Spike: Proof of Concept

by SoullessDCLXVI

Summons

About one year ago

"Garble!" Basil the dragon called his son to the rim of the volcano. Anger making his already thunderous voice even louder and somehow, deeper.

"Yes dad?" A bipedal dragon that was the picture of confidence and superiority only minutes ago now looked as if he was staring death himself in the eye sockets. And, judging by the look on his irate father's face, he might very well be doing just that soon enough.

"Did I just see you take an INFANT hunting?" Basil stared holes into his young son's hide.

Garble was confused. "I don't know what he was dad. But he wasn't no baby. Babies don't talk, or win tail wrestling contests."

"Don't condescend me, boy. I've been around long enough to know a baby when I see one. That was a baby-- did you say tail wrestling contest?! Not only did you endanger the life of a hatchling by taking it hunting, but you involved it in your idiotic teenage violence?! I ought to show you real violence, boy. Our kind are dwindling, I'll not have my own son aid in that decline!"

"He wasn't a hatchling, father! I swear it! In fact, I'm pretty sure he was a pony in a dragon costume. Why else would he willingly go with the ponies who grabbed him? Not to mention he refused to kill the phoenix!"

"Did you say... ponies?"

-||-||-||-||-

Present Day

"You rained on my cumulus! Ugh, I don't how you keep winning, Rarity. It's all luck! How about a nice game of chess?"

"Twilight, I'm not stupid. Playing chess against you would be like a mouse trying to defeat a manticore." Twilight blushed a little at the praise, and chuckled nervously. Averting her gaze she glanced at the clock in the neighboring kitchen. The hour she needed to wait was over. She clapped her hooves as a sparkle briefly hit her eyes. Her excitement for learning briefly overtaking her despite the subject matter.

"Hours up Rarity. Let's see what we can find out about our Spike." Her voice took on a guilty tone, her hooves dragged a little down the basement stairs. Her excitement quickly over as the thought of the machine's readout spelling the word "Guilty". Twilight donned her lab coat and checked to make sure Rarity had done so as well. Only to find the immaculate mare missing. "Rarity?"

"I'm right up here, darling. Surely you can handle that on your own. But do let me know if you need my help. Just a quick shout and I'll be right there next to you in that dreadful coat!" Twilight groaned inwardly. Of course Rarity would care about a simple labcoat. Twilight couldn't for the life of her see what was wrong with it. But that's why she wasn't Canterlot's #2 most desired clothier.

Donning her reading glasses, Twilight grabbed the readout with her magic. To anyone else it would look like a bar graph, one likely found on one of Vinyl's many displays. But to Twilight it told a story. Four letters, A,T,C and G were the only ones to be found in this particular novel, and yet it was more informative than all those dragon books in Canterlot. It was a wonder she hadn't done this earlier. Oh, right. The source material. Desperate times indeed.

Studying the sheet she learned much about her assistant. For instance, Spike's family was likely more red scaled than green. When Spike got older naturally, instead of doing so through greed, he'd have massive wings. And they would probably hurt growing in. But as fascinating as all this was, it wasn't why she had committed to this experiment. Scrunching her nose she picked apart more of the code. She dug as deep as she could. Hunting for the nugget of information that might tell her about his birth, and if there was anything unusual about it. What she found made her cry.

-||-||-||-||-

Spell Cast followed the two stoic guards into the throne room where they stopped and motioned her forwards. Gulping nervously she willed her body forward, nearly tripping over her own hooves in fear. Surprisingly she made it to the throne without incident, for which she was grateful. No telling how fragile the Princess's mood was in. A simple trip would likely aggravate whatever punishment she was most likely going to receive.

When Spell figured that her time scrutinizing the deep red carpet in front of her, or as others knew it, bowing irreverently, she dared look up at her Princess. Spell was only slightly surprised to see Celestia smiling warmly down on her.

"Rise, high mage."

"You... wanted to see me, your highness?"

"Straight to the point, I like that." Celestia left her throne, motioning Spell to follow her as she walked to the many stained glass windows that lined her throne room. Without moving her head she eyed the High Mage. "Do you remember, oh, I'd say about a decade and half ago I gave you a bit of a.. "pet" project? Hmm?" Of course Spell Cast remembered. It was the first time she had been subjected to Celestia's extreme security precaution. And of all her duties, it had likely been the oddest one. Making changes to a developing fetus, no matter the species or how minimal the change, was not only taboo, but highly illegal. The smallest of mistakes could lead to any number of birth defects that would cripple a foal for life or worse.

