//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 Izcktirüula Laüsa Cetha (The Ransom's Price) // Story: Üā Sūt Cktüis (How to be Dragon) // by Rammy //------------------------------// A pony may be of the mind, but a dragon is of the heart. ~ Ancient Dragon Proverb Spike sighed, brooding as he sat barely eating a butternut squash sandwich with cheddar cheese and pickled red onion. Here he was lounging in what anypony would call paradise, a warm tropical beach covered in white sand and shaded by palm trees, but he could not leave. He felt like a bird in a gilded cage. Oh sure, he could fly away but who knew how far the island was from anything else and one of the rules that was drilled into him right after his molt was never fly over a body of water that you don't know beyond the sight of land. Getting lost, mistaking the water for sky, tiring out with nowhere to land all were extremely likely. If he had a map or could navigate by the stars... And all of that was before taking into consideration the 'leyonic' storm to the south. Again with Index using highly technical terms when the laypony word 'magical' would suffice. Rainbow "Danger" Dash he was not and if that storm was as dangerous as Index said... Spike exhaled heavily as the sun slowly lowered past the horizon. Another sunset, another day passing with nothing to show for it. By his reckoning, he had been trapped here at least forty days, and each day that passed the less and less hope he had and the more despair he felt. He knew his mail flame was working otherwise whatever he burned to send would have just turned into normal ash and floated to the ground. But he had not burped up a single return scroll from Twilight or Princess Celestia, not a single one. Why were they not responding? He would take a scrap piece of parchment, an expired coupon, a used tissue, anything! Did his worse fears come to pass? Did Twilight break her promise and send him away, no longer needing him? Was that scream of his name one of hatred? Was that why all he could remember was pain? Groaning he slowly got up. What little appetite he had left had vanished like Celestia's sun and there was no point in staying outside and watching the stars in the night sky taunt him. He might as well go back inside and try and get some sleep, for all the good that it would do. It wasn't like Princess Luna would show up or anything with the nightly never stopped nightmares that he kept suffering through. Spike put away remainder of his food into the satchel he brought and with another weary sigh he carefully made his way into the jungle and along the trail lined with blue mana flame. After nearly becoming food for a gigantic snake he made sure to do exactly what Index said and stay on the lit paths in the jungle. Though there were times like right now that a small part of him was tempted to... "Spike not like sandwich?" Spike only half jump at the sudden appearance and voice of the crystal fox. He had gotten used to Index appearing from out of nowhere though it was a bit unusual for him show up outside unless there was a problem. He shuttered at the memory of being squeezed in the coils... "Na, it was good..." Spike waved off the memory and Index's possible concern, not even bothering to ask how he knew he hadn't eaten the whole sandwich. that would only lead to more 'Index can not say' and he was not in the mood for 'Index can not say.' "I just wasn't all that hungry tonight." For a moment, Spike thought Index would call his bluff as he stared unblinking at him but when the number of tails Index suddenly jumped from two to... seven... eight... nine! He knew something big had happened. He wasn't as smart as Twilight but one does not live with her long without picking up a few things. There was a pattern with Index's tails... The number of tails had something to do with whatever magic the fox possessed. The more tails the more magic... "Index?" But Index said nothing as he took off running at a full sprint. "Index! Wait! What is going on!?" Spike shouted as he ran to catch up. He wasn't sure if Index could use true teleportation or did something akin to Pinkie Pie but why was Index running instead of 'disappearing'? It was clear something drastic had occurred that made the fox terrified. For until this moment, Index had been so stoic that Spike had been nearly convinced that Index couldn't feel or express emotions. If he didn't know better he would say that Index was just some soulless automaton. But that was only possible in comic books... right? "Index!" Spike called out again as he lost Index momentary as the crystal fox ran into the tunnel that led to the underground cavern. "Index uncertain." Spike yelped as Index reappeared next to him, pulling him on to his back. "What do you mean?" "Index uncertain." Index repeated. Spike shuddered. For once, I think I would have preferred 'Index can not say.' He struggled to hold on as Index ran though the winding tunnels and into the cavern. Spike was glad he had not eaten much as his stomach was doing the flip-flops with how fast the fox was bounding down the path around the ridge. Not helping was his gait, which was not like a pony at all. He then almost fell off when Index came to a sudden stop in front of one of the doors that he was never allowed into. He did try a few times but found it impossible (most likely locked in some way). "Index?" Index said nothing as he lifted Spike off his back and opened the door. Spike found himself whistling at what he saw inside. Unlike the other 'rooms' that lined the cavern this one was not 'empty,' no matter how much he knew would Twilight would surely complain about his use of the word 'empty.' It was a massive laboratory with filled with enough equipment for a dozen or more mad scientists or about one point three crazed Twilights... And just like that his mood came crashing right back down. He would take a dozen crazed Twilights right now. Along one of the walls was the largest chalkboard he had ever seen. It had to be larger then all the chalkboards Twilight owned combined