Old Friends, New Family

by TeddyBear

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Starlight Glimmer, Spike, Main 6
Length: 5622

Twilight has decided to teach her daughter, Starlight, about friendship!

After getting Starswirl's journals, Twilight helps her daughter develop her time spells through the magic of friendship.

How and what specific lessons Starlight learns depends on how she tackles the challenges ahead of her.
(continuation of Daughter Starlight universe from season 6 onward)

Published 2016-03-30 06:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-04-30 06:46:25 UTC

Crystalling

Starlight Glimmer wandered down the hall of Friendship Castle. She searched left and right for the library. Even though she was Twilight’s daughter, she did not have the entire castle mapped in her mind. Starlight walked up to a door to open it and find her brother brushing his teeth.

“Gah!” she slammed the door, “Sorry, Spike! I’m still not familiar with this place.”

Spike peeked his head out, “No problem. Looking for the library?”

Starlight nodded.

“Next door on your left!” Spike pointed behind Starlight and went back to his business.

Starlight rolled her eyes and walked through the door.

There she found her mother going over a checklist.

“Starlight! Good morning, come in,” she greeted, “I was just figuring out what your first friendship lesson should be.”

“Oh, Looks like you’re really narrowing it down.”

“These are just the As,” Twilight lifted a couple papers, “Next are the Bs.”

“Uh, well, is there anything I can do while you do that?”

Twilight pondered for a bit, “Ah, you can meet up with the others in the throne room. They’re discussing when we get to go see your cousin.”

“Throne room, got it!” Starlight ran off and came back, “Which way is the throne room?”

“Down the hall to the right,” Twilight giggled.

In the throne room, the mane 5 were arguing when they would go to the Crystal Empire. Rainbow was set on going asap, Fluttershy wanted to wait for an invitation, and Applejack was unsure what type of cultural traditions they had. However, they were all talking about the crystalling. Starlight asked what it was to which the mane 5 could not answer. Except Pinkie who emphasized there was a party. Then Spike came in and explained everything.

“And this is a royal crystalling so the whole empire’s suppose to show up. That hasn’t happened in a millennia,” Spike stated matter of factly.

“What do you mean it increases the Crystal Heart’s power?”

“The energy used to protect the Crystal Empire I guess.”

“Protect it from what?”

“Mom might know.”

Starlight walked to the library to ask about the Crystal Empire.

“Starlight! I narrowed down your lesson to three options,” Twilight cheered, “One of them is in the Crystal Empire.”

“Really?”

“I found out it’s where Sunburst lives,” Twilight grinned.

Starlight’s eyes shrunk as a thousand thoughts ran through her head, ‘Sunburst? SUNBURST? Oh goodness, what am I going to say to him? How did we miss him when we visited aunt Cadence? What has he been doing up there? Should I tell him about the things I’ve done? No, that’s a bad idea! Imagine what he’ll say! He might hate me for it. He might try putting me in prison. But if I tell him about mom… No, that’d be worse. He’d think I’m high and mighty or something! Wonder if he’s a powerful wizard now? He might be the new Starswirl and I’ll never know! Is he seeing anyone? Some crystal mare shining her flank in his face grrrr how dare she! Wait, shouldn’t I be happy for him? Oh, what if he thinks I’m going to try to stalk him?! What’ll I do? What’ll I say?!”

“Starlight,” Twilight peeped, “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no, it all sounds great…”

Starlight wandered the halls, searching left and right. She opened the door and found Spike flexing in a mirror.

Starlight suppressed a giggle.

“Don’t even think about it.”

Starlight bursted into a fit of laughter, “I’m sorry bro but you’re so silly when you do that”

Spike blushed, “What are you trying to find this time?”

“My room. Mom narrowed down the friendship lessons to three. One of them involves Starburst.”

“So? Nothing wrong with that.”

“You don’t get it, before you and mom came into my life through time magic, Sunburst was my one and only friend,” Starlight walked down the hall, “He was so good at magic. Helped me out when I was having trouble. Then he got his cutie mark and went off to Celestia’s school.”

“And me and Twilight appeared, adopted you, and lived happily ever after.”

