They boarded the train once more, homeward bound. As they entered their compartment, the group all collapsed emotionally and physically exhausted.
“Well, I don’t know about any of you,” Rainbow grinned, “but I’m looking forward to never entering caves again.”
The group gave a resounding agreement.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to a nice bath,” Rarity said wiping dirt from her mane.
This received an even louder resounding agreement.
“Still, it’s too bad,” Fluttershy sighed, “we didn’t really learn anything about dragons.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Pinkie smiled.
She shook her mane like a dog shaking off water from its coat. She didn’t release water droplets, however. From her mane, dozens of books and scrolls flew free and covered the ground. All were works from that archive. For what would probably not be close to the last time, they all stared at Pinkie in amazement.
“Pinkie, how did you—?” Twilight stammered, “WHEN did you?”
“They were too busy looking at my left hoof,” she said pulling out a lantern with her left hoof, “to notice my right hoof!” She produced a book in her right hoof from mid-air, the one detailing proper fire breathing techniques.
“This is wonderful!” Twilight enthusiastically collected the works, “you rescued some of their culture!”
“Now we don’t have to start all over from scratch,” Applejack smiled helping Twilight collect the books, “why I’ll bet you learn to breathe amazing flames, eh, Spike? Spike?”
They turned to see Spike intent on a letter he was writing. Finally, he put down his pen and gave a content smile.
“I think it’s done,” he said holding up the paper.
“What’s done?” Twilight asked.
“My letter to Celestia of course!”
"Well," Applejack grinned, "let's hear it."
Spike cleared his throat to recite it.
Dear Princess Celestia,
Recently, I’ve been thinking about family. Maybe family isn’t something we’re all born with. Some of us grow up never knowing a father or mother’s love. But I think family goes beyond blood. I mean I was taken in by Twilight, who was a unicorn at the time, so it’s not like love can only come from one place and it doesn’t come just from your parents.
If we aren’t born with a family, then I think we eventually have to discover a new one. We meet other ponies who fill the holes in our heart and give us friendship, community, love. I know I’ve found six such ponies: Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. Whenever I wanted to cry for the family I thought I had lost, they reminded me that I will always have their unconditional friendship. Maybe I don’t have the answers to where my dragon family is, but I know where I will always be loved and I intend to stay there with my friends and family.
In some ways, friendship is at the heart of family; supporting each other through thick and thin, sharing laughter, and adventures. In some ways family is at the heart of friendship; sharing lives together and bringing each other joy. I know that because I have true, true friends, I have the truest family in all of Equestria.
Sincerely,
Spike
Spike looked up at his smiling friends, each and every one of them.
Twilight smiled proudly at his letter, “it’s perfect, Spike.”
“Yeah,” he looked over his friends and family and gave his own teary smile, “they really are.”
He embraced his surrogate mother, and soon all their friends joined in the big, dirty, stinky, family hug. The train departed back to Ponyville, carrying them all home together as friends and as family.