At the base of the high mountains that acted as a natural barrier between the west and eastern continents, there exists a single stretch of terrain capable of allowing passage between the two land masses. Though, as of yet, very few, if any, souls cross the winding stretch of dirt. The vegetation was lacking, as was the wildlife. And with each step towards a single mountain hugging the coast of the southern pathways, there, deteriorating and crumbling pebble by pebble was what was left of an old civilization. A home where a peaceful and neutral lot called home, only to be betrayed and laid to waste, leaving little to no survivors, their people scattered, and their kind fleeing westwards to save themselves from further conflict.

The dirt and the rain may have hidden the remnants of what was once here, but the memory lives on, for there are few who still remember it.

A small group of a dozen or so paced calmly towards the shattered entryway, at the helm was the same hooded pinquette, eyeing the still visible remnants of the battle fought for the city from long ago, her claws caressing the stone monuments that littered the ground.

“Kamala.” A voice brought the hooded individuals to a sudden halt, the ranks behind the pinquette fell to their knees rather quickly. Emerging from within the desolate city were a pair of armored soldiers, their thick grey skin meshed rather well with their plated gear, the horns protruding from their snouts were just as, if not more so, sharper than the halberds they wielded. In between the two emerged a third individual. Unlike those before, her, before her; she was not shrouded. Her features were akin to a mix of a bipedal dragon and a hairless ape. Or rather, less hairy primate features more akin to a species long thought extinct from the world in general. With crimson scales to give off the impression she was serpentine as well. Her hair was a dark shade of salmon, long and unruly. Her attire consisted of a maroon two-pieced tunic, exposing her arms and midriff, decorated in crimson and golden colored jewels. Adorned on her head was a gold circlet, fashioned with a sapphire gem in between two smaller rubies.

“Princess Pele.” The hooded pinquette kneeled at the sight of the reptilian royal, removing her hood to reveal herself to be of similar kin to the aforementioned princess. Her features were none too different, save for a shorter hair style, albeit in a similar unruly manner to the royal’s.

“What news do you bring of the thieves?” The princess’ eyes scanned the small contingent sent out to deal with the tribe of draconics that defiled their kin’s tomb, yet she noticed a severe lack of blood and carnage on their attires.

“All dead, save for one.” Kalama gestured one of her shrouds to step forward, the grunt reacting on impulse and jumped to their feet, heaving a body they’d been carrying on their shouler; revealing the bloodied and mangled body of Iduna, her breathing was labored, but consistent enough to merit the status of still being alive. Albeit barely. Kalama gestured to the barely conscious dragon. “This one claims an Equine stole the heart, took it east…to Equestria.”

A pregnant silence followed, the expression the princess displayed was one of pure calmness, though, for those who knew her; they would’ve sprouted wings and flown in any direction away from the royal, if they could. Suffice to say, the initial plan to punish the thieves and return the jewel without further incident was scrapped, leaving the princess to lightly frown as her gaze turned to the eastern territories, lands none of her kin had seen since they’d been driven off by the Equestrians oh so long ago. The crumbling city within the mountain was all that was left of their people’s mark on this land. The tomb was meant to be left undisturbed, a tribute for their fallen, with the heart of their fallen king buried along with him.

Now, the ponies had the jewel, and it presented a plethora of problems that could arise from the Equins obtaining and wielding that form of magic. It was a disturbing thought.

“Hmm, I see.” She muttered, eyeing the injured dragon with a faint form of sympathy before asking. “And did it give you anything else?”

Kalama nodded, almost feverously. “Yes, a traveling performer, blue-haired, full of herself, goes by the name Trixie.”

Pele took in the information as best she could, although with only a name to go on, and what little description picked up, it’d be a miracle to find a pony with those details, being a traveling performer was of no help either, not for a search across Equestria. “Alright then, relay this to the elders. After which; return to Kilauea and wait for my return.” She turned her attention to her guards. “Do not allow anything into the Lonely Monte, I will return soon.”

Pele turned fully to the east, her draconic wings, once hidden within her hair, sprouted out and prepped for flight.

