Chapter 12: Molt Down
On a clear day, Spike, Rarity and Ember were walking through a forest. But for some reason, Spike had his right hand on his face.
"I do appreciate you showing the way to the Phoenix nests, Spike." Said Rarity.
"Yeah. I've always heard of them being in this spot close to the Dragon Lands. I never would've thought I would see them up close." Ember added with a smile.
"Anything for you, Ember and Rarity." Spike said while he had his right hand to hide his right cheek. "Besides, I've been meaning to visit Peewee."
Rarity was slightly confused when she noticed Spike with his hand on his face. Ember noticed as well.
"He really was an excellent pet. I can't imagine why you set him free." Rarity said as she and Ember turned to Spike while looking at him with suspicion.
Spike looked nervous as he turned away from them.
"Phoenixes aren't meant to be domesticated." Spike scooting a bit. "Even in the wild, they like to keep to themselves."
At that point, Rarity and Ember are now suspicious.
"Really? So then why aren't you happy to lead us there?" Ember asked with a suspicious glare.
The glare from her made Spike look away nervously.
"Well, they are beautiful." Rarity said, trying to look at what was going on with his face. But Spike keeps turning as she begins to pace and Ember was trying to figure out what was wrong. "A few of their feathers will add just the right splash color to my latest-" Then suddenly, Rarity uses her magic to grab and hold him in mid air with an annoyed look. "Spike! What are you doing?"
"Uh, nothing!" Spike replied back as Rarity stopped using her magic and the baby dragon turned away from the marshmallow pony including Ember.
"Is there something wrong with your face?" Rarity asked as she pointed at Spike's cheek he was hiding with his right hand.
"Spike, It would be better to tell us, instead of us forcing you." Said Ember gently yet firmly. "Because these things don't really work out that well."
Knowing Ember was right, Spike soon sighed in defeat since there was no way of talking his way out of it.
"It's a stone scale. It isn't magical or anything like the call of the Dragon Lord. It's just... red. And itchy. And embarrassing." Spike explained as he scratched his cheek.
He soon reveals his stone scale and it's all red and swollen. It was pushing up a scale under it and it was near his eye.
Ember saw this and looked at it for a moment as if she saw this sort of thing.
"Ooh, precious pants, that does look uncomfortable." Said Rarity. "But even I get the odd blemish from time to time. It's nothing to be embarrassed by." They soon began walking. "You could pay Zecora a visit. She makes a cream that works wonders." She remembered something else about the remover potion that happened to her hair as she added quickly. "Just don't get the shampoo."
When they arrived at the phoenix' nest, they saw Peewee's mother perched in it as his father joined his mate and they nuzzled each other lovingly.
"There's Peewee's parents!" Spike said, pointing at them as Rarity smiled at the sight while Ember gazed at them in amazement. Spike then noticed they were missing one phoenix short. "But I don't see Peewee."
"Oh, maybe he moved out." Rarity said thoughtfully. "Everypony has to leave the nest at some point."
Then suddenly, a third Phoenix soared right past them with a screech. Seeing him, Spike immediately recognized who it was"Peewee!" Spike called.
Peewee, now a young mature Phoenix, was about to enter his nest which is not too far from his parents. Then approached Spike, and the two hugged each other. But then Peewee accidentally pressed his beak on Spike's stone scale.
"Ouch!" Spike breaking free in pain.
The sudden jolt was enough to make Peewee fly off. As Spike started scratching his stone scale, Rarity gathered the 2 feathers that Peewee left behind. Rarity and Ember notice Spike's condition.
"You know, Spike. You probably should do something about that stone scale because if you don't, you might get more of them." Ember advised with a concerned look.
"Yes, Spike. Perhaps you should pay Zecora a visit sooner rather than later." Rarity suggested in agreement with the blue dragon as Spike sighed depressingly.
"I don't want anypony else to see this. Besides, I'm sure it'll clear up after a good night's sleep." Spike said with a hopeful smile as Rarity rolled her eyes unamusingly.
Ember still had her eyes on the stone scale with suspicion.
"Yeah, some reason I have my doubts." Said Ember while gazing at the stone scale thoughtfully.
(Scene changes)
The next day, Spike was peacefully asleep in his room with his blanket wrapped around him while his tail was sticking out. The door to his room opened as Twilight and Chase saw him.
"We can't believe you're still asleep!" Twilight exclaimed in disbelief.
"Come on, buddy! Wake up. It's time to teach class." Chase said, wanting the baby dragon to wake up as Spike groans in his sleep.
"Just five more minutes..." Spike replied back sleepily before he tucked his tail in as Twilight and Chase walked up to him while using their magic to open the curtains.
"It's nearly noon, and you promised to help us with our lecture for class today!" Twilight said with worry, not wanting to miss her chance to begin her class lecture.
"Noon? Whoa!" Spike said, now awake as he rubbed his eyes. "I slept like a rock! Which reminds me - all that sleep probably cleared up my stone scale!"
When Spike turned to them, Twilight then gasped in shock.
"Whoa!" Chase said in surprise.
"Um, on second thought... Twilight said as she chuckled nervously. "You can go back to sleep if you want."
Sensing something's wrong, Spike starts feeling his face and then heads to a mirror.
"Wait, Spike. Spike, don't!" Chase shouted, trying to stop him.
But it was too late, Spike looked at himself and his face is now covered in dozens of stone scales as then he screams in horror.
*Main theme*
Once Spike was done screaming, he began to frantically close the curtains and went under his blanket.
"Spike, what are you doing?" Twilight asked as she and Chase sat down beside him.
"Hiding from my hideous face!" Spike answered bitterly with his voice muffled.
"Hiding? From your own shadow?" Chase said in disbelief as if it was ridiculous. "Come on, Spike. It's just part of growing up."
"I don't see that happening to me, Chase." Spike replied back angrily. "I'm not going anywhere until I'm normal again!"
Chase looked at him with a smirk.
"I'm sure it feels terrible, but it's just a breakout." Said Twilight as she patted Spike's blanket form before she smiled. "It's not the end of the world."
"Yeah. I mean, come on, Spike. Don't you think you're overreacting?" Chase asked.
"That's easy for you guys to say." Spike said, poking his head out. "Your faces aren't covered in itchy red spots!"
He then starts scratching his face like mad as if there was a feast of Mosquitoes just left.
"I used to get terrible breakouts any time I had a final exam with Celestia." Said Twilight. She added in jealousy. "Who probably never had to blemish her whole life."
"Uh, honey." Chase said with a smirk as Twilight turned to her husband. "That was probably because she was always good at being the mischievous one in her family and probably was teasing you."
Twilight smiled at her husband sheepishly.
"Well, I'm not in magic school." Spike said as he continued to scratch his face.
"No, but these things can be stress-related." Twilight said before she added with a smirk. "And you did spend yesterday with Ember and Rarity."
