Spike works hard at being a noble dragon, but what happens when he starts to question his Dragon Code?
Be Generous Be Kind Be Honest Be Loyal Spread Joy Be like Twilight
These are the first six lines of Spike's Noble Dragon Code, the manifesto Spike trust to guide his actions. So what's a dragon to do, when the code lets him down?
A big thanks to Lanehugo and FamousLastWords for thier help in getting this story off the ground. And HMXTaylorLee for his usual pre-reading and editing services. (Also, thinking of yet another title for me. Seriously if you ever can't think of a title just shoot him a pm).
Be Generous Be Kind Be Honest Be Loyal Spread Joy Be like Twilight
Spike looked over the first six tenets of his noble dragon code, just like he did first thing every morning. It was no coincidence that they were based off of the Elements of Harmony.
And it was no coincidence that Rarity’s Element was first. For one thing, as a dragon, Spike knew that he was predisposed to be greedy. It was just in his dragon nature to hoard things. Reminding himself of that first, so that he could guard against it, felt like the right thing to do.
Even beyond that safeguard, Rarity was special to Spike. Not just because she was the most beautiful, sweetest, most amazing mare ever in the history of Equestria, but because Rarity was a walking reminder of what could happen when Spike gave into his dragon nature.
A few years ago, he had gotten some extra presents from some well meaning ponies on his birthday. Those seemingly innocuous items triggered his dormant instincts to build his own hoard. It didn’t matter what it was at first, as long as he could claim it as his. But as his hoard grew, so did he, and so did his desire for more and shinier things, until he grew as large as any dragon ever seen, and was fueled only by a desire to grow his stockpile.
And then he had ponynapped Rarity.
As much as he told himself that he hadn’t done that, the stubborn fact remained that he had. He knew what he was doing, he wasn’t under a spell or enchantment. He simply saw Rarity, decided that he wanted her as part of his hoard and took her, as though his greed was the only thing that mattered. What had snapped him out of it was a reminder from her, about who he really was and how Rarity preferred that Spike to the hulking monster version of himself.
The thought that he was capable of ignoring his friends welfare so easily, not just Rarity’s, frightened him to the very depths of his core. So the first six tenets of his Dragon Code where a reminder about who his friends were and their virtues that made them special.
Be like Twilight
Working Twilight into his code had been challenging. Unlike her fellow Bearers, whose elements all reflected a personality trait, Twilight’s element was a testament to her skill with magic. As a dragon, Spike couldn’t do magic, at least not the way a unicorn could, and even if he could it would be hard to work that into a code of conduct. After much thought he realized that he didn’t need Twilight’s Element to be a noble dragon - he just needed Twilight.
Twilight had hatched him and then raised him. She introduced him to other ponies as her assistant or her friend, but in either case the subtext was clear; I know he’s a dragon, but he’s my special little guy, so be nice to him. In a world where his kind was feared, Twilight always made sure he felt welcomed and loved.
It was Twilight who cuddled him when he was a whelp and scared of thunderstorms, and who still tucked him in a night if he asked. She not only hatched him, but made him part of her family when most ponies would have been terrified of even a baby dragon. Whenever Twilight wanted to embarrass him she would bring out pictures of her as a filly, bottle feeding a baby Spike. Spike hated those pictures, but they were a reminder that when he had been small and helpless, Twilight was the one who had cared for him. Twilight was smart, considerate, kind and genuine. Yep, Spike had decided, if he could be like Twilight that would certainly make him a noble dragon.
Always return the favor Be helpful Consider others
The next three lines on this list were just simple guidelines, but unlike the first six items on his list, they were concrete suggestions he could use to govern his actions throughout the course of his day. The ABC’s as Spike liked to think of them, were a simple mnemonic he could use to quickly determine if he should do something or not.
That section had undergone some revisions since he first started to from the idea of his code, the fiasco with Applejack proving that he didn’t need to take “return the favor” so literally. Even so, Spike made it his mission to be as useful as possible to whomever needed his help.
The last bit of his code he had cribbed together from the stories he liked to read about the knights of yore. Back in olden times, knights were always running around, saving fair maidens, (sometimes from dragons), thwarting evil barons and generally acting honorably. Spike’s last section for his noble dragon code was taken almost directly from the legends of the Knights of the Round Table.
My claws defend the helpless My might upholds the weak My words speak only truth
Spike may have only been a baby in dragon terms, but among ponies that still made him plenty dangerous. He had claws sharp enough to shave gems, he had scales that were hard enough to protect him from sharp objects as well as render him relatively fireproof. His teeth could crunch all the way through bone if he bit hard enough, and he could breathe fire. In a fight most ponies wouldn’t stand a chance. He liked to think of himself like one of the knights in the stories he read. They were better fighters than everyone else, and they had sharp swords and armor. If they wanted to, they could terrorize the villagers, but instead they used their powers to protect those weaker than themselves. Spike admired that.
Combined, those three sections made up Spike’s Noble Dragon Code. He read it every morning when he woke up and then again right before he went to sleep.
Spike climbed out of bed. Before he started his day in earnest, Spike allowed himself a moment of satisfaction as he thought about how he had saved the Crystal Empire, and how he had melted that huge block of ice at the Equestria Games. When they wrote “The Legend of Spike the Noble Dragon,” those two stories were definitely going in, and then little fillies and colts everywhere would demand their parents tell them those stories at bedtime even though everypony had heard them a thousand times before.
Like most days that ended up being life changing, it started out just like any other day. Spike was busy tidying up the new friendship castle that Twilight still insisted be available as a library for the citizens of Ponyville.
It was late in the morning, and Spike had just about finished dusting off the bookshelves when he heard a knock on the door. He momentarily wondered if he forgot to turn the sign to "open", because most ponies just walked right in during library hours. He hurried over to the door as fast as his stubby legs could carry him, and opened it to find Fluttershy awkwardly waiting outside.
Upon seeing Spike, she immediately brightened up, her previous distress all but disappearing. “Hello Spike, is Twilight here?”
Be helpful
“I think she’s in Trotston for the day, something about a rare book collection being on display. But maybe I can help you?”
Fluttershy appeared to consider the offer, looking up at the cloudless sky before smiling broadly. “Well okay. We’ve had a lot of rain the last few days and so there’s some mold that’s been growing near the Everfree forest-”
“A mold monster! Say no more, Fluttershy. I promise to protect the good citizens of Ponyville from this vile scourge!” Spike puffed out his chest and prepared to charge headfirst into danger with no regard for his own well being, just like any knight worth his salt would.
But Fluttershy just giggled at his proclamation. “There’s no monster, Spike, but the mold has caused an uncomfortable rash among some of my critters. It’s not harmful, but it is kind of itchy. I need to go to the Everfree to collect some taro root and juju berries to make an ointment and I was hoping Twilight might come for…well, some company. The Everfree is awfully big and scary when you’re all by yourself.”
Spike deflated his puffed chest and donned a smile he had been practicing in the mirror. It was his “have-no-fear-Spike-is-here” grin, meant to be reassuring, brimming with confidence and just a touch of humility. So what if Fluttershy didn’t need him to valiantly charge into battle to meet a terrifying beast? She still needed his help.
Consider Others
Keeping her company was a way of protecting her from her fears, which made it a very noble thing to do by his reasoning. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, I’d be honored to accompany you on your mission of mercy.”
Fluttershy giggled again. “Thank you, Spike, that’s very nice of you. I need to go make lunch for the animals at my house, can you come over around one?”
Spike bent at the waist and bowed deeply, just like the knights in his stories would. “Of course, m’lady.”
Fluttershy left the library-turned-castle and Spike resumed his chores, pleased that his Noble Dragon Code had led him to be of assistance to a pony in need.
The next few hours were unbearably normal. A few ponies had checked out some books, and Spike had just about finished cleaning the library for the day when he heard the bell that was mounted above the front entrance rattle fiercely. Before he could make it over to the door to see who had entered in such a hurry, the most gorgeous, wonderful mare in all of Equestria burst into the main room of the library, apparently quite distraught.
“Spikey, thank goodness you’re here! Sapphire Shores crew accidentally threw her headdress in with her set and now it’s ruined and she needs another one as soon as possible and I am out of gems! This is the worst possible thing that could ever happen!” Rarity shrieked as soon as the purple dragon rounded into view.
Be helpful
“Don’t worry, Rarity, I’ll help you dig up some more gems.”
Rarity let out an excited squeal. “You’re the best Spikey!” she said, hastily grabbing his claw. “Come, we have no time waste dawdling.”
Despite how wonderful his claw felt wrapped up in Rarity’s hoof, a troubling thought pushed past his enjoyment. He dragged his feet so that he might slow Rarity’s momentum. “Wait, we need to leave now?”
“Why yes, dear. She needs it as soon as possible.”
My words speak only truth
Spike sighed, “I can’t go with you, Rarity. I told Fluttershy I’d help her gather some roots this afternoon.”
Rarity’s face fell, the disappointment plainly evident on her lovely, delicate features. “Oh, I suppose I shall just have to endeavor without your help,” she said putting up a brave front.
Rarity’s regretful acceptance was even more heartbreaking than her anger would have been. Spike tried to recover. “I’d love to go with you, Rarity! Really! But I promised Fluttershy and well, I wouldn’t really be a noble dragon if I went back on my word.”
Rarity smiled, and it all but broke Spike’s heart. “Of course Spike, I completely understand.”
“Maybe I can come help you tomorrow?” Spike offered, desperate to find an excuse to be able to spend time alone with Rarity.
Rarity smiled again, a little wider and more genuine this time. “That’d be wonderful dear; I do so enjoy your presence at the Boutique.”
Rarity turned to leave and Spike tried his hardest not to be disappointed. The code was clear, if he went back on his word he’d be both dishonest and disloyal. All things being equal, he would rather spend the afternoon with Rarity than Fluttershy, but a a knight never put his own desires ahead of his chivalrous duties. Fluttershy needed his help, he promised it to her, and that meant she was going to get it.
Shortly before one o’clock, Spike started out toward Fluttershy’s cottage. He had come to take for granted that the sight of a dragon walking through Ponyville didn’t cause stampedes of terror. In the rare event that someone new to town panicked, that pony would quickly be informed that “Oh that’s just Spike, he’s an assistant over at the library,” and then both Spike and the pony would go on about their day. So Spike jauntily walked through the town square, waving hello to the occasional well wisher and picking up an apple to munch on from Granny Smith.