“Wait!” Just as the princess was to take flight, Pele’s attention was given half-heartedly to Kalama. “Let us retrieve the jewel, if the performer did in fact travel east, my hunters and I will find her and retrieve our treasure.”

Pele took a glance at the hooded kin that stood behind Kalama. “I do not doubt your efficiency, nor do I believe you would fail at so simple a mission…” The young pinquette seemingly shrunk at that last bit, though; there was a snicker from the silver-streaked hood. Pele ignored this, choosing instead to keep her attention focused solely on the pinquette before her. “What I do doubt, sister, is your ability to be subtle. The last thing we need is the natives of the east believing us to be marauding invaders.”

“I’ll go with her.” Came the voice from the silver-streaked hood, removing their shroud and earning a mild glare from the princess. The individual was taller than most, bulkier too, more reminiscent of what one would expect from a dragon. Though, most would not expect his silver scales to glisten in a manner akin to metallic ore. Speaking of, the surplus of piercings across his body was a bit much to look at, if not for how they appeared as though natural and able to blend with his scales diplomatic missions would prove difficult if their host was unable to look at him. Of course, even without the metal embedded into his body, this individual had what looked to be a theme amongst these draconic hybrids; long unruly hair, though, his ebony locks reached down to his waist.

Pele’s golden orbs met his crimson irises. “Metallica, I didn’t expect to see you here…” Her eyes drifted towards her sibling, Kalama quickly avoiding direct contact, whistling a tune to feign ignorance.

“I-I’m here t-too.” Came a soft spoken voice from a blue-streaked hood. Upon removal of her shroud, she was perhaps the only one with straightened hair, a navy blue hue for her hair and eyes, her scales were something akin to sky blue.

“And Skywynne.” Pele Muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose at the company her kin was keeping, and how much of an issue this would bring if their respective families realized where their kin were. The princess eyed the rest of the small legion of hooded hunters. ‘Is there any other royal I should know about?” The hunters nervously glanced at one another, none made a sound as they felt the irate stare of their royal bearing down on them. After taking a moment to confirm no other royal was amongst the hunters, Pele turned back to the three royals. “We will discuss why those two are with you when I get back.” Once again she prepped herself for takeoff, only to have Kalama appear in front of her, wings outstretched and hovering in front of her sibling.

“Pele, please, we can do this. I know how much the jewel means to our people. It may not be much but I have enough to start.” Kalama pleaded.

The older sibling hovered a few feet off the ground, eyeing her younger kin with a leveled gaze. “This is different; the east has not seen our people since the age of the seven lords. Whether they remember us or not; we cannot risk conflict. If I go alone I know I’ll find our query quicker and without risking confrontation.”

“But you wouldn’t be able to cover enough ground.” The two princesses turned their attention to the Iron-themed draconic. “Yea, it’s easier to keep a low profile if you’re alone, but finding the one Equine will be like searching for a rabbit in a forest; either you get lucky or...”

“And I suppose taking a small platoon of trained hunters into foreign territory is acceptable then?” Pele inquired.

“Then it will just be us three.” Skywynne mumbled, though just loud enough for the four royals to hear.

Though, for the older draconic, their involvement in all this annoyed her greatly.

“I’m not going to even begin explaining why sending you three into foreign land is a terrible decision; much less when we have no information of the country our objective is in.” Her retort was once again met with defiance, this time by her sister.

“Then my hunters will remain here, allowing us to travel faster and with ease. Sky, bolts-for-brains, and me can cover more ground, track the performer, and get the heart back while keeping a low profile. Let me take this mission and I’ll be back here with the jewel in hand, and no problems with the east.”

The elder princess gazed at her sibling with a neutral expression, eyeing each and every movement she made, every word she had spoken. Her insistence to go after the jewel, although understandably important, raised several alarming questions. “Why are you fighting me so hard on this?” The irritation in the draconic pinquette’s voice was growing apparent with each insistence that kept her from even starting her mission.

“The jewel is my responsibility.” Kalama insisted, her claws clenched tightly.

