Twilight Sparkle had been a Princess of Equestria for many millenia. Far too many to count. She had seen empires rise, fall, and rise again. She had witnessed the death of Discord, and that of she who slayed him. She watched as every one of her friends, the Elements as they were known in their own time, perished and helped return to them to the ground from whence they came. She had seen some of the longest-lasting and most important families in Canterlot be born and wither away into dust, or irrelevance.
With a life as long and full as hers, it was no surprise then that she held much regret in her heart. Despite her best efforts, she could never find a way to understand the true nature of Harmony or its Elements. She had spilled much blood, and been indirectly responsible for many times that amount. She was forced to watch her closest friends die, one by one. There was one regret, though, that she was never truly able to move past. And his name was Spike.
Twilight Sparkle had been a princess for two whole years. Two years of constant paperwork and never-ending conflict with old Canterlot nobles.
Currently, she was engrossed in a letter sent to her by none other than Blueblood himself. He had requested of her to attend the “Grand Opening” of his brand new brothel. She truly hated it when he did this. Often, the “esteemed” prince would do all he could to cause great discomfort in Twilight, knowing she had been particularly squeamish and not used to the more crude nature of some ponies.
“Hey Twilight,” Spike said, interrupting her focus on her correspondence. Secretly, she was sometimes glad for the young Drake’s interruptions. This was undoubtedly one of those times.
“Yes Spike?” She asked, turning around to face him. He’s growing at an exponential rate, she thought when she saw him standing at the doorway of her study. And he truly had. Recently, Spike had finished up his first Draconic Rest, a 6 month type of hibernation that had matured his body considerably. No longer could she or the other Elements call him a baby dragon. He looked more like a teenage one. He still stood on two legs, and was roughly two times her height now. Gone was the baby fat that used to surround his body, instead replaced by what looked like hard muscles. Perhaps the Draconic Rest caused extreme muscle gain? His scales had also changed. They were now a much darker shade of purple, and were shining in the sunlight gracing he and Twilight through the study’s windows. His face had leaned up as well, showing off a strong and defined jawline. Twilight supposed it wouldn’t be long before she had to swat off unwanted interested parties.
“There’s something I’d like to speak to you about,” he said, smiling a little too wide and refusing to meet her eyesight.
“Well, I’m listening,” Twilight said, smiling at him encouragingly.
“You remember how I went to Canterlot by Celestia’ behest last week, right?” He said.
“I do,” she nodded. “I hadn’t seen you that excited in years. You haven’t really been yourself since you got back, though.”
As astute as always, Spike thought. “Yeah, I’ve been a little nervous about something.”
Twilight giggled and smiled at him. “I can tell. Now come on, you know you can tell me anything. What’s up?”
Finally, he found the courage to look her in the eyes. “Princess Luna and Celestia offered me an opportunity.”
“An opportunity?” Twilight asked, tilting her head to the left.
“Yes, an opportunity.” Spike nodded, “a way to further my education.”
As expected, Twilight perked at that. “Your education? Oh Spike, why didn't you tell me wanted you continue it? There’s so much left for me to teach you!”
He sighed and knelt down to face Twilight face-to-face. “No Twi,” he rested a claw on her left shoulder, “not from you. They offered me a place in next year’s Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns Senior Scholar classes.”
“But you’re not a Unicorn.”
“You’re truly a master of perception,” he laughed, “but she’s recently offered seats in the Senior Scholar classes to non-pony residents of Equestria. I would be the first Dragon to attend an Equestrian academic institution in history.”
“But Celestia’s school is in Canterlot. She wants us to move?” Twilight asked. It would make my Princess duties more convenient, she thought.
“Not you,” he said, “only me. She thinks it would do us good, to experience life away from each other.”
“She wants you to leave the nest. I understand. Do you think you’re going to do it?” Twilight responded, staring into Spike’s eyes.
At that, Spike whimpered, and felt his knees begin to give in. “I don’t know, Twi. You’re my mentor, my best friend, my family, my everything. Everything I have, everything I am, it’s all because of you. I don’t want to leave you.”
“Oh Spike,” Twilight said, wrapping him up in her hooves, “you wouldn’t be leaving me. You’d be living your life. If you want to go, you have mine, and the girls’, complete support.”
Twilight felt two teardrops hit her mane before Spike spoke again. “Thank you, Twilight. I think I’m going to do it. I’m going to go off on my own.”
“I’m proud of you,” she said, smiling.
