After being ignored for the last time, Spike decided to say screw it and forge his own path, but not as a hero, but as the world's worst criminal.
After being ignored for the last time, Spike decided to say screw it and forge his own path, but not as a hero, but as the world's worst criminal.
This is a Nefarious crossover, with Spike as Crow, Tempest as Becky, and everyone else is staying the same.
Nefarious is a comic created by Josh Hano that follows the adventures of a villain named Crow as he kidnaps princesses, thwarts heroes and causes mayhem around Macro City. Go check it out, and show this talented artist some love and support.http://nefariouslair.com/
"So, lets start at the beginning, my name is Spike Drake. I am...was the assistant to the princess of Friendship and my older sister, Twilight Sparkle. But one day I snapped. Here's how it went down. It was a normal Tuesday morning..."
A 19 year old purple and green dragon was sleeping in his nice comfy bed, when suddenly a 25 year old purple alicorn with lavender hair busted into the room. "Spike, it's time to get up." Said the mare.
Spike groaned as he didn't want to get up. "No, up till 3am." Said Spike as he tried to ignore her.
Twilight groaned as she used her magic to pick up Spike, and carry him to the bathroom. Spike just hanged there limply. 'Why do I even bother?' Thought Spike as he was used to this kinda treatment. Twilight, who went to bed at 11 was perfectly happy waking up at 7, but that was her, Spike on the other hand needed to pick up the mess Twilight's studying created, and that normally took more than 3 hours, but last night's mess was pretty bad, so it was a 3am bed time for Spike.
Twilight walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower for Spike. "Just wake up, all the girls are going to be coming over today, and after you make breakfast, I need you to make snacks."
Spike groaned as this had been his life for 8 years, and it was starting to get annoying. "Why don't the girls bring snacks?" Asked the dragon.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Because, I said that they didn't need to." She tossed Spike into the shower and let him get cleaned up. "Be down in 20 minutes." Said Twilight as she walked out of the bathroom.
Spike growled as he thought about his life. "Why, just why? I am a dragon, I have magical fire, my scales are harder than diamond, and I have survived just as much as them, but no, all they see is Spike the assistant, Spike the cook, Spike the slave." Spike used his tail to turn off the shower, 8 years of being treated like dirt, 8 years of being the attentive servant, 8 years of not getting a word in edge wise, and Spike was fed up.
Spike got out of the bathroom and headed back to his room. "I'm tired of being nothing more than just a tool for them, all my life I've been nothing more than a pawn for Twilight, well it's time for this pawn to get promoted to a queen... Ok, that analogy fell apart, but I'm still going to do what I said." Spike walked to his room and started gathering all of his stuff, which wasn't much, only a few comics, some old treasures that he held dear, and a few gems that he had in case he needed a late night snack. He gathered all of the items and tossed them into a duffel bag that he had under his bed. Originally it was so he would have a piece of luggage in case he ever needed to go anywhere. Too bad Twilight wanted him to stay and watch the castle, while she goes off and does something with the others.
Once Spike had everything packed, he slung the bag over his shoulder. He would give Twilight one more chance to show him an ounce of respect, but he wasn't holding his breath. Spike walked down to the ground floor of the castle, and headed to the library, the most likely place for Twilight to be right now. "Hey Twilight, can we talk for a moment?" Asked Spike.
Twilight hummed as she was reading her book. "Sure, but make it quick, I'm hungry."
Spike huffed, he left his bag at the door and walked to a small reading chair. Spike took the seat and looked at Twilight. "Twilight, can you put the book down for a moment?"
Twilight groaned as she placed a book mark in the page, she closed the book and placed it down on the table. "Spike, seriously, I was in the middle of something, what could possibly be so important that you would interrupt me?"
Spike looked upset, but that clearly wasn't able to be seen by Twilight. "Twi, I want to talk about what I do around here, and I think we It's about time that- Hold that thought Spike, I think I understand what's going on."
Spike smiled at hearing that. "Great, I was worried."
Twilight smiled as she poofed a scroll of Spike's chores into the room. "I know it's hard for you to clean the outside windows, so for today, I think I'll try a new spell on you, so you can get to them." Twilight giggled. "What, you didn't think I wouldn't notice?"
Spike growled. "Twi, that's not what I was talking about. Listen, I want to tell you that I'm- Lazy, come on Spike, it's clear that you are getting off easy with these chores, heck, I bet even Fluttershy could do all these chores in a hour, but for you it takes all day."
Spike was starting to breathe heavily. "I mean, it's not that hard to clean the floors, or reorganize the library, or do the shopping." Said Twilight with a giggle. "That's why I want you to go to AJ's to help around the farm every other day, so you can lose this habit of being lazy, you're welcome."
"At that moment, I just couldn't find it in myself to care anymore. I did all the chores, I did all the cooking, all the cleaning, all the everything for that mare and then she goes and calls me lazy, while little miss Princess of Friendship just sits on her flanks all day, and reads her stupid books. You know she never once offered to help me with the chores, the only reason I cooked for her was so I didn't die, because she couldn't cook for shit. So I just got up, grabbed my bag, and started walking in a single direction." Said Spike, but this wasn't the same Spike, no this new Spike was now 21 years old, and he was one of the most notorious criminals in the world.
A large yeti like creature was hanging upside down, he was wrapped in chains and was about to meet his end. "So tell me Storm King, what makes you think I won't drop you into the sea right now, letting me take over your empire, and getting my revenge?"
The Storm King smirked. "Well, my right hand pony is holding a dagger to your back right now." Soon a maroon unicorn mare with a broken horn walked into Spike's view. "So, lets make a deal, you release me, and I don't kill you?"
Spike laughed as he pulled the mare into his lap. "Her, you know she's been working for me for the last 2 months right?" Storm King was shocked. "I guess not, well I told her the truth, and I mean the whole truth."
The mare shot her former boss a glare. "Yes, like how you've been filing my horn when I was asleep, keeping the truth that it would have grown back in 5 years, and the fact that you've been lying to me about being able to fix it." The mare got off Spike's lap and walked over to Storm King. "So, I'll ask the question now, tell me Storm King, what makes you think I won't drop you into the sea right now, letting Spike take over your empire?" Asked the mare.
Spike wasn't going to take the time for Storm King to give a stupid answer or for him to beg for his life. "Fuck it." Spike pressed a button on the throne he was sitting on. The button released the chain that was holding Storm King up, letting him fall out of a large hole in his former flag airship.
The mare turned around and glared at Spike. "Spike, what the hell? I wanted to make him cry."
Spike laughed. "Oh come on Tempest? You weren't going to let him answer either, so why bother?"
Tempest sighed as she started to laugh. "Yeah." Tempest walked over to Spike and took her spot on his lap. "So, to Mount Aris?"
Spike nodded. "Yep, but we're not going for the pearl, no instead we're going to have a little talk with Princess Skystar."
Queen Novo, a large light gray fuchsia seapony with long mulberry fins and ruler of the lost hippogriff race, was sitting in her throne room in Seaquestria. With her daughter Princess Skystar, being forced to stay quiet so her mother could do her job. Right now, Novo was getting reports that a Storm King airship was not too far from their old home of Hippogriffia on Mount Aris. "This is very concerning, call all the guards to prepare for battle, we have no idea what the Storm King is going to do." Ordered the queen. The leader of the patrol squad bowed and swam off to relay the orders. Queen Novo looked to her daughter. "Skystar, listen, I need you to go to the seafloor and blend into the shelter parties."
Skystar, a light gamboge gray seapony with aqua fins, looked at her mother. "Mom, what about you?"
Novo sighed as she wrapped her daughter into a hug. "Don't worry about me Sweetie, I'll be fine, all that matters is that you are safe."
Skystar nodded as she returned the hug. "Can Shelly and Sheldon come?" Asked the princess.
Queen Novo giggled as she moved one of her daughters' fins out of her face. "What, you know me and Shelly don't see eye to eye anymore, and Sheldon wouldn't leave Shelly or you." Novo smiled at her daughter. "Skystar, whatever happens please be safe."
Skystar started to cry as she hugged her mother tighter. "Please be safe mom."
Novo smiled. "Don't worry baby, I'm sure that nothing will happen." Skystar nodded as she swam off to grab her pet clams. "I hope I'm not lying."
After Skystar was evacuated and joined the citizens on the seafloor, Queen Novo was getting ready to 'greet' her guest. "Your Highness, the airship has stopped and there is a pair dropping off it. We estimate that they will arrive in a matter of minutes, what are your orders?" Asked a guard.
Novo sighed. "Is the Storm King with them?"
The guard shook his head. "No, it is a Storm King air ship, but the emblem is different. We believe that it was captured, and so far, they show no signs of hostility. What do we do?"
Queen Novo was unsure herself, were they here to lend aid, were they here to kill them all, truly she was at a loss for answers. "Um... For now, if they do not start anything, have them escorted here, but be ready just in case."
The guard nodded as he swam off to retrieve the guests.
On the surface, Tempest was pacing around while Spike was focused on Tempest's flanks. "Tempest, I love the view, but if you don't stop, you're going to pace a hole into the mountain." Said Spike.
Tempest glared at Spike. "Spike, get your mind out of the gutter for now, why haven't we set our forces on them yet?"
Spike chuckled. "Tempest, the hippogriffs have been shut off from the surface for a long time, ever since the Storm King tried to take the pearl the first time. So, relax, if they knew who I was, they would've been running for the hills by now...or would it be trenches... are there hills under the sea or are they just drop offs?" Spike shrugged. "Underwater geography aside, there is a very slim chance that they will decide to attack me, so calm down." Tempest took a deep breath and Spike smiled. "See, now you look less suspicious." Said Spike with a toothy grin.
Tempest sighed. "So, what’s the plan?"
Spike shrugged. "Turn on the old Spike charm."
Tempest rolled her eyes. "So, get ready for a fight, got it."
Spike groaned. "Why you gotta be like that Tempest, I am your boss."
Tempest sauntered over to Spike and took a seat in his lap. "Last time I checked, this was an equal partnership thing, I help you, and you help me."
Spike got closer to Tempest. "So, is that why you wanted me to spank you last night?"
Tempest didn't react, this was a 2 way street now. "Oh, what about the time you wanted to do it in the helm, because I'm pretty sure your ego got a big boost when some of the troops walked by."
Spike growled as he wrapped his arms around Tempest's waist. "Oh, how about that time you wanted me to..." Suddenly there was the sound of something coming to the surface. "Later in my room, no need to dress up." Said Spike in a whisper, he moved the mare off of him and walked over to the water.
Soon a sapphire blue seapony looked at the odd pair. "Greetings, I am general Sky Beak of Queen Novo's guard, before we allow you passage to Seaquestria, please state your intent."
Spike smiled at the seapony and sat down on the bank. "Well, my name is Spike Drake, my companion is named Tempest, and we're here to inform some very important creatures that the Storm King is no more."
Sky Beak looked at Spike. "Surely you're joking?"
Spike chuckled. "Well, I'd be lying if I said I was. But aside from the ship, all its resources, and the fact that I saw him die, my word is not worth much."
Sky Beak looked at Spike for a second. "Give me a moment, the Queen needs to be informed, she will no doubt come to personally greet you, so please be patient?"
Spike smiled at the seapony. "Well, I got nothing but time to kill, so..." Said Spike as he leaned back and stuck his feet into the water. "But just so you know, if there's going to be a feast, I'd rather meat, but fish is cool." Sky Beak nodded as he swam down. Spike looked at Tempest, and she was frowning at him. "I'm not sure how I should crack a joke, because to me you're smiling. Come on Tempest, a good meal never killed anyone.... Well mostly, I'm pretty sure I read a few books where ponies died during dinner." Spike then gave a pat to the space next to him. "Come on, take a load off, the water is actually very nice on my scales." Said Spike as he relaxed.
Tempest sighed as she joined Spike and stuck her hooves in the water. "Sorry, it's just being with the Storm King for so long, I'm trying to come to terms with your style."
Spike smiled as he looked at the clear blue sky. "Don't worry Tempest. I didn't just turn into the dragon I am today in a day; it actually took me around 2 months."
"Really and here I thought that Spike Drake was hatched as a demon." Tempest then laughed. "But it's strange, I've been with Storm King for over 15 years, and now that he's gone, I kinda miss him."
Spike sighed as he looked at Tempest. "I miss Twilight sometimes, but I really miss my brother and sister in law the most, oh that and guys night with Discord and Mac. But what happened happened, so here we are, I got you, Grubber, and the army, the ship, and after this I'll take my place as Dragon Lord."
Tempest giggled. "I still don't see why you would give something like that up, even Storm King wasn't willing to take on the dragons."
Spike shrugged. "I was younger, dumber, and I trusted Ember to do it better than me." Spike laughed. "I do wonder how she is doing now?"
A blue dragoness was sitting in a pool of lava in her cave, when she suddenly sneezed. "What the hell, I'm in a pool of lava, I can't be getting a cold?"
Soon a guard walked into the room. "Dragon Lord, the pony princess has arrived."
Ember sighed as she pulled herself out of the lava. "Which one is it this time?"
"The pink one." Said the guard.
Ember groaned. "That doesn't help."
Spike shrugged. "I'm sure she's fine."
Soon Sky Beak returned with Queen Novo right behind him. "Greetings, I am Queen Novo, ruler of Seaquestria, my general has informed me about your claims, and I wish to judge it for myself."
Spike pulled himself up to his feet and bowed at the queen. "Of course, my name is Spike Drake, and this lovely mare is Tempest, and as for the claims, all I have as proof is the flag airship of the Storm King's empire, and my word, but if you send a scout or something about 60 miles to the east, and check around there, you should see his body."
Tempest hummed. "Well more like 65 but we caught a tail wind here, so check 60 to 70 miles to make sure."
Queen Novo looked at both faces, there was no hint of a lie. "So, it is true, our greatest fear is gone." She then smiled. "Please get into the water for a moment and touch this pearl."
Tempest looked at the pearl, it was the greatest treasure of the hippogriff's, and had ancient magic. Spike smiled as he tossed Tempest into the water, letting her mane cover her eyes. She spat out some water like a fountain and then glared at Spike. "I hate you."
Spike laughed as he walked into the water and swam over to the queen, Tempest doing the same. Both placed their hands on the pearl and soon the magic of the item was changing their bodies.
Tempest lost her legs and they were now a maroon tail with a light blue fin, and her main changed to a fin, but stayed the same color. But Spike, he was a puffer fish. Tempest was holding her laughter back, but the snickering from her was really pissing Spike off. "Not one word." Said Spike. Tempest snickered as she zipped her lips. "Queen Novo, is there some trick to it? I understand that Hippogriffs change into seaponies, but how did a pony change into a seapony as well, and leave a dragon like me as a puffer fish?"
Queen Novo smiled. "Sir Spike, the pearl reacts to mental states, so think of what you wish to look like and if it is acceptable enough, the pearl will change your form." Spike nodded as he swam close to the pearl and his body changed again. Soon Spike's tail was back, but it split off at the last quarter, next his arms grew back, and his mouth was back to normal, but instead of his back spikes, they were replaced with a large green dorsal fin. Spike was now a dragon shark creature.
Spike looked at his new form. 'Yeah, that's better, and much more me.' Thought Spike as he swam around. Sky Beak and Queen Novo were a little worried, they had never seen a creature turn into a shark hybrid, but then again, they have never let a dragon try. "Ahem... well I think that form is more to your liking." Said Queen Novo.
Spike nodded as he started circling the group of seaponies. "Very." Said Spike with a toothy grin.
Sea Beak gulped, but Tempest sighed as she used her new tail to slap Spike in the face. "Stop that you idiot."
Spike laughed as he stopped circling the group. "Sorry."
Queen Novo sighed in relief. "Well, no harm done. Come, let us go announce to the citizens that we can finally return to the surface." With that the group swam off to the palace.
When Queen Novo ended the shelter order, everyone including Skystar swam out and started looking for their family, thankfully she was being followed by her cousin and aunt. All 3 swam to the palace and headed for the throne room to find the queen.
Skystar swam into the throne room frantically looking for her mother. "Mom?" Yelled Skystar.
Queen Novo, swam off her throne, and smiled at her daughter. "Skystar." Said Novo as she pulled Skystar into a hug. "Thank goodness you're safe."
Skystar smiled as she hugged her mother. "Aunt Flow and Silverstream found me in the shelter and all 5 of us had fun."
Novo smiled at hearing that her sister and niece helped Skystar. "Great, where are they?" Asked the queen.
Skystar looked behind her and she was confused. "They should be right there?"
Soon an olive seapony mare tiredly swam into the room, and a pair of clams were in her hands. "Skystar, sweetie, you need to slow down." Said the mare.
Sky Beak swam over to his wife. "Ocean Flow, where's Silverstream?" Asked the general.
Ocean Flow looked at her husband. "She ran out of stamina down the hall, but aside from that, she's fine."
Sky Beak helped his wife to the wall and sat her against it. "I'll go grab her."
Ocean Flow looked at her niece and sister. "Hey Novo."
Novo giggled as she swam over to her sister. "Flow, thank you so much for taking care of Skystar." Novo pulled her sister into a hug.
Ocean Flow laughed. "No problem Sis, but please don't ask me to do it again, she out swam me."
Novo laughed, but then she remembered her guests, she turned to Spike and Tempest. "Oh, where are my manners, Sir Spike, Lady Tempest, this is my sister, Ocean Flow, she's Sky's wife."
Spike swam over to the mare and smiled. "Sky Beak is a lucky guy to have such a beautiful wife." Said Spike as he turned on the Spike charm. "It's an honor, my name is Spike Drake, I am a dragon."
Tempest followed Spike's lead. "And I'm Tempest, but normally I am a unicorn."
Ocean Flow smiled at the pair. "Sorry about interrupting, and not getting up."
Spike laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry one bit."
Ocean Flow nodded at Spike's kindness. Sky Beak swam back into the room, a pale magenta seapony with a pale blue head fin was in his arms. Sky placed the new seapony next to her mother. "Hi Aunt Novo." Said the pony exhausted.
Novo smiled at her niece. "Hello Silverstream, I'm guessing that you were following Skystar?"
Silverstream nodded, Ocean Flow then introduced Spike and Tempest to her daughter. "Silverstream, this is Spike Drake, and his companion, Tempest."
Silverstream smiled at the pair. "Hi, it's nice to meet you both."
Spike smiled. "The same to you."
Queen Novo smiled at seeing the whole of the royal family was here. "Ok, now I wanted to inform everyone here first about what has happened." She looked to Ocean Flow. "Sister, the Storm King is gone."
Ocean Flow started to laugh. "Yes, that's why we came out of the shelters."
Queen Novo shook her head. "No Ocean, he's gone."
Ocean looked at her sister like she had 2 heads. "Novo, did you hit your head?"
Queen Novo groaned. "Ocean Flow, THE STORM KING IS NO MORE!"
Spike sighed as he walked over to the sisters. "Ocean Flow, I witnessed his demise, the Storm King is no more."
Ocean flow looked at Spike in shock. "But...He's...Then we?" Asked Ocean Flow with hope.
Spike smiled. "Yep, but that's not up to me." Said Spike, but he added something in his mind. 'Yet.' Thought Spike.
After Queen Novo informed everyone that the Storm King was really gone, she ordered for a feast to be held, with Spike and Tempest as the guests of honor. But as the night was ending, it was time for Spike's plan to commence.
Spike and Tempest were being escorted back to the surface by Queen Novo and Princess Skystar. "So, Spike, where are you planning on heading now?" Asked Skystar.
Spike shrugged. "Nowhere in particular, but maybe I'll head home for a little while, maybe go see my friends."
Novo smiled at hearing that. "Well, if you ever wish to return to Seaquestria, you are free to just drop by."
Spike smirked. "Well I'm glad to hear that." Spike and Tempest smirked. "But Queen Novo, I have to admit our reason for coming here was not only to inform you about the Storm King."
Queen Novo and Princess Skystar were confused. "Really, then what was your goal here?" Asked the princess.
Spike smirked. "To get a message to a group of ponies." Spike looked to see that they were only a foot from the surface. "Tempest, grab the pearl." Tempest grabbed the ancient pearl and used its magic to change her form back. While Spike grabbed Skystar. "Queen Novo, we have no interest in hurting either you or Skystar, that is true. But that is why we are going to be giving you one task, in exchange for her safe return."
Queen Novo growled as she tried to get closer to Skystar, but she was stopped when Spike brought his sharp jaws close to Skystar's neck. "Na, ah, ah, Novo, I just want you to listen." Said Spike.
Queen Novo sighed; the life of her daughter was important. "What do you want?"
"First, let’s get to the surface and change." Said Spike, with that Spike, Novo, and Skystar all surfaced and found Tempest waiting for them at the bank. Spike swam up to the pearl as Tempest lowered it to let him touch it, and soon Spike's form was back to his normal scales, tail, and spikes. He then forced Skystar to change into her Hippogriff form. Now her fins were a mane and her scales were now a coat, with a pair of feathery wings on her back and a pair of hooves on her lower half. Spike and Skystar got out of the sea and stood next to Tempest. "Good, now your highness, it’s your turn."
Queen Novo swam up to the pearl and changed into a hippogriff, she walked onto the land and waited for her next instruction. "What now?"
Spike smiled at the Queen. "Head to the east and go to Canterlot, you should be granted an audience with Celestia or at the very least Luna, depending on the time. Just tell them what happened, and boom, Skystar goes free, simple, easy, and just to top it all off, tell them that I was bored." Spike then gave a crazy smile.
Queen Novo was confused. "Wait, why would I go there, you're a dragon, why would I not go see the Dragon Lord?"
Spike sighed. "Well, because I was hatched in Canterlot, but mostly because I'm going to be the Dragon Lord in less than a week. Now go." Said Spike.
Novo gulped as she started flying to the east, and the group watched as the queen left. Spike looked down at Skystar who was still in his arms. "Give her a 10 minute head start and then you can go back home." Spike released Skystar and sighed.
Skystar looked at Spike confused. "Ok, what is happening, you seemed so nice, then you kidnap me, hold me hostage and the moment my mother leaves to meet your demands, you let me go?"
Spike nodded. "Yep, pretty much." Said Spike as he shrugged. "Tempest, why don't you go up to the ship and get ready for bed, and leave the pearl." Tempest shrugged as she placed down the pearl and walked over to a pair of ropes that were hanging from the airship.
"Grubber, pull me up." Yelled Tempest.
"Yes Ma'am." Said a voice from the ship. Tempest grabbed the rope and was lifted into the ship.
Spike looked at Skystar. "Sorry about this, but I needed to show the world that I'm not to be taken lightly, and taking out a guy like the Storm King, then getting the queen of a race like the Hippogriffs to give a royal account on my behalf will pretty much guarantee that word of what I did will spread."
"But why do it in the first place?" Asked the princess.
Spike laughed. "No real reason, but taking Storm King out pretty much created a power vacuum that I intend to fill."
Skystar shook her head. "No, why are you like this?"
Spike shrugged. "Again, no real reason, I mean, I had plenty of opportunities to do something else, but I never got the respect that I worked hard for, and I've seen a couple of power hungry nut cases fall. But I learned from them, and I decided that I could do better than them. Discord was unfocused, Chrysalis was too focused, Sombra was nuts and tyrannical, Tirek was power hungry, and the Storm King was just a con man that just wanted to see himself everywhere."
"What makes you different?" Asked Skystar.
Spike smirked. "I give those idiots the means to try and live that dream." Spike then shot a green flame on his hand and once the flame was gone, in his hand sat a little business card. "Here's my card."
Vile villains in need, call Spike Drake: Villain extraordinaire and conquer the world with ease.
Skystar looked at the card. "So, you sell your services to villains that want to take over the world?"