“WAS your responsibility.” Pele lightly jabbed a claw in her kin’s chest, a faint growl reverberated to emphasize her point. “Now it is mine.”

Before their conversation could continue, Pele hacked up, her cheeks inflated, palms pressed tightly against her mouth before a small torrent of flames erupted, a piece of parchment seemingly materialized with it as well. When the flames died out, and the scroll was held firmly in the princess’s grasp, a small burp escaped her lips as she directed her attention now solely on the parchment. The level of silence that followed was unnerving, all throughout her read, she showed no tells of any form of emotion, keeping herself calm and collected. Though, those around her, if payed enough attention to, could be seen inching ever so away, as if wanting to be far enough from the royal, just in case.

Five minutes had passed before Pele rolled up the scroll, sighed heavily, and turned only her head to face her sister. The act alone made a few of the hunters flinch, more so when she held up a single claw. “One month. You have one month to find your mark, and return the gem back to the Lonely Monte. In one month I will be here, and I expect to see you as well.” Her eyes narrowed as it grazed the other royals causing the sky-blue one to flinch, and the steel dragon’s teeth to click in annoyance. “The three of you.” Pele growled out, her eyes resting lastly on her sister. “Your hunters will remain in the city; my guards will oversee them until your return.” She gestured to her guards, and from the canopies and reinforced walls of the ruined city, more grey-skinned guards revealed themselves. Pele’s eyes shifted to one of the guards behind her. The soldier stared at her for a few seconds before nodding, hoisting the still injured Iduna up carefully, and returning to the city.

And while the princess took the time to review whatever she needed with her remaining soldier, the three royals huddled closer, eyeing the princess and the unusually high number of soldiers she had posted in the ruined city.

“Oh boy, a whole month, that’s gonna be enough time.” Metallica whispered sardonically.

“What’s going to happen if we don’t find the jewel?” the smaller draconic murmured, her mind flooded with images of a very angered Pele, standing before an equally, if not more, angered elders glaring down on them.

“We’ll find it…” Kalama stated, her head turned to face what little she could see of the eastern lands. Lush forests and mountain ranges dotted the entrance to the Equine’s homeland. The young draconic looked on at what would be an important assignment, not just for her, but for the three royals. She knew the gem was worth far more than what the dragon tribe that had desecrated this temple initially believed, and if there were any in the east that remembered her people, then the gem would become an invaluable treasure, worth more than the rest of the treasures hidden in the Lonely Monte. And then she saw it, images of fire and destruction, countless wails and war cries echoing for many days and nights, and the city within the sole mountain ablaze once more, the earth beneath them tainted with the blood of her people. “…if we don’t, our people will be at war once again.”

The streets of Ponyville were alive with bands and laughter within Sugarcube square; one could almost assume an occasion would be needed for such festivities. Though, given the nature of the individual who planned these events; no such reason was needed. Whether festivities were limited to a single dwelling, or a venue such as the ever popular Sugarcube square, there was always some form of merriment to be found. And why wouldn’t these ponies have reason to celebrate? Alongside the cool night air, the warm drinks and food being sold just outside the crowded venues, the peaceful atmosphere that came at the defeat of Equestria’s greatest threats left much to feel at ease over. Former soldiers drafted in an era where danger was on a constant horizon, were allowed a moments rest to be with their families before being placed on menial assignments. The dragons from the badlands, although with a few renegades, were at peace with the pony kingdom. The Changeling hive in between the Crystal Empire and Canterlot had brokered a fragile treaty with both its southern and northern neighbors, thanks in no small part to a young drake who was a close companion to the Changeling King.

For the empire lost in time, there was much for the ponies of the frozen north to catch up on. One such was awaking to a world that had gone through a thousand years without them. Many Equines held a variety of questions, as to be expected. Though, there was a common one asked amongst the populace, one in which the people were asked to cease their questioning; talks of a lonely mountain faded from the conversations held amongst the populace. However, behind closed doors, speculations and theories ran wild.

