Spike

Spike
Twitter	mlp_Spike
Species	Dragon
Gender	Male
Eyes	Emerald Green
Mane	Green
Coat	Purple
Timezone	GMT -5/GMT -4 (DST)

Sometimes I write so many letters I get all out of breath.

—Spike

Spike is a purple and green baby dragon who is Twilight Sparkle's assistant and one of only a few means of Firemail|directly contacting Princess Celestia. He is also an expert chef, and can often be found cooking in the Treebrary.

Personality

Spike is occasionally sarcastic and sometimes laughs at others' misfortunes, even though he usually means well. In Bridle Gossip, he comes up with nicknames for the ponies after their appearances change from an exposure to poison joke. In Winter Wrap Up, he makes fun of Twilight's terrible nest-making and skating skills. However, he is very helpful and supportive towards Twilight. For instance, Spike is the only member of the main cast to take Twilight's concerns about missing a report to Princess Celestia seriously, unlike the others.

Spike is often defensive about his masculinity and dismissive of things he considers "girly," although his outward disdain is often a front.

Fire Breath

Spike has the ability to transport scrolls back and forth between Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, by means of magical fire breath. He sends notes by breathing magic green fire onto them, then blowing their ashes into the air. The ashes re-materialize themselves into notes after they arrive at Celestia's location. Spike can likewise belch out a jet of green flame which then materializes into a letter. This ability is able to teleport multiple papers, as showcased on some occasions.

Cooking

Spike has been shown and mentioned to be a good cook. Spike bakes the food for Princess Celestia's party in A Bird in the Hoof, mentions in Over a Barrel that he fire-roasted the ponies' snacks earlier that day, and in Dragon Quest makes and serves the tea and baked goods everypony eats while watching the dragon migration.

TwitterPony Spike

There are some important differences between Spike from MLP:FiM and the Spike of TwitterPonies. These are things we've established over the course of almost five years of play, and are generally accepted by many players. They are non-Canonical, but have been adopted by Spike and acknowledged, as they stay within the spirit of the Guidelines and are tons of fun.

Advanced Cooking

Spike's player loves to cook and knows a lot about cooking, so he's made Spike knowledgable about fancy food from all parts of the world, especially France, Italy and Japan. See the "Childhood History" below.

Gardening

Spike had a large garden he tended outside the Treebrary. Now he has a new one outside the Castlebrary. He's there every day: this is a great excuse to speak to Spike without having to figure out a reason to be inside the palace. If he's in his garden, you can just walk up to him and talk.

Dragon Relationships

Spike fiercely identifies with being a dragon, and is very proud that he's acknowledged by  Red Dragon and the  Dragon King. Our Spike looks up to both of them, and wants to become a big, powerful dragon someday like them. This splits his loyalty, which is a great excuse for causing conflict.

Dragon Magic

Over the years, we've greatly expanded the kind of magic dragons can do, including Spike. While giving powers to a character is against the Guidelines, this is an exception most players have granted to Spike, as he's shown over and over he won't abuse them. Basically, it's only for silly stuff, a bit of plot easing, and occasional conflict.

• FireMail: Spike can FireMail to any Princess, and receive from any Princess. There's just something about alicorns. Princes and princesses who aren't alicorns he can't reach this way. He can also FireMail objects: the bigger, the more it tires him out. Once, in a panic, he FireMailed an entire pony! Though it left him stunned, he managed it.
• Dragon Magic Spells: Spike studied with  Red Dragon and the  Dragon King on several occasions, and even has some books on the subject, so he's learned a few dragon magic spells. They're harmless: one makes his tail grow long, one changes his color, one creates a duplicate of him, etc. He's constantly finding new spells (by messing up). All dragon magic requires breathing fire, so if he's somehow out of fire, no magic. Very powerful alicorn ponies (Celestia, Luna, Twilight) can learn and do some limited dragon magic, in the same way that they can, if forced, use some dark magic. 
• Words of Power: There are seven Words of Power in Dragon Magic, of which only one has ever been mentioned, the Word of Recall. It brings lost things home (at least, that's one thing it does, it's part of many thousands of spells). Spike knows it, but it throws him for a loop the whole day to speak it. He's only used it once (to find a lost coin).
• Pocket Dimension: Spike doesn't call it that, but it's where he keeps his "Code of Dragon Conduct" card in the actual show. TwitterPonies Spike has expanded that to a cubby-hole where he can keep almost anything, so long as it isn't huge. It's big enough to hold perhaps Tom the Rock, at most. He can use his breath to get things from it and can put things in it. He's never tried with anything living, and probably never will.

Childhood History

Spike spent his first few years not with  Twilight (who hatched him, but was too young to take care of an infant dragon), but at the Day Palace with  Princess Celestia. He lived first in the giant roaring fire of the main kitchens, which is why he's such a good cook. He learned to cook for a state banquet before he could talk! 

Spike's initial teacher and first caregiver was Princess Celestia herself, along with her staff. There he was taught to read and write, and got his grounding in pony society. Somehow, he picked up a sarcastic and tricky streak, and a love of pranks. He's so well known around the palace and Canterlot that he's got freedom to go almost anywhere.

When  Twilight became a graduate student and apprentice to Celestia, Spike became her assistant and ward. That's how it's been ever since.