll be there?" Twilight asked.
"Yes." Fluttershy nodded.
"You won't regret it, Fluttershy, this migration only happens once in a lifetime." Twilight said happily.
"Lucky me." Fluttershy muttered under her breath.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie were using shovels to dig a trench that would be big enough, and deep enough, to allow them and their friends to view the dragon migration without being roasted.
It was highly exhausting work, even by earth ponies standards, but at last they were finished.
"That should do it." Applejack said, putting down the shovel she'd been using.
"You think we dug it deep enough?" Pinkie Pie asked Applejack, as they eyed their creation. If they at all miscalculated, they could be putting themselves and their friends in danger.
"Of course we did, Pinkie." Applejack reassured Pinkie Pie "No dragon at all's gonna been able to torch us, not without crashin' into the ground that is!"
"That sounds a bit harsh don't you think?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"Maybe a little, but I meant no disrespect." Applejack replied "We did a pretty good job, all things considered. Now there's nothin' left to do but sit back and enjoy the show."
"Ooh! I'll be right back, I gotta go grab some popcorn!" Pinkie Pie smiled, and disappeared in a blur of pink. Applejack just smiled, Pinkie was just being her usual cheerful self.
Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash, arrived at the trench while Pinkie Pie was away. "Where did Pinkie disappear to? She better not have ditched us!" Rainbow Dash complained.
"Now Rainbow Dash, you know Pinkie Pie would never do something like that." Twilight said seriously.
"It's not nice to talk bad about ponies behind their backs, you wouldn't like it if we did it to you." Fluttershy added.
"You're right, I'm sorry." Rainbow Dash apologized "Don't know what came over me there."
Pinkie Pie returned a moment later, with bags of popcorn for everyone who wanted one. "It's my special Pie family brand of popcorn, my sisters taught me how to make it when I was just a filly." she explained.
Rarity arrived, looking rather unhappy with the camouflage outfit she was wearing for the ocassion. "Why oh why does camouflage have to be so drab all the time?" she complained "I don't even see what the point of wearing this silly thing is."
"It's so the dragons will have a harder time spottin' you, if you wore one of your more glamorus outfits, you'd stick out like a chocolate bar at a swimmin' pool." Applejack replied.
"But isn't the whole purpose of this trench to keep the dragons from seeing us?" Rarity asked.
"It doesn't matter how below ground you are, if you're wearing somethin' bright you'll be spotted in an instant." Applejack explained "So, you gonna actually get in the trench, or you gonna keep complanin' all day?"
"I'm coming, I'm coming. There's certainly no way I'm going to miss this once in a lifetime event." Rarity said reluctantly, and entered the trench to join the others.
Minutes ticked by, but nothing happened. Each of the mares had their eyes to the sky with ther binoculars, keeping an eye out for any sign of dragons. Still, they spotted nothing.
"Where are all the dragons?" Fluttershy asked "I assumed a dragon migration meant there'd be actual dragons."
"Do I look like I know?" Rainbow Dash shrugged "Ask Twilight, she's the one who found out such a thing from Princess Celestia."
"I don't know why the dragons haven't appeared." Twilight said crossly "This is suppose to be the spot, and Princess Celestia would've notified me if the path of the migration changed."
"You don't suppose we missed them, do you?" Pinkie Pie asked with great concern.
"I sure hope not, cause that would be a waste of valueable time." Applejack replied.
Suddenly, in the distance there came a tremendous roar. The mares recognized it in a heartbeat.
"The dragons are coming, the dragons are coming!" Rarity shouted, unable to contain her excitement.
"Rarity, keep it down or they'll spot us." Fluttershy whispered softly.
"Sorry." Rarity apologized.
A few seconds later, a massive group of dragons big and small alike passed overhead. Some had only one color of skin, while others had multicolored layers, or skin consisting of stripes and/or polka dots. The six mares obeserved the migration with their binoculars, they were incredibly impressed.
All except Rainbow Dash that was "That's not really exciting if you ask me, I think I'd consider that kind of lame." she admitted.
Apparently, one of the dragons had overheard her, because it swooped low. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy ducked down, as the dragon spewed his firey breath, before flying back up to join the others.
Luckily, Rainbow Dash wasn't hurt. But her face was now covered in soot. "I suppose I asked for that one." she said weakly.
Applejack tried her hardest not to laugh "Whadya think of that move, Rainbow Dash? Ya still think dragons are lame?" she teased.
"Not anymore." Rainbow Dash replied "Now I'm starting to see just how powerful those dragons really are."
"Well it's about time." a familiar voice said smugly "Dragons aren't like ponies, and they certainly don't like being made fun of."
"Oh, there you are, Spike. I was wondering if you were going to show up." Twilight said, turning her attention away from the dragon migration. Ever since the incident with Owlowiscious, Twilight had started to learn how to take Spike's feelings more seriously. She was still a bit forgetful at times, but she was improving greatly every day. The fact that she had not experienced a break down since her visit from her future self certainly helped.
"Hope you all like refreshments, because I made muffins." Spike said with a smile, as he wheeled a mini cart loaded with muffins into the trench.
"Oh my, these muffins are probably some of the best I've ever tasted!" Rarity exclaimed when she had finished her muffin "Did you make these muffins yourself, Spikey Wikey?"
"I certainly did." Spike replied, his face blushing a bit at the fact that he'd just been complimented by Rarity.
"Why darling, you are turning the ever most adorable shade of red." Rarity commented, noticing the blush on Spike's face.
Spike said nothing, he really didn't know what he could say to Rarity without sounding like a total idiot.
"You know something, Spike, I'm mighty curious about somethin'." Applejack spoke up.
"What is it Applejack?" Spike asked.
"You seem to have quite a bit of appreciation for the dragons up there." Applejack explained "You wouldn't stop talkin' about them in the days leadin' up to this whole migration."
