//------------------------------//
// Chapter 4 
// Story: The Dragon and the Pony 
// by ScrimpyMule 
//------------------------------//

	Spike sat at the bedside next to Rarity, marveling at how beautiful she was. Since they had married she had been getting more beautiful by the day. Somehow, every day he found himself loving her more then he did the last. Every time he thought he couldn’t be more in love with her, he surprised himself. Nothing could match her beauty. Even on her deathbed she was the most beautiful thing in the world.
Rarity’s breathing was shallow. She was old and gray. At one hundred and twenty-one years old, she was well beyond the average life span of ponies. Spike simply credited this as another one of the countless miracles that had been shared between them in their beautiful life together. He was being forced to live without her for as short a time as possible. Even though it would be centuries before he found himself in the same position that she was now in, he was grateful to have had her for as long as he did. Still, even with all his gratitude for this miracle, he desperately wanted to die with her so as not to be forced to live without her.
Rarity was about to make her journey to the other side, leaving him behind. The mere thought of how long he might have to carry on without her at his side terrified him and made his heart ache more than he could have ever imagined. He was ever the more grateful to have the clan. He didn’t think he could go on this journey though the rest of his life alone, not with his sanity in tact. Though, even with the clan he had his doubts that he could carry on without her for so long.
Rarity looked up at him and smiled, sending shivers up his spine as her smiles always did. “Spike, my years with you were more than I could have ever imagined, thank you. I’ll be watching you from the other side, waiting for you to come join me, as long as it takes.”
“Don’t worry my sweet”, Spike replied, “I’ll be there shortly. You won’t have to wait long.”
“No my love, I need you to make me a promise. No matter how long it takes, I want you to live until your time. Look after the clan. Watch over them until old age brings you back into my hooves. Never give up on this life. Promise me.”
Spike hesitated, tears falling from his face. He was barely able to speak. “I…I promise. I’ll hold on until my time comes and watch over the clan, no matter how long it takes.” He leaned over her and, despite being a teenage dragon over five times her size, managed to kiss her lips softly and sweetly. “I love you Rarity, thank you for the best years of my life.”
She melted his heart with one more smile, closed her eyes, and gave up the ghost. Spike felt as though his heart had been ripped out and stomped into the ground. It seemed that he had lost the one thing that made this place his place and now his purpose was no longer immediately clear to him. He had known for a long time that this moment would come, but that did little to prepare him for the pain of losing her.
Rarity’s funeral service was immensely crowded with ponies who had cared for her a great deal. She had outlived all their friends from the old days (except Princess Celestia and Princess Luna) and Spike missed them nearly as much as he missed her. It didn’t take long for him to grow weary of all the ponies giving their so-called “condolences”. Near the end he thought he might strike the next pony who said, “she’s in a better place now”.
That night, Spike stood in front of Rarity’s grave wondering how he would live on for centuries without her. Princess Celestia quietly approached and sat beside him. She had been there at his side during the service, not saying anything save a few words to the gathering in Rarity’s honor. She understood that sometimes one’s presence was all that was necessary to provide comfort, rather than tedious phrases. 
“Thank you”, Spike said, not taking his eyes of Rarity’s tombstone.
Princess Celestia looked up at him perplexed. “For what?”
“For not saying anything, for just being there.”
There was silence for a few moments until Spike spoke again. “How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“When you were forced to banish Luna to the moon, how did you live without her for a thousand years?” Luna may not have been Celestia’s soul mate, but they were immortal sisters. Each was the only constant thing the other had.
Princess Celestia sighed and let out a deep breath. “That’s a good question, one that I still ask myself. I suppose much of it was that I was so busy all time with both of our responsibilities. It certainly wasn’t easy. Every day I had to carry on without her was like living in my own personal Hell.
“I don’t think I can live without Rarity. Not an entire dragon’s life span. She is in my heart, but my heart is shattered.”
“Your heart isn’t the only place where you can find her, you just have to know where to look.” She turned and left before he could ask the question only he could answer: where?

