As Spike finished unpacking and settled into his room, he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling that still lingered. He looked out the window at the Crystal Heart, its glow radiating a sense of peace and protection over the empire. The sight comforted him, if only a little.

A knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts. "Come in," he called.

The door opened, and Cadence stepped in with a gentle smile. "How are you settling in, Spike?"

"Pretty well, thanks," Spike replied, trying to sound upbeat.

Cadence's eyes softened. "Is something bothering you, Spike? You seem a little... off."

Spike hesitated, then sighed. "I guess I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed. There's so much going on, and being back here feels... strange, but also really good. It's hard to explain."

Cadence nodded understandingly. "I get it. You've been through a lot recently. It's natural to feel a mix of emotions. Just know that we're here for you, and if you need to talk, we're always ready to listen."

Spike smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, Cadence. I think I just need some time to adjust."

"Take all the time you need," Cadence said warmly. "How about you go for a walk around the empire tomorrow? It might help you relax and get more comfortable."

"I'd like that," Spike said, feeling a bit more at ease.

"But for now, come. It's time for dinner." Cadence informed him

"Ok." Spike and Cadence left the room and over to the dining room where Shining Armor already was. He was looking through some papers. He glanced up as they entered and smiled.

"Hey, Spike! I hope you're hungry," Shining Armor said, putting the papers aside.

"Yeah, I am," Spike replied, taking a seat at the table.

Cadence sat down next to Shining Armor, and a servant soon brought out their dinner: a delicious spread of roasted vegetables, crystal berry salad, freshly baked bread and a whole bowl of gems for Spike. Spike's mouth watered at the sight and smell of the food.

"This looks amazing," Spike said, eagerly reaching for a helping of the salad.

Cadence smiled. "We wanted to make sure you had a warm welcome. Enjoy!"

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, the food and the warm atmosphere helping to ease Spike's lingering unease. As they finished their meal, Shining Armor spoke up.

"So, Spike, do you have any specific places you'd like to visit while you're here?"

"Well, I kind of just want to explore this place as a whole, see what it has to offer. I was just thinking of aimlessly wandering around the Crystal Empire as a whole, and if I get lost, I can always come back here. I do think this place was lively the last time I was here, especially since it was for the Equestria Games." Spike said

That made Cadence's heart drop. The fact that the only other time he was here except for the saving of the empire was during the Equestria Games and nothing else. That made her be filled with more guilt than before. However, she made sure not to show it.

"Well, some of the places I usually like to go to are the marketplace and the library." Shining Armor continued. "The marketplace is always bustling with ponies and and the Library has a ton of great artifacts I'm sure you would love to read."

"That sounds like a great plan," Spike said, perking up. "I'd love to check out the marketplace and the library. Maybe I can find some cool artifacts or rare gems."

Cadence smiled, though she couldn't shake the guilt that lingered in her heart. "We'll make sure you get to see everything you want, Spike. Tomorrow morning, we can start with the marketplace, and then head to the library in the afternoon."

Spike nodded eagerly. "That sounds perfect. Thanks, Cadence. Thanks, Shining Armor."

As dinner wound down, they chatted a bit more about the day's plans, the food, and the excitement of being back in the Crystal Empire. Spike's unease started to melt away with each passing moment, replaced by the anticipation of his upcoming adventures.

After dinner, Cadence and Shining Armor showed Spike back to his room. "Get a good night's rest, Spike," Cadence said gently. "Tomorrow will be a big day."

"I will. Good night, Cadence. Good night, Shining Armor," Spike replied.

"Good night, Spike," they both said in unison before closing the door.

Spike climbed into his bed, feeling more at ease than he had in a long time. The bed was incredibly comfortable, and as he settled in, he thought about the day ahead. The promise of exploring the Crystal Empire filled him with excitement, and soon enough, he drifted off to sleep.

Spike's dream

Spike woke up in his bed and looked out the window, to which he saw that it was morning. He got up out of bed and looked in the mirror right across from him.

"Looking sharp." he said before he heard a knock on his door. He went to answer it and when he opened it, he saw a crystal guard waiting outside the door with a serious look on his face. "Uh, good morning sir." he said nervously.

