Chapter 1: "Exploration"
To Change a Heart
Written by The Descendant
Cover Art by Maki
Used with Permission
Alternate Cover Art by ShadowBro
Chapter 1: “Exploration”
Long millennia ago was fought the War of the Witches
And of that time little is spoken
Few tales of those unhappy seasons remain
Yet some still survive
And even the princesses know
That there still dwell in the worldly sphere
Some who saw the wonders and horrors of those days
T’was during the second summer of that war
When the days seemed at their blackest
And Equestria seemed doomed to thralldom
Under Hydia and her daughters
That Celestia’s army marched to lift a siege
And Luna’s made a long retreat
And both the sisters were filled with doubt
For seven long and murderous days
Had the army of the Nightbringer
Fought the forces of the witch
And now her regiments
Thin, tired, and broken
Crossed the bridge across the River Running
And weariness sat behind their eyes
The Nightbringer seated herself
Upon the great stone at the foot of the bridge
She looked upon each regiment as they crossed
Whispering encouragement to her little ponies
As she looked upon their wounds
Tears fell from her eyes and crossed her dark coat
And the Princess Luna worried over each in turn
“How soon shall it be before all have come across?”
She asked her generals who stood nearby
“My brigade comes across now, my princess,” answered one
“See, here then are our skirmishers.”
The Nightbringer did lift her head
And stare out across the vast reach of the bridge
As pegasi lurched across and found safety nearby
The Princess Luna dared breathe easier
And welcomed the last of her troops to cross the river
And in her mind
Dared she to believe that she had found haven
And that now there would be a time of healing
For they had gained the far side of the river
And the long bridge shielded them
No sooner had she lifted her eyes
Then a flash of deep magic lifted across the darkened sky
And at its core was the power of the fiery-haired witch
And torches came alight on the far bank
For the army that Draggle lead had not quit their pursuit
And the river and bridge were now all that stood between
The Nightbringer’s ponies and the army that sought their death
Looked upon the spectacle did the alicorn and her generals
And as the night grew deeper did the river catch the hues
Of the torches that lit the far bank
The horn of the princess came alight
And her magic began to lift
For deep inside her she felt the challenge of the witch
And floated her power above the river
“Nay!” rose the voice of the princess
As a grey and terrible light shone from her eyes
And the alicorn lifted into flight
“Nay, I tell you, Draggle!
Deep are you in Equestria fair here
And no longer will I suffer
To see my ponies put to pain!”
From the far bank of the river
Came a wellspring of dark magic
The witch answering the challenge
Of the alicorn she had once known
With that Luna winged her way from the stone
And stood upon her side of the bridge
And the witch upon hers
Stretched over half of a mile did the long bridge
And made of great rocks held fast with their weight
Each laid in place long ago when Equestria was young
Before the ponies had come down the mountain
Now Luna’s magic, and that of Draggle too
Streaked over it and cascaded around it
And their armies looked on in wonder
The night came alive with color
And as the two foes
Once as close as sisters
Unleashed their magic upon one another
It snapped, hissed, and crackled through the night
Cascading as thunder that rolled along the river
And caught the armies in waves of fear and wonder
Of deeper blue and darker black than the night itself
Was the magic that lashed from the princess.
As wafts of orange fire and deeper red than blood
Was that which erupted from the witch.
And soon the earth shook beneath the force of their blows
And torrents of light and sound fell across the river
Unsettling its surface and whipping the waters
Yet concealed among all of this fury
The Nightbringer had hidden a plan and a purpose
And as she avoided the curses and magic of the witch
Her magic found the very forgotten spaces
Between the great stones which made up the bridge
And as each spell was flung out into the night
Her magic sat there among the rocks
As once there was a great moaning sound
And all eyes settled upon the two figures that stood upon the bridge
The flaming eyes of witch filled with understanding
As the alicorn’s face betrayed a great wide smirk
And as the witch wrapped herself in her magic
Escaping the oncoming wrath of the Younger Sister Sovereign
As it exploded forth from where it hid
Great and calamitous was the noise
And heard far away in sleeping villages
And on far away peaks
Those nearby shielded their ears against it
For there was the scraping of stone
And the magic of the alicorn
Broke free rock and stone from where it had long stood
Exploded forth did the substance of the ancient bridge
Flying deep into the distant army of the witch
And each stone in turn lifted from where it has sat
As Luna’s magic unmade the bridge
Casting the rock far and wide
Ripping it asunder as she cried out
So that no two stones lay upon one another
Cascaded the waters of the river
As rapids across the sundered stones
And her ponies gathered her up
The alicorn dared believe her army safe
For there would be no fording the river
And she smiled at her victory
Even as her magic lapsed
Waited Luna’s army as the night drew on
And weary soldiers laid their heads to the ground
The Nightbringer righted herself
And made for the stone nearby
Upon which she had sat when the battle began
To her side came her generals
And with them she began to speak
No sooner had she opened her mouth
Then came a noise from across the river
And all in her company
Turned to face the sound
Soon clear was the meaning
For came up now the ringing of hammers
And the turning of vast wheels
“My Lady,” spoke a pegasus
One brave enough to speed across the river
“They bring up now carts filled with boats
And great timbers of vast size
And it is for the building of pontoons
And to make a crossing
Unless I miss my guess.”
