“Is...is it gone?” The reindeer asked, after Spike and Arizona had returned from their recent adventure in "the basement."
“Yes ma’m!” Arizona confirmed. “Threat re-“
“Oh thank goodness. Finally!" The reindeer interrupted. "Now shoo, shoo! You’re trailing the snow with your hooves!”
Miffed by the reindeer's rudeness, Spike and Arizona immediately left the house.
“Sheesh, so much for gratitude,” Spike frowned.
"You'd think they'd at least reward us by being more helpful and welcoming?" Arizona mooed.
"Well, forget about them, let's go find that museum and look for clues to your Prophet's Key," Spike said, reminding the calf what they came for.
"Yer right," Arizona nodded as they resume their trip around town.
Spike and Arizona were walking down the street, sightseeing the place, when they happened to pass a reindeer doe, dressed in green scarf, and wearing glasses, who is accompanied by a single sprite. Together, they're setting up a shop, with the sign above it reading Cash n’ Cap’s.
"Hey, let's ask this doe," Spike suggested. "Excuse me, miss? You got a second?"
"Yeah, can we ask ya a question?" Arizona added.
"Oh! Hello there," The doe greeted. "I'm afraid we're not officially open until tomorrow. Still restocking after an abroad sales tour... But... if you're simply DYING to part with your salt in exchange for my Fœnum-famous fabulous fashion... I'll do business anytime you like... How may I be of assistance?"
"Actually, we're looking fer the museum," Arizona answered, with Spike nodding in agreement.
"Oh, are you tourists?" The doe asked, to which Spike and Arizona nodded in response. "I know a few good guides who could show you around town."
"Sure, that'd be mighty helpful!" Arizona said.
Spike nodded, "Yeah, that'll really help us out a lot miss..."
"Cashmere's the name," The doe introduced herself as Cashmere. "And hourly rates usually run about...3,500 salt," Spike and Arizona immediately fell silent, since they didn't exactly have enough on them, which Cashmere immediately realized. "I'm gonna take that as a no, then."
"Uh...yeah, sorry for troubling you," Spike apologized as he and Arizona slumped away.
"Dangnabit!" Arizona stomped her hoof in frustration. "I knew we should've mined that whole salt mine deeper. We'd probably find more salts and then we'd have enough by now..."
"It doesn't matter now," Spike shook his head. "Looks like we'll have to find that place on our own..."
"Figures," Arizona mooed in disappointment as she looks down a street. "Maybe it's this way?"
At that moment, three little ice sprites came running pass the two adventurers, and stopped for a moment to catch their breaths.
"What the...?" Arizona mooed in surprise.
The ice sprites immediately said something in a soft, squeaky language that neither calf nor dragon understood.
"What did they say?" Spike asked. "I didn't get any of that."
"Me neither," Arizona replied. "But let's try askin' them fer directions," Arizona walked up to the ice sprites. "Well howdy, little fellers! Could 'ya tell me where 'ta find the museum?"
Instead of answering, however, the sprites took off running away from the two friends.
"Was it somethin' I said?" Arizona asked.
Spike's ears, however, perked up to the sound of barking, "Hey! Is it just me, or do I hear the sound of barking and a stampede?"
Before either of them knew it, they were suddenly plowed into the snow by a pack of puppies. Just then, a little lamb, roughly around Arizona's age, came running by. In appearance, she is a slender ewe lamb with whitish wool tinted with pink. Her face is a muted, pale magenta, with expressive turquoise eyes and a nervous expression. She wears a golden bell on a purple collar.
"Puppies!" The lamb called. "Oh, where 'ave me Puppies gone tae?" Turning to a dazed and confused Arizona, Pom gingerly walks over to the cow. "Eh... excuse me miss... did ye see a pack o wee puppies pass by chasin' some faeries? Would ye happen to know which way they went?"
But Arizona was too dazed from the recent ordeal that she couldn't properly process what the lamb was asking. That, or it's either because the calf was having trouble understanding what the lamb was asking.
"Och, puppies, where hae ye gotten tae?" The little lamb was about to take her leave when she happens to see Spike, lying face down in the snow, with familiar paw prints all over him. "Oh no! Are you okay?" She asks, helping him up.
"I think so," Spike shook his head, revealing himself to the lamb.
"A...A...A...AAAHH!!!" Frightened out of her wits, the lamb took off running, away from the confused young dragon.
"Was it something I said?" He asked, scratching his head, only to realize his helmet was gone. "Uh oh!" Spike frantically looked around, before he found his helmet and puts it back on, before anyone else notices.
Spike then walks over to Arizona, "Hey Ari! You okay?" He asked, while dusting the powder snow, clean off of the calf.
"Yeah, I'm alright," Arizona replied, adjusting her hat, before she noticed something shining. "Huh? What's that?" The calf walked over and picked up a gold shining round shape of the sort. "Hmmm. One 'a them little fellers must 'a dropped this."
Arizona quickly put the item away in her bag for safekeeping. "Better take it with us jus' in case we see 'em again," She explained her intention. "Wouldn't want it 'ta get lost. Whatever it is..."
"Good call, Ari," Spike nodded as he and the calf resume their trip around town.
Spike and Arizona were walking down the street, when they also happen to pass by a lake. Close by, Spike couldn't help but overhear some reindeers talking.
"...Why is the lake not frozen?" One of the reindeer complained. "We can't skate on cold water!"
"This was an ice skating zone just this morning!" The other reindeer replied. "Why did it suddenly melt? Guess at least I'm on this side, and not trapped on the islet in the middle..."
At the mention of the islet, Spike looks out across the lake to see a few reindeers stranded on the small island. This brought back some memories of the Winter Wrap Up, when Spike fell asleep on a floating piece of ice, and got a cold as a result, as a practical joke from the ponies.
Turning to the reindeers, Spike asked, "Shouldn't we go in and help them?"
"Gosh, heavens, no!" The first reindeer scoffed. "Our floof will be ruined!"
"Besides, The Blitz and his team can handle it," The second reindeer reassured. "They'll be fine."
"Uh, okay..." Spike replied, taken aback by the reindeers lack of concerns. "If you say so." With that, the young dragon turned and caught up with Arizona.
