The ponies known as The Mane 6 would talk and swarm the dragon for nearly 3 hours. Twilight stuck around him the most talking about her recent discoveries and adventures that they had gone on. Pinkie Pie had even pulled a party out of her suitcase to the surprise of everyone besides Spike and the Mane 6. Princess Cadence had even tried to take a peek into her suitcase to try and figure it out. Gilda had come a bit out of her shell as well, but, mostly gravitating close to Rainbow and Spike. Royalty was still new to her and honestly wasn't going to be normal anytime soon.

Shining Armor soon stood and walked to Spike and pat him on the side. He had a serious visage on his face and Spike gave a nod and followed him as he was led into the hall. They, of course, got some looks and everyone soon followed behind them as they left.

Twilight, being the natural thinker she is, walked beside Shining Armor to ask, "Shining, what are you doing?" Her eyes shifting from one brother to the next.

Shining spoke loud enough for everyone one to hear, just as they reached an empty courtyard saying, "It is an open challenge. Spike would like to prove himself, to those that which to try. Though, I must say, he has quite the tricks up his sleeve. Also, he requested that we keep things friendly, so, only till one of you should yield."

Spike moved towards the other end of the courtyard and gave a stretch or two as Shining rose a shield over the courtyard. Should things become hectic, the rest of the palace could still be standing. Before anyone of the Mane Six or their guests could protest, a rainbow streak flew into the protected courtyard and gave a point to the warmed up dragon before speaking in a brash tone, "Oh yea! If a fight is what you want, then come and get some!"

Hearing that, Spike immediately got into a bit more of a serious mode as he heard her. As he stood at the ready and he waited, he remembered a couple things about Rainbow Dash. 'Of course, one, was her amazing speed and aggression through lack of patience she had. The other,.' Spike thought to himself as he blinked and moved his left hand to the right side of his face just as a blue hoof threated to level him. 'Was her speed.'

He didn't have much time to think as the hoof quickly pulled away and the rainbow trail and just as fast as she came, she moved back to her original spot. He couldn't think much, as he had to move back again and again as Rainbow gave a lightning fast flurry of blows almost too fast to see. Though on the back foot of this friendly fight, Spike saw his chance as Rainbow try to move back. He moved his clawed hand and grabbed one of the coming punches and used the momentum to flip Rainbow over him and slam her to the ground with a thud and gasp of pain from the cyan mare. He almost got a smile on his face, before he was rocked and made to stagger back from a sudden and fast kick from Rainbows back hoof.

As Spike took a moment to reel back from the sudden kick, Rainbow Dash got up to wipe a bit of grass that had come to land on her face from he Judo throw. "You gotta remember Spike. I have taken on more than my fair share of blows from people of better stature and ability. You think a Judo throw is gonna put me......"

She was almost thrown to the edge of Shining Armors protective shield from a punch that had smacked her in the cheek. Though as she crashed against the shield and fell stumbling a bit, she looked to Spike who was still almost half way across the courtyard. She then saw that half of his arm was gone and replaced by his distinctive green flame. Her eyes traced back to the spot where she was hit, and there it was, his remaining arm and fist which quickly disappeared and reappeared on Spikes body.

"HOLY CRAP! THAT WAS AMAZING!" was yelled from Pinkie Pie as she had essentially been pressed up against the protective dome with her eyes wide and taking in everything she was seeing. Twilight and the others had been in a bit of a state of shock, but, with Pinkies outburst, had been pulled from it.
The other speaking among themselves, Shining only smiled and looked towards him impressed. Though, out of all of them, Gilda stood a bit flabbergasted at the sight of it. She knew magic could do some amazing things, but to witness it firsthand, was something else. She gave a small smile for him, and she cheered him on, even though she didn't show it.

