Journey begins with a single step
"No." An annoyed, deep brass voice spoke as the occupant rubbed his eyes with two clawed fingers from his right claw, the tone being echoed throughout his bedroom of the crystal castle he and the Alicorn in front of him resided in as she sighed loudly, her purple eyes narrowing as she argued with dry, unwavering resolve.
"Yes." She answered back sharply as the dragon before her snorted.
"Mom, I have enough on my plate as it is, playing bodyguard for Twilight while she prances around with her boyfriend in the Crystal Empire was not on the to do list for the week and with their special Amour Festival it just makes me uncomfortable. Sweetie Belle and I broke up not even a month ago-" He muttered sadly before blowing black smoke from his nostrils as he shook his head.
"Helping to protect Twilight and the ponies with the festival, while much appreciated by the citizens of the Crystal Empire and to a degree Twilight herself is not the only reason I wish for you to attend. Your cousin is having two representatives from Zebrica coming over to settle in a negotiation that could benefit-"
"Mom I already told you I'm not ready for the crown, just because I'm a prince now in the eyes of Equestria does not mean I want to be king, I don't feel ready or that I even earned it yet and besides-"
"I was going to say, while I'm sure Cadance would indeed like your insight which I'm sure you'll be willing to give if she seeks it and that it would help the zebra nation better prepare the rifts the Dragonlands had done to their country over the last one hundred year war that I wanted you to leave Ponyville for a while. You have too many memories of...her right now and some fresh air will do you good, Spike." Celestia added softly, noting as her little scales, or rather former little scales gripped the chair in front of his large crystal desk firmly, the claws easily causing slight cracks in the surface which neither noticed as Spike breathed slowly.
"She chose her career over me, should have known it was doomed from the start." He whispered, not seeing the Alicorn that raised him like her own flesh and blood turn her head away, ears lowered slowly and sigh softly before looking at him with a pained expression.
"I assure you it must not have been an easy decision to make, my little scales and I'm sure it had hurt her to tell you-"
"Tell me what? That she rather be adored by millions of strangers rather than be around a dragon that would have loved every inch of her, both good and bad? That raking in millions of bits by working her ass off-"
"Language Spike." Celestia interrupted with a disapproving tone as she saw the dragon who now stood a head taller than her in height on two legs and was the same height on four growled to himself before he mumbled to himself with a very animalistic hiss.
"She left me, mom. I didn't leave her. But as angry as I am at how she seemed to just disregard our relationship like it was trash and at myself for speaking the harsh words I did before she left. I can't help but wish the best for her...you didn't raise me as the type to hold a grudge after all. It's just, after getting rejected by Rarity when I was fifteen years old and then to have her little sister walk out on me the second she sees an opportunity to travel across Equestria, you'll have to forgive me for not wanting to be around a kingdom that celebrates romance quite a bit right now." His voice was so hollow, so filled with a festering amount of rage she hadn't seen before that it broke her heart at the sight of seeing him look so lifeless.
"Spike." She called out, attempting to gain his attention as he didn't even twitch an ear fin in her direction.
"Spike the dragon." Celestia spoke firmly, the serious edge in her voice forced the dragon to turn his head and gaze into his mother's eyes, his own brimming with tears ready to fall at any second making her walk over quickly and wrap her forehooves and wings around him like she always did when he was upset.
He tried to speak but she shushed him gently, rocking slowly despite the awkward position and the fact that even with her long hooves she couldn't reach around his body completely with his size filled with an adequate mixture of fat and muscle mass for his age, he was eighteen years old now, a grown adult by pony standards and was able to legally drink alcohol and gamble but at this moment the tall, handsome if slightly intimidating in appearance wingless drake felt like a hatchling again as he wrapped his arms around his adopted mother chest and bent down to weep on her left shoulder.