Spike and Arizona were on their way through the city, when they happened to notice a large crowd gathering.
"Huh, what do you think all the commotion's about?" Spike asked.
"I don't know, Spike," Arizona replied. "But let's go check it out and see what's up."
The two friends walked over to the group of reindeers to see, standing in the center of attention, is a larger, older reindeer, with great big sharp antlers that showed off his long years.
"I can't believe he's out today!" A reindeer exclaimed in admiration.
"Isn't he scrumptious?" A reindeer doe swooned.
"Should I ask him to marry me?" Another doe asked.
"Wow, I've never seen such thick antlers."
"He's soooo gorgeous..."
"Those muscles...!"
During the commotions, the tall reindeer turned and noticed Arizona and Spike in the crowd.
"Hello, little ones!" The reindeer greeted. "I am Stronghoof Hoofstrong, Jarl of Reine City."
"Oh hi!" Spike greeted. "Nice to meet you sir."
"Yeah, I'm Arizona of The Prairie," Arizona introduced herself. "And this here's my travel buddy, Spike. We were hoping ta find the museum of this city. But we can't help but overhear how...uh...outstanding ya are."
"That I am," Stronghoof smiled in agreement. "I didn't just fight the Predators for nothing."
"Oh really?! 'Ya know 'bout the Predators?" Arizona asked.
"Indeed, I do... Had I not banished so many of the vile shades with my own hooves, I would no sooner call myself a Hoofstrong!" The reindeer then squinted his eyes as he looks closely at Spike and Arizona. "How many predators have YOU defeated, young ones? How tough are you?"
The reindeer snorted a gust of air as he looks closely at Spike and Arizona. Feeling nervous about being figured out and at the risk of being exposed, Spike inhales a large amount of air and puffs his chest up to look tough.
"Hmm..." Stronghoof pondered for a moment, before he announced, "...Ah this is good. Your muscles ripple with conviction! Your spirits sings with valor!"
"Golly!" Arizona mooed, blushing a shade of pink from the flattery.
Stronghoof then turned to a winter sprite next to him and he holds out a red headband.
"Here, a token from me," Stronghoof presented. "The mark of a true warrior. Wear it with pride!"
"Why thank 'ya, mister!" Arizona smiled, as she gladly took the headband and dons it on her head. "Hey Spike. How do I look?"
Spike gives the calf a thumbs up before they resumed their search for the museum.
Spike and Arizona walked up to a reindeer, who was standing by a statue of a reindeer, "Sorry, can't talk right now," The reindeer said. "I'm waiting for somebody. Told me to meet them by the statue."
"Okay," Spike said, as he and Arizona walked away.
While passing by, they happened to meet another reindeer, who explained to them, "Sorry, I cannot talk right now. I'm waiting for someone and they're already late. I told them to meet me by the statue!"
"Alright then," Arizona was about to walk away, when Spike spoke up.
"Hold it!" Spike said to the reindeer. "Did you say you were meeting someone by the statue?"
"Yes I did."
"Did you tell them which statue to be precise? Because from the looks of it, there are lots of statues here, and they all look alike."
"Well, I told them to meet me by this statue. I thought I was specific enough, and still they're late..."
"Yeah, well I think I know where they are, actually," With that, Spike guided the deer to the other statue, where the other reindeer was waiting. "Is that your friend over there?"
"Why, yes! Yes it is!" The reindeer exclaimed as they ran over to meet with their friend. "What are you doing here?"
"What? You told me to meet you by the statue, and I did," The other reindeer explained.
"I meant the other statue," The reindeer clarified.
"Well how was I supposed to know? All these statues look alike."
"Sorry about the misunderstanding. Shall we get on with our date?"
"Absolutely."
With that, the two reindeers took their leaves, without thanking Spike.
"You're welcome," Spike waved the reindeers off. "And have fun on your date. So much for gratitude," He muttered under his breath, while Arizona followed with amazement.
"Wow, that's actually...very nice of ya, Spike," Arizona complimented. "But why did ya help them? They weren't exactly asking for help."
"Hey, my world is pretty big on friendship. And a couple of my friends have little sisters that are majorly into match-making."
Spike and Arizona resumed looking for the museum, when they happen to run into a reindeer.
“Uh, excuse me?” Spike called.
“Sorry, can’t stop to talk,” The reindeer replied. “I’ve got places to be!” With that, the reindeer resumed running frantically around the streets.
“…That’s hardly anywhere at all,” Spike commented, with Arizona letting out an exasperated groan in agreement.
The two friends were about to walk down a street, when a reindeer stopped them.
“I wouldn’t go that way if I were you,” The reindeer warned them.
"Huh? Why not?" Arizona asked.
"I just wouldn't," The reindeer replied.
Spike and Arizona both exchanged confusing glances, before Arizona turned to the reindeer and replied, "If ya say so."
At that moment, the three ice sprites from before came running down the street and were just passing Spike and Arizona.
"Oh hey, it's you guys!" Arizona greeted, while Spike gets a sense of deja vu. "Wanted 'ta tell 'ya, I've got 'yer–"
"Look out!" Spike shoved Arizona out of the way, just as a pack of puppies came barking and running, chasing the ice sprites away. "Phew. Ain't gonna fall for that twice."
"...Well, there goes that," Arizona mooed, despondent to have another conversation with the sprites cut short.
"I tried to warn you two!" The reindeer said.
Nevertheless, both Spike and Arizona continued on their trip through the city, until they finally arrive at a large tall building, where Spike reads the sign to confirm it is the: "Reine City Museum."
"Finally!" Arizona mooed in relief, after she and Spike walked up the steps. "Looks like we've found the right place. No thanks to these floofballs..." Taking a deep breath, Arizona sighed, "Now let's get us a clue!"
Rein City Museum
Spike and Arizona walk through the front entrance of the museum, where they walk up to the front desk on the right.
"Welcome to the National Reine Museum," One of the reindeers at the front desk greeted. "Entrance is free on all days, except the ones when it's not."
"Uh...noted," Spike replied.
"Hey, a guestbook!" Arizona mooed excitedly, before she frowned, "But there's no ink for noseprints..."
