The train slowly made its way down from the majestic capital that sat atop the mountain. It hauled along with it three carriages, two empty and one with two sole occupants. Inside the carriage, looking out of a slightly darkened window was a was a lime and lavender scaled beast.
Most however would call him a gentle giant or if you asked a few, even attractive. His emerald eyes followed a bead of water making its way down the window as his large wings hung slightly off the bench he was resting on.
It had been silent for the last half an hour and he couldn’t exactly blame the reason why. It has been forever since that day to the drake. Though in reality maybe only eighty years, a lot to some but not for him. He still had a good nine hundred if not more in front of him.
As the bead he watched reached the bottom of the glass he saw a shadow move from the corner of his eye. It moved in uncalculated motions, bumping into furniture and clothing that lay on the floor in a heap. The once joyful eyes now looked grey and tired. Not from lack of sleep but emotionally. This was the third one this month.
And the last one.
As she moved back to her seat her regal stature looked shrunken. Back to how she looked before she ruled. Her bangs that parted at her now comically short horn hang from her head, and shortened wings trailed along the floor, not using the effort it took to hold them anymore.
Spike knew why she’d done it. Because this was it. The last one to go. She held on alright, outlived the rest and not gone down without a fight. But time catches us all up in the end.
Feeling like now would be a good time to move, spike made his way to the back of the cabin and sat down next to his friend. As his tail brushed up against her flank, he felt her freeze and take a sharp breath, but let it out again moments later. In this form he towered over her, easily by a foot or two as they sat but she knew he was harmless.
“hey”, it was the first thing said since they’d left the palace this morning.
“…”.
No response he expected as much, looking down to the floor he saw her crown, hoof shoes and necklace, as per Rarity’s design. He never grew out of that crush, despite he had grown and matured but he still loved her more than anything, he just wished she had still seen it.
Looking back over at the mare next to him he noticed her gaze firmly locked on something. A rainbow outside of the window. It was a sight to behold, big, colourful and bursting with a glow of arrogance as if daring people to look at it and awe at its amazement. As the rain had fallen this morning and was now brightening up, he knew he would see one of these at some point, but it still didn’t dampen his amazement.
Flicking her mane over her shoulder she revealed a small scar, unnoticeable if you didn’t know it was there, he remembered that day well. The 4 am wake up, quick flight down to Ponyville and the constant panic shown by the ponies who lived there. This was the dreaded day, the destruction of all sanity. The day the child would be born. Following her lead into the hospital and walking past a number of cowering staff he found his way to her room. Standing by the door were two royal guards clad in purple and the mark of their princess on the chest plate. As she walked in, he followed closely and saw as items were flung around the room before one landed strait into her shoulder. Despite the pain she kept going like she always did and the smile at the end of it was proof enough that she didn’t regret a thing.
Feeling the speed of the train slow down Spike looked back across the room he saw they were in fact slowing down as he started to recognise the scenery outside. This was it. Outside those doors were the hard truth and reality. Standing wordlessly and grabbing both his and her belongings they departed the train.
The now warm and pleasant air ran through his scales and her mane. Still the feeling of being home and the nostalgia couldn’t put even the smallest smile on her face.
Walking off in front of him and heading for one destination only he wordlessly obliged and followed along. The wooden platform soon gave way for stone paving heading for town hall and marketplace. Taking a right turn and continuing to follow the path Spike saw the gardens that had been erected over the years, the idea of a certain Pegasus. On a small patch of flowers sat a light pink butterfly, so small and fragile but also with attitude and a willingness to do what was needed. Watching it take off into the breeze and effortlessly float with the wind, not too high, until it was out of his sight.
Glancing back towards where she has wandered off to, he noticed the gap between them. Was this what was to become now. Yes, it had been hard recently with all his obligations that come with his position made distances a regular to them, but now it felt like a wall that will divide them completely. Not wanting to let that happen he gave one flap of his wings and glided back towards her.
Letting his feet touch the ground and come to a stop he looked to see they had arrived. The large crystal building had stood for some years now and it was beginning to show. Cracks in the walls and chips here and there showed it had aged. The flags that once flew high and proud now stand at a half mast. A purple, white, cyan blue, pink, yellow and orange flag divided into six triangles hangs proudly over the entrance to the proud structure.
Walking around to the back he sees her sitting on the floor looking at five earthy mounds. One of them just done a few hours ago. Making his way over to her one again he took seat and wrapped his scaly wing around her small form as tears started to flow from her eyes. They both just sat there for a time. Minutes, hours maybe even days passed but neither cared nor paid attention. He just cradled her in his wing as she cried the entire time. A light shower started to fall upon them snapping the lavender mare from her sobs.
She looked up to see the green dragon she had raised from an egg; she saw his younger self in his eyes and saw the man he had become over time. The sharpness of his jaw and size of his wings really did dwarf her in this situation. For the first time that day she lightly smiled as he looked down at her.
“There still here you know, they’ll never really be gone”.
Looking back at the ground she smiled and let out a deep breath. Her mane instantly flew out and started moving in that magical way that it does, her height returned to normal and the look of authority that came with it did too. Now having her head about level with the drake she looked at him and smiled again.
Slowly laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes letting the water flow down her body, but she didn’t care. She felt at peace with the world. Knowing that time moves, and you can’t stop it. Taking one last look at the mounds in front of her she rose to her hoofs, braking the connection to the wing and started to walk towards the entrance to her old castle she turned and glanced towards the dragon.
“As long as I have you, I’ll never be lost”, and with that she opened the doors and stepped inside intent on only going to one room.
Opening the once again large doors she entered a room she spent many days and nights in. looking around at the six thrones in the room she smiled at the memories of her friends. The traits they had and the reason they meant so much to her.
Walking towards the large round table in the middle she paused briefly before stepping onto it. Looking up at the old tree roots that hung from the ceiling she lifted a hoof and held one of the many crystals that were hung from it.
Looking down to the glowing orange crystal she saw the movement of the five ponies she missed most. They were laughing and playing in the winter with massive snow forts built and snowballs piled up high ready to be thrown. She let one last tear roll down her face before reaching for another and reliving not one but five lifetimes of memory’s.
These ponies weren’t her friends, no.
They were Twilight's family.
Author's Note
All things come to an end and this great show had to too.
I have so many great memory's of this show so i felt i needed too give it the proper send off it deserved, an emotional ride.
