Chapter 4 - Warnings and Compromise
Luna glanced up at her starless night from her solitary cloud floating above the small town of Ponyville. A deep, black galaxy the like of polished obsidian returned her gaze. She had no time for theatrics with her skyward canvas tonight, but it still saddened her to see it looking so bare. In truth, she probably could have whipped together a few constellations for the avid stargazers and lovers who liked to spend a studious or romantic night out under her stars, but looking down at the tree house library in the centre of the town with it's flickering dim light reminded her of her current task.
Spreading her wings and gliding down off of her perch, the dark alicorn landed on the upstairs balcony of the large tree, causing the old oak branches holding it aloft to creak slightly under her apparently modest weight. Frowning, she approached the small door leading into the library and peeked inside. The interior of the upstairs was pitch black and deserted as far as Luna could see.
She must be up studying or doing tests. Does that filly ever sleep?
Luna didn't hold anything against Twilight and her unusual sleeping hours. More than once had Luna joined Twilight on her balcony as she sat at her telescope, completely entranced by the glistening wonder of the night sky. They had shared stories of times out under the stars. They had laughed at their own stories of Celestia and remembered times long past, right up until the dawn when the first slithers of light crept and stretched out from the horizon and painted the land with the golden glow of her sister's dawn.
Obviously, Luna had far more stories to share. Twilight sat and took in all of her tales, never once seeming uninterested with her reflections of memories. In all honesty, Luna was more than happy to sit and tell them. She'd had a lot of time to sit and mull over her thoughts whilst banished on the moon. Her memories and the stories she read before her transformation helped to preserve what little was left of the princess of the night inside that twisted, dark monstrosity. Twilight was the pony who (with the help of her closest friends) released the dark grip on her heart and mind from Nightmare Moon. She was the one pony who didn't run and hide from her on her first venture out of the comfort of the palace to Ponyville when her knowledge of modern mannerisms was... less defined.
She owed so much to this young, talented unicorn and was more than happy to watch over her when she needed a guardian the most. She knew her sister would have liked to do it personally, but the sudden disappearance of the Princess of the Sun probably wouldn't sit too well with the population. Besides, Luna thought, espionage isn't Celly's forté, not with those flanks. I'll make a much better guardian.
Silent guardian, Luna reminded herself as she easily blinked to the inside of the library's upper level. A waning light gently flickered away downstairs, drawing the alicorn to investigate. Carefully peeking her head down the first few steps, keeping her ears forward to listen for any signs of movement, Luna descended the flight to the lower level.
The small light came from a single candle burning away on a clustered desk in the middle of the large downstairs room. In this darkness, it barely cast enough light to reach the towering bookshelves surrounding the majority of the open foyer. On the desk lay various scrolls and opened books. A large map of Equestria lay sprawled across one the middle of the desk, held down in its corners by more paperweights. An unfurled scroll and quill sat silently near the edge. From her vantage, Luna could make out intricate and beautifully stylised writing on the scroll. She was too far away to make out any words.
Of course, with her head planted firmly in her latest read, her mane covering the better half of her face and snoring away quietly like a newborn filly was Twilight. She looked adorable as she slept, her steady breathing blowing stray strands of her mane up and down at the side of her muzzle as she used her book as a pillow.
Confident that she wasn't going to be detected, the night princess continued the rest of the way down the steps and approached the explosion of papers and books that covered the desk. In a nearby room, Luna could see used chemical equipment scattered about in apparent organised chaos. She drew her attention to the large map.
Equestria was a glorious land indeed. Stretching far and housing numerous climates to challenge pony ingenuity from the frozen reaches and snow-capped mountains of the Frozen North, to the sprawling wastes and searingly hot plains of the Badlands to the south, all surrounded by glorious seas, glistening with life of all sizes and shapes. Luna longed for the day when the ponies of Equestria dived into the depths of the undiscovered seas. Who knows what kind of life was down there? What treasures they could unearth right on their doorstep?
The study of the oceanic realm was one that fascinated the dark alicorn, she always felt soothed having the cool ocean breeze flowing through her ethereal mane and she would often sit and see if she count her own stars in the reflection of the waves as they danced and lapped over one another. She had recommended her sister try it once in awhile, to join her for a midnight flight along the shores to the east where in the distance and across the water the light from the peaks of the Gryphon Aeries could be seen.