A look of shock went across Luna’s face
And once more came alive the magic of the alicorn
Which sought out the boats of the enemy
But they were hidden behind the magic of the witch
Pressed forward did the Nightbringer
But Draggle answered in turn
And Luna knew her magic spent
“We must prepare to repulse them here
On the banks of this river
Less they should make landfall
And then all Equestria should be theirs.”
Spoke the princess, her eyes falling down
For she knew little strength remained
Among her tired ponies
“Majesty,” asked her generals
“Can we not call to your sister for aide?
For our army is thin, and for seven days they have fought.”
“Nay,” answered the Nightbringer, the color leaving her face
“For her magic but keeps Reeka and Hydia in check
and her army too faces a battle
and from it we can take no hope.”
Settle then did the magic of the alicorn
Sweeping out across her tired soldiers
Settling among her little ponies
Who sat whimpering on the riverbank
They knew that with the morning
Another battle they must face
And they had not the strength for it.
Luna’s head rested against the stone
And her tears ran down it
For in her mind she saw her ponies
Dead, dying, and enslaved
Her ponies without hope, and Equestria fallen
And ever after was the stone named Graig Dargou
The Stone of Tears, upon which she heaved and sighed
As the generals watched
The Nightbringer raised her head
And from her noble lips lifted a song
Her voice lifted out across the river, the woods, and plains
And caught in the distant, ancient ears
Of one who long ago had promised
That for her, there was nothing he would not do
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Spike waited at the counter of Sugar Cube Corner excitedly. The boy bounced enthusiastically as he watched the Cakes finish their preparations.
A small tower of boxes began to appear before him, and the dragon whelp did his best not to appear too eager about the treats that were hidden inside each one. It was not an easy task, and the delicious smells that rose from each box did not help.
Still, despite his obvious efforts at self-control, the memory of another time he had stood before this counter sat heavily among the thoughts of those who walked up and down the length of the shop. As she leaned forward and began placing the tightly wrapped packages upon the counter, Mrs. Cake tried her best to broach the topic.
“Are you going to be okay with these packages, deary?” she said as she placed another upon the tall stack. “Ya’ know, oh, that we don’t wanna cause ya’ any more trouble. You know, like the last cupcake we gave ya’…”
She looked down in time to see Spike’s expression deflate. As she watched, he looked to the floor and rubbed his arm. Cupcake at once realized that she had been too forward, and the mare instantly moved to apologize.
“Oh! Oh, Spike, deary, I-I didn’t mean to…” she said, her own hoof coming up to her mouth.
“Heh, no… no, I understand. That’s okay,” he said. With that he lifted his face to her again.
“Twi… Twilight has been helping me, and… and we don’t think the greed thing is gonna be permanent. It’s not really how I grow, you see. I-I’m in charge of it, now,” he said, painting certainty into his voice.
“Oh, well! That’s good! Yes… ummm, yes,” she answered, shaking her head.
The two stood there, staring at one another, creating an uneasiness that hovered around the baked goods.
“So, oh my, so… these are for Applejack, then?” she said, fighting for a thread of conversation. "There's a celebration for some family of hers, ya' said?"
“Yup!” answered Spike, returning to his more typical posture. “There’s a big party and ceremony up in Canterlot, and she couldn’t possibly bake enough on her own. Her cousin Braeburn and his friends are coming up from Appleloosa, and the princess is gonna give them all medals for founding the village!”
“Oh, that’s nice! A ceremony for those ponies who founded Appleloosa, ya' say? That’s very nice!” began Cupcake. “Ya’ know, Carrot and I go travellin’ quite a bit… or we did before the babies were born, ya’ see. We haven’t gotten out to Appleloosa but we’ve been to…”
Cupcake could be forgiven for going off on a detailed explanation of all the places that she and Carrot had gone in the years before they were finally blessed with their foals. In truth, what she really wished to do was share something with the little dragon, to try to get past recalling the problem that had begun here in their bakery.
Still, it was self-replicating diatribe. Each small recounting brought a dozen more to the surface. Cupcake, to Spike’s chagrin, seemed unable to stop.
Try as he might, Spike simply couldn’t maintain his polite attention much past her recounting of their third trip to Foalida.
As Carrot Cake emerged through the swinging doors with the last box he pieced together what was happening very quickly. Needless to say, the way that Spike sat slumped against the counter (his tongue hanging out and an expression in his eyes that seemed to denote his wish for the sweet release of death) had no small part to play in Carrot’s insight.
“Honey Bun,” Carrot began, lifting his hoof to his wife.
“… but by that time there was already a line, ya’ know, and I had to use the mare’s room…” she continued, seemingly unaware of his presence and Spike’s moan of boredom.
“Sugar Plum,” Carrot interrupted again, moving to stand beside her.
“… and Carrot was completely drenched in the sunscreen, so I grabbed a lobster that was nearby and…” she continued, her lecture unceasing as her husband fought for her attention and Spike slowly banged his head on the counter.
“Ginger Snap,” called Carrot, wheeling her about where she stood. He stared deep into her eyes, and caught her hooves in his own.
In one motion Carrot had drawn her down into a deep kiss. As Cupcake startled her eyes went wide, but soon they calmed, and soon she had settled deeper into his embrace.
After a few moments he lifted his head from her, their kiss ending with an audible note. “Cuppy,” he said as he stared down into her, earning her chuckle, “our dragon friend has got to be getting around to the station soon.”
“Oh. Oh! Yes! Of course,” said Cupcake, recovering her senses. “Oh, I did go off there a touch, didn’t I?”
