Spike: Proof of Conceptby SoullessDCLXVIChaptersEmerald FlameDeoxyribonucleic AcidSummonsA walk through townSessionDragon at The Door.Emerald FlameDear Princess Celestia, Seeing the Great Dragon Migration made me wonder what it meant to be a dragon, but now I realize that who I am is not the same as what I am. I may have been born a dragon, but Equestria and my pony friends have taught me how to be kind, loyal, and true! I'm proud to call Ponyville my home and to have my pony friends, as my family. Yours truly, Spike. Twilight read the letter again. It had been a couple of years since the incident that prompted her dear assistant to write this letter to the Princess. The same incident that now saw her researching dragon culture in the Canterlot libraries. Ever since Twilight secretly followed her draconic familiar to the volcano that was the destination of thousands of dragons, she had begun to see a slight deterioration in Spike's mental health. It began subtly, with Spike working even harder in the library, finding the simplest of excuses to socialize with just about anypony, doubling his effort to win the heart of his beloved Rarity, and occasionally withdrawing from society entirely. refusing even the simplest of greetings. Of course the last one was the least subtle of hints that something had changed. But everypony was granted off days. Even baby dragons. So no one really thought much of it. He was usually back to his old self again within days anyway. But as the months dragged on his behavior had became noticeably different. The periods of withdrawal more frequent and prolonged. When ponies brought up his dragon nature he became upset and lashed out. His appetite decreased, even going so far as to refuse the consumption of gems. Once when begged to eat he had tried to digest hay, and this ended him up in Ponyville General getting his stomach pumped. On his last birthday he refused every last gift he got. Even Twilight's traditional book! She had even bothered to go the fiction route that year. Thankfully he hadn't done so publicly, but Twilight noticed when he thought he was being sneaky and returned or buried the gifts. These were many of the symptoms that Twilight, being both highly observant and living partner to the young dragon, had picked up on quite clearly. She attempted to bring him to a psychologist but the doctor had said that she could not confidently treat a dragon. Of course that didn't go over well with her dear Spike. Who had then physically assaulted the mare, using his growing claws to gouge out her eye. Luckily Twilight had intervened before any serious damage could be done bit the doctor was sporting a trio of scars on her face for about a month. But that was the final straw for the lavender unicorn. "What is going on Spike?! You've never been that violent before!" "Nothing's wrong, okay? I'm perfectly fine!" "Like Tartarus you're not. If you were fine, you'd eat. If you were fine, the Cutie Mark Crusaders wouldn't be afraid of you. If you were fine YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO KILL THAT NICE DOCTOR!" "I didn't try to kill her! I only tried to take her eyes!" "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Why would you even want to do that to somepony?" "She called me a dragon!" "But.. you are a dragon." "I AM A PONY. Dragons are mean, dragons are killers, dragons are evil. And when they're not, they're stupid. I am kind, loyal, and true! I am sweet, I am generous, I am honest, and I am funny. Dragons aren't! But ponies are! I am a pony, not some evil lizard." Dumbfounded, Twilight could only blink as her brain tried to understand what she had just heard "Spike..." "Don't call me that. My name is.... is..... Emerald Flame! Yeah, that's a good pony name, Emerald Flame." Twilight tossed the memory aside as she did the letter. Returning her focus to the books on dragon biology and culture in front of her. She was happy that the area of the library she was currently in was used so infrequently, as her own body and the myriad of texts around her effectively blocked any attempts anypony might have otherwise made. Twilight grunted yet again as her search ended up fruitless. Every single attempt to understand the mind of the infant dragon was met with astounding failure, Each tome mocked her as though the authors of the books in front of her had all been clairvoyant and had a deep seated hatred for the mare. Each time she stumbled across instances of the infant and toddler stage of a dragon's lifecycle they each had the same thing to say. Dragons were infants for roughly twenty years, and during that time they acted the way any infant of any other species under the phylum chordata. They were mewling, barely sentient creatures that completely relied on thier parents to provide. According to these same books the were toddlers for the next forty years, once again acting in no way dissimilar to any other sentient children. But her Spike clearly proved these books wrong simply by existing, she had hatched him herself when she was ten years old. Meaning he'd only been alive for thirteen years now. Even if he had only started to speak yesterday he'd still be way ahead of schedule that these infuriating books put forth. But he had been having full conversations since she was thirteen. And walking since she was eleven. How could they all be so wrong? "Hello, dear student. Do you require any help?" "Princess Celestia!" Twilight, clearly surprised launched herself first several feet in the air and then into a deep bow. "Rise, my student. You need not bow to me. Tell me, what brings you to Canterlot? What's so important that you can't make a quick trip to visit your mentor?" Celestia's warm smile washed away the stress Twilight had been under and belied the serious tone of her words. "Oh, it's nothing really Princess. Spike's been having problems lately. I'm just trying to understand him better. But these books are just frustratingly inaccurate!" The smile on the princesses face vanished. Though her lips remained curved upwards, it no longer reached her eyes. A professional mask she had mastered through the millennium, few ponies could see through it. Unbeknownst to her, Twilight Sparkle was one of those ponies, having obsessed with her princess during her first years as Celestia's protegé. As mentioned before, Twilight was a very observant pony. Of course she knew that the mask was both on, and on for a reason, so it would do no good to outright ask about the sudden shift in moods. "What, exactly, is wrong with Spike?" The Princesses tone barely changed, to the casual observer there was no change at all. But Twilight could detect a certain level of coldness. Though that was not nearly enough to change Twilight's answers. "He's not eating, he rarely socializes and when he does he tries far too hard. A month ago he assaulted a psychiatrist simply for calling him a dragon. He also appears to be delusional, believing himself to be a pony. I'm quite worried." The smile returned to the eyes of the princess. "I see. Do not fret, Twilight. I have the utmost faith in your abilities to guide young Spike back to health. You a very capable young mare. When you are done please do visit me in the castle, I'm afraid Luna's birthday party celebrations have left me a little... larger... to comfortably remain in this cramped library. Good luck." true to her words Celestia did indeed appear too large for the bookshelf made hallway, and had to back up unceremoniously before she could turn around walk forwards once more. Twilight, suppressing a giggle at the sight, promised her mentor that she would indeed visit before returning to Ponyville. Returning her gaze once again to the books she read a single sentence that simply lead into another dull and uninformative paragraph when she understood that not one of the books on dragons in this library, or likely any library given the current one she occupied, would be of any use to her. Groaning, she levitated each tome expertly back into thier correct positions and followed her mentor out of the library. "Princess, wait. I have a question." she called out before Celestia could exit the library proper. "Oh, what is it Twilight?" asked the Princess, raising an eyebrow. "Where.... where did you get Spike's egg?" 14 years ago "Princess, we have the object you requested. Two of your guards died killing its mother and only one egg survived the beast's fall." "Did you dispose of the bodies? I'd rather not start a conflict with the dragons. At least, not until we're ready." "We made it look like natural gas leaking from the cave floor was ignited by her breath, they won't know it was Equestrian influence. "Good." Princess Celestia's horn glows softly, a field of golden magic surround the head of each of the guards present. "If you so much as attempt to speak of what has transpired, the aneurysm I have just placed in each of your brains will instantly kill you. You have been warned." "Princess, we have finished spelling the egg as you have requested. When the dragon hatches the changes you wanted will come into effect. It will be perfect." "Good. When will it hatch?" "Within the year, your highness." "Anyway to speed up the process? I am eager to see results." "Yes, but it's not very possible." "Just tell me, mage." "It would take a very special magic to hatch it before it's time with altering the changes we've made. It would require the gentle touch only a foal's magic could produce, but the raw power of a master mage." Celestia pondered this for only a moment. I guess I can wait a year, but just in case, have hatching the egg be a test at my school for gifted unicorns. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky." "Yes, your highness." the mage bowed and made to leave the room. "Oh, and Spell Cast?" "Yes?" Celestia lowered her horn and put her favorite security measure in her subjects head, "You will speak of this to one, else the clot I just put in your brain will kill you. Am I understood?" Eyes wide, Spell Cast showed she understood, and went to put the egg on the cart where it would undoubtedly sit for the next year. "It was a gift from its mother who had been down on her luck." "Do you know anything about her?" "She is dead, Twilight Sparkle. I'm sorry, but when I said she was down on her luck, I meant that she was gravely ill. She hadn't but a year left. I'm sorry." "Oh." Twilight hung her head at the news and walked silently beside her mentor through the castle hallways, having exited the library once Twilight had caught up to the Princess. Minutes of heavy silence later they arrived at Celestia's personal bedchambers. "Dear Student, how about we have that visit now, get your mind off things. Do you think you might have gotten good enough to defeat me in a game of Chess? I know that always brightened your mood." and indeed, it did. This time with some effort on Twilight's part, she shoved Spike to the back of her mind to make room for all the advance techniques required to even attempt to play the game against the master strategist who had had more than a millennium to hone her skills. A week had passed since Twilight had gone out of her way to find those absolutely useless books. Spike had completely withdrawn, refusing to answer to anything but 'Emerald Flame'. The one time the dragon did manage to come out of his room he had been met with violence. Twilight Sparkle had pinned him to the floor and attempted to force feed him a fire ruby. It came as a shock to find that he hadn't wanted to eat it. Rarity herself had aged it and given to him specifically TO eat. And yet he had refused, once again attempting to eat hay. This was why he wound up on the floor, rendered immobile by a purple unicorn's magic as his face was pounded by a fire ruby, as Twilight's desperation made the speed at which the ruby was moving far faster than it need've been. And that was why Twilight was sporting a new mane-do. One eerily reminiscent of a week she had spent freaking out about a warning she had sent herself from the future. Now, Spike was strapped a couch in the local veterinarian's home. Fluttershy's home, to be exact. Though it had little to with any injuries he might've suffered at the hooves of his surrogate mother/big sister. His hard scaly face could withstand far more damage than that. No, Spike was here because the lack of minerals in his body had caused organs to fail. It wasn't too serious, as the introduction of those minerals would prevent complete failure. But Spike had refused right up until he blacked out from the pain. So now he was hooked up a kind of IV. A machine pumped powdered gems intravenously into his blood stream. "He'll be unconscious for about another week. But I think that's a good thing. It'll take that long to get his counts high enough and his intestines and kidneys to start working properly again." Fluttershy said softly to the two ponies that were sitting with worried expressions on thier faces, Twilight and Rarity. "I wonder what's gotten into the poor dear? Did he really refuse to eat the fire gem I gave him? Why, that's so unlike him, I can't fathom what could 'cause him to do such a thing! And just look at him! I don't think I've ever seen a creature so skinny. And his scales have become such a dreadful color." "I thought you were mad at him Rarity." Twilight asked. "I was when he nearly burnt my sister to a crisp, but that was months ago, and now look at him! Do you think this might be guilt?" "I don't know. This is just the last in a long line of odd behaviours. Spike's little 'accident' with your sister and her friends was not the beginning, either." "Oh, I do hope he'll be all right. When he does visit he's such the perfect little helper. Honestly, it's like he was bred to serve." "....What was that?" something clicked in Twilight's brain. 'What was what, dear?" "What you said, just now." "I said, 'I hope he'll be all right'?" "No, no. After that." "Um... perfect little helper?" "After that." