Only Just A Dream

by Desert Nocturne

Chapters

One: Introduction
Two: The Everfree Forest
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten

One: Introduction

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”
― C.S. Lewis

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
― John Lennon

Only Just a Dream

By: Desert Nocturne

Part I: Way of the Dragon

One: Introduction

Edwin sighed as he pulled into his garage, exhausted. He let his car, a late model black hatchback, idle for a moment before setting the parking brake, shutting down the engine, and closing the garage door with the remote clamped to his sun visor. For a time he just sat in the cool darkness, allowing relief to wash over him. It had been a hell of a month. He had been working long hours at his job during the peak season. Waking up before the sun and getting to sleep after midnight had definitely not agreed with him. Now, it was finally over.

His appearance was haggard, and he looked much older than his twenty-six years thanks to the bags under his eyes and the growth of stubble coating his face. His appearance was otherwise largely unremarkable. He was of middling height with a moderately muscular build, with black hair, brown eyes, and darkly tanned skin that was marked with the occasional scar. His full name was Edwin Montero, an aviation professional working part-time at the local air freight carrier as he struggled to find full-time work in a down economy. As of late however, that part-time work had turned into a full-time commitment as customers clamored to get their packages delivered during the holiday season.

He frowned at the memory of the mountains of packages that he had handled that day. He had started very early, helping the morning crew with their heavy workload, which was primarily preparing freight to be delivered locally, though they also loaded a number of small “feeder” aircraft destined to small markets around the state. After coming home for a nap, he had returned again to his customary afternoon shift, assisting with the outbound package sort and then helping to load the outbound wide-body aircraft. His work had been so busy that they had run out of parking spaces for the incoming jets. In the end, he had actually been forced to leave as he had logged the maximum of twelve hours for the fifth time that week.

The peak season had ended tonight, and he was planning on getting a good night's rest for the first time in weeks. He forced himself to open the car door. He had waited so long in the car that the automatic light of the garage door opener had shut itself off and the interior of the garage was black as pitch. He took out his phone, a battered iPhone due for replacement, and lit the screen with a push of a button. Using its poor light, he shuffled slowly to the door leading to the interior of his home, a sensibly small, two-story tract home in the suburbia surrounding the city of Phoenix, Arizona.

The door opened on the kitchen of his home and he looked despondently at a fruit bowl set on the counter. He lived alone, having always been a solitary person, and the room while neat, was obviously the kitchen of a bachelor. Its walls, counters, and refrigerator were bare, with the exception of a child’s drawing of a pony held by a magnet to the refrigerator, a gift from one of his neighbor’s daughters. Deciding he was too tired to eat anything, he staggered up the stairs toward his bedroom. He stumbled, coming down on one knee, and he took a moment to breathe and collect himself. His body's behavior was scaring him slightly. He had never been as tired as he was now. I better take it easy for the next couple of days, this is ridiculous, he thought, as he came back to his feet and continued on to the second floor landing.

Edwin arrived in his room and collapsed onto his bed. The walls were again mostly barren, and the room looked neat but spartan. There was a single, small poster on the wall, with an image of a cute cartoon pegasus with crossed eyes hanging from a branch on it.

It was captioned 'Hang in there' in emulation of a certain classic cat photo. A small nightstand complete with lamp and a dresser flanked the queen sized bed in the center of the room. Against a wall of the room was a simple black desk with three large widescreen monitors on it. A pair of speakers was also on the desk flanking the monitor setup. A back-lit gaming keyboard and mouse completed the setup. Under the desk, next to the knee-hole, was a sleek, black, mid-tower computer which hummed along quietly, displaying white LEDs on its many fans. Opposite the computer, a sub-woofer sat on the floor, its LED power indicator glowing softly. If not for the poster, one might think this the room of an overly fastidious man, the type of person who would make his bed in the morning and line up his shoes at night.

Even in his exhaustion, Edwin did not fall asleep immediately. He was still in his work things, but that wasn’t the problem. His mind was still going over the events of the day and the things he had planned for the weekend ahead. Being busy during the day meant that he could usually only do such thinking at the end of the day, multi-tasking not being a strong point of his. I can watch another episode tomorrow, he thought, smiling to himself as he reclined with his hands behind his head. Edwin, having long been a fan of internet culture, had found himself wondering why images from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic had proliferated on the internet a few weeks ago. A quick search on YouTube had yielded the first episode of the series and he had watched, intrigued, as the plot developed. He had always appreciated clean humor and good animation, and the art style and writing on the show had piqued his interest. After finding the first season of the show on iTunes and, on a whim, purchasing it, he was now nearing the end of that season while watching new episodes of the second season as they came out.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm his mind. It's so bizarre, I am completely exhausted, but I still can't go to sleep. He generally had no issue going to sleep, in fact often had issues staying awake, and he chuckled at the irony of the current situation. Despite his often grim demeanor, he found that laughing at life's little inconveniences sometimes had a therapeutic effect.

His restless mind started going over another situation. He had gotten another call from his mother today bemoaning her lack of grand-children and exhorting him to go out and search for a wife (not for the first time). Once again, he had not had the heart to tell her that he was not interested in children, or even a girlfriend at the moment, choosing instead to divert their conversation to safer waters. He loved his mother, but he was not sure how to explain his resistance to such an idea.

Intimate relationships are complicated, and they are a responsibility as much as they are a boon, besides a lot of the time I just like being alone, he thought to himself. The last part of his inner monologue was something he rarely disclosed to anyone, lest they regard him with distaste or even fear. After all, he enjoyed the company of his friends as much as the next guy. He smiled as he remembered a tennis match played against an old teammate from his high school varsity team last week. An epic three hour affair, the match had been one of their best ever and they were still discussing it via text almost a week later. Still, when he got home at night, the last thing he wanted was to have to deal with anyone but himself. If that made him a horrible person, so be it. And he certainly was not going to bring a child into the mix. He somewhat understood his mother's frustration, Edwin and his two siblings had produced a grand total of zero offspring and did not appear to want any at the moment, but still his life was his life.

He grinned and laughed softly again as he thought of his mother's expression if she were to find out about a certain scrap of paper in his trash can. Earlier that week he had gone to see a movie on his day off. While there, he had been invited to join a group that was sitting near the center of the crowded theater. He had politely declined, preferring to watch alone, and enjoyed the film. Afterward, the woman who had invited him had given him her phone number. He had accepted it with equanimity and extricated himself with as much courtesy as he could muster. While he was not a cruel man by nature, he took a perverse pleasure in tossing the number when he got home. I suppose I am independent to a fault, he thought as his body finally started to relax, but at least I'm cognizant enough to see it. It’s ironic I suppose that a person such as myself so enjoys a show called Friendship is Magic.

He thought at first that such enjoyment was purely for the technical qualities of the show, things like animation, color palette, character design, etc. The creative talent behind the show was also ridiculous and the finished product certainly showed it. But there was more; the writing was engaging to a far broader audience than the target demographic and the music was incredible. Moreover, the show made him smile in a way that he had not since his own childhood. So tomorrow I'll head to the gym, listen to some podcasts, do my strength training, then come home and watch a new episode.

His mind and body had finally relaxed, an amazing feat despite his weariness, considering that he was still in his work uniform, shoes and all. As he drifted off into what would hopefully be a long night of sleep, having set his phone alarm for 8:00 AM, he heard a panicked voice in his head.

“Oh NO! This can't be happening! Run, Rarity, RUN! I'll hold them off!”

He had a hazy vision of what appeared to be a field of blood with a tall, black tower rising out of it. Beams of energy passed through it, and windows spiraled up and around the edifice. It seemed to be a place of great power; he felt it all over as one sometimes feels when close to high voltage power lines or when a thunderstorm is nearby. He saw all this for only an instant, and then was pulled toward one of the dark, eye-like windows toward the bottom of the tower, into the darkness and into the void.

His eyes were closed; he was asleep but somehow he still saw. His perception had become uncoupled from his body. He saw his body standing in the void. There was a small lizard-like creature staring at him. It began to move, as if drawn by some cosmic force, toward him at ever increasing speed. It was going to collide with him! Returning to his body, he opened his eyes and stared into the green, slitted eyes of the lizard for just a moment before...

With a jolt he realized that he was awake again. He surveyed his surroundings, taking in the odd quality of the world around him. Wait, what? The last thing I remember is falling asleep, he thought dazedly. Objects seemed to lack defined textures and the colors seemed over saturated and oddly uniform. He froze, horror rising inside him. All around him were creatures that appeared vaguely familiar and horribly menacing. They looked like wolves made of wood, complete with jagged wood fangs and leafy eyebrows and ears. Timber-wolves, the name came unbidden to him and he gasped as he made a mental connection. The odd quality of the forest around him and the wolves, they looked like something straight out of... Wait they're not moving.

He observed them closely. One of the wolves was paused in mid-leap, razor claws extended toward him. They were big, much bigger than he imagined real wolves would be, almost the size of a bear. Why aren't they moving? He took a closer glance around him and froze again for a second time. There was a very familiar white unicorn frozen in a defensive position near him. There was a distinctive design of three diamonds on her flanks. R-Rarity!?

He looked down slowly, blinking stupidly, unable to believe what he was seeing. It looked like a scene out of a television show, perhaps a bit darker than the typical My Little Pony situation but definitely not the world that he lived in. But it felt real, more real than any dream had a right to be. She's not moving either, Edwin’s mind observed. The weight of the scene around him finally fell and his composure broke; in frustration and panic he tried waving his hand in front of Rarity's face. He froze for a third time. In place of his hand was a purple, scaled, clawed thing. He looked slowly down at himself. He saw a stout body of purple and green scales; the body of Spike the dragon.

Two: The Everfree Forest

“Often secret desires as well as abilities surface in our dreams.”
― P.C. Cast, Hunted

Only Just a Dream

By: Desert Nocturne

Two: The Everfree Forest

Spike examined the forest curiously. He was deeper in the Everfree Forest than he had ever been before, having left Zecora's hut behind some miles ago. Huge evergreens loomed around him, surrounded by occasional patches of luxuriant bushes and underbrush. There was a thick carpet of pine needles on the forest floor which cushioned and dampened his footfalls. The canopy of the tree leaves blocked most of the light from reaching the floor, though what light did pass through was diffused so as to produce angled bars of light as the sun westered. It was beautiful in its own way, gloomy and peaceful, and he took a moment to appreciate the sight.

Movement caught his eye. He watched a squirrel leap from branch to branch, eventually settling on one of the lower branches and nibbling on an acorn. He shuddered, reminded forcefully of how different things were here. The animals feed themselves, how bizarre. How do they know where to find food or where to stay for that matter? Naturally, he would never think to explore such a place on his own. However, according to Rarity, the best sapphires in Equestria were to be found in the Everfree Forest. From what she had told him, using these gems she could make dresses of unmatched brilliance, even surpassing the tailors of Canterlot.

He had been ecstatic when Rarity had approached him about assisting her in harvesting the gems. Ever since he had first laid eyes on her, Spike had been infatuated with Rarity, often daydreaming of ways to impress her. Admittedly his fantasies usually did not include him digging out gems deep within the Everfree Forest, but he would take alone time with her in any form he could. Actually, things had worked out quite well, all things considered. Zecora, who was familiar with the Everfree Forest, had been kind enough to point them in the direction of a path that led into the heart of the forest, where Rarity had insisted the best sapphires were to be found. She had also warned them to keep their eyes open for the myriad dangerous creatures that inhabited the forest, creatures such as ursas, dragons, manticores, cockatrices, timber-wolves, and their ilk. They had been at it for about two hours when the wagon they had brought reached its capacity.

And the sapphires... they were glorious! Even Spike, who normally viewed gems with an eye for their culinary delights rather than for their beauty, had to admit that these particular sapphires were breathtaking. Several were so large that they would either have to cut for use, sold, or perhaps displayed inside the Carousel Boutique as an art piece. One in particular, a massive specimen which Rarity had claimed was at least sixty carats with no inclusions, was the single finest gem Spike had ever seen or even heard of. The color of the pile of sapphires was so deep and striking that he almost felt bad when his mouth started watering of its own accord. After the first hour, Rarity had allowed him to sample a few of the smaller gems. The taste of them had been so exquisite that he had contemplated asking Twilight Sparkle if she would allow him to return to this area to harvest some gems for his own personal cache.

Spike came out of his reverie as he notice the squirrel turn its head sharply and scamper further up the tree it was on, chattering all the while. It was not the only animal to react in alarm; a sudden cacophony of assorted speaks, chirps, caws, and other various animal calls erupted, followed by silence. Suddenly the forest no longer seemed peaceful, on the contrary the atmosphere had suddenly turned menacing. He started as he heard a long, mournful howl in the distance. “Rarity, maybe we should start heading back,” he said, trying to keep his fear out of his voice.

“An excellent idea Spike,” replied Rarity, “I think I have a good enough idea of the amount of gems in this area to go on with.” After they had filled the wagon, Rarity had insisted on surveying the area for other gem deposits. They had spent the last half hour wandering in larger and larger circles as she used her gem finding spell to mark the locations of further deposits. Apparently the search had gone well, judging from the gleam in her eyes. “I believe that without having to stop to dig, we should make good time. We should be back at Zecora's within an hour. It's about time to head back anyway. It looks like the sun has started to set.”

Either Rarity did not sense the change in the atmosphere, or she was doing a admirable job ignoring it. Spike, for his part, was not about to look the coward in front of the mare of his dreams, and did his best to hide his discomfort. They walked onward in companionable silence, stealing glances at the mountain of gems in the wagon, and grinning occasionally. Despite his earlier trepidation, Spike now felt a warm glow filling his being. I actually helped Rarity accomplish something she could not do on her own. This may be the foothold I need to make my move.

He glanced quickly at Rarity, who was in the lead, accidentally getting a good view of her shapely rear and flanks. He blushed furiously, mentally chiding himself for allowing himself to commit such an act. She is a lady! She should not have to put up with ogling from the likes of me! His blush receding, he looked up again, looking determinedly away from Rarity and looking instead at the path ahead of him. He saw smoke rising gracefully from what could only be Zecora's hut, although it wasn't yet visible because of the thick foliage; they had left behind the massive trunks of the sapphire mother lode some time ago and were now traversing the stands of vine-strewn mangroves that inhabited the outer reaches of the forest. A howl rose again, this time sounding closer, though still a ways away. He and Rarity exchanged a glance and by unspoken consent redouble their pace, hoping to make Zecora's hut before the sun dipped below the trees. If she had been ignorant of the threat the forest presented before, she was certainly aware of it now.

Timber wolves, it turned out, were much more cunning that Spike had given them credit for. They had apparently left one of their number to howl in the distance in order to provide a false sense of security to the two creatures that would soon be their prey. Spike found this out when he and Rarity rounded a bend in the patch about a quarter of a mile from their destination. A timber wolf, likely the alpha, was blocking the path, a disturbingly intelligent leer already spreading across its face. Spike heard movement all around the two of them. Before he knew it they were surrounded by a pack of the snarling creatures. Horror flooded his mind and soul. Is this it? Is today the day I die? I'm still so young... A drawn out scream brought him back to himself in a hurry. RARITY!

“Oh no! This can't be happening! Run, Rarity, RUN! I'll hold them off!” he screamed. Please, Celestia, Luna, what other gods there may be, let Rarity make it out of here alive, he prayed desperately. As if in response to his thought he felt a strange gathering of force around him as time appeared to slow, then stop entirely. He had time to observe the alpha wolf frozen in a leap toward him, teeth bared in a snarl and razor claws extended toward him, before the force exploded sending him flying.

For a moment he saw a strange creature splayed out on a bed, appearing to be asleep. He shook himself mentally, hoping to clear the image, and saw that creature was still there and still asleep. After a long moment he felt more force gathering around him; he was drawn swiftly in inexorably towards the creature and it toward him. Its eyes opened and they stared at each other for an infinitesimal moment before they collided.

He gasped softly as he landed on a cold, hard, surface skidding a distance before coming to a rest. What just happened to me? He could have sworn that he had just flown through some type of void before he landed. He gasped as he remembered the situation he was in. “Rarity!” he yelled. His yell appeared to precipitate several events which happened in close succession. A loud scream emanated from nearby and lights sprang on, blinding Spike. Almost instantly, he heard a door bang open as he was forced to the ground and restrained in what felt like powerful magic. Most disturbing of all was the realization that his voice was not his voice. He was in some... thing's body. He was no longer in the forest, fighting to defend his love. As threatening figures surrounded him, he broke down as he realized he had somehow abandoned Rarity to her fate. Rarity...

Three

Princess Luna paced the darkened nursery, trying to make sense of her troubled thoughts. Her gaze shifted over the darkened alcoves as she recalled the events of the day. Her sister, Celestia, had asked her to cover the morning court session earlier today. Always eager to please her sister, and gain rapport with her subjects, she had agreed instantly. She had only been in public a handful of times since the defeat of Nightmare Moon; the more exposure she had the better. It had gone quite well once the first few ponies discovered that they would not face the pain of death if they so much as glanced in her direction. Although the ponies seemed more intimidated by the royal Canterlot voice than I recall. After the court had broken for lunch, her sister had thanked her with such obvious gratitude that Luna had flushed. Apparently, even Princess Celestia of Equestria, needed the occasional morning to sleep in, an opportunity that had not presented itself often during Luna's long banishment.

