Spike realized he was far too used to instant messaging.
With his fire, he could send notes, letters and messages instantly to the Princess, to Twilight, or to anyone he pleased. Being forced to walk or fly over long distances? Through wind, rain, sleet or snow? He had the luxury of never even considering such a struggle.
Thus, it was quite a shock to him when he saw the gray wall-eyed pegasus Ditzy Doo flap right into Diamondback’s home with an utterly exhausted looking sea serpent. One who was clutching some sort of letter written on seaweed.
“Special delivery for Mr. Jackknife,” Ditzy declared happily.
The sea serpent groaned, lifting his head. “Thanks, bubbly pegasus,” he mumbled, before collapsing again.
Ditzy merely held herself high, so happy with herself she didn’t even seem to realize that the sea serpent was on the edge of unconsciousness.
However, Jackknife’s eyes widened in shock, and he bundled the other sea serpent into the cave. “Get me some water,” he ordered.
“And some muffins for Ditzy,” Spike added, earning a gleeful look from the wall-eyed pegasus. “She’s more than earned them.”
After paying Ditzy off, the other dragons gathered round as Jackknife poured water over his dried up counterpart.
Spike felt a slight jolt in his heart at how similar the other sea serpent was to Jackknife. Granted, the other sea serpent was a brilliant algae green as opposed to Jackknife’s ocean blue. Where Jackknife prided himself on his muscles, this sea serpent was smooth-chested and lean, looking more built for speed than strength. And when his eyes fluttered open, they were ocean blue, just like Jackknife’s scales.
Jackknife sighed as the sea serpent came to. “Dangit Storm,” he muttered. “‘What the heck were you thinking, coming out all this way?”
Night Fire looked up. “Storm? You know this guy?”
Jackknife sighed as the sea serpent - Storm - looked around in bemusement. “Yeah,” Jackknife admitted. “Storming Seas. We, uh…” Jackknife looked away. “We go pretty far back.”
“Jack…” Storm mumbled, pulling himself up to a sitting position. He grinned up at the sight of the burlier sea serpent, though Jackknife didn’t seem as eager to meet his gaze. “I-I’m so happy I found you.”
He reached out, but Jackknife turned away. “Can I assume the others feel the same way?”
Storm’s hand lowered, and he looked down in guilt. “You know I never felt like they did.”
Spike and Night exchanged a glance, while Diamondback stepped forward.
“Um, is there something we should know, Jackknife?” Diamondback asked. “What’s going on between you two?”
Jackknife sighed. “Long story,” he admitted, turning back to them. “Short version is; my people didn’t agree with a lot of the world views I held. I left em behind to see if I could prove myself right… and that led me to you,” he nodded at Spike.
“Not all of us disagreed with you, Jack,” Storm noted. “I always looked up to you. I never agreed with what Queen Novo or Sapphire had to say about you. And right now, their judgment is going to get us in serious trouble.”
Jackknife paused, looking back at Storm. “What’re you talking about?”
Storm fiddled with the fins on his arm. “There’s some sort of dark force amassing in the north section of our territory. I don’t know what it is - no one does - but it’s got the sea ponies terrified.”
Diamondback blinked. “Sea ponies?” She looked at Jackknife. “So the rumors are true: sea ponies and sea serpents live together?”
“No way,” Spike mumbled. “Did you… well… were you… similar to how I was with Twilight?”
Jackknife snorted. “You remember that life, right Spike? Being laughed at and being seen as lame for taking orders from ponies. Well, it shouldn’t have been the same thing.” He turned to the others. “The Sea ponies were a buncha hippogriffs - though I like to call em hypocrites. We sea serpents gave em sanctuary from some freak that destroyed their home - gave them the means to survive underwater - and before ya knew it, they were suddenly running our home.” He turned to Storm. “What’s next? Has Queen Novo fully taken over; thrown Queen Sapphire to the shores?”
“No, at least… I don’t think so. It’s been a while since I’ve been there.” Storm admitted. He shook it off and gazed pleadingly at Jackknife. “But Jack, please listen: the thing that drove the hippogriffs to us; I think it’s coming back. Queen Novo just wants to try and stay hidden and let it pass us by, but I’m really worried that even if it passes us by, it could do some serious damage to you or to the lands beyond.” Storm swallowed. “I’ve been traveling for weeks, trying to find you so I could…”
“What?” Jackknife asked. “Enlist my aid? I think you forgot how I got the blue laughed off my tail for even suggesting we try to interact with the surface world.”
Storm looked down with a hurt expression. “I wasn’t laughing.”
Jackknife grimaced, before sighing. “I’m sorry, man,” he said in a gentler tone. “Ya proved as much coming out here.”
Night glanced between them before hesitantly going over to Jackknife. “Jack,” she said. “Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check this place out. At least to make sure that it doesn’t become a problem for Equestria or the Dragon Lands.”
Diamondback laughed. “As if something could ever threaten the Dragon Lands…” she boasted.
“It’s not just the Dragon Lands we need to worry about,” Spike noted. “Equestria has already had to deal with the likes of Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra… it doesn’t need anymore dictators or tyrants.”
“At the very least, we should try to get Storm back home,” Swift offered. “If he’s been traveling for weeks on his own, we shouldn’t force him to make the journey back alone.”