"Now that I think about it, I seem to recall you waking me up from my power naps with your enthusiasm." Rainbow Dash added.
"Not that there's anything wrong with that." Fluttershy said in defense.
"You must be really excited Spike, I know I would be." Pinkie Pie spoke up "After all this time, you finally get to see some other dragons. You should be happy."
To everyone's surprise, Spike simply said in reply "Sure, whatever." and sighed.
"Is something wrong, Spike?" Fluttershy asked.
"Did we say something wrong?" Rainbow Dash suggested.
"No, it's not that." Spike replied, sighing some more.
"Then what is it?" Rarity asked "What's got you acting so glum?"
"It's the dragons flyin' overhead, isn't it?" Applejack deduced.
"That's quite enough girls." Twilight said seriously "If Spike doesn't want to tell you, he doesn't have to. Spike doesn't stick his nose into your business, so you shouldn't be doing it to him."
"We're only trying to help, Twilight." Applejack said honestly.
"And I'm sure Spike appreciates that very much, but if he doesn't want to tell us, that's his right." Twilight replied.
"Thanks for sticking up for me Twilight, but it's not something I don't want to talk about." Spike spoke up.
"Are you sure about that, Spike? I don't want you to feel pressured because of our friends, not that I think they're doing it intentionally." Twilight asked Spike.
"I appreciate you caring about my feelings, but I don't need you to pick my battles for me. I'm a growing dragon, and I can talk about what I want to talk about, when I feel like it." Spike said seriously "These girls are my friends, and they have a right to know what's troubling me. You said it yourself, some secrets aren't worth keeping."
"Well, you're right Spike." Twilight reluctantly agreed "If you really want to talk about it, then who am I to stop you?"
"So, are you gonna tell us, or are we just gonna sit around here talking about it?!" Rainbow Dash asked crossly, she was starting to get a little bit impatient.
"Applejack is right, my problem is with the dragons flying overhead." Spike confessed.
"I had a feelin' that was the case." Applejack replied "But why are you so worried about them?"
"I'm not worried about them." Spike explained "It's who I am that's causing the problem."
"What's wrong with who you are?" Fluttershy asked innocently.
"You're perfect the way you are, Spike." Rarity said kindly "Why just look at you, you have the cutest widdle pair of chubby cheeks."
"Stop it, you're embarassing me! Seriously!" Spike complained, as Rarity pinched his cheeks with her hooves.
"Rarity has a point, Spike." Pinkie Pie commented "You're perfectly fine as you are. Why would you want to be anyone else? You're a one of a kind, no matter who or what you might be."
"I know that." Spike said with a sigh "It's just, well, look at those dragons up there. They all have wings, they can all breath fire that's really strong and can melt rocks, and I'm just small, and insignificant. My claws are only good for digging up gems, my fire breath almost never gets used for anything except cooking, and the only way I can grow big, is if I start hording stuff and turn into a raging monster. I know I'm just a baby dragon, but I really don't feel like I'm an actual dragon."
"You are a real dragon, Spike, you don't have to have wings or a super powerful flame breath to feel important." Rainbow Dash said kindly "Take it from me, you'll never be proud of yourself if you compare yourself to someone you don't even know anything about."
"That's easy for you to say, you've got a promising future as a possible Wonderbolt." Spike replied.
"But do you actually know anythin' about dragons?" Applejack asked Spike "For all you know, you might be more like other dragons than you think."
"To tell you the truth, I don't know anything at all." Spike admitted "I really wish I did, because right now I'm certainly not feeling like other dragons." And with that, Spike turned around and trundeled saddly.
"Now look what you've done!" Twilight said crossly "You made Spike upset!"
"Don't blame on it me, I didn't say anythin' insultin'." Applejack snorted "You've known Spike for longer than anypony else, except maybe for Princess Celestia. So you should be the one to talk to him about this."
"Perhaps I will, when I feel like he's in the mood to talk about it." Twilight replied "I can't really help him that much, there's not much information about dragons. Only a few ponies have ever actually studied them."
"Well, surely there must be something in the library that could help." Fluttershy suggested.
"If there, I haven't found it yet." Twilight concluded. It really pained her to think, that all this time Spike was looking for answers that she could've provided.
If Twilight had any doubts about whether or not Spike would continue to obess over how little of a dragon he thought he was, were erased that very night.
Spike tried his best, but he found it hard to sleep. Question after question kept him awake. "Who am I? What am I?" he asked himself "Where am I from? What am I supposed to be? Why can't I get these questions out of my mind?"
Twilight was incredibly considerate of Spike's concerns, but she herself was trying to sleep, and Spike was preventing it with his questions. "I told you before, I don't know!" she said to Spike, trying not to sound too cross. She didn't want a repeat of the Owlowiscious incident. "For the last time, Spike, you were given to me as an egg. I don't know who found you or where they found you. Princess Celestia says you were abandoned as an egg, and they found no trace of your parents. Nopony knows who they were, what happened to them, or why they abandoned you. That's all I have to offer."
"Seriously? That's all you know?" Spike complained, getting out of his bed.
"I'm sorry, Spike." Twilight apologized "I really wish I could provide you with the answers you seek. But I vowed never to touch time travel again after what happened with Future Twilight."
"That doesn't tell me anything about who I am!" Spike said angrily, and he went to go use the bathroom. When he was finished, he looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. Twilight could overhear every bit of what he was saying. "I need answers! I feel like I'm... I'm looking at a complete stranger."
Twilight sighed "Oh, Spike." Then, she remembered what Fluttershy had suggested during the migration "Tell you what, why don't we do some late-night research? See what we can find out."
"Really? You'd do that for me?" Spike asked, incredibly surprised.
"Of course! I'm sure we can find something. It's the least I can do, considering you are my son." Twilight said sweetly "Come on, let's see what sort of information we can discover."
