Author's Note

I tried to make this chapter somehow seem funny. Hope I succeeded at least on some level :D

Draconic Guests

Canterlot

Twilight's old room

Twilight and Spike appeared through the portal into Twilight's old quarters in the Canterlot castle. Spike fell to the ground kissing the floor. "Thank the gods were safely here" Spike spoke.
Twilight just rolled her eyes. "Your so overdramatic. I told you I fixed the portal anchors and as you can see it works perfectly." Twilight stated.
Spike got up from his knees. "Still you can't blame me for worrying about that. You remember we were in those ruins over 3 days trying to figure how to activate that portal again."

At that moment a bright sapphire-colored flame appeared in front of Twilight and a letter with the Emblem of Dragon-Lord appeared. "Oh. This must be a letter from Lord Ember." Twilight said and opened the letter and begun to read it.

To Princess Twilight Sparkle

Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle, I received your letter addressing Spike and his condition. I must say I'm worried about what happened, but I have faith that he will endure whatever happened to him.

As for the marking on his shoulder, I'm afraid I am not familiar with any of these but my father has great knowledge about dragon lore, and if this is true that Spike is indeed a Divine dragon his knowledge would be invaluable.

We will be arriving with my father and Smolder who is acting as my guard during my stay in Ponyville. We should be there in the evening of the day you receive this letter.

Sincerely yours.
Dragon-Lord Ember

"This is perfect Ember is coming here so we might get the answers about your marking and learn more about your kind than what we have here in the library." Twilight said with a wide smile and just imagine the amount of information she would soon receive.

The mention of Ember got Spike's attention "Ember is coming here? Can I read that too?" Spike asked and Twilight gave the letter to Spike.
Spike read the letter. "Twilight this says they are coming to Ponyville and were in Canterlot should someone be there to welcome them here and guide them here to Canterlot?" Spike asked.
Twilight eyes widened "Oh no. How did I overlook that part quick I will go back to Ponyville to welcome them here and guide them here with my portal you go help Princess Celestia and Luna." Twilight said while having a panic attack and run through the portal back to Ponyville.

Spike didn't have time to say anything and there he was alone in their old room. "Well that's just great. Sigh... Nothing better to do than to search for mom and aunt. I really would have wanted to talk to Ember when she arrives." Spike talked to himself and started to move out of the room in search of the guard to ask where he could find his mom and aunt.

It was an eerie quiet in the halls of the castle there were no guards in sight. "Well this is new. Usually, there are many guards around the hallways what's going on." Spike thought to herself while walking towards the throne room. After walking a while "Come back here, young lady!" Someone yelled and BLAM!
Young alicorn hit Spike right to the face "Uncle Spike I found you. Me and mom were so worried about you." Flurry Heart spoke.
Shaking the stars out of his head Spike noticed what or rather who hit him. "Flurry what are you doing here?" He asked. At that moment Shining Armor appeared behind the corner. "Got you now you little she-demon." Shining said and grabbed Flurry. Shining noticed that Spike was on the ground. "Spike it so good to see you we have been worrying sick about you after we heard what happened. Cadance wanted to come here as fast as possible to see you." Shining told and let Flurry go to help Spike back up to his feet.

"Thanks Shining. And don't worry I'm fine." Spike told while scratching Flurry's head.
"Flurry could you please go back to the dining hall. I need to talk with Spike something private." Shining told Flurry.
"Dad! You promised I could play with Spike." Flurry said while crossing her arms and looking a little angry.
"You can sweetie but not yet first me and Spike need to have some time alone. After that, if Spike is up to it you can play." Shining explained to his daughter.
"Fine dad I'll go." Flurry said and stuck her tongue out towards Shining and left.

After Flurry was gone Shining spoke up. "Spike. You don't have to act tough around me. Celestia told us what happened to you and I know from experience that the first kill is always the hardest on soldiers psyche." Shining told Spike. While sitting on a bench near them and pointing Spike to sit next to him.
Spike sits down next to Shining. "Should have known you would see through me easier than others. Mom told me already that it isn't wrong to kill if it is the last resort and if it is for the right reason, but it still feels wrong. Like I did something repulsive. I still feel like what those nobles talk about me is true. Am I a monster Shining?" Spike asked Shining.