"That is true." Chase added with a smirk as Spike cringed, knowing they were right since the two girls saw his stone scale.
"What could possibly be stressful about that?" Spike asked with a nervous chuckle while hiding himself in his blanket.
Chase and Twilight gave him an unamused look as they groaned while rolling their eyes.
"You could try Zecora." Twilight suggested as she opened the curtains. "She makes a cream that-"
"Works wonders. I've heard." Spike said as he gets up, making Twilight widen her eyes, and approach the mirror while the alicorn couple watches him look at himself in his reflection. He then glares at himself stubbornly. "But I'm not leaving the castle until my face is back to its adorable self."
He then tries to pop a stone scale like how someone would do with a pimple. But then he winced in pain, most likely a reason that the only difference is that a stone scale is deeply rooted in his skin as Twilight and Chase approached him annoyingly.
"Fine. But you're still gonna help us practice our lecture." Twilight said as she used her magic to hand him her and Chase's notes.
Spike groans and picks up a flash card as Twilight clears her throat.
"The element of generosity and its importance in relation to the other Elements of Harmony-" Twilight was cut off when she and Chase felt a huge gust of flame behind them as their eyes widened in shock.
When the flame was gone, they turned around to find Spike with a hand over his mouth and holding the ashes of their notes. Twilight gasped in horror as she and Chase rushed up to Spike.
"Our lecture!" Twilight cried in horror as she used her magic to drop the ashes to the ground.
"Spike, what did you do?!" Chase asked in surprise as Twilight lightly nudged the small pile.
"I don't know what happened!" Spike said. "I just had a sudden case of-"
Spike then gags, and Twilight quickly teleports away while Chase front flips over Spike as the baby dragon lets out a massive stream of fire. When he was done, Chase landed behind him as Twilight came back with a fire extinguisher and then sprayed the baby dragon with cream.
"Indigestion." Spike finished as he looked guilty while turning to the alicorn couple. "I'm so sorry!"
Spike looks down in shame while Twilight sighed.
"It's okay. I'm sure Chase and I can rewrite the lecture from my notes." Twilight assured Spike as she brought out some flash cards. "I have a lot."
"I wonder why." Chase added with a smirk as Twilight smiled embarrassingly at her husband.
"I can help you with-" Spike offered, but Twilight quickly pulled back the notes in case lets out another fire burp.
"Maybe you should leave the castle after all." Said Twilight nervously. "And go somewhere less. flammable?"
Spike sighs.
"Spike, it's just to keep you from burning the castle down." Said Chase. "I'm sure it will end soon."
But Spike didn't listen as he walked away.
(Scene changes)
Unknown to them, they were being watched by Kai as he observed everything by using a green flame that was hovering in mid air in front of him.
He smirked evilly as he used his right hand to extinguish the flame.
"Well, now that Spike has begun to take the molt effect, this will be the perfect opportunity to end his pathetic existence for good." Kai said with a sinister smirk before he turned to a group of five Protoquin soldiers. "You. Find that meddlesome brat and get one of the world's largest predators so it can enjoy a delicious dragon meal."
The Protoquin soldiers bowed in respect before they went off to find one of Equestria's giant predators.
As they walked out of the lair to find Spike, Tai Lung and Lightning Dust approached him.
"And if we get the chance to get to the artifacts in time to begin the ritual, we still need to know where those ponies are keeping them safe from harm." Tai Lung said to Kai, who turned back to him.
"Don't worry, my friend." Kai said sinisterly as he turned to the School of Friendship. "When you're talking about revenge, every last school… counts!"
Kai stabs a dagger onto the picture frame as he chuckles evilly.
(Scene changes)
Now wearing a coat, hat and glasses to hide himself. Spike is on the walkway of the School of Friendship. He then looks himself in the water.
"Hey there, not handsome." Spike greeted his reflection depressingly.
"Oh, Spike!" A singsongy voice called, startling Spike in the process.
The baby dragon looked over and saw Rarity waving. He quickly puts his glasses back on just as Rarity approaches him.
"My, what a fetching ensemble you put together." Said Rarity, looking at Spike's trench coat, hat, and sunglasses. "Very noir-esque." She giggled. "I believe Shadow Spade herself would approve."
"Uh, thanks." Spike said, quickly walking away from her to make it to the school but the marshmallow pony caught up to him.
"But I wonder if you wouldn't mind taking it off." Rarity said, shocking Spike in the process.
"What? Oh, I, uh... I..." Spike said and then muttered something.
"Sorry, you'll have to speak up." Rarity said, not catching it. "My ears are a little bit clogged or something. It's just that I absolutely must have a model for my Phoenix feather dress, and nopony else is available."
"Sorry, Rarity, but I... I am super busy all day giving... tours of the school!" Spike trying to avoid being seen.
"Really?" Called a voice.
They looked and saw Pinkie leading a group of tourists showing them the school.
"I thought I was giving tours today." Said Pinkie. "Guess not. Free day! Wee! Woo-hoo!"
She then hops away as the tourists turned to Spike, who regrets saying that as he squats down while Rarity watches.
(Scene changes)
Soon, Spike was leading the group showing them around. But Spike was in a hurry to get this done, and trying to finish as fast as possible.
"Classrooms are that way." Spike said quickly. "Dorms are that way. Twilight's office is up there. This is a fountain."
"Could you slow down a bit?" A tour pony asked. "We've come a long way to see the school, and I don't wanna miss anything."
"Oh. Um, yeah." Spike said, scratching himself. "Sorry."
"I-Is something wrong?" The tour pony asked a little concern.
"What Why? No!" Spike said as he got back to scratching.
"Uh, do all the dragons at this school suffer from scale issues?" The tour pony asked again.
"I don't know." Spike said a low rasped voice.
No one caught that, even Spike was surprised by that.
"What?" The tour pony asked, not catching it.
"I don't... know!" Spike said, almost losing his voice.
"I-I'm sorry, did-did you say "firework show" ?" The tour pony asked again.
Spike couldn't take it anymore as if the stone scales weren't the only problem he was having.
"I said... I DON'T KNOW!" Spike's voice suddenly rang loud.
He soon began to lead the tour group, and the tour pony got up.
(Scene changes)
Meanwhile, in the school library students were during their own thing. During their studies, putting books up or reading. And soon Spike arrives with the tourist group.
"THIS IS THE SCHOOL LIBRARY!" Spike shouted for some reason. "IT'S ONE OF THE MOST SERENE SPOTS ON CAMPUS, WHERE STUDENTS CAN SPEND TIME IN QUIET REFLECTION OF STUDY!" The tourists looked at him. "WHAT?!"
Then behind him, Nyx, Smolder, Sandbar, Yona, Mako, Korra, and Bolin approach from behind him.
