After alerting Celestia and the added security loaned from Canterlot, everyone attempted to turn in for the night.

However, a peaceful rest, though she had wanted the slumber all day, Rachel lay restless.

Plagued by visions of her past, events of what transpired with the White Mantel attack, it stirred many emotions she long thought to put away resurfaced and now tormenting her once more. Plus seeing the headless pony also imprinted her brain.

Rachel stared up at the ceiling in silence as the night ticked on in silence. Well, mostly silence, Spike was deeply asleep, snoring deeply on his side of the bed. He was laying on his side with a hand placed on Rachel’s stomach.

Rachel sighed softly before turning her head to look at the sleeping dragon. She smiled softly, seeing him looking so peaceful. Though it was she that had gotten into physical altercations, Spike had worried himself sick to the point it was exhausting him. When she had enough of wondering in her own head, she let out a grunt before worming her way out of the bed. She slipped on some slippers before she crept her way out towards the door.

When she opened the door, it let out a creek, causing Spike to stir.

“Babe?” He calls her out groggy.

She sighed before looking at him. “Go back to sleep, Spike. I’m just going to get something to drink.” She smiled softly, “I’ll be back, love.”

Spike sleepily nodded before faceplants back on the pillow and resumed snoring.

Rachel waited a few moments to make sure Spike was back asleep before making her way out the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

She stopped to see the two guards were stationed outside their room.

“Ma’am.” one of them greeted her.

Rachel nodded to both of them before she made her way downstairs, walking past the kitchen and headed to the library where she found that she was not the only one burning the midnight oil as she saw Professor Brimstone sitting on the couch. Stacks of files he was reading scattered on the coffee table with a mug of coffee by his side, and the whole pot that was half full of coffee as well.

Brimstone still wore his single eyepatch, but wore a rather long sleeve two tone blue shirt and red plaid pjs.

“Hey,” she said as she entered the library. Walking over to the large bookshelf ladder and grabbed hold of it. She began pulling the ladder over towards the middle section.

Brimstone turned his head and watched her climbing up the ladder. “Just what are you doing? It’s a little late to be grabbing a book.”

“Who’s to say I’m getting a book?” She quipped as she climbed five feet up before grabbing a fake book - which was a piece of thick cardboard looking really fancy like in the designs. Tucking away in a little nook behind said fake book was a bottle of expensive booze and a medium looking glass with Celestia’s cutie mark printed on it.

Brimstone watched Rachel replace the fake book back in its spot before climbing down the ladder with the booze and glass before silently walking over to the couch next to him, placing the glass on the coffee table. Shr uncorked the bottle before proceeding to pour herself a glass. She filled it up halfway before setting the bottle on the coffee table, grabbing the glass and taking a big drink of it. It had a strong apple flavor but she could tell the alcohol levels were pretty high.

“I can feel you staring at me.” Rachel said, turning her head to look at him with a tired expression. “After what I’ve undergone through the past couple of weeks, I just need to take the edge off a little.” She took another drink.

“I was going to ask you to pour me some.” He said, holding his cup out for her.

Rachel shrugged before giving him some in his coffee before corking the bottle and setting it back on the table and drank her glass.

Brimstone took a sip and let out a cough and grunt. “Do you often hide alcohol in places?” he asked her.

“Not my stash," Rachel smirked. "Starlight occasionally breaks open this when Trixie is here. I'll put it back before I go back to bed."

Brimstone looked at Rachel to see if she was lying or not. He didn't see her usual telltale before taking another drink of his coffee. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Not too great, but what else is new?" She responded, leaning back against the couch, holding her glass between her hands. "The visions still haunt me."

"The more you dwell on the past, the worst you'll feel." The professor said, "You can't change what happened." She finishes up her drink before sighing, setting the empty glass on the table. Rachel looked at her hands, she noticed that they were shaking. “One can never escape it, you’ll always be affected by it.” Brimstone said, setting the book and files down before turning to grab her shaking hands “Who you were in the past, Rachel, isn’t who you are now. You’re not some angry child that came before the Trials. You’ve matured, learned from your past mistakes, you are better.” He then gave her a small smirk. “But still a pain in my bloody ass.”