and she had a lot of chalkboards. It was covered entirely with what he assumed to be equations, with a single large diagram in the center. And once again he got the vibe that this could be a dragon's hoard when he spied what looked to be a microscope that was bigger then the telescope Twilight had at the Golden Oaks Library (before Tirek destroyed it) tucked in a corner next to some equally massive vats. As he followed Index he noted all the books, scrolls, and scrap paper stuffed in and around all the beakers, flasks, test tubes and other various tools he had no idea the names for. It was the first time he had seen books, actual books, since his awakening on the island. However, to his extreme annoyance, of the few that he could get a decent look at, none were in Equestrian script. He just could not seem to catch a break. So absorbed in his surrounding that he almost walked right into Index who had stopped in midst of a large area that was cleared of everything except for one thing that stood in the center: A changeling pod. A very sickly looking changeling pod judging from the edges which were black and brown, dry, and peeling away like an autumn leaf. The center, though murky, still looked healthy... ish... turquoise? Even with the change in the changelings their resin and pods still were closer to a light lime green not blueish green, right? "Please tell me that Chrysalis is not inside that pod." "Chrysalis royal changeling of Equestria's Badland's hive?" Spike nodded once as he tried to get his racing heart to slow down. He wasn't about to correct Index. He still wasn't sure if Index motives (assuming he wasn't brainwashed) were malicious or just misguided. Although, given that he wasn't in a pod having all his love sucked out he leaned towards the latter being more likely. But why him? Sure he was the first to try and succeed in befriending a changeling... "Interesting. Index calculated three point seven four chance Spike knew about changelings. Spike knowing Chrysalis less then one half percent. Knowing by sight changeling pod statistically improbable..." Spike barely paid Index any further attention as he kept spewing more stats. The pieces were beginning to fall into place. The lost memory locked behind headaches, Index's form and secrecy, the strangely empty caves, the overly full laboratory room that seemed to be almost copy and pasted over and over, blue-green pod. He was beginning to suspect that he was actually in a hive of changelings. And if that was truly not Chrysalis, then this place had to be a different changeling hive from her's (technically now Thorax's). One that no one knew about. But, again, why him, and why wasn't he in a pod? If they had only asked for help instead of dragonnapping him... But then again, until Thorax self exiled himself no-ling knew there was another way. "...Healing pod deterioration terminal. Healing outside pod fifteen percent. Chance of death within twenty four hours fifty eight..." That last part jarred Spike out of his musings. "What?" "Master's injuries fatal at arrival; Spike moderate magic injury..." Spike gulped. Then he was right something bad really had happened! But he couldn't remember what! His irritation at his inability to remember vanished in a flash as he stumbled back in surprise as a pair of red glowing eyes snapped opened within the pod. Definitely not Chrysalis... Spike backed up as the changeling shifted in the pod. "Um... Index..." He glanced over to Index and the question he was going to ask died on his dry lips. All nine of Index's tails were pointing towards the pod and had gone rigidly still. Wait, why was Index looking ready for a fight? Didn't he say that his 'master' was injured and that his master was in that pod? He wordlessly backed up behind Index. Spike focus shifted back to the pod when he heard what sounded like a cross between a sploosh and the zzzt of a zipper. A set of claws were cutting open the pod from the inside. He watched nervously as leg breached the cut and the changeling stumbled out with a large splat. At least, he assumed it was a changeling. It seemed a bit strange that Index's master didn't look like him. He would have thought that changelings from the same hive would look at least similar but whoever this was looked more equine then canine. He (or she Spike couldn't tell) laid there for several moments weakly coughing up glops of gel. Spike winced as he could see, even through the globs of changeling gel, ribs jaunting out on taunt skin. He or she was thin, extremely thin and he wasn't sure, because of the gel, if the changeling was truly blue and black or if it was because of injuries... He backed up even more when the person rose up and locked its gaze onto Index. "INDEX! Do you have any idea what you have done!" The male being roared. Something about that voice triggered something in Spike's mind and in a rush all the memories that he couldn't remember without suffering from excruciating pain flashed before his eyes. He hadn't been dragonnapped by changelings but by Šizra! Spike scrambled further away as Šizra rushed Index and grabbed him around the neck. "Calculations..." Index struggled, grabbing weakly as Šizra lifted him up into the air. Horrifyingly, as he lifted the fox up Spike could see and faintly hear cracks spreading rapidly from Index's neck. Šizra was going to kill Index! "Calculations? Calculations!? Lady Araneae's treasure is ruined! It can't be replaced." "Young... Master... Calc..." Index struggled to plead. The sounds of cracking overtook the sounds of the gel dripping off of Šizra and out of the remains of the pod. "AND FOR WHAT?! NOTHING!" Spike screamed in horror as Šizra roared then slammed Index to the ground. Time seemed to slow as the fox shattered into thousands of pieces. For a moment Spike was back the night of Cozy's murder when that vile sword... SoulEnder or whatever... pierced though her back and how Cozy turned to ash the moment Šizra had pulled the sword out. Šizra legs buckled and with a sickening moan vomited a considerable amount of