What drew her attention on this map however, was a large red cross painted over a small section of the San Palamino desert to the south, just before the border with the Badlands. Not much existed out that way past the growing settler towns of Appleloosa and Dodge Junction and the sprawling stampede grounds of the numerous Buffalo herds in the desert. Only another single town existed that far south, acting as the gateway and last stop for any adventurous types wanting the brave the dangers of the Badlands. A mining colony town called Ironside Hills.
It was a moderately big town, infamous for its trade in iron and coal to the rest of Equestria from its rich mines. In the past, it drew many a pony to indulge in more seditious activities, far from the watchful gaze of Canterlot and it's elite guard. It became a place for the working pony to eat, drink and gamble their bits away from the high end society and flashy casinos of Las Pegasus... Or so Luna was informed on her return and on her own inquiries into the changed and expanded territories that now constituted as part of her joint monarchy with her sister. She knew she couldn't keep and eye on all of the activities of her little ponies, they had needs and wants just like any other creatures and often gave into temptation. As long as they didn't come complain to her of being robbed of their bits in the casinos there, Celly usual paid the small town no mind other than to confirm every now and then that coal and iron production was going as smoothly as usual.
Luna mused to herself as she looked back over the sleeping form of Twilight. So innocent and naive in her upbringing. Being sheltered at a young age by the Princess of the Sun and given all the books she could read probably hadn't given her the social mannerisms to interact with the gambling, working class ponies of Ironside Hills. If this was where her journey was going to lead her, then Luna was glad she chose to keep and eye on her sister's student.
It looked like Twilight was nearly ready to leave too. Next to the door lay a saddle bag, holding a few necessities for travelling (as well as more than a few books, of course) and a small pouch filled with bits. Draped over the corner of a bookcase was a hooded cloak, only big enough to cover a ponies back. It would still reveal her cutie mark.
Luna could understand the need for the hood. Concealment would be the best idea for the shy unicorn to keep away prying eyes. News of her heroic exploits have no doubt spread across the province. Though, maybe a slightly longer cloak would have been preferable, not many ponies have a six-pointed star as a cutie mark.
Before returning to the balcony and back to the night, Luna grasped the unfurled scroll off of the desk next to Twilight. In the fading light of the dying candle, she read over what appeared to be a letter.
She was anxious at what she saw. The beautiful scripture didn't reflect the dark, macabre tone in the letter at all.
She set the scroll back down next to the sleeping form of the Twilight, still fast asleep with her head buried in her book. Sunlight once more started to rise over the horizon slowly, throwing specks of light through the small windows around the library. Before leaving, Luna stroked her hoof through Twilight's violet mane gently and whispered to her softly.
"This is a dangerous path, young Twilight Sparkle. I hope you are ready for what may lie ahead."
Twilight slowly rose from her hard-back pillow, rubbing her eyes gently with her hooves and flicking her mane out of her face as the first rays of light spread a warmth across the open floor of the library. Groggily getting to her hooves and blowing out the small flame of the candle next to her, she folded the book and floated it back to its resting nook amongst the hundreds of others nestled between the huge folds of the bookcases.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
Spike ducked under the blow of another pegasi that swirled above him, lashing out with their hooves the distract him from the charging ponies in black bearing towards him across the opening between the trees. A quick burst of green flame quickly deterred the flying pest and left a nice smoking hole in the pegasi’s robe. Smirking, Spike turned his attention back towards the oncoming wave of hooves and cloaks. He puffed out his chest, brushed back the spines on his head and picked up his trusty lance before adjusting the position of the plate chest-piece adorning his heavily muscled pectorals.
He didn't really need it's protection, his scales were as hard as the side of a mountain and as polished as Dash's ego, but he couldn't have all the damsels he was going to rescue swoon and collapse from the sight of his body whilst he was singleclawedly fighting off masses of evil pony dudes.
Showing a fanged grin, Spike charged back towards the oncoming horde that was seemingly getting larger by the second, with his lance at full extension. The ground around him erupted in noise as he closed the gap on the front line, the claws of his feet kicking up dust and dirt behind him. This was going to hurt them a lot more than it was going to hurt him.
Yea! Whack! Boooooom arrgghhhh! N-No! Please! Have mercy! Arrrgghhhhhh...
Spike looked down at the crude drawings he had etched in the rock on the floor with his claws. Creativity never really was his strong suit. His interpretation of himself carved into cold stone floor was less than spectacularly lifelike. Far less. At least, he hoped so. He kinda looked like a spiky sheep with a pole coming out of somewhere near his mouth. A fearsome creature indeed.
