The Great Dragon

The small farming village was devastated. Half of the houses were destroyed, the crops were stolen, several wounded ponies were being tended too.

“It ain’t raight! It ain’t raight!” an elderly earth pony cried in the country drawl Silver heard so much growing up.

“I know grandma.”

“Why did they attack us? Ah had unicorn friends, mah whole life. What’s happenin’ to us?”

“I don’t know grandma,” the younger earth pony began crying with her grandmother.

Silver kept her head down as she walked past them. She could figure out what happened, the same as happened in the last two towns she’s visited. It all started after “The Green Storm”, the name given to Spike’s dragonfire that changed the weather violently, thunderstorms poured over on Equestria for a week after the green clouds billowed out of The Great Dragon’s valley. The storms put out the fires outside Spike’s home saving old Ponyville, much to the dragon’s relief. Outside the valley were heavy rains so odd the attacks were blamed on the event. The unicorns and the earth ponies have been fighting in every town so far, there are too few pegasus that stay near the ground, but Silver’s sure the same things happening with them. A group of grey one’s would attack, the other side would fight back. The end result is resentment between the different kinds of ponies. The fighting has gotten worse, everywhere Silver has been there has been unease. This town will now become an “Earth Pony Town” and unicorns will not be welcome.

This town was another dead end in locating The Elements of Harmony. She and Spike combed through his massive library, found a few books on the subject, one theorized that The Elements choose their bearers and also proposed that is why the two sisters passed away after a millennia of ageless rule after the Elements chose the six of Spike friends. But they found nothing involving a spell to find their whereabouts. Spike was so battered from his fight with Discord we would doze off while Silver read through books on her own. After a few weeks of research Spike shrugged and gave the advice he said over & over again as a library assistant “Where’d you leave it last?” He planned on searching the through Canterlot while Silver would check other spots from Spike’s memory. But poor Spike was too tired from his battle to check right away and promised to do so later. So Silver ventured out to some of the ruins where new towns had sprouted during Spike’s long lifetime. After those locales were searched she went off the beaten path to others. Then she investigated the places Spike assigned for himself.

On her travels Silver took along a few books to keep up her studies. No time for any pleasant reads, just the more practical tomes considering the situation: A Treatise of Spell Casting for Self-Defense by Starswirl the Bearded, The Encyclopedia of Combat Magic from The Equestria Royal Guard Academy, and The Element of Magic: Crafting your Own Spells by Twilight Sparkle. There was one additional book Spike gave to her, he handed it to her deference to the old tome as if it were a family heirloom; he said it was Twilight Sparkle’s old book on The Elements of Harmony. Silver spent every night trying some new spell or testing out the head-spinning theories about magic from Spike’s older sister.

But there’s no time for rest in this town. As Silver walked she could feel the eyes of the villagers on her. She heard hoof falls behind her.

“Hey you!” a pony said. “Where are you from?”

“Apuliza,” she said without looking back.

“No you’re not, you came from the north.”

“I’m going back home.” Silver quickened her pace.

“Ah bet! A foal out on her own walkin’ all the way back to Apuliza. You think I’m stupid?” The pony galloped up to her and tore off the hood of her cloak. “Ah knew it!”

Others came up and blocked Silver’s way.

“Leave her alone, she’s just a filly.” The old pony pleaded.

“So was mah daughter, it didn’t stop them other unicorns!” the agitator hollered. He then caught Silver’s eye. “They send you through here to spy on us?”

“I’m just passing through, I won’t tell anyone.”

“You’re not going anywhere silver hair,” a large pony said in voice almost as deep as Spike’s.

The other ponies surrounded her. Silver tried to duck around the big one and sprint away, but another one grabbed her. She kicked at them as they shouted, the old pony and her granddaughter were fighting the crowd to get her free. Silver felt her cloak torn off her and desperate she jumped into the air. There was a collective gasp from village as she hovered above them. Silver cast a wind spell to knock them away and then teleported. She looked around getting her bearings, it was the first time she teleported without knowing her destination. It appears Silver’s deep in the forest away from the village. There was a sound past a thicket, Silver readied herself for a fight her horn charged. Pushing back the brush she sees three unicorns hiding, presumable a husband and wife & their daughter. All three looked at Silver with fear in their eyes. She straightened herself doing her best to look non-threatening.

“I’m sorry,” said Silver.

