The Great Dragon

“Oh, Rainbow DaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash?!”

She heard the booming voice from above the thick cloud cover. Singing like the innocent call from a game of hide and seek, but with a deep menacing sounding voice that would terrify other ponies. It was not the best way to be woken up from a nap.

I should have guessed he would show up when a big storm is scheduled, she thought to herself.

Rainbow Dash peered above her at the dark grey ceiling of clouds not expecting to see anything, but listening. She could hear Spike’s giant wings flapping, the sound growing faint. Rainbow flew up closer to the clouds with her back to the ground, waiting. She could run, but it’s been so long she actually wanted to see the attack. Then the flapping stopped.

Through the clouds burst a huge purple and green dragon with the eyes of a killer, but brandishing a mischievous smile. Rainbow noticed he’s grown even larger since the last time she saw him. As her old friend dive-bombed towards her, he opened his mouth as if to swallow her whole. So marveled by the sight she almost forgot to duck out of the way. The sound of Spike’s jaws snapping shut was so close it was like a thunder clap. Rainbow looped towards the south flying fast away.

“Where are you going?!” Spike roared.

She sped off in a straight line, hearing the loud flapping getting closer. As proud as she was, Rainbow refused to admit the dragon was gaining on her. Until she felt the heat from Spike’s breath.

Jeeze, I must be getting old, she thought.

She cut a 90 degree turn towards the ground. Spike followed but far behind. She let him get closer just to loop around him some more, to annoy him, then shot down again. Rainbow knew the way Spike would act, he is a dragon after all. He would get frustrated and fly extra fast to catch up, not thinking about the consequences. It worked perfectly, Rainbow Dash picked a perfect spot to crash her old friend. Just a few feet away from the ocean surface Rainbow Dash cut into another 90 degree turn as the giant dragon splashed down. She laughed out loud at this, so hard she forgot about the tidal wave Spike’s fall caused.

Rainbow Dash nearly drowned, washing up on the shore of Poney Island near Manehattan. Along the boardwalk beachgoers were galloping away, as wave subsided they panicked even more. A large shadow came from the sea behind her and before she could fly off she was pinned down by one of Spike’s massive claws.

“Gotcha!” he said with a growl. His dragon instincts making this more than just a game.

“Lemme go!” Rainbow pleaded, fighting against the claws that pinned her to the sand.

“No. You are going to have to talk to one of us, and I decided it would be me.”

“What? There’s nothing to talk about. Great seeing ya! Goodbye!” she said and frantically tried to wriggle her way out between Spike’s fingers.

“Come on Rainbow Dash! Why are you avoiding all of us?”

“I’m not!”

“Oh yeah? How many kids does Pinkie Pie have?”

“Um. Sssssssseven-ish?”

“Ha! Try a higher number.”

“You’re kidding!”

“I wish I was. They’re all like her too. Except for Peachy of course, she’s always been way too serious.”

“Yeah she’s a grump,” Dash laughed.

“See?! You’re missing out on a lot. And we miss you. Look, all I want to know is why.”

Rainbow Dash stopped struggling. “I’ll tell you if you let me go.”

“Forget it! You won’t fool me with that again.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot I did that,” she said chuckling.

“Ha ha ha. Now tell me. What’s bugging you.”

Rainbow Dash started to curl up underneath Spikes claw as if she could hide from him that way.

“Nothing,” she said.

“Did we do anything to upset you?”

“No.”

“Have you, met somebody you think we might not like?”

“No.”

“Are you in trouble in some way?”

“No.”

"Because if you are, Twilight and I can help. Just let me know and we’ll think of something.”

“NO!” Rainbow popped her head out from underneath Spike’s claw. “Why do you think I would need your help?!”

He was taken aback by her change in demeanor, he must be onto something. “I’m just saying we can help, what is it?”

“You know that is so typical of the two of you! ‘Oh lets help dumb old Rainbow Dash! And even if she says she doesn’t need any help, that’s because she’s too darn stupid to figure that out herself!’ I can think for myself you know!”

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“No, you never do! Yet that’s what happens, every time! But you know what?! I AM figuring out! My tiny little Pegasus brain came up with its own widdle plan, and it doesn’t involve you!”

“So you are in some kind of trouble.”

“I didn’t say that!”

A crew of ten Pegasus flew to the shore from the above the ocean.

“Rainbow Dash!” One of them shouted. “Are you still alive?!”

“HELP!” Rainbow Dash squealed. “He’s going to eat me!”

“What?!” Spike was shocked. The Pegasus began kicking him and throwing rocks. Spike unhurt, or even phased glared down at Rainbow Dash. “Oh real nice.”

Rainbow Dash stifled a laugh. The melee continued. Spike just kept a vexed expression on his face as he held Rainbow Dash down.

“I’m not going to fight them. And I’m not letting you go.”

“You won’t eat me you big mean dragon! My friends will save me, and the guards from Manehattan will be here any minute now!”

“Oh so that’s your plan.”

“Would be a shame if The Steward of Equestria found out about what’s going on. Some strange dragon attacking innocent defenseless ponies, causing tidal waves along the beaches of Poney Island. Why I wouldn’t let a beast like that anywhere near Canterlot!”

Spike looked at his old friend and saw only a stranger. “When did you become so cruel, Rainbow Dash?”

Her sly grin disappeared. “Spike, I’m sorry. Just let me go. Please? I know you want to help, but I really don’t need any. It’s a secret I got to keep, and something only I can do. I want to see you all again, I mean it. But I have to do this – thing – my way.”

Spike slowly lifted his claw up off of her. “Rainbow Dash. I love you. We all do.”

“And I love all of you.”