Spike laughed. "No, my dear, there is no way one creature could rule the world, it's a fact, they would always be overthrown, defeated, or fail in the process. All I do is just speed that process up, then I pick up the pieces. Give a warlord some troops from my forces, they win whatever they need, and then go crazy and think they don't need me again, they die in a week. Mad scientist wants to create a loyal super creature, I give them the funds to do so, and then they get killed by their creation, then I take everything and make some cool inventions, and a guy like Storm King whose empire stretched far and wide, has created a lot of territories that want to take control, I don't care about them, so I offer my help and make some money in the process. Don't you see, no matter what, there will always be someone who wants revenge, more power, or just wants someone else gone, sure there are heroes that save the day, but a hero isn't always around." Spike got up and used his tail to roll the pearl over to Skystar. "Well, it’s late, and I bet the moment Celestia or Luna get word of me being here, they will waste no time in trying to capture me."
Skystar took the pearl but she didn't move. "Why would they care?"
Spike smiled as he walked to his rope. "I took half of Manehattan." Spike then looked up. "Grubber, pull me up." Soon Spike was getting lifted into the ship, and once Spike was inside, the hatch closed, and the ship started moving away from the island.
Skystar watched as the ship left the island, and she wasn't sure what to make of Spike Drake.
8 hours later, Queen Novo arrived in Canterlot right as the sun was rising, she landed right in front of the large castle built on the side of the mountain. "Halt, the castle has not been opened for the day." Said a solar guard as the pair that was tasked with guarding the front both pointed their spears at Novo.
"Please, I must talk to Celestia at once, Spike Drake has my daughter!" Yelled Novo as she collapsed.
Queen Novo woke up in one of the guest rooms in the palace, her wings were stiff and going off the amount of light coming into the window, it was long past the time when she arrived. "Where am I?" Asked Novo.
"Hello old friend." Said a tall white alicorn with a 3 colored mane. Celestia walked over to the bed and gave Novo a hug. "Novo, tell me what happened?"
Novo took a deep breath. "Yesterday, a dragon and a unicorn with a broken horn arrived at Mount Aris in a Storm King ship. The dragon told us that the Storm King was gone, and that we could return to the surface. But I fear that was all a lie now, he was so kind, that I didn't even notice that we were playing right into his claws. But in our joy, we partied, and most of my guards were still celebrating, so I took it upon myself to escort our 'guests' back to the surface. But that's when he showed his true colors, he grabbed my baby girl and told me to tell you that it was Spike Drake. Celestia, why is this happening?"
Celestia sighed, she knew all too well why, and she was partially to blame. "Novo, you do not need to worry, as crazy as it sounds, Spike is a drake of his word." Celestia then pulled the queen into a hug. "Novo, please rest for a little while longer, I need to gather all parties involved with Spike Drake."
Novo nodded, she trusted Celestia, and as much as her mind was worried about her daughter, if Spike really wanted to hurt her, he would have killed Skystar the moment he had a chance. Novo laid back down on the bed and tried to rest. Celestia walked out of the room to gather everyone else. Thankfully ever since Spike went to the other side, she had a quick way to gather everyone.
Celestia walked to her bedchambers, headed for her personal desk, and opened a drawer, sitting in the drawer was a magic 8 ball of all things. Celestia grabbed the child's toy and gave it a good shake before dropping it to the floor. The ball rolled away from Celestia, then it split in half. A light was then projected from the ball's message ball and sitting in the light was Discord dressed as a secretary and doing his claws. "Hello, Discorp, how may I direct your call?" Asked Discord.
Celestia sighed. "Discord, it's Spike."
Discord groaned as he stopped doing his claws and started writing a memo to himself. "What did he do now?"
Celestia sighed. "He has Skystar, and Novo is here."
"Ok, but my records tell me that she is with her Aunt Flow. So, there is more to this." Said a second Discord holding a file that was taller than him.
Celestia nodded. "I believe so, can you gather the girls, Cadance, Shining, and Luna?"
A third Discord popped into the call. "Sorry no can do Tia, Sunburst is out of town, so Shining is watching Flurry Heart. But I can get Cadance before she leaves from her meeting with Ember, will that work?" Celestia nodded. "Very good, I'll send the memo to myself and the group will gather in the throne room in 15 minutes."
"No, get them now." Ordered Celestia.
"Tia, it's only 9:30 on a Saturday, if you want them now, you're going to see some soaking wet ponies." Said Discord.
Celestia groaned. "No, give them all a notice that they will be here in 15 minutes, I don't want a repeat of last time."
"Fine, now I got to go, a new guy just started in another reality, and we're coming together to make a manual of all things." Said the first Discord as he ended the call. The ball stopped projecting the light and the 8 ball closed itself, and then it rolled back to Celestia.
She picked it up from the floor and returned it to her desk, before taking a seat at her desk herself. "God damn it Spike, what is your endgame?" Asked Celestia.
15 minutes later, Celestia was informed that everyone was in the throne room, so she teleported herself there, and it was straight to business. She took a seat in her throne as Discord popped a world map of the planet in front of everyone. Twilight looked at the map. "So, what did he do this time?" Asked Twilight, she had been keeping track of Spike's movements for a while now, but this was the first led they had.
Celestia sighed. "Twilight, please calm down, I don't even have the whole story."
Twilight angrily groaned. "I don't understand him, he was so happy with me, then for no reason he goes off and becomes a villain."
A sky blue pegasus with a rainbow mane flew next to Twilight. "Twi, calm down, we can get answers from him, once we capture him." Said the mare.
Twilight took a deep breath. "Right, thanks Rainbow."
A yellow pegasus with a pink mane walked over to her friend Discord. "Discord, thank you for giving me that extra 15 minutes."
Discord smiled as he hugged Fluttershy. "Don't mention it Shy, I know that Saturday is cleaning day."
Suddenly a pink mare with large pink hair was setting up war time stratagem pieces on the map. "Hmm, I think he's going to head to the Dragon Lands, then to the Minotaur Kingdom, Diamond Dog's territory, then head back to the chunk of Manehattan that he broke off from the rest of the city that is now 16 miles from the coast." Said Pinkie as she was dressed in a general's uniform.
A white unicorn sighed as she used her magic to remove all the pieces from the map. "Pinkie, I highly doubt that is what he's planning." Said Rarity.
A pink alicorn with a gold, violet, and rose mane was sitting silently next to an orange mare with her blond mane tied into a low ponytail. "Princess." Said the orange mare.
Cadance smiled at her friend. "Applejack." Said the princess. That was all that was exchanged between them.
Suddenly the main door to the throne room was kicked open by the last of the meetings participants. A dark blue alicorn with a night time mane and baggy night clothes groaned into the throne room with a large mug of coffee in her magic, it was way past her bedtime, and having a meeting at 9:45 was like her waking up at 2 in the morning for everyone else.
"Ok, I'm here and I can't promise to be awake for much longer." Said the princess as she took a large gulp of her coffee. "What in the hell did Spike do this time?" Asked Luna, the very upset at the fact that she was woken up, Princess of Dreams.
"Luna, it's Novo." Said Celestia, that phrase was like a bucket of ice water being dumped onto Luna's body.
"Is she and Skystar ok?" Asked Luna.
Celestia nodded. "She is in the guest wing of the castle, and Skystar is with Ocean Flow." Luna sighed in relief. Celestia looked to Discord. "Discord, please bring Novo here so we may learn what happened." Discord nodded and he snapped his claws.
Instantly Queen Novo was standing in the throne room. "What, where?" Asked Novo, she wasn't used to Discords magic. But once she saw Celestia she calmed down. "Celestia, is it time?"
Celestia nodded. "Yes, but first, I must tell you the Skystar is safe with Ocean Flow."
Novo sighed. "Thank goodness. Spike kept his word." Novo Smiled. "Ok, I'll answer everything and anything that I can."
Celestia nodded. "Thank you, but first we must apologize for his actions. Spike used to be an equestrian citizen and it is on us for what he has done to you and your kind." Said Celestia and everyone else bowed their heads.
Novo was confused. "Wait, Spike is from Equestria, I thought he was from the Dragon Lands?"
Luna sighed. "Novo, long ago, my sister was traveling to meet with the Dragon Lord, and she came across an abandoned egg, thinking that it was dead, she then used it as a magical item in the entrance test for her school, where our second newest princess hatched his egg 21 years ago."
Celestia sighed as this was where it got complicated. "Yes, and the first 13 years of his life, Spike was tasked with being a normal child, he went to school, had some friends, but due to him not being a pony, they were few and far between. But he was happy. Then the day before my sister’s return would happen, I sent my student Twilight off to the nearby town of Ponyville, and the one decision I made that could've changed everything, I asked him to accompany her, just for a short time. Of course, I planned for my son to return to my side once Nightmare Moon was gone. But he asked if he could stay, and it was my blind judgement that got the better of me. I should have seen this coming, the 2 constants in his life were me and Twilight, but somewhere in that time until 2 years ago, the dynamic changed between them. I have seen what Twilight asked Spike to do on a daily basis, and it is quite shocking." Celestia was becoming angry. "He did the cooking, the cleaning, the washing, and that soon became common place between the 2."
Discord sighed and dropped a bucket of water onto Celestia. It took her a few moments to focus. "Thank you Discord." Discord nodded. "But 2 years ago, on a simple Tuesday morning, Spike was done, he tried to confront Twilight about his position in the castle where they lived, but she just dismissed them away. He never complained though, and what's worse is that I never questioned him about how his life was in Ponyville." Celestia huffed. "Now my son is a wanted criminal, and there is nothing I can do about it."
Queen Novo looked at Twilight. "Princess Twilight, what made these feelings of his grow?"
But before Twilight could tell her, Discord showed everything from the first day in Ponyville, to missing her birthday, not getting invited to parties, being asked to stay in the castle, all the cooking, all the cleaning, and with each view of Spike's face, the once happy smile he had was slowly fade into a depressed neutral expression. "That is what happened." Said Discord.
Queen Novo looked at Twilight and all the other ponies in the room. "Well, I can certainly see why he left, but not why he didn't return to Canterlot?"
Celestia sighed. "I ask that question every day."
Luna nodded. "But that was when he first started down the path he is on now. We just didn't think he would continue down this path to such a degree." Luna then used her magic to show some of the situations that brought everyone in the room together. "From what we can tell, Spike made his way to the small city of Mareistone in the west."
Spike was walking into the city; it's been 5 days since he left, and he had been denying any message that came through his fire breath. Spike was steadfast in his decision to leave, and aside from a few turns to keep on a road, he had been going in one direction. So far everything had been going well, he was a dragon meaning that he had stamina to spare, so constantly walking was something that came natural to him, seeing that he had no wings. Food wasn't a problem either, seeing as Equestria was pretty much a gem farm with ponies above the dirt. Water was simple enough to get, Spike was a dragon so even if he ran across a stream, he would just boil the water himself. The only problem was shelter, Spike had never been camping, and he lacked a tent, so he would normally sleep in a tree or on the ground. 'But hopefully not tonight.' Thought Spike as he entered the city. "So, I'll stay here for a while and see if there is a place I can get on the cheap side till I find a job."
"Reports from our guards say that Spike found a job working as a bouncer for a night club, being a dragon he was the perfect choice, that was until he got roped into a pretty big fight, and a local criminal by the name of..." Luna looked through the report for the name. "Cheap Trick, but he was going by the name Silver Note at the time, saw Spike's abilities, and offered him a job as a bodyguard for him and his 'family'."
Spike was getting a suit on for his new job in the small city. "Man, hard to believe it's been a month since I left, and Mr. Note, such a great guy, I still don't completely know what he does, but the money is good and the work is nothing compared to what she made me do."
"Cheap Trick, was one of the main underground fighter promoters in the kingdom. So, one night Spike was asked if he would like to make some extra bits, nothing too bad, a single fight, for 2000 bits." Said Luna as she kept reading the report.
"Hell yeah, that'll pay for my rent for 3 months." Said Spike as he looked at his boss.
Cheap Trick or Silver Note was your classic mobster, slicked back mane, fancy suit, large burly stallions behind him, and a silver coat to make his fake name work. "Good, and remember, just win the fight and you can keep the prize."
Spike undid his tie and removed his jacket as he walked down the ring.
"Turns out the fighter was using brass knuckles to win his fights. But Spike's scales were harder, the stallion broke both his hands, and Spike broke his jaw." Said Luna. "After that, Cheap Trick offered to make Spike his number one fighter."
Spike was sitting in a locker room getting ready for his next fight, it's been 38 days since he left Ponyville, and the night he would create a name for himself in the underground world. "Ok, just one more fight and you can afford to live in a home that is yours." Said Spike, trying to focus on his first goal.
"Spike, they're ready." Said Silver as he came to check on his ringer. "Oh, and tonight is a little different. You're going up against 3 other Stallions."
Spike nodded as he started taping his knuckles. "Fine, and thanks for letting me do this, it's a great stress relief."
Cheap Trick smiled at Spike. "Of course, that's what this is all about, entertainment and stress relief."
Spike nodded as he walked to the ring.
"Thankfully the fight was interrupted before anything bad could happen, but in the confusion Spike attacked one of his old fighters who we have locked up, but he was in critical condition: Spike was not happy about almost dying, so he attacked his ill prepared attacker and sent the stallion to the hospital. But this was enough to put out a warrant for his arrest, and since he was a dragon, he was pretty recognizable. Sadly, since he was a dragon, he wasn't going to get a fair trial either, a sad truth really, and even sadder is that Spike knew this all too well, so he went on the run. The report has eye witness accounts of a tall purple dragon appearing in Manehattan a week later."
Spike was hiding in an alleyway in the large metropolitan city, his face was all over the kingdom, and it wasn't going to end well if he was caught. "Fucking asshole, it's not my fault that he couldn't take me." Said Spike as he was starting to feel hungry. "I need to find something to eat." Spike walked down the alley, using the main streets was going to get him caught, but soon Spike ran into a group of cut throats looking for some poor mare to shake down for bits, and seeing the wanted dragon, they could get a great payday for him.
"Hey, it's that wanted dragon, we should grab him and turn him into the guards for that reward." Said the first goon, who saw and recognized Spike. The 2 other goons smirked as all three pulled out knives.
"Spike had robbed them, cut them with his claws, and broken both arms and legs on all three stallions. But Spike was nowhere to be found till he solidified himself as one of the most dangerous and most powerful criminals in the kingdom." Said Luna.
Spike was standing in a warehouse full of criminals, and for the most part, they all feared him. "Hard to believe that in just 3 weeks since I came to Manehattan, I would be the leader of all of the city's criminal underground, and tonight is the night that I make it known to the whole Kingdom that I will not be taken lightly." Spike then gave his orders. "Half of you, start the evacuation of the cut off street. The other half of you, start moving the devices along the outer borders of the city and make sure to cut off at 110th street, I want that park."
Queen Novo gulped. "What did he do?"
Celestia sighed. "Well the devices were created by a brilliant unicorn that was a master of gravity spells. He created devices that in theory if used in a large enough group, could allow a single creature to lift a city. But we shut his research down almost 3 decades ago. Well turns out that Spike had found the scientist and asked him to prove his design to the world, by creating 200 of these devices." Celestia sighed as she rubbed her head. "Sadly, we found out that the devices worked perfectly, when reports of most of Manehattan were being stolen by Spike. Buildings and my ponies were safe, but the city's power and sewage were kinda destroyed. Right now, the part of Manehattan Spike stole is 16 miles from the coast, and he has set up his empire there. But recently Spike hasn't been seen in what is now Macro City for almost 3 months."
Novo was shocked to hear that in little over 2 months Spike went from normal dragon, to super villain. "Celestia... I don't know what to do?"
Everyone sighed. "Neither do we, but any information you can provide would be helpful in apprehending him." Said Twilight.
Novo nodded. "Of course."
Spike was sitting at a table drinking a cup of coffee and reading a paper that he stole, and of course most of it was about him, but there were also some buckball stats, and puff pieces that are usually mixed in. Tempest was sitting across from Spike with her right hand sitting oddly to the left of her, he was a short hedgehog with a dark gray coat and his spikes were done into a mohawk. Spike didn't even need to look away from the paper. "Grubber, would you mind checking to see how far we are from the Dragon Lands?"
Grubber swallowed his mouthful of breakfast. "Sure Spike." Grubber hopped off his seat and walked over to the helm, Grubber was gone for a few moments, but when he came back, he reported. "We've arrived at the border."
Spike nodded as he took a sip of his coffee. "Good, tell the crew to stop here. Dragons rarely come this close to the border, and if we just fly up to Ember, they will not hesitate to attack." Grubber nodded as he moved to relay the orders.
Tempest looked at Spike. "Ok, so what’s the plan?"
Spike shrugged. "Nothing much, we just walk in there, we have a nice little talk with her, and if need be, I'll make her submit the bloodstone to me."
Tempest groaned. "Spike and how do you expect to win?"
Spike raised an eyebrow at the lack of faith. "Tempest, remember when I asked my doctor to start working on that power armor?"
Tempest groaned. "So, he finally got it working, without it snapping the wearers spine?"
Spike nodded. "Yep, and he should be sending it any moment." Suddenly the whole ship tilted to the side for a single moment before correcting itself. Spike smiled at feeling the ship. "I'm really good at timing that." Said Spike in a cocky tone, he finished his coffee and folded the paper. "Let’s go see what new toys we got."
Spike and Tempest walked to the drop off location for the crate of weapons that Spike's scientist made. The scientist, a doctor New G was a brilliant but slightly mad scientist that Spike had found after Celestia had cut his research funding and hindered his creative genius. Spike walked into his room on the ship and sitting in the middle of the room was a large crate with the symbol of Spike's empire, a burning green dragon's eye, and a little note. Spike took the note off the crate and smiled.
Spike, good news the armor is finished and I even gave your little friend some new toys. Just make sure not to go crazy with it, it was not cheap and it's the only one I have made: NG.
Spike smirked as he placed the note on the table in his room, then he used his claws to open the crate, a perk of being a dragon. Once the wooden crate was open, sitting inside of the crate was a purple and green set of armor.
(Looks like this but purple and green, minus the large lights on the top, and less rounded neck hole.)
Spike looked at the armor, and couldn't help but be giddy to put it on. He noticed the large right hand on the suit and had a feeling that it was going to be fun, but before Spike could grab the suit, he found another note.
Spike, knowing you, I planned for you to just go for the armor so here is a quick little user's guide. 1) Put it on. 2) Press the middle of the armor's chest piece and add a bit of magical fire to power it's systems. 3) Don't press the button on the large hand unless you want to blow something up. 4) To activate the jetpack in the back, just snap, warning this function is going to take some time to learn. 5) Don't go nuts.
Spike smiled at the note, but he was more focused on the armor. Spike pulled it out of the crate and started putting it on, and once it was on fully, Spike checked himself out in it. "Looking good Spike, looking real good." Said Spike with a toothy grin.
Tempest sighed as she was getting used to seeing Spike act like this, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. She walked over to the crate and found a little box filled with small glass orbs with a green mist swirling inside and a little note was attached to the lid.
To Tempest, greetings, I am Doctor New G, I am Spike's chief of science at the headquarters. He has told me about your style, and that is why I have developed a useful tool to deal with guards and other undesirable creatures. In the box will sit a total of 36 glass orbs with a mist composed of Basilisk venom and cockatrice feathers. When broken, the gas will quickly trap the target in a breathable, but near indestructible rock like shell. It is easily dissolved with a weak acid, but they won't know that, but please be careful.
Tempest looked at the box of orbs and smiled at them. "Wow, I've really missed out on some cool developments." Tempest grabbed an orb and examined it.
Spike looked at Tempest and smiled. "So, you think you can use them?"
Tempest smirked. "Just try not to blow yourself up, I would get lonely at night."
Spike laughed as he and Tempest walked out of the room, their new tools ready for some field tests.
30 minutes later: Spike and Tempest arrived at the edge of the Dragon Land's largest volcano, and the home of the Dragon Lord. "Tempest let me do the talking." Said Spike.
Tempest sighed. "Spike your idea of talking is 2 syllables and then a punch to the snout."
Spike shrugged. "That is actually how most dragons talk to each other, I just hope that I don't run into Garble while we're here, I might not be able to control myself."
Tempest groaned as she was sure now that Spike had said it, it was going to happen no matter what. "I'll get ready to pull your tail out of the fire."
Spike smiled at Tempest. "I knew you liked me." Tempest groaned as she was really wondering if this was worth it. "But come on Tempest."
Soon Spike and Tempest were walking through a collection of caves that made up where most dragons would live in the community, and most were looking at the pair of them, it wasn't everyday a pony would just stroll down the street. But many of the adult dragons laughed at the sight of a young dragon that still didn't have his wings. But Spike ignored them, he was used to this kind of treatment from dragons. Normally a dragon will molt soon after it's fourth summer of life, and they would get their wings, but Spike was 21 and still hadn't molted. "What are 2 ponies doing in my turf?" Said a cocky voice from a cave. Spike sighed as he should have kept his mouth shut. Soon a large red dragon with an orange fin and light yellow underbelly walked out of his cave, acting all high and mighty.
Spike turned to look at his old bully. "Garble, long time no see, how have you been?" Asked Spike, trying to keep calm.
Garble smirked at seeing Spike. "Oh, well at least what I said about 2 ponies was right, what are you doing here you scaled pony?"
Spike sighed. "Garble, I'm just here to see Ember, I don't want to start anything."
Garble growled. "Typical, a weak dragon like you doesn't even deserve to walk to the dragon lord, but I guess that's all you can do." He then looked to Tempest. "But this is just sad, I thought you would have at least stopped living with ponies, but I guess being as you are, they're the only creatures that would be with you."
Spike groaned as he started to walk away from Garble. Tempest nodded and started following, not even looking at Garble again. This made Garble angry, and his anger moved him to grab Spike's shoulder to make his point. "Where do you think you're going?"
But Spike wasn't in the mood to play nice anymore. Spike used his new armor to grab Garble's hand, and he started to apply a lot of pressure. "Garble, a little advice, learn to shut up."
Garble felt the pain of his hand being crushed, he tried to force Spike to let go, but with the armor giving Spike a boost in strength Garble was powerless against him. Spike turned around and looked Garble in the eye. "Garble, knowing you, you probably haven't heard about what is going on in what you see as a namby pamby pony kingdom, but to sum things up so I can get back to my day, I have pretty much made myself Equestria's most wanted criminal, and if everything goes right today, nothing will stop me from becoming the world's most wanted." Spike looked into Garbles eyes and smirked, he then kicked Garble in the gut while still holding onto his arm, popping the limb from its socket. Spike smiled at hearing that pop and the look in Garble's face was priceless. "So, I hope you have learned your lesson." Said Spike as he walked away from the dragon.
It didn't take Spike and Tempest long to reach the volcano, but it was kinda hard to get an audience with Ember, seeing as the moment the guards saw Spike, they tried to apprehend him. But the moment they tried to take Spike, something in him switched. Spike grabbed the first guard by his arm and flung him over his shoulder and like he weighed nothing, tossed him to the other guard, and this toss was so powerful that it sent both guards into the wall. Spike and Tempest just casually strolled into the volcano like Spike didn't just knock out 2 guards. "So, you and Ember, is there something going on there?" Asked Tempest.
Spike shrugged. "No, not really, I mean we did go on a few dates, but with her position and my lack of wings, we really couldn't see each other aside from a few times a year." Spike then smirked. "Are you worried?"
Tempest blushed, but remained calm. "No, I think she got lucky, you are so cocky, annoying, and childish that it takes a special type of female to handle it."
Spike laughed as he pulled Tempest closer to him with his tail. "Don't make me laugh, you're just as crazy as me." Tempest rolled her eyes as she noticed that they were getting closer to another set of guards.
"Do you want me to take care of them?" Asked Tempest, she wanted to try out her new toys.
