Tale of Two Dragons

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 1
Chapter 12

Chapter 2

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Chapter 3

Amethyst had spent the time before her scheduled dinner with the princesses pacing back and forth across the room. The dragoness was rehearsing answers to the various questions that she thought the alicorns may ask her. These ranged from the mundane, like the weather or if she was enjoying the food, and went up to the most extreme. She was, of course, ready to describe her expedition to the Far Frozen and her discovery of the Sun Spire, though she would be leaving out some of the more embarrassing details. Amy was also prepared to discuss her other exploits and what she thought of the various countries she visited.

What Amy was not prepared for was the question about her relationship with Equestria's most famous draconic resident. As it was, She was stuck somewhere between the choices of absolute denial and falling to her knees and begging for mercy. If the princesses asked her casually, Amy figured she could pull off the former. If things were a little more heated, she may very well choose option two.

She could see it now, Princess Celestia standing, burning with all the intensity of a supernova, demanding to know what heinous act she had committed in the past. As Amethyst panicked and sputtered excuses, Twilight Sparkle would come charging in with him. The unicorn would start shaking Amy in a magical grip and he would be in tears, begging for an answer on why she did it. Amethyst would start blubbering like a baby and-

*Knock, knock, knock*

"Madam, dinner will be in ten minutes. I am here to escort you to the dining hall." came the prim and proper voice from earlier. Amy stopped in her increasingly furious pacing and looked to the door with mounting panic in her eyes. Not only was she unprepared to meet the princesses, but she had also succeeded in working herself into borderline hysteria. Quickly going through tried and true breathing exercises, Amy walked over to the door and opened them. "Uh...hey there, nice to see you again." the dragoness said weakly with a small, nervous smile.

The butler pony either didn't notice or was too polite to ask, instead saying, "Yes, very nice, Madam. Now, here is your cloak, I assume you are prepared to depart immediately." The butler reached around and grabbed the neatly folded cloak from his back and held it out to Amy.

The dragoness took the proffered item and unfolded it. Holding it out, Amy was surprised to find that the Butler had seen to it that her cloak got more than just cleaned. The little tears that had accumulated in Ponyville had been stitched up so finely that Amy could hardly see them. "Wow... you didn't have to go through the trouble of getting it patched up ya know. A wash would have been just fine." Amy said, running her fingers over some of the slightly raised threads of the repairs.

"Of course I had to, Madam. We very well couldn't have you meeting the princesses in rags, could we?" The stallion asked in an even tone. Amy tensed a little at this statement, but nodded in agreement. The cloak had provided a decent distraction from her worries and the deep breathing before that had calmed her nerves some. Unfortunately, the butler pony had just brought back to attention Amy's imminent meeting with the diarchy of Equestria.

The dragoness did her best to squash her rising panic, the concealing nature of the cloak in her hands helping in the deed. Throwing it over her shoulders and securing it tightly, Amy swallowed heavily and said, "Well... let's get going... don't want to keep the princesses waiting, do we?"

The stallion nodded his head, "Indeed, we do not."

With that he was out the door and Amy was behind him. She would have tried talking to him to ease her tension, but nerves caused her words to catch. She was silent all the way to the dining hall doors. The butler stepped forward and put a hoof on the door to open them, but hesitated. "...You seem quite nervous about meeting the princesses. Though I am not surprised, I assure you, both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are very kind... You should not be so worried about it." he said over his shoulder.

Amy was surprised by this. The stallion before her had yet to really say anything pertaining to subjects outside his job description, but here he was trying to put her at some semblance of peace. The dragoness was also surprised his words had actually helped some. "Ah, thanks... I'll keep that in mind... You know, I feel kind of bad for not asking your name earlier." Amy said sheepishly.

The butler turned to her and gave a kindly smile, "My name is Prim & Proper, Madam."

Amy deadpanned and said, "Seriously...? You know what, it doesn't matter. It's very nice to meet you, Prim & Proper." Amy stepped forward to stand beside him and shake the hoof he removed from the door and offered to her. The motion was a little ungainly because of the height difference, but they both still smiled at each other.

"Likewise, Amethyst Thistle. Now I do believe you have a dinner to attend... Are you ready?" He said, turning his attention back to the door.

Standing straight and taking one last deep breath, Amy said, "As I'll ever be."

With that, Prim & Proper threw open the door and announced, "Presenting to their Royal Majesties, the guest of honor, Amethyst Thistle!"

Amy stepped forward hesitantly and got her first look at the rulers of nearly all of ponykind. The dragoness had to admit, the two lived up to the title quite nicely. At the head of the large table sat a great white alicorn, multicolored mane and tail flowing in an invisible breeze. It almost seemed wrong to call her a pony as she was so much larger than her subjects; if it wasn't for the long horn and wings, Amy would have figured her for a horse from Saddle Arabia. Sitting to her side was another alicorn that could only be the recently returned Princess Luna. Matching her name, she was the night incarnate; Luna had a midnight blue coat and an ethereal mane and tail resembling the starry sky. She was slightly smaller than her sister, but still larger than the average pony.

Amy's eyes settled on Celestia's face and noted her eyes walked the line between purple and pink. It was there that the dragoness saw a glint of what looked like curiosity and something else she couldn't place. So focused was she on their eye contact, Amy had hardly realized both princesses were now standing. "Greetings, Amethyst Thistle, I am glad you could attend both this dinner and the ceremony. I am Princess Celestia of the Sun."

The ruler of the night picked up where her sister left off, "And I am Princess Luna of the Moon. It is a great pleasure to finally meet the one my sister and her student have spoken so highly of."

Quickly trying to think of something to say back to the princesses, all Amy could come up with was, "Uh, ditto." Celestia giggled behind her hoof a moment before walking towards the dragoness with her sister. It was then that Amy noticed she had yet to move from her spot. Looking to her side, she noticed Prim & Proper was trying to covertly, though somewhat frantically, nod his head towards the alicorns. Figuring out what he was trying to tell her, Amy nearly jumped forwards to meet the princesses halfway, surprised they would actually rise to meet her. Acting on reflex, Amy put her hand out when they met, not thinking about whether or not this would be the correct gesture to exchange greetings with pony royalty.

Fortunately, Celestia didn't seem to give it more than a thought before she put her hoof into Amy's hand, giving it a few shakes. Turning to Luna, the dragoness saw her looking at her hoof for a moment before noticing Amy's outstretched hand. The alicorn of the night gingerly placed her hoof into Amy's hand and shook it. "We- I mean, I apologize. I am still getting use to how things have changed from one thousand years ago. Is this the new greeting between dragons of importance?"

Amy had to stop and think a moment about what had just happened before comprehending her mistake and pulling her hand away as if burned. "O-oh no, Princess! This is shaking hands! It's kind of a casual greeting mostly between equals... with hands... Not that I'm trying to say we're equals or anything-!" Amy said, starting to spiral into a series of incomprehensible apologies.

"Its fine, Miss Thistle, there's no harm done. Now why don't you come and sit; the food will be out shortly." Celestia said to the dragoness with a humorous smile. Glancing over to Luna, Amy saw she too had laughter in her eyes. A large blush spread across her face and she had to fight the urge to pull her hood up. This was embarrassing for Amy for two reasons. The obvious one would be the fact that she was making a fool of herself in front of royalty, but the second was a little more obscure. Amethyst Thistle was the scourge of the black market. She had faced countless dangers in the past and had stared death in the eyes more times than she would like to admit. Yet here she was, cracking in the presence of ponies meaning her no harm just because she saw him.

She hastily moved to the seat across from Luna at a table with more empty spaces than occupied. "Um, you can call me Amy if you want. Though, if you don't, that's fine too..." Amy said softly. Even in a situation like this, she found her full name a mouthful and Miss Thistle was just too stuffy.

The Sun Princess responded with the kind smile she had worn from the beginning still on her face, "Only if you call me Celestia; I don't particularly like formalities."

Amy couldn't help but smile at the princess, already finding her agreeable company. "Sure, Celestia... What about you, Princess Luna?" the dragoness asked.

The darker alicorn seemed to think it over a moment before saying, "I suppose that would be acceptable, as long as you refrain from doing so in public."

Amy nodded her understanding when the sound of opening doors reached her ears. Turning her head, the dragoness saw a troupe of servers bringing in trays of food. Amongst them, Amy noticed Prim & Proper carrying a tray on his back and she couldn't help but wonder when he slipped away for her not to notice. A serving platter was set in front of each of them and the lids removed, revealing two large salads with bread rolls and a plate of pancakes. The salads consisted of a large amount of lettuce glistening with what Amy could smell was olive oil. Amy's nose could also identify the herbs stuck to the lettuce as oregano, thyme, and basil. The dressing was a type of wine vinegar that was far too expensive for the dragoness to recognize. A halved avocado lay atop the salad along with thin sliced tomatoes. This was where Amy's own salad differed from Celestia's. Whereas the Princess's salad had croutons, Amy's salad was garnished with gem fragments of all sorts, a fact she was a bit surprised by this fact.

Celestia must have noticed this for she spoke, "When I heard that you were a dragon, I had the chefs add a little extra to your salad. I hope you enjoy it."

Looking up and giving Celestia a beaming smile, Amy said, "Oh, I definitely will! Thanks." The dragoness was about to dig in when she thought about the third dish brought. Amy looked over to Luna, who had just tied a napkin around her chin and hovered a fork and a knife over the stack of maple-y goodness like a predator ready to pounce. "Um, why exactly are you eating pancakes for dinner? I mean, you can eat whatever you want, but it is a bit strange." Amy asked, raising an eye ridge.

Luna halted in her slow decent onto the pancakes and looked at the dragoness. "The answer is quite simple, Amy. For you see, this is not my dinner. I am, in fact, breaking fast." the moon princess said.

"Huh?"

Celestia cut short the little back and forth by clearing up Amy's confusion, "Let me clarify, Amy. As our titles suggest, I rule the kingdom during the day and my sister takes over while I rest. This may be dinner to you and me, but it is breakfast for Luna."

"Ohhh, I get it now. Heh, you two really take the whole day and night thing seriously." Amy said as she dug into salad, eating the avocado first.

"Of course, it is our solemn duty to do so." Luna said seriously...before shoveling pancakes into her mouth. Celestia just looked at the two with a bemused smile, shaking her head slightly. Levitating a fork up, she daintily picked at her own food. The three sat in a comfortable near-silence, the only sound being that of silverware clinking and loud chewing.

"So, Amy, if you don't mind, I'd like to hear about the discovery of the Sun Spire. I'd imagine that is quite a tale." Celestia said to the dragoness, who lifted her head to reveal stuffed cheeks.

Attempting to talk around the food at first, she quickly stopped and blushed when gem shards fell to her lap. Swallowing, Amy said, "Eheheh...heh...Sorry."

"There's no need for that, though if you feel you must make it up to me, you can tell me the story." Celestia said with a giggle.

Amy noticed that Luna had slowed down in her pancake devouring to listen to the story. Feeling a little put on the spot, Amy still wanted to entertain these two. Even if they were not the ruling figures of all of Equestria, the dragoness had really begun to like them. Although she had only just met the alicorns, she could tell they weren't like most royals she had had the displeasure of meeting. They did not exude an aura of stuffed-up superiority, yet still carried an air of power. The two showed her respect despite the poor reputation dragons had in most places, while simultaneously commanding it from others without the aid of fear. All in all, Amethyst felt comfortable in their presence, even under the circumstances, and as of that moment wanted only to be friends with the alicorns of day and night.

"Well, honestly, it's not really all that exciting a tale. At least, not when compared to some of my other business trips." Amy said with a cocky grin.

"Surely you jest? The Far Frozen is many things, but dull it is not." Princess Luna said.

"Not to go bursting your bubble, Luna, but all I saw while I was there was ice, snow, and more ice. It was pretty boring by most standards... especially mine."

Before Luna could object, Celestia cut in, "Actually Luna, that is not too unlikely. The windigos have long since left the Far Frozen to seek out new strife to feed on, while yetis that once prowled the wastes have been hunted to near extinction for their furs." The alicorn looked disgusted as she said, "Such a barbaric and senseless deed. I cannot condone the killing of another creature simply for its hide."

"Truly? It is hard to imagine the Far Frozen as anything but perilous... I suppose this is just another of the many things I will have to accept." Luna said before sighing wistfully, "It would have made our own search for Unicornia and the Sun Spire far more successful if things had been that way a millennium and a half ago."

That piqued Amy's interest. The princesses of Equestria had attempted to find the lost unicorn kingdom? "Wow, wow, wow, you went out to search for it too?" the dragoness asked.

"Why, of course we did. Much knowledge was left behind during the great exodus and Unicornia holds most of it. The pegasi of old did not keep much in the way of history because of their nomadic ways and cloud homes. As for the earth ponies, sadly, they did not have much time to devote to the pursuit of knowledge or record keeping due to their hard and laborious lifestyles." Luna answered.

Celestia added, "The Sun Spire itself is more than worth the effort to find as well. Its use would be imperative to the world if anything were to ever happen to Luna and me... Though I suppose Discord could take over our duties if that were the case. I'd like to avoid such a situation if possible." The end of the statement had devolved into grumbles, but the look of annoyance wasn't what Amy was thinking about.

"Yeah... imperative... because the Sun Spire is super important, and useful and stuff." Amy said nervously. In all the excitement, it had slipped Amy's mind to ask Lore about the Sun Spire. Apparently it had also slipped Lore's mind to tell her. The dragoness just hoped that the princesses didn't find out that she didn't know what she herself had discovered.

"...You don't actually know what the Sun Spire is, do you?" Celestia deadpanned. Drat, that didn't take long.

Luna just looked at the dragoness incredulously and said, "You're kidding... you're kidding, right?"

Amy gave a few forced laughs as she rubbed the bag of her neck. The two alicorns looked at her a moment longer before she slumped and admitted, "No... No I don't... but that doesn't make it any less of an achievement!"

Luna and Celestia couldn't hold their straight faces at that and both started to laugh. "No, it doesn't, but it does make me want to hear the story more than ever." Celestia said as she got control of her laughter.

"Oh, We agree, dear sister. This, We have to hear!" Luna leaned forward, forgetting modern speech patterns in her excitement.

Amy looked back and forth between day and night, trying to think of a way to get out of telling the story. After the short time spent with them, the dragoness doubted she could lie to the two as it went against her morals to lie to friends. This made the decision harder as she also didn't want to tell them about how she blundered unto what was being called the greatest discovery in recent history.

Sighing in resignation, Amy said, "Fine, fine, I'll tell the stupid story, but only if you tell me some of yours. Deal?"

Luna smile widened and Celestia said, "That only seems fair. Do you agree Luna?"

The named alicorn nodded her head somewhat vigorously and said, "Indeed, I fully agree."

Amy sighed again and shook her head with a smile. Looking up she started, "Well, I suppose I should start with how I got the idea in my head in the first place. See, my friend and long-time business partner, Lore Finder had me follow up some leads she found in an old pegasus' military journal. In it, he wrote details about an attack plan the pegasi were preparing on Unicornia, something I'm sure he got in trouble for. Well, anyways, using the coordinates in the journal allowed Lore to narrow down where the place was..."

And so Amy began to regale the diarchy of Equestria, no longer worrying if the two knew of the Ponyville incident.

~8~

Spike had been waiting anxiously for the princess's reply for some time now. It felt like hours since they had sent Princess Celestia the letter detailing what had happened and everything they knew of the mysterious Amethyst Thistle. Applejack had to return the cart to the farm, leaving Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash in the library. "Argh! What's taking her so long!?" Rainbow said as she threw her hoofs in the air.

"Rainbow Dash! Princess Celestia is running a country, she can reply to letters when she has time for it!" Twilight reprimanded. Even though she was defending her teacher, Spike couldn't help but notice Twilight's hoof tapping on the floor in impatience.

The pegasus was stopped from retorting by a loud gurgle. Spike felt the fire inside stir and soon it erupted from his mouth with a rolled parchment in tow. He reached up to grab it, but the letter was enveloped in a dark pink aura and pulled away from him. The ribbon was removed and the letter was unfolded before it even reached Twilight. The group sat in silence as Twilight's eyes darted back and forth across the page.

It was Pinkie Pie who broke the silence first. "What's it say!? What's it say!?" She said as she started bouncing around Twilight. *Gasp* "Does she want to throw the super-duper-family-reunion party up in Canterlot!? I'll go pack my party cannon!"

The pink mare was halfway to the doors before she was picked up by Twilight's magic. "No, Pinkie, she doesn't want to throw a party." She said as she placed Pinkie back on the floor away from the door.

"Than what does she want us to do? I bet we're going to interrogate her, right? I get to be bad cop if we do." Rainbow said a small stomp of her hoof.

"No, she doesn't want that either." the unicorn said.

Finally, Spike had had enough of delaying and demanded, "Well than, stop beating around the bush and just read the thing out loud, already!"

Twilight jolted at the dragon’s harsh tone, but didn't reprimand him for it. This was the hardest for him and she should have been amazed at how well he had been handling the situation so far. Twilight looked down at the scroll and began to read aloud, "Okay, it says, ahem."

Twilight looked up to scan her audience. Rainbow Dash was hovering in the air, a slight frown on her blue face and her front legs crossed. No doubt she did not like the sit-and-wait idea the princess had proposed. Pinkie Pie's only change in demeanor was a slightly smaller smile, though what in the letter had led to it was a mystery. Spike was staring off in space, thinking of what the new tidbit of knowledge could mean for him.

"Do you think it was her? Do you think Amethyst Thistle was the one who brought me to the school?" Spike asked nopony in particular.

"Probably, I mean, it could have been somepony else, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was her." Twilight said. She looked at Spike a moment before asking, "So, what do you want to do, Spike? Princess Celestia said it's your decision to make."

Spike gave her look that bordered on 'are you serious?' before answering, "Of course I'm going. There is no way in Equestria I'm going to let this chance slip through my claws. So let’s get a letter sent and our butts on the next chariot ride to Canterlot." Spike was smiling confidently when he said those words, but inside, his heart had sped up and he was feeling excited, nervous, and even a bit pensive about what he'd actually learn from this.

"Aw yeah! We're going on another adventure!" Rainbow Dash said as she flapped a little higher into the air.

"Oh, I'm so nervouscited! This is gonna be the biggest party I've ever thrown!" Pinkie said as she began bouncing around the room.

Twilight simply smiled fondly at her friends until Spike's voice cut in "Actually girls, I think I'd rather me and Twilight do this one solo."

Both Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash stopped what they were doing and looked over at the baby dragon. "What do you mean? Why shouldn't they come?" Twilight asked.

Before he could answer, Rainbow Dash added, "Yeah, what gives, Spike? We can totally handle that dragon."

"Uh-huh, and I have to prepare the proper party!" *Gasp!* "Unless you plan on having somepony else plan the celebration!" Pinkie accused as she took on a look of dawning horror.

Before the pink pony could burst into tears and beg him for the right to throw the party, Spike said, "No, no Pinkie, it's nothing like that... It's just that you and Rainbow Dash didn't make the best first impression and I'm afraid you being there will make her more uncomfortable then she's already going to be."

"Oh come on Spike! What if she runs again!? You'll need me to chase her down!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"That's exactly it though, I don't want her to run at all." the baby dragon tried to explain.

"Pinkie looked as if she were about to protest, but Twilight came to Spike's defense before she could, "It's his choice, girls. If he wants it to just be him and I, than we should respect his wishes."

Rainbow Dash looked to the side and mumbled, "Easy for you to say, you get to go."

"Oh, don't be like that, Dash. You have to admit, you two didn't necessarily make the best first impression possible." Twilight said wryly.

"I made a super great impression! We played tag all over the town! That's like the bestest first impression ever!" Pinkie tried to argue.

This time it was Spike who spoke, "Listen... can you guys just do this for me? And Pinkie, I'll make sure we won't party without you. We'll come back to town for it."

Both girls looked at each other, one dejected and the other frustrated. Even so, when they turned back to Spike and Twilight, they agreed unanimously.

Spike gave them an appreciative smile as Twilight said, "It's settled then. Spike let's send the letter and get going." the baby dragon nodded as he nearly ran to a desk to write their reply to Celestia.

He really was glad the two had agreed to stay behind. Though it was true he was a bit worried about how the dragoness would have reacted to Rainbow's and Pinkie's... enthusiastic greeting, there was more to it than that. This didn't involve the other girls, it was something very personal to his own life. Twilight deserved to be there because Spike saw her as family even if they were different species. The five other girls were not, however, and as much as he'd like to think otherwise, they had always been more Twilight's friends than his own. In the end, this was a private affair and he'd like to keep it that way for now.

Spike's body worked on autopilot as he thought these things. He hardly remembered writing the letter and sending it via dragon fire to Princess Celestia. Soon, the baby dragon would be on his way to his destiny.

~8~

What had started out as simply one tale in exchange for another had evolved into a whole slew of stories being told one after another. Amy was surprised at how much the princesses had actually accomplished with their own hooves. The dragoness expected that they had simply directed ponies on their adventures instead going on them themselves. As it turned out, they had done a lot of the dirty work of re-establishing Equestria after Discord was first dethroned. Princess Celestia and Luna had drove monsters from the land, recovered treasures of Equestria lost to Discord's chaos, and even explored a fair bit of their lands and set up settlements. There was no doubt in Amy's mind. These two were the most epic ponies she had ever met.

The salads and stack of pancakes for Luna had turned out to only be the beginning of the meal, and they had already finished the main course. Now they were enjoying a dessert of various pies and cakes that Luna and Celestia were enjoying, as well as a bowl of candied fruit that Amy was favoring.

"Wait, wait, wait, you're telling me you just threw it into a lake, a giant fire elemental?" Amy asked in amazement and skepticism.

Princess Luna swallowed a mouthful of peach pie before answering, "Indeed, he really needed to 'cool off'."

*Snort!* "That was the corniest pun I have ever heard." Amy said as she chuckled a bit.

Celestia, who had started giggling upon her sister's dry delivery, commented, "I concur, that was truly awful, Sister."

"Why does everypony say that when I tell that story!? It's witty!" Luna said as she slammed a hoof down on the table.

"Because it's not witty, it's cliché." Celestia answered.

"Well, it wasn't cliché a thousand and fifty years ago." Luna said with a petulant 'humph' and upturn of her muzzle.

"Ya know, that reminds of the time I went to the archipelago off the coast of-" Amy didn't finish before there was a small knock at the door. When Celestia called for whoever it was to enter, the doors opened to reveal a unicorn mare with a pair of small glassed sitting upon her nose.

"Excuse my intrusion, your majesties, but I thought it prudent to tell you night court is scheduled to begin in one hour." the mare said, looking between the two alicorns with a small amount of nervousness.

Luna gasped a little at the news and said, "That means the time to raise the moon is upon us! Sister we must make haste!"

Celestia nodded her head and looked to Amy, "I apologize for leaving like this, but it seems we all lost track of time. I hope you don't mind if we listen to the rest of your story at some other time. Tomorrow at breakfast perhaps? We could use the time to discuss the ceremony in your honor as well"

Amy got to her feet and couldn't resist the urge to stretch, throwing her arms over her head arching her back. "No problem, Celestia. I'd like to have breakfast with the two of you." the dragoness said as she patted her slightly distended stomach. "Though, I'm not sure if I'll be eating again that soon. You guys really know how to fatten a dragon up." Amy said with a satisfied smile.

"Then it's settled, I'll send for you when the time comes." Celestia said before calling, "Prim & Proper!"

At the call of his name, the butler pony seemed to appear out of nowhere at her side, causing Amy to jump back a little. "Yes, your Highness." he said in the same even tone Amy had come to recognize from him.

"Can you show Amethyst here back to her room?"

"Of course, your Highness." he responded before walking passed Amy and saying, "Follow me, Madam."

Amy did so, still slightly confused by the stallion’s mysterious appearance from thin air. She wondered if perhaps he was related to Pinkie Pie in some way.

As she left the room and the mare went off to attend whatever duties she had, Luna walked over to her sister’s side as they both got up and headed out of the room. "So, Sister, what do you think of young Amethyst Thistle?" She asked Celestia.

"She was very nice, and I could tell early on she is as brave and skilled as her reputation claims." The alicorn of the sun answered.

"...And her relationship with Spike, do you think your student's and her assistant's suspicions are right?"

Celestia didn't answer right away, and when she did, it was slowly said, "I noticed many similarities between the two, and not just in appearance. They both share the same spark in their eyes and the same quick wit and sarcasm... I believe there may very well be shared blood between them... Though we won't know for certain until we ask."

Luna nodded her head in answer. Whatever happened tomorrow, she was tempted to stay awake for it, especially to be there for her new friend.

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing this.
P.S.
...I now know what it's like to have a fanfic messed-up by the media it is based off of. Curse you Daring Do! Well, I'm just going to ignore the show for the sake of this story. Besides, after how the show handled it, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people try to ignore episode 4.

Chapter 4

The rest of the night had passed uneventfully for Amethyst Thistle. When she was back in her room, the food coma had started to set in and she was barely able to make it to the bathroom, managing to brush her teeth with the complementary toothbrush placed in the suite for her. When she was done, Amy stumbled sleepily to her bed where she was only just able to crawl under the covers. With that, she quickly fell asleep and let her body start digesting the stomach full of vegetables, fruit, baked goods, and a decent amount of gems. All in all, it was one of the best vegetarian meals she had eaten in a long time. She loved Lore Finder, but neither the pegasus nor her husband could cook worth shale.

Luckily for Amy, her night was blissfully dreamless. Not so lucky was that when Prim & Proper had come knocking at the brink of dawn, the dragoness felt as if she had just shut her eyes. Regardless, the long sleep did its job and Amy felt fully awake when she emerged from the shower, steam billowing off of her scales. That being the last item on her list of morning duties, the dragoness swung open the door to the hallway to find the butler pony waiting for her.

"So, Prim, is it time for breakfast? I'm so hungry I could eat a-," Amy stopped talking when she realized what she was about to say in front of what many creatures would call a meal with an opinion.

"Eat a what, Madam?" Prim & Proper asked, wondering if he could have the castle chefs prepare whatever it was she wanted.

The dragoness grasped for straws within her mind, trying to think of something big and not an animal. "Uh, uh, uhm, I could eat a... a pumpkin! Yeah! I'm so hungry I could eat a big ol' pumpkin!" Amy said quickly.

Prim & Proper stared at the dragoness for what felt like a good five minutes before saying, "I'm not sure what you were going to say, but I can tell you that the castle has griffon chefs on staff for carnivorous dignitaries. If you desire, I'm sure they can prepare you a meal to your liking."

Amy stared at the butler pony with a slightly slackened jaw and asked, "How did you know I was talking about meat?"

"Though I am unfamiliar with that particular saying, I have met meat-eaters before; and they quite often show the same nervousness as you just did when discussing their dietary habits around ponies," Prim & Proper answered. Amy nodded and began to follow when he started towards the dining hall. "The offer still stands if you feel like making a request," the butler said over his shoulder.

The dragoness didn't want to make anypony uncomfortable, but she would have been lying if she said she wasn't getting a little tired of an all gems and plant matter diet. "I guess, if it isn't going to cause any problems, I could go for something like that," Amy finally said.

Prim & Proper's only response was a miniscule nod that could have been part of his gait and the words, "Very good, Madam. Is there any dish in particular you would prefer?"

Amy thought about it before deciding, "Chef's choice is fine. Whatever a cook for royalty makes is sure to be pretty good after all."

"As you wish, I'll tell the staff... By the way, what was the proper ending to the idiom you spoke earlier?" the butler asked.

"Uh, I'd rather not say."

"I assure you, Madam, I won't be offended."

"I don't want to take the chance."

"Come now, it couldn't have been that bad."

"Just... drop it, Prim, you don't want to know. Besides, we're there."

Sure enough, the two were now standing outside the dining hall from last night. "Hmm, I'll go inform the staff of the slight change of plans," Prim said as he started to head down a different hallway.

"Hey, wait! Aren't you going to do the introduction thingy like last time?" Amy called after the butler.

"That won't be necessary. Their royal majesties wish this to be a meal between friends," Prim & Proper said without stopping.

Amy was a little confused, but understood the gist of what he meant. The idea of "hanging out" with royalty would normally go against her laying low lifestyle, but for Celestia and Luna, she would make an exception. Pushing the doors open revealed the two alicorns sitting as they had been last evening. Upon hearing the entrance, Luna looked from Celestia over to Amy and smiled broadly, "Ah! Good morning, friend! You're just in time to see my sister before her morning routine."

As Amy walked up she said, "What are you talking ab- Oh! What happened to you!?" The question was changed when Amy jumped back and pointed at the solar diarch. Celestia had dark bags under her bloodshot eyes and her coat lacked much of the shine it had the last time Amy had seen her. Her mane, while still flowing, had many knots in it, causing the colors to twist together. All in all, she looked like death.

Celestia gave the dragoness a tired smile, "Nothing," *Yawn* "I just haven't readied myself for the day is all."

Amy moved to her seat a little hesitantly. Despite Celestia's claim, the dragoness found it hard to believe that mere tiredness alone could make someone look so bad, and she didn't want to get sick. "Don't most people do that stuff before breakfast?" Amy questioned as she finally sat down.

"Sister can't stand doing anything before drinking her morning coffee; not even sit through her hoofmaidens' pampering," Luna answered for her sister upon seeing her nod off.

The night princess gained a mischievous smile and leaned towards her sister's ear, intent on scaring her awake, but was interrupted when the doors to the kitchen opened and a unicorn came out with a tray floating beside her. Reaching the table, the mare placed down the tray to reveal a couple of coffee pots, some mugs, a bowl of sugar, and a pitcher of milk. The mare then said that the food would be out shortly and left. Amy was curious as to why there was so much coffee, until its aroma reached the nose of the snoozing sun princess. Celestia's eyes shot open and locked on to one of the coffee pots. In an instant, it was levitated to Celestia's mouth and she was chugging the black contents. It wasn't until it was nearly half empty that she put it down with a large sigh.

Amy stared in amazement at the now much brighter-eyed alicorn before her. Said alicorn gave a tiny burp and an "excuse me" before looking to the stunned dragoness. "Ah, Amy, I'm glad you could make it, we have much to discuss," Celestia said, seemingly forgetting everything prior to drinking at least three cups of coffee.

"Ah, yeah, I guess we do. Today's the day of the ceremony... So, what's that gonna be like anyways?" Amy asked as she started pouring her own cup of coffee, adding generous quantities of cream and sugar.

At that moment, ponies came from the kitchen and started to place meals in front of those sitting at the table. Each plate was different and Amy was pleased with her own. At first glance, it appeared to be a simple, large omelette with a bit of parsley on top, but it was what was inside that counted. Amy could both smell and see peeking from the side of the egg dish, white meat flecked with red. The dragoness had been served a lobster omelette.

"It's nice to see you're taking full advantage of our kitchen's staff. Poor Gustav rarely gets to show his talents cooking for ponies alone," Celestia said as she took bites from a bowl of oats and honey, occasionally dipping her bran muffin in her pot of coffee.

Amy, who had already devoured half the omelette with all the ferocity of a predator, simply nodded her head, her full cheeks bouncing from the motion. Luna chuckled a little as she ate her more dinner oriented meal of lasagne and a glass of milk, "I thought you weren't going to be hungry enough for breakfast."

Swallowing the last of what was in her mouth, the dragoness responded, "It's not my fault, the food is just too delicious. It's a good thing I'm not staying much longer or I'd be leaving a few pounds heavier than when I got here."

"Ah yes, I suppose you will be leaving soon after the ceremony, won't you?" Celestia asked.

Amy nodded and answered, "Yeah, I figured either tonight or in the morning, depending on how things go."

"Tis a shame; we've just met, and already you are leaving. I would have found great pleasure in learning more about you and your adventures," Luna said a bit solemnly.

Amy's heart sunk a little at that, not wanting to make a new friend sad in less than a day. "Hey, we can still be pen-pals. I mean, I may not be around all the time, but you can send letters to Lore and she'll give them to me," the dragoness offered.

The smile returned slightly to Luna's face and she said, "I would like that, thank you Amy."

Amy smiled back and began eating the rest of her meal at a more sedate pace. Things only remained quiet for a minute before Celestia spoke, "You know, I too would like to learn more from you, though not entirely on a personal level. I am sure there is much you can tell us."

The dragoness looked a little confused, "What do you mean? Like, what I know about the other lands and stuff? Not to seem rude, but I hope you don't want me to spy or anything like that. I'm all for telling you about my adventures, but I'd rather stay out of politics."

Celestia's eyes widened at the response before she shook her head, "No, Amy, you misunderstand, I would never ask that of you. Mother forbid, diplomatic relationships have been strained between some countries, Equestria included, and I'd rather not disturb the hornet's nest. No, what I meant was that you could help us learn more about dragons."

The dragoness quirked an eye ridge in question. The sun princess saw the obvious confusion and elaborated, "What I mean is that even Luna and I, with our thousands of years of experience, know relatively very little about dragons and their ways. You could help us understand your kind better and, in so doing, perhaps help better dragon/pony relations."

Understanding came to Amy and she looked away from the pair of expectant eyes. "I'm probably not the best one to ask about that kind of stuff. I don't spend a lot of time around other dragons, ya know?" the dragoness explained weakly.

This didn't seem to deter Luna much however, and she tried to help her sister, "Even if you know not the entirety of dragon culture, you could still help teach us about other aspects of life for a dragon," the dark alicorn said before giving an example, "For instance, I always thought that dragons were born without wings and grew them in adolescence. Yet here you are, a dragoness long out of childhood who is wingless."

Both alicorns knew Luna had said something wrong when Amy's fork was bent in a clenched fist. The dragoness noticed this equally as fast and stuttered out an apology as she tried to bend the utensil back into shape. "That's... an odd misconception. Winged dragons are born with their wings... Only a certain race of dragons are born without them... how did you come to that conclusion anyways?" The dragoness said, trying to move the conversation away from herself. In truth, she was regretting not wearing her cloak and was feeling self-conscious without it hiding her form.

Celestia clearly saw her discomfort and tried to go along with Amy's silent wish. "As I've already said, ponies know very little about dragons, both in their habits and biology. As it is, we know dragons breathe fire, eat gems, fly... and that their eggs require magic to hatch. Infant dragons have rarely ever been seen," the sun princess said, not mentioning only one hatching and baby dragon had been observed in Equestria to date.

Amy had finished fixing her fork, though it was still a bit wavy, and halfheartedly went back to finishing her meal. "I'm not surprised, dragons prefer to hatch their young away from others and spend their first few years raising them in solitude. It's just the parents and their hatchlings in the beginning until the young can better protect themselves," the dragoness said, seeming to be more interested in her food than her words.

Luna jumped on the new topic, "Celestia said dragon eggs require magic to hatch, how do they get it?"

Celestia was the one who answered this time, "All dragon fire is magical in nature, the theory is that dragons must dose their eggs in flames until they gather enough of magic to hatch."

Amy smiled a little and tapped her nose. "Yep, it takes quite a lot of magic though, usually a year's worth of magic from both the mother and father, sometimes more," the dragoness said before getting a pained look on her face. "Hey, when's the ceremony going to be anyways?" Amy asked.

Celestia was glad to be taking the last step out of the conversation on dragons and into business, not liking the discomfort it brought the young dragoness. "It will start tonight, a few hours before dusk. At least that's when the guests will start arriving. If you wish, you do not have to be there until the ceremony is underway."

Amy looked like she wanted to accept the offer but after a moment of contemplation, she shook her head, "Nah, I better show up and mingle with the guests. The whole reason I came here was to make a name for myself amongst the elites. If I don't rack up some business from this, Lore Finder will chew me out." The dragoness shivered a little at the thought. Lore Finder had made Amy feel like a scolded child on more than one occasion and the dragoness wanted to avoid another tongue lashing if she could.

Celestia's eyes widened a little at the revelation before she chuckled, "How honest of you to admit such a thing. I hope you succeed in your endeavor though if it means more discoveries like the Sun Spire."

Amy's own eyes widened when she realized what she admitted and covered her mouth. "I didn't just say that out loud, did I?" the dragoness muffled from behind her hands.

Luna couldn't resist and started laughing loudly. "Oh, you most certainly did, though, We believe it quite noble of you to deal with Canterlot's most snooty to please a friend," said the dark alicorn when her laughter died down a little.

Amy snorted a little herself and loweered her hands. Giving the dark alicorn an incredulous look, the dragoness said, "Snooty? Is that proper terminology, Princess Luna?"

Said princess blushed a little, but didn't stop smiling, "Oh, 'tis accurate enough. I'm surprised those ponies don't bump into each other with how far up in the air their noses are."

Celestia rolled her eyes, but didn't disagree. "Yes, yes, the nobles are snooty, but they were a great help in running the kingdom after... you know," the sun princess finished lamely. The mood had been sobered by her words and Luna turned from happy to cheerless.

Amy could guess what Celestia was referring to and why it soured the mood, and, in a similar fashion to the princesses, wanted to move away from the melancholic topic. "Hey, snooty or not, they have deep pockets and I have a lot of expenses that need paying," the dragoness said with a toothy grin.

Luna smiled a little at that and said, "How advantageous of you, Amy. Though, I fear for our subjects' bank accounts after having a run in with a charmer such as yourself."

Amy's grin turned into a sly smile as she said, "Hey, any investment made to Amethyst Thistle and Co. is guaranteed to pay off... At least, that's what I'll be telling the guests tonight."

As amusing as the little back and forth was, Celestia finally cut in, "Yes, I'm sure you'll do fine tonight, but until then, I have preparations to see to and Luna should get some sleep so she can actually be awake for this event."

Celestia leveled Luna a deadpan stare and she replied with, "Twas not my fault! My alarm clock didn't go off!" When her sister's stare didn't change, Luna threw her hoofs in the air, "Fine, I find weddings boring! Are you happy now!?"

The day princess smiled a little and began to stand, "Very. Now, we really must be going. Amy, feel free to look around the castle and city. Prim will escort you anywhere within reason. Prim & Proper!" Amy didn't jump this time when the stallion appeared out of nowhere, and she could have sworn she saw a bit of disappointment flash across his face. "Would you be so kind as to be Amethyst's escort for the day and make sure she arrives at her celebration on time?" Celestia asked, more out of courtesy as the stallion would never refuse.

"It would be my pleasure, Princess," Prim said to the alicorn before turning to Amy, "Where would you like to go, Madam?"

Amy, not even realizing all three of them had finished their respective meals, hadn't really had a plan set for the day. Thinking it over, she looked to her escort and said, "Well, I guess we should head back to my room so I can get my cloak, then we'll just wing it from there." The dragoness swept an arm towards the doors and asked, "Ready to go?" Prim nodded his head and started walking, Amy following behind him.

"Perhaps asking her what she knew of dragons was not the best course of action to take. She seemed quite shaken when you did so." Luna pointed out as they both saw the purple tail disappear through the door.

Celestia sighed and said, "Yes, it was not the most tactful of attempts at gathering information, and I regret causing the girl discomfort, but you cannot deny that we learned something from the blunder."

Luna nodded once and commented, "I suppose. We now know that Spike will most likely not grow wings... I hope he takes it well."

Celestia began to leave the room, "We learned more than merely what her words told us, sister. Her actions were just as telling."

Luna silently agreed and followed her sister, going to greet two guests that had arrived last night.

~8~

Spike had spent most of the chariot ride as a jittery mess as the reality of the situation truly solidified within his mind. He was going to discover his true origins from a dragoness. A dragoness who was, more than likely, his blood relative, his sister if he guessed what she was going to say in the library right. There were so many questions Spike wanted to ask the mysterious Amethyst Thistle.

Who were his parents? Where were they? These two were very important to him, but there was another question that terrified him to ask. Why was he left in Equestria? This question, he held in, but the others and many others he had bounced off of Twilight and theorized the answers of. Something he was currently doing as the two finished a meal delivered to their rooms.

"Hey, do you think Pinkie Pie was onto something when she said I could be a prince? That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it?" Spike said as he bounced a little on the edge of the bed he was sitting on. He wouldn't complain to Twilight about it, but he definitely preferred having his own bed over the basket back at the library.

Twilight smirked a little and gave her assistant a sidelong glance as she pushed the serving trolley and plates outside the doors to be collected, "There's as much chance of you being a prince as there is of me becoming a princess."

Spike crossed his arms and said, "It could happen, and for all we know, it may be right."

Twilight's smirk grew a little sad as she made her way to the bathroom, speaking as she walked, "If you're a prince, than you'll probably have to leave to rule over the dragons." In truth, though she doubted that specific possibility, the idea of Spike returning to where he came from had played through her mind a few times since the dragoness burst into their library. It worried Twilight that her surrogate little brother may leave when all was said and done.

Spike stared at the lavender unicorn as she went through the doorway and he heard the faucet begin to run. Letting out a sigh and flopping back onto the bed, he said, "Yeah, that would suck... If I am the future ruler of the dragons, then I'll just do it from here." Though he didn't know what would be revealed to him when the time finally came to confront his past, he was adamant that it would not change the fact that Twilight was his family and that Equestria was his home.

His words helped lift Twilight's spirit a bit as she rinsed the remaining toothpaste from her mouth. "That would be a sight to see, maybe you'd have a throne next to the princesses," she said as she re-entered the room with a mane brush levitating besides her.

Spike lifted his head a little to look at the mare, "Where is Princess Celestia anyways? I thought we'd see her by now."

Twilight rolled her eyes in exasperation as she started to comb her mane out and answered the baby dragon's question, "Weren't you listening when we were greeted at the front entrance? The princesses won't be able to see us until tomorrow morning. Besides, it's way past your bedtime as it is; we can go over everything when we're all awake."

"Oh, come on, Twilight, I'm not a baby anymore. I just turned ten, for crying out loud!" Spike said to the unicorn.

"Which is still young, even by pony standards, and you're a dragon. Your body still has a lot of growing to do, and it needs sleep to do it," Twilight answered back with a well-rehearsed line. Getting the dragon to sleep was not too difficult on most nights, but the mare had had to remind him of his age for all sorts of things over the years.

Spike groaned and said in a pleading tone, "But Twilight, I can't just go to sleep right now. I can't stop thinking about talking to Amethyst."

The unicorn had to admit, the young dragon had a good point. Even she was going to have trouble sleeping tonight. Putting the brush down on the night stand between the two beds, Twilight rubbed her chin in thought before her eyes widened. "Aha, I got it! We'll just use the tranquility spell I learned to help me sleep the night before tests," Twilight exclaimed, "That was a real lifesaver when I was a little filly."

Spike searched his memories for a bit before snapping a claw and saying, "Oh yeah, I remember Princess Celestia teaching you that. Wow, that was a long time ago... Are you sure you can still cast it?" He didn't want to say it, but Spike was always a little worried when Twilight was casting spells on him. She hadn't hurt him or anything, but the dragon had read quite a few horror themed comic books that used a spell gone wrong for the premise.

Nodding her head in the affirmative, Twilight answered, "Of course I can, I still use it sometimes when I get really stressed out and breathing exercises aren't cutting it. It's a pretty simple spell."

Spike mulled it over before finally crawling to the middle of his bed and getting under the blankets. Sitting with his head above the pillows and lower body covered, Spike said, "Okay, I trust you. Hit me with your best shot." With that, the dragon shut his eyes and tensed a little, waiting for the mojo that never came. Opening one eye, the baby dragon looked at the mare sitting in the bed across from him, "What gives? Why aren't you doing the spell?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Twilight said, staring at him expectantly. When Spike only tilted his head confusion, Twilight dropped hers in resignation. Pointing a hoof to the bathroom, Twilight said, "Brush your teeth first, Spike."

Spike laughed a little nervously and jumped down from the bed. "Yeah, I'll do that," he said as he made his way to the bathroom. It took him only a few minutes to polish his fangs to a shine matching the gems they crushed and to make his way back to his bed. It was a little laborious to climb into the thing, as the mattress was level with his eyes, but he managed.

Once again in the position to sleep, he looked at Twilight expectantly and said, "Well?"

Twilight smiled as her horn lit up, "Okay, here we go. Just relax and let the magic soothe your mind." It wasn't a flashing beam or explosion of light that emanated from the unicorn's horn like Spike expected, but instead a softly glowing tendril of magic lazily snaked its way to the baby dragon's forehead.

Spike remembered seeing Twilight cast the spell on herself, but this was the first time he'd seen it cast on anyone else. "Cool," was all he managed to say before the magic finally reached him and he felt his entire body relax. All the scenarios that had been playing through the young dragon's mind started to fade away and were replaced with a soothing calm. Spike hardly realized he had fallen backwards and his eyes had closed. As he fell asleep, he began to dream of Rarity feeding him gems, causing a gentle smile to spread across his face while he slumbered.

Twilight watched him with a smile of her own as he began snoring softly before she turned her magic inwards so as follow his example of dreaming peacefully.

~8~

Little Amy stared in wonder as the large, emerald dragoness breathed a long, continuous stream of fire gently over the surface of a purple egg. The dragoness kept this up for a while longer before the flames started to peter out. When she did stop, it was accompanied by a large gasp for air. Her golden chest heaved in tandem with her breathing as she said, "I hope he gets here soon; I don't think I can keep this up much longer."

Amy looked up at the larger dragoness, worry clear on her face, "Why not take a break? I'm sure dad will be back soon, then he can take over."

The dragoness looked over to her daughter, "Oh, I wish I could, dear, but stopping the process, even for a few minutes would allow magic to start seeping out."

Amy's eyes went from her mother's to the egg, clearly in thought. Losing magic would mean having to put more back in, which, in turn, meant she'd have to wait longer to meet her little brother or sister. Suddenly, the answer came to her like a bolt from the blue. "I'll do it! I'll feed the egg!" Amy exclaimed, excited by both the prospect of being able to help her family and getting to flex her inner fire.

The dragoness looked a little concerned as she said in a calming voice, "I don't think that would be a good idea, Amy. Hatching a normal egg is already difficult, and this egg is special. I wouldn't want you exhausting yourself, or burning out your flame."

Amy looked determinedly into her mother's eyes and stomped her foot, "Come on Mom, I'm a great fire breather, I can do this!"

"I don't know dear, I just don't want you to hurt yourself," the dragoness said in a placating tone.

The child was going to retort, but was interrupted by the rumbling words of another, "Let her try, Love. You know our fire is stronger than that of other dragons."

Amy perked up and turned with a smile. The baby dragon ran to the approaching figure with an exclamation of, "Daddy!" before tackling the only front leg he had planted on the cave floor.

Though the girl was light, Onyx only had two of his three legs currently allotted to the task of holding him up and his daughter's enthusiastic hug disrupted his tentative balance. The large dragon flailed a bit with the gem laden arm that had been held to his chest, quite a few shiny morsels falling to the floor as he did, before he managed to correct his footing.

"It's good to see you, my little fire-starter," Onyx said as he sat down and Amy backed up sheepishly. He began to pick up the gems that had fallen, his daughter helping him. "Sorry I've been so long, Love. I had to go deep to find these gems," the large dragon said slightly quieter as he finished his task and moved a bit awkwardly towards his mate.

Amy jogged behind him with her small arms filled with their meal as her mother rose to her feet. As the dragoness did, her daughter could not help but admire her. This was her mother, Orchid, the one many believed to be the most beautiful dragoness of all. She was amazingly long and slender, her body widest at her flaring out hips and shoulders. Her lithe, muscled body was covered in bright green and golden scales that went well with her lighter green spines and piecing yellow eyes.

As Amy watched her mother stretch her stiff limbs, her gaze was drawn to what had unfurled behind her. A pair of large draconic wings rose from her mother's back, casting a large shadow along the cave's floor and walls. The sight of them sent a small pang of sadness through Amy's heart and made the bareness of her own back feel all the more prominent. The baby dragoness quickly squashed down the sentiment as she and her father reached their destination, reminding herself that she had gifts of her own that those with wings lacked.

When her parents neared each other, they shared a quick but loving embrace, laying their necks across each other's, Father lowering to do so. "It's alright, Onyx, I know it is getting more difficult to find food in these old caves," Orchid reassured her mate in response to his apology.

"It wouldn't be if we had a better place to live. You deserve better, Love, and this is no place to raise hatchlings," Onyx replied, his tone growing sadder as he went on.

Orchid put a claw to his lips, "Hush, you big lug, our children will be happy, healthy, and loved, no matter where we are." When she saw the small smile her words had brought to her mate, Orchid looked to her daughter, "Now, are you sure we should be letting Amy tend the egg? I don't want her exhausting herself."

This turned the black dragon's smile into a grin, "Of course she can do it! She is a magic dragon; her fire is far stronger than any dragon her age! Isn't that right, my little fire-starter?"

Amy jolted a little at having the attention brought back onto her, but soon donned a determined frown and furrowed brow as she placed the gems at her feet and stepped around them. "Sure is, Dad, I can definitely help my brother... or sister," the baby dragoness said.

Both parents looked to each other with proud smiles as their daughter's fire shined bright. Taking a small step back from the egg, Orchid said, "Go ahead dear, try your best... but if you feel tired, don't be afraid to stop. Your father and I won't think any less of you."

Amy chose to ignore the embarrassing conclusion to her mother's words, not intending to fail in this. Walking up to her sibling's egg, the older sister got on her knees and ran her hands over the smooth surface, memorized by the purple spots set upon a lighter background. Beneath this thin shell was her family, and the little dragoness noted with some worry that the heat from her mother's fire had started to seep through it, leaving the egg to cool. Not wasting any more time, Amy took a deep breath and released it upon the shell, a strong flame rolling from her mouth and over the egg.

"A little less, dear, it can only be taken in so fast, anymore will go to waste," Orchid said to her daughter in a hushed tone. The only acknowledgment she received for her advice was the intensity of the flames dropping. Amy was enraptured, watching her fire dance across the round surface in wisps and waves, mesmerized by the sight of her own essence being drawn through the shell and feeding the life inside.

The little dragoness lost all track of time as she continued to breathe life into her sibling, the breaks to take more air into herself hardly being noticeable as she did so. Amy only stopped when she felt her core start to grow cold and she gasped, gulping down oxygen to feed both her inner fire and her own lungs. The girl looked around, surprised to see her parents were no longer standing across from each other and instead were lying side by side on the other side of the egg. Her father was wearing a proud smile while her mother had a look of amazement on her face.

"I've always known she'd have a strong fire, but never that strong. Even I'd have to try hard to do that!" Orchid exclaimed as her own smile began to match that of her mate. Amy was both confused and proud when her mother reached forward and plucked her off the floor. As the large dragoness lightly held her to her golden chest, Amy craned her head back and asked, "Did I do good?"

Onyx burst into laughter that shook the cavern and Orchid looked down at her, "Good? You did great, dear! I've never seen a dragon your age hold a flame for so long, it's simply amazing."

It felt as if Amy's tired fire burst back to life as pride swelled in her chest. She was going to ask how long she had managed to last, but was cut off by an unexpected voice, "What's a freak like you have to laugh about?" The words hung heavily in the air and the atmosphere instantly soured. All three dragons looked to the cave entrance, Orchid putting her daughter down next to the egg and moved in front of them both protectively. Onyx joined her soon after, all traces of mirth gone from his face as he stared down the intruder.

"What are you doing here, Flem?" Onyx asked. Amy peeked between her mother's legs to get a better look at the dragon who had shown up. He was a portly thing, standing as tall as Orchid, allowing his large stomach to almost scrape the ground. True to his namesake, he had yellow scales, spines, and a white under belly, making the fat dragon resemble a freshly coughed up loogie.

Flem strutted towards the group with a superior's stride, but his swaying stomach ruined any illusion of nobility he tried to create "Oh, me and my brothers were just flying around, looking for something to do, when I decided to take a little break," The fat dragon said, walking up to the pile of gems that had been left on the ground and running a claw through it, continueing to speak as he did so, "I didn't expect to hear anybody out here in the middle of nowhere, especially not another dragon. So when I heard you, laughing like an idiot, I came to check it out, and look what I find, the freak and his freak loving mate."

Onyx growled at the insult to his wife, but refrained from doing anything to make the situation worse. Amy, on the other hand, was having trouble listening to this phlegm colored stranger insult her parents, and could bear being silent no longer when Flem picked up one of their gems and popped it into his mouth. "Hey! Those are ours, Fatso, go get your own!" the little dragoness yelled as she weaved between her. Before she could reach the dragon, she was snatched up by her mother and held protectively.

Unfortunately, this did nothing in preventing Flem from seeing the child, and what he saw made him snarl, "I knew it! I knew we should have hunted you freaks down when we had the chance! Now you're multiplying!" In what could be considered a very stupid move, the obese dragon stepped towards Orchid threateningly.

Before Flem even knew what was happening he was pinned against the wall with his windpipe was squeezed shut. "Insults are one thing, but no-one threatens my family!" growled Onyx as he held the now wheezing dragon high enough that only the tips of his hind claws were touching the ground.

Amy always knew her father was strong, but seeing him holding a tub of lard like that up with one arm and standing on only one leg was amazing. The little dragoness was pulled from her admiration and back to Flem as he barely managed to say, "You're... making a... big mistake... freak!"

Onyx's response was to tighten his grip on the fat dragon's throat, eliciting a squeak from him. The large, dark dragon was silent, bringing his other claw up to Flem's neck and started to twist his head slowly.

It was when pops began to be heard and Amy's eyes grew wide that Orchid quickly stepped to her mate's side and pulled on his shoulder. "Stop, Onyx! You can't do this, not in front of Amethyst," said the dragoness in a voice somewhere between telling and pleading.

Onyx looked over his shoulder and into his mate's begging eyes. When her words fully sunk in, he turned his gaze down meet that of his daughter's, and he saw that it was full of fear and confusion. He squeezed his own eyes shut upon seeing that, ashamed of being the cause of such things appearing on his daughter's young face. Without turning back to the mucus colored dragon, Onyx tossed him to the cave floor and brought his own front legs back under him.

Flem coughed harshly, reacquainting his lungs with air while rubbing his abused throat. His eyes roamed across the other dragons in the room, the most hate being directed at the dark dragon, before landing on the purple egg. When Orchid saw him looking at her unhatched child and heard the snarl, she knew she made a mistake in moving away from it. Onyx saw this as well and acted quickly, saying, "Leave, or I won't let you go again."

Flem stumbled to his feet, keeping his eyes on the egg that had been revealed when the dragoness had moved. "Don't think this is over freak, When my brothers hear about this, you're gonna be sorry!" the stronger dragon merely stepped forward with clear intent and bared his teeth.

The show did its job as the fat dragon fell backwards with a yelp. As he rolled over and scurried out the cave, he yelled back, "Just you wait! You're gonna pay for this!" With those final words, Flem reached the entrance and started beating his wings, their proportionally small size resulting in a laughably slow take off.

They watched in silence until he was out of sight. When he was, Onyx turned around and made his way to the egg. Without a word, he laid down and began to breathe fire onto the shell. Orchid and Amy followed soon after, mother laying next to father and daughter climbing in between.

It was Orchid who spoke first, "What are we going to do, Onyx? They know where we are now. What if Flem and his brothers do come here?" Though she was trying to stay calm, Amy could hear the slight quiver in her mother's voice, and it made her begin to shake in fear. Beyond worrying for her when she wandered off, the little dragoness had never seen her parents scared of anything.

Onyx continued to breath fire, not giving any indication that he had heard his mate until he finally stopped. "We look for a new home," the dark dragon said without turning his head.

"But where? This is the most gem rich area we could find," said Orchid. Though she did not say it out loud, all three of them heard what was unsaid; and we hardly have enough to eat as it is.

"Then I'll protect us, Love," replied Onyx. Before his mate could argue against such a thing, he added, "I'll never let anyone hurt my family, no matter what."

With that declaration, he bent his neck to nuzzle his mate and then down to peck the top of Amy's head. The words, combined with the loving gesture, quieted Amy's fears as all that had happened caught up to her. Nestling down, the little dragoness shut her eyes as Onyx turned his attention back to their youngest family member. Lying between two loving parents, Amy let the sound of her father's crackling fire carry her away.

~8~

Amy's eyes fluttered open and took in the sight of yellowed paper covered in small, black text. When she tried to lift her head, it stuck slightly to the parchment, and she heard the beginnings of a tear. Coming to a stop instantly, the dragoness reached up and peeled the paper slowly away from her cheek.

Amy looked down at what she had removed from her face, finding a book whose text had become unreadable. As she tried to puzzle out where she was exactly, she was startled by a masculine voice from behind, "I hope you enjoyed your nap, Madam."

Spinning in her seat, Amy came face to face with a familiar stallion as he approached. "What is it with you and scaring people, you weirdo! You're going to give someone a heart attack!" yelled the dragoness, glaring at the stallion as he fought to keep a smirk off his face.

Succeeding fairly well, Prim & Proper said, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Madam. I've simply been waiting until you were done with your studying."

Prim's words knocked loose the mental block in Amy's head and she remembered where she was and why. After retrieving her cloak from her room, the dragoness had decided to go into the city and see the sights. It was enjoyable enough... for a time at least. As much as she liked seeing the beautiful city, the suspicious glares quickly ground away Amy's patience and it was the accusation of shop lifting while browsing a book store that had her deciding enough was enough.

She knew it was partially her own fault for wearing a cloak with the hood pulled up, but the presence of a castle servant should have at least dampened any mistrust held by the pompous populace. After practically being chased out by the store owner, Amy just asked Prim & Proper to take her back to the castle. He completely agreed with the idea, not wanting to talk down anymore ponies from calling the royal guard.

The tour had eaten up a fair chunk of the time before that night's festivities, but there was still time to kill. Luckily, the walk around town had lasted long enough to give Amy a bit of an appetite and warrant lunch. Unlike her last two meals, this one was royalty free and she only had the company of Prim & Proper. The dragoness again ordered the chef's choice and was served grilled fish with lemon. After some persuasion, Amy managed to get her escort to sit down and eat with her, quite a feat when the stallion kept insisting that such a thing was not proper etiquette.

Even with the two eating together, conversation was pretty much non-existent. The most she could get out of him was what his daily duties consisted of. She complained a bit about how she was treated by the ponies outside and Prim apologized on behalf of their atrocious behavior. Eventually, they both finished and Amy had to think of something else to fill the time.

After being denied her chance of buying Lore Finder a souvenir, the dragoness decided to do something else nice for her best friend. Doing some thinking on the matter, Amy resolved to study up on pony history and lore, serving the dual purpose of avoiding another Sun Spire incident and getting Lore off her back about it. With her mind made up, the dragoness asked Prim if he could show her the royal library.

A small hint of relief flashed across the stallion's face as he told her to follow him. If Amy had to guess, he was probably happy at the thought of her being somewhere she couldn't make his job any more difficult. When she entered through the large doors and into the library, she was shocked by the sheer size of it. Amy had been told by a filly Lore Finder many years ago about her visit to the Canterlot Royal Library, and had subsequently joked that it sounded like Nerd Paradise. After she saw it for herself, however, the dragoness didn't understand how her completely accurate observation had earned her an only somewhat playful hoof-slap. Those things were dangerous.

Not sure exactly where to start, Amy had asked the librarian to direct her to the history section. The aging stallion, though grumpy about being pulled from his own reading, told her where to go and Amy soon had a stack of reading material sitting upon a desk. As the dragoness had theorized, pony history was comparatively boring when stacked against those of other kingdoms, countries and cultures. Even so, she read on, finding there to be spikes on interest, what with the reign of Discord, the conflicts between the three tribes before Equestria's formation, and more recent events found in newspapers.

She hit a particularly dry spell while reading a book on agricultural history in Equestria, when she shut her drying and strained eyes for a moment, or at least she thought it was a moment. "How long was I out, anyways?" Amy asked as she felt her face and the moisture on it.

She turned her back to him and wiped the drying tears from her face as he answered, "Long enough, Madam, that the ceremony is in one hour."

Amy almost spun around again, but stopped herself, opting to berate the stallion while looking away, "Are you serious!? What were you thinking letting me sleep that long!?" Amy huffed and looked down before saying, "And I drooled over this book, too! I hope that come out of your pay."

Prim & Proper came up beside the dragoness and looked at the smudged and slightly torn page of the large history book she had been reading, "I had every intention of waking you up if you had slept any longer; I just thought that after the nerve fraying experience earlier today may have left you needing a little rest. As for the book, I'm sure Dewy Decimal will understand; there's no reason to worry."

He looked to Amy and she turned her head away. The stallion sighed a little to himself and said, "If I may be so bold, Madam. You should freshen up before the ceremony... you have something on your face."

Amy gave a sigh of her own, having a good idea what he was talking about. The dragoness moved the book aside and used the well-polished surface of the wooden desk as a makeshift mirror. Though not perfectly reflective, Amy could make out the tear stains running from her slightly reddened eyes to her left cheek. She expected these things. What she had not expected however was the large ink splotch on her face.

Amy brought a hand up once again to wipe at her stained cheek, but was unable to remove it. The butler stallion once again spoke, "May I suggest soap and water, Madam?"

The dragoness finally turned and gave him a light knock to the top of the noggin, "Yeah, real funny, Wise Guy. Just take me back to the room, will ya. I need to get ready, and that includes cleaning this gunk off me." With that, Amy got up and stomped out of the library, glaring at the librarian when he looked as if to shush her. Prim & Proper rubbed his head, more to straighten his mane than to sooth any pain, and followed after the annoyed dragoness.

Amy could hear her escort stop and exchange a few words with the other stallion, but she was to0 agitated to care what the two said. After the awkwardness during breakfast, the day had only gotten worse. First were the glares, than the accusation, and then a pony she hardly knew saw her cry. Absentmindedly rubbing her sullied cheek, Amy thought to herself, "I wonder what will go wrong next?"

~8~

Spike could hear something in the distance, but ignored it in lieu of remaining in blissful slumber. Unfortunately the sound missed the memo and continued on, getting louder as it went. Spike rolled away from the annoyance and pulled the blankets over his head to block it out, but the sound only got more distinct with time. The baby dragon could now recognize the sound of a vaguely familiar voice saying something. Whatever it was was no concern of his, however, and he just told it to leave him alone, though his words were muffled by the cloth shield he had erected.

His words went unheeded, as whoever owned the now identified as feminine voice started poking him. Spike could make out his name, but still swiped a claw backwards and restated his wishes to be left alone. This was a mistake apparently, as Spike heard the voice grunt in annoyance. The baby dragon felt something envelop him and heard the agitated voice say, "I said, get... Up!"

With that, Spike was hoisted up into the air, blanket falling from his awakened form as he ascended. He yelped and started flailing his arms, looking around frantically for his attacker. His eyes soon landed on the scowling face of Twilight Sparkle, horn glowing with magic. "What gives, Twilight!? I was trying to sleep!" Spike said, on the verge of yelling.

Twilight rolled her eyes at that and said, "I could see that. As for 'what gives' breakfast his here." With that, she motioned with a hoof towards a food laden trolley.

"I would have ate when I felt like it... And put me down, will ya!" the baby dragon punctuated his command with another bout of flailing.

Twilight released her magical hold, allowing Spike to fall to the mattress with a yelp as she said, "Even if it wasn't time to get up, the princesses are supposed to be arriving shortly, and I would prefer not to eat in their presence." Spike untangled himself from the sheets commenting on how he doubted they would mind. "That doesn't matter, Spike. It's disrespectful and I would rather avoid it if possible. Now eat up," Twilight told him as she magically moved the trolley between their beds and climbed onto her own.

Spike grumbled, but complied, and the two ate in silence. Despite their mundane argument, neither could deny how nervous they were. Today was the day everything would change, and though they hoped for the best, they knew that it could end poorly. Amethyst could refuse to talk to them, or try and flee again, and there was, of course, the possibility that the young dragon's past was not at all a happy one.

Spike didn't particularly enjoy the meal, as he had not yet washed the taste of sleep from his mouth before eating, something he rectified after with a trip to the bathroom. With that, the two sat in silence as they waited for the princesses. A wait that was, luckily, not too agonizingly long, cut short by a knock at the door.

When the two shouted simultaneously for whoever was at the door to enter, it was revealed to be the celestial alicorns. Twilight was off the bed in an instant to greet Princess Celestia with a hug, as had become the norm in recent years. "It is nice to see you again, my faithful student, though this is more than a casual visit," said the solar alicorn as she lifted her head and looked into Spikes eyes.

"Indeed we do," Princess Luna said as she stepped forward, "we've learned much of our new friend, Amethyst Thistle, that I'm sure young Spike would wish to know about."

Twilight stepped back and looked at the princess of the night, head slightly tilted as she asked, "Friend? Didn't you just meet her yesterday?"

"Yes, I would most definitely count her amongst my friends. Besides, didn't you yourself find five good friends in a single night?" Luna asked back with a smirk.

Twilight blushed, "Noted. I guess I'm just surprised, after how she acted yesterday, I figured she'd have been..." the unicorn struggled a moment while searching for the right word, "shy around two princesses."

"And she was, as most anyone is when first meeting us, but she was very friendly and charming after the initial nervousness faded," Celesta answered.

Spike, who had been listening as the ponies talked about his probably-sister, could no longer contain himself, "Tell me about her! Was she funny!? What kind of things did she talk about!? Did she tell you about her adventures!? Did she mention me!?" As the baby dragon spoke, he hopped off of the bed and made his way to the princesses, putting his hands together in a pleading gesture before saying, "You gotta tell me!"

Both alicorns leaned back with eyes widened in reaction to Spike's desperate plea. They were still a little surprised when Twilight removed him from their personal space with her magic, causing him to release an indignant "Hey!" as she did.

"Spike! You know better than to act like that with the princesses!" Twilight reprimanded before she looked to the royal ponies apologetically, "Please forgive him, Princesses, he's just been really excited since coming to meet Amethyst Thistle."

It was Celestia who recovered first, a soft, kind smile appearing on her beautiful features, "There's nothing to apologize for; I understand how exciting this must be for both of you." The sun princess lowered herself onto the carpet, taking a moment to get comfortable before she spoke, "Now, why'd don't we all sit down and talk?"

Spike didn't hesitate, plopping down, and Luna only thought on it for a moment before settling down herself, legs curled up underneath her, but Twilight stayed standing, looking on in horror. Celestia cut off her student's arising statement about how the princesses shouldn't have to sit on the floor and that they should at least use the beds. "This isn't a council meeting, just a get together between friends. Please, Twilight, have a seat," the princess asked in a calming tone.

That did the trick, though Spike thought he saw a flash of sadness across Princess Celestia's face as her student took her request as more of an order, lying down with a quick, "yes, Princess," and even offering the alicorns pillows from the beds. Luna accepted the offer, placing the pillow under her forelegs, which got an eye roll from her sister.

Once they were all settled in, Celestia looked to Spike and asked the question he was more than glad to answer, "So, what would you like to know, Spike?"

"Everything."

Expecting that answer, the princess began, "Well, I suppose I should start at the beginning..."

And so it went, Celestia spoke of their dinner and how it had only taken a request to turn the affair into a less formal one; a fact that Spike was proud of and Twilight was amazed by. The princesses told of their conversations and the many stories Amy regaled them with, starting with the discovery of the Sun Spire, although this was done after Celestia stated, "You didn't hear this from me." This took quite a bit of time as Spike wanted to hear as many details about Amy's adventures as he could. Luna did a spectacular job of retelling the adventurer's exploits, somehow making them sound even more exciting than the dragoness had. Celestia often spoke a few words here and there while Luna wove the tales, and Twilight would excitedly point out which stories correlated with which Daring Do novel.

Eventually, the two neared the end of all that had occurred the night before, telling how they parted ways. "That can't be all of it; she must have said something more!" Spike exclaimed. He knew the princesses weren't going to be grilling her for information, but he had hoped they would have learned more about her past. It wasn't that the baby dragon didn't like hearing about his probably-sister's adventures, but he had hoped to learn more of her youth and family.

"I know you must feel disappointed, young drake, but it was never our intention to interrogate Amethyst Thistle. She is a guest of honor, after all," answered Luna.

Before he could say anything in response, Celestia spoke, "Do not worry Spike. Though we did not learn much from dinner, we did gain some new insight during breakfast." The baby dragon scooted forward, asking what it was they learned, not noticing the slightly sad tinge in the solar alicorn's voice. "Well, in our attempt to learn more about dragons, we confirmed the process dragons use to hatch their young," said Celestia hesitantly, trying to stall in revealing the more important discovery.

Twilight clapped her front hooves together, "So they do use dragon fire to transfer magic to the egg!"

The unicorn was too excited too have noticed her teacher's behavior, but Spike caught on and asked, "What else did you learn?"

It was Luna who started, "Well, she came to the dining hall without her cloak, and I noticed something...odd."

"Sister asked why Amy lacked wings," Celestia finished, deciding to treat the situation like a stuck on bandage.

Twilight cocked her head in question. "But I thought dragons grew their wings in adolescence."

Though Twilight hadn't quite grasped what the princesses were trying to say, Spike had an inkling of what they were trying to say, and it made a pit form in his stomach. "She isn't going to grow them, is she?" the young dragon was more making a statement then asking a question.

The sun princess had a solemn expression when she saw the resignation on Spikes face. "No, as it turns out, dragons have wings from the day they hatch. As Amy told us, she is of a unique race that never get them... I'm sorry, Spike, I know how much you looked forward to flying one day," said Celestia, sounding truly remorseful for having to deliver him bad news. Twilight caught on then, and hugged her surrogate brother.

Spike didn't really register the comforting embrace as he lost himself in thought. The revelation wasn't actually as shocking as the ponies around him thought. He had suspected the moment Amethyst had come barging through the library doors yesterday, but had tried to put it in the back of his mind. If he were being completely honest with himself, Spike had suspected the fact that he would never be able to fly under his own power long before he saw the dragoness, though he could never tell why. "I suppose it makes sense now, my body knew It wasn't suppose to fly from the beginning," the baby dragon thought in resignation.

He was brought from his musing when he felt Twilight begin to shake him. "Spike... Spike! Snap out of it Spike!" the unicorn practically yelled, the vigor of her shaking increasing with her voice.

Spike pushed on her chest as he said, "I'm okay Twilight, I was just thinking. Calm down will ya?"

Twilight bent down and looked him in the eye for a moment before sitting back up and sighing, "Sorry, I was just worried you went into shock or something... Are you sure you're okay with this?"

The baby dragon sighed himself, but his wasn't in relief like hers. Looking to the side, Spike spoke, "Yeah, Twi, I'm sure... I kind of figured as much before now anyways, this just confirms it." The dragon then turned to look at all of them and added with a small smile, "At least now I won't be waiting for something that will never come."

Each of the ponies seemed to have varying levels of surprise on their faces, though Twilight beat the other two with her mouth falling open slightly. Celestia, however, was the first to recover; a small, but proud smile appearing on her lips. "That's very mature of you, Spike, I'm glad you won't let this slow you down in life," said the white alicorn.

"Hey, why worry about things you can't change, right?" the dragon responded, his weak smile becoming more genuine.

"Verily! I agree, Young Drake, and there may very well be something else your kind can do that winged dragons can't do." Luna added, hoping to brighten the mood even further.

Spike hadn't thought of that possibility, but now that she had mentioned it, he felt his curiosity rising. "You think so?" the dragon asked as he put a hand to his chin in a classic thinking pose.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was. I mean, the three pony tribes have their own unique attributes and abilities, maybe the same is true for different kinds of dragons," Twilight commented, the possibilities noticeably lighting her eyes and a wide smile starting to split her face.

Spike scooted away from her, already knowing what the prospect of discovery did to the mare.

Celestia must have noticed Twilight's change in demeanor as well, speaking before her student could go off the deep end... again, "I took note of something else that could be of importance when Luna asked the question. She tensed and became very uncomfortable when it was asked. So much so that she crushed a fork with her bare hand without even realizing it."

That got Spike's attention and he voiced his disbelief, "Really? Why?"

"We do not know the answer to that, as we did not push the topic and risk upsetting her anymore than she already was," Luna answered, "but it is safe to assume that her lack of wings is a delicate subject for her."

Twilight voiced the question he himself was thinking, "But why? What could have happened to make her feel that way?"

"I'm afraid the only one who can answer that is Amy herself, and until she tells us, we can only theorize," Celestia answered.

That brought Spike back to the whole reason why he had come to Canterlot, and he said as much, "But when? We've been here since last night and I haven't even seen her yet."

"I know you are anxious, young drake, but sister and I both think it would be better to wait until after the ceremony tonight," said the princess of the night.

It wasn't voiced, but they all knew why it was this way. Amethyst Thistle was willing to fill an entire street with smoke to get away from Spike when she saw him, and she could pull a similar stunt here to escape. If that occurred, the ceremony would more than likely not be happening. Then again, Spike personally thought learning of his origin was more important than a fancy party, although he did not say it out loud; he was sure that the princesses had their own reasons for wanting things to go off without a hitch.

"I've gone this long without knowing, I guess I can wait a little longer," Spike began, "So how are we going to do this? I mean, she'll probably try and run again, after all."

Celestia and Luna looked at each other before turning back to Spike and Twilight The older sister said "Well, we've considered that possibility, and here's what we're going to do..."

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire once again.

Chapter 5

When Amy had reached her destination, the first thing she did was clean her cheek in the bathroom. Drying her face off, the dragoness noticed the scales there now shined a little brighter than the rest of them. With a sigh, Amy set to work on wiping down the rest of her body. She may not have been one for getting fancied up, but that didn't mean she wasn't going to look decent for a fancy party in her honor.

Wiping away the last bit of dust that had built up over the day's events, the dragoness left the dampened washcloth in the sink and exited the bathroom, scales shimmering under the chandelier. "How long we got until it's time to get this party started, Prim?" asked Amy as she shook out her cloak and threw it over her shoulders.

"Thirty minutes, Madam," was the curt reply.

"Really? What am I suppose to do until then? Jog around the castle?" Amy asked rhetorically.

Not missing a beat, Prim & Proper answered, "The princesses will already be there overseeing the preparations; you could join them in the task."

The dragoness thought about it and came to the conclusion that it was a pretty good way to past the time. "Well, okay then, take me down, Prim," the dragoness said.

"Very well, this way, Madam," said the butler pony as he once again began to walk away.

Amy was tempted to say something about the habit, but figured there was no point. Instead, she decided to get some information, "So, what kind of ponies should I expect to see there anyways?"

"The nobility will, of course, be attending as well as much of Equestria's elite. Business ponies will be in attendance, such as Filthy Rich of the super market chain, Rich's Barnyards Bargains, and Fancy Pants-," as soon as he said the name, the dragoness behind him snorted loudly and missed a step. "Is something wrong, Madam?"

Amy pounded on her chest a few times and coughed, "Fine... Just... didn't expect that name is all."

Prim looked over his shoulder, "Have you heard of him? He is one of the most active and well-known entrepreneurs in Equestria. Fancy Pants has quite a few dealings outside of the kingdom as well if I remember correctly."

Disguising the chortles as a clearing of her throat, Amy spoke, "He sounds like somepony I should talk to then. Fancy Pants, was it? Yeah, I'll look for him."

"Well, if you are going to be greeting guests at the door with their Highnesses, then you should have no trouble meeting him," the stallion said before nodding forward. "And speaking of doors..."

The dragoness looked down the hall to see ponies buzzing in an out of a small doorway, many of them either carrying or pushing decorations. The two of them had to weave through the herd to get through, entering into what looked to be the back of a very large room. All around her, Amy could see modest decorations being hung up via pegasus wing or unicorn horn as well as various tables being laden with food and drank.

In the middle of this stood Princess Celestia, giving out orders in a loud, but agreeable tone, "Yes, put the punch near the dance floor; we don't want ponies getting thirsty. Oh, you there, adjust that drape; it's hanging lower than the rest." When the solar diarch saw Amy approaching, she flashed a brilliant smile. "Ah, Amy, it's good to see you! I apologize for all this, a surprise visit from a certain Spirit of Chaos resulted in some work having to be redone," her mood visibly soured when she spoke of this, but it quickly became friendly again. "So, how was your day? I hope you found Canterlot accommodating."

The dragoness didn't really want to tell her friend the trouble her subjects had caused her, so simply said, "Well, there were a few bumps in the road, but I enjoyed myself well enough." Amy looked around the room, noting the dark purple and green draperies arching across walls and pillars, as well as the ones that converged at one point in the middle of the room, colors alternating and all hanging perfectly level with each other. The dragoness couldn't help but feel a little flattered and whistled to show it, "You didn't have to theme the place after me, ya know? Though I have to admit, it gives the ballroom some real class."

"Of course we did, all of this is in your honor, after all," replied Celestia. "Besides, Sister insisted we do it this way."

At the mention of the lunar diarch, Amy once again started looking around, "Where is Princess Luna anyways? I was told you were both down here."

The elder alicorn put a hoof to her chin in thought, "I believe she said something about overseeing the kitchen staff."

Just as she finished, a pair of double doors flew open as a blue blur came flying through them. "And stay out!" shouted a heavily accented voice. Soon after, a large, grey griffon came out, a fierce scowl formed at the base of his beak, though it was made slightly comical by the grandiose, curly-Q mustache sprouting from his face. Below the tall toque, the griffon's dark eyes shooting daggers at the moon princess, who had made some distance sliding across the floor on her tush.

Her own eyes spun in their sockets a moment longer before she stopped them with a vigorous shake of her head, followed by her own glare back at the griffin. "How dare you toss a royal princess of Equestria as if she were some vagrant! You will be going to the dungeons for this, Chef!" Luna yelled at her feathered adversary with a pointed hoof, the threat losing some weight because she was still sitting on the floor.

The griffon's response was a ladle being waved threateningly in her direction and the words, "Try it, and you will feel the full wrath of Chef Gustav!" With that, he disappeared into his kitchen, mutterings about culinary assassins and no respect as he did.

Celestia and Amy approached the rising alicorn, hearing her murmuring curses long lost to time under her breath. When she was on her hooves, she noticed the silence and all eyes on her. "Return to thine duties, we must make haste if we wish to finish before the guests arrive!" Luna barked. She turned to her sister and friend, her scowl only loosening a little, "I demand that cur be punished, Sister, he assaulted me!"

"We both know Gustav is too valuable to fire. There are very few chefs in Equestria willing to handle meat, after all, and that griffon is one of the best," the elder sister reasoned. "Besides, you're not hurt and I'm sure Gustav had his reasons for being angry."

Though she did not say it, Amy could hear the accusatory tone, and from the slight coloring of Luna's cheeks, she could as well. "He most certainly did not! I was gracious enough to donate my royal palette to the task of taste testing this evening's fare, and that loon started yelling at me! If anything, he should have been grateful to have our royal taste buds at his disposal!" asserted the younger alicorn.

Celestia rolled her eyes and said, "I am not going to punish a chef just because you can't keep your hooves out of his work."

The moon princess narrowed her eyes, "You only refuse to punish him because he makes the best tiramisu in Equestria."

"... Be that is it may, my point is still valid, Sister," Celestia countered, her own cheeks coloring at the accusation.

When it looked like Luna was about to retort, Amy piped up, "Uh, hey princesses... I'm still here, ya know."

Her words had the intended effect as both alicorns turned to her with abashed looks on their faces, the younger more so than the elder. "Oh, how rude of me, my apologies Amethyst, sometimes my sister and I get so engaged in our debates that we forget the world around us," Luna said sincerely.

"No problem Princess, it happens to the best of us," the dragoness said before focusing on something behind the two. "Although... it looks like we'll have to talk later."

Both princesses looked to see what Amy was talking about and saw a pair of well-dressed ponies enter the ballroom. Princess Celestia sighed and said quietly, "So much for being fashionably late," before looking back to Amy and asking, "Are you ready to greet some of your potential financial backers?"

"As I'll ever be... talk to you later Princess Luna," was the answer.

Luna nodded, "I look forward to it, but until then, I'll tend to the last of the preparations."

The dragoness waved over her shoulder, but her heart wasn't in it. Amy was more focused on the ponies who she would be interacting with for the duration of this shindig, and worried the new arrivals would form a trend. Amy vaguely recognized the two from some of the ponies who glared at her in the city, and judging from the shocked looks on their faces, they recognized her as well.

"I just had to jinx myself in the library, didn't I? Welp, nothing to do about it now but smile and wave," the dragoness thought, following her own advice afterwards. Unfortunately, flashing a toothy grin and holding up a hand in greeting at two nervous ponies when you have a mouth full of razor sharp fangs and lethal looking claws is not a good idea. On the contrary, when trying to seem non-threatening, it is the complete opposite. The mare fainted, eyes rolling back into their sockets and forehoof flying dramatically to her forehead as she toppled over. The stallion did nothing for his companion as she fell, too busy staring wide-eyed at the dragoness walking side by side with Princess Celestia.

One was unconscious while the other's jaw was dangling loosely and pupils shrunk down to pinpricks. Amy couldn't help but quietly comment from the side of her mouth, "Well, I think we can cross those two off the list for potential backers."

The sun princess only stared, her own eyes slightly widened in surprise at the guests' reactions. Silently, she agreed.

~8~

The day had been... interesting since the princesses took their leave that morning. After going over how they would confront Amethyst, Twilight and Spike had a long while to wait and nothing in particular to do. Of course, the egghead unicorn had suggested that the best way to spend the time was in a library, and not having any better ideas, the young dragon agreed under the condition that Twilight would be putting her own books away.

The mare had immediately went to find all the books containing information on dragons when they had reached the library, stating that she wanted to reread them in case she ended up doing a paper when all was said and done. Though it bugged Spike a little that Twilight was thinking about writing a paper on what could be the most important moment of his life, he was able to forgive the book-obsessed unicorn as he knew doing research was how she calmed her nerves.

Stopping to exchange small talk with Dewy Decimal, a stallion he had gotten to know fairly well when he and Twilight still lived in Canterlot, Spike eventually decided to do some of his own research. The start of this was to ask his lavender friend what discoveries Amethyst Thistle was credited for. After sitting through Twilight's lecture about the history of archaeology and its recent finds, Spike eventually had a list of things to look up. Asking Dewy for his help in digging through the archives, the young dragon soon had a stack of old newspapers and scholarly journals piled high on one of the many desks in the library.

His intentions were to learn more about the mysterious dragoness who had, quite literally, come bursting into his life. As he had already learned all he could from the princesses, Spike figured the next best source would be articles revolving around what she had discovered. Unfortunately, her name was only mentioned in passing and, in some cases, not at all when reading about her work in the field.

In most articles he read, Spike saw some pictures of a pegasus mare shaking hooves or standing behind podiums, though even these were few and far between. In these cases, Lore Finder, as Spike soon found out, was often giving small apology speeches on behalf of Amethyst for not being able to make it to this or that unveiling and accepting awards in her stead.

If Spike gained anything from his research, it would have to be the swelling pride in his chest. Simply hearing the names of the discoveries she had found was one thing, discovering the significance of what some of them held was another thing entirely. The young dragon's blood relative had altered history books with the knowledge she had uncovered and potentially saved thousands of lives by getting dangerous artifacts under lock and key.

He was in the middle of reading about one such artifact, an amulet capable of converting souls into magical energy, when a voice from behind asked, "What are you reading there?"

Jolting a little at the sudden sound, the young dragon turned strained eyes to the one who had spoken, "Don't do that Twilight! You almost gave me a heart attack."

The unicorn watched her surrogate brother pat his chest with clear remorse, "I am so sorry Spike, I didn't realized you were so engrossed in your studies of... whatever it is you're studying." When Spike said he forgave her, she beamed and asked excitedly, "So, what are you reading anyway!? From the stack of material, I take it you really are doing research. Oh, I'm so proud of you Spike! You're finally taking an interest in academics instead of those silly comic books!"

"Hey! The Power Ponies are not stupid!" Spike said defensively before adding, "And I'm looking into the stuff Amethyst has done."

Twilight cocked her head as she came to the young dragon's side, placing her own pile of books on the desk as she looked down at what he was reading, "Oh, what have you found?"

Spike's frown instantly flipped upside down when given an opportunity to share the amazing things his kin had done. "All sorts of stuff! Amethyst is a real-life Daring Do!" the dragon said exuberantly as he turned back to the newspaper he was reading. "Look here, this is an article about how she stopped this bad guy from using the Amulet of Ammit to suck out the souls of the gem jackals in Iwiwgypt. How cool is that!?"

"Yeah, besides the fact that all those people almost had the life sucked out of them, pretty cool," the unicorn said with a stern look, though Spike heard the teasing undertone.

The young dragon gave the mare a playful shove, "Ah, come on Twilight, don't spoil this for me. I mean, my sister's a hero!"

Upon hearing Spike say that, Twilight gained a sardonic smile. "She sure is; Amethyst Thistle is pretty great," the unicorn said with false cheer.

This was the first time anyone had actually said out loud what both where thinking. To the unicorn, the act of speaking the words made real the fact that, yes, Amethyst Thistle was Spike's real sister. Twilight couldn't even use anger towards the dragoness to help soften the blow anymore because, after hearing the princesses sing her praise, the unicorn doubted there was anything malicious behind Spike's appearance in Equestria.

The young dragon, of course, saw most of this churning in the mare, for even if she didn't have the worst poker face in the kingdom, Spike had still known her his entire life. Standing in his seat, the dragon wrapped his arms around Twilight's neck and whispered, "Yep, both of my sisters are awesome heroes."

The unicorn couldn't stop the happy tears from falling from her eyes as she brought a foreleg up to return the embrace. "And our little brother is the sweetest dragon I know," Twilight whispered back, both his words and the hug washing away her fears.

It's hard to say exactly how long the two would have stayed like this if they had gone on without distraction. As it was, a gurgling noise rumbled forth from Spike's abdomen, causing both their eyes to open. "Aaand the moments gone; good going Spike," said Twilight with some humor.

"Hey, it's not my fault! I haven't eaten since breakfast and reading works up an appetite," Spike shot back with false indignation before asking, "Mind if we go to the kitchens and see if they'll make us anything?"

The mare removed herself from the hug and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. "They're probably pretty busy with tonight's preparations, that's why I came looking for you, to ask you a question. Do you want to go into the city and get something to eat?" Twilight asked.

"Can it be Pony Joe's?" he asked back.

Twilight rolled her eyes and poked the little dragon's plump belly, "Don't you think you get enough sweets from Sugarcube Corner?"

Spike pushed the hoof away and said, "Hey! Joe serves more than just doughnuts, ya know? You ever think maybe I was going to get something different?" When Twilight deadpanned in response, the young dragon sighed, "Can we go or not? I haven't had a Pony Joe doughnut since the Gala."

Twilight smiled triumphantly and said, "Sure, let's put all this stuff away and then we'll go."

Spike smiled when the unicorn proceeded to pick up a stack of books in her magic and trot away... until he realized she had left all of his things on the desk. The young dragon face-palmed as he remembered the terms of the agreement for coming here. The one time Twilight agreed to put her own stuff away and Spike just had to make work for himself instead. "Am I ever going to be able to go into a library without having to clean up after a research binge?" the dragon silently asked the powers that be before grabbing the top part of his pile and taking it to its proper place.

~8~

Amy was glad that the first two guests were the minority in terms of how guests had reacted to her. Taking a lesson from that encounter, the dragoness had kept her hands under her cloak and kept her smile close lipped while she greeted ponies with "A pleasure to meet you," and "I'm glad you could make it."

For the most part, those arriving kept their composure well, some openly gasping while others simply widened their eyes. All of them, however, returned her greeting with their own as they entered into the growing crowd behind her and the sun princess. Amy's sharp hearing could pick up a few traces of conversation, most of it about the guest of honor being a dragon. Said dragon was somewhat happy that the number of negative remarks about her species was fairly low, only the snootiest ponies remarking about the supposed insanity of letting a beast into Canterlot. Other than that, the only negative comment she picked up was on her poor fashion sense, which even Amy would admit to. She knew a travel cloak wasn't appropriate for fancy parties, but buying a dress was the last thing on her mind when she was coming here.

Once all the guests had arrived, both the princess and dragoness went to mingle with the crowd, Celestia whispering that the speech wouldn't be for awhile longer. Making sure to avoid those giving her dirty or hostile looks, Amy was surprised to find herself enjoying the company of these high class ponies.

She was first approached by a light blue mare with a white mane. The dragoness knew she would be an odd one just by looks alone, what with wearing a black and white striped dress and sunglasses with huge, pink lenses. The prediction turned out to be spot on as the earth pony walked around her, looking the dragoness up and down. When the blue mare stopped in front of her, she got up on her hind hooves and threw open her cloak. Ignoring Amy's indignant shout and scanning her with a critical eye, the mare started talking in an accent the dragoness would place from somewhere in Germaney, about her body.

It was only the facts that the mare was complimenting her figure as, "Lithe but strong," and saying her scales were "Smooth un' beautiful," that kept Amy from decking her. Really, the odd stranger was lucky the dragoness hadn't grown up in a clothed culture or they would have some serious problems. Before things started to get out of control, however, another earth pony approached and pulled the mare down onto all four hooves. He was a grey stallion with a silver mane, and like his companion, he was wearing large shades as well. He apologized for his date's rude behavior, ignoring her denials of fault and introduced himself as Hoity Toity.

Despite the rough start, Amy found Hoity Toity and the mare, Photo Finish, to be agreeable; talking about foreign fashions she had seen and even being offered a modelling gig. Declining the offer, the dragoness bid the two goodbye and eventually found herself talking to another group of ponies.

This one consisted of the earth ponies, Filthy Rich, Silver Plate and their dates, who were in fact their little fillies. The brown stallion soon began telling Amy about his plans of expanding his business chain outside the borders of Equestria and the dragoness told him what she knew to be in short supply outside the kingdom. Silver Plate asked her about less business oriented subjects, explaining that the Silver family was what many would call "old money".

The fillies were less interested in meeting a dragon. The pink one, Diamond Tiara, actually made some offensive remarks about how Amy only did what she did for the gems before being reprimanded by her father. After that, the group wandered off, Filthy Rich probably taking his daughter aside to better punish her for embarrassing him, and Amy soon found herself looking for another pony to talk to.

It was in this search that she came upon a beautiful, white unicorn mare with a light pink mane and her date. They both seemed very nice, which is why the dragoness put extra effort into not laughing when they introduced themselves as Fleur De Lis and her fiance, Fancy Pants. Succeeding, Amy kept a straight face as she greeted the unicorns and even told the blue-maned stallion that she had heard good things about him. Though it was a little exaggerated, it got things going and it wasn't long before Fancy Pants was showing interest in financing her exploits.

"Yes, and even if I do not achieve direct financial gain, I'm sure being credited with assisting the recovery of history would help in many other ways," said the stallion to a broadly smiling dragoness.

"Exactly! I mean, I don't want to brag or anything, but I've been known to save the day when I go out on expeditions, so by helping me, you can be part of that," Amy said happily. She would be the first to admit that she wasn't the best when it came to smooth talking big-shots, but she really needed to get this pony to help her out or Lore Finder would throw her out, and she would prefer to avoid such a situation. Her apartment was only a few steps up from being a dump and her friend's couch was far comfier then her own bed.

She was, of course, telling the truth, but the dragoness could tell Fancy Pants didn't believe her, though it was probably her fault for sounding like a braggart. Even so, he smiled genuinely and said, "Yes, I believe that would look good on a list of achievements; 'Helped save the world,' would go well with entrepreneur and dating the most wonderful mare in Equestria." He finished the statement off by nuzzling the unicorn next to him.

"Really, Fancy? And in front of the guest of honor?" Fleur said in response, nuzzling him back regardless. Amy waited uncomfortably for the two to finish their show of affection, but after nearly five minutes of it, the dragoness cleared her throat loudly.

That got their attention and the two blushed profusely when they remembered where they were. After apologizing to Amy and her telling them it was okay, they got back on topic. "So yeah, just get in touch with my friend, Lore Finder, and she'll set everything up," the dragoness said in conclusion before looking around the room. "Uh, I'd write down the contact information, but I don't have anything to write with... Maybe a napkin and some sauce."

"That won't be necessary, I'm sure I can find the information," Fancy Pants said.

Amy cocked her head a little, "You sure? I'm sure that red sauce there won't smear too much."

Before the stallion could insist any further against the messy idea, a servant approached their little group and said to Amy, "Princess Celestia is preparing to give the speech and she wishes for your presence, Miss Thistle."

"Oh... Uh, okay. I guess I'll talk to you later. Bye Fancy Pants, Fleur," Amy said as she started following the server pony.

"I look forward to it Miss Thistle," the stallion called back, smiling when she reminded him to call her Amy.

With that, the dragoness turned her eyes forward as she and her guide wound their way around groups of chattering ponies, many of them greeting her as she passed. Doing her best to return them, she almost didn't notice when Celestia came into view. As they got closer and the servant left her side, Amy could see that the solar alicorn was talking to a white unicorn stallion with a blonde mane. While the princess was wearing a benign smile, the dragoness could tell it was forced, and judging by how irate the stallion looked, the dragoness could guess why.

"But Aunty, she's a beast! I doubt she even accomplished what she claims! You can't thank this creature for something some brave pony discovered! If anything, we should have her interrogated until she reveals the truth!" the stallion said, punctuating the statement with a stomp of his hoof.

"Blueblood, I know it is difficult for you to believe, but I assure you, Amethyst Thistle is fully deserving of both Equestria's thanks and respect," Celestia said as if she were trying to explain something to a child on the verge of a temper tantrum. The princess spotted Amy approaching and her smile turned from forced to apologetic. Focusing again on Blueblood, the alicorn said, "If my words are not enough to assure you of this fact, than please, see for yourself."

When he looked at her with clear confusion, Celestia nodded to something behind the unicorn and he followed her gaze. The dragoness didn't really know what to do, her default response of insulting those who insult her not being available in the current situation. When the prat pony's eyes widened and he took a step back, Amy said the first thing she could think of, "Yo."

The non-threatening word seemed to bring Blueblood from his fear and he scowled at the dragoness, "Don't think I'm not onto you, beast. I know you're not the one who discovered Unicornia; only a unicorn is capable of such an achievement. There is no way a dragon could ever accomplish so great a task. Mark my words, when I find the pony who truly discovered the greatest civilization in history, I shall make sure you are punished for your lies."

Amy was gritting her teeth by the time the stallion finished his long-winded accusation and Celestia had face-hoofed. Calming her nerves with tried and true breathing exercises, the dragoness let the swelling of her inner fire comfort her. "Well, ya got me, I don't deserve all the credit for the discovery," she began, bringing a triumphant smile to Blueblood's face before continuing, "My partner, Lore Finder deserves at least equal credit... though she's a pegasus so you probably wouldn't believe that."

The smile soon returned to a scowl upon hearing the sarcasm and the stallion stomped off, practically repeating verbatim what he had said before. When the stallion was out of earshot, Amy approached Celestia, "Well, wasn't he a fun one to be around? And did I really hear him call you aunty?"

"We're not related by blood if that's what you're thinking. I adopted one of his ancestors long ago and that pony's descendants have called me such ever since... well, after I put a stop to grandma," the sun princess said. "It was soon after the... incident, with Luna that I adopted the first Blueblood as my son. Oh, he was such a darling colt with a heart of gold."

"I take it that trait wasn't hereditary. I mean, I'm pretty sure that guy was a tribalist. That's, like, as far from 'heart of gold' as you can get," the dragoness observed.

Hearing this caused the alicorn to sigh, her shoulders to slump and even her wings to droop a little, "Yes, Prince Blueblood has some less than ideal views of ponydom. I try to explain to him the faults in his logic, but he just doesn't want to listen... One would think he'd put more stock into the words of a millenniums-old ruler."

Amy looked at Celestia as if she were crazy, "Prince?"

"Don't worry, he is a prince in title only; he does not hold political power," the sun princess assured. "But enough of this depressing talk; it's about time for the speech. You'll share a few words too, won't you?"

The dragoness rubbed the back of her head and said, "I don't know, I don't really have anything prepared."

"Surely you can think of something," a third voice said. Turning in the direction of the newcomer, Amy and Celestia saw Luna walk up.

The dragoness nodded in greeting before speaking, "Yeah, I guess I could say something, just don't expect a grand speech or anything."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, now let's get started, shall we?" the elder alicorn asked as she led the way a little further into the ballroom. They soon reached the point where the room opened up to a garden, only ivory pillars separating them from the outside. Set up here was a podium that Celestia wasted no time in getting behind.

A set of Solar Guards who had been standing on either side of the stand came to attention and announced loudly that Princess Celestia would be speaking. The sun princess nodded to each of them in thanks as the room fell silent and all eyes turned to her. Amy and Luna stood behind Celestia as she began in her magically amplified voice, "I am very glad so many of my little ponies could make it to such an important event, for we are not just honoring a great explorer, but also thanking her for an invaluable gift she has given to all of Equestria."

"The discovery of Unicornia not only returns to us much of our lost history, but also knowledge and powers thought lost forever. The unearthing of this kingdom and castle will be marked as one of the most important moments in recent history, and we are here to thank the one who has made it all possible, Amethyst Thistle!" as she said this, the solar alicorn stepped back before whispering to the dragoness, "Just say whatever you think is right."

With that, the elder sister stood by the younger and Amy stepped up to the podium hesitantly, "Uh, I guess I should start off by thanking you all for coming here tonight. I will always do my best to uncover the history of the world regardless of what people think, but I have to say it feels pretty good to have my efforts be appreciated and it means a lot to me... Um, well, this is kind of a new experience for me so I can't think of much else to say besides to thank you. Sooo... thank you."

The room was silent and the dragoness could feel her face heat up. Luckily, Luna started stomping her forehooves in applause and her sister did the same, leading the whole crowd into following their lead. Amy knew that most of the ponies were only applauding because their rulers did, but seeing the friendly faces of ponies she had talked to in the crowd, even the constantly popping up Prim & Proper, made her spirit soar. It really was nice to be acknowledged for her work.

~8~

Spike couldn't believe how disrespectful the ponies of Canterlot were towards Amethyst. As he and Twilight made their way through the city, they weren't surprised to see the ever present busybodies whispering animatedly about the newest gossip, but didn't pay it any mind. It wasn't until they reached Pony Joe's that they heard the latest buzz.

