Dagon magic: The tale of Spike the Dragon

Chapters

Beginnings
The aging spell
A puny older dragon a massive problem brewing
Fixing the chair
Magic in combat

Beginnings

The night sky forked with lightning as the two travellers rushed up the soaking steps of Canterlot Castle, the sky was a perfect reflection of their predicament, dangerous, and hostile! The two's capes trailed across the floor, absorbing every drop of water on the floor they passed over.

The largest of the two reached the enormous oak doors, quickly he glanced around him, scanning the area for danger. Had they been followed? When he was sure they were safe. He turned back and slammed a large scaled hand against the doors three times. On the third strike a rumble of thunder sounded, adding to the noise monstrously.

From within the castle the guards jumped, backing away from the doors preparing for something to barge through them soon. One (A unicorn, his mane pure red and a coat of deepest black) Began to glow his horn, ready to cast a spell at the violent noise! He continued to back up, until his flank struck something. He glanced back, and found himself looking at Princess Celestia.
"Y-your majesty!" He choked. "Y-you shouldn't be here! There's something out the-"
"It's alright captain." The angelic ruler cooed, soothing his nerves slightly with her subtle authority. It made the unicorn feel safer, less nervous of whatever was on the other side of the doors.

However his calm was broken by another set of three hard, loud knocks against the oaken panels. He turned back ready to fire upon the intruder, then...
"Let them in." Celestia said quietly.
"What?" The captain looked up and saw the serious gaze that the princess watched the doors to her castle. "Your majesty, with everything that's happened! I don't think it's right to..."
"Let them in." Celestia demanded quietly, disarming the captain with a penetrating gaze.
"Y-yes your majesty! My apologies!" The captain turned to his fellow guards. "Open the doors!" He yelled, if not a little shakily.

The white and grey guards all looked as hesitant as their captains, but followed their orders. Turning, the unicorns began to pull open the doors. No sooner had a sliver of space opened up, the cloaked figure burst through, ramming the doors wide open. The pegasi guards cried out angrily and shot towards the figure. It threw up a scaly green hand, a glow not too different from a unicorn's began to flow from it. The flying pegasi were cast aside with ease. Each cried out as they were flung to the walls. The unicorns began to cast their offensive spells, but were cut short.

"Peace!" It was Celestia. They looked from her to the enemy, unsure what t do. "Tend to the others!" She demanded, before turning to the throne room. "You on the other hoof..." She said, obviously addressing the figure in the centre of the entrance hall. "Will come to the throne and say why you are here!" Though she did not shout, the anger quivered in every syllable she spoke. The figure grunted, turned and beckoned to the second figure still waiting outside. It rushed in, stooping low, as though carrying something. It passed the taller creature, headed after Celestia. The larger one turned back and glanced over the chaos it had made in the hall, before swooping around and rushing inside.

Celestia's horn glowed gold as it closed the doors to the grandiose hall. "My apologies." The larger figure grunted as he passed through the closing gap of the doorway. The princess continued to walk further down the long room, not even looking back as she spoke.
"You apologise for almost killing my guards, or endangering my entire kingdom?"
"Both!" The second figure began, raising a purple hand and pulling down her black hood. She was a dragon, slim yet curved. She had deep blue plumes and spines, which clashed beautifully with her deep purple scales. She undid the second clasp, which released the rest of her cape, letting it fill to the ground. "But we had to come!"

Celestia glanced back, and spotting what she was holding. Her jaw dropped, as did her cold demeanour. "Oh... Andriel! My dear, dear Andriel!" She whispered miserably staring at the purple dragon egg clasped tightly to her chest. "I know what you are about to ask, and I cannot... I really cannot do it."
"WHY NOT!" Shouted the larger cloaked dragon, who now burst from his cape, rushing to his wife's side. His spines were and angry orange, his scales bright green.
"I cannot take it Zmaj! It would endanger my entire kingdom from what you're fleeing from!" The male grew angered at the denial he was receiving.

"So when you need a commander to fight your sister, you fine to have a dragon with you! When their migrating to the mountains for a few weeks, fine. But the instant we need your help! I NEDD YOUR HELP, you turn away!" Celestia stood there, her face blank, but her eyes showed the heartbreak his words were causing her.
"I WAS THERE FOR YOU! I HELPED YOU FIND THEM! THE ELEMENTS! I EVEN HELPED PUT LUNA AWAY! EVEN THOUGH IT BROKE MY HEART!" Celestia took a step back, a single pearly tear running down her cheek. "YOU WERE EVERYTHING TO ME CELESTIA!" His green hands were balled into shaking fists as he stared at the alicorn, whose eyes were beginning to show the first signs of true misery. "YOU WERE MY SISTER! YET YOU WONT EVEN PROTECT MY CHILD?!" Celestia's tears began to fall fully now, yet she kept her face blank.
"Tia!" Andirel began, taking a few begging steps forward. "We have no one! We'd want it to be with our kind, but he's taken them all! Our friends, my family. They're all gone! We only have Zmaj's family left..." She bit her lip as Celestia's mouth opened for a moment, bordering on speech, before closing again. "We only have you left..."

Celestia stuttered. "M-my people... they come f-first! Even if it's for... for..." Zmaj turned and punched the nearest column of the hall with a glowing green fist. The stone splintered and cracked, making Andriel and Celestia jump. The male dragon stood there, panting with anger and frustration, his fist still imbedded in the stone.
"For family?" He eventually whispered, though quite, the words travelled easily over the quiet room. Outside another flash of lightning forked the sky, highlighting the water running off Zmaj's face, it wasn't rain water...

"Zmaj..." Celestia squeaked, taking a step towards him. He put up his other hand, his head still hanging low, he was holding up his index finger telling her to stop.
"Unless the words you're about to say mean you'll take it, then don't say anything!"
"Zmaj... you know if I take it, I'll all of Equestria at risk!"
"THEN WE'LL LEAVE!" Zmaj cried, pulling his fist out of the column, not through the hole he had made, but by simply wrenching out a fresh chunk of stone. "He doesn't know about it! We can go, lead him away, and he'll never know any better!" Celestia looked taken aback.
"H-he doesn't know of it?"
"NO!" Zmaj staggered forward, drunk from his misery. "It will break us to pieces to do it, but if it keeps him, and everypony here safe... then we'll leave, leave and never return!" Andriel nodded furiously, agreeing with her husband.

Celestia was still unsure... "But if it were to learn, to search you out. It could cause unbelievably devastating danger, for it as well as Equestria. If it learnt you skills, your magic..."
"We won't allow that!" Zmaj begged, tumbling to his knees. "He's already destroyed every tome we have! Almost every single one in existence! We know where the rest are! We'll destroy them ourselves. No books, no magic, no danger!" He rushed the last statement, though not saying it, he was begging with all his life with his old friend. His eyes streamed with tears. "Give it to a student, let it be raised with ponies, like me... just, just don't let him have my child! He's taken all else from me besides you!" His head fell into his hands, tears running through the cracks and flooding the tiled floor. "Tia... Celestia... your majesty... princess... queen, whatever you call yourself now! Your still my friend, my sister. Don't... don't turn us away... not you!

Celestia stared at the crying dragon at her feet. So many times when they were young, he would breakdown, when he did something wrong, or forgot something important. She thought that side had been long gone when he joined his own kind, yet here he kneeled... begging her to take his only child away from danger...

"Alright..." Celestia whispered. Andriel gasped with relief and Zmaj looked up in amazement.
"Y-you'll take it!" Celestia nodded. Knowing that in her heart, the day was likely to come.

The day she would regret it.

.....

"'Dragon Magic?' huh, that's weird, I never heard of a dragon using magic before." Spike mused, mulling over the musty tombe.

"Of course not Spike." Twilight said in her usual matter of fact tone, ruffling her newfound wings, still adjusting to their new weight on her back. "I never heard of it either, until Princess Celestia let me into the restricted areas of the canterlot library for my new studies." She frowned. "In fact, even in the crystal empire i didn't see a book about it in the library, so I'm guessing that the knowledge is very scarce."

Spike nodded at the alicorn's words, then returned to staring at the book. "Go on then!" Twilight smiled. "OPEN IT!" She seemed more excited then Spike himself.

"Why are you so interested?" Spike asked, his brow furrowing.

"I want to read it with you!" Spike rolled his eyes.

"Twilight, if this going to be like the last time I don't want t-"

"No nonoononooooo, I promise it won't be, I can't read it without you. I mean I literally can't!" She came over and ran a hoof over the cover. "The title is the only line that's readable for a pony." She opened the dusty book, releasing a new cloud of spores into the air.
Spike spluttered and coughed, his eyes stung as the dust attacked his keen eyes. Blinking hard he cleared his vision, save for a few cloudy patches were painful tears hung. He shook his head and when he next looked, his vision was clear once more.

The pages were blank. "Huh? What's going on Twilight? Is this some kind of joke?"

"No spike trust me!" Twilight moved over to the sofa, with a faint glow of her horn, she moved the seat away, leaving the living room of their library home clear and open. When she next looked to her assistant her face was serious. "Breath fire."

"What? Like... really? Not just my usual letter flame?" Twilight nodded.