The three stared at the princess dumbstruck. “They drove us out of our home,” the father said.

~~~~~~~~~

Twilight Sparkle heard the guards laughing in the courtyard, it made her a little curious. The Royal Guard under her brother’s command were always stoic. She walked out into the morning light to see giant Spike there talking to a platoon of her new retainers. They were all laughing, highly engaged in Spike’s anecdote.

“Now I didn’t see it with my own eyes, but yes. She was dancing so horribly the other unicorns practically ran from her! And she thought she was so good the others were backing away to let her bust a move!”

Twilight’s face flushed and she began shaking with rage. Her first instinct was to muzzle her old friend and teleport him back to the Everfree Forest, but she knew her new status in Equestria meant she show some regal restraint. So Twilight hid to listen in on them. In the most regal way possible.

“So seriously, don’t let her dance.” Spike added.

A few guards nodded, still laughing.

“She was always in those circles then, with the rich unicorns I mean?” a pegasus guard asked.

“I suppose. When you’re being taught personally by Princess Celestia that’s bound to happen. But she didn’t care about that; she has very plain tastes compared to them. The way Rarity told me she wanted to make her a ‘fabulous dress’ for her birthday that time, but in her mind it was unfinished, and Twilight didn’t even notice. She liked it just the way it was.”

A few of the guards chuckled, Twilight’s embarrassment has been doubled. She was shocked to hear that part of the story; it made her wonder what other secrets Rarity shared with Spike through their years together.

“So to get back on subject don’t leave her alone in formal settings,” Spike added. “She finds those socialites just as phony and boring as all of you do.”

A few more laughs followed. Other guards talked among themselves mumbling stories about the high society unicorns.

“Just keep an eye on her when she’s working too,” said Spike. “Don’t let The Council wear her down. And she can overwork herself easily, don’t let her lose track of time or she’ll work all through the night.”

“That’s a butler’s job,” a unicorn guard scoffed.

“Maybe, but she won’t listen to them. She will listen to The Guard.”

“Yeah? Why’s that?” the unicorn challenged.

“Because she’s Shining Armor’s sister,” said the Sergeant at Arms.

The others were stunned. It filled Twilight’s heart with pride to know her older brother is still revered among the Royal Guard.

“Will he be coming back?” one asked.

“No I just flew from his house, he’s far too happy being retired with his wife.” Spike’s voice was a little sad. Twilight knew why and her anger towards Spike began to cool.

“But they’ll be others that will want to visit. And who are they?”

“Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie!” the guards all chorused.

“And what do you do?”

“Let them in immediately!” the guards said.

“That’s right, she’ll always be glad to see them.”

“Yeah and Spike too,” a guard in the back heckled.

“Oh like you could keep me out if I wanted to get in here.”

The guards picked up the playful challenge and began throwing back good-natured barbs back at Spike who responded in kind. After a few back and fourths, the Sergeant at Arms seized on the opportunity.

“Well, Spike I guess we’ll have to have a combat drill to settle this,” he said.

“OK,” Spike said. “You’ll be the helpless little ponies, and I’ll be the big scary dragon that burns down your city, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

Halfway through his sentence the guards we booing.

“I was going to call it a Dragon Hunt,” the Sergeant said followed by his troops cheering.

Spike acted insulted but let the guards cheer. “Next week?” he asked.

“That should be good,” the Sergeant replied.

Twilight tried to sneak by letting the boys amuse themselves. The guards snapped to attention and Twilight sighed knowing she’s been spotted.

“Hey there she is!” Spike said and hastily scooped her up placing Twilight on his back.

“Spike,” Twilight pleaded. “Stop it!”

“Nope,” he responded cheerfully. Twilight noticed that even after all these years he still heard a hint of Big Mac’s accent when uses that word. As a teenager he did idolize Big Macintosh. “After all those years you carried me around, I should return the favor. Where to, miss?”

Twilight groaned. “The Equestrian Library.”

Spike proudly marched to the library. Two of the Pegasus guard flew overhead keeping at a good distance. Twilight noticed a satchel impaled on the spike in front of her.

“What’s this?”

“A book from Shining Armor, he wanted me to give it to you.”

She stared at the saddlebag not opening it. “So he’s not coming,” she stated.

“No, I think they might be trying to have another child in the hopes of – you know.”

“At their age?” Twilight knew why though. Cadence was the last Princess, everyone is holding out hope, including Twilight. But it probably wasn’t going to happen.

“I know,” Spike answered in a tone that sounded like he was reading his older sister’s mind.

Twilight looked out at the streets Spike walked through. Some ponies were shocked, but most were used to the sight. Embarrassed, Twilight waved to a few of the more terrified spectators. Since Rarity’s passing Spike has been spending more time with Twilight, eager to help out in any way. And Twilight understands the big dragon’s need to be with family at this time. If she was back in Ponyville it wouldn’t be an issue. Looking out at her subjects here in Canterlot makes her wonder.

“They don’t really know who I am, do they?”

“That’s why I was telling the guards about you, Capt. Smiles thought it would be a good idea.”

“I was talking about me being Steward of Equestria! I don’t want them to know things that will make them all laugh at me behind my back!”

“Oh come on, Twilight. The more they know about you, the more they’ll like you. Trust me on this. You’re a very likable pony.”

“When you’re running things, you have to be more than liked. I need to be taken seriously for this to work.”

“That’s why you need the Royal Guard on your side. They’re strong.”

“Spike, you’re thinking like a dragon.”

“Well, yeah,” the dragon said turning his head back to flash a green eye at Twilight Sparkle.

“You know what I mean, there’s more to life than strength and power.”

Spike didn’t respond Twilight felt his breathing labor a bit. It was probably something Rarity said to him before. Always putting on a brave front Spike did, trying not to say or do anything that would make him sick with grief.

“So, ‘Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie’ will be ‘let in immediately’!” Twilight said.

“You need friends with you.”

“You really think Rainbow Dash will show up?”

Twilight felt Spike massive wings shrug.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know what’s gotten into her, but she’s avoiding all of us for some reason.” Spike didn’t want to talk about anything said Twilight could tell, even before Spike turned his purple to her with a big toothy grin and said “But don’t worry! I’ll be filling in for her!”

“Congratulations Spike, you’re the new Rainbow Dash!”

They busted out laughing remembering simpler times. The dragon’s fiery cackle startling the pedestrians.

“Please take care of-“