Luna's brow furrowed as she thought of her past misdeeds. The nursery, where the royal pony sisters traditionally allowed dragons to leave unwanted eggs, was normally a place of peace for her. The magically preserved dragon eggs seemed to always be willing to hear her troubles, and had over time become like good friends to her. The room was also kept dark and warm, owing to the spells used to preserve the eggs, and on occasion she had been known to forgo her bed entirely and sleep in the nursery. Still, even the comfort of this place was not allaying her unease. It was not her banishment that was bothering her. No, she had had a strange premonition that something big and perhaps dangerous would come to pass in Equestria, a feeling that was growing stronger by the minute.

If something dangerous happens I am sure the Royal Guard can handle it. Or if not, then my personal guards certainly will. She smiled in spite of herself. Her personal guards were stationed outside the door of the nursery. She had been training them herself and had magically enchanted their armor to change their appearance to better complement her (with their approval of course). It was a bit vain perhaps, but she loved the look of them and the intimidation factor did not hurt either. Still she wondered what it could possibly be that was heading her way. She had not had much time to discuss the matter with Celestia. When she had mentioned her premonition earlier in passing, Celestia had said that she had not felt anything out of the ordinary. However, Luna had ever been more sensitive to this type of magic; her premonitions were rarely wrong. She had managed to get her sister to promise to discuss the matter further after the afternoon court. In retrospect, she realized she probably should have pressed the matter.

She stopped her pacing abruptly. Something had changed for the worse. Some force was beginning to manifest itself; she could feel it gathering nearby. Suddenly, it seemed like a good idea to vacate the premises and summon Celestia to help deal with whatever was going on. Luna did not get that chance. She whirled as a loud explosion shattered the peaceful atmosphere of the nursery. A form was hurled from a point near the far end of the room, skidding impressively some fifteen feet on the tiled floor before coming to a rest near the stunned Princess. Luna's eyes, ever so sharp in the darkness, widened as she beheld what appeared to be a freakish, ape-like creature lying on the floor.

It yelled out a name, “Rarity!” causing the princess to lose what little composure she had left. She screamed piercingly, using her magic to simultaneously turn on the overhead lights and restrain the beast in front of her. Her guards, alerted by the creature's yell, and spurred on by their Princess's scream, burst into the nursery quickly surrounding the intruder. It had curled into a fetal position, tears streaming down its face, as it uttered the name again, “Rarity...” That was the last they heard from the creature as it appeared to withdraw within itself, shutting out the rest of the world.

Princess Luna was breathing hard but had regained her composure. “Guards! Take the creature the dungeon at once! Keep it under watch until we return with Princess Celestia!” The guards had uncoiled a rope as she spoke and were proceeding to hog-tie the creature in preparation for transport. She allowed herself a grim smile as she saw the fruits of their training come forth. They may be pegasi without the aid of magic, but they would have no trouble carrying out her orders. She left them to their task and started heading toward the main hall at a fast canter to summon her sister.

****

Edwin looked down at himself, taking a long moment to observe his new body. He was still dumbfounded. How is this possible? He hastily reviewed his memories. I am Edwin Montero. I am a human being; an inhabitant of the planet Earth. I am not a dragon damn it! How am I ever going to get back into my body? How am I ever going to get home!? And why does it look like time isn't moving? Is this a dream? He had been so discombobulated that he had momentarily forgotten the precarious situation he was in. He looked at the timber wolf in front of him again. Its maw was curled back in a snarl and it was stretched in a graceful leap with its claws extended toward him. He looked closer and widened his eyes as he noticed that it was not completely stationary. It appeared to be moving closer ever so slowly. What the hell is going on here? “OOF!”

Time had returned suddenly and the wolf had completed its leap landing squarely on Edwin. He cursed himself furiously for not moving out the way while he had the chance. Curiosity killed the dragon, he thought darkly. Spike's body had thick scales that absorbed the worst of damage the sharp claws inflicted, but no amount of scales could cushion against the monstrous weight of the beast. He had been thrown onto his back when the wolf landed and he had felt several ribs crack. He gave a scream of agony as excruciating pain rushed through him, unintentionally releasing a burst of green flame directly into the face of the attacking wolf. It rolled off him, making high pitched whining sounds as it tried to extinguish the fire.

He turned and saw another wolf moving against him. This time, however, he managed to dodge the initial blow, moving jerkily but quickly as jolts of pain racked his body. Abandoning all pretense of civility, he launched himself against it, throwing his weight into a kick aimed at one of the beasts leg joints. A satisfyingly loud crack echoed through the clearing as the joint gave, eliciting another of the high pitched cries from this wolf. Despite the piercing pains in his chest, Edwin did not hold back his attack, knowing that his and Rarity's lives hung in the balance. He pressed his advantage, raking his claws against the side of another of the momentarily distracted wolves. Lines of sap appeared where his claws had torn the tough wood of the wolf's hide.

The circle around them had begun to waver. We may just live to see another day! All I need to do is- He had allowed himself to be distracted. The wolf he had clawed returned the favor with a mighty paw to his face. Blood flew as a several teeth were liberated from his gums. The force of impact turned him completely around and his attention was brought again to the wolf that had initially attacked him. The injured alpha wolf howled in a way that made him both cringe and start with realization. He was in the body of a fire-breathing dragon; he was pitted against a pack of predators made of wood! He scrambled away from the wolf behind him towards Rarity.

Rarity, for her part, had not taken Spike's well meant advice to run and was instead putting on an impressive display of agility as she aimed several well-placed kicks at the wolves. She was not unscathed, however, and Edwin observed several lacerations that marred her otherwise pristine coat. Unlike Edwin, she did not have the advantage of scale armor to protect against the sharp claws and teeth of the wolves. As he watched, a wolf leaped onto her, latching its jaws around the upper part of her back. He advanced on the pair, roaring in both anger and agony as his broken ribs again made themselves known. If they're smart enough to lay an ambush then they should be able to recognize the danger they are in. He braced himself against the pain and took as deep of a breath as he could, releasing it in a gout of flame ten feet high. The wolves snapped their attention to him, fear in their eyes. The wolf that had attacked Rarity dropped off of her and looked at him in terror. That's right you bastards! He felt a new emotion, blood lust, make itself known; he forced himself to reign it in as much as he could. He growled, deep in his throat, exposing what fangs he had left to the wolves, the look in his eyes promising death.

That did it. The pack broke, running (or limping) pell-mell back into the deeper part of the forest, yipping all the way. He stared after them, the snarl still on his face, until he saw the last wolf disappear. He turned slowly and nearly stepped on the alpha, which was still writhing in agony in the dirt of the path. Its face was burned beyond recognition and it appeared that a portion had been broken off by the unfortunate wolf as it tried to put out the flames. Viscous, amber sap ran down the wolf's ruined face as Edwin watched. He felt sick waves of revulsion and pity course through him. No creature should have to endure this. He steeled himself for what he knew he had to do. Ignoring the pain from his ribs, he again took a deep breath and released another torrent of flames, reducing the creature's head to ashes. The battle was over.

Four

Edwin was shaking badly. His heart was racing madly and his adrenaline-fueled energy was dissipating rapidly. He fell to one knee, his whole body aching horribly. His ribs were especially painful, paining him with every motion. He also felt strangely weak, as though he had not eaten all day. During the fight, time had appeared to run slower than normal. Edwin realized now that he had probably been reacting and moving faster than normal. The energy toll his efforts had extracted was significant; his body needed nourishment. He almost laughed, an action that would likely have been catastrophic to his injured ribs, as he thought of how similar he felt now in Spike's body as he had felt in his own. I'm completely exhausted all over again.

He gritted his teeth and came back to his feet, looking toward Rarity. She, too, was shaking and tears were streaming silently down her face. Walking gingerly, he made his way to her side. She looked at him with an odd, almost fearful look in her eyes. “Why did you do it?” she asked.

Edwin froze momentarily, wondering what she was talking about. Did she expect me to just take off and leave her to her death? Then he realized she was probably shocked about the death of the injured wolf. “He was mortally wounded. Killing him was the humane thing to do,” he said evenly.

Her eyes widened. “How can you speak so casually about taking the life of another creature?!”

Edwin raised an eyebrow. “I'm not. Look, Rarity, violence is not something that comes naturally to me. I did it because it was the right thing to do.” He was starting to get a bit annoyed at having to defend himself after essentially saving her life. Patience was not one of his virtues. “Now let me see your back. Those wounds look pretty nasty.” He spoke carefully, not wanting a confrontation on his actions while they were both injured. If there was a time for debate, it would have to be later.

She eyed him coolly for a moment before folding her legs and lowering herself so he could examine her injuries. He winced as he saw her back. There were numerous lacerations ranging from nicks to a few that would probably need stitching. The puncture wounds where the wolf had bitten her looked especially nasty. I wonder if magic could be used here to accelerate healing. I don't recall seeing any disabled or scarred ponies in the show.

“Well Rarity, I doubt that you feel all that great right now but I think you'll be okay. The bleeding is already slowing but you may need some sutures to properly close some of these wounds, they will just need to be disinfected first.”

“Thank you Spike, but how about yourself? How badly are you hurt?” Her look of coldness had departed, replaced with concern.

Edwin spat out a mouthful of blood (perfect timing...) and ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling the notable gap where the wolf had hit him. “It looks like I'm out a few teeth and I think I have some broken ribs.” He looked down at himself quickly. There were a couple of scratches that had managed to penetrate his scales, but they did not bear mentioning. He looked at Rarity again. She was on her feet again and her shuddering was slowing. He continued, “I think I'll be okay as well. It hurts to breathe too deeply but that's to be expected. Just give me a minute to find my teeth.” He almost laughed again but restrained himself. His ribs really did hurt. I sound like I've lost my dentures or something.

Satisfied that she would be okay for the time being, he turned at began looking for his teeth. After a few minutes of hunting, he had located four teeth scattered on the far side of the clearing. That wolf must have really decked me, he thought as he spat out another mouthful of blood. The bleeding was thankfully slowing. “Rarity, are you ready to get moving again? We probably shouldn't hang around here any longer than we have to.”

“Of course, darling. Zecora's hut is only a quarter mile away. We should be there in no time at all!”

Edwin looked at her for a moment, grinning slightly in spite of himself. Her optimistic attitude was in stark contrast to what he was used to on Earth. “Okay then,” he said looking around for anything they might have forgotten. He stopped when he saw the wagon of sapphires. Wow...

“Oh don't be ridiculous darling! We can come back for those later,” she said in an exasperated tone. “Now get moving young dragon! We need to get those teeth fixed right away!”

He almost could have hugged her. The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was lug a heavy wagon. They started across the remaining distance, both of the moving gingerly. Edwin was wondering how he had come into this world. This is clearly not a dream. My dreams are not usually painful, or if they are, the pain is not chronic like this. He was thinking of a few nightmares where he had been awakened by shock of pain. In the past if I've felt pain in a dream, I've woken up. I can only conclude that I am either having some kind of extended hallucination or I am actually here. He sighed in frustration. He had enjoyed the show, but he was far from the ideal candidate for a land such as this. Still, for the moment he decided to assume the latter and try and make the best of it.

“Spike, you're awfully quiet over there.” Rarity was looking at Edwin with a worried expression.

“I'm alright Rarity. I'm just a bit shocked about what happened.” It was a only a half-truth; he wondered if he should tell her that he was not technically Spike. I wonder what actually happened to Spike. When I fell asleep on Earth, I could have sworn I heard Spike's voice saying something. He stopped. He had remembered something that had happened before he had woken up in Spike's body. He had heard Spike tell Rarity to run, then he had felt himself pulled. Right before he had 'awoken' he had opened his eyes to see himself in some type of void with Spike on a rapid collision course with him. Does that mean that Spike is in my body on Earth, or did my body get pulled here to Equestria? How did we switch bodies anyway? Magic?

He turned his head sharply. Rarity had approached him to give a comforting nuzzle. He held up his hand, eyes narrowing slightly. He was not a person who typically enjoyed physical contact, especially from complete strangers. Rarity checked abruptly, looking askance at him, then seemed to decide that his behavior was another symptom of shock. “Come on Spike, we're almost there,” she said gently.

“Right. Sorry Rarity,” he said, apologizing for both stopping and his aloofness. He began walking again. He would have to think on how to handle this later.

****

Spike slowly came to a sitting position. He was in utter misery. His love was possibly maimed or killed by wolves, his body had possibly met the same fate, and now he was trapped in an alien form that looked bizarre to his own eyes and probably even worse to the ponies. Still, the few minutes that had passed since the guards had thrown him none too gently into this cell had served to allow Spike to calm down slightly. In his own way, Spike actually had a lot of wisdom. Every now and then, he would surprise Twilight with aphorisms or bits of knowledge that she had not considered. More than once, he had acted as the voice of reason to Twilight's studious fervor. Now, he allowed himself to reflect on his situation practically, knowing that panicking would not help.

I think that I've somehow switched bodies with this creature. Therefore there was at least someone there to fight alongside Rarity if for no other reason than self-preservation. Also, I think Twilight mentioned once that timber wolves are easily frightened. He gasped and face-palmed. Noise would have scared them off and fire certainly would have! What was I thinking? He took a moment to imagine himself single-handedly frightening off the pack, earning Rarity's praise and affection. He smiled at the thought, feeling his face muscles work in ways he was not used to. That brought him back to himself in a hurry. He began to examine his new (hopefully temporary) body.

He did not have the luxury of a mirror, but by running his hands over his face he discovered that this creature did not have a snout like he use to, rather his new nose and mouth were two separate features. The skin around much of his face felt prickly with coarse hairs and his eyes felt smaller than normal. On top of his head was a shortly cropped mane that ended abruptly at the nape of his neck. Gone was the ridge of spikes that ran down his spine. I'm probably a mammal now judging by the amount hair on my head alone. It figures, I finally get the beginnings of a beard and it's not even in my own body!

Continuing his examination, he stood and looked down at himself. Like before, he was standing on two legs, but at a height well over twice that of his original body. He was wearing several layers of garments over most of his body, and he was wearing shoes as well. His build was much leaner than before, yet he also felt heavy and unsteady on his feet. I don't have a tail! How can this creature balance at all? He looked at his hands and flexed them a few times. He noticed that he now had an extra finger on each hand. He wiggled his toes inside his shoes; the same was true of them.

He took a deep, calming breath. This body is similar in some ways to my own, but I'm definitely not a reptile anymore. I don't recall ever seeing or hearing about a creature like this. He was mildly curious about the species of his new body, but his pragmatism took control again. Now, where am I?

The cell he was in was nondescript, but he thought he had recognized the room he had made his initial appearance in. There was a deep familiarity with that room, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He sat back down and closed his eyes as he scoured his earliest memories. According to Twilight, he had been hatched by her magic during the entrance exam for her magical education. His earliest memories, however, were of the dragon nursery, surrounded by those few dragon eggs that were under the care of the Royal Pony Sisters. He opened his eyes. The dragon nursery! That must have been where I appeared. He remembered seeing the alcoves as he skidded across the floor. So I must be in the dungeon at Canterlot castle.

Spike felt more in control of himself than before. He looked around the dungeon. It was small; crime was not much of a problem in Canterlot. Posted near the exit were two pegasus guards. They were unlike any he had seen before. The were gray, with tufted ears, slitted yellow eyes, and had a bat-like pair of wings and a similar tail. He stared at them, momentarily stunned, as he frantically tried to understand their presence. I've never seen guards like that before!

Before he could get too flustered, an image suddenly shot through his mind. It was of the inside of Zecora's hut. Rarity was there, along with Zecora, and she appeared to be alright although she was wearing numerous bandages. Rarity! Thank Celestia! They were huddled close together, deep in conversation. They kept shooting worried glances in his direction. As quickly as it had appeared, the vision was gone. Spike blinked, getting his bearings again. What was that? It was like I was back in my own body for a moment.

He examined his situation again. Rarity was apparently safe, but he was being held inside the dual prison of this body and the Canterlot dungeon. Another creature was similarly trapped in his own body and was currently with Zecora and Rarity. Things could be worse. At least Rarity is okay. I'm sure once Twilight hears about this she'll find a way to get me back in my body. Right now I need to try and contact her. As he was gathering his courage to speak to the bat-like guards, the door to the dungeon burst open.

Standing at the door was Princess Celestia of Equestria in all her regal glory. She looked more angry than Spike had ever seen her before, her eyes blazing and her face set in a grim expression. Behind her stood what was ostensibly Princess Luna. To Spike she looked taller and more menacing than she had during the one time he had seen her previously, albeit at a distance. In fact, she looked a lot like her previous incarnation of Nightmare Moon. Spike fell to the ground in a deep bow. How much more can one dragon take?