He arrived at Fluttershy’s cottage to find the yellow pegasus ready to leave, two empty saddlebags on her back and a basket in her mouth.
Be Kind
“Would you like me to carry your basket?” Spike asking, seizing an opportunity to be both useful and considerate .
Fluttershy set the basket down so that she could accept his offer more clearly. “Thank you, Spike, that’s very gallant of you.”
Spike glowed inwardly at the praise and the pair ventured into the foreboding forest that abutted Ponyville. Fluttershy wasn’t wrong when she said that Everfree could be a big and scary place to a lone traveler. The Everfree was one of the few place in Equestria that hadn’t been domesticated; a thick canopy blocked out most of the light, and thorn bushes grew with reckless abandon. Perhaps because of it’s untamed nature, the Everfree was also home to any number of dangerous predators that would just as soon eat a pony who dared to wander into their home.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately for Spike, he and Fluttershy were allowed to walk through the forest without incident. Whether this was because the creatures of forest knew enough not to risk a confrontation with a dragon, or because they recognized Fluttershy as a friend, Spike wasn’t sure. But either way Spike accompanied Fluttershy, pleased that his presence was in some way helping.
After a ten minute walk, made enjoyable thanks to some small talk, the pair arrived a clearing that housed a small meadow. Bright yellow flowers grew out of the ground and the edges were marked with clusters of bramble.
“Wonderful,” Fluttershy exclaimed upon observing their apparent destination. “Those bushes should have some juju berries and I can get taro root from these flowers. Would you mind gathering some berries for me?”
Would I mind being useful? “Not at all.”
Spike hummed a cheerful tune as he set about filling his basket with the red berries that grew on the interior of the bramble. Thanks to his scales, the occasional thorn that stuck him had no effect, and soon his basket was nearly half full. Eager to see if Fluttershy needed anything else, he glanced over his shoulder only to see a hulking grizzly bear approaching Fluttershy, licking it’s lips. And to make matters worse Fluttershy was too enthralled in her present task to notice.
My claws defend the helpless
“Bear! Fluttershy, look out!” Spike shouted. He charged forward and threw himself at the bear with all his might hoping to at least knock it off balance, but the physics of the situation were not in his favor. He bounced off the giant creature and was sent unceremoniously sprawling while the bear just glanced downward, confused by the minor annoyance.
Instead of running for her life, as Spike implored her to do, Fluttershy looked up and giggled. “That’s not a bear, that’s my friend Harry,” Fluttershy said flying up to the hulking mammoth of a grizzly bear and softly nuzzling his nose with her own. “You’re just a big ol teddy, aren’t you,” Fluttershy cooed, lightly scratching the bear under his chin, her face perilously close to the bear’s gaping maw.
Spike winced as the bear responded by reaching up with an enormous paw and bringing it over Fluttershy’s head…only to pull the yellow Pegasus into a hug that threatened to engulf her entirely. If Fluttershy was in any danger, it was of being suffocated as she was pressed into the bear’s soft fur. But after a few moments, Harry ceased his onslaught and Fluttershy landed back on the ground, her mane a little ruffled but otherwise no worse for the wear.
Harry let out a noise, halfway between a grunt and a yawn; and while Spike had no idea what it meant, but apparently Fluttershy understood it perfectly. “Harry says hi, and that he’s sorry for frightening you,” Fluttershy said.
Spike got up and dusted himself off with a few flicks of his wrist. “No big deal, big guy. Sorry about almost knocking you over just now, I didn’t realize you were a friend of Fluttershy,” he said as he brushed the last remnants of dirt off his shoulders, his pride more wounded than anything else.
Harry let out another noise, this time a half snort, half whine, which Fluttershy translated as “Harry accepts your apology.”
His presence acknowledged, Harry the bear lay down at the edge of the field, quite content to nap in the sun as Fluttershy continued to gather roots in her basket. Between the bear napping and the dragon picking berries, no other creature dared to disturb the trio, and after an afternoon of gathering ingredients for an ointment, as well as some other herbs that were growing nearby, Fluttershy pronounced their trip a success. With Harry escorting them back through the forest, Spike and Fluttershy had no problem reaching Fluttershy’s door, their harvest fully intact.
“Thanks for coming with me Spike. Umm... I know it wasn’t as exciting as fighting a giant monster but I really appreciate your help,” Fluttershy said as Spike set his basket of berries down on the kitchen counter.
“You’re welcome, Fluttershy. Need me to do anything else?”
“Nope, you were a big help today. Thank you, Spike,” Fluttershy replied.
On his way home Spike felt a familiar warming sensation in his chest. It grew until there was no room left and then it started to press against his insides. Spike let out a fiery belch that offered him both instant relief and a scroll. He made a mental note to talk to Twilight about exploring other methods of communicating and quickly unfurled the parchment to see what message it contained.
Hi Spike I met some really nice curators here in Trotson, and they invited me to spend some time studying these really neat old manuscripts. So I’ll be home tomorrow night. Be good, and keep an eye on the castle for me.
Love, Twilight
Spike let his eyes linger on the last part of the message. Twilight both loved him and trusted him enough to be on his own. It had been a good day. He helped Fluttershy, Twilight reaffirmed her faith in him, and tomorrow he was going to get to spend time with Rarity. Buoyed by that thought and with no supervision to speak of, Spike spent the rest of his evening enjoying a monster movie marathon and ice cream for dinner.
Spike jumped out of bed the next morning eager to begin his day. By his reasoning, the sooner he ate breakfast and showered, the sooner he could go the Carousel Boutique and spend time with Rarity.
As soon as he opened the door to Rarity’s shop, he was greeted with the horrific sight of Rarity hobbling around with a bandaged hoof on her left foreleg. “Rarity! You’re hurt!” Spike cried as he rushed over to offer his support.
But Rarity merely brushed aside his help with a dismissive wave. “Oh, yes. It seems as though I was in such a hurry to gather my gems yesterday that I failed to pay attention to my surroundings and twisted my ankle in a freshly dug hole.”
Spike winced at the thought of Rarity hobbling around in pain, all alone without any help. “You got hurt because I wasn’t there to help you,” he said quietly.
“Oh, Spikey, you really can’t blame yourself. I promise you that I’m fine. Besides, what would have happened to Fluttershy if she didn’t have a brave dragon with her yesterday?”
“She probably would have gotten another hug from a bear,” Spike muttered.
“What was that, dear?”
“Nothing,” Spike said louder. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thank you, dear. And everything worked out just fine. I met a perfectly charming stallion who took notice of my distress and gallantly offered to pull my cart, with me in it, back to town.”
Upon hearing Rarity’s tale, Spike felt a very ignoble pang of jealousy. He was the one who was supposed to save Rarity from danger. Well, Rarity herself had proven that she was quite capable of saving herself and Rainbow Dash did save her that one time, but that was only because it involved flying. And there was that time Fluttershy kind of saved her from a dragon but that was different, and of course Twilight periodically saved everypony; but other than those isolated incidents, Spike felt like it was his job to keep her safe and he didn’t like the thought of somepony else intruding on his noble turf, so to speak.
Before Spike could say anything, he was interrupted by a knock on his door. Puzzled, Rarity opened it. A brown maned, purple stallion stood at the door, almost but not quite self consciously cringing at the sight of Rarity. He was wearing a pair of wire rimmed glasses and his cutie mark was some kind of music note, but Spike couldn’t recognize it.
“Treble, your ears must have been burning, because I was just telling Spike all about how you arrived in my hour of need,” Rarity exclaimed as she opened the door, clearly recognizing the pony standing there.
The stallion, Treble apparently, blushed and squirmed where he stood. “It was no big deal. I …umm…just came over to see how you were feeling,” he stammered.
“How thoughtful of you. I’m doing wonderfully. Oh, where are my manners? Treble, this is Spike,” Rarity said gesturing toward the dragon who had taken up a position just to the right of Rarity as he studied the stallion in front of him. “Spike, this is Treble, the pony was I telling you about.”
Treble extended a hoof. “Hey there, Spike, it’s nice to meet you,” he said, offering Spike a hoofshake. Spike reluctantly gave it a quick shake, muttering a perfunctory greeting.
“Would you like to come in for some tea?” Rarity asked politely.
In response to the offer, Treble pawed at the ground and rubbed the back of his neck. “I really can’t, I have a music lesson to get to.”
“Oh well-”
“Would you like to go to dinner with me?” Treble blurted out, much to the surprise of both Rarity and Spike.
Rarity appeared flustered for a moment before regaining her composure.“Dinner sounds lovely, I’d be delighted to share a meal with you,” she said with a confident smile that left Spike feeling nauseous.
Rarity’s acceptance seemingly left Treble as flustered as Rarity was a moment ago, because he stammered incoherently before managing to say. “Wow great...ummm I’ll pick you tomorrow at eight?”
“Eight o'clock it is then,” Rarity announced with another nauseating smile.
With nothing else to say Treble turned around and headed back toward the town square, but Spike could clearly detect a spring in his otherwise ungainly trot.
“Well, that was unexpected,” Rarity said after the door had closed and the two were alone again.
Spike felt as though the room was closing in on him. The usual friendly confines of the boutique were instantly transformed into a prison. Spike felt his chest grow tighter and he began to feel weak on his feet.
“Umm... Hey, Rarity? I just remembered that I promised Twilight I would help her do …stuff and I wouldn’t want to disappoint her. Can I have a rain check?” he asked, hoping that he didn’t sound as distraught as he felt.
“Of course Spike. I-”
“Great, bye,” Spike said as he rushed out the door, hoping to get as far away from the Carousel Boutique as he could.
Thankfully, Twilight wasn’t home when Spike returned to the library. The little dragon ran upstairs and slammed the door. Spike stood staring at himself in the mirror, his Noble Dragon Code mocking him from its taped perch in the corner.
A while back, there were rumors that the King of the Griffons was preparing to invade Equestria. Whether or not it was just a test so Celestia could see how Twilight might handle such an event, or whether she had actually entrusted the matter to her protégée, Spike couldn’t be sure. What he was sure about was that Twilight had written a very polite, well organized letter to the King of the Griffons, detailing exactly why invading Equestria would be a poor decision.
In her letter, Twilight had noted that although an individual pony faces several disadvantages in a fight against a griffon, as a nation, Equestria was a forced to be reckoned with.