That seemed to brighten Spike's mood, and he and Twilight quickly set to work searching the library (with help from Owlowiscious of course).
Unfortunately, what information they managed to find out did nothing to satisfy Spike's curiosity. And even after Twilight decided that it was best to call it a night and get some sleep, Spike was still very unhappy. He felt just as bad next morning, which did not go unnoticed by Twilight. "How is it that we've searched through all these books, and there's still nothing about dragons that can answer my questions?" he complained.
"I don't know Spike." Twilight replied "There are many different kinds of dragons, and ponies have been trying their best to conduct research on them. But hardly anyone knows where the dragon populations live, and the dragons don't seem to take too kindly to strangers on their native lands."
"Well that's just great." Spike said sadly "I'm even more confused now then when these questions first popped up."
"Maybe we can pay another visit to the Canterlot Archives, maybe they'll know something we don't." Twilight suggested.
"I doubt it." Spike muttered glumly, a tear came into his eye "I wonder if dragons cry..."
This made Twilight feel really bad, she wanted to cry more than anything. She had failed to provide Spike with the answers he so desperately wanted. "Some mother I'm turning out to be." she thought to herself. "Spike, please don't cry. You're gonna make me cry as well." she said to Spike.
"It's okay, Twilight. I'm gonna discover who I am if it's the last thing I do!" Spike said, his mood suddenly changing from sad and miserable, to bold and confident.
Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Twilight went to go answer it, and when she opened it, in walked her friends.
"Yoo-hoo!" Pinkie Pie greeted.
"Hey you two, what's up?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Nothing much, just some late night research." Twilight explained "Sorry about the mess."
"Did ya manage to find out anythin'?" Applejack asked.
"I'm afraid not." Twilight admitted.
"Oh dear, I hope Spike isn't too upset." Fluttershy said kindly.
"Is he feeling better?" Rarity asked anxiously.
"Maybe a little." Twilight replied "I just wish I could answer his questions, that's what he wants more than anything right now."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Rainbow Dash said honestly. She was starting to wonder if perhaps she should've cut down on how often she'd pranked Spike in recent weeks.
"You wanna join us for breakfast?" Pinkie Pie offered "A good breakfast should be just the thing to turn those frowns, upside down."
"That sounds great. I'm famished." Twilight smiled.
"Count me out. I've gotta get an early start!" Spike said suddenly, packing his things into a small bundle attached to a stick.
Twilight and the other girls were surprised. "An early start?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Yes! I'm going on a quest of self-discovery!" Spike replied confidently "I've decided that I need to learn for myself what it means to be a dragon! And the only way I'm gonna do that, is by joining the dragon migration!"
"What?!" the girls all gasped at once. They were shocked and could not believe what they'd just heard. Spike wasn't serious, or was he?
"Spike, that's nonsense talk!" Applejack said seriously.
"Applejack has a point, those dragons mean serious business. They're big, and tough, and scary..." Rainbow Dash added.
"And I'm small, and meek, that's what you're going to say isn't it?" Spike asked crossly.
"I wasn't gonna say that at all!" Rainbow Dash said furiously "All I'm saying is, you could get hurt. Do you have any idea what you're getting into?"
"Big words coming from the mare who charged head first into a fight with a dragon, and got her tail kicked pretty badly." Spike said, brushing off Rainbow Dash's concerns.
"He has a point there." Fluttershy agreed. Rainbow Dash pretended she hadn't heard.
"Darling, this time I really do have to agree with Rainbow Dash." Rarity said, addressing her concerns "I don't want those dragons to hurt you. You mean the world to all of us, how do you think we'd feel if you went off on this quest and got hurt?"
"You should listen to Rarity, she speaks for all of us." Pinkie Pie nodded, a rare sense of urgency creeping into her voice "You've never been anywhere outside of Ponyville, except the ocassional trip to Canterlot. There are a lot of scary places you could run into, not to mention unfriendly folks. How can you be sure you'll survive? And what about Twilight, don't you think you'll be breaking her heart by leaving her like this?"
Spike listened to the concerns of each of his friends, then he said "I appreciate you all looking out for me, but I've made up my mind. There's nothing you can do to make me change it. I'm leaving, and I'm not coming back until I have the answers."
"Uh-oh!" Fluttershy gasped.
"Quick, do something!" Rarity pleaded "Stop him before it's too late!"
Rainbow Dash quickly flew over and grabbed Spike's bundle, she refused to let go.
"Hey! Give it back!" Spike protested, tugging harder and harder on the stick the bundle was attached to. Rainbow Dash refused to budge.
Suddenly, Twilight shouted "Hold it!" and grabbed Rainbow Dash with her magic. Spike wasn't expecting Rainbow Dash to suddenly let go, and he was briefly flung forward. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt.
Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, was cross "What the hay, Twilight?! Why did you stop me?!" she complained "Don't tell me you think he should go!"
To everyone's surprise Twilight said "Yes."
"But why?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"There comes a time in every mother's life, when she must let her children leave the house and venture out into the world on their own." Twilight explained, trying her best to keep a smile upon her face and tears out of her eyes "I couldn't provide Spike with the answers he deserves, I believe he has to discover them for himself. That's what I truly believe he should go on this quest. The time has come for him to find out for himself what kind of dragon he is, and we have no right to stop him."
"I suppose that's true." Rarity reluctantly agreed "I'm gonna miss seeing you around, Spikey Wikey. You've truly been a gentlecolt, and more of a prince than that obnoxious Blueblood."
"It's too bad I can't exactly throw you a going away party." Pinkie Pie said seriously "Make sure to write to us as often as possible."
"If you ever do return, make sure to tell us everything." Fluttershy added "It's really brave of you to do this."
"I still say you're nutty, but hey, I've done lots of nutty things." Rainbow Dash admitted.
