Dragon Lord Ember and the six ponies stood on the rocky shore of Charlock Island’s eastern peninsula, a cliff lining the perimeter of the island. Waves crashed on the rocks behind them as they stared into the seemingly blank wall. Supposedly, the secret passage into Charlock Castle was somewhere on this beach. Spike was in the water washing off the remaining paint from his scales. After he was done, he joined the others by the cliff face.
“So what are we looking at? How are we supposed to get in?” Spike asked, looking for any sign of a hidden entrance in the cliff.
“There’s a hidden passageway here. It’s protected by magic,” Ember explained, pointing to the rock wall.
“Hold do we open it?” Applejack asked.
“I’m not really sure,” Ember admitted.
“You don’t know,” Applejack asked incredulously. “Ah thought ya said ya knew the way inside.”
“I said I knew of a way, not the way!” Ember clarified. “The only ones that have been in there are Royal Dragons. So maybe Spike can open it.”
They all turned to Spike, the Royal Dragon in their midst. Spike stepped forward, looking unsure at the sealed entrance and asked, “Uh, so how do I open it?”
“I don’t know. You’re the Dragon Prince, not me,” Ember shrugged.
“Just give it a try, Darling,” Rarity encouraged him.
“Well, here goes nothing,” he muttered as the others stepped back, watching in anticipation. Spike cleared his throat and said boldly, “Open Sesame!” When the rock face remained unchanged, Spike turned back to his friends. “Well, I did all I can do.”
“What was that?” Rainbow Dash asked critically.
“Hey, give me a break! I only found out I’m the Dragon Prince just the other day!” he said defensively.
“It’s okay, Spike. We’ll figure this out,” Twilight reassured him.
“We better do it soon, because it’ll be dark before long,” Applejack stated, looking at the afternoon sky.
“Just give him a moment,” Rarity urged Applejack. Despite his friends’ patience and encouragement, he had no idea his status as a Royal Dragon was supposed to open a magical door. The only other time he had used this power was against the green dragon, Mire, and that was done inadvertently. Thinking about Mire gave Spike an idea. Maybe if he imagined himself back in the swamp fighting to rescue Rarity, he could activate the power.
“Okay, I’m going to try something,” he told them. They nodded and stepped back again. Visualize. Visualize, he told himself. He could see the towering green dragon. Their attempts to restrain him had failed, and was about to breath fire at Twilight. Spike could remember the panic he felt as he was about to watch his mother be roasted alive. He also remember the feeling that rushed through him. Spike’s pupils once again contracted, and he spoke in a commanding voice, “Open!”
There was a rumbling sound as the rocks comprising the cliffside trembled. Clouds of dusts billowed as the rocks rolled out of the way, revealing the mouth of tunnel large enough for them to walk inside.
“Good work, Spike! I knew you could do it!” Twilight gleefully congratulated while everyone looked down the dark passageway.
“Wow! How far does it go?” Pinkie asked, her voice echoing down the tunnel.
“In theory, this should lead us to the hollowed out magma chamber, where the Dragon King’s lair is located,” Twilight Sparkle stated.
“So all we have to do it follow it and we can get the drop on him,” Applejack surmised.
“That’s the idea,” Ember confirmed.
“Actually, we would have to come in from the top to get the ‘drop’ on him. We’re more ‘popping in’ than anything else,” Pinkie Pie clarified, giggling at her own humor.
“But wait,” Rarity interrupted. “Most of the tunnels I saw were already occupied. How do we know we won’t be walking into another dragon’s roost?”
“Yeah, and what makes this one so ‘forbidden’?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Because this one leads to the Royal Dragon Graveyard,” Ember explained. Everyone blanched upon hearing this and turned to look at the blue Dragon Lord in shock.
“A dragon graveyard?” Fluttershy asked slowly, not liking the sound of it at all.
“Ugh, Ah’ve had my share of boneyards for this adventure already,” Applejack said with disdain, remembering the enchanted skeletons they encountered beneath Canterlot.
“A dragon graveyard!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, though more intrigued than Applejack or Fluttershy. “I’ve only read theoretical articles on their existence! I had no idea they were real!”
“They are very real. They’re where deceased dragons are laid to rest,” Ember explained. “There are a number of them hidden in secret locations around the world. This one in particular is where the Dragon Kings and Queens of old are buried. No dragon would dare to nest in this lava vent. Besides, both ends are sealed.”
“So we’re exploiting the fact that this tunnel is sacred to dragons to sneak up on Spike’s dad. Hurray for sacrilege!” Pinkie Pie cheered.
“Obviously, I can’t join you. I have to care for the refugees,” Ember told them. “Besides, I wouldn’t dare to enter there myself.”
