Heritage

Chapters

Rhys and Topaz
help from a Swingtail
Advice from the Princess
Cave of the Earth Dragons
Lord of the Earth Clan

Rhys and Topaz

Equestria is a wonderful and magical land that is dominated by three pony races. The hardy Earth pony, the magical unicorn and the swift pegasi. They share their homeland with many strange and some dangerous creatures, one of these races is dragons. Although really rare and pretty sure the ponies are happy for that little fact. You see, most ponies who have ever encountered a dragon, that pony has rarely anything nice to say about the encounter. The dragon species is mostly known from the ponies as the flying, fire-breathing dragon which whole growth is about to hoard as much gold and crystal it possible can. These dragons are more driven by brute force than logic, which means: if anyone dares go into their lair, be ready to face the dragon's rage.
Only one dragon separate from these brute dragons and his name was Spike and he has lived all his life with ponies and has been taught the joy of friendship. He did once succeed showing that different lifestyle to another dragon, showing her that friendship is better than being alone and forced to deal with everything on her own.
But other than Amber, strength was power for the dragons and they have no mind in changing that.

Spike was content with his life with the ponies he didn't need to be with the dragons. He has a purpose and he was pretty proud calling himself the number one assistance for his caretaker, friend and now also the Princess of Friendship. Her name is Twilight Sparkle and Spike was happy he got to live with her. He was content with his role, can even go so far saying he's happy with his life.
Still Spike sometimes feels a little, well lost. He has met many dragons through his life and pretty much all of them have shown to be more or less stereotypical treasure hoarding, the bad-tempered dragon you shouldn't come across. Why was he so different? Was he only this way because of he has lived with ponies? It does explain a lot but not everything, like.... oh his dragon code! Then again he invented that part himself... Maybe he should just see his personality is what differ him from other dragons, oh and that he can't fly either, not that he mind but he does wonder why he doesn't have wings like the rest and now that's he thought about it; could the other dragons also do magic with their—

"RUAAR!"

Pretty sure he wasn't the only one jumping at the roar followed by a geyser of— wait, blue fire?
It was coming from the Everfree Forest and Spike was pretty sure there does exist animals in that creepy forest that could produce fire, but that roar.. it sounded like.. a dragon. What was a dragon doing so close to Ponyville?!

"I better get Twilight." Spike decided, he's sure she has something to this upcoming problem.

Good news; Twilight did have a plan, bad news, that plan was going inside the forest and investigate... Spike did not really fancy that plan but he did at least feel a little safer as he and Twilight weren't the only ones. Rainbow Dash, the quick to action pegasi, Pinkie Pie the wonderful and bit hyperactive party pony and of course Rarity the beautiful dress designer unicorn.
The rest of the group were out to help Starlight Glimmer, Twilight's new apprentice was asked by her old friend Sunburst to assist him to babysit a certain alicorn baby at the Crystal Empire.
Anyway, back to the matter of hoof. Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie and Spike went into the forest, searching for what creature could possibly have made that pillar of fire not long ago. They did rather quickly find where it had been coming from, but there was no sign of the creature there could've been the source.

"That's strange." Twilight mused and walked over to a half scorched tree, clear sign someone has been using fire and from the heat still coming out from it, it hasn't been long where it got torched.

Rainbow went to investigate the tree as well, trying her best not looking worried as she hasn't fully gotten over the horror she felt the last time she was face to face with a dragon and wasn't planning to do it again anytime soon. It was only her pride that made her come in here.

Pinkie was pretty much not faced by the great signs of a fight at this clearing and carefree jumped around. To then trip over something and fall flat on her head which made the others turn to her.
At first, there was nothing the pink pony could trip over, but seconds later, much to everyone's shock and surprise; a figure appeared right beside Pinkie with its magenta feline eyes pointed right at Spike.

"Please..." The creature whispered weakly before passing out.

Spike couldn't remove his eyes from the other one, from the other baby dragon. This one was orange with magenta marking down the back, blue curved backward spikes, purple ears and blue belly. He only did when Rarity said heartbroken. "Poor thing..." And carefully levitated this orange baby dragon up from the ground, showing the cause of its weak state; several claw marks on its legs and belly.

Rainbow flew over to the white unicorn, whispering so only she could hear. "You sure we should be helping it? It is a dragon."

"A dragon that asked for help." Rarity return in a matter of fact. That was more than enough for her to help it not to mention: it was just as adorable as Spike.

Twilight eyed the new baby dragon, weighted her options but the answer was pretty much straight out "Let's get them back to the castle." And the group left the forest with their little found.

Back at Twilight's castle Spike helped to nurse this other baby dragon, which turned out to be a female back to her health. She slightly opened her eyes at nightfall to word her gratitude before she fell back to unconscious. Spike refused to leave this other baby dragon, not even after all his friends told him she would be fine. After the three others have gone home and Luna had raised the moon, Twilight brought the sick female dragon to Spike's room as she did not wish he should sit on the floor all night for her sake.

"Call or get me if there are any changes." She told him softly and left Spike's room. Pondering if she could get a little info from this female dragon when she woke up?

Spike was grateful Twilight let him has this responsibility and would make sure he earned it.

"Don't you worry." He smiled to the sleeping female in the basket. "I will stay with you all night!"

And moved his bed right beside the basket where he watched the female without the thought crossing him he should get some sleep as well.
The thought did cross him very early the next morning, he had stayed up all night and he sure could feel it. Still he refused and did his best making sure the female was comfortable and warm. She was a bit cold so he gave her his sheet and with his own belly growling for food, he decided to fetch some food for her as well. "I'll be back soon." And he quickly left, not wanting to leave her alone for too long.

About ten minutes later Spike returned with different kinds of food like pancakes, berries, gems and a few cakes. He wasn't sure what she liked so he took a bit of everything they had in the kitchen. "Sure you're hungry." He said and walked into his room, he chuckled. "I sure.... am—" He stopped startled at the door from the sight before him. Another dragon, this one bigger and seemly older as it has the same size as the bully to Gable, except this teen dragon was green with pale gold spikes with three of them curving forward on its head, the ears and belly were both orange, the teen dragon slowly removed its snout away from the female's forehead and turned its pale blue eyes towards him and because of his past bad experience with older dragon, Spike let out a scream that was loud enough to wake Twilight. The teen dragon lunged at Spike and with a strange grace, it landed between him and the door where it took its hand up in defense. "Calm down earth brother of mine." It said, voice making it somewhat clear this teen was male. The teen's choice of words haltered Spike in his panic— did this one just call him... brother? He couldn't help but stare dumbfounded at the teen.

The green dragon titled his head at Spike, seemly also confused at something. "What are you—"

"Spike?"

Twilight's voice called worried down the hallway, both Spike and the teen turned to the hallway. The teen quickly turned back to Spike with... wait was he scared? Before Spike could ask, the teen's scale turned transparent and disappeared from his sight, that trick both explained and shocked Spike of how the teen came into the castle without anyone noticing, it also creep him out knowing he would have no idea where the teen dragon would be.

"Spike what's wrong?" Twilight trotted over to the startled dragon with no clue they had an unwanted guest. Spike wanted to tell her, but he was in too much shock over what the teen had said those short seconds that he couldn't utter a single word. Oblivious and a bit confused over Spike's behavior; Twilight decided to check on the female dragon. She was still sleeping, but at least Spike has been so kind bringing her food. Twilight was happy Spike took good care of her, but she was worried she might have overlooked something big and wanted to be on the safe side.

"I think I will ask Zecora of a few pieces of advice what to do with our guest."

