The Rise of Spike the Dragon

By: MasterBrony Forever

I would like to thank Jorge Nagorski for Pre-Reading and Editing!

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fanbased work of prose. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro, and the reinvention of the lovely Lauren Faust. No copyright infringement is intended, please support the official release.

Spike’s eyes opened slowly as he faded back into consciousness, “Ugh...”

He looked around and found he was on land, which mean he survived the fall. As his hearing returned he notice the falls were still nearby. He could guess from the position of the sun it would be getting dark soon, and if the Everfree wasn't dangerous enough during the day, the gates of Tartarus opened at night.

“Now would be a good time find someplace safe to sleep,” Spike said to himself. He noticed a familiar looking mountain in the distance. It was the same mountain he had run away into before and ran into a very unfriendly dragon. “Anywhere, but there.”

He wandered around the forest for a short while until he saw a massive collection of trees. He examined them to find the trunks and root made a little cave just right for his size, and by his luck there was nothing else inside.

Spike hunkered down for the night with a look of content on his face. Starting in the morning he would start his new life, his better life without Twilight Sparkle or the rest of her friends. Unknown to Spike he wouldn't be starting his new life on his own. For somewhere not too far away were 5 other creatures trying to survive on their own.

Twilight was released from the infirmary late that day. The Nurse Redheart had told her to get some rest and not over exert herself. Twilight agreed to take it easy, after she had found Spike and patched thing up. She had a slight understanding of why he had stormed out, and she was heartbroken at the realization of it.

“Look everypony, Twilight is on her way,” Rarity said as herself and the four other mare trotted up to the lavender unicorn.

“I am so glad you are out of the hospital,” Fluttershy said from behind her mane with small smile.

“Glad to see ya up an’ movin’ partner,” Applejack said with her usually country accent.

Pinkie, who was bouncing around as usual with unnaturally large grin on her muzzle, said “I going to throw a ‘WELCOME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL PARTY’ right now!”

But before she would speed off, Rainbow Dash stopped her, “Pinkie I don’t think she would need a party for that.”

“What do you mean Dashie? Everypony deserves a party after getting out of the hospital.” Pinkie replied.

“Pinkie I think we have more important issues to deal with,” Rarity said, “We need to find Spike and figure out what has caused him to act like this.”

Twilight’s ears dropped and held her head low as she spoke up, “I believe I know why Spike did what he did”

Everypony stopped their conversations and looked to their dear friend waiting for an answer.

“What is it then darling,” Rarity said.

“Spike had said, or rather yelled, about how I have treated him like a slave. How none of us ever appreciated him and used him for our own purposes.” Twilight began to tear up as the memories of Spike’s rant replayed in her head.

'Calm down?! Calm down?! I will not calm down! You and you're friends always take advantage of me! Rarity uses my feeling for her as a tool, to make me work for her so she doesn't have to! I don’t even love her anymore! I hate it when Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie me about my lack of wings! I hate it when Fluttershy just thinks of me as a BABY! Do you know how that feels?! Of course you don’t! You know what else I hate?! I hate how you leave me out of every single adventure you go on! Now more than ever! You brought the BUCKING Cutie Mark Crusaders! I am more mature than they’ll ever be! YOU ALL ARE THE WORST! THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!!!!'

She was about to break into a fit of tears but fought them back. She looked up to her friends, who all wore saddened expressions. Now that they all look back on it, they all saw what had caused Spike’s anger. Twilight went on to tell the girls exactly what Spike had told her, which caused them all to feel even worse about themselves.

“Maybe I did go a little overboard on the pranks,” Rainbow said rubbing the back of her head.

“I realize how much I worked him, and never acknowledged his feelings for me,” Rarity stated.

“I was the worst of all. Whenever we would go out and have fun I would always leave Spike behind to clean-up my messes,” Twilight said, “But we still have a chance to make it right.”

