//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Love Keeps Dragon On: The Return of Sapphire // by The Lord Thunder //------------------------------// Fluttershy’s quiet little meadow hadn’t changed much in the last ten years. She still lived in her tree cottage, but a second, larger brick building had been built next to her tree several years ago. This was “A Helping Hoof for Animal Friends.” The ponies usually just called it “A Helping Hoof.” It was the pride and joy of Fluttershy’s life, her very own shelter for sick, abused and homeless animals. Over one hundred cats, dogs and birds had been given to new homes all over Equestria from A Helping Hoof, but Fluttershy always felt the same level of happiness and pride every time an animal got adopted. “Good afternoon, and welcome to A Helping Hoof for Animal Friends,” Fluttershy said at the ringing of the bell above the door, which signaled that somepony had entered the shelter. Only, not somePONY, someDRAGON. The shy look on the pegasus’ face turned to a smile at the sight of her customer. “Oh, hi, Spike.” “Hi, Fluttershy,” the purple dragon answered with a wave. “How’s business?” “Oh, just wonderful. A family from Baltimare came in about an hour ago and adopted a litter of cute little kittens. It feels so wonderful knowing they have a nice new home.” “That’s great news!” Spike said. His elated smile turned to a frown as he fidgeted upon remembering the real purpose of his visit, his train of thought trailing at the sounds of dogs barking in the back of the shelter. “Listen, Fluttershy, I didn’t really come here to talk about animals.” “Oh… my. Yes. Twilight told me.” Fluttershy also gave off a frown as she stepped around the front counter to meet Spike face-to-face. “You’re leaving today, aren’t you?” “Yeah, I am. Just for a while, though. I’ll be back!” “You’ll be careful, won’t you?” She asked. Her kind blue eyes begged him to do so. “Of course I will!” Fluttershy averted her eyes and scraped her hoof across the floor. “Well, maybe you’d like to adopt a friend to keep you company while you’re gone?” “Thanks but no thanks,” Spike said with a laugh. “I’m gonna be busy enough just taking care of myself. Not sure I could handle a pet, too.” Tears welled up in Fluttershy’s eyes and streaked down her face as she looked back up at the dragon. He was hardly that little dragonling she’d met all those years ago. After a breath of courage, she raised up on her hind legs to wrap Spike in a hug. “Oh, I’m gonna miss you, Spike” “I’ll miss you, too, Fluttershy,” Spike answered as he patted the pegasus on the back. “Well,” he continued once Fluttershy let him go. “I gotta head over to Canterlot before I leave. I need to say goodbye to Rarity, Celestia and Luna.” “Goodbye, Spike!” Fluttershy called after the dragon as he walked out the front door. “Take care of yourself, and come back soon! Rarity’s place was next on Spike’s list. She’d opened up a second Carousel Boutique in Canterlot and was now an expecting mother. Spike remembered the good times they had together as he flew off towards the huge mountain city. Their escapade with the Diamond Dogs, how they beat King Sombra, or that fateful day he gave her a fire ruby that he had originally planned to eat. Spike even missed the way she used to use him as a reptilian pincushion. That was the past, though, before she met Dudley Diamonds, a wealthy gentlecolt from Trottingham. Well, formerly wealthy. Spike knew that Dudley’s family was LOADED, but the Earth Stallion was removed from the family’s inheritance will by his own choice. Upset with the fact that he’d fallen in love with an ordinary Ponyville mare instead of the rich Trottingham mare they'd chosen for him, his parents gave him a choice: Rarity, or the money. The stallion chose love over wealth and the two were married at Canterlot Castle a year later. Dudley’s parents did not attend the ceremony. Finally, Spike reached the sprawling capital city of Equestria and hurriedly jogged through the town, dodging the crowds of upper-class ponies as he made his way towards Canterlot’s Carousel Boutique. It looked very similar to the one in Ponyville, only a little larger. Spike knocked on the door to be greeted by a sky-blue stallion. A thin black mustache trimmed his upper lip, and his black hair had been slicked back with shiny gel. “Oh, Spike! Hello there, dear boy! What brings you to these parts?” “Well, I just wanted to check on Rarity and say goodbye to her before I leave.” The mustached pony put a hoof to his chin in thought. “By Jove, today’s the day, is it?” “Yup! I’m going off on an adventure of self-discovery… or something like that.” “Well, in that case, be prepared to tell me all about it when you return, I would love to hear of your future exploits! But until then, what say I quit this rudeness and let you inside. Rarity is in her room.” The gentlecolt took point and led Spike through the main lobby of the store, filled with Rarity's latest fashion designs. Dudley kept moving and opened the door in the back that led to Rarity's bedroom, where the white unicorn lie peacefully in bed with the gentle smile of an expecting mother. A bulge in the pink blankets indicated the developing foal. “Hey, Rarity," Spike said with a wave. "How are you feeling?” Smiling, Rarity rubbed the lump on her stomach as she eyed her soon-to-be child with a look of pride. “I’ve been feeling a little rough lately, but I suppose that means she’s about ready. I can hardly wait. Can you imagine it, Spike? Me, a mother!” “Knowing you, she’ll turn out just fine,” Spike replied. “Oh, do forgive me, Spike. I know your visit isn’t about me, it’s about you… leaving.” “Yeah, I just wanted to come say goodbye.” Spike said as he stepped closer to the bed so Rarity could embrace him with her front legs. “Oh, Spikey-Wikey. Do