She explained and asked Spike as she left the room. "Could you keep an eye on her while I'm gone?"

Spike blinked several times before he got what she has said. "huh, uh um.." He glanced around for the other dragon but that one was nowhere to be seen. He wanted to tell Twilight about the teen dragon but from how it had been acting, he doesn't think that teen dragon was really any danger.

"Sure, just be back soon okay?" For if that teen dragon decides to attack, Spike doesn't think he can protect the female. Of course, Twilight did not know this, she chuckling rolled her eyes at what she saw a scared child behavior. "Of course." She nudged his head scales and left the castle.

With her out, Spike decided to stand firmly guard around the sickly female; more than ready to protect her from the teen.

"No one will get past me." Spike told himself and began walking back and forward before the sleeping female. "And if they try, I will—"
His words got cut short from the teen standing right beside him with faint amusement across his face. The teen's sudden appearance startled Spike so much that he threw the pan he has been holding as a weapon against the green teen dragon who, easily dodged it with a pretty graceful move. Both Spike and the teen stared at the pan falling to the floor about a meter away from them and just as the last echo faded away, the teen dragon turned back to Spike who went in full defensive. "I won't let you hurt her you, you..." He didn't have any mean words to call the teen, less so as he was pretty scared.

The teen dragon raised a brow and asked confused. "Why in the old magic fire would I harm my own sister?"

"Sis-sister??" Spike stuttered, quite taken aback that this was, well a worried brother.
"Oh."
Was all he could say and backed away so the teen dragon could get to his sister. The teen dragon went on four and while musing softly to the female.

"You better just be sleeping... " He sat his own head against hers and to both males relief, the young female opened her eyes and smiled weakly to the teen. The teen returned the smile but also looked like he was about to choke. "Hey, sis..."

"You're alright." She mused and unlike him, she wasn't afraid showing her tears. "I though—"

"I'm tougher than those stupid beasts. Don't you worry about me."
The teen softly interrupted her, he rose and turned his close to tearing eyes to Spike who felt like he shouldn't be around at the moment. The teen didn't seem to mind though and said with honesty in his voice.

"Thanks, for helping my sister. I'm Rhys." He pointed at himself and nodded to the female. "This is Topaz."

The female- Topaz simple nodded and Spike got the feeling that she might be a bit shy.

"I'm Spike." He introduced himself and no longer could keep this question back.
"Why are you two so friendly?"

This made both Rhys and Topaz blink in confusions forcing Spike to explain them about his past encounters with his own kind. He told them about the dragon Migration and how those teen dragons he met back then was pretty mean.
"They wanted me to destroy a defenses egg..." He said dully to Rhys who surprisingly has been listing to his tale with a strange patience.

"Sounds like you encountered our winged brethrens," Rhys remarked and now it was hit turn to explain for the confused Spike.
"Sky dragons do have quite a simple way of life and from mother has told me, they are a bit stupid but easy to anger."

"I'm not a Sky dragon?" Spike asked, although he more or less already knew the answer. Rhys and Topaz look way more alike to him than any other dragon he has encountered.

Rhys shook his head. "No, you are what we are: Underground dragon. As the name probably reveal; our kind lives underground."

"Where can I find the Underground dragons?" Spike asked excited, he might be able to meet some dragons he can really relate to! Get some answers of why he was handed to Twilight!

"Can I find them in the Dragon Lands?"

This time, Rhys looked a bit uncomfortable. "Not exactly..."

"What do you mean?" Spike asked confused, why wouldn't these dragons live in the Lands of Dragons?

Rhys scratches his neck before answering. "We... eh, we don't have a very warm relationship with the other dragon races anymore."

"Why?"

The siblings eye one another and with a nod from Topaz, Rhys asked Spike to sit beside Topaz and the teen dragon did a trick Spike thought only he could use. Rhys used his fire to summon a strange looking gem with its very complicated design and handed it to Spike, who... has no idea what to do with it and he doubts it is a good idea eating it.

"Um.. what do I do with it?"

Rolling his eyes with a chuckle, Rhys explained. "You use your fire, like this:" The teen pinpointed his fire at the gem which began light heavily up a light show of pictures appeared. "As you probably don't know anything about our history." Rhys took the gem from the slightly offended Spike. "I will start from the beginning."

Like the ponies, there exist three dragon races: the Sky dragons of strength, the Water dragons of endurance and lastly the Earth dragons which later got named the Underground dragons, they stand for Wisdom.
Before the time of the Two Sister, before the time of harmony between the three pony races, the dragons live in more or less peace with one another, but it was far from harmony. The word Harmony did not exist for the dragons, the only power in each of their form of life gave them respect from the two other races.

One day in the time of the Long Winter, a pony with the strength of flight like the Sky dragons, endurance against the snow like the Water dragons and held words of wisdom like the Earth dragons arrived in their land. This pony explained to the three dragon lords that he was an Alicorn and was searching for help to end this long winter and save his people.
The Sky king refused because he saw the ponies weak as they couldn't even defend themselves against a bit of snow.
The Water queen refused because she did not want the winter to end as her people like to constant test their endurance.
Only the Earth king agreed to help the alicorn, unlike the two other races he didn't really care about physical strength. But known for never help without a price the king only agree with one condition: the alicorn had to give them his magic. It was a high prize, but the alicorn agreed and sacrificed his magic to the Earth dragons, leaving him defenseless to protect his own people. The Earth dragon king held his promise to protect the pony race. He ordered his people to guide a handful of pony leaders to their own homeland there not yet has touched by the wendigoes winter, but the king hasn't planned that the three pony races sullen disagreements brought the wendigoes to the land and feared their promise to the alicorn would be their downfall. But then, in the blink of despair, three ponies, pegasi, unicorn, and earth pony newfound friendship weaken the windigos, created a fire just as strong as the dragon's fire and unknowable helped the dragons in defeating the creatures of ice and snow. The Earth dragons realized that these small ponies deserved their respect with their strength in united Magic and allowed them to stay in what the Earth dragons soon would call Lands of Harmony and would from time to time aid the alicorn's offspring in defending the land against harm.

***

"Equestria is the Ear- I mean the Underground dragons homeland?"
Spike asked not sure he should be awestruck or plain out shocked of this twist of the Heartwarming Eve, but that does not make any sense! "But if you have been around throughout the past. Why doesn't the ponies have any books about the Earth dragons?!"

"Because of our next agreement with the alicorns."
Topaz shyly explained and pointed up to the darkest picture from the gem's light. Spike felt a shiver down his spine from a rather familiar sight; black crystals hurting and even enrage the Underground dragons.
"A certain pony used powerful dark magic and turned the crystals, our food into poison, tainted our mind with mindless greed and that almost destroyed us."

"What happen next?" Spike asked again he knew this story and also has faced the unicorn who has been the cause of the dark crystals but it seems the story once again has been changed slightly from dragon to pony.

"The two new alicorns" Rhys took over and pointed at two alicorns Spike knew far too well stand before what he guess must be the dragon queen. "They asked for our help to defeat the Dark Gem Maker, and like their ancestor before. The queen gave them a deal they could not refuse, the deal was to remove every sign of our existence and speak a single word about us."

"It seems like they kept their words." Rhys remarked dryly to Spike before continued on this new story lesson. "Like in the past, the dragons beckoned their leader's call and aided the two alicorns to overthrow the Dark Gem Maker by banishing him to the depth of ice and shadows. Tales has it that because of the darkness from the gems tainting her mind, the dragon queen and her four generals banished the empire of crystals with words it would return along with its master and plunge the Land of Harmony into darkness once again. And that happed; the alicorns were on their own. "

"I thought Sombra banished the Crystal Empire." Spike softly pointed out, he's so confused... and yet something in this story ran a disturbing clang in his mind. He remembers one of the alternative timelines he and Twilight went through when Starlight tried stopping Rainbow's first Sonic Rainboom. One of those timelines was about Sombra coming to power, plunging Equestria into a war neither Twilight, him or Cadence were around to stop him. Could Celestial really not win it that time because she didn't have any alliance?

