Chapter 2: Humbled

“As you can clearly see in the documents, opening a trade-route through the city of Germane to the outer border of Minotauria shall be mutually beneficial for both our nations,” Spike pointed out using a finger to mark the colored path on the map that connected the city of Germane with a minor fringe trade village of Minotauria.

“I fail to see the benefit, Prince Spike,” the minotaur ambassador said, crossing his arms. Behind him, two bodyguards stood clad in armor and holding spears. “The route is safe enough, but the distance is far too great. Four days for a single one-way trip, turning it into an eight-day long course? The expense alone is greater than any possible benefit.”

“It may look that way, Ambassador,” Spike began. Behind him, two fully geared royal guards, a unicorn and a thestral, stood in wait. “But I must remind you that Minotauria won’t pay for anything. The development of the road, the escorts and caravan guards, and the weather shall all be paid and handled by Equestria. It is but a minor trade-agreement that will test how a larger, proper mutually beneficial arrangement might work between our nations,” Spike finished by handing an inked quill to the ambassador.

“I’m still unconvinced how this treaty, however minor and insignificant it may seem to be on the surface, is to the benefit of my people,” he hummed, crossing his arms. “What has Equestria to offer Minotauria other than insults?”

Spike blinked. “Insults? How have we insulted Minotauria, Ambassador?” Spike asked, confused.

“When we received the notification for this meeting, I was expecting to meet with one of the Royal Sisters. Or at least with Princess Cadance or Prince Blueblood,” he sighed. “Instead, showing common Equestrian weakness and deceit, the Bloodless Prince comes to greet me.”

Spike raised a hand before his two bodyguards could even think about lowering their spears at the Ambassador. “It is precisely why I was sent to greet you and discuss this most important treaty with you, Ambassador. I am a dragon,” Spike stood up. “I know perfectly well of the bad blood between dragons and minotaurs. However, do you see this?” He turned a little to showcase one of his shoulder plates.

“This is the mark of my mother, Princess Celestia Solaris. I may be adopted, and you may feel insulted because I’m a dragon,” frowning and letting a cloud of smoke emerge from his nostrils, Spike slammed the desk, making the two bodyguards lower their halberds and the Ambassador jump back in fright. “But I am royalty. I am Spike Solaris, Prince of Equestria. And you just insulted me and Equestria,” composing after a few tense seconds of eerie silence, he sat down.

“That being said, Ambassador. I do not blame you for allowing your mouth to win over your brilliant mind. As a dragon, I know I can be intimidating. But fear not, for even if my temper can be on edge, more than just a dragon, I am a dragon raised in Equestria. I value reason, honesty, kindness, loyalty, and courage above petty things like pride or envy,” Spike folded the documents detailing the information regarding the trade-route. “But I cannot, in good faith, more so after you so brazenly insulted my home, continue with this treaty.”

Spike stared into the confused expression of the minotaur Ambassador. “What? Were you expecting me to force you to sign or demand it from you as an apology? That is not the way of Harmony. You have voiced your distrust and your concerns. Have a good day, and may we discuss this matter on a later date… when you are feeling more open-minded, that is. The guards shall guide you to your Embassy.”

With those final words, Spike bowed his head, turned to leave, and walked out of the room without making a scene. Spike then walked through the hallways, politely waving and nodding to the guards and castle staff he encountered. He made it out of the castle, past the courtyard, and into the empty fields used by the Royal Guards to train.

Setting aside his shoulder pads and cape, Spike leaned against the storage room. He pulled out a piece of parchment from the small satchel hanging from his back. Using the quill made out of one of his mother’s feathers, Spike wrote down a quick message.

‘Negotiation Failed. Ambassador Mighty Horns proved to be as ignorant and biased as ever. He dared to insult Equestria, and to a lesser extent, myself now that I lacked the company of Blue or Caddie. I was forced to perform a diplomatic exit. I shall return to the castle by dinner. I’m at the Royal Guard training fields.

Love You, Spike.’

With his message finished, Spike lit it on fire with an angered huff. The message burned up and its ashes traveled magically towards the castle.

“Dammit!” Spike shouted as he fell to his knees, punching the ground with all his might. The impact proved strong enough to leave his fist printed on the ground. “Stupid! Ignorant! Weakling!” He punched the ground a couple more times as he shouted insult after insult. “Who does he think he is!? I practically gift-wrapped him a trade-lane and what does he do!? He spit in my face! Insults Equestria! And puts in question the will of Harmony and Friendship!? Liars!? Deceitful!? WEAK!?”

