Reunion Ch 4: Assistant
By Rlogic1994
Twilight rocked back and forth a little bit, disoriented by the spell from such frequent use. She let her eyes refocus, her desired destination ahead. She sighed and started the slow trot to the top of the steep hill. Slowing down on the slope, her old mare hooves retained only some of her former strength. When she arrived at the top, she was practically out of breath. But when she saw what was perched atop the bump of earth, she stopped panting. Before her lay a slab similar to Luna’s except it was much larger, several times the size of an adult pony. It was made from beautifully polished marble, tinted with reds and yellows as if it were on fire. On the front face of the slab was a mural of stunning gems, a mass of purple and green. From up close it was difficult to discern what the mural was supposed to be portraying. But Twilight knew all too well the figure decorating the stone. It was her favorite dragon assistant, depicted in his adult body as he had been before…it happened. Below the mural was a list of his achievements, a block of text engraved into the stone. And at the bottom his greatest achievement was carved in larger letters set with fire rubies; they read “A dragon of Virtue and A dragon who changed the lives of so many”. Rarity had put all her effort possible into it, helping as much as possible with all the expenses and planning for the solemn event.
With the others she had visited, tears came so easy, but for Spike, things were different. She had a different friendship with him than with the princess, her friends from Ponyville, or anyone else. They had a connection from Twilight’s raising the dragon since she hatched him. She did it all by herself, too. She had originally taken on the responsibility as an experiment to see if she could apply her knowledge of dragons, a result of her avid appetite for all genres of literature. But as time went on, Spike became more than an experiment. To her, he became like a little brother who depended on her to always take care of him. And she always did care for him, always did have his back. No matter what happened she would always help him if he ever asked. She had held him in a caring embrace every time he was upset or angry, and all else melted away, all his anger and emotion. In that one moment their friendship stopped time.
But he was destined to grow up one day. Even with his short stature and age, he had been matured by the events and lessons learned in Ponyville. Twilight remembered the day it struck her that he wasn’t like her little brother anymore. He was taller and more muscular. This was a result of the magic in dragon growth.
Twilight had learned that all creatures no matter how large or small possessed some kind of magic. Unicorns were one of few who could actively manipulate that magic, but others like the Pegasi could manifest magic in flight, the feeling of which cannot be duplicated by any magical flight device. For dragons, their magic was split among several traits, depending on the species. For Spike’s race, there was considerable magic in growth. If a dragon of his species was malicious and greedy like his many brethren in Draconia, born into a world ingrained with fighting and materialistic want, then he or she would grow into a large beast of solitude, only caring for his or her treasures. But if a dragon of Spike’s race lived a virtuous life, rare because of the tumultuous nature of the dragon homeland where most dragons dwelled, then he or she would grow into a more pony-like form, majestic and peaceful. Spike, having had the benefit of being somewhere other than Draconia, had taken the latter path.
The day she realized how much he had grown was burned into her memory. It had been a month and a half into the war with Discord and she had been reading some military reports late at night. He had come down from his bed, having outgrown his basket. He looked up at Twilight sheepishly, now as tall as Twilight.
“Yes, Spike?” she had said, looking at him through her reading glasses.
“Twilight…um…I need to talk to you,” he murmured quietly.
“I’m always here to talk. Whatever it is I’m sure it’s fine to talk with me about it,” she replied, smiling back at him.
“I…wanna enlist for the REA,” he said, gaining more strength in his speech with each word.
“What?! What place could they have for a young-” she started.
“I’m not a baby anymore! I’m old enough to enlist. And what place would they have? Well I’ll have you know I talked to Big Mac, and he said he can talk his Major into giving me a spot. He told me my fire breath could actually help,” he snapped back.
“Fire breath, Spike? I don’t think a little wisp of-” she started, only to be cut off by Spike again, who had gotten up.
The dragon walked to the balcony and looked up to the stars. Then he opened his mouth and let out a wave of green flame into the cool night air. He came back inside and sat down across from Twilight’s desk chair.
“I didn’t want to tell you cuz I thought you wouldn’t let me work here anymore incase I sneezed and burned the whole library down…” he said, suddenly very interested with his feet.
“Well that wouldn’t have been a problem! I could’ve used my magic to solve that problem. You should’ve told me, Spike. Well anyway, I won’t let you go. I don’t care what you say. Even though you’re a dragon, it’s too dangerous and I’m your guardian, and I say no,” she said with authority.
“You’re overreacting Twilight. I mean colts weaker than me are going and you’re worried about me? Whatever, Twilight,” he growled, huffing and stomping back to his room.