The Pegasus heard that and stopped attacking giving each other confused looks. Rainbow Dash flew up to eye level of Spike. She looked at him with tears in her eyes but smiling, then flew close and kissed him on the cheek.

“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine,” she whispered then put her tough voice back on as she flew away. “It was fun having one last go around with you Spikey. Even if you still can’t handle tight turns.”

“Yeah, it was fun,” said Spike with a bit of a grin. “Hey Rainbow Dash, the Grand Galloping Gala is next month. You’re always invited, would you be willing to show up if I make sure no one makes a big deal about you being there or asks you anything? For old time’s sake.”

Rainbow Dash stopped her slow flight away. “Well it isn’t really my thing, but okay. Under one condition: I get to talk to ‘The Great Steward of Equestria’ in private at the end of the party.”

Spike nodded. “I got a better idea, you go talk to her right now in private so we can actually have fun together at The Gala.”

“Yeah, like that’s ever fun.”

Spike sat on the beach watching the Pegasus clique fly off together. And rain droplets began to fall.

“Please take care of-“

It was a pleasant dream Spike woke from, and a long and peaceful sleep. Something else he noticed, he didn’t ache anymore. And not just his lungs from breathing fire over the valley everyday that were feeling better, his muscles have stopped aching for a while now. He did notice Silver had already left Rarity’s bed without waking him. She’s gotten very good at teleporting. In front of him was a familiar scene. The winter storms have gotten so bad outside the cold has seeped into Spike’s lair. And as that happened a great number of the little ones have followed Crescent’s lead and slept I front of The Great Dragon’s nose. There must be thirty of them curled up together using the dragon as radiator with the little purple unicorn right up front. Spike nudged her awake, she blinked lazily.

“What have you been up to, little Twilight?”

She yawned with a smile. “I like that name.”

Spike laughed. The other little ponies began to wake. Some clumsily trotted away, not ready to face their fear of dragons no matter how warm and friendly they are. Some refused to wake up, the rest were thrilled their gigantic plaything finally woke up.

“Hi Spike!”

“Morning Spike!”

“Are you gonna stretch your wings out again Spike?”

“Heat up the valley again!”

“Tell us more about when you grew up in Ponyville, please?”

“Can I ride on your back next time you go flying?”

“Could you take me too?”

“And me?!”

“I got a better idea,” Spike said. “Everyone climb on my tail.”

He placed his giant spade flat on the ground, and the little ponies scampered onto it.

“Ready?”

The ponies said “yes” excitedly.

“Here we go!”

Spike lifted his tail high to the delight of the ponies. He skipped around his bedroom humming an old tune from his childhood while flapping his wings. The ponies below skattered as trotted he into his kitchen. Those not remotely underfoot stared quizzically, some laughed. The foals loved the attention, some calling to their parents so they see. Spike meandered to his destination which was a makeshift school just outside the market. Then Spike lowered his tail in front of the teacher.

“Here you go Cheerilee, your first students.”

“My name’s not Cheerilee, its Docket.” The humorless teacher said.

“Sorry, I forget sometimes. The similarities are uncanny.” Spike sarcastically said over the sound of groaning fillies.

“Crescent, Zecora told me she needed to see you,” Docket told her who happily left the group now stuck having to learn.

“Aw school?!” one of them pleaded with Spike.

“Never trust a dragon,” Spike answered then tip-toed into the library.

It was amazing how quickly the place filled up. All of the older unicorns were pouring through spell books learning their craft, along with earth ponies studying or just reading some nice fiction. Several had volunteered to be librarians keeping the place organized. Spike laughed to himself as he watched them using the ladders & shelves he built. All that time he spent wheedling miniatures, he did so to keep the place looking authentic, like the libraries he grew up in during his long life. He never imagined there would be ponies using them daily and taking every walkway for granted. Like a hobbyist whose favorite model ship is taken out to sea by tiny sailors.

Around the back of the library he found Silver. The total numbers of Royal Guard were up to twenty-three now. They would haunt poor Silver, never straying that far from her. A necessary presence, but still a daunting image for a little filly that never asked for this life.

She was talking to Ink & Pen who was very excited about something he learned. So enthralled with his discovery he didn’t notice Spike creeping up behind him. Spike lowered his head behind Ink leering at Silver who did her best to ignore The Great Dragon desperately trying to keep a straight face.

“From what I gather it was a very large structure,” Ink was saying. “Judging by the foundation it could have been fifteen floors maybe more.”

Spike crossed his eyes and jutted his forked tongue out the side of his mouth. Silver couldn’t contain herself anymore laughing right in Ink & Pen’s face. Confused Ink turned around and yelped at the sight of Spike mugging just inches away from him.

“Oh Spike! You startled me,” he said gaining his composure. “I think this might interest you too. I’ve been exploring the ruins above your home and have discovered something amazing. I think it was built by ponies. Not only that, but I think it was-“

“This was the first castle of Princess Celestia and Luna. It was abandoned roughly one thousand years before I was born.”

“Oh.” Ink & Pen looked defeated.

“Ink, you’re a nice unicorn. But if you want to know about something, ask me first before you waste too much time.”

“Yes, that - would probably be best.”

“OK, bye now,” Spike ordered waving his claw at the unicorn who skulked off. Spike sat smiling down at Silver, saying nothing just looking at her. Silver smiled back but was feeling very uncomfortable. “You know who you are the spitting image of? Trixie!” Spike laughed at that. “I haven’t thought of her in years, but that’s who you look like! A little Trixie with wings.” Spike laughed some more. Silver joined in laughing but still felt awkward. “Well I hope you are related to her, it would make her – very pleased with herself.”

“I learned another spell, Spike. Want to me to test it?”

“No!” Spike barked. “We are going to race!”

