Spike has grown as an outcast in dragon society with one exception but he is now leaving the safety of his home for the mystery of the world he had been denied.
Spike was always different from other dragons. Sure, he still had many of the standard abilities of a dragon (such as flame breath and really tough scales), but he also liked reading more than other dragons did and didn't enjoy many of the same activities that gave other dragons pleasure. He was also adept in the field of alchemy. His only friend growing up was the Dragon Lord's daughter Ember.
Now, however, he has a chance to find out WHY he is different from other dragons, even if it means saying goodbye to his only friend. However, if he isn't like any other dragon, then what is he like?
Is there another out in the world like him or is he truly alone?
If he isn't alone, then where will this new path take him?
Many adventures with new friends and dangerous new enemies will give him the chance to find out, for better or for worse.
The only way to see where he will end up is to keep moving forward and never look back.
A thunderous horn sounded across the Dragon Lands as if the dragons needed another alert that announced that they should all be preparing to leave for their migration as it was only a week away. While most were finishing with their packing and hoarding away their treasures, one was flying above everyone with a roll of her crimson eyes. The young princess Ember scanned her home for any sight of a purple dot but none were around.
“Dammit Spike, I told him a hundred times to not do this again!” She landed and made sure she was not seen as she snuck away from everyone. Eventually, she arrived at the surrounding cliffs and one ended at the corpse of a long-dead volcano. In a single punch, she smashed her way into the volcano and was met by a large mass of dark smoke which caused her to go into a coughing fit. She pushed her way into the hole she created and looked around at the sight that would have awed any other dragon. Inside the volcano was a wide open cavity which someone had modified into a lab of sorts with gold covering the whole interior. Beakers and test tubes were everywhere and each one seemed to hold plenty of different kinds of substances, only way Ember could tell that were by all the different colors. With the sun shining in and illuminating all of the substances a more feminine creature might even have been frozen in awe at the beauty.
Ember wasn’t most females and she ignored the colorful light show as she walked up a nearby staircase and was suddenly assaulted by the scent of molten metals and something she called Spima or Spike Magic. While dragons were ancient magical beings and were resistant to most magic, they had no real magic in themselves but Spike was a strange case. While he was no spell caster, he found solace in the dozens of books he had managed to find or get from Ember herself, and he used his knowledge of sciences to create inventions that could rival magic. The stairs ended at a small round room where a small purple and green dragon wearing a mask was pouring liquids into a large cauldron. “Hey small pike.” Spike jumped at voice and the beaker he was holding flew high into the air, Ember expertly jumped and rolled, grabbing it before it could land in the cauldron.
“Nice catch Em! I was afraid for a sec there, too much of that stuff and we could have ex-” Spike looked at the now empty beaker in his best friend’s hand and could only manage a small deadpan stare. “Oh screw me…” The liquid inside the cauldron changed from a soft green to a blood red before a small explosion rocked the volcano. The two dragons left the room and entered the lab section again while cleaning off the remains of Spike’s potion. “Okay so that one was a bust but hey who knows? Maybe next time we can get it right.” Spike said while walking to a nearby wall and cut a line into it, one that matched the hundreds already marked.
“Nice to see you are in such a chipper mood today, especially since you haven’t gotten anything packed.” Spike took his mask off and wiped his face before tilting his head towards his aqua (or is she more of a sky blue?) colored companion.
“What did I miss something again? You know I don’t care much for festivals and all those boring dragon meetings your father loves so much.”
“I don’t like those either but it wouldn’t kill you to show him a bit more respect, after all, it was him who agreed to take you back into our herd after you were hatched…”
“By a non-dragon. I know, kind of hard not too when all the other dragons call you unnatural when they think you aren’t listening.”
“I never have and you have to be a bit honest with yourself, does all this seems natural to you?” Ember gestures around at the lab before giving a smirk at the younger dragon. Spike couldn’t help but smile and tossed a sapphire at the girl as he sucked on one of his own. She gracefully snatched it out of the sky and chewed happily. “Mmm, you really know how to make sapphires down to a T.”
“Yeah but the emeralds always taste like they are missing something. So what brings you to our super secret place today?”
“Your secret place, I just helped make it.” Ember knew deep down that the place was equally theirs and she did spend a lot of time there whenever she wanted to see her… a familiar problem entered her mind as it did the first time she took an interest in the strange newcomer. She knew of the rumors about him but never took to rumors much as they all made him sound impressive or dangerous but the baby dragon only ever came off as one thing to the princess. A colossal nerd. She would later learn how true her guess had been and that she wanted to get to know him. The first friendly act the two participated in was making the lab and once it was done, Spike called her his first friend while Ember replied that she didn’t do friends and instead was his companion. However, looking back over the years she found that she had come to care about the dragon as the brother she never had. He was always there to help her when she was down and in return, she defended him wherever she could.
“Em! Ember!” Spike snapped in front of her face and brought her out of her trip down memory lane.
“Huh? What?”
“You spaced out on me, now I know my jewels are good but that good?”
“Don’t kid yourself Pike, I was just thinking. Oh right! I came to remind you about the migration, that thing we do at the same time every year but you still manage to forget it.”
“Oh, the migration…” Spike sighed and walked out of the lab into the sunshine and took a seat on the cliff side. Ember joined him and laid a hand on his shoulder, she knew that this time of year would always hurt him. “No wings again this year and I still haven’t proven to the other dragons that I deserve to be here… even when I offer my inventions, they treat me like trash and like I’m some kind of… of… I don’t even know…” Spike held his head in his claws and sighed while remembering the time he offered his homemade jewels as a tribute to the dragon lord and he ordered they all be destroyed or the time that he offered to make an elixir that would be able to reinforce a dragon’s scales by tenfold. Everytime he was met by scorn and distrust only pushed him to make something better but in the end there were times he wanted just one chance.
“I know that it’s not easy when we all leave you here, if I could I would stay in a heartbeat but my father would never let me.”
“I know and thank you but that’s not the only thing… I want to see Equestria! I read all our ancient texts about the other races and all the sites olden dragons helped create! I only want… a chance to really live…”
Ember allowed one arm to hug the younger and he hugged her back tightly. She thought back a few weeks ago to when they had been talking after another failed potion and sharing different stories when suddenly the ground began to shake and they looked to see a blinding white flash beyond their territory. The shaking soon enough stopped as fast as it started but when she was willing to chalk it to some freaky random occurrence, the spark that lit in Spike was something she had never seen. The feeling that Spike felt was unknown to himself as when he saw that light it was through a forgotten friend had just shown themselves again for the first time in years. The flash had renovated the fire in his soul and he stood tall (or rather tall as he could because come on it is still Spike) with a vigor and determination that Ember had never seen, declaring to himself and Ember that he would find what caused that light.
“Spike… do you trust me?”
“More than anyone.”
“Okay then, I want to help you then with this chance of yours.”
“W-what!? Do you mean it?! Wait I don’t understand? How are we gonna do this? I mean you have to go and I still can’t fly.”
“I remember you were once telling me of these fake wings that you were using as a model for that wing armor you wanted to make. That model with some work might be able to work as temporary wings and you could go see the world before coming back. I'm sure you with that big brain of yours can figure something out.”
Spike almost couldn’t believe that the princess still remembered that failed invention, it was one of the first he had ever told her about and now that he started thinking more about it. There was a small chance that a few modifications might be able to turn them into real wings. His emerald eyes shined with a few tears before he wiped them away and nodded with the two shaking claws before setting out on their new job. Spike dug through the basement of inventions he had before finding the model and examined it thoroughly before spending an entire day coming up with new designs. The next day, they started on making every new design and then testing day began. It started promising but the descent was too quick and the next one was too light that he didn’t even glide any. The day was spent jumping off the cliff and Ember being there to catch him every time. Once that was done and they decided on the best design to go with, Spike modified the design to perfection. The last thing they did was paint and decorate the new wings before Spike took them for a test.
After steeling his nerves and praying to anything that could hear him, he took a leap off the cliff and aimed downwards before just hitting the ground he bent his back straight and expanded the wings, the burst of wind taking him back up and on equal evaluation to Ember. Spike nervously opened his eyes and a chuckle escaped him as he was amazed that not only was still alive but was flying! His wings worked, no his dream had taken its first steps to becoming real. A tear ran down his scales as he farther past their boundaries than ever before and he could see lakes, colorful dots in the distance moving, There was even what looked like a castle! He wanted to go and see it for himself but he was turned by Ember and he landed back at the lab.
“I-I DID IT!! I finally flew with you!” He tackled the princess in a hug and the two laughed and cheered before taking a nap there on the ground together. The last day was spent preparing for their respective journeys and Spike had made one last thing for his best friend. As she was gearing up to leave he smiled and tapped her shoulder. “Hey didn’t think you would get away without a hug or at least not without this.”
“Hmm? You didn’t have t-too…” She was caught off guard as Spike handed her a large wing made of a light blue crystal, she took it delicately into her claws and held it close to her chest. Spike flashed it’s twin that he kept and the two stared at each other, saying goodbye for them were always too hard so they never said it but this time they both had chances of not seeing the other if something managed to go wrong. Ember ignored the stares as she kneed down and smiled pulling the purple dragon into a tight hug and whispering softly, almost to herself. “Thank you, Spike… for everything. For giving me a friend and… a brother. I hope you find what you’re looking for out there but never forget that no matter what you have a home here too.
Spike hugged Ember back and nodded. “Even if this is our end I’ll remember you forever and in my heart, we will always be together. We will always be the best of friends. Ember, it's thanks to you that I have my chance to finally find who I really am.”
Ember wiped her eyes and let out a small chuckle. “I could tell you that, you’re nothing but a lovable nerd. Don’t ever change Small Pike”
“You neither Em…” Spike freely let his tears fall and waved until Ember was nothing but a speck in the distance. “I’ll make you proud of me…” With those last words, Spike wiped his eyes and left to the rundown shack that he called home. After getting his supplies he handed back to the lab and prepared to leave, sparing time to glance back at his city and couldn’t help giving it one last salute before looking up at the full moon. “Onward and upward… so where will you be leading me tonight?” He jumped off the cliff in the direction of the moon and raised his head a bit to let the gentle night breeze tickle his nose. His heart was set and he would be ready for anything that came his way. He passed the dragon’s boundary and entered a bigger world, decided he would head to the castle he had seen before first.
“Okay world, it’s time you met Spike the Dragon Alchemist!”
This was not what Spike expected the outside world to be like, it was a lot more sticky and spidery. He was caught off guard by just how far that castle city really was and after a night of flying he had only gotten a bit closer. He found it difficult to get back into the air after he landed the first time. So he reserved himself to walking the rest of the way, after all, he did come out to see the world and all that were in it. The forest was a strange place that had weird bugs, wide open lakes, soft lively green grass, vibrant colorful plants, and new smells in every direction. Spike had come to start collecting every plant, animal, and fish that he didn’t recognize and sketching a picture of them in a journey he had brought and started writing in. He wanted to keep a record of whatever he found so he could show Ember his journey’s fruits when he got back home.
He was sketching a flower he recognized as a rose when he heard the sound of fluttering wings above him. He looked up to see an eagle had gotten its wing tangled in a very fine thin string-like substance. “Oh you poor little thing, I guess I can help you out real quick.” He looked around and clawed his way up a nearby tree before running off a branch and gliding over to the web, getting caught himself. He removed his wings and crawled over to the panicking bird. “Hey relax! I’m not trying to hurt ya, I just need a second to cut you out of this.” He stretched a claw and began to cut the web away from the wing as the bird freaked out worse. “I said that I was helping you! What got you so- Oh no…”
A bit of drool made a trail down the dragon’s head and he slowly looked up to find an enormous black spider with eight crimson eyes looking back at him. Spike nervously smiled as he cut the last string holding the eagle and screamed as the spider screeched at it’s lost lunch and attacked the baby dragon. Spike tried to jump off the web but found it to be too strong so he just climbed higher, barely dodging a bite from the monster. Rolling away from a lunge at his throat, he crawled towards his discarded wings and bag but felt a web wrap around his tail and started pulling him back. “No no no! Let me go!” He blew fire at the web around his tail and the spider screeched at the pain, only getting angrier. Spike nearly cursed when he saw his fire had set the main web on fire and the flames were heading to his stuff.
He started cutting the web as a whole, everywhere his little claws could reach, before he fell and hit the ground hard on his tail. He grabbed his throbbing tail and held it against his chest before his bag and wings fell right on top of him. “Ouch… well, that was my good deed for the day so I’m getting out of- OH GIVE ME A BREAK!” He groaned loudly as he looked up and found the spider had gotten trapped in its own webbing after he had scared it and the fire was getting closer. He wanted to just leave and forget about the creature, a normal dragon just might have, but Spike wasn’t normal and there was something in those eyes that he found familiar. It was a fear that any creature could understand and one they would all face one day.
He pulled at the his ears in a stressed fashion before he grabbed the bits of webbing still intact and started to quickly climb through the flames. He thanked whatever being there was out there for dragons being fireproof before he got to the spider and slicing the web from under its body. The spider fell and Spike cheered before he cut the web from under himself and fell again, landing on his side. Opening his eyes he found the spider over him and he only reached out a claw. “I helped you…”
The spider blinked before it leaned down and used its mouth to help him up, bowing its head in thanks. “Don’t mention it, I’m sorry for the mess I made of your web... is there I can help you?” The spider nodded and led the baby dragon up a towering old oak tree, where he found several baby spiders all looking at their mother expectantly. “I see… you were just trying to feed your babies… hmm well, I’m not much of a hunting dragon. Oh, wait! Do you like fish?” The spider mama looked at her babies before shrugging with two of its legs. “I’ll take that as an okay! I’ll go catch a few and bring them right back. Umm, here play with this for now.” Spike dug into his bag and pulled out a crystal he had made that shined several different colors and using the glass of one of his spare mask eyelids, he used the sun to make the crystal glow in front of the babies and they all just stared at the sight. He started walking but was grabbed by the mama who put him on her back and the two rushed off.
They arrived at the lake and Spike started to make a fishing rod but smacked his head as he had no bait and catching them normally would take too long. ‘No no no come on I just need something safe that would at least make them easier to catch… he was a darn alchemist! Making solutions was his whole job!’ He rubbed at his scales in thought and his eyes popped open, quickly digging in his bag he pulled out a green potion. “Just one more thing.” He plucked a few of his scales that were coming loose and dropped them into the potion, turning it a deep purple. He added a bit to the lake and slowly a handful of shining lights appeared then two and there were shines everywhere. “Yes! Okay, Mama Legs, aim your webs at the shining lights and you’ll get the fish!” The spider nodded in understanding and was able to catch a fair amount while using the light as targets. Spike felt a bit bad for the fish as he ended it quick for them but he knew now that he shouldn’t get too much in the way of nature.
“The lights will vanish by tonight but you have enough until you can remake that web. Let's get back to your babies.” He packed the fish on her back and the two quickly made their way back to the oak with Spike writing down what he had done. He explained that the potion he used was made as a substitute for glue that would only stick to whatever substance was put into it but the potion had failed and only managed to make the substance glow. When he put his scale into the potion and into the lake the potion ignored the water around it and stuck itself to the scales of the fish as their scales weren’t too different from dragons.
Once they arrived, Spike couldn’t help but the soft chuckled that escaped him as the spiders were dancing around the crystal and ran over to their mother hungrily. They ate the fish and he aimed to take the crystal but saw the sadness in the babies’ eyes so he sighed dramatically and smiled. “Oh darn, looks like I have no room in my bag so I guess the crystal will have to stay.” The spiders happily jumped on the dragon as he laughed and after patting the head of each one and shaking the leg of the mother who gave him a small ring of webbing. He looked over the gift and put it on before he climbed down the tree and started off again. Pulling out his journal he began to write on a blank page.
“Hey Em, well I managed to waste almost a whole day well no. I think I may have learned something about the world. Nature is a force that we shouldn’t mess with too much. While what we do could be considered right, there is always another viewpoint that we may never see. Also maybe just because something doesn’t do what you wanted it to that doesn’t mean that it can’t find uses in new and strange ways.”
Spike sketched the gift he had been given and closed the journal before starting to munch on a jewel. That night he slept in a tree and gazed up at the starry night sky. It was if the stars themselves were dozens of jewels and night was their sun, causing each one to stand out with its own sparkle. He smiled as the soft sounds of the forest gently soothed the dragon into rest.
. . .
The next morning, Spike turned a bit to escape the sun that tried to threaten to take him from his dreams. A homemade gem shook loose from the young dragon’s bag and fell to the ground, landing with a small thump. The strange scent of the gem drawing the noses of a certain trio. A while later, Spike finally woke and stretched before scratching his stomach and climbing down. The shine reflecting off the gem on the ground drew his attention and he dusted it off with a smile.
“Hello breakfast, I should be careful to not lose too many of these. Who knows when I will have the ingredients to make more?” Spike ate the gemstone and started off on his path to the castle, missing the three sets of eyes that watched him from the nearby bushes.
“Hey Rover! Did you see that? That little dragon took the gemstone!”
“Of course I saw that we were all looking at him at the same time but I suppose you missed what the little guy said.”
“Said? I was a bit distracted by the scent of that stone.”
“Because it isn’t a normal stone, he created it. I say that we give this little newcomer a proper introduction to our side of the woods, Diamond Dog style…”
Spike wiped his forehead as he finally arrived in a clearing where dozens of flowers gently moved in the breeze. He awed at the sight of them all before looking up and seeing that the castle was only a day away at most or maybe a rock climb could fix that time gap. “Guess all times that Garble chased me up the cliffs is finally gonna have some practical use, go figure.”
“Now what do we have fellas? A fire-breathing ferocious dragon I do believe. And it looks like he’s on his way up to Canterlot the poor child.” Rover, the obvious leader of the group, walked near Spike and leaned against the rock wall. “A climb like this might be hard if ya hungry or tired any. Not too mention that Canterlot isn’t that open to well someone like you.”
Spike examined the three before him, the air around them reminding him of Garble and his thug friends. Something was off about the three and they had some gems on and in their clothes that he could smell. Spike took a step away from them as the three backed him to the rock wall. “Who are you guys and trust me, I’m not tired or hungry. Why wouldn’t that city wanna see me?”
It was the smallest of the three that spoke this time. “Oh I bet dragon boy, I saw you eat that gem earlier. How lucky you were to find it.”
“Yeah you can say that gems and I are pretty connected now are you gonna answer my questions for once?”
The last of the three tapped his chin in thought. “Well I’m Fido, the little guy is Spot, and the big boss over there is Rover. We are the Diamond Dogs.”
‘Really creative name there fellas’ Spot and Fido began to argue about that little comment while Rover tried to get them to refocus. ‘So this group of clowns has been watching me and I guess they heard I can make gemstones, okay then I learned enough.’ Spike shoved a hand in his bag and smashed a black sphere at his feet, a cloud of black smoke covering the group.
“You idiots! Focus on that dragon and we’ll never have to work for gems again! Where is he?!” Rover shouted as they got out of the cloud and looked around.
“Rover! Up there!” Fido shouted and pointed at Spike as he was climbing the rock wall.
“What are you two waiting for? After him!” The Diamond Dogs all started climbing after Spike while he looked down at them and tried to climb faster. “Climb as fast as you can little dragon because once we catch you, you’ll wish that you never started!”
“Leave me alone, you are not getting me or my gems Diamond Dorks!” Spike grabbed another potion and dropped it right on Fido’s head, making him fall as he wiped his eyes. Spike blew fireballs at Spot as the dog managed to twist and spin his way around the flames. Spot slammed his large fists into the wall, causing some to crack and break above them and for Spike to lose his grip. He lands on Spot’s head and pulls at his eyelids before looking up and jumping to the side, leaving Spot to be hit by the falling rock and sent back to the ground. “HA! That’s two down!”
“But I’m the one to beat brat!” Rover grabbed Spike by the throat and began to choke the dragon. “You think the ponies around here would accept a dragon? They hate your kind more than they hate mine, maybe ending you would be a merciful action. Too bad for you I don’t do mercy much.”
Spike coughed and glared at the dog. “H-how bad is your sight? Because it’s about to get way worse!” Spike breathed in through his nose and blew as much fire as he could manage while being choked. Rover let go and yelled as he rubbed his face and Spike quickly began to climb up the wall again. As he neared the ledge he found some stallions were pulling a strange machine behind them that had multiple carts. He finally got to the top as his tail was grabbed by Rover and his two lackeys close behind him.
“You are not getting away from us!!” Spike growled and bit the hand before jumping onto the train. He climbed on top of it before spitting and rubbing his tongue. “Eww, that was foul.” He turned as he heard thumps and could only rub his head as the three had managed to get on the train. “Will you three just give up!”
“Dogs aren’t known for giving up brat, it’s the end of the line!” Spike looked around and sighed as he came up with a plan, grabbing his wings and throwing them like frisbees. The two wings knocked out Spot and Fido before they fell off the train and down the cliff. “Enough! I’m doing playing games with you!” Rover and Spike rushed each other and swiped at each other with their claws, Rover dodging Spike’s attack and kicking the dragon in the stomach. Spike groaned and stood as Rover jabbed at him and only managed to cut his cheek. As a drop of blood slid down Spike’s face, Rover raised his claws and Spike closed his eyes waiting for pain only to hear a voice.
“THAT IS ENOUGH! FREEZE!” Spike opened his eyes as Rover was looking up in shock and growled before he let Spike go and stepped back. Spike stood slowly and found the train had stopped and was completely surrounded by stallions in armor. He watched as the Diamond Dogs were arrested and taken away by the captain of the guard. A white stallion with a blue mane and tail. As Rover was taken away he glared at Spike and struggled against his bindings.
“We’ll get out of this brat and when we do, I’m coming for you and no one will be able to keep you safe!” Spike glared back and sighed before kneeling and taking a moment to relax his sore body.
“Hey little guy, I don’t know who you are but I think you should come with me. I have a few questions and I’m sure the princesses will have some of their own.” The speaker was the captain as he walked to Spike and wiped the blood off his face. He took off his armor and smiled. “I am Shining Armor, welcome to Canterlot kid.”
Canterlot. Just the name of the city sounded foreign and interesting to the young dragon. While he excitedly wanted to rocket up the stairs to the city, Spike was content with telling Shining Armor about his journey there and about his run-in with the criminals he knew as the Diamond Dogs. Shining Armor explained that they had been stealing gemstones from tourists that were trying to get to Canterlot and just plainly being a pain to the guard.
“Well you did manage to at least get them to the gates and even beat two by yourself, I heard the stories of dragons being tough but didn’t expect one so small to be so capable.” Spike rubbed his neck and shook his head at the compliment.
“I don’t know about capable, I just happen to be lucky and had a lot of tricks in my sleeve.” Shining rolled his eyes with a small smile gracing his lips.
“Oh great, another person who can’t accept a compliment. You and my sister may have more in common than I thought, maybe she was a dragon in disguise this whole time.” Spike opened his mouth to question him on his sister, wondering on what exactly he meant but was silenced as they reached the city. The pearl-white ground was flawless and had grooves here and there that let rushing water escape the city. Apart from the sight of gold and white, numerous ivory towers with golden spires were scattered around. A barrage of different smells and colors that Spike had never seen together all overloaded his senses. Shining looked at the young dragon and smiled kindly while letting a chuckle out. “Well, I guess you may want a short tour before heading to the palace. I have to admit that even to someone like me who has lived here my whole life, the beauty never gets old.”
Spike’s attention and mind were ripped away as he noticed the ponies nearby, waving a bit at them they all scattered. He pulled his hand back and Rover’s words returned to haunt the dragon. “You think the ponies around here would accept a dragon? They hate your kind more than they hate mine.” As Shining began to explain some knowledge he knew of the city’s history, Spike hid behind the captain and hugged one of his hind legs.
“Umm… you okay there dragon boy?” Shining looked around and noticed that several ponies were whispering things and pointing towards him. He shook his head at the actions and used his magic to lift the dragon and put him on his back. “I get it kid, while we like to call Canterlot a town that accepts everyone it isn’t too often that we have to put that to the test. Most of these nobles have no backbone so a dragon, even a baby one, walking through town will gain a few rumors and stares. I say you ignore them, it’s what I do. Ow! Okay, when you ride a pony you grab their mane, not their neck.” Spike smiled sheepishly as he removed his claws from Shining’s neck and just grabbed the mane. It was silky and soft between his fingers.
“T-thanks captain… you are the first pony I ever met really so this is all really different to me.”
“I’m captain to those who serve under me, just call me Shining.”
“Okay Shining, call me Spike.” The two shared a smile and Spike pulled out his journal, writing down the bits of knowledge that Shining would say and sketching the buildings that he found unique. The first one they came upon that looked different was one where filly unicorns were coming in and out. “Hey Shining, what’s that place?”
“That is Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, it’s where the most promising magic users of the next generation go to learn from the princess herself. My sister was the prize student of her entire class but I think that she kind of gave up her fillihood for the title. At least now she is making up for that lost time but yeah I always thought the place could use a bit more excitement.” Spike wondered if he was letting his own youth escape him, most would find spending all your time mostly alone in a cave to be a waste.
“So who is this Princess Celestia you keep mentioning?” Shining blinked in confusion as he stared at the dragon.
“W-who is… they don’t tell you about her over in the Dragon Lands? She is our benevolent ruler and the one who raises the sun every morning. A pony of extreme power and wisdom, she is our protector and greatest offense against any foe. Up until recently she also had control over the moon but thanks to some certain ponies her sister Luna has rejoined her in peace.”
“D-do you think they’ll mind having a dragon like me in their presence?”
“About as much as I do which I don’t so that’s a no. Trust me, Spike, if you could only trust one pony in this city then always go with the princesses.” They soon approached another building which Spike excitedly pointed to once he recognized the smell of paper and old scrolls. “That is the library or you can say it was my sister’s home, she spent all her time there and would have lived there if the staff didn’t force her out. You’re book junkie?”
‘Well not really a junkie but I really like finding out new things and dragons don’t have many uses for books so I read all I could. They are what helped me with my alchemy.”
“Oh right, the science magic you mentioned before.”
“It’s not really magic but yes. So I seem to like all the places your sister used to take a liking to, why not show me where you used to hang out and I’ll see if you have any taste as she does.” Spike teased the stallion as Shining laughed at the challenge and gave it just a moment of thought.
“Oh, you wanna see where the best magic in all the universe is made? That is where I used to hang out.” Spike felt his excitement grow as they galloped off and after a few minutes they arrived at a small shop. “Welcome to where the magic is made.” Spike jumped off the stallion and tilted his head at the sign above the door and at the giant pink round thing.
“Joe’s Donut Shop? What is a donut and what makes them so magical?” Shining put an arm over Spike’s shoulders before he gave him a smile.
“I could tell you but I think it would work better to show you.” Spike only had to walk one step into the shop as the scents of what he guessed was magic and all that was good in this world all rolled up together assaulted his being. Shining nodded at the reaction as he had a very similar one when he was a colt but he would never admit that. He waved at Donut Joe and introduced him to the drooling dragon that was staring at the donuts behind the glass. Shining explained the situation of Spike not even know what donuts were so the kind stallion gave Spike a freebie. The dragon eagerly took a bite of the donut before inhaling the rest of it. “Well, I guess the stories of a dragon’s appetite weren’t exaggerated huh Joe?”
“No siree Shinin, but all the donuts the boy eats are coming out of your pocket heh.”
“Very funny but sure why not? I get paid a royal salary as captain of the guard anyway. How much could he eat?” An hour later, the two left with Spike licking his claws and Shining nearly brought to tears by the bill. “W-where did he put it all?!”
“Hey Shining? What is that place? It smells old.” They were in front of a place that Shining actually enjoyed a lot; the Canterlot Ancients Museum.
“Oh, this is the museum where Princess Celestia had donated a lot of artifacts that she had collected over the years. I personally enjoy the war section that shows old weapons and strategies the ponies of the past came up with to win amazing fights.”
“Is it all pony history? Do you think that place could show me how to be a guard like you?”
“Well most of it is but I did see an armor set that seemed to match the body of a dragon, it was said Celestia made it for the loyal dragon that stayed in Canterlot and protected it when all the others left to the Dragon Lands. He was said to have died in battle but his armor was magically reinforced so pony magic would have no effect on the wearer. As for fighting like me, I think you are missing a point. You aren’t me kid, you have abilities that I don’t and I have some you don’t. You need to fight like Spike.”
“Is there any truth to that and what if I’m not enough?” Shining shrugged but rubbed the top of Spike’s head.
“I never really thought so but seeing you here and how you seem to be a pretty good guy makes me want to believe in the old story. All you need to do is have a bit of trust in yourself and when the time comes you’ll know what to do. Come on kid we still have a whole city to see before I take you up to Canterlot Castle.” With that, the two proceeded to wreak peaceful havoc across the city. For Spike, it was as if one of his childhood wishes was finally coming true. He loved Ember like she was his sister but he wouldn’t have minded a bit of male companionship and with Shining he felt like he finally had the brother he always wanted. Shining was feeling a lot of the same but different at the same time. He loved Twilight, more than anything else in the world, but she was always so different from him and while he wanted to spend time with her, in the end, he would choose to walk away and leave her to her studies.
This time, however, he would make good on his job as a sibling and help this dragon. Maybe it was because of the strange connection he felt to him, deep down he felt as though he was with a young Twilight again. He took the young dragon to the Opera House where they were thrown out after laughing loud at one of the olden lines. Spike made the mistake of looking into the windows of the local dance studio and when Shining looked in also the mares inside yelled at him being a pervert and the two ran away as fast as they could.
They found themselves hiding and a dark store as the stampede of mare ran past, both males let out a loud sighed as they leaned against the door. Spike was the first to break the silence.
“Never thought being chased by girls would be a bad thing.”
“Well, I had this happen to me before and let me tell you it can be a workout. Of course, you may never experience it again without me there heh.”
“Oh ho ho is the loyal and chivalrous Shining Armor secretly a lady killer? This is something I have to see.” The two laughed at the teasing until a creaking sound from nearby made them jump. Shining made his horn glow as Spike pulled out one of his spheres and prepared to throw it. “C-come out!”
“Show yourself!”
“How rude, treating a woman like a criminal in her own store.” The voice belonged to an orange, anthropomorphic feline who was dressed in a red dress that had black trimmings. The coat looked like some kind of fur, which made Spike and Shining share a look. She had ten rings, one for each finger, that seemed to glow a different color. The strangest thing that stood out to Spike were those rings, an aura of evil surrounded them and the cat’s eyes examined her guests as if they were prey. “So what brings the captain of the royal guard and… a young dragon running into my company? I would guess from those looks that you don’t know who I am.”
“I been all around Canterlot for my whole life and never seen you before, who are you?” While Spike put his potion away, Shining kept his horn glowing but it only seemed to amuse the cat lady.
“I am new to town in a sense, call me Katrina~ I own the Curio Shop that you are standing in now. It is full of the trinkets and relics I had collected over my many travels. Now my dear stallion, I do believe that you are late for a certain engagement.”
“I don’t know what you-” Shining was caught off guard as the nearby clocktower began to ding and he grabbed Spike as they were already meant to have arrived at the castle. He burst through the door and galloped all the way up to the castle. ‘How did she know?! I need to check this out on my own, if she is dangerous I’ll take my concerns to the Princesses.’ Katrina smirked as she twisted one of her rings as it glowed. “Heh I’ll see you soon enough my dear stallion and then I’ll finally get what I deserve!”
. . .
“Change. It is a constant in life and I wondered if I would ever be strong enough to meet that constant but right here, right now, I think I am choosing something else. I can sense at this moment as I lay on this bed and the sunsets that there will be challenges coming where I will not be enough. Maybe the day comings where I don’t get to see the sunrise but until that day I want to-” Spike was cut off from his writing from a weird sound outside his door. He and Shining had arrived at the castle just in time but found that there was an accident at a nearby town that called the Princess Celestia’s immediate attention and Princess Luna was resting for the night when here she would lift the moon. Spike didn’t even get a glance at her before they were pushed out of the throne room by the crowd that was all trying to talk to the princess. Shining questioned what he should do before he took Spike to one of the old towers inside the city.
“This is my sister’s old hangout that the princess gave her. She doesn’t use it anymore and I haven’t had the time to clean it but if you don’t mind the mess you can use it for now. The tower was indeed dirty with books scattered everywhere and cobwebs in every corner of the room but Spike smiled as the place felt like home. “I think I can make something of this place. Thanks, Shining.”
“No problem Spike now I have some business before taking up guard duty again so try to not work too hard on this place, you’d need to be a miracle worker to have it clean.” Naturally, Spike had cleaned it in two hours. He picked up every book and arranged them correctly before he pulled out some small blue pellets that he had made, as he crushed them they created a blue smoke cloud and after blowing a bit of fire, the smoke seeped into the ground and made it glossy and sparkle. He decided to leave the cobwebs as he felt there was no need to destroy them.
As Spike walked to the door he stopped and noticed that a red gas was seeping into the room by the crack at the bottom of the tower door. He kneed and examined the gas before deciding that if it was of any danger to him it would have done its damage already. Judging by the color and how thick it seemed to be, he concluded that it was from a potion of sorts not unlike those he had created. He ignored the knocking as he didn’t know what the gas had done to the ponies and how far the gas reach had gotten.
He glanced out the window on the second floor and thankfully all the ponies below were fine but the red gas had seemingly overtaken the entire city. Spike opened the window as a figure flew from the castle to the center of town, it was… what exactly Spike didn’t know. It was a pony of some sort but he knew from Shining that there were three main types, Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasus. This creature had elements of all three and a long flowing mane that resembled black flames. Her eyes were black with white slits for pupils but the rest of her face was covered by a strange mask. She looked over the city before creating a sphere of magic above her for the whole city to see, after a moment the sphere flickered and a face appeared.
“Hello, ponies! I see you all have enjoyed a whiff of my sweet concoction! How nice to see happy customers but it has come to my attention that there are two in Canterlot who have yet to enjoy the new sensation. As your new queen, I want every pony hunting for the dragon and Princess Luna who seemed to have escaped her room. Oh, and before anyone gets any fancy ideas, Celestia darling~” The alicorn screamed as the mask sent shocks to her brain and her horn glowed, gathering all the gas in the city and surrounding the city in a vortex of smoke. Keeping any pony out and every being in. Katrina began to laugh as crimson lightning sparked in the vortex and the sky turned a bloody red. Spike could only look on and grit his teeth in anger as the wind blew violently around him and he glared at the image of the cat woman.
'NO! I need to go get someone who can help!’ Those kinds of thoughts were all that kept Spike going as he slammed himself into the vortex of clouds again only to be shocked and sent flying onto his back. He groaned and held himself in pain before forcing himself back to his feet. ‘Okay Spike focus! You are stuck in a city with crazy ponies who want you dead but you aren’t alone. There is another princess that is said to be hiding somewhere, find her and come up with a plan to stop Katrina.
Spike relaxed at the thought of a plan and looked at Canterlot Castle if he wanted to find the princess he had no doubt that she would be in there but he would need to get through the city without being seen. He scaled a nearby building and snuck over the heads of the ponies before he unlocked the tower door and went back in for his stuff. He looked around the old tower and made a mental note to apologize to Shining’s sister for the mess he was about to make in her old home. He needed to make some potions that could get him out of sticky situations if it came to it. Quickly skimming through any book that seemed like it could help him, he began to use what he had to create three potions with enough to fill three spheres each. He slipped his bag on and spared a moment to look in the nearby mirror, flexing a bit and smiling.
“Okay Spike, you nine potions to get through town, sneak past the royal guards, find the princess, find Katrina, and then save Canterlot. Totally standard Wednesday.” He chuckled at his image before taking a deep breath and climbing out the window, heading off towards the castle. Very quickly, he found that underestimating the ponies would only become a problem as a pegasus flew at him in a tackle. His bag flew off and hung off the roof as Spike punched at the pegasus’s head and face, trying to be as silent as possible and not using his claws as to not harm the pony. “This isn’t you! Try to think!” In response, the pegasus slammed him hard into the roof and tried to stomp on him with its forelegs. Spike yelped and rolled backward, jumping and kicking the pegasus in the face and off the roof before he rushed to check on it. It was dazed but still okay so he grabbed his bag and started to run.
Eventually, the young dragon had to jump down from the roofs as more and more pegasi were patrolling the skies as he neared the castle. He found that there would be no way to get through the gate without being caught and looked around before he thought back to Shining’s tour and rushed to the museum. Inside there was only one pony who was put to sleep by the bored voice that explained how Wild Apple earned the nickname Granny Appleseed as she brought emergency food (all apple products) halfway across Equestria to the starving forces as they pushed the last of the Draconequus out of the kingdom and earned her cutie mark.
Spike passed the sleeping pony and shook his head. “Dragon or pony, I guess there are always those that will never want to learn but then again this exhibit is just about apples anyway so who cares?”
. . .
Somewhere on Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack jumped from her nap against an apple tree. She rubbed her face with her hooves as she talked to the tree. “Oh, imma sorry for scarin ya like that Bloomberg but I had a horrible nightmare of someone somewhere had insulted our family name! I should go find em and buck them in the- Holy applemole Bloomberg! Somethin is wrong at Canterlot! I have to go get the girls!”
. . .
