Big Brother Garble

Chapters

Chapter One: Coming Home
Coming Home: Part 2
Coming Home: Part 3
Chapter Two: Daycare (Slightly Altered)
Daycare: Part 2
Daycare: Part 3
Chapter Three: Redefining Family
Redefining Family: Part 2
Redefining Family, Part 3
Chapter 4: Life in the Nest
Life in the Nest, Part 2
Life in the Nest, Part 3
Life in the Nest, Part 4
Chapter 5: A Slight Hiccup
A Slight Hiccup, Part 2

Chapter One: Coming Home

Garble was pissed. No this went beyond pissed. How dare that little whelp choose ponies over him! HIM! Of all dragons!

He realized what Spike was immediately after he saw him. His friends realized it to. His scent might be masked by ponies, but it was undeniably his. They let the little whelp spend the entire day playing with the "big boys", instead of putting him in the pen with the other hatchlings. They might have been a little hard on him but it was just playful teasing. They even did this stupid fake ceremony to make him feel welcome. The little guy was obviously having a blast and was just eating it all up.

Garble assumed the whelp knew who he was to and was just a little nervous but... the kid really had no idea who he was. Garble wouldn't let this stand. Now that he knew who Spike was he refused to let the Whelp just rot in a library as a Pony's slave.

The Whelp knew NOTHING of his kind, nor did he want to learn. So Garble would make him learn. Luckily Spike had told Garble where he lived, Ponyville.

Garble could have been sneaky, crept in the window and taken back what was his, but that just wasn't his style. Instead he kicked down the door, slammed the pony against a table, and grabbed Spike as he slept through it all... wow the guy was a heavy sleeper.

Spike groaned as he felt himself laying on something hard. It was hard and stiff but strangely fluffy. He nearly puked when he woke up and realized he was laying on a flat rock covered in the fur of dead animals. He even had the animal skin draped over him like a blanket.

He screamed and jumped out of the makeshift bed but his foot got caught in the furs and he fell on the ground with a 'THUD'.

Rubbing his nose he quickly untangled himself and looked around. It took a moment for him to realize he was in a cave. There were little piles of treasure around the cave with mouth watering gems of all kinds.

He let himself drool over them for a moment but quickly shook his head and looked around some more. The cave had a little stream which led to a big lake further in the back with a water fall.

"About time you woke up," a voice scoffed, "The sun rose hours ago,"

Spike looked over at the voice then began to panic, "Garble!" he exclaimed with pure fear in his voice.

The older dragon growled, "Calm the Tartarus down. You're not in any trouble,"

"What did you do to Twilight!?" Spike demanded.

"Your pony master?" Garble scuffed, "Relax she won't be following us,"

Spike began to tear up, "You... you hurt her..."

"Only a little," Garble huffed, "She should be happy I didn't kill her,"

Spike let out his little baby roar and pounced at Garble. The older dragon just rolled his eyes and snatched Spike out of the air by his tail. Spike dangled swinging his little fist.

Garble scuffed and promptly did the worst thing a Baby dragon could imagine. The most horrible punishment all little dragons fear... He smacked Spike right on his bottom.

Spike yelped and tried to cover his rear but Garble just smacked him again.

"Ow stop!" Spike demanded, and it was most certainly a demand, not a plea.

"Are you going to calm down you little idiot," Garble glared smacking the little dragon's hide yet again.

"Yes! Yes, I'll be good! Ow ow ow ow!" To Spike surprise he was set back on the floor, gently.

Garble scuffed, "You should feel grateful that's all you get. I have-have a mind to turn you over my knee for a proper spanking. What were you thinking running off with those ponies,"

"I was thinking of getting away from YOU!" Spike declared loudly. However he felt a pinch of guilt when he saw the hurt in Garble's eyes.

"Why would you want to get away from me? We just found each other,"

Spike shifted uncomfortably before remembering why he wanted to get away. He hardened himself and yelled, "You tried to KILL me,"

"I did no such thing! The most I would have done is tan your hide for disobeying your elder,"

Spike blushed, embarrassed by the mere thought of getting a spanking, as well as his remarkable misinterpretation of what the older Dragon was going to do. Still he had no right, "You... you wanted me to crush a defenseless egg!"

Garble growled, "I let you have something as scrumptious as a Phoenix egg and you threw a tantrum!"

"YOU WANTED ME TO EAT IT!?" Spike looked like he was going to puke.

"Phoenixes are some of the tastiest treats you can have and the only way you can actually eat one is when it's still developing in it's egg! You should have been flattered I'd let you have it. Not cry and throw a tantrum before running off with ponies! What were you thinking!? What the Tartarus got into you!? We had been having fun all day and then you just flip out!"

"I'm not about to kill an innocent EGG! Let alone EAT it!"

Garble growled, "And why the Tartarus not!?"

"Because I don't eat critters! I eat hay, and bread, and flowers, and cookies, and all the normal stuff. I don't eat things that were actually alive!"

Garble groaned as he ran a claw down his face, "Great you even eat like a pony. Has it occurred to you that's why your so short. Dragons are carnivores! We need meat to live, just as much as we need gemstones! You little idiot!"

"NO!" Spike yelled with all his fury.

Garble growled, bearing his teath, "What did I say about telling me 'no',"

Spike took a step back and covered his bottom, now that he knew that's what Garble would be aiming for. The young dragons tail went in between his legs, "Y-you have no right to hit me,"

Garble roared, "I have every right! I'm all the family you have left,"

Spike blinked, "W-what?"

"You don't know?" Garble stood still. He figured the little dragon didn't when he ran away but to have it confirmed, "You don't know!? Don't you know how to use your nose at all!?"

Spike felt compelled to sniff at him, not really knowing why. The scent was familiar. Garble actually smelled a lot like Spike himself but at the same time... different. The little dragon didn't know what it meant.

Garble sighed seeing the confusion on Spike's face, "I'm your brother, hatchling,"

Coming Home: Part 2

Spike knew, he just knew what Garble was saying was the truth, but still he didn't want to believe it. He was too shocked to think anything.

"Those ponies you love oh so much stole you as an egg," Garble roared, "You were all I had left of our parents and they took you from me!"

Spike gulped, something in his throat felt like it was trying to crawl out, "C-Celestia said they found me abandoned in the woods,"

"You weren't abandoned! I just left to catch myself breakfast. I put your egg in a fire to keep you warm and to keep critters away but ponies just have to stick their noses in EVERYTHING. I know it was them because the whole place reeked of pony. They must of used their teleporting trick because I couldn't track them! THEY STOLE YOU FROM ME!" He slammed his fist against a rock, crushing it to bits.

Spike stumbled back in fear but Garble calmed down quickly enough.

Garble sighed, "I've been looking for you, Spike. and then you found me at the Dragon Migration... I was so happy... then you ran away... ran away with your pony captors... like an idiot,"

Spike gulped and hesitantly walked over to Garble. Standing at his side and looking up at the older Dragon's face... he looked so sad. Hesitantly Spike reached up and took Garble's claw.

"I... I'm sorry," Spike got out, "I didn't understand what was going on... I didn't know you were... I thought you were going to hurt me,"

Garble sighed, "I would never hurt you,"

Spike hesitantly gave a cheeky smile, "Well you did just spank me,"

Garble looked at Spike a moment before shaking his head, "Idiot,"

Spike blinked as Garble put a bucket of worms in front of him, "What are these for?"

"To catch breakfast," Garble informed holding his fishing rod and sitting in front of the lake.

Spike turned green, "You mean you... you w-wanna eat the f-fish,"

Garble sighed, "We're dragons, trust me. You'll never eat anything better then fish," besides Phoenix eggs but that was a lost cause.

"C-can't we just eat the worms?" Spike asked.

Garble raised an eyebrow, "You like worms?"

"Well Pinkie and Applejack once made some really good muffins. I don't know what was all in it but they had Earth Worms and those tasted REALLY good,"

Garble nodded, dragons did survive off worms and other bugs when they first hatched, but Spike was kinda old to still be eating that stuff.

"Alright," Garble nudged the baby dragon closer to the bucket with his tail, "You can snack on them but leave enough to catch breakfast. And you have to promise to try the fish without throwing a tantrum, deal?"

Spike shifted uncomfortably.

"Deal?" Garble repeated, staring the little whelp down.

"Do I have to?" Spike begged, "Can't I just... eat the worms. I can bake them into pancakes,"

Garble groaned but as long as Spike was eating the right protein it should be fine, "Fine you can eat the worms for breakfast but lunch is fish and I better not hear one complaint about that,"

"O-okay... I'll try the fish," Spike gulped. Fish shouldn't be too bad. After all even Fluttershy fed fish to her critters. Spike just hoped he didn't have to eat anything worse then that. He didn't think he could handle it. Most animals had near pony levels of intelligence. Fluttershy even said the critters she trained could READ. Spike could never eat something that could actually THINK. Fish were about as smart as worms though. He hoped he could eat it without crying. He didn't want Garble to think he was a sissy.

"After breakfast I'll drop you off at daycare,"

"Daycare?" Spike scrunched up his nose.

"Well yeah I can't exactly take you to work with me,"

"You have a job?" Spike blinked.

"Sorta," Garble shrugged, "I'm apprenticing as a healer,"

"REALLY!?" Spike yelped, "You're a DOCTOR!"

"Apprentice," Garble corrected, "and I'm a healer not some puny pony bandaid applier. I use real magic and potions to heal dragons near death or cure diseases that would be terminal to less skilled hooves," Garble said 'hooves' instead of claws as a jab at ponies, but Spike was so used to the word 'hooves' being used in passing conversation that the insult went right over his head.

"Wow," Spike awed never guessing Garble would be a healer of all things.

"I'm in a class with about 20 other dragons so it's not THAT big a deal," Garble grunted but Spike noticed a slight blush on his face.

"Wow..." Spike repeated, "I can't wait to tell Twilight,"

Garble growled with irritation, "Forget her," he insisted.

"What?"

"This is your home now. I'm never returning you to those pony slavers,"

"I wasn't a slave," Spike gaped, "Twilight treated me like family,"

"I'M YOUR FAMILY!" Garble roared.

"I-I know but so's Twilight. She raised me since I was an egg,"

"You mean she kidnapped you as an egg,"

"Twilight had nothing to do with that," Spike tried to make the older dragon understand, "She was only a filly when she hatched my egg. Celestia said I traded hooves a few dozen times before I got to her, because no pony knew how to hatch me,"

Garble scoffed, "Figured it out though, didn't they?"

Spike shifted, "Would you have preferred they didn't hatch me?"

"I would have preferred it if I hatched you. Like I was supposed to,"

Spike shrugged weakly.

Garble sighed, "It doesn't matter. Your here now. We're together, and nothing can change that,"

"What... what about Twilight?" Spike asked

"Now that your back with your real family you don't need some fake pony substitute,"

"But... I love Twilight," Spike insisted, "She raised me, and took care of me when I was sick, and read me bedtime stories and-" Unfortunately all this just made Garble angry.

"She's NOT your Mom!" Garble yelled.

Spike shrugged, "I know she's not but that doesn't change the fact she did raise me,"

Garble scuffed, "Just eat your worms,"

Coming Home: Part 3

Spike walked through the Dragon Village by Garble's side. They were in a large volcano. There were huge buildings carved out of stone along the walls of the volcano. Shops, a school, a hospital, restaurants, government buildings, ect pretty much anything you would imagine being in a town only dragon sized.

There were also hundreds of caves used as houses. Strangely there were no doors at the entrances. Looking into the caves as they passed them they each had a lake and a waterfall of their own. Each lake was filled with the cleanest hotspring waters and large fish that occasionally jumped out of the water before diving back in. Some of those fish were as big as 30 feet.

Along the walls outside the caves were more waterfalls pouring out into a mote around a pit of lava at the bottom. Steam rose up from the pit and the waterfalls. The village looked absolutely amazing and the hot steam felt good against Spike's scales. The waterfalls and mote looked pony, errr "dragon", made. In fact the lakes looked dragon made to.