Shining listened closely to how his friend explained the situation to him. "Princess Celestia is right if it is for the right reasons and if it really is the last resort you can justify it. Former Captain of the royal guard Flash Steel had good advice to me and all the other soldiers under his command. Don't think the life you took think about the lives you saved." Shining told Spike.

Spike was deep in thought and finally spoke. "Thanks Shining that helped to ease my mind."
Shining just chuckled. "Happy to help. You know if memory serves me right you took your first kill pretty good considering how mine went. I still remember how I was back then. I was in bad shape after that mission. But enough of that I have heard from little birds that you, my friend have scored not just one but two lovely mares to yourself so care to share?" Shining asked.
Spike felt his scales heat up. "Well... I can tell some of it but you do understand that somethings can't be told or they will be pretty angry. I am a gentle drake after all" Spike told Shining.
Shining just smiled. "I agree to those terms now spill the beans."
"It's pretty funny actually..." Spike started his story.

Ponyville

Castle Friendship

Twilight and other elements were standing in front of Castle Friendship waiting for their quests to arrive, minus Rainbow Dash who was on the lookout for their dragon friend's arrival.
Twilight was walking circles in a panic. While speaking to herself. "Where are they? Ember wrote they would be here in the evening. I hope they aren't offended that Princess Celestia or Luna isn't here or..."

Applejack stopped Twilight. "Now sugar cube I'm sure they won't be angry about that. Aren't you a princess of friendship? Your royalty too aren't you?." she told trying to ease her friend.
At that moment Rainbow was flying back "Three dragons incoming should be here pretty soon" Rainbow told them after landing. True to her word soon three dragons were flying towards them and landed with grace and agility.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle. We thank you for accepting us to your home it's an honor." Ember told while she, Torch, and Smolder bowed down.
All the girls bowed down too. "Honor is mine Dragon-Lord Ember. I welcome you to Ponyville and hope you have a warm stay." Twilight answered.

"Please Princess Twilight no need to use my title I really don't like that my friends use that." Ember said.
"Sure Ember but only if you drop princess part on me too." Twilight told her.
"Agreeable. So where is Spike is he still bedridden?" Ember asked.
"Yes where is the whelp who helped my daughter to acquire the Bloodstone Scepter and saved her life many times during the trial." Torch asked with a booming voice.

"He's in Canterlot at the moment. We were supposed to study about his kind and that weird marking when we received your letter. I have a portal at my castle that allows us to travel there in an instant.
You girls coming?" Twilight asked her friends.

"Sorry Twi, but I have to help at the farm so can't come maybe tomorrow" said Applejack
"I have to feed Angel and others sorry." Fluttershy said with a low voice.
"Me and Pinkie have a little project ongoing so can't come just yet." Rainbow Dash answered and Pinkie just nodded.
"I think I will join you, darling. I was planning to close boutique for the rest of the week." Rarity said.
"Okay. See you, tomorrow girls. Now just follow me and I guide you through the portal." Twilight said and waved those who stayed to follow her.

Canterlot

Royal Dining Hall

In the Royal Dining Hall, Princess Luna and Celestia were eating and waiting for Cadance to return.
"Sister. When and how are we going to approach the subject about our "problem" with Spike and Twilight Sparkle?" Luna asked her sister while relishing her coffee.
"I don't know. I'm not sure really, but I think the best way to do it is to go straight to the point today when they arrive. Maybe try to smooth them into this. I know it will be hard on both of them maybe Twilight more than Spike." Celestia answered her sister while sipping her coffee.

"What are you planning to do to my sister and Spike if I may ask?" Cadance asked while standing behind Celestia's chair. Hearing her adopted niece's voice behind her Celestia spewed her coffee out of her mouth and Luna caught it with her magic and placed it back in her sister's cup. Celestia was about to say something but Luna beat her to it.
"We think it is high time to tell our niece the truth sister."
"Truth? What are you talking about?" Cadance asked.

Celestia thought a while about how to begin explaining something like this. "Cadance have you ever wondered why there are so few alicorns?" Celestia asked.
Cadance wondered a moment about her aunt's question. "Well I did wonder a while back in my school years before I ascended, but after you explained to me about the ascension ritual I went through and that only worthy ones are chosen to take this ritual and to live forever as an alicorn to guide ponies." Cadance answered.