Five

Princess Celestia looked down at the creature in the cell. Her eyes were blazing as she surveyed it. From what her sister had told her, it was the culmination of her earlier premonition, meaning that it could be a danger to her beloved Equestria.

Before her sister's return, it had been centuries since Equestria had been seriously threatened, but she was taking no chances. It was not for nothing that she and Luna were rulers of Equestria. Together, they had defeated the villain Discord, and had worked tirelessly to bring stability to the land, using force when necessary. Few creatures could stand against their combined might. Still, this creature was an unknown, a variable, a possible danger.

She examined it closely. It appeared ape-like, although the few areas of bare skin that showed had surprisingly little fur. It was wearing but looked to be well-fitting, if dirty, garments over the majority of its body. It was powerfully built in comparison to her little ponies, especially in its long, muscular limbs. Standing up, it looked as if it would almost see eye to eye with her. She had never seen anything quite like it in all her long years. However, despite its intimidating appearance, her intuition was telling her that this creature was not an immediate threat.

“Leave us please,” she spoke calmly to the guards stationed at the entrance. With some annoyance, she noticed that they looked to her sister Luna for confirmation before acquiescing to her command. A millennium of being the sole ruler of Equestria had spoiled her slightly it seemed. Her expression was already softening slightly as the guards took their leave. The creature was cowering in what appeared to be terror, submission, or perhaps a bit of both.

“I am Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria. Who are you?” Celestia spoke gently to the creature. It made no reply. Perhaps it is not capable of our speech? However, if it is capable of clothing itself, then it stands to reason that it has some level of intelligence. Perhaps we can communicate through some other means. She watched it continue to shiver in terror for a moment.

“N-N-Nightmare Moon,” the creature said suddenly.

Princess Celestia gaped at the creature. Not only can it talk, but it recognizes my sister as her previous incarnation! She turned to look at Luna. Her sister had transformed into the physical likeness of Nightmare Moon in her agitation. Even Celestia herself was momentarily taken aback by the fierceness of her sister's appearance.

“Luna!” she exclaimed in an admonishing tone. She made a gesture towards the door and they exited the dungeon. “Until you can control your appearance I'm going to have to ask you to stay out here sister. You heard the creature, it is terrified.”

Luna snorted in disgust. “ALWAYS IT IS THE SAME! EVEN NEWCOMERS FEAR US!” she spat in her royal Canterlot voice. She nodded nonetheless, glaring at the dungeon door as if it had personally insulted her. “If you have need of me sister, I will be out here with the guards,” she said in her normal speaking voice, returning her gaze to her sister. As Celestia turned back to the door Luna spoke again. “Tia, please be careful. Do not be fooled into believing this creature is like our little ponies. My earlier premonition continues to vex me; that thing is... it is... different.”

Celestia paused and considered. She had not gotten that impression from her brief observation, but she would heed the warning nonetheless. She gave Luna a curt nod and re-entered the dungeon. The creature had backed itself into the corner of its cell. It was sitting in a way that no pony would be able to easily; its forelegs were wrapped around its rear legs and it was resting its head on them. As Celestia approached, the creature turned away from her.

“I apologize if my sister frightened you earlier. She can sometimes get over excited and lose control of her appearance,” she began. Clearing her throat quietly, she spoke again, “I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. I do not wish to harm you but I do need to ask you some questions. Is that alright?”

The creature raised its head and looked at her. Its eyes were dark brown, its hair was black, and its clothing was navy blue and black; on the whole its appearance was depressing and mildly sinister. Perhaps Luna is right about this one.

“Princess Celestia?” the creature spoke. It appeared to be slowly regaining its composure. “Princess it's me!”

“Oh? Have we met before?” she replied politely, drawing on centuries worth of diplomatic experience to hide her disbelief.

The creature stood, swayed for a moment, then approached the bars clumsily before steadying itself on them. “Princess it's me,” it repeated, “it's me, Spike.”

****

Edwin lay in Zecora's own bed propped up on a couple of pillows watching Rarity and Zecora discuss his condition. He and Rarity had arrived at Zecora's hut perhaps twenty minutes ago. Zecora had heard the commotion of the fight with the timber wolf pack and had actually been in the process of preparing a first aid kit (which included a saucepan, a hammer, and a party noisemaker for some reason) when they had walked up. As such, she had been able to begin treating Rarity, who had the more serious wounds, immediately. In that short time, Zecora had managed to heal most of Rarity's injuries with potions, clean and stitch the larger wounds, and dress them with herb packed poultices to encourage the healing process. He had watched with what he hoped was veiled amazement as she had performed these tasks, especially since she had done them primarily using her mouth. After exhorting Rarity to have Doctor Stable have a look at her at her earliest convenience, Zecora had turned her attention to him. That was when the trouble began.

Zecora was a master alchemist, a brewer of potions for most ailments and even some relatively major injuries. Nonetheless, her attempts at healing his injuries had failed. She had first tried to re-attach his avulsed teeth by using a tooth regrowth potion. The potion did not have much of an effect on Edwin other than causing him to shudder at its bitter taste. The teeth did fit back into their previous places but they were still a bit loose. It appeared that Spike, if he ever returned to his body, would not be snacking on gems anytime soon.

After that Zecora had used two additional draughts; one to accelerate the healing of his fractured ribs (“Granulation, callus, bone deposition, kept in place on its own will appear, With this potion and strong disposition, we will accelerate the process my dear,” she had said), and another to seal the scratches in his scaly armor. Both had no visible effect on him, although he had certainly been impressed with Zecora's knowledge of both anatomy and language. Presently, she and Rarity were discussing the possible reasons for Edwin's resistance to treatment.

A image suddenly forced itself into his mind. He was seeing his body, his real body. It was in what appeared to be some type of jail cell, lying on a pile of hay in the corner. Hastily looking around the jail, he spotted a pair of guards by the exit. They were oddly colored and looked slightly... demonic? Before he could analyze them further he was forced back into Spike's body with a little jolt. He shook his head briskly, like a dog shaking off water, forcing himself to stay calm. That was weird! Is that where my body is now? Locked up in some dungeon? I really need to talk to someone about this.

Edwin noticed that Zecora and Rarity were looking increasingly worried as their conversation continued. He cleared his throat to get their attention. He was miserably fatigued, in a lot of pain, and out of his element, both physically and mentally; he was eager to get moving again. He had watched a good portion of the first season of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic; he knew that Twilight Sparkle was a personal protégé of Princess Celestia and a powerful unicorn in her own right. If anyone could help him get back into his body it would likely be her. Moreover, Spike was a personal friend and ward of hers and she deserved to know about his situation. He decided that he would make a beeline for the library, always assuming he could find it, and try as best he could to explain what was going on to her.

“Zecora I want to thank you for taking the time and effort to help treat our wounds,” Edwin said diplomatically. “I'm don't know why your treatments haven't been completely effective on me but I appreciate you trying. Perhaps dragons are simply built differently than equines?” When Zecora showed signs that she would not accept such an explanation, Edwin spoke again quickly, “I'd like to get moving again in any case. I should be alright to head back into town right?” He had purposefully worded the question so that she could not easily say no, a talent he had picked up from listening to people debate back home. The two females exchanged a glance before looking back at him, surprised.

“Spike, are you certain that's a good idea. You're just a baby dragon after all,” Rarity commented.

She had touched a nerve. Edwin snorted and bared his teeth briefly. He hated to be patronized. He calmed himself after a moment however; Rarity was ignorant of his personality quirks, or even his age, at this point and could hardly be blamed for being concerned for his well-being.

“I don't think I'll cause further damage as long as I take it easy,” he replied. “Besides it's not too far to Ponyville from here.” He was going out on a limb a bit as he was still not familiar with the geography of the area around Ponyville but he felt he could reasonably assume that Zecora, who apparently traveled to the town to resupply her hut, would not want to live too far into the Everfree.

Rarity sighed and looked at Zecora, who after a moment nodded and addressed them both. “Please be careful, my young, brave, friends, Do not stray from the path 'til it ends, The Everfree Forest is no place to wander, unless it's your life you wish to squander, This close to the edge, no danger I see, Yet stranger things have happened to me.”

Grinning slightly, Edwin leaped off the bed and immediately grimaced as fresh pained roared in his chest. “Can I ask for one thing please. Do you have any Aspirin, or even a piece of willow bark I can chew on the way?” he said through clenched teeth, hoping privately that there was not a dragon version of Reye's syndrome that he was risking with such a request. He stopped clenching his jaw as his recently replaced teeth wobbled and shot spikes of agony up the damaged nerves. “Or maybe, willow bark tea?” he amended, trying to communicate the discomfort in his teeth.

Zecora blinked, appearing surprised at his knowledge of medicinal plants. The willow, or osier as she thought of the shrub that grew in the swamps around her home, had long been known as an effective treatment for pain although its method of action was not well understood by her. There were often better treatments, but they usually involved the use of magical plants. However, since Spike was showing resistance to her usual methods, she was more than willing to try his suggestion. “Of course, my friend, it's the least I can do, let's rest for a moment, so the tea can brew.”

Edwin allowed himself a tight smile. Zecora's method of speech was certainly interesting, even entertaining. He hoped that he could return for some additional conversation when the situation was different. Like maybe when I'm in my own body. Wait, what am I thinking!? I should be more concerned about getting the heck out of here and back to Earth where things make sense instead of worrying about getting to know strange zebras. Maybe Spike's softheartedness is rubbing off on me. He shook his head slightly and approached the two mares.

Zecora had set a small kettle over her fire during his soliloquy and was presently rummaging in her stores for what he assumed was her bottle of willow bark. Edwin looked at Rarity and surveyed her appearance. Her upper back, where the wolf had bitten her, was covered in a network of poultices, but other than that her wounds were mostly gone. This is really amazing. I wonder if any of Zecora's techniques could be applied on Earth?

“Rarity, how are you feeling?” he addressed the white unicorn. “I don't want to head back if you're not feeling up to it.”

“Don't worry about me, Spike. I'm far more concerned about you. We haven't been able to do much for you I'm afraid.” She replied with a look of worry on her face.

“Sometimes time itself is the best medicine,” he answered simply. As he did with Zecora, he continued before she could argue, “ but I'll definitely go to the Ponyville Hospital. Maybe they can try further treatments then.” Thankfully, Rarity appeared to be mollified by the statement.

The kettle began whistling piercingly as the water boiled. After Edwin downed the bitter willow bark brew and the pain began to subside, he and Rarity began the journey back to Ponyville. He was looking forward to getting some of his issues of his chest but he was also anxious. After all, he did have a lot of explaining to do.

Six

Edwin plodded stolidly towards the lights of Ponyville. The sun had begun to set while he and Rarity were being treated by Zecora and was now almost down completely. His stomach was rumbling steadily as he walked and his limbs were jittery; he regretted now not asking for something to eat while they had been with Zecora. He was walking down a small hill that was the last remnant of the Everfree Forest. Moss and vines hung down from the trees and mist was forming in a dip before the path came into Ponyville. Rarity paused, looking at the mist with worry.

“It's not going to hurt you Rarity. It's just water vapor,” Edwin said. In spite of his advice however, he hesitated. He wasn't sure how things worked here and assuming something wrong could mean exacerbating their situation. “At least I don't think so?” he added, raising his inflection at the end to make the statement a question.

“Oh, Spike, I was just worried that there might be a puddle of mud hidden in there,” she said, indicating toward the pocket of mist, “it's hard to see clearly down there. I suppose it's silly of me with everything we've been through today, however old habits are hard to break are they not?”

Edwin nodded slowly. “I think we are both due for a bath regardless,” he said, “not that you are dirty of course.” He spoke in unconscious imitation of the real Spike, whom he had been a fan of back home. “Where should we head first? Ponyville Hospital?”

“There's no question. You need medical attention young dragon!” Rarity said. “Afterward I'll have to check on Sweetie Belle. I agreed to watch her for tonight so my parents could have a date night. She is at Sugarcube Corner for a cute-ceañera so she'll be okay for a while yet.”

Edwin nodded again and began walking forward. It seemed safer to not speak too much lest Rarity get suspicious. Still, he was absorbing every word she said, trying to get a better grasp of his situation. As he approached the final dip he saw that the mist would be over his head at its deepest point. I wonder how tall Spike is. That's one of many questions I'll have for him if I can ever get my hands on him. Also, why did I hear your voice in my head before I woke up here? He emerged on the other side of the mist and stared ahead at the unfamiliar cityscape.

Immediately to his right, he noticed the sod-roofed cottage of Fluttershy, resplendent in its lush mane of grass and with every window lit. He grinned as he saw the many bird houses and animal homes that littered the yard. Beyond it loomed the vast acreage of Sweet Apple Acres, the laden trees standing like sentinels along the path toward the center of town. He saw the Apple family farmhouse perched on one of the many hills in the orchard and his grin widened.

The town of Ponyville itself was a odd juxtaposition of various European-looking architectural styles. He noticed everything from festive Medieval-style heavy canvas tents, to Tudor-style timber frame and plaster dwellings with overhanging upper stories and thatched roofs. He recognized a few buildings such as town hall, Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, and Twilight's library; he also noticed the hulking hospital standing off to the side, its relatively modern shingled roof making it stand out.

He gasped softly as he beheld the royal city of Canterlot, visible in the distance, and promptly stopped as his mind was momentarily overwhelmed and his fluttering muscles threatened to give out. The reality of the vista in front of him was hard to discount and for the first time he realized he was very far from home. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, steadying himself, almost relishing the pain in his chest. He opened his eyes to find Rarity gazing at him with concern on her face.

“Spike would you like to ride on my back the rest of the way?” she asked tentatively. “You look ever so pale.”

Edwin wondered momentarily how a purple dragon could look pale before registering what she had said. “Er, thanks for the offer but I prefer to stay on my own two legs,” he said.

“Come now Spike I insist! It's the least I can do for you after you helped fight off those wolves. Remember, you mustn't push yourself too hard.”

Rarity attempted to push her head between and under Edwin's legs so as to force him onto her back. He skittered wildly to the side, hissing viciously and baring his teeth in indignation and pain. “Enough of this nonsense Rarity! I can make it to the hospital on my own and I'm NOT riding on your back while you still have those on you,” he said brusquely, pointing at her bandages. He realized his teeth were still bared and closed his mouth with an effort. Even to himself, he could not explain his vehemence.

She looked hurt, and tears started to form in her eyes. “Oh my little Spikey-Wikey, what's gotten into you today?”

Edwin snorted disdainfully before he could stop himself; the question was full of irony. Be careful you fool! Rarity is innocent in this. Don't hurt her more than you have to! This situation is still salvageable, just apologize and get to the hospital. The sooner you can explain what's going to Twilight, the sooner you can get started on a solution. He sighed and looked into Rarity's eyes. They were swimming in tears and he felt the uncomfortable weight of guilt sink into his gut.

“Rarity, I'm sorry for reacting so harshly, I'm really not feeling myself today. Your offer is generous but I really prefer walking over possibly hurting you further.”

For a moment, Rarity didn't respond, and the tension in the air was palpable, then she smiled. “Spike we have both been through so much today. I'm sorry if I upset you.” She hooked a foreleg around him and pressed her face into his, nuzzling him gently.

Edwin stiffened but allowed the contact, although the touch of her warm fur was like a flaming brand. At last, when he thought he could bear it no longer, she released him and pecked him on the cheek. His heart was racing as if he had sprinted the distance from Zecora's hut instead of walking and he hoped fervently that Rarity was done showing affection for a while. He looked into her eyes again and saw such a depth of tender warmth that he could not stay angry at her for long. After a moment, he gestured toward that hospital. “Shall we?”

****

Princess Celestia was looking at the creature in the cell with her mouth open, completely nonplussed. She blinked a couple of times trying to process what he had said. Spike is not a common name among my little ponies. In fact, I can only think of one of my subjects with that name, Twilight's assistant. However, the last time I checked Spike was a baby dragon, not a creature that could stand eye to eye with me.

“Princess! Hey Princess!” the creature shouted. He sounded unnerved somehow, and although his voice was deeper, Celestia thought she could hear a bit of Spike in it. “Princess are you okay?” he said, reaching out to her. His arm was long and before she knew what happened she was staggering against a hard shove to her side. She glared at him with narrowed eyes. Luna was right! And I let my guard down like a foal! I need to discuss this with Luna. Without another word, she left the dungeon again.

Luna was waiting for her at the threshold. “What hast thou learned sister?” she spoke immediately. “Do we need to muster the guard?”

“Perhaps not just yet,” Celestia replied and hung her head. “Luna I let my guard down and that creature just about shoved me to the floor. It is incredibly strong and quick. I think I should talk to it again, but I want him restrained this time.” As she spoke her last words she turned to look at Luna's guards. The two dark colored pegasi nodded in unison and entered the dungeon. Both Luna and Celestia winced as the sounds of a struggle reached their ears but before too long the guards emerged again. One of them was nursing a black eye and the other a bloody nose.