"Yes, your highness. The um.. breakfast food." Celestia exhaled quickly in a single bout of laughter. Amused agian by Spell Casts extreme lengths to avoid an accidental death. With so many lethal secrets in her head and her odd way of speaking, most ponies thought she had gone insane. Rumors of dark magic had started to follow her everywhere she went.

Celestia's smile faded. "Yes, well that breakfast food as you so eloquently put it is, let's say, going bad. So, as my personal chef, what do you think might the problem be?"

'Going bad? But nothing should be wrong. I did that spell perfectly. I mapped out that dragon's genome a hundred times before I made even the smallest of changes!' "How bad, exactly, has breakfast gotten, your majesty?"

"I'm tired of your word games, Spell Cast. Just say 'project' if you feel you can't say the words."

"Yes, your highness."

"As for the project. He currently lies unconscious in the care of a veterinarian while his body recovers from self inflicted neglect. Neglect caused by, if I'm not mistaken, some serious identity issues. Seems he thinks he's a pony."

"With all due respect, your highness. I am not a mental-"

"Did I ask your profession?"

"Erm.. no.. your majesty."

"I do believe I asked what was wrong with Spike." Spell cast murmured nervously "Despite what you may think of me, I'm not completely heartless. Nor am I an idiot. I can accept 'I do not know, Princess' as an answer."

Even with the princesses reassurance, it was difficult to believe her words. Gulping, Spell Cast gathered her courage. "I do n-not know, P-princess." Spell closed her eyes tightly in preparation for an attack. When it did not come, she opened her eyes.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Yes, Princess." Spell said with a quick bow.

"You have a month."

"I'm... sorry Princess?"

"If I don't have a satisfactory answer in a month, you will be. Do what you need to do, consult who you need to consult, but I want solid answers in exactly one month's time. Or you won't need to worry about.. well, anything."

"Yes, your highness."

"Because you'll be dead."

"Yes.... I understand Princess." Spell tried to hide her frustration at the veiled insult to her intelligence and leave so that she could accomplish her work. But the Princess seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Because I'll have killed you." Spell Cast gritted her teeth as she continued to back away towards the doors, still bowing.

"Spell Cast. Did I dismiss you?" Pure panic flooded her system as she realized she had never been formally dismissed. The huge grin on Celestia's face as she seemed to laugh at her did nothing to alleviate her fears.

"You're lucky I need you, Spell Cast." Celestia still smiled. The smile of a sadist. "In two days time I expect you to be in Ponyville. My student, Twilight Sparkle, will house you. I will send you 1,000 bits to aid in your search. I pray it's not a bad investment. If it turns out it is. Well. I'll be... angry."

"Of course, Princess." Spell Cast bowed again and prepared to walk backwards once more to the door.

One hour of complete silence later.

"You're dismissed, Spell Cast." Celestia's grin was hidden from Spell Cast. As the princess was still gazing out the window in front of her. If she had seen it she would have described it as "massive" and "shit-eating".

Comments

[Rubakor]

Looks like Celestia ain't happy with how her slavery project is going.

[khatre]

Damn, Celestia is one vindictive bitch!
It's like she enjoys handing out the death threats even after her point was made many times over...

[KARLOS1234IFY]

Tia willed be mighty pissed if her secrets were to get loose.

[Pyro The Reader]

Evil, I like it.

[Angelus Alvus]

Wow. In case spell cast really dies, I hope she at least humiliates Bitchlestia.

[earthrise]

denver.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw206_44cf4ded26b20d2ae8deb4ac5979f39b.jpg

[Black Snow]

i...think i shit myself....

[Trickquestion]

Splendid, a good old fashioned Tyrant Celestia story! These used to be a dime a dozen back in the day, but we barely see any, let alone one as well done as this one, anymore. I particularly like how this story makes Celestia very passive aggressive with her death charms, it gels very well with her canon mannerisms, I think.

[Clemerl]

1980913 You up for the good old game of, "Kick the Sun, Put up the Moon" with me?