Twilight was the most in awe, her ever smart brain working to figure out what had just happened. She was interrupted as Spike began to speak. "I am going to go ahead and explain that before Twilight starts a fire with how hard she is thinking. You know how I can send letters with my fire? Well, in my training, I tested how well I could use it. So, I took some items and learned I could move those too, except, they wouldn't go too far seeing as I had nothing to really send them to." He walked and offered a claw to Rainbow, who didn't take it, and as she got up to her hooves he continued. "With no magical point to home in on, they would only go as far as my flame can reach. Weight is a factor as well because I can only send stuff so far depending on it. I can move a piano, but only like 5 meters and I am working on my own for of teleportation. I affectionately call it a Flame Flicker."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Listen, while I am happy for you as a friend, shut up and fight me. All that means is that I don't need to hold back." It was literally like a flash how fast she moved. If Spike had been any slower to react, he would have been knocked on his ass tenfold. Though he protected himself and blocked the best he could, that didn't stop a few blows to smack against his stomach and sides. With his scales he wasn't hurt but they definitely would feel them later. In response, he used his tail and smacked Rainbow away a bit letting him get some space. Not much seeing as Rainbow Dash rocketed for Spike only to be stopped as Spike flickered his arm again and grabbed one of her wings stopping her in her tracks. Well, that would have happened if he had managed to grab her in time.

Instead, she flew directly at him and aimed for his gut. That was, until his torso disappeared too and she slammed into the ground, grass and dirt flying out and making a small trench as she came to a stop. Looking back, there was just Spikes legs before his torso magicked back onto them and he fell back and breathed raggedly and saying. "Oh, there it is. That took a crap ton of mana from me. Not" Deep breath in and out," doing that again."

As he got to his feet, he looked back to Rainbow Dash to see her looking at him almost amazed. "Holy shit!"

A shocked Rarity spoke from outside the dome, "Language! We have children in our presence!"

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes before going over to Spike as he dropped to one knee and gave a wave to Shining Armor, "We are done here! He needs a minute. He did an amazing job though."

The shield came down and Twilight was the first one by Spike's side to help him stay up, "Easy there, big shot. You did amazing. Lets get you some gems of something."

"Oh, that sounds amazing." Spike said as he walked with Twilight back into the castle. As everyone followed, he spoke out. "I probably shouldn't have done this just after training."

Meanwhile, across Equestria, in a small tavern. The door to it opened, there stood a tall figure wearing a cloak, its' head nearly touching the doorframe before it moved and took a seat at the bar. It was silent as it sat there and called over the Bartender with the wave of their hidden hand. As the red furred and white maned unicorn mare came over and offered a smile, she asked. "Welcome stranger, names Double Shot. What can I get you?"

In a deep, almost demanding but soft voice, it said, "Just some water for the moment, thank you. Also, I have a question." The creature took off its' hood to show a green eyed dragon with purple scales not unlike Spike. The only thing separating them being he was taller and instead of a green underbelly, his was pure black that matched his spines.

"Ask away." she said. Her back turned and she filled a glass full of water with her white magical aura and sat it in front of him. She didn't seem to flinch seeing a dragon, seeing as since the peace relations between dragons and ponies, they enjoyed coming into the southern parts of Equestria quite a lot. Heck, one of her neighbors was a male dragon with white scales and pink spines.

"You wouldn't happen to know where a Ponyville is by chance?" Taking a sip of his water, he took a look around the bar. Most taverns and such weren't so busy during the day, so only seeing one or two ponies around would be commonplace.

"Yeah, there is a train that rides by it each morning. Leaves from the station at 10 am tomorrow. I know cause I am going to be on it." She leaned on the bar and inquired, "What takes you to Ponyville, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I need to go see my son. I was told he lives there." After saying that he looked down to his glass of water and thought for a bit.

"Wait, whoa, hold on. You are Spikes dad?! Bullshit." She was taken a back as he said that. There was a clear resemblance but this was some hot news.

"You know my son? How is he?" Storm stood up suddenly and looked down to her. She pulled a newspaper from under the bar and tossed it onto the bar in front of her with her magical aura. The date being a year or so ago, the headline, 'CRYSAL EMPIRE SAVED BY DRAGON'. He stared down at the newspaper and he began to smile, "Look at that. My son, a hero."

Author's Note

Wanted to try and write some form of a fight scene. Tell me what you think?