___

In the beginning, living without Rarity was like a stake being driven into Spike’s heart every day. Soon, however, he learned to look to the clan for her. She was a part of them and it helped to ease the pain of losing her. Somehow each generation that passed was able to keep a part of her in them, giving him the strength to endure the long years and making his existence bearable.
Days became weeks, weeks became months, months became years, and years became centuries. Spike outlived his children, and their children, and their children, and so on in a cycle that seemed never-ending.
Spike lived on as leader of the clan, watching them prosper and build a proud history in Equestria. Their population stayed the same for the most part, but their power and influence in Equestria grew more with each generation. They built up a tendency to make up the majority of the Royal Guard. They also became highly involved with the Equestrian Military, which was usually rather inactive because there was no need for military activity with Equestria being the borderline utopia that it was.  
It was not uncommon for a member of the clan to go down in history. Nearly eight generations after Rarity and Spike a dragon-winged alicorn became the third pony to ever accomplish a sonic rainboom, following Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo who had done it over five hundred years earlier. Over time, the Wonderbolts became the Dragonbolts after dragon-winged alicorns made up more and more of the team until the requirements to join the team became so harsh that only members of the clan could manage it. Dusk was incredibly talented in magic much like Twilight Sparkle had been. Twilight over time had surpassed Starswirl the Bearded and now Dusk seemed to have the potential to surpass Twilight. 
Spike watched the countless generations come and go, never truly growing used to being the one who got left behind. It was a peaceful and quiet existence, but it was filled with monotonous routine and heartache. He led the clan for one thousand and twelve years after Rarity passed, unable to prevent the loneliness from ripping his heart to shreds over and over again.
___

Princess Celestia arrived at the village of the Dragon Pony Clan in a carriage pulled by two dragon-winged alicorns. The Princess exited the carriage and nodded to Dusk, who had been waiting for her and was now curtsying. 
“How is he Dusk?” asked Princess Celestia, getting straight to the point.
Dusk shook her head, tears in her eyes. “He’s dying. The physician says he won’t last the night. He’s lost the will to live and keeps insisting that it’s his time.”
Princess Celestia nodded in understanding and entered the cave to find Spike lying on the ground, surrounded by the entire clan. His breathing was shallow and he had little strength left. He was about to make his journey to the other side.
“Hello Spike”, she said, “you look great.”
Spike chuckled and her kind sarcasm, coughed afterwards, and winced from the ensuing pain. “It’s good to see you again Princess”, he said wearily. “I’ve longed for this moment for a millenium and now it’s finally here. I can be with her again soon.”
“It’s good to see you so happy again old friend.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Everything. Everything you’ve ever said. Everything you’ve ever done. For being there for me all these long years. Thank you.”
Princess Celestia approached him and rubbed her cheek against his, being too small to hug him. “I’ll miss you Spike. Thank you for everything you have done in your long life among us. Thank you for giving us the clan.”
Spike smiled at her and she stepped aside so he could speak with others. 
“Thunderhead”, he called weakly.
“Yes Father Spike?” answered Thunderhead sorrowfully.
“You have made a great leader and I know that you will continue to do so. Listen to the ideas and opinions of others and lead by example. I’m proud of you.”
“Yes Father Spike, thank you.”
“Dusk”, Spike called.
“Yes Father Spike?” she answered with a cracked voice and tear-filled eyes.
“Keep up with your studies and practicing your magic. I’m proud of you my dear.”
“Yes Father Spike.” She approached and gave him the same goodbye that he had received form Princess Celestia.
Spike then addressed the entire clan. They had to gather close to hear his weak voice. “I love you all and I’m proud of each and every one of you. Mother Rarity and I will be watching you from the other side.”
There was silence in the cave except for sobbing from the clan. Spike could feel himself drifting away. He could see Rarity; young as she was the day they married and ten times as beautiful as ever. She was beckoning to him, it was his time. “Go to her”, he heard Princess Celestia say. He reached toward his wife with his adolescent claws and grabbed her outstretched hoof.
After over a thousand years, he finally felt at peace again. This was not the end. He was about to begin a new life with his beloved Rarity. And unlike the last, this life would have no end. Spike made a grin that was wider than he had smiled in centuries. He closed his eyes, relaxed his muscles, and released his last breath.

The End