Celestia just sighed. "It was a lie with mixed half-truths at best. There weren't any rituals. There are some ponies among us who are alicorn's but need the right magical aid to achieve their true form. That was what I did to you once I found out you're an alicorn. Why there are alicorn's locked in bodies and require magic to transform to their true form I only have theories for that nothing solid yet. Second have you wondered why you managed to conceive a child with your husband but neither I nor Luna has had children of our own?"

Now that was a question Cadance had wondered a lot. "To be honest I always thought you didn't want any children when you are immortal. Never really thought about that you can't... Well, you know." Cadance answered the second question.
Celestia walked in front of the window a tear dropped down from her eye. "That's where you are wrong. Alicorn's aren't immortal. You and Twilight will both someday reach the end of your life. But for me and Luna. Our condition is both a blessing and a curse." Celestia told holding back her tears.
Luna placed her hand on her sister's shoulder. "Maybe it's best if we continue sister." Luna said comforting her sister.

"You see Cadance long time ago in the past, our small village was in the Dream Valley. Back in that day, there were many alicorns as there were other ponies. But then a terrible disease appeared out of nowhere. We still don't know was it a naturally born disease or was magically created. Back then I was a young filly Celestia was hardly a teenager our mother Moon Quill was one of the best healers there was an unparallel magic-user. While our father Sun Sword maybe the best warrior alive. Mother was researching the disease and trying to create a cure for it. At some point, the disease reached our village, and to protect us they had at some point devised a spell that would save us by freezing us in time."

Cadance was stunned learning the true history of her adoptive aunts. "So the story about you being in the stone and freed from there by Starswirl is true?" Cadance asked.
Luna just nodded. "Yes it is. Our mother and father encased us in the stone to protect us from this disease that was spreading around Equestria. The magical protection they cast on us was a powerful spell, but even thou our mother was a powerful alicorn it seems she made some critical errors in her calculations. The spell partly used dark magic. The spell managed to somehow absorb all of the life force of other alicorns and transfer it to us thus we became immortal so to say and is the reason why we don't age. Also, the stasis part of the spell wasn't lifted perfectly and thus we can't have offspring. But all hope isn't lost after years of search our archeological teams managed to find a spell tome of our mother. There is the spell they used on us and a way to dispel it. The only problem is we can't really read it. Mother used multiple foreign languages to us and so we haven't managed to decipher it completely. We have managed to decipher two required components of potion that is required to lift the spell."

Cadance just sits there listening in awe. "Now I get why you need Twilight. If anyone can decipher some ancient languages it's her. But why do you need Spike?" Cadance asked.
Luna looked out of the window. "He has something we need inside his body for the potion."
To say Cadance was furious and confused at the same time. "Don't tell me the reason you raised Spike just to cut him open to cure yourself!" Cadance yelled.

This caused an immediate reaction from Celestia."Cadance how can you say something like that! Spike may not be of my blood but I raised him like he was I would never do something as vile as that!" Celestia was angry and about to launch some spell towards Cadance in her enraged state but Luna managed to get in between them. Grabbing Celestia's hand to stop the spell.
"Calm yourself, sister. And Cadance perhaps the wording I used gave you the wrong idea. Yes, Spike has something in him that we need, but we don't have to cut him open. We only need to erm... How should I put this." Luna tried to explain while her face was starting to heat up and turn crimson red.

Cadance had a small shock once she realized what Luna was implying. "Are you implying that you need his..."
Cadance didn't get the chance to finish when the doors to the dining hall were opened by Twilight.
"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna I bring guests with me from Dragon Lands.
Current Dragon-Lord Ember, Former Dragon-Lord Torch and one of their guards Smolder." Twilight announced.

Celestia, Luna, and Cadance bowed. "I and my sister welcome you to Canterlot and hope you enjoy your stay." Celestia said.
All three dragons bowed and Ember spoke up."Thank you for welcoming us here Princess Celestia. We are here regarding Spike and wanted to help in any way we can."

"Twilight. Should you start or should I?"Candance asked.
"You are the one who always leads let's go." Twilight answered.
"Sunshine sunshine ladybugs awake. Clap your hooves and do a little shake." Cadance and Twilight did their little dance while visiting dragons wondered what did just happen.
"Now when that's out of the way where is Spike? I thought he would head in here after I left to welcome our guests to Ponyville." Twilight asked.
"We haven't seen him yet. Flurry left in a hurry to search for him and Shining had to run after her. I hope he can manage to keep Flurry out of trouble." Cadance answered.
"So it is possible that Flurry managed to find Spike?"Twilight asked.