While the two had waited for the stallion behind the counter to get their order, they heard some other patrons talking about a, "suspicious cloaked creature stalking through the city." That was all it took for the young dragon's stomach to drop and Twilight shared the same theory. When they had gotten their baker's dozen of Pony Joe's best, they bid their old friend goodbye and left the diner.

The mare he was riding the back of tried to be optimistic, claiming it could be anybody, and that they shouldn't let the words of strangers get to them. It was with this in mind that Twilight decided to spend some time wandering their old home. Eventually, the pair found a bookstore Twilight use to frequent with her parents in her foalhood. This turned out to be a very unenjoyable experience for both them. The unicorn was saddened by the fact that the kindly old mare that use to own the business had retired, leaving the store under new management, and Spike was angered by the story the clerk told them.

Twilight had to levitate an infuriated dragon out the store as he was shouting at the terrified pony, not caring about the scene he was making. He may not have known Amethyst Thistle yet, but that didn't mean he would sit idly by and let ponies accuse her of thievery. When Spike had calmed down some, his surrogate sister reprimanded him for his behavior, but her heart wasn't in it; this was like Zecora all over again and she felt ashamed of the city she grew up in.

After this, they both decided it was for the best that they return to the castle and wait for the night to arrive. Once they had made it to their room, Spike tore into the baked goods, hoping the comfort food would help cool his anger. By the time Twilight had finished her first doughnut, the young dragon had already demolished six of the glazed confections. This, sadly, did little for Spike's mood and instead only gave him an upset stomach.

Leaving no room for debate, Twilight had tucked the dragon in bed and told him to sleep it off. Despite weakly protesting that he wasn't a baby, it did not take long for him to dose off. He had no idea how long he had slept when he started to come to, only knowing that dreams after eating half a dozen doughnuts were really weird. Spike groggily sat up when he heard some movement in the room and a blob of lavender came into view.

"How are you feeling? Better?" asked the blob.

After he rubbed the crust from his eyes and blinked a few times, the blurry figure came into focus, "Hm, yeah, I'm good, Twilight. How long was I out?"

The unicorn backed up and answered, "A while, the party already started a few hours ago... I warned you about eating so many doughnuts."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you, 'Blah blah, not healthy, blah blah, make yourself sick.' You don't have to lecture me," the young dragon said, creating a hand puppet and poor imitation of Twilight's voice.

The mare gave her friend the evil eye for a moment before responding, "... Do I have to take you to the vet again, Spike?"

"What? No! I still can't believe you did that to me to begin with!" said Spike. "It was humiliating enough the first time, I'd rather not shoot for two."

"Well then, maybe you should listen to me next time I tell you not to do something," Twilight said smugly.

"It's not my fault; it's those stupid Canterlot ponies. I can't believe they would treat somebody like that just because they look different," Spike said, some of the anger returning. "Will they do the same thing to me when I'm bigger?"

"Now Spike, you have to admit that she does act a bit suspicious-"

"Oh, come on Twilight! Don't try to tell me those idiots were right!" cut off the young dragon.

The unicorn's eyes widened before saying, "What? No! The way they acted was horrible, I was just going to make the point that walking around with a cloak like that is a little suspicious and I can understand how it could make ponies nervous. But you're right, nopony even tried to talk to her before jumping to conclusions."

Spike stared at Twilight with narrowed eyes until he was sure she was being genuine. He sighed and let his shoulders sag, "Even if she did look a little scary, she didn't deserve to be treated like that."

Twilight looked upon the saddened dragon, trying to think of a way to cheer him up. When she opened her mouth, however, she was interrupted by a new voice, "What's this I'm hearing; Ponies are being discordant? Wonderful! And I'm not even the one causing it!"

Spike was startled by the voice's sudden intrusion and its close proximity. "Wh-who's there? Come out here!" the young dragon demanded as he pulled the sheets up to his nose and looked around the room. After a few seconds of not seeing anything, Spike wanted to write it off as him imagining things, but seeing Twilight's equally confused and searching eyes told him he wasn't.

"Why Spike my boy, I'm right under your snout," said the voice from very close to the dragon. With that clue, Spike slowly turned his gaze downwards until it landed on some odd wrinkles in his blanket. Huh, they almost looked like- "Have the ponies here not heard of fabric softener? I feel as stiff as a board!"

"Gah!"

"Oof! That wasn't very polite. Who just throws a guest to the ground?" said the wrinkle-face in the blanket.

The young dragon was too busy trying to get his heart rate under control to respond, but Twilight wasn't. "Discord, What are you doing here!?"

The blanket soon rose up from the spot of the floor Spike had thrown it to, appearing as if the draconequus was wearing a cheap ghost costume. "Oh come now Twilight, can't a Spirit of Chaos stop in and visit a friend of a friend out of the blue?" When the mare's glare didn't lessen he sighed and continued, "If you must know, I was just stopping by for my weekly, biannual, scheduled, random check-in with Sun Butt when I heard the two of you were here." Reaching behind himself with a cloth covered claw, Discord pulled out a card with the words "Good Deeds" printed across the top and smiley face sun stickers covering it. "Just three more stickers and I'll get one whole hour to cause as much chaos as I want!" the draconequus said before his voice got a little tighter, "It should only be two more, but apparently trying to spice up a party doesn't count as a good deed. How can bringing all the food to life not be considered better than drab, unmoving meals!?"

"Discord, we don't have time for your shenanigans right now! This is a very important night!" Twilight yelled as she reached out with her magic. "Can't you see Spike has enough on his plate without you making things worse!?"

The unicorn grabbed the blanket and yanked it away... only to reveal nothing but air. Spike looked confused. "Where'd he-"

"Boo!"

"Gah!" *thump* "Ow..."

"Spike! Are you okay?" Twilight asked, trotting up to where he had fallen to the floor and looking him over for injuries. "That wasn't funny, Discord! He could have got hurt!"

"Well sooorry, I was just trying to take his mind off his worries," Discord defended as he slithered out of Spike's pillow, revealing his serpentine body and varied assortment of limbs. "I'm never going to get those last three stickers," the draconequus grumbled, floating with his arms crossed. "What are you worried about anyways? Ooh! Did you do something to get old Sun Butt mad at you!?" he suddenly flew down to the young dragon's level and made a pillow appear under his chin. "Dish!"

"Why should I tell you anything?" questioned Spike as he used Twilight leg as support to lift himself. "I almost busted my head open because of you!"

Discord thought on it before saying, "Well, for one, it's not my fault you scare easy, and I doubt a fall from that far would be enough to break your thick skull anyways. And for two, I can make it so every gem you eat will taste like moldy chicken feathers for the rest of your life."

"You can't do that! Princess Celestia wouldn't let you!" exclaimed Twilight as she glared at the mismatched monster.

His grin grew wider, "Try me."

Spike looked at his toothy smile and sighed, "...Fine, I'll tell you." With that, the young dragon explained the basics of the situation, that a dragoness who was probably his sister was in the castle and that he was going to confront her tonight.

Spike didn't know how the chaos spirit would react to the story, but it definitely wasn't what he expected. "Blegh! I hate angsty melodrama. You're on your own kid, good luck dealing with all that sappy stuff."

"Hey! Wait! You mean after all that, the blanket, the pillow, and then threatening my gems, you're just going to leave!?" the young dragon yelled at the draconequus as he prepared to teleport away.

Discord gave him a deadpan stare, "Uh, Spirit of Chaos... What did you expect me to do?"

That actually stumped the little dragon, giving Twilight a chance to speak, "Nothing. Why don't you go turn somepony's bath water into tapioca or something?"

"Maybe I will. After all, I don't want to be around a couple of cry babies who make a big deal about meeting long lost family. It's not like worrying about it is going to change anything," the draconequus shot back. "I'm going to hang out with Fluttershy, she's a tough pony."

Then, blowing a raspberry, Discord snapped his fingers and popped out of existence, leaving an annoyed unicorn and thoughtful dragon in his wake.

"Sometimes I wonder why Celestia released that jerk," Twilight mumbled before looking over to her surrogate brother. "Are you okay, Spike?"

"Hm... Yeah, I'm fine just thinking is all," he answered.

"About what?"

Before he got a chance to say, there was a knock at the door. "Miss Sparkle, the princesses sent me to tell you it's time..." said a stallion on the other side.

"Thank you, we'll be there in a moment!" Twilight yelled. "What were you going to say Spike?"

The young dragon shook his head and started walking towards the door, "It's nothing Twilight, let's just getting going." The mare looked as if she wanted to push the subject, but decided it was best not to cause any unneeded stress... and not to keep the princesses waiting.

Spike wouldn't admit it, but Discord's words had helped some, and he wondered if that's what the draconequus had intended to happen. The young dragon would face Amethyst and accept whatever happened.

Author's Note

Iwiw (pr: 'ee-wee') is the Egyptian word for dog. I was going to go with Egypt being a cat country, but decided to make them something different. Rome or Greek perhaps? Not sure, feel free to leave suggestions in the comments.

Chapter 6

Amy was surprised that once the round of applause had subsided, that ponies who had avoided her before were suddenly seeking her out. She wasn't sure if her speech had shown them that she wasn't some crazed savage or, if it was because the princesses were openly friendly with her and they were just following their example, but it made her life easier, so she wouldn't complain. Really, the dragoness was just glad that the suspicious and angry glares had been reduced, the only remaining perpetrators being the prince and his cohorts.

Ignoring them, Amy tried to talk to everypony who approached her, exchanging pleasantries and small talk with as many as she could while doing her best to convince them to finance her expeditions. The dragoness did surprisingly well on this front, getting many ponies interested in bolstering their reputations. Leave it to nobles to be willing to spend thousands just to get bragging rights over each other, Amy thought sardonically. Well, at least I'll be putting their bits to good use.

The dragoness found herself relieved as the night came to a close, her nerves being strained to the point of breaking by all the high-society ponies she had to deal with. Lore Finder better not expect me to do this again anytime soon, Amy thought as she joined the princesses at the door to say farewell to the guests. Most of the send-offs were half-hearted, but there were a few that were genuine, like those for Fancy Pants and Fleur, as well as Filthy Rich, Silver Plate, and their fillies. The dragoness couldn't help but smile when Diamond Tiara was forced apologize to her by her father. The little pink filly had to mumble out the apology three times for her rude words earlier before her Mr. Rich was satisfied she had said it loud enough.

When the last few ponies ambled out of the ballroom, Amy, Celestia, and Luna all sighed in relief. Upon realizing this, they all looked at each other and laughed. "You know, I'm not really surprised, no number of years can make dealing with people like that any easier," the dragoness said as their laughter died.

"Yes, well, it can be quite trying at times, but not all of them were bad. I saw you make some friends amongst my little ponies," the sun princess responded with a knowing smile.

Luna nodded her head, "I saw that as well, you seemed to find friendship in Fancy Pants and his fiancé. I'm not surprised; he is one of the more agreeable of Canterlot's elites."

"Yeah, they were pretty cool, but I'm still glad this is over; I'll take deadly traps over high-society any day," Amy said as she stretched an arm over her head. "I definitely don't envy Lore Finder, that's for sure."

"Well, I hope you're not to anxious too get back to work; I'm afraid the next train out of Canterlot won't be until early morning," said Celestia.

The dragoness let her arm drop once the joint popped. "Ahh, that's better," she groaned before answering, "I'm fine with that I guess. It'll be nice to sleep in a comfortable bed one more time before having to do it on the train."

"Then you'll be staying the night!? Huzzah! The fun shall be started!" the moon princess cheered as she threw a hoof up, getting a chuckle from Amy and a nudge from her sister's wing.

"Now, don't get carried away, Sister. I'm sure after such a long day, Amy would prefer to take it easy," Celestia said with a stern look.

Luna looked to her sister confusedly before her eyes widened. "Oh! Yes, of course," she said before turning back to the dragoness. "Would you like to relax with Celestia and I over some tea?"

Amy looked back and forth between the two alicorns with a raised eye ridge, their odd behavior setting off instincts honed over a lifetime of dealing with dishonesty and danger. "Riiight... I'm up for anything..." said the dragoness, giving the princesses the benefit of the doubt and doing her best to suppress her suspicion. These two were some of the few new friends she had made in quite a long time, and she didn't want to lose them just because she jumped to conclusions.

"Yes, some good tea and conversation is a fine way to end any night. If you'll follow, I know the perfect place to unwind," Celestia said as she herself exited the ballroom.

The sun princess opened her mouth, but before she got the words out, Amy yelled, "Prim & Proper!"

The named stallion appeared out of nowhere trotting beside the group and said, "You called... your... majesty?" His voice trailed off as he looked to the dragoness in bewilderment, a look mirrored by the royal pony sisters.

Amy gave a sheepish smile as she scratched her cheek, "I wanted to try it at least once before I left... Feels kind of like being a magician, ya know?"

Upon hearing this, Celestia chuckled and decided to ignore the matter. "Prim, can you bring tea to the reading nook in the west wing of the castle? You know the one," she said to the stallion.

"Of course Your Highness, I'll do so immediately."

With that, Prim & Proper was off towards the kitchen doors and the three ladies were walking down a hallway. They remained in a comfortable silence the entire journey through the castle, enjoying the quiet after spending so much time in a room full of chattering ponies. It took nearly ten minutes to reach their destination and Amy found herself marveling at the size of the castle, comparing the goliath to some of the others she had visited in her journeys.

When they did reach the nook Celestia had spoken of, the dragoness was mildly surprised. It was a beautiful room, but compared to the splendor of the rest of the palace, it was far homier. The colors were earthy; consisting of various shades of brown, almost making the room look as if it were made of wood. The furniture fit the interior well, having five red plush reading chairs sitting around a round, dark oak table. There were no windows, two walls being covered in books the the third sporting a fire place.

"Sometimes it's nice to get away from all the extravagances and simply go somewhere to relax," Celestia said in response to Amy's wandering eyes. "This is the room where we often do that. Ponies know not to disturb us here except for the most important reasons."

The dragoness nodded absently, looking at the chairs as something about them tickled the back of her mind. "Yeah, I can see how being a ruler can get stressful; not a lot of alone time," she said, stubbornly crushing the feeling and looking to her friends with a smile. "So, what do you want to talk about? I never did get to finish telling you that story last night."

"Let's have a seat and wait for tea before we get too heavily engrossed in such things, shall we? I, for one, am quite parched," Luna said as she walked to one of the chairs and sat down.

"Yes, knowing Prim, he'll be here before we know it... probably quite literally," said Celesta as she got into the chair next to her sister's.

Amy shrugged and moved to the chair opposite to the alicorns, hopping over the back and plopping down heavily into the seat.

True to the sun princess's prediction, Prim & Proper showed up with a tea tray laden with cups, a small pitcher of cream, a bowl of sugar cubes and a kettle. Setting it down in the middle of the table, he said, "Your tea, Madams."

"Thank you Prim, that will be all," the solar alicorn said with a kind smile. The butler nodded and left the room. Celestia picked the kettle up with her golden magic and started filling the cups, asking as she did so how much cream and sugar the other two wanted. When they had all settled back in their seats, the dragoness held her cup between her claws while the princesses held theirs in their magical glows.

"How do you like the tea, Amy?" asked Luna as she sipped her own.

Pulling the cup away from her lips, she smacked them together a few times as she analyzed the flavor, "Hmm, earthy, but with a hint of mint... odd, but good." She looked to the two and noticed they were giving her strange looks, "What?"

It was Celestia who recovered first, "Nothing... It's just, I never would have guessed you were a tea aficionado."

Amy blinked a few times before chuckling, "I'm not, really, but Lore Finder loves tea and I've kinda been forced to acquire a taste for it."

"You mention her quite often, the two of you must be close," observed the moon princess.

"Huh, do I? I've never really noticed... But yeah, Lore is more than just my partner; she's been my best friend for the last ten years..." the dragoness said as she stared into her tea cup before taking another gulp. "We're sisters in everything but blood, really," she added, feeling incredibly calm and content. Amy wasn't exactly sure why, but she attributed the feeling to thinking of the yellow pegasus; the winged egg-head was her rock, after all.

The dragoness didn't notice the two alicorns share a look, and she hardly registered when Celestia began to speak, "That reminds me, there's been something we've been meaning to talk to you about..."

"Wha?" the dragoness began as her head jerked up, "You've been wanting to talk to me about something?" she looked to the ceiling in thought before finishing, "Oh! I bet it's about the reward you told Lorey about. I can't believe I forgot about that." Celestia opened her mouth, but Amy continued, "I don't want much, just access to the library in Unicornia's castle. I'm sure there's all kinds of leads to be found in those old books!"

Celestia stared at the broadly smiling face of the dragoness, both waiting to see if she had anything else to say and steeling herself for when that smile dissipated. "Of course, I'll see to it that you gain full access to the site, library included, though it will be some time yet until an expedition can be organized and mounted." the sun princess said before taking a breath. "But that wasn't what I had intended to ask. What I want to ask pertains to events that transpired in this city ten years ago... More specifically, something that occurred at my school for gifted unicorns."

The cup in Amy's hand began to fracture in her tightening grip as she unconsciously brought it to her lips and finished the last of its contents. Despite how nervous she was feeling, a part of the dragoness was amazed she wasn't feeling more so given the situation. This part, however, was drowned out by the part trying to deal with what was happening. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, this is the first time I've visited Canterlot," she said, her voice sounding feeble even to her own ears.

Celestia spoke as if not hearing the dragoness, "A decade ago, a mysterious visitor left something, or more specifically, someone, in the care of my little ponies."

Luna had started fidgeting in tandem with Amy, but remained silent. The moon princess had seen and done many questionable things in the elder days to protect her kingdom and subjects, but it had never become any easier to do so. Thus, she could now say without doubt that interrogating not only a good person, but a friend, was one of the hardest acts she had to participate in.

"... I think I'm going to turn in for the night," said the dragoness quietly, turning her head down to look at cup.

Before she got the chance to even move, the solar alicorn said, "Why did you leave the egg of Spike the dragon for the school to care for, Amethyst?"

The words elicited more hairline fractures through the porcelain of the fine china in her hands and the response, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Celestia was about to comment on that when there was a knock at the door. "Perhaps you should tell that to him, then. If it is true, he will have to hear it, and I doubt he'll believe it from anyone's lips but your own," the sun princess said as her horn flared.

Amy could no longer deny that something was wrong with her as hearing a familiar voice greet the princesses only resulted in her heart rate and mind racing a little faster. So focused was the dragoness on ascertaining the cause of her current state that she hardly registered the exchange of words occurring between the others in the room or hesitant steps being taken. She continued on, addled mind working on the mystery, eyes idly tracing the lip of her teacup as it did. Her eyes suddenly widened a bit, before they lidded again.

Finally raising her head, Amy stared into the emotionless mask that had replaced the solar diarch's kind features. Doing her best to ignore the two splashes of purple in her peripherals, she said, "You drugged me."

~8~

The journey to where the princesses were had been painfully silent for both Twilight and Spike. The unicorn wanted to offer comfort to the young dragon, but didn't know what else could be said, whereas the guard was just following orders and had neither the right nor the desire to know what his rulers needed Twilight Sparkle and Spike the dragon for. Lastly, Spike, was too focused on the path ahead of him to pay either of his companions any attention.

When they had arrived at the unassuming door of the nook, the armored stallion said farewell and left the two trying to figure out how to proceed. Eventually, the unicorn stepped forward and brought a hoof up. Taking a deep breath, Twilight looked over to the young dragon, who nodded his head and stood straighter. With that, the mare looked back to the door and knocked three times.

The next few seconds seemed like an eternity to Spike, and he had been about to open the door himself when it swung on its hinges, traces of golden magic still visible on the doorknob as it came to a stop. His body moved of its own accord as he stepped into the room, Twilight following behind him.

The young dragon's eyes went immediately to the purple figure seated across the white and blue ones, and he noticed her posture. Her head was down, hiding her face from them and she was slightly slouched over a teacup resting between her hands. He couldn't help but take in every inch of her, silently wishing she'd lift her head so he could see the green eyes he knew to be there.

Spike also noticed that the cup she was holding was covered in cracks, but before he could think of anything to say on the matter, Princess Celestia's voice brought him back to reality, "Twilight, Spike, it is good to see both of you. Please, have a seat."

The tension was palpable as the two did as they were asked, the lavender mare returning the greeting as they did, and neither one taking their eyes off the motionless dragoness. When they were seated, the young dragon to the left of Luna and Twilight to the right of her mentor, the sun princess spoke, "Amethyst Thistle was about to tell us of her actions a decade ago, correct?"

Upon hearing her words, Spike could feel conflict begin to form in his heart. It wasn't the question that caused this, but the tone in which it was asked. This was not the voice of the kind and benevolent Celestia he had known all his life, this was Celestia the judge. In a way, what was unfolding before him was like the book store clerk, but this time, it was a friend who was accusing the dragoness of ill intent and Spike did not know who to side with.

He watched on, looking for any sign at all that his kin acknowledged his presence, but he got none. After a while, the young dragon feared something was terribly wrong with Amethyst, and when she finally looked up, those fears were confirmed. Unlike the last time he had seen those eyes, so full of shock and fear, they were dull and near emotionless, only traces of betrayal lingering now. Even so, he could not help but compare those emerald orbs with those he saw in the mirror every day and he knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was his family.

It was this conviction that caused his heart to skip a beat when the dragoness said simply, "You drugged me."

It wasn't a question, and everyone but the sun princess and Amy reacted to the declaration. It was Luna, though, who responded first, "We didn't! 'Tis a blend for calming the mind and body, nothing more! We simply wished to ease thine tensions after we heard of how thou first reacted in Ponyville!"

The dragoness turned her head to deliver a flat stare at the lunar alicorn, "Forgive me if I find it hard to believe you, Princess, but current revelations make it hard to do so. You have been lying to me since our first meeting, after all."

The moon princess flinched back, equally hurt by the truthful accusation as the lack of her name being used, but couldn't say anything in her defense before her sister cut in, "The kauma tea leaf may be rare, but its potent and fast acting effect is worth the effort to obtain. My sister and I have found it to be invaluable in dealing with the more stressful aspects of ruling, though a resistance has been built over the centuries..."

This actually made Amy smirk a little. "A resistance I don't have, right?" she said before letting her face return to neutral. "I'm leaving Canterlot. Tonight. Goodbye Princesses."

The ponies watch as the dragoness dropped her teacup to the floor, letting it shatter before standing up and start walking towards the door. Spike was still too shocked that the alicorn sisters would have drugged another to say anything as Amy left. "You have yet to tell us your relationship with young Spike, Amethyst," said Celestia in his stead.

This actually got a growl from the dragoness, but she did not stop in her exit as she said, "That is none of your business, and you have no right to know."

"Than what about my right, huh?! Don't I deserve to know about my past?!" The sudden shout froze Amy where she stood, hand resting on the doorknob. "I'm tired of not knowing where I came from! And I'm tired of always being left out of things!" the boyish voice of the young dragon went on. "What the Princesses did was wrong, and they never told me, but that doesn't mean you can just leave me with all these questions!... Not when you're here now..."

The dragoness tightened her grip on doorknob, focusing on it instead of looking to him. "... You don't know what you want, little one. Just... just stay here and be happy with what you have," Amy said in a near whisper and pushed open the door. As she made her exit, the voices of the ponies rose in protest.

"Wait friend!"

"Please, don't leave like this!"

"Amethyst, I beg you to reconsider."

The dragoness ignored them as she took her first few steps out the door, but was stopped dead in her tracks by two shouted words, "Sister, Please!" Spike was now standing in his seat, ready to rush to the older dragon and beg on his knees if he had to.

The young dragon watched as Amy's shoulders rose and fell with a shaky breath, "Y-You're wrong, I'm not your sister..."

Spike's stare hardened, ignoring the tears that slid down his cheeks. "Yes you are... Sister" he said, never being more sure of his words in his life.

The dragoness dropped her head lower and visibly began to shake as she whispered, "Please... stop calling me that."

"Why?"

"Because... because I gave up the right to be your sister long ago."

Hearing this caused the hardness to leave the young dragons eyes and to be replaced with both curiosity and uncertainty. "How?" he asked and waited for an answer. When one did not come he spoke again, "Please... tell me what happened. Why was I left in Equestria... Please, I need to know."

Finally, Amethyst Thistle slowly turned to them, and when she lifted her head, small gasps were heard. Tears were flowing far more freely than Spike's own, and her eyes had already become blood-shot from the salty liquid. The dragoness ignored all others in the room as she locked her draconic gaze with his, "Because, Spike, I abandoned you... my own little brother."

Author's Note

Phew, it has been a long time coming, but I'll finally be able to write Amy and Spikes' past next chapter. This was a very hard chapter to write, and I'm not completely satisfied with it, but this story is more a challenge for myself to see if I can continue to write something without taking long hiatuses. Hope nothing in this chapter turns any of you readers off from the story. I know Celestia's actions may be pushing it.
P.S.
I chose the human-turned-dog story for my next one.

Chapter 7

Those words had been buried deep in her heart, eating away at her soul for so long that she was almost amazed that she had finally spoken them. Watching Spike through teary eyes however, soon made her regret the admission. The young dragon's face had twisted up and she could tell he was fighting down a sob.

Amy felt guilty of the relief it brought when her view of his pained expression was disrupted by lavender forelegs turning him around and pulling him into a hug. Moving her eyes from his back up to the face of the one who was comforting her brother, the dragoness found herself being flooded with all sorts of confusing emotions.

Seeing those glaring eyes compounded the guilt she had already been feeling, but the image of this pony comforting Spike brought forth a very surprising feeling; jealousy.

What is wrong with you, Amy? You have no right to feel such things... and he wouldn't want to be comforted by someone like you, anyway.

The dragoness barely registered that she was being spoken to until after Twilight had started, "-could you? Does family mean so little to you that you can just abandon it?"

Turning away from the furious mare, Amy pulled her closer to her form and slowly made her way out of the door, "I know, you're right. I'll leave-"

"No! Don't leave!"

Turning, the dragoness was surprised to see that Spike was halfway across the room, hand held out to her. "Please, don't leave... You... You still haven't told me why. There has to be more to it than that, isn't there?" he asked, a look of desperate hope in his eyes.

Amy looked from him to the others in the room, noting Celestia apparently being content to sit back and watch events play out while Luna looked as if she wanted nothing more than to say something to her. Moving from them, her eyes once again fell upon the unicorn, and she had to resist the urge to flinch. Twilight Sparkle was glaring at her, one foreleg still extended towards the young dragon from when he tore away from her.

Looking down, Amy mumbled out, "It doesn't matter, and knowing won't change anything..."

"Stop saying stuff like that! Like you know what I need!" Spike yelled marching closer to the bigger dragon. "You don't know anything about me, so stop acting like you do!"

Amy was now staring down with wide eyes at the young dragon, feeling small under his fierce gaze. When she stepped back in response, Spike realized what he had just said and tried to apologize, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

"No...No you're right," the dragoness interrupted before kneeling to be at eye level with him. "... Spike, you have every right to know of my... our past, and I shouldn't deny you that right... If you truly wish to know, then I will tell you," she said. And accept your hatred after.

"Y-you mean it?"

Seeing the light in his eyes caused her heart to clench, but she nodded anyway, "Yes, I will tell you of your origins... our parents, and why I... why you were left here at the unicorn school." Amy then looked from Spike to the ponies, "I will tell you, and you alone."

Twilight looked about ready to protest, but Luna jumped up and spoke first, "Of course!" After that, the moon princess trotted out through the door behind Amethyst, slowing down as if to say something to the dragoness, but instead only giving a weak smile as she passed.

Amy didn't know if the lunar alicorn left because she wanted to remove herself from such a tense atmosphere, or if it was an attempt at garnering the beginnings of forgiveness, but she didn't really care. As it was, she was more focused on the other occupants of the room to care much about her future dealings with Luna.

"You can't be serious! You expect me to just leave you alone with Spike after what you did?!" Twilight demanded.

Any further protest was halted as a wing came to rest on her back. "Twilight, I know you wish to protect Spike from all that could harm him, but if you shelter him from every trial, he will never grow," Celestia said to her student before leaning in and whispering, "I fully believe we can trust Amethyst to not harm our young friend... Just as I believe both of them need this more than they know."

Twilight looked up at her teacher, the struggle to listen to the solar alicorn and desire to protect her surrogate little brother clearly visible on her face. "But-"

"It's alright, Twilight, I'll be fine," Spike said reassuringly, now looking at the unicorn with a smile. "I want this, I really do."

Face twisting up for a moment, Twilight finally slumped in defeat and sighed, "Fine, if this is what you really want, then I'll give you some privacy with her. However I'm not just going to leave you completely on your own; I'll be standing outside the door, so if you need me just yell, Okay?"

Spike turned back to Amy, who was now wearing a small smile completely out of place on her tear stained face. "Is that okay? If she stands outside the room, I mean? She won't listen in or anything, right Twilight?" the young dragon asked. Twilight hesitated only a moment before nodding her agreement. Spike smile grew a little wider, "See, she'll leave us alone. So... is that okay?"

Amy looked down into his hopeful eyes and knew she wouldn't be able to deny him this even if she wanted to. You're going to need real friends and family to comfort you after this, and I doubt you'll think of me as either when that time comes. "Yes, that's fine," the dragoness agreed. In truth, Twilight looked so much like Lorey at that moment of determined stubbornness that Amy doubted she would have been able to make the mare budge an inch if she had tried.

With that, the last two ponies left the room, Twilight whispering a warning as she passed the dragoness. Once they were gone, Amy used her tail to shut the door, never breaking eye contact with the smaller dragon or the silence that had settled between them. Without a sound, the dragoness shifted her position so she was sitting cross-legged and Spike picked up what she was doing, sitting with his legs out in front of him.

"... Sooo, what do you want to know first?" Amy asked hesitantly.

"Our family. Who are our parents? Do I have any other brothers or sisters? Where are they?" Spike rapid-fired, scooting forward a little in his excitement.

The dragoness was forced to lean back under the barrage of questions, but managed to keep composed and even forced a little smile as she responded, "Wow, wow, calm down little one, there's no hurry."

Spike harrumphed and crossed his arms, "That's easy for you to say, you already know everything. I've been waiting my whole life for this."

Though she doubted he meant for them to, the young dragon's words stabbed her in the heart. "I-I'm sorry... I should have spoken to you earlier than this," Amy whispered. Not that I could have brought myself to come and face you to do so. I'm pathetic, if it weren't for the princesses' tea, I probably wouldn't even be able to do this much. At this thought, the dragoness looked to the kettle still sitting atop the coffee table. No! I am not going to rely on some chemical to get me through this... even if it would make it easier...

So focused was she on reigning in her emotions, that the dragoness didn't even realize Spike had become worried by her apology. Waving his claws, the young dragon frantically said, "No! I didn't mean it like that! What I meant was-!"

"It's okay, Spike. I know what you meant, and you were right to say it," Amy said in her best calming tone. It seemed to have worked as Spike settled back down again. Once she felt both of them were once again calm, the dragoness took a deep breath and spoke, "How about I just tell you our story from the beginning, yeah? That should cover everything."

The young dragon smiled a little and nodded, "That will work."

Amy thought on how she should go about telling him the story. "Well, we are the children of the magic dragon, Onyx and the winged dragoness, Orchid," she began slowly.

"Magic dragon?" Spike interrupted, "What's that?"

This caused Amy to blink a few times at what she perceived as an odd question before realizing the young dragon would have had no way of finding out about his kind. "That's what we are, Spike, magic dragons, just like our father," she said.

"Really? Why are we called magic dragons?" he asked before getting an excited light in his eye. "Can we cast magic like unicorns!? Oh, maybe Twilight can teach me the mustache spell so I can impress Rarity!"

The young dragon was about to go on, but Amy stopped him. "Hey, slow down, Spike," she said with a small smile, eliciting an embarrassed grin from him. "Magic dragons can't cast magic like unicorns... at least I don't think so," the dragoness began to explain, looking to be in thought for moment before shaking it off. "There is a lot of stuff that make us different from other dragons, but the most apparent is our fire. Our inner fire burns stronger and has other... special properties that set it apart from regular dragon's fire."

"But this is getting a bit off topic, isn't it?" Amy asked. In truth, she would have preferred the change of topic, but she knew what Spike truly wanted to know, and to tell him anything else would be another betrayal she would not allow.

"Oh yeah, but you'll definitely have to tell me more later," the young dragon stated, the tension having been slowly leaving his body as they continued to talk.

You deserve to know these things about yourself... I'll have to send you a letter later and hope you don't tear it up. "Well, anyway, Mother and Father were great parents to me growing up. Dad was actually an adventurer in his youth as well, before meeting Mom and settling down," Amy began, causing Spike to lean in with wide eyes. "I remember they were always nuzzling and kissing in front of me... and I would always tell them to stop being gross," the dragoness told him with a wistful look. "Dad always did things like that, teasing me and Mom... and Mom would always scold him for being immature. She was always putting up a serious front when Dad and I started to get out of hand, but she loved it."

She chuckled to herself, "Sometimes she'd even join in... I think that was when she was most beautiful; when she was smiling and laughing."

Amy continued talking about their parents, not noticing Spike's expression begin to slip from joyful to worried, and probably would not have if he did not speak up, "What about now?"

The vague question broke Amy from her reverie and she once again focused on Spike, "What do you mean?"

"You keep talking about how they were... What are they like now?"

"Oh," the dragoness mumbled, hands squeezing her knees, the action hid beneath her cloak, as she prepared to tell him what she knew he already suspected. "Spike... Our mother and father... died a long time ago..."

The young dragon's reaction upon being told his parents were no more wasn't what she expected. He only released a shuddering breath and squeezed his eyes shut, a few tears leaking from their edges. "I... I figured as much," said Spike after a few more deep breaths. He chuckled mirthlessly and added, "I'm not as sad as I thought I'd be... I guess it's hard to miss someone when you've never met them."

Those words hurt Amethyst more than she would have thought. "You would have loved them... They loved you," She stated with a sad smile. "They couldn't wait to meet you... None of us could."

Silence once again fell between them as they sat and let their minds drift to what-ifs and might-have-beens. It was Spike who broke the silence. "So, what happened?" he asked, voice sounding duller than before. When Amy looked hesitant to say, he added, "You haven't finished telling me yet."

The dragoness thought of asking if he truly still wanted to know, but she already knew the answer. "... There's a reason you've never heard of magic dragons. We are very much in the minority, Spike... So much so that even most dragons are unaware of our existence," she explained. "The sad fact is, people fear the unknown and what they don't understand... In the case of magic dragons, both tend to be true."

"... I think I know what you're talking about; there's a zebra who lives in the Everfree Forest that all the ponies were afraid of, but when they got to know her, they stopped being afraid," Spike said with a tilt of his head, trying to figure out how this related to their parents. "Why can't the magic dragons just show the others that they're not bad?"

Amy's lips twitched up a little in response to the young dragon's innocence, but her features soon turned solemn again. "That's because there are not enough of us to do so; besides Dad, you, and myself, I've never heard of, let alone met another of our kind, not in all of my travels," the dragoness explained. "Tell me, Spike, what was it about the zebra that scared ponies?"

Spike, still absorbing what he had just been told about his people, didn't answer right away, and when he did, his voice was a little distant, "They thought she was an evil enchantress who was going to curse them."

Amy gave a small nod and said, "And that was from simply looking and living differently from them. What do you think would have happened if this zebra did have special or unique powers unfamiliar to the ponies?"

The young dragon tilted his head and thought for a little while. "... I don't know, but maybe they'd think it proves them right?" he said, unsure of his answer.

Amy once again smiled, "That's a good guess, and yes, that very well could have happened... And in the case of magic dragons, did." The smile dropped from her face as she elaborated, "As I understand it, other dragons saw our special powers as something to be feared... and unlike ponies, dragon instinct drives us to lash out against what we fear, not run and hide from it."

It was clear by his widening eyes that Spike had begun to put the pieces together in his head. "B-but, when I met other dragons at the migration, none of them said anything about me being a magic dragon," he stated, thinking about how much danger he had inadvertently put himself in by going to where he would be surrounded by winged dragons.

Amy shook her head and said, "Not many dragons even know what we are anymore, most just thinking us malformed or crippled, or sometimes, not thinking anything at all when they see us. From what Dad had told me and what I've managed to discover myself, the... conflicts, between normal and magic dragons happened a long time ago. So long ago, in fact, that it's only the oldest dragons that know of them." The older dragon's expression darkened as she added, "I suppose we should be grateful that elder dragons don't tend to be very social, or we'd have a lot more trouble breathing down our necks."

"So, i-is that what happened to our parents?" Spike asked. "Is that why you left me in Equestria? So I'd be safe from dragons who would want to hurt me?"

Amy didn't answer his question, instead looking to the ceiling and quietly saying, "It happened not too long after mother laid your egg... We were all so happy at the time. Mom loved babies, heheh, she used to joke that her baby girl was growing up too fast, so she was really looking forward to having another one to dote over. And Dad? Dad was just ecstatic to have someone new to tell all his old stories to... I used to pretend they were boring to get back at him for always teasing me."

She sighed before letting her head drop down to look to her hands. "Even though we lived far away from those places dragons would traffic most frequently... away from those places most rich in minerals, we were content," the dragoness told him with a sad smile on her face before her claws clenched and the smile turned into a snarl. "Until that fat piece of phlegm came and ruined everything!"

Spike was now leaning back with his hands pulled close to his chest, "A-Amy, are you al-"

"If Dad would have just done it when he had a chance! If Mom wouldn't have stopped him, they could have lived and we could still be a family!" Amy continued, her voice having steadily gone from a whisper to a roar. Spike was now scooting away from his sister, frightened by her shining fangs and the fire whipping out between them. If it wasn't for the tears and pain mingling with the fury in her eyes, the young dragon would have run from the room.

"What's going on in there!? Spike are you okay!? Say something or I'm coming in!" Twilight yelled from outside the door.

Amy jerked her head towards the door before her pupils dilated from near invisible slits to what they were before her episode. Coming back to the present, the dragoness whirled her eyes to Spike and widened upon seeing the fear clear on his face.

"Spike!?... I'm coming in!"

The young dragon finally registered what the unicorn said and quickly yelled back, "It's okay Twilight, we're fine! You don't need to come in!"

The brief sound of hooves dissipated before Twilight said, "Are you sure?"

There was so much concern in those three words that both dragons flinched in unison. "Yeah, I'm fine really... Amy just got a little... worked up, is all." Spike said as he glanced back at the dragoness in question.

She looked away, feeling the shame flood her cheeks in response to losing control of her emotions like that. I guess the tea is starting to wear off. Her musing was cut short by Twilight's voice, "... Okay then, just remember I'm out here if you need me."

With that, the two dragons listened as the hesitant hoof steps became somewhat distant before coming to a stop. It was Spike who spoke first, "Do... do you want some of the princesses' special tea? I mean, even if they... lied, about what it was or whatever, it still may help you relax."

It seemed the two shared more than just blood, but Amy shook her head at the offer. "No thanks," she replied, before looking at the young dragon. "I'm okay... really," the dragoness assured when he looked about to insist. "I'm sorry you had to see that... I don't know what came over me."

Spike shook his own head, "You don't have to apologize, I understand... Well, I mean, I don't really, but you were remembering something painful, so I can understand getting upset."

Amy couldn't help but chuckle when the little dragon started to backpedal his words. In truth, the dragoness felt oddly lighter after her outburst, and that was a little confusing to her. Ignoring that for now, she asked, "Do you still want to hear the story?"

She kind of wanted him to say no as this wasn't something a child should be told, but she knew she had no right to deny him his history, not even the darkest parts of it. When he nodded his head and sat back down in front of her, she began again, "It started when a dragon by the name of Flem found us in our cave. The thought of him still disgusts me. He was vile, fat, and arrogant, fitting his name well."

Amy felt the anger start to build, but she quickly doused it and went on, "Though Mom and Dad wouldn't tell me what was going on, I had an idea. Dad had told me about the hardships our kinds had endured, and from Flem's words, I knew we were in danger. Dad had been scouting the surrounding areas after that, hoping to find a new cave for us to live in..."

~8~

Amy sat across from her mother, watching the dragoness breathe an occasional puff of fire onto the egg's surface as they both silently munched on gems. Orchid had told her daughter that this technique, while not furthering the process, would keep magic from seeping from the little life behind the shell.

"Do you think Dad will find some place for us to go this time?" asked Amy.

"I'm sure he will, don't worry, dear," her mother assured. the young dragoness could tell Orchid was saying it just as much for herself as for her daughter. Her parents had argued that morning after Flem had left about who would be the one to search for a new home. Mother claimed her wings would allow her to cover more ground and that Onyx would serve as better protection for their children. Her father, on the other claw, stated that finding a gem rich area required being at ground level and that he had the better nose for finding them. In the end, Orchid acceded to the point that finding a safe place sooner was the better plan of action. Regardless of whether or not a place was found, they had agreed that they would be leaving that night.

Amy had finished the last gem in her pile and was now twiddling her her claws. "... This is all my fault, isn't it?" she said not looking at the widening eyes of her mother.

"What do you mean, dear? I can't imagine you being at fault for anything that's happened recently," Orchid questioned.

"That dragon wouldn't be so mad at us if I had wings like a norm-"

"Stop right there, Amethyst!" The dragoness nearly yelled. "There is nothing wrong with you! wingless or not, you are an amazing, beautiful, intelligent dragoness, and if others can't see that or won't even try, than that is their fault! Not yours!" Orchid's outburst shocked Amy, and she was know staring at her mother with wide eyes.

Taking a deep breath and softening her expression, "Sorry for raising my voice, it's just, I've heard enough of that sort of talk from your father when we first met and I'd rather not hear anymore of it." The larger dragoness chuckled, bringing a claw up to rub affectionately at her daughter's head, "I suppose you really have taken after Onyx; always trying to shoulder the blame and troubles of others."

A broad smile spread across Amy's face and she puffed out her chest, really only registering one part of her mother's words. "Of course I'm like Dad! I'm going to be a great adventurer just like him!" the little dragoness announced proudly. "In fact, I'll be even greater than Dad! Then everybody in the world will see how great magic dragons are and we won't have to hide anymore!"

Orchid would have said something in response to her daughter's ambitious goal, but stopped upon hearing heavy footfalls approach from the cave entrance. At first, she thought it was her mate returning and she rose to meet him, but she soon noticed something off with the sound, and seeing the shadows cast by the setting sun confirmed her fears. Amy didn't notice this and started moving to the entrance to greet her dad.

Before the little dragoness could make it more than a few steps, she was halted by her mother's claw and the whisper, "Get behind me Amethyst."

As she did what her mom asked, Amy could hear a voice, "This the place Flem?"

"Yeah, this is where the freaks were, and their spawn," answered a familiar voice.

Upon hearing the fat dragon, Amy could feel her anger rise, but the knowledge that he was not alone caused greater fear.

"Enough talkin', let's get ta the killin'!" said a high-pitched voice with undertones of mania.

The little dragoness felt the last rays of hope to leave her as a forth dragon gravelly chuckled and said, "You couldn't kill a pony, Zaz, just sit back and let me handle this... I have a score to settle with that wingless freak, anyway."

Orchid notably tensed as the first of the intruders came into view, but the sight of him set her daughter a bit at ease. A white and silver dragon with an unimpressive build came scurrying into view. The dragon was scrawny and barely came up to Orchids chin. Amy felt even better when the dragon saw her mother and skidded to a halt before skittering backwards.

Unfortunately for her rising hopes, the scrawny dragon backed into a tree trunk sized, dark-red foreleg. "Get off, Zaz," growled the giant as he pushed the dwarf, causing him to fall on his face.

Amy had never seen such a big dragon in her life; even her father was half a head shorter, and not nearly as burly. The giant's broad chest was a slightly lighter color than the rest of him, and was proportional to his huge arms, though the lower half of his body did not share this trait. His waist was less than half the width of his torso and his hind legs were pitifully small, leaving the front to provide most of the support. The little dragoness would have laughed at him if his huge muscles couldn't squash her like a bug.

"Now now, Rath, be nice to our little brother," said the smoother voice of the third dragon to enter, Flem following behind him. This dragon was the most normal looking of the group, fitting best with what a dragon should be. His whole body spoke equally of strength and confidence. He shared similar red scales as Rath, but his chest and spines were orange. all in all, the dragon would have been quite attractive if not for the malice barely concealed behind his teasing smile.

Orchid growled, bringing the new dragon's attention to her. "What are you doing here, Malick? Onyx and I just want to be left alone," she said with her fangs showing slightly.

Malick chuckled and moved to stand in front of the others before saying, "Ah, Orchid, you're as beautiful as ever I see. How have you been keeping these last few years?" looking around the cave, he added, "And where is our wingless friend?"

The dragoness showed a little more of her fangs and repeated, "What are you doing here?"

Malick gave a theatrical sigh and shake of his head as he said, "It seems Onyx's impatience has rubbed off on you; you're not even willing to catch up with an old friend." When Amy only growled in response, some of his real emotions began to show. "We would have been perfectly content to leave you and your mate alone... if not for one small detail," he said as he directed his gaze towards the little dragoness behind her mother's leg.

"Yeah, one freak was already too many, and now they're multiplying!" exclaimed Flem angrily.

Orchid directed her gaze towards the fat dragon and hissed, making him flinch back. "Neither my daughter nor Onyx pose any threat to you, so just leave." she said.

Though they all started saying something in response, Malick's voice rose above and silenced them all, "That, is where you are wrong, Orchid. For you see, even if Onyx, or your spawn do not have any intent to harm true dragons, the same cannot be said for those down the line. The wingless sort are simply too dangerous, to allow to return." Taking a step forward, he continued, "It is a sad truth I'm afraid, and even more so that you had to give yourself to one of their ilk. Such a beauty could have had a long, fruitful life if only you would have chosen one of your own kind instead of Onyx."

Some of his humor returned and he extended his wings, displaying their impressive size, "I suppose these would turn you off of such a thought, though, hmm?"

Zaz started shifting from leg to leg. "Enough talkin' let's kill'em already!" the scrawny dragon whined.

"For once, I agree with the shrimp. Let's get started already," Rath rumbled.

Looking to Flem and seeing him nod in agreement, Malick let his wings fold back to his sides and sighed, "Always so impatient... Fine, get to it, it will be entertaining, and the look on Onyx's face when he arrives will be quite the sight."

With that, Rath threw himself towards the dragoness with a roar of rage, which changed to anguish as Orchid whipped her tail through her pile of gems, sending sharp stones into the huge dragons eyes. "Amy! Take the egg and hide!" her mother commanded as she met Rath mid-charge.

Hesitating only a moment, the little dragoness swept the egg to her chest and started running deeper into the cave. Once she had made it further into the shadows, she hid behind a stalagmite and turned her attention back to her mother. Amy had to restrain herself from squeezing her sibling when she saw the large, red dragon throw her mother off of him and start rubbing furiously at his eyes. Seizing the opportunity, Zaz leapt onto Orchid's back and started biting and clawing at her neck and shoulders.

With a cry of one part pain and two parts fury, the dragoness slammed her back into the cave wall, crushing her attacker against the unforgiving stone. As the scrawny dragon slid from between her wings to lie dazedly on the ground, Orchid was suddenly slammed into the same wall Zaz had been smashed against. Unlike him, however, the aggressor did not let up.

Rath moved his face closer to his pinned victim, giving her a clear look at the blood seeping from his closed left eye. "That was dirty trick," he growled. "That freak's rubbed off on you."

Orchid tried to break free, but the forearm pushing harder on her neck stopped her, earning a chuckle from the red dragon. "You have fight, I'll give you that much," Rath commented before letting his eyes wonder down her form. "Onyx is one lucky freak to bag such a fine dragoness. Can't imagine what you saw in him," the red dragon said and then chuckled. "Maybe you just need to be shown what a real dragon is like."

With that, he let the claw not restraining his victim begin to run across her chest, eliciting a startled gasp and increased struggling from Orchid. The building force on her neck did not lessen her thrashing, just as her attempted attacks on Rath didn't seem to deter him from his fun.

Amy watched on, frozen by fear and helplessness, wishing for something, anything to save her mom. Just as the disgusting dragon lowered his claws between Orchid's thighs, the cave brightened before Rath was struck by a beam of white light. The beam picked the massive dragon up for a second before pushing him across the floor, his heavy body leaving a shallow trench in the rock.

The moment slowed for the little dragoness as she took in the scene before her. Orchid collapsed to the ground in a combination of shock and relief. Tearing her eyes from the freed dragoness, Amy looked to Rath, and saw a rare sight; the vile dragon was frantically rolling on the ground and screaming, flames sticking to the spot where the light had struck him. The answer to how dragon scale could be burning was answered as she began to make out the details of the impact spot. Where he had been struck, the skin and scales had been blown away, leaving the flesh and fat below to fuel the flame.

As Amy took this in, time returned to its normal flow, and she jerked her head to where the beam had originated. Along the way, she saw Flem pressed against the wall in terror, and Malick grinning maliciously. Finally, her eyes fell upon a sight that made her heart both soar and freeze; her father, mouth closing after his attack and a look of pure hatred on his face.

Malick whipped his head around, smiling even wider as he began to say, "Onyx! How nice of you to-"

"MALICK!" was roared as the black dragon collided with his enemy, forming a rolling, black and red ball of fangs and claws. When the two hand come to a halt, Onyx was staring down at Malick with murder in his eyes, while Malick stared back in kind, all traces of mirth gone from his features.

Seeing his brother under the bigger, wingless dragon, brought Flem from his terrified stupor and he joined the fray, shoulder tackling Onyx, his obesity serving to help in the task. Before they came to a stop, Onyx already had his new opponent in a headlock and was choking the life out of him, not intending to stop this time. Flem was saved from suffocation as Malick breathed a cone of fire into both their faces, using the distraction to deliver a sucker punch to Onyx's snout.

A groan pulled Amy's attention from her father's fight to her surroundings, where she saw Rath attempting to stand on shaking legs, the fire finally out. He was doing this on three legs, as his burn stretched across his left shoulder, side, and even onto his chest. Hearing the groan again made the little dragoness realize Rath was not the cause, and she soon found herself staring at the dazed eyes of Zaz.

The scrawny dragon returned her stare for a moment before he realized who it was he was looking at. When he did, his eyes came fully into focus and a smile pulled at his lips. Amy was terrified as Zaz jumped to his feet, got into position to pounce like a cat about to kill a mouse, and came flying at her.

Before he made it more than half a body length however, Orchid came down onto his back, slamming him, once again, to rock. This time, he did not go unconscious, and instead tried to bring his head around to bite the dragoness. Looking up for a moment, Orchid said one word, "Run!"

Amy's legs moved on their own, the command finally telling them the proper reaction to facing death. She ran deep into the cave. She ran from the sounds of fighting. She ran from the roars of pain and hatred. She ran until she couldn't run another step, and then she collapsed, sobs racking her body as she hugged the purple egg to her chest.

~8~

"... When I got a hold of myself, I was still too tired to go any further into the cave. Luckily, there were plenty of divots torn out of the walls from Mom and Dad digging up gems. I found the deepest one I could and hid inside of it," Amy said. "It was the most terrifying moment of my life... not knowing what was happening, whether or not I'd see my parents again... if I'd survive."

As she had told Spike the story of their past, the dragoness had found herself feeling as she had back then. The fear, anger, saddness, and helplessness had flooded back to her, and she subconsciously snaked her arms around her torso and hunched over because of it.

Amy jolted when she something wrap around and press against the top of her head. "W-what are you doing, Spike?" the dragoness asked, though she didn't move to pull away.

Spike tightened his hug, though it was a little awkward with her spines in the way. "I-I don't really know. It just looked like you needed a hug... so I gave you one," he answered in a mumble.

The two remained silent for a moment before Amy began to giggle. "You've certainly grown to be quite the sweet little dragon haven't you?" she asked, shifting her head up so one laughter filled eye was staring at him.

Cheeks growing red, the young dragon huffed and backed away. "Yeah, well, I was trying to help," he grumbled, folding his arms and looking away. The attempted tough front was only made cute by the bright blush, and the sight caused Amy to laugh even louder. Blush blooming more, Spike grumbled, "Maybe I shouldn't try if you're just going to laugh at me."

Getting control of herself, the dragoness took a few deep breaths and said, "Phew, sorry for laughing, and thank you, I needed that." When the young dragon didn't stop pouting, Amy's expression sobered a little. "I mean it, Spike, you really did help me, and I wasn't laughing at you... I was just thinking how proud Mom and Dad would be of you."

This got Spike's attention and he turned to her. "R-really? You think so?" he questioned.

The dragoness gave him a small smile and said, "Definitely, You're kind and caring... Even though you hardly know me, even after I..." swallowing thickly, she went on, "You still try and comfort me, that's something not many people would do, let alone dragons... Never lose that kind heart, Spike; in one as strong as you, it will change the world for the better. I know it."

The young dragon was left stunned by her words, and he pointed at his chest, "M-me? Strong? No-"

"Yes," Amy interrupted, "You are strong, and you'll grow even stronger in time." To drive the point home, she added, "You may even be the one who redeems the magic dragons someday."

Sitting back down, Spike asked, "You really think so?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

Neither seeing nor hearing anything but truth in the dragoness, he breathed, "Wow..." before smiling, "Maybe we can do that together."

Hiding her wince, Amy spoke, "Hey, how about I... I finish the story before we start making any plans?"

The air seemed to grow heavy at this, and Spike gave a rigid nod. As hard as it had been up to this point, the dragoness knew it would only get harder from here on out. She wanted to stop, after all, Spike already knew what was going to happen, just not the details, and she could tell herself that he was too young to hear them. But she knew that wouldn't be enough for him. Already, she had seen the fire in his eyes, the indomitable spirit that Mother, Father, and, she'd like to believe, she herself all shared, that would never let him take the easy way out.

Taking a deep breath, she once again started to share with him their story, "I can't tell you much of what happened while I was hiding. I can't even tell you for how long, really, but I can tell you what happened next..."

~8~

Amy had started blowing, small, stuttering puffs of fire onto the egg as she waited hopefully for her parents to be okay and to come find her. The act of tending the needs of her sibling helped keep her mind from wandering to darker thoughts. It felt as if she had been huddled in this hole for hours, and she was becoming anxious.

For this reason, when she heard the sounds of something big lumbering into her part of the cave, she almost leapt out to greet who she hoped was her parents. Just as she was going to, a weary voice spoke up, "M-Mailck, come on, let's go already. We've taken care of the freak and traitor, let's just leave."

Flem's words froze the young dragoness, and the egg began to fall from her shock slackened fingers. Luckily, there was something to terrify her into pulling it back to her chest. "Shut up! That little brat is still around here, and we're not leaving until she's dead! Do you understand me!?" Malick roared at his brother, all traces of lightheartedness gone from his voice.

"B-but, Zaz is hurt real bad, and Rath is pretty messed up too. Rath may be able to handle it a little longer, but Zaz isn't going to last if we put off getting him help," the fat dragon tried to reason, before breaking out into a fit of wet coughs.

"Hmph, coward, do not try and hide your weakness behind that of others. I'm going to put an end to that bastard's legacy tonight, and you're going to help," said the older dragon, cold fury lacing his words.

Flem, it seemed, had more of a backbone than one would expect, as he didn't drop the subject, "If not for your brothers, than for yourself. Malick, those wounds are grievous and must be treated immediately. Is ensuring one little hatchling's death really worth your life?"

Amy could hear Malick growl, "After we've just seen what her father was capable of? Yes."

"But she's all alone; she'll die without us having to lift a claw. Let's just leave her to her fate and be gone from this wretched place," the obese dragon pleaded.

"Listen, Flem, I decide what we do, and I say we are- Argh!"

"See, brother! You can hardly stand as it is! If we wait any longer to seek treatment, it may be too late!" Flem nearly screeched.

Amy heard the elder dragon suck in a breath through his teeth, before loud thud was heard and Flem gasp. "Fine, we'll leave, but we if we hear any word of wingless dragoness in the world, I'm going to kill you," Malick promised.

After a few more gasps for air, Flem answered, "Y-yes, brother I understand, but do not worry, she will no doubt die here. Of that, I am sure."

With a final few unintelligible grumbles, the sounds of retreating footsteps reached the young dragoness and she was once again left alone with her unhatched sibling. She wanted to rush out and find her parents right then and there, to prove the words of the two vile dragons wrong, but her father's teachings told her to wait. After a perceived eternity, Amy was sure that the intruding dragons were gone and crawled from her hiding spot.

The little dragoness ran as fast as she could, stumbling multiple times, but managing to keep herself moving. As she neared the entrance she noticed there was little light remaining in the cave. It was in the darkness of night that she came a large mound that had not been there before. Amy slowed for a moment as her eyes used starlight to identify what she was seeing. "MOMMY, DADDY!" she screamed in horror and ran to her still parents.

Laying atop Orchid as if to shield her was a motionless Onyx, head side by side with his mate. Orchid herself was on her side, as motionless as the dark dragon. The little dragon sprinted to them, tears in her eyes and egg still clutched in her arms, not slowing down even when she stepped in something cool and sticky. She ignored everything but the two dragons in front of her as she continued to scream to them, "Mommy, Daddy, please wake up! We have to find you help, or-or some of those plants you told me about! Please just open your eyes!"

Her pleas did nothing to stir the two, even when she had begun pushing up on her father's eyelid to open it, balancing the egg with one arm. "P-please, y-you can't leave me. I-don't know what to do," Amy cried as she sunk to her knees, paying no heed to the blood splashing up on her. She laid her face on the egg, her tears washing trails of dust from its surface.

"A-Amy... Is that you?" came a soft whisper. The young dragoness gasped and whirled to the source of the voice. "Mom!" she exclaimed as pulled herself closer to Orchid's face. "You're alive!"

There was only a shallow breath at first, but it was soon followed by another whisper, "Amy, a-re you okay?"

"I'm fine, b-but Dad isn't-" She began to answer before sob interrupted her.

Upon hearing her daughter's distress, Orchid's eyelids parted slightly. When she caught sight on her weeping child she began to inch her arm up. "Hush, child... You'll be alright," she said, running a claw across Amy's spines.

Tilting her end into her mother's soft caress, she cried harder. "B-but w-what about y-you? T-tell me w-what I'm I s-supposed to d-do?"

"Amy, you have to listen carefully, dear. Can you be strong for me?" the dragoness asked, arm splashing down into the blood pooled underneath her. When she saw her daughter nod in response, she let her eyes flutter shut again. "Good... Is the egg safe?"

"Y-yeah, I have it here," Amy answered, holding the egg out a moment before returning it to her chest. "I've been taking care of it," she added before blowing a puff of fire onto it. "I've been feeding it fire, s-so don't worry about that. Just focus on getting better, o-okay?"

Orchid couldn't help but chuckle at the young dragoness lecturing her. That only lasted a moment, however, before she began talking again, "Amethyst... I-I'm sorry, but I won't be getting better."

"But-!"

"Amy, listen!" She interrupted before a cough did the same to her. "... Please, listen... You need to leave the dragon lands... Take the egg with you and find somewhere safe" Orchid told her.

"... But where? How am I supposed to live without you or Dad?" she begged.

"You can do this, Amy... You remember what Onyx taught you... You know how to survive," the fading dragoness answered. "Your father's stories... he spoke of friends and... and companions," she went continued, voice growing quiet. "You are a wonderful little dragoness, and I'm sure there are those out there who will help you."

Amy nodded again, but realized her mother could no longer see her, "I... I'll try."

"No... You'll do it... I know you will... You'll live, and take care of the little one... You'll both... live..." Orchid said with her last breath.

Amy came closer to her mother's face and put a claw on her large muzzle. "M-mom?... Mom... Please... please don't leave me... I-I can't do it, I need you with me! Please come back, I don't want to be alone!" Despite her attempts at shaking Orchid awake, the dragoness did not stir.

Sobs rang off the stone walls hours into the night before eventually weakening to sniffles, and eventually growing silent...

~8~

"...I stayed with them for nearly two days before thirst drove me from their sides," Amy told Spike. Her voice had followed the rest of her and had become drained of emotion. She had also run out of tears a few minutes ago, leaving the stains to dry under her bloodshot eyes.

Spike, it seemed, still had tears to spare, his flowing freely from his eyes. "I'm sorry... for what happened to you," the young dragon said as he wiped a forearm across his wet face.

Amy looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "What for? None of what happened was your fault," she told him. "...I know that now..."

Not hearing the mumble, he said, "That never should have happened. Mom, Dad... and you, didn't deserve it."

The dragoness chuckled, though it was a hollow sound. "People rarely get what they deserve... but that is neither here nor there. The story is not yet finished," she said. In truth, though telling of the demise of their parents was hard, telling him what she had done would be even more so, and she had to force herself to go on.

"After I had left our parents, I made my way out of the badlands, avoiding every dragon I came across while surviving off of gems I either found or pilfered from the hoards of others," Amy said, a wry smile spreading across her face. "Admittedly, I found some satisfaction in that. Even if they weren't the dragons who killed our parents, I liked to pretend they were... The thought that anyone of them could be willing to hurt me for not having wings helped too."

The smile faded from her lips when the young dragon only became sadder at her words. The dragoness sighed and went on, "I eventually found my way to Equestria completely by accident and, after a few more days, I made it to a little settlement at the border... Thinking back, I can't even remember the name of the place, or the pony who helped me. When I first entered town, the ponies there just kind of ignored me; used to seeing all sorts of creatures from living so close to the fringe of their kingdom I guess."

"There was one pony though, who did see me; she was a kind mare who took me in for the night, fed me, even ran me a bath," Amy said, frowning a little. "I still feel horrible for not remembering her name, but I wasn't really in the best state of mind then, and I didn't stay for long. I had asked the mare where we were, and once she told me I asked her to tell me everything she could about Equestria. That was how I learned of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns; her son was attending, I think."

"I had been feeding your egg with what fire I could, but in the end, I could only manage to keep it from losing anymore magic while I traveled," The dragoness explained. "I knew it would take a lot more magic than I could muster on my own, so decided to take you to the place with the most magic in the kingdom."

"With a map provided by the kind stranger, I traveled across Equestria, and, well, the long and short of it is that I arrived at Canterlot," her expression soured a little as she continued, "At the time, I figured the suspicious stares were because, the few times I was seen, I was stalking through alleyways... Now I'm not so sure."

She shook her head and got back on topic, "Well I went to the school... I tried to just give them your egg in the hopes that they would you in without question, but I guess I wasn't really thinking straight. Of course, my appearance and request stirred up more attention than I could deal with, and I panicked... So, I set the egg down and ran."

The room was silent, neither occupant making a sound as one stared at the other, and the other stared at the floor. Finally, Spike tilted his head and asked, "That's it...? Y-you left me so that I could be hatched, right? Why are you so guilty about that...? You didn't have any other choice."

Amy was stunned for a few seconds before she grimaced. What's wrong with me? He's right in front of me, and I'm practically lying to him. Even now I wrong you, Spike. "No, I had a choice... The reason I ran away when the ponies started to call in officials was because... because I was afraid they'd make me stay with you," the dragoness confessed.

She lifted her head in time to see him blinking as if slapped. "...W-why?" he managed to stutter through the shock and confusion.

Amy began to blink rapidly herself, though hers was caused by tears she didn't know she had left. "... Because, the truth is, at the time... I-I hated you," the statement hung in the air.

"Wha-"

"I was just so torn up and confused, and I didn't know how to handle what had happened," the dragoness interrupted, the words flowing out of her in a torrent, "At first, when the sadness began to leave me, it was replaced with hatred towards those monsters that had taken Mom and Dad away, but soon... it started to grow... I began to hate myself for not doing anything, for being born as I am." Now, the emotion that had left her earlier started flooding back, and she was filled with self-loathing and guilt.

"I hated Mom and Dad for leaving me alone, and... and I even started hating you. I starting blaming you for our parents deaths; that if Flem hadn't seen your egg, then he wouldn't have brought his brothers to kill us, even though it was because Dad and I were wingless that brought them. I thought that if you weren't there, I could have helped Mom and Dad, ignoring the fact that I would have only gotten killed," as the dragoness confessed her crimes, she fell forwards onto her palms, cloak spreading out around her and the hot tears of shame falling from shut eyes to pool on the floor.

"At one point... I-I even thought of killing you, of dashing your egg against the ground. But when I did, I remembered Mom's last words, and how much both our parents cared for you, and I felt disgusting for even thinking such a horrid thing," she said, no longer being able to stop herself. "When I left you at the school, I didn't even know if pony magic could hatch you... I could have been leaving you to your death, but I didn't care. I just wanted to get away from you... from the memories you brought me, and I didn't care how."

Amy, slowed a moment and started taking deep breaths, "... As time passed, the hatred I once felt began to turn to worry, and soon after, guilt. I had abandoned you in a foreign land, and so many thoughts began to go through my head. Had you been hatched? Were you still alive? Were they treating you right?"

"It had gotten so bad, I had planned to come back for you... until I saw the paper," the dragoness told him, followed by a strained chuckle. "The ruler of Equestria taking on a new student is a big deal after all, and news of it reached even outside of Equestria. It was by chance that one of the newspapers found its way to me, and the picture nearly made my heart stop. Imagine my surprise when I saw a baby dragon being held in the front hooves of a little unicorn filly, sitting next to Princess Celestia herself."

"When I read the article, I knew I had no right to come into your life; you were being raised by the princess and her student; nurtured, fed, and protected from anyone who would dare harm you... And what did I have to offer you? Nothing. After what I had done to you, I had no right to even see you... so I swore never to come to Equestria, and to let you live a life Mom and Dad would want for you... Safe and loved." Finished telling the young dragon why he had been left in the Pony Kingdom, there was only one thing left to say to him, "And now you know why... Why I have no right to call myself your sister... Because... I'm the monster who left her little brother with no regard for his life or the final wishes of her mother..."

For ten years she had kept these things locked away inside her heart, never letting them see the light of day and hiding them from the world. Amy had feared what revealing her dark past would do, and, when she looked up, she knew those fears were well founded. The dragoness stared at Spike's anguished features, and could tell he wanted to say something, but every time he tried, a sob tried to escape from him instead. Closing her wet eyes once more, she bowed low the little dragon on her hands and knees and said, "I am so sorry, Spike, for everything..."

Author's Note

Phew, that was pretty hard, I'm not use to doing emotional scenes. Hope it's okay and that you enjoy it. Oh! And thanks to my editors, they did a great job as always.

Chapter 8

Amy's words broke the young dragon's restraint, and a sob escaped his lips. The dragoness tensed up, knowing it was her words, her very presence that was causing Spike such anguish. There was little she could do for the one she had hurt so gravely besides ensure he at least had support in his hour of need.

Amy stood up and wobbled a moment on tingling legs as she fought the urge to look at Spike. The dragoness knew that if she were to see him now, it would only kindle the desire within her heart to take the young drake into her arms and comfort him. Such an act, especially from a monster like her, would not be welcomed by Spike, and she had no right to do so anyway.

Once her legs were firm beneath her, and the light dizziness caused from standing too fast had passed, she made her way to the door. Upon opening it, she saw Twilight Sparkle sitting a few feet away with her back to the door. When the squeak of hinges reached those purple ears, they twitched towards the source, and the head they were attached to followed soon after. Now staring at the dragoness, Twilight's eyes narrowed. "What's going on in there? Where's Spike?" she inquired as she stood and turned to face her fully.

Breaking down after discovering how wretched a creature his only remaining kin is. "He's inside... He needs your support right now... go to him." Amy told her, stepping to the side of the door. Twilight tilted until her head until her ears perked towards the faint sounds of distress coming from the room.

Without a moment's hesitation, The lavender mare ran to her little brother with the call of "Spike!"

Amethyst, not wanting to intrude on the two, began to make her way back to her suite. The journey was difficult as her weary soul and exhausted body stumbled through halls and up stairs. The dragoness would have been amazed she even managed to find her way back to the room, what with the experience she had just weathered after practically being drugged, but she couldn't find the ability to think of anything as she entered through the door.

She went about collecting her things in a mechanical fashion, reaching under the bed to grab her dark staff and drag it out. She laid it on the bed, hands reaching to tighten the knot of cloth on the end when she stopped. "You know, whoever you are, I'm in no mood to play games. So why don't you drop the invisibility?" said Amy as she straightened and turned to glare at a seemingly empty corner of the room.

After a few seconds, a shimmer became visible over the space before it was filled with sparkles. Soon after, the star filled veil retracted to reveal itself to be the mane and tail of the lunar alicorn. Luna smiled sheepishly. "G-greetings Amethyst, We are sorry to intrude upon your privacy," she began, stepping out from the corner, "We simply wished to... to express our deepest apologies for the actions of both my sister and myself. It was wrong of us to-"

"Lie? Stick your nose where it didn't belong? Drug me? All of the above?" the dragoness asked rhetorically with a barely maintained look of indifference. "Or maybe for pretending to be my friend to get me where you wanted?"

"No! That is not true! Our desire for your friendship was no fabrication!" Luna claimed, taking a hurried step forward. "We... I'm sorry for deceiving you, and for any pain I've caused you with what I've done."

"Pain? Me?" Amy whispered with widened eyes before they narrowed with a snarl. "What about Spike's pain!?" the dragoness roared, fire curling from her lips as she stomped towards the retreating alicorn. "He's out there suffering because of what he's learned," Amy yelled in Luna's face, the two now nearly muzzle to muzzle. "Why aren't you telling him sorry, huh!?"

The moon princess was now on her rump, back pressed against the wall, lips parted and eyes wide. She flinched when Amy's palm came flying past her head to slam into the wall behind her, creating a few small cracks through it. "Why couldn't you just leave things be!? Now I've... I've hurt him again," the dragoness said, her voice cracking and the look of anger twisting into one of sadness. "Why?... Why can't I stop hurting him?"

Luna did not know what it was her friend was talking about nor what to say to fix things between them, but the sudden lack of anger from the girl gave the moon princess the courage to speak, "I-I am truly sorry for... for everything. If I had known how hard this would have been for both of you, I'd have never allowed it to happen."

She was grasping in the dark for the right words, and when Amy's eyes snapped open and glared at her once more, she knew she had chosen wrong. "No, you aren't truly sorry, not yet. But you will be after I make you feel what he is feeling," the dragoness growled, her other hand rising from its limp position at her side to form a tight fist and cock back. The lunar alicorn was too shocked to do anything as a punch came rocketing towards her face.

The word "STOP!" rang through the air as a golden glow surrounded Amy's strong arm, but it only managed to slow the devastating blow, removing its crippling potential. The fist still plowed into Luna's cheek, snapping her head to the side with a whip of blood from her lips and a job for the royal dentist in the form of loosened molars. Before the lunar alicorn even hit the ground, the glow of magic spread over the rest of the dragoness and flung her across the room. As Amy spun through the air, her cloak came loose, falling to the ground a couple seconds after she landed in a crouch by her bed. At the same time Celestia appeared in front of her downed sister in a flash of light and raised wings. "Do not make another move, dragon!" ordered the solar alicorn with a look of steel upon her face and glow around her horn.

The dragoness hissed in response, pupils slitted and teeth bared. "Ah, Princess Celestia, how kind of you to come and accept your retribution willingly." came from the frenzied dragon's curled lips as she took a step forward, still on all fours. "You've saved me the trouble."

Celestia's gaze was softened with sympathy, but the hard edge still remained as she said, "Amethyst, I know you are upset with us, but violence will solve nothing. Please, calm yourself before either of us does something we will regret."

"Any regrets I bear from tonight will not be from this!" growled Amy as she stalked toward the two sisters.

"Amy... I know that you are angry, and though I am unaware of what has transpired between you and Spike, I cannot help but think he would be upset to find you in the dungeons," reasoned Celestia, sparing a glance over her shoulder at her slowly rising sister. "If you end this now, we can ignore your assault on a royal princess of Equestria and settle this like rational beings."

The idea of upsetting the young dragon even more caused Amy's steps to falter and a look of uncertainty to flash across her features, her eyes dilating a moment. As soon as it appeared however, it was gone and she said, "The dungeons are just the place for me, and I'm sure Spike will agree after tonight."

Celestia looked confusedly at the dragoness, but did not let the words distract her from trying to end this with words, "Well, surely the assault of his friends would bring him no joy, correct?"

This time, the look of regret and uncertainty remained for far longer before Amy grit her teeth and slowly began to step back. After she was once again by her cloak and staff, she grabbed the former as she reared back onto her hind-legs and threw the cloak around her shoulders in one smooth motion. "Fine... I will stop for his sake, but do not think that this changes anything between us," the dragoness grit out, staring daggers at the sun princess before turning to pick up her staff.

Luna, who was now standing on three hooves while the forth gingerly touched at her swelling cheek with a mutter of, "I deserved that," and turned her gaze to Amy as she gathered her things. "Where art thou-" the moon princess began to ask but flinched as the pain in her face flared up.

"Where are you going?" Celestia asked in her sister's stead.

Amy did not turn to look at them as she leaned her staff and bag over her left shoulder. "Away from here, I'm going home," she said as she began to walk towards the balcony.

Luna looked confused and a little worried when she heard the answer, and voiced her concerns, though she did so in a mumble to avoid opening her mouth too far, "But your train doth not depart until early morning."

Throwing open the doors leading outside with a bang, the dragoness leapt onto the railing and stared out over the city, causing both princesses to step forward in worry and the elder one to yell, "Don't do it Amy! Whatever happened tonight, jumping isn't going to solve anything!"

This actually got the dragoness to turn her head and stare at the two with a raised eye ridge. "Seriously? Guess I can add insulting to your list of transgressions... I'm staying in the city until it's time to board the train." Without further warning, Amy let herself fall over the ledge, leaving Celestia shocked and causing Luna to surge forward with a scream of "Amy!" When she reached the rail, the lunar alicorn wasted no time leaning over it, horn aglow with the intention of pulling the dragoness to safety.

Being princess of the night meant her eyes could easily pierce the darkness and lock onto the moving figure. What she saw however, gave her pause. The purple figure wasn't flying, and it wasn't plummeting to its death, it was more falling with style. Luna could see Amy hooking spires with her clawed hands as she descended, twirling off of them and sliding off bits of roof as she made her way down. At the final stretch, she had managed to reach the outer wall, landing only a moment between two patrolling guards before vanishing over the edge.

Luna absently made a mental note to talk to the two oblivious guards about keeping a better vigil, before looking over her shoulder at her sister and saying disbelievingly, "She's gone from the castle."

This snapped the solar alicorn from her stupor and she rushed to her sister's side to frantically scan the ground below. "Is she okay!? Where is she!?" she asked.

"Gone... over the walls and into the city," Luna clarified, still amazed by the dragon's agility and speed; suddenly feeling very lucky for her sister slowing that punch. "I fear we have not only lost a friend tonight, but have also made a powerful enemy... I only hope she can forgive us someday..."

~8~

After her dramatic exit from the castle, Amy had limped across the quiet city to the train station. As it turned out, performing high-level acrobatics while both physically and emotionally exhausted wasn't the safest of things to do. When she had made it to the station, she lay down on a bench and tried to sleep. Failing to do that, she instead focused on her sprained ankle. Though she could not necessarily heal the injury outright, properly circulated magic in the damaged area could heal it in a matter of days instead of weeks, and she could always use the practice in magical control.

In truth, the real reason she had taken such drastic action in escaping the castle instead of just allowing the ponies to escort her was twofold. The first was that she neither wanted to see nor be seen by others at the time, feeling horrible for both what had happened with Spike and for hurting Princess Luna while under the influence of her rage. The second reason was that she just knew it would have been Prim & Proper to be the one to escort her, and she did not trust herself to be able to stay calm in his presence. The butler pony had to have had some knowledge as to what was going on when he went and retrieved the special tea for his princesses.

After scaring a security guard by popping her draconic head out from under her hood, she boarded the train when it arrived and was on her way back home. If someone were to have asked her how the train ride had gone, the lack of sleep would have placed her answer somewhere between "miserable" and a sullen "I don't know"; haunted as she was by the what-ifs of how she could have better handled things, forcing her awake every time she tried to get some shuteye. On top of that, not having any food or money meant the trip was spent in gnawing hunger and she couldn't bring herself to eat the sugar diamond out of guilt. If she had not let her desire for the delectable treat control her after all, she would have never come to Canterlot.

It was only on the last day of the long trip that her tired mind could no longer sustain wakefulness, and she conked out. Luckily, her mind was also too tired to scrounge up any dreams to torture her with, and she awoke from a blissfully long and nightmare-free slumber. It was with this small blessing that she stepped onto the boarding station of Ford Junction in the late morning, her ankle healed enough to be only slightly stiff.

Despite the hardships in Equestria, the familiar sights and sounds of the closest thing to a hometown she had brightened her demeanor, and she could forget her sorrows for at least a little while. Already, she could hear the shouting from the various inhabitants in the melting pot of a city. Stepping out, she saw many different creatures milling about both on the ground and in the air. Some would call the city sitting on three borders ugly, but to her, it was a sight for sore eyes.

Dozens of tall smoke stacks rose from atop factories, billowing out thick fumes and staining the sky a permanent grey. The bulk of the buildings were made of red-brown bricks and plaster, resulting in a far less colorful city than what the dragoness had seen in Equestria. Taking a deep breath of smoggy air into her mouth, Amy savored the taste... before coughing it out. Okay, maybe I didn't miss everything about this place, but it's still nice to be home.

Not delaying any longer, Amy made her way into the densely packed streets, expertly weaving through the crowds with nary a bump of shoulders with passers-by. I definitely missed this. As much as I may enjoy attention, I prefer not being noticed over all the glares I was getting in pony land. The dragoness thought this as she ducked under a barrel being carried over the shoulder of a minotaur, and it was an accurate observation. The mules, donkeys, goats, zebras, gryphons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, and various other creatures hardly spared her a glance as they passed her, both used to seeing different species and too focused on their own lives to pay each other any mind.

It was the apathetic nature of Ford Junction that made the fact that Amy felt someone paying close attention to her all the more worrisome. Add onto that all the calls of "Watch it!" and "Outta the way, kid!" from those behind her confirmed someone, a non-native probably, was following her. Barely off the train and already somebody wants to cause problems. Figures.

Showing no sign of noticing besides a slight clenching of her jaw, the dragoness made her way through the streets before turning into the first empty alleyway she came across. As soon as she rounded the corner, she pressed her back against the wall and readied her staff, pulling off and holding the bag with her right hand while twirling the weapon in her left. You chose a real bad day to mess with me, creep... On the bright side, this should be therapeutic.

Before her stalker even made their way to the entrance, she already had some ideas about them; the hurried footsteps, their rhythm, and faint, accompanying clicking told her that the stalker was bipedal, had short legs and clawed feet. Probably some runt diamond dog trying to prove himself to the pack. I'll try not and hurt whoever it is... or at least not cripple them.

When she saw the shadow approach, it was of someone quite short, except for a large spire coming from the head. Amy didn't have time to ponder this though, as the stalker turned the bend and she swung her staff down towards their head. "Take thi-SPIKE!?"

The dragoness could barely divert the blow to the ground as both dragons screamed in surprise and terror. Spike continued to scream as her own became one of pain and she dropped the violently vibrating staff from her stinging claw. She let go of her bag and cradled her arm to her chest. "What are you doing here!?" was all she could think to ask as she tried to figure things out.

The young dragon had fallen onto his butt and his screams had begun to trail off. When they devolved into a squeaky wheeze, he coughed and started gulping down air. "What's with *gasp* people trying to *gasp* give me a heart attack *wheeze* lately? First *gasp* Discord and now you," Spike got out as he pat his chest a few times.

"Don't try and change the subject!" Amy exclaimed before covering her mouth and scanning the surrounding area. When she saw no one she uncovered her mouth and whispered harshly, "How did you get here!? Why!?"

Spike stood up and stared her right in the eye. "Because we weren't done talking yet, that's why," he told her, voice brimming with determination.

The dragoness had no idea how to respond to that, but she did know that the two of them couldn't remain standing outside, especially not together. Any fear of Spike's scorn was overshadowed by her concern for the young dragon as she grabbed her things and ran towards him.

His eyes widened and he protested when he was scooped up and held under Amy's arm beneath the cloak. "Be quiet, Spike! I need to get us somewhere safe, and we can't have people seeing you," she whispered. This had the intended effect as the young dragon's protests quieted and he stopped pulling at the arm wrapped around his midsection.

"Why not?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

"I've earned some dangerous enemies over the years who would love nothing more than to get me out of the picture and some of them wouldn't hesitate to use you to do just that," she answered.

The dragoness felt Spike tense up. "Okay..." he whispered back before adding a little a little louder, "Just ask before doing stuff like that though!"

Amy couldn't help but smile a little at that, but she soon returned to her stone-faced expression and ran out of the alley. She dodged past pedestrians, receiving harsh calls as she did, and made her way to the closest safe place she could think of, all the while trying to ignore the still present feeling of being watched. Please, please just let this one time be paranoia.

It wasn't long before the pair of dragons had made it to a more residential area of the city, scattered lights shining from the windows of tall apartment buildings in the area. Running up to one of the many buildings, Amy went to the gated front door and pushed a button to the side. After a minute of nothing happening, the dragoness growled and started tapping the button repeatedly.

Finally, a voice from inside yelled, "Enough! I'm coming already!" Soon after, the door behind the gate opened to reveal a bleary-eyed and chubby gryphon scowling at her. "Gods damn it, Amethyst, what's the big idea waking me up at the crack of dawn?" he asked angrily.

Amy deadpanned as she pointed a thumb over her shoulder. "Seriously, Pete? It's almost noon," she stated before shaking her head. "Whatever, let me in."

The gryphon grumbled, but opened the gate for her. "Just get in here already so I can go back to sleep. Always waking me up..." he said as returned to grumbling.

As soon as the gate was out of her way, she half walked, half ran into the building and through the lobby. The dragoness ignored the call of "ingrate" from behind her and started climbing stairs. By the time she was nearing the top, Amy silently cursed her friend's apartment choice; it wasn't that she was getting winded, but it was still a time-consuming climb to have to do whenever she wanted to see the pegasus.

"Where are we going?" Spike whispered as he peeked out from behind the cloak.

"To see a friend," she answered as she finally stopped in front of one of the many doors in the hall and started pounding on it.

Soon after, a male voice was heard complaining about noise while he was trying to write and hoofsteps approaching the door. "Who's there?" a female voice asked.

"It's me, Lorey, I'm back," was the reply.

"Amy? You're back!" was exclaimed as the sound of locks turning followed.

"'Lorey'. Is she the Lore Finder I read about?" asked Spike.

"You read about her?" Amy asked with a quirked brow.

Before he could answer, the sound of the chain lock sliding stopped and the voice spoke, "Amy... Why is there a child out there with you?"

This actually gave the dragoness pause as she realized where exactly she had brought her up-to-now-secret sibling. Really, she had only been focusing on getting the young dragon somewhere safe where she could figure out how he had gotten there and how to get him back to his home. It just so happened to be that the home of her best friend was where she felt safest in all of Ford Junction.

"...Amy? Are you alright?" Lore asked in concern, the lock sliding the last of the way and the door opening a crack to reveal a magenta eye.

It was Spike who answered, pushing the cloak to the side like a shower curtain, "I think she's just spacing out."

When the pony's eyes fell upon the little dragon under her friends arm, they widened and her pupils shrunk. "Wh-who are you?"

Spike was about to answer, but Amy finally came back to reality and she pushed through the opening with a "Not out here," making the pegasus stumble back a few steps to accommodate her guests. Once she was in, Amy pushed the door closed with her tail before falling back against it with a sigh.

Any relief she could have had was ruined by the voice of her friend, now tinted with steel, "Amethyst Thistle, who is that young dragon under your arm?"

The dragoness looked between Spike and the hard eyes of her friend, trying to think of how to explain the situation. "Well... You see, the thing is... He's... Ah, well, this dragon is my-"

Amy's fumbling was cut short as Spike rolled his eyes and asked, "Hey, can you put me down already? I can stand, after all."

She stared at him a moment before his words sunk in, quickly putting him down with a "sorry" when they did, and brought her hands under her cloak.

Now fully visible, Lore Finder could see more prominently what she had before as Spike wiped away imaginary dirt from himself and she leaned forward. "Who are you?" she asked again, this time with wonder.

"Lorey, the thing is, he's-he's my-"

"Hi, my name is Spike... and I'm her brother," the young dragon answered for the floundering dragoness.

The room fell silent as Amy stared on in shock while Lore didn't show any emotion at all. Finally the mare spoke, "Huh, that answers a few questions... and raises many more."

Author's Note

I've decided to do some short chapters for a bit. The next one, I think will mostly be through Spike's perspective, though I'm still hammering out the details in my head. Hope Amy's actions towards the princesses was acceptable.

Thanks to my editors, and I hope you all enjoy this.

Chapter 9

Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.

Chapter 10

When asked what had been said at that moment, Spike would be unable to say. The young dragon, upon seeing the full fury of the mustard-yellow mare, had suppressed the memory quite thoroughly, leaving it for a psychiatrist to deal with later. Besides, even if he could remember, repeating some of the things he heard would probably get him grounded.

While he was staring slack-jawed, Amethyst was buried into her seat, hunched into herself as Lore Finder floated over her. As the pegasus breathed heavily, Amy took the reprieve to quiver out, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Sorry!? I'll show you sorry if you don't go back to Equestria and apologize to the princesses!" Lore yelled before she huffed and added. "You'll have the perfect chance to do just that when you take Spike home."

Amy's eyes widened and she sat up straight. "What!? Why can't you go!?" she questioned frantically.

Lore quirked an eyebrow. "Me? He is your brother, Amy, and he came here to see you. Besides which, this will feed two birds with one scone. The two of you will get to know each other and you'll be able to apologize to Princess Luna." With this, she descended back into her seat and looked to Spike, expression softening some. "I'm sure Spike would prefer your company over my own anyway. Right?"

This snapped the younger dragon out of his shock and he nodded vigorously. "Wha? Oh! Uh, yeah, whatever you say Miss Lore." Even if he didn't want the older dragon to come with him, he wouldn't risk bringing the mare's wrath down on his own head by disagreeing.

Lore Finder smiled triumphantly and turned back to her friend. "See? I knew he'd rather have you along for the ride than me," she said before tilting her head towards Spike. "Oh, and if you are going to use titles, then you should know I'm married, so Mrs. would be more appropriate."

Spike couldn't help but wonder if Mrs. Lore was psychic, because at that moment, a yawning, blue-grey unicorn stallion walked into the room, tired eyes lazily roaming about. When they stopped on Amy, the stallion frowned. "I figured you were here, lizard. You're always causing some sort of disturbance wherever you are. I take it you were the one my wife was yelling at just a moment ago?"

All traces of nervousness evaporated from Amy's face as she glared at the pony making his way to the kitchen, even sticking her forked tongue out at his retreating form. Spike gave his sister a curious look and whispered, "Who's that? Mr. Lore?"

The dragoness snorted and said with a smirk, "Yep, that's Mr. Lore, just ignore him and he'll go away."

Prose Worthy, who had already froze upon hearing an unfamiliar voice, whirled around to shout, "Oh, buck off, salamander! I-"

"Prose! Language! There's a child present!" reprimanded his wife sternly.

The stallion looked to his mate in confusion before turning to the source of the young voice. When his eyes landed on the tiny, purple dragon, they widened in surprise and horror. "Dear Celestia, they're multiplying," he breathed before snapping his head to the larger dragon and pointing. "What dark gods have you invoked, fool!? You've doomed us all!"

The three seated figured stared at Prose as he stood in silence, hoof still directed at the older dragon. It was Lore who broke the silence with a sigh as she brought her forehooves up and rubbed her temples. "Really, Prose?" she said incredulously. "This is Spike, Amy's younger brother. Not some eldritch abomination."

Amethyst followed the statement with laughter. "Seriously!? Oh man, that's great, you're such an idiot, Prosy!" she got out through a break in her laughing fit.

"Stop calling me that!" yelled Prose, red-faced from either anger, embarrassment, or both. "I am not Prosy!"

"Uh, yeah, you are."

"Amy, enough name calling! It stopped being funny three years ago!"

The dragoness looked between the two ponies before straightening in her chair. "Gods, what's the big deal!? It's just a nickname. You're acting like I'm insulting his mom or something," Amy said in exasperation.

"You leave my mother out of this-!"

"Um, excuse me?" Spike hesitantly interrupted the unicorn before things could spiral further. "I'm not really sure what's going on... but it's not nice to call others names."

The older dragon looked to the younger, her expression becoming tentative. "Uh, come on... It's not that bad, is it? It's just a stupid nickname. It wasn't even supposed to be mean... I did the same thing with Lorey," she defended.

Spike tilted his head. "I don't get what Lorey has to do with you calling someone dull and boring," he said, trying to understand his sister's thought process.

He got his answer when the Amy mimicked his look of confusion, head tilting to the side as she uttered, "What?" When all she got were stares in response she repeated a little louder, "What!?"

Prose Worthy's mouth was parted slightly as he said quietly, "You're kidding me, right? There is no way you are this stupid."

When she only exclaimed "What" again, this time accompanied with arms being thrown in the air, Spike began to explain, "Um, Amy, the word prosy means something is unimaginative and stuff... You know? Boring." Maybe it was because he lived in a library and spent a lot of time writing wordy letters down for a bibliophile, but Spike's vocabulary had steadily grown over the years. Apparently, Amy did not have the same benefit, though he thought Lore Finder looked smart enough and the two close enough for the mare to have rubbed off on the dragoness.

His musing was cut short as Amy spoke, "Really? Wow, I was just throwing a "Y" onto the end of his name, I didn't mean anything by it." Her lips curled into a small smirk as she continued, voice taking on mischievous lilt, "But it really does suit you; Prosy the boring unicorn writer who's always shut away in his dark room, tapping away at his typewriter all by himself while the world passes him by."

Spike was shocked by his sister's words. He, admittedly, did not know the dragoness very well yet, something he hoped to remedy, but he would have never expected this to be an aspect of her personality. She was openly mocking her best friend's special somepony right in front of her.

Prose Worthy's remained silent for a moment before he finally stated, "... I'm going to kill her. I'm going to kill her, Lore." His slow stalk forward and calm, cold fury had no effect on Amethyst as she just chuckled at him and rolled her eyes.

Before things could get out of control, Lore's voice cracked like a whip, "Enough!" Amy's face instantly sobered and Prose's took on a hint of fear. "Prose! You know I do not tolerate violence under this roof, especially not attempted homicide!"

Her husband's ears, eyes, and head all lowered in guilt, causing Amy to giggle at his situation until Lore turned her attention to her. "And you!" the terrifying mare began, voice far sharper now, "I have had enough of you teasing my husband!"

Spike began to question his sister's sanity when she actually dared open her mouth, "I-I'm just pointing out a fact, It's not my fault you married such a boring stallion." Though it was meant to be defiant, Spike could hear the quiver in her voice. He absently wondered on the relationship between the two females, as Lore Finder seemed like a somewhat over-bearing mother to the dragoness.

If he had been a little older, Lore Finder's response would have shattered that image as she gained her own smirk. "I can assure you, Amy, my husband is not boring, and that he is tapping more than just his typewriter in that room," the pegasus said with a tinge of pride.

Though the younger dragon didn't understand what she meant, the other two seemed to. While Prose Worthy's face went beet red, the dragoness stared disbelievingly before covering her ear fins and slamming her eyes shut. "Guh! That is so gross! I can't believe you said that!" she began, voice rising as she spoke and pointed. "And where did you even hear that anyway!? You're a historian for Gods' sake!"

Lore looked nonplussed at the claw currently in her face before looking to its owner with a quirked eyebrow. "I'm not a shut in, Amy. I know it may be hard for you to believe, but I have a life outside of research," she said before taking on a look of dignity, "Just two days ago I was a guest speaker at the local high school... I ended up learning quite a bit from the youths of Ford Junction."

"Okay, okay, I get it, enough already!" Amethyst exclaimed.

Spike had steadily grown more confused as the conversation progressed, and watching a still blushing Prose Worthy laugh along with a chuckling Lore Finder as his sister was horrified made him more so. "Um, what exactly are you guys talking about?" the little dragon asked, drawing their attention to him. All three adults looked at him with different levels of growing panic on their faces before they all shouted out a variant of, "Nothing! Maybe when you're older!"

~8~

Less than a day together with her little brother, and they had already almost corrupted him. Amethyst Thistle just knew she'd be getting an earful from Twilight Sparkle when she finally managed to get the younger dragon back home. Which was why she'd be taking it out on Prose when she got the chance; it was always his fault.

The dragoness would have to be careful not to get caught, though. Not only would her pegasus friend get mad at her, but Spike as well. Amy wasn't happy about it, but after everyone had settled down, the younger dragon and stallion hit it off. As it turned out, Spike liked the Daring Do books a fair bit and Prose was more than happy to talk with fans when he got a chance as there weren't many outside of Equestria.

The dragoness ended up regaling her little brother with the adventures that served as inspiration for the books, hoping to both impress him and take some wind from Prose's sails. This, coupled with Lore happily sharing with Spike the various historic backgrounds and importance of these stories and Prose discussing with him the original book he'd been writing ensured, the younger dragon was both well entertained for the next few hours and that he had thoroughly forgotten about the earlier conversation.

They had already sent their confirmation to those in Canterlot and had gotten the reply back that the proper legwork with the railway company would be complete in one or two days and that Spike would be receiving his ticket in due time. Which brought them to wondering how they would proceed when they realized the sun was setting.

"So, another day or two, huh. What are we going to do until then?" Amy asked as she placed her takeout box down on the table, absentmindedly licking away pieces of fried rice from around her muzzle.

Lore finder placed the chopsticks she had been expertly wielding with her wing tips next to her own meal before wiping her mouth with a paper napkin. "I suppose we'll just have to wait, which means we have to decide where the two of you are staying."

The dragoness looked thoughtful as she tapped her chin with a claw. "I guess he could come stay with me at my place," she proposed, only to have the mare give a shake of her head.

"Absolutely not. There is no way I am allowing a child anywhere near that biohazard you call an apartment," she declared in a voice that left no room for argument.

Amy apparently didn't notice, however, as she said, "Oh, come on, it's not that bad Lorey; you're exaggerating."

Lore deadpanned, "A group of mycologists once held a research expedition in your home and discovered six new species of fungi... Spike is not staying there..."

The older dragon failed to show her age when she crossed her arms and looked to the side, mumbling, "It's not my fault I'm not around to clean more often." She turned her head back to her friend and asked, "So, where's he going to stay?"

Lore Finder looked at Spike, who fidgeted a little under her thoughtful gaze, before saying with a small sigh, "It can't be helped, he'll be staying here."

Prose Worthy brightened. "Great, that means I can show him what I've written so far," the unicorn said happily. "Come on, Spike, I'll show you to my workspace."

"Oh no you don't!" Amy said as she grabbed her younger brother, much to his surprise, and hugged him protectively to her chest. "There's no way I'm gonna let him go anywhere near that room after finding out what you ponies do in there." Her cheeks reddened a little as she glared at the stallion, but she ignored them and looked back to her friend. "Are you sure about this, Lorey? I have enough money back at the apartment to rent out a motel room or something," she said, though it was actually more to diminish the moocher image Lore had made for her than out of consideration. Her work was satisfying spiritually, but not so much financially.

Lore rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Amy, the two of you can sleep in the living room," she assured, before gaining the mischievous glint in her eye that Amy had learned to dread. "Oh, and you might as well let Spike go with Prose Worthy. If you're going to try and keep him away from where my husband and I have shown our love for each other, there's nowhere in this apartment he can be... Not even at this kitchen table." The pegasus punctuated the statement with a clop of her hoof on the smooth surface.

The dragoness went through a number of expressions, jumping from confusion, shock, disbelief, and eventually landing on disgust. "*Urk* I-I can't believe you just *Ack*," Amy got out as she started gagging. She quickly put a very confused Spike down and stood up, trying to look angry. "I've eaten at this table! And now you're telling me you two had s-! *hurk*" her berating was cut short as the nausea began to win.

The older dragon made a mad dash to the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door as she released her disgust into the toilet. Distantly, she heard over the sound of her own retching, Spike exclaim his confusion and demand answers. Oh, how she envied the little dragon. She would give anything to not know what she knew now.

~8~

Spike was fluffing up the pillow his hosts had provided and placed it down at the top of his makeshift bed. When Amy had finally returned from the bathroom, a trip he still did not know the cause of, they had begun discussing the sleeping arrangements, and the younger dragon broached the topic of baskets. Lore and Prose responded to the knowledge of where he slept at home with a raised eyebrow and chuckle respectively, but Amy was indignant. According to her, sleeping in a basket at the foot of a pony's bed was degrading. The fact that his basket was not actually at the foot of Twilight's bed was apparently a moot point to the older dragon. After a few minutes spent placating the dragoness, she gave into the idea and Lore found a wicker basket for him before she and her husband retreated to their own bedroom, leaving the two dragons alone.

"You... can have the couch if you want it, I'm fine with sleeping on the floor," Amy offered quietly, sitting on the light brown couch in the small living room. She had yet to unfold her blanket as she watched him make his bed in silence with her hands in her lap, some of the nervousness from earlier returning without the others there with them. It frustrated the younger dragon that the two hadn't made as much progress as he hoped. How are we ever going to be a family if she's always walking on eggshells around me?

She let out a sound almost like an eep when he sighed. "I'm sorry, you're probably tired, I'll just move out of your way," she said, holding the blanket to her chest as she stood.

"What? No!" Spike exclaimed as he looked over and saw her leaving the room. She stopped and he took the opportunity to continue, "I was just thinking of something, is all. You're just as tired as I am, come back and lay down." The dragoness turned and made her way back to the couch, not saying a word or meeting his gaze. When she hovered over the piece of furniture, he spoke, causing her to jolt a little, "And you take the couch, this is fine." He patted the comforter beneath him. "I've got plenty of stuff lining it so it's comfortable."

She cleared her throat before turning around with a wide smile. "Uh, Yeah! I was just foolin' around is all," the dragoness began, following the statement with a chuckle almost as forced as her grin. "Welp, better get to sleep. We got plenty of... stuff to do tomorrow." With that, she plopped down before spreading her blanket out and let it lazily float down to cover her with a flick of her wrists.