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, I swear. Really honey please don't be-" "RARITY! Just... say it again. Please. I need to hear it again." Rarity gulped, certain she was about to be on the receiving end of an angry, and very powerful, unicorn's magic. "I said, ahem, that it was like he was bred to serve." Rarity closed her eyes and stiffened her muscles in anticipation of being blasted through Fluttershy's thin walls. But when no attack came, she dared open a single eye. To find Twilight was no longer there. "Where did she go?" "I don't know, she just looked really scared and ran out. She probably went home." "I.. should probably follow her. Thank you, Fluttershy for helping Spike, er, I mean Emerald." Rarity embraced her animal loving friend in a quick hug before heading out to the local library. Author's Note This was going to be a one shot. Oh well. Maybe my Nightmare Derpy story will manage to not take longer than I expect. Deoxyribonucleic AcidRarity made her way through the darkening Ponyville streets calmly, enjoying the crisp evening air. She smiled at the sight of the library. Despite the later hour none of the lights were on. In one of Twilight's trademark fits it seemed she had forgotten even the simple act of flicking a light switch, even though it would undoubtedly aid her, in whatever it was she was doing. As expected of the trademark, Rarity was unsurprised to find even the front door was improperly closed. Rarity stuck her head into the darkness and called for her friend before doing what Twilight did not, and turned on the light. "The sun! What- oh." Rarity giggled behind her hoof at Twilight's outburst. "Twilight, darling? Wherever have you gotten to?" "I'm up here, Rarity!" Rarity followed her friends voice up the stairs, and nearly screamed in horror at the nightmarish sight before her. Twilight's mane. "Twilight, sweetheart, have I ever told you how contagious your stress is? Honestly I get nightmares for weeks everytime you nearly give yourself an ulcer. And only a few of them are about your health, dear." "What? Oh. I still have no idea how it does that." Twilight began to smooth down her mane, but stopped after two strokes. "Wait! I have more important things to worry about than my appearance." "More important?! Ahem. I mean, yes, of course." Rarity did her best to distract herself, though it was difficult. However she had to agree with Twilight. Emerald was indeed very important. "What are you looking for?" Twilight was scouring Emerald's room. A room Rarity noted, was impeccably clean. She'd have to praise her Spikey-- (Emerald.. y?) later. The name change was hard for her to get used to. And it did not lend itself to nick names as easily. Rarity watched as Twilight made a mess of the room. Looking under the bed, in between the mattresses, under the covers, and even emptying the contents of the dressers. It was too much for Rarity's cleanliness focused mind to handle. "I'll wait out in the hallway for you to finish, Twilight." About ten minutes later Rarity made a mental note to see an otolaryngologist as she was sure Twilight's 'Eureka!' caused some damage. Twilight burst from the the room with a small smile on her face and a rag in her magic. "I take it you found your little mystery object. What is--" comprehension dawned on her face as she gazed at the rag. "Is that.... is that what I think it is, Twilight?" Rarity asked with a look of poorly masked disgust. Twilight had the decency to look flustered. "He uh.. hehe... he thinks about you a lot." Rarity's demeanor imperceptibly flickered to flattered, before her disgust came back in full force. "Twilight. For what, possible reason, could you have, for wanting," Rarity pointed her hoof at the rag, "that?" "I um, needed some of Spike's-" "Emerald, dear." Rarity interrupted as they head to Twilight's basement. "His name is SPIKE and I shall call him as such, Rarity. I named him myself. It's a cool name. Like that blonde maned vampony from trottingham." "The Bucky series only came out last year, I highly doubt you named him after that. But if that's how you feel, I'll not correct you on his name any longer. However, he prefers the name Emerald so if you don't mind, I myself will continue to address him that way. Now, I apologize for interrupting, but just what is it you needed that disgusting bit of cloth for?" "I needed some of Spike's DNA." "Couldn't you find a um, more sanitary sample?" "He doesn't exactly have fur to conveniently shed. And he's too young for puberty. Which, admittedly, makes this that much more uncomfortable." Rarity shivered. As the reached the bottom of the basement stairs Twilight, no longer frantic, turned on the basement light. Illuminating a host of gleaming machines of unknown purpose. Donning a simple white garment and some rectangular framed black glasses Twilight proceeded to cut the rag and poke it with various tools, obviously trying to get a sample she could work with. "If you're going to stay here, Rarity, wear a lab coat." "Why?" "Because we're doing science. It's protocol." "I don't-" "Protocol." "If you say so, dear." Rarity grabbed a coat and ignored the fact that it made her look a little like a fat adult blank flank. "So, Twilight. What was in that lightbulb?" "Light- lightbulb? What lightbulb?" "The one that appeared over your head at Fluttershy's. The reason you ran home?" "Ah yes. That." Twilight took the small peace of cloth she had cut and placed it a test tube with a strange smelling liguid. "When you said, 'bred' it made me think that maybe, the reason that all those books in Canterlot were so wrong about Spike, wasn't because the authors were ignorant about dragons in general, but because they were only wrong about Spike!" "I don't get it." Twilight paused, a guilty look on her face. "I think.. I think an accident with Spike's egg may have interfered with his genetic makeup. A magical accident. I'm.... I'm checking for evidence of magical manipulation. I think... I think it's my fault. The very thing that gave him his name may also be the cause of his current condition." Twilight had begun to tear up, it even looked like she was about to fall into hysterics. Just as Rarity thought to produce a shoulder for Twilight to cry on, a sudden look of determination on Twilight's face dried her tears. "Well, if it is my fault, then it's up to me to fix it. Starting with finding the problem!" With that she turned around and placed the test tube with the new, still gross, liquid concoction into a machine. A few little green and yellow lights on the machine showing that it was working. "It will take a few hours for the readouts to finalize. What would you like to do while we wait?" 'Anything where I'm not wearing this dreaded coat' Rarity almost said. "How about some BattleSky?" -||-||-||-||- Spell Cast, High Mage of The Kingdom of Equestria, was pondering in her castle quarters about how her work would soon increase her title. Though not in any way that counts. High Mage of the Kingdom of Equestria or High Mage of the Empire of Equestria. Either way, she was still a High Mage. A position many ponies were jealous of. Very few positions were higher. Of course, for Spell Cast, that was the problem with the position. With the high rank came not only high expectations from Celestia herself, but constant contact with the Princess as well. In her twenty years serving the Princess she had learned to fear the Sun Goddess. Spell Cast rarely ever spoke, for fear of spilling one of the many secrets she was privy to that would end her life. She often entertained the idea of standing on the balcony on which Celestia would occasionally address the citizens of Canterlot. There she would commit suicide by enchanting her voice to Royal Canterlot levels and spilling some state secret that would have Celestia cleaning up for days. She held no illusions of toppling the regime. But a release from this life and a little petty revenge would often entice her. In the end, however, she continued to plow on. Today, it would seem, was one of those days where fantasy was as tempting as those new peanut butter and chocolate candies. Two royal guards in classic solar armor had summoned her to the princess. Two guards. That meant Celestia was angry about something. SummonsAbout one year ago "Garble!" Basil the dragon called his son to the rim of the volcano. Anger making his already thunderous voice even louder and somehow, deeper. "Yes dad?" A bipedal dragon that was the picture of confidence and superiority only minutes ago now looked as if he was staring death himself in the eye sockets. And, judging by the look on his irate father's face, he might very well be doing just that soon enough. "Did I just see you take an INFANT hunting?" Basil stared holes into his young son's hide. Garble was confused. "I don't know what he was dad. But he wasn't no baby. Babies don't talk, or win tail wrestling contests." "Don't condescend me, boy. I've been around long enough to know a baby when I see one. That was a baby-- did you say tail wrestling contest?! Not only did you endanger the life of a hatchling by taking it hunting, but you involved it in your idiotic teenage violence?! I ought to show you real violence, boy. Our kind are dwindling, I'll not have my own son aid in that decline!" "He wasn't a hatchling, father! I swear it! In fact, I'm pretty sure he was a pony in a dragon costume. Why else would he willingly go with the ponies who grabbed him? Not to mention he refused to kill the phoenix!" "Did you say... ponies?" -||-||-||-||- Present Day "You rained on my cumulus! Ugh, I don't how you keep winning, Rarity. It's all luck! How about a nice game of chess?" "Twilight, I'm not stupid. Playing chess against you would be like a mouse trying to defeat a manticore." Twilight blushed a little at the praise, and chuckled nervously. Averting her gaze she glanced at the clock in the neighboring kitchen. The hour she needed to wait was over. She clapped her hooves as a sparkle briefly hit her eyes. Her excitement for learning briefly overtaking her despite the subject matter. "Hours up Rarity. Let's see what we can find out about our Spike." Her voice took on a guilty tone, her hooves dragged a little down the basement stairs. Her excitement quickly over as the thought of the machine's readout spelling the word "Guilty". Twilight donned her lab coat and checked to make sure Rarity had done so as well. Only to find the immaculate mare missing. "Rarity?" "I'm right up here, darling. Surely you can handle that on your own. But do let me know if you need my help. Just a quick shout and I'll be right there next to you in that dreadful coat!" Twilight groaned inwardly. Of course Rarity would care about a simple labcoat. Twilight couldn't for the life of her see what was wrong with it. But that's why she wasn't Canterlot's #2 most desired clothier. Donning her reading glasses, Twilight grabbed the readout with her magic. To anyone else it would look like a bar graph, one likely found on one of Vinyl's many displays. But to Twilight it told a story. Four letters, A,T,C and G were the only ones to be found in this particular novel, and yet it was more informative than all those dragon books in Canterlot. It was a wonder she hadn't done this earlier. Oh, right. The source material. Desperate times indeed. Studying the sheet she learned much about her assistant. For instance, Spike's family was likely more red scaled than green. When Spike got older naturally, instead of doing so through greed, he'd have massive wings. And they would probably hurt growing in. But as fascinating as all this was, it wasn't why she had committed to this experiment. Scrunching her nose she picked apart more of the code. She dug as deep as she could. Hunting for the nugget of information that might tell her about his birth, and if there was anything unusual about it. What she found made her cry. -||-||-||-||- Spell Cast followed the two stoic guards into the throne room where they stopped and motioned her forwards. Gulping nervously she willed her body forward, nearly tripping over her own hooves in fear. Surprisingly she made it to the throne without incident, for which she was grateful. No telling how fragile the Princess's mood was in. A simple trip would likely aggravate whatever punishment she was most likely going to receive. When Spell figured that her time scrutinizing the deep red carpet in front of her, or as others knew it, bowing irreverently, she dared look up at her Princess. Spell was only slightly surprised to see Celestia smiling warmly down on her. "Rise, high mage." "You... wanted to see me, your highness?" "Straight to the point, I like that." Celestia left her throne, motioning Spell to follow her as she walked to the many stained glass windows that lined her throne room. Without moving her head she eyed the High Mage. "Do you remember, oh, I'd say about a decade and half ago I gave you a bit of a.. "pet" project? Hmm?" Of course Spell Cast remembered. It was the first time she had been subjected to Celestia's extreme security precaution. And of all her duties, it had likely been the oddest one. Making changes to a developing fetus, no matter the species or how minimal the change, was not only taboo, but highly illegal. The smallest of mistakes could lead to any number of birth defects that would cripple a foal for life or worse. "Yes, your highness. The um.. breakfast food." Celestia exhaled quickly in a single bout of laughter. Amused agian by Spell Casts extreme lengths to avoid an accidental death. With so many lethal secrets in her head and her odd way of speaking, most ponies thought she had gone insane. Rumors of dark magic had started to follow her everywhere she went. Celestia's smile faded. "Yes, well that breakfast food as you so eloquently put it is, let's say, going bad. So, as my personal chef, what do you think might the problem be?" 'Going bad? But nothing should be wrong. I did that spell perfectly. I mapped out that dragon's genome a hundred times before I made even the smallest of changes!' "How bad, exactly, has breakfast gotten, your majesty?" "I'm tired of your word games, Spell Cast. Just say 'project' if you feel you can't say the words." "Yes, your highness." "As for the project. He currently lies unconscious in the care of a veterinarian while his body recovers from self inflicted neglect. Neglect caused by, if I'm not mistaken, some serious identity issues. Seems he thinks he's a pony." "With all due respect, your highness. I am not a mental-" "Did I ask your profession?" "Erm.. no.. your majesty." "I do believe I asked what was wrong with Spike." Spell cast murmured nervously "Despite what you may think of me, I'm not completely heartless. Nor am I an idiot. I can accept 'I do not know, Princess' as an answer." Even with the princesses reassurance, it was difficult to believe her words. Gulping, Spell Cast gathered her courage. "I do n-not know, P-princess." Spell closed her eyes tightly in preparation for an attack. When it did not come, she opened her eyes. "Are you quite finished?" "Yes, Princess." Spell said with a quick bow. "You have a month." "I'm... sorry Princess?" "If I don't have a satisfactory answer in a month, you will be. Do what you need to do, consult who you need to consult, but I want solid answers in exactly one month's time. Or you won't need to worry about.. well, anything." "Yes, your highness." "Because you'll be dead." "Yes.... I understand Princess." Spell tried to hide her frustration at the veiled insult to her intelligence and leave so that she could accomplish her work. But the Princess seemed to be enjoying herself. "Because I'll have killed you." Spell Cast gritted her teeth as she continued to back away towards the doors, still bowing. "Spell Cast. Did I dismiss you?" Pure panic flooded her system as she realized she had never been formally dismissed. The huge grin on Celestia's face as she seemed to laugh at her did nothing to alleviate her fears. "You're lucky I need you, Spell Cast." Celestia still smiled. The smile of a sadist. "In two days time I expect you to be in Ponyville. My student, Twilight Sparkle, will house you. I will send you 1,000 bits to aid in your search. I pray it's not a bad investment. If it turns out it is. Well. I'll be... angry." "Of course, Princess." Spell Cast bowed again and prepared to walk backwards once more to the door. One hour of complete silence later. "You're dismissed, Spell Cast." Celestia's grin was hidden from Spell Cast. As the princess was still gazing out the window in front of her. If she had seen it she would have described it as "massive" and "shit-eating". A walk through townTwo days had passed since Spell Cast was given her instructions. Since then she had set up an agreement with a psychiatrist friend of hers to confidentially review Spike's case in her stead remotely. Since she herself, despite the "credentials" in her luggage ready to be placed on a desk for appearances sake, was not trained at all for healing addled minds. She would send recordings of her sessions with the dragon to Sound Mind, and she would send her response. A response Spell Cast would likely mirror to keep the illusion that she was a professional shrink. Of course, Twilight was aware of Spell Cast's true purpose. Twilight being Celestia's personal student, she had often come into contact with Spell Cast. The filly often showing her blatant dislike for the Court's High Mage. She wasn't sure why Twilight didn't like her, but she was glad that whatever the reason, it either hadn't reached Celestia's ears, or wasn't bad enough to warrant punishment. Spell Cast looked out the window of the Friendship Express and saw the the town of Ponyville on the horizon. Save for Town Hall, a windmill, and the iconic library, the town looked wholly unremarkable at this distance. A sign of heavy Earth Pony influence. Spell Cast squashed the small part of her that felt disturbed by the thought. She may have been raised by racist unicorns and lived in a city where looking down on the race was a social norm, but she was a modern pony, Faustdamn it! She wasn't about to let herself act like an ignorant foal. *ding* "Next stop, Ponyville. Please be prepared to depart, and thank you for choosing Maretrak