A Spyro/MLP crossover where Spike learns how to be a dragon under the teachings of the famed hero.
After Spike's growth spurt, Celestia decided that its time for the young dragon to be taught what it means to be a dragon. So she contacts the distant universe of Avalar and asked Spyro to teach the young drake, which of course Spyro accepts. Now Spyro must deal with training a dragon who doesn't act like a dragon, keeping the populace of Ponyville under control, and fighting off the remains of the Dark Master's forces who have somehow followed him. Luckily he's got Cynder and Sparx alongside to help...right?
EDIT: Very late in saying this bu thank you everyone for getting this story to be featured. Means a lot to me.
Basically this is a T-rated crossover that takes place after the events of Dawn of the Dragon. I should mention that this story will contain spoilers for anyone who hasn't played that game. Of course, I don't own anything except for this story.
Funny thing I've notice is that there haven’t really been a lot of Spyro/MLP crossover on this site; as far as I know. So I decided to try my hand at it. I've decided to start this story now as a way to keep myself busy while waiting for ideas to be submitted for Lake of Reflection. As before, I would like to have an editor to assist me in this story; specifically one who has experience editing crossover. Send me a P.M if you are interested. On that note, here is the first chapter.
Chapter One: The Beginning
Celestia was reading the latest friendship report when she heard a knock on her door. Curious as to whom it might be, she said in her regal voice “Come in.” She watched as the door opened to reveal her sister Luna. Celestia couldn't resist the warm smile that was showing on her face and said “Luna, it’s lovely to see you. How are you doing today?”
Luna returned the warm gestured and replied “Fine as always dear sister.” Luna then notice the scroll that was floating in her sister’s magical aura and asked “Is that the newest friendship report?”
Celestia nodded her head in agreement and motion for Luna to join her. Celestia knew that her younger sister had developed a sort of fascination with reading the reports her faithful student sends. Of course her sister always did have a curious side to her and it was something that Celestia encourage as long as it wasn't anything too dangerous.
Luna got herself comfortable and started reading the report. Unlike her sister, Luna was more prone to skimming text then actually reading them. It was mostly due to the fact that she wasn't as use to the real technical details of ruling yet but she was improving at a well enough pace.
When Luna was finished, she looked at her sister and said “We are surprised that Twilight’s assistant was able to cause such a commotion.”
Celestia nodded her head in agreement and added “He is growing faster than I had thought.” Celestia grew quiet as she started to ponder this rather strange situation. She didn't expect to have to deal with this problem so soon but fate seems to think otherwise. Thinking out loud, she added “He will need a teacher…”
Luna interjected by saying “What do you mean sister? Twilight has shown to be a rather good role model for her assistant and you told me of your time taking care of him while he was a hatchling.”
Celestia shook her head and replied “You are right dear sister. However, What Spike really needs now is…a role model.” Luna looked at her sister with a confused expression before Celestia added “A dragon who can teach him what it means to be a dragon and help him control his…unique powers.”
Luna asked in a quiet tone “Unique powers?” However, before she had a chance to elaborate, Celestia rose up from her spot on the rug and started walking out of her room. Luna was surprised by the sudden action and said in a slightly louder voice “Wait sister; where are you going?”
Celestia looked back at her sister and said “I need to speak with someone.” She looked at her sister and her expression grew softer before adding “You can come if you like.”
Luna nodded her head and started to follow her older sister. Although the two princesses were silent; Luna couldn't help but think about who her sister wanted to contact. The question was already forming in her mouth but before she had a chance to speak; her older sister chimed in “We’re going to see the Chronicler.” Luna tried to get more details from her older sister but Celestia remained silent; her thoughts already creating scenarios about the future. Chamber of History: White Isle
“I’m glad that repairs are coming along” Ignitus mused as he gazed into his reflection pool. He watched as moles, cheetahs, and dragons were working together to finish restoring Warfang back to its original glory. Once again, Ignitus felt a sense of longing worm in his heart. Ever since his sacrifice and eventual restoration as the new Chronicler; he would often feel the need to be able to leave his sanctuary and stretch his wings as it were. However, the few times he tried; he would always feel a sudden loss of strength that would force him to return back to his chamber.
Ignitus couldn't help but give off a depress sigh. He knew that being the Chronicler was one of the highest honors a dragon could receive. However, spending the rest of your existence almost stuck in a kind of partial life where you no longer need to eat, drink, or sleep but still feel the existence of body does take some time to get use to.
Still, Ignitus did enjoy having the ability to watch over all of his friends and allies. Often he would pull out that familiar purple book and turn to either the last entry and see if anything interesting happened or an older entry. Of course, that also applied to the smaller black book that represented the life of the one dragon he was unable to protect from the darkness.
His mind once again started to remember those moments that seemed so long ago. He remembers the hours teaching Spyro, the purple dragon who was destined to save the world and who Ignitus thought of as a son, what it truly meant to be a dragon; and Cynder, the dragoness who managed to find redemption after being free from her darkness. Ignitus was deeply proud of their accomplishments and knew that they both deserved the peace that they had fought so hard to achieve.
Suddenly, Ignitus felt a sharp pain in his head which caused him to break his train of thought. He was unsure as to what might have caused it and fearing the worst; started pulling books out to find the source. However, it was then that he felt a kind strange energy moving throughout the chamber. However, that strange energy appeared to be coming from a door that Ignitus didn't even realize was there.
With slight caution, Ignitus made his way over to the door and opened it to find himself staring at what appeared to be a full body mirror. The mirror, despite it looking like it hadn't moved in a long time, looked clean and new. Patterns danced around the edge of the glass which appeared to be images of dragons and horses.
Ignitus decided to take a closer look and his eyes widen in surprise as the glass started to glow a faint yellowish color. The glow flashed a brief moment, blinding his eyes under the intense glow. Ignitus quickly covered his eyes with both a paw and a wing as he waited for the glow to die down. Eventually, when he felt the glow start to receded; he heard a voice say “Chronicler? It’s been a while.” Ignitus noticed that the voice had a very light, motherly tone to it which almost caused the former fire guardian to lower his guard. Still, whoever it was hadn't attacked him yet so there was a chance that diplomacy could be used. Ignitus slowly lowered his paw and wing only to have his eyes widen in surprise.
Appearing as a reflection in the mirror were two horses that didn't look like any horses Ignitus had ever seen before. Both of them had a dominant looking horn that appeared to be attached to their heads and they also looked to have a pair of wings as well; but they were folded to their body at the moment so it was hard to tell what they looked like in detail. However, that was where the similarity ended. One of the horses was larger in size compared to the other one and had a snow white coat. Its crest appeared to be dyed to give the appearance of a rainbow and also gave the allusion that it was flowing in the breeze. The smaller horse had a coat of midnight blue with a crest that looked liked it belonged on a clear night sky. Each of the horses were wearing what appeared to be a type of chest plate and a crown, though the white one’s appeared to be made of gold and the blue one’s a lighter blue color to contrast with its coat. While the older horse had a rather calm expression on its face; the younger one was standing in awe.
Ignitus was curious as to where the voice had come from and said “Whose there?”
The older horse tilted its head in confusion before saying “You don’t remember me Chronicler?” Ignitus was of course surprised by the fact that the horse was able to talk and speak in a language that he was able to understand; he tried to not let it show on his face. At this point, he was willing to bet on anything happening. Still he decided to play along and replied “I assume you are referring to the last Chronicler.”
The white horse looked confused and asked “last Chronicler?”
At this point, Ignitus guessed from the tone of its voice that the horse was a female. Taking a quick glance at the younger horse; he noticed slight similarities between it and the older mare. If he had to take a guess, he would say that the younger horse was female as well. Looking back at the white mare, he said “When was the last time you spoke with the Chronicler?”
The mare briefly pondered the question for a moment before saying “The last time I spoke with the Chronicler was during the Year of the Dragon. I remember that there was much talk over some kind of special dragon.”
That didn't help Ignitus much but he didn't let his frustration show. He guessed that these horses weren't from around here so it wouldn't be too hopeful that they would be able to give any details. Pushing that thought aside for the moment; Ignitus decided to try a new line of questioning in order to get some answers. Looking back at the white mare, he said “What is your reason for contacting me?”
The white mare looked back at him and replied “I require the service of the purple dragon. The one you refer to as ‘Malefor’.”
Shocked dominated the dragon’s body upon mention of that name and his mind had almost frozen in fear. Trying to regain control of himself, he asked in a rushed tone “How do you know that name?”
The white mare, much to Ignitus continued surprised, looked confused as she replied “ Isn't that the name of the purple dragon that was born when I last contacted the Chronicler?”
Realization hit Ignitus’ mind as he tried to process this new information. He took a few calming breaths to relax his body and mind as well as to regain his sense of composure. Looking back at the white mare, he said in his best speaking voice “Much has happened since you last contacted, white mare. I feel that it is in our mutual interest to get us on the same page.”
The white mare looked at Ignitus with a strange expression and asked “What do you mean?” Her eyes widen in what appeared to be fear before adding “Has something happened to Malefor?”
Ignitus looked at the white mare and said “As I said, it would be best if I inform you of events that have happened since your last contact.” Ignitus got himself settled down before adding “Before we do; might I be blunt here for a moment in asking for your name.”
The white horse gave a gentile smile and replied “You may call me Celestia.” She gestured towards the younger mare before adding “and this is my younger sister Luna.”
Ignitus nodded his head to each of the horses before saying “Before I was named Chronicler, I was known as Ignitus.” Really hope you all enjoy this story.
“I believe I understand,” Ignitus mused after he had finished listening to what Celestia had said. In truth, he wasn't sure what to make of it, considering that assuming what she said was true, then there was still a threat to the Dragon race. Of course, he didn't mention it to the white ruler, since it was a matter that was reserved for his world.
Still, Celestia did give the former Fire Guardian much to think about; Ignitus felt like she was being honest, but there was still that one part of him that urged caution, convincing him not to give out any sensitive information unless he was asked directly. Above all else, he wanted to get a full understanding of what she was proposing; his mind began to work on sorting out all the information that was available.
From the surface, Celestia was merely asking for a dragon to act as an instructor for a dragon in her world that was under her care. Careful questioning had lead to her reason for asking Malefor specifically, the dragon in question was purple, and Celestia assumed that the best teacher for a purple dragon would be another purple dragon. Of course the first thought that came to Ignitus was Spyro, but Ignitus was reluctant to just send him off on an assignment without at least giving him a choice.
With that in mind, Ignitus told the two sisters about how Malefor had fallen from grace and attempted to destroy the world. He then went on to say that Malefor was now long gone, and how the world was saved. Celestia looked somewhat disappointed by the news, but Ignitus was quick to inform her that he might be able to offer a replacement. She tried to press for more details, but Ignitus was firm, stating, “The dragon in question should at least be given the choice, correct?” Based on that logic, Celestia agreed.
As far as Ignitus understood, the assignment didn't seem to be very dangerous or taxing. However, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that there was more to this assignment then he knew. Still, he had the advantage in terms of diplomacy, considering that it was Celestia asking him for assistance.
He looked back at the horse and said, “If who I am thinking of accepts your offer, how would they get there in the first place?”
Celestia gave a small smile and replied, “This mirror also functions as a kind of portal. However, it doesn't have enough power for the teacher to get to her. Instead…” Celestia’s horn started to glow, surprising Ignitus, though he hid it well. He watched as she lifted up two scrolls and tossed them at him. At first, he thought that they were just going to hit the mirror, but instead they passed through it and landed in front of him. Celestia added, “Before you ask, scrolls are much easier to teleport then creatures, and don’t use a lot of energy.” She cleared her throat and continued, “These two scrolls should be able to get whoever you send an audience with me. By my estimations, the portal should put them close to a town. Once the teacher is there, he or she should find someone by the name of Twilight Sparkle and give her that scroll that has the moon wax on it. The other one is to get him or her into the castle to meet with me.”
Ignitus nodded and watched as the mirror started to fog over before clearing up to show an image of a forest. Ignitus assumed that was the location that to portal was going to end. Ignitus made his way over to his reflection pool to contact Spyro. Several weeks later
“What do you suppose the Chronicler wanted to ask you?” Cynder asked as they approached the entrance to the main chamber.
“It must be something big if he asked for the hero of Avalar,” Sparx remarked while lying on top of his adopted brother’s head.
“Well…whatever it is, it sounded important.” Spyro stated, still trying to figure out what exactly was the problem.
Still, Spyro was at least glad to be reunited with his foster brother after all this time. They had met while he and Cynder were traveling to The White Isle after Spyro got a strange dream from the Chronicler asking him to come to his home. When Spyro asked what the problem was, The Chronicler merely stated that it would be better to talk to him in person.
Sparx also said that the reason he was here was because he had a similar dream about Spyro needing him on some big adventure. Though there was still a bit of tension between Sparx and Cynder, the overall hatred was nonexistent. It got to the point where they would tolerate each other, though they still on occasion makes jokes at the other’s expense.
Though it had only been a year since the war, that year had been kind to the two dragons. Spyro’s overall muscular build was becoming more dominant and his wing spam had gain another few inches in order to compensate for the new weight. Cynder, on the other claw, had grow slimmer and more aerodynamic in build while still maintain her female qualities. The one major difference was that she had finally replaced her old silver choker and braces with a set of gold and ivory braces and choker with the choker having a ruby, diamond, an amethyst, and a emerald gem cut into the metal. In Spyro opinion, it truly brought out her eyes and captured her image perfectly.
Spyro was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a familiar voice say, “Welcome young dragon. It’s good to see you again.” Spyro looked over at his friends and saw their shocked expressions before looking at the source of the voice and was shocked himself.
What Spyro saw was the Chronicler in all of his glory. However, there was something off about him. For starters, when Spyro first heard the Chronicler speak during the Night of Eternal Darkness, his voice had an air of wisdom and seniority to it. This voice also had that air of wisdom but there was a fatherly tone to it as well. Also, the overall physical appearance was completely different then what Spyro remembered. In fact, the more he looked at the Chronicler; the more he looked like…
Spyro took a hesitant step forward and asked in a hushed tone, “Ignitus?” The Chronicler looked at the purple dragon for a moment before softening his expression and giving a small nod. Spyro entire body surged with joy and relief before shouting, “Ignitus!” Ignitus didn't have a moment to flinch before he felt Spyro rushing up to him and hugging one of his legs. He could feel the tears of joy on his scales and he couldn't help but start to feel his eyes watering up a bit. He looked back at Cynder and Sparx and saw that they both had an expression of disbelief and shock, but they soon got over it and made their way closer.
After a few moments, Ignitus gently lifted his leg out of Spyro’s grasp and said, “I know how happy you must feel young dragon; however, I didn't call you here just for a reunion.”
Spyro wiped the reaming tears he had and asked, “But…how?” He felt a comforting paw on his shoulder and turned his head to see Cynder offering to help support him, which Spyro was glad for but respectfully declined.
Ignitus started to make his way back to the room with the mirror as Spyro, Cynder and Sparx following behind him. As they were walking, Ignitus told the story how after Spyro and Cynder saved the world, he was chosen to become the new Chronicler for this age of peace. Since then, he had been watching over the two dragons in addition to his guardian brothers and the city he fought hard to protect. Cynder and Sparx were asking questions on how some of their friends were doing, but Spyro kept his peace, basking in the relief and joy of seeing the dragon that he looked up to like a father. Eventually, they made their way to the mirror, Sparx asking, “So what’s with the funky mirror?”
Ignitus slightly rolled his eyes before replying, “Supposedly, this mirror is actually a portal that connects our world to another.”
Cynder looked up at him with a curious expression and asked, “Another world?” It was then that her tactical mind registered a possible thought and she asked, “Does this have something to do with why you summoned Spyro?”
Ignitus looked at Cynder with a sense of pride in his eyes. He knew that she always did have a keen mind for these kinds of things; it was one of the few reasons she was so successful back when she was a general for the Dark Master. Ignitus nodded his head and replied, “You guessed correctly, Cynder. Earlier, someone from that world contacted me and asked for something rather…strange.”
“What do you mean by strange?” Cynder questioned.
Ignitus looked back at the mirror and answered, “She asked for a teacher to train a dragon that was under her care.”
Sparx interjected at that moment by saying “So…what’s so strange about asking something like that, that doesn't sound too bad.”
Ignitus looked at the dragonfly and explained, “Because of the fact that she knew the Dark Master by name and asked if I would send him to be the teacher.”
The room was silent as the two younger dragons and dragonfly absorbed that information. Ignitus could see the cold terror in Cynder face, no doubt recalling her nightmares when she was corrupted by the Dark Master. Spyro and Sparx both appeared to be recalling all the struggles they had to go through because of Malefor. They could at least see why Ignitus was so concerned about this.
Spyro looked up at Ignitus and asked, “So what do you want us to do?”
Ignitus gave a small smile, but Spyro noticed that the smile didn't quite make it to his eyes. Ignitus looked at the mirror and said, “As much as I want to decline this offer, I cannot, in good consciousness, ignore a plea for help.” He looked at Spyro and said, “Spyro, I need you to go into this world and train that dragon.”
Spyro was slightly surprised and objected, “But what if it’s some kind of trap or something!”
Ignitus nodded his head and answered, “I’m fully aware of this. However, from what this lady has told me, the dragon in question is of a good heart. The reason she asked for the Dark Master was not because of the fact that he was the Dark Master, but rather because he was a purple dragon. That gives me the impression that this dragon is also a purple dragon.”
Cynder spoke up by saying “So she believes that the best teacher for a purple dragon is another purple dragon?” Ignitus nodded his head in agreement.
Sparx gave a short laughter before commenting “This is going to be so funny seeing Spyro trying to teach this dragon when he doesn't even know the first thing about teaching.”
Though Sparx was acting somewhat immature at the moment, he unwittingly brought up a valid point, one that caused Spyro to looked at Ignitus. Ignitus saw the question in his eyes and reassured Spyro, “Teaching a young one can be challenging, but I know you will do a fantastic job.”
Feeling better from Ignitus’ compliment, Spyro said, “I guess I can give it a try.”
Ignitus felt a sense of pride inside of him as well, this situation reminding him of the past. He pushed those thoughts out of his head and said, “Do not worry too much, young dragon. You will have Cynder and Sparx there to assist you, and I don’t plan on sending you off without some supplies.”
Spyro and Cynder watched with curious eyes as Ignitus made his way over to one side of the room and lift up two sets of saddle bags. One of them was colored purple and had an ‘S’ stitched on the side. The other was black in color and had a ‘C’ stitched on it. Ignitus placed the two saddlebags in front of their respective dragons and explained, “They’re packed with various essential items you might need. There are also red and green crystals in case you get injured or need to need to regain your energy. Also...” he added opening the saddlebags with his telekinesis, pulling out two similar blue, smooth stones. “These are stones that I have managed to enchant so that you will be able to contact each other or myself. That should allow us to remain in touch with each other. Lastly,” Ignitus continued, placing the stones back into the bags, before he pulled out a set of ordinary, dull brown capes. “ I've managed to place a charm on these capes that should allow you to blend in when you are there. They won’t make you invisible, but will make others see what they perceive as normal. However, this will only work so long as you have the cape on and the hood up.”
Spyro and Cynder nodded before Ignitus gave them the capes to put on. Once they were all in place, they helped each other with getting their bags secured to their bodies. Sparx helped with that part the most, since his smaller body was able to weave through the loops and make sure that everything was secure. Once everything was in place, Ignitus lifted the two scrolls and handed them to Spyro. Spyro looked up at Ignitus, waiting to hear the explanation for the scrolls. “I was told that before you are to begin teaching, you are supposed to meet someone by the name of ‘Twilight Sparkle’ and give her that scroll with the moon wax seal. The other one is used to meet with Celestia, the one who asked me for a teacher.”
Spyro nodded and placed the two scrolls in his bag. As he finished, Ignitus continued, “Once you all are in that other world, it will be hard for me to send anyone else. I trust you all to make the best decisions that are available. Remember that you can always contact me if you need any guidance.”
“I understand Ignitus. I promise to my very best,” Spyro promised, his eyes burning with conviction. If he was truthful to himself at this point, he was glad to be starting a new adventure. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the peace that he helped to bring about, but there was always some small part of him that was eager for excitement and adventure. Cynder was also feeling the same way, but she was also enjoying the idea of imagining what her life would be like without her past haunting her. Sparx, of course, was glad to have another adventure with his brother; even if Cynder had to tag along.
Ignitus looked at their faces and saw the determination in their eyes, which caused some of the doubts that had been plaguing him to come to rest. Ignitus knew that he could trust them to handle whatever came their way. Rising up to his maximum height, he said in a commanding tone, “Good luck, young ones. May the Ancestors look after you on your quest.”
Spyro, Cynder and Sparx nodded their heads at Ignitus before turning to face the mirror. They each took a glance at the others and saw the same thing: the rekindled excitement of a new adventure with new discoveries awaiting them. A silent agreement passed between them, and a moment passed before all of them raced to the mirror. It was fortunate that the mirror was wide enough so that Spyro and Cynder were able to pass through with Sparx passing above them. The mirror shimmered when the two dragons and dragonfly passed through it, like the glass was made of water, before settling down to its normal clear state. Ignitus continued to watch the mirror even after that, his mind giving silent prayers to the Ancestors for their safety. I would like to take this moment to thank Magical Trevor in helping to make sure I don’t botch this story grammatically. Magical Trevor ~ I’m sure I missed a few things here and there, but hopefully you all noticed a slight difference in your reading pleasure. (And I wouldn't object to another volunteer helping me either. xD)
Spike watched the rising of the sun with a sense of contentment. He wasn't a dragon to ask for much, especially after what happened on his last birthday, and reflected on the things that he did have. For starters, he was kept well-fed, and the work he did as Twilight’s assistant has kept him in decent shape. He was surrounded by such good friends that understood him and treated him as if he was a pony. He was the only dragon that he knew of that knew Celestia on a rather special level, having spent his youngling years being care by her.
And yet, the drake felt as if there was something missing in his life. He wasn't sure what it was, but despite all that he had, there was still a sense of longing that he couldn't quite make out. Sure, he hadn't had much interaction with his own species, but from what experience he had was enough to make him feel like an outcast.
There was also the fact that after the whole birthday thing, he started to experience a kind of hunger inside that appeared never-ending, no matter how many gems he consumed. Twilight tried her best, but books relating to raising dragons or their growing cycles were few and full of contradictions. They tried contacting the Princess, but she only replied that she would send something soon to ease the problem.
The young dragon sighed and was about to start his morning choirs when a sudden flash of pain hit him. He quickly hissed out in discomfort as he started to rub his forehead in an effort to relieve the tension. Strange enough, the pain was gone just as fast as it had appeared, leaving Spike to look back at the sun, thinking “I wonder what that was about?”
Whitetail Forest
The portal wasn't as bad as Spyro had originally thought. Compared to the time he escaped from Convexity, carrying Cynder with the effects of the battle starting to take their toll, this journey was as calm as a gentle breeze.
Eventually, the portal dropped them off in a forested area. However, the forest had a peaceful aura around it which put the purple dragon slightly off edge. He had been used to going through forests where there was a hint of danger hidden in the air; this one didn't. Curious, Spyro took a slight whiff of air while his sensitive tongue darted out to taste it. It was hard to understand; Spyro was still unsure as to why he had such a natural response to unfamiliar patterns. Whatever the case may be, Spyro didn't ‘taste’ anything wrong. Still, it didn't hurt to get a second opinion.
Turning his head to look at Cynder, he asked, “Do you smell anything?” He watched as Cynder repeated the same muscle motion that he did and waited for her response. One thing that Spyro has learned over time was that Cynder wasn't one to give out an immediate answer. She preferred to take her time with a problem so she could find the best solution to whatever came her way. It was one of the few reasons that she was so effective when she was previously corrupted.
Cynder looked back at Spyro and answered, “I don’t smell or taste anything strange.”
Spyro nodded and replied, “That’s the problem.” He noticed the confused look on Cynder and continued, “ Shouldn't there be the subtle taste of uncertainty and fear? Or even being able to smell the scent of a successful hunt?” Spyro noticed how Cynder’s eyes grew in realization and he knew that she was on the same mindset as he was.
Sparx interjected, “Sounds like to me that we’re in a forest that isn't trying to kill us, which is okay in my book.” He landed on top of Spyro and gave him a playful slap on the skull before adding, “You need to stop worrying so much there big guy.”
Spyro and Cynder gave a small chuckle before Spyro replied, “I guess you're right, Sparx.” His eyes narrowed and a smirk formed on his mouth before adding, “For once in your life.” Sparx looked shocked from his brother’s comment and felt a little annoyed for leaving such an opening for his brother to take advantage. Sparx wasn't mad at him, in all honesty, but it was a rare moment when Spyro was able to get in the last word. Cynder was delighted with herself as she watched the playful banter between the dragon and dragonfly brothers.
It was at that moment that Cynder realized that, despite all that she has seen and done, she never really had much of a chance to make any female friends. She had noticed them during the war, tending to the wounded or helping with repairs, but she was never given the chance to actually talk to them. Of course that was most likely due to the fact that she was magically chained to Spyro at the time, and her mind was more focused on the possibility of confronting the dragon she once called master. Even when the war was over, she and Spyro felt that it wouldn't be such a good idea to return to Warfang. They didn't want to have to deal with all the headaches and stress of being war heroes, and felt that their peace was best spent with each other and the freedom that they had fought so hard to achieve.
Thinking back on those days, though short as they were, she reflected that they were some of her best memories. Though like most joyful memories, they were left with a slightly darker tone under them. In her case, it was a feeling the likes of which she had never felt before. Cynder knew where this feeling had come from, during the final moments where she thought that the world was dead and the last thing she was going to see was the dragon who gave so much to save her. However, she now wondered if she had really meant what she had said back then. It could have been a spur of the moment feeling, the sense that you were at the end and knew that whatever you said, it wouldn't have any kind of consequences? Or did the vision of Spyro glowing with the power of Convexity paint such a heroic image to her that it caused the feeling of love to flare and give her the courage to speak three words that have such depth and power behind them?
“Hey, Cynder, are you okay?” Spyro asked, causing the black dragoness to snap out of her silent monologue. Cynder nodded before looking around and saw to her surprise that Sparx was currently missing. She looked back at Spyro and was about to voice her question before he interjected, “He’s off trying to find some kind of village or settlement that is nearby.” He paused for a moment before asking, “Are you sure you're okay, Cynder? It looks like you were lost in your thoughts.”
“Only when it comes to you.” Her mind noted but refrained from voicing. Instead, it was now realizing that she was, once again, in a moment where it was just she and Spyro, alone. Free from dangers of having Sparx making the situation unbearable, her tactical mind started to figure out if this was a good time to ask Spyro the question that would either cause her heart to soar in the heavens or fall to the ground. They were alone at the moment, and the spring-time feeling of the forest had the scent of new life and discovery about it. It was at the forefront of her thoughts, and Spyro had already broken the ice and given her starting ground.
Bracing herself for the answer she both hoped and feared, she looked at Spyro and asked, “Spyro, do you remem…”
However the Ancestors were not in Cynder’s favor, because before she had a chance to finish her question, a blood curtailing scream destroyed the calm atmosphere of the forest, startling the local wildlife and breaking both Cynder and Spyro’s train of thoughts as they tried to identified the source of such a scream. Spyro was the first, recognizing it from a childhood memory, saying in a worried tone, “It’s Sparx! He must be in trouble.” He turned and looked at Cynder and added, “Come on, Cynder!”
Cynder nodded and the two dragons raced off towards the source of Sparx’s wail. While thoughts of dread and worry filled Spyro's mind, Cynder was feeling equal parts relief for the distraction and annoyance that even with him gone he was able to find a way to make her miss her chance. “Whatever it is Sparx”, she thought while running alongside Spyro, since their cloaecks limited their wings, “it better be something I can take my frustration out on or it will be on your head.” So finals are a few weeks away, which is partially the reason why I’m late with finishing this chapter. I do hope that this chapter is worth the wait. On an unrelated note, I may be holding off on updates until after I've finished with my final. Ponies are distracting me from my studies and it is not the best time to be having that.
Here is the next chapter for you all to enjoy. I really am thankful for the positive feedback.
Chapter 4: Introduction
Sparx had never known real terror until now. It was a strange thought, considering all that he had seen and been through. True, he was afraid most of the time, but he always managed to mask it with his witty banter, and the fact that he could count on his brother to make the problem go away.
Yet now he was fully aware of what it meant to experience real fear. It was the kind of fear that made his entire body and soul freeze, and left him at the mercy of whoever was there. He tried to recall the events that had happened up until that point, which wasn't that difficult since it was constantly flashing in front of him.
He recalled Spyro asking him to go and look for some kind of town or village where they could get information. He remembered asking why he had to do it and the answer that he got being one that left him in a rather distraught mood.
He hadn't gone too far when his ears heard a familiar flapping pattern. Drawn by it, he had found a clearing that was populated by dozens of butterflies. Already his stomach growled from the sight of his favorite food and figured that he deserved a chance to get a quick bite to eat. Catching them proved to be no trouble for the dragonfly and was delighted to discover that they had a very rich taste to them.
What happened next came as a blur as the moment he was about to eat his tenth butterfly, he heard a rustle coming from behind him. He quickly turned around and only had a chance to let out a scream of terror before his eyes were locked onto a pair of demonic cyan eyes.
So here he was, in a staring contest with those same cyan eyes that just appeared to drill a hole into his psyche. He felt that whoever this was knew every bad thing that he did in his life and then some. They were eyes that rivaled the glare that Cynder would give him whenever he made a joke at her expense. It was a stare that made him feel like he was less than nothing, a disgusting stain that didn't deserve to exist and was about to be put down without any kind of sympathy or care.
“Do you realize what you've done?” A voice sounded in his ears. The voice was hard, edgy, but had an undertone of sweetness to it. It reminded him of when his mom would scold him for something he did wrong and he found himself falling more into that fear. He didn't even realize that those eyes had a mouth and voice to them. It was a wonder that he was still able to maintain his hovering despite the fact that his entire body was petrified.
Then he heard a new sound, the sound of bushes shaking followed by a distant voice saying, “Sparx! Are you there?”
It was at that moment that those horrible, demonic cyan eyes broke contact with him. He instantly felt a large surge of relief flowing through him, which caused him to regain control of his body. He vaguely heard a clopping sound but was unable to identify it before falling to the ground in relief.
Or he would have hit the ground if Spyro hadn't caught him. He knew that it was his brother because he could recognize that familiar body heat that Spyro seemed to create. Once again, he was thankful that his brother was able to drive away whatever it was that was scaring him and Sparx took a moment to collect himself.
After a very brief moment to recover, Sparx got off of his brother and said, “Thanks for the save back there. Of course, I had everything under control, mind you.”
Both Cynder and Spyro rolled their eyes before the purple dragon asked, “What happened?”
Sparx quickly shouted, “Aw man you should have seen it. One moment I was minding my own business having a quick snack and the next thing I know I’m staring into a pair of cyan eyes that seemed to numb my very soul.”
Spyro looked around the clearing and commented, “I don’t see anyone else.”
At that moment there came the sound of faint rustling which caused the two dragons and dragonfly to tense up, waiting to see what was going to happen next. Eventually, the noise died down and the clearing became strangely silent.
Attempt to maintain that silence, Cynder said in a hushed tone, “Spyro…I do believe that whatever attacked Sparx is still around.”
Spyro nodded his head before raising his voice in a loud enough pitch to be heard but not angry, asking, “Hello? Is there anyone there? If there is, can you please come out so we can try to work something out?” They heard a small squeak followed by some more rustling. This time, they were able to locate the source of the rustling coming from a nearby bush. Glad that they were able to locate it, Spyro lowered his voice to a more gentile tone and said, “I apologize if we scared you. Can you please come out from behind that bush so we can talk?”
The bush halted movement and Spyro just barely heard a voice say, “O…okay.” The bush then started to part way and what came out caused various degrees of surprise from Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx.
What they saw was what appeared to be a kind of miniature version of a horse. Though unlike the horses that Spyro and Cynder saw after the war, this one was dyed with a coat of light yellow and had a long, pink mane. Spyro notice that the overall shape and build of the small horse would place it as a female and he was able to notice what appeared to be a pair of wings that were folded, though he was unsure as to how this horse had managed to acquire a pair of wings in the first place. Spyro also noticed the cyan eyes that appeared to be full of fear, but also had a soft expression under that fear. It was the complete opposite of what Sparx described and it left Spyro wondering if this was the right one.
Putting that notion aside, Spyro tried to put on his best calm expression and tone before asking, “Hello there. My name is Spyro, what’s yours?”
The small horse appeared to have been scared, despite Spyro trying to make his voice quieter, but he was just able to hear her say, “I… I’m Fluttershy.” Apologize for the short chapters but I really want to try and not rush this too much so I can get feedback. Let me know if the pace is good enough or if I should speed it up a bit.
“Oh…my,” was all Fluttershy could think when she was facing Spyro. She knew that she wasn't as brave as Rainbow Dash or as tough as Applejack, but even still she couldn't remember the last time she felt this nervous before. There was something about him that just seemed to cause her legs to be turned into jelly and her breathing to rise in tempo.
The only conclusion that she could think of was that she was in awe of this stallion. She noticed that he was an Earth pony that was actually slightly smaller than Big Mac. However, Fluttershy could almost visualize the well toned muscles that appeared to flex with each breath he took. His coat was a shade of purple that was darker and richer than anything she had ever seen before, and the way his golden mane appeared to crest upon his head like a crown while still maintaining a sense of freedom and form would have easily made Rarity jealous. His purple eyes showed not only strength, but also compassion and understanding, giving her the sense that he was the kind of pony that would support her no matter what.
She also noticed the dragonfly that her butterfly friend told her about hovering next to a Pegasus mare. Unlike Spyro, she felt like she had something in her throat whenever she looked at Cynder. Her black coat looked as well kept as Spyro's, but it also had a kind of rugged feel about it, and the alternating red and silver mane gave her the impression that the red was dyed in something she didn't want to think about. Her green eyes, unlike Spyro, showed aggression and misery under a strong sense of will.
“Are…are you alright, Fluttershy?” Spyro asked refocusing her attention back on him. She liked the way he was talking to her, using a tone that was both cautious but understanding. In fact, she liked a lot of things about this stallion. He wasn't a bad looker and he had such a gentle voice and charming personality that made her heart grow their own wings and fly in her chest. She nodded and waited for Spyro to talk some more, if nothing else than to hear him speak.
Spyro was now starting to understand why Sparx was scared of this…horse creature. She had those large cyan eyes practically glued on him, almost like he was the only thing she cared to look at. It certainly caused a bit of nervousness inside him. Trying to fight back whatever that nervous reaction was, Spyro asked, “Excuse me, Fluttershy, but could you tell us where the nearest town is located?” Fluttershy nodded, gesturing with her hoof to her left. Spyro said a quick thank you before making his way in that direction with Cynder and Sparx quickly closing the distance.
Once Fluttershy could no longer see Spyro, her mind was able to register the heat that was on her cheeks. Feeling both confused and funny, she decided to go and talk to her friend Rarity and ask her if she knew anything. With that in mind, Fluttershy took off and made her way to Rarity’s shop, making sure to keep her distance from the stallion.
The conversation had remained silent between the two dragons and dragonfly as each of them tried to understand what they had seen. Spyro was still kind of shaken up by the way Fluttershy had looked at him, and why he was having such a weird reaction. Cynder was thinking about the fact that they ran into a horse-thing and not a dragon, and started to question what the dominant species was here. She was also feeling a hint of anger and jealousy after she saw the way Fluttershy was looking at Spyro with such large, innocent eyes. Sparx, meanwhile, was just glad that they were able to get away from that crazy horse before she tried to use her hypo-eyes on him again.
Eventually, Spyro said, “Well…that was certainly…interesting.” The others nodded in agreement before Spyro continued. “I must admit that she did live up to her name.” Once again it was responded with the same nod and the trio fell back into accepted silence.
It didn't last long before Sparx suddenly pointed out, “You could have asked her if she knew Twilight.”
Cynder was quick to counter, “I don’t think that would have worked. She looked like the kind of horse that prefers isolation rather than interaction. We should be at least thankful that she knew of a town that was nearby.”
Spyro added, “I agree with Cynder on this one Sparx. She didn't look like the kind of pony to have many friends, especially considering the fact that she was out here all alone.”
Sparx was forced to admit that they did have a point. However, he couldn't help but recall the annoyed look that Cynder was giving that yellow horse and couldn't resist the chance to get under her scales.
With that thought in mind, Sparx casually floated over to Spyro and said, “So man, what you thought of that mare?”
Spyro looked back at his brother with a confused expression and replied, “She seemed nice…if a bit on the timid side.”
Sparx nodded in understanding before adding, “What about how she looked?” That caused a mild reaction from Spyro by evidence of the stunned expression on his face.
Spyro looked back at Sparx and replied with a slight hesitant tone, “Wh…why do you care, Sparx?”
Sparx gave a knowing look at stated, “Come on, man, I saw the way she was looking at you. She was clearly eager to spend time with you.”
“Sparx…in case you haven’t realized it, she’s a horse and I’m a dragon.”
“So…you know that and I know that but did you forget that cloak is supposed to help you blend in? To her, you were probably a very attractive stallion.”
Cynder couldn't take listing to what she was hearing any longer and moved herself between Spyro and Sparx. She shot a disgusted look towards the dragonfly who merely chuckled on the inside, happy that he was able to get such a reaction. Spyro, however, was feeling slightly flustered by the implications that Sparx had presented and he hoped that he wouldn't run into any more mares anytime soon.
Eventually, the group reached the forest edge and saw the large town that was in front of them. However, there was one thing that Spyro noticed that managed to put a lump in his throat.
As far as he could see, the entire town was populated with mares. They all had various color coats and manes and moved around like any normal town would. What surprised them was seeing the ponies with wings managing to move actual clouds around all by themselves. Cynder was truly interested in this concept in particular and started to get curious if she was able to perform a similar feet.
Spyro looked to the rest of the group and said, “Well… let’s hope this ‘Twilight Sparkle’ lives here, or at least find someone who can point us in the right direction.”
Cynder and Sparx nodded and made their way to the town. When they got there, they were surprised to find themselves treated with a friendly atmosphere and with no trace of suspicion. Cynder was slightly surprised by this rather open-arm demeanor of the town, and secretly welcomed the fresh and bright atmosphere. However, she couldn't help noticing how almost all the mares had their eyes locked onto Spyro with an almost trance-like state. It caused her to start to think that Sparx might have been on to something, and started to imagine what Spyro must have looked like in their eyes. No doubt it was something akin to what a hero would look like. Sparx was enjoying the attention they were getting, even though it was more to his brother, and was waving at all of the horses and sometimes giving a sharp whistle at random mares in an effort to embarrass his brother and annoy Cynder. Spyro, however, was feeling pressured under all of those eyes and wished that he could hide himself deeper into his clock.
Eventually, the three made their way to what appeared to be a market place. All along the stalls, they saw a rich variety of fruits, vegetables and other various items one might need for a comfortable living. Upon looking at some of the food, a growl came from the two dragons and they both decided to go and get something to eat. However, the lack of meat in the market meant that they would have to settle for something else and it didn't take long before they both agreed to get an apple from a nearby cart.
The cart was occupied by an orange mare with a blonde mane. She had a rather strange hat and her green eyes seem to speak truth in them. She saw the stallion and the mare looking at her and seeing that they might be customers, waved them over and gave them a cheerful smile. When the two stopped in front of her stall, she said in her best selling voice, “Howdy, y’all. Names Applejack, farmer of Sweet Apple Aces home of the best doggone apples you’ll ever taste. What can I get for you?”