"The princess requires you to come down to the throne room at once." the guard said. Spike, not knowing what was going on, just decided to follow his orders and follow him to the throne room.

Once they got there, the guard opened the door and led Spike inside. When they were in the throne room, Spike could see a platoon of guards on either side of the throne, and on the throne, sat Cadence, with an ice cold look on her face. Spike was unnerved by it.

"Uhh... Hi Cadence." he said.

"Restrain him!" Cadence ordered her guards, catching Spike off guard. Right after saying that, the guards instantly followed her order. Spike felt himself being lifted off the ground. He then felt ropes and chains being placed on him. He saw chains keeping him from moving his arms and legs, and the rope only made it impossible for him to move.

Spike was scared out of his mind, and he stared into Cadence's cold and unforgiving eyes, who were boaring directly into his soul. "Cadence, please help."

He then felt himself being slammed to the ground with a thud, sending a wave of pain through him. He tried to call for help, but it was worthless. All he could do was continue looking into the princess' eyes. "Cadence, why are you doing this? Just why?"

"Spike, you caused fear throughout the Crystal Empire because you are a dragon. You are a monster Spike." Cadence said in her royal voice.

Spike felt tears welling up inside of him. "But... but I thought you invited me here to have fun."

At this, Cadence scoffed. "You really think that I would want a lowly monster around my empire? You thought wrong, and I will fix this mistake by doing something I should have done 2 years ago."

She then picked up the restrained dragon and flew out the door. She flew right up to the tippity top of the crystal castle and then looked into Spike's tearful eyes one more time.

"You deserve to die, you monster. Let's give Equestria what they want." she said with venom in her voice. After saying that, she dropped Spike off the castle and smiled at him falling. Spike was calling for help, but he continued falling until everything became dark. The last thing he heard was his own screaming.

Spike jolted awake out of breath and shaking violently. While he was struggling to catch his breath, he looked around and saw that he was back in his guest room, and also saw that it was nighttime.

Spike tried to take deep breaths, even though it was hard for him to do so with his heart still racing and him shaking. "All of this is just a dream." he whispered to himself. "Just a dream, just a dream, just a dream." he continued whispering throughout the night.

It wasn't until 2 hours later that he was able to get to sleep. The next morning, he woke up, still a little tired, and got out of bed, going to look in the mirror. He saw a very tired self and couldn't get his mind off the nightmare he had last night.

"I don't look too good. I may need to ask Cadence and Shining if they have any energy spells, because I don't have any energy right now." he said to himself.

He left the room and saw that a guard was coming up to him. She had a warm smile, making him feel a little more relaxed.

She walked up to him and bowed to him. "Good morning, brave and glorious. I was told to come retrieve you for breakfast time. The fair Princess Cadence and the Captain Shining Armor are already there waiting for you."

"Thank you ma'am." Spike said to her. "I could use some help from them." He followed the guard to the dining room where they saw a plethora of food. On the table, he saw gems, pancakes, a giant fruit bowl, some eggs and glasses of juice. Next to the table, he saw Cadence and Shining Armor waiting for him with smiles on their faces.

Spike took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of his nightmare as he entered the dining room. Despite the welcoming smiles from Cadence and Shining Armor, he couldn’t completely rid himself of the uneasy feeling that lingered from his dream.

"Good morning, Spike!" Cadence greeted warmly. "I hope you slept well."

Spike forced a smile. "Morning, Cadence. Morning, Shining Armor. I, uh, had a bit of a rough night, but I'm okay."

Shining Armor's smile turned into a concerned frown. "A rough night? What happened, Spike?"

Spike hesitated, not wanting to worry them with his nightmare. "Just a bad dream, I guess. But I'm really looking forward to today. The marketplace and the library sound awesome."

Cadence and Shining Armor exchanged a quick, concerned glance but decided to let it go for now. "Well, we're here if you want to talk about it," Cadence said gently. "But let's focus on having a good day today. Breakfast first, and then we'll head out."

"Actually, I kind of want to explore the place by myself." Spike told them.

