Chapter One : The Coming Storm

The freezing winds above the massive Niveridian forest were cruel, but came to an abrupt halt once Spike reached the border of the forest and landed on a rocky cliff. He’d been flying nonstop throughout the night, heading northeast towards a land he once called home. Now he was at the deadly cliffs at Morning’s Tear overlooking the haggard beach below. Compared to the beaches he’d once seen in southern Equestria, the one that surrounded the cliffs, shielding them from the unsettled waters, were pale and rocky in comparison. It looked like a place of mourning not relaxation, and Spike still remembered the story of Morning’s Tear. It certainly matched the mood and the story.

But he’d paused only for a while to recuperate some strength and carry on. The Hydrian Ocean still stood before him, separating him from the mainland. Once he was across, which would easily take him the entire day at least, he’d still have to cross the Damian mountains, a feat in itself, and traverse the silent plains of the south. He shivered at the thought. Twelve years living as a feral dragon could not erase the memories of the tales Twilight had told him of faraway lands, and the silent plains would constantly haunt his dreams. Invisible predators making their way hidden through the tall prairie grass, never seen, never caught. The main reason there were no settlements or roads in that region.

He gave his body a shake, chasing the numbness from his wings,  and the sleep from behind his eyes. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d have to stay awake for a few days straight, but never for travel. Always it had been out of fear that his mind stayed alert and obliged him to stay awake. Now the only fear that existed was fear for what dangers were lurking in Equestria that threatened his friends and his home in a way that the princess had to hunt him down and plead for his return.  No. just his friends. It hadn’t been his home in a long time.

Still, something didn’t make sense. He’d grown a considerable amount in the last years. He’d had the opportunity to develop his innate dragon skills, including mastering the art of magic and fire, and hone his senses. Whatever was threatening  Equestria was surely something formidable. Was Celestia’s plan to insert him into the ranks and pit him against a ferocious rebel army? Perhaps he was expected to teach the ways he’d learned in his time abroad to the princess’s mages, or perhaps the princess herself? He tensed his jaw, his sharp serrated teeth pressing against each other in anger. If that was the case, if she had used Twilight as bait to use him for her own plans, she’d quickly regret it.

The anger didn’t last, and his entire body drooped in regret. He couldn’t stand the feeling of hate pitted deep within him. He didn’t want to harbor any hateful feelings towards anypony, especially not the princess, who before his growth had treated him with kindness and motherly warmth, much like she’d treated Twilight. The memories were so few now, and those that had remained had been weathered by time and conflicting feelings, but they were still precious to him. The memories of home.

It was home, he couldn’t deny it. As much as part of him wanted to deny it, as much as part of him wanted to simply lay down and sleep, then return to his cave under cover of the night, he simply couldn’t. The old Spike, the innocent young dragon that was raised by Celestia and Twilight, the fun-loving dragon that had the privilege to call the holders of the Elements of Harmony his best friends.

A crystalline tear caressed his cheek before falling to the ground where it sizzled and solidified into an oval crystal, reflecting the light of the rising sun. It shone in the colors of a rainbow, reminding him of the ever-fervent Rainbow Dash who would surely have joined the Wonderbolts by now. Pinkie would have thrown a celebration party, Applejack would have baked the finest of her apple goods to celebrate, and even Rarity must have created some sort of excuse to dress everyone up. Fluttershy would probably get some group of animals to sing a tune, and Twilight. Well, Twilight would show up, congratulate her friend, and support her in any way possible. She was just that kind of friend, the kind who you could depend on for anything.

A sudden rumble snapped him out of his daydreaming, and Spike noticed the rocky ground beneath him crackling as dust flew up from below. That was never a good sign. With a powerful jump and a few flaps of his velvety wings, he had risen high above the cliff which was now crumbling and sliding down to the beach below. He remembered the tale of Morning’s Tear, the untimely fate of the colonists that landed on the beach and tried to settle on the forest’s edge. He didn’t want to share their fate nor their final resting place, and he looked out into the fog-covered waters below him. There was a tiring journey ahead of him, and plenty of time to work out his issues, make sense of his twisted thoughts, and come to a decision.