“What?”

“Outside. You. Me. In the sky. Right now!”

Silver didn’t know what to think. She liked the idea, but in these times he wondered if it was the right thing to do.

“Hey Aerlies! The two of us are going to go for a little flight outside the valley. You and the other guards are staying here.”

Spike marched away earnestly. Silver took flight to keep up. Something was different about Spike this morning. He was more playful than he’s ever been, as if his dragoness has faded. He didn’t even bat an eye at the five foals sleeping in Rarity’s bed as he marched outside. It was a still day, but bitter cold.

“It’s too cold for this,” Silver said.

“Oh, don’t be a wimp. Now here are the rules, on the count of three, we fly up above the clouds. The first one that gets to sunlight wins. Ready?!”

Spike crouched into a launch position, Silver did the same.

“One-“

Spike jumped into the air.

“TWOTHREE!”

“HEY!” Silver shot up after him.

Spike laughed his way into the clouds Silver flying faster than she ever thought she could. She caught up with his tail before losing him I the clouds. Determined, she slugged her way through the sleet and dark. The sunlight stung her eyes once through, Silver looked around and didn’t see Spike anywhere.

“I won,” she said to herself. She also thought it couldn’t have been that easy, and it wasn’t. Spike was hiding in the clouds underneath her.

“ROAR!” he said as he popped out of the clouds. “I’m a big mean dragon and I’m going to eat you!”

He snapped at Silver who flew out of the way too startled to even scream.

“There you go,” Spike said approvingly. “Now what do you got to do to defend yourself against a much larger opponent?”

Silver figured it out, these are flying lessons. “Not speed, you let me win.”

“Good. So what else.”

Silver flew closer to the dragon. “Try and bite me now.”

Spike tried and Silver looped around Spike’s head. She kept close flying just out reach of Spike’s attacks. Silver thought she was doing well, but noticed Spike was attacking much slower than he was when he face Discord. She stopped fighting.

“I’m not that good this, am I?”

Spike hovered in front of her. “No. I’m sorry Silver, you’re not cut out to be a dragon slayer.”

Silver laughed.

“Come on!” Spike shouted and flew away. Silver chased him.

They flew together carefree, the cold wasn’t as noticeable above the clouds with the sun shining. Silver looped around Spike who did the same. They raced a little but Silver knew she could never beat Spike. He slowed down so his massive head soared alongside the princess.

“Do you know why I said I felt sorry for the green dragon?”

“Nope.” Her old earth pony drawl coming back.

“Because he never had any friends. He’s been alone for as long as I can remember. Hiding in his cave, protecting his gems; no one to care for, and no one to care for him. I could never live like that, and thanks to you I don’t.”

Silver smiled.

“I’ve been figuring a few things out too. Many, many, years ago, when I was just a child, I wore one of The Elements of Harmony to combat Discord.”

Silver was shocked he said the spirit’s name so casually. She looked around in fear he might show up. Nothing.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Oh it was a disaster, but that’s beside the point. I don’t know where The Elements of Harmony came from, but it’s safe to assume they weren’t meant for dragons. I think it changed me somehow. Let me put it this way. When Celestia & Luna were the only bearers they lived for thousands of years, and were much larger than normal ponies. When my sister and her five friends were bearers, only then did the years wear on the Two Princesses. Changes like that weren’t that dramatic to my friends, but The Elements were distilled among the six of them. They’re all gone now, except for me. And if I may be so bold, I’ve aged pretty darn good. I’m the biggest, toughest dragon in the world with fire that can hurt Discord. I think I know the reason why.”

She wanted to shut him up the way he was spouting Discord’s name over and over like that. “What are you trying to do?” she pleaded.

“I’m calling him out that’s what I’m doing. Discord knows The Elements of Harmony can defeat him, but I think when I wore that one Element all those years ago, it gave me a bit of their power. So the next time he shows his face, I’m going to burn him till he’s nothing but ash.”

Silver was a little shocked at his attitude.

Spike did a barrel roll laughing. “You hear that Discord?! I’m not going to hold back at all next time! Because I don’t care what happens to me!”

“Spike stop!” Silver flew up and kicked above his right eye. Spike just laughed. “I’m serious! I care what happens to you! Why are you talking like that?!”

“Silver, its ok. It all makes sense now. I’m here to get rid of Discord, and you are here to rebuild Equestria.” Spike banked upwards. “DISCORD!” The roar echoed through the sky fading to silence. He hovered in the air with his arms folded. “Hmm.” He peered around with that keen-eyed look the dragon sometimes gives. Spike looked below him and gasped, his face lit up with glee. “Silver!” he whispered. “Jump on my head and hold on!”

She hurried on and Spike flew towards the sun.

“Silver, stomp on my head.”

Silver was confused by that request.

“Do it! I need to know I can feel it.”

She stomped her back hoof while holding on with her front legs.

“Good, I’m going to be flying really high so if you feel like you’re getting sleepy, stomp on my head just like that.”

He’s been acting so peculiar today, she wondered what’s in store for her now. Spike hovered very high in the sky. Silver felt that the air was thinner.

“Here they come, this is going to be great.”

Silver craned her neck to see what he was looking at. Then without warning Spike dove down chuckling the whole time. The speed he was flying at was amazing, Silver tightened her grip hoping the wind wouldn’t blow her off. At dive-bomb angle Silver could see where Spike was flying. There was a cloud above the storm clouds of an odd color. As they closed in on it she could tell it was a herd; Pegasus, thousands of them flying together. She never seen so many. Silver heard trumpets blare, they must have spotted Spike. He didn’t care he was laughing as he scattered the great herd. They all flew in a panic, a few spears were thrown that bounced off Spike’s hide. Silver heard a few of them yelling but Spike flew by so fast she couldn’t make out what they said.