His growl had caught her off guard. As he grew older, his voice had gotten a little lower and when he got angry he sounded almost like the creature he had turned into on his birthday years before. But she couldn’t help him growing up; it was only part of life. They argued about it for two nights after that one and on the third night, when Twilight came up with some hot chocolate to cheer him up and she pulled off the covers of his bed, she did not find her dragon friend, but some pillows and a note.
It read:
Dear Twilight,
I’m sorry but I can’t just stand by and watch other people go off to war and fight. I just can’t stay. I’m not just doing this for Equestria, but Princess Celestia herself. It was only because of her that I became part of the magic test when you hatched me. And because of her I was able to have the life I did in Ponyville. I can’t thank her enough for that, but this is a start. I have to go. Please don’t cry for me. You know I hate to see you sad. Don’t worry, no matter what happens, I will find come back. I will come back home.
With love,
Your best assistant,
Spike
Despite Spike asking her not to cry, she sobbed herself to sleep for the first time of many to follow. She couldn’t even imagine her little Spike in war. If he got hurt Twilight didn’t know what she would do. What if he… “No! You can’t think like that Twilight. He’s strong, he’ll make it. And he’s never broken a promise before, so he’ll be back,” she thought to herself.
A few months later, Twilight herself joined the fight. She had too much to worry about to try and contact the dragon. A year and a half passed, and Twilight was able to get a date of military recess that matched up with the rest of her friends. She had chosen the date carefully to be a few days before Spike returned home. Pinkie had wanted to prepare a huge part for him. After their tearful reunion and talking about what had happened to each of them, they started planning for Spike’s surprise party. They had all the streamers and decorations up and found hiding places for everypony to hide. They were prepped and ready to jump out and surprise their dragon friend. When they heard him turn the doorknob and enter, they jumped out to yell “Surprise!” at him. But his surprise was met equally by theirs.
Standing in the doorway of Sugarcube Corner was not the little dragon that Twilight remembered. Standing there was a much larger dragon, almost the size of Big Macintosh, maybe even bigger. He was on all fours and looked more pony-like, just as Twilight had read in her book on dragons. His body was riddled with scars and one especially nasty one trailed down the left side of his face. He also had full grown wings, an effect of going the virtuous path. He had retained his green and purple color, but he looked so much more mature than Twilight imagined he could. As always in an unfamiliar situation, Pinkie was the first to break the silence in the form of a tackling hug, welcoming, in her own words, “her big Spikey wikey!”
After that things got better and he told us all about his adventures and dangerous missions. For someone who Twilight remembered as a baby who was scared by the word peril, he seemed to have his fair share of it. It was also that night that she had found out Spike was named an ambassador for Draconia. Although many of the dragons there lived in cold solitude and greed, they honored one of the only dragons in hundreds of years to become a Warrior of Virtue as they had put it. Hearing about all his accomplishments and honors, Twilight couldn’t help but feel a little longing for her little dragon assistant.
Twilight also remembered that it was that night that Rarity had brought him aside in private to talk to him about his feelings, which had not dimmed at all. She took him more seriously now that he was basically an adult. When she told him that there were a multitude of reasons the relationship would never work, he took it with imponderable humility and agreed with her, saying that the thought of it was enough to keep him going. They became closer friends after that, the awkward issue of feelings having been dealt with. He helped her with anything she asked of him, whether it was lifting some heavy boxes or protecting a shipment of gems.
All was going well until that horrible day. Spike had gone with the fashion pony on a trip as a body guard to Draconia. Rarity took on the challenge of making dragon clothing and thought it was a good investment. But although Spike had immunity from dragons because he was an ambassador, he did not have any such protection from the Diamond Dogs, who had grown from 3 mutts to several wolves, lupus minors, and other canine creatures. The Dogs ambushed them just inside the boundary of Draconia, far from the jurisdiction of the Equestrian government. Spike, being the valiant knight, told Rarity to run and get back on Equestrian soil. Rarity reluctantly left with her caravan crew, escaping and entering Equestrian lands an hour later. Spike was not so lucky. When Twilight had received the telegram from the Princess to meet her in her private study, Twilight knew it couldn’t be good.
“Twilight…I am so sorry to tell you this. Spike…” Celestia started, unable to finish the sentence.
“Spike what?!” Twilight asked desperately.
“Spike was ambushed by the Diamond Dogs inside Draconia and…he didn’t make it…” she replied, her last words hitting Twilight like wrecking ball.
She didn’t even say anything. She just closed her eyes and fell to the ground, her mouth slack and eyes distant. She just couldn’t believe it. Spike was always so strong and brave. She remembered all the times he had held her when she was distressed as she had held him when he was a baby. He had always been there for her, through thick and thin. When the tears came, they came hard and fast. She didn’t even hold back her moans of despair. She didn’t even respond to Celestia’s tender touch, beckoning her to let the Princess help her. She just broke down completely, not caring who saw her tantrum of sobs and anger at the Dogs. After she had pulled herself together, she had gone after the Dogs with a vengeance rivaling that of Nightmare Moon herself.