Silence dominated the room as the two lay down, both dragons staring up at the eggshell white ceiling. Though Spike's body was growing weary, his mind couldn't settle down just yet. He turned his to his sister, "So, what kind of stuff do we have to do tomorrow?"

She turned her own head to him, confusion pulling her brow together. "Hmm, what do you mean?" she asked.

"You said we have stuff to do tomorrow... What kind of stuff are we doing?"

"Oh..." the dragoness said before her eyes widened slightly. "Oh! Well, uh, what kind of stuff do you want to do?"

As she was the one to bring it up, the younger dragon figured she had something in mind, so he hadn't had any in his own. He had to think about it a bit, going over his options. I guess I could hang out with Prose Worthy... but I get enough book talk back home when Twilight drags me to her reading club. And besides, I came here to get to know Amy, not her best friend's special somepony.

"Well," he began, speaking his idea as it came to him. "You could give me a tour of Ford Junction."

His sister worried her lip a moment before letting it seep into her voice, "I... I don't know, Spike, you remember what I told you back in the alley, don't you? It could be dangerous. I wasn't kidding when I said that, I do have enemies."

"Yeah, I guess," he answered. "Maybe I can wear something, though, like a disguise. I think I remember seeing some minotaur kids... calves... whatever. The point is, they weren't too much bigger than me, so maybe no one would question it."

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. Ford Junction was like no place he had ever been before. The most diversity he had ever seen was in Appleloosa, what with the ponies and Buffalo sort of being in the same town. Everywhere else had been pretty consistent in the species department.

Through his growing enthusiasm, he could still see uncertainty in his sister's face, and so tried to convince her, "Come on Amy, it'll be fine, and you can show all the cool stuff here. I bet there's a lot, what with there being so many different kinds of people."

"Well... I guess I could check if Lorey or see if I have any of my old cloaks from when I was younger... And there is a lot to see in Ford Junction," Amy said, suddenly gaining a distant look in her eye. "With so many different cultures, Ford Junction has some of the best food around, ya know?"

One look at the drool slipping from between her lips, and Spike couldn't help but smile in both amusement and anticipation. "Sounds good to me! I hope we can go," he said, snapping the older dragon back to attention.

She blinked a few times before giving him a soft smile of her own. "Yeah, I hope we can too," she answered. "But we won't be able to do anything if we're too tired to stand, try and get some sleep, Spike."

His smile toned down to match hers as he said, "Okay, good night... Sis." He shut his eyes and pulled the covers to his chin, suddenly afraid he may have said the wrong thing.

That fear was soon replaced by a swelling in his chest when he heard her whisper back, though barely audible, "Good night... little brother."

He had grown quite frustrated when the damned dragon never came out of the building; he had wasted hours sitting on a cloud for nothing. So, with a growl, he flew away to give his report, ignoring the sting of wind against his marred skin. Now he silently stood in front of his boss after recounting what he had seen, waiting for an answer. The silence would not have been nearly as oppressive if it were not for the three creepy masks mounted on the wall behind his boss's desk. With so little light, the vibrantly painted faces appeared animated, sharp-teethed smiles cackling and eyes filled with gleeful malice.

"Hmm, interesting... and convenient. Amethyst Thistle can be so stubborn at times, always holding grudges. Perhaps her little friend can help us... persuade, her into my employment for a little job," The words were followed by a low chuckle that sent a chill down the stallion's spine. "Phantom, keep an eye on the two. I'll have to know where they are to set up a meeting."

"Aye, boss, I won't let them out of my sight," the pegasus said before disappearing out of the window, leaving the dimly lit office and its occupant.

"Yes, Amethyst, you'll find my offer hard to resist," the dark figure chuckled, a pair of red eyes flashing as brightly as the smile underneath. "After all, you won't have any other choice."

Author's Note

As always, thanks to my editors. I've hit a minor obstacle in my writing, and that is how to write this shadowy figure. I know who he is, but I don't know entirely what he sounds like as he should have an accent. The writing of accents has always been tough for me.

Now, unto our new pegasus friend, I was hoping to come up with a good aviation name or pun, but could only really think of Gomer or Bandit. I'm not really sure if these were better than the kind of generic, Phantom, I settled on. I was also thinking of doing brothers named Focke and Wulf after the German plane, but that would make a German (Germane) accent required, which goes back to my original difficulty.

Anyway, if you can think of a good name, feel free to tell me, and if you know a lot about writing accents, tell me and I'll probably ask you for advice. I would tell you the villain's accent, but I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise just yet.

Chapter 11

Amy had awoken some time ago and had been laying there in thought ever since, listening to the soft snores of the little dragon not but a few steps away from her as she stared up at the ceiling. She reviewed all that had happened with a sleep-refreshed mind, from catching Spike following her, all the way to the exchange of goodnights before sleep, and she didn't know how to feel about it. No matter how impossible it seemed, even she couldn't deny what Spike wanted, for her to be part of his life, to be a sister to him, and that notion both excited and terrified her.

Amethyst Thistle had spent her life following the path she believed fate had laid for her. She would become a great adventurer, prove her father right by finding Bahamut's hoard, and, when she was old and strong, hunt down Malick and his brothers. The dragoness had forced her hatred deep into the depths of her soul where it could fester and grow without hurting those she had come to care for, planning to one day unleash it onto the monstrous beasts who had taken so much from her. She would show them the righteous fury a magic dragon could deliver, and get her vengeance, even if it cost her life to do so. She would do this to ensure they'd not have the chance to harm her little brother. This would have been her atonement for betraying her family, and she would have paid it happily, but now she was uncertain.

She was drawn from her thoughts by a crackling sound, and she turned her head to see Spike sitting up in his wicker basket bed. He yawned loudly as he rubbed at his eyes with the back of one claw. When the young dragon dropped his hand, he smacked his lips a few times and scanned the room with half-lidded eyes until they landed on her. Once they did, he gave her a tired smile and said, "Hey... Did you sleep well?"

She gave her own smile in return, though it was a bit strained, "Yeah, I did... How 'bout you?"

He yawned again and stretched, arms straight over his head until a series of small pops could be heard from his back and he slumped forward with a satisfied sigh, "I slept like a log."

Her smile became a little more genuine at that and she said, "I'm glad to hear it."

A silence, far easier than what had been the norm lately, fell over the two as they smiled at each other. It was Spike who spoke first, looking away from her and scratching the back of his head, "So... what are we supposed to do now? Wait for the other two to wake up?"

Amy chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Nah, the eggheads stay up late reading or something when they go to their room, so they usually get up pretty late," she said as she sat up and swung her legs over to touch the floor.

The younger dragon made an 'o' face, nodded once and asked, "... So, do we wake them up?"

"No, they'll probably be up in an hour or two," she answered as she stood and stretched in a similar fashion to her younger brother, though her back was far louder in its loosening. Had she not had her eyes screwed shut, she would have seen him flinch at the series of sickening pops.

"Are... are you okay?"

The dragoness relaxed with a loud sigh, her face the picture of bliss. It took a moment for her brother's question to register and when it did, she looked at him with a tilted head. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

Spike stared for a little while, but shook his head. "Nothing," he said, climbing out of his basket and looking around. When his eyes landed on the entrance to the dining area, his stomach growled. With a small blush he turned back to Amy. "Um, I don't suppose we can eat without Lore and Prose, can we?"

Amy giggled, but nodded. "Yeah, sure, come on," she told him as she passed. He followed and the two were soon in the kitchen. The older dragon began rummaging through the pantries. "Hmm, where are they?... Darn!" she said turning to Spike with an apologetic look. "Sorry, it looks like we ate all the gems last night, and I can't find any cereal."

Her brother looked around, claw coming up to scratch at his chin. "Hmm, well, everything is a little higher than I'm used to, but I should probably be able to cook something up," he stated and looked at his sister. "Would that be alright, ya think?"

Amy blinked a few times. "You know how to cook?"

~8~

Spike couldn't help but grin like an idiot on the inside, but managed to suppress it to just a happy smile on the outside. He truly felt things were on the right track now as he and Amy sat down at the table, a large stack of pancakes between them. Though she was hesitant at first to let a child perform the deceptively dangerous task of cooking, his reassurance that he was quite skilled in the culinary arts got her to give in to the idea. That and the fact that he was covered in fireproof, hard-to-cut scales, anyway.

There had been a few obstacles to overcome beyond just working in an unfamiliar kitchen, like how he was too short to reach much of anything he needed to. Amy had explained to him that, because of its large variety of inhabitants, Ford Junction building code was a bit less consistent than other places. To try and accommodate all, nothing in the cooking space was completely comfortable for anyone, things were too tall, being just within reach of quadrupeds, and low enough to require bipedal to hunch over. He was no stranger to this kind of thing, of course, but he didn't have his stool available to compensate for his unimpressive stature.

But, with teamwork, the two dragons managed to whip together a bowl of eggs, flour, milk, baking powder and all the sweet spices they could find. About the only time Spike had felt uncomfortable was when he, after asking a series of questions of what was and wasn't in the cupboards, was picked up under the arms by a frustrated Amy and held level with the shelf full of spices to make his own selection. After that, all they had to do was pour the batter into the skillet.

It was nice for Spike to have someone who wasn't completely hopeless in the kitchen with him. He loved Twilight, but there was a reason he did all the cooking for the two of them. Amy even managed to get pancake flipping down pat in one try. All in all, it was probably the most fun he had making breakfast in a long time.

So now they sat, both smiling to each other from around the plate full of fluffy goodness. The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg in the air soon got the better of the younger dragon and he said, "Well, ready to dig in?" In truth, it was more that the food in front of him was made with his sister than hunger that was making him crave it, though the loud rumbling of his belly may disagree.

Her smile widened until her bright white fangs were on full display. "Do you even have to ask?" She punctuated the statement by grabbing her knife and fork, spearing the first three pancakes and dropping them onto her plate. Spike mirrored her and soon the two were tearing into the stack. They ended up using nearly all of the apartment's supply of maple syrup to wash down their breakfast as they shoveled pancakes down their gullets. The flapjack feeding frenzy lasted all of five or six minutes, but the aftermath would need thrice that amount of time to clean.

When the two had fallen back into their seats, Spike's stomach was bulging and even Amy's slender midriff was distended just enough to be noticeable. Neither dragon was fully aware of their surrounding as they were too busy fighting off the food coma trying to set in. This was the sight that Lore Finder and Prose Worthy walked in on.

Amy lolled her head in their direction and gave them a lopsided smile. Heeey Lorey, want some pancakes?" she asked drunkenly.

Spike turned his head and added, "Yeah, they're pretty good, if I do say so myself." The little dragon followed this with a burp far bigger than any would believe possible from one his size.

Lore tried to keep up her mask of indifference, but she was having trouble while looking at the crumb and syrup-covered dragons. The corners of her lips kept twitching and when she coughed, it sounded suspiciously like laughter. The pegasus cleared her throat and said, "Yes, I think some pancakes would be lovely. Thank you for the offer, Amy, Spike." She nudged her still confused husband. "Right, Prose?"

He looked at her and then back to them. "Uh, sure, sounds nice... Are those ours then?" he said, nodding to the plate, only two flapjacks left untouched.

Spike saw this and raised an eyebrow. "Huh... where'd they all go?" he mumbled before shrugging. "Oh well, we'll just make a few more."

~8~

After Lore assured him that a pancake each for Prose and her would suffice, Spike shrugged and succumbed to his food induced-slumber. Amy, whose sisterly instincts had been awakening ever since meeting the younger dragon, proceeded to shrug off her own lethargy and pick her little brother up. Cradling him to her chest, she moved as carefully as possible to the sink and wiped his face of leftover breakfast. After he was cleaned, she took him back into the living room, and, once there, laid him down onto the couch where he curled up into a ball of scales and spines. She smiled when she heard an unintelligible mumble escape his lips as she pulled the blanket over him.

When the dragoness came back into the kitchen, the ponies were already getting to work. Lore was wiping down the table while Prose filled the sink with soupy water and dropping in the dirtied kitchenware. "I see you and Spike had a busy morning," Lore said as she carried her crumb filled washcloth over to the garbage to shake it out.

Amy scratched the back of her head. "Uh, yeah... I'm sorry for the mess, by the way," she responded. "Hope you don't mind that we used your kitchen."

Lore had moved to the sink to rinse the cloth out when Prose scowled a little and opened his mouth. Before he got the chance, his wife stuck a wingtip to his lips and gave him a stern look. "We don't mind at all," she began before turning to her friend with a calm smile. "I was already going to the market today; I'll just add eggs and milk to the shopping list. I'm just glad the two of you are getting along well."

The dragoness smiled broadly at that, glad she hadn't upset her friend. "Yeah, it was a pretty awesome morning. The little guy can really cook too, those were some of the best pancakes I've had in a while!" she said with growing pride and excitement.

Lore chuckled. "Yes, yes, they were delicious," she replied before leaving her wash cloth in the sink and leaving the room. Her voice echoed into the kitchen, "But it would be nice if you'd assist in the clean-up though, Prose could use some help drying and putting away the dishes."

Dragon and unicorn glared at each other until the pegasus returned with a broom. When she did, both turned and smiled to her. "Sure thing, Lorey, it's the least I can do," Amy said before moving beside her enemy. The two, backs now turned to the sweeping pegasus, scowled at each other. "Try not to cause another mess, salamander," Prose Worthy mouthed.

The dragoness sneered and picked up the large mixing bowl, a whisk and the skillet sitting within, from the counter. Prose raised an eyebrow as she held it over the sink. Amy dropped the bowl with a loud sploosh, not flinching as water splashed up on her chest and slid down her scales. She smirked triumphantly as Prose gasped in shock, one wide eye visible through a parting in his soaked mane.

Behind the two, Lore Finder sighed and shook her head, though a small smile played across her lips. Hopefully, her kitchen would still be in one piece after this.

~8~

Spike blinked awake, and was a little confused by that fact. Sitting up, the blanket fell from his form and he saw that he was once again in the living room, though on the couch instead of his basket. Then he remembered, and couldn't help but groan and put his hands over his face. Aww darn it, I can't believe I passed out like that, and after just waking up too. Amy probably thinks I'm a baby now!

"You awake in there Spike?" he heard called from the kitchen. He peeked out from behind his claws just in time to see his sister lean through the entrance. When she spotted him, a wide smile split her face. "Great, you are! That's perfect, the kitchen's all cleaned up and Lore says she has something for you to wear in town," she said as she entered the room.

The younger dragon dropped his hands and gave her an embarrassed smile. "Yeah, I'm awake... Um, sorry for falling asleep on you like that, I should have helped with the clean-up," he said, smile turning into a slight frown as he diverted his eyes.

She frowned herself as she hesitantly approached him. Once she was in front of him, Spike looked up to see her smiling tentatively down at him. "It's no big deal, I'm sure just about everyone has passed out after a big meal at least once in their lives," his sister said before a small smile came to her scaly cheeks and she added quietly, "I know I have."

Her words did indeed make him feel a bit better, but he still felt the need to say, "I guess you're right... but I still feel like I should have helped. I don't usually leave that big of a mess."

"Hey, if cleaning means that much to you, you can always come by my place and help tidy up," Amy offered in what was meant to be a joking matter, but Spike could hear the hint of wishful thinking underneath.

"Ah... no thanks, I'm over it already," the younger dragon said, not wanting to find out how much, if at all, Lore Finder was exaggerating. Seeking to change the subject, he asked, "So, you were saying Mrs. Lore found something for me to wear." The dragoness simply smiled in response.

~8~

Lore floated in the air, forelegs crossed, with one hoof placed at her chin. "Hmm, it definitely covers him well, but..."

"... It may be hard to walk," Amy concluded. "What do you think, Spike? Is it too big for you?"

The little dragon looked at her, the hood of the cloak held up just enough by his spines as to not completely block his vision. "Uh, I think I can deal with it... but, if you have anything else, I wouldn't be against the option," he said, only the tip of his muzzle exposed to the light. Amy couldn't fight the small smile brought on by the sight of her brother. The light purple, cotton cloak was from when she was fourteen years old, if she recalled correctly, and it was obvious that she had been bigger at that age than the younger dragon was now. What had hung down to the ankles on her, trailed all the way to the floor on him with a couple of inches sprawled across the hardwood. The dragoness felt something scratching at the back of her mind looking at that particular cloak, but could not imagine why. She had gone through quite a few cloaks in her life, after all.

"I'm afraid neither Prose nor I have any interest in clothing beyond a few formal suits for business purposes, and Amy has only ever worn one thing other than her cloaks," Lore began to say, causing her friend to go rigid, "Though, I still think she looked quite nice in a-"

"Don't you dare say it!" the dragoness warned.

This only caused Lore to smirk. "Dress."

Amy groaned and ran a hand down her face as Spike asked, "You wear dresses?"

"No! It was only one time, and it was no big deal, just a stupid bet," she answered before sending a glare her friend's way. "Lorey thought I needed to get out and mingle more so she tricked me into a date. End of story."

Lore leaned towards the younger dragon and whispered behind her hoof, though it was still loud enough for Amy to hear, "I'll tell you the whole story later. It's very entertaining." When the dragoness growled, she chuckled and landed. "Now, as I was saying before, we don't have much in the way of options for you. The only reason I even have that one is because it was from before her line of work lead to the constant destruction of any cloaks she wore."

Spike sighed. "Well, it's not that bad I guess... I'm just a little worried about tripping, is all."

Amy looked down at him, her attempt at coming up with a solution showing on her face in the form of a frown of concentration. The hood wasn't a problem, but that hem had to go, and that was when the answer struck her. Duh, I can't believe I didn't think of this sooner. "I got this," she said in way of explanation before getting down on one knee and pulling her little brother closer. Though he was surprised and protested as she went to work, she just spun him in a circle and maneuvered her talons with long-practiced finesse. When she finished, she leaned back to get a better look at the dizzy dragon and gave a nod of approval.

Spike shook his head to right his spinning eyes before looking down at himself. The adjustment was small, but served its purpose well. The excess fabric that had been dragging along the floor was cleanly sliced away so that the base of the cloak reached midway down his short shins. "Huh," he stated as he looked up at the dragoness with a smile. "That works, I guess."

Amy smiled broadly in pride as she elbowed her friend. "How's that for problem solving? I surprise even myself sometimes."

When she was greeted with silence, she turned to look at the pegasus, only to see her mouth was slightly parted. Though the expression was subtle, Amy had known the mare long enough to see the shock and horror on display. It was even more obvious in her voice when she spoke monotonously, "That... was the cloak I made for you on the second year anniversary of our friendship... and you just cut it up..."

The older dragon's heart sunk in guilt and she could see Spike's eyes widen as he held the cloak out in scrutiny. Gods! Can't I do anything without hurting others! "Lorey... I-I'm sorry, I was so focused on trying to help that I didn't even think about it," Amy began, her tone becoming more frustrated as she went on. "I'm such an idiot! I can't even-!"

"Quiet, Amy!" Lore snapped, glaring at her friend before averting her eyes and sighing. "You know I don't like to hear you talk like that. You didn't mean anything by it... and, at least it's serving a purpose now instead collecting dust in the back of my closet," the mare said as she bent down and swept the ribbon of fabric at Spike's feet into her hoof with a wing. "Now, Prose has a meeting with his editor today and I'm going out to do errands. That means we'll be gone for a couple of hours, so you should try and think of something to do in the city that will take at least that long."

"Why's it important we get back at the same time," asked Amy, still on one knee.

"Because, I haven't gotten around to having another spare key made since you lost the last one and we had to get the locks changed," Lore answered matter-of-factly as she placed the fabric onto the dining table to the side of them.

The dragoness chuckled nervously and scratched the back of her head. "Eh heh heh... Oh yeah, forgot about that... So a couple of hours, huh?"

"Yes, at least. You can be out longer than that, but we won't be here to let you in until then. I do hope you come back before night fall. I was planning on making something special for dinner tonight, though. A sort of welcoming into the family for Spike," Lore said as she placed the cloth in her hoof on the table, seemingly not noticing the widening eyes of those around her.

Both dragons repeated the word "family" in a whisper, but it was Amy who continued. "You've only known him for a day and... and you already think of him as family?"

Lore quirked a brow. "Why wouldn't I? He's your younger brother, and you're my family in everything but blood, so, ergo, he's part of my family also."

Amy was stunned by the mare's words, and when she finally collected her thoughts, she gave her friend a watery smile and pulled her into a hug, much to Lore's surprise. "Thanks, Lore... That means a lot," the dragoness said softly.

Lore Finder waited a moment before she wrapped her forelegs around her friend. "It's only the truth, nothing to get so worked up over," she replied. After a little while, the pegasus patted Amy's back a few times. "Okay, that's enough... Time to let go now, Amy."

"Oh, uh yeah," the dragoness said before stepping back. "Sorry, it's just... sorry."

Lore forelegs settled back onto the floor. "It's fine, Amy, nothing to apologize for," she said simply as she turned to Spike, who was now looking down and shuffling his feet. "And besides, even if I've only known him for a short time, I can already tell he'll be far less troublesome than his older sister," she said, getting a proud "yeah" from Amy that was followed soon after by an indignant "Hey!" that Lore ignored.

He looked up at this to see the mare giving him a warm smile, and he returned it as best he could. "Thanks, Mrs. Lore, I'll... uh, do my best to not, um, disappoint you," he offered hesitantly.

"You can just call me Lore, if you want. We can't really have such formality between family members, can we?" she said.

The younger dragon's smile became more genuine as his body relaxed. "Sure thing... Lore."

"Good," Lore began, "So, now that that's out of the way, do you have anything specific planned for today's outing Amy?" She finished with a look over to the dragoness, who had been watching the two with hands clasped in front of her, eyes hopeful and a wide smile on her face.

She blinked a few times. "Huh? Oh, yeah! I was planning on showing him around, and maybe taking him to one of the diners or something around town. Show him some of the variety we have here in Ford Junction, ya know?"

Lore nodded. "That sounds good. Do you have enough money to pay for the both of you, though?"

Amy froze, smile still on her face, until finally, her head dropped. "No... no I don't."

Lore chuckled. "That's fine, I can just lend you some bits and you can pay me back next time you go to the bank."

The dragoness jumped to her feet. "Alright, Lorey! I knew could count on you!"

"Yes, yes, calm down Amy. I don't want you going out there and causing trouble in your excitement," the mare said as she began walking away.

Amy rolled her eyes as her friend left the kitchen, presumably to get some money. "Oh come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

As soon as the words escaped her lips, Prose Worthy tensed and looked at her in disbelief. "You did not just say that."

The dragoness tilted her head with a quirked brow. "Huh, what's up Prosey?"

He just shook his head, and Amy couldn't help but wonder why Spike mimicked him.

~8~

Spike did his best to ignore the irrational worry brought on by his sister's words, but he had read enough books in his life to make such a feat difficult. "Are you alright, Spike?" asked Amy, adjusting the staff over her shoulder. It still had the familiar bag from before tied to one end, but now, it was joined by a smaller one he knew contained their bits for the day.

"I'm fine, just thinking is all... So, ready to go? He gestured to the door they stood before.

She looked a moment longer before nodding her head and stepping forward. "Yep, all set, let's go," she said, turning the knob and holding the door for him.

Spike took a deep breath and steeled himself. Enough worrying, I'm sure everything will be fine. She's just giving me a tour of the city and we're going to get something to eat, what could possibly go wrong? His eyes widened under his cloak, and he took a step backwards before slapping himself in the cheek, much to the shock of his sister. I said stop worrying! The younger dragon took a few deep breaths and ignored both Amy's worried questions and the urge to berate himself for tempting fate, even within the confines of his skull. Even if things do start to go bad, your sister is a seasoned adventurer. I'm sure she can handle any trouble we come across. Besides, just saying, or even thinking... that, can't cause problems... right?

He once again shook away his doubt, and he had to adjust his hood afterwards. "Okay, let's do this," Spike said with more confidence than he felt. "We're burning Celestia's daylight." With that, he marched out of the door with his head held high and left a confused dragoness standing behind him.

Today was going to be a good day, no matter who tried to get in their way... At least, that was Spike's mantra as he marched down the hallway. Then he realized he didn't know where to go. Yep, today was going to be a good day.

Author's Note

Okay! Now I just have to think of what kind of stuff should happen in the city before... you know, the day doesn't turnout quite the way Spike wants. Feel free to leave suggestions, even what kind of food the two end up getting. If you do think of something for them to eat, be sure to leave the intended parallel/pun to Earth food and substitute ingredients if said food contains beef or something. Bemmo suggested ramen, which was something I've thought of. I figured a fish dish from Nyanpon may be nice.

Thanks to my editors and hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter.

Chapter 13

As the pony-shaped silhouette stepped deeper into the alleyway, the shadows melted off of its coat, only to leave much of it still wrapped in pitch black stripes. Even through the fear and confusion, Spike's mind noted that he was now looking at the second zebra he had ever seen, though this one was nothing like Zecora. The zebra was much taller than his friend back home, with long legs and a slim build. Though these weren't necessarily male traits, and the blunted muzzle was an attribute both Zecora and male ponies shared, there was no mistaking this was a stallion looking at him and his sister with a charming smile that clashed with the cruelty dancing behind his seemingly glowing red eyes. The long, sharp pointed horn extending from his forehead that just now lost its red aura also helped with the deduction. Admittedly, Spike didn't know if the zebras had different tribes like ponies or if this one was just an abnormality, but that didn't change the fact that the white, spear-like horn with its black swirl was both very intimidating and something he had only seen on male unicorns the likes of Shining Armor and Blueblood.

The differences didn't end there, either; unlike Zecora's storm cloud and coal grey stripes, this stallion's stripes were a bone white to go with his black ones, and the contrast made the eerie markings on his face stand out all the more fiercely. In the darkness of the alley, Spike could almost swear he was seeing a skull. Nearly the entire top of the zebra's muzzle was white save thin black lines running vertically along his upper lip, creating the illusion of exposed teeth. The fur around his eyes was also black, making it look like two orbs floating in dark pit.

Set between his black ears was a dark purple, silk top hat with a crimson band wrapped around its pipe and a red feather placed in it. With the matching suit jacket and clean-cut, parted, black and white mane, Spike could almost mistake this zebra as a gentlestallion, but he doubted there was anything gentle about him, not if the tight squeeze Amy gave his claw was any indication.

"I'd say the odds are pretty damn good," the dragoness growled as she pulled her brother closer. "What do you want Zariba? I'm not in the mood to beat your tail today."

Zariba gave a reproachful look. "Come now, Ms. Thistle, it's Dr. Zariba. Just because you failed to get your doctorate doesn't mean you shouldn't show proper respect to real archaeologists."

The dragoness snorted. "Yeah, I'll make sure to remember that when I meet one," she mocked, before glancing around. "Now I doubt you went through the trouble of having your lackeys bring me here just to chat. What do you want, Arbez?"

This got a more genuine emotion to flash across the zebra's face, and Spike looked away in fear. The younger dragon regretted this though, as the action only served to heighten his unease; in his attempt to find something else to look at, he turned his head and saw that behind the two dragons stood the massive diamond dog from earlier, as well as two smaller ones. Turning back to the horned zebra, he was just in time to see the scarred pegasus touch down next to him.

Zariba's scowl soon returned to an easy grin and he spoke in his deep voice, "Zariba will do just fine... Now, bring you here? Really, Ms. Thistle? To accuse me of such a thing. Why would I do that?" The dragoness simply continued to glare, getting a sigh from the zebra. "Fine, I suppose there's no reason to dance around the issue; I need your cooperation for my next expedition."

Spike definitely hadn't seen that coming with how sinister the current setting was, and judging from the choking noises that came from Amy, neither had she.

~8~

With how well the day had been going, Amy actually began to fool herself into believing things were going to be okay. The dragoness started to think that maybe, just maybe, her time with Spike wouldn't have to only be until he returned home. Then Arbez Zariba the zebracorn showed his freaky mug and shattered her budding dream with a truth she had already started forgetting. It was a reminder that to be part of Spike's life meant he had to be a part of hers, and that would only put him in danger.

It was while she came to terms with this crushing realization that she was blindsided by the zebra's request for help. Really, she shouldn't have been so surprised; Zariba had left her gobsmacked before with his seemingly insane, infuriatingly brilliant tricks and traps, but this was on a whole new level of ludicrous. "Are you fu-ah-fricken crazy!?" Amy exclaimed when she got over her coughing fit. "You've done nothing but get in my way and try to kill me since we met, and now you're asking for my help! Are you insane!?"

He chuckled and slowly trotted forward. "You know, those accusations can be reversed, Ms. Thistle; you've been the proverbial thorn in my side on more than one expedition." He made sure to stay well out of reach of the elder dragon's staff as he came to a stop, and his gaze slid downwards.

Another fierce growl escaped her lips as she shifted to stand between her brother and the horned zebra. "Don't even think it, bastard. You so much as touch him and I'll rip you to shreds!"

When she bared her fangs, satisfaction flashed through Zariba's eyes. "So protective, Ms. Thistle. I haven't even spoken to the child and you're already threatening me with dismemberment." A low chuckle rumbled from his throat. "That's exactly what I was counting on."

She had a strong inkling of what Zariba intended to do to force her cooperation, and she did her best to delay him long enough to prepare their escape. "What exactly would I be helping you with anyway, huh? I can't imagine the great Dr. Zariba being so desperate as to ask me for help," she said with a low laugh. "You usually just follow behind and try to steal my finds after I've done all the real work."

"You wound me, Ms. Thistle. I would never resort to stealing," Zariba replied, acting aghast. "It can't be helped if our paths coincidentally cross once in awhile. We are in the same business after all." The smile returned. "And it is a business. I have bills and employees to pay. We can't all live off the generosity of others." He tilted his head. "Besides, does it really matter who claims a find as long as the world gets to learn more of its history?"

Amy almost snorted in derision, but resisted the urge. She couldn't afford the disruption to her breathing it would cause. As she kept Zariba speaking, the dragoness slowly, but steadily, stoked her inner fire and smothered it back down. Normally, a deep breath and flare of magic would be how she went about producing a smoke screen, but the zebracorn and his lackeys knew what to look out for and would attack as soon as they saw the signs. As it stood, she could only rely on her own skills to save her little brother, knowing that Zariba had more than likely already set a sound dampening spell on the alleyway and that Ford Junction's populace would not be coming to her aid. She would need every possible second the diversion would provide to get Spike and herself out of this safely, and so she kept her breathing calm and inconspicuous.

Putting a cap on the smoke she had built up so far, she managed to speak in hopes of earning more time. "Yeah, if you don't end up selling the artifacts on the black market instead of delivering them to museums... Now I'll ask again, what do you need from me?"

Zariba sighed. "Yes, I suppose we should move things along and get away from this garbage, shouldn't we?" he asked with a gesture to some garbage bags and cans off to the side. He ignored the muttered comment of how he belonged here and continued. "Phantom here told me you've stumbled upon some intriguing information about a certain dragon's treasure and I thought a joint effort could be made in obtaining it."

Amy almost blew like a smoke stack at that, but managed to get a handle on herself. When she spoke, it was far quieter than the yell she would have produced had the situation allowed it, she just hoped it wouldn't seem too suspicious that she wasn't. "What are you talking about? You yourself said it's a myth and nothing more, why would you have any interest in it now, let alone need my help in finding it?" She finished just as smoke filled her gullet and she was forced to clamp her mouth shut and hold her breath. There was no more room in her to hold any more of it, and she couldn't so much as flare a nostril without smoke pouring out. Even so, she waited; her desire to discover all she could on her life's goal preventing her from acting. Just a moment longer, Amy, and then you can get Spike out of here.

Luckily, Zariba didn't keep her waiting. "We are all allowed our mistakes, Ms. Thistle, and I will admit to mine; I was too quick to dismiss the old legends," he began, still speaking in that infuriatingly false voice of his. "But, I've come across evidence that both lends credence to the existence of Bahamut''s hoard and may very well hold the secret to obtaining it." As he spoke, his words had started to come slightly faster and his charming smile became just a tad manic. "Think of it, mountains of gold and jewels, artifacts of unknown power, fame and fortune! It's all within reach if only you join me!"

You get that one out of a cheesy book, drama king? Amy would have said as much, but instead had to settle for letting her actions be her answer. With all she had and giving no warning beyond opening her mouth wide, the dragoness forced every wisp of smoke out into the open with one flex of her diaphragm, flooding the cramp alleyway with a dense black smog in seconds. In that instant, she turned and ran, moving her staff to her mouth to free it of its load and saying "Keep running Spike! Don't stop!" With that, she released his claw from her own, satisfied that she could still hear his footsteps pounding even though he himself must have been disorienting.

She was less satisfied to hear Zariba's voice sigh, "Always the hard way," before yelling, "Grab the little one." Her jaw clenched, fangs tearing into the bundle held within them, but she kept moving and readied her staff. A moment later, a near-silent whistle reached her ear and she ducked forward, narrowly avoiding the giant fist that whizzed overhead before she spun, the length of hardwood outstretched in retaliation. The staff struck hard, creating a shock wave that combined with the rapid flurry of movements to form a small pocket of clear space within the smoke.

Amy's eyes moved up past the thick forearm her staff was currently held against to the half-exposed, snarling face of Cujo. In the next instant, the dog pulled his arm back, causing her to fall slightly forward, and brought his other fist around in a haymaker. Just managing to move her head, wind and fur brushed against her cheek, and wrapped her own arm around his to pull him off balance. While her body worked with a well ingrained fighting instinct, all her mind could think about was getting away from this beast and following her brother.

~8~

Spike was wading through his sister's smoke, glad his draconic biology could handle it without choking like he remembered the ponies of Ponyville doing. The younger dragon was more than a little stunned by all that had happened; one moment he and Amy were happily walking to her friend's home after one of the best meals of his life, and the next he was being pulled through the streets by an increasingly frantic dragoness. Then they were in an alley, boxed in by diamond dogs on one side and a horned zebra whose noble mannerisms and dress belied the evil dancing in his eyes on the other. Spike was warily optimistic when the Zariba guy had asked his sister for help instead of attacking, and was even a little excited upon hearing talk of Bahamut's hoard, realizing what a large step forward this could be towards Amy's dream. Any hope he had for a peaceful resolution was ended however, when his world went dark and he was once again being dragged away. Following Amethyst's command to run, he kept going the direction she had been leading before she let go of his claw, and he hoped with all his might that she was still with him.

He slowed as his worry overcame his panic and he stopped when he heard a cough not a few steps in front of him. He had made it quite close to the edge of the smoke screen, allowing him far more visibility than what was at the center and to see the figure approaching. "Stupid dragon! Stupid smoke! Me hate them!" Growled a diamond dog as he stumbled into sight. Though it wasn't the giant monster he feared it would be, Spike went rigid upon having the mutt's mucus-yellow eyes land on him. The diamond dog was slightly shorter than his sister, though that may have been because of his poor posture, and appeared to be very scrawny. This was misleading however, as Spike could see the lean, sinuous muscles shifting under his short grey coat.

Dropping his paw from his nose upon seeing the little dragon, his face went from frustrated through surprised to wickedly satisfied in an instant. "Oh, Toby is going to get a big treat for this." He took a step forward and Spike matched it with one backwards. "Don't be afraid little dragon pup, Toby won't hurt you..." He suddenly lunged. "Toby only catch you!"

"Guh!" The little dragon stumbled back, avoiding being landed on, but not getting far enough away to evade Toby's grasping paw. "H-hey! Let me go!" Spike yelled as the dog grabbed him around the ankle.

With a triumphant laugh, Toby scrambled to his feet, holding his upside down, screaming victim at arm's length to avoid being cut by his flailing claws. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Toby got the dragon! Alpha is going to give Toby big treat for this!" the dog cheered as he did a little jig. His smile took on a lecherous note as he added. "Maybe me even get given female to have fun with!"

The younger dragon continued to try and scratch at his captor, even attempting to reach the paw wrapped tightly around his leg. Sadly, Spike didn't have the most stellar of abdominal muscles and his pudgy belly kept him from tearing into the dog's limb. As his fear and frustration mounted, the young dragon unconsciously puffed smoke from his nostrils. As he spoke between grunts of effort, flames began slither from between his lips. "I said... let... me... GO!" he shouted, creating a green fire upon the last word that was large enough to lick at Toby's knuckles and stop his dance.

Two sets of wide-eyes landed on the smouldering fur as the flames began to spread across the dogs paw and embers slowly drifted upwards. It was Toby who reacted first, dropping Spike like a hot potato as he howled and shook his smouldering appendage, now doing a different dance. The young dragon landed on his back with an "Umph!" as the air was knocked from his longs.

While he tried to catch his breath and stumble to his feet, another dog stumbled into view, this one being half the size of the other while being noticeably thicker in both fat around the midsection and muscle around the arms. His coat was a darker grey and had noticeably more dirt in it than his companions. "What's goin' on!?" he said as he shot his head back and forth. "Why're ya howlin' so loud!?" he questioned, his pea green eyes went from the taller dog sucking on a burnt paw with a tear in his eye to the dragon just now standing steady. When they landed on the dazed drake, a knowing glint entered them and he smiled, revealing quite a few missing teeth including the top left and bottom right canines. "Hah, so the pup got 'imself burned by this 'ittle dragon, did he? Looks like Ol' Cooper will have ta handle this then."

With the adrenaline that had slowly been seeping into his bloodstream now in full affect, Spike was ready when the Cooper's smile turned into a snarl of yellowed teeth and spit, quickly dropping onto his belly with his arms covering his head as the dog tried to pounce on him. With a loud crash, the dragon peeked behind him to see the growling dog climbing out of a pile of knocked over trash cans. Despite the situation, Spike couldn't help but snort upon spotting the crud filled coffee filter fall from Cooper's head. "Wow, you two could be even dumber than the diamond dogs in Ponyville," Spike said before hearing a growl from in front of him.

He was about to turn his head to the source, but a paw slammed into him before roughly pulling him up by the scruff of his neck and turning him around. "Dragon pup is very bad," Growled Toby, fangs bared. All Spike could do was gulp.

~8~

Amy landed from a backflip on the outer edge of the smokeless hemisphere the fight between her and Cujo had slowly been creating. The dragoness was not allowed a moment's rest before her adversary came flying through the air with a growl and an overhead hammer fist. She rolled to the side, coming into contact with the brick wall, and barely avoided the powerful strike that cratered the ground beneath it.

Cujo immediately followed her, lunging at the dragoness with the intent of ripping her throat out with his fangs, but instead crashed muzzle first into the wall. As he half crumpled, half caught himself, a length of hardwood was brought down hard on his neck, forcing him to his belly.

Amy panted as she jumped up to her feet from her second roll and pushed the dog down with her staff. Though she did not have the strength to keep him there for long, even a few seconds free of Cujo's berserk attacks was worth the effort. She was definitely at a disadvantage while fighting in this enclosed space; being unable to move as much as she normally did in battle and having the use of her staff severely limited. Not to mention the bindle still hanging from her teeth.

Her attention shifted to the voice of her brother yelling "Go!" and the pained howls of a diamond dog, but before she could even think of running to the young dragon's aid, the mass beneath her staff shifted and she felt a sudden jerk in her claws. She looked down to see Cujo had snapped his head around and latched his powerful jaws into her wooden weapon. With his own roll to the side, the dog yanked the staff from her hand and let it fly through the air before fluidly returning to his feet.

I can't let this fight go on any longer; I need to get to Spike. Taking the offensive, Amy charged with the best battle cry she could manage without dropping her bag. "Get outta ma 'ay!" she managed as she reeled her right fist as far back as possible and whipped it forward with all her might as she leapt through the air. The move was suicidal and the dragoness would never have risked leaving herself so open to a counter from such a dangerous opponent, but she couldn't afford to dance around while a monster like Zariba was after her little brother.

Disarmed, Cujo no doubt thought Amy would not go with a direct attack, which was exactly why his eyes widened for a split second before a fist dwarfed by the size of his massive skull slammed into his cheek with a sickening crack. The massive dog was not granted a reprieve from the onslaught as Amy grabbed hold of his collar with her left claw, planted both feet on his chest, and continued to rain blows down onto his head.

She managed another four strikes before Cujo wrapped one massive paw around her sleek midriff, thick fingers easily reaching halfway around her body, and throwing her violently behind him with a roar. The dragoness flipped through the air wildly, landing with a thud and crack as she slid across the ground, her tough hide protecting the flesh underneath at the cost of some of her scales. Ignoring the new ache in her ribcage, Amy opened eyes that had twisted shut in pain to find fate had finally given her a hand. Lying not a few feet away from her face was her staff in all its glory. She would have taken a moment to send a prayer of thanks to the powers that be for cutting her some slack, but another roar from Cujo reminded her of where she was and she looked up to see the massive dog's newly bloodied face appear out of the slowly clearing smoke, glaring at her with one eye, as the other was swelling shut.

The dragoness grabbed her staff and hurried to her feet just as Cujo began to rush at her. Thinking quickly, she knocked over a large pile of trash consisting of cardboard boxes and garbage bags before forcing her aching lungs to expand. With a flare of magic, she opened her maw wide, catching her bag as it fell out, and breathed a cone of fire more than large enough to accomplish her needs, encompassing the improvised kindling as well as a good portion of the alleyway beyond for nearly ten seconds of intense heat. Though she did not wait to see if her gambit paid off, the yowl of pain and frustration was a good sign.

Hoping that the pile of flaming refuse, melted ground, and slightly glowing brick walls would buy her enough time to get to Spike and into the open, Amy turned tail and ran. No matter how much the citizens of Ford Junction tried to turn a blind eye to trouble, there was no way her light show and opening act could have been ignored. If anything, somebody would at least want to put an end to the property damage accumulating. After all, someone had to own the buildings surrounding Amy and company. By now, the local law enforcement should have been close to showing up, and even if that weren't the case, Zariba would rather leave empty-hooved than allow himself be seen in a situation like this.

In only a few rapid steps, Amy got the first glimpse of her little brother since the smoke screen went up, and what she saw made her blood boil. A frightened, roughed up Spike was being held by one of Cujo's underlings, and the lanky dog had a none too friendly look on his face. Showing her own fangs, the dragoness reeled her staff laden claw back and snarled, "Get your paws off of him!"

~8~

Whatever it was Toby had planned on doing to him would forever remain a mystery to Spike as it was stopped by a loud yell reaching his ears just before a length of black wood cleaved the air with a whistle and punctuated its journey with a sickening crack against the dog's skull. The response was instantaneous as Toby's eyes rolled up and his body went limp to the ground, letting the young dragon in his grasp fall for a split second before being caught in the crook of his sister's arm. "Are you okay Spike!? He didn't hurt you did he!?"

"Uh, y-yeah, I'm fine, just a little-"

"Grrraaawr!" Both dragons snapped their heads in the direction of the sound, only for the younger to be jostled free from his sister's grip by Cooper flying into her side. Spike once again hit the ground and was soon followed by Amy with an angry diamond dog straddling her, both arms pinned under his legs and his paws wrapped around her neck.

Amy looked over him, jaw clenched and one eye slightly opened as she strained out, "Run."

Cooper tightened his hold, eliciting a grunt from his victim. "Boss wants ya alive, so I'll just get ya ta blackout... shame," the dog growled as he adjusted to keep Amy's struggling arms from getting free.

At that moment, seeing his sister buck and writhe in an attempt to knock loose the stout diamond dog atop her even as her eyes began to roll back into her head, something primal snapped inside him and he lunged. In a flash, he had his fangs buried deep into Cooper's meaty forearm, getting a surprised look from both the dog and dragoness... at least until the former started screaming.

"Ahh! Ge' off!" Cooper shouted as he started shaking his dragon laden arm, only succeeding in getting the young dragon to bring his claws up to join his teeth in their bloodied prey. Just as he gave one last, desperation-fueled fling of his arm, two things happened. The first was that Spike came loose, as well as some of Cooper's flesh, and was sent flying into the wall. The second was that Amy had gotten an arm free and delivered a right hook to Cooper's face that sent him rolling off of her and his eyes rolling in his head.

With her airpipe reopened, the dragoness gasped to quickly feed her oxygen starved lungs. She sat up in a daze, the only coherent thought her rebooting brain being able to process was to get Spike and run for it. Unfortunately, when she looked over to her little brother, she could see through the clearing spots of her vision that somebody, or more accurately, somepony, had already beaten her to it.

As soon as that blasted dragoness had spewed its accursed smoke out into the alleyway, Phantom took to the rooftops. This was mostly done on the order of his boss, but a small part of him was more than glad to get away from anything related to dragon fire. Ignoring the ache of his scar at the thought of losing anymore of his hide to the flames, Phantom watched all that he could from his vantage point up high, which wasn't much even for his sharp eyes.

From the side he had stood, the pegasus saw Dr. Zariba shake his head in resignation as he levitated his hat up into the air and retrieved a hefty, tied off leather bag from within before casually walking into the smoke. On the other end of the alleyway, he saw Cujo run into the cloud, no doubt looking forward to yet another bout with Amethyst Thistle. Behind him soon followed an overzealous Toby and slightly less so Cooper. Yeah, no thanks, I'd rather wait up here for an opening instead of choking on fumes, but you guys go right ahead. A small smirk came to the pony's face. Enjoy the beating, morons. Really, they should have brought along more idiots to slow their prey down, it would have made this plan a cinch.

Getting serious, Phantom pushed away the thought of a battered and bruised pair of diamond dogs as well as the small criticism about how the boss shouldn't have dismissed the cannon fodder, and moved to the side of the cloud he imagined the dragons would be popping out of. If they haven't come out yet, it's probably safe to say they're trying to get past the dogs... I can't blame them, I'd rather face an entire pack of diamond dogs than the boss. At least that way you'd die quickly.

Soon enough, amongst the sounds of fighting he heard a pained howl and readied himself to pounce. He could make out the shadows of those below as they struggled against each other and, after only a couple of minutes, the smoke had cleared enough for him to distinguish who was who. It was at this time that he saw the dragoness knock Toby out cold and get tackled by Cooper. For a moment, Phantom both feared and hoped that Cooper would kill the thing, but when the little one attacked and was subsequently sent flying, he knew their job was near completion.

The little dragon had hit the wall hard, its head making a loud thunk against the reddish brick before he fell forward limply with a groan. Turning his attention back to the dragoness, Phantom noticed its sluggish movements and the bloodied Cujo approaching. At the sight of the three injured dogs, Phantom couldn't help but smirk. And that's why I don't go running into the dragons' den, chumps. You guys can take the lumps, and I'll take care of the wrap-up.

Seeing no more threat from the fire breathers, Phantom dove down and landed right next to the little dragon, one hoof driving its face back into the ground as it shakily pushed itself up on tired arms. The pegasus just hoped his boss knew what he was doing; there was no doubt that Amethyst Thistle cared for this little whelp, but to expect the dragoness to cooperate if they threatened its ward was risky. After all, mother animals were more likely to attack wildly when they thought their young was in danger than reason with the threat. The thought had his eyes switching between the two cloaked beasts. There's a thought... Could this thing really be her spawn?

The pointless pondering was ended upon seeing the snarling, dazed dragoness trying to climb to its feet, only to be forced back down under Cujo's back paw. His lips twitched up into a satisfied smile upon seeing the fire breather put in its place. If anything, perhaps this plan would remind the great Amethyst Thistle what she truly was; a beast, a monster, a dragon.

~8~

A surge of anger was urging Amy to her feet, but the attempt was foiled as something collided with her chest, sending her back to the ground and remaining to keep her there. Getting the air knocked out of her lungs after just being choked to near unconsciousness did little to help her severe light-headedness. Amy looked up through the daze to see the unmistakable silhouette of Cujo, and judging from the rumbling growl she could feel traveling through the dog's foot and into her ribcage, he did not want to stop at simply restraining her.

"You put up a valiant fight as always, Ms. Thistle, but I'm afraid the playing field was simply not to your advantage this time," the distracted voice of Zariba said. Amy was able to look passed her captor to see the zebracorn emptying the last of a leather bag's content onto the ground with a small shake. "I honestly wish you could have seen that and simply saved me the trouble of having to use all this magic powder. It's not easy or cheap to make, you know."

Amy snarled. "Let us go Zariba or next time I get my claws on you will be the last time you draw breath!" The dragoness reached a claw up with the intent to maim the leg holding her down, but Cujo simply huffed and quickly grabbed her arms, putting more weight on her damaged ribcage before hauling her up. With both wrists held tight up above her head in the right paw of the diamond dog, Amy could do little as he wrapped the other around her neck and began to squeeze.

Still suffering from the effects of oxygen deprivation, the dragoness soon found her energy sapped and her blows against the beast behind her only receiving annoyed grunts. A fading part of her consciousness figured Cujo must have looked askance, because his boss told him in a far more demanding tone than had been used so far, "I can't have her flailing about like that; she could disrupt the array. Put her to sleep and bring her over, along with those two as well. Phantom, bring the child; he's our leverage for the foreseeable future. Now hurry up, our cover's almost lifted and I have a reputation to protect."

Amy wanted greatly to do something, especially upon being reminded of the situation her brother had now been put in, but she could no longer muster the strength to even move. With the last vestige of her vision, she was able to spot what Zariba had been up to while his underlings fought with her. Using Amy's remaining smoke to hide from the gathering masses beyond the alleyway, the zebracorn had poured out a familiar design in greyish-purple sand along the ground; a circle nearly stretching from one wall to the other and filled with intricate patterns. To widen and amplify a teleportation field, her mind offered dully. He's going to use it to take us all with him when he makes his escape... I really hate that thing.

With that final thought, Amy's eyes slid shut and her body went slack, much to the horror of one little dragon.

~8~

Spike's eyes were screwed shut in pain as the scarred pegasus kept a heavy hoof on his already injured head. He could hear his sister and the zebra speaking, but could not make out individual words as the most painful headache of his life slowly wound down to a throbbing, dull ache. When it did, he managed to open his eyes just in time to see Amy's body go limp in the arms of the behemoth diamond dog. The fire in his belly froze as his eyes widened. They wanted her alive, didn't they? What were they doing to his sister?

The terror gave his body new, if not very limited energy and he tried to get out from under the maroon hoof as he reached a claw out. "Amy..." Before he could do any more, his face was pushed even harder into the ground and he hissed in pain as gravel dug into his scaled cheek.

"I wouldn't, whelp. You even try and cause trouble, and I'll knock you out like that beast over there," Phantom said lowly. The threat didn't quite have the effect the pegasus had wanted, for though ended the young dragon's struggles, it was not out of fear, or at least not entirely, anyway. She's just knocked out, Spike. Your sister's still alive. Cujo slung a limp Amy over his shoulder like a sack of flour before moving over to Cooper and kicking him none too gently in the side to rouse him from his fist-induced slumber. For now at least, I have to get us out of this.

He jolted when the Phantom leaned down and whispered harshly in his ear, "Remember whelp, try anything and you'll regret it." Spike was suddenly hoisted into the air with one furry foreleg wrapped around his torso and arms while the other was tight across his neck. With a few flaps of his wings, the pegasus had brought the two hovering over the circle as Phantom carefully landed his back hooves between the lines and used his wings to help him balance on two legs. Soon after, Cujo had joined them and Cooper followed, Toby draped awkwardly over his back.

Looking over, Spike shivered visibly when his eyes connected with those of Zariba's. "Don't worry little dragon, we'll be on our way in just a moment," he said with a smirk as his horn began to glow crimson. Spike looked away from the horrifying sight of the skull-marked face bathed in red light and instead found himself looking at the horned zebra's cutie mark. There, set in the middle of a patch of darkness, was a pony skull and crossbones made from thick, white, tribal lines grinning at him.

Then everything went red.

Author's Note

Though I do plan on doing some character-centric chapters one day for much of the supporting cast to flesh out their histories, both the good and bad guys, I wish to put something for our striped friend here to tide you all over. Now, you may feel I went a little cliché here with the design of my lead villain, and you'd be right. I hope to take some of the overused concepts I've seen around fimfics and use them in a more believable, less annoying fashion. Let's just hope I can pull it off and don't lose too many readers before I can... Anyway, Some of you may be thinking that someone with such an overtly 'evil' appearance would be immediately identified by his peers as a villain, and you'd be right. When such accusations arise, however, Dr. Zariba is quick to point out how offensive his accusers are being as he has no control over how he was born. I mean, it's not his fault he was born with red eyes and skull markings on his face, right? When the accusers then nervously try to save face by pointing out his obviously evil cutie mark, Dr. Zariba gasps before informing them that his bone themed mark is for just that; bones. He is an archeologist, after all, so handling ancient remains is to be expected. His cutie mark represents his passion for uncovering the past, and certainly nothing nefarious. After his accusers apologize and leave in guilt-fueled shame, the zebracorn often waits a few moments before bursting into laughter and eventually returns to drafting his next scheme.

Chapter 14

Ford Junction

Lore Finder nudged the door shut behind her with a rear hoof, giving a tired sigh as she entered her home. It was now a little past noon and the mare's errands had her already thinking of her bed. She had been asked the day before by some associates if she would be willing to swing by Ford Junction's local university to take a look at some photographs sent from a recently started dig site. The find had apparently been a total accident, and so the archaeologists working the site weren't entirely sure what it was they were excavating beyond that it was old. Though they had their theories, someone there had had the sense to simply defer to a higher authority on the matter of ancient civilizations instead of wasting time puzzling it out themselves. This was a task Lore Finder was more than happy to accept, not only because she loved history, but also to snub the intellectual snobs at the university who looked down on her dear draconic friend for not fitting what they believed an archaeologist should be like.

The pictures she was provided were mostly of pottery and partially uncovered homes, but it was more than enough for her to identify which culture and time period they originated from. After sharing her information and getting the confirmation that her name would be mentioned when everything was compiled and done, the pegasus set out on the next task of her day; having coffee with one of the only ponies at the university that she considered both a colleague and friend.

Lore and a young earth pony mare by the name of Tome Reader, a librarian and Daring Do enthusiast, went to a small, out-of-the-way cafe and chatted. Admittedly, Tome wasn't really a colleague quite yet as she was still working towards her PhD in ancient history, but she had read just about every book in the library she ran and knew her stuff. It was only a matter of time before the mare entered the field.

The two talked about this and that, mostly discussing the past and occasionally the subject of Prose's most recent works. Lore took Tome's attempt at getting info on her husband's next book with a chuckle and smile, informing the mare that she couldn't talk about such things. This, of course, led to one of the reasons Lore Finder liked the mare so much as they soon started talking about Amethyst Thistle. Unlike most people who thought themselves better than the dragoness because they had gone to school, Tome Reader greatly admired the explorer for her desire to actually go out and uncover history with her own claws instead of simply reading about it in books. "I hope to be able to contribute at least a fraction as much to our historical knowledge as Ms. Thistle has," the mare would often say.

After they had finished their drinks, the two said their goodbyes, set a date for their next get-together, and parted ways with Lore heading out on her next errand with two chai lattés sloshing around in her stomach. The pegasus eventually took wing and arrived at a super market to get the bulk of her shopping done, walking down various aisles to collect her groceries; milk and eggs included. From there, she had her purchases placed in paper saddlebags and she soon made her way to a local jeweler. She chatted with the diamond dog owner, an old friend of hers and the main supplier of Amy's gems, and soon exchanged bits for a pouch of diamond dust meant for cutting stones.

After a few more stops, the pegasus tiredly returned home. Now she stood, grocery bags weighing heavily at her sides and hooves aching slightly. Knowing her work was not yet done, Lore pushed on, entering the kitchen and setting about unloading her saddlebags. Once everything was in its proper place, Lore finder turned her attention to what she had left out. Sitting on the kitchen counter was everything she needed to set about baking a fresh loaf of sweet zucchini bread; her husband's favorite dessert. If I'm going to be making Amy's favorite diamond dust and Parmesan soufflé, then I should do something for Prose too. A small smile played at her lips. It doesn't hurt that I like it as well.

By the time she had everything mixed and slapped into the oven, it was already rounding one o'clock when she heard the door open and shut. Turning her head, she saw Prose Worthy wander into the kitchen, looking as tired as she did when she had gotten home. "How did the meeting with the publishers go?" Lore asked after checking the knobs of the stove and turning to fully face her husband.

He sighed moving up to his wife and giving her a loving nuzzle. "As well as expected I suppose. I met with Edgar first to go over what was going to be discussed at the meeting. Heh, he spent just as much time chewing me out as he did giving me advice." At this, Lore winced a little. Edgar was Prose's agent and a good gryphon. She knew well that he really did care about her husband, but the old bird could be quite outspoken when he didn't agree with something, and he really didn't agree with Prose's decision to put Daring Do on the back burner so he could work on something new. He called it "fiscally irresponsible."

Prose poked his head over to the mixing bowl, sniffing the remaining content and smiling. "Mmm, zucchini bread, my favorite." He licked some of the mix from the rim.

The mare chuckled, giving his muzzle a playful swat. "Don't do that; there's raw egg in the mix and I don't want you getting sick." She started towards the living room. "Come on, I need to get off my hooves and I'm sure you do too. You can finish telling me about your meeting on the sofa."

Licking his lips, Prose Worthy smiled. "As you command, my princess," he said playfully as he followed, earning a tail flick to the nose from his wife. The stallion chuckled, climbing onto the couch after his mate and taking a seat next to her. "Well, after that, the two of us went to meet with the publisher, and I kind of just let Edgar do his thing, you know? Putting the pizzazz in the pitch. Yeah, not a whole lot of good that did. I mean, when they had agreed to let me write something new it was already begrudgingly, and missing the first deadline hasn't helped any."

Lore worried her lip. "They're not going to drop you, are they?"

His eyes widened when he heard the concern in her voice, and he waved a hoof frantically. "No, no! Nothing like that's going to happen! They're getting impatient, but Edgar did a good job of reminding them how much they've made off of me, I'm a best-selling author after all, so they can't afford to let me go."

This placated the pegasus, and she released a breath of relief. Even so, she looked her husband in the eye, and asked, "But...?"

"Buuut they want a finished draft by next month," he answered a little glumly. "It's just; I have everything done, except for the ending. I just can't get it to feel right." Seeing the worry returning to his wife's eyes, he quickly added, "But that isn't too much of a problem. If worst comes to worst, and I can't figure out the ending by then, then I'll just put a placeholder in. Who knows? Maybe someone there will have an idea for an ending that I like."

The yellow mare thought it over, and, all in all, it sounded like things with the publishing agency worked out well enough for her not to worry. "Good," she finally said with a small smile, getting one in return from her husband. "Really good actually. Things have been going quite well for everyone; Amethyst is getting along well with her little brother, I've been making good headway in my various research projects, and, despite some snags, your latest book is well on its way to completion." Though she was really just speaking her thoughts out loud, the musing caused a strange look to cross Prose Worthy's face. Something akin to anxiety. "Is something wrong, dear? You look a little uneasy."

The unicorn blinked a few times then chuckled nervously. "Oh, uh, it's nothing. I was just thinking that if this was a book, this would be the part when something bad happened; when everything is looking up."

Lore's face was blank a few seconds before she started giggling. "Prose, I love you, but sometimes you spend far to much time with your stories. Nothing bad is going to happen," she began, leaning over to touch her nose to his and continuing in a seductive tone, "I think it's time you take a break from your writing and just relax... In fact, I can think of a few things to help the process along."

A blush came to the stallion's cheeks and he stuttered, "L-Lore, we can't do that right now; what if that friend of yours and her brother get back while we're... relaxing?"

This got another laugh from the pegasus. "I didn't mean right now, you pervert, I meant tonight. I was thinking you could put that sound dampening spell of yours on our room this time so we could afford to be a little more... loud, without disturbing our house guests." She got up from the couch and started back towards the kitchen, putting a little more sway in her hips this time. "Besides, I still have a meal to make, so you'll just have to wait."

Trying to save face, despite his now being beet-red, Prose Worthy jumped on the new topic as he got up to follow her. "R-right, dinner, of course. What else are you making besides the bread anyway?"

Lore was already done rinsing the big mixing bowl when he asked and was now washing her wings. "I'm making cheddar and almond soufflés for us and a diamond dust with Parmesan version for Amy and Spike along with a salad," the pegasus said, becoming engrossed with her cooking in much the same way she did with her books. "I'm going to get the batter ready now, and refrigerate it until it's ready to put into the oven when Amy and Spike get back."

Knowing that his wife was nigh impossible to have a conversation with when she began to work, Prose decided to leave her to it. "Well, I guess I'll just get out of your mane then. Call if you need anything; I'll just be reading through what I have so far... See if an ending comes to me," he said, the last words devolving into a mumble.

Lore responded with a simple, "mhmm," as she used her wings to separate egg whites from the yolks. The feeling of slime in her feathers was unpleasant, but the discomfort would be worth it to see her family smiling around the dinner table and enjoying a delicious meal together.

I hope Spike likes my cooking. If those pancakes are any indication, then he's probably used to eating good food on a regular basis... Not to mention growing up in the Equestrian Royal Castle. Her brow pulled together as she imagined what kind of things the younger dragon had been served by the chefs up there. I'll just have to put extra effort into this meal then. I doubt I'll hear any complaints from Amy if I do.

At the thought of her friend, her face relaxed and a gentle smile spread across her lips. Last night, Lore had entered the living room on the tips of her hooves to check on her and her husband's house guests, and was overjoyed by what she had seen. For the first time in a good, long while, Amy's sleep was peaceful. Instead of the strained face and silent tears, the dragoness was resting peacefully with a small line of drool hanging from her parted lips. In one night, Spike had done what Lore had wished she could do for years, and for that, she loved him.

Looking to the clock, Lore saw that it was well past the lunch rush, and she idly wondered when the two dragons would be wandering in. While it's not an appropriate time to eat dinner yet, I wouldn't be averse to spending some more time with Spike before he returns to his home in Equestria. I hope Amy gets back soon.

Canterlot

"You really must calm down, Twilight; Spike will return to us in time, and worrying yourself sick isn't going to change that."

Twilight halted in her pacing and looked to her mentor. "I know, Princess, it's just, Spike's in a foreign city outside of Equestria. What if he gets lost, or foalnapped, or... or worse!?" The unicorn's mane began to fray as her mind produced more and more nightmare scenarios. Spike was a baby dragon after all, and Twilight knew slavery still existed in some isolated parts of the world; her little brother would probably fetch a high price and would be stuck in a cage and-

"Twilight, breathe! You're going to faint if you don't calm down." Though Celestia hated to use it, her strict tone succeeded in halting her student's hyperventilating and got the young mare to make eye contact with her. "Now, Spike isn't alone Twilight; he has Amethyst and her friends there to watch over him. I'm sure they will keep him safe until the ticket arrives tomorrow. So please, come over here and finish your tea."

Twilight bit her lip. "R-right, I'm just being silly," she said as she returned to the cushion across the table from Celestia. The Princess had invited her to have afternoon tea in the gardens, and, as worried as Twilight was for her little brother, there was no way she would say no to the solar princess if she could help it. Thinking about it, Celestia had probably invited her to tea because she was so stressed. It would be just like her mentor to take time out of her busy schedule to try and soothe her student's frayed nerves.

"Thanks for trying to take my mind off of... well, everything, Princess. I know you probably have more important things to be doing than to be here keeping me from driving myself crazy," Twilight said, ashamed of being so emotional in front of her mentor.

"Now, none of that. There is nothing I could be doing that would be more important than being there for a friend in their time of need," Celestia said before levitating her teacup up to her mouth and taking a sip. "Besides, I always take a break for tea, so you're not keeping me from anything I wouldn't already be away from anyway, so don't worry."

An embarrassed blush came to the smaller mare's cheeks that she tried to cover with her teacup. "Yeah," she said from behind the ceramic shield hovering in front of her lips. "I guess I kind of forgot about that, what with everything that's happened." Realizing that she had yet to drink any tea, Twilight did so and lowered the cup hastily, resulting in a small splash that she was forced to capture in her magic before it stained the table below.

Celestia chuckled as her student carefully returned the droplets back into the cup. "You may have forgotten, but I'm reminded of the many times we've shared tea together in this very garden." The solar alicorn gained a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Though, the first was the most memorable."

Twilight's blush intensified and she stuttered, "O-oh? I don't recall; that was a long time ago, after all." Her eyes dropped to her beverage and squinted as if to examine it. "Say, this tea sure is good, what kind is it? I taste a bit of citrus."

"White tea with a hint of lemon," said Celestia. "You really don't remember? Why, you were so nervous about not being a good student that when I commented on the tea getting cold in an attempt to get you to drink some, you thought it was a test and tried to heat it up with your magic."

"I'd performed that spell perfectly before! I swear!" Twilight burst out. "I didn't mean to blow up the tea pot or make the guards think you were under attack!"

"Oh yes, that I had almost forgotten," Celestia said, bringing a hoof to her lips, suppress the urge to roll around laughing to just a particular intense giggle fit. "After the excitement of the exams, the royal guard had become quite high-strung. They'd hardly let me out of their sight for months afterwards. I had to put my hoof down when one tried to follow me into the bathroom."

"I'm glad you found it entertaining; I was too busy panicking that I was going to be hauled off to the dungeons at the time to find the humor in the situation," Twilight said abashed, but with some amusement at the memory.

"When you've been around as long as I have, you learn to look for the funny side of situations, and watching you dive under the table as guards surrounded the remains of a teapot, ready to attack was definitely funny."

Despite herself, Twilight giggled, getting a grin from her teacher. "I never really thought about it like that," the unicorn began. "Even after you told everypony that there was nothing to worry about and that I wasn't in trouble, I could only ever remember how mortified I was at making such a big mess in front of you."

"Yes, it can be quite difficult to see the bright side of seemingly dark events as they happen, but it often becomes clear in reflection." Celestia expression once again returned to the wise smile she so often wore. "I believe the current situation with Spike and Amethyst is going to be like this."

Twilight's smile faded into a look of curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that when you look back on it, I believe you will realize that not everything that has happened recently has been bad. Who knows, maybe something very good will come of all this."

While she wanted to believe in her teacher's words, Twilight couldn't bring herself to do so. Even so, she forced her smile to return. "Yeah, maybe you're right, maybe something good will happen."

She idly wondered if she had actually managed to fool the princess when Celestia nodded her head. "Yes, I'm sure Spike is safe and sound with Amethyst and that he's enjoying his time seeing a new city outside of Equestria. I remember him being a tad dejected at having been left behind while you and your friends went on your adventures, so I'm sure this is quite the welcome change of pace for the young dragon."

Twilight simply nodded and took a slow sip of her tea, not even noticing how much it had cooled. The lavender mare remembered her little brother saying as much to her, and now wished she had done something to cheer him up at the time. If she had done so instead of reminding him of the dragon migration and using it as an example of why he had to stay where it was safe, maybe he wouldn't have been so quick to run off after that dragoness. Amethyst was a world-class adventurer and Twilight was just a librarian, after all. Now, because of her boring, bookish nature, her Spike was in a strange and dangerous city with threats all around him.

Get a hold of yourself, Twilight, the unicorn thought with an internal shake of her head. Celestia is right. Even if I don't want to admit it, Amethyst Thistle is a capable, strong dragon; Spike is probably just fine... And being hard on yourself isn't going to change anything, so stop it.

With that determined thought in mind, Twilight slammed the rest of her tea... only to have a shiver run down her back. "Yuck, it's cold," she said, sticking her tongue out.

Celestia chuckled. "We have been out here for some time, it looks like I'll have to have the staff bring us a fresh pot."

Twilight was struck with a thought and called out, "Wait!" Celestia stopped and looked to her, golden shod hoof midway to flagging down a servant. "I can heat it... I've gotten a lot of practice since I was a filly." She punctuated the statement with a half joking, half serious expression.

When the princess laughed and gave her the go ahead, Twilight began focusing her magic into her horn and concentrated on the teapot at the center of the table. Right before casting the spell, the unicorn's thoughts drifted back to her little brother. He'll be just fine; he's probably even having a blast going on his own little adventure.

???

When Spike opened his eyes, it was only to be greeted with the same darkness as had been there when they were closed. Feeling fabric against his face, the young dragon's groggy mind came to the conclusion that he had simply covered his head with a blanket in his sleep, and went to push them away. When he found he was unable to move his arms, he became a little confused. When he realized that his legs were in a similar state, he began to worry. When he tried to open his mouth, only to be unable to do so, he panicked.

It was the sound of muffled screams that awoke Amethyst as her eyelids slowly peeled back. Upon seeing nothing, she too tried to move like her brother, only to experience the same results. It was at that moment that she remembered what had happened in the alleyway and her eyes shot wide open. A few more tugs of her limbs revealed that she was bound at the wrists and ankles by thick, rough rope. She wanted to yell curses to the heavens, but the rope tied tightly around her muzzle hindered the attempt, instead leading to more muffled sounds to join those that had already been filling the air. Amy's mind ground to a halt for a few seconds as she realized the significance of what she was hearing. In that moment, her ears twitched in the direction of the source and she rolled over.

Spike was now wheezing through his nose to replenish the air his screams had robbed him of. Though he would have much preferred to be gasping through his mouth, the slowed process of catching his breath gave him time to think on his situation and realize that screaming wasn't going to get him anywhere.

The last thing he remembered was the flash of red light, the feeling of being pulled apart and squished at the same time and then appearing in a poorly lit room. There were words spoken amongst the abductors, as well as some none too polite ones coming from him when the big dog had simply dropped his sister to the floor. The horned zebra then walked over to a desk and retrieved a small bag before approaching the young dragon to blow a pinch of dust from the pouch into his face with the words "Sleep tight." That was the last thing he heard before waking up here. He was in the process of trying to figure out where "here" was when he felt something push against his back.

It wasn't hard for Amy to work out that the sounds she had been hearing were her little brother waking to the same things she had, and became panicked when those sounds suddenly stopped. With some effort she rolled towards where she thought he was, an action made challenging by the fact that whatever was around her head encompassed the rest of her body as well. Even so, the effort was worth it when she was eventually greeted by a warm mass against her body and a startled yelp.

The young dragon had no idea what was now touching him, but his still frightened mind was more than willing to supply a few guesses. He was just about to start screaming again when the thing behind him started making familiar, albeit stifled, sounds. Upon hearing the feminine voice, he relaxed and worked to roll himself over. Once facing the unseen mass, he did his best to say, "Hey, Amy," through his tied up muzzle. It was apparently discernible enough, because he got a response of, "Ey Phike," which lifted his spirits greatly. I'm sure Amy will be able to get us out of this mess.

Amy was immensely relieved that her little brother was, as far as she could tell, alright, but the part of her that had been forged through years of traveling the world and honed by fighting for her life did not allow her time to enjoy the feeling. She had to get Spike out of the mess she had dragged him into, and the first steps were getting free and finding out where they were.

It was then that she noticed something that would make the second step much more difficult. Since the moment she had woken up, the floor beneath them had been shaking and she could hear the slight creaking of turning wheels below. With a growl, one thought flashed through the older dragon's head, Damn you Zariba.

Author's Note

It's chapters like this that make me really wish I could put a Slice of Life tag on this story. Hope you can find enjoyment in reading it.

On a different note, here's a comment and my response that I thought would be useful to those who like the story, but don't like to look at the comments.
Reader:
Little bit disappointed by a fight involving a bunch of thugs vs. two dragons and none of them were even set on fire very much. I kept waiting for one of the dogs (or maybe the pegasus) to get sent to Celestia, and nothing.
Is there an in-story reason I'm forgetting for Amy and Spike to be so conservative with their fire?
Me:
A fair point as I never actually commented on this in the story, something I'll have to work in down the line, but in my canon, I'd like to think that breathing fire is magically intensive and not something that adolescent dragons do lightly. Like, the little puffs of fire Spike does when he sends a letter once in awhile won't be enough to tucker him out, but at his age, a full-on cone of fire would really take it out of him.
The way I see it, that small puff of fire Spike uses as a baby would be equivalent to a pretty large flame when he reaches adulthood. As in, 5% of Spike's total output now is tiny and he would need to use a lot more magic for his flames to become a worthwhile weapon (and to warp a full-grown diamond dog away), but 5% of a mature Spike's fire would be enough to engulf a diamond dog five times over.
Amy being bigger and older allows her to use her fire far more effectively, but she still had to use a large chunk of magic to do what she did with the wall of fire. There was also a reason she didn't use her fire directly on Cujo, though that will become apparent later when he's not been ordered to keep her alive. Let's just say that, in my canon, all species have magic and that some know how to use it better than others.
All that being said, I can't really think of why she didn't burn up the lesser dogs beyond the fact that when she came upon the scene, a dog was holding Spike and she didn't want to even risk hurting him somehow (irrational protective instinct overriding her knowledge that her brother is fire-proof), and then a short time later, she was getting choked and thus was incapable of breathing fire.
What it really comes down to though, is that dragons are such an epic mythical creature that I kind of had to nerf them a little to keep them from simply burning all obstacles in their way to ash. That wouldn't be a very good story, would it?
Of course, this doesn't mean that dragons are weak in this story. I'd like to think that many creatures in this world have a hidden reserve of magic to call upon when in danger, dragons included and magic dragons especially. Think Gohan in the beginning of DBZ, he had enough ki that when Piccolo threw him at that rock, he obliterated it, yet when simply training and not in a stressful situation, he would be exhausted by launching a couple of comparatively weaker ki attacks. Hope you watched DBZ or that example probably didn't make much sense.
All in all, suspension of disbelief will play a role in this story as it does for all stories, but I hope to keep it low enough as not to have people screaming at my characters through their computer monitors... And now I'll probably be putting this comment at the beginning of the next chapter for those who don't look at the comment section to see. It's pretty informative after all. Thanks for bringing it up.

P.S.
Though Celestia jokes about the guard/bathroom incident, she knows all too well the danger toilet assassins pose; she's been a ruler for a very long time, after all.

Chapter 15

Something kinda cool in bold at the end of the Author's Note. Be sure to check it out after the chapter.

Amy shut her eyes and pieced together a plan in her head. Before anything else could be done, she had to break free of her bindings, which, with how thickly wrapped they felt, would be easier said than done. Her first thought was to simply tear the ropes apart, but she was tempted to toss that idea aside as soon as it came to her. While she had been learning how to magically enhance her strength from Granny Haya, it was a skill that came far easier to the likes of nekos and earth ponies, and she found imitating the technique with her draconic magic difficult. She was getting better at it, but without room to build up some momentum, the dragoness could not yet generate that much extra power.

Even so, she found herself turning her awareness inward to feel out her magical pathways, sensing the warmth that pooled in her belly and flowed throughout her body. Amy was surprised by how much of the fiery magic she had used up; slightly more than a third of her reservoir now gone. She had felt the tiring effects of the smoke screen and fire breath upon using them, but hadn't thought it would have taken so much out of her. Some magic dragon you turned out to be; can barely breathe some smoke and fire without burning up a bunch of magic, pathetic.

The dragoness growled through her bound muzzle as she battled back the derogatory voice. Now wasn't the time for such thoughts, not when she had a little brother to save. Returning focus to her magic, she tried her best to take hold of the energy, finding the effort comparable to grasping at water, and direct more of the flow into the muscles of her arms. With all the strength she could muster, Amy pulled her arms apart, an ache quickly developing in the bones of her wrists. She kept the effort up for nearly half a minute, just starting to feel a few fibers in the rope snap before her magic sputtered. While she could feel that she had managed to create a small space between her wrists, it was too miniscule to be of any use and had only really tightened some of the knots binding her.

With a frustrated huff, the dragoness growled out a muffled "Damn it" before taking a few calming breaths. Well, it was worth a try. Her wrists throbbed and her arms protested when she attempted to shift into a better possession. ...Sort of. Unless I want to try and fight my way out of here with a couple of limp noodles, I should probably keep that as my last resort. While the little give she had gotten from the ropes was promising, the amount of strain she would have to put herself through to break free with brute strength alone wouldn't help her or Spike.

A disgruntled snort escaped her, unintentionally accompanied by a wisp of smoke, which as she smelled it caused her eyes to widen in dawning realisation. Wait, ropes and bags are flammable... I can just burn myself out! Though she felt a little stupid for not thinking of it earlier, Amy was far too happy to truly care. It wasn't the stealthiest of escapes, but if the fire spread to the wagon she and her brother were in, it could easily work as a large enough distraction to aid in their escape. She could only hope that, after their daring getaway, they would still be close enough to Ford Junction for her to figure out where to go.

She shook her head. That's a problem for later. For now, just focus on these damned ropes. "'Ike, I' guin' ta twy suphing and it's gunna get hut, but dun't panic, ukay?" Amy whispered. She felt the small mass against her jolt, most likely surprised by the sudden sound after she had told him to remain silent, but she could still feel his head nod against her, joined with a quiet "Mmhmm."

That was all the confirmation she needed as the dragoness began to build up a small flame within. Once ready, Amy braced herself for the uncomfortable sensation of forcing fire through her nostrils, and blew with all her might. She had to shut her eyes as her vision was burned by the sudden light of her own making, and she could feel her face heating up as she continued to fill her cloth prison with flames. She kept this up until there was no more oxygen left in the sack for the fire to feed on and she found herself coughing as everything was filled with smoke.

In between gasping breaths and wheezing coughs, a combination made worse by the rope around her muzzle, Amy could only think one thing, Well, that didn't work. The dragoness found herself almost falling unconscious again as her body waited for fresh air to slowly seep back into the bag. At the same time, the wagon she and her brother were on came to a halt, and Amy knew she had lost any element of surprise. Even so, she was too busy trying to figure out why the ropes, or even the sack, holding her failed to catch fire to care.

Phantom was amazed at how well things had been going for them so far. Even the initial capture had gone far smoother than he had imagined, with the only injuries belonging to those two dogs Cujo favored the company of. Now, Dr. Zariba's archaeological team was well out of the city and on their way to their next big find; the biggest, if what the boss had said in the alley was any indication.

Lazily hovering over the small caravan as they traveled, Phantom looked down on their group and yawned. He would have preferred it if the trip didn't have to be entirely on hoof, but the cost of traveling by other means, such as taking trains to the city closest to their destination, would have been staggering with how many they'd have to take along. That wasn't even mentioning the added risk they ran of having their... less than ordinary cargo being discovered. It was times like this that Phantom wished adventure stories were actually accurate depictions of real life; that the "villains" did have seemingly limitless resources at their disposal. An airship would definitely be welcome at that moment, even with the old trope of "good guys always win" working against them. That last thought made the pegasus smirk; as far as most of Ford Junction's population was concerned, Dr. Zariba was as far from being a villain as a pony could get, and Phantom would agree with that for the most part. They were all just making a living, after all, and that included the good doctor, even if he resorted to some... unsavory dealings and methods to do so.

At the moment however, that was beside the point, and Phantom's face returned to its stern expression. For as much as writers romanticized their work, the bulk of adventuring consisted of unexciting travel, much of which was done in the same formation they were currently in. Along the outer edge of the group walked the excavation team, a pack of diamond dogs who still clung to the old, more feral ways of their people while trying to exist in a modern world. Dr. Zariba had offered these creatures the perfect opportunity to avoid society's stigma for their refusal to adhere to what was deemed civilized behavior while still allowing them to keep their traditions alive. By having them help him in his treasure hunting, the dogs got to both gather their precious gems and practice their pack customs away from prying eyes as they oftentimes traversed the uninhabited corners of the world with the boss.

Phantom shook his head, he would never understand why Cujo and his pack didn't just get with the times, but he had no room to complain; he benefited from their service just as much as his boss did, even if it was just by reducing his own workload. He pushed away the thoughts of the perplexing pooches, content with not trying to understand them, and turned his eyes to his own group. Flying around him were the few other pegasi in the service of Dr. Zariba who made up his scouting team. Phantom was more than okay with how few sets of wings they had as he didn't particular like sharing his airspace. He would deny the allegations if they were to ever arise, but the scarred pegasus felt claustrophobic if there were too many others flying around him.

A memory barreled to the forefront of his mind. A memory of wicked, slit pupils narrowing. Of huge fangs, smoke, and the red-orange glow building behind them. Of an easy escape hindered by the panicked pegasi around him as he was knocked out of the air and right to the path of the flames. Of the smell of fire and brimstone and burning flesh.

"Hey, you okay?" Phantom jolted, his eyes going wide as he whipped his head over to see a lime-green pegasus mare looking at him in concern. "You're sweating something awful there, Phantom. You running a fever?"

Wiping at the cold sweat on his forehead, the scarred pegasus grunted. "I'm fine, now get back into position, you're breaking the formation," he said gruffly, ignoring the chill the rapidly wind-dried sweat was causing him.

The mare's look of concern turned into one of annoyance as she pushed a strand of her tangerine mane out of her face. "Whatever, see if I bother worrying about you again," she replied and drifted away.

He didn't even glance at the retreating form as he tried to orient himself internally after his brief trip into the past. A small part of him felt a little bad for snapping at Citrus Spritz both because she was one of the few members of their company that he could stand and because she had just unknowingly helped him return to reality. Still, the mare had been flying too close for comfort, especially for where his mind was, and he didn't want her doing so again.

A large breath of air filled his lungs, an action that would become increasingly more pleasant as they moved away from the pollution of Ford Junction, and he released it slowly. It was easier to simply occupy his mind with other things when memories of that dreadful night came to him, so he returned his gaze to the ground below.

At the center of everything were two covered wagons, with the one up front being meant for resting as those inside and out alternated turns. This one was being pulled by Cujo himself, a special harness wrapped around his shoulders, chest and waist. Sitting at the head of the wagon was Dr. Zariba, looking for all the world like a dapper scholar in his fine suit and top hat as he held a book open in one hoof. The doctor would periodically float a quill up and take notes on a scroll spread out next to him, the innocence of the simple act belying the cruel extremes the zebracorn was capable of in the pursuit of his goals. Why, there was a good example of just what the boss was willing to do in the second wagon being pulled by the only two earth ponies traveling with them.

Even though he himself had helped load them on, Phantom still found it hard to believe that two dragons were laying amongst the supplies and equipment of their caravan, bound with flame retardant ropes and stuffed in bags of the same nature. That last part didn't help make the truth any easier to swallow. It was astounding just how prepared Dr. Zariba always seemed to be. Seriously, Phantom could understand having one of the odd sacks on hoof, but two? What, did he buy in bulk or something?

The pegasus reminded himself not to bother even trying to understand the zebracorn; he wouldn't be able to do so on his own and would only get a chuckle from the stallion if he asked. For now, he was just glad that they had gotten out of the city limits and that Dr. Zariba had given both beasts a heavy dose of sleeping powder. The sun would set soon and neither of their captives had come to yet. It would have caused some real problems if the two had woken up and made a scene while still in the city. It really has been a while now actually. I wonder how much longer that stuff's going to last.

At that moment, an ear of one of the earth ponies twitched, and he stopped, calling out something. Though Phantom was a way away, he could make out the gist of it, and couldn't help but smirk when he imagined the implications. What I'd give to have seen the expressions on their faces when they woke up.

With Dr. Zariba bringing the caravan to a halt with a call to set up camp and climbing down from his seat to walk to the other wagon, Phantom glided down to land by his side. Maybe he would still get a chance to see something entertaining from the captured dragons. As long as he didn't have to get too close that is.

~8~

Upon hearing his sister apparently choke, Spike's heart rate jumped. He didn't know what it was the older dragon had tried to do, but he had an inkling it didn't work. He was about to ask if she was alright when his body lurched a little. We stopped? That can't be good.

Spike could soon make out voices from outside whatever it was they were in and he began to shiver, putting two and two together to come to the conclusion that he and his sister would soon be paid a visit. The sounds of hooves, feet, and shouts began to come from all directions as whoever was out there scrambled into action. Even with the cacophony all around him, the young dragon's fear-sharpened mind locked onto one noise that didn't fit with the rest. Whereas the movements of most everyone else were quick and frenzied, there was one set of hoof steps that was calm and collected. This was soon followed by the sound of a pegasus touching down to immediately transition into a trot, something he had become familiar with growing up around ponies, and Spike just knew who it was.

By this time, Amy's strained choking had been replaced with labored wheezes, and the young dragon tried to warn her. "Tha' zebra and 'egasus are-"

"Aw, how nice of you two to join us," interrupted the familiar, cultured voice from the alleyway. Spike doubted he would be forgetting that deep timbre anytime soon. "I'm sorry for the accommodations, but we can't exactly afford five star service whilst on the road." Anger and a sealed mouth made Amy's reply indecipherable, but there was no denying the absolute fury radiating off of her. Spike could actually feel this in the form off her rising temperature next to him, and he involuntarily wiggled away. "Oh, you're awake too, little one? Now that is a surprise, I'd have thought you'd be out for at least another few hours with how small you are." Zariba said. "You wingless dragons never cease to astound me. It makes me wonder what else you're capable of, little one."

"'Et him gu Arbez, he gut nuthing ta du 'ith any uf this!" Amy commanded. Spike had little doubt that, had she not been bound and bagged on the floor, her words would have been quite fear-inducing.

As it was, the younger dragon was pretty sure the response would be in the negative. "I'm afraid that isn't going to be possible, Ms. Thistle." Bingo. "After all, even if you were willing to cooperate, we couldn't very well have your... brother, I'd like to say, send a message to whomever it is on the other side of that transportation spell of his." Wait, what?

Before he could try and voice his own question, his sister beat him to it. "'Ow do you know abut that?" she said, surprise and even a bit of fear in her voice.

"That's an interesting story, actually," the horned zebra began, speaking as if he were chatting with a couple of friends. "See, I couldn't very well have you two waking up and making a scene before we made it out of town, so I gave you a little something to help you sleep until we got well away from any populated areas. Worked like a charm, by the way; it's a bit past eight o'clock now and we've been traveling for quite some time."

Okay, that explained the powder he'd blown on them, but Spike couldn't see how that could have led to this insane stallion discovering he could send stuff to Celestia. It was with a detached curiosity that he wondered this, still in a state of shock upon realizing he would most likely not be sending for help anytime soon. In truth, he hadn't even given it conscious thought up until now, what with being cornered, captured, and drugged, a fact that made him look at Amy's experience in Canterlot in a new light. Deep within his mind, he had always known that that connection existed, and it had served to comfort him at his darkest moments.

"Well, being the caring stallion that I am, I, of course, had to perform a diagnostic spell on the young drake, just in case he ended up having an adverse reaction to the sedative I gave him," Zariba went on. "So you can imagine my surprise when my spell discovered something abnormal intertwined with his magical ley lines; a spell matrix written right into his fire. It was quite beautiful actually; the work of a master to be sure."

You have no idea. Spike didn't know whether or not it was a good thing that the zebra didn't know that it was Princess Celestia herself that his fire was connected to, but he supposed that he should be grateful that the information was his to reveal. If he and his sister got some time alone together, maybe she could decide whether or not they should tell their captors about who it was they were messing with. I've never seen Celestia angry, but with how many ponies get nervous around her, I bet it would be enough to get this guy to let us go. A grimace spread across his features. Or it could make him do something crazy.

Memories of time spent helping Fluttershy rushed to the forefront of the young dragon's mind. He had found an injured weasel near the edge of the Everfree and tried to help it, only to end up being hissed at. The butter-yellow pegasus had come over and explained to him that animals often lashed out when they were afraid; sometimes even hurting the ones trying to help them. Spike really hoped the same thing didn't apply to zebras or he and Amy could be in even more trouble than they were already in.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to tell me who it is, would you?" Zariba said, rousing Spike from his thoughts.

"'Ow about you gu tu tata'us!" Amy hissed in response.

Spike heard a sigh from the zebra and a chuckle from who he could only guess to be the scarred pegasus. "Really, Miss Thistle? More of this same song and dance? We both know I'm going to get what I want in the end; I hold all the cards as it were, so how about you make things easy, stop living up to your name, and skip all the hostility? Nobody likes a prickly personality, after all."

This got another growl from his sister and a long string of harsh words, only half of which were familiar to Spike. Zariba sighed again and Spike could imagine the stallion shaking his head in disappointment. "Hmm, the hard way it is then. Phantom, grab the smaller one, I'll get Ms. Thistle. We're setting up camp for the night and we need to get these two settled in," the zebra said, before his voice suddenly took on a darker and even slightly pleased tone. "I think I'm ready to handle the boy's unique talent."

The younger dragon shuddered and, when the hooves of the pegasus grabbed hold of his body, he struggled, speaking for the first time since the villains came to them. ""Et me gu, jerks!" He had no idea what the zebracorn meant by handling him, but there was little doubt that he wasn't going to like it. Driven by instincts, Spike began blowing fire from his nostrils.

"Blasted monster's hot as a furnace!" Phantom yelled as he dropped his fiery luggage to the ground. Upon impact, the air was forced from the dragon in the form of one final fireball. This would have only slightly winded him, but still confined as he was within his bag it left him in the same oxygen starved state his sister had been in not long ago. A distant part of his mind decided to be ever so helpful by supplying the memory of when near the exact same scenario played out in the alleyway with that Toby character. Maybe he should start choosing his words more carefully when being dangled in the air by plot-heads?

"Lotta good those bags do. I hope for the sake of your bank account that you didn't waste to many bits on them, boss," he heard the scarred pegasus say.

"Oh come now, he's just a child, I doubt he's that hot. Stop complaining and pick him up properly. I don't want you injuring either of our guests," Zariba responded, having to raise his voice to be heard over Amy's increased yelling and Spike's coughing.

As the pegasus lifted him once again, the young dragon was tempted to fight against him, but the ache he felt as he tried to breathe soot filled air with recovering lungs put a damper on the idea. As it was, he went limp and hoped he wouldn't be dropped again as he felt his carrier walk a few steps before hopping down from whatever they were in. The sounds that had been muted before were now much louder and Spike was made more nervous as it became harder to hear his sister's voice over everything else.

Phantom was sweating as he carried the dragon whelp in the crook of his right foreleg, though only some of it was from the heat of the creature. It had tried to burn him, and when it did, it didn't matter that the flames were stopped by the special fabric, because all he could think about was the sensation of searing flesh and dragon's fire.

Some days were better than others for the pegasus, but being forced to interact with, and even carry one of the things he hated most was definitely putting this day very low on his list. Getting rid of his unwanted cargo and being free to soothe his burning scars by soaring through the cool clouds was something he could barely wait for.

He looked over to his boss and couldn't help but be slightly jealous of how blasé he was with a dragon floating only a few hoof lengths away from him. A far more active beast than his now motionless one at that. Phantom mentally comforted himself with the fact that Dr. Zariba didn't have to physically hold his dragon. It helped marginally.

Returning to reality, the scarred pegasus saw that the rest of their company had made significant progress in setting up camp for the night; he could even see Citrus Spritz with cooking supplies at the ready as she prepared a fire. As they walked past a multitude of simple tents the two equines neared Toby and Cooper who, along with some other diamond dogs, had just finished erecting what looked like a circus's big top in miniature. It oftentimes served as a central base of sorts for their expeditions where Dr. Zariba and his small circle of egg heads went over whatever clues they had come across. Of course, its use was going to be somewhat modified this time around.

"Aw, Toby, Cooper, you're done, excellent," said the boss with a smile, getting them both to turn around. "Would you two go and retrieve Albert for me? Tell him to bring the tablets. I was also putting the finishing touches on a little project before we stopped; have Albert bring my spell supplies as well... Oh, and tell your brother to come; I don't think I'll be having much trouble with Ms. Thistle, but she's still a bit upset and it is always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with that one."

"Sure thing boss," The lanky dog said, looking over to the older one next to him. "Come on, Cooper, let's go get dumb pup."

Cooper rolled his eyes. "Ya just heard the zebra call 'im Albert; when are ya gonna bother actually usin' other names besides mine an' Cujo's?"

Toby shined an oblivious grin and answered, "Why Toby need to know names other than brothers'? It too hard and no one else needs talking to."

Staring a moment, Cooper shook his head in resignation and started walking away, mumbling something about stupid pups licking veins of lead. Phantom felt some pity for the older dog; having to look out for one younger brother who was dumber than a shovel, and having another that was always a hair's breadth away from mutilating someone. Watching Cooper grab hold of Toby as the tall dog was distracted by the scurrying of some small creature made the pegasus glad he was an only child.

"Come on, Phantom, don't just stand there," the boss told him. "I'm sure these two are getting tired of being carried; let's get them inside." With that, Dr. Zariba levitated the still struggling dragoness ahead of him and disappeared through the tent flap. Had the zebra waited a moment, he may have heard his subordinate grumble about how he was tired of carrying the dragon all over camp.

Adjusting the weight of his luggage and getting a growl from within the confines of the bag, Phantom followed after his employer into the dimly lit tent. The interior was lacking its usual furnishings, instead being bare save for two things, one small table and the center pole of wood half as thick as his barrel holding the structure up. Attached near the top were three low burning lanterns to light the area.

Wanting to finally get away from his scaly burden, Phantom made to set it at the pole where he knew the dragons would be spending the night, but, as if reading his thoughts, he was interrupted by the boss before taking a single step. "Keep a hold of him; I have something that needs to be done before he's tied up for the night," Dr. Zariba said, his voice losing the jovial hint that had been present until now.

A small shiver ran up the scarred pony's back, his feathers ruffling involuntarily as he watched his boss none too gently drop the bagged Amethyst onto the ground by the pole. Phantom didn't know if he should have felt honored or uncomfortable that he, along with Cujo and his brothers, were some of the only people Dr. Zariba would be his true self around. On one hoof, it showed that he had some sort of trust in him, but on the other, the cold, detached being hidden underneath the kind facade was not somepony Phantom felt particularly comfortable with.

None of this showed on his face of course as the pegasus grunted grumpily and dropped to his haunches. "Fine, but can you make it quick boss? I don't want to hold this thing all night."

A small smile pulled at Zariba's lips as he took his hat off and began extracting a long length of rope from its dark depths. "And here I thought some exposure therapy would help you begin overcoming your fear of dragons; it really is a bothersome phobia to have in our line of work."

Phantom growled. "I don't have a phobia; I just have the common sense to avoid monsters bent on frying us all to a crisp." He gestured towards the now still Amethyst. "You keep messing with their kind, and you'll end up a piece of brisket... Well-done."

Toby's whining and footsteps could be heard approaching as Zariba opened his mouth. "A risk I'm willing to take to make the most lucrative discovery of the millennium," countered the zebra, voice reverting to its false state as the entrance flaps parted to reveal Toby and Cooper, as well as a third dog. This one was far from what most ponies pictured as far as looks were concerned. He was small, having a light, blonde coat instead of the usual darker, earthen colors, and was wearing a lab coat that trailed slightly on the ground behind him.

Albert was the smartest diamond dog Phantom had ever met, when it came to books that is, and he could probably even give that dragon-loving pegasus, Lore Finder, a run for her money in a contest of historical knowledge. It was for this reason that the scarred pegasus was perplexed by Albert's inclusion in Cujo's pack; the monstrous diamond dog may not have been a fool like his younger brother, but he definitely wasn't one to put a whole lot of value on higher education, and that went for his pack as well. Phantom had even heard a few of its members openly badmouthing the frailest amongst them.

Even so, Albert stayed, and Phantom could only wonder why. He had actually come up with some theories on what exactly the dog's motive was; figuring it was either for the protection the pack provided, or so he could be at the forefront of uncovering history as he followed Dr. Zariba to lands others did not dare to tread. Maybe it was both.

Albert was hugging a large, wrapped something to his chest which he had to peek over, which led to the inevitable; he tripped. His loosely fitted, bottle lens glasses bounced askew upon his muzzle as he hopped a few steps and began to tumble forward. The small diamond dog was in mid-scream when a red aura encompassed what he was carrying and he ended up leaning against it, stopped halfway on his descent with wide eyes.

"Really Albert, you must be more careful while handling ancient stone tablets. We'd have been up all night putting rubble back together had I not caught you," Dr Zariba said, and though it was meant to sound concerned and a tad chiding, Phantom had known the zebra long enough to hear the underlying acid in those words. It seemed he and Cooper were the only ones to notice, however, as, besides the older dog's subtle cringe, Toby didn't have any reaction to what had been said, and Albert only gave a small, embarrassed smile. "I-I'm sorry Doctor, my foot must have caught on a rock or something. I'll be more aware of my surroundings from now on," he responded, scrambling backwards off the tablet and subsequently bumping into Cooper.

The bigger dog growled and pushed Albert away. "A rock nothen'. Ya fell because ya tried ta carry somethen' too big for ya; should 'ave let me carry it like I told'cha." He held out a medium-sized bag. "This was more yer speed."

Sending a glower in Cooper's direction, Albert said, "And let a rockhead like you or your brother carry a priceless artifact? You must have gone senile if you'd think for even a second I'd let such a thing transpire! History must be protected, not used for a chew toy!"

Phantom thought that he was about to see a good old-fashioned beat down as Cooper showed his yellowed fangs and stepped towards the much smaller diamond dog, and judging by how Albert's glare turned into a wide-eyed look of terror, so did he. But alas, it wasn't meant to be as a deep voice cut through the building hostility. "Enough, both of you!" commanded Dr. Zariba. When all eyes turned to the scowling zebra, they saw that he had unwrapped the package, spreading the tarp it had been concealed in out on the ground, before laying the stone down on top of it. "I take it that bag you have there is for me, Cooper?" he asked, voice already calm again as he gestured to the old diamond dog's paw.

"Uh, yeah, here ya go," Cooper answered after blinking a few times. He tossed the bag underpaw to the zebra, who caught it with his magic before it even covered half the distance between them. "Cujo said he'd be by soon, just makin' sure the pack was settled first."

"Excellent," Dr. Zariba said. "It was difficult to formulate a proper spell on such short notice, but I think this will do nicely." He opened the top of the bag looked inside, no longer facing the others as he spoke. "Take the sack off of the smaller dragon, Phantom, I can't cast the spell with it in the way." Zariba pulled out a few items from the bag and looked up to see the pegasus had yet to move. "Really Phantom? He's a tied up child; he's not going to set you on fire as soon as he's free."

"Then why don't you do it?" Phantom retorted without thinking. After the words left his lips, he clamped his mouth shut, but his fears were unfounded as the boss only rolled his eyes and grabbed the dragon from his foreleg and levitated it away. The little beast had begun to struggle as the talk of casting a spell on it was once again brought up, and grew more frantic when the magic aura engulfed it.