The stallion looked at her and she couldn't resist the small rise of heat forming on her cheeks. His eyes seem to speak of a pony who was also a hard worker, but at the same time caring and honest. She also had to admit that his appeared to be quite strong, maybe as strong as Big Mac. Applejack managed to shake off those thoughts when the stallion said, “I would like two of those red apples, please?
Applejack nodded and placed the two Red Delicious’s in front of them. The stallion reached into his saddlebag and pulled out what appeared to a small nugget of gold. Her eyes widen as she saw the size of that nugget, already imagining how much that was worth. So it came to her surprise when the stallion place the nugget on her stand and said, “Will this be enough?” He spoke with a slight hesitant tone in his voice that sounded like he was worried that he might offend her. It was something that almost caused Applejack to feel guilty about taking the nugget.
Her honesty wouldn't allow it and she replied, “Shoot, partner, that there nugget could be enough to buy everything I have in stock.” It caused a mild shock from the stallion and his cheeks also gained a slight red, though it could have been from embarrassment.
Before the stallion had a chance to respond, the mare next to him added, “Then perhaps we could buy something… else, perhaps some… information.” The way that pegasus mare was talking caused the farmer to get a bad feeling, and she eyed the mare with a suspicious gaze before asking her what kind of information. The mare merely smile and said, “Not much; we were just wondering if you would happen to know someone by the name of Twilight Sparkle?”
Of course Applejack knew Twilight. It wasn't a big secret that they were friends and on any other day, she would have been more then happy to point them in the right direction.. However, there was something about this mare that just gave her a really bad vibe about it. In fact, looking at her reminded Applejack of what she felt when her and her friends confronted Nightmare Moon. All in all, she didn't trust this mare the slightest and said, “Sorry, I don’t know nopony by that name.”
Spyro notice that when Applejack was finished talking, her eyes started to shift in a rather weird way and her muzzle was scrunched up as if she was chocking on something.Realizing that the farm pony wasn't telling the truth at the moment, he said, “Please, any information you can give us would be greatly appreciated.” It was then that Applejack notice his eyes lighting up a bit and he reached into his saddlebag while saying “We need to speak with her so we can give this to her.” ‘This’ was a scroll that looked like any scroll that she had seen. However, her eyes widen when she saw the wax seal that looked like Princess Luna’s Cutie Mark. If this stallion and mare had business with the Princess, then she had to help. With that thought in mind, Applejack told the two where to find Twilight and gave them directions. The stallion and the mare thanked her before leaving with their snacks.
Spyro and Cynder were walking over to the location of the town library when Sparx showed up yelling, “Spyro, buddy, you've got to help me!”
Spyro looked at Sparx before saying, “What is it…”
Wham!
Spyro felt something crash into him, causing him to fall and roll around on the ground before landing with his back on the ground. His vision was suddenly covered in pink and he heard a high pitch voice say, “Hi there!” Hope you all enjoy the chapter.
Editor: Sorry, the delay was my bad. This has been ready for my proofing for over a week, so... Yeah... If someone else wants to help too, feel free to drop a PM or comment! Can never have enough help!
First chapter I'm writing of the New Year and first chapter writing on my new laptop. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
Chapter 6: Student Directions
Fluttershy had finally made it to Rarity's shop after what felt like a few minutes of flying at her best speed, which Dash would refer to as 'controlled gliding at best'. Still, she wasn't too worried about being a slow flyer, especially since her hobby of taking care of animals had her on the ground most of the time anyway.
She reached the front door and was relieved to see the ‘open’ sign was still up. She was a little worried that Rarity was out during this time or that she was unavailable. Seeing that that wasn't the case, the shy mare opened the door and let herself in. Fluttershy heard the familiar jingle before she heard Rarity’s voice saying, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique…Fluttershy! To what do I owe the pleasure of you stopping by? I had thought that you would be in the forest all day.”
Fluttershy was unable to meet the gaze of her fashionable friend and started to tell Rarity about her weird feeling inside of her. However, the white unicorn was only able to hear a few random words underneath the mumbling that qualified as Fluttershy’s normal speaking voice. Naturally, the fashion designer gave her quiet friend her most caring smile and asks her to please repeat what she had said. Fluttershy saw that cheerful smile and took a bit of comfort that Rarity was here to help her. Taking a small but deep breath, the shy pegasus said in a much clearer tone, “I feel really strange, Rarity, and I was hoping that you could help me…if that’s okay with you.”
At first Rarity was concerned that her friend had come down with something, but she didn't appear to be sick. Rarity did notice the pinkish tint that was present on Fluttershy’s cheeks, though her long, pink mane was doing a good job of covering it up. Seeing that her friend was going to need her full attention, the white unicorn used a bit of magic to flip the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’ and pulled up her favorite fainting sofa. She gestured for Fluttershy to sit next to her, which the pegasus accepted. Rarity then gave Fluttershy her best motherly look before she asked, “Now Fluttershy, do you know what might have happened that might have caused you to get these ‘strange feelings’?”
Fluttershy couldn't resist the blush that had surely grown in intensity as she recalled the events of the clearing. She knew what kind of response her friend was going to get when she told her and part of her wanted to try and bluff her way out of this. However, she knew that Rarity had a lot of trust in her and she couldn't lie to one of her closest friends. With an almost submissive sigh, Fluttershy said, “Well…while I was out in the forest, I…met a stallion…”
The moment that the word ‘stallion’ left Fluttershy’s mouth, Rarity was hit with a wave of realization. She had read enough romance stories to be able to see the signs of a mare that had fallen in love, and in Fluttershy's case, those signs were as clear as day. There was the small but visible blush on her face, the slight pause in her speech before mentioning the stallion, and the way her body appeared to tremble slightly. Now, granted, two out of three of those signs would appear normal to anypony who had meet the yellow pegasus for the first time, but Rarity had learned a long time ago to look for the slight changes her normally timid friend’s body would make.
Still, Rarity was quite happy that Fluttershy had found a stallion that had such an impact on her, and she couldn't help but ask, “So…what’s he like? Do you know his name? Do you know where he went?” These questions and more flooded out of Rarity’s mouth and almost managed to give Fluttershy a mild heart attack. However, like Rarity, Fluttershy had gotten use to listening to what was an overflow of questions that would come from her fashion-focused friend.
When Fluttershy noticed the pause in Rarity’s questions, she began to talk about the purple stallion that she had met. As she was describing him, Rarity’s imagination was working its magic to visualize how this ‘Spyro’ looked. The more she heard, the more she could see why Fluttershy had such a flustered reaction. He sounded like one of those stallions that would make the perfect special somepony. So it wasn't that surprising when Fluttershy mentioned that Spyro was supposed to be in town today.
Rarity quickly grabbed her friend’s right fore-leg and said, “Well come on darling. We mustn't let such a stallion get away from you. We simply must find him so he can sweep you off your hooves.” Before Fluttershy had a chance to respond, she felt herself being dragged away by her excited friend. While she was somewhat surprised by Rarity’s unusual strength, her mind was more focused on the daydream of Spyro doing what Rarity had said. Meanwhile
“…and since I haven’t seen you before that must mean you are new and since you are new then that must mean I get to throw my special ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party that will have cake, and games, and decorations, and streamers, and everypony will be there. So can you come? Can you, can you?” said the hyperactive pink horse named Pinkie Pie. She was still on top of Spyro, delivering a speech that would have made Volteer give pause. It wasn't just the talking though, but there was something about this one that seemed to cause Spyro’s heart rate to accelerate as his mind started to recall all those scenarios of him returning to Warfang and being constantly hounded by fans. Pinkie here seemed to be the culmination of all those scenarios rolled into one and he wasn't sure what to do.
Luckily, Cynder could sense Spyro's growing fears and stepped closer to the pink horse before saying, “Look, we really don’t have time for a party and we’re not staying in town for long either. Once we get what we need to get, we will be on our way.”
Pinkie looked up at Cynder, and the dragoness in disguise could see the large blue eyes that were overflowing with barely controlled sadness. Cynder was vaguely aware of her heart stopping for just a second before chasing that feeling away and returning Pinkie’s gaze with one of her own.
Now Pinkie was forced to look at a pair of emerald eyes that caused her own cheerful demeanor to slightly hesitate. She could feel the repressed sadness that was located inside this pegasus, and she wondered what kind of past she had.
Realizing that the pegasus wasn't going to relent on this issue, and remembering her lesson back when Cranky moved to Ponyville, Pinkie quickly got off of the handsome purple stallion and said in a slightly quieter tone, “Can I at least get your names?”
Cynder looked at Spyro and saw him slowly getting up before managing to give her a slight nod. Cynder nodded back at him before looking back at Pinkie and telling her their names. She thought about it for a moment before adding, “Tell you what, Pinkie. If we do pass by here again, we promise to take you up on that welcome party.”
Pinkie expression grew back into her normal joy before saying, “You Pinkie Promise?”
Cynder looked at the confusing mare with a blank expression and saw her give a slight giggle before going through the steps of a ‘Pinkie Promise’. Cynder felt a little embarrassed to copy the actions but she managed to swallow her pride long enough for her to repeat the motions while saying “Cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye.”
Pinkie Pie seemed content after Cynder had completed the motions and started to walk…or rather bounce off in a different direction. When she was no longer in sight, Sparx slowly made his way to his brother and asked, “Spyro?”
“Yeah, Sparx?” Spyro replied.
“That might have been the weirdest thing I have ever seen.”
Spyro nodded in agreement before pushing that weird encounter aside and started making his way towards where Twilight was suppose to live, Cynder and Sparx following close behind.
Eventually, the trio found themselves in front of what appeared to be a combination of a large tree and a hut. The tree looked quite healthy, despite all the windows and other attachments that were added to it, and it had a very calming presence about it. The sign out front read ‘Golden Oaks Library,’ which prompted Sparx to ask, “Why build a library in a tree?”
Cynder had to agree with Sparx and added, “It doesn't seem to be safe... What if the tree were to catch on fire?”
Spyro then pointed out, “They may have some kind of fire resistant item, or everyone here is just really careful.”
The other two nodded and Spyro made his way to the front door. He saw that the door had a rather simple design on it that would befit a public building. With care so he didn't dent the door, the purple dragon knocked three times before stepping back and waited for an answer.
It wasn't long before Spyro noticed the door had opened to reveal another mare. This one had a coat of pure purple with a mane that was also purple, but had a noticeable pink strip. Her eyes were also purple, but they were currently large and expressive, as if she was surprised to see Spyro in front of her. The one thing that was noticeable was the addition of a weird, conical object that was poking through her mane and appeared to be attached to her. Spyro, after finishing his examinations said in his best neutral tone, “Are you Twilight?”
Twilight hadn't expected her day to turn out like this. She had thought that after sending Spike to spend time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, she would be able to enjoy a nice, quiet afternoon reading. However, the knock on her front door managed to halt that plan for a moment and she decided to see what it was.
Now she found herself staring at a stallion that looked like he belonged in one of those romantic novels that she rarely read. His purple coat looked like it was shinier than her own, and his golden mane looked both informal and regal. However, what captured her attention the most was his eyes. Those dark purple eyes spoke of experience, wisdom, and intelligence that might even rival Celestia's. They even had that same tender, knowing kindness that her teacher's had. All of that cumulated into a type of feeling that she could only hypothesis to be a ‘crush’. Feeling herself at a loss for words, she could only nod in response.
Spyro was starting to get a little nervous under Twilight’s gaze. It felt similar to how he felt when Fluttershy was looking at him. Trying to force those nerves aside, he said, “I…uh…have something for you.”
It was like one of her dreams was coming true. When she was younger, she had dreams when she was younger of a handsome, intelligent stallion knocking on her front door to declare his secret love to her. He would always bring her a gift, though the gift differed from dream to dream. Twilight’s heart started to increase in tempo as she started to guess what item this stallion was going to give her. Was it going to be a book that he wrote just for her, or was it as simple as a poem? Was it a bouquet of her favorite flowers or a box of chocolate? Could it even be that tiny little box that would contain a ring just for her? The purple unicorn couldn't wait as she watched the stallion reach into his saddlebag and pulled out…
…a scroll?
Twilight saw the scroll that the stallion was holding out for her to receive. She had thought that it was going to have a love poem but she quickly recognize the wax seal of the moon. Twilight tried to minimize the dejected sigh that escaped from her mouth before grabbing the scroll with her magic.
Spyro, Sparx, and Cynder watched with mild surprised as the conical object on her head started to glow a purplish color before the same color appeared around the scroll in Spyro’s paw. They watched as the scroll was lifted out of his hand before floating over to her. The scroll stopped when it was in front of Twilight and they watched as the seal was broken, the scroll unrolled without Twilight touching it. Cynder was slightly curious as to how such a thing was possible while Sparx let out a quiet whistle. Spyro was slightly curious as well, but decided to put that in the back of his mind for later.
So the three watched and waited for Twilight to finished reading the scroll. It came to their surprised that they didn't have to wait very long before Twilight lowered the scroll that was in front of her face and said “So…uh…”
Spyro quickly caught on to what caused her slight pause, and introduced himself as well as his friends. Twilight gave a cheerful nod of thanks before continuing, “Well Spyro…Cynder…Sparx, it just so happens that there is a train leaving for Canterlot in a couple of minutes.” She moved the scroll inside the library before closing the door and started to walk in the direction of the train station. Spyro and the others were quick to follow in behind and once they were in earshot, she added, “The train ride shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Afterwards, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding the castle.
Spyro nodded in understanding while Sparx had ignored what the purple horse had said. Cynder, however, quickly asked, “Wait…how close is Canterlot?”
To her surprise, Twilight gave a slight giggle before responding, “You can’t see it?” Before Cynder had a chance at a rebuttal, Twilight pointed off in a direction and three pairs of eyes followed it. What they saw left each them with slightly gaping mouths.
What they saw was what appeared to be a castle literally attached to the side of a mountain. From the distance it was hard to make out any details, but the two dragons and dragonfly could tell that the castle was quite large and looked beautiful.
Sparx’s mind could only think of one thing to say that summed up what he thought about the castle they were looking at. In his most sarcastic, unbelievable tone proclaimed, “How in all that is good and awesome did we miss something like that?!”
That statement managed to cause a mild chuckle from Spyro and a bigger laugh from Twilight. Cynder merely shook her head in slight annoyance. After the purple dragon and purple mare had finished their laugh, the four returned to the task of heading to the train station. As they were walking, Cynder couldn't help but think about two things.
For starters, she noticed that the purple mare had a strange symbol located on her rear end. A quick look around the town was enough to establish that these symbols were constant with these horses, though they were different from one horse to another.
The second thought on her mind was the reactions of the four mares that they had run into contact. All of them appeared to have fallen head over hooves for Spyro, yet appeared to barely notice her prescience…aside from Pinkie of course. The only conclusion Cynder could think of was the simple fact that Spyro appeared as a stallion and so far all of their interactions have been with mares. Still, it didn't stop the feeling of jealousy from rising up in her which translated into her thinking, “If I see one more mare trying to get their hooves on Spyro…” Sorry for the mild delay but I do have some good news in that I have a second editor that is helping me with this story. I do want to thank stingray43 for the help. Hope you enjoy.
I really am glad that you all are enjoying the story so far. I know that it might seem that I’m focusing more on Spyro and Co. compared to the ponies and also that Spike has barely appeared at all. I apologize for that but the way I have this story planed out had me go in this particular direction. I’m just setting up all of the background stuff before getting into the real meat of the story. Now that the mild rant is out of the way; let’s get started.
Chapter Seven: The Ironic Crush
The walk to the train station was both pleasant and informative to Spyro and Cynder. The sun was reached the point that indicated it would be around dinnertime and as such, most ponies were either inside their homes or heading there. They were so concentrated on the task of returning to their abodes that they barely gave the undercover dragons a second glance. While they were walking, Spyro and Cynder asked Twilight about the world that they were currently in. Of course, they did their best to make sure their questions didn't raise too much suspicion from Twilight. Of course Twilight was more than pleased to give off lectures about this world and its inhabitants.
From what they were able to come up with, the world they were in was called Equestria, and the dominant species was ponies. They also learned about the three races of ponies, the government and leaders of Equestria, and even learned a little more about Twilight herself and her friends which for some strange reason were the same three ponies that they had met prior. Of course Sparx didn't pay attention to anything that was going on; instead he had retired himself to taking a nap on top of Spyro’s head.
Eventually, the group managed to reach the train station just as the train was pulling in. Spyro and Cynder were slightly annoyed by the unfamiliar sounds of the train’s horn and the screeching of metal against metal. Still, the annoyance past by quickly and they both took a moment to appreciate the look of the train itself. It seemed to fit in rather well with how the rest of the town looked but it still had that kind of rugged country feel to it. Cynder was quite interested about in the designs of the carts while Spyro was just thankful that it wasn't run by some crazy ape who wanted to kill him.
Twilight turned her attention back to the stallion and mare and stated "The ticket booth is over there…” she gestured to a spot where they saw a hole in the wall with a pony inside the hole and a sign with the word ‘Tickets’ above. Twilight then continued, “Once you get your tickets, you should be all set to travel to Canterlot.”
Spyro looked at the purple unicorn and asked “You’re not coming?”
Twilight felt a momentary flutter inside of her before pushing it down and answering “The letter only said to make sure you got onto the train heading for Canterlot as soon as possible. Once you are there, you should be able to find your way to the castle without too much of a hassle.”
Spyro nodded in understanding before Cynder said, “I’ll go get the tickets” and walked off towards the ticket booth.
Spyro watched her go for a moment before his mind brought up an idea. Thinking that it was a good one; he quickly said “Cynder, try and get us a seat with some privacy.” Cynder turned her head to acknowledge that she heard Spyro before making continuing onto the ticket booth.
Glad that was taken care of, Spyro decided to take a moment to sit down and wait for Cynder to finish up. He was vaguely aware of Twilight mirroring his actions and he started to wonder why she was still around. It wasn't to say that he thought her company was unpleasant, compared to that crazy Pinkie Pie, but he would have imagined that she would be returning back to her library.
He was brought out of his self-thought when Twilight ask “You and Cynder seem close.” There was a strange tone in her voice that made the question seem more like a statement, but there was also a slight tone of something else that Spyro was unable to identify. Looking at where Cynder was but making sure that he was still able to see Twilight, Spyro responded with a simple agreement. He noticed that there was a slight change in the unicorn’s body language but due to his lack of understanding the equine body made it hard for him to figure out what that slight change was caused by. The two settled into silence again before Twilight asked “How long has she been your special somepony?”
The question mentally and physically shocked the purple drake and he could only look at the purple mare with a mixture of shock and confusion. Twilight saw the strange look and believed that it was because he didn't understand what she had asked. With that in mind, she elaborated by adding “You know like a couple or lovers or something like that.”
Spyro was able to restart his brain at that moment and quickly shook his head to refocus himself before responding “No…no. Cynder and I are not a couple or whatever it was that you called it. Were just really good friends.”
Spyro defiantly noticed a change in Twilight this time, and because of how obvious it was made him think of a few guesses as to what they could be. However, before he had a chance to ask Twilight about it, she suddenly shouted “Fluttershy, Rarity. What are you girls doing here?”
Spyro turned around and found him staring at the yellow pegasus that he and the others met in the forest; although this time she was trying to hide herself behind the other pony that Spyro was looking at. This one was a unicorn, like Twilight, although she had a snow white coat that was clearly well kept and maintained. Her mane also appeared to be as well kept as her coat with its purple curls that seemed to have a bit of a natural bounce to them while still maintaining it shape; although it was her face that caught his attention the most, especially the eyes. Those eyes were the most stunning shade of blue he had ever seen. It was the kind of blue that reminded him of the first time he looked at a spirit gem and was transfix by that tone that he could gaze into forever.
Rarity for her part was completely flabbergasted as well as head over hooves. She had recalled Fluttershy’s description of the stallion that had caught her attention but it was a vast understatement to what he looked like in the flesh. His coat was the most radiant and perfectly tone of purple she had ever gazed at and even though it appeared to be as well maintained as Applejack’s; it still appeared to have its own natural luster and shine to it. Looking up, she found her eyes resting on his mane and found her body momentarily breathless at what she saw. Once again it had that rugged look to it, but the way it was flowing in the gentle breeze in such a natural and elegant pattern that she couldn't help but imagine what it would feel like to rub her hooves in them. Just a moment to feel those bright golden locks against her hooves was enough to cause her heart to quickly flutter. But it was those eyes, those breathtaking eyes that caught her attention the most; those pure dark purple eyes that spoke of tales of bravery, valor, heroism, generosity, humbleness, and most of nobility.
Rarity was starting to feel both a compulsion to do something but at the same time fearful that she would drive away what was practically the definition of the perfect stallion. Not even her old fantasies of Prince Blueblood had caused her to feel this way before. She could see him looking right at her; staring into her eyes just as she did to him. She could see the sense of wonder in those eyes, like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. She tried to tell him with her eyes, to tell this handsome, wonderful, perfect stallion that she was real; that she was there. His expression didn't change and even Rarity was starting to wonder how long they have been looking at each other; oblivious to the world around them.
It was at that moment that she felt a sudden compulsion to act which was backed with a new desire that had to be known. She had fallen for his looks, but she had to know how his lips tasted. The mental and physical image of her perfect stallion was incomplete without knowing what it felt like to have his muzzle pressed against her own. Lips touching in the unknown but natural dance that only two ponies so lost in love with each other can experience. Her mind tried to resist, telling her that a lady should never kiss until the third date and other such nonsense. Of course the rest of mind rejected that line of reasoning in favor of acting on impulse. She had to know how it would feel to kiss him so badly that she could forgive herself for acting in such an uncouth and tactless matter.
He was unmoving but there mouths were so close that Rarity had to take that chance. Her eyes slightly closed, cutting off her view of her hunk of a stallion and slowly closed the gap between their muzzles like her cat stalking her favorite mouse toy. Vaguely, she noticed the muzzle was getting further away from her. Was he also as nervous as she was feeling, unsure as to wither to follow his rational mind or to give in to the desires of his body. That reaction caused a new sense of warmth and joy to pump from her heart and into her boy; knowing that she was causing such a reaction from him. Her ears registered sounds and voices but were deaf to all but the beating of her heart and the sound of her breath. Her eyes glistened and sparkled like a filly's in SugarCube Corner. Her nose was numb until it registered the musk of her stallion; a scent that made her heart increase in tempo as her mind imagined visions of fighting hordes of creatures to rescue a prisoner to defending villages and cities to fighting what seemed to be impossible odds. Her mouth felt dry and her breath was caught in her throat as she continued to close the distance between them. The only thing she was missing was touch and she wasn't going to let that stand.
With a quickness that would have surprised Dash, she grabbed onto her stallion’s neck and was at least blessed with the feel of his coat against her own and she revealed in it. It was so smooth and soft but had a kind of hardness to it that could only be the result of well developed muscles. It was too much, she couldn't stand it. She had to have this one kiss right here right now. She felt her stallion resisting her grip but she redoubled her effort and managed to close the gap just enough for their heads to touch. She could see his eyes were gone with their usual wonder and were now replaced with confusion and fear. She could only smile to him with a grin that didn't travel to her lust filled eyes. There muzzles were close enough that she could feel the quicken breath on her fur. She was almost there all she needed was those…last…few…
“WHAT IN ANCESTERS NAME IS GOING ON HERE!!!!?” A massive voice shouted, cutting through the air like a knife. The voice was loud and sudden enough that it broke Rarity’s concentration, which was just enough for Spyro to break free from her grip and back peddle away.
Rarity’s mind had shut down as she tried to recall what it was that she was doing. Her body felt like it had run a marathon and yet it was still full of energy and she felt like she was experiencing everything from another perspective. She was still trying to recall what had happened before her vision was covered by a new set of eyes.
These eyes were different in that rather than causing her to feel joy and happiness; she was now overcome with the sense of terror and dread. The eyes were a pure emerald green color that were filled with a overwhelming feeling of anger, frustration, and worst of all they had the look of what Rarity could only describe as a monster. She felt her breath caught in her throat, no longer gaining that life giving air as she choked under the monster’s gaze. Before her vision started to tunnel, a male voice shouted in a loud voice “Cynder that enough!”
The green eyes broke contact and Rarity collapsed onto the ground. She was aware of two sets of hooves holding onto her but all of her other senses were lost in a haze of pure terror and unused adrenaline.
Rarity was aware of a voice saying “I apologize for what happened ma’am but our train is about to leave and we have to get on.” Rarity then heard other voices talking before hearing the sounds of hooves on ground.
Odd enough, it was the sound of the train’s whistle that managed to break the haze that had clouded her mind. Rarity grabbed onto her head and said in a rather disjointed tone “Wh…what happened?”
Twilight responded with “I don’t know. One minute you two were staring into each other’s eyes and the next you were trying to kiss him.”
“I…did?” was all that Rarity could respond with as she turned her head to look at her unicorn friend. She saw Twilight give a small nod of her head before waiting to see how Rarity was going to react to this.
As the information started to sink into her, Rarity was suddenly hit with a wave of regret. Once again with sudden quickness; she turned to Fluttershy and said in her most apologetic tone “Fluttershy, I feel awful that I acted in such an unlady-like manner in front of the stallion that you had developed a crush for. I wasn't in complete control of myself and I just feel awful for abusing the trust that you've given me. Can you ever forgive me?”
Fluttershy gave her distraught friend the gentlest smile she could and replied “It’s alright Rarity. I forgive you and know that you would never do anything to hurt me.” Rarity was relieved that one of her closet friends had forgiven her and couldn't resist giving her a gentle hug.
When the two separated and Rarity was able to get back on her fee, Twilight asked “So what happened?”
Rarity looked up at the setting sky and replied “I guess you could say I had fallen in love with him. From the moment that I looked at him, I saw everything that I could ever want in a stallion and I just…lost myself. I am thankful that one mare was able to break me out of that trance even though it could have been done in a more civilized manner then imitating the Royal Canterlot Voice.” Rarity then looked over at Twilight before asked “Would it be too much to ask for his name?”
Twilight told Rarity the name of the purple stallion and she couldn't resist a loving sigh before saying to herself “Spyro…even his name sounds noble and strong. I wouldn't mind seeing that stallion again…under better circumstances of course.” Rarity then recollected her usual lady-like image before walking back to her home after giving quick goodbyes and not a second glance.
Back on the train, Spyro and Cynder had just finished settling into the private room that Cynder was able to get. Sparx was awake now and after hearing what happen back at the train station was now in a state of uncontrollable laughter on the floor, much to the embarrassment of Spyro and the annoyance of Cynder.
Ignoring his hopeless brother, Spyro looked up at Cynder and said “Could you put up the screen.” At first it looked like she was going to refuse but after a moment she gave a tired, dejected sigh before removing herself from her seat and making her way towards the door.
Spyro couldn't see what was happening for a moment before he watched what appeared to be a shadow haze covering the door while spreading to cover the walls, ceiling, and floor. When the room was completely covered, the haze started to lose in intensity until it appeared to be transparent. Only then did Cynder backed away from the door and returned to her original seat.
Spyro gave a quick thank you before reaching into his pack and pulling out the smooth stone that he could use to communicate with Ignitus. Originally, he had planned on contacting him after meeting with Celestia but after what happened today, he felt it best to get the former fire guardian up to speed.
Spyro tossed the stone onto the floor before hitting it with what could be called a fire spit. He watched as the stone started to glow an orange color before a slightly orange, transparent image of Ignitus appeared in front of him. He gave Spyro a gentle smile before asking “Is there something you wish to discuss young one?
So Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx began to recount what has happened so far. They were so engrossed in the conversation that they didn't notice a sudden appearance of a rainbow cone in the sky. Eventually, when all that had been said needed to be said, the two dragons and dragonfly settled down to get some rest in preparation for what awaited them in Canterlot.
Give you a guess why I named this chapter the way I did. Also, with the way this story is going, I may need to add the Romance tag to it; which was weird considering I didn't expect myself to write this story in such a fashion. Aw well, that’s what you get for writing chapters without any pre-planning.
Here is the next chapter. I apologize in advance about how slow this story might be going but I wanted to make sure that I took care of all the detail stuff before diving into the actual heart of the story. I’m hope that it won’t be too long until that time.
Chapter Eight: Capital City
Spyro and Cynder woke up to the sound of the train whistle, only to find that somehow during the night they ended up cuddling next to each other. It was a scene that, thankfully, Sparx was oblivious to due to the fact that he was still sound asleep. The two dragons were quick to separate themselves and they both felt the air in the room get slightly warmer.
It wasn't that the two dragons were uncomfortable sleeping next to each other, since it was sometimes the only thing keeping them warm and comfortable when the temperature was too cold. However, considering the events that had occurred in the last few hours or so; there was a feeling of uncertainty between them.
Spyro, for his part, was still trying to sort out his own feelings for the black dragoness he once called his foe. He knew that he did feel a kind of emotion that went farther than friendship, but the purple dragon was unsure as to what those feelings were. In fact, ever since peace was restored; Spyro had quickly realized how little he knew beyond fighting and survival. It didn't help much that Cynder was also in the same boat as he was, considering that her life had revolved around the fury of battle and war. It was in those fields that they were masters, but social gathering, dragon nutrition, history beyond the rise and the fall of the Dark Master were unknown to them. It was moments like these that made Spyro wish he could get the chance to talk to Ignitus about these strange emotions that he had about Cynder but the opportunity never came up.
Cynder, on the other claw, was trying to recollect her calm demeanor that she lost back at the train station. She cursed herself for not seeing this coming ever since they had that awkward meeting with Fluttershy. Whatever that clock was doing to disguise them was working as well as she had hoped. However, the clock didn't seem to hide the heroic aura that she could feel when she was close to Spyro. Truthfully, she had gotten used to his presence due to all of the time she spent with him. However, that kind of familiarity was unknown to the ponies. She would have to pay more attention lest she lose the one dragon she owed so much.
Before either dragon could attempt to break the awkward silence; the whistle of the train sounded again and this time it was loud enough to rouse the sleeping dragonfly. Sparx took a moment to get fully awake after his sudden wake up call, only to find the two dragons to be looking around the cabin, without really looking at anything. Already he could feel the urge to make a joke at the expense of his brother, but the joke died when Spyro finally said “We might as well get ready to head out to the castle.” Cynder nodded in agreement and the two dragons got to work on repacking their bags; leaving a confused dragonfly wondering what was going on.
When everything was all sorted out, the two dragons and dragonfly left the train and found themselves located in what felt like the middle of the city. All around them, they could see ponies of all shapes, sizes, and colors. However, it became quite obvious that the vast majority of them were unicorns and a good portion of those unicorns were wearing very strange forms of leather in a large variety of colors.
Sparx continued to look around the strange sights, before asking, “You ever get the feeling that you’re out of place?” It was a statement that both dragons agreed to, before making their way into the city proper.
Although Sparx was used to dealing with an active city environment, no doubt due to his time in the newly rebuilt Warfang; Spyro and Cynder were in a constant state of unease. It was a kind of unease that was born from spending so long in isolation that such a large and enclosed area was almost unknown to them. However, they did their best not to let that uncertainty show on their faces as they continued navigating towards the castle.
Eventually, the street they were walking on became more hectic as ponies started to quickly move away from the middle. The two dragons were surprised by the sudden change and were unable to stop themselves from being pushed along. It was by some miracle that they were at the edge of the crowd so they had an unobtrusive view of the now empty street.
At first nothing happened and our heroes were just about to question the mental stability of these ponies, when a trumpet sounded off in the distance. Cynder, being able to sense sound waves through her fear power, was able to judge the distance and found that it wasn't too far away. Not that she needed to tell Spyro this, as they and everyone else could see the source of the sound coming into view.
What they saw was what appeared to be a type of transport that was called a ‘carriage’. The carriage was pulled by two earth ponies which had the look of someone who didn't like doing what they were doing, but couldn't do anything about it. What was interesting was the fact that the carriage was surrounded by ponies wearing armor. The armor was gold and shined brightly in the sun.
As the carriage grew closer, Spyro leaned over to Cynder and whispered, “Could that be somepony of importance?” Cynder was in agreement, as there was no way any normal pony should have this kind of protection; though if Cynder was honest with herself, those pony guards looked like they were more for show then protection.
Sparx hovered between the two and asked “You think its that ‘princess’ we’re looking for?” Once again Sparx made a good guess based on what they were seeing, and the two dragons were both understanding that he would think that, and also a little surprised by this sudden maturity.
However, Cynder shook her head slightly and responded, “I don’t think so…if it was the princess; I would imagine there would be more of those guards.”
“Besides,” Spyro added “A princess would never put herself in this kind of a scenario. Out here in the open in broad daylight is just asking for trouble; especially if those guards are just there for show.” The purple dragon paused for a moment before saying “Come on, we need to get to the castle.”
However, the ancestors seemed to feel that Spyro needed a taste of his own medicine, because before any of them could take a single step; the carriage halted in front of them. Surprised by the sudden action, the three could only watch as one of the guards, a unicorn, went up to the side of the carriage and opened it with a flick of magic.
Now Spyro did his best to be non-judgmental when meeting new dragons…or in this case ponies, and he felt that it was one of his better qualities to have that kind of neutral mind set. However, the moment he saw the unicorn come out of the carriage; he felt like his mouth was starting to fill with bile and ash. The unicorn had a white coat and a blonde mane that looked like it had never even heard of the word ‘labor’. The overall build suggested that the unicorn was a stallion, and had that kind of leader presence about him. There was no denying the fact that there was that just something about him that made the purple dragon sick to his stomach. He wasn't sure if it was the way his eyes had that predator look to them, or if it was because of that cocky smile on his face, or if it was because of the reactions he was noticing from the general populace, especially the mares.
The white unicorn stopped in front of Cynder, and Spyro noticed his eyes were moving up and down her body, as if he was judging her. For some strange reason, the sight of him looking over Cynder like that caused the purple dragon’s blood to boil. That boiling spiked when he noticed that the unicorn’s eyes were lingering on Cynder’s backside. Spyro wanted nothing more than to break his cover and give this cocky unicorn a solid blast of earth energy, but the knowledge that Cynder would be able to handle herself was enough to keep him in check. That didn't stop the almost unheard growl to escape from his mouth.
Cynder did manage to hear the growl, and it caused a brief flare of joy knowing that Spyro wanted to just come up to this unicorn and give him a piece of his mind. However, she knew that Spyro knew that she was more than capable of handling herself, and didn't like the idea of having someone protecting her like some delicate flower. Still, the gesture was nice, and she was sure to file that away into memory. Pushing that train of thought to the side; Cynder returned her attention back to the unicorn that now appeared to be finished looking her over. She could already tell that this stallion was trouble, and in any other situation she would have been more than happy to deck him to the ground. However, the fact that the unicorn came out of that carriage suggested that he held some kind of importance in this world, and the last thing she wanted to do was tick off some government official.
Her inner thoughts were broken when the unicorn said, “I haven’t seen you in Canterlot before.”
“It’s my first time actually.” Cynder replied doing her best to maintain a neutral voice.
Her comment seemed to cause the slight grin on the unicorn’s face to grow slightly before responding, “Then how about I give you the ‘private’ tour.”
Now Cynder’s original curiosity was changed to downright distaste. She may not have had much practical knowledge of courtship, but she knew well enough when some dragon, or in this case somepony, was trying to charm her. She did wonder briefly if this unicorn would have still tried to charm her if he knew what she really looked like, but she quickly pushed that thought out of her head. She knew there was only one dragon that she wanted to be with, and she wasn't going to let some rich snob get in the way.
Still, despite her best efforts, she couldn't think of a way to politely turn down his offer without there being some long term consequences on their part. She didn't know how much influence this guy had on the princess, and it was generally a good idea to make a first impression. Not for the first time, Cynder silently wished she could use her dragon abilities…
Her eyes slightly lit up in realization at where her thoughts had taken her. She could use her elements since the clock was only acting as a cover and not actually preventing them from using their elements. It was even better for Cynder since her elements were more subtle than Spyro’s were. However, even though they were subtle, they were probably more dangerous, do to the dark nature about them. Truth was, that Cynder was still scared of her dark powers due to the nature of how she gotten them. It was Spyro always being by her side that gave her the confidence to use them.
Returning her attention back to the white unicorn, Cynder quickly decided on what to do and wasted no time in executing it. She started to arrange her face to her best romantic expression she could think of. The effect was almost instant as the white unicorn’s smile grew more cocky, his thoughts already in the gutter, if they weren't there already. Cynder then slowly made her way closer to him, sparing no effort in her movements to keep them both playful and flirty. When she got close enough, Cynder placed her right claw on his face and applied enough pressure to keep his attention focused on her.
Once his eyes were staring into her own, Cynder didn't hesitate for a moment in activating her ‘Eyes of Terror’ ability. If anypony had been paying close enough attention, they would have notice the sudden flash of red in her eyes before returning to the normal green color.
Whatever Cynder had done, Spyro notice the effect soon enough. He watched as the unicorn’s expression was slowly changing from cocky to absolute terror. Spyro took a quick look around and notice that none of the other ponies had any idea what was going on. He returned his attention back on Cynder and the white unicorn, and saw that the unicorn appeared to be rooted in place, his body wanting to move but was unable to act.
Eventually, the white unicorn let out a blood curdling scream and broke eye contact with Cynder. Without a second thought, he raced back into the carriage and it took off leaving the guard scrambling to catch up and the rest of the crowd in a mixture of shock, fear, and confusion.
Before the ponies could have a chance to recover, Sparx hovered over to Spyro’s ear and said “It might be a good idea if we got out of here before things get ugly.” Spyro nodded in agreement and relayed the message to Cynder before the three disappeared through a nearby alleyway.
No longer using the main road, it took them longer to reach the castle. Luckily, the castle didn't seem to be on high alert, but there was always the chance that white unicorn managed to cause some kind of problem. Sparx was practically breath taken by the sheer size and scale of the castle. However, Spyro and Cynder were less than enthralled.
“It’s too big to protect from bombardment.” Spyro pointed out first while looking at the castle with a rather neutral tone.
“The colors are clearly destroying any hope of camouflage.” Cynder chimed in.
“Very few positions for cannons”
“Too many glass windows that could break”
“Appears to have too many choke points that could impair a tactical retreat”
“Main door appears to be made of light material with very little chance under a direct assault”
“Walls are too thin to stop siege weapons”
“As well as too narrow for troop placement”
Sparx looked back at the two dragons and said “Wow, way to be overly critical about something.”
Spyro blushed slightly in embarrassment and replied “Sorry Sparx. I guess old habits die hard sometimes.”
Cynder nodded in agreement, and the three made their way into the castle proper. After getting passed the gate guards, which consisted of nothing more than Spyro showing the still unopened scroll with the sun wax seal, the three were then escorted by another guard to what they believed to be the main audience chamber.
They reached a set of large ornate double doors and their guide informed them that the princesses were waiting on the other side, before making his way back to his post. Once he was out of sight, Spyro and Cynder looked at each other and a kind of mental agreement was established between them. They both nodded their heads before Spyro opened the door to meet with the ruler of this world.
Sorry for the delay, but…well college can be kind of annoying sometimes. Anyhow, I promise that all this dancing around exposition is almost done and then we can get into the actual meat of the story. A thought I had while typing this chapter was that I was curious what you all would like to see in terms of the actual training. Like what lessons would you like Spyro (or Cynder) to teach Spike? Just wondering.
“Make that ‘rulers’.” Spyro mused as they passed the threshold into the main audience chamber. The chamber was massive to say the least; easily large enough to be able to house two adult dragons. The walls were lined with stain glass windows that looked like they showed the history of this world though there were a few that appeared more recent; mostly the ones that had six ponies on it. The floor was bare except for a single carpet that traveled from the door to the thrones.
