Spike; the Dragon, blinked wearily. His eyes no longer saw; having gone blind within the last hundred years or so. His bones cracked and popped as he painfully shuffled his massive form within the cozy cave he now called home.
His joints ached and his features showed the thousands of years he had endured. The sun was going down and soon it would be time to sleep. He had earned his rest; having spent hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of hours training the Ponies in Canterlot on the aspects of Friendship. He smiled as he thought back to being the Ambassador of Friendship.
Countless times had he been a peaceful mediator when conflict had broken out in the palace. He chuckled as he remembered the time Luster Dawn and Princess Twilight got into a food fight. What was that about? He couldn’t recall. Something about a book; he was pretty sure.
Tears welled within his sightless eyes, as he remembered the original six members of the Council of Friendship and how, one by one, as the years went by they were replaced by descendants. And after them, others stepped up.
Countless faces, and he remembered them all. Quite often he had found himself recounting tales to the next generation of the exploits their ancestors had accomplished and once they would grow; the foals would hear their tales as well.
He found himself thinking back to the Dragonlands. Ember’s reign had ushered in Harmonic ideals to the Dragon’s way. Though like everything else in life; time had laid claim to her as well. He sniffed remembering how he cried at her passing, but how proud he was when Smoulder ascended to Dragon Lord. Her fire really ignited, didn’t it?
His wandering mind then reminded him of Thorax. The King of the Changelings had passed down the crown to Ocellus, who after a fruitful reign, had then passed the crown down to her successor as well.
In Griffonstone, Gilda had taken the mantle of Mayor and during her life, had, spread the message of Kindness and Loyalty to the griffons dwelling there. Though that was many hundreds of years ago, and now the fully restored brilliance of Griffonstone was led by her great-great-great-great grandson. The Griffons had been known for their fierce Loyalty and Kindness for hundreds of years now.
The memory of Gallus being named Captain of the Royal Guard made Spike chuckle. Now his descendants donned the armor, though outdated, with pride as Royal Guards to the Princess.
His scales ground against the gemstones upon which he lay, as he tried to get comfortable. It would be time soon. Time for sleep. A well deserved rest for his aching form. Is she coming? He missed Twilight. It had been so long since he had seen her; though she visited every day. Everytime she went back home, he felt lost once more.
Though the Alicorn’s were revered to be immortal, sadly that isn’t the case. Though blessed with a lifespan of generations; Twilight, like Luna and Celestia before her, would one day lie tucked in a lovely bed of eternity, within the walls of the Royal Cemetery. It was almost time for her to crown another in her stead. In fact, the Coronation of Princess Dawn; Twilight’s long time now-Alicorn Apprentice was today.
Perhaps he would see his old friends; and his big sister, again. The thought made him hopeful. I wonder if she’ll arrive in time?
Spike desperately wanted to sleep, but he couldn’t, not just yet. He was waiting for Twilight. He wasn’t sure she would be able to get to his cave, though. The snow outside the cave was swirling around in the bone-chilling gale of the blizzard’s winds.
As he lay there, his mind wandered back in time to recall Yona’s Village and the day she had been honored as leader of her village. For a Yak to receive such a position, the previous leader must sadly pass on into the great beyond. And so it was for Prince Rutherford the Mighty. The lands of Yakyakistan sounded with the great war horns across the Tundra as the cherished ruler was given a hero’s farewell.
Time had moved forward and now Yakyakistan had representation at the Council of Friendship; with Yona’s great-great-great Granddaughter providing insight. Spike felt a tear roll down his face remembering the day Sandbar had proposed to Yona and how he had been the only Pony outsider to ever have been initiated into Yona’s Clan.
The years had been marvelous and though he missed running around Ponyville carefree; he knew that time must continue flowing. He knew that there was nothing that would change that. And there he lay; so tired, so tired. All those years had taken a toll; on his body and his mind.
Those he lost, and those he saved. The battles he fought and the friends he made. He wanted so much to just close his eyes; no longer would he hurt, no longer would he be alone. He shook his head wearily, not yet. No, not yet. She was coming.
The sound of an explosion of air from the front of the cavern drew his attention as well as an almost unfamiliar voice.
“Easy there Sweetie, watch your step. Told you I would get us here."
Who is that?
The next voice he heard was frailer and weathered with age, but he would know it anywhere.
“Thanks L-Luster, my m-m-magic isn’t what it used to be.”
Twilight!
He couldn’t see her, but if he could, he wouldn’t have recognized her. Her brilliant mane no longer flowed with regality and her eyes were barely open. Her body carried the scars of many hard fought conflicts and her wings would no longer unfold. She too, was tired.
In her hooves was her favorite book, the Book of Memories given to her almost one thousand years ago by Starlight to commemorate the time she had with her friends. The pages were worn from heavy usage and wrinkled from tears of remembrance as one by one, they told her until next time.
Spike called out to her with a cracked, hoarse voice.
“Twilight?”
The response was just a gentle whisper, as he felt her hoof touch his massive head.
“H-Hey little brother. H-how’s my number, my number one assistant t-today?”
Laughing with nothing more than a throaty gasp, Spike answered her just like it was one thousand years ago; and they still had the old treehouse library. Just a unicorn and her dragon once more in the hallowed library of old once more.
“Ready for bed, Twiligh-”
His words died in his throat as he gave a rough, rapsy cough.
“S-sorry I-”
“It’s alright Spike. B-baby dragons need their sl-sleep. It’s pr-probably time for me to, me to get some rest as well.”
Behind Twilight, Princess Dawn raised a hoof to her eyes, quickly wiping away the tears pooling within. She placed the typical royal smile upon her face and quietly exited the cave. Using her new-found magic to put up a barrier to stop the snow and cold air from entering the cavern, she sat in the snow with her back to the cave; trying not to break down.
Twilight gave a warm smile as she sat down, leaning against her once small, little brother. Her voice was barely a whisper as she gave Spike a big hug.
“Hey Sp-spike want me to, me to sing you a lullaby?”
Barely awake now, Spike hoarsely gave his reply.
“Could you? Like back then?”
Twilight, falling asleep herself, nodded. With what was left of her energy, she sang with everything she had to give. It was as though for just one minute in time, she was singing to her baby dragon.
The fire’s are fade-ing,
The embers now glower-ing,
It’s time to go to sleep,
Your scales are weary,
Your eyelids are heavy,
Close your eyes and sleep- ~
Your worries,
Are gone now,
Your pain is no more,
It’s time for you to sleep.
Your dreams
They are waiting,
To say hello to you,
Close your eyes and sleep.~
Twilight noticed his eyes were closed. He could no longer hear her. She shakily wiped a hoof across her eyes, closing them, as she whispered a new couple of verses one he would never hear.
I am glad to have known you,
In everything we did,
My eyes are heavy too
But though I close them,
I ask just one thing…
Please…
Wait..For…
Me...Too.~
As Twilight’s head fell onto the still form of her younger brother, outside the cave, the new Princess of Equestria cried bittersweet tears. She had known why Twilight wanted to say goodnight to Spike, and she had honored that request. Shaking away the tears briefly she just smiled the royal smile and whispered.
“Goodnight you two, sleep well.”
With that she rose and headed back home to the castle once more; the two in the cave, eternally tucked in for the winter.
.