She nuzzled to him for an instant, and then picked up the first package and began to pass it to Spike.
The Cakes both looked down to find him perched against the counter quite happily, leaning nonchalantly upon his hand. The whelp’s face was bright with a deep blush. He eyed the two with a large, dopey smile and pondered what he had just seen transpire between them.
“Wow,” he said, and with that the blushing couple began to load him up for his journey.
The train departed the station not long after, and the small mountain of treats that the Cakes had prepared joined those that Applejack had made at Sweet Apple Acres in a reserved spot in the baggage car.
Protected and safe, the treats passed the journey undisturbed.
The passengers in the coaches that followed along could not say the same.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Baggage Checkers, yay!” exclaimed the three fillies in time. As items fell out of valet cases and garment bags in their wake Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo continued their efforts to find the meaning of their existences and to reveal their elusive marks.
After about thirty different attempts, each accompanied by shouting and traipsing around the interior of the coach, the looks upon the other passengers denoted that some of them were fighting to keep from leaving marks of their own upon the fillies.
Even the Appleloosans traveling to the ceremony began to wonder if being praised by the princess and showered with lauds, boons, and baubles for their efforts to found their village were worth spending an hour on the train that wound its way up the mountainside.
Not least among those with fraying nerves were Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike.
“Twilight,” mouthed Applejack as the trio stared ahead balefully, “Im’ma just ‘bout ready to admit that bringin’ the Crusaders weren’t the best of ideas on mah part.”
Twilight stared as the Crusaders continued to search through the bags of utter strangers, the mare wincing when the contents of one businesspony’s briefcase spilled open across the floor in front of her.
“Yeah,” she said, as his entire presentation bounced off her face, “I wasn’t gonna say anything.”
A brief reign of silence came to an end as the Crusaders found yet another outlet for their curiosity.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Brake Inspectors, yay!” came the cry of three fillies in unison.
“Apple Bloom! Don’t you dare!” cried Applejack, her eyes going wide as she realized that the girls were clambering to reach for the emergency brake cord.
After about thirty seconds the high, shrill sound of the train’s brakes lessened, and the occupants of the passenger coaches began trying to pull themselves off the floor.
Unfortunately, the forward momentum of the train continued right up to the point where it stopped inside one of the many tunnels upon the mountainside. As the ponies attempted to right themselves they were thrown into complete darkness, tumbling over one another once again.
“As Ah said,” mumbled Applejack into the dark as her rear legs dangled above her, “not mah best idea.”
“Yeah,” added Twilight, the mare attempting to determine where exactly she was as she fumbled in the dark, “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
Twilight looked around to find herself looking into a familiar set of deeply bewildered eyes, ones that shone with an emerald intensity in the dark.
“Spike?” she asked. “Am I on top of you, or are you on top of me?”
“Yes,” he replied.
After a rather grumpy conductor had picked his way the length of the train, it began its journey once more, and daylight filled the coaches.
As Applejack spoke to the Crusaders about where exactly they would be stashed for the remainder of the trip if they didn’t sit themselves down and behave, Twilight began weighing her options.
It wouldn’t do to have the ceremony interrupted by the exploits of three fillies deep in a quest of self-realization. Still, they were sweet girls most of the time… it only seemed that they became insufferable when they were up to these pursuits.
Twilight scratched her chin, her mane frizzling slightly as ways to keep the girls out of trouble began to drift around in her mind.
Her eyes settled on the seat across from her, wherein sat her loyal number one assistant.
A devious smile crossed her face, causing him to startle slightly.
“Uh oh!” he said as he lifted his hands. “That’s not good. That’s never good!”
As Applejack returned Twilight beckoned the two others to her, and whispered her plan.
“Oh, wow, ummm,” began Spike, wringing his hands together and looking to where the three fillies sat smiling with a falsified innocence at anypony who passed by, “I-I don’t know. I mean, I guess I could. B-But there’s three of them…”
“Spike,” began Twilight, cutting straight to the incentive, “if you’ll do this, we’ll do anything you like when we get back home.”
Spike stopped wringing his hands. At once his expression brightened. He looked up at Twilight, beaming at her.
“Anything?” he asked in a sweet tone.
“Anything,” she answered.
“Annnyyything?” he asked once more. Spike leaned backwards and stared up to her in a tone so sweet that passing ponies were reminded of honey and sugary breakfast cereals.
“Yes, Spike,” answered Twilight, wrinkling her nose.
“Annnyyyyything?” he asked once again in an utterly saccharine tone, leaning across his own tail. “Even… that?”
Twilight jumped in place as she realized what she’d just done. That. Oh, Celestia. Twilight bit her lower lip, and looked back at the little whelp. He was blinking at her so sweetly that sugar crystals seemed to drip from his eyes.
“Fine,” she said with a sigh, covering her face with her hoof.
“You’ve got a deal, sister!” said Spike, shaking her free hoof. “I’ll find some paper!”
As Spike bounded away Twilight’s hoof remained over her face. She could feel Applejack’s questioning glare, and she knew what was going to happen next.
“If ya’ don’t mind me asking, Twi,” spoke the earth pony in a quiet tone, “well, what was… well, that, all about?”
“You’re better off not knowing,” she said with a sigh, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to figure out where I can find some reflective tape, a conductor’s hat, and some five-gauge aluminum on a moving train…”
Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo all stood upon the station platform, staring at the less than imposing figure before them.
