Fleeting Memories

by Kaidan

VII. Fellowship

"Alright, we've got food, rope, lanterns, and a map. Can anypony think of anything else?" I asked Lyra and Big Mac.

"I think we should ask Zecora for help, she lives in the Everfree forest" Lyra stated. "Eeyup" Big Mac replied.

"Ok, let's head out. There is no telling how long we have before the tomb is sealed again, we need to destroy his remains before that happens." I explained to them.

We headed off towards Zecora's cottage in the forest and for the first time in the 2 weeks I had been here I felt joy again. My memories had mostly returned, and I knew now what I faced. When my squad had been sent to investigate the mine we must have been trapped with King Sombra's remains in his tomb. The sarcophagus must have trapped us all there somehow, and somehow we had gotten out. At that moment Sombra must have taken his anger out on us, killing the other soldiers while I fled for re-enforcements. Since the Crystal Empire apparently disappeared and reappeared with me, I might still have friends or family up there.

The Everfree forest had it's own aura of dread about it. The trees were all black with dark blue leaves. Bushes rustled from a wind that never ceased, and the flickering shadows cast by the branches made it feel like a timberwolf was hiding in every dark corner. As we walked I had to listen to several colorful folk songs including a very catchy jig about an evil enchantress putting ponies in trances.

"We're here." Lyra walked up and knocked on the door, and placed her lyre back in her saddlebag. I'd have to ask later if Zecora was the evil enchantress from the short song she had just sung.

The door opened and a zebra stepped out. "Why hello mint colored mare, what brings you to my lair?"

"My friend Comet here has was sent to warn Celestia about the Crystal Empire. He was trapped though and ended up in a coma and we think Luna told him to destroy King Sombra's tomb!" Lyra paraphrased.

"Disturbing visions I have had of this Empire, aid you I will to avoid Sombra's ire." Zecora headed back into her cabin and began gathering up some potions and herbs before coming back and closing the front door. "Let us head north pony folk, and please tell me everything of which you spoke."

~*~

My hooves were getting sore from all the walking, but Zecora assured us in rhyme we were close. I'd spent the better part of the day piecing together an explanation and the more I talked about it, the more I could remember.

"There sure are a lot of rocks up here, though I think the mines are just north of here." I stated. The map showed only grassland where the Empire should be, since nopony had seen it in millennia.

"Comet your words are true, this is a rock farm through and through" Zecora chimed. "You know I heard Pinkie say once she grew up on a rock farm, I always wondered how you would grow a rock" Lyra pondered.

"Well there's a pony over there that might know. Excuse me, how do you grow rocks?" I asked the light blue unicorn ahead of us.

"The great and powerful--ah who am I kidding. Now I just keep the rocks watered and make sure they gather no moss. That's all there is too it." The unicorn looked fairly depressed as she broke rocks into smaller rocks then carefully arranged them on the ground.

"Trixie, is that you?" Lyra inquired. This seemed to wake the unicorn from her stupor "You're from Ponyville aren't you! Come to laugh at the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

"No actually, I'm helping my friend Comet here," Lyra calmly spoke. "Nopony here would want to laugh at you for what happened."

Trixie sighed and let her hammer rest on the ground. "You know, after you ran me out of Ponyville and destroyed my home i haven't been able to do my magic act in any town. Everyone knows I'm all smoke and mirrors now."

I couldn't stand to see somepony so sad, though I didn't know what exactly had happened to her. I decided to offer her a chance to turn things around. "How about you help us? What ever happened to ruin your reputation, I'm actually on a quest to save Equestria right now! It's not as glorious as it may sound, but I'm sure that what we're doing will restore your reputation."

"You--You want--" Trixie had a look of hope in her eye and seemed unable to tell if this was a genuine offer. "You would have the Great and Powerful Trixie aid you in saving Equestria? I wouldn't have to work on this rock farm anymore, I could get a new trailer! There will be treasure right?"

"Uh probably" I mumbled "I mean I haven't exactly saved a world before so I wouldn't know..."

"Very well, I shall let you ponies accompany me as we save Equestria for 40% of the treasure we find." Trixie ran back to a run down looking shack to grab her things.

"You do realize what your getting us into I hope?" Lyra asked me. "Well Lyra, I have no idea what we're getting into. But I'm sure that this unicorn deserves a second chance, and besides this looks more like a labor camp then a rock farm. I still don't understand how you grow the blasted things" I replied.

~*~

"And that was the year I left my mother and sisters to set out to become the greatest stage magician in Equestria!" Trixie launched some fireworks into the air to drive home the point.

"Wow Trixie, I never thought to ask about your personal life. Things just got so hectic after that Ursa Minor invaded Ponyville we all just assumed you always loved to brag and boast." Lyra was smiling and it seemed like her and Trixie were hitting it off.