Rhys shook slowly his head-
"That pony was strong, but it wasn't that strong. Don't you think the two alicorns would've known a counterspell if it had been one of their own making the spell?"

Spike didn't have any answers for that. That thought never really crossed his mind.

The light in the gem faded and the pictures of the Earth dragons story disappeared as well. Rhys took the gem and with, "We should get moving." He took Topaz in his arms and left the room."I can't bear the thought if losing the trail again."

"Wait, where are you going?" Spike ran up beside the teen dragon, he didn't want them to leave, he got so many questions!

Topaz gave him a weak smile. "We're going home."

"Home? You mean the Earth dragons are returning to Equastia?"

Both of them nodded and Rhys suggested. "You should come with us, you are one of us after all."

That caught Spike off guard. He has never in his life thought he would learn so much about dragon history his own kind: the Earth dragons. He wanted to learn more, but... what about his pony friends? They were his family. What about Twilight? Could he just leave her? He did try it once, but she proved how much he needed her and the others when the other dragons were about to hurt him.

"I..." He stopped, much to the two others confusions but Spike just couldn't make this choice right in the moment. He needed time "I have to think about it."

"Alright." Rhys let out a small ball of fire which revealed another gem, this one smaller bit more easy in design. "This map should help you to some point, it's old and I don't know all the old nests are still around anymore but it's better than nothing. Good luck, Spike." And with that, the two left the castle, leaving pretty much no trace they had been here, just like their ancestors. Only one single gem told Spike that he hasn't been dreaming he has met, truly met one of his own kind.

He was an Earth dragon.

Author's Note

comment if you have ideas or some headcanon you think might fit this story.
suggestion for improvement is welcomed too

help from a Swingtail

Spike told Twilight everything when she returned; about the teen dragon Rhys had told him about the existence of the three dragon tripe's, about what kind he was and that Rhys and his younger sister Topaz had invited him to join them.

Twilight was a bit disappointed that Topaz and Rhys has left before she could speak with them but that was quickly overshadowed by the excitement she felt about the news there actually existed more dragon species and apparently their lifestyle was very different from the dragons she has studied with Spike's help. But there was one part of Spike's story that caught her off guard. "But if Celestia and Luna knew, why haven't I gotten any books about dragons? Why haven't they said anything?"

"Because they promised," Spike told her, remembering how firm Rhys sounded when he told the story of the forced promise Celestia and Luna have to make to the Earth dragons. He guessed that the Earth dragons; his kind took promise just as important like a certain pink pony he knows.

"I can understand the reason, I guess." Twilight mused. She kicked the floor in an uncertain manner. "Seems like I can't ask them for any help..."

Spike was a bit disappointed in this as well, Celestia and Luna did aide him help when his scales began glowing in the sign of the dragon sommon— "We can ask Ember!" He exclaimed she is his first dragon friend and she must know more about these tree tribes than any pony did. Excited Spike ran out from the castle. "Let's go!"

Twilight followed him, musing "Should I take my dragon book with me?" She decided to take it, and in both, their excitement in this news of probably being the firsts in Equestria to unlock these secrets of dragon culture, the thought of informing their friends completely skipped their minds.

Twilight and Spike took the train to the nearest station to the Dragon country, rest of the way Twilight flew them both as far as she dared into the dragon-infested land. When almost getting spotted by a huge red dragon that for some reason looked upset as it flew away from Equestria's borders, Twilight decided it would be the best hiding in whatever she could find.

Spike walked deeper into the lands as casual as he could, the big adult dragons still made him nervous.
Spike and Twilight did fortunately not get into trouble and they soon found new dragon queen. Amber guided them both into a safer place where Twilight could take off her disguise without worrying getting attacked by dragons. Twilight did hesitate for the spot the dragoness chose as "safe" wasn't dragon free. Not far away from them laid a small pack of big four-legged dragons, the same kind that threw boulders at the young dragons that tried becoming the next Lord of the dragons. At least, this time, the Slingtails seemed more docile as they completely ignored the two younger dragons and surprisingly Twilight as well.

"So, what brings you two here?" Ember asked the two, she sounded harsh but the spark in her eyed showed she was happy to see them.
Spike glanced to Twilight, waiting for her to speak but she gave him an encouraged look and he realized the spotlight was his. He sank hard, a little nervous but did begin explaining Ember of what Rhys and his sister told him. To both his and Twilight's surprise, Ember looked... confused. "You're joking, right?" She asked in disbelief before chuckling a bit nervous. "I have never heard of the other two clans, aren't you sure this Rhys hasn't been pulling your tail—"

"Our clan has returned."

Twilight and Spike jumped startled of someone else has spoken.
Ember only got slightly startled and she turned to an old Slingtail that has spoken. "Explain." She commanded it.
The old Slingtail ignored her and turned his old eyes to Spike. "I never thought this day would come. Our clan; the Dragons of Wisdom are returning." The others of the Slingtails raised their heads, woken up from their slumber of this news.

"If you don't mind me asking, but what do you mean by returning?" Twilight politely asked the old Swingtail. The old dragon didn't seem to mind Twilight question, apparently the Earth dragons still held their past with ponies close to their hearts. He shifted slightly position before he spoke to the purple alicorn. "After the time of the Tainted crystals... the Earth clan was weak." He lowered his head in sadness. "Our queen was lost and no one could take the spot as our new Dragon Lord..."

"I am your Dragon Lord." Ember pointed out, but from how the old and even the other Swingtail stared coldly at her, it seems it wasn't that simple. "You are only the lord of the Sky clan. We are from the Earth clan. We do not heed your bidding. We only heard your father's call for the competition and acknowledge of who would become the new lord of the Sky clan." He turned his head away, his eyes pointed towards the huge lake where sea serpents had been challenging the young dragons with blasts of water. "It's part of a tradition that the two other clans make the obstacle for the competing clan."

"Those sea serpents, they were from the Water clan?" Spike asked, not really noticing Twilight was writing away in her book of these new facts. The Swingtails nodded and the old one explained. "Yes, Hatching from the Earth, the Water and Earth came when the Call came but only the Water clan has a home to return back to..." He lowered his head, looking extremely tired and old. "The earth clan has no home, our last Dragon Lord forced us to scatter, wandering the earth with no purpose.... so we were lost in the world."

"But with the news of the Earth dragon returning." One younger Swingtail pointed out, the old one smiled and said with beaming eyes to Spike that made him look years younger. "We might have purpose again and finally.." He got to his feet and began leaving with the other Swingtails. "We can go home, thank you Hatching of the Earth."

"Wait!" Spike ran up to the leaving earth dragons, they stopped and each of their eyes down onto him. Spike showed the small pack the crystal Rhys gave him. "Do you know what this is?"
The younger Swingtails looked just as confused as Ember, some of them looked hungrily at it as they merely saw it as food. The old Swingtail however. He took it from Spike and with one breath of fire; a map of Equestria lit up from it. Having several fire marks on certain locations.

"We are the people of fire, so fire will show you the way." The old Swingtail said and added to the younger ones from his pack. "Remember that." And before anyone could stop them, the small pack left the Dragon country.

