Chapter 7
Celia was much more enjoyable to be around when she wasn't psychotically attempting to mother him, Spike decided.
Sure, she was still treating him like a child, but he could at least understand where she was coming from with that. He preferred to be treated as a mature dragon, but physiologically, he was still a child, and Celia probably wasn't used to dealing with dragons his age who were this emotionally advanced. She had let up on a fair amount of behaviors that would have been more appropriate for younger dragons, though. She was still a little touchy, but she wasn't constantly picking him up and holding him in her arms. The kisses to the forehead were also gone. In fact, she'd seemed to stop any behavior that could have been implied as treating him as her own child. She was still affectionate and friendly, but not quite in the same way.
"And that's when I turned into a fully-grown, rampaging dragon," Spike said. "I barely even remember anything I did during that time. I just remember smashing things, taking other things...mostly things I hadn't already smashed...and climbing that mountain with Rarity."
"Mm," Celia responded, looking down at him with a smile. "I have an opinion about that Rarity you're talking about, but out of respect to you in case you are capable of thinking on your own accord, I'll keep it to myself."
"Thanks," Spike said. "I'd try to convince you otherwise about Rarity, but I'll save that until after the trip to the shaman." A thoughtful look crossed his face as he looked up to Celia. "You know, I never got why greed made me grow like that."
"Oh, that's an easy question to answer," Celia said. "It's a curse placed on dragonkind long, long ago."
"Wait, really?" Spike asked, looking to her with interest. "What happened?" Celia chuckled and shook her head.
"I'll never get over how little you know about dragons," Celia said softly. She brought her tail around Spike, a gesture which Spike felt a bit odd about at first. After a moment, though, he relaxed and let it be.
"Long ago, when the world was young," Celia began. "There was a huge garden that all dragons were allowed access to. It had everything one could ever need, but one rule was understood between the dragons, and that one rule was that nobody was to take the sweetest fruit. That fruit belonged to the Creator, and only she was allowed to choose how it was used."
"Why would she keep the tastiest fruit away from the dragons?" Spike asked.
"Oh, she would let the dragons eat it," Celia explained. "But only for special occasions, so it wouldn't all be wasted. She expected the dragons to be mature enough to understand, but one, a young whelp by the name of Azure, decided that wasn't enough. He wanted to have the fruits whenever he wanted."
"Let me guess," Spike said. "Azure snuck in and stole the fruits, got caught, and the Creator wasn't happy?"
"Exactly," Celia confirmed. "The Creator decided that the dragons had to pay for this indiscretion, so a curse was laid upon them. From that day forward, if a dragon succumbed to their greed, they would age rapidly and become addicted to it. An outside source could break them from this if they acted fast enough, but left to their own devices, they would become a slave to their greed forever."
"Wow..." Spike said. "That's really interesting." Then he thought to himself. "But one thing confuses me about what happened to me."
"What is it, child?" Celia asked.
"Well..." Spike began. "When I grew because of greed, I grew really tall, but kinda long and lizardlike and stuff. But when I grew because of Twilight's magical surge, Twilight said I grew really huge with a big thick neck and stuff. Nothing like that other way I grew. What's up with that?"
"Oh, that's an easy one to answer too," Celia answered. She reached up and pulled a book off of her shelf, opening it up and setting it on her lap. She glanced over to Spike. "Is it okay if I set you on my lap? It'd be easier for us both to read the book."
Spike thought about this carefully. He didn't want to make Celia think he wanted to be babied or anything...but he supposed it was easier, and she had respected him enough to ask his permission rather than just picking him up and doing what she pleased.
"I guess it's alright," Spike said. He soon found himself lifted off of the bed, and sensed from her eagerness that Celia must have been hoping for opportunities to handle him again. He was set down on her lap, and had to admit that it was fairly comfortable. He certainly didn't want to stay past his trip to the shaman, but he could deal with this while he was here.
"You see, a dragon's growth is far more receptive to the stimuli around it than that of other races," Celia explained, pointing to a picture in the book. The picture showed a dragon whelp with a few arrows pointing away from it. "We adapt to our environment in limited fashion. This whelp, if raised in an icy environment, might develop sharper talons to gain traction in the ice." Her claw followed the arrow to a drawing of the whelp with longer claws to illustrate this. "But in a more watery environment, they might develop webbed toes instead." Another drawing showed this alteration.