A single torch burned next to the bolted door of his cell, casting a flickering light across the meagre room. Whilst he was glad to be out of the cage, the accommodations were far from welcoming. He watched as the smoke from the torch swirled and escaped through a grate in the centre of the ceiling. He had to wonder; just how were they keeping this place ventilated underground so well? Not that he wanted to be particularly picky about it. It was going somewhere that wasn't here, so that was good. Him being able to breath just fine sat well with Spike.
In the back left corner of his cell sat a huge pile of broken wood of various sizes that took up most of the back wall, save for a large bed in the right corner that sported a dusty and hard mattress, a few roughly quilted blankets and one pristinely white sleeping filly. There was only the one bed, and easily enough room on in to fit a filly and a young dragon. At first, Spike felt strangely uncomfortable sharing it with Snow Drop. He'd only ever shared a bed with Twilight when he was much younger but soon realised that it may be better to be slightly uncomfortable sleeping next to a pony you didn't know than to be shivering alone at the other side of the mattress. He wasn't all that tired at the moment anyway, just bored.
Spike was sat on the floor at the edge of the bed playing with his claws. With his epic adventure and amazing artistic skills on hold, he had a little time to think to himself again. He leaned back his head to rest on the side of the dusty mattress and thought back to the previous night.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
After sharing a lousy meal of bread and water with Snow Drop in relative silence, they both decided it would be best to try and get some sleep after the day's events. The cold grey walls of the cell didn't exactly offer much in the way of warmth, so both Snowdrop and Spike had curled up in the blankets, albeit at opposite ends of the large bed. However, after a while of tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable on the hard mattress, Spike heard Snowdrop. She was sobbing quietly with her back turned away from him. The first day had been harder on her than anyone else, and Spike really only blamed himself for that.
After being politely escorted to their cell, one in a long stone corridor of many, one of the guards turned to Spike with an evil grin. Apparently, one of his friends had died when they tried to capture him from Twilight. He wanted a little payback. After another gruesome buck to the chest and a face to face encounter with the wall, Snowdrop tried to stop the guard. Another large bruise along her side now accompanied the one off of Roulette. My scales could take it. Snow Drop couldn't.
He couldn't just leave her there to cry like that, not after what Roulette and that piece of scum guard had put her through that day. Spike crawled up the bed slowly and placed a claw on Snowy's shoulder. She turned quickly to hug him, shoving her face deep into his scaly chest before flinching slightly at the pain the movement brought her. It was lucky she didn't break anything, but the guard was more interested in hurting him than her.
Lucky him.
Spike simply held her for a while before she calmed down enough for him to try and talk to her. He pulled away from her gently, still holding her, and looked down at her piercing blue eyes. He promised he would protect her from Roulette, that if he tried to lay another hoof on her, he would 'tear him another hole'. He thanked her for stopping the guard, saying how brave he thought she was for standing up to him like that.
Snowy just smiled weakly at this, pressing her head back into him and groaning slightly once more.
Thank you again, Spike. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here...
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
Spike sighed as he came back to reality with a question on the forefront of his mind. What would she have done if I hadn't been there to help her? What would Roulette have done to her? If the guard hadn't had me to take his anger out on, would he have hurt her? Or just left her alone completely? Was it my fault she got hurt?
Spike looked back over at the sleeping form of Snowy, to tucked away under a rough blanket. She had shifted around to face him. A large, purple bruise covered one side of her youthful face and a wing draped over the other.
"I'll get him back, Snowy. For you. For everyone. Just you watch."
He could use his claws to slice him into little pieces, or breath fire onto his smug little face! Or he could... He could...
Spike hesitated.
The returned his gaze to Snowy, who had started shivering in her sleep. Spike crawled up the bed once more, dragging over another blanket and placing it over her. Hopping off the bed, he pulled a few pieces of the broken wood into the centre of the room, underneath the grate in the ceiling. Stacking them into a makeshift pile, Spike set them alight with his green flame. He sat down next to the fire as it started to grow and consume the wood that twisted and deformed as it fed the flames.
He could try and get back at Roulette for hurting Snowy. The sleeping filly had stopped shaking. A small smile crept along her features. Spike slouched down next to the fire, warming his claws as an inviting green glow covered the room. He sighed dejectedly.
It wouldn't be me who gets punished for fighting back.