Pegasi could create hurricanes and other catastrophic weather events, Earth ponies could utilize their strength in a myriad of ways, and Unicorn magic could serve both offensive and defensive purposes. Twilight also pointed out that Equestria was home to several powerful magical artifacts, which could and would be brought to bear in the event of a threat emerging. In addition, she noted that the diplomatic efforts of Celestia and Luna meant that Equestria would never want for allies in any confrontation.
In closing, Twilight had chosen to highlight the fact that there existed three nigh-immortal beings of immense power who would take an attack on Equestria very personally, and perhaps angering all three of them at once would be unwise. The three immortals were, of course, Celestia, Luna and Discord. She then noted that both herself and Princess Cadence, while not as powerful as the previous three entities she mentioned, also possessed alicorn magic and would undoubtedly join in Equestria’s defense.
At the time Spike hadn’t thought much of it, but as he sat staring at both himself and his Dragon Code, it occurred to him that Twilight hadn’t mentioned him anywhere in her letter. No “we have a dragon named Spike who could tap into a power that would make him as large as a house.” Not even a line when Twilight was detailing the vast array of magical artifacts, did she think it necessary to include a mention of her assistant who would certainly take up arms in an effort to defend Equestria. He wasn’t exactly a magical artifact, but he wasn’t really a pony either.
He then thought again about the Knights in the stories he liked. They were always helping ponies, true, but their efforts were always celebrated also. They were welcomed with huge banquets and parades, the townsponies rejoicing as they strutted through town. And their maidens never ended up going to dinner with some chump because their Knights were off on some stupid noble quest that nobody really needed.
Spike never got any parades for his efforts. Ponies didn’t gasp in awe as he walked through the town. And Rarity had just agreed to go on a date with the pony who had been there for her, while he was off helping a different mare who didn’t really need his help.
And of course they would fall in love, because who wouldn’t love Rarity? And then they’d kiss and Pinkie would throw a party for the happy couple and then they’d probably get married and Spike would get asked to be the ring bearer, cementing his role as just some dragon that Rarity used to do things for her. Which would lead to babysitting the couple’s young foals so that Rarity and her husband could enjoy a date night. Spike shuddered just thinking about it. And all of this was because his stupid noble dragon code had told him he had to ignore his self interest and help Fluttershy instead of doing what he wanted.
He stared at his reflection, hoping that maybe a closer examination of himself would tell him what was wrong with him; why Rarity didn’t feel the same way about him as he did her or why, despite his efforts to be noble, ponies still viewed him as a just a library assistant.
Face it, Spike, you’re not a Knight, or a Noble Dragon, you’re just a library assistant, the reflection answered.
So if Spike wasn’t a knight, and he certainly wasn’t a pony, what was he? The reflection again held the answer.
The image in the mirror silently repeated itself, I’m a dragon. But other than the obvious anatomical definition of those three words, Spike realized that he didn’t really know what being a dragon meant. He had spent his whole life around ponies, who would have been terrified of him had he not been friends with Twilight. But dragons couldn’t all be bad; there was an entire country of them, and they held the great migration every hundred years, so they had to have some sort of society. And if they had a society, then that meant that there had to be philosophers, values, and codes of conduct. Being a dragon had to mean something, just like being a knight did.
Be like Twilight
For the first time he could remember Spike found himself bristling at his code as it reverberated in his head. Other dragons didn’t try to be like ponies, did they? Spike hung his head, he really had no clue what it meant to be a dragon. So in the absence of any conflicting information, the question “what would Twilight do?” was as valid as any other.
If Twilight didn’t know something she would find out about it. And her first stop would be the appropriate library section.
Spike had the library to himself, and with his chores finished following Twilight’s disembodied advice sounded the like the best course of action. His job as Twilight’s assistant necessitated a certain amount of research skills as well as a near perfect understanding of how the library was organized, so he immediately headed toward the appropriate sociology section, housed on the top floor.
In short order, Spike had pulled several sociological studies spanning breezies to zebras, a few historical texts regarding the diplomatic relationships of Equestria throughout time, and three books written by ponies who had expended a considerable amount of effort trying to understand the nuances of dragon culture. Buoyed by the fruits of his labour, he eagerly dove right in, looking for any cultural cornerstones he could use to begin crafting his new code.
Six hours later and Spike was close to giving up. He had read through everything he thought might be helpful and had found nothing. It appeared that a very important aspect of being a dragon was never to let anyone know anything about you, and he wasn’t sure how he could work that into his new code.
Hey Spike how’s it going? Maybe it’s going well, maybe I just ate some bad oysters. I ain’t saying nothing.
There was a plethora of information on what dragons did, most of it being pillaging villages and hoarding treasure, but precious little information on why they did it. Spike refused to believe his birthright could be reduced to mindless avarice, but he was also no closer to crafting a new code then he had been when he started. He was about to give up when a familiar voice rang throughout the castle.
“Spike, I’m home. Where are you?”
“I’m up here,” Spike called out from his corner on the top floor of the library.
“There you are, Trotston was amazing. Did I miss anything here?” Twilight called out as she rounded into view.
“Not really,” Spike replied looking up from his fruitless pile of failure.
Twilight was used to the sight of numerous open books, strewn about the floor, but usually it was her that had caused the mess and Spike was the one cleaning it up. “What’s all this?”she asked, gesturing to the organized chaos currently masquerading as the top floor of her library.
“Just some research I was doing,” Spike replied with a shrug.
“A research project!” Twilight clapped her hooves excitedly. “Why didn’t you wait for me? You know how much I love research projects!”
“I don't really think you'd be too interested in the topic.”
“Nonsense! The beauty of research is always learning about new things. And you know how much I love learning about new things!”
Twilight did indeed love both research projects and learning new things. She had a tendency to go overboard but, except perhaps for when she was with her friends, Spike never saw Twilight happier than when she was digging through voluminous tomes searching for some obscure answer that would explain why things were the way they were.
Twilight sat down on her haunches, prepared to dive into Spike’s mess of information bright eyed and bushy tailed, as though she didn’t just endure a four hour train ride. “So, what's the topic?” she asked, eager to get started.
“You'd probably just think it's dumb,” Spike said, glancing away from Twilight.
“Are you researching if the power ponies could be real? Because I keep telling you that Saddle Rager couldn’t just generate the mass necessary when she transforms, it violates the law of conservation of matter. And if Fillisecond really ran around at those speeds, she’d be crushed by the g-forces,” Twilight said with an ever-so-slight roll of her eyes.
Normally Spike would have pointed out out that Fillisecond achieved subsonic speeds by temporarily slipping into another dimension and thus the g-forces weren’t an issue, but he wasn’t really in the mood to talk about comics. “No it’s not that.”
Twilight leaned forward slightly and tapered her enthusiasm. “Then what is it?”
Spike sighed. If he was really going to figure out what it meant to be a dragon, he couldn’t have Twilight do everything for him. “I think this is kind of one I need to figure out for myself, Twilight.”
Hearing the sound of her full name, instead of Spike’s prefered sobriquet, a much more somber expression replaced Twilight’s previous elation. “Spike, is something bothering you?”
Spike found himself unable to make eye contact with Twilight. “Why do you think something’s bothering me?” he said, his eyes settling on the floor, instead of the mare in front of him.
Twilight smiled softly, one full of warmth and understanding, and it made Spike’s heart ache a little as he remembered that only a few short hours ago, he chafed at the thought of being like her. “Because I hatched you. And no matter how big you get you’ll always be my little dragon,” Twilight said, gently jabbing a hoof in Spike’s soft belly.
Spike flinched but otherwise made no effort to correct her. “While you were gone, I started to realize that I didn't really know a lot about dragons. Why do they do the things they do, that sort of thing. And, you know, being a dragon, it just kind of... yeah.” Spike’s voice trailed off as he found himself unable to explain any further.
“I see,” Twilight said quietly. “Did you... find what you were looking for?”
Spike gritted his teeth and let out a frustrated groan, his failure grating further on him. “No. I searched the whole library, and I barely found anything about dragons other than that nopony really knows anything about them!”
“Well, I noticed you scoured the history section. Did you look in sociology or philosophy? If you’re trying to find out more about dragon culture I’d look there.
Spike reach down and held up copies of Modern Philosophy and Ties that Bind: A Case Study in Comparing Cultures Throughout The World. “Give me a little credit, Twi. I also looked in biology, and political science.”
“Oh.” Twilight pursed her lips, and Spike thought he recognized the expression Twilight always wore before she was about to deliver bad news. Twilight put on a brave smile that didn’t fool Spike for an instant, and he was convinced that Twilight was about to tell him to just let the matter go. He began to mentally prepare an organized list of reasons why he should be allowed to continue his research. “Spike, take a letter,” she said.
“Now?” Spike replied, completely blindsided by that request.
Twilight gently reproached him with a smile. “Yes, now.”
Knight or not, Spike was still Twilight’s assistant, and even if he wasn’t, Twilight was a princess and he was a citizen of Equestria. Spike grabbed a quill and parchment and grudgingly waited for Twilight to begin her dictation. “Whenever you're ready,” he grumbled.
Twilight started her letter slowly.
“Dear Princess Celestia,” she said in the familiar tone of voice she started all her letters with.
“I’m sending Spike to the Royal Library. If it’s okay with you I’d like for him to stay in our old room while he’s at the castle. He wants to learn more about being a dragon. I don’t know how long it will take him to find what he’s looking for but if it’s not too much trouble please instruct the library staff to help him find what he needs. Not that I think he’ll need any help because he’s the best librarian’s assistant ever.”
Twilight paused, her eyes getting decidedly watery. Spike dotted the period and began to set his quill aside, but Twilight shook her head, bidding him to keep writing.
“He’s also a great friend and wonderful little guy, so please let him know that no matter what he finds, there will always be a place for him here in Equestria.” Twilight finished, wiping her eyes as she did so.
Spike finished writing, unclear if Twilight actually meant for him to send the letter he had just written and looked up at the pony he was closest to. “Twilight... are you? Why are you crying?”
Twilight wiped her eyes again with a swipe of her hoof. "I knew this day would come, Spike. I wish I could have been better prepared to tell you about dragons, but I just don't know much about them. I don't know if anypony does. But, I can also understand that you would want to know about yourself and I want to help you as much as I can.”