Rachel snorted, giving the stallion a playful shove. “If I’m not a pain in the ass to someone then it’s not a good day.” she chuckled before sighing. "Besides seeing ghosts, I have been targeted by the White Mantle and I'm turning into a dragon..." She took one of her hands back and rubbed her scaled belly. It felt weird touching that one spot.

"That is also a reason to stay up." The red stallion said, letting go of her. "Have to sort all of Princess Twilight's findings and compare them to The Settlement's." He motioned to the stack of files. He passed for a moment before asking, "Do you have any idea who the leader might be? The two assailants knew your father's name."

"My files were supposed to be sealed, since I came here as a minor so that means it's someone who is higher up," Rachel said as her nails tapped on the glass. "I can think of one recently but I can't just accuse the Prince without concrete evidence."

Brimstone raised a brow. " You think Prince Blueblood is behind this?"

"Like I said, I can't just accuse him without any evidence... though Spike and I did pissed him off."

And if it turns out it was Blueblood and the couple get in another tussle, she's not holding Spike back.

Though that dragon would have to wait in line for his turn.

She then grabbed the glass and bottle and stood up on the couch, taking the two items and placed them back where she got them from and climbed down.

“Rachel, I think you should come back to the Settlement with me.” The professor said.

She turned her head to look at him. “Um, what?”

“You’ll not only be safe from these terrorists, but we can monitor your transformation, give you what you need to make you feel comfortable.” Brimstone said, standing up.

“Or just give you lab coats the excuse to use me as a testing rat.” Rachel said, leaning against the bookshelf. “I already feel like one with Twilight testing me earlier.”

“Well you are the only Mother Cell to be going through this. It was a development that may help give us a better understanding of how your world’s magic is working.” Brimstone said.

Rachel looked at him for a moment before letting out a chuckle. “I’ve already been poked and prodded enough, but if it comes to a point if it’s really necessary-”

“How is not coming in the morning necessary? You’re in the process of changing right now. No disrespect towards Princess Twilight but her highness doesn’t have the equipment nor all the material the Settlement has gathered so far with the Mother Cells.”

“Ever figured out why it’s always the girls that are Mother Cells??” Rachel asked him.

Brimstone didn’t have an answer to that and it was clear.

“Listen, you’ll be the first one I would contact if there's any development with my transformation. I’ll let you know, Professor.” She said, giving him a reassuring smile. “Try not to stay up too late, sir. Gnight.” with a wave, she leaves the library.

Brimstone nodded silently before watching her leave. When she was out of view, his gaze softened and frowned softly. He raised a hand and touched his eyepatch. “Oh child…” he whispered softly to himself.

The following morning started off quiet, everyone was still resting as the sun began to rise. Spike soon stirred awake when a beam of sunlight hit his face.

He slowly opened his eyes with a groan, not wanting to wake up yet but knowingly he had to get up.

The dragon sees his mate all curled up against him, laying her head on his chest. He smiled softly as he watched her sleeping, debating if he should wake her up or not.

Ultimately, he decided to try and go back to sleep, closing his eyes and having his arm draping across his face. As he thought he was drifting back to the land of dreams~

Knock, knock knock.

"Lord Spike, Lady Rachel, it's time to get up."

Like it was back when Spike and Twilight used to live at Canterlot, there was always some guard there to wake them.

"NooooOOOOOOooooo!" Rachel awakens with a whine, burying her face against him.

Spike let out a long sigh. “They’ll keep knocking till we get up,” he grumbled, knowing from experience, wrapping his other arm around Rachel’s shoulders..

“Make them go away…” She said childishly as the guard outside knocked again.

He snorted at her remarks. “Can’t do that, my love.” he said, giving her a little shake.

Rachel raised her head up from his chest and looked up at him. Spike flicked her nose with his tongue, giggling seeing her scrunched up her nose.