That caught Cadence and Shining off guard. "Are you sure, buddy?" Shining asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Like I said, I want to wander aimlessly and see the sights for myself."

Shining and Cadence were more than concerned about it, but they respected his decision. "If you say so Spike, but don't get lost, ok?" Cadence asked.

"I'm sure I won't. The castle is impossible to miss, so I can find my way home easily. Also, do you guys have any energy spells you can put on me? I might need it."

"I do know an energy spell, but it may not last the entire day. Are you sure you want it?" Shining asked.

"Yes I do Shining." he said confidently. So Shining lit up his horn and encased Spike is a light pink aura. Spike was covered in the aura for a few seconds before the aura wore off. After that, he felt a lot more energized and ready to tackle the day.

"I feel much better. Now, shall we have breakfast?" Spike asked. Cadence and Shining nodded, and started eating their breakfast. Spike had gems, pancakes and juice, while Cadence and Shining had Pancakes, eggs, fruit and juice.

After breakfast, Spike bid farewell to Cadence and Shining, and went off to explore the Crystal Empire for the day. The sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow over the sparkling buildings and streets. He took a deep breath, feeling the energy spell working its magic, and began his aimless exploration.

Immediately after stepping out into the sun, he was surrounded by his fans. They were chanting things like, "Welcome back, Spike the Brave and Glorious" or "He's returned." Spike smiled at his fans and they followed him everywhere he went.

The first place Spike found himself in, was the marketplace that Shining and Cadence recommended. He was taking in the sights and sounds of the various stalls and vendors. Crystal ponies greeted him with smiles and waves, recognizing him as the "brave and glorious" Spike who had once saved their empire. Spike returned their greetings, feeling a sense of pride and warmth from their admiration.

At one stall, he found a vendor selling a variety of rare and exotic gems. His eyes widened at the sight, so he went over to look at them closer.

"Hello Spike the Brave and Glorious, did my gems catch your eyes?" the vendor asked.

"Yeah, I would like to purchase a few gems from here. How much are they for?" Spike asked.

"Oh, for you, they're on the house. You can have as much as you want for free." the vendor told him.

Spike's eyes widened. "Are you sure sir? I am able to afford them."

"Of course I am sure. You are a hero here and I want you to have a good time here, so go ahead and take some." he said, so Spike thanked the vendor and grabbed a few gems and put them in a bag, but before he left, he (Being an Element of Generosity) took some bits and gave them to the vendor. The vendor didn't have time to protest, because Spike was already gone.

The day was passing and Spike found himself by many places. He found himself by a music shop, a blacksmithing place, a candy store and even an arcade. He spent a few minutes in the arcade and saw the games they had to offer, like Pac-Pony, Mare-io Bros, and even a shooter game called Battle for Stalliongrad.

He left the arcade and continued on his way. Before long, he saw a grand building that loomed ahead, its crystal spires reaching for the sky. He walked closer to it and saw a sight that said 'Crystal Empire Library' on the building. He stepped inside and saw that the library was vast and filled with rows upon rows of books and artifacts. Spike wandered through the aisles, his eyes wide with wonder. He wondered if Twilight ever went in here and got a nosebleed from all the books in here.

He found a comfortable place to sit and decided to look for some books nearby. He found books on ancient Equestrian history, magical artifacts, and even some rare tomes on dragon lore. But one book stood out to him, and that was the book of forgotten heroes. He picked it up and went back to his spot and started reading.

As he read through the book, he was both fascinated and confused at the same time. "It says here that this one hero was great friends of the princesses, but then Celestia, for some reason used a spell to wipe him from history, making creatures think he never existed. What's up with that? And if creatures don't know if he ever existed, then why is he in this book?"

After finishing the book, Spike decided that it was time to go home. He saw the castle in the distance and began his trek back. Although as he was walking, he heard what sounded like somepony yelling.

"YOU ARE A SPITTING IMAGE OF YOUR FATHER, YOUNG FILLY!!"

Spike followed the sounds of the yelling and saw that an old mare, one with turquoise fur, a brownish pinkish mane and tail, some glasses and a trophy as a cutie mark was yelling at a small filly that had light pink fur, a neon green mane and tail, some headphones and no cutie mark. She also had tears in her eyes at being yelled at.