"Yes Spike. You see, even that's a form of magic, you knew how to do it from the beginning. It's that magic that's going to help you learn the rest!" She pulled the book gently away, cautious not to tear the precious pages with her Magic. Placing it on the centre of the circular floor, she smiled up at the baby dragon. "Go on Spike, breathe fire above the pages and watch what happens!" Spike seemed cautious, fire? Over a precious and apparently rare book?

"A-a-are you sure this is gonna work Twilight?" She smiled.

"Of course Spike, Princess Celestia told me it would." Sighing with relief, Spike moved up to the centre of the room. If it was good enough for the Princess, then it was good enough for him.
As he approached, he drew in a deep breath, it was the first time he'd ever done this inside. True, he had practised on the outskirts of Ponyville, seeing how far he could push his natural power, and he was getting good, but still he wasn't sure fire within the house made out of a tree was the best idea. Even as the thought crossed his mind, a transparent purple haze began to descend around the living room, he glanced over and saw Twilight -clearly thinking the same as he- casting a protective shield around the room.

Much more calm now the house was safe, Spike sparked the flammable gas within his lungs. Emerald light exploded beneath his scales, tracking the fireballs progress from his chest, to his throat, to his mouth... With a strong roar, Spike released the flames over the top of the book. For a moment, the pages curled, and Spike panicked, thinking they would catch fire any second. However, as suddenly as they had moved, the pages flattened as the fireball died over the book. The small amount of smoke cleared, and once it had, Twilight released the barrier, letting it melt into nothingness.

Silence rained around them.

Spike approached the pages at the same cautious pace as his magenta friend. They moved, their gazes fixed on the ancient tome. It's old pages laying still and waiting.

Spike reached it first, closely followed by Twilight, the two stared at the book for a moment, then up at each other.

The blank pages of the book, now glowed with bright, shining, emerald writing, the exact shade of Spikes flame. As though it had stolen the very essence of the fire, even now it flickered and ebbed before strengthening once more. Slowly, Spike reached down and picked up the book, Twilight gasped, un able to help her protective instincts of books taking over.

Slowly, spike read aloud the line on the first page of the open book.

"'Aging spell' hmmm..." The dragon murmured, rubbing his chin, a plan already forming in his mind.

The aging spell

-2 months later-

"Heya Twilight, how's it going?" Rainbow dash said casually as she trotted in through the open door to the library. The magenta alicorn looked up from her books looking completely demented. Dash paused, unsure of whether to mention the large bags under her friend's eyes, or the manic smile spread across her lips. "Uhhh Twilight? Y-you feeling alright?"
"Alright?" Twilight asked, sounding slightly insane! "Of course I'm alright hehe, it's not like I'm finding this new alicorn magic even slightly difficult!" She returned her hectic eyes to the books studiously. "Like the study of the complexities of solar, lunar and celestial anomalies, or the fabrication and materialisation of antimatter within mass teleportation spells."

Rainbow stared. "Uhhh rigggghhht... I think you should lay off the studying Twilight..." The mare looked up again from the wrinkled pages and stared for a moment, her eye twitched for a moment, still with the manic smile on her face, she turned her head back to the books silently. "Ummm... Spike here?" Rainbow asked, receiving a distracted grunt and a stray wave of a hoof from the studying alicorn. Glad for a reason to escape the craziness of the library, Dash hovered into the air, and shot up to the room she knew Spike would be in. The upstairs study.

The cyan pegasus strode into the room, looking behind her, worried she'd still see that smile just over her shoulder. When she was sure Twilight was still downstairs, she pushed the door closed and turned to the occupied armchair. "She's gone nuts!" Rainbow cried. "Spike, you gotta do something!" The baby dragon looked up from the pages of the book that had fast become his most treasured possession.
"Hey Rainbow, naaahhh, she's fine."
"Fine?! I half expected her to string me up and cut off my wings or something!" She shuddered at the thought. The dragon looked at the mare for a moment, frowning. 'That sounds kind of cool!' he thought. The two stayed silent for a moment then laughed. When it died, the rainbow pony came over to the chair. The dragon addressed her as she approached.
"Seriously though, she's fine. She gets like that when her studies kick up a notch, she'll be fine tomorrow probably. A little tired maybe, but fine."

Rainbow chuckled, then glanced over the dragon's shoulder.
"Any luck with that aging spell yet?"
"Nahhh." Spike muttered, folding the corner of his page and shutting it gently. As he closed it his eyes almost cried out with relief, they stung hard, causing him to rub them gently, when he looked up the stinging sensation had died down a little. "Some of the others are easy, I've got them down, but this aging spell isn't working." He grew dark, when he'd seen it he had been overjoyed. How popular would an adult dragon be in Ponyville? Well one who was friendly anyway, and as far as he had read, the change could be controlled, maybe he could mature to the same age as those dragons he'd met during their migration, prove that not all adolescent dragons were terrible!

Yet with all his hard work he couldn't even begin it, he wasn't sure why though, except... "Well, I think I have an idea of what's wrong but... weeellll..." Rainbow glanced up from the random knickknack she as inspecting, honest interest on her face.
"What? What is it?" Spike blushed profusely. Rainbow came over and snatched the book, bored of waiting for a response from the stuttering dragon.
"HEY!" Spike shouted, bounding out of the chair, he hopped up and snatched the book back fast from the pegasus's hooves. "Be careful with it!" He said lovingly, caressing the cover gently as though it were the most valuable gem. Rainbow rolled her gentle pink eyes.

"Living in a library is getting to you spike! You need to get outta here!" She leant against a nearby table and raised an eyebrow. "So, no messing around anymore! What d'yah think's up with the spell?" Spike sighed and turned back as to not look the mare in the eye. He reached up and placed the book on the cushion of the chair.
"Well..." He gently gripped the arms of the chair, not looking forward to the response he was about to receive. "The book says the dragon casting the spell... well... he has to have 'Experienced a milestone in maturity.'" Rainbow suppressed a snort of laughter.
"Pffft, yeah, good luck with that 'Baby' dragon!" She put emphases on the word 'baby' just like Spike knew she would. Dragon turned back, trying to explain himself fast.

"Look, it's not what you think! I'm sure it doesn't mean what you think!" He froze, blushing again, he reached to his head and ran his hand over his spines bashfully. "I think a kiss would do it!" Rainbow was now the one to blush.
"Uhhh... Look, Spike... no offense, but... I can't..." Spike's face fell, he knew it was a long shot, but Rainbow had been the only pony who'd shown interest. Maybe it had been because of the spell to grow wings that Spike had found, she might want a 'Flying buddy' seeing as Twilight was such a disappointment of one. (As Dash so often mentioned) Spike had been too focused on the aging spell though to try the complicated spell to gain flight. He had a reason for learning the aging spell, and it was far more important than a pair of wings to him!

"I'm sorry." Spike grimaced "I didn't mean to make you feel awkward! It's not as though I like you or anything..." Rainbow outright laughed this time.
"Gee thanks pal!" Spike rushed to correct his slip up.
"No, I meant, I like you! I really do, you're awesome!" Rainbow bristled with pride at the compliment. "I just don't , you know... I like Rarity..." Rainbow pushed off from the table and shrugged.
"Then ask her to do it?" She suggested. If spike had blushed before he nearly burst into flames with how hot his face grew.
"No." He said horrified at asking.
"She's done it before!"She said, then frowned. "Wait... yeah, she has done! So what's the problem with the spell if she's kissed you?" Spike suddenly grew silent.
"Y-you can kiss a filly, but that doesn't make them mature... I think... a... a real kiss is what it needs..." Rainbow's jaw dropped.
"Oh...my gosh!" Her eyes opened wide with wonder. "You should ask her all the more! Your first reel kiss and all that! Don't you want it to be Rarity?!" Rainbow encouraged, a devious smile on her face. Inside she was just dying to see the conversation that would take place with the fashionista and the little dragon.
"No I can't!" Spike screamed, rushing a few hasty steps to the pegasus. "You need to help me get a kiss from somepony else! Rarity can't know!"

Spike had more reason than embarrassment, he needed the next time Rarity saw him to be when he was older, her age, that was what he was aiming for! It was the best chance he had, he'd even skipped their last two monthly gem hunts so that she began to wonder where he was, he'd given this plenty of thought.

Rainbow let out a short whistle. "Well... I've got one way..." She mused. Spike's eyes widened with joy.
"Really? How?!" Rainbow smirked.
"Just leave all the talking to me Spike, then you'll get your kiss." With that, Rainbow took to the air, shooting over Spike, she scooped him up. The dragon just had time as he realised what had happened, to grab the tome sat on the chair just before he sped out of reach. Clasping it close to his chest he asked curiously.
"Where are we going?" Rainbow was still smirking as they broke out onto the stairs.
"To fluttershy's!" She whispered as they streamed out of an open window.

The breeze ruffled the many pages of the books laid out on the tables and floor, the wind ruffled the mane of the unconscious alicorn, fast asleep on top of one of her books. The cold air made her grumble and turn her head over unaware that both her friend and her assistant had now vacated the premises on their way to Fluttershy's cottage.

He'd felt it.

It had come slowly at first.

Now the feeling was growing with each passing day.

A stink of magic.

A dragon had discovered the old art, and learning fast.

He smiled, his two pointed fangs glinting in the dim light of the fire.

He leant back in his chair, admiring the goblet in his hand, pure gold.

Around him lay many jewels and gems, gold and other precious metals, wines and food from across the globe.