“Oh look, these ones think they’re fast,” Spike said and veered towards a group that broke off. He got close enough Silver could make out the different flyers. “Only one Pegasus has ever outrun me in a long flight and none of you are her!”

One of the Pegasus looked back at the dragon then flew extra fast. Spike did the same flying up next to fleeing herd. As he did the few noticed Silver riding on the top of Spike’s head. And their jaws fell open. Silver smiled and waved. Spike noticed what was happening and slowed down with the pace of the shocked Pegasus. It was slow enough that Silver could fly along with them.

“So where are you headed?” Spike asked them.

“Uh – trying to get away from the cold.”

“Yeah well there’s only one way to do that, and you can’t get there by flying.”

“Why did you attack us?!” an armored Pegasus demanded.

“I didn’t attack you, you big toughy. I was just having some fun.”

All but the armored one were staring at Silver.

“Hey Windstorm?”

“What?!” the armored Pegasus snapped.

“That Pegasus there was riding the dragon’s head, and she has a horn too.”

Windstorm glared at Silver angrily. And when he realized what she was, he was so shocked he forgot to flap his wings and fell like a stone. Five other Pegasus dashed down to catch him yelling for him to wake up. Spike guffawed.

“Is this our new princess?” one of Pegasus asked Spike while still gawking at Silver.

“I am,” Silver said.

“She’s been staying with me,” Spike added. “Some of the older flyers know where I live. Tell them, things are going to get better. Tell them they need to stop running.”

Spike banked away, Silver followed. She could hear chattering as the great herd coalesced. She could only imagine what is going to happen now. The two shared a look, and then laughed.

“Where should we go now?”

Silver looked around thinking of all the places she could visit. Then realized how tired and hungry she was. “Home I guess.”

“Appleloosa?”

Silver hadn’t thought of that as home for a while now. It made her heart ache. Since Spike opened up his home as a shelter she hasn’t seen her Maw or her Paw. She’s been doing so much and so much has been happening she hadn’t even thought of them. What if something happened to them?  And then she thought of all her responsibilities and how much of her duties were shirked today fooling around with Spike.

“Which is closer?” she asked meekly.

“My place.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Your place then.”

The sun dropped quickly to let the world know who is still in charge. The flight home was long in the dark. Once at the valley, Spike ducked below the clouds and followed the light of his cave which seemed brighter. Silver flew beneath him to keep out of the snow. There was a unicorn guard waiting outside for them projecting light from his horn.

“Princess! Come quick!”

The two followed the galloping sentry, inside the tumult subsided and instead directed their unrest to Silver and the dragon.

“He took her!” Etiquette cried. “Please you must save her.”

The crowd parted revealing the Royal Guards holding Zecora under arrest.

“What happened?” Spike asked.

Aerlies stepped forward. “You Know Who showed up. He came here looking for the Princess, and Zecora gave Him Crescent.”

“What?!” Spike roared.

“He would have killed us all,” Zecora said calmly. “Someone was needed to take the fall.”

“HOW DARE YOU!” Spike roared stomping his foot and cratering the solid stone with a footprint, a deep crack shot in front of Zecora. She stood unafraid of the giant dragon, certain of her actions and resigned to her fate.

“Why did he take her? She looks nothing like me?” Silver asked.

“There are ointments and potions that work better than any spell in my keep. Some can change a pony’s color, others put a pony to sleep.”

Spike growled loudly, the crowd of ponies backed away from Zecora, the guards as well. “You do this to a guest in My House! A FOAL NO LESS!”

“I did what was needed to be done! I had to buy time to protect the little one.”

“She said He has been spying on us for some time,” a Boulder said. “From her room.”

“What have you told Him!”

“That you were bewitched by Celestia to guard us all, when another princess was born you would be under her thrall. The new princess arrived and you became her pet. It’s a plausible tale He would never question, I bet.”

“Very plausible,” Spike said. Celestia’s voice rang in his head.

“Please take care of-“

“I told him nothing till he gave me some things, impossible ingredients for a potion to grow wings.”

“Wings?!?!” Etiquette cried.

“They do not work as far as I know. To trick The Spirit I needed something for show.”

“What will He do to her?!” Ink & Pen asked.

“He will raise her as his own I suppose, poisoning her ear with lies, turning her into His slave. I’m sure that will take a while, which gives you the time to make sure all of us are saved,” she said while smiling at Silver. “He thinks by controlling her He can make Spike do as he’s told. Oh I wish I could be there them MY plan unfolds.” Zecora turned her smile to Crescent’s mother, knowing full well what magical skills she is capable of.

Etiquette fell upon Spike’s foot. “Please save her! My magic can find her for you! I always could.”

Spike stared down at the unicorn, unsure of what to do, then nodded. “Get Saddlesoap and Leatherworks in here. Tell them we need to make a saddle for me to carry Etiquette. Aerlies, see that room up top? That’s Rainbow Dash’s old room, there’s a flight suit under glass in there, bring it down here. She will need more winter clothes for this too.”

“What are you going to do?” Silver asked.

“Etiquette will be flying with me, and telling me where to go. I’ll save little Twilight and get rid of Discord once and for all.”

Zecora smiled approvingly.

“Don’t smile at me you old crone!” Spike barked. A puff of flames shot out with his words. “If it were up to me you would be a stain on my heel by now!”

“Then what should be done with her?” a guard asked.

“This is my house, but she’s your subject,” said Spike pointing at the princess. “You decide.”

All of the other ponies looked to Silver. Spike paced with rage waiting the small contingent he assigned with duties to return. This was the time when Silver had to be a ruler, and it is to pass judgment on one who helped her almost as much as Spike. One she promised to take care of.