"We're all gonna miss you, Spike, Ponyville won't be the same without you." Applejack said honestly.
"Well then, I guess this is goodbye, Spike. We can't wait to hear about it when you return." Twilight said, smiling despite the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.
"We hope your quest answers those 'Who am I?' questions you have." Rainbow Dash added.
"Thanks, everypony. I know it will. And I'm gonna miss all of you." Spike replied, and with those words he set off on his quest. His friends waved and shouted, until he was out of sight.
"I miss him already." Twilight admitted, the tears already streaming down "But at the same time, I'm so happy for him."
"I know how you feel." Rarity replied, putting a hoof around Twilight's shoulder "Why don't we head to breakfast and try our best to move on, it's what Spike would want." Everyone, reluctantly agreed.
A part inside of him told him he was wrong, that he was risking everything on a futile quest that would likely get him killed. But Spike had made up his mind, it was too late for him to turn back. "I have to see this through to the end." he thought to himself.
He traveled for a very long time, resting only periodically. Outside of a river raft ride from Cranky Doodle Donkey, Spike was out of contact with the rest of Equestria. It felt pretty lonely, to be so far away from the town he'd called home for the better half of two years now. But he was determined to get the answers his heart desired, and that abmition was enough to keep him going as the weeks passed.
At long last, he reached a small volcanic like crater with bubbling lava. Piles of gems lay everywhere, and the smell of smoke was almost overwhelming. This was it, the lands of The Dragon Kingdom. Though it was far from glorious, it was obvious that the dragons called it home.
As Spike approached the outskirts, he saw a sign that made his skin crawl. The sign read: You Are Trespassing On The Lands of The Dragon Kingdom. If you are not a dragon, turn back now if you wish to return home unharmed. From this point onwards, only dragons may enter. All outsiders will be attacked on sight. Sincerely, King Drake IV.
"Pretty spooky isn't it?" an unfamiliar voice asked.
Spike spun around, and his eyes beheld a site he had never seen before. There stood a dragon about his height, but whereas Spike was purple skin with emerald green scales, this dragon had a skin that was bright pink with scales a firey red in color. Her eyes were an innocent blue, or at least they seemed to be innocent.
"Who are you?" Spike asked the dragon.
"Not that it's any of your business or anything, but my name is Barb." the pink dragon replied "I must say, you seem a bit younger than most dragons I've seen these days."
"Nice to meet you, Barb." Spike greeted. Barb's tone made him feel really uncomfortable and nervous, it sounded like she was angry.
"Are you a baby dragon as well?" Barb asked, glaring supsiciously at Spike.
"Why... yes. But how did you know that?" Spike replied, he suddenly felt like a bug under a microscope. He felt ready to burst into a cold sweat at any moment.
"When you've lived the lifestyle I've lived you pick up on certain things." Barb explained vaugely. For some reason, Spike felt like she wasn't telling him the whole truth. But what could she possibly be trying to hide?
"I see." Spike said nervously "I'm Spike, I'm from Ponyville."
"Ponyville? That's a first." Barb said, her tone remaining serious and doubtful "So, what's a baby dragon like you, doing in a place like this?"
Spike decided it was no use trying to lie "I've come to learn what it means to be a dragon." he told Barb.
"Well, you've come to the right place." Barb said, her frown slowly morphing into something that seemed to resemble a smile. "I should warn you though, some of the dragons here don't take kindly to newcomers from pony inhabited towns. They don't trust anything to do with ponies."
"What's wrong with ponies? Some of my best friends happen to be ponies." Spike replied seriously.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with them, but others would love to disagree." Barb explained "If they find out you're friends with ponies, they could cast you out. Or they might challenge you to a duel to defend your honor, and they'll go to extreme lengths to make you lose."
"Just what do the dragons have against ponies in the first place?" Spike asked.
"No one knows, and no one will talk about it." Barb told Spike "So take my advice. If you want to fit around here, you've got to forget about your pony friends."
"Forget about them?! Never!" Spike said furiously.
"It's for your own good, just trust me." Barb replied "I don't like it much either, but it's how things are around here. If you've got a problem with that, then I suggest you leave now."
"No way, I came all this way for a reason. I'm not leaving until I have the answers I want!" Spike protested. He hadn't set out on this journey, just to turn around and leave upon reaching his destination.
Barb shrugged "Suit yourself, but I warned you. Don't blame me if you run into trouble."
"I won't!" Spike snorted, he wasn't sure why but he didn't like being told off by Barb. Her attitude was rubbing him the wrong way, and he didn't like it at all.
"Glad to hear that." Barb said, her face once again displaying what seemed to be a smile. But it only lasted for a moment, when Barb suddenly realized something.
"What's the matter?" Spike asked.
"I've got to get back home, if I don't my dad is going to kill me!" Barb exclaimed "He hates it when I stay out too late! It was nice talking to you!"
"Wait!" Spike called, as Barb turned to leave.
"What do you want?!" Barb asked "Can't you see I'm in a hurry?!"
"I just wanted to know, will I ever see you again?" Spike replied.
"Maybe." Barb answered "Now, I've got to go!" And with that, she took off again. Within seconds she had disappeared.
"Just what was up with Barb?" Spike thought to himself "Why is her dad so worried about her staying out too late? She didn't seem to be doing anything bad."
Spike quickly pushed those thoughts to the back of his head. He'd come here to learn what it meant to be a dragon, he couldn't let anything distract him.
As he made his way deeper and deeper into the crater, Spike looked around. Most of the dragons he saw were fully grown adult ones, and whenever he tried to approach them they would roar really loudly. Spike quickly learned that roaring was their way of telling others to stay away. The few friendly adult dragons he talked to couldn't answer his questions at all. They were too busy guarding their hoards as if their life depened on it, or knew only bits and pieces of information that were of no use to Spike.