He savoured the bouquet of the liquid before tipping it back into his mouth.

A snap of his fingers.

Something moves from out of the shadows of the large hall like room.

A dragon, white with pale blue spines. Thin and meek looking. He nods ready to take his order, fear obvious in his eyes.

"There's a dragon out there..." the dragon nodded furiously. "Learning magic." Another nod. "I want it found." Immediately the dragon bowed and rushed out of the room, back into the shadows.

"Hmmm..." The figure mused, reaching down with a dark red tail picking up a new bottle of wine. "You seem to be quite a fast leaner..." He addressed the dark as no one was truly there. "Why is that? Have you been preparing? Or are you just talented?"

He took a swig from the bottle, an instant later he spewed it out in disgust.

The bottle smashed against the stone wall, thrown out of pure loathing.

"Well..." He applied pressure to the golden goblet.

It crumpled beneath a dark grew glowing hand.

"I guess we'll just have to see..." His amber eyes gleamed in the dark, as he began to chuckle to himself, which soon grew into a loud laugh, eventually it built up to an almighty roar as he relished the fact that another of his kind was beginning to learn the art. Yet another to test himself against!

Perfect!

"I-I-I'm sorry, I mustn't have heard you right Rainbow..." Fluttershy said cautiously, her cheeks a rosy pink of embarrassment as she looked from her smiling cyan friend and the baby dragon trying to look everywhere but at the sunshine yellow mare. She gave a sheepish smile, unsure if this was a joke or not. Backing away a few steps she continued carefully, trying to make sure her words upset the friends due to her being so silly. "I could have sworn you just said that I should..." She blushed deeper, looking down to the ground she hid her face by her falling pink mane. "Kiss Spike!"

"Yeah!" Rainbow said simply, brimming with confidence. "It's not much Fluttershy, after all, he really does like you!" Spike's head snapped around to stare at Rainbow in horror. Fluttershy glanced up from behind her mane, genuine surprise on her face.
"He does? Oh... O-oh my!" She glanced over to the baby dragon and caught his eye. The two both immediately looked away, too ashamed to look each other in the eye.
"Yeeeeaahhh! Of course he does!" Rainbow continued, leaning back as though it was indescribable how much Spike liked the shy pegasus. "PLUS!" Spike's stomach sank at whatever Rainbow was about to say next! "It's his birthday!"

"What?" Fluttershy looked up in both surprise and worry on her face. "Really? Oh no, I had no idea! I would have bought you something Spike if I had known!" Spike murmured something too quietly to be heard, this was horrible. He wanted to be older, but not if it came with all these lies.
"Don't worry about it!" Rainbow smiled simply, throwing Fluttershy's comment away with a wave of her cyan hoof. "All he really wants is a kiss from you that's all!"
"Oh..." Fluttershy's eyes grew wide, realising that she wouldn't want to disappoint the baby dragon twice in one day, no present and then no kiss! "R-really? Is that true Spike?" Spike smiled at her kindly while mentally kicking himself for ever asking for Rainbow's help!

This was the wrong move!

Fluttershy clearly saw this kind gesture as an answer of 'yes' and blushed yet again! "Oh... ok then..." Spike sagged with amazement. How had Rainbow have known that would work? Then when he came to think about it, she hadn't. She'd only pushed the rather submissive mare into it really!

Slowly, very slowly. Fluttershy began to make her way over to the dragon. Rainbow suppressed a laugh as her master plan came to its climax! Spike stood there dumbfounded, unsure what he was supposed to do! He was still clutching the book! The book! He needed it now!

There was no incantation, nothing like that, only thoughts: Strong bones, powerful arms and legs, proud spines... The book wasn't exactly a book to be read as a crowning achievement of literature. Spike though of these now, this was his only chance. He put a hand to his mouth as Fluttershy stopped before him. He needed to light a gentle fire in his stomach, then he was ready! Masking the ignition with a loud (Deliberately sounding) nervous cough, he looked up at the mare who now looked rather sheepish.

"Umm... Happy birthday Spike!" She leant down, closing her eyes as she did. Her lips closed and puckered up slowly as her face came ever closer. She was aiming for his cheek. Now or never!

Spike flicked his head up, puckering his own purple lips. The lips that until he read the spell, he had been saving for the radiant lips of his beloved Rarity!

Contact!

Fluttershy's eyes flew open in shock as she realised the feeling of not a cheek, but a small pair of lips. Rainbow silently pumped her hoof in victory! 'Yet another job accomplished by this town's most awesome pony!' She thought to herself proudly. She glanced up in time to see it though.

Spike was simply hanging there, suspended in the same pose his body had been in as his lips touched Fluttershy's. The two were still attached by the small contact of flesh between them, Fluttershy was obviously confused. She tried to move, but her hooves wouldn't obey her. Only her eyes shot around, searching for an answer! They eventually rested on Rainbow, who's face had fallen into complete disbelief. The fearful teal eyes stared at her, beseeching her friend some information as to what this was. Was it some kind of joke?

Fire erupted from Spike, for one terrified moment, he thought the fire he had inside him was shooting through his slightly parted lips into the terrified pegasus ahead of him. It was the same sensation, the warm flicking of the flames dying and ebbing down. Yet as he looked Spike saw no smoke emit from between their lips, or a single sign of pain on Fluttershy's face!

Rainbow ad Fluttershy on the other hoof, could see perfectly fine what was happening. The emerald flames streamed out like liquid from beneath Spike's purple and green scales. It flowed in all directions, slowly cocooning the dragon in a constantly seething and shifting mass of flames. They crept up his neck, and that's when Spike saw it out the furthest corner of his eye. This was odd, the fire was completely neutral! It held no heat! This was confirmed when the emerald flames seeped over his snout and brushed Fluttershy's muzzle, the flames merely acted like a breeze, pushing her short fur up slightly. She shivered, unable to help it with the odd sensation combined with her terror at what was happening.

The fire blossomed over Spike's face, covering his spines and head until all that were left were the bright green eyes looking back at Fluttershy, nothing but remorse and regret in them as he silently apologised. Why hadn't he thought of what might happen, the book never mentioned what would happen to whoever kissed him. Heck, the book mentioned a milestone in maturity, it never said the spell needed casting at that exact point! Why had he been so hasty?!

The fire irrupted over those eyes, cutting the baby dragon off from all sight.

Suddenly Fluttershy's legs came back under her control, she had been forcing them to push back with no response, now with no warning, control came back, shoving her back further than she meant to. She looked to Rainbow for answers. "What's going on? What did I do? Did I do something wrong?" Rainbow shook her head, never breaking eye contact with the seething, shifting being of emerald flame. In spite of her fear, Fluttershy turned to it as well. Though terrifying to the two ponies, the magic taking place was mesmerizingly beautiful!

Movement! Rainbow was sure she saw something purple move just underneath the surface of the Flames, a second later and she saw Fluttershy jump slightly just to the side, clearly she had spotted something under there to! The flames were growing brighter, their faint crackling the only sound that came from within the cottage, even the animals had fallen silent as the kiss had taken place, they too were hypnotised by the fire, unable to return to normal until it ended, of it ever did. There seemed to be no end in sight! The fire didn't ebb in intensity or anything like normal fire, it simply continued in the usual two shades of Spike dragon fire!

A grunt.

The fire flickered suddenly.

Something moved beneath the surface again, far more noticeable this time!

Slowly, from the bottom, flowing upwards...

The fire began to die.

The plumes of flame began to flow out, giving the impression of a green rose, shedding its petals as winter comes.

As more of it dispersed, more of what hung in the air beneath was being revealed. A long, strong looking tail uncurled from in front of the dragon's face, straightening until it touched the ground. He still hung in the air, curled in a ball like a tiny infant.

Both mares could see how different he looked already! Rainbow of course knew why, Fluttershy had no idea. But his longer legs, being held by clearly longer, wider and stronger arms, his enormous green spines and plumes jutting out, all of these said one thing.

Spike was taller.

Spike was stronger.

Spike... was older!

A puny older dragon a massive problem brewing

It didn't take long for the small white and blue dragon to pick up the scent. It was far, further than any request his master had sent him for, but the scent was strong. Only mere hours after he had begun flying in its direction, the concentration of magical energy skyrocketed, a spell, a powerful one, had been cast by the target, and it set the pale dragon's spines rigid. A lot of power, so much in such a short time... could he be... stronger than the master?

Casting the hopeful thought from his mind, the small servant quickened his pace. Flying harder with the wind. Though it took slightly longer, digging through the wind currents to fnd those pockets going in the right direction, the ground -or air- he was covering increased vastly.

He was more desperate than ever! To get to this new dragon mage! So he could fight the master, maybe defeat him, and finally set him free from his curse!

The two mares stared in disbelief as the creature before them uncoiled himself. Though slightly conscious now, Spike still hung in the air. Gracefully, he unfolded his legs and stretched them out beneath him. Once the scaly limbs touched down, the levitation ceased letting his weight rest on his own legs.

Next were the arms, uncoiling slowly until they hung by the dragon's sides. The forearms were slightly wider than his biceps, ending with large, deadly looking pointed claws. Their palms, unlike before when they were pure purple, were now the green shade of his belly and jaw.

The yellow pegasus staring at said jaw was the first to notice the pointed fangs, far more prominent than the small ones of the baby Spike. Fluttershy let out a quiet squeak of fear and quickly vanished behind her far more brave friend, who stared in incredulous awe at the dragon before them. She let out an impressed whistle, which quickly caught the attention of the tall figure before them.