Spike finally found what he was looking for, back in the war times, earth ponies needed ways to attack flying foes if there was no unicorns or pegasus around to help so they made giant catapults. He would apologize for stealing it later but as he pushed it out something else caught his eye and a smile grew across his face as he rubbed his hands together…
Spike fell as he finally managed to get the catapult pulled back all the way. He stood and jumped onto it, preparing himself to be launched. He reached behind him and pulled out a sword from its sheath, the blade of the dragon warrior Haku who helped save Equestria. Spike had taken the bronze gauntlets, leg guards, shoulder guards, belt, and green cape of the armor set with the rest being too large. The dragon knight took a deep breath before striking the catapult with his blade and being sent flying high into the air. Spike cheered and waved down at the pegasus and ponies below as he laughed and put his arms out, missing that a pegasus with blue hair ordered him to halt as they slammed into each other and both yelled as they smashed into the castle.
Spike groaned in pain and he rubbed his head, feeling something soft under him had broken the fall. He looked down to see a royal guard with blue hair and a blue shield cutie mark that had a lightning bolt through it was unconscious. He picked the pony up and dragged him over to the nearby bed, dropping him on it before grabbing the helmet that fell off him and examining the name engraved inside. “Yeeeah sorry about that umm… Flash? I’ll take this helmet for a bit but I’ll try not to get it ruined!”He slipped on the helmet before getting out of the room and carefully walking down the hallways which seemed to go on forever. “This will be impossible… you could spend a year hiding in this place and still never found somepony…” Spike sighed and started to check every room he could.
After half an hour of this method, he angrily slammed a door before rubbing his face in thought. ‘There has to be a better way of doing this… If I had magic maybe I could… oh, you big dummy!” Spike dug in his bag and found the second spare lens that he had brought, looking through it he examined the ground and found a bunch of traces of magic aura left behind when the unicorns must have past by but soon enough he found one that was larger and far stronger. This black aura must be the one that belonged to the princess. He smiled to himself before hearing a yell from behind him and he cursed before running.
The guard called others before pursuing the dragon while throwing spears and knives at him, with some bouncing off the armor and one sticking itself in the gauntlet as Spike blocked one. “Yikes this is getting too pointy for me and that is saying something!” He grabbed one of his potions and tossed it behind himself, it turns into smoke in the process but as the guards entered it Spike threw a vase at the smoke. The water in the vase spilled and the smoke immediately reacted to the water, becoming a thick paste that trapped the ponies. He skidded to a stop and walked back a bit, shaking a claw at the ponies and smirked. “Come on guys, anyone ever tell you all to never mess with an alchemist heh.”
Spike waved at them before turning and being met with a giant of a pony glaring down at him. “Uhh… what’s up? Well other than you of course. Not that you’re big or anything! Or that anything is wrong with being the size of a barn but you’re not fat just… yeah, I’m in trouble…” The stallion nodded and bucked the dragon hard in the stomach, making him dent and crack the wall. Spike coughed out a bit of blood in pain and held his stomach as he tried to get rid of the lights blurring his vision. He leaned up a bit and stood before he was grabbed by the cape the stallion pulled one of its forelegs back to hit his face but Spike smiled and dropped a different potion. “Sorry, but I can be a pretty slippery opponent heh.”
The sphere exploded and caused the ground to become twice as slippery than the slipperiest of ice with some kind of green slime. The stallion tripped and the two began to slide down the hall with Spike laughing and grabbing a passing chair and smashing over the stallion’s head. This still wasn’t enough as he attempted to kick the dragon again but he jumped onto the leg and delivering a solid punch between his eyes. Spike rubbed his knuckles as they pained and both of them crashed into another wall.
He rubbed over his body and froze as he didn’t find the lens and groaned as he must have dropped it during the chase. “NO! No no no! What am I supposed to do now?!” Spike shook his head and kicked the wall before hopping on one foot at the pain. He sighed and sat wondering if he really will be able to go through with his plan, hugging his knees he thought of Ember and how she would react if she saw him now.
“What are you doing down there? You are supposed to be my companion aren’t ya because I don’t remember befriending any weakling! Now get off your scaly butt and find that princess!” Spike smiled to himself before another daydream came to him, Shining Armor standing over him in his armor outfit.
“Spike! You giving up on me now bro? Look at you! You are dressed in armor fit for a hero and since I’m not there to take your shine you better be that hero. I’m counting on you, we all are.” “They’re right, I’m not giving up yet! Now to find that princess!” He raised a fist before looking down and finding a spider looking up at him, it’s eyes seeing the web ring on his hand before it tilted its head. “Hey little guy, I helped out of your own a while back. I was hoping maybe you could repay the debt? I need to find the princess that is still in the castle.” The spider nodded and began to lead the way with Spike following close behind. The castle was larger than Spike imagined with identical hall and rooms that stretched endlessly.
As they neared their destination, a noble opened his door to the sight of Spike. He threatened to report him to Queen Katrina for his hideous odor and unsightly appearance, which in turn made Spike light his mane on fire. He rolled his eyes as the noble ran back into his room complaining about savages. Spike finally arrived at a door that was different than the others, it seemed to be much more childishly designed with a cartoonish moon and sun drew on it. He raised a fist to knock but held back before pushing the door open and held his hands up as his eyes struggled to adjust to the pitch black room. “Princess? Are you in here? I am Spike, I was that dragon that Shining Armor had found and I helped lead to the capture of the Diamond Dogs. I know you may be wary of trusting but I need your help to take back Canterlot.”
The lights turned on and after a moment, they showed that the room he was in seemed to be some kind of nursery where toys were scattered and a crib was in the corner of the room. The walls were all covered in a vibrant arrange of colors and random pictures that the children must have done. “I can’t help you…” Spike jumped at the voice as it seemed to be from behind him, turning he was met by the sight of a young black pony who seemed to have a mane of stars and space.
“W-what!? What do you mean you can’t!? I need your help or Katrina will take the city and more of Equestria!” Luna stood and one of her wings seemed to have a deep gash in it.
“You want me to fight against my sister when I can barely fly?! I’ll be slaughtered and you would be next, we can’t do anything…” She sighed and leaned back against the wall, holding two old dolls against her chest. They seemed to be the oldest things in the room as the cloth they were made of were stained and the stitching was coming undone in some areas but it was clear what the dolls were dolls of, or rather of who. “My sister kept these dolls of us… I thought she would have had mine destroyed after what I did to her… but she never stopped loving me and now I can’t do anything for her when she is in pain and her city falls. I’m weak…”
Spike hear soft sobs come from the pony and he walked over to her, taking a seat next to her. “I’m no big hero… all I am is some dragon who wants to believe he is doing something that matters to somepony somewhere. I came on this big journey to find who I am but all I have done to find out who I’m not and maybe I can help you find who you aren’t. I know nothing about you but to have come in a place like this, I would say that you miss a part of yourself that vanished when the responsibilities of an adult fell on you too early. You may have made some childish mistakes, I know I have but with all the power you have I bet your mistakes had consequences that I can’t imagine.” Spike put a hand on the pony’s shoulder and sighed as he felt her tense up. “But I know that deep down you are also a kind pony who cares about her home and her family. You are holding that doll of your sister because you have always looked up to her and expected her to always be there to solve any problem but right now all we have is each other to count on.”
“And what if we fail? Who would be there is make a difference then?”
“No one… if we fail then it could be game over but something deep down tells me that there are others who are willing to fight. I can feel their strength, their hope is what pushes me forward. I won’t let Katrina have Canterlot, this place is the home to so many amazing things that I couldn’t ever imagine could be real. It doesn’t belong to anyone.”
“Driven by hope… the hope of others? You would trust the fate of the world to something so small and feeble?”
“I would.” Spike stared into the princess’s eyes with a fire in his eyes, determination so strong that Luna felt her own returning. She looked at the dolls in her hooves before standing tall and holding her head up high.
I thought that true strength would always come from within… maybe I do have some things left to learn Tia. If we only hide then I’ll only be a disgrace to my sister’s legacy. She is the sun, a shining beacon for all that is good, in her absence, I guess I’ll have to do!” Spike smiled and nodded.
“That’s much more like it! I think I have a plan forming. I may know where Katrina is hiding since she isn’t here at the castle, she would be protecting her potion to ensure I didn’t destroy it. If I went there first I would have been killed by Celestia but if you can distract her then I sneak down there. We do need to do something first. This may sting.” Spike pulled his second sphere that held the sticky potion and lightly cuts it open before putting some on Luna’s wing to close the wound, causing her to grit her teeth in pain.
“So are you ready for this?”
“No, my sister has beaten me in every fight we ever had and with her almost fully unbound like this… it’s scary.”
“Almost?”
“Yes, the gas is enough to weaken me and her I guess but we are made of way stronger stuff than everyone else so we can’t be mind controlled by the gas. That mask that shocks her is what is doing this to her and that form is evidence she is still fighting. That is not her form at max power but it is still deadly strong so… I’ll have to make a decision now.” Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she started the shadows in the room began to swirl around her. “Please, I need some space because I don’t want to hurt you… this is the only way this plan can work but Spike know that this is on a limited timer, whatever you are gonna do you have to be quick okay?” Spike nodded as the princess screamed and the shadows wrapped around her, pulling her down into them. He held out a hand as her eyes looked at him and the pupil dilated into a slit and the shadows were blasted off. The pony before him was different, one of pure darkness and a cruel aura coming off her in waves. She now seemed to have some kind of armor on.
“W-what is this Luna?”
“I am no longer that weakling, I am Nightmare Moon! Now, where is the princess?!” Spike pointed at the wall that would lead outside and the princess’s horn glowed before the wall exploded and she began to leave. He grabbed her tail as they flew out, seeing they were being pursued and guessing that Nightmare might seriously harm the ponies, he pulled out his last sticky bomb and dropped it on the group. They flew high into the air where Celestia was waiting for her sister. “Looks like you finally embraced what you are, nothing but a puppet!”
“You’re one to talk sister, are you here to make me stand down and revert back to who I was?” Nightmare Moon smirked with a chuckle.
“Oh no, I’m here to beat you down.” The two princesses began to glow with power as they blasted their respective energy at each other, the sun and moon beams mixing together before exploding and sending both parties flying into buildings. Spike looked up as Nightmare Moon jetted out of the building and tackled her sister, the two fighting with their powers and attempting to stab the other with their horns. For each attack that missed its target another part of the city would fall and Spike knew he had to stop this quick or lives would be lost.
He rushed out into the streets and ignored the crowd that soon started to chase him, throwing things and generally just blocking his way. He grabbed the second slip potion and covered the ponies in it before he realized something and grabbed the last slip potion before smashing it on his own feet. He smiled as he was sliding through the streets at an increased pace and was too quick and slimy that no pony could grab him. Above him the princesses were shooting beams at each other before Celestia yelled and caused rocks of fire to fall from the sky, Nightmare dodging and swerving rushed back to her sister to keep fighting but Spike had to watch as homes were destroyed or set on fire. Seeing that the smoke that now flooded the city kept him from view and allowed him to get to the Curio Shop he grabbed one of the last three spheres and threw it at Celestia who hit it before it came close to her.
“Do you have a death wish or something runt?” Spike smirked and gave a small wave as the potion exploded in a dark cloud that hid him and let Nightmare get a hit on her sister, who only spat bitterly and headbutted her. Spike pulled out his sword and broke the handle off the locked front door and kicked his way into the creepy shop, masks and strange shapes in the shadows kept Spike holding his blade and one potion in case of a sneak attack. He headed toward the counter as a door was behind it but suddenly a strange aura washed over him and he held his chest before his eyes widened and he jumped to the side, an ax coming down where he was just a moment before. Several of the masks and a full suit of armor came alive and rushed the dragon, trying to bite and swing the ax at him. He cut one of the masks in half before blocking the mouth of another with his gauntlets.
The armor set swung down the ax down at Spike but he leaned back making it slice the second mask and he smiled but the armor pulled the ax back up and set Spike smashing through more of the shop and dropping his sword. He yelped as the ax swung down right between his legs and he took his helmet off before he started running away, grabbing his second potion and breaking it inside the helmet. He aimed the torrent of black smoke into the armor set before he rolled under the armor’s legs and grabbed his blade, yelling before he sliced it into pieces and sneered at the fallen foe, not even looking back before he stabbed the last mask that tried to sneak up on him. He touched his chest where his scales were cut and drops of blood were seeping out, looking around he wrapped the cloth of the Equestrian flag around his chest.
Behind the door was a long stone stairway that seemed ancient with candles lighting themselves when he began to walk. The dragon knight could see the red gas was getting darker and thicker as he reached the bottom and found the place where this all started. It was a small round room that had forgotten texts lining the walls, test tubes, and beakers were scattered around, random papers were spread on the ground, and in the center of the room, there was the large cauldron that spewed out the gas. The room was eerily similar to the alchemist as it was just like the one he had made back home.
“Incredible, I honestly didn’t expect such a small creature to become such an annoying pest, then again you dragons are all pests. I am always interested in meeting another studier of the art of Alchemy but you seem to be lacking in real power. You think that your little trick or that puny sword is enough to beat me!?” Katrina shouted bitterly as she pointed a fist at Spike and one of her rings began to glow as ropes made of purple energy wrapped around the dragon and dragged him closer to her. Spike fought back against the hold and shouted before plunging his blade into the ground under him and the armor shined bright, blasting off her magic as steam came off the dragon. “I-impossible! That armor… never fret, I have someone to deal with the likes of you!”
Shining Armor walked out from behind Katrina with a mask controlling him just like the princess. “S-Shining!! What did you do to him witch?!”
“This smart cookie was the one who first found me down here and nearly ended all this before it began but I honored his attempt by making him my bodyguard in case something distracted Celestia which you seemed to have tried. Shining Armor, your queen is in danger! Kill the dragon!” Shining obeyed and grabbed his sword with magic before jumping down at Spike and slashing at him which he narrowly dodged. This was unlike anything Spike could have prepared himself for, every strike was perfect and when he tried to make an offensive it would be parried or simply overpowered. The only reason he wasn’t dead was that he was quick and would jump back once things got too bad.
“Shining it’s me, your friend! You were gonna show me more of the places you love to see, your home, maybe you could let me meet ya, sis! You have a duty to the ponies of Canterlot but right now they are dying and I can save them if you would just stop!” Spikes words were met with quicker and more erratic movements with the blade, cutting his hand and causing him to drop the blade. Shining took that moment to buck Spike, who barely put his arms up to block the hit from his injured chest and was sent smashing into a bookcase.
“You’re not me, you can’t beat me at fighting like me. You have to learn to fight like you.” Spike blinked as he realized that he would have never been able to beat a royal guard in a sword fight, no he needed to fight like an alchemist. Shining charged at the downed dragon but was knocked off course as Spike began throwing books at him. “Books are the best weapons in the world!” Shining gritted his teeth and sliced through the books while he walked to him.
“Enough games! Kill him!” Spike ignored the screeching from the witch and jumped onto Shining’s head, trying to pry off the mask. It shocked and caused Shining to jump and try to buck him off before slamming his head into the bookcases, walls, and finally cauldron to get Spike off. The dragon leaned against the cauldron as Shining used his magic and pointed his sword against Spike’s heart. “Finish him!”
“S-Shining… please…” Shining looked at into Spike’s eyes and for a moment in his mind, the image changed to one of Twilight. Shining and Spike screamed as he stabbed the sword into the dragon but only into his shoulder as he was able to redirect the aim before moving forward. Shining let go of the blade and shook his head as the image flickered between Spike and Twilight in pain and he slammed himself into the bookcases until one fell on him and knocked him unconscious.
“Weakling, to allow something as trivial as love to block the power of magic.” Spike groaned and breathed heavily as he grabbed the blade in his shoulder and began to pull it out. Every inch was a new hell with his scales trying to close the wound but made pulling the blade out a slower process. “Are you still alive? It’s over dragon boy, Canterlot is mine and soon so will be the rest of Equestria. You never had a chance, that cauldron is completely unbreakable.”
“Y-you’re wrong… as long as one of us is against you then the fight is far from over!” Spike pulled the sword out and leaned on it to stand before he pulled out his last smoke bomb and smiled while smashing it at his feet and climbing into the cauldron and letting his consciousness wash away.
. . .
Nightmare Moon glared through one eye as her other was too blurry with blood from a head wound and she stood on legs that could barely hold her weight. Celestia had cuts and gashes on her but it was clear who had won the fight. Nightmare tried another blast but Celestia smacked her horn away from her direction and headbutted her in the jaw. Nightmare fell on her back and found a hoof on her neck as she struggled to move, holding a hoof out for mercy as Celestia aimed her horn down at her.
“S-sister!! Tia!!” Nightmare Moon was gone as Luna had retaken her body and cried as her sister blinked and stared at her. “Please, you told me that you would never hurt me… remember that!” Celestia began to shake her head and scream as her horn glowed and shot white beams of power at her own people. “Remember who you are! This is not you, you are not a killer!”
“Shut up!! Celestia shouted and began to charge at her sister again before Luna moved out of the way and fell off the roof they were fighting on. She looked up at Celestia as she charged her horn for one more strike.
“S-Spike… it’s now or never…”
. . .
Spike opened his eyes and found himself in a darkened void, Shining sword still in hand. He shouted if anyone was there but focused on what he needed to do. He squinted to see anything in the darkness and eventually saw the cauldron in the distance. He floated over to it as quick as he could until distant voices could be heard.
“They hate your kind more than mine!”
“You’re nothing but a freak, much less a dragon”
“Do you think saving us will change anything?”
“You aren’t a hero”
“YOU ARE NOTHING!!”
Spike held his head tightly as the voices grew louder and louder insulting him and all that he is. “N-no I’m not doing this for recognition! I-I just want to do what’s right! I am not weak! I am trying to help! I AM NOT A MONSTER!” Spike shouted and looked down as the voices were all now screaming and he sobbed at the pain that struck sharply at his heart. The shadows started to wrap around the dragon and his eyes glazed over as the sword fell limp at his side, the hopelessness of the situation and the drive to go on now gone. His hand shook as it threatened to let go, his head looked up at oblivion and the shadows reached his heart.
Spike gasped as white light flooded his vision and warmth washed over his body. He touched his heart as it beat strong. “Need a hand?” He looked up to see a familiar dragon holding out a hand to him, taking it he stood and hugged Ember tightly. She hugged back and smiled at him. “Glad to see you haven’t changed much Small Pike.”
“Same to you Em… I need to go back, don’t I? Back into that darkness?”
“Yes, you do if you wish to save those ponies or you could stay locked up in this place with us.”
“Us?” Spike turned to see Shining Armor was leaning against a nearby wall while chewing on a donut. He smiled at Spike and the two hugged before Spike dusted himself off and tried to play it cool. “You’re here too!”
“Yep, this place is all your heart and we protect it with some help. Now you have a choice, you can play it up in the dream or face reality.”
“Even if it may hurt…”
“Life will always hurt but if we hold true to what we love then maybe a bit of pain is worth it, what you say Ember?”
“We lived our lives in loneliness and you were treated differently for no reason, pain is a part of who we are. It’s the reason you are so keen on helping everyone you see so no creature will have to feel that pain again.”
“I thought you trusted us to see this through to the end?” Luna flew above them and smiled at Spike as he waved at her. “I started to fight because you had hope in us and in yourself.”
Spike thought their words over before taking a breath and walking away from them, only stopping once.
“Will you stay with me?”
“No doubt
“Always.”
“Can’t get rid of us with some shadows. Remember that we are there with you.”
Spike closed his eyes as another voice spoke from behind him, this one was covered in shadows but there was no ill intent behind them as the figure was a pony who seemed to wear a crown with a start in the middle. Her eyes were the brightest white as she smiled at him. “And I will be too, forever.” That caused Spike to open his eyes as they shined white and he found himself back in the void but this time he glowed as the voices were destroyed. He floated to the cauldron and raised his blade, shadows screaming to stop and offering everything they could think of but Spike heard the voice from before in his ear, barely a whisper. “I believe in you, I always have.” With that last push, the sword swung down and a feeling of peace was the last thing he felt.
. . .
Luna let a small smile escape despite her situation as she could see the gas disapparate and the night sky return, they really had done it. She closed her eyes and waited for the light as her sister shot a beam down at her but it was destroyed and she watched as Celestia was tackled by six mares that Luna knew she recognized but from where her mind couldn't think of. She closed her eyes again before the darkness took her.
. . .
Katrina crawled out of her lair in pain before looking at her rings, the purple one was shattered and she gritted her teeth in anger. “I-I get that dragon back for this… if it is the last thing I ever do…” She crawled into one of the streams and used another ring as a green shield as she went over the edge.
. . .
Spike woke a week later in the hospital wing of the castle, next to him was a sleeping princess Luna. He coughed and struggled to move as he was wrapped in bandages and needles were injected under his scales. His armor and sword were nearby and he wondered what happened.
“Well look who finally woke up. How was the nap sleeping beauty?” Spike smiled at turned to Shining as he brought in food.
“Better after you stabbed me, how long was I out?”
“A week, they found us because of that little stunt you did had destroyed the entire curio shop. We are still rebuilding all the damage… and some are mourning those lost.” Spike rubbed his heart and shook his head.
“I’m so sorry… if I had been quicker or-”
“No, don’t you dare do that. You are the only reason we are alive right now and no one blames you for anything, it was that witch and right now she is the most wanted creature in the world. You are a hero to Canterlot Spike, don’t go treating this like you did nothing. That and you performed a miracle, my sister came home for a while to help us and my parents were so happy so thank you for that.”
“Oh yeah I stole some of her old stuff to help me in that battle sooo yeah sorry about that and I took a guard’s helmet which got destroyed so tell Flash my bad.”
“Sure kid I’ll tell them, try to rest some more and we can talk again soon.” Spike nodded and yawned before going back into a deep sleep. It was another week before both patents were allowed out and Spike was led straight to the princesses. Celestia was sitting on her throne and when Spike bowed she shook her head.
“No need for that young Spike, you are the hero of Canterlot alongside my sister and thanks to you we all are here today. A dragon hasn’t stepped in our city in many years and when did, you managed to become a hero. Shining Armor explained to me about your journey and seeing you now and feeling your heart I have something I would like to ask of you.”
“I-if I can help then I’ll be happy to…”
“Well I may be able to help you find yourself in the process. I have a student you have heard of, she is the sister of Shining Armor, her name is Twilight Sparkle. I have given her her our quest to learn the power of friendship and hopefully she can find everything her life had been missing. I would like you to join her in this quest and I have a feeling that you will learn more with her than anywhere else in my entire kingdom.”
Spike thought hard about what Celestia had said and decided to place his trust in her and if he didn’t like Twilight he would just leave. “I agree to your choice then and will join Twilight.” Celestia smiled and walked to the dragon, rubbing his head.
“I promise you won’t reject this. I’ll get you a ticket for the train to Ponyville.” Spike smiled and nodded, hugging both princesses before thanking them and looking at the armor and sword that were brought with him. “As for that, I do believe it should stay here with us at least until you grow into it.” Spike smiled and nodded before running out of the room to tell Shining of his new mission.
“Sister, what do you think Twilight will be able to teach him?”
“It’s more what they can learn from each other Luna, I believe that together the two will become something we’ve never seen before.”
. . .
Spike waved at Luna, Celestia, Shining Armor, and the rest of the city which had come out to see him off and he let himself enjoy the praise. He blew kisses and waved, even flexing once, before everyone was out of sight. He smiled and stuck his head out of the window to let the wind go against his scales.
The sun rose over the mountains as the day began but in response to the light flooding onto his face, Spike turned away and hid his head under his blanket. The dragons were famous for their long sleeps and while Spike was a very active kind of guy, there were rare days where he could be the laziest creature in Equestria. This happened to be one of those days that he was feeling like no force in the world would move him from this bed until he heard a very sophisticated scream that wasn’t natural in any way. He rolled his eyes angrily and got up before stomping his way to the sound.
He opened the door to the next car and could see that eight ponies were there with one unicorn wearing a monocle who immediately pointed a hoof at Spike. His cutie mark could just barely be seen as it was a shining gold coin. “There is the culprit! I demand you to arrest this Dragon for robbery!” Spike narrowed his eyes at the way the pony said dragon and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I would like to fully know what crime I’m being accused of before I completely list all the reasons why I am not the criminal. What was stolen?”
“As if you don’t know what you did, I know the stories about your kind! All thieves and hoarders!” Before Spike could threaten or harm the unicorn, the officer pony stepped between them and glared down at the pony.
“I will not hear another word from you or I will send you back to Princess Celestia for slander! This dragon was the one who helped Princess Luna save Canterlot from that evil witch. He will be treated with as much as respect as anyone else here but seeing you so far, Mister Goldblum, this might be just how you are.” Goldblum gritted his teeth in anger before he stepped back and glared at Spike who just gave a toothy grin in reply.
“Thank you, officer, but I do wish to know about what was stolen. I may not have been the one to stole whatever is missing but I should be treated as a suspect and maybe I can help some.” The officer was a blue stallion with an aged mustache and gruff exterior, his green eyes had a bit of a sparkle in them that had Spike trusting in him. His nametag read Curt Rough.
“Well Mister Spike, the stolen property is one diamond that the train was secretly carrying to Ponyville for a delivery. You may have stopped the Diamond Dogs but there are more of the gang out there and I’m not sure if anyone told you but the three you captured were found to have escaped during the Canterlot Invasion.”
“Hmm, a diamond then huh? Are we sure that the Diamond Dogs weren’t the ones that came in while we all slept?”
“Yes, the dogs are unruly and stealth is beyond their abilities. You met them and just how… they operate.” Spike had to agree there, if Rover and his goons were the ones that attacked then they would be arguing about who should be the one to grab the diamond all the way to Ponyville.
“Okay then, Mister Goldblum, when was the last time you checked on the diamond and what was it hidden in?”
“I don’t need to tell you that and my company’s secrets are our own!”
“We don’t have time for this, if you do not cooperate you are giving the criminal more time to hide the gem and if we can not find it by the time this train reaches town then we will be forced to let everyone off the train and your gem will be gone also.” Goldblum cursed to himself before turning back to the officer.
“Fine, I made it a habit to check on the gemstone after every stop and the last stop was midnight. Since then, the train hasn’t stopped so no new ponies or dragons has gotten on or off this train.”
“So if no one has left or new people got on… the culprit is on the train may be in this very room. Officer Rough, how many creatures are on this train?”
“Eight ponies, two guards, one driver, and one dragon.”
“So all the ponies are here, where is the other guard?”
“Interviewing the driver but it seemed to me that he was clean, he had done this kind of delivery for years so I don’t see why he would need to steal now. He also was talking to me for a while into the night as we shared a drink and stories.”
“So that would clear you two, all we have is ten left including me. I guess I’ll be the first to start. At midnight, I was in my room writing about all that had happened to me since the Canterlot Invasion and trying out the new power that was granted to me by Princess Celestia. It allowed me to send letters to her personally but she was asleep so I traded letters with Princess Luna through the night before falling asleep.”
“I suppose if you are so innocent then you wouldn’t mind us checking your cabin.”
“Go ahead then, I have nothing to hide.” The group all followed to Spike’s room where he stood out of it and a subtle scent caught his attention. He leaned down and touched the lock on his door, the smell of gold was inside. “Officer Rough, how long has it been since these doors have been locked?”
“Hmm? These doors are barely ever locked and only ever from inside as we have no other reason for them to be locked why?”
“Because someone locked me in my room last night, that would ensure that I am not the thief but I guess that you forgot to mention this Mister Goldblum?”
“I simply needed to ensure the safety of my stone, you must understand the rumors of dragons and my position.”
“So where were you last night Mister Goldblum?”
“I was the one who offered the wine to the driver so I could get the key saying that it was my room. I did lock you in there after you had fallen asleep but on the way back to my car I saw two shadows whispering about something and only one of the beds seemed to have a pony in it. I smoked and listened to classical music until I fell asleep.” Spike tapped his chin and snapped before sticking a hand in his bag and began to mix several potions together before it turned orange. He took the group with him to Goldblum’s car and found the pipe that was used, taking a bit of the ash, he mixed it into the potion which turned blue.
“He is telling the truth, this potion can read the time when a substance was changed from one form to another and blue means that it was changed less than ten hours ago. This added to the fact that his horrible music is at the paused I guess that he fell asleep and someone broke into here to stop it.” One of the ponies, a green pegasus began to panic and flutter. Spike and the others looked at her and she hid her face. Her cutie mark seemed to be a wing with the wind behind it.
“I-I’m sorry I was the one that stopped the music! It was so late and I needed sleep because I was to go see Cloudsdale about a job! It was around one when I couldn’t take it any longer and I jumped down from my bed and snuck into the grump’s cabin and turned the music off. I heard a good tone at the other end of his car before I left it and headed back. On the way back to my bed, I heard somepony yelp in pain as they hit a bedframe with their hoof.”
“So you admit it! Where is my gem, you birdbrain!?”
“Who are you calling a birdbrain!? I didn’t take your dumb diamond! And the name is Swift Wing!” As the two argued, Spike could tell that this girl was not their culprit. He looked at the remaining six ponies who all were looking at each other. One earth pony caught his eye as she seemed to be guilty about something and he pulled her aside with Officer Rough.
“I’m sorry to interrogate you like this miss but you seemed to be guilty about something? Would you be so kind as to tell us where you were last night?” The earth pony was cute with a light pink mane and tail which had a blue bow tied on it. She had white fur and large blue eyes, a faint blush decorating her cheeks. Her cutie mark was a circle that was made of hearts. The last thing that he saw was her orange pendant around her neck seemed familiar.
“O-okay… I’m Sundance, I’m moving to Ponyville to find out more about my family… I realized that the area has a statue of my ancestor and I hoped to find a place I could call home with… the one I love…” The pony began to cry before Spike rubbed her face softly, wiping away the tears and giving her a big smile.
“I know this must all be hard for you, I’m on my own journey of self-discovery. I was told Ponyville might hold answers for myself also so no more tears, while there I’ll be there if you ever need a friend. I need you to finish so you aren’t blamed for anything unfairly, that guy is pointing his hoof at everyone.”
Sundance nodded and smiled softly before her depressed state returned and she looked down. “I-it wasn’t me or those two…” She pointed to a stallion and mare who were standing a bit too close. “T-the stallion was who I loved… but last night I caught the two of them whispering… they wanted to steal my ribbon and run off together. This blue ribbon has tiny diamonds embedded in it but I never cared about that so I wear it inside out. It was a gift from my first friend, Megan. In my sadness, I snuck past Goldblum’s cabin and began to sing at the end of the train. I was there all night…”
Spike felt anger fill him as he looked at the two that had hurt Sundance and smoke came out of his nose. He looked through his potions and smirked as he whispered to Sundance and she giggled before hugging Spike and three more ponies were cleared. That left three ponies who could have stolen the diamond. The last three were a curious bunch as they all seemed completely different, one was an earth pony who seemed shy and scared of the situation around him, the next was a pegasus who looked over everything around him with a bag of popcorn, and the last one was a unicorn mare who seemed to limp a bit.
“Town will be coming up soon dragon boy, are we all ready to admit the gem is gone so I can go back to relaxing?” The unicorn asked in a tone that annoyed Spike but he only shook his head.
“We aren’t done yet, I noticed your limb and seeing that Swift Wing mentioned that she heard someone hit her hoof I would say that it was you! So why were you up at that time?” The unicorn looked away with a faint blush on her face.
“I don’t need to explain myself to you…”
“How about to me then miss because we are nearing town so I won’t reject arresting you for suspension!”
“Okay okay! Sheesh… I… I was gorging myself with chocolate okay!! I had gotten some of Equestria’s best chocolates made for my sister in law’s birthday but I was tempted to go try some and I ate them all… I have an appearance to keep up okay!? On the way back, I hit my hoof because of the chocolate on it made me slip. I angrily hit the bed two more times before going back to sleep.”
“And you Pegasus?”
“Me? I was stargazing on the roof of the train last night, I’m not sure how to prove that though.” Spike glanced at the pegasus’s fur and at the popcorn.
“You were eating that up there?”
“Yep, your point?” He asked as he munched on some more, not noticing the mess he had made.
“Yeah… I think you’ll be cleared… that only leaves you!” the shy pony jumped and hid more.
“N-no! I was in my bed while all their stories happened around me. I was scared about seeing Ponyville in the morning so I was up thinking of all the ways it could go wrong until I fell asleep.” Spike rubbed his chin and looked at the earth pony again, tilting his head a bit.
‘What’s your name?”
“Flip Side” Indeed the cutie mark on his flank was a coin on the heads side, which made Spike think more.
“What was the last thing you remember before falling asleep?”
“Hearing the unicorn hit my bed.” Spike shivered as he walked to the bed and knocked three times on it before Flip seemed to enter a trance and his eyes turned menacing. “Well lookie here, you figured it out huh dragon boy?”
“Flip Side, you are the tails side of the coin. You stole the diamond!”
“Yeah you would be surprised at how loud that idiot can be when he sleeps, I was expecting to leave this place with the diamond but seeing the lameo get locked away would be pretty funny.”
“No, you aren’t him. You will show Rough where the jewel is before he takes you back to Canterlot to talk to Princess Celestia.” Rough grabbed Flip with Goldblum following without as much as a thank you. Spike thanked everyone for their help and looked at Sundance before they looked at the two who hurt her. Spike grabbed a beaker of his slippy slime and mixed it with his gum mix, pretending to fall as it splattered all over them. Sundance giggled and jumped on all the pillows that gathered together, making feathers explode around the room and stick to the two. “Hey look at the chickens! Maybe next time you will not try to rob someone behind their back!” The two ran out of the cabin in embarrassment as everyone laughed and Sundance high fived Spike. He saw her pendant fall and he lifted it, examining it closely.
“Do you like it? I found it last night on the end balcony.”
“You found it here? This looks like a…” Spike blinked and his eyes widened before he rushed to where Rough took Flip, ignoring the shouts behind him. He cursed as he saw Rough was tied up next to Flip and a pony he didn’t recognize. Goldblum was unconscious on the ground. Next to him was a discarded police outfit. He ran to Rough and untied him. “What happened?”
“We found the gem but at that moment someone dressed in my partner’s outfit attacked us… I’m sorry but they took the jewel and escaped on the roof. I need to check on the driver!”
“Okay, I’ll go to the roof.” Spike and the officer went their separate ways and on the roof, Spike jumped cart to cart as he approached the creature on the other end who was holding the diamond to the sun. They had a kind of cape and hood that kept them from view but Spike stopped as he got on the end of the last cart and glared. “Who are you?”
“I saw you and knew that you would see it eventually, I gave that pony down there a good scare from our kind.” They pulled down their hood to show a female orange dragon with purple fins and a large smirk. “I was there that night you ran away and I figured that you couldn’t have all the fun.”
“You are just showing that pony down there that we are exactly like what he called us!”
“He didn’t see me as a dragon and if you don’t tell them then you keep us in ponies good views and isn’t that enough to keep your mouth shut.” Spike gritted his teeth as he prepared to tackle her but she rolled her eyes and spread out her wings. “You have two choices here, chase me on those little legs or go help your friend try to stop this train.”
“I’ll get you for this.”
“I’ll look forward to it shrimp. Name’s Smolder.” With that, she jumped off while laughing and Spike rushed back to the engine where he found Rough was just fine.
“Oh, Spike I found this for you.” The officer showed him a letter that only had two words. Got Ya!
. . .
Spike explained the whole situation but left out the part where Smolder was a dragon. They soon arrived at the train station where Goldblum was forced to tell a unicorn mare that was simply stunning to Spike that her diamond was stolen. She fainted but an earth pony wearing a hat caught her and rolled her eyes. Spike said goodbye to Sundance and the two hugged before she walked away with a smile.
Spike sighed as he wondered if he would ever get a break. He sat and yawned before he looked up and saw the silhouette of a unicorn in front of him, holding out a hoof. “Are you Spike?” The voice was something out of a dream or maybe a faded memory. He grabbed the hoof as she pulled him up and smiled, getting to see her clearly his breath hitched in his chest.
She was a simple pony but her hair and smile were perfect to the dragon and he felt the urge to hug her but resisted. “Y-yeah… I’m Spike the dragon…” She giggled which was music to his ears.
“I want you to tell me everything about dragons! What is your diet? How long can you live? How many ponies have you met? Where are your wings? Oh, there is just so much unknown knowledge about your kind, maybe I can write a book about dragons and become world-famous!” Twilight shouted with a twinkle in her eyes as she hopped excitedly around Spike. The young dragon pondered for a moment if he should be offended at the treatment but quickly realized that this was just how the pony was about new knowledge.
“Well that was a lot of questions, maybe just make a list of the things you wanna know? I’m staying for a bit so you will have time to ask them all.” Spike said through a mouthful of hay fries.
"Yes! I love lists! I almost forgot that today isn’t a question day, I’m under orders from the princess to find you a place to live while you stay in town. We can go check in with all my friends, I’m positive that they can help us.” Both of them enjoyed their respective meals in relative peace, Spike would find himself glancing at the unicorn as she ate and seemed to be lost in her own little world. She confused the dragon in the very short time since they’ve met, she was undoubtedly smart practically a genius but was so childishly excited about any bit of knowledge she didn’t have. She had an aura of pride around her while at the same time unsure of her own abilities and their limits. She seemed to panic over the littlest of things that didn’t go according to plan but her planning seemed to be near flawless. The last thing was more to do with himself, she was cute in a nerdy kind of way but the way she made him feel at times was unlike anything he could understand.
“Hey Twilight, what was growing up with Shining Armor like? He seemed pretty cool and as much as you wanna learn about my kind I want to learn about yours.” Twilight finished her sandwich and tilted her head as she thought about the question.