“So, wait,” began Sweetie Belle after a moment of indecision. “You’re our tour guide?”
“Yup!” answered Spike proudly, showing off the uniform. The girls eyed him one more time, and then looked at one another. The uniform, made out of reflective tape, wasn’t exactly the height of style, and Spike’s name etched across the conductor’s hat was oddly lopsided.
The “Spike’s Tours and Awesome Stuff” sign had come out remarkably well, though.
Still, he was a boy in uniform. The girls giggled to each other as they made that astute observation.
“No, really,” said Scootaloo as her small laughter subsided. “You’re gonna take us on a tour?”
“Yup!” repeated Spike.
“C’mon now, gals,” spoke Apple Bloom, “I know ah’d much rather do this than sit through some stuffy old ceremony… well, least ‘till the time fer’ eatin’ starts anywho.”
“It’ll be great!” began Spike, holding up the aluminum sign. “I grew up here in Canterlot, and I know all sorts of hidden passages and stuff like that, so we’re gonna see…”
“Secret passages!” came Sweetie’s excited voice. “Cutie Mark Crusa… hurgh, ughmmm, ummm…”
A rather cross stare greeted Spike as he looked into her eyes. He held her mouth shut for an instant before holding a finger in the air.
“Let’s just talk about the rules first,” he said as he released her, beckoning the other two fillies closer.
“We’re just gonna have a nice long trip through Canterlot, okay? We’ll be seeing all sorts of neat stuff, and then we’re gonna join back up with Twi and Applejack for dessert,” he said, as he regained his pose of authority.
“Oh,” he continued, rubbing his frill self-consciously, “if you try any crusading, I’m gonna bonk you with my sign…”
“What!?” answered the three in unison, rather unhappy stares meeting him as the fillies pushed into his personal space.
“Ummm, yeah, that’s the rule,” he said, looking away slightly. “Any screaming, any touching stuff, any crusading…”
He lifted the sign and made a little motion with it, waving it gently towards them.
“Heh… any of that and, well, bop!”
“You can’t go an’ bop us with that sign!” Apple Bloom protested, pressing forward so forcefully that her rear legs came off the ground, forcing Spike back another step. “If ya’ do I’ll… I’ll tell mah sister!”
Spike looked at her, to the sign, and then back at all the Crusaders.
“It… it was her idea,” he said, motioning to the sign.
“Oh,” she said in a defeated tone, and with that the fillies fell into line. Soon they were nudging him forward, pushing the whelp forward with little nuzzles that tickled him in the slightest.
“Okay!” Spike said, leaping back into his officious posture. “So… we’re walking, we’re walking!”
With that the quartet departed the station platform, off to see what sights that the city could offer them.
The young creatures squeezed along narrow passages and through hidden spots that the dragon remembered from his first years in the capital. As they went, it only became harder and harder for the three young fillies to contain their enthusiasm.
“The Old North Observatory is famed for being the newest and southernmost of the big observatories in Canterlot,” Spike said, leading the three fillies within through one of the secret ways. He smiled a bit as their jaws dropped open and they beheld the massive telescope.
“The big lens up there is so big and so concave that it can hold seventy-two boxes of Mairsy Dotes cereal!” he said. In a moment, his hand came to his head, and a remembrance flit through him. “Believe me… I tried it. Man, so many ‘I’m sorry’ letters…”
Apple Bloom seemed unmoved by his admission. Instead she had cantered over to the eyepiece, looking upon it excitedly.
“Hey! Why don’t we take a peek, see if we can’t find somethin’ out there? Whatcha say, girls? Cutie Mark Crusaders Astron…”
Bonk.
As the sign wobbled in Spike’s hand Apple Bloom took a few wobbling steps, brushing against the eyepiece and moving the whole telescope a fraction of an inch. Gathering her hoof in his hand, he led the tipsy filly and her friends from the room.
As the four creatures left they were unaware that an astronomer would come in later that night and look through that eyepiece. He will wonder why the settings are off, and then he’ll see a massive asteroid hurtling towards their tiny world. The astronomer will alert Princess Celestia. The Daybringer will then quickly direct her power and vaporize it long before it becomes an issue. So, that worked out quite well, in the end…
“This,” said Spike, helping each of the fillies out of the secret passage and into the massive space, “is the Mane Hall of Parliament!”
“Oh wow!” intoned the three fillies in turn, spinning around, prancing from one end of the podium to the other. Each took in the sight of the ornate room that was lit with vast shafts of light that fell from the towering windows.
Two janitors stood at the far end, polishing the long wooden benches, barely lifting their heads to acknowledge the youthful tour guide and his three charges.
“The National Royal Popularist Party,” he said, motioning with his free hand and lifting the sign aloft, “sit on that side. The Popular Royalist National Party sit on that side, and everybody who actually knows what they’re doing sits in the middle. The two sides yell insults at each other until it’s time for lunch, and then they all go out together and have a nice big meal.”
The fillies looked at him quizzically.
“Then, when that’s done, they come in here and say horrible things about each other until Prime Minister Fancypants,” Spike said, motioning back to the big podium, “yells at all of them to shut up. Then they all go to the pubs in the city.”
In the distance, the two janitors snickered.
“So, basically, there’s a lot of arguing and personal insults, and nothing ever gets done,” Spike intoned, “just like in any good democracy!”