As Spike was beginning to understand the cave entrance with the lake was just the front yard or some kind of basking area based on how many dragons were laying around enjoying the steam. Further in looked more like an actual home only... much bigger and carved out of the stone.

"The basking area," Garble suddenly explained after noticing how curious Spike was about all the homes, "Is where dragons keep most of our food and is a great place to relax, good setup for naps.

"We have our actual homes in the tunnels behind that. My parents... our parents were given the home after they were married off to each other and I inherited it after they passed... most of the furniture and stuff is too big for me so I mostly just stay in the Basking area, the hoard room, or my room... we have a nursery for you to. With furniture about your size... I have a lot of hatchling books I enjoyed when I was your age in there to,"

Spike hesitantly nodded. He was partly excited to have his room, partly embarrassed that it was a nursery, and partly worried how long he'd have to stay here. Twilight would be worrying about him. Spike didn't want to leave Garble but he missed Twilight. Spike just didn't want to tell Garble that. He was worried he might hurt his feelings again. After all, Garble had been searching for him his whole life. It crush him if Spike said he didn't want to leave with him... that might even be a lie on Spike's part... He did have a lot of fun with Garble before the incident with the Phoenix egg.

"We're not at the same place all the dragons migrated to," Spike noted, thinking Twilight probably wouldn't be able to find him. He wanted to stay with his new found brother but he couldn't bare the thought of never seeing Twilight again.

Garble snorted, "Once every 500 years Dragons gather from nests all over Equestria for mating season,"

"Mating season?" Spike blinked.

"Well... that's the closest word for it. Basically it's when Alphas trade unmarried and unattached dragons to other nest too strengthen bloodlines or trade goods. I was kind of worried my Alpha was going to trade me since orphans are usually the biggest bargaining chips at these things but luckily he likes me. He only made me go since the rest of the nest was going to be gone. He even arranged for me to have a bloody Night Fury as my mate. The guy is currently packing all his things from his nest. He should be here in a couple days,"

"He?" Spike blinked.

Garble rolled his eyes, "Moron, all dragons are boys. We can just get pregnant to. Ponies are just too stupid to realize how pointless it is to have more then one gender,"

"Oh..." Spike really didn't know what to say to that. Maybe ask how dragons get pregnant. Twilight had explained to him that boys put seeds in a mare's belly but didn't explain where the seeds come from. He theorized they were pumpkin seeds because of how big a mare's belly would get but Twilight wouldn't confirm it. Besides Garble was likely to just call him an idiot for not knowing. So Spike searched for a topic to change to, "So... you're married?"

Garble scuffed, "Of course not stupid," calling the hatchling an idiot anyway, "I'm still only a Rookie Dragon. Toothless is just going to live with me because the Alpha wants him to but we won't actually marry until we are old enough to have eggs of our own.

"Normally a nest wouldn't be willing to part with a dragon breed as rare and powerful as a Night Fury but they're a very poor nest. They don't have much food and WAY too many dragons to feed. A lot of their dragons got traded off to other nest in exchange for food. We're lucky and got plenty of lava fish and gems of all kinds here so we can afford to trade food for new blood instead of our existing members. We also lucked out and got a very nice Alpha.

"Too bad for Toothless as he's an orphan to so he was one of the first to go. Usually dragons only get traded off if they volunteer for it or if their parents agree to it but orphans belong to the entire nest so-" Garble shrugged.

Spike really wished he had some parchment. Twilight would flip when he tells her all this. She loves learning new things and ponies know absolutely nothing about dragon culture.

Garble took him to the bottom of the volcano were several baby dragons were playing in the lava around one massive dragon. It was a huge white dragon, bigger then any dragon Spike had ever seen.

Garble bowed but when Spike just stood there. Garble whacked the hatchling upside the head then forced him on his knees.

"Lava Frost," Garble spoke well still bowing, "I'd like you to meet my little brother, Spike,"

The big dragon smiled, "Garble, you found him. I'm happy for you hatchling,"

"Thank you sir," Garble smiled back.

"Where was he?" the great dragon asked.

"The ponies, my lord. I was right. They had stolen him as an egg and raised him," Garble growled.

The dragon hummed, "The ponies you say, I will see to it that they are punished for this,"

"No!" Spike yelled getting up

Garble growled and forced Spike back to a bowing position.

"Let him speak," said Lava Frost.

Garble reluctantly let go and Spike stood up again, much to Garble's irritation.

"Sir," Spike said, "The ponies didn't mean to kidnap me. They thought I was abandoned. They raised me right and loved me and I love them. Please don't hurt them,"

The large dragon hummed again, "Very well, I will take no action against the ponies but I will be having words with Celestia. She should have informed the Dragon Lord of your discovery,"

"She did Sir," Spike informed, "He said a 'Wingless runt' wasn't worth the trouble,"

The mighty dragon growled, "Sounds like something that lazy ass would say. Very well," The Great Alpha nodded his understanding, "Garble get to class, I will watch the hatchling for you,"

"Thank you sir," Garble nodded, obviously angry at what he just heard.

"I thought you were taking me to 'daycare'," Spike asked as Garble got up.

"This is Daycare," Garble informed.

"But I thought this was the Alpha you were talking about?" Spike blinked.

"Who else would be trusted to care for the hatchlings well the grownups work," Garble looked at him like he was stupid, "Now be good, I'll be back in a few hours. And remember, you promised to eat the fish,"

Spike turned green at the thought.

"A dragon never breaks a promise," Garble insisted before knocking Spike into the lava, "Have fun,"

Chapter Two: Daycare (Slightly Altered)

Author's Note

Edited as of October 2021:

Altered how dragons develop, and how eggs work

Chapter Two: Daycare (Slightly Altered)

Spike sat on the stone floor that lay between the massive lava pit and the moat of boiling water. There were several bridges over the moat leading to tunnels and stairs.

Spike was cautiously toeing the lava. He hadn't known he could survive it until he met Garble and he was still a little scared of it. However it felt nice on his toes.

There were a lot of other baby dragons playing in the lava or in the moat with the big white dragon shepherding them.

Strangely though he wasn't the only dragon without wings. A few others didn't either, but they all had had fins and were swimming eagerly.

"Hum, Mister Alpha sir?" Spike got the giant's attention, "How many types of Dragons are there?" looking around at all the different dragons.

The Alpha smiled, "I don't imagine you know much of our kind living with ponies,"

"No Sir," Spike admitted well his cheeks began to color at being called out.

"Well it's best if I give you a quick crash course but you'll learn about this in greater detail when you start school in a decade or so,"

"A DECADE!" Spike gaped.

"Let's start there. Although Dragons are immortal creatures we go through several stages of development. There's the Whelp stage, which your currently in. You'll enter the Fledgling stage when you turn 20, which is when you're body will be more of a child then a baby. That's when you'll start your formal education. Until then I'll be teaching you and the other whelps basic things in a more... casual way.

"Now the Rookie Stage will start when you are 100 and that's when you're body starts growing in lots of new ways and getting more... grown-up. That's when you'll start your apprenticeship. Usually Rookies will bounce from trade to trade for the first 100 years before they find something they really like.

"When you hit a thousand is when you'll actually be considered an adult and be given a responsibility to help support the nest, based on your preferred apprenticeship. Then there is the Elder stage, once you reach 10000 and have truly grown into your power. Usually that is when others start to look at you to be an Alpha of a nest of your own,"

"H-how old are you?"

"27903," The Elder informed.

Spike just gaped at him, "Wow, so you're literally older then dirt,"

The Alpha chuckled, "Cheeky little whelp aren't ya... anyway, to answer your original Question, dragons have thousands of races but they don't exactly work like the pony tribes.

"As we age through our stages our bodies change. We even molt, to strengthen our claws, teeth, scales, and even our powers and breath weapon improves with each molt. These changes continue from the Whelp stage through the Rookie stage. A dragon only really stabilizes when they reach the adult stage.

"The most important stage of development happens when you're just an egg. With the elements the egg is exposed to, helping develop their species. I let the parents decide what type of dragon they want to raise.

"The Kobolds keep the eggs marinating in their designated elements: Fire, Lava, Milk, Snow, Water, Crystal Shards, Needles, Metal shards, furs, etc, Or a combination of them.

"This determines the body, and a few key abilities, but how the egg is hatched, determines their breath Weapon. As well as holding some influence over the Species, itself.

"However, where the egg is kept, is just as important. Not just the Elements it is exposed to. An egg that is kept deep in the water, will allow the baby to develop fins and webbed talons, making them great swimmers. Eggs kept high in the mountains, with the clouds, will form wings. And Eggs kept on land will become sturdy Earth Drakes, like you,"

"I guess most dragons don't like Earth Dragons very much," Spike drooped.

Lava Frost blinked, surprised by the observation, "Why do you say that?"

"The Dragon Lord didn't want me back when Celestia told him about me," Spike reminded.

"It's true there are certain..." The elder thought on it a moment before deciding to be honest and less round about, "No... some dragons don't like Earth Dragons. It is considered a sign of bad parenting. But I understand that is not the child's fault,"

"Why's it a sign of having a bad parent?" Spike blinked.

"It is not safe to keep an egg on the ground. Nest are usually kept high in the sky for safety or even deep under water but an egg on the ground? That is easily stolen or smashed.

"Now I'm more sympathetic. After all an Earth Dragon has no way to get their eggs to a safer nest and choose to keep it guarded at all times instead. Many settle in caves underground which are nearly as safe as the other options but the stigma remains.

"If dragon eggs are better kept in a nest how come Garble brought me with him when he went hunting?" Spike asked

Lava Frost sighed, "Because he was being stupid. He was just a little Whelp himself and kept taking your egg out of the hatchery so that he could play with you. He loved you very much and treated you like a favorite plushie. He dragged you everywhere and worried about you when you weren't in his sight.

"I didn't really have a problem with this as he would warm you with his flames and turned you regularly to help you develop. He was very good with you and although even back then I suspected you would be an Earth Dragon with how he carried you to the bottom levels when he had to go to daycare but I saw no flaw in this. He loved you and he was trying his best. He also needed you close as he had just lost his parents and you were all he had left.

"However he was a whelp and broke the rules. He snuck out of the volcano one night and took you with him. He wanted to show you the forest, not understanding you couldn't actually see it yet. That was dangerous enough but he also wandered away from you. Leaving you in a patch of flames as he would when you were in our volcano and thought you'd be fine...

"Honestly little one, all this time, I thought you were dead, lunch for some predator. I'm relieved he was right and the ponies found you. That was the best case scenario,"

"So all this time Garble has been blaming himself for losing me..." Spike sat there for a minute processing this then something random the dragon said clicked, "If Garble was just a Whelp when I was an egg how come he's a rookie Dragon now? That doesn't really add up,"

The large dragon raised an eyebrow, "You've been missing for over 200 years,"

Spike gaped.

"Dragon eggs can only hatch from excess stimulation, usually exposure to dragon fire, and don't 'go bad' the way chicken eggs do. You likely stayed dormant in your egg until something woke you up. What I can't fathom,"

"Twilight..." Spike mumbled.

"hum?"

"T-Twilight Sparkle, she's the unicorn who hatched me. When she was just a filly she had a surge of magic after being startled by a Sonic Rain Boom," Spike must have heard that story a thousand times growing up.

"You hatched from unicorn magic?" Lava Frost blinked, "I wonder how that will effect you," he thought to himself. Spike got the feeling the big dragon didn't know he said that out loud.

Lava Frost looked at Spike more closely. He was clearly an Earth Dragon but not any breed he had seen before. His bone structure was very unique for an Earth Dragon.

"Eh?" Spike blinked.

"Where an egg is kept is not the only factor in what it will be. It also matters how it is hatched. That determines what your Dragon breath and the root of your powers will be. Most dragons are fire based as they hatch from their egg by being exposed to their parents flames. However the first Night Furries, for example, were hatched from a bolt of lightning. This let them shoot lightning from their mouths, which they use to hatch their own eggs.