Spike was speechless, never had he thought that those who has thrown boulder at him and Ember under the competition for the gauntlet would actually be part of the same species as him, less they would be so willing to help him out. There was just one thing the old dragon said that bothered him. "If they are going home... um, Twilight.." He poked the oblivious alicorn.

Twilight who has been so busy writing only now noticed Spike, she blinked and looked down to him, not sure why her number one assistance looked so... disturbed. "What's wrong?"

Spike was scared, he has just realized what it meant by the Earth dragons are returning. "The Earth dragons home is Equestria."

Twilight gasped, instantly seeing the problem. "This is not good, we better warn Luna and Celestia." She got Spike on her back before turning to the confused Ember. "Thanks for the help, but it seems this is a bigger problem than I thought." And took off.

"Hang on!" Ember followed them up to the sky, she looked annoyed. "You can't just leave me like that! It was bad enough those boulder heads treated me like some newborn hatching!"

Neither Twilight or Spike has anything to say to that comment.
"You are welcome to come with us," Spike said instead.

Ember nodded hard, she wanted answers like Twilight and Spike although a bit different answers than them. She wanted to know why none from her clan, apparently the Sky clan ever heard of the two other clans but the Water and Earth clearly knew about hers. But before they could seek out these new dragons Twilight first wanted to warn Celestia and Luna about this upcoming problem of returning dragons.

Author's Note

I noticed in the new Spike episode "Gauntlet of Fire" that those dragons that threw rocks at the flying ones didn't have any wings. so they could easily be part of the Earth clan of this headcanon I am building on.

Advice from the Princess

"Princess Celestia." Twilight walked over to the princess of the sun and one of the two sisters that rule Equestria. The white alicorn smiled and levitated down her paperwork. "What brings you?" She asked Twilight warmly, without a word she invited Twilight for a small walk in the hall of the memorial glass windows.

Twilight briefly glanced at the windows before she told Celestia what she and Spike had discovered. Celestia listened to her story without question but Twilight did notice that the white alicorn eyes were turning serious in recognition.
"Is it true?" Twilight asked her when finishing the story, she tried to see any reaction from Celestia, but the white alicorn kept her compose and only her eyes showed the deep sadness she felt.
"you knew of the Earth dragon tripe? That Spike was one of them?"

Celestia eyed her. "I did, and Earth dragons use their magic to hatch their babies."

"that's why his egg was part of the school's test?" Twilight asked baffled, she did occasional wonder why she should hatch a dragon and be the only unicorn having a baby dragon around. "How many tried?"

"Many young unicorns tried and failed." Celestia mused with a sad tone; she looked down to her former student. "Only your raw magic had been strong enough to hatch him."

"But... why haven't you told me anything about his kind? Anything about dragons?" Twilight asked she couldn't help feel a bit left out by this choice from Celestia. If Celestia just had told her, then she could've taught Spike about his own kind instead of letting him almost get killed by those winged brute dragons.

The white alicorn walked over to one of the glass windows. "I didn't want him to learn about dragons, not before he knew about pony culture."

"Why? That's why you let him leave for the dragon calling?"

"Yes, is Spike should learn about dragons, then he has to see their nature face to face and..." Celestia turns slightly away from Twilight, her constantly moving mane hiding her face. "The young dragon Spike spoke with said the truth, I and Luna had been misusing the dragons trust and we paid the prize when their leaving lead to Discord's arrival."

"But you defeated him." Twilight argued.

Celestia began walking down the hall again. "By using the Elements of Harmony. We did defeat Discord but this new responsibility of ruling a whole country and our own lack of leadership only lead to bigger problems..." She lowered her head in sadness as they passed the glass window of Twilight and her friends defeating Nightmare Moon. "Luna became Nightmare Moon because of my neglect, I wasn't there for her when she most needed me."

"But I thought—"

"Twilight, you of all should know that I am not invincible." Celestia kindly interrupted her, leaving Twilight completely speechless. Twilight stopped walking for a few seconds, only snapping out from that small slap to the face when she realized that Celestia was walking away from her. "But," She trotted up beside Celestia again. "You lift the sun and Luna lift the moon, no unicorn can do that." She tried to argue, anypony; including herself has always seen that as a sign of Celestia and Luna's power.

"A single unicorn cannot, true but several can. And there is difference from keeping order to a day circle to keeping a whole country safe." Celestia mused almost thoughtful before Twilight could ask, though, the white alicorn asked. "Could you bring Spike in? There are a few things I need to discuss with him before you leave."

"You're not coming with us?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, the alliance between the dragons and the ponies is already fragile thanks to me and Luna. If this already fragile peace has to be kept, someone else has to speak with their new dragon lord."

"You want me to speak with them?" Twilight asked carefully before boasting her chest a bit. "You can count on me, princess!" Her confident did falter a bit from the amused smile Celestia gave her. "It's not me?..."
Celestia shook her head, still smiling. Twilight tilted her head, wondering who else could... then it hit her. "Oh, um I will leave you to it, then." She mused a bit embarrassed and left the room to fetch Spike.

Moments later Spike walked inside and knelt before the princess of the sun. "What service can I do for you princess Celestia?" He asked her nobly.

Celestia smiled at his choice of words. "I have a very important task for you."

Spike got on his feet, slightly raised a brow but also excited what he could do for the princess.

"Twilight told me that the Earth dragons are returning. And I wish that you make an alliance between them and us."
"M-Me?" Spike gasped baffled, he honestly didn't see that one coming.

Celestia nodded and said. "I would like you to learn about their culture and in turn, you tell them about Equestria's, try creating a connection between them and us."

"You mean befriend them?" Spike asked a bit uncertain.

"You probably has to teach them the meaning of that word." Celestia smiled weakly, it did widen a bit more from Spike dry remark. "Explains why Ember kept saying dragons don't have friends."

"Yes, but I am certain you can handle your own kind after you have been dealing with the Sky dragons, they can be rough around those there does not share their kind of thinking." Celestia remarks in a teasing but kind tone, turning back to Spike with: "Did your friend tell you what each of the clan's ideals was?"

Spike nodded and counted what Rhys told him of each clan of dragons. "Sky clan is strength, Water is endurance and Earth is wisdom."

Celestia nodded and said smiling to him. "From what I remember, many of the adult Earth dragons are like Twilight when it comes to books. So the best way to impress an Earth dragon is..." She consciously dragged out her question, letting Spike figure this out himself.

It took him a few moments to get what she meant; he gasped and exclaimed smiling. "Books! I should offer them some books about Equestria!"

"Or friendship, I'm sure Twilight wouldn't mind letting you have all her former friendship lessons for this task." Celestia said a bit teasing, but back to business, she got a bit serious again. "Do you understand your goal?"

Spike saluted. "You can count on me!"

"Twilight will accompany you, but only as an advisor. Remember Spike; this is your task."

Spike nodded and left the room. Twilight and Ember waited outside the castle and the purple unicorn asked a little hesitant when her dragon friend stepped outside. "What did she say?"

Spike explained to her what task Celestia has given him and added. "She said you could accompany me as an advisor."

"Of course." Twilight smiled and was about to leave. "Let's go—"

"Hold on!" Spike stopped her by stepping in before her. "First, we have to get your friendship lessons letters."

Twilight blinked at this strange request but did what Spike asked her and when they finally left Canterlot, Twilight has two saddles filled with her old life lessons letters, musing a bit sad after Spike explained to her what he was planning to do with them. "I've hoped I could've used them to Starlight Glimmer..."

"Nah, you're doing fine without them." Spike ensured her before turning to Ember who asked cluelessly. "Why would any dragon want a bunch of worthless papers?"