Taking an involuntary step back, the pegasus watched as his boss pulled free the monster by its thrashing tail. As its head came into view, Phantom took another step as small wisps of emerald flame curled from its nostrils. At the sight, Phantom was caught between wondering about the odd color and the voice in the back of his head telling him to fly away.

"Hmph, I can smell the fear on you, pony," said a voice as deep and rumbling as a cave-in.

Phantom jumped a little, wings unfurling halfway as his head whipped around. "For buck's sake, don't sneak up on ponies like that!" he yelled without thinking, now facing a wall of dark fur. Eyes trailing upwards, they landed on the face of Cujo as he bared his fangs.

"I don't sneak," he growled.

The pegasus gulped, mentally punching himself for letting his mouth open without his permission again. Phantom was a skilled fighter, and an even more skilled flyer, but even if he was able to hone the wind sharp enough to cut through the tent's canvas above, he would still have to fly up there to do so, and Cujo's reach was vast. The diamond dog had to hunch more than usual just to fit inside.

Phantom was contemplating an escape between the dog's legs when Dr. Zariba spoke, much to his relief. "Cujo, I'm glad you're here, now we can start moving things along," the zebra said as he put the fuming dragon down. "I don't suspect you'll need to do much, I just need you here to serve as a deterrent for any... drastic actions Ms. Thistle may try while I'm working with her companion, though I don't plan on giving her the opportunity to do such things."

Cujo grunted, no longer looking at Phantom as they all focused on their employer. In short order, the boss had lifted Thistle's sack, opened it and shifted his magical grasp to the dragoness inside. Phantom smirked as Zariba actually levitated it a distance away from himself and started shaking it to get the bag to fall off. It was quite comical, and the amusement of watching a dragon be humiliated like that overrode any fear witnessing the glare and smoking nostrils generated.

"Come now, Amethyst, there's no need for that look," Zariba said, causing the glare he was receiving to intensify and the smoke to change to fire. "...Okay, maybe there is; being tossed in a sack wasn't the smoothest way to start this temporary partnership, but really, I'm sure you'll look back on this day with fondness after Bahamut's hoard is found." At this, there was a sharp intake of breath from the dragoness, and Zariba grinned. "I knew that would give you pause; finding that treasure is quite important to you if I recall."

Phantom snorted and mumbled under his breath, "Yeah, real shocker there; a dragon out for treasure." When Amethyst directed her glare towards him, he was tempted to look away, but being free of his draconic burden for a bit and having what just happened to the dragoness playing in his head allowed him to meet her eyes with his own glare. "What? Don't like ponies telling the truth? Try and pretend as much as you want, monster, you'll never change what you are."

"Quiet!" the boss reprimanded sharply, eyes cutting to him. "Control yourself or leave! If you can't do the former," his irises flashed, "then I strongly recommend the latter. There are more important things to tend to now than your petty emotional baggage."

The scarred pegasus swallowed thickly. "Sorry, boss," he mumbled.

He was glad Zariba didn't expect more from him as he simply snorted and turned back to their captive. "Apologies, but you know how he is." The dragoness growled. "Oh! I'm sorry," he said suddenly, spinning Amethyst so she was right side up. "We can't have blood pooling in that brain of yours, we need it so you can read this for us."

The boss gestured down to the tablet; two large slabs that fitted perfectly together down a large crack. Phantom had been wondering for a while now why Zariba had suddenly become so intrigued when he mentioned what he had overheard what the dragoness slur all those nights ago. Really, he meant to start up a session of his favorite pastime; badmouthing the monster that thought it was civilized, and instead started his boss scheming.

Whatever was on the hunk of black rock, it seemed to get their captive's attention as it looked down, stared for a few seconds, and then widened its eyes.

"Ah, recognition, I was hoping to see that; would have made this whole abduction thing quite awkward had you not known what this was." Zariba stated with a smile, returning Amethyst's angry attention to him. "Now, as anxious as I'm sure we both are to uncover the secrets of this tablet, I have another matter to attend to first."

Still pointlessly wiggling, the small dragon had been watching silently and as Zariba's gaze shifted to the monster bobbing in the air began growling unintelligible threats. In response, the boss clicked his tongue and moved her over to the center pole of the tent, sending the rope he had extracted from his hat earlier after it. In an instant, Amethyst was sat against the pole and tied to it.

Phantom found himself wondering if he was finding too much satisfaction at seeing dragons so powerless, but dismissed the thought. It was a rare enough sight that one simply had to enjoy it when they were lucky enough to witness it. Really, seeing the hopelessness hidden in the wrathful eyes of the dragoness was priceless, and the smidgeon of shame in those acid green orbs made the pegasus wish he had a camera. Maybe I can borrow the one used to take photos on our expeditions.

~8~

Amy was not a happy dragon as she was carried through the air, a sensation made all the more disgusting by the knowledge of who that magic belonged to. It was believed by many that magic far surpassed eyes as windows to the soul, and so being in a cloud of Zariba's magic was like being wrapped in the stallion's essence. Just like its wielder, the zebra's magic was cold to the touch and deceptively calm, but when Amy struggled against his grasp, it was as if she was breaking the surface of a rip current, suddenly feeling the twisted energy tear against her body and try to pull her under.

Even so, the dragoness had continued to struggle against the vile force, determined to cause Zariba as much difficulty as she could even if it didn't directly aid in her escape. Unfortunately, besides a few strained grunts, her captor didn't seem all that bothered by her efforts.

As she was she dropped, talked over as if she weren't even there, shaken out of a bag, and eventually stuck to a hunk of wood, Amy grew more and more frustrated with the situation. Even with the flashes of fear she garnered from Phantom with just a glare, the dragoness couldn't quell the shame blooming in her heart as she was treated as nothing more than a piece of equipment to aid in her captor's goals.

The situation wouldn't be so bad had there been one major difference in it; had her brother not been captured as well, this would have been a prime opportunity to make more headway towards her dream. Even without being able to closely inspect the tablet Zariba had stumbled upon, Amy could easily recognize the ancient draconic glyphs carved into its dark surface. She held on to the memories of her parents far too tightly to ever forget, and being taught the old language by her father was amongst them.

She could wait for the opportune moment, steal the tablet, and escape with whatever secrets it held; it would have been great to pull one over on the zebracorn and get another step closer to Bahamut's hoard. Yes, things could have been so much better had she only been captured alone. And now you're tied to a pole while a sick freak casts his creepy magic on your little brother.

As she watched her thoroughly frightened sibling fruitlessly try to crawl away from Zariba, only to be dragged into the air by that despicable magic, Amy's jaw clenched and she ground her fangs. The instinct to slaughter her enemy, to tear him apart with teeth and claw, then burn the remains to cinder pushed itself to the forefront of her mind, and for once, she wasn't disgusted in herself for allowing it to be there. Lore Finder be damned, if this bastard hurt her kin, she'd kill him.

"Come now, if you keep moving, I won't be able to do this properly and will have to sedate you again," Zariba explained to Spike. "This is a new spell, after all; I'd rather keep as many unknown factors out of the equation as I can, which includes you being out of your mind whilst the spell does its work." Zariba then looked into the young drake's eyes, forcing him to meet his gaze with a magic yank of the head when he tried to turn away. "You wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you, would you? Just imagine what poor Amethyst would go through if you ended up hurt or worse simply because you couldn't hold still."

As he spoke, the young dragon's movements slowed to a stop, and Amy could see the new apprehension enter his eyes. Zariba noticed it too before he asked expectantly, "Are you done? No more struggling?" The force holding Spike's head in place dissipated, but he maintained eye-contact for a moment longer before the tension ran out of him and he went slack. Amy was shocked when she saw her brother nod weakly, actually submitting to this freak's will.

If Zariba was as surprised as she, he didn't show it as he broke into a wide grin. "Excellent! I'm glad to see you don't share your sister's irrational stubbornness; it will make this whole trip leagues easier without you fighting every step of the way." He turned a condescending eye to Amethyst. "Now if only you could get her to behave as well, this could be the best expedition we've ever had."

She couldn't stop the puff of flames from her nostrils as she showed her distaste for the idea, which only made Zariba shrug and shake his head. "Oh well, a zebra can dream," he said. A beat of silence later, and his expression rose once again. "Well, it doesn't matter now; let's get the magic started!" Placing Spike down in a seated position, the zebracorn turned his magic to the bag that had been brought to him and levitated out a small blade, getting looks of horror from both dragons, as well as intrigued ones from everyone else but Albert and Toby, who were sporting uncomfortable and oblivious expressions respectively.

As much as he hated it, Spike knew it was better to allow Zariba to cast his magic unhindered; he had been Twilight's default test subject enough times to know that the smallest distractions or complications during a big spell could have a myriad of unpleasant side effects, and he was not going to deal with having an extra head again, no matter how good looking he was. It took hours for that one to wear off and the bag of apology sapphires from Twilight barely made up for him having to debate with himself who was the number one assistant.

Yes, Spike was willing to remain motionless while the zebracorn did his thing... up until he pulled a knife on him, then he changed his mind pretty fast. "Mmph! Get that away frum me!" Spike screamed as he fell backwards.

While he has busy trying to wriggle away, he heard Amy strained voice speak a distant thought of his. "Ah thought this was just ah spell! Ah wun't let you kill ma bruther!"

Zariba quirked an eyebrow, momentarily confused by their reactions before looking between them and the knife. In the next instant, he burst into laughter, skull-marked face making the innocent act far more disturbing than it should have been, and said, "Y-you thought I was going to- to kill you!? Oh, I really shouldn't be laughing, but -ha- that's -haha- that's just too rich!" He started to settle down, using the tip of a hoof to wipe a tear away from the corner of his eye, and continued. "I know you don't think at all highly of me, but really? You two jump straight to murder? Knife or not, you really should think things through a bit more before jumping to conclusions like that; if I was going to kill this boy, I'd have done it while he was still unconscious."

The creepy display of joy had stopped Spike long enough to hear the zebracorn's explanation, and now that he had, he still didn't feel good about this. What kind of spell involved a knife? Zariba answered the unasked question. "I simply need a few drops of blood for the ritual part of the spell, his blood to be exact... sorry if this stings a bit, just try and imagine you're getting a shot or something, I'm sure you've gotten at least some of those before," he said as he retrieved a small, half-empty jar of ink.

This was only marginally helpful to the young dragon in taming his fear of what was about to happen, for, though he wasn't about to meet an untimely demise, he still knew that any magic that needed blood to work was magic he didn't want around him. He remembered Twilight's brief foray into the field of study when they still lived in Canterlot, and he also remembered Princess Celestia putting a quick stop to it. "Blood magics are dangerously close to the dark arts, and only the most experienced mages should ever even contemplate its use, my student," Celestia had said, with a rare, stern expression. I will not bar your studies in that subject permanently, but I'm afraid you'll have to wait until you're more mature, and even then, this is one aspect of your studies you will perform under my direct supervision only.

Granted, that was a few years before the pair had moved to Ponyville, but Twilight was still a fairly accomplished mage even then, and that was the only time Spike had ever heard Celestia outright deny her student the opportunity to study a new avenue of magic. The princess even let her learn that blasted want-it need-it spell by herself even further back than that for crying out loud!

Now Spike had a horned zebra that his draconic big sister obviously hated and who was completely okay with abducting children preparing to perform a form of magic that Celestia deemed more dangerous than a mass mind control spell on him. If he got out of this alive, there was no way he was going to tell Twilight about any of this; she would never let him leave the library again.

While he was thinking this, Zariba had a thoughtful look on his face, which he ended with a shrug. "I suppose a finger will do for a bit of blood, better than the face, anyway. Let's just turn you around," he said, using a hoof to sit the young dragon back up on his rump and spin him in place. Spike yelped as parts of the tent's dirt floor were pushed into places he most certainly didn't want it, but was prevented from adequately voicing his objection by the cord wrapped around his muzzle.

Instead, he could only grit his teeth as one of the claws bound behind his back was grasped in a cold, magical aura and squeezed, forcing his stubby digits straight. "Just a little prick..." he heard Zariba mumble as he felt a sudden bite between the small, flexible scales of his pointer finger, causing him to wince." And done. That wasn't so bad, was it?" the zebracorn rhetorically asked before raising his voice some. "See Ms. Thistle, he's still alive, so you can stop pulling at your restraints; you're going to end up injuring yourself and we really don't need those sorts of complications on this excursion."

Spike was about to look to his sister, both to reassure the dragoness that he was okay and bring himself some comfort, but was stopped by the pain in his claw flaring. His captor was apparently unsatisfied with the speed at which he bled, because he started using his magic to force the precious liquid out of him faster, working the digit like a tube of toothpaste. There was a 'tink' as the zebracorn bumped the glass jar up against his claw, the blood running down the sharp talon to drip into the ink below.

Soon enough, Zariba had what he wanted and finally freed the young dragon from his painful ministrations. "There we go, that's the good stuff. You know, I may collect some more blood from the two of you later; I'm sure I can find all sorts of uses for it in my potions. Plus, you're wingless dragons, so I probably won't have another opportunity anytime soon," Zariba said, getting a nervous gulp from Spike. Was his blood really valuable? The last thing he needed was for a bunch of crazies looking to drain him dry... Well, actually, the last thing he needed was a crazy zebra performing freaky magic on him, but the other thing was definitely up there.

Try as he might, the young dragon could not make light of the dark situation he was in, especially with Zariba roughly spinning him once again. "Okay, this next part is going to be a bit tedious and you'll have to sit as still as you can for it," his captor said. "Now I know I'm not your favorite zebra at the moment, but I suggest you listen to me on this; if I make a mistake, I'll have to start over, and if I run out of ink, I'll have to make more, which means more blood." Any trace of kindness or understanding left his suddenly hard eyes. "And if you think you can simply get out of this by making me waste all of my supplies, let me assure you, you'll fall unconscious before we've even made it through half of the ink I've got."

Spike had been thinking more along the lines of dragging things out until he got irritated enough to call it quits for the night, but after a speech like that, the young dragon doubted Zariba was the type to simple fall to frustration. All the insane kidnappers in the world and he got snatched up by the one adamant on not resting until they accomplished their goals. Just great. He's like an evil Twilight; never quitting until the spell is done right. At least he wouldn't have to break his back dragging this one to bed when he fell asleep over a book. Thank the gods for small favors he supposed.

"I don't know how much you can feel through those scales, but this may tickle," the zebracorn said, forcing Spike from his thoughts. The young dragon felt wet bristles come down on his forehead, not having noticed the small brush until that moment.

Zariba worked fast, the brush gliding over his hide to draw intricate patterns and unfamiliar runes along his face and down to his chest. During this time, Spike was only moved once as bristles tickled his neck, causing him pull away. This was ended in short order by the quick application of magic to hold him still and tilt his head back.

When the zebra was done, he stepped back from his unwilling canvas and admired his work. Spike couldn't help but feel dirty; skin crawling with the realization that he was now covered in his own blood. "You know, if it weren't for the family resemblance, I'd have never guessed you were related to Ms. Thistle. There's no way she would have let me work unhindered the first time around." Zariba looked behind him at the scarred pegasus. "See, Phantom? Dragons are perfectly capable of civility. Perhaps this young drake can help you get over some of that fear of yours." The pony just scowled and grumbled something about being sane and not afraid.

Rolling his eyes, Zariba looked down to Spike and smiled. "Just about done, little one, but this last part is the most crucial and difficult bit of the whole spell, so behaving now is more important than ever. We wouldn't want you exploding or some such thing, after all. Your sister would never forgive me."

If he had intended to comfort the young dragon, he failed miserably. I he had wanted to ensure he held still, well, Spike was currently frozen in fear, so mission accomplished. Spike hardly paid attention as the zebracorn picked up his bag and began pouring out a circle like he had done in the alley, the design of this one sharing many similarities to the markings on the young dragon's body.

In no time at all, Zariba had finished the array, two pony lengths in diameter with Spike directly in the center. The zebra looked over the markings with a critical eye. "Hmm... yes, everything is just right. Not a line out of place," he said to himself, before grinning widely. "Finally, we get to the best part of performing a newly crafted spell; the casting!" His horn began to glow, dimly at first as he turned to his employees. "I suggest you all step back; I'm working directly with dragon fire here, so things may be a little volatile." The horn's glow began to brighten as the others backed away and Zariba turned back to the dragon, a translucent sphere suddenly surrounding him.

"I'm sorry to say, but this will probably not feel at all good... Actually, you should try and remember what you experience and tell me later; it will help my studies to know the symptoms, after all," he said. Spike began to feel a tingling sensation along the markings on his body and when he broke eye contact with Zariba to look down, he saw that they, as well as those on the ground, had started to shine a deep crimson.

Soon, the tingling was replaced with an itch, then a burn as if something was digging through the scales of his chest and neck. His eyes watered as magic seemed to force its way into his nostrils and slid like sludge down his throat. The young dragon quickly grew to miss these slight pains as they only intensified until it suddenly felt like something punched through his chest.

Spike tried to scream as a vicious cold grabbed hold of his inner flame, but his lungs were already filled with the zebra's magic, and they soon burned with the need for oxygen. This pain, as well as everything else he was feeling was pushed to the back of his thoughts as the frigid claw twisted his core. Invading it. Perverting it. The dragon had never known such agony as his fire, something that had always been undeniably, irrefutably his, was bent to the whim of another.

A distant part of mind wondered if an infant him had suffered as much as he was now when Princess Celestia altered his flames all those years ago.

Before he could dwell on it, this thought was engulfed in the same darkness as the rest of his consciousness, and Spike was soon granted reprieve from his torture in the form of a dreamless sleep.

Amy watched in horror as excruciating agony played across her younger brother's face. Soon after Zariba started casting his spell, the sickened sensation in her stomach intensified. She was helpless as the markings the zebra had painted onto her little brother and poured onto the ground started to glow, and she saw the little dragon look down with curiosity before his eyes widened. It wasn't long before they clamped shut and a pained scream could be heard clearly even through his tied muzzle.

As the markings along her brother's hide seemed to seep into his body and his screams became harsh and hoarse. Amethyst felt the primal instincts of her species beat against her inner restraints as a wave of hatred stronger than any she could remember, and suddenly her own health and her budding escape plans didn't mattered anymore.

When the magic surged into her muscles, it was not in the steady, safe flow Granny Haya had taught, it was a torrent of fire. The muscles of her arms swelled noticeably, strong fibers below the surface tearing in a burst of hate-fueled power as the dragoness strained against her bindings. Tough ropes that could not be burned, tore in the presence of the dragon's might as she freed her wrists. The other restraints were soon to follow, falling to either claw or strength as the beast that was once Amethyst Thistle quickly stood on all fours.

Slit pupils locked onto Zariba, who was too absorbed in his spell to notice. Had the dragoness been in control of herself, she probably would have felt insulted by her enemy not even seeing fit to look in her direction when she planned on killing him, but as it was, she simply released her fangs with a swipe of her talons and growled. Shooting towards the oblivious zebra, Amy's intention to rip his throat out was stopped by a wall of dark fur. Two meaty paws swung in an upwards hammerfist that connected with the dragoness at the clavicle, sending her flying bodily backwards through the air.

Landing with all the grace of a lethal predator, Amy immediately flew forward again, leaping into a punch that connected with the forearm of Cujo. Surprise flashed across the dog's features as he was forced back a few inches, clawed feet leaving shallow trenches in the dirt, before his face hardened and he whipped his defending arm to the side to throw her. The dragoness fell through the motion, turning the move into a spinning kick that connected with Cujo's jaw.

Amy didn't waste the opening as her opponent stumbled under the devastating blow, inhaling deeply to produce the biggest mote of fire she could. Cujo had just shaken off the daze from her kick when he saw the dragoness preparing her next move, and in the instant before she breathed out, the diamond dog's eyes narrowed in determination. As the white-hot cone reached to engulf Cujo, he crossed his arms in front of him and Amy caught a glimpse of his coat starting to stand on end.

Subconsciously, the dragoness had positioned herself to be facing away from Zariba; as much as she would have liked to fry him, she wouldn't risk causing harm to her brother. Every other of the tent's occupants had already fled with Phantom leading the escape, and Amy was greeted by the sight of them, as well as many more members of the caravan, stumbling and falling to their bottoms, visible through the large hole she had burned in the thick fabric of the tent.

She would have felt a sense of vicious satisfaction at seeing the fear in the eyes of her enemies, but she only grew angrier when the last of the smoke cleared to reveal Cujo still standing, vest and collar turned to ash, and fur black. This was not encouraging to the dragoness as the rational part of her mind reminded her of this diamond dog's mastery of his kind's magic. Before her eyes, the coat, not blackened by fire, began to lighten to its original, dark grey color as Cujo's magic left his hide.

As he lowered his arms just enough to peer over, Amy saw how little damage she had managed to inflict against his magic armor; his hair was singed in some places, the most prevalent being on his forearms, and the tips of his ears were charred. On the surface, it appeared that all the dragoness had only accomplished was to fill the air with the sickening odor of burnt hair accompanied by a hint of seared skin, but she was a predator, and her eyes saw the weakness that her prey was trying to hide. For as much as it had taken out of her to perform that attack, it took a fair amount of Cujo's stamina to defend against it. After all, that fire was hot enough to make iron malleable, so it took a lot of magic to protect himself from the heat.

The flaring nostrils of the diamond dog betrayed the heavy breathing he was attempting to control, and Amy knew it was time to go in for the kill. Launching herself once again, the dragoness drew her right fist back as she closed half the distance, the damaged muscles of her arms bulging with the last of their power, and punched at Cujo with everything she had. Either by arrogance or exhaustion, the diamond dog made no move to dodge the wild and clearly broadcasted strike, instead bringing his arms back into position to guard his sternum and bracing himself for impact.

To the surprise of both Cujo and everyone else who witnessed it, Amy had not only succeeded in moving the gargantuan diamond dog, but actually lifted his great mass off of the ground and sent him hurtling backwards with a loud crack of bone. As amazing as the feat was however, the dragoness hadn't taken into account the momentum of her own body and ended up following him some ways in an uncoordinated tumble out of the tent.

She landed just outside of the shelter at the same time that Cujo bounced off of the ground twice before ending his short flight a good distance away on his back. Making to return to all fours, the arm Amy had just attacked with buckled when she tried to put weight on it, having already been pushed beyond its limits and resulting in the girl's jaw smacking into the dirt to produce a small dust cloud. With a growl, the dragoness made her second attempt, succeeding with her damaged limb shaking and held close to her chest.

Exhaustion served to lessen the effects of adrenaline and rage, and Amy was able to feel glad to see that Cujo had yet to stand. Even so, his brothers were at his side, trying to lift him up, and though he seemed as tired as her, the large diamond dog still had plenty of fight in his eyes and would no doubt capture his second wind soon. With that worry in mind, Amethyst's thoughts went back to her little brother and she turned around to go get him.

Burned into the tough fabric of the tent, the hole she had made was still smouldering at its edges when the area was drenched in a torrent of cold rain. The sudden shock to her systems served to return more of Amy's senses as her head shot up to the sky to see a decent-sized cloud with two pegasi peering over its edge. That damned right-hoof pony of Zariba had a self-satisfied smile on his lips while the other, a green mare, was wearing a look of shock-laden fear. The dragoness was tempted to send up a blast of heat to vaporize their perch and send them plummeting to her waiting maw, but the recovering, logical part of her mind knew it would only serve to help quell her anger and nothing else.

Just as she decided to leave the pegasi be, she was surrounded by a familiar red aura. "Those ropes you so carelessly destroyed were not cheap, you know, nor was my tent," said the deep voice of Zariba as he stepped out into the dwindling light cast by the setting sun, a scowl making his skeletal markings all the more intimidating. He glanced over Amy's shoulder at the diamond dog who had just gotten to his feet, his left arm hanging loosely at his side. "And you even injured one of my employees; you really have to get that destructive temper of yours under control."

Coming to a stop, zebra and dragon glared at each other with loathing. Zariba was the first to change expressions, shifting to a poisonous smirk. "Though, that offense is as impressive as it is angering; it's quite rare to see Cujo injured like that. I can honestly say you are the most skilled annoyance I've ever had the misfortune to need the assistance of."

Amy was hardly listening to her foe as he spoke, using the opportunity to take a measure of her diminished reserve of magic and trying to determine what her next move would be. If she pushed much further, she would no doubt collapse, but judging by the dwindling light of the zebracorn's horn, the spell he had cast on her little brother took a lot out of him. And wasn't that an infuriating thought?

If that hadn't made up her mind then and there, the subtle test against the magical field holding her did. Though it was definitely putting up a resistance to her, Zariba's magic failed to restrain her movement, and coupled with the fact that he could no longer lift her off the ground meant there was nothing stopping her from putting an end to all of this right now. Whether or not Spike was okay after what the zebra had done to him, he would still be endangered as long as Zariba wanted her.

Using the last of her magic, Amy charged her enemy on two legs, pushing through both pain and magic to reach him and finish this. Seeing this, Zariba’s eyes momentarily widened before narrowing into a steely gaze. His hooves spread and his horn tilted slightly downward as he prepared himself just in time to dodge to the side as the dragoness tried to strike him. Not giving up, and emboldened by Zariba losing focus on his magic, she shot another, faster jab down at her opponent, and he was forced to release her completely to create a small shield to block it.

Not giving him a chance to retaliate, she quickly aimed a low kick at the zebra's knee, which he surprisingly avoided by lifting all four of his limbs up. The unorthodox move served its purpose, however, as Amy's attack passed harmlessly underneath him before he fell onto his chest and stomach with a grunt. Ignoring the amazement at seeing Dr. Zariba actually dirty his suit, the dragoness quickly switched into an ax kick, not allowing the leg she had attacked with to touch the ground as she lifted it up and brought her heel down hard.

Zariba was forced to roll out of the way, covering himself with even more dust but avoiding the blow that had just cratered the damp earth where he had been. Luckily for him, and unluckily for Amethyst, the sound of heavy footfalls signalled the approach of Cujo, reaching their ears just in time for the dragoness to dive to the side, barely managing to avoid a shoulder tackle that would have easily broken a few ribs.

Missing his target, Cujo plunged his good paw palm deep into the earth with monstrous strength and magic-sharpened claws to stop his charge near instantly. A low rumbling growl that seemed to shake the very ground came from the diamond dog as he slowly looked up at Amy, and she realized that the tables had been turned on her.

The wrath that had been driving her was now replaced with a bone-deep weariness, and the dragoness was finding it difficult to even stand. Cujo, however, was in the opposite position, the newfound anger dancing in his yellow eyes giving him a second wind that had driven the exhaustion from his body.

"Give up Amethyst, unless you wished to get yourself grievously injured, whatever you hoped to accomplish with this reckless gambit is out of reach," Zariba said, causing both Amy's and Cujo's eyes to snap to him. "Even if they are not as powerful as our alpha dog here, you are surrounded, and I'm sure we have the numbers to subdue you." With this he gestured around to the mix of various creatures staring at the scene. At the mention of confronting the crazy dragon, some of them looked fearful or hesitant, but there were more than enough brave faces and glints of determination to give credence to the zebra's words.

Seeing how outnumbered she was, Amy could feel a pit forming in her stomach and she clenched her fist in helpless frustration. She had let her emotions get the better of her and was now paying for it with damaged muscles and a tapped out reservoir of magic. However, the physical pain was nothing compared to the pangs of guilt she now felt. In the end, she not only failed to save her brother with her attack, but also made it harder on herself to do so in the future. She was reminded as to why she didn't risk breaking free earlier, as she was now suffering those very consequences with one arm all but useless and a dull ache running through her entire body.

It seemed she had waited too long to answer as Zariba barked impatiently, "Do you submit or not!?"

Amy's jaw clenched and she narrowed her eyes. There were two options for the dragoness at this point, and there was only one piece of information she needed to choose between them. "My little brother, how is he?" she asked, deathly calm. If Spike was okay, Amy would surrender herself now to be there for him. If he was seriously injured, she'd still give in so she could care for him. But, and she didn't want to imagine it, he was dead, she would give her life with no regret to ensure that the ones that took his suffered the same fate.

The zebracorn was slipping his mask back on, anger retreating to his crimson orbs as he straightened his posture from his battle-ready stance. When he spoke, it was with a smooth expression and an equally calm tone. "He is unconscious, but alive. A diagnostic spell revealed both my magic and his health are in good condition."

She sighed in relief as her eyes slid shut. With her desire to fight temporarily put to rest, Amy's entire body suddenly felt like jelly and her legs almost gave out beneath her before she managed to catch herself. "Fine," she growled, her one good arm falling. "You win... for now. Just take me to my brother, and don't dare touch him again."

It seemed that Zariba found her attempt to establish control over the situation even while surrendering comical as he chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it; your brother will be well taken care of for the duration of our expedition... as long as you don't go feral on us again, that is," he said, voice going stern at the end. "Now, to your knees then," he went on, the light tone returning before he frowned. "That was a very bad thing you did destroying those ropes," he said as if scolding a child. "They were quite expensive and I don't have any extra... I guess normal ropes will have to do, though I'll definitely have to be using quite a lot of it."

Amy did her best not to let the condescending bastard get to her as she fell to her knees and did her best not to show how much relief the simple act brought her aching muscles. As much as she would like to sleep or pummel Zariba just then, she couldn't afford to do either, the most important thing to her at that moment was to see Spike and confirm with her own eyes that he was okay. At least, as okay as he could be after whatever Zariba's spell did to him that is.

She was still debating whether or not she should kill the doctor for what he did. I'm sure Lore would forgive me if it was only him; she hates him as much as I do, after all. Thoughts of her friend brought her slight comfort as she felt the paws of a diamond dog grab onto her wrists and roughly pull them behind her back.

Amy looked forward to being able to sit around the dinner table once again with Spike and her sister. Maybe Twilight Sparkle could be there too? If she forgave the dragoness for getting their shared sibling into so much trouble that is; Amy knew she would have had trouble with that if their roles were reversed. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, I suppose. I still have to get the two of us out of this and home before anything else can happen. She resolved to ask for the unicorn's forgiveness next time they met as she was led into the dark tent through the hole she created.

Author's Note

The Diamond Dog Brothers

Cooper, Age 47: Being older than his brothers by over two decades, Cooper had actually spent several years away from the pack, having left as a teenager and only returning at the age of thirty-three upon hearing through the grapevine that his father, the alpha of the time, was growing weak from sickness. With the original plan of stealing his father's place, he instead found that he had already been beaten to the punch by a very young, but very strong diamond dog. It was shortly after that he discovered the new alpha was his half-brother and decided that, if he could not be the leader, than he could at least have a paw in shaping one. He believed that, if he played his cards right, he could end up living a very comfortable life within the pack, and he was partially right. Though Cujo definitely did not become the easily manipulated figurehead Cooper wanted him to be, he did hold a fair bit of respect within the pack and the alpha took his words into consideration on many a matter. Over the years to come, Cooper grew to both respect Cujo as a leader and to care for the pack, though he does wish the Alpha didn't saddle him with the job of keeping Toby out of trouble.

Cujo, Age 24: The son of an alpha and one of his nameless bitches, Cujo was born a killer, said to have taken the life of his mother as he clawed his way out of her nethers, leaving his fraternal twin to tumble out of the gaping, bloody hole he left in his wake. Though it may just be a story, the fact remains that Cujo's mother died in childbirth. He was an astoundingly big pup, being larger as a newborn than some children finishing their first year of life. This strange phenomenon only became more apparent as he grew to be bigger than dogs thrice his age; having drunk multiple females dry every day to sustain the abnormal growth. By the age of eight, he stood near as tall as most adults, and it was by the age of nine that he defeated most of them. By ten, his father began to stop looking at his son with pride, and started looking upon him with fear, but by then, it was already too late. With the none too peaceful passing of his father, Cujo took his place as the new alpha, and led them down paths his predecessor would have never even thought of. Cujo's motives have always been a mystery to the pack, and even his brothers, but the general consensus is that the massive alpha did what was right for the diamond dogs.

Toby, Age 24: The black sheep of his brothers, many outsiders question how such a moron could still be alive living with such a monstrous twin, but Toby and his siblings couldn't get along better... or so he believes. Toby had never been an exceptionally smart dog; some having attributed his stupidity to Cujo taking up all the nutrients and oxygen in the womb, while others speculated it had something to do with his desire as a pup to stick everything he could get his paws on in his mouth and keep it there regardless of bad taste or ill side effects. After all, there were a lot of dangerous substances underground that weren't meant to be ingested by those wanting to live more than a few hours. Either way, Toby spent his childhood following his broody brother around and laughing at those the beast beat to a pulp, never realizing that Cujo could do the same to him had he wanted to. No, as far as Toby was concerned, he and his twin were the unstoppable Diamond Dog Duo, and when he discovered he had another brother, he was ecstatic, believing the Diamond Dog Duo Plus One was an even cooler name. Now an adult, Toby believes himself quite the mature and intelligent diamond dog, assuming all the talk he hears behind his back about the world's dumbest dog to be about poor Albert. Toby could hardly understand the little guy as he spoke mostly in gibberish.

P.S.
In case anyone has been wondering, Dr. Zariba does have a bag of holding built into his hat. A hat of holding, if you will. I wonder if Trixie has one? It would make the rabbit out of the hat trick much easier.

Chapter 16 Author's Note

For the sake of my sanity, I simplified the bound talking to just replacing "o" sounds like those in "Po, for, stop" with "u"s while leaving "oo" like sounds alone. It's not perfect, but it helped move things along when I was writing.

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing.

Chapter 16

Phantom touched down just as Cujo pulled the dragon to its feet and started leading it away. He was a bit hesitant to follow just then as he no longer had the semi-protection of height to keep Amethyst from turning him into popcorn pegasus; something he was sure was on the dragon's mind after the impromptu shower he had given it.

As satisfying as it was to drench the fire breather like that, it had not been Phantom's intention when he ordered Citrus to help him pull a big enough cloud together to put out the fires Amethyst had and would have started in her rage, but it had turned out to be an excellent distraction nonetheless. The scarred pegasus was slightly guilty however, as the dragon would probably be looking to get at his lime-green subordinate now.

Dr. Zariba, along with Cujo and some of his pack, was now in the large tent and Phantom could hear talking within. Determined not to be outshone by a bunch of dogs, he steeled his nerves and trotted after them. He was the doc's right-hoof pony after all, so he wasn't going be absent while Cujo's subordinates were present.

As he entered he was greeted to the sight of a surrounded dragoness as it held an ear-fin to the chest of its little ward. After a beat, it sighed in what could only be relief and gently picked the young dragon up. Cradling its kin in a half-defensive, half-nurturing matter, Amethyst looked back to Zariba. "Try anything like this again on my little brother, and I swear I will kill you, Arbez." Phantom recognized the words for what they were; someone powerless trying to change their situation and desperate to regain some perception of control.

Zariba recognized the baseless threat as well as he smirked. "I won't make promises I don't know for certain I can keep," he said, causing the dragon's jaw to clench. "But I can assure you, I have no further plans to perform any more spells on the young one; the one I did cast should last quite some time, so there's no need."

Amethyst growled before looking down to the little beast in her arms, bringing a shaky claw up to wipe at the drying tear streaks on its cheek. Under its breath, it muttered, "Just try it."

"Oh, I intend to if the need arises. Like I said earlier, you wingless dragons are astounding creatures, so the possibility that I'll need to cast another spell on him is not far from the realm of possibility." Zariba's smirk disappeared and his tone became irritable. "You've seen he's alive, now stand. You two need to be tied up before any of us can get to sleep. I'd imagine you need the rest as much as Cujo and I, anyway."

He stepped forward, but paused when Amethyst tensed, holding the smaller dragon closer. The boss heaved a frustrated sigh and muttered, "Always difficult," before speaking louder. "Fine, sit him against the pole yourself if it makes you feel better, just make it quick." The dragoness was clearly grinding its teeth, and Phantom could only guess what was going through that barbaric brain.

~8~

When Amy walked in to see her brother lying in a heap in the middle of a scorched patch of earth, her heart stuttered in her chest. She had made to run to his side, ignoring the pain of pulling on her injured arm and the tightening grip on her wrists. The dragoness was about to snap her teeth at the diamond dog behind her when Zariba had given the order to let her go. In the next instant, she was hovering over her little brother, hesitant to even touch him as he looked so frail in that moment. All thoughts other than ensuring his wellbeing were wiped from her mind as she leaned down and closed her eyes, ear pressed to his chest.

Amy held her own breath for what felt like an eternity as she listened for his own, only releasing it when she heard the light intake of air and the heartbeat that joined it. The dragoness almost collapsed as her tired body was flooded with relief, but she managed to stay upright as she reached gently down to pick Spike up. Her movements were slow and uncertain as she worked to get her functioning arm underneath the young dragon before bringing him slowly to her chest, his head coming to rest under her chin. I'm so sorry this happened to you, Spike. I swear on my soul I won't fail you again.

It frustrated her to no end that Zariba didn't take her seriously when she had promised to kill him if he tried to hurt her little brother again, but she resolved to get her point across in the future. For now, she played along with the irritated zebracorn and moved over to the pole holding the tent up, placing Spike down. She bit her lip as she did so, hating the fact that she was going to simply allow him to be tied up, but at the same time she knew that her other options were severely limited. As much as she would have loved for him to open his eyes so she could learn the full extent of the damage Zariba had done, Amy made sure to not wake Spike so he could continue to rest after his ordeal; judging by the amount of anguish carried in his screams, he would need every second of sleep they could afford.

His head lolled slightly to the side as Amy stepped away and she could not help but stare at him in wonder of how peaceful he looked in that moment despite all that had happened. Magic surrounded her wrists and pulled them roughly behind her back, making her look away from her little brother as she winced. "Chop chop, Ms. Thistle, we don't have all night. Sit down and put your feet together."

Amy wanted to berate the pushy zebra, but found herself too tired as he magicked a new, brown length of rope to bind her arms. The dragoness swallowed the last scraps of her wounded pride and did as she was told, flopping down gracelessly to lean on the pole. It seemed Zariba had caught his second wind as he sent multiple cords at once to wrap her up with no concern for her comfort.

The dragoness soon found herself even more restricted than before. Though the infernal black ropes were now replaced with the regular variety, Amy could tell Zariba was making up for their lacking quality with quantity. Where before only her wrists, ankles, and muzzle were tied as she was bound around the chest to the pole, now she had an added band at the knees as well as having her neck tightly fastened to the wood by ropes circling from her collarbone right up to under her chin. In fact, Amy found it difficult to breath as Zariba had done it up tight enough to squeeze painfully on her windpipe.

"Apologies for the throat, but you can only blame yourself. I can't afford you burning anything else up, so I've been forced to take extra precautions," the zebra said as he turned away and walked a few steps. "Really, what were you thinking, anyway? You could have destroyed this, and then we'd both be unable to reach our goals."

Amy's eyes were drawn to what Zariba was talking about, and witnessed him levitate the black slab from the ground. "As tired as I am after today's excitement, I kind of want to know what you can tell me about this; the only other individual I could find that knew about dragon glyphs could hardly read what's on here. It was really quite fortunate he even recognized the mention of Bahamut and treasure or we probably wouldn't even be here right now," Zariba said somewhat wistfully, before changing his tune to that annoyingly mocking one. "You know, dragons really must stop being so aggressive towards other species; if they were to simply share the knowledge they've obtained over their long lives instead of being so secretive, everyone would be better off. As it is now, I had to abduct two of you just to be able to get this thing read to me."

Begrudgingly, Amy couldn’t help but agree with that statement, although Zariba probably didn't realize how accurate his words were. She highly doubted that she was the zebra's first choice to get information from, he said as much himself just a moment ago, but she also doubted that she was his second or even third choice. Had he wanted to contact another dragon for the knowledge he desired, only the older dragons would sufficed, and finding one willing to talk and not burn him alive for daring to approach them would have been like finding a chunk of marble in the Crystal Empire.

The writing on that tablet was a remnant from long ago, back when dragon society consisted of more than just the migration and a few small groups who stayed within their tight-knit circles. Since that distant age, many dragons had fallen back into the mindset that things like writing to keep track of knowledge was an art only the short-lived species of the world had need of, believing that their longevity trumped such a system with the oral history of their personal experiences.

"So, are you willing to give it a look now or will you make us wait until morning?" Zariba asked, leaning in closer to the dragoness than some would consider safe. "Honestly, I myself am dying to learn what is written here; a large part of this plan relies solely on you being able to use what you've already learned in your years of searching in combination with this to finally pinpoint the location of Bahamut's hoard." He moved his head away and began to pace. "There are those who might say I've taken quite the gamble risking so much on the mere chance that this rock and you will be enough to find what has been lost for millennia, but I'm sure it will pay off handsomely." Stopping, he turned and shined a bright smile towards his captive, nearly causing her to gag. "A gut feeling, if you will."

Augh, please stop saying things I can't help but agree with; I'm getting nauseous. As much as she would have loved to have laughed in the zebracorn's face for his insane actions, she knew hers would have been just as risky, albeit less illegal, had Bahamut's hoard been within her grasp. Though it pained her both physically because of her throat and mentally to give Zariba what he desired, she gave into his wishes. "'Bring it to me," she forced out with a cough.

"Ah, excellent!" he said before frowning. "Now, I'd rather you not garble your words because of those ropes, so I'll free you up a bit, but don't take that as an opening to strike. You're still surrounded and at our mercy." Amy rolled her eyes at how obvious it was that she wouldn't be trying anything; she had missed her chance already, after all. Even so, she gave the best nod she could, which Zariba managed to catch as his smile returned.

"Good!" With a quick application of magic, Amy was granted full function of her airways once again and she took the opportunity to breathe deeply. "Get to it." The dragoness ended up smacking her head on the pole as she recoiled, a result of the tablet being thrust in her face at high speed. Any anger she felt from the minor injury was washed away as her eyes began to scan over the claw-carved symbols across the ancient rocks surface.

A part of her wondered at the age of the dragon that had written this and if it could be a reliable source of information even with that factor taken into consideration. The talons that made these markings were definitely not of a full-grown drake as she had seen from the few examples she had come across, these ones seemingly coming from a creature closer to her own size. Even so, what was written here was more than she could have hoped for. This... This practically confirms my theory about Erik's journal. I-I was right! It has to be in those mountains! I knew it!

"That's certainly a good sign, care to share what you've read with the rest of the group, Ms. Thistle?" Zariba asked, his voice cutting through her mounting excitement. Unbeknownst to the dragoness, her eyes had gone wide and her face was slowly split with a wide grin as she read, telling everyone who saw that the tablet was what they hoped it would be.

Schooling her features, Amy responded as vaguely as possible while revealing just enough of the truth to satisfy the zebracorn; Zariba was abnormally good at sensing lies and misdirection. "Sounds like it was written by some zealots or something who worshipped Bahamut," she answered with a dull tone to match her expression. "That's not what's really important, though. What is is that the writer speaks about living within Bahamut's keep and divine presence as a loyal servant." The smile began to force its way back onto her face. "That means that wherever this tablet came from, that place was Bahamut's lair, and that is where his treasure will probably be."

Zariba, it seemed, didn't share her enthusiasm for this revelation as a frown pulled down the corners of his lips. "Is that all?" he questioned. "As... fascinating as that is, it's not particularly helpful in finding the aforementioned location." He lowered the tablet and once again brought his muzzle a mere few inches from Amy's. "You wouldn't be so ecstatic if that was all this was. So tell me Ms. Thistle, what else is written here."

Amy narrowed her eyes. "That's all? Isn't it enough that this rock practically confirms the existence of something I've spent my whole life trying to prove was real?" She growled and bared her fangs a little, doing her best to sell the act. "I'm sorry if that doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but it is for me, so I'm pretty happy right now."

They stayed like that, staring down each other for at least ten seconds before Zariba snorted and moved away. "No, I don't think that's it at all; you're hiding something from me." The dragoness cursed internally as he went on, levitated the tarp and stone over to rest on the table in the tent. "While I'm sure that discovering one's dream is not impossible can invoke some euphoric feelings, we both know you had your beliefs confirmed well before this." He gestured towards Phantom. "You already confirmed as much to him, after all."

Instantly, Amy's mind flashed to the night before her departure to Equestria and her eyes squeezed shut. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why did I have to go and open my mouth around that idiot? Though many memories from that night were blurred, the one involving the scarred pegasus was vividly clear.

Amy was dreading Zariba’s next question when he spoke again. "So, what was it, then and now, that has you so excited, hmm? I would very much like to know," the zebra inquired, the anticipation in his voice only half false.

When his captive didn't say anything, Zariba changed tactics. "You won't tell me then? Huh, that's a shame; I was hoping to let the poor thing rest some more, but I guess it can't be helped." Momentarily confused, Amy opened her eyes to see her enemy walking slowly around the pole to the other side, and her heart clenched in fearful realization. "If you won't tell me what I want to know, maybe your brother will. I'm sure you've told him something, what with how much you seem to care for him."

Whatever it was Zariba was going to do, Amy didn't want to find out as she yelled, "Wait! I'll tell you! Just leave Spike alone!"

He stopped mid-step and pivoted to face Amethyst once again with a smile. "Excellent! I'm so glad you see things my way; I'd have hated to wake the little fella, especially with such limited options to do so. I'd probably have had to resort to using pain."

Amy bit her tongue hard enough to taste copper, but did her best to keep her voice level. "My staff and bag, did you bring them along?"

Zariba tilted his head slightly. "Why do you ask?"

"Because if you were stupid enough to just leave them back in the alleyway, than we're not going to be finding anything on this trip," the dragoness bit out with a glare. "There's a journal with my stuff that will help lead us to where you want to go."

The zebracorn's eyes widened slightly before an incredulous look overcame his features. "Really? You take valuable sources of information with you to restaurants? Don't you think that's a little odd?"

"Why are you complaining? It's damned convenient for you right now, isn't it!?" Amy shouted. "And for your information, I keep that stuff on me so it can't be stolen by thieves like you!"

Sitting back and putting his hooves up, Zariba tried to placate the livid dragoness. "I wasn't complaining, just questioning such odd behavior. I mean, don't you think that's a little paranoid of you?"

"You abducted my brother and me pretty much for the information in that journal. Is it really paranoia?" deadpanned the dragoness.

"... A fair point. Albert, go retrieve Ms. Thistle's belongings." The sudden command got the diminutive diamond dog to jump along with a few other of the tent's occupants as they had been so enthralled by the back and forth between the vicious dragoness and spooky zebra.

"Ah-ah, right away sir!" Albert yelped as he turned and ran out of the tent.

Zariba didn't even acknowledge the statement as he simply continued to stare at his captive. "So, with this journal, I'll have access to everything you know then, right?" he asked, getting an eye roll in response.

"You wish. Like I'd just tell you everything so you could kill us? Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"Well..."

"Shut it, bastard," Amy growled. "I didn't tell you everything that was written on that tablet, and what I left out is essential to getting Bahamut's hoard."

This got a growl of his own from the zebracorn, and though it didn't sound as threatening coming from equine vocal cords, the menacing markings twisting when he bared his blunt teeth made up the difference. "What else does it say?"

"Sorry Arbez, but you're plumb out of luck. If you want to know what else is on that rock you're gonna have to take Spike and I all the way to the end," the dragoness coolly responded, unaffected by the expression that had many of the zebra's own followers shirking away from him. For as trying as the emotional roller coaster the day had been, finally having something over her enemy helped calm her turbulent mind.

Though it made her somewhat guilty to do so, the dragoness could not help but see this as the silver lining to a horrible experience. Not only had she gained herself more time to escape with Spike in tow, but if she failed to do so by the end of this journey, she would at least have the fulfillment of her life's dream to soften the blow. Zariba and his goons being there with me would only be a comparatively mild downer to the moment I'd spent so long waiting for. Still, i hope I can get rid of them and accomplish this on my own.

While she had thought all of this, waiting for the frozen zebracorn to come to the answer she knew he would, Amy watched as a number of emotions played across his features, ending with angry resignation. "I suppose I should congratulate you, this is far better thought out than I would have expected." He glanced over her shoulder. "Though, I'm sure I can still get what I wanted from you through... certain means."

"You touch him and I won't tell you anything," she stated before the words even finished leaving his lips.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Oh? Are you so certain of that? Would you truly be able to stand idly by as your brother suffered? If so, you're far colder than I'd expect of a fire-breathing reptile."

Amy only continued to glare, fear and anxiety hidden behind frigid fury. When she finally spoke, it was with controlled, measured, and confident words. "Try it, and I'll lead you on miles of false information before this is done. Do you really want to risk wasting so much time and effort just to spare yourself my company? Wouldn't you rather play it safe and simply take us along?"

The dragoness hoped with all her soul that Zariba agreed, because, under scrutiny, her argument wasn't as infallible as she pretended. What her foe was really gambling was whether or not he'd be able to spot her deceptions if he did choose that path, and though Amy was confident she could pull it off as long as she seeded half-truths in her explanations, she also knew how confidant Zariba was in his abilities to read others, so he may not have perceived there to be any risk at all.

A stifling silence had settled between the two powerful souls, and many of the tent's occupants had begun to see spots from holding their breath. When the silence was broken, it was with a sigh from Zariba. "It's not worth the trouble," he began as he turned around and slowly started walking. "I had intended to bring the two of you along in the first place, so it's not a setback to continue with that plan... though it would have been nice to save some supplies and headaches." Having a look around at his subordinates, he made a circular motion in the air with a hoof. "Show's over boys, you can return to your posts. You come with me Cujo so we can get that arm treated."

Looking back, the zebra saw that Amy hadn't changed her expression and continued to stare after him. "I'll let you have things your way for now, Ms. Thistle, so I hope you're ready to repay the kindness with cooperation from here on out." He stopped at the proper entrance, being the only one not to use the large hole, and ignited his horn. The dragoness resisted the urge to flinch when ropes once again wrapped themselves around her throat and muzzle, and didn't even blink when Zariba gave her a parting goodnight. Before stepping out, one last wave of magic was sent to extinguish the lanterns above her head, bathing the interior of the tent in darkness, but she didn't care.

Amy continued to stare for nearly a minute, waiting for the sound of hoofsteps to fade away. The distant voice of Albert reached her ears and she could make out him telling his boss he had found that which he was sent to retrieve. Simply ordering him to follow along, Zariba eventually traveled out of earshot, and Amy let the tension loose from her muscles. I can't believe I pulled it off, she thought as she tried to shift into a more comfortable position. Not that I did much to improve our situation; just kept it from getting worse.

Racking her brain furiously, Amy she tried to figure out how to get Spike and her away from Zariba and to Bahamut's hoard, but froze to review her thoughts, which led to a fresh dose of guilt hitting her. What in the world am I thinking? Bahamut's hoard? My little brother's life is in my claws and I'm thinking about some stupid treasure! Well... maybe not a stupid treasure, I mean, Spike would understand if I- No!

Had she been able to, Amy would have smacked herself at that moment for thinking such abhorrently selfish thoughts, but instead had to settle for the pain of her throat caused by straining against the ropes as an adequate punishment. While the effort only caused the heavy post to sway a near unnoticeable amount, it hurt enough to slightly abate her guilty conscience. I have to focus on Spike right now; he's the only thing that matters. A forlorn look started to seep into her eyes. No matter how important finding the hoard is or how sickening the thought of Zariba getting his grubby hooves on it first is to me. Another quick yank and flash of pain set her mind straight.

She was becoming more and more aware of how weary she was as he tried to work her tired mind. Maybe... maybe some sleep will help me think of something. Her eyelids began to slide shut as her breathing deepened and slowed. Yeah, just a few hours and I'm sure I'll be able to get us out of this... After pushing her body to its limits, Amy finally granted it reprieve, allowing both her muscles and magic to recuperate.

For the second time that day, Spike's eyes fluttered open to reveal nothing but darkness, and he at first thought he had been placed in a bag again. It only took a moment for the rest of his body to report in so the little dragon could realize that that wasn't the case. Even so, being tied at the wrists and ankles with his claws behind his back and his muzzle still bound wasn't much of an improvement, especially with the new addition of ropes across his torso holding him to a piece of wood.

Spike thought the tight pain in his chest he had awoken to was a result of these new ropes, but it felt too deeply seeded for that to be the cause. Picking up all the open books Twilight left out over the years had exposed the dragon to a wide variety of subjects that he had examined to varying degrees, among which were medical texts. From what he had skimmed, and actually remembered of them, he supposed he could have some sort of rib bruising, or even bruising to the lungs or heart, but that didn't seem right. Sure, he doubted his captors were particularly gentle, and they may have done some damage by tying him too tightly or something, but the young dragon wasn't really having trouble breathing.

That didn't mean the action was as pleasant as it should have been, however. Every time he breathed out, it was as if something was missing; a heat on his breath that he had never realized was there until it was absent. As cool air continued to pass between his lips, a sudden burst of memories surged through his minds, and his body went colder than his breath. Ignoring his bound muzzle, Spike reached within himself to stoke his fire, only to have his effort be blocked by a wall of magic.

His eyes squeezed so tightly shut that spots began to form in his vision, but he didn't care as he frantically came at the barrier from all angles. Instinct drove his attempts as he tried with all his willpower to achieve what he had never before given the slightest thought. I... I can't feel it; my fire, it's gone. Spike felt tears of fear and panic prick at the corner of his eyes as he found himself performing deep breathing techniques Twilight had passed on to him from Cadence. Come on, I can't freak out now; I have to think this through. The last thing we need right now is a repeat of the Owlicious incident; jumping to conclusions will only make things worse.

The breathing exercises did their job well enough, preventing him from completely falling apart, but that didn't stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks as the overwhelming sense of loss tried to consume him. Spike was a dragon without a fire, and it was tearing him up inside. No, it's not like that, it can't be. He must have sealed it; that's what I'm feeling. The flow from his eyes lessened at the somewhat comforting belief and he built on it. Yeah, he-he just blocked it off with his magic. Twilight or Celestia can fix it up in a second I bet. With one last deep inhalation and slow release through his nostrils, the young dragon struck the final blow against his inner turmoil. Everything is going to be fine; Amy and I just have to get back to Equestria.

His eyes shot open. Amy! Where is she!? Last time Spike had awoken to a situation like this, Amy had been quick to show him he wasn't alone. Now, after at least five minutes of him nearly having a panic attack, which he was sure he had been quite noisy during, his big sister had yet to come to him. Was she being held somewhere else? Or was she too injured to move? Following on the tail of this was an even more terrifying possibility, and Spike forced it from his mind as quickly as possible.

"A-Amy? Amy are you here?" he mumbled into the darkness, voice a little hoarse from screaming earlier. Ignoring that, he tried a little louder. "Amy... Please answer me!" He at first tensed, but then relaxed when a tired, and near indecipherable grumble of "Five more minutes" reached his ears. "Amy, wake up, are you alright?"

His sister moaned, and the fear that she may have been injured returned. "S-Spike, is that you?" she asked, before giving a strained cough.

"Yeah. Are you hurt?"

"Erm... mustly my pride, but I'll live... Are... Is everything alright with you?"

Sighing in relief, Spike answered, "I'm... good." He winced a little at his own hesitation, but he honestly didn't know how to classify his condition. He'd been awake for a while now without any change; his chest still hurt, but the pain hadn't intensified and he didn't feel on the verge of death. Even though the younger dragon hadn't spent a lot of time with her, he would like to think he was starting to understand his new sister fairly well, so he was pretty sure that the last thing she needed on her mind was that her little brother had lost access to his fire, instead needing a clear head to get them out of there with.

Sure enough, Amy must have noticed his pause as she pushed the matter. "Spike... What aren't you telling me?" she questioned. "It's abut the spell, isn't it? What did it do?"

This time, the sigh was one of resignation as Spike answered truthfully. "There's sumething wrung with my fire; I can't reach it, or efen feel it... I'm actually starting to get kind of chilly." That last bit was yet another worry upon the growing pile. Despite their ability to survive and function in cold weather, dragons were still cold-blooded creatures by nature; managing to overcome the weakness of their reptilian cousins through the warmth of their internal furnaces. Without it, and lacking the temperature-regulating functions of warm-blooded animals, there was a real chance that Spike could become seriously ill from his new affliction.

Amy knew this as well and her voice became angry. "What!? That bastard!" she began, before her words took on a panicked edge. "Uh, dun't worry, Spike! Just try and keep warm!... Shiver! Move as much as pussible!"

"Calm down!" Spike cut in, this was exactly what he was worried about. "Twilight and Princess Celestia can fix this easily; we just have to get to them!"

It was somewhat rare for the young dragon to be the voice of reason in stressful situations, let alone be taken seriously when he tried, so he was mildly shocked when he heard his sister take a few slow, deep breathes through her nostrils before admitting, "You're right. surry fur losing it."

"Uh, it's ukay," he responded in shock. Shaking his head, Spike rolled with it. "Su, do you have a plan to get out of this? I... kind of want to gu home now."

Things were silent at first, then, "I'll think of sumething."

Eyes sliding shut, the younger dragon didn't respond. He was afraid she'd say something along those lines, but he didn't have any right to criticize her for it, he couldn't think of anything either. Their captors were annoyingly thorough in their plans to contain the two of them. Spike would go so far as to say they were downright paranoid; tying his muzzle again even after taking his ability to escape by fire just seemed unnecessary. What? Did they think he was a contortionist or something? It wasn't like he was flexible enough to chew through the ropes.

No words were spoken between the siblings as they both attempted to create a plan of escape. It was a small blessing for Spike when his attention was pulled from his increasingly frustrating lack of progress by the sound of ruffling feathers and hooves lightly touching down. The joy was short lived, however when he imagined who would be stalking into their tent in the dead of night.

Amy shared the sentiment, quietly growling, "Phantum, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be rubbing yur master's hooves or sumething?"

There was a strangely feminine 'eep!' from the figure as its wings flared out in surprise, causing something to fall to the ground with a small 'tink'. The moon and stars provided just enough light behind their visitor for Spike to make out their silhouette, and their size definitely didn't match up with the scarred pegasus. "Who are you?" Spike found himself inquiring.

The visitor cleared her throat and returned her wings to her sides. "Ah, hey, I'm... I'm Citrus Spritz... The pony who kind of, um... emptied a rain cloud on you earlier," she answered, her words deteriorating into a mumble as she finished.

Even though he didn't know what the mare was talking about, he was glad not to be dealing with the dragon-hating Phantom. Amy, however, was a different story as she growled once again and snapped, "You're the green one who was with that burnt tail-hole!"

Citrus gulped audibly and stepped back. "Yes, that's the one," she mumbled before seemingly steeling herself. "Listen, I came here because I wanted to say I'm sorry about that."

Both dragons were stunned by the admission as the older one could only utter a "what" in response.

"I didn't know you were there... in more than one way, really. Besides the cloud thing, which was a complete accident by the way, Dr. Zariba doesn't tell us what's going on most of the time, so I didn't know he foalnapped the two of you until you set the tent on fire."

As she explained herself, Spike felt an excitement buzz alive within himself and couldn't resist blurting, "Are you here tu let us gu!?"

His hope dropped further than the mare's shoulders when she stammered, "N-no... I'm not... I'm sorry."

"Then just leave!" Amy spat. "We dun't need your apulugies!"

"Well it's a good thing I didn't just come to say I'm sorry then!" Citrus shot back, attitude doing a 180. "I swear, try to do something nice for ponies and they bite your head off. I'm surrounded by ingrates," the mare grumbled as she reached down. "I figured after the pyrotechnics from earlier Dr. Zariba wouldn't to be too keen on treating you guys to dinner or anything, so I brought you something to drink... It's not much, but it's better than nothing and it'll help tide you over until I'm allowed to feed you proper in the morning."

Retrieving what she had dropped earlier, the mare took to the air and flew over to them with it in hoof. "It's my homemade, all-natural lemonade; extra pulpy so you at least get a little something solid in your bellies," she proclaimed proudly. Now closer, the dark only served to hide the finer details of the mare's appearance from Spike, and he could see that she was holding what looked like a small cask similar to the ones the Apple family used during cider season, and he suddenly realized how thirsty he was.

The last time he had eaten or drunk anything was back at Kamaboko Ramen, and his body was in dire need of more than just a couple cups of green tea from several hours ago to survive. Some gems would have been nice too, but he'd be happy with the juice. Spike wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next, and the same apparently went for the two females as no one made a move, but the forced wait did give the young dragon some time to think beyond the need to quench his thirst.

"Why are you doing this?" he inquired with suspicion. "You work fur Zariba, su why help us at all?"

Amy followed suit. "Yeah, what are you really doing here? Is that a truth pution? Is Zariba trying to find out about the treasure su he doesn't need us anymore?"

"Wha-? No! I'll do a lot of things for my employer, but tainting my own dishes, especially my lemonade, is not one them!" Citrus ranted. "Listen, it's just, it goes against my morals as a chef to let you two suffer through the night, hungry and thirsty when I'm capable of doing something about it." She took a deep breath. "Honestly, if it wasn't for the rope keeping you from being able to chew, I'd have brought you a proper meal... Well, that and the fact that you may try to fry me if I untie your muzzles."

Spike couldn't hear any dishonesty in the mare's voice, but waited for his sister to make the judgment call on this; she was the world-wise adventurer, after all. When nothing came from the older dragoness, Citrus heaved a frustrated sigh. "Fine, what if I drink some first, will that help?" Without waiting for an answer, she brought the cask up and started sipping from a straw sticking out of the top. There was a pang of jealousy in Spike when the mare lowered the beverage with a breath of satisfaction and a smacking of her lips. "See? Perfectly fine... and quite delicious if I do say so myself."

"That didn't prove anything, you could have just faked drinking it."

"Argh! Are you fooling with me!?" Citrus fumed. "Okay, I'll turn the lights on and do it again!" With annoyance-fueled determination, she flew over their heads and began fiddling with the lanterns. "How am I gonna light this stupid thing?" Dropping down, the mare searched the ground, head low, before raising it with a triumphant, "A-ha!" and going up to Amy. "Can you manage a spark with that rope around your neck? I need to light this twig for the lantern."

Spike was about to question that statement, but was interrupted by a somewhat pained grunt from his sister and an awkward, "Thanks," from Citrus. It wasn't long after that the tent was filled by a dim, flickering light, which became even dimmer after he heard the pegasus mumble about it being too bright and letting others know she was with them. Though still mostly masked in shadows, Spike was finally able to see their late night visitor in some detail, taking note of her green coat and tangerine mane.

Moving away to presumably give both of them a clear view of her actions, Citrus dropped to her bottom and pulled the straw out of the cask. "Now watch carefully; I don't want you saying I faked this again," she said as she tilted her head back and held the container slightly above her waiting mouth. Slowly, the mare let a small stream of liquid fall past her parted lips. Lowering the cask, she swallowed and looked pointedly at Amy. "There, happy now?"

It brought the younger dragon great relief when his sister answered, "Fine, but I'm trying it first to make sure it's safe," as it meant he wouldn't be denied quenching his thirst. With that, Spike watched the mare pass out of sight and listened carefully to what happened behind his back.

About a minute’s worth of effort later, the straw had been placed between Amy's lips and the sounds of sipping reached Spike's ears as he waited for the final verdict. When the sound stopped, there was a pause before his sister said, "It's... good. Ukay, you can give Spike sume nuw."

"Are you sure you don't want more? You barely drank any." Citrus questioned.

"Yes, he needs it more than I do."

As much as he would have liked to have argued against her making sacrifices his behalf, Spike found it quite difficult to focus on anything other than the cask and the sweet smell emanating from it as the mare came into view once again. "I'd say open up, but, well, that'd be kinda pointless, so bear with me, okay?" Citrus said as she brought the straw up to his mouth. Spike didn't reply with words, instead eagerly leaning his head forward as far as it could go, bumping the bendy straw off his nose. "Wow, calm down there, little fella, you'll get some, just hold on," the mare giggled. "You don't want to get lemonade up the nostrils do ya?"

Realizing his desperate actions, Spike leaned back with a blush. "Sorry, I'm just really thirsty."

"It's... It's okay, I understand," she whispered, shame clear in her voice. "Here, I'll get it." Carefully maneuvering it up with her hooves, Citrus got the straw between his lips and worked to shimmy it in well enough so no juice would spill out.

Spike had to resist the urge to suck down the beverage until the mare gave him the go ahead, and when she did, he didn't hesitate to start gulping it down. There had been many glasses of lemonade throughout Spike's life, ranging from the less than stellar cup he had procured from the CMC lemonade stand all the way up to the amazingly sweet but satisfying pitchers Pinkie Pie often brought to picnics, but nothing compared to what he was drinking now.

Maybe it was just the thirst that made it seem so, but this was the best lemonade he had ever had. It wasn't too sweet or too sour, and the pulp, which he usually didn't like, seemed much finer than he was used to as if he were drinking a partially melted smoothie instead of juice. The sound of slurping at droplets came far too quickly for Spike, and he was left wanting more as the cask was pulled away while Citrus commented, "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you were thirsty; you have quite the impressive set of lungs there." She gave the container a little shake. "You emptied it in less than ten seconds."

The young dragon was about to thank Citrus when Amy's sneered, "Whatever, you gut to clear your guilty conscience su why dun't you get out uf here already."

Seeming just as taken aback as Spike was, the mare stammered some before getting out a confused, "What?"

"I said leave. We dun't need filth like you stinking up the place." The cold, spiteful tone his sister used almost made him shiver as much as the lack of inner fire had, and the young dragon was caught between the desire to demand what she was thinking and remaining quiet out of fear.

Citrus did not have the same problem as she clearly fought the urge to holler, settling instead for a harsh whisper. "What is wrong with you!? I'm trying to help you and your brother! The least you could do is show a little gratitude!"

"Yeah, you helped by bringing sume juice; I'm suuu grateful." Amy said, sarcasm heavy in her voice before becoming waspish once again. "Maybe if you weren't such an amural cuward and helped us escape, I'd be truly thankful."

This got a wince from Spike and indignant sputter from Citrus. "Bu-I-You-The juice- Fine then!" She stomped a hoof. "See if I try and do anything nice for you again! You know I could get seriously punished because of this, but whatever, right? I'm just an amoral coward, after all," the mare hissed before turning tail and stomping away. "See if I use any seasonings in your breakfast, jerk." She paused and turned her head, making eye-contact with Spike before her expression softened a little. "It was nice to meet you, little dragon."

"Uh, yeah, you too... Thanks fur the lemonade; it was delicious," Spike dumbly returned, still reeling from what just happened.

"You're welcome. It's good to see you don't share your sister's rudeness." While the last part wasn't directed at him, he still felt ashamed and didn't say anything else until the mare had left the tent.

When she was out of earshot, Spike exclaimed, "What is wrong with you!? She was just trying to be nice! You didn't have to be like that to her!"

"... I knuw," Amy acknowledged, and Spike was sure he had misheard her.

"You knuw?... Then why-?"

"Because I have a plan."

Though she had been angry with the mare's presence at first, it didn't take long for Amy to realize Citrus was not an enemy, at least not a dangerous one, and she felt a pang of guilt for treating the mare so spitefully, but it was imperative that she left upset so she wouldn't be thinking clearly. "What's abuve us, Spike?" the dragoness asked, deciding to make use of the time needed to prepare her body to teach her brother the finer points of using ones environment.

"Um... lanterns?"

Amy grunted in the affirmative. "I ripped the fire-proof ropes that I was tied up with before, and they only had normal ones left to use un me," she divulged as she once again grabbed hold of her magic and worked to circulate it through her muscles. She avoided her arms and focused it all in her core and legs, digging her feet into the dirt hard. "Su what's the big difference between what I was tied with before and now?"

"They're not fire-proof?... But I can't feel my fire and I doubt Zariba made it so you could still use yours, so what does it matter?"

"The first question," Amy grunted as she pushed her back into the tent's central pole with all of her might; remembering the feeling from earlier when she sent Cujo flying off his feet and doing her best to recreate that power. As soon as she sensed the micro-movement she had caused and the resistance as the hunk of wood began to return to its original position, the dragoness began pulling forward, abs ablaze from the strenuous activity.

It was somewhat discouraging that her brother had yet to feel what she was attempting, but she remained focused on the plan. "The lantern?... How will... that... help?... A lit oil lamp." Spike said, and Amy couldn't help the swell of pride at the dawning understanding in the younger dragon's voice. His next words were spoken with excitement. "You're going to use the lamp to burn the ropes! That's why you were mean to Citrus! So she'd leave without putting it out!... But huw are you going to use it all the way up there?"

"I'm... gonna... shake it... grr, loose." Amy continued to work her body back and forth, slowly building a momentum in the pole, causing it to rock a little more with each tiring pump.

To her relief, she had at last made enough progress for Spike to notice. "Wait, are you... are you shaking this thing? It must weigh a ton!"

"Yeah... it does," she grit out. Though it felt like her muscles were on the bad kind of fire, she was driven by the sound of glass 'tink'ing off wood as well as her little brother grunting alongside her. Despite herself, Amy smiled. "Joining... the fun... Spike?"

"Hey... I should... do my... fair share... right?"

Her smile would have grown had her muzzle not been bound as the words of her little brother drove her to push and pull through the pain. He seriously believes my plan's going to work. I can't disappoint him. Throwing caution to the wind, Amy took the final step and forced as much magic as she could into her muscles, and even though it was more controlled than her anger-inspired attempt, it still caused the fibrous tissue beneath her hide to swell and tear.

Their progress made the pain worth it however, although the entire tent was now moving under her might, which Amy really hoped didn't attract too much attention. It would really suck if someone came in right now.

In that moment, a beautiful symphony of shattering glass reached the ears of the dragoness and she was bathed in burning oil shortly after. Never before had Amy experienced such satisfaction from being covered in flammable liquid as the ropes imprisoning her were set ablaze. Some of the bliss of having succeeded in facilitating their escape started to wear off as she had to wait for the fire to do its job, but the ropes eventually became weak enough for her to break free.

Quickly liberating her mouth and neck, Amy breathed a sigh of relief. She only allowed herself a moment to enjoy this however, as she cut away the last of what held her and made to stand, only to wobble and fall back on her tail. "Is it working? Are we going to get out uf here?" her brother asked eagerly. "I can smell smuke, did the ropes burn?"

Not answering immediately, Amy glanced upwards to see that the lamp directly above her head was the one that had broken, explaining why her brother wasn't doused in the same oil as she was. It was a pointless thought, but she supposed it was lucky that Citrus had lit that one and not the one off to the side; it would have taken more work had that been the case.

"... It worked," marveled the dragoness before shaking her head and mentally setting her priorities. Looking down at herself and the ground around her, Amy quickly decided to put the fire out before it spread and drew unneeded attention to their fledgling escape. "I'll be with you in just a second, Spike. I just need to get rid of these lights."

Amy stood once again, this time using a little magic to strengthen her wobbly legs and began patting herself down with her good arm to extinguish the fire. Proving to be a fruitless effort, the dragoness scanned the area for something to help stop the small, but growing field of flames she stood in the middle of, and froze. Her eyes rested on the stone tablet sitting across the tent, and she could hear her own heartbeat drumming in her ears. Be it sheer laziness or confidence that they were securely contained, Zariba had left the artifact with her, and Amy felt a grin split her face.

"Amy? What's going on?"

The grin fell and she rapidly blinked. Shaking her head, Amy hastily answered, "Nothing!" Running to the table, she worked the tarp out from beneath the stone and used it to smother the fires still curling across her body.

Once finished, the dragoness quickly made her way back to the pole and began to beat the fire on the ground, a task that was made more difficult with only one fully-functioning arm. It took a little longer than she was comfortable with, and she was surprised that no one had shown up to investigate the light that must have been shining through the hole in the tent for the entire world to see. Ha, something good finally happens, and it makes me nervous. My life is really messed up. Despite herself, a smirk pulled at Amy's lips as she moved to her brother's side and began cutting through his ropes with her talons. "Sorry for making you wait, but I really didn't want Zariba or his cronies seeing a giant fire in the middle of their camp. Would have made it a real pain to sneak away, you know?"

As soon as the last rope fell from Spike's body, he did something that caught Amy completely off guard; he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around her neck in a fierce hug. "I knew you'd get us out of this," he whispered, arms tightening.

Wide-eyed, Amy sat there for a moment before her expression softened and she used her own arm to return the gesture, giving the small dragon a squeeze as she whispered in return, "Thanks for believing in me, Spike." Her eyes slid shut and she took a deep, slow breath before reopening them with a look of determination. "But we're not out of this yet, we still need to ditch these idiots and get you back to Equestria."

Pulling away, she rose, placing her arm on Spike's shoulder to steady him as his legs got used to standing once again. "Okay, by some miracle, no-one's come snooping yet, but we probably shouldn't tempt fate any more by sticking around. You ready, Spike?"

The young dragon looked up and smiled. "As I'll ever be."

Choosing not to reply with words, Amy smiled back and nodded before becoming serious and stalking towards the hole. Being sure to stay out of the faint beam of light shining through it, the dragoness made her way to the hole's edge and peered out, spotting a multitude of tents as her sharp hearing picked up the sounds of snoring. Where are the guards? There's no way Zariba was confident enough to think I wouldn't even attempt to escape tonight... What am I saying? That zebra and arrogance are like two peas in a pod. Lucky me.

Suppressing a smile, Amy glanced over her shoulder to see Spike hiding in the shadows, wringing his claws nervously as he waited for her instructions. Starting towards him so that she could whisper him instructions, something in the corner of her eye caught stopped the dragoness, and she turned to see the stone tablet. She had yet to fully decipher what was carved there, and she loathed the idea of leaving Zariba even a scrap of information that he could use to reach her treasure. Surely it wouldn't be that difficult to take the tablet along...

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

Amy whipped around, taking a step back and bumping into the table she hadn't even realized she had moved up to. "Wha-?" she began before realizing who had spoken and why. How long was I just standing there for? I must have freaked the kid out. "Sorry, it's nothing, I was just thinking is all," she explained, getting the younger dragon to tilt his head.

"About what? That rock? Is it something important?"

"Yes- I mean, no, it's not, just some old writing."

"On what?"

Amy was surprised by her brother's sudden curiosity, having expected him to be far too anxious to return home to worry about anything else. Because of this surprise, Amy didn't think to stop herself from blurting, "Bahamut's hoard."

Spike's expression changed from confusion to interest. "Really? What's something like that doing here?" he whispered as he approached his sister.

As much as her mind was telling her that they didn't have time for this, her heart was more than glad to linger next to its desire. "It's why Zariba went through all the trouble of kidnapping us; he wanted me to help him find the hoard by reading what was on here... Well that, and because I'm kind of the leading expect on the matter." It was mostly true, at least, and the dragoness would rather her brother believe their current situation was a product of her knowledge rather than a drunken slip of the tongue. The future arrangement for their relationship was already tentative enough without giving Twilight any more reasons to hate her. As it was, Amy wouldn't be surprised if the unicorn never let Spike near her again.

"Seems like a lot of trouble to go through just to get something read. Why couldn't he get someone else to do it?"

Again, the question snapped Amy from her thoughts and she had to scramble to get a proper answer together. "W-well, that's because it's written in ancient draconian, which pretty much only a few dragons can still read. Dragons, might I add, who are generally big, old, ornery, and none too willing to help out the likes of a Zariba." A contemplative look fell over her visage. "Really, it was actually pretty smart; I mean, I could both read the tablet and already had knowledge of the treasure... Though, I wish he would have at least tried asking first before jumping straight to abduction. I would have said no of course, but at least I would have seen him coming when he pulled that stunt in the alleyway."

The dragons stared at each other for a moment as Amy internally told herself that getting away was the most important thing and for her to say it out loud. She continued to do this until Spike finally spoke, "Should we... take it with us?"

Her heart sped up. "You mean the stone?" He nodded affirmatively and Amy had to stop herself from squeeing. "I-I suppose we could; it wouldn't be all that difficult." She spun around and brought the tarp in front of her. "And look, I even got something to carry it in." Though it was cumbersome to do in her current state as she was forced to use her injured arm, Amy managed to wrap the tablet back in the tarp and tie it around her shoulders so the artifact hung high on her back. It was somewhat uncomfortable as the weight of the stone was supported mostly by her collarbone and neck, but she covered it up with a grin. "See, easy as pie."

Spike huffed a quiet laugh and nodded. "So, how are we going to do this? Run out like a couple of Pinkie Pies, acting so crazy that no one thinks to stop us, or do we sneak away and leave everyone trying to figure out how we pulled it off?"

The dragoness rolled her eyes. "I think its best we go with the tried and true second method; I'm not sure how well that first one would work... Besides, I only met the mare once, but I wouldn't wish her on even the likes of Zariba." Amy smirked and held a claw out to her brother, who grabbed hold of it tightly.

Sneaking back to the hole, Amy once again scanned the surrounding area, confirming that it had yet to change. The dragoness glanced over her shoulder and held a claw up to her lips to give a quiet shush, which Spike gave a single nod. Satisfied that he understood to be as silent as possible, Amy slowly led him out into the cold night air.

Having hunched down, she circled the outer edge of the tent, using the quick patrol to get a grasp of their location relative to the rest of the camp, the results of which led her to swear internally. Honestly, I'm not surprised. Even with the baffling lack of guards or established watch, Zariba wouldn't be dumb enough to keep his prisoners anywhere but the center of his camp... I guess I shouldn't complain though, things could definitely be worse.

Without knowing which way Ford Junction was, using the stars to determine direction was a pointless endeavor until the dragoness could find a familiar landmark to orient herself with. With that in mind, Amy decided to simply choose a direction and make her way out of enemy territory. As much as she wanted to make a beeline straight out of there, she instead settled for the smart move of slinking through the darkness, dragging her brother as she jumped from shadow to shadow and avoided the moonlight.

It was during this little trek that Amy started to get a clue on just why there seemed to be so few precautions in place to prevent their escape that night. While moving from the pitch-black shade of one tent to another, the dragons nearly ran straight into a swaying diamond dog; his back turned to them and the sounds of liquid pattering on the ground being accompanied by a satisfied sigh. While Amy had managed to keep her composure, Spike had failed to stifle his startled gasp, causing the diamond dog to swing around drunkenly.

All three simply stared, two with wide-eyed expressions while the other squinted. "Heeey, aren't you shuppose to be tied up or shomething? What are ya doing out here?" the diamond dog slurred with the smell of alcohol thick on his breath, not even bothering to stop his previous activity. Amy looked from the diamond dog's confused expression, down to the yellow stream striking the dirt between her feet, and then back up to the dog, whose eyes were beginning to show signs of dawning realization, before deciding on what to do. Oh shi-!" Thwack!

The dog crumpled to the ground in a heap, his flow finally stopped as the dragoness stood over him with an outstretched fist. Shaking out her claw, Amy offered it once again to her younger brother, who took a moment to notice as he was busy staring at the unconscious foe. Once he did grab hold of her, she wasted no time in getting out of there. Hopefully, if anyone finds him, they'll just think he passed out. The dragoness had to swerve to miss stepping in a puddle. ... Face down in his piss... That's not too unbelievable, right? I've seen it plenty of times in the alleys back home. Besides, I'm guessing not too many in this camp are going to be sober enough to care in the morning.

She was tempted to turn back and hide the body, but decided that it being found wouldn't raise enough suspicion to warrant the extra time spent. If they traveled fast and far enough, it wouldn't matter if Zariba's company became aware of their escape or not, because they wouldn't find them anyway in the vast wilderness. Once one left the outskirts of Ford Junction, there was surprising little more than empty plains and rocky outcroppings for miles; the monotony broken only by a few mines and struggling farms.

There were a few more close calls as the two dragons steadily approached the camp's outer limits, and Amy was forced to knock unconscious another dog and a couple of earth ponies who were apparently responsible enough to stand watch while everyone else slept. Or they could have been looking for some romantic alone time; pretty sure watch duty is more effective when you're spread out and actually looking forwards instead of into each other's eyes.

It didn't matter either way to the dragoness and she was just glad that the couple of stallions were so focused on each other that she was easily able to sneak up on them and slam their heads together. She may have been able to tip-toe around them, or simply go a different direction entirely, but having to use her sore arm was a small price to pay for the time saved and the assurance that the ponies could not possibly spot them with their lights out. The action having served to release some pent up aggression may have played a small part in the decision too, but it was still the safest course of action.

As the two dragons stared out into the night, Amy felt a pulling sensation at her heart, and she unconsciously turned her head to look back. At first, she didn't understand why she felt so hesitant to leave, but soon realized what it was she had left without. My staff! The journal! Even my sugar diamond! They're all still back there with that egotistical zebra!

A hissing sound reached her ears and she looked to its source to see her brother wincing and trying to pry her claw off of his. Quickly releasing him, Amy apologized and asked if he was okay.

"Yeah," he mumbled before looking up in confusion. "What was that? Is somebody coming?"

She was about to say she was fine, but as she looked into Spike's eyes, she found the idea of lying to him difficult. "It's just... I mean," she started, before sighing. "Zariba still has my things, including the journal, and... and the idea of him having it, of him having even a single clue to lead him to my discovery just burns me up!" She whispered harshly, resisting the urge to shout.

"Oh, that's... bad, I guess," the younger dragon began uncertainly. "So, what about it? I mean, it's not like you can get it back now."

"Go back and get it..." mumbled Amy, eyes going wide with the dawning of a plan while Spike's did the same in panic.

Whatever he had intended with those words, this was obviously not it as he shook his head rapidly and grabbed hold of his sister's claw with both of his. "No, Amy!" he began, trying to pull her out of camp. "I'm not gonna let you get captured or worse now that we're finally free! Let's get out of here!"

The dragoness almost gave in to her brother's request until her imagination provided a picture of Zariba laying upon a massive pile of gold and laughing. Suppressing a growl, Amy leaned down and slowly worked her other claw up to cover his. "Spike, I know it's hard to understand... How dangerous this seems, but... Bahamut's hoard means too much to me to let someone like Zariba have it... I wish I could explain it better, but this is something I have to do."

"But why?" he pleaded. "Why can't you just... let it go?"

She sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, but I can't." Looking to the sky, both so she wouldn't have to look into those sad eyes and to read the stars, Amy moved her gaze to the land over Spike's shoulder, where she could barely make out large rocks against the horizon. "Listen, I want you to go out that way," she said, pointing behind him. "It's a way away, but those rocks will make a decent hiding spot. Go there, hunker down, wait for me, and don't show yourself to anyone else, got it? I'll come for you."

Spike stared at her, looking very much like he wanted to protest before eventually sagging in defeat. "You're really going to do this? No matter how crazy it is?" he questioned rhetorically. "What if you... don't come back? Then what? I don't know where I am; I'd be lost."

This gave Amy pause as she racked her brain. "There's a small mountain range to the west and south-west of the city, and I wouldn't be surprised if those boulders out there are a sign that we're close to it. When the sun comes up, look for the mountains on the horizon and then go the opposite way. Chances are it will get you headed in the right direction." The little dragon looked skeptical, and she had to force a smile. "I know it's not the best plan, but it doesn't need to be perfect." She leaned in close so Spike could see the determination in her eyes. "Because I'm definitely going to come back for you, there's no way I wouldn't."

"...Okay... I'll do it... it's insane, but I'll do it. Just promise me you won't get yourself caught again."

She smirked. "Of course, the only reason it happened in the first place was because these mooks got the drop on me. This time, I'm the one on the prowl." Her smile became somewhat predatory at the end, and Spike took a step back. Seeing this, she quickly reached around and grabbed hold of her impromptu backpack. "Hey, if you want to help, you can lighten the load a bit; I can't very well go full stealth carrying a couple of rocks can I? Do you think you can take one?"

As she pulled out the tablet separated the two pieces, Spike eyed the one she offered before looking up and grinning. "Are you kidding? I have to shelve the books Twilight uses all the time, this is nothing compared to carrying five tomes at once!"

Though she could still see the disapproval in his eyes, Amy pretended not to notice it just like she pretended she wasn't feeling disgusted in herself for putting her little brother into this situation. "I can tell; you got some strong looking muscles there." Returning the smile and placing the rock in Spike's waiting arms, Amy rose and re-tied her half of the tablet over her shoulders. "Now, we've risked enough time standing here, you better get going," she told her little brother. "And... be careful, Spike."

The younger dragon huffed. "Shouldn't I be saying that? I'll be fine, Amy, you just focus on getting your stuff and catching up... I don't like being in the dark on my own, especially without my... you know, to light the way."

A flash of anger blinded the judgment of the dragoness for a moment as that little event was brought up, and she wanted all the more to stay behind to seek out justice for it. "Yeah... right. I'll be quick... see you soon, little brother." With a wave of her claw, Amy turned away from the smaller dragon and re-entered the camp site, moving much faster now that she had dropped a few pounds and wasn't dragging another dragon behind her.

There were few wanderers here and there, but she did well in avoiding them as she weaved between tents, looking for the fanciest one, knowing that that would be where the zebracorn slept. It was frustrating to her when she did find it; a tent slightly larger than the rest and made of a darker, no doubt sturdier material than the others. What bugged the dragoness was that it was only a short distance away from where she and Spike had been held. Guess I was a little too focused on getting Spike out of the camp to notice, but still, I can't believe I missed that when I first looked around.

Giving her head a minute shake, Amy dropped down to all fours, ignoring the discomfort the action caused, and began to slowly crawl towards the entrance. As she approached, she slithered through the flaps, careful not to make a sound and suppressing her body's instinct to jolt at every one that reached her ears until she was fully inside, and then, she waited. As the light from outside was blocked behind her, the interior of the tent was engulfed in near perfect darkness, and even her predatory eyes needed time to adjust.

All Amy could here was the heartbeat she was sure played in her ears alone and light breathing that permeated the space around her; a peaceful sound that her mind had trouble linking with the zebra she had grown to hate so much more over the past day. Forcing herself still as the interior slowly began to come become visible, if only in muted colors, the dragoness could soon make out a shape in the darkness.

There, perhaps two or three arm lengths away was the sleeping form of Zariba, and slightly off to his side, Amy's staff and bag. Fixing her attention first to the staff, the dragoness stretched her body and grabbed hold of the end before slowly pulling it towards her. The near inaudible sound of the wood scraping against the ground made Amy wince and an ear of Zariba's twitch, but in the end, she managed to bring the length of sturdy wood to her chest, glad to have the familiar, comforting feel of its weight in her claw.

Unfortunately, her sugar diamond and pouch of coins still sat in the middle of the cloth that served as her bag. She debated in her head whether or not to use her staff to retrieve the items from where she was, or risk moving to them. Biting her lip, Amy chose the second option and snuck to them. Even though it couldn't have been more than a few steps, the short journey seemed an eternity to her hyper-tense mind and when she did reach the pile, she wasted no time in tying everything tightly back to the end of her staff.

The dragoness noticed one belonging in particular was still unaccounted for, and her eyes darted about to find it. Shortly after, her gaze fell upon the journal lying between a set of striped hooves, and she couldn't stop herself from trailing upwards to see who those hooves belonged to. From where she now sat, Amy was directly in front of Zariba, his head tucked down and his eyes closed, completely oblivious to the danger that had invaded his domain.

She could hardly believe how close she was to her enemy as he lay there, prone, with her stolen journal below him. Almost without conscious thought, Amy's claw slowly began to drift towards the pair, and she couldn't tell which one she was reaching for. It would be so easy, just a flick of a talon and all this would be over; a proper punishment for one who would dare encroach upon a dragon's treasure. No one would even discover what had happened until morning, and Amy would be long gone with both the journal and her brother by then.

Suddenly, the tip of her claw was struck by a miniscule bolt of magic, a bolt that rose up from below and originating from a ring of that accursed dust encircling Zariba. By the time her eyes had moved back up, she was being greeted by two wide, red ones before she was slammed with a wall of crimson energy and sent careening back into the tent's wall. This didn't slow the soaring dragoness at all however, and the tent was pulled, stakes and all, with her as she flew through the air.

Just as she had begun her aerial journey, she had felt her foot strike something hard, resulting in a pained grunt that was not hers, but she had little time to ponder what it was as she prepared her inner fire. Just as she landed on what was presumably another tent, which she deduced by the sound of air being driven from the lungs of whomever had cushioned her fall, she released a breath of flame to begin the process of freeing her from the tangled mess of canvas.

Already, the area around the dragoness was filling with shouted questions and exclamations of surprise as a fire erupted in the midst of the camp. It took a moment to reorient herself, after all, she was a wingless dragon, and flight didn't exactly work well for her kind, but she didn't let herself succumb to the same confusion as Zariba's lackeys as she worked her talons in tandem with the flames to practically disintegrate the collapsed tents she had been wrapped in. Ignoring the sudden pained screams below her, Amy was competently unbound and standing on all fours, remaining low to use the fire and smoke as cover while she worked out a course of action.

With the extra light that had had granted her, the dragoness was able to make out her position quickly and pinpoint in which direction she had sent Spike in. With this in mind, she looked around at the mixed groups of groggy and alert diamond dogs and ponies, and began mapping out the path she would go. Taking stock of her things and patting out the small wisps of flame that had attached themselves to them, Amy sent a surge of mana to her legs and dug her feet into the dirt.

In the next instant, she was off, darting and weaving between tents and bodies, eliciting more than a few surprised yelps as she grazed some and sent them spinning. A couple of Zariba's underlings had the presence of mind to not only deduce what was going on, but also what and who she was and try to stop her. It was these individuals that Amy was forced to jump over and dodge, but in the end, they were all left with their muzzles in the dirt as the dragoness made her way unimpeded to the edge of camp in record time.

The smirk that had slowly spread across her face as she left a trail of groaning bodies behind her vanished when she heard a furious voice yell, "You can't escape me, dragon! There's nowhere you can run that I can't find you! I have eyes and ears everywhere!"

Zariba's screams of hatred sent chills down Amy's spine as she continued to sprint, eating up more of her dwindling supply of magic, remaining low by leaning forward as much as she could manage without toppling over in the hopes that it would aid the darkness in concealing her from the eyes of pegasi.

Even with the camp and the ruckus from it faded into the distance, the zebra's words rattled around in her head, and the dragoness put even more speed on. He may be a bastard, but he's a well-liked bastard; there's no telling how many contacts he has back in the city, or any place for that matter. Going to Ford Junction may be the fastest way of getting Spike back to Equestria, but it may also be the most dangerous. Soon enough, Amy's thoughts devolved into a heated debate with herself on where to go.

The dragoness nearly ran straight into a boulder when she finally reached the location she had told her little brother to hide. Attempting to shake the many conflicting thoughts loose from her head, Amy gave her staff a squeeze and moved around the obstacle, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs of purple and green.

After a few minutes of searching and a few dozen half-shouts of his name, the dragoness was starting to become worried something had gone wrong with the plan and Spike had gotten lost or worse. The desperation was becoming so great that she began contemplating attempting to channel magic into her eyes to help find the smaller dragon, regardless of the technique’s risks of blindness if done incorrectly.

It didn't come to that, however, as one of her calls were finally answered with, "Amy?"

Spinning around and scanning the rocks, Amy's eyes soon locked onto a shot of green amongst the grey. "Spike!" exclaimed the older dragon as she ran towards the emerging figure, head spine rising to reveal a purple face and green eyes. "I was beginning to worry you got lost!" Dropping her staff as she reached him, she dropped and hugged her brother. "I bet you're great at hide and seek!"

Her joke didn't get the reaction she had hoped for as Spike pushed away from her, a scowl on his face. "You think this is funny? I've been watching in the direction of the camp from here, Amy, I saw the lights. I thought you had been found and were using fire to try to fight your way out!"" His voice began to rise and, despite his diminutive stature, the larger dragon shied away. "I knew this was a stupid plan from the start! Why couldn't you just listen to me and leave your stuff behind!? Why'd you have to get yourself in so much trouble just for a stupid book!?"

When Amy dared to look at Spike's face, she saw tears beading at the corners of his eyes and his ear fins folded down. "Why does everyone I care about always run off and risk their lives while I'm left waiting and worrying?" Though he was clearly fighting to keep the anger in his expression, the anguish easily overpowered it as the tears finally fell. "Why can't I do more than just sit around and do nothing to help?"

Without thinking, Amy wrapped her little brother in another, tighter hug and began rubbing his back. "Shh, don't think like that, Spike, you're nowhere near in the wrong in any of this," she told him. "You have every right to be mad at me; I'm a selfish idiot, but don't you dare be mad at yourself. Not over this." Pulling away, she gave the little dragon a smirk. "Believe me, it won't get you anywhere. If Lorey went and beat herself up every time she failed to stop me from doing something stupid, she'd be a mustard stain." Despite himself, Spike chuckled a little at that and Amy’s smile widened a moment before her expression became more serious. "Now, about the 'not helping' thing you're on; you're a baby dragon, Spike, and though that doesn't mean you're helpless, what it does mean is that you're helpful in different ways. I don't expect you to fight the likes of Cujo or anything like that, but you did help in our escape."

He gave her an incredulous look. "How?"

"Well, what about that mare, Citrus? Do you really think she would have come around and lit that lantern if it weren't for my irresistibly adorable little brother being tied up with me? She finished the question by poking him in the stomach; receiving an involuntary laugh.

"Stop it!" he said as he pushed her claw away. "You don't have to lie to make me feel better. I am not a baby."

"But it's true," she argued, pointing to her own face. "Do you really think that pony would have come by to see a grouchy face like this? Weaponized cuteness is a real thing, Spike, I'm not lying. When I was your age, I used my looks all the time to get out of tough situations; people always underestimate cute things until they get a bite taken out of them."

"... Yeah, I guess," he responded, still sounding unsure.

Silence fell between the two, as they sat there under the night sky. It was Amy who broke the silence with, "So, how 'bout we find somewhere to sleep for the rest of the night, because I, for one, am exhausted." That was a major understatement as the dragoness felt like she could go into her first hibernation right then.

"Definitely," Spike answered, yawning. "I left the piece of stone you gave me behind that rock over there," he gestured behind him vaguely, "so we should pick that up first."

Amy reached up quickly to feel at the fabric around her neck, finally taking note of its weight on her back. Reaching around to feel it, her claws ran over many fairly large holes that had been burned into it during her escape. She sighed in relief, but was put on edge when her brother asked, "Hey, where's the journal?"

Turning, she saw him next to her staff and looking through the makeshift bag. Wincing, she hesitantly answered, "I didn't get it."

He whipped around. "You mean, all that worrying, and you didn't get what you set out to get in the first place?"

"Ah, yeah... But at least I got the staff, bits, and diamond, right? Those are important too!"

"... Sure, they're important too... So, sleep?"

Standing at her full height, Amy puffed her chest out. "Yes, we should at least find some good cover first to better conceal ourselves in case Zariba comes looking. Have you seen any place like that since you've been here?"

"Uh, I think so... but before we do that... I got to go pee first."

"..."

"What!? I was too worried earlier to go and I drank a bunch of lemonade before we left! I'm about to pop!"

"Just... Just go behind the bolder over there." With that, the little dragon was off like a shot and a tinkling sound filling the night air as Spike sighed in relief.

Looking around awkwardly, Amy's stomach suddenly cramped and rumbled. Oh, neko food is delicious, but does it ever go through me fast. I can't believe I've held it this long. Searching for somewhere to go, the dragoness quickly settled for a boulder the opposite direction of Spike before untying the cloth around her neck and looking it over. Putting the rock down next to her things, Amy began tearing off a few strips. With all these holes, it wasn't going to hold a single piece of the tablet much longer, let alone two. At least this way I can get some good use out of it.

"Spike! I'll be right back! I'm just going to handle some... stuff real quick! I'll be right behind this boulder, so call if anything happens!... And don't come over here!"

Chapter 17

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Chapter 18

Spike was awakened by bright beams of sunlight piercing his eyelids and flooding his vision red. Straining slightly to open his eyes, both in reluctance and because of the crust that had formed along their edges in his sleep, the young dragon reached up to rub them clean. Had this been any other morning, he probably would have done so, looked around blearily, and then dropped his head down, pulling the covers up to shield him from the light. This time however, had him thrust into wakefulness as he felt his weight shift backwards and gravity grab a hold of him.

With a startled yelp, Spike’s claws scrambled for purchase and he barely managed to wrap his arms around something to keep from plummeting to the ground. At the same time, he heard a grunt and cough followed by a strangled, “Oh, you’re awake.”

Being bounced forward into a more steady position, the young dragon was greeted by the sight of large green spines directly to the right of his face. “Amy? What’s going on?” he asked, now fully alert and trying to settle the pounding of his heart.

“Well, I’m walking, and I think you’re trying to choke me… but maybe that’s just the sleep deprivation messing with my perceptions or something,” slurred the dragoness before she let out a huff of strained laughter. “You mind letting up a little there, bro? I’m starting to see spots… more anyway.”

Looking down, Spike saw that he had indeed wrapped his arms tightly around his sister’s neck in his frenzied attempt at not busting his skull open, and loosened his hold with a quick apology. With a gasp, Amy responded, “it's fine, I was starting to doze off anyway, so I appreciate the wakeup call.”

Looking out at the outcroppings of scraggly stones all around them, Spike said, “Okay… why are you carrying me again?”

“Because you needed more sleep, and I wanted to use the cover of night to put as much distance as I could between ol’ stripey and us… Figured that, unless he got some of those bat ponies since last time I ran into him, his pegasuses wouldn’t be able to spot us too easily.” With another chuckle, she added. “Sure, dragon eyes aren’t that much better in the dark, but it’s more than worth a few stubbed toes here and there to leave those idiots in the dust.”

As the dragoness spoke, the memories came back to the young dragon as he vaguely recalled the order of events from last night. He remembered that, after the impromptu potty break, he and Amy retrieved the tablet fragment the elder sister entrusted to him and then he led her to a set of two big stones seemingly leaning against each other. The space between them was cramped with both dragons squeezed underneath, but it hid them from all directions but that of the entrance and served well enough as a place to rest.

At this point, Amy pushed him in and sat, legs crossed, at the opening, telling him to rest. At first, he was confused, and then upset when she told him that she’d make sure no one would sneak up on them. He had argued that she was the one who needed to sleep more as she had been the one doing all the fighting, but she shot back that she had slept enough while stuck to the pole and he was the one who had suffered through Zariba’s spell.

Spike had been about to point out that he too had slept during that time before realizing he did feel abnormally weak and tired. It was at this point that Amy shared her theory that, with his inner fire under the effects of the zebra’s magic, he would most likely not be feeling anywhere near one hundred percent until it was dealt with.

