The Ballad of Wyverns' Rock

by Loganberry

Part I: Just walk beside me and be my friend

"Hi, Twilight," called out Rainbow Dash, "Hey, guess what I have found?
In that old book you lent me. This one: Creatures that Astound."
"Oh yes?" there came the quick reply. "I thought you'd like that book.
What is that has caught your eye – and can I have a look?"
"Oh, sure!" said Rainbow. "I'll admit, I've only had a glance
At pages ten to seventeen, about the Wyvern Dance."
"The what Dance?" asked the unicorn. "I've not seen that before,
I missed that story out when I last read the book, I'm sure."

"So read it now," said Rainbow Dash, "It's really pretty cool.
One night in each ten thousand years, they gather, as a rule,
At 'Wyverns' Rock', wherever that is really to be found:
I guess it's not a real place. A legend, I'll be bound."
She passed the book to Twilight who, impatient, found the page.
And 'twas indeed a fable from a long-forgotten age.
It seemed the monsters, drawn by some titanic, ancient force,
Millennia apart would come to feast upon... "A horse!

"Or pony each! Oh me, oh my!" She gave a little wail.
"Thank goodness that this story is no more than a mares' tale.
For, after all, there is no place called 'Wyverns' Rock', I know."
"Hey, there's a map!" the pegasus cut in. "It's drawn like so."
She held it upside-down and then, like patterns in a cloud,
A horrid picture came alive, and Twilight said aloud,
"That stream! That runs through Ponyville! So is this just a myth
Or something much more sinister? Let's see the Mayor forthwith."

"The Mayor?" asked Dash, with some surprise. "What use to us is she?
She's barely ever left the town. What could she tell to me?"
"Now come on," chided Twilight, "that is not the way to go.
Our Mayor may be a home-spun mare, but she deserves to know."
"You're right," conceded Dash; the ponies took their book and map
Along to City Hall; though calm; they must avoid a flap.
Inside, they talked for quite some time, and when they all came out,
They knew they were in peril deep, of that there was no doubt.

A little later, in the square, the ponies huddled round
Their grey-maned leader, clear and firm, who said, "What you have found,
It seems to me, though I regret that I must speak these words,
Is more, much more, than fiction for the story-reading herds.
We face a threat that, if we do not act, may very soon
Become a worse reality than that of Nightmare Moon.
Now, Twilight Sparkle, unicorn so learnèd though so young:
What can you tell us of this threat: and, more, what may be done?"

"We face the gravest danger now," said Twilight, sore afraid.
"Look here: when Wyverns' Rock awakes, their forces all arrayed
Shall soon descend on Ponyville, and scorch it mighty hot,
And after that their target shall be – oh! – fair Canterlot!"
"Then we must stop them, Twi," said one: the sturdy Applejack.
"We can't have wyverns in our town; we'll have to force them back
To other lands where they may dwell, away from us, and then
On farms, in hills, on trotting-grounds, we all may breathe again."

Another unicorn then spoke: the lady Rarity:
"Yes; she is right: her words are fine: and, too, she speaks for me.
There is no choice: we must away, and fight. Keep freedom's flame
A-burning here. We'll gallop forth, though we be sore and lame,
And strange and fearsome monsters may assail our every side.
We never shall abandon you. Our hearts they swell with pride
That Ponyville it is our home, Equestria our land,
And in your name, Celestia, we now shall make a stand."

A further pony now appeared, her mane a mass of curls.
"I'll come!" said Pinkie Pie to all. "I'm coming with you, girls.
A town so scorched, it would not be a happy party spot
With all the cupcakes burned right up – how could I really not
Come with you all, and help to keep our spirits riding high?
With magic from the unicorns and flight from pegasi–
Or -us, if Fluttershy won't come. I hope she'll choose to, but
I will not force her; we are free; she must go with her gut."

"It sounds so scary," came a voice: so quiet; purest gold.
"But I shall go," said Fluttershy, "and try to be as bold
As Rainbow Dash, the one who saw this coming far away.
To you I owe it: let my Mayor my witness be this day."
"We may not doubt," then Twilight said, "the dangers shall be great:
O'er misty, icy hills we'll go, through rivers all a-spate.
We must stay close, we must stay one, together we must be:
Within our hearts the Elements of mighty Harmony."

The rainbow-manèd pegasus, she spread her wings and spoke:
"The power of our friendship see: now tremble, evil folk.
United we are awesome and, no matter what we face,
We shall return, have you no fear. Unto you in this place
I give my word, I give my bond: we six shall be as one,
Together, always, on our quest, until our quest be done.
We'll giggle at each ghostie and each manticore, each wraith.
Have courage, everypony here; have courage and have faith!"

"But what of Spike?" asked Applejack. "Is he not coming too?
Come on, y'all, we can't leave him here: that isn't what we do."
But Twilight Sparkle drooped at this, and answer came there none.
"Now what's the matter, gal?" "You know that Spike is kinda fun,"
Said Pinkie Pie, a happy grin appearing on her face.
But Twilight raised her moistened eyes and gave her an embrace.
"Oh, Pinkie, yes, I'd love to have my dragon with us now,
But don't you understand? We can't! For I shall tell you how

"I read some more of Rainbow's book as we were setting out,
And in the smallest footnote was the thing that made me doubt
We ever could bring Spike with us upon our fateful quest:
For wyverns can read dragons' minds! Now do you see the rest?
The monsters, should they know our plans, could hold our troop in thrall:
A single dragon thought could be the ruin of us all.
There is no choice: we cannot bring the scaly little guy;
I know I speak for all of you – above all Pinkie Pie –

"When I say we shall miss him so, and keep him in our heart:
But evening comes; and so we must prepare to make a start.
Now, Madam Mayor, I'll cast a spell upon my little Spike
To keep him quiet, fast asleep – suspended, if you like –
And all he'll need is, once a day, a little of this rub
(It's liquid sapphire, ruby, gold). Oh, wash him in the tub.
He shouldn't wake, but if he does, just say to him: 'At rest
You were, asleep again you'll be.'" She sighed. "It's for the best."

"But if we cannot talk to Spike," said Rarity with fear,
"We cannot tell Celestia of danger very near.
No scrolls with dragon's breath we'll send, no messages receive:
It will be down to just we six if wyverns we'd deceive.
An awesome undertaking, then." Said Fluttershy, "I know.
It's frightening, and I am scared indeed, but when we go,
We'll have that bond between us none has ever torn apart.
Not Discord, even, not for long: the friendship of the heart."

The Mayor she made a final speech; resistance she did vow.
Surrender never would be said: they were at battle now.
"My little ponies, we shall win!" They cheered and stamped their feet
But would fine victory be theirs or brittle, harsh defeat?
They looked as one to Applejack, most steadfast of them all.
The orange pony stood four-square: surely she could not fall.
But those who stood the closest to that worker from the farm
They wondered: was that, in her eyes, the red spark of alarm?

And as the gallant band left town, they looked them all around,
For would they ever see again the place where they had found
Each other's company and love; the place where they had known
The joy of friendship's magic and made happiness their own?
There was no turning back from this, no longer home so mild
Would cosset them and comfort them; now in the fearsome wild
They'd have to face whate'er befell them, be it large or small,
But 'twas the thought of Wyverns' Rock that preyed upon them all.

Comments

[Rocket]

Woohoo! It's done!

She held it upside-down and then, like patterns in a cloud
A horrid picture came alive I really like that image.

[The Drifting Bard]

in the ever-immortal words of Rarity...IDEAA!!! *goes off to record*