“Well… it was fun being with him and my parents. We had our times where we would all get on each other's nerves but all family gets like that and deep down we all have love for each other. My brother was my best friend even if I was a bit clingy back then, you should hear all the stories about him trying to spend time with his crush and my foalsitter only for me to take him away. She was a sweet and kind friend who I still write to when I have the time, her name is Cadance and she is one of the three princesses! The princess of love.” Twilight giggled thinking back to all the time she spent with the two of them. “We were all a family and everyone did their best for me even if I wasn’t there for them…”
Spike placed a hand on her back and rubbed it tenderly. “I never had a real family, my birth was uncommon and I was treated like a freak. Luckily I found a friend and the tribe all helped raise me best they could but they just weren’t enough. I know how it feels to not be enough or had been enough for those we care about but we can only look ahead now.”
“You’re right, it’s just I was always so focused on my studies that I missed time with my family and basically made no friends… but looking ahead I can make things right and so can you.” The two smiled at each other before they ended up at the first place on their list. “Well here is the first stop on Twilight’s Tour of the Majestic Ponyville! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! This place has some of the best sweets I have ever taste, it’s run by Mr. and Mrs. Cake who are just the nicest couple you’ll find here. They rent out the top of their home to my friend Pinkie Pie and have basically raised her while she has been here.”
Spike nearly melted at the scene from the scents around him, it was the donut shop from before but now mixed with new foods that he couldn’t even describe in detail as he didn’t know what these strange pastries were and all the differences made him confused just by looking at them. “Oh look who it is honey, Twilight Sparkle, how are you this fine day? Is this little guy the dragon Pinkie mentioned would be staying in town? He looks like a fine lad.” Spike blushed a bit at the praise from Mr. Cake and rubbed his cheek before he found his vision completely covered in the color pink. Twilight jumped at how quick her friend had appeared and tried to wrestle Spike from her hug of death.
“OOOO! Look at cute he is! So small and squishy! I always heard that dragons were these big monsters like that one that we saw earlier in the year but you are just the most precious thing ever!! Can I keep him Twilight!? PLEEEAAASSSEEE!”
“Nooo! Pinkie let him go, he’s no pet! The princess didn’t want us to kill him while he is here!!” Twilight immediately made sure not to ask if Spike could leave there as he may not survive his visit then. Spike, on the other hand, couldn’t help the blush on his face from being held so close against a girl, the only other ones that ever hugged him was Ember and Sundance and never like this.
“Pinkie could you let the poor boy go before he suffocates in one of your patented super hugs heh.” She let go with a pout but smiled at the dragon who struggled for air and took in the pony in front of him. Pinkie was right as that was everything with her, so much that it nearly hurt to look at, but in her eyes and smile, he felt excitement fill him as if she was the personification of an adventure.
“T-thanks, I’m Spike it’s nice to meet you Pinkie.” Spike held his claw out but Pinkie sniffed it and licked his hand which he pulled back.
“Oooh, so you’re a gem eater? I never knew what dragons ate, I thought they just like gems and gold because it was pretty!”
“Pinkie you can’t just go… wait did you say that Spike eats gems?” Spike smiled a bit as Pinkie listed the gems that she tasted on his hands and Twilight wrote them down. He looked around the shop and Mrs. Cake waved at him, walking over, she held out a box to the boy.
“Consider this a gift from the Cake family and Pinkie, it will be interesting having a dragon in the village but you can’t be any more trouble than those two and their friends.” The couple joked pointing at Twilight and Pinkie. “If you ever need anything son you can come here and we would be happy to help any way we can. That girl is a bit hyper but Pinkie means well and is always up to help her friends.” Spike thanked the couple and promised that he would come back to try his hand at cooking. Twilight began to walk with Spike again as they enjoyed some of the sweets that they were given with Pinkie waving at them and clapped her hooves as she got an idea.
Spike had just finished a small cake when he looked up at a shop that resembled a hat with bells on it. “Oh, that place? It’s the Joke Shop, be careful if you go up against Pinkie or my other friend Rainbow Dash as they are the pranking masters of the town. Next to the Joke Shop, you have the Spa where tired or stressed ponies usually go to enjoy a really hot or steam bath.”
“Over in my home, we don’t usually do the things you call pranks as we are usually serious and if someone is messing with you it’s because they don’t like you but that spa thing sounds like the baths in the Dragon Lands. We are all cold-blooded so we try to keep as hot as possible.”
“Oh well if they prank you then you should know that it just means that they see you as a friend and they always make sure that their pranks are for laughs and not to hurt. Maybe I can get you some spa days set up later.”
“Thanks, Twilight, even if the princess asked you to do all this for me, I really appreciate everything.” Twilight blushed a bit at the thanks and shook her head.
“No problem… it will be nice having a new friend in town. Oh speaking of friends here we are at our next location! This is Carousel Boutique, a dressmaking shop which also doubles as the home of my friend Rarity and her sister Sweetie Belle. Note to yourself, if you see her little sister with two other ponies they can be… a bit much at times. They mean well though. Hey Rari-” Twilight was interrupted as the door slammed open on her face and three fillies rushed out wearing capes. They all stopped once they saw Spike though.
“What the hay is he? A friend of yours Sweetie Belle?” The earth pony that seemed to be leading the three asked her unicorn friend who only tilted her head.
“Nope, I never saw this guy before Applebloom. What about you Scoots?” The third of the group walked up to Spike and poked him in the chest. Touching the scales she seemed to remember something.
“Oh, I know what this guy is! Rainbow told me how she kicked a dragon in the face once and he had hard scales. Hey, you think our cutie marks could be something to do with a dragon? That would a cool one!” Twilight finally came out from behind the door while rubbing her nose.
“Girls this is Spike, he is new to Ponyville and will be staying a while under a special mission from the princess so try not to drive him crazy okay you three?”
“We knoooow!” All three answered in unison as they smiled and halos appeared over their heads. Spike poked at the halos as he was confused as to how they just appeared. Twilight quickly grabbed and dragged Spike with her magic into the store with her, not seeing the devious smirks on the three fillies faces.
“Hey, Rarity are you in here? I have that dragon that is moving into town.”
“I’m in the back room darling!” Spike and Twilight went into the back where they were met by a unicorn who was putting the finishing touches on a few dresses. Spike blushed a bit as the girl was stunning if not flawless in her appearance but he suddenly remembered where he had seen her before and felt guilty. “So you are the dragon? You look like a strapping young dragon, especially for your age.”
“U-umm thank you Ms. Rarity. I’m Spike and I would like to apologize for losing your diamond back on the train. I had managed to find the culprit with some help but in the last moment another thief managed to get it away from me.”
“Oh, you were the one that helped capture that poor pony who had stolen the diamond. I heard they were taking him back to get proper help, as for the diamond I suppose that I didn’t need the piece and I am getting my bits back so don’t worry about it. I should be thanking you for even trying so hard to get back somepony’s property that you didn’t even know. Thank you for the attempt.” Twilight looked at Spike with a curious look at hearing he had tried to stop a jewel thief, a part of her felt worried for the dragon. She didn’t know where this feeling came from but she heard about the injuries he had gotten in Canterlot and now a jewel thief? He seemed to be a magnet for trouble and she didn’t want him to be hurt.
“Ahh don’t worry about it, I’m always happy to help where I can. I’m a bit of a problem solver as long as I didn’t cause the problem heh.” Spike thought back to all the trouble he managed to get into back in the Dragon Lands and the times he needed Ember to help him out of it. His attention was drawn away when a small cat stared at him and he bent down to look at her, yelping when she jumped on his face.
“Well Rarity, I was trying to find Spike a place where he could stay if you had any spare room?” Twilight asked with a hopeful expression but it changed when she saw Rarity bite her lower lip. She then saw Spike struggling with Rarity’s cat Opal as she attacked his face, holding a laugh back, she used her magic to help him out.
“I’d love to help you two and while Spike certainly seems to be a gentledrake, I’m a bit stripped of space at the moment with Sweetie Belle and me living under the same roof. I often find myself needing to send her out of the house when I get new supplies in and have nowhere to put them. I can’t take another pony or dragon in… I’m sorry Spike.”
“Don’t worry about Rarity, Twilight here will find the perfect place and I understand that your livelihood and that one of your sister is important. Thanks for hearing us out.”
“Anytime darling and if you ever need a new outfit, I would be glad to come up with one. I never had a dragon as a customer and the thought gets my muses all started up.” Twilight smiled seeing her friend all happy and waved as they left the building.
“Thanks again Rare and we’ll try to visit soon!” The two walked again through town in a comfortable silence, something that Twilight found that she enjoyed. Her friends were all amazing and outgoing in their own ways but when she was walking with Spike there was no awkwardness if she felt she didn’t have something to say. He let her think and the smile on his face made her feel content in their silence. “So what do you think of your first pony small town?”
“Hmm, I find it sweet and colorful with a homey aura that I haven’t felt even at my home. I think you all have something special here and if I do stay then maybe I can help somehow make it even better. You all play your parts and I hope there is a part for me to play too…”
“I know how that feels but I learned that everyone has a part to play and that we should stick with what we like and what we are good at.”
“And what would you say I’m good with?”
“Other than being just the sweetest animal sitter I ever saw back there, you seem to be a kind and smart dragon. From what I heard and you told me, you fancy yourself as an alchemist and want to learn from us. Maybe you can help me and I could help you in return? I run the local library with my nighttime assistant, an owl named Owlicious.”
“What’s an Owl?” Twilight laughed and began to explain her friend to him as they wandered over to Sweet Apple Acres. “Well I tried to study magic but dragons don’t have much need for knowledge like that so we never wrote any down but we all have been around gems and the earth all our lives so Alchemy was an ancient science that we created. In my studies, I discovered the tale of a dragon who created a philosopher’s stone and turned a worthless mountain of bronze into gold! He had discovered that the stone had a secondary power to grant eternal life or cure any disease. Just imagine if I was able to recreate it! I would go down in hist-”
Spike had stars in his eyes as he talked about his dream but was cut off as he was bucked in the chest by a pony wearing a hat. Twilight jumped and rushed over to the fallen dragon, checking him for any wounds. “Applejack! Why did you do that?!”
“Oh ah mighty sorry about that! I don’t know what came ova me, I just felt like I had to do that for some reason.” Applejack held out a hoof and Spike grabbed it, feeling that this pony was strong and he made a mental note to never piss her off. “I’m Applejack, nice to meet ya dragon boy. Twilight here has been going on for days about the dragon that would be comin, nice to see ya here so she can think about somethin else now heh.” Applejack smiled and laughed as Spike and Twilight both blushed and the unicorn questioned if making her friend vanish would be harmful against their friendship.
“T-thanks, I’m Spike and I like the farm you have going on here. There are no farms back home so I never saw one working.”
“Well, you found the best one in all of Equestria! The Apple family is famous everywhere for our skills.”
“And humility…”
“Ahh, Twilight if it’s the truth then there is no problem in a bit of braggin.” Twilight shook her head as Applejack took Spike around the farm and let him try his luck at helping but the dragon soon found that all the jobs they were doing or how they were doing them were completely unique to them. He tried his hand at bucking trees but when he kicked the tree nothing fell and he tried to tackle the tree and only hurt his arm. His claws made it that milking the cow a risk and the chickens were all scared of the dragon. He apologized for not being able to help any but Applejack shook her head.
“Aww don’t go and worry about all this Sugarcube, we all have things we’re good at and the farm life isn’t for all ponies. Look at your friend over there for example.” Applejack smiled and pointed over at Twilight as she studied a tree to find the best place to buck it, once she thought she had it she aimed and kicked it as hard as she could. A few apples fell with one landing on her horn and she shook trying to get it off. “See we all have things we like to do and places we are meant to be. You two just aren’t meant to live in this kind of place.” Spike agreed and smiled before walking to Twilight and pulling the apple off her horn, taking a bite and making a small noise at the sweet fruit.
“Now that is an apple!” Applejack sent the two off again with two apples as a gift. “Sooo… not much for fieldwork like that are ya?” Spike asked with a small smirk which only made Twilight blush a bit as she stuck her nose up.
“Oh I don’t know, I thought I did fine for my first time and at least I got an apple down!”
“I’m smaller!” The two playfully argued who was worse before arriving at a small cottage. “Hey this is a pretty cozy little hole, I smell a lot of animals here.”
“Yeah, Fluttershy is always taking care of dozens of animals in her house I bet she’ll just love you.” Twilight knocked on the door and the door cracked open as an eye could be seen looking out shyly. “Hey, Fluttershy! I brought-”
“A BABY DRAGON!” Fluttershy was out in a moment and left her friend spinning as she examined Spike. “He’s so cute! Does he talk? What do dragons talk about?”
“Yep and we can talk about anything and everything! Twilight and I have been talking a lot to each other. I can also blow fire, two different kinds now after meeting the princess.”
“Oh, that is just so ridiculously amazing! Twilight you are so lucky.” Twilight finally managed to stop the world from turning and she shook her head before rolling her eyes and smiling.
“Yeah because talking with this little guy has been the highlight of my day.”
“Don’t have much else going on huh smart girl?” Spike asked with a smile of his own.
“I could have been catching up on my reading!”
“To catch up I think you need to fall back first.” Fluttershy giggled sweetly at their bickering and both turned to her. “What’s so funny?”
“You two are like old friends.” They looked at each other before laughing and a bunny came hopping out of the house, taking one look at Spike and kicking at his foot before running back into the cottage. Spike gave chase and slammed into a wall after being tricked by the bunny.
“Hey, Fluttershy do you think Spike would be able to stay with you?”
“I’m sorry Twilight but the other animals here may not like the idea of a dragon being so close to them and their young, I mean look now.” She pointed to the hiding animals as they looked down at the dragon.
“Oh well thanks anyway, I just don’t know where else to take him. He can’t go with Rainbow because the clouds won’t carry him and everyone else is busy.”
“Twilight I think you already have the perfect place for him to stay at, just try thinking with your heart instead of your head.” Twilight wanted to ask what that meant but Fluttershy was already back in her cottage and told Spike that she would love to talk to him over a meal sometime. He agreed and they separated at the door. They began back on the way to Ponyville as Twilight turned to him and asked a question she was curious about.
“So you said back there that you can blow two kinds of fire? I only ever read of a dragon knowing standard fire, what is the other one you know?”
“Well I was only able to blow regular fire but before coming over to Ponyville, Princess Celestia granted another power that she said I could learn because of the magic in my heart.” To demonstrate his power he blew a lungful of fire before taking another one in and this time what came out was green and sparkled.
“Wow! This could be a whole new form of magic from mixing dragon fire and pony magic! What does it do?” Twilight began to hop in excitement.
“Well from what she explained, this green fire is directly tied to the princess herself so anything that I burn with it will be sent to her directly also.” Twilight began to list a thousand things she could have used that power for if she had it and Spike could only smile as he calmly listened to her talk. Eventually, Twilight relaxed and rubbed her neck at getting so excited. They were coming back up to town as the sun was setting, another apple tree was on their path and Spike wanted to fix an earlier mistake. He ran ahead and aimed himself at the tree, Twilight stopping and watching him as she knew what he was doing. He rushed the tree and slammed into it as something blue fell out and landed on him.
“Hey who is hitting my napping tree?! Applejack if that is you again I swear to Celestia- huh? You aren’t Applejack.” Spike’s eyes spun as he rubbed his head and found a blue pegasus with a rainbow mane on top of him.
“Rainbow Dash! I told you a hundred times that I would be giving the dragon that would be staying in Ponyville a tour of the town today. Don’t tell me that you forgot!”
“Nah actually it was why I was sleeping in the tree, so there would be no possible way that I could do something to mess up the tour. Then again, it was you two that ruined my nap so ha! So you are the new guy huh? I expected someone taller honestly but whatever, I’m Rainbow Dash! The coolest, fastest, awesomest pony in all of Equestria with the exception of the awesomer Wonderbolts of course.”
“Dash your sentence there had a lot of grammar errors.” Rainbow Dash sighed as Twilight began to go on about proper grammar and the rules she had to follow. Spike began to push Twilight away while looking back at Dash. “I’m Spike, I really want to hear about all the awesome stuff you can do but maybe you should go while I get her away.”
“I’ll owe you one squirt!” Dash smirked and zoomed off into the sky, leaving an awed Spike behind. Twilight saw the sunset with Spike and couldn’t help but feel like a failure, she had failed to find Spike a home and now where was he supposed to stay?!
“Thank you Twi, you don’t know how much I needed a day like today. Ever since I started my journey a calm day where I hang out with a good friend was only a dream but today you made that all come true!”
“B-but we didn’t even find you a place to live! With it being this late I don’t know where to take you and I can’t let you sleep outside in the cold!”
“Twilight, how about here?” Spike pointed at the large tree that she had stopped in front of. She looked at her home and opened her mouth to say no when it clicked in her head and she thought back to Fluttershy.
“Think with your heart instead of your head” A blush appeared on her cheeks but she smiled and looked at Spike. “Umm, Spike would you like to stay here at the library with me? Maybe as my daytime assistant if that is okay?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” The two looked at each other as the moonlight shined down on them and their eyes met as they walked closer, getting closer strangely until a pink blob opened the door next to them.
“SURPRISE!!! We got you two pretty good huh?!” Spike and Twilight jumped away from each other as they found Pinkie Pie standing in the doorway with a mouthful of balloons. Behind her was all their friends, the Cakes, the CMC, and Sundance. Spike felt Pinkie put a hoof over his shoulders and pulled him into the library with Twilight smiling and taking a glance up at the moon wistfully.
“Maybe we’ll get a chance to finish that? This will stranger than I first thought but maybe some of the more exciting aspects of life are those that we don’t count on? As much as I would like an answer to this feeling, I think it’s one that I should discover on my own. Hey, you all better be saving me some cake!” She shouted as she ran into the tree and they partied long into the night.
. . .
Luna smiled to herself as she finished listening to Twilight, walking through her castle and sparing a moment to glance into her sister’s room. She seemed so peaceful and Luna wondered how many times this must have been reversed. She shut the door before walking to the throne room, stopping in front of one of the old tapestries that were around. She cried a single tear before wiping her eyes and smiling softly. The tapestry showed a red-maned unicorn holding two alicorn fillies close to her chest in a hug...
Twilight tossed in her bed as her body struggled to keep on sleeping but the stuffy warmth and scent of food draw her to the waking world. She stretched and yawned before using her magic to grab a brush and fix her mane. Her eyes glanced at the small basket at the foot of her bed as it was all she could afford to get Spike, for the time being, at least it wasn’t as awkward as that first night as they shared her bed. It had been a week since that day he arrived and seemed to settle into the job of an assistant pretty well. Her room was now occupied by a small chemistry set in the corner of the room that had strange substances that bubbled and shook on their own.
Following the scent from before she walked to the kitchen and found Spike flipping a pancake while wearing a pink apron which read ‘Gimme some sugar baby!’. She couldn’t hold the giggles that escaped her and made Spike jump.
“H-hey Twi, don’t sneak up on me like that! I could just start making food for myself you know if I thought you could get through a morning without burning down our kitchen.”
“I lived here a whole year already without your help! I can make breakfast with my hooves tied behind my back.”
“Well, that would be because you use magic for everything and you managed to burn water and turn it into a fourth state of matter that I had never seen before.” The unicorn blushed and nibbled on her pancake with a rather cute pout.
“I don’t use magic for everything… and what is up with that apron? Sorry but you aren’t getting any mares with an attitude like that.”
“Oh, now you’re a love expert? Did books tell you that? What if girls like the bad boys?” Spike asked as he smiled and leaned towards his blushing companion.
“I have studied the subject of love in great detail through many forms of media so that is immediately more experience than what you have.”
“I wouldn’t call it experience per se”
“Wasn’t asking you.” The two finished their food with Twilight going to her library and picking a few books. “I want to try out some new transformation magic, is there anything you have planned today Spike?” Spike washed the dishes before drying his hands and shaking his head.
“Not really but I think I’ll go see the Cutie Mark Crusaders as I owe them a visit after bailing on them that last time.”
“Weren’t they going for dragon hunter cuties marks last time?”
“Awe come on that was cute in a morbid sort of way.”
“You came home with a dozen arrows stuck in your back and they tried to give you a poison apple…”
“Oh well, I have a strong stomach and the arrows only stuck in my scales so no harm done. I’ll see you in a while so don’t wait up!” Spike waved at the lavender mare as he left the library, completely ignoring the scooter that nearly hit him as he walked out. He waved at Ditzy Doo as she was putting mail in the Sugarcube Corner mailbox and chewing on several types of muffins that she was balancing on her head. He had written in his journey how there were two beings in the universe that he could study his whole life and never understand, Ditzy Doo and Pinkie Pie. “One day I’ll show Ember this place, I bet she could learn to love it.”
“Ooo you have a friend I haven’t met? I bet Ponyville would love to meet another new friend!” Spike jumped as Pinkie Pie was hopping behind him happily.
“Pinkie! How long have you been there?”
“Since you said don’t wait up and a scooter hit me.” Spike only opened his mouth before shutting it and shaking his head. “So who is this Ember you were talking about? A Canterlot friend?”
“Nah, she is a dragon from my home but she is more of a sister than anything else and she was the only reason that I’m here with you all and Twi.”
“Then when she comes I am throwing one of my super duper thank you parties! We could invite the whole town as I did with Gummy’s party a few days ago.” Pinkie confirmed this by pulling out balloons and blowing on an overly large party horn. Spike smiled and laughed at the thought of a flabbergasted Ember trying to keep up with someone like Pinkie.
“I don’t know Pinkie she is a pretty lone wolf type of girl so maybe a large party wouldn’t be the best plan for her introduction to you all.” Pinkie continued to follow Spike into the woods outside of town while shooting a storm of ideas to him about Ember’s party and a dozen other random topics. Spike would answer or give his opinion on what he knew, ignore what he didn’t, and act like he was thinking hard if he needed a moment of silence.
“Hey Spike, where are we going again?”
“I was planning to spend some time with the CMC to see if they could use me for any of their new ideas to get their cutie marks. So Pink, what do you think my mark would be if I was a pony? I hoped for something really cool like Daring Do’s in that comic book Rainbow Dash let me borrow but they seem to be based off what you ponies feel is something that makes you, well you.”
“Yep our cutie marks can be a story of who we are but maybe you dragons are so good at a lot that you don’t need something like a cutie mark.”
“Thanks for cheering me up Pinkie but I’m not sure about that, I’m fine at a good amount but Alchemy was all I was good for before coming out here into the world.”
“Maybe it could be something like that or a flaming scroll as Twi said you have been an amazing assistant to have around.”
“She really said that?”
“That and a bit more than she didn’t need to say out loud.” Before Spike could question this they arrived at their destination, the CMC’s clubhouse. After knocking on it the sounds on the other side became silent and Spike smiled as a voice trying to sound mysterious spoke.
“Who dares walk on the forbidden haunted grounds of this ancient place?”
“Spike the Dragon and Pinkie the Pie.” Pinkie shouted enthusiastically while Spike chuckled.
“Oh well, what is the password!?”
“Ooo is this a riddle? I bet I can guess! How about cupcakes?”
“Riddle? I said password.”
“Is the password password?” Spike asked as the voices became silent and began to argue with themselves.
“I thought it was password?”
“No, remember it was rainbow!”
“Ah remember it being cutie mark?”
“How about the password is a lot of words? The rainbow cutie mark password!” Pinkie smiled as the door opened and the three fillies all checked each other for any sign of a cutie mark.
“Anything?”
“Nope”
“Nada, ah guess the password making cutie mark plan failed. So what brings ya coming over to us Spike and Pinkie?” Applebloom asked as the three backed away to let their friends in.
“I wanted to see if you three needed any help with any of your plans as I was a bit bored and I owed you after ditching you last time. Pinkie was following me but I bet she’ll help too.” The CMC tapped their chins and pulled out a list that was as long as a full-size pony.
“Well looking over a lot of this we can do on our own but how about treasure hunting cutie marks?! There are old mining tunnels nearby and seeing that my big sis is always finding new jewels for her dresses I bet we can too right girls?”
“Right and if we get treasure hunting cutie marks maybe we can become like Daring Do! I bet if I was like her then Dash would love me!”
“Ah think she already loves ya Scoots.”
“Well… yeah… but even more! Maybe then she’ll make me her protege!” The three fillies grabbed mining helmets that had some lights on them while Spike took a bit of time to make some simple illuminated potions that would glow when they were heated and tied them to two sticks for himself and Pinkie. They entered the mine tunnel with Spike pulling their wagon behind him for the jewels they could find but Pinkie used it, for now, sitting in it and balancing the glowing stick on her nose and singing a silly song.
“Hmm, these mines seemed to have been picked dry…” Spike said as he examined a wall, claw marks in the stone seemed to actually be recent as when he touched them there was dust and excess debris that seemed to still be there. The CMC were unperturbed as they only entered farther.
“I bet we’ll find some great lost treasure in here! The whole mine couldn’t have been emptied.” Sweetie Belle said and thought of finding a jewel that would knock the socks off her sister and maybe she would be allowed to help her more in her work.
“Ah’m hoping to find a crystal apple for the farm! Applejack’s birthday is comin soon so maybe Ah could give her that?” driven by their imagination, they ran ahead and Spike shouted for them to slow down before he got his foot stuck in something and fell. He found he had tripped because of a hole, one that had a familiar jewel collar buried in the dirt. Shivers went up Spike’s spine as he looked ahead and cursed.
“Pinkie, I know why the caves here are empty of jewels! It’s that Diamond Dogs gang that I fought last time. I heard they escaped but didn’t think they would come so close to Ponyville. I need you to go get the others and I’ll look for the girls.”
“Okie dokie loki! Be back in a jiffy!” Pinkie rushed to find the girls as Spike took a deep breath and rushed forward, he had brought no useful potions or anything really as he hoped everything would go as planned for once. The CMC finally found something of interest when they found a collapsed mine cart that had a fair amount of multicolored jewels scattered on the ground. The girls cheered and looked over their find before several approaching voices brought them back to reality and they all hid in the mine cart while the voices could be heard.
“I can’t believe that we’re still in hiding! We used to be respected and had thousands of gems all for ourselves but now we are treated like second hand thugs. We’re like rats digging for seconds all because of that dragon… he hurt Rover’s confidence and now we are all suffering. Pick up this cart and get those jewels back to the hideout! I also want one of you idiots to find my collar!” Spot shouted to the large guards that were at his side. The girls trembled as they realized that these were some of the bad guys that Spike must have fought before and now they were alone.
As the first guard lifted the cart, he glanced under it for any more stone but was met with Scootaloo and Applebloom bucking him in the face. Sweetie Belle ran out and jumped off the head of the injured guard and headbutted the other guard in the face with her helmet. Spot jumped and laughed when he saw it was only fillies, whistling as several more guards arrived.
“Don’t just stand there, get them!” The CMC ran as the dogs dug into the ground and gave chase, not really paying attention to where they ran the group found themselves going deeper into the tunnels and shouted for their sisters. All three kept turning corners as dogs appeared to block their paths until they ran right into the arms of Fido who held each one up by their tails.
“I got em Rover!” He showed them to his boss who sat in the shadows on a throng made of dirt.
“What do I care for useless fillies, get rid of them.”
“I-if you do this you’ll be sorry! Our family and friends are coming!”
“Oh, we are just going to run off in fear. Let them come.”
“Oi, one of our friends is someone you may know! His name is Spike! Ya better let us go or else he is gonna come down ere and…” Applebloom was struck silent by the sight of Rover standing and grabbing the three. He raised them to his face where they could see half of it was horribly burned and his left eye was blinded.
“He’s going to do what kiddies? What else can he take from me? Oh, but now I will get my chance for a bit of payback…”
. . .
Spike wandered through the caves before he heard screaming from deep in the tunnels. He ran to the sounds and found disturbed ground where something big must have been under the dirt and next to it were tracks of small fillies. Spike hoped that Pinkie would be able to see this before it vanished, as he spilled one of the illumination potions on his tracks and made the others glow dimly in the dark. He pushed ahead into the dark until he heard voices and he climbed on the walls with his claws, sticking to the shadows as he snuck closer to the voices. He glanced into the room with the voices and found there were two guards and the CMC were tied up in the corner of the room while struggling and fighting against the rags in their mouths.
He crawled until he was over one of the guards and dropped on one, the other panicking and tried to hit him but Spike moved and he knocked down his friend while Spike sliced at the guard’s knees and hit him in the face with a rock. Spike smiled and rushed to his friend but only managed to ungag them before Sweetie Belle shouted.
“It’s a trap! Behind you!” Spike rolled as Fido crushed where he had been. The dragon smashed the second potion that was on his stick and it made a small cloud of dust that made everyone start coughing, giving Spike a moment to take one of the helmets from CMC and smashed it into Fido’s face and threw the second at Spot like a frisbee. He smiled before he turned back to the CMC and found Rover holding a claw to Applebloom’s throat.
“W-we’re sorry for bringing you out here Spike… we’re scared…”
“No, no this is my mistake and I promise that you’ll all get out of this.” He glared at Rover and smoke began to bellow from his mouth. “You won’t hurt them!!” Rover sneered and made a small cut where a drop of blood ran down Applebloom’s neck and Spike stopped. “Stop this! They didn’t do anything to you!”
“No, but you did and unless you wish to harm these little angels then you are staying right where you are.” Spike gritted his teeth before nodded and Rover gave the girls to Fido and Spot as he walked up to Spike and cracked a knuckle, delivering blow to blow on the young dragon. The girls screamed their resistance but were ignored as Spike was beaten and cut, dodging best he could to make the hits less fatal but deep claw marks appeared on his chest, back, arms and one grazed his neck. Crimson liquid seeped from the cracks in his scales and he shouted out when Rover hit him with a rock in the face and knocked him to the ground in pain. “How does that feel!? Maybe next time you won’t burn half of someone’s face!!”
Spike spit out some blood and struggled to see and hear through the ringing and blurry vision. After a moment, he forced himself to his feet and leaned on the wall for support before he looked at his foe. “Y-you deserved it and much more… I would do it again if I could, besides I thought they could heal you…”
“Oh, they were going to until that witch took the city and left me with no care for a magical wound! Your fire destroyed my face, eyesight, and confidence! My gang is nothing now because of you!” Spike yelled again as he was hit in the stomach and doubled over. Rover was distracted for a moment as one of the guard dogs said that ponies were attacking the others and he smirked. “No matter, this will be over soon so do anything to stop them!”
The CMC couldn’t take it anymore as they struggled and teared up at the beating of their friend. Scootaloo saw that Spot and Fido were distracted and tried inch her way to Sweetie Belle, leaning back and falling so her teeth were on Sweetie Belle’s rope. She gnawed on it until it snapped and Sweetie Belle shook the ring off her horn which kept her from doing magic. She freed her friends and the three all took one of the Diamond Dogs.
Scootaloo stood up to Fido as he rushed at her and tried to jump on her but Scootaloo flipped forward and dived under the dog. She grabbed the rope that was her binds and used it like a whip as she fought back Fido, smacking his hand and legs until he was against a mine car and she jumped and slapped him hard in the face with the rope. He fell in and Scootaloo pushed the car away with a smirk. “He should have known to never fight someone like me!”
“I may need a bit of help!” Sweetie Belle dodged and jumped away from Spot as he swiped at her with his claws and even tried to bite her but Sweetie Belle used her magic to force a rock into his mouth before forcing her hoof in his eye. Spot yelped and spit out the rock while rubbing his eye, Sweetie Belle feeling herself get angry and using her magic to pull several gems to her. She smiled as she remembered something she heard from Rarity and took aim. “I know Rarity wouldn’t approve but how about kicking the jewels!”
“Wait you’re doing what?!” Spot met his answer as jewels flew at him and hit him in the face and the last one hitting quite a bit lower.
“Oopsie I misaimed that last one. My baaad!” She giggled before she joined Scootaloo and the two rushed to Spike.
Applebloom tackled Rover away from Spike and stood her ground in front of her friend, fear making her legs shake. “Look at you, all scared and weak! You think you can protect him? You can’t even protect yourself!” Rover got on all fours and jumped at her but Applebloom glared at him and spun on her back, pulling her legs back and bucking him in the face with a force that would make Applejack proud. He crashed into a wall and cursed as he was missing a number of teeth and he rushed at the filly when the last helmet smashed into him from Sweetie Belle. He jumped at her when Scootaloo slapped him in the burnt half of his face with her rope. Rover screamed as rage and pain fueled him, grabbing the girls and throwing them into Applebloom. “I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!”
“So have I!” Spike stood and flames erupted from his mouth as he grabs the two pieces of rope and he lit them on fire. The two attacked each other but while every blow landed would hurt bad, Spike was more injured and soon knocked down with Rover holding a boulder over his head to smash the dragon. The CMC rushed and bit hard into the dog’s thighs, giving Spike a moment to take a deep breath and hitting Rover in the face with a full-powered fire blast. The leader of the Diamond Dogs fell while he whispered out a curse on the dragon. Spike looked down at his foe and closed his eyes before falling and being carried by the fillies.
They were approached by the Mane Six as they had defeated the army of guard dogs and nearly cried at the state of their loved ones. Rarity was holding Sweetie Belle close and checking her for any wound, sobbing and saying how sorry she was that they were so late. Applejack smiled and teared up as she rubbed against her and listened to Applebloom as she said how they managed to beat the Diamond Dog leaders. Rainbow Dash smiled as she saw Scootaloo trying to act tough but soon she pulled her into a hug and told her how proud she was and that she wanted to make a day special to them where they could just spend time with each other.
Twilight shook her head as she cried, holding Spike in her lap and rubbed his chest and arms. There was so much blood and the injuries seemed to be worse than she ever imagined. Fluttershy was checking him gently and sighed as she looked at Twilight and rubbed her shoulder.
“He will be okay Twilight, he is tired and suffering from mild blood loss but his scales took most of the damage from the attack. The broken ones will fall off and new ones will grow but he will be defenseless for a while… I can try to take care of him at my cottage if you-”
“No! No… I’m sorry but I want to take care of him… I should have been here quicker, maybe he… I should take him home.” Twilight thanked Fluttershy for her help and the shy pegasus said that she would visit and help best she could. She thanked Pinkie for being the one that found them all when she did then she turned to the three fillies. “And thank you three for saving his life… I may not know what your cutie marks are but you three sure have the marks of heroes.”
“He tried to save us, it’s the least we could do.” Twilight smiled and patted the heads of each filly and nodded to their guardians before she carefully lifted Spike with magic and left the cave. “Pinkie I want you to go get someone who can arrest the Diamond Dogs.” Pinkie saluted and ran off again while Applejack said that she would tie them up with Big Macintosh after she got Applebloom home. Rainbow took Scootaloo home with her on her back. Rarity said she wanted to go give Sweetie Belle a bath and something to eat before anything else. Fluttershy followed Twilight home and Twilight let Fluttershy take Spike for a bath to get rid of the dark red stains while she wrote to the princess about what happened. She didn’t think she could handle the sight of blood and Fluttershy knew how to be careful with the broken scales to not harm the body underneath.
Once that was done, Twilight took him to her bed and laid him down. She asked Fluttershy to get the letter delivered as she watched Spike into the night, before falling asleep while laying on her bed next to her dragon and holding him close.
“Ten tickets for the Grand Galloping Gala? Do you really think I am supposed to be attending such a fancy sounding party? I would rather be spending the night eating donuts and watching movies with you and the girls.” Spike said as he was practicing walking again after three weeks of laying down and healing from his fight with the Diamond Dogs. Twilight was using her magic to hold two large pillows in case Spike was to fall. He was extremely appreciative of the protection and care she had given him but he couldn’t help but feel as though she took caring a bit too far, such as when she didn’t give him any food that he had to chew for the first week or when she insisted that she take baths with him to make sure he doesn’t get hurt.
“Oh come on Spike, the Grand Galloping Gala is the biggest and most important party that the princesses throw and it can be great fun! All of Equestria’s elite will be there and I may get to spend some quality time with Princess Celestia. They have some great music already planned, Octavia Melody, DJ Pon-3, the Hex Girls! I bet the town would love to see their hero again besides it would only be a single night where we could just relax.”
“I don’t know Twi, I have been relaxing on my back for the last few weeks while forcing you to take care of me… As your assistant, I was supposed to be helping you not the other way around! Maybe you all should go without me, I could watch the library.”
“There is no way I’m leaving you on your own right after you got hurt and every time I leave you something crazy happens!”
“I’m not a baby Twi… You and the girls have been like mothers lately, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow all are giving me thanks and pity as they think I saved the CMC all on my own while those fillies fought just as hard as I did. They also changed towards me as they blame themselves for my injuries even though I was the dumb one to fall for a trap. Fluttershy has been a nurse towards me so I can’t really blame her and Pinkie has been the most normal to just visit and play some games maybe bringing some cake sometimes.”
“I-I know that… I’m sorry Spike it’s just that I’m still learning about friendship and since we have been living under the same roof we become close friends and I don’t want them or you hurt… I don’t wanna lose you and my friends and I have never gotten so close to losing someone then that day with you and the girls. If you want to stay okay I won’t fight you but I know I would miss you being there…” Spike lowered his head and slowly walked to the unicorn before hugging her.