At that moment there was an unmistakable voice of Shining coming from the hallway. "Flurry get back here now!"
Flurry Heart flew behind her mother in search of a hiding place.
"Mom a little help please Dad is taking everything over the top again." Flurry told her mother.
"Flurry! What did you do now?" Cadance asked with a stern motherly voice.
"Nothing I was playing in the hallways when I overhead Spike telling dad how he made love to Miss Rarity and Miss Applejack at the same time." Flurry answered without really knowing what she just said.

All eyes in the room were now looking towards Rarity who was blushing madly and trying to hide her face. At that moment Shining and Spike entered the room. Cadance was giving murderous eyes to them.
"Spike Solaris and Shining Francis Armor!" Cadance yelled and trapped both of them with her magic lifting them to air and bringing them in front of her.
"What did I do!" Came to a panicking voice from both the dragon and the stallion.
"You two have gone and corrupted my innocent little filly with your actions." Cadance said with fury in her eyes.
"Spikey I thought we agreed not to tell anyone about that." Rarity spoke with a hint of anger and sadness.
"It's not my fault Rarity he already knew about it I just told the real version." Spike pleaded to Rarity.
"Honey please calm down you know I wouldn't have talked about that if I knew Flurry was at the hearing range. I told her to come back here while I would talk to Spike." Shining told his wife.

Hearing this Cadance turned towards her daughter "Flurry go to your room now. Well, talk about this later." Cadance said with a strict voice.
"But Moooom..." Flurry whined.
"Now young lady you know better than to ignore your father's order he gave it with a reason. Now go to your room. I'll come there soon and we have a little talk."
Flurry lowered her head in defeat. "Okay I'll go. I just don't know what was so bad about this?" Flurry asked walking out of the dining hall and slamming hard at the doors with her magic closing them.

There was a moment of silence until Celestia spoke. "So I don't only learn that my son is courting a mare he is courting two of them and building his own herd. Tell me when should I be excepting grandchildren?" Celestia asked with a huge grin on her.
Spike and Rarity were both red as tomatoes. "Mooom! This is exactly the reason why I didn't tell you!" Spike whined.
Torch let out a small growl to get everyone's attention. "As lovely sight as this is we came here to see Spike and this marking in his shoulder" Torch said.
This got Celestia's attention. "We didn't find anything in our library about it. There are still many books about dragon lore, history, and other information we haven't yet studied." Celestia told Torch.
"The way you described the mark if it's true you won't find it in any book. We may be allies but there are still somethings we don't tell. It's not that we don't trust you but it's for our own safety." Torch explained.
"I know that not telling the truth is wrong, but sometimes to protect your loved ones you must. We learned it the hard way." Luna answered Torch.
Celestia just nodded. "True. I don't like lying to my ponies, but sometimes to protect them we must sometimes bend the truth a little. Spike, would you show your shoulder to Torch?" Celestia asked.

Spike did as he was told rising his sleeve on his right arm to show the mark to Torch.
Torch didn't need to doubt for long truly this was a mark of Draco the First"By the Holy Flame it truly is mark of Draco" Torch said and started to kneel towards Spike. Hearing those words Ember and Smolder joined Torch.
"Hail Spike the champion of Draco the First!" All three dragons chanted.
Spike was dumbfounded. "Ember what are you doing? Get up I'm a little creeped out right now."
"I'm sorry Spike but you have granted an extortionary honor." Torch told Spike and rose up with others.
"Please Torch could you explain to us all what it is? And why do you ever him as a champion of your deity?" Celestia asked.
"Of course Princess Celestia I'll tell you all I know. Lets us sit this might take a while." Torch told all of them and sits down. Everyone in the dining hall sits down and gets ready to hear the story.