Spike smiled as he shook his head. "Not yet, besides, I want to make an entrance." Spike raised his right hand and a trio of micro missiles popped out of the hand. "Cool, I knew grabbing those books from the human world was going to be helpful." 8 months ago, Spike snuck back to Ponyville and broke into the castle. He used the portal to the human world and headed for the school library. Equestrian's had magic, a great and powerful tool, but the humans had weapons, explosives, guns, and imagination, and Spike decided to combine the 2 with the help of New G. Right now, he was the only creature in the world with missiles, and he loved that. Spike launched the trio of micro rockets at the guards and the door that led to Ember's throne room, sending the guards into the wall, and the doors into the throne room.
"What the hell!?" Yelled Ember, surprised at the interruption.
Spike and Tempest walked through the smoke cloud that the missiles made. "Hey Ember, long time no see, quick question, you want to give me the bloodstone peacefully?" Asked Spike as he walked out of the smoke with a smile on his face.
Ember growled as she got up from her throne. "Spike!"
Spike rolled his eyes. "Ember, can we not do this, I rather not take it by force." But Ember wasn't listening.
Ember used her connection to the scepter to bring it to her, and once it was in her claws, she pointed it at Spike. "As your Dragon Lord, I command you to surrender." Spike laughed as nothing was happening to him, which made Ember angry. "I am the Dragon Lord, and I order you to follow my command."
But nothing happened, which didn't make sense to Ember. "What's going on?" Asked Ember.
Spike smiled as he looked at Ember. "To tell you the truth, the bloodstone is kinda like succession, as long as the previous Dragon Lord is alive, he or she has more authority over it." Ember's face fell as she remembered what happened, the day she became Dragon Lord. Spike nodded. "I, Dragon Lord Spike, invoke the trial of return, to thee, Dragon Lord Ember." Said Spike. The Bloodstone flashed a bright light and teleported the three back to the gauntlets final chamber. The Bloodstone left Ember's hands and sat in the large crystal structure.
"Dragon Lord Spike, you have challenged Dragon Lord Ember for the right to reign over all dragon kind. Please state the challenge?" Asked a voice from the scepter.
Spike smirked. "Combat, with the loser being the first to be rendered unconscious, I choose my armor as my weapon."
"Dragon Lord Ember?" Asked the scepter.
"Very well, I ask for permission to wield the bloodstone." Said Ember.
"Very well." The Scepter was returned to Ember and changed into a blood red sword. "With the conditions met, the fight will commence in 10 seconds."
10 seconds later, the fight started. Ember lunged at Spike, but she didn't use the sword's edge, instead she tried to use the sword's flat side to knock him out. But Spike caught the sword in one hand and smirked, he pulled her closer to him and smiled at the look in her eyes. "So, how is Torch?" Asked Spike.
Ember pushed Spike away from her. "Stop trying to make light of this Spike, I had a meeting with Cadance this morning, and in the middle of it, she was teleported by Discord."
Spike smiled. "Yeah that was me, I kinda kidnapped the Hippogriff princess and forced the queen to go see Celestia." Spike then rushed at Ember and started punching, all he needed was one solid hit and this would be over. "But, don't worry, no one got hurt.... Well aside from a nutcase, but I took over for him."
Ember was dodging the attacks, trying to find an opening to attack, but from her view there were none. So she decided to utilize the one thing Spike didn't have. She opened her wings and started flying around Spike, she was waiting for the chance to use the sword to knock Spike out. "Spike, turn yourself in, and I'll grant you asylum here in the Dragon Lands, and your crimes will be tried by a dragon with the princesses overseeing, to insure a fair trial."
Spike laughed as he watched Ember flying around him. "Ember, it won't matter, I've already committed to this path, and so far, I'm doing great, well aside from a snarky little unicorn."
Tempest rolled her eyes. "Stuff it."
Spike laughed. "See, she's just oozing snark." Spike activated his jet pack and promptly flew into a stalagmite. Everyone looked at Spike, and Tempest started snickering. Spike heard the snickering. "Not one word." Said Spike as he tried to use the jetpack again, this time he flew into a stalactite, but Spike used that to his advantage, using his claws Spike pivoted himself around the formation and directed himself straight towards Ember. She dodged the attack, but Spike was using this strategy to get the upper hand. Going faster with each shot and confusing Ember, and just to throw her off, Spike started to aim for random formations and taking little swipes at her. "Ember, it's over." Spike waited for the moment Ember was so confused, that she had her back to him and he launched himself straight at her. Spike landed a solid hit to her head and made her fall to the ground. Spike deactivated his jet pack and landed next to Ember, he grabbed the sword.
"The winner is Dragon Lord Spike." Soon all of the bloodstone's energy that was in Ember flew into Spike. His eyes dilated for a moment as the energy was being absorbed into him.
Spike shrugged. "Meh, felt better the first time." Spike looked to the sword as it changed back into its normal form. "Bloodstone, what is Ember's status?"
"Alive, unconscious, but no long lasting damage." Said the stone.
Spike nodded as he picked up Ember, and placed her over his shoulder. "So, any chance that you can get us back to the volcano?"
"No, I am only able to send creatures to this chamber."
Spike groaned as he looked to Tempest. "Looks like we got to swim." Tempest groaned.
After a nice swim back to the Dragon Lands. Spike and Tempest walked back to the volcano, and when they walked back down the same street from before, Spike showed everyone that he was now the Dragon Lord again. "You all work for me now." The bloodstone glowed red and all the dragons bowed to Spike.
News of Spike's conquest of the dragons spread like wildfire, literally, seeing as he used his authority to command the dragons to spread the message. But right now, Spike was standing on the balcony of his airship as the vision of his city came into view. "There it is, home sweet home." He took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Awe, it's good to be back."
Tempest walked over to Spike. "So, that's what you did to Manehattan, you literally stole half of the city. I thought you just stole half of the city's money?"
Spike chuckled as he looked at the large building that acted as his HQ, it was the old Chrysmare building but Spike liked the design so he decided to move in. "Grubber, head for the large building with the emblem."
"Yes sir." Said Grubber as he was turning the ship to the building.
Spike leaned over the rails and looked at the streets below. It was full of creatures that have chosen to stay in the city. Spike wasn't pure evil, he gave everyone that was in the city one week to leave after he took over. Some did, but a majority of them didn't, and Spike was actually a fair ruler. Crime that wasn't committed by him was at an all time low, the criminals that work for Spike, were part timers, that had families and friends and they used the bits to jump start the economy after he took over. They had a police force, and traded with the nearby land, but most of it was regulated by him. Nothing really changed aside from who was running the city, and so far that was working.
The airship reached the building, Spike walked over to the ship's ramp with Tempest and they both departed. Standing at the end of the gangplank stood a unicorn stallion with a black mane and a lab coat. "Spike, I see you have taken to the armor well."
"New G, great job as always, and I must say I love the design." Said Spike.
New G smiled as he looked to Spike's companion. "And this must be Tempest. Greetings I'm Doctor Newton G, but just call me New G, it's lovely to meet you."
Tempest was surprised to meet someone so nice, especially in the employ of someone like Spike. "Um... Thanks, it's nice to meet you."
New G smiled. "Tempest, I can tell something is bothering you, please it's better to speak your mind, and don't lie to me, I'm also a certified psychiatrist."
Tempest sighed, she was never one to talk to others so openly. "Thanks for the offer Doc, but I'm not one to talk with a shrink."
New G shook his head. "Tempest, that wasn't a request, Spike has ordered a full psychological exam for all new members of the company, and Spike's not one to take it lightly." New G then gave Tempest a creepy smile.
"New, you're doing it again." Said Spike. New G had a habit of going mad scientist if everything wasn't in order, he turned one of his assistants into a penguin because he misplaced a single wrench, but Spike was to blame for it, so he ordered New G to turn him back.
New G shook his head. "Right, sorry, we don't want a repeat of the flightless fowl incident again." He took a deep breath through his nose. "But, I have my orders, you will report to my office in 2 hours for your evaluation."
Spike leaned over to Tempest. "Tempest, trust me, I'm in charge, but New G is the final word, do what he says and if he turns you into something, come find me."
Tempest gulped as she nodded her head. "Sure, 2 hours, I'll be there." Yeah, now he fit the bill.
New G smiled as he walked into the building, but then he stuck his head back out. "Spike, we have some clients waiting for you in the lobby."
Spike sighed, the busy life of a world class villain was never one that rested. "Fine, I'll meet them downstairs, Tempest head to the 3rd floor from the top, and get settled in." Tempest nodded as she walked into the building, leaving Spike and New G to deal with business. Spike looked at New G. "So, who's here?"
Spike and New G took the elevator down to the lobby and standing there was a large minotaur, he was 9 feet tall with his lower half being a dark gray with a lighter gray upper half, he was missing one of his horns and he had a gold ring through his nose, showing that he was a soldier. Spike walked up to the minotaur, and gave him a smile. "Greetings, I am Spike Drake, and Welcome to Macro city, what can I do for you?"
The minotaur huffed angrily as he'd rather not be here, but his king had ordered it. "My king wants to hire you."
Spike laughed. "Well duh, you wouldn't be here if he didn't, please follow me." Spike motioned for the minotaur guard to follow Spike to the elevator. He got into the box and Spike pressed the button for his office.
After a short ride, the doors opened and Spike greeted his evil secretary. "Awe, hello Coco, how are you today?" asked Spike. Yes that is the same Coco Pommel, and she wasn't evil, she just did evil things, but she was actually very nice and sweet.
Coco smiled at her boss. "Well the war in Zebrica has finally ended, the new king is grateful for the support and as of right now, the land is at peace. Over in the frozen north, the Yak rebellion that killed Prince Rutherford has been squashed and the new queen, Yona, is asking for our support in cementing her new regime, and you have a card from Thorax asking you to turn yourself in, and to see if you want to come to the hive for a party."
Spike sighed, that was nothing new for him, Thorax was still a good friend, but even if he was a reformed changeling, he was still a ruler to a kingdom that is allied with his mother. "Tell him I can't make it, but he's more than welcome to come visit when I get back. Set up communications with both Queen Yona and King Zim and get our new members settled in. Also, mount this in my office sometime soon." Spike summoned the Bloodstone to him and handed it to Coco.
Coco looked at the scepter. "So, what are you going to do with the dragons now?"
Spike shrugged. "Not much, maybe make Garble New G's new test subject, but aside from that, I never really cared. I just wanted to show them that I'm not weak. Bloodstone, is it possible to return the authority to Ember but keep you in my possession?"
"Yes, the heir apparent is similar to the rule of succession, if you so choose, I can grant minimal power to a dragon of your choosing." Said the bloodstone as it glowed red.
Spike smiled. "Good, just give Ember back some of the power."
"Very well." The bloodstone glowed and some of its magic flowed out and flew towards Ember.
Spike smiled as he watched the magic leave. "Thanks." He looked to Coco. "I'm thinking of a nice dark wood, but you're the designer so go with your heart."
Coco nodded. "Ok, well with that, I have already set up the conference hall for this meeting and welcome to DRAKE, Captain Iron Horn."
The large minotaur snorted in response. DRAKE, the name of Spike's empire. Dethrone, Rule, Attack, Kill, Evil. The five available jobs that Spike takes. Spike showed Iron Horn into his office. "Here let's talk in my office." Spike opened 2 large solid oak doors and walked into a nicely decorated office, his large desk was filled with many knick knacks that looked foreign, the seat looked much too large for him, alone, but the hot tub and couch told the minotaur that maybe it was for more than business. Spike took a seat in his chair and motioned for Iron Horn to sit as well, but he opted to stay standing. "Fine. Now please tell me why you need my services?"
"A coup." Said the minotaur.
Spike nodded simply. "Sure, no problem, I know a guy that will be just fine killing the royal family, he's really quite good. Spike grabbed a large glowing stone and placed his hand on it. "Astral Flare." Soon the gem projected a screen and a large dark green dragon was projected onto it.
The dragon looked at Spike and groaned. "Who do you want me to kill?"
Spike laughed. "Awe, come on Astral, maybe I just called to see if you wanted to take a break, you are the best at what you do, but all work and no play makes a drake go crazy."
Astral sighed. "Shut up, and give me the details."
Spike sighed, Astral Flare was one of the few dragons that didn't care if he had wings, and Spike saw him as a friend of sorts. "Minuitoria, coup, make it quick."
"NO!" Yelled Iron Horn.
Spike and Astral looked at Iron Horn. "What?" Asked the pair.
"We want you to protect the princess, by kidnapping her before the coup happens."
Spike blinked, he wasn't expecting that answer. "Astral... I'll call you later." Spike ended the call and looked at Iron Horn. "Ok, explain, in detail what the hell you want."
Iron Horn sighed. "The king is very ill, and his brother wants the throne, he has gathered many powerful allies, but since the law states that as long as the king has a child they are destined to be the next ruler. Her uncle is well aware of this rule and is just biding his time until his brother is gone, then he will take the queen and take the throne. But my king wants to make sure that his daughter is safe. We have requested Equestria's aid, but they have stated that as long as no one has been killed, their hands are tied. I personally would rather wait, but as the days pass, my king's condition drops. Words of your services have reached far and wide, so in hopes of protecting her, he wishes to offer her to you."
Spike blinked again. "So you're asking me, Spike Drake, the world's most wanted dragon, to kidnap your princess, and marry her?"
Iron Horn nodded. "That is correct."
"Dude, no offense, but I'm not going to marry a little girl, just give me half of the royal treasure and we call it a day." Said Spike.
Iron Horn snorted. "She's 19 years old."
"Still not going to marry her, too busy running my empire, and I know how it works, I used to be a prince more or less, the moment I say I do, which I don't, I'm expected to sire an heir and I'm not into the idea of father hood for a few more years."
"Perfect, because as much as I would rather be with my father in his final days, I was forced to join commander Iron Horn to my future husband." Said a very tall minotaur cow, a pair of horn nubs with a pair of golden rings on her head, dark white fur, dressed in fine robes and long black hair that fell down her back like a waterfall, but the one thing that drew Spike's eyes to her, were her assets. 'Minotaur cows are just as productive I guess.' She walked over to Iron Horn and gave him a smile. "Iron Horn, if the dragon does not wish to marry, then let us return to my father."
"Hold up. If she's here, why not just stay?" Asked Spike, he was really confused now.
"Technically we are only here to see if Macro City would be willing to trade with us, but since the ruler of said city is also a nasty villain, no offense." Said the princess.
"None taken." Said Spike.
"My father hoped that to protect me and our citizens that a political marriage would be the best, and if worse came to worse, a political kidnapping."
"Fine, but to make matters more fun, can I have your uncle killed, I already talked to my guy and...?"
The princess nodded. "Sure, he's a dirty snake, even tried to kill me a few years ago. But I didn't have proof."
Spike smiled as he used the communication gem again and called Astral. "Astral, good news, you got a job. Kill the dick that is looking to take the minotaur throne, and for added shits, kill all of his cohorts."
Astral nodded. "My regular fee per head. I'll send you the bill after the job is done." Astral ended the call and went off to kill his targets.
Spike smiled as he looked at the princess. "Ok, so he'll be done within the next week or 2 depending on how far this goes, and if they run. But, he'll get it done. Now with that business concluded, you are both my prisoners yadda yadda, please don't leave your rooms that are unguarded, and have no traps, but seriously don't go to the 39th floor, that is our science lab, and New G doesn't like intruders." Spike got up from his seat and smiled. "Now that this is settled, it's time to introduce myself. I am Spike Drake, Mayor, king, ruler of Macro City, raining Dragon Lord, killer of the Storm King, and the most wanted criminal in the world."
The princess smiled as she bowed her head. "Princess Bonneble of the Minitour Republic."
Spike nodded. "Well it's nice to meet you, but please I have some more calls to make. But please join me for dinner tonight as my guests?"
Bonneble smiled as she started leaving the room with Iron Horn following behind. Spike took a seat in his chair and just looked out the window, looking over the city that was his home. "It's good to be back."
Spike was sitting in his office, and he was board out of his skull. Nothing was happening today, no clients, no explosions, and worst of all, there was no Tempest. It's been a week since she joined DRAKE, and since then she was living in the training hall, trying to get ready for a job. "Coco, we get anything?" Asked the bored dragon through his intercom.
"Sorry Spike, today's an off day I guess." Said Coco.
Spike groaned, living your life constantly doing something, makes it hard for one to relax when there is nothing to do. "But I'm bored."
"Why not go for a walk then?"
"Too mundane, is there a war somewhere that I can jump in and take the win?"
"Nope, today, it looks like the world is at peace."
"But, I'm a villain, I can't allow that. Does New G have some new world destroying device that I can play with?"
"He's on a no dooms day device restriction because of last month, remember?"
Spike winced. "Right, 2 years of hard work, and he almost blows it all up in 20 seconds. Did Thorax ever get back about the invitation?"
"He has not."
Spike sighed in defeat. "You know what, I'm going fishing, if I'm going to be bored, then I'm going to be drunk and at least make it look productive."
"I'll message the harbor now, but please no mines or electricity, it pollutes the water."
"Fine, I'll do it the old fashion way, spoil sport." Spike walked over to his desk and pulled out a sign.
Out Fishing, be back whenever I get a bite THE FUCK I WANT.
Spike placed the sign on his desk and walked out of his office. "Coco, use the gem to contact me if something goes wrong, I want a front row seat to it."
"Of course, Spike, have a nice time."
Spike nodded and headed for the garage of the building. After breaking into Twilight's castle once, and never getting caught, Spike did it a few more times, and every time he went to the human world, he would steal some books from the library on cool and interesting stuff that he saw from before. So far, he's been in the human world a total of 8 times.
The first 2 were with Twilight, the 3rd time was to get the book about weapons, the 4th time was because he just wanted to see if it was a fluke that he was able to brake in at all. But on the 5th time, he grabbed more books, but mostly books on how vehicles worked and some magazines about super cars. The 6th time was to see if he could find some cool stuff on the internet, but instead he found that one of the computers wasn't wiped and some dumbass was downloading some inappropriate videos. Spike was a little creeped out that a kid was able to get past the school's blocker, just to watch some porn in the library. But he did find some of the positions interesting. So, the 7th time, he brought the whole computer back to let New G have some fun. Turns out, the only thing Equestria needed to make a computer, was a model to base it off of. That quickly changed the moment Spike found out that the school's computer was crap, so he made one last trip into the human world, just 2 months ago, and stole a computer store with the help of New G's devices and his fire breath.
But right now, Spike was going to grab something from the garage. Sitting in the garage was the first and only car in Equestria, powered by Spike's magical fire, and in no way street legal, this was Spike's car, a black 2020 Ford GT. Spike opened the door and took his spot in the driver’s seat. "Now for the fuel." Spike flipped a hidden compartment on the shifter and sitting in it was a device that converted Spike's fire into a liquid like fuel for the car. Spike licked his thumb and then blew some of his fire onto it. The whole thumb was now on fire, and once it was ready Spike placed it on the converter. He then heard the sound of the magical engine start. With a single flame, Spike could make it from Macro City to Canterlot, but he would need to do it in one sitting, because the magical fuel would evaporate after 12 hours. But for right now, Spike was ready to go fishing. Spike floored it and left his HQ, headed for the docks.
Meanwhile in Canterlot: Celestia was getting disturbing news about the state of Minotauria. "So far, all the conspirators that sided with the late prince have been found dead. We believe that it was the work of Astral Flare, Princess." Said a guard.
Celestia groaned. "I should have known that the king would have gone to Spike for assistance after we denied aid. Any word of Princess Bonneble's location?"
"Our scouts have her entering Macro City, along with Royal Guard Captain, Iron Horn, ma'am, but we see no sign of them leaving at this time." Said the guard.
Celestia rubbed her head. "That is just great, Spike now has the minotaurs on his side, and we still have no idea what he is planning." Celestia rubbed her head even more in hope of helping the headache. "Guard, I believe it is time that I make a diplomatic visit to Macro City." The Guard bowed and ran off to relay the orders. 'Ok, this has to be done by the book, Spike has many allies now, and if I do anything out of line it would look badly on not only me, but all of Equestria.'
When Spike arrived at the docks, sitting in the largest port was Spike's fishing boat. Well it was more like a yacht, because it was a yacht: a 72 meter, 6 cabin, 20 crew member yacht with a stunning swimming pool on the main deck, double-level main salon, cinema, large jacuzzi and fully equipped gym accompanied by massage and steam rooms, and after some changes, 3 fully stocked bars. And here was the best part, Spike actually bought this with his own money, well gems he stole from the Diamond Dogs, and sold to other kingdoms, but, he worked hard to steal all those gems. The crew was made up of employees from DRAKE as well, can't let an assassin kill you then dump your body in the middle of nowhere, can you. Spike walked up to his ship and boarded it. "Captain Ocean Blue?"
Soon an older Stallion with a sea salt beard walked out of the ship and smiled at his boss. "Mister Drake, I just got my orders from Miss Coco. How does an 10 hour trip sound?"
Spike smiled. "Perfect, how are the seas today?"
"A little choppy, but once we hit around 2 miles out, we should see nothing but clear seas."
"Good, has my gear been readied?"
"Just about sir, it will only be a few more minutes until we are able to set sail."
Spike nodded. "Good, I'll head to the bar and get started on drinking."
Ocean Blue gave Spike a salute and returned to his post, while Spike turned and headed for his fully stocked bar on the first deck.
When Spike walked into the bar area, sitting at a bar stool was the best bartender in all of Macro city, a cute 25 year old mare with whisky colored fur, cherry colored eyes and 2 jugs worth of jugs. This was Whisky Neat, and she was in Spike's opinion smoking hot. "Whisky, are you ready to let me do shots out of your tits?"
The mare giggled as she looked at Spike. "Sorry Boss, you know I'd only let a cutie like Coco do that. But for now, let’s see if we can get a drink in you?" Whisky then walked around the bar and gave Spike a smirk. "What can I get you Boss?"
"Dragon Fire Rum, I want to feel it in the morning." Said Spike as he took a seat.
"Sure." Whisky turned around and gave Spike an eyeful of her flanks, before grabbing a red bottle from the shelves. She popped the cork off and took a whiff. "Sheesh, this shit smells worse than my aunt's cooking." She then pulled out 2 cups and poured the drink. There were 3 jobs any bartender had, 1) Never let a drunk cause a ruckus, 2) Always serve the cute mares first, 3) listen to the drinker. But since she was a hot mare, she was able to drink while doing that. She slid Spike his cup and took a sip of hers. "So, it's been a while since you last saw me, how's life?"
Spike took his cup and gulped it down in a single second. Dragon's had a hard time getting drunk, mostly because they burn off the alcohol in minutes. "Not much new, got a mare, ended a tyrant, became the dragon lord again."
Whisky smiled at hearing that. "Is she hot?"
"Very, and she's open for some fun."
Whisky hummed. "Oh, tempting, let me meet her and we can talk dragon boy."
The ships whistle blew, and Captain Ocean Blue set sail for a great fishing spot he knew. "Well it looks like we're underway, so tell me about this mare of yours."
So after getting a solid buzz, and the ship was far enough out to sea, Spike and Whisky moved to the back of the ship. Spike headed for his fishing platform and Whisky walked to the second bar. Whisky walked to behind the second bar and prepared Spike's next set of drinks, while Spike took a seat in his fishing seat. At his feet were a few buckets of bait, night crawlers, giant worms, and parasprites: that one always got a laugh out of Spike, they would try and eat the fish, but that wasn't going to happen today. Spike strapped on his harness and grabbed the largest fishing pole he had, a massive 30 foot long pole with braided steel wire thread, and a hook the size of Spike's head. "Now for the bait?" Spike looked around at his buckets, and grabbed one of the large worms. He speared it through it's body and made sure it wasn't going to escape. "There." Once everything was ready, Spike used all of his strength and hurled the worm into the deep ocean. Spike took a seat in his fishing chair and Whisky handed him another drink. "Now we wait."