"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed. "That's awesome!"
"Isn't it?" Celia asked with a giggle. "A dragon who grows through greed can't control themselves and becomes more monstrous. But maybe if magic is the impetus, they'll come out looking completely different like you said."
Spike smiled, excited to finally learn more about dragons. He looked up at Celia with a grin, but then got a sinking feeling in his chest. Was he playing right into her claws? Was she trying to make him want to stay? The thought worried him.
"...Can I sit back on the bed?" Spike asked. Celia looked a tiny bit disappointed, but nodded.
"Certainly," she conceded. She lifted him up once more, setting him back on the bedspread.
"Thanks," Spike said. He took a deep breath as thoughts about tomorrow's events started swirling through his head. "So...about this shaman."
"What about him?" Celia asked.
"He's definitely able to tell if someone's been brainwashed or not, right?" Spike asked. When he received a nod in response, he continued. "And...he has to tell the truth, right?"
"As the shaman of the village, he's in a position that requires absolute trust," Celia answered. "He has to live up to the standard of honesty that our society expects of him."
Spike breathed a sigh of relief. The idea of the shaman not being completely trustworthy had crossed his mind, but he was hoping it was only an empty worry. From the looks of it, that was just what it seemed to be.
"Did you have any more questions, child?" Celia asked. "It's getting close to dinnertime, and I was thinking of putting together a nice meal for you to celebrate our last night of doubt about your future." Spike knew that Celia had a much different idea of what his future held than he did, but she was right about that bit regardless. Tomorrow, his fate would be sealed and he would get to go home. Home, where he would never have to see this place or her again.
That thought made him a bit sad. Despite the dubious nature of their meeting and time together, Celia was really a nice dragon. Her heart was in the right place, even though her morals might not have been. And she seemed so lonely...it didn't sit right with him to just up and abandon her completely.
"Just one more question," Spike said.
"Then go ahead," Celia responded. "But do make it quick, unless you don't mind waiting longer for your food."
"Heh, right," Spike chuckled. He hesitated for a moment longer before getting the words out. "So when the shaman sees tomorrow that I haven't been brainwashed and you let me go home...that doesn't mean I can't visit you, or you can't visit me...right?"
Celia was silent for a few moments, looking at Spike with a gentle smile on her face. Spike watched her bite her lip. If his grasp of empathy held true, she was likely holding back a bit of emotion.
"I'm confident he will find that you've been brainwashed," Celia responded. "But in the unlikely event that he does not, then yes, visits would be more than welcome." She then got up from the bed, stretching her legs and wings out. She reached out for Spike, stopping before taking hold of him. "Do you want to get down?"
"Yeah," Spike replied. He raised his arms to give Celia better access, and soon felt her claws wrap around him. He smiled up to her as he was set on the ground.
"You wait in here," Celia said. "I'll call you in when dinner's ready, alright?"
"Okay, Celia," Spike responded. Celia gave him a wan smile, then turned around and walked out of the room, leaving the door open.
Spike was once again left in a position to make his escape, but he didn't bother taking it. He'd be leaving tomorrow anyway.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Missing?!"
The other ponies winced at Twilight's reaction. Twilight was not usually the type to get this outwardly upset, but given the circumstances, nopony could really blame her.
"What do you mean, missing?" Twilight asked, a few hairs falling out of place. "He can't be missing. That's statistically improbable. I know every single place that Spike normally goes. He has to be in one of those places. Did you check the back half of the library in the castle where we keep the comic books?"
"I did," Rarity confirmed.
"What about the ice cream shop?" Twilight asked, beginning to pace. "He loves the ice cream shop!"
"One of the first places I checked outside of the castle," Rarity responded.
"His room?" Twilight demanded. Rarity gave her a flat stare.
"No, Twilight," Rarity said. "In my search for Spike, I certainly did not try to investigate his room."
"What about..." Twilight began.
"Yep!" Pinkie answered.
"Pinkie, you don't even know what I was going to say!" Twilight shouted. The alicorn looked for all the world like she was ready to explode.