Still not liking the idea of getting to rest while she stood watch, the dragoness assured him she wasn’t just going to be staring into the distance. Amy explained that she would be entering a meditative state that, while not as effective as sleep, would allow her to recuperate while still keeping an eye out for danger.

Looking at her now however, told Spike that his sister must not have meditated nearly enough before rousing him a few hours into his slumber to inform him that they would soon start moving again and that she'd be carrying him. At the time, he had been too groggy to argue as he was flopped onto her scaly back, the warmth of her body preferable to the fireless sleep, both inside and out, he had been enduring before, and his eyes slid shut soon after.

In a way, the younger dragon was somewhat impressed that Amy had pulled off the trek with one arm holding the fractured tablet to her chest while the other was behind her back to prop him up, staff and bag held awkwardly in claw, but he also felt guilty as she wobbled slightly back and forth. “Hey, maybe you should take a break now that the sun’s out.” Spike suggested.

Slowing, Amy looked to the brightening horizon and spoke, “Yeah… maybe. Not like we can use the cover of night when its morning.” Stopping completely, she absently asked, “You see any more hidey-holes like that one last night, Spike? My arms are killing me.”

Figuring that was probably an understatement and feeling somewhat ashamed for having allowed her to lug him around half the night, Spike scanned the terrain for a place where his sister could finally take her turn to rest. “I think I see a good spot over there. It looks like pegasi won’t be able to see us under that.”

Following his finger, Amy’s tired eyes landed on a spire of stone sitting a few dozen yards away at quite the angle against the rising sun, its length casting a long shadow along the still-cool ground. With a small smile, the dragoness chuckled, “That’ll do. Good eyes Spike.”

Just as she took her first step in that direction, Spike’s voice caused her to stumble. “Uh, hey, you don’t have to carry me there, I’m good to walk.” He hoped he didn’t sound ungrateful, but he really didn’t want his sister to strain herself any more than she already had, and was glad when she didn’t seem to mind, bending her knees to let him off. As soon as her arm didn’t need to support his weight any more, it went limp, the laden end of the sack bouncing off the gravel with a thud.

Blinking at the dead arm, Amy casually said, “Huh, guess I pushed myself harder than I should have… That’s going to be sore tomorrow.” Glancing up to Spike, who was staring at her limb guiltily, she continued. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine once I’ve gotten a few hours of sleep. I can heal real fast when I want to, after all.”

He was about to protest that she shouldn’t have to heal fast to begin with, but decided against it, figuring she’d probably disagree with the sentiment that she didn’t need to carry him last night. For as much as she put herself through, the fact that Zariba had messed up his internal fire seemed to really worry the dragoness.

“Yeah, sure… How about I carry that for you?” he finally decided as he pulled the length of dark wood from her slack fingers. Before she could protest, the young dragon turned away and made for the large stone. With a grunt, he heard his sister get up and follow behind him and the two soon flopped down in the shade. In truth, without the heat from his sister’s back, the cold morning air was causing Spike to shiver, but he did his best to hide it.

He didn’t do well enough however, as Amy placed the segmented slab next to her and grabbed her younger brother before pulling him to sit in the crook of her crossed legs, his back against her stomach and chest. “H-hey! What are you-!”

“You’re cold, gotta keep you warm,” mumbled the dragoness as she rested her chin atop his head. Spike fell silent at that and blushed slightly, though it intensified when, after a couple of minutes, his stomach growled. Amy chuckled. “Hungry?”

“I-I guess so… I’m not used to skipping breakfast.” He heard another growl and felt the body behind him stiffen a little, getting a little laugh from him this time. “Sounds like you aren’t either.”

“Well, yesterday was pretty hectic; I’m kind of surprised it took my stomach this long to say something… Luckily we have the perfect thing to fuel a couple hard-working dragons like us.” Amy reached for her staff and pulled the bag off of its end, causing her brother’s eyes to go wide.

“No way, you mean we’re going to eat-”

“Yep, it’s said that just a few of these can feed a full-grown dragon for an entire day, so I’m guessing it can keep us going for a while.” Spike salivated at the sight of the large sugar diamond and, when Amy peeled off the plastic wrap, he began to openly drool as the tantalizing scent reached his nostrils. If the sudden drops of drool on his cranium were any indication, the delicacy had the same effect on her, though, at that moment, Spike couldn’t find it in him to complain.

“You’d really share it with me?” he inquired with amazement in his voice.

“As much as I would love to devour this baby all by myself… of course, silly. What kind of big sister would I be if I let my baby brother go hungry?” She answered, some of the exhaustion leaving her voice as they both gazed upon the flawless facets of the dazzling diamond in front of them as it seemed to take in every ray of light and send it out twice as bright. “I get the first bite though,” She added as she quickly brought the treat over the younger dragon’s head where he heard a crystalline crunch.

Straining his neck, Spike saw a look of utter bliss upon his sister’s face as she sat perfectly still, body frozen in flavor-induced rapture. A few seconds later, her jaw finally started working, the sound of gems being ground by impossibly strong teeth filling the air before she swallowed with a moaned, “So good…”

When she finally opened her eyes, she looked down to Spike and lowered the diamond to him, stating, “You have got to try this.”

Taking the treat with no small amount reverence, the young dragon was surprised to see how much of it was left. With how long she took savoring the first bite, Spike assumed it must have been a fairly large one, but only a small divot was missing from the side. Not wanting to look like a hog by comparison, Spike suppressed the urge to take half the gem in one go and instead matched his sister’s nibble.

Instantly, his taste buds were nearly overwhelmed by the intense flavor of the resplendent crystal and he moaned through his full mouth. Geting to eat something so amazing after such a long stint without food had the dragon’s eyes rolling back, and part of him almost feared the flavor that would be released once he actually started chewing. He prevailed of course and worked the scrumptious crystals into a dust that practically melted on his tongue.

“Wow, did I take that long with my first bite?” Amy said, causing eyelids Spike hadn’t even noticed sliding shut to snap open as he swallowed.

“Huh? What’s that now?” he asked as he looked around before dropping his gaze back to the sugar diamond in claw. “Sweet Celestia, you weren’t kidding, that is good. Not even the stuff the royal chefs make stands up to this,” Spike commented before letting his mind wander. “Makes me wonder what they could make with something like this.”

“Probably beyond mortal comprehension,” his sister joked as she retrieved the gem to take her second bite. “I’ll have to find another one someday to find out.”

The two passed their shared meal back and forth, shaving off layers of diamond, and feeling energy return to their bodies. By the time they decided to wrap the rest for later, there was still half the sugar diamond left and both felt satisfied. “Phew, these things are really filling,” Amy breathed as she finished tying the little sack back to her staff. “Now if only we had some water we’d be set until Bedville.”

“Bedville? what’s that?” asked Spike.

“Huh? Oh, that’s right, I haven’t told you about that yet, have I?” the dragoness began, setting her chin to rest atop her brother’s head. “Last night while you slept under those rocks, I was thinking about what our next course of action in getting out of this mess would be. At first, I thought that maybe we could go straight back to Ford Junction, but then thought better of it. That’s exactly what Zariba would expect of us. Even if he doesn’t head back there himself, he’ll probably send a flyer to round up anyone working for him within the city to wait for us.

“Honestly, I don’t know exactly how far his influence reaches or how many are loyal to him, but I know not every one of his lackeys go with him on his expeditions. I think he has some sort of information network setup or something, because he always seems to be the first to know when something big has been discovered. I swear the bastard has shown up at least a dozen times to my own jobs to steal my discoveries.”

Spike interrupted her ramblings with, “Um, you were saying something about Bedville?”

“Hmm? Well, like I was saying, Zariba would expect us to head back to the city, so we’re gonna go to a small mining town in the mountains instead,” she revealed, voice both proud and tired. “See, that way we can send a message out by courier with less chance of running into trouble… Plus the only thing we have that’s worth anything on us right now is the sugar diamond, and as much as I hate the idea, there’s a lot of folk there that we can sell pieces of it to for some cash. The bits we have left from Lorey are practically gone, after all. From there… I haven’t really put much thought into it. We can probably move with a caravan back to Ford Junction or buy some supplies and make the trip ourselves… I’m sure we’ll figure it out on the way… I just need to rest my eyes a bit first.”

The younger dragon turned what she had said around in his head before he questioned, “Send a message to who exactly? The princesses or Lore?” He waited for a response, but when one didn’t come, he turned slightly. “Amy, are you all right?” This time, he heard a light snoring sound, and he soon realized his sister had fallen asleep on him. Smiling slightly despite the situation and having his head be used as a pillow, Spiked worked to get comfortable and set his eyes forward.

If she had watched over and carried him while he got his sleep the night before, then the least he could do would be to keep his eyes peeled while she caught up on hers. How hard can it be? I just have to make sure I don’t nod off until she wakes up. He remained still, the area quiet save for a light breeze blowing in his ears and Amy’s snores. Eyes working back and forth revealed the same dull landscape in all directions with nothing but the occasional cloud of dust being kicked up by the wind. The little dragon frowned. Okay, this may be just a little harder than I thought… Hold in there, Spike, for Amy’s sake. If Pinkie could watch paint dry for her friends, you can do this.

Glaring sunlight stabbed through Phantom’s eyelids, causing him to hiss obscenities at the burning orb. He’d barely gotten three hours of sleep to rest his sore wings after Zariba had the entire camp fruitlessly scouring the surrounding area for the escapees. Combined with the mild hangover he was now suffering, this morning was quickly driving up the list of his worst ones.

“Damned dragons, I knew they’d be causing me nothing but trouble if we brought them along,” he grumbled as he picked himself up off of the ground, the clouds in the area not being stable enough to safely sleep on for any extended period of time. Tentatively, the pegasus wiped away the coarse sands and pebbles that had embedded themselves into his scars while he slept and looked around.

Much of the camp was in a similar state of exhaustion, with many members not even bothering to rise with the sun, but the one exception soon changed that with a bellow of, “Get up you lazy good-for-nothings, it’s time for to fix your mistakes!”

Stomping from his tent, Dr. Zariba’s eyes were redder than usual, either a sign of intense anger or that he himself had not slept peacefully, and a stern scowl marred his skeleton grin. “Those bound to the earth start searching for tracks to discern in which direction the dragons went! Pegasi will fly clockwise and outwards. Dogs better start putting those noses to work!” he barked orders, hoof shooting about as he did. “I want Amethyst and her brother found today!”

Glad to have an excuse to move away after what the boss had said to him the night before, Phantom was just about to take to the skies before his tail was seized in a crimson aura. “Not you, Phantom, I have a special job for you.” Zariba said lowly, reeling his subordinate in painfully. Turning his head, he shouted, “You! Bring me Citrus Spritz!” The heavy-set diamond looked around before giving a sloppy salute and running off.

The scarred pegasus remained quiet for the next three minutes, having been glared into silence when he had tried to open his mouth, until the diamond dog returned, dragging a frantic mare through the air behind him. “R-really, I need to get to work on breakfast; can’t go dragon-hunting on an empty stomach after all. And the hangovers! We can’t have those getting in the way! I’ll whip up a cure in no time!”

“Oh, I think going hungry and suffering the after-effects of alcohol consumption is a splendid start to this group's punishment,” Zariba said, causing the orange mare to cease her rambling. “Wouldn’t you agree, Ms. Spritz?”

Wings frozen, Citrus fell on her belly before jumping to her hooves and spinning around. “Ah, that seems extreme. I mean, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, right?” Punctuating the statement with a nervous laugh, Citrus noticeably cringed as the zebracorn simply stared, unamused.

“… I’m sure they can subsist off of uncooked provisions,” Dr. Zariba eventually began, a smooth smile lifting his lips. “I’ll even allow you and Phantom here to take some apples for your respective journeys.”

Phantom piped up at this. “Uh, journeys, sir?”

“Oh yes, you see, you two have a very important job to do,” explained the zebra as he turned to the scarred pegasus. “I have little doubt that Ms. Thistle will want to return to Ford Junction as soon as possible, and so, I need somepony there to intercept her. I have acquaintances who will be glad to help and that need simply to be informed of the situation.”

It was Citrus who spoke up next. “You want us to fly all the way back to the city? But we’ve already spent all of yesterday and last night flying with barely any time to rest our wings! We’re nearly a day’s flight from Ford Junction.”

“And whose fault is that, mare?” Zariba seethed as he rounded on his chef. “Had you not found it prudent to whip out the whisky, this bumbling band of morons may have actually been able to do more than stumble over themselves while our would-be prisoners escaped!” Continuing to glare at the mare as she nearly sunk into the dirt, the boss snorted and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “You are right to question the notion that I’m sending both of you to Ford Junction however, as that task goes to you alone.”

Turning from one confused pegasus to the other, Zariba explained. “Phantom here will be flying to Bedville for a similar task. Though my name holds meaning to fewer individuals in that community, there are still those who will be willing to lend aid.”

“Bedville? I thought you said they’d be going to the city?” Citrus asked once she'd mustered up the courage.

“I predict as such, but that alone does not make it fact, and it’s better to prepare for multiple possibilities than to run the risk of the two getting away. Amethyst Thistle holds vital information that we need to accomplish our goals here.” Looking the two over, he commanded, “Follow me, I have to prepare letters and give you directions to find the recipients.”

Slightly unnerved by Dr. Zariba’s sudden flip from angry to blasé, Phantom followed nonetheless, Citrus Spritz doing the same a few seconds later. Slowing his pace to match hers, he sent his own glare at the already shaken mare. “I hope you’re happy, Spritz. You can be an alcoholic for all I care, but your pushing booze on the rest of camp has gotten us all in a load of plot pies!”

Though she winced at the accusation, Citrus steeled her features and met the other pony’s eyes. “Is that how it is? If I recall, you didn’t put up much of a fight until the doc showed up with a face like he sucked a lemon. Actually, I’m pretty sure I saw you knocking back a few even after Dr. Zariba left.” It was Phantom’s turn to avert his gaze, getting a vindictive sneer from the mare.

“That was different,” he muttered. “I can practice self-control and stop after a few bottles unlike most of these dogs. Besides, there was no way of knowing those beasts were going to be able to escape; the boss tied them up himself, and he doesn’t make mistakes like that… They shouldn’t have been able to get out of those ropes.”

The scarred pegasus found the other pony’s reaction odd when she stammered, “H-hey, that’s not really a good excuse you know. I mean, I have no idea how they could have escaped either, so I didn’t see any harm in drinking a little.”

Turning back to her with scrutinizing eyes, Phantom was about to question why she had become uncomfortable, but was interrupted by Dr. Zariba’s shout of, “No amount of dragging your hooves is going to get you out of this, so I suggest the two of you get over here already!”

Inquiry forgotten, Phantom hastened his pace to reach his boss, the zebra holding the entrance to the large, burnt tent open for them. Even as he passed under the veil, the scarred Pegasus made sure to create a mental note to interrogate the orange mare on his tail. He could have overlooked her strange behavior as merely a response to the impending doom that was Dr. Zariba’s punishments had this been the first time, but she had behaved similarly the night before, and that was the beginnings of a pattern.

Even so, seeing the fury directed at them burning beneath his employer’s cool expression merely from believing that the dragons’ escape was a result of just their bad decisions made Phantom truly hope Citrus Spritz hadn’t had any part in the Hoofdini act Amethyst had somehow managed. He’d never say it out loud, but the green-maned mare was one of the only other members of the team that he didn’t have to actively force himself to endure the company of and he didn’t want to see her turned into marmalade because of those beasts. Especially because no one else in Zariba’s employ could cook to save their lives.

Author's Note

Big thanks to Bemmo for going through this chapter on his own while Courage Fire was out sick.

Chapter 19

Spike had spent hours awake while his sister slept; doing his best to ensure that, if trouble found them, they would at least avoid being surprised by it. The effort felt wasted however, as the young dragon only saw a jackrabbit hop by and the shadow of what must have been, if the stereotype for wastelands held true, a very large buzzard passing overhead. It was all he could do to simply keep his eyes open in the unstimulating environment until his sister awoke, which ended up being a bit past noon.

In contrast, Amy was feeling pretty good as she and Spike hiked ever closer to the mountains, a small part of her pointing out that, if a good rest was enough to brighten her day whilst thirsty and in the middle of nowhere, then her life had probably taken a wrong turn or two. Ignoring the little pessimist in her noggin, Amy focused on the small claw held within her own and marched onwards.

“You need a break or anything, Spike? You’re not getting tired are you?” the dragoness inquired.

“Nah I’m good… How long is it going to be until we get there though?” Spike asked in return before nearly tripping on a small rock jutting from the earth.

Holding him up until he regained his footing, she answered, “At this pace and no distractions? Probably sometime in the morning.” Turning her eyes upwards and squinting, she continued, “We may have to take cover if a pegasus flies by though, and I’m sure we’ll take some breaks anyway, so I’m guessing closer to this time tomorrow.”

“Really, another day?” Spike nearly moaned. “I don’t think I can keep this up that long without some water.”

Amy turned to see her panting brother, the sight causing her to bite her lip. “Yeah, that is a bit of a problem, isn’t it?” She began to rack her brain for a solution, going over all of the survival techniques her father had taught her those many years ago. Adult dragons could go quite a while without water even outside of their long sleeps, but adolescent ones didn’t share the same level of resilience.

She herself could only go eight or nine days without water, and Spike was even younger than her. On top of that, the two were hiking through rough terrain and rapidly increasing their thirst as a result. “Why don’t we take a quick breather, huh? We’ve already walked a few hours and I don’t know about you, but my feet are killing me,” lied the dragoness; she had clawed her way through tropical jungles far harsher and hotter than the terrain they now hiked across with less trouble.

Spike gave a tired smile and nodded, allowing Amy to pull him to the shade of a large rock. “I wish whoever founded this Bedville place would have done it closer to Ford Junction.”

“That would be nice,” Amy agreed as they sat down. “But I think it would have defeated the purpose, what with Bedville being a mining town. Those mountains have a lot of valuable metals, and even some gem deposits all throughout them.”

Sitting side by side, the dragoness pulled out the sugar diamond and the two nibbled on it with far less ceremony than before. Little else was said between them as Spike tried to ignore his thirst and Amy thought about how to quench it. The answer came when she leaned back and placed her claws palm down behind her, feeling coolness slightly beyond what mere shade could produce.

A curious glance over the shoulder revealed the dirt at the base of the rock to be just barely darker than the rest. “No way,” she mumbled to herself as she turned completely to stare with widening eyes, causing Spike to give her a questioning look.

“What is it?” he asked as he too turned, trying in vain to spot what had caught his sister’s attention.

“A lucky break,” she whispered, bringing her snout down to sniff the patch of dirt. A smile slowly spread across her muzzle as she talked to herself. “Must have been some rainfall around here over the last few days.” Looking to her brother with a full-on grin, she told him, “You’re gonna want to step back, Spike. There’s going to be a lot of dirt flying.”

The younger dragon could only quirk an eye-ridge. “Huh?”

“If I’m right about this, I think I just found us a drink.” Spike was about to question how they’d get water out of dirt, but was shooed away before he could.

With the little one standing at a safe distance, Amy returned her attention to the land and took a deep breath. Though they were known more for plundering, dragons were actually quite capable of digging up their own booty using a technique not unlike those of the diamond dogs. True, it wasn’t as refined as that of the canines due to the fact that dragons could forgo finesse in lieu of brute strength, but magically enhancing one's claws still made digging a far easier task.

Focusing some of her now partially recovered reservoir of magic down into the hardened keratin, the dragoness didn’t hesitate to knife her claw into the ground with a quick, powerful movement. The first strike left her digits sunk nearly three knuckles deep before she curled the powerful appendages and yanked upwards, tearing a chunk of earth free and sending it flying behind her. Before the dirt even touched down, her other claw had mimicked the first and Amy settled into a rhythm.

Spike watched in amazement as his sister soon had a hole dug forearm deep and as wide as a melon. The dragoness however, was quickly becoming agitated as her efforts were far more draining then they should have been and her bad arm was beginning to throb. She had circulated a soothing current of magic through the damaged tissue the night prior to stimulate the healing process, but the effort had been draining and she didn’t have nearly enough time to mend the muscle completely.

Frustratingly, it felt as if what little recovery she had managed had been undone and there was still nothing to show for it in the dirt below. She was just about to give up and apologize for raising her brother’s hopes when she began to see her work pay off in the form of darkening soil. Reaching her tired arm back for her staff, she slowly continued to dig with her good arm and rejoiced, “Jackpot!” Looking to her brother, she said, “Check it out, Spike, I found water!”

Stepping forward, the younger dragon was confused upon only spotting dirt. “Where?” he found himself questioning as he looked over to his sister, wondering if perhaps she was still a bit loopy from exhaustion.

“An old trick I learned a long time ago,” Amy began as she collected the cloth from her staff and set the sugar diamond aside. “See, most times, even when we can’t see it, water is still all around us. In this case, we’re lucky enough to have found some.” Motioning him over, the dragoness pointed down. “Just look closely and tell me what you see.”

Spike shifted his eyes between his sister’s large grin and the hole, deciding with a small sigh to humor her before trying to talk her into getting more rest. Moving to all fours, Spike brought his head right to the entrance of the newly dug divot and squinted. At first, he couldn’t discern anything noteworthy, and was going to voice as much before a slight shimmer caught his eye and he leaned in even closer. “Is that… mud?” he inquired with a sideways glance to Amy.

“Yep, isn’t great!?”

“Uh… I guess?” he answered uncertainly. “What do we do with mud?” Looking back down, he felt “mud” was being generous to the damp earth, and he hoped the elder drake didn’t expect him to it eat it. Dragons may eat gemstones and minerals, but he drew the line at mud pies, especially after the CMC Bakers incident.

“That’s easy,” Amy began as she held the cloth up proudly. “We wring the water right out of it!” With that, the dragoness went to work piling a couple clawfuls of dirt onto the center of the fabric before folding up the sides and lifting it above her open maw. Spike watched on with interest and slight disgust as Amy began to squeeze the soil-filled rag until a thin stream of brownish water dripped down into her mouth.

She didn’t get much before shutting her mouth and gulping. Looking down to Spike, she sighed, “refreshing,” before giving the sack a wiggle. “You want some? I’ll wring it out for you.”

There was a small debate within the young drake's mind as he tried to decide if he really wanted to drink mud water or not, but his thirst eventually won out and he nodded. Amy’s grin grew wider as she instructed, “Great! All you’ve got to do is tilt your head back and I’ll handle the rest.”

With a deep breath and a nod, Spike did as he was told and lifted his head up. Shutting his eyes tightly, the young dragon opened his mouth and waited. It wasn’t long after he heard his sister shuffle closer that he felt the first droplets of liquid splash on his lips before centering on the back of his throat. Surprisingly the water didn’t taste that bad at all, having a flavor not unlike overly saturated mineral water, and he found himself swallowing the half a mouthful provided greedily. “Wow, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be,” Spike breathed as he licked his lips with his newly wetted tongue. “… There’s still more, right?”

Amy chuckled. “Yeah, just give me a sec to get fresh dirt. This stuff is getting pretty dry.” She shook out the rag and began refilling it from the hole. “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to do this; it saved my life when I was in Iwiwgypt. A lot of desert over there.”

Spike’s eyes widened, “Iwiwgypt? I read about that! You saved a bunch of gem jackals by getting this magical amulet thing! The, uh, the Amulet of Ammit, right?”

The dragoness stopped what she was doing and asked, “You know about that?”

“Yeah, like I said, I read about it.” The younger dragon paused for a second before a light blush came to his cheeks. “It was actually right before we met. I kinda couldn’t wait to meet you, so I went to the library.”

After a few blinks, Amy’s straight face was broken by a huff of laughter. “Wow, you really would fit right in with Lorey and her stick-in-the-mud husband. When you went to talk about books with Prose, I thought you were just trying to be polite.” Returning to her work, she continued with a small smirk, “I try to avoid libraries as much as possible, which is admittedly hard to do in my line of work, but I can usually pawn the heavy researching off on Lorey. If I can’t get my mind off of something or I’m worried I usually end up going to… Well, I don’t go check out books, is my point.”

Spike scratched at his head and averted his gaze as his blush intensified. “I guess it is a little weird now that I think about it. Growing up with a pony like Twilight and spending all your time in a library does that to a guy though… So what was Iwiwgypt really like?”

Seeing the attempt to change the topic and realizing that she may have sounded a little rude, Amy jumped at the chance to talk about something else. “Hot,” she stated matter-of-factly. “Hot, sandy, and bright enough to burn your retinas if you looked too far upwards or stared at the lit side of a sand dune for too long. Having to deal with another psycho out to conquer a country didn’t make the trip any better either.”

“I bet that’s a pretty cool story; the article I read didn’t talk about much other than that you saved the country and how important a find the amulet and some ruins were to Iwiwgyption culture.”

Amy smiled bashfully at the sudden enthusiasm in her little brother’s voice and picked up the freshly-filled sack of dirt. “Tilt your head back, and I’ll tell you about it while we get hydrated,” Moving the cloth over Spike’s mouth once more, she began, “Well, it all started with Lorey practically tackling me when I came through her door; turned out she made a pretty big breakthrough in her research and couldn’t wait to get me on the first boat to the land of the jackals…”

“The story of my life,” grumbled a disgruntled Phantom as he trotted between the stone structures set up along the mountain’s base. “Somepony else bucks up and I’m the one who gets shouldered with the punishment.” His mind wandered to the scar on his chest and he shook his head, picking up the pace.

“I’ll finish this fast, in and out, and get back to the group. I’m not giving the boss any more reason to mess with me during this expedition.” He had been flying since morning and the sun was only a few hours from setting. In exchange for the soreness in his wings, he had made the trip in much less time than what had been expected, and there was still activity on the streets of Bedville as he made his way to Zariba’s contact.

Stepping aside just in time to avoid a minotaur bull pulling a cart full of ore, Phantom reached into his saddlebags and pulled out the tied up bundle of papers his boss had given him. Wiggling the smaller note from the parchment, Phantom unfolded it to read the address. Not being a frequent visitor to the mining settlement, it didn’t help the pegasus much and he lifted his eyes to look into the dwindling crowds around him.

“Hey you, can you help me with something real quick?” Phantom asked a minotaur passing by.

“Huh? Uh sure, what do you ne- Wow! What happened to your face!” the less-bulky than average bull said as he looked down, causing the pasted-on smile of the scarred pegasus to drop.

“Old burns. Can you tell me where to find this place?” He inquired, doing his best to get the information he needed and go before he bucked the bull’s eye. Seemingly realizing his rudeness, the bull apologized before taking the paper. Luckily for both of them, it only took a moment for the stranger to realize he knew the place and directed Phantom accordingly. With a grunt to show his gratitude, the pegasus pushed by after snapping the paper from the bull’s hand and ignored the sarcastic “You’re welcome!” from behind.

Once he knew where he was going, it took no time at all to navigate through the small settlement and arrive at a building with a large sign proclaiming, “Gem Mill’s Jewelry: The Best Way to Up the Value of Your Gems and Metals!” Ignoring the closed sign in the window, Phantom went up to the simple wooden door and pounded impatiently on it. Twenty knocks later, the door swung open to reveal a red-faced, both literally and figuratively, earth pony stallion who immediately shouted, “What!?”

Without missing a beat, the pegasus retrieved the parchment and stuck it against his fellow pony’s muzzle. “Dr. Zariba’s got a job for you.”

The Earth pony’s face paled from its lava-like, anger-tinted shade to a more natural dull-red, before settling on a fear-stricken, almost pink hue. “Z-Zariba?” he squeaked as he stepped back into his shop. “What could he possibly want from me?”

“Read the letter and you’ll know,” was Phantom’s ingenious answer as he tossed the bundle up and left the earth pony scrambling to catch it as he entered the building. “You got something to drink? I’ve just spent the whole day flying.”

“Ah, y-yeah, the staircase behind the display leads to the living area,” the earth pony responded distractedly as he worked to undo the small string holding the note shut. Phantom grunted again and went behind the counter, hardly even looking at the various bobbles within as he went in search for a glass of water and a place to sit down for a minute. He didn’t care if he was being a jerk at the moment, he had more than earned the right after the day he was having.

I wonder what this guy has to eat around here. I could go for a quick bite before I’m back in the air. He heard the stallion below yell something and the rapid fire of hoofsteps as he pushed open the door at the top of the stairs.

“Hey, wait a second! You can’t just come barging in here! This is my home!” the stallion fumed as he came up the staircase behind Phantom.

“You read the letter, right?” the pegasus interrupted, moving to where he imagined the kitchen would be. “Hosting an unexpected guest shouldn’t really be at the top your priorities right now.” Dr. Zariba expected the best from his employees after all, and Mill now fell under that category.

The gulp was audible even from within the small kitchen as Gem Mill followed meekly behind. “But why me? I- I know I owe him for helping open this business, but I’ve already smuggled ancient jewelry across the borders and made sales on the black market. Isn’t that enough?”

Huh, so that’s how this guy knows the boss, thought the pegasus. Over the years spent under his service, Phantom found that those willingly employed under Dr. Zariba were the minority compared to those who worked towards repaying debts and favors or were blackmailed into being one of the zebra’s pawns. He himself fell somewhere between those two groups.

“I’m guessing you never learned that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Phantom snarked, pulling a mug down from the earth pony’s cupboards and running it under the faucet.

With a dejected sigh, Gem Mill walked over the table and slumped into one of two seats. “Guess I should have listened to my gut when a skull-faced, red-eyed zebra came out of nowhere offering to help me get my dreams off the ground.” Something bitter that was almost a laugh escaped his lips. “It sounds like the setup for a foal’s cautionary tale.”

Despite the aches and generally bad day, Phantom couldn’t help but smirk at that. “A tale you didn’t hear when you were a colt apparently,” he jibed as he sat down with his mug and a loaf of bread he snatched from Mill’s breadbox.

The earth pony gave him a dry look through his green mane, but didn’t say anything. Phantom took the silence as a chance to actually look over his host. He wasn’t impressive in the muscle department, especially for an earth pony, and was built more like a particularly scrawny unicorn. His mane, though somewhat mussed now, showed signs of having been well taken care of and styled while the olive-green eyes beneath it, even when angry, showed a surprising lack of the hardness that Phantom had grown used to since living outside of Equestria.

“How exactly does the boss expect you to help deal with dragons, anyway?” the pegasus found himself asking. “You don’t really look like you’re up for fighting a monster like Amethyst Thistle… Even the little one may be too much for you.”

Mill glared across the table at the pony chewing on his loaf of bread before saying, “Zariba isn’t the only one who can collect on debts, you know. I’ve garnered quite a few favors with many of the miners here. I’m sure you’ll agree they’re more the sort to be up for such things… Zariba does. That’s what he instructed me to do in his letter.” Some of the anger in his expression was replaced with fear and confusion. “How does he even know about them? It’s not like I talk about my personal life with the zebra.”

The boss likes to keep track of all his pawns, was Phantom’s unspoken reply. Swallowing a mouthful of bread and chugging the last of his water, he settled instead on giving his goodbye. “There’s no point in questioning it; just focus on getting done what needs getting done and move on with your life.” Leaving his glass and half a loaf on the table, the Pegasus stood and stretched his wings. “I’m taking off; I want to get as much flying done as I can while the sun’s out before I have to start using the stars.”

Gem Mill tilted his head at this. “What do you mean taking off? You’re supposed to stay here and help me set things up. That’s what it says in the letter, anyway.”

“…What?” Phantom had just reached the door when he finally registered what he had been told. “The boss would have told me before I left if he wanted me to do more than just deliver the letter.”

“Read it yourself if you don’t believe me,” the earth pony responded, holding the paper up.

Phantom was in front of Mill in a matter of seconds, his eyes scanning over the snatched parchment. As he read, his lips slowly morphed into a snarl. Upon finishing, he tore the parchment to pieces.

“I make one little mistake and now I’m saddled with not only flying miles to a no name dump like this, but also trying to organize a bunch of muscle-bound miners who probably don’t even have a working brain between them! I can’t believe this manure!”

Gem Mill had jerked his head back as freshly-made confetti rain down to his floor, and his voice held a slight quiver as he asked, “Are you going to be alright?”

Taking a deep breath, Phantom released it slowly. “I’ll be alright just as soon as all this is over and I can drink myself stupid… Preferably someplace where I won’t overhear any talk of ancient treasure. It hasn’t been working out for me so far.” Appearing far calmer than he actually was, he looked to his now temporary partner and asked, “So, they’re your friends, take the lead, colt.”

“Uh, right, there are a few homes we can stop at, but that’ll be on the way. At this hour, most of the miners will be unwinding for the night.” The earth pony explained as he got up, taking a moment to stare at the half eaten loaf on his table before shaking his head and turning. “We’re going to the bar.”

“After last night, that doesn’t sound as appealing as it should,” Phantom responded flatly. Following Mill out the door, the pegasus had a feeling that even getting close to booze right now was going to cause trouble for him, which he really hoped wouldn’t be the case. If it was, he may never be able to trust in the stuff again after being betrayed so thoroughly by his favorite drink.

With a look to the setting sun, Phantom sighed. “You got a couch or something? I’m probably going to need a place to stay until morning.”

~8~

“Should only be a little further now; that smoke didn’t seem too far off,” Amy said as she and Spike walked. They had made it to the mountain’s base last night and took a break when it became clear they wouldn’t be able to find the town in the dark. The first rays of morning’s light revealed grey wisps rising in the distance and the two dragons had been moving towards them ever since.

“I hope so; my feet are killing me,” Spike groaned. He had spent quite a few hours on his feet working at the Ponyville library, but that was nothing compared to hiking through rocky terrain for hours and stepping on sharp pebbles at least a dozen times a minute. He was really starting to miss the wooden floors of the library, splinters and all.

“Look on the bright side; you’re toughening up those scales of yours.”

Spike rolled his eyes and smiled. “Yeah, that’ll be useful. Next time I’m in trouble, I’ll just make sure to go at it feet first.”

“Hey, I’ve solved a lot of problems with a kick to the face.”

“Your own, I’m guessing- Ow!”

His sister retracted her claw after flicking him in the head. “Real funny. I think I’m starting to rub off on you… Gods protect me from Twilight when you act snarky like this towards her.”

The young dragon rubbed his head and mock glared, though he couldn’t stop the upwards twitch of his lips. The two only lasted a moment before they burst into a fit of giggles. While they waited for the sun to rise, the dragons ended up talking about a myriad of topics and Spike felt that they had learned much about each other. The many hilarious and action-filled stories told between them were also greatly enlightening.

“You’re giving yourself too much credit; I was plenty snarky before I met you. And besides, you fought a small army of mummies, why are you afraid of Twilight?” The small dragon snorted before adding, “What does that say about her?”

“That she probably has enough magic mojo to raise her own undead army when she finds out,” was the curt reply.

“Pffft, nah, Twilight isn’t allowed to practice necromancy; Princess’ orders.”

Amy opened her mouth to reply, but a twitch of her ear fin had her hopping up a nearby pile of rocks. “Wow, we made it faster than I thought we would,” she said with a grin.

“What are you talking about?” Spike asked as he walked up.

“Why don’t you come up here and look for yourself?” Amy replied as she reached down. Accepting the proffered claw, the little dragon was hoisted up and was able to see what had his sister so pleased.

A smile of his own worked its way across his muzzle as he sighed, “Finally.” Beneath them was a series of dull stone buildings spread across less than a dozen city blocks worth of rocky land. There were only a few pedestrians and the occasional cart being pulled along the unpaved streets at this hour, but it was more life than either dragon had seen in nearly two days, so it might as well have been a bustling metropolis.

“I can’t wait to drink something other than mud water; come on, sis!” Spike cheered before taking off. With an eye-roll, Amy followed right behind him.

The dragoness kept a firm grip of her brother’s claw once they had made it to the edge of town and her expression became slightly more serious. Though she wasn’t expecting trouble, the nasty thing seemed to have an infatuation with the purple beauty and so she made sure to keep an eye on every corner and alley in case it reared its ugly head.

She had already decided their first course of action in Bedville was going to be trading some sugar diamond for money, and Spike agreed once she assured him that they could ask whomever they made the trade with for a couple of glasses of water. It was at a small exchange booth set up for the miners of the town that this was done, and Amy was as reluctant to part ways with pieces of the rare gem as the traders were excited to gain them. After the deed was done and the dragons shook off the utterly wrong feeling of actually giving up such valuable treasure, the two made their way to Bedville’s only general store.

While at the booth, they had asked whether there would be any caravans going out of town, which lead to the discovery that what was mined from the mountain was often shipped out all at once every two weeks and that they had missed the last trip by three days. Discouraged somewhat, but not surprised, Spike and Amy decided to make the trip back to Ford Junction themselves.

The general store was well-stocked and had many useful products as a result of selling mostly to miners. Amy bought a new sheet of canvas to bag their supplies in, as well as two more for the fragmented tablet which Spike insisted on carrying a part of with a makeshift backpack. A length of rope was also thrown atop the pile of purchased goods along with a large water canteen and bags of dried fruits and nuts.

From there, it was onto the town’s post office so they could send word to Spike’s friends in Equestria. Hopefully, once the princesses knew of what was happening, they would send guards to Ford Junction for their protection. Amy was sure Zariba’s lackeys wouldn’t be brazen enough to try anything with royal guards around.

It was while the two dragons were walking down the street that the tantalizing smell of gemstones reached their sensitive noses and they both turned their heads. “Wow, whatever this place is, it smells great,” Spike commented as he craned his neck to read the sign.

“Huh, Gem Mill’s Jewelry, I guess it makes sense that they’d have a lot of gems,” Amy added. It was at that moment that hers and Spike’s stomachs growled. “Heh, I kind of want to go in and sample their wares now; we did skip breakfast, after all.”

Perking up, the younger dragon questioned, “Can we really? I mean, it’s not like we can go in there and ask them to start popping gems out of their jewlery… can we?”

Amy giggled. “No, but I’m sure they have plenty of low-quality stones that they can’t use that we can buy. A couple bags of gems would go a long ways for or hike back to the city. Let’s see if we can’t pick up a few, eh?”

Just as the dragoness put her claw on the door, she heard a crash and groan from the other side. Instantly, she tensed and backed up a step, pushing Spike behind her as she did.

“What was that?” the smaller dragon inquired, peeking around his sister’s leg. “Is someone hurt in there?” A pair of voices swearing could soon be heard from within along with the clopping of hooves

“I’m not sure,” mumbled Amy. Though she hid it well, there was a fierce debate going on within her head as part of her wanted to simply turn away while the other wished to enter. Someone could have just injured themselves and needed help, or the two travelers could have just stumbled upon a robbery in progress. While her newly developed sisterly side was loath to endanger Spike if the latter turned out to be the case, she found the thought of looking her brother in the eye after leaving some poor soul in danger a hard one to swallow.

“Stay back, Spike,” Amy commanded as she steeled her nerves. With a tight grip on her staff, the dragoness pushed open the door, only to be greeted by a strange sight that could have been comical if not for the presence of a certain somepony.

Looking up from his spot atop a dazed minotaur, bloodshot eyes met emerald ones as both pegasus and dragon spoke in unison.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Author's Note

Events of Iwiwgypt (pronounced 'ee-wee' gypt. Iwiw being the Egyptioan word for dog.) were last mentioned in Chapter 5 by Spike in the Canterlot library. Just in case anyone has trouble remembering that long ago.

Sorry for making you all wait for such a short/fluffy chapter; I hope you still enjoy it and thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for their editing.

P.S.
You should check out the most recent comments of the last chapter; I covered some stuff you guys might be interested in. Also, obligatory story link, Construction, Repair.

Chapter 20

Last night hadn’t been the oddest one of his life, but it definitely wasn’t anywhere near the bottom of the list. Following Gem Mill to Bedville’s only tavern, the Bull Horn, Phantom entered the small building and was greeted by raucous laughter and singing. Much to his surprise, he hadn’t walked in on a special occasion; the workers apparently enjoyed their off hours to the fullest once the mines closed for the night.

As it was, Gem Mill was welcomed with enthusiasm, nervously taking hardy pats on the back and being ushered in, leaving the pegasus at the entrance, watching with a raised eyebrow the spectacle before him. Evidently, Gem Mill had down played his relationship with the miners. The pegasus was never this friendly with those he owed favors, and he felt it a safe assumption that most would agree with the sentiment.

It was only after downing the third shot of liquor pushed between his hooves that the earth pony got around to introducing Phantom to the group. About half of them were minotaurs, with the other half being a mix of earth ponies, diamond dogs, and gryphons, which meant that there were more than enough claws and fingers amongst the lot of them to pull the reluctant pegasus into their merrymaking.

As much as he tried to turn down the tantalizingly un-sobering beverages, it was a losing battle, especially after the miners were informed that the two of them came for help. Refusing to drink with those you were asking for assistance from was untrustworthy, after all. And so it was, the pegasus found himself nursing a glass of whiskey as his temporary companion explained what it was they needed doing.

Of course, it was Phantom who ended up giving the details, telling them that a couple of very dangerous beasts had escaped his boss’s custody, valuables in tow, and that they could be coming this way. The news that their peaceful little settlement could be besieged by vicious criminals got an encouraging reaction from the miners as they promised a pounding to anything that threatened their home. They even agreed to turn the offenders over to Phantom’s boss when the time came.

“Friends help friends,” they had told the shocked and mildly tipsy Gem Mill when he said the assistance would settle any debt between him and those who helped, adding that any friend of his was a friend of theirs. From that point on, the serious talk was over and the group returned to partying. Phantom was loath to admit it, but he partially surrendered to his weakness and had more than a few drinks. Luckily, his developed alcohol tolerance prevented him from getting absolutely smashed.

Unluckily, he would have preferred being in such a state when one of Mill’s closer friends arrived, and ended up being the very minotaur that the pegasus had asked for directions earlier that day. What followed were awkward and falsely accepted apologies for bringing up his scars, as well as having to listen to the pair of old buddies talk on for the rest of the night.

Phantom wasn’t even granted respite when the bar closed up and the patrons wondered home; Ironwork, as the bull’s name was, deciding to follow them through the streets instead of leaving his and Mill’s conversation unfinished. Of course, when they finally arrived at the jewelry shop, it was only polite for the earth pony to invite his friend inside, and Phantom ended up crushing a pillow to his ears on the couch while the two morons talked through the night.

A short time after morning’s first light, the pegasus was awoken by an overly loud, very obnoxious yawn, and looked over to see the dark-blue minotaur stretching his arms over his head while seated atop a pile of blankets. “Oh, sorry if I woke you; I’m used to waking up early so I can get the forges ready for the day ahead,” the bull explained when he looked over to see Phantom leering at him.

“It’s no problem,” grit out the pegasus, wisely deciding it was far too early to be picking fights. “So, you ended up staying here, eh? Aren’t you two a little old for slumber parties?” Okay, maybe not that early.

“Nah, Mill was just being a pal; I’d have probably stumbled into trouble if he hadn’t let me sleep it off here,” Ironwork responded, apparently impervious to the slight barb aimed at him as he twisted his back, sighing in relief after a series of sickening pops. “I don’t tend to have the best sense of direction when I’ve gotten a few in me.” He chuckled, a sound both deep, yet notably young as he pushed some of his black mane away from his face. “I’ve ended up in the wrong house more than a few times after a night of drinking, which usually ends with me having a black eye.”

Phantom hummed as he climbed off the couch, attempting to do his own stretches before being halted by a slight pain across the largest scar on his chest. Looking down revealed a small tear, blood just starting to bead atop it. Damn, I’ve gone too long without my ointment; the wind from flying really dried my skin out. The worst of his burns melted off a fair few layers from his hide, leaving the bulk of his scar tissue prone to ripping if he didn’t keep it moisturized.

He had been in such a rush to get to Bedville and back that he didn’t bother packing saddlebags, arguing to himself that they would have added undue drag and weight to an already tiring flight. The trickle of crimson running down his chest made him regret that decision. Phantom’s jaw clenched slightly. “When Gem Mill wakes up, tell him the rest of the preparations are up to him. He’ll know what you’re talking about,” he said as he made his way towards the stairs, not even bothering to raid his host’s kitchen for a quick breakfast. “The sun is up, and I’m getting out of here.”

“The sun is up!?” Ironwork suddenly shouted as he scrambled to his hooves, somehow not noticing until now the light beams that had slowly been creeping across the room. “I’m supposed to be ready before the mines open! I have customers coming by to pick up their repaired equipment today!”

Phantom had wanted to ignore the minotaur as he started making his way down the stairs, but the scrambling of hoofs rushing up behind him and the shout of “excuse me!” made that difficult. This was especially true when Ironwork tried to push past him, resulting in both of them losing their balance and tumbling down the steps. While they fell and his body quickly racked up a few dozen scrapes and bruises, Phantom couldn’t help but ponder whether this was just the next unfortunate event in his current string of bad luck, or cosmic punishment for once again drinking on the job.

Probably a bit of both, he thought as he finally came to a stop, only to have Ironwork land directly on top of him. The universe definitely hates me.

“Ooow…” groaned the minotaur as he sat up, though not bothering to remove his rump from Phantom’s back. “It’s a good thing I landed on something soft.”

“Yes, how fortunate for you,” the pegasus growled as he bucked the surprised bull from his back and stood up. He only managed to stay upright for a seconds however, as he was struck by a wave of dizziness, bringing him to fall to his own rump, eliciting an “oomph!” as he effectively reversed his and Ironwork’s previous position. The pegasus really hoped he was disoriented from the many spins he’d performed in the fall and not because he’d managed to get a small concussion.

Gem Mill could be heard shouting questions from above as the front doors to the business opened. Guess Mill wasn’t sober enough to lock up before hitting the hay, Phantom absently mused as he looked up to see who it was, and froze. His vision stopped swimming as it zeroed in on a tall, purple figure.

The creature mimicked his disbelieving stare and even words when he mumbled, “You have got to be kidding me.”

The air seemed to grow as still as the two adversaries, their eyes locked, searching each other for any clue on what was going on in each of their respective heads. “Argh, today’s going to be a bad day, I can already tell… Hey, who’s that?” Ironwork questioned.

Amethyst Thistle whipped around then, grabbing hold of the little monstrosity who Phantom hadn’t even noticed, and bolted down the street.

“Those are the thieving monsters we’re supposed to be catching!” Phantom roared as he bolted into the air. The fear of following the fire breathers clashed with that of what his boss might do to him when he found out he did nothing while his nemesis escaped again. “Come on! We got to catch them!”

His newfound dislike of Ironwork was overpowered by his desire to have a meat shield on hoof in case the dragons decided to open fire on him. Flying behind the now standing minotaur, he pushed him towards the door. “Mill, find all the help you can! Tell them the dragons are here!” Phantom shouted, not bothering to look back even as he heard hooves thundering down the stairs.

“Hey, no pushing! I got this!” barked Ironwork as he suddenly bound forward, leaving the pegasus to nearly fall on his face. “Hey! The lowlifes Mill wanted us to deal with are in town!” Ironwork could be heard shouting once he was out of sight.

Leveling himself out, Phantom looked towards the opening, the bright light shining into the dark room making it impossible to see anything beyond. He couldn’t help but think of blindingly burning fires, and wondered if he’d be having another run-in with a dragon’s flame before the day was through. I don’t care what the boss says, I’m going to be getting hazard pay for this job; robbing ancient temples is way safer than dealing with beasts like these. Steeling himself, the pegasus shot out into the daytime, as ready as he could be to face Amethyst Thistle.

~8~

Spike decided now wasn’t a good time to complain about the soreness in his arm from having Amy drag him through the streets. He had made a valiant effort to keep pace with the dragoness, but in the end his significantly shorter legs couldn’t match the longer strides of his sister and ended up trailing uselessly behind them.

The discomfort would be worth it though if they avoided being captured again. It was a fear he hadn’t even realized had festered inside of him until the prospect of falling victim to the zebracorn’s magic became a possibility once more. Truly, the young dragon’s heart felt as if it froze, making the already aching chill in his chest frigid when his eyes fell upon the burnt, burgundy stallion.

“What’s he doing here? I thought Zariba would be looking for us in Ford Junction!” Spike shouted as he looked back at the now fairly distant jewelry store just in time to spot the blue minotaur come barreling onto the street.

“Zariba’s network is big, I expected that, but I can’t believe he knew I’d come this way!” Amethyst exclaimed, and Spike couldn’t tell if she was speaking to him, or herself. “How did that bastard know? He can’t know me that well, can he?”

A shadow darted overhead, and Amy’s frantic musings were interrupted by Phantom’s shouting. “They’re here! The criminals are over here! Get your arses up already and stop them!”

Spike looked up to see the pegasus circling them from a safe distance, marking their location for whomever he was commanding. The response came sooner than the young dragon would have liked when he heard someone yell for them to stop and he looked to see a new, much more muscular minotaur standing in their path.

Fluidly, Amy yanked him forwards and up to be cradled to her chest in one arm while lowering the staff and supplies upon his belly with the other. He didn’t know what to do, but seeing that his sister had no intention of slowing down as she sped towards the unmovable-looking bull, the young dragon latched his claws around the stuff. In the next moment, Amy surged forward, causing a look of surprise to flash across her opponent’s face as she appeared within his guard to drive a fist deep into his gut.

Spittle flew from the bull’s mouth as all the air in his lungs was violently discharged; his eyes bulging in disbelief and pain. Spike swore he could hear the minotaur’s spine actually crack from the force of impact. Without slowing down, Amy withdrew her fist and ran around the large bull as his hands came to his battered solar plexus and he began to fall forward. Spike could hear the big fellow hit the ground and shouts of anger as his sister continued her sprinting.

They had made it a block and a half before being attacked again, this time having a gryphon dive-bomb them. Amy saw the rapidly growing shadow and dove to the side, covering her brother as best she could as she rolled. “How dare you hurt Strong Arm!” the female bird growled before pouncing. Even from her downed position, Amethyst Thistle was not helpless as her tail lashed out like a whip to strike the gryphoness in the face and sent her crashing, her momentum bouncing her across the ground like a thrown skipping stone.

“Sis!” Spike heard cried from above. Looking up revealed another silhouette in the sky, similar to, but larger than that of the gryphoness. Before whoever it was could take their vengeance however, Amy sent a jet of flame towards them, not high enough to reach the bird, but strong enough for the burst of heated air to disrupt their flight and force them to land on a roof.

Once again the dragoness was on her feet and running. “We got to get out of town and find somewhere to lay low.” Amy said, looking down into Spike’s wide eyes. “Don’t worry Spike, just keep a tight hold of those supplies and let me handle things, okay? I won’t let you get hurt again.”

The younger dragon nodded, comforted by the surety in his sister’s voice. Their gazes were jarringly broken apart as a burly earth pony plowed into them, sending both dragons rolling away from each other. “Guess nopony ever told you not to make trouble in Bedville, eh missy?” taunted the pony.

Spike groaned as he got to his feet, supplies miraculously still in his claws. “Hmm? What the- what’s a runt like you doing here?” The young dragon froze then, forcing his eyes up to see the pony had approached him. “What are ya, a colt? I thought that burnt fella said you two would be a couple of criminals,” he puzzled, head tilting slightly.

Before he could say more, Amy returned the favor, shoulder checking the stallion and reaching for Spike. Unfortunately, the large gryphon that had been stalled from attacking earlier launched his own assault, talons coming down onto Amy’s shoulders, driving her into the ground. “Nobody hurts my family!” he roared, clawing at the scales of Amy’s back, actually managing to tear some free.

Watching in shock as his sister growled and tried to shake the gryphon loose, turning herself around so that she could push at his head and chest, Spike felt his own fury grow, his grip tightening on Amy’s staff as it did. With a scream, Spike brought the length of dark wood down upon the preoccupied bird’s head, a loud crack resounding through the air. “Nobody hurts my family either, jerk!” the young dragon breathed, panting heavily as adrenaline pumped through his veins.

Going rigid a moment, the gryphon went limp and was subsequently pushed aside by a shocked dragoness. “Wow… nice hit,” Amy commented as she stared at her brother.

“Th-thanks,” he returned, now shaking slightly as he looked down the length of the staff, eyes zeroing in on a drop of blood pooling at the end and rolling towards his claws.

“Come on! Is this the best this stinking town can do! They’re making fools out of the lot of you!” Phantom bellowed from above, having finally returned after fleeing from Amy’s earlier skyward display.

“Cowardly bastard,” growled the dragoness under her breath. “We can’t get far with him constantly giving away our location.” A wicked grin suddenly stretched across her muzzle. “Good thing he’s easy to deal with.”

Inhaling deeply, Amy held it for a time, ignoring a new group of pursuers running at them, and did something Spike had never seen a dragon do before. To his amazement, she shot what appeared to be a concentrated line of fire, barely half the diameter of an Equestrian bit straight through the air, crossing the gap between her and the pegasus faster than he thought possible.

In his own impressive feat, Phantom reacted quickly, twisting his body to avoid the searing stream. He failed to dodge it completely however, the tip of his tail being set ablaze instantly. The wild screaming was immediate, and Spike almost felt bad for the pegasus as he flailed, beating at the fire with his hooves while simultaneously trying to fly away; the combination only resulting in is steady plummet downwards.

The vile insults he spat while doing this killed any sympathy he had for the pony.

Once again, Spike found himself swept off his feet as Amy finally turned her attention to the townsfolk roped into trying to capture her. The pyrotechnics seemed to give them pause, but the braver of their numbers were cautiously edging closer, a look of obvious thought on their faces as they tried to decide the best way to stop the dragons without ending up well-done.

Amy never allowed them a chance to find an answer as she resorted to her favorite escape tactic, taking a deep breath and blowing out a large cloud of black smoke. Shouts of surprise were ignored as the dragoness sprinted between two buildings, using the extra cover to ensure they weren’t followed this time.

The following few moments were utterly disorienting for Spike as Amy carried him ever closer to the edge of the small town; ducking and diving to avoid the sight of anyone, regardless of whether or not those individuals were even looking for them. There were more than a few sharp turns, and his sister even climbed over a few structures to make a clean escape.

Soon, the two dragons were out of the small pocket of civilization, but Amy didn’t stop, leaping with a panicked grace across boulders and rocky spires. It registered in Spike’s mind that they were actually traveling up the mountain Bedville’s mine was dug into the side of. “Uh, I think we lost them, Amy,” the smaller dragon commented, doing his best to look behind him without dropping anything.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry. They’ll come looking for us once they realize we’ve left the town; I’d prefer being far away when that happens,” Amy replied distractedly. The terrain was inclining the further they went, and Amy was now occasionally pulling herself, one-clawed, up cliffs.

This was no doubt rather strenuous while carrying such a heavy load if the grunts and twinges in her expression were any indication, and Spike said as much. “Okay, they will probably be coming for us, maybe you shouldn’t wear yourself out like this.” He tried to force a smile. “I don’t think I’ll be able to knock enough of them out like I did that gryphon, after all. You should save your strength, you know?”

Amy didn’t respond for a while, eyes focused ahead as she scanned for the next claw-hold to ascend with. Finally, she spoke. “A little further, at the first good hiding spot, I’ll take a breather. Is that okay?”

Spike, a little surprised, and fairly relieved that his sister was actually listening to him on this matter, nodded his head. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea… How far do you plan on climbing?”

The younger dragon was jostled and had to scramble to keep a tablet piece from slipping away as Amy jumped up to pull herself over another rock face. “Far enough that we’ll only have to worry about flyers finding us.” She paused a moment, adjusting her grip on Spike while he did the same with their supplies. “After that… I don’t really know. I didn’t expect Zariba to look for me here so soon.”

She growled suddenly. “That was stupid of me, I shouldn’t have underestimated him. The two of us have been going at it for years now, always trying to best each other. He’s even gotten the better of me more times than I care to admit, so I should have been prepared for something like this… I should know him as well as he knows me.”

Not knowing how to comfort her, Spike remained silent while his sister continued climbing. There were a few moments where the younger dragon feared that they’d fall or that he’d be dropped, but Amy proved herself quite competent at scaling mountains, and the two were soon hidden within the shadows of an overhang.

Behind him, Amy rummaged through their supplies for the water canteen while Spike stared out at the cloudless horizon. As long as he didn’t look down at the desolate landscape below, the sight was vaguely reminiscent of the ones he had often witnessed from the outskirts of Canterlot, and he found it soothing at the moment.

“Don’t get too close the edge, Spike. We wouldn’t want you being spotted,” the dragoness called. “Why don’t you come over here and have a drink?”

Humming, Spike did as his sister bade, crawling the short distance between them to lean against the rock wall before accepting the canteen. “So… what are we going to do now?” he asked once he’d taken a gulp.

“I… don’t know,” was the disheartening reply. “If he guessed right that I’d be going this way, then he’s probably sent word to every settlement, town, and city between here and Equestria.” She sighed. “We’ll probably get the same welcome wherever we go if we try to get to Equestria. Time passing will make that even more likely.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those guys back there that attacked us, they weren’t organized, which makes sense. We only just escaped the night before after all, so Zariba’s lackeys haven’t had time to set up proper watches and what not.” She gestured vaguely out in front of with a claw. “By the time we manage to hike to anywhere populated, there’s going to be someone waiting for us.

“… I suppose I should look on the bright side; at least we got a chance to pick up some supplies before we were chased out of town.” Though it was meant to sound optimistic, the forlornness in her voice told the younger dragon that her thoughts were anything but positive.

Clenching his jaw, Spike thought hard on their predicament. Amy had said Zariba knew her too well for her to easily outsmart him, but that could be the key to them getting out of this mess. “If Zariba knows what you’re going to do before you do it, then maybe I should decide on what we should do,” Spike suggested. “You were thinking about heading back to Equestria, right? So that just means we have to go somewhere else.”

Amy was silent, and Spike expected his idea to be shot down any moment. As much as he liked to argue otherwise when Twilight treated him like one, he was just a kid. What did he know about pulling one over on a creep like Zariba?

“Where would we go instead then? We don’t have any idea what’s going on with your fire, and the princesses may be the only ones who can fix it.”

Spike blinked a few times, stunned that, when she finally replied, it wasn’t just to dismiss his opinion. Was she really taking him seriously? “That’s not necessarily true,” he began, thoughts turning furiously in his head as he tried to put a plan together while he was still being listened to. “Magic is hard to make permanent. Really hard in fact. Twilight told me so herself when she was studying enchantments.”

“The magic, uh, magic matrix I think it was, of a spell can only hold itself together for so long before it unravels or whatever. Even great spells eventually fall apart most of the time if they don’t have something solid to stick to. Now that I think about it, it probably would have been almost impossible for anyone other than Princess Celestia to enchant my flames in the first place.”

“That’s interesting I guess, but what are you trying to get at?” Amy asked, despondency being replaced with genuine curiosity.

“What I mean is I don’t think what Zariba did to me will last forever. I mean, just like how those guys back in town hadn’t had enough time to set up a trap for us, Zariba could have only known about my special fire for, like, a day tops. It takes Twilight weeks sometimes to get a new spell down just right, and she’s the Element of Magic. There’s no way that zebra could have come up with a spell and cast it well enough to last really long in just one day.”

His words picked up speed with his confidence as all the pieces fell into place in his head. “Yeah, Twilight practiced all sorts of little spells on me, and each time she cast any particular spell the longer it would last. She told me it was because she was getting better at making the matrix stable, something about fewer mistakes for magic to leak out of or something.”

Putting a claw to his chest, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, endeavoring to feel for his flames. Just as it had been the first time he tried this, Spike’s attempt was met with a cold darkness, and its presence made him wish to turn his focus outwards and away from the perverse sensation. He fought the urge however, and clumsily studied the strange magic. Pressing his awareness against the surface, Spike finally did notice something different. A slight, almost non-existent warmth that had not been there before seeped through the barrier.

“It’s only a matter of time,” he mumbled, before increasing his volume. “All we have to do is wait this magic out, and then we can send a message to the princesses so they can get us out of this mess.”

“And how long will that take? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to try and live off of dead land like this for months. Especially when every populated area around here will have eyes watching for us.” Amy said skeptically.

The younger dragon looked at her and smiled. “Like I said, if we can’t get back to Equestria because that’s what Zariba expects us to do, than we just have to go somewhere unexpected.” His smile turned into a full-on grin. “I’d bet the last place he’d expect us to go is after Bahamut’s hoard.”

Amy’s face remained blank for all of five seconds before she shouted, “What!?” Clamping a claw over her mouth, her eyes darted around before she whispered. “Why in the world would we go in the same direction as the zebra who's trying to capture us?”

“Because it’s absolutely crazy,” Spike answered with a confident nod of his head. “Besides, after you risked so much just so Zariba didn’t find the hoard, I know the idea of just going back to Equestria now would hurt… It would hurt a lot.”

Wincing, Amy averted her eyes. “That’s… That’s not true. There are more important things in this world than fulfilling a dream, and I’ve got you to think about.”

“And that’s why I want to do this,” Spike countered, gaze burning. “I don’t want to be the reason you miss your chance at finding Bahumut’s hoard!” He took a deep breath. “Listen, I know what I’m saying is crazy, and dangerous, and crazy dangerous, but it’s not like I haven’t thought about it before now.” The younger dragon turned his head back to the horizon.

“I already knew this was important to you from when we talked about it at Kamaboko Ramen, but it really sunk in after you went back for the journal. This is everything to you, and… and I want to be a part of it.”

Amy pulled him into a hug then, holding the younger dragon to her side. “It’s not everything Spike, I’ve got you now, and Lore Finder too. I don’t want you getting hurt because you think you need to prove yourself to me or earn my love or anything like that. You’re my little brother, the last living member of my family, and you’re…” She stopped to take a deep breath, squeezing him tighter to her body. “You are more important than some treasure.”

“That doesn’t change that I still want to do this,” he shot back, gaining a surprised look from the dragoness. “You’ve been on all these amazing adventures, found all these amazing things, and saved whole countries! Well, this is just like those times! Last night, when we talked about how dangerous some of those artifacts could have been if the bad guys got them instead of you, and then later, I asked you what kind of things Bahamut would have collected. Well, I put the pieces together, and I’m sure you have too.

“Bahamut probably has hundreds of powerful artifacts that could hurt a lot of people all over the world if they fell into the wrong hooves, and I’m pretty sure Zariba’s hooves count as the wrong ones! This isn’t just about me, this is about everyone!”

Spike’s voice had grown in volume as he spoke his mind, but Amy didn’t shush him. Instead, the dragoness stared with wide-eyes into the determined gaze of her little brother. When she finally did make a sound, it wasn’t one of anger, or a lecture about how he was too young to understand such things like he expected, but a snort. This was soon followed by giggles, and then full-blown laughter. “Mom and Dad really would be proud,” she finally said as she got control of her convulsing diaphragm. “Their youngest child, not even rid of his baby fat, and already with a hero’s heart.”

His cheeks burned red and puffed out, displaying the baby fat he was about to deny having, before his sister cut him off. “Okay, we’ll go in the direction of the treasure. If anything, our chances of hitting up the same towns as Zariba’s little caravan are pretty low, so it may be the safest bet.” Spike began to smile widely, but lessened some as the dragoness continued. "But that doesn’t mean we’re going after Bahamut’s hoard. As soon as your fire starts working again, we are going to send a letter back to Equestria, and get you home safely, understood?”

Though he wanted to argue, the little dragon decided not to push his luck; this was more than he could have expected from Twilight after all, and so he nodded. “Yeah, I get it”

The two went quiet once again, Spike taking a sip from the still-open canteen before returning it to his sister.

“So… are you part of a debate club or something in Ponyville? That was a pretty convincing speech you gave there. Very heroic, too.” Amy asked.

Spike shrugged. “Well, I kind of live with a hero for one, see her five heroic friends on a regular basis for two… and read a lot of hero comics for three… I guess it just rubbed off on me.”

“Huh… Lore would be envious. She’s been trying to make me more responsible for years, but I keep getting myself into the most ridiculous situations… I wonder what she’ll have to say about this one.”

“But this time wasn’t your fault, right?”

“Try telling that to her. She’ll probably think I’m passing my bad habits onto you once she finds out what we’re doing.”

“… Twilight’s going to be really mad at me.”

“It’s always the brainy ponies that are the most frightening when they’re angry.”

“Yeah, Twilight literally sets on fire when she gets mad.”

“… What?”

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing.
Also, any ideas on which character bio I should write next? Phantom and Zariba are off limits as they're probably get more character building than others, so who else should I do? Lore? Prose? So many choices.

Chapter 21

"Ain’t nothin’ out there as far as the reports are saying. Those dragons just up and vanished like smoke in the wind,” a rust-colored minotaur said, arms crossed over his bulging pecs as he leaned against the wall. Despite the grey in his mane, the bull was an intimidating example of his species.

Phantom growled, the burnt remains of his tail swishing in agitation. “Well, they’ve got to be somewhere, dragons don’t just disappear,” the pony seethed before slamming a hoof down. “Dammit! They’re purple for crying out loud! They should be easy to see against the dirt and rock!”

The door to the bar slammed open. “Then why aren’t you out there looking yourself, coward!” shouted a gryphon with bandages wrapped around his head, tan feathers poking from beneath them to hang in his face. Spots of red could be seen seeping through the white linen, but the gryphon didn’t seem to care as he glared at Phantom. “In case you haven’t noticed, we don’t have a whole lot of wings to spare in Bedville, so somepony like you who’s hiding in the bar while the rest of us do your job doesn’t have any right to moan about it.”

“I’m coordinating the hunt! I need to be in town!”

“Pfft, yeah, keep telling yourself that,” the gryphon said with a roll of his blue eyes. “I’ve searched a few miles south of town, but I didn’t see ‘em. I’m starting to think you were right about where they went, Anvil. What do we do now?” This was directed at the large minotaur, who grunted and stepped forward.

“I can tell you what you should do. Go see the doc and have that head re-bandaged. Looks like you sprung another leak there, Gerard.” When the gryphon’s irritation visibly grew, Anvil added. “You could take the time to visit Gertie while you’re at it. I’m sure she’ll want to see you when she wakes up.”

Instantly, Gerard’s expression hardened. “My head’s fine. I’m not going to waste time getting it looked at again while that dragon is running free.” Looking away, he continued more quietly. “Besides, there’s no point in waiting for sis to wake up when the doc doubts it will even be today.” He returned to glaring into the minotaur’s eyes. “I’m more use in the air than grounded right now, so tell me where to fly already.”

With a rumbling sigh, Anvil responded, “At least take a seat for now; we’re waitin’ for the rest of the fellas to get back right now.” Moving to the table to sit across from Phantom, the minotaur poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher set out for them and leaned back, ignoring the creaks of protest from the chair. “What’d the doc have to say about Gertie, anyway? I heard she got hit pretty hard.”

Accepting the change of topic for what it was instead of trying to get directions from the bull, Gerard sat on his haunches. “The hit wasn’t what put her in the hospital, the landing was. The concussion may have been from the dragon's tail, but she twisted her neck up something bad,” the gryphon explained, voice tight. “Even when she comes around, she won’t be flying for a while… I don’t know what we’re going to do with her out of commission; our rag tag group of a weather team can barely get by when she’s keeping us organized.”

Anvil grunted, looking into his cup and swirling the contents. “That’s not gonna be good for the towns water supply; as much of it comes from what you birds manage to squeeze out of the clouds as it does from the wells… Minin’s gonna be slowed down too.”

Phantom huffed. “That sister of yours got off easy if you ask me. I’m all for enthusiasm, but diving in like that without a plan and picking a fight with a dragon? She’s lucky she didn’t get roasted.”

“Yeah, well nobodys talking to you. Maybe if you did more than just scream and shout the entire time, that dragon would be hogtied in a cell right now instead of running loose.” The words were practically spat at the pegasus, and it looked like Gerard was going to get violent before the doors swung open.

“-believe we haven’t been able to find them yet. I was hoping I could have another go at the little lady, see how well she does when I’m ready for her,” Strong Arm the minotaur was saying as he walked in with Ironwork. “She definitely wouldn’t be landing another hit like this one, that’s for sure.” He patted the large bruise in his abdomen before wincing. “I hope not anyway, my guts probably aren’t in the best shape.”

“You could always go see the doctor if it’s worrying you. I’m kind of worried myself. That’s a wicked bruise and I don’t want you passing out in the street. Dragging a big lug like you to the hospital would be a pain in the rear,” replied Ironwork as he pulled up a chair and sat with the others.

“Ha! It’d be good exercise for you, maybe you’d start looking like a proper minotaur instead of a twig!”

“Stop teasin’ the lad, Strong, we got more important things to be talking about,” Anvil interrupted, getting the laughing bull to quiet and Ironwork to break off his glare. “So you didn’t find anything then. Well, that pretty much confirms it; those dragons fled up the mountain. Pretty darn fast too if they weren’t even spotted.” Anvil looked to the pegasus. “What do you plan to do now, Phantom? Seems your criminals got away, and I doubt they’d come back through here.”

The scarred pony put his head in his hooves with a groan. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to send somebody up there to look for them.”

“And by somebody, I hope you’re talkin’ ‘bout yourself,” Anvil cut in, leaning forwards and placing a large forearm on the table. “I was gonna wait until everyone filled in, but I might as well make this clear now; we agreed to go after the dragons when they came to town, and we did just that.” His nostrils flared. “At personal cost to us I might add. I’m sorry they got away, but I can’t go sendin’ my people out on a hunt when there’s work to be done here in town.” He gestured to Gerard who looked like he wanted to say something. “You heard ‘im, our weather team is shot as it is, so we can’t have the rest of our flyers off on a wild goose chase.”

“But-!” Phantom was interrupted by the entrance of Gem Mill and a grey earth pony, the former looking nervous and the latter with a blank expression save for a small wince that came with some of his steps. “You got to do this for Gem, don’t you? You all owe him right?”

“We do, and we’ll keep doin’ what we said we would. If those two are insane enough to come through town again, they’ll be finding themselves in a cell right quick.” He waved a hand at the pony in question, who was shifting under the attention and trying to avoid the angry eyes of Phantom. “I’m sure Mill will agree with me on this that traveling the wastes for a couple of criminals he doesn’t even personally know while the town is in dire straits is going above the call of friendship, or even fulfilling a couple debts.”

“He… He’s right Phantom. I’m sorry, but Dr. Zariba is going to have to find those two on his own. I’ve done what he’s asked, so we’re even,” Gem said, getting up the nerves to look Phantom in the eye. “We’ll keep a lookout here, but I’m not going to ask my… my friends to risk their lives any more than that. Especially not for that zebra.”

Phantom growled, but didn’t get a chance to respond before the gryphon spoke. “You don’t need to ask; I volunteer.” All eyes fell upon Gerard’s determined features. “I wouldn’t be able to look sis in the eye if I didn’t try everything I could to make sure that dragon got put away.”

“Now wait a minute, you just got done sayin’ how hard it’s gonna be collecting water with Gertie out of commission, you can’t go flyin’ off now,” Anvil protested.

“Maybe, but they’ll have to make do,” Gerard shot back. “I’m not going to let some dragon get away with hurting the only family I have!”

“This whole talk seems pretty pointless to me,” said the grey earth pony that had remained quiet until now. “That mountain has more than enough nooks and crannies to hide in. Unless you’ve got an army looking, you won’t be finding someone up there when they don’t want to be found.” Turning to Phantom, his expression became icy. “You got an army, lad? Or would you rather try and take a whole town away from its work for this vendetta of yours?”

“Vendetta? I don’t give a damn about those beasts beyond what my boss asks. If he didn’t want them brought in and the valuables they stole returned, I wouldn’t even be here!” Phantom nearly shouted.

“Well, technically, Dr. Zariba didn’t ask you to bring them back, right? Just to set up a watch to ensure there’d be ponies keeping an eye out for them if they came through town.” Gem Mill shrunk a little under everyone’s attention. “I only got one chance to read through the letter before it was, ah, lost, but I’m pretty sure he expected you back in a few days. You’ve probably spent as much time here as he figured it would take to do what he asked, and we will be keeping vigilant, so why not just head back?”

Phantom was about to snap back that he could do no such thing until he actually put some thought into it. Really, once a tight enough net was laid and the right individuals were chosen to make up the trap, the pegasus was meant to fly straight back to where the caravan was and follow the tracks left behind until he caught up. He also remembered there being instruction left for Gem Mill on how to contact the group while they were on the move if Bedville actually managed to capture the dragons. Phantom hoped the red earth pony had that bit of the letter memorized before it got torn apart.

He shook his head. “The boss wouldn’t like that I just left you here to handle things now that the thieves have actually been spotted.”

“He also wouldn’t like you wasting time here when there’s nothing you can do,” Mill countered. “I may not know him as well as you, but I know this much; Dr. Zariba is very astute business stallion. He likes to allocate his resources where they’ll be the most productive. And this?” He waved a hoof around the room. “This isn’t one of those places.”

Phantom found himself rolling Mill’s words around in his head once again. The earth pony really was giving him the perfect excuse to wash his hooves of this whole Bedville debacle, and he was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. If anything, he could shift blame onto Mill and the inhabitants of this backwater mining settlement and let them deal with an irate zebracorn.

“So what? You’re just going let them get away? We’re not even going to try and find them?” snapped an irritated Gerard, glaring around the table.

“Hardly,” Phantom grumbled. “That overgrown lizard has been a thorn in the side of my group for near as long as we’ve been around. She’ll be showing up eventually I’m sure' she always does.” The most recent meeting came to Phantom’s head. All the way out in the middle of nowhere by himself, and Amethyst Thistle still ended up showing up to try and scorch him.

“Then I’ll go with you,” Gerard said instantly.

“Are you daft, boy?” Anvil said, voice rising. “First you wanted to go gallivanting through the mountain for who knows how long, and now you want to go running off with people you don’t even know? Just let it go, Gerard! Stay where you’re needed; where your sister is.”

“Bedville got along just fine before Sis and I came here, and it’ll do just fine when one of us leaves. I’m going to do this, and nothing you say is going to change that,” Gerard snapped.

Anvil looked ready to shout, but paused when the grey earth pony spoke up. “Let him go, Anvil. You know how stubborn the boy can get.”

“Wha-? Is everyone goin’ nuts around here?” the minotaur asked in bewilderment. “You can’t be serious, Grey. The boy is gonna wind up getting himself killed out there! He’s lettin’ his anger get the better of him; that’s no way to go into anything, especially a fight with a dragon!”

“Hey! I can handle myself just fine!”

“No you can’t,” Grey interrupted, shooting a look at Gerard before directing it and Anvil. “If you’d let me finish, I’d tell you that Gerard won’t be going alone. I’m going keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid to get himself killed.”

“I don’t need an eggsitter!”

The gryphon was ignored as Anvil stared with narrowed eyes at the earth pony. “And why would you do that? I don’t see how this benefits the town, Gerard, or you for that matter. What are you up to, Grey Stone?”

“I’ve got my reasons sure enough. That’s all you need to know for now.” Turning to Phantom, Grey asked, “So how about it? That sound good to you, Crispy? Two volunteers, free of charge. I think your boss would like that.”

Eyelid twitching, the pegasus grit out, “Why would I want an earth pony slowing me down? It’s already going to be a long enough flight without having you crawling along the ground behind us.”

“Gerard will carry me most of the way I’m sure. He’s a strong enough flyer for that, aren’t you lad?”

Instead of answering, the gryphon spoke to Anvil. “If Grey goes with me, will you quit trying to stop me?”

Rubbing his forehead, Anvil groaned, but still answered. “I’d still rather you stick around and help the other flyers, but Grey is right, you’re too stubborn for your own good. At least with a level head keepin’ track of ya, you aren’t likely to get into too much of a jam.”

“Then he comes,” Gerard replied curtly. “When will we be setting out?”

Dropping his head hard onto the table, the scarred pegasus nonetheless gave in and began outlining when and where they’d be flying, resigning himself to having extra baggage for the trip.

While this happened, Anvil stood up and walked past Grey Stone, giving him a tap on the shoulder as he did. Silently, the pony stood up and followed until they were out of earshot of the others. “So, you want to tell me what you’re up to, or should I start guessin’?” the minotaur questioned.

“Something just doesn’t feel right about all this, hasn’t since scar face over there showed up as a matter of fact,” said the earth pony, jerking his head towards the outsider. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to be accused of judging a book by its cover, but the way he acts? The way that dragoness acted when she was running? It just doesn’t add up. She never tried for a killing blow even when she had more than enough opportunity. And the other one…”

“The little one,” Anvil supplied as he closed his eyes and found the closest surface to lean on. “We talked about this already when you pulled me aside before; age don’t mean much in the way of dragons. They age slowly for one, and you’ve heard the stories miners tell about ‘em. How they can grow and shrink when treasures involved… Besides, I’d rather not think about what this would imply about Gem Mill. He’s a good guy; he’s always done right by this town, and is a personal friend of mine. I don’t think he’s one for huntin’ children.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Grey Stone replied after a spell, jaw clenching. “But maybe you’re wrong too, and I’d rather not risk something horrible happening to a child when I could have been there to change it.”

Anvil stared at his old friend, meeting Grey’s fiery gaze with a cool one before sighing. “Gerard’s not the only stubborn one around here… Just don’t spend so much time watchin’ the boy’s back and trying to save little dragons that you forget to watch out for yourself. I don’t want to go lookin’ for another drinkin’ buddy that can actually keep up with me.”

Grey Stone chuckled at the minotaur’s smirk and started back towards the table and the animated discussion being held there. “Come on, Anvil, I’ve survived two cave-ins, I don’t think you’ve got to worry about me.”

His smirk becoming slightly more forced, Anvil muttered under his breath. “Somebody's got to; Asterion knows you won’t do it yourself.”

~8~

Amy was looking over the map silently as her brother slept, the first rays of dawn providing the light as she planned their next move. She was thankful that she had tossed the parchment atop the rest of their purchases the day prior as it was proving invaluable now.

The mountain she and her brother now hid upon, as well as Bedville below, were clearly marked on the map along with many other notable landmarks. This, combined with the rough sense of direction provided by the rising sun, gave Amy a clear idea of where to go.

“Ugh, shut the curtains will ya. It’s too early,” came a grumble from behind. The dragoness smirked as she looked over her shoulder with fondness towards the ball of purple scales, tiny claws pulling a tail up over a tired face.

Using her own, spade-tipped tail, Amy prodded the small dragon. “There’s no such thing as too early for an adventurer, Spike. Now come on and get up. You’ll have plenty of time to doze during your first long sleep. Right now, we’ve got to get moving.”

It took a few more insistent pokes before Spike swatted at the offending appendage and sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Fine, I’m up, I’m up,” he grumbled. “You’re as bad as Twilight.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear she doesn’t let you laze about, then.” Amy said, reaching to her side and tossing a bag at her brother. “Now eat up and get a drink of water. Not a lot since we’ll have to ration our supplies, but enough to hold you over until we get down the mountain.”

Spike shielded his eyes against the morning light. “We’re going during the day? What if we get spotted?”

“I haven’t seen anyone for a while; I think it’s safe to assume they’ve given up on finding us for now, so as long as we don’t get close to Bedville I think we’re good.” She scooped up the map and moved over to Spike as he pulled out the canteen and a clawful of nuts. She herself took a few slices of dried apples to nibble and wash down with a sip of water.

“But if we’re going down the mountain, won’t we be passing right by the town?”

“If we went down the way we came, then yeah, but that’s not the way we’ll be going.” Amy explained after her first slice. “It’ll be tough, and definitely a bit of a gamble with how little food we have for the trip, but I think going around the mountain a ways will be worth the time and energy to ensure not having to fight our way out of another jam.” She drew just enough water from their canteen to wet her tongue and lips before capping it. “I know they tend to glorify it in all those adventure stories in Equestria, jumping in and beating the bad guys, but believe me, the last thing you want to do when you’re out in the middle of nowhere is pick a fight. Injuries, even small ones when you’re far from medical attention can be serious problems.”

“But aren’t the Daring Do books based off of your adventures? Prose Worthy said he gets a lot of inspiration from you,” Spike asked.

The dragoness blushed. “E-exaggerations! Prose exaggerates all that stuff. I don’t go around picking fights or falling into traps like that! I’m not some greenhorn explorer or something.” Amy began to fidget under her brother’s incredulous stare until she blurted out, “My enemies are way more conniving and devious than that idiot Ahuizotl though! So of course they’ve managed to get me in a bind once or twice. A less experienced adventurer would be caught way more though.”

At this point, Spike was struggling not to break his blank expression as he watched his sister’s embarrassed fumbling, but prevented the twitch of his lips from turning into a full-blown smile long enough for the dragoness to throw her arms up in defeat. “Fine, so I get in more than a few fights! And yeah, I’ve been caught on more than one occasion, but I’m still not nearly as bad as Daring Do!”

Falling backwards, the younger dragon finally began to laugh, and his sister scowled at him soon after. “That’s not funny, Spike.”

“Yeah it is,” he responded as his laughter died down and he took a few deep breaths. “Seriously, I know you’re a good adventurer, and you’re probably right, going around the mountain is a good idea, but that doesn’t mean teasing you is any less hilarious. You’re almost as easy as Twilight.”

Amy glowered at the little dragon. “I’m glad I’m entertaining you,” she said, folding up the map. “Now, if you’re done laughing at my expense, help me pack things up and figure out how I’m going to carry it all along with you.”

Sitting up, Spike wiped a tear from his eye and asked, “Carry me? Why do you need to do that?”

“Mountain climbing is dangerous business; I want to make sure you don’t get hurt, and I’d rather not carry you the same way I did on the way up. It was too unsteady.”

The edge of his lips turned down. “I’ve got claws and legs the same as you, Amy. As long as we’re not going as fast as you were yesterday, you don’t need to carry me. I’m not going to let myself be a burden to you if I can help it.”

Amy giggled. “While I appreciate the sentiment, and I’ll be sure to hold you to it later, I think it would be for the best if we do this my way.”

Shaking his head, Spike refused. “Nah-ah, I’m not changing my mind on this. I’m doing this on my own.”

The dragoness stared at the young face filled with determination; the same determination she recognized from her younger self. The same determination she now knew was actually immature stubbornness. Even so, she sighed. “Fine, you can try it solo.” Mumbling under her breath, she added, “You’ll change your mind soon enough I’m sure.”

Beaming over his victory, Spike knew his sister was going to be impressed by his climbing skills.

The young dragon strained, sweat beading on his forehead as he reached for the hand hold a mere inch away from his claws. Spike hated to admit it, but he probably wasn’t in the best of shape after living as a librarian’s assistant and riding on said librarian’s back most of the time. It was only now, a mere ten minutes into the climb that he realized this and that he maybe should have taken Amy up on her offer.

Eyes screwed shut, the sudden burst of vertigo and feeling of his foot slipping were all the warning he got as he no doubt fell to his doom and began screaming. “Ahhhh!… Ahhh…! Ah-!”

“Seriously, Spike, how high do you think we are?” the annoyed voice of his sister asked. The little dragon’s heart clenched at the idea that Amy would throw her life away to fall after him, and he risked glimpsing the rapidly approaching rocks to see her one last time. “Hey, how’s it hanging?”

Spike looked from his smirking sister, down to the tail wrapped around his waist, to the ground below as he gently swung back and forth. “Oh… Can we not tell anybody about this, please?”

“No promises,” was the reply before Amy grunted and tossed him to the ledge a couple of feet away. “As morbidly funny as it was, maybe try not to make so much noise, eh? We are still trying to hide, after all.” A few seconds later, the dragoness joined him on the ledge and began adjusting the makeshift packs and straps binding their things to her back.

With a forced chuckle he mumbled, “Yeah, I’ll do that,” Spike got up. “Okay, maybe climbing is a little tougher than I thought, but I still have to learn. I don’t think there’s enough room on your back for me.”

Amy hummed as she sat down, legs dangling over the edge. “Maybe, but we’ll have to figure something out. I may not catch you next time.” Spike mimicked her position and put his own mind to work.

A solution came to Amy first, and the younger dragon soon found himself tied to the end of Amy’s tail. Certainly, it was an odd setup, but the compromise allowed him to climb under his own power while still giving Amy the ability to help him along and not have to worry about him dropping a few hundred feet.

It was in this way that the pair of dragons traversed the mountain, rounding a large portion of it before descending to begin their long journey. Where it would conclude, neither was certain, but working together, they could only believe that they would come out on top.

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire
I have finally decided to write the chapters with the extra spaces between paragraphs... Hope you enjoy

P.S.
Come on, you know you want to read it. Construction, Repair.

Chapter 22

As expected, it had taken more than twice as long to catch up with the caravan because of Grey’s lack of wings, and Phantom wished the earth pony knew how lucky he was that Gerard had refused to allow him a turn at carrying the heavy lug. If he had, the pegasus would have developed a sudden, severe and altogether tragic case of butter hooves.

Instead, Grey Stone was placed gently upon the ground by his companion behind the caravan which had slowed to a stop. Phantom could already spot the familiar top hat of his employer before he touched down. “Ah, Phantom, it’s so nice of you to join us. However, I must admit to being surprised; I didn’t think you’d return for at least another day. I also didn’t expect you to be bringing guests."

To anyone else, Zariba would have sounded entirely cheerful, but where others heard curiosity, the pegasus heard accusation. “Er, sorry boss, there were a few… hiccups, in Bedville.”

“Hiccups? Oh no, I can’t say I like hiccups at all. Mind telling me what this ‘hiccup' was?” the zebracorn asked, voice growing tight before he turned his smile to Grey and Gerard. “Or perhaps your friends here would like to explain. No offence Phantom, but you do tend to lie like a foal when you’ve done something wrong. I’m sure these fine gentlefolk won’t leave anything out.”

Phantom went to defend himself, but Gerard spoke first, “Yeah, hiccup.” The gryphon snorted. “That code for ‘I’m a total coward who won’t do jack when others are doing my job'? Because that about sums up what went wrong.”

“Now come on, Gerard. I don’t like Crispy here either, but he can’t be blamed for everything that went wrong, only about three quarters of it.” The bird snorted, but didn’t interrupt as Grey continued. “Those dragons blew through town just like your boy said they would, but it wasn’t even a full day later. Might as well have been no warning at all with the zilch prep work we got done.”

Dr. Zariba hummed with a frown. “You don’t say? Even I have to admit that is unexpected. I didn’t think Amethyst could cover such a distance in such a short time, let alone with a child in tow.” Shaking his head, the smile returned. “Oh well, one can’t be right all the time, can they?”

Grey’s ayes narrowed minutely. “No, I don’t suppose so. Kid didn’t seem like he’d be too much of a hindrance. From what I heard, the little fella showed quite the spine when his friend was in danger. Damn near gave Gerard here a concussion in fact.”

“Oh? Now that must have been an interesting scuffle,” Zariba noted. “Perhaps that’s why you’re here? A bit of vengeance?”

“You could say that,” huffed the gryphon. “Bedville doesn’t take kindly to outsiders coming in and roughing up its citizens, and those two did exactly that.” Punching a fist into his palm, he added, “Grey Stone and I came along to make sure those dragons pay for what they did.”

Brow raised, the zebracorn asked, “And what makes you think that you’ll find justice with us?”

“Phantom said that you’d be having a run in with the dragons. The way I figure it, if that’s true, then going with you will be the best bet for finding them.”

Zariba mulled over the response before nodding. “Yes, I suppose that does make sense. Miss Thistle has always been the proverbial thorn in my side and I don’t see that changing any time soon.” Spinning on his hooves, the doctor began walking. “We might as well set up for lunch now that we’re stopped. I need to debrief Phantom and get our new companions settled anyway.” He looked over his shoulder. “Come along you three, we have much to discuss.”

“Well,” Gerard began, adjusting the small pack on his back as he watched the pegasus fly after his employer. “That was easier than I expected. Figured somebody who’d have Phantom working for them would be dumb and hard to talk to, but he seems reasonable enough.”

Grey gave him a sideways look. “Really? Are you just ignoring the skull-face or did you go blind? If that zebra isn’t bad news, then I’m not an earth pony.” He made a show of tapping his forehead then looking at his back. “Darn, coulda been an alicorn princess.”

“You don’t have to be smart about it,” snapped the gryphon. “Aren’t you old wizened types suppose be going on about not judging books by their covers and all that crap?”

“First, I’m not that old, and second, that kind of thinking is right for just about every talking critter out there except equines.” Grey Stone gestured to his boulder of a cutie mark, a pickax sending a fissure down the middle. “In case you haven’t noticed, we tend to be pretty on the nose.”

“So what, you’re saying we can’t trust this guy at all just because he’s a bit spooky looking? Wow, old and paranoid- Ow!”

“Now who’s the one getting smart?” Grey said as he placed the hoof he just thumped Gerard with back on the ground and started trotting after their escorts. “Listen, we’ll stick with them for now, but I want you to keep your eyes peeled, alright? If something's fishy around here, I don’t want to risk sitting in the stench longer than needed.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll be careful. Just worry about yourself, old timer,” grumbled the gryphon as he began to follow. “From the looks of it, I don’t have much competition in the air, but there are plenty of dogs and ponies for you to contend with if things go sour. Don’t be expecting me to try and fly you out if a fight goes down.”

“Pfft, like anyone around here could take me anyway.”

As they made their way around a newly set up cooking fire, the largest diamond dog either of them had ever seen stepped into view and gave them a scowl before wandering off.

Gerard quickly snapped his beak shut and looked to his companion. “If you say so.”

Grey schooled his own expression and cleared his throat. “He’s probably real slow, big ones like that usually are.”

“Sure, but maybe don’t try and find out, eh? I’d rather not explain to Anvil how his oldest friend got turned into paste.”

“He’d be more upset with not being able to say, ‘I told you so’” mumbled the earth pony. “… Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”

~8~

Spike grimaced as Amy pulled another strip of semi-charred meat from the vulture carcass and tossed it into her mouth to be chewed loudly. “I can’t believe you’re eating that. It looked nasty even before you cooked it.”

“Eh, it’s not too bad; a bit gamey though,” Amy responded as she worked her tongue against a piece of gristle stuck between her teeth. “Can’t be picky when you’re surviving in the wild. You should try some.”

The younger dragon recoiled from the chunk of smelly flesh offered to him. “No thanks, I’ll just stick with this,” Spike answered as he ate another dried apple slice. Really, even if the meat wasn’t the most unappealing kind he had come across since traveling with Amy, the rotting rabbit the bird had been eating was still fresh in his mind and quelling his appetite.

“Suit yourself, but you never know when you’ll come across prey in a place like this,” Amy responded with a shrug. “Surprised you won’t try though. You liked the hare and rattle-snake.”

“Augh, don’t mentions hares for a while. Seeing that last one is why I can’t stomach meat right now.” He gestured at the fowl. “Are you even sure that thing’s safe to eat? Besides being the ugliest bird ever, I heard vultures eat some pretty gross stuff. I mean, it even tried to puke on you when you were catching it.”

“It was just trying to get me to back off. It wasn’t sick or nothing.” She gestured to the meal. “Didn’t work either.”

Spike rolled his eyes at the macabre humor and went about crunching some nuts. “So, how much longer until we reach somewhere, anyway? We must have made some pretty good progress today.”

Humming, Amy pulled out the map and unrolled it. “Well, I suppose that depends a bit on where we’re going.”

“You still haven't decided?”

“Hey, we still got a little ways before the paths are actually different, and this is an important decision,” retorted the elder dragon. “Zariba will be stopping at one of these two outposts and I’d rather not be there when he does.”

“Is there any way you can know which one that’ll be?”

“Well, no, but-”

“Then just choose already,” Spike stated with finality. “Watch, it’s easy.” Bringing a claw down to the map, the young dragon began a rhyme and shifted between the options. “Rich mare, poor mare, beggar mare, thief, doctor, merchant, buffalo chief!” With that, the tip of his claw stopped and he leaned down. “There, we’ll go to Burrowton.”

Amy quirked a brow. “Really, Spike? You’re gonna leave our fate up to a counting rhyme?”

“Hey, you weren’t coming up with anything better,” he shot back. “And what’s wrong with counting rhymes? It was good enough to decide who got the last chocolate chip cookie when Twilight’s mom baked them, and those were much higher stakes than this. Twilight really likes her mom’s cookies.”

For a moment, it looked like the dragoness was going to question what exactly her brother meant, but shook her head. “Fine, we’ll go to Burrowton. If anything, we’ll at least be able to score some primo gems while we’re there.”

“Why’s that? Is it a mining town like Bedville?”

“Sort of,” Amy answered as she rolled the map up. “It’s a diamond dog den more than anything as the bulk of the ‘town’ is underground and it’s not exactly modern. The only reason it even shows up on the map is because the dogs are willing to trade their gems for whatever they can’t make themselves.”

Hesitance entered Spike’s eyes. “Sooo it’s like a bunch of underground tunnels filled with feral diamond dogs.”

“No… Well, yeah, but feral is putting a bit of a negative spin on them,” answered Amy, “it’s not like they’re going to eat us or anything. I’ve been there before and the dogs were pretty nice.” The dragoness put a claw to her chin in contemplation. “That said, they may have been on their best behavior on account of me being a dragon and all. Like they thought if they angered me that I was going to steal all their gems for my hoard or something. I did get more than a few wary looks, thinking back.”

Lowering her claw she leaned forward. “Speaking of wary looks, what’s with yours? You don’t have something against diamond dogs, do you?” concern leeched into her eyes. “I know Cujo and his gang didn’t leave a good impression, but you saw all the dogs back home who weren’t causing trouble.”

Spike shook his head. “No, it’s nothing like that… Er, not really, anyway.” Taking a deep breath, he brought his claws together. “I get it, you know? It’s not right to judge people for things others did, but back in Ponyville, a… really good friend was captured by some diamond dogs kind of like how these Burrowton ones sound, and they tried to make her a slave. Sure, by the time we showed up to rescue her, Rarity already had them begging for us to take her and leave, but the whole thing was scary.”

The young dragon sighed. “I was right there when they grabbed her, and I couldn’t do anything but run back to town screaming for help… Going to Burrowton just brought up the memories is all, it’s not like that’s going to happen again. I’m just being stupid.”

“You’re not being stupid, Spike,” stated Amy with conviction. “You’re admitting that something was bothering you before it became a problem down the road. If you want, we can still go the other way. No need to make this whole fiasco more traumatic than it’s already been.”

Spike blinked a few times before a smile pulled at his lips. “No, we’ll go to Burrowton and I’ll meet the nice diamond dogs who may have been rightfully afraid of my dragoness sister who was probably tempted to steal all their gems.” He puffed his chest out. “I, the heroic Spike, will conquer my fears.”

“Hey, I don’t steal… unless the original owners are long gone or if it’s from criminals.” The mock look of indignation on the older dragon’s face began to sober. “Heh, then again, you are the heroic one, so I guess your moral judgment is more accurate than mine.” With a sigh, Amy leaned back on her palms to stare at the sky. “Facing your fears head-on instead of taking the easy way of avoiding them… I couldn’t do that.”

Without warning, a fair portion of the air in her lungs was forced out by a jab to her gut. “Oomph! Hey! What’s the big idea-!”

“Stop talking like that!” Spike interrupted sharply. “I’ve already forgiven all that, so stop feeling guilty about it. The only thing that matters is what’s happening now, okay?”

Though it had meant to sound resolute, a hint of pleading seeped into the young dragon’s words, and Amy found her heart twinge. “Sorry about that. I was being mopey and stupid. Kind of hard not to be sometimes when you get into tough situations, you know?”

Spike stared for a few moments, eyes narrowed slightly before relaxing his expression and nodding. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Twilight’s gotten all sad like that before when things start to go bad, but it always works out as long as she can see the bright side.”

Amy’s raised eyebrow posed an unspoken question as clearly as if she’d asked aloud. “Like now for instance. Sure we’re in the middle of nowhere, but we got away from that crazy zebra at least.” He held up the considerably lighter bag of dried rations. “We have food and water and still half of a sugar diamond… And we have each other too.” He suddenly gave a cocky look. “Something you should really be thankful for. I’m great company, after all.”

“Pfft, sure are,” responded Amy with a mock eye roll. “I’m sure I’ll read all about how humble you are in your autobiography, right?”

“It’s definitely gonna be a must read,” said Spike with a nod and his arms crossed. “I’ll send you a signed copy when this is all over.”

With a final snort, the dragoness tossed Spike the water and started gathering their things. “How generous. Here, drink up and get ready. We’ve rested long enough and I’d like to reach a town sometime tomorrow.” Standing, she asked, “Still Burrowton, right?”

“Right,” he answered as he wiped his lips dry and stood. Handing the last of their dried goods over, the small dragon moved to his sister’s side and began walking. “Augh, do you really have to bring that thing?”

Amy looked at the cooked bird in her claw, swallowing down a chunk of flesh. “Of course I do, there’s still meat on the bones.”

“Fine, just don’t breathe on me, it stinks,” grumbled Spike, not looking forward to time spent with the temporary third traveling companion. Hopefully there’d be better food at Burrowton that didn’t smell so bad. Probably lots of gemmy goodness he bet. What else would diamond dogs eat?

“Are you even tasting that?” Grey asked his companion as the bird practically inhaled his bowl of stew.

Gulping down a cheek-bulging mouthful, Gerard exhaled loudly and licked his beak. “Of course I am. You’d think I’d waste a meal like this when I’m usually stuck eating Sis’s cooking?” Taking a large whiff of the rising steam, the gryphon hummed and looked over to their dinner companion. “I’m tempted to join the group full-time just so I can eat like this all the time. Really, amazing stuff, Miss Spritz.”

The mare blushed and waved a hoof. “Oh, it’s nothing that outstanding, just something I threw together from last night’s dinner, and that honestly wasn’t my best work on account of how beat I was after the round trip to Ford Junction I was telling you about.”

“I hate to be calling such a beautiful young lady a liar, but I have to agree with Gerard on this one,” said Grey Stone after taking a bite of his own meal. “This is some of the best vegetarian stew I’ve ever had, and the fact that you pulled it off even after such an impressive flight.”

Spritz chuckled. “I’m starting to wish you two would join full-time. It’d be nice to have fellas around that actually appreciate my cooking. Most of these lugs don’t know the difference between quality food and carnival hay-fries.” Looking to Gerard, she smiled wider. “I’m glad the rattlesnake stew is to your liking, too. I hadn’t had a whole lot of opportunity to practice anything other than vegetarian cooking until after I started working for Dr. Zariba, and I have even less experience with non-traditional meats like snake.”