With a characteristic roar that would have shattered any nearby windows, he rose up through the clouds into the lower stratosphere, and set forth towards his ultimate goal. Beating his wings and tucking his limbs to form a more wind-resistant projectile, he hurtled through the skies at speeds that would have put Rainbow Dash herself to shame. There was no time to waste, although he couldn’t tell by now if what drove him was the urge to rescue his friends, or the excitement at just seeing them once more. Either way, it was more than enough to push the doubts of whether or not this was a trap to the back of his mind. He’d arrive in Equestria the following night, but he’d make sure to deviate and stop by Ponyville first.

******************T******************

The darkness outside the dormitory window began to fade, the thick blue shades lightening as the sun rose over the faraway hills dotting the horizon. The few rays of light that managed to push past the covers of the windows dimly illuminated the interior of the bedroom. A closet door surrounded by shelves and a commode were the most prominent in the otherwise-bare room. Twilight allowed herself to blink a few times and become accustomed to the new visage.

Gradually-increasing light allowed her to better focus on the ceiling above her, something she’d previously stared at and had only observed a limited darkness. She’d managed to beat the sun and awake in a cold sweat several hours before dawn. Disturbing thoughts had managed to worm their way into her dreams, and somehow vanish when her consciousness became aware of them. For the past few sleepless hours she’d been tossing and turning, worrying about things she didn’t know, feeling emotions that she couldn’t even describe.

She sighed, and turned, exposing one of her hooves to the refreshing air from under the covers. The clock hands were barely visible, but she could still make out the hour. It was much too early for her to really do anything, the library opened at eight, and it was barely past six thirty. There was still never a better time than the present.

Her hooves hit the hardwood floor with a hollow thump. Blinking slowly to try and drive the pain from her eyes, she made her way out of her bedroom and paced down the empty hallway towards the bathroom. As she passed the linen closet, she opened the door with a swish of magic, not even bothering to look back and grabbed a fluffy pink towel and assorted toiletries in a purple aura. The odd collection of items floated behind her as she walked into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door. What was the point when you lived alone?

A flick, a swish, a turn, and water cascaded down upon her like a heavenly relief sent forth from heaven itself. The cool water trickled down her mane and carried away her troubles in its healing current. All her worries, her doubts, her fears, her grievances vanished as water ran throughout the course of her body. Twilight took hold of a nearby sponge and began massaging her neck and back, rubbing away the dry sweat caked in her coat, along with the grime and filth picked up in the tossing and turning throughout the night. It was one of the few pleasures in her daily life now, one of the few things she actually looked forward to. It was pathetic.

She closed her eyes and plunged her head beneath the streaming water. The pressure from the water helped wash away the sweet-smelling shampoo as well as her headache. It wasn’t enough, and she squeezed her eyelids tighter, trying to fight everything away. It was useless, and she felt the tears rushing forth, pattering down towards the drain along with the water falling from her mane. All of a sudden, the water had turned cold, colder than she could stand, and she shut it off instantly. Looking down at the shining tiles below her, she simply stood there in the shower, dripping wet, breathing deeply.

For twelve years she’d been experiencing overwhelming emotions, sudden blasts of pain, grief, mood swings, and she found it useless to fight it. Lately she hadn’t had any, not for a good six months, but she blamed that on the fact that it was Spike’s birthday. But this time, there had been something different. Like something deep inside her snapped, and she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Excitement. Nervousness. Anticipation. Butterflies in her stomach like she’d felt on her first date. Or rather, all her dates.

She stepped out of the slowly draining tub and patted herself down with the towel, drying her coat and mane. Lifting herself up on two hooves, using the wall to support her weight with her front hooves, she whisked open the window and allowed the refreshing morning breeze dry her mane. The delicate draught filled the room, and embraced her with invisible warmth. It was odd; not an everyday occurrence, but she paid it no mind. Her euphoric state was quickly interrupted when an odd disturbance brought her back to reality.