At the end of the day Spike had caught 4 sharks, 3 marlins, and a very pissed off sea serpent, but after explaining what happened, it decided to let bygones be bygones, and swam off, but not before Spike got a picture with him, and asked if he knew a sea serpent named Steven: he didn't. But after 10 hours and about 15 gallons of hard booze, Spike was exhausted and drunk, so Whisky and half the crew dragged Spike to his master cabin and tossed him on the bed. Ocean Blue turned the ship around and headed back to Macro City.
While Spike was asleep, he was too drunk to notice that the communication gem in his room was going off.
"Spike, pick up, you need to know about this!" Said a very nervous Coco, sitting on her desk was a letter requesting entrance into Macro City from Celestia Solaris, Princess of the Sun, Co Ruler of the Kingdom of Equestria.
The yacht arrived back at the port 6 hours ago, Spike's body was able to burn off enough booze to allow him to wake up, but that didn't make the hangover he had any better. "Ok, note to self, no more dragon Fire Rum for a while." He said that every time he drank the stuff, and he never followed his own notes. But then he noticed the gem in his room was glowing a bright green and had a number projecting off of it. "Shit, why do I have 53 messages?" Spike groaned as he got off the bed and walked over to the gem. He placed his hand on it. "Play last message." A screen was projected in front of Spike and standing there was a very tired and pissed off Coco.
"SPIKE DRAKE, I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE BEING FUCKING EATEN BY A SEA MONSTER, YOU CALL ME BACK RIGHT THIS INSTANT OR I SWEAR BY CELESTIA I WILL QUIT!" Yelled Coco, she was not happy about him not picking up.
Spike gulped as she did not sound happy, and he liked having her around, so her quitting was not good. "Call Coco."
Soon a new screen popped up and sitting at her desk was a very, very, very, very, about 14 more verys, upset Coco. "Oh, look who decided to finally pick up?" Her speech was slurred.
Spike winced at her tone. "Coco, I'm sorry, is everything ok?"
Coco pulled a bottle out of her desk drawer and slammed it on her desk. "Spike, this is my 'You piss me off' bottle, it was here when I got the letter, it's now here." The bottle was a large vodka bottle, and from where Coco pointed first, she drank almost all of the bottle in a single night. "Your just lucky I was too drunk last night to go home." She hiccupped. "I'm too hungover to deal with this today. Princess Celestia is going to be arriving at the main port in less than 1 hour, and I'm going home."
"WAIT, why is she coming?" Asked Spike, he wasn't ready, or willing to face his mother right now, and she would kill him if she found out that he was drunk.
Coco groaned as she pulled out the letter. "Something about a diplomatic visit."
Spike gulped, he knew that meant she was coming for anything but a diplomatic visit. Hell, she used the diplomatic visit ploy to head to Mareocco for a cup of coffee. "Coco, tell her I'm taking over a small nation in the middle of Zebrica."
"Too late, maybe if I was able to get a hold of you before last night, but that's not going to work."
"Tell her I died and you're secretly running the company in my image?"
"I doubt she would believe that."
"Um...Get New G to turn her into a chicken?"
"Yes, because turning the single mare that can move the sun into a chicken is a great idea."
Spike groaned, short of blowing up the city to get out of this meeting, he was kinda outta luck. "Fine, send Tempest to escort her to the HQ and get Grubber to take you home, and don't bother coming in tomorrow, you done enough."
"Damn straight I have. You owe me a new bottle of hooch."
"Deal, and if I die, I want you to know, Whisky has a thing for you."
"Hell, that fine piece of tail is hot for me? Give her my address."
"Later, I don't think Drunk Coco is the best way to start a relationship." Spike ended the call and leaned against the bed. "Shit, why is she here?" But Spike didn't have time to dwell on that, he needed to get back to the office before his mother arrived.
He ran out of his cabin and got into his car. He refueled it and sped down the street to get to his HQ.
A little while later, Celestia and a squadron of guards were standing at the main transit port of the city. Many ponies bowed at the princess, but that was all, they still saw Celestia as the ruler, but Spike was in charge. 'At least he is treating them well.' Thought Celestia.
Tempest and a few of DRAKE's forces arrived at the port and it wasn't hard to find the massive alicorn that stood 2 heads taller than everyone else. "Ok, this is a diplomatic visit, so we have to do this by the book. I'm looking at you Jo-en-es, none of you start anything with her guard and make sure to keep calm." All of the DRAKE guards nodded. Tempest sighed as she forced a smile on her face and walked over to Celestia. "Princess Celestia?"
The Solar guard readied their weapons, which made the DRAKE guards do the same. "Not one more step." Said a guard.
Celestia sighed at how this meeting was already on thin ice. "Guard stand down, I have no doubt that this is our escort?" She looked to Tempest. "Greetings, and yes that is I, and who might you be dear?"
"Tempest Shadow, I am Spike's newest officer, and the company's head of security and training."
Celestia gave a pained smile. 'So, this is the mare that helped Spike?' But Celestia nodded. "Lovely to meet you, but this location is a little crowded, so shall we adjourn to wherever Spike is?"
Tempest nodded as she and her guards turned around and headed for a trio of carriages, pulled by a group of storm minions. Tempest opened the door for Celestia, and she entered it without a word. "Ok, one guard from each get in here, the rest file into the other carriages." Ordered Tempest. One DRAKE guard and one Solar guard entered the carriage, while the rest of the DRAKE guards took the front carriage and the Solar guard took the back one. Once everyone was loaded Tempest slid a little window on her side. "Head back, VIP is secure." With that, the Storm Minions sped off pulling the ponies faster than any carriage Celestia had been in before.
"My, they sure are fast?"
Tempest nodded. "Much faster, stronger, and trained than any stallion."
"I doubt it." Said Celestia's guard.
"Can you rip solid metal with your claws? No, I thought not." Said Tempest, not happy that her troops, the one's she trained for so long, were being looked down upon. "But if you wish to see their might, we can always stop in the training hall before we go see our boss?"
The Guard glared at Tempest. "Sure, that sounds perfect."
Celestia cleared her throat. "Unfortunately, that will have to wait for some time, I have matters to discuss with Spike Drake, and we should not keep him waiting."
The guard sighed. "Yes Princess."
There was a knock at the door, meaning that they had arrived, or something was going on in front of them. Tempest opened the window and noticed that the minions were nodding. "We've arrived."
"Wait, already, but we've only been riding for a few moments?" Asked Celestia, her scouts told her that Spike's HQ was the Chrysmare building, and the port they arrived in was almost 40 blocks away.
"They are very fast and most of the streets are cleared for this escort." Said Tempest as she and her guard exited the carriage. She walked over to the minions and un-hooked them. "Great job guys, go take a rest."
"Thanks Ma'am." Said the Minion as he and his squad walked off into the building to rest.
"They can talk?" Asked the solar guard.
Tempest glared at the guard. "What, you thought they were mindless beasts. No, they are just as smart as you or me, but they are more built for labor."
Celestia noticed that the minions were a sensitive subject for Tempest. "Well, I believe that we are going to learn a lot of things today."
Tempest snorted but she still had a job to do and punching a guard in the face was probably not a good way to start that. "Let's head up to Spike's office, he should be arriving soon."
Suddenly the sound of Spike's car roared down the street. "Never mind, it looks like he is just arriving." Said Tempest.
Spike noticed his mother and mare standing at the front of the building. Spike took a deep breath and pulled his car up behind the carriages. Giving one of the guards a nod, Spike got out of the car and the guard took his spot. "Same spot, and don't scratch it." Said Spike. The guard nodded and drove it to the parking lot under the building. Spike looked at his mother and smiled forcefully. "Princess Celestia, greetings, I hope my absence at the port was forgiven. I was dealing with another matter." Spike looked at Tempest. "Tempest, I hope everything went well?"
"Very much so, though one of her guards is really pissing me off."
Spike nodded as he walked over to his mare. "Tempest, calm down."
Tempest took a deep breath and she sighed. "Ok, I'm better."
Spike smiled at hearing that his mare was in control. "Now, how does a tour of my lovely HQ sound?"
"That sounds wonderful." Said Celestia.
So, with that, the guards circled Celestia while Spike dismissed all of the DRAKE guards, and the group headed inside. "Well, to start this is our lobby, I get clients, citizens, and everything in between all running around." Spike looked at a random pony that was carrying some papers. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Delivering a submitted marriage license to be put into the system." Said the pony as she ran off to get her work done.
Spike then looked at a Stallion hauling a crate to the freight elevator. "Light Load, what are you hauling?" Asked Spike.
"Crate of parts for the doc's new toy, then I got to get across town to deliver some medical equipment for the foal hospital."
"Good, be careful with that equipment." Light Load nodded as he kept pulling the crate to the elevator.
"So, each floor deals with something, and it is all run through here. We are open 6am to 6pm every day of the week, but our staff is rotated out every 6 hours to ensure that no one is given subpar help. Now please follow me to the elevator so we can head to the next section?"
Spike and the group walked into the elevator and Spike selected the 23rd floor. "Mr. Drake, might I ask you some questions?" Asked Celestia.
"Not right now, I have a feeling what you want to ask is not something that others should hear." The elevator opened and Spike showed everyone the DRAKE personal living accommodations. "So, each group of 4 gets a room, we provide all necessary items, like a bathroom, beds, sheets, and food in the form of a kitchen, that is restocked once a week. But they use their pay to pay for the pots and pans, hygiene products, and entertainment. Though some floors hold weekly movie nights for the troops. Aside from that, they only work when they are needed, and they are free to relax when they are not on duty. Tempest, we're going to the training halls, I don't think New G will be in the best mood if he sees her." Tempest nodded.
Once the group skipped New G's labs, they arrived at the 35th floor. "From here, it's mostly training rooms, and storage. We have 4 training areas, the first is normal weight lifting, running tracks, boxing. The second is our magical defense training area. 3rd we have our air combat training slash racket ball courts, and lastly, we have our hand to hand fighting arena. All surfaces are magically enhanced to repair themselves almost instantly if damage is detected, and trust me, with the Storm Minions, damage is a guarantee, but they are great guys and surprisingly funny."
Tempest looked to the same guard from before. "So, you want to head down there and go around with them?"
Spike sighed as he had a feeling that she was going to do that. "No, I don't want to send him to the hospital."
Tempest groaned, she wanted to show up this punk, but Spike said no. "Fine, but how about I go in with Grubber?"
"That's worse, you'd kill him, and even with Grubber, I think he likes living."
"Fine." Huffed Tempest.
Spike laughed at Tempest's upset face, it was really cute. "Ok, maybe if you tie one arm behind your back, and promise not to kill him?"
Tempest smiled widely. "I promise." She looked to the guard and glared at him with a 'Your dead' face.
"After we're finished though." Said Spike.
"I can wait, it gives me more time to figure out how to beat his tail into the ground."
Spike sighed as he pushed Tempest out of her 'punching the guard in the face' thoughts. "Come on, we need to head to the apartments, and show our guests where they will be staying."
Tempest nodded as she showed everyone back to the elevator. "Ok, up to the 58th floor."
When they arrived at the 58th floor, Spike was the first to walk out of the box. "Ok, this is the start of the residential levels. until we hit the 64th floor, then it changes into my officer's rooms. Each floor has a sitting area, a meeting hall, standard master bedroom and bathroom, and kitchen, with all necessary equipment. This is where I keep any visiting dignitaries and their personal entourage, so I hope you find the accommodations to your liking. But on that note, Princess, should I expect any more equestrian rulers to drop by today?" He needed to make sure that Twilight and Luna weren't going to just show up at the port and demand to talk to him.
"No, I came alone, there was no real need to inform the other princesses, not for what I have planned. But I did inform Discord of my itinerary, that is how I was able to message you so quickly."
"Awe, you do care." Said Discord as his eyes appeared on an orange in a bowl behind Spike.
Spike sighed as he wasn't expecting Discord to drop by. "I swear, if you just say his name, he shows up." Suddenly there was a lion's paw wrapped around Spike's neck.
"Awe, I missed you too Spike, and look at you, nothing like that little whelp from years ago. Hell, you're banging the hottie next to you, and Tia has no idea."
Spike gulped as he looked at Celestia. "Crap." Celestia was motionless, the news that Spike was sleeping with a mare broke her mind. "Discord, why do you always make things worse for me?"
Discord laughed. "Spike, my boy, trust me, I'm not the worst there is out there, but just because I like you, I froze time the moment I showed up, haven't you noticed that nothing is happening?"
Spike looked around and like Discord said, no one was moving an inch. Spike walked to the window and noticed that the whole world was stuck in time. Spike sighed, Discord only did stuff like this when he wanted something. "Ok, what do you want?"
Discord gasped, a little hurt that Spike just assumed that he wanted something. "Spike, is that all you see me as, someone that only intervenes when he wants something?"
Spike cocked an eyebrow that AJ would be jealous over. "Do you want a list?"
Discord placed his eagle claw on Spike's mouth. "Save it, I have a problem, there is a Sphinx in a town near the border of Equestria called Somnambula, I kinda trapped her there when I was bored, she's free now, and she's looking for my head. Do what you do, and I'll throw some aid your way."
Spike looked at Discord. "Discord, you are literally the embodiment of chaos, how bad can a Sphinx be?"
"Spike, trust me when I say this, I fucked up royally when I trapped her in there, and right now it's either getting you to deal with her, or me dying, and trust me the second option is not a very good one."
"Fine, but I want to know what the hell I'm getting myself into first?"
"I slept with her, and never called again."
Spike looked at his friend. "Really, I did that in my month of freedom."
Discord shook his head. "Spike, Sphinxes are very set in their rules and promises. When I said I'd call her, she took it literally and that was almost 2000 years ago."
Spike hung his head. "Fine, I'll get it done, but I better not find out that she has been taking care of a bunch of Sphinx draconequus hybrid kittens, and she want's child support payments for the last 2000 years or something."
Discord smiled and gave Spike a hug. "Thanks Spike, you’re a pal." Discord then picked Spike up and placed him right where he was when this whole thing started. "I'll see you later Spike, don't die." Said Discord as he disappeared and restarted time.
Celestia blinked. "What was I saying again?"
"Nothing, but may I ask why you decided to come to Macro City today Princess?" Asked Spike.
Celestia sighed. "Spike, could we please talk somewhere more private?"
"Sure, let's head to my office."
Celestia sighed as she looked to her guards. "All of you, please rest, I'm sure that nothing will happen to me." They were about to protest, but Celestia silenced them with 3 words. "That's an order." So reluctantly all the guards walked past Spike and Tempest and took a seat in the floor's sitting area. "Now let us get down to business." Spike nodded as he, Tempest, and Celestia walked back into the elevator and went up to Spike's office.
When the elevator opened again, Spike noticed the state of Coco's work area, the desk was a mess, all of her papers were around the room, and her chair was in a dozen or so pieces in the potted plant in the corner. "Crap, I really pissed her off last night."
Tempest looked at the room's level of destruction. "Shit, I heard some loud banging from here, but I had no idea that Coco was able to do so much damage." Short of having the reinforced window shattered, Tempest was sure that a Storm Minion was responsible.
Spike groaned as he walked over to the desk and pulled out Coco's bottle. "Ok, note to self, don't piss her off." Spike decided to take the bottle, so he knew which brand she liked, and to make sure that she didn't use it again. "Come on, let's head into my office." Spike opened his office doors and left the mess for later. Tempest and Celestia followed Spike into his office and the former decided to stand near the door, while Celestia took one of the offered seats in front of Spike's desk. Once everyone was settled in the office, Spike went straight into why the hell are you here mode. "Ok mom, why are you here?"
Celestia sighed because she wasn't sure herself anymore. "I wanted to see you."
"Bull, I have been doing this for the last 2 years, and you just decided to come visit? Is it about what happened to Novo? Look I let her daughter go without a single fin out of place, and I didn't take the pearl, so no harm, no foul."
"Spike, that was very upsetting, but that is not what I'm here about."
"Is it about Bonnie? Look I wasn't expecting her to show up, and I turned down the marriage thing, so you don't have to worry about that."
"Wait, what marriage thing?"
"Oh, they came to offer a political alliance by marriage, and seeing as I'm the king of this land, I was free game, but if worse came to worst, they were ready for a political kidnapping, and as much as I like the idea of having a queen, I'd rather it be on my own accord. But they're down stairs in the guest rooms, they come and go just as long as they have an escort, and once she's crowned as queen, we'll talk about her repaying me."
"Well, the news about the possible daughter in law is surprising, but finding out that the now ex-prince was killed by your assassin was even more troublesome."
Spike smiled at hearing that Astral was doing his job. "Good, Astral is getting along well, and I'm a business drake, they came to me after you denied them aid to keep the royal family in power. I think that's more on you than me. Granted I would have done it myself, but I just got back, and I was kinda tired, plus Astral was around there last time I called him, and it would be a pain to send someone else. Speaking of that, I need to see if I have enough gems and bits for his pay." Spike placed his hand on the communication gem. "Treasury."
Soon a thin stallion with a green coat and a flat head answered. "Aw good day Mister Spike, what can I do for you?"
"Deep Pockets, how are our funds looking, I sent Astral out on a job, and so far, he's killed..." He looked at Celestia.
"15 people." Said the mare.
"15, so set aside around 20 bodies worth of treasure for him."
The stallion nodded as he did some mental math. "Ok, Astral has a 4 gem, and 1000 bit per head fee, so 80 gems, and 20000 bits, got it, anything else?"
"Yes, can you send in an order for a bottle of this vodka, I need to get it replaced?"
"Very well, that's some high end booze, so another 150 bits, but with all the stockpiles we got from the airships that have been coming this week, this will not even put a dent in the vault."
Spike nodded as he ended the call. "Ok, sorry, it takes a lot of money to keep this place a float, but the cost is worth the pay out."
Celestia sighed as she understood that better than anyone. "Yes, but can we get back on task here?" Spike nodded, they did get kinda sidetracked. "Why take the title of Dragon Lord from Dragon Lord Ember?"
Spike shrugged, there were actually a lot of reasons, but most of them were kinda petty. "Well, I was tired of being looked down by all of the dragons that I've come across in my time. So, I thought it was time that I make them see that I'm not weak, but that I'm in fact stronger than they could ever be. Plus, you don't have to worry about Ember, I used the Bloodstone's power to send the authority back to her. I just get to keep the Bloodstone with me."
Spike got up from his seat and walked to the window. "Mom, there is something I don't think you understand about me. I'm not a pure villain like Sombra, or Tirek, or even Discord before he changed. I care about my company and my city. I made sure that the street was evacuated when I split the city from the rest of Manehattan, I gave everyone 1 week to leave after I took over Macro City. I have ended bloody wars in a matter of moments, I dethroned a tyrant with a cloak of power over a fourth of the world, and I plan to leave them to their own devices. The Dragons are still under Ember's control, they just know that I'm not to be taken lightly, and while yes, I did hold Skystar hostage, but I let her go and the Hippogriffs can return to the surface. So, what's the big deal? Hell, you should be thanking me, I found plans when I took over the Storm King's empire to attack Canterlot. Granted I'm not that dumb to think of doing that, and the plans were kinda crappy, but it was something he was planning."
Tempest nodded, she remembers trying to help him with his strategies, but she was sure that he never listened to a single word she said. "He was big, conniving, and a great liar, but he was kinda dumb, and thought that brute force would win every time, so simple plans were his thing." Said Tempest, it was true, she was just surprised that it always worked.
Celestia was getting upset, she just wanted to know what Spike's goal was in all of this. "WHAT IS YOUR ENDGAME!?" Yelled Celestia, she was tired of all the excuses, all the half-truths, she wanted answers so she could prepare for the fall out.
Spike blinked, he had never heard his mother yell and the question wasn't one that he was expecting. "Oh, is that all you want to know?"
Celestia was confused, she was sure that was not the right reaction. "Is that all, I just asked you to tell me your goals for the last 2 years."
Spike nodded. "I know, and I have no problem telling you, it's not like it's a secret. I plan to do nothing but live my life the way I want to. Oh, that and make Twilight say the 4 words that could have stopped this whole part of my life from happening. Then maybe start a family?"
"That's it?" Asked Celestia, she was expecting something more 'take over the world' levels of ambition.
But no, Spike was sure that was all he wanted to do. "Yep, aside from that, I don't really care what happens. I make sure my city is taken care of, I make sure that bits are flowing in the economy, and I still need to learn to fly better with my armor, but I've gotten better since last week."
Tempest shook her head. Spike had not gotten any better with the jetpack on the armor, in fact he had gotten worse since his challenge with Ember. "Spike, you broke one of the windows in the air combat hall and took half of the equipment out with you, when you crashed."
Spike scratched his cheek. "Your point?"
"You need more practice."
"I don't remember you saying that last week, and that cute face you made, told me that I got you to cloud nine." Spike went silent the moment his brain processed what he just said. He looked to his mother and noticed that this time she was actually silent. "Discord, please tell me you saved me again?"
Suddenly a piece of paper in the form of a paper airplane flew in through a window, which was not supposed to open, and landed on Spike's desk. He took the paper and opened it to see the message.
Dear Spike, I warned you, good luck and I hope you get out of this with only half a foot in the grave."
Spike gulped as he looked at his mother. "Um... if it helps, she wasn't my first, Ember was." But that didn't make it better, in fact it made it much worse.
"You slept with Ember!?" Yelled Tempest.
Spike looked at Tempest. "What, I said we dated, and by that time, we had known each other for almost 2 years, and unless you had a dragon that didn't make fun of me, and actually lived with dragons, Ember was the closest thing I had to a dragon expert. That's how I learned to use my tongue the way you like it."
Tempest giggled, she loved how Spike used his tongue, and now she was cool with Spike sleeping with Ember. "Oh, is there something you haven't done with me?"
Spike smirked as he growled lustfully. "It's a 3 to 2 ratio, you figure it out."
"NOPE!" Yelled Celestia, she had enough of hearing about her son's sex life.
Spike looked at Celestia, he had almost forgotten that she was even here. "Right, you're here. Sorry about that mom, we are in the honeymoon stage, and she has really high stamina."
Celestia took a deep breath to calm her rage and disgust. "Ok, I'm just going to forget that the last minute of this conversation even happened, and I think it's time for me to leave before I send Tempest to the sun along with Ember."
Spike sighed, he actually didn't expect for this to go so well, and he actually did miss seeing his mother. Spike didn't have a problem with his mother, the only one that he was ever really angry at was Twilight, and kinda Rarity, but he got over that once he hooked up with Ember. "Mom, since you're already here, and no doubt already cancelled day court for at least the next few days, how about we go see the town? I got a nice box at the New Maresterdam Theatre and I know a great place not too far from there, that we can enjoy some dinner."
Celestia sighed, she would love to spend some time with her son and not the villain that he was, but if ponies saw that she was having a good time with Spike Drake, it could be seen as her conspiring with him. But thankfully she had a spell for when she wanted to get out of studying when she was a filly. She activated her horn and soon she started to shrink, her wings disappeared, and her three color mane combined into a single pink color.
Spike smiled at seeing Celestia accept the offer. "Well it's great to see you again, Solar Rose." Spike had seen his mother use this spell a few times, but very rarely for anything other than to get out of work.
Celestia rolled her eyes. "Spike, this spell will only last for 12 hours, so you better have a plan?"
Spike smiled as he placed his hand on the communication gem. "Front desk." Soon a screen popped up and a mare was waiting for her orders. "Hey, tell The Maresterdam Theater that I will be attending tonight's production, then I need reservations at La Sirène for three tonight."
The mare bowed her head. "Of course, sir, should I prepare anything else for you?"
"Make sure our guests on the 58th floor are taken care of."
"Very good, I will set everything up."
Spike smiled as he nodded. "Thanks." He removed his hand from the gem. "Ok, so it's around 1 in the afternoon, so how about we take a carriage, go around the town and do some shopping?"