Deciding the floor wasn't as comfortable as the mattress, Spike climbed back onto the bed and snuggled up into one of the blankets, like he used to in his blanket back in Ponyville. The warmth from the fire soothed his spirits slightly as he closed his eyes and fell asleep next to Snow Drop. Spike was going to be her armour and he would destroy anyone who would try to bring her harm.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
The library was far bigger than Twilight remembered it during the day. Dust had started to settle along the shelves of the numerous bookcases. The interior seemed to have lost a little colour, replaced by a dulling grey tinge that she just couldn't remove despite the warm light pouring in through the windows.
Floating over a cup of her favourite tea and the remnants of a crisp daisy sandwich, Twilight took her seat at the huge desk in the middle of the room. Her joints ached slightly from the previous night, having decided that the desk looked far more tempting to sleep on rather than make the substantial journey up the fifteen or so steps to her comfy, welcoming bed.
Twilight scanned the map in front of her, reciting her planned course to her final destination, a small mining town just north of the border into the Badlands called Ironside Hills. After frantically searching the site of Spike's kidnapping, Twilight recovered one of the small darts that had fallen to the ground next to her. It contained remnants of the toxin used to eventually bring her down.
A night of vigorous chemical tests revealed one of the higher concentrations of the ingredients was extract from a particular flower that only grows in a very small area of the San Palamino called the Clouded Lily, named for it's white flowers and for it's use as an natural anaesthetic. Apparently, a pretty powerful anaesthetic if put into heavily concentrated doses. Ironside Hills was the only settlement remotely close to where it grows, so Twilight assumed that it would be a good place to start.
A train goes there from Appleloosa, the place where she helped to settle a local dispute between the colonising ponies and a herd of buffalo with her friends who-
Her friends.
It wasn't often nowadays that Twilight wanted to be alone instead of surrounded by her closest friends. They had shared so many adventures together in the few short years they had known each other. Twilight had grown to love each and every one of them, from Fluttershy's timid curiosity with the natural world, Rainbow's spectacular feats of aerial manoeuvrability and boasting, Rarity's simple generosity, Applejack's determined hard work and Pinkie Pie's... being Pinkie Pie. But she couldn't ask them to be a part of this. Yes, Spike was their friend too and she knew they would do everything they could to help save him, but that wasn't what Twilight was worried about. She had no doubts about that.
What she did doubt, was herself. Ever since that night when Spike was taken, the night when she had taken the life of another pony, even the next morning when her dangerous outburst threatened the lives of ponies just trying to help her; she had questioned herself. What am I willing to do?
Twilight had spent more than two years now, studying the magic of friendship and writing her reports (more recently along with her friends) to Princess Celestia. Her studies helped her to understand the harmony of life around them, from the smallest insect to the biggest dragon. It helped her to understand the importance of elements of harmony that she and her friends embodied. But could she keep to those lessons? Could she show kindness, generosity and honesty in the face of those who took Spike from her? Laughter was out of the question, this was nothing to laugh about. Her loyalty to Spike couldn't be denied, she would find him, no matter what it took.
What about her own element?
Had she lost control her element and brought harm to other ponies in a raw and primal display of pure power. It was in self defence and in the defence of a loved one, but did that make it okay? The nurses in the hospital certainly weren't trying to harm her, but she had thought they were stopping her from reaching Spike. She, a usually harmless and carefree librarian, had taken the life of that pony and would quickly have to decide whether or not she would be prepared to do so again if it came to it. She knew she couldn't involve her friends in that. She couldn't let them see what she was willing to do, and just how powerful she could be when the life of those closest to her were part of the equation.
Twilight felt sick to her stomach.
The library suddenly seemed much bigger and emptier than it had in months and for now, it would have to stay like that. Floating the map over to her bag next to the door and tucking it in gently, Twilight brought over the cloak hanging nearby and set it over her back and head, covering her face in a dark shadow. Glancing up, her purple aura clicked open the lock on a window on the second floor, allowing Owlicious entry and exit as he saw fit.
She levitated over her bags and strapped them into under her cloak. Before turning to leave, Twilight grasped the letter sitting idly on the desk in her telekinesis. She added a final sentence to the bottom of the scroll. A quick scan and an angry glare accompanied a glow of her horn and a faint pop before the scroll wrapped up and disappeared into thin air. Twilight didn't want to get Spike into any trouble, wherever he was, but she had to send that. She had to warn those who held him what would be in store should they not release him and any other captives and that they would regret it. Heavily. They would see just how adept she could be at using her raw, primal power.