A clattering below in the library was strange enough when the library was open, but in these early hours? Twilight quickly trotted out of the bathroom and made her way down the stairs, slowing down to a sneaking as she neared the base of the stairs. The scene before her was the same as usual, nothing out of the ordinary. A few tables set up in a neat order where guests could sit and enjoy a silent read, surrounded by towering cedar bookshelves that reached the ceiling. After Spike’s… She’d found it was easier to simply separate her living quarters from her place of work. However, something was off. On one of the tables, a strange, fluttering scrap of paper lay, pinned down by what looked like a small cardboard tube. Hesitantly, Twilight approached the table, glancing around her in search of the culprit, her horn glowing with magic preemptively.

No signs of any intruders, the door was still locked, and all the blinds were closed, the windows behind them sealed shut. Finally in range, she could make out the details etched out on the paper. It looked like… An invitation. And the cylinder on top of it was a party horn.

“SURPRISE!”

Twilight jumped and almost impaled the ceiling above her with her horn from the shock. When she finally returned to the ground, she spun rapidly to come face to face with a beaming pink pony in a party hat. She tried to speak, but all that came out were ragged words muffled by her panting.

“Pinkie… You… You…”

“Startled you?” Pinkie said, her smile only growing wider, which Twilight would have sworn was physically impossible.

“Y-Yes…”

“I just wanted to invite you to your birthday party tonight!”

Twilight was taken aback, and her ears drooped. She’d almost forgotten. How could she forget? How could she possibly celebrate? Pinkie seemed to have noticed her lack of enthusiasm and her smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a sorrowful expression unbefitting of Pinkie Pie’s bright spirit.

“What’s wrong Twi?” Twilight flinched at the use of her nickname. The one who’d come up with that nickname to tease her was long gone. She let out a heavy exhale as she admitted her fear.

“I… I guess it’s just… It won’t be the same, you know? Without them…”

At this even Pinkie’s spirit seemed to have been crushed, her mane slowly deflating. She sniffled, and seemed on the edge of tears. Pinkie had certainly been the one most affected by everything that had happened, and how she maintained her cheery attitude most of the time was a mystery to Twilight. Seeing her mistake, she quickly moved up towards Pinkie and nuzzled her comfortingly, trying to comfort her friend as well as herself.

“I’m sorry, I just…”

“I know Twi. I miss them too.” Pinkie hugged her affectionately, and even she couldn’t hold back a feeling of regret as a tear left her eye and splattered onto the wooden floor. After a few seconds that seemed like hours, yet were much too short, the two friends finally broke the embrace, both sniffling at the memories of their departed friends. Pinkie put on a brave smile, her mane still between the usual puffy bright pink and dreary straight fuchsia. Twilight let out a half-hearted laugh at her attempt to brighten the mood. She rarely saw Pinkie anymore, not since they’d both retreated to their workplaces for the majority of their time. It had been a good two weeks since they’d actually seen each other, and even then they’d only shared a fickle smile that soon disappeared into the everyday current of things.

“So, where’s the party?” Twilight asked, trying to move on to cheerier topics. Thankfully it worked, and Pinkie grinned sincerely.

“Where else? Here!”

Twilight giggled, remembering all the birthdays they’d spent in the library, all of her friends had celebrated at least two or three of their birthdays in that very same room. Thankfully, nopony ever protested to the library closing earlier on those days.

“Who’s coming?” Twilight asked, and once again the mood darkened just a bit. Still, Pinkie seemed to ignore it, and Twilight was certainly thankful for that.

“It’ll be just a small party, you, me, and a few other ponies. No big deal. I’ll take care of all the preparations!” Pinkie said, probably already planning where to hang the streamers from. Twilight could tell she was welling up, feeling her heart fluttering confusedly. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, whether to be happy to celebrate yet another birthday, or to mourn the fact that she had only a fraction of the ponies she knew to share it with.

Her thoughts were unexpectedly interrupted by a bright flash of white light, and before her appeared two floating scrolls which quickly fell to the floor before her and her friends with a thud. Pinkie seemed just as surprised as she was, and Twilight promptly continued by lifting the scrolls and reading the small golden seals on each of them. One of them was addressed towards her, but the other was meant for… Pinkie Pie? With eyes wide from surprise and confusion, Twilight levitated one of the scrolls towards her friend.