Spike's spines twitched at the noise, picking up the shrill whistle and pulling him out of his coma-like state. His eyes opened, immediately the difference in his sight was amazing. Everything was so clear, the bright colours of the furniture around him seemed to scream out to the dragon. As he focused, he spotted a spider scuttling across the floor. As he stared, his pupils contracted, and like a telescope his vision zoomed in until he could see the miniscule hairs jutting out all over the miniature creature's tiny body.

Spike shook his head, pulling himself out of the overwhelming feeling of maturity that was already spreading through his every limb! He glanced around, instantly he felt weird as the weight of his head was completely foreign to him. Trying to step forward to stop himself from tumbling was an even worse idea, as the leg was far too long in comparison to his old ones. Immediately he began to topple. Letting out a loud yelp as he pitched forward.

His salvation came in the form of Rainbow Dash, who came flying under his right arm and quickly held the tall dragon up until he found his feet again.
"Thanks." Spike muttered, his eyes widened and his hand shot to his throat at the deepness of his voice, from the rough high voice he once had to this hardened rumble, it was a surprising benefit.
"No problem..." Dash mumbled wearily, staring at the creature with concern, even she wasn't sure that this was the best idea, now that it had actually come to happen.
"What's up?" Spike asked, turning slowly, quickly growing used to his new body weight.
"Uhhh... it's just..." Rainbow began, bighting her lip, coming out from beneath the purple arm. "Weird... seeing you like this I mean."
"Oh..." Spike said slowly, reaching up and feeling his face. Wow this was weird! His head was longer and slimmer than before, his jaw was more square, and his quills on his cheeks were far longer and stronger than before... then he reached behind his head and felt his spine.

The dragon jumped when he touched them and felt how tall they were. "WOAH!" He exclaimed with a joyous laugh. "Fluttershy! You gotta get me a mirror quick!" He swung around quickly to the now exposed yellow mare, who let out an all out scream, which still barely sounded more than a whisper, and shot out of sight behind a nearby sofa. "Fluttershy?" Spike asked, confused. Then it hit him... he must look so much more like the creatures that the easily scared pegasus was terrified of... Wow, that would have taken him a few minutes to figure out before... had the spell matured his mind to?

From behind the sofa there came a tiny squeak.
"Yes?" She was answering him!
"Ummm Fluttershy... it's ok... It's still me..." Spike said softly, still the rumble in his voice was obvious, and another terrified squeal sounded from behind the burgundy cushions. He slowly made his way around, supporting his weight on the back of the sofa so he could approach slowly with full control of his limbs. As his face loomed out from behind the cushions and he spotted the mare, she squeaked and hid behind her forelegs, quivering in horror.
"Oh come on Fluttershy!" Rainbow shouted, bounding over the sofa behind her fellow pegasus. Already adjusting to the new look of the dragon, using her head as a ram, she pushed the hiding Fluttershy by her haunches, scootching her over to the waiting dragon, who was looking more and more concerned. "It's still Spike! He's just bigger!" she explained happily.

Fluttershy's voice came out quietly from beneath her shielding forelegs, every word quivering with complete and all consuming fear.
"Yes, a lot bigger, and stronger, with big spines, scary eyes, deadly claws and sharp..." She peeked out to find that she had been moved all the way up to the older dragon's face. She stared at the teeth that were now mere inches away in horror, "Fangs!" She finished in a horrified voice, reeling back fearing their deadly clamp over her tiny frail body.

She felt hands take hold of her sides, to which she writhed in protest! "Oh, no, please, put me down, it's ok, ummm... I believe you, you're still Spike, it's ok... just..." Her eyes rounded, holding back the misty tears. "...Please don't eat me!" she whispered as she stared into Spike now dark green eyes with her gentle teal ones. Suddenly Spike pulled her in close and hugged the mare, to which she let out a small surprised gasp. This was all Spike could do to convince her it was still him, that nothing had changed except for his appearance. A moment of holding the hug passed, then slowly, Fluttershy relaxed her muscles slightly. Soon she rested her head on the dragons shoulder. His scent wafted up her nose which made her relax even more, letting out a gentle sigh, she relaxed fully. It was him, it was still the same smell, the same baby dragon, he was just like Rainbow said, bigger.

He meant no harm to her at all!

Twilight was abruptly awoken from her sleep by three hard wraps on the library door. Blearily she straightened up and rubbed her eyes with her hooves. When she pulled them away, her vision still wasn't one hundred percent clear, but it was enough to see the round room ahead of her. She stood and made her way to the door, licking her dry lips slightly. "Hello?" She asked, there was no response. Twilight sighed, guessing it could either be Pinkie waiting to explode in with some unknown party reason, or Rainbow with a prank, either way she was too tired to care, just get it over with! She glanced back and winced at the amount of books she still needed to read.

Sighing yet again, the magenta alicorn reached forward and pulled the front door open. "Yes?" she asked distractedly.

It took her a moment.

Twilight stared at the green scaled belly in front of her, slowly she tilted her head up until her deep purple eyes found the green ones high above. "Ummm... Hello?" Twilight asked, unsure of what exactly she was looking at, a dragon? That much was obvious, but it was standing on its hind legs, it colouring was a perfect match to Spike's! She'd have to go get him and show him this strange coincidence momentarily.
"H-Hey Twilight..." The dragon said, smiling and blushing simultaneously. The voice was deep, yet still obvious! Twilight's jaw dropped.
"SPIKE?!" The dragon laughed, lunged forward and swooped Twilight up in his strong forearms. He spun with his older sister held tight, as the two both laughed, Twilight slightly more nervously than Spike.

"Are you telling me that aging spell worked!" Twilight asked as Spike finally set her down on the wooden floor.
"YES!" Spike laughed flipping backwards in a feet of athleticism the alicorn had never seen from him before! "Twilight, I am officially a young adult!" Twilight froze, staring at the slim figure, the small body in comparison to the dragons she'd met before.
"Wait... really?"
"Yup!" Spike smiled as Rainbow and Fluttershy came in through the open door.
"But you're...you're..." Twilight began, trying to find the right words.
"Kinda puny." Rainbow finished, unabashed. Spike looked down at his new form and frowned.
"But I'm like those teenagers from the migration... I guess Im not like... what I was on my birthday when I freaked out, but still..." He looked up for recognition from Twilight. "I'm that bad am I?"

"No Spike not at all!" Twilight rushed, shooting Rainbow Dash a quick disapproving glare. The mare in question frowned unsure what she had said wrong. Spike smiled for a second, then his eyes widened with joy.
"My birthday!" He bolted up the stairs with speed that Twilight marvelled at as he vanished. Only a moment passed before Spike reappeared on the ledge of the room beside the drop to the star case. He bounded off of it and landed perfectly in the middle of the library, the loud thud made Fluttershy jump. Though she now knew it meant no harm, the new form Spike had taken was still foreign to her, it still frightened her when it did something unexpected, but of course she kept this to herself, she didn't want any pony to hate her!

Spike held something in his claws, as he turned to the rainbow pegasus he asked of her. "Look familiar Rainbow?" It was a dumbbell, designed for one hoof, or in this case hand! Suddenly it clicked, and Rainbow recognised the gift she had given the dragon on his birthday!
"Hey, yeah!" Rainbow laughed, before, as a baby dragon Spike had been completely unable to move the thing without breaking out in a terrible sweat. Now he stood there holding it between his index finger and thumb. Spike smiled as his friend remembered it, and he tossed it into the air, it span several times until it began to descend to the ground, at which point the dragon caught it on the tip of his index finger. He raised an eyebrow at the impressed ponies.
"So, still think I'm puny?" He raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. "I'd like to see you try!" He laughed, she backed up half a step.
"Naaahhhh, I'm ok thanks, maybe next time..." The group all laughed at the rainbow mare's response, she laughed to, reaching up and ruffling the back of her mane unable to help herself from chortling along with the rest of them.

"Sister?" Luna asked, craning her neck up from the balcony of the solar tower. Sure enough her sister was there, sat precariously on the roof of the balcony doorway. Luna hadn't seen her sit there in years. It was usually the celestial alicorn's place of deep thinking, sure enough the frown that was crossing the flawless features showed her deep rooted thinking. "Sister?" Luna asked again, this time she got a reaction, the alicorn shook her head and looked down at younger sibling. Her face fell back into its usual serene look.

"Luna?" She asked, rolling off of the roof and gliding around to the balcony. "What are you doing here?" The dark alicorn gestured to her own tower with a flick of her mane.
"I... I saw you... I wanted to know if anything was wrong." Celestia smiled to her little sister and pulled her into a hug with her closest wing.
"Oh Luna... You always have my best interests at heart. It's fine, I suppose I'm just a little worried." As she pulled away from the embrace and walked into the living quarters, Luna frowned.
"Worried for whom?" Celestia sighed and followed the younger ruler into the room.
"Ohhh, it's Twilight... She was asking questions about a book the other day, I didn't even realise we still had it."
"Ooooh yes!" Luna answered knowingly. Celestia frowned and took a seat and perched at the end of her bed. She looked confused.
"You know of this?"
"Yes, the little mare was asking all she could about that old dragon magic, she kept telling me you'd told her enough." She laughed. "But you know Twilight!"
"Indeed." Celestia laughed too, though slightly cautious, unsure if the nagging suspicion she had had while sat on the roof, was about to be confirmed.