Celestia examined them briefly and seeing that their injuries were superficial addressed them. “You have both performed above and beyond your duty today and I commend you.” She looked at her sister and Luna nodded, seeming to read her mind in a way that only centuries of experience could allow. “Please proceed to the castle infirmary to get your injuries treated, and-” she raised a hoof, forestalling the protest she saw in their eyes, “-and please send an entire squad of the guard down here to relieve you. The first guards you see, understood?” They nodded crisply to her and saluted Luna, causing another pang of annoyance to the elder Princess, before making their way off in the direction of the infirmary.

Celestia watched the guards make their way down the corridor without really seeing them. She was thinking of how she had thought she heard a bit of the baby dragon's personality in the creature's voice. She was thinking of how, if he really was somehow in that body, he would probably not be used to its proportions. She was thinking of how an attempt at a comforting touch might turn into an accidental shove if he was not used to having such a long arm. Most of all, she was thinking about the sounds of the struggle she and Luna had heard when the pegasi guards had gone in to restrain the creature. If that really was Spike in there and he had been injured, she didn't know if she could forgive herself.

It was true that Spike had hatched because of Twilight Sparkle's prodigious magical talent, but Celestia herself had undertaken the responsibility of raising Spike until Twilight was old enough to care for him on her own. In a way, he was like the son she never had, and she loved him dearly. The possibility that the creature in the dungeon somehow housed the mind of her beloved Spike was really bothering her. Is it possible that he accidentally shoved me? He didn't seem to be trying to hurt me.

“Tia?” Luna asked, looking at her with concern in her eyes. “Tia, what did it say to you? I know something is bothering you. Even after having been away so long, we are still sisters.”

Celestia turned from her ruminations and looked at Luna. “He told me that his name was Spike. But he said it in a way that made it sound like... like he was my Spike. Is that possible Luna? Could it really be him?”

Luna looked at Celestia warily. “Thou knowest as well as us that anything is possible,” she said carefully, reverting to her archaic speech patterns in her caution, “but it seems unlikely that this creature is from our land. The mind we sensed in our premonition was not like any we have met before.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of hooves approaching rapidly. A squad of eight pony guards and one non-com officer came up and snapped to attention. “At your service your majesties,” said the sergeant in charge of the squad, a unicorn stallion with the unfortunate name of War Horse.

“Ah, thank you for responding so quickly Sergeant. I had a bit of trouble with this guest of ours here,” she indicated toward the dungeon, “and after he managed to injure two of the Lunar guard I decided to call for reinforcements. I need to speak with the creature again but I am going to leave the door open this time. Please keep anything you might hear in strict confidence, understood?” She addressed the entire squad with the last question, and they nodded.

“Creature?” asked War Horse with a concerned expression.

“It is restrained at the moment so you probably won't need to engage it. However, if you are wondering it appears to be some type of intelligent ape, smaller than a minotaur but very quick and strong.”

The Sergeant nodded and began arranging his squad around the door in case they were needed. He also sent a guard to each end of the corridor to prevent any looky-loos from crowding the area. This squad was armed with spears, unlike the two pegasi of the Lunar guard, adding to the grim atmosphere.

Celestia looked at Luna for a moment, “Alright, here we go again.”

****

Idiot! Damn this clumsy body! I need to get through to her! Spike was furious at himself. His anxiety about Rarity's fate had begun to dig at him again and he had just gone and shoved his Princess and surrogate mother. Celestia had left the door open this time as she left and Spike heard her talking quietly to whoever was out there. Nightmare Moon, perhaps? Why would she be associating with her? For that matter I thought Twilight and her friends had defeated her.

He stopped his thought as he saw the two nightmarish pegasi from before enter the dungeon. They did not look happy.

“So thought you would take a swipe at the Princess, eh?” said the first.

“You are lucky our instructions are to restrain you and not to re-train you,” said the second.

“Still, we're not shy about getting creative in our technique,” said the first, uncoiling the rope they had used to drag him here.

“So if you know what's good for you don't give us any trouble,” said the second, unlocking the cell door.

They leaped on him immediately, wrestling with him to tie his limbs. Unlike their previous effort, Spike was not in complete shock this time. In fear, he raised his arms to protect his face. He felt one of his elbows connect solidly with the snout of one of the guards. He recoiled from the guard he had inadvertently hit and in the process managed to sink his other elbow into the eye socket of the other guard. They both bellowed with rage and pain and redoubled their efforts to restrain him. Spike decided that it would probably be for the best to just go limp.

The two pegasi finished their work in under forty seconds but they were both panting from the effort. One of the guards was sporting a bloody nose and the other a rapidly swelling black eye. They looked on him with distaste tinged with reluctant respect.

“I'll give you credit beast, you didn't make it easy this time,” said the first.

“Yeah, but we always get ours in the end,” said the second.

They turned to leave. One of the guards, Spike couldn't see who since he was staring fixedly at the cell floor, trod on his groin on the way out. Spike let out a silent scream as pain exploded in his belly, burning its way up his guts. This creature did not seem to have any protection whatsoever for its most sensitive anatomy. I HAVE to keep my composure! The quicker I convince the Princess of who I am, the sooner she can dispatch ponies to help Rarity. In spite of his own advice, he couldn't help but be angry with the pegasus guards. What the hell was their problem anyway?

Seven

Spike looked up from his position on the floor as he heard what sounded like an entire squad of pony guards march down to the dungeon. The cacophony of the hoof clops and jangling armor was enough to focus his attention again on how to address the Princess. I can't make any more mistakes. I'm on thin ice as it is and Rarity's life might hang in the balance. Stay stock still when talking to her. Make no motions that could be construed as threatening. Speak only when spoken to. Be polite.

This time the nightmare pegasi had not hog-tied him, rather they had bound his arms and legs separately, allowing him a modicum of mobility. He forced himself into a sitting position, an act that was surprisingly easy although his gut still ached from the low blow he had endured. The body that he now inhabited was definitely a lot stronger than his own. He waited for the Princess to enter again, hoping fervently that Nightmare Moon would keep her distance.

At length he saw her walking toward him. He also saw several pony guards stationed at the door, wielding spears awkwardly with their front hooves. Okay, last chance Spike. Make it count!

“I fear we may have gotten off to a poor start,” Princess Celestia began. “You said your name was Spike. Could you tell me what type of creature you are, Spike?”

He looked directly into her light purple eyes, noticing more detail in them than usual; even sitting, this creature was higher off the ground than he normally was. “I honestly have no idea what type of creature this body is, Princess. I was on my way back from digging sapphires in the Everfree Forest with my friend Rarity when we were ambushed by timber-wolves. I-I think...”

“Hold on for a moment please, Spike,” the Princess interrupted raising an eyebrow. “Where in the Everfree forest were you ambushed.”

“We were close to Zecora's hut. Do you know where that is?” Spike answered.

“Yes. Zecora and I are familiar with each other,” Celestia replied distractedly, “please excuse me for a moment.” She exited the dungeon to speak to one of the guards. She returned perhaps a minute later. “I apologize Spike, I needed to dispatch a flight of pegasi to assist with the situation in the Everfree Forest.”

“You-you believe me?” he breathed, hardly able to comprehend what he was hearing.

“Well no, not necessarily, but if there is a possibility your story is true it is best to err on the side of caution. Now you say your name is Spike and that you are acquainted with Rarity, the embodiment of the Element of Generosity. I am familiar with only one of my subjects by that name in a position to know the wielders of the Elements of Harmony and he is a dragon, not an ape. He is the personal assistant to my protégé and like a son to me. As such I will treat any lies involving him as a personal attack. Now tell me Spike, why should I believe a word you are saying!?” She spoke the last question with uncharacteristic harshness, allowing her frustration to come through her diplomatic facade.

Spike gaped at the Princess. He had angered her many times during the course of his childhood like any foal but the fierceness in her face now was not something he had seen before. He was also absurdly touched by her statement. She considers me as a son, wow... He struggled to make his explanation, aware of the guards edging their way into the dungeon. Suddenly, inspiration struck.

“Princess, did anypony tell you where it was that I appeared?” he asked tentatively.

“How is this relevant to your story?” Celestia countered.

“Because Princess, I recognized the room I materialized in. It was the dragon nursery, the very room where you helped to raise me. The place where you taught me to read and write and how to act in public. The place where I slept every night until I came to be under Twilight's care. The place where my fellow orphaned dragon eggs are kept. Princess Celestia, I promise you that I am the dragon that you raised as your own. I even sent a letter to you earlier this week using the spell that you yourself placed on me.” As Spike spoke, his emotions rose, and tears threatened to fall from his strange, alien eyes.

“To answer your original question. You should believe me because I- because I love you, and I would never lie to you,” he sputtered, losing his composure entirely.

After a time, indeterminable to him in his state, Spike heard the lock to the cell unlock. He felt the bonds on his limbs loosen and fall off and he felt himself drawn into a warm embrace as the Princess held him until he calmed down, just like old times.

“Spike, what has happened to you?” the Princess asked huskily, breaking her hold on him, her eyes brighter than normal. “How did you come to be in this body? You say you were attacked by timber-wolves, but how did that result in this?” she said gesturing at his body.

Spike looked at Celestia. “It was the thought of Rarity dying that drove me to do it,” he said quietly. His voice was still watery, but he was noticeably calmer. “At least I think it was me who caused it. I saw that we might die there in that clearing, within shouting distance of the safety of Zecora's hut. The wolves were closing in when I sent out a desperate thought to anyone who would listen. I prayed that Rarity would make it out of there alive.” He hesitated. “Princess, did you hear me when I thought that? It would have been earlier today.”

Celestia looked bemused. “Oh Spike, I am many things, but a goddess is not one them. I am not possessed of the ability to hear the thoughts of my subjects and grant their desires at will.”

“Oh,” Spike replied simply and after a moment continued. “Well, anyways after that was when I- well I must have faded out or something because I had a sort of vision.”

“A vision?” Celestia repeated slowly, “And what did you see in this vision?”

“Well, it was like I was in a void, everything was black. The only thing I could see was a bed; on that bed was this creature,” he said gesturing toward his body. “I saw it open its eyes and then we- well we were somehow drawn toward each other and we collided, and I ended up on the floor of the nursery. Everything that has happened since then you already know.”

Celestia looked at Spike with great intensity again. “Spike, do you believe that this creature is now in your body?” she asked.

“I can't say for sure Princess, but it seems to be the most likely sen-scen-scenary...”

“Scenario,” Celestia finished automatically. She smiled absently at his youthful speech pattern, then her expression hardened again. “Spike, my sister Luna, she had a premonition earlier today of a possibly dark force entering Equestria. She believes that this creature you saw in your vision, and whose body you currently inhabit, may be that force. If he is in your body, then I must act immediately to address this possible threat.”

Spike's mouth opened and his eyes widened as he realized the gravity of what could happen if there really was a malevolent force in his body. And yet... it doesn't make sense. If that creature was somehow summoned to save Rarity, how could it be evil?

“Spike I must attend my pupil, Twilight Sparkle. It is imperative that she be made aware of the situation and since I can no longer trust the spell I placed on your body, I must deliver the message in person,” the Princess said, interrupting Spike's reveries. “Will you be alright here for a bit longer? You are still not used to that body and we should not take any unnecessary risks. That creature is frightfully strong as I learned firsthand.”

Spike flushed. “I'm so sorry about that Princess!” he said immediately. “It's like you say, this body is weird. The arms are way longer than I'm used too. I didn't mean to hurt you.”

Princess Celestia drew Spike into a brief hug again, this time more cognizant of the fact that she was embracing a creature that smelled of sweat and grime and darkness. Her resolve grew stronger. “It never happened, Spike. Do not let it bother you,” she said soothingly and released him. “You will be okay, won't you?”

“Of course, Princess,” Spike replied, although privately he was already hating the cell.

“Then I must be off,” Celestia said grimly and strode out of the dungeon. After a brief conversation with the alicorn whom he still thought of as Nightmare Moon, she flashed blindingly and was gone.

****

Edwin was growing increasingly frustrated with the situation at the hospital. And Twilight Sparkle, well, she certainly was not helping things. Especially since her special talent was magic. Edwin was starting to become aware of certain things with regards to magic, namely that anything that was powered by it would seemingly not affect him. He had noticed this first at Zecora's hut, when her healing potions, which had worked so marvelously on Rarity, had failed to have an effect on him. But things were starting to become more complicated.

Apparently, pony medicine, at least since the joining of the three races, had been developed largely around the widespread use of magic remedies. For example, after five minutes with Doctor Stable, who was a unicorn, Rarity had emerged from an exam room with nothing but healing scabs on her upper back. According to the doctor, she would not even have to put up with those for much longer, and there would be no scarring. Edwin, who had seen the ragged wounds in their original state not even three hours ago, was agog. And all of this was thanks to magic.

Before Rarity had departed, owing to her responsibility to her sister, she had promised Edwin to let Twilight Sparkle know where he was and why he was there. She had also kissed him on the cheek again, much to his chagrin. He had winced mentally as he tried to figure out a way to explain to Twilight what was going on but had decided on crossing that bridge when he came to it. Instead, he had focused on doing his best to help the team of nurses and Doctor Stable who were attempting to accelerate the healing of his broken ribs, a feat at which they were failing spectacularly.

Halfway through their ministrations, an azure unicorn mare had arrived and introduced herself as Minuette, though she said all her friends called her Colgate. After looking at her tail and mane, layered with a shade of periwinkle so pale it almost seemed almost white on top and with dark blue on the bottom, he could see why. He had almost burst out laughing, in spite of the working doctor and nurses, when she had announced that she was the local dentist. After the formalities were completed, she too had gone to work trying heal Edwin, although she focused on reconnecting the tissue in his gums to his teeth.

Then Twilight Sparkle had arrived. Edwin had no idea why she had been allowed to enter the crowded examination room while the medical staff was still working. Perhaps she had simply teleported her way in or used her influence to browbeat some poor pony into submission. In the five minutes that had passed since her entrance, she had been constantly harrying the poor doctor with increasingly frantic questions, first about his condition, then about why they continued to fail at healing him. She had even attempted a few spells herself. And that brought him back to the present.

He noticed that the medical team had stopped working on him and were instead focused on Twilight. Minuette, however, continued to strain herself in her attempt to heal his teeth, eyes closed, horn glowing, not seeming to notice Twilight at all.

“I'm going to have to ask you to leave the room Miss Sparkle,” Doctor Stable was saying, “Just let us do our jobs and I'm sure that Spike will be fine.”

“I can't do that Doctor!” Twilight was starting to sound panicky. “You have never worked on a dragon before. I may have information that you need to treat Spike properly.”

“I cannot allow you in here if you cannot control yourself and let us work!” Doctor Stable exclaimed. He and Twilight were glaring daggers at each other.

Edwin decided to cut in and hopefully end this little stand off. “Excuse me Doctor, can I please have a moment to speak to Twilight in private?”

Doctor Stable turned his glare on Edwin for a moment, then his expression softened. “Of course Spike. I'm sorry we haven't been able to make you more comfortable yet, but I'm sure we'll be able to figure out some sort of treatment in time. You should be alright for the time being.” Amazingly, he winked and mouthed a quick 'Good Luck' while gesturing towards Twilight.

As the medical staff filed out of the examination room, Colgate suddenly looked up, dazed. She looked around with a puzzled expression. “Where did everypony go?” she asked.

“I asked for a moment alone to speak with Twilight,” Edwin replied, then added in concern, “Are you alright? You look quite tired if you'll forgive me for saying so.”

“Oh, well I have never had such trouble re-attaching a tooth before. Maybe it's because you are a dragon? I'm afraid I pushed myself rather hard. Do you want me to go too?” she said.

“Please. And don't worry about my teeth. I appreciate your attempt but I'm not worth that kind of effort,” he said gently.

As she walked out and closed the door behind her, Edwin turned to look at Twilight. He recoiled slightly at the expression on her face.

“What do you mean you're not worth the effort!?” she shouted. “I don't want to ever hear that kind of talk aga-” She stopped abruptly as she got a good look at his eyes. “Spike, what's happened to you? Rarity told me about the attack, but something seems very wrong with you...” she trailed off, looking imploringly at him.

Edwin decided to deflect her question for the moment. “Twilight can you do me a favor please? Can you try to levitate me off the exam table?”

“What, why?” she asked.

“Please just try it. I'm testing a hypothesis of mine,” he stated evenly.

“Ooh, nice word Spike!” she cooed. “Your vocabulary is improving everyday!”

Edwin just gazed at her with an eyebrow raised. She caught his eye and cleared her throat, blushing slightly. “Sorry, Spike. Okay here we go.”