“We understand, Ember. Thank you for helping us,” Spike said to her.
“Be careful,” Ember urged them. “Once you’ve opened the other end, you should be in the Dragon King’s throne room. Also, I don’t know what you’ll find in there. I used to believe as a hatchling that the graveyards were haunted.”
“Great, that’s all we need. Giant dragon skeletons coming to life,” Rainbow Dash muttered sarcastically. Hearing this, Fluttershy began trembling at the idea of coming face to face with any dragon skeletons, animate or inanimate. Looking back behind her, she saw that it was getting late into the afternoon, their flight to the Dragon Lands having taken most of the day. Not only would they be heading into an underground dragon graveyard, but it will be night by the time they reached it. She tried to suppress her anxieties by gulping.
“Good luck,” Ember wished them well as she took off and flew back towards the ruins of Tantegel Castle, leaving the six ponies and one dragon standing at the threshold of the resting place of rulers of dragonkind.
“Are… we really… doin’ this?” Applejack unsurely asked.
“Yes, Applejack, we are. Because if we are to have any chance at success, this is the only way,” Twilight firmly announced. Princess Luna would be raising the moon soon, and they only had until sunrise to stop the Dragon King. She looked to Rainbow Dash and the Staff of Rain she had been carrying for the entire trip. With the Staff, and the Sunstone and Erdrick’s Amulet that were in Twilight’s bag, they should everything to take on the Dragon King. However, will they really work? Theoretically, there shouldn’t be a problem, but there was a difference between doing something in theory and doing something in reality. “Now, are we all ready?”
One by one, they all either voiced their confirmation or nodded. Taking the lead, Twilight Sparkle stepped into the lava vent and walked into the darkness. Spike shortly followed afterwards, and then the rest of them save for one.
Fluttershy still remained on the shore, looking up at the volcano in the distance with the dragon sentinels circling it. This was really it; this was the point of no return. Once they passed through this “dragon graveyard,” they would face Dragon King Ryuo. Whether Spike could reason with him or if they would have to use the magical talismans they had gathered against him was still unknown. It was also uncertain if they would even get the chance to use them before they were all roasted on the spot.
“Fluttershy, you coming?” Rainbow Dash called from inside the tunnel. The yellow Pegasus looked back to her friends and saw them waiting for her, the cave illuminated by the magenta glow of Twilight’s horn.
“Um... everyone, there’s something I need to tell you,” Fluttershy started to say.
“You’re afraid of dragons. We know,” Rainbow Dash dryly said, assuming her friend’s hesitation was related to her long history of dracophobia.
“No, that’s not it. Well, I am afraid, but that’s not what I wanted to say,” she tried to clarified.
Concerned, Applejack walked back to her and asked, “What’s wrong, sugarcube?”
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you all, but I haven’t had the opportunity to since all of this started.” By this point, the rest of her friends had joined Applejack in supportively surrounding her. “Remember how I went to the doctor’s office the other day?” They all nodded, recalling her appointment. They all had expected for the results to be the same as it was for the past eighteen years, but now her behavior was making them nervous. Had the doctor discovered the reason for her infertility? Was there something seriously wrong with her? Had their dear friend been diagnosed with a terrible illness? “I… I…” The mare began to tremble as tears began to leak from her teal eyes.
“Yes, go on, dear,” Rarity encouraged her, on edge herself to hear whatever alliment was afflicting her precious friend. They all leaned in with anticipation, ready to console her during her inevitable breakdown.
“I’m pregnant!” Fluttershy blurted out, overcome with emotion. This unexpected revelation combined with the intensity of her outburst sent her friends staggering backwards.
“Called it!” Pinkie Pie cheered, being the first to recover.
“Pinkie Pie, how could you have possibly ‘called it’?” Rarity asked incredulously.
“C’mon, Rarity. With your eye for detail, I’m surprised you haven’t noticed her itty bitty baby bump!” Pinkie Pie laughed, moving over to Fluttershy to lightly prod at her slightly distended belly, eliciting a surprised “eep!” from the pregnant Pegasus.
“Well… I didn’t want to be rude. Talking about a lady’s weight isn’t polite,” Rarity explained, both she and Fluttershy blushing with embarrassment.
“Yer… pregnant?” Applejack breathlessly asked, staring wide eyed at her sister-in-law.
“Twins! I’m having twins!” Fluttershy announced between happy sobs.
“Fluttershy… I don’t know what to say,” Twilight said with wonder.
“Well, how about ‘congratulations’ for starters?” Rarity suggested as she moved in to hug her friend, joining Pinkie Pie with Rainbow Dash. Regaining her senses, Twilight Sparkle joined them in hugging Fluttershy as well.