"Spike!" Nyx said in annoyance. "What are you doing?! You have to be quiet! This is a library where it is supposed to be where students study."
"Yeah. Nyx is helping us out right now. Could you please stop shouting?" Smolder asked. "We're trying to do our homework, and it's kind of distracting."
"WAS I SHOUTING?!" Spike shouted, not noticing that.
Everyone nods.
Spike clears his throat, and finally speaks normally.
"I have idea what you're talking- Ulp!" Spike said before he gags a bit.
"Spike? Are you... Feeling okay?" Bolin asked, concerned.
Then suddenly, Spike let out a huge fire burp, burning his disguise to ashes. It showed that Spike is now covered in stone scales on his body.
"Whoa, Spike! What happened to you?!" Mako asked surprised.
Spike got up and saw his disguise gone and soon he ran away, leaving Nyx concerned about this.
"Spike! Wait! Come back!" Nyx cried out, flying after him.
"What happen to him?" Korra questioned, concernedly about the baby dragon.
Then Smolder raised an eyebrow, seemingly familiar with his condition.
(Scene changes)
In the hallways, Nyx was searching through the school trying to find Spike, but found no trace of him.
"Spike!" Nyx called out. "Where are you?" She opens the door to a closet, but finds nothing. "Are you in here?"
Nyx closes the doors and continues to look for the baby dragon. It was then she felt a presence behind her as she turned to see Korra and Smolder coming up to her.
"Did you find Spike anywhere, Nyx?" Korra asked with a concerned look on her face.
"No. Wherever he is, he sure is good at hiding." Nyx commented in reply as she looked around for Spike in concern.
"Well, we better find him before he gets even worse than ever." Smolder said firmly as the three flew into the air to find Spike.
Just as the three passed the third corridor, they heard and spotted the burping noise and dragon flames being unleashed behind the janitor closet before they approached it. Smolder opened it as they found an annoyed and upset Spike.
"If you're trying to hide, you need to do a better job. All we had to do was follow the smoke." Smolder commented teasingly as she, Nyx, and Korra entered inside while the orange dragon slightly leaned to the side, pointing at the black smoke.
Spike saw this and he annoyingly waved the black smoke off as Smolder closed the door. But Spike wasn't in the best mood as he glared at his three friends.
"Leave me alone!" Spike shouted but in a low yet strained voice.
"What?" Smolder asked as she couldn't hear it.
"Huh?" Nyx said curiously, not getting either.
"What did you say?" Korra asked as well since she wasn't getting it either.
"Leave! Me! Alone!" Spike shouted yet still in his low voice.
"We can't under... Was that 'sleeves made of foam'?" Smolder asked in confusion.
"Or was it 'cheese came from gum'?" Nyx asked curiously.
"Or maybe 'please be going home'?" Korra asked with a confused look.
Annoyed and irritated, Spike couldn't take it anymore.
"I said, leave…" Spike snapped in a low voice. He shouted in a normal tone, "...me alone!"
Suddenly, feeling another gastric and pain in his stomach, Spike accidentally unleashed his big Dragon Flames, burning down the sweeping brooms, mop and scrubbing brooms to ashes. At the same time, Smolder, Nyx, and Korra barely dodged the flames as they flew up to the ceiling for the cover. Seeing how much damage the place is, Spike sighed in frustration over his uncontrollable Dragon Flames.
"Whoa! That was hot!" Nyx exclaimed in shock as Smolder laughed while clinging to the ceiling.
"Wow!" Smolder commented impressively. "I have seen some pretty bad molts in my time, but yours takes the cake!"
"So that's what you're having trouble with, Spike!" Korra said with an amazed grin. "I've seen this before with my family in the White Lotus clan."
"Molts?" Spike asked in confusion.
"What's that, guys?" Nyx asked curiously as she landed next to Spike.
Korra and Smolder landed before them.
"The Molt? Super painful stone scales?" Korra explained.
"Fire burps?" Smolder explained as well. "Uncontrollable volume shifts? It's all part of growing up dragon. Congrats!"
Just as Smolder gave a happy slap on Spike's back, he yelped and winced in pain, feeling the ache on it.
"Oh. Sorry." Smolder apologized sheepishly as Spike began to panic worriedly.
Despite the pain he has, he has more concerning matters to deal with it – the dragon growth.
"No-no-no-no-no." Spike panicked in fear, "The last time I grew up, I turned into a giant greedy monster."
"Greed-induced bigness. That's totally different." Smolder explained calmly, "The molt is completely normal. Every dragon goes through it. Pretty soon, you'll leave and strike out on your own."
"Why would I do that?" Spike asked confusingly.
"Have you been living with ponies your whole life?" Smolder asked in disbelief.
"Uh-huh." Spike responded back with a nod of his head.
"Headmare Twilight and Headstallion Chase told me about it, Smolder." Korra said to remind Smolder. "I guess this is what happens when you don't live with your own kind."
"Oh, right, Korra." Smolder said and nodded in realization before she explained further. "Well, in the Dragon Lands, a molter's loved ones kicks them out at the first stone scale."
"What? Why?" Spike asked in shock and surprise.
"It's biological, Spike. I read that in the White Lotus clan, dragons going through this state have to stay somewhere safe until it wears off."
"Yeah." Smolder added in agreement. "We call it the 'molt effect'. I haven't even told you about the smell."
"Smell?" Spike asked before he sniffed on his body. He groaned in disgust, "Ugh! Korra, isn't there any way you can help me with this? Like scratch them until they go away?"
Spike looked at Korra with hope and concern, but the alicorn filly simply shook her head in reply.
"It's not that simple, Spike. The stone scales won't go away like that quickly until the molt stage is complete." Korra explained, much to Spike's displeasure.
"Yeah. I mean, I love my brother and all, but one whiff, and I was all 'See ya!' That happens to me too." Smolder teasingly remarked. She then sniffed on Spike's body before she retracted in disgust. "Speaking of which…"
"Yeah, we should leave too." Korra said as she and Nyx were about to follow Smolder when Spike grabbed the orange dragon by the tail, gaining their attention.
"Wait! Does the molt effect happen to ponies too?" Spike asked in concern while thinking of what happened today. He gasped. "Twilight and Chase already asked me to leave the castle today. If they kick me out, where am I gonna live? I'm too young to grow up!"
"Spike, calm down!" Nyx said as Smolder broke her tail free from Spike's grasp. "I don't think Mom and Dad would do that. They probably just said that so that you wouldn't burn down our home."
"Yeah. I'm sure you'll find a nice..." Smolder said with a playful shrug. She then listed down what dragons can do, "...hoard of gems to guard or a village to terrorize. Oh, now that dragons and ponies are friends, I guess that's off the table."
"So no creature's gonna wanna be around me?" Spike asked depressingly.