Celestia smiled, Tempest nodded, and Spike sighed. "I'll go get my wallet." Spike had lived with mares all his life, when they shop, they only stop when the last thing to buy is the store.
So, with that, Spike, Tempest, and Celestia in her disguise, left DRAKE HQ and traveled around the city, not as a villain and a princess, but just as a mother, a son, and his marefriend. That last part still irked Celestia, but she could deal with that later.
Their first stop was the garment district. Both mares decided it was time for a shopping spree, and Spike's wallet took a big hit. The drake kept over 100000 bits in a magical wallet that New G enchanted for him, and by the time the mares were done with the first store, that reserve was almost down to 80000, and that was with Spike's discount for being the ruler of the city. He refused to just take from the owners, that's how an economy is ruined. So, he paid for everything he bought, just with a 15% discount. The next problem came in the form of the single question that no male ever wants to answer, hell they would rather admit to a murder than answer the question. Celestia walked out of a changing room dressed in a red evening dress. "Spike, tell me the truth, does this one make me look fat?" This was a double barrel loaded question. It looked great on Solar Rose, but on Celestia, it would be torn apart.
"On you, no, on the other you, yes." Said Spike. It was true, Solar Rose was more for evening colors, while Celestia was more for bright royal colors, and Solar was slightly larger than Tempest, but still only 60% of Celestia's size.
Celestia hummed as she did like the dress. "I think I'll take it, but can you go see if they have one in my other size?"
Spike sighed as he walked over to the clerk, a sky blue mare with her mane done up into a loose bun. "Hey, my friend was wondering if you guys had that same red dress in a larger size for her friend?"
The mare hummed as she checked her logs. "The largest we have is 94cm in the bust, 62cm in the waist, 70cm in the hips, does your friend know her measurements?"
Spike shrugged as he walked back to his mother to get her sizes. "Solar, what are your friend's sizes?"
"92,59,68." Said Celestia.
"They have one that should work. I'll get it." Said Spike as he walked back to the clerk. "She said that will be just fine." The mare nodded and went to the back to get the right sized dress for this friend. Spike looked at the clock and noticed it was only 2pm, they still had another 5 hours of shopping before they went to the theater. "They're going to bankrupt me."
"Spike, what do you think about this one?" Asked Tempest as she walked out of her dressing room dressed in a cream color strapless dress. "I like it, but it doesn't have any hidden pockets for weapons, and I can't run in it, but it makes my girls pop." The dress was tight on her, but the curve of her chest was on full display.
"Tempest, you look beautiful, and I don't think weapons or running will be needed."
Tempest smiled as she got close to Spike. "Well, want to see how long it takes you to get me out of it?"
Spike purred as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Is that a challenge?"
"Maybe?"
Spike smirked as he could take Tempest in the dressing room and have a quickie, but with Celestia in the other dressing room, Spike liked living. "Tonight."
Tempest hummed as she pulled Spike down into a kiss. "Tonight it is."
Celestia walked out of the dressing room with all the dresses she liked and noticed Tempest and Spike. She used her magic, which now had a red aura and separated the 2. "Nope." Said Celestia as she placed all the dresses on the counter. "I'll take these as well, and see if you have them in the same size for my friend?"
The mare nodded as she ran off to get the dresses. Now that they were alone again Spike looked to Celestia. "Mom, what gives?"
"I don't care, I am still the mare that raised you, and until I instill the fear of me into her, I will block you every chance I can."
"Why, and if you bring up the time you saw TwinkleShine giving me a kiss on the cheek, I will burn down all the cake shops in Canterlot."
"You were 6."
"It was Hearts and Hooves day, and I gave her a cupcake."
"You were 6, and she was 10."
"And you are 7368, what's your point?"
Celestia huffed. "I thought I was going to be your special somepony that day."
Spike was confused. "Wait, is that why you didn't talk to me for the rest of the day?" Celestia nodded. "I thought you were upset that my Hearts and Hooves day cake was bad."
"Wait, you made me a cake?"
Spike nodded. "You were my mother, of course I wanted you to be my special somepony, and I asked it on a simple 12 inch cake with chocolate and pink frosting with 'Happy Hearts and Hooves Day Mom, I love you' on it. Didn't you eat it?"
Celestia shook her head. "No, I saw no sign of a cake that day, well except the one I saw Blueblood enjoying. But I thought a mare gave it to him... And now that I say that out loud, the more I think he took it from me." Spike nodded at the assumption.
"Wait, so since that day, every time you saw me with a filly or mare, you got upset..."
Celestia shook her head. "Oh, of course not, I'm not that petty, it was just for the rest of that year. Besides, you were only 6, and my little baby, you were just too young to have a filly friend."
Spike groaned as he couldn't believe that Celestia pretty much killed his chance at finding a filly friend when he was 6. Then again, he really didn't have much better luck until he was 18 with Ember, but it was the principal. "Ok, no more meddling in my love life."
"I'm your mother, I'll meddle until the day I die, and I'm immortal."
Spike sighed, he had enough of this conversation. "Ok, from this moment on, no more talking about my love life."
"Oh, hey Boss!" Yelled Whisky as she was coming into her favorite shop to do some shopping.
Spike turned around and gulped when Celestia noticed Whisky's chest. "Whisky, what are you doing here?" Asked Spike, he'd rather not lose her.
"Oh, I thought you knew, I only live a few blocks from this place, and it's where I get most of my clothes." She then looked to Solar Rose and Tempest. "Damn, when did you find the time to get these cuties?" She walked up to Celestia. "Oh, please tell me you're into mares as well. Spike's been dying to sleep with me, but if you join in, I wouldn't mind."
Celestia was at a loss for words, she was just asked if she was into mares, and if she wanted to have a threesome with her son. "Whisky, start a conversation with hello, my name is... not, hey, you want to have a great night, I like mares." Said Spike.
Whisky shrugged, she then noticed Tempest. "What about you, you got a nice pair and a fine flank, you want to meet up later and see where the night takes us?"
Tempest shrugged. "Sure, but I'm with him."
Whisky smiled. "Oh, you're Tempest, Spike told me a lot about you, and Sweetie, I think you and I are going to be great friends."
Spike could feel the back of his skull being melted by the glare Celestia was shooting him. "Whisky, we'll talk about it later, but right now, there are other things we could be talking about."
But Whisky wasn't listening to him. "So, I've heard dragons have 2, any truth to that?"
Tempest nodded. "Yes, he also has small barbs that rub and poke as he pulls out, but if you want some fun, they both have a good size knot that will stretch you. Then he does this thing with his tongue."
Before this got any worse for him, Spike grabbed Whisky by her waist, and without saying a word, he walked outside and tossed her into the carriage. He closed the door and looked to the storm minion. "Take her anywhere but here." The Storm Minion nodded and ran off with Whisky. Spike walked back inside and decided to leave the store 20000 bits and walk out with all the clothes. He was just grateful that the clerk had shown up with all of the Celestia sized dresses and placed them on the pile.
So, after a very awkward conversation with Celestia and Tempest, they headed to a few other places, like a salon to get their manes done, while Spike got his scales polished, his claws file, and his spines buffed. Then to a bookstore, but this was mostly for Spike, he was still an avid collector of Power Ponies, but Celestia found a new trashy romance novel, and Tempest found a book on fighting, so win, win, win. Then they headed to an accessory shop, Celestia bought a new sun hat that matched her mane, Tempest bought a nice purse, that was large enough for some weapons, and Spike was sure that this was what hell was like. But after that, they all went to one last shop because of Celestia's sweet tooth, Spike took her to one of the best sweet shops in the city, where she bought 15 cakes, 36 cupcakes, 8 dozen cookies, and more than half of their fudge. But seeing as it would look strange that a single unicorn mare with her figure, was scarfing down this much sugar, Spike decided to buy it all for her. Though because of where they were going, Spike had to get them to deliver the bulk of it to the HQ. But now it was time for them to get ready for the show, so after getting one of the storm minion carriages to take them back to the HQ, Tempest and Celestia took all their new dresses and headed to Tempest's floor to get changed, while Spike went up to his room to get on the only type of clothing he ever wore.
30 minutes later, Spike showed up at Tempest's floor dressed in a very nice suit along with a tie, he hated the formal noose, but even if he was in charge, he still needed to follow the rules, and showing up to a show, dressed in nothing but his scales, was a one way ticket to getting a talking to by his mother. "Tempest, mom, are you 2 ready?"
"Just about, we're picking purses." Spike sighed, that could take a mare forever to decide, and it just made Spike glad that he didn't need to deal with it. He walked to the sitting area of the apartment and took a seat on the couch. Tempest's floor was very much her, instead of the nice walls that would hang art, her wall held weapons, instead of a coffee table, she went for a punching bag, in fact the only things that Tempest didn't change was her bed room and her kitchen, she liked the idea of having a giant bed, and a clean place to cook. Suddenly Tempest's communication gem was going off, but it was meant for Spike.
The communication gems were all linked with each other, so if someone was calling from down stairs or somewhere else, all they needed to do to get into contact with the person they need to talk to is just say their name and the closest communication gem will activate, and since Spike was all alone in Tempest's sitting area, he knew it was for him. He placed his hand on the gem answering the call. Once the screen popped up, standing there was someone he was not expecting. "Bonnie, is there something you need?"
Princess Bonneble sighed. "Spike, do you have a moment?"
"Sure, what's going on?"
"I have gotten word that my father has passed. Has there been any word from your assassin, I wish to be home for the funeral?"
"First, I'm sorry for your loss, I have not talked with him directly, but I know that Astral has made great progress dealing with your uncle and his conspirators, would you like me to call him now and get a status report?"
Bonneble gave Spike a small smile and nod. "Thank you Spike, I do not want to leave my kingdom without a ruler in such a tough time."
Spike nodded as he ended the call. "Astral Flare." Soon a new screen showed up. "Astral, you there?" There was the sound of swords clashing, but since he answered, he was at least listening. Once the sound of something hitting the ground came into Spike's ear fin, he knew it was over, and since the gem didn't deactivate, it meant that Astral was the one who won.
"What do you want?" Asked Astral as he appeared on the screen.
"The king is dead, and the new queen wants to know if she could return soon?"
Astral nodded, he heard about the king’s death today, and he understood the need for a ruler to help her people through a time of grief. "I have one more name on my list, and I'm not too far from him now, I'll be done in Minotauria tonight."
Spike smiled at finding out that Astral was almost done. "Good, if you want to head to Macro for a little brake, just call ahead."
Astral rolled his eyes and ended the call. "Ok, he's as sociable as ever." Spike called Bonneble again. "Bonnie, good news, Astral is almost done, and you should be able to return tomorrow."
Bonneble smiled widely. "Thank you Spike, I'm happy to hear that I can return to my home, and give my father one last goodbye, I will remember your work in making sure that my reign was possible. I must inform Iron Horn, have a good night Spike, and I wish to say farewell before we depart."
"Sure, come by my office tomorrow and I'll have a carriage ready to take you to the port." Bonneble smiled and ended the call to let Spike go about his night.
Spike went back to the couch and was sure that they were going to need a storm minion carriage to make it for the show. "Tempest, we're going to be late, are you 2 done?"
Tempest walked into the room, but unlike normal, she was an ostrich. "Spike, tell her to turn me back, so I can wring her neck with my hands and not my feathery wings."
Spike looked at the mare turned ostrich and he laughed. "I always said you had some nice legs." Tempest walked over to Spike and gave him a slap to the head. "Right, what did you do?"
"I told her that all those sweets she bought will go straight to the royal flanks."
Celestia walked out of the room and glared at the ostrich. "I'll have you know that my flanks have been the same size since I was in my 2000s, and the only place that has changed are my tits."
Spike sighed, he knew the topic of his mother's rear had ended a few stallion's careers, but she never turned them into an ostrich. "Mom, we're going to need to rush, can you please turn Tempest back, so we can make the show?"
Celestia rolled her eyes as she changed the mare back into a mare. Thankfully, the dress she was wearing was fine. "There."
Spike groaned, this night was going to be long. "Thank you mom, now we need to get going."
"Hold on, your tie is not right." She walked over to him and fixed his tie for him. "I know that you never liked it, but that doesn't mean that you can just forget how to look appropriate." Said Celestia as she smiled at Spike.
"Sure, now let’s head down stairs and get going." Said Spike, both mares nodded as they all got into the elevator.
Down stairs there was a problem though, all four of Celestia's solar guards were being cornered after not hearing from the princess in almost 5 hours. "WE DEMAND TO SEE PRINCESS CELESTIA!" Yelled the guards.
"She is still in her meeting with Mister Drake, I'm sure that she will return once everything is settled." Said a receptionist, trying to stop the scene from escalating. But the Solar guards were there to protect Celestia, and if the villain Spike Drake was refusing to let them see her, then it was more than likely that Celestia was in trouble. The guards all readied their spears determined to fight their way to the princess if needed.
"Get back, I don't want to hurt anyone." Said the guards as they were getting really defensive.
But the DRAKE guards were ready to take them down, the moment things got hostile. "Stand down." Said Spike as he arrived in the lobby to the sight.
All the DRAKE guards lowered their weapons at the order, and Spike walked over to the Solar guards. "Now what seems to be the trouble?"
The Solar guards all pointed their Spears at Spike's neck. "SPIKE DRAKE, WHERE IS THE PRINCESS!?"
Spike looked at the guards confused. "How the fuck should I know, she left almost 3 hours ago."
"LIES, I DEMAND TO SEE HER NOW!" The guard pressed his spear closer to Spike's neck.
"Buddy trust me, I don't need but one finger to kill you, let alone an entire army. But one more move and that will be seen as an act of aggression towards me and my kingdom."
The head guard growled as he was really tempted to slice Spike's throat open. "Try it lizard."
Celestia's face went pale at the insult. "Spike don't do this, I'm sorry for him."
But Spike didn't hear a single word. "Really, you think I'm a lizard." Said Spike with a dark chuckle.
Tempest looked at Celestia. "What is going on?"
"Ever since he was young, that single word always set him off, and being from Canterlot, where it is the hardest for non-ponies to live, it did something to him, and it would take me and Twilight an hour to calm him down."
"Oh, this is not good. Attention, all storm minions report to the lobby, your target is Mister Drake, priority code 03."
"Well, that's fine, lizards are actually really cool." Said Spike as he pushed the spear away from his neck with a single finger. "Now, I told you that Celestia has left, so if you'd kindly leave my lobby, I have somewhere to be tonight." The guard was trying to push back the spear, but he was being overpowered by Spike.
"NO, I WILL FINALLY END THIS TYRANT IN THE NAME OF THE PRINCESS." Said the guard as he grabbed his allies spear and swiped it to Spike.
"Wrong move." Said Spike as he grabbed the second spear with his mouth and chomped down on it, shattering the metal, and splitting the wood. "Now, I know for a fact that none of your actions will be condoned by the princess, so I'm going to give you the choice, drop to your hands and knees, and beg for forgiveness, and the moment the next ship arrives you get off my island, or I keep you here and I send some of my associates to make any family that you have pay for your actions against me." Spike snaked his tail around the guard’s neck and lifted him up into the air. "Make your choice, preferably before you run out of air." Spike started to tighten his grip around the stallion’s neck, slowly choking him.
The guard started clawing and grabbing Spike's tail, rather than give his choice. "Also, the rest of you, just stay still and nothing will happen to you." This was enough to keep all the other guards in their place. "Come on buddy, it's a simple choice, live, live but others die, or die."
"I'm... Sorry." Said the guard.
Spike released the guard and he fell to his hands and knees in front of Spike. "Say it again."
The guard sighed as he didn't want to die and wasn't willing to let others die either. "I'm sorry Mister Drake."
Spike smiled as he looked at the guard. "Great, now I'm sorry about the spear, but it wasn't going to do much against me anyways." Spike helped the stallion to his hooves and dusted him off. "Now, I have to take these hot mares out for a good night, so please return to your rooms and relax, I'm sure that Celestia will be back to get you all, but the first boat is going to leave at 7 am, and you all better be on it." Spike smiled as he looked to Tempest and Celestia. "Well ladies, shall we go?"
Tempest smiled as she looked at Spike. "Sure Spike, but what about the storm minions?"
Spike looked around and noticed that everyone was evacuated and replaced with the storm minions. "Oh, when the hell did you all show up?"
"I had to call them in, I was worried that you would go nuts."
"Oh, I haven't done that in years, I found a great outlet to help me control that anger. Wait I forgot something." Spike turned around and punched the guard square in the head sending him to the ground again with a broken muzzle. "There we go, now I'm sure that we're going to have a problem with traffic, so we need to hurry." Spike wrapped his arm around Tempest and started carrying her, he also wrapped his tail around Celestia's waist and lifted her up into the air. "Oh, can someone take the asshole to the medical wing, and make sure he doesn't bleed on my nice tile floors." Said Spike as he carried the two mares outside and tossed both into a carriage.
"So, what did you think of the show Solar?" Asked Spike as he, Tempest, and Celestia all walked out of the theater after a production of Jersey Colts.
"Well, I liked it, but I wish I didn't already see it back in Canterlot about a month ago." She said.
Spike sighed, he had no idea that she already saw the show. "Really, then why didn't you say something?" Asked Spike, he was the ruler of the city, there was truly little that he couldn't get into last minute.
"Awe, don't worry, I really didn't care. I got to spend some time with you, the seats were much better, and I was actually able to look away for a moment without it becoming front page news."
Spike laughed at the idea that Celestia had that much authority, but she really did, and that was the death of many shows, shops, and many other things. Ponies hope that the princess will come to visit their business, but if something takes her attention away for any amount of time, that pretty much kills any chance that it will last more than a month. That's why so many shops, shows, and more over, attitudes change on a bit in Canterlot. Spike looked at Tempest. "Tempest, your thoughts?"
"Eh, not my thing, I like more fighting, but the music was great." She said with a shrug.
"I agree, Walk Like a Stallion was my favorite." Said Celestia.
"Well ladies, our reservation is in 30 minutes, so shall we have a drink at the bar before we enjoy our meal?" Asked Spike as he opened the door to a storm minion carriage.
"That sound's lovely." Said Celestia as she carefully got into the carriage.
"Sure does, but none of that weak stuff, let’s get some top shelf crap." Said Tempest, this was much more her speed, get a good drink and have a great night.
Celestia rolled her eyes at Tempest's lack of tact, but she kept her mouth shut for now. Spike looked at the storm minions that were pulling the carriage. "What about you guys, did you like the show?"
"Well it was slightly formulaic, but it had some interesting moments." Said one of the minions.
"Agreed, but I agree with the commander, the music was wonderful." Said the other.
Spike smiled at hearing that they liked the musical. "Good, and thanks for taking the late shift guys, I know this is probably the last place you guys want to be, but it's still appreciated."
"No problem Sir, now please climb in, it should take us a few minutes to reach La Sirène." Said the first minion.
Spike nodded as he climbed into the carriage, and once the door was closed the minions both moved off to the restaurant. While in the carriage, Spike was looking at Celestia, and he could tell that there was something wrong. "Ok, spill it mom, what's eating you?"
Celestia sighed at how easy Spike was always able to read when she was somewhere else. "Is it really that obvious?" Spike nodded. "Fine, it's you Spike, there is a question I've been wanting to ask you ever since this all started."
Spike nodded. "Why didn't I go back to Canterlot and take my position as prince, right?"
Celestia nodded. "Yes, that single question has been haunting me every day since this all was set into motion. So can you please tell me why I need to become someone else to spend time with my son?"
"Mom, it's more complicated than what you make it sound like, and even I know that. I'm sorry to say that many ponies in Canterlot are not as great as Equestria makes them sound. Your little Ponies are racist, speciescist, and just as long as nothing happens to their perfect society, they couldn't give a flying fuck about what happens to the rest of the world. Now I knew the plan if I came back to Canterlot, we'd talk, and then I would be crowned as heir to the throne. But then many nobles would demand that I, as a dragon, be stripped of any power, honors, or titles that come with that. They would rally many others in defense of 'their' Equestria, and many problems would grow from that single action. And before you ask me why I didn't go to the Crystal Empire and talk to Shining and Cadance, that's because I'd just end up in the same position by the end of all of it, they would of taken me to see you, and more problems, because the Empire would support me, and then they would be at odds with the powerful nobles of Canterlot. Sadly the Crystal Empire needs all the trade it can get to keep afloat, trade that is mostly centralized in Canterlot. So, that shot down Canterlot, and the Crystal Empire, then why not head to Thorax's hive or the Dragon Lands to stay with Ember? Well the first one would have been fine, it was a little far for me to walk the whole way, but meh. But the Dragon Lands, more dragons that saw me less than a youngling, and gave me the only thing a dragon is willing to give, pity. Not much for me there, sure I could have got back with Ember, but I just didn't want to make her feel like I needed to be accepted by a society that was never mine. So that left me with one option, strike out on my own, live my life like I want, and not have to deal with politics. But like everything in my life, it all went to hell the moment a dragon tried to show ponies that we are smart and do not conform to their image of what a dragon is."
Celestia hung her head down with each statement, it was all true, just because of her action’s years ago, it has effected the one she loves the most, by making everything that he did a challenge. "Spike, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault."
Spike sighed as he didn't want his mother to feel bad about all of this. "Mom, don't worry, it was a pretty good life, I never went hungry, I never had to worry about having a roof over my head, I had a loving mother who spent all the time she could with me, a great cousin that kept me company when my mother couldn't, a asshole of another cousin but he was still family, and thanks to all of the work that Twilight made me do, I have become the dragon that you see here."
Tempest sighed at hearing all this, she had learned bits and pieces from Spike and others like Coco, but she never heard the full story. "Spike, if it helps, I find the drake that you became, great, sexy, slightly annoying, and a bit of a goof ball, but with my personality I think we mesh well." She leaned over to Spike and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Spike smiled at Tempest. "Thanks Tempest, and it really does help to know that."
Celestia looked at Tempest and actually grew some respect for the mare. "Spike, what if I told you that this whole trip wasn't all for my benefit?"
Spike shrugged as he looked at Celestia. "I'd say that's about right for you. You never, ever worked so openly, so why would now be any different?"
"Hey, I am not that underhanded." Celestia took a deep breath to calm down. "But I have talked with many other kingdoms and we have decided to hold a royal summit. One to determine what shall happen to the many of the territories that have become lawless since the removal of the Storm King. But, I have been told that your absence would be seen as fear on my part to many of the allies that you have gained in the time you've been active."
Spike looked at Celestia a little surprised at what she was insinuating. "Mom, you do know what you're saying is not going to be looked upon with much favor, right?"
Celestia nodded at the statement. "Spike, this is a formal invitation to the Royal Capital of Canterlot, to participate in a royal summit, as the acting ruler of the island nation, Macro City. Meaning that as of this moment, the kingdom of Equestria formally recognizes Macro City as its own sovereign land."
Spike sighed, there was more to this than what her royal vocabulary was telling. "So, you want me to come to Canterlot? To return to Equestria? To see all the groups that I have either fucked over? Or helped? And you are telling me that you don't have any other motives than this?" Asked Spike, not believing a single word.
"Well that, and to actually see you again." Said Celestia.
"So, I can't refuse, or it will look bad on me, and you can't deny that my attendance would make the nations that I've helped more open to hearing you out. Tell me, did I hit the nail on the head?"
Celestia sighed, she hated that she had to use her political skills on her own son. "That is correct."
"Cool, just wanted to get everything out on the table. I'd be happy to attend." Said Spike with a shrug, he really didn't care, but this would be a great chance to see Thorax, Bonnie, and Yona.
Celestia looked at Spike's face and she had taught him how to do that. "Ok, now what do you really want?"
Spike smirked at Celestia. "Still can't fool you it seems."
"Of course not, I am your mother, I can tell when you lie to me, now what do you want?"