Speaking of, even with the fighting done, with no call to arms necessary, there are souls who yearn. Voices who wanted to shout out in defiance in a time where it was once needed, but now, it would be pointless. At least, that’s how it normally was. But for a young drake, sitting by himself in a small corner away from the crowded areas, Spike allowed his mind to wander. Whenever the six would venture forth in their adventures, it was always the six that ponies saw, and it was the six honored and remembered.

There were no qualms or desire for fame and glory; the young drake knew quite well the importance of the Elements of Harmony and where they stood in the grand scheme of things. His job, his role in their adventures were still ones he took pride in and gave his all when trouble came rearing its fowl face. And, where the hunger for recognition lacked, there was the aching sentiment of something else. He knew the feeling all too well by now, he’d been living with it for years now.

At first simply being there for his friends, giving them emotional support was what he did best. But as time went on, and the journey ahead grew much more difficult and daunting, he always found himself at the back of the lines. His friends went and faced the fighting head-on, while he would often remain on the side-lines, treating the wounded and providing support. Nothing was wrong with those particular jobs either…but there was no satisfying that feeling of unimportance, of feeling powerless to make a change.

It all arose from one moment, a single reoccurrence that sparked these plaguing fears and insecurities. A nightmare haunting him, a vice grip on his subconscious, unwilling to allow him to move on. And where most nightmares manifested in fragments; his was always in played in perfect view.

Every job he’d taken, from the odd hand here and there to the high risk assignments he was enlisted for in the Crystal Empire, Spike would seek out and be of aid wherever he was needed. But his last assignment, he was offered an opportunity, one he would normally accept in a heartbeat. And yet, the more he thought on it, the more he wondered what the ramifications would be for the son of Equestria’s princess to be an enlisted in the Crystal Empire’s military. Under common practice, a royal being trained by another kingdom, in particular between two allied kingdoms; it would be pretty normal for him to be under Shinning’s tutelage. And with it being peace time, there would be much time for him to hone his skills and train vigorously.

Though, the issue lay with whether or not he would be able to make the commitment to make the Crystal Empire his home for a further six years, and whether or not he chose to stay there as a fulltime soldier. The idea had crossed his mind, more so each time he took a glance at the enlistment form Shinning gave him.

Everything had been filled out, right down to the approval signature and his basic information. All that the parchment needed was to be turned in, and within six months he’d be on a train to live in the Crystal Empire for quite a sum of years. Most of his early adult years, meaning he’d miss out on quite a few things he actually wanted to be present for. Though, there was reality always creeping up and constantly reminding him of an undeniable truth.

“Trixie swears it; the dragons gave it as payment!” The young drake’s eyes glanced up, catching his two friends walking up to his table with food in hands. Starlight rolled her eyes, possibly at some outlandish claim the blue mare spouted. When finally sitting down across from him, though Trixie was insistent on proving some story’s validity to Starlight, the aforementioned Mare’s eyes were now fixed on his parchment. Which from her point of view bared the insignia for the Crystal Empire’s military branch.

“Diplomatic mission?” Starlight asked, still somewhat ignoring her friend, and succeeding and diverting the mare’s attention towards the drake. It wasn’t uncommon for the purple drake to receive diplomatic assignments from Celestia, though; those types of missions were becoming fewer in between with most of the delicate and urgent issues having been dealt with already.

Spike shook his head. “No, Princess Celestia already has her own staff on hand, this ones just…personal I guess.” The drake muttered, rolling up the scroll. Thinking little of it, Trixie took his answer and sat down alongside across from him. Starlight, though hesitant to accept such an answer, did so with half a mind to sneak a peek at the scroll.

It wasn’t as if she didn’t respect Spike’s privacy, not at all. But, if there was one thing she disliked, it was the little secret she was asked to keep for him. The secret missions he enlisted for with Shinning, ranging from diplomatic to espionage…and even hunting assignments in unmapped regions. It was by sheer luck that she uncovered his secret, if only through an intense interrogation after he returned from his ‘visits’ up north with a rather noticeable gash on his chest.

Why Twilight never considered locks for the rooms inside her castle was a mystery, though, it allowed the pupil to discover Spike’s little secret. Of course, given that little incident, Starlight had an inkling that the drake would be more careful to keep his secrets well hidden.

