//------------------------------// // Docks // Story: Remembrance // by Jamie Wolf //------------------------------// Spike stretched himself over the small wooden bench that rested on the edge of the pier. The ticket master had told him it would be another hour or so until the cruise-liner that would take him back to Equestria would appear. Spike figured he had time to relax a little after such a long few years, even if it was before the actual relaxation that would entail on the cruise ship. The cool evening air licked against his tired body as the sun retreated through the sky. He leaned his head back, feeling the cricks pop in his neck and his wings stiffen out beneath the two-piece he was wearing. He opted to keep the over-bearing jacket inside his luggage considering the warm evening air in the sunset of the sky. The button up shirt was a plain white with a purple vest over top it. Upon the left breast was the official pin for the ambassador of Equestria under the rule of Princess Twilight Sparkle. The tiny pendant had grown heavier with the last few years, but it reminded him of home and the friends he had not seen in so long. Spike tilted his head down at the simple pendant, imitative of Twilight’s cutie mark, and smiled lightly. Four years. It had been four years since Spike had talked with Twilight, and almost five since he had seen her. He could not even remember the last time he had seen all her friends as his last meeting with Twilight was just the two of them. Remembering how long it had been since he had been in a pony city made his smile grow even wider. He was so looking forward to familiar and friendlier sights. Spike looked out across the wide ocean. He could hardly believe that somewhere across the everlasting blue expanse lay an entirely different continent with dragons, ponies, hippogriffs, and more, all of them isolated from the lifestyle and culture that had been Norfandia. That was, until six years ago when an emissary from the strange land had begged for help preventing a war on his home. Spike frowned and a troubled feeling stirred in his chest. He could not help but feel that his work here, while complete according to the map in Twilight’s castle, felt unfinished. He had been sent here to stop a war and spread friendship, defending those willing to accept it if he had to. Things never went the way they were supposed to. He knew that. Spike leaned forward and brought his arms to rest on the tops of his knees. The pants he wore were a fine pair equally black as his vest with two purple stripes coming from the pocket to ankle. They felt strange after so long of wearing what he could in the foreign land. His official Equestria uniform felt totally new to him after so long of not wearing it. He had come to Norfandia in it, and now was leaving in it. These were the only times he had worn the comfortable Equestrian garb that his old friend had made him Rarity. Spike reminisced a moment. He had not seen the beautiful mare even longer than Twilight. Spike had outgrown his childhood crush of the mare long ago, but a part of him always wondered how they would interact now if they met at his current age. Spike had grown. A lot. Since his molting almost twelve years ago, he had grown taller, stronger, and much hungrier. Thanks to Rainbow Dash’s position in the Wonderbolts, she had seen to it that the young drake made use of their gym equipment whenever he wanted. It had done much to tone his scaly body into the musculature that was intimidating even by dragon standards. His height now rivaled Princess Twilight’s, but Spike was grateful it had stopped where it was. Too much more and he would have felt like a lumbering giant around most of his peers. Spike winced as he remembered the looks he received from the centaur, troll, and wolf-like inhabitants of Nornfandia. He was just about as tall as their normal populace, but his colors stood out drastically from the land and people around. He remembered the tales that had been told to him of the dragons that used to live here. Used to. Shifting in discomfort, Spike looked over to his left to see a dot on the horizon of the water. Must be the cruise liner. Bout another forty-five I’d guess. He sighed and glanced over to the ticket booth. A small line had formed of a clearly higher-up troll family. No doubt they were looking to book the cruise liner to Equestria for a visit. One of Spike’s first tasks here had been to establish formal communication and exchange between the two continents. So far, nothing bad came back on transports or cruise ships. For that, Spike was grateful. The oldest of the family, father Spike guessed by his rugged horns and slightly thrust lower jaw, looked toward the purple dragon, and gave him a semblance of a smile. Spike smiled back and raised his right claw over his head to give him a little wave. That was something Spike actually liked more about Nornfandia; everything here had hands. Or claws, or something like Spike’s extremities. Living with ponies most of his life had made him feel ostracized often because of his inherent otherness. It did not help when he visited the dragon lands the first time and learned he would not fit there either. His whole life had always felt just a little skewed from what he was supposed to be doing. But he had never minded it, and still did not. He found his calling in being an ambassador to nations and kingdoms across the world. No need to fit in when I’m never around long enough anyway. He turned back to the ocean and let another soft breath out. He was not sad; not exactly. He just felt… out of place. His friends back home had always told him that his difference was special and unique in a good way. Especially Rarity; always using him for his discernment on gems, his claws for sewing and mining, his variable height for dresses… Spike blushed slightly