Before Celestia could stop her, Twilight ended the lives of 4 Lupus minors, 5 mine dogs, 6 wolves, a rogue dragon, and a Lupus major. She had single-handedly, in a fit of incomprehensible rage, eradicated the pestering Diamond Dogs. In doing so, she also scared every pony in Equestria. Even Celestia was surprised by Twilights outburst of anger. But she understood Twilight enough to know she shouldn’t confront her about it. After that Twilight spiralled into depression. It was only after Rarity had returned and started nightly visits with Twilight to talk did she come out of her dark haze.
Rarity blamed herself for it completely in a way that was different from her usual drama queen attitude. She truly believed the little dragon had died because of her. But Twilight knew that Spike had died for his own pride and valor. Rarity apologized to Twilight countless times, even pleading to Twilight not to hate her. But Twilight had no hate anymore, just an empty feeling of sadness. She just wanted her friend back. It was actually in these talks that Rarity had started to open up about Spike as well. She admitted that in the last year or so, she had come to a realization. Spike’s love was not unreturned in her. She realized she actually did love him. But she never said anything, because she didn’t want to hurt him. Rarity had never married because every stallion she had ever had a serious relationship ended up hurt. And of all the people she didn't want to hurt, Spike was near the top of the list. That was the first night that Rarity uncharacteristically broke down into a shaking mess and Twilight finally came out of her haze to comfort her old friend.
Twilight opened her eyes and snapped back into the present. She was only a few feet from the shimmering swirl of gems. She didn’t cry this time; she didn’t shake; she didn’t whimper. She just sat down where she was and looked at her old reflection in the polished stone. Then she spoke, not so much with sadness, but more with an unexplainable quality of care and affection that only two old friends can have.
“Oh Spike. I am so proud of you. You know I used to curse my luck for the things that happened. Losing you and then Rainbow and then one by one, everyone just seemed be gone from my life. I hated my life. But you know, nearing the end of my life, I am glad to have lived it. I am glad to have lived as friends with you. I thought that the death of my friends would make me alone, yours especially. But, now that I think about it, you never really left. Because you were and will always be in my memory. I can never forget you Spike,” she said in a doleful tone, unable to hide her depression over her dear friend’s death, “I can’t forget you for all the help around the library to the nights when you took care of me when I cried over the nightmares from the war.”
“I really don’t think thank you can even suffice. I just wish you were here. I miss you so much and these days more than ever. My study is so empty without you picking up my mess or dusting off the shelves. It may not have seemed like much to you, but those small things meant the world to me. Every time I was afraid or sad and I heard your dusting, I remembered that you would always be there for me and my thoughts just melted away. I’m sorry you have to see me like this. It’s just I can’t…”
She trailed off and let her eyes close, imagining the little dragon hatchling in her arms trying to wrap his arms around her in a hug. She saw in her head all the times he had helped her, all the times that their friendship had gotten stronger. She couldn’t think about that now. She couldn’t try and bring back those memories now. If she did, tears would fall. And Twilight knew how much Spike hated seeing her cry. She remembered the last thing he had told her before leaving with Rarity. His last words to Twilight before turning to leave: “Please don’t cry for me.” She fought her instincts and fought her emotions; she would not cry in front of Spike. She did not want to worry him in his rest.
She calmed herself a little more and levitated her third gift from her saddlebags onto the chilly granite platform before her. It was a beautiful Dragon Fire gem, which are said to change colors in the presence of a dragon depending on who that dragon lives for. But what meant more to her was what she had wrapped it with. It was his old blanket, the first thing Twilight had made for him with magic, for which he paid her back with a big hug and a drawing of Twilight he had made. As she recalled this fond memory, the gem started shining bright, its regular pink color swirling and changing. It was so bright it blinded Twilight.
When she finally looked up, she felt warmth engulf her heart. When it had stopped glowing, the gem displayed its new colors, all the colors that represented his friends. But the biggest wisp of color was a purple and violet one with a streak of pink running through it. He truly was a dragon of virtue; he lived only for his friends.
She lay there for a while longer before getting up to leave. She had one last journey to make. She concentrated her magic one more time and disappeared. With a snap she landed shakily on a grassy plateau with a sea of wild flowers and bushes. But what Twilight was looking for was near the edge of the cliff; a lone oak, towering above her with engravings that were almost invisible. It was a set of initials that littered the wide trunk of the tree: AJ, RD, TP, FS, R, PP, S, C, and L.