//------------------------------// // Speaking of Prench Dungeon Trolls... // Story: The Days Passed // by SilverEyedWolf //------------------------------// The castle was only a short trot away. Spike kept up pretty well with the stallions, especially since Clear Sights was lugging around the big suitcase with his shoulder harness. "That looks pretty major," Spike spoke up, his tail weighed down with two suitcases and arms still full of sleeping pegasus. "What's in that thing?" Clear grinned a bit as he said, "State secrets, kid. Papers," said like 'Paypahs', "important documents, and a little something," said as 'somenin', "to keep it all safe. Nothing to worry about for us though, yeah?" Spike slowly nodded, looking a little closer at the case as the group made their way to the large crystal structure in the distance. It rolled along smoothly on the stone street, and as he concentrated on it, Spike would have sworn he could hear a ticking sound from within. Taking a stealthy step away, Spike heard Clear chuckle as they neared the gates. Two guards with halberds stood in front of the wooden barrier, but they only nodded at the group as the two escort guards passed by. Both gave a quick salute to Clear Sights, and just as quickly returned to their sentry positions. "Judge Advocate General must be a pretty prestigious position, if the sentries break form for you," Spike said, ducking a bit as he passed through the gate. "It's up there," Clear said, shrugging a bit. "Lots of work and all that jazz. Ya know the JAG corps?" "Heard of them," Spike said, nodding. "I'm not up to date with all the aspects of the military anymore though, not since Twilight and I moved out of her house with Shining and their parents." "Ah, fair," Clear nodded. "Anyhow, we're just the judicial part of the Military Police. The judges and whatnot." "Ah, and I think I've learned what the J stands for," Spike said with a small smile." They paused their conversation as they reached the front doors of the castle. The large slabs of wood seemed to have crystallized, and they gave off a faint glow of magic. Another sentry tapped on the right half of the door with the base of his halberd, and a small section of the wood parted soundlessly to allow them entry. Spike once again ducked through the door, followed by their escort. The door closed gently after Clear Sights. "This is where we part, sirs," Amethyst Star told the group. "We've been instructed to deliver the General to his office, and to bring Mr. Spike to the royal dining room for breakfast." Spike nodded to the Lieutenant, then shuffled Fluttershy once again to offer his paw to the pony. For some reason, Clear Sights seemed to hesitate for a moment, before taking Spike's paw with a small smile. "Unfortunately, I'm sure that I'll see you again soon, young drake," he said, before nodding to Amethyst Star. Spike stared at him for a moment before calling out, "That's not ominous at all!" A throaty chuckle was the only reply, and the General and his escort soon turned down a hall and disappeared from sight. Huffing, Spike shook his head and looked around at the dressings of the entryway, a simple affair compiling tapestries of several different colors to match the rulers of the land. A simple chandelier lit the small entryway, and two hallways split to the left and right as a double staircase led up and to either side of the upped floor. Whistling, Spike looked to Bright Cluster. "Glad I've got you," he said, smiling. "I get a feeling that this place might be tough to walk around without... a..." He stopped talking as the Lieutenant looked up from a piece of parchment, covered with crisscrossing lines and layers. Spike could see the top two sections on the page. "... Lieutenant Bright Cluster, is that a map of the castle?" Cluster frowned, folding the page before tucking it back into his armor. "Spike, sir, I'm not sure what it is you're implying," he said, before looking down a hallway. "The dining center shou-", a cough, "is this way. If you'll follow me." The pony quickly started walking down the hallway, and Spike jogged for a second to catch up. Sighing, he looked down at the pony in his arms. She blinked up at him, before smiling sweetly. "Good morning, Spike." He blinked down at her, before giving her a small smile. "Uh huh, 'good morning'. How long have you been awake?" he asked, leaning his neck down to plant a dry kiss on her nose. "Vahnhoova," she enunciated, before both of them giggled. "So, I carried you all the way up here for no reason?" he asked, looking up to make sure he was still following Cluster. "Nope," she chirped, smiling up at him. "You carried me up here because you love me." Blushing, Spike slowly nodded to her. "Yeah, alright then." Spike continued down the hallway for a moment, lost in thought, before he heard a retching sound from a hallway just ahead of them. "Max gross, Spike," came a young voice from down that hall. Spike grinned immediately as he recognized the vocals that somehow managed to mix Rarity's smooth audios with Rainbow Dash's rough vocabulary and cadence. "You're reminding me of mom and dad." From around the corner came a very light pinkish violet mare, her purple and teal hair curling around her ears and at her shoulders. She scratched at the horn on her head as she yawned, before she stretched out a wing to scratch gently at some of the feathers there. "Hey there Wildberry," Spike said, one of his paws automatically flicking out with a single digit pointing at the mare, his thumb pointing at the ceiling as the other three curled. "Kind of early for you, isn't it?" "Hahaha, Grape Soda," the mare said, grinning still as one of her pinions separated to point back at him. "Not my fault that tart baker designed that single pastry after me." She yawned again, her wing coming back to cover her mouth. "You're the only reason I'm up right now, too." "Oh yeah?" Spike said, adjusting Fluttershy. "Shiny want you at breakfast as well?" "Yeah, guess he likes you or something," she said, smiling up at Fluttershy. "Hey there, Flutters." "Hello there, Flurry Heart," Fluttershy said, wriggling so that she wasn't belly-up anymore. "It's been awhile since we talked, hasn't it?" "Maybe for us, but me and Soda boy over there just had an O&O session this weekend, didn't we?" Flurry said with a grin. "You know it uses up a spell slot for me to conjure up arrows for you, right?" Spike groused, frowning heavily. "Eh, cheaper than carrying around a ton of them," Flurry said with a shrug. "Lighter, too." "Don't talk to me about lighter, Ranger," Spike said, pointing at Flurry. "Six strength, remember?" Flurry snorted and stage whispered to Cluster, "Wizards." He chuckled weakly, looking around and meeting Fluttershy's gaze, who merely shrugged. "Hey, maybe we could organize a game while you're up here, finally be able to play without a scrying ball all over the table," Flurry said, perking up. "How long are you planing on?" "Oh, a week?" he said, looking at Fluttershy for confirmation. "We never really put a definite end on this vacation thingy." "I'm sure we'll have time for a game," she assured. "Maybe a couple, if they're quick?" Both of the other shared a look. "Maybe a short one," Spike said, Flurry nodding. "Our regular games go on for around eight hours, when everyone has time for that," he said. "Our short ones still go for three or four hours." "Oh," Fluttershy said, a little surprised. "That's a bit of time to dedicate to a game." Spike shrugged, smiling. "It's usually worth it." They walked for a moment more, before Flurry looked around the hallway and paused. "Hey Cluster," she said, looking up one of the hallways. "Where are we going?" Lieutenant Bright Cluster looked around himself, pulled out his piece of paper from his armor, then sighed. "Dammit," he muttered.