"Well, not exactly. You see, that molt stench also has an effect on other creatures too." Korra answered with concern.
"Yeah, we didn't say that." Smolder added. "That molt stench is a magnet for predators. Tatzlwurms, hydras, not sure about Quinkan monsters, rocs..."
Spike and Nyx frowned as if they misheard the last part.
"Dragons are scared of rocks?" Spike asked confusingly.
"What's threatening about a rock?" Nyx asked curiously.
"Not the stone part, you guys." Korra explained with a shake of her head. "We mean a giant predatory bird."
"Exactly, Korra. R-O-C-S. Rocs? Humongous Saddle Arabia birds of prey that can snack on a molting dragon like candy!" Smolder added as she hovered in the air with a devious smirk with her claws out to Spike, scarring him in the process, before she landed beside Korra.
"So Twilight and Chase are kicking me out, and the only creatures who don't find me disgusting want to eat me?" Spike asked in fear with a low voice.
"Seriously, we heard none of that." Smolder said with a shrug.
"Twilight and Chase are kicking me out, and the only creatures who don't find me disgusting want to eat me?!" Spike screamed in a loud voice.
"Congrats!" Smolder replied back with a grin when they heard the door opening as they turned to Pinkie poking her head in.
"HEY! IS THIS THE SHOUTING CLOSET?! BECAUSE I'VE GOT A FREE DAY, AND I'M TOTALLY UP FOR SOME SHOUTING!" Pinkie shouted with a big smile. She then smelled something. "Also, where's that brussel-sprouts-covered-in-cotton-candy smell coming from? Because it is really interesting."
"Pinkie, you're not supposed to be on a free day. You were instructed to do tours today." Nyx said sternly. "Spike didn't know you were doing it."
Hearing this made Pinkie drop her smile as she realized this was a big misunderstanding.
"Oh, right. Sorry. I'll get the tours back on schedule. See ya around!" Pinkie said as she left to go finish up the tours.
As she left, Spike was still worried about how long it will be for how long this will last.
"Maybe you should see Zecora to cure your stench, Spike." Nyx said to Spike. "You should get Daddy, Uncle Sunray, Aunt Jewel, Trini, and Antonio. They'll be able to help you."
Spike looked at Nyx for a moment before he sighed, knowing there was nothing left for him to do.
(Scene changes)
In the dojo of the school, Sunray was punching the practice dummy whereas Chase was meditating with Jade while Trini was painting element symbols and Antonio was reading a comic book.
While they were busy doing their usual activities, Sunray stopped when he smelled something in the air.
"Hey, guys. Did we forget to take out the garbage today?" Sunray asked his family, who turned to him curiously before they smelled the same odor in the air and they coughed in repulse.
"Whew! What is that smell?" Jade said in disgust as she held her nose.
"Antonio, what did you eat?!" Chase asked Antonio as his older cousin turned to him.
"Don't look at me!" Antonio protested with an honest tone as he raised his front hooves defensively. "I haven't eaten anything since breakfast."
The doors opened to reveal Spike coming in.
"Hey, Chase." Spike said miserably, gaining Chase and his family's attention.
"Spike, what are you doing here? You should be-" Chase was cut off when he noticed the baby dragon's poor condition. "Whoa! What the heck happened to you?"
"Spike, why are you covered with stone scales?" Jade asked with concern as she and her family approached the baby dragon as he continued to scratch himself like crazy.
"The molt effect is really starting to kill me!" Spike answered as he continued to scratch himself.
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio looked at him in slight confusion.
"Molt effect? What's that?" Chase asked curiously.
"Agh!" Spike grunted as he continued to scratch himself madly. "Smolder and Korra told me that it's part about growing up! And I need your help to get me to Zecora before it's too late!"
"Wait, what are you-?" Trini was about to ask when she was cut off as Jade approached Spike.
"Hold on, guys. I think Spike is right." Jade said as she knelt down to examine Spike further. She turns back to her family. "I think I found this in one of the dragonology books Pakku gave us to study on dragons. Has Smolder really told you about this before Spike?"
She turns her attention back to Spike, who nodded in reply.
"And I don't have time left before… augh!" Spike grunted, scratching his back before Jade used her magic to stop.
"Okay, okay!" Jade said as she stopped using her magic. "You gotta stop scratching yourself. It will only make it worse than ever."
"I can't help it! It's driving me crazy!" Spike argued as he twinged a bit. "Please! You guys gotta help me! I need to get to Zecora and see if she might have a cure for me! Please!"
Chase looked at him with concern before he turns to the rest of his family, who nodded to him since the zebra might have something for him. He sighed heavily, knowing it might be the best option.
"Alright, Spike. We'll take you to her." Chase said to Spike. "But remember, you gotta take it easy. Okay?"
Spike smiled happily before he gagged up a bit. Seeing another flame coming out him, Chase and his family jumped out of the way as Spike blasted another fire burp and burned one of the training dummies.
Chase and his family regrouped with Spike as they watched the flames died down a bit.
"We better do this fast before you get unwanted attention to yourself." Chase advised firmly as Spike nodded in agreement.
(Scene changes)
A little while later, the five ponies brought Spike to Zecora to see if she can help him.
"I didn't know where else to go." Spike explained to Zecora. "I can't take the chance that Twilight and Chase will kick me out."
"Spike, I told you we just didn't want you to burn down the castle. We also didn't want you to burn the school either." Chase said to Spike.
"I still feel like it's not enough to help me, Chase." Spike argued miserably as he turned to Zecora. "You aren't feeling any molt effects, are you?"
"She might not have a problem with that." Jade said gently as Zecora examined him, she cringed from the smell..
"When it comes to breakouts, I've seen all circumstances. But as with the molt smell..." Zecora answered as she then put on nose plugs. "...let's not take any chances."
"If you got anything that might cure him, there has to be an answer." Chase said with a hopeful look he shared with his family as Spike scratches himself.
"Is there anything you can do to cure me?" Spike added as well.
"The aliments you have aren't something to cure. The molt's a condition that dragons endure." Zecora answered.
"But if anypony sees or smells right now, they'll be so grossed out, they'll avoid me forever!" Spike replied back worriedly as he scratched a bit again.
"Well, except for the part of giant predatory birds looking for a quick bite to eat a dragon." Antonio whispered to himself as his family glared at him.
"Perhaps we can lessen this strange molt effect. The smell is the most likely cause, I suspect." Zecora replied back.
"It's all so embarrassing." Spike in a low voice.
"I know you are speaking, but I can't hear a thing." Zecora said, not catching it. "Are you talking about teaching asparagus to sing?"
"He said it's embarrassing." Sunray answered for Spike. "It might be best if you block the shouting, Zecora."
Spike nodded as well as Zecora understood and placed some cotton in her ears to muffle the shouting.