“Morning.” Spike smiled.

“Morning.” Rachel smiled back before the guards knocked on the door again and that smile faltered.

“I think I remembered why Twilight chose to not have guards here,” Spike said, rubbing his snout before calling out. “Okay, thank you, we’re up.” he said to the guard.

“Yes sir.” the guard said.

Rachel sat up with a yawn, stretching her limbs out before getting up out of bed. “You want the restroom first?”

“You go ahead.” Spike said as he got up as well.

Rachel gathered her clothes for the day before walking back over to Spike and gave him a quick kiss and headed off.

After pulling on some pants and a shirt, Spike walked out of the bedroom, greeting the two guards stationed outside in the hallway before heading out. He went downstairs to the dining hall to see Twilight, Starlight and the twins were already up and were in their bug forms.

Spike noticed there was some discoloration on Twilight’s neck. He smirked before asking, “Rough night?”

“Uh?” Twilight looked up at Spike, seeing him motioning his neck with his hand. She let out a startling gasp and covered the hickey with her hand. “Oh no, my night was fine, thank you.” she blushed.

Ruby and Gemcity snickered but didn’t comment on that. “Morning Spike.” the girls said in unison.

Starlight chuckled at Twilight before saying hey to Spike as well.

“So, who’s hungry?” Spike asked as he turned his heels towards the kitchen doors.

“I am.” Gemcity cooed.

“Always,” Ruby said, sipping her already made coffee. Then giving Twilight a look that caused her to squirm.

“I’ll help,” Starlight offered, getting up from the table, patting Twilight’s shoulder as she walked towards the kitchen.

As Spike went to hold the door open for the unicorn, he heard a distinctive sound. His earfins fluttered as he registered what that sound was. A new but familiar scent whiffed past his nose, causing his eyes to widen.

He turned and quickly ran to Twilight. “EVERYPONY GET DOWN!” he roared, grabbing the princess and holding her.

KA-BOOM!

“What in tarnations was that??” Applejack stops mid kick to one of her apple trees when she hears the boom.

Fluttershy jumped and shrieked from her kitchen chair when she heard the explosion from in her cottage with her husband.

Rarity screamed and rolled out of her bed from it as well.

Rainbow Dash was on the way towards the castle with Pinkie when they saw something shoot a fireball and hit the castle.

“The fuck?!” Dash exclaimed, seeing the smoke billowing from where they were. She takes off flying towards the Castle with Pinkie running as fast as the pegasus.

The whole castle shook as the attack hit the side of it, blowing up one of the towers and blasting through one of the bedrooms upstairs. Various debris and crystal shards fell from the ceiling, the twins had ducked underneath the table, Spike shielded Twilight with his body and Starlight used her magic to create a barrier, covering everyone in the room to protect them from the fallen objects.

What felt like the whole world came crashing around the creatures, everything settled.

Twilight and Starlight used their magic to teleport everyone out of the wreckage and out of it, all of them collapsing.

“Is everypony alright? Twilight?” Spike asked breathlessly, looking at the Princess and the other girls.

“I’m okay,” Twilight responded with a cough. “What just happened?”

“HEY LITTLE PONY!” This familiar voice booms, echoing loudly enough for every creature inside the Friendship Castle to hear him.

Twilight gasped loudly. “Is that~”

“Garble.” Spike let out a feral growl in response, his pupils shrunk paper thin strips.

“Princess, the castle is surrounded!” One of the guards shouted as the whole twenty who were stationed there rushed to their battle stations. Four of them rushing inside the dining hall, the two unicorns used their magic to clear some of the debris to get to the others.

“Surrounded? What do you mean we’re surrounded?!” Twilight gawked.

Spike looked at the guards. “Stay with the Princess.” Spike ordered them before he ran past the guards, ran out of the dining hall and rushed towards the stairs. He ran up but stopped to see that the entryway upstairs was blocked by large chunks of crystal and debris.

