Spike and Tempest walked to the drop off location for the crate of weapons that Spike's scientist made. The scientist, a doctor New G was a brilliant but slightly mad scientist that Spike had found after Celestia had cut his research funding and hindered his creative genius. Spike walked into his room on the ship and sitting in the middle of the room was a large crate with the symbol of Spike's empire, a burning green dragon's eye, and a little note. Spike took the note off the crate and smiled.

Spike, good news the armor is finished and I even gave your little friend some new toys. Just make sure not to go crazy with it, it was not cheap and it's the only one I have made: NG.

Spike smirked as he placed the note on the table in his room, then he used his claws to open the crate, a perk of being a dragon. Once the wooden crate was open, sitting inside of the crate was a purple and green set of armor.

(Looks like this but purple and green, minus the large lights on the top, and less rounded neck hole.)

Spike looked at the armor, and couldn't help but be giddy to put it on. He noticed the large right hand on the suit and had a feeling that it was going to be fun, but before Spike could grab the suit, he found another note.

Spike, knowing you, I planned for you to just go for the armor so here is a quick little user's guide.
1) Put it on.
2) Press the middle of the armor's chest piece and add a bit of magical fire to power it's systems.
3) Don't press the button on the large hand unless you want to blow something up.
4) To activate the jetpack in the back, just snap, warning this function is going to take some time to learn.
5) Don't go nuts.

Spike smiled at the note, but he was more focused on the armor. Spike pulled it out of the crate and started putting it on, and once it was on fully, Spike checked himself out in it. "Looking good Spike, looking real good." Said Spike with a toothy grin.

Tempest sighed as she was getting used to seeing Spike act like this, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or bad. She walked over to the crate and found a little box filled with small glass orbs with a green mist swirling inside and a little note was attached to the lid.

To Tempest, greetings, I am Doctor New G, I am Spike's chief of science at the headquarters. He has told me about your style, and that is why I have developed a useful tool to deal with guards and other undesirable creatures. In the box will sit a total of 36 glass orbs with a mist composed of Basilisk venom and cockatrice feathers. When broken, the gas will quickly trap the target in a breathable, but near indestructible rock like shell. It is easily dissolved with a weak acid, but they won't know that, but please be careful.

Tempest looked at the box of orbs and smiled at them. "Wow, I've really missed out on some cool developments." Tempest grabbed an orb and examined it.

Spike looked at Tempest and smiled. "So, you think you can use them?"

Tempest smirked. "Just try not to blow yourself up, I would get lonely at night."

Spike laughed as he and Tempest walked out of the room, their new tools ready for some field tests.

30 minutes later: Spike and Tempest arrived at the edge of the Dragon Land's largest volcano, and the home of the Dragon Lord. "Tempest let me do the talking." Said Spike.

Tempest sighed. "Spike your idea of talking is 2 syllables and then a punch to the snout."

Spike shrugged. "That is actually how most dragons talk to each other, I just hope that I don't run into Garble while we're here, I might not be able to control myself."

Tempest groaned as she was sure now that Spike had said it, it was going to happen no matter what. "I'll get ready to pull your tail out of the fire."

Spike smiled at Tempest. "I knew you liked me." Tempest groaned as she was really wondering if this was worth it. "But come on Tempest."

Soon Spike and Tempest were walking through a collection of caves that made up where most dragons would live in the community, and most were looking at the pair of them, it wasn't everyday a pony would just stroll down the street. But many of the adult dragons laughed at the sight of a young dragon that still didn't have his wings. But Spike ignored them, he was used to this kind of treatment from dragons. Normally a dragon will molt soon after it's fourth summer of life, and they would get their wings, but Spike was 21 and still hadn't molted. "What are 2 ponies doing in my turf?" Said a cocky voice from a cave. Spike sighed as he should have kept his mouth shut. Soon a large red dragon with an orange fin and light yellow underbelly walked out of his cave, acting all high and mighty.

Spike turned to look at his old bully. "Garble, long time no see, how have you been?" Asked Spike, trying to keep calm.

Garble smirked at seeing Spike. "Oh, well at least what I said about 2 ponies was right, what are you doing here you scaled pony?"