“I didn’t mean to sound so bitter about all this, I guess I’m so used to the dragon way of things where they would blame you for being weak enough to get hurt that I don’t understand you all. Okay as long as you relax a bit on the caretaking and let me actually start cooking again then I’ll go to the gala. We can’t keep surviving off of cake and takeouts.” Twilight giggled and nodded before giving Spike another hug and putting the pillows down but she saw him get to the stairs and turned them into a slide. He slid down and smiled before shaking his head at his friend, getting to the kitchen and started the oven. “I’ll make a veggie pizza! Hey, Twi so who else will be coming with us? Ten tickets is a fair amount.”
Twilight came into the room with five books flying around her as she caught up on lost researching time. She didn’t even look away as she sat at the table. “It will be you, me, the other girls and the CMC. The princess said that everyone that has helped teach me lessons or learned some themselves deserve to have a night we will never forget.” Spike nodded and popped the pizza in the oven while sitting across from Twilight and checks how his new chest scales were coming along. He grabs one of the issues of Power Ponies that the CMC had worked to get him while he was hurt and read while they waited.
“Hey Spike, how has your progress come along with the stone you are making?”
“Well, Zecora has been a lot of help for getting strange new plants and elements that I never had at home. I have failed every time though because the stone won’t solidify and explodes due to the instability. I’ll figure it out though, someday.”
Soon enough the pizza was done and Spike cut it half while adding a crushed sapphire to his half. Spike finished the issue rather quickly as reading was an art he had mastered only losing his title of the best to Twilight. He watched her as she read, noticing the small details and tweaks that she uniquely possessed, such as when she found a new piece of knowledge she liked her eyes would sparkle or when she was stumped by a word her tongue with stick out until she got it. She would also narrow her eyes at the book like an old foe if it didn’t explain a topic enough. He chuckled when she tried to eat one of her books as she thought it was her slice of pizza. She looked over to him with a blush and turned her head away while pointing to the library.
“I guess you must really be better if you have the strength to laugh at me! Go shelf those books! Just be careful on the ladder…”
“As you wish princess~.” Twilight rolled her eyes at his playful bow and he started his chores, noticing a lot of the books were medical books and animal caring books. “Oh, Twi…” She really must have been so worried for him to get so many of these and it looked like she managed to finish them. He reshelved the books and put the others that he guessed were Fluttershy’s on a nearby desk, checking the desk and seeing they were low on scrolls and ink. “Hey, Twilight! I’m gonna go over to the train station and see if they were bringing that new shipment of ink and scrolls, we could also do with more quills. You never left my side for the last while so we are behind on a fair number of materials.”
“Well… okay, Spike but be careful and try to get back before dark because it is supposed to rain.” Twilight put her books down and watched him start to leave before looking at the ten tickets and going over to him. “Hey umm… you said that you wanted me to treat you like my assistant again so can you do something else for me while you’re out?”
“Of course!” Spike wobbled back to her, his legs not ready yet to run.
“Deliver the tickets to everyone please and thank you.” She floated eight gold tickets to him while keeping two for them. He took them and thanked her for trusting him again before leaving towards the closest place he needed to go to first; Sugarcube Corner. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were there and smiled at the small dragon as he walked up to them.
“Well look who it is, the local hero of the town! The girls all told us how you helped protect those fillies from those kidnapping Diamond Dogs.”
“I’m not sure that I should get that much credit, the girls helped protect him also and if not for Pinkie then we could have been in worse trouble. Where is she anyway? I had something for her.”
“Oh Pinkie is out for the day, she does this once a month where she goes off on her own before coming home. It’s a day where she remembers her family and plans for the time where she’ll get to see them again. It’s best we not push her.”
“Poor Pinkie, I can kinda understand that but she must be feeling it way harder than me. I have only been away from home a few months not years… This is a ticket for her to the Grand Galloping Gala over in Canterlot that will be coming in a few days. I bet that she will enjoy it, after all, who loves a good party more than Pinkie Pie?”
“No one heh. That sweet girl has been the daughter that we never had, we even taught her some of our own secret family recipes. We’ll give her the ticket when she comes home.” Spike smiled and gave them the ticket before starting to walk out but was called back. “Oh here is something Spike for all the help around Ponyville and for all that buzz back in Canterlot. Ponies haven’t always been nice to your kind and maybe not every dragon has been to ponies but every small step is a step in the right direction. You have been that step for us.” They handed Spike a sapphire cupcake which made the dragon smile and gave them a quick hug before waving a bit.
“Thank you both and… that means a lot coming from you. I want to keep making that progress because dragons have been apart from all this for too long. Our lives would be better as friends and maybe it could open the door to something better.” Spike nibbled at the cupcake, savoring every crumb while stopping at Quills and Sofas where they only sold two things, quills and sofas. Spike shook his head as he left the shop questioning how the shop kept in business before Twilight moved to town, effectively boosting their profits by a thousand percent. He bought a large order to be delivered to the library before walking out and heading down to the Carousel Boutique.
He opened the door as a dress hit him in the face. Rarity was tossing failed designs and dresses over her head with her magic, not noticing the shadow until it loomed over her. She jumped back as it spoke her name until the clothing monster shook off the clothes and Spike stood there while tapping his claws on his arm.
“My apologies darling, I been looking for the perfect design to take to the gala… I want to show the best of my abilities but I’m not sure what will impress ponies who are at the center of the fashion world! The other girls have their dresses that I made them before but I want mine to be like my cutie mark, something that defines me…” Rarity shouted before sighing hard and laying on the ground, covering her face with a dress. Spike frowned and sat next to her, rubbed her mane.
“Oh Rarity, if there is anything I learned about you since I been living here, it’s that you are a beacon of fashion ideas and beauty. If anyone will be able to impress the most stubborn of ponies it would be you, I say you take inspiration from things and those close to you.” Rarity relaxed at the praise an began to think hard about herself and what she wanted, glancing at Spike an idea came to her and she began to smile.
“Thank you for your kind words Spike but I need room as my muse speaks and I must draw some new designs!” Spike smiled as she was back to herself and he left her ticket next to her.
. . .
Spike rubbed his chin as he sat at the train station and checked the nearby clock, the train was late and he had a guess why. The trains in Equestria were run off of pony power and he could give it to them that they were strong and impressive to do such a job but maybe this could be changed to make their lives easier. He drew a prototype design for a train that would be able to power itself but he needed to find a power source.
It snapped like a bulb just went off in his mind, an electric citrine gem would be able to power an entire city! Dragons had mastered developing and crafting gems over generations now but it took months and years of training to do so, but with his alchemy, Spike might be able to create artificial stones that would carry the properties of their original brother. If he was able to make large citrine stones that a pony could add a current to so it could get charged then the train would have the power to move on its own. Maybe with a few changes to the stone’s DNA he would be able to make a stone that could develop large energy surges on its own.
Spike finished drawing his design and added some text on the side to explain his thinking when the train finally arrived. The stallions pulling the train had gotten tired and the train had stopped, explaining the lateness and giving Spike more determination to finish this design later. He took the large bag of scrolls that had come from Canterlot and dragged them behind him, groaning as they began to hurt his sore body over time. Lucky for him, Ditzy Doo was flying by while eating a muffin and offered to help him out a bit. She took the bag and saluted the tiny dragon before going off towards the library. He waved and thanked her for her help before noticing it was getting late and he ran off best he could to his next location.
. . .
There is nothin sweeter than the smell of a perfect home cooked apple pie after a long day working the fields, that what Spike remembered being told once by Applejack and while he didn’t know about the workin field the scent he was smelling was indeed sweet. He was nearly floating his way to Sweet Apple Acres once his nose caught the scent of the pie. The farm was being repainted by Big Macintosh who Spike waved to. The two had become friends after the girls had to leave while Spike was still hurt and they trusted Big Mac to keep him company. They had talked a bit before deciding on playing a game and Big Mac mentioned playing Oubliettes & Ogres which Spike had never heard about. They spent the whole day talking about the game and the rules but Spike found himself having fun just from learning about the game, promising Big Mac that they would play once he was better.
“Heya Big Mac is Applejack in? I have something for her and is the next few days good for you for us to play you know what?”
“Eeyup to both, she is in the barn and I can find some free time next time you visit.”
“You’re the best, thanks!” He jogged over to the barn but was stopped once by Granny Smith who thanked him for bringing home her sweet Applebloom, handing him a slice of pie. He thanked her and waved before heading to the barn and knocking. “Hey AJ you here?”
“Howdy Spike, how’s it hangin?” Applejack was tied up in a rope hanging above him, waving a bit. “Oh, the pie is done huh? I’m glad Granny gave ya a slice. Is there somethin I can help ya with?”
“Umm… well I came over to give you your ticket to the gala, do you need a claw? I can help you down.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it ah can get down pretty easily ah was just making a new pulley system to make getting hay to the animals easier. Ya can leave the ticket there and ah’ll get em.”
“Well, okay then. Hey AJ, why are you going to the gala?”
“I’m goin to take some of our products and show off the Apple family’s skills and hopefully make some money to bring back. We all have somethin we need.”
“Hmm so you are going to make things easier for your family, that’s a pretty good reason. Thanks AJ, have a good day!”
“Ya too Spike! Come back anytime!”
. . .
He started to wobble faster as he was losing time but he did manage to get to the CMC clubhouse in record time, for a cripple dragon. Spike heard singing and glanced in the window, seeing the three were trying to practice harmonizing with each other but had a bit of trouble here and there. Spike smiled and wished that he had what they did when he was younger but Ember was always there for him when he needed her.
Spike smiled and knocked on the door making them all jump, blushing they opened the door and nearly jumped on the dragon. He laughed as he was knocked down and soon Sweetie Belle noticed he was still hurting so she pulled the others back.
“Hey, girls, I have a special delivery from Princess Celesta for you three, tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala! She said that you three have learned and grown with your sisters and her friends enough to join us. Plus, I think she enjoys the stories of you three trying to get cutie marks.” The three blushed and happily took the tickets before turning back at their mikes and the smiles vanished. They seemed to be bothered. “Why the faces? I thought you were happy?”
“We are but… it’s just that we ad a plan for singing to our sisters but singing is hard with three fillies…”
“Yeah, our voices are so different that we can’t get it right…” Spike frowned and looked around before grabbing a nearby guitar and smiling once he got a feel for it.
“You three have simply tried so hard for so long
Beaten down time and time again
But if you hear me now, listen to what I say
I have seen your hearts and you are so strong!
You’ve never given up so why start now?
Love for them still drives your every move
They won’t ever leave you
So go out there and take your bow
Who cares if this is wrong?
If what we always do is good
That’s not true life
Go and write your song!”
Spike smiled and grabbed Scootaloo’s front hoofs and began dancing with her while she tried to dance on wobbly legs. Sweetie Belle and Applebloom giggled and bowed to each other while beginning to dance and soon enough all three began to sing together with Spike giving pointers here and there.
. . .
Dark clouds were rolling in and Spike wished the weather patrol could make it a clear night but knew that they had missed the last scheduled rain. He came up to Fluttershy’s small cottage as the door opened and Rainbow Dash was being pushed out of the door.
“D-Dash we have to get started on our way or we’ll be caught in the rain…”
“Fluttershy, we can fly above the clouds remember? Besides the migration is a day’s fly away, you know if you weren’t me.” Both pegasuses were wearing weird hats and Rainbow did not look happy. “Do I have to goooo?” Fluttershy gave her an angry pout and crossed her arms while sitting down.
“You promised…” Rainbow sighed seeing the expression and rolled her eyes before grumbling.
“...Let’s go then.” Fluttershy cheered up and hugged her friend.
“Where you two going?” Spike asked while chuckling at Rainbow trying not to smile at the hug. “I brought you your gala tickets.”
“Thank you, Spike and I’m glad you’re up but try not to overdo it, please. Rainbow Dash and I will be gone for a bit because we always go to see the butterfly migration together.”
“Yeah, she loves it and hates being alone so I go with her to keep her company. It’s boring really but, anything to help a friend right?”
“Right, well I’ll cook you up something Dash once you get back, I been told my brownies aren’t too bad.”
“Seriously?! Thanks, Spike! Oh, you better get home quick, that rain is gonna be pretty bad we should get going. See ya!”
“I’ll check up on you in two days! Bye Spike!”
“Bye.” Spike waved at them before smiling and heading home as the sun vanished and night fell. He sighed as he walked home and was glad he had managed to finish his assignment but dull sore pain was there still. The path seemingly went on endlessly when the first drop landed on his nose and then the downpour began. He held himself as he tried to run but didn’t get far before slipping into the mud. He coughed and groaned in pain, looking up to see a purple light and the rain stopped.
“Spike! Are you okay!? I was worried that you would get caught out here in the rain so I came looking for you.” Twilight used her magic to lift the dragon and put him on her under the umbrella, ignoring his wet scales damping her fur. She got them home in a speed that would have earned a thumbs up from Dash, getting Spike to the fireplace and drying him off with a towel. Once she was sure he was okay, she prepared two mugs of hot chocolate and they sat next to each other while sipping the sweet drink.
“Thanks, Twilight, maybe I did bite off more than I could chew, but I got all the tickets to the girls and all the supplies we would need. I also had an idea at the train station that I wanted to try out but later, how has your day been?”
“I managed to catch up in record time but there are some spells I need to practice later. Tell me about your day.” Spike proceeded to tell her about his various visits and showed her his idea for the trains of Equestria. She made a few modifications based on what she knew magic could do and made a promise that she would show it to the Princess in her next letter. Spike relaxed and hugged Twilight as they took a nap, her warmth making him feel warm, loved, and safe. Eventually, Spike woke and slipped a blanket over Twilight before sneaking up to their room. He wrote down chemical reactions and the different possible ways he could make a stronger citrine gem. The first attempts failed due to not having enough of a charge and the other shattered before he even touched it.
The third attempt was different as Spike added bits of other crystals to strengthen this one but missed that he dropped one of his potions in the mixture. What came out once he began to press the material into a gem was sparks and the stone began to shake with Spike hiding behind Twilight’s bed. The lavender pony yawned coming into the room and Spike rushed at her.
“Hey, Spike-”
“Get down it’s gonna blow!” Twilight woke at the shout and saw the crystal beginning to glow and she panicked, shooting a magic blast at it. The stone absorbed the magic and spun before taking on a strange new look and falling to the ground. The two looked out from their hiding places and Spike touched the stone which glowed green at his touch, power filled his body as he dropped the stone. He looked closer at it and found it was warm and the center seemed to have stars in it. “W-what is this thing…”
Twilight lifted it with her magic and also felt the strange sensation fill her and her aura turned a darker purple before she dropped it. She bit her lip before putting a box over it. “Spike whatever we just created here can amplify magic to a massive degree… I think we should destroy the stone.”
“Wait! If this is what happens when you mix magic and alchemy maybe I can use this. I may have found the secret to the philosopher’s stone! I just want to run a few tests, please!”
“Hmm… fine but I want to be present during the tests.” They agreed and Twilight locked away the stone but far from their room, a feline witch smirked as she stared at a swirling potion in a makeshift cauldron.
“So they created something that powerful, did they? Looks like I’ll be visiting Ponyville soon and then I will get my revenge on that pitiful dragon! This time, no screw-ups…”
“Hurry up Spike let’s get this show on the road!” Twilight shouted back at the library as the last of their bags were taken by the first chariot that the princesses had sent for the group. Her friends would be getting there soon and they would be going to Canterlot to spend a day there before the night of the gala. “Spiiiiike!”
Said dragon was finishing another test on the stone that he and Twilight had accidentally created and wrote down his findings before locking the stone away again inside of a hollowed out book. He locked it with a magical key that Twilight had made and tied the key around his neck. He grabbed his ticket and happily joined his friend as she began to get excited and made him float in a circle as she hopped around him.
“I’m so ready for this trip! I get to show you and my other friends my old home and my family! I really hope that my parents like you all, they have never met a dragon before so one being my assistant might shock them. I did use to deny receiving any help when I was young because I thought to impress the princess I needed to learn to be strong on my own. So stupid now looking back on it, I have gotten stronger in the last few months than ever before because of my friends and because of you.” Spike blushed a bit and shook his head.
“I’ve only helped you here and there and after the last few weeks, I think you helped me more than I could ever repay you.” The two smiled at each other and could see that neither was gonna back down but before the potential argument could start Fluttershy arrived and was carrying a sleeping Rainbow Dash on her back. “Hey Fluttershy, Dash still sleeping?”
“Yeah, she was practicing all night to show off to the Wonderbolts and overdid it a bit. I found her in her room and was sleeping so soundly that I carried her here.” Rainbow sleepily hugged and nuzzled Fluttershy which made her jump and deeply blush. Twilight very stealthily used her magic and snuck a camera from the library taking a picture of the two and she whispered to Spike with a smirk.
“Blackmail is the best.” Spike raised an eyebrow at Twilight, bursting out in laughter at how evil the egghead can be sometimes.
“Howdy ponies and dragon looks like Rainbow wasn’t the only one who stayed up later than they should’ve.” Applejack nudged towards Scootaloo and Applebloom as they were hugging each other and sleeping on her back. Sweetie Belle was seen sleeping next as she was spread out on her sister’s back. Rarity walked up, pulling an enormous suitcase with her that seemed to barely be holding shut. “Umm Rarity ya do got that we’re only there for two days right?”
“Of course you would say that darling but these are all the essentials I assure you.” At that moment she tapped the case and it exploded open, dozens of clothes and fabrics falling on everyone. Rarity blushed a bit and giggled at Applejack’s deadpan expression before using her magic to shove all the items back in the case. “W-well you must understand that Sweetie Belle and I want to make a good first impression! After all, she is still young and may work in Canterlot one day! I can’t have her go looking like she was raised on a…”
“On a what?” Rarity blinked looking at Applejack as she tapped her hoof expectingly. “Well, Rarity?”
“O-on a… I meant in! Yes, in a zoo. Can’t have her looking like she was raised in a zoo.” Spike zipped over to her side and gave a thumbs up.
“Smooth save there I don’t think she caught up on it.” Applejack facehoofed while Twilight shook her head. They looked around for Pinkie as they saw the second chariot was arriving. “Where is she? She knew that the trip was today!”
“Someone run over to Sugarc- why isn’t that driver stopping!?” The group stared at the chariot as the pegasus pulling the cart looked just as frightened but the driver had a big smirk on their face. The driver lifted their hat from their eyes and the group paled at the sight of Pinkie Pie and she waved at them before they all started to run in different directions in a panic. She tilted her head at her friends running away but she shrugged and pulled back at the last moment, inches away from destroying Spike’s hiding place. They all came out and questioned Pinkie on what she was doing on the chariot already, Applejack taking the time to give the Pegasus some apples.
“Oh well, I was so excited this morning for the trip that I rushed out to see Canterlot and used a bunch of balloons to float up high and then BOOM! I got hit by the chariot and the driver guy fell off but I used my bubble gum party bazooka and he is in a tree. I took his job to get the ride here, I can drive us back if you want me too!”
“NO!” Applejack, Twilight, and Rarity shouted with Fluttershy shaking her head gently and Spike laughing. Twilight decided to make Spike drive as they all got into the carriage and Spike took the reigns.
. . .
As the group left Ponyville, a cloaked figure in the shadows smirked and descended upon the library. She aimed a fist at the door before a surge of magic blew the door off its hinges. Katrina looked around the home of her enemy and angrily began to destroy everything she could hit but the tantrum soon ended as she didn’t want to accidentally hit her goal. She used another one of her rings to find traces of magic but there were a lot in the home. In the bedroom she found one that stood out, it was a strange mixture of magic and she followed it to a book that was hidden under a pillow. She touched the book and found it was locked and when she struck it with magic, it rebounded back to her.
“So I need the key, I guess destroying all my enemies together would be a fantastic way to pass the night. To the gala I go…”
. . .
Spike nearly crashed the chariot twice but managed to get the hang of it before too long. He heard when the other girls woke and it started at least six different conversations, ones which were made of a variety of topics, apples vs strawberries, what color dress best matches Fluttershy’s eyes best, what princess was better, what cutie mark would appear if sleeping was a pony’s special skill. He soon drowned out the noise and concentrated on his driving, seeing Canterlot was a bit away. He then looked beyond it to where the Dragon Lands began and wondered if Ember had returned yet and missed him.
His thoughts left him as they flew around the city and he smiled seeing how it had rebuilt to be even stronger and better than before. Twilight and the others all looked out in awe at the city but for Twilight it was more of greeting an old friend than meeting a new one. As they roughly landed, Spike promised the pegasus that he would get better next time and apologized, a crowd started to build around the group.
“Now this is more like it! I love fan appreciation you know?” Rainbow said as she boasted and flexed but Pinkie was the first to notice the obvious problem.
“Those aren’t cheers Dash, they are insults silly.” She was right as the crowd was shouting insults and one even threw a rock, all aimed at Spike. The rock hit him in the face but his scales made sure no damage was really taken, but what was hurting Spike were the words that were being hurled at him.
“Freak!”
“Liar!”
“Fake Hero!” Spike held his head as he shook his head and looked at the ponies that he had fought for and saved not too long ago.
“W-why!? I thought you all trusted me… I saved you!”
“Oh please, give up the act dragon boy.” Spike gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes at the voice, Goldblum the unicorn walked through the crowd as they parted for him and he pointed his hoof at Spike. “You are nothing but a lying, cowardly dragon! I saw those strange potions you had on the train and it just so happened that when that witch, who had the same abilities as you, launched her attack on us you happened to be here to save the day.”
Spike’s anger grew as he stepped towards the pony and glared hard. “Are you implying that I had something to do with the attack!? I could have died! I was stabbed through the shoulder and fought a close friend, just to save all of you! I never even asked for anything in return and you made up rumors and lies about me!? I helped you on that train also! If not for me then some psycho would have gotten the diamond and escaped! I beat the Diamond Dogs twice and again asked for nothing!” Spike began to tear up at his shouting and only stopped when Twilight touched his shoulder and he shook his head softly. “He told me that they would hate me…” Spike sniffled and ran off with the girls about to give chase when Goldblum opened his big mouth again.
“As I said ponies, the guilty always run and it seems he finally got the hint that he wasn’t wanted in Canterlot.” Rainbow Dash and Rarity rushed at him while Applejack held them back, but wanted so eagerly to let them tear the unicorn apart. Even Fluttershy was angry as she glared daggers at him but was holding back the CMC as they had also attacked. Pinkie Pie slipped on a helmet that read born to kill on it and prepared to tackle him but then Applejack pointed and got everyone’s attention.
Twilight Sparkle was angry, angrier than the others had ever seen her, her mane and tail spiked for a moment before bursting into fire. Her eyes turning red with hate and her horn glowed red before she aimed her horn at him, sparks coming off it. “You did this! You took all of Spike’s hard work and torn it down! For what!? Because you couldn’t accept that a dragon was the hero of the story for once?! You sent your idiots after him because he looks different?! If he was a pony then all of you would be asking for his autograph instead of trying to hurt him for something he never did! You don’t know the first thing about him so why don’t you go away!!” Twilight shot a blast of magic at Goldblum who only shrieked in fear but the blast was stopped and absorbed as Shining Armor had finally arrived.
“I-insanity! She attacked me! I demand she be arrested!” Shining Armor turned and punched the unicorn with all his might, knocking out a tooth.
“You should be thankful I stopped the blast, because if it was up to me then the whole lot of you would be gone. You should be the one arrested for slander!”
“It was only a dragon!”
“He was a hero and thanks to you he ran off to Celestia knows where! Canterlot is supposed to be the home of the kindest and bravest of ponies but looking at the lot of you, I only feel like I was lied to.” Twilight had relaxed at the sight of her brother and listened to his words, joining him at his side.
“I was told once by Princess Celestia that to her we ponies were the true pride of Canterlot, not all the buildings, beauty, and art we have made. No, it was us and the fact that we were able to live in peace with so many kinds of beings but right now I see that not all of us were that open to friendship. Looking at you all now, I’m glad I left this place because I never want to be anything like you. Now get out of our way, we are going to look for our dragon friend.” The ponies all looked around before moving in shame and fear, Rainbow and the CMC blowing raspberries at them. Applejack did stop next to Goldblum and landed a famous Apple Family buck on his flank, smiling she trotted along happily.
Luna and Celestia floated above their subjects, always ready to interfere the moment they were needed but found that most ponies could change their minds but not many could change their hearts. This did not solve the problem at hand but gave pause to the mob if what they believed was true. The princesses shook their head and looked at a window where they could see the young dragon was curled up and sobbing softly to himself.
“You know that you should tell him, the reason this happened. The reason he is how he is.” Luna pleaded but Celestia only shook her head.
“The past is done… I thought giving him to the dragons would have buried his spark but I should have known that his fate could not be changed but I believe in time he will learn to believe in that spark and in himself. All it takes is a guiding hoof to start the way…”
. . .
Twilight sent the girls down every way she knew of, they all searched for Spike and found that there were a fair amount of citizens that believed in Spike and helped search. Twilight saw that their search was having no luck and thought hard about where she would go, ending up in front of her old home. She rubbed her hoof against the door and smiled, thinking back to the days where it was just her and her books but a frown appeared when she thought about her mind’s wording. Just her and her books… was she truly that foolish and lonely? How was that ever enough for her? No friends, no assistants, no… companionship. She unlocked the door and walked in, her home seemed perfectly preserved, only a very fine layer of dust and the cobwebs were new.
“How did you know I was here..?” Spike’s voice came from her bed, a sheet covering the dragon and hiding him from view. Twilight smiled softly and climbed up before walking over to the bed lump.
“It’s where I would have run off to… Spike, what they said to you, those insults that they shouted, you don’t believe them, do you? You are a hero to Canterlot, to Ponyville, to me.” Spike removed the sheet and showed his red eyes that had no more tears left and he shook his head.
“They were right about me Twilight! I am a freak! Every time that I ever tried to be a dragon I failed and was pushed away even more! All I ever knew was that something was wrong with me I’ve always been alone with my books and alchemy. I came out here to find who I was and maybe I could find a place where I finally felt like I belonged! I thought I had found it… with you. With all of you… but even if you all accept me there will always be ponies that see me as nothing but a monster…” Twilight held the dragon close and tried to think about what to say but remembered something from before, stop thinking with her head and start with her heart.
“I hated dragons… I had a chance to finally have a friend a long time ago, a real true friend but he was taken from me before I even had a chance to name him… I asked the princess what happened to him and she said that the dragons took him. She said that he belonged with them. I never accepted that and thought all dragons were friend stealers and thugs but then I heard about you, Spike. You gave me new hope for dragons and ponies and I realized that I made a horrible mistake by hating an entire species before even really meeting one… that is the mistake they are making down there but I know one day that you’ll be the one to change their mind.” She nuzzled his face with hers and they shared a smile.
“Thank you, Twi… if you don’t mind I just want to spend some time with you all and Shining, I may stay home from the gala… but you all better bring me back some stories!” Twilight was a bit saddened at the news that he would stay behind but knew that it was his decision and she didn’t want him to go and some dummy insults him. That would end up with a dead pony, Twilight or Dash in cuffs, a sad Spike, and a destroyed gala. She took him out of her home and called the others, all of them checking on Spike and surrounding him as they walked around town. The group ended up at the empty amphitheater and Pinkie immediately set up a karaoke machine. The group all ended up singing songs and having fun, even gaining a crowd of fans.
After they were done having their fun, Spike and Shining took the group to Joe’s Donut Shop. They all drank coffee and ate donuts, Spike, Fluttershy, and the CMC getting chocolate milk instead. Spike noticed the stares he would get throughout the day but found it hard to care when he had his friends by his side. Eventually, they all were invited to stay at Twilight’s tower for the night, Shining going back to the castle to report into the princesses. The next day was spent running, cleaning, and preparing the girls for their big night, something Spike was happy to help with.
The dresses were perfectly created to show off the characteristics of every pony and fitted to their unique styles. The CMC were the first ones out with Rainbow Dash excitedly following them and telling of how amazing the Wonderbolts were. Fluttershy gave Spike a hug and then went on after the others. Applejack handed Spike an apple before she pushed her cart of products out of the tower. Rarity took a minute to relaxed and did several poses in the mirror and then panicked, going on about all the things that could go wrong. Spike smiled and helped her relax with compliments and handing her her hat. She muttered to herself before rushing after the others.
Twilight was alone with Spike and he smiled at her while fixing her cape. “Rarity truly outdid herself with these, you all look incredible. With all those stars you can say that you look out of this world? Ehh eh?” Twilight giggled and rolled her eyes while knocking him away.
“You sure about staying?”
“Yes, go have some fun! I’ll be here waiting for you okay?” Twilight nodded and glanced at him one more time before running towards the castle. Spike smiled and stretched before sitting on Twilight’s bed and pulling out a comic. “You all enjoy yourselves tonight… I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
“Oh don’t you worry boy, they will get what is coming to them. All of Canterlot will.” Spike’s eyes widen at the voice and he turned and blew fire at Katrina but she used one of her rings to stop the flames. Another one glowed as it restrained the dragon and covered his mouth. “No need to get all worked up, after all this was a long time coming. You knew that I would be back but this time I have everything I need to see Canterlot burn! The princesses will fall and your friends beaten. Only once all of that is done will you be allowed to die knowing that all of Equestria will be mine! All I need is one last thing.” Spike struggled and shook his head as she levitated his key and opened the book, the stone glowing as it felt her greed of power. She grabbed the stone and stabbed it in her chest as it glowed and she screamed, Spike, being blasted through Twilight’s window and hitting the ground hard.
“I-I have to get to the others!” Spike ran through the darkened city as Katrina came to terms with her new power and saw Spike running off, She smirked and made her rings all glow at the same time before hitting several homes, trees and even the ground. The trees and homes twisted and became monsters who chased Spike while zombified ponies burst from the ground ready to serve. Katrina laughed and hit everything she could until she had an army and she pointed at Canterlot Castle.
“Destroy it and end the princesses! Bring me the dragon and burn Canterlot until nothing remains! The era of Katrina begins now!”
It was strange being back home for Twilight, almost a completely new experience. Her home used to be a place where she could relax and spend time with her family. A place where she studied endless and learned everything she could to become who she was now. Things had changed or rather she now opened her eyes to the dirty side of the city she once loved. The gala was slow and while she was glad to stand beside Celestia as a friend other than a student, the endless amount of ponies and their rather pointless attempts to sound more impressive then they were caused her to walk away for some air.
The castle of the two sisters was enormous and beautiful but even with all of Canterlot here, it had the air of loneliness still around. Twilight stared up at the stained glass portrait of a younger Celestia looking up at the sun. She turned and found another glass showing Luna looking down as the moon shined down on her.
“That was so long ago, the night our mother passed away and we had to accept our roles in the cosmic balance.” Twilight jumped as Luna approached her and looked at the glass. “I hated my role and made up in my head that Tia did to… that she blamed me in a way. To know that my mother passed while the moon shined made me want to cry and I even refused to use my powers at first, making Tia take it all while I grieved on my own. She was everything to us, mother, best friend, teacher, and created this castle for us to share. How disappointed she must have gotten looking down on me when I let my greed and anger take me when I forced Tia to become just like her. How lonely she must have been walking through these halls for those centuries I was locked away, that loneliness being why she accepted ponies like you and the others. She could never have a child but still wanted so badly to be a mother.”
“I think that you’re an amazing sister princess, you are able to accept and move on from your past. I know that Celestia was just waiting for the night that she would be able to bring you home. The love of a sibling isn’t so easily broken from something like pain or time, I used to think that Shining would hate me because of how distant I became… but he never left my side and was always there when I needed him. We feared you and even lost your legend over time but I think you proved that you are a princess who is worthy of your power.” Twilight smiled gently as Luna giggled a bit.
“I’m still not sure about that but all we can ever do is our best, much like a friend of yours has done. Even if I had changed and before Nightmare Moon I gave thousands of years to benefit the ponies of Equestria, there will always be those that see me and see the monster they were told to fear. Every being has a chance for forgiveness if it is willing to change for it and the others are willing to give it. That is what Spike and I will always face and the moment either of us shows weakness or even a possibility of becoming like the stories tell of Nightmare Moon or dragons then we will lose the ponies who are waiting for a reason to hate us.”
“But that’s unfair! How can someone’s heart be so hardened…” Luna smiled and placed a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder.
“Still so young and full of promise, I see that Tia taught you well. We can’t always put reason in everything because there are some matters and beings in this world and others where reason means nothing. You may yet face foes who are driven by greed, hate, fear, or by the belief that they are right but you must trust in your heart and that your friends will be there for you.” Luna smiled and walked away before giggling. “I always hated the gala, even a thousand years ago it was the most boring thing to Tia and me, but I have a feeling that you all will make it quite exciting. Maybe that was the reason she invited you all, too bad Spike wasn't able to come through.”
Twilight looked back at the glass portraits before going off to see how her friends were doing. She started at the main throne room where most of the party was meant to be happening but everything was tiring and dull with no real fun to be found. Pinkie Pie could be seen rushing around trying her best to inject some life into the party but every attempt only made the ponies walk away with their noses in the air. She sat down and sighed, her hair straightening and her fur losing a bit of its pink coloring. Twilight walked up to her friend and held out a hoof.
“You look like a pony who could use a laugh, how about we go check up on Rainbow and see how she’s doing with the Wonderbolts. I bet you two bits that she’s driving them crazy.” Pinkie smiled gently and grabbed the hoof, getting up and walking next to her. “I guess the ponies here can’t handle a real party huh?”
“They all seemed… to not care about the party. None of them had the party spirit! I was hoping to make them smile but all I got was laughs and sneers and not the good ha ha laughs but mean laughs.” Twilight nodded and they went on their way, looking for any of their friends really. While they had yet to find Dash, Applejack was on the grounds near the gardens and seemed to be dejected and hurt. The two ponies looked at each other and slapped some bits on the stand, smiling. “Hiya stranger! Can I have a candy apple?!”
“Heh, and I will take a bit of apple cider please.” Applejack smiled kindly at her friends before giving them their orders and closing her stand. “I guess the night hasn’t been the best for you either AJ?”
“Nah, business started well but then some jerk came up and insulted me family’s cooking! He even made Rarity pay for the snack he spat out! I felt bad for her…”
“What!? We have to go find her girls! No pony should be with a jerky jerk like that! Umm does anypony else hear the sound of dozens of running animals?” Just as Pinkie said that a stampede of animals ran from the gardens and into the castle with a raging and beaten Fluttershy gave chase. The girls looked at each other and ran after their friend, getting back to the throne room and seeing Fluttershy had cornered the animals. Rainbow was weakening the screws that supported a large crystal chandelier that Rarity was under. She was yelling at a stallion who seemed to be the jerk that Applejack had mentioned before and AJ ran to her. She got to Rarity and bucked the jerk into a wall while shouting at Rarity that the chandelier was about to fall. Pinkie used her balloons to float up to Rainbow and tell her that her friends were under it and Rainbow rushed to get them out of the way before they could get hurt.
Twilight used her magic to slow the chandelier as Rainbow grabbed her friends and apologized as she thought no one was under it. The ornament shattered once it hit the ground and the princesses came running and saw the party in shambles. Twilight looked at her friends before sighing and heading to the princesses to apologize as the window above the thrones exploded, the body of Spike having been thrown into the castle and slammed hard on the ground as he struggled to stand. The main six rushed to his aid and he held his head as it was bleeding a bit and he coughed out a bit of the red liquid.
“K-Katrina… she’s back and t-t-taken Canterlot… Much stronger… I’m sorry…” He fainted and Twilight looked at the princesses for a plan. Celestia and Luna grimace and looked at Shining Armor as he was ready for any order.
“Captain, take every guard we have and prepare them for battle! My sister and I will be joining you all to keep this battle away from the castle and the citizens. I know that there must be a few that didn’t come so I ask you to bring back anypony that you find. Twilight I understand that you are fearful for Spike right now but I need you and your friends to join us on this one. I ask everyone to not be frightened! We will prevail over this villain!” Twilight nodded and looked at her friends as they nodded back and were ready to fight, tearing off their dresses. She gave Spike to the CMC as they promised to help him. Spike opened his eyes and reached out as they were leaving.
“T-Twi… wait… too m-many…” The CMC looked at each other in fear and only hoped that their loved ones could save everyone.
. . .
Ten Minutes Ago… Spike dived and jumped over debris that was scattered around the alleyways of Canterlot. He hid behind a wall and tried to catch his breath as Katrina brought buildings, trees, zombies, and other objects to life to create an army. The city itself was becoming the enemy and Spike wished silently that he had listened to Twilight and destroyed the stone. He teared up remembering the insults thrown at him and how he wanted to believe that they weren’t true but here he had brought destruction and possible death to Canterlot if Katrina wasn’t stopped. He fell back as the building he leaned against broke it’s foundations and roared at him like a beast, the contents of the house smashing into the dragon and alerting Katrina.
“You can’t run from this! Tonight is the last night that anyone will remember there being peace! For too long had I been stepped on and taken advantage of! I tried to make this place my home and I believed that I could find my own place here but they kicked me out! They treated me like trash because I wasn’t like them so tonight I’ll take everything I deserved back then!” Spike ran again but the ground opened before him and dozens of hands grabbed at his ankles while they screamed in pain. He burned the hands and apologized silently as he ran towards the castle. Katrina blasted two beams of concentrated magic at him and the resulting explosions sent the dragon flying through two buildings. He coughed and groaned in pain, spitting out gravel.
“I-I know how you feel! Do you think I never feel like that?! But I believe in this city! I believe that the ponies will do what is right and accept someone like me or you, but you have to be willing to forgive!” Katrina paused for a moment before she glared down at him and she aimed a fist at him, magic restaining him and making him float to her. The rage in her eyes burning like an unstoppable inferno.