"Losing someone you loved for three years is never easy, my little scales. It will take time, patience and a strong amount of will to get over the pain. But I promise you, even though it will string and you'll never truly forget the memories, especially with your photographic memory, that you will heal...you always have me, your cousins and your aunt if you ever need us, Spike. You're never alone." She whispered into his right ear fin as he sobbed loudly before slowly removing himself from her and wiping his eyes with his tail.
"I know mom, thank you. At least you didn't have to use Grandma's lullaby to put me to sleep like last time, huh?" He chuckled making her give a sad, if not sincere smile at the memory before she reached up and kissed his snout.
"You didn't need it at the moment, my strong, brave prince." She teased as he laughed louder and smirked before sighing, his arms crossing over his chest as he turned his head away and she folded her long wings onto her back once more.
"My friends and I were supposed to go to a comic-con convention in Fillydelphia in two weeks though, I really wanted to get an autograph from the artist and writer of the Power Ponies and going on this trip, we didn't even get tickets yet which I was going to buy-"
"I'll ask if the convention could be extended for a few extra days for you and your friends to join. Besides, I hear Shining Armor and Blueblood wanted to go as well, after Shining and Flurry Heart return from the Changeling Kingdom and Blueblood from Saddle Arabia, they might be able to join you and your friends if they get done with their affairs quick enough, just send me a list of who is going with you and you'll get in free of charge." Celestia spoke as Spike's eyes widen in surprise.
"A-are you sure mom? The tickets are rather expensive and a bunch of my friends and I are going-"
"Spike, you're my son and this trip I want you to take alongside Twilight is important for reasons I'll explain when you return, do this for me and I promise you won't have to worry about paying for you or your friends, which I know that you were going to do because I know how big of a heart you have, like mother like son after all." She giggled as Spike's face practically beamed in excitement before he wrapped her in a tight hug making her groan slightly.
"Easy on the old mare, little scales, you're much stronger than you used to be. Now I need you to pack, Twilight is downstairs triple checking everything with Rarity and you'll both be gone for a week, Starlight Glimmer will watch over the castle with Trixie and your friend, Dinky Doo in your absence and some of your friends will be cleaning the castle alongside them as well as watching over Owlowiscious and Peewee, getting paid of course." She said with a smile as Spike nodded with a grin.
"Can I bring Peewee with me?" He asked as she rolled her eyes with a smirk.
"You're a grown adult now, Spike. You don't need permission from me to bring your pet with you, I had no doubt you would have brought him along anyway. Now I want you to enjoy yourself and even though you are not ready for the crown, as you said, attending some meetings alongside your cousin will be beneficial to when you do become king one day, understand? And be sure to eat the...meat you're provided when you can, it's part of your diet after all and the nutrients and vitamins will help you grow bigger and stronger as well as keep certain...draconic urges in check." Celestia responded with a visible shudder making Spike give an embarrassed nod.
They were told by Dragon Lord Ember that Spike came from a rare breed of wingless dragons, their diets consisting of not only gems, plants and berries but meat as well, it was necessary for the drake if he wanted to achieve the strength, speed, weight and height of his ancestors but also to keep his ancient reptilian nature from attacking, killing and eating those he grew up around, as well as controlling an extraordinarily powerful and dangerous form of rage and newfound magical abilities he would gain as he grew older, along with gathering a hoard of his own to prevent from growing into a monster once more since the land he grew up in was mainly herbivores.
When Celestia and the other ponies with her had first heard of it, their faces paled in horror and disgust of Spike eating something as revolting as another living animal, she remembered Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and Cadance vomiting at the mere thought and even though Fluttershy understood to an extent, she still spent three days watching the animals in her yard that were considered prey, including herself with a large crossbow aimed from the windows in case Spike had struck when she had been informed.
Though the dragon assured her that he would never harm her animals no matter what state he was in, it did little to reassure the terrified Pegasus until she calmed down over time. It hurt Spike more that he had scared his friend so much, rather then actually be threatened to being shot by the normally timid mare.