"I'm curious what powers you will have from being hatched by pony magic,"

"Well I can send letters by dragon fire," Spike informed, proudly.

The large dragon blinked, "That's... an interesting use of the flame,"

Spike blushed and fidgeted, "I can do it to almost anything and send them to anyone I'm thinking about but paper is the easiest. If unicorns or Alicorns focus on me in their heads they can lock onto my magical signature and send letters to me to,"

The dragon blinked as he stared at the little whelp. The gears in his head turning. If Spike could do that with anything it would really help the nest. When he's older he could magically transport supplies from one location to another with ease. It certainly make dragging supplies to the mountains during mating season easier.

The fins on the side of the whelps drooped, "I'm still learning to control it though as sometimes I accidentally burn stuff instead of sending it,"

"May I see your flame?"

Spike blinked, "I guess," he got up and walked a little bit away.

Lava frost put a massive claw in front of the whelp, "Give me your best shot,"

"I don't know if-"

"Relax little one. Whelp fire isn't likely to hurt me," oh if only he could be more wrong.

Spike shot a continuous flame at the giant claw and it hurt. Oh Maker did it hurt. Lava Frost managed to keep his face stoney so none of the whelps noticed but the flames hurt a lot worse then a whelp's had any right to. It more stung then actually injured him but even that was impressive for even an adult dragon to do to an Alpha. Only Night Furies had been recorded to have such strong flames.

When Spike stopped blasting the Alpha lifted his burning claw up to his old face and examined the flames. It wasn't exactly fire, although it burned. It sparked with flecks of raw magic. It was magic, pure concentrated magic compressed in a burning green flame. He doubted sending letters was all it could do, especially since it did have destructive properties as well.

Spike could probably train it to do much more as he got older. If it was strong enough to sting an Alpha as a whelp who knows what this infant could do when he grew up. This little Earth bound Dragon, that the Dragon Lord stupidly said wasn't worth his time, could very well become the most powerful and productive member of their nest.

Here Lava Frost was thinking himself fortunate to get a pair of young Night Furies to join his nest but add this little one and in a few generations they could be not only a power of trade but of brute force...

Magic... All dragons had some limited magical ability, largely touch based spells and nothing as reality bending as a Unicorn magic but this... A dragon hatched from Unicorn magic, with flames like this. Who knows what his actual spell casting limits would be. Standing before him was a whole new breed of dragon, a new species.

Lava Frost smiled as he reached out and placed his claw in the boiling water of the moat. As he doused the flame he couldn't help but say, "I believe you'll be a fine addition to our nest,"

Strangely the dragon drooped.

"What's wrong little one?" Lava Frost asked as he took his hand out and examined it, it appeared fine but still stung a bit.

"I... I miss Twilight,"

"... You're pony mother?" Lava Frost asked.

"Not really. She did hatch me, and helped raise me a lot of the time, but she's more like a sister then a mom. I wouldn't dream of being as snarky with a mom as I am with Twilight," he smiled fondly remembering her, "Celestia is more like my mom. She raised me but Twilight helped a lot. Though, these past few moons, I've been living with Twilight,"

He was raised by the Princess herself?... That might cause complications. He should expect a message soon from her demanding her child back.

"Perhaps you should send a letter to your mom, telling her what happened and that you're safe,"

"Will you let me go back?"

The Alpha blinked, "You want to go back?"

The whelp shrugged and toed the dirt of the cave, "I... I don't know. Now that I have a brother... and knowing he's spent so long looking for me... but Celestia raised me and Twilight is like a big sister and there's my cousin Blue Blood (even if he can be a bit of a jerk sometimes and is a major hypochondriac and over dramatic and completely self absorbed but he's still pretty cool a lot of the time... at least to me)," the dragon seemed to mutter a tangent to himself for a moment before getting back on track, "But they're my family..."

That... would be a problem, "No little one. I will not allow you to return to the ponies," you're too valuable, "But I can arrange for them to visit. It be wise to suggest they come here as soon as they can,"

Daycare: Part 2

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Daycare: Part 3

There were a bunch of rookie dragons standing next to the food carts they had rolled out and lined up like a buffet. Each cart had a different kind of dish.

Spike scrunched up his nose as he saw most of them looked like different slabs of dead animal, decorated to look like different kinds of food like burgers and such. It made him want to puke. Fortunately one of the carts had a bunch of gems which he promptly shoved on his plate.

"Now now," the teen behind the cart chuckled as he took most of the gems off Spike's plate and put them back, "Don't be greedy, everyone needs some gems to munch on. Here have some tasty fish," he grabbed a bowl of rice with a bunch of chopped up bits of fish in it and a glass of milk.

Spike scrunched up his nose but accepted it. He did promise Garble he'd try the fish after all. He kept reminding himself that even Fluttershy fed fish to her critters. They weren't intelligent like other animals.

He looked around and realized their were no tables, everypony, errr dragon, was just sitting on the floor. They were eating with their hands or shoving their snouts into their bowls.

"Errrrr, can I have a fork?" Spike asked but the teen just raised an eyebrow.

"What's a fork?" blinked the older dragon.

Spike groaned, "never mind," before wandering over to horror cow, who was savagely tearing into a whole fish and picking her teeth with it's bones. Spike shuddered but forced himself to sit with her. She was his only friend so far and he already hurt her feelings enough for one day. Spike would just have to tough it out when it came to her eating habits.

Spike stared at his rise bowl as he built up his courage... but he couldn't... he just couldn't. So he just sat their staring at his food.

Horrorcow took notice, "What's wro-" then it clicked. Spike was raised by ponies, herbivores. It was unlikely they could stomach the idea of feeding animal bits to anything that needed it. Spike probably felt like he would somehow betray the ponies if he ate meat. It was probably too much for him right now, what with all the other changes in his life. Horrorcow forced a casual smile, "Wanna trade your fish for my gems?" she asked.

"Sure!" said Spike, a bit too eagerly, as he handed over the bowl. He gave a mental "Sorry Garble," as he munched on his gems. He'd try again with the fish for dinner.

"Alright every dragon it's story time," Lava Frost smiled, turning back into a giant as he got comfy in his pool of molten rock. All the whelps eagerly found a spot to listen, "Since we have a new addition to the family today I figure I might once again regale you with how I built our home," all the older whelps groaned as the elder dragon chuckled, "Now now, I'm an old dragon. It is my sovereign right to bore the young with tales of my youth.

"When I was a young dragon, a mere 4000 years old, I left my old nest to start my own. I stumbled on this island and found it perfect for my needs due to it's large volcano. In it I carved out thousands of caves into luxurious homes for my future spawn. Then I built the aqueduct and linked it to the volcano. That is what, to this day, purifies the ocean's waters to give us clean drinking water. It's where all your lakes come from... and where our fish tend to wander.

"When I was finished shaping the volcano into a city I did something truly daring... and more then a little foolish if I'm honest. You see I had heard tales of large schools of fish that swam in the lava near the core of the Earth and decided I would look for these fish and tame them.

"I swam as far as I could beneath the crust of Equus, nearly starving to death myself as I looked for food. Then I found it, a school of fish larger then great white sharks, but more importantly laying thousands of eggs at a time that would grow into fish just as big. After helping myself to a much needed meal I tracked down where they kept their eggs. It took me several weeks to swim back and forth between our volcano and the fish's lair but eventually I brought all their eggs here. When they hatched I began farming and breeding them and thankfully, since they hatched here, they stayed in the area.

"Without those fish we would not be the center of trade we are today. Without those fish we would struggle for our every meal like your ancestors had. Remember to respect the fish, and your home. Resources are scarce for dragons due to our size so be thankful for what we have,"

Garble did something he hadn't done since he was a fledgling... he skipped school. His sensei was probably, no definitely, going to tan his hide when he got back tomorrow. He was an apprentice now. He was supposed to know better then this. Unfortunately he had something more important to do today. He needed to get the cave ready for Spike.

Spike had been forced to sleep in the basking area last night because the nursery wasn't ready for him. Sure the Basking area was good for naps, thanks to the steam, but he couldn't sleep there every night. His scales were too thin and his bones were still developing. He needed something soft to sleep on and the tiny crib in the nursery just wouldn't work at his age.

So Garble went to the stone cutters and had them shape a boulder into a smooth bed with stone rails on the sides, to make sure he wouldn't roll out of bed.

Since that puny pony had the whelp sleeping in a basket Garble figured he would love a big boy bed. Garble also bought some of the cutters stone carved action figures and some other toys for older whelps. He doubted Spike would be interested in the teething ring and the other hatchling toys in the nursery.

Then he bought a mattress from the tailors. It was stuffed with the softest animal skins. He also got a warm blanket made from stitched together rabbit pelts. It was perfectly soft for the developing scales of a whelp.

These were all considered "luxuries" though and cost a pretty penny, and this was just the stuff for whelps. Things got more expensive for larger dragons so Garble never bothered buying a mattress for himself, just some blankets. He didn't even have a pillow... but Spike needed one.

Garble sighed as he set up the nursery with all the new things he bought. He was really spoiling the damn brat.

What a lot of races don't understand is, despite their wealth, dragons basically lived in a third world country. Because of their size resources were scarce. It wasn't a matter of buying them but there literally weren't enough cotton or animal skins on the planet to make each adult dragon a bed. The mere idea of a factory to mass produce things big enough for dragons was laughable. So they made due with what they had.

Lava Frost's nest was very well off because of the sheer abundance of food here, something horribly scarce in most nest. They owed a lot to the Elder Dragon for his ingenuity and daring.

Lava Frost greatest strength was that he was smart. Since the beginning of the nest he had fledglings learning alchemy so they could make gems and crystals for additional food. Still alchemy could only create something from something else. You needed raw resources for that to work and as food was an obvious priority for all dragons they chose that over everything else.

Garble sighed as he looked at a teddy bear he bought for the whelp. Lava Frost occasionally traded with the ponies for a few small luxuries for the whelps but honestly this might be too much. It cost them resources... food... gems might be pretty to ponies but dragons physically needed them to survive. It seemed a stupid thing to trade for a teddy bear... hopefully Spike liked-liked it...

Chapter Three: Redefining Family

Twilight sat on the dock of the airship, flying towards the large island nation off in the distance. It was just outside Equestria's borders, a forest island covered in a large mountain range. They had passed several patrols of adult dragons. Which were now flying around the airship. One had flown ahead of them to alert the local Alpha.

The ship was filled with royal guards and Spike's extended family, but not the elements of Harmony. Celestia was insistent that this was a family matter.

It had only been a few hours since they got the letter. Spike's family was already gathered in the throne room as they tried to figure out what to do. They hadn't wasted any time. After Celestia got the letter she teleported everypony in the throne room onto the fastest airship, including the few dozen guards, and wouldn't tell them what was going on until they were headed towards the island of Drake Stone. She was just barking orders at the confused guard and didn't stop until they were on their way. Things had settled down after that but there was still an air of tension as they worried for Spike.

Twilight's parents were standing off to the side, as Spike's grandparents. Although Twilight herself was more of a sister to the baby Dragon, his family didn't exactly follow a traditional mindset. Ponies fit into the spirit of the role but not the logical order. Twilight's parents were more like grandparents to the dragon then his own personal ones or even aunts and uncles.

Blue Blood was standing next to his adopted mother Celestia. Blue Blood was actually a direct descendant of Celestia, after a little over a thousand years worth of generations. He liked to call her "Auntie" despite her being closers to a great great grandmother. His parents died when he was 5 and Celestia took him in. He was hardly the first foal she raised directly. Over the years Celestia had adopted many children who all helped rule over the land as a Prince. Although Blue Blood was legally Spike's brother they acted more like cousins, not really having much to do with each other but getting on well enough at family gatherings.