"Twilight, darling," Rarity said softly. "We searched high and low for him. I personally scoured practically every inch of Ponyville for him, and Pinkie Pie covered what I missed."
"I even searched the skies for him!" Rainbow Dash insisted. "And there isn't even a logical way he could have been in them!"
"I asked my animal friends to keep an eye out," Fluttershy offered.
"He wasn't anywhere near the farm," Applejack told her. "Even checked the clubhouse. I know Apple Bloom brings him up there sometimes to study."
"To study?" Rainbow asked, raising a brow. "He doesn't even go to school with-"
"To study," Applejack repeated, stonefaced.
"I think I know what they were studying~" Pinkie sang, earning herself a glare from Applejack.
"Ladies, please!" Rarity insisted. "Look at what all this talk is doing to Twilight!"
Twilight's face held a strange look of worry and anger, and she was beginning to shake, even more hairs falling out of place. The others took one look at her and quieted down instantly.
"We need to find him right now," Twilight said softly. "I don't care what it takes, I don't care how long it takes. I want my Spike back."
"Of course, darling," Rarity said, nodding resolutely. "And find him we shall. I just wish we had some manner of clue as to where we might be able to find him..."
Just then, as if on cue, the front door of the palace opened. The six ponies stared, surprised at the sight in front of them. Seeing Princess Celestia was surprising in itself, as they had no reason to expect her here. Even more shocking, however, was the gigantic platinum dragon that towered behind her. Sunlight reflected off of his scales as he lowered his head to peer through the doorway at the group.
"I believe," Celestia said, holding up a paper with some crayon scribblings on it. "That we have a clue."
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Yay. Sunbutt to the rescue! I wonder who that Platinum dragon is.
Hi Bahamut! How's it going?
Nice tale on the origin of Dragon greed. And I sure hope the girls find Spike and clear up all this misunderstanding
christ dude, i just finished the last chapter.. you on a roll or something?
*thumbs up*
That shaman better not say he's brainwashed! Don't you dare make this that kind of story!
HA! Tia and Bahamut are friends
6939949 In DnD and some other lore Bahamut is known as the Platinum Dragon
I think... I think I'm excited to see Bahamut (presumably) with Celestia, here.
Yes... yes that feeling is definitely excitement.
It's time for truth, is Spike going back with the ponies or he'll stay with Celia?
Oh snap, son!
So wow this chapter has some good world building in it. I like of you explained dragon greed and how that dragons will develop differently depending on the environment that they live in.
6939954
"Oh you know, pretty good mostly. Got some nice antiques for my hoard. Found a good basking rock for my after-lunch naps. And only three calls from my ex about stupid knights butchering her babies!"
I'll bet that dragon behind her is the shaman
That would be so funny if Bahamut was Celestia's sun in some fashion.
I like the origin story about dragon greed.
It would blow my mind if Spike was really her kid.
Good luck
6939975 Tia-mat?
So, this story is making all kinds of dragon lore, and I like it. When/if I get back into writing, this is going straight into the headcannon box.
ruh-roh
man 1 chapter per day that's awesome XD
ps: the story is awesome too, great work ^_^
The SPANISH INQUISITION appoves of the study conversation and demands see where it was going.
You clever little tosspot, I see what you did there
6940024 very clever
Quick! Start pillaging everything!
Dun dun dun.
Shaman's gonna find the magic letter-sending fire; that's not going to look good. No doubt a dragon's fire is very sacred and altering it for the convenience of ponies is probably going to be seen as atrocious.
"So let me get this straight, the princess pony turned your fire, the core of a dragon's being, into a instant messaging tool for her her student, to whom you were given to like an object, to contact her at her conveniences...? And this was while the student was living in the same castle and could have just walked over and talked to the princess."
"Okay, I know where you're going with this, but you can make anything sound bad if you word it like that."
Spike is a living smart phone. He has apps, like shelving books and keeping schedules. Dictation still needs work.
This story is awesome, please continue.
Well, it's going to be hard for any dragon to argue a point against their god-king. My guess now is that Spike's egg was orphaned and Bahamut gave it to Celestia (a friend from the old old days) to help kick-start a kinship between their respective nations. I hope that once everything gets sorted out, Spike will be able to develop a sort of nephew-aunt relationship with Celia. Seems fitting for a SoL tale.