“Rachel?! Rachel, can you hear me?!” Spike shouted, grabbing what he could and began to pull what he could out of his way. When he didn’t hear her, he became more frantic and he called out her name again.

“Spike, I’m here!” Rachel soon finally called out.

“I have her lad, we’re all right.” Brimstone responded as well.

He pulls a wood beam out, though his way was still blocked, there was an opening big enough to where he could see Rachel and Brimstone on the other side. She wore what she had picked out to have her bath - just some jeans and a t-shirt and her shoes and Brimstone was still in his pjs.

“You two okay?” Spike asked, looking over at the two to make sure they were well.

“We’re good.” Rachel said, rubbing her wrist. “How are you and the others?”

“Safe, some of the guards are with Twilight, Starlight and the tw~”

“I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE PONIES!! COME OUT NOW!” Garble boomed once more and attacks hit the building again.

There were some shrieking as the castle shook once more. Causing everyone to either duck and cover or stumble about as it trembled. Somewhere near the bottom was hit, but since the base was much stronger than the top levels so it only scorched the outside of the building.

Once everything stopped shaking, Spike let out a snarl. “Brimstone~”

“I have her.” Brimstone said.

Rachel gave him a nod.

Spike looked at her once more before he turned around and took off. He leapt from the top step, landing on the ground on all fours and took off running. Leaping over objects and running straight for the door.

When Spike opened, he saw that the guards were right.

There was a small army outside the castle. The dragon’s stomach twisted when he saw it was a combination of humans and ponies wearing red and white armor. The humans - like the child Spike saw back at the Empire, they had gray-looking skin, their eyes sunken into their faces. Their weapons ranged from either swords and spears to what looked like guns from the human world. He couldn’t tell how many were in the mix. The remaining Canterlot Guards stood right in front of the small army, Spike was already seeing that the guards were outmatched and the fight hadn't even begun yet. Outmatched by numbers and weaponry.

He looks up and watches as Garble lands in front of him with a loud thud, kicking up dirt and sand. When it settled, Spike saw that the much larger dragon was wearing similar red and white armor clinging to his scales. The White Mantle emblem printed on the broad chest piece.

In comparison between the two dragons, Garble dwarfs Spike by a lot. Appearing bigger, stronger looking, menacing even in comparison.

“There he is! Just the fucker I was looking for!” Garble said, looking down at the small dragon. “Have you gotten smaller since the last time we hung out?”

“What’s the meaning of this, Garble??” Spike snarled, his hands balling into fists.

Garble grinned, “well since you and your bitch got me banished from home, it’s only fitting I come and destroy yours.” He looks up and sees the damage he caused with his attack. “Oh look, it’s already an improvement!”

“You got yourself banished, Garble, don’t blame us for your misguided atrocities.” Spike retorted. He looks back at the mind-controlled humans and the ponies surrounding them. “For someone who hates ponies and humans, you sure got yourself a horde of them.”

“Hmm? Oh these guys?” Garble motioned to them. “Well, let's just say I met someone who shares the same hatred I have towards you and thought I needed some backup. I couldn’t give two shits about what happens to them.

“However I am here to do a favor for this guy, as much as I want to rip the very flesh off your bones and mount your head on a wall. You give me what I want, and my associates and I won’t kill every creature inside that castle.” Garble let out a taunting hiss as he saw the expression on Spike's face.

“What the fuck do you want?!” Spike snapped.

Garble smiled, showing all of his sharp teeth. “To make all of us go away, you’re gonna have to give us the human.”

Smoke started to bellow out of Spike’s mouth and off his body, the shirt he was wearing was starting to produce holes all over the place.

Spike giving up Rachel? That was an insult all on its own.

With a smug look, seeing that he’s going to get what he wants, Garble says, “Good choice. LIGHT IT UP YOU MISERABLE FUCKS!”

The pony soldiers moved out of the way as the mind-controlled humans stepped forward, raising their assault rifles up and started firing bullets at Spike and the Canterlot guards.

Everyone scattered, a couple of the guards got hit from the gun fire and some of the bullets ricochet off the crystal walls.

