Eragon and Saphira were back in Ponyville and trying to unwind in his new life in Equestria. He decided that he should take time off from his training at the moment. He was eating at a small cafe in a part of town. The waiter went to his table and asked Eragon of what he would like to eat for lunch today. He did eat some meat, but now he felt like he needed some vegetation since Elves in Alagaesia are herbivores. "Yes, may I have a daffodil and grass sandwich ease?" He said to the waiter.
"Of course, my good sir." It will be ready in a flash."
When the waiter went to fetch Eragon his choice of what he wanted to eat, he thought of Saphira, who was back in her large den, relaxing like a lion resting by daylight in her long nap. Saphira would be alright, for she just needs some rest through the day and taking the time off from her traini b with Eragon.
"Here you go, sir." Said the waiter, returning with the plate being lifted by the magic of his horn. He gently placed the plate on the table and said "Bon appetite."
"Thank you." Eragon replied to him with kindness. He slowly chewed on his sandwich and savored it. He remembered that Elves eating flowers, was also a common sight in their home or anywhere else in Alagaesia. The time with the elves while training with Oromis and Glaedr, and the elves with their habits inspired Eragon a great deal since he is half elf now.
On and on, he thought about how grateful he was on Celestia and Luna letting other riders to come to Equestria to train under his teachings. He was also grateful that the two allicorns let him try the backup plan for when someday comes in the future.
"What did you think of Canterlot, Saphira?" He asked her in her mind. "Did the inhabitants give you trouble in any way?"
"Oh no." Saphira replied. "They were all quite fund of me. However, they were a little.... Shy around m me, but i assured to them all I was not one of those greedy abominations that call themselves dragons, and that were smarter than that"
"That is good to hear. Celestia and Luna are nothing like Galbatorix or his followers at all. They are truly great rulers of their kind.
"Indeed..you know, remember when Murtagh said that Galbatorix had more followers than we have imagined?"
"I do. Indeed the fallen king still has quite a number of survivors that serve him, even in death. And the ra'zac eggs scattered all across the underground of Alagaesia too. What will we do if they hatched and followed us here, then putting everyone in danger, and our new friends lives on the line."
"I would not be too concerned about that." Said Saphira. "Ra'zac eggs take a really long time to hatch. I am pretty sure that our old comrades will do something about that. What really concerns me is the remnants of Galbatorix's guards and followers. What will we do about them if they followed us here?"
Eragon was silent for a minute and finally replied to her calmly. "We will just gain some assistance from our new friends and allies. I wouldn't worry about that either however, after all, we just arrived here. We will just have to wait and see what happens in the future to come."
"Agreed."
Eragon placed the money for the food on the counter to pay for it, and then left the cafe back fo his house. Meanwhile, Saphira was getting out of her shed to warm her body in the sunlight since she is cold looked like all reptiles are.
While she looked around the town, many ponies passing by would say hello to her while she would say hello to them back in a friendly tone with a smile on her face. Then, she saw her most loyal companion return from the cafe, making her even more glad. "So, what will you do now, young one?" She asked him through her mind.
"I don't know." Was all Eragon replied. "I might as well use that dummy I built to practice my swordplay in the basement."
"That sound like a useful idea."
Eragon smiled on agreement and went back into his new house to practice his swordplay with an inanimate fighter. Saphira was... Alone again, but not that alone, because she can always contact Eragon if she wanted to. Then, something caught her attention: it was Spike, the baby dragon that was good friends with Twilight and her friends. It was good to see an infant dragon in the flesh, even though it was not exactly like a dragon from Alagaesia.
Saphira noticed something... Not write with the baby dragon. She noticed that Spike was thinking of sad thoughts about himself. It really concerned her, and decided to know why he got up on the wrong side of his little bed.
"Spike." Saphira said to him telepathically. It made Spike jump, and looked around to see who just said that. He realized it was Saphira, and looked at her. He definitely remembered that Saphira can communicate through people's thoughts in their heads.
"Oh. Hello, Saphira." Spike said. "You really shouldn't scare me like that. I can get a little.... Jumpy."
"My apologies, little one." Said Saphira. "Forgive me for intruding in your thoughts, but I could not notice that something might be troubling you. What's wrong?"
"N-nothing. Nothing's wrong." Spike replied. Saphira, was quite suspicious about that. Spike sounded like he was lying. Saphira could tell by the tone of his voice to say that it is so.
"Are you sure?"
"Oh yeah. I'm just fine." Spike replied. "I.... I just need to be alone." This time, his voice sounded a little more melancholy than the first phrase he said to her. Then he continued walking along the streets in the town, looking like he was heading for the outskirts or the wilderness.
Saphira, never took her eyes off of him, and still wondered what was troubling him. "Eragon?"
"Yes?"
"I have just had a little conversation with Spike, and.... And I think something might be troubling him." Said Saphira
"Really? What made you sure of that?"
"Well, I slightly noticed that in his thoughts. I asked him if he was alright, and he said in a sad voice that he needed to be alone at the moment."
"Well, why don't you just heed those words and leave him alone?" Eragon suggested.
"Because, young one." Said Saphira calmly. "He is a dragon too, and.... I just want to help him. I haven't seem a real dragon besides me, Firnen, or Thorn for a month since we set sail to Equestria."
"I understand. Why don't you just leave him be for a moment and then check on him then to see if he is any better?"
"Very well."
Spike was sitting sadly on a hill, getting a good view of the lake right outside of town. He had his hands under his chin, and sighed in a sad tone. "Who were my parents?" Spike said to himself. "Where did I come from?"