She planted herself firmly, with her four legs spread wide, and began trying to levitate Edwin. At first her expression was neutral, but before too long her eyes had closed and she was looking strained, similar to what Colgate had looked like. Her horn glowed brighter and brighter until finally Edwin had to shield his eyes. Looking down at himself, he saw a blazing, purple aura surrounding his body. Experimentally, he brushed at it with his hand, and he was surprised to see it dissipate in a puff. At last the blinding light coming from Twilight's horn was extinguished, and Twilight herself slumped with a gasp. She was breathing hard and sweat rolled down her face and body.

“What-,” she took a huge breath, “What was that all about? I've never had trouble levitating you before.”

Edwin sighed. It was time to cross the bridge. “Twilight Sparkle, I am not who you think I am. In fact, I am not Spike at all.”

Eight

Twilight appeared flabbergasted by Edwin's statement. On occasion, Spike had displayed an impish sort of humor that she herself had trouble understanding. This, however, did not seem like the type of situation where Spike would try to prank her. He was tired, hurt, and, judging from the sounds coming from his stomach, starving. Still, it seemed the most logical conclusion. After all, what he was saying did not make any sense at all.

“Very funny Spike, but this is hardly the time for your jokes. You're hurt more than you've ever been in your life and you're showing a resistance to magic that I've never seen before. This could be very bad, perhaps some sort of new disease. This could be-”

“Twilight!” Edwin interrupted before Twilight could build up a head of steam. “What will it take to make you believe that I'm not the person you think I am? I don't even think I'm from the same world for goodness' sake.”

“Not from the same world?” Twilight mouthed slowly and placed a hoof on Edwin's forehead. “I think you may be suffering from delirium. Did anything odd happen to you out there in the Everfree Forest?” she said.

“You mean other than waking up in another creature's body, being attacked by bloodthirsty, mythological creatures, getting my ribs broken, my teeth knocked out, killing one the of the poor beasts, and meeting a talking pony and zebra? No, nothing at all,” he replied sarcastically. He had watched an episode of the My Little Pony show where Twilight Sparkle had had trouble believing in Pinkie Pie's Pinkie sense; He had had an idea that she would have a hard time believing his predicament. Still, he had harbored a hope that his uncharacteristic behavior might encourage her to see the truth. Her obstinate refusal to even consider his story was grating on his nerves.

She grinned infuriatingly at him. “You speak as if talking equines were new to you but I know for a fact that you've been around us ponies for your entire life,” she said triumphantly.

“Actually Twilight, where I come from ponies and all of their equine brethren lack sentience and do not have the ability to speak,” Edwin said.

“What an awful thing to say Spike! You're not acting yourself!” She narrowed her eyes at him, studying him as if he were a laboratory specimen. “When was the last time you ate anything?”

“My name isn't Spike and I have no idea when Spike ate his last meal. It must have been a while ago since I feel very hungry. As for me, well I had a late lunch maybe-” he took some time to make a mental calculation, “oh, maybe eight hours ago.”

She placed a hoof under her chin and began walking around him with an odd, three-legged gait, observing him closely. “You have several places on you where the timber-wolves were able to penetrate your scales. Don't you think it's at least possible that they transmitted some sort of disease or poison that's causing you to hallucinate?” she spoke, using the gentle voice of a negotiator talking down a suicidal person.

“Anything is possible Twilight,” Edwin replied, with a twinge of unease. Her argument and tone were very convincing, however, he found it unlikely that some poison could give him over twenty years of memories. “Anything is possible, including the possibility that you are wrong.”

“Ponies do not just switch bodies!” Twilight exclaimed suddenly. “It's not scientifically possible! You are just confused, Spike. I know of a few doctors in Canterlot that may be able to help you but first, we need to get you stabilized. So no more talk about being something you're not okay?”

“Not scientifically possible? Like magic isn't scientifically possible? Like Pinkie Pie's Pinkie sense isn't scientifically possible? You need to open your mind Twilight because believe it or not, I am not your enemy here. My primary interest is getting things back to the way they were,” Edwin spoke, raising his voice slightly. It seemed Twilight would need plenty of convincing in this matter. He considered doing something drastic to help change her mind, then reconsidered. He had to be the mature one here. After all he had plenty of time to convince her using reasoned debate.

“Magic isn't scientifically possible?” Twilight scoffed. “Well that's news to me! I guess all of Equestria is just one big lie then!”

“Magic doesn't exist where I come from Twilight,” Edwin said softly. “I think that's the reason why no one was able to treat my injuries. It seems most medical treatments here are based on magic and magic does not work on me. If that isn't physical evidence of the truth of my situation, I don't know what is.”

She opened her mouth to begin arguing again, then hesitated. Could what Spike was saying be true? She tilted her head at Edwin, then spoke. “How do you even know who I am if you're not Spike? How do you know about Equestria? How did you know what the timber-wolves were? How did Rarity and Zecora not suspect anything was amiss? How do you even know our language for the matter?” She was calmer now, more analytical.

“I told Rarity that I was in shock about the attack. After that she dismissed my odd behavior as shock and I suspect she relayed the message to Zecora. Zecora was very puzzled as to why her remedies did not work on me but attributed it to Spike's dragon physiology, although she did not seem completely convinced. As to my knowledge of Equestria and its language, I will hold on to that information for now. Suffice it to say, that I have a basic understanding of the general situation here,” Edwin said, relieved that Twilight was at last beginning to hear him out.

“So if you're not Spike, then who exactly are you?” Twilight asked slowly.

“My name is Edwin, Edwin Montero. Have you ever heard of a species called human? Their scientific name in my world is Homo Sapiens, genus Homo, family Hominidae, of the order of primates. That is what I am,” he stated.

Twilight stared at him, shocked at his use of binomial nomenclature, a talent that she had learned far later than Spike's age. She shook her head to clear it and decided to disregard his use of language. She remembered the devastating, far-reaching effects of the poison joke plant, and thought that forcing a young dragon to act as another species would not be out of the question for such a poison. After all, there has been very little study conducted on the animals of the Everfree Forest. Who's to say that timber-wolves don't have something like poison joke in their fangs or claws? Or maybe he accidentally wandered into a patch of poison joke without realizing it! She thought it likely that this was the case but for the moment, she decided to humor him.

“No Spike, I've never heard of humans or Homo Sapiens. Princess Celestia did tell me about some creatures in the Hominidae family though. According to her, they live far away from Equestria and while very intelligent, do not exhibit signs of sentience,” Twilight said edging around Edwin. “You seem to be intelligent enough however, what type of society do you come from?”

“I come from the city of Phoenix, of the State of Arizona, of the nation of the United States of America, of the planet Earth,” he said solemnly, aware of the fact that he was technically making a form of first contact.

He was tempted to say, “I come in peace,” or perhaps, “Live long and prosper.” Instead he continued, “Our society has developed over thousands of years into a highly advanced civilization. We do not have magic, as I said before, but we have mastered the use of tools to the point of-” He cut off sharply and gasped as an image wormed its way into his brain.

He saw a hazy image of the cell he had seen earlier in what he assumed was some sort of dungeon. Again, he looked upon his own body, laying upon the pile of hay in the corner. He was slightly ashamed to see that Spike was crying in apparent terror. He then noticed two angry looking pony guards rearing and then sinking their hooves repeatedly into Spike's unarmored body. He winced as he saw the poor dragon being beaten. Sudden fury flared within him. This is wrong and it needs to be set right! Forget Twilight, I need to talk to Princess Celestia directly.

“Spike! Spike!” Twilight yelled shaking Edwin's little dragon body.

Edwin came back to himself with a hiss and a snarl, the image in the dungeon still fresh on his mind. He bared his teeth and growled like a cornered, feral animal. Twilight retreated in a hurry, having never seen Spike act like this.

“What happened, Spike? You just stopped talking and you had this expression on your face, like you weren't even there,” she spoke shakily.

Not even bothering to address her question Edwin spoke harshly, “I need to speak with Princess Celestia right now! I think that my body was somehow transported here to Equestria and that Spike is now trapped in it even as I am trapped in his body.” He stopped, lowering his head and bringing his hand up to his face as he frowned and attempted to calm himself. It hurt. Spike's fingers were tipped with sharp claws. He welcomed the pain as it helped him to focus.

“To answer your question Twilight, I had a vision of a cell in what looked like a dungeon. My body, my real body was there. I could tell it was Spike in there, I could sense it, but he was being hurt. He was being beaten by two of the royal guards,” he said, growling again. “So you see, I need to talk to Celestia in order to put a stop to it. It's not right!”

“Enough, Spike! You're obviously suffering from some sort of mad delusions brought on by either shock, magic, poison, or some combination thereof! You're coming with me!” Twilight shouted, attempting to restrain the dragon with magic.

Edwin roared and batted the magic aura away. As before, the aura disappeared in a puff. He was all fours now standing on the exam table, looking apoplectic with rage; if he had had any fur, his hackles would have been raised. Twilight was on the other side of the room, blocking the door. She too was in a sort of battle stance, seeming ready to tackle Edwin if he tried to escape. Who knows what would have happened if at that moment there had not been a commotion outside the closed door of the exam room. Both Edwin and Twilight turned to look at the door, distracted. There was a shocked series of soft screams and muffled voices, then the door opened. Princess Celestia of Equestria was standing in the doorway, ethereal mane and tail streaming, eyes blazing.

“Twilight Sparkle!” she said imperiously, “Ah, and Spike. It is good that I was able to find you so quickly. We seem to have a situation with Spike here; he may not be all that he seems.”

****

Spike watched the door of the dungeon for a moment, it's image burned into his eyes by the brilliance of the Princess's teleportation spell. He rubbed absently at his wrists which had dark welts on them caused by the ropes that had been cruelly tightened upon them. One of the garments the creature was wearing came up to its wrist and Spike tweezed at it experimentally. It came up reluctantly. The cloth fit very tightly to the skin of the creature, but it felt oddly good, and it was warm.

He sighed and retreated back to the pile of hay in the corner. He did not know how long the Princess would be gone but he was starting to feel tired after the day's activities. He wobbled again as he walked and almost fell. He felt the creatures heavy frame and clothing being pulled by gravity. I want my old body back! Having no tail is horrible. I feel like if I get an inch out of balance I'm going to fall! And being this far off the ground is not nearly as much fun as I thought it would be. It just means I have farther to fall!

At last he achieved the pile of hay and he dropped onto it with another sigh. He bashed his head a damned good one too as he misjudged the distance to the wall. Cringing, and nursing his many aches and pains, Spike curled into a fetal position and began to try and nap. He was dozing off slightly when he heard voices outside the door.

He heard the deep sound of a voice he recognized, a pegasus flight Master Sergeant with, in Spike's opinion, the very cool name of Shikra Sparrowhawk. “My flight has reported back from the Everfree Forest, Princess Luna. They report that both Rarity and Spike survived their attack and were administered first aid by the zebra, Zecora, before returning to Ponyville for further treatment. We also discovered the body of one of the wolves about a quarter-mile from Zecora's home. It was- badly burned, your highness.”

He heard the voice of Nightmare Moon reply. “THOU HAST MY THANKS, MASTER SERGEANT! PLEASE RELAY MY REGARDS TO THE MEMBERS OF THY FLIGHT!” Spike cringed at the amazing volume the alicorn could project while at the same time feeling a relief so deep that he could hardly acknowledge it. Rarity is safe! Thank Celestia she's safe! She's safe! She's safe! It was all worth it! She's safe!

Fresh tears first swam, then fell from his eyes and for a moment Spike forgot where he was and what he was. The simple fact that the mare he loved had somehow survived what could have easily been the end of both of them was starting to sink in. She's safe and I'm safe. We survived! We survived! He recited the words in a sort of mental victory dance. He grinned stupidly as he thought of Rarity's beautiful face, her smooth white coat, her perfect hair, her shapely flank. He had saved her. She was alive and well. This whole situation with the body swap, he could deal with it now because Rarity was safe.

He whirled as he saw a dark shape enter the room. It was Nightmare Moon, although she was in her disguise as Princess Luna. Spike eyed her fearfully. He knew that Princess Celestia trusted her sister, but Spike was far more wary. Sometimes he thought Princess Celestia was too trusting for her own good. Maybe that's the dragon part of me talking.

“OUR SISTER SPEAKS MOST HIGHLY OF THEE! SHE CLAIMS THAT THY BODY CONTAINS THE SOUL OF THE DRAGON SPIKE!” she spoke, rattling the bars of the cell with seemingly no more effort than that of a whisper.

He saw the eyes of Nightmare Moon were upon his and suddenly he could not move. Her glare was holding him in place, like a pin holds an insect to cardboard. Her eyes began to glow brightly and a breeze began to blow in the room. Somehow, clouds formed behind her, and lightning crashed to the floor around her. The thunder of its passage through the air threatened to deafen Spike; the brightness of it to blind him. And still he could not tear his eyes from hers.

“BUT HEAR US AND HEAR US WELL CREATURE FOR WE SPEAK THE TRUTH! IF THOU IS NOT WHAT THOU CLAIMEST TO BE, YOU WILL HAVE US TO ANSWER TO!” she roared.

The sheer volume of both air and sound coming at him finally overwhelmed Spike and he was driven back against the wall. He struggled to look up again at Nightmare Moon. She had shed her disguise and was again in her true form, fangs glistening, long limbs flailing as she reared. With one last disgusted look at him, she turned and exited the room, thankfully taking the storm clouds with her. Spike saw the guards outside look at her in awe as she passed.

“WE ARE RETIRING TO OUR CHAMBERS,” she addressed one of the guards, “IF THERE IS FURTHER NEWS PLEASE SUMMON US. IT HAS BEEN A LONG NIGHT AND AN EVEN LONGER DAY AS THOU SURELY UNDERSTANDS. KEEP THINE EYES UPON THAT CREATURE UNTIL OUR SISTER RETURNS!” She yawned almost theatrically, then clip clopped away in the direction of one of the castle towers. Having been awake for the previous night and most of the day, she was ready to raise the moon and then get some rest. She had seen terror in the eyes of the creature and that was good. It would not trouble Equestria tonight.

At some point, the squad sergeant, War Horse, had gone with Shikra Sparrowhawk, the flight Master Sergeant, to assist in the final debrief of the pegasus flight. The remaining guards looked confused about what they were supposed to be doing. Two of them, appearing first scared then disgusted, peered at Spike through the door with flinty anger in their eyes. They entered the dungeon and closed the door speaking to their fellow guards quietly. “Keep watch while we interrogate the prisoner.”

They turned to face Spike and he saw that there was no compassion in their eyes. They looked almost dead, as if they were only husks, kept alive only by their hate. Suddenly, Spike hoped that Celestia would hurry up and return just as quickly as she could; for the first time he was thankful for the bars of his cell. His heart sank as he saw one of the guards brandish a key with his teeth.

“Hello there creature! Nice little sob story you gave the Princess!” the first one began. “I think she may have even believed it! But us guards, we're trained to see through lies and I think you're lying.”

“So we are here to get the truth out of you creature,” said the second through the key in his mouth, “one way or another.” He unlocked the cell door.

Spike gazed at them in disbelief. How can this be happening? They must have heard my story! The bucking door was open the whole time! There's no way I could have come up with all of that stuff about the nursery on my own! How did such bullies even get enlisted as soldiers of the Royal Guard?

“Now tell us,” said the first guard, “how did you learn of the dragon nursery? Are you working for the dragons?” He was advancing menacingly on Spike.

“How did you enter the castle?” said the second guard. “How were you able to penetrate the defenses!?”

“C-come on guys,” Spike began as he tried to retreat away from them. He bumped into the wall behind him and realized there was no escape there. “I don't know what you are talking about! I was telling the truth! Before I came here I was in the Everfree Fore-oof!” He exhaled sharply as the air was driven from him. The second guard had sunk his front hoof into Spike's unprotected abdomen.

“Now I'm going to ask you again, beast, and you're going to want to answer me this time believe me. How did you know about the dragon nursery!?” the first guard screamed.

“I was born there! It was where I was raised!” Spike screamed in turn, starting to panic. “It was my home until Twilight was old enough to- AIEE!”

The two guards began laying into him, alternately bucking him in the chest with their hind hooves, and slapping at his face with their front hooves. Spike was in agony as their hard horseshoes dug into his tender flesh. Suddenly, as before, he was ensorcelled away from his body; this time he was almost thankful for the vertiginous sensation.

He saw his old body sitting on what looked to be one of the examination tables at the Ponyville Hospital; Twilight Sparkle was in the room with him. He appeared to have been in some sort of heated argument, or at least Twilight had been, judging from the color in her cheeks. What's going on here? Why is Twilight so mad? Oh Celestia, it is so good to see her again. He looked at his own body and experienced another moment of vertigo. This was not like looking in a mirror but rather it was looking at himself from another point of view entirely and it was disorienting. He saw that his eyes were vacant and his body was slumping. Whoa, I hope that I'm going to be okay.

As suddenly as he had been taken, he was returned to his body. The two guards were shaking him furiously. Apparently, he had gone as vacant as his old body had. Does this mean that creature saw where I am like I saw where he was? Maybe he can tell Twilight what's going on! A hoof descended onto his groin for the second time that day and Spike was wrenched back into full awareness with cruel speed as agony again exploded inside of him.