“Hey!” squeaked Sweetie Belle. Her tail caught beneath his nose as she brushed along him, gathering his attention before leaping up to the podium. “We argue a lot! We can be our own political thingy… party!”
“We don’t argue a lot!” Scootaloo interrupted.
“Aw, sure we do!” corrected Apple Bloom.
“Nuh haw!” answered Scootaloo.
“Yeah haw!” countered Apple Bloom.
“Sweetie!” the two called, looking to her as their eyes came alight.
“Cutie Mark Crusaders Politici…” she began.
Bonk.
“Dwwaaarrr,” she said, reeling a bit as the sound of the sign bopping her head reverberated through the room. “Whhhaaarrrmmm, duuhhhhrrrr,” she moaned, leaning over the podium as her head swam.
“Most sensible an’ educated thing that’s been said at that podium fer’ decades,” said one of the janitors as he watched Spike gather her up and lead the other fillies back through the ductwork.
“I’d vote for her,” replied the other.
The tour guide led his charges into another space.
“These,” whispered Spike as he removed his cap, “are the Sepulchers of the Nameless Soldiers.”
Little green flames wobbled before long boxes that sat in the quiet room, and two Guardsponies held their vigil nearby.
None of the young creatures said a thing, and they stood there close together for a great long while.
The tour continued across the city.
“Here,” noted Spike, lifting each up a high ledge as they blushed at him, “is the Great Armory.”
As he pushed open a familiar vent the four went tumbling amid rows of armor, stands of swords, and racks of other weapons.
“In this place,” he said waving his arms around himself, “you’ll find some of the most enchanted weapons in Equestria! Many of these weapons are heavily cursed, some wielded by incredible creatures, and some even have powerful magic that…”
Spike startled in place, his cap spinning about on his head.
“Wow, yeah, what was I thinking bringing you here?” he said, beginning to shoo them towards the passage. “Wow, okay, yeah, everypony out…”
Scootaloo had already stuck her nose where it most certainly did not belong, and it came back out covered with a helmet.
“Ha!” she said as her voice echoed around inside, taunting Spike. She leapt up, placing her hooves across his shoulders, looking down into his eyes from behind the ornate bronze visor. “You can’t bop my head with that sign now, huh?”
Spike scowled as she rested herself upon his shoulders.
“C’mon everypony,” she said with a hint of self-satisfaction, “let’s see if we can find some more armor that fits, and then we can be Cutie Mark Crusaders Dragon Cha…”
Bop!
“Hey!” she said, as she sat in surprise, the helmet spinning from her head and clanging to the floor. “Did you just bonk my flank?!
Bop!
Spike’s face betrayed a smirk as the little pegasus went stumbling amid the racks, her legs intertwining as she stumbled along.
He gathered her up, leading the pegasus and her friends from the armory. As he did, Spike’s eyes settled across a space where a magic hammer had once rested, and after a moment of reflection he left the armory once more.
“Okay, ummm,” Spike began, looking up and down the long stretch of cobblestones as ponies went by. Soon he began scratching his head and turning to look up and down the High Street. “Ummm…” he said again, turning to face the three fillies. Despite the bopping and the bonking, it was evident that they had enjoyed their tour… and their tour guide.
“Well, I… uhhh,” he said, looking down into their bubbly expressions. “We’re kinda in a boring part of town. Joe’s is nearby, but…any-anything you guys wanna see? I mean, is there anything that…”
“The palace!” squeaked Sweetie, bounding into the air, landing before him.
“I-I don’t…”
“Yeah, the palace!” repeated Scootaloo, once more placing her foreleg over his shoulder, looking down to him.
“Hey, I-I just can’t…”
“Aww,” said Apple Bloom, sliding beside him. “We got tah’ see only ‘bout two rooms when we were here fer’ the weddin’. Can’t ya’ get us in, Spike, please?”
“Pllleeaassseee,” they said in unison, invading his personal space once more.
“Hey, l-look, I can’t just go wandering around the palace. I mean, it’s one thing to go around the city, but the palace is where all of the important stuff is…”
“… dangerous stuff too.”
As soon as he had said it he knew that it had been a mistake. The hint of danger only seemed to encourage them, and Spike gulped a bit as the three laid their heads to his chest and batted their eyes at him.
“Pllleeeaaassseee!” they cooed, bringing a bright blush to his face.
“Well, ummm,” he said, glancing away and running his hand behind his head. “I guess that there’s a few places where we can go… like, ummm, the nursery where I lived until Twilight could keep me with her. And, ummm…”
“Yay!” the Crusaders called, bouncing around him. “We’re going to the palace! We’re going to the palace! We’re going to the palace!”
“This won’t end well,” Spike moaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
The interior of the palace was like an onion. The deeper within one went, the older it became. To travel in the ancient crawlspaces or passages meant going that much deeper into Equestria’s history. It meant seeing architecture and building construction techniques unfold that have since been lost. It meant exploring a world that the princesses alone, it seemed, must remember.
It meant admitting that he was no longer such a little dragon. He reflected on that as he made his way up the passageways, squeezing through them and turning to help the fillies who followed.
“Oof!” he called, lifting Scootaloo from the vent, leaving the sign behind as he helped her to her hooves and then reached for Sweetie Belle.
“Where… where are we?” the pegasus asked, blinking in the darkness.
“This is a repository, one of the many where…” he began.
“A repository?!” Sweetie protested with a high squeak as her legs waved through the air. “You brought us to a junk room?”
