"Ok... So, two degrees North and one degree West." Crimson said looking from the map to her compass. Turning the wheel the ship turned slightly until her compass's needle faced the right direction.

Letting out a relaxed sigh, she leaned against the wheel. Letting the sun warm her coat, she relaxed and closed her eyes. Taking slow, small breathes she felt herself slowly going to sleep.

"Crimson. Crimson we require your assistance." Nightmare said rising from between the wooden boards.

Getting off the wheel with a huff, she turned to the misty goddess with a interested, but flat stare.

"Yes, Nightmare?" She asked. "Is there something wrong? You look slightly distraught." Crimson said studying the alicorn to the best of her abilities.

"Ti's Spike," she said slowly. "He is not well; blood drips onto the floor, and his body is as cold as stone."

Crimson's eyes slowly widened as she processed what Nightmare had said. Once it caught up with her, she bolted to the rail and jumped off. With a spurt of magic, her hooves dug into the the wooden boards; she quickly ran and threw the door open with another spurt of magic.

"Spike! Spike!" She yelled galloping through the cargo hold. 'Please don't let him be dead!' She thought frantically. 'Not him! Anypony but him!'

As she scanned the way ahead, she made out a small shape standing out against the cots. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw it was Spike, motionless, wrapped in a bloodied blanket. She quickly, but carefully approached him, tears already welling in her eyes.

"Spike...? Spike, a-are you alright?" She asked gently taking the blanket off from his stiff arms. "Oh Spike... Please no..."

The blanket caught, slowly he pulled it back over his chest again. His head, slowly and snappishly in moments, turned to look at her. He gave a small frown, his eyes opened showing a little glow of green as he stared at her.

As she went to put a hoof out to his forehead, his eyes rolled back and he fell forward. She caught him in her magic before lifting him up and out of the bucket. When she glanced in it, she nearly keeled over.

There was a significant amount of blood in it, sitting in the edge of it all was an ingot.

Putting Spike into the closest cot, she took off the blanket he had on and threw it aside. Taking another blanket, she went back to put it on him but stopped. Frowning, she looked down by his arm seeing something poking out from under it.

She lifted him up again, making sure not to disturb his position, her eyes widened as she saw the pair of wings underneath his shoulders. Setting him gently down on his belly, she made sure to spread out the blanket as much as possible around the two new, blood covered wings.

Stepping back, she fell to her haunches and merely stared at him, watching is back rise and fall.

'Spike,' she thought. 'How did this happen? How could this have happened?' She thought before an answer sprung up. "Nightmare."

"Yes, Crimson?"

Crimson's head snapped tot he ethereal goddess, glaring she sent a hoof through the mare's lower jaw in a desperate attempt to injure her.

Seeing Crimson's glare, Nightmare wilted before speaking. "Crimson, we art to blame for this. We should have-"

"You did this to him!" Crimson yelled letting a feral snarl escape. "He's nearly dead because of you!"

Nightmare wilted even more, hanging her head she nodded.

"We know that," Nightmare said with some resentment. "But he had asked us for this. Even so, we must take responsibility for this."

"Wait, he asked you for this?" She said. "Why would he ask you for this?"

"He... Felt... Alone." She said slowly looking at him. "Upset that he was the only one of his kind to not be able to fly. We mentioned a spell to give him wings, he told us to cast it. And cast it we did."

"But-But why didn't he come to me!?" She said looking back at him. "He should have atleast told me..."

"He knew thou would not let him proceed, because of the risks." Nightmare said. "He knew the risks, and took them himself, not wanting to tarnish your trust of him."

"He... Why wouldn't I trust him?" She said in disbelief. "I would have let him get wings, I would have been there to comfort him! Why would he think I wouldn't trust him?" She said laying her head onto the edge of the bed.

"At times," Nightmare said letting herself flow over Spike. "The best decision, is one made alone. He is growing, in mind and body. Just know he is proud to be your assistant, but he is still his own."

"It-It's true..." Spike said opening his eyes slightly. "Hey Crimson..." He tried to smile but only managed to lift the corners of his lips slightly.

"Spike!" She said putting a hoof to her muzzle as a few tears escaped. "I thought you were dead..."

"No... I'm way too tough for that." He said making a better attempt at a smile. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you about this..." He said closing his eyes momentarily.

"Spike, you don't have anything to be sorry for." She said running a hoof over his head. "You're smart enough to make your own decisions, I'm proud of you if anything."

"T-Thanks... Can I roll over now? Nightmare is helping heal me..." He said turning on his side. "It's still sore, like after a good run, but it doesn't hurt as much now." He said sitting up with a slight huff.

"Easy Spike, you just had two new, magically made wings tear out from your back." Crimson said. "How are you feeling? Overall that is."

"Like I lost most of my blood." He smiled. "Oh, I didn't even notice I did. Can I get that back?" He asked pointing at the bucket. "Or was it supposed to be refrigerated?"

"Nightmare, he lost too much blood!" Crimson hissed through a smile. "If he dies, I will personally kill Silver, and then you."

"He will not die," Nightmare assured her through Spike own voice. "He is strong, he merely lost a few drops."

Crimson felt a few hairs in her mane go out of place when the dark mare had finished that sentence. She took in a deep breath before relaxing.

"Spike," she said. "Did you really think I wouldn't trust you?"

"Y-Yeah." He said. "Do you?"

"Of course I still trust you. If anything, even more since you made your own decision. But, I'm certainly not helping you preen those things." She smiled.

"I know that." He said smiling back. "I feel tired..." He said yawning. "Is it still day outside? Or did Luna raise the moon, yet?"

"It's late evening as far as I can tell." Crimson said looking at a crack in the wall where a small sliver of light shone through. "I think it's time we all get some rest," she said climbing into her old cot. "In the morning, we should be in Londmane's docks. Nightmare, please don't mutate Spike anymore, I don't know if he can lose anymore blood."

Spike raised an armor covered claw in a thumbs up. She lifted her own blanket over herself before closing her eyes.

As she fell asleep, Spike sat back up and stared at the bucket full of his own blood. He barely noticed it when the blood acquired a faint glow when the dimming light outside hit it. Instead, he fell face first into his pillow, Nightmare's magic was quick to drape the blanket over him.

Nightmare, she didn't need to sleep, and the bucket of glowing blood had caught her attention. She came out from Spike and swirled momentarily around the bucket before taking shape. She leaned down, eyes narrowed as she put her muzzle to the bucket.

"Nay, ti's not possible..." She said letting her eyes widen slightly. "He cannot be... He is cold blooded."

She looked back at Spike and saw him resting comfortably, looking back at the bucket, she went back into Spike and remained there.

As a cloud passed over the moon that night, the glow in the bucket faded and finally went out before a wave hitting the ship spilled it. It stained the boards and only the ingot was left. A large bite had been taken out of it, unnoticed by all but Nightmare who occasionally came out to keep watch over her draconian companion, or to think.

Author's Note

Three more chapters before going to another story. I just hope it won't take this long for the others as it did this one.