Again armed with single minded determination, Twilight stepped outside into the warm morning air and clicked the lock behind her and flipping the opentoclosed. Twilight began a light trot towards the train station. This was the last time she would be home for a little while.
ooooOOOOooooOOOOoooo
"...and then, when we were falling, and both of us were crying and smiling at each other, bam! In flies Rainbow Dash and snatches us out of the sky! It was so awesome!"
"It sounds awesome! But, what about the Wonderbolts? What happened to them?"
"Oh, we got them out of the side of the mountain eventually. Took a fair bit of magic to shift the top of that water tower. They thanked everyone and said they couldn't stay before bolting off again. I don't really blame them, they didn't really do much."
Spike and Snowdrop sat huddled next to the luminous green flames dancing away atop a dwindling pile of splintered wood. They were sharing stories. Snowy had told Spike about when she flew for the first time and how it had started snowing whilst she glided between the rooftops of her mountainside home in Cirrus Heights. Spike noticed the sparkling in her eyes when she spoke of the sparkling white flakes drifting lazily down from the clouds. He bet that if it snowed and she closed her eyes, she'd disappear.
Speaking about her town, her past and the snow lifted her spirits. She was smiling and laughing as she retold her story, and listened to Spike's after persuading him to share one of his more embarrassing moments. It didn't take long at all. Snow Drop only had to bat her eyelashes and pout a little. Spike melted once again under that icy gaze. It would seem that it was a talent that most fillies and mares could play whenever they wanted their way and it worked all too well.
Spike didn't mind sharing the story of his tantrum rampage across Ponyville. Anything that got Snowy to smile was completely worth it. He mentioned Rarity, and how he thought she was the most beautiful unicorn he'd ever laid eyes on. He also mentioned how Snowy reminded him so much of her, minus the horn. At this comment, a bright red blush spread along the filly's cheeks, one she quickly tried to hide behind a wing.
She looks adorable when she's being shy.
Spike chastised his own thoughts, a blush spreading across his own scaly features. The two sat and chatted for a little while longer, enjoying the company and warmth of the fire before a noise at the door interrupted them. The sound of bolts being undone was followed by a cautious push on the door as it crept backwards, causing a cool breeze from the outside corridor buffeting the green blaze. Two guards appeared behind the door, one of them stepping inside and looking down at Spike. Spike’s eyes narrowed to slits and he reflexively brandished his claws.
"You, dragon, the boss wants to see you. Now."
After his previous thoughts of what retaliation might mean for Snowy, Spike resigned, dipping his head and pushing himself up off of the blankets on the floor before walking towards the open door.
"I'll be back soon. Keep the fire going if you start getting cold."
"I'll be here."
The echo from the door resounded down the tight corridor as Spike trudged along in front of the two guards, garbed in their black hooded cloaks. Identical doors lined each side of the corridor every few feet or so. Spike could only imagine how many of the doors hid other colts and fillies behind them, many who didn't have him to stand up for them.
He was led into the room where they had lined up the previous night, the torches still flicking away and lighting the dark corners of the light brown cave. This time however, Spike was marched towards the double doors at the far end, flanked by two more guards. A nod from those behind caused the two next to the doors to bow slightly, before grasping hold and pulling the door open.
The next room was slightly smaller than the previous, a few scattered torches barely lit the surroundings, leaving the room in a hushed obscurity. Spike's eyes again adapted to the low levels of light. Surrounding the majority of the room where wooden stands, stacked up and behind each other, looking over a huge pit in the middle of the floor. Spike quickly skidded over to look down into the pit.
A dirt floor with outcroppings of small rocks lay at the bottom of the bit, surrounded by the same light brown walls of the cave. Small smears of blood lay strewn across the floor, seeming to congregate the closer you got the the edges. At opposing ends of pit stood two iron grate doors.
"Don't worry about that, you'll have plenty of time to inspect it in more detail."
One of the guards smirked towards the other before leading Spike away and towards another small wooden door hiding between a gap in the stands.
This corridor was exquisitely furnished compared with the bare grey of the cell corridor. Polished wood lined the floor with a deep purple carpet running the length straight down the middle. Along the walls lay framed pictures of apparently famous guests and local newspaper articles. Spike couldn't read the headlines as he was rushed toward another door at the end bearing a golden plaque with the word administrator engraved in bold black letters. A guard moved forward to knock on the door. The voice that replied immediately agitated Spike.
"Yea, come on in!"