“This one’s for you.” Pinkie seemed to mirror her, just as confused as she was. Pinkie just sat back on her haunches, mouth hanging wide open as she grasped the scroll with her front hooves rather clumsily. She still somehow managed to break open the seal and spread the scroll to read its contents. Twilight simply concentrated on her own.

The princess and her had had a rather nasty falling out ever since the funeral, and after the awful way she’d spoken to her, she hadn’t expected any letters from her ever again. Their argument had been a teary public spectacle, and it hadn’t made the day any better. Still, she hadn’t seemed angered by her words. Instead, the princess had silently absorbed every sorrow-fueled remark she’d thrown at her.

With a delicate touch of magic, she gently peeled off the seal and undid the ribbon holding the scroll closed. She almost cringed as the scroll spewed out its contents in the form of a delicate inked hoofwriting she knew could only belong to the princess herself. Her eyes widened as she read the letter.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

It has been eleven years since you and I last spoke, and to this day I still regret the way things have turned out. I would not blame you if you still held some form of anger or hate towards me, but I ask you to please set these feelings aside for now, and come urgently to Canterlot. I am sure that a pony as educated as you are would be well-aware of the current events plaguing our kingdom these days. I’m afraid that things will not get better anytime soon unless something is done about it. I cannot reveal to you any information on the situation through this letter, which is why I ask you and your friends to join me in Canterlot this upcoming Friday, January Thirteenth. There is much that I have kept from you, and many more things that you should know. The only way I can share these things with you is for you to join me here with the Elements in private.

I have already sent forth letters to the current holders of the Elements of Harmony, and hope that they will be able to join us by this time. However, I would very much like for you and your friend Pinkamena to join me tonight at the Grand Ballroom here at the castle for your birthday tonight. If you’d rather remain in Ponyville until Friday, I will understand, but know that I would like nothing more than yo have you here in the castle as my guest, along with your friends.

I leave this up to you Twilight, but know that we need you now more than ever. A darkness is approaching, and I’m afraid that without your help, Equestria may very well become engulfed by it forever. I fear that I’m no longer able to keep everypony safe anymore. I ask that you please put your feelings towards me aside for the greater good of Equestria.

Whatever you may choose, I wish you a very joyful birthday, and luck on all your endeavors.

-Princess Celestia

The scroll dropped back onto the floor, Twilight having lost her focus on maintaining it afloat in the air. Her mind swirled with a thousand thoughts at the same time, each fighting over priority, and all ultimately losing. After all this time, and she wanted her to go to Canterlot? The princess needed her help for something? Save Equestria again? She hadn’t been called forth to help anypony for quite some time other than the usual small town stuff. And she was inviting the Holders of the Elements? That meant…

“Twilight, do you know what this means?” Pinkie’s voice suddenly caused her train of thought to careen out of its tracks.

“Yeah, I guess…”

“PARTY IN CANTERLOT!” Pinkie shouted, and Twilight couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. She hadn’t seen Pinkie as excited since before…

“And everypony else is coming too!” Pinkie continued, interrupting her thoughts.

“Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, maybe even Rainbow Dash!”

Twilight’s ears drooped as she remembered all her friends. She wasn’t sure whether a reunion of all her friends would be as cheerful as it should be, or would have been years before. And if she remembered correctly, which she unfortunately did, they hadn’t all exactly parted on good terms.  A silence had certainly fallen upon them all, and even now the only friends she could talk to in Ponyville were Pinkie Pie, and the occasional Ponyville resident who wasn’t too busy to chat for a while. She sorely missed the close friendship she’d shared with those ponies, all the fun adventures they’d been on.

Pinkie seemed to realize what was bothering her, and she gently placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. Twilight looked up to see Pinkie smiling at her, but it wasn’t the usual eccentric Pinkie smile. It was amazing how Pinkie could communicate silently, and portray a thousand different feelings and emotions with a simple smile. With that smile, she was trying to comfort her, trying to let her know that everything would be alright. Even if it didn’t turn out alright, there’d still be some joy left in the world. Twilight replied in kind, and smiled at her last remaining friend.