The only ones not hugging her was Spike and Applejack. Spike didn’t want to smother her with his large bulk so resigned to smiling and congratulating her while standing over the others. Applejack, on the other hoof, was still in shock. Once she snapped out of it, she didn’t look too pleased.
“Are ya outta yer mind?!” Applejack furiously shouted, surprising everyone else with her outrage. “Yer pregnant…”
“With twins!” Pinkie Pie obliviously added happily.
“...with twins, and ya come on a dangerous mission to the middle of Dragon Country anyway?!” Applejack ranted, trying to make clear the foolishness of Fluttershy’s decision.
“Yes,” Fluttershy answered, surprisingly calm despite being reprimanded by Applejack.
“Consarnit, girl! What were ya thinkin’?!” Applejack demanded an explanation.
“I was thinking that I needed to be here,” Fluttershy told her.
“Where ya need to be is back home with Big Mac and Posey! Ooh, wait until we get back! Ah’m gonna give Big Mac an earful for lettin’ his wife do somethang so foolhardy as runnin’ off while pregnant!” Applejack vowed.
“Big Macintosh knew just as well as you do that it’ll take all six of us to use the Magic of Harmony against the Dragon King,” Fluttershy retorted, catching Applejack off guard by the strength of her resolve.
“But…” the orange Earth Pony tried to argue, but she indeed knew that her friend had a valid point.
“But nothing. I know the risks and may be scared out of my mind, but I also know what will happen if my Element is needed and I’m not here to use it.” Fluttershy’s expression softened as did her voice. “We all got a job to do. If we don’t do this, then everypony, Big Mac, Posey, Apple Seed, Sour Apple, and everyone else we care about, will be in danger.”
“Ah know yer right, but that doesn’t mean Ah have to like it,” Applejack begrudgingly accepted.
“I don’t like it either, but it is what is it.”
“Just promise me one thang; if thangs take a turn for the worst and it don’t look like we’re gonna make it, Ah want you to run for it.”
“I promise.” Fluttershy knew it wouldn’t matter if she ran or not if they failed. Without them, the Dragon King would lay waste to Equestria. Applejack knew this as well, but Fluttershy’s promise did give some peace of mind.
“Good. Now that we got that settled, may we continue?” Twilight asked, returning their attention to the mission. Lighting her horn again, she led the way into the passage that would take them beneath Charlock Island. The light from Twilight Sparkle’s horn only illuminated the area immediately around them, casting their shadows on the tunnel’s walls. The walls were warped, shaped by the flow of magma eons ago. They couldn’t tell how far it was to the volcano’s core, nor did they knew what to expect to find once they reached it.
As they ventured into the darkness, Rainbow Dash flew beside Fluttershy and asked, “So how is it that you’re pregnant? I mean, with the complications with Posey’s birth, we thought the doctor said… you know… you wouldn’t be able to have any more foals.”
“After Posey was born, they told me it would be unlike that I ever would have foals again, but Big Macintosh and I kept on trying,” Fluttershy told them. “At this checkup, the doctor was amazed and told me that she couldn’t find any sign of injury. It was like I never had complications.”
“Yeah, but how?” Rainbow Dash asked, unsatisfied by the vague explanation.
“I don’t know. I’m just happy that I’ve been blessed with more children,” Fluttershy happily responded, not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“I think I have an explanation,” Twilight Sparkle announced from the head of the group. There was some hesitation to her voice as she continued. “It might have something to do with what I discussed with the other princesses the other day.”
“You mean the findings of your research you were going to tell us the other day?” Rarity asked. “What you described as being… ‘big’?”
“Yes. I suppose since Fluttershy told us her surprise, I might as well share mine as well.” Twilight took a breath to brace herself while her friends waited eagerly to hear what she had to say. “Ever since that first Summer Sun Celebration all those years ago, I’ve been trying to understand our interwoven destinies and our connection to the Elements of Harmony. Was it by chance that we all saw Rainbow Dash’s rainboom when we were fillies, that we all became best friends and the heroes of Equestria, or was it fate? Why I was chosen to become an Alicorn, and what would it mean for me? What role would I play, and… would I live for thousands of years like Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”
The tunnel grew quiet as those that followed Twilight listened intently. It was something they all had pondered about, but never dwelt upon it too much. They all knew how the Diarchs of Equestria had been alive for millennia and had seen and even been a part of all the events that formed their nation’s history. They also realized that they everyone they ever known and loved had grown old and died; an endless cycle of joy and heartbreak. Would it be the same for their friend they looked to for leadership? Would she be forced to watch as they too aged and pass away? It was a fear Spike knew all too well. It had haunted him relentlessly since he was a child.