“So, you're having me go to the Royal Library. But what about the library here? What about you?"
“I think I’ll be okay. I mean, if there’s one thing I know about, it’s how to organize a library. And Owlicious will still be here to keep my company. Just...I don’t want you to forget where you come from, and that’s Equestria, with me.”
Spike blushed and pawed at the ground. He never had to wonder if Twilight actually cared about him, but it was rare that she expressed her feelings so openly. Over the years, she and Spike had developed a kind of shorthoof with “Thanks, Spike”, and “No problem, Twi” substituting for more prosaic language like “I love you”, but whose meanings were no less sincere.
“Aw hey, Twilight, I’m not going anywhere. Well I guess I’m going somewhere, but it’s only to Canterlot and it’s only for a few days. I’ll come back.”
Twilight didn’t respond verbally to Spike’s reassurances. She did, however, close the gap between them and pulled Spike into a hug. For a brief instant, Spike forgot about his previous worries and allowed himself to enjoy the familiar and comforting sensation of resting his head against Twilight’s shoulder as she gently stroked his scales.
“Thanks, Twilight,” he murmured from within the comforting embrace. “Umm... if you're back, I should really go get dinner started.”
“Y’know, just because you’re my assistant doesn’t mean you have to cook for me all the time.”
“I know. But if I let you cook we’d both starve," Spike said with a wry grin before hustling down to the kitchen.
The next morning, despite protests that it really wasn’t necessary,Twilight accompanied her assistant to Ponyville’s train station.
The pair stood on the platform; an awkward silence hung between them as they waited for the 9:00 train to Canterlot. “Do you have everything you need?” Twilight asked, fidgeting with the buttons on her jacket, that she was using her hooves and not magic betrayed her mood more than anything else.
Spike rolled his eyes. “Yes Twilight, I have everything I need for a trip to far away Canterlot, where I’m staying at a castle that has anything I might have possibly forgotten; not that it would be possible to forget anything with all the lists you made.”
Twilight winced and a twinge of guilt shot through Spike’s chest; he used the moment to study his caretaker. She was usually a little neurotic about organization and being prepared, but this felt different. Ever since last night, when she learned of Spike’s desire to explore his origins, she had been decidedly doting, insisting on doing the dishes and tucking him in, even though he was long past the age where Twilight needed to do either of those things.
“I’m sorry, are you okay, Twi? You’ve been acting funny ever since you got back.”
Twilight sighed.The platform of the ponyville train station was not conducive for a heartfelt conversation. It was far too exposed and noisy for that. “Dragons and Ponies don’t exactly get along,” she said. “I guess I’m just worried that you’ll find out that being a dragon means you have to leave.” Twilight stared at the ground. “I don’t want you to leave,” she whispered.
Spike considered Twilight’s fear, at his core he knew it wasn’t outlandish. As far as he could tell he was pretty much the only dragon who lived amongst ponies, what if there was a reason for that? Images of all the times Twilight cared for him, played with him, loved him ran through his mind. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “I promise, no matter what I learn I’m coming back, okay Twi?” he said rushing forward to give her a hug.
The pair held each other for a too brief moment before the conductor’s “All aboard” call forced them to break apart.
The train ride to Canterlot was not long, Spike arrived at Canterlot Castle late in the morning but still well shy of the afternoon.
To most of the citizens of Equestria, Canterlot Castle was an intimidating and lavish monument. But to Spike, it was merely a large house. Until he moved to Ponyville he never knew anything else, so while other ponies viewed it as a symbol of the authority of Equestiria’s monarchy, he viewed it as home. He arrived with little fanfare, the guards at the gate waving him through without hesitation. Walking through the ornately furnished hallway, toward the room that he and Twilight once shared, he heard a voice call out his name from behind him.
“Spike!”
Spike wheeled around, only to be shocked at who was addressing him. “Princess Celestia!” he gasped, before hastily bowing as he fumbled with his bag.
“Oh Spike, you’ve known me long enough to know that you don’t need to use my title,” Celestia replied, bidding him to rise with a nod.
“Sorry,” Spike said sheepishly. “Umm thanks for letting me stay here; I’ll try not to get in the way.”
Celestia dismissed his concern with a quick wave of her hoof. “Nonsense Spike, you know you are always welcome. Get in the way as much as you wish. Toward that end is there anything you require?”
It took a moment for Spike to register that the most powerful pony in Equestria, both magically and politically, asked him if he needed anything, as though she was some sort of waitress. He couldn’t help but wonder if a dragon would be so accommodating. Celestia could have just as easily sent one of her many assistants, or just a scroll. She didn’t have to come find him, she knew Spike was aware of the library’s location and she undoubtedly had more important things to worry about regardless. Yet here she was, patiently waiting for a response.
“I think I’m okay, no one’s reorganized the library since Twilight decided that the previous system wasn’t academically rigorous enough, have they?” Spike replied, decidedly humbled by the question.
Celestia laughed at the memory of a filly Twilight pulling all the books off the shelves because history and sociology were on opposite sides of the room, it was filled with affection. “No, nopony since Twilight has ever complained about how the library is organized.”
“Then I think I have everything I need.”
“Wonderfull. The kitchen is at your disposal should you require, and if you are still here for dinner I would be delighted if you would join me for a meal,” Celestia said with a warm smile so genuine that Spike couldn’t help but be humbled for a second time.
“Thank you,” was the only reply he could muster, but he made sure to look Celestia in the eye when he said it.
Spike and Twilights old room was much as they had left it. A basket, now a little too small for him rested at the foot of the lone bed in the room; another reminder of who had cared for him when he was small enough that that basket was larger than it needed to be. Twilight had long sent for most of the important mementos when she decided to take up residence in Ponyville, but there were still a few trinkets left over from her days as a student. An old telescope by the window and a few books on the shelves of the numerous bookshelves, including more than a few on child care. Spike set his stuff on the nightstand, it felt a little weird to think that he was going to be sleeping in Twilight’s bed, but the basket was too small and he really didn’t want to request a different room.
Eager to get started on this leg of his quest, Spike hurried over to the library. He didn’t recognize the mare sitting at the reception desk, but that wasn’t altogether surprising, the castle staff numbered in the hundreds and turnover wasn’t uncommon.
“Hi, I’m Spike,” Spike said, walking up to desk. If there was one place he felt confident it was in libraries.
The receptionist, a yellow coated, red maned mare, smiled at him. “Hello Spike, I’m Quick Quill, I’m the librarian. Princess Celestia of course told us you were coming so I’ve taken the liberty of setting you up in study room A. I’ve also already pulled a few selections that might interest you, but I’d be happy to help you find more.”
“Gosh, thanks. Umm I guess I’ll let you know if I need anything,”Spike stammered, unprepared for his visit to have been announced in advance.
Spike spent the next few hours going through the books Quick Quill had selected as well as some of the more obscure titles he hunted down from the shelves; but despite the voluminous collection of books at the castle, and the help of the library’s staff Spike found himself no closer to answering what it meant to be a dragon than when he left Ponyville.There were certainly more books then housed in Twilight’s castle library but the increased volumes still contained the same inadequate answers as the books in Ponyville.
As the sun began to set, coating the stacks in a soft light Spike heard the sound of hoofsteps on the marble floor. He looked up to see Princess Celestia standing over him. “Have you found what you’re looking for?”
Spike snorted in frustration. “No! There’s hundreds of books in here and not one of them can tell me what it means to be a dragon!”
Celestia nodded. “That sounds like a difficult question to answer. I have often found that the answers to such questions are seldom found in books.”
“But I’ve got to look somewhere. It’s not like there’s going to be another great migration anytime soon that I can go to.”
Celestia smiled down at the distressed dragon in front of her. “I believe I may be able to help. The dragon’s ambassador to Equestria is in Canterlot for summit. I would be happy to arrange a meeting between the two of you, if you wish.”
Spike’s eyes grew wide at the prospect of actually being able to talk to another dragon. He’d only done so one other time, at the dragon migration, and that didn’t go very well. “You’d do that for me?”
“For all you have done for Equestria, and for Twilight, It is the least I can do.”
The dragon ambassador’s office wasn’t actually part of Canterlot Castle’s diplomatic wing. Rather, as a gesture of friendship, a small cave had been carved into the mountainside of the mountains that abated the castle. Sculptors had labored for weeks, carving stalactites and stalagmites into the ceiling and floor respectively, in addition they had taken great care to artificially weather the rest of the walls to present the illusion that the cave had formed as the result of natural processes, and not a dedicated team of unicorns.
Behind an ornate cherry wood desk, encrusted with jewels of all colors, sat a pile of bits, with the occasional gold bar and jeweled candelabra sticking out. Spike’s heartbeat increased and he felt a noticeable twitch in his claws as he took in the sight.
The ambassador was smaller than Spike imagined. He was still about three times Spike’s size, but he was nowhere near as big as some of the other dragons Spike had seen, nor as big as he himself grew when he had been possessed by greed. His scales were the color of rust, but they were offset by the vibrant yellow plates on his back.
“So you are Spike, the dragon raised by ponies,” the ambassador said, his rich baritone reverberating off the cave walls. It was unclear if his statement was a question or merely a declaration.
Spike wasn’t really sure how to respond. He got the sense that the older dragon was testing him somehow, as though his reaction would reveal something to the ambassador. “I’m still a dragon,” he said, setting his jaw.
The ambassador let out a chuckle, it sounded like a small earthquake. “I am called Ch'tulash, but many ponies simply call me Lash.”
Spike rolled the name around on his tongue, “Ch’tulash.” It felt heavy in his mouth. “Thanks for meeting me,” he said.
“When The Morningstar requests a favor, only a fool considers it a request,” Ch’tulash’s said as a wry grin crossed his face.
“Huh, Morning Star? I thought Princess Celestia asked you to meet with me.”
“Whom you call Celestia, we call The Morning Star.”
“I guess that makes sense, I mean the sun is a star,” Spike said with a shrug, recalling one of Twilight’s many astronomy lessons.
“That is both true and irrelevant, a morning star is also a fearsome weapon.”
Spike quickly reviewed his knowledge of military hardware gleaned from all the time he spent studying knights. A morning star was the name given to a spiked ball that hung from a chain attached to a stick. Between the barbs and the weight of the ball, a direct hit could fell even a heavily armored opponent with one blow. It was for that reason that morning stars were still the favored weapon for griffons and minotaur infantry soldiers.The simple brutality of such a weapon contrasted sharply with what Spike knew of the princess.