“I have a proposition for you, Spike.” Celestia said.
Spike had been called into Celestia’s personal chambers for what she described as a “personal conversation.” It may have been strange, but Spike welcomed the distraction. He had spent the past three days doing nothing but studying for his finals that were steadily encroaching upon him. A conversation with the Princess would do him good, he knew.
As much as he loved his studies at the University, they had started to take up every aspect of his life. Thankfully, he was able to manage it due to his time as Twilight’s assistant. He knew all those nights spent studying would come in handy someday.
“What kind of proposition, Princess?” Spike asked her.
She gently shook her head and said, “please Spike, just call me Celestia. This isn’t an official meeting about your studies. Its an offer I’m giving to an old friend.”
He nodded. “Right. Sorry.”
She smiled that radiant smile of hers, that smile that had melted as many hearts as it had frightened. “Don’t worry about it, Spike. Anyway about the proposition. I believe it’s time you finally were told of your past.”
“My past, princess?” Spike asked, tilting his head to the left.
“Yes. There is an old dragon named Hercales who resides in the Dragonlands. He holds the secrets to your past, and your future, things it is not my duty to tell you. If you so wish, I would have you seek him out after you graduated.”
“My… past. Are you saying I would finally know where I came from?” Spike could feel his breathing stop.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. I warn you, Spike, that you may not like what you find. It is completely your decision, and no one else’s. Will you accept my offer?”
“Yes Princess. I will.”
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It’s been a while, thought Spike, but it’s good to be back. Spike’s train had arrived at the Ponyville train station a few minutes ago, and he had decided to take a quick breather to take in the “Ponyville aura,” as Twilight and Starlight were fond of calling it. He could hear the subtle but still noticeable noise of ponies walking about town, receiving and giving greetings. All around him, ponies were waving and hugging each other in passing, and a few even waved at him as they passed. Unlike the regal Canterlot or exquisite Manehatten, ponies in Ponyville always had the time to stop and speak to each other, never having a rude thought to confess. Celestia, how I’ve missed this, he thought. Living in a big city had certainly shown Spike how well the ponies here had it.
Finishing up, Spike spotted Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer sitting near the edge of the station, focusing their eyes searching for him. Suddenly, Twilight spotted him.
“Spike!” The Princess yelled, galloping for him.
“Hi Twi-” he was cut off as she jumped at him, and wrapped her hooves around his scaled waist.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she wailed, resting her head on his stomach.
“I’ve missed you too,” he replied, stroking her mane.
“Hey big guy. Good to see you,” Starlight said as she kissed his cheek.
Somehow, his blush was visible through his scales. It always was with Starlight. “Y-yeah. You did just see me last week when you visited, though.”
“Still, I’ve missed you.”
Letting go of Spike, Twilight forced herself between the two. “Alright, you two. Come on, let’s get back to the castle. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do, and I’m sure you’ll want some alone time eventually.”
“Great idea,” Spike said, looking over at Starlight and she at him.
Later that day, Spike sat with Twilight and Starlight around the Castle’s fireplace.
“So,” he began, “I have something I need to discuss with you two.”
“Do continue,” Starlight said as Twilight merely raised her eyebrows.
“Celestia has offered me something I can’t really pass up.” Spike said.
“Again?” Twilight asked.
“Yes,” he affirmed, “again. You guys know how I’ve always had an issue with not knowing where I come from, right?”
“Of course,” Starlight said, “I can’t even imagine what it’s like for you.” She rested her head on her lover’s shoulder.
“Thanks Starlight,” he smiled. “Well, Celestia offered me a way to find out. She has an old contact in the Dragonlands who apparently knows where I come from and who my parents are. I think I’m gonna go speak to him.”
“Spike, that’s great!” Both Starlight and Twilight exclaimed.
“Yeah, but I think I need to go alone.”
“Are you sure?” Starlight asked, tilting her head.
“Yeah. I think this is just something I need to do, ya know?”
“Absolutely,” Twilight said. “Well, Starlight and I both support you on this, if it’s what you want.”
“Yeah,” Starlight said, “but make sure you tell us all about it when you come back, okay?” She kissed him on the cheek as she spoke.
“Thanks guys. I can’t tell you how much this means to me.”
Spike’s adventure into the Dragonlands was a harsh one. He had been dropped off just past the Equestrian border by a Royal Guard unit. From there, he had walked for many days, though he didn’t know exactly how many. He lost count after three. Eventually, he came to an inn located right on the outskirts of a small village.