“Can Trixie see?” The blue mare asked, ketchup staining the left corner of her mouth.

Spike gestured to her mouth with a napkin, smiling as her cheeks flushed a pink hue at the realization. After which, he handed the scroll to her, unchallenged; deflating the eagerness in Starlight’s chest to act the part of being mischievous again. If Spike allowed Trixie of all ponies to see the letter, then perhaps it was nothing to worry about. It could be a formality; thanking the Drake for his service and urging him to spend time with his family during peacetime. Now that was wishful thinking, which almost solicited a chuckle from the mare. Still, she did indeed see Spike and Trixie as the closest one could akin to family, having them both with her now was a great sense of comfort now that the blue mare was confirmed to be staying in Ponyville for the foreseeable future. And Spike? No doubt Twilight and Cadence would’ve urged him to spend more time with his loved ones, and no doubt the princess of the Crystal Empire would’ve had a long talk with her husband about enlisting the drake’s help in any future military affairs. If she even knew of it to begin with.

However, when Starlight’s attention shifted to her friend, the sight she found sprouted a shred of fear in her chest. Trixie looked almost stunned, mixed in with her light trembling were a mix of conflicting emotions attempting to play it calm-like. Her eyes glanced upwards to the drake across from her, his eyes glued to hers, as if waiting for her response.

“You’re joining the military?” Those four words would echo in Starlight’s head, further increasing the ache in her chest. She could already hear Twilight’s thoughts racing a thousand miles an hour, coming up with every excuse and reason for the drake to remain in Ponyville. It was no secret, to a select few; the recent monarch considered the drake her closest friend. Hell, she might even consider the two siblings…perhaps more, but that bridge hasn’t exactly been crossed or seen. All Starlight knew for sure; when Twilight hears of this, any plans Spike had of moving out were going to be dashed aside by the princess’s overprotectiveness.

As for Trixie, this was not what she had in mind when she decided to return and make Ponyville her home for the foreseen future. If anything she had plans to set up shop and practice her craft further, build up her reputation, hire some new acts every once in a while and just have a good time with her friends. But now, to hear one of her closest friends could very well be planning to leave just when she returns; it saddened her, yes. But in her travels, there was a common discussion she heard from the ever drunken soldiers she performed shows for in the Crystal Empire; even in peace, the training regiments lasted a minimum of six years, give or take. Recent recruits and a handful of veterans would always be left on standby, and in the case that any threat reared itself against the Empire; those reserves were the first to be deployed. Meaning, if or when an incident breaks out; Spike and whatever regiment he was in would most likely be placed on the front lines. And considering the fact that he was a dragon, there wasn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that the military would take full advantage of that.

After a few seconds more he shook his head, allowing the two mares to release a sigh neither knew they’d been holding in. “No….not right now.” And there came the anxiety again. “It’s an option I’m considering, but I’m not sure if I’ll even make it to the Empire.” He coughed up a dry laugh, gaining a small hint of curiosity from his company. Seeing their expressions, he heaved a sigh before munching on a hay fry. “Not sure if you noticed, Starlight, but aside from being able to visit Shinning every once in a while, I can’t exactly move around a lot without the others prying me for information on where and how long I’ll be gone. I only mentioned once that I wanted to try living on my own, but then Twilight…” He trailed off, but Starlight remembered that day very clearly. It was quite a heated back and forth between her mentor and the young drake.

The library was a mess, and the two gave one another the silent treatment for close to a week.

“I understand how you feel, but you have to also realize you’re still pretty young, by both pony and dragon standards.” Starlight argued, hoping he’d see reason. “Call me crazy but worrying about someone is technically viewed as fairly normal.”

Spike nodded. “I know, and I get that…I just wish I wasn’t seen as a fragile child anymore.”

“And you think joining the Crystal Military would change that?”