"Yes, the Great and Powerful Trixie used to have many fans with her illusions and magical tricks. I never expected 2 fancolts to drag an Ursa Minor into a town though..." Trixie kicked a rock off the path before continuing. "There are several mines up here where we get our rock seeds from. Your mine is probably just north of them."

"Thanks, say what is that up there in the sky?" I pointed up at 2 flecks speeding around in the air.

"It's a bird! It's a plane!" Lyra shouted. "Nope" replied Big Mac as the two objects got closer "I reckon that's a gryphon and a dragon."

"I hope it's a young dragon, last time the guard upset an adult dragon Celestia herself had to settle the thing down." I gulped as I began to see clearly what was going on. The gryphon overhead was agile, dog fighting a crimson dragon in the sky. The dragon looked faster and stronger, so the gryphon could not flee. It's only choice was to stay in close and dodge his attacks, though the gryphon's counter-attacks did little damage.

The dragon shot out a few streams of molten fire, probably singing the gryphon in the process. Before I knew what I was doing I had leapt off the ground and shouted "Cover me, we've got to help!" I could imagine the looks of bewilderment on the 2 unicorns and stallion behind me as I gained altitude.

I hadn't flown since my crash landing, but the feel of the wind cutting through my spread feathers felt right. I belonged here in the sky soaring over trees and mountains. As I got closer I could see that the gryphon had been burned at least twice by the dragon. The gryphon was focusing it's attacks on the dragons left wing, probably hoping to force it to the ground by weakening it.

"Hold on I'm coming!" I shouted. The gryphon looked at me surprised, nearly getting swiped by the dragon's tail before returning to attack. Going as fast as I could, I spun and kicked the dragon in the jaw as he turned to see his new attacker. The dragon went into a free fall but quickly recovered.

This dragon was quick, and larger then I had thought. Each crimson scale look worn by years of the dust, sand, and snow. There were gashes into the thick plates that adorned it's abdomen. At the end of each limb were jagged, notched claws. Every time he could get one of us in his sights, he exhaled a flame hotter then any I had ever felt. I didn't know why the dragon was attacking, only that somehow I had to stop the beast.

Fireworks started going off around us as we weaved and rolled around the dragon. This seemed to confuse the dragon, allowing me to dive and kick his wing joint with all my force. I used my legs to push off and fly away as his angry maw spun and breathed flame over his left wing. As he followed me downwards, the gryphon landed on his back and bit into the wing, eliciting a roar of pain.

As more fireworks went off the dragon had enough, and turned to fly away from us as quickly as he could. Now clear of me and the gryphon, Big Mac began to buck some rocks up at him while Trixie continued to set off fireworks near him. He looked to be limping as he flew, so I doubted we'd see him again anytime soon.

"Thanks--" the gryphon said, catching her breath "you're not so bad for a bunch of lame ponies."

"Your welcome, I think I might be more surprised to see a gryphon this far south then a dragon. I'm Comet, what brings you down here?" I asked.

I could tell the gryphon was annoyed, but seeing as how I'd just saved her life she decided to humor us. "I'm Gilda, with the Gryphon Air Patrol. I was sent to investigate rumors of the Crystal Empire's return. Long ago we were taught that the war like ponies of the Crystal Empire sought to conquer our great nation."

"Oh, I'm sure nopony would want to do that" Lyra said, and Big Mac agreed.

"Well Gilda, the Crystal Empire has returned led by an evil King who will likely conquer all of Equestria if we don't stop him" I pleaded. "Can you help us find the crystal mine near here to put an end to him?"

"Hah! Why would a gryphon want to help anypony? I think I'll just wait until he wipes out Equestria and the gryphons can come in and take it over for ourselves" Gilda mocked.

"Gilda... Gilda... I remember you now, you were at a party with Rainbow Dash. You set off a bunch of pranks at a party and stormed off" Lyra recalled.

"Bah of all the rotten luck... Yeah that was me what of it?" Gilda said.

"Well only that I haven't seen you since then, and if you were Rainbow's friend maybe helping us could get you back on her good side. Surely you've tried to talk to her since then if she is your friend?" Lyra asked.

"Yeah... we did have a lot of fights at junior speedster flight camp. We were still best friends through and through despite our differences. This is different, she made it clear she didn't want me around all her pony friends" Gilda stated.

"I'm sure that's not true, if there is one thing I've learned in Ponyville it's that friends don't give up on each other" I said. "Maybe you can help us at least find the cave, and send Dash a letter later. I'm sure she misses you too."

"Ugh fine, let's just hurry up and get this over with. I have to get back and report on the status of the Crystal Empire by tomorrow." Gilda finally settled onto the ground and began to walk north with us.

"Gilda let me look at you, I have many a healing brew" Zecora sang.

"This is great, with the two of us we can fly ahead and find the cave. Why doesn't everypony set up camp for the night, and make sure we have plenty of firewood. We'll fly ahead and find the cave, then we'll camp here overnight." Things were finally starting to look up for me. With more and more allies, I would be ready for what ever was awaiting us at Sombra's tomb.