So it was that Spike's first day of searching in the Dragon Kingdom, turned up nothing. Spike was lucky just to discover a small, unoccupied cave, for him to sleep in. As he drifted off into an uncomfortable sleep, he found his thoughts drifting back to his friends in Ponyville. "I wonder if they even miss me?" he thought unhappily to himself.
He had no way of knowing that his friends in Ponyville were thinking of him all the time. They never said anything directly to each other, but everyone could tell they were not the same. It was hard to notice, but there were some changes that weren't too difficult to spot. Pinkie Pie's usual spring in her step seemed a bit less joyful, Rarity seemed to be a little bit more distracted and uninterested in fashion, Rainbow Dash wasn't performing as many stunts or tricks, Fluttershy wasn't talking to her animal friends as often, even Applejack found it harder to concentrate on her farm work.
But no one took Spike's abscence harder than Twilight. Without Spike, Golden Oaks Library felt empty and lonely. Owlowiscious was still around, and he tried his best to help, but he couldn't fill the hole in Twilight's heart that had been in place since Spike left. She kept telling herself it was for the best, and that it was selfish of her to want Spike back, but it didn't make her feel any better. "Oh Spike, I never thought I'd miss you so much." she thought sadly "I can only hope you're happy out there, and that you've found the answers you're looking for."
Spike woke up the next morning, and for a moment he forgot where he was. "Oh man, Owlowiscious, I had the weirdest dream last night." he said, expecting to hear Owlowiscious reply with his trademark "Hoo." But there was no reply, and Spike quickly remembered that he was in the Dragon Kingdom, searching for answers.
"Well, no point hanging around in this cave." he said to himself "The answers aren't going to come to me by themselves."
"And so when the pony isn't looking, I set his tail on fire and the pony asks 'What's burning?". And you wanna know what I told him?" a dragon boasted to his friends. Spike overheard this, and when he looked ahead he could see a red skined teenage dragon talking to a group of other teenage dragons.
"What?" a teenage dragon with purple skin asked.
"I told him 'You are.' And the pony screamed, and ran off to go douse his tail in a lake." the red teenage dragon told the others "Man, you should've seen the look on his face when he realized I was the one who did it."
The other teenage dragons laughed, apparently they took great delight in the misfortune of ponies. "That's a good one. But wait until you hear this." a bulky teenage dragon with brown skin and purple scales said in between laughs "So, a pony, a zebra, and a donkey, walk into a store. And the shopkeeper asks 'Why the long faces?'."
"These guys are real jerks." Spike thought to himself, observing the teenage dragons from behind a rock. "There's no way they know what it's like to be a dragon. I'd better get out of here, maybe that Barb girl from yesterday will have the answers." But as Spike turned to walk away, he didn't notice a small pebble laying on the path. Said pebble caused him to trip, and tumble down the path, right into the red teenage dragon that been boasting to the others just a few seconds ago.
The red teenage dragon was anything but pleased by Spike rudely bumping into him. "What's the matter with you?!" he said angrily "I'm minding my own business, and then all of a sudden you have the nerve to come butting in and interrupt me!"
"I-I'm v-very sorry s-sir." Spike apologized "I just tripped on a pebble and-"
"You think I'm some kind of idiot or something?" the red teenage dragon interrupted "You did that on purpose!"
"Huh? No I didn't!" Spike protested.
"Sure looked that way to me." the purple teenage replied "You've got some nerve doing that to our pack leader. Didn't anyone ever teach you anything about the pecking order?"
"Pecking order?" Spike asked "What the hay is that?"
"Hay? We don't use that kind of language around here." the "pack leader" glared.
"Why not?" Spike asked innocently "There's nothing wrong with it, right?"
"You're not from around these parts, are you?" the brown teenage dragon asked suspiciously.
"What do you mean? Is there something wrong with me?" Spike replied nervously. Why had almost every dragon he'd met so far been so hostile towards him? Was this some sort of habit for dragons that he wasn't aware of?
"Mind telling us just where you come from?" the "pack leader" asked Spike.
"Ponyville of course." Spike replied without hestiation. The teenage dragons were shocked.
"Ponyville huh, that explains so much. I knew there was something vaguely ponyish about you, but I couldn't put my claw on it." The "pack leader" said crossly, this caused all of the dragons to glare angrily at Spike.
"What's wrong with ponies?" Spike asked, just then he remembered what Barb had told him yesterday. "I mean, whoever said I was friends with ponies? Just because I'm from Ponyville doesn't mean I hang out with ponies."
"Maybe." the "gang leader" replied, scratching his chin with his claw "Or maybe, you're a pony in a dragon costume!"
"What?! That's crazy!" Spike protested. But the teenage dragons didn't care, they laughed and laughed.
"A pony in a dragon costume, that's a good one Garble." the purple teenage dragon said, before he went on laughing even harder.
"I've got to remember that insult the next time some hotshot thinks they can upstage me." the brown teenage dragon chimed in.
"Stop it! Stop laughing at me!" Spike shouted at the top of his lungs.
"You know guys, the newbie's right." "Garble" suddenly spoke up, interrupting the teasing "Maybe we should take it easy on him. Otherwise, he might fly away. Or at least he would, if he had any wings."
This prompted a new round of teasing and laughing that made Spike even more mad than before. "I said, stop laughing at me!" Spike pleaded, his pleas fell on deaf ears as the relentless teasing continued.
"What'cha gonna do now newbie?" the purple dragon teased "You gonna go cry to 'mommy' so she can kiss your 'boo-boos'?"
"I'll bet he still sucks his claw at night." a white teenage dragon added.
"Yeah, he probably sucks his claw all the time." the brown teenage dragon replied.
"I don't suck my claw anymore, I swear." Spike protested "And will you guys stop calling me newbie?! I have a name you know!"
"Oh really, and what is it?!" "Garble" asked.