“Definitely couldn’t tell with how great this is. These guys are really lucky to have you with them,” complemented the gryphon as he began to raise the bowl to his beak. “Actually,” the stew stopped just before its destination as Gerard peered curiously over the rim. “How did a mare like you end up with a group like this? No offense, but you don’t exactly fit in.”

Citrus Spritz huffed. “Why’s that? Think I’m not tough enough?” Holding up a metal ladle, she made a threatening motion. “I can protect myself and the boys know not to mess around with the rations without my say so or else they’ll be getting some lumps.”

“Wow, wow, little missy, he wasn’t saying you were weak or anything,” Grey Stone spoke in defense of the cringing gryphon. “Believe me, if there’s any male around here who know not to cross a member of the fairer sex, it’s Gerard. His sister has the meanest right hook in Bedville, after all.”

“Uh, yeah, what he said,” Gerard said, cringing at the crack in his voice. Clearing his throat, he sat up straight. “What I meant was, I’m wondering why you’d be working for someone like Zariba and his gang. Most of them seem the rough and tumble type or outcasts, which you don’t seem like either… Not saying you couldn’t be!”

Narrowing her eyes at the gryphon a moment longer, the mare let her expression ease up and giggled. “I knew what you were getting at the first time; I was just teasing you. Well, that and making sure you knew not to mess with me while you're with us.” Citrus set her bowl down and sighed. “You know, sometimes, when things get really rough, I find myself asking that question too. But then we’ll visit some out-of-the-way settlement in a different kingdom, and I’ll be reminded of why I’m doing this.” Reaching down, she turned her bowl of stew by the rim. “It’s all for this.”

“Uuh, stew?”

Sending a weak glare at Gerard, causing him to look sheepish, she answered, “No, not stew… Well, not entirely. I want to become the world’s greatest chef and open my own restaurant, and traveling is integral to the first of those two goals. Since working for Dr. Zariba, I’ve gotten to experience so many different dishes and culinary styles I’d never have even imagined if I stayed my whole life in Equestria. Not to mention all the different ingredients I’ve gotten to cook with.” She gestured to Gerard’s dish. “How many ponies back home do you think can say they’ve cooked rattlesnake?”

“I suppose that’s a fair enough reason, though I can’t see quite how it justifies such dangerous business,” Grey Stone said.

“Well, bits also play a role of course,” responded Citrus. “Traveling would be expensive on my own, but all Dr. Zariba asks from me is that I cook and manage the food budget, which I love doing anyway. And that’s not even including actual payment. Not only do I not pay rent or utilities, but I’m also getting quite a few bits in my bank account every month on the job.”

Gerard whistled. “Sounds like a pretty sweet gig. Almost too good to be true.”

Averting her eyes, she spoke, “Oh, it’s not perfect by any stretch. What is, you know? But there aren’t exactly a whole lot of options. I’ll be the first to admit that my goals are pretty lofty, so I have to be prepared to make sacrifices and do things I’m not always comfortable with.”

Grey Stone raised a brow and frowned. “Not comfortable with? That zebra doesn’t ask you to do anything… inappropriate, does he?”

Blinking a few times, a luminous blush burst across the young mare’s features as she squeaked, “No! I mean, I guess by the definition of the word, sort of, but not anything like that! I mean, I haven’t even done… that! With anypony yet!”

The stallion leaned back and breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry for insinuating such a thing, Miss Spritz, but, well I haven’t seen any other mares, or any females for that matter around here, and Zariba is a stallion, after all.”

No, I get it, but that definitely hasn’t happened. The doctor is many things, but unprofessional with his employees is not one of them,” Citrus breathed, blush still bright on her face. “That’s not to say there hasn’t been the occasional… invitation from some of the more vocal members around camp, but Dr. Zariba runs a very strict operation and everyone here knows to respect each others boundaries or else face punishment.” A chuckle parted her lips as she added, “Besides, I’ve learned to handle myself since I started here, and everyone knows that all cat calling will get them is a ladle to the noggin.”

Gerard laughed. “I’m liking this mare more and more. She and Sis would get along like two peas in a pod.”

Grey chuckled. “That they would.” The smile dropped. “Though that does leave the question of what exactly the zebra asks you to do that you don’t like.”

Citrus broke eye contact almost instantly and remained silent a moment before mumbling, “I better go make my rounds. Have to make sure everyone’s gotten a bowl and that nobody has tried to sneak seconds yet. Toby’s always trying to steal food, after all.” Taking wing, the mare fluttered away, her own dish in hoof. She called over her shoulder instructions on what to do with their bowls when they were done, but it was obvious she was still trying not to look at them.

After she had left their sight, Grey gave a sideways glance at his companion. “Well, wasn’t that suspicious. I wonder why bringing up the good doctor would have spooked the mare off like that.”

Gerard rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hide his concern as he looked after his new acquaintance. “Yeah, yeah, don’t get sarcastic with me. You’re hard enough to put up with as it is, old timer. Obviously Dr. Zariba is shadier than I thought. That doesn’t change the fact that we have to stick with him if we want to find those dragons.”

“Is it really worth it? We don’t know anything about these folk, or those dragons for that matter. We could be fighting for the wrong side.”

The gryphon shook his head. “That’s not true, we do know something. We know that dragoness hurt Gertie and our friends.”

“But what we don’t know is why,” Grey stressed. “Yes, they hurt ours, but we were attacking them first. I reckon you’d have fought back too if a whole town came after you.” He sighed. “I can’t rightly say I’m okay with what happened, but-”

“But nothing,” interrupted Gerard with a growl. “It doesn’t matter why it happened, only that it did. My sister is in a hospital bed and I’m going to make sure the one responsible ends up the same.” His point made, the gryphon stood and began to stalk off. “I’m gonna see if Citrus needs any help. Maybe clean dishes or something. Come find me when you have your head straight, old timer.”

The stallion set his bowl aside and stood, his joints popping as he stretched. “An eye for an eye, young’un,” he muttered, “you’ll have to learn someday that the world’s not that simple. And that action taken in anger hardly ever ends well.”

Watching the retreating form of his ward as he glared at whoever he made eye contact with, Grey breathed tiredly. The gryphon was probably going to get in a fight at this rate, and Dr. Zariba’s subordinates didn’t seem the type to pull their punches. Oh well, it’d make a good first lesson for the hot-headed youngster. Who knows? Maybe it would serve as a good distraction so Grey could do some snooping. The Zebra had been quite invasive during their discussion; all too eager for every detail he could get out of the two newcomers while hardly telling them anything important in return.

“Until that happens, I’ll see what I can learn from your flunkies first,” Grey said to himself as he searched out a knowledgeable looking candidate. Locking on to an older diamond dog that was berating a lanky one, the stallion made his way over and put on a friendly smile. In that moment, he wished he was back at his favorite bar; a few drinks always helped in loosening lips.

Phantom really wished he had a drink right now. Never mind that booze was partially, if not wholly responsible for his current string of misfortunes, it would help numb the pain of his shredded pride. In a rare bout of optimism, the pegasus consoled himself with the fact that his boss at least didn’t make his dressing-down a public affair. The walls of the tent didn’t stop some of the louder bits from getting out though if the pitying or mocking looks from the others were anything to go by.

“Best not tempt that bitch Fate again,” he said, tone halfway between a grumble and a sigh. “I’ll be pulling extra shifts on night watch and I don’t need a buzz for that.” He’d have argued that his current punishment was just putting the camp at risk, but he didn’t want it to be changed to something worse. Being weighed down with extra chores and generally worked into a state of exhaustion may have upped the chance of him missing some on patrol, but he’d rather not get any creepy zoodoo magic cast on him instead.

Best go see Citrus about getting extra coffee rations for a while, the pegasus thought as he made his way around camp, and asked for the mare. A bowl of stew was added to the list as the smell of food reached his nose.

After a few minutes, he spotted his quarry, but the sight of the one with her earned a groan from the scarred pony. Gerard was walking alongside Citrus as she carefully trod with multiple bowls stacked upon her back and outspread wings. The two appeared to be in the middle of an enjoyable conversation, even if one bore a look of concentration and the other watched with a worried smile.

Also catching his eye was a diminutive diamond dog glaring at the pair from the edge of a tent. What’s he up to, Phantom wondered as he decided to delay his request a moment. Walking over to Albert, Phantom noted the licked clean bowl in his paw and the two-sizes-too-large lab coat he was wearing, the tail stained brown from trailing in the dirt. Must have been eating in his “study” again. I swear, when he wears that thing, he looks like a kid playing doctor.

Leaning down, he whispered, “Eying your crush there, Nile?”

“Wha-?” yelped Albert as he spun around. “Phantom!? Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Ignoring the heated look, Phantom turned a contemplative gaze back to the couple. “Ah, you must be jealous of the new guy, eh? ‘Fraid he’ll steal away the piece of flank you’ve been chasing?”

Albert glowed red. “Sh-shut up you nimrod! Citrus and I are nothing like that! We just happen to share an interest in book collecting...! And don't refer to her in such a disrespectful manner!” Ah yes, between the two of them, the caravan was loaded down with at least a hundred pounds of both history and recipe books accumulated over their travels.

“Sure, sure, whatever you say… Wow, they’re kissing!”

“What!?” Albert’s neck popped from how fast he turned it, only to see Gerard and Citrus still walking slowly in their direction. Looking back to the smirking pegasus, he growled, “That doesn’t prove anything. I was just shocked at the prospect of such a nonsensical occurrence. They’ve just met today and Citrus Spritz is no such mare,” he directed his narrowed eyes at the gryphon, “and she would most definitely not do that with such a suspect individual as him. You must’ve noticed how his cohort was looking at the Dr. Zariba upon their arrival. They’re up to something, and I’ll not let them get away with it.” His chest puffed out. “No one crosses the good doctor while Albert Nile is on guard.”

While he approved of the young pup's distrust as it was always good to be suspicious of newcomers in their line of work, Phantom couldn’t resist one last poke as Citrus and her companion neared. “Ah, so you don’t have feelings for Citrus after all. I guess it was stupid of me to assume you did; it’s pretty obvious your heart yearns only for the zebra you’re so protective of.”

Albert sputtered before managing, “I do not love Dr. Zariba!”

“Wow, okay, what did I just walk into?" a feminine voice questioned. “I was going to introduce you to my friend, Albert here, but maybe now’s not a good time.”

“Citrus!” the dog squeaked as he spun around. “I- That is- Er- Hello!”

“Hi,” was the dry response as Citrus leveled Phantom an unamused look. “I take it you let him rile you up again, Al? You really have to stop getting tricked like that; it’s wrecking that genius image you’re always trying for.”

Albert forced a scoff. “As if someone of such meager intelligence could bait me into making a fool of myself- Ow!”

Phantom, placed his hoof back onto the ground as the small dog rubbed his head. “I was just coming to talk to you, Citrus. How was your trip?”

“Better than yours from what Gerard’s been telling me. You really do have the worst luck.” She tilted her head in contemplation. “Maybe it’s that karma thing I heard about. Well anyway, my wings are getting sore, so what’d you want?”

Phantom raised an eyebrow. “Why doesn’t the gryphon help?”

“She said she’s not allowed to accept any. Boss’s orders,” Gerard answered with a hint of anger.

“It’s no big deal,” the mare said as she gestured for Albert to paw over his bowl. “Hopefully the doctor will forget that it’s supposed to be my punishment and I’ll be able to rope some of the guys into dish washing duty like usual. You still haven’t said why you were looking for me, by the way.”

The scarred pegasus snorted. “That’s wishful thinking. Like the boss would ever forget about making somepony’s life miserable if he was angry with them.” He shook his head. “Anyway, I was going to ask if I could get some extra coffee rations for a while. I’ve got my own punishment to deal with and I’ll need the extra energy.”

A small frown pulled at the mare’s lips. “You know, if I recall, you threw me under the carriage a few days ago when Dr. Zariba was asking who broke out the lemonade. And now you’re asking for favors?” She cut him off as he attempted to defend himself. “Sorry, but that’s a no-go. You know I don’t play favorites around here. You’ll get the same amount of caffeine as the rest of us. Maybe you can barter with someone for their share.” As she began to walk away, she called over her shoulder, “Actually, Albert just got some caffeine pills if I recall. Maybe he’ll share.”

Watching the two go, Phantom looked down to the small diamond dog and opened his mouth, only to once again get interrupted with a curt “No”, before Albert scurried off to poorly tail Citrus and Gerard.

“… Maybe I can talk Cooper into splitting Toby’s share with me.”

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for edits.
Hope you all enjoy.
Also, HUZZAH! 500 upvotes! Not too shabby for my first fanfiction.

Chapter 23

It could be counted on one hoof how many times Celestia had been filled with the sort of dread she was experiencing now… Well, on a hoof that Discord, or perhaps Pinkie had played with prior to counting, but the number was still quite low.

The alicorn sisters decided it would be best to let Twilight sleep through the rest of the night before they told her of Spike's situation; what little they were aware of, that is. Celestia knew her student would be getting little sleep once she learned of what had transpired, and the solar princess hoped to have more information to offer the mare by morning.

That was not the case of course.

The hours before dawn yielded little progress other than to let the roaring flames of her fury die down enough to think levelly. Though she knew nothing could have been done in such a short time, it still twisted Celestia up that she would have so little to ease Twilight’s impending panic and heart ache.

A guard announcing her student’s presence brought Celestia from her thoughts and she granted the young mare entrance. “You wanted to see me, Princess?” Twilight asked a bit apprehensively.

Celestia smiled softly and gestured to the seat across the desk of her study. “No need to be nervous, Twilight. You aren’t in trouble,” she said, the words feeling hollow despite their truth. “I hope your old chambers were still to your liking.”

“Oh yes,” Twilight answered as the tension left her frame. “I always forget how much I miss it until I come visit. The Golden Oaks Library is cozy, but my bed here is much nicer. I almost didn’t want to get up.”

“Yes, I apologize for calling you so early. I’ve barely just raised the sun.” The alicorn looked out the window and couldn’t keep herself from sighing. “But it wouldn’t be right to delay this any longer. Twilight, something happened last night that you need to know about.”

“What is it? Is Equestria in danger again?”

“No, at least, not that I’m aware of,” Celestia answered, worrying her lip a moment before continuing. “As you know, the spell anchored to Spike’s fire is tied directly to my magic; a connection I’ve shared with the young drake for near the entirety of his life.” She forced herself to look at the mare across from her, and the sight pained her. Twilight was a bright mare, it was what made her such an amazing pupil after all, and she had already guessed what it was her teacher was going to say.

“Something happened to Spike, didn’t it? You know from the connection.” Twilight’s eyes were downcast, hidden behind her hairline.

“… Yes, the connection was severed last night by an unfamiliar magic.” Celestia's voice became hard. “He’s alive, I want you to know that Twilight. I felt his life force before it became hidden from my senses. If whoever did this had wanted his death, they would not have bothered with severing our bond with a spell.”

The mere mention of death caused Twilight to shudder, and it was several seconds before she spoke. “Do you know where he was up until then?”

“Somewhere near Ford Junction, though not in the city itself.”

“Then that’s where I’ll go.”

Celestia winced. She knew this was coming, and she dreaded it. “I’ve already sent my best ponies to Ford Junction to investigate. They’ll arrive within the next few days to begin looking into the incident. They have Lore Finder’s address… You don’t have to go, Twilight.” The alicorn had faith in her student’s abilities, but this situation was one she felt the young mare was not prepared to handle.

While she and her friends had defeated the likes of Nightmare Moon and Discord, it had been with the aid of the Elements, and other advantages they were unaware of. Her sister’s compassion and desire to be freed, while buried deep by her captor, had tempered the Nightmare's retaliations, forcing the wicked mare to resort to tactics far less direct and deadly than she would have otherwise used.

As for Discord, Celestia knew the often child-like draconequus would not unleash his full power on the small group of friends, instead choosing to play with them and most likely become the device of his own defeat. She had been confident in their ability to succeed then.

But this was not the same. Twilight did not have some godly being to fire full of rainbows, and this enemy would not hesitate to fight with their full power and malice. Though it had only been a moment, Celestia had seen a soul fully willing to murder without remorse any who stood in their way, and that would include her young student. Simply put, Celestia did not yet think Twilight was ready for this kind of opponent, one that would not be reasoned with or reformed.

They were an evil similar to Sombra in some regards, and Twilight would not have the advantage of them being in a weakened state upon their confrontation.

Twilight may have had the power, but she did not yet have the fighting experience or resolve to do what she could very well have to. Even if she found the latter, it would be resolve born from hatred, and the young mare would never forgive herself.

The solar alicorn regretted providing her student with so little combat training at that moment. It had been a decision born from optimism that she now saw the folly of.

“I do to have to go,” Twilight answered without emotion, “It’s my fault he’s in danger to begin with.”

“That’s not true, Twi-”

“Yes it is!” the smaller mare interrupted, exploding out of her seat. “Every pony keeps saying that, but they’re lying! I was the one who didn’t watch him closely enough when I knew he wanted to chase after Amethyst!” Tears beaded at the corners of her eyes. “A-and he didn’t trust me because of how stupid I was being about his real sister. I was acting like a jealous foal and he ran away because of me.”

Celestia was already making her way around the desk as her student fell to her haunches and broke down, her words incoherent between her sobs. “Shh, Twilight, it’s okay,” the elder comforted.

“N-no it’s not,” she said as she buried her head against Celestia’s chest. “My little brother is gone.”

“And we’ll get him back,” Celestia responded, voice firm. “You have to believe that.” Twilight didn’t respond as she got control of her breathing. Had she not been so distraught, the young mare would probably have been mortified by the large stain of snot and tears she was leaving on her teacher’s pristine fur.

“Now, to address this guilt you’re feeling,” Celestia began as she rubbed circles into Twilight’s back. “Ignoring that you never could have known Spike would go to such drastic measures, the blame can just as easily be placed on myself for what has transpired.”

It was a cheap tactic the princess admitted to herself, but it was enough to distract the unicorn from her grief if the appalled look was anything to go by. “That’s not true, Princess! It was my fault! You didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Really? I gained another’s trust, then proceeded to practically drug them and force them into a meeting they did not yet feel prepared for.”

“But that doesn’t have anything to do with Spike running away!”

Celestia sighed. “Perhaps that’s true, though I find it unlikely.” She let go of her student and leaned back. “You spoke of Spike not trusting you, but I believe I showed far more untrustworthy behavior to the young drake. And let’s not forget that it was I who had pushed for letting Amethyst have her space when he was so desperate to go find her. It’s possible that, had I been more willing to compromise and promise him that I would try and convince the dragoness to return, he would have not run away.”

“But that’s all just baseless speculation,” Twilight protested as she shook her head. “There’s no way you could have known Spike would have run away!”

“And you could?”

“Wha-?”

“You could have known what Spike was planning to do?” Celestia repeated with a raised brow. “If you could, then so could I, and if that is the case, then that mean we are both at fault, no?”

“No! You didn’t cause this!” Twilight reaffirmed with an angry frown and stomped hoof.

Celestia felt horribly guilty for playing on her student’s idolization of her like this, but she hated seeing the mare put herself down. “Hmm, if you are so insistent, then I suppose we’ll have to agree that neither of us are at fault for what has happened, won’t we?” the alicorn concluded as she wiped a tear from Twilight’s cheek. “Twilight, the only one at fault here is the one who has taken Spike. Not you, not me, not Amethyst, and not your little brother.”

The young mare went silent and stared down for a while, contemplating her teacher’s words before lifting her head and saying, “I still want to go look for him myself.”

Celestia wanted to both sigh and smile at that. She was glad that she had, at least for the time being, gotten her student to stop blaming herself so much, but her resolve to throw herself into danger was Celestia’s initial worry to begin with. “… I won’t stop you if that’s truly what you wish, but may I ask that you at least spend some time to think about this? Even just to make a plan would be acceptable.”

Getting up, she moved back around her desk. “Brief though it may have been, I got a glimpse of this foe’s very soul while he was casting his spell on Spike, and they were not the sort I’d have you fight if I could help it.”

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

Hesitating, Celestia actually bit her lip for a moment while she debated whether or not to give her student the details of what she had felt. If Twilight was anxious now, she’d try and teleport all the way to Ford Junction if she knew the gravity of her brother’s situation. Eventually, she decided that it was already too late for half-truths, and spoke, “This wasn’t an enemy you could reasonably use the Elements on, Twilight. Nor was it some wild beast from the Everfree Forest that could easily be outsmarted or tamed. Not even the dragon I had sent you and your friends to persuade to sleep elsewhere is a comparable challenge, for I had at least had dealings with that drake in the past and knew much of his hostility was a bluff.

“No, whoever this was had an intelligence about them that was matched only by their apathy and willingness to hurt any who impeded their goals.

“A battle against them would be unlike any you have fought, and I’m unsure of if you are prepared for it. You have power, my faithful student, and a keen mind, but your heart is one that could bring the Elements of Harmony together, and by that same virtue, is one that would scar irreversibly if it were forced to bear the burden of what you very well could have to do to save your brother.” Or what you could bear witness to if you failed, Celestia left unsaid. There was little doubt in her mind that this would become a hostage situation if it was not already, and if it was not handled with subtlety, Spike could suffer gravely.

Luna had been adamant that two of her more skilled night guards be placed on the team sent out for this reason. As the self-proclaimed Mistress of Shadows, she always had a knack for subterfuge in her younger days, and had ensured such traits were prominent within those who served her. The fact that Celestia did not recognize either of the guards her sister had chosen when she had thought she knew them all showed that Luna’s penchant for intrigue survived her millennium long banishment.

Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry, Princess, but I don’t care,” she stated as she met the older mare’s gaze with a firm one of her own. “I can’t just leave Spike out there and do nothing. I have to at least try and save my little brother… You understand, don’t you?”

“… Yes… yes I do,” was the tired reply. “As I said before, if your heart is set, then I will not stop you, but can I at least make one request?” Twilight nodded. “Go back to Ponyville first, talk to your friends, and plan carefully. If you agree to do this, then I will lend you my personal chariot to take you home right now as well as cover the expenses of your journey if you still choose to go.”

Biting her lip, Twilight looked at the floor as she turned the deal over in her head, no doubt considering whether letting Spike get another day away was worth setting out with a well-constructed plan, her friends’ help, and extra bits.

It was a gamble for Celestia as she doubted the other Elements would sit idly by while their friend set out on a rescue mission, and thus would put themselves in danger as well. Even so, delaying them lowered their chance of finding the culprit before the guards did, and hopefully by then, Spike would be safely back in Ponyville.

“Okay,” Twilight finally decided. “I’ll go back home first, talk to the girls and gather supplies. But I’m taking the first train to Ford Junction tomorrow morning.”

Celestia smiled, pride flaring in her chest as she watched her student breathe deeply and exhale, reining in her emotions with far more skill than she thought her capable of. She really had grown a lot since beginning her friendship lessons, and Celestia was thankful for that.

Reaching into her drawer for a piece of paper, the alicorn levitated a quill from the inkpot at the corner of her desk and quickly drafted instructions. “I’m glad; I’m sure your friends will aid you greatly in this, my faithful student.” Passing the note to Twilight, who seized it in her own magic, Celestia explained, “Take this to my assistant, Raven, and she’ll have the chariot prepared for you.”

“Thank you, Princess, for everything,” Twilight said with a small bow. “And especially for being here.”

“You had the right to know.” Celestia watched her student hurry out of the room, and sighed. “I just hope it was the right choice for both of your sakes.”

The alicorn did her best to clear her mind of the current crisis and looked to the various forms on her desk that needed attending to. Luna was resting after her night shift, something Celestia herself wished she could be doing, and day court had been cancelled, but the solar princess still had a kingdom to run and she would do her duty no matter how much she’d rather be out scouring the world for her draconic friend.

… Now if only she could focus on the page in front of her instead of fidgeting, that would be great.

Luna’s alarm went off two hours earlier than normal as she sat up and stretched a foreleg over her head while using her magic to stop the beeping. Yawning, she grabbed a small jar from her bed stand and wiped the dried rheum from her eyes so that it would fall into the slowly filling container. Very few ponies were aware, but dust from the dream alicorn’s eyes could be used as an alchemic ingredient in the most potent of sleep aids, and so Luna donated what she could to the castle pharmacist to work with.

A fact the few insomnia-suffering guards and faculty were very thankful for, even if they didn’t know they were drinking potions made from one of their princess’ eye crusties. She pondered briefly if it would be off-putting to any of them, after all, there were food dyes made from insect shells and she remembered a time when mares infected themselves with parasites to stay slim. Surely this was no worse.

“Luna, are you awake yet?” her sister’s voice asked from beyond the door she was knocking on.

Blinking, the dark alicorn rose from her bed and made her way across the room, flicking the lights on with her magic as she moved. “Yes, Tia, I’m awake, and surprised you’re already here. I know we agreed to this time for the meeting, but my alarm just went off.” Opening the door, Luna was greeted by the sight of her sister’s sheepish smile.

“Yes, sorry about that. I guess I was a little anxious to speak to you.”

Sighing, Luna spoke, “I hope you didn’t let your anxiety get in the way of your work too much. I’d hate to find the kingdom has fallen apart while I slept.”

“Of course I didn’t,” was the somewhat indignant response. “I’ve ruled a country long enough to know not to let personal affairs affect matters of state... even if I did only manage to get through two thirds of my paperwork.”

Luna would have joked about the comment if the air around her sister hadn’t grown depressed, so she instead sobered her expression and got down to business. “How did your student take the news?”

Entering as Luna stepped aside, Celestia sat upon the edge of the bed, her sister soon joining her. “Twilight… took it better than I expected,” she began with a wan smile, “I’m proud of how much she’s grown; possibly even more than she ever did under my tutelage here in Canterlot.” The smile fell. “She wants to set out and search for him herself.”

Luna winced. “We suspected that to be the case; did you manage to convince her otherwise?”

“Only not to rush into things without a level head.”

“That’s what we hoped for. If all goes well, the guards will have handled the situation before she can put herself in danger. They already had quite the lead on her to begin with.” The poorly constructed optimism left the younger alicorn’s voice as she asked. “Why do you look so sad, Sister? This is good; your student will more than likely be safe.”

“I know, I just wish it didn’t come at the price of deceiving her,” Celestia replied. “I seem to be doing that to my friends frightfully often lately. Perhaps Amethyst should have punched me in the face instead of you.”

Luna rubbed her cheek. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t have argued if that had been the case. That dragon has a mean hook.” Celestia nudged her with a wing, earning a chuckle from the smaller mare. “All joking aside, I’d hardly say you’re deceiving her, or at least, that this only constitutes as a white lie. No one would fault you for wanting to keep Twilight safe. Really, with her aptitude for attracting trouble, I’m surprised you have not yet locked her inside a padded room with a hoofball helmet on her head and a pair of those small, inflatable tubes around her forelegs.”

Watching Luna gesture vaguely around her own legs, Celestia chuckled and said, “Water wings, and yes, that thought has crossed my mind before. You try spending any amount of time around an adorable little bookworm with enough magic to level a house and see how much of your mane is left un-greyed.” Though the joy was fleeting, her disposition was far less somber than before and a semblance of a smile remained on her lips. “I suppose I can only hope she understands; there’s no point in worrying about what is already done.”

Luna hummed her agreement and let the room fall silent for a while. “Has there been any word from Discord?” she finally asked, getting a near-growl from her companion.

“No,” Celestia began, “I swear I’m taking away three good deed stickers minimum when he returns for this.” Suddenly, her golden magic flared and a scroll popped into existence before it was floated over for Luna to take.

Quirking an eyebrow, the blue alicorn grasped the scroll in her own magic, the blue aura quickly undoing the draconequus-shaped ribbon and unrolling the paper. Having already deduced who the sender was, Luna honestly wasn’t too surprised to see a sketch of Discord with bedroom eyes sprawled across a love couch and the words, “For those lonely nights, Sunbutt,” scrawled at the bottom. The ribbon floating by her head however, did give her a bit of a shock when Discord’s voice came out of its fabric mouth.

“I’m sorry, but the draconequus you are trying to reach is currently helping the lost heir of the Gryphon Kingdom dethrone his tyrannical uncle whilst using his unmatched intelligence and a sprinkle of phenomenal cosmic powers to prevent the bloody casualties of a civil war. Please leave a message after the beep and Discord will get back to you when it has the most comedic affect… Quack.”

With that, the ribbon once again went limp, leaving Luna to gape at it for a moment before snapping her jaw shut. “Well… I suppose that explains the reports we’ve been getting about political unrest in Gryphonia,” she tilted her head in thought. “Hmm, it may actually be quite useful if Discord succeeds in his endeavor. Him having the favor of a young prince turned king will do wonders for trade agreements between our kingdoms. And really, getting that would-be warmonger out of power can only be a good thing.”

“That is not the point, Luna,” Celestia fumed. She rose from the bed as her ethereal mane and tail started to flame, the latter of which left small scorches on Luna’s sheets, and began to pace. “All that has been done for him, the freedom we gifted, and the one time we truly have need of him that blasted platypus-wannabe has to go gallivanting in the affairs of an entirely different country. And that’s not even mentioning that he has done this without consulting us first. We made it quite clear, did we not, that he was to speak to us before leaving Equestrian borders. The last thing we need is for him to spark conflict between our country and another.”

“To be fair, it does sound like he means well and is doing important work. And-”

“Hah! He probably doesn’t even care about the good of any of it. Rocking the foundations of a kingdom? Dethroning a world leader? Creating a power-vacuum and the inciting civil unrest of a sudden shift in political agenda? Yes, I’m sure he’s having himself a ball-!”

“Celestia! Calm yourself!” Luna demanded with a stomp of her hoof as she stepped in front of the pacing alicorn. Even without the Canterlot voice, the younger alicorn’s words reverberated off the walls and left the room in absolute silence. Meeting Celestia’s stunned gaze for several seconds, Luna continued once she was sure her rant would not restart. “First, while what you say about his motives may be true, I do not believe Discord would act in the interest of bringing suffering to anyone, no matter how chaotic it would be. Even I, the one who was skeptical of releasing him, have seen the progress he has made since his reformation. And though he may not show it, I believe he greatly appreciates the trust you have placed in him, and he will not so easily risk that and his friendship with Lady Fluttershy for a few sick kicks.

“And second, as great as his powers are, what did you expect him to accomplish in joining our search for Spike?” The question actually seemed to stun Celestia, so Luna pressed on. “Don’t tell me you thought him omniscient? That he would simply know where Spike was? If we had ever thought him so powerful, we would never have sought to defeat him all those years ago. We would not have sent your student and her friends to do the same.

“This situation is one that must be handled with subtlety; not a half-crazed draconequus throwing marshmallow fluff and pickle chips all over the place.”

Celestia blushed and looked down. “Discord’s powers are great and have a scope few could ever match. I’m sure he could find some way to cover thrice as much ground as either of us.”

“Hmm, I suppose that is true,” Luna conceded. “But Discord is and always will be a wild card; I don’t think any amount of friendship lessons will be enough to change that. Perhaps it is best he is not here. Not to mention his utter lack of tact; in the state you and Twilight are in, I doubt either of you could handle an inappropriately witty comment from him without blowing a hole through the castle wall.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’ve calmed enough to control myself; I wouldn’t do anything so rash,” argued Celestia, which got a skeptical look from her sister.

“Really, Celestia? It’s one thing to lie to yourself, but I can literally feel the anger and worry roiling off of you. Plus you just burned holes in my sheets. You may have mastered the mask you show to the nobles, but your ability to mask your emotions on an ethereal level is still far from perfect.”

Celestia turned away with a frown. “Maybe that is a good thing; I’ve only known one pony that could hide their emotions completely, and all the ability accomplished for them was keeping others from knowing how much they needed help until it was too late.” From the corner of her eye, Celestia saw the younger alicorn flinch, and she sighed guiltily. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.” Moving back to the bed, Celestia sat down. “I don’t see why we’re talking about this anyway. Discord will not be helping us, and no amount of bickering will change that… let’s just do what we planned.”

Luna chewed the inside of her cheek, glad to move away from the heated conversation, but worried about what was to come next. “Are you sure, Sister? There is little chance that searching the ether will reveal Spike’s location, ‘tis like searching for a needle in a haystack. And you seem… tired.” She moved to her sister’s side. “Definitely not the right state of mind for an endeavor like this.”

“What else would you have me do? Though my responsibilities to Equestria keep me bound here, I still have a responsibility to my loved ones as well. If I cannot leave, then this is the next best action I can take, and I’ll do so happily if there is even a remote chance of it helping Spike.” Getting more comfortable position so that she’d best be able to free her mind, she added, “Besides, I’m hardly that tired at all. Since your return to your nightly duties, I’ve been better rested than I have been in the last millennium. A little mental fatigue is nothing really.”

Luna could have ignored the conviction shining clear through Celestia’s words, but when her sister turned and she got a look into her determination-filled eyes, the argument on her tongue died. “Fine,” she conceded with a sigh, “but only for an hour, okay? Try for any longer and I’ll drag you out. Exhausting yourself will help no one.”

“I know my limits, Luna, I won’t exceed them,” Celestia responded haughtily.

Rolling her eyes, Luna laid down before shutting them and activating her magic. “This isn’t cake-eating, dear sister, your limits aren’t boundless.”

With a snort, Celestia shut her own eyes and met Luna’s magic with her own, letting the calming blue presence intertwine with her own and serve as her anchor. As the white alicorn’s soul drifted from her body, Luna had little to do but to maintain their connection and think.

Initially, Luna had volunteered herself as the one to walk the ethereal plain, claiming her sister’s own admission that she was the more skilled of them in this field, but Celestia had countered with the fact that she was more familiar with both Spike’s and the assailant’s aura. In the end, they settled on alternating roles each night, so neither one would become too strained.

Really, though it may have been somewhat heartless to think, the night princess was of the opinion that the only purpose this arrangement served was to mitigate the negative effects of an otherwise pointless endeavor. While she couldn’t say she was as desperate to save Spike as Celestia and Twilight as she simply wasn’t that close to the drake, she still wanted to help him and her new friend Amethyst. This being so, she knew that their best option was to let their soldiers handle the rescue while they themselves remained strong for their nation and friends. Losing composure in front of their subjects would only lead to panic, after all.

I’m not sure if I like being the level-headed one between us, Sister, Luna thought. It’s most definitely a jarring experience.

Author's Note

I had already referenced the Gryphon Kingdom being large before the Griffonstone episode, so said episode is not cannon to this story. Never liked that episode anyway. It just didn't make much sense to me.
Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing.

Bio
Lore Finder, age 25: Born in Manehattan, Lore Finder was the daughter of Lore Keeper, a curator at the Manehattan Museum of History. Her father, Tour Guide, being, well, the tour guide at the same museum as his wife meant that a young Lore Finder spent much of her foalhood at her parents' workplace; submersed in ancient history. This was fine with the little filly as she loved the subject and would often beg her mother or father to tell her all they could about each item and exhibit.
One day, while the museum was quiet and empty, Lore Finder stumbled upon a small, hooded figure staring at the jeweled crown of Princess Platinum with a combination of awe and hunger... TBC

Chapter 24

Spike huffed as he ascended a hill on tired legs. The trek had been tough for the last couple of days, but fortunately uneventful. That being said, it was also boring, and while listening to his sister’s many tales helped break up the monotony, Spike was still a kid, and as a result, had that ingrained instinct to annoy adults. This was doubly true if the adult in question was an elder sister.

Poor Amy was about to snap.

“Are we there yet?” Spike asked, a smirk pulling at his lips as the dragoness growled. The first time he posed this question, it was a serious one, but it became a challenge when Amy said he better not start asking every five minutes like in those cliché road trip stories. Spike had asked every three minutes since then.

Whipping around, Amethyst grabbed hold of Spike’s shoulders and hoisted him to eye level, booping snoots with the lad. “You know what, wise guy…? Yes, we are.”

The younger dragon’s cheeky smile dropped from his face. “We are? But you never said anything.”

With a smile of her own, she turned and held Spike out in front of her. “You were just so excited to get there I wanted it to be a surprise. I hope you’re ready to hang with some diamond dogs, because here’s Burrowton!”

The cheer in her voice seemed completely unwarranted as he gazed upon more barren landscape save for a single sign and a house a small ways beyond it. The most impressive aspect of the sight was how well-built the decently large shack was and the neatness of the sign’s script which read, “Welcome to Burrowton!”

After a moment, the smaller dragon spoke, “Wow, it’s… not what I expected.”

“Yeah, Charles is a pretty impressive carpenter for being a jack of all trades kinda guy. His work just has a simplistic charm, you know?” Amy responded, setting her brother down. “Well, come on, let’s go say hi.”

Still confused, Spike followed after his sister as she passed the sign and went straight up to the door. “Hey Charles! Open up you old fart!” she yelled, rapping her knuckles hard on the door.

“I’m not old!” was the immediate response. A minute later, the door swung open to reveal a grey diamond dog with a face white around the eyes and muzzle, and a nice buttoned-up vest providing some cover for an oddly-proportioned body, the dog’s huge gut and broad chest being supported by tiny legs. One massive paw tightened around the door knob as the other wiped down his face. “Amethyst Thistle, here to terrify the town again, eh? And you brought a friend. Great,” he said with a sigh, his voice gruff.

“Hey now, I didn’t do anything last time I was here,” Amy defended. “I can’t help it if they’re a bunch of fraidy cats.”

Charles narrowed his eyes. “Better not let anyone hear you say something like that if you go down below. Afraid or not, those are fighting words a dog can’t let slip by.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Amy said with a dismissive wave. “Are you going to let us in or not? We got bits and we’re hungry.”

Still frowning, the old dog grumbled and went back inside, leaving the door open as invitation. Reaching down and giving her brother’s head a nudge forwards, Amy told him, “Come on, Charles and his wife run this place kinda like an inn for travelers. We’re welcome even if he doesn’t act like it.”

“He definitely wasn’t acting like it,” Spike commented as he stepped inside. Walking through the plain home/inn, the young dragon had to admit that place really did seem charming. The floors were dull and worn from years of being trod by all manner of species, and the wall was adorned with framed pictures showing various people. While most of them featured Charles and another, kinder-looking dog, there were also ponies, griffons, and many more species. There was even one with a buffalo and yak.

The entrance hall led to an open room with a counter, register, and various shelves. It was an odd transition from homey to business, but Spike was more interested in the assortment of items for sale. “Wow, what is all this?” he marveled as he approached a shelf stacked with strange and beautiful stones.

“Mostly just your average gift shop crap,” Amy said with a smirk. “Definitely taste like it anyway, but they’re cool, I guess.”

“They’re more than ‘cool’, they’re one of a kind treasures found by the very dogs of Burrowton.” Charles interjected, as he entered from a room beyond the counter. “And they’re not meant to be eaten.”

“Hey, if it doesn’t taste good or isn't imbued with awesome magical powers, then it might as well be a clump of dirt to me.”

“What’s this one?” Spike asked in wonder, ignoring the adults’ bickering.

Charles shot a smug smile at Amy as he answered. “That, my lad, is a welo opal, and a particularly stunning example of one. I call it the sea-scene stone for obvious reasons.”

Spike could agree with that; the stone really did look like a fraction of the ocean floor, dark tendrils reaching up through the clear, light-blue crystal like seaweed. “It’s beautiful,” he whispered.

Amy knelt down next to him and looked over his shoulder. “I guess it looks nice, and hey, welo opal isn’t half bad. Tastes kind of like blueberry juice mixed with too much water.”

“I’m not going to sell to you if you’re just going to eat it,” Charles grumbled.

“Wow, look at this one, Amy, it’s awesome!” Spike declared as he moved to another stone. This one was a perfectly smooth oval with colors of deep magenta and red billowing together.

Both Amethyst and Charles looked at the gem and grimaced. Sniffing the air, the dragoness said, “That’s just glass, nothing more than costume jewelry. I thought you only sold ‘treasures’, Charles?”

“Eh, well one of the pups below is an apprentice glassmith and he made that special for the store. I wouldn’t have put it up on the shelves, but the little gaffer had a pair of puppy dog eyes that could charm the rattle off a snake.” The old dog explained as he rubbed at the back of his neck. “You have to admit, the pup has got some talent though. It’s a right pretty piece of glass.”

Amy smiled. “You big softy,” she muttered before she looked back at the stone Spike was turning over in his claw. It didn’t matter to him that it was not much more than a colorful marble, it seemed, as he still looked through it with awe. “So, what’s the fancy name then, huh? I know how much you love your titles.”

Charles chuckled nervously and looked away. He mumbled something, but not loud enough to hear. “What was that?” Amy asked.

With a defeated sigh, the dog spoke clearly. “I said it’s called dragon’s breath. Swear it was the pup’s idea.”

Both dragons stared a moment before Amy snorted and Spike breathed, “Cool… I think it matches, don’t you, Sis?”

“Hmm, I guess in the looks department, but don’t you think it’s a little insulting that a bobble is named after, like, the essence of dragonkind?”

"Nah,” Spike returned, “that’s just being petty. I mean, you've got to give that pup props, he made something really cool, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean it to be insulting, so it’s all good.”

“He actually made it after your last visit, Amethyst. You left quite the impression on the young ones with that little fire show,” mentioned the diamond dog before whispering, “And gave the adults heart attacks.”

“I am pretty awesome,” Amy mused before she looked at her brother still holding the gem, turning it to catch different angles of light. “Eh, why not? How much, C? I’ll buy it off ya, and it won’t even be eaten.”

Seeing the whelp’s excited smile and shining eyes, Charles sighed. “Just take the thing. I’m sure the pup will be glad to hear his art is part of a real dragon’s hoard. That is what all you dragons do with gems and the like, right? Hoard and sleep on them?”

“That’s a stereotype,” Amy said dryly. “Only most of them do that… And thanks.”

“Yeah, thanks, Mister! This is real nice of you,” Spike exclaimed as he clutched the glass to his chest. It took some convincing for the little dragon to give it up when his sister offered to place it in the bag, but he eventually got over those pesky hoarding instincts and handed it over.

“Now that that’s out of the way, how about that food?” This was directed at Charles, who huffed but waved them over to the register.

“The Missus happened to be preparing lunch before you two showed up and I already told her to make extra, so a few bits and you can join us.”

“Sounds fair enough,” Amy agreed as she pulled out their little bit bag. After the supplies purchased from their last stop, it was getting pretty light, but it was enough for this.

Placing the coins away in the old register, Charles led them through the back and into what Spike guessed was the dog's personal living quarters. He passed a cozy living room and entered a fairly large kitchen. There he saw a second diamond dog, much more well-proportioned than Charles, with their back turned to them, a tune being hummed as they prepared the last couple of sandwiches.

Going up to the other, Charles tapped on their shoulder and pointed at the two dragons, causing the new diamond dog to turn her and give the two a wide smile. “Oh, Amethyst Thistle, it’s so nice to see you again!” she said with a clearly feminine voice.

“Hi, Meredith, nice to see you too,” Amy greeted loudly, getting a chuckle from the female dog.

“I’m hard of hearing, dear, not deaf, and I can read lips. No need to shout.”

Amy blushed. “Sorry… So, what’s for lunch?”

“Oh, just some ham 'n’ cheese sandwiches and milk, nothing fancy,” she answered as she turned completely with the plate of food in her paws. At that moment of truly seeing Meredith, Spike realized something quite strange, he had never seen a female diamond dog before, and the sight was quite different from what he had come to expect from the species.

She was wearing a knee length, cream-colored blouse for one instead of a jacket and her paws and forearms weren’t nearly as huge as those of every male dog he had spotted up to this point. Another new feature, which got the little drake blushing, were what he could only imagine being large teats high on her chest.

Of course with ponies going nude most of the time, he knew about mammalian teats and had even gotten a glance or fifty due to his short height and being surrounded by so many mares on a regular basis, but these were just insane. Each one was nearly as large as his head for crying out loud!

“Oh, and who’s this little cutie?” Meredith asked as she placed the tray on the table and bent down, causing Spike to gape as her bust hung directly in front of his face. He had been reminded on more than one occasion that it was inappropriate to stare at such things, but he just couldn’t look away.

When the young dragon only open and shut his mouth in response, Amy answered for him, a confused glint in her eye. “This is my younger brother, Spike… You okay there, Bro?”

Snapping out of his stupor, the small dragon stuttered out a response. “Y-yeah, totally fine, it’s just that I’ve never seen a girl diamond dog is all. Guess I was thinking about why that was.”

Not paying any mind to the nervous laugh with which her brother finished his statement, Amy tapped her chin in thought. “You haven't? Hmm, I’m sure there was at least one or two out on the streets of Ford Junction when I was giving you a tour. Then again, your average female diamond dog doesn’t leave the home, so I guess it’s not impossible.

Eager to cover his tracks, Spike latched onto the topic. “Really? Why’s that?”

It was Charles who answered. “That would be because of dog culture. It’s not pretty, and I wish it were only in the past where it belonged, but feral diamond dog societies tend to war with each other, and the stealing of pups and bitches for slave labor and… other unsavory things is a result. Because of this, females and young ones are hidden away in the deepest recesses of dens to keep them safe.”

“Even for those of us who are trying to move away from such brutal things, the instinct to protect our loved ones is still strong, and so most female diamond dogs stay inside the homestead and live as housewives and the like.” The greying diamond dog had shut his eyes during the lecture and so didn’t see the younger dragon’s face going pale or the glare his wife was sending his way.

Meredith bopped her husband on the back of the head and chided, “That was hardly appropriate for children and not the sort of thing that should be brought up before a meal.”

“Charles likes to lecture pups whenever he goes down below,” Amy whispered as the chubby dog apologized to his life partner. “Try not to ask too many questions around him or he’ll talk forever.” Spike nodded, having long ago learned to follow that same rule when speaking to certain individuals from living with one particularly study-obsessed unicorn.

Meredith looked to Amy. “I’m sorry about my husband; he tends to forget what not to say in front of children. I hope he didn’t scare your little brother at all.”

“Um, it’s okay,” Spike piped up. “I’m fine, really. Just didn’t think the answer would be so… horrible.” He shuddered at the thought of what he learned, and was glad he grew up in Equestria where such things never happened.

Giving the whelp a soft smile, Meredith returned her gaze to the dragoness and asked, “Well, if it’s all settled then, do you mind grabbing the milk from the fridge, dearie, while I grab the cups and plates? We just got a new gallon and it’s a bit heavy. You boys can take a seat.”

Nodding, Amy went over to the fridge while Meredith went to the cupboards. With the girls busy, Spike hopped up unto a chair as Charles lowered himself into the seat across from him. Spike looked around the table, noting the six other chairs and figuring it must have been in case there were a lot of people staying at once, before Charles leaned in and smiled slyly.

“Just so you know, I’m not mad; it’s perfectly natural for a young boy like you to be interested in the female form, and don’t worry, I like them too. First thing I fell in love with when I laid eyes on Meredith.” He broke out into a full-on grin. “They’re real beauties.”

The young dragon couldn’t respond with anything other than a squeak as his face burned red. One thing was for sure, he’d be keeping his eyes on the table cloth for the duration of the meal.

He deserved this, Phantom thought to himself as he lay awake and well-rested in a comfortable bed. Reaching town at sunset the night prior, the regular routine played out for the company. Those who didn’t want to spend the bits could sleep on the outskirts with the wagons while those who wanted to treat themselves could, and with all the extra watches and work he’d been loaded with, Phantom was not going to miss this opportunity.

The pegasus was actually shocked that he hadn’t had to resort to begging to get Dr. Zariba to allow it however, though he supposed he’d probably end up with more chores in return. “That’s a problem for future me,” Phantom said aloud as he pushed the covers down and rolled out of bed. As much as he’d like to just stay on the comfy mattress for another hour or two, he did still have work to do, and he wanted to pile a plate high at the inn’s complimentary breakfast before he got started.

After taking an long, lukewarm shower and moisturizing his scar tissue for the day ahead, Phantom made it down to the breakfast nook and beelined towards buffet. Citrus was a great chef who could make a meal out of just about anything, but it was nice not having to limit his intake for the sake of rationing. With six pancakes and half a pound of scrambled eggs, all of it drenched in maple syrup, Phantom sat down for course one of his breakfast.

He had already finished his eggs and was a quarter of the way through his last pancake when someone took the seat across from him. “There're plenty of other seats, so do you mind…” the pegasus trailed off as he looked up to see a smiling skull.

“And good morning to you too, Phantom,” Dr. Zariba said cheerily. “To think, had I seen you twenty minutes later, it’d be good afternoon. Have a nice rest?”

“Eh-he, yeah, I slept well. How about you?”

“Like a foal,” he answered as he levitated an apple from his plate and took a bite. Placing the worn journal they had confiscated from the dragons onto the table, Dr. Zariba began lazily flipping through the pages.

Phantom expected the zebracorn to say something upon swallowing, but he just kept eating, moving from fruit to a bowl of oats. Finally, the pegasus couldn’t take it anymore and asked, “Is there… anything you need, Sir?”

Cocking his head, Zariba answered, “No, not particularly. Miss Spritz is buying the supplies with the help of those two tag-alongs you brought and Cujo is looking after the caravan, a job I had originally intended for you, honestly.”

“I would have been glad to do it if you asked,” Phantom lied. He probably would have performed the task, but not without trying to weasel out of it first. “Um, is that why you sat with me?”

“Phantom, how long have you been under my employ?” the zebracorn asked suddenly, catching Phantom off guard.

“… Probably going on seven years I’d guess.”

“Eight actually, and you were the first. You also recruited most of the other employees for my first expedition back then, and were one of the only ones who stuck around after payment. You’re the most senior officer here along with Cujo and his brothers.” Apparently, Phantom’s confusion showed on his face, because Zariba sighed and explained. “What I’m getting at is that, though your bouts of incompetence oftentimes irk me, I trust you as my right hoof and wanted to share breakfast with you as friends.”

The pegasus didn’t quite know how to respond to the kind words. Admittedly, he himself felt similarly about his boss at times; it’s hard not to feel loyalty for a stallion you’ve worked nearly a decade under, but these moments where that wall of professionalism was broken between them were unsettling. Outside of celebrating successful expeditions, Dr. Zariba hardly showed genuine joy and camaraderie.

Thinking, it was always him that the zebracorn shared a drink with on those occasions, and Phantom didn’t quite know what to make of that. “Uh, thanks, I guess,” was all he could think to say.

His bossed hummed and returned his gaze to the yellow pages below, a spoonful of oatmeal levitating to his mouth. Deciding to follow his lead, Phantom returned to his cooling meal, finishing the rest at a much more sedate pace before getting up to retrieve more. After sitting back down, the pegasus scooped a fork-full of eggs, but stopped with them half-way to his mouth. Phantom was pretty sure social breakfasts weren’t supposed to be this quiet. “So, any sign of Amethyst Thistle in town?” he asked.

“No, although that’s not entirely unexpected. Going to Bedville first, she’d have been at least some ways behind us if this were the route she chose, so I of course set sentries up at the major entrances to keep an eye open. There’s been nothing however, and since none of the townsfolk have seen her, it’s likely she’s taken a different a route.”

“Maybe she’s not even going our way at all,” Phantom suggested. “Could be she’s heading towards Equestria or something. Any word on that front?”

Zariba smirked. “Don’t get your hopes up; she hasn’t gone to Ford Junction or any of the bordering settlements along Equestria’s skirt. I think it’s a safe bet she’s going our way. Besides, you really think Ms. Thistle would give up on the dragon king’s treasure? Especially if I were going after it?”

Yeah, that did sound pretty stupid, didn’t it? Phantom tried to avoid feeling like too much of an idiot for thinking that would happen; there was no way a couple of greedy beasts like them would give up the chance for an even greedier beast’s hoard. “Suppose you're right about that. So what are you going to do about it? They’re not here, and we kinda need those tablets and that dragoness to read them.”

“Same as we’ve been doing already,” he answered nonchalantly. “Although we missed the opportunity at Bedville, we will still have opportunities on the journey ahead. There are few settlements between us and the Gryphon kingdom, and like us, she will most likely only stop at a border town for supplies before immediately turning east. After all, to do any different would allow us to pull ahead, so I’m sure we’ll run into her eventually.”

Phantom nodded, it was sound logic. The badlands were a frontier that the bordering countries were slowly claiming piece by piece. The dead soil however, had made settlements hard to establish. It was why towns within it consisted of waypoints and mines; they were the only sources profit to be had that allowed sustainability. “So we gamble then? What happens if we don’t end up making the same pit stop as the dragons do?”

“Well, I suppose we’d have to catch her at Heaven’s Break.”

Wincing, the pegasus commented. “Still not looking forward to going there. That place is supposed to have the wildest weather in the known world.”

“Yes, it will be a challenge,” Dr. Zariba agreed. “I suppose if the hoard ends up not being there, we could still gain some fame for exploring such uncharted territory.”

“It’s uncharted for a reason,” Phantom said with a point of his fork. “The winds around that forsaken mountain range have been known to break the wings of any flyer dumb enough to get too close and the harsh weather still poses a threat to those bound to land. Lightning strikes pretty frequently at the base and the mountains themselves have been worn smooth and slick by the constant rain. If we have to climb, I’m not sure how you expect to do it.”

“You just let me worry about that, Phantom, it will be dealt with when we get there. Right now, Amethyst is the problem, though I am still taking steps to capture her whenever possible. I had Cujo send some of his dogs off to the other stop to look for her. Amongst diamond dogs, our large friend has quite the bit of sway, so members of his pack should be able to use that affiliation to their advantage.”

“Trying to get a whole town after the dragons again?” Phantom questioned. “Hopefully it'll go better than last time.”

“I’m sure it will; you’re not going to be there, after all.” Seemingly not noticing the pegasus wince, Dr. Zariba shut his book and stood, levitating his used dish to a table set aside for them. “Enjoy the rest of your meal, Phantom, and be back at the caravan by one. I let you catch your breath last night, but you are still to be punished and there will be plenty of work for you to do.” Without saying goodbye, the zebracorn left, leaving Phantom to stare after him.

With a sigh, he got up and grabbed the entire coffee pot to move to his table. “Better drink up while I can. I’m gonna need it.” His boss really needed some lessons on friendship.

“It was really sweet of you guys to carry all the supplies for me,” Citrus said with a genuine smile. “Even though the doctor said you could help, I didn’t think you’d do so much.”

Gerard forced a smile as he strained under the weight. “S’no problem, C, I’m glad to help, and this is nothing anyway. No prob.”

Grey rolled his eyes and chuckled, seemingly unaffected by his own load as he nudged the slowly tipping pile back onto the gryphon’s back. “Yeah, no problem as long as you don’t drop everything,” he said under his breath, earning a glare from the young bird.

“Well, we only have one more stop to make before we can drop this all off," Citrus said, oblivious to the signals flying between the boys. “I need to buy Toby a few rawhide bones so he’ll stop swiping the real ones I use for cooking. Animals bones make an excellent stock for broth, you know.”

“I sure do,” Gerard said as he licked his beak. He loved his sister dearly, and she wasn’t a bad chef by any stretch, but the things this little pony could do even with just a rabbit and some tubers… Well, let’s just say that Gerard wasn’t looking forward to every aspect of returning to normal life after all this dragon business was done with.

“Toby? He’s the tall, lanky one, right? Few apples short of a bushel?” Stone asked.

“Yep, that’d be the one. He can be sweet sometimes, but more often than not he’s a pain in my flank. He’s the reason I have to put the food in locked crates.”

“You know, I was talking to him the other day along with his brother and the topic of those dragons came up…”

“Oh?” Citrus said, shoulders tensing minutely. “What about them?”

“Well, Toby was saying that you all actually captured them and something about getting to beat on the little one before Cooper cut him off. He said his brother tended to word things to be worse than they really are without realizing.”

“That’s definitely true,” the mare responded with a nervous chuckle. “Can’t tell you how many times he almost got punched when he found out the other name for roosters. We had a chicken dinner and he was going around begging for others’ food.”

Gerard snorted and nearly lost his footing. “You know, I’d ask for details, but it’s better if you keep it vague for imagination’s sake.”

Smile becoming a bit more genuine, Citrus bumped shoulders with the gryphon and sighed, “You boys never grow up, do you?”

“I wish I could argue,” Grey Stone commented with another steadying push to the bird, “but it’s hard when you have evidence against your point walking right beside you.” Gerard looked to refute the jab, but the stallion’s eye took on a determined glint again and he asked, “So you’re saying your boss and some of his workers didn’t rough up the dragons and hold them captive?”

“Well… no, that did happen,” she mumbled, eyes downcast.

“Hey, ease off her, Grey,” Gerard cut in, glaring at the older male. “Even if that did go down, I’m sure they had it coming. Stop trying to make people feel guilty over taking down a thief and her cohort.”

Citrus flashed the gryphon a weak smile and said, “It’s alright, Gerard… hey, since I only have one thing left to get and I’m sure you two don’t want to be lugging that stuff any longer than you have to, why don’t you both just take the supplies back without me, hm? I’ll catch up in a bit.”

“What? We don’t mind keeping you company and this is nothing,” Gerard protested, nodding towards the stallion. “I carried him all the way here, so I can handle it, really.”

“Which is why you’ve almost fallen over twice already,” she playfully jabbed, getting the gryphon to blush. “Didn’t think I noticed, did you? Listen, it’s okay, you two go ahead, I can handle myself just fine. Besides, I might want to browse a bit, and I don’t want to drag you along for that.”

“Come on ya idjit, let’s leave the mare to her business, I don’t want your legs to give out,” Grey said. I can’t carry your feathery butt and all the supplies, after all.”

“Fine,” Gerard conceded. “We’ll see you in a few, C. Try not to make us worry by taking too long though.”

“I have my ladle with me if I run into trouble, don’t worry," she responded before making a turn and leaving the boys.

Gerard and Grey walked in silence for a few minutes before the former finally spoke. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do.”

“And what’s that?”

“You still think those dragons are innocent and you’re looking for evidence.”

“Yep, sounds about right.”

Stepping out in front of the stallion, Gerard faced him with a scowl. “You’re wrong.”

“But what if I’m right?” Grey countered, eyes narrowing.

“What if you are? You expect me to just let this Amethyst go after she put my sister in a coma?” Gerard practically shouted.

“Keep your voice down, you’re making a scene,” Grey reprimanded, glowering at those who slowed down to watch and sending them back on their way. Once they were no longer the center of attention, he sighed and continued in a lighter tone. “No, I don’t, I know how much you care about Gertie, but there comes a time when you have to set aside your own desires and do what’s right for the greater good.

“If these dragons are guiltless, than that means the zebra’s lying, and what happens to them then, huh? You get your revenge, but at what cost? One of them’s a child, Gerard, are you willing to hurt a child?”

Gerard simply clenched his jaw, expression still angry as he turned and walked away without a word. Grey gave a slow shake of his head before following. He hoped it wasn’t just his imagination when he thought he saw hesitation in the stubborn bird’s gaze, because if he was right about all of this, he didn’t want to fight a friend to protect the innocent.

Author's Note

Small story progression for all sides to set up more excitement next chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing.
Now, to continue Lore Finder's Bio:
Meeting her first dragon was decidedly anti-climatic for Lore Finder as she always heard tales of the creatures' great size and ferocity. Amethyst Thistle was neither of these things as she spun arround when asked if she were a theif planning to make off with the crown.
After being convinced that the little creature had no intention of eating Platinum's crown, Lore Finder took note of the dragon's sallow cheeks and swaying stance, coming quickly to the conclusion that she was on the verge of passing out from hunger. The filly was both concerned and a bit angry when she finally got Amethyst to explain that she didn't have parents to feed her and that she had spent her few bits on entrance into the museum.
Discovering this, Lore Finder dragged the reluctant stranger to her father and explained that the dragon needed food and asked if she could join their family for lunch. Confused, but unable to neither refuse his adorable daughter's firm request nor the starving whelp with her, Tour Guide agreed and the three went to meet up with his wife.
This meal in the museum's staff breakroom was the first of many to be had between Lore Finder and Amethyst Thistle... TBC

Chapter 25

Spike didn’t know how he’d ever look at pigs again. After Charles' remark about his wife’s feminine assets, Spike was ready to seize any excuse to remain silent for the rest of lunch. Unfortunately for his conscience, but to the benefit of his taste buds, the opportunity came in the form of Meredith placing the tray of sandwiches down in front of him.

To avoid looking at the female dog’s chest, Spike did not hesitate to stuff one of the sandwiches into his mouth, and thus subjected himself to a taste-experience unlike any he had ever had before. It was after his second sandwich in a minute that Meredith commented about how much he liked ham.

Ham, as in pig meat. In retrospect, she had said that they were ham and cheese sandwiches, but he had been too distracted to take note, and now he could never shut his eyes to the savory truth again. How could he when he knew those pink, cute, deliciously chubby creatures were so unbelievably tasty? In the end, he couldn’t even feel remorse for having a third and fourth sandwich before the meal was concluded.

“So, are you going to be staying long?” Meredith asked.

“Probably just the night if you still have a room open,” Amy answered, giving her silent brother a confused look.

“You’ll be the only guests tonight if no one else rolls in,” said Charles as he got up with a grunt. “So one room for the two of you? Come along and you can pay now.”

The dragons followed the old dog back to the shop and, after the bits were exchanged, were shown their room. “Going down to Burrowton?” Charles queried from the door as Amy placed their supplies down on the bed.

“Yep, we have to get some more bits for our trip and down there’s the best place to trade gems in at.”

“Oh, got something good on ya?” Charles asked with interest. “You know, you could just trade it with me for the supplies.”

“Nah, I’d rather buy than barter if I can help it and I’ll need the bits for later anyway. Besides, I want to show Spike around and I might as well do some business while I’m at it. You know, multitask.”

“Suit yourself. I guess it saves me the trouble of trying to sell whatever it is myself,” the diamond dog responded with a shrug. “You all set to go now?”

Looking at Spike as he listlessly twirling his claws, Amy frowned. “In a bit, I’m going to go through our supplies and see exactly what we need.”

“Well, just come down when you’re ready then.” Charles said as he left the room, closing the door behind him as he did.

Once the footsteps were far enough away, Amy tapped her brother on the head, getting him to jerk and look at her. “You alright there, Spike? You’ve been spacing out since lunch.”

“Oh, well, it’s… it’s nothing really. I’m just being weird,” he said, sounding self-conscious.

Amy rolled her eyes. “Really? Come on, Spike, I think we’ve both been through this enough to know it’s better to just get it out there. So, what’s up? What’s got you so distracted?”

Looking away and biting his lip, Spike eventually concluded that his sister was right. “It’s stupid, but, um, I’ve never had ham before since, you know, I grew up in Equestria. Eating meat, let alone things with hooves is definitely not, well, accepted, I guess.

“I mean, yeah, there are special restaurants for that kind of stuff and I know the royal cooks in Canterlot make things for visiting dignitaries, but that’s usually fish or, if they bring it themselves, rabbits and birds.”

“So you’re upset you ate pig?” Amy sat down on the bed. “Spike, I know you’ve told me before that you never ate meat because you thought Twilight would be uncomfortable with it, but it’s not her choice, it’s yours, and if she’s a good sister, she won’t shame you for it.”

“But I am ashamed!” Spike nearly shouted, arms in the air. “It’s not just the meat, I had that with the ramen, and yeah, that fish was good, but this is different. Fluttershy feeds some of her animals fish all the time and nopony really cares, so I probably will eat fish when I’m back in Equestria, but I know pigs. Everypony in Ponyville does, and I’m pretty sure none of them have ever thought about them in that way! Applejack has them on her farm and now I’ll never be able to go there again because I won't be able to stand looking them in the eyes!”

With that, he collapsed against the bed, face buried in the sheets and arms flung across the top in defeat. He mumbled something, but it was muffled by the fabric. “What was that?” Amy asked.

Turning his head, he repeated, “Why does ham have to be so delicious?”

Amy couldn’t help it, she burst into laughter. “Sorry, sorry,” she said when he threw her a glare. “I’m not laughing at you, it’s just, wow, your heart is just too big sometimes, Spike.” She wiped a tear from her eye before picking the small dragon up and placing him on the bed next to her.

“Okay, let’s start with the big one first,” she began, sobering some. “There’s no reason for you to be ashamed for liking meat, Spike, not even ham. We’re dragons, and though our stomachs can burn just about anything for fuel, gems and meat are the biggest providers of energy. Meat is a natural part of a dragon’s diet and you shouldn’t be upset that you eat what dragons are supposed to.

“Just because you were raised by ponies doesn’t mean you have to try to be a pony, you understand?” She paused as Spike slowly nodded his head. “Okay, good. Now, as for ham specifically… well I don’t know what to tell you really.” She scratched the back of her head. “I mean, I can understand not eating speaking creatures; that’s pretty much against the law in all civilized parts of the word, but pigs don’t speak, or do much of anything really. They’re prey, and even if ponies try and say differently, that’s what they’ll always be.”

Amy gave Spike a playful smirk. “And besides, it’s not like you're gonna go and eat Applejack’s pigs, right? So who cares?”

The younger dragon tried to smile back. “Yeah, I guess… but it’s still going to be hard to hang out at the Acres after this.”

“Hey, if it helps, it’s not like you killed the pigs in those sandwiches,” Amy tried. “Really, it would have been more wrong if we didn’t eat them because then there would have been leftovers and they may have been thrown away. At least this way their deaths weren’t in vain, right?”

Spike gave a weak smile and agreed, though the dragoness could tell his heart wasn’t in it. Deciding there wasn’t anything else she could do at the moment, Amy directed them downstairs where they found Charles straightening some of the items on his store’s shelves. “Ready then?” the dog asked as the two approached.

“Yep, all settled,” Amy answered with a smile. Though Spike’s thoughts were still somewhat tumultuous, curiosity and excitement helped overshadow them as they were led out back. Upon exiting the home, the young dragon mentally amended his underwhelming first impression.

Sitting directly behind the building was what appeared to be a hill practically cut in half and easily twice Amy’s height. The sheared side facing them was reinforced with thick, wooden beams and sported a large archway that could fit a wagon with room to spare. Sitting to the side was a small guard-house with a boom gate halting entry into the dim depths beyond.

“Wake up, Bob, we have some travelers who’ve got business in town!” Charles called as he walked up and rapped a heavy knuckle on a spot next to the guard-house’s window.

There was a startled grumble and the sound of claws scraping on wood before a droopy-eyed dog popped his head out. “Who’s that?” he drawled as he adjusted his lopsided helmet. “Charles? Who’s that with ya?” Leaning further into the open and squinting, Bob’s eyes flew open as he scrambled for his spear. “Dragons! They’re here for the gems!”

Unfortunately for a bemused dragoness, the dope’s panicked buffoonery was cut short as Charles grabbed him by the lower jaw and forced him to look at Amy and her brother again. “Wow now, don’t go stirring up a fuss there, pup, it’s just Amethyst Thistle. You remember her, don’t cha’?”

“Amethyst…? How is that better?”

Amy’s smile flipped upside down. “Gee, thanks, Bob. You sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome.” She pointed at the boom gate. “You gonna lift that or am I just jumping over?”

“Well… I suppose, as long as you don’t eat all the gems or nothing,” he said with a scratch of his head. “I should probably send a message down so that they know you’re coming.”

“You’re being paranoid,” said Charles with a roll of his eyes. “She didn’t get up to anything last time she was around, and she has a youngster with her this time to look after. I know she’s a dragon, but I’m pretty sure the worst she’ll do is scare the elderly.”

Suppressing a remark about how he wasn’t afraid of her, the dragoness instead gave Charles a smile and said, “Thanks, and no, I’m not going to get up to anything while I’m in town. I just have some things that need doing.”

Responding with the I’m-watching-you gesture and narrowed eyes, Bob nevertheless lifted the gate for them. Giving her head small shake, Amy grabbed hold of Spike’s claw and moved forward.

Spike gave Bob a meek smile as they passed before turning his gaze to the archway they moved under. The inside of the tunnel sloped noticeably and was supported by crisscrossing beams along the walls and ceilings. Strange, glowing crystals poked out through the rocks above every once in a while to light the area, and Spike wondered if it was a type of magic. Maybe diamond dogs had their own form of magic the young dragon didn’t know about.

Before he could voice any questions on the matter, the tunnel abruptly ended with what appeared to be a large metal cage. Charles stepped forward and moved a little latch to open the door, gesturing the dragons forward. “I’ll be staying up here if you don’t mind. You know your way around I’m sure and I’d rather not leave Meredith alone if it can be helped.”

“Yeah, I understand, and don’t worry, I can handle it from here,” Amy said as she and Spike entered the cage, waving the old dog goodbye.

With Charles hiking back towards the light, Spike watched his sister close them in. “What is this thing?” he questioned, tapping a toe against the solid sheet of metal that formed the floor. “And how is it going to get us to Burrowton?”

“What? You’ve never seen an elevator before?” Amy asked back, getting a shake of the head from the smaller dragon. “Well, this’ll be an experience then. Hold this.” She passed over her pack where the rest of their sugar diamond, less than half of the gem remaining beneath the fabric it was stowed away in.

As his sister pulled a lever sticking out of the wall, Spike found himself clutching the bag to his chest and stumbling as an unexpected shift rocked the cage. “Wow! Is this thing falling?” he asked in a slight panic.

“We’re being lowered slowly.” She smirked at seeing his wide eyes. “Pretty nifty, huh? Beats stairs any day.”

Spike looked through the grates of the cage to see the stone slowly rise past them and wondered how far this elevator would travel. He hoped it would end soon; the sensation was similar to that of being in a pegasus-drawn chariot as it landed, though far more prolonged. It made his tummy feel like it was trying to float up his throat.

His wish came true after another minute, and the young dragon couldn’t help but wonder how deep they had descended. Burrowton, it seemed, was greatly different to the shallow-dug tunnels of the diamond dogs by Ponyville. “I welcome you, Spike,” Amy began, stepping forward to open the door, “to Burrowton.”

As she swung the metal gate open, the younger dragon’s eyes locked onto the activity ahead and once more grew wide. Spike hadn’t noticed the unmistakable din of civilization until now as he gazed upon the underground town with an unobstructed view.

The elevator opened to what he figured was Burrowton’s main street as the smooth, stone road was lined on either side by buildings carved straight from the earth itself. Many of them had large signs or colorful banners and Spike could make out stalls from which fierce haggling took place.

“Wow...” was all that he could manage as his eyes drifted from the bustling streets to the incredibly high ceiling above and huge, glowing crystal illuminating the city. Along the round cavern’s walls were dozens of caves, all level at two distinct tiers. Large ledges jut out evenly at the base of these caves, making perfect, circular walkways Spike could see dogs traversing.

Another amazing feat of engineering was the two large bridges, one at each tier, that traversed the entire cavern. “Pretty amazing, huh?” Amy said. “Not many people realize how industrious and intelligent diamond dogs can be, but seeing this place usually drives the point home.”

“No kidding,” Spike commented, eyes spotting the spiraling, stone staircases that led to the upper levels. “This place is huge.”

“From end to end, it’s probably about as big Ponyville I’d wager,” Amy declared, voice sounding like it had when she was touring him around her city. It was a recently discovered passion she found in showing her little brother new things and being able to tell him about them. “Actually a bit bigger since there are three levels to this place.”

“I noticed. Let me guess,” Spike pointed up at the caves, “Those are homes and at the bottom here is like a marketplace or something?”

Amy shined him a proud smile and patted him on the head. “Look at you, ya little genius, got it in one.” Stepping further into the cavern with Spike following behind, she added, “Luckily we won’t have to climb those stairs or try to cram into an elevator; those are always packed.”

As they stepped out, Spike noticed two armored diamond dog guards stiffen and tilt their spears an inch forward. “Halt! What is your business here, dragons?”

Bringing her claws up in placating gesture, the dragoness quickly explained, “Wow, boy, heel, we’re just here to do some trading and then we’ll be on our way. No trouble involved.”

The taller of the guards narrowed his eyes from beneath his helmet. “Wait, you’re that Amethyst something-or-other who was here a year ago, aren’t you?”

“Yep, that’s me, the completely harmless Amethyst Thistle.”

A moment of silence passed before he gestured to Spike. “… And that one? He got self-control, or is he gonna be nabbing gems?”

Amy frowned. “He’s my little brother, and you don’t have to worry about him. He’s as far from a crook as they come.”

“Uh, yeah, I won’t steal anything,” Spike supplied. “Dragon’s honor.”

The diamond dog grunted. “Better not… Move along then, but I better not hear about any trouble, got it?”

Nodding their heads, the draconic pair continued on their way. It was odd, Spike noticed, that the bustling sounds of civilization didn’t get louder as they neared, and instead quieted. As they reached the first buildings, the younger dragon realized it was because the diamond dogs, once hurrying about their busy day, had all frozen and turned to watch their approach.

The slightly worried looks of the adults and downright terrified ones of the elderly was giving Spike cause for apprehension, but it was quickly dissolved when gasps were heard and the heads of pups began peeking out from around their parents. Fast as lightning, dozens of little dogs broke away from their guardians, too quick for the large paws grasping after them, and surrounded the siblings with excited yips.

“Oh, your scales are so shiny! Can I have one?”

“Miss Amy! Miss Amy! Do you remember me? You gave me that sapphire, remember?”

“Hey! I didn’t get to see it last time! Let me see the dragon!”

“Show us the fire again!”

“Yeah! Do the puppets, they were awesome!”

“It’s nice to see all of you too,” Amy said, flustered as she pushed down a pup that had climbed up to her waist and sought to give her slobbery kiss on the cheek. “Calm down though, you’re gonna give your parents heart attacks.”

“Wow, I knew Charles said you were popular with the children, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” Spike commented with a smirk that quickly fell as multiple eyes darted to him.

“Another dragon!”

“And he’s tiny like us!”

“Hey, I’m taller than you! I’m taller than a dragon!”

“Can you do cool stuff with your fire too, mister?”

“Wow, hey! Watch where you put those paws!” exclaimed the younger dragon as he pulled his tail around to his chest, sending a weak glare at the girl who had been squeezing it.

Thankfully, the adults had finally come to their senses enough to rush over and save the dragons from an adorable doom of puppy suffocation, though if their expressions were any indication, they probably thought they were saving the pups. It was disheartening to Spike to be looked at like that.

“I’m so sorry, sir, she’s such a grabby little thing,” one diamond dog said, a rare female, as she pulled the pup that had touched his tail into her arms. Unlike like the others, she gave the little drake a genuine, albeit sheepish smile before fast-walking away and scolding her child in a harsh whisper.

There were others that stopped and exchanged a few words with his sister before wandering off. Good, Spike was beginning to worry they weren’t welcome here and were going to be chased off like in Bedville. He really had had enough running for his life on this trip as it was without adding a daring escape from deep underground to the mix.

“So, um, why are you visiting, if you don’t mind me asking?” a male diamond dog inquired, looking like he was perhaps the older, teenage brother of the small dog trying to pull their paws apart.

“Nothing much, just here to sell some gems and buy some supplies,” Amy answered, getting the dog’s eyes to light up.

“Oh? Well, I was actually just taking lunch to my dad. He runs a pawn shop… You want to follow me?” he asked.

Seeing no harm in it, the dragoness agreed and they were soon walking behind the dog while his younger brother talked Spike’s ear off. He was guilty to admit it, but he didn’t actually listen to the questions of the child as much as he did his proper grammar. Well, as proper as a young kid’s grammar could be.

So far, not a single dog he had met here spoke in the broken fashion as those from back home, and he felt awful for expecting it just because they lived underground. “What? Fire?” Spike managed to pick out of the rapid fire questions. “Yeah, I can breathe fire… Well, most of the time, at least.” He looked to the ground, twiddling his claws as he sighed. “Some things happened and… I’ve had some trouble with it.”

The dog gave him a wide-eyed stare. “Really? Like, you can’t breathe any fire at all?” His gaze narrowed slightly. “Or are you just saying that because you want to keep the fire for yourself?”

“What? No! That doesn’t even make any sense!” Spike retorted, getting the adults to look back. “Look, watch, I’ll show you.” Inhaling deeply, Spike reached for his magic with as much effort as he could muster and pulled. Forcing what he could out, a puff of smoke billowed out of his puckered lips as he strained with his eyes squeezed shut.

This wasn’t the first time he had attempted to breathe fire since the sealing, Amy thought it would be good to make the attempt every night to track his recovery, but it still made his heart ache to open his eyes only to see the dissipating black puff.

“Hey! I think it’s getting better,” Amy said happily. “There were a few sparks at the start there.”

Spike blinked. “Really?” he asked with tentative hope. Maybe he should try again with his eyes open? “I didn’t notice.”

“Oh, there was all right,” spoke the older diamond dog, sheepishly coming out from behind the dragoness he had been using for cover.

“Yep, they were pretty green ones,” the younger supplied. “Sorry I didn’t believe you.”

Despite how cavalier the apology sounded, Spike couldn’t find it in himself to feel upset as his heart filled with joy. Even though he was the one who theorized that the seal could only be temporary, so many days without progress had started to whittle away his confidence.

After another attempt with the same results to see for himself and Amy telling him not to strain himself, the group was on their way again and soon came to a small building wedged between two larger ones. The sign was simple, carved directly into the stone above the door, reading, “Jewels & Gems Pawn Shop.”

Tilting his head, Spike muttered, “Aren’t they the same thing?” which, to his slight chagrin, was picked up by the older dog.

“Maybe to some, but to us in the business, a jewel is a gem that is turned into a work of art either by the finish of the gem or the setting it goes into.” He droned as if he had been told this far too many times. “Still though, I keep telling my dad he can’t expect the general public to understand that, but he refuses to change it.”

“Eh, it’s catchy,” Amy said with a shrug as she opened the door, ignoring the frown on the dog’s face. Spike and the younger dog followed behind their elder siblings and entered into a dusty, cramped store. It probably wouldn’t have had a space issue if it weren’t for the numerous shelves stacked with all manner of merchandise. While there were plenty of gems and jewelry on display behind the glass counter, there was also pottery, gizmos, toys, and all sorts of knick-knacks to peruse.

As Spike stared at the sheer magnitude of stuff filling the small space, his puppy companion ran forward with a shout of, “Daddy!” Turning towards the sound of someone getting the air knocked out of them, Spike saw what must have been the owner patting his son on the head and trying to push him down off of his waist. He was skinny and grey with a small pair of spectacles balanced on his snout, looking much like his oldest son.

“It’s good to see you, Milo, but are you doing here?”

“Mom sent me to bring some food, and he wanted to tag along,” their guide said as he stepped into view.

The father blinked a few times before bursting into laughter. “I forgot lunch again, did I?” His stomach growled and he placed a paw on it. “I’d have starved a long time ago if it weren’t for your mother. Thanks a million, Max.”

Handing over the bagged lunch, Max gestured to the dragons with a wry smile. “Taking into account you haven’t noticed your customers yet, yeah, I can see that.”

Once he had taken notice of them, the father started. “I can see your point.” Smile returning, he held out a paw. “Name’s Matthew, what do I have to thank for bringing a couple of dragons to my humble shop?”

It seemed Amethyst had lucked out and stumbled upon one of the more tolerant families in Burrowton as she took his paw and gave it a shake. “Your son, actually. Once I told him I was looking to sell some gems, he was quick to bring me here.”

“And a good thing he did,” the dog declared as he rushed around the glass counter. “I believe in honest business and if you got something valuable, I’ll pay you a fair amount for it. So, what do you got for me, Miss…?”

“You can call me Amy, and I’ve got something you’re gonna like, Matt” she said with confidence as she held a paw out to her brother. It took the younger dragon a moment to remember he was the one carrying the goods and he quickly gave Amy the bag. Untying the top gently, the dragoness reached a claw in and slowly pulled the diamond out.

Even after having eaten from the precious gem multiple times, the divine scent was enough to make Spike and his sister salivate. Matthew, it seemed, had a similar reaction as he stared at the diamond with something akin to reverence, causing Amy to smile. “Oh, you really must know your gems if you can tell what this is with just a glance.”

He hummed in agreement, eyes not leaving the treasure. “I’d like to think I know more than the average dog when it comes to stones, which is saying something, so if I’m not mistaken, that… is a sugar diamond.”

“You most definitely are not,” Amy replied with a proud smile as if the stone in her hand was a prodigal offspring. With how she sometimes rubbed it and whispered, “My precious,” when she thought Spike was asleep, it very well could have been. It was very creepy.

Reluctantly, the dragoness handed over the gem when Matt gestured for it and the diamond dog quickly pulled out his loupe. Using the little magnifying glass, he turned the treasure every which way and studied each facet with intensity. “… Yes, just as I thought, it’s the real thing alright. And you want to sell it?”

“Oh no,” Amy quickly answered, waving her claws. “Just enough to get us supplied for a while.”

“That’s a shame,” Matthew said with a sigh. “It’d make a real treat for the family if I brought this home for dessert.”

“I’ll say,” Max said, licking his chops and holding a squirming Milo in his arms to keep the pup from swiping the gem. “That thing smells great.”

“So diamond dogs do eat gems then,” Spike said as much to himself as to the group, glad to have the question answered.

“Not like you dragons, but yes, we do.” Matthew said as he pulled out a chisel and hammer from behind the counter. “We can only handle the food-grade stuff, soft quartz and the like, not regular diamonds and sapphires. There’s a rock farm in Equestria actually that I’ve bought some scrumptious rock candy from. Apparently the ponies there eat it themselves on occasion.” He shakes his head. “Ponies, eh? Crazy lot they are. So, how much are you looking to get?”

Amy flinched when the dog rested the sharp-edged chisel on her diamond, but answered, “A hundred bits worth, maybe one-fifty.”

Matthew perked up. “Oh? Well then, it seems I’ll at least be able to have a nice treat for the pups. Six good-sized shards sound fair?”

“Depends on what you consider good sized,” Amy countered, getting the store owner to chuckle.

“I see your point.” He looked down through his display for a moment before pointing at a ring obviously tailored for the meaty digits of a diamond dog and asked, “Does the gem set in that seem appropriate?”

Spike looked at the emerald and shuddered. It was nearly the size of a bit; six pieces of sugar diamonds of that would be a small lunch for him and his sister, and judging by how the dragoness bit her lip, she thought so as well. “Mmmaybe a little smaller,” she tried.

Narrowing his eyes in thought, Matthew said, “You drive a hard bargain, but I think I can manage that.”

Amy breathed a sigh of relief. “Deal.”

Once the shards were chipped off, the bits were exchanged, and Amy had got directions on where to buy their supplies, the dragons headed for the door. “Hey, if you’re not too busy next time you come through town, stop by again,” Matthew called. “Maybe you can have dinner with the family. I’m sure my daughters would be ecstatic to hear about your travels.”

Max rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s just what those two need; it’s hard enough to keep them in the house as it is without them being told adventure stories.”

“Bah, they’re just restless,” the father said, waving off his son’s comment. “With how overprotective you and your mother are, can you blame them?”

“I’ll think about it,” Amy answered noncommittally, ignoring the son’s grumbling. “Not sure when I’ll be coming through here next though.” Prying Milo from her brother, who had been tackled in a goodbye hug by the energetic pup, Amy led her sibling out with one final wave.

“Phew, nice people, but I can already tell that that would be a family dinner I wouldn’t want to sit through.”

“What do you mean?” Spike asked. “Sure, that Milo kid was pretty hyper and really… friendly, but like you said, they seemed nice.”

Amy stalled, taking a moment to remember which way to go. “Eh, a lot of puppies are like that, all affectionate and clingy. As for why I didn’t want to go to their house, weren’t you listening? It’s pretty obvious that Max and his mom are a lot more old-fashioned than Matthew. No way was I going to get stuck in the middle of that.”

Turning their exchange over in his head, the younger dragon pieced together what he had heard with what he had learned from Charles and his wife. It didn’t take long to see what Amy was getting at and how outsiders at such a dinner table could get a pretty mixed reception.

The thought actually made Spike a little sad and appreciative of his own caretaker. Sure, Twilight got a little crazy with the chores sometimes, but she did her best to put aside her worries and let him learn and grow from his own experiences. She followed him through the entire dragon migration in secret just so he could try to learn what it meant to be a dragon on his own.

What would it be like had Twilight never let him leave the library? How much could he have learned from books alone? Twilight herself was proof enough of the importance of getting out and making friends.

His musings were cut short as Amy pulled them along to their next destination. He’d have to convince his sister to take Matthew up on his offer next time she visited Burrowton. From the sound of it, those diamond dog girls could really use some excitement in their lives, and who was more exciting than Amethyst Thistle? Why, Spike must have had at least three near heart attacks since he meeting her.

Rocky was not a happy dog. The charred bird brain, Phantom, should have been out here in the middle of nowhere, not him. Buddy’s insufferable optimism was not helping. “Will you shut up already,” Rocky growled, cutting his companion’s spiel about his family short.

“What? I was just saying how nice it’s going to be to see my brother.” Rocky replied, hurt. “I haven’t seen him since he struck out on his own, and his last letter was about his third pup. Three! Can you believe it? I’m an uncle thrice over and I haven’t even met the little things yet.”

Rocky sighed as the oaf immediately resumed his sanguine rambling. How did such a soft headed dog survive this long in Cujo’s company? The beast of an alpha barely put up with his smaller twin's cheery foolishness, so it was hard to believe he’d have the patience to deal with a dog like Buddy. He supposed his companion was intelligent enough to avoid their large leader.

“I bet he’ll invite us to stay the night when we get there,” Buddy continued. “I wonder if he snagged himself a mate who knows how to cook? Citrus is a good chef, but nothing beats proper diamond dog cuisine cooked by an actual diamond dog.”

“Not having to rent a room would be nice,” Rocky conceded. As much as he didn’t want to encourage him, if Buddy’s family could save them some money and time, it would actually make being stuck with him bearable.

Buddy grinned and patted his companion on the back. “There you go, look on the bright side! Hey, maybe we’ll even meet some nice bitches, eh? I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting any younger. I can’t be traveling the world forever and if I want to settle down with a mate, I got to start looking while I’m still good-lookin’, you know?”

When Rocky only sighed in response, Buddy leaned in close with a sly grin. “So what’s your type, anyway? Like ‘em top heavy, or are you a thigh guy? I know it’s kind of weird, but I love me some tail... literally. The more spikes, the better.”

“Please... shut up,” growled Rocky, getting Buddy to straighten up and roll his eyes. The talkative mutt looked like he was going to say something, but a paw appeared across his chest and barred his path, making him come to a sudden stop.

With a relieved sigh, Rocky announced, “We’re here.” Ahead of them stood a decent sized, wooden building with a sign out front.

Welcome to Burrowton!

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for the editing.
I was hoping to make this chapter longer, but decided to divide the talky bit from the more action-y stuff. Hope you still like it.

P.S.
If you like my writing, check out my new story: Equestrian Princess- Three Thirds
I should have another chapter of that done in a week or two.

Chapter 26

Amy and Spike languidly made their way back through the town of Burrowton, each sporting a nice sized bag of goods after their successful shopping trip. Most of their load was foodstuffs such as jerky and ration bars, along with some small necessities Amy had thought to add to their supplies. A second canteen had been bought just in case and sat in the proper backpack Spike now carried.

Quite ironically in Spike’s opinion, they had used some of the bits bought with shards of their sugar diamond to procure yet more gems. Amy had explained that, though the low quality gems took up more space and would be a bit more troublesome to lug around, they would also feed them for much longer. Still, it was a disappointing trade; losing pieces of their delicacy in exchange for cloudy, common rocks.

While they were out, the younger dragon had asked if they would again try to send word back to Equestria, but Amy explained that Burrowton had no direct mailing system in place and instead relied on the occasional caravan to send outgoing letters. Apparently, it was a sort of sub-business where travelers could get discounts for taking letters for delivery to the nearest town. This explained why every store they visited had a bulletin board covered with pictures of wanderers listing them as trustworthy or scammers.

It seemed like a horribly inefficient system, but Burrowton was a very isolated, close-knit community, so the need to contact the outside world was minimal.

Spike really just wanted to get back to the surface and sleep in a comfortable bed instead of the cold ground after spending all of the morning on his feet and then trekking through Burrowton to shop. His stomach disagreed as it rumbled loudly.

“The ham sandwiches didn’t do it for ya, eh?” Amy asked.

“What can I say? I’ve been getting a lot of exercise lately,” Spike responded with a lazy smile. “I’m kinda used to Twilight carrying me around most of the time when we’re doing errands, and now I’m walking from sunset to sundown.” He shrugged. “Guess my metabolism or whatever is starting to pick up.” For a moment, the little dragon pondered whether or not he’d finally lose his baby fat after all of this. Getting his cheeks pinched got old a long time ago.

“Metabolism? That’s a pretty big word for a kid. You pick that up from living in a library, too?”

“Nah, I remember Rarity saying how she was jealous of Pinkie Pie’s fast metabolism. She can eat an entire cake and not gain an ounce.” Tilting his head slightly, he added, “Twilight thinks all the extra sugar is getting turned into some sort of Pinkie-specific magic and that’s how she does all the crazy stuff.”

“That mare chased me through Ponyville without me even being able to see her coming. Me. Yeah, I’d say having some freaky cake-fueled magic is within the realm of possibility.” The seriousness of her statement got the smaller dragon to giggle.

“And she couldn’t have just been, I don’t know, faster than you?”

“Nope, it was cake magic. Only way.”

“Okay, fine, it was magic, can we stop talking about cake now?” Though it was spoken with a chuckle, Spike’s stomach growled in agreement. “It’s making me even hungrier.”

Frowning, Amy glanced to her brother before scanning the surroundings. Eyes lighting up, she pointed to a building with the sign “Crystal Café” hanging above the door. “Why don’t we get a bite to eat then? Not saying Meredith’s cooking is bad, but it’s a bit on the simple side. Might as well try some fancy diamond dog cuisine while we’re here.”

Spike couldn’t help but take a cursory sniff towards the establishment, and the faint scent of food caused his tummy to rumble even louder. “It… does smell pretty good. Are you sure you want to spend the extra bits though? We did just do a lot of shopping, after all.”

Amy dismissed his concern with a wave. “It’s fine, we got what we need with bits to spare. Really, they’re just another thing to carry anyway, so why not lighten the load some while we fill our bellies?”

Grinning, the smaller dragon nodded. “I like the way you think, sister. Let’s go.” Happy for the excuse to indulge a little after ruffing it, Spike practically sprinted to the café’s entrance. “What are you waiting for? Come on!”

Rolling her eyes, the dragoness nonetheless followed her brother, her own stomach jumping for joy at the prospect of good food. Though she had put on a tough front, scorched vulture was not on her list of enjoyable dishes.

The arrival of two dragons at the small establishment had gotten the expected reaction by this point; every head turned and all eyes were on them until they quietly moved to a booth in the corner. It still made Spike uncomfortable to be stared at with such uncertainty, but his scales had been toughing up throughout the day and he did his best to ignore them.

It was a relief when the waiter approached with a nervous smile and two menus instead of a demand for them to leave. It had happened twice on their shopping trip so far and each time was quite disheartening. Amy, being far more polite than he knew she really was, gave a smile of her own and thanked him. “It’s always better to be kind to those afraid of you rather than insulting,” she explained to her little brother. “If you’re lucky, they’ll stop being afraid and there won’t be any trouble.”

“What about when you slammed that one dog’s door when he told us to get out and busted the knob?”

“… Do as I say, not as I do,” Amy answered. “Never thought I’d start quoting Lorey.”

Spike snorted before lifting his menu. Looking through it, his eyes instantly settled on a delicious picture of a dessert and he pointed it out. “I want this!”

“An opal-berry parfait? Spike, that’s a dessert, not a meal. How about you pick something a little more filling?” Amy suggested. Seeing the little dragon’s fin droop, she couldn’t help but add, “You can have the parfait with something else.”

With a brilliant smile, Spike eagerly went back to searching through the menu. Watching her little brother with a soft smile, the dragoness jumped a little when a voice sounded from her side. “I’m sorry, what was that?” she asked the waiter.

“Um, I was just asking if you were ready to order.”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” she answered, quickly scanning through her menu. “How about… an order of your prairie dog pan burgers.”

Scribbling her order down on a small notepad, he looked to Spike. “And, you, sir? Are you ready to order?”

The small dragon lowered his menu, a small blush on his cheeks. “Yes, I’d like, um, I’d like this.” Turning the menu to the diamond dog, he pointed at one of the items.

Leaning forward, the diamond dog nodded and wrote down the order. “A grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a side of fries. Got it. What would you to like to drink? We have water, tea, apple and orange juice.”

Both agreed on sweet tea and the waiter began to walk away, halting when Spike called out, “Oh, and one opal-berry parfait for dessert!”

Smirking in amusement, the waiter made note of the add-on and left. Looking to his sister, Spike saw her smirking herself. “What?”

“Ham and cheese, huh?”

Blushing, Spike said, “Y-yeah, I mean, the ones Meredith made were pretty good, so I figured it’ll be even better grilled.”

Amy chuckled. “Well, can’t argue there, but maybe you should have tried something a little more, I don’t know, unique. I’m sure Twilight won’t be letting you out of her sight when we get you back to Equestria, so you probably won’t get a chance.” Her words became more sincere. “Though, I’m glad you’re taking what I said earlier seriously. You shouldn’t have to be ashamed of eating what you like.”

Their meals came not long after their drinks and the two dragons enjoyed them thoroughly. Amy even managed to convince Spike to try a few bites of her dish, which, though reluctant at first, led to him asking for several more. She was more than glad to share and her little brother reciprocated her generosity with some of his parfait when it came.

Fifteen minutes later, the two dragons leaned contently back in their seats, enjoying the afterglow of a good meal. A loud call of, “Brother!” ruined the moment a bit, however. A dog held his arms open for another in a chef outfit as he came from out of the kitchen to embrace the speaker. “You won’t believe how much trouble I had finding you, Bale!”

“Buddy, what a surprise!” The chef returned. “You should have wrote ahead and said you were coming, I would have set something up.” Moving apart, but with paws still grasped on each other’s shoulders, he added. “Speaking of, what do you mean you couldn’t find me? I told’ja all about this place in my letters.”

“Ah well, this trip was kinda spur of the moment, ya know? Boss sent me and a pal to look for some folks, so I didn’t think to go looking through the letters for your address. At least I remembered the name of your business though, right? Just had to ask around for a while and here I am!”

At this point, the obnoxiously loud conversation was drawing more than a few annoyed glances from the other patrons, and Amy reached for her bag. “Come on, Spike, we should probably be getting back to the surface,” she said, leaving the money for their meal with the check the waiter had brought earlier.

Spike nodded and slid from his seat, the two dragons slipping out as the brothers continued to talk animatedly to each other. As they exited, Spike caught sight of a few pups waving at them. He waved back and smiled. “Hey, do you think we can come back down here tomorrow morning before we set out again? It might be kind of cool to hang out with some of the pups when we don’t have to buy stuff.”

“And make the parents uncomfortable? Sounds tempting,” was the sarcastic response.

“Well, maybe it’ll show them we aren’t bad. I mean, if they only ever see dragons once in a while, then they’ll never change their minds about us.”

“Trying to better dragon-diamond dog relations, you mean? Aren’t you the little politician? Must have been growing up around a princess that did it. ” Amy said.

Spike frowned. “Well, why can’t we? If we can help, shouldn’t we do it?”

Seeing how serious her little brother was, Amy sighed. “Listen Spike, the truth is, diamond dogs have every right to be wary of dragons. It may not be as common as it used to be, but dragons did attack diamond dog dens to steal their gems. Being underground doesn’t keep you safe when dragons can just dig into your home and take what they want.” Amy didn’t mention the stories of dragons not being satisfied with just increasing their hordes and deciding to have a couple of dog treats as well. The little guy didn’t need that image in his head.

Spike drooped a little. “Oh… Well, maybe it can be the first step then? Things don’t get better unless you make them, right?”

Looking into those hopeful eyes, Amy couldn’t help but ignore her skepticism and answer, “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll think about it and we’ll see how things go, but even if we can’t do it tomorrow, we can still do it someday.” Though the dragoness didn’t have much hope in their actions being at all impactful, she would try for her little brother. “Our biggest priority right now is getting you safely back to Equestria, so we really shouldn’t hang around too long.”

Spike beamed. “Good idea, I’m sure Twilight will agree to let me help if I tell her it’s a friendship mission. She’s all about friendship… Well, books and friendship.”

Chuckling, Amy offered her claw and Spike accepted it. Who knows? Maybe they really could change things for the better. The dragoness found that the more time she spent with her little brother, the more optimistic she felt about the world.

“So, why’d you stay up here instead of going below with your friend?” the old dog questioned from the register. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Rocky looked up from the shelves of bizarre gemstones to meet the owner’s eyes. He contemplating snapping that he did mind, but remembered he might be staying here if Buddy turned out to be as incompetent as he acted. “He’s a partner, not a friend, and he’s looking for his brother right now. I didn’t feel like wandering with him after already walking so much.”

“He doesn’t know where his brother lives?”

“He’s not the brightest diamond in the vein,” Rocky offered as explanation, picking a stone and holding it to the light. “What’s with this stuff, anyway? Looks like you’re selling a bunch of impure gems for way more than they’re worth. Twenty bits for this? Is it magic or something?”

Charles grunted. “No it isn’t magic, and it’s not being sold for food either. It’s a treasure.” Rocky gave him an incredulous stare, and Charles sighed. “Look at it; those impurities look like clouds, don’t they? And the little air bubbles are the rain drops falling.”

Looking at the gem more closely, Rocky hummed before placing it back on the shelf. “Still seems like a rip-off, but to each their own, I guess.”

Charles watched the potential customer as he returned to his browsing for a few more minutes before trying to spark up a conversation again. “So you said that other fella was your partner, right? Is that business partners?”

“That’s one way of looking at it, though that makes it sound like we work together often or something.”

“What sort of business do you have here? Burrowton’s more a waypoint than a destination to most.”

Again, Rocky was about to snap that it wasn’t any of the old dog’s business, but a thought struck him. “We’re here looking for a couple of thieves.” He began easily, walking over to the counter. “Actually, maybe you can help me out a bit. If they are here, they’d have probably stopped by your fine establishment. I’m sure you’d remember them if they did; they’re pretty hard to miss.”