Celestia’s voice woke him and a pain jarred Spike as he brought his head up to look around. He still ached from his long fight with Discord. It made getting to sleep almost as difficult as waking up. He slept even less due to worrying over little Silver’s safety. Even while dreaming he kept tabs the little Princess, a trick he perfected in his younger days with Celestia. It made proper rest unsatisfactory but Spike’s a dragon of his word and is now more protective of the princess than he is of his hoard. Something he noticed with Zecora sluggishly trouncing about his home. Spike has just been ignoring her, and she did the same. One morning Spike found her in cooking some odd draught in a giant cauldron.

“Drink,” the old Zebra snapped at Spike then walked off in a huff.

As she left Spike heckled her for not rhyming, and then drank the potion as soon as she was out of site. He did feel much better, but has been too proud to ask for more.

When Silver got closer to his home, Spike found it easier to rest. Even with his unwelcomed guest boiling Celestia knows what in HIS kitchen. As Spike napped she felt Silver return.

“Spike, I’m back,” she sang.

Spike replied with a “welcome back” and slowly got up and followed her into the library. He asked her what she had found; Silver didn’t give that many details. Spike found it hard to concentrate with the smell in the air. Zecora must be cooking something different today. It didn’t smell like food though, or even a potion; a very familiar scent though. That’s when Spike realized he was still asleep and dreaming.

The dragon opened his eyes to the sight of a purple unicorn a few feet away from his nose. She was a foal smaller and younger than Silver with her eyes closed blissfully leaning into the wind of Spike’s exhaling nostrils and all of her weight was on her forelegs. Spike could not get over how, except for her mane, the tiny filly looked exactly like Twilight Sparkle at that age. He was so shocked he stopped breathing. The purple pony fell on her face, then got back up as if nothing happened and sat down. She stared into Spike’s eyes smiling.

“Your breath is WARM,” she marveled.

Spike was too confused to even speak.

“My Mom says dragons are dangerous, but the Princess says you’re a good dragon.”

Oh Silver, he thought.

“I can do magic! Wanna see?”

“OK?” Spike squeaked.

The little unicorn jumped too her feet and strained herself. Some tiny sparks dropped from her horn and onto the floor, bouncing towards the dragon. She then sat back down with a satisfied smile.

“Very nice,” Spike said.

“Crescent! CRESCENT!” The foal’s Mother screamed. She galloped towards the two and scooped up her daughter, then groveled before Spike with Crescent slung under her. “I am so sorry! Please forgive her! The Princess said we could stay here! I told Crescent not to disturb you, PLEASE DON’T HURT HER! TAKE ME INSTEAD!”

Spike put his foreclaw up as a halt, the unicorn shut up immediately. “Where is the Princess?” Spike calmly asked.

“In the library.”

“Thank you.”

Spike groaned in pain as he stood up, and limped off to his book collection. Silver was talking to a colt unicorn her back to Spike. As Spike approached the unicorn eyes widened and his face slowly contorted to one of terror. Silver figured out why and turned around.

“You’re awake,” she said.

“Something you want to tell me?”

Silver shot up into the air closer to Spike’s face so they could talk in private.

“I tried to tell you when I returned, but you went back to sleep.”

“You brought them here to STAY?”

“The earth ponies and unicorns are fighting, they lost their home.”

“Fighting? And you didn’t call me?”

“I was fine, when the earth ponies cornered me I had to fly away but I wasn’t –“

“They saw you?!”

“-hurt.  And I was only seen by ten or fifteen ponies. The problem is-“

“You were attacked by fifteen ponies and you didn’t call me?!?”

“the towns are - I was fine! No reason to send a dragon at them. But the towns are splitting up ponies and -“

“Towns? How many have you been to?”

“Just the ones around here and Canterlot.”

“I told you not to go near the Castle, Silver. That was my job.”

“If you said there was a dragon living there now I wouldn’t have.”

“Dragon! The Green Dragon?! AGAIN! Why didn’t you call me?!”

“He’s barely half your size! I put a sleeping spell on him and searched the place. Anyway the towns are-“

“This is outrageous, Silver! You’re putting yourself in harm’s way-“

“Will you listen to me?!” Silver screeched. Spike looked annoyed, but quietly stood there. Silver told him what she saw in the villages during her travels. How the unicorns and ponies are breaking apart due to mistrust. And how the mistrust began.

“They all said the attackers were grey?”

“Uh-huh, he saw them.” Silver pointed at the Unicorn gaping at this spectacle. To see a princess arguing with a dragon, a dragon visibly concerned for the princess’s safety, is the most surreal thing he has ever seen.

Spike peered at the frightened unicorn. “Name?” he asked.

“Ink & Pen,” the Unicorn answered.

“He’s as smart as you,” Silver added.

Ink didn’t know how to react to that, he never heard a dragon to be described as smart. He figured in this cave that looks more like a grand palace where ponies are welcomed and taught by dragons it is probably a compliment.

“You saw this?”

“Yes,” Ink answered. “I saw the ones who attacked. I have no idea who they were. Alas, that wasn’t good enough for the townsfolk.”

Spike growled. “So this is what He meant.”

“What’s going to happen?” Silver asked.

“A lot of ponies are going to get hurt,” Spike answered sadly. “Silver, you said you searched the old castle in Canterlot; I’m assuming you didn’t find anything?”

“No.”

“And the green dragon is OK?”

“I just made him sleep, is he a friend of yours?”

“No, when I was a baby he chased me out of his lair. And when I was older I was the one who chased him out.  Just leave him alone, alright? He’s old and cranky. If we need to go in there again, I’ll talk to him.”

“You dragons sure are funny, you sound like have a history.”

Spike chuckled. “Not a good one. I just – I don’t know. I feel sorry for him.” Spike looked over his shoulder at Crescent and her terrified Mother as they skulked in from the distant archway. “So they are going to stay here, is that it?”

“Well, they got nowhere else to go.”

“And you’ll be bringing more in here, like you did with Zecora.”

Silver didn’t answer that. Her face read as one of the guilty child she was.

Spike growled. “The more ponies you bring here, the quicker the old food stores here will run out.”

“We can grow more food since the forest got burned down, plants are growing all through there.”

“Good plan, but there’s a problem with that. With the ponies fighting outside the valley, it’s going to get very cold.”

Silver could tell Spike knew exactly what was happening, and also knew if she asked, he would tell her without hesitation. She also trusted Spike enough to leave any plans to him. She also prayed he would come up with a plan after what she just learned from the unicorn.

“I need to go check on Zecora,” she said.

“You’re running yourself ragged little princess,” Spike warned.

“I’m fine,” Silver said as she flew away. “Stop worrying about me. You’re the one who’s hurt, get some rest.”

Spike scoffed. “She doesn’t even have her mark yet and she’s acting like Celestia.”

Ink & Pen just stared up at the enormous dragon.

“Don’t get me wrong, she has a good heart. And she’s smart. As quick with magic as Twilight was, and it’s very easy for her to learn, she’s already at a level far beyond her age. But, I think she’s getting ahead of herself.”

“She doesn’t seem afraid of you at all,” Ink finally said.

“No reason for her to be. She was a wee bit scared at first, but that was a when she first got here. Then after just a few days she was so not-afraid of me she practically became a nuisance.  A little like your daughter.”

Ink gasped. “What did Crescent do?!”