“And what about Cadance or Flurry Heart? Cadance is like me; she had ascended to be Alicorn. But Flurry Heart was born an Alicorn. Is there a difference? And is there a way we can know?”
“Is there?” Applejack asked, almost meekly, voicing the question they all shared.
Twilight looked over her shoulder at her before responding, “Like I said, I have been monitoring our development over the years, checking for any signs of delayed or even halted aging. So far, I’ve observed that while Cadance and I have matured, we haven’t shown the usual signs of aging common in mares our age.”
This fact was clear to see. Twilight no longer the scrawny, introverted Unicorn that used to live a library but was now a regal figure of majestic grace. She and Cadance stood as tall as Princess Luna, most other ponies having to look up to her. She carried herself with poise and commanded the respect of her subjects. If her friends hadn’t known her since before her ascension, they too might have believed that she was an immortal demigoddess.
“So yer sayin’ that you and Cadance, and mostly likely Flurry Heart, don’t age like us normal ponies?” Applejack asked. “Heh, can’t say I ain’t surprised.”
Twilight gave a snort of dry amusement at Applejack’s comment. “Applejack, you all are more special than you all realize. You are anything than just ‘normal’.”
“Especially Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said under her breath. “There’s nothing ‘normal’ about her at all.”
“And thank goodness for that!” Pinkie proudly replied to Rainbow Dash’s comment. “Otherwise, life would be way too boring. In my opinion, there’s nothing normal in being ‘normal’. Remember Starlight’s village where everypony was the same? Too creepy.”
“Anyway,” Twilight said a little loudly to take back control of the conversation. “I started to wonder what was causing the deceleration in our aging.”
“Uh, isn’t it because you’re Alicorns?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Possibly. But I’ve also observed a lack of aging in each of you. I believe the Elements are having an effect on us all.”
This caused another silence as the group took in this revelation, but then Applejack laughed, not seeing where Twilight was going with this. “Ah’m not sure if ya noticed, Twi, but Ah have mah share of gray hairs and crow’s feet. Ah mean, Ah know that they made you an Alicorn and all, but they haven’t done anything like that for the rest of us.”
“Yeah, are you sure it isn’t just you?” Rainbow Dash questioned.
“I didn’t notice them at first, but it is clear to me that I’m not the only one being affected. I believe that your aging has been delayed as well and your general health has been enhanced by our exposure to the Elements. Haven't any of you noticed that you’ve hardly aged a day since that first Summer Sun Celebration all those years ago? I mean, just look at Rainbow Dash. Her body is still in pristine condition despite years of intense physical activity and hasn’t slowed down a bit. In fact, she’s only gotten faster!”
“If that’s your way of saying that I’ve got a hot bod, then thanks!” Rainbow Dash cheekily said, making light of the situation.
“And look at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy,” Twilight Sparkle then pointed to the pair. “They could pass for Surprise and Posey’s sisters!”
“And what about Applejack and me? If you haven’t noticed, but I have a large streak of silver in my mane and I wear glasses,” Rarity pointed out as she ran a hoof through her luscious head of hair.
“And like Ah said, Ah’m no spring chicken anymore,” Applejack reiterated.
“Rarity, you’ve always been farsighted, and that silver streak is in the exact as same spot as Nightmare Rarity’s. It clearly a side effect being possessed by the Nightmare Forces. And Applejack, when did you first notice your wrinkles and gray hairs?”
“Golly, it’s been years. Let me think…” Applejack paused as she tried to recall. “Hmmm… About eleven years, Ah suppose. Ah first noticed them not too long after Apple Seed…”
“Was born. The same night you discovered Cider Barrel was having an affair and assaulted you,” Twilight Sparkle finished for her. “But have any more appeared since then?”
“No, none that Ah’ve noticed.”
“And have you slowed down in your apple farming or any other physical activity?”
“Shoot no. Ah’m still buckin’ them trees right along with Sour Apple like always!” she bragged.
“See? Those are premature wrinkles and gray hairs induced by high levels of stress. Other than a few cosmetic differences, nothing else has changed physically.”
“But does this really mean we have longevity?” Rarity asked, still doubtful.
“I believe so,” Twilight stated.
“So… longevity, huh?” Rainbow Dash asked, taking in the information. “What are we talking about here, thousands of years like the Princesses?”
“I doubt it’ll be that long,” Twilight chuckled. “We’ve seen that we’re not completely immune to the passage of time and are still subject to disease and injury.”
“And what about our children?” Fluttershy asked. “Is this hereditary? Will they live longer too?”