“Don’t be afraid, dear Princess.” Zecora said in an assuring way. “I’m guilty, and I know you will be kind. I did the right thing, I’m sure you will find. Maybe not now, but in years to come, you’ll learn it is better to help nearly all even if you have to hurt some.”

“We can’t have fillies being poisoned and kidnapped, You Highness.” Boulder said.

“Years ago, I’m sorry to say, committed a great sin. When He attacked some unicorns fled to my forest and hid there within. They brought books of spells, they were very wise and brave. They sought to train and scheme to defeat the Chaotic Knave.”

Zecora wept a little.

“I think they could have done it, these new friends of mine. But I was worried about my home and what was happening to my kind. I-I betrayed these heroes, I made - Him - aware. I did so if he agreed that by homeland would be spared.”

“I don’t think that justifies anything,” Boulder quietly said to Silver. “She tried to fix a great evil with a lesser evil.”

Silver took a deep breath and raised her head. “Zecora. I banish you. You are no longer welcome here or in Equestria.”

Zecora face went from shock to sadness.

“Boulder, let her take whatever she can carry and see her out of one of the tunnels.”

The guard pushed the old Zebra along who slowly made her way to her room. Silver couldn’t watch. She turned to see Spike at the far end of his bedroom with the two ponies quickly fastening a seat for Etiquette. Etiquette herself has been dressing with a Wonderbolts uniform stretched over her with bundles of clothes on top of that. Only her horn left exposed. Spike’s head was on the ground for the ponies to work, he looked back at Silver with no expression aside of from anger in his eyes. It dawned on Silver that in this weather, exile is just a slow death sentence for the ancient zebra. It was too cruel to imagine, yet no one was questioning it.

This must be what it means to be a ruler, she thought.

Ink & Pen was hugging his wife, weeping while she promised to bring Crescent back. The saddle was done and tested violently by the two who crafted it along with some of the guards. Pulling at it in every direction possible. Silver knew firsthand how fast Spike could fly, and the saddle looked ready.  They hoisted Etiquette up on the saddle and she strapped herself in. As soon as she got her goggles on Spike bounded for the exit.

Silver rushed over to them. “Spike? SPIKE?!”

The Great Dragon stopped.

“Whu – What do I do?”

“What you were born for, Silver. Choose your own name and rule.”

With that Spike was off. She looked at everyone gathered and thought of a hundred more questions for Spike. Where does she sleep now? The baroque bed was perfect when she was protected under a dragon’s wing.

Back to Twilight’s old room, she thought. Then what?

She flew over her subject not looking down. Her Captain followed.

“I need to eat something, and then rest,” she told Aerlies.

She felt very awkward and alone with Spike gone, and it had been only a few hours. She tossed and turned in Twilight’s bed. Too nervous to sleep dreading what it will be like when she wakes up. Already she misses the soothing wave-like sound of Spike’s breathing. Aerlies’ loud snoring outside her door wasn’t cutting it.

“Princess! Princess! They’re coming!” She heard the frantic braying as Notches galloped up the stairs.

She leapt out of bed, meeting Notches at her door. Aerlies had already jumped up from his nap.

“Your Highness!” Notches panted. “Boulder and me were escorting Zecora through one of the tunnels. We had to watch her for a while. Y’know, ‘cuz she’s so slow. Anyway, I see a light in the distance so Boulder went to check it out. And he said they were ponies, unicorns and earth ponies. Miss, they were all grey!”

“How many?!” Aerlies shouted.

“More than Boulder has ever seen in his life! I closed the hidden door to the tunnel so they shouldn’t find it. Boulder said he was going to go to the west tunnel, something he had to check on.”

“Not good enough,” Aerlies drawled out. His accent became thicker when he was upset Silver noticed. “We gotta fill those tunnels in. Git Jeb and Blocks to help you.”

“An army is coming?” Silver asked.

“Ah can’t think wut else it could be,” Aerlies said. “Sound the alarm!” He shouted to one of the guards.

“We don’t have an alarm!” he shouted back.

“Well wake everypony up!”

“What are you going to do?” Silver asked.

“Ah’m guessing if we seal all the tunnels up, that army will have to walk all the way around through Ponyville to get here. That will buy us some time, we do have the high ground with Spike’s doorway being the only way in.”

“You can’t fight them! It will just make the Windygos stronger!”

“We still have to fortifah this place. Ah learned that much from reading combat books in the library.”

“The Library!” Silver thought and leapt in the air, flying down towards the other ponies groggily getting composed. Ink & Pen wasn’t asleep. He was sitting by the great doorway to Spike’s book collection staring at the floor. “Ink! He sent an army at us!”

He gave no reaction.

“Ink & Pen. Please! We have to protect the library. Help my gather things to block the hallway.”

“He stole my daughter.”

“Spike will get her back, I promise. Just help me. If cursed ponies get in here, they could destroy everything.”

More of the volunteer librarians ran over. “Princess! We just heard!”

“We have to seal up the library!”

Without hesitation they ran off to get material before Silver could even tell them about the small warehouse of stones Blocks is so proud of. He even forced the Princess on a tour of them. Most everywhere ponies were clamoring. Aerlies doing his best to yell over the crowd, hurting his throat with every order.

News that Boulder was back grapevined through the crowd shouting at each other through the vast rooms The Great Dragon filled so easily. Silver flew over to see him. There’s a tunnel made in one of the rooms Spike said he never uses. A crafting room of Rarity’s that he left alone. Boulder limped up to stairs of the tunnel with Sneak Thief on his back. She was unconscious.

“You’ll never believe this,” he said. “But they’re after our food.”