He took a moment to think it over, considering what his next choice of words would be. “Maybe, I mean, I’m almost of age, and I’d like to see more of the world. There’s the medical division; they’re mostly stationed in the main city or in the surrounding villages. But the work they do is what gets my attention; going and aiding the ponies that call on them. Armed forces would just have me running drills and cleaning the barracks. Actually, I had this little scenario planned out in my head; I could either make the military a career or use one of the trades I picked up in my old travels, set up shop somewhere, maybe get married, have hatchlings: start a life.” His ‘scenario’, although vague, had a form of rippling effect on the two present, with Starlight trying to reel in her still current image of the drake as a baby. She, like Twilight but with less outward aggression, still saw Spike as an infant. He’d grown very much, nothing could challenge that view, however, she still viewed him as the little drake that would often cling to her hip when Twilight was off on some foreign affair he could not accompany her on. Like a younger sibling, looking up to her when the more responsible of the house was out; Spike would cling to Starlight’s word, often to a point that even the former equalist would feel guilt for getting him involved in her own misadventures.

As for Trixie, the last few pieces of Spike’s plans were what got her attention. Though he didn’t appear to have it all planned out, and no doubt he probably didn’t even have a rough draft for if he decided to join the Crystal guard; she was sure he knew at least what he wanted.

“That’s pretty ambitious.” The eyes of the three snapped open, their heads turning to an over-joyous expression only synonymous to one particular party-themed pony.

“P-p-pinkie!?” With haste, Spike slipped his enlistment form away from Trixie, barely managing to stuff it in a knapsack he had gotten from a certain fashionista as a gift.

“The one and only!” She spoke with a bounce in each step, and though her eyes were wandering amongst the table, her eyes caught sight of the less than subtle way the young drake reacted to her arrival. Her curiosity was prodded at the little form he was adamant in hiding from her. More so when she realized the parchment was in Trixie’s hands before she came along, and that alone irritated the pink pony; that a mare known for causing a great deal of grief was allowed to pry into the business of one of her friends, where she was not privy to.

But then, there was a slightly bigger issue at hand; Spike was talking about leaving again. Now, the mare was not opposed to it, far from it. Everypony had to grow up some day and Spike was no different. Hell, contrary to what most would think, Pinkie would not act possessive and deny her friend his opportunity or chance to make a life for himself…she’d only ask for a minimum of two calls a day, mandatory visits on each and every holiday, the first one to know if he nabbed himself a mare/coltfriend, and a promise to never forget where he came from or his beloved friends in Ponyville…nothing too demanding.

The problem with this kind of talk is if Twilight caught wind of it. It was no secret, at least to their little circle, among all her friends; Twilight placed Spike pretty high up on her priorities, only surpassed by her mentor. The first time he mentioned the idea of it…Twilight didn’t exactly take it well. No, scratch that, she nearly blew a gasket with the raw anger emitting from her body.

It was only by their friends that the two managed to patch up again, though, it didn’t take long.

Regardless, Pinkie wasn’t about to have a repeat of it again. “So, Spikey, where’d you learn how to sing that little number?” Although she wasn’t one for tunes that openly took jabs at others, at princesses no less, Spike’s little performance was in good fun. And in all honesty, the bits regarding the night princess weren’t all that jarring.

A small smile spread across the drake’s lips as he recounted that little memory. “Oh, with Shinning in the Crystal Empire. Since I’m of age there, he took me to a tavern, I wasn’t allowed to drink but I was allowed to go in all the same. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but he said it would be a learning experience.”

While his eyes were fixed on his hayburger, both Pinkie’s and Starlight’s eyes twitched. “o-o-h…did he now?” Pinkie muttered, her tone sent a massive shiver up Trixie’s spine, causing the mare to shudder.

Spike nodded. “Oh yea, lots of nice folks up there too. Real friendly-like, but they all had this weird way of making conversation…like, one mare wanted advice with her home-decorating I guess…” There was a moment of confusion just before his story was followed up with “She asked me if I wanted to see if her carpet matched her drapes.”

And just like that, Pinkie’s smile froze, her left eye’s twitching increased, and the malice radiating from her body was enough to be visibly seen.

“Also, there was this other mare who asked for some help with plumbing.”

“Plumbing?” Trixie dared to ask.