"If the goal is to not have your friends all depart, perhaps your volume is where we should start." Zecora said as Spike felt his stomach rumble.
"Oh no." Spike said in worry and fear.
Then Zecora quickly places Spike in front of her cauldron, and he unleashes a powerful stream of fire.
"Well, I guess you won't have to worry about lighting up your firewood anymore. Right, Zecora?" Trini asked with a sheepish smile of almost getting burned as the zebra turned to her with a smirk in reply while Spike sighed hopelessly.
"Zecora! Hello? Are you there?" Called a familiar voice from outside.
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio flinched in surprise while Spike panicked.
"That must be Rarity." Jade said shockingly. "If she sees Spike like this, she'll freak out."
"I CAN'T LET RARITY SEE ME LIKE THIS! PLEASE DON'T LET HER KNOW I'M HERE!" Spike begged.
"Don't worry, little buddy. We'll hide you somewhere." Chase said reassuringly to Spike as Zecora turned to the door.
Outside, Rarity was at the entrance of the hut while knocking on the door. Zecora answered it as she saw the marshmallow pony standing at the entrance.
"OH, DEAR! I'M TALKING EVEN LOUDER THAT I THOUGHT, AREN'T I?!" Rarity yelled out for some reason.
Chase and his family cringed from how loud Rarity was talking as they were clinging to the ceiling while sticking to the shadows.
"Please tell me Rarity might not have heard your voice when you met up with her at the school, Spike." Chase pleaded as Spike, who was hiding in a basket, smiled sheepishly and the five unicorns glared at him annoyingly, knowing that since his voice was muffled Rarity might think she can't hear anything.
"I have volume concerns today by the scores." Said Zecora. "But it seems that I'm ready to help you with yours."
"EH, I-I'M SORRY?! I CAN'T SEEM TO HEAR ANYTHING! I WAS HOPING YOU COULD HELP!" Rarity said as Zecora led the marshmallow pony to where her potions were. "I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED! ONE MINUTE, I WAS SEWING PHOENIX FEATHERS ONTO A DRESS, AND THE NEXT I COULDN'T HEAR MY OWN VOICE!"
That's when Zecora knew the problem.
"Ah, the feathers of that bird can affect ponies' ears. It's a magic ailment I've treated for years." Zecora said as she got to work on the cure.
Meanwhile, Spike peeks out from the basket and sees the two ponies talking with each other before he turns to see Chase shaking his head to him on not going out.
"I ONLY KNOW YOU'RE TALKING 'CAUSE YOUR MOUTH IS GOING UP AND DOWN." Rarity shouted and then smelled something as she gags. "Oh, goodness!" She said in normal volume. "I hope that incredibly pungent odor belongs to some sort of magical curative." She then turns back to see Zecora mixing a potion. "I HOPE YOU'RE NOT BUSY, BUT I MUST HAVE MY HEARING BACK! IT TURNS OUT THAT I TALK TO MYSELF WHILE I SEW, AND WITHOUT THAT CONVERSATION, I SIMPLY CAN'T THINK!"
Chase just facepalmed himself in annoyance, knowing that he'll have to talk with Rarity that she will not have to go near Spike if he might do another molt effect again. Soon Zecora brings out a blue vital.
"It's a simple cure, and the directions are clear. Just one or two drops in each of your ears." Zecora said as Rarity takes the vital with her magic and sighs in relief.
"Oh, thank you. You're an ear saver." Rarity said gratefully. She adds the ear drops in. "OH, AND WHILE I AM HERE, DO YOU HAVE ANY BLEMISH CREAM?! SPIKE IS HAVING SOME SCALE ISSUES!"
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" Spike shouted from the basket as his voice was muffled while Chase and his family cringed in worry.
The 2 glanced over to the basket and inside, Spike had his hands over his mouth.
"I think I heard something!" Rarity gasping hearing right. "YOUR CURE IS WORKING ALREADY!"
Rarity was about to go over to where Spike was hiding, making Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio flinch in fear of what might happen next, but Zecora stopped her.
"The cream that you want is just over here". Zecora said as she guided Rarity to the entrance of the hut. "It's a popular potion for all creatures this year."
Then Spike hop out of the basket, and sneaks away outside as the Elite Ninja sees him leave as Rarity sighs.
"Thank you, Zecora." Rarity said as Zecora turns to Spike and nods for him to leave while the unicorn stylist doesn't notice.
Spike soon gets outside as he hides in the bushes and Rarity steps outside as well.
"I DON'T MEAN TO BE RUDE, BUT I DO THINK YOUR HUT COULD USE AN AIRING OUT!" Rarity said loudly as she left.
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio jumped back onto the ground as they sighed in relief while joining Zecora.
"Now that was pretty close." Chase said with relief as his family nodded in agreement.
"Rarity's gone." Zecora called to Spike, who didn't listen as Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio looked around curiously.
"Spike?" Chase called out.
"There's no need to hide." Zecora said as she and the Elite Ninja began to follow Spike's odored scent to a shaking mask of one of hers. "Though I wonder if we should continue outside. Can't treat your symptoms down there on the ground. It's safe to come out. There's no ponies around."
She then remove the mask off of Spike who is shaking.
"Spike, what are you using one of Zecora's masks to hide for?" Jade asked curiously. "There's nopony or creature to hide from now."
"I'm not hiding from anypony, Jade." Spike answered, much to the confusion of his friends and Zecora as he pointed behind them. "I'm heading from them!"
A few growls were heard from behind Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, Antonio, and Zecora as they turned to see the group of five Protoquin soldiers growling at them with a huge Roc joining them. The Roc screeched loudly.
"It's the Quinkan!" Trini said in alarm.
"And a giant Roc!" Chase added as the others were shocked by this.
"Capture the dragon! His life ends here!" One of the five Protoquin soldiers shouted to the Roc while pointing at Spike.
The Roc screeched loudly and dived down in an attempt to strike the Elite Ninja, Zecora, and Spike, but they managed to out run the giant bird as it grips out a huge amount of dirt on the ground.
"Did I forget to mention the molt smell attracts predators?" Spike said nervously.
"That's something that would've been quite nice to know!" Zecora said. But it's not worth discussing right now! We should go!"
"Right! Come on, let's get out of here!" Chase ordered the group as they made a run for it, but the Roc landed in front of them with a hungry glare before it screeched out loudly and they began to run in the other direction.
As they were fleeing for their lives from the Roc, the huge bird began to follow them. Chase, Jade, and Sunray tossed some shurikens and kunai at the Roc, but the bird dodged them as it continued to follow the ponies, Zecora, and Spike.
"It's only after me!" Spike said. "I'll lead it away while you get help!" Spike then got ahead as Zecora, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio run to the side. "This way, birdy-bird! Molting dragon over here!" They soon went after him. Spike attempts to hide and climb up a tree, but then the Roc rips most of the branches off as the baby dragon pops his head out. "Okay, maybe this wasn't a good plan."
