Friends and Family

by Zephyr Spark

Chapter 4 Truth?

Twilight woke as she hear a noise and felt the ground rumble beneath her. Groggily, she raised her head and glanced at her sleeping friends. Her eyes turned to Spike’s place only to find him absent. She was instantly alert and ran over to the vacant sleeping bag.

“Spike?!” She desperately called finding nothing, “where are you?!”

“Twilight, what’s going on?” Rainbow Dash grumbled as she and the others finally woke up.

“Spike is gone! Did any of you see him leave?”

Instantly, her friends were on their hooves searching. None had seen a trace of the purple dragon.

“Hang on, I found something,” Applejack announced scanning the ground, “Footprints, they look like Spike’s. Looks like they lead to the…” she glanced up and saw the cave entrance as well as the light coming from within. “Oh no. You don’t think he…”

Without waiting another second, Twilight grabbed a lantern already lit and raced into the tunnel.

“Twilight wait!” Applejack called, “we need to put on those suits!”

Twilight paid her friends no heed as she reached the cave entrance.

Her friends quickly worked their ways into Rarity’s suits grabbed their own lanterns and followed their friend.

***

Twilight pressed through the darkness and entered the room. She saw Spike leaning against the pedestal with his arms folded and raced over to him.

“What are you doing here?!” She whispered fiercely, “you know it’s dangerous to be here at night—“

“I found out,” Spike interrupted numbly.

“What?” Twilight examined her friend more closely and noticed a distant, cloudy expression. Whatever he ‘found out’ certainly shook him up. “Whatever it is we can talk about it when we get out.”

Spike handed her a scroll he had been holding and bitterly spoke, “I know how Celestia acquired me as an egg.”

“Acquired you?” As she took the scroll from his hand, the rest of their friends entered and crowded around Spike asking him why he left them, why didn’t he realize how dangerous this all was. He wouldn’t say a word. He could barely hear them.

“Spike,” Twilight interrupted her friends and holding up the scroll, “what is this?”

He regarded Twilight a moment and motioned her to read it. Twilight cleared her throat and read aloud, wary of the darkness surrounding them.

“Things have been difficult for numerous dragon clans this year. With the recent surge in diamond dogs, many of us struggle to find the gemstones we so desperately crave. We cannot continue on without our primary source of food. Soon we may be left with no choice but to fight each other for gemstones or leave Equestria altogether.”

She scrolled down the page and found the next entry.

“After negotiations with Princess Celestia, we have managed to strike an alliance that may solve this crisis. She has agreed to supply us with enough gemstones to feed our families in exchange for two things: a written treaty to never seek out and attack ponykind, and some of our eggs for her magical studies. She promised to return the eggs once hatched but the majority of the dragons did not care so long as they received their gems. We readily agreed to this treaty and gave her several of our eggs for her studies. No pony has ever hatched a dragon egg before so it seems unlikely they could. In the event they do, we only gave her the eggs no dragon wanted, the ones too feeble to ever hatch or give strong, fire-breathing dragons. Overall, this agreement has greatly benefited our kind. We received enough gemstones to sustain nearly all of the dragon clans and rid ourselves of dragons who would have been mere burdens.”

Twilight and her friends looked absolutely aghast. How could any other creature do this? Sell their own children for food. They looked at Spike, who had folded his arms and lowered his head.

“Figures,” Spike said no longer filled with sadness but spite, “I hoped to find a family that missed me and instead I got dragons for parents, selfish, cruel, mean dragons.”

Rarity flinched at Spike’s bitterness and tried to console him putting a hoof on his shoulder, “you don’t know that this is you.”

Spike smacked Rarity’s hoof away making her flinch once more, rose to his feet and snarled, “Look at the date. Eight years ago! Twilight hatched me eight years ago! It fits perfectly. I’m ‘an unwanted egg’ a ‘mere burden’ that they never expected would hatch, fly, or breathe fire. And I wish I’d never thought for a second that just maybe my parents could be different.”

He fell down again feeling broken and pathetic, his fears not only confirmed but celebrated in this scroll.

“I should’ve known better. My family is a bunch of dragons. And dragons are just ... monsters .”

Twilight looked on as one of her greatest fears was realized. She wanted to embrace him and let him cry his heart out as he had before, but Spike was past tears. He was despondent, embittered. No comforting would reach him now.

“So why do I have to be one?” Spike let out angry tears, “I never asked to be a dragon, I never asked for this.”

Their hearts all ached to see Spike so furious, so broken. Applejack couldn’t stand it so she walked over to Spike and looked him dead in the eyes.

“Nobody asks to be the way they are,” she spoke with a slightly reprimanding tone, “they show who they are every day in the little things they do, how they help others, share laughs, and love. The way you are Spike is a gentle, sweet dragon, who proves not all dragons are heartless. You prove that everyday.”

“She’s right, Spike,” Rainbow Dash flew over, “your parents may be grade-a jerks, but that’s not who you are.”

Spike sighed. “Well, I now know one thing. It was a mistake to hope they wouldn’t be. Let’s go home.”

“Um, guys, we have a problem” Pinkie Pie interrupted nervously, “the tunnel is gone.”

