//------------------------------// // Righteous Resolution // Story: Spike's "Royal" Conundrum // by SpikeSupreme13 //------------------------------// “Me……………………….A Dragon Lord’s Consort?” Spike questioned himself as he just got finished hearing Dragon Lord Ember’s latest declaration to her subjugated dragons. He thought that he might have misheard her when she said that she declared him a consort of sorts to help her with the ruling of her people, but after playing that statement back through his head, he wasn’t mistaken about her intentions any longer. As expected, the other dragons were up in arms, or claws in this case, about everything; Who was this dragon? Why would he be the only one qualified to be her consort? What made him more special than any of them? Where was this so called “consort” dragon anyway? As the crowd were getting more riled up, Ember had enough of this madness and lifted the scepter up in the air, immediately silencing all of them. “All will be explained in due time, but now I need the guest of honor to show himself……..if he’s even here” Ember exclaimed as she started to scan the audience, looking for Spike himself, while Spike started to slink lower to the ground, hoping that he wouldn’t be spotted. “Wherever could he be? I’m pretty sure that I summoned all the dragons in Equestria, and that includes him.” Ember pondered as she still couldn’t find him, but she had an ingenious idea. Raising her scepter in the air, she willed the dragons to fly into the air, and all who had wings flew up into the air, save for one dragon, who was so focused on hiding from Ember, that when he looked up, he was on the ground, and Ember was clearly looking dead at him with a sinister smirk. “There you are Spike. I knew you would show up; now can you show up to my throne NOW………………..please?” Ember said while looking away with a small blush on her cheeks. Sighing and left with no other options, Spike flew on up to Ember, and as passed the other dragons, he saw Garble’s glare at him, and he returned it with one of his own. He soon reached Ember, taking a good look at her sitting up top her throne. He saw that she grew a bit since the last time he saw her, and while he was taller than her by a good margin, even he could admit that she looked attractive and confident to boot. With a smile, he hugged her with a strong grip, shocking all of the dragons watching, and making Torch silently emit a growl. “Ok Ok Spike, not in front of all of them” Ember quickly stated as she pushed Spike off of her, and it didn't help that her blush grew from such a reaction. Shaking her head, she quickly composed herself and began to address her new consort. “As you heard, I have chosen you to help me govern these dragons and this land, and while i’m sure that you are elated about this, I assure you that this will not be easy in the slightest, but I know that you are more than capable of adapting to these new changes of you.” “Well Ember….. While it’s really nice to see you again, I’m not really sure that I really have what it takes for this kind of job” Spike began to respond to her in a confused manner. “For one thing, I don’t even know a lot about my species, let alone how to deal with each of their problems, and as for trying this whole ruling by your side thing, I tried the whole “addressing problems with power” gig once, and it didn't end well for me.” He stated while remembering back when he was at the 3-day convention back at Canterlot with Twilight and the other princesses, and after being tasked by Cadence to make sure that Twi had her well-earned rest, he let that whole situation go wayyyy out of control. “C’mon Spike; I know you can do this, and I wouldn’t really ask any of the others; They would only make things more difficult for me than how it is right now, and as for that whole “not knowing your species thing”, I already have that covered, and I can catch you up in no time” Ember claimed in a not-so-serious manner. “Still………………..you’re one of the few that knows that I wasn’t raised along with the other dragons, and once they know, they’ll probably reject me and try to revolt. I don’t know if I can really take up such a task like this!” Spike somberly said with a doubtful attitude. “Look at this pitiful whelp of a dragon here” Garble declared as he flew up to Spike’s face and stood his ground. “If he thinks that we are just gonna stand aside and let him govern us and teach us his schmoony pony ways, then he’s even more of a softie than I realized” “It’s suuuuch a delight for my eyes to grace themselves with your magnificent presence Garble” Spike profusely stated with a strong sense of sarcasm, which elicited a chuckle from Ember. “What even gives you the right to tell me what I can and can’t do?; Last time I checked, you’re not my mother, and if you were, then I for one would be embarrassed to be called your son” “You really must be asking to have your teeth punched in, huh?” Garble angrily questioned as he grabbed Spike by his neck. “If you really want some dentist work on that smart maul of yours, then I’ll be happy to provide the procedure right now!.” “Stop that right now Garble; I won’t allow you to harm my consort” Ember declared as she was getting ready to put Garble back into his proper place, but Spike