Railways." Disturbed form her thoughts, Spell sighed and magic'd her meager luggage onto the empty seat next to her. -||-||-||-||- Twilight Sparkle waited on a bench in the Ponyville train station. Waiting for her new house guest that would hopefully aid in Spike's recovery. Mentally, anyways. Twilight knew that physically he was forever changed by her magic outburst the day he was born. She just hoped that therapy would ease any of the effects those changes had on the young drake's mind. Though she had hope, it was but a flame in a star system of darkness. It had been difficult to discern, but it seemed the majority of the changes made by her flare may have directly affected his brain. Needless to say Twilight had been a very depressed mare these last two days. Maybe Spell Cast's arrival would lift her out of her funk, if for no other reason than she would provide a distraction. A Canterlot unicorn of her position no doubt had never picked up after herself in her life. It'd be a long month of keeping her library clean. The Friendship express pulled into the station, very few ponies it seemed had this backwater town as a destination. So it was easy to see her new roommate. Spell Cast was a violet-blue coated unicorn mare with a fuchsia mane highlighted with midnight blue streaks. Her mane style was reminiscent of one of Rarity's up do's. Her eyes a shining light blue. Her cutie mark was a trio of light blue differently sized bursts. Curved on the inside, spiky on the ends. Overall she was beautiful mare. Likely one of the reason's Twilight would be apologizing to her. "Hello, Spell Cast." Twilight greeted her new roommate and began to lead her to her home. "Ah, Twilight Sparkle. How nice to see you. I almost didn't recognize you without Celestia's rear on your muzzle." Twilight winced, she supposed she deserved a few jabs. "Listen, Spell Cast. I'm sorry about how I treated you at the castle all those years. Truth was, I was jealous. I may have been Celestia's personal student and naturally talented with magic. But you still had better magic than me, not to mention a lot more time with the princess. I just kinda, really wanted your job." Twilight hung her head. If nothing else, she had apologized, so at least that was a part of her past she no longer had to lose sleep over. Spell Cast, however, was completely taken aback. It was unreasonable of her, but she had found it easy to believe that Twilight was just some evil bitch that didn't like her because of poor performance, or something to that effect. Though Twilight's apology and subsequent head hanging painted a very different picture. Maybe this trip wouldn't be as bad as she was bracing for. It also seemed like Twilight might not be the right hand of Celestia she, and most others, thought she was. Strange then that she'd be given responsibility for the project. "So that's why you acted that way. All this time I thought I had done something to offend you. And it was just petty jealousy?" Twilight closed her eyes, the words stinging a little. What she heard next surprised her. Spell Cast was laughing. "Twilight, I... oh Faust, I accept your apology. Honestly that is a weight off my back." Twilight looked up in surprise. A smile on her face. "You really mean it? You accept my apology?" "Of course, dear. Now, if you don't mind, before I settle in I'd like to meet the young dragon that I'm to be head shrinking." "Oh, okay." Twilight was happy the issue was resolved so quickly. She had expected reconciliation, if it happened at all, to take the entire month. This would make things far easier, not to mention enjoyable, than she expected. "He's healing a lot faster than we thought he would. Fluttershy said he might've regained consciousness by now so he might be able to speak. But whatever you do, don't bring up, or allude to his draconic nature. For some reason it upsets him." Twilight turned right instead of left at the next juncture. Turning away from her home and towards Fluttershy's. "Of course." "And as far as he knows, the IV in his arm isn't feeding him powdered gems, but the raw nutrients of plant starches." "Arm? So he's still bipedal?" "What do you mean? Dragons are bipedal until sometime around their first centennial." Twilight raised an eyebrow at Spell Casts stunning display of ignorance. Everypony knew that. Even foals. "Right, of course. Forgive me." When the pair neared the cottage Twilight noticed Applejack leaving, likely returning home. She failed to suppress a slight groan. "What's wrong?" "Oh, it's nothing really. Just Applejack and Fluttershy haven't really been seeing eye to eye lately. It usually take about an hour after seeing each other for their bad moods to go away. This might not be a very pleasant visit." "If you you don't mind me asking, what's the problem between the two of them?" "Oh, it was nothing major, really. Fluttershy's a vegetarian, while Applejack's farm, Sweet Apple Acres is Ponyville's largest supplier of meat. A minor issue, sure. But the friction was there. It got a little heated recently when Applejack made her opinion of Fluttershy's dating choices public. Twice." "Is Applejack attracted to Fluttershy?" "Eew no. I mean, maybe? I guess I can't rule that out. But no, that wasn't the reason. At least on the outside. Faust damn it, Spell Cast now I can't stop thinking of that possibility, ugh that's gonna give me nightmares for a week. No, Applejack just wasn't fond of Discord. Not one bit. Though I don't really get why. He's actually a pretty decent guy now. Never fails to make me laugh. Though sometimes the laughter part comes later. Not wanting to ruin Fluttershy's friendship with Applejack, he broke up with Fluttershy. Moved to Canterlot permanently. Wasn't long after that she set her eyes on Big Mac. I think you can tell how that went down." "The over protective sister. Yeah, I know those types. Honestly, stallions can think for themselves you know, sheesh." Twilight giggled. Spell Cast was more down to earth than she gave her credit for. She really needed to stop judging books by their covers. Well, not literally. She couldn't remember a time when she had done so literally. Arriving at the front door to the cottage the smell animals, animal feed, cleaning products, and oddly enough, cooked pork assaulted the pair's nose. Twilight having been used to it barely registered it. Though Spell Cast was having a bit of difficulty to keep from sneezing. It was bad form to sneeze when entering someone's home. And if Fluttershy was in a bad mood, it would be a poor first impression indeed. Twilight knocked on the door and waited for the timid pegasus to open up. "Oh, hello Twilight. Spike's awake. He's eating lunch on the couch if you want to talk to him. Oh, erm... hello, who are you?" Fluttershy added upon noticing the new mare, shrinking drastically out of shyness Twilight hadn't seen in a while on account of a lack of new ponies. "Fluttershy, this is my psychologist friend from Canterlot I told you about, Spell Cast. Spell Cast, meet one of my best friends and element of kindness, Fluttershy." "Ah, Fluttershy. I have heard so much about you. Seriously. Discord wouldn't shut up about you. I'm sorry to hear about the break up, by the way. So sad." In her same sweet voice, and with her same small smile, Fluttershy responded, "Oh, it's allright. Once Applejack stops being such a sourpuss he'll come back. Come in, come in. Spike's been asking about you, Twilight." "You said he was eating. What is he eating exactly?" "The only pony food he's not 'severely allergic' to, of course." "I thought you said you'd never have that inside your house?" "Spike's health is a little more important than my comfort, I imagine. I'm not about to bring him outside in his condition just so I don't have to smell it." Twilight noted that Fluttershy seemed a little greener than usual. Guess it really was bothering her. "Why don't you go to the spa with Rarity for a while. Spell Cast and I can look after Spike for a few hours." "Oh, thank you Twilight. I was feeling really sick. It'll be nice to get out of the house. Make sure you address him as Emerald though. He got really mad and nearly tore out his IV earlier when I accidentally called him Spike. I hope you guys figure out what's wrong with him. It's really scary." "Don't worry Fluttershy, we'll do our best." Spell did her best to comfort the yellow mare. Fluttershy nodded once before heading off into town. Eager to get away from the smell. Closing the door behind them, Spell Cast allowed her luggage, which she had been carrying this entire time in both her saddle bags and magic, to temporarily rest in a corner by the door. Sighing in relief she stretched, extending her forelegs forward as far as she could while raising her rear. She gave a satisfied moan when she felt her vertebrae pop. "I think we should make a pot of tea, and then I think it's time I met Emerald Flame." Author's Note Can anyone help me? There's an image I fell in love with a little ways back. It shows a future Sweetie Belle singing in a club or classy restaurant. Rarity is in the foreground facing away from us and towards Sweetie, tears in her eyes and hair all done up well. For some reason I can't find it anywhere. I was gonna use it as a visual aid when talking about Spell Cast's mane. Edit: (May, 8th 2013CE) Holy bucking shit I finally found the image. This chapter, for whatever reason (I think it's because of the world building) was easier, and more fun to write. However, I was just re-reading it and I can't help but wonder... out of the chapters so far was it the least well written? Just lookin' for an outside opinion, I'm told I'm far too critical of myself. SessionSpell Cast and Twilight eyed the young drake who was delicately eating his meal, movement still a difficult endeavor. "Spike?" Twilight called his name softly, trying not to startle him. All he did in response was wince. "Allow me, Twilight." Spell gently put a hoof on Twilight's back reassuringly. Twilight sighed and nodded in defeat. "Okay, Spell. Please help him." "I'll do what I can." Twilight turned and made her way to the couch by the window. Pulling the newly updated encyclopedia for the letter S out of her saddle bag she committed herself to finding all the new additions by hoof. It would help to keep her from eavesdropping on the conversation in the next room. -||-||-||-||- "Hello, Emerald. How are you feeling today?" Spell Cast used the moment with the dragon's back to her to quickly cast the recording charm on a gem hidden in her saddle bags. "I'm not feeling too good, who are you?" Spike asked when he finally bothered to look at her. Spell Cast, also finally managing to look at Spike, was a bit unnerved by her creation. It was a bit macabre, really. Sure, it was just an infant. But it was a talking infant. A walking, talking, infant who by all accounts had a well developed and unique personality. And a- ugh- crush on a pony. It was just too weird. And it was all her doing. Her "masterpiece". And like any good artist, at least any artist she considered decent, she wasn't about to allow an inferior product on display if she could fix any errors. Eventually, Spike grew tired of the new pony's staring, as evidenced by his dismissive words as he slowly and shakily made his way from his chair. "Well, anytime you want to introduce yourself feel free to let me know. I'll be doing the vastly important task of sleeping on Fluttershy's couch." "I'm sorry, Emerald. My name is Spell Cast. And I'm going to be spending some time with you for a couple of weeks. Get to know you better. See if I can help you with anything." "She speaks. Neat. May I ask, why is some strange mare going to be hanging out with me for a couple of weeks out of the blue? And why does it sound like I don't have a choice in the matter?" "Well, uh..... I've been hired to--" "Psychiatrist eh? Well, lucky you. You caught me when I'm too weak to be anything but calm, so ask away. I assume patient doctor conf- confident- er, privacy, is still a thing?" Spike reversed his direction, climbing back onto his seat. With a hefty and slighly annoyed sigh he relaxed into the chair. "Well, you might want to close the door then. I think talking to a stranger that can't repeat what I say may be ca...thar..., ugh, relaxing." "It's confidentiality, and cathartic. And the answer to the first one is yes." Spell's horn glowed and the door behind them closed with a soft click. The space between the door and around the windows glowed briefly as a soundproof spell locked their conversation away from prying ears. "So, Emerald. How has your week been so far??" "It's been shit." Spell Cast gasped. "Emerald!" "What? You have no authority over me and unless I directly threaten others or myself you can't repeat a thing I say. And like I said, my week so far has been shit. So you'll excuse me if I cuss a little." Spike never moved as he said this. His voice tired and bored. Spike's head was nearly upside down as he draped it over the back of his chair. Spell Cast wasn't comfortable with the language, but she didn't argue with him in the hopes he might reveal more about himself than a three word summary. "Could you, go into more detail?" "Sure. Why not. Let's see, well, the first four or five days I spent in my room. I was either thinking about Rarity or reading. Then, one day I go to use the toilet and Twilight beats my face in. Odd behavior, I think. She doesn't usually abuse me, at least not directly. Next thing I know all the random and super annoying body pains I've been feeling just, forgive the pun, spike out of nowhere. Then I'm asleep for two more days. When I wake up I get a steak, a needle in my arm, and a head doctor. That help?" "You seem upset." Spell Cast wasn't really sure what Sound Mind would say here, but she remembered from a play she had watched that psychiatrists often used simple phrases to get more detailed responses. "I... am in a lot of pain right now. It, literally, hurts everywhere Miss Cast. I don't have the energy to be polite. And on top of that Twilight bothered to get yet another doctor just because I want to be treated like a pony. So yeah, I'm going to be a little short." Spell Cast hid her near chuckle very well, surprising both herself and Spike, if the look he gave her was anything to go by. "What do you mean, "treated like a pony"?" Spike cringed. "I don't think I could be clearer. I can find no fewer nor shorter words to dumb that down for you." Spell Cast flustered at the condescending words of her 'patient', but forced herself to remain calm. "What I mean is, do ponies not treat you like a pony normally?" "Most of the time they do, but every now and then they feel it has to mentioned that I'm a dragon. And it hurts everytime. Like, "Hey look at the freak" and "I bet he's going to eat us all in a few years." I know they don't all think that, but it's kinda what it seems like everytime somepony points out what I am. I mean, I'm not an idiot. I know I'm a dragon. At least on the outside. But I forsook that part of me over a year ago. Once I knew what dragons were like I knew I was different. Even they had a tough time deciding if I was one of their own. So I'm a pony. Where it counts. I just figure if I can stop doing things that are dragon like, maybe ponies will stop seeing me as a baby monster, and just see me for who I am. Is that such a big deal?" "It is when it affects your health, Emerald. The pain you're in now is because of massive damage to your stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys. All because you tried to eat vegetables and refused gemstones." "Wait, really? You mean I have to eat gemstones? I thought they were just like, desserts. Aw, Faust that sucks. Guess I can just eat them in secret, I guess." -||-||-||-||- It had been a year since Basil had begun tracking the strange infant that the ponies stole. It had been a difficult process, often taking to actually talking to the ponies. Basil didn't like talking to ponies, sure they were nice enough but one could only hear "Ah! Dragon! Run!" so many times before it grates. And then there were the guards and "hero" ponies. He almost wished they would run in fear too. But more often than not they tried to kill him. It was.... annoying. He had learned based off the descriptions of the child's captors that he was chasing after bearers of the elements of harmony. Some of the very mares that defeated both Nightmare Moon and Discord. He wished he could thank them, Discord's idea of a volcano was not fun at all. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they were kidnappers. He hoped that they would see reason. They seemed amicable enough when they convinced him to leave the cave he was in just a year and a half ago, if a little odd. Letting his gaze drift beneath him he saw the town of Ponyville. His destination. He circled lazily downwards and aimed for the cottage on the outskirts of town. It's distance from the town proper and closeness to the Everfree suggested a local detached slightly from society. And one of immense bravery. The Everfree forest was an uncomfortable place for dragons. Very dangerous for ponies. When Basil knocked on the door with his massive claw as lightly as possible to avoid its destruction he expected a massive warrior mare, maybe even a stallion to answer. He most certainly did not expect the one who did answer. -||-||-||-||- "Well, do you have any gems? This really hurts." "Sorry, Emerald. But even if I did, you can't have any. Too much too fast would hurt you." "But then, if I don't have any I'll--" "That's what the IV is for." "Oh. Well, guess I won't take it out when you're not looking then." Spell smiled at the little dragon. He was cute as a button. Like a strange mix between an eight year old and a fifteen year old. If she ignored the creep factor that was a talking baby, that is. KNOCK KNOCK "I guess this the end of our session today, Emerald. It looks like Fluttershy's home, though why she'd knock on her own door is beyond me." a thought seemed to go through Spike's mind briefly before his face lit up. "Maybe, it's Rarity!" With speed and appropriate groans and moans of a very old pony Spike made his way to the front door, oblivious to the unusual shadow the windows cast on the floor. When he opened the door the brilliant smile on his face that showed even through his pain was replaced by a scowl. And then he slammed the door shut. Spell Cast, having seen the large dragon, only managed to lift an eyebrow in response. She had heard things were active in Ponyville, but it hadn't even been six hours and already a massive dragon had politely knocked on the door. . . . . . ...She was going to like it here. Author's Note Reason for lateness: Severe acute gout flare up lasting about two weeks. Dragon at The Door.Previously, on Spike: Proof of Concept: "What, exactly, is wrong with Spike?" The Princesses tone barely changed, to the casual observer there was no change at all. But Twilight could detect a certain level of coldness. Though that was not nearly enough to change Twilight's answers. "He's not eating, he rarely socializes and when he does he tries far too hard. A month ago he assaulted a psychiatrist simply for calling him a dragon. He also appears to be delusional, believing himself to be a pony. I'm quite worried." The smile returned to the eyes of the princess. ------- "He wasn't a hatchling, father! I swear it! In fact, I'm pretty sure he was a pony in a dragon costume. Why else would he willingly go with the ponies who grabbed him? Not to mention he refused to kill the phoenix!" "Did you say... ponies?" ------- "You have a month." "I'm... sorry Princess?" "If I don't have a satisfactory answer in a month, you will be. Do what you need to do, consult who you need to consult, but I want solid answers in exactly one month's time. Or you won't need to worry about.. well, anything." ------- It had been a year since Basil had begun tracking the strange infant that the ponies stole. It had been a difficult process, often taking to actually talking to the ponies. Basil didn't like talking to ponies, sure they were nice enough but one could only hear "Ah! Dragon! Run!" so many times before it grates. And then there were the guards and "hero" ponies. He almost wished they would run in fear too. But more often than not they tried to kill him. It was.... annoying. He had learned based off the descriptions of the child's captors that he was chasing after bearers of the elements of harmony. Some of the very mares that defeated both Nightmare Moon and Discord. He wished he could thank them, Discord's idea of a volcano was not fun at all. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they were kidnappers. He hoped that they would see reason. They seemed amicable enough when they convinced him to leave the cave he was in just a year and a half ago, if a little odd. ------- When he opened the door the brilliant smile on his face that showed even through his pain was replaced by a scowl. And then he slammed the door shut. Spell Cast, having seen the large dragon, only managed to lift an eyebrow in response. She had heard things were active in Ponyville, but it hadn't even been six hours and already a massive dragon had politely knocked on the door. . ...She was going to like it here. . . . To say that Basil was surprised would be an understatement. Of all those that he could have expected to open the door, even subconsciously, an infant drake was not among them. Faust, even a gryphon would have been less out of place. And as if that wasn't enough of a shock, the infant appeared to be the same one he was trying to rescue. So why then did it slam the little door in his face? And how did it do that? And was it wearing a scowl? As far as Basil was concerned this day couldn't get much weirder. Hopefully the purple pony that won't shut up might get him some answers. ...Wait, how long has she been there? -||-||-||-||- Spike slammed the door on the evil monster that had actually dared to knock on the Element of Kindness' door. The scowl on his face quickly evaporating into an expression of abject fear once he realized what he had just done. And what he had just done it to. "Twilight! Help! There's a dragon!" "Spell Cast that doesn't sound like progress!" Twilight yelled back, her voice betraying an equal amount of fear to Spike's. "If anything that sounds like he's gotten worse!" Her voice was accompanied by the sound of her hooves on the thinly carpeted floor as she ran at a near gallop to where Spike and Spell Cast were standing. Spike was hyperventilating while Spell had her mouth hid behind hoof as she tried to stop giggling. The sight only enraged Twilight further. "What did you do?!" Spell couldn't hold it in any more, and rolled on to her back in a fit of laughter. "I... didn't... do... anything!" Spell Cast gasped out in between bouts of laughter. To her credit she appeared to be gaining control of herself once again. "He means... the dragon... outside. Just knocked on... the door." Her laughter finally died down. Spell breathed in a few deep breaths to steady herself and once again got back on her hooves. "What do you mean? Dragon outside?" "Look for yourself." Spell pointed to the front door, Twilight's gaze followed Spells hoof and Twilight didn't need to go outside to believe her. The large front windows full of red scales was proof enough. "That's... odd. Perhaps Fluttershy takes care of dragons as well?" Spike bristled at the unintended insult, but nopony noticed. "And it really wasn't that funny, Spell." "Actually, it was, you just didn't get to see your face." Twilight ignored her and made her way to the front of the cottage. There was a situation developing and Twilight could think of no better problem solver than herself. Though she'd be loathe to admit it out loud. Twilight opened the door and looked at the behemoth that nearly rivaled the cottage in size as it stood there, unmoving. A look of confusion plastered on his face, mirroring the rest of him in its motionlessness. "Excuse me, Mr Dragon, sir? Can I help you?" The dragon remained motionless. Its right claw hovering in the air as though it had been frozen mid knock. "Sir? You knocked on our door. Is there anything I can help you with?" Twilight's smile lost its authenticity. Not that it had much to start with. "Um... if you're here to see Fluttershy I'm afraid she's not in right now." Twilight waved a hoof briefly, thinking it might snap his attention. To her slight relief, it failed. She wasn't sure how safe a dragon snapping to attention so close to her could be. Looking closer at the dragon, a spark of familiarity lit her mind briefly. "Hey, have we met bef--" "How long have you been there, purple pony?" The dragon seemed genuinely confused. Which added to the surprise Twilight felt at his abrupt use of language and movement. "Um, my name is Twilight Sparkle. And I'd say five minutes or so?" "I.... apologize. I... was lost in thought." Twilight could relate, so she chose not to comment. "Well, as I've been saying. Can we help you? You did just knock on our door." Twilight briefly waved a hoof behind her, indicating said door. "Well, you see, a few years back a group of ponies stole a child from one of our camps..." Upon hearing this, Twilight became upset. What kind of awful ponies would stoop so low as to take some else's child from them? She vowed that if the dragon wasn't lying, she'd personally oversee the punishment of such wretched ponies. And while she wanted to communicate all this, all she could manage was a gasp of sympathetic horror. "...And my search for the youngling and his captors have lead me to this village." She lived with these ponies!? The nerve to live so close to the Elements of Harmony, even! Their punishment would be worse to make up for the shame Twilight felt at not discovering such criminals in her midst by herself. "I was told to look for the Elements of Harmony." Whoever informed this dragon knew their information, thought Twilight. A small smile of pride playing on her lips. "As they fit the description of the captors to a T. But it seems I'm not going to need to do all that. The first house I knock on has the child in it. What luck! Now, if you would be so kind, do claw over the child. He doesn't belong with you." Twilight's small smile disappeared, and a sound like electricity fizzling out could almost be heard were you close enough to her head as her mind blanked out momentarily. Her mind needed to be emptied quickly, for if it wasn't the tide of rage and indignation that soon followed would have broken her. Possibly putting her in a persistent vegetative state. "WHAT?!?!" She bellowed. At a volume that was halfway between Royal Canterlot Voice and Pinkie Pie with a megaphone. At such a distance Basil could consider himself lucky to have his draconic endurance. Otherwise his eardrums would have permanently ruptured. For a very brief moment Basil leaned away from the cottage and the white mare with flames for a mane while wearing an expression of shock and surprise before he quickly got over it and shouted back. "What do you mean, 'What?'. You have a kidnapped child in your possession and you dare?! I should slit your throat right here and now and take him home by force! Be thankful I bothered to ask nicely!" The mare before him, still on fire, bellowed back. Though thankfully her volume was reduced to normal levels for yelling from ponies. "IF a dragon child was kidnapped, it wasn't my Spike! I hatched him myself! I raised him myself! And you. You dare to accuse me and my friends of kidnapping?! While you bully your way through me and try to take my SON!" Twilight's voice and breathing calmed down. The flames that served as her mane had been moving wildly before. As though kicked into a constant frenzy by an unseen wind. The fiery mane changed from a red-orange to a scalding blue-white. Her eyes changed color and shape as well. While they had been of normal shape while blood red, they became purple and slitted. Her voice took on a menacing tone that while quiet, was far scarier than it had been seconds ago when nearly all of Ponyville could hear her. "I can take the accusations. I can even take the stupidity of making such accusations to my face. But I will not tolerate threats against my child. You get within 100 feet of Spike and I will ram a Rainbow so far up your ass you'll speak in colors for a year. You got that you little shit?" Growing up Basil had been warned about the protective instincts of ponies. Many horror stories were told about dragons that had hunted in the woods and accidentally harmed a foal. Or even struck up a simple conversation with a pony youngling. And the pain, misery, and fear that followed. A dragon named RazorWing was famous for living through such an event. To this day he bore scars not seen since ancient wars. His left wing was still unable to be fully extended as the flesh of the wing had been fused oddly. He told stories so horrifying that most dragons who had listened to it ran in fright at the sight of a foal. (This had actually been witnessed once by a guard of a town that neared the dragon borders. A dragon was hunting and the guard had been trying to negotiate with it to leave. He wasn't making much progress and the guard had started to sweat a little in fear. But when his son showed up to show off some art the dragon had actually screamed and flew away. No pony believes him.) This was why Basil was whimpering with his claws over his head as the white mare's colors returned to her. She seemed a little tired but Basil wasn't taking any chances. Trying to seem as small as he could he backed away slowly. Unfortunately his frame didn't allow for such movement. He couldn't stop bumping into stuff. "Hey, wait! Mr Dragon! I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I just... okay, I meant it. But please. If a dragon's been kidnapped I'd love to help you find him. Just, don't threaten Spike again. Okay? He's all the family I have in this town." While Basil was confident that Twilight was protective of Spike. He still couldn't fathom a pony mothering a drake. Or caring this much for one. He still wasn't convinced Spike wasn't a kidnap victim, either. "Do you really mean it, Twilight?" Basil and Twilight looked at the source of the voice. Spike was poking his head out the door. "Mean what, Spike?" Twilight said. Her tone of voice far sweeter than it had been for hours. A smile on her face as she looked at her assistant. "Do you... do you really consider me your son?" Spike said with a hopeful tilt to his voice. Twilight looked like she had been hit. Shocked as she realized that, yes, she did indeed. It hadn't ever really occurred to her until someone had threatened to take him away. She didn't even realized she had said anything along those lines until afterwards. Had Spike not heard or brought it up she might've never truly come to terms with that feeling until much, much later. A tear made its way down her face as she drew Spike into a hug and whispered "Of course I do Spike. I love you." "I love you too.... mom." Basil looked on in confusion. Spell Cast smiled. Author's Note Sorry for lateness. My excuse this time? Sheer laziness. Sorry. Really, I am. However, I suspect this story isn't very high on your list anyway. It's a filler story while you wait for something awesome to update. I'm not complaining. I'm totally fine with that. It just means I don't have much incentive to update regularly. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me. I included the "previously on:" not to add word count but to refresh the memories of returning readers. I believe that every author should do this for updates that take longer than a week. Include scenes that briefly touch up on A: The story as a whole and B: Scenes relative to the oncoming chapter. Much like how serial TV shows do before each episode. However, if you do not like the idea, or think I should include it in the A/N (to prevent a false word count) with a note at the top briefly mentioning that a "previously on:" is present in that A/N, let me know. Do you guys know how stressful posting a new chapter feels? Especially one so late without a real reason? I have no idea why but the opinions of strangers on the internet are valued very highly by me. Way too high.