"Celestia told me that Earth dragons like books just as much Twilight here does." Spike explained and added grinning. "So why not give them something about friendship?"

"If they want them." Ember mused, she wasn't convinced the Earth dragon would accept those letters. In her eyes there were worthless.

"Where to?" Twilight asked Spike encouraging, and with a breath of fire on the crystal, Spike pointed at the brightest of the flame mark. "Let's try that one."

"Right, where is it?"

checking the map, the purple dragon realized that this might be more troublesome than thought."..... Rainbow Falls." Spike mused a little scared.

Twilight faltered slightly in her flight, already fearing that she and Spike might have to fight a bunch of dragons to protect the ponies at Rainbow Falls. The three took the train to the place, fearing what they might encounter. However when they arrived, Rainbow Falls, well it looked quite peacefully. The local ponies were making ready for the Trade Exchange and it seems the only dragons around were Ember and Spike.

"...Are you sure this is the place?" Twilight asked uncertainly that any wingless dragon like Spike would be around here, for all she saw were ponies trading with one another.

Spike was about to voice his own uncertainty this place might not be— but right then out from the corner of his eye; he spotted someone who started this whole journey. The orange female Topaz was hiding behind one of the stalls and without any pony notice, the other baby dragon snatched some rock candy and in a matter of seconds looked like she dissolved into thin air. Spike still wasn't sure how she could do that but with her here, he's certain the rest were nearby as well. "This is the right place." He said with a voice filled with determination, he wants to fulfill Celestia's mission and he wants to know what kind of dragon he really should've been if he hadn't grown up with Twilight.

Author's Note

over the seasons of MLP I realized that Celestia and Luna might not be as powerful as everyone thought, they aren't goddesses, they are just another kind of pony. strong in pony eyes but not so much in other species eyes. but I kinda like that, it does makes them more "human" and gives me a reason why their ancestors needed help from the dragons.

Cave of the Earth Dragons

Spike trotted inside the Trade Exchanges festival and more than once had to be reminded by Twilight that they weren't here for trading items. Moving quite disappointed away from a brand new and his favorite comic series, Spike returned back to his mission finding Topaz or just other Earth Dragons. That task itself proved difficult for besides from spotting Topaz steal some candy, neither he nor his two friends could see any sign of other dragons.
"Maybe we should search outside Rainbow Falls." Twilight suggested, mostly because she did not want to confront a dragon at a place filled with civilians. Spike agreed and they left the festival, searching the area outside the town.

Ember went over to one of the many lakes filled with what looked like liquid rainbows and couldn't stay quiet with her distaste of the many colors this single lake had. "I'm surprised none of you ponies has gone blind with all the bright colors you have in this place." She flew away from the lake, adding as she landed beside Spike. "I prefer Dragon country, at least there my eyes wouldn't hurt."

Spike glanced a bit concerned at her, not sure if he should tell her his thoughts about that the dragon county looked so barren in his eyes. Before he could open his mouth, though.

"Aww has the sky dragon gotten color blind over the centuries?" A familiar voice taunted Ember, but no teen dragon could be seen in this rainbow lake area.

Ember's barred her teeth of this insult. "Who dare mock the dragon lord?!" Furriers looking around for the source of the voice. "Show yourself!"

The voice laughed as if she had said a joke. "Ha ha ha! You're the dragon lord?!" And near the lake where Ember complained, a green teen dragon appeared. "Boy, the Sky dragons must really be desperate if they accepted you as their lord."

"Rhys!" Spike called, happy seeing the teen dragon again.

Rhys smiled down to Spike. "Nice to see you again, I'd hoped the map gem wouldn't be too hard for you, but.." He turned his pale blue eyes towards Ember. "Did you really have to drag a Sky Dragon with you?"

"watch your tongue!" Ember sneered at him and showed him the scepter that proved her royalty for other dragons. "You're speaking to your dragon lord."

Rhys's eyes narrowed. "You're not the lord over me, I'm an Earth Dragon." Rolling his eyes of something he saw an obvious. "Sheesh, and here I thought your kind couldn't get stupider, now you're thinking you can order the rest of us aro—"

"I am NOT stupid!!" Ember roared at him and before either Spike or Twilight could stop her, she charged at Rhys.
The male teen dragon didn't look concerned, though, he allowed her to get close and with a smirk, he ducked from her claws and swiped his tail over her face, knocking her to the ground. Ember did however quickly recover and stood once again ready to battle. "That's all you got punk?!"

Rhys turned smirking back to her. "Not really, but unlike you Sky dragons, we Earth dragons are more into using our brains instead of brute strength. But you're probably too stupid to know—"
And he ducked again from Ember attacking him again, however, this time, she stopped her flight so she was too close to another tail swipe. Turning around she fired a breath of fire at him and Rhys let out a small yelp, but the smirk didn't leave his mouth. "Huh, seems you do have a brain after all." The smirk grew. "So let's see how you can handle this!" And it was his turn using his fire, but unlike Ember's that only went one way; straight forward. Rhys fire acted more alive and surrounded Ember and trapped her in a vortex of fire.

Startled of this, Ember forgot keeping an eye out for Rhys and only realized too late she had let her guard down when the earth shook under her feet and before she could get airborne, the green dragon grabbed her leg and pulled her down into the hole so only her torso was above ground, Ember tried getting up from the hole but with her wings trapped in the hole and her claws too narrow to really be useful in digging, she was pretty much trapped.

Rhys appeared from the ground and said grinning to the shocked Spike. "And that's how you ground a Sky dragon." To raising a brow when the said purple dragon ran over to Ember and dug her free from the teen's hole. "Eh... What are you doing?" Rhys asked confused over Spike's action.

With earth loose enough for Ember to get free, Spike turned back to Rhys. "Ember is my friend."

"Friend?" Rhys titled his head before he smiled in small understanding. "Oh, you mean you have made an alliance with this one like you have with the ponies!"

"No, Spike meanis—" Twilight tried to explain but Spike stopped her. "Yeah, an alliance, so you shouldn't pick a fight with any of them." And quietly told Twilight while Rhys made awkward apologies to the Ember. "Dragons does not know the meaning of the word friendship."

Twilight nodded slowly and added a little sad. "Must be hard living without any friends."

Spike couldn't agree more, but he guessed that's just dragon culture. Turning to the pretty furies and also ego broken Ember. "Could you try not to pick a fight with Rhys and the other dragons?"Adding with puppy eyes. "Please?"

Ember didn't care much for the cute look, in fact, it did make her a bit nauseous, but Spike was a friend, so she could bite down her pride. "So long he doesn't mock my intelligence."

"Great!" And Spike turned to Rhys who rolled his eyes but would agree with one condition. "If she stops showing her title in my face."

Ember agreed in a very annoyed manner.
Spike realized that maybe not only the ponies had a problem with the other tribes; it seems the dragons still has the issue and probably their pride has kept them from ever trying making peace with one another.
Speaking of peace. "Oh, I and my friends has come to make a... eh, alliance with the Earth dragons."

"I didn't come to make peace..." Ember mused still angry over being beaten by Rhys. Spike elbowed her once before continue to the bit startled Rhys from hearing this request. "So Twilight, the eh... representative of the ponies has come with this token of good will." Twilight levitated one of the friendship lessons letters over to Rhys. A first confused over this Rhys opened hesitant the letter but quickly turned into fascination when he read the words "... Always expect the best from your friends and never assume the worst. Rest assured that a good frie— Are these discoveries of the word: friendship?" Rhys asked Twilight curious, Twilight nodded and told him a bit proudly."I have found several of these "discoveries" by the help of my frien- I mean allies. Spike has made some discoveries as well." She added smiling down to Spike.