“But Celestia’s the nicest pony I know, well one of them anyway. I mean Twilight’s pretty nice and of course Fluttershy and-”
The elder dragon held up a sinewed claw. “Allow me to tell you a story, young whelp. And perhaps at the end you will understand more about dragons and Princess Celestia.”
Spike nodded and sat down on the cave floor, bringing his knees close to his chest as he looked up in wonder.
The elder dragon spoke slowly. “There exists an abandoned gold mine near the mountain range that marks the border separating Equestria from Drakenguard. The veins have all run dry now, but many years ago, before even I was hatched, it was a thriving deposit.
“Celestia had only recently unified the three tribes and the borders of Equestria were still contested by our kind. During the negotiations, a dragon named Grunt decided to claim the mine as part of his hoard. He flew to a nearby mining town and threatened to lay waste to the entire town unless the ponies paid tribute, the entirety of the mine’s gold.”
Spike’s pony upbringing asserted itself as he balked in horror. “That’s not fair!”
Ch’tulash ignored the outrage. “A dragon is entitled to what he can hoard,” he explained briefly. “The ponies had no choice, for they were no match for Grunt. Of course, it takes time to mine an entire deposit. Only a few hours had passed when the Morning Star arrived. Back then she was merely Celestia, at least among our kind. She gave Grunt a choice, much as he had done for the ponies; he could leave with the day’s spoil minus a fair wage for the ponies who had worked the mine, or he could face Celestia under the Code Duello.
“The Code Duello?” Spike asked.
Ch’tulash responded with another brief explanation “The code that governs war between the nations of Terra. In this case, because Grunt was asserting the mine as part of his territory, it was a considered a border dispute between a baron and the monarchy of Equestria. In such a situation, rather than engage in open warfare, both sides send a single warrior to fight for their cause, and the winner gets to keep the contested territory.”
Spike leaned forward, hanging on every word spoken by the elder dragon. “Whoa, cool! What happened?”
“Grunt looked across the field, saw a winged unicorn half his size, and laughed. He agreed to the duel. Duels are fought under the eyes of the council of elders to ensure that both participants abide by the rules. It is also tradition for leaders to name a champion to fight in their stead, lest a simple border dispute result in a regime change.”
“So who’d Celestia pick as her champion? Was it Star Swirl? or Commander Hurricane? o-or!”
Ch’tulash narrowed his eyes sharply, “The Morning Star needs no champion. The next day she strode into the arena, the sun burning fiercely at her back. She again offered Grunt a choice; surrender and leave, never to darken her door again, or continue on his present course toward his own demise.”
“I’m guessing he didn’t surrender?”
“He did not. The arbiter dropped the flag and Celestia unleashed the full wrath of the sun upon the unsuspecting dragon.”
Spike’s mouth hung open, he had seen Celestia cast magic, and it was an impressive sight, but he had never even heard of Celestia using the sun itself as a weapon. “Whoa. Go Celestia!”
“Indeed. Even his bones were turned to ash.”
“Really? I thought dragon scales were immune to fire.”
If Ch’tulash was annoyed by Spike’s constant queries, he didn’t show it. “Our scales are fire resistant. Even at your young age, you could stand in a campfire and be no more that mildly uncomfortable. Stand in a raging forge however and you would probably suffer rather severe burns. The power Celestia brought to bear; no dragon alive or dead could have withstood.”
Spike nodded, waiting for the ambassador to finish his story.
“Her victory won, Celestia turned to the Council of Elders and declared – in no uncertain terms – that as long as she reigned, she would serve as champion for all of Equestria and that any dragon who wished to claim anything within her borders as part of their hoard would meet the same fate as Grunt. That was the last time a dragon dared to challenge Equestria’s borders.” His tale finished, Ch’tulash leaned back in his chair and waited for a response. Naturally, he didn’t have to wait long.
Spike carefully considered the implications of the story he just heard. As far as he knew a dragon had never attacked Equestria. The closest he had ever heard was that one dragon who decided to nap near ponyville, at that could hardly be considered a hostile action. “So the only reason dragons don’t attack Equestria, is because of Princess Celestia?” Spike asked, desperate for an answer that would exonerate his speicies.
“Dragons respect strength. If you cannot defend what is yours, you cannot rightfully claim ownership.”
“But Twilight always says that it’s wrong to take what isn’t yours.”
Ch’tulash’s eyes grew narrow again and his tone became sharp. “Twilight has taught you the morality of the ponies. A morality built by frail creatures, constructed to protect the weak from the strong. We dragons view the world quite differently.”
Finally Spike felt like he was approaching the answers he was seeking, though he wasn’t sure he was going to like them. He waited with baited breath for the answer to his next question. “How do dragons view the world?”
The word war echoed through Spike’s head. The last war that was fought was for the Crystal Empire and that had been thousands of years ago. How could any species possibly live using war as baseline?
“But what about friendship, friends help each other,” Spike protested.
Ch’tulash leaned back in his chair and delicately folded his claws in front of him. “Consider the implications of that statement. Suppose you needed help and I helped you because we are friends. Your being weak has caused me an inconvenience. Therefore if you were truly a good friend, you would endeavor to be strong enough not to burden me. Furthermore, as your friend, I would be doing you a grave disservice by helping you.”
“That doesn’t make sense! How is helping me not helping me?”
Despite Spike’s outburst the elder dragon’s demeanor remained placid. “Tell me, young Spike, have you ever encountered a difficulty you thought yourself unable to surmount?”
“Well sure, this one time in the Crystal Empire-”
“Ah yes, forgive the interruption but I have heard that tale. It also serves to illustrate my point nicely. No one helped you deliver the crystal heart. You were forced to face your fears and, in the end, you emerged stronger.”
Spike was forced to reluctantly agree. “Well, kinda but Twilight was there too.”
“But it was you alone who delivered the heart and won the admiration of the empire. Had Twilight done it for you, you would never have been forced to face your fears.” The ambassador paused to let his lesson sink in. “If I am truly your friend, then I want you to be the strongest possible version of yourself, and only by confronting our weakness do we gain strength.”
“But what about whelps, and dragons who are sick or old? You’re telling me that it’s okay to steal their hoard?” Spike asked, thinking he found a loophole that would cause all of dragonkind to re-evaluate their thinking.
“We are not heartless!” the elder dragon said, pounding his fist on the table. Ch’tulash took a moment to regain his composure. “Of course we care about our offspring; they cannot be expected to contribute to a families hoard until they mature. And the elderly are venerated as they should be. There is no honor is claiming gold from a dragon whose wisdom now outstrips his physical abilities. Of course, dragons live a long time, and very few live to see an age that old.”
“It still doesn’t seem right to take other dragons stuff just because you’re stronger than they are.”
“You asked how dragons see the world; I have answered your question. That you are unsatisfied with my answers does nothing to change them,” Ch’tlash said unfolding his claws as if to say “this is all I have to offer”.
“I’m sorry. It’s just I didn’t realize dragons saw things so differently than ponies did.”
The elder dragon nodded in contrition. As an ambassador, arguing with those who possessed fundamentally different viewpoints from his own was pretty much the entirety of his job. “We are different creatures young Spike. Through no fault of your own, you make your home amongst the ponies and that has shaped your world view more than your bloodline.”
Despite it being a rather obvious declaration Ch’tulash’s words struck a nerve with the young dragon. This wasn’t the first time he was made aware that he was missing a part of his cultural heritage, but it did make him wonder where his egg even came from. It wasn’t hard to imagine that in a different life he could have been raised under very different circumstances; it also raised another question. “Do you know how I came to live with ponies?”
Ch’tulash shrugged, the muscles in his shoulders bulging slightly. “I’m afraid it is not as much of a mystery as you would hope. A female’s clutch has many eggs, until they are hatched they are but ornamentation. It is not unusual for un-hatched eggs to end up as novelties in far away kingdoms. It is almost unheard of that another creature could hatch a dragon egg, but that is a mystery for another time.”
“So my real parents?”
For the first time since they met Ch’tulash expression softened. “They could be one of a thousand dragons. The last time they saw you, you were but an egg that held no more value to them then the lamp next to their bed.”
“Oh,” Spike said, his gaze downcast.
Ch’tulash opened the front drawer to his desk and pulled out book. It wasn’t a very thick one, maybe 100 or so pages depending on the type face and how large the index was. The maroon jacket was well worn and the title read Hoard in gold flaked letters. Ch’tulash turned it over in his claws a few times before reaching out and offering it to Spike.
The young dragon took it gingerly. As far as he could tell it was merely a book, but years of living with Twilight had taught him that even mere books were worthy of respect.
“That book is one of the seminal works of philosophy ever written by a dragon. I believe it may have some of the answers you seek.”
Spike stared at the weathered tome in awe; much the way an archeologist would stare at a relic thought to be previously lost. “I spent all of yesterday in the library, how come I couldn’t find a copy in there.”
“Not many exist, the ones that do are often part of very large hoards.”
“So this is part of your horde?” Spike asked with a raised eyebrow. “And you’re just giving it to me, isn’t that helping me?”
Ch’tulash smiled at Spike’s nascent grasp of dragon culture. “I prefer to think of it as reuniting a lost dragon with his birthright.”
Spike spent the rest of the day reading the gift he had been given. It was written by a dragon named Bel'Terras. The narrative of the book described a symposium wherein a bunch of dragons sat around debating what it meant to be a ‘good dragon’. The protagonist of the book, if that term could be applied, was a dragon named Balroth. Balroth would go on long diatribes about how a dragon should be strong and wise and how weakness was a danger not just to yourself but to those around you. Sometimes a dragon named Nefalon would interrupt to ask the questions Spike was thinking; “What about fairness?” the fictional antagonist had asked in the middle of a long sermon about how it was immoral to let a weaker dragon keep that which you also desired. Each of Nefalon’s questions were met with a sharp rebuke and Balroth would be allowed to continue his musing.
According to Balroth, strength was the most important thing a dragon could cultivate. Nature had given them an instinct to hoard, and denying this instinct would be to deny what they were. Rather, they should embrace it and strive to do as they were meant to do. To be a good dragon was to be a strong dragon, and to be a weak dragon was the greatest of all possible evils; and every possible decision could be weighed in those terms. Favors were done between friends, only when there was a mutual beneficial arrangement to be had. Peace was pursued when the cost of war outweighed the gains for all parties.