He breathed out mouthfuls of smoke and fire. “Everycreature is always saying how dragons and griffins are so greedy! But what about minotaurs!? I could practically see the shimmer of bits on his eyes!” Spike snarled. “Hasn’t he learned that Equestria frowns upon bribes!? Yet he still expects us to buy his favor!? And still dares to call us liars!?” Spike roared, letting out a column of fire up in the air.

Getting up, still enraged and fuming fire, he tore away the lock keeping the storage door close. It took him a few minutes of searching, but at the end of it, he tossed out several shields, spears, halberds, swords, axes, and pieces of armor. Walking out of the storage room with a large, thick rope behind him, Spike was quick to pile up together all the stuff he had thrown out.

He easily split the shafts of spears and halberds in half, flattened helmets, and tore apart chest, back, and leg armor pieces. Mashing them up all together and tying them with the rope into a single ball of crude metal, Spike picked it up with some strain and began picking it up and tossing it a few steps away into the field.

He repeated this action a few dozen times before a voice called him out.

“I take that the negotiations went south, huh?”

Spike tossed the ball one more time before turning to face whoever was talking to him. “Ah, Shining!” The dragon said happily. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Spike,” Shining Armor retorted with a smile. “You know that’s going to come out of your allowance, right?” He asked, raising a hoof to point at the ball of metal and rope.

“Fine by me. I hardly ever touch it anyways,” Spike said before the dragon and the stallion hugged each other. “No but seriously, why are you here? I thought you and Cadance were on a date or something?”

“That was two weeks ago, Spike,” he chuckled. “Cadance is in Hippogriffia and Blueblood is doing his best to keep the more rowdy nobles in line. I came here because I saw a pillar of fire from my usual post.”

“Sorry about that. At least I didn’t set anything on fire this time, right?” Spike laughed at his poorly made joke, which caused Shining to laugh, too. “So, how is the soon-to-be-youngest-Royal-Guard-Captain-ever doing?”

“Could be doing better without a certain dragon ruining training equipment every time he needs to cool off his anger. But other than that, I’m doing pretty great. Got an awesome girlfriend, a steady job, and I managed to get my hooves on the limited edition copy of Ogres and Oubliettes: Kingmaker.”

“You’re lying. You must be lying. Not even I could find it!” Spike exclaimed, impressed.

“Oh yes. Oh yes, I got it, you scaled-shrimp!” Shining jabbed, using his flank to push Spike a little. “And I already got the weekend set and ready to go for the start of a campaign. Wanna join?”

“Are you kidding me!? Of course, I want to join! Are Blue, Caddie, and Twilight gonna join the game, too?”

“Prissy Prince and my beloved sure are, but I’m afraid Twily won’t be able to make it,” Shining sighed. “Now that she lives in Ponyville, I doubt we’ll be seeing her that often.”

“Ah, I guess that makes-- What?” Spike froze, his brain processing what he just heard. “P-Ponyville? Twilight moved to Ponyville? Without telling us…?” He asked softly.

“Without telling us? Spike, what are you talking about? She moved to Ponyville five days ago. She told me, our parents, Luna, Celestia… oh… oh right… you were in Cloudsdale that day…”

“And I’ve been stuck working on the treaty with the minotaurs since I got back…” Spike said weakly. “Twilight left… and… and I couldn’t even say goodbye?” Spike looked deep into Shining’s compassionate blue eyes. “W-Why didn’t anypony else tell me before?”

“I don’t know, Spike. Maybe she asked them to not tell you anything until you had some free time. Tartarus, I barely had time to wave her off,” Shining revealed.

“B-But why!? Why did she go to Ponyville? Why did she move away?” The purple-scaled dragon pressed.

“I’m not entirely sure. But remember how she’s been growing obsessed with the Elements of Harmony legend? Well, apparently the Princesses told her that she might find something in Ponyville regarding the Elements.”

“...I see,” he turned to the side, his expression impossible to read. “I… should go back to what I was doing.”

“Same here. But hey, don’t worry too much about her. She knows how to take care of herself. She’ll be fine, and we can visit her whenever we can,” he offered a gentle smile. “Try to not strain yourself, Spike. Wouldn’t want to lose a player for this weekend’s campaign!” Shining Armor walked away, idly waving a hoof at him.

Spike waved a hand as he returned back to his roped ball. Placing a hand against it, Spike remained still for the better part of a minute until, in a fit of rage, punched the ball with all his might. Sending it flying for about twenty meters. It then rolled a few dozen meters more until it reached the edge of the training field; the ball toppled over and fall over the edge

“Shit!” He cursed, ignoring the slight stinging sensation in his hand and rushing to the edge. He got there in time to see it enter into the canopy of the Everfree Forest several hundreds of meters below. As luck would have it, looking up he saw in the distance the vaguely made-out silhouette of Ponyville.