"So what did the little student want with you?" Luna laughed, suddenly more relaxed now Celestia seemed to be ok.
"Oh..." The solar princess began, bighting her lip not wanting to say too much. "She found a book on Dragon magic, she asked me why she couldn't see the words upon the pages."
"She asked me the same." Luna said, pouring a drink of sparkling water from the crystal jug on her sister's table. "Apparently 'fact checking.'"
"Well..." Celestia was downright concerned now! Luna wouldn't know what had transpired all those years ago on that stormy night! She wouldn't understand why her sister didn't want that book leaving the library with their newly anointed Princess! "I did explain to her that we ponies cannot see the letters, they can only be seen by a pony, after a dragon has revealed them with a breath of flame.

"Yup, I said the same!" Luna smiled taking a sip and coming over to her sister. "In fact, after she got that information from me and you, I guessed she'd be better off reading it after little Spike gave her a hand, so I just told her to take it back with her to Ponyville." Celestia's stomach plummeted.

"NO!" The solar alicorn screamed, bolting upright as her horn flashed golden, and pulled the two princess's away in an instantaneous transportation spell!

Fixing the chair

"S-Spike?!" Rarity stared in utter astonishment at the now mature dragon standing in her doorway. Hidden around the corner of the boutique, Rainbow Dash suppressed a laugh at the platinum unicorn's reaction. 'Exactly as I guessed!' she thought.
"B-but... w-what..." Rarity couldn't even string a sentence together, she was too amazed by the now towering figure blocking the sunlight behind him, engulfing the fashionista in his shadow. Spike smirked and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut short by a high pitched squeal from Sweetie Belle.

"You're huge!" She said simply rushing over to the dragon and circling him fast like a wild cat, taking in every possible detail. Spike laughed and lunged for the filly who screamed with laughter as he swooped her up. The dragon proceeded to tickle the filly's stomach lightly with his new longer fingers. Rarity couldn't help but laugh lightly at the sight. "Lemme go! Lemme go!!!!" Sweetie Belle squealed in false protests as she giggled wildly at the torture. Finally the dragon obliged her, setting her on the floor.

"I've got to go tell Apple Bloom and Scootaloo!" Sweetie squealed with excitement, rushing out of the open door without another moment's hesitation. Her departure left the room in utter silence. Spike glanced nervously at Rarity who stood stationary, still not looking away from the completely different Spike from what she had seen only two days ago.
"Ummm... Spike blushed profusely, he ruffled his large spines nervously. "C-can I come in?" Rarity shook herself out of whatever thoughts she was lost in, and her face grew astonished as she realised how rude she had been.
"Oh! Of course Spike, I'm so sorry darling! Do come in." The dragon did so and entered the boutique, stooping under the door frame as he did so.

Rainbow smiled from her concealed spot behind a bush. She stood and stretched her wings. Admittedly she was happy for Spike, maybe he had a chance now, Celestia knows he deserved at least that much after the work he'd put into getting to where he was now! Yet she still looked forward more to hopefully having a challenge when flying. Now he was getting what he wanted, maybe he'd use that wing spell finally! Her feathers twitched in the wind that rolled over her gently. Well, time to get some practise in before she had to prove herself to the dragon! With a single swoop of her wings, she rocketed into the air and was soon well into the distance of the summer sky.

Inside the building Rarity rushed out of sight for a moment, probably to get a drink or something similar for her guest. So Spike patiently waltzed into the living room, now radically different from what he remembered. It all looked so darn small! He spotted his favourite armchair in the house, and made a B-line for it longing for the comfort of the familiar cushions. He stooped low and sat down, closing his eyes in anticipation of the comfort.

CRACK!

Spike's eyes flew open as he bolted back to his feet. Turning around he saw that the chair had simply crumbled beneath his newfound weight. Consumed in panic, his head snapped around checking if Rarity was coming back! Darn it! She was just emerging from the small kitchen.

Rarity held a small tray in her mystical blue magic, a glass of soda and a few of her lesser gemstones. Spike's favourite! She looked up at the living room, and froze. There Spike stood, very awkwardly as he held a cushion from the now demolished chair in his claws, obviously trying to see the true extent of the damage. He blushed again, the scales over his cheeks turning almost scarlet.
"Ummm, I can fix that!" He said nervously, not breaking eye contact with the platinum pony. For a moment she stared, then as the detail sunk in and she realised what must have happened, she began to chuckle at the sight of such a large and slightly intimidating creature looking like a filly caught with a hoof in the cookie jar. Spike joined her, unable to help it as he realised he wasn't in trouble. Their laughs continued to build until they were shaking as the screams of laughter exploded from them.

Distracted by the comedy, Rarity's horn began to flicker like a candle being blown out. The magical cloud around the tray began to sputter out of existence, still unnoticed by its caster. Spike noticed the little details as his laugh died, and as he noticed, the magic dissipated completely, cutting Rarity's laugh off instantly as she gasped as the tray dropped. "WOAH!" Spike shouted, flinging a hand out at the falling confectionaries. His hand exploded with a cloud of its own magical hew, a dark flowing green speckled with flecks of bright blue. Almost in slow motion, the tray slowed as it was caught by the magic and finally stopped a mere few inches from the floor.

Rarity stared incredulously at the fast reflexes of the dragon, who still stood there stooping low, his arm stretched out towards the tray. He straightened, his eyes wide in surprise as he lifted his hand and the tray levitated higher at his slight movement. Rarity silently took the tray back with her own magic, letting Spike release it. The two waited in silence for a moment, finally Rarity spoke up. "That was ummm... quite... impressive Spike. I had no idea your magic had come along so quickly."
"You and me both." Spike grimaced as Rarity came over and placed the tray on the living room table. Not wishing to risk the destruction of another chair by sitting on it, Spike remained standing. It was true, levitation -though a basic spell for ponies- had not even been mentioned in Spike's book. So how had that just happened? Was it instinct? No, magic was spells and incantations, not natural reactions... or was it?

He glanced over to the ruined chair, unsure if he should try, then again if it worked, he'd look pretty darn impressive! Maybe it would even break the silence that kept coming between them! Was that just because of his changed appearance? If so, then what was with the tension in the air? In one fell swoop he decided to do it! He was old enough for her now, time to turn on the charm, if he could at all!

What was that?! The white dragon fumbled through the sky, his wings grew heavy beneath the strength of the magical pressure that had just exploded into being around the target, almost sending him plummeting to the raging sea below! He was closer to the source, but the range wasn't the problem. It was the ability itself. That was no spell! He'd only felt that feeling around two dragons before. One was his master! It was the pressure of magic it its natural state! A power able to blend with its caster, and cater to their every whim. His master may have been right.

This one could be a challenge to his master! Maybe the end of his master too if given enough time! With newfound haste, the creature flapped his wings and in one thunderous swish, was propelled through the layer of magical energy and out into the clear sea air once again, looming ever closer to his target!

With a glint in his eye, he saw land not far ahead. Equestria.

"No... NO...No, no, no, nooooo!" Celestia soared through the air of the library around the many shelves of books, scouring them for a single sign of the book she knew was long gone.
"Sister!" An astonished Luna mouthed from the ground, staring up at her sibling zipping around like a disgruntled hummingbird. "W-what's wrong with Twilight having a book? Especially seeing as she's a princess now, surely she should know everything she can, to prepare for her rule if it ever comes!"
"YOU DONT UNDERSTAND!" Celestia's face was suddenly up against Luna in blind panic. Her eye twitched horrifically as she gazed into Luna's dark azure irises.

"That book..." she muttered floating away to the next row of shelves. "THAT BOOK!" She screamed in an anguished shriek. She flung her hoof out suddenly and struck the defiant shelf that defied her wishes, sending it toppling into the one behind it. Soon it would create a cataclysmic chain of events if not for Luna's quick thinking.
"CELESTIA!" She screamed, halting the solar alicorn's mid-air rant. When the veil of rage passed, Celestia looked down to her sister to see her holding the toppled shelves in her dark hew of magic. The books were suspended in the air, mid-fall, and the shelves leant at their impossible angles for a moment, before time seemed to reverse, as Luna righted the wrong of her big sister.

As the final book slotted back into its place, the radiant Celestia touched down on the ground looking quite lost after losing herself in the world of rage. Luna let her magic dissipate and began to walk over to her fellow ruler.
"T-thank you..." Celestia said shakily.
"It's ok big sister." Luna smiled, heading over and offering her wing for her shaky sister to lean on, Celestia took it gratefully. They approached a table with two chairs waiting for them, as they moved across the now eerily quiet library Luna asked. "Sister... am I missing something? What's so terrible about this book?" Celestia didn't answer immediately, only when she was sat down, shaking slightly, could she bring her lips to move.
"I... I knew about it... I couldn't bring myself to destroy it! It... it was the pinnacle... the pinnacle of a species' evolution, recorded for anyone to discover..." Celestia didn't seem to be addressing her sister, her lips just moved with no registration with her mind.