"You can't hide in a tree!" Zecora called from below as Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio joined her. "You have to come down! We stand a much better chance on the ground!"
As Spike manages to sneak off the tree, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio saw the Roc coming at them as they dodged from it's grasp while Zecora was then snatch by the bird's huge talon foot.
"Zecora!" Spike yelled as he shouted demandingly. "Bring her back!"
Then suddenly, Spike started glowing red and starts scratching again as Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio turned to him worriedly.
"Spike, you gotta stop the scratching! If you don't, it could get worst!" Chase said with concern.
"I'm trying, but I can't control myself!" Spike remarked as he continued to scratch like crazy again.
That's when the Protoquins appeared as the five ponies and Spike turned to them in surprise.
"Well, just get out of here while you still can and get to a safe distance until it wears off! We'll handle the Quinkan!" Jade said firmly as she and her family glared at the Protoquin soldiers.
Soon the Roc turns back towards him as it readies his other talons. Then Spike started running as fast as his little legs can take him and then he suddenly crashed into Rarity as he fell on his back.
"Oh, Spike." Rarity said, surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"
"Rarity!" Spike said urgently, getting up and started pushing Rarity away while she wouldn't budge. "You have to get out of here! There's a giant Roc trying to eat me and the Quinkan are here!"
"Yes, what?" Rarity asked, confused before she shouted while holding the vital with her magic, unaware of the circling Roc. "I WAS JUST AT ZECORA'S, BUT I'M HEADING BACK! I CAN'T READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS! DOES THIS SAY "TWO DROPS ONCE A DAY" OR "ONE DROP TWICE A DAY"?!"
"Rarity!" Spike shouted urgently as he pushed the vital down with a worried look. "There's no time! We have to get help!"
"YES, MY EARS ARE COMPLETELY CLOGGED!" Rarity shouted and then noticed Spike's condition as the baby dragon continued to scratch again. "Why, Spike! Your stone scales look worse! Oh, here! I picked up just the thing. Ah."
Rarity brought the jar of cream, but then the Roc snatches both Rarity and Spike in his talons before it flies away as the marshmallow pony screamed the whole time when captured.
"Oh, I wish you'd escaped either claw of this bird!" Zecora said. "But the both of us trapped in the same one's absurd!"
"WHAT?!" Rarity shouted while holding her ear out.
On the ground level, Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio glared at the five Protoquin soldiers as the creatures growled at them menacingly.
"Hand over the dragon, you fools or we will use all force if we have to. Master Kai will make sure that this will end quickly and painlessly." The lead Protoquin soldier said in a raspy voice, but the Elite Ninja just glared at them.
"And what the heck makes you think we'd find that okay?" Chase retorted angrily as he and his family lit their horns, stood on their hind legs as their aura hands replaced their front hooves before they got into fighting stances.
"This is not a negotiation!" One of the Protoquin soldiers shouted with a glare.
"I guess not." Chase sneered while glaring at the monsters as one of them jumped at the alicorn master, who uppercuts him to the chin and it sends the soldier away.
Meanwhile, Spike was hanging by his tail by the giant Roc's toes.
"Let my ponies go!" Spike demanded angrily to the huge eagle.
Then the Roc attempted to snatch Spike in his beak, but it couldn't reach him, and then Spike unleashed his biggest fire stream yet. The sudden surprise was enough for the Roc to release him, but the baby dragon fell as he screamed in horror.
Spike hits a few branches, and then his back grazes against a tree. It was enough to give the baby dragon a good relaxing scratch to the back as he sighed heavenly with a smile once he landed back to the ground, but then he glowed red again. Spike started scratching like he had fleas on him as he scratched his back against the tree as Twilight, Nyx, and Ember appeared.
"Spike, what are you doing?" Twilight asked, a little surprised to see him out here as he turns to face her, Nyx, and Ember.
"And why are you scratching your back against the tree like that?" Ember asked curiously.
"If my stone scales didn't itch so much and we weren't in immediate danger, this would be really embarrassing!" Spike cried and scratched himself.
"Danger?" Twilight and Nyx asked, confused.
"What are you talking about?" Ember asked when a screech was heard, surprising the four as they turned to see the Roc coming in at them.
Twilight quickly teleports them out of the way as the roc snatches the tree with its beak. The four reappeared again while Spike continued to scratch while hopping about.
"Well, we were headed to Zecora's to get some cream for your scales when Ember came to us saying that she wanted to check up on you after getting Smolder's letter." Said Twilight. "I had no idea you were..."
"About to be eaten by a giant predator attracted to my molt smell?!" Spike asked as he scratched like crazy.
"Molt smell?" Twilight questioned when Ember widened her eyes in realization.
"Wait, are you going through the molt effect now?!" Ember asked in surprise and shock. "You shouldn't be out here, Spike! Don't you know that this place is like an open field for predators?!"
"I didn't know what else to do, Ember!" Spike replied back as he continued to scratch like crazy again.
"Well, stop scratching so fast! You could get much worse by now!" Nyx shouted when a screech was heard as they saw the Roc appear again, making Twilight shove Spike out of the way quickly as Nyx and Ember jumped away from the bird's talons as it tried to snatch them before it missed.
"TWILIGHT!" Rarity shouted from the bird's clutches.
"Was that Rarity?" Twilight asked upon hearing Rarity.
"And Zecora!" Said Spike. "I tried to save them, but it's all I can do to stop scratching long enough to dive out of the way when that bird attacks!"
Then Twilight remembered something.
"Wait, where's Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio?" Twilight asked, looking around for any sign of her family members.
"They're fighting the Quinkan Kai sent them!" Spike shouted in worry. "They brought the Roc here so it could eat me."
Twilight glared, angry that Kai has brought the Roc here along with his soldiers to end her family for good and she will not have it.
"Nyx, stay here with Spike!" Twilight instructed her daughter. "Ember and I are gonna get Rarity and Zecora!"
"On it!" Nyx replied back to her mother as she and Ember flew as Twilight uses her magic to shoot at the Roc while Ember fires at the bird with her dragon breath, trying to free Rarity and Zecora.
"THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN IN THE CLUTCHES OF A HORRIBLE GIANT CREATURE, BUT IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER!" Rarity cried while Zecora rolled her eyes from the drama queen.
On the ground, Spike continued to scratch himself with Nyx by his side as they watched Twilight and Ember firing at the Roc in an attempt to free their friends. Spike gasped as he continued to scratch himself again.
"Nyx, is there anything I can do to stop scratching?!" Spike asked in concern, "So, I can go back and help them!"
"With the size like this? Not a chance!" Nyx disagreed with concern. "Besides, you heard what Smolder and Korra said. The stone scales won't go away like that quickly until the molt stage is complete. I don't even know how long it will take!"