Princess Cadence was snuggled up against Shining Armor. Cadence was Celestia's other pupil. A Pegasus who achieved a form of enlightenment and ascended into an Alicorn at a young age. Alicorns were really just an expansion on the same magic that gave ponies their Cutie Marks. The Ascension came from a deep understanding of their own purpose. Cadence achieved this "inner self enlightenment" when she was just a foal.

Cadence was just an orphan back then, living in a group home with others. After she ascended Celestia took her in and began grooming her for her role as a Princess.

Cadence was Twilight's old Foalsitter but she had looked after most of the upperclass foals of Canterlot. As Celestia thought that was a good way to teach her responsibility. No, what she was really doing here was something Twilight was sure she would be irritated about once she got Spike back. Apparently Cadence was engaged to Twilight's brother Shining Armor... Which he never told Twilight about and of course she had to find out after Spike was foalnapped. Of course Twilight dreamed about those two one day tying the knot but she would have liked to have heard about it when it finally happened.

There was no denying Shining Armor loved Spike like a little brother. The Stallion was actually the one to introduce Spike to comic books and tabletop games. He'd been converting the young dragon to the ways of nerdom since he hatched.

This little group was an unconventional family but they were a family. Spike's family, and they needed to get him back. The group were all looking out at the beautiful landscape. However none of them were moved by it. They were all too busy worrying over the same thing. Just how were they going to get Spike back?

Staring blankly at the mountain range off was when Twilight realized that one of them... wasn't a mountain, "Dear Celestia..."

"Yes?" Celestia blinked looking over at her apprentice, "Is there something you need Twilight?"

"Big..." Twilight gulped and Celestia chuckled.

"Yes," The Sun Princess smiled, "Elder dragons are an impressive sight," looking over at the Alpha Dragon as he waited for them at the edge of his island.

Blue Blood smiled, "Don't let his size startle you. Lava Frost is a very reasonable dragon. I come up to these parts rather frequently to discuss trade agreements with his nest,"

Twilight scoffed, "Like you know reasonable,"

The Prince rolled his eyes, "Honestly, I hope you're not letting your past grievances interfere with the matter at hoof. That's hardly worthy of your usual maturity,"

"Oh I'M not acting mature!" Twilight glared, "Last time I saw you, you threw a cake at my friend!"

Blue looked upfronted, "I was not the one to throw the cake," Before giving a slight smirk with mischief playing in his eyes, "Although she did make an adequate shield,"

Celestia groaned like a mother on the verge of losing her patience, "Let's not do this right now and focus on Spike,"

"We're going to get him back?" Shining almost begged, "Aren't we your majesty?" However the Princess didn't answer.

When they finally got to the island and their ship landed next to the giant's feet they were shocked when his entire body burst into flame. The giant quickly shrunk down to a more manageable size, standing only slightly taller then Celestia.

"You're majesty," the Alpha smiled as the group left their ship and stood before him.

"I was informed you have my son," Celestia spoke more gravely and the dragon frowned.

"Yes, by your son, from a letter I recommended he write to you," Lava Frost reminded, "I'm trying to handle this transition as smoothly as possible, for Spike's sake,"

Celestia sighed, "You dragons gave up your claim to him a decade ago... why now?"

"I wasn't aware of Spike's existence until now, and although I respect the Dragon Lord's opinion, he had no right to reject a member of my nest on my behalf,"

"With respect I have raised Spike since he hatched," Celestia reminded, "I adopted him with the Dragon Lord's blessing. I did everything according to your own laws because you didn't want him. I have more claim to him then you do,"

"Really? You have claim to a kidnapped child because you found him?" The Alpha raised a scaley brow, "Celestia, what you need to understand is that I am not keeping Spike because I changed my mind. I didn't know about him. I thought he was dead, and he has family here,"

Twilight snapped, "We're his family!"

The dragon sighed, "and I'm willing to offer visitation in acknowledgement of that... but that is all. We are keeping Spike,"

"But-" Twilight tried but Celestia raised a hoof to silence Twilight.

The Princess of the sun stared down the giant with an expression Twilight had never seen on her face, anger, "I would like to end this peacefully but I will lay my cards down openly, so that we understand each other. Spike might not be my blood but I looked after him since he first hatched. I cared for him when he was sick and taught him everything he knows of the world. He IS my son, maybe not by blood but in every way that matters. The only one of my children that I won't have to watch die! My ponies might not be a match for you but I am the closest thing to a god you will ever meet... and if you don't return Spike to me by noon tomorrow I will fry this entire island into such a smoldering pile of ash not even YOU could survive. Then calmly take Spike back home,"

The elder dragon just looked at the fierce mother a moment, "How long do you plan to stay on our plane?" he asked Celestia, seemingly randomly, "You're an entity, a physical representation of the sun, but you're weak in such a form.

"Oh I have no doubt you can make good on your threat, when the sun finally reaches us, but truth is you have to wait til then, because the sun is too far away to really do anything at this point... and your mortal shell is too weak to take me on, let alone my entire nest. I remember when your shell alone could easily destroy a city state with a passing thought but as the centuries passed you only got weaker well away from your true body.

"Honestly, in my humble opinion, you've been muddling through mortal affairs for far too long. How much longer before your forced to return to your place in the sky. The fact you're grooming that Cadence girl is proof you're preparing to leave,"

All the ponies suddenly stared at Celestia in shock, "Not for a generation or so," the sun Princess insisted.

"And how long is that to a dragon? A pony generation? 500 years? Add a clawful of decades? Spike will still be very much a child by then, in his mid teens but still in need of a parent's guidance. Will you take him to the sun with you? I imagine that would be a very lonely existence for such an outgoing dragon. Maybe pawn him off on your Alicorn pupil and abandon him? Even then, how long will it take before his sheer size causes your ponies to cower before him. Changing size takes a lot of magic and cannot be maintained for more then a few hours even by somedragon as old as myself. He needs a stable home and that starts here,"

Celestia looked at him a moment, "Why are you risking so much over one dragon? Who I was told a decade ago was an unwanted Earthy,"

"Same reason you are threatening genocide to get him back," Answered Lava Frost, "because he's family," Lava Frost insisted, "And even if it means provoking the wrath of a god I will fight for him as I would any other member of my nest,"

Celestia studied the Alpha a moment, "Very well,"

Twilight exclaimed, "Princess!"

"However," Celestia insisted, "only on the condition that Spike's pony family is allowed to visit whenever we want,"

The alpha smiled, "I will inform the patrol. Now if you follow me, Spike is eager to see you all,"

Redefining Family: Part 2

"Mom!" Spike jumped at Celestia as she bent down to embrace him. She held him tight with her front leg well she nuzzled him.

"Only you could worry me so much," Celestia sighed with relief once he was back in her hooves.

"Gee thanks Mom," snarked Blue Blood. Oddly only calling her "Mom" when he was annoyed with her. He usually just called her "Auntie", given that was what he called her back when his parents were alive.

Celestia rolled her eyes, "Thankfully, you were never such a trouble maker,"

Spike stuck his tongue out at the stallion well Blue Blood raised an eyebrow.

Blue Blood responded with, "You realize she wasn't complementing you, right?"

The dragon captain of the guard, shrunken down to Celestia size like their alpha, tapped Lava Frost and whispered, "We couldn't find Garble. He seemes to have skipped school," when the old Alpha groaned in response the captain of the guard insisted, "It's not so bad. My patrol has traced him to a few stores. He bought an older whelp bed and some toys from the stone cutters and other shops have reported seeing him purchase whelp merchandise. I'm guessing he's preparing his cave for the little guy,"

Lava Frost nodded, "Still, he should have told somedragon, I'm sure his sensei would have excused him if he asked... track him down, tell him once he's finished to report to me, but not until he's finished. Preparing his cave for the whelp takes priority to repairing diplomatic relations. Insure Garble we are keeping Spike with the ponies blessing but they will be visiting frequently so we need to repair the damage he did by reclaiming Spike directly without going through proper channels," then Lava Frost muttered to himself, "If he just told me before claw I would have gone to Celestia directly and we could have gotten Spike back without having to talk the sun out of eradicating our entire nest,"

The guard sighed, "That really was far too close... do you think the little whelp is really worth getting on the bad side of the sun spirit?"

Lava Frost insisted, "All Whelps are worth it. Besides I'm sure Spike will pull his weight when he grows up. He'll be a fine addition to our nest,"

The guard looked at the Earth dragon with clear doubt in his eyes, "If you say so,"

"Just wait for Garble in his cave, Skull Crusher, if he is truly whelp proofing it he will be going back and forth between there and shops. Best to just wait for him on his next run,"

Skull Crusher bowed, "At your command, All-Father," then the captain of the draconic guard took off. Transforming back into a giant as he flew up through the center of the Volcano.

Lava Frost groaned, rubbing his temple. He quickly flinched as Spike asked the most dangerous question he had ever hear.

"Are you-we going home?" the little whelp practically danced.

The Princess of the sun looked torn as she asked, "Do you want to go home?"

'oh hell' Lava Frost couldn't help but think. Was it going to start up all over again? He just talked the goddess out of slaughtering his nest. The Whelp's answer could very well determine if they were going to war or not.

Spike, for his part, looked equally as torn as the princess.

Celestia raised his head with her hoof, "come now Spike, I raised you to be honest with me at all times. You know how much I value such a trait... do you want to come home?"

Spike bit his lip and said something that put Lava Frost at ease, "I don't know,"

Celestia sighed with seeming relief, "That's good, that means this place actually stands a chance of becoming your new home,"

"My new home?" Spike gulped, "You mean you... don't want me anymore?"

"I will always be your mother," Celestia assured, "You know how I trusted you to look after Twilight well she settled into Ponyville?"

Spike blushed and fiddled with his tail the way whelps do when they are nervous, "You only asked me that because I followed her around all the time,"

The purple unicorn Spoke up, "That's not true Spike. You were always a big help to me. You're the best little brother ever,"

Spike's eyes turned wide at what she said. Twilight never actually acknowledged what their relationship was before. Spike gulped, "I'm... I'm not coming back with you... am I?"

Shining squeezed passed Celestia and nuzzled his baby brother, "You better continue my work and turn all the little dragons into nerds,"

Spike snickered as he nuzzled him back, "I need my O&O books for that,"

Twilight spoke up, "I'll bring all your stuff with me on my next visit," she promised.

"oh... right..." Spike got depressed again.

Celestia joined Shining in nuzzling the boy, "Spike we all love you and will visit often, and I expect even more frequent letters from you... but I believe this place will be good for you. Lava Frost can teach you many things I just can't. You will make friends here. I remember how many of the pony foals reacted when I tried to send you to a proper school,"

"You did?" Spike blinked.

Celestia blinked back, "Of course I did. I found the best preschool in Canterlot... and you were miserable. All the foals were scared of you... which didn't help that I had the teacher imprisoned for a month after unjustly punishing you. All you did was sneeze! It wasn't your fault the desk caught fire. She was just such a horse,"

Spike gaped as he heard his mom, HIS MOM, curse.

Celestia, for her part, blushed, "You better not repeat that,"

Spike nodded adamantly.

"Anyway," Celestia went on, "After that I pulled you out of school and decided to home school you myself. It was just easier to give your lessons alongside Twilight. I never imagined you two would grow so close. You would follow her around everywhere, picking up after her so She wouldn't get in trouble. Helped me make sure she was eating cuz she often found some dusty old tome that she just had to read and would forget everything else. You helped me take care of her and she helped me take care of you and both of you helped me to laugh and enjoy life. Things were getting so very boring here but you rejuvenated me. You helped me rediscover the beauty of the world... And Blue Blood complained about it,"

"Honestly!" Blue Blood exclaimed.

Celestia pulled her other, more reluctant, son into a hug. The blonde stallion promptly shoved Shining out of the way to get to Spike. Shining glared at being forced from the hug pile but wouldn't settle for that as he forced himself back in with Twilight.

Cadence stood awkwardly to the side, looking on the scene... and licking her lips.

