Celestia's adjustment to motherhood was not without its ups and downs some having to do with her adopted son's unique physiology. It came the next day as the baby woke her obviously hungry after who knows how long it had gone without. As Celestia comforted the baby to ease the crying she noticed his eyes as they opened and looked up at her. Celestia had panicked and rushed to the hospital wing worried something was wrong as his eyes were abnormal and worried her as they looked similar to how her sister's had looked after her change. They were such a bright shade of green they seemed to glow add that to the Draconic slit pupils and it was easy to see why she had been worried. But not only that instead of being surrounded by the normally white sclera his was pitch black almost making it appear his eyes floated in empty sockets. The doctor while also unsettled by the child's eyes couldn't find any unnatural cause and suggested that he might be Hybrid of his mother and father's species merely speculating that there were other races out there that could explain his features such as his scales and eyes. This calmed Celestia and she adjusted to his odd eyes though they still unsettled the Palace Staff even frightening a maid once or twice when he opened them suddenly.

Other challenges came in clothing the baby as he possessed neither hooves or a tail, this led Celestia to hire a tailor to design the clothes for him. Learning to balance her duties as a Princess with those of a mother was much harder than finding clothes for her son as being the ruler of the nation left little time to be with her son except early in the morning and at night. Luckily her assistant Ink Well was able to adjust her schedule to allow her to play and take care of Spike a few times a day. Of course, it was not all easily handled especially on nights when Spike just wouldn't sleep even after he had been changed and fed. This led to a lack of sleep which led to Celestia's temper being frayed due to exhaustion and then to her snapping at a lord who brought the same money grubbing self-serving and downright selfish proposal of turning Canterlot City Park into a lavish spa for the rich. She had nearly thrown him in the dungeon before she checked her temper. The solution came from commander Nightlight and it was such a simple solution Celestia would've kicked herself if she could for not thinking of it.

"Just keep him in the bed with you," Nightlight had said after Celestia dismissed lord Fancy Pants who had come to Night Court to seek her approval of constructing a new railroad line road for Ponyville. He resumed their conversation from when they waited for him to arrive.

"Really that simple?" Celestia asked smirking at the commander who nodded.

"Of course your majesty. It did wonders for Shiny and I think it helps build a bond between parents and child," he said smiling as he appeared to be reliving the memory in his mind.

It proved true as when Spike began crying in the night again instead of trying to keep him in his crib she picked him up in her magic and floated him into her arms and laid him next to her. The crying stopped and the babe went to sleep a tiny hand wrapped around her pointer finger.

The months passed into a year and a new revelation came when her son began to teeth, she discovered that his diet would require meat as the newest arrival was shaped predator's fang meaning his species was omnivorous as the first few were clearly meant for grinding plants. Though that would be dealt with when he was older and could chew his food without it being a formless paste first. It was six months after what Celestia chose to be Spikes first birthday that Commanders brought to light a series of vanishing ponies. They had all left Canterlot for either business, vacation or family obligation but never arrived at their destination their last location either at the trainstation or the docks to board an Airship. Celestia had instated a curfew as all the disappearances happened at night when there were fewer witnesses if any at all. Still a few stallions or mares would come up missing. This had many ponies worried and travel was done well before the sun set and for Celestia she had patrols cover the docks and the trainstation though they found nothing or saw anything unusual . With no new leads Celestia could do little else but hope the ponies would turn up safe and sound.

As another year passed and Nightlights advice became ever more invaluable to the princess finding herself leaving Spike in Nightlights care when ever she had to travel and taking a young child around wasn't a safe decision. It was always a bright occasion when Celestia would return and find her son waiting for her. Twilight and Spike proved to be fast friends and Celestia could sense a strong growing bond between them when ever she saw them playing together when she took a private moment with Nightlight and let the two young ones play. All too soon the boy was waddling through the castle when Celestia noticed a few more oddities about him or rather Maids and other servants noticed and reported to her. Her son had waddled into the kitchen one day and was spotted sneaking a cookie but what was unusual was the fact he sprouted wings to do it. However, no evidence save for the torn holes in his shirt where they had sprung from remained of the wings. Was this a part of his other parent's genes waking up? Celestia didn't know but knew more powers could awaken she worried her son would be shunned by other ponies not only for his looks but for his abilities. Nightlight was an exception having been there when Celestia found him and his wife had a very kind and accepting nature about her that even Celestia envied. She would not allow her worries and doubts to stop her son learning about his powers.

