The Drake Six

by JNKing

Episode 63: The Molt

Spike thought he’d be able to handle whatever was going on with Swift and a possibly fake Twilight. But, as what seemed to be the usual for him, fate had other plans in store.

As he awoke the next day, Spike found himself beset by a horrible itching sensation. For a split second, he wondered if Ember was using the Bloodstone Scepter to summon dragons again.

Before he could work out what she could possibly want, though, he found out the true reason why. And it caused him to scream so loud, he woke up Twilight and some of the other dragons.

Jackknife busted down his door. “SPIKE! YOU IN TROUBLE?! WE UNDER ATTACK!? I CAME AS FAST AS I COULD!”

Star poked her head in. “That’s what he said,” she noted cheekily… which got her Jackknife’s fist in the face. “Ow.”

“Sorry, Wing, you startled me,” Jackknife replied, not sounding too sorry as he returned his gaze to Spike. “Now, Spike, what’s… OH MY FAUST!”

For Spike’s face was covered in angry red scales. It almost looked like a teenager with zits.

“What’s happening to me?” Spike hissed, his voice suddenly getting lower.

“I don’t know, man,” Jackknife admitted, circling him cautiously. “Did ya get into something weird? Wait a minute…” He peered suspiciously at Spike. “I saw you heading off with Rares to pick phoenix feathers. Did you two get up to something?”

“Jack, don’t!” Star whined. “He’s too young for…”

“WING!” Spike boomed, covering his mouth. “Whoa, that came out LOUDER THAN I…” he covered his mouth again. “...meant.”

Star and Jackknife glanced at each other in shock.

“Uh, Wing?” Jackknife asked. “You ever, uh… encounter something like this in yer travels with dragons?”

“Not really,” Star admitted. “But… I wonder…” she rubbed her chin. “I only ever dealt with adult or teenage dragons. Maybe…”

“You’re right,” Phoenix said, appearing in the doorway. “He’s undergoing the Molt.”

Wing, Jackknife and Spike stared at her for a solid second.

“How do you know that’s what I was going to say?” Star asked.

“Huh?” Phoenix asked, her smile dropping.

“I mean, for all you knew, I could’ve just said that he was cursed or something,” Star replied. “I’m supposed to have a weird mind, Phi. Like Pinkie. Don’t tell me I’m becoming predictable.”

Phoenix sighed. “Look, just… get him to the classroom. The dragon lecture is today, and I think we know exactly what to discuss about it.”

##

A few minutes later, Smolder, Phoenix and Diamondback were grouped around Spike, who shifted nervously as the rest of the class had arrived.

“Super painful stone scales…” Smolder mused, touching at the sore red spots on his body.

“Fire burps,” Phoenix noted, smacking Spike’s back and causing him to belch up flames.

“Uncontrollable volume shifts?” Diamondback asked.

“YEP!” Spike boomed again, covering his mouth in horror.

Smolder, however, nodded in satisfaction. “Those are all parts of the Molt. It’s a part of growing up dragon.”

“Adolescence?” Star asked.

“So we should take him to a strip club and buy him a few dances?” Jackknife asked with a grin.

“JACK!” Twilight yelped.

“I don’t care if he’s going through a Molt,” Star declared. “I still consider him much too young for that!”

Spike groaned and sighed, before pausing. “But… wait a minute. I thought the Greed controlled how big we got.”

“In regards to power level, of course,” Diamondback replied.

“But the Molt is more biological,” Smolder clarified. “Every dragon goes through it, no matter how much treasure they have. Pretty soon, you’ll have to leave and strike out on your own.”

Spike tilted his head. “Why?”

Smolder glanced at Twilight with a smirk. “Been living with ponies your whole life?”

They both nodded.

“Well, in the Dragon Lands,” Smolder explained. “A molter’s parents kick them out at the first stone scale.”

“Why?” Spike asked, horrified.

“Pragmatism,” Phoenix replied. “Once a baby dragon starts to mature, they become less of a treasure and more of a threat, since they’ll start wanting to take their parents' treasure to grow their own power. It also encourages a dragon to grow stronger by getting their own resources. That way, they don’t mooch off their families.”

“Like nobles?” Star asked with a grin.

“That is biased and cruel!” Rarity complained.

“And don’t get me started on the smell,” Smolder added. “I mean, I love my brother and all, but one whiff, and I was all, ‘See ya!’”

Nervous, Spike sniffed at his pits. Sure enough, there was already a faint stench coming off him. Like brussel sprouts wrapped in cotton candy. It was enough to make his own nose wrinkle.

“I don’t suppose it’s any different in the Dragon Kingdom, is it?” Diamondback asked Astral.

