Author's Note
A/N: This story was done as a request for HarTay2022 on Fanfiction.
Prologue
Prologue
“Go on. The other dragons are waiting for you.”
“But I don’t want to go!”
“Don’t worry, Spike. It’ll be fine.” Twilight Sparkle tried to nudge her hatchling off in the direction of the impatiently waiting dragon flock. It was Pickup Day for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. In other words, all of the school’s first year students and the dragons they hatched for their entrance exam journeyed to the countryside where a flock of wild dragons would meet them. The hatchlings, now weaned to an age where they were no longer dependent on their pony caretakers, were to rejoin their feral counterparts and be raised amongst their own kind. Most of the young reptiles had already departed, but one purple lizard was being particularly clingy to his caretaker.
This was to be expected, of course. Many dragons formed bonds with the colts and fillies that hatched them in the short time they had together. But it was for the best that each went their separate ways, or so their teachers told them. After all, no dragon had a place in civilized society, nor did any pony belong to the rowdy, brutish ways of the dragons. This often made Pickup Day a heart wrenching occasion for both the student-hatchling pairs as well as the professors forced to split them up.
“Go on, Spike,” Twilight looked off in the direction of the intimidating dragon flock, if just to focus on something besides the trembling, weeping, scaly lump clutching her foreleg. “You shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
“Twilight is right, Spike,” they were promptly joined by Mr. Charm, Twilight’s magic professor. Twilight felt her face turn red when he showed up to help break them up. “It’s time to go.”
“But I want to stay with Twilight!”
“I know you do, Spike,” Twilight fought down the lump in her throat, praying for both their sakes that she wouldn’t start to cry. “But you can’t. You have to go with the dragons. It’s where you belong.”
“I belong with you!”
“Indeed?”
“Princess!” Mr. Charm had respectfully prostrated himself before Twilight even turned around.
“Princess Celestia!” Twilight’s spirits soared as she trotted to greet her beloved mentor. At least this new arrival would momentarily take her mind off the task at hoof. Celestia crouched to return the filly’s warm embrace, and Mr. Charm righted himself.
“Good morning, Princess.”
“Good morning, Magic Charm. I trust things have been running smoothly here?”
“Indeed, your highness. We were just about to send Spike here on his way, and we’ll return to our lessons,” the unicorn reported, placing a hoof over the dragon’s shoulder. The hatchling hung his head in response. Celestia kindly smiled, and kneeled low to his eye level.
“Hello, Spike.”
“H-Hello, Princess.” Spike had been introduced to Princess Celestia before. In fact, since Twilight was Celestia’s personal student, he had quite a lot of contact with her. But now, under these circumstances, he couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. Rather, he nervously rubbed his arm and stared at the ground. The excitement of seeing her teacher had since worn off, and Twilight likewise drew circles in the dirt.
“What’s the matter, Spike? Aren’t you excited to meet your brethren?” The dragon’s emerald eyes finally flicked upward and met the Princess’ gaze. The heartfelt sincerity reflected in Celestia’s pink orbs must have touched the young dragon, for he took a deep breath.
“No. I don’t want to go. I want to stay with Twilight.”
“I see. Why is that?”
“Because she’s… she’s my best friend.”
“Spike,” Twilight couldn’t hold back the dam any longer. Tears surged forth, and she choked out a sob. The dragon was instantly at her side, holding her up and offering a kerchief. Celestia just smiled and waited patiently for him to get her under control before proceeding. Only after Twilight had stopped wheezing and had finally begun to dry her eyes did Spike turn to face Celestia once more.
“Please, Princess, don’t make me leave. Twilight’s my best friend. She’s taken care of me since I hatched. And I don’t mean like the other students. They just feed their dragons, and maybe teach them to talk. Twilight did more than that. She really took care of me. She sang me lullabies when I couldn’t sleep, and she protected me when I was hurt. She shared her toys, her food, and her home with me. She taught me how to talk, to read and write... she even taught me magic.”
“You taught him magic?!” Mr. Charm exclaimed, not sure whether to be impressed or appalled. Twilight winced, and sheepishly grinned.