“Yea, said she wanted me to clean her pipes.” Pinkie’s grip on the table tightened to the point that she was cracking the wood. “And then there was this one mare who asked me for a job that reminded me of you, Pinkie.”

The Pink mare’s expression shifted to one of confusion, she dared not say anything, and neither did the other two at this point.

“I’m guessing she owns a bakery ‘cause she asked me to put a bun in her oven.” The young drake gave off a dry chuckle, unaware of the malice aura emitting from the pink mare at his side. Starlight, although ticked off, was nowhere near the level of anger Pinkie was giving off. Even so, she had a few choice words to share with the stallion…once Pinkie was done with him. “Not gonna lie, I considered it too. I remembered her saying it was a cream pie or something like that.”

*Snap*

Without warning, the wood within Pinkie’s grip splintered. Her actions caused her companions to stare wide-eyed at the still smiling pink mare. Far be it for the party pony to be openly angry towards anypony…however…

‘Spikey…little Spikey…our baby drake…my baby…’ As if in synch with the fractured splinters in her hand, something inside Pinkie’s head snapped, more so when she silently brushed the dust from her hands and clothing. Her smile remained unfazed, though her jagged movements were anything but normal.

“Spike…” Her voice was dripping with intention, enough to rattle the bones of any within earshot. “Where’s Shinning?”

Rather than answer, Spike gestured to a table where the aforementioned stallion was sitting, surrounded by the princesses. A sinister grin etched itself on her lips as she lightly patted the drake’s shoulders, leaning down and giving him a peck on his forehead, embracing him whilst muttering something about ‘innocence’ and ‘teaching lessons’ before calmly walking over towards the pony royals.

All the while, the drake was munching on his hayburger, feeling the ever looming aura distance itself from where he sat. “In hindsight…I should’ve stayed quiet.” He commented, realizing the hell he just unleashed. Twilight might’ve been the most overprotective of his friends, but Pinkie was perhaps the only one amongst them who could instill fear without needing to raise her voice. He’d only ever been on the receiving end of one of Pinkie’s infamous hushed threats…and it still unnerved him just by remembering the way her voice was both soothing and ominous at the same time.

As he savored his meal, his claws brazed the inside of his knapsack, his eyes widening when the lack of parchment was evident. His eyes darted towards the pink mare, eyeing the scroll in her grasp.

‘Hmm, clever filly.’

How she had taken; he didn’t know. And given Pinkie’s track record, perhaps not knowing was best for his sanity. Still, the fact that she had that letter meant he, and all of Ponyville, would be hearing from Twilight very soon. It wasn’t that he wanted to get away from his best friend, far from it, but seeing all his friends grow slowly more independent; creating lives for themselves. It left an aching pain in his chest. Every year, it seemed as though his friends would just drift further into their own paths, seeing one another less and less. But who could blame them; with the bigger threats seemingly over, and peace finally reigned in Equestria, the Elements of Harmony are living their lives.

But where did that leave the drake?

He’d spend so much of his time training, going on missions; making himself useful, that he’d almost forgotten the moments he would spend with his friends. The times were he would spend the better part of his days helping them out and…just trying to remind them he was still there. But in all that, he never thought of what his life would be like without any of them. He knew his lifespan was well enough for him to see many generations, but, it never occurred to the drake to attempt to build a life for himself. All his life he’d lived under the protection and nurture of Twilight and Celestia…but if anything were to happen, and heavens forbid the thought…he needed his own form of independence, something to keep him just as occupied as his friends were.

“Spike?”

The young drake was snapped out of his daze when he heard his name, his eyes glancing upwards to see Starlight staring at him worryingly.

“If…” The mare took a moment to gather her thoughts. Seeing Pinkie walk away with the scroll in hand…walking towards Twilight….things were going to get ugly. Again. Knowing the impending argument he and Twilight were bound to have eventually, she took it upon herself to cement her support. “If moving to the Crystal Empire is something you want to do; I support you.” Though she wanted him to stay in Ponyville, she knew every pony eventually had to leave the pasture, and she was well aware Spike would have to as well. But, she had hoped it would be farther into the future rather than this soon. There was still so much they could do, little misadventures she could conjure up, and with Trixie around those were bound to be common enough.