"It's Spike!" Spike said proudly, expecting the teasing and insulting to stop. It didn't, it just kept on going.
"Spike, what kind of a namby pamby name for a dragon is that?" "Garble" teased.
"A pony name obviously." the purple teenage dragon suggested "Only ponies could come up with such a namby pamby name for one of our own."
"Its not namby pamby!" Spike protested. But the teenage dragons didn't care.
"Just go away Spike, you don't belong here!" "Garble" said furiously "You're not a real dragon at all, you're just a hatchling."
"But I-" Spike pleaded.
"You heard him, just go!" the purple teenage ordered "And don't let us catch you hanging around this place, you bring shame to our entire species."
Spike didn't need to be told twice, he quickly turned around and ran off. Unfortunately, he forgot to pay attention to where he was running.
The teenage dragons noticed he was heading straight for a lava pool. Now, dragons were normally immune to anything fire related, but the impact could still be painful if it was hard enough. At the rate Spike was running, he would belly flop right into the pool.
But rather then say anything to Spike, they simply let him keep running. "Let's see just how tough this so called 'Spike' really is." "Garble" whispered to the other teenage dragons.
Spike barely even noticed until too late where he was headed, he hit the lava pool with a loud smack. The teenage dragons winced, as Spike sank into the depths of the lava. "Well, guess he was just a pony in a dragon costume after all." "Garble" remarked.
But suddenly, bubbles began to form in the lava pool. And they weren't the usual bubbles that formed, popped, and then formed again. "Look!" the white teenage dragon gasped.
Spike slowly rose back to the surface, and he seemed completely unharmed. The other dragons were amazed, no one had ever attempted a belly flop like that before.
Spike suddenly took notice of the teenage dragons looking at him. "What?" he asked "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"What you just did back there, was pretty cool." "Garble" explained "No one's ever shrugged off a belly flop into the lava pool like it was nothing."
"It really was nothing. In fact, it felt kind of good." Spike replied "I've never had a lava bath before."
"A shame really, you're missing out on a world of fun." the brown teenage dragon said, then he turned to "Garble". "What do you think Garble?" he asked "Think we were wrong about him?"
"I think so." "Garble" whispered in reply "I really hate to admit it, but he's actually got some skill. He might just be a true dragon after all, with a little bit of encouragement from us of course."
"So, what should we do with him?" the purple teenage dragon asked "We can't just ask him to leave after such an amazing display of strength."
The teenage dragons whispered among themselves for a while, but not before they told Spike to give them a minute so they could rediscuss his fate. All Spike could do was wait anxiously, and wonder what they might be talking about. "Why are they being so secretive?" he wondered "Just what are they talking about that they don't want me to know?"
Spike waited and waited. At last, the teenage dragons approached him. "We've been talking it over Spike, and we've come to this conclusion." "Garble" said seriously. "We've decided... that we were wrong to cast you out earlier. If you stick with us, we'll show you the side of life you never knew you wanted, until now."
"Does this mean I'll get some answers as to what it means to be a real dragon?" Spike asked.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, whatever, we can do that." "Garble" replied "But first, I don't think we've been properly introduced. My name's Garble."
"Nice to meet you Garble." Spike smiled, shaking Garble's claw.
"Now then, first thing's first, we've got to give you a new name." Garble said seriously "Spike is a pony name, and no dragon in this kingdom is going to have a pony name. We don't need another 'Crackle' in our group."
"Who's 'Crackle'?" Spike asked.
"That big, ugly, green dragon over there with gems stuck in his skin." Garble explained, pointing a claw to the dragon he'd just described. Crackle let out what sounded like some kind of growl.
"Oh, I see." Spike replied. Apparently, Crackle was some kind of outcast, at least to the teenage dragons.
A short time later, a ceremony was conducted by the teenage dragons to welcome their newest member. Garble started off the procedures "By the power invested in me, I hereby dub this newcomer 'Rookie Dragon'!"
All the teenage dragons cheered.
"I will now perform the initation ritual." Garble went on, and let out a roar. This was a signal for all of the other teenage dragons to do the same. They did so without hestiation.
Spike felt fairly proud. These teenage dragons had gone from shunning him, to welcoming him, in a very short span of time. Not only that, but they had promised to teach him what it meant to be a real dragon. But he already had reason to be wary of them, he could only hope that they didn't hate ponies as much as he thought they did.
"Okay everyone, let's party!" Garble shouted at the top of his lungs. The other teeange dragons cheered, and began to roar even more.
The party lasted for quite a while. Spike had never enjoyed so many different gems before in his life, if this is what it meant to be a real dragon he was already enjoying himself.
But eating gems and lounging around weren't the only things dragons like to do at parties, as Spike soon found out. They also liked to play games like tail wrestling and King of The Hoard. Spike took part in them, but he found himself out matched by the more powerful teenage dragons.
"You know something, Rookie?" Garble asked Spike when the party was over.
"What?" Spike replied.
"For being from Ponyville, you're not half bad. You kind of remind me of myself when I was your age." Garble explained "I was about as young as you were when I set off on my first migration, and that's when I learned what it's like to be a true dragon."
"It's amazing, I've been missing out on a lot!" Spike said happily "At this rate, I don't know if I'll ever go back to Ponyville!"
"I sure hope you don't go back." Garble smiled "There's still a lot you have to learn about when it comes to being a dragon. We don't just like to party hard and show off."
"So, what else do dragons like to do?" Spike asked Garble.
"We go out on raids of course." Garble replied, and he turned to the teenage dragons "Okay guys, you ready for some real fun? We're gonna go out and raid a phoenix nest."
"Sweet." the purple teenage dragon cheered "I call dibs on smashing the eggs!"
"Save some for me!" the white teenage dragon shouted.
"And me!" the brown teenage dragon added.
"What about you, Rookie? You coming or what?" Garble asked Spike.