“Except when I had to steal cutie marks and start a cult to protect the space-time continuum.”

“Oh, right…. Not exactly stuff that’s easy to explain to someone, is it?” Spike rubbed his chin, “We should talk to mom, I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“I don’t want her to think I’m not ready to learn or that I’m not grateful for everything she’s doing!”

“SPIKE, STARLIGHT, COME QUICK!” Twilight called.

The pair ran to the balcony where Twilight hugged the railing as the wind blew in her sparkling mane. Melting snow swung in the breeze as a snowflake message landed gently on her soft wing. The message opened to reveal an invitation to the crystalling.

“Shining Armor’s a father! I’m an aunt! And you two are cousins!”

“No we’re not, we’re siblings,” Spike snorted

“Oh you know what I mean,” Twilight laughed, “That mean you get to reunite with Sunburst.”

“Great…” Starlight faked a smile.

On the train ride the mane 5 started comparing baby gifts. Applejack had a homemade cradle, Rainbow had a Cloudsdale mobile, Rarity knitted a blanket, Fluttershy made a rabbit plush, and Pinkie had a “hundred and one healthy recipes for new born foals” trademarked and published by Broc Li.

“I got a copy for the Cakes when they had the twins and its been working great for them!” Pinkie squeaked.

“I’m sure Shining Armor and Cadence will love all your gifts,” Twilight complimented, “But I think they’re more happy that you’re all attending the crystalling.”

“Oooh I can’t wait to see all that light and love that makes the Crystal Heart make everything all bright and sparkly!” Pinkie cheered.

“Actually, Pinkie, the Crystal Heart is an ancient and powerful artifact. Without its magic the Crystal Empire would be lost to the Frozen North!”

“Wow, this crystalling sounds pretty important,” Starlight stated, “I’ll understand if you wanted to wait for a different friendship lesson when we get back.”

“Are you kidding, this is perfect!” Twilight exclaimed, “Not only do we see the baby, we get to be a part of a ritual for a powerful magic artifact, and you get to learn the most important friendship lesson ever! I can’t wait!”

“Right… me neither…”

Spike motioned for Starlight to say something.

“Actually, I am a little worried about meeting Sunburst.”

“Oh I know, that’s why I made this checklist for you,” Twilight unraveled a long list that rolled to the end of the train car.

“Why is cuddling on the list?” Starlight raised an eyebrow.

“Just trust me on this,” she gave the list to Spike, “Hold on to this and make sure their meeting goes down without a hitch.”

“Are you sure Twi? It sounds like you’re trying to-“

“Look, it’s Shining Armor!” Pinkie interrupted Applejack’s accusation.

The train stopped to let everyone out. Starlight ran out and hugged Shining Armor. The hug knocked him out of his sleep.

“Wha- Oh, hey kiddo,” he rubbed Starlight’s head, “Are doing you how?”

“Are you ok Shiny?” Twilight asked.

“Oh yes! Being a father is amazing and wonderful and amazing and confusing and amazing but surprising too you know? Well you won’t know, you know. Not to say you wouldn’t know but you know?”

Twilight blinked, “I think I do?”

“Sorry, I haven’t slept much since Cadence had her baby. It’d be nice to catch a break.”

“Oh of course, you could use all kinds of help,” Twilight turned to Starlight, “You and Spike go to Sunburst, I attached a map to the checklist, and me and the rest of the girls will help Shiny take care of the baby!”

“Is no one going to-“

“Hush, darling, let her play” Rarity shushed Rainbow.

“Alright… I’ll catch you guys later…” Starlight and Spike walked away.

The two siblings crossed the road. Starlight took note of the giant statue of Spike.

“Say, I never heard the full story of how you saved the Crystal Empire.”

Several crystal ponies turned around with intrigue.

“I guess there’s no harm in a short story…”

Spike explained, in great detail, how he saved the Crystal Empire from King Sombra. How he and Twilight climbed a never ending staircase and used a gravity reversal spell to get to the top faster. He glorified his evasion of Sombra’s dark crystal spikes and heroically fall off the side of the Crystal Palace to be caught by Princess Cadence. With the love of all crystal ponies, the light of the Crystal Heart banished the darkness away and obliterated the dark king to itty bitty pieces.