“Oh, and who are they?”

“A couple purple dragons, you see them?” Rocky asked as he casually perused the display case. From the corner of his eye, he saw the owner tense a little.

“Really now,” Charles began after a moment. “Not very often I hear about diamond dogs chasing after dragons; most have the sense to run the other way.”

Rocky chuckled. “These aren’t a couple of giant ones we’re after, of course. The older of the two is probably around my size and the other is up to my knee. Even so, I’m not stupid enough to pick a fight with a dragon of any size by myself, that’s why we’ll be getting the town’s guard to help, along with whoever else wants to lend a paw.”

“I don’t think telling the guard that they’re thieves are going to make them any more willing to pick a fight with your dragons, even if they are small. Fur’s pretty flammable, you know?”

“Well, it’s not exactly like we’re gonna be asking.” Leaning on the display, the younger dog gave a cocky smile. “It’s either deal with the dragons, or get paid a little visit from Cujo and the rest of our pack. If there were a choice, it’d be a pretty easy one I think.”

“C-Cujo!? You work for that psychopath!?”

“Hey now, that’s a little harsh, don’t you think?” Rocky returned, knowing it was an entirely accurate description of his alpha. “It’s not like he’s an indiscriminate killer or something.” No, Cujo always had a reason for when he killed someone, like if they bumped into him while he was having a bad day, but everyone knew to avoid such offenses, so it hardly ever happened.

“He ripped the last mayor’s head off when he refused to pay protection money!”

Well, that was true, though it was years ago before Cujo had joined the doctor’s company. The Doc had really been a good thing for the pack in retrospect; the frequency of Cujo’s wanton acts of destruction had been reduced drastically thanks to Zariba focusing the giant dog’s violent nature.

“Point,” Rocky conceded, “but that was a pretty long time ago, before I had joined the pack even. He’s a changed dog now.”

“If that were the case, we wouldn’t have to be worried about him coming here for us not helping you out,” Charles observed, calming slightly.

“Oh, I’m not saying he’s a harmless puppy, just that he probably wouldn’t slaughter everyone. Some, sure, but it’d probably just be broken bones and property damage for most.” Still propped up on the display, he waved dismissively. “Look, the point is, we’re the victims here who got stolen from and all we want is some help catching the culprits. Just do the right thing and cooperate for all of our sakes.”

Watching the elder dog wring his paws nervously, Rocky felt somewhat guilty. Dr. Zariba would be proud of how he had used his words to coerce the owner into cooperating instead of violence. If he were being honest with himself, even he was a little proud of how he managed to emulate his boss’s casual, but cold demeanor as he broke Charles down.

But it still felt underpawed. Roughing someone up when they were giving you a hard time just felt more candid; everyone was clear on their positions then. The Doc tended to make the victims of his verbal sparring question whether or not they were in the right when they finally agreed to his terms.

Just like Charles here. Rocky knew those dragons weren’t the bad guys, and Charles, even if he didn’t know them, probably suspected as much just by the fact Cujo was the one after them. But he would help take them down, anyway. The older dog’s eyes kept flickering from his own to over his head, obviously reluctant to meet his antagonist’s gaze, so Rocky decided to grant him a small mercy and return to perusing the wares beneath the glass.

Maybe he’d end up buying something when this was all over as a sort-of apology to the old dog. He could even give it to Buddy’s family if they ended up staying with them as a thankyou gift. With how hard his mother had tried to hammer good manners into him, she was no doubt glaring at him from the afterlife right now, so it’d probably be a good idea to appease her a little.

Gods only knew how many smacks to the head and ear twists were waiting for him when he finally kicked the bucket.

“You know, I might not be in a rush right now, but it’d be nice if you just told me what you knew about the dragons already. I can read it on your face that they’ve come through. Did they already leave?” Rocky asked, spotting an exceptionally shiny stone beneath the glass that caught his eyes.

“Well… I wouldn’t say that,” Charles began haltingly. “Matter of fact…”

Observing his silhouette on the stone’s surface, Rocky tilted his head as another figured reared up behind his own. His eyes grew wide as he tried to whip around, but a powerful arm snaked around his neck and he quickly found himself in a chokehold.

Eyes bulging, Rocky reached up and tried to unwind the python from his throat, but it was no use as another claw grabbed the top of his head, sealing his fate as he and his attacker fell to the ground.

Wheezing, the diamond dog desperately scratched at the arm strangling him, but his claws simply slid against the smooth surface. He saw Charles saying something as he rushed out from around the counter, but his panicked mind could only make out static as his vision grew dim. Just as the darkness overtook the last of his sight, Rocky thought, Mother forgive me, I’ll see you soon.

~8~

When Amy and her brother arrived on the surface and made their way inside Charles' home, it had been with the intention of turning in early and getting as many hours of comfortable sleep as they could manage before hitting the road again. Plans changed quickly however, when Amy heard the old dog shout a familiar, stomach-dropping name.

Holding an arm out to halt Spike and making a hushing motion, Amy stepped silently through the halls. The younger dragon was quick to pick up that something was wrong and followed as quietly as he could a few paces behind.

Once the dragoness reached the archway of the small shop, she leaned against the wall and flicked an ear fin to listen carefully. Every word the diamond dog, a subordinate of Cujo, spoke made Amy’s rage grow and she felt a momentary desire to fry the mutt. Not wanting to burn Charles’ home down was the only thing that prevented her from turning her enemy into charcoal.

Peeking around the corner, she saw the dog leaning casually on the counter, acting as though he hadn’t been making threats just a moment ago. Looking up, Charles met her gaze and gulped. For a second, Amy thought he was thinking of outing her, but he merely continued to stare, begging her silently for help.

She once again made the gesture for silence before stepping fully into the room. As quietly as possible, the dragoness stalked towards her prey, claws flexing as she came up behind him. Was this always going to be how it was? No rest? Having to avoid civilization just because Zariba’s scumbags would be waiting for them? No, Amy was capable of far more than just running away; it was time for these scavengers to be reminded of that.

Charles said something as Amy approached, but she wasn’t paying attention enough to know what. She reached an arm forward and the diamond dog jerked, finally noticing her presence, but it was far too late for him. In seconds, the dog’s windpipe was being crushed between her forearm and bicep.

His attempts at pulling her loose was wasted as his claws scratched harmlessly across her scales. The struggling brought the two to ground, but Amy would not relent as she continued to choke the diamond dog out. Gaze flickering towards another voice, she spotted a frightened Spike, and her hold tightened.

She wouldn’t let this criminal ever get the chance to put her brother in danger. As the dog’s struggles died, Amy knew he had fallen unconscious. It would only be a few more minutes now and she could drag the mutt out for the vultures to feed on.

Spike continued to yell and Charles joined him, but she didn’t understand why they were so frightened. The threat would be gone soon enough.

It was a shock when Charles came up and tried to pry Amy’s arm away. What was he thinking? This was one of Cujo’s mongrels, why try to help him? As a warning, Amy sent out a quick burst of fire, and Charles stumbled back.

With him deterred, the dragoness returned focus to the task at hand and squeezed tighter. At this point, it was possible she would snap the dog’s neck before he suffocated fully. That was fine with her; the result would be the same.

A blow to the shoulder gained a growl from Amy as she quickly searched for her assailant. Whoever it was would be easy to defeat if their pitiful attack was anything to go by. It was confusing then that there was no one around who could have attacked her; just her little brother brandishing her staff with panic in his eyes.

He struck her again. Amy couldn’t believe it. What was he thinking? Had he lost his mind? The insanity of the situation was enough to shock Amy out of her bloodlust and she managed to make out the young drake’s words. “Let him go, Amy! You’re going to kill him!”

“W-what? Spike! He works for Zariba!” She protested, voice somewhere between a hiss and a yell.

“That doesn’t mean you can kill him!”

“That’s exactly what it means!” Amy shouted, grip tightening.

“No it doesn’t!” Spike retorted, shaking his head furiously and eyes shut tight. “Killing others is wrong even if they’re bad.” Opening his eyes, Spike pleaded, “Please, please don’t do this.”

“But… but he’s going to get the whole town after us like Bedville. He has to be stopped.” Even as she argued, she felt her hold loosen. Seeing her little brother this distraught and being the cause of it was something she never thought would happen; something that should never have to happen.

“But he hasn’t yet; we caught him before he could. This doesn’t have to happen.”

Biting her lip, Amy looked at the dog in her grasp, bloodshot eyes rolled up in their sockets and tongue hanging out, looking for all the world to be dead already. No wonder Spike and Charles were acting so frightened. Did she really want her little brother to see death while so young?

Deciding no, she let out a frustrated growl and let the diamond dog go. It had been just over two minutes from when he had passed out, and for a moment Amy feared it was too late for him, but after a few seconds, the dog gasped lightly. The breathing was rattled, but his chest rose and fell steadily. He’d live.

He could also wake up soon, and that could be a problem. “Thank the gods,” Charles sighed as he stepped forward. His eyes flicked skittishly towards Amy a few times before he said. “Are you… going to be okay, girl? You still seem… agitated.”

“Of course I am,” she growled. “Because of this piece of trash, Spike and I have to book it out of here quick. I don’t want to be anywhere near here when he comes around.” She began to pace. “And he’ll know we were here too, so he’ll be able to tell the freakin’ zebra. That’s just going to make it easier for the bastard to guess where we’ll go next.”

“Maybe… we can hold him up or something,” Spike suggested meekly. He was still shaking from what had just occurred, but was trying to hide it as he fiddled with Amy’s staff.

The dragoness avoided looking at him; the sight causing her heart to clench. “How? Tie him up? Leave him in the attic?”

Charles shook his head. “No, that won’t work. I’m sorry, Amethyst, but you know what would happen if we did something like that. There’d be no denying why we did it, who we were helping. Cujo would come here and wreak havoc for sure. Plus, there’s another of his pack down below. He’s looking for his brother so they could stay with him while they were in the city. He’d come looking for his partner.” Sighing, the old dog added, “Honestly, the other one, Buddy, he seems like a real nice fella. It’s hard to believe who he’s working for."

“Great,” Amy moaned. “Well, if we can’t keep him from telling his boss we were here, then delaying the message really is our best option. But how do we make sure he has to stay here in Burrowton without holding him captive?”

Putting a knuckle to her head, the dragoness concentrated hard. Maybe poison him? Nothing serious, just something to hold him up. No, that’d be too suspicious. He’d probably think Charles was involved and cause him trouble down the road. Keeping him bedridden though, that did have potential.

A look of realization lit up her face. “I got it!” Moving over to the prone body, she glanced over to her little brother. “Spike, you might want to look away for this.”

“What are you going to do,” the younger dragon asked apprehensively.

Kneeling down and pulling the dog off the ground a bit, she answered. “We have to keep him here, but the blame can only be put on us to keep Burrowton safe, so, well, I’m going to put him in the hospital.”

“What!?” both Charles and Spike shouted.

“It’s the only way!" Amy shot back. She was going to attempt a better explanation, but the dog in her grasp groaned and his eyes began to flutter. Just as he came to, it was to the sight of a purple fist flying at his face. After the blinding flash of white, there was once again only darkness.

Buddy tapped his foot impatiently as the elevator continued its slow ascension. While shooting the breeze with his brother, Bale mentioned the bit of excitement that had wondered into town earlier that day, a pair of dragons. Once he heard that, Buddy was off like a shot, a quick shout over his shoulder that he would be back later was all he gave his confused brother.

“Come on, come on. Can’t this stupid thing go any faster?” he said to himself, punctuating his frustrations with a stomp. As he had run to tell his partner the news, a guard stopped him and asked what was wrong, apparently suspicious of the new face sprinting through town. When the guard learned his panic was over the dragons, he reassured Buddy that the dragons had already left and that the town was safe. The information had the opposite affect than expected.

Now Buddy was worried for his grumpy partner who could be facing off with the girl who broke Cujo’s arm with one punch. Buddy did not want to see what sort of mess something like that could make of a dog a third the size of their alpha. It was doubtable that, even if they had the doc’s healing potions and a medic on the scene, Rocky could be put back together again.

The elevator jolting to a halt pulled Buddy from his grim thoughts and he rushed to get the gate open. Running up the tunnel, the diamond dog leapt over the boom gate, ignoring the operator’s yelp, and continued towards the house. Just as he reached the backdoor, it swung open to reveal a fussing Meredith.

Right behind her stood Charles, straining under the weight of the limp diamond dog whose arm was slung over his shoulders. Buddy gawked at the bloody mess of his partner’s face, the left side swollen to an obscene degree.

“Are you going to stop staring and help me get him to a doctor or not?” Charles grunted, shifting the unconscious heap up and causing his head to loll about.

Well, Buddy thought as he moved to Rocky’s other side, at least he’s still breathing.

Author's Note

You know, I'm kind of surprised no one has ever analyzed the name Zariba Arbez yet in the comments. There is meaning behind it and also a reason why the Doc doesn't like being called by his second name. Can anyone guess why?

Anyhoot, it was tough, but here you all go. Thanks to Bemmo and Courage for editing.

Chapter 27

Last time on Tale of Two Dragons, Amy and Spike's peaceful trip to Burrowton ended in violence as they discover a dog of Cujo's pack waiting for them on the surface. Forced to act quickly, Amy made sure the dog would not have a good time of it.

It felt like his entire body was covered in cotton when Rocky awoke, with a bunch concentrated at the side of his face. It was not necessarily unpleasant, but far from normal as he tried to open his eyes. Strangely, only one of them obeyed the mental command with a flutter before he was forced to shut it again in response to the searing light that flooded his retina.

What in the world happened to him? Last thing he remembered was the old diamond dog at the bobble shop and maybe someone behind him. No, that was right; someone did sneak up behind him, and… Was he dead? Gods, he couldn’t think straight, and the damned light shining red through his eyelids was not helping.

Bringing a heavy paw to shield his face, he tried to demand for the light to be turned off by any who could hear, but a sharp pain shooting across his muzzle stopped him. More alert from the shock and hearing a sudden gasp from his side, Rocky opened his compliant eye and looked over.

There stood what could only be described as the most… voluptuous bitch he had ever laid eyes on. Holy…! I am dead, and angels are real! shot through the dog’s mind as he stared at the wide-eyed girl. She was even wearing a nurse’s outfit, cap with a little red cross included. Jackpot!

Attempting to speak again, Rocky was struck with a lancing pain once more. Going to feel the side of his face with a wince, a gentle paw halted him at the wrist. “Please, you might aggravate your injuries,” the girl spoke, “I have to go get the doctor, but I’ll be back shortly.”

Without another word, she left, leaving Rocky to only partially enjoy the view of her jiggly hips as he tried to process what was going on. If he had ended up at the raw end of the afterlife like he always suspected, that would explain the pain, but the lack of his mother there to eternally whack him upside the head had him questioning that theory. Seeing as he probably wouldn’t have this slowly building headache if he were experiencing eternal bliss, that ruled out hitting the afterlife jackpot as well.

Never thought I’d be disappointed to wakeup alive. Looking around the room, he concluded he was in a hospital room, the rock wall carved as smooth as claws could get them and painted white. Putting the pieces together from there, it wasn’t hard to figure out the basics. He had been attacked from behind, choked out, and apparently had his face bashed in with a rock or something. Yeah, that sounded about his luck.

And his luck showed no sign of turning anytime soon as Buddy came rushing through the door with wide eyes. That’s what he needed, a pain in his tail to go along with the one in his head. “Rocky, you’re awake!”

The open eye give it away? he wanted to snark, but had to settle for a pirate’s glare instead.

Not picking up the hostility, Buddy moved to the side of the bed and continued talking. “Just heard it from the nurse when she told the doctor; I’ve been coming by every morning for the last three days to check up on you. Think the doc was actually getting annoyed, but I don’t know why. I mean, it’s perfectly reasonable for a fella to worry about his friend, right? Definitely doesn’t have anything to do with the doc’s daughter being a smokin’ hot nurse.”

Leaning in conspiratorially, he whispered, “Which she totally is, by the way. Don’t know if you’ve gotten a good look at her yet, but she is one fiiine piece of tail, and I do mean that literally. Sure, her body's good, but wait ‘till you get a load of that tail; sucker's got eight spikes on it. Eight! I didn’t even know a tail could be that pokey. And speaking of pokin'-”

Whatever vulgar words were about to spill out of Buddy’s mouth were cut off as his bedridden partner reached up and clamped the end of his muzzle shut with a strong paw. Shut. Your. Trap, Rocky communicated with his glare, not that Buddy could read that as he smirked and pulled away.

“Ah, I get it, a bit of love at first sight, eh? Don’t want me talking about your lady with disrespect. Never would have pegged you as then gentledog; guess you were hiding the heart of a romantic under the prickly exterior.”

While Buddy nodded his head in self-gratification of his own deductive skills, Rocky stared incredulously. There was no way this guy was that dumb, right? While seriously contemplating an attempt to get out of bed and smack his fool of a partner, he was interrupted by the door opening once again.

“Mister Buddy, I would very much appreciate you not running through my establishment unattended,” a dog in a lab coat said coldly. “This is a place of rest and recovery, not a gymnasium. The patients here need peace and quiet, which I’ve gotten plenty of complaints about since you’ve started visiting.”

“Hey now, plenty of the dogs stuck here are enjoying my company,” argued Buddy. “Let me guess, that old bat in room twelve is the one doing all the complaining, right? She’s less fun than Rocky here.”

Getting two glares and a light giggle from the nurse standing behind her father, Buddy smiled with pride at the latter accomplishment and didn’t even mind when the doctor jockeyed him out of the way to reach his patient’s bedside. “Ah, Mister Rocky, yes? It’s nice to finally meet you. I can’t say I hear of many dogs falling down the main elevator shaft, let alone living. Once we get you speaking again, you’ll have to tell me how you managed that.”

There was a hint of skepticism in the older dog’s voice, but Rocky could only raise his only functional eyebrow in confusion. Had he been able to speak, he’d have questioned where he heard such an outlandish story, though looking over the doc’s shoulder served equally well in giving him the answer.

With his partner mouthing that he’d explain later, Rocky was left to give a noncommittal shrug, much to the doctor’s obvious annoyance. Just as much the professional he appeared to be however, the doctor didn’t press and instead began to explain Rocky’s health. A broken jaw, fractured cheek bone, a molar knocked out. Why, if the doc didn’t know any better, his patient must have landed face-first directly onto a distinctly fist-shaped stone.

And got a noose wrapped around his neck to have resulted in that bruising. Buddy agreed; it was quite the fall, and definitely not a fight with an irate dragon, which it wasn’t. A fight would have suggested Rocky actually got a few hits in, after all.

“We won’t be able to cut the wires in your mouth for at least ten more days,” The doctor explained, looking down at his clipboard. “I’d recommend longer than that, but your partner has stressed that you two have very important business to attend to outside of town that mustn’t be delayed. I certainly don’t pity the state you’ll be in; no gems for a month minimum, and I can hardly recommend most other foods either. I’d say bread soaked in water will be about all you’ll be able to chew for quite some time, but until then, we’ll put you on a purée diet and get that IV out of your arm.”

Looking down, Rocky noticed the itch he hadn’t realized was indeed a needle in his arm, and grimaced. He may not have been a whiny pup anymore, but that didn’t change his dislike of needles. The rest of what the doctor had to say was none too pleasing either. It was times like this that the dog wished he had simply stayed in his box when he was offered a place in Cujo’s pack. It was padded well with insulating leaves and the alley it was situated in was right behind a nice restaurant. It may not have been The Ritz, but at least he didn’t have the constant risk of being pummeled hanging over his head, whether it be his pack mates or ornery dragons.

There was no point in what-ifs however, and so Rocky simply nodded to whatever his physician said until he and his attractive daughter left the room. As soon as the door closed, Rocky turned a questioning gaze to his partner who sighed and pulled up a chair to plop down into.

“Wondering about the lie, right? You remember how you got here?” Rocky nodded. “Good, at least you didn’t suffer any brain damage, what with getting choked out before having your brains smashed off the inside of your skull. I was afraid you’d be a drooling idiot or something, what with how bad you looked after the fact.”

Rocky growled and Buddy quickly got back on topic. “Okay, well, that old dog, Charles, helped me bring you here, and on the elevator down, he explained what happened. Apparently Amethyst Thistle got the jump on you, and then took off. Seeing as how she and her brother were long gone, I figured there was no reason for all the threatening stuff and throwing Cujo’s name around like we were supposed to do to get the town to help, so I lied when they started asking questions.

“Why go making enemies if you don’t have to, right?” Buddy finished, scratching his head. “Kinda seems pointless now though judging from the sort of gossip I’ve heard around here. Pretty sure they would have believed me if I told them the dragons attacked you without reason. These Burrowton dogs are a skittish lot when it comes to dragons.”

Rocky grunted his agreement, surprised his empty headed cohort thought things through like he did. Affiliating themselves with Cujo while he was vulnerable in a hospital bed would definitely not be an ideal situation, that was for sure. Last thing he needed was having guards sitting outside his room just waiting for an excuse to throw him in jail.

Plus that nurse probably wouldn’t want to associate with someone willing to work under a psychopath, and Rocky didn’t want to blow his chances before he could even speak a word to the girl.

“Ten days before the doctor will let us leave though,” began Buddy, interrupting his thoughts. “That might be a problem if Cujo or the zebra think we were wasting time on top of failing to bring back the dragons. I’m not looking forward to joining back up with the caravan.”

That was true, and the thought had a pit form in Rocky’s stomach. All he could do about it though is hope the zebra would be reasonable and Cujo’s brothers could talk the alpha out of splattering him. Damn, he didn’t like those odds.

~8~

“I miss ham,” Spike moaned, snapping off a bite of dried rabbit jerky from sundown-breakfast and frowning. It was good, but nowhere near as tasty as the pork he had had with the diamond dogs.

“It’s only been three days,” Amy responded, not looking back as she made sure to watch out for danger. They’d been lucky so far, but as they moved from desert to scrubland, the chances of a night-time predatory encounter increased. With temperatures becoming milder and the search radius Zariba would have to cover to find them growing with every step, it would soon be safe to travel during daylight hours.

“Might as well be years,” grumbled the smaller dragon before he tripped over a rock. Tonight should probably be the last before they switched over; Spike had a few too many bumps and bruises for Amy’s liking.

Helping her brother, up, Amy asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just another stupid rock. They trip me, get stuck between my toes, and I’ll have sleep on them again to boot. I never thought I could start hating inanimate objects.”

Amy chuckled, but still looked down at her charge in concern. "You want me to carry you for a bit? I don’t mind.”

“No, I’m fine,” he answered, re-adjusting the shoulder strap of his backpack. “Just a little sore about not getting to sleep in a bed back in Burrowton. I was really looking forward to that, you know?”

She did. When you travel the continent for ancient treasures and lost civilizations, you learn to appreciate the little luxuries you stumble upon on the way. It wasn’t as hard for Amy to do without as it was for Spike though; she’d been sleeping on the ground and eating rations for years now, unlike her little brother and his cushy library life.

“Tell you what, you can have my bedroll in the morning for some extra padding. It might not be a bed, but it’s better than pebbles digging into your back.”

"What? No, Amy, I couldn’t-”

“I insist,” the dragoness interrupted. “Seriously, Spike, it won’t kill me to go without it for a day, I’m used to it.”

Spike looked ready to argue, but sighed and smiled instead. “Thanks, but that means you get both bedrolls next time. You missed out on the bed too, after all.”

“You don’t-” began Amy before seeing the fire in the smaller dragon’s eyes. “Fine, I’ll take both bedrolls later. You better not regret it.”

Spike beamed at his small victory and the pair fell into silence for a few minutes until the younger asked, “So how much longer ‘till we reach the next stop?”

“Well, we’re already pretty close to the Gryphon Kingdom border, if we haven’t already passed it, but we’re going to be avoiding as many of the small settlements and towns as we can from here on out.”

“Really?” Spike tilted his head. “Why?”

“So we can avoid any more run-ins with Arbez or his lackeys. We’ve more than likely pulled ahead of him as it is, what with being run out of two towns without rest, and I want to keep that lead. Plus, the closer we get to the hoard, the more the possible routes begin to converge, meaning the more the chance of running into his caravan increases. We want to keep that possibility down to a minimum at this point.”

Her eyes lost focus as she began to imagine her ambition being realized. The treasure Dad always spoke of finding would soon be within her grasp and everyone the world over would know that it was her, his daughter who uncovered it.

“Um, but…” Spike began, seeming hesitant, “What about, you know, getting in contact with Twilight?”

The smaller dragon nearly fell on his bottom as he bumped into his sister’s now stationary leg. “Uh, are you okay?”

“… I forgot,” whispered Amy, her expression one of horror. “I wasn’t even thinking about that, I was just focusing on finding Bahamut’s hoard instead of getting you home safely.”

Spike looked up, a glint of hope in his eyes. “You mean… you trust me enough to help?”

“Spike, you’re not understanding,” was the frantic reply. “I was putting treasure ahead of returning you to Equestria. You still have that striped bastard’s magic clogging up your inner fire, we’re out here, constant threat all around, and I was putting my greed ahead of your safety!”

Amy spiraled, imagining the disappointed glares of her parents from beyond as they witnessed their daughter devolve into the greedy beast they always warned her not to become. She had worked so hard to be more than what the world saw dragons as, and yet here she was putting gold and glory before kin.

Spike for his part, was feeling a combination of worry and indignation towards his sister. He was handling himself quite fine he thought and could not only survive out here, but be an asset as well. The reason he had been hesitant to bring up Equestria was because he had wanted to remain with the dragoness and see this adventure to the end.

“Amy, it’s okay, I’m not mad at you. Home will be there waiting for me for as long as it takes to get back. I mean, I don’t like the idea of worrying Twilight any more than I need to, but I don’t want to be worrying about you doing this on your own while I’m back in Equestria.”

“But it’s dangerous for you-”

“And it’s not for you?” Spike countered. “I get it, you think I’m just a baby and you’re a seasoned adventurer, but I’m not. I helped save the Crystal Empire, I’ve been living in the craziest town in Equestria where gods and monsters attack at least once a month, and before that, I grew up with a filly so powerful that her fits could and would level buildings. I’ve had tea with the Spirit of Chaos for crying out loud! I am not helpless.”

Staring in silence at the determined little dragon, Amy blinked a few times before saying, “… I don’t think I’m comfortable with your living arrangements in Equestria anymore. We’ll talk to Lore Finder about you moving in with her after this is done, nothing exciting ever happens to her.”

Spike tried to keep up a tough front, but couldn’t stop the snort and upwards twitch of his lips. As his sister knelt down, a tired smile on her face, he asked, “So… is that your way of saying I can stay and help?”

Amy sighed. “I don’t like it, and I’m still beating myself up over it, but I want to stick with the plan. As much as I want to send you back to Equestria, I just don’t think it’s safe to be stopping at another settlement. At least, I think it would be less safe at this point.” She ran a claw down her face. “Besides running into Arbez being a possibility, I can’t really think of what it would accomplish. Say we send word of where we’re at and the princesses themselves come to get us, how long will it take? A couple days? Meanwhile, we have to sit and wait for them and risk being attacked.

“And we’re definitely outside of Equestrian influence at this point, so it’s not exactly like they could demand help from the locals and expect them to throw the zebra and his goons in jail. Gryphons aren’t exactly known for their love of ponies or dragons, after all. Would the princess even be allowed to come over the border unannounced or send soldiers without it being an act of war?” Spike shrugged his uncertainty and Amy pinched the bridge of her nose. “It’s times like this I wish I had paid more attention during Lore’s lessons, but politics doesn’t exactly come up in treasure hunting. Usually governments are just happy I’m returning lost cultural artifacts.”

As Amy grumbled to herself, Spike tilted his head. “So… what do we do?”

After a few moments of silence, Amy sighed and stood. “We’ll continue on as we have been. Though we’ll be avoiding any more small settlements, that still leaves our final stop at Peregrine. It’s more of a city which means Arbez won’t be able to act as freely as he has been up till now so it’s at least kind of safe. When we get there, we’ll send a message for sure, and since it’ll be by gryphon courier, it should arrive pretty quick to boot. We’ll tell the princesses everything that’s happened so far and where we’re going and, well, hope for the best.

“The princesses are smart, right? I’m sure they’ll do whatever is best from their end,” Amy finished with a hopeful smile, getting a nod from Spike.

“Yeah, if there’s anything they can do to help, they’ll definitely do it… So, does that mean I’m going with you on the treasure hunt?”

“Don’t call it a treasure hunt,” Amy grumbled, “And, as much as I know I shouldn’t… yes, for now at least, you’re gonna stick with me. We can’t afford to wait around in the city for the princesses since I’m sure Arbez will show up there eventually with his whole gang. He won’t need to talk the people there into helping him when he has an army of mongrels to take us down.”

Looking to her brother, she saw the little drake with his claws fisted in front of him and his whole body jittering with excitement. Biting his lip only worked for so long in restraining the outburst of, “I’m gonna help you find the treasure!”

“Spike! This is serious, and dangerous, and- and seriously dangerous!” Amy nearly yelled, the responsible part of her mind trying to get her brother to understand and make her think up another, not insane plan.

“Well, that’s pretty much been the whole trip so far, so I don’t see what’s changed,” Spike responded, confused, getting his sister to slump with a sigh.

“Lore Finder is going to kill me, and then Twilight’s gonna raise me from the dead to have her shot, and then Mom’s going to tan my hide in the afterlife, all the while Dad will be watching with a slow, disapproving head shake… Why am I like this?”

“Ah, come on, this is going to be great!” said Spike, jubilance returning as he ran ahead, “And don’t worry about Twilight. I told you Princess Celestia doesn’t plan on teaching her necromancy for a long time no matter how much she begs.”

The small drake had enough optimism for both of them it seemed as Amy couldn’t fight the small smile pulling at her lips. She might end up facing a grim fate, both of them might, a dark thought argued, but Amy couldn’t help but feel hopeful that this insane plan would actually pan out.

She figured that, after the disaster that had been their trip so far, the powers at be kind of owed it to them by now.

~8~

Lore Finder had been worried that day when the clock ticked past noon and her draconic friends had yet to return, but she pushed away the concern with thoughts of the two losing track of time. It was heartwarming actually, the conjured image of the two long-separated siblings having fun and reconnecting, and Lore was looking forward to hearing about all that they did over a shared meal.

With each hour after that however, the mare’s anxiety grew until she left the cooled dinner on the table and practically fled the apartment. With Prose staying home in case they returned, Lore went to all the places she could think of to find the draconic duo. The last stop on the day of the dragon's disappearance was Amy’s favorite restaurant, where she got the heart-sinking news that Amy and her brother had left hours ago.

With similar answers everywhere else she went, Lore Finder found herself at the police station, as useless as that was. She filed a missing person’s report, talked to detectives, did everything she was supposed to, but deep down she knew it would do little good. The mare knew that, for all the enemies Amethyst Thistle had made over the years, there was one that was always looming, one who had the power to take the powerful dragon in her own city, and if that despicable stallion was behind this, Lore Finder knew the officers in his pocket would ensure Amy was never even looked for.

Lore even sent a letter to the princesses, though she doubted it would ever reach them. She didn’t know Spike’s home address, so the alicorns were her best chance of informing his family of what had occurred. Maybe, just maybe, the parcel would be sorted out of the no doubt substantial amount of fan mail the celestial sisters retrieved on a regular basis and they could help in some way. Unlikely, but possible, she told herself.

She went through the motions if only for the faint glimmer of hope it gave her as she did the only thing she could, return home and wait. For days she did just that, spending many a sleepless night pacing through the house, ignoring her husband’s wishes to return to bed, glancing at the door with every sound the old building produced, wishing it was her best friend coming in.

When there was a knock at the door one lazy afternoon, Lore Finder practically tripped trying to answer it. No one ever visited the reclusive pair, so there was no doubt that the visit had to do with Amy and her brother in some capacity. Perhaps it would be officers with news, or maybe Amy herself. Lore wished strongly for the latter, but was left somewhat disappointed, but very shocked to see it was neither guess. Instead, it was a pair of armored ponies, one a white and gold unicorn while the other an azure and grey pegasus.

“Miss Lore Finder I presume?” the celestial guard asked, breaking the silence.

“Missus actually,” Lore returned, still stunned. Perhaps her letter reached the princesses after all.

The stallion gave an amiable smile and nod. “Of course, may we come in? We’ve been sent by their Royal Highnesses on a mission, and your assistance will be of great value.”

“This is about Amethyst and Spike, isn’t it?” Lore questioned almost pleadingly. “You’re going to find them?”

His smile becoming more firm, the white unicorn answered, “We’re going to do our damndest, Ma’am, of that, you have my word.”

Author's Note

I was hoping to get this out before the New Year, hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to Bemmo for editing.
Anyways, for my resolution, I hope to get back to writing more regularly and plan on doing at least 200 words a night each for both this and my Gilded Sister story, so 400 total. I think I can handle it.

Chapter 28

Bright Sight sat uncomfortably in the alleyway, feeling exposed without his armor as he waited for their target. It was odd to be on duty, and yet have his yellow coat instead of the pristine white of the Solar Guard, but the Night Guard captain, Spinel Strike had assured him that incognito was the way to go. Blowing his blonde mane out of his blue eyes, he couldn’t help but frown.

If he had it his way, they’d have just marched straight to the mayor’s office, demanded to see housing records, and found their target that way, but the two Night Guards were quick to shoot that idea down. They weren’t in Equestria anymore and they couldn’t afford to go throwing weight around that they didn’t technically have. Intimidation would only work for as long as no one questioned their authority, and when that happened, they very well could be tossed in jail themselves.

With one of his guards already down from an asthma attack, they couldn’t afford another setback. Said guard didn’t even suffer from asthma, the thick amount of fungal spores floating in the home of Amethyst Thistle was enough to cause a sudden onset. And to make matters worse, there wasn’t a single clue to be had in the biohazard of an apartment.

All they knew for sure was that the dragoness was most definitely not getting her damage deposit back on the place.

“Stay focused, sunshine, I don’t want you missing anything because you were fantasying about your sun princess’ flank,” a rough, but clearly feminine voice rasped from the shadows of the fire escape above.

Bright choked on his own spit before screeching in a hushed tone, “Wha-? How dare you speak like that about our princess! Have you no shame!?”

“Your princess, you mean. Last I checked, my princess doesn’t stuff herself with cake whenever she thinks nopony’s looking.”

The unicorn couldn’t believe what he was hearing as he sputtered. “I-it’s a diarchy! Princess Celestia is your leader as well!”

“I didn’t vote for her…” Bright Sight could practically hear the shrug in the mare’s voice as his jaw fell open, mind scrambling hopelessly for the words to respond to such insanity. Before it managed the impossible task, Spinel chuckled. “Solar Guards always give the best reactions when they get all riled up like that.”

“Wait, were you just… teasing me?” Bright asked.

“What can I say, you sun worshippers make it too easy, and stakeouts get boring after a while.”

“Are you serious? This is no laughing matter! The princesses, both made it quite clear how important this mission is, so it’s certainly no time to be making jokes. Especially about our royals! Princess Celestia has been the backbone of our great kingdom for over a millennium, and an insult towards her is practically an insult towards our country!”

“Tone down the patriotism a notch, will you? I was just having some fun,” Spinel said, much to the stallion’s chagrin. He was about to explain how one should not be having fun at the expense of others, let alone the solar princess, but he was interrupted when she said sharply, “Look alive, I think I see her.”

Bright Spark whipped his head back towards the entrance to see a seafoam green mare with a blue mane and multiple rows of emerald green ones and zeros on her flank walking down the street, a slight sway in her step as she bumped into a minotaur. She merely giggled when she was told harshly to watch where she’s going and kept meandering down the road.

It was hard to believe that this sloshed earth pony was supposed to be some up-and-coming information broker for the seedy side of Ford Junction, but Lore Finder assured them that she was. At first, the guards had thought to merely go to the mare and buy the knowledge they needed, but Lore informed them of the unlikeliness of that tactic’s success.

Apparently, Two-Bit, the mare in question was adamant about not doing business with any form of legal authority as it could hurt her reputation with the criminals that made up her more regular clientele. After all, besides putting a dent in her profits, rumors like that could potentially get her fitted with a pair of concrete horseshoes. Never mind that there wasn’t a body of water for miles, when certain types thought you were a snitch, and there was the slightest chance you had dirt on them, they’d go above and beyond to tuck you in with the fishes.

This reluctance left them with plan B, as Spinel called it, and she gave Bright his cue. “Well, what are you waiting for, stud? Call the mare over.”

Sending one final glare up into the shadows, Bright Sight cleared his throat and stood. “Hey~” he called, stepping out of the alley with an engineered stumble. “S’at you, Two-Bit? Long see no time!”

Ignoring the whisper to tone it down, Bright smiled wider as Two-Bit glanced his way, ignoring the indignation he felt as the mare eyed him up and down, even flexing a little to help lure her in. As a royal guard, being seen as eye-candy was as routine as sentry duty and he at least took solace in the fact that it would actually be serving a purpose this time.

“Do I know you?” the mare questioned, stumbling across the street. “I think I’d remember a hunk like you.”

Looking crushed, Bright answered, “You don’t ‘member me? We use ta see each other all the time when we’s were younger... I-I even had a crush on you.”

While Spinel made gagging noises from above, Two-Bit quickly tried to make amends, “Ah, I’m sorry, sexy. Course I remember, your- your, ah, Yellow Face, right?”

“That’s right!” Bright beamed, hugging the mare as she reached him, acting as if her weight against his chest tripped him a step back into the darkness. “I’ma Sexy Yellow Face,”

Proud of herself, Two-Bit gave the stallion the best bedroom eyes she could manage while intoxicated. “Mmm, yes you are,” she hissed before lunging forward to mash her lips to his.

Gods, what has she been drinking? It tastes like latrine cleaner! The things I do for the Crown. Taking another step back to both lure their target further into the shadows and to keep her from chipping his teeth, Bright Sight was pleased to see those on the street making a point of not looking at the pony pair sucking face.

“So you had a crush on me, eh?” Two-Bit said as she pulled away. “Looks like your dreams coming true tonight, big guy.”

“More like your nightmare,” the dark figure of Spinel whispered as she seemingly materialized behind the informant as soon as they were fully concealed in the alley’s gloom.

“Wha-?” Before the green mare even finished turning her head, a leathery wing clamped across her mouth and she felt a weight settle on her back. Finding herself pinned to the ground and wrapped up tight by a pair of sinewy forelegs, Two-Bit immediately started to panic, struggling fruitlessly to escape.

“Now, now, none of that,” her attacker breathed into her ear, a fanged muzzle coming into view. “We don’t want anypony to get hurt do we?” one of those wickedly sharp canines ghosted against her neck, causing the earth pony to still. “Ah, much better.”

Two-Bit had tears forming in the corner of her eyes at this point and Bright Sight was feeling unsettled. Intimidation tactics weren’t his forte, preferring the more direct approach to keeping the peace, and he definitely wasn’t comfortable with using threats of violence. They were the good guys though, and so he would trust his fellow guard’s judgement.

“Now, I’m going to move my wing away from your mouth, and you are going to remain very quiet unless spoken to, got it?” Spinel asked, voice like poisoned honey, smiling wide when her captive gave a meek nod. “Good! I’m glad we’re all getting along so nicely. I was afraid I was going to have to let my partner here incentize you. Believe me, you don’t want to know what he does to little mares who make him angry.”

As the terrified eyes snapped to him, adrenaline working quickly to sober them up, all Bright could manage was a smirk as his insides churned. He was going to have to have a talk with Spinel after this; she was crossing lines neither they, nor any Equestrian should cross.

Seems the expression was enough however as Two-Bit began to shiver and the tears spilled down her cheeks. As the wing moved away, she didn’t make a peep.

“As you can probably guess, Bitsy, there’s something we want to know, and you are just the mare to tell us.”

“Please, I- I don’t know anyth-”

“Don’t lie to me!” Spinel hissed, putting more pressure on the green mare and getting a squeak of pain from her. “We know who you are and what you do, so you better pray to whatever deity you believe in that you got answers for us or I swear not even your own mother will be able to recognize your corpse, got it!”

The mare broke down into subdued sobs, but still managed to nod, getting Spinel to smile. “Good, I’m glad we’re on the same page now,” she said, using a wing to pet her captive's mane in what would have looked like a comforting manner had it not been for the small claw of the bat pony’s wrist pricking at Two-Bit’s scalp.

“W-what do you want to know?” Two-Bit managed, eyes screwed shut.

“Nothing much, just what you know about Zariba Arbez. Recent activities, where he is, where he’s going, anything and everything you can tell us.”

“Th-the doctor is an upstanding member of-”

“Really?” Spinel interrupted. “Do I really have to explain where that’s going to get you? Because here’s a hint, it’s a little bit everywhere. They’ll be picking you out of the cracks and crevices of this dingy alleyway for months.”

Two-Bit gulped. “R-right, I d-don’t know exactly what he’s been up to, but he left town a while ago with his caravan for one of his treasure hunts. A-a big one apparently.

“I was just trying to get some more information about it at the bar, you know? L-listen to the gossip, what p-people let slip when they get a few drinks in. There was a dog there talking about how Zariba was going to make them all rich with this hunt, and how he wanted to go himself. I slid up next to him, bought him a few drinks and acted real interested.

“He talked a lot. A-apparently, he was sent back with some others to keep an eye out for a dragon, probably Amethyst Thistle, i-if you know who that is. It sounded like Zariba really wants her captured.”

The two guards shared a look before the bat pony pressed, “And where are they going? Did this dog say?”

“No-” began the earth pony before her eyes shot open, “Wait! He- he was saying how he was upset about missing out on authentic gryphon food. That this place in the capital had the best around. That probably means that the caravan is going to the gryphon kingdom, yeah?”

“Hmm, can’t argue with that logic,” Spinel agreed. “So, you got anything else for us?”

“I’ve told you everything I know. Please, let me go,” Two-Bit begged, desperation clear in her voice.

“Well, if you don’t know anymore, than I see no reason not to,” was the jovial reply before the bat pony looked up at her partner. “Give the mare forty winks, Mister Yellow Face.”

With a curt nod and brief glance at the scared look Two-Bit directed a him, Bright Sight ignited his horn and sent a small beam flashing straight to the earth pony’s forehead, her eyes instantly rolling back. The unicorn felt a sense of relief wash over him as the interrogation was finally over and Two-Bit’s expression of horror relaxed in her sleep.

Stepping up from the unconscious mare, Spinel did a little stretch, muscles shifting under her plum coat as she flipped her flint colored mane out of her face. “See, I told you going with the gut was a good call.”

“Sorry if gut feelings don’t count as evidence,” Bright grumbled before speaking louder. “Listen, let’s just get out of here, that spell is only meant to keep a pony down for ten minutes tops and I doubt she’ll want to see us first thing when she wakes up.”

“Probably not,” the bat pony agreed. “Okay then, you go on ahead, I’ll watch over Two-Bit until she’s awake and on her way home.”

Bright had to raise an eyebrow at that. “Why?”

“You really think I’m going to leave a mare in a dark alley unconscious?” Spinel returned, equally incredulous. “Besides, I can take the time to send a message back to my lieutenant so she can start working on contacting Princess Luna in the dreamscape.”

She gestured to a black marking on her right shoulder and the unicorn flinched internally. There sat a six-point communication rune inked directly into the skin beneath her wing, bound directly to the mare’s own magic so perfectly as to last decades and always have power. Bright Sight could admire the rune as the piece of art it was and how useful it could be, but he had no doubt of how painful the etching must have been and was glad Celestia didn’t see fit to brand her guards with the same.

“Yeah, okay, you probably need to concentrate then.” He mumbled. “You going to be alright by yourself though?”

His concern earned him a roll of the eyes. “It’s just ten minutes and I’ll be hiding above. Matter of fact, I could probably beat you to Lore Finder’s place if I wanted even with the head start, but I’ll make sure to watch over you as well when I’m done here. Wouldn’t want a pretty boy like you getting taken advantage of in a big bad city like this.”

Bright didn’t give her the satisfaction of goading him as he simply nodded. “Alright then, I’ll see you there and we’ll inform Lore Finder together of what we’ve learned.” Brushing past the Night guard, he didn’t look back as he made his way to the street and turned out of sight.

Spinel Strike was an enigma to the stallion that he just couldn’t get a beat on. She could behave so improperly one moment, only to switch to a professional soldier the next. While she was interrogating Two-Bit, Bright Sight had to remind himself that it was just an act so as to prevent himself from tackling the seemingly deranged pony to the ground, her performance reminding him too much of some of the worst criminals he'd had the displeasure of knowing.

In the end, he couldn’t tell what was her true face, and what was merely a mask, and that unsettled him.

Lore Finder found herself sitting anxiously at the kitchen table once again, waiting for the two guards to return with news. She made them promise to tell her what they ended up learning before she let them leave her home the other day, and she prayed that they would keep their word.

She had told the pair everything she knew for certain in hopes that it would bring her friend back, as few as the facts were, before going on to share the theories she had concocted in her worried mind. They asked who in the city would want to hurt Amethyst Thistle, and Lore gave them a list of twenty names, explaining how Amy had a bit of a hero complex that the criminal underworld just loathed.

Most of them though, were bumbling morons who were no match for her friend save one, and that is who Lore believed they should put their focus on. She had no evidence to back up her claims, that zebracorn being far too careful to incriminate himself, but she insisted on the supposedly upstanding citizen’s guilt.

Apparently, the Solar Guard, Bright Sight, had actually read about Dr. Zariba and was skeptical of Lore Finder’s claims. The other, however, had listened more intently. The bat pony, who had been stoic until then, asked many questions about the doctor, nodding as Lore explained his ties to the black market and willingness to disturb sacred sites to make a quick bit. She also explained the numerous times Arbez had tried to kill Amethyst Thistle for getting in his way.

Amy had foiled his plans on more than one occasion and Lore Finder had no doubt that he would seek to remove her permanently from the board. In the end, Bright had agreed that it was possible while Spinel was far more convinced. After that, Lore had sent them to an informant she knew Amethyst complained about frequently.

The dragoness had often come over after a night of drinks, ranting about how the mare, Two-Bit, had tried to pump her for info on anything and everything, ruining her relaxation time. Seeing as such complaints came on the same night every week, Lore knew just where to send the guards to find the nosy mare. She had talked to them yesterday, and tonight would be the night they would return with what they had learned.

A knock at the door nearly made Lore Finder fall out of her seat as she was startled out of her thoughts. Quickly moving to answer, the pegasus mare had the door swung open and was speaking before she even saw who it was. “Did Two-Bit know… You aren’t the guards.”

Though the statement was in monotone, Lore’s heart had jumped into her throat. Practically nopony ever came to her and her husband’s home, and especially not at this time of night and in groups of three. The Manic grin of one was bad enough, but when the bored pegasus mare of the group looked at her, only for her expression to slowly shift to one of wide-eyed wonder, Lore’s nervousness grew. “Daring Do?”

~8~

Twilight Sparkle hoisted her stuffed saddle bags on and removed her checklist one last time. Ignoring the pang of how Spike would often be the one diligently reading it for her and checking them off, she ensured there was nothing missing.

She’d done this several times since they had boarded the train, but it was her only activity to keep her occupied on the long ride. They had already transferred between a few trains now and the sun was beginning to set over the horizon.

Across from her, Rainbow Dash sat, face smearing drool across the window pane while she snored away. They had left early in the morning and the athletic pegasus was trying to make up for it with another twelve hours of sleep.

Her other travel companion was still off exploring the train and Twilight was sure she was driving somepony crazy, throwing a party, or both. When the unicorn had gathered her friends and explained the situation, they were all shocked and quick to volunteer aid, but Twilight was sure they understood what they would be getting themselves into.

Twilight had indeed thought deeply about it herself between the time she left Celestia and talked to her friends and realized that this was indeed different from any of the adventures she and her friends had been on thus far. This wasn’t like Nightmare Moon when they knew salvation was just a walk through the woods away. This wasn’t like Discord where the draconequus sat in their town just waiting for them to show up.

This wasn’t even like the Crystal Empire where they at least knew who they were facing and how to defeat him. Every one of those battles were clear cut and quick, the last only taking them all from their homes for a week before they were able to return to their lives. Not like now. Twilight didn’t know who took her brother or where they were. She didn’t know how she was going to find them and what she would have to do to rescue Spike.

She didn’t know how long they would be away, but she was sure it was going to be for much longer than any their previous quests, and asking for such a commitment from her friends was not done lightly. In the end, three of her friends had to regretfully decline the call to arms, and Twilight did not blame them for it.

Rarity had a business to run. Applejack had to take care of the farm or else ask her brother to shoulder the burden alone. The animals under Fluttershy’s care could fend for themselves for a while, but some would inevitably need medical attention that she would need to be present to administer.

They all had responsibilities that they couldn’t simply drop without some assurance that they wouldn’t be globe-trotting for half a year or some such. The decision was at least made easier for them by knowing the princesses had sent their best after the small drake and that the culprit probably wasn’t some eldritch abomination. The guards didn’t exactly have a stellar track record with such beings, after all.

Rainbow and Pinkie had been the exceptions. The former, even as the head of the weather team back in Ponyville, wasn’t exactly what you’d call busy. She usually only worked an hour or two a day before spending the rest napping or practicing for the Wonderbolts, so it wasn’t hard for her to have Thunderlane take over while she was away.

As for Pinkie, while the Cakes were sad to see her go, they had managed well enough before they had hired the party mare, so they insisted they could handle things for a month or two without her. Even so, Pinkie left her pet alligator to take her place both baking and throwing any birthday parties scheduled until she returned. She assured Twilight that she was leaving her responsibilities in completely capable gums.

Finding Amy and Spike was simply too important for the mare, not only because they were probably in danger and in need of rescuing, but also because she now had a backlog of parties for the two. Amy still needed her ‘Welcome to Ponyville!’ party waiting for her, plus a ‘Congratulations On Being Reunited With Your Long Lost Family!’ party for the pair.

All in all, this was a very dire situation indeed for the party mare and she would stop at nothing to rectify it. Twilight was almost scared of how serious the pink pony was about the whole matter, but was also glad that the uncontainable force of a determined Pinkie was on her side.

“Arriving at Ford Junction,” a gruff voice called over the intercom, causing both Twilight and Rainbow to jolt.

“Whozza what now?” Rainbow blurted as she whipped her head around and blinked. Smacking her lips, she looked to Twilight “We finally there?”

“Seems so,” the unicorn responded, glancing out the window at the dingy city beyond the train station. It definitely wasn’t like any Equestrian locale she’d ever been to, already noticing a scale meant to accommodate a larger variety of creatures than just ponies. Plus lots of litter. Seriously, didn’t the town guard enforce anti-littering laws? “We better go find Pink-”

“Hi, Twilight!”

“Gah! Pinkie, where’d you come from!”

“Well, you see Twilight, when a mommy and daddy love each other very much- foop”

“Not what I meant,” Twilight said, pulling her hoof from her mysteriously appearing friend’s mouth and wiping the slobber on the seat cushion. “I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got directions to this Lore Finder’s home and I’d like to get there as soon as possible.”

Pinkie tilted her head with a frown. “But we just got here, can’t we explore a little first?” in an instant, her face was smooshed up against the glass, voice excited. “Think of all the new ponies, and gryphons, and minotaurs, and diamond dogs, and I think that’s a cat, and I don’t know what that is, but I want to meet it anyway. I want to meet them all!”

Groaning, Twilight ran a hoof down her face. “Pinkie, we’re not on vacation, we’re on a very important mission, and the more time we waste, the farther Spike could be getting away.”

“I don’t know, Twilight,” Rainbow said, yawning, “Sun’s already down. You sure we should go talk with this Lore mare now and not find a place to crash for the night? Go first thing in the morning?”

“No!” growled the unicorn with a stomped hoof. “We’ve already spent all day riding trains and put off leaving a day early as it is. We can’t be wasting any more time touring the city or finding a hotel. We are going to Lore Finder now and getting her to tell us what she knows even if we have to drag her out of bed.”

While Pinkie slumped a little, Rainbow frowned. “Okay, fine, don’t pop a vessel.” Pushing past her purple companion, she added, “Guess you haven’t written a friendship report about not snapping at your friends yet.”

Twilight flinched at the barb, but didn’t say anything as she followed suit, levitating a piece of paper from her saddle bags and reading the address. She’d have to check to see if they sold maps of the city here at the station.

Pinkie was the last to leave the room, sighing as she trailed after her friends. Was it really so wrong to try and keep everypony happy when they were so tense?

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo for editing and raising a nice question. Should Spinel Strike's name be changed to Spinal? the first is a gemstone, while the other is a deadly attack.

Chapter 29

Grey watched from the edge of the fire’s glow, one of many as the caravan settled down for the night. He had left his friend in the company of Citrus Spritz, confident that the mare would keep his young ward out of trouble while he was away. A ladle to the head for messing up her cooking was far more acceptable than the bird getting a chunk bitten out of him because he picked a fight.

Besides having to stitch the kid up, a task made all the more daunting with hooves, Grey knew Zariba would use it as an excuse to give them the boot, and for the sake of those dragons, Grey Stone couldn’t afford to let that happen. The thought of that little drake had Grey narrowing his eyes at the group before him, the doctor seemingly discussing an old book with the little glasses-wearing diamond dog.

Phantom drew more attention however as he fidgeted on the opposite side of the fire. “What’s the matter, Crispy? You look nervous,” Grey asked as he came into view, taking a small bit of satisfaction from how the pegasus jolted at his appearance.

Once he realized who it was, Phantom glared. “That’s none of your business, Rocks-For-Brains, so why don’t you go back and foalsit Feather-For-Brains and the two of you can try and have an intelligent thought together. Gods know the world could use more miracles like that.”

Grey actually smiled at the reply, though any mirth he felt quickly evaporated as Dr. Zariba opened his mouth. “Now Phantom, no need to be rude, we’re all friends here, or at least travel companions. Really, since you’re the one who brought Grey Stone, making him your responsibility, so perhaps avoid discord with him. I’d rather not have any fights break out because of you.”

Phantom grumbled like a petulant foal, looking back at the fire before cringing and diverting his gaze to the ground instead. “Think your worries are a bit misplaced, Doc.”

With a roll of his eyes, Zariba responded, “Why Phantom, I never realized you cared so much for those diamond dogs. Perhaps you should challenge Cujo for position of Alpha.”

“I don’t see how you can joke about this,” snapped the pegasus. “Those two were meant to return this morning at the latest, and they’re still not back. Something happened.”

“And I’m not denying that,” Zariba smoothly replied. “But to worry does little other than distract us from our goal. If Rocky and Buddy have not caught up to us by the time this is all over and done, then we will stop at Burrowton on our return trip, but until then, we can only speculate what has occurred and what it means for us while we continue on.”

“It means those blasted dragons have probably crippled or killed our dogs.”

“Yes, I concluded the same.” The zebracorn’s blasé remark was not a surprise to Grey, and only seemed to mildly shock Phantom, but the book the small diamond dog, Albert, held, fell to the ground.

“Wha-? Oh, I’m so sorry, Doctor! I can’t believe I dropped such a valuable piece of history!” Albert apologized, nearly face-planting as he leaned over to retrieve the book.

“We’ll break you of that habit yet,” Zariba said, an angry glint in his eye as grasped the journal in his magic.

“Gotta say, that is pretty darn cold of you, Zariba,” Grey interrupted. “You think some of your employees are in danger, and you don’t even bat an eye.”

“It’s only logical!” Albert protested, coming to his idol’s defense. “Like the doctor said, there’s nothing to be done about it now. To divert our course would allow Amethyst Thistle the lead on Bahamut’s Hoard, and for what? If they are hurt, they will be treated by the doctors of Burrowton and we will pick them up later. If they are… are dead, then, well, we can’t change that. I’m sure they would want us to continue so that their deaths would not be in vain.”

“Exactly right,” Zariba responded, a more genuine smile on his face as he pat the dog on the head. “Everything we do should be to the benefit of our mission or any sacrifices will be for nothing. Very good, Albert.”

While Albert beamed at the praise, Grey snorted. “Sounds like you’re fancying up betrayal to me. Those dogs trust you enough to work under you, seems you should put them above a little treasure.”

“This is more than just ‘a little treasure,’ you illiterate lump!” Albert snapped. “The massive monetary value of Bahamut’s Hoard is only out-weighed by its historical importance! Imagine a dragon’s hoard eons in the making, all the ancient artifacts gathered in one place, taken from across the world. Why, there’s probably mementos from civilizations we don’t even have record of buried in those mountains of precious gems and metals!”

Raising an eyebrow, Grey Stone stared for a moment before snorting. “Well, that does sound pretty impressive. Good to know, I guess,” he said with a smirk. “Honestly, I’ve been wondering exactly what it was you all were after; everyone’s been pretty tight lipped about the specifics whenever Gerard and me bring it up, so I figured I’d just come and ask the boss.”

“Yes…” Zariba began, patting Albert’s a little harder this time and causing the dog to wince. “I figured there was no need for you to know as you probably wouldn’t be with us to the end. Once the dragons are dealt with, I suspect you and your friend would be returning home. It might sound greedy of me, but I didn’t want you to feel obligated for a cut you wouldn’t be receiving. After all, you aren’t one of us.”

Grey nodded agreeably. “Well, you’re right about that, I’m not one of you, but I appreciate knowing all the same. Thanks, kid.” Directing this at Albert, who gave an unsure smile in return, the earth pony stallion turned away. “Guess that’s all. Better go make sure Gerard hasn’t burned a hole through one of Spritz’s pans or something.”

He ignored the red eyes burning into the back of his head as he left, not wanting to risk a glare of his own at the striped bastard while he was so obviously agitated. It wouldn’t do to lecture Gerard about starting fights needlessly if he went and did the same.

No, when he fought the doctor, it would be over much more than the two not being agreeable with each other.

~8~

The rabbit twitched its nose, taking in the delicious aroma of roasted nuts with a combination of desire and wariness. On the one paw, tasty, salty nuts were mouth-wateringly close somewhere, but on the other, only the bird-cats would be in possession of such a delicacy in these parts and every rabbit knew from oral history passed down through generations that you do not, EVER, leave your burrow, when there when there is even a chance of one of those dreaded predators being nearby.

Maybe a cat-bird dropped its nuts while sky-swimming, the rabbit thought, trying to convince itself. I do not smell sky-bird, so there must not be one nearby, yes? Yes… Yes! That is right! I am a smart rabbit.

Preening, the rabbit left the safety of its burrow, following its nose to its prize and finding it mere ticks later, no cat-birds in sight. Taking a moment to calm itself, the rabbit scanned the skies more thoroughly, even checking the ground for shadow wings. Yes, come to Bun, you tasty nuts.

The nuts were piled neatly under a strange concave rock, at least ten of them, and the rabbit went about munching in the shade. It did not pay the stick any mind until it suddenly flew away, leaving the rock it had been supporting to fall and engulf the rabbit in absolute darkness. Panic set in soon after as the sound of rustling grass and heavy foot falls could be heard outside, the rabbit realizing its mistake. Great ancestors, please forgive this bun his hubris…

Amy walked at a leisurely pace, not having to worry about their dinner escaping from beneath the hollowed out rock it was trapped under. An advantage to having dragon claws was that any sufficiently sized stone could easily be carved into useful shapes, such as the large bowl she had made here. It would as double as a nice cooking pot for the simple soup she had in mind.

Reaching down, the dragoness readied one claw to flip over the stone while the other was poised like a viper. In a flash, the rock was gone and the prey was in her grasp before it moved a single step. “Sorry about this, fella, but you know how it goes,” Amy muttered, snapping the rabbit’s neck before its terrified gaze could shift to anything else.

Going limp in her grip, Amy breathed a sigh and picked up her rock, putting it under an arm while she casually slit the critter’s throat to the spine and shifted her hold to its back legs, letting its cooling blood run out as she walked back to her brother. Searching for a burrow had taken her a fifteen minute walk away from their temporary camp and after waiting for the rabbit’s curiosity to get the better of it, she was somewhat anxious to return.

She was confident her brother would stay out of sight on the off chance somebody passed over the area, but it was still a threat along with any wild predators happening by. In the case of the latter, however, she was confident in the instinctual fear most beasts had for dragons to keep him safe long enough for her to come running. Being some of the first apex predators, most hunters were ingrained with the knowledge to stay away from dragons.

“Spike,” Amy called as she neared where she had left the little drake. “You still here?”

“Where else would I be?” he answered, coming up from the alcove of tree roots she had chosen this spot for. It may not have been big enough for her, but it could serve as nice hovel for her little brother to spend the night in. With them reaching a more forested area a few nights ago, on top of the lessening chance of Zariba having lackeys patrolling the wilds, it was safe enough for them to shift their traveling to daytime, leaving the night for rest.

“I was just looking at the tablets, is all,” he continued, pointing a thumb over his shoulder at the stones in question. “It’s funny, I’ve been lugging the things around all this time and I barely know what they’re supposed to be.”

“Huh, I guess I haven’t told you what they are, have I?” Amy muttered, moving over to the bundle of wood she had had Spike collect while she was away. It wasn’t enough to get them through the night, but it was enough for now. “Help me get cooking and I’ll tell you about it after, okay? It looks like some clouds are rolling in and I’d rather not try to cook in the rain if it starts.”

Spike nodded and began arranging sticks into a teepee formation in the middle of the fire pit he dug out by himself, something he was quite proud of. The little drake had been learning a lot from his sister and was looking forward to talking his friends out on a camping trip when he finally returned home.

While he did this, Amy hung her rabbit up to finish draining while she went to find some larger chunks of wood for the fire. While she did this, she noticed Spike shooting quick glances at the dead animal and asked, “You want me to move that somewhere else? I know you’ve gotten more used to eating meat, but I’d understand if seeing it in its… unprepared state made you uncomfortable.”

“No,” he answered, twiddling his claws. “I mean, okay, maybe it’s a little weird, but I was actually wondering if you could maybe teach me how to, you know, prepare it…”

Blinking a few times, Amy eventually smiled. “If you really want to, then sure, I wouldn’t mind at all.” The idea actually excited the dragoness and put a spring in her step. It felt so right to be teaching Spike the things her father had taught her when she was his age. An advantage her little brother had in this regard was that his teacher would actually be around the same size as him to show him firsthand how it’s done instead of merely being given a verbal rundown on what to do.

It’s hard to teach another how to skin a rabbit when you’re the size of a house.

With the lesson to look forward to, Amy and Spike finished quickly, the elder of the two gathering some wild herbs and mushrooms she had picked during their hike and placing them in her stone bowl. Luckily, there was a small creek not far away, meaning that they had water to spare for a broth as she added it to the bowl before setting the nearly-whole concoction practically into the fire.

Dragon scales beat oven mitts by a significant margin.

After that, there was only one final ingredient to prepare, and though nervous, Spike payed rapt attention as Amy went through the process. Skinning and breaking an animal was easier with a large knife, but claws and a little elbow grease got the job done well enough.

There were few points where they had to stop while Spike dry heaved, the disemboweling being a big one, but the small drake persevered and even brought himself to touch the uncooked flesh, working to separate the left hind leg after Amy removed the right. Perhaps it was for the best that they only ate a light breakfast so many hours ago. Wasting food by vomiting was never ideal when on the road, after all.

“I managed to get the hide off better than I thought I would,” Amy says to herself, turning the skin over in her claws. “Can’t scrape all the meat chunks off without a knife, but maybe if we reach a town soon enough, we’ll be able to sell it for a few bits, or drachmas as the case may be. What do you think, Spike?”

The younger dragon looked up, halting his attempt to wipe the blood from his claws with a few leaves, and asks, “What do you mean? Why would anyone want to buy that, and what’re drachmas?”

“Well, gryphons will buy the hide for clothes,” Amy explained. “And a drachma is basically gryphon currency, like Equestria’s bit.”

“They make clothes out of that…? Ew.”

“Waste not, want not,” Amy intoned. “To a lot of hunting cultures, it’s considered disrespectful not to use every part of the kill. After all, if the prey had to die, it’s best for their death not to be in vain, right?”

“I guess…”

“Hey, maybe we’ll pick you up something made out of animal hide while we’re in town,” she suggested. “It’ll be a good lesson on other cultures or something. Plus it’ll make a nice souvenir. You’d be amazed of the quality rabbit hide clothing is.”

“That’s alright, I don’t need anything,” Spike responded, eyeing the bloody hide and the pink chunks still stuck to it.

“Don’t worry, Spike, the finished product is a way less gross,” Amy assured, trying to fold up the fur without getting to much gore on the outside. “Lore Finder loved the hat I picked up for her. Says it’s the warmest thing she’s ever put on her head.”

Recognizing the losing battle, Spike steered their attention back to the task at hand, gesturing to the simmering broth. After that, Amy proceeded to separate the meat from the bone before tossing it into the soup. “Well, all there is to do now is wait,” Amy said, standing up. “I’m going to go toss these entrails somewhere away from the camp before they start stinking up the place. Don’t want to risk attracting any animals looking for an easy meal. I’m also going to wash up a little while I’m at it and I’ll bring you some water so you can do the same.”

“Thanks, I’ll stay here and stir the soup.” Despite the stomach-churning process of making it, the hodge-podge concoction was already getting his mouth watering from the smell alone. There was no doubt in the young drake’s mind that when he returned home, he’d have to put Amy’s lessons to work himself. There was no way he could resume life as a vegetarian after this.

“All the wasted years,” bemoans the smaller dragon, sniffling as he takes another gulp of broth. “Why couldn’t ponies be meat-eaters?”

“Well, they could be if they wanted, I think,” Amy commented over her own bowl, freshly carved by her talented claws. “I think it’s just as much cultural as it is biology since I’ve met ponies who like meat. Even Lore Finder enjoyed a couple bowls of meaty ramen with me before.”

“Really?” Spike questioned before being distracted by a large piece of rabbit floating to the top of his bowl, just begging to be gobbled up.

“Yep, I’ve never asked, but I don’t think it upsets their stomachs or anything. It’s probably more like ponies know their ancestors were at the bottom of the food chain way back when and don’t want to put other creatures in the same position. Probably think it’s dishonoring to the ponies who were unlucky enough to get eaten.”

Spike’s bowl stopped an inch away from his mouth as he stared, eye ridge quirked. “… That’s messed up."

“But possibly true,” Amy countered, pointing with one of the claws holding her own food before taking a swig, chewing some mushroom bits.

“Okay, okay, enough talking about ponies being eaten,” demanded the little dragon. “I’m trying to enjoy my meal here.”

“As well you should. I am a master chef, aren’t I?” preened the elder, getting an eye roll from her brother.

“I haven’t tried a meat I haven’t liked yet. At this point, I don’t think even Twilight could mess up a meat dish, and she’s awful in the kitchen.”

Amy huffed. “Are you implying this delicious and nutritious rabbit soup is not the result of my culinary expertise?”

“Well, if the horseshoe fits…”

Making a big show of being offended, the dragoness grabbed the stone pot from in between them and pulled it close. “Well then, I suppose I’ll just eat the rest myself, you ungrateful runt!”

“H-hey, let’s not get crazy, it was just a joke!” Spike said, following the nervous statement with a brittle laugh as he reached for the pot. When Amy jerked it away, he panicked. “Stop, you’re gonna spill it!”

Both dragons were still as statues, one glaring while the other pleaded with his eyes, until finally the former snorted. Like that, the stalemate was broken as they both burst into laughter. “You know I wouldn’t keep good food away from you, Spike. After living on a pony diet for so long, you’re growth's been stunted enough.”

“Hey, it wasn’t just a pony diet, I ate plenty of gems growing up to get big and strong!” Spike defended, puffing out his chest and extending a bicep. “Feel this puppy! Hard as iron!”

Reaching down, Amy gave the little bump of muscle a squeeze. “Wow, you got an exotic animal license for this python?”

“Fluttershy’s already filed the forms. Just waiting for it in the mail.” It was only a second later that the two lost composure and laughed again.

“Okay, okay, let’s hurry up and finish eating before the soup gets cold,” the big sister said, placing the pot down and scooping a bit more of its contents into her bowl. “I still have to give you that lesson on the tablets and the draconic written on it after all, and I don’t want to be up too late. If everything works out, we might actually make it to the town before tomorrow night if we set out early enough.”

Spike perked up. “Really? About time. You said we were in the gryphon kingdom, like, forever ago, and I haven’t even seen a gryphon yet. After the not so great impression Gilda made, it’ll be kind of nice to actually meet some nice ones.”

“Don’t hold your breath on that. Gryphons are notoriously prickly characters. Not saying they’re all bad or anything, but it takes a while for most of them to warm up to foreigners, and until then, you usually won’t be having a pleasant conversation.” Amy thought of all of her chimeric friends and how each and every one was a pain in her tail at some point. Shaking her head, she asked, “Who’s Gilda by the way? I don’t think you ever mentioned her.”

“She was an old friend of Rainbow Dash I guess who visited Ponyville one time. And only the one time, after she yelled at all the ponies and stormed off…”

Amy listened to her brother’s story, commenting how she actually felt a bit bad for the gryphon; getting humiliated at a party in front of a bunch of strangers is probably one of the more reasonable things to flip your lid over. Spike, after thinking about it, agreed with the logic and said he’d think about talking to Dash about it when he got home. If Gryphon’s were as wary of new people as Amy told him, maybe Gilda wasn’t actually a jerk and deserved a second chance.

Soon after that, the food was finished just in time for the first few raindrops to start coming down and Spike climbed into his root-fortress, followed by the tablets and front half of Amethyst Thistle. She assured him she didn’t mind getting her tail wet while she began teaching Spike the basics of their kind’s ancient language. It was slow going, but the younger dragon did at least manage to learn all the letters present by name and could identify them as such during an impromptu quiz.

Eventually, Amy moved on to reading the words out loud, the language rolling off of her tongue as if she never spoke anything else. She had practiced long and hard to please her parents, both before and after their passing, and it had left her a fluent speaker. Better perhaps than even some dragon elders.

Even so, it was mostly gibberish to her without context, the tablets speaking of what could only be a hidden entrance and how only Bahamut’s breath could open the way. She’d figure it out when they finally made it to the mountain, she told Spike. She was always better at answering riddles when she was at the door rather than on the way there.

The Moon was already a fair ways into the sky by the time the siblings finally decided to call it a night, Amy only partially complaining that it was still sprinkling out and how she’d not have to bathe below the waist for weeks. Spike’s only complaint was a bit of gas. “Hey, at least it’s only burping and not the other thing,” he said after blowing soup scented breath at Amy’s dry expression.

“You’re lucky that’s the case or you’d be out there in the rain with my butt. Now get some sleep, we’re leaving first thing in the morning.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Spike said, rolling into a ball. “I’m beat.”

Despite her backside constantly being peppered by raindrops and the tight, dark space they were squeezed into, both dragons soon found themselves asleep, the silence only being broken by the occasional snore or burp.

In the pitch darkness of the hovel, a burst of green light accompanying one of many burps went completely unnoticed by either slumbering dragon.

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo for the edits.
Sorry for the long wait everyone, and I'll be honest, the reason will only be relatable to a few of you. I got the new Zelda, Breath of the Wild, and I've been zombied out on that for pretty much all of my free time recently. Also full work load since two people quite at work... The jerks.
Anyway, I'm now working on the next chapter of Gilded Sister, but it's going to be a bit before I release much of anything until I finish this game. I really don't make a habit of playing videogames so extensively anymore- about only one a year ever catches my attention in such a way- but when it happens, it's an addiction.

Also, from the comments which I think is useful to read for those who missed it:
I actually have a headcanon for that stereotype (crude night guard). Basically, it's like this, the Night Guard didn't reform until Luna's return, which means that, unlike the Solar Guard who are well established and have members who have trained and been in the Guard for years, the Night Guard consists of much newer recruits and thus are more relaxed and less disciplined... In some regards that is.

Luna put her guard through far more rigorous training focusing more on practical skills than propriety. She doesn't care if you lack manners in her guard, she cares about results and completing the mission. I imagine over the years, the Night Guard will not only start to form it's own traditions and views on conduct, but will also start to instill such things in their children. Many Solar Guard members had parents or grandparents who they are following in the hoof steps of, and thus have idolized and learned much about being a guard from those role-models. This will become the case with future generations of Night Guards as well.

Chapter 30

Spike huffed as he hiked diligently up yet another hill, short legs tired but far too determined to quit. Amy had offered more than once to carry him, but these were not mountains and he was a dragon of pride who refused to be a burden. His sister was still hesitant about letting him see this adventure to its conclusion without sending him home, and while it may very well turn out that she will have to let him tag along to the end, he’d rather it be because she had faith in him instead of necessity.

“So today's the day, huh?” the smaller dragon huffed, trying to cover his heavy breathing with idle chitchat. It was actually just making him lose his breath faster, but oh well. “We gonnna get there soon, or…?”

“Pretty soon, I’d say,” answered Amy, pointing aimlessly to her left. “I remember those hills from the last time I went to Peregrine. Nice place for a cloud watching.”

Following her claw, Spike saw hills not at all distinguishable from the several they had already hiked over and raised a brow. “Right… Well, hopefully you're right, I’m really looking forward to that gryphon cuisine you’ve been talking up. Had a light breakfast just to save room.”

“Heh, yeah, while I still think that wasn’t a good idea, I’m actually craving this sausage they make, Lukániko, if I remember correctly. Good stuff.” While the dragoness spoke, she shielded her eyes and looked towards the sky for what must have been the twentieth time that morning.

“Are you looking for something? You seem kinda distracted,” Spike finally asked.

“Hmm, oh, not really. I guess I’m just expecting to spot a gryphon overhead soon as a sign that we’re close. They dominate the airspace around the city, after all.”

“Really? Oomph!”

“Yep, like that.” A claw reached down to steady Spike after he bumped into the previously unseen leg before gently pushing him forward.

"Oh, wow…” the young dragon breathed, only a hint of exhaustion tingeing the awe in his voice. From atop their comparatively small hill a city equal parts grand and strange could be seen sitting atop what could nearly be called a mountain.

Winding its way from somewhere unseen in the distance to one side of the city, a large, cobblestone road curved up the none too gentle incline of the giant hill. The far side of the hill meanwhile was a sheer cliff sporting both plunging caverns and scattered structures built from the rock face. Atop it all were many more buildings resting at ground level and surrounding several towers that stretched towards the heavens, the largest of which having three branch-like extensions stretching out and bearing extravagant homes.

The mere sight of this had Spike hesitant to proceed as the image of the stone protrusions breaking off and plummeting onto the city below filled his mind, but he shook the thought off with the reassurance that they must be supported in some way similar to the magic keeping Canterlot steady on the side of its mountain. Looking away from the towers to the skies instead, the little dragon could indeed see them filled with the gryphons Amy had mentioned.

“The gryphons certainly know how to make an impression, don’t they?” Amy commented with a restrained smile. She’d never get used to the priceless look of wonder that played across her little brother's adorable features every time he saw something like this. “And to think, this isn’t even the capital. That’s way up there.”

Moving his gaze up to where his sister pointed, Spike saw that the hills ahead of them became gradually larger as if the earth was bunched up fabric leading to a tall mountain range atop which he could just barely make out the unnatural silhouette of buildings. “Wow, how far away are we? And why build a city so close to the capital?”

“In order, a whole lot farther than we look, and because a city on top of a mountain may sound cool, but it doesn’t exactly work well for business. Most people don’t have wings to get up there after all,” Amy informed him. “On the opposite side of that mountain is another city which, combined with this one, make up the center of commerce for this kingdom. The capital is more for the kings and nobles to live in for strategic purposes.”

Nodding, Spike could see the logic in that explanation. “Huh, makes sense…”

“Yeah, but it certainly doesn’t do us land-bound folk any favors. All these hills make everything seem a lot closer than they actually are when you’re walking, so we’ve still got an hour or so to go.”

“Great,” Spike grumbled before taking the first step down from their hill, thankful for gravity’s assistance while dreading his fight against it in the ascent of the next of many ridges. Maybe Amy wouldn’t think too lowly of him if he finally took her up on the offered piggyback ride now that their destination was finally in sight.

Amy had to admit, even after visiting the city before and many other amazing places, she still felt some wonderment as they reached the outskirts of Peregrine. The castle town bore all the extravagance one would expect from a race as proud as the gryphons as it was resplendent with pristine architecture and artistry.

The faces of the denizens were not as pleasant. Though the gryphons here were more open to strangers than other settlements what with the city being a place of trade and thus a destination for many a peddler and business person, dragons were not a common sight and tended to frowned at due to the stereotypes associated with them.

As a matter of fact, being viewed as greedy hoarders made them even less welcome in such a city of wealth when treasures were abound and ripe for swiping. Still, Amy ignored the glares and the suspicious gaze of the guards as she guided her little brother down the center street and towards the restaurant district.

“Ugh, not more of this…” whispered Spike as he hunched forward. “Are we going to be chased out of here too?”

“Hopefully not,” Amy said as she stared forward. “It’s our lot in life, being dragons, that we’ll always be under some sort of scrutiny wherever we go. Whenever you feel like an outcast though, just think back on your friends, then what strangers think won’t matter anymore.” Reaching down, she gave his shoulder a squeeze and smiled gently. “That’s what I do, anyway.”

Smiling some himself, the little dragon straightened and adjusted the straps of his backpack. She was right of course, there was no reason to care what these gryphons thought as long as he had his sisters and his friends to be there for him. And if they did run into trouble here, well, they’d get out of just like they always did because they were dragons, and that was worth being proud over.

As the two continued, the stalls began to change and the glares became less pronounced. Instead, there were gryphons standing outside of various restaurants trying to sway potential customers into their place of employment, including them. “You got to love restaurant workers,” Amy commented with a smirk. “Doesn’t matter what you are, all they care about is the size of your stomach and wallet.”

“The bigger, the better, right?” Spike added grinning up at his sister for a moment before his nose began to twitch. “Oh… That smells…”

“Good?”

“Meaty,” he finished, tongue flicking out as if to sample the aromatic cuisine. “You think we can skip finding a room tonight and look for a restaurant that’ll just let us sleep off our food comas in a booth?”

Amy put a claw on her chin contemplatively. “Hmm… Don’t know if we could find one, but tell you what, we’ll ask them wherever we eat before we pass out. Sound good?”

“Sounds very good,” he answered with a chuckle, licking his lips in anticipation. After the light breakfast, he didn’t think he’d have the resolve to stop eating before his belly got too big for him to walk. ““It’ll help save on bits too if we don’t have to pay for a bed!”

“Okay then. Guess that means we better find a place that has big portions for cheap too.”

Suddenly giving Amy a very serious look, Spike said, “You better only use those mind reading powers for good, sis.”

Amy lost it right there and the two dragons continued on, letting their noses guide them to the best fare for hungry stomachs to fill themselves with.

The pair of siblings eventually found a small place sticking out the side of a squat building that catered to anyone who sat under its awning and met both requirements of their search, serving heaping portions of delicious food at reasonable prices. Sadly, it wasn’t perfect as the grizzled owner didn’t like the idea of two round-bellied dragons loitering at his business overnight.

And so it was that the two took swaying steps down the street, scanning with tired eyes for a place to rest for the night. As much as he didn’t want to be moving right now, Spike had to admit the idea of a proper bed had him once again excited and maybe just the little bit afraid that they would run into trouble before he got to lay his head on the pillow.

He’d be lucky if he didn’t develop some sort of fear of beds after this trip, what with how getting near one seemed to lure trouble their way at every stop. It was a ridiculous correlation, but hard not to make.

As fortune would have it however, Peregrine had a fair number of inns to stay at, which Amy assured him meant they’d be far harder to find while they slept. Though it took longer than he would have liked, his sister settled on a very low-cost quaint little inn. 'Quaint' was how she described it at least. He’d have settled on grungy, but it would do. Plus Amy said it reminded her of home for some reason.

“You sure there’s not, like, lice in this?” Spike asked from atop the cramped room's single bed, peeling the cover away from the mattress and cringing at the sight of a large, brown stain of something.

“Nope,” was the blasé response as Amy set their things down and triple checked that the door was locked. Maybe she should push something in front of it as well, just in case? That shady receptionist probably had an extra key. “It’s probably littered with bedbugs, too.”

“W-what? Then why are we staying here!?”

“Because what are they going to do?” Amy turned around, claw on her hip. “It’s not like we have to worry about getting lice in our non-existent hair or bugs biting through our scales. Besides, we’ve been sleeping outdoors for weeks now, we’ve been covered in so many bugs that I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve both swallowed a pound of the little critters looking for a warm place to stay.”

“Augh, really? Why would you even say that?” moaned the little dragon, cheeks green and full-stomach quivering.

“Hey, it's good protein, I’m sure. Now come on, lie down.” Walking over to the bed, Amy moved the clean-enough sheet back to hide the stain and pulled the blanket aside so that she could slide in. “Since we’re turning in kind of early and still have a lot of stuff to do, that means we’ll have to get up early to get it all done, so just ignore the thought of bed bugs and sleep. Besides, it’s not like they’re magmites or something.”

“Magmites? What’s a magmite?”

“Hmm? Oh, bugs of sorts that live in lava. Usually they’re content to feed on regular sediment, but they have a real appetite for dragon scales. Jump in a pool infested with the buggers and you’ll be itching for days as they get under your scales and start munching away. I remember getting them once when I was a teen. Ended up ripping out nearly half my scales before Lore could find me some strong enough delousing agents. Stuff was practically acid and left me covered in blisters, but at least it got rid of the magmites.”

“…I’m sorry I asked. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight to you too, Spike… Don’t let the magmites bite.” Amy chuckled at the punch to her shoulder before rolling over and shutting her eyes.

“You think they’ll be there?”

The doctor looked up from his plate, swallowing a mouthful of fried wild greens, taking a moment to savor the perfect seasoning courtesy of Miss Spritz before responding. “Most likely. There are very few places left to restock supplies before the final trek to Heaven’s Break.”

“And if she is there, what’ll we do?”

“Well, I suppose we’ll decide that when we get there,” Zariba responded, putting his plate down to think. “We of course can’t know the conditions under which we’ll engage the two, though it’ll be for the best if we avoid open conflict. Being this close to the gryphon’s capital means the authorities are far less forgiving, and we certainly can’t afford any delays this close to our goals.

“In the end, we need both the tablets and a translator to reach our treasure, but for now, the latter should be our focus. Without the tablet, Miss Thistle will be unable to proceed and will have to come to us to retrieve it, creating an ideal opportunity for her capture.”

“You think we’ll be able to hold onto the beast this time?” Phantom asked incredulously. “Thistle’s a slippery one.”

“Oh, I’m sure we’ll be able to. You see, last time we were containing her under the impression that we’d be doing so for the entirety of our long journey, and so had to ensure she did not expire before its conclusion. Now, however, we are on the final stretch, so she does not need to last nearly as long. I’d say she should be able to survive a couple of broken limbs long enough for us to get what we need out of her.”

Phantom couldn’t help but feel a twinge of discomfort at the casual way his boss discussed something so ruthless and violent, but nodded anyway. “Suppose that’ll work well enough. What about the little one?”

“What about him? He’s no doubt useless on his own, and if he turns out to be a nuisance, well, I’m sure I have some poisons that can neutralize him…”

“… You know, Doc, you can be real creepy sometimes.”

“If that’s what you want to call it, then so be it. Though, I prefer 'efficient'. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be turning in for the night. If all goes well tomorrow, we’ll be arriving at Peregrine by midday, and I want to be well-rested for when we do. Perhaps you should do the same?”

“Yeah, sure, I’ll just be checking on the lookouts, make sure the rotations are set up, then I’ll be hitting the clouds. Night, Doc.”

“And goodnight to you, Phantom.” With that, the red eyes flashed one last time in the firelight before the zebracorn left his feathered companion to ruminate on their conversation. With a sigh, the pegasus shook his head before collecting his and his employer’s plate to be cleaned. Tomorrow was going to be some sort of day, and he could only hope it ended favorably.

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo and Courage Fire for editing as always.

Chapter 31

Bright Sight rolled his eyes as his partner grumbled once again. “Give the girl some patience. She had just woken up before you ordered her back to sleep again. I'm honestly surprised she managed it as fast as she did.”

“The lieutenant has narcolepsy. She should be out like a light in ten seconds flat when ordered to,” Spinel countered.

Rolling his eyes, Bright returned to polishing his helmet. “I don’t see why you’re so agitated. Do you have a problem with her majesty’s student?”

“What I have a problem with is civvies getting too big for their horseshoes,” the mare began, snapping a violent bite out of her ration bar. “This isn’t some fanciful adventure where they can just fart rainbows and suddenly all the world’s problems are fixed, and yet here they are, putting themselves in danger. It’s irresponsible is what it is, they should’ve just stayed home and let us handle the hostage situation.”

Bright’s jaw clenched minutely at this, but he released the tension with a puff onto the surface of his helm, buffing it to a shine. It was a shared, but unspoken sentiment amongst both citizens and the guards themselves recently that Equestria’s finest had been less than integral in protecting the kingdom as of late, what with the bulk of the threats being on cosmic scales. It was not surprising then that when situations where the guards could prove their worth, many of them developed a one-sided rivalry with the Elements of Harmony.

“Perhaps that’s true,” he finally said, setting the helm aside to reach for his chest piece, “but there’s nothing for it. They’re out here now and we’ll just have to do our best to keep them out of trouble. And since they intend to conduct their own investigation without us, that just means we’ll have to resolve things before they can get themselves hurt. Simple as that.”

“Since when is anything simple with those mares?” Spinel questioned with a raised brow. “You’ve heard the stories, I’m sure, of what the Elements get up to when they aren’t saving the world from crazed gods and warlocks. I’m half convinced they’re crazier than the villains they go up against. I mean, a Want It, Need It spell on a whole town? Going out and picking a fight with a hydra? One of them was even a super model for all of a week before dropping off the map. How’s that even happen!?”

“Who knows, but that doesn’t change our mission objective,” Bright responded. “We’ll just have to stay on our hooves.”

Before the night guard could say anything, her lieutenant awoke with a snort, sapphire eyes fluttering open. “Captain,” she said immediately, “sorry for the delay, her Majesty was in the middle of dealing with a nightmare, but contact was successfully made.”

“Good, did she have anything to say about the new developments?” Spinel asked with an air of authority.

“While she still wishes to discuss the matter with Princess Celestia, she’s willing to leave it up to our discretion until further notice and predicts her sister will agree.”

Spinel hummed. “Good. So then, what do you think, Captain Sight?”

Setting his armor aside, the stallion shuts his eyes and thought for a moment. “Lore Finder believed that, if Zariba’s subordinate was talking about them going to the gryphon kingdom and that it tied into their motivation for capturing Amethyst Thistle, then it must have something to do with this Bahamut’s Hoard Amethyst had plans to track down,” he finally said, laying the facts out. “So we have direction at least. Heaven’s Break is where Lore and Amethyst believed the hoard would be, so that’s where we will go.”

“We’ll have to make good time then,” added Spinel. “Not only do we have a lot of catching up to do, but for the safety of the Elements, we should try to resolve things before they end up getting themselves killed.”

Bright nodded in agreement. It was easily doable once he went over the logistics in his head. The waybread they had brought along for the trip was, while bland, extremely nutritious both in ingredients and the potent magic that went into its baking. As a result, the several crates they had packed away would allow them to travel without having to make supply stops and close the gap between them and their suspects rapidly.

The Solar Guard was grateful to his princess for granting them such a boon. Waybread was very expensive to make due to needing a baker of the highest caliber who also happened to be a very skilled mage, a combination of attributes that was hard to find in a pony. Only one such pony was employed at the castle and they probably had several weeks of his work stored in their caravan.

“We should set out at first light to cover as much ground as possible.” Bright said.

“Probably the worst thing a Night Guard can hear, but I guess it can’t be helped,” Spinel replied, standing up with a sigh. “We’re nocturnal, after all. Oh well, come on Dream Dust. Let’s try to get some shuteye… Dream?”

Said mare was already fast asleep once more, a light snoring emanating from her slightly parted lips. “… One of these days she’s going to fall asleep in the middle of a battle, I swear.” Slinging the blissfully unconscious mare between her wings, the night captain bid farewell to her diurnal counterpart and flew off.

Bright Sight, for his part, was more than glad for the silence and looking forward to sleep after the day he had. Not only was it long, but emotionally draining as well. The terrified gaze of Two-bit would hopefully not haunt his dreams or else he’d have to call on Princess Luna’s aid that night.

Twilight tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable on the couch their host had so generously allowed them to sleep on for the night. The sleepy mumble this got from Pinkie lying opposite of her had the unicorn freeze in an unsatisfying position however, and she sighed. Just because she couldn’t sleep didn’t mean she had to ruin it for her friend.

Shifting her eyes about the room, dark save for the moonlight shining in through the windows, Twilight spotted her other friend sprawled across the carpet on her belly, using Prose’s latest manuscript as a pillow. The sight actually made Twilight a bit envious, both of how easily Rainbow Dash had found peace in the strange home, and of how she got to start reading the next Daring Do novel before any other fan in Equestria.

After they had gotten over the initial shock of Lore Finder’s appearance and learned she was in fact not the intrepid and fictional Daring Do, they were able to get about a minute into a new conversation before Prose Worthy entered the room. Dash learning that the stallion was the author of her favorite series derailed things for the next ten minutes with her fangirling until Prose offered to show his admirer his writing desk and the latest DD installment set there.

When somepony knocked at the door, forestalling Twilight’s questions even further, the unicorn was about ready to pull her disheveled mane out, but managed to restrain herself when she learned it was the royal guard. It was strange to see any of its members out of uniform besides Shining Armor, but she was glad for their presence, and especially their information.

It had taken some time to catch Twilight and her friends up on everything known so far of Amethyst and Spike’s situation, and by the time all was said and done, it was too late to set out. The knowledge made Twilight stir crazy.

In truth, part of her still rebelled against the idea, that a respected archeologist and scholar could be capable of the heinous accusations Lore Finder had leveled against him. Twilight had even heard of the zebra hybrid before, not in detail, but the name was a hard one to forget after coming across it.

He had publications in Canterlot’s royal library for crying out loud, so how could he be the one behind Spike’s disappearance? With another sigh, Twilight rolled onto her belly and tried to force herself to sleep. It wouldn’t do to hold up the group by being exhausted after how insistent she’d been about not wasting time. They had already decided their next step before lights out, and that was taking the first train of many to Caracara. There were a frustratingly large number of way stations on the way and the path was far from a straight line, but Twilight knew that no matter how talented she and her friends were, they’d not have any easy time of hoofing it across the wastes, even if it could save them a day or two.

Zariba Arbez… I’ll find you, and you better hope my baby brother is unharmed when I do, or else… Clenching her eyes shut, a tear was forced free and soaked into the fabric below. Twilight finally gave up on obtaining sleep unassisted and got up, being as quiet as she could as she made her way to her host’s kitchen. Hopefully the couple wouldn’t mind if their guest raided their tea stash.

Lore Finder awoke to the sound of somepony rustling about in her kitchen and dragged herself out of bed. Seeing as her husband was fast asleep still, she already had a good idea of who it was and so opted out of grabbing the baseball bat from its spot leaning against her nightstand.

“Twilight Sparkle, shouldn’t you be asleep?” the pegasus asked as she entered the room, eyes squinting a moment against the light. She wasn’t surprised to see the unicorn fiddling with her stovetop, trying to heat a teapot. With how tightly wound the mare had been, Lore Finder was more surprised it had taken her this long to wake somepony else up with her restlessness.

“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she began, but halted as Lore held up a hoof for silence. Without a word, she approached the unicorn and gently moved her aside before turning the stove on proper to begin boiling the water.

“It’s no trouble; I’m used to staying up well into the night most days. Research, you know,” Lore explained.

“I certainly do,” Twilight responded with a small smile. “There were times I’d have stayed up all night if it weren’t for Spike…”

At the mention of the name, the unicorn fell silent, leaving Lore to rummage through a cupboard. “I think Prose has some chamomile in here somewhere, maybe some lavender too. Hard to say since I’m usually drinking coffee this time of night.”

Pushing aside two tins of her favorite dark roast ground, Lore finder spots several small containers and places them on the counter. “You want any milk with this? I think we have a little left in the fridge.”

“How do you do it?” Twilight asked suddenly, eyes downcast.

“Make tea? Well, I’m certainly no expert, that’s my husband’s thing, but I think I understand the basics-”

“How can you stay so calm when Amethyst is out there in danger? She’s your… best friend, right?”

“… She’s like a sister to me.” Lore said, opening a drawer and rummaging around for the infusers. “We may butt heads more often than not and she can drive me up the walls on a good day, but I love her. She’s family.”

“Then how?”

“Because it’s all I can do.” The teapot just started to whistle before Lore Finder pulled it from the heat, silencing it before it woke anypony else. “I’m not Daring Do despite looking like her. I can’t go soaring into the great unknown to rescue my friend, no matter how much I wish I could.” She looked to her wings with a frown. “Doubt these could even carry me a city block anymore, I’m such a shut-in.”

With a sigh, she returned to her work, filling the two mesh balls with dried leaves before dropping them into a couple of mugs to be poured over with hot water. “Every time Amy goes out there, I worry, but I trust in her. I believe she’ll win the day, come back, and pass out on my couch until I’m done making a celebratory dinner.”

“Even this time?”

“Even this time,” The pegasus confirmed, moving over to the table, a mug on each wing and followed by Twilight. “I’ll admit though to being a bit more worried than usual until today. Knowing there are guards out looking for her, and even you and your friends, it’s put me at ease. I’m usually the one setting the course she takes when she goes off on one of her hunts, so for her to just disappear like she did… It was frightening.”

Twilight tried to smile, but failed and tried to hide it behind her mug as she took a sip. Lore saw however and reached over the table to place a hoof on Twilght’s as she set her cup down. “You know, Daring Do may look like me, but her talents are all Amy’s. All those daring escapes, those heroic feats, Amy could do it all and then some, so when I tell you that Spike is in safe hooves, you can believe I’m telling the truth. Amy won’t let anything happen to her or your brother.”

The smile came much easier as Twilight blinked a few times before whispering a quiet, “Thanks.”

“It’s what friends are for,” Lore responded, followed up by a large yawn. “Phew, this stuff works better than I remember. I don’t know about you, but I think I need to get back into bed.”

Quickly finishing her own drink, Twilight nodded in agreement. “Yes, it is late and I need to get up early. Thanks for the tea, and the talk. I think I’ll be able to sleep much better now.”

“That’s good to hear. Goodnight, Twilight Sparkle.” And with that, the mares parted ways, ready to prepare themselves for the days ahead.

Author's Note

Thanks to Bemmo for editing like always.
Hope you all don’t mind too much the short chapter. Hopefully the next will be longer, but first I must finish a chapter of my other story right quick.
P.S.
Is anyone else not seeing the indents of new paragraphs on this? They don’t show up for me.

Chapter 32 Author's Note

Events from the latter half of chapter 23 might be worth skimming before reading this chapter to avoid some potential confusion...
Of course thanks to Bemmo and a new editor, GMZ_Casper, for corrections. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 32

“I’ve gotta say, I’ll be going home with a new appreciation for what you chef types do after this is all over. I don’t even know what half of these are or what they’re for,” Grey said as he perused the shelf of small glass jars, each filled with a different herb. “Most I ever make in the kitchen are omelets.”

“Maybe don’t talk about those while we’re here,” Citrus Spritz joked, reaching past her companion to grab a jar of basil flakes. Fresh leaves were of course better, but sacrifices had to be made when in a caravan. “That proverb, break a few eggs to make an omelet, might have different connotations to gryphons.”

Grey Stone couldn’t help but chuckle at the dark humor. “Heh, I see your point, but that never stopped Gerard from wolfing down the few I’ve made him. Then again, his sister was giving him the stink eye that one time…” He shrugs. “Eh, probably because he didn’t share. I do make a mean omelet, after all.”

The mare's smile sobered some. “Gertie, right? Gerard talks about her sometimes. She sounds nice.”

“Yeah, she’s a real fire cracker, but a sweet thing underneath it all. She and Gerard are a big help around Bedville, collecting fresh water from the skies for us.” The stallion sighs. “Hope they’re doing alright back home without their best weather managers.”

The smile fell away fully. “I hope so, too. Bedville’s troubles, Gertie getting hurt, Gerard coming all the way out here and dragging you along… Who’d have thought so many problems could come from a couple of dragons. I mean, one of them can’t even be more than a colt.” She laughs dryly at this. “Really, such a sweet boy from what little I saw of him.”

“You don’t say?” Stone responded casually. “I can’t imagine why he’d have been clumped in with his sister for being a thief, then. Even if she was, why go after the little one? No offence, but Zariba and most of the others here don’t strike me as the kind who would be worried about taking him home or setting him down the right path. Really, you’re about the only one around who’s shown a bit of compassion for the lad. Sounds kind of like you’d want to help him if you could.”

“N-no, I mean,” Citrus flustered. “I certainly wouldn’t want to see him hurt or treated poorly, but I’m just a chef, it’s not my place to make decisions like that.”

“I’d like to think position wouldn’t affect how you treat a young one. I’d like to think anypony would help them if they got the chance in fact, since it’s the right thing to do.”

“… I’ve got what I need,” the pegasus said, eyes low. “Let’s go find Gerard and see if he’s picked up the meats I sent him after. There’s plenty of dogs still camping outside the city who need feeding and I don’t want to keep them waiting.”

With a silent nod, Grey Stone followed and the two set out as soon as the spices were paid for. The noon-time sun shone brightly above on the cloudless day and bartering gryphons were abundant. Having spent most of his life in Bedville since being moved there at a young age from Equestria, Grey Stone had never seen so many of the hybrid-flyers in one place. Gerard had brightened at the sight upon entering the city and the novel experience of being one amongst many instead of standing out.

Citrus had sent Gerard away with a list of various meats and sausages, trusting the carnivore to know the prime cuts when he saw them and wouldn’t be gypped into buying subpar products for inflated prices. It was a practice often attempted on her as a pony and one she embarrassingly admitted to falling for back when she first started to expand her cooking repertoire to include things other than strictly vegetarian dishes.