Instead when he felt the overpowering nature strike him like a thunderbolt, he hunted in the Everfree forest, the only ones who joined him in his moments when he felt alone were Discord, even the god's own daughter, Screwball couldn't stomach the thought, Owlowiscious, and occasionally one of the carnivores from Fluttershy's sanctuary.
Peewee, though eating nuts, fruits, seeds and plants like the ponies joined him simply out of loyalty and companionship for his owner which meant a lot to Spike in his moments of weakness.
When he had forgotten to get the necessary requirements one time while visiting his mother and aunt with Twilight by his side and Blueblood joining them, they tried their very best to quell their rolling stomachs and keep themselves from spewing their own dinner as he ate in front of him.
To their credit they lasted ten minutes which was more than any other pony lasted when they tried to be around him as he ate cooked flesh and he had to be sent to a special underground lava spring made especially for him underneath the crystal caverns below the castle, Peewee, Discord along with Ember joining him a few times to soak in the lava and he was even given special, rare gems to dine on as a way of an apology before he was allowed to come back up.
The stench alone was enough to make any pony around him nearly lose their meals and though they tried to apologize, Spike felt bad and brushed his fangs three times with extra toothpaste and mouthwash each time he finished his special diet.
"I-I know mom, I will. I'll be sure to pack extra toothpaste and mouthwash in case I need it." He stuttered nervously as she could only reply with a slow nod.
Though she absolutely hated that her baby had to go through this and she had to order special 'packages' from Griffonstone when he did visit when he had forgotten, he was her son and she would do whatever it took to not make him feel so ashamed and outcasted among those he grew up with, never judging him for something he could not help and being there like she always had when he felt like a heartless animal, if not to anyone but himself.
"I trust you will, my little scales." She whispered and hugged him once more as he chuckled softly.
"Good because your breath is positively atrocious after you eat, though I applaud your table manners when you do get that wild look in your eyes, can't take the pony out of the dragon after all, it seems." A new voice dripped with sarcasm as they jumped and looked to see Discord floating in the air above them playing with a paddle ball in his lion paw that changed into different shapes each time he hit it as Screwball was floating next to him looking through a comic book.
"What do you want, Discord?" Celestia spat in a neutral tone, even though she gritted her teeth and narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.
"Oh Celly, you always make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, though that could just be the heater I exchanged for my kidney last week." He laughed before opening up his chest with an eagle talon and pulling out an impossibly large portable heater out of it before shrugging and tossing it over his shoulder as it dropped to the ground and transformed into a baby Timberwolf upon contact who shook it's head and raced out of the room.
Celestia and Spike both gave Discord a deadpanned stare while Screwball gasped in glee and chased after the pup on the ground, her comic vanishing without a sound.
"I really just came over to tease little armored mailbox over here before visiting Pinkie Pie, her mother is sick and I'd thought it be best to cheer the family up with my presence, who could say no to old Discord after all?" He exclaimed, his paddle ball morphing into a small mirror to which he took to admiring himself, Celestia rolling her eyes and Spike facepalming himself.
"As fun as you may be Discord, most of the time. Is it wise to bother Pinkie and her family during a rather serious and private moment? Even more so since you haven't even confessed your feelings for her yet?" Celestia questioned with an eyebrow raised making the god freeze, literally in place before he pulled out his beating heart from his chest with a lion paw and shook it next to his left ear, the sound coming from the organ was the rattling of cans before he swallowed it in one gulp and grinned.
"Don't you worry your stuffy little head about that, princess. I plan to tell Pinkie my true feelings at the Amour Festival this weekend. Cadance, loveable little plush doll that she is sent her an invention." He chuckled with an impossibly large grin on his face before pulling out a comically large picture frame of the Earth Pony in the shape of a heart out of nowhere with tiny cartoon hearts floating and popping above it as he kissed it.
"Yes, she'll be mine come Sunday, just you watch." He spoke in an unusual gentle and loving voice before melting into a puddle of goo with larger cartoon hearts appearing and exploding above him.