Jackknife cracked his knuckles anxiously, turning to Phoenix. “What d’you think, Phi?”
Phoenix glanced at Storm before giving Jackknife a hard glare. “I’m getting the sense that this guy was your friend, Jack.”
“Still is,” Storm replied with determination. “Or… still wants to be.”
Jackknife gave Storm a small smile, but Phoenix pressed forward.
“Whatever happened between you,” Phoenix said. “Is it really worth risking his life? The lives of your fellow sea serpents? The lives of innocents?”
Jackknife glowered, baring his fangs as he looked away. However, with a sigh, he lowered his arms.
“Alright, fine,” he said. “I can at least get Storm back safely.” He glared at the green sea serpent. “But if Queen Sapphire says one word that’s essentially just blindly agreeing with Queen Novo, I’m out.” He indicated Spike and the other dragons. “These guys have been better friends - better family - to me than anyone back in that underwater dump.” He paused. “Except you, o’ course.”
Storm nodded all the same. “Thank you, Jack,” he said, before turning to the others. “Thank you all.” He looked down. “I always thought that our leaders were being fools to send you away or treat you badly. Maybe this can be the chance you need to show them what you were talking about.”
Jackknife huffed. “I guess we’ll find.”
However, before they could set out… Spike felt a strange ‘drop.’ Like his stomach had just fallen into his intestines.
“Do you… feel that?” he asked.
Diamondback looked down at the necklace that housed her element… and gasped in horror. “It’s gone out!”
The others gathered round, staring in shock as the power seemed to drain out of Diamondback’s Element of Generosity.
A few seconds later, all the other dragons felt it too: their elements drained out of them like water out of a leaking bucket.
“W-What’s happening?” Swift stammered.
Spike grabbed the nearest pen and parchment and scribbled down a message:
Twilight!
Elements are fading!
What’s going on?
Rolling up the parchment, he blasted it with his messenger fire. Storm stared at him in disbelief.
“Er… what was that?”
“Messenger fire,” Spike replied, “I can send messages to some of my friends.”
Storm gaped at him. “And meanwhile, I had to spend weeks traveling all over?” He crossed his arms with a pout. “Lucky!”
Spike could only shrug, before he felt the telltale buildup of a message returning.
Burping out Twilight’s response, he gathered the others around and checked Twilight’s response:
Spike, don’t panic.
Had to give Elements back to Tree of Harmony to free Celestia and Luna from Plunder Vines.
Tree provided some sort of box that we need keys to open.
Will be sorting it out.
For now, just stand by.
Hope you’re safe out there.
Twi
Diamondback snatched the message away. “Is she serious?” she said. “She gave up the Elements?!”
“What happened to the Elements being one of the most important weapons Equestria had,” Phoenix agreed. “D-Does this mean we just went through that whole Sunset Shimmer scandal for nothing?”
“I wouldn’t call that nothing,” Night noted. “We got to find out an alternate version of me is a…”
“Be serious, Night!” Swift stammered. “Without the Elements…”
“Guys, snap out of it,” Jackknife barked. “Even without the Elements, we’ve still proven capable of kicking tail.” He pointed to Swift. “Just look what we did to the slave traders in Kludgetown. Or the Dragon Kingdom. Or even the Crystal Empire. All of those we solved without the Elements.”
“That’s exactly why Seaquestria needs your help,” Storm agreed. “Whatever’s threatening the borders…”
“Storm, do us a favor and stop,” Jackknife growled.
Swift, for his part, was starting to fluff up in stress. “Do you guys really think we should be checking out Seaquestria? What if Twilight and the others need our help to unlock whatever this alternate to the Elements is?”
Spike checked his message. “I’m pretty sure that she would’ve told us to bring back up if she needed us.”
“But guys,” Phoenix noted. “If we go back to Equestria, Seaquestria will be left vulnerable.”
Storm nodded vigorously. “And even if Seaquestria is left alone, it’s as I told you guys: something big is heading your way and it’s heading there fast. No one in Seaquestria wants to do anything about it.” He looked pleadingly to Jackknife. “You’re the only one that spoke up about us trying to help others, Jack. I believe that you have the power to stop whatever’s amassing in the North.”
Jackknife gazed at Storm, gently taking his hands. Bitterness still shined in his eyes, but there was something else there too. Something Spike couldn’t quite place, but knew to be something more than anger or bitterness.
After what felt like an eternity - likely longer to Storm - Jackknife sighed and looked to the others.
“I’m going back,” he said. “If anyone wants to stay and see if they can help Twilight, I won’t argue. But I gotta see what Storm’s yapping about.” He looked back. “And I don’t want to make him take the return trip home alone.”
Spike immediately stepped forward. “I’m with you, Jack,” he said.
Night Fire stepped up as well. “Through thick and thin,” she agreed.
Phoenix was the next one up. “Let’s keep those innocents safe.”
Diamondback shrugged and joined them. “I suppose it could be interesting to see Seaquestria in it’s glory.”
Swift shuffled in place, glancing back towards Equestria longingly. But with Storm gazing at him with big blue eyes, Swift caved and walked over to join them as well.
“I hope Twilight knows what she’s doing,” Swift noted.
“I got faith in her,” Spike assured. “She’ll handle the Elements, while we handle whatever’s looking to ruin our day.” He turned to Storm and Jack. “Alright, guys. Lead the way.”