The thrones were raised up like what was to be expected. At the base were two unicorn guards standing like statues although their eyes were focused on the three of them. However, the biggest focus was obviously the two ponies sitting on those thrones although each dragon was actually focused on one of them more than the other.
Spyro found his attention resting on the larger of the two; a unicorn with a snow white coat and a mane that had the colors of a rainbow as well as appearing to flow in the breeze even though there was no draft. Spyro guessed that it was a female due to the overall build of her body however he had a hard time trying to figure out her age range. The reason being was that while her actual body appeared to be an adult, from what he could observe from looking at the local populace, her eyes had a depth to them that made her seem older. In fact, it almost was the same look that Spyro would see in Ignitus’ eyes which put a rather odd feeling of familiarity in his stomach. Mentally shaking that feeling away, he took note of the regalia that she was wearing including the crown which put any doubt that he might have had as to if she was the real deal.
Cynder on the other claw had her attention focused on the smaller of the two. A mare, obviously with a dark blue almost midnight coat and a mane that looked liked it was carved from the night sky. The size difference gave Cynder the impression that she was the younger of the two though by how much was hard to tell. Her regalia pieces were the same color as her coat but a different hue so that it was possible to distinguish one from the other.
It was her eyes however, that caught the attention of the black dragoness. They were the kind of eyes that she was all too familiar with; considering they were the eyes she would see whenever she looked in a mirror. They spoke of a trouble past, times of grief sadness and anger, rage fury and power, but most of all depression and isolation. Cynder didn't know the exact details, but she knew enough to guess that whatever this unicorn has done was similar to what she had done all those years ago.
The two dragons were broken from their train of thought when the white unicorn made a polite cough before asking “I was told that you wanted to see us.”
Spyro, decided to take the lead on this which Cynder was quick to agree to, nodded his head and pulled out the scroll with the sun wax seal. He watched as the horn on the white unicorn’s head started to glow a yellowish aura before noticing the same aura around the scroll. He opened his mouth to allow the scroll to float up towards the white unicorn. The dragons and dragonfly watched as the wax seal was broken and the scroll unrolling in front of the white unicorn’s face. The blue unicorn leaned over so that she was able to observe the contents.
The room was silent as Spyro, Cynder and Sparx waited for the two unicorns to finish reading whatever was written on the scroll. They did notice that the two unicorns looked a bit confused when either one of them looked back at them, as if they didn't believe what was written on the scroll. It didn't make much sense considering that one of them should have already known what the contents of the scroll were.
After they were finished reading the scroll, it was rolled up and disappeared in a flash of magic. The white unicorn returned her attention back to the dragons and said “I must apologize for the rather unwelcoming behavior but we were expecting you to be…well…” her sentence trailed off but Spyro and Cynder understood the implication.
Spyro looked at Cynder who returned his gaze. Nothing was said between them but it still appeared as if some type of message had passed between them because they both nodded their head at the same time. Spyro returned his focus back on the white unicorn and said “Well it would seem that our disguise worked better than I expected.”
Before the white and blue unicorn or the guards could understand the full implication behind that sentence; the purple earth pony and black pegasus reached for a certain part of their body. As if the action was some kind of trigger, the two bodies shimmered before vanishing completely leaving what now appeared to be two creatures wearing brown cloaks. In a single motion, the two hoods were pulled back to reveal what had once been the face of a normal stallion and mare was now the face of a dragon and a dragoness.
It was actually that moment of surprise that reveal an important detail that Spyro and Cynder overlooked. Both the white and blue unicorn flared out their previously hidden wings at almost the same time. They were quick to tuck their wings back into place but they were spread out long enough for the dragons to notice. The realization that they had wings caused both dragons to show various degrees of curiosity and confusion.
After that minor double take, the white ‘unicorn’ was able to compose herself before saying “Well that was a rather ingenious move on your part. I have to admit that I had not thought about how my subjects would have reacted if two dragons just started walking down the street. You might have saved me from a possible headache.”
Spyro gave a small bow and replied “We try to do our best Highness.”
The ‘unicorn’ gave a small smile and replied “There really isn't any need for formalities. You can call me Celestia.” Celestia then motion with her hoof to her younger counterpart and added “And this is my younger sister Luna.”
Spyro nodded his head and replied “My name is Spyro…” He motioned his paw to Cynder and then Sparx before adding “this is Cynder and Sparx.”
Celestia gave a gentile smile before saying “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Spyro, Cynder, Sparx. No doubt you are aware of the reason as to why Ignitus sent you here.”
“Just the basic Celestia, we are hoping you can fill in some of the details.”
“Then allow me to express what it is that I would like you to do.” Celestia stated before pausing for a brief moment to gather her thoughts. Once that was done, she returned her attention to Spyro and continued “Now, I’m sure that you are aware that there is a dragon that is currently living in Equestria, correct.” Spyro nodded and she went on “Now that in of itself isn't as unusual as dragons are actually quite common. However, this particular one is…unique to say the least. Long story short, he has just awakened enough of his draconic potential that I no longer feel confident in keeping him safe. Normally, I would have looked for a teacher from one of the local dragons but I fear that their methods wouldn't…work as well as I would have liked.”
“So you decided to look elsewhere for a teacher and that was how you got in contact with Ignitus.” Spyro stated.
Celestia nodded her head in agreement before saying “In general, I would like for you to teach this dragon not only what it means to be a dragon; but also the skills needed to be able to defend not only himself but those closest to him.”
“I understand. Where and who is this dragon, if I may be so bold as to ask.”
“His name is Spike and he currently lives in the town of Ponyville.”
On the outside, Spyro remained mostly passive; but inside his mind went into a mild surprise before calming down and thinking “So we come full circle. Is it fate or the will of the Ancestors that bring us back to that town? Doesn't matter one way or another, I have a mission to do and I plan to see it through.”
Spyro looked back at the white monarch and said “I understand Celestia. I promise to do my best to meet your requirements.”
Celestia smiled again and stated “I’m thankful that you are eager to assist me. I think of Spike almost as if he was my own flesh and blood and I know you will help him reach his potential.”
Spyro nodded his head in understanding and was about to comment on that statement when Cynder suddenly whispered to him “There hiding something.”
Whatever Spyro was about to say was caught in his throat and died. He removed his gaze from Celestia and focused it back on Cynder. He noticed that she had that determined look about her whenever there was something that she didn't agree on. Curious as to what was the cause of it, he asked in also a hushed tone “What could they be hiding, Cynder?” It wasn't that he didn't trust Cynder, but there wasn't anything that he could tell that would cause such a conclusion.
Cynder knew this and she also knew that the answer she was going to give him wasn't going to be enough to change his mind of affect anything. However, she did feel the need to at least bring it up. With that in mind, she replied “I don’t know exactly; but there’s just something about this whole thing that strikes me as odd. I mean, why contact our world when this ‘Spike’ was born and raised here. It doesn't add up.”
Spyro closed his eyes in thought though in truth it didn't take much thinking to fully understand where Cynder was coming from. Thinking along those lines; it would be strange to ask for a teacher from another world when there could have been acceptable teachers here. Still, given the fact that they had very little knowledge of this world and the fact that they had already agreed to do the job made it a rather delicate situation. Eventually, Spyro opened his eyes and said “I agree that it does sound strange. However, we aren't exactly in a position where we can challenge it. It might be best if we keep this to ourselves and see how this plays out.” Cynder didn't have any complaints to that plan and was quick to agree.
The two dragons eventually returned their attention back on Celestia and Luna who were still waiting patiently for them. Celestia had that kind of smile that made it seem like she knew what the two dragons were talking about while Luna continued to have that neutral look on her face. It was then that Celestia said “Now then, I would like to talk about…”
She didn't get a chance to finish that sentence as the massive double doors that were the entrance to the throne room were suddenly blasted open. The sudden noise was enough to startle Sparx who had quickly fallen asleep during the conversation. The two princesses and dragons focused their attention to the door and saw that it was another unicorn guard. Although this one was different then the others that were in the room due to the fact that he was wearing purple armor. He seemed to ignore the two dragons that were in the room and said “Your Highness, there is a large force of those strange plant creatures heading towards Ponyville. I already have guards moving to intercept but I don’t know if they can make it time to prevent any harm from befalling the town.”
Spyro, Cynder and Sparx were somewhat surprised by the news considering that what they saw of Equestria gave the impression that it was a very peaceful world. The fact that there were rouge forces willing to attack towns, especially one that was located next to the capitol was off-putting to say the least. The two dragons and dragonfly returned their attention back on Celestia and saw that her once cheerful demeanor was replaced with a much harder look. Such a radical change was actually kind of surprising as well but none of them felt it was a good idea to make a comment about it.
Cynder looked over at Spyro and saw that face she had become familiar with. It was that look of heroic determination that would usually meant that he wanted nothing more than to fly out there and protect the town. Truth was that she was also feeling a similar emotion inside of her but it was for a different reason. It had been a while since she had been in a fight and she wanted to experience the fruits of her training. Spyro looked at her with an almost pleading expression and she responded with a quick nod and a devilish grin.
Spyro looked back at Celestia and asked “Princess, with your permission we would like to help the guard in defending Ponyville.”
Celestia looked a bit surprised by the request but quickly covered it up. In truth she had thought about asking the two dragons to help since it was obvious that they both had a lot of combat experience. However, she didn't want to sound like she was ordering them or anything considering they were from another world. However, since they were offering she saw no reason to not allow them to help. With that in mind, Celestia nodded her head and said “I would appreciate any assistance you can offer."
Spyro and Cynder nodded in agreement and with a quick flourishing movement removed the rest of their cloak to show off their true draconic self. Before anypony had a chance to respond, the two dragon blasted out of the throne room through an open window with Sparx trailing behind them shouting “Aw man why do we always have to fly towards the people trying to kill us?!”
When they were no longer visible, Celestia turned to her younger sister and said “So what do you think Luna?”
The Princess of the Night paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before saying “The purple dragon appears trustworthy and honest and I can tell he has a good heart. The dragonfly strikes me as a slacker and a complainer but he has a kind of courage that allows him to follow Spyro wherever he goes.”
Celesta nodded before inquiring “And Cynder?”
Upon mentioning the name, Celestia notice that Luna gave a brief shudder before saying “She…reminds me of myself.”
Meanwhile, Spyro and Cynder were flying as fast as they could towards Ponyville. In truth it wasn't that far of a flight however considering the fact that the guards needed time to form up into their squads and half of them didn't have wings meant that by the time they got there, the town would have suffered some damage. Luckily Spyro and Cynder were more than comfortable with fighting side by side and the fact that the only armor they wore was their scales and a few pieces of metal that they collected during the war against Malefor.
They reached the town to see that six ponies were standing in front of the suppose army. However, it was the army that caught the most attention. It was an army that had been engraved into their minds; an army that was supposed to be dead with the fall of their master, an army that had no concept of sympathy or mercy.
It was the Dark Master’s Army.
Oh I hope you all are prepared for what I hope to be a rather enjoyable fight scene.
I sure you've all been somewhat eager to see this chapter and I hope I don’t disappoint. After all this necessary but rather dull exposition, how about a chapter practically dedicated to two dragons who can kick a$$ in any world.
Chapter Ten: Rise of the Dragons Part 2
Upon first look, one might have said that they hadn't seen an army that large before. However, Spyro and Cynder had both seen far larger. It was the truth in this case, as the army that they saw was not as large as the one that attacked Warfang, but was still larger than the one that attempted to raid the cheetah village.
With a bird’s eye view, the two dragons saw that the army consisted of mostly the plant-like Grublins, with about a third of them being the wing variety. The rest were an odd assortment of orcs, bowman orcs, and their hero variety. However, In the middle of the army stood a single troll whose size was easily able to dwarf his comrades. All in all it was an army that looked more like it was prepared to take over a city rather than ransack a small village. Luckily, the two dragons didn't see any wyverns, so they at least had the advantage of the skies. Also, at the moment, no one was aware of their presence so they still had surprise on their side.
On the other side of the battle line stood the five ponies that Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx had met during their first visit here. They were joined by a sixth pony, a pegasus with a blue coat and a rainbow-colored mane. Although hard to tell from this height, it was clear that those six weren't going to let this army get into town. However, with the odds at six to somewhere in the thousands; the chances of the ponies stopping the army from doing any kind of damage before the guard got there were practically zero.
At least they wouldn't be without the support of, say, two war veteran dragons.
Cynder was able to analyze the situation faster than Spyro, and so was the first to say, “We only have one shot to do as much damage to that army as possible. The best we can do is to hold them out and prevent them from entering the town.”
“And how do you propose we do that, Miss Tactical?” Sparx retorted.
Cynder ignored him for the moment and returned her attention to the army before saying, “You see how there all bunched up like that? If we time it right, a single Meteor Crash should cause enough damage to throw the army in confusion.”
Spyro, who quickly realized what Cynder was getting at, quickly jumped in with, “While the army is confused, you can use your Veil of Shadows to move around and assassinate the leaders of the army, throwing them into further confusion. Meanwhile, I stay back and make sure none of them try to make a break for the town.”
Cynder nodded her head in agreement, glad that Spyro was able to pick up on the plan so quickly. It was moments like these that made her realize how much trust and understanding they had between them to be able to play off each other’s thoughts. Shaking that thought away, she returned her attention back to the army and pointed at the troll before saying, “We will have to work together to take care of that one.”
Spyro nodded in agreement, turned his attention to Sparx, and said, “Sparx, could you go down to where those six ponies are and make sure none of them end up trying to play hero?”
Sparx gave a quick salute before saying “Finally, I get the easy job.” Before Spyro could make a comment about the importance of the situation, Sparx was already flying down in the direction of the six ponies.
Once she was sure that he was unable to hear them, she gave a small chuckle before she said, “Oh relax, Spyro, you know Sparx is just messing around.”
Spyro returned the chuckle as well before replying “I know, Cynder. Sometimes I still can’t believe that Mom and Dad raised such a slacker.”
Cynder giggled at the thought before focusing back on the task at hand and saying “How about we reminisce about the good old days after we turn these guys back into plant food?”
Spyro gave his own quick salute and said “Yes, Ma’am!”
Before Spyro was about to leave, Cynder quickly grabbed onto his shoulder. Quickly surprised by the sudden action and ignoring the slight heat on her face; Cynder said in a challenging voice “How about we make this interesting? Let’s see who can get the most kills. Loser has to cook dinner for the winner.”
Spyro was slightly surprised by the sudden action from Cynder but was unable to properly identify it after he heard Cynder challenge. Giving his own toothy grin, he replied “Deal.” Spyro then took off to a higher elevation in order for him to be able to reach terminal velocity.
Feeling the drive within her starting to grow at the prospect of both a challenge and the upcoming battle, Cynder gave her own pleasurable/sadistic grin before a cloud of pure blackness covered her body before traveling straight towards the army.
Down on the surface, Twilight and the others were starting to feel the usual tension one would feel before the start of a battle. She had never expected that this unknown force was larger than she had originally anticipated. The last time they tried to attack, they numbered between one hundred to two hundred, and they only consisted of those small plant creatures. It was fortunate that at the time, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were on official royal business with the mayor, so the entire town was already filled with Royal Guards. Long story short, they were able to drive off the army with only a single cottage as a casualty.
Now they were facing a force that was much larger in size, and, in addition to their more familiar foes, also had a few new creatures that they didn't recognize. It was these new creatures, especially that one that appeared to tower over its comrades, that had kept Twilight and her friends from attacking. Now they were stuck in a waiting game, hoping to stall out long enough for the Royal Guards to arrive. Still, even if they arrived, Twilight was worried about their chances against such a force. With that in mind, she had been secretly charging up the Elements of Harmony that they were wearing so she could use their power to at least destroy the large creature and hopefully cause enough confusion that it would be easy to rout them.
“Hey there, purple babe, what's shaking?” A rather annoying voice entered Twilight’s ear. It was enough to break her concentration for a moment and turned her attention towards the source of the voice. What she saw at first appeared to be a small glowing orb but as it got closer she could make out the creature that was creating that glow. It came as somewhat of a surprise to find that the one creating the glow was actually Sparx.
The first thing that Twilight felt was confusion given the fact that Sparx was here and not back in Canterlot with Spyro and Cynder. She was then curious as to where Spyro and Cynder were, since from what she observed it appeared that Sparx never went too far from the earth stallion. Lastly, she was also feeling a sudden twitch of annoyance from the dragonfly’s off-hoof comment but managed to regain her composure to ask “What are you doing here Sparx?”
Despite the fact that there was a large army behind him; Sparx appeared to be completely laid back about the whole situation even to the point of adopting a position that Rainbow would usually find herself in whenever she was napping. Sparx then replied “Well you know me…I just happen to be in the neighborhood and figured I hang out with you guys.” Sparx then looked behind him as if he was noticing the army for the first time before adding “Although you all seem to be struggling with those pesky Grublins. Lucky for you all, the Sparx-man is here to save the day.”
Well the reaction to that particular statement was met with three ponies groaning, one giggling pony, one pony who had a very in awe look on her face and the last one laughing her flank off by the rather obvious and somewhat poor attempt at boasting. Still there was one part of Sparx’s statement that Applejack had caught on and couldn't resist asking “Wait a darn minute you loud-mouth bug, you know what these varmints are?”
Sparx returned to his usual upright position and countered “Of course I do farm pony. There some of the most feared and dangerous creatures where we come from. Luckily for you all, I’m here to save the day.”
“Oh really?” the pony with the rainbow mane said after getting over her fit of laughter “then why don’t you go over there and show us.”
Sparx turned his attention onto her and said “Well I would but my sidekicks were practically begging me to let them handle this on their own and it never a bad time to judge how far those serving under you have progressed.”
Twilight was slightly confused and was about to ask Sparx what he meant before Pinkie suddenly shouted “Oooo my tail is all twitching like and” Pinkie let out a sudden gasp before adding” look at the falling star.” That statement, despite the fact that it came from Pinkie, was still a very random and out of context thing to say that Twilight couldn't help but turn her attention on the pink party pony. She saw that her eyes were focused on something in the sky and Twilight turned her gaze in order to see what she was looking at. What she saw made her once again realize that she should never doubt Pinkie whenever her Pinkie Sense goes off.
What everypony saw was a large boulder that was hurtling towards the ground at terminal velocity. The pressure of the atmosphere already giving the boulder a red-like glow to it but there didn't appear to be any chucks coming off it. The boulder itself appeared to be about twenty-five feet in diameter and was defiantly going to cause a lot of damage when it impacted. Twilight was quickly preparing a force-field when her mind finished calculating the trajectory of the boulder and came to a rather startling conclusion. She was about to inform her friends about where she believed the boulder was going to hit but she didn't have enough time to say a word before the boulder made impact…
…right in the middle of the Grublin Army.
The force of the impact sent a massive shock wave in all directions, causing everypony in the town to cover their ears to block out the sound. The earth was shaking from underneath their hooves and yet despite all of that, some ponies took notice that not a single window was broken during the earthquake or the shock wave. The Grublins however were sent flying at least fifteen feet into the air from the force of the impact alone as a cloud of dust started to form around the impact site.
Not that anyone had a moment to ponder what had happen for while Grublins were still in the air, a large geyser shot from what appeared to be the point of impact. Now that in of itself isn't as strange but what was stranger was the fact that said geyser was in reality a large column of fire. The intense heat coming from the fire felt as if one was standing on the surface of the sun and the six ponies watched as those strange creatures were literally being incinerated in front of them.
As each Grublin supposedly died, Twilight and Rarity both noticed that they seemed to explode into a shower of red, green, and blue gems that would hover for a moment before shooting straight towards the center of the geyser. Rarity was of course memorized by the sheer beauty of the gemstones, while Twilight could feel a strange form of magic emanating from them.
The geyser itself lasted for about two minutes before it suddenly stopped, shrouding the area in dust once again. While the six ponies tried to make sense of what was surely a miracle, Sparx gave a short whistle and said in an impressed tone, “Man, Spyro, how much training have you been doing since I last saw you?”
Spyro…it was a name that was such a blow to them that they couldn't help but look at Sparx in disbelief. There was no way that an Earth stallion could do anything like this. Not even unicorns of old were capable of such a feat. It was impossible and Twilight was about to object to the notion when Applejack said “Something’s coming out of the dust.”
Sure enough something did fly out of the dust. However, what came out was a sight that almost cause the ponies there to forget how to breath but for different reason. Flying through the air was a creature that was both familiar but at the same time foreign to them. They couldn't help but watch as the creature continued to sail through the air upside down before managing to right itself just before landing on the ground. The creature continued to slide along the dirt before it used its claws to halt its momentum and stopped right in front of the six ponies and the dragonfly.
What came out of the impact site, and was most likely the cause of said impact was in fact a dragon. The dragon was about a head taller than the six ponies and even in the evening sun, the purple scales covering the masculine body appeared to not have a single speck of dust or burn marks. The golden spines running down his back paled in comparison to the two golden horns that were as yellow as gold. His wings, which were spread out, had a larger wingspan then any pegasus could hope to achieve and its webbing was colored in a duller tone of yellow.
Sparx was the first to break from his stun silence and said “Perfect timing there Spyro, I almost thought you got cold wings and I was going to have to take care of this on my own.”
Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy all wanted to deny what Sparx was saying; that there was no way that stallion was in fact a dragon. That it was just some kind of mix-up and the Spyro stallion was still in Canterlot. However, when ‘Spyro’ turned his head to the side far enough to see them all with one eye; all of those doubts were burned to the ground as each once again felt that same familiar feeling flowing inside of their bodies as they gazed into his eye. Somehow, the absent of whatever he used to disguise himself managed to make him appear more pure and real. It wasn't until Spyro said “Sparx, what have I told you about running your mouth like that. I apologize if he was annoying any of you; I had learned a long time ago that my brother here suffers from a very mild case of serious brain damage” that cemented the fact that there was no Spyro the stallion but rather Spyro the dragon.
There wasn't really much time for anypony to process this turn of events as at that moment, a group of about ten Grublins rushed out of the dust and were heading straight towards the group. Before anypony could let Spyro know what was coming, he quickly shifted his head towards the oncoming group and Twilight felt that strange magic again before witnessing all ten of those Grublins falling to the ground with what appeared to be a large shard of ice through their heads. The moment their bodies made impact with the ground, they once again burst into gems before flying straight towards Spyro. The girls watched as the gems appeared to turn into some kind of vapor and get absorb into Spyro’s body. Spyro took a deep breath to calm his body and mind before saying “While I do commend you all for your bravery, this is one fight I’d rather you not get involved in. Stand back and watch a dragon trained under the best teachers my world has can do.”
The dust cloud had finally cleared up and they all saw the fruits of Spyro’s initial attack. Half of the army was gone, most likely turned into those strange gems and the rest were trying to reform into their attack groups. However, they appeared to in a state of complete confusion as their so called leaders were suddenly being destroyed for no apparent reason. They could see the gems were traveling to what was most likely the source of these sudden attacks but they always disappeared into nothingness when they reached a certain point.
The girls watched in a kind of disbelief trance as the army that appeared to be so formidable before was being reduced to nothing more than shambles by a dragon and some kind of assassin. Any enemies that try and make a brake for the town end up either getting a large shard of ice impaled through their head or were met with what looked like a wall of fire. Meanwhile, the leaders were continued to get destroyed by the assassin further putting the army into confusion. The girls started to break from their trance like state and were starting to believe that the town might actually be saved.
However, they should have known that the Dark Master’s Army has been known for its stubbornness. At that moment, the ogre had decided that enough was enough and managed to push his way towards the front. He now stood in front of the dragon that had prevented his troops from entering the town and capturing their target. However, it knew that it was much larger then that dragon or those little horse creatures and it wasn't afraid of any of them. It gave off a loud roar that sounded its challenge before charging straight towards the small group.
The six girls and Sparx began to panic but Spyro remained where he was at as he watched the ogre get closer and closer. The purple dragon wasn't intimidated by that roar and was in fact giving a rather confident smile. As if speaking to the air, Spyro said “Finished having your fun their Cynder?” The six ponies watched as Spyro’s shadow appeared to morph and changed before they all let out a gasp of fright as to what they saw.
Literally coming out of the shadow itself was another dragon. This one was slimmer and slightly smaller than Spyro which would give the impression that it was a female. Her scales were midnight black which contrasts with the sliver color adorning her claws and horns. The biggest shocker however was the fact that situated on the top of her wings and the base of her tail was what looked like a rather menacing scythe. For a brief moment they were able to see that her eyes were green and that in addition to everything else they took notice of made it clearly obvious that Cynder was also a dragon and not a pegasus.
Cynder took notice of the charging ogre and gave her own smirk before saying “Someone needs to be brought down a peg or ten.” She turned her attention to Spyro and both their eyes connected. After so long fighting together, they had managed to read what the other was thinking and right now they were both on the same page.
Twilight wasn't sure what was going on but she suddenly felt a large amount of magical energy coming from the two dragons. The six watched as Spyro and Cynder both started glowing with a strange aura; one purple and the other black. As quickly as it appeared, the aura disappeared and both dragons opened their mouths. What came out of their mouths was not fire but rather it was a massive magical beam that completely tore apart the charging ogre, reducing it to nothing more than a collapsed pile of gems.
When the ogre was destroyed, Spyro and Cynder turned around to see if the six ponies and Sparx were alright. What they saw was two ponies passed out, one pony with her pink mouth wide open in silence, another pony moving her cyan hoof to close said mouth and the last two still standing but in a state of shock. Cynder slowly leaned towards Spyro’s ear and whispered “I don’t know about you Spyro, but I have a feeling that we aren't going to get any sleep anytime soon.”
Hope you enjoyed the action packed slightly longer chapter. This also marks the first chapter I completed on summer vacation. Also managed to get back in contact with my editor so things should be good for the moment.
Really enjoyed the positive feedback I’m getting so far and now that I've pretty much taken care of all the background stuff; we can get into the real plot of the story. Hope you all enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 11: After the Battle
With their ogre gone and the timely arrival of the Royal Guards, the remaining Grublins had no choice but to retreat back to the forest that they came from. Despite their earlier judgment; Spyro and Cynder were actually quite impressed by the speed, skill, and precision that the guards displayed when they dealt with what was most likely a suicide squad who kept them busy long enough for their comrades to escape. That force was wiped out with only a few guards sustaining any real injuries. The tow dragons would have been more than happy to help out with routing out the rest of the army but they had another more pressing issue to deal with.
The issue involving the six mares that were still standing where they were at since this whole thing started; their eyes still glued onto the two dragons with a mixture of disbelief, confusion, and shock written all over there faces. Now, due to some silent agreement that was made, the six ponies decided to head back to Twilight’s library. Spyro and Cynder, not really feeling like sleeping outdoors and hoping to try and alleviate whatever kind of fear they must be feeling, decided to follow them.
As the group was walking, Spyro and Cynder both noticed how Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity were at the head of the group or more than likely as far away from the two dragons as possible. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were at a step behind them; no doubt giving them some sense of privacy. Meanwhile, the cyan pegasus was hovering lazily in the air above the two earth ponies for a spell before drifting back to float next to Spyro. Without missing a beat or reducing his pace; Spyro asked in his best calm and collected voice, “I don’t recall seeing you around Ponyville the last time we were here.”
The cyan pegasus replied in a more casual tone “Yeah I was off practicing some new tricks so I was a little busy.” She paused for a moment before saying “The name’s Rainbow Dash by the way.”
Spyro nodded his head in understanding and introduced himself as well as Sparx and Cynder before returning his attention back to the three ponies that were out in front and asked “Do you know what’s bugging them?”
Rainbow Dash glanced in the direction that Spyro was gesturing at and replied “Don’t really know to be honest with ya. I guess they must be in a sour mood or something.”
“I have a strange feeling that ‘sour mood’ might have been caused by us.” Spyro mused mostly to himself but was still loud enough for Dash to hear.
She flew in front of the purple dragon and said “What makes you say that?” in a tone that sound questioning but had an undertone of demanding backing it up. Spyro, more wanting to diffuse the situation then having to deal with what was starting to act like a pony version of Sparx; gave a quick overrun of the events that had happened while they were in town earlier including the existence of their disguise cloaks. When he was done with his explanation, Spyro noticed that Dash still had a serious look on her face but it did soften a bit. Without saying a word, she glided towards the front of the group no doubt to let those three know what they were talking about. Spyro felt a little worried about what their reactions could be but decided that in all reality it shouldn't matter what they thought of him anyway. All that was on his mind right now was why the Dark Master’s Army was here and where he could find Spike.
Eventually, the group made their way to the library and after making sure that everyone was inside, Twilight made some kind of gesture and the six mares made their way up a flight a stairs. After watching them disappear from sight, Spyro gave a tired sigh and said “It’s getting late; we might as well turn in for the night. Once morning comes we head out and find Spike.” Cynder and Sparx nodded in agreement and they each found a comfortable spot on the library floor before settling down for the night.
However, before Cynder was able to drift off into her dreams; her mind quickly brought up a point that needed to be answered. Before Spyro had a chance to fall completely asleep, Cynder said in a hushed tone “So how many did you kill?”
Without opening his eyes, Spyro replied in a muffled tone “I don’t know…about maybe five hundred front the initial blast and another fifty or so in the aftermath.”
Spyro couldn't see it but he could feel the triumphant smirk on Cynder’s face as she replied “Six hundred. You owe me dinner purple boy.” Too tired to bother with any kind of remark, Spyro just grunted in agreement and went back to sleep with a victorious Cynder following soon after.
When morning came to the town, the residents woke up to find their town was currently the host to several squads of Celestia’s Royal Guards. Although curious to find out the reason behind their appearance in their town, their questions were met with either silence or being told to continue on with their day. Somewhat dejected by not knowing what was going on coupled with some ponies’ claiming they felt a large earthquake last night left the town in a state not unlike what they felt when Zecora first appeared in Ponyville.
It was the kind of town that Big Mac, older brother of Applejack and Applebloom, discovered while making his way towards the library. Normally such visits were rare for the stallion as he had already read most if not all the books in the library that involved farming techniques or managing a business. He knew her sister wouldn't say it out right but if it wasn't for his ‘fancy mathematics’ they would find themselves having a harder time with keeping up with finances.
However, his visit to the library wasn't a social call or the prospect of a new book but rather he was making sure that Spike got back to his caretaker unharmed. The dragon was staying over at Sweet Apple Aces last night due to being completely exhausted from helping out his litter sister and her friends find their cutie marks. Currently the young dragon was in front of him, conversing with those said cutie mark crusaders who the large stallion had no doubt they were talking about new ways to try and find their special talents. They seem so absorb in their conversation that they didn't seem to notice the sudden increase of guards who were patrolling the streets or standing in certain spots like statues.
It wasn't until the five reached the library where they heard a loud crash coming from inside followed by a voice shouted “Sparx! Come down here right now.” Now Big Mac may not appeared to be as social as his sisters were but he knew the voices of just about every stallion in Ponyville and this voice wasn't one he was familiar with. The unknown voice also managed to distract the four young ones from talks about special talents and was now trying to figure out whom or what made that voice.
Suddenly there was the sound of something hitting a solid object followed by a cascade of something hitting the floor. Then there was a rather high pitch laughter coming from inside the library followed by the same voice shouting a little louder “By my Ancestors Sparx, if you don’t get down here right now; I’m going to find a jar and use you as a lantern.”
Officially curious as to the source of the voice and somewhat concerned about the state of the library, Big Mac got in front of the three fillies and Spike before giving them a look that told them to wait outside for a moment. Getting four nods in response, the farm stallion took a deep breath to calm him down before opening the door.
What he saw was both a mixture of shock and disbelief. The main library floor appeared to have been hit by a mini tornado with books littering the floor with tables and cushions scattered about. However, that wasn't the main shock. The main shock came from the fact that there were two dragons and what appeared to be a kind of dragonfly present in the room. The dragonfly was hovering above one of the bookshelves holding a quill that appeared to still have some ink on it. One of the dragons, the purple one, was giving the dragonfly a very dangerous glare. Although it was hard to see, Big Mac was able to spot the ink markings that were on the dragon’s face which would explain the reason why it was looking at the dragonfly with such an intense glare. The other dragon, who had black scales, was still sitting on the couch obviously trying to contain another fit of laughter.
Earlier that day, Twilight was slowing waking up to find that the rest of her friends were sleeping in the same room as here although they were spread out between the floor and the guest bed. Slightly confused as to why they were here, it took the purple unicorn a moment before memories of last night returned to her mind. As much as she wanted to deny it, it was painfully obvious that Spyro and Cynder had deceived them and didn't seem at all upset about the act. In fact it almost seemed like their actions were justified which, given the current morning state that she was in, made no sense to Twilight at all. It was then that she remembered that Spyro and Cynder must have met with the Princesses which meant they should have some answers. Since Spike had a sleepover at Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight had no choice but to use her only other method for contacting her mentor.
Passing by her now groaning and half asleep friends; Twilight made her way to her vanity mirror before casting the necessary spell. The surface of the mirror started to ripple like it was in water as well as fogging over like mist before clearing up to reveal the bedchambers of one Princess Celestia. Currently the Princess was bushing her mane and appeared to be completely ignorant of the fact that her number one student was looking at her through the mirror. Of course that was merely a ruse and it didn't take more than a few minutes before Celestia lowered her bush and said in a calm voice “Yes Twilight? Is there something I could help you with?”
Twilight nodded her head before asking “Yes Princess. I was wondering if you might have known what happen to Spyro and Cynder?”
Celestia tilted her head in slight confusion and replied “Are they not in Ponyville. I was informed by your brother that both of them were present when the guards arrived.”
Twilight shook her head and responded with “I meant Spyro the stallion and Cynder the mare.”
Celestia paused for a moment before letting out a small sigh and whispered to herself “I should have expected this…” before returning her attention back onto Twilight and said “Twilight, you must understand that there was no stallion named Spyro or a mare named Cynder; or rather the two dragons named Spyro and Cynder and the two ponies named Spyro and Cynder are one and the same.”
It was at this point that the rest of Twilight’s friends were awake and they all notice the mirror that Twilight was talking to and it took them a brief moment before they recognize the image of Celestia on the mirror. Walking over to crowd Twilight’s space so they could get a look at the solar Princess and by extension let her know that they were present; it only took a few moments before everypony settled down before Rarity asked “But surely there was no need for such a ruse right?”
Celestia shook her head slightly in disagreement before saying “If I recall from Spyro brief explanation on how they reached Canterlot; the first pony they encountered was you Fluttershy, correct?” Fluttershy, who was slightly surprised by the Princess directly asking her a question and she could only respond with a meek nod of her head. Celestia nodded back before asking “Tell me Fluttershy, would you have offered them directions if you knew they were in fact dragons.”
This of course was the big eye opener for everypony present. They knew that Fluttershy’s biggest fear were adult dragons and if Spyro and Cynder had approached her in their true forms; she would have most likely been too afraid to offer them help and there was even a chance she would have perceived them as a threat and warn her friends; thereby possibly causing their first meeting to end up with the six ponies in very bad shape; if their skills in destroying that army were any indication.
Celestia saw the understanding that was appearing on their faces and decided that it was the moment to nail in the final point. Taking a small breath, she responded “I had to admit that I never perceived that kind of situation and I was fortunate that the dragon I talked to was able to perceive such a situation and develop a method that would allow them to blend in long enough to reach Luna and me.”
The six ponies were nodding their heads in agreement and now that the morning haze was gone from them; they understood that such an underhoof method was needed in order to prevent the entire population was going hostile. Since they had meet and gain the trust of both Princesses; there wasn't any real reason to keep up appearances. However, a question quickly formed in Twilight’s mind and she returned her attention to Celestia and asked “But what are Spyro…”
CRASH
The six ponies were startled by the unexpected noise that was coming from downstairs. The noise was quickly followed by another crash before the deep voice of Spyro yelled, “Get back here you oversized firefly!” Without even bothering to say goodbye to Celestia and her question gone from her mind, Twilight raced towards the steps that lead to the main floor of the library. Nopony notice the faint smile that was on Celestia’s face before the mirror shimmered and returned to its normal reflective self. Upon reaching the top of the steps, the six ponies saw a sight that was both scary and somewhat humorous at the same time.
Spyro was not having the best of mornings. Waking up to his brother’s laugh only to take one look at a nearby mirror before losing his composure and chasing after his adoptive brother in order to get some revenge. However, Sparx proved once again that he can be very slippery to catch when he needs to be and what could have ended with nothing more than a stern talking and some form of an apology now became an almost unnatural desire to stuff his brother in the smallest container he could find and keep him in there until his wings got stiff.
Of course the racket that he was causing was more than enough to wake the other seven occupants that were still sleeping and their reaction to what they saw occurring on the main floor of the library ranged from either confusion to going into an uncontrollable fir of laughter. It wasn't until Spyro heard the sound of the main door opening that he realized not only how much noise he was making but also the state of the library floor. Feeling a large amount of humiliation, Spyro covered both of his eyes with his front paws and said in a mumbling tone “Well…there goes whatever sense of decency I had here.”
Cynder, now managing to get over her fit of giggles decided to offer Spyro an olive branch as it were. With nothing more than a flick of her tail; she sent a small gust of wind to buffer Sparx long enough that he ended up tumbling onto the wooden floor. The laughter was renewed and now directed as the dizzy dragonfly as he tried to stop the imaginary butterflies that were flying around his head.
While Sparx was trying to stop his brain from spinning, Spyro took this moment to quickly use his ice element to cover his face before heating the ice so it could melt. With the ice now turned into water, Cynder went ahead and started to scrub out the ink marking that were on his scales using the sponge that was in her bag. Once all the ink was gone, Spyro gave a quiet thanks to Cynder before returning his attention to Twilight and saying “I apologize for the mess and all the noise Twilight. Usually I don’t wake up in such a fashion.” Twilight knew that he was being sincere here and was quick to accept his apology.
However, before Spyro or Cynder could have a chance or even offer to help clean up, a rather young female voice shout “Oh wow are those dragons?!” The two dragons turned their attention to the source of the voice which seemed to be coming from the front door. Currently standing there was another pony that was about as tall as Spyro with a build that placed him as a stallion. However, quickly passing the stallion were three ponies that were much smaller in both size and age. Clearly fillies they consisted of an earth filly with a red bow and a coat that reminded the dragons of Applejack, a unicorn that had a similar coat to Rarity but had a mane that was of two different colors and a pegasus with wings that were buzzing in clear excitement. The one thing that was similar to them was the lack of a Cutie Mark that was visible on everypony they had seen so far.
Without so much as a warning, the three fillies landed on the floor before shouting at the top of their lungs “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DRAGON TAMERS YAY!”
Spyro and Cynder both took a step back from the force of the noise before Cynder said to Spyro “And I thought my Siren Scream was loud.”
The three fillies gasp and the yellow filly said in an accent that once again reminded the dragons of Applejack “You all can talk?”
Cynder was slightly confused by that statement and asked “Dragons don’t talk here?”
The white unicorn filly replied “Well we don’t know that many dragons to begin with…except for Spike of course.”
The moment the name ‘Spike’ escape the lips of the white unicorn; Spyro and Cynder let out a quiet gasp of surprise before facing each other. They each knew what the other was thinking and Spyro didn't waste a moment before returning his attention back to the fillies and said “You know Spike? Where is he? Can you show us?”
The orange filly answered “He’s outside actually.” Without waiting for a response, the filly turned her head to the door and shouted “Hay Spike come inside and see these two awesome-but-still-less-awesome-than-Rainbow Dash dragons.”
Spyro and Cynder, first choosing to ignore the comment the filly made, turned their attention to the front door where what they saw coming out from behind the red stallion was the dragon known as Spike.