Approaching from the south, Spike saw the small run down building. It was made of black stone, which seemed to be crumbling and showing many cracks throughout its surface. The building itself was a single story, with only half a roof. Standing outside the inn were several dragons around his height, though none of their scales could compare to the pristineness of his own.
A sign st atop the entrance to the inn. It was made of wood, and sat crooked with only one nail keeping it quasi-stable. It read, in dark red lettering, “The Winking Skeever.” Despite its crudeness and obvious danger, Spike found the inn to be oddly charming. As he entered the establishment, he could feel his nostrils be assaulted by the rank smell of smoke and alcohol.
Splattered across the walls were posters of scantily-clad dragonesses in very seductive poses. There was also some dragons throwing darts at what looked like targets on the far left wall. Placed near the back was a pool table where several dragons, each of them missing some sort of appendage, stood near it screaming. Near the entrance to the inn stood the bartender behind a crumbling and stained bar.
“Yo,” Spike said as he took a seat at the bar.
“Yo,” the bartender said. He was an old dragon, that much was noticeable by his long, white beard. His scales were a dull red, with several scales missing. He hunched over the bar and asked Spike what he was having.
“I just want some information,” he responded.
“Oh? Really? Well, tell me, what is it you wanna know, youngin’?”
“I’ve heard there’s an old dragon named Hercales who dwells here. I’d like to know where I can find him.” The bartender raised his eyebrow at that and chuckled.
“So, you looking for ol’ Herc?” At Spike’s nod, he continued. “Alright, son. To the east of this shithole is an old run-down village. You wanna go past that pisspot and go west once you exit. There’ll be a cave not too far where you’ll find Persy.”
“Thank you,” Spike said.
After his conversation with the old Bartender, Spike spent the night at the Winking Skeever. When morning came, he decided it was time to head out to find Hercales. Just as the old dragon had said, there was a rundown village just east of the inn. Spike passed through it without incident, as he didn’t stop to talk to anyone. If a week in dragon territory had taught him anything, it was that keeping to himself was the best decision most of the time. Leaving the village, he did indeed see the cave the Bartender had mentioned. It looked to be about a full day’s hike from where he was.
Just as he thought, Spike arrived at the cave around sunset. It was a large cave, etched into a mountain easily hundreds of feet tall. The mountain itself was, like most of the Dragonlands, covered in a never-ending sheet of snow and ice. It looked like the mountain’s original coloring was black, though now it was mostly white due to its being buried in snow.
Looking through the entrance of the cave, Spike couldn’t see a thing. Nothing but total and complete darkness faced him. He supposed he wouldn’t have any idea what he had gotten himself into until he was face-to-face with it. Typical, he thought.
Even as he entered the cave, no discernable image revealed itself to Spike. He stepped right into the darkness, his heart racing. What he could tell, though, was that the cave was quite spacious and felt freeing almost. Strange, he thought, I thought most Dragon’s caves were cluttered with gold and jewels.
“Hello Spike.” Spike heard a deep and reverberating voice call to him, and suddenly his racing heart didn’t make a single sound. Something deep within him stirred awake and he turned around, focusing his eyes trying to find the source of the voice.
“Who said that? Show yourself!” He yelled into the darkness.
Suddenly, Spike heard a deep sound that seemed to be a chuckle, though louder than most beings’ greatest yell. “You certainly are your father’s son. If it will make you feel better, yelp, than I shall reveal myself to your eyes.”
Suddenly the cave was alight by what seemed to be torches placed all along the walls. The walls were rocky, made of some kind of black mineral that looked sharp enough to impale the thickest of scales. In front of Spike laid a behemoth of a dragon.
This dragon was larger than any single creature Spike had ever seen. Though the cave was absolutely massive, the Dragon actually took up the back third of it. Its scales were a dark deep blue, the kind of shade one only encountered when looking out across the most vast and unknowable oceans. The dragon’s wings were larger than Princess Celestia many times over. Atop his head lay two curved horns that looked to be made of gold the way they shimmered and shined in the fire of the torches that lit the cave. Its claws were sharper than any sword or spear Spike had ever seen. Even the mineral that the cave was made of, that Spike thought could pierce any dragon’s scales by their look, bent and broke to those claws.
That wasn’t even mentioning the creature’s eyes, though. Those eyes were a deep, dark shade of purple. A shade of purple Spike had only ever seen floating above him in the depths of the sky during particularly beautiful sunrises. The eyes of the creature bore into him, larger than life. Spike could feel himself whimpering whenever he stared into them.