Emerald FlameDear Princess Celestia, Seeing the Great Dragon Migration made me wonder what it meant to be a dragon, but now I realize that who I am is not the same as what I am. I may have been born a dragon, but Equestria and my pony friends have taught me how to be kind, loyal, and true! I'm proud to call Ponyville my home and to have my pony friends, as my family. Yours truly, Spike. Twilight read the letter again. It had been a couple of years since the incident that prompted her dear assistant to write this letter to the Princess. The same incident that now saw her researching dragon culture in the Canterlot libraries. Ever since Twilight secretly followed her draconic familiar to the volcano that was the destination of thousands of dragons, she had begun to see a slight deterioration in Spike's mental health. It began subtly, with Spike working even harder in the library, finding the simplest of excuses to socialize with just about anypony, doubling his effort to win the heart of his beloved Rarity, and occasionally withdrawing from society entirely. refusing even the simplest of greetings. Of course the last one was the least subtle of hints that something had changed. But everypony was granted off days. Even baby dragons. So no one really thought much of it. He was usually back to his old self again within days anyway. But as the months dragged on his behavior had became noticeably different. The periods of withdrawal more frequent and prolonged. When ponies brought up his dragon nature he became upset and lashed out. His appetite decreased, even going so far as to refuse the consumption of gems. Once when begged to eat he had tried to digest hay, and this ended him up in Ponyville General getting his stomach pumped. On his last birthday he refused every last gift he got. Even Twilight's traditional book! She had even bothered to go the fiction route that year. Thankfully he hadn't done so publicly, but Twilight noticed when he thought he was being sneaky and returned or buried the gifts. These were many of the symptoms that Twilight, being both highly observant and living partner to the young dragon, had picked up on quite clearly. She attempted to bring him to a psychologist but the doctor had said that she could not confidently treat a dragon. Of course that didn't go over well with her dear Spike. Who had then physically assaulted the mare, using his growing claws to gouge out her eye. Luckily Twilight had intervened before any serious damage could be done bit the doctor was sporting a trio of scars on her face for about a month. But that was the final straw for the lavender unicorn. "What is going on Spike?! You've never been that violent before!" "Nothing's wrong, okay? I'm perfectly fine!" "Like Tartarus you're not. If you were fine, you'd eat. If you were fine, the Cutie Mark Crusaders wouldn't be afraid of you. If you were fine YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TRIED TO KILL THAT NICE DOCTOR!" "I didn't try to kill her! I only tried to take her eyes!" "Is that supposed to make me feel better? Why would you even want to do that to somepony?" "She called me a dragon!" "But.. you are a dragon." "I AM A PONY. Dragons are mean, dragons are killers, dragons are evil. And when they're not, they're stupid. I am kind, loyal, and true! I am sweet, I am generous, I am honest, and I am funny. Dragons aren't! But ponies are! I am a pony, not some evil lizard." Dumbfounded, Twilight could only blink as her brain tried to understand what she had just heard "Spike..." "Don't call me that. My name is.... is..... Emerald Flame! Yeah, that's a good pony name, Emerald Flame." Twilight tossed the memory aside as she did the letter. Returning her focus to the books on dragon biology and culture in front of her. She was happy that the area of the library she was currently in was used so infrequently, as her own body and the myriad of texts around her effectively blocked any attempts anypony might have otherwise made. Twilight grunted yet again as her search ended up fruitless. Every single attempt to understand the mind of the infant dragon was met with astounding failure, Each tome mocked her as though the authors of the books in front of her had all been clairvoyant and had a deep seated hatred for the mare. Each time she stumbled across instances of the infant and toddler stage of a dragon's lifecycle they each had the same thing to say. Dragons were infants for roughly twenty years, and during that time they acted the way any infant of any other species under the phylum chordata. They were mewling, barely sentient creatures that completely relied on thier parents to provide. According to these same books the were toddlers for the next forty years, once again acting in no way dissimilar to any other sentient children. But her Spike clearly proved these books wrong simply by existing, she had hatched him herself when she was ten years old. Meaning he'd only been alive for thirteen years now. Even if he had only started to speak yesterday he'd still be way ahead of schedule that these infuriating books put forth. But he had been having full conversations since she was thirteen. And walking since she was eleven. How could they all be so wrong? "Hello, dear student. Do you require any help?" "Princess Celestia!" Twilight, clearly surprised launched herself first several feet in the air and then into a deep bow. "Rise, my student. You need not bow to me. Tell me, what brings you to Canterlot? What's so important that you can't make a quick trip to visit your mentor?" Celestia's warm smile washed away the stress Twilight had been under and belied the serious tone of her words. "Oh, it's nothing really Princess. Spike's been having problems lately. I'm just trying to understand him better. But these books are just frustratingly inaccurate!" The smile on the princesses face vanished. Though her lips remained curved upwards, it no longer reached her eyes. A professional mask she had mastered through the millennium, few ponies could see through it. Unbeknownst to her, Twilight Sparkle was one of those ponies, having obsessed with her princess during her first years as Celestia's protegé. As mentioned before, Twilight was a very observant pony. Of course she knew that the mask was both on, and on for a reason, so it would do no good to outright ask about the sudden shift in moods. "What, exactly, is wrong with Spike?" The Princesses tone barely changed, to the casual observer there was no change at all. But Twilight could detect a certain level of coldness. Though that was not nearly enough to change Twilight's answers. "He's not eating, he rarely socializes and when he does he tries far too hard. A month ago he assaulted a psychiatrist simply for calling him a dragon. He also appears to be delusional, believing himself to be a pony. I'm quite worried." The smile returned to the eyes of the princess. "I see. Do not fret, Twilight. I have the utmost faith in your abilities to guide young Spike back to health. You a very capable young mare. When you are done please do visit me in the castle, I'm afraid Luna's birthday party celebrations have left me a little... larger... to comfortably remain in this cramped library. Good luck." true to her words Celestia did indeed appear too large for the bookshelf made hallway, and had to back up unceremoniously before she could turn around walk forwards once more. Twilight, suppressing a giggle at the sight, promised her mentor that she would indeed visit before returning to Ponyville. Returning her gaze once again to the books she read a single sentence that simply lead into another dull and uninformative paragraph when she understood that not one of the books on dragons in this library, or likely any library given the current one she occupied, would be of any use to her. Groaning, she levitated each tome expertly back into thier correct positions and followed her mentor out of the library. "Princess, wait. I have a question." she called out before Celestia could exit the library proper. "Oh, what is it Twilight?" asked the Princess, raising an eyebrow. "Where.... where did you get Spike's egg?" 14 years ago "Princess, we have the object you requested. Two of your guards died killing its mother and only one egg survived the beast's fall." "Did you dispose of the bodies? I'd rather not start a conflict with the dragons. At least, not until we're ready." "We made it look like natural gas leaking from the cave floor was ignited by her breath, they won't know it was Equestrian influence. "Good." Princess Celestia's horn glows softly, a field of golden magic surround the head of each of the guards present. "If you so much as attempt to speak of what has transpired, the aneurysm I have just placed in each of your brains will instantly kill you. You have been warned." "Princess, we have finished spelling the egg as you have requested. When the dragon hatches the changes you wanted will come into effect. It will be perfect." "Good. When will it hatch?" "Within the year, your highness." "Anyway to speed up the process? I am eager to see results." "Yes, but it's not very possible." "Just tell me, mage." "It would take a very special magic to hatch it before it's time with altering the changes we've made. It would require the gentle touch only a foal's magic could produce, but the raw power of a master mage." Celestia pondered this for only a moment. I guess I can wait a year, but just in case, have hatching the egg be a test at my school for gifted unicorns. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky." "Yes, your highness." the mage bowed and made to leave the room. "Oh, and Spell Cast?" "Yes?" Celestia lowered her horn and put her favorite security measure in her subjects head, "You will speak of this to one, else the clot I just put in your brain will kill you. Am I understood?" Eyes wide, Spell Cast showed she understood, and went to put the egg on the cart where it would undoubtedly sit for the next year. "It was a gift from its mother who had been down on her luck." "Do you know anything about her?" "She is dead, Twilight Sparkle. I'm sorry, but when I said she was down on her luck, I meant that she was gravely ill. She hadn't but a year left. I'm sorry." "Oh." Twilight hung her head at the news and walked silently beside her mentor through the castle hallways, having exited the library once Twilight had caught up to the Princess. Minutes of heavy silence later they arrived at Celestia's personal bedchambers. "Dear Student, how about we have that visit now, get your mind off things. Do you think you might have gotten good enough to defeat me in a game of Chess? I know that always brightened your mood." and indeed, it did. This time with some effort on Twilight's part, she shoved Spike to the back of her mind to make room for all the advance techniques required to even attempt to play the game against the master strategist who had had more than a millennium to hone her skills. A week had passed since Twilight had gone out of her way to find those absolutely useless books. Spike had completely withdrawn, refusing to answer to anything but 'Emerald Flame'. The one time the dragon did manage to come out of his room he had been met with violence. Twilight Sparkle had pinned him to the floor and attempted to force feed him a fire ruby. It came as a shock to find that he hadn't wanted to eat it. Rarity herself had aged it and given to him specifically TO eat. And yet he had refused, once again attempting to eat hay. This was why he wound up on the floor, rendered immobile by a purple unicorn's magic as his face was pounded by a fire ruby, as Twilight's desperation made the speed at which the ruby was moving far faster than it need've been. And that was why Twilight was sporting a new mane-do. One eerily reminiscent of a week she had spent freaking out about a warning she had sent herself from the future. Now, Spike was strapped a couch in the local veterinarian's home. Fluttershy's home, to be exact. Though it had little to with any injuries he might've suffered at the hooves of his surrogate mother/big sister. His hard scaly face could withstand far more damage than that. No, Spike was here because the lack of minerals in his body had caused organs to fail. It wasn't too serious, as the introduction of those minerals would prevent complete failure. But Spike had refused right up until he blacked out from the pain. So now he was hooked up a kind of IV. A machine pumped powdered gems intravenously into his blood stream. "He'll be unconscious for about another week. But I think that's a good thing. It'll take that long to get his counts high enough and his intestines and kidneys to start working properly again." Fluttershy said softly to the two ponies that were sitting with worried expressions on thier faces, Twilight and Rarity. "I wonder what's gotten into the poor dear? Did he really refuse to eat the fire gem I gave him? Why, that's so unlike him, I can't fathom what could 'cause him to do such a thing! And just look at him! I don't think I've ever seen a creature so skinny. And his scales have become such a dreadful color." "I thought you were mad at him Rarity." Twilight asked. "I was when he nearly burnt my sister to a crisp, but that was months ago, and now look at him! Do you think this might be guilt?" "I don't know. This is just the last in a long line of odd behaviours. Spike's little 'accident' with your sister and her friends was not the beginning, either." "Oh, I do hope he'll be all right. When he does visit he's such the perfect little helper. Honestly, it's like he was bred to serve." "....What was that?" something clicked in Twilight's brain. 'What was what, dear?" "What you said, just now." "I said, 'I hope he'll be all right'?" "No, no. After that." "Um... perfect little helper?" "After that." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it, I swear. Really honey please don't be-" "RARITY! Just... say it again. Please. I need to hear it again." Rarity gulped, certain she was about to be on the receiving end of an angry, and very powerful, unicorn's magic. "I said, ahem, that it was like he was bred to serve." Rarity closed her eyes and stiffened her muscles in anticipation of being blasted through Fluttershy's thin walls. But when no attack came, she dared open a single eye. To find Twilight was no longer there. "Where did she go?" "I don't know, she just looked really scared and ran out. She probably went home." "I.. should probably follow her. Thank you, Fluttershy for helping Spike, er, I mean Emerald." Rarity embraced her animal loving friend in a quick hug before heading out to the local library. Author's Note This was going to be a one shot. Oh well. Maybe my Nightmare Derpy story will manage to not take longer than I expect.