“The time for forgiveness has long since past! Now it the time for vengeance and you will be my message!” She slammed him hard into the ground and repeatedly smashed him with her magic, Spike only being able to put his arms up in an attempt to lessen the blows. Once he had stopped moving she lifted him and ensured he was still alive before blasting him with her magic and sent his beaten form right into the castle. Her revenge only starting, she ordered that no mercy be given.
. . .
Celestia and Luna flew in front of their castle as they were in full armor, both had their armor emblazoned with their respective symbol. The entirety of the royal knights standing guard and none showing fear in the face of the army they would have to face. Luna used her powers and shot a beam into the air, using a bit of Nightmare Moon’s own magic to summon her own royal guards that had bat wings. The Knights of the sun and moon stood beside each other and looked at their leaders as Luna and Celestia prepared their magic.
“Tonight Canterlot faces a danger which will destroy all of Equestria if not stopped here! It doesn’t matter what our allegiance or species because tonight we are all fighting for the same goal! To see tomorrow and to defend those that we swore to protect!”
“To prove to the world that we are worthy of trust and kindness, we will defend them to the very end! This is a fight for the day and night! This is a fight that we will not lose! FOR CANTERLOT!”
“FOR CANTERLOT!!” The armies roared in unison and on a hill above them the elements of harmony stood in armor that had each one of their cutie marks engraved. Twilight seeing the fire and ruins that Katrina had already caused and she turned to her friends who smiled and put all their hooves together.
“For Canterlot!”
“For our families!
“For our friends!”
Twilight put her hoof in and all of them looked to her. “For everyone!” Celestia and Luna led the charge as they headed for the monster houses and mashed several while gunning for Katrina, who only smiled and made all her rings glow.
“Let’s go then!!” Celestia and Luna sent energy beams of sunlight and moonlight at Katrina as she fought back with her own magic and blocked other attacks. The earth ponies stampeded and cut down the zombies while knocking down the building’s foundations best they could. The unicorns were using their magic to fight and repel the larger groups of enemies, some even able to help the earth ponies get on top the buildings to tear them down. The pegasus took care of all the flying enemies and would grab items to drop and take down their foes. Twilight was in the fire of the battle, fighting beside her brother and used her magic to burn one of the trees then took her brother’s second sword.
“Don’t go getting tired on me Twily!”
“Me tired? I can do this all night!” She stabbed and tore one of the zombies in half while blasting magic at some of the buildings as they attempted to smash into a few busy ponies.
Applejack had used her lasso to get on and ride one of the zombie pegasuses, smashing it into a building and jumping through one of the windows. She then used her armor to spark a fire and spread it around before bucking a wall and smashing her way out. She landed with a smile as the building burned but turned as a tree swiped at her but Rarity had stopped the tree and Applejack bucked it away. Rarity was using her experience of holding a lot of items at once to hold back dozens of foes but she was getting tired and Applejack smiled at her.
“I got ya, girl, we’ll do this together. You hold them rascals back and I’ll protect ya.” Rarity smiled and got back on her feet as the enemies surrounded them but Rainbow dived and spun, slicing through a lot of them. She smirked at her friends before being tackled by a small group of the zombie who tried to hold her down but she flew faster and dived bombed herself and the zombies through the whole middle of a house. She groaned and stood again as she saw a group of the trees rush at her. “Aww, nuts…”
“You leave her alone!” Fluttershy landed in front of Dash and stood bravely against the trees as she whistled and the animals from before came out from small hidden places and attacked the trees. Fluttershy grabbed Dash and smiled before giving the stare to a few of the zombies and they all turned to dust in front of her.
“Remind me to not piss you off…” They looked up as they heard a scream of pure bliss, Pinkie Pie was flying above them and smashed through several zombies while using all her party tricks, from dropping cupcakes that explode onto the buildings to pulling out confetti guns that were a bit stronger than they needed to be. She had dozens of party cannons somehow and shot anything that remotely colorful. None of the creatures could match her speed as she was running around happily. “Or her, especially her.”
“Now this is a party!!”
. . .
“They’re losing…” Applebloom whispered out loud as everypony watched the battle from above. Spike wished that he disagree, while the girls and army were doing really well against their enemy, they could see that the foe was much more in number and was getting close inch by inch. This was a hopeless fight with Katrina still bringing things to life with every blast that missed the sisters and with their missed hits destroying more of the city. Explosions rocked the castle as they watched their home burn. Spike cursed and wobbled away from the window with the CMC following him. “Where ya think ya going!?”
“I can’t stand by and watch this, they need more help.” Sweetie Belle stepped in front of him and shook her head.
“Look at you! You can barely stand much less fight!”
“I DON’T CARE! I WON’T STAND ASIDE AND LET THIS HAPPEN!” Scootaloo hit Spike and knocked him on his back while frowning.
“And neither will we! That is our sisters out there! If you really want to fight then we will too!”
“You can’t-”
“You will not tell us what we can’t do, now what is the plan?” She held out her hoof and Spike took it, proud of how the three had grown. He had them take him to Celestia’s room and he searched it, finally finding a large wooden cabinet that had a symbol of a flame engraved on it. Spike reached out and the cabinet opened, his armor was there and Celestia had added new parts. Spike slipped on the lavender chest plate that was more his size, the helmet and gauntlets which were gold, and took the sword and new shield which had Twilight’s cutie mark engraved. “Looking good.” Spike smiled at them before taking them to his next destination.
Most ponies in the throne room were watching the destruction outside while others were consoling the crying fillies and colts. Some were even praying to give Celestia more strength. They all turned when a large amount of spare armor was thrown in the middle of the room. Spike stood on top of the pile with the CMC all dressed in armor of their own.
“Ponies! I ask you to let me have a minute, we can all see what is happening out there… they are losing this battle! Those brave ponies are laying down everything to try and defend this castle while we are all just forced to watch! I know why Celestia had us stay and maybe this is the wrong choice but I will no longer stand by and watch! These little fillies are willing to fight for you all with everything they have, not because I am forcing them but because they want to help! I am not a pony and maybe a lot of you don’t trust or like me… but I have traveled this world enough to have seen your people and I’ve learned so much! You are all so strong and would never give in to someone like Katrina! I know you’re scared and so am I… but I will fight through my fear if it means protecting you all and my friends. My family! Canterlot is a city of brave and strong ponies that I know will do what’s right. You all are the pride of Canterlot and we will get through this fight together!”
Spike and the others began to leave when Donut Joe stepped up and grabbed one of the swords in his mouth. Soon enough, the ponies steeled their nerves and grabbed armor or a weapon themselves.
. . .
Katrina gritted her teeth and glared at the two panting princesses. All three were using up a lot of magic with Katrina having the advantage with the stone in her chest but it was causing stress on her body. Celestia rushed at her and attempted to stab her with her armor in quick succession, nicking her on the cheek and jumped back as Luna hit her in the back with a blast. She screamed as the rings blasted the princesses back.
“You two will not stand in the way of my destiny! I am not that weakling from before I will take what I have earned!!” She sent dozens of dark magic slashes at Celestia but Luna jumped in front of her and took them, blocking her sister best she could, a number of the slashes cutting her body and legs. “You will see what a heart of bitterness and hate can bring! Tonight the sun and moon themselves will bow before me!”
“No, you will only get blood and pain.” Celestia glared and began to glow as all the light in the area surrounded her and caused her fur to pulse with power, pure light energy flowing off her in waves as her horn took an energy form and became twice as large. She tackled Katrina and used her horn to have a one on one against her dark magic. Luna forced herself to her feet as she watched the fight and then looked around at how her home, the place her mother had built was all rubble. The elements and guards were still fighting but each was being overwhelmed and beaten.
An enormous column of green fire could be seen as it momentarily stopped the fighting and Spike stood with the all of Canterlot behind him. He pointed his sword at Katrina and shouted for all to hear.
“TIME TO SEND THEM ALL TO TARTARUS!” The army cheered and attacked pushed back the creatures, helping the guards and attacking with any and all items that could be used as weapons.
. . .
Applejack was bleeding over one of her eyes and defended a tired and beaten Fluttershy who had cuts over her body and wings.
“H-heh… not gone yet are ya Flutters?”
“Me? N-never… just wishing I was in a nice warm bath…”
“Me t-too…” Applejack stumbled and fell to the earth, only to land on Applebloom who smiled at her and put her down gently, looking at her friends and each got ready to fight. Scootaloo using her scooter to run over and crush the feet of the zombies, making them all fall and Applebloom crushed their head while they were down. Sweetie Belle used her magic to take some burning sticks and sent them flying at the trees, causing them to burst into flames. She smiled and turned to her friends as a zombie pegasus dived at her in an attempt to bite her but a colt jumped and used a small knife he had in his mouth to slice the monster’s neck. He was dressed in a knight costume and was dark brown with a red mane. Sweetie Belle jumped and rushed to the colt’s side as he cheered, missing the zombie that was walking behind him. She used her magic to grab the knife from him and stabbed it into the zombie's chest.
“Hey don’t go cheering yet! We are still fighting!” Sweetie Belle shouted while the two stood back to back, Applebloom and Scootaloo soon joining them.
“So what’s your name colt boy?” Scootaloo asked as she beat back a zombie with her scooter skills.
“B-Button Mash... “ He sounded nervous as he let Applebloom have his sword and he used a bow he had taken from before.
“Well ah don’t know bout ya other girls but ah think this guy should be the first colt in the CMC.” Button Mash was about to ask what they meant but Sweetie Belle smiled at him and the two fought off two more monsters that were about to attack the other.
“I absolutely agree Applebloom.”
“Enough talking, we can do that all night once we win this!” They all nodded and fought together.
. . .
Spike ran through the burning and ruined streets, trying to reach Katrina and cutting down any that was in his way. He bashed and blocked at any that dared attack him and retaliated with his own sword slice. He could see that Twilight was now fighting beside her teacher and Luna as the three pushed back Katrina as she summoned more and more power from the stone, the excess power creating lightning around the three ponies and witch. The three magic ponies charged their horns and sent beams of power at her, the stone reaching its peak to create a shield around itself and Katrina, the beams being absorbed and blocked. Rarity rushed to their side and while she wasn’t a fighter, she blasted her own magic at the witch. Katrina screamed and roared at the four ponies as cracks spread across her body and she began to charge all the magic she could in her body, ready to unleash it once the four stopped their attack. He wasn’t gonna make it in time, he realized this as he was grabbed and shoved into a dark place.
“No worries Spike! My party cannon will get you there!” Pinkie blasted Spike but added too much power as he was aimed to go too far but then Rainbow grabbed him while he was in the air and took him high above Katrina and nodded.
“Finish this and show her why you don’t mess with a cool dragon!”
Spike nodded and she dropped him. He breathed out a lungful of fire, engulfing his body like a rocket heading down to the witch. She looked up and prepared to send her attack up at him. He narrowed his eyes and shouted as flames were in his eyes and his soul itself engulfed. His sword and shield catching on fire as he swung down with all his might and want to see this battle end.
“THIS IS OVER!”
“NEVER!!” He slammed into the shield and the stone was finally overpowered as Spike’s strike broke the shield and the four blasts annihilated Katrina’s body. The resulting explosion shined as bright as the sun before smoke was all that remained of the witch and her minions all fell. Spike laid on the ground as his left arm was charred and broken but he held the stone in his other hand.
. . .
Spike opened his eyes to pain and soreness but he could tell he was alive. He couldn’t move but could feel his body, except for his left hand. He looked around to see he was in the castle, this must have meant that they won and saved Canterlot. On the desk next to him, he noticed that ponies had left him gifts and by the scents around him there was more all around that he couldn’t see.
“Spike!” Twilight shouted as she hugged him, not seeing him winced and whine in pain, quickly letting him go as she cried happily. She was covered in bandages. “You scared me, bonehead… the fight was two weeks ago, we were all in really bad shape but you and the princesses were the worst. Canterlot was saved and Katrina… gone. The city was almost completely destroyed so we asked all nearby ponies and all our neighbors for help and almost all of them did! Griffins, Ponies, Hippogriffs, and all the animals came to help.
“But no dragons…”
“No… Spike I know what you are thinking but the city sees you as a hero now and no one will deny it. They are building a statue to all of the heroes that fought and one of them will be of you, the ponies demanded it. You proved that they could change and now you have a place here.” Spike smiled and rubbed her face, getting rid of her tears.
“I always had a place here, by your side. I’m your number one assistant right? I won’t tell Owlicious.” Twilight giggled and said that she needed to check on the others. Celestia entered after she left and smiled at the dragon.
“Well, Spike thanks to you coming out with the people we were able to fight and win this battle. I wanted to thank you personally from the ponies of Canterlot.”
“You have nothing to thank me for, it’s my fault she got that strong princess. That stone-”
“Yes, I realized how it was made and that it was an accident. I have the stone and found it hard to destroy, you couldn’t have done anything about it, Spike. You should not blame yourself for something you didn’t have control over.”
“...Please princess, I wish for you to get rid of it any way you can. What happened to my arm?”
“I shall, I may know a way. Rest up Spike and I’ll let your friends in soon. As for your arm… I’m afraid that Katrina had hit it with her magic and it seems like it may be beyond saving. However, I do have several ways we can mend this problem, I will show them to you at a further time.”
“Thank you…” Celestia watched as the CMC and Mane Six all entered his room and smiled a bit before leaving.
. . .
Celestia and Luna stood in front of the mirror that they swore to never use again but this was the only way. She threw the stone into the mirror and prayed that it would be destroyed.
“Was this the right move sister? I mean we could have just doomed another world!”
“I don’t know what we could do right in this situation but I have a feeling that if that stone is found somewhere that new heroes will rise. It’s how fate usually works.”
“What about Spike and the others? What now?”
“I have a feeling that they aren’t done yet since you woke the world has shifted and we must be ready for anything that comes our way. That dragon, my student, and her friends are the best second defense we have now.”
“What is contentment truly mean? I’ve been living among ponies for little over a year now and in that time I have learned more about them, the world, and myself than I ever imagined I would. My role has been to that of a hero, a defender of justice, a leader, and a friend. I’ve grown to accept these titles but I feel deep down that they are hollow and that there will be a time where I can’t live up to them… I bet you would have some choice words or advice about that kind of thing huh Em? I miss you so much but I’m… afraid to return home if it could mean that there’s a chance I may not be able to come back. True, while I been here it hasn’t been all fun, evil monsters, racism, and a sorceress who fired my arm but I have found things here that home just can’t provide. The only thing that I wish was here is you. I hope someday I’ll send this to you and you could find it in your heart to forgive me…”
Spike wiped his eyes as he cursed at the beeping sound that came from his left arm, or rather the smoking canister that was in his arm. As it turned out, his arm had been utterly destroyed when the sorceress struck it with her final blast and she left him with a reminder of their fight forever. Under the advice of the princesses and against the wishes of his friends, he agreed to get his arm removed and was given a replacement in the form of a robotic arm created by the best of Equestria. It was made of titanium which had been enforced with gold and gave him improved strength in his arm and even allowed him to cast magic of his own but it came with several prices. It was strong but heavy and would need constant upgrades until he died or it would get too small. Also, it would act up and even hurt him as ponies had mastered the tech but knew less about dragon biology and weren’t sure what the problems were.
‘All those eggheads and not one of them could tell me why my arm keeps trying to kill me in my sleep. Maybe they are controlling it.’ The biggest price of the limb came in two parts, one was that the arm needed a constant stream of magic to have access to all its features and the second part was the pony that agreed to give him magic. Twilight Sparkle was special, any pony could easily tell you that as they had all heard of her adventures and roles as the student of the princess herself and the element of magic. However, the girl was also special beyond all those titles and roles like when she would get so engrossed in a book that he would need to feed her and make her mouth chew. Then there were times where the two of them would just relax on a rainy day after all the chores were done and sit in front of the fire while making up stories, telling jokes, and talking about the fun in their pasts with those they love. Spike would never forget the night the two danced and tried to show off their singing skills.
Ever since the arm thing, Twilight had feared for the drake more than ever and has made it her mission to protect him at all cost. She agreed to give him all the magic he would need every day, rushing to him whenever she heard that infernal beeping. Rarity and even the princesses had tried to volunteer so Twilight wouldn’t have to deal alone but she refused their help. Both princesses did slip Spike two canisters which had their magic if he ever needed a power boost. Just as he guessed, the sound of running approached and Twilight burst into the room as Spike gave her a deadpan expression. She blushed a bit and rubbed her head at her overreacting again but she couldn’t help it, She had nearly lost him in the last fight along with the entire city of Canterlot. She promised that she would become stronger as to protect everypony but Spike was seeing firsthand how that was coming with sacrifices. She was always tired and couldn’t spend time with her friends as much.
“Twi, it was just another canister. It could have waited you know, no need to drop everything at a moment’s notice for me. We’re lucky you don’t cook, leave something on the stove and this tree could have gone up in smoke but I think with you cooking it would have ended that way no matter what heh.” Twilight pouted as she was putting her magic into a canister and made sure it was full before pushing it into his arm.
“I would have you know that Pinkie Pie is teaching me how to cook and that I am making great progress!”
“Going from burning water to being able to make an egg is great progress I guess…”
“...she said my sweet potato muffins were good you jerk.” Twilight turned away with her nose in the before he overdramatically fell on his back in mock anguish.
“Oh no! The princess dareth insulted me for my remark! What could this lowly handsome dashing young drake do to regain her favor!?” Twilight giggled at how over the top he was and tapped her chin with her hoof before smiling down at the dragon.
“Your princess has gracefully found the time to give you a chance to regain her favor. How does a visit to Sugarcube Corner sound? Your treat!” Spike smiled back and nodded.
“Fine, my treat but don’t think I know you just played along so you wouldn’t have to pay.” She stuck her tongue out playfully as she walked downstairs to put away her notes. He chuckled to himself and sighed before getting up and checking something that he had hidden under his pillow in his basket. It was a small box and inside was a set of claws that he was making for his arm, they were made from his own scales that had fallen off and diamond dust. He blew fire on them before putting them away, the mixture for the claws still needed pressure and constant heat until they were ready for use. He grabbed some bits that he had saved up and rushed downstairs where Twilight was tapping her hoof.
“Come on slowpoke, time to waste your bits!”
“My my Miss Sparkle, to see such an influential member of pony society bully a cripple is most distasteful.” Twilight rolled her eyes and bent down a bit as Spike jumped on her back, being careful with his arm to not hurt her.
“I don’t know Spike, I would never mess with a cripple but this is you sooooo.”
“It’s because I’m a dragon isn’t it? I’ll tell you something Miss Sparkle, we purple beings should stick together!” The two laughed at the horrible argument they were having and looked around Ponyville. The sky was a sweet blue with soft clouds here and there where the two knew Rainbow was resting on one. Fluttershy could be seen in the distance with a bunny on her head and a tortoise behind her. They walked over and waved a bit, Fluttershy looking up and happily waving back.
“Twilight! Spike! Let me introduce you two to Tank, he came to Ponyville looking for adventure! For the rush that the town has been getting since Twilight came!” Twilight and Spike looked down at the tortoise who was still slowly turning to face them.
“Riight… so how you been Fluttershy? I’m so sorry that I haven’t seen you so much since the gala....”
“I've been well and have been working on my self-confidence with the other girls so I can be a bigger help on our adventures. Don’t worry about it Twilight, we all know you’ve been busy and taking care of Spike can’t be easy. Just remember that your friends are there for you, both of you, and we are always open to talk to. Let’s go Tank!” Fluttershy slowly walked away with Tank in tow as Spike was in a glaring match with the small bunny on her head.
“I really don’t trust that guy.”
“Who? Angel? You still fighting with him? Fluttershy said that him dropping that vase on your head was an accident.”
“What about when I was sleeping over at Fluttershy’s and woke up in the oven? Or the time I was pet sitting him and I chased him into Fluttershy’s shed where dozens of traps were waiting! Or what about the time I was making a cake and it came out as a carrot cake!!”
“Coincidences Spike, Angel is not trying to kill you besides all that stuff couldn’t kill you, you’re an awesome dragon!” Spike grumbled but muttered that it was the intent that counted as he felt something stick in the back of his head, stopped by his scales. He pulled out a tiny sharpened arrow and turned where Angel was standing with a bow before disappearing from sight. He tossed the arrow aside and the two continued on their way before they were stopped by a pony that looked familiar to Twilight.
He was a brown earth pony with brown hair who had a rather large golden stopwatch around his neck, along with a scarf that had several colors. He was looking around and up and even under his own hooves once in a panic. Spike and Twilight shared a look and Spike shook his head but Twilight walked over to the pony. “Umm are you okay?”
“Hmm? Ahh, Miss Sparkle and the young dragon I heard so much about! A fellow lover of science and invention is what I’ve heard. You both are fine folk and wise for your respective ages. Allow me to properly introduce myself, I’m Time Turner but I prefer to go by my professional name of Doctor Hooves. Didn’t earn my doctorate those centuries ago for nothing you know.”
“Wow, you have a doctorate? Wait did you say centuries ago?” Spike questioned as Twilight just made a sign that the pony was crazy.
“Yes, when I was young I wished to understand the world around me on a far deeper level than even magic could show and so I dedicated my life to science and discovery! I was this close to finding the secret of instead of putting yourself in different points in time, you could force time to change you to any point in time. A wonderful theory until some unicorn would find a spell that simply would let him do just that. A rather large pain in my side magic has been over the years but I even found ways to overcome that! Of course, I would never leave my roots behind me which is why you see the form in front of you now.” Twilight and Spike were confused and somewhat in awe of the insanity and nonsense the pony spoke of.
“Riight, well we were wondering mister-”
“Doctor.”
“Doctor Whooves what you were looking for.”
“Hmm? Oh yes! I was looking for my closest confidant and colleague, the lovely Miss Ditzy Doo so I could reveal to her my latest invention! The Stop Watch!” He proudly shouted while holding up the watch around his neck while the two just stared at the seemingly ordinary device.
“Derpy? She is probably at Sweet Apple Acres, helping deliver the Apple’s new tractor that the princess gifted to them for Applejack and Applebloom’s help during the Katrina Siege on Canterlot. You could check there for her.”
“Thank you, Miss Sparkle, I truly appreciate your kind heart and adequate mind.”
“Adequate?”
“But I must be off!” Hooves galloped off to Sweet Apple Acres, leaving Spike and Twilight to stare after him.
“So Spike, anything you learned from that little exchange?”
“Never talk to a doctor of any kind and there are some ponies in this world weirder than the craziest of dragons.”
“Perfect now let’s go see one of those ponies.”
. . .
Pinkamena Diane Pie or Pinkie Pie was an anomaly to every scientific mind in Equestria and none more so than Twilight and Spike. They had seen up close and personal what she has been capable of but then something would happen and their view of her would change all over again. Her being able to bake for and serve twenty ponies all while singing and bouncing on top of a rolling ball was one of these things. At the climax of her song she spun on the ball and sent the rest of the orders out, exactly where they needed to go. Somehow, she even gave Spike and Twilight their orders even if they hadn’t told her them or even that they were coming.
“W-what? How did she?” Twilight questioned but Spike only took a bite out of his sapphire cupcake while giving her his bits and moved a finger against her lips.
“Don’t question it, just enjoy the sweet sugary goodness and let’s see how she’s been.” Twilight sighed and grabbed her sweet, taking a bite as they went into the kitchen. Pinkie seemed to be going on overdrive as the entire place was covered in food and ingredients and Pinkie was pulling out another batch of cupcakes. She seemed to be getting tired and Twilight helped put the frosting on the treats. “Pinkie are you okay? You look horrible.” Twilight hit Spike on the shoulder for his comment but Pinkie didn’t seem to mind as she relaxed a bit and smiled at her friends.
“Thanks, Twi, Thanks for the honesty, Spike. I’ve been doing all the work here since the Cakes have to keep going to the hospital, she is getting close to delivering the baby! I promised that I would and could hold over the business until then but it’s hard work doing it all alone.”
“You do know you can come to us right Pink? It’s just like when Applejack was doing the same thing, you’re no good if you’re always tired.”
“I know but you were taking care of Spike and you were so busy with your studying that I didn’t want to bother you with my problems too.” Twilight blinked and looked down, wondering just how much her friends must have been missing her and how blind she was to ignore them for so long. She glanced over at Spike who looked back at her and smiled before finishing his cupcake and slipping on a chef’s hat. She nodded and put one on herself before they looked back at Pinkie with determined expressions.
“Well, we’re here now and we aren’t leaving until all your orders for the day are all done!” Pinkie smiled and giggled before going off and coming back with Gummy also wearing a hat.
“Okay, so we have two hundred cupcakes to make team! I know it’s a lot but together we can do it and make the Cakes proud of Pinkie Pie! Let’s do this!!” the group cheered and went along following the recipes and Pinkie’s own advice and they were able to get the sweet’s done much faster with Spike’s fire breath and Twilight’s magic. Finally, several hours later they sold the last two muffins to Derpy and the Doctor who were both dressed in weird olden Equestrian clothes.
“Well I think that’s all done, we think you should get some rest Pinkie. Right, Twi? Twi?” Twilight shushed him as Pinkie was asleep with a smile on her face, Gummy slowly taking her on his back and walking her up to her room. Twilight smiled and the two cleaned up a bit before leaving and locking up the shop. “She must be going crazy, think of having a new baby introduced into your life!”
“Heh Pinkie has a bunch of sisters but yeah, I bet having a foal in your life who you can take care of and teach things too would be stressful but I wouldn’t mind something like that someday. A child to take my legacy and go beyond me, my mom always told me that I would inspire and succeed if I just held faith in myself.”
“Faith… a child… Dragons see children as ways of living on past our deaths, to have our names live on and gain more glory. We even make children leave after they reach their first molt, but being there and raising them into someone they would be proud to be… that sounds like a dream…” Twilight stared at the drake as he looked down and seemed to question whose way was better.
“I wouldn’t push away those I love after they began to become who they are but no one can have all the answers and if all your traditions and history said that this was the way you best help them then what parent wouldn’t take it? A parent must not only protect their own but trust that they can find the right path on their own.”
“A path of our own… that is what I came out to find and now I found you and my heart has opened to your love and friendship. I wish I could pay you all back, that I could stay right here. Exactly this way forever…” Twilight looked up at the evening sky and smiled softly.
“I don’t… I want to grow old and live a fulfilling life with you and my friends at my side through thick and thin. I know that it’s peaceful times like this that everyone wishes would last forever but we both know that they can’t, that we’ll be forced to fight again. While we can’t change that, we can enjoy what we have here right now. That is the truth to harmony.” Spike closed his eyes as he thought about all that they have been through and all that could still be ahead but felt Twilight and all those that he cares about would be by his side every step of the way.
“Thanks, Twi… I would like to face the future with a strong heart.”
“An unbreakable will.”
“And an unstoppable mind.” The two laughed a bit at the last part and stopped at Carousel Boutique where Rarity was heard groaning upstairs and a beep could be heard every minute or so. The two announced their presence but it seemed as though she didn’t hear them so they went upstairs and glanced into the bedroom. Rarity was there, glaring at a small chest that had a lock on it and tried testing out a different combination before the lock told her it was wrong and she would have to wait another minute before attempting again.
“I’ll show you to refuse me!” Rarity jumped back and attacked the lock with a blast of magic but the lock reflected the attack and it bounced around before striking Spike in the chest and sent back down the stairs. “Oops! I’m sorry darling!” Spike groaned back a response and climbed the stairs again while using a bit of his arm’s magic to spray water over his chest to get the soot off. “Oh Twilight, I’m so glad you’re here! Sweetie Belle had been keeping letters hidden from me! I think they are from that colt over in Canterlot that the three fillies met during the invasion. Every time that the mail has come she has been unusually giddy to grab the mail and would always put the letter she would get into this chest but she put some strange spell over it and I can’t open it. Please, I need some help.”
“Well I’d love to help you Rarity but that spell was one that I taught her now that she is getting to use her magic more. She asked me about hiding spells and I taught her that one, simple but really hard to break unless you are the pony that locked it.”
“Why do you care Rarity? I mean, Sweetie is a smart filly and probably just keeping in touch with a friend she made over in Canterlot. What’s the big deal?” Rarity slowly turned to the dragon as the lights shut off around them and Spike felt a shiver go down his spine as Rarity’s horn turned a soft blue and she began to walk towards the drake threateningly.
“Why… do… I… CARE?! That filly is my sister, my own flesh and blood. I care more about her than every gem in the entire world put together! If any colt dare tries to get close to her then I have to make sure that he is one of the good ones or he will see just how good I am at magic. No pony touches my sister or I will chase them down to the end of the world!” Spike was on his back and nodded in fear at the girl, holding his tail in his hands and shaking.
“N-noted…” The lights turned back on and Rarity was wearing a smile again as she trotted back to the chest and tried opening it again. Twilight used her magic to put him on her back and the two slowly backed out of the room before running off. They walked in silence, stilling think about what they had just seen and Spike opened his mouth before closing it and rubbed his tail.
“Remind me to never piss off a girl…”
“Yeah… not mention the last one you pissed off took your arm.”
“Ouch, still too soon.” The two talked some more, mostly Spike asking Twilight about Celestia and about stories of when she was a filly. “Hahaha!! You really used to burst into fire when you didn’t get what you want? Man, I feel so bad for Shining. So where’s that toy that you said you used to sleep with? Smartypants.”
“I still have it of course, but I should get him fixed up a bit.”
“So growing up all you had in terms of friends was Shining, Cadence, and a toy?”
“Hey! Smartypants just happens to be the smartest pony in Equestria other than Starswirl, Shining, Cadence, my parents, and the princesses so don’t diss him.” The two looked up to find they had gotten to Sweet Apple Acres and Applejack was taking a rare break with her hat over her face. “Hey AJ, taking a break?”
“Hmm? Hiya Sugarcubes, that there doctor tired me out with all his ramblin so Ah thought that Ah would take a small break. What you two doin out? Haven’t seen a hair or scale much of ya since the Canterlot business.”
“Yeah… Twilight’s been really busy with taking care of me and her studies, but we are going to be spending more time with all of you soon.”
“Good, Ah missed my favorite Dragon and Bookworm heh. Would ya like an apple?”
“Sure, sounds perfect.” Applejack took them around to the barn and gave them a few apples before Twilight helped used her magic and put a bucket of apples into a machine that turns them to juice. As the group was leaving, a familiar pony was standing on the hill that overlooks the farm. Spike perked up at the sight of the pony and rushed to her, giving her a hug which she jumped at until she saw who it was.
“Sundance! I haven’t seen you since I arrived in Ponyville!”
“Spike! I missed the little guy that I met on that train, yeah I haven’t been getting out much. I’ve been living in Mayor Mare’s place and going between here and Canterlot a lot so I can find more history on Ponyville and my family. I think I finally found someone that can tell me something but I still need one more thing before I go ask them.”
“Ah don’t mean to be rude but what brought ya to mah family’s farm?”
“Oh, you must be Applejack! I’m Sundance, a friend of Spike’s, and I wanted to talk to your granny soon if that would be alright? She has been around since the start of Ponyville and would have known my mother. I need to get something before meeting her but I hope that you’ll let me.”
“Well, Ah don’t just let any pony walk up and meet my gram but you’re Spike’s friend and seem like a nice girl so sure.” The sun seemed to shine brighter as Sundance smiled and thanked her. She glanced at Twilight and stared for a moment before apologizing and saying that she had to go, running off back towards town. Twilight and Spike waved bye to Applejack and kept going on their walk. They soon arrived near the CMC clubhouse and they decided to stop by, with Spike jumping down off Twilight and rushing to the house.
“Be careful Spike, I love those fillies but they tend to get caught up in things and I don’t want to see them go for a dragon-slaying cutie mark.”
“Don’t worry Twi, I got this. Everything is oka-” Spike’s sentence was cut short as he now was hanging upside down by a foot. His expression was unamused and he crossed his arms as Twilight trotted up to him and smirked. “Not one word.” The CMC rushed out at the sound of giggling and all laughed themselves as they saw who they caught in their trap. “Yeah, laugh it up after I get down please.” Applebloom nodded at Scootaloo who rushed inside before an ax came twirling out of the house and Applebloom expertly kicked it, impaling it through the rope holding Spike and into the tree. Twilight was staring shocked at the ax while Sweetie Belle softly put Spike down.
“T-that was an… Girls! I thought we said you were not allowed to use blades in your hunts!”
“Umm well, Twilight technically you said no knives… that is an ax.” Twilight glared at them and they sighed.
“We just didn’t want anything to attack us while we had a sleepover in here so We had the ax and set up the trap.”
“Yeah! There are Timberwolves, Bite-acudas, Cockatrice, and Cragadiles. We needed protection!” Twilight took the ax and sent traps everywhere around the house that would protect the group and be tied to Twilight herself so she would know if they were in danger. They all cheered and thanked her before going back to make more plans that Spike was sure he would get hurt in somehow. Finally, the starry night sky shone above them and the two stargazed a bit, Twilight showing Spike the constellations and telling him their official names. The two ended up just enjoying each other’s company in silence and content with that moment in time. The perfect end to a perfect day, it was only too bad that it would be short-lived. Two crimson eyes stared on from the shadows nearby with hate and jealousy, claws tearing into the tree beside the being.
"So that is the pony that is keeping him trapped here, well looks like I'll have to fix that."
“So Twilight, tell me again why we were all called to Canterlot. After we all totally saved the city, I thought things would be more peaceful for a while besides why call us when they have the princesses.” A rather bored Rainbow Dash questioned Twilight who was trying to study spells while Spike took notes for her. Rarity was making some umbrella hats/suits for all her friends so they would be okay through all the chaotic weather outside. Fluttershy was tending to animals that were allowed to hide in the train cars until the strange weather stopped. Applejack was looking out the window at the madness that would come then vanish and come back, feeling disturbed that the earth was being treated like a plaything. Pinkie was the most joyous, wondering what crazy thing could happen next while her Pinkie Sense went crazy and she hopped around.
“I already told you that the princess called us to Canterlot for an important mission, I have full faith that she has already come up with a brilliant plan to stop all this craziness.”
“Why would she want to? It’s chocolate rain!!” Pinkie asked but before Twilight could answer, it was Applejack that spoke.
“No Pink, this is unnatural. Can’t you feel that deep sadness all around? It’s like the world itself is asking us for help, we have to stop this no matter what!” None of the others understood what Applejack was feeling but her tone convinced Pinkie to relax a bit and she nodded to her friend. Spike looked ahead at the conductors of the train, a bit of pride swelled up as he saw it was using his design so no pony would have to pull the train, even if this was only the prototype. The train finally stopped and all stepped out to see Canterlot in all its glory. Many of the structures were still under construction after the Katrina siege and nopony was daring enough to leave their homes. As they approached the castle there were several pedestals still getting made but the plaques showed their purpose.
“Here stands a statue in commemoration to the citizens of Canterlot who bravely stood beside the royal guards of the sun and moon against the forces of evil.”
“These statues are made in thanks to the Holders of the Elements of Harmony and the service that they have given to the good of all of Equestria.”
“This final statue is dedicated to the young colts and fillies that braved their fears and fought for their home and to Spike the dragon who entered the fray and lost an arm for people who weren’t his own.”
“The princess showed me what my statue was gonna look like, it was gonna be me with the CMC beside me. I didn’t ask for the statue but Celestia said that the city petitioned for it, crazy huh?” Twilight smiled at him and walked to where hers and the other girls’ statue was being made.
“It’s not so crazy, we were a lot the same way with one exception.” Everyone turned to Rainbow who had the decency to look guilty.
“What? If the city wants to build a statue showing off my awesome achievements then who am I to take that right away from them? When AJ won that award we didn’t try taking it from her.”
“There is a difference when it comes to an award and a giant statue. Now let us go darlings, can’t keep royalty waiting forever!” Spike jumped on Twilight’s back as they started to go in, but the feeling of eyes watching him washed over Spike and he got off saying that he would join in a moment before he looked around and decided to test this stalker. He whistled nonchalantly and walked into the gardens of the castle with occasional glances back.
The girls ran to the throne room where Luna and Celestia waited. Celestia looked ready to help the group while Luna was… for the lack of a better word tired. She had heavy bags under her eyes and leaned on the arms of her thrones more than she should have been. Her eyes would close and then pop open before shutting again.
“Ahh my little ponies, I’m so glad you were able to arrive so quickly with everything happening.”
“Princess, what is going on!? All of Equestria is in chaos! All my magic is failing and when we were able to get everything to stop it just started all over again! I-” Twilight stopped mid-ramble as the princess held up a hoof and led the girls away, taking a moment to look back at her sister who had stayed up all night and day.
“YOU'RE PRINCESS IS IN ANOTHER CASTLE!!”
“She’s fine, follow me ponies.”
. . .
Spike wandered around coming to the entrance of a giant labyrinth and a bunch of statues. Most were of ponies but one was of something that Spike didn’t recognize. The familiar sound of flapping dragon wings from behind Spike made him freeze, whether it was from fear or something else he was unsure.
“Ember… I missed you.” He turned to see a glaring blue dragon, she was taller and leaner than before with bigger wings, must have gone through another molt while he was gone.
“Spike, if you really meant that then you would have come back like you said… I helped you because I thought you needed to see the world but then you never came back! I tried covering for you but something changed, when he used the scepter to try and make you come to him a magical force stopped it. You made other dragon's leave also, Garble's own sister! With that, he got angry and was gonna send all the dragons he had to come and attack the ponies since he made me tell him what we planned. I convinced him that I would be able to find you and bring you back, and then I did and I found that you saved these ponies. You were treated like a slave to the unicorn and a pet to those princesses, always forced to clean up their messes.”
