68 years ago...

Twelve year old Igneous and Ivory were running across volcanic fissures at Dragon's Lair. With the birth of the twins Forge and Gorge, the rocky volcanic scenery was beginning to grow as trees and flora began to spawn in a lot of places.

Something similar happened when his sister and other brother were born.

Igneous at that point hadn't gone through the Molt, but Ivory had. Sporting brand new tiny leathery wings that will grow larger as she ages.

Her wings fluttered as the two played.

“I'm gonna get you!” Iggy playfully roared as he chased the pink dragon.

Ivory leaped with a laugh, dodging the prince. Trying not to get tagged.

The two ran around each other before he finally tackled her and they rolled to the ground. They rolled around until ultimately Ivory emerged victorious when she ended up on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

“Gotcha! I win!” Ivory giggled.

Iggy grunted. “Get up.” He pushed her off of him. He gave her a look before launching himself at her again.

They rolled around again until Ivory came on top again. “Gotcha again. Iggy!”

“You suck.” Iggy grunted but had no ill meaning to it.

“You have a skill issue.” Ivory teased before getting off of him and laid beside him.

The two looked up at the stars, enjoying the view.

“Just think, Ivory, this whole place will be mine.” Iggy waved at the sky and land around them.

“Are you going to have a Queen like your mom?” She asks him.

Iggy snorted. “No one is like mom…. But maybe.” He gazed at Ivory, his furry cheeks blushing when he looked at her.

Then sadness washed over him. So much he wanted to say, but he didn't know how.

“I wish you didn't have to move, Ivory.” Iggy instead told her.

Ivory frowned. “I don't wanna move either. But moms and dad said it's for the best for Dad….”

“Your dad has three females in his hord. You and your mom could stay and he could take the broodmates.” Broodmate was a term of a male dragon having multiple eggs with different females in the hord.

Ivory wipes the tears from her eyes with her sleeves. “I have no choice.” She sat up, pulling her legs up to her chest.

Iggy sat up as well. They sat in silence for the longest time. He didn't want his best friend to leave.

“It's not like we won't see each other again, there's always the migration.” Iggy suggested.

“Maybe.”

“Ivory! Come home!” the sound of Ivory's mother called out in the distance for her.

Ivory sighed. “I have to go now.” She said, standing up.

Iggy reached out and grabbed her hand to stop her. “Please don't go.” He begged her.

“Ivory!” Her mom called out to her again.

“Bye Iggy.” Ivory waved at him before she flapped her wings and took off in the air. “Talk to you tomorrow!” She tells him before flying out.

Back home, Igneous was hanging out in the main living quarters, sitting on the ground, watching the flames flickered in the fireplace.

“There you are.”

Spike soon approached his son. “Missed you at dinner.” Holding in his hands was a plate of food.

“Sorry, I'm not hungry.” He responded but his ears were turning a light red shade.

His stomach betrayed him by the smell of the food and it growled for it.

Smirking, Spike sat down next to him, handing his boy the plate.

Iggy muttered thanks before he began to dig in.

Spike watched Iggy eat for a moment before speaking. “Want to talk about something?” He asks.

Iggy ate a bit more before setting the plate and fork down on his lap. “Dad, how long did it take to admit to mom that you liked her?”

Spike smiled when Iggy asked. He reached over, put a hand up to his forehead. “Yup, you're love sick.”

Iggy huffed, blushing red.

“To answer your question. It took a week to tell your mother how I felt.” Spike said, moving his hand away from his son.

“A week?”

Spike nodded. “You see, before her, I had a crush on some other pony…I waited too long and it ended poorly. With your mom, I told her as soon as possible.” He watches him before asking. “Do you have feelings for someone?”

Iggy's cheeks flushed redder.

“Is it your friend Ivory?”

The prince nodded. “She's moving away. I want to tell her but I don't know how.”

“Want some advice?”

Iggy nods.

“As someone who is an expert on waiting too long, don't wait.” Spike said. “Go up to her as soon as you can and say how you feel. Say it from here.” He placed his hand over his son's chest. Over his heart. “The worst she can do is say no. It'll hurt, yes but at least you were brave enough. If she feels the same as you, don't let her go.”

“But she's moving.” Iggy reminded him.

“Maybe I can talk to her father and arrange times where you can visit her and she visits you. It's how your mother and I began our relationship.”

Igneous smiled at that. “Thanks dad.”

“Does Ivory have a favorite flower by any chance?” Spike then asks.

Igneous thought about it. “Well, she does like orchids. The crystal gem kind from the Crystal Empire.”

Spike grinned. “I can help with that.”

The following day, now gifted by twelve, multicolored crystal orchid bouquets, Iggy races off to Ivory's family den. A cavern near the shores at the Lair.

“Ivory!” Igneous calls out from the entrance. “Ivory, come out, I need to talk to you!”

However, he was met with silence.

“Ivory?”

Nothing.

“Vortex?” Ivory's father's name. “Harp?” Her mother's. “Daisy Dukes?” One of the other members of Vortex's hord.

Nothing came back.

Gulping, Iggy ventured in the den.

Only to find out that it was completely emptied, everything they had was gone.

Ivory was gone.

Author's Note

The one who got away