Spike was horrified, these dragons were about to go out and attack innocent life forms. Was this part of being a dragon as well? If so, he wanted nothing to do with it. "Come on, Spike, you've got to think of a way to get out of this." he thought nervously to himself.
"Yo, rookie! I asked you a question!" Garble said, impatiently tapping his foot.
"I'd really love to guys, honest." Spike said nervously, thinking up an excuse "But I think I ate too many gemstones during the celebration. If I go with you guys, I'll just slow you down."
There was a tense silence for a few moments, during which Garble seemed to glare at Spike. Spike said nothing, he just tried his best to look like his story was true.
At last, Garble sighed and said "Fine, we'll go off on our own. But I tell ya, Rookie, you'll be missing out on the most fun you've ever had."
"I'm sure I am, now get going." Spike encouraged "I'll just, go lay down for a little while."
"See you when we get back rookie." Garble replied, and turned to the other teenage dragons "Come on guys, it'll be nighttime soon. If we wanna get the phoenix eggs we've got to move fast!" And with a flap of their wings, they took to the skies and disappeared over the horizon.
Spike breathed a sigh of relief. "They fell for it." he thought to himself "Now I just need to slip away. If this is what it means to be a real dragon, I'm better off living with Twilight." He returned to his cave, and set to work on packing his things. As he did so, he eyed a picture of himself with all of Twilight's friends that he had placed into his sack. The picture had been taken just before Twilight's birthday, and everyone was happy. Spike was the happiest of all, he'd saved up his allowance and had bought Twilight a small present.
Looking at the picture now, Spike was starting to realize that in his quest for answers he had ignored the friends who had been more of a family to him than anyone else. "Why was I so ashamed of living with them?" Spike asked himself, as he looked at the picture "They were all so nice to me, and I dumped them to go off on this quest for answers. Some kind of friend I was."
Deciding that it would be better to rest, and get a start on his journey back home in the morning, Spike went unhappily to sleep in his cave. The next morning Spike was awoken by a familiar female voice.
"Leave me alone!" Barb shouted "I'm gonna tell my daddy on you!"
"Hey guys, you hear that? The wittwe baby's gonna teww her daddy on us." Garble teased "Oh, we're so scared."
"I'm serious!" Barb said in her high pitched voice. Unfortunately, this didn't help the teeange dragons take her anymore serious then they did before.
"You didn't really think you could hide anything from us, did you?" the purple teenage dragon asked crossly.
"Give us back that egg you little thief!" the white teenage dragon demanded.
"Never!" Barb protested.
"That wasn't a request young lady, that was an order!" the brown teenage said angrily "You should respect your elders!"
Barb said nothing, she simply blew a raspberry at the teenage dragons, all the while clutching a phoenix egg firmly in her claws.
"How dare you! Didn't your dad teach you any manners?!" the brown teenage dragon snapped.
"I could ask the same of you." Barb teased "You guys give our race a bad name, you should be ashamed of yourselves!"
"You're the insult to our race!" Garble said seriously "Pony loving dragons like you will be the end of us, and the end of our prideful reputation. Now, give us back that egg before we have to take it back, by force!"
"I don't care what you say, or what you do to me! I will not let you hurt this innocent egg!" Barb replied, clutching the egg even tighter than before.
"That's it, we warned you!" Garble threatned "And now you're gonna learn the hard way that no one tells us what to do!"
"Why don't you guys pick on someone your own size?!" Spike shouted, jumping in front of Barb to protect her.
"Move aside, Rookie, this doesn't concern you!" Garble growled.
"Don't you guys have better things to do than steal phoenix eggs and pick on girls that stand up to you?!" Spike asked crossly, refusing to move an inch.
"Who's side are you on, Rookie?!" the purple teenage accused.
"I'm on Barb's side! I'm ashamed I ever assoicated myself with the likes of you!" Spike said seriously "If becoming a real dragon means becoming like you jerks, then I'm glad I was raised by ponies."
"So, you're a pony lover as well huh?" Garble asked "What a disappointment. You could've had everything, Rookie, but you had to throw it all away to play hero!"
"I don't care anymore. I don't want anything to do with you!" Spike proclaimed "Barb is off limits! If you touch one scale on her head, I'll make you all rue the day!"
"Spike, you don't have to do this! I can take care of myself!" Barb protested.
"I'm sure you could, but I will not allow these immature brats to hurt you. If they wanna reach you, they're gonna have to go through me first!" Spike said firmly.
"Well you know what, Spike?" Garble asked "If you side with Barb, then you're siding against us. If you wanna protect her with your life, fine. Just be ready to beg for mercy, because no one says no to me!"
"Bring it on, you whuss!" Spike taunted.
"I'll make you eat those words!" Garble declared "Come on guys, let's show em who they're messing with!"
But before anyone could do anything, a voice called out "SILENCE!" in a tone so loudly it shook the ground. Everyone looked up, and gasped. There stood a giant blue dragon with sharp yellow scales, atop his head rested a crown with several large jewels woven into it.
"Dad!" Barb exclaimed happily "Oh, I'm so happy to see you!"
"This guy's your father?" Spike asked Barb.
Barb nodded "You're looking at the very ruler of this kingdom, King Daniel II. I'm Princess Barb, daughter of King Daniel and Queen Emily. My brother is Prince Crackle."
"As in, the same Crackle that has gems stuck in his skin?" Spike asked.
"The very same." Barb replied "He's actually a pretty good big brother, he's been keeping tabs on Garble and his crew this whole time. He's also the one who gave me the phoenix egg."
Garble, for his part, suddenly didn't feel so brave and courageous. He felt rather scared, and dropped to his knees "Your majesty, I was just-" he began.
"I don't want to hear any of your excuses Garble!" King Daniel snorted, blowing smoke into Garble's face "I have tolerated your actions so far out of the kindness of my heart, and the hope that you would see the error of your ways. I see now that I was wrong, not only have you not learned to behave, you have threatened my daughter. And in doing so, you have crossed the line!"