The trouble was that ever since Saphira arrived here from Alagaesia, Spike was extremely happy to see another dragon besides himself, and not a greedy, rude, drake eating dragon. However, last night, he had a nightmare about his parents and what they were, living in paradise. Sadly, it ended. All too soon because it was only a dream, and not reality.
He bent his head down, and looked at the grass and then looked at the lake with the sun gleaming over the waters. He knows he has Twilight, Fluttershy, and their friends with him to support him and give him the love he needs, but still. It wasn't enough to completely ease his pain. Then, he suddenly jumped when he heard the voice yet again. "Spike." It said. Indeed, it was Saphira once again. He felt the ground rumble when she landed on it, and looked back to see her behind him.
"Saphira? What are you doing here?" Spike said.
The large blue dragon walked up besides him and sat down right next to him. "Spike, please what is troubling you. I really want to help you. I don't mean to barge into your personal life, but you are a dragon, and.... And..."
"I u deist and." Spike said in a sad tone. "I don't mind extra company."
"Good. So what is wrong, youngling?"
Spike sighed and finally answered. "Alright, you are too smart for me...... Last nog, I had a dream about my parents and them giving me so much love and care like parents would do."
"Why would that trouble you?"
"Well, it was only a dream. Nopony knows where I came from, or who my parents are. Sometimes...." He began to tear up a little just thinking about it. "Sometimes.... I feel like an outsider." Then he couldn't hold it anymore. He dug his face inbetween his legs and sobbed.
Saphira could barely stand the sight of thought and took great pity on the poor thing. She gently placed her wing over him for comfort and said "oh Spike. I am sorry if you feel like this." She said to him. "Let me tell you: I never met my parents in person, but for a dragon's parents where I lived, we dragons would call our fathers 'Sire' and 'Dam' for our mother."
"Do you know who they are?" Spike asked, wiping away a tear.
"Oh yes. My father was named Iormungr. He was one of the greatest dragons I have ever met. I was lucky to have him as what you would call a 'father.' My mother was Vervada, and she was a crimson red dragon, a wild one as well."
"Really?" Spike said in amazement.
"Indeed."
"What color was iormungr like?"
"He was blue like myself, but a very dark blue. Apart from that, I never got to see them before I hatched."
"I'm- i'm sorry to hear that." Spike said with sympathy.
"It's alright, young one." Saphira replied. "I thank you for your concern. You might have noticed, but before Thorn, and Firnen, me and Glaedr were the last of the dragons in Alagaesia apart from the fallen king's that is."
"I know." Spike said. "Who's Firnen?"
"He is the green dragon that hatched later on before we arrived here." Saphira answered.
"Oh okay. But that's different. I... I am not you, and.... I hope I didn't offend you, but I am a different dragon." Spike said
Saphira was silent for a moment before she said "that maybe so, but to me, we are not so different. Dragons are dragons, no matter what they are. Eldunari or no eldunari, we are all family."
Spike looked up and stopped his weeping when she said that. Never before did he hear such kind words like that. Sure, Twilight and her friends say really nice compliments about him from time to time, but never felt so touched to hear that. "You.... you really mean that?" Spike said, looking back at Saphira.
"Of course I do." She replied softly in her mind. She gently touches his back with her nose, as if she was trying to coax with her own offspring. "You are a sweet little youngling. You are the exact opposite of Shruikan when he was still alive, or Morzan's dragon."
Spike blushed from the compliment. "Ah well. I never create havoc or destruction like both of them did." He said.
"I know. You are so young and so filled with life ahead of yourself. You have a great heart Spike, and you are very kind too." Saphira noticed that Spike wasn't completely better, and thought of how to cheer him up.
"Saphira." Said a voice out of nowhere.
Saphira made a small startled growl.
"Saphira, what's wrong?" Spike said, noticing her scared outburst.
"Nothing." She replied to him. "Eragon just caught me by surprise. I must talk to him if or a moment if you do not mind that."
"No, go ahead."
"That you." Saphira sounded a little irritated when she said to Eragon "don't startle me like that. I was about to start a fire in the area"
"Sorry, Saphira." Said Eragon. "But I just wanted to know if you have talked to Spike yet."
"I have. He says he never knew his parents and feels like an outcast in Ponyville and around his friends. Now I am trying to comfort him."
"Oh. Sorry to hear that." Said Eragon with sympathy. "I suppose I'll let you talk to him some more."
"Thank you." Saphira turned her attention to back to Spike and said to him "my sincere apologies. Now, what was I just talking with you....... Oh yes, you just need some time with a another dragon besides yourself."
"Do you think so?" Spike asked.
"I know so." She opened her arms and awaited for him to hug her. Normally she wouldn't do that, unless if it was Eragon about to hug her, but it was a more occasion. "Come here, youngling."
Spike was a little nervous. Ease of her immense size, but slowly walked up to her, wiping a tear from his face. When he was close enough, he felt Saphira gently pull him in with her immense paw, and gently closed him into her, like a mother would do to her son.
It took a little while, But Spike began to warm up to the feeling and began to softly sob into her neck. He never felt so happy to have a other dragon do that for him, even though she wasn't his mother. Nevertheless, he was becoming happier. "Thank you, Saphira." He said
"you are welcome, Spike." Said Saphira. It was silent before she added "I love you."
"I... love you too...... Saphira." Spike replied.
"So, would you like me to fly you back to Ponyville?" Saphira offered. Then she and the baby dragon slowly broke away from eachother
"Hmmmm. No thanks." Spike answered. "I would rather prefer if I walked back."
"That is perfectly alright with me." Saphira and Spike walked side by side, looking at eachother as they both walked back to Town