"I want to be able to eat meat, and don't tell me no, you have a few chefs just for that purpose, second I want to bring Coco, she hasn't been on the mainland in a while, plus I need to make up for pissing her off. Third, I do not want to be cornered by Twilight, or any of the girls. I will talk to Aunt Luna and Cadance, but that's it, and lastly for my own protection, I will be accompanied by a few of my best employees. Tempest being one of them, along with Astral and a few others that I need to see if their even alive."
"That is fair, but I want your word that you are not going to do anything." Said Celestia, if Spike did something, then it would be on her head that it happened seeing as she is here to invite him.
"Well, I got a job in Somnambula, so I'll need to take care of that after the summit is over, so allow me safe passage there and I promise to be a good little drake."
"Fine." Said Celestia.
"Perfect, now if I remember right, rulers normally seal a deal with a drink." There was a knock on the door to the carriage. "And I guess that means it's time for that drink." Spike got out of the carriage and helped both mares out of it. "Boys, be back here in a few hours." The storm minions nodded as they removed their harnesses and ran off to do their own thing. Spike smiled at having some really hard workers. "So, I forgot to ask, when will this whole thing be held?"
"Well seeing as it takes time for everyone to come together, many of us have decided that it would be best that after a period of 2 weeks to allow for Queen Bonneble to grieve the loss of her father, is when we will all come together."
Spike smiled at hearing that they weren't going to just toss Bonnie into the big times. "Well, I hope everything goes well for her, now let’s have a nice meal." Spike looped his arms around the mares and escorted them into the restaurant.
After dinner, it was time for Celestia to call it a day. Meaning the next morning it was time for her to leave once the first boat arrived at the port. So, acting under the royal façade, Spike and Celestia separated under good terms. But because of his mother’s constant cock blocking, the moment Celestia was gone, Spike went up to his room and got Tempest out of her armor in less than 10 seconds.
It's been two weeks since Celestia had left, and the news from The Minotaur Republic was very favorable. Bonneble was able to take the throne with virtually no opposition. But once Astral came to collect his pay, Spike asked him to stay for the summit, much to his annoyance. And once Astral arrived, Spike started calling all of his powerhouse employees. The first was a pegasus stallion with red fur, a mane of green and blue, and more than a few problems, the first and greatest, was the fact that he is in a constant state of shuffle on who has control of his body with 4 demons from another dimension. Spike has made a deal with all 5 beings in the single body, that amounted to them going full out when he was on a job, and Spike didn't obliterate them. The second was a Capricorn named Elora, a very odd creature from a small nation that very few know about, she has cloven hooves, brown fur, two curved horns, red hair, and the weirdest part, a long shark tail. The last of Spike's guard was a Kirin that Spike named TX, he was from a fucked up place that still allowed slavery. One day he escaped, but the moment he thought all of his troubles were over, it got worse. Spike doesn't know the true details, but when he found TX, the young creature was missing his right arm, and his left one was damaged to the point it was just as useful. Spike took TX back to Macro City, because he felt bad for him, and thankfully New G was able to save his life. New G built a pair of mechanical arms for the Kirin and decided to load it full of weapons. But after living his life as a slave, he had no idea how to live on his own, so Spike hired him, on the condition that he live his life as he wanted to, but he could be called if Spike needed him. All of them were nearly unstoppable in their own right, but they were smart enough to know not to cross Spike or target him.
They all had arrived at DRAKE HQ a few days before the summit, and right now they were all sitting in the Spike's main airship ready for the trip to Canterlot. Spike was sitting in the helm with Tempest and the others, but it was time for a little briefing. "Tempest, what do you know of the Elements of Harmony?" Asked Spike.
Tempest hummed as she had heard a little about them while she was gone. "Well, I know that they are all mares that have saved the world from powerful villains."
Spike nodded. "Yep that's them, but what you probably don't know is that they are or were my friends. Pinkie Pie: The Element of Laughter, Fluttershy: The Element of Kindness, Applejack: Element of Honesty, Rainbow Dash: Element of Loyalty, Rarity: Element of Generosity, and my sister Princess Twilight Sparkle: Element of Magic. I want you to be on the lookout for all of them, no doubt the moment I arrive they will try and confront me, so I want you to be on guard."
Tempest gave Spike a kiss on the cheek. "Sure thing Spike."
"Thanks Tempest." Spike looked to the only actual passenger on the flight. "Coco, can you come over here for a moment?" Asked Spike.
Soon a not drunk Coco walked over to Spike and gave him a smile. "What do you need Sir?"
"Coco, I'm going to ask this single question. Do you want to leave DRAKE and stay in Canterlot when we're done, I'm sure that Rarity will be more than willing to hire you back or you could strike out on your own?"
Tempest and Coco looked at Spike confused. "Spike, why would I leave, I've lived my whole life in Manehattan, and Macro City, and I have no interest in leaving my home."
Spike smiled at hearing that. "Thanks Coco, but please be aware that Rarity will try to get you to leave. So, if anything happens, please come find me, Tempest, Astral, Red, TX, or Elora and we'll deal with it."
Coco smiled at hearing that they will take care of her. "Thank you Spike."
"Sir we have reached the main land, and a group of pegasi are waiting in front of us." Said Grubber.
Spike looked right outside of the ship and saw the Wonder Bolts hovering in front of them. "They must be our escort. Grubber slow to half speed and see what they do."
Grubber slowed the ship and watched as the group started flying to the capital, but one of them landed on the balcony. "Intruder alert." This sent everyone into a frenzy. Tempest stood in front of Spike, Astral got his sword ready, Red got a demonic energy blast ready, TX armed the blasters in his arms, and Elora just giggled in her seat. They all were ready to fight the moment this got interesting, but Spike was sure that this was just standard procedure. "All of you, calm down, and please no killing." Spike got out of his chair, walked over to the balcony door, and let the pegasus mare inside the ship. "Spitfire, it's been too long, how have you been?" Asked Spike with a smile on his face.
The mare gave Spike a salute. "Spike Drake, we are here to escort you to the Royal Capital Canterlot. Please follow us and try to keep up."
"Oh, come on Spitfire, no words for me?" Asked Spike a little hurt.
The mare remained silent as she flew out of the ship and rejoined her squad. Spike sighed as he took his seat again. "Grubber, let’s make them work for it, activate New G's engine and show them what it means to fly." New G's newest project was something that the world of Equestria had never seen. Spike licked his thumb and ignited it in his green flames, Grubber pulled some leavers and turned some valves to get the ship ready for its maiden voyage. Soon a magical fire converter in Spike's seat popped open and he placed his thumb on it.
"Power levels reaching operational minimum, 50%, 60%, 70%, minimum level achieved, ready for activation." Said Grubber as he was monitoring the power levels.
Spike smirked as he nodded. "Activation confirmed, everyone gets strapped in." Said Grubber. Everyone got ready and the moment everyone was buckled up, Grubber activated the experimental flight mode. Air ships work like this, they run on steam, like the trains, or for the higher end modules, they have very basic magic converters that turns a propeller. Spike said screw that outdated design and went for something that was much faster and a lot more him. For the last few weeks, New G had been working on a very special engine and all of it was based on the jet engines from the human world.
Two long metal wings extended from the base of the ship's haul, as the balloon keeping them afloat deflated. Spike smirked as they began to fall out of the sky. "Grubber, give it a moment." Said Spike, Grubber nodded as the ship continued to fall.
"On my mark... 6...5...4...3...2...1...0" Said Spike, Grubber activated the engine and in less than a second the ship was crossing across the sky faster than many pegasi could ever fly, and leaving the Wonder Bolts slack jawed and really worried about their jobs.
It took Spike around 10 hours to drive to Canterlot, it took him around 3 days to walk there, and with his new airship, it only took 30 minutes. Something that Spike knew was going to make some headlines and would show the world that he was capable of being anywhere in less time than they thought. "Spike, Canterlot in sight." Said Grubber, he saw the capital getting closer.
Spike looked to the city that was once his home. "Grubber, take us to 10000 feet, and change back into airship mode." Ordered Spike. Grubber nodded as he started pulling levers and flipping switches.
Tempest rested her head on top of Spike's. "So, this is Canterlot? Hmm, I always thought it would be more pompous."
Spike sighed at the statement. "Trust me, you don't mess with almost 1000 year old architecture, but on the inside of many of the wealthy homes, you would be looking forever to find anything that was affordable for a normal pony."
Tempest chuckled at the idea. "Well, how do you want to play this?"
"Play what? We're here for a summit, nothing else."
"Spike, you are a world class villain, I don't think just strolling into town will do."
Spike smirked. "Tempest you wound me, has the time we've been together taught you nothing?" Spike looked to Elora. "Elora, can you come here?"
The Capricorn gasped as she jumped right into Spike's lap. "So, you're finally ready to see what a night with me can be."
Spike sighed as he really didn't need to deal with Elora's flirty side right now. "Elora, we're going to be making a statement, so how about we make it a big one?"
Elora giggled at the idea. "Fine, but on one condition." She got right up to Spike's face. "You get to have 2 safety devices right by you at all times."
Spike looked a little lower on the Capricorn's body and had a feeling she didn't mean seatbelts. "Tempest, it's not cheating if you say it's ok right?"
"Hmm? Oh, can you say that again, I was looking at Elora's boobs. Any chance I can get a ride like that?"
Elora giggled, she was really open to many things, one of which was having a good time with both guys and girls, the only problem is that she had set her sights on Spike, but if Tempest was interested, that was cool too. "Oh, how about later, we all take a ride together?"
"Oh, will you 3 just shut up already?" Said Red, but it wasn't really him, it was the fire demon that inhabited his body, Ignis.
Elora looked over at Red and stuck out her tongue. "Sorry Ignis, but don't you think we deserve a little privacy?"
"Coming from the slut that can't keep her tail down." Said the ice demon, Gelu.
Elora growled as she showed her fangs. "You want to say that again?"
"Elora, listen, I'm sorry for them, they are a pain to keep in check on a good day." Said the real Red.
Elora huffed as she looked at the red pegasus. "Fine, but if they say anything I don't like, all 5 of you are dead."
"Death due to dehydration." Said the shadow demon, Umbra.
Elora pounced onto the pegasus and tried to bite down on his throat, but Red kept moving his head.
TX walked over to Spike and looked at the weird display. "Father, should we not do something?"
Spike sighed. "TX, I'm Spike, not Father, or Master."
"I know, but you and Doctor G gave me a new life, and I see you as my family."
Spike sighed again, he didn't want to hurt the kid any more than what his old master did, but it was a slow process. "Fine, but while were in Canterlot, please just use Spike."
TX nodded. "Very well Spike. But again, should we stop Elora from killing Red?"
Spike looked back at the Capricorn trying to kill the possessed pegasus. "Nah, it wouldn't kill him anyways. Trust me I've tried much worse, and he has always come back." It was true, when Spike and Red first met, it was when he was trying to rob Spike during a job. Spike broke his neck, didn't work, so he tried to burn off his face, it grew back in a second, so Spike tied him to a bolder and tossed it into a nearby lake, that's when Spike found out about the demons. Red had cut himself free and tossed the bolder right back at Spike.
Astral sighed as he walked over to Elora and picked her off of the insane pony. "Elora, get a grip, now is not the time for all of this school yard bullshit."
Tempest sighed as it was just getting good. "Come on Astral, where's your humor?"
"Tempest, look at it like this, we landed almost 5 minutes ago, and the guards that are outside have only heard the sound of Red's crazy laughter. They might get the wrong idea."
Spike looked to the front window, and they were indeed on the ground. "Right. Let’s get ready to leave the ship." Spike got out of his seat and walked over to a panel. It opened and sitting inside was Spike's armor. The others walked over to other panels and they all opened as well. Tempest had her old Storm King armor and a bandolier of the stone potion balls, Astral had stored his swords in his cubby, Elora didn't really need gear so she just stored her extra dress in there, TX had a spare set of arms in a case in his cubby, and Red had a pair of hilts on a belt, no blades, just hilts. They all got their gear ready to leave the ship.
Outside of the ship, a few of Celestia's guards were worried that they were going to die, the crazy laughter of Red really freaked them out. "Sir, are you sure we don't need reinforcements, this is Spike Drake we are talking about? Hell, he wasn't even supposed to arrive for another 5 hours, and where are the Wonder Bolts that were assigned to escort him?" Asked a new guard, this was his first assignment, and he was one step away from running away.
But before the commander of the squad could yell at the guard, the hatch to the ship opened. "Attention!" Yelled the commander. All the guards got into attention. "Welcome to Canterlot King Spike Drake of Macro City."
Spike chuckled as he walked out of the ship while adjusting his armor's hand. "Really Stone Wall, you too, no hi Spike, no burn in hell you demon, not even a sword to the throat, are you really that old?"
Stone Wall glared at Spike. "King Spike, I have strict orders to make sure that you arrive at the castle."
Spike sighed as he looked at the elder stallion. "Fine but let’s have a little chat first." Spike wrapped his tail around the stallion and started walking to the other side of the ship.
The second in command of the squad looked at Spike taking the commander and wasn't sure if he should call for back up or call in the princesses themselves.
Spike placed down the older stallion and the dragon smiled at one of his old personal guards. "Sorry for that Stone Wall, but it's been too long since I last saw you."
Stone Wall punched Spike in the arm. "Shut it you overgrown space heater, I should do worse for that old comment."
Spike laughed. "Sure, but commander, it looks good on you."
"Thanks Spike, and look at you, all grown up and while I will not condone your methods, ruling a nation all your own."
Spike nodded with a smile. "Well all of the late night fighting matches helped me get started."
Stone Wall sighed as he never thought the late night training sessions would result in all of this happening. "Spike, let’s leave the walk down memory lane for later. Celestia is still preparing for the summit, and with you here so early, I'm sure that many things have been altered."
Spike nodded as he and Stone Wall walked back around the ship. All of the guards were relieved to see the commander still alive. "Now, let me introduce you all to my security detail, first we have Tempest Shadow, my head of training and security." Tempest walked out of the ship and noticed all of the stallions looking at her.
"Boys, a little warning, I'm with Spike, so..." In a single moment all of the eyes were off the mare. Normally Tempest wouldn't care, but Spike might kill someone if they tried to flirt with Tempest.
"Good choice. Next, we have someone I'm sure many of you know from reports. Astral Flare." Astral walked out of the ship and remained silent. "Yeah, I know, but he's actually a funny drake." Astral shot Spike a glare of unamused mirth. "Well, this next guy is a little..." Spike rolled his hand trying to find the right word to describe Red.
"Insane?" Suggested Tempest.
"Deranged?" Asked Astral.
"Psychotic?" Suggested Grubber from the ship.
"Moronic." Said Elora from the ship.
"Yeah, all of that plus a little off his rocker." Said Spike, that was the best way to describe Red and his demons. "But try not to get on his bad side, he's possessed by 4 demons that kinda listen to him, but tend to take control when they want to have some fun." Red walked out of the ship and got close to Spike.
"Awe, thank you Spike, you know us all so well." Said Umbra.
"So, can we go on a spree right now, we promise to only terrify a few ponies?" Asked Ingis.
"How many are a few? All of them, right?" Asked Gelu.
"Oh, let’s see if they can play catch the bolder, that's fun." Suggested the earth demon, Terra.
Spike sighed as he grabbed the pegasus with more voices in his head than a quartet and pulled him off. "Red, Umbra, Terra, Ingis, Gelu, remember what we talked about, no killing while we're here, and we can spar when we get back to Macro city."
The pegasus smiled as he nodded. "Right, but can we still play catch?" Asked Terra.
"Only if you behave." Said Spike.
Terra hugged Spike's body. "Thank you Spike."
Spike sighed as he placed the psychiatrist nightmare onto the ground. "Yeah, he's a handful, but he means well, I think."
"SPIKE, aren't you going to introduce me?" Cried Elora as she walked out of the ship.
Spike looked at the Capricorn and sighed at her. "Elora, I was just about to. Well, you might as well come out now." Said Spike.
Elora came out of the ship with her spare dress slung over her shoulder. She waved at all the guards with a sweet smile. "Well hello boys."
"This is Elora, she is a Capricorn, and for all that is holy, do not think about sleeping with her."
Elora draped herself over Spike's shoulder and looked at him like he just took her candy. "Spike, that's mean, I almost had them."
"I don't care, I'd rather not have you be called a slut." Said Spike.
Umbra chuckled. "A little too late for that."
Spike sighed as he gave the pegasus a hard slap to the back of the head. "Umbra, we don't need a repeat of what happened on the ship already."
"Fine." Said the demon.
"Will you two knock it off already, Father is getting upset." Said TX as he walked out of the ship with his spare arms in their case.
Spike looked at TX and really felt like his world was getting ready to die. "TX, what did we talk about?"
TX looked worried that he was going to be punished. "Right, I'm sorry Spike, it won't happen again."
Spike walked over to TX and placed his hand on the young Kirin’s shoulder. "TX, calm down, it was a slip of the tongue, trust me, I've made hundreds and the outcomes have been millions of times worse."
TX took a deep breath to calm down. "Thank you Spike."
Spike was glad that TX was able to calm down. 'Good, I'm happy to know that TX can calm down after messing up, New G will be happy to hear that he's made progress.' Spike looked at the guards. "I also brought my secretary, she hasn't been away from the city for a while and I thought she deserved a vacation." Coco walked out of the ship and gave everyone a small wave. Everyone was surprised to see a normal pony just casually walk out of the airship, but Spike didn't have time for that. "Well, that's my security force, and if you wouldn't mind, it was a short flight and I'd rather not get my ear fin chewed out by Spitfire." Spike looked at Elora and gave her a nod.
She clapped happily at the fact it was finally time for her to show off what she could do. "How big, can I please go really really big?"
"Elora, let’s not make it a problem, I'm only thinking we go 100 feet tall, and make sure you cover yourself up." Said Spike as he wasn't ready to get his ear fin chewed out by his aunt for any inappropriate dreams of young colts.
Elora sighed. "But that's no fun."
"I don't care, if we piss off Princess Celestia, than this would have be for nothing, and she does not handle massive creatures stepping on her pony's homes and places of work very well." Said Spike, he was 100% sure that he wasn't in the mood to handle getting his ear chewed out by his mother.
Elora sighed but she agreed to keep it at only 100 feet tall. "Fine, but just for that I want you to make me a cake."
"Fine, I'll see what I can do." Said Spike, Elora had a sweet tooth second only to his own mother.
Elora smiled as she got off Spike and walked away from the group. Once she was far enough, Elora brought both of her hands together and started chanting.
Spike looked at all the guards. "You might want to take a step back." That was enough for everyone to run away from the unknown ability. Soon Spike watched as Elora started to grow larger and larger, and with each moment she grew the more he was glad to have given her some really stretchy dresses.
Once Elora was 100 feet tall, her horns were the size of a two story house, her tits were the size of the ship, and her tail was as long as Spike's yacht, it was time for the world’s most dangerous villain to go see his mother. "Good, now we're heading to the castle, don't step on anything or anyone." Yelled Spike, it was the only way that he was going to be heard.
Elora nodded as that was the one side effect of her power, everything grew, including her vocal cords, meaning even with a single syllable, she could make anyone deaf. Elora grabbed Spike and placed him in her cleavage, somewhere Spike was all too happy to stay for the short trip, but there would be time for that later. She grabbed Tempest and Astral and placed the mare on her left breast, and the dragon on her shoulder. She then went for TX and Coco, once they climbed into her hand, she placed him on her other shoulder and Coco on her other breast. That left only Red, she was tempted to crush the little hell spawn, but Spike said no killing, and sadly that meant Red. So, she did a King Kong and kept him in her fist. Spike looked over the mounds he was wedged in and down to the ground. "We know the way, see you later." Spike then gave Elora's breast a tap, telling her it was time to move out. Elora nodded as she started making her way to the castle.
Stone Wall and his troops were at a loss for words as they just watched a 100 foot tall creature carry her comrades to the castle. "I have no idea what to put in the report."
Elora was happily walking along Canterlot's main street, as many of the ponies ran away in fear, but it wasn't because of the massive lady, but the fact that she was carrying Spike Drake, really put a lot of ponies into top gear. Spike chuckled at the sight of the snobbish ponies acting like foals. "Awe, sweet music." Said Spike as he leaned back into the warm fur of Elora.
"Spike, might I ask, what was it like living in Canterlot?" Asked Coco.
"Not bad, granted it's a lot funnier being back, but I really couldn't complain, I had some friends, granted they were Twilight's friends, but she was always nose deep into a book, so I hung out with them a lot. I went to the local school, after Celestia threatened the school board if they didn't allow me to attend. I had a few old haunts as well, Pony Joe's Donut Emporium, the comic book shop in downtown, and the office supply store, I bet they still have my plaque there, most visits in a year." Spike shook his head in nostalgia.
"Doesn't sound too bad."
"No, it was still pretty bad, ponies running away, calling the police just because I was a dragon. Heck I had a police record when I was 5, and I was just going down a street while Twilight was at the book store. Some ass hole noble saw me and demanded that I leave the city at once, I told him that I was just going to the comic shop and I walked away. So did he, straight for a police officer. I was arrested for trespassing in the city and taken to the station. Thankfully, they didn't put me in a cell, but last I heard of that stallion, his assets were taken by the crown, and he was banished from Canterlot. Since then every police station has been told that I am to be released and escorted back to the castle if it ever happened again."
Coco was a little shocked to hear that, she was from Manehattan, a place that was practically a melting pot for ponies and even a few small neighborhoods of other creatures. Just as long as nothing bad happened, everyone just went on with their day, but Spike was singled out just because he was a dragon. "Wow, I had no idea it was that bad, I'm sorry."
Spike shrugged. "It's what lead me to where I am now. Speaking of that, I see three very angry faces standing at the balcony in the tower, meaning that we've arrived." Spike gave Elora's breast a tap to tell her to slow down. "Elora, stop at the front gate, we can't just step over the wall."
Elora nodded as she was only three more steps away from the castle's gates. She stopped and started removing all of her passengers. Red was first, then TX and Astral, then Tempest and Coco, and lastly Elora dug Spike out of her chest and placed him next to the group. "Thanks Elora, why don't you go behind a few buildings and shrink down." Elora nodded as she walked behind some buildings and started to shrink down. That was another drawback, but not with her powers, but with her clothes, once they stretched, it took a few hours for them to go back to normal, meaning the second dress was a must have for her.
It took a few minutes for Elora to come back, and when she did, she got close to Spike. "So, did you have a good ride?"
"I'd give it a 10 out of 10, and the view was great." Said Spike, and he meant it both ways.
Elora smiled at hearing that Spike enjoyed the ride. "I'm glad to hear that." She looked at the two guards standing at attention at the gate. "Would one of you fine stallions be a dear and grab my dress, it's too big for me to carry it."
Both stallions looked at each other. "There will be no need for that, I'll send a group to gather it for you." Said Celestia as she walked over to the gate.
Elora looked at Celestia. "Wow, you're hot."
Spike sighed as this was already getting out of hand. "Elora, shut up." Spike looked at Celestia. "So, did you like my entrance?"
Celestia groaned as she had quite a few words for the display. "We will talk more in the castle, King Spike, please follow me." The gate was opened for the group and Spike followed his mother up the path to the castle.
When they arrived, Celestia ordered all the guards to leave her and not wanting to piss off their boss, they listened. The moment they were alone however, Celestia ripped Spike a new one. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" Yelled the very angry mother, and all powerful princess of the sun.
Spike looked at his mother with a dead pan look. "Are you done?"
Celestia took a deep breath and looked at Spike. "We are not done talking about this, am I understood?"
Spike nodded as he smiled at his mother. "Yes Ma'am."
Celestia smiled at seeing Spike again. "Now are you going to introduce me to all of your guests?"
Spike sighed as this was not him just bringing home some friends, this was a major meeting of the leaders of the world to deal with the land that he left lawless. But that was perfect for how he worked. "Well, this is someone that you know all too well." Tempest walked over and smiled at Celestia.