“And that’s how I saved the Crystal Empire,” a few fillies cheered as they stomped their hooves, “Thank you, now me and Starlight have to finish a task out mom, the princess of friendship, gave us.”

“Aw, come on Spike, I wanted to hear how you saved the Equestria Games,” Starlight tried to persuade him.”

“Nice try but ‘face your fears’ is on the checklist,” Spike smugly grinned.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

Spike nodded.

The two eventually made their way to Sunburst house. Starlight was about to knock on the door until Spike stopped her. Spike made a speech on how important the meeting with Sunburst was. This made Starlight more nervous.

“Can’t believe you wanted to skip that.”

Starlight shakily knocked on the door. After a few minutes, the door opened with a timid stallion peeking his head out.

“Yes, what can I do for you?”

“I-it’s me, Starlight… We used to be friends…”

“… Oh! Starlight, my goodness it’s been a long time. How have you been?”

“Good! Good, er uh, some of this some of that… different stuff… Mom wanted me to visit you.”

“Your… mom? I thought you were an orphan.”

“Adopted,” Spike coughed.

Spike walked up the stairs, behind Starlight.

“Is that a dragon?!” Sunburst barked.

“Yes… he’s my brother… adopted brother…” Starlight blushed.

“I see…”

“So can we come in or what?” Spike waved his arms.

“… I’ll put some tea on.”

The three of them went into the house. Books filled every corner of the room. Starlight barely had any room to walk. Spike slithered through with the list in his claw. Sunburst made a quick pot of tea with a flash fire spell and set it on the center table among the millions of books. Starlight awkwardly got to her seat and sat down.

“So… you have a mother now?”

“Oh, yes! She’s wonderful, wouldn’t have asked for anyone else.”

“And the dragon… is your brother…”

“That’s right,” Spike confirmed.

“Is your mother something else? Like a zebra or griffin?”

“Uh… no… she’s an… uh-“ Starlight mumbled.

“Sorry, didn’t quite catch that.”

“She’s an alicorn…” Starlight confessed.

Sunburst blinked, “Oh… so… Celestia?”

“Defiantly not!”

“Luna?”

“Nuh uh.”

“… Cade-“

“IT’S TWILIGHT! MY MOM IS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” Starlight shouted.

“Ah… Twilight Sparkle, princess of friendship, wanted us to meet… for a friendship lesson?” Sunburst observed.

“That’s what she called it…”

“This list would say something else,” Spike chuckled, “Wouldn’t blame you for thinking our mom was Cadence with this list.”

Sunburst looked over the list, “Kissing? Cuddling? For- oh dear…” Sunburst’s face turned bright red, “Th-That is, eh-hum, quite the list…”

“Gah! I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t think it’d be like this! We should leave. Wouldn’t want you to miss out on important wizardly duties hehehehehe…”

“Wha- OH right, important wizard, that’s me!”

Spike and Starlight left in embarrassment. In the snow they sulked. Spike tried to cheer up Starlight. The two quickly realized something was wrong and rushed to the castle. Snow fell faster the closer they got to the castle. All of a sudden, beams of light shot out in random directions. Spike found a secret shortcut to the castle that allowed them quick access to the library where Twilight, Cadence, Rarity, Shiny, and Pinkie were searching through books while taking care of an overpowered baby.

“What is going on here?!”

“Short or long version?”

“Short?”

“Baby is an alicorn that broke the Crystal Heart so Twi and Cadence are trying to find a spell to fix it and prevent the Crystal Empire from becoming a giant wasteland of ice and snow.”

“That’s the short version?” Spike flinch with his jaw hanging open.

Then the baby sneezed a lazer that bounced off everyone’s shield spell and destroyed the only book that had any information to fix the relic. Everyone dropped their mouths open.

“That was the only bit of information that could even remotely help us!” Twilight gasped.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t expect it to hit something so important,” Starlight frowned.