The guards were panting and seemed to somehow be enjoying themselves. “So Spike,” the first guard sneered sarcastically, “are you ready to tell the truth now or will you need more encouragement?” Spike held his tongue. He had noticed something that the guards had missed in their excitement. The doorway to the dungeon had opened.

“WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE!?” said a deafening voice from the doorway. It was War Horse the squad sergeant, glowering down at the two guards with cold fury. “WHO TOLD YOU TO INTERROGATE THIS CREATURE?”

“We heard the story it told the Princess, sergeant. It was obviously lying,” said the first guard, trying to block War Horse from viewing Spike who was curled into a position that any male could identify instantly.

“We only wanted the truth out of him,” said the second guard nervously.

War Horse took one look at Spike's condition before galloping into the cell, turning, and with two swift kicks, knocking out the two bullies posing as Royal Guards. “ATTENTION!” he roared at the remaining guards. “GET IN HERE! ALL OF YOU! ON THE DOUBLE!”

He surveyed his squad with a vicious eye. “These two criminals,” he began, pointing a hoof at the two unconscious stallions piled in a heap against the wall, “are guilty of assault and battery! They will face justice just as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow! But they are not the only ones at fault here.” He glared at the soldiers dangerously.

“I have to take some responsibility myself. I should not have left my squad without its sergeant but all of you are also partially responsible. We all have to be responsible not just for ourselves but also for our peers. We are the Royal Guard of Equestria! We cannot have thuggery and criminal acts taint our ranks. We have to be better than that!” he spoke with passion. “Therefore we will all be punished, myself included, for this act upon one of our own citizens.” He turned and nodded to Spike, and Spike could see remorse in his noble face. “Alright now, let's get these two thugs into their own cells! Move! Move! Then back out into the hallway!”

The guards sprang into action, heaving the unconscious forms of Spike's two attackers into individual cells on the far side of the dungeon. The each turned to salute him as they passed him on their way back to the hall, an act that touched Spike deeply. He was really a kind heart, and he could not stay angry at the guards who probably didn't know any better. The two attackers however, them he could stay angry at for a while yet, and he intended to see that they faced justice for what they had done to him.

War Horse approached him. “Spike, I must apologize on behalf of the nation of Equestria, the Royal Guard, myself, and my squad,” he said, raising a hoof to his brow and bowing. “I never would have dreamed that members of my squad could be capable of such idiocy. Is there anything I can do for you at the moment? Perhaps call for a physician?”

“Please,” Spike groaned. He could feel his face swelling up already. “I would appreciate it.”

“Very well,” said War Horse. “I'm afraid the Princess left specific orders that you remain in this cell, but I will do everything in my power to make you as comfortable as possible until she returns. I will keep watch myself, so if you need anything just call.” He left to stand at his post in the hall and Spike heard him speak again, this time addressing his squad. "All right! It's been a long and hard day for all of us! I'm going to dismiss you for now but stay confined to quarters, understood!? But make sure to stop by the infirmary on your way. We have an injured guest here!"

Spike heard what the sergeant was saying, but he was in a haze of fatigue. As the big stallion walked away he was already falling asleep again. He awoke once to find himself enveloped in a pale glow of magic. He saw one of the Princess's court physicians looking at him, frowning with concentration and perhaps a touch of unease. Spike's battered body felt like it was being rebuilt from the inside out. He felt the swelling in his face go down and his vision became clearer as a black eye receded. The many bruises on his torso ceased their throbbing. Even the knot on his head where he had bashed it on the wall was going down. He sighed and gave the doctor a bleary look of thanks before again succumbing to his exhaustion.

Some time later, Spike again came to awareness as he heard voices outside the dungeon. Princess Celestia had returned, and to Spike's delight he saw Twilight Sparkle and his own body were behind her.

Nine

Edwin's emerald eyes widened at the unexpected appearance of Princess Celestia. He blinked a couple of time unable to speak, both in surprise and in awe at her appearance. The Princess was enormous in comparison to Spike's diminutive frame and her flowing, multicolored mane and tail were mesmerizing in their beauty.

“Princess Celestia,” he said finally, standing up on the exam table and lowering his head in acknowledgment of her. “Can you close the door please? We have urgent business to discuss.”

When Celestia had closed the door, Edwin continued. “Forgive me for getting straight to the point Princess, but you are just the person, um, pony, that I need to speak to.” He took breath and spoke again. “Do you know why your royal guards would be attacking Spike? Because I think that they are. I was just telling Twilight Sparkle here all about it, but she doesn't believe me. In fact, she thinks that I am Spike. Perhaps you can better convince her of the truth.” He wasn't sure if Celestia had ordered the beating as some inquisitorial form of interrogation or not and he was not about to trust her yet. He was also making the rather large assumption that Celestia herself knew that Spike was not currently in his body, although he thought, based on her entering statement, that she probably did.

Princess Celestia of Equestria, who had lived a long and eventful life and considered herself well prepared for most circumstances, nonetheless gasped as fear stabbed at her heart. “Why would you say such a thing!?” she said urgently, then closed her eyes and shook her head briskly before looking at Edwin coldly. “And who, exactly are you may I ask, for it is clear to me, if not my pupil, that you are not the dragon, Spike.”

“I am rather concerned about Spike, Princess, and I would like to check on him personally. Can we have this conversation on the way to Canterlot?” he asked, relieved that he wouldn't have to convince her of his true identity. “Myself, I wouldn't want to be in his situation but I could probably handle it. Spike, however, well he's just a kid. No child should have to endure such violence.”

Celestia sighed and bowed her great head, again closing her eyes. “I must insist on hearing your answer now-” She looked at him expectantly.

“Edwin, Edwin Montero,” he supplied.

“Yes, Edwin.” She paused to consider the name; it was not one she had heard before. “I must know if you are a danger to my little ponies and my land of Equestria. If you are truly concerned about Spike, as I am, then please speak and speak swiftly!” Celestia said. “I have the capability to transport the three of us to Canterlot immediately. The speed of our travel is now incumbent on you. Now Edwin, what exactly are you and why are you here? How do you have knowledge of what is happening to Spike?” Her heart was racing; she was also very anxious about Spike.

“He called himself a human or a homo sapiens, Princess,” Twilight interjected. She gazed at her mentor in worry. “You don't think he could actually be telling the truth, do you? I mean couldn't he have walked through a patch of poison joke or something? It had severe effects on me and my friends.”

“Hush, Twilight, please,” Celestia scolded. “If you must know, there is a strange creature currently in the Canterlot dungeon that has said enough to me to convince me that he is our Spike. He knows facts that only Spike could know.”

Edwin glared at Twilight. The meaning in his eyes was clear. I told you so! He turned his gaze back to the Princess.

“Twilight is correct, Princess, my species is called human. I come from a planet named Earth. I don't believe that it's even in the same dimension as Equestria,” Edwin said. A thought occurred to him. “Princess, am I correct in assuming that your proposed method of transport to Canterlot is a teleportation spell? Because ever since I've been here, no kind of magic has had any sort of effect on me. Magic doesn't exist on my world, you see.”

Princess Celestia frowned. “It is fortuitous then that I keep a team of pegasi stationed within Ponyville. They will have a chariot that can transport us in relative comfort. Do you mind if I attempt a test spell on you, Edwin. I would rather not disturb them if I do not have to.”

Edwin frowned himself, but shrugged and nodded at Celestia. Without preamble a bolt of light shot at him so bright that when Edwin closed his eyes he could still see it clearly. Nothing happened. Celestia strained harder. Edwin could hear her grunting and panting in a most unladylike manner. Incredibly, the light grew brighter still as Celestia put all of her considerable power into the spell. She ended the spell with a gasp.

“Very- Very w-well,” she said sounding winded, “Please excuse me.”

She left the room. Edwin smirked at Twilight and shook his head at her. She returned his action with a cold look twinged with unease.

“Were you telling the truth about Spike?” she asked tentatively.

“Unfortunately, yes,” he said, sobering at once. “Though I would hope that such behavior wouldn't go on for long. There are ponies that have sense in the Royal Guard, right? Still I want to get moving as soon as possible.”

Twilight looked indignant and opened her mouth to reply, presumably in defense of the Royal Guard, but before she could, Princess Celestia entered the exam room again, closing the door behind her.

“I have sent a runner to notify the chariot team. They will meet us outside the hospital. Canterlot is only a short flight away. We do, however, have some time before they arrive. Would you please explain some more about yourself, Edwin.”

She did not mention that she had also sent an message to the Royal Guard in Canterlot, inquiring about Spike. The Royal Guard had their own methods of long distance communication using mirrors to transmit flashes of light in patterns. Canterlot was close enough that the Guard could communicate without relays. When the pegasi arrived with the chariot, they would hopefully have news of Spike's condition.

“Do I really have a choice?” he said sarcastically, then blanched slightly. “Sorry, Princess. It's been a hell of a day. What do you want to know about me again?”

“How is it that you came to be in Equestria? How did you end up in Spike's body? Do you have some sort of connection with him? Why would you think he was being attacked?” she asked keenly. She was also interested in the human's species and world, but that information was mostly trivial she judged, and could wait for now.

Edwin sighed. “Honestly, I was hoping that you could help answer those questions. The last thing I remember on my world was going to sleep in total exhaustion. Then I had some sort of weird dream.”

“A vision, perchance?” Celestia suggested. “Were you in a dark void? Did you see Spike there?”

Edwin gaped in a manner that would have been comical in other circumstances. “How did you know that!? Yes, I saw Spike. He was just hanging in space, looking at me. Then we were drawn toward each other and-”

“-and you collided,” Celestia finished. “Spike told me a similar story but whereas his story ends in Canterlot's dragon nursery, I cannot say where you ended up, Edwin.” This was not entirely true. She was sure it was somewhere in the Everfree Forest but she wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

“After Spike and I collided, the first thing I remember was seeing colors and textures that didn't exist on Earth; they were too perfect, too deep, too flat. Then I noticed that there were wolves around me, or us I should say us since I noticed Rarity as well,” Edwin said. “Time appeared frozen and I was able to examine one of the wolves as he hung in mid-leap.”

“Time was frozen, you say!?” Celestia asked sharply with an eyebrow raised.

“It appeared so, Celestia,” Edwin replied.

“That's Princess Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed, jabbing Edwin hard in the ribs.

He fell over sideways as the jagged edges of his broken ribs ground against each other. He had suppressed a scream with difficulty, but he could not stop a few stubborn tears from leaking from his eyes. The pain was enormous; his chest felt like it was caught in the jaws of some horrific beast. His vision flashed orange, then grayed slightly as a galaxy of stars appeared in front of him. He sighed in soporific stupor as his consciousness threatened to slip. Suddenly, he found himself blinking in surprise as water splashed across his face. He saw that the Princess's horn was glowing.

“I apologize, Edwin.” Princess Celestia was talking to him. “Twilight Sparkle here is fairly strict on the subject of decorum. However, even she should know better than to hurt an already injured guest,” she said, directing the last statement at the purple unicorn.

Edwin sat up, wincing, and glanced at Twilight Sparkle. He was gratified to see that she had the grace to look ashamed of herself. The remains of a blush were visible on her cheeks. He caught her eye and held her gaze for a moment before looking down in anger. He clenched his fist hard enough to elicit a crack from his knuckles. Knowing that anger would do little to help him or Spike, he strove to keep himself under control. After a moment, he continued, his fist still clenched.

“Yes, Princess Celestia. Time was either frozen or moving very slowly. I was examining the wolf when time returned to normal,” Edwin said. “You have to understand that I did not really believe what I was seeing. I thought I might have been in some kind of dream. However, when the wolf completed its leap, landing on me and breaking some of my ribs, well then I decided that wherever I was, it was time to play for keeps.”

“Play for keeps?” Celestia inquired.

“A figure of speech, a colloquialism, that refers to gambling. I knew it was time to treat the situation as life-or-death and turned out that it was a good thing I did,” Edwin supplied.

Twilight's ears perked up as they picked up the sound of a chariot landing outside. She had been following their conversation with rapt attention, eyes volleying from Princess Celestia to Edwin like a tennis spectator watching a particularly good rally. Now she spoke. “Princess, I think the chariot is here.”

“Yes, Twilight,” Celestia said indulgently. “Shall we?” she said to Edwin, raising a hoof in a solicitous gesture. He nodded simply.

As they traversed the lobby toward the chariot waiting outside, Edwin saw the doctor and nurses looking at him with worry. He thought it would be tactless to leave without at least saying something to them.

“Thank you everypony for your care,” he said, managing a grin as he noticed Colgate standing off to one side. He tipped her a wink. “You did good work tonight and I am sure we all learned some things about dragon physiology.” The assembled ponies giggled at that, lightening the tense mood. “I will be fine in time I'm sure. Sometimes time and rest are all the medicine that's needed. Thanks again!”

He started as he felt Twilight Sparkle nudge him, and he continued across the lobby to the door. He saw a team of four pegasus ponies harnessed to a golden chariot through the door. They had identical white coats, golden shoes and armor, and were even the same size and proportions. Edwin wondered what the chances were that all four of the ponies would appear so similar. He gulped as he passed the doors of the hospital and beheld the chariot itself. There were no sidewalls on it, ostensibly to allow easier egress, though there was thankfully a backrest. He could tell it would be nerve-racking to fly in even for a person that loved flight as much as him. It also looked like it would be a tight fit with the three of them on it.

He looked at the chariot more closely. It was golden, matching the armor of the pegasus team and the regalia of Princess Celestia. I wonder how much energy they have to expend to pull this thing. If they put even a rudimentary airfoil on this, they could generate lift from the chariot itself, making the job easier depending on how fast they fly. Also, they should use something lighter than Gold for it. If I remember correctly, Gold is over seven times heavier than Aluminum. I haven't seen signs of powered heavier-than-air flight here other than these chariots however. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut. He decided that for now, keeping silent would be prudent.

One of the four pegasi on the team cleared his throat. “Princess, I have news about your prisoner,” he said quietly.

Celestia winced. “He is a guest, please address him as such. What news have you?”

“The creature was attacked by two of our own, I am ashamed to say. The attackers were subdued and contained within cells awaiting your judgment. The creature suffered numerous, superficial injuries, but will be treated by a court physician,” the pegasus said. He added a couple more sentences that were too low to hear.

Celestia reeled, again shocked out of her normal state of calm elegance. The human was right! How could he have possibly known!? She turned to look at him and saw that he too was out of sorts at the news, but his reaction seemed to be more anger than shock. She observed this reaction with dread. His natural reaction seems to be anger, first at Twilight Sparkle and now at Spike's attackers. His species must be a violent one.

She gave her head one quick shake. It seemed that she was having to clear her mind a lot as of late. “Thank you for your report,” she said to the pegasus. “Tonight we will be traveling to the lower levels of Canterlot, near the dungeons. Do you know where to go?”

The pegasus stallion nodded his confirmation and the Princess turned away from him. She faced Twilight and Edwin, noticing how Twilight was examining the dragon carefully.

“Are you alright, Edwin? You look odd,” she said carefully.

Edwin looked straight ahead for a moment, frowning, before blinking and visibly controlling himself.

“I'll live,” he said brusquely. “How does justice work here, Princess? Will those bastards face punishment?” Twilight Sparkle gasped audibly at his language and Princess Celestia's eyebrows rose.

“I- Yes, they will face justice. I will pass judgment on them myself; do not fear,” she said. She was starting to get uncomfortable about the human; she did not seem to be able to predict his actions. She could understand now why her sister had warned her about him. If he is a male. She thought that he was based on both the body of the creature that she had observed in Canterlot and the apparent aggression of his personality. Still, she supposed that she would have to find out for sure eventually.

Edwin looked at Celestia with an odd expression, then shook his head and made as if to enter the chariot.

Princess Celestia spoke up before he could. “Edwin, please. Would you please sit in the middle,” she said, gesturing for Twilight Sparkle to enter the chariot first. Unpleasant or not, she did not want this human to fall out of the chariot during their flight.

Edwin stood back wordlessly and allowed Twilight to enter the chariot first. He followed her in and made himself as comfortable as his injuries would allow on the cushioned floor of the vehicle. Ponies were apparently not well adapted to sitting on chairs or benches for long periods of time. Fortunately, Spike's tail made a surprising good support.

Celestia boarded the chariot and, after examining their configuration, gave a signal to the team pulling them. As Edwin had feared, the quarters were cramped in the chariot. Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia were pressing into his sides uncomfortably. Their body heat felt hot enough to sear him and he found himself wishing that he had argued for an aisle seat, so to speak. He wondered not for the first time if ponies had a higher average internal temperature than humans or if he was just exhibiting his usual distaste for physical contact.