They all whipped around to see the entrance they came through had vanished, replaced by a shadowy wall. They were trapped.

Twilight walked over to the wall and inspected it carefully. Whatever this was it wasn’t natural stone. The surface was unnaturally bumpy. Before she could blink the wall surged towards her and engulfed her.

“Twilight!” Spike ran to help his friend but found himself surrounded by the dark mites who quickly whisked him deeper into the library faster than his friends could blink. Seeing her friend in trouble, Fluttershy bravely charged at the dark mites surrounding Twilight with her lantern and managed to fend them all off, but Twilight lay in an unconscious, groaning heap. The friends could only watch on helplessly as their lanterns delayed the inevitable approach of a billion ravenous dark mites.

***

“Stop it!” Spike screamed as he flew through the air, “This wasn’t part of our deal!”

What part of our deal said we wouldn’t destroy the intruders if given the chance? No non-dragon may see the Dragon Archives and live.

“I would’ve told them to leave you alone. You don’t have to do this!”

This was never about leaving us alone. This was about luring them back at night to destroy them.

“What?” Spike’s eyes widened with realization. “You’ve been playing me this whole time! You knew they would follow me back in here! You set me up!”

Have you forgotten what we told you? Once you prove to us that you are not afraid to seek the truth no matter the risk or consequence, we will reward you with the truth.

“Yeah, I came here alone. I took the risk.”

And you neglected the consequences, namely the lives of the intruders.

Suddenly, a new scroll appeared before Spike carried by two of the dust mites.

So we award you with the truth.

“What is this?” Spike narrowed his eyes, “you already gave me a scroll, “You know the one that confirmed dragons are cruel monsters.”

That scroll was only the half-truth. Indeed, dragons willingly parted with their eggs but many more were not as obliging. Many fought tooth and claw to protect their brood only to have the majority rip their children away from them.

“What are you saying?” Spike growled.

We can recognize the parentage of any dragon, and we certainly recognize yours. Your parents fought tooth and claw to protect you, to keep you with them forever. They’re still alive, and they still miss you.

Spike almost felt his heart stop with joy, but then reminded himself these creatures couldn’t be trusted. “What if I don’t believe you?”

Then we suppose you will never see the truth. This scroll is authentic in every sense of the word and your family is waiting. We haven’t lied to you, little dragon, and we do not lie now.

They offered him the scroll and revealed a new exit.

Take the scroll. Find them.

Spike did not take the scroll and instead stared back trying to find his friends through the darkness. This was all his fault. If he hadn’t been so stupid, none of them would be in this mess. Now they were probably dying because Spike never stopped to consider their safety.

You don’t need them anymore, but your parents have needed you for eight years.

He squinted through the darkness and saw light of six lanterns, but the darkness quickly covered them from sight. They were still alive and they needed him.

Your father wants to see what a fine young dragon you’ve become.

He tried to step towards where he saw the light but found the darkness impede his path.

Your mother has been longing to sing you too sleep every night.

Spoke tried to make out their voices and could faintly hear Rarity screaming his name. Her shriek chilled his very soul.

Your sister has missed her favorite playmate.

He tried to isolate the sound and move towards it.

Your brother wants his big brother back.

“Stop it.” Spike growled, “They don’t exist.” Though he was beginning to question his own certainty.

Please, let us perform our ancient duty and protect this place. Please, go find your family. They’ve missed you.

Once more they pushed the scroll in front of Spike’s face, offering it to him.

Don’t you want to know who your family is?

This gave Spike a pause. He remembered that night on the train, what Twilight said.

“We might not be related to him by blood, but we are Spike’s family because we are connected by bonds of friendship and love.”

Spike softly spoke with more conviction than he had ever known, “I know who my family is.”

Then he blew thick flames through the darkness surrounding him, making it instantly disperse. He continued breathing his fire, unconcerned whether he burned books along the way, as he raced towards the fading lanterns light.

“Twilight! Rarity! Every pony!” He shouted between flames, “where are you?!”

“Spike, we’re over here!” Spoke heard Rainbow Dash’s voice coming from his left and made his way over, “Hurry! The lanterns are going out!”

Spike raced for what seemed like miles, cutting down any dark mites who got in his way with a mighty flame. He knew every second counted and quickened his desperate pace.

This is a mistake little dragon! You go with them and you’ll never know!

“Like I said before,” Spike snarled as he burned through a wall of dark mites, “I know who my family is.”

Finally, he saw them. Backed against a corner with their lanterns, he burned through all the dark mites surrounding them and relit their lanterns. Wasting no time, he ran over to Twilight hanging limply over Applejack’s shoulder.

“Twilight, I’m so sorry!” he yelled with his red eyes gushing tears, “this is all my fault!”

Fluttershy raised a hoof to Spike’s mouth and wiped away his tears. She gently smiled and said, “no pony blames you for this.”

“You should,” Spike said miserably.

“Twilight will be fine with that anti-venom,” Applejack reassured him, “let’s save the moping for after we escape.”

Then the whole chamber began to shake viciously as dust and rocks fell from the ceiling. A loud ringing sounded in Spike’s ears and he winced in pain, doubling over on the ground.