As more years passed and Spike grew from a stumbling toddler into being a young colt he came of age to begin schooling just as Twilight she beginning in Magical Kindergaten. While Celestia had taken students herself in the past she didn't want to change her son's view of her as other than a mother and ruler. She decided to hire a tutor to teach Spike all he would need to know while Celestia made plans to finally introduce him to the Lords and Ladies of Canterlot at a Grand Galloping Gala. She soon learned he could breathe fire at will when his tutor ran out of his chambers beard alight with green flames, while worrisome that he attacked his teacher Celestia could forgive it as not all children were overjoyed to be cooped up for hours while a stuffy Unicorn droned on about this or that. She could at least understand and after scolding him she decided to do something nice and see if his fire would act like Dragon Fire. She made the offer to show him a trick an offer he leaped at and when she explained it further he couldn't hide his eagerness. The spell was easy something she had learned from a Dragon years ago all it took was for him to breathe fire while she worked the spell and soon he was sending letters with his flames. Celestia was often bombarded with drawings that Spike made and he took every chance to send her something even a short letter to tell her little childish secrets or that he loved her. These letters and drawing would often help Celestia get through a rather boring meeting with a noble or while she was alone signing papers and making sure the red tape was dealt with for this or that project.

Twilight Sparkle's choice of schools after Kindergarten was to be Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. It was during the practical part of her entrance exam when a sudden Rainboom occurred frightening the young and already panicking filly causing her to go through a powerful Magical Epiphany. Celestia luckily had been passing by when the Rainboom happened and she noticed the lights and arcing magical bolts coming from the testing chambers in one of the Palaces towers. It proved to be incredibly powerful even by Celestia's standards as several of the professors overseeing the exam had been turned into birds and she noticed a rather odd pair of plants one surrounded by a Night Guards armor in the corner. She saw something else in the young filly a potential that could not be ignored much like her Niece Princess Cadance's own potential which had earned her her wings. After calming the filly down Celestia restored Velvet and Nightlight along with the other ponies and asked Twilight to be her personal student which the filly eagerly accepted. A few days later after moving into the Observatory, Celestia found Twilight and Spike engrossed in a Daring Do book and snuggled together in a book fort. The sight was so adorable she dare not disturb them till it was time for Twilight's lessons.

Now Celestia had to juggle being a mother, teacher, and ruler as she took Twilight Sparkle under her wing and guided her academic pursuits. Twilight proved to be a voracious reader and student as she absorbed every lesson and practiced until she had mastered a spell or complicated formula. Spike proved to be a big help as the young colt would often fetch Twilight books or help by being the target of many of her spells as she practiced. One day, while Celestia had been taking a meeting with the Minotaur King. Spike had entered the meeting hall and tugged at the sleeve of her dress. When she looked she saw he had sprouted a handlebar mustache it caused Celestia to spit out a sip of tea right into the face of the Minotaur King as Celestia was caught off guard by Spike's appearance. Smoothing things over with King Minos was difficult but he too understood in time as Celestia introduced her adopted son to the Minotaur. After that Celestia decided to suggest that Spike take up being Twilight's assistant since he was already helping her and by helping her he was doing much better at his school work himself.

The next four years proved that the two would be inseparable as they worked together. Just as Twilight's magical knowledge grew Spike's number of abilities seemed to also grow from growing wings to fly something he took great delight in to some times altering his body to have claws and even a tail which sparked Twilights curious mind and Celestia found her trying to chase him down for one of his scales. She learned he could use his claws to climb up walls which he did to escape Twilight and dropped on Celestia in order to beg her protection from the over curious Twilight. Once she had gotten Twilight to calm down and no longer terroize Spike for one of his scales she inspected the stone and found the marks he had left in the marble and felt her own curiosity grow.

It was a few months after settling Twilights curiosity Celestia had the worst scare of her life when she truly feared she had lost her child when Spike had gone missing. He had not come down for breakfast and when maids returned saying he was not there Celestia felt her gut clench as she hastily sent for the Guards to begin searching every inch of Canterlot even down to the docks. As the day passed Celestia's fears were confirmed as Guards returning from the docks reported witnesses that saw a speckled stallion carrying a strange looking colt into one of the ware houses. Celestia knew who the stallion was and who the strange colt was as well as she called for the Captain of the Royal Guards including Commander Nightlight. She acompanied the Guards as they raided the warehouse with Commander Nightlight alongside Captain Sunspear. Her guards searched every inch of the Warehouse every box or crate was moved and that's when they found the hidden entrance to a set of caves. Not too far past the hidden entrance was another door and what was on the door turned Celestia's blood to ice as she gazed at the black stained oak door with a seal painted on it she remembered all too well.