“I don’t know. The only one I’m certain will live longer than the average pony is Amethyst, and that’s because she is half dragon. But it is possible. Afterall, Flurry Heart was born an Alicorn like her mother. We’re just going to have to wait and see.”
“Does… Does this mean we’re going to outlive our husbands?” Fluttershy asked. “Soarin… Flash… Cheese… and… my Big Mac?”
Twilight didn’t answer at first, but then carefully confirmed what was already implied, “Well… most likely, yes. Listen, I know this is a lot to take in, and I’m doing my best to understand myself. But I’ll tell you what the other princesses told me; I’m here for you. We all are.”
There was silence in the tunnel as the group of best friends stared at one another under the light of Twilight’s magic. Fluttershy was still teary eyed, sniffling softly. Pinkie Pie was unusually quiet, and Rarity held onto Spike’s fore leg for support. Rainbow Dash looked thoughtfully at the floor, still trying to decide if this was awesome or depressing.
“And more importantly, we’ll have each other,” Applejack added. At this, all seven of them came together for a hug with Spike draping his wings around them. Looking over to Spike, they could now relate to the dragon. For years, Spike had been plagued with nightmares of a future where he would watch everypony he knew and love die of old age. Now, he wouldn’t be alone.
As Spike held those who were most precious to him, he felt a weight lifting from his heart. Maybe it was selfish, but he felt relieved that he no longer had to fear the future. Sure, Rarity may or may not live as long as he would, but now he knew that he had more time with her, with all of them.
Releasing each other from the embrace, they turned back to face the ongoing tunnel. Somewhere ahead was the dragon graveyard and the Dragon King’s lair beyond that. They would have to tread lightly. Their newly discovered longevity wouldn’t last very long if they were discovered now. Pressing on, they kept their eyes peeled for any sign of an exit.
Much of their trek was in silence, the only sounds being the echos of their hoofsteps and Spike’s claws reverberating off of the walls. Time seemed to lose all meaning as the cave kept on going. Every time they would round a bend, they hoped to see something that would indicate they were getting closer to their destination.
Each of the seven had a concern weighing on their minds. Spike wondered if he was ready to face the Dragon King, knowing now that he was draconic despot’s son. Would he be able to talk him out of attacking Equestria, or would he be forced to fight him?
“Hey, what’s that?” Pinkie Pie asked, bringing everyone to a stop as they peered through the darkness. In the distance, there was another light coming from the end of the lava vent. However, it was dim, the light of Twilight’s horn blocking it. The Alicorn dimmed her magical aura, allowing them to see the light clearly. It was a lime green, and it was coming from just around the corner.
“I think we’re here,” Twilight told the others as she cautiously walked forward.
“Watch out. Lime green is the color of evil,” Pinkie warned. Ignoring her comment, they continued to approach the mysterious light. As they drew closer, the light began to reveal an opening. A glowing mist the same color as the light was slowly emitting from the opening. As they cautiously walked through it, the fog swirled around their legs.
Fluttershy looked down at the luminous fog surrounding her hooves and then looked up only to scream as she came face to face with the gaping maw of a dragon. A blue hoof covered her mouth, Rainbow Dash silencing her before she could potential give away their position. As the panicking yellow Pegasus screamed into her friend’s hoof, she saw that what she looking at was actually a dragon’s skull jutting out from the wall. She didn’t know if that was better or worse. Either way, they had come to the entrance of the dragon graveyard.
Rainbow Dash removed her hoof from Fluttershy’s mouth. Though no longer screaming, Fluttershy still looked up to the gaping mouth with wide eyes. As their eyes adjust to the dim light, they saw that the dragon graveyard was huge cavern with multiple cavities in the walls. In each opening was the skeletal remains of a colossal dragon, each the size of the Dragon King. The green light and mist was coming from pits in the floor. Stone archways crisscrossed over these pits, creating a winding path that led deeper into the cemetery.
As they walked past the skull’s mouth to enter the cavern, they gazed up at the massive teeth. Though they all had seen the Dragon King before, it dawned on them they were about to face a creature of comparable size as the skeleton they were passing under. All seven of them could fit inside the mouth of Spike’s father. As this occurred to them, Applejack couldn’t help but to imagine the fossilized fangs coming crash down on them. The Earth Pony shivered at the thought and quickened her pace.
“Incredible…” Twilight whispered. She and her friends were the first of ponykind to lay eyes upon a fabled dragon graveyard. As they stepped onto the first natural arch, they peered over the edge at the glow below them. Each of them gasped in wonder as they saw a lake of glowing green viscous ooze in place of molten rock. The luminous fog was rising from the ooze, filling the enormous cavern with a haze.