Spike leapt up in the air, flapping his wings, he flew straight at Garble.

Garble laughed as he flew up in the air, both dragons throwing the first punch, their fists making contact with each other’s faces and sended both of them tail spinning away from each other.

Both were quick to recover and attacked again. Garble slips past Spike’s attack before grabbing his arm, pulling him closer to him and repeatedly hitting him on various parts of his body.

Spike felt the harsh blows before retaliating by grabbing his fist and headbutts the larger dragon.

Garble hissed before letting go of Spike. His wings flapped and he moved backwards before charging forwards, ramming his head against Spike’s stomach and tackling him. Pushing him until he grabbed both of Spike’s arms, his claws digging into his scales, breaking through it and pierced the flesh underneath. Spike let out a roar of pain before being thrown directly back at the castle.

Spike hits the building with full force, causing crystal bits to fly and cracking the surface. He shook his head before letting out a roar. Pushing himself away from the castle and attacking Garble once.

Princess Twilight watched this between the two from the window. “I have to stop them!” She goes to spread her wings and about to jump out, but Starlight grabs her by her hooves and pulls her down. “Starlight!”

“Leave those two, we have a bigger problem.” Starlight snarled at her as the White Mantle was truly giving the Canterlot Guards a run for their bits. With the humans running around with their weapons, the sound of gunfire rang throughout the area.

“Let me talk to them, maybe~”

Starlight grabbed Twilight’s shoulders tightly. “I don’t think talking is going to help! You heard Garble, they are here to kill us. Your damn friendship speeches won’t work.”

“But kicking ass will.” Gemcity said. Ruby nodded, agreeing with her twin.

“Can you two fight?” one of the guards asked the sexlings.

They responded with a laugh. “Honestly you don’t know us.”

“What about the other two?” Twilight asked. “Rachel, I know she’s good with a bow but-”

“Oh don’t worry about her. She can handle herself. Especially since she’s with Brimstone.” Ruby said, rolling her neck as they heard footsteps coming closer from where they were.

“B-brimstone?” one of the earth pony guards gulped. “General Brimstone is here!?”

With those outbursts, the enemy was outside the door.

Gemcity was first to move as she saw the knob turning, using her shapeshifting magic, her body consumed in pink magic, her form growing bigger and bigger as she rushed out. Bursting through the door, using her now large jaws to grab a pony and shook her head violently before throwing it aside.

Her new form was now a decently sized, purple Ursa Minor.

The mind-controlled humans raised their guns up at it automatically and started firing at her. However it was quickly apparent that even when a sexling turned to an Ursa still an unstoppable force so the bullets had no effect on Gemcity as she slammed her body down, knocking them over.

The Canterlot Guards charged out with the others. Wielding their spears and shields, they began to fight.

The Princess used her magic and caused a shock wave and pushed the enemy back; Starlight used her magic to create an ethereal staff in her hand. She spun that around and began repeatedly hitting two at the same time; Ruby decided to go hands on and punched one pony, kicked one in the head and clothes-lined another with her arm.

As sounds of fighting outside and lower level commenced, the four ponies that managed to reach the top level of the castle quietly crept in through the large hole. Holding their weapons in their hands, they walked over the ruined bedroom and headed for the door.

“Remember the plan; get the human and we go, kill anypony that gets in our way.” one of the four said as they moved.

They opened the door and headed out in the hallway.

Down the hallway towards the second set of stairs leading up to the third floor, Brimstone and Rachel were hiding behind pillars, Rachel having her bow and arrows in tow.

“Are you ready for this?” Brimstone asked her quietly, he had Spike’s dagger in hand.

“Have no choice, you heard what Garble said,” she responded. She knew they were in a fight for their lives.

The two soon fell in silence as the unit approached them closer as each one of them did a quick sweep in the other rooms.

When they got closer, the two attacked.

Rachel swings her bow around and slamming it across one pony’s chest before quickly loading up her bow with an arrow and shoots that pony right in the space between their shoulder and arm armor pieces.