What they saw left much to be desire. Spike’s overall build still appeared to be young and underdeveloped especially considering that he chose to walk on his hind legs. They saw no clear visible signs of wings or horns or even claws. His smile, which he gave only for the sake of politeness, still had a majority of his baby teeth including his egg tooth. In fact, it even looked like this dragon didn't even know how to summon his element or even how to hunt. To add salt on the wound, there was a small but clear bulge around his stomach area which gave the impression of a dragon that spent most of his time eating and sleeping.
All pretense and hope that Spyro had about this being a simple assignment been burned up Spike approached the two other dragons and said “H…hello my…na…name’s Spike, personal assistant to Twilight Sparkle.”
Spyro tried very hard to not have his face be introduced to his paw for the second time in the morning and thought to himself “My Ancestors must really hate my guts right now.”
At long last Spyro and Cynder are now meeting Ponyville’s resident dragon and their first impression is…well…I think it’s pretty obvious. Hope you enjoy the chapter.
Chapter 12: Spike's Condition and Celestia's Order
Oh boy this chapter took a lot longer to plan out then I had anticipated. That and I've been kind of distracted as of late. Sorry for the wait but hope you enjoy.
Chapter 12: Spike’s Condition and Celestia’s Order
Of course there was one creature in the library who took great pleasure at the revelation of what Spike turned out to be. Sparx was rolling on the floor in a massive fit of laughter, the high pitch kind that made everyone present focus their attention on and wondered if said dragonfly was going to hurt himself in his laughter induce state.
Eventually, the dragonfly managed to calm down enough that he was able to hover again and said in between bouts of giggles “Man Spyro I guess I have to apologize for all those times I called you fat considering that there’s another purple dragon who is clearly packing on the pounds.”
Of course that comment was met with mixed results but generally was in the negative side of things. Spike of course was feeling somewhat agitated by the off-hoof comment and his temper caused him to say “I’m not fat you talking bug.”
Sparx of course didn't respond to the challenge verbally. All he had to do was merely raise an eyebrow and glance at the slight but noticeable bulge around the young dragon’s stomach area to make his point across. The look seemed to also cause Spike’s annoyance to flair and he said “Maybe a demonstration of my dragon fire will teach you.”
Sparx of course developed a more challenging pose while Spyro and Cynder glanced at each other, once again thinking along the same lines. They both believed that if Spike had indeed discovered his element and said element was in a mature form; then it would at least give Spyro a basic idea of where to go in terms of training.
However, when Spike took an exaggerated breath and upon exhale form a tiny jet of green fire, those thoughts were quickly discarded. Sparx was in a state of immense glee as he returned to rolling along the floor in uncontrollable laughter. Such laughter was enough to crack the mask of toughness that Spike had tried to keep up and everyone present could see the watery liquid forming in his eyes.
Spyro gave a silent growl of annoyance and frustration and decided to take it out said frustration. With a solid smack of his left front paw, Sparx was propelled into the air in cone of earth energy. Spyro then focused his mana and said dragonfly now found he was trapped in a cage of high voltage electricity. Said orb was quickly brought over to Spyro and the adult purple dragon said in a commanding voice “That’s enough Sparx! I won’t have you insulting my student with you constant insults.”
“Wait…student?” Twilight asked her curiosity quickly in the forefront of her mind. Ever since the battle was over, she and the other elements had more or less the same question in their minds. Said question being what were Spyro and Cynder doing here since it was somewhat clear that they weren't from Equestria. Spyro slip of the tongue was enough of a clue that Twilight was quickly forming what could have only been the most logical conclusion and she couldn't resist blurting out “Are you saying you’re here to…”
“Train young Spike? The answer to that question my faithful student is yes.” The regal voice of Princess Celestia said as she stood outside the threshold to the library. Everypony and dragon turned their attention to her and all, minus Spyro and Cynder, quickly bowed. Celestia gave a warm smile and said in a casual voice “May I enter Twilight?”
Twilight quickly nodded her head and Celestia gave a quiet giggle before crossing the threshold and sitting in one of the cushions that dotted the floor. Conjuring up a cup of tea and taking a small sip, she eyed the still kneeling ponies and said “Please stand my little ponies. I was never one for ceremony and I think most of you would have gotten use to me by now.”
Everypony rose up and while they all moved to find a cushion to sit on, Spyro decided to lead the conversation as well as voice his major concern by saying “Celestia, while I did agree to help train young Spike here, I must point out that you aren't giving me a lot to work with here.” Spyro felt that it was slightly better than outright saying that Spike was underdeveloped as to try and avoid making it seem like it was his fault.
Celestia nodded her head in an understanding matter and replied “I understand that Spike is lacking in skills that you would deem important for a dragon to know, however he has a good head on his shoulders, is willing to learn, and is already able to summon his fire breath.”
“No he hasn't.” Cynder coldly remark. Although she spoke in a quiet tone, it was enough to bring the entire room into a deathly silent with ponies looking at her with various degrees of confusion on their faces.
Celestia was the only pony to remain unfazed by the remark but Cynder could tell that she was just as curious as the others from her eyes. Even though only being around these ponies for roughly a day, the dragoness had already gotten a good grasp on the body language and facial expression, one of few skills that she was proud of.
Cynder, knowing that she was going to be fighting an uphill battle, said “A dragon of his size and able to create a fire or any type of element of any degree is just not possible without some kind of magical interference.”
Celestia nodded and said “Yes, I did use a bit of magic to give Spike his fire breath. Is there some kind of problem with that? Surely it is wise for a dragon to unlock their fire as early as possible to allow them more time to learn how to control it.”
Celestia had sound logic…sound but flawed. Cynder shook her head in disagreement and replied “With all due respect Princess you’re wrong. While it might seem like a good idea, the truth in the matter is that such an action could have potential physical and psychological effects.”
The other ponies were now deeply interested and even Spike was somewhat curious as to where this conversation was going. They also had an underlying emotion of surprise by Cynder’s rather blunt comment on Celestia making a mistake. Cynder ignored the questioning stares and responded “Before a dragon becomes able to summon their element, their body has to have finished developing enough to be able to handle the pressure. There is also the fact that unlocking your element could be considered the dragon equivalent of reaching adolescence. By releasing said element prematurely, you run the chance of said dragon to begin their adolescence cycle of development before they had finished their child cycle of development. In terms of physical effects, the dragon could develop large eating habits, underdeveloped or lacking of important physical body parts like claws teeth horns or wings, and a much slower growth in both length and height. As far as mental problems, a dragon could fall into fits of attraction that border on obsession, periods of sudden and aggressive changes in behavior that manifest into unstoppable forms of greed or anger, and will be more likely developed a disconnection with his or her fellow dragonkin.”
Everypony, Celestia and Spike included, were startled by the almost word for word diagnostic of a dragon that had their fire magically active when compared to how it defined what made Spike act like the way he does. Spyro was also surprised but for a different reason and he whispered “How do you know so much about raising a youngling?”
Cynder gave a small playful smile and replied “partly due to instinct and the rest from a rather informative book.”
Celestia, after getting over her mild surprise, asked “Is it permanent?”
Cynder gave a mild shrug and replied “It varies really, from what I am able to understand; though in reality not a lot of parents do something like this so there aren't a lot of recorded cases.”
“Never the less Princess, we came here to do a job and by my ancestors I plan to see it through.” Spyro added, feeling a new sense of determination and drive surging within him. Cynder was also in agreement and she had a similar look in her eyes.
Celestia noticed this and gave a small smile in thanks before saying “This I leave this in your capable claws. I know you will do your best to bring out Spike’s full potential.” She paused for a moment and added “Why don’t you take Spike out for his first lesson while I talk with his caretaker.”
Spyro was momentarily put off-guard by the sudden request and while he did understand the need for the elements to be filled in, he wasn't exactly sure of what to do for a first lesson. Quickly shuffling through his memories of his own training, Spyro was able to pick one that wouldn't be too difficult and should serve as a way to establish an understanding of what Spike is like as a dragon without having to deal with the pressure of the ponies around him.
Spyro gave a slight nod in understanding before making his way towards the door with Cynder and the paralyzed Sparx following close behind. Spike took one glance at Celestia before giving a more hesitant nod and running to catch up with the two dragons.
Once the door was closed, Celestia turned to Big Mac and said “Why don’t you take these young fillies out for some treats?” Big Mac, having gotten use to his sister being one of the elements a long time ago, caught the hidden meaning behind the suggestion and quickly got the fillies out of the library in a mix of groan and sighs. Once the door had been closed for a second time, the princess of the sun returned her attention to the mares and said “Now I’m sure you all have many questions, most of them concerning Spyro and Cynder correct.”
The element nodded in agreement and after a brief moment of silent, Twilight was the first to ask “Where did they come from?”
Celestia looked off into the distance and said “A land that has seen much joy and pain in it time; A land that is filled with wonder but carries many scares…scares that even now are still healing and may even remain to serve as a reminder.” Celestia turned to look at them again and said “Such a land I nor any other pony has even been too. It is called by several names but the most common is Avalar.”
A few of the mares looked around in wonder and their mouths even moved as if to whisper the name. Another pause in the conversation and Applejack decided to ask “Okay, so it’s safe to assume that Spyro is going to be teaching young Spike correct?” Celestia nodded in agreement which gave the farm pony the signal to ask “So why them? I mean nothing against Spyro and Cynder but why those two and not one of the dragons here?”
On this question Celestia took a while to answer and the pause before her answer was enough to cause worry to grow in their hearts; unsure as to what kind of answer they might get. When Celestia did return her attention back on them, she said in a kind tone “What you ask me, I am sorry to say that I cannot answer right now. Not to leave you in the dark, but because you and Spike are not yet ready to handle such an answer.”
“Why not?!” Rainbow Dash retorted in mild anger which was quickly dissipated by the hard stare that Celestia was giving her.
Celestia took a small breath to calm her body and mind before she replied “Because that question is the root of many other questions…questions that, if unprepared to handle, could cause a rift not only in Equestria but in Avalar as well.” She took another breath and continued “What I can tell you is the same thing that I told to Ignitus and that Spyro was the only dragon capable to teaching Spike.”
“Who’s Ignitus?” Twilight asked as her mind tried to shuffle through all the names that she could remember but was unable to find it.
Celestia smile returned and she replied “He was once the guardian of fire but is now the new Chronicler of Avalar. It’s his job, from what I can remember, is to watch and record all the events that go on in Avalar; events ranging from the major to the everyday events of every sentient creature.” Celestia gave a small chuckle and said “You would have liked it Twilight, his library is probably bigger than the Canterlot Library.”
Twilight’s mouth hung open in disbelief as her mind tried to wrap around the concept of a place that was filled with knowledge on such a scale. It was enough to cause some drool to form on her lips before enough was created to start hanging off said lips.
While everypony gave a silent chuckle by Twilight’s self induce daydream; Rarity gave a gentle cough and said “Spyro must be pretty important in that world.”
Celestia turned her attention to the white unicorn and replied “You would be correct Rarity. Spyro and Cynder are considered heroes in Avalar.” She gave playful smile before adding “Fitting really considering what Spyro is.”
“Wha…what do you mean Princess?” Fluttershy asked is a hushed tone.
Celestia gave a calming smile to the pegasus which seemed to help a bit as she wasn't shaking as much and answered “Spyro’s purple scales are actually a very rare for a dragon.”
“How rare” Pinkie Pie asked
“Try once every ten generations.” Celestia responded and silently chuckle as she saw the shocked expressions of disbelief on their faces. Before they could recover, Celestia continued “It’s because of that rare scale color that marked Spyro to a destiny and an ability that no other dragon is capable of obtaining. Now what that destiny and ability is…well…that’s something you can ask him when you throw him your ‘Welcome to Ponyville Party’ right Pinkie Pie?”
Pinkie Pie, her eyes widening in shock at the realization, quickly grabbed all of her friends and rushed out the door towards SugarCube Corner leaving only a trail of dust behind. Celestia chuckled to herself before finishing the rest of her tea and softly whispering “I hope Spyro and Cynder can handle a Pinkie Pie Party.”
Man I apologize for the lateness of this chapter but I hope you all enjoy it.
Hope you enjoy the chapter…I really need to find something to talk about when I do these.
Chapter 13: Training and Partying
It was now mid-morning in Ponyville, the time of day when the market was starting up and everypony was wide awake. Even the fillies, which didn't have any school today, were out and about enjoying the lovely weather provided by the weather team.
It was a kind of day that Spike felt was the perfect time to just kick back and relax. Yet, as much as he wanted to; he continued to follow the two adult dragons to whatever destination they had chosen.
Spike, who had been in Ponyville for as long as Twilight; was a familiar sight to the residents; however, it was not a luxury that Spyro and Cynder could enjoy as they each got more than their fair share of strange and fearful looks. The two dragons chose to ignore it; both agreeing that as long as they didn't appear to be threatening then the populace will become more comfortable of their presence.
To that effect, the two dragons moved at a slight jogging pace in order to reach their destination. The slight chance in pace managed to surprised Spike as he was now forced to increase his own pace in order to keep up.
The walk didn't take long and none of the dragons said anything during the trip. Spike, who was a little curious as to where they were going, found that they were on top of one of the hills that dotted the outskirts of the town. There was nothing that would be of interest from what he could see and that curiosity was now being replaced with slight confusion.
“Come along Spike. We have a lot to go over.” Spyro said in a calm voice. Spike looked over and saw that the older purple dragon was already in the relative center of the hill and, to the young dragon mild surprise, was by himself. Spike looked around and saw that Cynder had moved off to the side and was now holding the paralyzed dragonfly under her right front paw. She met his gaze and gestured to where Spyro was at and gave a look that implied that he should hurry it along.
Spike tried and failed to hold back the sound of him clearing his throat before slowly making his way to the purple dragon. He realized now that this was something that was totally out of his comfort zone and without the familiar presence of his friends, he could already start to feel his body responding to his mental condition with his hands becoming slightly moist.
Spyro gave a warm smile when Spike got closer and the young dragon felt some of that nervous energy leaving his body and mind. The young dragon watched as Spyro reached into one of the bags that were on the ground and pull out something that made Spike’s mouth instantly drool.
It was a gem that was uncut and looked rough. Despite the physical appearance, the gem appeared to glow with a strong blue light that just memorized Spike. Spyro, still having a warm smile, said “I take it you like it?”
“It…it looks…delectable.” Spike responded in a dream like state and made an attempt to grab the gem. However, Spyro was a lot quicker and after holding the gem out of Spike’s reach long enough for the young dragon to give up; proceeded to create a small hole in the dirt before placing the gem into the hole and covering it up with dirt.
Spike was a little put off that Spyro had done something like that and he also didn't understand the reason as to why he did it in the first place. When he looked up at the larger dragon, he saw that his face appeared to be the embodiment of peaceful serenity; as if his action prior were as normal as planting a seed.
The hill became uncomfortably silent for a few moments before Spyro returned his attention to the young dragon and said “So Spike, is there anything that you want to share with me?”
Spike was slightly surprised by the sudden question and mostly just to buy time but also to clarify asked “What do you want to know?”
Spyro gave a mild shrug before replying “Just things that you are good at, or if there are any hobbies that you enjoy, or any achievements that you are proud of.”
Spike took a moment to gather his thoughts before saying “Well…I’m pretty good at digging up gems, at least that’s what Rarity tells me. I’m good at organizing stuff for Twilight. Pinkie and Applejack think I’m a decent cook and that about it really.”
Spyro said nothing for a moment but he did nod his head in an understanding fashion. The pause lasted for some time before he replied “An odd set of skills for a dragon to have, but they are useful ones to know.” The larger of the two purple dragons appeared to have come to some conclusion and added “To be completely honest here Spike, this is my first time being a teacher of sorts and with you being such a unique case makes it hard for me to find a good place to start.”
“Oh…” was all Spike could really say. In truth, he hadn't realized or had even thought about the possibility that the older dragon would be inexperienced in teaching. Now that Spyro had brought it up, Spike did notice that there was a slight uncertainty in which he talked and his eyes did appear to be drifting off like he was trying to remember something. Spike had seen the way Celestia had taught Twilight back when they were younger and he could remember that the sun goddess always appeared to be sure of what she was going to say and her attention was focused on the younger unicorn.
It was at that moment that Spike’s train of thought was disrupted slightly by a slight shake that felt like it was coming from the ground. The shaking was enough to offset Spike’s sense of balance and cause him to land on the ground with a light thump. Spyro, on the other claw, didn't appear to be affected by the shaking; showing no signs of tensing his muscles or appearing to be off balance. In fact the older dragon said in a very casual voice “Hmm…it grew faster than I had expected.”
Before Spike could have a chance to ask what that meant, the spot where Spyro had planted that blue gem parted. Shooting out of the ground were three large gems that were about the size of Spyro himself. From the three gems, multiple smaller gems grew from the ground to surround the large pillars.
The noon sun glistened off the blue gem pile that was in front of Spike and he was sure that his mouth was watering with thoughts on how good they looked. The blue, now larger than the one that Spyro had originally, was a very solid color but Spike could notice very faint white lines running around the gems. Actually, the more he looked at it; the more those white lines appeared to be inside the gems but he chalked it up to just the light playing tricks on him. Spyro then said, and by doing so was able to break Spike focus on the gem pile “So you say you’re a good digger…well then try and see if you can get one of these gems out of the ground.”
Spike heard the challenge in the statement and didn't hesitate to get to work. However, no matter how hard he tried; neither the gems nor the ground around them seemed to budge. After several attempts to dislodge even one of those gems, Spike once again fell back on the ground and said “There’s no way. It’s impossible.”
Spyro looked at the younger dragon for a moment before giving a tired sigh. The young dragon watched as Spyro slowly reached for one of the smaller gems on the ground. Without even so much as a grunt or any kind of physical force; the older purple dragon snapped off one of the small gems like it was no more than picking a flower. Spike could only watch in disbelief as Spyro brought the small gem in front of him and said “Nothing in life is impossible as our only limitations are our imagination and ingenuity.” Spyro paused for a moment before placing the small gem back into his bag and adding “The reason you were unable to remove one of those gems was because the gem knew you weren't a dragon.”
“What do you mean ‘the gem knew’? It’s just a gem right? It can’t be sentient since it’s just made of crystals.” Spike interjected with a slight rise in his voice caused by frustration and mild anger.
Spyro raised his paw to try and calm the young dragon and replied “Of course the gem itself isn't alive. What I mean to say is that the energy inside the gem rejected you because it believed you weren't a dragon.”
“Energy…”
Spyro nodded and gestured to the gem before saying “This gem, where I come from, is known as a Spirit Gem. It allows a dragon to communicate with our Ancestors, allowing us to learn not only new abilities but also their experience knowledge and wisdom.”
“But…why did it reject me? I am a dragon after all.” Spike asked
“You might be a dragon here…” Spyro replied pointing to the younger dragon’s body before moving to point to his head and heart before adding “…but here and here you remain unsure. When a dragon finally knows what it means to be a dragon; then and only then will they be able to break a Spirit Gem and talk to their Ancestors.”
Spyro paused for a moment before saying “Your first assignment therefore is to come here and meditate in front of the Spirit Gem for an hour every day.”
“What do I need to meditate on?” Spike asked, still somewhat crestfallen about the prospect of having to sit in front of a hunk of gems instead of doing something…cooler.
Spyro didn't seem to be aware of Spike’s mild disappointment and merely replied “The answer to my original question: What does it mean to be a true dragon in your eyes?”
Before Spike could have any chances to ponder what the question, Cynder shouted “Hey boys! Pinkie just came by and apparently we are invited to a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party that’s starting in a few minutes.”
Spyro waved his left forearm in acknowledgement and took a final look at the Spirit Gem before saying in a quiet tone but still loud enough for Spike to hear “When you find the answer; you will become strong enough to protect your horde.”
Spike was unable to ask what he meant by that because Spyro was already walking over to where Cynder and the now half-conscious Sparx was waiting at. Spike quickly got to his own feet and after taking one last glance at the gem; quickly ran to catch up with the two dragons with his thoughts on that question Spyro had asked him.
Spike didn't have to think long because before he knew it; he found himself surrounded by the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Twilight who were asking nonstop questions about what happened. The young dragon hadn't realized that he had spaced out so much and he finally was able to take stock of where he was at.
Oddly, but still for the sake of convince; Pinkie had decided to throw Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx’s party out in front of Town Hall. The three guests of honor were mixed in with the rest of the ponies who looked at them with various levels of awe and fear. Luckily for them, the rest of the Elements of Harmony, coupled with a quiet speech from Princess Celestia herself; managed to convince most of the ponies to at least give them a chance. It was a chance that the three outsiders took to full effect, doing their best to prove to the residents of Ponyville they had no hostile intentions.
Spyro was currently in a conversation with the Mayor while Cynder was talking with Rainbow Dash and a few ponies on the weather team. Sparx was just buzzing around causing various bouts of mischief and gags that just managed to put everypony in a good mood.
“So what did Spyro have you do?” Twilight asked managing to break Spike’s train of thought.
Spike gave a shrug and replied “Not much really…just asked me to give a list of my talents and then try to get a gem out of the ground.”
“Bet that wasn't too much of a problem for my little Spike.” Rarity chimed in as she managed to detach herself from the crowd to join the group.
Spike, who felt a small surge of pride by Rarity comment only to have the memories of what happened on that hill deflate it, simply said in a somewhat defeated tone “Actually, no matter what I did or how hard I tried; I wasn’t able to get even a small piece of it. And yet, when Spyro did it; he managed to get one like it was nothing.”
“Maybe you weren't strong enough Spike.” Applebloom pointed out but not trying to make it sound like an insult to her dragon friend but rather pointing out a fact.
Spike knew that and he gave an understanding smile to the yellow filly to let her know before saying “I don’t think it was about strength. Spyro said something along the lines of the gem knew I wasn't a dragon…at least on the inside.”
“That can’t be true.” Twilight pointed out “The power needed to be able to give an inanimate object the ability to differentiate between dragons or not on that level is incalculable.”
“Well the gem is up on that hill if you want to take a look, though I’m not sure if Spyro would like that. I, on the other hoof, need to go up there every day for an hour and meditate on what I think it means to be a dragon.” Spike said with also the intention of summarizing what has happened.
Before any of the ponies could have a chance to respond to that statement or ask any more questions, Pinkie Pie hopped in out of nowhere and said “Come on everypony. This isn't a time to be thinking but a time to be partying.” The others had to at least agree to that, since there were going to be plenty of opportunities to talk later. With that thought in mind, they all returned their attention back on the party and, at least for Spike, their thoughts about that strange gem were pushed to the side.
Oh man…this took a lot longer than I had hoped. Sorry for the delay.
Bet you all were waiting for this right. Well I hope that it doesn't disappoint you.
Chapter 14: A Dragon Reborn
One week…
It was hard to imagine that it had been a week since Spyro and Cynder had made their presence known and yet it seemed like nothing has changed. The sun still rises every day; the weather team is still busy working. All in all, it was a picture perfect day in Ponyville.
Still, it was what happened under that appearance of normalcy that showed the changes that the town had to go through; specifically towards their new draconic guests. Spyro, who had no real skills sets outside of combat, would be found doing odd jobs around the town. Wither it ranged from helping Applejack on the farm, to delivering the mail, and there were even times that he could be found at Ponyville Elementary watching over the foals during recess. Cynder, on the other hoof, found her time spent with the weather team; learning about controlling clouds and how to gauge various conditions like how many clouds were needed to get the ground to the correct heat level.
All in all, life in Ponyville was more or less unaffected by the inclusion of the two dragons; although that didn't stop some of them to still have some fearful looks whenever they were close by. The only one who didn't seem overly enthralled was, surprisingly enough, the third resident dragon.
Spike, who had been anticipating the prospect of going through a scenario not unlike what Twilight was in with Celestia, had more or less lost his original eagerness. Besides meditating in front of that blue gem; Spyro had been closed mouth about any further lessons. It was getting to the point where Spike was actually considering skipping out on those meditation exercises since they have done nothing to help him. Sure, he was still trying to come up with an answer to Spyro’s question but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with a good enough answer. In desperation, he proposed the same question to Twilight, but despite her best efforts only gave answers that he had already dismissed.
The young dragon was now at Sweet Apple Aces, helping the Cutie Mark Crusaders with another one of their schemes at finding their special talents. Luckily, for the dragon at least, their current idea wasn't as dangerous as some of their past ones and in fact was actually rather simplistic. Applebloom figured that their attempts were getting too complex or too specific for a cutie mark and figured to try something simple; which, to Applebloom at least, was bucking apple trees.
Spike was in front of one of those apple trees and was trying to do his best to get a single apple to fall into one of the buckets. However, no matter how much force he used, he wasn't able to even get the tree to sway. The other fillies were having similar problems minus Applebloom who had seen to be able to get a few apples to drop after repeated kicks.
“This is boring.” Scootaloo suddenly proclaimed to the sky. Though said boredom could have been the result of some frustration at what could only be described as unmovable trees.
“It’s not too bad Scoots.” Sweetie Belle remarked while she attempted to use her magic to try and remove one of the apples. However, she was only able to make said apple wiggle a bit before she had to break her concentration.
Of course such a comment managed to only make Scootaloo a little more perturbed. Taking a few breaths to calm her mind, she turned her attention to the young drake and said “Hay Spike, still having trouble coming up with that answer?”
Spike was momentarily stunned by the sudden question but managed to recover enough to reply “Nothing yet. It’s strange though…I feel like I know what it is but it just keeps eluding me; like when you are trying to think of the right word to say and it’s on the tip of your tongue but you can’t place it.”
“Maybe it has to do with being the biggest?” Scootaloo suggested
“Or the meanest” Sweetie Belle chimed in
“Or the loudest” Applebloom added
“Or maybe…it being the most pathetic” came an unknown voice that seemed to stutter as if it was chewing on something. The four young ones let out a startled yelp and turned to face the source of the voice and what they saw almost caused them to freeze in terror.
Almost as if appearing from the trees themselves, at least ten of those strange creatures slowly approached them. The creatures slowly made their way towards the group, spreading out as if they were planning to block off all escape routes. Eventually, the group stopped when they form a wide arc and out of the center came a slightly larger version of the creatures. The main difference with this one was that on its head was a rather menacing looking helmet that gave the appearance of being on fire.
“Wh…what do you want.” Applebloom said in an attempt to put on a brave face. However, the almost demonic look that the large creature gave made her lose what little resolve she had and caused her to backpedal towards her friends.
The large creature lifted its arm and pointed at Spike before saying in that rubbing tone “We want the dragon. Give him to us…or we will take him.”
Spike, who was confused as to why this…thing wanted him in the first place said in a nervous tone “What do you want with me?”
The creature’s grin became wider as he replied “That doesn't concern you. Surrender to us…unless you want their deaths to weigh on your conscious” gesturing to the three fillies as he finished the last sentence.
The fillies were now in complete terror and Spike was also feeling really scared. He had never come across anything that was so evil that it would murder innocent fillies in such a relaxed manner. He couldn't stand up to them and the others were busy with other tasks, unaware of what was going on. It seemed like the only option was to surrender to these creatures and hope that the girls would tell the others.
“You are really going to fall for the oldest trick in the book? Wow and I thought I was thick headed.” A voice sounded inside the young dragons mind. Before Spike could say anything the voice continued with “You do realize that they are still going to kill the fillies no matter what you do. I think the term is called ‘leaving no witnesses’.”
“How do you know that?” Spike asked in his mind, feeling a little uncomfortable about the fact that he was no talking to himself or possibly going crazy.
Strangely enough, Spike sense that the source of the voice was feeling a sense of surprise and it became apparent when it responded with “You can hear me?”
Spike didn't say anything but tried to give the mental impression that he was nodding in agreement. It was then that everything became silent before the voice practically shouted “OH MY ANCESTORS FINALLY. Do you have ANY idea how hard it was to get through to you? Seriously you’re deafer then my great uncle Groundshaker after that run it with that fear dragon.”
Spike wanted to say, or think as the case was, something but that voice continued “Look we don’t really have a lot of time before those Grublins decided to start attacking so I’ll make this short and simple so that even you could understand. Before you ask, my name is Tielenth and I am one of your Ancestors.”
“My…Ancestor?” Spike asked in an unsure tone of voice.
He felt Tielenth nodding his head and saying “Specifically from your father’s side but that isn't important right now. The main thing to worry about is those Grublins who are threatening your horde.”
“But I don’t have a horde.” Spike protested, memories of the last time he had a horde and what that had been a part of still present in his mind.
Strangely enough, Spike had the impression that Tielenth was grinning and he replied in a very casual tone “Really, because from what I can tell; you have a horde that consists of nine of the most valuable and precious items that a dragon can have. But I guess if you don’t think your friendships are that important then…”
Tielenth let his sentence trail off when Spike retorted “I don’t think of my friends as if they were part of a horde and I certainly wouldn't deny them their freedom and keep them trapped in some cave.”
“Which makes them all the more valuable” Tielenth merely responded which managed to disarm Spike. Thinking that it was time to drive his point home, he added “Any dragon can go out and collect a couple pounds of gold and treasure, but rare is the dragon that is able to form bonds of companionship and make friends. To a dragon, having a friend is a treasure more precious than anything else in the world because you have managed to convince another that you aren't some vicious monster. Even more valuable are the friends you allow to live and experience life because you trust them enough that they won’t betray you. True, your situation is different; but the core values are the same. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo are all a part of your horde and you know it deep down inside of you.”
Spike wanted to deny those words, but the more he thought about it; the more it seemed to truth. He did think of them as his treasure, his horde. He could recall how he felt a small sense of hopelessness whenever they went on some crazy adventure and he couldn't come, or how he felt that small bit of anger swell inside whenever they were feeling sad or depress. Anger that was born of frustration at the fact that there wasn't anything he could do to help them besides lending an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on.
Even now, he could feel another familiar feeling slowly forming in his heart. The primal feeling that all dragons have whenever they felt like their horde was threaten. But as much as Spike wanted to act on those feelings, the realistic part of him pointed out that familiar limitation he had.
“I…I can’t…” Spike said in a defeated tone “I can’t keep them safe. I’m not strong enough.”
“Well of course you’re not…but you will be.” Tielenth replied “All you have to do is simply accept the fact that you are a dragon and that these thoughts are normal for you to be thinking. Once you do young dragon; you will have the strength and wisdom to protect your friends. Now go…”
Spike felt something release inside of him and gave out a breath of shock as memories upon memories seemed to just flood into his mind. He could feel his muscles growing and hardening under his scales, the bones in his body becoming stronger and thicker. He could feel his teeth and claws growing and becoming sharper like daggers as well as the spines on his back becoming more solid and define. It was as if he was experiencing a kind of hyper-metamorphism, changing into something that almost felt like the time he experience that greed growth spurt. However, unlike before, Spike was in complete control of his mind and emotions and such a control gave him a new sense of confidence. Before the transformation was over, he heard Tielenth finish his sentence.
“…and unleash the true dragon within you.”
Let’s see if Spike’s new form will be enough to handle those Grublins. Find out in the next chapter.
Man this has been long overdue but I hope you all enjoy it.
Chapter 15: Spike’s Potential
To everyone around the young dragon, the sight they saw was something that was both strange and stunning. Spike’s body, which was shaking a little in mind fear, became as still as a statue. From the distance, they could barely hear what sounded like a window breaking, but the noise was so faint that the only reason they could hear it was because of the quite atmosphere.
It was then that Spike let out a roar of resistance as everyone watched as blue crystal shards were flying from the horizon towards them. The crystals, bluer then the sky behind them; circled around the clearing for a brief time before launching themselves at Spike.
When the crystals connected, the Cutie Mark Crusaders were shocked to see Spike appearing unfazed by the sudden assault. In fact, upon closer look, it appeared that Spike was absorbing the crystals into his body.
They didn't get a chance to examine much else as the ground under them suddenly started to shift and move; dragging the frighten fillies away from Spike and the creatures. They didn't travel very far and when they finally stopped; they were surprised to be once again face to face with Spyro. The larger purple dragon gave them a reassuring smile before returning his attention back to where Spike was at. Without looking behind him, the purple dragon asked “Could you tell me what happened here.”
At once, each of the three fillies went off on their own explanation, the fear that they had acting as the source of fuel in their fast pace ranting. Even though it sounded like gibbers, Spyro was able to get the gist of what had happened prior to his arrival. He gave the Cutie Mark Crusaders a simple nod that meant he understood before refocusing on the action taking place in front of him.
It was at that point that the blue crystals had finally stopped spinning around and were now on a direct course with Spike. However, upon getting to a certain point, the crystals disintegrated into a kind of blue mist before seeping into the young dragon’s body. As more and more crystals were being absorbed, the spectators watched as Spike’s body started moving until he was in a fighting position. The fighting stance consisted of his left arm almost fully extended with his two fingers pointed at the Grublins with his right arm drawn back with the same two fingers extended. Spyro noticed that his chest had slowed down a bit which meant that the young drake was now in control of his breathing.
It was at that moment that the first Grublin decided to makes its move. Charging towards the dragon, what happened seemed to appear as if it was happening in slow motion. The Grublin leaped into the air with the full intention of using gravity to assist with his downward swing of his club. When the creature reached a certain point in the air, Spike quickly moved forward and drove his left two fingers at a point that connected its arm from the rest of its body. The attack didn't look like it penetrated the thick wood of the Grublin but yet it was enough to stop it mid-fall before bursting into a shower of gems.
Before any of the fillies had a chance to process what they witness, more Grublins started charging at Spike. Yet, despite the odds, Spike remained relatively calm and held his position. What happened next seemed to be moving in slow-motion as Spike used his hands, feet, and even his tail as a form of attack against the charging Grublins. Strangely enough, at least from what Spyro could see was that the young drake was rather determined to strike at a very specific spot every time he counterattacked. Those spots ranged from certain points on their chests, to striking what would have been the location of their joints.
It was when Spyro had thought of joints that he realized why this combat form was so familiar to him. He remembered reading one of the books that Ignitus had packed for him concerned different dragon disciplines and the way that Spike was moving and striking were strikingly similar to the Gentle Claw style; a hard discipline in which a dragon focuses less on overall strength and more on precision, using the tips of their claws to strike at weak points on their opponents. It was a style that required a sharp mind, complete control of one’s body, and being fast enough to make those quick strikes. There was no way that Spike would have been able to learn something like that in such a short amount of time, which could only mean that one of his Ancestors was adept in that art.
Spyro removed himself from that train of thought, focusing back on the battle in case Spike needed some help. Thankfully, during his musing, Spike had made quick work of the Grublins with only the leader left. Spyro took a quick glance at said leader and saw to his mild surprise that it was now wearing a helmet that gave the appearance of being on fire. It was a helmet that Spyro was familiar with, having to deal with them on multiple occasions during the war against Malefor. The helmet was magically infused with a spell that made the wearer immune to all forms of physical and magical attacks unless it specifically matches the helmet or Convexity. Spyro was just about to break cover and go deal with it but he felt a surge of magic and turned to observe the source.
Spike had his right fist closed and surrounding the fist was an aura of fire. Spyro only had just a moment to look before Spike started running towards the Grublin with his fist pulled back ready to deliver a solid punch. The Grublin was surprised by the speed that Spike was showing and had no time to react or defend himself when Spike hit him with a solid jab.
When the punch connected, all the stored up fire energy burst into an explosion that for a brief moment appeared to be in the shape of a dragon head. Spike was able to time that punch perfectly and judging how much energy he needed as the helmet disintegrated when it was unable to handle the energy output and it sent the Grublin sailing into the air only of it to crash into a tree and exploded into a shower of gems.
When things had started to settle down, Spike took a breath of relief before collapsing on the ground. The fillies plus Spyro all raced towards him with mix degrees of worry. Spyro reached his side first and gently placed two fingers on Spike’s neck, being careful about his claws.
“Is…is Spike okay?” Sweetie Belle asked, still mildly in awe as to what she saw and even wonder if the whole thing was just a dream.
Spyro looked up at their faces and said “He fine now, just tired from what happen.” The dragon paused for a moment while his mind tried to figure out what to do next before settling on a course of action and saying “Could you three go and let Twilight and the others know what happen and have them meet us at the library?”
The three fillies nodded in understanding before racing off in the direction of the farm, no doubt to tell Applejack first. Spyro watched them go for a moment before returning his attention back on Spike. Using his earth element, Spyro lifted the young drake onto his back before securing him to his body so he didn't fall off. Once secure, Spyro began to head towards the library, knowing that Cynder would be there at around this time.
College really has an annoying habit of making one not want to write anything. I hope that the chapter is still enjoyable.
I managed to have a break in my busy college schedule to be able to write another chapter.
Chapter 16: Spike’s Transformation
Of course the moment that Twilight and the other heard what had happened at the orchid, they didn't waste any time in racing towards the library. While the three fillies’ explanation was a bit frantic hard to understand; their tone was enough to cause them to worry.
Due to that worry, the girls reached the front of the library with various degrees of fatigue. Taking a moment to collect their breaths, Twilight opened the door to find that Spyro was sitting in one of the cushions that dotted the floor reading a book that Twilight didn't recognize as one from her library while Sparx was hovering around doing nothing.
Aware of the door opening, Spyro looked up from his book and said in a gentle tone “I guess those three fillies were able to tell you want happened.”
The girls didn't respond vocally since it was rather clear that since they were here then they had gotten the message. The same question was in all of their heads and was also not needed to be spoken out loud because Spyro made a quick gesture towards the stairs that led to the upper parts of the library and stated “Spike is up there resting right now. However, it wouldn't be wise to go up and visit.”
“And why would that be?” Applejack asked in a questioning tone.
Before Spyro could answer the question there was a sudden groan coming from upstairs. While the groan was draconic in nature and it did sound like Spike; it sounded like it was one of relief rather than anything born of malice. Spyro looked up for a moment before returning his attention back to the girls and saying “Spike is going through something of a ‘spiritual backlash’. It’s a condition in which his body was exposed to more spiritual energy then he was capable of handling.”
“Is he going to be alright?” Fluttershy asked her desire for Spike’s well being giving her the courage to ask the question.
Spyro gave a reassuring smile and said “It’s nothing serious. He just needs to sweat it out. Cynder is just making sure that he is tended to until Spike can regain full control of his body.” His answer was enough for the six ponies and they all settled down to wait for the young dragon to recover.
The main room was silent but it was the kind of silence that wasn't awkward or tense. Each of the ponies all managed to pick out their own reading material and joined Spyro in silent reading; the only sounds being the flipping of the pages. Even Pinkie, normally a ball of hyperactive energy settled into a quiet serenity and would most likely stay that way until she was sure that her first dragon friend was back on his claws. Sparx, completely board out of his mind, settled on top on a stack of books.
From time to time there was another groan that originated from the upstairs rooms. While they did vary in pitch and length; they never did sound like they were anything of anguish or pain. It got to the point that Twilight had even started to measure the time between groans as a way to bring her mind back into focus. Her attention was focused on the book that Spyro was reading. Before it had caught her attention since she hadn't seen it before. Now that she was taking a closer look, she saw that the cover of the book was written in runes that she was unfamiliar with and had a silhouette of a dragon on it. Curiosity getting the better of her Twilight asked “What are you reading there Spyro?”
Spyro was surprised by the question and responded “It’s a manual on dragon combat styles. I was trying to find more information on that combat style Spike had used.”
“Spike used a combat style?” Twilight questioned with intrigued. As far as she knew, she had ever seen Spike take any real interest in fighting except for when he was younger and her brother was still in training.
Spyro nodded his head and returned his attention back to the book in front of him. For a moment, Twilight wondered if Spyro had decided to end the conversation but that thought was dispelled when Spyro said “Here…take a look at this.”