"Because she asked you to go with her right?" Spike asked slowly, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the god who reformed instantly and started combing his mane with a porcupine.
"Mommy did ask you to come, right daddy?" Screwball's voice made them all jump as she laid on Spike's large bed and hugged the Timberwolf cub who was licking her face and panting.
"Well...not exactly, my little bundle of chaos. But I'm sure she will, after we go see her. Just remember that you have to wait to call her mommy until we fall in love, you know how long mortals take to convey their feelings." Discord replied with a sheepish smirk, tossing the porcupine to his daughter which morphed into stick that made the Timberwolf excited and attempt to grab the piece of wood and escape Screwball's grasp.
While Spike looked at the sight and wondered if what the pup was doing was considered cannibalism or not as the young mare beside it laughed and played with her new pet, Celestia glared at her old foe in suspicion, while Discord was spraying his mouth and body with cologne that smelled like bananas and watermelon making Spike cough loudly as his heightened senses was assaulted by the overpowering combination.
Snapping his fingers, Discord gave Spike a large glass of strawberry milk which the drake was thankful for and made the bottle vanish into jelly beans in Spike's claws giving his thanks as he ate his snack.
"And how exactly would you know the time to approach her on this subject with what she's dealing with right now?" Celestia wondered making Discord scoff.
"With this beauty here," He responded, showing them all a watch that appeared out of nowhere on his lion paw. "It's a tracking beacon, it's tells me wherever she is at the moment, where she's going, what she's doing and even what she smells like." He answered in a truly proud display as he sighed and sniffed the watch.
"Ok, that's going way, way too far. Even for you Discord." Celestia spat in disgust.
"You don't keep track of her when she's going to the bathroom, right daddy?" Screwball asked, the sight of her father making even her clearly uncomfortable.
"What the buck is wrong with you, you psycho? I'm surprised she's doesn't have a restraining order on you by now." Spike genuinely wondered in shock and anger at the strange abomination in front of him.
"Spike, language." Celestia hissed turning her head to glare at the dragon who shook his head while rubbing his eyes again.
"Not to worry everyone. I'll be sure to erase your minds of that last part once Screwy and I leave since I didn't actually mean to say that out loud, come along Screwball let's go see Pinkie and meet her family." Discord spoke with a grin as she smiled and grabbed the pup before jumping off the bed and hopping into her father's arms.
"Seriously, you don't keep track of mom when she's in the bathroom right?" She asked again as Discord didn't answer and in a flash of white light they were gone.
Celestia and Spike looked at the spot the god of chaos and his spawn just were before shaking their heads feeling as though they missed an important conversion, Celestia blinked and Spike yawned then gave a low whistle and waited a few minutes for Peewee to appear as he turned to his mother.
"Don't worry mom, Peewee, Twi and I will be just fine. I'll even try to enjoy myself when we get there, you'll see." Spike assured her with confidence in his voice making the mare smile and kiss his cheek.
"I know you will and I have complete faith in you, just try to be there for Twilight, you know she can be rather tough to be around when stressed out but with your experience, she'll find out what she's been missing all along. Get packed, I'll go make sure she's ready and write to me when you arrival, understand?" She answered in a firm voice making him chuckle and laugh before agreeing and with one last hug he was left to his devices and to prepare for what was sure to be a difficult week with his love struck best friend.
"This is going to be a long and very crazy week, I can already feel it." He muttered to himself as the large dragon went to look for his suitcase.
The day for everything to go batshit insane had just begun for the young Alicorn and her long time dragon friend.
Author's Note
First chapter of many to come, hope you all enjoy. Let me know if there are any errors and I'll get them corrected as fast as I can. Don't worry, Discord won't keep acting the way he did in this chapter and Spilight will come later down the road, promise.
It was going to be so much longer but I forgot most of the idea at work, but the other part I remembered will come next chapter.
It's been some time since I wrote Spilight, so I'm excited. Until next time.
