Irreplaceable

by La Barata

Chapter 4 - Plans

“...Are you sure?”. Twilight Sparkle, incredulous, looked at her friends with a look that can only be described as heartbroken. That morning, she had been woken by an insistent banging at the library’s door. Initially, she had ignored it, as she had for the past several weeks. However, this time, whoever it was hadn’t given up and left when she didn’t answer. Finally, frustration outweighing her desire to be alone, she’d stormed down the stairs and thrown open the door, only to see Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash standing outside. Before she could give them a piece of her mind and launch into her prepared speech of how she just wanted to be alone, they spoke.
“We found him!”
Twenty minutes later, Twilight and her best friends were all gathered in Fluttershy’s cottage. Brigadier and Sapphire Glory were sitting huddled together on the couch, understandably unnerved by the goings on. Upon their arrival, Brigadier leaped up, anger in his eyes.
“This is who you brought? We just told you that there are DRAGONS in the Everfree Forest, and you bring your social club?”. Upon seeing Twilight, however, he quickly calmed, addressing her respectfully, but seriously. “Miss Sparkle, you’re close to Princess Celestia, right? Please, ask her to send some of her royal guards, or an army, or, or, SOMETHING! We’re gonna need all the help we can get if were going to kick some dragon behind and send them packing out of Equestria!”.The group tried their hardest to look serious, despite their own amusement at the little colt’s earnest tirade. Even Twilight found herself having to suppress the urge to giggle, despite her current state.
“We can’t just force them out of Equestria”, Twilight explained, as gently as possible. “Just the fact that they’re dragons doesn’t mean they’re a threat to us, or even mean us any harm. Even if they were, we always try to resolve things with words first”. Brigadier stood his ground, looking her right in the eye.
“I heard them talking! They ARE a threat, and they DO mean us harm!”
“Listen, kid” Putting a hoof on his shoulder, Rainbow Dash tried to explain their current predicament.
“ The situation we’re in right now is kinda...”
“Unique” Rarity suggested.
“Yeah, that’s the word! Unique”. Dash looked at Brigadier, and addressed him firmly yet gently.
“Now, Brig, are you 100% sure of what you saw?” The colt raised his head, his face set in stone.
“200% sure!”
“Alright. You told me there were two dragons, right?” The colt nodded rapidly. “Ok, kid. I need you to tell Twilight and the others exactly what you told me”.
“There were two of them” Brigadier began.”The first one was huge, absolutely massive. He was-”
“Forget him!” Twilight broke in. “Tell me about the other one”. Taken aback, Brig obliged.
“He was about this tall” he said, raising his hoof and indicating a point at about ear level. “He was purple, well, most of his scales were, anyways. He also had spikes along his back. Green ones”. Twilight exhaled; she hadn’t even realized she was holding her breath.
“His fire. What colour was his fire?” The purple mare asked, in a voice almost completely devoid of emotion.
“Green, the same colour as the spikes. It was really weird, though. It wasn't like a fire you’d see in a fireplace.It was kinda... wispy I guess. Sorta sparkly. Almost...”
“Magical?”
“Hey, yeah! How’d you know-” Applejack stepped in quickly, silencing him.
“Brig, honey, just hush fer a sec, ‘kay?”. All eyes were on Twilight as she processed this piece of information. She stood, staring blankly ahead. Her mind raced. It was true, they HAD found Spike! The description was unmistakable, and from someone who’d never met him before. It was a certainty. Suddenly realizing that everyone was watching her, Twilight shook her head.
“Please, continue. What were you doing in the cave, and what, exactly, did you see?”. Brigadier looked to Sapphire Glory. Their eyes locked, silently confirming the previous night’s events. Without taking his eyes from Sapphire’s, Brigadier spoke.
“We... we wanted to go out and have an adventure. We wanted to explore the forest. We’re sorta new here, and we wanted to make a bit of a name for ourselves, I guess. But yeah, the cave. We really didn’t stay for long but... well, at first it seemed like they were fighting”. For the first time that morning, Brigadier quieted, and Sapphire Glory, who had been silent the entire time, picked up the story.
“There was treasure everywhere, diamonds and rubies and emeralds, gold and silver, all sorts of stuff. We went inside, and... they... they were fighting. That’s how we found the cave, actually. It was raining, and it was dark, and we saw the lights, from their fire, and... Well, yeah. We thought they were fighting over the treasure, actually. After we saw them, we started to leave, but...they just stopped. The big one told the little one to stop, and they just started talking.” They broke eye contact, and Brigadier continued where she’d left off.
“I could be mistaken. I won’t lie, we were both scared out of our minds, and maybe I don’t remember everything perfectly, but...” The young colt paused, looking at Twilight. Their eyes met. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that what he was about to say was going to break the older mare’s heart.
“It looked like he was teaching the little one. And... I don’t think he was teaching him anything good. No matter what else I forget from last night, I know I won’t forget what he said”. The air hung heavy with an unasked question. To everyone's surprise, it was Fluttershy who asked it.
“What... did he say?”
Brigadier swallowed before answering.
