//------------------------------//
// Advice from the Princess  
// Story: Heritage 
// by vildtiger 
//------------------------------//

"Princess Celestia." Twilight walked over to the princess of the sun and one of the two sisters that rule Equestria. The white alicorn smiled and levitated down her paperwork. "What brings you?" She asked Twilight warmly, without a word she invited Twilight for a small walk in the hall of the memorial glass windows. 

Twilight briefly glanced at the windows before she told Celestia what she and Spike had discovered. Celestia listened to her story without question but Twilight did notice that the white alicorn eyes were turning serious in recognition. 
"Is it true?" Twilight asked her when finishing the story, she tried to see any reaction from Celestia, but the white alicorn kept her compose and only her eyes showed the deep sadness she felt. 
"you knew of the Earth dragon tripe? That Spike was one of them?"

Celestia eyed her. "I did, and Earth dragons use their magic to hatch their babies." 

"that's why his egg was part of the school's test?" Twilight asked baffled, she did occasional wonder why she should hatch a dragon and be the only unicorn having a baby dragon around. "How many tried?"

"Many young unicorns tried and failed." Celestia mused with a sad tone; she looked down to her former student. "Only your raw magic had been strong enough to hatch him."

"But... why haven't you told me anything about his kind? Anything about dragons?" Twilight asked she couldn't help feel a bit left out by this choice from Celestia. If Celestia just had told her, then she could've taught Spike about his own kind instead of letting him almost get killed by those winged brute dragons.

The white alicorn walked over to one of the glass windows. "I didn't want him to learn about dragons, not before he knew about pony culture."

"Why? That's why you let him leave for the dragon calling?"

"Yes, is Spike should learn about dragons, then he has to see their nature face to face and..." Celestia turns slightly away from Twilight, her constantly moving mane hiding her face. "The young dragon Spike spoke with said the truth, I and Luna had been misusing the dragons trust and we paid the prize when their leaving lead to Discord's arrival."

"But you defeated him." Twilight argued. 

Celestia began walking down the hall again. "By using the Elements of Harmony. We did defeat Discord but this new responsibility of ruling a whole country and our own lack of leadership only lead to bigger problems..." She lowered her head in sadness as they passed the glass window of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. "Luna became Nightmare Moon because of my neglect, I wasn't there for her when she most needed me."

"But I thought—"

"Twilight, you of all should know that I am not invincible." Celestia kindly interrupted her, leaving Twilight completely speechless. Twilight stopped walking for a few seconds, only snapping out from that small slap to the face when she realized that Celestia was walking away from her. "But," She trotted up beside Celestia again. "You lift the sun and Luna lift the moon, no unicorn can do that." She tried to argue, anypony; including herself has always seen that as a sign of Celestia and Luna's power. 

"A single unicorn cannot, true but several can. And there is difference from keeping order to a day circle to keeping a whole country safe." Celestia mused almost thoughtful before Twilight could ask, though, the white alicorn asked. "Could you bring Spike in? There are a few things I need to discuss with him before you leave."

"You're not coming with us?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, the alliance between the dragons and the ponies is already fragile thanks to me and Luna. If this already fragile peace has to be kept, someone else has to speak with their new dragon lord." 

"You want me to speak with them?" Twilight asked carefully before boasting her chest a bit. "You can count on me, princess!" Her confident did falter a bit from the amused smile Celestia gave her. "It's not me?..."
Celestia shook her head, still smiling. Twilight tilted her head, wondering who else could... then it hit her. "Oh, um I will leave you to it, then." She mused a bit embarrassed and left the room to fetch Spike. 

Moments later Spike walked inside and knelt before the princess of the sun. "What service can I do for you princess Celestia?" He asked her nobly.

Celestia smiled at his choice of words. "I have a very important task for you."

Spike got on his feet, slightly raised a brow but also excited what he could do for the princess.  