“Well, yeah,” he said, setting her on the floor. “Ya’ know, like I said, there aren’t a lot of places I can bring ya’ in the palace without getting caught. We’ve got to start somewhere I can remember really good.”
“C’mon girls,” Apple Bloom said, sticking her head out of the vent. “I’m sure Spike knows what he’s doin’, just give ‘em a second or so…”
Spike reached to her, keeping the other two fillies in his sight until he felt her in his hands. To his surprise she gave a little squeak. He looked back to see that he hadn’t grasped her hooves, but instead his hands were against her ribs, at the ticklish spots beneath her forelegs.
The two blushed at one another as he lifted her from the vent.
“Ummm,” he said.
“Heh,” she answered.
Spike led the three fillies to the middle of the room. As he did he couldn’t help but feel that something had changed. Instead of simply being a storage room it was now laid out, and it was free of dust. It seemed recently visited as well, and all was spit and polish as it sat in the few rays of light that came in through the heavy curtains.
When he had been a little whelp this had been a place to come and hide from the Lord Protector of the Nursery, the nurses, and later even Twilight, when he had been a naughty dragon. Here he would sit on ancient thrones that no sovereign had sat in for ages and try to work up the courage to accept his punishments.
Those memories held little comfort for him, and there was even less in it as he attempted to discover why it seemed so different.
“Okay,” he said, spinning back to them, “I need to go and see if the corridors in this wing are open, so… well, don’t touch anything, okay?”
Three grinning faces met him. He was less than encouraged.
Spike fought to open the vast white doors, and he winced as something large and metallic fell as he lifted the drawbar.
With that the door came open. He looked back at the fillies, each still grinning at him with wide, manic grins. They each gave him a little wave as he moved to exit the room.
“Yeah, this won’t end well,” he sighed, slipping out into the hallway.
The Crusaders waited for Sweetie to stop waving. When she finally did they looked at one another, a realization dawning over them.
It was all of about four seconds before the call of “Cutie Mark Crusaders Treasure Hunters, yay!” filled the room, and at once the three fillies were opening drawers, diving through trunks, and exploring velvet pouches.
“Hey, check this thing out!” Scootaloo said, pursuing the crystalline sphere that rolled across the floor. As it rolled it cast illuminated words upon the floor, the room coming to life as golden letters fell from the orb.
“And the des-desig…the designate will have to make the choice…” Sweetie Belle read, trying to follow the words that bobbled around before darkening upon the carpet.
“Try it again!” she called, and Scootaloo reached forward towards the unusual device. As soon as she touched it, she withdrew her hoof.
“It’s freezing! Wow!” Scootaloo gasped. “My whole foreleg just got all icy…”
Apple Bloom watched Sweetie Belle forsake the sphere. She watched her friends move closer to one another until Scootaloo’s hoof sat between them, pressing heat back into the limb.
Her mind went back to the open drawer before her, and in one motion she grasped the velvet and pulled upon it, revealing what sat inside.
A gorget sat there, the armor a shining metal that seemed more brilliant than silver. Upon it rested a single black pendant, an oval of shining onyx that was perched perfectly upon the surface.
Apple Bloom’s eyes seemed unable to lift from it, and soon she lifted her hoof…
Spike couldn’t believe that this was the same corridor. Instead of dusty and dank it was clean and sparkling. It almost seemed that, if the thick curtains hadn’t been blocking most of the daylight, it would have shone.
He turned down the corridor, and there in the distance he could see the doors that would lead down the wide stairs to one of the principal courtyards.
Nearby there was the sound of running water, and he wondered if the windows of one of the rooms had been opened, allowing the sounds of the fountains to enter the space.
He had been about to make for those doors when a soft sound met him. He spun about, not expecting any noises apart from the distant ones that told his ears that the fillies had not listened to him whatsoever.
He pressed his ear to the door nearest him. Very gently he turned the knob, knowing full well that all that had stood in that room when he was a child was a bed frame, absent of mattress and sheets, standing alone in an empty room.
The door came open easily in his grasp, and as he stepped within all of his memories were washed away as the gentle smells of a mare and her perfumes washed over him. The room seemed alive, and he marveled at how serene the scene was.
He leapt in surprise as the sheets moved…
There, in the darkened room, a figure slept upon the bed.
Ten thousand realizations leapt through Spike… the fact that this room was now occupied, but hadn’t been when he and Twilight still lived in the city, the reason why the corridors and rooms had so many curtains, blocking out the midday sun. The insight as to why this mare was sleeping away the day broke across him.
Spike realized he was watching Procer Luna Revenio as she slept… he was in her bedroom, and in her apartments.
He slowly began to back out, realizing that if Princess Luna was here, then certain ponies were standing at the door beyond.
He began to close the door, already planning the egress of the fillies and himself, when a shock of light rumbled up the hallway.
It bowled him over, sending him tumbling against the doorframe, and flinging the doors open with a crash.
Princess Luna came awake in an instant, lifting above the bed and tossing her wings wide.
“Who calls for me by name?!” she asked, her mane flying out behind her.
Spike went scrambling across the hallway, his motion catching her attention. In a flash the princess was upon him.
Her eyes leveled upon his cap and sash.
“You! Tour Lord! I know thee! Thou art but the summoner to my sister’s designate? Why have you awoken me? Why have you called…”
Luna’s eyes flashed again, her head lifting in shock.
“I am called for yet again, but you are not… nay. Nay, he calls to me…”
Luna faced down the hallway, towards the distant room.