Twilight took the book in her magical grip and looked at the page that Spyro had indicated. On the page were more of those strange runes that she was unable to understand. What she was able to understand were the pictures which showed dragon silhouettes in various positions. There was also a close up a dragon claw that had a greenish glow and another close up picture of a dragon eye.
Unsure as to what she was suppose to see, Twilight returned the book to Spyro and said “I’m sorry but whoever wrote that book did so in a language that I’m unfamiliar with.”
Spyro looked a bit surprised by the news but nodded his head in understanding before saying “The section talks about the Critical Strike Style or ‘Gentle Claw Style’ as it is more commonly known. The style focuses less on raw physical strength and more on speed and striking weak points. It is actually a rather difficult discipline for a dragon to master since most tend to focus on overwhelming their opponents with powerful attacks and element abilities.” Spyro gave an encouraging smile before saying, “Of course Spike wouldn't have been as skilled as I saw him in that technique without you Twilight.”
Twilight was momentarily taken aback before responding “What did I do?”
Spyro quickly replied “One of the big things that are required for the Critical Strike Style is the ability to be able to quickly and accurately gauge a lot of variables almost at once. Spending all of his time under your care made Spike naturally learn how to be able to react to a problem and quickly form a proper response. However, he wasn't able to take full advantage of it until now but it doesn't diminish its value.” Spyro paused for a moment and looked to be lost in his thoughts for a moment before adding “Come to think about it, every one of you had a hoof in Spike developing it. Applejack was the strength, Rainbow Dash was the speed, Pinkie Pie was balance, Rarity was precision and Fluttershy assisted Twilight with knowledge of striking vulnerable points. If that was the case, that might also explain the weird eyes he had.”
Before Twilight could have a chance to ask what Spyro was talking about, there was a flash of blue light from upstairs. When it was over, they watched as Cynder made her way downstairs. She took notice of the ponies present but didn't appear to be surprised to see them. She turned her attention back to Spyro and said “The spirit energy has returned to normal. Spike just needs to have a good night sleep and he should be fine in the morning.” Cynder turned her attention to the ponies and added “Although I would be against it since he does need bed rest; I have a feeling that you all aren't going to be content until you know he’s okay.” Cynder moved to the side before finishing “Just try and keep your voices down.”
The mares nodded in understanding and made their way up the stairs and into the room that Spike was resting in. Spyro and Cynder heard the six surprised gasps from where they were at and knew that what they were seeing was shocking to them. Cynder turned her attention to her dragon partner and commented “With the way his body has changed; I have a feeling that his training can now truly begin.”
Spyro nodded in agreement before adding “And I think I have the perfect place in mind to help him take the first step.”
Man I really apologize for how late this chapter is and the lack of updates; but you all know how collage can be sometimes right?
Once again I’m completely amazed that people actually like my writing. It still never ceases to surprise me. Ah well, here is the next chapter.
Chapter 17: Let’s Get Down to Business
Spike awoke to the light of the sun glaring into his closed eyes, making himself groan in annoyance and wondering if it was possible to tell Celestia to hold off for another few hours. However, that train of thought was put to rest when the sun light continued its relentless assault on his poor eyes.
Groaning once again, Spike opened his eyes and started to slowly remove himself from his basket. Vaguely, he notice that said basket seemed more rectangle then her remembered it being but chucked that off to his tired brain still trying to get up. That excuses didn't last long when his eyes drifted over and found his basket sitting off in the distance, its sheets unwrinkled and showing no signs of activity.
“Why is my basket over there…”Spike mused to himself before saying “If it’s over there…then where was I sleeping?” Spike didn't have to think for very long on that question when his nose managed to pick up the familiar smell of Twilight coming from the sheets and concluded that he must have been sleeping in Twilight’s bed.
When he realized that, his eyes opened up wider and his brain started to get into high gear as he asked himself “Why am I in Twilight’s bed…for that matter why does everything seem smaller then it use to be.” Looking around the room, he did notice that things appeared to have shrunk in size from his basket to the bed and even the bookshelves and windows. “Twilight must have been practicing a shrinking spell.” Spike concluded.
“Actually it’s not that everything has gotten smaller but rather you getting bigger.” A familiar voice resonated in Spike head. Spike let out a surprised gasp, not from the fact that there was a voice inside of his head but rather that he knew who the source of the voice was.
“T…Tielenth?” Spike asked in a hushed voice.
He sense Tielenth nodding his head and replying “Glad to see you remember me after that little nap you had. Was almost worried you would have forgotten me but I guess that’s all in the past.” There was a pause in the conversation before Tielenth added “So…how do like your new body?”
“My new…body.” Spike asked as his eyes moved over to the mirror that was on Twilight’s vanity. The dragon that he saw was something that was both a surprised and a scare.
The dragon facing him in the mirror was definitely larger in both height and build; with defined muscles sculpted on his arms and chest. His scales, which were normally bright and saturated, had become slightly dull and seemed to blend into each other. His paws now had fully grown talons on them, white as ivory and as sharp as a spear point. Spike reached out to feel his frills and discovered that they had become harder and more defined and lost some of their flexibility. He was even surprised to have grown a pair of horns, long dark green horns and curved on themselves like a ram’s horns.
“Wow…” Spike could only think and his excitement gave appearance to the last and probably biggest change in his appearing. Appearing in a flash, Spike could only look on in disbelief as his reflection was shown to have a pair of wings. The wings were large and beautiful; the membrane tinted with a hint of purple and the scales covering the wing bones a forest green color. Spike could feel the strength in those muscles, powerful enough to lift his body off the ground and go soaring in the sky and know the kind of excitement that Rainbow Dash gets whenever she flew.
“I take it that ‘wow’ as a sign that you are happy with what you see.” Tielenth commented and couldn't stop the bit of prideful tone that was underneath the statement.
Spike got up from the bed; still a little surprised that he was still comfortable standing on two legs and made his way over to the mirror before whispering “When…how did you do this?”
Tielenth gave the impression of a mental shrug and replied “Simply put, your body was too young and underdeveloped to handle the sheer amount of spiritual energy you had absorbed. So we had to find a way to balance it out. Don’t act too surprised, this is actually what you should have looked like at this point in your life under...normal conditions.”
“I can’t wait to show the others.” Spike said to himself and started to make his way to the door before he felt a strange feeling in his stomach and halted.
Tielenth replied “I wouldn't recommend going down just yet.”
“Why’s that?”
“Well…you see…in addition to the body, you were also grown mentally. Strictly speaking, you are basically in the middle of your adolescence or in simple term puberty; which means that you also have all the joys of a male puberty including…” Tielenth didn't finish his sentence but instead gave the impression that Spike should take a look down at his waist line. Spike did, and what he saw was something that made almost all the color drain from his face and quickly used his paws to preserve his dignity. Tielenth couldn't resist a hearty chuckled and replied “Relax, it will go away in a few moments.” Once again he paused for a moment before adding in an off paw matter “For what it’s worth, that is very impressive for one of your age. Just imagine how much larger it…”
Spike cut him off with “You’re not helping!” before giving a mild groan and waiting until he was once again decent. Thankful it wouldn't be that hard to hide it from the others but Spike would still need to be careful.
Eventually, Spike managed to traverse his way down to the main floor of the library, taking longer than usual due to still having to adjust with his new height. Once down, he was surprised to find that it was empty which struck him as strange considering that he would have expected Twilight to be up and about at this time of day. What Spike did notice was a rolled up scroll that had his name written on the outside. Opening the scroll, Spike quickly read the message that was inside:
Spike,
Meet us at the Training Field in Canterlot. Don’t worry about taking the train as a carriage should be waiting for you outside.
Spyro
Spike was slightly confused by this and Tielenth didn't seem to offer any sort of hint but the fact that he was going to the training field implies that it has something to do with his studies. Nodding to himself, Spike put the scroll down before opening the door and stepping out onto the streets of Ponyville.
Sure enough there was a carriage waiting for him outside the library; two pegasus guards strapped to it. Spike was also aware of the lack of ponies that were moving around the streets but it wasn't something that he put too much thought into it. Nodding at the guards, Spike quickly got on the carriage. The guards gave a silent nod to each other before they took off in sync, their course heading directly towards Canterlot.
As the carriage made its way to its destination, Spike asked “So what happened to those Grumblins?”
Tielenth responded with “You kicked their green butts, simple as that.”
“I fought them?!” Spike asked in disbelief
“Well…not exactly. You see remember when I said that the reason your body changed was because of the large amount of ancestral energy flowing through a body that was unable to handle it.”
“Yeah…”
“Well…where did you think all that energy came from?”
Spike thought for a moment since it was a ligament question. All that energy had to have come from somewhere. It took a while but Spike eventually came up with an answer and replied “From the crystal.”
“Bingo, give the dragon a gold star. Yes that crystal or Spirit Gem as we referred to it, acts as a way for dragons to be able to communicate with their Ancestors. The more you communicate with them; the more knowledge you will gain. It was actually the way Spyro and Cynder learned everything they knew about fighting and elemental powers. Of course there is the practical application of all of this; you can’t expect to just absorb a bunch of Spirit Gems and suddenly know everything that you need in life. Everyone, dragons and ponies, never stop learning. Always remember that young one.”
Spike was silent for a moment, trying to wrap his head around what he had been told. He felt proud of the fact that he was able to break the Spirit Gem; which he felt acted as a confirmation on his sense of identity. But there was also the fact that he was nervous of what kind of potential he had locked away inside of him; just waiting for the chance to be made known. In order to distract himself from his self-doubting thoughts he asked “So what do you think Spyro and Cynder have planned for me?”
Tielenth was silent for a moment before responding with “My guess…it’s the practical side of your training.”
Before Spike could get a chance to ask what that meant, one of the guards said “Were arriving at the Training Field Master Spike.” At first the drake was a little uncomfortable being addressed by his official title but that moment was lost when he looked down and saw his eyes widen in shock.
The Training Field was an area of grass that was situated on one of the plateaus around Canterlot. The area was large enough to serve as both a training field and an arena of sorts. Usually the stands would be empty at a time like this but that wasn't the case today. From where Spike could see, it looked as if half of the population of Canterlot was now situated on those stands. What made it even more of a shocker was that both Princesses were present including Twilight and her friends and even Sparx was hanging around next to them. Situated on the middle of the field were Spyro and Cynder, who were looking up at the drake with that neutral expression that he had come to known.
Eventually the carriage settled down on the grass and Spike got off. He could hear the multiple gasps coming from the ponies in the stands which actually something he expected considering that Canterlot was really the only other major city in Equestria where ponies were use to the sight of him and seeing him now must have caused many a double takes. The carriage took off as Spike made his way towards the two dragons. As he was approaching, he made a gesture towards the crowd and asked “I thought that my training was a private matter.”
Spyro gave a mild shrug and replied “It was. We only had plans for Twilight and the others to be present but eventually Celestia and Luna arrived and then word got out and one thing leads to another and well…” Spyro didn't feel the need to finish as it was quite obvious what the chain of events were to be.
Cynder gave an understanding smile before saying “Besides, we figured that your first day of training should be in the city where you were hatched, as it was with me and Spyro.” Which was the truth in a way; Cynder first trained under the Mountain of Malefor and Spyro had been subconsciously training in the Swamps where he grew up with his foster family.
Spike nodded his head and asked “So…where do we start?”
The two dragons looked at each other and gave a quick nod before walking off in different directions; Spyro walking in front of Spike and Cynder walking behind him. They both stopped when they were about three meters from Spike before Spyro said in a voice that sounded wise and powerful “Fire, Electricity, Ice, Earth, Poison, Wind, Fear, and Shadow; eight primal elements that make up our world; four for yin and four for yang. Every dragon before you and after will come to understand these elements and what they represent; even if they will only be able to master one.” Spyro then rose up his right paw and extended two claws. The claws then began to glow with a purplish aura and Spike had a feeling that Cynder was copying the motion. Vaguely, he was aware that the stadium had grown silent and even the wind seemed to have stopped. Spike had no time to process this as Spyro continued to speak “For you, young drake, you have been gifted with the element of Fire; a noble element that symbolizes creation, life, beginning, passion, fury, and warmth. It was said that before there were plants and animals and dragons; there was only fire, chaos, and destruction. The world burned and burned under the relentless heat of the sun.”
Cynder then spoke but for some odd reason Spike felt no compulsion to turn around; as if the act itself would violate whatever ritual the two dragons were doing “So the world burned, until out from a protective cave of rock and heat came the first dragon. Brought into the world by friction and heat, the dragon was both strong of body and keen of mind. When he lacked in food, he ate the rocks and crystals; and when his throat needed moisture, he drank the magma. By doing so, he learned how to breathe fire and became the first fire dragon. As the dragon grew, he began to have visions of the future of the world and it wasn't long before he found a way to make it reality.”
Spyro then added “So the fire dragon climbed to the highest volcano, which was said to be the only passage way to the center of the plant and dove right in. As the flesh burning lava touched his scales, he felt no pain as all his thoughts were of the future he wanted to bring to existence. It was unknown how long he spent in the passage but he was able to make it the end only to find himself facing a fire that he could not resist. Before his scales burned and his body consumed, the fire dragon let out a roar of defiance to the universe; challenging it to destroy his dream before becoming one with the core of the plant and bringing all the fire back from the surface. So the world was able to cool, its crust hardening and forming land. From land came the sky and from the sky came water, the drink of life. So it has been told.”
Spike was at a lost, not sure how he should have felt about hearing such a legend but before he could have a chance to say anything Spyro looked directly at him and said “You are a fire dragon, a descendant of the first. You possess a legacy that is both wise and respected among all dragons. Fire dragons were the first to be discovered by others and have become the symbol of dragon kind. For you, young dragon; your path starts now.”
When Spyro was finished, both he and Cynder slammed their extended claws into the ground. Shooting from the point of impact was a string of strange runes that formed a circle around Spike. Shooting from four point of the circle was another line of runes that traveled away from the main circle and formed a smaller circle. Once those small circles were complete, everypony felt the ground shake as rising from the center of each circle was a large copper basin. They rose until standing at about the same height as Celestia before each ignited into a massive bonfire yet there was no indication of a source of fuel to feed the flames.
Once everything was set up, Spyro took a deep breath and said in a voice that sounded similar to Ignitus “Now…let’s begin.”
"The style you use is reformed...precise...and focus." Spyro states as he paces around the arena; his eyes still focused on the dragon in front of him. "It's a technique when dealing with a single strong opponent or several groups of smaller enemies."
"However" Cynder interjects "It is not without flaws. For starters you are not getting the kind of raw power that most dragons are capable of. The style is more of a finesse skill that weaker dragons practice to keep up with the rest of their peers. Also you will find that there are those who are capable of countering your style and put you in a difficult situation."
Spike nods in understanding. It would make sense that a style would carry a few flaws with it. After all no technique is perfect. However where he would have thought that he was going to train and master his fighting style; he was surprised when Spyro said "However for our first lesson we will focus on your elemental power and your fire breath."
"My fire breath?" Spike asked not really thinking about the changes his body would have had to him fire until that point. Sure his body did grow and there were no doubt other changes as well but would that have affected his fire.
Spike didn't get much chance to ponder as a wooden dummy suddenly appeared in front of him. Looking like some kind of small ape, it stares at the dragon with hollow green glowing eyes that honestly sent a small shiver down his body. Spyro motions towards the dummy and says "Go ahead Spike and let us see the strength of your fire."
Spike nods before focusing on the unmoving dummy. Taking a deep breath, he stroked the fire that was inside of his body and found that it was easier then when he was young. Once the magical energy collected into his mouth, he exhale and released it.
The result was instant and promising. Everypony, especially those that knew Spike personally, let out a surprised gasp as a large column of fire erupted from his mouth. The orange flame with a green hue engulfs the dummy and burns it down to the core. When Spike closed his mouth, the fire stopped and all that was left of the dummy was a pile of ash.
The pony spectators let out an audible sound of surprise to say the least and Spyro gave his student a pleased expression before saying "Not bad. You are able to produce and maintain a strong flame. Now I will show you some basic ways on how to manipulate that flame. In time, you will be able to know and master a variety of skills that will serve you well."
"Alright so where do we start?" Spike asked with an eager expression on his face that spoke as to how much he was looking forward to the next lesson. It would seem that him being able to breathe fire had given him a nice boast in his confidence.
Cynder shook her head before saying "Easy there. You haven't learned about the fire scale yet." She looks over at Spyro who gives her a nod of approval. Clearing her throat she says "Now fire, like all elements, works on a kind of scale with one side being power and the other being control. Now a standard fire breath is about ninety percent power with ten percent control."
"Really? I would have thought that it would be all power and no control." Spike interjects. While it was a valid question, the look he got from Cynder made him starts to come to the conclusion that it wouldn't be wise to interrupt her again.
Cynder clears her throat before saying "To answer your question, every living thing has a kind of innate sense of control so as to prevent things from being too destructive. That ten percent is the amount that of control that a dragon will have at all times. Only on vary rare occasions would one be able to suppress even that amount down though the results are generally...cataclysmic." There was a moment of pause before she continued "Now in order to develop more control over your fire; you will need to be able to learn how to master it in its raw form and to do that will require more training then what we will cover today."
Spike had a sense that the day was about over and that sense was only confirmed when he felt the ground rumble. Looking around, the four alters were sinking back into the ground while their fire was extinguished. As the training area returned to the ground; Spyro said "Tomorrow we will begin with your training with how to control your fire. Also expect that in the coming days you will begin training on flight as well so make sure you are aware of that."
The arena was finally cleared and the ponies started to realize that whatever was going on was over. Making their way out of the stands, Spyro takes a final look at his student before saying "As for the rest of the day...well it is yours to spend it as you see fit. May the Ancestors guide you from here on out young dragon."
The two dragon made their way towards an exit before Spike says "Wait Spyro...what or who are the 'Ancestors'?"
Spyro turns to face him and says in a rather plain and simple tone "They are said to be the ten dragons who shaped the world. We have already told you about the Ancestor of Fire but there are seven others for each of the Elements that exist in our world."
Spike was about to accept that before a thought entered his mind and he says "But wait...that only makes eight. What about the last two?"
Perhaps the first time since the training started; Spike noticed that Spyro and Cynder appeared hesitant about answering his question. Sure they haven't been out right with information but this time it seemed like they were actively trying to decided wither or not to tell him. Eventually Spyro says "When you are older and wiser; we will tell you about the identity of those two. Just know that out of the ten, those two are considered the strongest, fastest, and wisest out of all the Ancestors."
With that being said, the two dragons made their way to the exit only to find that Celestia and Luna were waiting for them. Looking back, they noticed that the Elements were all around Spike; no doubt admiring his new body or giving him words of encouragement. "I sense that this is the start of a new chapter for him." Celestia comments as she watches the scene in front of them.
The two dragons say nothing so as to not disturb this moment of a teacher watching their student growing. Luna, seeming to pick up on what her sister was saying adds "Let us all hope that it is one that will be full of growth."
The afternoon breeze begins to blow and Cynder felt that it was a sigh of good things to come. Spyro was also feeling the same way as Celestia though his mind was still somewhat nervous about the whole idea of teaching. Still as long as Cynder was with him; he felt like there was nothing they couldn't do.
With the first day of training over with, Spyro and Cynder felt it was best that Spike spends a bit of time with his pony friends. He still needed some time to adjust to his new body and having supportive friends would help with the process. Of course that meant that the two dragons were alone with the Princesses and they felt that it was a good time to ask some questions that they had. Celestia and Luna knew this as well if the questioning looks they were getting were any indication. Without words, the two dragons and the two princesses made their way to a meeting room located in the training grounds. After the usual procedure of warding the room to prevent anypony from seeing or hearing what was going on; they sat down at the table and waited for one to break the ice. As she was use to these kinds of meetings, Celestia was the first when she let out a polite cough before saying "So I'm guessing you have some questions for us?"
Spyro, slightly taken out of his train of thoughts, nodded his head before asking "For starters what is the Dark Master's Armies doing here. Last we knew they were all destroyed when the Dark Master was defeated."
Celestia nodded her head before saying "So that is what those creatures are called. To be honest they only started showing up after I contacted the Chronicler asking for a teacher. At first they were just reports of them being spotted but this is only the second time they actually tried to attack a town."
Cynder tilted her head a bit and asked "Second time?"
Luna said "Yes, the first time the attacking force was smaller and consisted of only those small green things you refer to as Grumblins. However when they attacked, my sister and I were currently in Ponyville attending an event and as such there were more than enough Royal Guards to be able to drive them back." She pauses before adding "Still that attack only seemed to happen after we contacted Ignitus and the fact that they are growing in both numbers and variety is troubling."
Spyro and Cynder looked at each other for a bit before Spyro responded "I don't think you have to worry too much about that." The Princesses looked at the purple dragon with confusion and curiosity. Already guessing at what they were going to ask he continued "Well you see the Dark Master's Army is formed through natural materials and a lot of magical energy. The amount needed to create any of the troops differ from unit to unit but all are formed from the same process. However, whoever is doing this I can't imagine would have the same kind of raw power that the Dark Master had and he was able to create armies that numbered in the millions. Also any units that he lost were quickly replaced which means that it was an army that was unbeatable until he was destroy."
Cynder took over at this point "From what we saw, whoever created this force is someone not use to this kind of magic and is still having a hard time controlling them as even if you create a unit you still need to make sure that it is bent to your will. So given that, we both believe that it will be quite some time before another attack and even longer if this person is going to try and create a larger army or one with bigger units."
Celestia and Luna pondered over this new information. Sure it was hearting to know that whatever or whoever was doing this didn't have the capability to be able to cause the kind of destruction that Avalar had to deal with. Still until they know more it will be hard to mount an effective counter attack and stop this before that Army gets too large. Celestia came to another realization and asked "Is that why you are focusing more of Spike's combat abilities? To prepare for another attack?"
Spyro nodded his head and said "In part yes but those abilities are going to be more useful beyond this coming storm. In time, Spike may come into a situation and may be called upon to defend his friends. When that moment comes, I hope to have given him the skills and the knowledge to be able to protect his precious treasures."
The two dragons and two Alicorns continue to discuss some minor topics before Sparx came by and informed them that the train was almost here. Giving the Princesses a polite bow, the dragons make their way to the train station to find the six ponies and Spike already waiting for them. Currently Rainbow Dash was taking a closer look at Spike's wings. They were only able to catch Dash saying "...oh and I can't wait to show you how to fly."
Spyro slightly shook his head before saying "I'm afraid that Cynder is going to be Spike's flying teacher." He saw the hurtful look in her eyes and added "Nothing against you Dash but Spike needs to learn how to fly like a dragon and not as a pony." Dash replied "Well what the hay does that mean?"
Cynder coughed and responded "Well from what I saw you pegasus treat flying as either a means of transportation, a tool to assist your jobs, or as a form of sport. With dragons, our wings are an essential part of our beings and as such we learned to trust our wings. Besides there are difference to flying with feather wings then compared to the slick membranes that our wings are made of."
That seem to be the one detailed that Dash had overlooked, most likely due to her excitement of having a flying partner and teaching him all her awesome moves. While she didn't do well at school, she did remember the differences with different wing types and realized that it would be hard for Spike to grasp flying when being thought by somepony who had different wings. Still she did feel a little bad about not being able to be a part of Spike's training. Cynder must have noticed this before adding "Oh don't worry Dash. I think I know a way you can help Spike improve his flying." That seemed to be enough for the pegasus and a good thing to as the train was just pulling into the station. With the six ponies, three dragons, and one annoying dragonfly gotten in and found a seat; the train began to pull out of the station and started to head back towards Ponyville.
The ride back to Ponyville was quite different from the ride up to Canterlot. For starters, rather than being in a private room; Spyro and Cynder were now seated in one of the more public carts which of course made them the focus of attention for the other passengers. Of course their attention was also focused on Spike who was still getting use to his new body though he was adapting rather quickly. Spyro and Cynder were both sitting next to one another, watching the other ponies helping Spike while Sparx was doing his best to be annoying and a hindrance. While it was something that the drake wouldn't tolerate with his step brother; he let it slide as he wasn't doing anything too bad and the fact that everyone else was enjoying the antics.
Eventually Twilight stepped away from the group and made her way over to the two dragons. While they were curious to know what she wanted; it didn't take them long to find that out. Letting out a polite cough, she asked "So do you mind if I ask you something." The dragons looked at each other for a moment before looking back at her and nodding their head. Satisfied that she got their permission, she then says "Well...I was just wondering what exactly you were planning on teaching my assistant?"
Spyro tilts his head a bit before saying "Didn't we already answered that question?" It seemed rather strange that she would be asking something like that even though he should have anticipated something like this. It might be for the best to clear up any remaining confusion now rather than later. The rather stern but curious look on Twilight face almost confirms what he had expected to be her reason behind her question and he adds "In general, we would like to teach Spike how to defend himself and those he cares about. We also hope to teach him some tips to keep himself healthy. Beyond that, it really all depends on what Spike is willing to learn in relation to what we are able to teach him." Twilight seemed a bit satisfied with the answer that she was given but she also noted that it was rather vague in certain areas. She didn't want to pry too much as she knew that their relationship was rather shaky at best considering her past feelings when Spyro was disguised as a stallion and the fact that she still couldn't help but think that they were planning on turning Spike into one of those teenager dragons that she saw during the Dragon Migration.
Before Twilight could ask another question, Spike said "There was actually one topic I wouldn't mind learning about." The two dragons and unicorn looked to see Spike having a rather nervous expression on his face. They also notice the small blush that was on his face. A little curious about what topic he was thinking about, Spyro gestured towards the empty seat. Spike took the invitation and sat down before saying "Well...um...I was wondering...perhaps...if you could teach me about...well...draconic courtship."
That response earned a knowing smirk off of Twilight, a curious look on Spyro, and a rather flustered look off of Cynder. However, she was lucky enough that no one was looking at her long enough for her to put her embarrassment back in check. Taking a deep breath, she looks at Spike and asks "Well that is a topic that we don't have a lot of experience about but I can give you a few pointers as a dragoness on how a potential mate would go about courting me. Might help you get some ideas and perspective." Spike smiles at her and nods his head. It might actually be a good idea to get an objective look from a girl that is of the same species as he is. Taking a small breath, Cynder says "Well back in the past, when there was a virus that was affecting the dragon population mostly the female, it wasn't uncommon for a female to take multiple male drakes as mates especially during her cycle. However, now that our population is more or less balanced you will find a lot more one on one relationships rather than harem ones though they still do happen from time to time." Resting her paws under her chin, she closes her eyes "When attempting to court a female, you have to remember that you might end up competing with other potential mates."
Spike took this moment to interject "What do you mean by competing?"
Cynder gave a small shrug though Spyro replied "Well its instincts really. You feel a desire to prove that you are the strongest dragon around and there for the most worthy to potential mates. But like Cynder said, this was old thinking and considering your upbringing, I would be surprised to believe you would think like that."
Spike couldn't help but blush a bit but now Twilight was curious about something as well which she asked "So I know that dragons are able to breathe fire but how is it that you two are able to harness more than one element?" Once again the two dragons looked at each other before Spyro says "Well for me it was due to prophecy. I was born to bring balance back to the Dragon world and as such I was born as a purple dragon."
"Is having purple scales really all that special?"
"In our world, yes. You see most dragons are as you know them to be; only capable of harnessing one element. However, a purple dragon is able to harness all four of the natural elements and use them to a level that not even the most elder of dragons were capable of. However, the first purple dragon let all that power consume him to the point where he tried to bring about the end of our world. No other dragon was capable of stopping him expect for another purple dragon...which was me."
The four were silent for a moment before Spike asked "Did you?"
Spyro nods his head "With the help of Cynder, we were able to stop the Dark Master and save our world from destruction." Spike couldn't help but imagine what that must have been like. Going up against something that had that kind of power must have been daunting. Twilight on the other hoof, was busy pondering something else and looks over at Cynder before asking "Then how are you able to wield four elements as well?"
To the unicorn's surprise, Cynder turns her gaze to outside the train and her expression was one that Twilight saw in Luna when she thought about her past as Nightmare Moon. Spyro, without really thinking about it, places a paw on top of Cynder's to let her know that he was still there. It took a few moments before Cynder let out a sigh "It's...complicated and something that...I don't feel comfortable talking about at the moment." While Twilight was curious as to what Cynder was hiding, she also knew that being a good friend was understanding when someone isn't willing to share something and respecting their wishes. Perhaps, given time, Cynder will open up a bit more and be able to feel more comfortable around them. She didn't know why but she got the impression that the dragoness didn't spend a lot of time with others of the same gender as her. Perhaps her time in Ponyville will help to change that.
Eventually the train reaches its stop in Ponyville and it was a good thing to considering that Sparx was starting to get on a few last nerves, mostly Rainbow Dash and Applejack. When everyone exited the train, Spike looked back at the two dragons before asking "So...what now?"
The dragons looked at each other for a moment before Spyro says "Well since this was your first day; we figured that it will be best to start you off with something easy." He then reaches into his bag and pulls out what looks like a normal book. However, the big difference was that the title of the book was written in a strange language that no one, not even Twilight, was able to figure out. In fact the only Equestrian who did seem to have an idea was Spike who looked at it the same way one would look at a cover and decided if they should invest in reading it. Spyro passes on the book to Spike before saying "That book should have some basic tips to help you. Make sure you spend some time reading it when you get the chance." Spike nods in understanding before placing the book in one of Twilight's bags. However before the flap could slip over and cover the book, it was pulled out by Twilight's magic and it took no more than five seconds before her nose was buried in it. Everypony plus Spike had a knowing expression on their face; as if this was expected of the unicorn while Spyro and Cynder were left slightly puzzled by the reason as to why she would be interested in something like this.
With good bye said, the ponies left to do...whatever it was that they had plan to do; leaving Spyro, Cynder and Sparx alone at the train station. Looking around at the town, they started to realize that they really didn't have any type of sleeping arrangements planned. They weren't sure if Twilight would allow them to stay at the tree house. However, most of their personal belongings were still in Avalar which means making a new cave would take too long to get comfortable. Spyro lets out a sigh before saying "Looks like we are either going to have to find a place to stay or make one."
"Either option has their problems." Cynder remarked in neither a sarcastic or demeaning manner. She knew that complaining about it wasn't going to change their situation and just wanted to state a point.
"Indeed. I guess if it comes to it, I could always just make a hallow that we can use."
"However given how long it might take to make it comfortable..."
"Exactly."
"So that would make our other option to find a place to live...but we aren't exactly approachable."
Spyro nods his head in agreement before Sparx says "Well why don't we ask one of Spike's friends if we could stay with them?"
The two dragons thought about it. Logically it would make the most sense as they were the only ponies, at least in Ponyville, that were the most comfortable with them. Plus it would be easier than having to make a temporary home. The only real issue would be if they would even have extra logging for them. With the sun still just barely starting to descend, the dragons agree to put their living condition on hold for now and hope that something will present itself to them at a later point. Instead, the first and probably the most important thing they should do is take stock of their new surroundings.
With a somewhat reluctant Sparx in tow, the group begins to explore the town of Ponyville. When they were here under the guise of a stallion and mare; the town was quite relax and there was an air of peace around it. Now, there was still that air of peace and all of the ponies went about their normal business; but the dragons could tell that not all of them were still comfortable with their presence. Still, as long as they didn't do anything to antagonize them; they should be fine. Their exploration turned up a few of Ponyville's more...unique qualities. At one point they saw a store that was designed like any other but upon closer examination revealed that they only sold two items that don't seem to make sense being sold in the same establishment. Later on, Cynder almost ran into a pony who seemed to be off in their own little world. Still the clothing and bag filled with similar looking envelopes suggested that she held a position of importance in the community. She also seemed kind hearted due to the fact that not only did she apologize for bumping into Cynder but even gave the dragoness a strange treat that the pony referred to as a 'muffin'. Needless to say one bite of the treat and Cynder promised herself that she would discovered the secret behind these 'muffins' for they must be the work of some form of magic.
Eventually, their exploration found themselves on a hill overlooking a single building. The building was simplistic, much like the rest of Ponyville's architect with a red paint as the main color. A bell was hung from a tower and even as they watch; something caused the bell to start ringing a series of chimes. The chimes lasted for a few moments before the front doors open and a stream of ponies emerged. However, these weren't like the ponies that Spyro and Cynder have seen. The most obvious difference being the fact that they were much smaller than the relative size of the ponies in the town. Another thing of note was that some seemed to lack what most ponies referred to as a cutie mark and that all of them were more energetic and playful.
It took a few moments before Cynder said "They must be younglings...or whatever this world calls their young ones." Spyro agreed as well though he did have to wonder why they were all here. Eventually the door opened again and a mare, similar in size to the ponies in town as well as having all the characteristics of a pony came out. A mare, given the body shape, with a purple coat and a two tone pinkish mane. The mare lets out a sigh though the observers noted that it was more of joy then tiredness.
Desiring to find out more, in addition to meeting some more ponies, Spyro and the others make their way towards the mare. As they were walking, the younglings started to take notice of them and of course it didn't take long before the dragons were now the center of attention. This of course attracted the mare as well who started to make her way over to them. They noted the curious as well as a hint of fear in her eyes as she said in a strain tone "Can I help you with something?"
Spyro brought a paw up and said "Forgive us. We didn't mean to disturb you all. We are new here and are just exploring."
Cynder nods in agreement before saying "I must say it is quite a site to see so many younglings in one place. You and your mate must love each other very much."
The mare could feel a blush forming on her face and the younglings were looking around with confused expressions on their face; wondering what the black dragon had just said. The mare took a moment to collect herself before saying "You must be new here. To be honest, I don't have a special somepony and these aren't my foals."
Cynder takes a moment to contemplate this new information before saying "Oh. Forgive me then. I never realize that this world was so dangerous that you would have to take care of so many orphans."
This got another reaction from the mare though this time it was one of amusement. While Cynder was confused as to where the joke was; the mare said "Perhaps it would be better if I was to introduce myself. My name is Cheerilee and I am a teacher."
Cynder was now feeling a bit embarrassed as well and backed off of the conversation for the moment. Spyro takes the reins at this point and asked "So you teach all of these younglings?"
"I believe the term you are looking for is foals." Cheerilee remarks.
Spyro nods his head in thanks before continuing "So what lesson are you currently teaching these foals now?"
Before Cheerilee could answer, one of the foals says "This ain't no lesson. This is recess."
Cheerilee replies without missing a beat "Thank you Applebloom." before focusing on the dragons and saying "Yes we are currently in the middle of recess which is a time in which foals are allow to get out to play and take a break from their studies."
Spyro nods his head and says "A wise choice. It is important for one to takes breaks to let new information soak in and develop understanding." Cheerilee nods her head "So do you mind if we partake in this 'recess' as well. We have had a long day and it would do us good to take a moment to rest."
Normally, Cheerilee wouldn't have allowed dragons anywhere within five meters of her students. However she did attend their welcome party and the way they acted made her feel like she could trust them to a point. Besides, most of the foals were giving her looks that she knew meant they wanted to meet and play with the dragons. Letting out a sigh, she looks at Spyro before saying "As long as you promise not to hurt any of them."
"On my word to the Ancestors." Spyro and Cynder vowed at the same time which quickly followed by a loud cheer from the foals.
As it turned out, the foals were just as energetic as the youngling Spyro and Cynder would see from a distance. When they weren't spending their time with either of the dragons, they were happily playing with each other and or using the various playground equipment. While it was clear that they were designed to entertain the foals, the two dragons noted that a few of the items could be used to help keep them healthy by improving their strength and reflexes which were important traits for any pony or dragon to have.
Currently Cynder was hanging around a few of them, recounting tails of their past though due to the younger audience she made sure to leave out any of the more darker tones...as well as make her and Spyro seem more larger than life. Speaking of Spyro, he was currently watching his partner from a distance away and despite his best efforts to keep his attention focused on the story; his mind started to wonder a bit about what has happened and what he needed to do for the near future.
For starters while Spike's training had started, he still wasn't sure where or even how to teach the young drake. He did show an eagerness to learn though given the rather peaceful nature of this land; it might be hard to convince him to learn how to fight. Even if that wasn't an issue, all of his learning came from experience and despite having been tutored under four teachers; he was unsure which if any of their teaching style was one that he would feel comfortable using.
"She seems to be quite comfortable with the foals." Cheerilee remarked causing Spyro to be snapped out of his thoughts. Looking at the mare, he notices that while she did have a soft smile on her face her expression was focused. He could only guess that even though she wanted to have a polite conversation with him; her attention would be focused on those under her care. Looking back at Cynder, he says "That she does and that is something that I am glad for. We...we've had a rough life and any chance we have to achieve some sense of normalcy is welcoming."
Spyro couldn't help but ponder his life up to this point, it was one of the three things that always seem to be on his mind. The other two being how he was going to teach Spike and...well of course Cynder. In fact he would have continued his silent musing if Cheerilee hadn't said "So I hear that you are going to be teaching Spike."
The dragon looks at the mare and nods his head before saying "That I am. However..." he didn't feel comfortable finishing the sentence. Cheerilee could only nod her head and say "You're first time teaching." It wasn't a question as much as it was a statement and one that Spyro could nod his head in agreement. She smiles before saying "I remember my first time teaching and I was just as nervous as you are."
"Then how were you able to get over it?"
She lets out a soft hum before saying "Well honestly the best thing I did was try to imagine myself how I wanted to be taught." Spyro looks at her with a curious gaze before asking "What do you mean?"
She sits down on the grass and sweeps her hoof towards the young ones and says "All of these kids have their own strengths and weaknesses. It's the job of the teacher to be able to figure that out. Until you do so, just try to picture yourself when you were younger and being taught. Note how your teachers helped you get over your weaknesses and improve your strengths."
Spyro nodded his head in understanding and recalled the time he spent at the temple. He was fortunate to have four teachers who were able to help him learn what it meant to be a dragon. Sure he would consider Ignitus his favorite of the four only because he spent the most time with him. However the others did have their own styles. Volteer was more focused on the more technical aspects of Electricity, Cyril would spend almost half of their time praising his heritage but he did show the young drake new ways of using his Ice which turned that element into his bread and butter long range attacks. Then of course there was Terrador who was concern with results and pushed Spyro to his physical almost as much as Volteer pushed his mental and Cyril tested his patience.
It was then that Spyro realized something. No matter what, all of the guardians were constantly pushing his physical and mental self in order to make him the best dragon he could be. It was that kind of drive that Spyro would need to instill into Spike so he would never set limits on himself. However the main issue was figuring out a way to show Spike that even though he had reached a new potential; there was always another mountain that needed to be climbed. The purple drake pondered how best to do this before looking at Cheerilee and asking "What do you consider to be the biggest threat to Equestria?"
Sometime Later
Spike was resting up at the park. He and his pony friends were having another one of their pet play dates and Spike, who had not too long ago had to return Peewee back to his own family so that he could grow up and learn how to be a phoenix. It was a thought that reminded him a lot about his own situation as a dragon who grew up living with ponies. Sometimes he did have to wonder what it would be like if he grew up with dragons.
His thoughts however became distracted as he noticed the sky was getting darker by the minute. Looking up, his eyes widen as he saw the moon, normally absent in the sky, now moving to eclipse the sun. It would have been a beautiful sight if it wasn't for the fact that normally this wouldn't have happen without the princess making an announcement. He only have a few moments to ponder this strange turn of events before six cries reached his ears. Turning around, he let out a surprised gasp as Twilight and her friends were now trapped in some strange purple like cage made up of crystals. Despite Rainbow Dash and Applejack's efforts, the crystals refused to show any kind of damage. Spike was about to make his way to try and help them but hesitated as a voice said in a silky but familiar tone "Why why if it isn't the little dragon whelp. You've gotten bigger since I last saw you."