"But sir-" Garble pleaded.
"NO BUTS!" King Daniel bellowed at the top of his lungs "Garble, you have brought shame and dishonor upon our species. I'll have you know that the very reason our migration is allowed to travel through Equestria is through the very will of Princess Celestia and her sister Princess Luna, the rulers of Equestria. The rulers of those 'namby pamby' ponies you dissed and insulted. Ponies and dragons wish to co-exist in peace, and your actions will undermine such wishes. Therefore, you and your followers are hereby banished from these lands for all eternity. Should you so much as set one claw back into this territory, you will be tried to the full extent of the laws of our kingdom. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"
Garble gulped "Y-yes sir."
"Good, now get out!" King Daniel demanded. Garble and the other teenage dragons did so without further encouragement. Then, King Daniel turned to Spike. "I apologize very much for the behavior of Garble. Since I rose to this throne he has caused me nothing but grief. I thank you very much for coming to the aid of my daughter."
"Think nothing of it, your majesty." Spike said, bowing to the king.
King Daniel smiled "My daughter tells me that you came here hoping to learn more about what it means to be a real dragon. And that you have traveled all the way from Ponyville to find the answers you desire. After your great display of herorism earlier this day, I have decided to offer you a choice. If you wish, you may stay here in my kingdom. You will be appointed a knight in my royal court, and you will have access to any information your heart desires. But, if you wish to return to Ponyville and be with the ponies that use to be a part of your life, I will not stand in your way. The question you must ask yourself now is 'What do I want most of all?' And you must answer that question for yourself."
Spike thought over the question, and the answer, for a very long period of time. He debated back and forth in his mind the pros and cons of each choice. At last, he said to King Daniel "I may have been born a dragon, but my heart belongs with the ponies. They are my true family, and they are the ones who I've know for so long. I may not know what it means to be a true dragon, but I am convinced now more than ever, that who I am isn't what I am. No matter what, I will always be a dragon, on the inside."
King Daniel nodded in agreement "You have spoken with a wisdom that I have not heard in years. You have my blessing to return home. But know this, should you ever wish to come back and visit my kingdom, the gates will always be open to you."
As Spike was preparing to leave, Barb came up to him. "Before you go, I want you to have this." and she gave him the phoneix egg she had protected from Garble and the other teenage dragons. "I believe it is meant for you."
"Really?" Spike asked. Barb nodded. "Wow, I... really don't know what to say. This is incredibly generous of you. Now that I think about it, you remind me an awful lot of a pony I know back in Ponyville."
"Who?" Barb asked Spike.
"Her name is Rarity, and not only is she beautiful, but she's incredibly generous." Spike explained "I have a feeling that the two of you would get along rather nicely."
"Maybe someday, if I ever visit your hometown, you could introduce me to this 'Rarity'." Barb suggested.
"I most certainly will, assuming you ever come to visit me." Spike replied, and with that he was off. King Daniel had arranged for himself to fly Spike back to Ponyville. Spike found this incredibly amazing, but also a bit pointless. "Couldn't we have just taken a chariot?" he suggested, above the roaring winds from the high altitude.
"We dragons have no use for such things. We can fly everywhere we need to fly all on our own power." King Daniel explained.
"Oh, I see." Spike replied "Should've realized that was the point."
"It's alright, you are not the first one to ask me such a thing." King Daniel said with a smile.
Twilight and her friends were busy drowning their sorrows in milkshakes at Sugarcube Corner. Spike may have only been gone for the better half of two months, but his absence had tough to live with.
"I never thought I'd miss the little guy so much." Rainbow Dash admitted.
"I hope he's happy, wherever he is." Fluttershy said softly.
"I'm sure he is." Rarity replied, sighing rather loudly "After all he's with his own kind."
"Do you think he still remembers us?" Pinkie Pie asked "With how long he's been gone, I'm starting to wonder if he even knows we exisit."
"Of course he knows we exisit!" Applejack replied seriously.
"I just hope that, wherever he is, he's found the answers he wanted." Twilight said sadly "I still remember how upset he was when our late night research didn't turn up anything useful."
Just then, a familiar voice called out "I'm back."
The girls knew at once who it was. "Spike!" they all exclaimed, racing over to him.
"That's my name, don't wear it out." Spike said happily.
"Oh Spike, we're so happy to see you again. We've missed you so much." Pinkie Pie said cheerfully.
"What's that you've got in your claws, Spikey Wikey?" Rarity asked.
"It's a phoenix egg. Barb gave it to me." Spike explained.
"Who's Barb?" Twilight asked.
"It's a long story." Spike replied.
"Well, did you find the answers you were looking for?" Twilight asked Spike.
"Yes." Spike nodded "But you know something. You girls are more than just my friends, you're like family to me. Each and every one of you."
"Do you really mean it, Spike?" Fluttershy asked.
"Of course I do." Spike replied happily.
Spike soon returned home, and set to work as Twilight's assistant once again. But even more so than before, he never felt happier. At first he was worried that Twilight might make him give up the phoenix egg he'd recieved from Barb. But he soon found out that Twilight was willing to let him keep it, at least until the family it belonged to could be found.
One day, about two weeks after returning home. Spike was alone in the library, while Twilight left to run a few errands. Suddenly, Spike heard what sounded like cracking. "The egg, it's hatching!" he thought, and raced over to the little nest he had made to keep the egg safe and warm. Sure enough, it was cracking. Within seconds, a baby phoenix poked its head out of the egg shell. When it looked up at Spike, it chirped happily.
Spike wiped a tear from his eye "Hey, welcome to the family, Peewee!" he said happily, naming the bird right on the spot "Stick with me. I've got plenty to teach you about being a pony."