‘Hey!’

And yet, with all that in mind, even with that longing feeling of wanting to keep her drake close by; his life was his own. It would hurt to see him leave, but seeing him here, trapped by an overprotective older-sister princess, and an equally loving/protective bundle of mares, no doubt he’d be filled with an ache for a life he didn’t get a chance to live.

Spike took her words to heart, a gentle smile etched itself on his lips. “That means a lot to me, Starlight.” His eyes met hers, her smile emitting just as much warmth as his words.

Seeing the tender moment being shared by the two, the blue mare took it upon herself to remind the two of her presence. “A-and Trixie supports you as well.” The magician included, puffing her chest slightly. That is, until a thought crossed her mind, evident by the small streak of pink across her cheeks as she smiled nervously. “Y-y-y-you know, Trixie has a few contacts in the Empire, if you ever need help, just let Trixie know and she’ll do what she can.”

Spike’s eyes wandered between the two, his smile growing just a tad bit, but the warmth and gratitude were still evident. It took only a second for him to gather his thoughts before he let out a soft chuckle. “Who would’ve thought; we were on opposite sides when we first met, and now…I couldn’t ask for better friends.”

Though Starlight smiled, Trixie’s expression was a mix of embarrassment and genuine content.

“But, with my scroll in Pinkie’s hands; I won’t be leaving Ponyville anytime soon when Twilight finds out.” He mumbled, rubbing the back of his head while seeming eerily nonchalant about his best friend discovering what was just the tip of an ice berg of secrets he had managed to keep.

“…well, you can tell her it was an option you had in mind; you even said it’s not your final decision.” Trixie noted, earning a dry chuckle from the drake.

“Under normal circumstances, yes, I would use that line…but it doesn’t help that the entire form is filled out. A single postage or a quick flame mail, and I’d be an enlisted.” Spike muttered, releasing a tired sigh. “Knowing Twilight, I’ll be lucky if I can hear after she blasts my ear drums.”

Starlight reached over and gently grasped the young drake’s hand. “Oh Spike…you might wanna run.” She gestured behind him, evidently towards where the royals were. As he glanced back, he noticed Cadence seemingly in some heated debate with her husband. The Aforementioned stallion seemed under a much heated glare from his wife. Princess Luna was deep in thought, lost in her own world, all the while her expression seemed filled with some form of determination. His mother’s was calm, almost collective, but needing only a second to take analyze her restrained movements; she was either panicking or lost in thought…or both, the mare was surprisingly versatile when it came to expressing her emotions.

Interestingly enough, it seemed Fluttershy, and Rarity had approached the table, their eyes fixed on the open scroll, which was within the grasps of an emotionless Twilight. Pinkie was currently hovering over Shinning, whispering something in his ear that made the stallion pale. Flutterhy’s initial reaction was an owlish bugle of her eyes with her hand pressed against her mouth. If one took a closer look, you’d see a small buildup of tears in her eyes. Rarity, from what little he could tell, was trembling. Though her face said shock, there was something about her lightly shaking form that made him feel uneasy.

But Starlight’s warning didn’t apply to them; it was for the princes with his scroll in her hands. Very slowly, he watched as Twilight rolled up the parchment; rise ever so calmly from her seat while taking in a deep breath. Upon opening her eyes, her pupils were fixed on him, garnering a shiver to crawl up his spine. She turned her body to him, her wings flexing as she took a single step towards him.

Needing no further encouragement the drake hopped to his feet and took off in mere seconds. Though, he never really stood a chance, given the second he took off, Twilight was already in the air and speeding towards him.

And for that night, Ponyville was treated to the sight of their princess chasing after her assistant in the sky.

Author's Note

And there's the next chapter. Like i said previously, i'm leaning towards a TrixiexSpike pairing, but i'm open to others just as long as it doesn't affect the story line. Which will pick up soon, these first few are intended to be calmer, and with some slap-stick.