Spike laughed. “Nothing, she’s a cute little foal.”

The unicorn sighed his relief.

“So the Princess says you’re smart?”

Ink didn’t like how the dragon said that, like it was a challenge.

“I-I just. I study allot.”

“What are you studying?”

“I’ve been doing research on Pony History mostly. I’ve been learning about an ancestor of mine, he was the Royal Archivist at Canterlot Castle.”

Spike’s eyebrows went up. “Really?!”

“Oh, yes! In fact the Princess was just asking me about him before you walked in. I have his old ledger right here. One of the few books I could carry on such a short notice.” He brought the book out. “I couldn’t carry much but I had to take this its –AH!”

Spike took the book from the unicorn and flipped through it. “Is there anything in here about The Elements of Harmony?”

“Y-yes. It’s a very fragile book if you could please-”

“What does he say about it?”

“A few things, one of his responsibilities was to guard them. That book is a family heirloom if you don’t mind.”

Spike flipped through the book as the unicorn squirmed below him far out of reach and too timid to use his magic to take it away. The Dragon’s sharp eyes scanned every page looking for either the word “Elements” or “Harmony”. A few paragraphs about how unappreciated he is and how thankless his job is compared to the six backwoods ponies that can use the Elements. One detailed account of the castle under siege by changelings. Spike laughed a bit to himself at that. Even they are afraid of Discord, no pony has seen them in centuries. Then he found it, “Elements”, “Harmony”, and an unwelcome word: “Stolen”. His giant heart skipped a beat, he made himself more comfortable and carefully read the journal entry.

“I am writing this so my diary may be used as evidence in my inevitable trial. I have been stepped over enough in my position to know tomorrow the blame will fall solely on my shoulders and I wish to put down on paper what just happened while it is still fresh in my mind. I will not be blamed for The Elements of Harmony being stolen and I have every intention to bring the guilty parties to light before the court if it comes to that. During The Hour of the Timberwolf I heard the great doors of Harmony Hall being opened. I was sound asleep yet that is a noise all too familiar to me. Alarmed I galloped out of bed to check. I wish to stress the doors were not forced open nor were the locks undone through any other means. Further investigation should prove that, they were opened with a key. As I rushed to Chamber of the Elements there were three figures standing there. I shouted for them to stop in hopes of alerting the guards. It turns out two of them were guards! To be specific, those Night Guards of Princess Luna. A young large one named Nightshade, and a very old yet intimidating guard named Sunshine Smiles. I’m writing their names down so they may be called as witnesses. The third figure was our ruler: Princess Luna herself. I asked her why they were here and with no regard to protocol Princess Luna stated she was taking the Elements of Harmony. I asked when they would be brought back, and Princess Luna said they would not and the exhibit will be closed. The older guard offered to take them for her, but she said ‘I will do this alone, Captain Smiles.’ I pleaded with the Princess but that Captain Smiles insulted me and threatened me with bodily harm if I told anyone Princess Luna was here. It is almost morning now and I know what will happen. The Royal Guard will discover The Elements of Harmony are gone, and I will be blamed. But I will not go down without a fight and the Princess should know that. I don’t care what anyone else says, she is still Nightmare Moon and last night proved it. Let it be known that I, Shelfstack, did not steal The Elements of Harmony.”

Spike carefully closed the old diary and gave it back to Ink & Pen.

“Something the matter?” Ink asked.

“Yes. Something also makes no sense. I knew Luna, I even knew the guard your ancestor wrote about. Why would she steal them?”

Ink knew the entry Spike read.

“In the entry the day after, Shelfstack wrote no one seemed to notice the Elements were gone. No pony arrested him; it was as if the Elements were never there.”

Spike growled. “Does the Princess know?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Call me Spike.”

“Your name really is Spike?! I thought that was a nickname!” a little voice squeaked. Crescent and her mother approached. The purple foal was riding on her mother’s back.

Spike snaked his head down to the two, the mother cowered in a predictable fashion, the foal’s eyes widened with gleeful anticipation.

“Do you know why I was named Spike?” the dragon asked the foal.

The foal shook her head.

“Because I was named by a unicorn that was the same age as you,” he answered smiling.

The child gasped. “Really?! You were a pet?!”

Spike reared back incredulously, every emotion exaggerated to entertain little Crescent. “I was no PET! I was Senior Assistant to The First Steward of Equestria for her entire life. Before she became Steward I managed her personal library and even corresponded with Princess Celestia herself! I was on a first name basis with Princess Celestia AND Princess Luna!”

The foal climbed up to her Mother’s ear and whispered. “I don’t know who they are.”

Spike sighed. “Well, trust me it’s very impressive.”

The mother chuckled. She had slowly gotten her composure as her fear subsided.

“I would have named you,” the little unicorn paused as she thought of a name. “Sword Head!” she roared with her forelegs up in the air.

“But I only had little bumps on my head when I was born. And this-“ Spike brought the giant spade on the end of his tail over the foal and her mother putting shadow over them greater than their old house. “was just a tiny little spike.”

“Really?”

Spike nodded. “I was smaller than you,” he said with a wink.

“Spike good sir,” the mother spoke. “I wish to apologize for my behavior. You allowed us into your lair – HOME and I’ve acted horribly.”

Spike was genuinely impressed with Crescent’s mother. “It was perfectly understandable, and trust me, I’ve heard much worse in my lifetime.”

“My name is Etiquette, as hard as that is to believe they way I behaved,” the mother said. She let Crescent down, then bowed formally. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Spike replied. He tried to bow, but his massive bulk made it difficult.

“If I may be so bold, Spike. What was it like under the rule of The Two Sisters? I’ve seen old paintings of them, and they were always portrayed as being so much larger than the other ponies. I can only imagine how they were seen by their subjects?”

“Actually they really were larger,” Spike said. “Luna was the younger, even more so from her exile, yet she grew to the same size.” Spike realized something and mulled it over as he spoke to his guest. “It’s strange, the other Princesses were not as tall, nor did they live as long.”

“They were ancient from what I gather,” Ink & Pen added.

“Yes!” Spike agreed enthusiastically. “The years didn’t wear on them as it did everyone else. And they were greater in size.”

“Like you!” Crescent chimed.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking,” The Great Dragon replied. “Larger in size with greater longevity. The green dragon is older than I, but his so frail Silver could put him to sleep with a spell.” He appeared to be deep in thought to his small audience. “Please take care of she said,” he said aloud. “Excuse me.”And Spike lumbered off.

The three unicorns stood in the library confused.

“It gets colder when he leaves,” Crescent noticed.

