//------------------------------// // Bringing Closure // Story: The Delta Dilemma // by Sunka //------------------------------// “Okay, this is the place.” Toffee was flapping outside an old cave. There were signs of habitation. Old refuse and spore, burned up in an effort to hide it. Tracks of footprints were going in and out. There were stunted trees and brushes growing around the area and up the slope. “Should we knock?” asked Apple. Toffee walked into the cave mouth. The others followed hesitantly. The cave narrowed then doubled back on itself, creating a trap that blocked the wind. The cave then opened up again into a grand chamber. There were several small anti-chambers surrounding it. In one was an apron and some cookware, in another were some burned bits of furniture. Another had paintings and pictures of the Elementals and personal shrines to each. In the far corner was a dragon crying. Spike had grown since the pictures Yard had seen. He was nearly twice the size he had been, which made him roughly pony sized. His spines had been torn and his scales were missing in spots. The ponies all rushed to him. “Spike, what happened?” asked Toffee. “This other dragon, he came in and beat me up. Took my stuff, said if I didn't get him more jewels he'd give me worse.” The Apples set to cleaning him off while Delta started pulling out her scarf and turning it to bandages. Toffee pulled out a bundle from her saddlebags. “Well, Rarity sent you some more supplies. Have something to eat.” Spike pulled the string and the bundle opened to reveal an overflow of rubies and opals. He smiled. “She's so good to me.” He took a ruby and popped it in his mouth. He winced as a bad tooth came down on the hard crystal. “When is he coming back?” asked Yards. “What day is this?” “Thursday.” “Today.” Yards sighed and began to look around for defensible spots and weapons they could use to fight a dragon. Toffee walked over. “Do you have anything that could stop a dragon?” Yards shook his head. “Nothing here.” “We've got to get him out of here.” Toffee was urgent. “Yeah.” Yards turned back to Spike. “Do you still have the research note from Twilight's experiments on the Elements of Harmony?” He nodded, looking over to the shrine. “Their under Twilight's statue.” Yards walked over and gently picked up the statue. Under it was a niche filled with papers. Yards carefully levitated them into a protected section of his saddlebags. “Do you think we can move him?” Toffee walked back to Spike and talked to the girls. There was a large thunk outside. Everypony looked at each other. “Hey, Shrimpie! You got the rest of my jewels?” came the huge booming voice at the front of the cave. “Tell me there's a back entrance,” begged Toffee. “Nope,” whimpered Spike. “Delta, anything you can do?” Apple asked. “Okay, one, I've never seen a dragon, so unless he's always wanted to have sex with himself I'm not going to be able to seduce him. Secondly, it'd take a LOT of love for me to be able to shape shift into something that big. Like magnitudes more than I've ever gotten from Yards.” “What about us?” asked Apple. “Well, I've never seen a picture of your husband and you and Toffee have your emotions so tied up that I don't think I could get enough from you two.” She looked and saw Spike, her eyebrow raised. With the familiar halo's glow a purple unicorn stood in her place. The larger dragon poked his head inside. “Spike,” Delta called with a soft voice. Spike looked up. His eyes glowed green, grew huge and began to well with tears. '”T-Twilight.” “Hey there. If it isn't my Number One assistant.” Spike lept up and hugged her neck. “Twilight, I missed you!” “I know,” she nuzzled him. “I didn't even get to say good-bye.” “It'll be alright. You don't need me anymore. Look how big you've gotten.” She gave his head a light noogie. “What are you doing?” The dragon looked confused. Yards went through his list of inventory in his head. What did he have that could stop a dragon? The cloud bombs and dark grenades would blind a dragon but his breath weapon would end up everywhere and probably hurt somepony. Hmm, the crack grenade would hurt it, but probably not kill it. He'd have to time it's use right. Right now he needed a diversion so that also ruled out his incendiary and frag grenades. Crap, he really needed some sort of glue bomb. He pulled out his rope and hit it with his come to life spell. Jaws are usually designed to snap down hard, not open forcefully. Yards chucked the dark grenade into the dragon's face, blinding it. The dragon screamed. The rope began to wrap itself around the dragon's jaws. Excellent. He was tied up for the moment. Now Delta had a few minutes to finish getting ready. “But I'll always need you.” Spike hugged her harder. She kissed the top of her head. As she did a green smoke wafted from his head into her mouth. “It was my time to go. I'm sorry it hurt you, but it really wasn't anything personal, it's just the way the world works.” “I love you, Twilight.” Cleansing tears flowed hard down his cheeks, as the years of pain washed away. The dragon reached up with a claw and snapped the line. Crap. He was too smart. Time to take it up a notch. He opened up his saddlebag and pulled out the crack grenade. It was designed to take out heavily armored vehicles in an assault. He'd never had to use them in the war, far removed doing escort duty then research. He squared up his courage and charged, the grenade telekinetically held high. The dragon blinked at the pony's death charge. The scaly beast blasted out a gout of flame. Yards slid under the blaze, continuing under the beast. He slapped the grenade into it's armpit. He took a moment to admire how cool he must look before unceremoniously slamming into the drake's back legs. “What?” the dragon asked, spinning around to get out of the cave. A great claw came down on Yards. He felt his scapula snap in multiple places and his ribs groan under the pressure. He screamed in pain. The dragon reared outside, looking at the device magically attached to him. “What did you do?” Then the timer went off. “I'll always love you, Spike. You know that.” Delta held up the last bit of her beautiful new scarf for Spike to blow his nose on. “What I want most from you is for you to be happy. Are you really happy here, alone?” “No.” “Then go and be happy. It's all I've ever wanted for you. Can you do that for me?” Spike nodded then hugged her again. Delta's eyes rolled back into her head and her knees buckled. Spike's hug turned into a support. He shook his head, the green light fading from his eyes. “Hey, are you okay?” “Oh, yes.” She turned and headed to the cave entrance. “Now where is that dragon?” She saw it's back half spin around and leave the cave. A huge green halo began to circle her body.