“There has to be someway to fix this,” Cadence hoped, “We have to keep trying.”

Spike tapped Starlight on the shoulder, “What about Sunburst? He’s an important wizard, right?”

“That right!” Starlight smiled, “Mom, you and aunt Cadence keep trying anything you can. I’m going to get someone who might be able to help!”

Starlight and Spike ran off as Twilight waved and yelled “good luck!”

While Starlight ran off to get Sunburst, the two sisters were battling storm clouds.

“Keep pushing them back, my sister!” Celestia moaned.

“What does it look like I’m doing?!” Luna screamed.

Celestia blasted a large section of cloud in one blast, “It seems like you’re trying to make swiss cheese.”

Luna stuck a tiny section of cloud which caused the larger cloud to collapse on itself, “I’m saving energy by hitting the weakest points!”

“Weakest points? We’re fighting clouds!” Celestia obliterated another cloud, “Just clear them away!”

Luna blasted three holes into the next set of clouds, “You’ve been using all of your energy on one cloud! You’re already exhausted!”

“Just… go back to what you were doing,” Celestia huffed.

“Very well, but you’re going to say I was right when we get down,” Luna sighed as she poked a tiny part of a cloud.

Starlight reached Sunburst’s house with minimal effort.

“Sunburst! We need your help!”

“Wa- R-Really?” Sunburst sputtered, “What’s going on?”

“Haven’t you looked outside?” Spike asked.

Sunburst looked out a nearby window, “Snow? eh, Shouldn’t be a problem. The Crystal Heart protects the Crystal Empire from this kind of thing.”

“Yeah… about that…” Starlight started.

“Princess Cadence had an alicorn baby and it shattered the Crystal Heart and disintegrated the only spell we could’ve used to fix it,” Spike yelped.

Sunburst’s glassed dropped. He pushed them up, “Really?! An alicorn baby? That hasn’t been heard of in… ever!”

“Get excited later,” Spike picked him up, “We need you to fix the Crystal Heart pronto!”

Sunburst struggled free, “Uh, no, no! I can’t! I have um… important wizardry… stuff to do,” he levitated three books to him.

“Sunburst please! We need you to fix this,” Starlight begged, “A great wizard like you should have no trouble with this!”

“Well I’m not a great wizard, ok?” Sunburst snapped, “Not all of us get lucked into greatness! I didn’t become an all powerful wizard, I just spent my time studying magic. At least you got into royalty.”

“You think I got off easy?” Starlight gawked, “I didn’t exactly have a pleasant time getting here. I had to steal cutie marks, start a cult, and travel through multiple timelines. And all that was just to protect the space-time continuum!”

Sunburst’s mouth hung open, “Did you really travel through time?”

“Told you he’d be impressed,” Spike nudged Starlight.

The wind blew open a nearby window, letting in the ice and snow. As well as scattering papers everywhere.

“Ok, look, we need you to fix this now!”

“But the Crystal Heart is an ancient relic! It can’t be fixed by normal spells. You have to have some sort of ritu…al…” Sunburst trailed off before running full speed to the Crystal Palace.

“Did you get an idea?” Spike tried keeping up with him.

“YES! The Crystal Heart can’t be fixed by normal spells but it can be fixed by a ritual that empowers it!”

“That sounds like the Crystalling!” Starlight trailed behind.

“Exactly!”

Luna pierced through several clouds and noticed Rainbow Dash take out a few before being forced to the ground. She noticed all of the citizens of the Crystal Empire were headed away from the palace.

Celestia annihilated one last cloud before she started falling. Luna quickly grabbed her.

“The Empire’s lost, sister,” Luna lamented, “The citizens are evacuating. We have to retreat!”

Celestia nodded mournfully as she weakly fluttered to the ground. Frost covered the two sisters. They gave their best efforts to save the Crystal Empire. They may have failed to save the Empire but at least they saved the citizens.

“I know how to stop this!” Sunburst called out.

Celestia smiled. Perhaps they could save the Empire, after all.

Sunburst plan was simple. Starlight and the three princesses (Luna, Twilight, and Celestia) would hold the Crystal Heart in place while Cadence and Shining Armor performed the Crystalling. Sunburst acted as Crystaller.