Spike turned around and his eyes widen almost as much as the girls behind him. Standing in the flesh was an alicorn whose dark blue coat glowed as the midnight sky and her mane shined like several constellations of stars. Her cat like eyes were radiating smug assurance as her armor appeared fresh and polish. The combine tall unicorn horn and the spread wings completed the look as Spike could only whisper "Nightmare Moon."
Spike could feel his heart starting to beat a bit faster as he realized their first major villain had somehow returned even though Luna was suppose to be reformed. Sure there was that one time where the Nightmare had taken over Rarity but that event resulted in the last of that evilness to be purged. So how was she here? It was a question that was repeating in his mind as the Nightmare slowly made her way towards the drake, a smirk on her face as she states "Well six out of seven isn't too bad. You are lucky that your dragon heritage provides you with a natural resistance to harmful magic." She pauses for a moment before adding "Not that it really matters. Soon you will submit to my rule and Equestria will bask in the eternal twilight."
It was then that Nightmare Moon's horn started to glow and Spike only had a moment to realize it before he heard six screams. Turning around, he watched as a shadow like essence was pulled out of each of his friends. The shadows moved towards Nightmare before settling onto the ground. The six pools were settled and inactive for a while and it even got to the point that Spike had to wonder what the purpose of that was. However before he was to voice his confusion, the six pools started to form into dark versions of his friends. The normal colored coats were replaced with black and various shades of gray as contrast. Their eyes were now a ghostly white color that gave them a haughty appearance.
Nightmare Moon smiles before gesturing to the six shadows before saying "You like? I call it my Anti-Elements and as you will soon realize they are just as good if not better then the originals." Once she was done, the Shadow Applejack quickly dashed across and spun around to deliver a strike on Spike's chest.
Reacting on instinct, Spike dodged out of the attack and counterattacked on one of the Shadow's legs. Once the hit connected, he became aware of a sudden cry of pain. Looking back at the real girls, he saw that Applejack was clutching her leg right at the spot where he had just hit. It didn't take him long to realize what had happened before Nightmare said "Oh did you think it was going to be that easy?"
Spike felt something on his back and without warning grabbed whatever it was and threw them. He didn't have time to register Pinkie's sudden gasp as if taking a hit to the gut before he had to block a strike from Rainbow Dash. Alas this also had a reaction as the real one started to rub her hoof as she no doubt felt the impact of hitting tough dragon scales. Spike was about to push the fake one away but had to back off just in time to feel see a beam of black magic passing by in front of his face.
Spike was quickly figuring out that he was in a lose-lose situation. If he tried to fight back or heck even defend himself; he would be hurting his friends. Yet if he did nothing then these shadows could end up hurting him...or worse. Spike wasn't so young that he didn't think about the concept of death but considering that he was a dragon; he figured he had an quite a long time before something like that became a concern. However given his current situation; he couldn't help but worried that long lift spam was about to be cut rather short.
"Is that really the best you can do? And here I thoughts dragons were such capable warriors." Nightmare Moon mused as the six shadow ponies slowly advance towards the drake; their expression emotionless. The young drake was feeling a sense of fear and doubt worm into his body as he starts to slowly back up from the creatures who looked like his friends.
"Don't be afraid." A voice whispered inside of his head causing him to stop his slow retreat and look around to find a source.
"You can win this fight."
"Just believe."
"Believe...that you have the strength to protect what is important."
Spike lets out a gasp as he realizes the voice was coming from inside of his head. Before he could try to figure out what or who made it, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. Clutching it, he let out a soft groan as his vision was flashing between several different color tints so fast that it would make Pinkie dizzy. Eventually the colors stopped and the drake was left breathless as his world now had a soft purplish tint to it.
Slowly, he looked up and was amazed to find a thin purple strain that started from each of the shadow ponies and, upon following it, ended with their real counterparts. Spike looked back and forth between them before realizing "Wait...that must be how anything the shadows feel is transferred to the girls. If I could sever the connection, I should be able to defeat the shadows without causing anymore harm."
He didn't have more time to think as the Shadow Fluttershy crashed into him. Using a strength that was surprising to him, Spike found himself on his back with the shadow trying to crush his windpipe. Alas it would seem that the shadow inherited all the aspects of their host which means that at best it was going to leave a small burse. Still Spike did have a closer view of the strand that was flowing out of the shadow and tries to figure out how to cut it.
"Trust your instincts."
"Trust your skills."
"Trust in yourself."
Spike's claws started to glow an orange-green color as he whispers "I hope this works." In a single cut, he slices what the others would see as nothing but air but to him would be the strand. The shadow Fluttershy let out a cry of anguish before dissolving into nothing. Quickly hopping back onto his feet, he took one last look to see that the real Fluttershy was still good and no worse for wear which means that it worked.
His other hand now glowing in that strange orange-green glow, he waited for the next shadow to come. Not surprising, Applejack and Rainbow Dash's shadows charged at him. He waited for the right time before dashing past the two; his hands sweeping across cutting both of the Shadow's life strains. The shadows cry out before collapsing and dissolving into nothingness. Riding the momentum, he quickly front flipped and grabbed the last three strands in one hand and using his other to slice it in half. The shadow Rarity, Twilight, and Pinkie cry out before fading into nothingness just like the others.
Spike was feeling pretty good about himself at this point and was about to start patting himself on the back before a magical shot hit him in face leaving him dazed. Looking back, he saw the glowing horn of Nightmare Moon as she said "Oh I do hope you didn't forget about me."
"Well it is such a shame that it has come to this." Nightmare Moon stated, her horn already charging up for another magical spell. As expected the spell didn't do much harm to Spike as his magical resistance and hard scales blocked all of it. The drake gets back on his feet, his paws moving to a fighting stance as the former Mare in the Moon pauses for a moment, the smirk still on her face.
As Spike starts to wonder about that smirk, he feels a disturbance behind him. Looking back, he was shocked to see that some of his friends were not looking so good. Most of them appeared to have drunk too much of Applejack's 'special' cider and Fluttershy had even passed out. Panic in his chest, it only grew when Nightmare said "Aw are they running out of air already. Oh I would better hurry if I were you boy unless you want to watch your friends suffocate in front of you; their last thoughts being of the dragon who couldn't protect them."
That caused a nerve to snap inside of the drake and he lashes out at the mare. Alas the mare was ready for him and a quick shield spell manages to bounce the hasty attack away from her and cause the dragon to fall on his back. Quickly scrambling, he lets out a blast of green fire but it was once again dispersed by the shield.
Nightmare Moon smiles before saying "You done yet boy?" Before waiting for his response, she charges up her magic and several corporeal blades materialize before shooting towards Spike. He did his best but one blade manages to catch him on the edge of his shoulder. He lets out a hiss as he moves a paw to rub the sore area as he looks at her. Of course she wasn't going to give him a chance to rest as more blades and beams started to fire out towards the drake.
The attacks continued for about a minute but for Spike it felt like it was longer. While he was able to dodge most of the attacks, a few still managed to find their mark and he could feel himself getting tired. His scales were matted with a few black spots where Nightmare Moon's magical shots had hit and he also had a few cuts from the blades. At this point the drake was having a hard time staying up on his feet. Looking back, he saw that most of his friends had already passed out, only leaving Twilight left conscious but even that wasn't going to last for long. He could feel his despair swelling inside of his body as once again he felt the sense of powerlessness that had plagued him in the past.
"You have the power...to protect all that is important."
Spike felt it once again. That burning rage, his dragon fury slowly building inside of him. Unlike before, this one was felt controlled, focused and directed at one thing. His eyes looked at the monster in front him and Nightmare noticed that his eyes were no longer that normal green coloration but was now a more greenish red color. A low deep growl sounded in the back of his throat as the dragon got up onto his feet and once again got into his fighting stance. Nightmare Moon chuckles before saying "Aw are you really that dense. Haven't you figure out that I outclass you."
"I...will protect...my...hoard." Spike growled before letting out a deep roar that shook the ground. Energy started to cover his body in a green red glow as his fury was being unleashed. The amount of power was so much that already the crystals holding the ponies started to break under the pressure, which of course allowed the much need oxygen to be allowed into their bodies. Spike continue to roar for some time; letting out as much of his fury that had been inside of him for some time now.
Once he had stopped, Nightmare Moon didn't have a chance to throw up her shield before Spike was on her. Fast as a Sonic Rainboom, Spike delivered an open palm strike on her chest. The force of the strike caused the mare to be thrown back almost to the edge of the eclipse's range. Shaking herself, she lights up her horn before letting out a gasp as she is unable to feel her magic. Spike and the others notice her horn sparking but not glowing with the flow of magic. Nightmare Moon lets out a growl before saying "What...what did you do?"
Spike didn't respond. Instead he lowered himself while extending his arms so that one was pointing towards the ground in front of him with two fingers extended and the other was away from him pointing at the sky with once again two fingers extended. He looks at the mare before whispering "Dragon Arts...Fury of 256 Strikes." Spike then rushed at the mare and in speeds so fast that even Rainbow Dash would have been jealous of; Spike began striking at the mare using his fingers. However if one was to look closely, they would notice that he always seems to strike at the same spots.
The attack continues before Spike delivers a double open palm strike on her chest. The force of the hit causes the mare to be launched out of the range of the eclipse. The moment that she was in the sunlight, they saw her body dissolve into shadows before disappearing. Without her magic, the crystals faded away leaving the mares groggy but no worse than wear. Spike, now seeing that his friends were safe, lets out a sigh of relief before a voice says "Not bad. You do have a strong fighting spirit inside of you."
Seven pairs of eyes looked over and saw Spyro making his way towards them, the eclipse slowly disappearing which allowed the warm sunlight to return to their body. The dragon had a proud smile on his face as he continues "I wanted to see how far you were able to go. However I was surprised to see you unlocking your dragon fury so quickly. Once again I have to revaluate the depth of your bonds with the ponies that you are close to."
"You mean that wasn't really Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked.
Spyro shook his head before saying "That was a construct, created by the memories and fears from all seven of you. It is an ability that Cynder has though it does require a lot of concentration."
"But why did you have to put them at risk?" Spike asked, a bit of his anger showing in the tone of his voice.
Spyro raised a paw before saying "Your friends were never in any life threatening danger. The crystal was designed to produce a harmless sleeping gas that gave the illusion of them passing out. Also all of those attacks by the specter were not going to cause you any lasting harm." That response was enough for them as they managed to get back on their hooves. Seeing that they were alright, Spyro looks at Spike before adding "Now I will teach you how to harness that power inside of you so you will become a force of nature."
It has been two months since the whole Nightmare Moon event and things in Ponyville were more or less back to normal. Sure there were a few instances here and there, some trouble that cropped up that either needed to be solved by words or by action. These days that action came from the dragons residing in the town.
Speaking of which, the dragons were currently resting with the ponies who were about to have a picnic and enjoy the warm day that Celestia had given them. While the ponies were setting things up, Spyro was currently off to the side with Spike doing another lesson.
"So as you are becoming aware, dragons are able to perceive the world in quite a number of lenses. No doubt you notice this during that fight with Nightmare Moon." Spyro commented as he rested on the ground.
Spike who was currently writing on a scroll, looked up for a moment and added "Yeah it was strange but I was able to see the flow of magic between the shadows and the crystal."
"What you were seeing is the flow of magic that happens whenever spells or other magical events happen. They allow a dragon to be able to identify what or who is around them. The more knowledgeable of dragons could tell you what spell is being cast just on the flow of the magic itself."
"How would they know something like that?"
"It's a matter of how one perceives the flow. Some see it as a simple color scheme but the more one looks at and studies it, the more one is able to pick out the little variations that exist. A very useful tool for trying to figure out if someone is not who they seem to be. Though I would advise caution as there are a few who know about our sights and have found ways to masking even under our vision."
"And how will I know when someone is not who they seem to be even if my vision fails?"
"That is something that comes with time and experiences. The best I can offer is to trust in your instincts. As long as you do that then you will go through life without regrets."
Spike was going to agree but he felt his cheeks bulge out. Feeling that familiar magic, he opens his mouth as two swirls of green fire escaped. The fires twisted and swirl until reforming into two scrolls. Catching them both, Spike looks them over before saying "Looks like we have a wedding to go to."
After one exposition about a brother that Twilight just now mentions followed by what Spyro, Cynder and Sparx could only describe as a form of ambient music that causes sounds to start playing and ponies to sing in beautiful tones; the whole gang was now on a train heading for the city. While the rest of the girls were chatting on about how much fun a wedding, especially a royal one, was going to be Sparx notice the dejected look on Twilight's face. Hovering over, he lands on top of her head before saying "Hay purple butt. What's got your horn in a twist."
Managing to ignore the rather rude comment by the dragonfly, Twilight replies "It's just I would have thought my brother would have told me he was marrying somepony who I don't even know."
Sparx could only nod his head before saying "I understand what you mean. Heck I sometimes worry about my brother not realizing the good thing that is right in front of him." Twilight looks over and sees Spyro was currently chatting with Spike. Next to him, Cynder laid against him almost snuggling up but not quite. She watches them as Sparx continued "Girls like Cynder...well they only come around once in a life time and I would hate for him to miss that."
Twilight looks back and asks "But I was under the impression that you didn't like her?"
Sparx paused for a few moments before saying "She brought him back to me safe and sound...I guess that is enough for me." Before Twilight had a chance to inquire what he meant, the train passed through the shield wall and stopped at the station. As everyone got off; they notice the increase in guards all of them dressed for war though to Spyro and Cynder they once again didn't look all that threatening.
Spyro looks up at the sky and asks "So who is providing the shield?"
"That would most likely be my brother." Twilight responded "He was always an adept at shield spells."
Cynder looked at the purple unicorn and inquired "So basically you are saying that the primary defense of the capital is resting on one pony?" Twilight nodded her head in agreement and that caused Cynder to look back at Spyro and say in a low tone so that mares or other guards wouldn't be able to hear them."You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"That Shining Armor has just got a giant target on his back." Spyro responded, a knowing look on his face while also making sure to keep his voice quiet.
"Pretty much. If I was attempting to take over Canterlot, I would have no doubt sent in my best agent way before the shield was put up to track Shining and eliminate him the moment my attack was about to start. The wedding only serves to better hid the movements of the assassin."
"Too many ponies walking around, it would be easy to slip among the crowd. Might have already infiltrated one of the guards or the castle staff."
"Right. I'll do my best to hid in the shadows to see if anypony is acting out of place."
"Alright then I'll go poking around the guard ranks and see if there are any who is acting odd." Spyro finished before looking at Spike and saying "Young dragon I need you to head into the kitchen and make sure none of the castle staff try to slip anything that will be consumed by Shining Armor."
Spike looks at the two dragons before asking in just as quiet of a voice as the other drakes "You really think someone would go after Shining Armor?"
Spyro let out a soft hum but it was Cynder who responded with "Always anticipate the worst. That way if it happens you won't be surprised." Seeing the logic behind this; Spike nods his head before making his way into the kitchen. Meanwhile the two dragons were about to split up before a guard came up to them and informed the dragon and dragoness that Celestia requested an audience with them.
Spike was making his way to the kitchen. His goal was a simple one. He was to check on the food and make sure that the food was taken care of. At the same time, he was also to make sure the none of the food was going to be tampered with. Given his dragon nature, his sensitive smell would be able to detect a range that was much larger than that of a pony.
As he was walking down towards the castle and more specifically the kitchen, he notice the castle kitchen, he was both surprised and relieved by how the normal Canterlot ponies were acting to them. Despite how much he had changed; he was worried that ponies would react with fear as well as be nervous at the sight of him. However, it would seem that being associate with the Elements of Harmony plus having that first training session here in the city seem to help calm the populace down. Still given the larger supply of troops couple with the shield was also putting the populace on edge as well. He wonder what was really going on that would warrant such a military response. Hopefully Spyro, Cynder, or Twilight will figure out the reason why.
After a minute or two, he manages to reach the building that was home to the Canterlot Castle Kitchen. Already without opening the door, he could smell the various flavors that was being cooked. Already he took a moment to smell if there was anything that was out of place. When nothing came up in his nose, he shrugs before making his way inside. He watched as ponies were busy with preparing for the wedding. Cooks and aides were moving around; managing to keep order despite the chaotic nature. He smiles as he sees Applejack already hard at work with making the wedding cake and decided it would be best to find a counter that was empty so he would disrupt the other cooks.
Finding said counter, he props himself up and watches as AJ and the cooks continue to work. He kept his eyes, ears, and nose open for any sorts of unusual activity. Given that the last time he was here was when he was a youngling trying to sneak some snacks for himself and Twilight when they were living in the castle. Given that it was quite a long time ago and the fact that he saw a few ponies he didn't recognize spoke true about the passage of time.
He takes a deep breath and begins to start looking around although his eyes were one of the few senses that he wasn't focusing on. Instead his ears and nose were heighten to the point that most of the colors started to dull to various shades of gray. At the same time, lines of various colors and saturations started flowing around; so much so that it took the young drake a moment to steady himself so as to now be overwhelmed.
This was his Dragon sense, a state in which sounds, smells, and tastes are much stronger. Spyro, when teaching him this mental state, mentioned how the most adept could be able to tell what ingredients were different between two of the same food. While Spike wasn't as skilled to do something like that; he should be able to pick up on anything that seemed off.
Looking around, he begins to think that if there was a threat to Canterlot it wasn't going to be from the kitchen. None of the various smells that he was observing felt off to him. In fact all things consider it was actually typical to what any kitchen would smell like. Realizing that there wasn't any danger to be had here; Spike return his senses back to normal just as Twilight entered the building with Applejack. While the farm pony seem eager to get cooking which the drake assumed to be the reason she was here in the first place; Twilight seemed more miffed as if there was something that was eating her up. Even doing one of her favorite past time of managing a checklist didn't seem to give her as much joy as it use to. Seeing that nothing else of significance was happening; Spike let out a relax sigh and opens up one of his books which details dragon culture.
Meanwhile
Spyro was walking around the castle, taking his time to enjoy the splendor of the building while at the same time on the lookout for any sort of strange activity that was happening. However the castle itself was mostly deserted since most of the guard was currently out in the town or helping to prepare for the wedding. It gave the place an almost deserted feeling to it but it was a sensation that the dragon was use to. After all one does not go through the poison swamp or face the Dark Master without developing steel in your blood. The lack of action caused Spyro's mind to start thinking about other things; namely his feelings for his best friend Cynder.
Spyro wasn't unaware about the concept of love. He had seen his step brother date a few dragonflies while they were living in the mushroom swamp and their parents had gone through the usual conversation about the birds and the bees.
What made things difficult was that Spyro wasn't sure if what he was feeling was in fact love and not just something else. He never really felt like this before. Sure emotions like anger, sadness, hope, and yes even fear were known to him but this was uncharted territory and the dragon was always unsure about the unknown. He knew that he would fight and give his life for the dragoness if need be just as he knew she would do the same for him. They spent so much time together that they can read what the other is thinking and fight in such perfect sync. Shaking his head, he mused that he would wait for Cynder to make the first move. Yet there was some part of his mind that thought that she already did. Something that she said while he was unleashing his full might in order to restore the world. However as much as he tried to recall the memories; they always come back as a haze.
Letting out a sigh, he looks out the window before saying "Perhaps I should be more forceful in asking her what happened or if she said anything."
Meanwhile
Cynder was not having a good day. She had spent the last half an hour shifting through the shadows of both citizens and guards and so far she hasn't found anything that would imply a threat to Canterlot. All she got was a numbing headache as ponies; especially the mares; were talking about stuff that for the dragoness seemed rather trivial. Like why was it so important to know what shade of color went with this weather. The more she observed the populace, the more she felt glad that she didn't grow up in such a way. Granted she didn't have the most normal of upbringings but at least she was confident in herself.
Except when it came to her feelings towards the dragon she owned everything to.
Spyro...just saying that name brought untold feelings that she didn't experience before. All of the books that she had read didn't help in discovering the source of these feelings which caused her no amount of frustration. Some sources say it was love but was it right to love a dragon who at one point you tried to kill? Was it just a stronger form of friendship?
She shook her head, knowing that it wasn't that. The feelings were too strong to be called friendship. No it had to be love. Heck she even recall telling Spyro that as she watched him unleash his full dragon fury to try and restore the world. The more she thought about it, the more confused she was. It was at times that she wished she had another dragoness that she could be able to talk to about this.
Cynder lets out a sigh as she starts to make her way back to the castle. In her mind, she had only one thought which was "After the wedding, I'll let Spyro know how I feel."
"So after all that searching we haven't found anything out of the ordinary?" Spyro clarified. He, Sparx and Cynder were currently standing outside of the castle. Today was the dress rehearsal for the wedding and since they were just guests they were not allowed inside. With nothing immediate that required their attention, they instead focused on the possible threat to Canterlot.
"I still think that there isn't a threat to begin with and these ponies are just being paranoid." Sparx remarked as he rested on top of his brother's head "I mean I know Twilight was going on about Cadence not acting right but that could all just be related to stress from the wedding."
Spyro and Cynder looked at each other, neither of them having a really good argument against that. Perhaps it was just ponies being paranoid. Still they both couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. It was around that point that the door open and they saw Shining Armor followed by Twilight's friends leaving. Celestia followed after them and Spike brought up the rear. Given the look he had, something must have happened inside. He sees the look his teachers were giving him and says before they could ask "Twilight came in during the rehearsal and made Cadence cry because she kept calling her evil and such."
This came as a shock to them as they didn't expect such a response from Twilight. Sure she did seem the most agitated by the whole thing but to take it this far was rather odd. Cynder, reacting quickly, replied "I'll go and check on her." Spyro nodded his head and watched as Cynder made her way back into the castle. Once the door was closed, he started to make his way back to his room walking with Spike to see if he could get some more information.
It didn't take long for Cynder to find the audience room as it was the only door that was still open just a crack. Peaking inside, she saw Twilight slumped against the floor and even from this distance she could see the unicorn's eyes were puffy which would indicate that she was or had just recently cried. Taking a deep breath, she gently pushes the door open a bit more and makes her way inside. She keeps her movements slow but loud enough so that Twilight would be able to hear her. She didn't want to surprise or startle the mare after all.
Once Cynder got close enough that the sound of her claws against the floor was loud enough to get through Twilight, the mare lifted her head up and turned around. Seeing Cynder there, she quickly wiped her tears with her leg before saying "Oh Cynder I...I didn't see you there."
Cynder gives her a smile before lowering herself down next to the mare and asking "You want to talk about what happen. We saw your brother, friends, teacher, and even Spike walk out with rather disappointed expressions." She didn't wanted to mention that they were more angry then disappointed since that would only make Twilight feel worse.
However that seemed to have the opposite effect on Twilight as she appear to slump more into the ground while saying "I can't blame them. I got so worked up thinking Cadence was going to steal my brother from me that...that I ended up losing everything that was important to me."
"Oh not yet you annoying pest but you will soon." A voice, laced with venom and malice, replied causing Cynder and Twilight to jerk their heads up. They saw Cadence with a victorious look on her face as her spell activated. Green flames suddenly burst around the dragoness and pony which caused Twilight to let out a gasp of shock. Cynder took a deep breath before letting out a blast of her siren scream to try and punch a hole through the wall of fire. However the fire was too strong and before she could have a chance to get another one off they started sinking into the ground. Cynder looked at Cadence and saw her eyes were no longer purple but now a dark green coloration. Her only thought was how much of a fool she was for not realizing her mistake sooner.
When Cynder finally came to, she found that she was in some dark cavern. There were crystals glowing nearby but not enough to provide enough light to make out more details. Twilight was still there though she was still passed out at the moment.
Making her way to one of the walls, she gives it a hard hit only to not feel the wall give. She wished that Spyro was here so that he could use his earth element to create a passage. It was then that Twilight started coming to. Cynder made her way over to the mare and started to help her up while saying "Easy there. That seemed to have been rough on you."
Twilight shook her head a bit before saying "What happen?"
Cynder let out a small growl before saying "That infiltrator ambushed us. I can't believe that it didn't occur to me that the bride since it was too high profile which means the risk of making a mistake was too big. Of course I should have known that the whole wedding was the perfect excuse to explain away any changes in behavior and mannerisms."
"So are we stuck here?" Twilight asks before the infiltrator suddenly appeared on one of the crystals. Cynder, reacting quickly, blasted the crystal with her siren scream causing it to shatter. Letting out a small growl, she looks back at Twilight to which the mare asks "Why did you do that?"
"Cause more than likely she was going to gloat at us and I have already had enough of villains gloating to last two lifetimes. Now why don't we find a way out of here." Cynder replied as she began to search the area. Her tail lifts up with a shadow fire. Twilight nods her head and starts to look around.
As they were searching around, something popped up in Twilight's mind. She looks back at the dragoness and asks "Hay Cynder I was just wondering." Cynder looks at the mare with a curious gaze. Taking a deep breath, Twilight continued "Well how come you and Spyro are able to use multiple elements. I thought that dragons were only able to breathe fire."
Cynder let out a soft hum before replying "Well it's because Spyro is a purple dragon and that makes him special."
"Spike is also a purple dragon and he is only able to breathe fire."
"Well in our world a purple dragon is very rare and possess great strength and power. They are able to wield all the elements that exist though Spyro chooses to stick with the core four."
Twilight was silent for a moment as she thought this over before asking "And what about you?"
Cynder didn't answer right away. Instead she felt a wall that was weaken and easy to break. Stepping back, she releases a wave of sound causing the wall to collapse. As it was coming down, Twilight just barely heard Cynder saying "Let's just say it's complicated."
Once the dust settled, the pony and dragon saw to the former's surprise the imposter that put them down here. She was close to attacking them only for the later to place a paw on her chest and say "That isn't the one we saw before."
Twilight was of course confused by this but once she took another look she could see that the pony in front of her wasn't the same one as before. Given the fact that she looked like she hadn't eaten for a few days and hadn't been getting a good night sleep in the same amount of time. Twilight moved a bit closer and asks "Cadence...is that you?"
The alicorn looks up through her dishevel mane. Cynder could see her eyes widen in surprise before she whispers out "Twilight?"
Twilight let out a gasp before she rushed closer and gave Cadence a warm hug to which she returns. Cynder could only smile as she watches the two though there was still the matter of getting out of here.
“Where could she be?” Spyro wondered as he sat in the large audience chamber. All around him, ponies who he assumed to be the residence of the city were gathering for the wedding ceremony. The overall atmosphere is one of joy and excitement as his ears caught a few bits and pieces of conversation. While he did stand, being one of three dragons invited and attending the event; he didn’t share in the crowd’s energy.
Ever since last night, he hadn’t seen any sign of Cynder. He first thought that she was following up on some lead she found out but he dismissed that thought. She would have told him of any news. He asks around but no one else knew where she was as well. It was during the questioning that he also realized that Twilight was also missing. Most thought of this as a coincidence as there were rumors now of how Twilight was trying to sabotage her brother’s wedding but he wasn’t convinced. Somehow the timing of it all was...too perfect. He moves to rub his head, his mind trying to figure out this puzzle and he was getting closer. Still there was something...something out of place that was staring him in the face but he couldn’t figure it out. He sighs, wishing that Cynder was here so he could talk to her. She would know what that missing piece was.
He hears the sound of wings fluttering and lowers his paw down to look up. Smiling, he saw his brother Sparx floating towards him. His heart rising a bit in the hopes of good news. That hope was quick to disappear as the dragonfly shook his head “Sorry dude I looked all over but I couldn’t find scale nor horn of the she devil.”
“Sparx what have I told you about calling her that.” He retorts a little cross with the dragonfly for making such a remark.
“Hey man I only said I wouldn’t call her that in front of her.” He replies as he sits down on his brother’s head. Leaning against one of his horns, he lets out a soft yawn “But man I gotta tell you things are strange. I took a glimpse in the groom’s room and he wasn’t looking all that stellar and I swore I heard singing coming from the bride’s room though the wall were too thick to make out the words.”
Spyro let out a soft sigh as music started to play. The conversation died down as all looked to watch the wedding party walk down the pathway. Spyro looks towards the sky and the shield as he whispers to himself “Cynder...wherever you are...I hope you are safe.”
Meanwhile in the Crystal Mines, Cynder smashed the last of the grublins, the creatures not even worth her breath energy. A small smirk on her face as she feels the soothing healing gems working their magic on a cut she got from a lucky creature. She hears a soft groan behind her. Turning around, she see Cadance, the real one, leaning against the wall as Twilight was trying to help her stand. Letting out a sigh, she walks up to them.
“We have to keep moving. The exit shouldn’t be too far now.” The dragoness remarks pointing to a light that they were following. Cadance shook her head as Twilight looked at her “She is malnourished and dehydrated. We should stop to give her some time to rest.” The dragoness shook her head and looks at the alicorn. Her eyes were staring back at her and she could see an ember behind it. It was an ember that she was familiar with as she saw it in her own eyes when her mind went to her savior so many years back. She needed to stroke that ember and turn it into a fire and she knew just how to do that.
She shakes her head “So I guess you don’t really love him as much as I thought.”
That got a reaction as Cadance’s gaze became hard. While it might have look intimidating Cynder was a warrior and had face things much more dangerous than a worn out winged unicorn. Twilight let out a gasp but the dragoness ignored her, keeping her attention on the pink pony.
She points to the light they were going “Right now he is up there, about to be married of to some imposter...some b*yay*ch and you are going to let that happen because you are too hungry and too thirsty. Huh and here I thought love conquered all.”
She hears the sound of twigs and rocks moving. Looking back, she sees more grublins and a few hero grublins spawning. While keeping her attention focused on the enemies she continues “If it was Spyro up there, I would rip this entire mine and everything that was in my way to reach him. He is mine and I wouldn’t let anything take away the one light in my darkness.”
Cynder lets out a roar and charges at the enemies. As she was, she felt a sensation of magic behind her. She saw crystals in the walls around her emerge and shoot like arrows at the creatures. They all let out a creaking groan as the crystals cleaved through their heads, killing them in one shot. The dragoness stopped her charging and looked back just in time to see Cadance walking past her. No longer needing Twilight to help support her, she was standing tall and proud, a ring of crystals rotating around her neck. Cynder could see that ember in her eyes now a blaze of fire. Cadance looks back at her “Don’t get in my way.” She then runs towards the light.
Cynder smiles and looks back to see Twilight walking next to her. The unicorn looks up at her “How did you know what to say?”
Cynder smiles and looks at Cadence who was using crystals to destroy any creatures who got in her way “The best motivational speeches are the ones from the heart.” The dragoness charges after the alicorn and force Twilight to sprint to keep up with them.
Back at the ceremony, Spyro was shifting in his seat. He was listening to Celestia give a speech but his attention was on Shining Armor and Cadence. The former was looking like he was in his own little world while the latter smelled...off. He wasn’t sure why but he saw that Spike was thinking the same thing. His eyes were glancing between him and Cadence and the dragon gave a small nod. He was still trying to figure out the missing piece when Celestia said “Now does anypony who thinks these two should not be wed; speak now or forever hold your peace.”
“I OBJECT. Get away from my husband you tramp.” A voice shouted. Spyro quickly looked towards the source and saw the doors get ripped off of their hinges. Holding them were two massive stone-crystal arms surrounded by a pink magic aura. That pink aura coming from...Cadence?
Spyro was confused as to why there were two Cadences but when he saw Cynder and Twilight appear next to the Cadence by the door the last piece of the puzzle click. He looked back at the altar just to see the fake Cadence getting knocked off of their and onto the floor; a trip courtesy of Spike whose right fist was where her body was once standing.
Spike looked mad as his eyes glowed with a green fire “I should have known. Your scent reakes of disharmony.” The fake Cadence growls as everyone saw where there was once pink fur there was now a black sheen. The imposter then engulfs herself in fire as everyone minus the dragons covered their eyes. Once the fire was gone, where there was once a pink princess there was now a pony bug creature about the size of Celestia. The creature lets out a soft chuckle, her voice laced with honey, as she eyed all the scared ponies “Well so much for plan A. Time for plan B then.”
“I didn’t expect you to get out of those mines so quickly.” Chrysalis remarked as she slowly makes her way back to the dais where Celestia, Twilight’s friends, Spike, and a hypnotized Shining Armor were standing “However soon Canterlot and all of Equestria shall…”
She didn’t get the chance as a sudden force slammed into her side causing her to crash into the wall. Dazed a bit, she pulls herself out to see Spyro standing where she was just at.
“Sorry but if it's all the same to you can we skip the monologue and get right to the part where we kick your butt.”
Cynder and Spike moved alongside him as all the ponies started to evacuate the room. Chrysalis gets up from her spot and shifts her head a bit “Oh this is going to be enjoyable.” She then fires a blast of green energy straight at the dragons.
However the dragons were quick to react. Spyro quickly ducking under the beam as Cynder and Spike dodge to the side. Cynder opens her mouth, a stream of black fire pouring out and flying towards the bug queen as Spike does the same those his fire was emerald green. Chrysalis was forced to put up a green shield to block the two blasts of fire which stopped her from continuing that beam attacking keeping Spyro pinned.
Back on his paws, Spyro charges at her, his body slowly being covered in orange-purple flames. Using his rear legs, he kicks himself off the ground before spinning in the air while pumping more fire and convexity energy around his body. His comet dash slamming right into Chrysalis which forces her again into the wall and the impact so hard that it broke through causing the two to fly through. Spyro continues to push himself through though he wasn’t able to stop the descent, The two free-fall for only a few seconds before landing on an open platform.
Spyro kicks himself off of Chrysalis and fires four arcs of electricity at her. The changeling queen was forced to teleport out of the way before she countered by throwing several green constructs that were in the shape of daggers. Spyro counted by launching several ice shards at them canceling them out but one manages to find its way through and lands right on his shoulder. He lets out a grunt as he feels the magical blade piercing his hard scales like they weren’t even there as he holds his paw up to the wound.
“That magic is stronger than I had anticipated...could all that time draining Shining Armor have amplified her power?”
“I’m in a whole other league then you whelp.” Chrysalis remarks, conjuring up a broadsword of pure green energy with the intention of finishing him off. Before she got the chance her path was blocked by a blast of slimy green goop.
“Get away from him!” Cynder shouts as she flies towards the changeling, her mouth firing more green globs of concentrated poison. Chrysalis manages to either dodge or destroy the globs before they could cause any real damage to her. A few splatters do land on her body but her harden chitin protects her sensitive parts from being eaten by the acid.
Once Cynder lands in front of Spyro, her gaze capable of melting Dante’s Freezer, as her wings spread out in a protective manner. The posture doesn’t go unnoticed by that changeling which causes her to let out a soft coo “Well well such strong concentrated love...perhaps even stronger than Shining’s love for that pansy princess. I believe I will enjoy sucking it dry and using it to conquer all of Equestria.”
“I’d like to see you try.” Cynder remarks as she lets out an ear shattering scream. Chrysalis was forced to back up a bit and cover her ears in an attempt to block out the noise. However this distracted her enough that Spike, who was forced to glide down to the platform rather than dive bomb it like Cynder did, came up and landed a fire charged haymaker right into Chrysalis’s face. The intense fire caused her chiten around the point of impact to glow for a few seconds as she was dazed for a few seconds.
“Cynder can you go make sure Spyro is alright. I’ll hold her off.” Spike remarked, bringing his paws up and focusing back on the changeling. Once he saw her recovered, he moves in close where he would limit her long range magic advantage while putting him in a advantual position. Stepping light on his feet, he strikes out with his elbow in a glancing blow.
Chrysalis creates a small shield to block the strike while lashing out with her horn to attempt to impale him. He shifts his weight, letting the mangled and dangerous bone slide across his shoulder. The move was a risky gamble and Spike took advantage of the mistake as he plants a straight hard jab right into her chest. Dragon scales met changeling chitin and neither gave to the other. It did cause her to slide back a few feet as the wind was knocked out of her.
“Blasted reptile. I’ll show you what it means to mess with a queen.” She spat at the ground before summoning a construct of a greatsword made out of pure green fire. Shouting, she swings the massive blade at a speed that Spike was not expecting. Without anytime to dodge, he puts his arms up in a defensive posture and braces himself against the floor.
The blade didn’t make it as a wall of earth shot out between it and Spike. The dragon looks back to see Spyro, fully recovered, and Cynder approaching him. The two stand to his right and left staring at the changeling queen. “Give it up” Spyro remarked “This is a fight you can not win.”
Chrysalis had to admit that three dragons on one was perhaps more than she could handle. Still she kept that air of defiance “Who said anything about winning. I was just stalling for time.”
“What do you mean?” Spike asked before the dragons heard the sound of glass shattering. Looking up, the saw the shield protecting Canterlot destroyed as swarms of black creatures that were smaller than Chrysalis but having similar features pour into the city.
“This isn’t good.” Cynder remarked as the changelings begin swarming over the city, their numbers easily overwhelming any attempts at a reasonable defense. A group of seventy-five brake off and land on the platform where the dragons were. Reacting, Spike, Spyro, and Cynder pushed back against each other to cover their flanks.
“Think you can handle this many?” Spyro asked as he looks left and right keeping his eyes focused on who would make the first move.
“Well…” Cynder licks her lips as a grin forms on her face “Might be tough if one more shows up.”
“Then that will have to be the one I take care of.” Spike flexes his hands as he starts to channel his fire energy into them.
The two Avalar dragons glance at each other before saying at the same time “What you’re fighting too?”
Spike only had a moment to looked shocked before the swarm was upon them. Each dragon took a deep breath before letting out a stream of fire towards them. The torrent of magical flames creating a wall around them though only temporary.
“Who should go after the queen?” Spike asked as he eyes the changelings waiting just outside the firewall.
“I think it might be best for us to stay on the defensive and reduce their numbers. That queen is amplified by Shining Armor’s magic so going one on one is risky” Cynder remarks as she flares her wings out, the metal barbs on the tips shining in the fire.
“Oh I don’t think that would be wise.” Chrysalis remarks, moving herself past her drones “Unless you wish for your pony friends become my next meal.” Her horn lights up and the dragons saw an image appear in the air. It shows Twilight and her friends captured by the changelings before flashing to different images showing Celestia and Luna doing their best to fight off the swarm. “Soon all of Canterlot will be our personal dinner party.”
Spike hadn’t heard much beyond seeing his friends...his treasures in danger. His eyes glowed a bit as he lets out a massive roar. The force snuffing out the flames around them in an instant. No one had much time to react as the drake shoulder charges Chrysalis, pushing her back several feet and knocking her off balance.
“That isn’t good.” Spyro remarked as he and Cynder were now forced to deal with the remaining changelings. Their plan appeared to be to rush at them with numbers in hopes that one of them would be able to get in close to drain their energy. While that plan would have worked on untrained ponies; against two war veterans with lots of experience fighting against the odds. Spyro and Cynder became a whirlwind of claws, tails, and elemental power as they fought off the swarm.
Meanwhile, Spike was punching wildly in an attempt of land a blow against Chrysalis. However, lacking the control needed in his prefer style, his strikes were easy to dodge and block. Some small part of Spike was trying hard to break free from this fury but all in his mind was the imagine of his treasures suffering and the one who was causing it right in front of him.
Deflecting a sloopy jab, Chrysalis used her magic to land a blow to Spike’s chest before launching a series of magical blasts. Spike, put off balance, was unable to dodge and found his scales were starting to crack from the constant abuse. Chrysalis smiled, her teeth gleaming like pointed daggers “My my so predictable. I’ve faced enough dragons to know how to make them at my mercy and you young one will be no different.”
Spike tried to move forward but his energy was drained and his collapsed onto his knees. Growling, he tried to muster up the strength needed to fight back but nothing came. Spyro and Cynder were still trying to break through but the numbers seemed almost endless and they were running on steam as well. It would have been the end of them all but suddenly Chrysalis let out a scream of pain and a bright blue glow emanated from the castle where the ponies were at.