There were a few passages that approached a school of thought Spike could recognize as morality. As Ch’tulash had mentioned, taking gems from a whelp was deemed immoral. For one, the gems didn’t belong to the whelp; they belong to his or her parents. But also there was no strength to be gained, nor lessons to be imparted, by bullying children or the infirm.
Spike didn’t agree with most of what he read, but it did make sense, in a logical sort of way. If Fluttershy had been braver, or stronger, she wouldn’t have needed his help and then he could dig for gems with Rarity ensuring more gems for both him and her. The thought of Rarity spending time with Treble sent a fresh wave of pain through his heart.
But this time instead of trying to bury that pain, he used is as fuel for his fire as he forged his new dragon code.
Spike quickly found that writing a new code was a lot easier then writing his old one. Well actually that wasn’t strictly true, it wasn’t easier to write a code based on only one interpretation of what it meant to be a good dragon, but it was simplier. HIs old code had been about incorporating 5 virtues and one role model into a coherent system, and there were times when those virtues were incompatible. For example being honest sometimes meant being cruel, and though it was more loyal to tell a harsh truth it could also be selfish as well. But as he read the weathered copy of Hoard, over and over again, trying to decipher every last bit of meaning he came to one inescapable conclusion for a dragon there was only one virtue; power.
Weather through wealth, or title, or influence, or might dragons craved power. It was the singular pursuit that should guide a noble dragon. With that thought in mind he wrote the first line of his new code.
Be Strong
Spike stared at that line until it lost all meaning. It felt so different from his old code, but everytime he tried to erase it, the cheerful voice or Rarity accepting a date rang in his ears. That awful sound spurred him to write another line.
Do what’s best for Spike
He thought one more time about his old code. Unwilling to abandon it completely he began to add one more line.
Be like Twi
Be like Big Mac
Spike stared at the last line, unable to fill in the blank. The last line of his old code was specifically put there to give him a role model, but for his new code he was He didn’t know any dragons well enough to emulate their behavior. All of his friends were ponies, and none of them acted anything like Balroth would consider a noble dragon.
Spike would have kept contemplating his new code, but a knock on the door interrupted his thought process. Years of striving to be polite asserted themselves and he hurriedly waddled over to the door thinking perhaps Celestia sent a messenger to inform him when he was expected for that evening's dinner. So he was more than a little surprised when he opened the door to find Celestia herself waiting patiently.
“Princess Celestia! What are you doing here?”
“Quick Quill tells me that you did not return to the library. Tell me Spike, how was your meeting? I hope Ch’tulash was able to answer at least some of your questions.”
“It was good, I think I understand better what it means to be a dragon. I’m working on a new code and everything.”
“That is good to hear. Does your new code prohibit you from dinner with a friend?”
Spike actually had to consider the question. Celestia was sort of asking for a favor, but she was also offering free food. Plus being friends with Celestia made him stronger, he decided that no his new code didn’t prevent him from having dinner. “Sure doesn’t,” he said with a smile.
Celestia returned the gesture, offering a small bow. “Splendid. I shall meet you at eight.”
Spike couldn’t help but be surprised at the lack of ostentation. Large parts of Hoard were devoted to how a noble dragon should be sure to flaunt his or her power, so that they might inspire others to achieve their status. Celestia was so powerful that even the mightiest of all dragons didn’t dare challenge her and yet if she wasn’t an alicorn, Spike guessed most ponies would be hard pressed to know that she was a princess.
He spent the rest of the afternoon locked away in his room, pondering his code. Celestia had inadvertently given him a lot to think about. His code didn’t change in the intervening hours, but he was less sure than he had been before Celestia’s impromptu visit.
Neither his new code nor his old one said anything about being punctual, but it seemed prudent not to keep his host waiting. At five to eight he left his room and followed the castles winding hallways toward the grand dining hall. Just before he reached the gilded archways that marked the main dining hall of Canterlot Castle, he saw Celestia patiently waiting for him in one of the smaller eating areas, most often used by visiting nobles and smaller gatherings.
“I hope you don’t mind, but the grand dining hall feels so formal, I thought perhaps a cozier setting would be more appropriate for two friends,” Celestia said by way of a greeting.
Even though there were only two place settings, the small table was stills et with a full set of fine china. (Spike doubted the castle owned anything plastic anyway.) A pitcher of water was on the table in between two glasses of ice but other than that there was no clue about what type of food Celestia expected to serve.
“Fine with me,” Spike said with a smile.
Free of the obligations of hosting and formalities Celestia let Spike pick his own seat and she sat down across from him. “So, Spike, what did Ch’tulash talk about? I’m sure it must have been a very interesting meeting if it inspired you to write a new dragon code.”
Spike momentarily balked to here Celestia use the ambassadors full name, instead of the diminutive version. “It was. He told me the story of how you you fought Grunt and that’s why the dragons don’t bother Equestria, cept when they are napping I guess. ”
An eyebrow went up from the princess. “Oh, and why did he choose to tell that story?”
“I think it was to explain how Dragons respect strength. I mean the dragons didn’t seem to respect you before you fought Grunt, and now they do.”
Celestia’s eye’s narrowed. “I see. If I may, allow me to tell you a different story.
“Sure,”
“This one comes from Griffinstone. It again comes from when I was young ruler; it was my first official dinner with King Gustav the second. He was no doubt attempting to gain the measure of me just as I was him. He also told this parable; tell me, do you know what a warg is?
“Yeah, it’s a big spikey cat like thing that lives in the mountains,” Spike said, remembering the time he helped Twilight write a report about the biological diversity of Equestria.
“Indeed it is, it’s also quite a delicacy in Griffinstone. Of course it’s very dangerous to hunt, even for Griffins” . “I’ll bet.”
“Did you know that shrews are another creature that is highly prized for dinner amongst the Griffins?”
“I didn’t know that. That’s interesting and all but what does that have to do with my new dragon code.”
“King Gustav was telling me about how the danger of a warg hunt is that if a warg sees a hunter it will charge into battle straight away, no matter how many griffin hunters are in the pack.”
“Well yeah, I mean if I were a giant armored cat with sharp teeth I’d probably do that to.” Spike said, forgetting that such a description was close to describing the creature he’d grow up to be.
“Yes, in contrast a shrew will borrow at the first sign of danger. So tell me Spike, which creature is more powerful?”
Spike held his tongue. Celestia rarely asked such an obvious question. But no matter what mental gymnastics he performed he couldn’t find any answer other than the obvious one. “The warg,” he said confidently.
“Yes the warg is revered for its strength and power. King Gustav was sure to impress upon me that griffins far and wide sing the wargs praises, most often before it is being served for dinner.”
With that Celestia’s meaning was clear. “So you’re saying I shouldn’t just try to get stronger, but if you weren’t strong then you wouldn’t have been able to stop Grunt.”
“If Ch’tulash told you the entirety of that story, he would have mentioned that I tried twice to avoid that conflict. If there is one thing I’ve learned about power, Spike, it’s that true power does not come from mere brute force.”
Spike listened to the words but they sounded too much like all the friendship and helpfull stuff that Twilight kept telling him. A few days ago he would have agreed but that was the old Spike.
“That’s what ponies think. Dragons see things a lot differently.”
For a moment Spike thought that Celestia was about to give him a dressing down the sort of which he only heard on the most seldom of occasion, after all some ponies might have considered his previous statement a rebuke. But Celestia reacted to his challenge with a smile. “They do. I look forward to hearing more about your journey then.”
It was another instance that forced Spike to wonder how the Dragon Lord might have reacted under similar circumstances.
For the rest of the meal the conversation meandered around familiar topics such as funny stories about young Twilight, how Spike liked living in ponyville and the grand galloping gala that was fast approaching. The food was unexpectedly delicious and Celestia had even arranged for an assortment of rare gems for dessert while she enjoyed a slice of chocolate cake. If Celestia disapproved of his new code she certainly didn’t show it by being anything less than a gracious host.
Later that night Spike lay awake in his room. One of the aspects of a strong dragon, according to Balroth, was a healthy dose of self awareness. So Spike thought about himself. On one claw, he generally liked both himself and his life in ponyville. On the other hoof, he wanted Rarity to like him and so far she had never viewed him as anything other than a friend, or at least certainly not a prospective partner. That meant he had to change. So before he drifted off to sleep is doubled his resolve to live by his new code.
Having his new code, and a copy of Hoard Spike opted to return to ponyville the next day. The train ride home was filled with a nervous energy. He thought a lot about his job as Twilight’s assistant. He also generally liked his job most of the time. Twilight may have leaned on him a little hard sometimes, but his job kept them together, it afforded him the opportunity to travel Equestria and he got free room and board out of the deal. He was stronger as Twilight’s assistant than he would be striking out on his own, though maybe he’d ask for a raise.
Twilight wasn’t home when he walked through the doors of the castle, having been summoned to Yakistan, which was just as well. Twilight’s approval was still important to him and he was glad that he had a few days before she passed judgement.
With Twilight gone, the running of the library and general castle upkeep fell squarely on his shoulders. The first thing he noticed was that the castles food stores were running low, so he set out to go to the market. In between picking up carrots and cherries he heard a familiar voice.
“Heya Spike I’m glad I ran into ya. We got a bumper crop of apples this year and Big Mac is away on a delivery. I sure could use some help with the harvest this afternoon.” Applejack said, smiling from beneath her ever present seston.
His old reflexes kicked in and he was forced to catch himself. “Sure-” Do what’s best for Spike “Wait, what do I get out of it?” he blurted out. The words sounded foreign despite speaking in plain equestrian, but he pushed that feeling down.
Applejack cocked her head to the side. She was prepared for the possibility Spike might be busy, but she hadn’t considered that he would demand payment, because well, Spike was always ready to help out a friend. “Huh, well I guess I could float a few bottles of cider your way, though I probably would have done that anyway,” she said with a shrug.
Spike considered the offer, he’d be working a cider press and hauling carts for an entire afternoon, and while cider was delicious, he’d rather be reading comics or figuring out how to impress Rarity with his newfound attitude. But maybe he could use this to earn some extra cash to take Rarity somewhere nice, certainly nicer then wherever that goof who she was going out with was taking her. “Throw in a few gems and you’ve got yourself a deal.”