“You’re wrong! I have always chosen to help them out and allowed them to give me magic, nothing was ever forced. I wanted to work for Twilight because she’s my friend and was letting me stay with her without any promise of payment so I became an assistant. Ember, we were wrong about ponies and about ourselves. They have some things here that show that dragons and ponies used to be able to live together and improve each other.”
“There is nothing to improve Spike! We are stronger, faster, and don’t need to get better when we’re the best!”
“It’s that kind of thinking right there that has pushed us away from every other race in Equestria! You and Torch have always told me of the importance of our heritage and that I should be proud of it but where has that gotten us?! I am one of two dragons that ever bothered to read and learn from our past! The things we could show and give to the world, only to let it rot away for not meaning enough to us. This is what I should be proud of!? That our people are nothing but self -serving idiots!” Spike coughed as he felt a clawed hand grab his throat and he began to choke as Ember’s eyes were clouded by anger. “E-Em…” The claw was digging into his neck, breaking the scales under them until his soft voice reached her. Ember blinked as some sense returned to her, letting him fall to the ground in a coughing fit as he tried to catch his breath.
“S-Spike I… you…” Ember stared down at him in shock at what she had done and then her eyes caught sight of the red tips of her claws. His blood, the blood of the dragon she loved like a brother and promised to herself so long ago that she would protect and she was the one that nearly killed him. She turned from him and shot into the air like a bullet as Spike reached out towards her and began to tear up at the thought of losing his first real friend.
“How sentimental~” Spike turned to come face to face with a strange creature that seemed to be made up of a dozen other things. The statue he had been looking at earlier was gone also.
“You were the statue… who-”
“Oh pish posh my dear dragon, the past is the past so why not enjoy the present. Why would you look at that! It’s like the world itself has lost its marbles, it should have asked I have a whole bag.” The being held up a bag and tossed it to Spike who caught it and looked inside, it was just a bag of marbles. “So what was her problem huh? All you want is to live your life and be happy out here but she wanted to take you to the other dragons, back to your little hole in the mountains where you could die a loser.”
“H-how did you? Who...What are you!?”
. . .
“The one causing this insanity is a Draconequus named Discord, a being of chaos and the spirit of disharmony. When Luna and I became alicorns we were given the Elements of Harmony by Starswirl the Bearded and he said that it was our destiny to save Equestria from Discord and bring peace to the ponies and other creatures here. The elements allowed us to turn him into stone, I questioned if I had the right to destroy the statue and end the life of a being so uncontrollable but I didn’t. This is Discord’s nature, not truly a choice, He was born like this and I doubt he could stop being this way even if he wanted but this time he is much crueler and his tricks can hurt ponies.”
“So what changed? I mean if he was always doing this because it was how he was then why try to actually hurt ponies now?”
“Now now that is a fabulous question there Pinkie Pie, and let’s direct it right to the girl with all the answers. Celestia, you would be so happy to know that this is in no way revenge for leaving me encased in store for centuries! You didn’t even have the decency to kill me, instead, you would have rathered me stay a statue for all time. Let me ask you something, how in Tartarus would you feel after that!?” A voice boomed around them until Fluttershy squeaked and pointed at one of the stained glass windows where one of the pictures was moving from window to window. “I think I deserve some fun after the long wait don’t you?”
“If the princess wants you gone then we’ll make sure you get lost!”
“Is that right Rainbow Dash? The element of loyalty but where is the harmony if you are loyal to a tyrant?”
“You take that back, you ruffian! The princess has always been fair and helped every pony she ever met!”
“My poor poor naive Rarity, generosity may be your thing but think hard about this, is being generous all the time any good for a business or a kingdom? You really think the princess was always so kind to all creatures?”
“No, you’re ah liar plain and simple! Ya twisting their elements to fit your own ideas!”
“Applejack, a brave girl and most level-headed of your friends but I know why you are like that. You hold their memories still deep down inside, them and memories of every mistake you ever made in your short life. Now imagine for a moment the secrets that must eat at Celestia in her worst nightmares. A near-immortal life where you can’t be honest and peaceful all the time. You slip up.”
“That’s enough! No more mind games Discord! She told us what you were and You’re just trying to lower our elements and weaken the harmony of Equestria! The princess was the one that brought harmony back all those years ago and now we’ll be the ones that beat you!”
“Ahh yes, Twilight Sparkle. Her prized pupil and holder of the element of magic. Quite impressive for someone so tiny but then again she knew all along what you were and what you will become. You could say she is preparing you for fate or dooming you to a cursed life. Do you think you’re the only one she has trained? No, dear girl, you are only one of the hundreds she has gotten to do her dirty work over the years. In fact, let me tell you all a tiny secret. I may have been stuck in stone all that time but my eyes are everywhere, every creature who hates harmony or like I found it too boring or unfair. I have seen everything from the fall of Luna to the birth of the first Changelings to even your victory over Nightmare Moon.”
“Where are you going with this other than admitting you’re a stalker.”
“My point is I’ve seen everything that has ever gone wrong, My dearest Celestia, She is still alive and what would she think about you just abandoning her? Replacing her with Twilight at the drop of a hat, she thought she was irreplaceable also and now look at where she is!” The laughing figure was silenced as Celestia had fired a blast of magic, shattering the window as she seemed to be disturbed and deeply saddened by what Discord had said. The princess led the group in silence as she opened a door and when it opened and revealed a jewel-encrusted chest but found that it was empty.
“N-No!! The elements were supposed to be safe! That spell was unbreakable!”
“You’re getting old Princess, your spell wasn’t nearly as strong as all those years ago. Now if your little ponies want to get back their precious rocks then they’ll be forced to play a game.”
“I will not put them in danger unless you tell me the rules and no cheating!”
“One is no magic or wings, fairness is key to any game after all.” The girls’ horns and wings vanished and all began to panic before Celestia helped them all relax. “Rule two is that every pony must play or I win.” Celestia was about to object but they all nodded at her, showing that their trust was still in her and that they could do this. Twilight stepped forward.
“We agree to the game, where are the elements?”
“To retrieve your missing Elements just make sense of this change of events. Your close friend might be what spells your end. Twists and turns are my master plan. Then find the elements back where you began." With those parting words, the voice was gone and the group began to question every line said and Twilight guessed the elements were in the maze that was outside the broken window. As Fluttershy questioned what friend would become a problem, Twilight looked around and it dawned on her that Spike never came back…
. . .
“Discord… I never heard of a draconequus, but I recognize the words that make up the name. You’re half dragon!”
“Once upon a time when I was as tiny as you yes, I used to have a more understandable form being mostly dragon and pony. It was nowhere as beautifully made as this one but I got by with what I had until I decided that it just wasn’t me. I tore apart my body and turned it into what you see now, to be honest, I don’t even remember what I’m truly supposed to look like.”
“Doesn’t that make you… sad?”
“Sad? My dear dragon, I have never been happier than at this moment because I know exactly who I am. While I was a bit stoned, I watched two new rays of hope raise up in the world recently. One was the elements of harmony being awakened in the hearts of six different ponies and the second was more surprising. That ray of light came from the Dragon Lands and brought with it a hero that the Equestria would use in times of danger.” Spike began to stand straighter as Discord coiled around him. “A dragon who fought for the peace of all creatures, one whose life was a lie kept secret by everyone that he ever loved.”
“W-what do you mean? What do you know about me?!” Discord waved his hand and they vanished from the gardens to the Golden Oaks Library. He led Spike through the tree to a small safe that Twilight had told Spike to never open. He was held back by Discord’s tail as it opened and inside were a bunch of papers, a book or two, and something that made sent a shiver down Spike’s spine. There was broken half of a large spotted purple egg. Spike reached into his bag and pulled out the part he had of his egg and found the two to be a perfect match. “W-why does she have this…”
Discord snapped again and this time the two watched as a young filly Twilight was told that she would need to crack open a dragon’s egg if she wanted to get into Celestia’s school. After a few bad attempts and nearly giving up, a huge explosion of colors from outside awoken her power and one surge hit the egg and it cracked in two while a purple and green baby dragon yawned and stretched. Skipping the boring parts as Discord said, they watched as the baby was taken away and Twilight nearly went after it but was stopped by Celestia who said that baby was nothing more than a test. Twilight looked longingly after the dragon before she agreed with the princess and went back to her parents.
“Could you imagine what would happen to that baby? Not wanted by those that hatched him and treated no better than an object to be thrown away when it’s usefulness was over. Sent away with dragons that despised the way he was hatched while not even telling him. Lied to by his family and friends, they all knew what you were but said nothing and let you live your life as a freak. After everything you’ve done for them…” Spike waved Discord away as the visions around vanished and he was in a dark void where a soft light from nowhere shined down on him. (PSA - The following song is mostly a Disney song with lyrics changed here and there to fit this story)
“I thought I was an outcast, I thought I stood alone
A hero, an alchemist, a dragon, never found a place to call my home
I thought that they loved me, and how could I have known
I was wrong, oh, so wrong
Then I thought I found it, a dream that I could share
I thought I was so lucky, but this twist wasn’t fair
I thought I found my purpose, I thought that I knew where I belong, but I was wrong
Everything I ever thought I knew, where I've been, where I'm going
Everything I counted on turned out to be untrue
Could've guessed, should've known
Now I do
Everything I've gone for, everything I planned
All my sweetest memories were gems made of sand
Now that it's all crumbling, will you help me understand
If none of this was really me, then who am I supposed to be?” Discord snapped and made all the sweet memories that Spike had ever had with Ember or the girls, all the times he had been happy, the moments of heroism, appeared in front of him bathed in light before they all slowly vanished into nothing. Every passing moment the memories were stolen and corrupted as Spike cried and fell to his knees until only memory was left. The image of Twilight smiling at him.
“And everything I ever thought I knew
Every hope, all my feelings
Love and trust and friendship, they're done, they're gone, they're through
And what's left, me alone
Once again, should've known
Now I do…” Finally, the last image vanished and Spike’s light flickered as it was dying, showing the purple and green colors of his scales slowly seep off of him, leaving a gray sobbing dragon.
“I guess my life meant nothing, I guess it was a sham
I guess I'm someone else now, will you tell me who I am…” The last light shut off as Discord laughed and the last bit of light in Spike’s eyes disappeared...
Twilight ran ahead of her friends as they reached the labyrinth and found a heavy storm brewing above, in the distance, Pegasi could be seen trying to stop it but failing. The wind blew around the six as they all looked ahead. “Okay girls, I bet that our elements and Spike are somewhere in here so find them and stick together. Nothing can beat us if we do that.” Twilight turned to see her friends seemed shaken from before, more unsure of themselves. “Girls?”
“Don’t get us wrong Sugarcube, we’re with you till the end it’s just what that Discord said has us all… distracted.”
“I suppose I never thought of it but he’s right. The princess has lived for so long and has to have made many hard choices that we could never have made. She banished her own sister to the moon… I could never do that to Sweetie no matter what happened…”
“No, we can’t go doubting ourselves or the princess now! We met her and know what she’s like, sure she might not be perfect but we have to stay loyal to her and it’s better than the insanity Discord brings!”
“R-Rainbow is right… We can’t doubt her now when she is trusting us with Equestria. She believes that we can do this and she was alone for so long… being kind and nice all the while watching everypony around you has a fulfilling life and then pass on… That would make anypony bitter and angry at times… We all make mistakes.”
“Yep but our mistakes don’t determine the fate of thousands of ponies and have the potential to change how all other species see ponies as a whole!”
“Pinkie!! ...Thanks for summing that up…” Pinkie smiled and saluted the bookhorse.
“Anytime Twilight!” Twilight sighed and looked at her friends before hugging them.
“I know what he said hit hard, even I can’t push out everything he said but this isn’t about the princess. We are the last hope for Equestria and I know that all of you will do what you do best and keep true to yourselves and I hope I will be able to also.” They all relaxed and hugged her back, causing Twilight to smile and wipe away a stray tear that tried to escape. “Now let’s go save a kingdom!” They all prepared to step into the maze together when a voice echoed out from the labyrinth.
“So united, an unbreakable bond between friends who are so different. I wonder what holds you all together? Are you even true friends or did fate push you all together? Would you all have become so close if the elements of harmony were destroyed? If Nightmare Moon never returned that night or even if she returned the previous night? You all believe that you are strong together while I believe that you all are exactly the same as you are alone.”
“We don’t care what you think now return the elements or we will take them!” Discord appeared while sitting on a cloud of cotton candy. “Very well, your elements in the center of the maze and should you be able to find them then I give up any claim to the kingdom and be on my merry way, never to return.”
“Well, this is easy! I’ll just fly over and-” As Rainbow was about to fly over the maze, he wings vanished and Rarity caught her before she hit the ground.
“Tch tch tch where’s the fun in a game if you cheat? No more wings or magic should even things out, right farmer girl?” He smirked as Applejack glared at him, snapping his fingers while making all wings and horns vanish with a poof. “Now my little ponies, you must get to the end of the maze and get the elements and you win the game but should any pony leave before that or refuse to play then you fail. The elements stay mine and Equestria becomes my plaything.”
“Deal now move so we can go.”
“One more thing~ seeing that this is six vs one I evened up the teams a bit with one of my own in the maze that will attempt to stop you.
“Fine, but one rule of our own! You are not allowed to cheat with magic!”
“Whatever, deal.” Discord watched as they entered the maze and then walls separated them from each other. “Oh before your rule was made I turned the maze alive! It will try to stop you, have fun ponies!” He chuckled to himself as he looked over the maze from high up. “I won’t even have to use magic to stop you, my little puppet will make you stop yourselves.”
. . .
Applejack was fearless as she ran, believing in the earth under hoof and trusting her instincts to lead her to the center. The maze opened up to an open field and as Applejack cautiously trotted through the field, apple trees soon surrounded her.
“These look like the ones back home… Ah hope Applebloom, Big Mac, and Granny are okay with everything happin.”
“You sure you weren’t meant to get the element of loyalty Applejack? It’s always family with you.” Applejack looked up and jumped back as Spike was sitting in a tree and munching on an apple. His emerald green scales were now a deep grey and his eyes held none of the life that Applejack had come to like in the dragon.
“What did Discord do to ya, Spike?! Do you know that Twilight is looking for ya? We need to find the elements.”
“In the center of the maze, I was told but why do that? Where the good in destroying Discord and giving Celestia back her power?”
“What kind of dumb question is that? Ah know she ain’t perfect but is this what you want everywhere?! Ah hear the earth calling for help and Ah ain’t gonna stop here.”
“AJ why defend the truth? Why would you want to bring that back to the world? In a world of chaos, you would never be lied to, you would never have to hurt anypony else and could just make them happy.”
“That ain’t how the truth works and a lie can make ponies happy until they find they were lied to then all you get is pain and heartbreak! I want to bring the truth back because it’s what is right.”
“Then why help Celestia!?! SHE LIED TO ME! THEY ALL DID!” Spike growled and jumped down towards the farmer and landed in front of her. “Were you ever told that your entire life was a lie?! That everything you were looking for was right in front of you but no one was willing to tell you?! I loved every last one of them but they kept the truth from me as I suffered for nothing! All I ever wanted was the truth but I was never given such a gift, now I’ll take that from the world.” Applejack took a few steps back before preparing herself for an attack, pulling out her lasso.
“Ah don’t want to hurt ya Spike but Ah will!”
“Where are your parents Applejack?” That question shook the workhorse to her core as she dropped the rope.
“W-w-what?”
“Where are your parents? You must have questioned it… they never came back to you and Big Mac even when they had just had a foal. Why did they leave?”
“T-they were out on a job… they vanished… didn’t come home…”
“Is that the honest truth Applejack or is that just the truth that your mind wants to believe? If the truth is so perfect shouldn’t we speak the other option?”
“N-no… stop it…”
“Isn’t the truth that they could also have just run off?”
“No!”
“That they had gotten sick of everypony and of the farm?!”
“STOP IT!”
“That they never loved you all?!”
“NO THAT’S A LIE!” Applejack bucked Spike hard into a tree as she looked up with tears in her eyes and bucked the dragon again making him dent the tree as she cried and looked at him with anger. “They were perfect and they loved us! They would have done anything to get back!!”
“I-if that’s true… why did they leave? They had a foal to take care of and they still couldn’t just let somepony else deliver a few apples? What kind of love is that?” Applejack stepped back and shook her head before running away, her hat coming off and coat slowly losing all its color. The hat fell at Spike’s feet as he picked it up and while he felt nothing, a tear ran down his cheek.
. . .
Pinkie Pie happily hopped through the maze and wondered if she should just use her party cannon but wouldn’t that be cheating? She questioned that when she found herself in a garden party with an impressive amount of balloons and fun looking games.
“Wow not bad, looks a lot like one of my parties!”
“Coming from you, that’s a big compliment and I did my best.” Spike toyed with a tiny cup that he had filled with punch. Pinkie noticed Applejack’s hat on his head and tilted her head at his lack of color.
“What did you do to Applejack? She would never have left that hat behind, she loves it more than an apple festival! Spike what happened to your color you look… how I used to look…”
“I don’t know Pinkie, I feel great and I like my color better this way.”
“That’s a lie, I know how it feels to be like that. When I thought the girls hated me, I became a lot like that but then I found that I had overreacted and we had a fun time laughing together with a party.”
“Heh laughing right… You sure they weren’t just laughing at you? I mean look at you, a pink pony who you can always count on to never do anything right! You pushed away your family with how you are, barely ever spending time to visit them because of how you turned out. Tell me, are any of them like you? Your own twin?”
“No but she isn’t supposed to be me, I’m Pinkie Pie and no one laughs at me! They laugh with me.”
“Oh wake up Pinkie! You and I were always the freaks of this group, me for what I am and you for who you are. I mean you told me how you pushed Rainbow Dash from one of her oldest friends, I bet that Griffon wasn’t so happy being the butt of the joke.”
“I didn’t do that! I tried to help!”
“But only made things worse! Where’s the laughter when nothing is funny!? When all you’re left with is cruelty and bitterness then I’ll like to see you laugh, so tell me Pinkie how do you feel when you are the one laughed at!?” Spike clapped and the balloons formed a column around the party pony as several took the faces of her friends and threw insult after insult all the while the other balloons took the forms of the other ponies of Ponyville and even her family and began to laugh at her. Pinkie shook her head and covered her ears as their voices and laughs flooded her mind and drowned out her own screams for it to stop. Spike looked away and clutched his real hand tight against his chest, his claws sinking into the hand and spilling droplets of blood on his chest. Walking away as the balloons popped and left an angry grey Pinkie standing with tears in her eyes and her mane flat.
. . .
Rarity was groaning as she traveled through the maze, careful to avoid any stray thorns or mud puddles. She groaned loudly finding herself at another dead end. “This is ridiculous, expecting a lady to find her way to the center without magic or even a map. After we beat that brute I’m going to make an appointment to the spa for some me time.”
“Rarity~ How radiate your beauty~” Rarity was careful as she followed the voice and came to a lone door that seemed to open to nowhere but as she pushed in, she found herself on a stage and she was dressed in a dazzling white dress with purple trimmings and diamonds hanging by her side. She awed at her image and looked ahead, just beyond the curtains she could hear a familiar voice as the announcer hyping the crowd for “The greatest beauty and biggest talent in Equestria!”
“Aww, Darlings there is no need for that much praise… but do go on.” She listened with a smile as the voice proclaimed her as an inspiration and that everyone knew of her kind deeds and would go down as legend for the future. Rarity felt her heart swell with pride and joy as it was all she wanted, to make a legacy that not only would outlive her but offer something to all of ponykind and make their lives better. As she stepped out to show herself to the crowd, a white unicorn with a flawless pink and purple mane and gorgeous pink dress pushed her aside. “Hey! Who do you think you are pushing me?!”
“Uhh, Sweetie Belle, the one they’ve been talking about for the last hour duh. I was running late but I think it’s time to show myself off.” Rarity was struck silent as the crowd cheered for Sweetie and she thanked them and even sung a song before she took the mike for a speech. “Thank you all for taking the time to come and see me! I’ve been so busy traveling the world but I’d never forgotten my home! Ponyville holds memories of the best times of my life where I spent them having fun with the Wonderbolt captain Scootaloo and CEO of Apple Inc, Applebloom! I know you two are watching, love you, girls! Anyway, I remember growing up here was fun and I learned things that I’d never forget like humility. When I was a filly, I was always compared to my sister and thought I could never get out of her shadow but then I found my talents in music and art were beyond even hers. I left home and took Equestria by storm and it’s all thanks to you all and my love, Prince Youngblood! Together, we made a team unlike any other!”
“N-no… T-this isn’t real! This is my dream, what I wanted! Sweetie wouldn’t… couldn’t have taken it from me!” The stage became bathed in soft red light as the crowd became hidden and distorted.
“Of course my sister, who will go unnamed because who really cares, tried to hold me back once my fame began to outshine hers. She became jealous and even believed that I took her future what a joke right?” The crowd laughed with Sweetie as Rarity gritted her teeth and slowly began to lose her color. “I mean, who cares about a greedy mare who can’t be happy for her own sister when she does amazing! I’m just glad that everypony forgot about her.”
“NO! I will not go forgotten! I will not let you or anypony take what is mine!! This life and fame belong to me, you can go buck yourself!!” Rarity shouted coming out and in her anger, attacked her own sister. The attack shattered the world around her as the crowd’s booing stuck around and Rarity stood full of anger and greed. “No pony will ever take what’s mine and I will take what I deserve!”
. . .
Fluttershy nervously zipped through the maze, wanting to get to the center and back to her friends as quickly as possible. Awhile in, she relaxed some and trotted through while looking around for any critters that could help her. As she turned a corner she found Spike standing there wearing Applejack’s hat and looking hurt with a bit of blood on his chest. “Spike! You look hurt!” She rushed to help him when Spike held out a claw to stop her.
“I knew my tricks wouldn’t stop you… your heart was too kind and filled with love to be turned by an illusion… There was only one way to stop you.”
“S-Spike… what’s wrong? I have to take you back, back to Twilight! She can help you.” Spike growled and stared at her angrily as for a moment the green of his eyes returned then was gone again.
“You think she can help me!? After keeping secrets and lying to me!? You look for the best in people right?! You see the good in me, well I know there’s bad in you!” He stepped towards the pony and she only backed away in fear.
“S-Spike you’re scaring me! P-please stop…”
“No! You were helping a liar and thief! You know animals better than anypony else so you must have known that I was a freak, different from others! You never offered to help me or even brought it up! You know what Fluttershy?! I hate you! What if you aren’t there for your friends when they need you? You gonna fail them too and make them hate you? If you don’t stop me here and now then I will make them fail! I will stop all of you from getting the elements and you can go on knowing that you let me!”
“S-stop! I’m sorry Spike!” Fluttershy teared up before she attacked the dragon and he vanished, instead Fluttershy found a bloodied and broken dragon on the ground. She trembled and looked down to see his blood on her hooves, screaming and looking up to find Twilight and the others staring at her in fear and sadness. “N-No, I didn’t… he was gonna… I was trying to help for once! I thought I could finally be the one to save you! I was done being the damsel! I wanted to be the one helping you all…” Fluttershy couldn’t even hear their shouts at her as she apologized and shook her head that this wasn’t her fault. That this was the only way. They all walked away and left her alone in the dark and her color faded away.
. . .
Rainbow Dash raced through the maze, even without her wings she was determined to show off to the world that she was one of the fastest ponies in Equestria. She was stopped when she arrived at a wall of fog. “Think you can hide from me Discord!? Come on, show me what you got you oversize filly painting!” She got on her hindlegs and shadow boxed the air a bit before a soft voice called to her from inside the fog. “M-mom?” Rainbow’s tough exterior vanished and she walked into the fog nervously. “Mom! Where are you?”
“Rainbow.” She turned to see Spike was standing there, She rushed to him, hugging him before immediately dropping him seeing that hat on his head and the lack of life in his eyes.
“Spike, what’s up with you? Why do you look so angry and… what did you do to Applejack?”
“I spoke the truth, isn’t that what she always wants us to do?”
“No… something’s wrong, she would never let anyone take that hat from her… take me to her now!”
“You have worse problems Dash.” He pointed behind her and she turned to see Cloudsdale shaking and the ponies panicking, flying away in fear. “Cloudsdale is getting hit hard by the chaos around, without its lead pony everyone is scared. The city won’t last forever.” Rainbow watched as her home, the place where her parents are, began to fall and crash to the earth.
“N-no!! The ponies all got away!”
“Most… the ones that could fly…” Spike looked away as he felt sick and his body and spirit fought again against him, against the pain he was causing and what he was about to do. The vision closed in on RainbowDash’s own house and in her room, under her bed, was a crying and scared Scootaloo. She held a small plush of Rainbow Dash and seemed to be begging for her to save her as the city began to fall.
“Scootaloo!!! Give me my wings!! She needs me!” Spike forced himself to his feet and summoned a chest.
“Such loyalty… you forget that if you save her if you go to her now then you will be abandoning the game and your friends here lose. What’s more important to you Dash? The entirety of Equestria or the life of one pegasus? What do you care anyway, she was always just your fan. Somepony there to stroke your ego when you wanted. She looked up to you, imagine what she would think of the great Rainbow Dash unable to choose between a country and a little pony who can’t even fly. She’ll hate you if you go save her and doom everypony else. Can you live with yourself after something like that?” Rainbow Dash stared at the chest as she thought about the choice and looked down as her color vanished.
“I-I’m sorry…”
. . .
Twilight sighed as she walked and then turned a corner, finding the center of the maze was just ahead, a fountain of the princesses signaling it. She rushed forward only to be stopped as Spike walked out. “S-Spike! You’re here! Good, we’re gonna need your help! After we get the elements I need you to distract Discord and then we can beat him!” She ran over to hug the dragon but slowed as she saw him glaring at her. The glare was unnerving but it was the lack of life in his eyes that scared her, something in the dragon had changed. “Why are you… Discord did something to you!”
“No, you did this to me Twilight! He showed me what you had hidden in that safe in Ponyville!”
“Safe? You dug through my stuff?” Spike ignored that and pulled out the egg half she owned as her eyes widened and she stepped back from him. “Spike, I can explain-”
“No! You knew all along why I was like this! You knew that I left the Dragon Lands because I felt different from the others! I wanted to learn why I never could call that place my home! Why I was… so lonely there for so long… I thought I found my place here with you… but you and Celestia lied even after I lost my arm for you! I could have died trying to protect you ponies! What was I to you Twilight?! A test who lost their purpose the moment that you were done with me? A friend who didn’t deserve to know the truth? A hero who was only kept around when there is trouble to be fixed? I want to know why!?” Twilight shook her head and stopped when she saw tearing pouring from Spike’s eyes.
“Y-you were never any of those things! I wanted so much to keep you with me after the test but the princess said that it would only put me and you in danger, the dragons would never put up with one being raised as a pony… I thought it was possible after I first met you but wasn’t sure until I asked Celestia and she confirmed it… I thought of telling you but you seemed happy… I wanted to make Ponyville the best place to you and then tell you but I was scared of losing you… I would never have used you like that Spike… I… We’re friends right?”
“I thought we were… and if you are telling the truth… I’m sorry Twi… Discord the game is over, I won…” Twilight looked up in fear as the clouds swirled and Discord appeared laughing and rubbed his hands together.
“I thought it was smart to put my bet on the little dragon! I guess you wager big you win big.”
“B-but the rules!”
“Oh please, I’ve been waiting for this for a long time and I wasn’t gonna let a unicorn like you stop me. I must admit I had no real plan to stop you until I remembered the mistake you made, you really are just like Celestia you know that? You keep secrets and think that you know what’s best for every other pony when you are building them up so high just to make the fall so much worse. I wasn’t the one that broke your friend, you gave me everything I needed and all I did was show him the truth. What’s the power of friendship when you have no more friends?” He snapped as the maze vanished and showed all her friends were grey and seemed to be hurting except for one.
“W-where’s Rainbow Dash?”
“Looks to me that she was more loyal to her family than to you. Too bad but as the game worked, I win Equestria!” He laughed as lightning struck above but was cut off as Spike cleared his throat and crossed his arms. “Oh very well, here is what you wanted.” He gave the dragon a book that Twilight recognized and then it all clicked and she realized what they had done wrong but before she could stop him, Spike was teleported away.
“Wait!! Where did you send him Discord!? He has the Elements!”
“If you wish to find him I’ll give you a clue to where he is this exact moment.
He’s gone to a single pony
One I revealed was a phony
His anger and hate has clouded his eyes
This will end when one of us finally dies”
“Enough with the riddles!” Twilight shouted as Discord waved her off and sighed overdramatically.
“I tire of you Twilight Sparkle and I have chaos to spread, ta ta!” Twilight went to gather her friends and decided she would make her way to Ponyville to think. In the highest tower in Celestia’s castle, she looked over her kingdom and shook her head, not turning at the sound of somepony or in this case dragon, teleporting behind her.
“Spike…” The dragon in question tossed the elements at Celestia’s hooves.
“Use them and get rid of Discord, then you will tell me why you lied. You knew who I was the moment I met you and you were the reason I’m a freak!” Celestia looked down at the elements but none reacted to her.
“You hurt those ponies you loved and still brought these to me?”
“I hate you… I hate Twilight… What I did was what I needed to do to win the game but I still don’t want him controlling the world so use the elements and fix it!”
“The elements are useless to me Spike!! They are connected to the six mares whose spirits you just shattered! You thought that I would just send them against Discord for the fun of it?! I trusted them to win but then he used you, you think he would have made this deal with you if he thought you would be able to win? He played you… I’m sorry for what I did and I thought that the dragons would’ve given you a life better than what I or Twilight could of and when you came back I knew who and why you had. The flame in your heart is pony magic which gave you dormant power that I thought could be used for good if I awoke it slowly and gave you positive influences in your life.”
“That’s why you sent me to Twilight…”
“Yes, that and to right an old wrong. She did want you, more than anything else. It was the first time she ever demanded something of me and I refused her because I was convinced that she was not ready. I only found later how much I had scarred her. She needed you, she wanted a pony or dragon to take care of that would never leave her side. A real friend but I took it before she had a chance. I am not proud of all my choices in life Spike but you were one of my biggest regrets. I’m sorry that I made a mistake and now… all of Equestria will pay for both of our choices…” Spike took a few steps back as his eyes widened in fear and shock at what he had been told and what he had done. He looked at the elements and grabbed the last one that seemed to have any power left, Twilight’s crown. He held it and shed a tear on it as he realized that he had not only failed her but everyone that he had wanted to protect. He had given into hate and hurt only to cause more of it.
“N-no… I-I can fix this… I have to…” Twilight’s crown glowed for a bit only for the light to die and the last element of harmony lost her last bit of hope…
Celestia walked away from the young dragon as she wanted to be alone, her own coat turning grey as her power was forfeit to Discord and Spike reached out, wanting to say something but found no words as he was left alone with no power, no friends, and no hope. He stared at the elements and began to cry as Discord’s voice surrounded him, a shadowy silhouette of him on the walls all around.
“You truly thought that I’d let you stand in my way? You may be a genius for a dragon but you sure can be a tool sometimes. No matter what you do, who you help, you always end up here don’t you? A lone puppet who waits for a new master. You gave me all of this, you should be proud Spike, you finally made that difference in the world you wanted to.” The dragon growled as the draconequus laughed and he shattered the windows all around him and then fell to his knees.
“It’s over… it’s all my fault…”
“Yes it is, you truly made a massive mistake in trust him. In forgetting who your friends truly were.” Spike turned at the voice and found Luna standing there with a sad stare and then moved her gaze to the windows and powerless elements on the ground. “Tia…”
“Luna… you still have your color? Why did you come here? Did you see what I did? What I had become after I found out that they lied or maybe it was because I found that I truly was as alone in the world as I feared…” He lowered his head and sniffled before he felt two hooves wrap around him and pulled him close. He froze and looked up to see Luna smiling softly at him and she shook her head.
“Still so young and foolish, if you truly think you are alone then let me show you something.” Luna walked away with Spike closely following her, they walked until they reached her bedchamber and inside it was fully dark to make sleeping for Luna during the day easier. “Spike do you know what I do?”
“You are the princess of the moon and watch over ponies in their dreams.”
“Exactly. My job is to watch over and ensure that ponies are safe in the dreamscape. I was born as an Earth Pony with my sister as a Unicorn, my connection to this world and the dream one was a connection only I had while my sister was connected to the sun and a realm only she can see.”
“Princess… what does this have to do with me?”
“Heh, straight to the point hmm? You are becoming more confident aren’t ya? Well, there is a belief that dreams only occur when we dream but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Dreams are, in a sense, wishes that hide deep in our hearts and when we sleep it is easiest for them to come out. Ever since you came to us that day we saved Canterlot for Katrina the first time, a dream grew in my sister’s heart. One I doubt that she even truly knows.” Luna’s horn glew and the room around them fell away into a seamless colorful void where bubbles floated around, images of creatures of all kinds were there. Luna smiled at his awed expression before leading him to one tiny bubble which she touched with her horn. The bubble grew and Spike felt himself being sucked into it.
He opened his eyes tiredly as he looked down at Celestia doing her normal routine, raising the sun, talking to delegates, making breakfast, going out to make public appearances, going to her school to teach, lowering the sun, and give all her time to those around her. He was angry at her but deep in his heart he couldn’t imagine what that would be like, living an immortal life with no one at your side and to only willingly give your happiness for the ponies you rule. She tiredly walked through her castle until she arrived back in her room but Spike noticed that something else was there a crib. Celestia’s tired expression turned to one of joy and contentment as she heard the baby inside cry. She lightly shushed the bundle and used her magic to levitate the child, a baby dragon, to her side and she held him against her coat.
“Oh, what’s the matter, Spike? Were those old nannies mean to you?” The baby babbled and nodded, trying to make an angry expression but only came off as silly. “Well, Mommy’s here now so you don’t have to worry about them.” Spike yawned and nuzzled into her chest as he sucked on his tail happily. Celestia kissed the baby’s forehead and fell asleep, Celestia being seen entering his dream and using his developing mind to spend time doing everything she wished she could do with him during the day. The real Spike watched the dream and reached out before pulling his hand back.
“W-what is this Luna?”
“My sister was alone for so long, banishing me took away the one pony she thought she could always count on… It destroyed her confidence and left her connection to the elements of harmony shattered… She was truly alone in the world with her friends even disappearing on her and with no mate that would live as long as she, her fear of being hurt took over. She gave up everything for the good of Ponykind and sacrificed her own happiness…”
“Why was I in that dream…”
“After seeing you again… she dreamed about if she had kept you by her side and how happy her life would have been. She had her students and Cadence but they had lives and would move on from her but she wished that she had held you and raised you. She regrets not being the mother she could have been… Even now when she has no hope left in her heart, this dream remains hurting her. She wanted to keep you Spike but even she fears her own judgment. She believes she had failed to be a good mentor so what right does she have to be a mother?”
“If she had just told me…”
“It doesn’t make her choice right but I ask you to understand her…” Spike didn’t answer her but he didn’t need to as his feet glowed and his color returned, a bit of his hope returned but there was more work to be done. “Come on Spike, there are two others you must see.”
The second bubble was much bigger, showing that its place in the heart of creature it belonged to was one built over time and had yet to cease. Spike was shocked to find himself back in the Dragon Lands, everything, however, was a bit different than what he had always known his ancestral home to be. It was as if the dragons returned to their olden ways and relearned what they had forgotten over the generations. Metalwork had paved the way for the Dragon Lands to resemble much more of a proper kingdom than just a gathering place for dragons. Spike could see Ponies, Griffins, and even a Yak here and there who seemed to actually be living among the dragons peacefully.
“It’s peaceful… this is what I wanted to bring back to the Dragon Lands but no one ever listened to me…”
“Wrong, there was one who was by your side whenever you needed her and she held onto every word she heard. She believed in you and still believes that you can make this dream real…”
“She believes in me?” They moved away from the more city-like part of the Dragon Lands and into a large structure made of metal and stone, to Spike it looked to be a castle of some kind. Deep in the structure, through the halls and endless rooms, it opened to a throne room where Ember sat with the bloodstone scepter at her side and a crown of jewels on her head. Spike had to admit that she looked incredible and powerful as the dragon lord. She looked bored as she watched two dragons bicker about who owned a lava pool that was on both their properties. Their arguing was soon enough starting to get on her nerves as she growled and she released an enormous blast of fire that Spike swore he could feel. The two dragons immediately shut up as they trembled with fear.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!! You two only have three choices, share the lava, fight each other for it in the arena, or I knock you both out and take it for myself!” The two looked at each other and agreed to share it before running off, leaving her rubbing her brow in frustration.
“Awe how’s my favorite Dragon Lord~” A deep cheerful voice from behind her threatened to make her smile as Spike appeared. He was older and tall, having lost his baby fat, his arms and legs were muscular without having to be too big. His spines were sharp and his scales glistened against his lean chest and stomach. Spike was actually a bit jealous of this version of himself.
“I’ll be your only dragon lord but I don’t know why I let you talk me into actually making us a kingdom, things were so much easier when all the dragon lord had to do was watch eggs and yell at dragons. That’s what my dad did mostly.” the other Spike chuckled and hugged the girl as she crossed her arms.