To their surprise, Spike's glowing body has dimmed down and disappeared while his red colored stone scales disappeared as well. And at the same time, the little dragon no longer feels itchy on his body.
"Oh, I could be wrong…" Nyx remarked in surprise as Spike sighed in relief.
"Finally! I didn't think that itching would ever stop!" Spike said with a relieved smile.
However, rock appeared out of nowhere, slowly forming and spreading around Spike's body. This shocked and alerted both him and Nyx.
"No way! Now?!" Nyx asked in concern.
"What's happening?! I... I can't move!" Spike asked in concern.
Just before Nyx could explain, the coated rock has already covered Spike's whole body including his face. Spike has completely coated and turned into stone.
"This can't be right." Nyx hissed with concern as she paced around as she heard the sounds of Twilight zapping the Roc in the distance. "Spike shouldn't be on the final stage until the end of a week or month. In fact, none of his side effects shouldn't be active on one day. But why now?!"
To her shock and surprise, the Spike Statue made some cracked sounds. It then slowly formed more cracks around his body, breaking out the coated rock and freeing some part of his flesh. With more cracks having been formed, the greenish light suddenly glowed and shone out bright, shocking Nyx. Just before she could do anything, the Spike Statue exploded and engulfed her view in bright white light, blinding her.
As soon as the light dispersed, Nyx's eyesight slowly recovered from blur to normal. She's now looking at the debris of Spike's statue. And to her surprise, she's now looking at Spike, the only difference is that he now has wings sprouting from his back.
"Spike? Is that you?" Nyx asked in surprise.
"Yeah. What just… happened?" Spike asked, confused as he noticed Nyx looking at him in shock. "What?"
"Look at you! Look what's on your back!" Nyx said in excitement as Spike turned to see the wings on him.
"Did I just sprout wings?" Spike asked before he realized and became excited just like Nyx was. "I JUST SPROUTED WINGS!"
Then he saw Twilight and Ember trying to free Zecora and Rarity from the Roc. Then together, they each fired a magic blast and fireball at the talon the bird held Rarity and Zecora as it screeched loudly in pain while spreading its talon as his captives held on to him.
Spike and Nyx gasped at the sight before them.
"Come on, Nyx! We've gotta help them!" Spike said to Nyx as the alicorn filly nodded in determination.
"Alright, Spike! Let's go kick some big bird butt!" Nyx shouted with a smirk as she flew into the air.
Realizing he has wings, Spike begins his first ever flight and after a short struggle, he soon gets the hang of it. Then the two caught up with Twilight and Ember, who turned their attention to them, more specifically to Spike as they noticed the wings on his back.
"Spike?!" Twilight asked, surprised of Spike's wings. "How did you get wings?!"
"I don't know! But they're pretty awesom- Whoa!" Spike shouted as the air current blew him away, but he soon caught up with the three while smiling sheepishly.
Ember then turned her attention to the Roc when her eyes widened in surprise.
"LOOK OUT!" Ember shouted, gaining her friends' attention as the four quickly dodged the Roc's talons as he began to fly the other way.
"Spike, Ember. Do you think you can fly up and distract him while Nyx and I work on freeing Zecora and Rarity?" Twilight asked Spike and Ember.
"We're on it, Twilight. You ready for your first flight, Spike?" Ember asked Spike with a smirk.
Spike nodded with a grin as the two dragons quickly flew up to the Roc's face.
"Hey, giant chicken! If you like dragons so much, come and get me!" Spike taunted.
"Don't forget about me!" Ember taunted the bird as well.
The Roc screeched as it tried to snap at the two dragons, but they dodged it and fly off with the giant bird chasing after them. The Roc tries to snatch Spike and Ember as they kept dodging the beak. Then Spike begins to fly around in different directions, making the bird dizzy. The Roc shakes his head a bit before he squawks and sees Spike flying upside down while Ember flies beside him with her arms crossed while the two smirked at the eagle.
"Hey, pretty bird." Ember greeted the Roc smugly.
"Greetings." Spike said with a mocking salute and smirk.
The Roc then snaps his beak at the two, but he misses. Suddenly, Spike and Ember both released a fire stream at the Roc. It also caused Zecora and Rarity to lose their grip on the eagle's talon as they started falling while Rarity screams. Twilight and Nyx noticed this.
"Spike! Ember!" Twilight called to the two dragons before she and Nyx flew down to catch the two ponies.
Ember and Spike saw this as they immediately went to help their friends as well. The four caught them just before they hit the ground.
Back with Chase and his family, they continued to fight the five Protoquin soldiers as one of them charged at Antonio.
Antonio then spun around - shouting 'Kiai!' as he did - and kicked the Protoquin soldier right in the face, knocking it into the other two like they were bowling pins.
The Second Protoquin soldier jumped at Sunray as well, but then the unicorn stallion did a backwards handspring and kicked it in the chest, knocking it into the rock as it shattered into a million pieces.
Jade dodges a swipe from the third Protoquin soldier and then kicks it in the chest. Chase then spun around and kicked the lead Protoquin soldier to the ground while second soldier tossed Sunray to the ground. Chase then spun around and kicked the lead Protoquin soldier in the face, knocking it down, as Sunray rolled away from the incoming punch the second Protoquin soldier he was facing as it missed an attempt to punch him. Jade jumped and kicked it in the side, knocking it back slightly.
She then grabs a beehive and then puts it on the second Protoquin soldier's head, giving Sunray enough time to send a punch to the soldier's side, making it stagger back a bit. Jade then lifted her right leg up, and then kicked the beehive off of the Protoquin soldier's head, making it go dizzy as honey dripped from its head to the ground. Trini ducked as the fourth Protoquin soldier tried to hit her in the head, but then she side kicked it in the chest, knocking it back slightly.
Antonio then spun around and kicked the second Protoquin soldier in the chest, knocking it back, as Jade spun around while looking at the fourth soldier.
Chase fly kicked the leader in the chest, while Sunray dodged a few attacks from the third. Trini then grabbed the fourth soldier by the shoulders, and then spun it around, before hitting it with her knee. Antonio then grabbed a vine which was attached to one of the trees, and then swung on it like Spider-Man towards the second soldier, kicking it in the chest with both feet, while Sunray sent a punch at the third soldier.
The five soldiers were now feeling exhausted as this gave Chase and his family the advantage as they powered up their elements.
Jade used her Water element to send a powerful watery wave kick to the fourth Protoquin soldier while Trini used her Wind element to send a roundhouse kick to the third soldier, sending them both to the ground. Antonio used his Earth element to deliver a powerful double tiger punch to the second soldier and Sunray used his Fire element to uppercut the fifth soldier away.
The unicorn stallion looked at his aura hands and saw they were completely covered in slime.