Rhys nodded and returned the letter back to them. "I don't know if the elders find this fascinating, but you could try. Been long since we last got new knowledge- can I get another?"

Spike and Twilight both beamed that the letters seemed to be working as their way in. Ember just looked baffled at Rhys fascination in the letters as he kept wanting to read them. Spike handed the teen another letter and with nose down in the letter Rhys asked them to follow. The green dragon led them towards a cave there was hidden by a rock formation. Rhys only took his eyes away from the letter when he said out to the thin air. "They mean no harm."

"You sure?" A white adult dragon appeared right beside the cave opening, startling the daylight out from both Twilight and Spike. This white body, blood-red spiked with blue belly dragon gave both Ember but mostly Twilight a suspicious look. "Our lord made it clear that no alicorn should enter our domain."

"This alicorn is an alliance with Spike here." Rhys nodded down to Spike who nervously waved up to the white adult. "And she is bringing us knowledge." He added, gesturing to the letters in her saddle bags.

The adult hummed for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I will let the pony pass." Twilight let out a sigh in relief.
Turning to Ember, the adult dragon asked. "Are you here to speak with our lord?"
Ember glanced down to Spike and Twilight, but both of them just looked confused. Guess she might as well get a chat with the Earth dragon lord, turning back to the white dragon Ember nodded.
The white dragon nodded back. "I will take you to her when I have found a guard replacement, meanwhile; stay out of trouble, especially you pony." He gave Twilight a hard look, making her wish she could disappear.

Rhys nudged Spike who signed to the bit nervous Twilight to follow, they went into the darkness of the cave and inside the city of the Earth Dragons.
Twilight was about to make her horn light up as the cave got darker at the moment, but she didn't have to as the walls soon got lit by strange orbs of fires in all kind of colors. The young alicorn and dragon stared baffled at these orbs of fire.

"What's that?" Spike asked.

Rhys glanced up to the orbs. "Oh, that's our fire sealed inside bottles, pretty useful and it does make sure you don't have to clear a forest just to keep a cave bright all the time."

"Why? Don't you have lava pits?" Ember asked Rhys, the green dragon then explained that this cave does not have lava, only water.
While the two teen dragons discussed the usefulness of lava pits as light source Spike and Twilight glanced at one another for a moment, not sure if Rhys had been joking or serious about the dragons could've cleared a whole forest to get a little light.

"We better move." Rhys suggested, stopping the probably first casual talk an Earth dragon had with a Sky dragon. The trio followed the green dragon down the path of glowing fire orbs and when leaving the cave corridor. Spike and Twilight gasped at the sight that met them, even Ember seemed impressed by the sight. One huge cave, with countless of smaller caves and corridors, forming a spiral like pattern. All around could these fire orbs been seen and where there weren't any of those orbs, lamps or fancy looking fireplace was placed. The caves walls were filled with gems in every color and it seems the dragons there went past those gems could easily keep their hunger in check for some reason, in fact, they looked more interested that the gems were nice decoration than food.
"Come, you better inform your arrival to our lord." Rhys snapped them out from the awe of this dragon cave, Spike, Ember and Twilight followed the teen deeper into the cave and Twilight did winch a little from all the staring she got from the dragons they passed. She even heard some of the younger ones ask the adults what she was. Spike in the other hand was busier taking all this in to notice the other dragons staring. This was after all the first time in his life he ever saw dragons that were lacking wings just like him. Like the Sky dragons, the Earth dragons were much different in form and sizes, although he could easier see the different from each dragon species. One of those species and the most common was the kind that looked very much like him, Rhys and Topaz with their bright colors and somewhat slender bodies.

Nearing the middle of this underground city, Spike and Twilight eyes spotted what only could be described as a alter or just strange art. Whatever it was Spike could only descript it as dried lava formed around a metal statue of a dragon holding this black stone, surrounded by firewood. It made him wonder how this bit creepy stone would look like when surrounded by fire.

Rhys noticed the twos staring at the statue/alter before them and explained them proudly. "This is the Stone of Fire; some also call it the Alicorn Crystal."

"Why is it called that?" Twilight asked, already pulled up her journal of her dragon study. Rhys eyed the journal suspicious before he explained. "According to legend, the alicorn that gave us our magic fire was taken by a mountain's blood- he fell into lava." He added to Ember and Spike before continued. "But even without his magic, the fire couldn't hurt him since he was still part of the fire. So in a battle where either fire would die, they both engulfed one another and became a crystal made of death fire."

"Wait, you mean there is a pony inside this—" Twilight gasped but stopped when Rhys began laughing

"Come on, do you really think your kind would survive falling into a pit of lava? Last I checked your skin is not fire proof."

Twilight gave him an offended stare although it quickly faded since Rhys did speak the truth, even with her big knowledge of magic; Twilight doubt she had the power to keep herself safe from lava incredible heat. Turning to the black stone again. "So why do you think there is a pony inside?"

"If you stay for a while then you can see for yourself." Rhys grinned and lead them away from the black stone. "We soon have the Birth of Fire, I think it would be similar to what the ponies has above us at the moment."

"So you trade with one another?" Spike asked hopeful but his dream of trading with other dragons dropped from the confused look Rhys gave him. "They trade?" The teen turned away from the two, musing. "Guess I can't compare the Birth of Fire to that then..."

"For a moment I thought all you Earth dragons would be weird like Spike." Ember mused, earning a smirk from Rhys but an annoyed huff from Spike.

"What do you do to this Birth of Fire of yours?" Twilight asked, trying to help Rhys finding words of what he could compare this special event to pony standard.

Rhys scratched his neck spikes, trying to figure out the best way explaining this tradition to a pony. "Well... we gather around the Stone of Fire with gems and while enjoying a good meal, our historian will tell the stories of our history. Our history is very important you see, so we won't forget how we became powerful in magic and why Wisdom is our ideals to life."

"Sounds very much like a history festival." Twilight mused and added happy pony and dragons had one thing in common with one another. "We have a few of those but I don't think any of them are as important as this Birth of Fire festival you have." Oh there is one. "Except Hearts Warming's Eve..." She remarks a bit sheepish from forgetting how important that festival was.

Both Rhys and Ember looked equally confused, so Twilight took the honor explaining them of that holiday as they left the Magical Crystal. When done explaining Ember had to admit that she was mildly impressed by the pony race at the moment. "Old stories from my people tell that we too fought the Wendigoes but only our brute strength kept them from completely freezing our land." She eyed Twilight in a way she never had before. "I didn't know your ponies hold a magic that can keep them away."

Rhys didn't speak; unlike Ember's people the Earth dragon fought the Wendigoes directly all because of an alicorn... the historian kept reminding them of the many losses the Earth dragon tripe went thought because of their promise to an alicorn. Spike eyed Rhys, noticing the anger in the teen's eyes but he couldn't say why, though, he just hope it wouldn't affect their mission too much.

Author's Note

writing the fight between Ember and Rhys was really fun, they both are skilled fighters but they have such a different fighting style. it did help me get over the pain of describing the dragon cave.

if you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer them.

Lord of the Earth Clan

"Lord of the Sky dragons." The white dragon from the entrance walked towards the small group, although his eyes only were on Ember. "Our lord wishes to speak with you and..." A deep scowl appeared on his forehead as he turned to Twilight. "The alicorn. "

Twilight winched slightly by the look down the white dragon gave her. "Follow me." He began walking towards another cave opening, only once glancing towards Rhys and Spike. "You two run along now."