"It's nice to see you again, princess." Said Tempest.
"Hello Tempest, I have arranged for your room to be on the east side of the castle, I'll have a guard show you."
Spike sighed as he had a feeling this was going to happen. "Mom, Tempest is going to be staying in my room with me." His room was on the west side of the castle, and Celestia was going to make sure that Tempest was going to be as far from him as possible.
"We'll discuss that at a later time." Said Celestia as she tried to get Spike to forget about that.
"Tempest, west side of the castle, 12th floor of the tower, 2nd door on the right." Said Spike, Tempest nodded as she gave Spike a kiss. "Next we have Astral." The dragon bowed at the princess. "He's a great guy, a little wound up, but he's cool."
Celestia looked at the most dangerous assassin in Spike's employ, to this day Astral Flare had 246 confirmed kills, ranging from warlords to slavers to corrupt politicians, but oddly enough he had never killed anyone that didn't deserve it. "Yes, I'm well aware of his reputation."
"Next we have... actually, I think it would be best if we just let Red speak for himself." Spike stepped aside for Red.
"Hi, my name is Redsopine, I am possessed by 4 demons from another dimension, so if I don't seem like myself than it's one of them."
"Hey, we're not that bad." Said Gelu.
"Yes, we are, and it's always fun." Said Ingis.
"Spike can we go play yet?" Asked Terra.
"Will you three shut the fuck up, I'm trying to watch the show." Said Umbra.
Celestia looked at the stallion and was worried for both her sanity and Reds. Too bad the latter was already gone. "Well, I'm sure that they are all nice beings." They weren't when they were pissed off.
"Next we have someone that I would like to bring up during the talks." Spike waved TX over to Celestia and her heart broke at the young Kirin. "This is TX, he was born into slavery, and I want to make sure that the world sees the horrors that are born from it, in hopes to stop it. I have talked with him and he has agreed to explain what he went through, but he has all the right to opt out of it at any moment, am I clear."
Celestia nodded as she lowered her head to look at the young male. "TX, I promise you that as long as you are in this kingdom, you will never have to suffer again."
"Thank you, Princess, Spike and Doctor Newton have given me a new life, and for that I am grateful."
Celestia smiled at hearing that Spike was helping others even while he was turning the world upside down. "Well, just in case, I'll have my sister monitor your dreams."
TX smiled at the news. "Again, thank you princess."
"Next we have Elora, and you have a good idea of her personality."
Elora giggled as she got in between Spike and Celestia. "So, about this room, is the bed big enough for three?"
Spike pushed the Capricorn away from his mother. "Elora, stop talking like that, or you will be sleeping alone for the whole trip."
"BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Whined Elora.
"I don't care, I have enough trouble getting Tempest to stay with me, I'd rather not have to deal with you."
Elora pouted and went to a corner. "Well, I see you are still surrounded by interesting people."
"Interesting being very lose." Said Spike, interesting didn't even come close to what he was dealing with. "Lastly we have Coco Pommel." Coco walked over to Celestia and bowed at the princess.
"Thank you for allowing me to come Princess, I hope it's not a problem."
Celestia bowed her head at the mare. "Coco, it is no trouble at all, I'm happy to allow my ponies into the castle."
Now that the introductions were out of the way. It was time for Spike to ask the single question that would determine how bad this whole trip was going to be. "So, Twilight and the girls, are they here yet?"
"No they are not here yet, they are escorting the representatives from the Yaks, The Griffins, The Hippogriffs, The Abyssinians, The Zebras, The Dragons, and The Changelings." Said Celestia.
Spike sighed in relief, he was glad that they didn't need to deal with Twilight and the others just yet. "Good, but what about Bonnie, I was told that she was going to be here?"
"That is right Spike, and do not worry, I arrived last night under the protection of Princess Cadance." Said Queen Bonneble as she walked over to see her friend and host from a few weeks ago.
Spike smiled at Bonneble. "Well, how is her royal highness, Queen Bonneble of the Minitour republic handling her new job?"
Bonnie sighed, she was dead tired. "I had no idea that my father went through so much in a day. In just two days, I had to sign over 300 papers in an hour, open a hospital in the capital, talk with all my generals, lie about my uncles assassination, and deal with my court about who will be my husband now that my father can't arrange anything, and get 6 dresses made for the summit."
Spike laughed, that was par for any royal in the world. "Trust me it only gets worse. But here's a little help, first get a stamp with your signature, it will cut down on the hand cramps, second, get yourself a Coco, if you do not already have one, she has kept me on task more times than I can count."
"74313 times since I joined DRAKE." Said Coco.
"But she can, third, and this one will help a lot, hire a unicorn that can make a body double of you for all the fittings, less hassle when dealing with a packed schedule." Said Spike as he pointed to the mare.
Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "Really? I had no idea, do you have any recommendations?"
Spike hummed. "Well, I know a few of my employees have been looking for a new job, I could send a few your way to see if they will fit."
"Oh thank you, that would be so helpful. Now if you just had a chef that didn't scold me for wanting to eat more than 2 ounces of food a day, I think I could do this."
Spike laughed, that one request was the simplest yet. "That one is easy, learn to cook for yourself. They can't stop you seeing as you are the queen, no one can poison your food because you are the one that cooked it, and it always taste better than when someone brings it to you."
Bonnie gasped. "Really, I've always wanted to cook, but all the chefs told me to let them handle it."
Celestia sighed, she remembered the days when she wanted to make Spike breakfast, and she had to teleport all the chefs out so they didn't interrupt her. "Yes, but one ruler to another, the really stubborn ones are the best chefs and they will not back down without a fight."
Bonnie nodded. "Thank you princess."
"So, the summit, I'm guessing it's going to be in the meeting hall?" Asked Spike, he knew the castle like the back of his claw and the meeting hall was his favorite place to play with Cadance when they were younger.
Celestia nodded at the question. "That is right Spike, but the talks aren't scheduled to start until tomorrow morning, so please, for me, don't do anything too outrageous?" Celestia was worried that Spike would do something that could ruin the whole summit, or start a war, or pretty much anything that would end badly.
Spike sighed. "Well, I do want to see Princess Luna when she gets up for the night, and I want to see Princess Cadance when she has time, but I have a feeling that Tiberius is watching her, and Cadance needs to deal with Blueblood, so I think I'll just go play with Red on the other side of the mountain for a while."
Terra gasped as he ran to the door. "Outside, come on, I want to go outside, I got a lot of energy and it's driving the others crazy." Begged Terra.
"It really is." Said Ignis.
"Please tire him out." Begged Gelu.
"I want to strangle him so much right now." Said Umbra.
"Will you guys stop complaining?" Asked Terra.
Spike sighed as he looked at Red's most 'kind' demon. "Ok, calm down, I'm coming Terra." Spike looked at the rest of the gang. "The rest of you, just chill and don't do anything that would get me in trouble. I'm looking at you Elora." They all nodded at Spike as he let the pegasus outside to go play catch the bolder.
Tempest looked at Celestia. "Princess, is that guard on duty, we have a little matter to resolve?" Asked the mare as she cracked her knuckles.
"Tempest, I feel that is unwise, he does have a family, and he needs his legs to work." Said Celestia, she wasn't opposed to a friendly training match, but the look on Tempest's face was anything but friendly. "But maybe you would like to see the training halls and train for a while on a dummy?" That was the best hope.
Tempest shrugged. "That's fine, but just be aware that Spike will kill anyone that tries to make a pass at me." Tempest walked out of the hall and went for the training hall, she still remembered looking at the blueprints of the castle from when she was with the Storm King.
Ellora sighed as she stretched her arms and back. "Well, I don't know about you Princess, but my powers are great, but a lot of dirt and dust gets trapped on my body when I change, so is there a place I can get cleaned up?" Asked Elora.
Celestia nodded. "Yes, I'll have a guard escort you to the royal bath chamber."
TX stopped Celestia from getting a guard. "I don't think that is a good idea, maybe I should, I'm looking for a quiet place to relax, and I've read all the books in Spike's library. So is there a bath near the royal library that I can take Elora to?"
Celestia smiled at seeing that TX was a reader. "Yes, the castle has a very nice albeit smaller bath chamber not too far from the library." It was built for Twilight so she could get cleaned up after a long night, or three of studying.
TX nodded and grabbed Elora's hand. "Come along Elora."
Elora sighed as she was being dragged by TX. "Fine, but you act too much like Spike at times." Said Elora.
That only left 2, but when Celestia looked to see Astral and ask what accommodations she could provide, all she saw was Coco. "Miss Coco, where did Astral Flare go?"
Coco hummed as she looked at the sun. "Oh, it's his meditation hour, so I'm guessing he's in the garden."
"Really, he meditates? I wouldn't have thought."
Coco nodded, she had a rudimentary knowledge of all the staff at DRAKE. "Yes he does, it helps him focus on what he is doing while fighting."
Celestia smiled at the news. "Well, that is very smart. But that leaves you, what would you like to do?"
Coco pulled out a camera and took a picture with the princess. The flash stunned Celestia for a moment, but it was not as bad as Pinkie's. "I've always wanted to see the capital, but before all this happened I had never left Manehattan. So I'm going to be walking around, see the sights, and maybe go see Canterlot Carousel, but this is my vacation, and I'm going to make full use of it." Coco smiled as she walked out of the castle to start her sightseeing.
Celestia blinked as she was now alone. "Well, interesting was right." She just had a new view of everyone that Spike brought, and it was weird. She turned around and walked away to handle the last tasks for the summit.
After a few hours of playing with Terra, the score was 8 Spike holes in the mountain and 5 Terra holes. "I WIN!" Cheered Terra, he just buried Spike into the mountain with a 5 ton boulder going fast enough to force Spike 20 feet into the mountain's rockface.
Spike climbed out of the 9th him hole and smiled at Terra. "Good job Terra, that last toss was a great one." Terra tossed the boulder over 200 feet in the air and it landed right on Spike.
Terra smiled as he had so much fun with Spike. "Thanks Spike, do you want to play again?"
Spike looked to the sun and noticed that it was around 3 in the afternoon. "Sorry Terra, it's time for us to call it a day."
Terra sighed but he surprisingly understood. "Ok, but we will play again right?"
"Of course we will, I still owe you for that double rock to the face. But, knowing the others, something has happened and at least 1 of them will be locked up." Said Spike.
Terra laughed at the joke, as he took to the sky and started flying back to Canterlot. Spike sighed, it was probably time to face his past, but he really hoped it was not going to happen. "I hope nothing happened while I was gone." He activated his jetpack and took off for the castle.
When Spike and Red got back to the castle many of the other rulers had arrived and were talking with each other in the main greeting hall. But the moment Spike and Red landed, all that talking died and everyone's eyes were on Spike. Spike chuckled nervously, he was never one for so many eyes on him. But the silence was broken when a 16 year old Yak Cow with little horn nubs ran out of the crowd and smiled at Spike and Red. "Redsopine, Spike!" Cried the youngest ruler in the crowd, Queen Yona of Yaks.
Red smiled at the little Yak. "Greetings Queen Yona, I hope your rule has been going smoothly after my visit?"
Yona smiled as she nodded. "Yes, now that I make Yak border open to all, many ponies and griffins come to home and we are trading much more." That was the whole problem, the coup that killed her uncle was a group that believed that their minimal contact with the other races was a sign of weakness from the, at the time prince, Rutherford. They believed that generations of yaks had survived in isolation and if they allowed others in, it would destroy their way of life.
Spike smiled at hearing that. "Great, I got the report from Coco, but I had a feeling that you would get a hold on things quickly."
Yona bowed her head at Spike. "Yes, now I wish to discuss the matter of your payment, I am Yak and Yak's best at repaying debt."
Spike chuckled as he shook his head. "Yona, not now, and don't worry, I'm not looking for any repayment, I was associated with your uncle when I was younger, and we became friends, this was a favor to honor his life that was cut short." It was true, before all of this, Spike was the sort of ambassador for Equestria, he had met Rutherford a total of 5 times before he left to become a villain and in that time, Spike had become friends with the yak. That was why when he got news of his death, he send the most destructive of his employees to handle things.
Yona sighed, she missed her uncle very much, and being tossed into the role of queen at 15 years old was not easy for her. But right now was not a time to talk about the past, but to talk about the future. "Very well, but to honor my uncle, Spike is honorary Yak." Said Yona happily.
Spike bowed to the queen. "Thank you for this honor, Queen Yona. But I must be off, I believe that I'm missing a few characters from my group, can we catch up later?" Asked Spike. Yona nodded as Spike and Red walked through the crowded hall, looking for the others.
Red looked at Spike. "Spike, why didn't you get payment?"
Spike smiled as he looked at Red. "Simple my dear nut job, there is only one thing in the Frozen North that I want, and it's also a problem for Yaks. The Yeti is a monster that has lived in a cave near the main road for centuries. For years that beast has killed many creatures, and that has left a large pile of treasure and powerful artifacts lost to time, just waiting for a new owner. I'm planning on going to get them soon, and since I'm now an honorary yak, I can travel to Yakyakistan when I desire."
"Oh, can I help?" Asked Red, it's been a while since he was able to let the others go nuts.
Spike shook his head. "No, I want TX to handle it. New G has been working on a new version of his arms and I think that it would be the perfect test run." Said Spike as they reached the other side of the hall, where standing at the side was the former dragon lord, and she was talking with Thorax.
The latter of them noticed Spike and looked worried. "Thorax, what's wrong?" Asked Ember, she turned around and looked at Spike. "Dragon Lord Spike?" Ember dropped to one knee to show her respect.
Spike sighed as he looked at Ember. "Ember, you are still the Dragon Lord, I'm just the drake with the scepter." He looked to Thorax and smiled at his old friend. "Hey Thorax, I got your card, and you are free to come to Macro City when ever you want. We have a great changeling population on the east side, and I'm sure they would love to see the king."
Thorax nodded, he had learned about the small collective that moved to Macro city after Chrysalis was banished. "Thank you Spike, I might have to come visit soon."
Spike smiled at hearing that Thorax was coming to visit. "Great, there is so much to do, we can go fishing on my boat, oh maybe we can go see a play and we could get dinner afterwards, I have to show you my HQ." Said Spike happy to know that he was going to spend time with his friend again.
Thorax smiled, that was the Spike that he knew. "Sure, I'll make some time this month to come visit."
"Sweet, now I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation, I need to go find..." There was a loud crash and Spike just sighed. "Sorry, I need to go handle that."
Thorax nodded. "Good luck."
Spike and Red walked over to where the commotion was, and after swimming through a sea of power, it turned out not to be that bad. Prince Blueblood, a bulky white unicorn with a blond gold mane was on the ground with Tempest's hoof on his neck. "WHAT PART OF HANDS OFF DIDN'T YOU GET!?"
Spike walked over to Tempest and smiled at her. "Hey, I'm not going to stop you, he probably deserved it, but Celestia might see otherwise, so tell me what happened."
Tempest growled. "Jackass just asked me what it would cost for an hour in his bed chamber, then he grabbed my flank." Said Tempest as her hoof was still on his neck.
Spike shrugged. "Ok, have fun." Said Spike, he was not going to stop her right now, Blueblood really deserved what was coming.
Tempest growled as she looked down at the piece of trash under her hoof. "No, you know what, I'm not going to lower myself by stepping on a bug." Tempest released Blueblood and walked over to Spike.
"Oh, now I get it, the only way that little lizard would ever find a mare, was if he bought her." Said Blueblood as he rubbed his throat.
Spike sighed, this was already on thin ice and now Blueblood was adding a blow torch. "Blue, I'm warning you now, I'm doing my best to stay civil, but you're trying me." Said Spike as he tried to walk away.
Spike growled, it was one thing to insult him, but he loved Tempest, and no one insults the mare he loved. Spike turned around and grabbed Blueblood by the throat. "Blue, I'm going to give you until the count of three to say you're sorry for insulting my mare." Spike then activated his micro missiles and they were all aimed at Blueblood's head. "If you don't, well then there will be a very large stain on the ground."
But before Blueblood could say anything, a pink alicorn with a gold, rose, and magenta mane delivered a earth pony strength punch to his face. Making Spike drop the stallion. "Right, I forgot you get really pissed when someone makes fun of love." Said Spike as he looked at his cousins.
Cadance sighed as she fixed her dress. "No, I just always wanted to do that." She looked at Spike. "Spike."
"Cadance."
"Please follow me, I've already told everyone what he did, and I'm sure that almost every female in the room would have finished him."
Every female in the room nodded, from Queen to servant, they would have done it.
Spike nodded as the group followed the princess of love out of the party, as the group was walking, Spike looked at Tempest. "So, how was your day?"
Tempest shrugged. "It was actually fun, I got to work out a bit, I destroyed a few training dummies, and took a quick bath in the royal bath. Then Elora dragged me to get into this stupid thing." Tempest was in a sexy black dress, and it was great on her. "But, I see that Red is still kicking."
Spike rolled his neck and a few pops could be heard. "Terra won our game of catch."
"Yeah, I'm going to be feeling that in the morning." Said Red as he followed behind.
Once they were far enough from the party, Cadance opened the door to a study. It was a normal study, large bookshelves, soft sitting places, a fireplace for when it was cold out, and sitting there was everyone. "There you guys are, I was worried that at least one of you were going to be in the dungeons."
Everyone looked to Elora. If anyone was going to end up there it would be her. "Hey, I'm not that bad, why do you guys think I'd be the one who would get sent to the dungeons?"
Spike sighed as he took a seat near the fire place. "Elora keep it together, I'm not in the mood."
Cadance sighed, she had been talking with each of them for the last hour and she knew that they all trusted Spike, but she didn't know if Spike trusted them back. "Spike, what do they know?" Asked the princess.
Spike shrugged. "Just about everything, been keeping a certain thing close to the chest for a few hours, but short of that, I trust these guys with my life and all my secrets. They know about Celestia being my mother, and they know about my relationship to the girls."
Tempest nodded as she kissed Spike's cheek. "Spike, thank you for defending me."
Spike smiled as he took Tempest's hand. "I love my mare, and I'd do anything to make sure she is happy. So if that means I kill my asshole of a cousin, so be it."
Cadance groaned at the amount of love that just hit her face. "Ok, Aunt Celestia better get ready for the wedding."
Spike nodded, he knew that Cadance could feel love, and he knew that Tempest loved him and he loved her. "Cadance, why is everyone here?" Asked Spike, it was good to see her again, but he was planning on talking with her later.
Cadance sighed, this was going to be hard to explain. "Spike, I need your help."
Spike looked at Cadance. "My help? But you're a strong ally with Mom, why can't she help you?"
Cadance groaned at the reason. "Spike, there has been word going around that a revolution in the Empire is in the works."
"What? Why would the crystal ponies do that?" Asked Spike, this was the first he's heard of this.
"Since most of our trade is coming from Canterlot, which has a strong embargo with Macro City, many of the crystal ponies are demanding that I cut all ties with Aunt Celestia and ally with you, so they can help the hero of the Crystal Empire."
Spike leaned back and whistled. "Damn, I had no idea it was that bad, I just got a case of wine from them a week ago, but a revolution?"
Cadance nodded. "Yes. But I will not harm my subjects for wanting to see you. But the longer this goes on, the harder it will be to contain before it goes too far."
Spike rubbed his eyes. "Very well, I will come to the Empire. Besides I need to deal with something in the north, but this is getting ridiculous."
Cadance sighed, she had seen it all. "Spike, many of the ponies wanted to go to war with Canterlot after they found out about your bounty. So I'd say I've done great keeping it contained to this point."
Spike sighed. "I'll come after I'm done in Somnambula."
Cadance smiled. "Thank you Spike."
Spike smiled at his cousin. "I missed you Candy."
Cadance smiled. "I missed you too Spike." Cadance then looked to Tempest and gave her a smirk. "Now tell me all about her."
"No, I'm going to tell Mom and Aunt Luna later tonight, so you can wait until then." Said Spike.
"NO, I can feel the love from you two and it's driving me nuts, I got to know."
Spike got up from his seat and all the others followed. "Tonight, I promise." Spike opened the door so everyone could go to the party.
But once the door was closed Cadance sighed. "Spike, we might not have until then."
Down stairs, in the dungeon, Twilight and the rest of the girls were sitting in a cell, the moment they arrived with their escorts, they all planned to confront Spike. Celestia tried to stop them, but it took Discord removing their horns and wings to get them into the cell. "Twilight, I have made a deal with Spike, you are not to have any contact with him and he will not leave." Said Celestia as she was pacing at the cell door with Discord dressed in a sheriffs outfit sitting behind a desk.
"No, Princess Celestia, I just want to talk with him, I'm sure I can help him see what's wrong, and we can get him back." Cried Twilight.
Celestia rubbed her head. "Twilight, I don't have time for this, I'm already 20 minutes late, I haven't greeted any of the guests, and I'm pretty sure that Blueblood has already caused a problem."
"He fucked up really bad, asked what it would cost him for a hour, then he grabbed her flank. Spike almost killed him soon after." Said Discord.
Celestia groaned at the news. "And now I got to deal with Blueblood."
"He deserved it." Said Discord.
"Right. Discord, I don't want them to leave this cell until I get a promise from all of them to behave, this is too important to screw up and I'm not in the mood for a war." Celestia walked up the large stone stairs to join the party, while Discord tilted his hat to cover his eyes.
Twilight looked at Celestia walk away from them. "This is impossible, the princess must have a plan, and knowing her she must know a way to get the old Spike back, and everything can go back to normal."
"Sorry Princess of Denial, this is all set in stone, there are no plans for a take over, no plans for getting the 'old' Spike back, no plans to do anything aside from save my tail."
Fluttershy walked over to the door. "Discord, are you talking about the Sphinx from before we met?"
Discord nodded at his marefriend. "That's her Shy, and sorry about this, I don't want her coming for you either so I need Spike's help."
"Sweetie, is she really that bad?" Asked the mare.
"No, she was very nice, but that is not why."
"Then why do you need Spike's help, I'm sure the princess could help?" Asked Rainbow.
Discord shook his head. "I doubt it, seeing as Spike's her father."
Rainbow started laughing. "Come on, Spike's only 23 there is no way in hell that he's the father of a chick you banged 2000 years ago."
Discord chuckled as he was about to drop the biggest bomb ever. "It all started 30000 years ago. The world as we knew it was very different, the sun and moon moved on their own, the creatures of the world lived in wonderful piece, and nothing was wrong with the world. No war, no famine, no untimely deaths, and all because of one guy. Heathspike Talon Heart, a benevolent god by every meaning of the word. He was blessed with many gifts, but the one that is important right now is he is immortal. Not like me, he will die, but he will always be Spike. It is his destiny to always bring others together, and listen to me when I say this, Spike is not the 'old' Spike, until three things happen. First he will strike out on his own, and travel away from his family. Second, he will find a creature that he truly loves, and bring a new life into this world, driving him to make sure that they are safe. Lastly, he will bring a long lasting peace to the world until he is forgotten and you mortals screw it all up again. Then he is reborn into a diffrent race and his job starts again.
"Really, I find all of that hard to believe." Said Twilight, she would have read something about past Spike's and to her knowledge, there was nothing.
Discord sighed as he opened the desk drawer and pulled out a photo album. "You tell me, and don't go looking at the creature, look at the soul." Discord tossed the photo album through the bars.
Twilight doubted that this was all true, but they were stuck in a cell and they couldn't get out. She turned to the first picture and her heart nearly stopped. Standing around a multitude of creatures was the spitting image of Spike. "Dragon Lord Talon Heart the day that he announced that he was having a child. The order gets messed up a bit, but they always happen." Said Discord.
Rarity looked at the next photo, and sitting on a throne was of a purple furred diamond dog with green eyes. "King Heart Claws, of the ancient dog kingdom. Denied his title and traveled the world helping dig irrigation, tunnels, foundations for homes, and fields for crops. Became a ruler on his own hard work and warm smile."