The chariot moved faster and faster as the pegasi strained against their heavy load, legs pumping, wings flailing. When the chariot was moving fast enough to generate a good breeze on its occupants, Edwin estimated their speed at twenty knots, it rotated and lifted off gently. He experienced the adrenaline rush he always felt when he took off into the skies and he was grateful for the distraction. He had almost forgotten about his entire situation in the joy of flight when Princess Celestia cast a spell to mute the sound of the passing wind. It was time to continue their conversation.

“So Edwin, I believe you were telling me about why you decided to 'play for keeps,' as you say,” the Princess prompted.

Edwin blinked several times, disoriented at the lack of sound despite the sensation of wind in his face. After regaining his composure, and remembering the part of his story that he was telling, he continued.

“Yes, Princess. It was good that I treated the situation as life-or-death. Spike's body, the body I'm in now, it's well adapted to combating timber-wolves as they're made of wood. When the first wolf came down on me, it inadvertently forced flames from my mouth into its face, badly injuring it. I was actually lucky because human do not breathe fire and I don't think I would've thought to use Spike's fire as a weapon if the wolf hadn't landed on me. After that, it's a bit of a blur. The whole confrontation with the timber-wolf pack feels surreal to me now. I do remember breathing flames into the air as high as I could. I think that after that, they fled,” he said. He did not mention him euthanizing the injured alpha wolf, thinking it would precipitate an uncomfortable topic of conversation.

“I was told that the pegasus flight that I dispatched to the Everfree Forest reported a badly burned wolf body near Zecora's hut. Was that your doing?” she asked sternly.

Edwin bit the inside of his cheek ruefully. That must have been the hushed conversation between the pegasus and the Princess. It seemed that this ride was destined to be uncomfortable.

“Yes, Princess Celestia,” he said cautiously. “The wolf that had his face burned when he landed on me, he was mortally wounded. I ended him as an act of mercy, a coup de grâce, if you will.”

Princess Celestia felt gooseflesh prickle its way up her body. He speaks so casually about taking the life of a creature! Although if what he's says is true, he did it out of mercy. Still, how can such a being fit into my land of Equestria?

She turned and looked down at him, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Twilight had gone quite pale at Edwin's statement. She towered over the current body of the human, though she knew that in his true form he would stand close to her own height. Still, it was hard to imagine the body of Spike, her surrogate son, committing such violence. How did this come to pass?

She spoke to him again. “I will be honest with you Edwin, your violent nature is very concerning to me. I will ignore it for now in the interest of getting more information but I will not forget it. Do not think you can so easily kill in Equestria, Edwin; there are serious consequences for such acts.”

Edwin snorted and to his horror almost broke out laughing. “Do you think I'm some sort of psychopath, Princess? I don't wish to harm any of your citizens or yourself for that matter. My world is a violent place yes, but I am still for the most part a peaceful person.”

He turned to Twilight, who was still looking slightly ill. “Twilight, have you ever heard of the Golden Rule?”

She only shook her head to the negative. It seemed she would need a bit more time to recover.

Edwin continued. “The Golden Rule states 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' It is an ethical philosophy that is widespread among my species and one that I happen to believe in very strongly.”

Twilight nodded slowly then cleared her throat. “Oh. We do have a similar maxim here. It is a good basis for a stable society,” she said in a gravelly voice. “Although nopony calls it the Golden Rule to my knowledge.” She sounded as if she had just woken up. She cleared her throat again.

“Right,” Edwin agreed, nodding. “I bring it up because it is relevant to the situation with the wolf. If I personally was dying of burn wounds, well, I wouldn't want to die that way. It is an agonizing business and it's slow; I would want it to be quicker and cleaner. I didn't have the tools to make it clean so I made it quick for the wolf at least. Do you understand?” He addressed the question at Twilight but it was the Princess who nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“So it was not out of anger then?” she queried.

“No, at least mostly not,” Edwin said. “I did feel blood lust in the heat of the battle, but it had died down by the time I noticed the mortally wounded wolf.”

“Blood lust!?” Celestia asked, looking horrified again.

“Um, yeah, can we talk about the range of human emotions at another time? It looks like we are already most of the way to Canterlot,” he said hastily. He had made a mistake in bringing up that particular emotion. He hoped that the Princess would forget he mentioned it, but he had a feeling that he would be questioned about it sooner or later.

Celestia held his gaze for a moment, then shook her head in apparent disgust. “How did you know that Spike was beset upon? What is your connection to him?” she asked.

“Two times since I have been here I have seen visions of Spike, in my body, lying in what appeared to be jail or a dungeon. The first time, he appeared to be uninjured, but there were very odd looking ponies guarding him. They looked a bit like bats. That is to say they were pegasi and their wings were webbed. Their eyes also had slitted pupils, like a cat's,” he said.

“The Lunar Guard,” Celestia remarked. “This must have been fairly soon after Spike first appeared in the dragon nursery, before I had met with him.”

Edwin mouthed the words, “Lunar Guard,” with curiosity, then continued. “The second time I had a vision was immediately before you joined us in the exam room at the hospital. I saw my body again, but this time Spike was crying. I saw two of the guards beating him.”

Celestia looked down in sorrow. She felt that she had failed Spike in some way, although she could not have anticipated the attack. “Do you know how you are having these visions?” she asked Edwin.

“I'm afraid not, Princess,” he answered. “On Earth, there is no magic. If anyone said they were having these sort of visions, they would likely end up in a mental hospital. All I know is that I had a strong feeling that what I was seeing was actually happening and that I had to make it right if I could.”

“So you care about what happens to Spike?” she asked.

“Of course!” Edwin said at once. “Spike is innocent. He does not deserve punishment. I have never met him, unless you count our initial dream, but that doesn't mean that I don't care about what happens to him!”

Princess Celestia was silent for almost an entire minute. The wind continued to rush past them silently, and the towers of the great city of Canterlot were starting to loom over them as the chariot approached the city. The night sky, for the sun had set by this point, was filled with millions of stars. It was a truly amazing sight.

“I have one more question, Edwin. Why do you think time was frozen when you first appeared in Equestria?” she asked finally.

“I- I don't know. I have to think that you're probably sick of hearing that but it's true. I'm no physicist, but to my knowledge the only circumstance where time is dilated is during near light speed travel and even that is only relative to another observer. This situation is unprecedented to my species, disregarding works of fiction,” he said, relieved that the silence was over.

“I see,” she said simply, but she looked troubled. “Please make me aware if you experience something similar in the future. For now, I am going to trust your story. It is corroborated by what Spike has told me and I have no reason to believe that you are lying. You will come with Twilight and myself to see Spike and we will see if there is more information that the four of us can come up with including how to get you both into your proper forms. I believe the worst of this situation is over, but we may still have some work ahead of us.” She directed her last sentence to Twilight Sparkle, who perked up immediately.

“Do you want me to research body swap spells, Princess?” she asked.

“Please,” Celestia replied, “even theories might help us at this point as well. Also, look into magical resistance. I have never seen anything quite like Edwin here before.”

They were very close to Canterlot now, close enough to feel mist from the many waterfalls in and around the city. The city lights were lit and Edwin's eyes widened at the view.

“You have a beautiful capital city,” he said to Princess Celestia quite honestly.

“Thank you, Edwin,” said the Princess, smiling for the first time that night. “I look forward to showing you my palace.”

Edwin could now see the area where the chariot would land, a strip of paving stones jutting from the mountain toward the bottom of the city. Below it, he could see a row of barred windows that appeared to be cut directly into the mountain, the dungeon he assumed. The pegasus team slowed and turned to their final approach. With a clatter, they landed the chariot, whinnying as they reared and slowed. They disembarked the chariot, Edwin moving gingerly again, and both Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle thanked the pegasus team for pulling them. Edwin followed their lead and did the same.

“Please follow me. It is not far to the dungeon from here,” Princess Celestia said to both Twilight Sparkle and Edwin.

The trio went through a few hallways and down several sets of stairs. At length they approached a large earth pony stallion of the Royal Guard standing guard next to a heavy wooden door. He was watching Princess Celestia warily.

“Greetings, sergeant,” Celestia said, addressing the guard. “I am surprised to see you personally standing guard at this hour. Your dedication is commendable.”

He frowned, turning his face into a grim mask. “Princess, about Spike,” he began.

Celestia held up a hoof in a 'stop' gesture. “I am aware of the attack on Spike. I presume that it was not your doing?” she said.

“Correct, Princess, although I do bear some responsibility,” he said stiffly. “Two of my squad took it upon themselves to further interrogate Spike. When I saw what they had done, I put them out of commission and had them incarcerated. Spike was injured in the attack, but he was treated by one of the court physicians not too long ago. He is sleeping now.”

“Thank you for you report, sergeant,” replied Celestia. “I need to talk with Spike. Could you stand guard for a bit longer while we have a quick conversation? This is Edwin, by the way, the being whose body Spike is in, and my pupil Twilight Sparkle of course.”

War Horse looked at Edwin curiously and Edwin returned the look steadily. After a moment he said, “Take all the time you need Princess, Mister Edwin, Miss Sparkle.” He nodded at them respectively.

“I hope we can get some more answers,” Edwin said.

“As do I,” said Princess Celestia. With that she opened the heavy, wooden door, and the group entered the dungeon.

Ten

Edwin stared, opened mouthed, at the stirring form in the dungeon cell. Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle had moved ahead of him, seeming not to notice their dumbfounded counterpart. Dimly, he saw the Princess bringing her magic to bear on the cell door lock. It opened with a soft click. He barely noticed.

Edwin was looking at himself waking from sleep. He realized that outside of video, which is an intensely less personal experience, a person never sees themselves sleeping. He was suddenly hit with a wave of vertigo so strong that the dungeon wavered and the ground appeared to roll around him like an ocean swell. Again, he was rocked by the reality of his situation.

It had been easy enough to play along with what was going on around him before. For the most part, he had seen the characters that he had met before. Deep in his consciousness, they were predetermined personalities, bags of bones that someone, Lauren Faust perhaps, had breathed life into. They were fictional parts of a fictional world that would sooner or later dissolve back into the world he knew and loved. The reality of seeing the body that he had inhabited for almost twenty-seven years lying curled before him forced his subconscious to play ball. I don't know what do. I don't know how I got here or how to get back. What is my course now? Where do I fit in to this puzzle?

“Edwin?” called Princess Celestia. “Are you all right?”

Edwin sighed. The answer was no. His ribs were now paining him with every breath and he was starting to feel a horrible ache in his teeth. It seemed the analgesic effects of the willow bark tea had worn off. Aside from his physical injuries he was also having something of an identity crisis. Still, he was hard-headed and stubborn, especially with regard to his own well being.

“I'm fine, Princess,” he answered doggedly.

He looked again at Spike in his body. On second glance, he noticed that the proportions were off. He was stockier than he remembered; his head and eyes were larger, his nose was smaller. The navy blue work uniform had taken on the oddly texture-less look of Equestria. The stubble on his face looked huge, even cartoonish. Imagine that! Edwin shook his head briskly to clear his mind realizing that such observations were not a priority at the moment. He continued forward, joining the two mares near the groggy Spike.

“Spike?” he asked, still feeling a surreal excitement at seeing himself like this.

Spike looked up at him, blinking frequently. Edwin imagined that Spike was feeling many of the same feelings of bewilderment that he himself was dealing with. He hesitated, then placed one of his three-fingered hands on Spike's shoulder.

“Are you alright? Can you talk for a few minutes?” he asked again.

“My eyes are sticky,” replied Spike.

Edwin gaped, momentarily at a loss for words, before remembering that he had fallen asleep still wearing his contact lenses.

“That would be the contact lenses in your eyes. They get sticky if you sleep in them. You'll need to take them out eventually. For now, just try to make some tears to wet your eyes a bit,” Edwin said, almost smiling. Spike's unexpected statement had hit his funny bone.

“Oh,” said Spike, appearing confused. “What are contact lenses?”

“They're like glasses, except they rest on the cornea of your eyes,” answered Edwin. “Their purpose is to correct your vision without the hassle of glasses.”

Twilight Sparkle was watching this conversation with keen interest. She opened her mouth to ask a question of Edwin, but never got the chance. Her motion had attracted Spike's attention.

“Twilight!” cried Spike, noticing the unicorn mare kneeling to his side. He threw his arms around her awkwardly and hugged her to him with panicky strength.

“Whoa! Spike! Let go!” exclaimed Twilight. She struggled wildly against his embrace and began to slowly turn red as her air was gradually crushed from her.

It appeared that Spike was once again hurting somepony, unaware of his reach and strength compared to his old body. Edwin thought unwillingly of Frankenstein's monster, as portrayed in the 1931 film, who killed a little girl without meaning to because of his ignorance. The thought was poignant and it drove him to take a shallow breath and shoot a burst of flame into the air to get Spike's attention.

“Enough of that Spike! Princess Celestia told me that you already managed to hurt her with your unfamiliar body! Do you want to add Twilight Sparkle to the list?” he said vehemently.

Spike looked down at the terrified unicorn, whom he thought of as both a big sister and sometimes mother. He let her go gently and curled up again. He began to weep.

“Oh, hey, don't cry,” said Edwin, furious at himself for forgetting that Spike was really just a kid. “I'm sorry I yelled at you, okay?”

Spike sniffed and sighed, slumping his large body into itself. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks, but he was regaining his composure.

“Okay,” he said, noncommittally. He turned to Twilight Sparkle. “I'm sorry Twi. It's been such a long day and I was so happy to see you. Are you okay?”

“I'll live,” she said in a strangled gasp, massaging her throat with one of her front hooves. Her eyes softened. “It's good to see you too, Spike. From what I've heard, you've had a very rough day.”

Spike turned to Princess Celestia.

“I apologize, Princess,” he said, making a little bow toward her. “I should have paid my respects sooner. Is this the creature you were so concerned about?” He gestured toward Edwin.

“Think nothing of it, Spike,” said the Princess, who in truth had, over the course of the centuries, grown tired of the constant decorum that surrounded her office. “This is indeed Edwin, the creature whose body you currently inhabit. However, I do not believe he is an immediate threat. His story matches very closely to what you have told me.”

Edwin's and Spike's stomachs roared in unison, causing everypony, and one human, to giggle a bit.

“Princess, do you think we could take this conversation to a more comfortable location?” asked Edwin. “I also think we could all do with some refreshment.” He didn't add that he also wanted to get away from the scum that had attacked Spike, who were eying him with derision from their corner of the dungeon.

“That's an excellent idea, Edwin,” said the Princess. “Can you walk, Spike?”

“Um, I'm not sure,” replied Spike. “I feel very unstable when walking in this body. How do you balance without a tail?” Spike directed the question toward Edwin.

“With years of practice,” said Edwin. “My species is not precocious like most equines. We literally spend years learning how to first crawl, then toddle, then finally to walk. Even then, it takes much further practice to master the coordination necessary to run and perform more complex maneuvers. I'm not surprised that you are having issues walking honestly. Do you have a wheelchair or something, Princess Celestia?”

“I suspect that we could locate one somewhere in my palace,” said Celestia dryly. “But rather than wait, why not just lean on me, Spike? I am large enough, I believe, to support your weight.”

Spike flushed and turned crimson. “I couldn't do that Princess!” he protested.

“Nonsense, Spike. It is no problem at all,” said the Princess. “Besides the faster we get to the guest quarters, the faster we can all get something to eat! Twilight, would you please lead the way to the guest wing? I believe you know the way?”

“Of course, Princess,” replied Twilight.

Edwin eyed Spike as he rose unsteadily to his feet. “Spike, try to keep your balance centered and move slowly, okay? Also, don't make any sudden motions. Your reach is a lot longer than it used to be and you could accidentally hurt someone,” he coached.

Spike took a slow, wobbly step toward Princess Celestia. His foot slid out from under him, propelled by the loose layer of hay that coated the floor of the cell. Without hesitating, the Princess rushed forward and put her body behind the falling Spike while simultaneously steadying him with her magic.

Edwin observed this with interest. Apparently magic works on Spike even though he is my body? That's... interesting, but it makes sense based on what I've seen so far. After all, I am in his body yet magic doesn't work on me. Also, Celestia's got some moves!

After Spike escaped the slippery hay of the cell, he seemed to find more stable footing. As they passed War Horse, he turned to the stallion, noticing that he was looking down into his face.

“I want to thank you again for helping me out with those two,” Spike said gesturing toward his two attackers. Stripped of their enchanted armor, they were no longer a uniform white, rather one was brown bay with a black mane and tail, and the other brindle bay, also with a black mane and tail. They looked back uncertainly, and Spike had to harden himself to avoid feeling sorry for them. “And for helping me get medical help. I feel much better now thanks to you.” He gave War Horse a quick nod and passed.

Princess Celestia had also paused next to the sergeant, owing to her promise to support Spike. She took the opportunity to assuage his obvious guilt over the actions of his charges.

“Sergeant, I am ordering you to take a break and go get some rest. Please do not fret too much over the actions of your squad, so long as you learn from your and their mistakes. We cannot always control our subordinates. That is a lesson that I learned long ago,” she said, bending over him and kissing his forehead.