~~~~~~~

“Zecora, you in here?”

“Out! Away! Pester me another day!”

Silver was a little shocked. “Zecora?”

“Come in child, welcome home! Did you find the Elements on your roam?”

“No I didn’t,” she sighed. “Who were you talking too just now?”

“The tsetse flies! They come in here and tell nothing but lies!”

“I see.”

“They ask for things from me, say that I owe them for life. But they’ve done nothing at all except cause strife!”

Silver was a little shaken by Zecora, she always has been odd but this…

“I learned something, Zecora. I read that The Elements of Harmony were taken by Princess Luna. Would you know where she could have hidden them?”

“Taken!?” Zecora screeched. “Oh dear child, all is lost! We had to find the Elements at any cost!”

The old zebra wailed, pacing her room in a panic. Too feeble to run yet too scared to stand still.

“Zecora please! You’re scaring me!” Silver shouted. Zecora stopped pacing and dunked her head in the caldron she was simmering.

I hope that wasn’t dinner, Silver thought. “Zecora?”

She pulled her head out of the cauldron sobbing. “The Elements could have driven the flies away, I would be at peace. Now I shall die knowing the chaos will never cease.”

She’s so melodramatic compared to Spike, Silver thought. She found it annoying at times. “Also, I think – He – is making the ponies fight one another.”

Zecora’s milky eyes peered at Silver, the old zebra furrowed her brow. “The Windygos shall fill the sky, and in the cold we all shall die.” She spoke it so clearly and with such conviction there was no way Silver could doubt her.

“Why would He was to kill us all?” Silver asked.

“He is a spirit of chaos that’s all that fills his head. You cannot expect such a creature to think to think ahead. What happens tomorrow is and unknown event, He will not grasp what He has done until after all life is spent.”

Silver suddenly felt like she was drowning. Zecora spoke with such conviction; it was as if there was no escape. It truly felt as if this is the end.

The door shook from a pounding that startled the two ponies. It had to have been Spike knocking. Silver opened the door the sight of Spike’s giant eye filling the doorway.