A chill suddenly ran up Twilight’s spine, and soon enough her entire body was cold, her muscles instinctively trembling to try and maintain her body temperature.

“Do you feel that?” Twilight asked through chattering teeth. Pinkie looked at her with concern, but not showing any signs of discomfort.

“Feel what? Twilight, are you alright?”

“You mean you don’t feel the cold?”

“No, I feel fine. Twi, you’re scaring me…”

The cold was practically unbearable now, painful even. Her entire body shook violently, teeth chattering; it felt as if her blood had suddenly frozen, thick ice crystals making their way through her bloodstream. A warm hoof placed itself on her shoulder, and as quickly as it’d come, the cold vanished, replaced by the usual temperate feeling of a chilly winter morning.

“That was… strange…”

“Twilight?”

“I’m okay Pinkie, I just… I don’t know…”

“Maybe it was just a cold flash!” Pinkie said hopefully, grinning worriedly to try and drive away the somber mood left by the incident.

“Yeah, probably… That’s probably what it was…”

Whatever had just happened, it certainly wasn’t just a cold flash. She had plenty of duties to perform, but she was determined to figure out what had just happened sooner or later.

******************S******************

The wind howled violently past him, muffling the noise of the crackling thunder and crashing rain on the tumultuous ocean below. Storms were not uncommon out at sea, but he’d never seen one as large as the one in which he was currently caught. From the shore one could usually spot dark splotches of grey bleeding into the horizon, signaling an incoming storm. This however, Spike could imagine as a colossal rolling mass of darkness and lightning, making its way towards an unsuspecting land. The strange thing was how quickly it had appeared, and the direction it was taking. It had enveloped him a mere hour into his flight, and he could tell by the prevailing winds it was headed Northeast as he was. Northeast. Towards Equestria.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t manage to fly over the storm, seemingly expanding into the depths of space. He lightning didn’t worry him, nor did the wind or rain. In fact, all it did was hydrate his body and speed him on his way. The only problem was the temperature.

Dragon blood had the amazing trait of being able to adapt to its surroundings. In the heat of the desert, it turned into a scorching, boiling broth coursing rapidly through his entire system. In the freezing cold of the tundra, or as he’d experienced in the Niveridian forest, his hearts pumped the blood even faster, yet his blood turned ice cold. It helped to keep his body temperature at almost equals with his environment, and was one of the few adaptations he’d realized during his years… abroad.

However, frost was building up on his wings, the edges and tips already compromised with large buildups of ice crystals that tampered with his flight. The sharp hail that tore through the clouds did nothing to his armor-plated body, his scales easily withstanding the blows, but the membranes of his wings were bruised and battered, already some scratches appearing and threatening to turn into gaping holes. His only hope was to try and escape the storm as quickly as possible, outfly it in a sense. The ocean was much too dangerous, its inhabitants most active during storms such as the one currently occupying the morning sky.

Fly

He couldn’t waste any type of energy in anything that didn’t get him out of danger. He flapped his wings, giving his body sufficient thrust to increase his speed. The sooner he reached firm land, the sooner he could rest and recuperate. His stomach growled painfully. Had he been able to make that kill the previous night, he might have been able to last longer.

If dragons could sweat or pant, he’d probably have done both. Instead, all he could do to not focus on the growing pain in his muscles and chest was to look straight ahead, and think of what was coming up ahead. An uncertain fate awaited him, he had no idea how anypony would react to his presence after twelve years. And of course, there was the reason of why Celestia so desperately needed his attendance in Canterlot after so long. The part of him raised by ponies, practically a pony itself, told him to forget all his doubts and worries and embrace the invitation. However, the dragon part of him, the part of him that had grown and learned, survived and adapted, the part of him that had drowned out the younger, innocent Spike until now, told him to turn back.

But there had to be another choice. Something that would allow him to have an advantage over whatever plans anyone had. A thought entered his mind, and a wicked grin grew on his face as it blossomed into a very intriguing idea. Perhaps he could still  hope to work out Celestia’s plans beforehand, just in case.