“Who is in my chambers?!” she yelled, turning back to Spike as he lay cowering beneath her. “Who is there?!”
“My… tour group?” he tried to answer, choking through the words.
“Guards!” called the princess, her face a mask of concern. “Guards, to me!”
At once the doors at the end of the corridor came open, and at once two massive forms came galloping up the passageway. Spike felt the warmth drain from him as the eyes of the thestrals, the night ponies, fell over him.
As they came closer a special dread fell through Spike, and at once the whelp scampered away, darting down the hallway. He felt a tug, and at once he knew that the princess had made a grab for him with her magic.
“Child!” she called. “Child, hold fast!”
Spike dove back into the repository. “What did you guys do?!” he called. “We are in so much trouble! We’re…”
Spike skidded to a halt. Before him Apple Bloom stood transfixed, her mane flowing on silvery light that lifted from a gorget in her hooves. Around her Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo tried to reach for her, each trying to lift her hooves from the black onyx that stood upon it.
Apple Bloom’s eyes were distant pinpricks, and her mouth stood open, a look of awe and fear etched up the features of the little filly.
“What did you guys do?!” Spike demanded, leaping among them, shoving the unicorn and pegasus aside. He placed his hands upon Apple Bloom’s hooves, and at once there was a shock of sound and light.
“And what are you, my child?” asked a male voice from beyond a dream.
Spike felt himself being drawn somewhere, felt something moving through him, making him aware of places deep inside his own body.
“I’m… I’m a dragon,” he answered, hearing his voice echo inside his own mind.
“A dragon, my child?” asked the voice, seeming to fall down into despair. “This simply cannot be right. No… no, I’ll not believe that she betrayed me. Does not my Luna know that there is nothing I would not do for her? Alas, already it is too late to stop. Such horrors…”
In an instant Luna and her guards had gained the door. Her eyes went wide as she saw the little filly and the dragon whelp holding the jeweled gorget.
“Nay! Nay, my lord!” she called aloud, her horn igniting. “Not these, I pray you! These are but children!”
Luna stood strong as her own light tried to reach for them. As a silvery substance lifted from the gorget the thestrals threw themselves over Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, and the room filled with a high, resonant whine and a white flash of blinding light.
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Have I mentioned that I love your characterizations and the little details you throw in? Spike's discussion on politics and the janitors was pretty much perfect.
Also, bonk.
Apple Bloom, you've just put a curse upon yourself
Damn it Applebloom
These should all be "who." Who is used for subjects, the focus of the sentence. Whom is used for objects, nouns that aren't the subject in a sentence (and also nouns acted upon by a preposition). If you ever get confused, try wording the sentence to use he or him instead; if it should be he, it should be "who," and if it should be him, it should be "whom."
a little fast but interesting
This is... interdasting. Nice poem at the beginning. It really was great.
Her Lord?! Who is Lord over one of the Princesses?!!
Also, I loved the bit about politics.
That hammer...
Yep, I just read the description and the poem epic, and I knew this was going to be awesome.
-Delta-
The following are my thoughts as I was reading the chapter:
Slightly confused about that opening part. Probably will be explained later on.
Wait... Did that take place in the future, but a long time ago (like star wars)? And that "one" is Spike??? Bah! It doesn't surprise me that you would leave us in suspense over this. Forcing us to continue reading the story in hopes to find out more (Not that this is a bad thing mind you. Just saying.).
Haha. That-a-boy Spike! Excellent answer if I may say so.
In the words of Big Mac: Nnnope!
*where I can [find] some - just my guess as to what it should be.
That can't be a good thing. Yeah, somepony is going to be pissed about that. I'm calling it now.
...Or maybe not.
Probably because it is true.
And that is how she became our Prime Minister!
I feel that this is important, otherwise it would not have been mentioned.
Wait... what? What in the world is going on at the end there?
========
Alrighty... Interesting story you have going here so far TD! I am already liking it, though I don't really know what is going on, though that is probably to be expected in my case.
As always, I am fairly positive that any confusion or questions that I have about this will be revealed/answered as I continue to read the others chapters. Can't wait!
Onwards to Chapter 2!!!
"Needless to say, the way that Spike sat slumped against the counter (his tongue hanging out and an expression in his eyes that seemed to denote his wish for the sweet release of death) ..."
This is me during every phone conversation with my mother...
I started reading this chapter, my eyes got wide, and I literally squeed!!! More outstandingly amazing storytelling from TD. I absolutely loved the first part (it reminded me so much of Song of Syhlex, and we finally get to see a little more of the witches you have hinted so much at!!). I literally could not contain my excitement. Spike and the CMC were great too of course, but I really hope that we see a continuation of the story in the beginning in the next chapter.
It's kind of funny, I got to the end of the chapter and it said zero likes and 4 views....
refreshed... almost 3500 views and 353 likes... I have been waiting to read this for quite a while. Background Pony distracted me though.
I'm still chuckling at Spike's summary of Equestrian politics. “Then, when that’s done, they come in here and say horrible things about each other until Prime Minister Fancypants yells at all of them to shut up. Then they all go to the pubs in the city.”
And Crusaders, when will you learn? And yes, I'm well aware that the answer is 'never'...
Sweetie Bell/Scootaloo 2016!!
Sorry Applebloom, maybe in 2020.
*reads the war poem thingy... and eyetwitches* The witches... you... you invoked the worst, most annoying villains that Generation 1 came up with... the creators of the Smooze, from that dreadful movie.