“You aren’t your dad and I thought you enjoyed a challenge~ Well things have been going well with our relations with the Yaks, Ponies, and Griffins but we still have problems with Hippogriffs and Yetis. I’ve been playing them over okay but they just keep asking for more and more and I had to put my foot down.” Ember smirked and tapped the scepter on his head.
“Ooo they actually annoyed you? I’m a bit jealous, I’ve been trying to do that for years.” The two shared a laugh and the real Spike thought back to his years with Ember and realized that even though she knew his past, she stayed with him. She was there and didn’t look down on him for his birth, instead, she risked her own reputation and status as a princess to hang out with him and be his friend. She cared for him through it all and made him proud to be a dragon, proud to be her brother. He smiled and more of his color returned to his body before he decided to give Ember’s dream privacy and walked out of the dream. Luna stayed for a moment longer and watched as the dream Ember nuzzled her Spike in a way more… intimate than sibling love. She sighed a bit feeling bad for the dragon princess before she turned away and went back to Spike.
The last bubble had a dark aura around it as it had once been a dream but something had infected it and it is slowly turning into a nightmare. Spike entered it and found that Luna was no longer at his side. He shouted for her as his voice echoed through the dark void and then he found himself in Ponyville. He looked around, the town was perfect and everything was at peace with a single cloud in the sky where Spike guessed Rainbow Dash was napping on. Fluttershy was walking through the market, buying more food for her animals while talking fashion with Rarity. Applejack could be seen in the distance bucking trees and telling Pinkie Pie and the CMC how to make an Apple Family apple pie. Owlicious was deep in the library's leaves where he slept happily. Everything seemed to be tranquil and nothing was out of place except somepony was missing. Spike looked at the darkened library and went into the tree and up the stairs where he found his target.
Twilight was looking out her balcony window at her friends, a small smile gracing her lips until it turned into a frown. “Everything is here and everypony is happy… why do I feel like something is wrong…” Spike reached out to her but his hand went right through her.
“You can’t change the dream here and neither can I. I have control over dreams but this one is a result from the real world and only you can fix what is missing.”
“She has everything here… why would she need me?”
“Twilight Sparkle is my sister’s prized pupil and while I don’t know her nearly as much I can understand her. She was alone growing up, dedicating all her life to my sister and her studies. When she finally got friends and the chance to improve herself through others, she took it happily. I read her letters and the lessons the group learned from each other were inspiring and showed the growth she wanted and then you came to town. You gave her more lessons and something to lose as you had the bad luck to keep pissing off the wrong creatures. The want and need to protect you ingrained itself in her heart and all she wanted was for you to be happy and in the end, she hurt you. This dream became a nightmare because this is all she wants, her town and friends to be happy but she can’t be if you are gone.”
“...how do I change it?”
“That is something you must learn on your own, I trust you to know the way. You walked down it once before. You asked me how I still kept my hope through the mess with Discord, well because I remembered when I lost it last time and you were there to help me and we saved Canterlot. I still have my hope because I trust in you and the elements to come together and save that day.” Spike looked back at Twilight as the light and color returned to the last part of his body, only his eyes remained grey. “Think back Spike, to what you told me that night.”
“I’m no big hero… all I am is some dragon who wants to believe he is doing something that matters to somepony somewhere… You may have made some childish mistakes, I know I have and now looking over Equestria I realize what even a small dragon can change.” He spoke and looked out at the real Equestria which was suffering under the chaotic rule of Discord. "If I fail then it could be game over but I see you are willing to fight and I can feel your strength and trust in me, this time it’s your hope that pushes me forward Luna. It’s that and this other feeling in my heart to see my friends happy, to undo their pain that makes me want to fight. To bring the light back to their hearts and the smile back to Twilight…” Luna smiled seeing his eyes began to sparkle.
“Driven by hope… the hope that you can save them. You would trust the fate of the world to something so small and feeble?” Spike chuckled at the reuse of words and he turned to her with his eyes back to their emerald color as the fire of determination could be seen in them.
Spike felt his heart sting after Luna teleported him to Ponyville with the elements and he was forced to face what he had caused with his betrayal. Ponyville was burning with parts of it floating upside down or spinning or reflected like a mirror. Spike sucked in the flames to ensure they wouldn’t hurt anypony but then started to cough in pain as the flames changed to water and he began to choke.
“Who dares to change my chaos?! Oh, if it isn’t my broken puppet. You look a bit choked up at seeing me but here let me help you with that.” Discord pushed on Spike’s stomach, causing him to throw up all the water and hold his aching stomach.
“D-Discord… you said that you would leave them alone… that they would be safe…”
“Oh please I told you what you needed to hear and I don’t think that Ponyville has ever been in a better state!” Spike growled and jumped at him only for Discord to vanish and surround him in mirrors that all showed Discord. “I see you are back to what you were before I found you, though to be honest, it’s not much of an improvement.”
“I’m through with your lies and with you! You turned me into a weapon against my friends and used my sadness against me. I was stupid to believe that none of them loved me and to put my trust in you but I’m going to fix this and help them beat you!” Spike punched one of the mirrors but it didn’t break and instead hurt his hand.
“Help them beat me? You are the reason this happened and seeing that this was the place that you centered your hate I decided to destroy it first and turn it into my own personal playground of chaos and disharmony. I did only want the princesses and Canterlot at first but you showed me memories of this small insignificant town being more so the cornerstone of harmony than Canterlot. So I wanted to see it ruined and rebuilt every day just to destroy it all over again…”
“You’re a monster…”
“No Spike, I’m the way things are meant to be but I did leave your precious library alone. After all, everypony deserves a fighting chance, it was more than the princesses gave me and more than what you gave them.” Discord’s images turned into the girls as they all blamed him for their states and the state of their home. Spike took several steps away from them and held his head while shaking it.
“N-no! This isn’t real! They should blame me… they should hate me but in my heart, I know that they wouldn’t. I know this isn’t them!!” Spike blew fire into the ground at his feet and destroyed all the mirrors around him at once. He huffed before seeing the library and running towards it only for Owlicious to fly down and angrily block his path. “Wha- Owlicious! Move out of the way! I need to see Twilight!” The owl shook his head and Spike relaxed seeing that the bird was only trying to protect their friend. “I know I hurt her and… I can’t imagine how she feels but I’m begging you to let me try and fix this… Let me get back the Twilight we both know and love. Please trust me Owlicious, one assistant to another…” The bird flew and stared at Spike intently before hooing and landing on his head. “Thanks… I’ll owe you one.”
Walking into the darkened library, Spike called for Twilight but didn’t find her where he expected. She wasn’t nose deep in a book trying to save Equestria but he did find her upstairs with the covers over her shivering body, which had lost its color and turned grey. “Has she been like this ever since she got back?”
“Hooo…” The sad hoo was enough and Spike threw the blanket off the mare as she held herself more and looked up.
“Oh, you again… are you just gonna yell at me again like the others did? If you hate me so much why don’t you just get away from me!!” Spike took a step back as he watched the mare tear up and hide her face back in her pillow. “Everyone else left me… why wouldn’t you…” She felt a claw gently grab her chin and moved it towards him, forcing her to look into his eyes.
“Because leaving you was the reason this happened… I let my anger take me and I ended up hurting the ponies that gave me so much joy… I hurt the one that I promised to myself to protect…” Twilight wiped her face and looked down.
“It’s too late Spike… even if I believed you the others were corrupted to the core. They blamed me and our friendship for hurting them, for getting them involved with the elements in the first place.”
“Twilight… I’ve been living with you all here for over a year now and seen you six stand and fight for what you believe against monsters, evil witches, Diamond Dogs, and even against each other to teach each other how to be better friends. You were the one that lit that spark in them and made me believe in the good of all ponykind. You gave me life all those years ago and I always believed that I was nothing but a freak that never would find a place to call home but I think now that thing that made me feel different became the best parts of me. Those parts are from you. I found my place in this world, wherever you are.” He hugged the mare and Twilight took in his words before slowly hugging him back and nuzzling the dragon, a bit of her color returning.
“But my friends, I need them back.”
“The Twilight Sparkle we know and love would never quit when her friends need her and I know that you’ll find a way to get them back. After all, hero stuff is your speciality right?” Twilight giggled and looked at a picture that she kept next to her bed that showed her and her friends in a big hug. “So what are you gonna do?”
“I’m going to bring them back by reminding them who they are and why we’re the best team in Equestria!” Spike and Owlicious cheered their friend as her color fully returned, but then Spike remembered something.
“Twi, I need you to do this part on your own for now. Luna told me to return to her once the elements were back for she had a plan surrounding Discord and said she understood something about him.”
“Okay Spike, just stay safe and I’ll get the other girls ready.” Spike nodded and gave her the rest of the elements before putting the crown on her head and watched it shimmer with power again and the two separated with Owlicious going with Spike to Canterlot. Twilight took a deep breath before galloping her way to Sweet Apple Acres.
. . .
The farm was a centerpiece for ponyville, showing the strength of family and the promise of fulfillment that only came with an honest day’s work but now the farm had fallen to chaos with the barn turned into a hotel and the apples turned into baseballs. The entire Apple family seemed to have been affected by the chaos, except for one small filly. Applebloom tried her best to remind her family of their ideals but all ignored her as she wondered who could help when Twilight came up.
“T-Twilight! You ain’t lost ya colors! That means ya can get ma family back!”
“Applebloom? You’re still you! Something must have kept you safe from Discord’s craziness when the elements lost their powers.”
“Ah had been with the other crusaders at that time. Maybe that’s it?”
“It must have been the friendship you three share. You three have been going on adventures with us and have just as strong as a bond that Discord must not have been able to break it. I’m getting off track, take me to Applejack!” Applebloom saluted and led her to the one place that had been left alone by Discord at the insistence of Applebloom. The small memorial that the Apple family had made in honor of The three siblings parents. Applejack was sitting there with her hat on the ground and sniffling as she kept questioning why their parents hadn’t returned and why they left in the first place.
“She’s been like that since she got back… please help her…”
“I’ll do what I can but I’m gonna need your help.” The two walked to the depressed pony.
“Ah know why ya here… Ah can’t help ya Twilight. Ah’m not the element of honesty like Ah thought Ah was... what good is the truth if it only hurts ya!? My ma and pa… Ah tried to make em proud by living ma life the way Ah thought that they would want, with honest work and caring love for ma family. If what Spike said was true… if they never really loved us then who am Ah?”
“You’re the girl that has protected Ponyville from rampaging cattle and has a heart that has always stayed faithful and strong no matter what trouble we faced! You were the first pony that I put my trust in because I saw the honesty in your eyes.”
“B-but ma parents…”
“Ma and pa would never want to see ya like this! Applejack… please ah need you to hear me and remember.” Twilight made her horn glow and touched Applejack’s head as Applebloom’s words caused memories to show. “Remember when Ah was smaller and Diamond Tiara teased me for our parents not showing up for school on parent day? Ah cried myself to sleep that night, wishing Ah had any memories of them… but the next day ya, Big Mac, and Granny all showed up with pictures of them and told us stories of how much they loved us and how they journeyed across Equestria for the farm. Ya scared that they didn’t love us? That they ran off? If ya believe that garbage than it’s ya who forgot them! Ya who forgot what that hat means!”
Applebloom’s shouts awoke something in Applejack as she remembered her parents leaving on their last voyage, kissing and holding the young foal before giving her to granny. Telling Big Mac to stay strong for the family and that he was so much like his father. They comforted the young Applejack and her father smiled at her, giving her his hat and telling her to hold that until they see each other again and for her to always stay true to herself. Applejack’s colors returned as she cried and held her sister and friend, taking the element of honesty from Twilight and putting her hat back on.
“Thank ya for remindin me who Ah am. Who they raised me to be.” Twilight smiled and bowed her head at the memorial before going back to her friend and heading for Carousel Boutique.
. . .
The two found Sweetie Belle at the door as she was knocking and trying to get into her home but Rarity had locked her out and blocked the door. Applejack bucked the door open, destroying the rather lame attempt at a barricade. “What in apple’s name did that girl think this was gonna protect her from?”
“I-I think me… she called me a greedy filly who tried to steal what was hers… My sister would never say that to me! She is the most lovely mare in Ponyville! You two have to help me…”
“That’s why we’re here Sweetie, we may need you to help us remind her of who she is.” Sweetie nodded, ready to help her sister in any way. They opened the door and saw Rarity was protecting all her items and growled at the three.
“I see you two betrayed me also! You’re helping her take everything from me!”
“Sugarcube ya not makin a lick of sense, this is ya sister! She loves ya!”
“She is trying to take my life from me! I won’t let anypony ever take what is mine!!” Applejack hugged Sweetie Belle as the filly teared up at the sight of her sister like this, so full of bitterness towards her. Twilight frowned and walked towards her friend, tossing her items away.
“You aren’t the Rarity we know! She would never become something as cruel as you! Please Rarity, think about who you are and why you’re here. “
“W-why we’re here…” Sweetie Belle blinked and walked up to her sister with Twilight, the unicorn making her horn glow with her memory spell as Rarity was trying to protect her stuff and glared at Sweetie Belle. Sweetie jumped and hugged her sister as Twilight touched Rarity’s head with her horn. “Please Rarity… you are all I’ve ever wanted to be and what I’m scared that I’ll never thought be able to live up to. D-do you remember the day we left home?” Rarity saw a younger and more naive Rarity as she was all packed up and hugging her parents as she was preparing to leave home and seek her dream of becoming a fashion designer. Her first destination was planned to be Canterlot and she had a bit of pride and ego that believed that she deserved to be among the nobles of the city.
“Well I’ll return as soon as I can, is Sweetie still mad?” Her parents looked up at the room where their younger daughter had locked herself away. She worshipped Rarity and would follow her sister to the ends of the world but now that sister was leaving her alone. “Poor dear… I know how hard this must be for her… not many friends and you two are always so busy… She’ll be starting school soon and for the first time I won’t be there…” Her parents went to go check on their youngest while Rarity wiped her eyes and looked down as she heard sobbing from her bag and opened it to find her sister hiding and looking up at her with big pleading eyes. Rarity’s heart shattered at the sight and realized as she took her sister out that she didn’t really want to do this all by herself. She wanted to give back to the world and make things that would make the darkest day full of beauty and life but she was missing the thing she loved most in the world.
“R-Rarity?”
“Silly filly… you would never let me leave you and that is why I love you.” She hugged her sister and nuzzled her while tearing up a bit. “Fine… you win. You can come with me and we’ll live our dreams the way we were meant to. Together.” Sweetie thanked her sister and sobbed as Rarity smiled and couldn’t be happier. Before taking the train out of town she replaced her ticket to Canterlot and instead got two cheaper tickets for the small town called Ponyville.
. . .
“Sis you came here for me and was willing to put your dreams on hold because I was selfish, but you taught me something that day… you taught me that generosity and love is worth more than all the gems in the world. I want that sister back… I want to find my purpose and make that sister proud… I want to see her smile at me again…” Sweetie Belle cried and hugged Rarity tighter before feeling her hug back and looked up to see her colors had returned.
“I suppose I have been the silly one this time… I’m sorry for that Sweetie Belle, now let me make things right and after that we’ll spend a day together. Just the two of us.” The two sister hugged and cried while Twilight and Applejack smiled and gave Rarity her necklace.
. . .
Fluttershy’s house was left alone by the chaos around but had an aura of anger and brutality around it that kept the animals at bay but all were all against leaving for the one that cared for them all once was inside. The three ponies steeled themselves as they pushed into the small cottage and found Fluttershy angrily throwing things around her house in a rage. The only other being that remained close to Fluttershy was Angel Bunny who was her partner and best animal friend, but even he was fearful of what she had become. Twilight had heard from Spike’s ranting that Angel was a creature of Tartarus and was mean to him but seeing the bunny now all she felt was pity as the one pony he loved in the world had turned into a monster.
“Fluttershy darling, stop this ruffian business and come join your friends! Look at what you’ve done to your simple but gorgeous house!”
“And those critters you love so much! You push em away with all your cruel acts but they still love you enough to stay here!”
“Pfff, who needs them!? Not me! I’m perfectly fine being here alone and if they stay then their the stupid ones! I don’t need you judging me when I’m finally not the weak one! When I’m finally who I am meant to be! Take this witch!”
“Wrong Fluttershy! You need us more than ever if that’s what you believe! We’re gonna save you!” Fluttershy glared at the three and grabbed a vase, throwing the water that was in it at Twilight before she dodged and it hit Rarity, who shrieked and glared at the smirking pegasus through her wet mane and she dragged her hoof on the hoof against the ground before rushing and tackling her. The two began to fight with Applejack grabbing her rope from under her hat and jumping into the brawl while Twilight blinked. “You could have just used magic Rarity… oh well.” Twilight jumped in also and together the three tied up Fluttershy who was cursing at them through the rope around her muzzle.
“Yeah who’s the witch now!? Darling you are really gonna need to wash your mouth after this.” Twilight went to put the memory spell on her when Angel came out from his hiding place and began to speak to her in his language while she remembered the first day the two met.
Fluttershy was young and had snuck away from Cloudsdale early before Rainbow Dash would wake and start worrying about her. She had recently traveled to the surface and her best friend was still a bit afraid of it, saying that she preferred the sky. Fluttershy couldn’t help herself though, when she was down here with the animals it was like she had never felt fear. She was happy and strong because there were smaller creatures that all looked up to her. She would spend the morning exploring and writing in her diary of all the animals she would meet and their names. Days were spent getting to know them and how to treat the hurt ones that would start to appear before the young filly. This day, however, she found no small critters that were coming out to meet her and she found that many were hiding and motioning for her to run away.
“Oh dear… you poor little sweethearts must have seen something super scary to be hiding like this… I won’t let you stay scared like this, I’ll find this creature and set it straight.” The animals shook their heads in fear for their friend but none had the courage to go with her and Fluttershy walked alone. She ignored the animals’ signs to stay away and ended up at a cave where a deep growling was heard and several broken twigs were at the entrance. The growl caused the timid pegasus to lose her nerve and hide behind her mane but then she remembered Rainbow Dash, all her courage and determination. This was to save her friends yes, but maybe a small part of her came here to prove to herself that she is worthy of being friends with someone so different, She wanted to prove that she could be more than the scared victim, this time she would not back down.
Fluttershy gathered her nerves and tiptoed into the cave. It was damp and old with the smell of something like a wet forest inside. She heard the growling slowly get louder but there was now also a squeaking noise accompanying it. She arrived at a chamber in the deepest parts and found there was a timberwolf there and he had just cornered a tiny hurt bunny. The bunny was defiant and brave but far too weak to put up much of a fight in his state. As the wolf opened his mouth to eat the little one, a rock hit it in the side of its face and both turned to see Fluttershy there barely able to keep it together.
“H-h-hey you b-big bully!! W-why don’t you pick on s-s-somepony your size!!” The bunny stared at his savior in awe and wonder as she stood up to the wolf and it switched it’s target and went after her but she flew and used her wings to stay just out of reach. She would dodge and yell at the creature to stop but it refused and continued it’s hunting of her. Fluttershy apologized profusely as she started using the environment to start dropping boulders on the wolf. The little bunny watched as she fought the wolf and the cave was slowly becoming unstable. As Fluttershy was flying, some of the ceiling hit her wing and sent her tumbling to the ground. The wolf jumped at her only for the tiny bunny to jump between them and start pulling at the twigs around its eyes. The wolf howled in pain and anger before tearing the bunny off itself and throwing him at the cave wall where he crumbled. Fluttershy cried as she saw the bunny that tried to save her fall and felt a great anger grow deep in her heart as she glared at the wolf.
“That’s enough!! How dare you hurt that poor defenseless creature!! I’ll make you pay for that!!” Fluttershy rushed at the wolf in a frenzy and lifted an enormous boulder before smashing it into the timberwolf’s head and she huffed as the cave shook and began to cave in. The beast tried again to strike but the glare that Fluttershy gave it made it feel as though ice had replaced it’s limbs and it was frozen by fear. She grabbed the bunny and galloped out of the cave as it collapsed and the two sighed before looking at each other and began to laugh. The bunny jumped and cuddled the filly as the two became friends there and would only become closer as Fluttershy named him Angel and the two became partners.
. . .
Fluttershy teared up as her memories returned and her colors restored with her holding her partner animal and smiled at him. “Thank you Angel, for not leaving me…” The bunny smiled and hugged her as he whistled and other animals all rushed in to hug the mare they loved like a mother. The three mares smiled and gave Fluttershy her necklace as the element of kindness had returned.
. . .
The four were hoping to find Rainbow Dash as they all believed that it would take all of them to go against Pinkie Pie but when the pegasus was nowhere to be seen, they all went to Sugarcube Corner. The entire store was splattered with sweets and ingredients as Pinkie was angrily baking but was only getting angrier as she found herself unable to make anything anymore. When the others arrived Pinkie glared at them.
“I knew something was wrong when I couldn’t bake! It must be like some kind of super pinkie sense telling me when my ex-friends are nearby!” The four could tell it was a lie, Pinkie knew the limits of her body and wouldn’t have a sense for something like that.
“Pinkie… please come to your senses, Discord played a rotten trick on all of us and turned us into things we aren’t.” Before Fluttershy could keep talking, Pinkie walked up to her with a glare.
“Well what makes you think you know what I am?! None of you made the effort to really get to know me! Tell me where I was born or what my twin’s name is! You can’t because you never cared to talk to me about me!” Twilight walked up and matched the glare with a calm and slightly sad stare of her own.
“We didn’t but we all never really questioned that… I have a brother you all don’t know about, his name is Shining Armor.
“I have a younger brother… his name is Zephyr Breeze.”
“Ah have an aunt and uncle Orange, They’re a very Rarity type of pony up in Manehattan.”
“I have- wait what do you mean Rarity type!?”
“The point Pinkie is that we all still have things to learn about each other.”
“I don’t care about any of you, now leave me alone!!”
“Pinkamena Diane Pie! That is enough of that.” The four turned to see the Cakes coming and Pinkie actually showed a bit of resistance as she looked at them. “These are your best friends and they came to return you to what you used to be.”
“W-why would I want to go back to that other Pinkie?! So they can laugh at me and call me a freak!? No thank you!” Mr. Cake walked to the mare and put a hoof on her shoulder.
“You know what I thought when you first came to Ponyville? I thought that you were the strangest pony in Equestria but also the most funny and talented ones I ever met.” Mrs. Cake put her hoof on Pinkie’s other shoulder as the girl stared at them with sadness in her eyes.
“So I am a freak…”
“Sweetheart, you’re better than a freak, you’re a Cake! Look at the friends you keep, no normal pony could keep up with such a strange group but you do it all with a smile on your face and a joke to share. We did think you were strange but I saw in you something, you came up to us and asked if we had any food left over as you had no bits and was hungry. We took you in and fed you one of our family pies and the three of us shared the night talking and getting to know you.”
“No pony, other than my sweet as cupcakes wife here, ever had a smile like yours that could brighten a room with no trouble. You made us laugh and gave us both a feeling that led us to where we are now.” Both hugged the sobbing pony as she held them.
“You gave us the feeling of true parenthood and we asked you if you wanted to stay here. Your smile and the hug we shared made us both work twice as hard as we wanted to be the perfect guardians to you and eventually we became so close that we taught you all our secrets and recipes. You became the daughter we never had and we can’t begin to tell you how proud we are of the mare you became and we know that you’ll one day spread joy and laughter across all of Equestria. We are asking you Pinkie, look deep down in your heart and tell us who you think you are.” Pinkie looked up at them and wiped the tears off her face. Twilight was about to start her memory spell with she jumped as something fell on her head and blocked her vision, causing her to scream and panic. Gummy had jumped on Twilight and painlessly bit on her head and Pinkie watched as a small smile tugged at her face and then she collapsed in a fit of laughs.
“O-oh Gummy!! You’re a ninja!” Pinkie smiled and, as her friends tried to get Gummy off Twilight, turned back to the Cakes who were smiling back at her. “I am Pinkie Pie! The element of laughter and child of the Pie and Cake families.” The three hugged and Pinkie looked at her still grey fur before pulling out a crayon and drawing the pink colors back on herself.
“How did she…”
“Don’t question it honey, just be happy she’s back.”
. . .
The last pony to find was Rainbow Dash, the traitor of the group who had abandoned them first. They searched all of Ponyville but she wasn’t there.
“We checked the town, her home, Cloudsdale, everywhere! Where is Dash?!”
“T-Twilight!! Sis!” We found Rainbow! She’s at the CMC Clubhouse!” Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shouted as they led the group and found that she was indeed in the house while holding a confused and slightly irritated Scootaloo.
“Dash it’s been hours! Let me go already! What’s up with you?” The confident and usually calm pegasus was now grey and seemed almost afraid of letting go of Scootaloo.
“W-what if I’m not fast enough… Cloudsdale needs me, you need me, Ponyville needed me, my friends needed me but I’m just not fast enough to protect them all so I chose to put my loyalty to you. Just like how you have always stayed loyal to me.”
“But Rainbow Dash, we’re talking about the good of Equestria, our home!! One small flightless pegasus can’t stand in the way of all that besides I can see how this is making you, you’re not staying loyal to yourself here…” The others all walked into the clubhouse, blocking the door and windows to make sure she couldn’t escape while Twilight and the other two members of the CMC walked up to Dash as she held onto Scootaloo more.
“I see you’re trying to take her from me, trying to hurt her with your spells and plans to save Equestria or whatever. Leave us alone Twilight! It was your plan in the first place that started all of this!”
“No Rainbow, we’re here to turn you back to what you are and I know I should have been smarter and deduced that Discord had a trick but I was worried and wanted to get back Spike before he could get in danger, I bet you know that feeling.” Rainbow looked away and Twilight gently moved Rainbow’s arms from Scootaloo and smiled at her before using her spell. “Scootaloo you known Dash longer than me, tell her something that will bring back the one that we know and love.” Scootaloo looked at Dash and thought back to the day that they met and she smiled.
“H-hey Rainbow… do you remember the day we first met? I bet you don’t because I never gave you my name that day. I had just gotten away from my aunts because there were rumors of two talented pegasuses coming to town and I thought it was my parents coming to pick me up but then I heard it was two girls. I arrived just to see a crowd was watching you flying and taking out all the clouds in the sky in ten seconds flat! You ended up taking in all the cheers and tried to do you sonic rainboom but only ended up crashing in a cart full of art supplies, painting the ponies around, including Scootaloo who was now blue with a reddish mane. Rainbow apologized and paid for the cart before going off to practice her tricks. Scootaloo felt something deep down while she watched the girl and followed her out of town.
She watched Rainbow train for hours while hiding in a bush and tried to catch a conversation she had with a yellow pegasus that had a pink mane. She watched her the two leave and Scootaloo decided to try something just as awesome as one of Dash’s tricks and built a rickety ramp before zooming at it with all her speed, getting sent high into the sky and smiling when she looked down only to find that ramp had been destroyed. “W-what!? NO!” her eyes widened in fear and she was about to scream for help as gravity began to take her down. “Help!!”
“What’s up kid? Why the yelling? I think you got some pretty sweet air.” Scootaloo’s eyes looked up to see Rainbow was falling also while laying on her back like she was on a bed.
“I-I-I can’t fly…” Scootaloo looked down in shame before Rainbow put a hoof under her chin and made her look up again.
“And you still did this stunt? Wow, you’re like a younger me crazy and reckless, I love it! Better hold on squirt because I’m about to show you what it means to be on cloud nine!” She didn’t even have the time to question that before she was grabbed and Rainbow raced off. Scootaloo screamed as she had never moved so fast, Rainbow laughed and would show off a bit by throwing the filly into the air and catching her just before the ground. Her mane was now blown in a strange style that Scootaloo found that she enjoyed. She told her to hold on as they spun and resembled a cyclone of color. Scootaloo had her eyes closed tight as she felt the air began to slow down and opened them to see the two were far up in the air and the sun had begun to set. Rainbow moved the filly onto her back carefully so she could fly easier. “Pretty huh?”
“Totally awesome… thank you for this…” Rainbow waved away the praise.
“No need for that, just me being me. I’m not a very girly type of pony and I know that but even I can take things slow sometimes. It feels nice to know you’re not the only pony like you. Come on, let me take you back to town.” Dash dropped the filly off in the town center and stopped her before she left. “Hey, squirt! Stay loyal to that crazy part of you that told you to do that stunt, it will get you places and hopefully, it will get you farther than it ever has me. I’m Rainbow Dash it was nice flying with you when those wings get working come and race me sometime!” Scootaloo smiled watching her fly away and made a promise to herself then.
“I promise to do that Dash… and I’ll win!”
. . .
Rainbow Dash stared at the filly in a daze as she hugged her and cried. “You’re everything I ever wanted to be! You’re not afraid of anything or anyone! You told me to stay loyal to that crazy part of myself and I have!”
“Yeah, she sure has. Remember when she took us ziplining on a flaming cord!?”
“Or that one time we tried to get our cutie marks in mine car racing?” Applebloom and Sweetie whispered and shivered at the memories as their sisters shushed them while listening to Scootaloo’s speech.
“I want that awesome Rainbow Dash back, the one that is crazy fast, fearless, awesome and insane!! I want-”
“Heh, shut up and hug me sis… I’m back.” Rainbow smiled down at her with her colors restored and her loyalty in herself returned. “I’m sorry for causing this… but it’s time to make this right. Twilight?” Twilight nodded and gave her the necklace as the mane six were reunited and looked out of the house.
“Time to save the world!”
. . .
Spike and Luna stood outside of Canterlot Castle at a large ball of swirling dark energy. Luna’s mane was disheveled and she seemed to be trying to catch her breath. “I-it is ready.”
“So say that DIscord does have this other thing in him, this ball will contain it?”
“Being like Discord or alicorns, being of extreme power are usually much stronger in physical strength than in mental fortitude. You, mortals, are lucky in that sense, in a fight, you believe that you could die and it forces your mind to prepare for the possibility but for us, it’s so hard to accept that any kind of fear or hate can cause our powers to become manipulated and corrupt our bodies and minds. My feelings of hate and loneliness caused the creation of Nightmare Moon, my sister’s responsibilities and fear of her own power once turned her into the demon Daybreaker, and now Discord is under the influence of his own demon which must have been born out of resentment for his imprisonment and for having to watch ponies leave in peace for so long while he was forgotten. I call his demon Malice.
“So this ball can capture Malice and kill it?”
“No… this ball is made of my own power and is an entrance to the dream realm but I must stay here to keep it stable or Malice would run unchallenged in the dream realm and no pony would ever have a peaceful sleep again.”
“So what must we do?”
“I need you to enter it and end Malice while I hold it together, time in there works differently as a second for us is a minute for you.”
“You think I could actually fight that thing?!”
“You have no choice! Once the elements of harmony hit Discord, his Malice will be released and sucked into the ball. With my sister in her state, you are the only one I trust to go in and fight.”
“The only one… I’ll do it. I started this and I’ll be the one that fixes it.” Spike looked at his mechanical arm as it beeped for a new cartridge and Spike pulled out Celestia’s, Luna’s, and Twilight’s before forcing all three into the slot. He screamed as his arm and body took in the magic and caused his body to change to absorb more of the power.
“Spike!! You are a dragon, your body wants to grow to disperse more of the power! You must focus on what you want to protect, use the greed of protection instead of want! Focus!” He heard her words as he fell to his knees and took several deep breaths through the pain before focusing on those he loves and how this Malice was going to steal them from him if he failed here. They believed in him and now he needed to believe in himself. Spike’s eyes opened as his body grew two more sets of sharper spikes burst from his back and went down his arms. His tail grew longer and had a sharper end that whipped and sliced through the air. The frills on the sides of his head became covered in flames and then it faded to show they were longer and sharper now, resembling flames. His scales were thicker and glistened in the sun as he stood and felt a new sensation in his gut, he looked up and a blast of electricity came from his mouth. They turned to see a bright light emerging from Ponyville and he looked at Luna. “I’ll come back, I promise.” Luna nodded and prepared herself as Spike flew into the ball and a rainbow formed in Ponyville, striking down.
. . .
The dragon was in awe of the world he found himself in, it was dark but calming darkness where bubbles of light and life were everywhere like stars in the night sky. “Beautiful aren’t they? It’s sickening not a single nightmare can be found.” Spike sighed and turned to see a thin dragon standing there with grey and black scales and black eyes that had glowing red irises. Two sharp horns on its head and a jawful of razor sharp teeth.
“Malice… what is that form? I thought you would be more creative like Discord.”
“I am anger and malice incarnate, there is no fun or chaos in me. I am focused and since I am a part of his true self this is the form I was created in.”
“His true self?”
“He doesn’t even remember what he used to be, He is the last of his kind and yet he can’t remember them. They used to live in the plains of chaos until the day that Discord opened the way to this world. The poor fool was young and very much different than what you see now. He is a draconequus, a fusion of pony and dragon. In a way, he is just like you but far stronger. After he opened the portals and chaos entered the minds of the locals, a war started against his kind and he fought to fix his mistake but it seemed like fate was against him. He found a way to get them all home but he in order to finish the spell and close the portal he had to stay behind and leave all that he had ever known and at that moment, an attack was ordered on them. Discord finished his task and was now alone, surrounded by the bodies of his those unlucky enough to not have escaped in time. His guilt and anger at himself caused him to lock his memories away and become the one you know him as now.
“Why tell me all this?”
“Because you are about to die, at least have peace in knowing that after this your friends are going to join you.” Spike frowned and prepared to fight, jumping at the dragon who snarled and met his attack. The two clawed and slashed at each other, cutting through their scales and causing bleeding. Spike rolled back and blasted a torrent of fire at Malice who only met it with black flames of his own. “You can’t beat me runt!” Spike glared and screamed as a lightning bolt erupted from his mouth and sent the dragon back while he rushed forward and headbutted him, spinning quickly and slashing his tail against Malice’s face. He aimed his metal arm at him and used Celestia’s magic to blast him back.
Running off pure adrenaline, he continued his assault with several punches to the chest while using the spikes on his arms as blades. He landed punch after punch while using his flames and electricity to counter the other dragon’s attacks. Spike jumped and landed a knee to Malice’s chin before he grabbed his head and smashed it into the ground. He unloaded all of Luna’s magic right into the back of Malice’s head. Spike huffed as he looked at his downed foe and then heard laughter as Malice smirked and snapped his fingers, causing all the damage to vanish.
“W-what…” He was caught off guard as Malice slashed his across his right eye and grabbed his throat and lifted him, blasting him in the chest with an explosion of black fire. Spike was sent flying back and coughed before several swift kicks to his jaw and chest came out of the smoke that was still coming off his body and surrounded him. He forced himself to stand and threw several punches at the growing darkness around him only to miss and then his fist be grabbed as if it was nothing. Malice sneered at him before slowly flicking him in the head, dozens of claw marks and a deep gash in the center of his chest appeared as if the darkness itself was cutting into him. He screamed in pain and smashed his metal fist into the ground, Twilight’s power blasting away the darkness but now he had reverted back to his regular form and was cut and bleeding from the wounds all around his body.
“I am a god boy, you are nothing compared to me and your pitiful attacks are insignificant. Do you finally understand? Your princess sent you here on a suicide mission, even in your wildest dreams you could never win this fight.”
“My wildest… dreams…” Spike coughed a bit seeing red was mixed in the saliva. Luna didn’t sent him here to die, she trusted him with the one place she watched over and had faith in him to come out victorious. He cleared the vision of his one good eye and stood in defiance of the god-like being in front of him. He laughed before striking at the dragon, over and over again he fell and stood. Time became lost to the two as the cycle continued endlessly.
“Why don’t you just stay down! Be like every other worthless mortal and just die! You think that you’re some kind of hero Spike? Well I know the real you and I know you’re not.” Spike’s body twitched before he dug his claws into the ground and got back to his feet before huffing and closing his eyes as he remembered Luna’s words.
“Dreams are wishes the heart makes” ‘He’s right but… What do I wish? What is my dream in this place? Why am I here?’ Slowly figures appeared beside Spike, surprising Malice as he now was facing five of the element bearers. “Applejack, strong and taught me the importance of staying true to myself. Rarity, beautiful and determined showed me how the character of oneself is far more important than looks or wealth. Fluttershy gave me kindness and showed no fear to who I was even if I feared myself and what I might become she was a calm in the storm. Rainbow told me once that I should be more confident because I was a pretty cool dragon. She made me actually accept the dragon half of my heart in more ways than one and made me wonder if I could use them for good. Pinkie made me smile and laugh with her antics and I guess I learned from her to take things as they come and live and let live.” Malice took a step back as he continued and more and more beings appeared, all those that he had met in his journey and he formed a connection with were appearing. He had had enough of this and attacked the dragon only for the figures to attack as one and keep him at bay. Even when he would kill one of the figures it would return at Spike’s side and attack again. The princesses themselves rushing to attack and fight back Malice.
“Ember! My sister, she came back for me and never stopped loving me making me become proud to be a dragon, proud to be her brother, proud to be myself! She believes in me and I won’t let her down!” Ember appeared standing in front of Spike, his primary guard.
“And finally the one that filled my heart with fire, the one that destroyed our work and returned her friends back from your grip. She gives me hope and showed that even if our bodies are weak, even if we get broken, our spirits are indomitable! They are unstoppable! You can beat me, break me, kill me, but you will never destroy me! As long as my spirit burns bright then I’ll keep standing and never give up on the world that she loves so much. My dreams are not weak they are strong! Those that I love are the real heroes and for them, I’ll become all that they would need and now they need a hero. You think that you know me and maybe you do know the real me but here, right now, I know what I am. I am her, I hold hope in my hands and I am not afraid of you!!!” The image of Twilight appeared behind Spike, she was wearing her crown and had wings. Malice stared in shock as she opened her blinding white eyes and Spike did the same, showing the same power.