Grey didn’t think less of her for the admission; gryphons were notoriously savvy business dealers who were known to swindle a few extra bits from unsuspecting consumers.

“Ey! Over here!” a voice called, drawing their attention to a quickly approaching Gerard. He was smiling broadly, the saddle bags loaned to him by Citrus Spritz bulging as he moved with a hop in his step.

Citrus returned the smile. “Did you find everything okay?”

“You bet’cha! Got some great deals too, so I have a little money left from what you gave me.” His smile took on a sly element. “The butcher’s daughter running the stand had a thing for me, so I was able to barter down the prices a bit.”

With a gasp, Citrus smacked his shoulder, a half-joking frown on her lips. “Taking advantage of a girl like that? For shame, Gerard. I thought we left the dogs on the outskirts.”

“Ah, it wasn’t that bad,” the gryphon defended. “I’m sure she’ll pull the same thing on the next young tom who comes by. She was a pretty little thing, after all.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a real lady’s bird,” Grey Stone cut in. “If you got the stuff, how ‘bout we head back to camp? I can’t put my hoof on it, but things around here feel tense, like there’s something itchin’ in the air.”

At this, Gerard’s smile thinned into a straight line. “Yeah, I kind of noticed that too. The real weird thing, though, is the weird looks I got from a couple of town guards. I think I heard one of them talking about rebels or something.”

“Well, whatever it is, we best leave to avoid it,” Citrus said, moving past her gryphon companion. “We have enough on our plate without getting wrapped up in any more craziness.”

“Wonder if your boss will think the same?” Gray pondered. “Not saying we should head out earlier than planned, but if something is up in this town, it might be worth the inconvenience to avoid it.”

There were sounds of agreement as the trio continued on their way, the walk uneventful for several minutes until a shout was heard from ahead.

“Yeah, well, you can shove your sausage where the sun don’t shine, because it definitely isn’t worth the asking price!” a raspy, but feminine, voice yelled before a tall, purple figure dodged into view, ducking low to avoid a long tube of meat. “Oh, is it free now? Thanks, ya idiot!”

“Amy, stop it, you’re going to get us thrown… in… the… uh…” A smaller purple figure who had been pulling on his companion’s tail just moments ago, slackened his grasp as he stared at the now halted Grey, Citrus, and Gerard, whose expression was slowly morphing from shock to fury.

“What is it, Spike,” Amy questioned after she finished a rude gesture with her claw towards the vendor and turned to see her staring brother. When she followed his gaze to meet those of the enemy, she muttered one word, “Crap…”

She should be grateful, in a way, Amy thought. Sure, they had once again run into some of Zariba’s goons, but at least they had been allowed to actually rest in beds this time. Plus they were pretty much done collecting supplies, so no harm in leaving town now.

Hey, the pegasus mare, the one she identified the group from, was the one who helped them when they were captured, and so probably wouldn’t pose much of a threat. Really, as long as there weren’t any more adversaries skulking about nearby, this would be an easy escape.

Yeah, just an earth pony and a very angry-looking, vaguely familiar gryphon to deal with. Easy.

Snatching her brother up, Amy made a break for it as soon as the gryphon took wing, making sure to whirl around a few corners in the hopes of losing the flyer on the sharp turns. “Are we leaving!?” Spike shouted, watching over his sister’s shoulder to see the gryphon hit a wall paws-first before launching himself after them with a mighty beat of his wings.

“Yep!” was the clipped reply as Amy grasped the pole of a street sign to round another corner. The shouting of their pursuer wasn’t getting any further away, and the dragoness had to stop herself from cussing. At least he hadn’t taken skywards yet to avoid the buildings. It’s not like he’d have to worry about losing the two of them, seeing as they stuck out quite clearly. “Just hold onto those bags tight! Don’t drop anything!”

As Spike tightened his grasp on their belongings, Amy began scoping out alleyways, hoping to use one of the narrow passages to give the gryphon the slip. There were some shouts to halt that didn’t match with the bellowing of their furious pursuer or any of the shocked ones of random citizens, but they only drove the dragoness to go faster as she rounded another corner, then immediately into the first alley after.

Slamming her back to a wall, she ignored the yelp of her little brother as he smacked his nose off the brick. Hiding in the shadows, she held her breath as her pursuer zipped by, waiting several seconds before releasing it in a puff.

Too soon, though, as a couple of gryphons dressed in uniforms halted at the entrance and sent a glare her way. “You! You want to explain what’s going on, dragon, blazing through our streets like that? Why was that citizen chasing you?”

“Causing trouble? You steal something?” the other added. Amy had to resist a groan.

“I didn’t do anything, officers,” the dragoness tried saying in her calmest voice. “I don’t know what his problem was, but I wasn’t going to stick around and find out. I’m sure you’d agree it was better than getting into a full-on fist fight in the street.”

The two shared a skeptical look, but just as one opened their beak to speak, an unfortunately familiar voice shouted, “There you are!” Coming down from above, Zariba’s gryphon landed just in front of the officers to send a glare towards Amy. “You’re finally going to pay for what you did to my sister.”

“Gerard! Thank goodness I caught up!”

“You reckless, hot-headed, moron! What were you thinking taking off like that!?”

Amy didn’t stop the groan when it came this time. Why were the gods punishing her like this? Was she overdue for a sacrifice, or something? All those ancient civilizations must have done it for a reason. Next time she passed a volcano, she’d have to make sure to throw in a chicken.

“Uh, you have any plans, sis, or are we just gonna run some more?” Spike whispered in her ear while eying the arguing group before them. The guards were trying to figure out what was going on, while the pegasus was babbling about finding their boss and the earth pony was berating the gryphon who was pointing at them and shouting.

With how distracted they all were, the dragons could probably have managed a decent head start, but the gryphon, Gerard, if she heard right, stepped forward. “Enough! I don’t care if that striped freak is the real criminal or if she’s innocent, because what she is not innocent of is landing my sister in the hospital!” the gryphon growled, talons digging trenches into the ground. “She may never fly again, damn it!”

The stallion’s eyed widened minutely in shock while the pegasus gasped. “What?”

“I didn’t want anyone worrying more than they already were, but the doc… he said there was nerve damage in her neck, that it could cause complications.” Amy could almost feel the hatred rolling off the gryphon as he tensed, preparing to pounce. “I won’t let her go.”

Just as Amy tensed herself, hoping to land a decisive blow and make a quick escape, loud popping sounds rang out from overhead and sizzled, pulling all eyes skyward. Fireworks, dozens of them were bursting from the mountain top every second, bright enough to outshine the sun. “The capital…” one of the officers breathed, eyes going wide. “The King!” In the next instance, both he and his partner were off, hurdling towards the mountain top as fast as their wings could carry them. In the same instant, the earth pony tackled his comrade, wrapping his hooves around the gryphon’s torso and pinning his wings against his chest.

While Gerard squawked in surprise, the stallion sent a hard look their way. “What are ya waiting for? Get out of here!”

Shocked at the surreal events playing out, Amy nonetheless took the stranger’s advice, holding her little brother tightly to her shoulder and turning tail. Without pursuers to lose, the dragoness took the straightest path she could from Peregrine, leaping over carts and gryphons alike as she shot down the street, leaving a trail of startled shrieks and screams as she went.

The voices hardly registered to her ears until a familiar, and utterly hated one, joined the cacophony. Even over the still-exploding display above, Phantom’s frightened exclamation reached her ears and she slowed to whip her head around. Standing at the bakery, a donut fallen down at his hooves, the pegasus stared, mouth open as if to take a bite of the pastry no longer in his grasp. The next second he was in the air, and Amy was running full speed once again.

The lack of direction didn’t matter in Amy’s mind, figuring they could get their bearings after they had gotten away, but she had failed to take one vital detail into account. Half of the city was bordered by a sheer cliff.

A sheer cliff that she nearly took a nosedive off of as she was too busy looking up over her shoulder at the pegasus silhouette following her. Luckily, the city designers saw fit to put guardrails to keep the drunk and absentminded from hurtling over the edge. There were other figures joining with Phantom in the sky, and she saw a few quickly fly off, no doubt rounding up their ground forces, while the rest looked prepared to dive-bomb her.

“Spike, I’m going to need you to roll up into as tight a ball you can, okay? This might hurt a bit.”

“Wait, you aren’t gonna jump, right?” Spike asked in panic, though still shifting lower on his sister’s chest and wrapping himself around their belongings.

As the fireworks died down and their attackers came hurdling towards them, Amy didn’t answer, instead hoisting herself over the railing. In the same moment, there was one final star shot into the sky, lazily ascending to reach its zenith before engulfing the entire atmosphere in a blinding white light. The flyers all screamed, blinded, and even with his head down and eyes shut, Spike’s vision still turned red behind his lids.

As his stomach dropped and wind rushed passed his ears, Spike hazarded a peek, garnering a few glances of the sky as they spiraled in freefall. Is… is that firework in the shape of Discord’s face? the little dragon pondered before being violently jostled as his sister tried to slow their descent with a claw in the stone.

Perhaps it worked, though it was hard to tell as his sister curled protectively around him and they bounced harshly down the steep incline. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t hold onto everything, and he hoped whatever just flew from his grasp wasn’t very important. It felt heavy.

Dr. Zariba didn’t look happy, though such a state was rare for him. His tone was neutral, however, as he looked over the railing and spoke, “You’re sure this is exactly where they went over?”

“Yeah, the pastry shop I was at when they ran by is a few blocks from here, and I recognize the buildings,” Phantom answered, eyeing the sky. “You have any idea what was up with the fireworks display… Or the ominous clouds around the mountain top?”

“Not the specifics, no, but I recognize dark magic when I see it. I feel its corruptive force from here.” The zebracorn joined his second in command, staring towards where the capital would be if not for the writhing miasma blocking it from sight. “Whatever it is, however, it doesn’t involve us currently, and I would like to keep it that way. How long before the caravan will be ready to move out again?”

“Uh, well, we all kind of expected to have the whole day here, so there’s quite a few of us scattered around the city, but I and the other flyers here can probably have them all gathered up and everything ready to go by sunset,” Phantom answered with a shrug.

A small frown pulled at the boss’s lips. “We will be ready to move before then. All of Peregrine’s forces have left to respond to whatever is going on in the capital, so there shouldn’t be anyone to halt you for disturbing the peace or reckless flying, and I’d like to have a couple hours of sunlight to travel under. Inform the fliers here of this and have them spread the word. As for you, you’ll assist me down the cliff so that we may search for our dragons. Maybe if we are lucky, Amethyst has crippled herself in the fall and we’ll be able to recapture her. If not, then at the very least, maybe she’ll have left an easy trail to follow.”

The scarred pegasus nodded, only hesitating a moment to stare at the imposing clouds in the sky before taking off. Dr. Zariba was no longer giving him or the clouds of dark magic any mind as he stared down over the railing.

That was quite the daring, if not foolish escape, and Zariba didn’t know whether to be pitying or impressed by the audacious move. He settled on annoyed. Leave it to that dragon to force his attention away from the curious events playing out in Gryphonia’s capital. Both his inner scholar and warlock were intrigued by the phenomenon, but they simply couldn’t afford the distraction when they were so close to what could be the largest treasure in the world and his nemesis was a step ahead.

He’d just have to settle for investigating at his leisure on the return trip once he’d found Bahamut’s Hoard and Amethyst Thistle was no more.

Chapter 33

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Chapter 1 Author's Note

Sorry if this chapter isn't as good as the ones after it, I didn't have an editor yet when I wrote it. Feel free to point out any errors you can find.

Chapter 1

A young dragoness was staring out the window, watching the rich green hills and valleys pass by like ocean waves, the flowers on their peaks resembling crests. She only slightly took note of this however, as her thoughts were in other, more turbulent places. “I can’t believe I let her talk me into this. Doesn’t she understand I don’t want to be here? That I don’t want to risk seeing him or what would happen if I did? Of course she doesn’t, idiot, you never told her… And now I feel even worse.”

Her whirling thoughts were brought to a halt when there was a knock at the door, resulting in her elbow slipping from the windowsill and her face smacking off the glass. “Refreshments. Is there anything I can get you?” said a feminine voice on the other side of the compartment.

“No thanks! Everything’s good here, mam!” said the dragoness hastily, pulling the hood of her brown cloak further over her face as she did.

“Okay miss, just ring the bell if you change your mind.” came the response, followed by hoof steps and the squeak of trolley wheels receding into the distance. It wasn’t until she had heard the faint knocking and the same muffled question repeated did the dragoness release the breath she had unwittingly held in.

She sat unmoving for a few breaths before growling, “What is wrong with you? You’re the Amethyst Thistle for crying out loud! Adventurer extraordinaire, world’s greatest treasure hunter, and a damn good archeologist, despite what those stuck up curators say! You do not get spooked by knocks!” With this statement, she stood up and struck a heroic pose, fists on hips, chest puffed out and head held high. Unfortunately, the moment was ruined when her hood slipped from her spines, revealing her face to the world.

She gasped, crouching down and pulling the hood up to shroud her features once more. Amethyst’s eyes darted around the compartment, scanning for any possible witness to her blunder before she remembered she was alone. She growled again and began talking to herself, “Damn it! Why in the world did I agree to do this?”

~8~

“So, what’cha got for me this time, Lorey” Amethyst said as she dropped into the seat across from a yellow pegasus, throwing her feet on the desk between them.

The pegasus only leaned forward, revealing what looked to be a cutie mark consisting of a sandstone slab covered in hieroglyphs with a magnifying glass hovering over it, and tried to push the feet from her desk, but gave up when they wouldn’t bunch. ‘humphing’ in annoyance, she settled for leveling a scowl towards her best friend and longtime partner, “It’s Lore, Amy, Lore Finder. Not ‘Lorey’ as you are so set on calling me”

The dragoness smirked, “I know, but Lore Finder is just so stuffy. Besides, you keep calling me by a nickname, can’t see why I can’t call you by one.”

“Because you prefer your nickname and I don’t. That’s why,” was the agitated response.

“Yeah, because my name’s a mouthful, just like Lore Finder.”

“Than just stick with Lore.”

“Whatever you say Lorey. Now, can you tell me why you called me down here? Got any new leads?” Amy questioned before her eyes lit up and she leaned forward, removing her feet from the desk and looking like a filly preparing to open a gift, “Did you find out more about Bahamut’s hoard?!”

Lore just stared back, pushing her black and grey scaled mane behind her ear, looking torn as she tried to think of the right response. Nodding to herself when she settled on an answer, she squared her shoulders and spoke, “Yes I have, but-”

The dragoness leapt to her feet, fist pumping as she yelled, “AH YEAH! I knew it was only a matter of time! You are the best!”

"Yes, yes, I know you’re excited, but that’s not what I wanted to talk to you about. Amy, I know you’re reluctant to go, bu-”

Lore was interrupted once again by a grey blue unicorn bursting through the door of her study, strands of his messy black mane falling across dark rimmed eyes. “Can you keep it down in here you bloody salamander?! Some of us are trying to work!” the stallion yelled.

"Ah, stick it up your plot hole, Prosy. Some of us are actually doing real work,” was Amy’s dismissive reply.

“It’s Prose Worthy! I swear by the sun, if you call me Prosy one more time, I’m going to toss you out a bucking window!”

“I’d like to see you try, Prooosy.”

"Why you little-”

"ENOUGH, both you! Prose, go back to your writing and leave us to our meeting,” Lore broke in. Prose stopped in his slow stalk towards the dragoness, the bluish glow fading from his horn as sent a bashful look towards his wife. Amy stuck her tongue out at the quelled stallion, but jolted when the scolding voice was directed at her, “And you, sit down this instant and don’t make a peep!”

“Yes, mam, sorry mam,” the dragoness said as she sat, head hung in shame and hands in her lap, looking every bit the scolded child. Prose slunk off, saying something about ordering take-out for dinner as he went.

Lore remained quite until her husband’s cutie mark, a quill sitting atop an open book, was no longer visible. Once it wasn’t, she turned burning rose colored eyes to the dragoness across from her. “Why do you see fit to torment my husband whenever you two are in the same room? The profits from his books go a long way into funding your misadventures, after all,” the pegasus asked somewhat sadly.

"Yeah, well, his books wouldn’t be any good if it wasn’t for me telling him about my ‘misadventures’, so we’re even,” Amy said petulantly.

*Gasp* “That’s a horrible thing to say! You know he’s been running himself ragged trying to write something original. Why would you say something like that?” questioned the mare, sounding truly hurt by her friends words.

“You know it’s true! And he’s always the one starting stuff. Your husband is a total-”

“STOP! Amy… Just stop,” taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Lore continued, “We’re not here to discuss Prose’s flaws. And it’s not to discuss the progress I’ve made on locating Bahamut’s hoard. I called you here because of the last artifact you discovered.”

“Oh? You mean that big obsidian looking rock I found in the Far Frozen. What about it? I mean, I was looking for Princess Platinum’s Castle and ended up falling through the ice right on top of that thing,” said Amy. She grimaced at the memory; rubbing at the phantom pain in her backside before adding, “The whole expedition was a bust… and I couldn’t walk straight for days afterwards.”

Lore just sighed and shook her head, “That expedition was most definitely not a bust, and if you would just slow down and study your surroundings like I keep telling you, you would have known that.” The dragoness just crossed her arms and muttered under her breath in what Lore guessed was a mocking imitation of her own voice. “Anyways, I was able to identify the writing on those rubbings you took from the stone. It was ancient Unicornian, a language I’m not wholly familiar with, so I sent them to a professor of dead languages at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns to be translated. To say they caused quite a stir would be an understatement,” the pegasus finished.

“You’re kidding me, right? It was just a rock,” Amy said disbelievingly.

“It was not ‘just a rock’. It was the most significant discovery in recent history. What you busted your butt on was the legendary Sun Spire.”

Lore watched with a growing smile as Amy’s mouth fell open in wonder and her eyes went wide, “No way, I found the Sun Spire…” the dragoness said before the look of amazement suddenly vanished from her face and was replaced with dull expression, “What’s the Sun Spire?”

The mare couldn’t stop herself from face-hooving at her friend’s obliviousness. “…Ow…” she grumbled, rubbing the new bump on her forehead before continuing, “Well, I guess that answers the question of if you’ve been keeping up on your studies.”

“Hey, I study plenty; I just don’t see the point in studying subjects that I hardly come across!” Amy said defensively, “Besides, the only pony civilizations prior to the formation of Equestria are those of the three pony tribes, so there are barely any pony ruins to find.”

Lore just rolled her eyes and said, “Be that as it may, this is a prime example of why you should study the history of all cultures. If you would have, you probably would have recognized the Sun Spire for what it was and known it lay in the central garden of Unicornia’s royal castle.”

Though Lore had yet to explain what the Sun Spire was, Amy was already putting what she had explained together, resulting in the dragoness smacking her forehead and running her hand down her face, “I was right next to the castle, wasn’t I?” Lore answered with a nod, “So that means the castle is buried under a ton of ice! Gah! I’m so stupid! I could have used my fire to uncover it!”

The pegasus just watched in amusement as Amy jumped up, walked over to the wall and started beating her head off it, saying “stupid” with each impact. When Lore had enough of her friends self-punishment, she spoke up, “Okay, okay, that’s enough Amy. You’re going to give yourself a concussion, and I really don’t think you can afford any more brain damage.”

Amy stopped and looked over at her. “Hardy har har, that’s real funny,” she said with obvious sarcasm.

Ignoring her friend's remark, Lore continued, “And really, I doubt even your fire would be enough to melt all that, and that’s not even taking into consideration all the water such an action would leave you with.” She stopped for a moment to consider the scenario, imagining Amy wading neck deep in a submerged castle before shaking the image from her mind. “No, no, this was for the best. Equestria plans on sending an excavation crew to uncover the castle as carefully as possible. Your way would have left everything a soggy mess, including the royal archives and library,” said Lore, putting emphasis on the lat bit.

The dragoness just sighed dejectedly and returned to her seat, “But that means we’ll have to go through a bunch of red tape to get to those archives. I was really hoping this would be my chance to find Bahamut’s hoard to.”

“First, as you have apparently forgotten, I already found a lead on that front, if not a bit of a flimsy one,” the mare said. Amy began to perk up again but was prevented from saying anything as Lore went on, “And second, The Princesses of Equestria would like to reward you for your discovery. I am sure if you ask for access to the text found in the castle that they will grant it.”

“Sweet! Things are finally looking up for the great Amethyst! So, I’ll get what I can from the princesses sent here, and we can get to work on finding that hoard. Perfect!”

Lore only smiled uneasily at her friends statement and said, “Actually, there is more, Amy. The Princesses would like to thank you, face to face… You’ve been invited to Canterlot for a public ceremony.”

The tension in the room grew almost palpable before it was finally broken by Amy’s words, “… So, they want me to go to Equestria?”

“Uh-huh, they do.”

The dragoness just looked at her friend for a moment before crossing her arms across her chest in an exaggerated X and shaking her head, “Ehhhh! Not gonna happen, no way, no how. Tell the princesses it’s a no-go. I am not going to Equestria.”

“Oh come on Amy! This is a huge opportunity not just for you, but for Prose and me as well! No matter the business, fame breeds wealth. Just think of how much easier it will be to get expeditions funded when you’re famous.”

“I’m already famous!”

“No you’re not because you do everything in your power to stay out of the lime light!”

“Because Lime Light is a sick perv, and you know it!”

“This is not the time for jokes, Amethyst! This is serious!”

“Well I thought it was pretty funny!”

Both females collapsed back into their seats, panting, not even realizing they had gone muzzle to muzzle in their shouting match. The silence was broken when the door slammed open, “I thought I told-!”

“Shut up Prose/Prosy!” the girls yelled simultaneously. Prose jolted at the acoustic bombardment and backed out through the doorway with his head down, squeaking out an apology as he did.

Lore turned back to Amy, and though she was trying to look stern, she couldn’t keep the worry and traces of betrayal from her eyes. She was, however able to keep them from her voice as she said, “Are you actually going to tell me why you won’t go this time, or are you just going to keep lying to me and say you ‘just don’t want to’?” The way she said the last part made it clear she had heard those words from her friend on more than one occasion.

“Who says I’m lying?” Amy asked heatedly before she continued far more angrily, “And even if I was, some ponies should just keep their noses out of my business and get off my back!”

As hard as she tried, the pegasus couldn’t keep her façade up any longer and a tear fell from her eye, “But, a friend shouldn’t. Aren’t I your friend, Amy? Haven’t I always been there for you?” the mare asked. When Amy didn’t answer, Lore started talking again, “When you stay here, I hear you at night, you cry in your sleep.”

“I do not cry!”

“Yes you do, Amy. Whatever this is, it’s hurting you and I don’t like it,” the pegasus said back. For the first time since Amy had arrived there, Lore Finder got up from her seat and walked around the desk to stand in front of the dragoness. She rested a hoof on Amy’s clawed hand, “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine. But can you at least go there and deal with whatever this is? Because it’s eating you up inside, and I’m afraid if something isn’t done, there won’t be anything of my best friend left.”

The dragoness looked at her oldest friend with widened eyes and her mouth parted slightly, and for a second Lore hoped that Amy would finally open up to her. But the look soon twisted up and Amy turned her head away. “There is nothing wrong, just stay out of my business, Okay?” she said in a cracked whisper.

Lore almost burst into tears, but managed to build a wall of cool indifference to dam it in. “Fine then, be that way. But you are going,” said the pegasus as she returned to her seat. “This is far too big an opportunity to pass up.”

Glad to get away from all the mushy stuff, Amy did her best to go on as if she did not just almost cry, “Oh, and how are you going to make me?”

“Well, you owe me for always harassing Prose; I can’t tell you how many times he's kept me up at night ranting about the ‘ingrate salamander’”

“No deal, I shouldn’t have to pay for the fact that you can’t get your man to stop whining.”

Lore’s brow creased in response to her rising ire, but relaxed as a small, poisonous smile pulled at her lips. “I really didn’t want to use this ace in the hole so soon after getting it, but I think this constitutes a good enough reason to do so,” the pegasus said as she opened one of her desk’s drawers and reached inside.

“What are you talking about? There is nothing you have in that drawer that can get me to…change… my… ~Aahhh~,” Amy was unable to finish before the tantalizing smell reached her nose and its source came into view. A perfectly clear gem easily twice as big as the hoof it was balanced on. “W-where did you get a real su-su-sugar-?”

“Sugar diamond? That’s not important. What is important is that I’m willing to give it to you-” she didn’t get to finish as Amy had already pounced at her, stomach now on the desk and arms out stretched for the gem. Lore was forced to hold the sugar diamond as far away from the gem-crazed dragoness as she could while simultaneously putting a hoof to her friends face to hold her back. Even with her cheek smooshed against her hoof, the pegasus could still hear Amy chanting “gimmegimmegimme”. Trying to keep the sugar diamond from falling from its precarious perch atop her hoof, Lore nearly shouted out, “Willing to give it to you ONLY IF you go to Equestria and talk with the princesses!”

The dragoness froze in her actions, not moving for a good few seconds before her eyes finally went from the gem to the eyes of her friend and narrowed. “That’s dirty, Lore” she managed to say even with the hoof pressed against her face.

“That may be, but those are the terms of the arrangement, take it or leave it. After all, I’m sure I can find some nice jeweler who would love to have such an exquisite gem to work with,” the mare said matter-of-factly.

Amy yelled, “You wouldn’t dare! To let such a delicacy be put to any use other than food would be a sin worthy of eternity in Tartarus!”

Lore just leaned in, narrowed her eyes, and whispered, “Try me.”

The two stared each other down, having a battle of wills to determine the fate of both the sugar diamond and Amethyst Thistle’s travel plans.

~8~

…Damn her weakness for gems. Not even after all these years of treasure hunting could Amy resist the allure of a sugar diamond. A part of her kept saying that it was nothing to be ashamed of, that no dragon worth their scales could ever say no to a real sugar diamond. Unlike those cheap imitations bakers use, real sugar diamonds had all the savory taste of diamonds while having the sweetness and melt in your mouth texture of sugar, all balanced in perfect harmony and heightened to the peak of flavor. Some old dragon’s tales even claim that the ponies’ Elements of Harmony were made of sugar diamond. Amy had to agree somewhat with this voice, and she told herself that she had improved her self-control greatly since the beginning of her career. She no longer ended up eating the stones out of the more jewel encrusted treasures she found.

Yet, an even louder part of Amy was screaming at her for her weakness and stupidity. She tried to appease this voice by telling it that he was more than likely with the Element of Magic. That such an integral part of the country’s security would be off somewhere away from the public, perhaps being trained with the other five to be prepared for battle at a moment’s notice. Amy told that voice that even if he were there, she would not reveal herself under any circumstance, that her cloak did its job well, not revealing a single scale or spine.

The voice quieted when these points were laid out before it, but still grumbled in the back of Amy’s head. With her turbulent thoughts under some semblance of control, Amy tried to occupy her mind with other, less stressful things. Reaching for a something under her seat, Amy pulled out a staff with a small bindle tied onto its end in the classic runaway fashion. Not planning on staying any longer than she had to, Amy packed very lightly, bringing nothing more than her trusty black ironwood staff, some grade-A comfort food, and a piece of very important reading material. She slid cloth from the stick and untied the knot, revealing a guilty pleasure in the form of the sugar diamond wrapped in plastic and a nearly disintegrating book.

After their stare down and her subsequent defeat, Amy demanded Lore tell her what she had found out about Bahamut’s hoard. As it turns out, it was quite a bit. Lore had come across the journal of a long dead gryphon explorer by the name of Erik. Luckily, Amy was very familiar with the language used within. After all, there were far more ruins belonging to the warlike gryphons than to the peaceful ponies.

In his time, millennia before the formation of Equestria, he had been labeled a nut and ridiculed for the many “impossible” things he claimed to have come across in his numerous explorations of the vast world. Wooden wolves, sea ponies, a beast that flew without the aid of wings and able to bend reality with a snap of its claw, and all sorts of other amazing things were mentioned in his journal. The gryphons of old had been content to rule over their mountains and the valleys below, believing themselves the center of the world. When Erik left and came back with information that contradicted that belief, he was humiliated, and died a broken bird.

Of course now, the things he wrote about were known as more fact than fiction. Timber wolves and Discord were both common sights in Equestria today. Even sea ponies were real, if not very well know. The ocean dwellers preferred to remain in their city of Aquastria, and not interact with the other races of the world.

The fact that these things were real only mattered to Amy to the extent that it served as evidence to support one of Erik’s other claims, that he saw a very particular dragon. The passage was one of the final he had written before he had begun the long journey back to his home. It had spoken of a mountain range far to the east of Erik’s home, a place he described as the most terrifying he had ever had the displeasure to visit. The gryphon wrote of how, as he approached the black mountains, the weather inexplicably worsened until he was forced to land or risk being killed. It was at that moment, huddled into the mountain side, that Erik described something that made Amy’s heart race, a draconic figure in the eye of the storm. Erik wrote of how he could make out the shape in the clouds, its shadow bursting into existence with each flash of lightning. He wrote about how it was the biggest creature he had ever seen, and how he fled in primordial fear of such a superior predator.

Because of his status as a crackpot, no one had given his journal much more than a glance, not even gryphon historians, who were less close-minded than their ancestors, if only just. If it had not been for Lore Finder and her stick-in-the-mud husband choosing to vacation in the Gryphon Empire, Erik’s journal could have remained under the leg of that wobbly table for who knows how long. Amy could only imagine the chewing out the librarian on staff had endured for disrespecting a historical record… and could sympathies.

Amy ran a hand over the worn and cracking leather cover; probably deer hide is she had to guess. In the middle of the book was a round indent from the table leg, it really was a miracle that it had survived so long and was still legible. Prose said he could sense magical residue within the pages and Lore theorized someone had probably put a preservation charm on it, one that had to have been amazingly strong to have lasted so long. Maybe it was someone Erik met on his journeys, perhaps a true friend.

Erik was made a mockery by his own kind, not one gryphon believing him. Amy wondered if those morons truly succeeded in breaking him, if there had not been even a glint of hope in his eyes when his time came. She wondered if Erik had been like her hero. The thought of him caused a flood of emotions to wash over her: Joy, pride, belonging… sorrow, anger… and guilt.

“No! You are not going to think about that! Not now.” Amy tried her hardest to redirect her thoughts, focusing again on the journal. “I’ll prove you were right to, Erik, when I find that hoard… you and him.” Amy whispered into the worn book, hoping the words would reach Erik and bring him peace.

As Amy began to put away the journal, a voice rang through the train, “We will be arriving at Ponyville station in ten minutes. We will remain there fifteen minutes for boarding and disembarking. That is all.” Huh, Amy hadn’t realized how much time drifting in her thoughts had taken, but she wasn’t complaining. Train rides were boring, particularly when she didn’t have anyone to shoot the breeze with. Though she couldn’t really complain, the princesses had paid her travel fare and rented out a compartment just for her and anyone she wanted to bring. Amy would have brought Lore, but she would have held them up for who knows how long… and she would have been trying to figure out Amy’s reason for not wanting to come here. That would have been an awkward trip.

Looking out the window, Amy eventually saw a town come into view. Though it was still a ways away, Amy could tell that it was quite a colorful place. She had always wondered if their preference for bright colors was genetic or merely cultural. Personally, Amy always figured it was the former that drove the pastel ponies to make their homes as tie-dyed as their herds. Like a defense mechanism to confuse predators in a similar fashion as the zebras with their stripes. Perhaps it was an instinctual attempt to cause enemies to go into epileptic fits.

As had been the theme of this particular train ride, Amy was once again brought from her thoughts. The only difference this time was that the sound was accompanied by shaking. Soon after the bump, a loud screech could be heard from the train. “I apologies passengers, but it appears that there was some debris on the tracks. Though we are currently unsure of the extent of the damage, we will be stopping in Ponyville until it is fixed. Thank you for your understanding. That is all.” said the voice from the intercom.

“…Of course the train is busted, I couldn’t have had a nice quick trip. That would be too easy.” Amy grumbled to herself. The last stretch of train ride was incredibly grating as it was filled with shaking and a loud screech the entire way. By the time they pulled into the station Amy feared her ears were bleeding. She moved her hands away from her ear fins as passengers were asked to disembark. The dragoness stood and pulled her cloak around her before sliding the door open, figuring it would be safe to leave her things in her compartment. Stepping into the hall, Amy was easily able to see over the other passengers, being twice the height of most ponies. This gave her the advantage of intimidation, many of the ponies stepping aside for the large cloaked figure.

Amy was off the train in no time, where she walked closer to a couple of stallions wearing coal stained overalls. “Well dang, what’cha think we hit, Boss?” said the younger of the two. He was lying on his belly, focusing on an axle devoid of a wheel. The other stallion reached up to and scratched his head, pushing his cap askew in the process. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke, his voice gruff from years of shoveling coal into the train engine, “I reckon it was a rock on the track. Probably some blasted foals playing where they shouldn’t.” He sighed and dropped his hoof back to the ground, “There ain’t no point in standing here talking about it, we have to get a new wheel on regardless. Let’s get to work, boy.”

Amy watched the two “get to work” and she walked away, glad she listened in. At least now she wouldn’t be stuck waiting like the rest of the patrons. She had traveled by train enough to know how long replacing a wheel would take; she had an hour to do with what she wanted.

What exactly she would do, Amy didn’t know. She wanted to walk around the town; she always loved seeing new places after all. This desire was both compounded and diminished by the fact that she was currently in Equestria, the place she’d really only been to once… and she wasn’t exactly up for seeing the sights then. She stomped her foot, making a few of the ponies around her jump and walk away, “Come on, Amy, you're being ridiculous! Nothing bad is going to happen if you just walk around town!” Amy thought. With determination born of anger, Amy started walking from the station and into the town proper, where she immediately lost her gusto.

She had been surrounded by equines before, many of her adventures taking her to Zebracon and Saddle Arabia, but never before had she seen so many ponies in one place. Ponies rarely left the borders of Equestria, being the minority in most other countries. Even back in Ford Junction, Lore and Prose were two of only a few dozen ponies in the entire city. Amy adjusted her cloak and started walking down the street, ponies moving out her way as they did on the train.

As she walked, Amy tried to calm her mind by observing the architecture around her. She noted that Ponyville, while colorful, was not as bad as she thought coming in, though she wondered why they seemed so hung-up on pink, it was kind of weird. Amy mentally replaced all that frilly pink with a nice royal purple… yeah, that was a good looking town. Moving from the ground up, she eventually got to the roofs which were almost entirely of the hay variety… huh, maybe they double as an emergency food supply. Now that would be a tough choice. Go hungry or roofless? “Well,” Amy reasoned, “pegasi can control the weather here, so going roofless wouldn’t be too bad.”

The observations did well in calming her nerves; unfortunately she didn’t pay close attention to where she was going and ended up at the market place. Ponies were milling around, chatting about this and that as they bought their goods. Amy thought of turning around, but her stubborn side refused to let her shy away from civilians, especially not the pony kind. She walked into the market, glancing at the various wares and regretting not bringing any Equestrian bits with her. Amy had only brought her sugar diamond and a few fairly big bagged lunches for the long train trip, expecting to be fed well in Canterlot and being allowed to ask for some to eat on the trip back home. As it was, Amy had finished the last of her lunches hours earlier and the sight of all the fresh produce was making her hungry.

It was this hunger that caused her to stop at a stall full of her favorite fruit, apples. She stared at them, drooling over the ruby red, topaz yellow, and emerald green morsels. She only pulled her eyes away from them when she heard a voice drawl, “You gonna buy something there, partner, or are you just gonna stare?” When she looked up to see who had asked the question, Amy found herself staring into the green eyes of an orange colored earth pony mare with a straw blonde mane and tail, each held at the ends with red hair ties, and an old Stetson on her head.

“O-oh, sorry about that, they just look so delicious, I couldn’t tear myself away.” Amy said sheepishly, glad the shadow of her hood hid the blush on her cheeks. Lore always said she thought too much with her stomach.

The mare smiled brightly, “Aw shucks, thank ya kindly partner! Believe me, they taste twice as good as they look, just a bit for one apple.”

“I’d believe it, and that’s a great deal, but unfortunately, I don’t have any money on me.” Amy said, “I kind of wanted to get back home as soon as possible and didn’t bring much.”

The mare’s smile dulled slightly at the loss of a potential sale, but a glint of curiosity soon found its way to her eye, “Aw well, that’s a darn shame. If ya don’t mind me askin’, where are ya from… and what are ya? Sorry if that seems a bit rude ta ask, I was just curios, what with the cloak and all.”

“Ahh… No problem. I’m a dragon, and I’m from all over really, though I spend most of my free time in Ford Junction… That’s a city that sits on the border of between Equestria, the Gryphon Kingdom, and the Bad Lands.” Amy answered hesitantly, but started gaining a little confidence as she went on, “I’m actually on my way to Canterlot. I’m going to be thanked by the Princesses for being an awesome explorer.”

The mare tilted her head, “Really, what’cha explore?”

“Oh, nothing much, just discovered the lost castle of Princess Platinum, the Sun Spire, and probably the whole kingdom of Unicornia.”

The mare just cocked an eyebrow at the nonchalant delivery, a wry smile pulling at her lips. “Well, ain’t that somethin’. I reckon I can spare an apple for such ah amazin’ explorer, just make sure ya tell everypony where ya got the best apple of yer life.”

“Really!?” Amy asked before getting control of herself and picking up a red delicious, “I-I mean, yes I will gladly spread the word that… ah what’s your name again?”

“I’m sorry, I forgot ta tell ya, I’m Applejack and that there is one of Sweet Apple Acres famous apples” Applejack answered.

Amy took a big bite, fitting nearly half the apple in her mouth, “I’s ‘elly goo’” she said before swallowing, “I’ll make sure to tell everyone I know that Sweet Apple Acres has the best apples around.” Amy finished the rest of the apple, core included, in the blink of an eye and burped in satisfaction, a small burst of flame coming out as she did. When she was done licking her lips, she said, “My names Amethyst Thistle by the way, but you can just call me Amy.”

“Well thanks for the compliment, Amy, I’m glad ya liked it.” Applejack said. She leaned forward, placing an elbow on the stand and tipping her hat back, prepared to shoot the breeze with the mysterious stranger, “Ya know, you ain’t the first dragon I’ve met. A good friend oh mine’s a dragon.”

Amy went rigid at this revelation, pretty sure the number of friendly dragons in Equestria was currently two. “Y-you don’t say. So, there’s another dragon around here?” Amy asked, not really sure what she wanted the answer to be.

Applejack, unaware of her new acquaintance’s change in behavior, just smiled brightly and said, “Sure as sugar, he lives right here in Ponyville with my good friend Twilight Sparkle, you’ve probably heard oh her. Real nice little guy, you should go meet him before ya go, I’m sure he’d appreciate talking ta another dragon like him. His name’s Spike by the way.”

Though outwardly, she seemed okay, inside, her thoughts were far more turbulent than they had ever been on the train. “no, No, NO! Stupid, you are so STUPID! This can’t be happening! Stupid! He can’t be here! But he is! HOW!?WHY!? Stupid, why didn’t you know! I need to get out of here! I need to hide! But where!? Stupid, stupid, stupid. THE TRAIN! I’ll go back to my compartment, hide under the seat. No one will find me there! Now, just remain calm, Stupid, and walk back there, don’t draw any attention to yourself, everything is fine.”

“I’m sure he’s a very interesting guy, and I would love to talk to him, but I really should be getting back to the train station, they may be done with repairs already and I don’t want to miss my ride. Maybe I’ll talk to him on the way back, can’t keep princesses waiting after all.” Amy said as she backed away.

Applejack’s smile was lessened slightly by disappointment, “That’s ah darn shame, I’m sure he would’ve been real happy to meet ya to. Well, it can’t be helped I reckon, it was nice ta meet’cha Amy.”

“Ah, yeah, it was nice to meet you to Applejack, I’ll-”

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over the place for you!” shouted a high-pitched voice. Before Amy could even realize what was happening, she was tackled to the ground by a pink blur. As the thing stood up, towering over her, Amy realized her assailant was a bright pink earth pony mare with a darker pink cotton ball of a mane. It was shortly after this observation that Amy noticed the pony was talking at an impressive speed with a huge grin splitting her face. “Hi, I’m Pinkie Pie, and I bet your wondering why I tackled you! Well, you see, I was walking to the train station like I always do to greet all the new ponies because my left knee started jerking like it does when someone new is in town! That’s my patented Pinkie sense, by the way, but anyways, I was walking when I felt my mane tingle and my eyelids started to flutter, do you know what that means! Well, you probably don’t because you’re new, so I’ll just tell you! That combination means that one of my friend’s long lost relatives is in town and they’re gonna make a big hullabaloo! So when my Pinkie sense told me that, I went double time to get there and find them so I could throw them a huge ‘Long Lost Family Reunion Party!’ but when I got to the station, I couldn’t find the pony that made my Pinkie sense tingle, so I really wanted to start looking for them, but it wouldn’t be fair to all the ponies waiting for the train to be fixed so I had to throw them a pick-me-up party because allot of them were all grumpy!” Pinkie Pie said as she stopped to take a huge breath.

Amy was in the middle of trying to comprehend what the pink mare said and was about to involuntarily ask “what” when she was cut off by Pinkie finishing filling her lungs with air. “So there I was, running around looking for the mystery pony, when I ran into the market and saw Applejack talking to something tall and my liver quivered, which means I had finally found who I was looking for! I was so excited to finally meet you that I forgot to stop running and ran straight into you! Isn’t that funny!?” Pinkie finished with an even wider smile and started to get off Amy. When she was, Amy rolled back unto her hands, launched herself to her feet, and started dusting herself off.

“Not really, and what are you talking about? All I got was that your liver is quivering… You should probably get that checked out by the way.” When she was done wiping the dirt from her cloak and scales, the dragoness looked to the two ponies, “What’s with the looks? They’re kind of creepy.” Amy said, and indeed, both ponies were making very distinct faces. Pinkie Pie’s smile was so wide that Amy could see her back molars, while Applejack’s jaw had fallen open and her pupils were tiny black dots in the middle of her vivid green irises.

It was Applejack that started to answer first, “Y-you look j-just like-”

“SPIKE! Oh wowzers, is he gonna be happy or what!?” Pinkie said.

Amy widened her eyes when the situation sunk into her head. Looking down, she saw her cloak was open, the long, dark fabric thrown over her shoulders in the impact. Reaching up, Amy confirmed what her peripherals where telling her, the hood of her cloak was down. She was completely exposed to these ponies, ponies that were close to him.

Pinkie Pie zipped to her side, standing on her hind legs, bringing her head level with Amy’s shoulder, and wrapped one front hoof around Amy’s waist while the other one animatedly added emphasis to her words, “Oh this is going to be the most bestest party ever! Spike is going to be so happy we found his super-duper best big sis-!”

Amy didn’t give the pink mare a chance to finish the statement, not wanting to hear those words and have to feel the guilt. She pushed Pinkie from her side and backed away from the two, all the while trying to say anything to help the situation. “Listen, I’m sure you’re really nice and all, and that dragon, of which I have no relations, is also pretty cool, but I’m reeeally busy and I just don’t have the time so… Bye!” Amy said as she turned tail and ran. Behind her she could hear the two mares shouting something and she now had the attention of the ponies in the market. None of this mattered to Amy though; she just wanted to get out of there ASAP.

As soon as she was a good distance from the two earth ponies, Amy cut into an alleyway. She leaned against the wall, trying to calm her racing heart within the shadows. Just as Amy thought she was in the clear though, she heard someone breathing next to her. “Who are we hiding from?”

“Guh!”

“Hey, where are you going!? We need to get you to a party, stat!”

Amy ignored her and just kept running from the crazy mare. Cutting in between two buildings, she wall jumped the walls and rolled onto one of the roofs, even going so far as to burrow into the straw to hide. Again, Amy was startled by Pinkie Pie as her head popped out of the hey right next to her. “Silly, the party isn’t in Bon Bon’s roof.” Pinkie said as if she didn’t just materialized out of nowhere.

Not giving a response, Amy quickly rolled off of the roof and fell to the street. Landing gracefully on all fours, she smoothly transitioned into an all-out sprint, arms pumping furiously with her speed. She didn’t bother running around ponies at this point and was vaulting over them, earning startled shouts from the unsuspecting equines. Amy cut through alleys and climbed over roofs until she was sure she had lost her pursuer. When she didn’t see the pink menace in sight, she jumped into a dumpster and shut the lid.

Amy ignored the stench and kept her ear to the wall. “What are you doing?” asked a voice beside her.

“Trying to hear if that pink pony is coming, so keep it down.” Amy answered.

“Oooh… Wow, you’re really dedicated to hide & seek, not even Dashie hid in a dumpster when we played. But we’ll have to cut this game short, we really need to get your party setup.”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll get to the party as… soon… as…” Amy looked to her left to see Pinkie sitting right next to her, a clothespin pinched over her nose and a bright smile on her face.

“Hiya!”

“Awwww!” Amy shot out of the dumpster and started sprinting through the town again, desperate to find a place to shelter from the pink demon. The chase continued on for what seemed like hours, and Amy was at the end of her rope. Not only was she becoming physically exhausted, but also emotionally as well. She couldn’t stand to hear Pinkie Pie mention him again, and would do anything short of frying the pony to not have to hear her. It was with this thought that her tired mind saw a sign from the heavens. On it was painted the universal symbol for peaceful sanctuary, an open book. Not bothering to think if Pinkie would actually not follow her into the library or obey the rule of silence, Amy crashed through the door and slammed it shut behind her. Amy was pushing both hands against the door to keep it shut, hardly paying attention to the startled voices behind her.

When she was sure the pink mare wasn’t coming, she sighed in relief and finally noticed the indigent voice behind her. Amy turned around to apologize to the ones she disturbed, only to fall completely silent upon seeing who they were. The taller of the two was a lavender unicorn mare with a straight cut darker mane and tail, each sporting a white and pink stripe. However, Amy was more focused on the smaller figure to the unicorn’s side, a small dragon with purple scales, green belly, spines and eyes. Eyes that were doing a great draconic imitation of Applejack’s earlier. To Amy, it was like staring at a younger version of herself, save being slightly chubbier than her at his age. There was a distant thump from above, but neither Amy nor the other two occupants paid it any mind.

A word Amy never believed herself the right to speak started coming unabated from her lips, “Broth-”

Right at that moment, a pink ball of fur tumbled down the stairs and landed in the middle of the stunned group. Sitting up and shaking her head, Pinkie scanned the room in complete silence before almost singing, “~Draaama Booomb!~”

~8~

“How do I look Spike, is my posture okay? I don’t want to look like a slouch at the ceremony.”

“Yes, Twilight, it’s fine. You look fine.”

“What about my mane, do you think I could get it straighter?”

“Why are you worrying about your mane now? The ceremony isn’t ‘till tomorrow.”

Spike had been dealing with this all week since the Sun Spire was found, and his patience was running terribly low. Twilight had been invited to attend the ceremony in celebration of its discovery and to thank the one who discovered it, some mystery explorer.

“Everything has to be perfect for when I meet the Amethyst Thistle, Spike. I mean, she’s only like the most amazing mare in the world!” Twilight said from the pillow she was sitting on, trying her best to get down just how she was going to present herself to one of her idols.

“If she’s so amazing, then why haven’t I heard of her?” Spike asked as he carried more books to the shelves.

“Because, Amethyst is obviously not in it for the fame. She donates the artifacts she discovers directly to the museums they belong in. Amethyst Thistle is a mare of integrity who seeks to uncover the world’s secret, a mare that pursues knowledge!”

“Well, if she’s so quiet about it, how do you know about her?” Spike questioned, more intent on keeping Twilight’s mind of the ceremony for as long as possible, than learning about the topic at hand.

“Well, Spike, just because she doesn’t accept the praise and parties for her work, doesn’t mean people don’t talk. She’s been thanked at just about every unveiling of every artifact she’s discovered. Besides, haven’t you ever read the author’s notes in any of the Daring Do books?” Spike just gave her a blank stare in answer. “Seriously!? I can’t believe you, Spike! How can you be so disrespectful as to not read the author’s thoughts on the work you’re enjoying?” Twilight questioned heatedly.

Spike rolled his eyes, “I don’t think my reading habits are the issue here, Twilight. How about you tell me what’s in the author’s notes?”

Twilight glared at him and answered, “The author, Prose Worthy, often credits one Amethyst Thistle as being the inspiration for the Daring Do stories.”

Spike was a little surprised by this fact, as he put the books down and said, “Really? That’s kinda cool I guess, and you’re going to meet this pony?”

Twilight just smiled at the baby dragon, “Mmmhmm, that’s right. You know you can come with me and meet her for yourself if you want.”

“Nah, I’m sure she’s a cool pony and all, but I better stay here and take care of the library.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked before getting a thoughtful look on her face, rubbing her chin with a hoof, “Now that I think about it, there are some rumors going around that Amethyst may actually be a dragon. I’m not sure how true those rumors are, but this could be your chance to talk to a dragon who doesn’t try to hurt you.”

Spike looked skeptical at the idea, and voiced as such, “How can her species not be known? I mean people must see her when she brings stuff into museums.”

Twilight shook her head and said, “No, she always has her friend, a historian by the name of Lore Finder, bring her discoveries to the museums in her place.”

“Well, if that’s not suspicious. I think I’ll just stay here and not risk getting attacked by another dragon.”

Twilight was about to say something else, probably in an attempt to get Spike to go with her, but was cut off when the door slammed open and slammed shut right after. Both Spike and Twilight jumped a little at the sudden violent intrusion, the mare even yelping in response. They looked over at the door to see a tall figure holding it shut. Neither of them could tell what the stranger looked like as it was wearing a cloak which was covering its back. Not even a head was visible as it was down and a panting sound could be heard coming from the cloaked stranger.

It was Twilight who recovered first from her shock and spoke a bit angrily to the stranger, “Excuse me, what are you doing? This may be a public library, but you can’t just slam the doors like that. If you busted the frame, I hope you know you will be paying for it.”

The cloaked figure sighed heavily in what sounded like relief, released the door, and turned around. It was at that point that Spikes world seemed to freeze. As the figure fully turned, it was revealed that it was a dragon, definitely older than Spike but he didn’t really know how old she was. It was definitely a she if the slightly flared hips and chest were any indication. She was also older than the teenage dragons he had met during the dragon migration as she a few inches taller than the tallest of their members. It wasn’t just the fact that there was a dragon standing in front of him that shocked Spike, though. It was her looks that did it. The dragoness was covered with purple scale a few shades darker than his own. Her belly and spines were a dark green and looking into the dragoness’s eyes was like staring into a mirror. Spike even noticed there were no wings sprouting from her back, a fact that would probably worry him when he had time to think about it later.

No one in the room made a sound, a small part of Spike figured even Twilight must have noticed the obvious resemblance. There was a loud bang upstairs, but Spike didn’t care. All that mattered to him was the dragoness who he had just made eye contact with. In that moment, Spike could see so many emotions run through them that he couldn’t tell what any of them were. The dragoness looked as if she wanted to reach out to him, one of her hands twitching in his direction, and she started to speak, “Broth-”

Before she could finished whatever it was she was going to say, a pink ball of fur tumbled down the stairs and landed in the middle of the stunned group. Sitting up and shaking her head, Pinkie scanned the room in complete silence before almost singing, “~Draaama Booomb!~”

Pinkie’s dynamic entrance and dramatic statement seemed to bring everybody from their stunned states, the dragoness’s eyes widened and her mouth snapped shut. Twilight stepped forward and started to ask, “Who are-” but before she finished the question Spike himself wanted to ask, the dragoness cut her off.

“S-sorry for barging in like that, I-I’ll just get out of your hair… Sooo… BYE!” with that, she turned around and disappeared out the door at what Spike imagined was at least twice as fast as she came in.

Pinkie quickly stood up, “Drat, she ran away again!” As soon as she said that, Pinkie ran out the door to follow the stranger, ignoring Twilight’s question of what was going on. Spike didn’t know what was going on or what he was doing, but he knew that whatever was happening involved him and he wouldn’t stand idly by. Spike sprinted out the door after the two females, ignoring Twilight’s yells behind him. He could barely see Pinkies tail flash in the distance before disappearing around a corner, but he kept running anyways. Spike knew that even at his full speed, he couldn’t keep up with his stubby legs. This wasn’t the first time he cursed his small stature, but the ones he was following left a trail of stunned and confused ponies in their wake that he could at least follow.

He kept the pace for about two blocks before he started slowing down, feeling a stitch in his side. “Curse *huff* you *huff* Sugarcube Corner *huff* and your *huff* cupcakes!” Spike said between breaths. Just as he was about to collapse, a shadow fell over him.

Looking back, Spike saw Twilight smiling down at him, “Need a ride?” she said. Spike smiled up at her and she bent down to let him climb onto her back. With a stronger pair of legs to carry him, Spike directed Twilight on what way Pinkie and the dragoness had went, confident that they would get the bottom of this.

Up ahead they heard a ruckus and a raspy voice joining the bubbly one. Turning the corner, Spike and Twilight came upon an interesting seen. Their friend Rainbow Dash, a sky-blue pegasus mare with a prismatic mane and tail, was standing in front of the dragoness with front legs bent and her wings flared. The dragoness was stumbling to her feet, holding her head as she did. Pinkie was sitting to the side, holding up a card with 8.5 drawn on it, congratulating Dash on her dismount.

“What’s going on here?” Twilight asked as she came up, moving her eyes back and forth between her brash friend and dragoness.

Rainbow Dash puffed a small cloud of steam from her nostrils and said, “I saw this suspicions dragon running away from Pinkie and scaring everypony, so I put a stop to her criminal schemes. Don’t worry Twi, whatever she did, she’s not gonna get away from me.”

Spike stopped listening to the ponies when he once again made eye contact with the dragoness. They stared at each other, Spike silently asking who she was and she was pleading something of him. Before he could voice what his eyes were asking though, the dragoness inhaled deeply through her nostrils and Spike could see wisps of smoke seep from between her lips.

Twilight tensed underneath him and screamed, “She’s going to breathe fire!” The purple mare grabbed both her friends and erected a shield around them as the many ponies around her screamed and ran away. Spike could only watch in shocked silence as the dragoness opened her mouth wide, and then everything went black.

~8~

Amy would look back at this moment and admit it was probably the most awkward exit she had ever made in her life. When she saw him, she could barely keep herself from breaking down and begging for forgiveness, and if it wasn’t for that insane pink mare dropping in when she did, she probably would have. As it was, she now found herself once again running through the town with Pinkie Pie on her tail.

“Stop following me!” Amy shouted over her shoulder.

“Not until I throw you and Spike a party!” Pinkie shouted back.

“Argh! You are the craziest mare I’ve ever met!”

“Thanks!”

Amy was going to tell the mare that she wasn’t complimenting her, but she stopped when she heard a shout from above. In most any other situation, Amy easily would have dodge the blue blur and delivered a counterattack that would have left the offender unconscious. Unfortunately for Amy, and fortunately for the pegasus, the dragoness was exhausted from a long day of mental stress and the recent emotional turmoil she had just experienced.

Amy was tackled from behind and they both went rolling across the street. The blue pegasus didn’t falter for a moment and jumped from the roll, landing as if ready to pounce right in front of the dragoness. “Stop right there, punk! You’re not getting away from Rainbow Dash!” yelled the pegasus, Amy assumed she was Rainbow Dash. As her eyes continued to spin she could hear more hoof steps getting closer. Soon enough, she could hear the ever-present Pinkie Pie congratulating Rainbow Dash for catching the “shindig skipper” and the voice of who she could only assume was the Twilight Sparkle asking what had happened.

When Amy’s eyes stilled in their sockets and she was back on her feet, her sight was instantly pulled to the set of eyes so similar to her own. “I can’t speak to him, I can’t let him know the truth, I can’t let him know what I did to him, I have to get away, and no one can follow me!” were some of the thoughts that ran through her head when she acted on impulse. Taking a deep breath through her nose and directing all the air to her inner fire, Amy caused it to swell inside her. Using the magic prowess that made her kind unique, Amy immediately snuffed that fire out and pushed every shred of smoke up and out.

The ponies had no idea what happened when the entire area was shrouded in a cloying cloud of smoke. Amy felt bad when she heard ponies choking on her fumes, but she couldn’t talk with him because…she just couldn’t. Running away, she soon emerged from the smog and climbed up to a roof. From there she could see the train station and wasted no time in going to it, leaping from rooftop to rooftop like it was child’s play.

Amy touched down on the platform moments later, startling a few ponies as she had been doing all day. She wasted no time in entering the train, ignoring the protests of the ticket stallion as she passed. Amy quickly made her way to her compartment and flopped face down on the cushioned seat, the adrenaline from all that had happened finally leaving her. The creation of her biggest smokescreen to date had also reduced her inner fire to more of a simmer. Before she managed to fall unconscious though, the door to her compartment slid open, revealing a very agitated ticket stallion. “Miss, I am sure you are in a hurry, but that does not exempt you from having to buy a ticket like everypony else. If you do not, I will be forced to have you removed from the train.” The stallion said in a strict voice.

Amy just groaned and reached for her things under the seat. Pulling out the journal, Amy removed a piece of paper from between its pages and handed it to the pony, keeping her claw in the spot where the paper had resided. The stallion merely quirked an eyebrow as he took what was offered to him and scanned over it. His eyes went wide and he stuttered, “I-I apologies for bothering you madam, pl-please enjoy the remainder of your trip.” With that, the stallion returned the ticket, and made a quick exit.

Amy sighed as she looked at the ticket in her hand. It bore the crest of the royal pony sisters and was good for one round trip all the way from Ford Junction to Canterlot. “I really hope I’m not making a habit out of spooking ponies… What am I going to do now? No doubt Twilight will go to ceremony when she realizes the crazy dragon from Ponyville is Amethyst Thistle… and she’ll bring him along.” Amy thought. Her thoughts soon turned a bit bitter, “What was she doing in a small town like this anyways!? She’s Princess Celestia’s personal student and the Element of Magic, for crying out loud! She should be under constant guard somewhere safe to prevent assassination attempts, not in a public library anyone can enter!”

The anger left her quickly however when her thoughts turned back to the ceremony she was headed to. Amy had originally planned on keeping her hood up, hiding her appearances from even the princesses. Surely they would respect her wishes and not push to see her face if she did not wish it? It would have been a quick little thing, a few words exchanged with the princesses and some of the other guests, Lore Finder made it quite clear she had wanted a Amy to talk to some unicorn named Fancy Pants, after all, and then she would turn in early, claiming exhaustion from the long journey and festivities. As soon as Celestia raised the sun, Amy would be off and on her way back home.

Now she was unsure of what would happen. She could run and not go to the ceremony at all, but skipping out on royalty would definitely not earn her any favors. It was a slippery slope either way, and Amy found it difficult to see how to get out of this one unscathed. Perhaps it was for the best that the voice over the intercom said the train was fixed and was preparing to depart.

Amy would figure this out in time, but for now, she needed to rest. Shutting her eyes, Amy was fast asleep in no time.

~8~

It was odd, the only light to see with was that coming from Twilight’s horn and the bubble surrounding them. It was Rainbow Dash who spoke first, “What the hay just happened!? Twilight, pop this thing so we can catch that dragon!”

Twilight, who could most likely here the coughing of the ponies outside her force field just as well as Spike, set some priorities. “No, the dragon will have to wait. Right now we need you to clear this smog before somepony gets hurt. Do you think you can do that Rainbow Dash?”

“Are you kidding Twilight? I’ll have this cleared out of here in ten seconds flat!” Dash said with a cocky grin. Twilight nodded her head and lowered the bubble, the smoke slowly started drifting in when Dash shot straight up, leaving a tunnel through the smoke. In just a few seconds the whirling of winds could be heard and the smoke started being pulled by it into the funnel of a newly formed tornado. The prismatic pegasus then pulled the tornado up into the sky and sent it in the direction of the Everfree Forest where it wouldn’t harm anypony… Unless a pegasus somehow got in its path.

Rainbow Dash came down fast and landed in a dramatic pose to the cheering of the ponies around, the loudest being Pinkie Pie. “Now come on Twilight we have a dragon to catch!” She said confidently.

“So you saw what direction she went?” Twilight asked as she and the others walked up to the pegasus. Spike hoped so, he couldn’t see the dragoness anywhere and the ponies were to frightened by the sudden smoke too have paid attention to the fleeing culprit, meaning no trail of stunned ponies to follow.

Dash's ears fell flat and seeing them caused Spike’s spirit to do the same. He knew what she was going to say before she even said it, “You didn’t, did you?”

"Well… no. But I’m sure we can still find it, I mean, there aren’t a whole lot of places a dragon can hide in Ponyville.”

The conversation was broken into by a familiar southern drawl, “What in tarnation is goin’ on here?” They all turned to see Applejack trotting up hitched to her apple stall. Spike remained in silent dejection as the girls explained what had just happened, but perked up when Applejack said, “Ya’ll mean Amethyst? Well shoot, I was just takin’ the stall back to the farm so Ah could come tell you and Spike about her.”

“You know who she is!” Both Spike and Twilight exclaimed at the same time, leaning in.

Applejack took a step back at the sudden intrusion and spoke nervously, “Aw… Yeah Ah do. She stopped by the stall earlier, said she was on her way up ta Canterlot for a ceremony.”

Twilights eyes widened, “Wait, wait, wait. What did you say her name was again?’

“Amethyst Thistle, if’n Ah recall correctly. Why?”

Spike and Twilight turned slowly to each other, staring wide-eyed at the revelation. Spike spoke first, “Twilight… I think I want to go to Canterlot with you.”

“…Yeah.”

Rainbow Dash walked up between the two and said, “Okay, now I’m confused. Who’s this ‘Amethyst’ dragon, why was she being chased, and what’s with the ceremony thing you’re talking about?”

Applejack scratched her head, “Ah reckon I’m a bit confused to. Exactly who is Amethyst and what’s her relationship with Spike?”

Twilight turned to them, a steely look entering her eyes, “I don’t know, Applejack, but I’m going to find out.”

The group stood in silence until Pinkie exclaimed, “Woohoo! Drama Party in Canterlot!”

Chapter 12

Spike was enjoying his first proper tour of Ford Junction since arriving there the day prior. Well, mostly enjoying it, anyway. The city was a stark contrast to what he had grown used to in Equestria, what with the duller, less varied colors and being more utilitarian in design. This, of course, didn't mean that the city was lacking in personality. The two had passed some impressive graffiti art, some of which lead to his sister becoming uncomfortable when asked what some of the unfamiliar words and phrases meant. These questions were answered in a similar fashion to those from last night, and Spike was growing a little annoyed with being told that he wasn't old enough to know.

Giving up for now, Spike instead asked why the streets were not as crowded as they had been the last time he walked them and Amy was far happier to answer this question, telling him that those they were seeing were either going into work or getting off of graveyard shifts. It wasn't until noon that the streets really started to fill up with those shopping, taking lunch breaks, or just taking care of business. This was one of Ford Junction's many quirks.

As they walked Amy pointed out locations and told him interesting facts, such as the smoke stacks being mostly the result of minotaur influence; they were an industrious people, and, unable to rely on magic, used their ingenuity to bend nature to their will. This industry had a by-product though, which was the reason behind the lack of cloud homes. The smog, as Amy called it, greatly reduced cloud consistency and made structures made with them unstable and dangerous. This smog was also why flyers rarely flew above the skyline, being unable to breathe the toxic air without the risk of falling unconscious and plummeting to the ground.

The knowledge was somewhat depressing, and both he and his sister were relieved when she brought them to their first stop. Spike had seen video games before, a colt he knew back in Ponyville did nothing but play them after all, but none like what he found in Combo Breaker Arcade. It was the most colorful place he had seen in the city so far, its name glowing in bright, yellow neon. The sign also featured what looked to be an armored minotaur holding a limp gryphon warrior triumphantly over his head before flashing to an image of him bending his foe painfully over one knee, its beak and eyes open in a silent scream. This was just a taste of the violence the younger dragon soon found himself bearing witness to as he played games that would be rated for adults only in Equestria.

After exchanging some bits for game tokens, Amy pulled him about, showing him all of her favorite games and challenging him to anything that was two player. The first was a dancing game in which the players took control of pegasi on the screen trying to beat every drop of water they could from storm clouds. Amy's feet moved with such speed and rhythm that the word "Flooded!" flashed before being followed by, "Tsunami!" as her score climbed. Spike, on the other hand, ended up lying face down on the dance pad and panting, no longer caring about the arrows as they flew down his screen untapped. Chuckling at his claim that her longer legs gave her an advantage, Amy picked him up and carrying him to a water fountain so he could get a drink, which he did so greedily.

After that, she chose a less athletic game for the two to play, a fighting game called Savage Showdowns. Much like the city they were in, its roster had a large variety of fighters in both style and species, and for their first match, Spike had made the obvious choice of the large, red dragon character. He thought he was in for an easy victory when his sister chose a small fox-like creature wearing a necklace of large, purple beads. It was as small as a kit and cute as could be, no doubt one of the weakest characters. Spike's confidence did not last however, as the adorable critter began whipping out small orbs of fire from its multiple tails, which would remain bobbing at different points of the stage, turning it into a minefield. He soon found out that maneuvering his larger character around these was difficult. He also found that his opponent was near impossible to hit as it continued to disappear in puffs of smoke, leaving logs behind to be splintered by his dragon's slow attacks. Eventually, he lost, and Amy giggled at his disbelief. When he demanded a rematch, his sister agreed, though this time made sure to give him pointers on how to use the different characters, even slipping in a quip about not judging a book by its cover.

Once they had had their fill of the virtual worlds of video games, they decided to explore more of the real one; leaving the arcade and entering the much busier streets at noon. Before any discussion could be had on where to go next, Spike's stomach made its desires clear by way of rumbling loudly. This caused Amy to laugh until her own stomach mimicked his, though far louder, and actually earning a few glances from passers-by. When Spike's own laughter subsided, she sheepishly made the suggestion to get lunch, and the two were off again.

Much to his embarrassment, the older dragon made him hold her hand as she expertly guided them through the crowded streets, stating that she would not risk losing him, both for the obvious reason and that she didn't want to find out what Equestria's most magical unicorn could do when she combined her wrath with that of Lore Finder's. Despite his displeasure at being treated like a baby, he didn't protest, and soon the two stood before an archway, two stone pillars holding up an odd roof. The younger dragon had never seen this form of architecture before; the roof was oddly concave, with large terracotta tiles meeting at the apex, which was capped by a cylinder going down the width of the spine. He internally compared it to a paperback book laid open pages down.

"I welcome you, Spike," his sister said with a flourish of her hand and a smile on her face, "to my favorite part of the city, Little Nekoto!" He looked at her a moment before returning his gaze to, and past the archway. He could see tall figures milling about beyond it, but couldn't make out any details about them. He was unable to ponder any further as Amy leaned down and gave him a gentle push forward. "Don't worry; you're going to love the food here. I guarantee it." She took a step forward, now standing ahead of him, and sent a reassuring look over her shoulder. He smiled, adjusted his hood, and moved to her side.

The two passed under the gate and made their way down the street, Spike looking around as they did so. Nearly all of the buildings had a kind of roof similar to the one he had seen on the archway and strange doors in front. He could have sworn some were made of paper, while others had the sheen of glass over them, and unlike what he was used to, these doors slid open instead of swung. It was while observing this that he saw who, and more importantly, what the inhabitants of this strange place were; tall, bipedal cats.

They differed to some degree in color, their fur various shades of brown, yellow, white, and black. All of them appeared to have different stripe patterns on their faces, but he couldn't see much else of their fur as they were all covered in some degree of clothing. Most of the males, or what he assumed were males by their taller stature and slightly blockier muzzles, were wearing baggy-sleeved, open-front shirts held shut by sashes tied around their waists. Almost every one of them also wore, for lack of a better word, dresses, that ended above the ankles, allowing Spike to see that they wore sandals made of wood or weaved from straw. The females he saw were dressed in similar, but noticeably different attire, being of brighter colors and consisting of one piece of clothing under the sash instead of the male’s two. In all cases, tails poked out through holes in the back of their clothing.

As they walked, many of the cats who saw Amy smiled and waved, and she returned the favor. "Wow, the... people, here seem to know you pretty well," Spike observed.

"Yeah, I've been coming here for as long as I've lived in Ford Junction and I've known a lot of these neko for years because of it," his sister answered.

"Neko? I've never heard of them."

"Well, they're definitely not common in Equestria... Or this continent, really," Amy began, "They're from a small island nation far to the east. The neko have been branching out in the last century, though, so that may change."

"Amy-san, you're back!" shouted a high-pitched voice. Looking over, Spike saw a small, by comparison, neko, a head taller than himself, standing in front of the open entrance of a building. the place had a cloth sign hanging over the door with odd letters running vertically down it. At its bottom were the words "Kamaboko Ramen" in much smaller print. Below it, the neko waved happily with an intriguing appendage while holding a broom in the other. It was similar to Spike's own, ending in four stubby, clawed digits with one serving as a thumb. Unlike his, however, there was a pad on each finger and the palm was divided by two side by side.

Amy returned the child's toothy grin and waved back. "Hana-chan, it's good to see you again!" She eyed her up and down. "You've gotten taller..." she said, before mumbling with a chuckle, "And you're wearing a bigger version of the same kimono you always wear. You never change."

She started heading towards the girl, and Spike followed, curious of both who this was, and about getting to know a new species. As he approached, he took note of the feline’s appearance. She had cream colored fur with light yellow stripes, and on her forehead appeared to be a natural flower design. Her kimono was white with thin, chocolate brown stripes the same color as her sash circling around it horizontally. He also noticed that her wide, dark brown eyes were nearly shining as she said, "Oh! You have to tell how your trip went! Did you really meet the pony princess!?"

Amy came to a stop in front of the hopping kitten, the broom long since forgotten and lying on the ground. "No," she began, causing the excitement to leave Hana's face. "I met two pony princesses."

"Two!? What were they like!? Were they as big as houses!? Niisan said they were, but I don't believe him because then how would they fit inside the castle or take a bath!? Everything would have to be made extra big for them and then all the other ponies would get tired trying to walk around their stuff and-!"

While she had been talking a mile a minute, the little neko didn't notice Amy's eyelid begin to twitch or the dragoness crouching down, one end of her staff on the ground. Even after Amy pinched the front of her lips shut between her thumb and forefinger, Hana didn't realize right away and continued speak, only stopping after she noticed her words had become unintelligible. When she did, she sent a glare at the dragoness and crossed her arms. "Sorry, Hana-chan, but you were getting carried away again," Amy said.

When she let go of her lips, Hana huffed. "Well, if you're really sorry, you'll tell me about your trip!" she said, finishing with a bright, if not smug, smile.

Amy chuckled. "Sure, sure, I'll tell you all about it," she said as she stood back up. "But for now, my... Spike, and I have to get something to eat."

"Spike?" the little girl inquired, tilting her head before she finally took notice of the small, cloaked figure next to Amy.

"Uh, hi... I'm Spike," he said, extending his claw. "It's nice to meet you, Hana-chan."

She looked at the scaly appendage, eyes going wide as she trailed it up to the face hidden beneath the hood. In a flash she was in his personal space and reaching to his head. Before Spike knew what had happened, his hood was thrown back and his cheeks were squeezed between her paws, soft pads tilting his head back. "Eeee! Amy has a baby!" she shouted excitedly. "And he's adorable!"

Many eyes began to turn to the scene as both dragons stood in stunned silence and Hana continued to gush. The older dragon was first to regain her senses, lurching forward and grabbing both children. All that was left for the various cats to see was a small cloud of dust. Inside, Amy dropped Hana and heaved a sigh as she placed Spike down gently. Hana, even dazed, landed on her feet, and glared up at the dragoness. "Hey, what's the big idea grabbing me like that!? I could have gotten whiplash!"

Amy looked ready to respond even as she adjusted the hood of Spike's cloak to hide his face, but a new voice beat her to it. "Hana! Stop yelling!" shouted a much older looking neko standing behind a counter. She was tall and slender, her light yellow kimono and darker yellow sash nearly the same color as her light fur and darker markings. "Especially at one of our most loyal customers!"

"But-"

"No buts! Now you get back out there and sweep or you won't be getting any sushi tonight," the older neko said firmly, a no-nonsense frown on her muzzle.

Hana humphed. "Fine," she said as she turned to Spike, a smile suddenly coming to her face. "See ya later, Spike!"

With that, she gave the confused dragon a hug before skipping out the door. "She... was almost as strange as Pinkie Pie," Spike mumbled.

"Don't know who that is, but if she's stranger than my daughter, I don't think I want to know her," the lady behind the counter said. She leaned on the counter, cheek in paw, and gave the two dragons a curious look. "Though I can see why Hana was so excited, it's not often that you come in here with a child, especially one with such an... interesting appearance."

Amy whirled to face her. "You saw?"

"I got a glimpse," she said, turning her eyes to the side. "Along with a few others I'm sure."

Both dragons followed her gaze to see multiple nekos turned in their seats, looking at them. Suddenly, a heavy set, flush-faced male one held a bottle up in the air. "Way'ta go Amy! Yer ah momma!"

Many of the others joined in with the cheer, causing Amy to blush and pull up her hood. She stepped up to the counter and said in a quiet voice, "Ah, can we get a booth, Haru-san?... Somewhere out of the way?"

Haru smiled. "Of course, though I expect an explanation later," she said, turning her eyes down to a nervous Spike. "I'm sure it's going to be an interesting one."

With that, she directed the two to one of the less occupied corners of the restaurant, and told them someone would be by soon to take their orders. Now that they weren't being stared at, Spike was able to relax a little, releasing a sigh that got his sister's attention. "I'm sorry about that, Spike. Hana can get pretty excited sometimes, but she and her family are all very nice."

Spike gave her a small smile. "It's fine, I've gotten used to dealing with Pinkie Pie... or, at least as used to her as someone can get. Hana-chan is a piece of cake compared to her," he explained. "If anything, it's more this place that's kinda overwhelming. I've never seen a place like it." As he looked around, he saw that most of the light in the windowless establishment came from paper lanterns hung from the ceiling. He was also curious about the cup in the middle of their booth filled with what looked to be sticks split most of way up the middle.

As he grabbed one for inspection, Amy smiled. "I take it you've never used chopsticks before?" He shook his head no as looked them over in his claw. "Well, they can be pretty tricky to use, but I'm sure I can teach you before the day is out. If you manage to not give up in frustration that is."

Spike finally moved his eyes from the chopsticks to give his sister a confused look. "Is it really that hard to use? I mean, it looks like you're just supposed to spear things with it."

Amy rolled her eyes, still smiling, before her ear fin twitched and she turned her head. "Hey, Daichi-kun, how's it going?"

Approaching them was a male neko, half a head taller than Hana, and noticeably thicker around the middle; each step making his sizable girth jiggle under his simple brown kimono. A smile had been on his lips as he came to their table, but it turned into a slight scowl after Amy had spoken. He stopped at the booth and placed down a menu for each of them. "You know I'm too old for that, Amy. I'm sixteen, call me Daichi-san, or just Daichi even, but enough with the kun."

"Ahh, but you'll always be tubby little Daichi-kun to me," the dragoness cooed, and then laughed when his pudgy cheeks puffed out. "Sorry, sorry, I'll try and stop."

"Good," he stated before taking on a more professional tone, "Now, may I recommend today's special of-"

"Two bowls of shoyu ramen, please," Amy said, picking up both menus and handing them back to the cat. "And some green tea too."

Daichi sighed. "You know we serve more than just ramen now; you could try some of our other stuff."

The dragoness slammed a fist down, making Spike jolt and Daichi roll his eyes. "Kamaboko Ramen will always be the best ramen stand in the world!" she declared. "And no matter how big it gets, that's never going to change!"

A hardy laugh could be heard from deeper inside the restaurant. "It's good to know you're back in town, Amy-san! I'll make sure your ramen bowls are extra-large!"

"Thanks Daiki-san, it's been too long since I've had your cooking!"

"It's only been a few days," Daichi pointed out.

"Yeah, like I said, too long," Amy responded with a quirked eyebrow.

The neko stared at her for a moment before sighing. "And yet you're still skinny. Why can't I have metabolism like that?" He brought a paw to his gut and it sunk in a bit.

Amy gave him a sly look. "You could always ask your grandma to whip you into shape. You could even train with us next time I ask her for a session."

Even through the fur, it was easy to tell Daichi had gone pale as he gulped. "I'll go get your tea. Talk to you later, Amy," he said as he quickly walked off.

The dragoness chuckled as she turned back to her brother. She could see he was giving her an incredulous look from under his hood. Already knowing what he probably had questions about, she began to explain, "I've been friends with the Hisakawa family for a long time now, back when they were still just a small ramen stand." she leaned in a little closer and whispered, "Don't let Daichi fool ya, all their food is good, but their ramen is best in the world. It would be a crime not have a bowl while you're here."

Spike nodded in understanding, waited a moment, and then asked, "Okay, I get what you're saying... mostly, but what's with the kuns and sans you're all saying? Hana-chan called you Amy-san, that's not your real name."

Amy blinked a few times before chuckling. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know about honorifics just as much as you don't know about chopsticks," she said. "Well, all that stuff tagged onto the ends of names are kind of like mister and miss, but a little more complicated."

"Oooh, so Hana is just Hana and stuff?"

"Yeah, I'll tell you more about that later, but for now, I should probably start teaching you how to use these." She grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the bin and snapped them apart. "You're going to need all the practice you can get before the food gets here... I should have told Daichi to bring you some silverware now that I think about it."

Spike gave her a skeptical look. "I doubt it's that hard," he said as he tried to snap his own sticks apart, only to leave half of one still attached to the other.

Amy chuckled and handed him another set. "Lesson one..."

By the time the food had arrived, Spike had mastered separating his chopsticks, creating a small pile of kindling in the process, and was well on his way to learning the proper technique for gripping them in his claws. His lesson was put on hold a moment when Daichi placed a delicious smelling bowl of noodles in front of him and a kettle and cups between the the siblings. After telling them to enjoy their meal, the cat left them and the younger dragon leaned over his lunch to take a deep whiff. As he stared into the brown broth, he raised an eye ridge at what he saw. The noodles were long and thin, accompanied by a small pile of greens that he couldn't identify and what appeared to be a hard-boiled egg just set to the side. These were not what gave him pause, however; he could see two large pieces of something white, each a different textures.

Poking the stratified piece, he asked, "Hey, what are these here, some sort of tofu?"

Amy pulled her gaze away from her bowl and wiped a strand of saliva from her chin. "Hmm? Oh, one is chicken and the other's bluefin tuna, the best fish in the world," she began, gaining a slightly worried look upon seeing Spike's wide-eyed one. "What? Do you not like fish or something? We can order something else if you want."

He looked up to a moment before shaking his head. "No, no, that's not it. Or, I mean, I don't know if I like fish, or meat for that matter."

"What do you mean? Haven't you ever had any?" she asked. Soon after the question, she frowned and facepalmed. "Raised in Equestria, right. Sorry Spike, I forget this stuff sometimes."

He waved a hand. "No, it's okay. I was asked by the princess once if I wanted to try some meat, but Twilight was there and she was getting kind of uncomfortable so I said no."

The dragoness blinked a few times and then chuckled. "You really are nice, giving up one of the greatest culinary experiences in life just to make a friend comfortable. I could never do it, that's for sure... Are you going to try it now?"

Spike looked into the bowl, feeling his own mouth begin to water at the smell wafting from the dish. "You know, I think I will," he stated before picking up his chopsticks. That was as far as he got before they slipped through his claws and dropped into the broth with a small sploosh.

"So, do you want to keep trying with the chopsticks and let your noodles get cold, or should we get a spoon?" Amy asked with a smile.

The younger dragon picked the sticks from his soup and absently licked his fingers after he put them down on a napkin. Once he did, his eyes grew wide and he smacked his lips. "Uh, I think I'll take the spoon."

The savory broth had been good, but once Spike had actually started eating, he couldn't help but regret all the years spent eating only pony food. The well-prepared fish had been amazing, and the chicken, after he had chased the images of a distraught Fluttershy from his mind, had been great. Those two elements, combined with everything else packed harmoniously into the bowl, resulted in a divine meal that was easily one of the best Spike had ever eaten. He would definitely take Celestia up on her old offer next time he got a chance just to see what the royal chefs could do with the wonder ingredient that was meat.

He slumped back with a satisfied sigh, rubbing his belly as he looked lazily to his sister. "That was the best tasting thing I've ever eaten," he said, punctuating the statement with a loud burp.

Amy smiled and nodded her head. "Yep, like I said, the best." She reached forward and grabbed the teapot, pouring herself a cup before silently offering Spike some with a nod towards his own. He returned her nod with one of his own, and she began to fill his cup.

It was at moment that Daichi came up with the bill. "Hope the two of you enjoyed the meal," he said, though the small smile on his face told them that he already knew they had. "He's definitely a relative of yours; he eats almost as loudly as you do."

Spike looked sheepish and Amy indignant. "I don't eat loudly!" the dragoness exclaimed.

"Sure," he said, unconvinced. "My mistake. Anyway, mom said for the two of you to feel free to stay as long as you want. There's no rush to open seats, and we're all pretty curious about your guest." He glanced to the smaller dragon. "So if you can stick around until closing, we can all get to know each other."

Amy, forgetting the snide remark about her eating habits, said, "Sorry, Daichi-ku- I mean- san, but we won't be staying that long. Lore Finder wants us back before dinner. We'll probably be able to come tomorrow morning before the restaurant opens, though. Think that will be okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that should be fine. I'll go tell the folks." With that, he gave the two one last smile and walked away. As he did, Amy looked over the bill and reached for her staff.

It was while she removed the smaller bit bag that Spike's eyes were drawn to the large one. "Hey, why'd you bring that along? Couldn't you have just left it at Lore and Prose's place?" the younger dragon asked, pointing at the lumpy bag.

Amy followed his gaze. "Oh yeah," she began. "I almost forgot about that. Well, for one, it's just habit. Not that I don't trust Lorey or anything, but I'd rather keep the really important stuff with me at all times. Definitely makes it a lot harder for the bad guys to steal it when they have to get through me first." The dragoness punched her palm with an almost sadistic smirk on her face. Seeing this unnerved Spike somewhat and he pushed back into his seat.

Amy's smile faded into a wide-eyed look of horror, and she quickly diverted attention from her bloodthirstiness with a strained laugh and rapid wave of her hand. "A-anyway, how 'bout I show you what's in here, eh? It's pretty cool." Without waiting for a response Amy undid the larger bag from the staff and opened it, revealing an old book and, much to his confusion, what appeared to be a large gem of some sort; he wasn't quite sure as the surface seemed to be slightly obscured by something. Seeing the inquisitive stare, she picked it up and made as if she were weighing it in her palm. "Uh, I see this caught your attention. I'm not surprised, no true dragon would be able to ignore this morsel."

"What is it?" he asked.

"This, Spike, is the most tantalizing gemstone known to dragon kind. A rare and delicious delicacy... wrapped in plastic wrap," she finished lamely. "I had intended to eat it sometime on my trip, but after everything that happened, I guess it kind of slipped my mind."

He tilted his head, now really intrigued by what the gem could be. "Is it really that good? I'm guessing from how you talk about it, it's not, like, cubic zirconia or something. Is it diamond?" he asked, eyes gaining a look of wonder at the idea of such a big diamond.

Simultaneously, Amy resisted a gag at the mention of a gem as disgusting as cubic zirconia. "No, it's not a diamond, and definitely not that... other thing. No Spike, this is a real sugar diamond." The dragoness was quite pleased to see her brother's Awe filled face.

"That's a sugar diamond?" he asked. "Wow, I've only ever heard stories about them." The little dragon's mouth began to salivate. "I've always wanted to try one, but figured I would never be lucky enough to find one... Why's it covered in plastic wrap?"

The sudden question caught her off guard. "That's because, well, I couldn't resist the smell otherwise," she admitted sheepishly while scratching the back of her head. "I couldn't think about anything but eating it, ya know?" She brought the claw around to her chin. "Actually, now that I think about it, if it wasn't for this sugar diamond and my... less than perfect self-control, I'd probably not have met you... How sad is that? It was practically my greediness for gems that brought me to Equestria."

"What about the book? What's the deal with that?" Spike asked a little too quickly.

Amy, successfully pulled from her thoughts, looked over with a small smile tugging at her lips. "This? This, is the journal of Erik, a gryphon explorer from back before the founding of Equestria," she said, smile growing a little firmer. "A bird after my own heart and the one who has given me my most recent breakthrough in the search for a great treasure. Bahamut's hoard."

Spike was both relieved to have stopped Amy's self-deprecation and a little confused by the name. He could tell that the dragoness expected him to understand what she was talking about, but he was in the dark. "That's... nice?"

Amy blinked a few times. "Nice? Spike, I could be on the cusp of uncovering the greatest treasure in dragon lore; the hoard of Bahamut, Lord of Dragons. I think such a feat deserves a little more enthusiasm than 'nice'." When the younger dragon only looked on blankly, she sighed, breaking eye-contact as she let her head droop. "You don't know the legend of Bahamut, do you?"

"Sorry, but no, I don't."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised, what with you growing up with ponies and all. You wouldn't have any way to learn dragon stories and legends," she said, going silent a moment before taking a deep breath and lifting her head. "Welp, I guess we'll just have to remedy that, now won't we?" she said with a determined glint in her eye. "To start, Bahamut was said to be the first dragon to ever exist; created by the old gods from a piece of the planet's core and part of the sky."

Spike's eyes widened a bit, "Can that kind of stuff actually happen? I mean, I've seen living things get turned into inanimate objects before, it's kind of hard not to growing up next to a school for gifted unicorns, but can it really be done the other way around?"

Amy shrugged. "I don't have an answer to that. This is a legend, after all, so some, if not most of it is probably made-up. But legends and myths always have a grain of truth to them, and that's what I'm interested in," Amy said. "Before I get to that, though, there's still a bit more to the story."

Her smile was now without strain as she lost herself to the impromptu lesson. "Another interesting thing about the first dragon is that Bahamut, though often referred to as male, is said to be both the mother and the father to the dragon species. Try and wrap your head around that one."

Spike did what was asked, and found it to be a difficult task. "How can one dragon be a mom and a dad? Did he... she just lay eggs by itself?" the younger dragon inquired while scratching his head.

Amy hid a smirk behind her teacup. "I have a few theories, some of which aren't proper for children to hear." Spike harrumphed. "But for now, let's just assume the answer is magic and move on, okay?" she asked, to which he nodded, albeit a little reluctantly. "I'm summarizing quite a bit, if I didn't, we'd be in here all night, but what you should know is that, amongst the many tales of Bahamut, there tends to be a recurring theme; his hoard. Many of the legends make mention of how unmatched Bahamut's treasure was, built over thousands of years through his unrivaled power.

"Leave it to dragons to put so much emphasis on the treasure of their grand figures," she suddenly added with a roll of her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if his treasure is mentioned so frequently because of the greed of the dragons who passed on the legends, or because of Bahamut's own greed. I mean, he's described as being the embodiment of the dragon virtues: powerful, wise, and, among other things, lusts for treasure."

"That can't be all there is to dragons," Spike cut in, a hint of pleading in his voice. "What about the noble dragon code? That has to count for something, right?"

Amy blinked a few times. "You know about the noble dragon code? How?"

It was Spike's turn to be caught off guard, not expecting a question in answer to his own. Even, so, he answered, "After a bit of a... rough meeting with some other dragons, I kinda started looking for what it meant to be a dragon my own way, and, living in a library and all, decided to start there. I ended up finding a book about a dragon who was known to have helped ponies a long time ago. His name was-"

"Throck," the dragoness finished, shaking her head with a soft laugh and closed eyes. "Of course you learned it from him."

"You know about him too?"

"I never met him, but our father had. Apparently the two of them were good friends before Throck... died," she said, sobering the mood. Clearing her throat, she went on. "Dad admired him greatly and shared a lot of his views. Views he made sure to pass onto me, like not abusing our power or oppressing the weak and helping others regardless of species.

"I'm sure dad would be happy to know you carry those ideals as well," she said, voice going quiet. "Without even knowing them, you've managed to become a dragon our parents would be proud of."

"H-hey, I just try to do what's right is all," Spike responded bashfully, a blush coming to his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, you still haven't answered my question. About Bahamut and the dragon virtues, that is."

Amy's soft smile wavered some as she answered him, "I'm afraid Bahamut isn't necessarily portrayed as noble. At best, some of the stories had him claiming people as his own and protecting them as he would any object in his hoard. Others have him defeating terrible monsters, not because it was the right thing to do, but to prove himself the most powerful. From what I've gathered, I wouldn't be surprised if the times he did help others was only with the thought of reward in mind."

Spike became more downcast the more she spoke, and Amy couldn't stand to see it. "Hey, just because Bahamut was a jerk doesn't mean all dragons are. You know that, right?" he looked up, but she continued before he could respond. "I mean, look at you. Not to mention Throck and our parents. There have been all sorts of good dragons throughout history. Even if Bahamut set the standard, or whatever, that doesn't mean we can't go above it, right? And besides, not all that Bahamut stood for was bad, wisdom is a pretty noble trait."

Some of the tension that had been building in his shoulders left. "Yeah, I guess you're right... So, that book tells you were Bahamut's hoard is, huh?"

Amy looked down at the old journal and opened it, careful not to ruin any of the pages. "Yep... well, sort of, actually. It's really more of a vague passage, but I think it's more than worth looking into," she told him, eyes skimming the yellowed paper. "See, in this one passage, Erik writes about a mountain range far to the east of where the gryphons nested that had wild and dangerous weather conditions. It was here that Erik claimed to have seen a massive draconic figure within the storm clouds." The dragoness looked up with a triumphant smile. "And I bet you every gem I have that what he saw was Bahamut."

Spike nodded slowly. "So... you think that Bahamut left his hoard in those mountains... Why exactly?"

This caught Amy by surprise. "What?"

Her younger brother fiddled with his claws. "Well, I was just thinking that if all he saw was a shadow in the clouds, how do you know it wasn't some other dragon? And even if it was him, how do you know that those mountains were where he had his hoard?" He began to become uncomfortable as his sister stared at him with an unreadable expression.

He was about to tell her to forget he had said anything, when she suddenly snorted and laughed. "Ha ha ha! Only a few days, and you've already surprised me more times than most people do in years." The dragoness fought down the laughter until it was a restrained chortle broken by the occasional breath or hiccup. "You know, Lorey said the same thing; said I shouldn't get my hopes up over such a flimsy lead, that I was setting myself up for disappointment, but I just know that I'll find what I'm looking for if I follow Erik's journal."

"You just know?" Spike inquired skeptically.

With her composure fully regained, she nodded. "Yep, I know it in my gut. A true adventurer has an instinct for this kind of stuff." When her brother's look didn't falter, she said a little harshly, "Just you wait, in a few months you and the rest of the nonbelievers will be reading about the greatest discovery of all time."

Spikes eyes widened and he waved his hands out in front of him. "No, no! I believe you! I'm sure you'll find Bahamut's hoard!"

He was going to say more before Amy's own eyes widened at the tone she had used with her little brother. "It's okay, Spike, I know what you mean. I know it doesn't make sense. I'm sorry for snapping." She picked up her things and rewrapped them. "I guess that's an instinct too... being defensive about stuff." She sighed as she left the appropriate tip atop the bill. "I'm so used to having to defend myself from others that I get a bit hostile sometimes... Sorry."

Spike let his arms drop. "It's okay, no harm done... And I really do think you'll find your treasure," he said, returning the smile Amy gave him.

She polished off the last of her tea and slid from the booth. "Well, I think that's enough touring for one day. You ready to head back, Spike?" The younger dragon finished his own drink and hopped to the floor after he answered yes. Seeing the city had been interesting, the games had been fun, and the food had been delicious, but both siblings felt an exhaustion start to come over them, and plopping down on Lore and Prose's coach sounded like an excellent plan.

Phantom lay atop a building as he watched the pair of purple dragons finally leave the restaurant. He, along with the stealthier of his fellow employees, had been ordered to observe the two, listen in on what they could and report to the boss as frequently as possible, keeping at least three pairs of eyes on them while someone left to deliver the information. It had been just a short while ago that a returning spy had informed him and his cohorts of the boss's instructions for what he wanted them to do next, and the dark pegasus internally questioned them.

He would never say it out loud, but the boss's flair for the dramatics oftentimes made him nervous. Even so, he knew that to go against orders would have a very adverse effect on his health, so he steeled his nerves, stood up, spread his wings, and hoped he wasn't about to get another burn to add to one he already had.

He watched his targets move, following them from the rooftops until they had left Little Nekoto and began making their way back to that pegasus's apartment. Once they were in the proper position, Phantom swooped down as nonchalantly as he could and landed on the corner of the street the dragons were walking down. Once there, he did absolutely nothing, just as his boss had ordered.

~8~

Spike had greatly enjoyed the time spent with his sister, and judging by the small, calm smile on Amy's lips as they walked in a comfortable silence, so had she. They had spoken some after Amy had paid the bill and the two of them left her friends' establishment. It was mostly about what other foods they would have to try in the short time he had left in Ford Junction. Amy was adamant that they try some more Neko dishes, but Spike, knowing that the melting pot of a city had many cultures to sample, thought he should try something from a different kind of restaurant, like gryphon or minotaur dishes. They eventually agreed that they could invite Lore and Prose with them next time they ate out and the two ponies could break the tie by casting their votes.

The younger dragon was content to remain quiet and simply allow his thoughts to drift as he listened to the hustle and bustle of the city around him, but his peace of mind wasn't meant to be; shattered when Amy jerked to a stop and her tail whipped out to block his path. He was about to say something after he walked into the strong, scaly appendage, but the narrowed eyes and frown on his sister's lips stopped his words before they even got a chance to leave his throat. Instead, he asked, "What's the matter, Amy?"

He turned his eyes forward, but could only see a swell of people exactly as there was in every direction around them. His eyes landed on a dark maroon pegasus who appeared to simply be standing at the corner, doing nothing and looking across the street. It was odd, Spike thought, but the stallion could have been waiting for someone else. He told himself there was no reason to feel unsettled, that, as horrible of him as it was, it was only the pony's disfigurement that caused the feeling. Spike could see the large patch of hairless, gnarled skin covering the bulk of his chest, a livid red scar stretching up his neck and chin as well as reaching halfway around the shoulder visible to him.

His staring was cut short as Amy suddenly held her hand out to him with the command to take it. Not one to argue with such a serious tone, he took the proffered claw as she turned them around and led them away from the corner. Spike made no claim of knowing his way around the city, but he had a feeling Amy was not taking the direct path back to the apartment anymore. The idea was all but confirmed when Amy once again came to a stop.

This time, when the younger dragon tried to discern what had resulted in their abrupt halt, he had far less trouble spotting the cause. At the corner of this street stood a large diamond dog, easily the biggest he had ever seen and towering well over his sister's height, glaring unmistakably at them. There was no doubt that the hatred from those dark yellow eyes was directed at Amy as Spike could feel it through proximity alone. The little dragon couldn't help but start to shiver; the intent carried in that stare mixed with the overall look of the dog was an intimidating combination.

A dark grey fur made up the dog’s coat, broken up by at least two dozen scars ranging from what must have been the remnants of large gashes caused by blades, as well as reminders from claws and fangs. When the beast dropped his folded arms, each limb resembled tree trunks with the huge claws posing as roots as they were planted upon the ground. That was all Spike saw of the dog's boxer-like face before Amy once again changed their direction.

Whatever path his sister had chosen, the younger dragon just hoped it led safely back to Lore and Prose's place.

Phantom watched Amethyst turn away from Cujo and once again change directions, not believing the plan was actually working. He shook off his astonishment and took wing towards his next point, once again settling atop a building to wait for the dragons. If all went according to plan, Amethyst would be diverted by a few more of the boss's lackeys until they reached this spot. The pegasus looked in the direction of where it was they were meant to herd the dragons to, and shuddered at the thought of what they would be walking into. Out of all the things one could encounter in a dark alley, what they were about to experience was something out of his personal nightmares. He almost felt pity for the monsters, but the throbbing of the old burns across his chest squashed the sentiment.

~8~

Amy was growing frantic as she tried in vain to avoid the agents of one of her most hated foes. Any other time, had she seen Phantom on the street she would have simply walked him by, and beaten him into the pavement if he tried anything, but this wasn't any other time. She had her younger brother with her now, and while she had no qualms with putting herself in a bit of danger by pummeling that bastard's henchmen, she would not risk putting Spike in harm's way for anything.

The fear for the younger dragon's safety was brought to a fever upon seeing Cujo and the clear malice in his eyes. Though confident she could survive a fight with the massive dog, the same could not be said about anyone caught in the crossfire. In every fight between the two, it always dragged on into a stalemate until one of them had to retreat, and there was always collateral damage.

As more and more of those Amy recognized as enemies showed up, the dragoness moved faster, pulling Spike along and not hearing him tell her that she was hurting his arm. When it came to thinking out in the field, Amy had always excelled, being able to think on the fly and get out of a bad situation in one piece, but the presence of someone else with her, someone she had to protect, had scattered her mind and left her with only the instinct to flee.

It was this instinct that had led her to doing the unbelievably stupid as she was passing the mouth of an alleyway and Phantom landed at the end of the sidewalk. Without thinking, Amy turned with her brother in tow and entered the dark space, eyes focused on the other end as the sounds of the city were dampened by the brick walls enclosing them. Had she been in the right state of mind, the dragoness would not have been surprised when, as they were halfway through, an equine figure appeared at the exit, silhouetted by the light of freedom.

"Why if it isn't my old friend Amethyst Thistle. What are the odds I'd meet you here of all places?" asked a smooth voice that sent shivers up the older dragon's spine and down her stiffened tail. Laced with so much false sincerity, the question left no doubt that this was planned from the beginning. The shadows rising up from behind her only drove the fact home and made her grip tighten on her younger brother's claw, hoping to convey how sorry she was for getting him into this mess.

Author's Note

Thanks to my editors Bemmo and Courage Fire.