As the four held the heart in place, the ritual went on. The love radiation channeled through the Empire into the pure crystal Sunburst chose from Rarity. With the energy collected into the crystal, Sunburst ran to the Crystal Heart and Jammed the crystal into the Heart. An ominous glow enveloped the heart. Cracks melded, fixing the heart. A wave of powerful magic bursted through the Empire, turning everything into crystal, banishing the storm clouds away from the Empire. The Empire was saved, the alicorn baby’s magic was stunned, and the Crystal Heart was fixed. A sigh of relief escaped from everyone present.

“Next time we have a crystalling… we’re staying away from the Crystal Heart,” Shining Armor wheezed.

“Agreed,” Cadence collapsed.

Everyone went to the train station after a well deserved party. Twilight’s parents were there to greet them.

“You would not believe the storm that suddenly appeared,” Nightlight bellowed, “Stopped the whole train dead in its tracks!”

“Did you girls have anything to do with this?” Velvet pointed to the mane 5.

“Maybe…” Applejack averted her eyes.

“Sorry you missed the crystalling,” Cadence apologized, “At least you can see the baby.”

The baby fluttered to Velvet who cradled it in her front leg, “Haven’t you thought of a name yet? Or are we going to call her ‘the baby’ for our entire visit?”

“We thought about it,” Shining Armor grinned, “We decided to name her Flurry Heart, after the recent events that happened.”

“Considering the disaster she caused, it’s very fitting,” Applejack snickered.

“Oh ho! Goodness, how could anyone forget?” Rarity snorted.

“Well I think it’s a wonderful name,” Velvet smiled.

The baby was about to sneeze, again. Everyone ducked away in panic. When the baby did sneeze, it was just a normal sneeze which embarrassed everyone just as much as it was a relief to not get blasted by an arcane sneeze, again.

“How adorable,” Nightlight nuzzled Flurry, “Well, it was nice see you all again.”

“Bye, Nightlight,” the mane 5 waved before getting back on the train.

Starlight was saying goodbye to Sunburst who was now the crystaller. Giving him important duties in the Crystal Empire. Twilight and Velvet watched as the two parted ways.

“Who’s your new friend, Starlight?” Velvet prodded for answers.

“That’s Sunburst,” Starlight blushed, “He’s a very good friend.”

“We’ll have to visit the Crystal Empire more often so you can spend more time with him,” Twilight winked.

“Mom!” Starlight hid her face as she ran into the train.

Both Twilight and Velvet laughed loudly.

“Good thing about this whole time travel fiasco is that I know I get to see my great grandkids sooner than my friends,” Velvet snickered, “Of course… regular grandkids are nice too.”

“Well you got Flurry Hearts,” Twilight pointed out.

“True, but… haven’t you met your special somepony yet?”

Twilight ran to the train.

“You three are so much alike I’m convinced your all clones,” Cadence commented.

Gauntlet of Fire

“Twilight!” Rarity yelled, “Something’s wrong with Spike!”

Spike charged in, scratching his glowing scales.

“Oh ok… this is new,” Twilight blinked, “Do you know anything about this?”

Celestia nodded, “This is the call of the Dragon Lord.”

“All dragons must adhere to the Dragon Lord’s call,” Luna expanded.

“Wait wait wait, I thought ponies knew nothing about dragons?” Twilight questioned.

“We would know more if it wasn’t for a… minor mistake,” Luna glared at Celestia.

“How was I suppose to know dragons had an aversion to ice?!”

“You could’ve listened to me when I talk about my nightly patrols.”

“Excuse me, princesses,” Rarity cut in, “What are we suppose to do about Spike?”

“He will have to go to the dragon lands.”

“They are very dangerous, to ponies, you must be careful.”

Twilight brightened up, “We’re going to the dragon lands?! Oh this is so exciting! I’ll get my notebook and quills!”

“Twilight, it’s dangerous to go to the dragon lands,” Luna stopped her, “You will need protection.”