“What food?!” one of the earth ponies from the Wheat family said. “Growing crops in this weather has been like ice skating uphill!”

“That’s what You-Know-Who convinced them to fight for. Poor Sneak Thief was on her way back from another scouting run and a group of ten chased her down.” Boulder sniffled a little, he took a shine to “Sneaky” since they first met. “I kinda lost it. Hurt a bunch of them pretty bad. More came so I picked her up and ran.”

“What do we do?” another asked.

“Give them what they want,” Silver answered. “They want food, right? We still got food stored in Spike’s pantry.”

“Then WE starve!”

“No,” Aerlies said. “It’ll buy us time. Give them the oldest stuff first, who knows maybe we’ll give ‘em all stomach aches! What we gotta do is make this place a fortress so they can’t just walk on in. Shoot when Spike was here no one would dare but we’re on our own now.”

“What are we buying time for?” a nurse asked while helping Sneak Thief onto a cot.

“We’re waiting for Spike. You’ve seen what he can do. And now thanks to that old zebra, he’s got a way to go right to wherever You Know Who is hidin’.”

In the doorway Silver saw one of the librarians waving at her. As she flew off to meet him she heard another one of her guards.

“Yeah and what if Spike fails.”

The earth pony pointed to the library so Silver didn’t bother to stop, flying straight there. The unicorn librarians we levitating blocks and bits of metal, building a great wall in the doorway. Ink & Pen had finally snapped out of it and was moving rocks as well. Silver saw the construction and took over, moving the large rocks ten at a time with greater ease than the adults. Her magic could pull away blocks out of the control of the fully grown unicorns. She removed the wooden planks replacing them with metal scraps and other junk for mortar. Silver used the fire spell she learned to light the globes in the cave, but this time with a recklessness that scared her subjects. Fire shot from her horn in a stream, heating the soft metal bits and melting them. She felt the magic in her stronger than before, so she burned the flames hotter than planned, making the wall stronger than the marble walls when she was finally done. The librarians and other ponies were in awe. A trio of her guards was equally impressed. Aerlies flanked by two of the burly earth ponies galloped in and were stopped dead by the tiny princess’ fire show.

“I think we need to have a re-vote,” one of the guards said.

Silver was still a little fuzzy-brained from the spell, it didn’t register what the guard said at first. “What vote?” she asked.

“Well, Your Highness,” Aerlies said. “A number of us were just talkin’. What if Spike can’t do it? What if he doesn’t come back? With all those grey ponies outside, and if He defeats Spike, well, you’ll be trapped in here. We can’t afford that.”

“So we all voted,” the guard said. “Us guards, Dr. Vet, Docket, we came here to get Ink & Pen in on it too with the other librarians. We’re voting that you leave.”

“For your own safety!” Aerlies added quickly. “Without Spike, you’re all we got.”

“If it’s all the same,” Ink & Pen said. “I vote for you to leave too Princess. No matter what happens, I want – Him –gone.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Aerlies said. “We’ll be fine.”

A guard cleared his throat. “But if you could, Majesty. Could you help us fortify the place before you go?”

“We do this right, we can get through this without anyone else gettin’ hurt, even the cursed ones. But we’d all feel a lot better if you get to a safe spot and hide.”

“No,” Silver said.

The faces of her subject sank. Ink & Pen was going to say something, but Aerlies blocked his mouth with a red wing. It gave Silver an idea.

