A Bridge Between Brothers

by Rammy

That Returns

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

RUN

I idly chewed my right front hoof as I once again looked over the information I had gathered about the Elements. Everything from myths to observations that and numerous noninvasive test I had conducted which I then condensed into short facts then onto several lists on the chalkboard in front of me. In particular interest to me was everything that H.K. said and anything mythic in origin. I knew that myths and legends usually started from or had a grain of truth to them. The trick was to find that truth. The problem? There was next to nothing that I hadn't already knew about and nearly all of the rest was wild speculation or contradictory.

RUN

"Twilight, darling, are you down here?" Rarity's voice called down from the basement entrance.

I sighed and I rubbed a hoof across my forehead. I was not in the mood for interruptions... those were scheduled for later... unless I lost track of time, again. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told me that no I had not lost track of time. At least this would gave me a opportunity to examine Rarity's element side by side to my own, number 32 on the list I had created.

"Yes, Rarity I'm down here." I tiredly called up.

I cringed as I looked around to see that she would have some difficulty in finding me. Stacks upon stacks of books and scrolls were pilled almost to the ceiling, covering almost all the floor and filling every shelf and alcove. Not only that, every crevice was stuffed with scraps of papers. This was worse then when I was attempting to figure out what Future Twilight was warning me about.

"Sorry about the mess..." I chuckled embarrassingly as Rarity stumbled around my maze. "Usually Spike would be here to assist me in organization when I binge research..."

"Darling I was hoping that maybe... ack." Rarity yelped as she struggled to get a straw piece of paper off of her hoof. "Twilight, you have been hold up in the library for a week now... The girls and I think you need a break... I was thinking a spa day."

"I already have a break scheduled for later today." I waved off her concerns, floating over my schedule for Rarity.

"You scheduled a mere one hour break..." Rarity deadpanned, eyeing me over the top of the scroll. "and 4.1 hours for sleep!? Even when I'm on a pressing deadline I make sure to get my beauty sleep which is more then 4.1 hours... The last thing I want to do is mess up a dress because I was too tired to see clearly. What possible research are you doing that requires this much dedication?"

"The Elements of Harmony..." I gestured to the chalkboard. "This is a list of everything I have discovered about the elements both from statements that H.K. gave me, myths, and my own observations and experiments."

RUN

"So you are hoping to find out why they are not working properly..." Rarity mumbled as she walked up to my pitiful list, looking it over.

"This is just the bullet points, but..." I sighed, "Yeah, there isn't much..."

It was then that there was another knock on the door of the lab. I grumbled as I looked up to see a royal guard, most likely one assigned to Ponyville, eyeing my mess with trepidation. I sighed as I walked around Rarity. It seems that I was not going to get much done on my list today. "I'd better go see what he needs."

The guard seemed to be relieved that I was coming to him instead of him having to try and get through my research binge mess with his amour. That was at least good news because if it was dire he would not have waited for me to come to him.

"Ma'am," The guard saluted before continuing, "three dragons have been spotted walking out of the Everfree."

"Do you think?" Rarity looked up at me hopefully.

I shrugged. It was possible that it was Spike, Garble and H.K. but then again this could be just a coincidence. The only way though to find out was to follow the guard. "Lead the way."

---

And just as the guard had reported there were dragons now currently standing in the field between Ponyville and the Everfree. Only there were two not three... where the third was I knew not, but to my disappointment neither dragon was Garble. Both were black not red and orange. I had hoped for Garble and Spike and, yes, even to a lesser extent H.K. but at least they were not doing anything threatening, just standing there, if only a bit tense. Well the one with bluish grey belly scales was being tense as the second, the one with silver belly scales, seemed more nervous or scared... Where was the third one reported by the guard?

This could prove to be a major problem. If the guard's report was right and there was three and the third one is now missing and if these two were planning something or were a part of some nefarious scheme... they could be covering for the third. Okay, don't panic, get more information. The tense one had a bent horn, probably from a fight of some sort possibly with the other whose tail was bandaged. Both had their wings spread out in such a way that they could be blocking the third or merely preparing to fly way. Also of note was a strange glow about them almost as if...

"Officer why are you restraining them?" I asked the commanding officer, glancing at the assembled guards for any glowing auras.

"As per your orders, ma'am, no dragon of minotaur size or smaller was to be detained unless they show clear hostile intent."

"And have they?" I raised an eyebrow as my cursory inspection showed none of the guards using active magic.

"No, they have done nothing but stand there since they were spotted."

How odd... After the overzealous of some of the guards with Garble I made sure that every guard that was assigned to Ponyville knew what they could and could not do in relation to dragons, personally. That was after I had the three responsible reassigned. But none seemed to be doing anything so why then was there a faint glow around them similar to a unicorn's aura? Could this be related to why they are here?

As I tried to figure what the best course of action should be one of the dragons moved just enough for me to notice that there was someone standing behind them. Someone that looked like Spike. "Spike?" I whispered out, not sure if my eyes were deceiving me or not. It didn't help that he too was glowing like the two teenaged dragons.

"Twilight?" Spike called out as he pushed past the dragons' wings.

"Spike!" I cried out rushing forward not caring about the sudden alarm among the guard.

"Twilight!" Spike yelled as he ran towards me.

"Spike..." I sobbed as I pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm, hic, so glad you're home..."

"Same here Twi..."

I don't know how long we remained hugging but I didn't care. To have Spike back after so long... and from the looks of it in one piece. But I knew it needed to end and I had a million and counting questions I wanted to ask. I sniffed as I pulled out of the hug.

"So," I sniffed again trying to get my still roiling emotions under control, "where's Garble? And H.K.? Were you able to convince him to come back with you?"

"H.K.'s dead." Spike coldly shrugged. "Well maybe deadish would be more accurate. Can't tell considering how many times he's 'died' before... As for Garble I have no idea ask him..."

I sighed slowly, closed my eyes, and rubbed a hoof across my forehead. And of course, H.K. died but not died again... "Maybe... maybe we should go to the library and we can talk about it." I hope I have enough of Zeccora's calming tea...