Luna conjured a bottle and levitated it towards Twilight. Twilight gave it a weird look but put it in her saddlebag regardless. Spike was stopped scratching and held his chest. Rarity grabbed her saddlebag with some odd contents in it. The three of them set off to the dragon lands via air balloon, since no train went in that direction.

Once in the dragon lands, Rarity and Twilight hid under a rock disguise. Spike leaned on the disguise as they waited for the dragon lord. More dragons showed up as time went by. Most were unrecognizable while others were…

“I’ve never seen you before,” Garble snorted, “Why don’t you have any wings?”

“Hello, Garble, long time no see,” Spike sneered.

“I have no idea who you are,” Garble examined Spike, “You do look familiar, though.”

Spike rolled his eyes and looked up. The Dragon Lord just landed and a small female dragon hovered near him.

“Who’s that?” Spike asked.

“Uh, the Dragon Lord? You been living in a cave or something?”

“Not him, her!”

“Oh, that’s Princess Ember,” Garble sighed, “Trust me, she ain’t worth it. You’d have to stand up to her dad, the Dragon Lord, to get to her.”

“What? No! I’m not interested in her.”

Garble elbowed him hard, “Ha! Sure you’re not.”

“DRAGONS OF EQUESTRIA!” Dragon Lord Torch shouted, “ACCORDING TO DRAGON LAW, MY TIME AS DRAGON LORD IS OVER. SAD, I KNOW… BE SAD!!!”

The dragons faked tears on command.

“NOW THEN, IN ORDER TO DECIDE WHO IS BEST FIT TO BE DRAGON LORD, YOU WILL ALL PARTICIPATE IN THE GAUNTLET OF FIRE! WHOMEVER RETRIEVES THIS SCEPTER AND BRINGS IT TO ME WILL BECOME THE NEW DRAGON LORD!”

“Um, excuse me,” Spike called out.

“WHO DARES SPEAK BEFORE THE DRAGON LORD?”

Princess Ember flew down to Spike, “Just some Drake. No wings.”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT, LITTLE DRAKE?”

“I… don’t really want to go through the gauntlet so is it ok…”

“SILENCE!” Torch commanded, “YOU ARE A STRANGE DRAKE AND YOUR LACK OF WINGS GIVES YOU REASON NOT TO PARTICIPATE. YOU ARE EXCUSED FROM THE GAUNTLET.”

“Um… thanks?”

The glow around the dragons went away. Several dragons flew off including Ember.

“WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?”

“To prepare for the gauntlet.”

“OH NO YOU’RE NOT! THIS GAUNTLET IS FOR BIG STRONG DRAGONS!”

“What?! I’m smarter than all of these meatheads and you know it!”

“I DO KNOW THAT, BUT IT TAKES MORE THAN SMARTS TO BE DRAGON LORD!”

Ember huffed and flapped away.

Meanwhile, the dragons around Spike were gloating about what they would do when they became Dragon Lord.

“Belching will be a mandatory greeting,” the pink one proclaimed.

“That’s it? When I’m Dragon Lord, all of Equestria’s pillows will be ours! Why should ponies sleep comfortably while we sleep on rocks?” the brown one whined.

“You’re all thinking too small!” Garble growled, “When I’m Dragon Lord, we’re going to get revenge on all those ponies.”

The dragons flew off, leaving Spike and the two mares alone.

“Oooh, I thought I’d never say this but I hope that pink dragon wins,” Rarity cried.

“None of them can win! It’ll spell doom for Equestria!” Spike stated.

“What are you going to do, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“I’m going to win the gauntlet and save Equestria!”

“That’s very nobel of you,” Rarity complemented, “We’ll be right behind you to cheer you on.”

“Gee, how helpful.”

“Well… We can’t do much against dragons.”

At the start of the gauntlet, many dragons got ready. Torch hovered at the edge of the cliff and threw the scepter in an active volcano.

“I THOUGHT I EXCUSED YOU,” Torch directed towards Spike.

“I changed my mind,” Spike squeaked.

Torch rolled his eyes, “THE FIRST DRAGON TO BRING ME THE SCEPTER BECOMES THE NEW DRAGON LORD… GO!!!”