“...” He stared at Ponyviile for what felt like an eternity. He looked down at the forest again, noticing how it covered the entire distance between him and Ponyville. And to the sides? The Everfree extended further than his eyes could see. Stepping back from the edge, Spike undid his belt; his sword, satchel, and loincloth dropping to the ground leaving him bare.

“Mom always warned me that the Everfree Forest was dangerous and mysterious. Completely outside the control of ponies and their magic. A place where animals roamed wildly, monsters are abundant, weather acts on its own accord, and death is commonplace,” he cracked his neck. “For a pony or other weaker creature, maybe. But I’m a dragon,” he smiled cockily, his words boasting with dripping arrogance. “What could stop me besides an adult dragon or an alicorn?” Chuckling, he ran towards the edge, jumping once he reached it and using his feet to slide down the mountain with ease.

Within minutes, he reached the bottom of the mountain and landed inside the dreaded forest. Coughing a few times, Spike winced. “The air really is thick in here!” He exclaimed before breathing in and out slowly a few times to get used to it. Once he judged himself sufficiently adapted, he started to walk. “What kind of friend am I? I couldn’t even say goodbye to Twilight. Don’t you worry, Twilight, I’ll be at Ponyville before nightfall! Then, I can properly wish you farewell,” he said to himself with an ample smile.

*A few hours later*

“‘Always think of your actions before moving forward, my darling Spike.’ Mom said. ‘Never act so rashly that you end up hurting yourself unless there is no other option, Spike.’ Aunt Luna said. ‘An educated and prepared mind is a powerful tool!’ Twilight said! Now I regret never reading that survival book she gave me on my birthday because I DON’T KNOW WHERE I AM!” He roared, his voice echoing all around him.

Sighing, Spike continued. “It’s nearly nightfall and I still don’t know if I’m close to Ponyville or not! So far I only found nothing but trees, a stinking swamp, and more trees! I could’ve waited for tomorrow and take a chariot or the train, but nooooo, I just had to jump off the mountain, didn’t I?” Looking around, he saw several dozens of bright yellow eyes looking at him. “Not to mention whatever those creatures are, though they seem to be everywhere. But no monsters yet,” he scoffed. “The only thing dangerous in this forest is my own sense of awareness!”

Suddenly, he heard a rustling coming from somewhere nearby. Coming to a halt, Spike turned around slowly, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from. Hearing it again, the purple-scaled dragon noticed it was coming from his immediate left. Walking towards the sound, he pushed aside a few vines and saw a small crackling fire, a tent, two closed barrels, a small cart, and some wood ready to be added to the fire whenever needed.

“Hello?” Spike called out, but no one replied. “Hello?” He called out again, louder. When no one replied a second time, he approached the small camp. “Is any creature here?” He asked as he opened the tent only to find a rucksack and a pillow inside it. “Great. Just great. What are the odds of finding someone’s camp in this forest but not the creature using it?”

As he stepped back, he heard a faint whistling noise. Jumping back upon realizing the sound came from above him, Spike managed to dodge a large figure that landed where he had been standing. The dragon blinked, surprised, as the figure held onto an odd-looking spear. For once, both ends were armed and at the base of the tips a hook-like object protruded out.

The creature moved slowly, unfolding itself from the grip it had over the spear. Spike’s eyes went wide when he saw that the fully armor-clad creature was a rather big and bulky griffon. He couldn’t see its face due to the helmet it was wearing. Although he wasn’t sure, from the size alone Spike deduced it was probably male. Pushing those nonsense thoughts aside, Spike showed his fangs and claws.

“Who are you!? Why did you attack me?” The griffon didn’t reply. Instead, he picked up his spear and began circling Spike at a distance, his posture and pace strong, unflinching, unyielding, and confidant. Sighing, Spike lowered his guard. “Okay, look. I’m sorry I entered your camp like that, but you didn’t answer. I wasn’t going to steal anything, I promise. I just want a few directions so I can get out of this stinking forest.”

The griffon remained silent.

“Okay, look. I’m Spike Solaris. Adopted son of Princess Celestia Solaris, nephew to Princess Luna Solaris. If you help me get out of this forest and guide me to Ponyville, I promise you a handsome reward, what do you say?”

“Your life,” the griffon replied in a deep, baritone, unfriendly voice.