Twilight was now more determined to find Spike and do anything to make it up to him. Twilight looked to the others and saw the same determination she had.

“Alright everypony,” Twilight announced, “Our mission is to find Spike and bring him home.”

They all cheered, “Yeah!”

After a few good hours of searching the group had yet to find even a hint to where Spike was. It was late into the night when they all regrouped at the library.

“I just don’t get it. Where could he have gone?” Twilight said hugging a pillow close to her.

They were all gathered around the living room table thinking if there was anyplace they haven’t looked. The had stayed within the boundaries of Ponyville and Sweet Apple Acres, but had come up empty hoofed.

“Well there is one place we haven’t tried,” Dash said looking out a nearby window.

“And where in tarnation would that be?” Applejack asked.

Fluttershy caught on to what Dash was saying almost instantly. “Oh no,” She said in a small and shaky voice, “you can’t mean the...”

“Yup, the Everfree Forest.” Dash said.

Everypony in the room gasp, save for Fluttershy just fell over as stiff as a statue.

“Why would he go in such a dreadful place,” Rarity inquired.

“Actually it makes sense that he would go there,” Twilight input, “That is one of the places no pony dares to go. It is a great place to run away to if you never want to see anypony ever again, or have anypony find you.”
They all nodded in agreement.

“We can’t go in there now,” Applejack said, “It is even worst to be out there at night. We just gonna have ta wait till mornin’. We just gotta hope the little guy makes it through the night.”

“But...your right,” Twilight said defeated, “You all can stay the night if you wish, but first thing in the morning we are going in there to save Spike. Who knows how he is doing right now, he is probably scared, cold, hungry...”

“Wow, things are really looking up,” Spike said as he looked at the hole he dug in the tree made cave. Spike had tripped over what he thought was a rock when he walked into the cave. When he noticed it had a slight glow to it he just had to dig it up to find out what it was. It turned out to be the tip of a rather large Fire Ruby.

He rushed outside to get some fallen tree branches along with any small logs he could carry. Then lit the tip of one of the branches on fire and used it to get a fire going. Lucky for Spike the trees in the surrounding areas were a strangely fireproof, which meant he could start a fire in the tree made cave and not worry about lighting up the whole forest. Yet it took Spike longer than he thought to find logs and branches he could burn for a fire.

“Living in a library sure has it’s perks,” Spike said with a silly look plastered on his face, when he identified some trees whose wood would be a longer lasting fire.

He began a struggle to try to pull the massive gem out of the earth. It took some time but eventually he got it out and farther back into the cave for safe keeping. He covered up the hole and went back to sit by the fire. Just then he heard lightning strike just outside of the cave entrance. Then the light pitter-patter of rain could be heard, it was storming outside, but Spike wasn't worried, he was safe inside his cave.

“Hello is anything in there?” A voice said.

Spike searched for the source of the voice and found it to be coming from just outside of the cave. It didn’t look any bigger then him, so he didn’t really feel threatened by it.

“Yeah,” Spike called out, “Come on in, I won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt me.”

The figure jumped inside almost being stuck by a bolt of lightening. It landed next to the fire, and now that it was in the light Spike could make out what it was. It was another dragon, about his own age if not a year older. He looked exactly like Spike but with a different color scheme. A midnight black for most primary part of his body, and a crimson red made up his spines and his underbelly.

“Wow! Another dragon,” the new dragon spoke up, “I thought I was the only one out here?”

“Same here,” Spike replied. He was a little shocked that he would run into another dragon, he didn’t expect to find anything that wasn't trying to kill him.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot,” the new dragon out its hand for spike to shake, “My name is NightStalker, but you can call me Night if you wish.”

Spike reached out and shook his hand and gave a smile, “Nice to meet you, my name is Spike.” There was a loud clap of thunder which made both the young drakes jump in slight fear, “Maybe we should move farther back into the cave,” Spike recommended.

“Good idea,” Night said.