“You promised me the chance, and the power, to show them just who it was they deserted’”. Twilight couldn’t breathe. Her head began to spin, and everything started to go blurry, though whether from shock or tears she couldn’t tell. She couldn’t believe it. It couldn’t be true, it COULDN’T. Spike is...is trying to get stronger so he can...so he can... tears welled in her eyes as she tried to finish the thought. For a long time, not a word was spoken. The group had come together, ready for another mission, just like old times. They came together in with a cautious optimism, ready to set out and bring back the dragon that had wedged himself so deep within their hearts. Now, however, it seemed as though they had a newer, much darker task. Applejack, never one to stand idly by, spoke first “I dunno what in th’ hay is going on here, but I, fer one, find it hard ta believe the lil’ guy would evuh say sumthin’ like that, but it’s crystal clear what these young ‘uns saw”. Every pony listened attentively as Applejack began issuing instructions. “Ah’m gonna keep on hopin’ that this all’s gotta be a mighty big misunderstandin’, and that we c’n fix it all up nice an’ peaceful-like, but this ain’t somethin’ we can take lightly. Rainbow Dash, you’re the quickest of us all Get’cher self ta the post office and tell Ditzy Doo to take a letter ta Princess Celestia. Explain th’ sitch’e’ation to the Princes and request some royal guards.” Dash looked to Twilight, hoping her friend would be able to say something, anything, but she simply stared at the floor, remaining silent. Dash, seeing she wouldn’t speak up, decided to herself.
“Hold on a second” she said. “Why don’t I just go? Ditzy’s a good mailpony and all, but I’m the fastest flier in Equestria!”. Applejack shook her head.
“Two things, sugarcube. First, she’s not just a good mailpony, she’s the BEST mailpony. She may be a bit derpy at times, but she’s got direct access ta th’ princesses. Second, once I tell y’all the rest o’ th’ plan, yer not gonna WANT ta go ter Canterlot. Now, g’won, get. The sooner ya get back, th’ sooner we can get th’ rest organized. As Dash left the cottage, she gave one final look behind her, as if waiting for someone, anyone to stop her. When no pony moved, she took off at full speed, heading for the center of town. Nopony said a word, but all, with the exception of Twilight, looked to Apple Jack, waiting for her next instructions. “Spike is our friend, an’ I got no intention o’ loosin’ th’ guards on him if I can help it. Brigadier, if’n we gave y’all a map d’ya think ya could mark th’ path ya took ta the cave?” The colt nodded “Alright then. Fluttershy, you go get ‘im a map and help ‘im out with that.” Fluttershy nodded and left the room, followed closely by Brigadier.
“Alrighty then. Once we got a map an’ know where we’re headed, we move out. Any questions?”
“Um...” Sapphire spoke up quietly from her place on the couch. “What’re you gonna do?”. Applejack looked at her.
“We’re goin’ ta get our friend back”.
“Excellent sentiment, dear! I agree wholeheartedly. While there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that Spike is quite upset and it’s quite possible he may have said some rather nasty things he probably doesn’t even mean. However, I strongly believe we can convince him to come back to Ponyville with his friends, where he belongs. From where I sit, though, there DOES seem to be one teeny tiny little problem.” Rarity walked over to the couch where Sapphire Glory still sat and placed a gentle hoof on her head. “According to this young filly, Spike isn’t alone. There’s a fully grown dragon there with him. I think it’s quite safe to say that he is the one responsible for our scaly friend’s drastic change in personality. How do you suggest we get past that great brute so we can speak with Spike?”
Applejack opened her mouth, paused for a moment, then closed it. She had been so caught up in getting everything up and running in Twilight’s place that she’d entirely missed that little detail. The orange earth pony sat there, pondering, before coming to the conclusion that she was absolutely clueless.
“I’ve... got nothin’. But yer right, we gotta separate the two of ‘em. Twi?... Sugarcube?” Twilight still stared at the floor, motionless and silent. It was time for a bit of tough love, Applejack decided. “ Look, if’n we wanna go get Spike, we’re gonna need yer help. Now, buck up and help us think o’ somethin!”. Twilight didn’t budge “Twilight Sparkle, are y’all even listenin’ ta me?”
“Why?”
“Pardon?”
“Why would that dragon take Spike in and train him?” Twilight wondered aloud.
“Perhaps the dragon saw Spike as a possible companion? Or maybe even a son?” Rarity suggested.
“No...No, dragons aren’t like that. Well, at least not those of the age to live outside their society. They’re fiercely territorial, and will attack just about anything it feels is encroaching upon its territory, whether it be young or old, dragon or pony”. Twilight had awakened, it seemed. Almost as if her natural intellect and curiosity had taken over again and were working double time to find a solution to the problem facing her. For the first time in almost a month, she was back to her old self. She began to pace the floor, a look of fierce calculation on her face. Her eyes cold, she paced in a circle, muttering to herself. This is what she did best, she could figure out anything and she could figure this out. She HAD to figure this out. When she finally stopped and raised her head, she had an idea. When she spoke, it was with the confidence and renewed vigour of someone with a plan. She could do it, it would work and she could finally put everything back as it should be. For the first time in a month, Twilight Sparkle felt hope.

“Ladies, I think I have a plan.”