//------------------------------//
// 12 
// Story: Tales 
// by geopol 
//------------------------------//


Tales

by

George Pollock, Jr.

XII. Down to the Wire: His Majesty the First Fire of Pyra


Celestia descended from her chariot and approached us. I curtseyed, and Spike bowed. War nodded. Barely. Celestia thanked us for coming, and I arose. But I noticed she was focused almost entirely on Spike.

Then she glanced at War for a moment. She asked him how the journey there had been. He said, "Uneventful," like the question didn't concern him. Then he paused and added, almost as an afterthought, "Highness."

She nodded and then introduced the Oriental dragon as Pyra's ambassador to Equestria. His name sounded like "LOON-guh." I later learned it was spelled "Loueng." He nodded at us but didn't say anything.

Celestia then explained that the other dragons – the wardracs – were his escort and had come to Equestria the night before. They still looked at us like they were hungry. I'm sorry, but it was creepy. But I eventually noticed that War kept looking at them like he was deeply unimpressed.

Then Celestia did something totally, totally strange: She went over to Spike. And curtseyed in front of him.

And I thought, "HUH?"

Then she said quietly, "Lord Spikor, Ambassador Loueng has some regrettable news for you."

And I thought, "SPY-kor?"

And only then did it register: "LORD Spikor?"

And it was only after that that I noticed Spike didn't seem to be confused by being called "Lord." But he did suddenly look scared. Like he had been expecting something bad to happen – and it had.

Loueng walked over to Spike and bowed his head deeply. He said, "Lord Spikor, I am Loueng from the Orient. I have profoundly sad news for you."

Spike took this really deep breath and looked even more scared. But when he spoke, he seemed to be forcing himself to be calm. You could tell he was trying not to start crying.

And he said, "Dad …?"

Loueng closed his eyes and said, "It is with supremely deep sorrow that I tell you your father, the First Fire of Pyra, has died."

I remember gasping like my lungs had stopped working. But Spike just stood there. I could see he was getting ready to cry. But not yet. He was quiet, then asked when. Loueng said the evening before. It was sudden. Spike nodded and just looked at the ground. Then he said, "How's my mom …?" Loueng said she was grieving – but that she was well. Spike didn't say anything.

That was when Celestia came over to me and whispered that Spike's father had been ill a long time but had taken a bad turn the day before. He died before word could get to Spike to come home.

And she said that Spike was now the First Fire of Pyra. And I asked what that meant.

Celestia said, "It means he's now the king of Pyra."

And I thought, "SPIKE? OUR SPIKE?"

Didn't say anything, of course.

And that was the biggest surprise of my life. Right there.

Then Celestia told me to curtsey to Spike. And I thought: "To SPIKE?" She must have seen my confusion because then she nudged me. So I curtseyed, and so did Celestia. And she said, "Equestria mourns the loss of your father, Lord Spikor."

Spike sniffled. That was all. He still was looking at the ground. Then he nodded.

And at that, Loueng stood up, and he was as high as a bell tower. And then he yelled, "The First Fire has gone out! LONG BURN THE FIRST FIRE!"

The wardracs also stood up and yelled, "LONG BURN THE FIRST FIRE!" And my whole body shook when they did. Then it seemed like the echoes started running away from us into the mountains like they were – I don't know – messengers, I guess.

Then the dragons went back to how they were, and Loueng told Spike that they all had to return to Pyra immediately. "They" meaning the three dragons and Spike.

Spike started shaking a little, like he was trying to hold something uncontrollable in. He sniffled again and asked, "Now?" And Loueng said, "Pyra needs to know the First Fire still burns, Lord Spikor."

So Spike looked at me, and I saw his tears finally forming. And his chin started quivering. I looked at Loueng and asked – and I know it was probably another of my breaches of protocol – why Spike had to go so soon. He was just a child. He wouldn't be able to say goodbye to his friends here. He'd just be … gone.

Well, Celestia narrowed her eyes, but Loueng just looked at me tolerantly and asked me my name. I told him, and he thanked me "on behalf of Pyra for escorting Lord Spikor." Then he said in a very patient tone it was regrettable but that the dragons had to catch the afternoon eastward winds to return to Pyra. And that Spike's mom – he called her "the queen mother" – was waiting for him to return. And that surely I'd understand a son – of whatever age – should be with his mother just after his father died.