“Well hay Spike, it aint like I got a chest full of gems lyin around the farm. I’m an apple farmer, not a miner,” Applejack said with a nervous sounding chuckle.
It was the first test of his new code and Spike was determined not to back down. The old Spike might have caved, but that’s not who he was anymore. “Sorry Applejack, if you want my help that’s what it’s gonna cost ya.”
Hurt flashed across Applejacks face and Spike again almost rescinded his demand. Be Strong. He steeled himself. Applejack should either be able to properly pay for his help or do it herself, in the long run it would make her stronger. He just stood, rooted in place while he waited for an answer.
Applejack didn’t snarl, she was a polite country girl and it wasn’t like Spike had any obligation to help her. But even without a snarl, there was no masking the disdain in her next words. “Forget it Spike, if you're going to be like that I don’t want your help.”
Before Spike could retort with a very dragon like maxim about weakness Applejack stormed off.
The encounter left a decidedly rotten taste in Spike’s mouth. And that taste was largely responsible for what happened next.
It was a few hours later at the library and he heard a familiar tepid knock. Spike opened the door to find Fluttershy standing there with the exact same expression she had the last time she had come by the library.
“Hi Spike, I’m glad you’re here, would you mind going back to the Everfree forest with me? I need more supplies and our last trip went so well.”
This time the answer came easily. “No.”
“Oh, okay.”
The old Spike might have just left it there, but he the distaste of what happened with Applejack had left Spike more than a little surly. “Fluttershy you need to stop being scared of everything. You’ve been to the Everfree forest dozens of times and nothing’s ever happened to you. And nothing is going to happen because all the animals love you. ” Spike couldn’t be sure if his rant was being fueled by some sort of misguided attempt to make Fluttershy stronger, or if he was still angry that Rarity had met someone while he helped Fluttershy the last time, but he kept going. “You’re scared all the time! You keep facing your fears over and over again, and they’re always the same stupid fears. Why can’t you just stop being so scared over EVERY! LITTLE! THING.” When he finished he noticed that he was breathing harder than usual.
“I’m sorry I bothered you, Spike.” Fluttershy squeaked turning and sprinting away before she would let Spike see her cry.
Spike didn’t have to wait long for his actions to come back to him. It wasn’t more than an hour later when he heard another knock on the door, this time waiting for him was one very angry looking rainbow coifed pegasus and the most beautiful pony who ever graced Equestria; though the scowl she wore on her face diminished her radiance down to merely extraordinary levels rather than preposterous.
“Move Rarity, I’m going to beat his stupid little dragon butt,” Rainbow snarled taking a menacing step forward.
A white perfectly manicured outstretched hoof blocked her path before she could make good on her threat. “You’ll do no such thing to my little Spikey-Wikey.”
Be Strong. “I can stick up for myself, Rarity. I’m not scared of her.”
“He made Fluttershy cry!”
Rarity sighed. “Rainbow Dash could you please give us a few moments?”
The request earned Rarity a scowl, but Rainbow took a step back. “Alright, but if he doesn’t come out and go straight to Fluttershy’s with the best apology anypony’s ever heard, I’m gonna get me a new pair of dragon boots,“ Rainbow said with a huff added at the end for emphasis.
“Yeah? I’d like you to see you try,” Spike muttered. So far he had his new code for less than twenty four hours and the only thing he gained from it was an endless wave of grief from ponies who didn’t get it. He moved aside to let Rarity into the castle and shot one last glare at Rainbow before he closed the door.
“Would you like to explain to me why you upset Fluttershy?” Rarity said calmly.
Spike did his best not to get lost in the deep blue pools that masqueraded as Rarity’s eyes. “I wasn’t really trying to. But, well I’m trying to be a better dragon, and that means I need to help my friends be better too.”
The remark earned Spike a single raised eyebrow. “Yelling at Fluttershy is supposed to make her a better pony?”
“In the long run, yeah. She needs to stop being scared of things that aren’t scary”
“Spike, dear, may I be so bold as to suggest that whatever journey of self improvement you are on, it is not served by telling others what they should or should not do.”
“Part of being a better dragon is making your friends stronger,” Spike said by way of an explanation. It wasn’t the full truth. The unvarnished truth of the situation was that he was angry Fluttershy had inadvertently cost him a chance to help Rarity in her hour of need, but telling Rarity that was unlikely to help his case.
“Oh, I see. So you really think this is a better version of you?” Rarity said, the implicit judgement obvious.
“Yeah I do. I’m still the same Spike, only stronger.”
Rarity narrowed her eyes. “No, you’re not. My little Spikey-Wikey is a charming and helpful little drake. This version is a boorish cad who apparently thinks that being selfish somehow benefits those around him.”
“I’m a dragon Rarity! We don’t tolerate weakness in ourselves or our friends.” Spike snapped, instantly regretting it.
The warm blue pools of Rarity’s eyes that Spike adored flashed decidedly icy. “I see, well if you decide to start acting like a pony again you know where to find us.” Rarity punctuated her remarks with a “hmph” similar to Rainbow Dash’s and promptly turned around and left, leaving Spike alone once again.
No pony came to the library for the rest of the day, whether word had gotten around that the librarian was now a brutally honest, self serving little dragon, or nopony needed to check out any books didn’t matter to Spike. He spent the rest of the day brooding, exercising (Be Strong) re-reading Hoard. Balroth was very clear on the course a noble dragon should take with those who somehow insisted on being weak.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he heard the familiar voice of Twilight ring through the castle.
“Hi Spike, I’m home. Where are you?”
“I’m up here, Twilight,” Spike called back from his room.
Twilight rounded into view and Spike felt an unbidden swell of relief. Long ago he had accepted that unless he and Twilight were together was going to worry, even if only a little. It was why his greatest fear wasn't wargs or windigos, it was the thought of being permanently separated from the mare standing in front of him.
“How was your trip? Did you learn anything new about dragons?” Twilght asked brightly.
“I think so. Celestia introduced me to the dragon ambassador and he gave me this book all about how to be a noble dragon.”
“What does it say?”
Spike bit his tongue. So far all the ponies he tried to explain his new outlook to ended up mad at him, he really, really, didn't want to alienate Twilight as well. “The main thing is that it's important to be strong. Balroth, the dragon in the book, says that a strong dragon is a good dragon.”
“Can I read it?” Twilight asked.
“Why would you want to do that?”
“You know I love learning about other cultures. And if you’re going to try and act more like other dragons I’d like to know what that means.”
Spike thought for a moment. So far he had done a poor job of explaining his new code in a way that ponies agreed with. Maybe it was better if Twilight heard his rationale from the source. Spike took the book off of his nightstand and handed it to Twilight.
“Be carefull with it,” Spike said, even though he knew Twilight hardly needed to be reminded to treat books respectfully.
Hoard wasn’t a very thick book and Twilight was a notoriously fast reader. It wasn’t more than an hour when she returned.
“So what did you think?” Spike asked with bated breath.
“It was interesting,” Twilight said, gently levetating levitating the book back to Spike, in the exact same pristine condition she accepted it.
Spike gingerly received it with an outstretched claw. “Ugh,c’mon Twilight. Interesting is how you describe something you hate while trying not to offend anyone. Just be honest, you hate it and you think I should go back to trying to be more like a pony.”
“I don’t think that at all. You’re a dragon, Spike and more importantly you're my friend. My best friend,” Twilight added quietly. “I think you should be whoever makes you happy. But I can’t help but wonder if maybe you’ve misinterpreted the message?”
“Are you actually telling me how to be a better dragon?”
Twilight shook her head. “No, I’m just thinking about what I read.” Spike also didn’t need a reminder that analysing and interpreting old texts was practically Twilight’s hobby. “Dragons want to be strong, and they want others to be stronger, but they don’t help each other. Doesn’t helping your friends make you stronger?”
“Sometimes, but it can hurt your friends too if you enable them.”
“You think being helpful or even just polite is enabling?” Twilight paused. “I ran into Rainbow Dash on my here, Spike,” she said with only a faint note of disapproval.
“Way to bury the lead there Twi. Let me guess, now you’re mad at me too?”
“No, I don’t know what happened. But it seems like Rainbow is, and she said that Rarity and Fluttershy aren’t too happy with you either. Do you really think having your friends mad at you makes you better or stronger?”
Spike steeled his glare. It was a gesture he was quickly growing tired of. “It will.”
“Is it going to make you happier?”
Spike opened his mouth, about to quote one of Balroth’s maxims, but nothing came. He searched his mental archives and quickly realized that nowhere in the long winded musings of Hoard was the concept of happiness mentioned in anything more than a passing nod. “That doesn’t matter,” he said quietly.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m a dragon, Twilight!” Spike yelled.
Twilight didn’t match Spike’s increase in volume. “You’re more than just a dragon Spike. You’re Spike. You’re a brave and loyal friend who lives with ponies. And yes you're also a dragon, but that shouldn't be the only thing you see yourself as.”
Spike’s first memory was snuggling into soft lavender fur. It was only one of the reasons he tried so hard to please Twilight. “I need to be something Twilight. I'm certainly not a knight,” he said softly.
“Is that what this is about? You want a title?” a perplexed Twilight asked.
Whether Twilight meant to provoke a confession or not she got one. “No. I just meant that I’ve always tried to be a hero and the other day I failed and so maybe I got to thinking that maybe I shouldn’t try to be one.” As he said the words out loud he realized how ridiculous they sounded. Up until a few days ago his dragon code had helped him fit in in a world that would have otherwise rejected him, and beyond that it made him happy. And then he had one bad day and abandoned it. And to make matters worse he only had his new code for one day and that had already done way more damage to his relationships then the years of living with his old one. “I messed up, didn’t I Twilight?”
“Maybe. But y’know Spike, knights makes mistakes too. So what would they do?”
The next morning Spike approached Sweet Apple acres with a sense of trepidation. Knights were above all else, honorable, and that meant Spike owed a round of apologies.
Approaching the hoof carved wooden sign at the front end of the property he saw Applejack towing a cart out toward one of the family’s many orchards. He waved and slowly walked toward her, hoping that Applejack had calmed down since yesterday.
Applejack tipped her seston by way of a greeting. “Howdy Spike, what can I do ya for?” Applejacks tone was more demure than usual but it still had the earnest friendliness all of ponyville had come to expect from her.
“You’re not mad at me?”