Before the dragons had a chance to process this turn of events, a massive blue a pink shield expanded outward passing by them and pushing Chrysalis and her changeling armies out of Canterlot and sent flying off. As the wave passed through Spike; a voice echoed in his mind. One that was rich in knowledge and power.
A few days after the Canterlot Wedding Invasion, Spike, Spyro, Cynder, Sparx, Celestia, Luna, and Cadence were all sitting in a large circular room. Spread out on the center of a roundtable was a map of Equestria and its neighbors. Looking over it the map, Celestia asked: “You sure about this Spike?”
“That is what the voice said but I don’t know where this “Crystal Empire is.”
“This not that surprising.” Luna remarked, “Since it has been well over a thousand years since the event.”
“What event is that?” Spyro asked.
“Well.” Celestia began “There was once an empire to the north of Equestria in the Frozen North. Their ponies who were made of crystals lived under a wise queen.”
“However.” Luna continued “Life was hard due to the constant snowstorms until we discovered an artifact that became known as the Crystal Heart.”
“The Crystal Heart. Sounds like a cheesy thing a girl would make up.” Sparx said before getting a smack on his head by the flat end of Cynder’s blade tail.
“The Crystal Heart’s power was strong enough to project a zone of life where the crystal ponies could build a city. We did our best to help them grow and it wasn’t long before they became capable of sustaining itself. Before we could have a chance to form a diplomatic alliance...Sombra came.”
“Sombra?” Cynder asked
“A unicorn who was corrupted.” Celestia said “What that corruption was we do not know but it was strong enough to give him the strength to challenge us. It took both my sister and me our combined might to stop him but we could not free the crystal ponies.”
“Instead we had no choice but to cast a sealing spell on the entire kingdom sending the mad king and the crystal ponies into stasis” Luna finished “We had hoped to be able to discover a way to save them but so far our only conclusion was to use the Crystal Heart and Sombra had hidden it before we could have a chance to seize it.”
Celestia turned to face her sister “If the seal is about to fail then we have little time before the Crystal Empire and Sombra return.”
“So what is the plan then,” Spike asked
Celestia looked over at Cadence who had been quiet during the conversation “I know this is asking a lot considering that you and Shining just got married but I need you and him to head to the Crystal Empire, protect its citizens and find the Crystal Heart. Sombra would have been sealed away from the city so you should have time to create an aura of light that will block him and the endless winter until you can locate the heart.”
“Why me?” She asked surprised
“Because amongst other things it is your birthright,” Celestia stated causing a murmur of confusion to happen around the table minus Luna who just nodded. Celestia pointed at Cadence's cutie mark “The moment I saw your cutie mark I knew that somehow you were the descendant of the former Crystal Queen and I knew that one day you would need to return to claim your kingdom.”
“My own kingdom…” Cadence whispered to herself as she looked back at the map; her mind awash with the thought of leading a country.
As Cadence was deep in thought, Celestia looked back at the three dragons “As for you all I have a request. Could you go with Shining Armor and Cadence and act as their bodyguards as well as helping them restore the Crystal Kingdom.”
“We were already planning on going anyway,” Spyro remarked, “I can’t speak for the others but I am curious about this voice as it reminded me a lot of when the old Chronicler spoke to me.”
“And Ancestors knows I can’t leave him alone without him getting into trouble,” Cynder added.
“And I can’t leave these two alone without someone being the responsible one.” Sparx finished.
This got a mild chuckle from the group before Celestia pointed at a spot on the map that was close to the border of Equestria and the Frozen North “I can have a train take you all to Stalliongrad. It is the closest location to the Frozen North so you can use it as a base while you explore for the Crystal City. I will also send orders to have them restore the train station there so I can send backup in case you all need it.”
“When do we leave?” Cadence asked.
“As soon as you all are ready to. The sooner the better of course but I want you all to leave knowing that you are prepared for whatever comes up.”
The group nodded and the dragons plus dragonfly left together already talking about what they should pack. Cadence went out through a different door to meet up with her husband. Alone, Celestia looks over at her sister and adds “I just hope that they can stop the coming danger.”
A week later, at Canterlot Station
Spike finished giving his friends a hug, a suitcase next to him and a travel bag strapped around his shoulders. “I’ll miss you, girls”
“We will miss you as well Spike” Twilight replied not the least bit nervous about sending her charge out on a mission. It took a lot of her will not to rush to Celestia and beg her to let her join them. It was only due to the fact that Spike would be in such good company and that they would contact her at the first sign of trouble that kept her at ease. The other girls said their goodbyes with small gifts for the road like some apples, a tasty gem, and even a cupcake from Pinkie Pie.
Spike wanted to stay with them but he couldn’t help but feel like that voice he heard was important and with the sound of the train engine signaling; he knew his time was up. Grabbing his suitcase, he waves at his friends before hopping on where he moved to the cart where Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx were lying about. He looked around a bit before asking “Where are Shining Armor and Cadence?”
“They are up in one of the private cabins,” Spyro replied.
“No doubt spending time as husband and wife,” Cynder added.
Spike thought about it for a bit before his eyes opened up in realization. At this point, the train began to move and they were off to the Frozen North.
With the train running in a northern direction and the city of Canterlot slowly fading in the background, Spike once again found himself wishing that his friends were with him if nothing else but moral support. Sure he had been left behind when they went on dangerous missions but with the situation now in reverse he pondered if they felt the same things he was feeling.
“Come on Spike you need to focus.” Spyro called out snapping the drake out of his musings as he looked at the ball of fire that was forming in front of his hands. Well...ball was a loose term as to the young dragon it was more like the kind of shapeless form that came from the first time Twilight tried to make dinner. Once again he was glad his stomach was as strong as it was.
Across from the ‘ball’ of fire was Spyro holding a perfectly round ball of crimson flame in his paw roughly the size of a hoofball. He was teaching the young drake about how to better manipulate his fire especially during times when a lot of actions were happening around him like the fact that he was standing in the middle of the aisle on a moving train.
Letting out a mild grunt, he brought his mind back and focused on the ball in front of him as Spyro said “Remember you are working with the flame not fighting it. Imagine you are guiding the flame to the form you want.”
Spike didn’t nod his head, his eyes and focus on the shifting changing mass of green embers in between his hands. He focused on the shape, imaging it over and over in his mind’s eye and willing it to be reality. He watched as the green mass began to consolidate as an accomplished feeling began swelling up…
“HAY WE ARE ALMOST AT STALLONGRAD” Spark shouted in a voice that was louder then one would expect from a dragonfly.
“Gah” Spike reacted, his mind distracted and with as grunt the mass of fire in his hands exploded outwards setting almost the entire cabin area ablaze. Green flame dancing against the winter background mocking it in a way that only the force of nature could.
Spyro let out a sigh before releasing his own fire though his merely disappeared back into nothingness. He then took a deep breath before letting out a stream of water to douse the flames before the conductor or any other ponies realized what was happening. When the fire was out, he looked back at Spike and said “You need to learn to keep your focus young dragon.”
“Well how was I supposed to focus when a small insect yells like a dragon’s roar.”
“Would you rather learn how to do this in a situation where your very life was at stake?” Spyro replied and once again Spike had to remind himself that the dragon in front of him was one who lived through a war. He know doubt had plenty of scars and memories of times when he couldn’t take on the task in front of him and Spike could see that hidden bit of regret in those purple eyes. Spyro continued “We are going to an unknown area with the possibility of facing a threat almost just as strong as the Royal Sisters. You must be ready for anything.”
“Yes Master.” Spike replied feeling a sense of formality was in order and the gesture worked by the faintest hint of a smile on the other dragon’s face.
The two dragons then felt the train slowing down to a halt. Looking outside they saw a town that appeared to be made of stone and had no greenery in sight. They continued to look out as Cynder approached them saying “Dreadful place isn’t it. Much different than Ponyvile or Canterlot.”
“This is a hard place to live in.” Spyro remarked before pulling away from the window along with Spike as Shining Armor and Cadence arrived in the train car already bundled up in winter gear.
“They have already begun loading the supply cars. Captain Reznov is waiting for us outside.” Shining remarked trying to sound professional but coming off as a recently married husband which was fitting and caused a small giggle to escape his wife’s lips.
Nodding the three dragons and dragonfly exited the car after the two ponies where they were already hit with a rush of winter air. Spike could feel the cold trying to get through his tough scales but the fire within him managed to keep him warm.
In front of them stood a stallion about Shining’s size though more gruff and unkempt. Yet it wasn’t due to filth as he smelled quite clean. His brown eyes spoke of a pony who has seen his fair share of conflict yet there was a fire that still burned inside of them almost like a dragon or a wolf. He also wore a hat that looked to keep his head warm made of some kind of wool.
“Ah Good afternoon gosti. Welcome to Stalliongrad.” The stallion spoke with a voice that could command respect.
“Afternoon Captain.” Shining replied giving the stallion who Spike and the other dragons concluded was Reznov “What is the situation here?”
“Ah you know the usual. Not enough warm blankets, warm food and.” He paused for a moment to let out a chuckle “teplyye kobyly but what else is new right.” Both the stallions had a chuckle before Reznov continued “I am glad to see our government is kind enough to send us some much needed supplies but I didn’t expect you two to be here. I am sure there are a lot of better spots for two newly weds then here.”
“We came because of reports of strange activity going on in the Frozen North.” Cadence replied sounding a bit stiff then her more natural voice. Spike wondered if she was trying to act like royalty at this moment and given the look Shining gave that seem likely.
Reznov nodded “Da. Our scouts have reported some strange activities going on just north east from our position.” He started walking leading the group along passing by several stallions and mares who were all worn from the cold but looked ready for a fight. Most were unloading the supply train while a few were gathered close to a fire to keep warm and those gave a salute as the group passed by. As they continued to walk. “The reported were vague for the most part. Strange noises, unusual lights, shifts in the ground. Even fewer reported what looked to be the remains of a city.”
“A city?” Spike asked.
“Yeah though as I said the reports are vague. All of them agree that in the center of this ‘city’ was a large spire of some kind though I haven’t seen it for myself.”
“Why not Captain?” Shining asked his interest slightly peaked.
“Orders from my senior. Told me to keep all of our forces at base and await further orders.” Reznov shook “ bespoleznaya zadnitsa if he actually cared he would come out here himself rather than staying at his vacation home.” The group eventually reached the edge of the town and the Captain pointed towards the direction of north east “Go that way about half a mile or so and you will reach the location where our scouts reported seeing that city. Good hunting Da and enjoy your stay here in Stalliongrad.”
The Captain turned around and walked back towards the center of town no doubt to oversee the supplies and distribution. As Shining and Cadence looked out in the distance; Spike looked back at the two dragons who were staring at the back of Reznov. Curious since they were quite silent during the trip he inquired “Something on your mind?”
Spyro and Cynder looked back and the former replied “I don’t know...I just get the weirdest feeling like I heard his voice before.”
“Who Reznov?”
“Yeah” Cynder replied. “It was like he was both similar and yet different at the same time but I just can’t put my claw on it.”
“Are you sure we are heading in the right direction?” Spark remarked huddling himself against his brother’s back in an effort to protect himself from the blizzard.
“Didn’t you ask that like five minutes ago?” Shining Armor responded being at the front of the pack with his wife right behind him.
Cynder, being right behind Cadence, shouted “Yep and he has been asking that every five minutes on point ever since we left Stalliongrad.”
“I just don’t understand why we couldn’t wait for the weather to clear up?” The dragonfly exclaimed with his usual annoying tone.”
Cadence, with a tone that made it clear she was tired of repeating herself, “I told you this blizzard is unnatural and magical in nature. It won’t just ‘clear up’. Now either help my husband light a path or shut you yap.”
Spyro and Spike, acting as the rear guard both blinked as Spark whispered “Dang what’s got her ponytail all up in a knot?”
“Probably because you are such an insufferable insect?” Spike jokingly pointed out.
“I second that reason.” Cynder quickly added earning a small laugh from the group and a grumble from the dragonfly.
Spyro with a desire to diffuse the situation before it gets too much out of control “We should be reaching the last marker where that patrol claims to have seen some odd occurrences.”
“I don’t know how anyone can see anything in this blizzard though” The dragoness replied shaking a bit of snow off of her wings grumbling that the strong headwinds made flying almost impossible. The first few attempts were met with her face covered in snow and merriment from Sparx which was the last creature she ever wanted to hear laughter from her expense. Still she couldn’t help but feel like the winds were intentionally stopping her blowing in just the right angle and pressure to keep her from getting airborne.
After a few more minutes of silence with the cold wind serving as some form of comfort, Shining saw in the distance a flashing purple light with the others seeing it soon afterwards. As they got closer, they could see the light was coming from a metal rod not unlike a street lamp in Canterlot resisting any attempts by the wind of blowing both the light and the pole down into the snow.
Once they all got to the marker, they all let out a sigh of relief. Pulling out the rough map of the area and a note detailing the information provided by the scouts; Shining Armor said “Alright from here the group said they traveled east for a few hoofmiles before seeing what they described as ‘A large snow tower thinner then any mountains.’”
“Wonder what that could mean?” Spike asks shaking off some snow that had gathered on his jacket and using a bit of his fire breath to warm his claws up.
“Hard to say but Resnov never reported anything about a tower and he isn’t one to omit key information.”
“Well hopefully this tower has some heat or something.” Sparx remarked.
“Oh I think heat is the least of your worries~” A chill new voice called out around them.
Acting on instinct, the three dragons formed a circle around the two ponies while at the same time Shining threw up a shield providing a temporary relief from the wind but not the cold.
“Who’s out there?” Cadence called out.
Silence was met at first, the dragons scanning for any kind of oddity in the wind with red, green, and black flames flashing out of their noses. The moments seem to drag on into what it felt like minutes before the voice replied “That sound...so familiar...ah the princess has returned to her kingdom I see. Did you come to bear witness to your failure forever entombed in snow and ice?”
Cadence was no doubt confused “I don’t know what you are talking about. I’ve never been up this far north in my life.”
Again silence for a few moments “I see...well played princesses but it seems your last little trick had a time limit on it.”
“Did something happen involving Celestia and Luna?” Spike asked looking at Cadence and Shining who gave confused shrugs.
“It doesn’t matter now. All that matters…” Within an instant the group was surrounded by black smog thicker than the dark night and immune to any attempts by the wind to block or change it. Shining Armor let out a grunt under his breath as the smog pressed against his shield; testing the magic barrier for any kind of weaknesses. In front of the group, they watched as the smog seemed to dissipate and morph into the shadow of a stallion fully grown and a horrifying distorted horn on his head. His eyes glowed in blood red with purple like smoke coming out of it “Is that the one true king has returned to claim what is rightfully mine.”
The creature laughed his rich baritone voice cackling like shards of ice breaking against hard rock. Slowly the smog seem to dissipate as the blizzard was starting to push through the obstruction. They watched as the creature looked back at them saying “The crystal...is...MINE” before disappearing along with the rest of the fog leaving the group once again alone with only the unforgiving wind as company.
The dragons, sensing the danger passing let out a sigh of relief as Shining removed his shield. Looking back they all notice Cadence appearing to be quite spooked by the whole ordeal. Her eyes dilated slightly and her breath coming out quicker then composed. Without a word her husband moved closer to her, his head wrapping around her neck in a loving embrace which managed to calm her down. Her own muzzle pushing into his neck thankful for his warmth and safety. After a minute they separated before Cadence said “We should get moving. I get the feeling who or what that thing was is connected to that tower.’
“Not to mention its relation to you.” Cynder added getting a nod from the alicorn. The group turned in the direction of east and started marching this time with the wind buffering their left side which was a bit of mild respite.
As the group continued to walk Spyro and Spike moved up next to Cynder and started speaking in a hushed tone so as to not attract their attention.
“So what do you think that was all about?” Spike asked seeing his teachers deep in thought.”
“I don’t know but some of the word choices that...thing made gave some possibilities.” Spyro responded “For starters, it gave the impression that it knew Cadance despite her claim she had never been this far north.”
“Even if she had and met such a creature she would have informed either the princesses or her husband.” Cynder added getting a nod from the male drakes.
“The other thing is the last thing it mentioned. Something about a crystal.” Spike adds. “However I don’t know anything about any crystals apart from the Elements of Harmony and those are back in Canterlot.”
“Then there is a possibility of another Element of Harmony being here?”
“That is something that can’t be ruled out…”
“Well either way!” Sparx proclaimed after getting over his panic from the aberration “How close are we towards the...whoa.”
The dragons looked to see that Sparx was staring at something up ahead. The three followed his gaze to see that while they were talking they had crested over a hill and off in the distance was a large glass like tower.
“We are here.” Cadence remarked and a sense of accomplishment but also uncertainty settled on their shoulders.
As the group moved closer to the tower, they slowly became aware of more and more details that started to make things more complicated. The first being that the wind and snow; normally a constant presence had started to diffuse. While it still ran through their fur and scales it was no longer oppressive. The second thing was perhaps the biggest one.
“There are buildings here.” Spyro noted with surprise as they walked on what was once the main street. Rows upon rows of houses, most two stories that got larger the further they were almost covered in snow. Yet when Spyro took a closer look he saw that the snow looked recently settled on the building.
“This is a full town.” Cynder added with her own surprise looking at the clear signs of various traders and craftsmen, craftspony?, establishments as the group moved into a large open marketplace.
“But why would a town be built here of all places?” Spike finally finished the dragons thoughts “I mean there is nothing but snow and ice here. How could any creature survive for any amount of time.”
“I don’t know Spike.” Cadence replied still keeping herself close to her husband who looked to be the most on edge out of the group. His eyes were scanning around the alleyways and side roads as if expecting a thief to pop out at any moment. “Hopefully the tower will provide some answers. It appears to be located in the center of the city so it must be important to whoever use to live here.”
As the group made their way along they noticed more and more apparent lack of life in the area. They all wondered if the former inhabitants had managed to escape whatever happened here as the alternative was honestly too much to think about. As they got closer to the tower, they noticed that even during the snowstorm the tower was quite beautiful made of some unknown material but one that looked to be able to wither the storm. When they got underneath the tower, they could feel the wind reducing its power on them allowing a bit more warmth to return to their bodies.
Spyro looked up at the tower seeing the underside “Hmm how do you suppose we get in?”
“The wind is too strong for flying.” Cynder pointed out.
“And I didn’t see any sort of windows or balcony through the snow.” Spike added crossing his arms and pondering. “Besides if this place was inhabited by ponies there would need to be an entrance on the ground anyway.”
“True enough.” Spyro finished looking back down before noticing Cadence moving off to one of the pillars.
“Cadence?” Shining asks in concern as she places a hoof on the pillar rubbing against the metal. The pillar seemed to hum a bit before to the surprise of everyone a panel opened up revealing a dark staircase.
The group walked up towards the princess who now looked like she was both curious and confused by what happened. Looking back at her husband and dragons and seeing the question on their faces she responded “I...I don’t know. I just...felt like that was the right thing to do.”
“More questions to this mystery.” Cynder stated “Perhaps it will be best to let us go up first just in case there aren’t any traps.”
Shining and Cadence both agreed to that and Spyro took the lead with Sparx hovering above his head followed by Spike and Cynder taking the rear.
The stairs were in quite good condition despite not being in used for who knows how long. Sparx provided enough light for the group to see and the winding stairs eventually leveled out into a large chamber. Looking ahead at the darkness, Spyro took a deep breath before blowing a stream of fire lighting up the room for a few moments giving Cynder enough time for her to scan the area for any signs of traps or dangers. When all was cleared, Spike called out to the couple to come on up which they did after a minute or two.
At this point Spyro found some candles and torches that were still filled with wax and lit them giving the chamber a soft glow and showing off the state of it. The first thing that they noticed was the lack of any dust or cobwebs. The place looked to have just recently been swept which was impossible considering that the outside looked to be abandoned for years. The paintings and glass were all well maintained and the crystal like walls bounced against the light making everything seem more surreal.
“Well this place is sure decked out real nice.” Sparx comments lazily floating around now finally free of the blizzard.
“No signs of life yet this place is still so clean...what could be the reason behind this occurrence?” Spike asks out loud.
“Celestia did mention that this place was lost over a thousand years ago.” Cadence answered ‘Yet it looks like it has been frozen in time.”
“More like banished my naive princess” That same chilling voice echoed out around the walls. “Do you like what this place has become? Honestly I can’t stand it personally. Not enough...Darkness you know.” The group looked around trying to find the source. Eventually with the sound of amusing chuckles the same black smog appeared through the tiny cracks in the walls and ceilings and condensed in the far end of the chamber right in front of a large ornate door. To the surprise of the group, the smog appear to solidify itself more revealing the shape of a stallion almost a head larger than Shining Armor with black fur and a smog like mane and tail.
The stallion looks over himself “Hmmm not quite fully formed yet the crystal is close...I can feel it.”
“Who are you?” Shining shouted planting himself between the stallion and Cadence while the dragons spread out all posed to react to any kind of danger. The stallion didn’t seem all that concerned with three dragons glaring at him with focus preferring to keep his attention focused on Cadence.
“Well well princess. Are you enjoying your trip back to your kingdom. I must say I am surprised you would come back considering you ABANDON ME.” The stallion shouted causing the walls and floor to shake from the force of it “But it is okay I forgive you so long as you tell me where the Crystal Heart is.”
“Crystal Heart? What are you talking about?” Cadence questioned back confusion on her face
The stallion was silent for a moment his head leaning in closer to take a better look at her before pulling back “Well I suppose it doesn’t matter. One way or another I will claim what belongs to me. The Crystal Heart, this kingdom and of course” He lifts his hoof up and points to the alicorn “You.”
“Like I would let you touch a single part of my wife you monster “Shining yelled out before shooting a blast of his magic at the stallion. The stallion smirked and merely moved his head off to the side dodging the beam.
At the same moment Spyro went into action charging forward and shooting several shards of ice at the black stallion. His horn glowed a sickly green aura and several black crystal shards appeared to block the ice. Before Spyro could have a chance to react the black crystals shot at him which caused one of them to land on his chest and the force knocking him to the wall before slumping down onto the floor.
Cynder and Sparx let out a shock and raced over to the fallen dragon as the stallion walked towards Spike, Shining, and Cadence. Spike felt a sense of fear fester in his chest as his knees shook a bit. Shining let out a yell and charged at the stallion with a sword made of magic ready for a slashing strike. The stallion merely smirked and block the ethereal blade with another black crystal before he used his own magic to lift the white stallion by his neck.
Cadence horrified by seeing her husband in danger let out a scream “LET HIM GO.” Her horn lit up with pink and blue energies and a massive dome of magic burst from her body and spreading all around. The stallion, shocked tried to summon some more crystals to defend himself but the dome was too fast and he was pushed out of the room letting go of Shining Armor in the process. Spike watched as the dome continued to expand further and further until touching the hill that they had walked down not too long ago. The stallion was nowhere to be seen but his voice echoed in the room “A minor setback but soon the Crystal Kingdom will be mine once more.”
Spike moved over to where his dragon masters were at once he regained the use of his legs. Upon closer inspection he saw a sight that made his gasp in shock. Resting right on Spyro’s chest was one of those dark pulsating crystals that the stallion intruder had summoned only this one was sparking with dark purple electricity. Spyro’s face told Spike all that he needed to know about how that crystal felt given that the older purple dragon was grinding his teeth together.
“What is that?” He finally asked which brought Cynder out of her own trance like state of grief and anger.
“Some kind of tumor that is eating away at his energy and life force but I can’t seem to remove it or destroy it without causing Spyro any permanent harm.” She replied glancing back quickly at Spike before focusing back on Spyro.
“So is there nothing we can do?”
“Apart from finding and torturing that stallion for the cure before cutting his horn off and tossing him into the deepest darkest pit no.” She replied in a very cold dark tone that honestly sent a shiver down Spike’s spine.
Deciding to give the dragoness some space, he moves back to where Cadence and Shining were at; the former’s horn still glowing in blue pink light and the latter gently comforting her. Reaching the two of them, his pose relaxes a bit and asks “So...what now?”
Shining glances at Spike as Cadence replies “We need to find this ‘Crystal Heart’ that the stallion mentioned. I don’t know why but I feel like it is very important to make sure he doesn’t get it.”
Spike nods “I agree but what is to stop him from coming back and attacking us again?”
“I think the magic that Cadence is using” Shining answered “is somehow keeping his spirit and form out of the area.”
“Its not the only thing it did.” Sparx suddenly proclaimed looking out of the window.”
The ponies and dragon walked over and let out a gasp at the sight. What was once a barren abandoned town was now alive with color and beauty. Crystal houses sparkled in the daylight and the ground was washed with a sea of greens, blues, and purples. Spike couldn’t resist letting out a whistle “Oh wow I didn’t realize magic could do all that. Its like you brought back the entire city to life again.”
“That isn’t the only thing.” Cadence said keeping her voice firm despite the strain the spell was placing on her “Can’t you feel how warm it is?”
When she mentioned it a realization struck the group. So use were they to the constant biting of the blizzard that they didn’t even realize the wind and snow were gone without a trace. In fact the air had a bit of warmth to it like one would feel when on the beach during a perfect day.
Spyro at this point had managed to recover somewhat to the point that he was able to stand up much to the protest of Cynder. He took a deep breath “Right at this point we need to get some information. Our lack of knowledge about what is going on has been keeping us at a disadvantage.” He looks over at the group “To that end Spike and Sparx will go and search the town for any sort of clues while Cynder and I search the rest of this building. Shining and Cadence should stay right here. It is very important that the princess maintains the shield keeping this place alive until we can figure out a more permanent solution.”
“Are you sure it is wise for me to go out there alone?” Spike asks a bit of fear laced in his tone.
“Of course. Out of all of us who are still in full health you are the most friendly and approachable. Plus if you get into trouble Sparx can quickly fly back and summon Cynder and I to back you up.” Cynder gave a nod agreeing to the plan as Spyro reached into his bag and pulled out a small white crystal that he tossed to Spike “Here this will allow us to stay in contact. Just channel a bit of your energy into it and it should work.”
Spike caught the crystal examining it for a bit before putting it in his bag “Got it. Any specific information I should be looking for?”
“History mostly. Whatever happened here happened a long time ago so we need to know that story as it might provide us with clues on that stallion and the Crystal Heart.” Spyro stated.
“Also any information about the location we are in would be beneficial.” Cynder added keeping herself close to the wounded drake.
Spike tilted his head and moved back down the steps they took coming in with Sparx following close behind after one last look at Spyro. Down on the ground floor, the first time Spike noticed was the interesting pattern on the floor in the shape of a snowflake all pointing towards the center of the crystal spire. Normally a detail that would have been overlooked by most; to the foreign drake it stood out like a sore scale.
“Hmm given the way this design looks seemed similar to ritual runes?” Spike mused out loud a finger rubbing his chin.
“Ritual Runes?” Sparx asked the term unfamiliar to him.
Blinking a bit not quite used to having to explain something as normally he was surrounded by those who did the explanations for him, stated “Well back a long time ago before Starswirl the Bearded modernized magical spells a lot of unicorns would draw glyphs and runes on the floor as a prerequisite to doing complex spellcraft. Twilight always said you could find these types of symbols on the floors of old unicorn homes and certain objects.”
“Do you know what this one does then?”
“Not a clue. I’m no unicorn so I can’t magic the runes to analyze their spell matrix. Best I can do would be to channel my dragon magic into it but without knowledge of what this does I could risk trigger a magical feedback.”
“Which would be bad right?”
“Oh big time.” Spike concluded “Wish Twilight was here. She would be able to decipher this with ease.”
Moving on from the base of the spire the two walked towards the town market seeing it now in color but noticed that there were no signs of activity. Letting out a soft sigh and placing his hands on his hips, Spike took a look around “Nothing of new compared to when we first entered. I can’t tell what kinds of items these markets would sell.
“Considering the harsh climate you would think they would be more focused on agriculture.” Sparx noted resting on top of Spike’s head.
“Perhaps they get a lot of their food from trade but this is all just conjecture at this point.”
Suddenly there was a flash of movement from the corner of the dragon’s eyes. Dropping into a defensive stance, he focused on the area around where he saw the movement and managed to catch sight of a tail slipping down one of the streets. “Hay wait!” Spike called out giving chase jumping over and through stalls until moving around the same corner.
“Oh please Sire have mercy on me.” A voice cried out in front of the drake as he slowed down. His eyes widen in shock as in front of him Shaking on the ground with a bag of apples that would make Applejack question whether or not they were safe for consumption was a mare with matted gray coat and a dull mix of pink and gray matted straight down and also looking like it hadn’t known a shower or a spa. What did surprise Spike the most were that here eyes wide in fear did not contain the usual oval pupils of Equestria ponies but hexagon shaped. A flower pot cutie mark adorned her flank which Spike only took the quickest of glances before focusing back on her face.
Fearing the worst and sensing a chance to get some much needed info; he quickly backed up and adopted a less threatening posture “Hay hay hay it's okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Seeing the apples scattered around the ground he lowered himself down and slowly placed them back in the basket before placing the basket in front of her “I’m sorry for scaring you its just that you are the first pony I’ve seen since coming here.”
The mare still fearful of him slowly got onto her hooves and carefully took the basket back “Thank...thank you Sire but why pray tell did you not report me to the guards for stealing?”
Spike noticed that the mare seemed to be malnourished given her stomach was thinner then what as considered healthy and the color of her body was overall dull “I haven’t seen any guards around.”
She shifted, fear still in her eyes “They will be here soon though. King Sombra does not like us to be outside during the day.”
“King Sombra?” Sparx asked coming around after being thrown off by Spike.
The mare then let out a cry and clutched her head before shooting off down the street in a full gallop with Spike letting out an unheard plea to stop leaving the dragon and dragonfly with some more questions but perhaps the answer to at least one question. “I think we now know the name of that stallion in smog” Spike stated before moving back to the marketplace. It was time to make a call.
Returning back to the marketplace, Spike pulled out the crystal and as instructed began channeling his magic into it. He watched as light began to pour out from it and forming an image of Cynder “Oh Spike can you hear me?”
“Yeah I can hear you. Are you able to hear me?” Spike replied
“Yep looks like the signal is strong here. Good to know for the future. Anyhow what is the situation?”
“Nothing too bad actually. Just wanted to give my report of what I found out so far.”
Cynder nodded “Alright hold on let me get the others close.”
Spike found himself a seat to sit on as Spyro, still looking to be in pain and fighting against it, Shining and Cadence came into view. From what the young drake could tell they all appeared the same as when he left but he wasn’t sure how detailed the display was. Still he did smile at them “How was your search of the spire going?”
“Progress has been slower than we had thought.” Shining replied his hoof rubbing against his leg on a reflex “There were quite a few old traps to dispel and destroy but we did confirm what this spire is.”
Cadence gave a small nod “Indeed from what we found in old artwork and the general layout I think it is safe to assume that this spire is in fact a castle.”
“A poorly defensible one I might add.” Cynder replied earning a confused look from Spike and the ponies and a chuckle from Spyro and Sparx.
“Anyhow.” Cadence continued, “Right now we are at the throne room where I found the strain to my magic to be slightly lessen though not sure why yet.”
“Hmm then I might have a theory on that.’ Spike interjected feeling a sense of accomplishment in figuring out a possible puzzle piece almost like Daring Do would in discovering the answers to puzzles. “Looking at the palace from the outside and noticing a pattern at the base of it with lines leads me to believe that they are a rune ritual of some kind. Shining I am sure you are familiar with those.”
Shining’s face took on a more pensive expression “Oh don’t remind me. I can still remember the day Celestia taught Twilight about them and she spent the next several weeks trying to create rune rituals for all manner of things like cleaning up her room, teleporting dinner to her desk where she studied, to even one trying to get cookies from the cookie jar without being in the same room.” He let out a sigh as Cadence did her best to suppress a giggle “It was just lucky our mom was also knowledgeable about such magics or else the house would have been full of them. Any ideas on what this one does?”
“Not a clue and I don’t risk testing it out with my own magical energies. Given its position and the shape of the palace though my best educated guess would be that it has something to do with protecting the town from the blizzard.”
The group was silent for a moment thinking it over before Cadence replied “I think that is a good assumption to make. Given the development of the town from what we have seen out of the windows and the environment it stems to reason they had some means of defending themselves from the cold.”
“Provided the town is still inhabited though. There haven’t been many clues on that front either.” Spyro said
Spike again felt that sense of joy that one gets for delivering good news “Actually the town does seem populated. We actually encounter one of the residents.” Shock went through the faces on the other side of the crystal and sensing there questions he continued “No I was unable to get the pony’s name and what they had to say was hard to understand due to the amount of fear she was displaying. The only thing I got from her was a name which I believe to be the identity of that strange smog stallion.”
“Nice alliteration.” Sparx commented earning a tiny bit of blush from the young dragon.
“Who is he then.” Cynder asked
“Sombra.”
Cadence let out a soft hum “Sombra...Celestia mentioned that. Apparently he was once an adept unicorn living in the fabled Crystal Empire which was said to be home to a subspecies of ponies called the Crystal Ponies. According to her he was known to be sound of mind and skilled in magic until one day he left on a quest for knowledge. She didn’t hear anything about him until the tyrant King Sombra suddenly rose to power and was such a threat the princesses were forced to seal him and the Crystal Kingdom.” She paused for a moment to catch her breath a bit due to the strain of her magic “She mentioned that she finds it hard that Sombra the court wizard and King Sombra are one and the same. There personalities black and white.”
“There has been something else that has bothered me about this Sombra character.” Spyro stated suddenly that all attention was focused on him. “I’m not sure if it's just this crystal confusing me but whatever corruption is around Sombra feels...familiar.”
“You think it might be from your world?” Spike asked
Spyro didn’t say anything, his mind deep in thought. Cynder pressed herself closer to the dragon offering comfort. Shining looks back over at Spike and said “Spike why don’t you keep exploring the town see if you can get anymore information about Sombra and the Crystal Empire. I think it is safe to say that we are standing in the Crystal Empire right now and Cadence and I will need to educate ourselves as much as possible to help win over the populace.” He points off screen “I noticed a larger building about west of your current position. The structure reminded me of a library. That might be a good place to start. If it isn’t a library they might have information on where you can go to get what you need.”
“I understand.” Spike replied and dispelled the channeling of his magic to the crystal and watched the display vanish. Storing the crystal in his bag he collects his thoughts and organizes them thinking “I wonder what Twilight and the gang would be doing in this situation...probably trying to throw some kind of party would be my guess.”
Finding the library proved to be not that hard given that, as Shining Armor put it, it was larger than a lot of the surrounding buildings and the front had a large crystal in the shape of a book. Spike and Sparx took a moment to admire the outside and how it all looked to be made of crystal in one way or another before moving closer. Testing the front door found it to be already unlocked so with some hesitation they entered.
Inside was a collection of book rival to that of the Canterlot Library. Spike already could imagine Twilight if she ever saw this place. A small smile touched his face as he saw the unicorn bouncing from shelf to shelf with speeds that would make Rainbow Dash impressed and an energy on the level of Pinkie Pie.
A mare, again with the same kind of hexanol eyes as the last one though she was much older in age approached “Welcome to the Crystal Library. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
Spike pondered a moment “Yes thank you actually. I was wondering if you have a book on the history or culture of the Crystal Empire?”
“Of course Sir. Right this way.” She replies walking towards one of the hallways with the dragon and dragonfly following “Though I have to warn you that his Majesty ordered most of the history books removed. Said they were a danger to the Kingdom.”
“You mean Sombra?” Sparx asked
“KING Sombra.” The librarian replied earning an eye roll from the dragonfly as they stopped in one of the hallways in front of a shelf that was mostly empty with a few books and tomes left. “Here are the books that are left. Feel free to call me if you have any questions.”
“Whelp let’s see if there is anything of value here.” Sparx stated as Spike picked up a random book and started going through it.
As the two continued to work, the librarian would pop in every now and then. Considering the place looked pretty abandoned and Spike didn’t hear the sound of the main door opening and closing he assumed that most of the residents were still hiding in their homes. Most likely thinking that they would be punished for coming outside. The books themselves were of mild interest going over various cultural norms and customs like the viewing of the Northern Lights, the Crystalling, and the Crystal Pony Fair which seemed to be the biggest one of them all. As Spike read it, he became more and more aware of the role the Crystal Ponies played in this fair.
“Oh so that is how that works.” He finally stated closing the book and leaving it on top of the small pile he had created.
“What works?” Sparx answered floating back towards him.
“I was trying to figure out how they kept their city from becoming a winter wasteland. Apparently this does in fact tie in to those ritual lines below the castle. During the Crystal Fair the residents pour their happiness, love, compassion, and joy which creates a shield protecting the city.”
“Wow sometimes I forget I’m in magical talking horse land.” Sparx comments in a bit of a sarcastic tone. “So why don’t we get that fair up and running, get that shield up and then Cadence won’t have to keep using her magic protecting the city.”
“You think it would be that simple but there is...something else. Some piece that serves as the catalyst for this spell.” Spike glances at the pile of books “However seems that the good King did his best to censor that information. All I know is that it involves something called a Crystal Heart.”
When Spike uttered the name, a sharp pain entered his head causing him to clutch it. The outside world die around him to the point where everything looked hazy and unfocused. The only thing he was able to process was a voice echoing “Young one...Young one...Find me before it is too late.”
As suddenly as it arrived, the sharp pain left him and he had somehow passed out on the floor with Sparx hovering over him. The dragonfly’s mouth was moving but the dragon couldn’t make out the sounds as his ears were still ringing. So he just stared blankly at him until his brain got his senses back in order enough to hear that Sparx was calling his name out.
“Yeah?” Spike blankly replied which was enough for the dragonfly to let out a breath of relief.
“Oh finally. For a moment I thought I was going to have to fly off to get Cynder or Shining or someone”
“What happened?”
“Don’t know. One moment you were talking about some Crystal Heart and the next you were passed out on the floor staring off into space. It honestly reminded me of when Spyro was contacted by the old Chronicler.”
Spike got up to his feet and his mind once again went to that strange voice that sounded like the one he heard back in Canterlot. This time it was clearer which meant it must have been close by but something is still obstructing it. Still he couldn’t help but think that there was something important about that voice...something involving him finding the source as soon as possible.Plus he figured that the Crystal Fair would be the only way to get the Crystal Ponies out of their homes and be there for when it was time to charge the shield. Also Sombra was still out there and with Spyro temporary wounded and Cadence putting all of her magic on maintaining the barrier they would need more help in order to save the kingdom.
“I think it's about time we call in some back up.” Spike said to himself before grabbing the book involving the Crystal Fair and heading out of the library with Sparx following behind.
The new addition to the train lines had been built the day before and already was tasked with a delivery of the highest priority. So much so that any trains bound for any track that runs between Canterlot and the Crystal Station were redirected, delayed, or just outright canceled.
Cynder found the whole thing rather beneficial as she wrapped the scarf around her neck and ignored the cold. She was waiting at the station with Sparx, the two volunteering to meet and escort the back up while Spike and Spyro stayed at the city.
Spyro...just the thought filled the dragoness with worry though it didn’t show on her face. He kept denying it but she could tell that the crystal was slowly draining him of his magical powers sapping his strength. If they didn’t figure out a way to remove it well she didn’t want to think about it. Still, despite their best efforts, the only possibility remaining was taking down Sombra and hoping his defeat would destroy the crystal safely
She would have prefer Spike gone out to escort their back up. Heck it would have made more sense since he was more familiar with them but given the oddity of that strange voice Spike heard back in the library the others didn’t want to chance that Sombra was trying to influence him which was a possibility. Better to keep your cards hidden until the right moment, especially since they were dealing with several unknown factors.