"Uh." Sunray muttered in disgust as he shook his hands and wiped off some of the slime. "Yuck!"
The only Protoquin left standing was the lead soldier as the rest of the Elite Ninja surrounded him, which he growled at them and Chase jumped in front of it. He then spun around and did a kick move which missed it, then did a number of punch moves before doing a fighting pose. The lead soldier stood there in confusion as Chase then looked it in the eye with a smirk.
"Boo!" Chase said.
The lead soldier jumped and then tried to run away, but was blocked by a tree. He turns around to see Chase using his Lightning element as he charges at the lead soldier, spun around and spin heel kicks the last remaining Quinkan soldier in the face as the lightning electrocuted him, sending him to the ground.
Just as the lead soldier gets up, he sees the Elite Ninja glaring at him sternly.
"It's over." Chase declared boldly and sternly.
"For now." The lead Protoquin soldier snarled before he tossed some smoke bombs to the ground as a cloud of smoke appeared around him and the four soldiers.
Once the smoke cleared away, the Protoquins were gone as Twilight, Spike, Nyx, and Ember joined them as they dropped Rarity and Zecora next to them. Then they noticed the Roc flying away in the distance with his smoke smoking from the fire.
"Adios, babe, malevo pelicano!" Antonio called out to the Roc tauntingly as the big bird replied back with an annoyed screech.
"Did you just call him a 'sticky pelican'?" Twilight asked Antonio curiously.
"Yeah." Antonio said with a toothy smirk before he shouted. "But don't steal it! That's my line!"
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, Twilight, Nyx, Zecora, Ember, and Rarity gave him a dry look of unamusement before they turned their attention to Spike.
"I know that molt produced surprising things." Said Zecora as she approached Spike while examining his wings. "But I'm glad that the last was a new pair of wings!"
Chase, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio were surprised by this.
"Wow, Spike!" Jade said in amazement as she lifted one of the wings. "I didn't know you were able to get them soon enough."
"Me neither." Chase added in agreement as he smiled at Spike proudly. "It looks like you've finally got over the molt effect, buddy."
"YES! AND ALSO, I'M GLAD YOU'VE GOT WINGS!" Rarity said loudly again, much to Chase, his family, and his friends' annoyance.
"Rarity, will you stop that already?! You can hear perfectly now!" Chase said, making Rarity flinch in surprise before she smiled embarrassingly.
"This is amazing!" Said Twilight as she approached Spike with a proud smile. "I didn't know if you'd ever get wings. I'm so happy for you."
"I honestly thought you were one of those wingless dragons." Said Ember with an amazed smile.
"Does it have something to do with this molt you were talking about?" Twilight asked as Spike sighed sadly.
"It's what's been going on with me. The breakout, the fire burps. The molt is when dragons get older and start to change. I wish I could stop it, but I can't. I-I should go." Spike explained sadly and then begins to leave.
"What?" Sunray asked confusingly.
Go? What are you talking about?" Twilight asked in concern.
"Where are you going?" Ember asked with concern. "You can't just leave your family, Spike. They need you."
"I can't do that, Ember. In the Dragon Lands, families makes molters leave home." Spike said sadly. "It's called the molt effect."
"Well, this isn't the Dragon Lands, and molt effect of no, I don't want you going anywhere." Twilight said as she and Chase approached Spike.
"Spike, Twilight and I were only asking you to leave the castle before you burn it down." Chase added with a smile. "We weren't kicking you out. You belong with us in our family."
"And just because you're growing up doesn't mean that you'll move out on your own." Jade added as she and the rest of her family smiled.
"But I'm growing up." Spike said with worry. "What if something even worse happens?"
"You're supposed to grow up, but you'll always be you." Said Twilight with a smile. "And whatever happens, we'll get through it together."
"Yeah, growing up is part of life." Ember added with a smile.
Smiling tearfully, Spike hugs Chase and Twilight before he flew in the air around.
"Woo-hoo! Yeah! Woo-hoo! Look at me!" Spike shouted excitedly. He then lands on Twilight's back. "Let's go home!"
"Uh, Chase and I don't have to carry you anymore, do I? You have wings." Twilight said, reminding Spike after using her magic to lift one of his wings.
"They are new, and I don't want to overdo it." Spike said with a smirk as Chase, Jade, Sunray Trini, and Antonio smirked in amusement.
"You might wanna enjoy it while you still can, honey." Chase said to Twilight as his wife groaned with an eye roll before they, Nyx, Rarity, Jade, Sunray, Trini, and Antonio went off for home as Zecora walked away to her hut.
(Scene changes)
Sometime later, Rarity is back in her shop working on her Phoenix dress. And her hearing is now recovered.
"I can't believe you thought any of us would send you away because of some silly molt effect." Rarity said with a chuckle as she continued to work on her phoenix dress. "Even if the symptoms were slightly unsettling. And let's face it, the odor wasn't pleasant. Nopony would stop caring for you just because you were getting older. Everypony goes through changes, but sometimes change can be wonderful. Like being able to model for any length of dress!" She giggled. "Uh, a bit higher, darling, please?"
Spike was helping her while wearing the dress, and was flying in place.
"I'm glad to help, Rarity. But don't you think there's wonderful things about flying that don't involve dresses?" Spike asked as Rarity blinked.
"Of course, darling. Flying will also be beneficial for you to help me with gowns, frocks, robes, shifts, skirts, minis, maxis..." Rarity said with a smile while listing the things that might have the baby dragon to help her out.
Spike sighed, but smiled.
(Scene changes)
In the lair of Dark Mountain, the lead Protoquin soldier was kneeling before Kai as the anthropomorphic yak had his back turned to him. Apparently, the soldier had just told him of the news that Spike has gone through the molt effect. Even though Kai was furious at Spike living, he still smirked deviously.
"Well, since the Roc is out of our pawns, we will focus on our time to have the artifacts in our possession and drain the magic to the Netherworld for good." Kai said sinisterly.
"Are you certain that our student is ready to spy on the Elite Ninja and their friends?" Tai Lung asked with his arms crossed while leaning on the cave wall slightly. "You really think she can handle fooling them easily?"
Kai turned to the anthropomorphic snow leopard with a smirk.
"Don't worry, Tai Lung. She will have those fools out of the way so we can begin our conquest to destroy Equestria." Kai said sinisterly before he turned his attention to the shadowy part of the cave as the pegasus figure sat in the darkness. "It is time for your turn to shine, my student. Make sure that you fool the Elite Ninja and have Chase Young out of the way."
The figure's scarlet eyes opened up as they narrowed deviously as a tooth smile crossed her face.
"Golly, I'll make sure he knows where his place is, sensei." The figure said sinisterly. "And I'll hunt him down and make him pay with his life after he destroyed my father in the Netherworld."
The figure let out a devious cackle.