Redefining Family, Part 3

Garble glared at the... not so puny pony princess. She was actually taller then him! He didn't know ponies could get so big!

"Garble, this is my mom-" Garble didn't think there were words that could piss him off more then the ones that just left Spike's mouth.

"She's not your mom!" Garble snapped at Spike before the whelp could say her name.

Suddenly a yellow energy grabbed at the young teen's right fin. Garble yelped as he clawed at the offending magic as it dragged him over to the horse.

The large white pony glared dangerously at the rookie dragon, "I am more family then you," she snarled.

"I'm his blood!" Garble disagreed as he tried to lean into the magic so she wasn't pulling on his fin so hard. Tartarus, it was bad enough when his elders did this but a pony was damn right humiliating.

"Really? I don't recall seeing you beside me when I was changing his diapers or teaching him to read," The pony quibbed.

"You bloody horse!" Garble screamed as he pulled at his eternal flame. His entire body ignited into fire as the pony let go of his fin in shock, "How 'bout I make you bleed?"

Before he could charge Lava Frost suddenly grabbed both the boy's arms and held them so high, forcing the boy to dance on his tippy toes as he tried to regain his balance. Garble yelped and his flames immediately died as a large claw smacked his rear.

"All Father!?" Garble cried as he was smacked again.

"Don't All Father me!" Lava Frost barked, "Why are you so dead set on throwing our nations into war!?"

Garble danced about as the claw kept smacking him again and again, "She stole Spike!" he growled through the stinging, trying to stay strong, though he knew it couldn't last.

"She did no such thing," Lava Frost was taking her side! "You should be thankful her kind found his egg and took him in. Otherwise Spike would be DEAD right now, all because of your own stupidity," that got Garble crying. It didn't help that he was getting continuous smacks from a claw that hit his entire backside as if he was nothing more then a whelp.

Maker did it hurt. His butt was stinging worse then any punishment he had ever recieved before, and Lava Frost wasn't stopping!

Garble continued to dance on the tips of his toes as he tried to fidget the pain away. His eyes were burning from salty tears.

Lava Frost suddenly stopped but retained that look of sheer disappointment. He NEVER stayed mad after a Spanking!

"Now Garble," Lava Frost glared as he released the teens arms, "I would like to introduce you to, Princess Celestia," he gestured at the tall horse, "Goddess of the sun,"

Garble's eyes widened, "Celestia?..."

The tall pony nodded.

Lava Frost glared at the Rookie dragon, "perhaps now you will understand why we will be continuing this discussion, at length, when we return to the nest,"

Garble gulped, but steeled himself. He was strong. He would not backdown from anyone, not even the All Father. Not when the young rookie knew he was right.

"Just look how small he is!" Garble insisted, as he pointed at Spike, "They've been starving him! Feeding all their useless flowery crap! He wouldn't even try the fish I caught this morning! They've been neglecting him to the point he's TERRIFIED to eat meat! He's going to die before he even reaches adulthood at this rate!"

Celestia looked up, startled at that, but Lava Frost assured, "We got too him before that becomes an issue. Although he will always be small for a dragon, I will be able to work with him on a healthier diet," the reason he didn't today was Spike had just gotten here. He didn't want to overwhelm the child as he probably grew up with pony values regarding meat... he was kinda hoping he could trick the kid into trying fish and then explaining what that was... That got messed up by young Horrorcow as she traded plates with the whelp... the plan might have even gotten messed up before then, by the apprentice chef. Who accidentally it slip the rice dish was fish, or perhaps even before that by Garble and his less then subtle tactics.

Whoever was at fault now it was certain that whenever Lava Frost was forced to get the boy to eat meat, there would undoubtedly be a lot if tears.

For her own part Celestia looked down in shame, "My ignorance of dragons is partially why I agreed to let your nest take him,"

"Isn't it exactly why you shouldn't be allowed NEAR him, or any other whelp!" Garble roared... only to get smacked... by Spike. Garble lifted his leg, and grabbed his own shin. Looking down in shock at the little whelp that just kicked it.

"That's enough," Spike glared, "Mom loves me! And more importantly, I love her!!! If you're going to make me choose between you, you're not going to like my choice,"

"Spike..." Garble didn't know how to react, those words hurt more then the whelp had intended, but Spike wasn't done.

"Mom might not have fed me meat but she did feed me a lot of tofu and bean patties and lots of stuff high in protein and fiber. Then let's not forget the millions of Bits worth of gems I must have eaten over the years! I am FAR from neglected!" Spike insisted.

Lava Frost explained, "Such things are not a good substitute for meat, at least not for dragons. We need to eat flesh so that we can absorb the specific type of magic that lurks within it. It is the same reason we eat gems. They hold a different kind of magical signature we need. Our bodies do not even digest food the same way as most creatures, rather everything eaten is completely disintegrated by our eternal flame and it's lingering magic used to sustain our own pathways. Our bodies are made up of water and magic so we need both to survive,"

"I know that much," Celestia hesitantly smiled, "It only takes so long for a panicking mother to realize her newborn was only peeing in his diaper," Spike blushed and began to squirm at the comment but Celestia was unfazed as she went on with the story, "One extremely detailed physical later and I got a basic blue print of dragon organs and biology... unfortunately it appears it wasn't detailed enough..." she looked down in shame. Her merriment at the memory almost instantly gone.

Lava Frost looked on with sympathy, "You had no way of knowing this, nor could you. We dragons like to keep to ourselves and don't advertise our weaknesses," Lava Frost glared at Garble, "However, Celestia has left Spike in our care so the past is moot. In return for entrusting us with her ward she and the rest of Spike's pony family are allowed to visit whenever they please. Well here they will be treated as honored guest, as if from an allied nest. I will not tolerate anything else. Are we clear?"

Garble mutely nodded, still too hurt by the fact Spike said he'd always choose the ponies over him. Garble just didn't have it in him to argue his point right now.

It was several more hours later, after much calmer talks and a lot of pony cuddle piles on a certain whelp, when the ponies finally had to leave.

Lava Frost asked, "Sure you won't spend the night,"

Celestia sighed, "We lack the resources and I am due in court in the morning. Although this took precedence, now that I know Spike is safe, I must return to my duties. I will clear my calendar so that I can come back this weekend but until then I must return,"

Twilight added, "I'll pack up Spike's stuff and bring it with me next time I visit. He's got a few thousand comic books and tabletop games thanks to this one," She lightly kicked Shining Armor, who chuckled nervously.

Shining insisted to Spike, "Next time I visit how about I run an O&O game for you and your friends. I must continue my quest to convert all dragons to the ways of Nerddom,"

Spike grinned like a loon at the proposal, "Sure, I bet I can get Horrorcow to play,"

All the ponies stared at Spike at the name so Lava Frost explained, "Dragons believe a terrifying name will scare off Wendigos. It's an old superstition that kinda just stuck with the culture,"

"Is Solar a terrifying name?" Spike blinked. When Lava Frost blinked at him Spike explained, "It's my first name, Solar Spike,"

"The fury of the sun," Lava Frost smiled, "I can't think of any more worthy name,"

The little whelp looked all proud before looking at his family with a less confident expression, "You're all coming back... right?"

"Of course we are," Assured Blue Blood, of all ponies, "We'll leave dark and dreary Friday night so that we can be here first thing Saturday morning. Let's see how you like it when somepony jumps on your bed at midnight to wake you,"

Spike stuck out his tongue at his adopted brother before getting one last hug from his family. Then watched them board the ship and sale off. Then Garble picked up the little Whelp and flew him back to the volcano, with all the other dragons accompanying them.

Spike was so tired he didn't even mind being tucked into the furs on the lumpy mattress. Garble couldn't help but smile as he saw the whelp absentmindedly snuggle the Teddy bear well sucking his thumb... however the image couldn't last as Garble then reported himself to the All Father to continue his punishment.

Chapter 4: Life in the Nest

The first day here had been an emotional one but it wasn't all bad. Spike made a friend his own age, legitimately his own age since she was a dragon and aged like him. Lava Frost seemed really nice, kind of like a grandfather to all the dragons of his nest. Then there was Garble...

Spike still didn't know what to make of Garble. He most certainly had a temper, but then he had been through a lot... parents died when he was just a foal, then Spike's egg getting inadvertently stolen by well-meaning ponies... still he was a very angry dragon and despite the fact Spike didn't want to be... he was a little scared of him...

It was weird. Spike's worse possible fear had come true... his pony family had abandoned him... but somehow it wasn't as bad as he imagined... he would still see them. They promised to come by each weekend for the entire weekend. Coming by Friday night and leaving Sunday night (after Spike was put to bed.) Spike would still get to see them, they were still family after all, it was just Spike lived with Garble now... his family had grown, not shrunken.

Still, there were things to get used to. Once again, Spike had woken up with animal furs covering him. He reacted much the same way as he had yesterday, only this time he didn't fall out of the bed, when he jumped up screaming, as his bed... had rails. He honestly didn't know what was worse. The fact he was cuddling the severed skin of dead animals, or that he was in a bed designed for literal toddlers.

Still after he calmed down he realized there was a teddy bear in his arms, that he was instinctively hugging for comfort... he just hugged it tighter and crawled out of the bed, made out of a thousand slaughtered bunnies, then looked around.

There was lots of tiny, babyish furniture carved out of stone and painted bright colors draped in a healthy layer of dead animal skins, for a disturbingly comfy cushion. The bright blue walls had fluffy clouds painted on them that glowed with magical white light. It started dim when Spike first woke up, but then got brighter after he got out of bed. Magic nightlight paint that lit up the room when you woke up? That stuff was hard to make. It required Zecora levels of alchemical brewing skills.

It was pretty cool these dragons were so educated in magical crafts they could use it to decorate a child's room. It was absolutely awesome, upon deeper reflection, that this meant Spike was going to be taught these same skills as part of his basic education... kind of sucked he had to wait another 10 years for it but it would happen, eventually, and that’s what was important.

Upon further inspection of the room there were a number of stone toy crates. One of the crates had... a collection of dog toys in it? They were squeaky and obviously meant for chewing... come to think of it he did see a few whelps playing with toys like these at the nursery. He had been a bit too distracted to really give it much thought, what with his talk with Lava Frost and what happened with Horrorcow...

Curiously he stuck the toy in his mouth and chewed on it. It was harder than expected almost like... he blushed. THESE THINGS WERE BUCKING DRAGON TEETHING RINGS!!! How young did Garble think he was!?!

Quickly putting the toy back, Spike fled to another crate and was relieved to see it had more age appropriate toys. Poseable dragon action figures, made of stone. Spike didn't recognize the characters but spied a drawing that looked like one of the figures.

That is when he decided to spend most of his morning climbing up bookshelves and fetching the short stories. The books were made of stone tablets bound together with... leather disturbingly enough. They were picture books, not proper comics, each side of the tablet had a single image that had words carved in at the bottom of it.

They were written in a strange language that Spike had never seen before, but somehow understood perfectly. He knew the meaning to these words better than he did Ponish. They weren't really words at all. Just scratch marks that gave him some kind of weird feeling, "an instinctual impression of what they meant" as Twilight would put it.

The books seemed to be dragon Fairytales, mostly about brave and courageous Dragon warriors who fought off evil Griffin Knights. They often fought alongside various other Draconic creatures. There were tons of creatures, definitely not dragons but most definitely Draconic... he felt some bizarre connection to them too. It wasn't curiosity or even "infatuation" but... instinct. Again it was instinct that made him look at these creatures and connect with them. There was one that kept popping up. Dragons seemed absolutely obsessed with it as the creature was a main character in each of the fairytales. It was some skinny reptile called a... "Kobold"? Spike had never heard of that, yet he knew what the scratches meant... that was seriously freaky.

"Spike it's time to-" Garble blinked as he opened the door and saw Spike sitting on the floor, stone books thrown about the room and one in the whelp's claws.