The pony cried out in pain and fell back as Brimstone moved from his spot and swung the blade at the White Mantle, his sword catching another but was caught off guard by Brimstone rushing forward, grabbing their helmet and ripping it off before slamming his hoof right against their head. The full force of natural earth pony strength and his military training made a bone crushing sound that made the pony spin around and collapse onto the ground unconscious, blood pooling from the head wound and out of their nose and mouth .

Rachel had gotten up a few steps above them, firing her arrows as the third dodged her attack. Darting side to side as they ran up after her dodging her shot, grabbing her arm as she went to pull another one out.

"Come here!" The pegasus tried to knock her out but Rachel ducked her head down to miss their fist.

Rachel goes to hit the pony when the other one comes up behind her and goes to grab her other arm and they start dragging her. They didn’t get two steps up when Brimstone came up behind the pegasus, grabbing them by their wings and yanked harshly.

The pegasus cried out of pain but was cut off when Brimstone grabs the back armor piece, pulling the pegasus towards him, taking his dagger and slit their throats clean. While the stallion was doing that, Rachel had jammed her bow into the gut of the other pony. Dancing around them before taking her bow and pressing it up against their throats.

The pony choked and gasped, trying to get out of this choke hold but Rachel wasn’t letting up. She pulls and falls backwards using the stairs to help her with the leverage, pulling the pony with her, still choking the guy out with her bow. The pony struggled and tried to break her grip but came to the realization too late that this human was far stronger than what they were told before going limp on her.

Once Rachel felt him stop struggling, she pushed the pony off of her, letting the body roll to her, panting and huffing from the ordeal. She pushed herself and turned to look at the body. No doubt about it, this pony was deader than a doorknob.

Her hands were shaking as she stared at it.

Brimstone turned to the one other pony that was still awake but just had an arrow embedded in their shoulder was trying to crawl away. The red stallion approached them, hearing the white mantle pony pleading not to kill them but was met with a well placed punch across the muzzle, knocking them out.

“Rachel,” Brimstone spoke, wiping the bloody dagger off with his pants leg, turning around to look at her. “Rachel, are you alright?” he asked her.

She gulped, balling her hands into fists, trying to contain her shakiness. “G-gimme a moment.”

The stallion walks up behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder. “They gave us no choice. Don’t dwell on it.”

“I-i know they didn’t, just gimme a~” She was cut off when the castle was getting hit again, hearing the combined roars of the dragons fighting outside.

Grabbing her bow, she rushed up the stairs to the third floor and raced up into one of the spare bedrooms in one of the towers. She ran up to the window and looked out.

First she saw the fight below, seeing the guards were fighting with all of their might against the White Mantle army, seeing a couple being taken out easily, just seeing RD, Pinkie and the other girls coming from the distance to aid against the assault. Good cause they were going to need all the help they could get.

She looked up and gasped loudly, seeing Garble and Spike were fighting and from their state. Garble and Spike both had deep cuts from their claws, fists and teeth along arms, chest, shoulders, and in various places. However, though pieces of Garble’s armor were ripped off of them, he was relentless with his attacks.

Spike was giving all his got, he wasn't holding back like he typically does when fighting ponies. The difference between the two was like night and day, he wasn't holding anything back. He was bloody, he had this predatory look on his face, sheer determination to defend his home and family…

However, Garble was proving to be more difficult and that’s what Rachel was worried about.

She knew that when two dragons fight, it only ends when one is left standing and trying to intervene will not go well.

But she can’t just sit there and let this fucking prick kill her dragon. Maybe she could lend a hand…

Rachel looks at her limited amount of arrows - six in total and bit her lip. Knowing damn well these arrows won’t do anything but piss Garble off more - won’t be able to kill him with it. “What to do, what to do…” she muttered, looking around the room.

Her eyes then narrowed at the lamp next to the bed as Brimstone came in.

“Rachel, what are you doing?” he asked her, seeing her gears turning in her head.