“Actually,” Astral replied. “We have a special runic enchantment that helps hide the stench, so there isn’t a threat to the kingdom.” He crossed his arms with a grin that slowly faded as he remembered. “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t uncomfortable.” He shuddered. “I still remember mine.”

“So, what should I do?” Spike asked.

“For now?” Phoenix asked. “Find a safe place where people won’t be bothered by your smell. It’s not going to be attracting friendly company.”

Spike’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

“The molt stench is a magnet for predators,” Smolder explained. “Tatzlwurms, hydras, rocs…”

Jackknife blinked. “Dragons are scared of rocks?”

“That’s impossible,” Star dismissed. “There’s countless rocks in the Dragon Lands. You guys would never…”

“R-O-C-S!” Smolder explained impatiently. “Rocs! Humongous birds of prey that can snack on molting dragons like candy.”

Spike gulped, but Phoenix rested a claw on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, buddy,” she promised him. “The smell doesn’t last forever. The key is to keep you safe until it wears off.”

“Don’t mollycoddle him, Phoenix,” Diamondback warned. “The point of the Molt is to encourage dragons to handle themselves. He won’t learn anything if you hold his hand the whole way.”

Twilight stood sharply. “The whole point of this academy is to show the benefits of friendship! I will not let my oldest friend endure this alone!” She stood by Spike’s side… though also plugged her nose with some clips. “I’ve got your back, brother.”

“Same,” Jackknife said, immediately jumping to Spike’s aid. “Dragon Element of Loyalty at yer service.”

Spike couldn’t help but smile at them. “Thanks, guys.”

##

The Everfree was the last place Spike expected to find a safe place to wait out his Molt, but Twilight insisted on taking him there.

“Zecora’s got a cream that’s supposed to work wonders for your scales,” Twilight said. “Combine that with the runic enchantment we got from Astral, and it might help with the Molt smell.”

“I guess we’ll see,” Phoenix replied, her own nose wrinkled. “Goodness, I forgot how pungent dragons get during this time.”

Jackknife spat. “This ain’t nothing. Wait until you accidentally leave fish out in the sun for hours. Then talk to me about ‘pungent’.”

Spike sighed. “You guys don’t have to hang around me,” he noted. “I can go myself.”

“Screw that!” Jackknife shouted.

“Agreed, I’m not about to ignore everything I said back there about friendship and teamwork.” Twilight said stubbornly. “Star Wing’s got things handled back there.”

Spike paused. “Speaking of ‘handling things’, have you guys noticed any changes with our people? Darker color schemes or crabby expressions?”

Twilight, Jackknife and Phoenix paused, looking at each other. “Now that you mention it…” Phoenix started to say.

But in that moment, Spike held up a hand… or tried to before scratching at his scales. “Wait, did you hear that?”

“You mean, aside from your scratching?” Phoenix asked.

Twilight’s ears perked. “Wait-wait, I hear it too.”

The trio turned, as they heard a slight hum of magic. It was accompanied by the sound of a small body forcing its way through the foliage, followed by a high pitched voice.

“Hey! Hey! Stop!”

“Cozy Glow?” Twilight whispered. She started to move forward, but Phoenix grabbed her.

“Let me,” she said. Carefully, she inched her way forward, as a deeper voice sounded with an agitated tone.

“Sombra, now is not the time! I sense that danger is on it’s way, and I would rather not be found so soon!”

“Shade,” Phoenix growled. She started moving forward, pushing the brush apart.

But just before she reached the source… a shadow fell over Spike.

And a screech split the air.

“SPIKE, GET DOWN!” Jackknife yelled.

Spike turned just in time to see a winged menace diving for him, completely ignoring the blast of water Jackknife was throwing at it. Twilight bashed Spike and Jackknife aside with barely enough time to spare. And the next thing Spike knew, Twilight was being carried off by what could only be a Roc.

“TWILIGHT, NO!” Spike roared, trying to put his Molt’s voice effect and fire to use. But as the Roc wheeled back, glaring at him with beady yellow eyes, Spike’s fire malfunctioned as the bird rushed at him, and his next roar came out like a mouse’s squeak.

Jackknife let loose with a larger burst of water, but the Roc dodged right by it and bashed into him with its head, sending him flying into the trees, where he collapsed, completely stunned.

“HERE!” Phoenix boomed, catching the Roc before it could take to the sky again. Briefly, the scarred dragoness and the dragon predator wrestled, while Twilight struggled to free herself from the roc’s clutches.

“Hang on, Twilight!” Spike called, rushing to aid her.

But the itching started up worse than ever, as a red glow overcame his body, and he tumbled to the ground, scratching for all he was worth.

“Spike, stay back,” Phoenix barked, but the roc’s eyes focused on Spike’s red glow, and it got it’s beak free, stabbing hard into one of Phoenix’s scars and re-opening the wound. As Phoenix let out a roar of agony, the roc clawed her and threw the dragoness back into a just recovering Jackknife, flattening both dragon and sea serpent as the bird of prey wheeled around to focus on Spike.