“What are you?” Spike asked.
“Just a Dragon.” The beast responded.
“No,” Spike said, “you are no Dragon. I have seen Dragons. I am a Dragon. You are a behemoth.”
Again, the beast bore a deep, resounding chuckle that deeply frightened Spike. “No. You are but a child, barely even a hatchling. And those others are not Dragons, not really. The blood that flows through their veins is of the Wyvern. Mine and yours, though, that is the blood of those old, immortal beasts: the Dragon.”
“Is there a difference?” Spike asked.
The beast shook his head and snorted. “Faust, Celestia withheld from you even that simple information? Yes, there’s a damn difference. Dragons are majestic and powerful creatures, Gods amongst mortals. Wyverns, though, they are but overgrown lizards completely lacking in the grace or power of their most distinguished cousins.”
Spike felt himself shrink at that. “How do you know my name?”
“Celestia told me you were coming,” the beast responded. “She believes it is time you discovered your heritage. And she knew it was best I recounted it to you.”
“My heritage?” The young drake asked.
“Yes,” the beast confirmed, “your heritage. Your parentage, your destiny, if you will.”
“What would you know of my destiny?” Spike asked in a soft, barely audible tone.
“Oh,” he chuckled, “quite a bit. I am your brother, after all.”
“My brother?”
“Yes, your brother. Your father is my father.”
“And I assume you are Hercales?” Spike asked.
“Among other things, yes,” he responded.
“And why should I believe anything you say?” Spike asked, shakily.
“I think you know,” he said.
Spike realized Hercales was right. As much as he wanted to fight it, he could feel a certain connection to this dragon. The same he felt for Twilight, he knew. He could feel it in his very soul, that this creature was of his blood, that all he said was the truth.
“I do,” said Spike. “What can you tell me about my heritage?”
“Whatever you want to know, whelp.”
“Can you tell me who my parents are?” Spike asked.
“Of course. Our father is the same, though our mothers differ, but I can still tell you of her.” Hercales responded.
“Who is my father?” Spike asked. Finally, he thought, this is what I’ve waited for.
“Your father is King Zeus.”
“King Zeus?” Spike liked the way those words felt on his tongue. King Zeus, huh?
“Yes,” Hercales continued. “King Zeus, though king is a misleading title. He is more than a King. He is a God. The King of the Old Gods, in fact.”
He continued to speak despite Spike’s confused look. “Zeus is the King of the celestial, ancient dragons whom reside over all creation. All of the Old Gods have some area of the physical universe they hold dominion over. Our father’s is the very sky.”
“No way,” Spike said. “Everyone knows the Old Gods abandoned all of creation millennia ago. The Equestrian Princesses are all that remain of their time.”
“You’re right. The Old Gods did abandon us. But they still exist. Atop the City of Olympus. And our father is their king.” Hercales responded.
“As crazy as it sounds, I think I actually believe you,” Spike said. I must be losing my mind, he thought. “Then who’s my mother?”
“This one will surprise you. You’ve met her. It’s Celestia.”
“Celestia?” Spike asked, wide-eyed. “No way. You’re lying. You have to be.”
“Ah, but I’m not. Zeus had a love child with the Princess of Ponies many millennia ago.”
“But I’m not even twenty years old!” Spike practically yelled, feeling the heat in his chest rise up.
“You hatched not even twenty years ago. Your egg is many millennia old. Your egg laid unhatched for so long only because your grandfather attempted to have you killed.”
“Why would he do that?!” Spike practically yelled, feeling his chest contract in frustration.
“That’s simple. He was told of an old prophecy, one that said his own grandson would slay him, so he had you stolen from your mother and she banished. Eventually, she found you but was unable to hatch you for many years due to the Divine Magic embewed within you.” Hercales explained, smirking. He took much pleasure in seeing the gears of Spike’s head slowly unravel.
“Holy shit,” Spike said, “this is insane.”
“Stories involving Zeus usually are,” Hercales responded. “Anyway. Zeus has shown an interest in meeting you. I believe you know where he is.”
Again, Spike knew that Hercales was right. As he learned of his parentage from his half-brother, Spike felt a swelling deep within him. Eventually, he was able to decipher it. It was a map, a map visualized in his head. He supposed it was a map to his father. Did he really want to do this? Confront his birth father? He supposed it was time to find out. Before that, though, he resolved to speak to Starlight and Twilight.