"As you may know Draco the First is our deity and the first dragon. He is our creator just like you ponies have Faust if I recall right." Torch said and Celestia nodded.
"I may not know much so I tell everything that I learned from my father. The story tells that whenever dragon kind is in danger from dark forces. A champion of Draco appears. This champion is indicated by that mark on Spikes's shoulder. The legends tell that the first Dragon-Lord was the first Champion of Draco. We really only have stories to follow on this the mark should grant him great power. Some ancient text mentions something about the avatar of Draco a great and destructive power the champion can use."
"So I have some dangerous powers in me now? But why me? I'm just me, I'm not really something you can call a model dragon." Spike asked confused.
"I'm sorry to say this Spike but we really don't know legends only say have theories about how Draco chooses his champion one of the most accurate I would say is that he is chosen by the weight of his heart. You see legends say that the first Dragon-Lord was a kind-hearted person nothing like the so-called "true" dragons are. This someway strengthens the theory of how he chooses his champion, but again it's just a theory." Torch answered.

"So if there is some evil force rising against dragons we will lend our aid, but what it is? Do your stories tell that?" Celestia asked.
"We really don't know legends tell that only the chosen know and tells it to others. Some old texts about different chosen champions have one word in common "Chaos"." Torch answered Celestia's question.
All the eyes were on Spike yet again.
"What? I have no idea what this so-called evil is or what to do."

"Perhaps the answers come in time but for now I and my sister need to have a private talk with my son, Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadenza. Dragon-Lord Ember you and your party are welcome to stay in castles guest suits you to Miss Rarity." Celestia told them and took a bow towards dragons.
"Thank you for your hospitality Princess Celestia we will retire and hope to see you tomorrow morning." said Ember bowing to the princess of the sun.

"Shining honey could you go and check on Flurry? It seems I need to stay a bit longer." Cadance asked her husband.
"Of course anything for my special princess. I hope to get some sort of reward for my chivalry." Shining said kissing his wife and left with the others.

Once everyone had left and hall doors were closed.
"My sister has made some good points and I'll require your help, my faithful student." Celestia said holding her hand up channeling arcane energies to spawn her mother's black spellbook.
"This is mine and Luna's mother's personal spell tome there is a recipe for potion we must make to lift a curse. The problem is mother liked to be secretive and wrote it by mixing multiple languages and I and Luna can't really read those languages.." Celestia explained.
"Wait! Your and Luna's mother's spell tome. Oh my gosh oh my gosh."Twilight said jumping up and down.
"So your mother was unicorn was your father to a unicorn?" Twilight asked.
Luna just gave a nod to Celestia. "No both our father and mother were alicorn's."

Hearing this made Twilight just shut down. "Errr... mom I think you broke her." said Spike while knocking Twilights head and waiting for a reaction.
After a short moment of silence. "What! But how? I thought..." Twilight spoke in a panic.
Luna was sitting next to Twilight and placed her hand on Twilight's shoulder "Calm. Deep breaths I will tell you the same story what we told Cadance a moments ago." Luna started to retell the story she and Celestia told Cadance a moment ago.

After the story was over there was a moment of silence that was broken by sobs from Twilight."I never had thought why you don't have any children, but to hear you are practically cursed to live forever and never have a family is just so... so sad." Twilight spoke while sobbing.
Celestia walked to Twilight and sits next to her. "Twilight there is no need to shed tears. We have a chance to fix our mother's mistake with your and Spike's help." Celestia told Twilight.
"I don't know if I can decipher something that you or Luna didn't manage to do, but I'll try my best." Twilight said drying her tears.
"Thank you Twilight. It means the world to me that you'll help us. Now, do you need anything to begin?" Celestia asked
"I think I'm fine. I and Spike start the research tomorrow I'm certain we can find some references to these ancient languages your mother used and decipher the cure." Twilight answered.
"We managed to find some info about one of the languages. It's called Baytynia it's ancient form Batynglish you can find it in Ancient Languages vol.1" Luna said.
"That's fantastic come Spike we need to visit the library right now and get that book to get a headstart on this."
Twilight said grabbing Spike's hand and running towards Royal library with him.
"Twilight could we maybe slow a little bit!" Spike yelled with a hint of panic.

After Spike's voice disappeared to the castle hallways.
"Now. Auntie Luna, Auntie Celestia we left on something important. What you need from Spike?" Cadance asked.
Both of the royal sisters blushed heavily.
"Spike is a special dragon. He is a type of dragon that was thought to be extinct. His race is called a Divine dragon. The potion needs something special from him for it to work." Celestia explained.
"We need his seed for the portion to work." Luna finished the explanation.

Cadance had an empty look in her eyes as her mind was just shattered into million pieces.
After a short moment of silence and rebooting Cadance's mind.
"You need his what!!!"