The young dragon sent all of his dream friends to attack the dragon and raised his one real claw as Twilight’s horn glowed and both sent an enormous blast of energy at him. Malice was caught in the blast and felt bits of his body being destroyed as Spike slowly began to walk closer, the blast getting stronger as he did so. “N-NO! I-I will not fall to the likes of you!!!” He was about to fly out of the blast when he felt a weight pull him down and he looked down to see gold chains were keeping him there. A snicker drew his attention to a floating figure nearby, Discord watched with glee as his hate and anger was destroyed. “Y-You!! You need me, you will never be free!”
“You’re wrong, I never needed you and now I can fix what was broken all those ages ago. Your time is done, I can finally be free. It’s been fun playing with you but it’s game over.” Malice screamed as Spike reached him and shouted as he stabbed his claw right into the dragon’s chest, flooding him with the light and his body exploded into light and sparkles. “Eww I think I breathed that in. Well looks like the light show is over, I must say Spike. You put on a good show.” The drake didn’t speak as the light faded and he fell, only for Discord to catch him. “Today an evil with defeated but only I can fix this and fully destroy the last part of him that lives in me. I feared what would come next but seeing your faith showed me something and for the barest of moments I wished I was mortal…”
. . .
Discord came out of the ball of energy with Spike, tossing him to Luna as she collapsed after the power drain. The world had been returned to normal and Discord cleaned his claws while counting down, once he hit zero, Celestia walked out with her colors restored.
“Princess…”
“Discord… how did you escape from my student?”
“I didn’t, as the elements turned me to stone I felt my mind clear for the first time in centuries… I knew my malice had been taken and with your heroes facing me, the only other one you had was the dragon. I asked Twilight to let me go to help him.”
“And she just believed you? I find that hard to believe.”
“No, you did teach her well but I asked her to have faith in me and in her little scaly friend or he could die. She asked the country one if I was lying and she said no and they let me go with I entered your dear little sister’s trap.”
“I see… thank you.”
“...I am… sorry for what I was all those years ago. I never thought that all my tricks and fun were causing such despair for the ponies around me. I thought they would enjoy the fun of the unknown that chaos brings.”
“I apologize as well… we attacked you with not even trying to talk first. I never truly gave thought to trying to reason with you but I took your nature as you trying to be cruel. I was young and foolish… I actually find myself wanting a bit of that chaos some rare days.” Discord felt a bit of his resentment vanish as the princess took her sister and Spike. “Perhaps… you can be allowed to stay as long as you stay either here or in Ponyville. Trying to show you how to use that chaos for some good.”
“Oh please, I am completely rehabilitated from that simple apology.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t take you at your word.” Discord pretended to be hurt and then smirked as he waved his hand. Celestia’s mane had been shaded black and purple with a purple spiked collar hanging around her neck. He laughed and disappeared from the castle as he heard the scream and first of many death threats.
. . .
Far in the depths of space, a cosmic being with no form or essence opened its eyes and which were black voids with dozens of stars. The universe itself seemed to warp and compress until a tiny, deerlike foal was created and the being looked up and towards the direction of the earth, reaching out with her little hoof as she spoke to herself.
“Not too much longer now my love… let those ponies and dragon have their triumphs for soon their world and the one beyond will be mine and there will be no miracle in the universe that can save them… their souls will burn and their weak pathetic light will finally dim. Let them bring all their love, hope, and friendship for when it all dies only then will they be allowed to. I will not be forgotten.”
For Twilight, it was nice to be back in Ponyville with a good book, a fire courtesy of Spike, her favorite blanket, and a daisy sandwich. They had just gotten back five days ago from Canterlot and the award ceremony where they were given praise and declared publicly as Equestria saviors. Spike had asked and ensured that he was not mentioned at the proceedings and did not receive a medal for it. The girls had all argued but he stood firm saying that if not for him they may have been able to win sooner. Even Discord chipped in saying that he would have cheated with or without Spike but it didn’t do anything to change the dragon’s mind.
Ever since they got back, he had been going way out of his way to help everypony that had even the littlest of jobs and while they all appreciated his help, Twilight knew that this was more out of guilt than want to help. She had to force him to take a day to rest when he nearly fainted at Sweet Apple Acres. She felt bad as she cast a sleep spell over him but it was for his own good. She was taken out of her thoughts as a knock came to the library’s door. She groaned a bit as she had to leave her comfortable state but she had a duty and she would do it.
“Hello! I’m sorry but the library is closed today is there- oh Sundance! What brings you here?” Twilight had seen the pony around town and heard about her from Spike but never really talked to her other than the occasional greeting. The pony had grown out her mane more and wore her blue ribbon around her neck while having gotten a nice blue bow tied to the base of her tail.
“H-hello Miss Sparkle, I’m sorry to bother you but I was hoping Spike was around? I was going to ask him for some help with something.” Twilight bit her lip as she knew that Spike wouldn’t wake for several hours at the least and she couldn’t wake him if she wanted.
“Well he’s asleep and I don’t think he’ll be waking up yet…”
“Oh, well I guess that’s understandable. I heard he’s been helping a lot of ponies lately… when he wakes can you tell him I need him. It’s important.” Twilight watched the girl start to walk away but groaned as she felt the need to help her, especially since this is a bit her fault. She took a glance back at her perfect setup before sighing and calling out to the pony.
“Wait! Umm, since he is resting and if it’s that important maybe I can help?” Sundance seemed to think about it for a moment before rushing back to Twilight and hugging her while jumping and shaking the girl.
“Really?! Thank you Miss Sparkle!! I really really appreciate this!” Twilight groaned a bit as her face was muffled by Sundance’s chest and the hug was keeping air from entering her lungs. Sundance let her go once her face was turning as purple as her hair. “Oops… sorry!” Twilight was gasping and held up a hoof as she recovered and sighed, knowing how Spike felt now when she would get overly excited.
“Just Twilight is fine and any friend of Spike’s is a friend of mine so don’t mention it. So what am I helping you with again?”
“Oh right, the job hehe. Well, I wanted Spike to take me to Sweet Apple Acres to introduce me to Granny Smith Apple. She’s one of the only living ponies who had been here when the town was founded and the only one that actually stayed with the Pear family leaving town some years ago for some reason. I want to ask her if she remembers my great grandmother...“ Twilight was becoming much more interested when the talk of Ponyville history came up. She was the local librarian after all and there were scarce records of the town’s past.
“I see well why not just ask them yourself? The Apples are all nice and would be happy to help you.”
“That’s what Mayor Mare told me but it didn’t feel right to just go introduce myself to strangers… I saw that Spike was friends with the family and hoped he would help but you are their friend too so you can introduce me.”
“So your great grandmother was one of the town’s founders? What was her name? How did you find out that she was a founder?” Sundance stopped and smiled while looking up and pointed at the statue in front of them. It was one of the town’s main landmarks, a statue of a mare smiling and standing on a ball. Twilight had seen the statue since the first day she arrived in town but through her research, she had never found out who the statue depicted or why the statue was so important.
“My great grandmother was part of the party that settled this land and I only managed to find out my relation to her when my mom passed and left me all our family’s history. Inside of a journal written by my grandmother, she wrote of living in a small town before moving to Manechester. I found a picture of my great grandmother and couldn’t find the town until the day that I saw Ponyville in the news with the Summer Sun Festival and saw the statue. I knew that I had found the town I was looking for and came as quick as I could.”
“The festival… that was the first day that I moved to town. I was given a job from the princess herself to study friendship and the magic behind it.”
“That sounds like a strange study… do you send her letters or write reports or something?”
“Yep, I send one every month and have yet to miss a deadline.”
“So Mis- Twilight how do you know the Apple family?”
“Oh, I’m great friends with Apple Siblings, namely Applejack. We’ve been through a lot together with the rest of my friends since I met them. Hard to think back and remember all the years I spent alone… thinking that books were all I needed. I wish I had listened to the princess’s advice earlier about friends. I thought I didn’t need any, after all, the princess didn’t.”
“You wanted to be just like her, that’s not a bad thing but the princess has a reason for not wanting friends. I mean all she had was her royal pet until Princess Luna returned.”
“Philomena?”
“She’s a phoenix, right? Those creatures are some of the rare creatures that are known to have the possibility of living forever, like Dragons and Alicorns but they hunted and dragons are known to be a common enemy to them. She decided to take on such a pet maybe because she’d never have to worry about it leaving her. Being alone for hundreds of years… no pony should have to deal with that. It’s hard to lose something and when you’re basically a goddess you can’t afford to lose.” Twilight thought about that and about her friends, Spike, and her brother being with Princess Cadence. The two had always liked each other since they were young but Cadence was an alicorn and would come to outlive her brother maybe thousands of times. She was the goddess of love, however, so if there was one pony who would have no control over her heart it would be her. “We’re here.”
Twilight looked up at Sweet Apple Acres and sniffed in the sweet aroma of the apples and what smelled like an Apple family apple pie. Waving at Applejack as she was taking a break from her applebucking and stretching, she welcomed Sundance to the farm. Twilight explained the reason they were there was to talk to Granny Smith and Applejack was happy to help them but warned them that her granny had a tendency to ramble. Granny Smith had pulled out a second pie when they entered the kitchen. “Granny ya got some guests, one is the granddaughter of somepony ya may have known a long time ago.”
“Ah knew a lot of ponies back in my day, ya need to be more clear.” She looked at Sundance and began to giggle before trotting to her. “Now there’s a face Ah never thought Ah’d see again… ya look just like ya grandmother.” Sundance blushed and smiled sheepishly.
“Great Grandmother actually.”
“Great Grandmother?! Applejack! Ya didn’t tell me I had gotten old!” Applejack looked up as she had cut a piece of pie and was about to take a bite. “Nevermind me, so dear what brings ya to me today?”
“Mayor Mare told me that you would be the only one that may still remember what my great grandmother was like.” Granny Smith smiled and walked to her rocking chair and closed her eyes as she thought back to her younger days.
. . .
Gran Smith Apple had just reached the age of six when her parents were given the chance to join an expedition that was leaving Canterlot to start up a new town. Ever since Princess Celestia had moved to Canterlot around five hundred years before, the small mountain town had turned into Equestria’s capital city where more and more nobles and rich ponies would begin to make their home. The princess had come to listen to the small but passionate ponies that disliked the growing status of their town and was willing to give them guards and bits to go and find a better place where they could rebuild. They agreed and went on to attract some of Canterlot’s most influential families, namely the Apples and the Rich. Gran insisted on accompanying her parents on their journey despite the dangers that they could be facing.
The group of explorers ventured through the dangerous Evergreen Forest with the royal guards they were given fighting back the more monstrous creatures of the forest. Their trip had taken a turn when they were caught in the winter snow and forced the group to clear out space where they could brave the season. Gran did her best to help her parents and the other adults build their shelter but she was left to the only teenager that was on the trip as she had agreed to babysit the foals. Her name was Sunsparkle and she had a white coat with a short mane that was made of several shades of pink. She was the bright spot no matter how bad things got, she would always be dancing on her yellow ball and help keep spirits up with her jokes and kindness.
Winter was harsh and long but by the end, they all were much closer than before. They had been stuck together all season and had learned to work together as a village, as a community. They all decided that they would grow their village there and after getting rid of the snow, an action they called Winter Wrap-up, their first course of action was to grow food as their storage was running low and nearing empty with each passing day. They worked with the pegasus to get rid of the clouds and cleared more of the forest before preparing the ground for planting.
In all that time, Gran had grown to become best friends with Sunsparkle and they wanted to help in any way they could. Gran had decided that the seeds weren’t going to be ready by the time that they would need and seeing that the Evergreen was here, there must be food in there that they could use. The two prepared for a trip and entered the forest, several hours in they had only managed to find seeds and nuts but nothing sustainable enough. They traveled deep into the woods and even befriended some of the local animals as they found them still hibernating and woke them before sharing their food with them. The animals grabbed and pulled at Gran’s leg making a motion to follow them and stay quiet.
They followed the animals into a darker part of the forest. They were nervous but trusted in their little friends and they were led into a cave where a bit of sunlight had broken into the cave and was illuminating a strange blue tree that held rainbow-colored apples in its heights.
“Wow… I’ve never seen apples like those before!” Gran rushed forward despite Sunsparkle calling out to her and when she reached the tree she was shocked and sent back.
“This tree isn’t natural, it’s some kind of magic… hey, can you little fellas help us get down some of the apples? We really need them for our families and friends…” The animals nodded and helped Gran up before they all touched the tree and after a minute of being shocked the tree accepted them and they nodded at the ponies. The two stepped to the tree and slowly reached out to touch it, as they did they felt as though they were being judged but as nothing happened they shared a smile and whispered a soft thank you to the tree as it seemed to glow.
. . .
“Wait!” Granny Smith opened her eyes from her blast from the past to see pages of notes floating around Twilight as Sundance and Applejack were listening and eating some pie. The CMC had also arrived and sat down to listen to the story. “So what are the Zap Apples? What was that tree and where did they come from?”
“Well, to be honest, Ah never figured that out even when Ah went back to see the tree again. When Ah got to the cave, all that was left was a crater. The seeds Ah planted here at the farm grow and produce Zap Apples but they don’t weren’t as big as the ones I saw that day and the trees ain’t blue but knowing that won’t satisfy you Twilight I have a theory.” Twilight smiled wide and wiggled her arms and legs excitedly.
“Ooh I love theories!”
“Ah often gave thought to the Zap Apples and their origin as Ah had never seen anythin like them since. That was until Ah met your friend Rainbow Dash. Applejack told me about her sonic rainboom and Ah gave that some thought before asking Fluttershy about what she knew. The rainboom was not created by Rainbow Dash, it is a very rare ability that even master flyers can’t always do. It is a spectacle to see but also burst and spreads the magic that is naturally in the air.”
“You mean the theory that magic lives in the very earth? I read about it, it says that the earth’s core is magic itself and so the planet radiates magic.” Granny nodded with a smile.
“Pegasus use the magic in the air and their wings help their connection to it, without wings you can’t touch clouds like they can.”
“And Unicorns use magic from our own souls and bodies and control it from our horns.”
“Earth ponies are special as we ain’t got no wings or horns, we gain our own magic from the earth under our hooves. It grants us more strength and like Applebloom could show you, more nature-based skills with her building and potion making hobbies. The Zap Apple tree we saw that day is much like an alicorn Ah think. It was a fusion of magics. The roots and the sentience the tree had were from the earth, Ah believe the tree judged us by reading the animals’ feelings and trust in us like a unicorn would, and the actual apples being struck by the after effects of a sonic rainboom. That’s what Ah think at least, was that enough for ya whippersnapper?” Twilight didn’t answer as she was writing and Granny Smith leaned back and finished her tale.
. . .
Sunsparkle gave Gran a boost and watched her climb on the tree and start collecting the apples when something growled behind them. Sunsparkle turned as three timberwolves were at the cave entrance and sniffing at the ground. “That’s why you wanted us to be quiet… we’re in their territory…” The animals nodded and seemed sad as they had led them into this but Sunsparkle smiled at them and nuzzled them before spinning her ball on her hoof. “It’s okay, I’m getting you all home. Sun told Gran to hurry as she began to walk to the entrance, the wolves beginning to enter. “We’ve invaded your land and taken parts of it, I’m sorry about that but we have ponies that we care about and they need us back. I can’t let you hurt us here.”
One wolf jumped at her, Gran screamed at her, but when it swiped it found nothing in its claws. Sun was in the air after jumping on her ball and kicked it into the wolf’s face before it bounced back to her and she landed on it with a smile. The other wolves attacked with Sun spinning and dancing on the ball, gracefully dodging with her dance before jumping and bucking one in the face and using the ball to smash its chest. She smiled until she was blindsided and knocked off by the third wolf and the first was getting back up. Sun frowned and got back on her ball and looked around before smiling and rolling to a rockpit and began to run on the ball, shooting rocks at the wolves like bullets.
The first wolf was hit in the head and hid while the third kept running towards her, but fell before it reached her due to all the rocks in its throat. Sun huffed as she was getting tired as the first wolf attacked only for it to be crushed by a tree falling on it. Sun stared at the tree in shock when she heard giggling and turned to see Gran with a proud smile. “D-did you just…”
“Don’t mess with the Apple family or their friends, our bucking talents are legendary hehe. Let’s get home.” Sun nodded and the two went home, adding waking animals to the winter wrap up and zap apple jelly made was so good and plentiful that it helped the village last until their crops began to grow. The village wanted to make a statue to Gran seeing that she was the one that had the apples when they came back but she refused and insisted on a statue made of Sunsparkle on her ball.
. . .
“So that is why there is a statue of your great granny here, Ah thought that since she was the protector that she deserved it.” Sundance wiped her eyes, having teared up at hearing how her ancestor had been and hugged the old mare in thanks. “Ahh dear, your waterworks are gonna make me more wrinkly than Ah already am!” Granny Smith joked while holding the girl. Twilight and Sundance waved goodbye as they promised to come back and Granny promised to tell the story of Sunsparkle meeting the one that she would eventually marry, the first pony to ever move to Ponyville and the one that made the Golden Oak Library. The CMC began to question if they should try getting cutie marks in monster hunting but Sweetie Belle mentioned that they already had beaten monsters during the Canterlot Invasion and had gotten nothing.
“I learned so much about Ponyville history! The reason they left Canterlot, the struggles they had, the zap apples, and even some theories! I never thought about all the knowledge I could learn here!”
“I’m just glad I now know what kind of pony she was… makes me feel proud to be myself.” Twilight looked at her and put her notes away before smiling softly and nudging the girl. “I think you always should have been proud of yourself, I mean who else would go so far to find out their family? I bet that they are proud of you, wherever they are.” Sundance touched her ribbon and cried a bit before hugging Twilight and thanking her over and over for her help. They separated at the statue as Twilight thought she needed alone time with it and she walked to the library, smiling at the sweet smell coming from inside. “Oh Spike, you were supposed to stay in bed.”
. . .
That night, deep under the library, a chest glowed and hummed as the time was approaching when its knowledge would be used again...
Spike put his bag down on the train before leaving the car and smiling softly at Twilight. She had become a bit of a recluse after she used the want it need it spell and nearly destroyed the town. Spike was forced to call Celestia for help and Twilight spent all her time fixing the time and trying to make it up to the town but even with every pony forgiving her she had yet to forgive herself. When Celestia and Luna sent a letter asking for Spike to meet them in Canterlot for “Royal Business” he reluctantly agreed.
“Did you pack everything? Your potions, stash of gems, emergency comics?”
“Heh yeah, mom I even brought the spare cartridges for my arm and the new dust that Zecora taught me how to make. That zebra sure knows her potions and I'm sure that no matter the job I’ll be ready. Relax okay Twi? The princesses wouldn’t knowingly send me into a dangerous job and this won’t take me too long. I’ll be back before you notice I’m gone. “
“I don’t know… Celestia has given me some ridiculous jobs…”
“But you always get them done so maybe she just trusts you.”
“Yeah… great pony to put her trust in…” Spike frowned and made the girl look at him.
“Hey, we all have lapses in judgment and I should have called her earlier if I thought something was wrong so you weren’t the only one at fault with that incident okay? You are one of the most trustworthy and smartest ponies anywhere and Celestia couldn’t have picked a better pupil.” Twilight smiled gently and held the dragon close while nuzzling him.”
“Okay… I’ll try to relax a bit while you’re gone. Hang out with the girls or maybe invite them to a sleepover. We also have to start getting Ponyville ready for Nightmare Night.”
“Ooo I can’t wait! I have a great idea for my costume! I call it… Spike the Dragon!” Twilight rolled her eyes at his lack of originality.
“Your skills of creativity are just blowing my mind, you don’t even know.”
“Well thanks, Twi I try… oh, that was sarcasm. Ha ha you’re so funny. Okay, maybe I’ll dress like a superhero from those comics that Dash showed me.” Twilight made another face as she saw comics lesser than her novels and told Rainbow not to get him into them too much but she played with the words and gave some comics to the CMC and told them to share with Spike.
“Hmm… how does a knight sound? Shining may have an idea.”
“Shining is coming? Sweet! Sure ask him and when I get back we’ll see what he comes up with, he is the coolest guy around!” Twilight snorted a bit at that last bit.
“My brother? Cool? Maybe in his craziest dreams, I love him but he has always been a bit of a geek behind all the chivalry and heroics. I mean he used to play Ogres and Oubliettes.”
“That sounds fun to me, maybe I’ll try playing and I’ll like it?” Twilight looked hard at the young dragon before smirking.
“Oh, you’d like it for sure.”
“Why do I feel like that was an insult?” Twilight giggled and hugged him tightly as the train’s horn went off signaling its departure. He hugged her back and promised that he would be back as soon as he could and he would be careful. He climbed on the train and waved at Twilight as the train took off. “Don’t try cooking until I get back! I’d like the library to be there when I do!”
“Very funny! Have fun…” He hoped that she would be okay in his absence but he had faith in her friends and in Owlicious to watch over her and be there when she needed them.
“Be safe…” He sighed and took a seat nearby, chuckling a bit when he thought back to the train ride when he first arrived in Ponyville. The mystery and his meeting with the thief Smolder. He thought about the time they’ve both been away from their homes. His mind shifted to his sister figure and he wondered where Ember was now and whether or not she was still watching him.
“Whoa! I know you!” Spike was snapped from his thoughts as a young stallion was standing near his face and he jumped back in surprise.
“Hey be careful who you sneak up on kid, a dragon like me could have attacked you or something.” The earth pony was almost more a colt than stallion as he was small but not as small as one of the CMC. He had a light coat with a vibrant aquamarine mane and a short tail. His eyes were wide and he had a smirk on his face.
“Yeah right, I know who you are! You’re the dragon that I heard about from the town and those girls that were running around. You’re Spike!”
“You know about me? I hope it’s all good things.”
“Course, my uncle met you once on a ride to Ponyville just like this one. He told me that you actually helped him out on a jewel case.”
“Wait, a jewel case? Your uncle is Curt, right? Curt Rough?”
“Yeah that’s him, he’s my dad’s brother and he told me that he met the savior of Canterlot and even got to work with him. I knew he was telling the truth, my dad said he was lying because why would a dragon ride a train when they can fly?”
“Heh well usually he’d be right but I’m a bit small so no wings yet but I think I’ll get some eventually. Wait, you aren’t scared of me?”
“Nope, in Fillydelphia there is a part of the city called Dragon Town so I’m used to dragons and they are all really nice if not a bit cold. Ooo you’re friends with the ponies that beat Discord right?! I always wanted to meet Rainbow Dash and Rarity, they seemed to be so calm, cool, and heroic!”
“Heh, you’d be a bit shocked.” He thought of how Rarity was panicking and crying when she was afraid she had lost a jewel-encrusted brush and when she found it she thought she saw a grey hair and went through a midlife crisis. Rainbow on the other hoof only had two modes, super-fast or lazy and couldn’t be bothered but she would help any pony as long as there was a chance to show off. “If you want cool and collected I think I’d go with Applejack. So you know who I am but what’s your name?”
“Sandbar and I’ll take that as a compliment.” Spike chuckled and looked around the empty cart, opening his mouth to question it, Sandbar had the answer ready. “Just the two of us. I was visiting my aunt and uncle in Ponyville but my uncle's job keeps him traveling and he said that he’d pick me up in Fillydelphia but a voice in the background said something about a job.
“Hmm you are a pretty observant little thing aren’t ya?” He moved a bit to see his cutie mark, three turtles. “So you want to be something that has to do with sea life?”
“Actually I think it’s more subtle, when I got my mark I was on the ocean and seeing how open and wide it was I felt a sense of freedom fill me. I saw three turtle hatchlings and made sure they were safe as they got to the water. Those feelings of being free and helping others achieve it is what I think my mark means. I want to give that feeling to every creature in the world, to give them a pony who they don’t have to hide who they are from.” Spike blinked in shock at the declaration of the young pony, but he spoke with conviction.
“Well I’m routing for you then Sandbar, that is a pretty good goal to have. I came out here just to see the world, not save it. Fate has a weird way of working but since we just so happened to meet here, at least now I feel good knowing that if anything bad happens in Fillydelphia they have a hero of their own.” The two laughed as Spike messed up Sandbar’s mane and the train came to its stop in Canterlot. Spike took one step off the train before he was met with the princesses and he jumped, dropping his suitcase and bowing his head. “P-Princess Celestia! Princess Luna! What are you two doing here?”
“Told you sister! Every pony always says your name before mine! It’s not fair...” Luna pouted and looked at Celestia who only gave a small giggle.
“Luna, Spike is a dragon.”
“Thou is changing the subject and thou knows it!”
“Uhhh… princesses?”
“Well, I can’t command that everypony switch the order in which they prefer saying our names.”
“Heeello?”
“Yes, you can! You can do anything! You just don’t want to!” Spike facepalmed as he let the princess bicker and Sandbar noticed the trained wasn’t leaving and stared at the princesses in awe. After several minutes and a few claw checks, they finally cooled down and Spike shook his head.
“So was there an actual reason for this ‘Royal Business?’”
“Of course, we always have a reason. We received a letter from the police force in Fillydelphia and they requested you join them for a specific case.”
“Why me?”
“You shall receive the specifics of the case when you arrive, usually I deal with cases that involve other races but they said that this was more of a lesser case that did not require my assistance.” Luna said while pointing to herself.
“We wish you to go to Fillydelphia and do what you can Spike but be prepared, even if that city is the most opened to Dragonkind in Equestria there are still some arrogant ponies that will treat you with disdain. I ask you not to do anything that would stress those relations.”
“I’ll do my best princesses and I’ll send a report when the job is done.” Spike bowed again and waved at them, asking them if they had the time to visit Twilight, Luna tapping her chin in thought at the request. He looked down to see Sandbar was still staring at the princesses and he grabbed his tail, gently pulling him back into the cart as they started off again. “You know I learn more and more every time I meet them that the princesses are just like every other pony.”
“Except for the fact that they have the power to wipe entire mountains off the map?”
“Yeah except for that.” As the two talked and played cards that Sandbar had brought along, Spike managing to lose some bits in the process, a group of ponies looked at the two from the cart over.
“That’s him, the mistress said that the dragon holds the magic of every princess in concentrated vials that he uses to power that arm, with those in our hooves the curse on our queen shall break and all of Equestria will fall to the rightful ruler of the land.” The group was made of all kinds of ponies wearing white cloaks while the leader wore a black one that covered their face.
“Then why not attack him now? All there is standing in our way is that colt and he can be disposed of quite easily.” One of the unicorns of the group smirked taking a step towards the two but the leader of the group growled and made her step back.
“Fool! Not only could that destroy our cover but we are not to make a scene or those blasted princesses would know about us and if they destroy the anchor before we can free her than the queen could die. If that dragon finds out what it is we seek then he may destroy the vials before we get them! No, the dragon must stay alive until the day he is no longer useful. We have waited a thousand years for the day we would be able to have the chance to free our queen and this no creature shall stand in our way.” Most of the group nodded and bowed but the unicorn from before who gritted her teeth as she turned away. The leader ignored her as a devious smirk spread across his face and he stared at Spike, his eyes burning with malice. “Soon you will bring us home and a new era shall begin, the old fool is gone and nothing can save you now...”
. . .
Spike grumbled as the waiter wrestled the bits from him and huffed off, leaving a grumpy dragon and a very satisfied pony. Sandbar had managed to win some bits and even a meal of his choice from the dragon. Spike, on the other hoof, was grumbling curses as he stared at the bill.
“How can this place be more expensive than real restaurants!? It’s robbery!”
“Why didn’t you just pay with one of the gems you have in your bag?”
“Hey, I said no more snooping kid and that is my snack hoard.”
“I wasn’t snooping really, I call it observing.”
“Ever been told you’re a bit of a smart flank?”
“I usually take it as a compliment.” Sandbar smirked and ate his hay fries a bit loudly, annoying the dragon a bit as he sipped at his sapphire sundae. “So what’s like being a dragon? You said you came to Equestria to see the world?” Spike leaned back in his chair thinking back to the day he left and changed his life, now he had everything he could have asked for and more.
“It’s not all bad, we may not have magic mostly but the flying is great for those with wings and being super strong can’t hurt. The scales can be a bit of a pain if you ever wax and shine them, in Ponyville that took three hours last time. Heat is a big thing to dragons and I’m a bit embarrassed to say that we try to gain it any way we can. I may have been the one that took up all the hot water in town one day.”
“That was you?!” Sandbar laughed as Spike tried to defend himself. They were cut off as Sandbar jumped down from the table and rushed to the window, smiling as he saw his hometown coming up. Spike walked over next to him and gasped at the large city he saw. He had been to Canterlot and it looked like a fairly big city and certainly the largest one he had ever seen but this was different. The buildings seemed to be made of glass and extended high into the sky and covered most of the city in permanent darkness. As Spike looked closer, he noticed fumes surrounded the city.
“Yeah as good as it looks from the outset, the city can be a pretty bad place depending on where you are. If you are going to be here for, however long, I think you should be careful. It’s pretty dirty and the air can be hard to get used to especially since you live in a place like Ponyville.”
“Why not clean up the city then? I bet with magic it wouldn’t be so hard.”
“It’s a pretty massive city and the ponies there usually look out for themselves. Besides at night things would just get messed up all over again. Nighttime is when the slurring dancing ponies come out.”
“Slurring dancing ponies?” The two turned as a voice announced that they were coming to their stop. They grabbed their luggage and soon the train came to the end of the line and the doors opened, Sandbar running out excitedly. Spike walked out and turned to see Sandbar talking to Curt and smiled softly at how happy his friend was. He felt a shiver down his spine and he turned to see nothing, the strange feeling of being watched remained until he felt a hoof on his shoulder and he jumped several feet in shock.
“Heh sorry mister Spike, didn’t mean to catch you off guard there. I wanted to thank ya for guiding my nephew home and keeping him company. I know he can be a bit of a hoofful sometimes.” Spike chuckled and shook the hoof.
“No need for that Officer Rough, he was a good companion and kept me from talking to myself the whole trip. So were you the one that called me here?”
“Yes, I should have sent you a letter or something but I didn’t want this getting out to the public in case the letter was lost.” Spike thought about Ditzy Do and chuckled guessing that the officer’s intuition made the right choice. “So I informed the princesses that we needed you. Some of the boys here in Fillydelphia are more hesitant to work with dragons so be prepared for that. Sandbar let’s go, your parents will be working hard on the city’s new aquarium so you get to spend some time with your uncle while he works.”
“Sweet, deputy Sandbar reporting for duty.” They watched him trot off towards the carriage but before Spike could follow, Rough extended an arm blocking his way.
“I have a weird feeling Mister Spike, I think we should be cautious.”
“I had a weird feeling too since I got off the train…”
“Our job here has to do with our friend from last time we met.”
“Flip Side?”
“Nope, the other one. They sent this to the local museum as it’s getting ready to open a new exhibit on dragon artifacts.” He pulled out a strange rock that Spike recognized coming from the Dragon Lands. There was writing carved into the rock and a dark smudge under the words.
I shall be where the stars shine bright
No matter day or night
I will attack when light appears in the sky
Whatever you do, don’t trust the eye
Spike looked at the message and knew that only Smolder could have gotten ahold of the kind of rock and that she had left something for him. The rock was unique as some of the smarter dragons used to pass secret notes with it. The rock was able to take in soot extremely easily and would cover a message making it look like any plain rock except for a darker smudge that would be the only way to know the message was there. The only way to see the message would be to apply enough heat to get rid of the soot but not too much to burn away the curving. It was a test of self-control for many dragons and more often they would fail. He couldn’t reveal it yet or Rough would know it was a dragon they were hunting so he gave the rock back for now. “Is this robbery the first one since the train?”
“No, they have been all over Equestria stealing many gemstones and even seemed to have grown a fanbase as their thefts are getting more and more dramatized and flamboyant but this is the first time they are going after something like an artifact.
“Maybe our thief is a fan of history. I suppose we’re going to the museum then?”
“Yep, my partner Hard Case will meet us there as well as the owner of the exhibit.” Spike nodded and got in the carriage looking out at the city as they passed tiny colorful shops that advertised food or drinks for the weary and seemed to hide in the cracks that the taller buildings neglected. He saw a small festival was being put up, some ponies were coming out of a building with popcorn and snuggling with each other as they shared the treat, and a building at the top of a lot of stairs with the statue of a pony at the top with boxing gloves. They stopped at the museum and Spike stuck his tongue out in disgust as he had stepped out into something slimy. He shook off the slime as they walked into the building and were stopped by a young yellow stallion dressed in a police uniform and a worn hat. He grumbled seeing Spike and Sandbar.
“We’re babysitting now too? What’s with the fire-breather being here, you know that there are lots of flammable artifacts in this place.”
“Relax Hard Case the kid is with me till tonight and the dragon can help us, he’s faced this thief before and we nearly had them. Mister Spike, Sandbar this is my partner Hard Case.” The officer grunted before looking back to Rough.
“Captain why bring this fire-breather here? The manager of the exhibit won’t like this.”
“Oh, it would sure be a shame to inconvenience the guy after all the work we have been putting into keeping one of his precious items safe when there are real crimes out there. Where is he anyway?”
He stepped out for a moment saying that he had- oh wait! There he is!” The group turned to see the stallion with Spike and Rough letting out a sigh as they recognized him.
“Really, this guy again?” Goldblum was the stallion and he smirked seeing Spike and Rough, taking the time to clean his monocle before he faced them.
“Well well well, looks like a reunion is in place. How goes the Hero life young dragon?”
“Aww you know, losing my arm saving a city and having to take weeks to recover, the usual.”
“Yes, and I had heard you were promoted after failing to save my gemstone on the train. Lucky you.”
“We caught a dangerous criminal and nearly caught your thief but as I have come to learn this thief has come to target you much since that day. How much have you lost since then?” The smirk vanished from the unicorn’s face as he gritted his teeth.
“Thousands maybe even millions, this thief insists on stealing my most valuable gems.”
“Why keep buying them or why not lock them away in some secret place?”
“I wouldn’t expect a dragon to understand the importance of high-class pony society but presentation is everything and I will not admit defeat to such a creature. When they are finally disposed of then every lowlife in Equestria will know to not even think about robbing Gilt Goldblum.” Spike frowned and crossed his arms but Sandbar spoke his thoughts first.
“Disposed of? The law regarding thieves is to capture not kill.” Goldblum looked down at the boy before moving closer to him, his smirk returning.
“Smart lad you got here captain, he is absolutely correct and I would never knowingly attempt to kill a creature, however, let me teach you a valuable lesson boy. With accidents such as this, accidents happen.” Rough put an arm across Sandbar and pulled the boy away from Goldblum.
“Well, the police force will ensure no such accidents happen like that.”
“Ahh, yes as expected of course but I have taken the incentive to hire some more… help for you all. You may enter!” Six ponies walked in with most covered in white hoods with the one in the lead wearing black. The pony had a dark coat with a dark red mane and bright red eyes. “Allow me to introduce Sir Grim Ryu and his colleagues.” Spike shivered a bit at the stare that Grim gave him but he gave him a hardened stare back. Rough gritted his teeth and took a step, covering Spike and Sandbar.
“I know what you are, hunter.”
“Ah, you are a smart one. Yes, we were all part of the hunting society before the princess shut it down for being inhumane or something foolish like that.”
“You slaughtered creatures of all kinds, it was you all that nearly brought us to war with the Yaks.”
“The child was already injured, all we did was end the pain.” Spike growled a bit with bits of smoke coming from his nose as the hunter returned his attention to the dragon. “You do have self-control, curious to see how the princesses tamed you.”
“I’m not their pet and I don’t see the point of hurting others for something so petty.”
“Heh, you don’t know too much about hunters do you young drake? Well as much fun as it would be to play with you, we have a job to do and we will ensure that nothing leaves this building in one piece.” They all left the room except one of the hooded figures were glaring hard at Spike before leaving with the others.
“Who are they, full story.”
“They used to be a group called The Hunters who would kill any creature if the prize was high enough, Celestia saw this as horrific but many councils insisted that the ponies had the right. That was until they… harmed one of the Yak children and nearly led to war but Celestia decimated the group and arrested most of them, even sending the ponies responsible for the harming to the Yaks for punishment. Some of these hunters like the ones before you turned to mercenary work while others ran from Equestria fully.”
“Why bring them onto a job like this?”
“Goldblum is insistent that the thief is a dragon and the hunters valued dragons as the most valuable prey. Seeing that your kind were usually sent off rather young, the hunts would overpower them or hunt them with traps and weapons designed to harm dragons specifically.”
“They intend to kill the thief…”
“Yes.”
“What do we do?” Rough glanced at Spike and smirked a bit.
“Well I thought something like this may happen, the last cop to work with Goldblum called me and said that the pony was losing it. I am required by law to catch this thief by any means necessary but I have no control over what you do. However, if caught doing anything unlawful you would be taken to jail.”
“Right, well I suppose I should be leaving you to your work then.” Spike left the building and sighed. “Okay Smolder, let’s see if I can stop you before this gets messy.” As Spike began to walk off, Sandbar walked back quietly, grabbing the bag with the stone he saw before and running after Spike...