Rachel looked at the lamp before looking down at her power cufflink, staring at the blue gem she came to know pretty well. She doesn’t say anything as she rushes over to the lamp, grabs it, yanks the cord from the wall and slammed it to the ground, shattering it to pieces, causing Brimstone to shuffle back a little.

With the lamp now exposed its wires and other components, she starts grabbing wires while taking an arrow out from the holster and starts jerry-rigging it. “Need the dagger or otherwise I’m using my teeth,” she tells Brimstone.

“What are you doing?”

“Need to make a trick arrow.” She responded. She never did this before but it was an idea and ran with it. No planning, just going off what she knows.

Brimstone gets down to her. “Let me.” He said, taking the wires and the dagger and started working on it himself. Stripping the wires bare, using paperclips and a bit coin and rigging it up. “Have you ever been electrocuted from those stones of yours?”

“No. Worst thing I get is a slight tingly feeling but other than that it doesn’t bother me.” Rachel said.

“Good.” he said, raising the rigged arrow up. “Got one shot, make it count.”

She nodded before grabbing it and raced back to the window, just in time to see Garble slamming Spike in a nearby building. His hands wrapped around the purple dragon’s throat and was choking him. She loaded the wired arrow and raised it up.

She looked and looked but she couldn’t get a good opening - even without the armor, dragon scales are damn near indestructible. Takes a lot to even damage their natural armor. Dragons have their own weak spots but if the Migration has shown her, it takes a lot to weaken them with her arrows. She would have to either hit a wound already created or aim at the weakspots.

Spike struggled underneath Garble’s grasp, repeatedly hitting and clawing at his arms and clawing at his face while the fucker was laughing.

“I’m soooo going to enjoy this!” the red dragon cackled as he continued to crush Spike’s windpipe.

Not willing to give up, he let in as much air as he could while being choked, and ended up breathing fire right in Garble’s face. Even though dragons are fireproof, it startled the larger beast, giving Spike enough of a window to raise his claws and pierced them deeply into Garble’s side - breaking through the armor piece and into the dragon’s flesh and pulls back, tearing armor and scales completely off before rolling on the rooftop.

When Spike was now on top, he relentlessly bashed his fists repeatedly at Garble’s smug face and chest. Throwing everything he’s got at him with one thing in mind - to protect his home. He knew that Twilight and the others can handle below while he takes care of Garble, he was the main threat, Spike’s main focus.

Garble used his tail and wrapped it around Spike and flung him off. Spike spiraled a moment before catching himself with his wings just as he saw Garble charging at him. Spike inhaled deeply and blew - not fire - but thick black smoke that covered a large portion of the sky, engulfing the two inside.

Garble coughed once he was caught, hacking haphazardly and growling at the fact he couldn’t see a damn thing and the strong sulfur smell was masking Spike’s scent.

The little purple bastard made himself invisible with the smoke.

Spike hung back for a second, knowing just where Garble was, giving himself a second to catch his breath fully. He closed his eyes and concentrated his fire internally, cauterizing what wounds he had sustained from the fight so he wouldn’t bleed.

“Neat little trick, bud, you learned that from your little pony friends?” Garble called out, mindlessly wandered trying to find Spike. Spike quietly moved, his wings flapping as quietly as he could.

When Garble turned just right, Spike lunged at him, slashing his claws at his neck, leaving deep gashes before disappearing back into the smoke. Garble roared out in pain and tried to swipe but he missed him. Garble flew forward, trying to catch Spike but he lost him in the black cloud.

He snarled in frustration, placing a hand over the gash. He didn’t know how to heal himself like Spike could. “Only a coward hides in the clouds.” he grunted before spinning around and swiped at the black cloud.

Spike floated around, biding his time before he lets out another strike, his claws tearing into Garble’s right wing, tearing through the membrane and ripping a hole before dive bombing back into the cloud, quickly getting out of Garble’s fall.

He free falls within the dark cloud, struggling to catch himself before managing to catch wind, flapping as hard as he could to stay afloat but it was starting to get difficult to stay in the skies.