WOW
. Can't wait for the next chapter 
6939646 ? What are you talking about? I am chill o.o I said they were entitled to their opinions and a lot of their reactions were justified, especially if they were comparing their possible reaction to Spike's? Also, I was talking about the small minority that were freaking out and legit getting angry at a fictional female dragon and were saying if they were in Spike's metaphorical shoes they'd knock her out and stuff? I respect their opinions, I'm just poking fun at the few over reactions that I saw, so no, no salt. Have a nice day :)
The shaman's the silver dragon isn't he.
"I can't afford a new fax machine!"
I don't think Celia and Twilight are going to hit it off right away. Not as upset as Twilight is. But I do actually kind of hope the back portion of this story has a "Celia learns ponies aren't evil and the magic of friendship wins her over" kind of thing.
I think you mean 'warm', but you know what? 'Waning' might also work here for more poetic imagery.
Giant-ass platinum dragon? Uh-oh. Celia..... may done have fucked up.
Hello Bahamut, nice to meet you
It would be rather interesting if Celia ended up being Spike's mother, though him maybe not having been magically 'brainwashed' or so has yet to be determined. Though it would be a fubar if he was, how could anyone had tamed a dragon hatchling without any parental books on the species or a mother dragoness to give advice? Also wouldn't the silver or Platinum Dragon 'god' had demanded any and all eggs back that were found in pony land?
That's Bahamut. I'm calling it right now, that dragon with Celestia is Bahamut.
Interesting backstory on the greed of dragons
Give you points for that.
Why do I get the feeling she'll make certain that Spike is brainwashed?
And now Celestia finally comes in. Curious to know how this will turn out
6940150
wan (adj.)
1. Pale, sickly-looking.
2. Dim, faint.
3. Bland, uninterested.
A wan expression
I'm gonna go on a limb and guess that the platinum dragon is Bahamut.
6940198 or certainly someone high ranking and/or a personal friend/comrade to Celestia from ages past.
6940187
orig04.deviantart.net/f7ee/f/2015/224/d/4/twilight_what_by_littlebearcub25-d95gavo.png
I did not know of this word...
Carry on.
6940198 Heh...Dear Celia
YOU HAVE BUCKED UP, DON GOOFED, AND BAD DRAGONESSES LIKE YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A BAD TIME!!!
Also, your all wrong...Sun raising is actually a collabaration by the leaders of species that don't have a death wish.
Sigmacipher,
Alicorn of Anger management issues
I just hope that Twilight doesn't do something stupid and berate Celia. I'm also hoping that this will give Fluttershy a chance to overcome her fear of dragons too.
Is that Bahamut?
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Bahamut is going to get into this case. Ohhhh boy, Celia has gotten herself into a big mess of trouble here...
6940122. That's what I think too!
6939152 I think it unlikely Rarity was referring to a style of cut, or that it was particularly uninformative, but I do agree with you that referring to this dragon mage as a "shaman" doesn't sound quite right; it is more zebra than dragony.
In any case, by the looks of things S6 is going to be all about world building, including dragon culture, so here's hoping us fans will soon not have to make all this stuff up and hope that some of what has been speculated is actually canonical...
Very cleverly worded there. Seems we might well have an Aes Sedai type Dragon on our hands. They cannot tell outright lies, but the truth they speak is NEVER the truth you hear.
ahhhhh this is amazing!!!
6940352
Except once in "The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows"
Pinkie Pie: Did you take that from Pound Cake again? Don't you know it's wrong to steal from a baby?
Rarity: What's all this about a baby?
Pinkie Pie: What? Who? What? Who said something about a baby?!
Rarity: You did, Ms. Pie, just now. What were you talking about?
"The writers didn't like that old design and gave you a much cooler Godzilla look!" spouted a bipedal creature in a red and black mask who dropped in unexpectedly, dangling from the scene frame. "And now you're back to being lame again! Laters!" He zipped out chuckling, "Nyuk nyuk nyuk!"
Spike balled his fists and shouted to the heavens, "DEADPOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!"