The door opened up into a small office. The floor was covered in the same purple carpet and more framed pictures lined the walls of ponies gambling, drinking and smiling for the camera. In the centre sat a large desk, littered with papers and pouches of bits except for a small picture frame, showing a young Roulette and a light blue coated earth pony. The picture looked pretty old. Two wooden seats sat in front of the desk. Behind, a large framed picture of a building, gleaming with a sparkling sign that read The Rigged Roulette. Sat down in front of it, spinning around in an executive leather chair, was Roulette.
"Spike! Heya buddy! Come in, come in, take a seat!" He pointed towards one of the seats. The two guards stood alert next to the door as Spike climbed up and folded his arms, not wanting to make eye contact with the cunning red stallion.
"Sorry about the conditions, this old girl has seen better days, but we gotta make do with what we got, eh?" Roulette said, a playful smile stretched across his face.
"Now, I know we got of on the wrong hoof-"
This elicited a sharp snort from Spike, who glared up at Roulette a blew smoke out of his nostrils but otherwise stayed silent.
"Now now, I know we got off on the wrong hoof, or claw, or whatever but I've got a deal I wanna throw your way. A deal I don't think you'll want to turn down."
Roulette hopped down off of his swivel chair and pushed it to one side, revealing the large picture behind the desk to a clearer few.
"Beauty, isn't she? That was taken on the day before I opened her up! Must have been about 15 years ago now." Roulette turned and pointed a hoof at a small figure next to the door of the building. "That's me."
Spike glanced up at the picture, arms still crossed and still silent.
"Now, ponies around here like to gamble. They work hard all day, and they like having an establishment to come to where they can spend a little money, have a drink and watch a show. Our shows are pretty popular 'round these parts. My show, my 'gift' to this town is the pit. And that, my friend, is where you and all your little friends come in."
Roulette leaned on a hoof on his desk. "We pit you guys and gals against some of the kids who've been here, doing it for a while and my adoring crowd bets their bits on how long they think you will last before you just can't fight back no more."
"Now, these other kids that we bring in to have a go in the pit... They lack backbone, shall we say. I mean, your's is carrying reinforced scales, got a taste of them when ya started thrashing about. Kinda hurt, thanks for that."
Spike grinned at that. You deserved it.
Roulette suddenly changed his tone again. He stood up, walked around to Spike's side of the desk and took on a serious look.
"Here's that deal you can't afford to turn down. Now I know that you got a little bit of a crush on that pretty little filly. What's her name? Sno-"
"Don't you talk about her." Spike bared his claws again, but stayed in his seat.
Roulette's toned didn't shift. "I want you to fight in my pits. I want you to play by my rules and do as I say, spice things up a little for my audiences. In return, I'll spare your filly friend from joining you in there."
Spike was at an impasse. If he says yes, Roulette gets exactly what he wants. If he says no... Spike didn't even want to think about what the fighters in the pit would do to her. Not after seeing that colt being rushed passed on the table.
"Fine."
"Sorry? What was that? Didn't quite catch you."
"Fine! I'll do it."
"Excellent! Let's shake on it!" Roulette chirped with happiness, holding out a hoof.
Spike tensed up slightly, before extending a claw and (digging his claws in a little) shaking Roulette's hoof, immediately followed by a loud belch and a small pop.
"What the bu-?!”
A jet of green flame erupted out of Spike's mouth before forming into a tightly sealed scroll that landed squarely on the desk next to the both of them.
"What do we have here?"
"Hey wait! Do- oooft!"
The two guards had rushed forward and held Spike back, keeping him from grasping the scroll. He couldn't retaliate, he simply glared with slitted eyes at his pony restraints.
"Take him back to his cell. I'll take a look at this and organise his first show. You're gonna be a star in this place kid! Well, you'd better be, or it'll be her turn to show us what she's got."
The two guards marched Spike back out and down the corridor. Roulette took a seat back on his executive swivel leather chair and grasped the scroll between his hooves, unfurling it. He kicked back in the chair with his hind legs resting on the expensive looking table. He began to read.
To whom it may concern,
You've taken someone close to me. Forcibly taken someone close to me. You have no idea what you've done.
Half of my normal life is as a simple librarian in the town you stole Spike from me. It had it's fair share of adventures and challenges. Challenges that I've learned a lot from.
My other half is as the protégée of Princess Celestia of Equestria and the bearer of the element of magic. You've seen what I can do with my magic, even when your thugs tried to bring me down.
You stole Spike from me. You've made me angry. If you release him and any other ponies you are holding captive, then I will not look for you after I have Spike back.
If you ignore me, or if I find a scale out of place anywhere on him... I will hunt you down.
I will find you.
If necessary, I will end your miserable life.