"Sweet Goddess...not this...not here," she whispered her mind remembering the terrible genocide that the owner of the seal on the door enacted. "Grogar the Necromancer," she continued as her and her guards stared at the terrible image of a Ram's skull marked with glowing and profane runes.

"You're majesty what is this?" Nightlight asked never seeing Celestia look so afraid.

"Evil...pure evil," Celestia answered her fear turning to righteous fury as she summoned her magic and blew the door off its hinges and into the darkness below. Her dress glowed as it was replaced by armor and she held her Halberd in her hands, "Come and be on your guard, what lies down here is nothing less than Tartarous itself," she said summoning an orb of light which she sent ahead of them. Before they went she turned to one of the last guards to approach the door, "Guard. I want you to return to the Palace and summon as many Magi and more guards and bring them here," she ordered and watched the stallion leave to obey her orders.

They had been walking for hours it seemed guided by Celestia's orb as it lit the way, some guards swore they heard something just beyond the pool of light the orb of Celestia's made. A sharp command from Celestia halted them from pursuit as she warned them that it was only a trick to pull them into a horrible trap. They came to another door like the first only this one did not bear the seal only a brief line of Runes that Celestia glared at. "Death is not an Ending but a Beginning," she read remembering the last words Grogar had whispered before she ended him. How many had died to end his horror? Her father, elder sister, and even their mother perished in the long war leaving her with a young Luna too young to have fought or remember their parents. This door suffered the same fate as the first as Celestia blasted it feeling her rage grow. Stepping into the room she heard the guards behind her gasp in shock as their eyes fell on the horror within. In this room was all manner of grotesque debased experiment one could conceive but the bodies were fresh, Ponies both Mare and Stallion had been carved open and dissected. Many guards lost their lunch then adding the stink of bile to the already fetid air, Celestia kept a tight grip on her anger and Halberd when she came upon the bodies from the crash she had ordered buried. She knew who had done this, continued this barbarism, this...evil. There was a small room where muffled cries for help came from, Celestia hurried to the door finding Spike tied and gagged shaking in fear till he saw his mother. As Celestia removed his binds and his gag Spike shouted out, "It's a trap!" but his warning was a moment too late.

Shadowfax attacked from the shadows using powerful spells he killed several guards before they could raise their swords leaving Sunspear and Nightlight to stand between him and the Princess who held Spike protectivly. "Welcome to my research lab Celestia," he said his voice cold and dripping with contempt toward her. "My master will be pleased to know that you are dead and when I bring him that, he will make me the ruler of Equestria," the stallion said pointing at Spike who Celestia pushed behind her as a mad grin spread across the stallion's face. Sunspear stepped between Shadowfax and Celestia lowering his spear and readying his shield as Nightlight drew his sword and ignited his horn for battle.

"More guards will be on their way Shadowfax surrender now and you may have the chance to remain in a cell for the rest of your days," the Guard Captian commanded ready to strike if the other stallion moved other than to surrender. This received a harsh laugh from Shadowfax.

"Foal with this I am more than powerful enough to dispose of the two of you and Celestia," he said raising an amulet that Celestia recognized.

"Shadowfax the Alicorn Amulet will..."

"SILENCE YOU INSUFFERABLE NAG!" Shadowfax screamed his eyes beginning to glow green as the Amulet's hold on him grew stronger. "I've watched as you weakened Equestria through your policies of Friendship and Kindness. We were a Nation that commanded the respect of others for our strength in Magic and arms," the increasingly unstable stallion continued berating Celestia. "We will be great again my master will see to that," Shadowfax chuckled. Then in a flash he charged the two Guards creating a magical sword of black fire in one hand while using the other to deliver a kinetic slap to Sunspear who was sent crashing into a nearby wall where he collapsed knocked unconscious from the blow. This left only Nightlight to defend Celestia and Spike as he tried to use a common attack spell but Shadowfax just dispelled it without even batting an eye before his rambling continued. "Even the Dragons dared not incur our wrath for the sake of their people, we were a power on Gia but now, now we're weak," he growled. His attention was brought back to Nightlight who had closed the distance and slashed at him with his sword only for Shadowfax to smirk as the metal broke against his magical shield. The insane stallion brought his sword down at Nightlights legs cutting through the metal greaves at Nightlights knees, he missed the first but second wasn't so lucky as it was slashed open and Nightlight cried out in pain as he collapsed as his right knee couldn't hold him up.