"Don't worry Ari, I got this," Spike said as he picks up the quill next to the guestbook and jots down his name and Arizona's on the book. "There!"
"Wow! Yer hands are pretty handy!" Arizona complimented.
"Comes with the territory of being somepony's number one assistant, I guess," Spike shrugged as he and Arizona turn to walk up a flight of stairs.
"How did ya ever land that job again?" Arizona asked. "Wouldn't a pony...I don't know, want another pony to be their 'number one assistant?'"
"Maybe...but growing up with Twilight, she was always working hard and pushing herself pass her limit. She's smart and all, but she works too hard. Someone's got to look out for her."
"But...why did it have to be you? Why not her ma, or her pa? Or even this Shining Armor brother of hers ya told me about?"
"Because she's my home," Spike answered wholeheartedly. "Twilight means everything to me. From the moment I first hatched, to having my first birthday, she was there for me. So I have to be there for her. And right about now, she must be worried sick about me. And I've just got to get back to Equestria and fast."
Spike quickens his steps up the stairs, with Arizona's gaze following him, admiring at his resolve. This young dragon shows full commitment, most admirable of a bovine.
After walking up to the top of the stairs, Spike and Arizona were amazed to see a huge fossil of a strange creature of sort. It has the skull of a giant crocodile, but instead of webbed feet, it has two flippers like those of a whale, and a fluke tail at the end.
“That’s one big, dead fush there,” Arizona commented. “And some smaller ones, I guess. These are kinda givin’ me the creeps.”
With that, Spike and Arizona turned their attentions to some next exhibits on their left and right.
“You go check that exhibit,” Spike pointed to the left. “I’ll go this way.”
“Alright,” Arizona agreed, as both dragon and calf went their separate ways.
Upon entering the exhibit on her side, Arizona finds herself in a room, surrounded by swords and manuscripts.
"Hello there," One of the reindeer staffs, supervising the museum, greeted. "Please don't touch the exhibits."
Arizona nodded as she walks around to take a look at the exhibits on display. In the center of the room, stood a sword, embedded into a stone.
"How'd y'all put this sword in this 'ere rock?" Arizona asked.
"Actually, it's always been there," The reindeer in the room lectured. "There was a prophecy to it, too. Whoso pulleth out this swordeth of this stoneth, is rightwise owner of the really neat stone...eth."
"So, all ah gotta do is pull this sword out and...this stone's mine then?"
"Actually, we don't let anybody try anymore, though," The reindeer frowned, shuddering, "Not since Velvet a while back. Eighteen wounded and five with roughed floofs..."
Arizona simply rolled her eyes at the reindeers' and how much they seem to value their precious floofs. She resumed checking out the rest of the exhibits, when she happens upon another sword.
"What about this sword?" Arizona asked.
"That's our REAAAAALLY big sword..." The reindeer described. "But it has no rock, so we pushed it off to the side."
Arizona then walked up to a set of scrolls, to which the reindeer lectured, "Those are ancient documents. They're written in a dead language, though. Absolutely no clue what they say. But they look nice in the exhibit so..."
Arizona then walks over to another set of old scrolls, "That's a reproduction of the original Reine constitution," The reindeer explained. "'Zis floof I hold to be self-evident, zat not all deer are created equal' and so on..."
"And what's this?" Arizona asked, pointing to an open book.
"That...actually, that's the cafeteria menu," The reindeer answered sheepishly. "I don't know how that got there..."
Meanwhile, in the other exhibit, Spike was checking out a dusty set of old scrolls, which the reindeer in the room explained, "That is a list of thousands of names. Nobody's been able to decipher its purpose. The only thing we know about it is its title: 'Backers.'"
With a nod, Spike continues to check out the other exhibits in the room, and happened upon a strange looking statue.
“Hmmm, what’s this?” Spike asked.
“That is an ancient völva statue. Ancient Reindeer believed praying in the shrine of a statue like this could transport you to other worlds full of dangers and riches.”
"Really...?" Spike looked at the statue and pondered out loud, "Any chance, there's more of these, but one of them can transport me somewhere that's not full of dangers, but plenty of riches? Say like home?" Spike muttered at the last part.
"Pish-posh and tut-tut," the reindeer scoffed at the idea. "Absolute poppycock. No such thing even existed."
Spike felt a slight jab to his chest at the reindeer's swift denial of such possible statue's existence. That, and he may also rejecting a possible world, such as Equestria.
Spike was on his way back to meet with Arizona, when he happens to step on a book, that was lying on the floor, next to large bookshelf.
"Huh. Looks like someone's dropped a book," Spike bent down and picked the book up, turning to the bookshelves next to him. "The shelves are full, though...I should find someone to give this to."
With another book in his claws, Spike walked over to the reindeer in the room and asked, "'Scuse me, sir, but I found this book on the floor..."
"Oh..." The reindeer took a look at the book, before he confirmed. "That belongs to the library on the first floor. How did it get here...? Would you take it to the librarian for me, please?"
"Sure thing!" With that, Spike left the exhibit and was on his way downstairs, just as Arizona came from the exhibit she was checking out.
"Hiya Spike!" Arizona greeted. "Where ya goin'?"
"Just returning this book to the library on the first floor," Spike explained, holding up the said book in his claws. "How about you? Any luck finding what you're looking for?"
"They ain't got much," Arizona replied as she followed Spike down the stairs. "All they got were jus' some swords, some paper junks, and stuffs. Nothin' much to go off from there."
"Well, maybe we'll find some answers in the library," Spike said as he and Arizona walk into the said room. "I know the first thing Twilight would do to search for answers is to go to a library."
Upon entering the library, Spike and Arizona walk up to the front desk, where they meet the librarian.
"Excuse me," Spike greeted. "I found this book upstairs. Not including the one on my back," He clarified, while holding up the said book in his claws. "I think somebody misplaced it."
"Oh! Let me take a look at it..." The librarian took the book from Spike's claws for a closer inspection and reads the title, "Do the telluric alpaca hermeneutics transpose the peripatetic lautretics of Unicornian philosophy because of the factic iniquity of the non-dogmatic Amaryllian dialogues? by L. Luthier."
"That's the title?" Spike asked in disbelief, with a whistle.