Garble turned to Spike, “May the best dragon win,” he offered his claw. Spike reached for the claw and was pushed off the cliff, “That’d be me, by the way. Hahahaha!”

“Thanks, Garble, I wanted to swim anyway,” Spike grumbled as he dog paddled through the first obstacle.

Giant sea serpents spitting streams of water. Several dragons fell from the sky into the water. Many, including Garble, fell behind trying to stay in the air in a desperate struggle to avoid the serpents. A particular dragon in armor fell and sunk like a rock.

“She’s going to drown!” Spike shouted before diving to save the armored dragon.

Spike managed to pull the dragon out of the water onto shore of the volcano. He took her helmet off and made sure she was breathing.

“What are you doing?” Ember coughed up water.

“Saving your life?” Spike blushed.

Ember gave him a confused look, “Thanks… I suppose…”

Rarity sneezed underneath some seaweed.

“Who’s there?!” Ember pulled the seaweed off, “Ponies?!”

“Don’t freak out! There my friends!”

“Dragons don’t do friends.”

“Well, I’m his mother,” Twilight chimed in.

Ember gave a shocked and disgusted look.

“It’s a long story.”

A roar interrupted the moment. Rocks flew across the sky, smashing into dragons left and right. Garble was struck down and plummeted to the sandy ground Spike and Ember were. Rarity pulled seaweed over herself and Twilight, Ember put her helmet on, and Spike hid behind the seaweed cover.

Garble vainly tried to push the rock off before looking over to Spike, “Hey can you help me out? I don’t want to be left alone out here!”

Spike sighed and pushed the rock off of Garble. Garble immediately pulled him down and kicked sand over him.

“Thanks for the assist, pal,” Garble sniffed the air, “Ugh, what smells like pony?”

He turned around, sniffing the air. He stopped at the seaweed cover Rarity and Twilight were under. Ember stood in front of him.

“Hey, what gives?”

“That smell’s me,” Ember bluffed, “I just got back from robbing some ponies!”

“Heh, good on you,” Garble turned to Spike, “You could learn a few things from this guy. Later losers!”

Garble flew off before being pelted by another rock.

“Why did you save him? You could’ve taken out of the competition.”

“I could ask you the same thing. Why did you help out my friends?”

A sudden scream of the Wilhelm variety echoed from above. Ember and Spike looked up to see dragons being taken out by rocks fling by weird creatures with catapults for tails.

“Yeesh, looks rough,” Ember cringed, “But that’s what makes it a challenge.”

“Are you crazy?” Spike gawked, “Those rocks are huge! No way you can pass them on your own.”

“And what do you suggest? You don’t have wings and you’re too big to hop on my back… Not that I would let you get on my back,” Ember blushed.

“Um, pardon me,” Rarity coughed, “Couldn’t you just climb up the mountain?”

Spike gave Rarity a confused stare.

“There’s a straight path that leads up to the cave that looks like a mouth.”

“Huh, how about that?” Ember tilted her head, “We’d be easy targets for those rock lobbers, though.”

“And being in the air is different?” Spike snorted, “Listen, we may be vunerable on ground but we got plenty more cover and places to hid from those things. Besides, we have a unicorn and an alicorn with us.”

“Hmm, good point. Land walk it is then.”

“Oh great! I can interview you on dragon culture and study your habits or-“ Twilight trailed on before she noticed Spike and Ember already walked away, “Or you and Spike can have some alone time…”

Later, the group made it up the mountain.

“Wow… I really didn’t expect to be the first ones here,” Ember whistled.

“So much for fair competition,” Spike grumbled, “It’s a regular video game dungeon in there! Moving spikes and platforms! This is the easiest thing I’ve been through.”

“You sound confident,” Ember growled, “Not all of us had the luxury of playing pony games.”

“I’ll help you through if you want.”

“I don’t need you help to win,” Ember crossed her arms, “B-But I’ll accept it for this part of the gauntlet.”

Spike and Ember slithered through the next section of the gauntlet using well timed jumps and careful study of patterns. Garble was seen getting knocked out by jabbing crystals along with other dragons.