as he realized that he used to wear dresses. Never out in public of course, but all the same. His blush furthered when he took note of his thoughts once again on the alabaster mare. Was it just the nostalgic excitement of coming home? Or was it something more? Spike wracked his mind with experiences, words, letters, anything he had exchanged with Rarity over the years. He could have sworn there was something she had said once about when you get back from your adventures… He brushed off the thought as the troll family came to sit on the bench next to him. He straightened up again and smiled at the family. The wife politely waved, her fur covering the top of her head indicative of her female difference. Their child that was with them was dressed in a blue suit. It accentuated his gunmetal coat and his bulging brown eyes as they gawked at the dragon. Spike smiled a little wider and cricked one of his claws at the youngster in a tiny form of waving. “Fro, come now it is never polite to stare.” The father reprimanded. The youngling seemed unphased. “Are you the one who shoots fire?” He asked in an awe. “Fro!” the mother was the one to interject this time. She reached out and took the small troll’s arm, pulling him close. She politely smiled back to Spike in pain and embarrassment. “I apologize, sir Spike. He’s just a little too obsessed with the ‘hero of the mountain’ is all.” She blushed at her addressing to the dragon. Spike nodded to her and kept his smile up. “No worries. It’s not everyday a strange creature who can breathe fire ends up sitting next to you on a random pier.” He winked at the child who started giggling. “See papa! It is him! Do the fire please!” Fro burst out. The father looked down at his child and frowned, about to cut him off again. Before he could, Spike raised up his claw. “Sure!” he responded joyfully. He turned to catch the wife’s eyes; they were apologizing but equally fascinated as her child’s. “Are you sure, sir? We don’t want to be a bother.” “No bother at all. It’s just as simple as if you were breathing.” Spike assured. He curled his tongue in his mouth and narrowed his lips. Summoning a warmth inside his chest just between his lungs, he let the steam rise. Just as it past his lips, he let out a more explosive breath and the green fire lurched out in a tiny bolt. It exploded just a half meter away, nowhere near dangerous enough to harm any of them. They all began applauding. “Wow! I want to breath fire that was so cool!” Fro yelled out. “That’s enough Fro, let him rest. He’s had a long…” The father looked to Spike sympathetically. “He’s tired.” Spike nodded appreciation to him. It was no secret how long Spike had been in the strange land, and even less a secret of how revered he had become. Diplomacy was always his first mission, but defending the lives of those who needed it was more important than making sure political tyrants did not abuse their citizens. Spike shuddered subtly. Eager to change the subject, he gestured to the couple as the wife now picked up her young boy in her lap. “What sends you over to Equestria?” The father straightened the awkward necktie that draped down his body. “Well sir, the world just got a whole lot bigger! Thanks to you of course. We would be foolish not to see what lies in store for us! Lucrative business opportunities and all.” The troll had a glint in his eye as the crooked smile enunciated his protruding lower canine teeth. Spike held up a hand. “Just Spike is fine. To a noble as yourself, titles aren’t really that necessary.” Spike had learned of the culture here over his stay obviously, but even spending the last four years in this foreign world did little to help him understand it. There were some similarities to Equestria, sure, but there were so many stark contrasts as well. For starters, everything here ate meat. Spike felt embarrassed to say he tried some, and he had loved it. He would need to visit again, but not for a long time. Titles here were also not to be taken lightly. Any title was met with reverence and used whenever possible. One did not simply get a title, it had to be earned through great struggle. Sir, hero, even beast were some Spike had been given in his time here. One key difference that fascinated Spike was their understanding of the sky. Unlike Equestria, Nornfandia had no ties to the heavenly bodies or magical elements around them. The sun was a star that lay hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, with the moon being much closer but equally unreachable. When Spike explained the concept of alicorn princesses who had once dragged them across the sky, they had laughed. Then Spike had questioned them about the time Twilight was left in charge when Tirak had invaded. The sun and moon had their own versions of strokes in the sky with her panic. That question seemed to knock them off guard. Some of the people’s first item on the new world list was to visit these ancient sorceresses and pay respects to Twilight. Tirak had come from this land after all, and the people felt somewhat guilty for his behavior. The troll waved his hand back in retaliation at Spike. “Nonsense! You deserve more than a title, sir. I just wish we could provide something.” He looked back to his child who grew tired in his mother’s lap. A distant horn sounded, telling them all that the cruise liner was getting closer. Spike turned his head to see it had grown much larger and much quicker than he had expected. “What about yourself, great beast?” The father spoke again. Spike swiveled his head back and dodged his eyes to the side for a moment. “I need… I’m just going back home after a long time away from it. Seeing friends and all that.” He dismissed the question as quickly as he could. The father stroked his furred chin. “Friends, yes. I can imagine how much they miss you after so long. I tell