"Yes, I think this one goes in the back row, middle shelf," The librarian confirmed. "Would you be both be a deer and place it for me?"
"Sure, we can do that," Spike nodded as he and Arizona went around back to find the said shelf.
Upon finding the middle shelf, the two friends inspected to find an empty space, where they put the book. No sooner did they return the book to its proper place, however, when they felt a rumble on the floor, and the shelf slides open to reveal an entrance.
A secret door has opened, “Huh, what’s this?” Spike asked as he and Arizona walked in to investigate. "Wow, a secret room in a library. Twilight would flip her horn if she knew about this...hey, any chance this could be the clue your folks told you about, Ari?"
"...Y'know, I'm not sure," Arizona mooed in response. "But this place must be loaded with clues and must've been thousands of years old! Judging by the smell. Phew!"
Both Spike and Arizona proceeded to venture forth into the dusty, dark hallways of the secret room they had uncovered. They walked down a hall and nearly passed a room, on the right, which they went in to investigate. They found a few scrolls and books, but they hold nothing of importance. There were some barrels, and a frame where a picture would go. But nothing else.
So, both Spike and Arizona left and proceeded to investigate deeper in the secret library wing, when they happened upon something quite out of the ordinary.
"What–" Spike began.
"The–" Arizona added.
Lying on a couch, snoring, snuggling up to a reindeer plush toy, is the hulking shape of a sleeping bear. Spike and Arizona could hardly believe what they were seeing.
"What's a bear doing in here?!" Spike asked.
"I don't know," Arizona replied, steeling her eyes into a look of determination. "But it ain't welcome here."
Rearing up on her hind legs, Arizona stomped her hooves down, startling the bear awake, starting another fight. Disoriented, the bear was still half-asleep when it was awaken. Before it had time to react or process what was happening, the bear was met with several punches, kicks, and a headbutt to the face, followed by a lasso that tied itself around its front paws, and was lifted into the air and slammed onto the floor.
Angered and fully awake, the bear let out a roar as it charged towards Arizona, snapping its jaws and swiping its massive claws at the strong and agile bovine. Meanwhile, Spike watches from the sideline, shuddering at the intense fight that was happening before his very eyes. One moment, he was rooting for Arizona to win, while a part of him couldn't help but feel sorry for the bear, since it was startled awake from its sleep. The young dragon himself can be just as cranky if he was startled awake. This all reminded him of the time when an Ursa Minor came to Ponyville, because Snips and Snails had stupidly startled the magic bear awake.
Back in the fight, Arizona proceeded to land several blows to the bear, until at last, it disappeared in puffs of smokes in defeat.
"Hmph! Good riddance to predators," Arizona huffed.
"Still...what was that bear even doing in here?" Spike asked. "How did it get in here in the first place? And did the reindeers even know about it?"
"Questions for later, Spike," Arizona replied. "But I don't think we're gettin' anything else in here. Let's jus' get outta here."
"What about that plushie?" Spike pointed to the doll that the bear had left behind.
"Hmmm," Arizona walked up to take a look at the plush toy and smiled, "This plush is pretty darn adorable...for a reindeer, I guess. Let's take it with us! Better than it sittin' here collectin' dust."
With that, Spike picks up the plushie and puts it away, in Arizona's saddlebag, along with some of the other things they've been collecting on their journey.
Soon, Spike and Arizona left the secret room and returned to the museum, making their way up to the topmost floor, to find more exhibits waiting for them at the top.
Spike and Arizona proceeded to check out some of the many exotic, ancient, and some of the strangest artifacts on display.
"Heh, this one reminds me of pa," Arizona commented to an ice sculpture of a reindeer, doing the pose of the thinker.
Another statue they checked is a parody of Michelangelo's David, which got both dragon and reindeer flustered. Out of impulse, Spike had to reach up and cover his calf friend's eyes, before they walked away. Unfortunately, the statue won't be the only piece of art that will embarrass both Spike and Arizona.
One such artwork was a painting of a female reindeer, posing...au naturel.
"Is she...?" Arizona blushed, a shade of pink, with Spike looking away to hide his flustered face. "My folks won't believe the things I've seen when I get back home..."
"Next to meeting a friendly dragon?" Spike asked.
Both dragon and cow were even more red in the face when they see a reindeer posing in the Birth of Venus. Another exotic artwork that neither dragon nor calf understood was a parody of Michaelangelo's Creation of Adam, featuring a reindeer and a strange dragon-like creature.
"I don't get it," Arizona mooed.
"Me neither," Spike agreed as they moved on.
Though, the next exhibit on display that neither of them understood was a simple banana peel.
"Is this suppose to be some kind of joke?" Spike asked.
"I think it is," Arizona mooed.
The next painting they checked out depicted a setting sun, behind a beautiful mountain. Something about it attracted Spike's interest.
"Wow, this looks nice," Spike smiled before it melts into a nostalgic frown. "Makes me think of home..."
"Ya must really miss yer home, don't ya, Spike?" Arizona mooed in sympathy.
"I miss it every day now..." Shaking his head, Spike regains his resolve. "C'mon. Let's find your clue to the Prophet's Key and maybe a way for me to go home..."
Spike and Arizona resumed checking out some of the other exhibits on the top floor of the museum, when a familiar stone catches their attention.
"Hey, Ari," Spike pointed. "Is that?"
"Whoa, they got one 'a these stones here!" Arizona mooed with excitement. "Doesn't look like it's working though," She sighed, noting its powerless state.
"Hey, Arizona?" Spike called, pointing upward, directing the young cow's attention to a large slab of stone, covered in images and ancient wordings.
"Jumpin' jackrabbits!" Arizona bellowed. "That's huge! And it's covered in pictures! Could be what we came for!"
Brimming with excitement, and with anxiety of Spike's quest coming closer to the end, the two young travelers walked up to the slab for closer examination.
"Alright!" Arizona stomped her hooves with excitement. "Let's see now..."
Upon closer observation of the stone slab, Spike and Arizona could make out the descriptive markings on the stone that depicted large birds, together with monstrous snakes, bears, and wolves. However, there were some rather distinctive images on the stone slab.