He bowed low before her. “Thank you, Princess Celestia,” he said in gratitude. He turned and took his leave.

Edwin watched him go with distant eyes. He had just met War Horse but had been struck by his innate honor. His distrust of the Equestrian Royal Guard diminished somewhat. He felt now that one way or another, Spike's attackers would face justice. He grinned slightly at the thought.

“He seems like a good soldier, someone who takes his responsibilities seriously,” Edwin remarked to Celestia. She simply nodded with a small smile.

“I've noticed your use of language is different than ours,” said Twilight, addressing Edwin. “We here in Equestria will usually say somepony instead of someone.”

“Yes, well, the vernacular of our two societies is bound to differ on some points. Frankly, it is surprising that we even speak the same language,” said Edwin. “You use 'somepony' because your civilization is dominated by ponies I presume? It makes sense I suppose. Would you prefer that I use your wording?”

Twilight was leading their slow moving quartet slowly down the stone corridor outside the dungeon toward the brighter hallways of the palace above. Spike had adopted a slow, shuffling gait not unlike that of an elderly human. He occasionally placed a hand on Princess Celestia's back when he stumbled or lost his balance.

“I don't think that your use of language will offend anypony,” said Twilight. “However, it may raise some eyebrows. I'll leave your speech to your discretion. Just keep in mind that not all ponies are very open-minded.” She was thinking of how Ponyville had treated Zecora before Twilight and her friends had made her acquaintance.

“Very well, Twilight,” said Edwin, breathing shallowly to avoid jostling his ribs. “But I think eyebrows are going to raise regardless of my speech.” He gestured at Spike's towering form with a smile.

Princess Celestia pointed a hoof toward a pair of guards flanking the staircase at the end of the corridor. “One of those guards will be able to run an order to the kitchens. That way we will not have to wait long once we arrive at the guest quarters. What would you like to eat?” She looked curiously at Edwin who shrugged.

Edwin turned to Spike, but addressed the whole group. “If you are wondering, Spike, my species is omnivorous. We can survive, even thrive, on a vegetarian diet so you won't have to worry about any awkwardness on that regard. You should know though, that humans can't digest cellulose very well, so items like grass and hay are out. Fruits and vegetables should be okay but I would try to get some proteins like cheese or tofu. These items contain essential amino acids necessary to-” He cut off abruptly, realizing that he was lecturing. “Sorry. You should be safe with a salad, Spike, so long as it doesn't have any flowers or grass in it.”

“Oh, but flowers are so delicious!” said Twilight Sparkle.

Edwin just grinned tightly and shook his head incredulously at Twilight. “Spike, what do dragons eat?” he asked.

“We can eat almost anything,” replied Spike. “I love gems in particular, especially rubies, but grass, fruit, vegetables, dairy, eggs, you name it, it should be fine.”

Edwin place a claw under his lip and lifted it, showing Spike the bloodied gums and row of wobbly teeth. “I don't think I'll be snacking on gems anytime soon,” he said, half-joking. He turned to Princess Celestia. “Maybe I'll go for a fruit smoothie. I don't feel adventurous enough to try grass today. Also, Princess, do you have any sort of non-magical painkillers available? I don't know if you were told but I'm pretty sure I have several broken ribs and I would really appreciate any sort of pain relief. I'm starting to have trouble breathing.”

Celestia stopped and looked at Edwin with concern. “Non-magical painkillers... what do you use on your home planet, Edwin?”

“When I was with Zecora, she was able to supply me with willow bark, which contains a version of an analgesic known to my people. Also certain poppy flowers contain powerful narcotic painkillers, but I am not willing to try them, as they have mind-altering side effects and are habit-forming,” said Edwin seriously.

“Willow bark? We have some willow trees in the Royal Canterlot Gardens. I can send for one of the guards to scrape some bark off and bring it to the guest quarters.” Celestia considered his broken teeth before adding, “and a pot of boiling water. I suspect that chewing would not be very comfortable for you right now. The medicine in the bark should steep into the water, right?”

Edwin looked at her and nodded slowly. “Yes, that is how I took it in Zecora's hut. Princess, do your doctors have any experience with this medicine? I don't know what the correct dosing is and do not want to poison myself.”

Celestia shook her head sadly. “I am afraid that most of the drugs we use here in Equestria are derived from the more efficacious magical flora that is abundant here.”

Edwin considered, then decided to continue with the treatment, but only in small doses. “Very well, Princess,” he said.

They arrived at the staircase. The guards looked at Spike with wide-eyed apprehension, but the presence of the Princess seemed to calm their fears somewhat.

“Excuse me,” said the Princess to the guard to her left. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“Yes, Princess,” said the guard, tearing his eyes off of Spike's tall form.

“Excellent! Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Edwin here will be staying with us tonight. Our guests are famished. Could you run an order to the kitchens for us and ask them to send it to the upper guest wing?” said Celestia.

“Yes, Princess,” said the guard again.

Princess Celestia used her magic to take a sheet of parchment and quill that seemed to appear out of nowhere and began to write on it. “One fruit smoothie, one green salad with no flowers or grass...” she mumbled to herself. “Twilight, what would you like?”

“Ooh! I'll take a daffodil and daisy sandwich please,” said Twilight.

“...one daffodil and daisy sandwich, and... one large slice of cake!” said the Princess, licking her chops. As she spoke to herself, the quill scratched steadily on the parchment. “Oh! And also one tea kettle of boiling water. There! Please take this order to the kitchens. Thank you very much!” The stallion trotted up the staircase in front of them.

“As for you,” she said, this time addressing the guard on the right. “Are you familiar with the Weeping Willow tree?”

After guard nodded his confirmation, she continued, “Can you please go to the Royal Canterlot Gardens and take a good amount of bark from the willows. The bark contains a medicine needed for our guest. Could you please deliver it to the upper guest quarters?”

“Yes, Princess Celestia,” he said, again nodding crisply. If he found her instructions to be odd, he did not show it outwardly. He turned and also went up the staircase.

“Alright, Spike, here comes a big test,” said the Princess, looking up at the stairs. “Stay close to me and take it slow. Luckily these stairs are wide and shallow, though they do spiral. Let me know if you need to take a break.”

Edwin looked at Spike in concern, but was relieved to see determination on his face. He watched the Princess and Spike make their slow way up the spiral staircase. The distance they covered was perhaps a hundred feet if it were measured in a straight line. Spike managed it in two minutes or so. When they came to the end of the staircase, Edwin gasped softly.

The hallway that they had entered was broad and carpeted in a luxurious vermilion throughout its center portion. The floor outside of the carpets was tiled with large pieces of black and white marble in a checked pattern. The windows were arched and peaked echoing the vaulted ceiling; stained glass windows were interspersed at regular intervals, showing images of historical significance to Equestria. Edwin found himself remembering the time he had toured The Louvre museum as well as La Sainte-Chapelle, both in Paris, France. Pillars, either functional or decorative, lined the outer edge of the corridor. On these, bouquets of fresh flowers were hung, filling the air with a gentle, pleasing aroma.

Twilight Sparkle turned to the left, leading Spike and Princess Celestia. Edwin took a long look to the right out of curiosity, not knowing if he would ever get a chance to explore the castle. At the end of the hallway an enormous room was visible, with what appeared to be medieval banners hanging on the walls. He could just barely see a huge stained glass window with a stylized image of the sun on it. Overwhelmed, he turned back to his group only to find that they had walked a good hundred feet down to hall toward yet another spiral staircase, this one much steeper. He yelped, and waddled rapidly toward them, careful to not breath too deeply.

“I'll say it again, Princess,” Edwin said, once he had caught up with the group. “This palace is absolutely beautiful. It gives some of the greatest museums in my world a run for their money. I would love to get a chance to explore it sometime.”

Princess Celestia turned to him, smiling broadly in honest pride, though she still kept on eye on Spike, who appeared to be doing alright for the moment. “Perhaps I can arrange a tour for you at some point, Edwin, and thank you. It is not very often that we receive foreign visitors here in Canterlot. I am glad that you are enjoying the wonders of the castle.”

The next staircase, as Edwin had observed, was indeed steeper than the first, though not as much as he had feared. It was still broad, and the spiral was gentle, luckily for Spike. After passing through another hallway and scaling yet another staircase, this one straight and amazingly ornate though exceptionally long, they arrived at a wide and lavishly decorated hallway.

“This is it,” said Twilight Sparkle. “These doors lead to some of the finest guest rooms in all of Equestria.”

There was a busser pony, an off white, male unicorn adolescent (colt?) with streaked, dirty blond hair and acne on his face, waiting near the front of the hall. He was shaking slightly as he gave Spike a nervous stare. Next to him were a number of covered dinner trays on a cart, along with several kettles of boiling water. Spike's stomach rumbled loudly and the group again broke into a small fit of laughter. The lightening of the mood seemed to reassure the busser, and he spoke up.

“Princess Celestia, esteemed guests,” he began, addressing them in turn, his voice threatening to break. “As you have requested, dinner is served!”

“Thank you very much!” said the Princess. The others of her group also said likewise and entered the first door in the hallway.

Before he entered, Edwin asked the busser for some distilled water for Spike to put his contacts in and also for a cot to sleep on. Although he could use another guestroom, he wanted to keep an eye on Spike and he did not feel like sharing a bed with him and/or Twilight Sparkle. He thanked the pony again and entered the guest room.

Edwin stopped dead in his tracks. The far wall was one giant window. Well, in truth, it was dozens of smaller panes of glass, but the effect was absolutely breath taking. The window curved gently outward, offering a wide, panoramic view of the city of Canterlot, now lit up for night time, and beyond it the land of Equestria. He felt that he could look at the sight for hours.

“Edwin... Edwin... EDWIN!” Twilight Sparkle shouted.

Edwin blinked, unaware that he had been so immersed in the view before him. “Wow... sorry. Again, incredible, sorry to sound like a broken record,” he said to no one in particular.

Celestia giggled, a sound that was both whimsical and wonderful. “This is the famous guest wing of Canterlot castle. The window you see actually stretched across this whole side of the wing! There is also a balcony on the outside. I think you will like it here.”

Edwin just shook his head in disbelief, grinning like a fool. He shook his head again, trying to regain his composure, and a sudden jolt of pain from his teeth did the trick. He held a hand out to the dinner cart, which Twilight or Celestia had apparently magicked in while he had been transfixed. “Shall we?” he asked.

Surprisingly, it was Princess Celestia who grinned eagerly, and used her magic to fling the covers of the trays off onto the floor. She immediately secured a piece of cake so large and delicious looking that it was comical, and began to daintily eat it with the aid of a fork, magically wielded.

Spike was not far behind her. For him, there was a large, green salad with what appeared to be Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, celery, and some type of berry topped by shredded cheese and some type of creamy dressing. Having come from a body with hands, he quickly adapted and grabbed the supplied utensils to go to work on the salad. He ate with childish enthusiasm, eliciting a grin from Edwin.

Twilight's daffodil and daisy sandwich went next. She chose not to use any utensils, instead opting to use her magic to levitate the sandwich directly to her mouth. The exceptionally crafted sandwich, heavily layered in flowers and skewered by a long, wooden toothpick, glowed purple in her magical grasp.

Last was Edwin's fruit smoothie and a bowl of willow bark. He ignored his hunger for a moment, pouring boiling water into a tea cup and placing a measure of the willow bark inside a tea infuser for it to steep, before grasping the enormous smoothie. It was inside a large, transparent glass, and he saw that it was a vaguely red, purplish color that made him wonder exactly what fruits the ponies had used to make it. Still, his stomach demanded food, and he took an experimental sip.

His eyes widened as flavors exploded in his mouth. Pineapple, cherry, strawberry, kiwi, kumquat, peach, banana, apple, these were only some of the flavors he experienced in an instant. He let out a slow groan of pleasure and began to drink in earnest, though he still attempted to avoid Spike's level of enthusiasm.

All in all, it took the four of them a surprisingly short time to put away the meal. While it had not been a four course meal exactly, it had been a lot of food to eat in the five minutes or so that they had taken. The foursome looked self consciously at one another, seated helter-skelter around the cart, before breaking into laughter again.

To Edwin, the laughter felt natural, almost like these ponies were his own friends, and the thought sobered him slightly. He thought of his close friends and the good times they had shared. Crazy nights in Las Vegas, road trips across the country, vacations to various locales, walking down Main Street at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.

He had just met these ponies. In fact had only known this particular group for a few hours and already he was thinking of them as friends? Edwin was not one to use the word, friend, lightly. To him, it meant someone that you cared about enough to be involved in their life personally. He felt that the word was often used frivolously to describe various levels of acquaintances. So to him, his perturbed thoughts were somewhat justified. For one horrible moment, he feared that some form of magic was indeed working on him, perhaps the Magic of Friendship.

His silence did not go unnoticed. Princess Celestia looked at him and when he did not respond, spoke to him. “Edwin?”

“Sorry, Princess. Just thinking of old times,” he said to her, his voice distant. He raised his head and looked at her. “Thank you for the meal. It was excellent!” He spoke in a falsely cheery voice that nonetheless appeared to fool Spike and Twilight Sparkle. Princess Celestia still looked sadly at him but responded in kind.

“You are welcome, of course, Edwin. If you have need of anything, my servants are at your service,” she said.

Edwin nodded at her, smiling, then looked at the still steaming teapots and said, “Would anyone like some tea?”

When his three companions had consented, he set three tea cups on saucers and poured boiling water into them. There was only one type of tea, other than willow bark, and Edwin packed it into the tea infusers and set them to steep. They said their thanks and waited in silence for a minute. It was Princess Celestia who broke the silence.

“It is late. I think it would be a better idea to wait to have this conversation tomorrow,” she said. Nopony had to ask what she meant by her reference. It was the conversation about what had happened to switch Spike and Edwin, and how to fix it.

The atmosphere in the room, which had turned tense during their moment of silence, relaxed perceptibly. They sipped their tea, making light conversation. Edwin mainly listened, fascinated, as Twilight told of a cute-ceañera that she had attended earlier that day, while he had been battling timber-wolves, no doubt. He drank his tea like the medicine it was, occasionally wincing at its bitter taste. He thought of adding sugar to it but decided to just tough it out. He often made such challenges to himself as a test of discipline.

It took them less than ten minutes to wrap up the proceeding. The night sky outside was spectacular in its brilliance, but even Edwin, who had never been much of an outdoorsman, could see than the moon was high and that the night was late. Twilight had finished her story by reciting her friendship letter that she had composed to the Princess, who subsequently requested a copy in writing at Twilight's earliest convenience. Twilight, predictably, had written it out for the Princess right then and there.

The busser pony returned, this time with a basket, ostensibly for Edwin to sleep in, and a travel bag for Spike and Twilight Sparkle that the pegasus ponies had retrieved. Apparently, Twilight was organized enough to have a contingency for being called away without notice and it was a pre-packed bag of essentials.

Before long, the Princess bade them good night, not quite able to hide a huge yawn. Twilight and Spike made full bows to her in respect. Edwin winced as he saw his former body in such a state of submission. He himself made the same gesture he had earlier in respect to the Princess, a bow of his head with his fist on his forehead and also thanked her again for her hospitality. He saw Twilight glare at him but she thankfully did not make an issue of it this time.

Edwin helped Spike with removing his contact lenses. Even with careful coaching, the dragon in a human's body managed to poke his eyes a couple of times. By the time he had placed the lenses in saucers filled with distilled water, each marked carefully right and left, Spike's eyes were red and irritated. He blinked owlishly as he struggled to bring the world into focus. Edwin sympathized, having had that terrible vision most of his life.

Spike insisted on sleeping with Twilight Sparkle, an act that, while certainly meant for platonic comfort, still made Edwin cringe. He was also worried that if Spike thrashed or kicked in his sleep he might put Twilight Sparkle in the infirmary. Still he kept his mouth shut for once, realizing that Spike had had a very traumatic day and that, as a child, he was entitled to comfort every now and then. Edwin could tell that Twilight wasn't too hot on the idea either, but understood that she would bear it for the same reason he himself would. Out of all of them, Spike had suffered the most today and deserved it the least.

As it happened, Edwin did not end up having to use the basket to rest on. The suite was lavishly furnished. Although it only contained one enormous bed, it also contained a number of overstuffed chairs, loveseats, and sofas. Any one of these could, in a pinch, be used as a bed by one as small as Edwin now was. Besides, he felt it would be demeaning to sleep in something that looked horribly like a dog bed to him.

Edwin and Twilight helped Spike into bed and tucked him in before bidding each other good night. Edwin thought he should probably say something soothing to Spike like 'It will all be okay,' or 'You did great today,' but couldn't bring himself to do it. He had never been good at pep talking anyone or communicating in general with children, though Spike certainly acted older than his apparent age. He thought what Spike needed most right now was a good nights' rest.

Edwin had curled up on the cushion of a loveseat near the giant window when Twilight used her magic to turn off the lights. He stared at the galaxies upon galaxies of stars in the sky. Above them a giant moon loomed, seeming to look down upon him. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day...