raised his arm to stop her, addressing that he had the entire situation under control. “While I’m sure that you would do such a fantastic job, I’m sadly gunna have to decline” Spike said as he grabbed his “friend’s” arm and tossed it aside. “I’m sure that if she wanted me to be her consort instead of you, then she obviously has some good sense on her” “Even if that might supposedly be true, I'm sure that you would screw it up in just one day, cause you don’t have it you to go through with this” Garble brought up in a smug manner. “If I were you, I would just turn tail and leave right now, while you still have some smidge of dignity” Spike really wanted to prove Garble wrong, and show him just how well of a consort he could be, but then again, he didn't want to go in over his head again and not only screw things up even worse than before, but make Ember look incompetent as a Dragon Lord. “Maybe Garble has a point” a darker form of himself said in his mind. “ You are known for messing things up from time to time, especially when wielding a small piece of power. Give the whole thing a pass and walk away ” “You need to do this” a confident form stated in retort to his un-appealing cohort. “Ember wouldn’t have chosen you if she didn't have any confidence in you. I know you, and you always good intentions in your mind and in your heart, even if you are sometimes swayed by your….. “Instincts” “Don’t listen to goody-goody here; Look back to when you had to keep Twilight asleep during that convention back at Canterlot. You let all that power go to your head, and you ruined everything. Also, when you took in all of your friends pets in order to make that jewel cake; You botched it so hard, you almost got caught. Trust me, you should count your losses and bail on this gig.” “Even if what he said is marginally true, you still learned something important from those encounters and strived to do what was right in the end. You grew into becoming a better person from them, and I know that those dragons can be taught a thing or 2 from you." “I’m seeing where you 2 are coming from, but I still need to decide this for myself” Spike addressed to his 2 selves, when Ember shook him from his mindset. “Look Spike, I know that this is real surprise to you, and I wouldn’t blame you if you didn't accept, but I just thought………………….If you could show me what real friendship was back at the Gauntlet, then maybe your influence can help me bring a new age of wisdom and peace to these dragons……….maybe even start a new revolution that can bring respect and integrity back to these lands, but if you can’t…….I completely understand” With that said and done, Ember turned and proceeded to walk away, and as she did, she had a look of sadness on her, and her eyes were starting to get watery. If there was one thing that Spike could never forgive himself for, it was making his friends cry or hurt, and it was double damage if it was a lady. Steeling himself with no doubt in his mind, Spike quickly approached Ember, turned her around, and looked in her eyes, ready to give his final answer. “Dragon Lord Ember………………….I would be honored to become your consort. Since you wanted me to help you govern this land and bring a new age to the dragons, then who am I to deny such an act from not just my Dragon Lord, but from my friend as well.” Spike firmly stated. Ember looked at Spike with not tears of sadness any longer, but with tears of admiration and deep respect……………….and then she realized what was going on and elbowed Spike in retaliation, trying so hard to save face. “Yeah well………………..I knew that you would accept and all, and as such, this was expected” Ember declared in an authoritative stance, but what was stated in her heart however was something completely different. “Gee…………….thanks for the “warm” reception, your highness!” Spike said while heaving on the floor. “Whatever, but don’t expect me to just quickly warm up to our new “consort” here and follow his ruling and all” Garble venomously said, as he huffed and flew off in disgust and disdain. “Anyways, if you could please stand, so that I may prestige you into your new role?” Ember asked in an impatient manner, and Spike got up and gave a quick glare to Ember. “I, Dragon Lord Ember, being of sound mind and reason, do hereby declare, than on this day, I present to you, Spike the Dragon, the honor and the title of being my Consort. May you perform this task with dignity and pride”. After tapping the Bloodstone Scepter onto each of Spike’s shoulders, she passed the scepter to Spike, who once again, after holding it, felt a surge of power and confident flow throughout his body, and a wave of resounding energy phased through all of the dragons around the area, including the fleeing Garble. “Ummmmmm Ember, can you come back to Equestria with me, so that I can have some support with me when I break the news to my friends?” Spike asked his new co-ruler. “I don’t see why not; Besides, it’ll give me some time to get away from here and clear my mind, and I’ll get to see your friends and these other princesses that Twilight kept mentioning about in her letters.” Ember stated, and with that, the 2 set off to Ponyville, with Spike hoping that things will go well with his friends finding out about his new role.