"Hey, check it out!" Spike pointed at the lightning bolt-like symbol. "That looks just like the one we saw on the trial stones, back in the Prairie!"
"Yeah, yer right!" Arizona gasped, as she continues to observe. "That symbol is everywhere. I'd bet it's important. What else we got here? Wait a minute..."
Turning to another part of the tablet, Arizona's eyes widened to see an image painted in bright colors, depicting what seemed to be a long pointy stick, with a curvy shaped teeth at the end, giving it the shape of a key.
"That's the Key! It's gotta be!" Arizona gasped, as her expression turned to confidence. "Looks like we hit the jackpot! This stone is crawlin' with clues!"
"Great!" Spike exclaimed. "So where do we find the Key?"
"Let's see," The calf resumes searching across the stone for their next clue, when she came upon an image of a bizarre creature. "Uh... what the hay is that...?"
In appearance, the creature looked like it has the hump of a camel, the head of a bovine, but with two long sharped horns that curved at the top, though it appeared to be missing a horn on the left of its head. The creature also appeared to have a red diamond-shape marking in the center of its forehead. Furthermore, it appears as though the creature was holding onto some sort of anchor in its mouth.
"That doesn't look like anything I've ever seen," Spike commented. "Ugh, I sure wish Fluttershy was here. She knows her animals. She'd know what it is."
The two didn't have to ponder much longer, when a voice with Icelandic accent spoke up, "She's an Oryx! Vouldn't you agree?" They answered.
"Huh?"
Spike and Arizona both turned around to see a reindeer doe approaching them, accompanied by some winter sprites. In appearance, she has light brown fur with a beige fur on her snout, neck, and tail. She also has light blue eyes and antlers.
"Fascinating, isn't it?" She asked. "I've been staring at zis artifact for days. Simply days!" The reindeer said dramatically, before she continues, "I've done some research myself, and I believe it originates from ze souzern regions of Ze High Plains. Vat has your research yielded, if I may ask?"
"Oh!" Arizona was thrown off guard. "Well, actually--"
But before Arizona could relay, a couple of winter sprites appeared, carrying a cup of hot drinks to the reindeer.
"Oh, right on time!" The reindeer said to the little sprites. "Zhank you my little darlings." The reindeer turned to the young calf and dragon. "As you were saying?"
"Anyway uh... actually we jus' got here, an' I was hopin' to find--" Without warning, Arizona was sprayed in the face by a sudden spit-take from the reindeer.
"UGH!!!" The reindeer exclaimed in disgust. "PUMPKIN SPICE?! How plebeian!" She turned to the winter sprites who brought her the cup and berated, "Who do you zhink I am, an uncivilized White Tail Deer?!" With a huff, the reindeer returned the cup to the sprites and demanded, "Take it back! I much prefer ze gingerbread."
With that, the ice sprite took its leave, carrying the cup with it. Meanwhile, the other ice sprite ran up to Arizona, as if demanding something from the calf and dragon.
"Huh? What?" Spike asked. "What are you saying?"
The ice sprite simply pointed for Arizona's bag, to which the calf opened up to reveal the golden bauble both she and Spike had picked up earlier.
"Oh!" Arizona mooed in realization. "Yeah, you dropped this. Here 'ya go little buddy!" The calf handed back the bauble to the sprite, who opened it up, revealing it is a makeup kit.
The sprite then ran back to the reindeer, and worked its magic to powder the doe up, until she was glowing with radiance and beauty.
The sprite then holds up a mirror for the reindeer to see herself, "Hm... Zat vill do I guess," She sighed. "Oh deer. Good vinter sprites are so hard to find zese days! Do you find so as vell?"
"Well, ma'am, we don't have 'vinter sprites' where I come from," Arizona replied.
"Vat?!" The reindeer exclaims, before turning to Spike, whose face was concealed by his helmet. "But vat about this pudgy little one? Isn't he a sprite?"
"Pudgy?!" Spike exclaimed, outraged and annoyed. "I've been working out from day 1 since I've crash landed here! And I'm not a sprite! I'm a–" Spike was quickly muffled by Arizona, who put her hoof over his mouth before he blew his cover.
"You're a vat?"
"Spike's not a sprite," Arizona answered. "He's a friend of mine. He's lost, and I'm jus' helpin' him find a way home," Spike nodded in confirmation. "But again, I don't have any 'vinter sprites.'"
"No?" The reindeer exclaimed in horror. "So who styles your floof? Who brings your oats? Who carries you from place to place?"
"Myself, I reckon..." Arizona answered.
"So! You seem like a fine, upstanding... cow." After a moment of regaining her composures, the reindeer asked, "Vat brings you two to Ze Glorious City of Reine, darlings?"
Arizona hesitated for a moment, turning to Spike, who whispers, "Tell her."
"Well, Pa probably wouldn't approve of me tellin' no city folk..." Arizona began. "...but you seem trustworthy!"
"Mm hm, yes!" The reindeer smiled, before she turned around to look at herself in the mirror.
"Y'know that decree that came from the Council of Ungulates?" Arizona asked.
"Mm hmmm... yeeeees?" The reindeer nodded.
"This may seem hard 'ta believe... but... I'm Champ'een of The Prairie!" Arizona proclaimed proudly.
This made the reindeer flinched a little, and her winter sprite immediately took its leave, "...Oh really?" The reindeer asked. "Well zen...I'M CHAMPION OF ZE TUNDRA! Ze greatest fighter in all of Reine!" The reindeer declared boldly, before she smiled. "Ze greatest everything actually, but I digress..."
"Yeesh, dramatic as much?" Spike asked, while secretly blushing, "Then again, she almost reminds me of Rarity on a bad day."
"Vat vas that?" The reindeer asked, specifically towards Spike.
"AAAH!! Nothing! I swear!" Spike yelped.
"Well then, without any further interruptions...EN GARDE!!" She declared, before she did a double take. "Uh, wait a sec..." With that, a winter sprite returned to shower the reindeer with some strange glitter that gave her a magical flare. "Alright! EN GARDE!" She challenged both Spike and Arizona.
"So much for 'trustworthy' huh?" Spike asked, to a regretful Arizona.