Thanks to dragons being fireproof, the two were able to pick up the burning sticks and logs and move them farther back into the cave. That is when Night saw the giant Fire Ruby, his jaw dropped and his mouth began to water.

“Wow,” Night said, “This must be the biggest ruby I have ever seen.”

“I know right,” Spike with a proud grin, “Found it buried in this cave.”

Suddenly both of their stomach growled, a sign it was time to fill up.

The both laughed for a moment, “Would you like to have some?” Spike offered.

“Really?” Night asked wide eyed.

“Why not? Your a friends and that is what friends do for each other.” Spike said with a grin. Being forced to write friendship reports constantly you learn a few things.

Night was ecstatic; they both jumped onto the ruby and proclaimed, “LETS EAT!”

After a few minutes of munching on the monster of a Fire Ruby the two fell asleep next to the still burning fire. They had made a very small dent in the massive Fire Ruby, but that just meant that it would last them a good while.

Celestia’s sun rained down rays of warming light all over Equestria. Spike yawned as he awoke from his deep slumber, he looked over to the other side of the burnt ashes of the fire to that NightStalker was still there. Spike got up made his way out of the cave while trying his best not to wake NightStalker. He went out to the river bed and waded into the shallow waters and began to wash up. He might be living on his own in the Everfree, but that doesn't mean he has to stop taking care of himself.

He shook off the remain water before he went back to the cave. He found NightStalker eating a small piece of the Fire Ruby, he had another piece in his other hand and passed it to Spike who caught it in his mouth and crewed away.

“So...” Spike started, “How did you come to live out here in the Everfree?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Night said, “But I will tell you my story if you tell me yours.”

Spike nodded in agreement, it only made sense to share his own story. So for the next hour Spike told Night all about himself, from being hatched and raised by a unicorn all the way up to him running away. Night listen intently only stopping him every once in a while to ask a quick question. At the end of it, Spike had told him everything.

“So are you ready to tell me your story,” Spike asked.

“Yeah, but I haven’t done anything like you have. That unicorn you were talking about...Twilight was it...and all of her friends sound like real jerks for leaving you behind while going on adventure.”

“Well now I don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Spike said, “Okay its your turn now.”

“Well, the thing is I don’t know how I ended up out here. I have no memory of what happened before I ended up here, all I knew was my name.” NightStalker said a depressed expression.

Spike felt sorry for him, “Well, that isn't important anymore. We will survive out here together.” Spike stood up and marched out of the cave a shouted, “Soldier! Front and center!”

Night sped out of the cave and stood at attention with his chest slightly puffed out and his gut sucked in, “Reporting for duty sir!”

Spike smirked, “Are you ready to start a life?”

“Sir yes sir!”

“Are you ready to survive for all your years to come in this Celestia forsaken forest?”

“Sir yes sir!”

Spike relaxed and held out a fist, “Are you ready to be my new best friend?”

Night relax as well and bumped fist with Spike, “Sir yes sir.”

They smiled before marching off, “First things first, find as many sources of food as possible. We may have that large gem back at base but we need to have a food source just in case we are ever away from base for an extended period of time. That gem won’t last forever.”

“Understandable.” Night responded.

From a nearby tree another dragon was watching Night and Spike. He was slightly younger than them but he had been surviving out here longer. He had chocolate brown spines, and the scales along the underbelly matched his spines. The rest of his scales were unique camouflage green. And as far as he knew traveling with a group was safer than traveling alone.

He trailed after the two of them, seeing what their next move would be.

Okay another chapter down, several more to go.

This is the part where I slow down the chapters. And if you think I am going to slow with the next few chapters let me know.

Also point out any spelling and grammar errors me or my editor might have missed, it will be greatly appreciated.

Also I hate writing lines for Applejack! That accent...I just don't know how the buck to write for it! If anyone can give me some tips or advice, it would be appreciated. I would rather write lines for Zecora all day!