“Hi,” Spike said awkwardly. “Is Zecora in?”

Silver stepped back and holding the door open for Zecora who stepped outside. Spike pulled back to give the two some space.

“Zecora, uh- hello,” said Spike. “That potion you made for me a while back. Do you think you could make more?”

Zecora nodded slowly, saying nothing.

“What for?” Silver asked.

“I need to heal up and get back into fighting shape,” Spike replied with a smile.

Spike smile was reassuring, as always, but what Zecora told her drained all hope from her. She need more but was too timid to ask. “Zecora says without The Elements of Harmony, we’ll all die.”

Spike laughed. It was a genuine laugh that filled Silver with relief. “No, that won’t happen. In fact I’ve been thinking we might not need them. Providing Zecora helps me get better.”

Zecora smiled as if she and the dragon had been communicating by thought and realized The Great Dragon’s plan.

“For you dear Spike, I shall help make you strong. If we both work hard it shouldn’t take long.” And Zecora strutted back inside without even a goodbye and closed the door.

Spike stared at the hideous wooden mask hanging on the door. “Pinkie would be so upset seeing what happened to her room,” he said to himself.

“It sounds like you have a plan,” Silver said.

“I have a few ideas.” Spike was looking coy. “Silver, as far as bringing other ponies here: Do it. I’ve got ten rooms here and only use three, so there’s plenty of space. You-know-who is going to be causing allot of pain to your subjects, what they will need is a refuge, they can come here. But let them know, they leave any animosity towards each other outside of the valley. All ponies will live here in harmony. For that matter make sure you get some earth ponies in here next time. Some good farmers to seed the land I scorched just like you said. A new life for your ponies will begin here with you as their Princess.”

Silver couldn’t help but smile. Before the thought of having to be a ruler frightened her, but compared to the Armageddon Zecora prophesized she welcomed the mundane burden of ruler. “Both you and Zecora said it is going to get cold.”

“A very harsh winter is coming. We need to prepare. Believe me there are very hard times ahead, which is saying allot considering the way things have been. But we can at least ease the suffering.”

A strange as it sounds, Spikes foreboding promises were very uplifting for Silver. If all hope truly was lost she would expect Spike to assign her with a task to keep her mind off the impending doom. Here he was developing a strategy and hiding none of the dangers they will be facing.

“What about, Him?” Silver asked.

“I think ’He’ is what I’m supposed to take care of.”

~~~~~~~

Discord probably imagined great armies of stallions charging on a great open field, with pegasus swooping down, and unicorns casting deadly spells of fire and lightning. Instead there were just skirmishes of groups numbering in less than one hundred at a time brawling and cursing at one another. He couldn’t understand the damage he wrought on the ponies over so many years deprived them of the ability to fight a proper war like the ones he read about. The sun popping up at random times made the crop yields too poor for the towns to live above basic sustenance. No reading, no smiths, no artists, no scholars, so of course there are no generals. Discord looked forward to the first battles with such anticipation. He hid in the clouds looking down joyfully, and left in disgust before the first one was over. The unicorns barely knew how to cast spells, and the ones that could were weaklings. The earth ponies knew only how to kick and yell. Hardly any pegasus were ever seen, so they didn’t show up. Sure the ponies managed to hurt each other, but it wasn’t a real war. Not like how Discord wanted them to hurt.

What was puzzling was how in each town as the fighting broke out, others would just – disappear. In other places where he thought had herds of ponies, there were fewer than he remembered. Where did they go? His searching found nothing, it’s plausible the unicorns and earth ponies took to wandering from place to place like the pegasus do. Ponies are a cowardly lot, not like the big dumb stupid dragon.

Discord wondered about how the dragon burned him. The pain was unbearable, yet somehow familiar. Something in that dragon’s fire, like an odd taste in your mouth that you can never forget, an unknown element so to speak. It’s as if the dragon is part of the ponies’ magic that has annoyed Discord so. Then there was that little blue one the dragon was protecting the same way he protects Ponyville. That dragon is definitely more than he appears to be, he knows too many things a dragon would never care about. Perhaps it’s time Discord should pay another visit? Then the memory of the pain he felt that last time, and decided to wait a little longer. There are safer ways to spy on a dragon.

~~~~~~~

Silver teleported to the mouth of the cave with the five ponies she promised refuge. The freezing blizzard shocked them into a huddle.

“Run! Run! Run!” she ordered and flew into the cave behind her galloping subjects. Once in the darkness she flew in front of them to slow their pace to a walk.

“Is it safe now?” one asked.

“Yes, just let me go in first. Now remember, this is A Dragon’s Cave. It’s Spike’s Place, and he’s very friendly to ponies, but still a dragon. So be respectful of him and his hoard.”

“He’s the one that caused The Green Storm,” and old earth pony said.

Silver gave no response; she didn’t want to frighten them more than they already are. She walked towards the light knowing full well she will have to calm the five she brought and introduce them to the other ponies, while telling them to bury any grudge with unicorns if they want to stay. It has been over fifty trips now bringing refugees to Spike’s Home. Each trip to the outside world showed a more horrific scene. She pretended to look back at the ponies but was really looking at her own flank. She’s a Princess now with Royal Subjects, and she still hasn’t gotten her mark. All of it was happening too fast.