Seeing they don't have much of a choice, Arizona got into a fighting stance, ready to take on the reindeer, when a museum staff interrupted the fight.
"WAIT uh... I mean... excuse me miss Velvet?" The staff interjected. "Could you please settle this outside? And away from all the priceless historical artifacts..."
The reindeer, now identified to be Velvet, looked around, before she agrees, "...Yes of course!" She glared deviously at Spike and Arizona. "EVERYONE in Reine must witness ze cow's UTTER defeat against Fœnum's true champion! Oh, and her faithful sidekick...whatever he is..."
"Me?!" Spike whimpered.
Outside the Museum
Them's Fightin' Herds – Velvet Boss Fight
Once outside of the museum, Spike and Arizona found themselves surrounded by a whole crowd of reindeers, as they face off against their champion, Velvet, who had challenged them to a fight.
"Okay miss fancy pants, you asked for it!" Arizona mooed in defiance.
Velvet simply struck a pose, to mock the calf, "Zat's cute," She scoffed. "Shall ve dance?"
"Uh, can't we just talk this out?" Spike whimpered, only his words fell on deaf ears.
Arizona made the first strike, throwing a punch towards Velvet's face, only for a block of ice to suddenly materialize out of the air, blocking Arizona's punching and shielding Velvet's face. Without hesitation, and with the grace and speed of an elegant dancer, Velvet swiftly slashed her hooves forward, swiftly slapping Arizona across the face, followed by a sudden icicle that protruding overheard, hitting Arizona on the face, and a sudden ice sculpture erupted from the ground, punching the cow into the air, where Velvet proceeded to follow, with a jump, to catch Arizona with a snowball, an icicle, and several more punches that knocked the calf back down to the ground.
"Oof!" Arizona grunted, landing close to Spike.
"Wow, this reindeer's tougher than she looks!" Spike commented. 'And looking good while doing it too!' He thought.
"Then it's time we get tougher!" Arizona mooed. "'Cuz here she comes!"
"YIPE!" Spike ducked his head, dodging to the side, rolling out of harm's way, with Arizona doing the same.
In the meantime, Velvet simply laughs wholeheartedly, enjoying the moments of pressuring her opponents into a corner with her icicles, while keeping her distance.
With her antlers glowing in a sparkling aura, Velvet was about to fire another icicle at Arizona, when the cow quickly catches her off guard, courtesy of her lasso. Without giving her time to react, to defend herself, Arizona proceeded to throw fast punches and kicks at Velvet.
"Hooves off!" Velvet grunted, pushing herself away from Arizona, before she leapt up to the air and did a front flip, rolling her body to send a large icicle towards Arizona.
"ARI!" Spike shouted, breathing a large burst of green fire to melt away the icicle, before it could hit Arizona.
The surrounding reindeers were all aghast at the sudden burst of flame from Spike that they began to exchange gossips amongst each other.
"A longma?!" One of the reindeers gasped. "HERE?!"
"It's an invasion!" Another reindeer hyperventilated. "Our city isn't safe! We're under attacked!"
Back in the fight, with a twirl, Velvet elegantly dances with a sudden gust of wind that took her away, keeping her distance from Arizona. From her position, Velvet concentrated into her magics and fired an icicle at the cow, who quickly pointed her horns to block the attack.
Velvet was about to fire another snowball, when Arizona lassoed her by the neck, breaking her concentration, and the cow proceeded to throw a punch to the face, a jab of her horns, and a strong kick, followed by a sweep kick that tripped Velvet, causing her to lose her footing. With that, she chains it all into a thrust of her back that sent Velvet into the air.
Still chaining the combo, Arizona leapt up into the air to catch Velvet with an elbow thrust, a turn of her body for a two legged kick, a front flip for a double axe-kick that sent Velvet plummeting into the snow below. Velvet bounced on the ground from the adrenaline, just as Arizona came back down to land another punch, catching the reindeer at the peak of her bounce. Once again, Arizona repeated her combo of punch, jabs, and kicks, sending Velvet rolling across the floor.
With a grunt, Velvet swiftly picked herself up, in a back flip.
"My floof!" Velvet whined, just as Arizona came charging and was about to headbutt her.
Reacting fast, Velvet quickly worked her magic to create another ice shield, saving herself from another hit from Arizona, and forced the young bovine back. Working her magic still, Velvet concentrated her magic to create sharp icicles beneath Arizona's hooves.
"Yikes!" Arizona exclaimed, jumping to the air to avoid the sharp ice. "Spike? Little help her?"
"On it," Spike proceeded to breathe fire across the ground and in the air, to melt away any possible ice attacks from Velvet.
"How dare you defile my masterpiece?!" Velvet exclaimed in outrage, readying to fire an icicle at the young dragon.
Reacting fast, Arizona saved Spike from the attack, when she leapt up, throws a kick to break the floating ice, and throws an elbow thrust that hits Velvet in the eye. Before the reindeer could land a punch in retaliation, Arizona quickly leapt back to keep her distance. Then, she whipped out her lasso to ensnare the reindeer by the legs, and proceed to thrash her around the area, until the bovine felt a sudden surge of power.
"Ya'll in for a beatin'!" Arizona mooed, charging at the speed of a bullet, catching Velvet in the chest and throws her up in the air, whipping past some of the reindeers, until she hits a wall, where Arizona rebounded off. "Roundabout rodeo!"
With that, Arizona won the first round of the fight between her and Velvet.
“What was all that about ‘Ze cow’s utter defeat,’ again?” Arizona mocked.
Disgusted, Velvet got up, “NOO!! I vill not be bested by some — beastly bovine! Time to get serious...!”
Before long, a sudden gust of wind blew through the city, nearly blowing the reindeers off their hooves.
"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed, holding onto his helmet, with the spell book on his back nearly blown off. "It's a blizzard."
"That's no blizzard..." Stronghoof confirmed, before he pointed. "That's my daughter."
"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER?!" Spike exclaimed.
Back in the fight, Arizona was struggling to battle against the wind as she struggles to close the distance between herself and Velvet, who proceeded to add more tensions and pressures on the young bovine, with her snowballs and icicles, forcing her back to keep her distance.