take care of yourself, and come back soon.” “I’m more worried about you, actually,” Spike replied, still caught in Rarity’s hug. “Oh, always the gentleman!” Rarity released Spike, rested her back against the bed and smiled up at the dragon. “But don’t worry about me too much, I’ve got Dudley here for me. You just go and have fun. I’m sure there’s some lovely young dragoness out there who would melt for a sweet, giving thing like yourself.” Those words brought a strange nervousness to Spike’s gut. There was only one dragoness he’d met who was anything like that… Sapphire. “Well,” Spike answered, fidgeting with his foot, “maybe there is. Maybe there isn’t.” “Come now, darling, you never know until you try, right?” “I guess you’re right.” Spike sighed and smiled one last time at Rarity. “Well, I gotta go see the princesses before I leave. Bye, Rarity!” “Bye, Spikey-Wikey!” Spike turned to Dudley. “Take good care of her, ok? When I come back, I’m gonna be that kid’s favorite dragon!” “I shall gladly oblige, Spike.” Dudley gave a polite bow and showed Spike to the door. “Take care, old chap!” “You, too, good chum!” Spike yelled back as he ran off towards the humongous castle looming over the entire city. Spike moved past the guards, still as statues. Perhaps a newcomer to Canterlot Castle would take the time to marvel at the castle’s many treasures, but Spike had seen the priceless paintings on the walls and the occasional suit of ancient pony armor in the hall dozens of times, so he regarded them as nothing special as he made his way to the throne room, where a tall white alicorn with a flowing blue and pink mane, and a shorter alicorn the shade of midnight blue, awaited him. “Spike, my beloved subject!” Celestia said, smiling. She waited until Spike got down on a knee in respect, then wrapped a foreleg around him when he stood back up. “Look how you’ve grown. I’m very proud of you. Why, I remember when you were just a tiny egg.” The alicorn released Spike and smiled down on him. “But now the time has come for you to show me what Twilight Sparkle and the magic of friendship have taught you. You are free to go wherever you please. Perhaps you’ll explore the Dragonlands and get to know your kind better.” “I was actually planning on doing that, yeah,” Spike answered as Luna stepped closer to him. “I have always been fond of you, Spike. I would like you to have this.” Luna closed her eyes and concentrated, and a midnight blue stone with a yellow crescent jewel encased in its center materialized in front of her. She guided it into Spike’s palm. “Wow! I’ve never seen a gem like this before. It looks delicious!” Drooling, Spike touched his snout to the stone and sniffed. “It smells delicious, too!” As Spike opened his maw wide to take a bite, Luna removed it from his palm with her magic. “No, Spike. This is not intended to be consumed. It is a moonstone, and the only one of its kind. I hope that it will prompt you to remember my sister and I when gazed upon.” A gift from Princess Luna. Spike could hardly believe it. Luna was so beautiful and graceful. When the moonstone landed back in Spike’s palm, he held it close to him with more purpose than a few seconds ago. Spike looked Luna in the eyes, but quickly looked away. For some reason, pretty eyes made him nervous, and he’d always found Luna’s to be the most beautiful eyes of anypony he’d known. “Thank you, princess. I’ll take good care of it.” “I would love to hear about your travels and what you learn along the way, Spike,” Celestia said with a trusting smile. “You know you can write to me anytime you feel like it.” “Of course I know that.” Though she was well over 1,000 years old, the alicorn still looked as youthful and graceful as ever. Her soft voice, gentle demeanor and great wisdom always had a way of soothing Spike’s nerves. It felt more comfortable to leave knowing the ancient princess was only a letter away if he ever needed advice, no matter how far away he went. “Well, I’m gonna go now. Thanks Celestia, Luna!” After giving each princess a quick hug, Spike beat his wings and flew out the open window, where Celestia and Luna waved him off. “Forgive me, sister, but what we are doing hardly seems ethical,” said Luna after Spike was out of earshot. She was still waving after the dragon’s flying form. “I know,” Celestia answered as she walked back to the throne, “but unless we want to risk a full-scale war with dragons, he is our only hope, and I needn’t tell you how disastrous a war against dragons would be for Equestria. My subjects are so dear to me, and a war would put thousands of them at risk. We must also factor in war expenses and weigh the risks of our towns being destroyed.” “We could have at least told him why we convinced Twilight Sparkle to let him leave.” Luna took a seat next to her sister. “We’re not forcing him into anything, that’s why I did not tell him I want him to investigate what is going on in the Dragonlands. He must make a decision on his own, and I have faith he will make the right choice. Moreover, I hardly doubt he will go it alone.” “What do you mean, sister?” “I could sense it, both in his eyes and in his soul, there is another dragon close to his heart. A dragon who wishes to be friends with ponykind. Spike is the only Equestrian who can enter the Dragonlands without rousing suspicion.” “So, your plot is to use Spike as a mole to find out what the dragons are up to, without him even knowing it?” Luna answered with a knowing smile. “You are so clever, sister.” Celestia shook off the notion with a negative shake of her head. “Don’t think I’m not feeling guilty about this. It’s just, if we wish to avoid a war, those two may be our only hope.” Luna closed her eyes and sighed. Once Celestia made a decision, it was almost impossible to sway her. “Let us hope they succeed.”