you, if it had not been for your work here for so long, I would not be sympathizing here with you now!” He chuckled and looked knowingly at his wife. Spike smiled and folded his claws over each other. The Norfandians had very primitive versions of friendship when Spike first arrived. They mostly engaged in courtesy as a transaction rather than something to be enjoyed. It had taken years of work to forge the foundations of friendship, and years longer to protect it. Spike was grateful they had embraced the work willingly and put in the effort to forge such strong bonds. Most of them anyway. Spike felt a flare up on his back as memories kicked up something left better in Norfandia. He reached behind himself to massage the tender scales and winced. “Yea, I mostly am looking forward to some R&R after being on my feet for so long. I know my wings can carry me, but come on! It was like every day for four years I was flying all over the place!” Spike grinned at the troll. He let a hearty laugh out in exchange. “If they fall off, you let me know! I’ll sell them and split the profit!” The two of them laughed rambunctiously as the wife soothed the sleeping form of their child. Spike calmed down and gripped his side in pain. Too much laughing was bad for old memories. He glanced at the child. “He’s cute. How old?” The mother was the one to answer now. “Just turned four. It was part of his birthday request to go to the home where our hero hailed from.” Her voice was oddly smooth for such a rough-looking creature. Spike had to admit that after so long of living amongst these folks, he was beginning to find them attractive. He dipped his head in appreciation. “Well, there’s quite a lot to see. He’ll definitely get his time’s worth. You all will.” He smiled back to the family again. They sat on their benches for another twenty minutes as more creatures trickled in for the cruise. Mostly trolls, Spike noted. A few wolfmen gathered far along the docks quite a distance from any water. The wolfmen had some kind of hydrophobia that perplexed Spike when he first met them. Only three centaur came and stood triumphantly on the edge of the dock to gaze across the water. Their deep voices and tall figures reminded Spike of Tirak. He shuddered again. The cruise liner pulled up to the dock and moored with the help of deck hands and dock workers. The ship was huge. Bigger than Spike remembered. Then again, he had not come on a luxury cruise line to Norfandia. He sighed and stood to grab his duffel bag and suitcase. Spike glanced back to where the troll family had sat when he first arrived, but their seats were empty now. Most likely trying to get ahead of the massive line now forming. A ramp extended down from the side of the cruise liner and a ship pony stood atop it. He wore the sailor uniform of Canterlot’s luxury lines. Spike felt a little warm glow as some familiarity of his home settled in. The pony raised a megaphone with magic, a unicorn then, Spike thought. “All aboard! We set for Equestrian shoreline in ninety minutes! All aboard!” Spike took in a breath and began walking towards the forming line. He started to make his way to the back when he noticed every creature was not moving, all their eyes resting on him. He gave an awkward grin as he passed the centaur group. One of their massive hands shot out to block him. “Uh uh, sir. You aren’t getting in line.” The deep voice rattled Spike. He felt memories fighting to overpower him and do something. He gulped them down and smiled up at the bright blue centaur. “What do ya mean? I got a ticket right here that says otherwise.” He chuckled and patted his breast pocket. The centaur’s sour expression folded, and he crossed his arms. He jerked a thumb towards the cruise liner and scoffed. “Heroes don’t wait in lines, sir. You get on first.” The centaur smiled down to Spike. He realized that he had totally misread the situation. Spike glanced over to the line and caught many of the watchers nodding in agreement. He looked back to the grinning centaur whose visage looked friendlier than Spike remembered. “You’re too kind.” Spike said. “But I can wait my turn.” The centaur blocked him again. “You’ve been waiting, great beast. Four years. We know you must be eager. Go ahead!” The centaur patted Spikes shoulder and turned him forcefully to the front. Spike sighed. I guess there’s one perk of this whole thing he grinned to himself. Spike made his way up the ramp as the Norfandians smiled and waved at him passing by. When he finally made it to the top, one of the sailors who waited for him raised a hoof and smiled. “Wow, ambassador. Looking a little worse for wear aren’t ya?” He chuckled as Spike’s realization set in. “No way! Sandbar! What in Celestia’s name are you doing out here!” He pulled the seafoam pony into a hug and shook him about. Sandbar laughed and pushed back on the massive dragon to catch his breath. “I work on ships normally! When I heard that there was a vessel marked for Norfandia to retrieve my old subs, I had to get on the crew!” He grinned up as Spike palmed his forehead. “I gotta say, it’s nice to see a familiar face on this thing. I thought I’d have to wait till home for that.” Spike smiled widely. Sandbar nudged his gut lightly. “I think you’ll find some others if you’re lucky. This cruise stopped along SugarCuba on the way out to pick up the tour group. Not sure who was all there, but maybe somepony you know!” Two sailors went to retrieve Spike’s luggage and hand him a keycard. Spike took it and tucked it into his right pant pocket. He patted Sandbar on his withers. “Others or not, it’s great to see you, old friend.” Sandbar nodded and smiled back. “You as well. Not to cut it short, but there’s a line. My shift ends when we shove off. Care to hit the bar and catch up? Give you some time to settle in and explore.” “Absolutely!”