“No!” Twilight cried out, trying to hit the roc with spells. But with it’s talon curled tightly around her body, she couldn’t aim her horn properly. And with Spike incapacitated with itching, he was helpless as the roc bore down on him, beak opening wide to swallow him whole…

Until a dark yellow blur smashed into the roc and threw it off course.

Twilight was jarred from the roc’s grip, and tumbled over to Spike, finding Cozy Glow trying to tend to him.

“Cozy?” Twilight asked. “What…?”

“I was worried about you guys,” Cozy explained, trying to help Spike with the scratching. “Then that… thing showed up and so… I got help.”

Spike, Twilight and a just recovered Phoenix and Jackknife looked up… and were stunned at the sight of Fluttershy absolutely wailing on the roc. With eyes blazing in fury, she punched, kicked, head-butt and bit the roc, forcing the giant bird back until it’s screeches of rage started to crack with fear.

Spike tried to narrow his eyes; was something wrong with Flutterhy’s color? But when he tried to lift an arm to shield his eyes from the sun… he couldn’t move it.

Cozy backed up as his scales started to turn to stone. “Is that… normal for a molt?” she asked.

Phoenix turned, and her eyes brightened. “Yeah,” she said with a grin. “Get ready, Spike. You’re going to like this part.”

“The heck are you talking about?” Jackknife demanded. “He looks like he got stared at by a cockatrice!”

“Just wait,” Phoenix insisted. “Give it a second.”

Jackknife, Spike and Twilight watched nervously as the stone crept up his scales.

“Spike,” Twilight whispered as the stone started to cover his face. “I’m here, Spike. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried, Twi,” Spike assured her. “As long as you’re…”

But then the stone closed over his face, and he could speak no more.

For a heart-wrenching second, Spike sat there, Phoenix watching with hope, Jackknife with shock, and Twilight with nervousness. Cozy’s gaze, however, turned back up to Fluttershy, as the roc managed to catch the pegasus with it’s claws and batted her back down to the ground.

“Fluttershy!” Cozy cried out.

Twilight turned, her horn glowing and her wings flaring. “Not my friend, you beast!” Twilight snarled, rushing the roc head on alongside Jackknife and Phoenix.

But as the roc turned and hissed at them, it paused - and so did the trio - as an explosion sounded behind them.

Turning back, they watched as Spike’s stone cocoon burst apart, and Spike rose into the air.

This time, with a set of brand new wings.

“Oh my,” he mumbled, before noticing the change in his body. “Did I just sprout wings?” A gleeful expression brightened his now stone-scale-free face. “I JUST SPROUTED WINGS!”

The roc screeched again, reminding them of where they were at. And as the roc rushed them for one final attempt at dinner, Phoenix and Spike took in twin breaths, while Twilight charged up her horn and Jackknife summoned the biggest ball of water he could create.

Right as the roc realized it might have been a bad idea to charge two dragons, a sea serpent and an alicorn, it was bathed in a combination of both alicorn magic, water and dragon fire. Five seconds later, the roc fled, whimpering, covered in ash, and shedding feathers until it resembled a plucked roasted bird.

Briefly, the four watched the roc fly away, before Spike retched and burped up several feathers, along with a letter from Celestia.

“To Spike,” Twilight read. “Please be careful with your fire; I’m not sure what you got up to, but a bunch of roc feathers just fell on my head.”

Spike blushed red, and started to write an apology. But then he remembered…

“Wait a minute,” he said. “Fluttershy!”

The four turned to Fluttershy… or rather… where Fluttershy had been.

“Fluttershy?” Twilight asked, looking around. But they only found Cozy Glow, who ran back to them with a grin.

“It’s okay, Ms. Sparkle,” Cozy said. “I got Fluttershy to Nurse Redheart. She’ll be right as rain the next time you see her.”

Spike hummed, narrowing his eyes at Cozy. Something was going on with her. But before he could question it, Twilight lifted him into a hug.

“Spike, that was amazing!” she said. “I didn’t know if you’d ever get wings! I’m so happy for you!”

Phoenix nodded happily. “All part of the molt. By our standards, he should be considered a young adult now.”

Spike snorted. “So, does that mean Star can stop claiming I’m too young for stuff?”

“NEVER!” Star’s voice echoed defiantly.

Jackknife laughed. “Consider that a ‘no’, buddy.”

Phoenix, Spike and Twilight rolled their eyes, before Spike sighed.

“Y’know,” he noted. “Normally, I expect this is where a dragon kid would say goodbye to their dragon parent.”

