The Rise of Spike the Dragon

By: MasterBrony Forever

I would like to thank Vynn the Ocarinist for Pre-Reading & 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.

True to her word, Celestia arrived the next day to help retrieve Spike. She had even gathered a hoof full of Royal Guard for assistance, which consisted of three earth ponies, three unicorns, and three pegasi. She had sent the pegasi to scout ahead, while the remainder of her guards stayed by her side as she awaited the arrival of the elements of harmony, who were to meet her outside the everfree forest.

They had arrived far sooner than Celestia had originally thought, proving their determination to find and apologize to Spike for what they had done. They set off one final time, hoping to find Spike and convince him to come home. If he refused, Celestia had every intention to bring him back by force.

Meanwhile, Spike was patrolling the forest for any possible threats to himself and his new friends. Everything seemed quite peaceful, which isn’t normal this far into the Everfree.

“Something’s not right,” Spike said to himself.

He looked up and saw three pegasi in gleaming gold armor flying over head. They looked as if they were scanning the area for something...or some dragon. Spike instantly pieced together what was happening and rushed back to the cave.

“Guys, we have to leave. Like, now!” Spike said frantically.

“Woah, calm down dude,” Night said, “What’s so important that we need to leave.”

“Do you remember when I told you about Celestia, being able to raise the sun and all?”

“Yeah,” Cobalt said from her upside down position on the couch.

“Well, her guards are combing the forest! Twilight must have told her I ran off, and now she’s coming to bring me back.”

Their eyes grew to twice their normal size. They knew how powerful Celestia from what Spike had told them. If she was coming after him, they would have to get out as fast as possible to avoid capture.

“You heard the drake,” Glamour said. “Grab only the essentials and lets get moving.”

They each grabbed something that they could carry stuff in and packed what they could. Food and blankets were of the utmost importance. Food for obvious reasons, and the blankets to keep them warm at night. They were, after all, cold blooded. Too much exposure to the cold night air would be fatal.

“We aren’t too far from the border of Equestria. Celestia has no power over us beyond that point. If we make it there in time, we will be completely safe.” Spike said, throwing a few gems onto a table cloth and fastening it into a sling.

“Spike, that’s a cliff! We would never survive a drop like that!” Lux said in shock that he would suggest just a deadly getaway.

“Trust me,” Spike said, “We’ll be fine if we move now!”

After seeing the look of determination in Spike’s eyes, Lux needed no further convincing. She nodded and continued to grab what she could carry. Once they were ready, they headed toward their objective, moving as fast as they could to escape from Celestia’s search.

In the sky above the Everfree, the Royal Guards noticed a shifting in the trees. They dove in for a closer look and saw their target: a small purple dragon with green spikes. They nodded toward each other before heading back to inform the princess of the location of the young drake. However, they had failed to notice the five other dragons following his lead.

“Thank you,” Celestia said. “You are dismissed.” The guards bowed and took off back to Canterlot.

“Good news, I hope?” Twilight asked, stepping forward.

“We know where Spike is. Follow me,” Celestia ordered as she charged into the forest, using her magic to clear a path as she moved.

The girls had never seen Celestia like this before, but they didn’t care as long as it meant bringing Spike back home.

Spike and company arrived at the border; a cliff leading into the wastelands. Beyond it was the remainder of the Everfree and then wide open plains. Numerous mountains and volcanoes could be seen in the far distance.Spike looked down to see a large body of water at the bottom, calculating their likelihood of surviving such a drop. He figured their scales were strong enough to absorb at least most of the force, and ultimately decided that they would survive.

“Okay, we’re going to aim for that lake down there,” Spike said turning to the others, “When I say, we al-” Spike immediately stopped when he heard the rustling of nearby trees. He knew exactly who it was and silently told his friends to hide in a nearby bush.

“Stay here. If I get taken I want you all to jump and get away.” Spike ordered before stepping out of the bush to find the ponies whom he despised searching for him near the clearing.

“You’re crazy,” Cobalt said. “We aren't going to leave you to get taken by these ponies.”

“That wasn't a suggestion, Cobalt. That was an order. Now keep your heads down and voices low. They’re almost here.” Spike barked, just loud enough for Cobalt to hear.

The trees moved aside allowing Celestia, Twilight, Rarity, and the others to step into the clearing. They all gasped when they noticed the drake in front of them. He had changed, but not beyond the point of recognition. Celestia’s guards took positions to take down Spike if such action was required.

“S-Spike!” Twilight shouted in glee as she galloped forward to hug the dragon.

Before she could get close, he held his palm up, “Don’t come any closer.”

She skidded to a halt, heartbroken that her number one assistant was still furious with her.

“Please Spike, come home. We miss you,” Twilight said, tears forming in her eyes.

“Darling please, we are terrible sorry for how we treated you,” Rarity said.