Fluttershy found a hippogriff Spike. "Really, he was a hippogriff too?"
Discord nodded. "Lord Sky Talon, and before you ask, yes he was the one that imbued the pearl with the magic, but it was to allow others to travel by both sea and air, and spread the peace he was destined to spread."
"Here's one with Spike as a Yak." Said Pinkie.
"Yeah, that's where it all came from, Yak's best at everything was because back then, Yak Spike was really best at making peace and for generations Yak's became best."
"Oh, here's the one where you slept with his daughter." Said Rainbow.
"Knowledge Keeper, Lord of the shifting sands, Sand Feather, wises creature to live, and the one responsible for negotiating the end of hundreds of wars, but saved millions of lives."
Twilight turned to the last page but it was missing. "Wait, where is our Spike?"
Discord sighed. "Twilight, I can't take one of this Spike yet, he is a king, he did strike out and forge his own path, and he's really close to the last one, but before this, no Spike has ever been this different. Heck, I remember a Spike that was a pacifist, and refused to fight anything. Sure there were some that had to fight as well to bring upon a better life, but our Spike is throwing that into the wind, I wonder why?" Asked Discord.
Twilight closed the book and looked at Discord. "No, I refuse to believe that this was all because of me."
"Generations of Spike's tend to disagree, a strong family, loving parents, the occasional chore to develop a work ethic and strong morals. But like every good thing, too much of it can turn bad. Overworked, over looked, ignored, this Spike as had one of the hardest life growing up, and I've seen one where he was born in a war zone and almost starved when he was a few months old. So either, he's done caring or something really screwed him up."
"No, if this was all true, than why would you deliberately cause chaos, it would be inevitable that you would fail. More over, why is it after so many generations, I find it hard to believe that this would be the first to change?"
"Twilight, the world can not exist without both harmony and chaos, much like a coin, both sides are needed to keep the balance. I will never die, but Spike will always die, but he will be brought back when he is needed. Meaning I do my thing and he shows up. Technically we are enemies, but after so many lives and getting to know the past Spikes, we started getting close to each other after around Spike the 4th, besides, when he's around I can take a vacation." Said Discord as he started chewing some gum.
"Does Spike know about this?" Asked Rarity.
Discord shook his head. "He has no clue, I always end up telling them when they are about to die, and oddly enough they always believe me at face value. I think when they sense it is time, they are able to see it for themselves, but I don't really know." He looked to Twilight. "So, Little Miss Princess of Friendship, how does it feel to know that you might be the cause of preventing world peace, and more over, making it harder on Spike to achieve interspecies friendship?"
Twilight turned around and got onto the cell's bed. Fluttershy looked at Discord and noticed that he was actually crying from under his hat. "Discord why are you crying?" Asked the mare.
Discord wiped his eyes as before anyone could see. "It's nothing Shy, it's just very dusty in here."
"Discord?" Asked Fluttershy as she didn't buy a single word.
"30000 years and you get close to a guy, ok. I watched him die and come back, and for years I am waiting for him to return. I want him to be the Spike that I know, not the same Spike that only shares a passing resembles of his former selves. That is why I want him to see his daughter, I want the last living creature to finally brake the cycle and force him back on track. And the only way to do any of that is to lie to him."
"So, you never actually slept with his daughter?" Asked Rainbow, she was starting to get confused.
"No I did, I just didn't know it was her until after, that's why I got my ass out of there and never called her." Discord got out of his chair and tossed the keys on the ground just out of reach for the girls to grab. "Here's a test, get the keys and if you still think it would be best, I'll stop time for you all and Spike. But know that things aren't going to be easy for anyone." Discord snapped and changed into a fancy three piece suit. "I'll be back in an hour." Said Discord as he walked up the stairs to party.
All the girls aside from Twilight looked at the keys. "So, we're getting out of here right?" Asked Rainbow.
"I don't know, we all saw them photos, and we all heard what Discord said." Said AJ.
"But, maybe if we talk to Spike, then we can at least fix some of the damage we caused." Said Pinkie as her hair was a little flat.
"I don't know dear, we all did our part, dismissing, forgetting, degrading, ignoring." They had all seen what they had done to Spike, and they felt horrible about it, but they wanted to help, that was the whole point with confronting Spike.
"Don't bother, it's like Discord said, it's my fault for screwing with Spike's destiny, so I'd rather just forget about seeing him." Said Twilight as she laid down on the bed and looked at the wall.
Hours later, it was time for Spike to meet with his whole family, and the perfect place for that was somewhere very special to Spike.
Celestia was sitting in large chair, behind her personal desk, in her bed room, Luna who had just woken up for her shift was drinking a cup of coffee on the bed, and Cadance, who had just gotten Flurry heart down for her bed time was trying her best not to fall asleep, raising a toddler was not easy. "Sister, I know that we all agreed to meet with Spike, but why are we not doing this in a meeting chamber?"
"He said that it was a personal thing, and that he wanted to talk to all of us."
"Well can he hurry up, Flurry runs like a clock, she's up every 2 hours and right now he's eating into my sleep." Said Cadance.
There was a knock on the door and since there wasn't any cries of pain, that meant that Spike was able to arrive. "Come in Spike."
Spike opened the door and he walked in, but he wasn't alone, he was actually with Tempest. "Hey mom, Hi aunt Luna, thanks for staying up to meet me."
"It's fine Spike, but what is so important that I am missing my bed, before Flurry decides to wake up?"
"And why is she here?" Asked Celestia.
Spike gave a nervous chuckle. "Mom, seeing as it concerns her, I thought it was only fair."
Celestia looked to Spike, then to Tempest, then back to Spike. "No, Spike Drake Solaris, you better not tell me what I think you're going to tell me, or so help me, I will ground your tail for so long."
Spike looked away from everyone in the room. "Ok, I won't."
Tempest sighed as she was going to need to do this for him. "2 weeks in, I found out from Doctor Newton after my physical, Spike got the message during our flight."
All three princess looked at the mare and Spike gave a chuckle. "So Mom, are you ready to be a grandma?"
Celestia started to chuckle. "Sorry, I must of miss heard you, did you just tell me that Tempest is pregnant?"
Spike looked at his mother's face, and he had only seen that look on it once before. "Well, it looks like it's time for bed, I guess we'll leave you to your beauty sleep." Spike picked up Tempest and tried to run for the door, but the moment Celestia noticed that her son and his mare friend were trying to escape from her, she used her magic to pick them both up.
"Spike, tell me the truth, are you going to have a child?" Asked Celestia.
Spike looked at his mother. "I am going to be a father."
"And you're sure that you are happy with Tempest?"
"I nearly killed Blueblood for insulting her."
"Not a stretch there Spike, now tell me."
"Mom, I love Tempest, more than I ever loved anyone before, I want to see her every day, I want to always see her smile, and I will kill anyone that makes her upset."
Cadance started groaning at how much love was being shoved down her throat. "Ok, stop, I'm going to throw up."
Celestia sighed as she tossed Spike over to Luna so she could talk with the mare. "Now, I have a few little questions for you. First, do you love my baby?"
Tempest looked dead into Celestia's eyes and gave her answer without a second thought. "He's an idiot, a comic nerd, a know it all, and to top it off he snores so loud it feels like an earthquake, but if he was none of that, I couldn't see myself loving him as much as I do."
"Are you going to break his heart?"
"No." Said Tempest simply.
"Can I see my grandbaby when they are born?"
"Just don't spoil them rotten."
"What color are you thinking of, for the wedding?"
"No clue, I never thought about it when I was younger, and really never when I was with the Storm King."
"I was planning on asking Coco to be the planner." Said Spike, he was planning to ask Tempest to marry him, but Celestia kinda got there first.
"Oh, good idea, I was thinking Elora, but she would make all the dresses lowcut, and way too provocative." Said Tempest.
"Hence Coco." Said Spike.
Tempest looked back to Celestia. "So, anything else, it was a long day and I want to go to bed."
Celestia sighed as she placed her soon to be daughter in law back on the floor. "No, that's about all I had."
Tempest smiled as she grabbed her dragon from his aunt. "Come on Spike, I want to have some fun tonight."
Spike shrugged as he was being dragged by his soon to be wife. "Well, good night." Said Spike as he closed the door.
Cadance looked to Celestia. "Well, that was something."
Luna did the same. "I agree, I had no idea that Spike was going to be a father." Said Luna as she took a sip of her coffee. "Sister, you seem to be taking this better than I thought."
"Yeah, about that Luna, I never did tell you that since Spike's getting married, he's technically going to be King of Equestria." Luna looked at Celestia as her coffee poured onto the bed.
"WHAT!?" Cried the Alicorn princess.
"It was a law before our mother's time, and before alicorns ruled the nation. Many royal families decided that if the heir marries then the king or queen at the time must relinquish the throne for the next generation to rule, something about keeping the mind sharp and harder for corruption. I found mention of it when you were gone, but before I found Spike's egg, I thought it was never going to amount to anything, and for nearly 1000 years, it didn't. But when Spike was hatched, I actually found the law and it states that only the nobles can repeal this law, meaning that we are pretty much retired the moment Spike says I do."
Luna sighed, but then she remembered her niece. "Than what about Cadance, she is married, and she is not ruling?"
"She is also not my legal daughter, sure I took her in, but in the eyes of the Equestrian law, I have only one child, Spike Drake Solaris."
"So, we're out of a job?"
Celestia nodded. "Yep."
Cadance sighed, it was past her bedtime, and Flurry's 11 pm wake up was only 63 minutes away now. "Make sure to come by to see Flurry, she loves seeing her Grandmas." Said Cadance as she walked out of the room.
Luna sighed as she was late for work as well. "Well, Tiberius is probably worried, I'm going to Night Court." Luna finished her coffee and used her magic to pull the amount off the bed. "Good night Tia."
Celestia watched as her sister closed the door and the moment she did, Celestia cheered happily. "My Baby is having a baby, my baby is having a baby." She then looked down at her body. "Shit, I am hot for a grandma. WOW WHO!"
The next morning, Spike woke up to the sight of Tempest sleeping face. "My god, this is all real, I'm so happy."
Tempest groaned as she rolled over. "Spike, sleepy, I'll tie you to a pole if you wake me up again."
Spike chuckled. "Sorry Tempest, I'll leave you alone."
Tempest rolled over again and grabbed Spike's arm. "I never said you needed to leave."
Spike smiled as he kissed her face. "Sorry, but the meeting is going to start in an hour and I need to get ready."
Tempest groaned as she needed to get up then. "Fine, I'll join you in the shower."
"No, you just rest, I can handle this." Said Spike as he tried to push the mare back down.
But Tempest wasn't going to be some stereotypical pregnant mare. She grabbed Spike's hand and was tempted to crush it. "Spike, I love you, I really do, but I will not be treated like a helpless mare, at least until the doctor tells me to, am I understood?"
"Fine, whatever it takes to keep my hand." Begged Spike.
Tempest smiled as she released the hand. "Good, but Spike, please don't treat me like some helpless mare, I am a fighter, and that's what I'm good at."
Spike sighed as he didn't want to argue. "Fine, but New G will be the final word. If he says you're done then you're done."
"Deal. Now, let's get cleaned up and get some food, I'm starving."
"Please tell me no cravings, I've seen some strange things because of the Cakes and Cadance."
"Normal breakfast you idiot, but an egg with peanut butter does sound tempting."
Spike sighed as he walked to his personal bathroom. "Then make it yourself, I call any food like that an abomination."
Tempest giggled as she got out of the bed and joined Spike in the shower.
After the shower and breakfast, it was time for Spike to attend the royal summit. All of the rulers were in the center of a large theater-style room, sitting at a large round table with a hole in the middle of it for the current speaker. The rest of the attendees were going to be, any guards, advisers, or important figures that could grant some insight into what conditions would entail for their home. Spike was sitting with the royals while the others were sitting in the stands.
Spike looked around at the other royals, there was Yona, Thorax, Ember, the Zebra's king Zim, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight with her horn and wings, Novo, Bonnie, the Abyssinian Queen, Queen Nayru, The Deer's king, Spectral Antlers, The Saddle Arabian's King, Haakim, the Diamond Dog's pack leader, Lady Gold Paw, The Kirin Queen, Rain Shine, Seabreeze the Breezie oddly enough, Representative of the Griffin kingdom, Grandpa Gruff and lastly there was Spike.
Celestia cleared her throat as she was the head of this summit, it was her job to kick things off. "We are gathered here today to determine what is to be done with the lawless territories that were once the Storm King's empire. We have brought representatives from each race to allow us a sense of what has been going on, they will be brought forward at a later time, but for now, let us talk." Said Celestia.
"My home, Mount Aris was terrorized, to the point that we had to abandon our ancestral home and flee to Seaquestria." Said Novo. "For years we lived in fear of that creature finding us and destroying the last remaining hope that my Hippogriffs held for returning."
Spike sighed as he looked at the queen. "Queen Novo, I do respect your perspective of what the Storm King did, but let me tell you something, your Hippogriffs got off easy."
Novo growled as she got to her feet and glared at Spike. "You have no right to speak Mister Drake, it was you who threatened me to tell the fate of the Storm King by using my daughter's life."
Spike shrugged. "That's right, I'm also the one that traveled behind him for 2 months, and saw first hand what he did, and let's not kid ourselves, that area was pretty bad anyway. Slavery, torture, corruption, murder, theft, war, famine, pestilence, I've seen it all, and I was glad to kill that prick, that has allowed us all to come together and make it better for not just the people that live there, but for all of us to see what is happening outside of our homes when all we care about is our land. In fact, I have a personal friend that was born and was sold off to a rich asshole that treated him as less than any living creature should." Spike looked over to TX and nodded.
TX took a deep breath as he walked down to the table, and everyone saw the state of the Kirin subspecies. "Hello." Said TX.
Spike nodded as he was there for support. "My first memory was of being used as forced labor for my masters third home, I was only 5 at the time. I didn't have a name, only a designation number, number 149. From what the others that were sold in my group tell me, is that my mother was sold off after she was... Raped by her former master, I have no memory of her, but I have always felt that she loved me very much. From what I was told, she was being used as a servant during a trip, she fell to her death during a storm. I was left alone for the next 12 years until I had my chance to escape that life. I used the farming tools that we were allowed to use and after months of work, I was able to fashion a shiv. So the first chance I had, I stabbed the guard that was in charge of my cell in the throat. I stole his keys and freed all of my fellow slaves, but by that time, it was chaos, the guards were cutting us down left and right, and the beasts they used were not letting us get too far. That is what happened to my arms." TX removed his left arm and showed the large implant that allowed him to move it. "The beast tore my arm off and nearly destroyed my right. Thankfully it left after that, thinking that I was going to die, but I didn't, I tore the small clothes that I was allowed to have and did my best to stay alive. I ran for what seemed like years, bleeding, starving, unsure how to read, every step was powered by the fear of my master killing me for everything that had happened, or worse. I do not know how long I was running, but in my condition, I doubt it was that long. I resounded to my fate in hope that I would finally see my mother in the afterlife, but that's when I learned that Fate had other plans for me. Spike had been on a job and he happened to be camping not too far from where I was passed out."
Spike nodded. "I did my best for him, but I am no doctor, so I did the only thing that would have saved his life, I amputated his other arm and cauterized them both. Poor kid was so tired he didn't even move when I burned his shoulders. I placed him at my campsite and gave him some water, then I decided that I had to do something, there was a 17-year-old kid, with scars far deeper than the physical ones, and I was no idiot, I knew where the hell I was. So systematically, I destroyed every slave owner's home, slave auction house, and anyone that tried to stop me met the same fate. To this day, I have freed 1300 slaves and if this summit works, then I hope that I will never need to free a slave again."
TX nodded. "I woke up three days later, and after getting hit in the head by Spike's tail after I tried to run away, he gave me something I never thought I was going to dream of, a full meal. I ate more food than I was given in a week in a matter of moments and then he gave me even more. That's when I figured out that Spike was not going to enslave me, or even going to turn me in for a reward, he was actually helping me to show me kindness."
"From that point, I avoided any location that could cause TX to relapse, and after we traveled for a week, we regrouped with my ship, and my chief of R&D, and medical both physical and mental helped me turn that nearly dead child into the Kirin we see here." Said Spike.
TX walked out of the center and over to Spike. "Spike, is that all you need of me?"
"Yes, thank you, TX. If you want, you can leave, I know that was not easy for you."
TX nodded and walked away from Spike. Spike looked out to the rest of the rulers. "I have made a deal with him, I am allowed to call him for jobs, and maintain his arms, in exchange he promised to live his life as he wishes, if he wants to return to his land and go on a warpath, then I would not stop him, if he just wants to leave that in the past and start a new life somewhere I would honor his decision. I do not pity him at all, I respect him, for overcoming the horrors' that he endured. And here's the real kicker, I saw slavers and slave alike, from almost everyone's race. So I motion that as the first act of this summit, is that we abolish slavery no matter who is in charge because, at this point, they are all scum."
Celestia nodded. "All in favor?"
"Aye." Said Everyone.
"All opposed?" Asked Celestia, and not a single person said a word.
"Great, it shouldn't take too long." Said Spike as he popped open a panel on his large fist, and pressed a button. "And there, all slave owners have been captured, all auction houses have been destroyed, trafficking networks have been eliminated, and depending on what has changed since I got my intel, around 1.2 million slaves have been freed and are being recovered by DRAKE personnel and will be returned in a matter of days to their own kingdoms." Spike closed his panel and smiled. "Great work everyone."
Celestia glared at Spike. "Spike Drake, what is the meaning of this?"
"Celestia, do you think I was going to take the chance that it was going to be denied? No, I have had armed DRAKE soldiers stationed and ready to make a move if anything happened, with an overall command to instantly wipe out any slavers that were thought to have found out. But right now, I have just taken out around 4000 slavers, auction house runners, slave captures, and transporters." Spike raised his hand to his helmet. "So, how is the recovery going?"
"All known targets eliminated sir, minimal casualties reported, 3 so far."
"Good, get the port to dispatch all the ships you can and start processing everyone, task the more educated to act as interpreters and make sure to feed and clothe them. We are going to make the main port into a large scale supply depot, cancel all incoming and outgoing ships that hold more than 3 tons of cargo, any smaller are allowed to ferry people to and from the mainland."
"Sir." Said the Soldier as he relayed the orders.
Spike smiled as he looked at the others. "Now, I motion for your aid in the processing and supplying of all the newly freed slaves, I will offer all my personal to transport, but I do only have an island, while I know that the Minotaur Republic has great deals of tools that could be helpful to get them on their own feet. While Equestria could provide much-needed food stocks and possible land for them to stay. King Zim, I know your land is full of powerful healers, so I would like to request aid in treating injuries. Queen Novo, I know that right now we are not on the best terms, but these people have nothing to do with us, I know that the seafloor holds many resources that could be used in conjunction with King Zim's healers to aid the healing process. Yona, can I count on you and your Yaks to act as protection? Many of them have been slaves for their whole lives and will not go easily, I'm not asking you to hurt them, just hold them long enough for them to see that we are only there to help them. Princess Luna, I know you are only one mare, but I believe that my intel was not complete, so if it is possible, I would like for you to delve into the memories of as many creatures as you can and determine if we missed anyone. Princess Cadance, King Thorax, I hope that we can utilize your extensive knowledge of emotions to help guide them as psychologists. Queen Nayru, King Haakim, many of the slaves have never seen some clothing that would be helpful, I know that both of your lands are known for fabric production, I can commission many of the Garment districts in Macro City to aid in the production of clothing if we have the supply. Lady Gold Paw, Dragon Lord Ember, I am asking for your aid in financing such an operation. Gold Paw, I will cover the value of the gems that I have stolen from your kingdom as a majority of your share, but I'm hoping that you will agree to cover the rest. Dragon Lord Ember, I have seen the power of the bloodstone, and I will use it to make each dragon with a large enough horde relinquish 30 percent of it for the effort. But it would be more impactful for the unification of both dragon and the other races if the dragon lord doesn't need to force it. And just so you know, this isn't much of a request, more like, hostage-taking, I plan on getting everything that is needed one way or another, so let's make it your choice."
"THAT IS TOO FAR!" Cried Celestia.
"Celestia, what is too far? The fact that at this very moment, over 1 million former slaves are being freed from a life that was determined if the next day was going to be their last, or the families that were torn apart just so some guy didn't have to fork over some extra money, oh how about the brutal torture that many endured just for a simple mistake. Death, rape, abduction, enslavement, how far is too much to make sure that none of this will ever be a cause of suffering again?"
"I will provide for any that need my help." Said Bonnie as she stood up and joined this effort willingly.
"Yaks, are best at aiding those who need it." Said Yona as she got to her feet and joined willingly.
"My healers are at your disposal." Said Zim as he was not going to leave his ally when he is in need.
"I shall send as much of my lands fabrics as I can along with as many skilled artisans as it takes." Said Nayru this was a noble cause and she was not going to abandon these people.
"So will I, an army of tailors will be arriving at Macro City in a matter of days." Said King Haakim, his country used to be slavers as well before it was abolished, and it still is a stain on their history. He was not willing to allow it to spread again.
"Fine, I will send as many scouts as I can to find medicinal items from the seafloor." Said Novo, Spike was right, her personal feelings should not doom others.
"I will agree, but it may take some time for our mines to produce enough to make such an impact. But I can also provide materials for housing in exchange." Said Gold Paw.
"I'll make it a contest to see which dragon is the most dragon by giving up some of their hoards." Said Ember.
Luna stood up. "I will do my very best both in the waking world and the dream world."
"We would be happy to provide any psychological assistance that will be needed." Said Cadance and Thorax, they all had experiences of being forced into servitude, and they were going to do anything they need to help.
"What of us?" Asked Seabreeze, Rain Shine, and Grandpa Gruff.
"Right, here is the thing, I don't know enough about your lands to know where you can help."
Grandpa Gruff growled as he threw his fez at Spike. "You dumb dragon, we griffins are the perfect mix of speed and strength, we can transport as much food or water as 10 pegasi."
"Yeah, we breezies have stockpiled pollen, we could increase crop yields for at least 5 years to help them develop."
Rain Shine growled as her main became flames. "We can help in transportation, we Kirin's are just walking boilers." Rain Shine looked to TX. "Young TX, tell me, what of your species of Kirin do you know?"
"None, I was the only one of my kind that I had ever encountered while I was enslaved."
"I see, you are a Drake Kirin, while I am an Equine kirin, there are not many similarities, but from last I spoke with the other tribe, we still share many of our beliefs, I want you to know that you will be welcome in Perilous Peaks if you ever wish to learn about your kind."
TX bowed his head. "Thank you."
That only left two of the royals. "I will start preparations for homes and infrastructure for all that wish to stay here and abroad. Craftsmen and architects are something we are not lacking in Canterlot as well as protection via the royal solar and night guards."
"Princess Twilight, I want you to help my company process and provide the necessary accommodations for each individual." Said Spike as he got up from his seat.
Celestia, Luna, Cadance, Twilight, and all the girls who were in the audience were shocked to see Spike actually address Twilight.
"It's been fun princess's, but I got a company to run, and a wedding to plan with my secretary, I'm out for the day." Spike looked at his crew and they all got up and followed Spike out.
Celestia blinked at how Spike just organized a large scale network of aid relief and relocation in a matter of minutes. "Um... meeting adjourned for today?" Celestia banged her gavel, but no one was moving, they were all still discussing what they could do and who they would best be able to help.
Outside, Spike was smiling at being able to help so many people in one go. "Spike, I hope what I said was helpful?" Said TX.
Spike nodded as he looked at TX. "More than we will probably ever realize, thank you for going through that."
"So, you and Tempest?" Asked Elora.
"Yes, and no, Coco is doing the wedding."
"But I had so many ideas for gowns."
"How many of them would make it harder to start the honeymoon?"