“I won’t hide, but I’ll go get help.”

~~~~~~~

Silver flew for days with no sign of any Pegasus. The little Princess brought enough supplies with her to stave off hunger, and she mastered sleeping on clouds, but her search became frustrating. She would peak below the clouds and then back above the weather without a single trace of the great herd. She followed the route she remembered from her flight with Spike from the other day expecting to cross paths as they hurried to Spike’s place. It angered Silver that they would still just fly away and not stand up for their home. Aerlies would never do that. He even volunteered to accompany Silver, but he seemed to be the most competent leader with Spike gone. And the bravest. Unlike this huge army of pegasus that ran away all day everyday for years. She flew angrily diving below the clouds and above scanning the horizon for anything.

Where did they go?! She thought.

She flew down below the clouds landing on a snow bank. Night had fallen in its usual abrupt fashion and for a change the weather was calm. She looked across the blanket of pristine snow, quite beautiful in fact, and saw a cactus half buried. And a lights off in the distance that were familiar.

“I’m home,” she said to herself.

Silver flew straight towards the lights, before reaching the town she remember old habits, covering herself up and walking in. The town itself wasn’t in as bad a shape as the others up north.  A few buildings had been burned and fortifications built up around it. No trance of buffalo anywhere, she was sure that the unicorns had left as well. Aside from that the streets were familiar, yet abandoned. Everypony hid in their houses warming themselves by meager fires. She felt a pit in her stomach as she turned on Braeburn St, thankfully her house was still standing.

Silver didn’t bother to knock, she rushed in, startling her mother. As soon as saw her mother’s scared face, Silver flung off her cloak.

“Oh Silver,” her mother said. “You’re alive!”

They hugged for while her mother laughed and cried at the same time.

“Goodness! You’ve grown so big!” she said wiping the tears from her face.

It was true, Silver was the same size as her mother now. She never noticed her growth spurt while at Spike’s place. She was so tiny compared to him, and the other ponies didn’t know her. Here in the home of her childhood, she felt everything was smaller. And also quite dirty.

“Ooooh let’s see your cutie mark,” he mother squeaked. Even in these grim times she remained as cheerful as ever.

“I don’t have one yet.”

It was odd for her to say. With Spike and her subjects it didn’t really matter. Now that she’s home she’s just another filly. It felt good. Safe.

“Primrose, I’m back.” Silver’s father said, closing the door without looking.

She locked eyes with her daughter and stared for but a moment. Then grabbed her and hugged her tighter than he ever had before. He said nothing for a very long time, just holding her. Silver could feel him crying.

“Good to see you too Daddy,” Silver breathed out.

Her father laughed a bit but it was forced, he finally let her go. “I’ve been hearing stories, I thought you were killed by that dragon.”

“Spike?! He’d never do that!” She said. “He’s the best teacher I could ever hope for!”

“Ssssssspike.” Father repeated. “Well, I’m glad your instincts paid off.”

“It’s more than that.”

Silver used her magic to light up all the empty lanterns and started cleaning the place up. Her parents watched as brooms and cloth spun around on their own. They both began to laugh in disbelief.

“It’s nothing really, I’ve learned a lot more than that.”

They sat by the fire to talk, getting close to it for the warmth. Silver noticed as old mare sleeping on the couch.

“Who’s that?”

“Old Paula Red, a distant relative of ours.  She’s been homeless since, the fighting. We’ve let her stay in your old room till it got too cold.”

So typical of her mother, Silver was certain her father said no a hundred times to that and is still saying no.

“Are things as bad up north as they are here?” her father asked grimly.

Silver signed. “Worse. Spike and I set up a shelter for ponies, but now. I-I need to find the Pegasus herd.”

“Silver there are hardly any Pegasus left,” her father said with confidence.

Silver shook her head. “No, there are thousands flying together, never staying in one place for too long. I’ve seen them. Like a flying city with – no city.”

Her father scoffed. The world freezing around them and here they are having the talk of child and parent when the child realizes the parent doesn’t know everything.

“Daddy, I’ve seen them. Spike showed me.”

“The Great Dragon is named Spike. That really is a silly name, like he’s a guard dog or somethin’.”

“He was raised by ponies. A unicorn adopted him from an egg she hatched. He lived with us his whole life. All of his friends were earth ponies or Pegasus. He even,” Silver laughed nervously “had a – wife – that was a unicorn.”

Her mother gasped in amusement putting her hoof over her mouth. “Scandalous!” she laughed. “I like it though. It sounds like something out of a fairy tale. Tell us more.”

Silver told her parents about Spike, and everything about his life the dragon shared. Also she told them about the history of Equestria, most of it forgotten over the many years under The Chaos. Silver talked about magic, and the friendship between all the ponies. She told them about Spike’s home, the library, the refugees, Zecora, and what Discord has been doing.

As she told her tale Paula Red woke up, she saw the silhouette of the lost daughter Primrose and Tumbleweed have told her about. Only now seeing her wings and horn as she told her parents fantastic tales of her adventures, and the mighty dragon that protected her. Paula Red smiled her head on the pillow watching Silver, listening to her story.

Silver noticed she was awake, and recognized her as the old mare that tried to save her from the mob of angry earth ponies.

“Ah knew Ah wuz raight. As soon as Ah asked your parents about their missing daughter Ah knew it wuz you Ah saw that day.”

Silver smiled.

“Ah’ve been looking all over for ya. Ah’ve got a gift you need. Mah granddaughter wuz gonna get it for ya, but the unicrons-” The old mare groaned as she dug through a satchel at foot of the couch. She removed a crystal, held it for a minute as if to hand it to Silver. When the princess reached for it, Paula Red threw it in the fire. A bright blue light, the same color of the crystal blinded everypony in the room. “That signal shot right out the chimney Ah reckon.”

“What did you do?” Silver asked.

“Don’t worry child,” she said sweetly. “Everything will fine. But Ah’m too tired to explain.” The old mare closed her eyes smiling as she rested.

“What was that?” he Father asked.

Silver didn’t have an answer. She thought of Zecora and her story of betrayal. There was a quiet knock on the door.

“Mmmmm, that was fast.” Paula Red said, still smiling. Eyes still closed.

Her Father and Mother looked at each other. Tumbleweed stood up inching to the door, Silver walked to the far end of the room, facing the door, preparing for either fight or flight.

“Who is it?” her Father asked.

“General Powerglide commander of the Pegasus Nomads.”

Tumbleweed opened the door. She marched in with two cold Pegasus at her side, all in resplendent military garb. She saw the princess and took her helmet off and bowed.

“Where have you been?!” Silver spat, the rage from her lonely search for the Pegasus breaking through.

The Powerglide did not expect that reaction.

“The ponies at Spike’s Place need help, they’re being attacked by an army of cursed ponies. Send support, but Don’t Hurt Any Of Them. If captured I might be able to cure them. Just fly down and grab the grey ones one at a time.”