Luna listened with rapt attention, determined to understand the true extent of her blunder. Celestia shuddered, still addressing the open, empty room. "I had to... keep it... to preserve the last..." She paused, "The last..." she whispered wistfully. Suddenly her eyes grew focused, they snapped to Luna's face. "Do you remember... Zmaj?" Luna was astonished, she hadn't heard a word of Celestia's old dragon assistant, the dear friend of both the royal alicorns.
"Y-yes... of course I do. He was who I actually thought of when explaining the magic to Twilight..." She paused, unsure if she should ask. "...Why?"

Celestia's head grew heavy, as it always did whenever she thought of the time her sister lost her way to darkness.
"I do not know if you remember dear sister... but... when you became Nightmare Moon, Zmaj was the friend who helped me find the elements of harmony. To... to stop you..." Luna looked surprised!
"L-little Zmaj?" Celestia smiled sadly.
"Not so little Zmaj, he was practising magic more than ever when you turned..." She bit her lip before pushing through the difficult statement. "In an attempt to become strong enough to save you." Luna's eyes twinkled with a glint of sadness.
"He did always... like me..." Celestia nodded.
"He was travelling with me, trying to find the elements , and... we found another dragon. A natural one, not brought up among ponies. Her name was Andriel, she joined us, and the two... grew close... as we found the first few elements..." Luna smiled through the tears, happy to hear her little admirer had eventually gotten over her.

"One day," Celestia continued, "They kissed, and little Zmaj transformed. From that little helper I once knew, to a large strong specimen of a teenage dragon." Celestia sighed and stood. "You remember, how before you turned, dragon magic was a longstanding tradition?" Luna nodded. "Do you recall how the ones who practised the art, were creatures that remained the average height of me or you, standing on their hind legs and using their forelegs as arms with hands?" Another nod from the lunar princess. "Well that was what Zmaj became, and after we defeated Nightmare Moon, that is what he remained. He and Andriel became two of the strongest magic casting dragons in the wrold..."
"Zmaj?!" Luna asked, amazed that such a clumsy and whimsical creature as the little assistant had been, could become such an astonishing spectacle. Celestia nodded, unable to stop a small smile spread across her thin lips. She understood Luna's surprise, she should have told her little sister all of this long ago...

"Then..." the solar Alicorn's voice dropped low, dropping all pretence of joy and replacing it with an air of complete foreboding. "A new dragon came..." Celestia closed her eyes, remembering that night in the rain. "He was a master of magic. The strongest ever by the reports of our scouts. However, he had no interest in ponies... only dragons... FIGHTING dragons with strong and powerful magic!" Luna's eyes widened, unable to believe that such creatures existed, ones consumed only with the want to fight others. "He killed many... the number of victims still isn't sure... but it lies well within the hundreds..."

Luna finally spoke again with mourning in her voice. "He went after Zmaj, didn't he?" Celestia held a hoof up, requesting quiet. She had never told this story, and now she had begun, she could not bring herself to stop, even for a moment.
"He began to hunt Zmaj and Andriel. Still killing any dragon who could find with magic as he followed them. He was singlehandedly the driving force to a genocide of the dragon mages." Celestia almost heard the thunder of that night in the distance. The echoing knocks on the castle gates. "Soon, Zmaj and Andriel were all that was left... so... they came here." Luna leant in. "They weren't alone." Luna's jaw dropped in horror.
"The murderer?"
"No." Celestia shook her head, obvious horror etched across every inch of her face. "Worse... Andriel had with her... an egg." Luna gasped. "The child of two of the strongest mages in the entire dragon species... it became obvious from the second I saw that egg. Why the two were being hunted... The murderer, no, the MONSTER! He wanted a challenge, that much was clear! But he didn't wish to be killed. That egg held to much promise, so he set out to crush it along with its parents."

"What did you do?" Luna asked in a whisper. Celestia sighed and looked to her hooves.
"I accepted the egg, against my better judgement, and only under the condition that it never be allowed to learn magic...and... and... that Zmaj and Andriel left Equestria, and led the monster well away from my subjects..." She began to shake gently as her eyes closed. A single tear ran down her cheek, the sight was far worse than if she had been wailing and sobbing. It was the look of a creature resigned to defeat. "My...my oldest friend... and I begrudgingly accepted his only child, if he left to never see it born." Luna stood now, and came over to her sister, embracing her tightly.

"Is... is that why you didn't want the book leaving the library? So another monster wasn't born? Spike would never become something like that!" She smiled, trying to cheer her sister up. But the angelic alicorn simply shook her head. "Tia?" Luna asked, "Then what is it?" Through breathes that were beginning to shake, Celestia spoke.
"Zmaj... he..." She took a deep calming breathe, and continued. "In an attempt to stop the killer from becoming stronger, he destroyed every book on dragon magic he found. He was sure he had destroyed them all, but I knew he hadn't." The two sisters locked gazes as Celestia explained. "He forgot the journal he kept, where he wrote every spell he discovered by his own ability. He mustn't have registered it as a source of learning, as he had learnt from other books and simply recorded what he had done in that one." With a sigh of misery, Celestia finished her explanation. "I couldn't bring myself to destroy it. Knowing that it was the only piece of my old friend left once he had gone. I-I... I couldn't do it!" Luna gulped.

"Tia, I'm so sorry, I didn't know it meant so much to you. I can contact Twilight, she can bring it back. If you keep it out of the library this time, it'll never leave your possession again!" Another smile went unregistered by Celestia as she shook her head yet again. Looking up with red bloodshot eyes.
"Luna... don't you realise? That book, was Zmaj's journal. But that's not why I didn't want Twilight to have it. I knew what she would do with it!"
"Give it Spike?"
"Yes. Spike. Luna, how did you think I got Spike's egg to give to Twilight in the first place?"

Luna gasped!

"He's-"
"Yes, and if its anything like pony magic, someone looking out for it, can detect the magic he possesses, and mistake it for his father's or mothers..." Celestia looked grimly at her fellow ruler as the younger princess came to the same conclusion in her head. "Spike is in danger, so, twilight and all her friends are also in mortal peril!"

"Now Spike, this is completely unnecessary." Rarity protested as Spike held a hand out to the splintered remains of the chair.
"It's fine." Spike smiled to the mare, who blushed at the warm look and glanced away.
"I simply meant, you don't have to feel obliged, a lucky break with magic doesn't make you a master." She looked back to him, concern in her eyes. "I don't want something to go wrong and for you to get hurt!" Spike chuckled.
"Hey, I'll be fine, you gotta stop treating me like a little kid." Rarity looked in shock.
"You were until today!" Spike winked, showing it was a joke. Rarity stared for a moment in confusion, then the corner of her lips curled with amusement when it dawned on her what he meant.

"Now..." Spike turned back to the obliterated piece of furniture and clapped his hands together. Rubbing them slowly, sparks of blue energy began to spark across his digits as the magic began to crackle into existence. "Let's make some magic!"

MAGIC!

BUILDING UP AGAIN!

The white dragon looked over the landscape scanning the green of the meadows and fields that had now replaced the swirling blue of the sea. He had passed a few country cottages, none of them had been strong in the sense of magic he was looking for. Now another surge of energy was roaring into existence, he was so close he could almost taste it! Looking further ahead of him, closer to the horizon, he spotted a blotch against the descending sun. A settlement of small thatched houses centred around a single town hall.

That was his destination!

He could almost see the magic in the air, swirling and rippling like a heat haze. By the feel of the energy, the slim dragon could tell the potential of the power was unimaginable, but it was simply being repressed. Was it casting a simple spell? If so, that power must be without equal, to have this much feedback from a quick casting...

Enough guessing! Time to see this prodigy of magic with his own eyes!

Without hesitation, the dragon rushed to the small town, honing in on the source of the distortions! A small building on the borders of the town, ornately decorated, which looked almost like a fairground carrousel.

Rarity watched as Spike's outstretched palm began to glow green. The light throbbed at the pace of a heartbeat, each time the glow pushed outward a small underlining of blue light throbbed outwards along with the green. The sight was utterly dazzling to a pony so focused on beauty and aesthetic, and this glow of magic was simply... 'fabulous.'

Spike glanced back quickly his eyes wide with amazement at his own ability, able to funnel the magic into his being without so much as a single incantation! He saw her mouth wide in admiration at the glow. Spike's head snapped back to hide his smirk, this 'impress Rarity' idea seemed to really be working! He could be in with a chance if he succeeded! Here goes nothing!

Spike crooked his elbow pulling the palm back slightly, then suddenly with all his thoughts on how he NEEDED to succeed, he surged the palm forward hopefully to force the magic from his palm into the splintered wood of the chair. The magic vanished. Spike blinked for a moment, confused.
"Uhhh..." Rarity began, unsure if she should move, she glanced around for that beautiful hew but saw no sign of it! "Spik-"

The chair rocketed up into the air! Surrounded in the same glowing dark green. Bolts readjusted themselves into the wooden frame, the splintered back bent back into shape, the split splinters fusing together once again. The torn material of the cushions sewed itself together once more. Ultimately, the chain of magical adjustments left a perfectly intact armchair floating in the air. Spike stared incredulously. He hadn't even done anything except think of the chair being fixed, all of the movements had happened almost automatically. Spike glanced down and saw his fingers twitching and bending subconsciously. As soon as it was brought to his attention his fingers stopped moving, and the chair dropped from its large height in the air. Spike quickly tried to catch it by lunging for it, his scaly fingers just managed to wrap around the short stumpy leg of the chair, and using his newfound strength he lowered it with one hand to the ground.