As they crossed over the arch, Spike took in the sight of the colossal skeletons embedded in the cave’s walls, realizing that these were his ancestors. There was only one Dragon Monarch born per generation, and a dragon could live for thousands of years. Due to the fog and sheer size of the cavern, it was impossible to get an accurate count of how many of them there were from just a glance, but there were easily dozens. Thousands upon thousands of years worth of legacy resided in this hallowed chamber.
A low whispering noise caught Spike’s attention, him stopping mid-step to look for the source of the sound. As he scanned the room, he saw nothing other than the rising vapors. Seeing his hesitation, Rarity asked, “Is something wrong, Spike?”
“I thought I heard something,” he answered. Hearing him say this, everypony looked in all directions, but the chamber remained silent.
“I didn’t hear anything,” Rainbow Dash claimed.
“Nor did I,” Rarity added.
After waiting for another moment, Spike relented, “I guess it was nothing.”
Everyone forgot about it and pressed on, not noticing that an image formed in the misted. It took the shape of a horned, serpentine creature, coiling around one of the pillars that supported the cave before fading away without a trace.
Pinkie Pie stepped closer to the ledge and peered down at the green ooze. “What’s that stuff down there?” the pink pony asked, the rest of her friends joining her in observing the unknown substance. “It isn’t lava.”
“Magma,” Twilight corrected, entering her lecture mode. “Molten rock is called magma when it’s underground. It becomes lava only once it reaches the surface. In either case, you’re right. This isn’t lava or magma.”
“Then what the hay is it?” Applejack asked. Twilight didn’t know how to answer that question at the moment, but she scanned the environment to see if she could gather any clue as to exactly what it was they were seeing. As they stepped off an arch, they saw that they came to another sepulchre in the side of the cavern. Resting in the opening was the bones of a previous Dragon King.
On the edge of one of the skeleton’s empty eye sockets was a glowing droplet of green slime. The droplet slowly grew until it ran down the skull like a tear to the floor, running down to the reservoir of the glowing ooze beneath them. Walking up to the skull to get a better look, Twilight studied the liquid that seemed to be excreting from the fossilized remains. Using her magic, she pulled out a quill from her bag and scooped up a sample of the slime on the feather and turned back to the others. They all huddled around the levitating feather, staring at the drop of green on it.
Twilight squinted her eyes at it before looking back at the bones. She then looked to the other remains and then down to the lake. Her eyes widened and exclaimed, “I don’t believe it.”
“What? What is it?” Applejack asked.
“Ectoplasm,” Twilight whispered, staring back down at the sample she had collected like it was the find of a century, even more so than the dragon graveyard.
“Ecto-what now?”
“Ectoplasm,” Twilight repeated.
“What’s ectoplasm?” Fluttershy asked, just as confused as Applejack.
“A theoretical substance produced by psychokinetic energy that allows non-corporeal entities to manifest themselves in the physical world!” Twilight explained, growing more excited at the discovery. “Paranormal researchers claim that this substance is produced only with an abundance of spectral activity, but no conclusive evidence has ever been discovered!”
“Uh, are we supposed to understand any of that?” Applejack asked, only understanding half of the words her brainy friend was using.
“It’s the goo that ghosts make,” Rainbow Dash translated, apparently understanding Twilight’s scientific ramblings. Everyone looked to her with surprise, but she shrugged it off. “I watch a lot of horror movies.”
“Ahem…” Twilight cleared her throat, reeling in her excitement as to give a clearer explanation. “Ectoplasm is a ‘goo’ that materializes when supernatural forces are abundant. Non-physical entities, such as spirits or ghosts, can use it as a means to interact in our physical world.”
“Ah get it. So ghost wear it so they can touch stuff?” Applejack put it into her own terms.
“More or less,” Twilight confirmed. Looking back at the fossils, she thought of how this was all possible. She never took paranormal research seriously, believing it was only a pseudoscience. Yet here she was, confronted with the supernatural.
“Um, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked, drawing Twilight’s attention away from the glob on the quill. “Where do we go from here?”
Putting the quill away, Twilight looked about the chamber. Due to the dim lighting and the fog, the cave seemed to go on forever. With the multiple openings in the walls and the countless winding paths over the lake of ectoplasm, it was uncertain which way led out of the dragon graveyard. They could waste hours exploring the labyrinthine tunnels before they would find a way out. Unfortunately, they didn’t have hours to go spelunking.
“Pair up. We got to find the way out,” Twilight ordered. She paired off with Rarity while Rainbow Dash went with Fluttershy and Applejack went with Pinkie Pie to search the various crypts for an exit. Spike, the odd one out, went by himself, flying across the cavern.