"NOW GET HOME OR I WILL PLACE YOU IN THE CHOKEE FOR THE ENTIRE DAY TOMORROW!!" the old mare yelled.

"Y-Yes ma'am." the filly shakily said as she watched the old mare walk away before she walked away from the premises.

Spike was distraught for the filly, so he decided to go after her. "Wait, I want to talk to you." he called out. The filly stopped and turned around to look at him. Her eyes widened at him, knowing that he was the savior of their empire, so she did her best to stop crying and try and give him her best first impression. "H-hi Spike the Brave and Glorious."

"Hey, you don't need to be so formal," Spike said kindly, noticing the tears still brimming in her eyes. "What's your name?"

The filly wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm Lemon Zest."

Spike smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you, Lemon Zest. Are you okay? I couldn't help but overhear what happened back there."

Lemon Zest glanced back in the direction the old mare had gone, then looked down at the ground, her ears drooping. "That old mare was the principal of the school I go to, which is Crystal Elementary. Her name is Abacus Cinch and she's... she's pretty strict. I didn't mean to get in trouble, but sometimes it feels like nothing I do is ever good enough for her."

Spike's heart ached for her. "I'm sorry to hear that, Lemon Zest. No one should be treated that way. Do you have any friends or family you can talk to about this?"

"I do have a few friends, but they're already back home with their families, so I can't really go to them right now. And my parents... all they ever seem to care about is their own television."

Spike thought for a moment, trying to come up with a way to help. An idea then clicked into his mind. "What I saw from that Abacus Cinch was straight up child abuse and child neglect. I can probably find evidence to incriminate her and put her behind bars, so you won't have to worry about her anymore."

Lemon Zest was skeptical about it though. "How are we going to incriminate her?" she asked.

Spike smiled and reassured her, "Just leave it to me. Now, I think you should get home and get some dinner. You look tired and you should go home and get some rest."

"I hope I see you later Brave and Glorious." Lemon Zest said before going back to her home. Spike, who was starting to feel the effects of the energy spell wear off, decided to go back to the castle and see how Cadence and Shining were doing.

Spike made his way back to the castle, feeling the effects of Shining Armor's energy spell beginning to wear off. The day had been long and eventful, but the encounter with Lemon Zest weighed heavily on his mind. He knew he had to find a way to help her, but first, he needed to talk to Cadence and Shining Armor about what he had witnessed.

As he approached the castle, the sun was starting to set, casting a beautiful golden hue over the Crystal Empire. The sight was breathtaking, but Spike was too focused on his mission to fully appreciate it. He entered the castle and made his way to the dining room, where he found Cadence and Shining Armor discussing something quietly.

"Hey, Cadence, Shining Armor," Spike greeted, trying to mask his fatigue.

"Spike! How was your day?" Cadence asked, her smile genuine and warm.

"It was great," Spike replied, then hesitated. "But I need to talk to you about something important."

Shining Armor's expression grew serious. "What's going on, Spike?"

Spike took a deep breath and recounted his encounter with Lemon Zest and Abacus Cinch, detailing the harsh treatment he had witnessed. Cadence and Shining Armor listened intently, their expressions growing more concerned with each passing moment.

"That's unacceptable," Cadence said firmly once Spike had finished. "No child should be treated that way, especially not by someone in a position of authority."

Shining Armor nodded in agreement. "We need to look into this and ensure that Abacus Cinch is held accountable for her actions. Spike, thank you for bringing this to our attention."

"How can we help Lemon Zest?" Spike asked, his worry for the young filly evident in his voice.

"We'll start by investigating Abacus Cinch," Shining Armor said. "If she's been abusive, we need to gather evidence and make sure she's removed from her position."

"I think we should investigate Crystal Elementary tomorrow, see what she has." Spike suggested.

"Great idea Spike. Now, you look a little tired, let's have some dinner and then you can go to bed." Cadence said.

"That sounds great." Spike said as he get ready for dinner.

Author's Note

This is Spike's first day at the Crystal Empire. Hope you enjoy.