"C'mon!" Arizona mooed in frustration. "Stop runnin' from me...and face me...like a champ'een would!"
"Aw, vat's ze matter?" Velvet mocked. "Can't handle a simple breeze?"
"Simple?"
Arizona fumbled a bit with her ropes as she tried to lasso Velvet, but the reindeer was too swift in the wind to be caught. Velvet pranced and galloped across the snow with amazing speed, agility, and elegant maneuver, undeterred by the wind. Of course, because the wind is the work of her magic, it makes sense that she was at an unfair advantage. Nevertheless, being as stubborn as her father, Arizona continued the fight.
During the battle, many of Velvet's snowballs and icicles were raining down on the snowy fields around her, piling up the snow banks. Getting an idea, Spike quickly used the end of his tail to carve out a snow brick, and another. And using his ingenuity, Spike quickly built a huge snow fort, much like the time when he built a whole tower of stones at Sweet Apple Acres.(See Season 3 Episode 9)
Poking his head from the top wall of the fortress, Spike adjusted his helmet, stood tall like a commanding officer, and called out, "HEY Arizona! In here!"
Arizona turned her head in Spike's direction, and both she and Velvet where aghast to see that Spike had been able to construct a huge ice fortress, in such little amount of time.
"Vat is this?!" Velvet exclaimed in outrage. "How dare you attempt to outdone my artistry?!?"
"I wasn't trying to outdone anyone," Spike called, only to fall on deaf ears. "YIPE!" Spike ducked his head, nearly getting hit by a flying snowball. "Hey! That was unnecessary–AAAH!!!" Spike ducked his head again, hiding behind the walls of his fortress to avoid the incoming snowballs and icicles.
"ZIS means var!" Velvet declared.
However, Velvet was so distracted that she forgot about Arizona, who caught the reindeer off-guard, with a lasso around her neck. With that, Arizona proceeded to land several fast punches, kicks, and jabs of her horns at the reindeer.
"Hey! Good thinkin', Spike!" Arizona mooed. "Distractin' this high falootin' hoity toity moose with yer ice sculpture is smart."
"Yeah," Spike chuckled, before he muttered under his breath, "that wasn't really my plan, but ok..."
"ZATS IT!" Velvet exclaimed angrily. "YOU ROUGHED ZE WRONG FLOOF TODAY!" With that, Velvet's antlers were coated in a blazing aura of ice that is menacing and intense as fires.
"Bow before the Ice Queen!" Velvet roared, as she twirls herself with the wind and encased herself in tornado of snow and ice.
The intensity of Velvet's power was so great that all the surrounding reindeers, including Stronghoof, were all blown off their hooves, the Winter Sprites were nearly blown out of the city, and Arizona was sent flying into Spike's fortress.
"AUNTIE 'EM! IT'S A TWISTER!!!" Arizona mooed, rolling across the icy floor, before she finally hits a snow bank, next to where Spike was standing. "Howdy Spike."
"Hey," Spike returned the greeting, before he and Arizone look out, to see what other icy tricks Velvet has up her fluffy coat.
From inside the tornado, the reindeer proceeded to fire more icicles at both Arizona and Spike.
"LOOK OUT!" Spike shouted, shoving Arizona to the side, as he icicles flew at him, pinning him to a wall, unharmed, but he didn't know that.
"I'VE BEEN IMPALEEEEED" Spike sobbed, hyperventilating for emphasis at his near death experience.
"Spike, get a grip on yourself!" Arizona smacked the dragon's face, before she pointed, "Look! She missed!"
"Cut me some slack," Spike frowned. "I was this close to be killed by ice. ICE! And it's super effective..."
"Witness my splendor!" Velvet said dramatically, as she continues to rain her icy assault on the duo.
The angry reindeer was firing sharp icicles from the sky, straight at the fortress, and sent tidal wave-like icicles across the ground. Spike and Arizona both huddled up behind the ice walls of the fortress.
"We can't keep hidin' out like this for much longer," Arizona frowned. "We gotta fight back!"
"How?" Spike asked. "We can't get closer to her with all that wind! And she'll keep piling on us with her snow and ice powers!"
"But we can't give up now! We've come so far! I'm just about to find the Prophet's Key to defeat the Predators and help ya find a way home!"
"...We need a plan..."
Spike turns to look at the battlefield outside. Velvet is inside a tornado, creating a windstorm that is holding both him and Arizona at bay. From inside the cyclone, the reindeer champion of the tundra is firing several icicles, both from the air and on the ground. Arizona is strong and can certainly stand her grounds in the face of a storm, but the icicles are tricky business. Chances of standing against them are Spike's fire breath.
"That's it!" Spike pounded his fist. "I got an idea!" Spike jumped on Arizona's back, while holding a piece of ice as a lance in one claw, and an ice shield in the other. "How strong are ya in the wind?"
"Ha! Like my pa always said," Arizona smirked. "Ain't no mountain high enough, ain't no valley low."
With a snort and a kick of her hoof, Arizona charged into the fray, carrying Spike on top of her back.
"You dare to defy me?!" Velvet screeched from inside her tornado, continuing her windy assault. "PEW PEW!"
Arizona was charging through the wind, with Spike riding atop her back, deflecting some of the icicles with his makeshift lance and shield, while spewing some fireballs to destroy the incoming icicles.
Velvet sent a wave of icicles across the ground, "JUMP!" Spike shouted, which Arizona did just that to avoid the attack.
Spike slashed his lance and his shield from side-to-side, deflecting and fighting off some of the incoming icicles. Before long, Spike and Arizona arrived at Velvet’s tornado, which the reindeer took notice.
“EXCUSE YOU?!” Velvet cringed in disgust, flailing her hoof to repel the duo back.
However, Arizona caught Velvet by the hoof, and pulled the reindeer out of her tornado.
With that, the wind died down, and Arizona was free to land several more fast kicks and punches against the magical reindeer, until Velvet repelled her off with a blow of her ice breath.
“WITNESS MY SPLENDOR!!” Velvet shouted as she once again, resumed her blizzard magic.
The sudden burst of magic threw Spike off, had Arizona not caught him, but he ended up losing his ice shield and lance in the process.
“My ice shield!” Spike shouted.