Rhys nodded and took a very reluctant Spike with him. Twilight and Ember followed the white dragon into this other cave; they passed several dragons all standing around that made Twilight think of the royal guard. Did dragons really need this? Why would they need an army? It's not like anything other than other dragons could threaten them. Right?

"The lord of the Sky has arrived." The white dragon's announcement snapped Twilight out from her thoughts, turning to the lord or the Earth dragons, she gasped at the sight. The dragon lord of the Earth dragons was a female dragon, but unlike any other adult of the Earth clan, this honey-colored, green spiked dragon was almost twice the size of the other Earth dragons. Like all the Earth dragons Twilight had seen so far, this female was slender in build with longer arms and bigger hands compared to their flying cousins. If observant then the small difference could be spotted on each of this kind of the Earth dragon clan, example this female had smaller spikes in between her longer ones and three small spikes at the back of her jaws.

The lord of the earth dragons smiled sweetly and with a just a sweet-toned voice told the white dragon that brought them inside. "Thank you, Bolder, you may leave."

The white dragon named Boulder nodded and left the cave.

The lord of the Earth dragons then turned her attention onto Ember, asking while shifting position on her throne made out of gems. "What brings you here new lord of the Sky dragons?"

Ember glanced back to Twilight before she took a step forward with her answer. "I came here since I did not know of either of the two other clans. My father; the former lord of the dr- I mean the Sky dragons, he never told me about your clan."

The honey colored female giggled, resting her head with one of her claws and said still smiling down to Ember. "That doesn't surprise me, the Sky clan has never fancied history lessons other than what doesn't destroy you will make you stronger."

"Thanks, I think.." Ember mused, not sure if she should feel annoyed that her clan was viewed as the dumb brutes in the Earth clan eyes.

The lord of the Earth dragons smiled. "don't you worry little young, I meant nothing offensive about it. My clan could use your clan's strength in our upcoming conflict"

"what kind of conflict?" Ember asked, but the Lord of the Earth dragons merely said that she would explain that later.

Still smiling, although looking a little forced she turned her dark blue eyes to Twilight. "And what brings and alicorn to our domain?"

Twilight did catch on that this queen of the Earth dragons wasn't really overjoyed seeing her, but she couldn't let anyone down. "I'm here to- or actually Spike, he's a baby Earth dragon and a friend of mine." Twilight explained, reminding herself that this wasn't really her mission. She was here to help Spike building an alliance or better yet a friendship with the Earth dragon clan and she will do her best helping him reaching that goal. "He is here as a represent for—"

Twilight small speech got interrupted by the lord's amused chuckling, unsure what the joke was she looked questioned up to the big honey colored dragon.

"My my a pony befriending a dragon." The Earth dragon lord said thought her laughing, to stop very sudden, and yet the smile never left the dragoness face. "Don't lie to me, you brought the child here as an insurance."

"Insurance to what?" Twilight asked, unsure what she meant. And why does the room suddenly feel less welcoming?

The lord of the Earth dragons lowered her head down to their level. "So you could get an audition with me of course." She spoke like she was talking with a filly. "Just like your ancestors did, except they didn't use a baby as a shield."

That's not the truth! She would never use Spike as a shield! "No! I would never do such a thing!"

"Don't shout pony."

"Sorry." Twilight quickly apologized and spoke again with a more composure up to the dragon lord that clearly got the bond between her and Spike the wrong way. "Spike is like a brother to me, he came here to learn about his own kind. And if it was possible; make an alliance between dragons and ponies."

The lord watched her for a few seconds, then leaned back on her throne with a sweet yet cold smile. "I doubt that, last time we made an alliance with ponies it almost cost us our existence." She waved her hand towards Twilight, brushing her away. "You may leave."

"But—"

"Leave pony." The dragon lord said lecturing, again like she spoke with a filly. Reluctant Twilight realized that this dragon lord would not hear any more words from her, she left the cave slowly to only freeze in horror as the Earth dragon lord added still in her sweet tone. "I will make sure your "brother" dragon stay happy with us."

No! She can't do that! Twilight tried to argue but before she could, the lord of the earth made one of the guards grab her.

"Hold up!" Ember flew up to the guard holding Twilight. "Is that the way you treat your guests?!" She asked angrily to the leader of this clan, sure her clan could be really mean but had a feeling that the earth clan was a bit more docile than her clan. Maybe she was wrong, but this still wasn't right! "Throwing her out without letting her explains a word to Spike?!"

The honey colored lord smiled sweetly but Ember saw nothing sweet about it anymore. "Of course, can't have one of my subjects gets more tainted by the pony's words. You understand that, don't you?" She asked, still sweet but there was a threat between those words that if Ember countered her again then this lord won't be as friendly towards her anymore.

"Ember, I'll be alright!" Twilight voice said between the guard dragon's claws. Before Ember or Twilight could speak more words, the guard left, leaving Ember alone with the lord of the Earth dragons.

The lord sighed a bit tiredly. "Finally it left, can you imaged?" She smiled to Ember. "Making an alliance with ponies, they are stupider than I thought."

Ember landed slowly, not replying to the other dragon but the lord didn't seem to mind it, though. Only spoke up when she tried to leave. "You're welcome to stay, but I would prefer you keep any business about the pony away from my subject. If you do speak that foul word then I'll be forced to..." Her eyes narrowed as she stared almost darkly at Ember. "End our alliance; we can't have that can we?"

Ember wasn't sure what's the deal was with this dragon but she needed to stay on this lord's good side, at least until she found Spike. "No, we can't." And added with a fake laugh. "Besides, who would want to hear about stupid ponies anyway?"

The lord seemed to like that answer. "exactly."

Ember left the cave in a proper manner, aware that if she hurried it would look suspicious to this dragon lord. Her father might not be able to spot suspicious behavior (or an Earth dragon among the Sky clan) when he was the dragon lord of the Sky dragons. If he could then she might not have gotten away with becoming the new lord.

Only when a safe distance from the Lord of the Earth clan's cave Ember took flight in order to cover more ground in search for the purple baby dragon. She found Spike talking with Rhys and another dragon, this one a baby like Spike except being female and in orange color and dark purple spikes.

"Spike!" Ember called, landing before the three and about to tell the news of Twilight being thrown out but completely forgot it when the orange female let out a whimper and hid behind Rhys.

"Relax sis, she's with Spike" Rhys explained Topaz, and the young female dragon peeked nervously out from behind her brother. Rhys smiled to the bit confused Ember. "Dad sometimes pranks her by telling stories about winged dragons."

"Oh how very nice of him." Ember snorted annoyed, Rhys merely shrugged in a carefree manner.

Spike scanned the area behind Ember but found no sign of Twilight. "Eh... where's Twilight?"

Ember let out a sight and told Spike about the harsh treatment Twilight got from the dragon lord of the Earth dragons.

Spike was appalled by it and turned to Rhys in dismay. "Did you know this would happen?" Did he know the lord of the Earth clan would throw Twilight out without letting him know and maybe even getting fooled that Twilight left him. That would be his worst nightmare coming true!

Rhys shook his head. "I didn't, I mean everyone knows Calcite loathe ponies but I thought she wouldn't throw Twilight out when she told you and her consider each other family." One thing Earth dragons treasure more than gems was family, but mostly because there were still so few of them after the black gem crisis.

"And yet she did." Ember remarked dryly, crossing her arms. "What's the deal with her anyway?"

"Don't your people dislike the ponies as well?" Topaz asked nervously Ember and the teen female replied:

"We don't really mind them, view them as weak but that's about it, so again;" Turning her red eyes to Rhys "What's the deal with you lord hating ponies?"