YOU IMPUDENT LITTLE DEMON!! WE GIVE YOU THE KEY TO YOUR TRUE FAMILY AND YOU SIDE WITH THESE PATHETIC PONIES?! WE’LL BRING DOWN THIS WHOLE PLACE AND TAKE YOU WITH US!! YOU CAN SHARE THIS TOMB WITH YOUR FAMILY IN DEATH!!

“Head for the exit!” Spike screamed as he blew more flames to clear the tunnel, “they’re bringing down the archives!”

They all bolted for the exit with the dark mites in hot pursuit. Spike glanced behind him and realized Applejack couldn’t move as fast as the rest while carrying Twilight. At that rate, the dark mites would catch up with her and all of them could see it. He dodged a boulder that fell before him and kept running. He saw the torches on wall and the fuel line sustaining them. Suddenly, he had a crazy idea.

“Rainbow!” Spike got her attention, “do you think you could break the fuel line? I have an idea.”

Rainbow Dash zoomed towards the pipe and strained to pull it out. Spike turned around and breathed as much fire as he could to halt the dark mites approach and buy Rainbow time. Soon, the rest of the ponies joined in helping Rainbow and managed to dislodge the pipeline and sever it, causing massive amounts of dragon oil to cover the cave.

Spike jumped behind the recently formed pool of oil that covered the entire base of the tunnel and set it on fire. Green flames leaped from the oil and halted the dark mites approach. He wanted to congratulate himself, but then he saw the mites climbing towards them from the top of the ceiling. He breathed more flames in an attempt to subdue them. It was no use. These creatures were too frenzied, a baby dragon’s flames would deter them but it certainly wouldn’t stop them. He turned to face his friends, who had given so much to him. He glanced at Twilight unconscious. Then he saw a pool of dragon oil in front of him. Enough to give his friends time to escape, but his own flames would cut him off from such escape. Not to mention, the rocks falling from the ceiling would soon make escape impossible for them all, or maybe just for him.

He didn’t have to think twice about his choice. Like he said before, he knew who his family was, and now he smiled weakly at them.

“Take care of Twilight,” he said and with that ignited the pool of dragon oil in front of him. The rocks on the ceiling finally gave way and collapsed. Before Spike lost sight of his friends, he heard Rarity scream.

***

“We can’t leave him!” Rarity exclaimed desperately trying to move the boulders.

As the tunnel’s rumblings became increasingly violent, Applejack realized the truth none of them wanted to believe.

“He did this so we could escape,” she said nearly choking on her own words, “if we don’t take advantage of this, we disrespect his final wishes.”

She glanced at the comatose Twilight and ran to the entrance. The others reluctantly followed desperate to find some way to save their friend.

They finally escaped the cave. Fluttershy immediately administered the anti-venom to Twilight, then turned around to run back and try to save Spike.

Within ten seconds, however, the entire cave collapsed and dust bellowed from the ground touching the heavens and darkening the night sky.

They could only watch in horror. It was all so surreal. It just couldn’t be, not Spike.

None of them could speak. None of them could think. None of them could breathe. The full weight of this loss finally sunk on the group. Rarity started sobbing violently, Applejack hid her face behind her hat. Rainbow Dash began bawling, no longer caring if her friends saw her tears.

“We failed him,” Fluttershy spoke in a feeble voice.

Pinkie Pie looked at her sadly as she spoke again, “we failed him. We said on that train we would keep him safe, but we failed him.”

Pinkie Pie turned away and noticed something peculiar.

“Applejack,” she said warily, “are you sure you brought Twilight with us?”

Applejack frowned, “of course I did, Pinkie,” but she turned around and gasped. Twilight was gone. They had seen Fluttershy give her the anti-venom moments before the cave collapsed. They all exchanged looks of fear.

“You don’t think,” Rarity spoke through sobs, “you don’t think she went back? Do you?”

They all stared at the cave and the full scope of this tragedy came full circle. They failed Spike and couldn’t even protect Twilight. They stared at the rubble covering the Dragon Archive. It took two of their friends, no, two of their family.

The rubble shifted. They stared curiously as the sun began to rise on the cave. The rubble flew away from the cave entrance, and a purple bubble exited the cave. The bubble evaporated to reveal Twilight Sparkle bearing Spike on her back, alive and well. He lifted his eyes to the rest of his friends and smiled, exhausted and barely conscious. Twilight staggered along with a similar smile and soon collapsed to the ground, depleted but very alive.

The friends rushed over and embraced them both, crying and laughing like a true family.

Comments

[beirirangu]

meh, there were a fair number of things I didn't agree with, like how dragons wrote in the EXACT SAME language that the gang could read, and basically no indication when the last dragon was there, hinting at a century ago, but then gave evidence of less than a decade, along with a few of the choices and decisions made (form the second half of chapter 3 onward)

But for what it was, it was an enjoyable read.

[JazzTheFox53rd]

This was a very enjoyable read.

[BlueStarred Spike]

Looks like the Dragon Archives are gone forever.
But, at least Spike was reminded once again who his family is.
What an enjoyable read.