“Excuse me?” Spike chuckled. “You want my life?” He smirked, finding the idea amusing. “I don’t think you’ve noticed, buddy, but I’m a dragon. Do you really think you can joke like that?” The griffon remained silent. “Again with the silence game. Okay. Here’s the deal, you get me out of here, I’ll give you whatever you want. I swear it upon Harmony and Friend--”.

The words were barely out of his lips when he saw the griffon lunge at him at astonishing speed. Dodging the spear once again, Spike snarled and threw a punch at the griffon. He was surprised when the griffon not only did not move away, but grabbed his wrist, spun around, and tossed him away. Landing on his feet and using his tail for balance, Spike stared at the griffon, awestruck.

“...” The griffon stared keenly at him, readying his spear for another attack.

Shaking the shock and confusion away, Spike took a defensive stance, which seemed to alert the griffon in some way.

“It is true, then. You are the Dragon Prince of the Sun Tyrant. Matters not. A dragon is a dragon,” the griffon said, twirling his spear around.

“What did you just call my mother!?” Spike roared before charging blindly. In an eyeblink, he closed the distance between themself and the offending griffon. Swinging an open-claw strike at him, the griffon dodged, using his spear as a pivot he got behind Spike and struck the back of his head with both hind legs. The dragon, unbalanced, crashed face first with a tree trunk, splintering upon impact.

With another angered roar, Spike swiped with a combo of tail and his other claw; the tail behind him, his arm above him. But the griffon had already moved away from his reach. Seeing him standing near the campfire, readying himself for another attack, Spike saw red as he inhaled deeply and unleashed a torrent of orange fire on the griffon.

After a few seconds of the deadly stream washed over his foe, Spike closed his maw. “You fool! Look at what you made me do!” Spike cursed angrily. “...But justice was swift, I suppose. No one has the right to insult my mother and get away with it unpunished if I can help it,” Spike spat at the dying fireplace where the griffon once stood. “May you find peace, even if you were stupid enough to challenge a dragon.”

“Is that so?”

Spike’s eyes went wide, his entire body froze upon hearing the voice of the griffon come from within the roiling inferno he had spewed out of his mouth. Spike then saw the griffon’s form as his fire died out. With a sweep of his spear and the cape he has only now noticed, Spike laid eyes over the griffon’s undamaged body.

It was only then, as the dying fires illuminated his form, that Spike could see in great detail the equipment carried by the griffon. His armor and his cape… were made out of dragon’s scales. He could see different patterns and colors all over his cape, helmet, chest piece, gauntlets, boots… everything. He was decked beak to tail in dragon scale armor.

And his spear? The entire shaft was a large and polished dragon done. The tips were in actuality fangs of older dragons. And the hooks were large thinned out claws.

“You’re a dragon hunter,” Spike whispered in fright. How could he not upon seeing a foe clad completely in trophies of his kills? “Do you think you stand a match against me!? A Prince of Equestria!?”

“I plan to find out,” the griffon replied.

Immediately after saying that, the griffon tossed his spear up-high, he grabbed something from behind his cape and quickly tossed it at Spike.

Moving out of the way, Spike evaded most of the projectiles sent his way, but two hit their mark: one on his thigh and the other on his abdomen.

“GAAAAHHHH!” Spike cried out in pain as he fell on the ground. Looking at his injuries, he saw two sharpened dragon scales sticking from his belly and thigh. Looking to the griffon, Spike found he had already moved. Looking up, he saw the griffon descending on him, holding his spear firmly. Spike barely managed to roll out of the way, evading the fang of the spear by mere inches from where his neck used to be.

The griffon, however, gave his prey no chance to collect himself. Using one of the hooks, he grabbed Spike’s ankle, twisted the spear to the side, and then twirled Spike around for five full circles before tossing him away against another tree.

“RRAAAAAHHH!” Spike roared in anger, now realizing he was in dire danger and his life was on the line. He charged at the griffon once more, but this time he had a plan. He spat three small balls of fire at the griffon, who used his cape to block them. Smiling, Spike jumped as the griffon cut visual contact with him to protect himself. Just as he was above him, his claws at the ready to rip the murderer to shreds, the griffon stepped back, used his spear to hit Spike in the chest, grab him by the neck with the other hook, and then, impossibly, swing the smaller dragon over his head and slam him against the dirt yet again.

“You seem to know how to fight a little, dragon,” the griffon said as he tried to skewer Spike as he laid on the floor, but only managed to slash him across the shoulder.

“Grrraaahhh!” Spike shouted again in pain. Never in his life had he been injured so badly before! And yet the foe in front of him was dead serious in his intent to end his life. “D-Don’t you fear what my mom will do to you if you kill me!?”