Nevermind them!” Arizona mooed. “Worry about those!”
Arizona pointed her hoof up to show a barrage of icicles were flying their way, like missiles. Out of frighten impulse, Spike breathed a burst of green fire, catching the ice. Before anyone knew it, the icicles reappeared, but in blazing fiery shards, and hitting Velvet from behind.
“ACK!” Velvet shouted from the sudden hit, causing her to cease her snow magic. “Vat vas that?!”
“Spike…” Arizona turned to the equally shocked dragon. “Did you do that?”
“Yeah,” Spike nodded. “Though, I normally use it to send mails to Princess Celestia or my other pen pals.”
“Ya mean ta say ya can…make objects disappear, and then reappear in different places, with yer fire?”
“Yup.”
“Well, do it again!”
With that, Spike and Arizona resumed their fight with Velvet, who then resumed her magical blizzard assault.
Velvet tried to fire waves of icicles across the ground, but both Spike and Arizona jumped over them. She fires her icicles straight towards them, but they ducked their heads, or Spike blasted a fireball to repel them. Velvet tried to fire the icicles from the air, but Spike let out a burst of magical fires that teleported the icicles back at Velvet, who barely had time to dodge them.
Having lost her advantage, Velvet found herself back up against the wall, as Arizona once again grabs ahold of the reindeer, and proceeded to land several more hard, heavy hits against the reindeers’ high and mighty champion.
Arizona landed the final blow, with a kick, and Velvet fell down to the ground, unable to fight on.
"Ha! Ain't nothin' to it," Arizona smirked.
End of Fight Music
After the battle was over, Velvet stood back up, covered in bruises and scratches, with her floof a ruffled mess, as she spluttered, "...How? How could a simple country bumpkin defeat... ME?! Ze strongest... Ze most beautiful... ze most charming... ze most skilled..."
"Oh hush up, you!" Arizona mooed. "Like my Pa always says, "Pride goeth before a heiny whoopin'!"
"Pride?! How dare you!! I'm ze most humble... Ze most modest... Ze most meeeeeeeek..." With that, Velvet collapsed onto the ground, completely passed out, just as some winter sprites came to carry her away.
"Well, good fight!" Spike called out. "Hope you get well soon!"
"And good riddance 'ya snooty ol' moose!" Arizona shouted, before composing herself. "Now then, where were we?"
"Uh, we were just talkin' about the High Plains?" Spike reminded.
"Oh yeah! That's right!" Arizona nodded. "So, the High Plains, huh? There's my next clue!"
"Then I guess that's where we'll be going next," Spike replied.
"So where's that?"
"Well, let's see, it's..." Spike searched for his map, but was perplexed to find it wasn't on either him, or Arizona. "Oh no! The map's gone! I must've lost it in the blizzard on our way here!"
"That's okay, Spike," Arizona replied. "I'm sure we'll find the way," She then turned to the surrounding reindeers. "HEY!! ANYONE KNOW HOW'TA GET 'TA THE HIGH PLAINS?!" Neither of the reindeers dared make a move, "Come on, ya'll! I ain't gonna hurt 'ya! Who's got info for your champ'een?!"
Finally, a reindeer stepped forward and said, "Here. Take my cruise ticket. Go down to the docks and look for the RSS Donner/Prancer. They'll sail you to The Highlands."
"Wow, thanks mister!! I owe 'ya one."
"Don't worry about it. Better hurry! The boat will be leaving soon."
"You bet!" Arizona turned to take her leave, with Spike in tow, before she took one last look behind her. "...I'll say, ya'll city folk ain't so bad after all!" With that, Spike and Arizona took their leave.
Once the two travelers were out of earshot, the reindeer turned to his fellow herd and commented, "By Stronghoof's beard... I thought they'd never leave."
From braving the blizzards of the tundra, surviving an avalanche, and escaping thin ice with the self proclaimed “Ice Queen” of Reine City, Spike and Arizona have both taken their leave from Reine City, with a new clue, and a step closer to Spike’s return to Equestria. However, the story is far from over. New dangers lay ahead, between Spike and Equestria. Nevertheless, the journey continues.
Arizona and Spike were on their way to the docks, when they happened to pass by Cash n’ Cap’s shop.
Arizona stopped for a moment, and looked.
“Yo, Ari? What’s the holdup?” Spike asked.
Arizona turned to Spike and said, “I think I’d like to take with us a souvenir, to remind us of our time here in Reine City,” With that, Arizona galloped back to the reindeer, Cashmere.
“Yes, how may I be of assistance?” Cash asked.
“Well ya see, I thought it’d be nice to leave with a souvenir, but...I’m just not sure if I have enough.”
“Now, now, I’ll be the judge of that. Let me see what you have.” With that, Arizona presented the reindeer her bag of 100 salts, “Oh my! Yes! This will do nicely! I can part you off with my most spectacular of hats!”
“Really?! Golly! This is my lucky day!”
“Just give me a moment,” Soon, Cashmere presented a large box to Arizona. “Legend has it this hat will cloak your presence from the sight of cosmic entities residing just beyond the veil...”
“Uh... cosmic whatnows?!”
“Gift wrapped... of course.”
“Well, I dunno about any of them cloaked enti-whatnots... but... You HAVE been statin’ up at this cube on my noggin’ for quite awhile.”
“What can I say, I’m a doe of simple tastes...”
“Ari! Hurry up!” Spike shouted.
“...Sure... I’ll take it.”
“Thanks. It’s been a pleasure doing business with you.”
Spike's learned FIRE PORT!
Basic:
Special Attacks:
Fire PortMove Unlocked!
Magic Attacks:
Unique Command:
Super Attacks
N/A
Meanwhile, perched atop of a wall, inside of an antique shop, was a familiar disembodied head.
"Hey, dost my eyes deceive me? Is that, SPIKE?!!" Discord exclaimed, trying his best to get Spike's attention from inside the shop. "SPIKE!! SPIKE!!! IT'S ME! DISCORD!! Come back!"
But it was no use. Discord's call went unheard as Spike took his leave on a boat, with Arizona, onto their next adventure, in Foenum.
"LOOK AT Meeeeeee...." Discord bemoaned.