Any more damage to his wings and Garble would not be able to fly any more.

Garble then gets an idea. He breathes out bursts of fire in every direction, trying to catch a glimpse of some sort of movement, a shadow casting by the light of the flame. It took several shots before he could just briefly see a faint silhouette of Spike’s shape moving within black clouds.

It was at the same time as it started to dissipate, slowly revealing the dragons.

Once Garble spots Spike, he lets out a chuckle. “You know, once I’m through with you, I’m gonna visit that bitch of yours. Show her what a real dragon can do.”

“DON’T YOU TOUCH HER!” Spike snarled ferociously, breaking his cover all together and lunged at him.

“Gotcha.” Garble spun around and swung his fist which collided with Spike, causing him to drop before Garble grabbed Spike by the shoulders, brought him close.

And sank his razor sharp teeth right where his shoulder and neck meet, right in the meat. Spike howls in pain.

Down below, Rachel was panicking, unable to get a clear shot with her arrow. Her hands were shaking, unable to get a good aim with the thick smoke. She jumped and cried out when she heard her beloved dragon crying out.

“I-i can’t get a shot..” she whispered, losing the pull of the trick arrow.

Brimstone stood by the door, keeping a lookout as more White Mantle guards came through the hole in the castle and were heading towards their way. His ears flickered when Rachel said that, turning his attention to her. Seeing her anxiety and hesitation levels rising.

“Close your eyes.” Brimstone instructed her.

“W-what??” Rachel looked over her shoulders to look at him.

“Close your eyes, do what I say.” he said calmly. “We don’t have a lot of time so be quick about it.”

She stared at him for a moment before closing her eyes.

“Now, take three deep breaths. Clear your mind, relax yourself.” he said, seeing her doing what he told her. Each breath she took helped relieve her shakiness. “Now, raised the bow,”

She did.

When she opened her eyes, the smoke was clearing up more, she saw the two dragons were struggling but saw that Spike was having more trouble, having a huge gash from Garble’s bite, it wasn’t looking too good for him.

“Calm yourself, Rachel.” Brimstone quickly said when he saw that she was about to shake once more. “You got this, just focus on the target, forget everything else. Focus, calm your mind, relax yourself.”

Focus, you got to focus, Rachel mentally told herself. She watches the two dragons fight, waiting for the smoke to clear just enough to where she can see them better. The dragons were in a standstill, struggling to break free of one another while trying to stay in the skies.

Once she saw her mark she raised the bow. She inhaled slowly, pulled the wired arrow back. She took aim, steadily held her bow. As soon as she saw her opportunity, she exhaled.

"Volteeria."

The cufflink glowed, traveling the blue electricity up her hand, the coin used as a conductor sparked and electricity consumed the whole thing before letting the arrow fly.

The arrow went whoosh! Flying through the air, barely just barely flew past Spike, centimeters from hitting his snout. It flew and pierced right in Garble's eye. Electricity coursed through him, causing him to let go of Spike with a painful scream before plummeting to the ground below. It didn't kill him but it was enough for Spike to deal with other problems.

Spike gasped and panted when he saw Garble fall. Taking the moment to fix himself as he turned his head towards Rachel's direction.

Rachel sighed in relief when she made the shot that helped him. Gave him a wave before hearing:

"Nice shot my dear, but we got company." Brimstone called out.

Rachel turned her head towards him. "Right." She said before turning back up to Spike. She nodded her head to him before slipping away from the window to deal with the others.

Spike, though knows they have a situation on their hands, couldn't help but gaze in awe at his girlfriend; his heart was fluttering to the point he held both his hands over his chest, feeling lighter than air.

"I'm going to marry that woman." He declared.

Author's Note

For size difference between the two dragons,

This speaks volumes

I do have a theory about the height difference, Spike was suppose to be Garble's height, as Garble is typically how huge male dragons are suppose to be. However when Twilight hatched the purple dragon via magic, it stunted Spike's growth so he's smaller in comparison.