Surely, he repeated strongly, I'd understand that. As in, I'd better understand.

I was going to say something, but Celestia touched me with a wing. I looked at her, and she shook her head. As in, "Shut up."

Then I felt a hand touch my side. It was Spike's, and it was trembling. He looked up at me, and his eyes were filling with tears by that point. And then he grabbed my coat tightly, like I was an anchor.

Then he slowly turned his face to me, put it against my side and finally started crying.

He bawled and sobbed and moaned and wailed, and it was like we were the only two there. And I'll tell you: For that moment, it truly felt like we were.

Finally, I turned my head and nuzzled the back of his. And he whimpered, "Daaaad …," into my side.

And I thought, "This is the new king of Pyra … Poor kid …"

So I said, "Spike, listen to me," and he looked up at me, and his face was an emotional wreck. I said, "Kings … don't cry in front of their subjects …" Then I nodded over at the other dragons.

He glanced at them, sniffled and then went back to me. And then he hugged me around my neck – it was really fast – and put his face against it. It was like he was hiding from everypony – and everydragon – for a moment. He started crying again, but not as much. And he whispered, "I'm scared …"

I said I understood. In all honesty, I really don't think I did, and I didn't understand that deep a loss until Wishful was stillborn. But it seemed like the best thing to say then. I was at a loss, too.

Then I told him a king couldn't be scared. Not in public. He had to be strong. And I said, "You're strong, Spike. I know that. Now go out and be a king."

He pulled away from me, and I saw some tears hanging off his jaw. He sniffled one more time and whispered to me, "Thank you …"

And then he got up on his tiptoes and kissed me on my forehead.

And when he did, his tears shook loose and struck my face.

And I thought:

"Oh …

"My …

"STEED …"

This time, I pulled back. And stared at Spike.

He let go, wiped his cheeks and noticed my expression. So he said, "What …?"

I just shook my head and said, "Nothing …"

Then Loueng cleared his throat, and when a dragon does that, it sounds like thunder. And he was right by us, so it got our attention. He begged Spike's forgiveness, but the eastward winds would last only so long that afternoon, so the dragons had to go. Now. He said that last word as diplomatically as he could.

So Spike hugged my neck again. For a very long moment. And he said, "Tell everyone … I said goodbye … and thanks … please …" I said I would.

And then he moved close to my ear and whispered, "Would you tell Rarity … I always had a crush on her … please?"

I smiled and almost giggled but didn't. And I whispered back, "I think she knows, Spike. But I'll tell her."

He finally let go and looked at me. And he said, "Thanks. For everything."

And I said, "You're welcome … Your Majesty ..."

He smiled, then walked over to the dragons. But when he got to Loueng, he turned around and looked at Celestia. His eyes were still moist, but in just that short time, they started looking … I don't know … different.

He said, "Princess Celestia … thanks for letting me stay. I've really liked Equestria."

Celestia curtseyed again, and so did I. When the princess curtseys, you curtsey. And she said, "It was our honor, First Fire. Please return someday."

Spike nodded, then looked at me. He gave me a little smile and a tiny, simple wave. It was the kind of subdued recognition royalty offers when they want to stay dignified and not show too much emotion. I'd actually seen Celestia do it.

I guess he was already – that quickly – not the Spike I knew. Not anymore.

Loueng helped Spike onto his back, and Spike held onto his mane. The older dragon bowed his head deeply to Celestia, who had stood up by then. And he said, "Your Highness, with your permission, we'll take our leave now."

Celestia nodded. Then she looked up at Spike and said, "Go in peace." Loueng looked thoughtful and then said peace was something to be savored in between "interesting times."

And I froze when I heard that phrase. Because someone once said it to me.

Celestia asked if there was some matter of concern Pyra had that Equestria should know about. Loueng shook his head and said just dealing with Mythos on a daily basis was always "interesting times." Then he nodded and said, "Goodbye, Your Highness."

At that, the dragons crouched down on all fours, almost to the ground, and the wardracs spread their wings. They looked like acres of sail.

And suddenly, they all sprang up like explosions into the mist above. One moment, they were on the ground. The next, they were gone.

I looked into the mist and listened to the flapping of giant wings. I wanted to hear it as long as I could before it faded away.

Because it was the last connection I'd have to Spike for a very long time.