Deoxyribonucleic AcidRarity made her way through the darkening Ponyville streets calmly, enjoying the crisp evening air. She smiled at the sight of the library. Despite the later hour none of the lights were on. In one of Twilight's trademark fits it seemed she had forgotten even the simple act of flicking a light switch, even though it would undoubtedly aid her, in whatever it was she was doing. As expected of the trademark, Rarity was unsurprised to find even the front door was improperly closed. Rarity stuck her head into the darkness and called for her friend before doing what Twilight did not, and turned on the light. "The sun! What- oh." Rarity giggled behind her hoof at Twilight's outburst. "Twilight, darling? Wherever have you gotten to?" "I'm up here, Rarity!" Rarity followed her friends voice up the stairs, and nearly screamed in horror at the nightmarish sight before her. Twilight's mane. "Twilight, sweetheart, have I ever told you how contagious your stress is? Honestly I get nightmares for weeks everytime you nearly give yourself an ulcer. And only a few of them are about your health, dear." "What? Oh. I still have no idea how it does that." Twilight began to smooth down her mane, but stopped after two strokes. "Wait! I have more important things to worry about than my appearance." "More important?! Ahem. I mean, yes, of course." Rarity did her best to distract herself, though it was difficult. However she had to agree with Twilight. Emerald was indeed very important. "What are you looking for?" Twilight was scouring Emerald's room. A room Rarity noted, was impeccably clean. She'd have to praise her Spikey-- (Emerald.. y?) later. The name change was hard for her to get used to. And it did not lend itself to nick names as easily. Rarity watched as Twilight made a mess of the room. Looking under the bed, in between the mattresses, under the covers, and even emptying the contents of the dressers. It was too much for Rarity's cleanliness focused mind to handle. "I'll wait out in the hallway for you to finish, Twilight." About ten minutes later Rarity made a mental note to see an otolaryngologist as she was sure Twilight's 'Eureka!' caused some damage. Twilight burst from the the room with a small smile on her face and a rag in her magic. "I take it you found your little mystery object. What is--" comprehension dawned on her face as she gazed at the rag. "Is that.... is that what I think it is, Twilight?" Rarity asked with a look of poorly masked disgust. Twilight had the decency to look flustered. "He uh.. hehe... he thinks about you a lot." Rarity's demeanor imperceptibly flickered to flattered, before her disgust came back in full force. "Twilight. For what, possible reason, could you have, for wanting," Rarity pointed her hoof at the rag, "that?" "I um, needed some of Spike's-" "Emerald, dear." Rarity interrupted as they head to Twilight's basement. "His name is SPIKE and I shall call him as such, Rarity. I named him myself. It's a cool name. Like that blonde maned vampony from trottingham." "The Bucky series only came out last year, I highly doubt you named him after that. But if that's how you feel, I'll not correct you on his name any longer. However, he prefers the name Emerald so if you don't mind, I myself will continue to address him that way. Now, I apologize for interrupting, but just what is it you needed that disgusting bit of cloth for?" "I needed some of Spike's DNA." "Couldn't you find a um, more sanitary sample?" "He doesn't exactly have fur to conveniently shed. And he's too young for puberty. Which, admittedly, makes this that much more uncomfortable." Rarity shivered. As the reached the bottom of the basement stairs Twilight, no longer frantic, turned on the basement light. Illuminating a host of gleaming machines of unknown purpose. Donning a simple white garment and some rectangular framed black glasses Twilight proceeded to cut the rag and poke it with various tools, obviously trying to get a sample she could work with. "If you're going to stay here, Rarity, wear a lab coat." "Why?" "Because we're doing science. It's protocol." "I don't-" "Protocol." "If you say so, dear." Rarity grabbed a coat and ignored the fact that it made her look a little like a fat adult blank flank. "So, Twilight. What was in that lightbulb?" "Light- lightbulb? What lightbulb?" "The one that appeared over your head at Fluttershy's. The reason you ran home?" "Ah yes. That." Twilight took the small peace of cloth she had cut and placed it a test tube with a strange smelling liguid. "When you said, 'bred' it made me think that maybe, the reason that all those books in Canterlot were so wrong about Spike, wasn't because the authors were ignorant about dragons in general, but because they were only wrong about Spike!" "I don't get it." Twilight paused, a guilty look on her face. "I think.. I think an accident with Spike's egg may have interfered with his genetic makeup. A magical accident. I'm.... I'm checking for evidence of magical manipulation. I think... I think it's my fault. The very thing that gave him his name may also be the cause of his current condition." Twilight had begun to tear up, it even looked like she was about to fall into hysterics. Just as Rarity thought to produce a shoulder for Twilight to cry on, a sudden look of determination on Twilight's face dried her tears. "Well, if it is my fault, then it's up to me to fix it. Starting with finding the problem!" With that she turned around and placed the test tube with the new, still gross, liquid concoction into a machine. A few little green and yellow lights on the machine showing that it was working. "It will take a few hours for the readouts to finalize. What would you like to do while we wait?" 'Anything where I'm not wearing this dreaded coat' Rarity almost said. "How about some BattleSky?" -||-||-||-||- Spell Cast, High Mage of The Kingdom of Equestria, was pondering in her castle quarters about how her work would soon increase her title. Though not in any way that counts. High Mage of the Kingdom of Equestria or High Mage of the Empire of Equestria. Either way, she was still a High Mage. A position many ponies were jealous of. Very few positions were higher. Of course, for Spell Cast, that was the problem with the position. With the high rank came not only high expectations from Celestia herself, but constant contact with the Princess as well. In her twenty years serving the Princess she had learned to fear the Sun Goddess. Spell Cast rarely ever spoke, for fear of spilling one of the many secrets she was privy to that would end her life. She often entertained the idea of standing on the balcony on which Celestia would occasionally address the citizens of Canterlot. There she would commit suicide by enchanting her voice to Royal Canterlot levels and spilling some state secret that would have Celestia cleaning up for days. She held no illusions of toppling the regime. But a release from this life and a little petty revenge would often entice her. In the end, however, she continued to plow on. Today, it would seem, was one of those days where fantasy was as tempting as those new peanut butter and chocolate candies. Two royal guards in classic solar armor had summoned her to the princess. Two guards. That meant Celestia was angry about something.
SummonsAbout one year ago "Garble!" Basil the dragon called his son to the rim of the volcano. Anger making his already thunderous voice even louder and somehow, deeper. "Yes dad?" A bipedal dragon that was the picture of confidence and superiority only minutes ago now looked as if he was staring death himself in the eye sockets. And, judging by the look on his irate father's face, he might very well be doing just that soon enough. "Did I just see you take an INFANT hunting?" Basil stared holes into his young son's hide. Garble was confused. "I don't know what he was dad. But he wasn't no baby. Babies don't talk, or win tail wrestling contests." "Don't condescend me, boy. I've been around long enough to know a baby when I see one. That was a baby-- did you say tail wrestling contest?! Not only did you endanger the life of a hatchling by taking it hunting, but you involved it in your idiotic teenage violence?! I ought to show you real violence, boy. Our kind are dwindling, I'll not have my own son aid in that decline!" "He wasn't a hatchling, father! I swear it! In fact, I'm pretty sure he was a pony in a dragon costume. Why else would he willingly go with the ponies who grabbed him? Not to mention he refused to kill the phoenix!" "Did you say... ponies?" -||-||-||-||- Present Day "You rained on my cumulus! Ugh, I don't how you keep winning, Rarity. It's all luck! How about a nice game of chess?" "Twilight, I'm not stupid. Playing chess against you would be like a mouse trying to defeat a manticore." Twilight blushed a little at the praise, and chuckled nervously. Averting her gaze she glanced at the clock in the neighboring kitchen. The hour she needed to wait was over. She clapped her hooves as a sparkle briefly hit her eyes. Her excitement for learning briefly overtaking her despite the subject matter. "Hours up Rarity. Let's see what we can find out about our Spike." Her voice took on a guilty tone, her hooves dragged a little down the basement stairs. Her excitement quickly over as the thought of the machine's readout spelling the word "Guilty". Twilight donned her lab coat and checked to make sure Rarity had done so as well. Only to find the immaculate mare missing. "Rarity?" "I'm right up here, darling. Surely you can handle that on your own. But do let me know if you need my help. Just a quick shout and I'll be right there next to you in that dreadful coat!" Twilight groaned inwardly. Of course Rarity would care about a simple labcoat. Twilight couldn't for the life of her see what was wrong with it. But that's why she wasn't Canterlot's #2 most desired clothier. Donning her reading glasses, Twilight grabbed the readout with her magic. To anyone else it would look like a bar graph, one likely found on one of Vinyl's many displays. But to Twilight it told a story. Four letters, A,T,C and G were the only ones to be found in this particular novel, and yet it was more informative than all those dragon books in Canterlot. It was a wonder she hadn't done this earlier. Oh, right. The source material. Desperate times indeed. Studying the sheet she learned much about her assistant. For instance, Spike's family was likely more red scaled than green. When Spike got older naturally, instead of doing so through greed, he'd have massive wings. And they would probably hurt growing in. But as fascinating as all this was, it wasn't why she had committed to this experiment. Scrunching her nose she picked apart more of the code. She dug as deep as she could. Hunting for the nugget of information that might tell her about his birth, and if there was anything unusual about it. What she found made her cry. -||-||-||-||- Spell Cast followed the two stoic guards into the throne room where they stopped and motioned her forwards. Gulping nervously she willed her body forward, nearly tripping over her own hooves in fear. Surprisingly she made it to the throne without incident, for which she was grateful. No telling how fragile the Princess's mood was in. A simple trip would likely aggravate whatever punishment she was most likely going to receive. When Spell figured that her time scrutinizing the deep red carpet in front of her, or as others knew it, bowing irreverently, she dared look up at her Princess. Spell was only slightly surprised to see Celestia smiling warmly down on her. "Rise, high mage." "You... wanted to see me, your highness?" "Straight to the point, I like that." Celestia left her throne, motioning Spell to follow her as she walked to the many stained glass windows that lined her throne room. Without moving her head she eyed the High Mage. "Do you remember, oh, I'd say about a decade and half ago I gave you a bit of a.. "pet" project? Hmm?" Of course Spell Cast remembered. It was the first time she had been subjected to Celestia's extreme security precaution. And of all her duties, it had likely been the oddest one. Making changes to a developing fetus, no matter the species or how minimal the change, was not only taboo, but highly illegal. The smallest of mistakes could lead to any number of birth defects that would cripple a foal for life or worse. "Yes, your highness. The um.. breakfast food." Celestia exhaled quickly in a single bout of laughter. Amused agian by Spell Casts extreme lengths to avoid an accidental death. With so many lethal secrets in her head and her odd way of speaking, most ponies thought she had gone insane. Rumors of dark magic had started to follow her everywhere she went. Celestia's smile faded. "Yes, well that breakfast food as you so eloquently put it is, let's say, going bad. So, as my personal chef, what do you think might the problem be?" 'Going bad? But nothing should be wrong. I did that spell perfectly. I mapped out that dragon's genome a hundred times before I made even the smallest of changes!' "How bad, exactly, has breakfast gotten, your majesty?" "I'm tired of your word games, Spell Cast. Just say 'project' if you feel you can't say the words." "Yes, your highness." "As for the project. He currently lies unconscious in the care of a veterinarian while his body recovers from self inflicted neglect. Neglect caused by, if I'm not mistaken, some serious identity issues. Seems he thinks he's a pony." "With all due respect, your highness. I am not a mental-" "Did I ask your profession?" "Erm.. no.. your majesty." "I do believe I asked what was wrong with Spike." Spell cast murmured nervously "Despite what you may think of me, I'm not completely heartless. Nor am I an idiot. I can accept 'I do not know, Princess' as an answer." Even with the princesses reassurance, it was difficult to believe her words. Gulping, Spell Cast gathered her courage. "I do n-not know, P-princess." Spell closed her eyes tightly in preparation for an attack. When it did not come, she opened her eyes. "Are you quite finished?" "Yes, Princess." Spell said with a quick bow. "You have a month." "I'm... sorry Princess?" "If I don't have a satisfactory answer in a month, you will be. Do what you need to do, consult who you need to consult, but I want solid answers in exactly one month's time. Or you won't need to worry about.. well, anything." "Yes, your highness." "Because you'll be dead." "Yes.... I understand Princess." Spell tried to hide her frustration at the veiled insult to her intelligence and leave so that she could accomplish her work. But the Princess seemed to be enjoying herself. "Because I'll have killed you." Spell Cast gritted her teeth as she continued to back away towards the doors, still bowing. "Spell Cast. Did I dismiss you?" Pure panic flooded her system as she realized she had never been formally dismissed. The huge grin on Celestia's face as she seemed to laugh at her did nothing to alleviate her fears. "You're lucky I need you, Spell Cast." Celestia still smiled. The smile of a sadist. "In two days time I expect you to be in Ponyville. My student, Twilight Sparkle, will house you. I will send you 1,000 bits to aid in your search. I pray it's not a bad investment. If it turns out it is. Well. I'll be... angry." "Of course, Princess." Spell Cast bowed again and prepared to walk backwards once more to the door. One hour of complete silence later. "You're dismissed, Spell Cast." Celestia's grin was hidden from Spell Cast. As the princess was still gazing out the window in front of her. If she had seen it she would have described it as "massive" and "shit-eating".