In the warm light of Spike’s bedroom was a site she did not expect. The number of ponies had doubled since she was here last. The fillies were running around playing, several of the adults were busy making little houses around the great hall. Spike was curled up around Rarity’s bed, but alert. His head was upright engaged in conversation with a Pegasus. A teenaged one, but tall with red coat and blonde mane that seemed oddly familiar.

“To be honest I’m not that good a flyer, but I’m strong,” the Pegasus said to Spike.

Spike nodded. “Yeah that runs in your family actually.”

The Pegasus cocked his head. “How would you know?”

“Let me guess, your sister is good with animals?”

“No, she’s like me to tell you the truth. But come to think of it, our youngest brother is!”

Spike smiled, “I knew it.”

“So you really knew our kin?” another Pegasus from the family asked.

“Sure did, your great-grand-or whatever-father was the strongest pony I’ve ever seen.”

“Stronger than you?!” a filly Pegasus the same age as Silver asked.

Spike snorted. “Nopony’ s stronger than I. Well, maybe when I was a baby he was stronger. But that’s it.”

The red one laughed. “I can’t believe all this time you knew our kin! We just knew you as The Great Dragon.”

Spike noticed Silver. “Welcome back, Your Highness,” he said grinning.

The youngest Pegasus flew over to the youngest of the five behind Silver. “My name’s Anna Apple, wanna play?”

“Ok!” the other said and they were off.

“Meet Aerlies Red,” said Spike. “He’s the Captain of your new Royal Guard.”

The big red Pegasus bowed. “Please to meet you, You Majesty.”

Silver was stumped for a reaction. The dragon noticed and rose from his seat. “Will you excuse us please, Aerlies?”

“Certainly.”

Spike tapped his nose as he walked away, Silver flew up and landed on the spot the dragon tapped.

“I have a guard now?”

“The first of many,” said Spike.  Then he bellowed “Make Way for the Princess!”

Below she saw why. Spike’s kitchen has been turned into a full blown market with more ponies than his bedroom. He’s probably more concerned about accidentally stepping on one, but used it to introduce Silver to all the newcomers. They parted for The Great Dragon and cheered and waved to the princess standing on his nose. Silver looked at her subjects, they were cheerful, but their appearance is what troubled her. All of them were gaunt and disheveled a number of them with wounds covered in dirty bandages.

“Wave to them,” Spike said.

Silver began to cry, and hid from the crowd between Spike’s eyes. Spike stopped raised his head so the ponies wouldn’t see. If only he wasn’t so large, he could hug the poor filly at times like this.

Silver whimpered “I’m sorry. It’s just – I. I can’t help them all. There are just too many. Outside they are all fighting for no reason, and with the snows they can’t grow any food. They’re starving and sick, and still fighting each other! Is this happening everywhere? And if it is what about my parents? I want to go see if they’re ok, but I know I can’t!”

Spike let her cry, he really couldn’t blame her.

“I just can’t do this alone.”

“Oh Silver,” he said in a way that reminded Silver of her father. “You’re not alone. Want to know how so many got here while you were gone.”

She sniffed and mumbled something inaudible that sounded like a positive.

“That Donkey Notches and some earth ponies finished digging secret tunnels straight through the mountain range. Houses are being built in the other rooms, and a hospital here. Every group of ponies that walked through those tunnels has someone with a skill we need. They are all eager to help out, too. Little Garner has been scouring the ashes of the forest collecting every seed she can find and storing them. Just about the whole Apple & Wheat Families have been setting the land up for farming. And I hate to admit it, but Zecora has been a great help, healing the injured and teaching the other ponies her tricks. There’s a unicorn named Sneak Thief, actually a pretty nice pony from some not so nice parents, she’s been training a crew to sneak out and bring more ponies in. And the ones helping her are smart enough to keep a secret. Take a break. Let the other ponies do the saving for a while.”

Silver quietly huddled between Spike’s eyes.

“Silver?”

“OK! I WILL!” her voice cracked.

“Silver, walk out to the end my nose please? I can’t see you.”

She stomped out and sat down facing him, pouting with eyes red from crying.

“Oh I know that look. That’s the ‘I failed and I’m never going to try again’ face. Isn’t it?”

Silver turned her back to Spike. He knows the little princess well enough, Silver knows she’s special and she also thinks that means she’s perfect. The little filly will rush into huge challenges and when she finds out she has limitations Silver beats herself up for not being infallible. Spike can only imagine it comes from being born into a hopeless world yet seeing the hope in her parents’ eyes when they looked at her.

“Silver, no one said you had to do this alone but you. In fact you were the last one to figure out that you can’t.”

She sniffled and chortled a bit.

“Time for another lesson,” Spike announced.

He walked into his gallery where the ponies have built what looks like a prison. Most of the cages were empty with the exception of six of them that had a snarling grey pony in each. Silver was aghast.

“What is this?!”

“A necessity.”

There were a few burly earth ponies waiting, and Spike presented Silver they bowed.

“Princess,” one said. Silver recognized his deep voice. “I’m so very sorry for what I did, and my townsfolk.”

Silver presented the poise Etiquette taught her. “And you are?”

“Boulder , Your Highness. It’s my friend you see. His name is Saddlesoap. He’s the one who cornered you that day.”

Silver looked in the cage and saw him, the colt lunged at Silver. She looked up at Spike.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“They can be cured,” said Spike. “I’ve seen my sister do it. This isn’t a spell written down anywhere. It’s something we’ll have to figure out together.”