He turned around, his face bright with enthusiasm. Rarity was staring in awe at the spectacle.
"Spike... that was... was... amazing!" Rarity gasped her eyes not leaving the now pristine chair. Spike smiled and spread his arms to his sides, unable to hide his pride in his acoplishment.
"Tada!" He laughed.

Rarity smiled and came over to him, as she came over she picked up a gem in her magic as she passed the table and slotted it into the dragons mouth as a reward. Spike crunched it in one chew, a smile wide across his face as he gulped it down gratefully. After swallowing he opened his mouth to speak, ready to keep his winning streak going. Time to ask her if he could have another reward, a date! Or was that moving too quickly, he didn't care though! He had waited from the moment he had seen her angelic face, and now she was finally seeing him in an entirely new light! Or at least that was what the dragon was guessing from the completely different smile she was giving him! She was hiding something behind the curled lips!

The breathe he took was slightly shaky, so he coughed in an attempt to mask it and calm himself. The second one was a lot stronger, more confident! "Uhh... Rarity?" said unicorn looked up from the chair, which she was now inspecting with glee.
"Hmm?" She raised an eyebrow, which caused another blush almost push its way to the nervous dragon's cheeks. He pushed it back, shaking of the nervous jitters before opening his mouth to speak.

"I was wondering-"

BANG!

Rarity jumped at the loud knocking at the front door of the boutique, Spike being the closest to the door turned and frowned. That sounded... odd... it wasn't the almost hollow noise of a hoof on wood, it sounded like the noise his own knuckles made on doors when he knocked. Except this was far louder, and violent sounding.

The spines on Spike's head and back quivered, as did the frills on the side of his head. The sensation felt horrible, it sent a cold shiver down his spine. But even though he hadn't felt it before, Spike's instincts told him that this feeling was more than just a simple case of creeps. There was something sinister behind the silence that screamed all around him. He couldn't even hear his own breathing.

Suddenly, Rarity was beside Spike. Finding comfort in her newly changed protector. Spike felt elated that he was the one she came to, but the feeling was dwarfed completely by the sense of foreboding that was growing fast in the pit of his stomach.
"Who is it?" Rarity asked loudly from the safety of Spike's company. She had clearly felt that something was wrong also.

A span of silence...

BANG!

The unicorn let out a short squeak as she jumped yet again at the thunderous noise. Spike glared at the door, not only because it had caused his idol's fear, but also because the horrible quiet was beginning to unsettle him greatly.
"WHO'S THERE?!" The purple dragon shouted, far stronger than Rarity's timid question.

Silence.

No more banging came.

Only silence.

Spike took a cautious step forward towards the door, he felt something smooth on his arm, he looked back to see a terrified Rarity staring up into his dark green eyes.
"Spike... I'm scared, who is that?!" Spike stooped and laid a finger against the panicking pony's lips, puckering his lips in a silent 'shush' before straightening and turning back to the door.

His clawed feet echoed as he walked across the hallway towards the entrance. The sense of terror only increased as no more noise escaped the other side of the door. "Hello?" Spike asked... no reply. finally a few feet from the door, Spike halted. Glancing back to Rarity he smiled. "See, whoever it was, they must have go-" An explosion burst from the door as something came ramming through and barrelled straight into Spike. Rarity let out a shriek of horror as the thing bore down on the defenceless dragon.

Spike only had a moment of clarity before the thing swung it's open jaw down towards his exposed throat. He saw white scales, blue frills, and sharp, deadly, black teeth.

Magic in combat

The jaws clamped shut fast, spike pulled his head back into the floor praying his spines wouldn't prop him up. With luck, they slid to the side, allowing his face to drop, letting the closing maw only just catch a single scale of his cheek. Said scale splintered and it's shard flew into the air. Spike had no time to worry though, he knew this creature was obviously gunning for his life!

Suddenly, a tick in the back of the purple dragon's mind came to life, a spark of creativity. Pure instinct!

Obeying the instinct, Spike rolled back, unbalancing the creature that leaned on his chest, snarling and snapping for his throat! As soon as the attacker's feet left the floor, Spike threw his hands up along with his legs, and pushed hard and fast. The momentum of the roll and the force threw the creature off of the startled dragon, and sent him flying overhead into the wall with a deafening crack due to spikes new strength.

Spike sprung to his feet and looked straight to the attacker, and his jaw dropped! It was a dragon! A white dragon with blue spines! It now hung upside-down it's back embedded into the wall, writhing to get free. In the sudden pause of action, Spike rushed to Rarity and scooped her up, never once letting his eyes leave the momentarily subdued enemy. The mare cried out in fear at her sudden involvement in the dire situation, but Spike ignored her cry, and rushed for the door. Soon enough, Rarity was clinging onto Spikes toned chest, terror gripping her every fibre.
"S-SPIKE?! That was a dragon!" Rarity spluttered in horror.
"I know!" Spike grunted as they passed over to the threshold and into the afternoon sun.

From behind there came a blistering shriek, shattering every window of the carousel boutique. The bulbs inside the building all blew with a flash of light. The curtains whipped through the now open holes in the wall as an unbelievable wind rushed past them. Spike cried out as the same wind hit him in the back like a train! The dragon pitched forward, his arms slackening their grip on Rarity's sides, sending the scared mare sailing further forward onto the grass ahead.
"Spike!" She screamed, rushing to her hooves. The dragon was already pushing up, gritting his teeth against the pain in his spine. He needed to get Rarity out of danger! He pulled up one knee to support himself, but almost instantly he felt something snake it's way around his ankle, with a plummeting feeling in his stomach, Spike looked up to the beautiful mare, who had stopped at the site of whatever held his foot.

Spike was scared, he felt the coil tighten, and he knew what was about to happen, his breath shook as he locked gazes with the unicorn and whispered desperately. "Run!" Before the dragon tail that had ensnared him, dragged him back into the now gloomy interior of the boutique!
"SPIKE!" Rarity screamed as the clawed purple hands of her friend vanished into shadow. She stood there a moment, praying to hear something, yet nothing came. Then, a loud slam emitted from the inside that shook the very foundations of the building, only seconds later there came another, and the building seemed to almost teeter on collapse! Rarity wanted to rush in, but fear clung to her legs, denying her movement. Twilight! She needed to get Twilight and the others to help! With newfound hope, she turned and rushed off in the direction of Ponyville town centre, her heart hoping, she could find them in time!
......
Inside the boutique, the white dragon was flinging Spike around like a rag doll, it's tail -though slim like the rest of the dragon- held unbelievable strength! The creature crouched low to the ground, all four limbs hugging the floor like a cougar, while the tail stretched impossibly ahead of the creature and threw Spike from wall to wall.

As the purple dragon was flung into the wall for the third time, he managed to reach out and catch a sturdy piece of wall with his claws. With all his might he pulled himself closer, trying to free himself from the deadly grip on his leg. Through squinting eyes he glanced at the tail, and saw it glimmering with a hew of bright blue, like the spines of the dragon before him! Was that magic?! That would explain the strength of such a puny specimen, even slimmer and smaller than he!

The sight of the magic sparked a reaction inside Spike, the realisation that magic was his best hope! Spike concentrated, still straining as the tail tried to pry him away from the crumbling wall. He tried to find that little tick again, that instinct that had helped him already against this assailant!

When he opened his eyes, they glimmered emerald green through the darkened room. He knew what to do!

Letting go of the wall suddenly he was flung into the air once more, but this time he was prepared. Tucking forward his hands came close to his leg, and the tail that held it! So he grabbed hold of the tail and dug his claws in as hard as possible.

SLAM!

He struck the wall again but ignored the searing pain. His claws were almost penetrating the scaly exterior of the tail, but they almost seemed to be resisting his attempt more than a natural dragon's scales should. Focusing on his claws, Spike willed them to push through, to cause enough pain to free himself. Almost instantly he saw his claws lengthen an inch, ending in far more deadly sharp points! Spike pushed just as he was pulled from the wall for yet another strike to the side of the house! After only a brief moment of resistance, his claws scraped through the gaps between the scales and sunk into the soft flesh below.

The white dragon screeched in pain below. Retracting its tail defensively, therefore releasing the purple dragon who landed roughly on his feet in the centre of the living room. He stared at the creature who's tail returned to the average length for a dragon his size with a glance from the attacker's glowing yellow eyes.

He was using magic!

Spike took his chance and made for the back door, the only exit now available to him! But with only a few steps under his belt, a sinister swoop heralded the white dragon pouncing onto his back. To the frustration of the purple dragon, the assailant grabbed him and hauled him back into the centre of the arena that once was a boutique. Spike saw in his periphery, those jaws gaping open again as the head swung down towards spike's neck. Spike's worry for Rarity, his concern for his own life, and the frustration of being denied escape again, all poured out in one single move from the furious purple dragon.

Spike flung his palms up and caught both jaws of the creature above, he pulled hard, bringing the creature rolling off his back. As the body of the target fell before him, spike leant back and placed his weight into a single kick. The foot connected with the dead centre of the enemy's chest, and with a flash of his green eyes, Spike urged the kick to have more force. His magic obeyed, as the foot pushed, a sudden surge of force added to the kick and sent the white dragon zipping back and through the nearest wall with the sound a sonic blast!