“Not really, I got no right to expect you to give up an afternoon to do farm work just cause I ask you too. I wasn’t crazy about bout you demanding some gems, but that’s on me.”
Applejack might have been willing to let bygones be bygones, but Spike’s conscience wouldn’t let himself off the hook so easily. “No it’s not. I owe you an apology. You asked for help as a friend looking for a favor, not somepony looking to hire a farmhand. If I wanted a new job I could have applied.”
“You lookin to get out of the library there?”
“No, I just...I had a bad day and I guess I overreacted.”
Applejack nodded. “Eeyup. But it ain’t hardly worth getting upset about. I appreciate the apology Spike but you got nothin to fret over.”
“So we’re okay?”
“Right as rain sugarcube.”
Spike felt ten pounds lighter as he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks Applejack. Do you need anyhelp today?”
The offer was met with a polite chuckle. “Nah, ain't nothing to do but maintenance today. Nothing we can't handle.”
“Okay well if you do need help you know where to find me.”
“Sure do.”
With one wronged pony apologized to. Spike set off to rectify another mistake, this time heading toward the Everfree forest.
Spike stood staring at the door, mustering up whatever knightly courage he could. He had been rude to Applejack, which was problematic, but he had been downright mean to Fluttershy. However good his intentions may have been there was no mistaking the fact that he had outright berated Fluttershy, who was already sensitive to begin with. For a moment he allowed his mind to dwell on the possibility that he had irrevocably damaged his friendship.
Courage summoned, he knocked and it only took a few moments for Fluttershy to answer, but when she opened the door she froze where she stood, awkwardly flinching. “Oh, hi Spike,” she said softly.
It took Spike a few moments of studying Fluttershy to realize exactly what was wrong, Fluttershy was turned slightly away from him and though she often looked at the ground, now her gaze was rooted to the floor. She was scared of him and trying to hide it. The ball of guilt Spike was holding in his chest instantly swelled
“I'm sorry I yelled at you Fluttershy, really I am. I don't care what you're scared of. I was angry about something else and I took it out on you and I really shouldn’t have done that”
“I’m not really scared of the Everfree, well I guess I kind of am. But I didn’t ask you if you wanted to go gather supplies with me because I was scared.”
“You didn’t?” Spike asked with a wince.
Fluttershy shook her head. “No, I had a good time on our last trip and I thought you did too. I just thought it might be nice to spend some more time together.”
Spike winced as the words hit him. Before he felt bad that he had berated a friend, now he was forced to confront the fact that he had insulted a friend who wanted nothing more than to spend sometime with him. If Spike’s dragon abilities included shriveling into a very tiny ball and rolling away he would have. ‘Oh jeez”
“I suppose I could have made that clearer,” Fluttershy said meekly.
Spike found the words tumbling out of him, forcing him to admit a truth he had been avoiding. “Gosh no, this is my fault Fluttershy. I was trying to be something I’m not and I guess I really messed up.”
For the first time Fluttershy looked up at him. “Why did you want to change? I liked who you were before, didn't you?”
He started to tell Fluttershy that it was really an effort to make Rarity like him more but thought better of it. His romantic troubles weren’t in anyway Fluttershy’s problem so instead he shrugged. “Yeah, but I thought maybe some other ponies might like me more if I was different.”
“Well that’s just silly Spike, you’re great just the way you are,” Fluttershy said, and for the first time Spike got the sense that she wasn’t nervous.
“You're being awfully nice to me considering how mean I was,” Spike said softly.
Fluttershy smiled at him, one of the warm caring ones she often gave animals she just met who were nervous. It “I forgive you, after all you were just trying to help, I suppose.”
For the second time today Spike was unwilling to forgive himself as easily as his victim. Knights always had to endure some sort of penance for their trangressions and it felt wrong that he was absolved without so much as a “don’t do it again”. “But I was so mean about it. There has to be something I can do to make it up to you.”
Spike’s anguish must have shown through because Fluttershy place a calming hoof on his shoulder and offered him another reassuring smile. “You can accept my forgiveness Spike. I don't want you to feel bad on my account.”
It was impossible to argue with that logic so instead Spike gave Fluttershy a hug before leaving. Heading away from Fluttershy’s cottage he found himself reflecting on just how lucky he was to have great friends.
Spike had one more stop on his apology tour, it was also the one he was dreading the most. He needed to visit Rarity.
For the first time he could remember the Carousel Boutique appeared more foreboding than inviting. Usually the thought that Rarity was inside the building spurred Spike toward the dress shop like a piece of thread being pulled by a needle. But right now, knowing that Rarity was, more likely than not, in her parlour room filled Spike with the sort of dread that led him to start this whole misadventure.
For a moment he allowed himself to wonder if his relationship with Rarity was damaged beyond repair. He had never snapped at her before, he’d never done anything other than fawn over her before. The closest he came to anything less than constant adoration was the one time he gently suggested that she might be suffering the effects of a cursed spellbook, and that didn’t count, because it was true.
“Hi Rarity,” Spike said, looking down at the ground, his claws clasped in front of him, one leg scratching the other.
“Hello Spike.” The clipped cadence Rarity used was almost as heartbreaking as if she shut the door in his face.
Spike took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I yelled at you the other day. I’m back to trying to act like a pony if you still want to be my friend.”
Rarity unleashed a squeal of delight and practically pounced on the small drake. “Oooh my precious little Spikey Wikey is back, I’m so relieved.”
Spike allowed himself a brief moment to enjoy the hug. The lavender scent of Rarity’s coat, the sublime softness of her fur, the affection with which she squeezed, all of it allowed him to push his fears and guilt aside. “I guess you’re not mad at me,” Spike said from beneath the heavenly embrace.
Rarity gave him one more reassuring squeeze. “No dear, I accept your apology. Though if I may ask, what prompted such a drastic behavior change?”
Unlike when Fluttershy asked the question the answer wasn't so straightforward, but he still owed Rarity an explanation. “I… thought maybe things would be different if I changed who I was.”
Rarity’s expression grew decidedly concerned. “Why would you possibly think that?”
“Something happened,” was the only explanation Spike was willing to give.
“My goodness Spike, what could have happened that was so terrible?”
“It's not important,” Spike mumbled.
“I dare suggest it must be if it made you so upset.”
Spike took a deep breath. “Until a few days ago I kinda sorta thought of myself as a kind of knight.” Spike winced as he braced himself for Rarity to laugh at him, or at least politely titter. But Rarity only smiled at him, bidding him to continue. “And then, well I realized that I wasn’t really a knight so I decided to be a dragon, but I didn’t know how dragons behaved so I went to Canterlot and met a dragon who gave me this really old book and it said that dragons..” Spike paused to take another breath. “It says that dragons only really care about themselves.”
“Why would you ever want to behave that way?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds. Dragons think that if everybody looks out only for themselves, then everyone is better off as a whole.” Rarity raised a skeptical eyebrow. “It doesn’t matter,” Spike sighed. “I tried being a knight and I tried being a dragon, maybe I should just try being Spike for a while.”
“Well, whatever you decide to be, you should know that just being Spike is all I ever want from you.”
Spike smiled. “I guess I never asked you how your date went.”
“Ugh,” Rarity groaned. “Being charmingly shy may make for a endearing introduction but it makes for lousy dinner conversation. Mark my words Spike the next date I go on will be with someone confident enough to look me in the eye and hold a conversation without constantly asking if I’m having a good time.”
A few weeks later, Spike was returning home from buying groceries at the market. He had stopped pretending that he could be the type of dragon, Balroth would admire, but he also found that he still couldn't think of himself as a knight either. In the interim he focused on doing his chores and trying to be a good friend.
With those modest goals he was more than a little surprised when he opened the door to find all six of his best friends waiting for him in the grand hall of the castle.
Twilight stood in the front of the room. An imposing looking sword stood next to her. A simple smile from Twilight assured him that he wasn’t about to be beheaded With an outstretched hoof she beckoned him forward.
“Kneel,” Twilight said gently when Spike reached the end of the carper.
Despite his confusion Spike did as he was told, staring at the ground all the while.
“Let the word go forth that in honor of your exemplary bravery, loyalty and kindness shown in the defense of both Equestria and the Crystal Empire. I, Princess Twilight Sparkle hereby name you a knight of Equestria.” Twilight levitated the sword and tapped him on his right shoulder with the flat of the blade, then she did the same for his left shoulder. “Arise sir Spike.”
A cheer went up from the small crowd and Spike stood up. Twilight gently handed him the sword she had just used to anoint him. “Every knight needs a sword, right Spike?”
Spike twirled the sword in his claw, it was heavy, but perfectly balanced, the jeweled pommel helping to offset the weight of the blade. It was also a perfect length, being small enough for him to wield comfortably, but large enough that he could carry it for years before he outgrew it. A few practice swings that cut through the air with a woosh confirmed that Twilight hadn’t given him a toy but an actual weapon.
“This was nice of you Twilight, pretending to make me a Knight,” Spike said, still marveling at his new sword.
“I'm not pretending, you're really a Knight.”
“Really?”
“Yep. You are a one hundred percent officially certified Knight of Equestria. There's a copy of your ordination at the castle and everything.”
“Does Equestria even have knights?” Spike asked, still worried his new title was meaningless.
“You're the first,” Twilight admitted sheepishly. “But I don't think you'll be the last.”
“Whoa cool,” Spike said as his smile grew wider.
As with all celebratory events in Ponyville this one required a Pinkie party. Pinkie had never thrown a “congratulations on being knighted party”, but that didn't stop her from going all out. There were mediaeval themed decorations, barrels of punch and tiny sandwiches with little swords in them in lieu of toothpicks.
In the midst of the revelry Rainbow saddled up to Twilight. “You really went through the trouble of officially knighting Spike? I mean I know you like paperwork but that can't have been easy.”
Twilight shrugged. “Celestia was a bit skeptical that we needed another designation, and Luna needed some convincing too but Spike does a lot for us, and sometimes I forget how hard it must be for him to be surrounded by ponies. Besides look how happy he is.”
A quick glance over at Spike, beaming as he danced with Rarity was all Rainbow needed to agree. “You definitely made the little guys year, that's for sure.”
After the the guest had all gone home, and Twilight had gone to bed, Spike found himself looking in the mirror.
Be Generous Be Kind Be Honest Be Loyal Spread Joy Be like Twilight