“It was just a simple teleportation spell. I read that dragon fire carries similar properties to unicorn magic, and so we tried a little experiment…”
“And now I can do this!” Spike proudly picked up a leaf, and blasted it with a blazing wave of flickering greens and yellows. Mere seconds later, Twilight’s horn ignited with a spark of pink aura, and the leaf appeared in the air above her. It fluttered peacefully down to settle lightly in her hair. She shook it off, and nervously up to her teachers. Mr. Charm was shocked to say the least, but Twilight still couldn’t tell whether that was a good or bad thing. Princess Celestia, on the other hoof, looked extremely impressed, and beamed down at her prized pupil. The Princess’ opinion was all that mattered. Twilight proudly grinned back.
“Well, it would seem that Spike here is no ordinary dragon,” Celestia began.
“Indeed, he isn’t,” Mr. Charm hesitantly agreed, still in shock over his little magic trick.
“And he has drawn particularly close to my private student. Tell me, Twilight, is the feeling mutual?”
“Absolutely, Princess!” Twilight replied without hesitation, voice dripping with hope. “Spike is my best friend too. He helps clean my- our- room when I’m too busy. He helps me study, and brings me up when I feel down.” Twilight broke her gaze with Celestia, and now met the dragon’s gaze. “Spike says I’m the one that takes care of him, but really, sometimes I feel like he’s the one keeping me on track.” Twilight didn’t actually see him move, Spike moved so fast. But one moment tears were threatening to spill from his eyes, and the next she felt his tiny claws digging into her neck, scaly underbelly pressed against her chest in a tender hug.
“Please, Princess,” Twilight no longer tried to repress her emotions, and openly wept. “Does he really have to go?” Magic Charm sighed.
“Twilight, you know the rules. Spike must-”
“Stay with Twilight Sparkle, and assist her in her studies,” Celestia finished.
“REALLY?!” all three onlookers cried in unison.
“But Princess! The rules specifically say-”
“I know what the rules say, Mr. Charm, I wrote them myself,” the princess interrupted. “But special circumstances call for special adjustments. After hearing them out, I’ve deemed Twilight Sparkle and Spike to have bonded far too intimately to be separated. Spike will remain with Twilight as her personal assistant- when he comes of age, of course.”
“I can help her now, Princess! Whatever she needs! Supplies, snacks, books, I’m your dragon! Er, her dragon,” Spike boasted, jabbing a thumb first at himself, then at Twilight, then waggled it between the two of them.
“Princess, I still advise against it,” Magic Charm warned. “Dragons have been deemed too unruly to coexist with ponies. That was why the separation was required in the first place.”
“I’m sure that with the right guidance, Spike will learn to function in our society just fine,” Celestia curtly assured. “He is already adapting well. How many dragons that you know are not only literate, but also know magic?”
“Well, very few, but-”
“Speaking of which, Spike, I would very much like to know exactly how you accomplish teleportation,” Celestia abruptly turned away as a sign that all further arguments would be ignored. “As Twilight is my personal student, sending letters through you may yet prove to be an effective method of contacting her.”
“Sure thing, Princess! See, all you do is-”
“At a later date, Spike,” she cut him off.
“Thank you so much, Princess,” the tiny unicorn bounced forward and hugged Celestia’s shoe- about the only thing she could reach on the massive alicorn. “I’ll study harder than ever! Come on, Spike! We better get to work!”
“Okay, Twilight!” The dragon began to chase after her when he found his path blocked by a shiny golden boot.
“Take care of her, won’t you?” Celestia kindly yet firmly gazed at him. Spike promptly snapped into a salute.
“I promise, Princess. I’ll be there for Twilight’s every need, physical or emotional, for as long as I live. And yours, of course.”
“Very well. Best not to keep her waiting.” Celestia removed her hoof, and Spike ran off.
“Are you sure this is wise, your highness?” Magic Charm nervously inquired, looking after them and the envious unicorns eyeing the frolicking pair.
“I’m sure,” Celestia nodded. “After all, a dragon always keeps his promise.”