The dragon toddler looked up from his reading and smiled at Garble. Garble forced himself to smile back... he had been hoping to be the one to introduce the whelp to these stories and possibly read them one at a time when putting the whelp to bed... but by the look of things the Whelp had been up for hours reading the books... another thing Garble missed out on...

"Let's put these away and get ready for the day," Garble tried to keep his voice tough, and not show how much this bothered him... Spike was back now... Garble wasn't supposed to still be missing out on stuff.

He started picking up the books and putting them back on the shelves. The little whelp got to helping him without a fuss.

Breakfast went better then yesterday. Again they were sitting on rocks in front of the lake, with a larger flat rock between them for a table. The food was just waiting for them on the rock when they got in and Spike took it to mean Garble prepared breakfast before getting Spike.

Thankfully Garble hadn't even offered him any fish. Just gave him a bowl of worms around a giant beetle the size of the little dragon's torso... but... Spike was still hesitant to try it. The whelp did try to lap up his water with his tongue like Garble did... but he just ended up pushing the water around the clay bowl and not getting anything in his mouth. Picking up the bowl he tilted it back and slurped at it instead. Garble rolled his eyes but didn't say anything.

Spike felt this was a good time to ask, "What's a Kobold?" more as a way to make pleasant conversation over a meal. He and Twilight always did stuff like that. Unfortunately that didn't seem to be the case with Garble.

Everything in the young Rookie Dragon froze. He could have sworn his own internal flame went out for a second, "How the flying $@&€ could you not know what a Kobold is!?" yeah Garble wanted to teach the boy but-but THAT!?! How was it possible for him to be so ignorant!?

Spike shrank in on himself, clearly frightened. Garble took calming breaths, "A Kobold is a holy servant, given to the Dragons by the god Io, creator of all things Draconic and god of balance," Garble didn't even ask if the Whelp knew who Io is, as he had a sickly feeling he wouldn't like the answer.

Spike tilted his head, showing complete ignorance of all this, "So they're slaves?"

Garble tightened his fist, "That's it! We aren't wasting the day away!" like he planned. "We are going out and exploring the island so that YOU can learn more about dragon culture," he expected an argument, or at least a whine, like any other whelp would have done if they were told they would spend the day getting lectured. Instead-

"REALLY!?!" Spike grinned when he heard the news. "You're going to show me around the island!?!" Spike wiggled excitedly. Then suddenly stopped and blinked in thought, "Don't you have school?"

Garble rolled his eyes, "I'm apprenticing. It's sort of like pony college. I only need to go to school Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Normally I would have homework in between but seeing as I skipped yesterday I don't know what it is," He lapped up some more water from his bowl, similar to how a dog would, "I am also excused from tomorrow, since Toothless and his little brother will be moving in with us... unless the Red Death Queen refuses to hand over the Nightfuries. I doubt they would be that stupid though," He picked up a large fish and bit its head off.

Spike's belly turned as he watched his brother chew the poor creature. He tried not to think about it as he slurped up a worm from his own food bowl like a spaghetti noodle.

"Why would she be crazy, not to hoof over the Nightfuries?" Spike asked, mostly to make small talk.

"Claw over, not 'hoof'," Garble immediately corrected, but Spike just rolled his eyes with far too much sass. Garble gave a playful sneer, "If you do that again, with your eyes, I'm going to squeeze lemon juice into them," Spike's eyes widened, but it wasn't from mirth... it was fear... the little whelp actually believed he would do that to him. Garble couldn't keep the growl out of his voice, "Don't be stupid, like I would actually do that," Spike just nodded obediently, and went completely quiet.

Garble sighed and went back to eating his fish. After a few unpleasantly silent moments he decided to answer Spike's question, if only to get the chatty little guy to talk again. He wouldn't shut up during Mating Season, "It would be a direct violation of Draconic trade treaties if the red death refused to hand over the new additions to our nest we were promised. She would be executed and her nest would be split up amongst the other leaders,"

Spike's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

Garble shrugged, "The Dragon Lord and his council of elder's usually make sure nests don't attack each other but a breach in trade is considered an act of war, due to how much we all rely on those resources. To keep order ALL nests are required to act as a unit against the offender. If she goes quietly, which they always do, she will be tried and executed if found guilty. Then the occupants of her nest will be split up and relocated to other nest,"

"How would Lava Frost get the message to the Dragon Lord?" Spike tilted his head, "Wouldn't it take months to send a letter?" without Spike's flame at least.

"Each Elder receives an enchanted crown which lets them talk telepathically to each other from all over the world. Lava Frost got his after he was banished,"

"BANISHED!!!"

Garble rolled his eyes, "I'm sure Lava Frost will tell you that story eventually. For now, eat your beetle, it was Tartarus to catch,"

Spike bit his lip as he looked at the giant beetle, "I... can't eat something with a face,"

Garble rolled his eyes and reached around, ripping the bug's head right off and tossing it into his mouth, "There, problem solved. Now eat up,"

Spike squirmed, looking at the beetle, "No," the word left his mouth before he realized it.

Garble stiffened and bared his sharp teeth, "Eat your breakfast,"

Everything in Spike wanted to scream, "Yes Sir," but instead he snapped, "No," again.

Spike quickly stood up and, accidentally or intentionally- it didn't matter- knocked his plate off the table. It fell into the lake and was quickly gobbled up by fish. The Whelp's eyes somehow grew even larger. When Garble began to stand the whelp tried to make a break for it. Oh yeah, he knew he was in trouble. The little whelp tried to dash away but Garble was too fast. The Rookie grabbed the Whelp by his tail and lifted him over the table. Sitting back down and adjusting Spike over his lap. Spike had been in this position enough times to know what was about to happen.

"Really," Garble rolled his eyes, "I know whelps are all about testing boundaries, but couldn't you find a better reason than THAT!"

Was Spike doing that? It was just a bug so it's not like it was a big deal to eat it. Before Spike could figure it out for himself he gave out a yelp.

"You're 9, right?" Garble didn't really ask.

Still Spike had to correct, "10,"

Garble blinked, a little shocked Spike would actually admit to being older in this position, and even more shocked at just how small the boy was for his age. Garble had just guessed the Whelp's age based on his smell. It was hard to tell though, because his scent seemed not only malnourished, but masked by ponies.

"Alright," Garble grunted, "Then you got 20 smacks coming your way,"

"What!?" Spike yelped, "No! I meant 5, I'M FIVE!"

Garble smiled in amusement, so the whelp hadn't known why he was asking his age, "Sorry little guy, Dragon whelps get double their age. Try to tough it out. Can you be brave for me?"

Spike gulped and said in a small voice, "y-yeah"

Garble nodded and raised his claw. Then he brought it down with way too much force as the whelp screamed bloody murder. Garble flinched. He's never actually done this before and the last thing he wanted was to seriously hurt the little guy. Yeah he threw a tantrum over nothing, but that wasn't call to get him shrieking like this. Garble swatted the whelp again but he didn't even notice. It took a few more swats to figure out just how hard he should hit but eventually he got into a pattern. Striking the little bottom over and over. Garble's claw was bigger than the Whelp's head, and downright monstrous compared to his bottom. Spike cried and wiggled, but he wasn't acting like he was being tortured despite the intensity of the first smack.

"There," Garble grunted, landing the last smack and sitting the whelp up. The little whelp immediately wrapped his arms around Garble's middle and buried his head into the red dragon's scales.

Garble stiffened, although he should have expected this as even he did it after one of his teacher's laid into him. Garble gulped and at first he just patted the Whelp's head awkwardly. Then he got to rubbing circles on his back like Garble's instructors did for him.

It must have been a good ten minutes before Spike calmed down.

"We don't waste food," Garble did his best too look stern, although he was more put out then he expected from hearing Spike cry. He kept telling himself the little boy deserved it. "Most nests aren't as lucky as us. We can't afford to disgrace ourselves by discarding food like that, even if you don't like it then you trade it to someone else for something you do like... but not without trying it," Garble added to the picky boy, "Understand?"

Spike sniffled, but nodded his head.

"Now," Garble hardened himself, "Since you wasted the special meal I spent an hour trying to catch for you," the little whelp looked down in shame, good, "You will have to share my fish,"

Spike paled, "No," he quickly shook his head.

Garble glared, "You better not need another spanking so soo,"

Spike gulped, "I-I don't," he promised. He didn't think he could handle another spanking. That hurt a lot more than even Blue Blood's occasional tannings.

Garble sliced off a sliver of the fish and brought it up to the whelp, "Try it, if you don't like I'll give you more worms but you better try it,"

Spike sniffled and reached out for the slab of flesh. He gulped as it traded claws. It was slimy and squishy, not even cooked. The little whelp took a deep breath. Garble rolled his eyes at the over dramatics. Then Spike took a hesitant bite... and started crying all over again.

Garble's eyes widened, "What's wrong?"

Spike wept, harder than he had even during his spanking, "It's GOOD!!!" why did it have to be so good? It was the best thing he ever tasted... and that made him feel incredibly guilty.

Garble rolled his eyes, not understanding the reaction at all and dismissing it, "If it's so good, then you better eat up," Spike cried harder but hesitantly picked up one of the smaller fish... and bit into it.

Garble sighed with relief that he had forced the issue himself. If Spike had cried like this in front of the other Whelps, outside a spanking that is, he never would have lived it down. Garble went back to rubbing soothing circles on the Whelp's back as he ate.

Author's Note

Edited by Tijpoi, AKA Typo the Dragon

Life in the Nest, Part 2

Hiccup hung his head in shame at the expression from the lead trader of the caravan. He was accompanied by near a dozen other dragon traders from alpha Lava Frost's nest. They were all wearing humungous saddle bags filled with hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of gems, jerky, and rice.

"You have got to be kidding me!!!" The adult dragon gaped seeing the whelp Hiccup and his older brother, the rookie Toothless. The trader sneered at the elder female, bearing his fangs in outrage, "This isn't what we agreed to!!!"

The Red Death rolled her eyes, "You wanted Nightfuries. Well, here they are."

"You charlatan!" The trader snarled. He looked at the dozens of others in his caravan. "Pack everything up! We're leaving!"

The Red Death smirked. "Am I too understand you are not going to hold up your end of the deal?"

The younger dragon froze, his eyes widening at the implication. "You misrepresented what you promised!"

"I promised nightfuries. I never said they would be healthy and whole. Who in their right mind would trade such dragons?" She gave an evil smirk. "You can still use them to hatch healthy Nightfury whelps for your nest. You would just have to deal with having these two as dependents on the state. My nest is too large and too crowded to feed the mouths of those that can't pull their own weight."

● Lava Frost's Island

After Spike ate all his fish, and dried his eyes, Garble took him up to the market district of the volcano, to meet the kobolds.

They were tiny bipedal lizards, scrawny to the point they looked like they were made of only bones and scales.

"Dragons have a symbiotic relationship with Kobolds," Garble explained. "They are not slaves. Both our creatures benefit from helping each other. We care for each other and feed each other. As Pilot fish will tend over sharks, kobolds assist dragons. They are our assistants and we are their protectors, as demanded by Io, god of all things draconic."

"Each kobold clan handles a specific task. There is even a clan behind the mountain range that farms rice," Garble explained as Spike stared at the tiny creatures as they walked through the 'street.' "They have rice fields that stretch as far as the eye can see. In exchange for our patrols keeping the predators and pest out of their territory, they share their rice with us. There is another clan that will tend our hatchery and another that clean our caves, both in exchange for gems.

"Alchemy is a very hard skill to master but dragons are particularly skilled at it. Due to the sheer size of our magical reserves. It makes turning rocks and leaves into gems much easier for us so they rely on us for gems like we rely on them for rice. We share the fish of the Volcano equally and assist each other in breeding them around the various hot springs of the island. Food is the ultimate resource to all dragon species. We don't really have a use for useless golden coins. We trade in food like gems, dairy, grain, fish, and meat. We dragons are sure to set aside some of our own food to spread around to the kobold clans.