Rhys scanned the area to quickly realize he cannot speak about it in the open. "Not here." He signed the two to follow, and he led them to another cave deeper into this dragon city.

"Mom?!" Rhys called into this cave. "Dad? We brought some guests!"

The cave echoed by heavy footsteps closing in the group of young dragons, Spike almost panicked thanks to his past memories of adult dragons when an ice-blue colored dragon appeared in the opening with an annoyed look in those bright green eyes. "Don't tell me it is Diamond's kid again..." It sighted and from the soothe tone the shape ice-blue dragon has: the slimmer body build than the white dragon named Boulder, Spike has to guess this was a female and probably Rhys and Topaz mother.

"No mother, I don't speak with Lelus anymore, he's a jerk." Rhys replied his mother before placing his claws on both Spike and Ember. "This is Ember, she's a Sky dragon."

Rhys and Topaz's mother eyed her a little suspicious but did smile when Ember was tasteful enough to be polite. "Nice meeting you ma'am, your son sure knows how to use his claws."

"Oh, I taught him that." The female dragon chuckled proudly. "I am one of the best tunnel diggers in the colony."

Rhys nudged Ember and whispered so only she and Spike could hear. "Be careful what you say around mother, she really loves to talk." Then cleared his throat and pushed the nervous Spike towards his mother. "And this is Spike, he's is living with a pony."

"Really? Where are you, parents?" Rhys and Topaz mother asked worried.

Now that Spike looked better at her, he admits that his two new dragon friends mother is rather beautiful, with that slender body shape. Like her daughter; Topaz's mother had a second scale color, darker blue stripes down the spine. Her spikes were light orange and parts of them sat closely together like on the head and start at the tail. Around her wrists and tail were gold bracelets with purple gems embedded.

He snapped out from his staring when Topaz gave him a small nudge, remembered he actually was asked a question. "I.. um..." He fiddled with his claws nervously. "I don't have any parents... Twilight got me as an egg."

"And where did she get your egg?" The mother dragoness asked, not harsh or anything, just in a curious tone.

"... we don't really know..."

The mother of Topaz and Rhys narrowed slightly her eyes, musing to herself. "I wonder..." But before any of the young dragons could ask what she was thinking, she shrugged it off and invited them inside the cave "Sorry the mess, my husband is such a mess head, he just loves to study." She chuckled, clearly not really minding her husband's habit of messing up the cave. She smiled down at the group. "If you need anything, I will be in the storage cave."

Rhys and Topaz lead them into a smaller cave: this room was lit up by a small fire that lit up the gems around it.

"You have a nice mother." Spike remarked a little sad of the knowledge he might never know his own mother.

"She's fine I guess." Rhys shrugged, he sat down beside a nest made of leaves. "Maybe a little demanding at times but I guess that's just how mothers are."

"Your mother is nothing compared to mine." Ember huffed and crossed her arms. "She threw me out from a cliff."

"Why?" Spike and Topaz asked at the same time. Both turned to one another and couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.

"To teach me how to fly." Ember replied with a shrug.

Topaz and Spike winced at how casually Ember said it. Topaz lifted her hand like she was in school. "Is that normal for your kind?"

Ember blinked at the question. "What? Didn't your parents do something familiar?" to only then realize how stupid that question was since, well these dragons did not have wings!

Both Rhys and Topaz shook their heads and Rhys explained with a bit sad look in his eyes. "Father and mother keep saying that we cannot risk endangering the next generation. We still suffer from the poison of the dark gems, most Earth dragons egg never hatch."

"What did the dark gems do to you exactly?" Spike asked, he was still unsure what the dark crystals of Sombra would exactly do to a dragon who ate the gems. Would they stop the magic like they did when Shining Armor, Twilight's older brother got them on his horn? Or would the dark crystals remove memories and hope like they seemly did against the crystals ponies? Or would they do something entirely differently?

One thing for sure, though, he's happy that Sombra was gone thanks to him and Cadence.

But Rhys did not answer his question. "It doesn't really matter anymore. The dark crystals crisis are gone and the Earth dragons are recovering. Now," The green teen dragon sat down on one of the rocks that was slightly shaped like a chair. "You asked why our dragon lord and many of the Earth dragons really dislike- almost hate the pony race?"

Spike nodded, wondering what might be the cause of all of it.

Rhys learned forward, eyes deadly serious. "Spike do you remember the tale I told you the first time we met? That's why most hate the ponies. Long story short." He turned to Ember "The two alicorns, the leaders of this land called for our ancestor's aid with a certain shadow pony that was tainting the land with black crystals. The lord agreed to help but the black crystals took a heavy toll on us, I don't really want to summon up what our ancestors went through when crystal poisons were at its worst, only that we still struggle with some of it even today. Some dragons, mostly ones in Spike's and Topaz's age can lose their mind in an unnatural greed."

"But doesn't dragon grow by their greed?" Spike asked unsure, he did faintly recall Zecora saying that when he... well went really overboard in getting gifts.

Rhys nodded slowly. "We do, but usually we can keep our need to hoard food under control. But thanks to the black crystal crisis. We can't hoard food like we used to.." Rhys sighed heavily. "According to dad, he lost a good friend to this greed. His friend loved snacking on gems, he was a good digger as well but when he encountered a whole carven filled with gems, he couldn't control it. Dad told us that in the matter of hours his friend had grown into an adult but had completely lost his mind, only though of gathering everything around him mattered."

Spike winced from how Rhys told this story, the teen told it like it was a terrible horror story and he knew it was. "That... it once happen to me too.." Spike mused.

Rhys and Topaz stared in disbelief at him, like they couldn't believe his words. "Not possible; there is no way to return back from it." Rhys said with a shaken voice.

Topaz in the other hand was a bit more curious. "How did you return back to normal?"

"I..." Spike began sweating nervously, he wasn't sure it was smart admitting that he turned back to normal because he was reminded of who he truly was thanks to his crush to Rarity. "I.. don't really remember..." He lied and quickly said instead. "But I am certain it was because of my friends!"

Rhys didn't really understand what Spike meant, for him the word friendship was still very foreign. He let out a small sigh in defeat and chuckled said to the purple dragon. "of all the dragons that tried finding a cure to the Greed sickness a pony finds it.. Guess we can't keep the pony out from this can't we?"

"No." Spike said determent and added a little hard. "Dragons and ponies can live together in harmony again."

Rhys again wasn't sure if what Spike spoke about would come true or was just a hatching naive hope, but he would admit that this purple dragon's determination to reach that goal was really inspiring. "I will speak with father when he gets home. He can bring your... friend back into the colony."

Author's Note

this wasn't my first try on this story, before I wrote the dragon colony underneath the crystal empire and that a white dragon kidnapped him from Twilight in thought he was in danger.
Spike would later meet a teen dragon who would show him around the cave he was brought to.
and later Twilight reunited with Spike and they both explained their relationship to the queen of the clan.

that story got scrapped since I couldn't really put it proper together. it was only when I asked some from the mlp community for help that I tried again and I admit I like this take on the same story better.
three dragons do still exist in this story, though. the white dragon that took Spike is Boulder and is the one least changed from the two stories.
the teen dragon that Spike would meet in the cave is Rhys, I changed his colors and created a sister to him when I rewrote the story.
lastly, we have the dragon queen, she's the one been through the biggest change, personality mostly. in the first she was more like Celestia but I did not want that she so I warped her personality to a bit of the worse, but I think it kinda suits her, especially with the role I gave her in this story.

if you wish to see the dragons in this story or just some of my mlp (and other) fanart then you can find them on DeviantART under my username Vildtiger.