A walk through townTwo days had passed since Spell Cast was given her instructions. Since then she had set up an agreement with a psychiatrist friend of hers to confidentially review Spike's case in her stead remotely. Since she herself, despite the "credentials" in her luggage ready to be placed on a desk for appearances sake, was not trained at all for healing addled minds. She would send recordings of her sessions with the dragon to Sound Mind, and she would send her response. A response Spell Cast would likely mirror to keep the illusion that she was a professional shrink. Of course, Twilight was aware of Spell Cast's true purpose. Twilight being Celestia's personal student, she had often come into contact with Spell Cast. The filly often showing her blatant dislike for the Court's High Mage. She wasn't sure why Twilight didn't like her, but she was glad that whatever the reason, it either hadn't reached Celestia's ears, or wasn't bad enough to warrant punishment. Spell Cast looked out the window of the Friendship Express and saw the the town of Ponyville on the horizon. Save for Town Hall, a windmill, and the iconic library, the town looked wholly unremarkable at this distance. A sign of heavy Earth Pony influence. Spell Cast squashed the small part of her that felt disturbed by the thought. She may have been raised by racist unicorns and lived in a city where looking down on the race was a social norm, but she was a modern pony, Faustdamn it! She wasn't about to let herself act like an ignorant foal. *ding* "Next stop, Ponyville. Please be prepared to depart, and thank you for choosing Maretrak Railways." Disturbed form her thoughts, Spell sighed and magic'd her meager luggage onto the empty seat next to her. -||-||-||-||- Twilight Sparkle waited on a bench in the Ponyville train station. Waiting for her new house guest that would hopefully aid in Spike's recovery. Mentally, anyways. Twilight knew that physically he was forever changed by her magic outburst the day he was born. She just hoped that therapy would ease any of the effects those changes had on the young drake's mind. Though she had hope, it was but a flame in a star system of darkness. It had been difficult to discern, but it seemed the majority of the changes made by her flare may have directly affected his brain. Needless to say Twilight had been a very depressed mare these last two days. Maybe Spell Cast's arrival would lift her out of her funk, if for no other reason than she would provide a distraction. A Canterlot unicorn of her position no doubt had never picked up after herself in her life. It'd be a long month of keeping her library clean. The Friendship express pulled into the station, very few ponies it seemed had this backwater town as a destination. So it was easy to see her new roommate. Spell Cast was a violet-blue coated unicorn mare with a fuchsia mane highlighted with midnight blue streaks. Her mane style was reminiscent of one of Rarity's up do's. Her eyes a shining light blue. Her cutie mark was a trio of light blue differently sized bursts. Curved on the inside, spiky on the ends. Overall she was beautiful mare. Likely one of the reason's Twilight would be apologizing to her. "Hello, Spell Cast." Twilight greeted her new roommate and began to lead her to her home. "Ah, Twilight Sparkle. How nice to see you. I almost didn't recognize you without Celestia's rear on your muzzle." Twilight winced, she supposed she deserved a few jabs. "Listen, Spell Cast. I'm sorry about how I treated you at the castle all those years. Truth was, I was jealous. I may have been Celestia's personal student and naturally talented with magic. But you still had better magic than me, not to mention a lot more time with the princess. I just kinda, really wanted your job." Twilight hung her head. If nothing else, she had apologized, so at least that was a part of her past she no longer had to lose sleep over. Spell Cast, however, was completely taken aback. It was unreasonable of her, but she had found it easy to believe that Twilight was just some evil bitch that didn't like her because of poor performance, or something to that effect. Though Twilight's apology and subsequent head hanging painted a very different picture. Maybe this trip wouldn't be as bad as she was bracing for. It also seemed like Twilight might not be the right hand of Celestia she, and most others, thought she was. Strange then that she'd be given responsibility for the project. "So that's why you acted that way. All this time I thought I had done something to offend you. And it was just petty jealousy?" Twilight closed her eyes, the words stinging a little. What she heard next surprised her. Spell Cast was laughing. "Twilight, I... oh Faust, I accept your apology. Honestly that is a weight off my back." Twilight looked up in surprise. A smile on her face. "You really mean it? You accept my apology?" "Of course, dear. Now, if you don't mind, before I settle in I'd like to meet the young dragon that I'm to be head shrinking." "Oh, okay." Twilight was happy the issue was resolved so quickly. She had expected reconciliation, if it happened at all, to take the entire month. This would make things far easier, not to mention enjoyable, than she expected. "He's healing a lot faster than we thought he would. Fluttershy said he might've regained consciousness by now so he might be able to speak. But whatever you do, don't bring up, or allude to his draconic nature. For some reason it upsets him." Twilight turned right instead of left at the next juncture. Turning away from her home and towards Fluttershy's. "Of course." "And as far as he knows, the IV in his arm isn't feeding him powdered gems, but the raw nutrients of plant starches." "Arm? So he's still bipedal?" "What do you mean? Dragons are bipedal until sometime around their first centennial." Twilight raised an eyebrow at Spell Casts stunning display of ignorance. Everypony knew that. Even foals. "Right, of course. Forgive me." When the pair neared the cottage Twilight noticed Applejack leaving, likely returning home. She failed to suppress a slight groan. "What's wrong?" "Oh, it's nothing really. Just Applejack and Fluttershy haven't really been seeing eye to eye lately. It usually take about an hour after seeing each other for their bad moods to go away. This might not be a very pleasant visit." "If you you don't mind me asking, what's the problem between the two of them?" "Oh, it was nothing major, really. Fluttershy's a vegetarian, while Applejack's farm, Sweet Apple Acres is Ponyville's largest supplier of meat. A minor issue, sure. But the friction was there. It got a little heated recently when Applejack made her opinion of Fluttershy's dating choices public. Twice." "Is Applejack attracted to Fluttershy?" "Eew no. I mean, maybe? I guess I can't rule that out. But no, that wasn't the reason. At least on the outside. Faust damn it, Spell Cast now I can't stop thinking of that possibility, ugh that's gonna give me nightmares for a week. No, Applejack just wasn't fond of Discord. Not one bit. Though I don't really get why. He's actually a pretty decent guy now. Never fails to make me laugh. Though sometimes the laughter part comes later. Not wanting to ruin Fluttershy's friendship with Applejack, he broke up with Fluttershy. Moved to Canterlot permanently. Wasn't long after that she set her eyes on Big Mac. I think you can tell how that went down." "The over protective sister. Yeah, I know those types. Honestly, stallions can think for themselves you know, sheesh." Twilight giggled. Spell Cast was more down to earth than she gave her credit for. She really needed to stop judging books by their covers. Well, not literally. She couldn't remember a time when she had done so literally. Arriving at the front door to the cottage the smell animals, animal feed, cleaning products, and oddly enough, cooked pork assaulted the pair's nose. Twilight having been used to it barely registered it. Though Spell Cast was having a bit of difficulty to keep from sneezing. It was bad form to sneeze when entering someone's home. And if Fluttershy was in a bad mood, it would be a poor first impression indeed. Twilight knocked on the door and waited for the timid pegasus to open up. "Oh, hello Twilight. Spike's awake. He's eating lunch on the couch if you want to talk to him. Oh, erm... hello, who are you?" Fluttershy added upon noticing the new mare, shrinking drastically out of shyness Twilight hadn't seen in a while on account of a lack of new ponies. "Fluttershy, this is my psychologist friend from Canterlot I told you about, Spell Cast. Spell Cast, meet one of my best friends and element of kindness, Fluttershy." "Ah, Fluttershy. I have heard so much about you. Seriously. Discord wouldn't shut up about you. I'm sorry to hear about the break up, by the way. So sad." In her same sweet voice, and with her same small smile, Fluttershy responded, "Oh, it's allright. Once Applejack stops being such a sourpuss he'll come back. Come in, come in. Spike's been asking about you, Twilight." "You said he was eating. What is he eating exactly?" "The only pony food he's not 'severely allergic' to, of course." "I thought you said you'd never have that inside your house?" "Spike's health is a little more important than my comfort, I imagine. I'm not about to bring him outside in his condition just so I don't have to smell it." Twilight noted that Fluttershy seemed a little greener than usual. Guess it really was bothering her. "Why don't you go to the spa with Rarity for a while. Spell Cast and I can look after Spike for a few hours." "Oh, thank you Twilight. I was feeling really sick. It'll be nice to get out of the house. Make sure you address him as Emerald though. He got really mad and nearly tore out his IV earlier when I accidentally called him Spike. I hope you guys figure out what's wrong with him. It's really scary." "Don't worry Fluttershy, we'll do our best." Spell did her best to comfort the yellow mare. Fluttershy nodded once before heading off into town. Eager to get away from the smell. Closing the door behind them, Spell Cast allowed her luggage, which she had been carrying this entire time in both her saddle bags and magic, to temporarily rest in a corner by the door. Sighing in relief she stretched, extending her forelegs forward as far as she could while raising her rear. She gave a satisfied moan when she felt her vertebrae pop. "I think we should make a pot of tea, and then I think it's time I met Emerald Flame." Author's Note Can anyone help me? There's an image I fell in love with a little ways back. It shows a future Sweetie Belle singing in a club or classy restaurant. Rarity is in the foreground facing away from us and towards Sweetie, tears in her eyes and hair all done up well. For some reason I can't find it anywhere. I was gonna use it as a visual aid when talking about Spell Cast's mane. Edit: (May, 8th 2013CE) Holy bucking shit I finally found the image. This chapter, for whatever reason (I think it's because of the world building) was easier, and more fun to write. However, I was just re-reading it and I can't help but wonder... out of the chapters so far was it the least well written? Just lookin' for an outside opinion, I'm told I'm far too critical of myself.
SessionSpell Cast and Twilight eyed the young drake who was delicately eating his meal, movement still a difficult endeavor. "Spike?" Twilight called his name softly, trying not to startle him. All he did in response was wince. "Allow me, Twilight." Spell gently put a hoof on Twilight's back reassuringly. Twilight sighed and nodded in defeat. "Okay, Spell. Please help him." "I'll do what I can." Twilight turned and made her way to the couch by the window. Pulling the newly updated encyclopedia for the letter S out of her saddle bag she committed herself to finding all the new additions by hoof. It would help to keep her from eavesdropping on the conversation in the next room. -||-||-||-||- "Hello, Emerald. How are you feeling today?" Spell Cast used the moment with the dragon's back to her to quickly cast the recording charm on a gem hidden in her saddle bags. "I'm not feeling too good, who are you?" Spike asked when he finally bothered to look at her. Spell Cast, also finally managing to look at Spike, was a bit unnerved by her creation. It was a bit macabre, really. Sure, it was just an infant. But it was a talking infant. A walking, talking, infant who by all accounts had a well developed and unique personality. And a- ugh- crush on a pony. It was just too weird. And it was all her doing. Her "masterpiece". And like any good artist, at least any artist she considered decent, she wasn't about to allow an inferior product on display if she could fix any errors. Eventually, Spike grew tired of the new pony's staring, as evidenced by his dismissive words as he slowly and shakily made his way from his chair. "Well, anytime you want to introduce yourself feel free to let me know. I'll be doing the vastly important task of sleeping on Fluttershy's couch." "I'm sorry, Emerald. My name is Spell Cast. And I'm going to be spending some time with you for a couple of weeks. Get to know you better. See if I can help you with anything." "She speaks. Neat. May I ask, why is some strange mare going to be hanging out with me for a couple of weeks out of the blue? And why does it sound like I don't have a choice in the matter?" "Well, uh..... I've been hired to--" "Psychiatrist eh? Well, lucky you. You caught me when I'm too weak to be anything but calm, so ask away. I assume patient doctor conf- confident- er, privacy, is still a thing?" Spike reversed his direction, climbing back onto his seat. With a hefty and slighly annoyed sigh he relaxed into the chair. "Well, you might want to close the door then. I think talking to a stranger that can't repeat what I say may be ca...thar..., ugh, relaxing." "It's confidentiality, and cathartic. And the answer to the first one is yes." Spell's horn glowed and the door behind them closed with a soft click. The space between the door and around the windows glowed briefly as a soundproof spell locked their conversation away from prying ears. "So, Emerald. How has your week been so far??" "It's been shit." Spell Cast gasped. "Emerald!" "What? You have no authority over me and unless I directly threaten others or myself you can't repeat a thing I say. And like I said, my week so far has been shit. So you'll excuse me if I cuss a little." Spike never moved as he said this. His voice tired and bored. Spike's head was nearly upside down as he draped it over the back of his chair. Spell Cast wasn't comfortable with the language, but she didn't argue with him in the hopes he might reveal more about himself than a three word summary. "Could you, go into more detail?" "Sure. Why not. Let's see, well, the first four or five days I spent in my room. I was either thinking about Rarity or reading. Then, one day I go to use the toilet and Twilight beats my face in. Odd behavior, I think. She doesn't usually abuse me, at least not directly. Next thing I know all the random and super annoying body pains I've been feeling just, forgive the pun, spike out of nowhere. Then I'm asleep for two more days. When I wake up I get a steak, a needle in my arm, and a head doctor. That help?" "You seem upset." Spell Cast wasn't really sure what Sound Mind would say here, but she remembered from a play she had watched that psychiatrists often used simple phrases to get more detailed responses. "I... am in a lot of pain right now. It, literally, hurts everywhere Miss Cast. I don't have the energy to be polite. And on top of that Twilight bothered to get yet another doctor just because I want to be treated like a pony. So yeah, I'm going to be a little short." Spell Cast hid her near chuckle very well, surprising both herself and Spike, if the look he gave her was anything to go by. "What do you mean, "treated like a pony"?" Spike cringed. "I don't think I could be clearer. I can find no fewer nor shorter words to dumb that down for you." Spell Cast flustered at the condescending words of her 'patient', but forced herself to remain calm. "What I mean is, do ponies not treat you like a pony normally?" "Most of the time they do, but every now and then they feel it has to mentioned that I'm a dragon. And it hurts everytime. Like, "Hey look at the freak" and "I bet he's going to eat us all in a few years." I know they don't all think that, but it's kinda what it seems like everytime somepony points out what I am. I mean, I'm not an idiot. I know I'm a dragon. At least on the outside. But I forsook that part of me over a year ago. Once I knew what dragons were like I knew I was different. Even they had a tough time deciding if I was one of their own. So I'm a pony. Where it counts. I just figure if I can stop doing things that are dragon like, maybe ponies will stop seeing me as a baby monster, and just see me for who I am. Is that such a big deal?" "It is when it affects your health, Emerald. The pain you're in now is because of massive damage to your stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys. All because you tried to eat vegetables and refused gemstones." "Wait, really? You mean I have to eat gemstones? I thought they were just like, desserts. Aw, Faust that sucks. Guess I can just eat them in secret, I guess." -||-||-||-||- It had been a year since Basil had begun tracking the strange infant that the ponies stole. It had been a difficult process, often taking to actually talking to the ponies. Basil didn't like talking to ponies, sure they were nice enough but one could only hear "Ah! Dragon! Run!" so many times before it grates. And then there were the guards and "hero" ponies. He almost wished they would run in fear too. But more often than not they tried to kill him. It was.... annoying. He had learned based off the descriptions of the child's captors that he was chasing after bearers of the elements of harmony. Some of the very mares that defeated both Nightmare Moon and Discord. He wished he could thank them, Discord's idea of a volcano was not fun at all. