• Published 10th May 2020
  • 2,524 Views, 80 Comments

To Be a Dragon - L Drkheart



Spike comes home find the changes his disappearance caused and to fix what he destroyed.

  • ...
1
 80
 2,524

The Pain that Remains

Starlight’s eyes cracked open without any drowsiness. She glanced at the time and sighed, there was a time that this awakening would annoy her beyond belief but after the years she saw it as another simple chore that only she could do. The mare yawned a bit and stretched, thanking Celestia for the creation of coffee as she always had a cup nearby.

Ever since she took over the School of Friendship all those years ago, coffee had become her best friend aside from Trixie and Sunburst. She used her magic to heat up her cup before sipping at it and began to climb out of her bed. Luna’s moon illuminated the room and Starlight smiled looking around at how much she had really made the room hers. When she first came to the castle she wasn’t sure how long Twilight would let her stay so she didn’t bother personalizing it. When… the incident happened, Starlight realized that she wouldn’t ever leave the castle. Not that she couldn’t, but she wouldn’t for the sake of the pony that had given her a whole new life.

Starlight pushed open the door to Twilight’s room, knowing what she would find but there was always the chance. It was empty and Starlight shook her head before walking down the familiar hallways until she began to hear something.

‘Why did she always do this to herself? I used to think that time could cure anything but this… time only seemed to make it hurt more.’

A part of her wanted to call the kids to deal with this but they were at their homes, besides they didn’t need to see her in this state.

Starlight arrived at the doors that she used to look forward to opening, knowing that she would find a friend on the other side but that was a long time ago. She opened the door without a single peep. As the door opened, the soft sobs of a pony could be heard. Twilight Sparkle was laying on the bed, clutching an old blue blanket close to her chest. Starlight walked over and reached out to her, Twilight didn’t even shudder at the touch.

‘That’s better than the last two years.’ Every year since he ran- “No, Starlight, he vanished. We can’t go assuming things.’ She swallowed her bitterness and hugged Twilight who turned to face her. Every year since he vanished, Starlight would have to face this look. Every Hearth’s Warming, Every one of his birthdays, and finally this day. The day he vanished. Her expression hurt Starlight’s core, it was one of a pony who had lost something dear to her, a broken mare. It was almost funny. This mare had purified Nightmare Moon, beaten Discord, repelled Chrysalis, overpowered Tirek, outsmarted Cozy, and even showed her the light, but the loss of the young dragon had brought her more pain than the rest of the villains combined.

“S-Starlight…” Her voice was hoarse and more so a whisper.

“Yes, Twilight?”

“Do you… think he is coming back? Do you think he forgives me yet?” Starlight gritted her teeth, glad that the princess couldn’t see her face. She still blamed herself even after all these years.

“Of course, I know he will! I don’t think you were ever the problem Twilight…” She was silent for so long that Starlight thought she had fallen asleep when she spoke again.

“I miss him…”

“I… I do too…”

“I had a dream… he was there. He was grown up and looked… heroic. Heh… he would have liked it.” Starlight made a mental note to tell Luna to make sure the dreams would stop.

“Heroic? Our Spike? Careful, his ego will be big enough when he comes back.” Twilight giggled and hugged Starlight as she fell asleep. The unicorn sighed and looked out the nearby window. “Where are you, Spike? if you are gone… I hope you know what you left behind and pay for it…”

. . .

Discord sighed as he laid on top of Canterlot Castle, looking over Equestria. Things have been so peaceful that he had been utterly bored the last few years, but he could feel that would all be ending soon. He allowed a small smirk to grace his lips as he shook his head.

“About time the kid is coming back, then the fun can return again. He sure knows how to take his time. I better get ready to wake them…. nah I’ll give the kid a few days to relax before waking them. His mother would kill me if I was the reason he got hurt, heh.” Discord closed his eyes and snapped his fingers, vanishing and leaving no sign of his presence other than a single leaf in the breeze.

. . .

Pinkie yawned as she was awakened by a familiar twitch she hadn’t felt in years. All thoughts of sleep vanished as she smiled wide and her mane got poofier than it had been the last ten years. She could feel that tomorrow would be very interesting and a party would be needed…

“You best be ready, this one will be a doozy! I knew he wasn’t dead! Come on Gummy, it’s finally time!”

. . .

Ignitus walked out of his hoard room and into the library, pulling a book down from his collection. It had no name with only a purple cover that had a symbol etched into it. He touched the symbol, causing it to glow and reveal itself to be the symbol of Clan Azar. He opened it and magically memories appeared as photos on the pages. He couldn’t help but chuckle, the history of his clan passed down through magic and books, no wonder they were exiled.

He found peace and solace in the pages until he began to see photos of himself. His young self smiled proudly as he held a dragoness and several eggs. The next photo showed him again, bloody and screaming in the rain as lightning showed the battered and broken bodies in front of him. The next page was the very cave he now lived in, Ignitus entered it and bitterly slammed a rock at the entrance.

The next photo seemed to be decades later as the photo was dark until a figure made their appearance and the boulder was moved by a dragon with purple scales and blue spikes. He held out a hand with a smile and Ignitus accepted it. The same dragon, now stronger and bigger, was training before Ignitus called him over and bit his own finger, rubbing the blood and symbol onto the dragon’s head. He thanked him and vowed to make him proud, his eyes holding such life and a fire deep within that Ignitus believed he could control.

Ignitus skipped the next pages to the last one where it started in darkness again but this time light and warmth flooded in and a tiny purple and green dragon stood, seemingly frightened and tired maybe even injured.

“So many mistakes I’ve made… Now only one can make things right… Only you can mend what I have destroyed. I hope Spike that you do not fall as I did. As he did.”

Author's Note:

Very short chapter! It's more of an appetizer before the big return to Ponyville. If you are wondering where the other mane 6 are I'm leaving their reactions a surprise and don't forget the CMC who are now teenage mares.

PS. Adamastos I'm gonna credit you on all my recent stories tomorrow!