Spike sighed. "Garble, I'm just here to see Ember, I don't want to start anything."

Garble growled. "Typical, a weak dragon like you doesn't even deserve to walk to the dragon lord, but I guess that's all you can do." He then looked to Tempest. "But this is just sad, I thought you would have at least stopped living with ponies, but I guess being as you are, they're the only creatures that would be with you."

Spike groaned as he started to walk away from Garble. Tempest nodded and started following, not even looking at Garble again. This made Garble angry, and his anger moved him to grab Spike's shoulder to make his point. "Where do you think you're going?"

But Spike wasn't in the mood to play nice anymore. Spike used his new armor to grab Garble's hand, and he started to apply a lot of pressure. "Garble, a little advice, learn to shut up."

Garble felt the pain of his hand being crushed, he tried to force Spike to let go, but with the armor giving Spike a boost in strength Garble was powerless against him. Spike turned around and looked Garble in the eye. "Garble, knowing you, you probably haven't heard about what is going on in what you see as a namby pamby pony kingdom, but to sum things up so I can get back to my day, I have pretty much made myself Equestria's most wanted criminal, and if everything goes right today, nothing will stop me from becoming the world's most wanted." Spike looked into Garbles eyes and smirked, he then kicked Garble in the gut while still holding onto his arm, popping the limb from its socket. Spike smiled at hearing that pop and the look in Garble's face was priceless. "So, I hope you have learned your lesson." Said Spike as he walked away from the dragon.

It didn't take Spike and Tempest long to reach the volcano, but it was kinda hard to get an audience with Ember, seeing as the moment the guards saw Spike, they tried to apprehend him. But the moment they tried to take Spike, something in him switched. Spike grabbed the first guard by his arm and flung him over his shoulder and like he weighed nothing, tossed him to the other guard, and this toss was so powerful that it sent both guards into the wall. Spike and Tempest just casually strolled into the volcano like Spike didn't just knock out 2 guards. "So, you and Ember, is there something going on there?" Asked Tempest.

Spike shrugged. "No, not really, I mean we did go on a few dates, but with her position and my lack of wings, we really couldn't see each other aside from a few times a year." Spike then smirked. "Are you worried?"

Tempest blushed, but remained calm. "No, I think she got lucky, you are so cocky, annoying, and childish that it takes a special type of female to handle it."

Spike laughed as he pulled Tempest closer to him with his tail. "Don't make me laugh, you're just as crazy as me." Tempest rolled her eyes as she noticed that they were getting closer to another set of guards.

"Do you want me to take care of them?" Asked Tempest, she wanted to try out her new toys.

Spike smiled as he shook his head. "Not yet, besides, I want to make an entrance." Spike raised his right hand and a trio of micro missiles popped out of the hand. "Cool, I knew grabbing those books from the human world was going to be helpful." 8 months ago, Spike snuck back to Ponyville and broke into the castle. He used the portal to the human world and headed for the school library. Equestrian's had magic, a great and powerful tool, but the humans had weapons, explosives, guns, and imagination, and Spike decided to combine the 2 with the help of New G. Right now, he was the only creature in the world with missiles, and he loved that. Spike launched the trio of micro rockets at the guards and the door that led to Ember's throne room, sending the guards into the wall, and the doors into the throne room.

"What the hell!?" Yelled Ember, surprised at the interruption.

Spike and Tempest walked through the smoke cloud that the missiles made. "Hey Ember, long time no see, quick question, you want to give me the bloodstone peacefully?" Asked Spike as he walked out of the smoke with a smile on his face.

Ember growled as she got up from her throne. "Spike!"

Spike rolled his eyes. "Ember, can we not do this, I rather not take it by force." But Ember wasn't listening.

Ember used her connection to the scepter to bring it to her, and once it was in her claws, she pointed it at Spike. "As your Dragon Lord, I command you to surrender." Spike laughed as nothing was happening to him, which made Ember angry. "I am the Dragon Lord, and I order you to follow my command."

But nothing happened, which didn't make sense to Ember. "What's going on?" Asked Ember.