“Made it!” Spike cheered.

“Good job, Spike!” Twilight rang.

“How did you two get here before us? Actually, where were you for the entire section we passed?”

“Magic,” Rarity snorted twice before the cavern started shaking, throwing her off balance.

Rarity stumbled near the edge where lava pits spouted and hissed. Spike swiftly ran over and pulled her to safety. Out of the corner of her eye, Rarity could’ve sworn she saw Ember pout.

“Why did you risk you life for her?”

“Um, I wouldn’t say risk my life,” Spike scratched his head, “I’m a dragon, dragons have immunity to lava.”

“The fall would’ve still injured you.”

“Well, saving each other is just what friends do.”

Ember coughed, “Then I guess we can’t be friends, not that I wanted to or anything. There can only be one dragon lord and it’s going to be me!”

“Oh… ok, see you around,” Spike waved goodbye to Ember as she flew off.

After wandering around for several hours, the three of them found the scepter.

“Huh, that was easy.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Garble tackled Spike, “I’m not letting a wimp like you become Dragon Lord!”

Garble pushed Spike on Twilight and Rarity. Their disguises fell off.

“What the? Ponies?! Oh you’re so pathetic,” Garble sneered as he waddled to the two mares.

Ember arrived at the last minute to save them, much to the confusion of Garble.

“What are you doing? They’re ponies!”

“I’m helping a friend,” Ember growled, “Spike, get the scepter!”

Spike nodded and ran to the scepter.

“Gah! No way! That looser’s more pony than dragon,” Garble kicked Ember in the leg and threw her into some rocks.

Spike noticed and decided to go help her. He jumped on Garble’s back, pushing his weight ontop of him. Garble used all his strength to push Spike off and shoved him over the edge. Ember flew over and picked him up in time.

“You need to lay off the gems!” she scolded.

“Well excuse me, princess,” Spike remarked.

Garble made way to Twilight and Rarity. He backed the two of them to a corner of the room. Both of them were scared and couldn’t run away. Twilight then remembered the bottle Luna gave her and took it out of her saddle bag.

“What’s that? Some friendship token? Hahahaha,” Garble mocked.

Twilight opened the bottle hoping for the best. Nothing actually happened except a tiny pink puff ball popped out of the bottle, hovered around Rarity and Twilight, and just floated there.

“Uh… what the heck is that?” Garble tried not to die laughing.

“I… think it’s a… fairy?” Twilight raised her brow in confusion. Why would Luna give her a fairy? How was a fairy going to help her in the dragon land?

Garble stopped laughing. A sudden look of dread dawned on his face. The fairy hovered closer to Garble. Garble jumped back. The fairy got a little bit closer. Then Garble ran off screaming like a little girl.

“…Well… that was super effective, wasn’t it?” Rarity stated in a confused state of amusement, relief, and concern.

“Dragons apparently have an aversion, not only to ice but, to fairies as well,” Twilight noted in a notebook.

Spike and Ember returned with the scepter, “Hey guys, what happened to Garble? We saw him running away from you two.”

“What did you two-“ Ember started before the fairy hovered in front of her face, “AAAAAAAHH!!! GET IT AWAY! GET IT AWAY!”

Twilight grabbed the fairy with magic and forced it into the bottle.

“Thank you,” Ember sighed with relief, “You do not know how terrifying those things are.”

“Ok… well we got the scepter. That means you’re the Dragon Lord now, Ember,” Spike smiled as he gave Ember the scepter.

“ME? But all the stuff you did for me and your friends… you deserve to be Dragon Lord more than me.”

“Nah, I’m already a hero to the Crystal Empire, Guardian of the Elements of Harmony, and adopted son of the Princess of Magic. Being Dragon Lord is one title too many.”

Ember blinked, “Oh… Ok, thanks. Hope you come back to the dragon lands soon.”

“So, we’re friends now?”

“Absolutely,”

Spike gave her a hug.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s called a hug.”

“Hmm, it’s nice.”

A large brown dragon came over with a large frown. Spike rolled his eyes and gave the big lug a hug.

It made the large dragons day.