One of the General’s Lieutenants looked at Powerglide asking for permission non-verbally. The General nodded. “Go.”

The Lieutenant flew off at a blinding speed. Silver’s parents were shocked a little by how easily their daughter gave commands now.

“Please come in,” Primrose said. “Can I get you anything General?”

“No thank you,” she said as warmly as the old, yet fit Pegasus could say. She looked at Silver, trying her best not to smile. “We’ve been waiting some time for you, Your Highness.”

Silver stood defiantly waiting for the General to get to the point.

Powerglide cleared her throat. “Um, yes! Well, I should tell you about us, then. First off allow me to apologize for being so – elusive. This has been the way of The Pegasus Nomads for centuries. Our founding goes back to The Good Times before the Chaos. Created by a very prominent Pegasus named Rainbow Dash.”

Silver recognized that name.

“You see when no other Princesses were being born, Great Princess Luna was disturbed by this. She focused her skills in magic on clairvoyance spells or premonition I suppose. I’m sorry I don’t know anything about magic. What she saw were dark times, a terrible future. So Great Luna worked to prepare the world, she foresaw that the next princess would be born to a family of earth ponies. Yet without the tools to set things right the new princess would be helpless. That’s when the Princess went to Rainbow Dash: The Element of Loyalty. Luna entrusted Rainbow Dash, and only her, with knowledge about the future, and made her promise to hold onto a keepsake. Rainbow Dash alone set up a network of earth ponies to keep an eye out for the birth of the next princess. In fact Paula Red’s grandmother was the first. Princess Luna went into great detail about what she saw, so Rainbow Dash thought the best way to keep something safe for so many years is to keep it moving. She selected only a few of the best flyers in Equestria to carry this burden. The ranks of The Nomads grew but only an elite few knew their real purpose. For all of the other athletes it was just a fun time to fly around all day. When the Chaos returned though, our ranks grew. So much so nearly all the Pegasus are with The Nomads. But as always, only a select few know of our real purpose. Only the top officers are in contact with our agents among the earth ponies, and only we carry the tools you will need. It has been this way for generations.”

The remaining Lieutenant reached into his saddle bag and brought out a black box.

“I present you with The Elements of Harmony. It is-“

“A talisman of great magic,” Silver finished. “It’s what I need to defeat Discord.”

The heart of everypony is the room skipped a beat the way she said His name so easily. Yet the General was also impressed how fearless her new princess was being. Silver used her magic to open the box and drew out the talisman. They were six silver orbs just as Discord described, yet someone had fashioned them into a necklace, probably for ease of transport. She took the necklace and placed it around her neck.

“Your time with The Great Dragon has certainly made you brave.”

“Knowledgeable. He taught me to be smart more than anything.” Silver looked down at the necklace she now wore, the presented herself formally to Powerglide as Etiquette taught her. “Thank you, General. I never imagined so many could be planning this day for me from so many years ago.”

Silver walked back to the couch to thank Paula Red, Powerglide did the same. The old mare laid there, eyes closed, smiling, but not breathing. The General sighed.

“Well,” the Powerglide said quietly “at least she died knowing her family’s mission has been completed.”

“Her grandmother was the first?”

Powerglide nodded. “Applebloom was her name.”

Silver didn’t recognize that name from any of Spike’s tales. She went back over to her parents and hugged them. “I have to go now,” she said quietly.

“Oh Silver,” her Father said. “When you were born we knew you would turn into something greater than just our daughter. Go now, make us proud.”

Silver kissed them and marched outside. The two Pegasus followed her. A crowd had gathered outside. The bright light rocketing out of the chimney peaked their interest. The spectacle of Silver strutting out of the house with two Pegasus soldiers at either side of her was too much to comprehend.

“General, please get to Spike’s Place and help them.”

“And what about you, Your Highness?”

“I think we both know what I need to do now.”

And with that Silver flew off.  She flew as fast as she could into the snow covered desert, far away from anything so nopony would get hurt. She landed in a wide open plateau with quite a few red rocks peaking out of the snow.

“Discord!” she said. “DISCORD!”

Again nothing. She looked about at the night sky, and remembered something in one of the books in Spike’s library. With her back to the east she cleared her mind of every other though than one. Then slowly flew upwards, and as she rose, the sun rose with her. And for the first time in centuries, a normal day had started.

“Maybe that will get your attention, Discord!” she challenged. The storm clouds broke, and in the southern desert heat. The snow melted quickly. As she waited she thought of one last thing she took out the letter with the red bow around it, the one Spike had her write “Help” on and sent it to him. If he hasn’t caught Discord by now, he would want to be here for this.

Out of a puff of smoke Discord appeared.

“Alright! What’s going on here!” he shouted then gasped at the sight of the princess. “Another one!”

Silver felt the magic within the orbs of The Elements of Harmony they touched her before she could reach to them. She rose from the ground engulfed in a white light, she directed the power at Discord. It was a magic unlike anything she dealt with before, when the was done she was brought gently back down to earth.

Discord stood there, his odd hands at his hips tapping a hoof. “So what the heck was that?!”

Silver hit him with a lightning bolt and few to a safe distance. Spike’s advice rang in her head. “Never listen to anything he says. Just fight him.”

She couldn’t understand why it did work, but there was no turning back now.

“Ow!” Discord complained. “Hold on a second! You look exactly like the princess I took out of Spike’s cave. What are you twins?!”

Against her own judgment she paid attention to something Discord said. “Spike’s cave.”

She threw a fireball and teleported behind a rock. “What so you mean ‘Spike’?”

“Oh, so you won’t answer my questions, but I have to answer yours? And by the way, Ow Again!”

She teleported again to keep safe. Silver grabbed the necklace pressing the orbs against her horn. “Please work,” she prayed.

“You know darn well what I mean by ‘Spike’. That’s the dumb name Twilight Sparkle gave him years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years and years ago! You should know that, right?”

This isn’t working, Silver thought.Why isn’t this working?!

She heard the beating of wings so large it could only by one creature. Spike landed sending a shockwave of slush and sand out in all directions. Silver eagerly peaked out from behind a rock to greet him.

“Ah there’s Spike!” Discord said.

Silver looked at her teacher. The saddle that bore Etiquette is gone, and some of his spines have been damaged. And he’s bleeding as well. His last battle caused no cuts or even bruises, his hide was too strong for that Silver though. Yet here he was panting with exhaustion bleeding and bruised. His eyes showed no recognition of Silver at all yet he would not break away his stare, glaring at Silver the way a predator eyes prey. His teeth have been scorched and some blood trickled from his mouth, wether it was his own or from something else Silver couldn’t tell. But one thing Silver could see as soon as she laid eyes on him.

Spike had been turned grey.