"Twilight told me that the Earth dragons are returning. And I wish that you make an alliance between them and us."
"M-Me?" Spike gasped baffled, he honestly didn't see that one coming.

Celestia nodded and said. "I would like you to learn about their culture and in turn, you tell them about Equestria's, try creating a connection between them and us."

"You mean befriend them?" Spike asked a bit uncertain. 

"You probably has to teach them the meaning of that word." Celestia smiled weakly, it did widen a bit more from Spike dry remark. "Explains why Ember kept saying dragons don't have friends."

"Yes, but I am certain you can handle your own kind after you have been dealing with the Sky dragons, they can be rough around those there does not share their kind of thinking." Celestia remarks in a teasing but kind tone, turning back to Spike with: "Did your friend tell you what each of the clan's ideals was?"

Spike nodded and counted what Rhys told him of each clan of dragons. "Sky clan is strength, Water is endurance and Earth is wisdom."

Celestia nodded and said smiling to him. "From what I remember, many of the adult Earth dragons are like Twilight when it comes to books. So the best way to impress an Earth dragon is..." She consciously dragged out her question, letting Spike figure this out himself. 

It took him a few moments to get what she meant; he gasped and exclaimed smiling. "Books! I should offer them some books about Equestria!"

"Or friendship, I'm sure Twilight wouldn't mind letting you have all her former friendship lessons for this task." Celestia said a bit teasing, but back to business, she got a bit serious again. "Do you understand your goal?"

Spike saluted.  "You can count on me!"

"Twilight will accompany you, but only as an advisor. Remember Spike; this is your task."

Spike nodded and left the room. Twilight and Ember waited outside the castle and the purple unicorn asked a little hesitant when her dragon friend stepped outside. "What did she say?"

Spike explained to her what task Celestia has given him and added. "She said you could accompany me as an advisor."

"Of course." Twilight smiled and was about to leave. "Let's go—"

"Hold on!" Spike stopped her by stepping in before her. "First, we have to get your friendship lessons letters."

Twilight blinked at this strange request but did what Spike asked her and when they finally left Canterlot, Twilight has two saddles filled with her old life lessons letters, musing a bit sad after Spike explained to her what he was planning to do with them. "I've hoped I could've used them to Starlight Glimmer..."

"Nah, you're doing fine without them." Spike ensured her before turning to Ember who asked cluelessly. "Why would any dragon want a bunch of worthless papers?"

"Celestia told me that Earth dragons like books just as much Twilight here does." Spike explained and added grinning. "So why not give them something about friendship?"

"If they want them." Ember mused, she wasn't convinced the Earth dragon would accept those letters. In her eyes there were worthless. 

"Where to?" Twilight asked Spike encouraging, and with a breath of fire on the crystal, Spike pointed at the brightest of the flame mark. "Let's try that one." 

"Right, where is it?"

checking the map, the purple dragon realized that this might be more troublesome than thought."..... Rainbow Falls." Spike mused a little scared. 

Twilight faltered slightly in her flight, already fearing that she and Spike might have to fight a bunch of dragons to protect the ponies at Rainbow Falls. The three took the train to the place, fearing what they might encounter. However when they arrived, Rainbow Falls, well it looked quite peacefully. The local ponies were making ready for the Trade Exchange and it seems the only dragons around were Ember and Spike.

"...Are you sure this is the place?" Twilight asked uncertainly that any wingless dragon like Spike would be around here, for all she saw were ponies trading with one another. 

Spike was about to voice his own uncertainty this place might not be— but right then out from the corner of his eye; he spotted someone who started this whole journey. The orange female Topaz was hiding behind one of the stalls and without any pony notice, the other baby dragon snatched some rock candy and in a matter of seconds looked like she dissolved into thin air. Spike still wasn't sure how she could do that but with her here, he's certain the rest were nearby as well. "This is the right place." He said with a voice filled with determination, he wants to fulfill Celestia's mission and he wants to know what kind of dragon he really should've been if he hadn't grown up with Twilight.