“If that were true, you wouldn't have treated me the way you did,” Spike scoffed as he began to pace. “I was wrangled like a pig in the Iron Hooves Competition; wasn’t given the chance to see Rainbow Dash off when she went to the Wonderbolt Academy; and I haven’t been able to attend any of Twilight's parties! In fact, I don’t think I’ve been invited to more than four of Pinkie’s parties since I moved to Ponyville! You’d think that I would have been thrown a party after I saved the Crystal Kingdom, but no. Instead you broke into a musical number about how Twilight passed her test. I was left at the library during baker's competition, and left on a melting piece of ice, only to fall into a freezing lake during my first winter wrap up here. You do realize that I’m cold blooded, right? I could have died!”

The girls winced after each new point Spike that brought up, particularly at that last one.

“We didn’t mean it Spike,” Pinkie said in her usual cheerful tone, “We just forgot, is all.” The other girls nodded in agreement.

“Oh so I’m easily forgettable,” Spike said glaring at mares in front of him.

They instantly regretted agreeing with Pinkie’s comment, and Pinkie regretted making it.

Applejack stepped forward, “That’s not what we meant,” she said frantically.

“Sure sounded like you did,” Spike said his anger growing slightly.

Celestia knew this wasn’t going to get any better any time soon, and decided to step in. “Spike, stop this foalishness at once! You must return to being Twilight’s assistant.”

“Am I really her assistant? Or would ‘slave’ be the better term?” Spike said meeting her gaze without showing a hint of fear.

“I have been pranked and made a foal of,” He pointed to Pinkie and Rainbow Dash, “Treated like a baby that could barely do anything on his own,” Applejack and Fluttershy, “ and have been lead on, neglected, and used,” Twilight and Rarity.

“But no more! I am my own dragon, and I have new frie-” He was cut short by Celestia wrapping her magic around him. He was tied by Celestia’s golden magical energy field and began to struggle to break free.

“You are going home, now!” Celestia said forcefully.

NightStalker and the others were in shock at what they were seeing. Cobalt stood up, wanting to charge out there and save Spike, but was held back by Lux and Scout. Cobalt cursed under her breath, knowing she wouldn’t be able to do anything to help.

“LET ME GO!” Spike barked. Just then, his eyes began to glow with an immense green light. Celestia magic field around the young drake broke as Spike let loose a wave of energy.

Twilight, her friends, and the guards were all knocked back onto their flanks. As they stood up, the Elements of Harmony took a step back in shock and fear of what was transpiring. Spike’s body was surrounded in a thin green field of magic that burned like fire. The guards moved into a defensive position in front of the princess.

NightStalker felt a shock of electricity go through his head. He was receiving orders from Spike, but it didn’t sound like the same Spike from a moments ago. He sounded much older, with a certain commanding yet friendly tone. The others were still in shock at what was happening to Spike when another surprise was dumped on them as Night’s eyes began to glow as well.

“Yes, sir” was all he said as his voice deepened, and his claws and tail grew longer and sharper. He stabbed them into the earth, and his shadow stretched across the ground making it’s way to the ponies. It did so without attracting any attention, and took control of their shadows.

Spike dropped to the ground as the magical aura he had been giving off dissipated. Celestia shook off the shock and made a move to grab Spike, but was paralyzed with her magic somehow completely blocked off. She then turned her head, but it wasn’t her own doing. Her head was forcibly turned to see the girls and her guards in a similar state. Her head was then turned downward to see a shadow with a twisted smile. It was moving it’s hands one would when controlling a puppet.

“What happened?” Spike said, as he shook out of his dazed state. He looked over to the ones who had come to drag him home to find them frozen in place. “Whatever it was, I am glad that it happened,” Spike said as he dashed off.

“Spike, please come back!” Twilight called after him.

Spike ignored her and jumped in the bushes. NightStalker had passed out from the sudden rise in power, and the others were carrying him to the cliff. Scout and Cobalt jumped as soon as they reached the edge, cascading down into the water. Lux was holding NightStalker in her arms as Scout took his own dive. She looked to Spike as he nodded, then took her leap over the edge with Night in her arms.

Only Glamour and Spike were left at the top of the cliff. Spike could tell that she was deathly scared by how her legs were trembling.

Spike took her hand and said “Trust me” as he pulled her close, his hand around her back.

Glamour was blushing like crazy, and all she could do was whisper “I trust you.”

Spike cleared his mind of all he had known of Twilight and her friends, Ponyville, Canterlot, and Equestria as a whole. He wouldn’t be needing it where he was going. He hoped that his calculations were correct and they would survive once they reached the bottom.

He glanced through an open space in the bushes, taking one one final look at the struggling ponies he had known. They became nothing but fading memories as he watched them all pass out, one by one, from whatever dark power was controlling them.

He turned away and into Glamour gorgeous eyes. Without breaking eye contact or adjusting his hold on her, they took their leap.

NEW CHAPTER!

Thanks for those who have the patients to wait for chapters. I do have some reminiscence of a life I would love to stay a part of, so I can't be writing new chapters all day. No matter how much I want to.

If you are loyal reader, and really enjoy the story you would be able to wait for the next chapter. This gives you time to speculate what might happen, and enjoy it when it is out.

Thanks again everypony!