“Oh, no,” Phoenix said. “They’d say goodbye as soon as they got the first stone scale.”

“And regardless,” Twilight said loyally. “This isn’t the Dragon Lands. Molt Effect or no…” she hugged Spike again. “I don’t want you going anywhere.”

Spike smiled and hugged her back. But he couldn’t help but glare at where Cozy had gone.

The way Fluttershy had acted did not sit right with him. And he wasn’t sure he could chalk it up to a rogue changeling.

Yeah, they might have helped. But he had a very bad feeling that there was something worse going on.

And with this Molt Effect out of the way, he needed to dedicate his attention to it.

##

Just out of sight of the others, Cozy Glow ducked out of sight, fearing that Spike had seen her.

“I can get them,” Evil Fluttershy muttered next to her. “Just watch. I almost cracked that roc skull; let me actually crack their skulls.”

“Not yet,” Cozy said. “Not until all of King Sombra’s forces are ready.”

Evil Fluttershy snorted. “I still can’t believe we had to help them. Letting them become roc food would mean fewer enemies to overcome.” She smiled cruelly. “And the pain their friends would’ve been going through would be perfect to hurt them further with.”

“If we had done that,” Cozy explained patiently, holding up an orange scale she had lifted from Phoenix, and a purple one from Spike. “We wouldn’t be able to have their evil counterparts.”

“She’s correct,” King Sombra noted, appearing next to them in the shadows and ignoring Shade’s glower. “Now bring them to me, youngling. Our day of reckoning approaches, and I’d like it to be sooner rather than later.”

Comments

[Comickook]

Another really well-done chapter. Definitely appreciated the effort going into the dialogue, characterizations, action, general wrap-up and future chapter set-up in this spin on "the Molt Down". Yeah, it makes sense that Spike would be able to get more information on dragon molts due to having more dragons to talk to. Especially liked Astral contributing to this with that stuff about the Dragon Empire having means of protecting others from the odor. Cozy's chat with Sombra (which was almost caught) and then Cozy helping out in order to get the material needed for Fluttershy's clone were also good additions for later on.

I am definitely looking forward to more of this.

[nightshroud96]

Pretty sweet way of adapting Molt Down for sure.

[Booster Spice]

If Fluttershy had got mad at that Roc, she wouldnt have been so nice to it.

Pinkamena and Flutterfry sitting in a tree.

Ones a expert seamstress, the other an expert cook.

Both know Exactly how to dress Anything.

[JNKing]

11870017
Very happy you're enjoying.

I was a little worried that Smolder's role got downplayed a little, but like you mentioned, it does make sense that Spike would have more information on the molts since he's got more dragons to talk to.

Also glad you liked Astral's input on the Dragon Kingdoms. They're run different from the Dragon Lands, so I was hoping the distinction would be interesting.

Meanwhile, the Really Dirty Dozen are almost ready for action. And when their ranks are complete, things are gonna get interesting.

I look forward to sharing more next week. Until then, thanks for reading. 👍

[JNKing]

11870132
Thank you.

[nightshroud96]

11870193
I wonder if outside of this and Father Knows Beast will Spike be able to bond more with Smolder?

[JNKing]

11870204
I'd like him to. Though I also want to make sure my own characters still get some time to shine.

It's difficult balancing both original characters and canon characters together, but I'm hopeful I'll find a way.

Also, funny you mentioned Father Knows Beast; that's actually coming up next week. I'm excited to start working on it, and I hope that it'll be an okay adaptation.

[nightshroud96]

11870252
I do wonder how that be handled since it was a pretty awful episode.
With how Spike got trolled hard but also the fact the show wasted it's last chance on showing Spike's origins(hopefully his real father is not gonna be some slob like Sludge)

[JNKing]

11870277

hopefully his real father is not gonna be some slob like Sludge

Oh, his real father is going to be nothing like Sludge. I promise that.

My current plan is for Diamondback to use some magic gizmos she's collected to essentially run a DNA test and prove Sludge isn't his father before the first act's even complete.

From there, Spike would have a brief moment trying to focus on the evil clones, but ultimately start getting distracted about his biological parentage, leading to Diamondback and maybe Smolder convincing him to let them help him track down his biological parents so he doesn't have them distracting him.

And from there... I'm still working on what happens after, but essentially, it'll be my version of Spike getting to
meet his biological parents, and clear the air while still affirming his loyalty to Twilight and Equestria.

I was considering him finding his parents graves and learning they died helping Celestia during a time where she was searching for Star Wing, and Celestia took Spike's egg and intended to raise him out of guilt for getting them killed, before getting a vision that he and Twilight were destined for greatness together, leading to her giving him to Twilight so that they could form the bond they now have.

But I'm not sure if that works, so any suggestions or feedback on how his encounter with his parents can go would be appreciated.