"The various kobold merchant clans, located here in the market district, trades their crafts with the whelps and rookie dragons. Adult dragons are too big for kobolds to realistically build them anything. Is a real shame but adults get used to having few personal items. I heard that adult dragons used to use their alchemy skills to make beds, their size, out of the red woods that grow on our island. Unfortunately after our population grew Lava Frost put a stop to that as those are resources that could be turned into gems to feed everyone. There are still a few adult beds floating around from the old days but those things are worth their weight in Gems and most dragons don't think it is worth it."

"So resources are scarce for dragons?" Spike blinked.

"A dragon needs to eat their body weight in food a day," Garble explained. "For whelps like you that's nothing, but an adult dragon weighs 10s of thousands of tons. Most of our resources need to be focused on feeding them. Thank Io the fish breed and mature quickly." Garble shook his head. "Most other nest our size can't cope... the leading cause of death for dragons is starvation... most dragons don't even live long enough to be elders because they can't sustain a regular diet. Even our nest can't support them and elders have to leave to start their own nest... but most just die trying to fend for themselves."

Spike paled, Garble eyed the whelp. "You see now why I was so pissed the ponies weren't feeding you right? Or why you got a proper spanking for wasting food."

Spike gave a hesitant nod. Garble sounded like he was still mad about both those things. Children were supposed to be forgiven after they were punished... not even Blue Blood stayed mad at him after a tanning.

Thankfully, after a moment in silence, Garble moved on. "After you get settled, I will start giving you an allowance of gems specifically for trading with the kobolds. You best not eat them, as they are for the kobolds, not you, and you better not take extra gems from our horde to buy something stupid either." Garble looked down at Spike with a warning glare.

"Most importantly, treat the kobolds with respect. Everything you have in your room I got from them. That includes your bed, your books, and your toys. If you see any kobolds from those clans be sure to thank them and tell them how much you enjoy their crafts. They love hearing from appreciative whelps. Lava Frost will teach you the difference clan symbols kobold tattoo onto themselves."

"Tattoos?" Spike blinked.

"You don't think their scales have those weird patterns on them naturally? When a Kobold reaches adulthood they join one of their clans, and are tattooed to show it. Then they receive additional tattoos to show off their accomplishments in their trade."

"Do dragons do that?" Spike gulped as he imagined being poked with needles for a lifetime of tattoos.

"Of course not." Garble rolled his eyes. "Although dragon nobles will embed gems into their scales to show off their rank but that is only nobles. You don't need to worry about that... but be sure to show respect to any dragon with gems in their scales."

"Alright." Spike nodded as they continued through the Market district. Spike eagerly absorbed all the info about dragons and kobolds. He punched his chest and coughed out a green flame. A note pad and quill materialized in the flames, which he quickly grabbed hold of. He couldn't figure why he didn't do this yesterday. He quickly scribbled down everything Garble told him, not noticing the odd look his big bro was giving him.

Garble definitely had to tell Lava Frost about this particular power.

Life in the Nest, Part 3

Garble directed Spike into one of the smaller Caverns inside the volcano. The much taller dragon actually had to get on all fours. In order for him to fit comfortably underneath the low ceiling.

"I loved this place when I was your age." Garble smiled, a bit of nostalgia in his eyes.

Spike quickly realized why. They were in a comic book store!!! Sure, they were drawn on stone tablets, bound together by... leather... but they were still comics!!! Dragons had their own comics!!!

Spike looked down one aisle. Finding it filled with books about dragon cowboys, IN SPACE!!! Some of them were fighting aliens. Where others were living as space outlaws.

"Over here!" Garble called, as he made his way to the back. With Spike giddily following, passing other aisles of rice based candies, and stone action figures. But Garble had one particular set of shelves he wanted Spike to see.

At the very back, Spike blinked, not seeing the big deal. They were just singular tablets. Sure the colorful art was cool, but he really didn't see the appeal.

Then Garble picked one up, and pressed an arrow at the bottom... and the picture... CHANGED!!! It now had the traditional 9 panels of a comic!!!

"This is an Omnibus," Garble informed, turning it around to show off the back. Which had a few columns worth of comic titles. It was just this massive index! With at least 300 different comics!!! "It's a complete collection of a saga."

"You see," Garble demonstrated. "You can read any of these comics, just by touching the title. Then it will appear on the front of the tablet. You can turn the pages by touching the side arrows, down here at the bottom with the other symbols. Then the up and down arrows allow you to move through the comics. You can even bookmark places, by pushing the star, or pressing the little rectangle to return to your last viewed page.

"Unfortunately these things have a time limit. But that's more cuz the enchantments need time to recharge. It will remember everything, but you can only read for about 5 hours, before it needs to rest. When it does that, it will save your place, and return to the cover page. This little lightning bolt, will slowly fill until it turns completely green. Then you can read again. Not a big deal, as that takes about 20 minutes.

"Since these things are for Whelps, they are also enchanted to be indestructible."

Spike awed, absorbing everything about the amazing comics. "I don't think even ponies have stuff like this."

Garble smiled at that. Always happy to hear when Dragons did something better then ponies. "Kobolds are Master enchanters," he boasted, as if it was his accomplishment. "We even got tablets that pull you inside, and let whelps go on adventures." Not mentioning all the safety features, to insure no permanent injury, and certainly not real world death. Even if you got hurt or worse inside the tablet. The little whelp should experience the fun of simulated danger, before realizing it was just simulated.

Spike awed.

"And I would have bought you 1 of each, if you hadn't thrown a tantrum this morning," Garble gave a mock glare... unfortunately Spike seemed to think he was serious. "Idiot! What kinda monster do you think I am, to show off this stuff to a Whelp, and then tell them 'you can't have it'."

Spike blushed, still not used to Garble's sense of humor. Frankly it just seemed mean. Like when he jokes about pouring lemon juice into the boy's eyes.

"So... I can get one?" Spike confirmed.

Garble groaned, pinching his snout. "Yes you can get one. AND ONLY ONE! 1 Adventure Tablet, and 1 Omnibus. I don't want to hear you whine for more. Just 1 of these tablets cost 3 months of your allowance. You should only expect these as a Hatch Day or Holiday present... when is your hatch day?" Garble suddenly felt horrible he didn't know.

Spike blinked, taking a moment to translate that. It was probably the dragon equivalent to birthdays. Doing a quick count on his fingers, Spike answered, "About 3 months ago, on the 9th."

Garble... was crushed, he missed his little brother's hatch day by 3 freaking months!!! He was hoping he would be able to celebrate it with him.

"Well, since your hatch day wasn't that long ago. You may pick up two extra Omnibus."

Spike's eyes sparkled like a pony's. "REALLY!!?" The whelp grinned madly.

"I said it didn't I!" Garble snapped.

Spike shrugged, "You say lots of things."

"... Just get your comics."

After Spike chose all his comics, Garble walked him to the counter.

Spike gulped, seeing the little kobold there. He was a bright blue, with very shiny scales, and orange tattoos... but that wasn't why Spike gulped... he felt... something... like a strong need to get close to the little creature... a strong desire... to protect him.

Spike yelped as Garble whacked him upside his head.

"Don't just stand there, staring," Garble grumbled. "Give him your tablets."

Spike blushed, wanting to rub out the slight sting, but he couldn't, as his claws were filled with a small stack of stone slabs. Putting them on the counter, the Kobold looked disapprovingly at Garble.

"You realize," the Kobold scolded the Rookie dragon. "If you keep spoiling him like this. He's likely to fall prey to his greed."

Spike's eyes grew wide at that, "Wait WHAT!?"

The Kobold smiled patiently, "Calm little one. It's the equivalent of greed fuelled tantrums. Nothing bad will happen."

"Last time that happened to me I nearly destroyed the town!!!" Spike panicked. Immediately wanting to put the comics back.

The Kobold just chuckled, while Garble blushed that Spike would just ADMIT that. Greed Induced Big-ness was just under bed wetting on the embarrassment scale. Something natural, that happens to many whelps growing up, but still something the baby dragons liked to tease each other about.

The Kobold commented, "Pony towns are rather fragile. Just be a good little whelp, and appreciate what you have. Then there shouldn't be a problem with unwanted big-ness."

Spike blinked, "You know I was raised by ponies?"

The Kobold shook his head. "Every whelp is precious to the nest. They are hatched slowly, over the 500 years between mating seasons. Whenever we get new Whelps, EVERY DRAGON immediately takes notice. Accepting Whelps into our nest is no different then a hatch day."

Spike coughed up his note pad again and started writing. The Kobold looked on in amazement. There were rumors about what the whelp could do with his pony fire... but too actually see it.

As little Solar Spike scribbled away, Garble reached for the pouch under his wing. Taking out a large Diamond and three hoof sized sapphires. Before giving them over to the Kobold.

"Can you tell me any more about these size changing powers?" Spike eagerly scribbled, "I saw Lava Frost turn into a Celestia sized dragon. So I'm guessing all Dragons can change shape. Is it all triggered by feelings of greed."

"Well you're at it," Said Garble. "Mind explaining a bit about Kobolds," he asked.

The Kobold was looking on in amusement, as he licked the gems, to test their purity. After all, Rookie dragons can't be expected to make very pure gems. They were, after all, very young. Thankfully these seemed a sufficient trade.

However all that stopped when Garble said. "He seems to think your slaves." With everything grinding to a halt.

Spike quickly learned, Kobolds were not slaves, and truthfully not even servants. Such entities don't threaten to tan little whelps backsides, "until they learn respect".

"I'm Sowwie," Spike looked as cute as possible. Channelling his cookie thieving eyes of doom. "I didn't even know there were such things as Kobolds until this morning."

That just annoyed the Kobold more, "What were those Ponies teaching you! To have such bad manners. I'm half tempted not to sell you anything."

"Woh now," Garble glared. "Yes, the Whelps got some screwy ideas in his head. But I don't mean he TREATS Kobolds like slaves. Rather he was worried dragons were mistreating your creatures."

The Kobold frowned. Not understanding how any dragon could do either of those things. Kobolds and dragons were bound to each other, on a biological level. They were completely dependent on each other for survival.

The little reptile groaned, "It's shameful a whelp could think that." he insisted.

"But it's not HIS shame," Garble countered. "Blame the ponies. You know how xenophobic they are."

Spike was shifting uncomfortably. He wanted to defend the ponies... but every pony he met... either thought he was a pet, or screamed when they first saw him. Few, outside his friends and family, acknowledged him as anything more then a lesser creature... he wanted to defend the ponies though...

"Ponies are prey animals," Spike tried. "Their bound to be skittish around predators."

Garble growled, "They got you thinking your own creatures are monsters that enslave anything we don't eat!"

Spike shifted, and suddenly realized the Kobold had lost his angry expression. Now he was looking at Spike as if the whelp was an abuse victim.

"My pony family never treated me like that," Spike assured... then had to admit, "But most ponies were scared of me, whenever they first met me. At least, back in Canterlot. The ponies of Ponyville immediately recognized me as a member of the royal family!" Spike declared proudly.

The Kobold sighed. Making a note to speak with Lava Frost. They needed to get the Whelp in to see some mind healers. He was far too young to have such twisted thoughts of his own creatures.

Life in the Nest, Part 4

"Where do you think you're going!" A voice snarled, and definitely didn't ask.

Garble was currently hovering over the top of the Volcano, Spike in his arms. The little whelp marveling at how high up they were.

Their way was blocked by a huge dragon. Not nearly as big as Lava Frost, but at least a hundred feet tall.

"Hey Skull Crusher," Garble gulped. He was hoping he'd be able to sneak out.

Skull Crusher bared his teeth, before speaking in a low growl. "You lost your brother once already. Would you really risk him again. Neither Whelps, nor eggs, are permitted outside the safety of the nest."

"What if you escort us?" Spike spoke up.

Skull Crusher frowned, looking at the tiny boy. Even for a whelp he was dangerously small. "There are a number of predators outside the nest. In all honesty, I'm uncomfortable even allowing the Kobolds to leave. And when they do, they have at least three dozen guards to protect their clutch.