Spike smiled as he looked at Ember. "To tell you the truth, the bloodstone is kinda like succession, as long as the previous Dragon Lord is alive, he or she has more authority over it." Ember's face fell as she remembered what happened, the day she became Dragon Lord. Spike nodded. "I, Dragon Lord Spike, invoke the trial of return, to thee, Dragon Lord Ember." Said Spike. The Bloodstone flashed a bright light and teleported the three back to the gauntlets final chamber. The Bloodstone left Ember's hands and sat in the large crystal structure.

"Dragon Lord Spike, you have challenged Dragon Lord Ember for the right to reign over all dragon kind. Please state the challenge?" Asked a voice from the scepter.

Spike smirked. "Combat, with the loser being the first to be rendered unconscious, I choose my armor as my weapon."

"Dragon Lord Ember?" Asked the scepter.

"Very well, I ask for permission to wield the bloodstone." Said Ember.

"Very well." The Scepter was returned to Ember and changed into a blood red sword. "With the conditions met, the fight will commence in 10 seconds."

10 seconds later, the fight started. Ember lunged at Spike, but she didn't use the sword's edge, instead she tried to use the sword's flat side to knock him out. But Spike caught the sword in one hand and smirked, he pulled her closer to him and smiled at the look in her eyes. "So, how is Torch?" Asked Spike.

Ember pushed Spike away from her. "Stop trying to make light of this Spike, I had a meeting with Cadance this morning, and in the middle of it, she was teleported by Discord."

Spike smiled. "Yeah that was me, I kinda kidnapped the Hippogriff princess and forced the queen to go see Celestia." Spike then rushed at Ember and started punching, all he needed was one solid hit and this would be over. "But, don't worry, no one got hurt.... Well aside from a nutcase, but I took over for him."

Ember was dodging the attacks, trying to find an opening to attack, but from her view there were none. So she decided to utilize the one thing Spike didn't have. She opened her wings and started flying around Spike, she was waiting for the chance to use the sword to knock Spike out. "Spike, turn yourself in, and I'll grant you asylum here in the Dragon Lands, and your crimes will be tried by a dragon with the princesses overseeing, to insure a fair trial."

Spike laughed as he watched Ember flying around him. "Ember, it won't matter, I've already committed to this path, and so far, I'm doing great, well aside from a snarky little unicorn."

Tempest rolled her eyes. "Stuff it."

Spike laughed. "See, she's just oozing snark." Spike activated his jet pack and promptly flew into a stalagmite. Everyone looked at Spike, and Tempest started snickering. Spike heard the snickering. "Not one word." Said Spike as he tried to use the jetpack again, this time he flew into a stalactite, but Spike used that to his advantage, using his claws Spike pivoted himself around the formation and directed himself straight towards Ember. She dodged the attack, but Spike was using this strategy to get the upper hand. Going faster with each shot and confusing Ember, and just to throw her off, Spike started to aim for random formations and taking little swipes at her. "Ember, it's over." Spike waited for the moment Ember was so confused, that she had her back to him and he launched himself straight at her. Spike landed a solid hit to her head and made her fall to the ground. Spike deactivated his jet pack and landed next to Ember, he grabbed the sword.

"The winner is Dragon Lord Spike." Soon all of the bloodstone's energy that was in Ember flew into Spike. His eyes dilated for a moment as the energy was being absorbed into him.

Spike shrugged. "Meh, felt better the first time." Spike looked to the sword as it changed back into its normal form. "Bloodstone, what is Ember's status?"

"Alive, unconscious, but no long lasting damage." Said the stone.

Spike nodded as he picked up Ember, and placed her over his shoulder. "So, any chance that you can get us back to the volcano?"

"No, I am only able to send creatures to this chamber."

Spike groaned as he looked to Tempest. "Looks like we got to swim." Tempest groaned.

After a nice swim back to the Dragon Lands. Spike and Tempest walked back to the volcano, and when they walked back down the same street from before, Spike showed everyone that he was now the Dragon Lord again. "You all work for me now." The bloodstone glowed red and all the dragons bowed to Spike.

Author's Note

Next chapter will see the first OC that I was allowed to use, and the return to Spike's home.