blood. Spike slowly backed away. So far Šizra had not noticed him... *crunch* Red eyes snapped to Spike. Crap! Crap! Crap! Spike mentality shouted as he scrambled to get away. He was next! "Lasoratorija: slēnzethe." Spike barely heard Šizra as he zig-zagged, knocking over books, scrolls, tables, chairs and anything loose in hopes that it would give him extra time to escape. Part of him knew that knocking books and lab equipment would not slow down Šizra but that part of his brain was drown out by the run, run, run!, got to get out of here, got to slow him down, I'm so going to die! The door! Where was it!? Spike panicked as he reached and patted along the wall trying the find the door that would signify the location of the door. Foolishly he looked back to see that, to his increasing terror, Šizra was causally making his way towards him sidestepping or walking over everything that he had knocked over without slowing down, his red glowing eyes staying locked onto him all the while. Come on WHERE IS THE DOOOOR! Spike cried as he moved even faster. He knew it was somewhere along the wall... Please... A minute sense of relief blossomed as he saw the decorative metal that marked the door. Suddenly his paws slipped into a vertical groove. Looking up he could see the that groove kept going up. This had to be it! The gap between the double doors! He frantically put his claws into the groove and pulled. But unlike every other time, the door would not budge. He dug in deeper and pulled with all his might. Again, nothing. No no no no! He had to keep trying! But try as he might, the door would not move. He was trapped! He needed help! Anypony! Index! TWILIGHT!! "HELP!" Spike collapsed to the floor in despair as he heard the sounds of Šizra's hooves approaching. What was the point there was no help coming. He was going to die and... and... "Are you-you going t-to kill me like you kill-killed him?" He whimpered fearfully as Šizra stopped a few hooves away. Šizra starred down at Spike for a moment before laughing. In that moment, Spike just knew that his death was not going to be fast and painless. "Killed? Him?" Šizra questioned once he stopped laughing. To Spike it almost sounded as if Šizra was confused but Spike had just witnessed Index's death by Šizra's paw only moments ago! "Index is an 'it.' It has no gender, it has no soul, it is an artificial intelligence not a real life creature. I merely smashed its avatar. It can and will make a new one." Spike flinched as he felt Šizra reached down and lifted his head with a slimy claw forcing him to look into those cruel red eyes. "As for you, Spike, no, I'm not going to kill you. But, Spike, you will not..." Another river of blood gushed out of Šizra's mouth cutting off whatever he was trying to say. The smell of iron mixed with smell of decaying changeling gel was nearly overwhelming, making Spike want to vomit and hungry at the same time. He hated that the smell of blood made him hungry. It was a relief when Šizra pulled away lessening the smell a bit. "The future is on a precipice and the only hope is a flickering and fading light..." Šizra muttered after a moment. "Index... unwilling and imprisoned apprentice protocols..." What? Apprentice?! Spike just could not believe what he was hearing. No way in Tartarus would he be his apprentice even if he was the last creature in the universe! And what on Equus did he mean by 'the future is on a precipice and the only hope is a flickering and fading light...?' "After everything you have done?! I will never be your apprentice!" "Of course not, Spike. It would be a waste of time teaching you anything. You are a fool who will never change, never grow up, never be wise, never be dragon." Šizra spat, punctuating each of his nevers with a claw to Spike's chest. "Good!" Spike snapped angrily. If being dragon was being like Šizra then he would do everything to be a dragon shaped pony! Šizra exhaled long and deep, shaking his head from side to side. His eyes, which had so far been unflinchingly locked onto Spike, then drifted away. Oh come on. Spike silently grumbled. Did Šizra think he was hatched yesterday? Like he was going fooled into feeling sorry for a murderer and dragonnapper? When Šizra finally spoke it was so soft that Spike he could barely hear the words. "Spike, you will never see Twilight or Equestria again. You, Spike, will die here upon the Glittering Isles." With that admission something within Spike snapped and his vision went red. How dare this pony dare keep him from his hoard like this. He would pay in blood... "There you are." Šizra singsonged, a creepy, yet cheeky grin slowly spreading across his face as he spoke. "I finally see you." What? And just like that, Spike's rage was drowned by waves of confusion. Wait... what? Šizra deliberately said that to get a rile out of him? Why!? And what did he mean by 'There you are' and 'I finally see you?' He's clearly not blind! And what is with the going from genial to rage with little to no provocation and then just as jarringly fast to flip melancholy or insanity? And all the while muttering either nonsense or being cryptically 'philosophical' (which might as well be nonsense). He was never going to complain about Pinkie Pie's or Discord's craziness again. "Tell me your name and you can leave." What? What!? Spike pinched his brow in exacerbation. Šizra knows his name. Hey, he was using it a moment ago! What twisted game was he playing now? "Spike." "No, you tell me your name." "Spike." "What is your name." Spike's left eye twitched and he clinched his hands several times before once again saying. "Spike. My name is Spike." "I asked you for your name." "MY BUCKING NAME IS SPIKE!!!" Spike roared, panting hard with renewed anger as he stared up at Šizra. And again, the built up rage evaporated into unease as Šizra leaned down with a sly smile and whispered. "Now who said I was talking to you, Spike?" The claw that had been pointing to Spike's head while Šizra spoke then slowly dropped down and gently pressed onto Spike's chest. "I want your name." What!?