She looked at the cursed pony again. “How?” she asked quietly.

“Twilight was able to break the spell because she was close to those that were changed. She knew them and showed them who they really were. She told me she touched their soul.” Spike nodded to Boulder who brought in some other ponies from the village.

“This is Saddlesoap’s wife,” Boulder said. “And his friends.”

The mare looked at Silver with pleading eyes. Silver took a deep breath. “Tell me about Saddlesoap.”

She learned about the colt as seen in the eyes of his friends and family. When she thought she was ready Silver told them to hold the colt down.

Touch his soul, she thought.

Silver closed her eyes and put her horn on Saddlesoap’s brow. A bright flash followed and everypony around became translucent ghosts. She could see the taint on this grey colt, and like a figure blocking her path. Silver focused everything she learned about Saddlesoap. In an instant the taint was gone. In the corner of her eye she saw a massive figure that startled her. A different shade than the ponies, brighter, with a shining red jewel in it center. She looked at it directly recognizing it to be Spike.

“You’ll live longer than any of us, Spike,” she heard Celestia’s voice say. “Please take care of ______, ___ ____ _____ gone _____ __ _____ remember ___ ____ _____ ____ ___ ___ Twilight ___ ____ _____ ______ ____ __ __ ____ ____ ___ ____ __ all __ _____.”

The ghost world dissolved and the real world returned for Silver to see Spike smiling down on her. She looked back at Saddlesoap to see him back to normal squeezed in the center of a group hug with his friends and family.

“You made that look easy,” Spike said still smiling. He expected if she succeeded it would boost her confidence, yet she looked at him as if something was wrong. “He’ll never be turned again thanks to you.”

Silver shook away her odd feeling she had about Spike and smiled. “So this was your idea?”

Spike gave a half nod half bow. “Something else too, you might have missed it on your way back.”

Spike left the gallery and Silver flew up to the top of his head. They passed through the kitchen, except this time Silver waved to the ponies below. They went back through his bedroom to the outside. Silver ducked under Spike for shelter.

“Alright, let’s give this a try,” Spike said to himself.

The Great Dragon dove into the blizzard and disappeared.  Silver heard a belch, than a roar. The white curtain of snow faded by a pulse of green light. A pause later and a beacon of green fire shot into the clouds. Silver thought she saw creatures that were part of the clouds fly away. The fire grew till the storm was beaten back and the sun shown. Spike was sitting in the center of would-be farmland, he carefully flew up above the snow covered farm. Flying above is in a circle he breathed more fire much less than during his fight, but Silver still felt the heat from it. In the clear Silver saw the farm has already been plowed and the seeds planted and also covered in a blanket of snow. Spike puffed a few more clouds of fire then settled down next to Silver.

“That hurt a little but it’s a start.” He said.

“A start?”

“Two birds with one stone, I get back into shape while turning the snow into rain. We get some earth ponies to plow the snow off, and we’ll have full crops growing.”

Silver looked out at the grey beyond the valley. The clouds were already creeping back overhead.

“Aw nuts.” Spike cursed.

“Well it was just your first try, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go back inside,” Silver said like a pony much older than she is. “I need to try to heal those others and you need to get some rest.”

~~~~~~~

“It sounds like a lot activity outside,” the tiniest sing-song voice squeaked.

“It’s just noise, nothing more. Care not what is beyond that door.”

“How can I do that?! We are in the dragon’s lair, no?”

Zecora didn’t answer. She ignored the fly by angrily stirring her cauldron.

“Come on, Zecora. Talk to your old friend. I thought you said the dragon hated you.”

“Nothing new is happening since you where here last. His dislike of me is now in the past.”

“A dragon that forgives? He’s more strange than I imagined.” The little fly tittered. “This is so much fun! Tell me more! How can a dragon not like somepony without burning them to nothing in an instant, on top of that how can one forgive?”

Zecora again tried to ignore the fly, picking various herds from jars to add to her brew.

“What about the unicorn? I know she’s here. Is that why the dragon ‘forgave’ you? Oh there’s so much I want to know! I could have sworn I’ve seen the clouds break apart right above where we’re standing. And every time it stays clear longer than before.”

“What dragon likes the cold? He’s set in his ways and he’s old.”

“A dragon, set in his ways, that forgives you, and adopts a unicorn? None of that makes sense. I LOVE IT!”

“Vile beast! Go away if you please?! Don’t you have a world to freeze?”

The fly cackled. “That was a good rhyme!” It buzzed directly into Zecora’s ear. “But you still haven’t told me anything. And - You - Owe - Me!”

She flicked her ear to shoo the fly away. “That’s what I want to hear from you, don’t bother being nice. If you want to know something it comes with a price.”

“You’re trying my patience old fool.” Discord’s voice inched into the sweet high pitched voice of the fly.

“Six feathers from a gryphon’s wings, moon dust, and an aurochs’ tail, find those ingredients for me and do not fail. Once that is done I’ll tell you all that I know about the unicorn, the dragon and why he guards this land. It’s quite an interesting tale though I doubt you would understand.”

The fly screamed as loud as it could, its rage signifying nothing more than a whisper. “You owe me you ugly cloudy-eyed grey weak stubborn obstinate arrogant smelly useless fossilized exiled alchemist! I left your homeland alone!”

Zecora picked up the nearest book within her grasp and smashed the raging fly with it.