Silence ebbed in slowly, the only sound now was Spike's ragged panting as his stared into the oblivion that was the hole he'd just made in the wall. The faint echoing of crumbling wood and rattling plaster told the dragon that his enemy had been blasted through into the basement steps. Spike smirked with pride, no one messed with the new Spike! The smile was wiped off his face however when he saw two yellow orbs staring back at him from the gloom.
"Uh-oh!" He managed as he took a step back in caution. The eyes narrowed, Spike tensed his muscles, priming himself for more of a fight!

Sure enough, the white dragon burst from the dark hole like a nightmare! It's clawed hands were stretched ahead, seeking a throat to snap! Spike ducked just in time, the monster sailed over his head just as Spike had wanted. Time for some payback! Spike shot his tail up and snagged the ankle of the creature above and with one strained pull, he slammed the other dragon face first into the wooden floor, which splintered and snapped beneath the fallen reptile!

With magic fuelling his drained body, Spike turned. His tail followed, picking up speed as it dragged the dragon around with it.
"Rrrrraaaaaagggggghhhhhhhh!" The purple dragon growled as he flung the white one to the wall that separated them from the sun of the outside. The white and blue dragon's face connected to the wall, the plaster -like the floorboards- splintered and cracked drastically. A second passed, then the wounded attacker began to slide down the wall, revealing a few dust filled sunbeams shooting through the cracks into the dark room. Spike smiled genuinely for the first time since the attack began, the light meant there was life waiting outside! HOPE! All it would take was surviving this white and blue demon!

Said dragon sprang to its feet, catching it's second wind as it caught site of its fellow dragon, the sight of the beast holding its own against him sent his mind into a fiery frenzy! No! Not this easily! With a only a miniscule flash of magic around it's palm, the enraged dragon flung it's hand toward Spike. A ripple, like tapping a glass tank of water, shot forward through the air. Once clear of the hand, the ripple condensed around itself and exploded into a bright blue ball of energy that streamed towards spike with horrifying speed.

He couldn't evade, he couldn't dodge! All Spike could do is wince and brace himself for the contact of the vicious spell!

Outside, Rarity had returned with her re-enforcements. At the forefront of the group was the newly crowned Princess Twilight. Utter horror plastered across her face. What was going on? Rarity had mentioned a dragon attack, and Spike was now fighting it off! HOW?! He was only a baby! From beyond the shattered windows there came the thunderous cacophony of noises of the battle inside. Twilight's heart froze over at the thought of what the dragon must be doing to her little assistant.

A thunderous smash shook the very building to its core, cracks appeared in the wall nearest the group of terrified mares. Had spike made that wall? With his small frail body as the dragon threw him against it?

Twilight couldn't wait, couldn't let her near life long friend die at the hand of this absurd and unprovoked attack! She took a step forward to the boutique, but was stopped by a rushed Cyan hoof.
"Are you crazy Twilight?! You're not going in there alone!" Rainbow Dash assured. "Two grown up dragons isn't a fight you, even with you being a princess, want to get in between!" Twilight frowned.
"'Grown up dragons?' What are you talking about Rainbo-" The explosion came without warning. The roof of the once grand establishment was incinerated by the burst of blue magical energy that burst out towards the sky! The walls were next to go, toppling to the ground like a house of cards! "SPIKE!?" They all screamed.

All danger forgotten, Rainbow took to the sky and rushed towards the now smoking mass that once was the boutique. Close behind her were Twilight, taking to the air as well as the others who followed on the ground.
"SPIIIIIIIKE!" Twilight screamed as she reached the seemingly solid wall of smoke. Her heart was somewhere in the region of her throat, as it thundered loudly, trying to escape and find the assistant itself!
"You in there buddy?" Rainbow cried as she circled round trying to look through the smoke to find the purple dragon.

A sizzling noise as the wood and timber burnt slowly from the blast was all that could be heard. Then, almost as if on cue, a gust of wind blew and sent the smoke loud billowing into the faces of the ponies on the ground. Rarity coughed and spluttered, her eyes stinging wildly as the smoke attacked them. But through the tears and smoke, she didn't dear blink. A moment later, the cloud passed over them, showing the carnage before them.

Were the boutique once stood, now lay a smoking crater. Paper still rained from the sky as all of Rarity's hard work was lost in the heat of the magic and slowly burnt to a crisp on the wind. Mannequins were scattered around them, some with heads missing, some whole but burnt so their white material was nothing more than a pitch black. Shattered glass lay everywhere, ground almost to a fine dust! However, in the centre, two things remained whole and ultimately unharmed.

The adult purple dragon's scales were a darker hue than usual and they glistened brighter, almost like a suite of dark metal armour. His spines were pressed back curving down the back of his skull and pointing to the floor, and his quills clung to his cheeks, almost as though they feared to fall off to the floor. His eyes were closed, but as the ponies watched, three of them aghast at Spike's new appearance, those eyes opened. The irises almost burned green as the slightest vapour of emerald seemed to emanate them and drift away in the breeze.

Spike shrugged and cricked his neck. He had no idea how he was doing all of this! Was his magic simply in tune with his thoughts, no incantation or conscious thought needed. As he shrugged, his scales quivered and ebbed back into their brighter shade of purple, their sheen diming slightly. The dragon guessed that must be the case, because when he embraced for pain, his magic helped him to stop any coming his way! He looked around, he'd heard the cries, and knew what they meant. He spotted Twilight hovering a few feet of the ground, concern obvious in her deep violet eyes, and his heart panged, this wasn't how he'd wanted her to see his new form. Then again it wasn't his fault, he was merely defending himself from this thing!

He glanced back to the white dragon, who was hunched forward, panting angrily, his golden eyes filled with burning hate. His black teeth were bared in a snarl, small snorts of flame even emitted from his open mouth as he panted with such force. Spike glanced back to his friends.
"Be careful!" The white dragon's frills quivered at the words. This dragon was odd, living amongst ponies, he'd even saved one before! And now he was showing genuine concern for these inferior pests?! His golden eyes flashed over the group nearby, all frozen in fear and astonishment. Which one? Which one would be the easiest? His pupils shrank as his vision zoomed in on the most fearful of the six!

Fluttershy!

With a sudden screech, the dragon unfurled wings out of nowhere, their opening shot small flecks of his blue magic into the air. Spike recognised what he was seeing, the flight spell!

The dragon burst into movement like a bullet! It's black teeth ground together as it shot forward through the air, not towards Spike, but to the yellow mare's who's eyes widened in mortal peril as she locked gazes with the violent creature.

"NO!" Spike shouted, the sudden danger bringing life back into his aching limbs. There wasn't that much distance between the two reptiles, but then again there wasn't much distance between them and the group of his friends either! With all his strength, he rushed forward in four bounds, reaching out his right arm for all it was worth. With a final lunge forward, Spike's heart soared as he felt his claws sink into the ridges of the dragon's wing! The monster cried out in pain, it's trajectory thrown off by the sudden weight to its right wing. Spike clenched his teeth and furious anger seeped through him like a poison! Attacking him was once thing, attacking his friends was another, but attacking defenceless little Fluttershy... That was unforgivable!

Spike tugged hard and managed to drag the dragon to ground. The two skidded across the ground, but never once did spike let go! He rolled with the other dragon, grunting and crying out as his assault had meant a tumble roll through the rough terrain that was now the ground. Amidst the rolling, Spike saw the throat of his enemy, tantalisingly close. The rage took hold again, a small part him was horrified how quickly he adjusting to the situation, but it was dwarfed by the rest that only wanted to end this! Spike reached out with his free arm and felt his fingers curl around the scrawny week point!

Their rolling halted suddenly as the white dragon's back slammed into a collapsed beam lying in their path. Spike didn't hesitate, as he came to a halt above it. He swung his still elongated claws back, his face that of pure rage. With a scream he brought it down, the claws ringing as they passed through air.

"Raaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!" The eyes of the dragon flashed, and they shifted from their golden to a pure sky blue. With that change, it's face did to, from anger to pure terror! IT flinched and brought its hands up to its face is surrender. But Spike hadn't noticed!
"SPIKE NO!" Twilight screamed, her horn flashed and Spike vanished in a purple explosion of light. Another appeared feet away and when the light faded, the teleported dragon collapsed.

The sudden stop of adrenaline meaning the strain hit him like a bus!

In the gloom, the dragon gasped as though he'd not breathed for a millennia! From his position on the floor, propped against the wall of his cavern, he stared at the spot he had seen the purple dragon from above, ready to kill so easily... if only he knew! He smirked, his golden eyes flashing in the light of his treasure trove. Getting to his feet, he swept up a flagon of mead nearby and emptied the entire pint down his throat.

After wiping his mouth and panting still for breathe, he frowned. How had he been ejected from the other dragon's mind? Either he was losing his touch after so much laziness, or the little servant was getting stronger.

Stronger and more obnoxious. It was his job to do whatever his master commanded. Admittedly the master had gotten a little heated during the fight that he had controlled from the safety of his cave, and perhaps the blue and white little darling's survival instinct had finally rejected the foreign mind, but the fight was just so... exquisite! IT had been a long time since anyone could best him while controlling his little slave... This needed the personal touch.

The teeth gleamed in the dark as a set of black wings expanded from the cloak like position they had been in before. He'd need to go there himself and test if he could really defeat this new caster in the world.

"I'd expect nothing less..."