As they left behind the skeleton, green vapor rose from the corpse and floated after them. While the heroes of Equestria searched for the exit, more clouds arose from the graves, their gaseous forms accumulating. As the green smoke trails flew about the cavern, they took shape, taking on serpentine forms. Then the vague shapes of spines and horns appeared on the cloudy bodies and the fronts of the tendrils formed heads, complete with glowing green eyes and mouths filled with fangs.
Pinkie Pie and Applejack were peering down a dark passageway, squinting hard to see the end of it. In the darkness, they saw it came to a dead end. The only thing in it was yet another skeleton. Pinkie Pie then frowned and looked to her knee, stretching her leg to alleviate the discomfort that suddenly developed. Her eyes widened as she realized what it meant.
“Applejack, my knee is getting pinchy!” Pinkie urgently whispered.
“Pinchy knee?” Applejack repeated. She recalled that it was Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense warning her that something scary was about to happen. She turned around and looked behind Pinkie Pie, seeing the spectral dragons starting to emerge from the tombs. “Pinchy knee!”
Hearing Applejack shout, everyone else looked from where they were searching and gasped at the sight of the ghosts.
“Uh oh, I think we woke them up!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Fluttershy shrieked and hid behind Rainbow Dash for protection. One ghost dragon mimed a roar and dove at Twilight and Rarity, causing them to hit the deck as the spirit swooped overhead.
“Get behind me, quick!” Spike called out to the others, extended his wings as his friends ran to him and took shelter as the agitated spirits of his ancestors stormed above them. Once again, Spike could hear the whispering, but with the multitude of ghosts, the whispering was now clear. Though they spoke in a language Spike never had heard before, Spike could understand them. In fact, it was though he understood this language better than the Equestrian tongue he had been raised with, like it was a part of his very being.
“I can hear them,” Spike said aloud.
“Well, what are they saying?” a frightened Rarity asked from under his wings. Spike listened to the voices, deciphering what all of them were saying.
“They’re angry.”
“We can see that!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. “What are they upset about?”
“‘Defiled’... ‘Trespassers’...” Spike translated the most often repeated words he heard coming from the swarm of souls. “They’re saying that they have been awoken from their slumber and that ponies have defiled their sacred cemeteries. They think it was us! No! It wasn’t us!”
The spirits continued their whisperings, conveying their displeasure to the young dragon.
“They said that the balance has been disrupted. There’s a rift between the worlds,” Spike explained.
“Of course the world’s in disarray! We’re here to bring balance back! ” Twilight Sparkle called up to the whirling dragon ghosts. This got their attention, the glowing dragon heads looking down at the Alicorn. “The Tree of Harmony has been stolen! Ryuo, one of your own, has taken it! If we don’t do something, things are only going to get worse!”
The spirits of Spike’s forefathers looked at the strange ponies in their resting place and the dragon that was accompanying them. They communed with each other, considering the Alicorn’s claim.
“What are they saying now?” Rarity asked Spike.
“They’re debating on whether to believe us or not,” Spike answered. One of the serpentine souls swooped down, hovering directly in front of Spike. It looked him in the eye with the two lights that acted as its own. Spike felt uncomfortable being this close to a ghost. Due to the cloudy composition of the ghost’s form, it was hard to read its expression.
“...Spike…” a voice called from within this single ghost in the Equestrian language.
“You… know me?” Spike asked, taken aback. The ghost then turned back to the others, speaking once again in the draconic language. Peeking out from Spike’s purple and green wings, everypony saw the spirit floating between them and the rest of the ghost dragons. Though the ponies couldn’t understand the words, they knew that the ancient dragons were communicating to one another once more. Eventually, the dozens of other ghosts looked past the one down at the intruders, particularly at Spike. Then the multitude of gaseous entities floated away one by one, save for the one that interceded. It urged its kin to return to their eternal slumber, the spirits departing back to their bones and dissipating. Once the other spirits had been laid back to rest, the one returned to Spike and the ponies.
The green ghost then turned back to the uninvited guests, floating down until it was level with Spike. While the seven of them were grateful that this one had stopped the others from causing a ruckus that potentially could have alerted the Dragon King to their presence, they were curious about what it wanted.
“What is it doing?" Rarity whispered as she and the others stepped out from underneath the safety of Spike’s wings.
“I don’t know,” Twilight admitted, speaking softly in case raising her voice would somehow frighten the spirit away. The ghost suddenly darted away, its sudden movement causing everyone to flinch, and flew down to the lake of ectoplasm. Its smokey body dove into the glowing substance, disappearing beneath the surface. Spike and the ponies ran to edge of the cliff, waiting to see what would happen.
