Ancient Adjustment

by Jolttra

Prologue

Author's Note:

I originally started this story at the end of season 2. I modified it as season 3 was progressing, but for some reason forgot about the project all together. I recently rediscovered it. After much though, I decided the story would not work as well in the season 4 canon. So place this fanfic somewhere in the middle of season 3, before Twilight got her wings but after Discored became good. That said, I hope you enjoy my writing.

Prologue

"Spike!" Rarity said irritated. "For the last time, I need those sapphires for my new coats. I already have an order for thirty coats that is due this weekend. Do you want me to disappoint my customers?"

Spike let out a small sigh. "No. I don't want that."

He stared desperately at the massive Sapphire in his little claws. It was the size of a grapefruit and sparkled in a perfect way, which let Spike know it was ripe. With great hesitation and just a pinch of sorrow in his heart, Spike carefully put it back on the pile.

"Excellent, Spike," Rarity said with genuine pleasure. "Now be a dear and go fetch the Violet thread for me."

"Yes, Rarity," Spike said, depressed. He wanted nothing more than to gulp down every sapphire in the room, but helping Rarity was more important. After all, that was the whole reason he was here. Spike never passed up a chance to get close to Rarity. But had he known he would have to stand in a room filled with literally hundreds of big, juicy, delicious sapphires, and not get so much as a nibble, Spike would have said no… maybe.

"Now cheer up Spikey-Wikey" Rarity said while sewing a pocket on the inside of a near completed coat. "There are far too many Sapphires for even me to use up in one day. Tell you what: after my coats are done I'll give you all the sapphires the leftovers."

"Really!" Spike said, much more enthusiast. "All of them?!!"

"All the leftovers, yes."

"Wow," Spike whispered to himself as he gawked at the pile of deep blue gemstones. "That's a lot of sapphires."

"That's right. And if you want to earn your share, you can start by bringing me more nightingale feathers."

"Yes mam!"

Spike hurried to the drawer filled with bird feathers, when he felt a familiar tickling at the back of his throat. Spike let out a burp of green flame and a letter fell into his hands. He knew it was from the Princess.

"Not now..." Spike groaned. "I need to help Rarity and earn my sapphires."

"Spike! What's taking so long?" Rarity said without turning her head. “Did you find the drawer?"

Spike looked at the letter, then at Rarity, and then at the mountain of blue shimmering sapphires. He knew the letter was more important, but…

"I'm sorry Rarity, but I have to go deliver this letter to Twilight."

"What?!! You’re leaving me at a time like this?"

"I promise I'll come straight back. Save some Sapphires for me. Bye!" With that,, Spike ran out of the room and headed for the front door.

"Wait, Spike!" Rarity cried, but he was already gone.

With the letter clutched tight in his claw, Spike rushed home to deliver it. The early winter snow was not too high, but it was enough to slow down the diminutive dragon.

"Whoever was in charge of clearing the sn
ow today slacked off," Spike grumbled as he dug his way through the snow. "This letter had had better be worth it.."

As Spike struggled through the white powder outside, Twilight was having troubles of her own. While study the differences between a western dragon and a northwestern dragon, there was a knock at her door.

"Now who could that be?" Twilight said to the audience. Err.. I'm mean herself. Yeah, that's right. She was just talking to herself out loud so that anyone who might be watching her could clearly hear it. Not that anyone would be watching her. That would be creepy. Staring at her while she reads and eats breakfast and takes a shower in the morning with the blue soap,, and... Moving on. Twilight went and opened the door to find Pinkie Pie standing there with a paintbrush and a large tub of coconut frosting.

"Were you talking to yourself out loud again?" Pinkie asked cheerfully.

"How did you know" Twilight said, surprised.

"Don't worry about it; I do that all the time. That way the audience knows what I'm thinking."

"What?"

"Oh nothing. Anyway, can you help me with my frosting project? I just can't find a way to make great tasting frosting that doesn't make the walls too sticky."

"I'm a little busy right now,," Twilight said, glancing at the remaining books she still had to read.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease! It should only take a second."

"I just don't know.."

"Pretty Please with Pinkie Pie on top?"

"Well..."