“The Sun Tyrant is already hunting us down, calling us monsters for hunting monsters like you, dragon,” the griffon said before launching another attack. “I fear her not more than I fear for my life as she holds the lives of all at the tip of her corrupt hooves.”

“You vile murderer!” Spike spat, dodging another attack, trying to create a gap between himself and his foe. But now the griffon was relentless, whatever caution he displayed before was gone, and now attacked him head-on. “My mom is the most generous and noble mare in the entirety of Equis! She despises corruption! Everyone in my family does! And Tyrant!?” Spike spat another stream of fire, this time managing to force the griffon to jump back. “What has she done to deserve being called that, EHHH!?”

“I see…,” the griffon spat. “So her corruption can even taint a dragon’s heart. No matter,” twirling his spear for a moment, he lowered it in front of him, slowly using his claws to roll the spear. “The entire world bows to that monster. And the Equestrians? What can anyone do to oppose them? The Unicorns have powerful magic. The Earth Ponies control the food. The Pegasi the climate. And they all bow to the will of the two Royal Tyrants.”

“You are deluded,” Spike said, glaring death upon the griffon.

“And you’ll soon be added to my collection,” the griffon stepped forward. “But you’re the Bloodless Prince… Yes. I might be able to free the world from their grasp. Perhaps I can use your head to get close enough to the Royal Cunts and kill them both in one fell swoop.”

Before he could know what happened, Spike let out the mightiest roar he could manage and he was charging at the griffon once again. His roar of pure hatred turned into a roar of absolute pain as the spear pierced his stomach, pinning him to the ground yet again. By pure instinct, Spike grabbed onto the spear’s shaft as hard as he could, stopping it from going any further inside his body.

“You dragons are all the same. Boastful. Prideful. Greedy. Always thinking you’re invincible, just like the Sun and Moon Tyrants,” the griffon said. “You still have some strength left in you, I see. No matter. You’ll tire out soon enough. You can feel it, don’t you? ‘Where’s my strength?’ I bet you’re asking yourself,” pressing down on the spear with one hand, he leaned down.

Spike watched as the griffon used his free hand, noticing small dragon claws, much like his own, over the gauntlet covered claws of the griffon. With a single finger, he pressed the tip of the claw against the base of a scale on the back of his right hand.

“HHHNNNGGHHHH!” Spike cried out as the griffon pulled out one of his scales, the wave of pain proving to be equal if not greater than the fang currently piercing his belly. Spike cried several times over, as the griffon quickly tore away scale after scale from Spike’s hand. But he withstood despite the pain, unwilling to let the accursed dragon hunter win.

“You’ve got more fight than most of your kin I’ve killed, dragon,” the griffon praised. “But you cannot fool me. You are waning, and soon you shall die,” taking off another scale, the griffon lowered his head just a couple of inches lower, but still far away from Spike’s fangs. “Cry, dragon. Cry for your whore of a mother. Cry out for Nightmare Moon, the demon of the night. Cry. Cry. Cry.”

Suddenly, the area around them darkened in a split second. The griffon backed up, still pinning Spike to the ground, while he looked around trying to find what was going on.

From his downward point of view, Spike struggled to keep the spear’s fang out of him. He hated to admit it, but the griffon was right. His strength was leaving him rapidly. He grunted loudly as another half an inch of the fang entered his belly, making him cough up some blood. Desperation was finally setting in his mind as tears formed in his eyes.

Suddenly, the head of the griffon… vanished as a pure beam of light green and dark blue magic struck him. The griffon’s body stumbled back, blood spurting from the now vacant spot on the body’s neck.

With a loud grunt of monumental effort, Spike tore away the fang lodged in his belly. Thanks to his rapid dragon regeneration, his wound was already clogging itself to prevent him from bleeding to death. As he laid on his back, Spike coughed some more blood, his vision blurry, but he’d recognize anywhere his savior.

“A-Aunt Luna?” He asked as he saw the alicorn rushing to him.

“You idiot! You are such an idiot, Spike!” She shouted as she cried, her mane and tail smoking tendrils of magic that hugged Spike closely. “W-Why did you leave like that!? We were worried SICK!” She cried angrily. “C-Celestia nearly put all of Canterlot on lockdown and I sent all of my guards to search for you!”

“I-I’m sorry, a-auntie Luna,” he apologized, tears trickling down his scaly cheeks whilst trying to hug her neck. “I-I thought… I thought that… I’m a dragon…. I… saf...e…. T-Twilight…..”

Spike muttered weakly as he passed out.

Luna hugged her nephew close to her body. Ignoring the voices from her thestral guards, she teleported away.

Chapter 2 End.

Author's Note

Special thanks to anyone that read this!