There is no word in Entish or Elvish for such treachery... *takes sword from sheath* We duel to the death for the honor of G4 Pony.
Oh, you crafty bastard
Is it the same hammer sitting in the grass near Discord's statue?
As promised in the post back on the main page of the story...
I see you sometimes call Spike the boy (and Dragon Bloom the girl). While I have no reason to be cross about it, because I'm pretty sure Twilight called Spike a boy in one of the first episodes, I generally prefer when you call him the whelp. Because the canon show writers do everything they can to eliminate everything that can be referenced to humans. And I believe that we (although my heart hurts so much because of putting you and me in one bag
) should act similarly. 
That's the only surefire way to shut a mare!
dl.dropbox.com/u/5331373/memes/If%20You%20Know%20What%20I%20Mean.png
Here is the strange use of tenses. Once again you're shifting between past, in which you told your story, and present, which is only visible here. I'm pretty sure this is not an error (and have little reason to criticize it, as I'm not a native English speaker), but I'm curious why, in all of the story, you decided to use present tense only here. Could it be because that this scene is a threw-in addition that might as well be cut from the story?
Never before in my life have I seen the democracy and politics nailed so perfectly on the head!
Ah, I remember this one. Such little cameos are a great way to establish continuity between your stories - something you are a master of.
Or like an ogre. You know, cause ogres are like onions...
pu.i.wp.pl/k,NjA4MTEyODIsNDUxMjMyMjg=,f,shrek.jpg
The armor of shining metal? I'm not sure if this is an error or a sentence structure I have not met before...
So many question's, and so little time. Must read more later!
P.S. I also get the feeling that the creature that helped Luna in the battle long ago and the voice that is talking at the end of this chapter, are the same creature and he is a Dragon.
And what do we have here.....a spike centered fic with more fleshing out of the sinister witches that I've only faintly heard about thanks to some of your earlier work, filly discipline by the means of a bopping sign, looks like some slight shipping element at work, and most interesting so far getting to hear some Luna mythos through T.D.'s perspective. I must read this!
So now I have some witch names, Raggle, Reeka, and Hydia. Since I know jack tiddly biddly about any generation regarding mlp besides this current one I'm always wondering if you're breathing life into something that was current before FIM, or if this is just more of your interesting imagination at work.
It's been a while since I've seen some classic Cutie Mark Crusader shenanigans and I'm glad to see them back with a vengeance in this first chapter. Applejack advising tour guide Spike to keep the three fillies in line with a gentle bop on the head was humorous, and every time it came into play i had to smirk just the slightest of bits. The smirk turned to full on guffaws when we came to the scene regarding politics, perhaps Sweetie Bell should look into getting an intern job for Ivory.
There's no getting 'that' little reference past me Descendant, in fact now I'm overcome with the need to reread 'Variables'. Not to jump to conclusions but I'm gonna go ahead and start believing that the two are part of some grand T.D. created timeline, which of course must involve 'Dear Idiot' and maybe 'Heart Of The Mountain'.
So Spike used to spend his welp days within the empty corridors that belonged to the once banished Mare of the night. And Applebloom finds herself interacting with an artifact with unknown power, and probably unrestrained hi-jinks will soon follow. Looking forward to that.
The characters so far are right on, and everything that has occurred feels like it's moving at a nice pace. Spike's interaction with the CMC reminds me greatly of "Of The Fair and All After" innocent with that dash of awkward that comes with dealing with the fairer gender, good job old friend.
Always great reading your work when I manage to salvage myself some relaxing down time.
gamesprays.com/files/resource_media/preview/mon-dieu-6134_preview.jpg ...THATS HER NAME!? HOW'D YOU FIND THAT OUT!?
Ermagherd! The witches from The Silent Shore, I think it was? If so, awesome!
Anyway, this was an excellent first chapter. Did I ever mention that I love the way you write Spike? Only 25 times? Make that 26, then
I haven't even gotten into the present tense section yet and i'm on the verge of tears,
dude that was powerful.
“Most sensible an’ educated thing that’s been said at that podium fer’ decades,” said one of the janitors as he watched Spike gather her up and lead the other fillies back through the ductwork.
“I’d vote for her,” replied the other.
I lost it right there. Faving for that before I even finish reading. Normally I don't do that, but based on past experience with your stories, I have complete faith that the rest of this one is going to be excellent.
Great job on the character interactions as usual, I always love how you write Spike and Twilight, and I'm really enjoying your take on the crusaders too. Back to reading now.
I loved Spike's explanation of politics, and the janitor's reactions.
Ooh, I remember the hammer!
2996864
I recall it as well....a excellent subtle tie-in to another story.
Which allows me to say this:
I see what you did there
Ring, ring, ring, ring banana phone!!!!!
oh yeah, cool story aswell. Good job
-YourFellowPony
5587849 It ain't a banana phone without Marty
Brennaman :)
I always see a lot of people making stories Apple Bloom doing rediculous or a bit awkward/romantic things with Spike but never have I ever heard of grabbing Apple Bloom from her ribs beneath her forelegs before. It must felt ticklish!
Will read part 2 tomorrow because now it's 1 am.
I love the mood change here.
HAHAHA! Scoots got a spankin', Scoots got a spankin'...
Exciting opening. I love the CMC antics. (Bonk!) The end here is very mysterious. Who is this lord?