The surface bubbled and churned before a luminous being bursted forth from the ectoplasm. A dragon ascended from the lake, the slime dripping from its wings as it hovered before the heroes. Its viscous body was translucent and had a sparkling sheen, glowing green with the ectoplasm of which it was made. It was like Twilight explained; the incorporeal spirit was using the ectoplasm to create an artificial body.
By its appearance, they could tell that the dragon was female. Though she wasn’t nearly as large as Ryuo, she was still bigger than Spike, being the size of an average adult dragon. Through the green glow of the ectoplasm, they could see the colors she had been in life. The dragoness was pink and had a row of mint green spines running down her back. Seeing the features of the pink dragoness, something rang familiar with Spike and Twilight and their friends.
“...Um. Thank you,” Twilight said, uncertain of what else to say to the benevolent ghost.
“No. Thank you, Twilight Sparkle, for what you have done for me,” the dragoness said back, surprising everyone that she knew her name.
“What did I do for you?” Twilight asked, but the dragoness only smiled back.
“You’re looking for the Tree of Harmony?” the dragoness asked, dodging the question.
“Yes, we have to get it back from Dragon King Ryuo,” the princess explained. “Equestria… The whole world can’t survive without it, and he’s keeping it in his lair. Can you help us get it back?”
“I can show you the way, but I cannot leave,” the ghost of the dragoness explained. “I can’t materialize without the magic of this place.”
“We appreciate anything you can do to help us,” Twilight told her.
“And how do you plan on getting it from Ryuo?” questioned the ghost.
“I’m going to talk to him. I’m his son,” Spike told her.
“This I know,” she responded, confusing everyone. “Ryuo has always been a stubborn old fool. It’s unlikely he’ll listen to anyone.”
“I’ve spoken to him before, and I almost managed to talk him out of attacking Equestria,” Rarity told the ghost, surprising her. “If anyone can do it, it’s us.”
“And what if he doesn’t?”
“Then we’ll have to use the Powers of Harmony upon him,” Twilight sternly explained, pulling the Amulet of Erdrick from her bag. The ghostly dragoness marveled at the sight of the legendary relic, realizing that they did indeed had the power to face the Dragon King.
“Very well. If that is the way it must be. Follow me,” the dragoness sighed, suddenly despondent. The spirit floated down the chamber, prompting the others to follow her. As they walked and/or flew down the winding trail, they wondered about their spiritual guide and how she was acting. She wanted to help them reclaim the Tree of Harmony, but she was hesitant to help them face Ryuo. She also had a certain interest in Spike. Though, they supposed, it shouldn’t be surprising considering that she had to be one of their relatives.
Rounding a corner in the gargantuan chamber, they came to a dead end. There were a few openings in the wall, but the ghost flew to one of them and said, “This one will lead you to the throne room. Once you open the seal on the other end, be prepared.”
“Thank you once again,” Twilight said as they entered the tunnel, turning back to say farewell to the ghost who had helped them.
“See, Fluttershy? She’s a dragon and a ghost, but she’s nice!” Pinkie Pie pointed out.
“T-thank you,” Fluttershy thanked, no longer afraid but still shy.
“Wait,” Spike said before the ghost could depart. There was something about her behavior and her appearance that was bothering. “I have to know. Who are you?”
She reached out to him with a claw, caressing his cheek. Though it felt gooey and left a smiley trail on his cheek, there was a comforting warmth to her touch. She closed her eyes and sighed, “Oh… I have waited so long to be able to do that.” She opened her teary eyes and smiled sadly at Spike and then looked towards the Alicorn in the group as her form began to deteriorate, the ectoplasm beginning to run. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for saving our child. Thank you for being his mother when I could not.”
“Xia?” Twilight gasped, suddenly realizing why the dragoness seemed so familiar. Everyone else was amazed and looked at the fading dragon.
“Mother?” Spike whispered, but it was too late. With one last smile, the ectoplasm splashed on the floor, only the gaseous serpentine spirit remaining. Before he could say anything else, she flew to a nearby tomb, dissipating as she reentered the bones.
Spike left the tunnel and went to the grave, his friends following behind him. Walking up to the skeleton, he took a long look at the dragoness that had given her life to bring him into the world. His friends gave him time out of respect, but they all knew they had to keep moving. After placing a claw on Xia’s skull, Spike rejoined the others.
“Spike, are you alright?” Rarity asked her husband with concern.
“I’m fine. Let’s just go,” he said solemnly as he walked down the tunnel, preparing to face his father and save his home.