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they were kidnappers. He hoped that they would see reason. They seemed amicable enough when they convinced him to leave the cave he was in just a year and a half ago, if a little odd. Letting his gaze drift beneath him he saw the town of Ponyville. His destination. He circled lazily downwards and aimed for the cottage on the outskirts of town. It's distance from the town proper and closeness to the Everfree suggested a local detached slightly from society. And one of immense bravery. The Everfree forest was an uncomfortable place for dragons. Very dangerous for ponies. When Basil knocked on the door with his massive claw as lightly as possible to avoid its destruction he expected a massive warrior mare, maybe even a stallion to answer. He most certainly did not expect the one who did answer. -||-||-||-||- "Well, do you have any gems? This really hurts." "Sorry, Emerald. But even if I did, you can't have any. Too much too fast would hurt you." "But then, if I don't have any I'll--" "That's what the IV is for." "Oh. Well, guess I won't take it out when you're not looking then." Spell smiled at the little dragon. He was cute as a button. Like a strange mix between an eight year old and a fifteen year old. If she ignored the creep factor that was a talking baby, that is. KNOCK KNOCK "I guess this the end of our session today, Emerald. It looks like Fluttershy's home, though why she'd knock on her own door is beyond me." a thought seemed to go through Spike's mind briefly before his face lit up. "Maybe, it's Rarity!" With speed and appropriate groans and moans of a very old pony Spike made his way to the front door, oblivious to the unusual shadow the windows cast on the floor. When he opened the door the brilliant smile on his face that showed even through his pain was replaced by a scowl. And then he slammed the door shut. Spell Cast, having seen the large dragon, only managed to lift an eyebrow in response. She had heard things were active in Ponyville, but it hadn't even been six hours and already a massive dragon had politely knocked on the door. . . . . . ...She was going to like it here. Author's Note Reason for lateness: Severe acute gout flare up lasting about two weeks.
Dragon at The Door.Previously, on Spike: Proof of Concept: "What, exactly, is wrong with Spike?" The Princesses tone barely changed, to the casual observer there was no change at all. But Twilight could detect a certain level of coldness. Though that was not nearly enough to change Twilight's answers. "He's not eating, he rarely socializes and when he does he tries far too hard. A month ago he assaulted a psychiatrist simply for calling him a dragon. He also appears to be delusional, believing himself to be a pony. I'm quite worried." The smile returned to the eyes of the princess. ------- "He wasn't a hatchling, father! I swear it! In fact, I'm pretty sure he was a pony in a dragon costume. Why else would he willingly go with the ponies who grabbed him? Not to mention he refused to kill the phoenix!" "Did you say... ponies?" ------- "You have a month." "I'm... sorry Princess?" "If I don't have a satisfactory answer in a month, you will be. Do what you need to do, consult who you need to consult, but I want solid answers in exactly one month's time. Or you won't need to worry about.. well, anything." ------- It had been a year since Basil had begun tracking the strange infant that the ponies stole. It had been a difficult process, often taking to actually talking to the ponies. Basil didn't like talking to ponies, sure they were nice enough but one could only hear "Ah! Dragon! Run!" so many times before it grates. And then there were the guards and "hero" ponies. He almost wished they would run in fear too. But more often than not they tried to kill him. It was.... annoying. He had learned based off the descriptions of the child's captors that he was chasing after bearers of the elements of harmony. Some of the very mares that defeated both Nightmare Moon and Discord. He wished he could thank them, Discord's idea of a volcano was not fun at all. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, they were kidnappers. He hoped that they would see reason. They seemed amicable enough when they convinced him to leave the cave he was in just a year and a half ago, if a little odd. ------- When he opened the door the brilliant smile on his face that showed even through his pain was replaced by a scowl. And then he slammed the door shut. Spell Cast, having seen the large dragon, only managed to lift an eyebrow in response. She had heard things were active in Ponyville, but it hadn't even been six hours and already a massive dragon had politely knocked on the door. . ...She was going to like it here. . . . To say that Basil was surprised would be an understatement. Of all those that he could have expected to open the door, even subconsciously, an infant drake was not among them. Faust, even a gryphon would have been less out of place. And as if that wasn't enough of a shock, the infant appeared to be the same one he was trying to rescue. So why then did it slam the little door in his face? And how did it do that? And was it wearing a scowl? As far as Basil was concerned this day couldn't get much weirder. Hopefully the purple pony that won't shut up might get him some answers. ...Wait, how long has she been there? -||-||-||-||- Spike slammed the door on the evil monster that had actually dared to knock on the Element of Kindness' door. The scowl on his face quickly evaporating into an expression of abject fear once he realized what he had just done. And what he had just done it to. "Twilight! Help! There's a dragon!" "Spell Cast that doesn't sound like progress!" Twilight yelled back, her voice betraying an equal amount of fear to Spike's. "If anything that sounds like he's gotten worse!" Her voice was accompanied by the sound of her hooves on the thinly carpeted floor as she ran at a near gallop to where Spike and Spell Cast were standing. Spike was hyperventilating while Spell had her mouth hid behind hoof as she tried to stop giggling. The sight only enraged Twilight further. "What did you do?!" Spell couldn't hold it in any more, and rolled on to her back in a fit of laughter. "I... didn't... do... anything!" Spell Cast gasped out in between bouts of laughter. To her credit she appeared to be gaining control of herself once again. "He means... the dragon... outside. Just knocked on... the door." Her laughter finally died down. Spell breathed in a few deep breaths to steady herself and once again got back on her hooves. "What do you mean? Dragon outside?" "Look for yourself." Spell pointed to the front door, Twilight's gaze followed Spells hoof and Twilight didn't need to go outside to believe her. The large front windows full of red scales was proof enough. "That's... odd. Perhaps Fluttershy takes care of dragons as well?" Spike bristled at the unintended insult, but nopony noticed. "And it really wasn't that funny, Spell." "Actually, it was, you just didn't get to see your face." Twilight ignored her and made her way to the front of the cottage. There was a situation developing and Twilight could think of no better problem solver than herself. Though she'd be loathe to admit it out loud. Twilight opened the door and looked at the behemoth that nearly rivaled the cottage in size as it stood there, unmoving. A look of confusion plastered on his face, mirroring the rest of him in its motionlessness. "Excuse me, Mr Dragon, sir? Can I help you?" The dragon remained motionless. Its right claw hovering in the air as though it had been frozen mid knock. "Sir? You knocked on our door. Is there anything I can help you with?" Twilight's smile lost its authenticity. Not that it had much to start with. "Um... if you're here to see Fluttershy I'm afraid she's not in right now." Twilight waved a hoof briefly, thinking it might snap his attention. To her slight relief, it failed. She wasn't sure how safe a dragon snapping to attention so close to her could be. Looking closer at the dragon, a spark of familiarity lit her mind briefly. "Hey, have we met bef--" "How long have you been there, purple pony?" The dragon seemed genuinely confused. Which added to the surprise Twilight felt at his abrupt use of language and movement. "Um, my name is Twilight Sparkle. And I'd say five minutes or so?" "I.... apologize. I... was lost in thought." Twilight could relate, so she chose not to comment. "Well, as I've been saying. Can we help you? You did just knock on our door." Twilight briefly waved a hoof behind her, indicating said door. "Well, you see, a few years back a group of ponies stole a child from one of our camps..." Upon hearing this, Twilight became upset. What kind of awful ponies would stoop so low as to take some else's child from them? She vowed that if the dragon wasn't lying, she'd personally oversee the punishment of such wretched ponies. And while she wanted to communicate all this, all she could manage was a gasp of sympathetic horror. "...And my search for the youngling and his captors have lead me to this village." She lived with these ponies!? The nerve to live so close to the Elements of Harmony, even! Their punishment would be worse to make up for the shame Twilight felt at not discovering such criminals in her midst by herself. "I was told to look for the Elements of Harmony." Whoever informed this dragon knew their information, thought Twilight. A small smile of pride playing on her lips. "As they fit the description of the captors to a T. But it seems I'm not going to need to do all that. The first house I knock on has the child in it. What luck! Now, if you would be so kind, do claw over the child. He doesn't belong with you." Twilight's small smile disappeared, and a sound like electricity fizzling out could almost be heard were you close enough to her head as her mind blanked out momentarily. Her mind needed to be emptied quickly, for if it wasn't the tide of rage and indignation that soon followed would have broken her. Possibly putting her in a persistent vegetative state. "WHAT?!?!" She bellowed. At a volume that was halfway between Royal Canterlot Voice and Pinkie Pie with a megaphone. At such a distance Basil could consider himself lucky to have his draconic endurance. Otherwise his eardrums would have permanently ruptured. For a very brief moment Basil leaned away from the cottage and the white mare with flames for a mane while wearing an expression of shock and surprise before he quickly got over it and shouted back. "What do you mean, 'What?'. You have a kidnapped child in your possession and you dare?! I should slit your throat right here and now and take him home by force! Be thankful I bothered to ask nicely!" The mare before him, still on fire, bellowed back. Though thankfully her volume was reduced to normal levels for yelling from ponies. "IF a dragon child was kidnapped, it wasn't my Spike! I hatched him myself! I raised him myself! And you. You dare to accuse me and my friends of kidnapping?! While you bully your way through me and try to take my SON!" Twilight's voice and breathing calmed down. The flames that served as her mane had been moving wildly before. As though kicked into a constant frenzy by an unseen wind. The fiery mane changed from a red-orange to a scalding blue-white. Her eyes changed color and shape as well. While they had been of normal shape while blood red, they became purple and slitted. Her voice took on a menacing tone that while quiet, was far scarier than it had been seconds ago when nearly all of Ponyville could hear her. "I can take the accusations. I can even take the stupidity of making such accusations to my face. But I will not tolerate threats against my child. You get within 100 feet of Spike and I will ram a Rainbow so far up your ass you'll speak in colors for a year. You got that you little shit?" Growing up Basil had been warned about the protective instincts of ponies. Many horror stories were told about dragons that had hunted in the woods and accidentally harmed a foal. Or even struck up a simple conversation with a pony youngling. And the pain, misery, and fear that followed. A dragon named RazorWing was famous for living through such an event. To this day he bore scars not seen since ancient wars. His left wing was still unable to be fully extended as the flesh of the wing had been fused oddly. He told stories so horrifying that most dragons who had listened to it ran in fright at the sight of a foal. (This had actually been witnessed once by a guard of a town that neared the dragon borders. A dragon was hunting and the guard had been trying to negotiate with it to leave. He wasn't making much progress and the guard had started to sweat a little in fear. But when his son showed up to show off some art the dragon had actually screamed and flew away. No pony believes him.) This was why Basil was whimpering with his claws over his head as the white mare's colors returned to her. She seemed a little tired but Basil wasn't taking any chances. Trying to seem as small as he could he backed away slowly. Unfortunately his frame didn't allow for such movement. He couldn't stop bumping into stuff. "Hey, wait! Mr Dragon! I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you, I just... okay, I meant it. But please. If a dragon's been kidnapped I'd love to help you find him. Just, don't threaten Spike again. Okay? He's all the family I have in this town." While Basil was confident that Twilight was protective of Spike. He still couldn't fathom a pony mothering a drake. Or caring this much for one. He still wasn't convinced Spike wasn't a kidnap victim, either. "Do you really mean it, Twilight?" Basil and Twilight looked at the source of the voice. Spike was poking his head out the door. "Mean what, Spike?" Twilight said. Her tone of voice far sweeter than it had been for hours. A smile on her face as she looked at her assistant. "Do you... do you really consider me your son?" Spike said with a hopeful tilt to his voice. Twilight looked like she had been hit. Shocked as she realized that, yes, she did indeed. It hadn't ever really occurred to her until someone had threatened to take him away. She didn't even realized she had said anything along those lines until afterwards. Had Spike not heard or brought it up she might've never truly come to terms with that feeling until much, much later. A tear made its way down her face as she drew Spike into a hug and whispered "Of course I do Spike. I love you." "I love you too.... mom." Basil looked on in confusion. Spell Cast smiled. Author's Note Sorry for lateness. My excuse this time? Sheer laziness. Sorry. Really, I am. However, I suspect this story isn't very high on your list anyway. It's a filler story while you wait for something awesome to update. I'm not complaining. I'm totally fine with that. It just means I don't have much incentive to update regularly. If I'm wrong feel free to correct me. I included the "previously on:" not to add word count but to refresh the memories of returning readers. I believe that every author should do this for updates that take longer than a week. Include scenes that briefly touch up on A: The story as a whole and B: Scenes relative to the oncoming chapter. Much like how serial TV shows do before each episode. However, if you do not like the idea, or think I should include it in the A/N (to prevent a false word count) with a note at the top briefly mentioning that a "previously on:" is present in that A/N, let me know. Do you guys know how stressful posting a new chapter feels? Especially one so late without a real reason? I have no idea why but the opinions of strangers on the internet are valued very highly by me. Way too high.