She turned her head as the sound of a train whistle approached and got back onto her legs in order to get the blood flowing again. They would need to be quick before Sombra catches wind of what was going on and makes a move. The train, one of the civilian models slows down as it approaches the station until stopping.
At first Cynder heard the sound of muffled voices before a door opened and a large stack of suitcases came out and dropped all over the station floor. The dragoness then heard the lady like voice of Rarity saying “Really Applejack can’t you be a little more careful. There are some essential items in those bags.”
Applejack in that familiar accent of hers “Consarnit Rarity I told you shampoo and conditioner are not essential items.”
“To you perhaps but if I am to make a good impression on the Crystal ponies.” Cynder swore she heard an excited giggle following that “Then one must look their very best. Oooo I can’t wait to see what the decor is.”
Rainbow Dash’s voice came through now “Come on Rarity we are here on a mission from Celestia herself not on a holiday.”
Cynder used a bit of her wind breath to shift the suitcases to the side and smiles a bit seeing the six ponies coming out of the station. Twilight blinking a bit in surprise “Oh Cynder. We didn’t expect to see you here?”
“You were expecting to see your brother or assistant perhaps?” She asks a somewhat playful tone with no real malice behind it. She knew the ponies were more comfortable with their own race and Spike which was fine with her. It gave her a bit of a feeling of superiority. Returning to her normal tone she continued “Alas they are busy in keeping the Kingdom safe which we need to hurry back to.”
“Why the rush?” Pinkie interjected in a bubbly tone
The cold wind howled at this point blasting the ponies and causing Rainbow Dash to land. Cynder looked out in the distance trying to spot some sign of him “Because he is out there right now and we aren’t safe here.”
The group started to make their way out into the snowstorm with Sparx at the lead providing a much needed guiding light. Cynder following close behind while the Mane Six were fanned out behind her in a loose formation. The dragoness couldn’t help but note the difference between their group and the tight orderly line that she was a part of during the first run through the snow. As the grouped walked they all did their best to handle the constant blowing of snow and the buffering of wind. Twilight and Rarity putting up small shields to protect themselves while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were using their wings for a similar effect. Applejack had to use her hat as cover though it was hard to tell if it was for that or if she was just trying to keep it from blowing off her head. Pinkie Pie, in complete contrast, didn’t seem to care about the cold wind blasting her still hoping and bouncing around talking about building snow-ponies or having a snowball fight or even somehow using her party cannon to make a snow cone machine which from the interactions Cynder has had with the pink enigma doesn’t seem like something that would be out of her capabilities.
Twilight moved up closer to Cynder and speaking as loud as she could through the wind “Does this have something to do with Sombra and the Crystal Kingdom?”
Cynder looked over at her “How do you figure that?”
“Well Princess Celestia said that the reason Cadence had to go north was to try and find a way to restore the Crystal Kingdom but she was worried that an ancient foe named King Sombra was now back and was making things harder.”
Cynder tucked that bit of knowledge in her head for later. The fact that Celestia knew as much as she did about the situation that they had only just started to piece together was cause for a bit of concern. Still there wasn’t much Cynder or the others could do about it now. They were all too deep to even consider leaving or backing out. Giving a small nod, she answered the unicorn “Yeah that is what we figured as well but the situation got to the point where we needed some back up.”
Concern and shock went through Twilight’s face as she asked in a hurried tone “Is my brother okay? My sister in law? Spike?!”
A deep voice sounded from everywhere and nowhere at that moment “Not as okay as you all are going to be.”
There was a scream causing Twilight and Cynder to turn their heads. Behind the group they saw a massive black smoke cloud emerging from the cover of the blizzard. Glowing green eyes piercing the veil with smoke coming out of the pupils in a menacing expression.
Cynder in the loudest voice she could shouted “RUN!” The ponies free from the shock of fear took off in the direction they were headed still following Sparx who was freaking out mumbling incoherently as his wings buzzed faster. Cynder now took her place in the rear making sure the slower ones, namely Fluttershy and Rarity, didn’t fall back from the group as the smog chased them laughing with malice.
The case felt like it lasted longer than it did but in truth it was only for about five minutes until they spotted the bluish pink dome in the distance. In sight of their goal they doubled their stride and saw Spyro and Spike waiting near the edge of the dome’s perimeter. Seeing the smog coming from behind; Spike hopped out of the protection and took a deep breath before blowing a large stream of green fire at the eyes. The sudden attack plus the force of it caused the smog to falter just enough to get the ponies and Cynder inside the dome. Spike kept the stream going for a bit longer to make sure while he slowly backed up a few steps. Once he could no longer maintain the pressure he closed his mouth and jumped back into the dome.
The smog chuckled darkly appearing no worse than before as it disappeared back into the blizzard. Everyone, minus Spyro and Cynder, were doubled over panting and catching their breath as Applejack said “What in the name of Sweet Apple Acres was that?”
“That would be Sombra...at least his real physical form.” Spyro replied grunting a bit as the black purple crystal glowed briefly “And he is only half of the issues we have going on here.”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked as the group had recovered their breath and stood back on their hooves.
Spyro, Cynder and Spike looked at each other before the former said, “Follow us to the castle. We will explain along the way.”
As the group started to walk towards the center of town, the girls started to marvel at the sight of the Crystal City. Even if the entire place was muted in color and shine they could tell or at the very least imagine what the place once was.
As they walked through Mane Street, Pinkie Pie asked “Where is everypony?”
Spike answered “Most likely still huddled in their homes out of fear. A few braver ones have ventured out but when we try to approach they flee in terror.”
“Why are they so afraid?” Fluttershy asked concern laced in her voice
“Most likely due to some lingering effect of Sombra’s” Spyro stated “At least according to Cadence. She has been working hard to try and dispel it but it seems tied to the stallion so until he is defeated the Crystal ponies will not know peace.”
“So there are Crystal ponies.” Rarity shriek in excitement and glee
“Yeah but they are not what you probably imagine them to be. The only thing crystal about them were their eyes.” Cynder replied as the group made their way through the market square approaching the castle.
As the group reached the base of the tower, Spike pointed to the ground and faced Twilight “Hay Twilight could you tell what this rune spell is supposed to do?”
Twilight blinking a bit from the sudden question looked over at the markings on the ground. Her horn flashing at several points as spells were cast mostly ones of detection and identification. She paced around the outside humming to herself as she worked.
When she was finished which only took a minute or two she said “Well this is definitely a spell designed to transfer and change one form of energy into another however it seems to be missing a critical piece that serves as both the power source, the activation key, and, well for lack of a better term, a factory to make the change. Something like that must be quite powerful indeed.”
Spike nodded his head figuring as much though he didn’t know how detailed it went. Leave it to Twi to give it her all when studying anything magical. Looking over to his dragon masters he adds “I guess finding that Crystal Heart is more important than before.”
“Crystal Heart?” Twilight asked joining the group.
“We will explain when we meet up with Cadence and Shining.” Spike said before the dragons lead the group into the entrance they had found before and up the stairs.
Once they reached the top of the steps they saw Cadence sitting on the throne; her eyes closed in deep concentration as her horn glowed a steady pink blue color. Along the base of the throne were four crystals: one red, one green, one blue, and finally the last one purple. They were all the size of Spyro and the ponies especially Rarity gasps in surprise.
The gasps alerted Cadence as she opened her eyes. Smiling like Celestia would, she hopped off the throne saying “Hello girls. I am so glad you are able to make it.”
She stops in front of Twilight and the rest watch as they did some kind of dance with each other. Spike smiles knowing where it was from while Spyro and Cynder looked a bit confused.
When the two ponies were done Cadence returned to the throne “I apologize for summoning you all in such short notice but the situation has gotten a bit beyond what we are capable.”
“Where is my brother?” Twilight asks noticing the lack of Shining Armor around.
“Shining is currently sleeping in the bedchambers. He spent all of last night keeping the shield up so I could have time to eat and get some sleep as well. Maintaining the shield has been draining on us both.” She looks at the four crystals “Lucky for us Spyro and Cynder came up with a temporary solution to help mitigate the strain with these crystals serving as backup sources of energy but they won’t last for much longer.”
“So what is going on around her” Applejack asked
Cadence looked at the dragons and nodded. Spyro nodded back “Well as you saw we are currently engaged in a siege of sorts from a corrupted unicorn calling himself King Sombra. He seeks to enter the kingdom and take control of it but for what end and purpose we do not know.”
Cynder picked up here “We figured that Cadence is somehow connected to the last true ruler of the Crystal Kingdom and that her magic is keeping Sombra out as well as the constant blizzard but we all know that it won’t last. There is evidence of a more permanent solution to at least the blizzard issue.”
Spike smiled “Which is where you six come in. We need you all to prepare and host something called a Crystal Fair.” He pulls out the book from the library and passes it to Twilight who had a confused look with a bit of disappointment hidden underneath “From what I was able to gather the Fair serves to create the power source needed to activate the shield to protect the kingdom. Perhaps even having the ability to summon the Crystal Heart which appears to act as the focal point of that energy.”
There was silence for a moment before Rainbow Dash shouted “Wait you brought us all the way here to host a party?”
“That is the crux of the matter yes.” Spyro replied
“Why couldn’t you all do it?”
“Well in case you haven’t noticed Cynder and I aren’t that skilled in social events and planning plus we need to keep an eye out in case Sombra tries anything which will be that much harder if we have to host a fair.”
“In addition.” Cynder adds “There are a lot of events and activities in this fair too much for three dragons to manage as effectively as six ponies.” She didn’t like having to admit that being a bit prideful of her race but she wasn’t too prideful to ignore her own limitations.
The ponies were silent looking over the book seeing all the activities and events that were detailed. They looked at each other a silent message passing through all of them before Twilight said “Alright let's go remind the Crystal ponies of their history.”
The days past with a speed of purpose as the six ponies got to work. In the morning they would pour over the book learning as much as they could about the Crystal Fair and in the afternoon they would spend outside building the required structures needed to run the fair. Cynder and Spike did their best to help with some of the more heavy lifting. Spyro wanted to help but the crystal on his chest was pulsing more often and causing him a fair amount of pain. Cadence and Shining Armor were not doing any better as the crystals were running out of energy and the strain getting harder and harder.
Still there was some good news. For starters, a few of the Crystal ponies were coming out curious about the construction. Twilight and Rarity were quick to strike up a conversation and let those brave souls know what was going on. Hearing the creation of the Crystal Fair seems to give them a bit of hope and joy in their hearts as they were quick to start asking questions or offering advice. Some even volunteered as the rest would go spread the word. One or two even changed so their coats were more crystal then natural fur; a change that surprised the Ponyville ponies and the dragons.
As the day of the event got closer more and more Crystal ponies started to come out offering to help with the event or providing some materials and goods for the food and vendors. It wasn’t much and about half of the food was spoiled but the gesture was enough and they seem to be happy to help out in anyway.
“This event must be very important to them.” Cynder noted as Spike and her were driving stakes in for fences for the animals.
“From what I read, this event is what is used to power the shield that keeps the kingdom safe from the snow. That makes it very significant for them.” Spike replied.
Finally, after two days the fair was ready and all in the Crystal Empire came out to attend. Little fillies and colts were bouncing around playing in the streets as the adults were exploring around chatting laughing and enjoying themselves. The ponies were doing their best to keep up with the guests despite them being massively understaffed.
However as the day went on more and more ponies started walking up wishing to see the Crystal Heart. This was starting to become an issue for the dragons and Twilight as they stood around where they believed the Crystal Heart would be wondering why it wasn’t showing up.
“It should be here by now. Most of the Crystal Ponies are returning to their original forms and the spell lines are starting to glow in power.” Twilight muttered to herself. Underneath her hooves the lines of the spell matrix were glowing a faint blue glow but without the Crystal Heart, without that focal point it was all just useless energy.
“Is there something we are missing?” Spike asked aloud doing his best to keep the fear from getting to him.
“I’m afraid I have some more bad news.” Cadence said coming down amidst a trail of gasps from the residents. In her magical grip, Spyro was doubled over in pain as the crystal on his chest was pulsing faster. “I think Sombra is about to make his move. Neither Shining and I can keep the shield up for much longer and I sense his energy collecting on the outside of the shield.
Cynder went over to Spyro holding him in her embrace as the crystal suddenly popped out the moment the shield was gone. Laughing a familiar tone the others watched as Sombra began to slowly emerge from the crystal fully formed “Ahhhh at long last. Rejoice my subjects your King has ACK”
He grunted as a slab of magical earth hit him hard in the back of the head sending him flying down the street. Cadence snorted, her magic glowing blue green color “Twilight go and find the Crystal Heart and bring it back here. I’ll keep Sombra busy.”
Spyro slowly recovering from the ordeal added “Spike go with her. Cynder and I will back up the Princess.”
Spike nodded and said “You got it but where would an egotistical unicorn mage hide a relic of significant magical power?”
“How about on top of the tower.” Twilight automatically replied earning a look from the others “What that is what I would do.”
“So the top of the castle? But we didn’t find any way of reaching up there. Even flying to the top was blocked off by some kind of energy.” Spike said
“There must be a secret passageway leading to the top hidden by some kind of magic.” Twilight shouted back before sprinting back into the castle. Spike shouted for her to wait before following close behind.
Sombra had gotten back on his hooves and snorted a bit of black smoke “Oh you are going to regret that princess.”
Cadence smirked a bit as her horn glowed a bit more creating two earth slabs “Oh I don’t think I will.” Cynder had moved up next to the princess and blew some dark fire on the earth slabs lighting them up before the alicorn threw them with subsonic speeds at the unicorn.
Meanwhile
When Spike and Twilight made it inside of the throne room; they saw a sight that made them both gasp in shock. Passed out on the floor in front of the throne room was Shining Armor, his horn weakly sparking with blue magic. Around him were the four crystals no longer glowing and even losing a lot of their shine. Twilight was quick to race over to her brother rolling him onto his back and looking him over. Spike followed close behind “Is he okay?”
Twilight was frantic as she looked over his body. Apart from being unconscious, he didn’t appear to suffer any other physical wounds especially on his horn which could crack if a unicorn used intense magic for an extended period of time. After a minute or two, Twilight pulled back and let out a sigh “Yeah thank Celestia. He seems to have only passed out from magical overuse.” She looks over at the crystals “Perhaps the crystals took the brunt of the magical feedback in order to keep my brother safe.” Twilight magic a pillow from a bedroom and put Shining’s head on top of it so he didn’t have to sleep on the hard crystal floor.
With that done the two began to look around as outside the sound of earth hitting pavement, screams of ponies, and the occasional screech of Cynder’s Siren Scream filled the windows. Twilight let out a groan “You sure you looked everywhere?!”
“Positive.” Spike replied examining the throne room for some kind of contraption.
Twilight didn’t doubt her foster brother nor her brother, sister in law, and the two dragons that they searched every inch of the castle physically. Still an idea popped into her head as she spied a small crystal floating inside an ornate circle on top of the throne chair “What about magically?”
“Huh…” Was the dragon’s response as he faced the unicorn only for his eyes to grow bigger. He saw her horn, normally a purple glow, now glowing with the same black green aura Sombra’s horn glowed. Before he could voice his concern, Twilight fired a beam of dark energy at the crystal. The crystal started to change from purple to black as the castle shifted and rumbled underneath them. The two watched as a panel behind the throne chair opened up revealing a large staircase that was inside the main tower.
Spike was in awe as Twilight giggled and started to climb the steps shouting “Come on Spike. Let’s go save the Crystal ponies.”
Spike coughed a bit to get Twilight’s attention before saying “Um Twilight...how about instead of climbing all those steps I just fly us up there?”
Twilight paused looking at the massive spiral staircase and back to Spike who was unfurling his developed working wings. A flush of embarrassment appeared on her face “Oh..right...good idea...yeah.”
Chuckling, Spike moved closer to her and wrapped his arms around her barrel and holding her in his chest. He noted the small blush of embarrassment was still on her face but he figured that it was still from him pointing out the more practical solution. Crouching a bit, he tensed his legs before jumping up into the air and flapping his wings. A few flaps and he was up and flying straight to the top of the tower with Twilight grabbing onto his arms for dear life.
Back Outside
Most of the Crystal ponies had been evacuated to a safe place thanks to the other ponies leaving Cynder and Cadence enough space to deal with Sombra or at least buy enough time for Twilight and Spike to find the Crystal Heart and end this. Even though Cadence’s magical powers were running on empty, she was still an alicorn and trained under Celestia to properly manage her magical energy to use as little as possible to get the maximum amount of results.
Dodging a dark beam, her horn flashes as she molds the earth underneath Sombra’s hooves to trap and halt his movements. He somehow sensed it and quickly teleported out of danger landing on top of one of the stalls that was still standing. Glaring at the stallion “You won’t win Sombra. We are going to stop you.”
He tilted his head apparently finding the statement amusing “Is that so? Well you certainly aren’t doing a good job of it. Once I defeat you and consume the Crystal Heart; I will rule the Crystal Empire and then all of Equestria.” He shoots several crystal shards at the princess which she was fortunate to dodge.
“As the Crystal Princess I refuse to let my subjects fall victim to your tyranny.” Cadence shouted with authority.
It happened in almost a blink of an eye but she noticed the black darkness fade as his eyes switched from red to green as he said in almost a whisper “Princess?” As quickly as it appeared the unicorn let out a groan as the blackness and red eyes returned. He smirked back at the alicorn “Well ‘Princess’ once I win the only royal duty you will be doing is my personal plaything.”
His horn lit up with more magic as a large dark beam shot out. Seeing the danger and Cadence not able to dodge it, Cynder jumped out of her mist form and tackled the princess out of the way before blasting several red fear orbs at Sombra. The orbs connected causing him to stagger a bit and grunt.
“You need to stay focused Cadence.” Cynder stated spreading her wings out in an aggressive stance as the alicorn got back onto her hooves. Shaking her head, she nods her head as her horn glowed summoning gems sharpen to daggers as the two ready themselves for what was to come next.”
At the top of the Tower
Spike and Twilight reached the top of the tower to a sight that put them in awe. As the black skies brought the wind, snow, and hail outside; there in the center was a floating blue heart made of the finest of crystals. It floated on its own accord not affected by gravity or the wind as it spun lazily in place.
Spike placed Twilight down saying “Careful this could be a trap of some kind.”
“Don’t worry Spike I’ll get the Crystal Heart and save the day” Twilight replied as she ran towards the heart ignoring Spike’s cries of wait.
The moment she got close, the ground shook and the floor glowed a black light. All around Twilight, black crystals started to form around her and grow. Her eyes widening, she tried to use her magic to teleport out with the Crystal Heart only for the magic of the floor to make it fail. She tried to blast at the crystals but she could only do a tiny amount of damage to it and it was growing too fast.
Spike was fairing no better as he tried to punch, cleave, smash, and burn his way through but the crystals were proving to be too hard. Seeing no real answer he shouts “Twilight you have to throw me the Heart.”
“No I can escape! I can save the day.” Twilight shouted as she tried spell after spell but the room was either blocking her magic or preventing her spells from working.
“Twilight if you don’t toss me the heart Sombra is going to win.”
“But Celestia told me this was my test and I have to pass it on my own.”
“Twilight are you really putting a stupid test from Celestia over the lives of an entire nation?!”
Twilight was about to shout at Spike about calling a test from Celestia stupid but she realized that she was being selfish about the situation. As the crystals started to form around her into a dome and her time and options running out; she finally conceded. With the last opening available, she tosses the Crystal Heart at Spike who caught it. What surprised the two was the artifact glowed a bright white light blinding the two.
When Spike opened his eyes, his found himself surrounded by white. He wasn’t sure what he was standing on or if he was evening standing on anything in the first place. Since his wings hadn’t started flapping on his own whenever he was in a free fall; he assumed he wasn’t in any danger.
“Ah young one. It is good to finally meet you.” A voice sounded all around him one that was familiar to him as the voice calling out to him a few times though now it was much clearer.
“Where are you?” Spike called out looking around. After a moment of searching he felt a large source of power behind him. Turning around his eyes widen at the sight.
Sitting in front of him was the largest dragon he had ever seen. Easily at least twice the size of the dragon he ran into at the Everfree Forest. His scales were shining in a silvery blue color with ivory color scales for his underbelly. Four diamond horns grew from his head as his sapphire blue eyes seem to pierce deep into Spike’s soul. Spike saw the tail was tipped with a diamond heart that made Spike do a quick double take as it looked almost exactly like the Crystal Heart but more flat. The dragon’s overall build was well defined with muscles hidden underneath his scales yet there was a soft aura surrounding him like a mother comforting a child.
The dragon smiled, showing ivory fangs as he gestured a paw “Please have a seat young one. We have much to talk about.”
“What about my friends?” Spike asks on auto pilot as he made to sit in the pillow that he didn’t know was there until the dragon pointed it out. In fact, the more he thought about it; the more he was sure the pillow wasn’t there in the first place.
The dragon nodded “I understand your concern. Rest assure that time doesn’t flow while you are here. Your friends are still safe for the moment. However Malefor will not permit his host to let that happen for much longer.”
Spike blinked a bit in shock “The Dark Master Spyro and Cynder fought? He’s here?”
“Yes and no. He is only here as a force of nature manifested as a crude imitation of that horn attached to the unicorn’s head. Still it was enough that his dark energies were able to create his creatures to cause some havoc to the lands despite my best efforts to keep it in check.”
The dragon hummed and looked up in the distance “Yet if the Dark Master is able to get possession of me and destroy me; he will unleashed a massive horde of dark monstrosities and I fear that no lands will be safe from his destruction.”
Spike could barely imagine such a scene happening. The sight of his home, his friends gone just sent chills through his bones and a lump of fear in his heart. Yet there was something about the dragon’s statement that caught his attention “Wait you said destroy me; does that mean you are…”
The dragon nodded his head “Yes I am what you would refer to as the Crystal Heart. In reality, the Crystal Heart is a Spirit Gem that I created with my own claws and poured my life essence into so I could assist the Crystal Queen in helping her kingdom grow and prosper.”
Spike’s mouth was open in surprise but he closed it remembering a lesson that Spyro taught about the nature of Spirit Gems “Hold on doesn’t that mean your soul hasn’t passed on?”
The dragon surprised the drake with another smile “Ah how astute you are young one. You are correct in that while my body has long ago become dust in the soil; I haven’t passed on into the afterlife.” He held up his paw forestalling Spike’s next response “Do not worry yourself about me young dragon. I have spent several generations of pony lifetimes thinking about this choice and if given the option I would do it again. The Crystal Queen was my best friend who comfort me during the last few years of my life and if I had any regrets it was not being able to spend another day longer with her.”
Spike felt his sadness for the ancient dragon as he thought about what he would do if he was in his position. To his surprise, he couldn’t imagine not spending as much time as he could with his friends and doing anything he could to keep them safe. It was that drive that belief that pushed him into training with Spyro and Cynder so he could become strong enough that they could rely on him.
The dragon smiled lowering his paw “It is why I wanted to meet you young dragon. You remind me a lot of myself in terms of thought and belief. You desire to protect your friends as I desire to protect the kingdom my friend created.” The dragon appeared to gaze off into the distance for a moment before focusing back on Spike “However there is something that I need to know from you.”
Spike gulped a bit shifting in the pillow “Wh...what is that?”
The dragon lifted his paw, extending a claw finger out. Spike felt his muscles tense as his eyes followed the deadly claw sharper than any blade he had seen. The dragon placed the claw on Spike’s forehead, not enough pressure to break his scales but still feel the pressure. The dragon’s eyes harden a bit as he gazed right into Spike’s eyes “Spike, born from the magic of the unicorn Twilight Sparkle and raised by the care of Celestia Faust, do you swear in your entire heart mind body soul and honor as a dragon that you do not or will never seek power for the sake of power.”
Spike felt his body freeze as the commanding voice echoed in his ears and head. Suddenly, he felt his memories return to him in a rush of speed that reminded him of the times he would watch Rainbow Dash flying. He saw himself growing up with Celestia, being under the care of Twilight, going through magic school as her assistant, moving to Ponyville and every adventure he has been a part of since. As the memories continued to flow through him; he thought with great clarity about his thoughts and actions searching for something, though he wasn’t sure what that was.
Eventually the memories ended and Spike found his mouth able to move again “I swear.”
The dragon kept his gaze on the young drake for what felt like hours before his expression soften back to normal “And I believe you.” The claw pulled back from Spike’s head and he let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Forgive me for that young one.” The dragon continued “It is just what I am offering you is something that many out there would find too hard to resist.”
“What would that be?” Spike asked after taking a few slow deep breaths refilling his lungs with the much needed air.
“I wish to offer you my power young one. You will be fused with the Crystal Heart and tap into your true ultimate potential. The power and skills you could gain in your lifetime.” The dragon smiled “As you can hopefully understand such a boon would be hard to give away but once the threat of Malefor and Sombra is over with you must return me back to the Crystal Kingdom which of course means you will return to your current self with only very vague memories of the techniques you would use and this will be a one time thing.”
Spike’s eyes opened in shock. To see and feel his final potential. To have all of that power, knowledge, and skills right in his paws rather then spending years decades perhaps even centuries of practicing and studying. Yeah he admit a small part of him was tempted to keep that power for himself but that part was quickly stamped away into nothing. He had already sworn that he wasn’t the kind of dragon who sought power for the sake of power and he was a dragon who kept his word. Still he hesitated “Would I still be in control of my actions and body?”
The dragon nodded “Of course young one. I will merely be a powersource and a sea of knowledge befitting of your skills.” The dragon then stood up on his legs and Spike once again was in awe about his size.
Spike followed suit standing on his two legs looking up “And what skills would that be?”
The dragon smiled as his horns started to glow a deep blue color much like a unicorn’s horn. Spike felt energies started to flow around his body as he begins to feel himself slipping out of this space and returning back to the real world. Without thinking “Wait what is your name?”
The dragon smiled “My real name is lost in time. You can simply refer to me as Spirit.” The dragon’s wings opened up as he lifts into the air and more energy flows through, into, and around Spike “Now...be reborn as your true potential Spike...the Dragon Archmage of Equestria.”
Spike gasped in shock as a rush of knowledge, hundreds of hundreds of years just flowing into his mind at light speed and he let out the loudest roar he ever could.
At the base of the Crystal Castle
Cadence was beaten and bruised all over. Her horn sparking with barely any magic. She looked over, seeing Cynder also in pain as she stood over the still unconscious Spyro that Sparx was trying to wake up. Between her and the dragons was Sombra who was looking down at her with a sneer “Well well it seems that you finally hit your limit. A pity though I was starting to get board.” He leans down closer to her “Now if you just submit yourself under my rule I’ll let you live. If you are good, perhaps I’ll even make you one of my concubines.”
Cadence growled a bit as she used a bit of her strength to spit at Sombra’s face. The stallion hummed a bit to himself “A pity. But know this princess you will find peace a fleeting thing. I will make sure you suffer for as long as you amuse me.” He pulls himself up and turns around “Now it is time I return to my rightful…”
He didn’t finish as the air was suddenly filled with the loudest roar anypony ever heard. It was a kind of roar that made the Crystal ponies freeze up stiff and the Mane five to huddle together to comfort each other. Spyro was able to break out of whatever was keeping him unconscious as Cadence, Cynder and Sombra looked around for the source. As with most cases Cadence didn’t discover the source until she looked up at the top of the Castle and her eyes widen in shock and mouth agape.
Canterlot Castle
Luna could feel it in her body before her ears picked up the sound of such a primal roar. She was racing through the castle, abandoning her regalia in her haste to reach her sister’s room. All around, maids and guards were paused looking to find the source of the sound; the latter gripping onto their weapons in hopes of giving them some stability.
When she reached her sister’s chamber, she ignored all sense of decorum and protocol as she flung the doors open “SISTER ARE THOU HERE!”
“Over here Luna.” Celestia replied, no longer in her regalia, and standing out in her balcony. Luna walked over to stand by her sister wanting to tell her what she felt but her eyes could see the sight that Celestia’s own gaze was focused on.
“That light...it’s from the Crystal Kingdom.” Luna said as they saw the massive stream of green light shooting from the distance like a volcano.
Celestia shook her head “No my sister that isn’t light.” Luna managed to turn her gaze from the source towards her sister; her eyes asking the question she didn’t need to speak “That is dragon fire.”
Dragon Wastes
Dragon Lord Torch watched out at the green flame, his grip clutched on the Bloodstone Scepter as it glowed bright red. He could feel in his heart what his other older dragons felt, the desire to charge out to the source with all haste to witness the birth of a powerful dragon. Only the power of the scepter, made with the source of the great dragon god Bahumat, was keeping them in place but their roars echo the one coming from the green flame but weaker in compression.
“Father what is going on?” A voice sounded to his right. Glancing over, he saw his pride and joy Ember flying up to rest on his shoulder. His iron will heart soften at the sight of his daughter and he allowed the rarest of smiles to form on his face.
“I do not know for sure daughter...but I haven’t felt this kind of power since I was your age.” He returns his gaze back to the flame as it started to form into the shape of a dragon roaring in fury; wings spread out in defiance. “Whoever that dragon is, he is very powerful...the kind of power that could reshape the world if he so wished it.”
Ember was silent, unable to fully image there was something or someone out there stronger than her father. A very small part of her mind pondered the thinking the dragon was male and around the same age as her. Such a mate could sire a whole generation of powerful dragons and dragoness. She shook the thought out of her head as only a dragon going on centuries would have that kind of power.
At the top of the Crystal Castle
Twilight covered her eyes and ears as the white light was replaced with an overwhelming green fire and a roar that shook her soul and made her horn rattle threatening to crack from the sheer pressure. All around her the pillars, walls, floor, and ceiling were cracking from the pressure. Even the crystals trapping her were not safe as they were cracking faster then they could repair.
After a few moments though it felt much longer, Twilight felt the power energy halting and the roaring stop. She blinked a bit to try to refocus her gaze as a voice said “Twilight you okay?”
“Spike?” Twilight called out looking to the source only for her eyes to widen as they focus on the dragon.
Spike almost didn’t look like he was. While his height and build were the same that was the end of the similarities. For starters his scales now had these white streaks running all over his scales though she couldn’t tell from the distance but the white streaks were actually lines of runes. His horns grew two inches longer with the tip sparking in green white color. His claws were also sparking the same green white color. When Spike turned to face her, she saw his eyes were still green but now had a white blue glow behind them and floating inside of his eyes were some more runes.
Before Twilight could process what has happened, Spike blinked “Hold on Twi I’ll get you out of there.”
Twilight couldn’t see it but she could sense the change in the magical air around her. Letting out a gasp of shock; she saw the crystals that had been surrounding her were destroyed. Looking at Spike, she saw in his open palm a strange glyph of green orange energy forming around it in the shape of a circle. While she could see that inside the circle were several more lines and shapes; she was unable to study them further as they disappeared back into nothingness.
Spike raced over and picked up the stunned unicorn “Are you okay Twi?”.Closing her mouth that she only just realized was opened, she nodded which gave Spike a sigh of relief “Oh that is good cause I’m going to need you to trust me on this.” He looked out the window “I can sense the dark energies from Sombra approaching so we will have to take the express service down.”
“Express service? What do...you...MEEEEEAAAAAANNNN” Twilight asked before screaming out as Spike placed her on his back before rushing out of the opening between the pillars and entering a freefall down to the ground. Given her position, he was unable to safely open his wings to slow his descent but it didn’t matter as a cushion in the form of a corrupted stallion riding a dark crystal was approaching him just as he suspected.
Sombra, who was a bit shocked a first seeing a falling dragon with a pony on his back coming towards him, sneered a bit as his horn began to charge with magic. Spike, seeing the magical build up in his horn, quickly snapped his fingers, creating a spark of green purple lighting between them. Sombra grunted as he felt his magic disrupted somehow and quickly tried to recover but it was too late. With a twist of his body, Spike changed from a head first dive into a feet foot dive and landing a powerful kick with his right leg right on Sombra’s face.
Down below, Pinkie Pie shouted “RULES OF NATURE.” before letting out an eep as Applejack pulled her back into safety.
Sombra taking the full force of the kick with all the momentum was shot in the opposite direction and into the street; sliding and breaking up the road for a good quarter mile before stopping. Spike did several spins in the air to stabilize the last of his momentum before landing on the ground with a thud. Twilight not used to all of the sudden lateral movements, slide down Spike’s back and would have ended up on the ground if Cadence hadn’t caught her with her arms. Checking Twilight over and seeing that she was just a little dazed; she looked back at Spike “What happened up there?”
Spike turned around and rubbed the back of his head “Yeah um how do I explain this.” He pauses for a moment “Well simplest I can tell you is that I absorbed the Crystal Heart.”
Cadence’s eyes widen “You ABSORB the Crystal Heart?!”
Spikes shooks his arms in defense “Relax relax it’s only until we deal with Sombra. I promise to return it once we are done here.” He looks over at his teachers and Cadence “Oh hang on let me help you guys out.”
Cadence, Spyro, and Cynder watched as Spike’s hand opened up and a strange green pink heart formed in front of it; filled with detailed designs of butterflies, smaller hearts, unknown symbols, and symbols that the dragons recognized as their written language. Some of the words were of energy life and rejuvenation.
After three to five seconds, the three of them felt their energy and vitality being restored at a rate they couldn’t imagine. They were all surrounded by that same green purple energy that made them feel like they were relaxing as the greatest sauna in the universe. All of their minor cuts, scraps, and wounds were also healed up and the dull pain in their bodies was like a distant memory.
When Spike canceled his spell, he turned around to face Sombra who was getting back on his hooves looking a little mad. “Cadence take Twilight and make sure the Crystal Ponies are safe. Spyro and Cynder, I need your help in weakening Sombra enough for me to end it.”
Cadence nodded her head and flew off to where the rest of Twilight’s friends were waiting. Cynder shook her head in amusement “Feel like taking the lead in this fight huh Spike.” Smirking she dropped into an aggressive stance with her legs and wings spread out ready to move “Sounds like a good plan to me.”
“Agree.” Spyro replied also taking up position opposite of Spike “This I feel will be your final test young one.”
Sombra’s horn lit up and several black shards fired out at the dragons. Spyro and Cynder quickly took off into the air as Spike created another arcane circle this time around his legs and glowing cyan green. Anyone who was close enough could see several symbols of a lighting bolt mixed in with the other symbols and markings. Before the shards made contact with his body; the young dragon appeared to shift in and out of existence and disappear. Sombra looked around trying to figure out where he went but couldn’t as he was quickly bombarded with poison globs and fire balls.
Using his magic he summoned black crystals to hover in the air and defend himself from the barrage but he was too late in realizing it was a diversion. Reappearing in front of the stallion and behind his crystal defense; Spike spun his body around and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to the stallion’s head. The dark magic blocking most of the damage but the force of the impact was still jarring. However, Spike wasn’t done as the red circles on the leg he used to deliver the kick glowed brightly before exploding in a force of electricity which was powerful enough to paralyze Sombra and shot him flying into the air.
In the air, he couldn’t summon his magic in time as Cynder summoned several torrents of wind which started slicing all over his body; damaging him and overworking his already taxed regeneration. Spyro then came up from above and summoned a massive green ball attached to a green chain. The green ball was covered in a layer of fire, ice, and lightning as the purple dragon of legend did a full three hundred and sixty degree spin holding onto the rope and smashing the ball into Sombra’s face.
As Sombra was making his rapid descent down, Spike’s arms and fingers were at work surrounded by white green circles. Summoned out of the ground were four large crystals but unlike the black ones that Sombra used these were pure white to the point that they could be mistaken for being made of glass.
When Sombra feel in the center of the four crystals, Spike snapped his fingers and four large strands of energy shot out and wrapped around his legs. Sombra let out a grunt and his horn alight with magic before fizzling out as the crystals began to suppress his dark magic. As the stallion tried in vain to free himself; Spike shifted his stance and the white green was now replaced by a mix of green, purple, pink, white, yellow, orange, and cyan. Spike slammed his open palms and a large ritual rune formed on the ground weaving a detail tapestry of arcane symbols and pictures of power. The ritual rune continued to grow in size until it touched each of the four crystals. Up above, Spyro and Cynder could see that inside the massive circle were six smaller circles which each having a picture exactly like the cutie marks of Spike’s friends.
When the ritual rune was complete, Spike pressed harder into the ground pouring his near limitless amount of magical power while shouting “Ritual Arts: Harmony’s Salvation.”
The clouds above parted the unnatural blizzard not strong enough to keep the sun light at bay. Spyro and Cynder were able to move out of the way as a large pillar of rainbow energy came down from the heavens itself and smashed right into Sombra. The Crystal Ponies, Mane Six, and Cadence were in awe at the sight of such a display that could be seen all over the world but they could also hear the screams of Sombra as he felt like his soul was being stripped away. Worse than the feeling all those years ago when the Royal Sister’s banished him and his kingdom.
As the beam continued to slam into Sombra, the corrupting horn on his head began to slowly peel away causing the stallion to scream louder. More and more the horn was being torn asunder and disintegrated and as this was happening; more and more of Sombra’s old memories began to return to him. The energy ropes binding him were long destroyed but he was still kept suspended in the air as the last of the Dark Master’s corruption was purged from his body and destroyed to never again threaten Equestria. Then and only then did Spike end the spell and the beam of rainbow light disappeared as mysteriously as it arrived.
What was left surprised many as it appeared like nothing happened when one would think there was to be a massive creator or something. Instead in the center of the blast on the ground was Sombra. His body no longer covered in the black haze and his horn returning back to a normal unicorn. He was of course unconscious left to swim in his own memories as his magic was almost gone from his body.
The deformed horn however was still in existence pulsing a glowing with dark energies as it floated in the air. Spike watched as an outline of a large dragon appeared around the horn and looked down at Spike in a sneer “You think that pitiful attack was going to stop me?” Its voice dark and deep though sounding like it was far away and close at the same time.
Spike however gave a smirk as Spyro and Cynder landed next to him “No I didn’t. I just wanted to make sure I separated you from Sombra.” He brought his arms up and smash his fist into the palm of his own hand creating a mini rainboom before phasing out at the speed of lightning. Spyro and Cynder took a deep breath before opening their mouths and releasing their combined Convexity powers against the spirit. The spirit let out a roar as the intense energies of dragon magic ripped at its weakened state. He tried to throw up some kind of defense but Spike wasn’t going to let that happen.
In a flash, Spike had appeared with his arm pulled back in a devastating haymaker. His fist glowing in Equestrian magic as he says “Equestrian Dragon Arts: True Harmony Strike.” The fist launched and connected right on the horn and in an instance a massive sonic rainboom shattered out smashing windows all over. Under the purification of Convexity and Harmony; the spirit’s fate was sealed as the horn was destroyed down to the atomic level and it faded away in a roar of anger and hatred.
With the battle now over and the residents looking on in awe at the tall dragon; they watched as he turned around and made his way towards the base of the castle. Cadence, Shining, Twilight and her friends were all there and they watched as Spike seemed to touch his chest. His body glowed as the white runes flowed from his body towards his chest until they were all gone. The drake smiled as he held out his hand revealing the Crystal Heart spinning softly in his grip and the sight of such an artifact let out a gasp of wonder from the Crystal Ponies.
Spike brought the Crystal Heart back to the center of the ritual magic site and saw two small needles come out, one from the top and the other from the bottom. The Crystal Heart rested between the tips and started to spin just a bit faster. All of the Crystal Ponies bowed their heads as the lines of the ritual magic started to glow. When there was enough power, the Crystal Heart span faster and faster until there was an explosion of white light that blinded Spike. As the explosion passed him by he heard that same voice once more “Well done young dragon. I expect great things of you.”