Shadow fax rambled on about a glorious new dawn for Ponies how all of Gia would bow before Ponykind with him as their new Emperor and Grogar ascended to Godhood. As he raised his sword to strike down Nightlight Celestia felt a burst of power behind her and something whoosh past her in a green blur. When she looked at Nightlight she saw Spike standing there hands gripping the magical blade in his hands that were covered black scales. What surprised her was that he could hold the blade itself as the black fire singed his clothing but did him no harm other wise. Celestia reganed her hooves and picked up her Halberd, it wasn't a weapon for confined spaced like the lab but it would serve.

"Damn you brat get out of the way," Shadowfax growled trying to pull his sword back but Spike held on displaying surprising strength for his age even as blood began to drip from where he gripped the blade and it had cut through the scales but no further. With a viscious snarl Shadowfax brought his leg up and kicked Spike in his stomach. The sudden pain made him release the sword as he flew away from the two stallions and slid across the floor, Celestia rushed to her son he wasn't badly injured and had been rendered unconscious she also noticed he clutched something else in his hands as it clattered to the stone floor, the Alicorn Amulet. How he had gotten it away from Shadowfax Celestia couldn't tell but that was a question for another time.

Spike's interference gave Nightlight an opening as he drew his dagger and drove it into Shadowfax's closest leg. As the Magi screamed and turned his attention on Nightlight again he was beyond any sane thought now as he raised the sword to strike the killing blow only to stop as the tip of Celestia's Halberd appeared sticking out of his chest.

"Grogar will never lay his filthy hands on my son," Celestia growled twisting the halberd as she pulled it out making sure he was dead before he hit the floor.

More guards arrived that moment and more lost their lunch at what they saw, "Your majesty what..." a commander began but was cut off by Celestia.

"Get Nightlight and Captain Sunspear out of here," she ordered then she picked up Spike, "You did well my son," she whispered to him watching the scales recede.

"What do we do with all this?" the Commander asked.

"That is for the Magi," she answered and continued, "I want everything logged inspected," she went on to order everything that belonged Lord Shadowfax seized right down to the last crumb in his cubboards. "I want all his known associates questioned, every last letter he sent or recieved or would receive confiscated," she finished. She needed to ensure he acted alone or find the others if there were any. The guards obeyed securing the area and waiting for the Magi to arrive, one guard noticed the Amulet and picked it up, instead of leaving it he pocketed the amulet with a smirk as he was sure to fetch a fine price at a pawn shop for the item.

Nightlight and Sunspear were taken out of the caves for treatment, Celestia teleporting the group once they were outside not wanting to risk triggering any traps for someone teleporting in the caves. Their arrival was met with a flurry of activity as Sunspear and Nightlight were seen to by doctors who had been told to be on standby before Celestia and the Guards left the palace. As for Spike Celestia would see to him once again replacing her armor with the gown she had been wearing before. She carried him to an empty room to see to his injuries but when she tried inspecting the wounds she found only the remains of what blood had spilled. Not even a scar remained and magic weapons were known for leaving gruesome scars on the injured. She noticed him waking and smiled as his eyes opened and met her own she made a light gasp of surprise when the young colt lunged and wrapped his arms around her hugging her tightly his body shivering as he came to realize he was safe.

"It's alright my little colt, you're safe," she whispered gently stroking his hair as she held him close. She felt his tears land on her dress as he hugged her but she didn't care her son was safe and even a few tears made their way down her own cheeks as she held him.

Their moment of peace was broken by a quiet voice from the door as a nurse poked her head inside, "Mrs.Velvet is here," she said unsure this was something Celestia wanted to be informed of at the moment.

Celestia turned to her son and smiled as she wiped the tears from his cheeks, "I'm sure Twilight will want to see you're safe," she said but didn't get the joyed smile she expected instead Spike looked away even sadder. "What is it," Celestia said gently turning his head to look at her.

"Nightlight got hurt protecting me," he said his voice choked with sadness as fresh tears brimmed in his eyes, "They'll all hate me," he continued wiping his eyes sniffing.