"Great! Now, I was hoping you could use your magic to make my frosting unsticky. That way I can hang it up without any worry."

"I didn't say yes."

"But wait! If the frosting isn't sticky then it won't stick to the walls at all. Oooooh, What are we going to do,, Twilight?"

"Well we could always..."

"I KNOW!" Pinkie screamed. "If we cover the icing with sprinkles then it will cover all the stickiness and still taste GREAT!”

“Yeah,, but…”

“OH CELESTIA,, WAIT! Where am I going to get all those sprinkles? I would need TONS!”

“PINKIE!” Twilight shouted, losing all patience.Twilight shouted, losing all patience. “Why do you want to make coconut icing wallpaper?”

“…. I don’t understand the question.”

“What good is wallpaper that tastes like Coconut?”

“You’re RIGHT! Pound Cake is allergic to Coconut. I’m going to have to pick a different flavor.”

“No, Pinkie. That’s not what I mea…”

“What about Chocolate!” Pinkie Interrupted, again. “Or Strawberry! Or Double Malted Mint! I’m going to have to start this from scratch. Thanks, Twilight. See you later!”

“Glad I could… Help?”

Pinkie dashed threw the front door, almost running over Spike on his way in.

“Twilight!” Spike huffed, completely out of breath. “You have a, oh I’m out of shape. You have a letter from Celestia.”

Twilight rushed to Spike, eager to hear what the Princess had sent her.

“What does it say,, Spike?” Twilight inquired, her interest hitting a high peak.Twilight inquired, her interest hitting a high peak.

“Hold on, hold on. Let me open it first.” Spike tore the envelope and cleared his throat. “My Dearest Student Twilight Sparkle, I write to inform you of a tremendous discovery. Two weeks ago, an expedition team in Saddle Arabia discovered what is believed to be the tomb of Ki-Lin. I don’t need to tell you how important this is to our historic knowledge. As my sister and I sister and I are busy with other matters, I ask you to represent me and verify the discovery. A Royal chariot will be at your house at 10:00:00 AM tomorrow. Your teacher, Princess Celestia.”

Twilight stood there, frozen in shock and amazement. She had no words to describe what she was feeling. Spike stared at her. He had never seen her so speechless. With hesitance,, he spoke.

“Uh, Twilight…. Who’s Ki-Lin?”

“………………..WHO’S KI-LIN?!!!!”

“Ok, nevermind I’m sorry.”

“SPIKE! He is the most important person in Pony history. Perhaps the most important person in the WHOLE WORLD!”

“Oh, well. What did he do?”

“He is the one who gave the ponies their powers,,” Twilight said, slightly calmer now as she reached for The Evolution of Dragons Volume 1 and flipped through the pages furiously. “Unicorn’s Magic, Pegasus’ flight and weather control, Earth ponies strength and speed…..here it is,“ she said, landing her hoof on a page. “Ki-Lin. Legend has it he granted the Pony race his powers to continue his dying lineage. While a popular myth, no physical evidence of his existence has been discovered.” Twilight closed the book and peered at Spike, her excitement renewed. “If this is his tomb, then we will finally have physical proof he was real. This will rewrite whole sections of history. About a fifth of my books would be outdated. I would need ALL NEW BOOKS!”

“Alright then,” Spike interjected. “So the chariot is coming tomorrow at ten, right? Well I have something I need to do, so if you don’t mind…”

“You can’t leave!” Twilight exclaimed “We need to pack. I have to get my books, note paper, quills, and spelunking gear.”

“I know, but I promised Rarity that I would come back to help her out. And she promised to give me a bunch of sapphires when we’re done.”

“Spike, what’s more important to you? A bunch of shiny stones, or the biggest historic discovery of our lifetime?”

“Shiny stones.”

Twilight sighed in disappointment. “Fine. You can help Rarity. But I want you packed and ready by tomorrow.”

“YES MA’AM!” Spike roared. He dashed away, leaving Twilight to ponder the situation alone.

“Ki-Lin. This could change everything.” Twilight walked off to gather her things. “Everything...”

Comments

[Geminii]

The story works, but it reeeeeally needs an editor to go over it and clean up the text.