"Maybe we can go with a Kobold clutch?" Spike tried. "That way you don't have to spare anymore guards?"

Skull Crusher shook his head, before looking at Garble. "You should not have humored this." Thinking it was the Whelps pleading that got the teenager to try to sneak him out... and Garble wasn't about to correct him.

"This is not a pony village," Skull looked back at the whelp. "The bogs are filled with uncomprehendible dangers. Even adult dragons struggle against some of the creatures here. It's the very reason we assumed you were dead, when Garble was stupid enough to bring you out here, as an egg."

Garble hung his head.

"I will not risk you again, and I hope your brother will swear the same."

Garble sighed. He really wanted to show Spike to the mountain range, that surrounded their island. He wanted to show him the rice fields. The hunting grounds. It's not like he was planning to go into the bog... but Crusher was right... it was dangerous out here.

Spike didn't seem to understand how dangerous, "Pleeeeeeze," The whelp begged. "I really want to know more about my new home. I bet the other baby dragons at least know what is around them!" he pleaded.

Skull Crusher sighed. The whelp had a point there. It was a duty that usually fell to the parents... but Spike belonged to every dragon, an orphan. It was important for whatever adult to answer his questions. Right now, that fell to Skull Crusher.

"Very well, but I want your word that you will not attempt to leave the nest without an adult, at least not until you are a Rookie Dragon."

Spike smiled, remembering the ceremony Garble gave him. He already WAS a Rookie, according to that... with no idea that was just a silly game, that wasn't the real ceremony. "Promise!" Spike eagerly nodded.

Skull Crusher nodded back, a bit more firm, and far more stoic. "We will be staying near the entrance, but I will point out what is important."

"What about that?" Spike pointed towards the mountain range. It was a giant circle, some miles out, surrounding the island.

Skull shrugged, "That is where most of our adults live. You see, the volcano is for whelps, younger rookies, and their parents. Once the children are big enough, usually around three hundred, their parents leave the nest. Going to the mountains. Then another set of parents are allowed to hatch their egg, and take shelter in the nest.

"The great migration usually takes place just after all the eggs have hatched, and most have left the nest for the mountains."

Spike frowned, "What's life like in the mountains?" worrying about them.

Skull shrugged, "Much as it is in the nest, only with more grownup responsibilities. Each cave has a pond that's filled with lava fish. Where underground tunnels, from our volcano, keep the water nice and hot. It doubles as vents for our nest. So that we never have to worry about an eruption.

"The mountain range, itself, is dragon made. A mighty wall, and grand city. Lava Frost tends to think millenniums ahead. Big nerd that he is." Skull gave an affectionate smile. "I wouldn't advise playing chess with him."

Spike smiled, looking at the distant mountains.

"Over there," Skull pointed to where water met land. With a large body of water between the island, and the mountain range. "Is Iron Scale Beach. It's where we tend the beast dragons. Entrusted to us by the Dragon Lord Torch. Due to our flourishing food supplies. We are one of the better off Nest. So it is our obligation to care for the various draconic beast."

He then pointed further inland, at a flat marsh that went around the island. "And that ring is where the Kobold grow our rice. So cleverly named 'Rice Marsh'," He snorted. "Kobolds aren't the most... poetic creatures."

"All of that!!!" Spike gaped, twisting his head to see the thick marsh lands that surrounded them. It took up most of the island!

"But what's that treed area, nearest the volcano?" There were miles of thick trees, between themselves in the marsh.

Spike was a little shoched he could see all this, but then he was very high up. The island had to be a bazillion times larger then Manehatten.

"That," Skull Crusher frowned, "Is the reason we don't let Whelps leave the nest. It's High Blood Bog."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, that's much more poetic. Are all dragons edge lords?"

"Spike!" Garble growled, but Skull Crusher chuckled.

"We do rather enjoy over the top names." Crusher admitted, "But that bog was named accurately, at least. Many dragons have had their blood spilt between those trees."

Spike blinked, "Really?"

Skull nodded, "They are extremely dangerous. Filled with Rocs, Hydra, and just the foulest things imaginable. Our early settlers struggled for survival. Most of our first Generation of eggs were lost... before the Kobolds came and offered their assistance."

Spike's eyes grew wide. Wondering if it was more then just genetics that the Dragons revered the tiny lizards so.

Unfortunately, Skull Crusher moved on before the Whelp could ask. "There's also a changeling hive, in that bog. But we have an understanding with them.

"So long as they don't feed off more then our excess love, we allow them to harvest love from our nest. Few things are more powerful then a parent's love for their child-"

"Changelings... are real?" Spike gulped. Then scowled, "You're just trying to scare me!"

"Damn right I am," Skull grinned. "But I give you my word, I'm not lying to you. Taming this island was a dangerous task.... and after 20000 years, we still haven't succeeded. All we did was carve out safe zones."

Spike gulped more.

"Though, as I said, we have an understanding with the changelings." Skull assured.

"Behind us," Skull turned around, and pointed, glad to see Garble turned as well. So that Spike could see. The Little Whelp gaped at the sight of a mile's long diameter of dead trees, surrounding a floating castle. The stone was on a cloud, just above those trees. Spike would have thought it was a Pegasus city, but no, the stone looked burnt and the atmosphere was filled with decay.

"Opposite the changeling hive. Lives an entire society of terrible Abominations. An army of undead Necromancers, and fearsome spell casters... In 20 thousand years, we have never been able to broker a peace with them...

"They enjoy killing us. Enjoys defiling our bodies with unholy magics, to turn us into it's undead slaves. We have been warring with them for as long as we have been here... though few have seen it and lived. Necro Ponies are no laughing matter. If you heed anything today, remember this. NEVER go ANYWHERE near that part of the bog."

The sheer level of disgust, layered by a surprising amount of fear, proved to Spike... it was true... there was actually an evil society of Necromancers, hiding in the bog right next to the nest. A city of terrifying, horrible, EVIL, creatures... and all Spike could think was he might be able to see a real life Zombie Pony.

The bog couldn't be THAT much more dangerous then the Everfree Forest. So long as he stayed aware, it should be fine.

Author's Note

I'm going to try to update this story once a month.

So please be patient.

I have a lot of stories, across three platforms, that I'm writing.

Chapter 5: A Slight Hiccup

One of the merchant dragons carried the children on their back. Something they insisted on, as "hatchlings" couldn't be expected to make such a long journey.

Hiccup was awed as they passed the mountain range, that surrounded the island. It was HUGE. Easily big enough to hold a few million dragons. There was even a bunch of aqueducts from the mighty oceans, bringing water up to the mountains. With 10s of thousands of waterfalls, flushing the water back out.

Then they passed a salt water lake, containing fish as big as great white sharks!!! They seemed to be eating the lava from the vains, leading up to the mountain range.

The ocean bed was covered in small stones, with runes carved on them. To keep the fish safe, and their environment clean.

Hiccup couldn't even imagine the dedication to craft so many stones... nor the time. It probably took thousands of years!!!

Toothless nudged him, and nodded his head forward. So Hiccup managed to tear his eyes away from the amazing scenery, and give his undivided attention at their new alpha, that was swimming over to them.

The guy was about a few ball fields smaller then the Red Queen. So he must be a young Alpha. And was obviously a water drake.

The merchant carrying the boys flew down, to hover before the Alpha. "Forgive us All-Father," He spoke more ashamed then frightened. As he presented the children on his back. "We didn't know what to do."

Lava Frost was frowning as he looked at the two. At their battered broken bodies. Hiccup hung his head in shame. Knowing it was his fault.

Then Alpha Lava Frost spoke, "How'd it happen?" with a great deal of pity... which honestly was worse then disgust.

What was left of Hiccup's tail nervously went between his legs. "I wandered outside the nest." He just wanted to explore... and it cost him both his wings, half of his tail (the half with his fins), and one of his back legs... and Toothless, who had managed to save him, lost one of his tail fins. A relatively minor injury in comparison... but it was still enough to destroy his life.

The Alpha gave a knowing nod, "I trust that won't happen again."

Hiccup gulped, "No Alpha."

The elder dragon then looked at Toothless... noticing his cloth fin, and the saddle.

The rookie dragon smiled, raising his tail proudly. For the Alpha to better see. "My brother is an inventor." Then looked at the whelp. Lowering one of his wings, for the runt to climb on.

Hiccup quickly scampered up, and clicked his peg leg into place. Toothless immediately rose into the air, With Hiccup working the peddle that controlled his brothers prosthetic.

Together, the two sailed the air. Silently reading each other, in order to sense where the other wanted to go. They flew between the merchants. Who had refused a demonstration earlier, when they insisted on carrying the boys. Then they flew around the Alpha's head, showing off there maneuverability. Basking in the looks of awe. After all, a cripple dragon wasn't supposed to be able to fly.

They did this for a few minutes, before the Alpha held up his claw, and asked them to land.

Once they had, Toothless insisted, "Neither of us will be a burden to your nest."

Lava Frost's face softened, "I never thought you would be. Even an Earth Drake Nightfury, would have been greatly appreciated by my nest."

"Although I am curious," Lava Frost continued. "We have a few downed Sky and Water drakes. Would you be able to make similar prosthetics? Possibly ones for them to control themselves?"

Hiccup frowned. "I'd have to do some major modifications. Plus find some kind of lightweight metals... strong enough to carry a dragon that big... and it will take a lot of materials to make even one for an adult dragon."

Lava Frost nodded, "I'll make sure you have it."

Hiccup's eyes widened, "The Red Queen... thought my inventions were a waste of resources."

Lava Frost grinned, "Well I would very much like to see more of them."

The whelp gave a bright grin. Lava Frost couldn't help but wonder what could possibly possess the Red Queen not to nurture a whelp with such potential. Much less let him go... then again... she usually just ate her injured children.

Lava Frost supposed it spoke volumes, that she at least realized this boy would get her a lot in trade.

•

Garble was unimpressed by the pair that entered his cave. The pair looked like they'd been through hell. With the Whelp being worse off then the Rookie.

Lava Frost had shrunken down, and brought them here, himself. Not unusual, but Garble wasn't used to having the Alpha in his messy cave.

Looking around, at all the discarded bones and random piles of gems, Lava Frost raised his eyebrow, made of spiky quills.

Garble gulped, "I'll be sure to clean up."

Lava Frost nodded, "and I'll be sure to assign a few Kobolds to help."

Garble groaned, imagining being fussed over by Kobolds, like a Whelp.

Lava Frost looked down at Garble, clearly debating spanking the boy. "Did you at least prepare them each a room?"

Garble gulped, as he hadn't. He'd been so busy getting Spike situated, it slipped his mind.

"Yes sir," Spike stood proud. "The rooms all set up." He done it himself, while Garble was 'resting his eyes'. "Garble even let me help!!!"

Spike was used to helping out around the library. So he didn't mind helping Garble with his own chores. Nor bailing him out from what was clearly a neglected duty.

Spike realized, the only reason Garble hadn't prepared the rooms, was because right after the dragon migration... well Garble was tracking down Spike, and then taking care of him... the older boy had been neglecting a lot of his duties, even school, as he tried to get Spike settled.

So the baby dragon decided to pick up the slack... although he didn't realize the basking area of the cave... wasn't supposed to look like this. He'd start on it soon.

Lava Frost nodded, believing Garble didn't neglect all his duties, so was willing to let him off. This was supposed to be a happy day, for the teenagers.

Turning to leave, the Elder dragon gave one last order. "Be respectful to your mate and brother-in-law."

Once the Elder Dragon left, about half a dozen Kobolds walked in, carrying the Nightfuries things.

"Let me show you to your rooms!" Spike grinned.

Maybe he and the other baby dragon could explore the cave more. He's only really looked at the bed chambers so far... but was sure to leave Garble's room alone. He didn't want to get caught snooping in there.

A Slight Hiccup, Part 2

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