"They won't hate you," Celestia said comforting her son as she smiled at him. "If not for you she wouldn't have a father right now," Celestia said watching as the tears slowly dried up, "Come let's go see Twilight and her family," she said offering Spike her hand as she stood. Spike took her hand and followed her out of the room they made the short walk down the hall and around a corner and Spike heard a familiar voice call out his name before a purple blur rammed into him wrapping a pair of arms around him. The blur turned out to be none other than Twilight Sparkle.

Speaking with Nightlight on his gurney was his wife Twilight Velvet and their son Shining Armor. Velvet was a beautiful mare with a purple and white mane and tail, her coat was grey she had very kind blue eyes that were looking at her husband in relief as they spoke before the healers took him to the operating room. She wore simple sun blue sundress with a white belt with her cutie mark as the buckle around her waist Shining Armor stood next to his parents as his father spoke to his mother then to him, at fifteen Shining was taking after his father with broad shoulders and chest. His coat was white making him stand out from his darker colored parents, his mane and tail were both a bright blue color. He wore a short sleeved shirt and a pair of shorts with his cutie mark sowed into them at the bottom of his right pant's leg. They only noticed Twilight had ran off when Celestia and Spike walked up Twilight beside them once she had released Spike.

Velvet was the first to move kneeling down to hug Spike who was considered a part of the family by now with the time he had spent in their home while Celestia was away. After her was Shining who shared a fist pump with Spike as hugs were too girly for boys. "It's good to see you safe little prince," Velvet said using her pet name for Spike getting him to blush as he smiled his mood improving as his mother was proven right and Nightlight's family didn't hate him for getting Nightlight hurt because he was in trouble.

"Hey Spike," Nightlight's voice broke in as he smiled at Spike, "I owe you for saving my life," the older stallion said getting a firm head shake no from Spike.

"I got you hurt because I couldn't fight him, I was too scared to fight," he said and looked away from Nightlight in shame.

"Spike," Nightlight began, "Look at me Spike," he continued and once Spike met his eyes he went on. "I'm a guard it's my job to put my life on the line for other ponies," he said.

"But you're brave," Spike interrupted him getting a nostalgic smile from Nightlight.

"Being Brave doesn't mean having no fear, it means acting inspite of that fear," he said and watched as Spikes eyes seemed to glimmer with understanding. "It means protecting others who can't protect themselves because you can protect them and that's what you did tonight," he finished placing a proud hand on Spike's shoulder smiling at him.

The doctors had no more time to wait as they told the family he needed to be in surgery. As he was wheeled off Nightlight had a good feeling that both Spike and Shining had taken his words to heart. While things were calming down for Spike Celestia was having to deal with the fallout of having the guards bring in so many Nobles with only that it was her orders as an explanation. It grew only worse as the next day the news papers were delivered telling everyone about the Kidnapping of Celestia's son and the discovery of the bodies within the cave hidden in a warehouse at the docks. Many families were soon grieving at the news as they were called to identify the bodies thanks to the Missing Posters they had put up. As for the nobles they had no knowledge of what Shadowfax was doing or what his plans were and the only Shadowfax had had were the few he sent to her to try and get her permission to examine the bodies from the crash and those were old. With no evidence the nobles were released with full apologies from Celestia and her Captain Sunspear.

Spike and Twilight were both changed by these events Spike taking Nightlight's words to heart asked to learn how to fight and protect others. While Twilight, was motivated to heal her father as what ever magic had been used to form the sword that struck Nightlight made it impossible to fully mend his knee. So Twilight pushed her studies hoping to learn enough about magic to fix her father's knee aided by Spike who was still her assistant. While the stallion could still walk with some assitance from a cane he wouldn't be able to perform the rest of his duties so Nightlight resined himself to early retirement but Celestia was there to offer him the job of training Spike as Nightlight knew the boy well enough and had his respect she couldn't think of a better choice at least till her son's skill increased. For now things settled and Celestia decided to hold off introducing her son for a little while longer as she felt the binds on her sisters prison weakening as the years passed and Spike grew into a handsome stallion. She knew what was coming and if her hunch about Twilight was right then she'd have to make plans for when Nightmare Moon returned.

Author's Note

How many think it would be cool if someone wrote a fiction set in the Total War Warhammer setting using MLP? Or Cyberpunk 2077 with Equestria Girls?