//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 - Castle // Story: Quest For Harmony // by destinedjagold //------------------------------// "Hurt them and they'll hurt your friends." Fluttershy calmly warned as Spike was about to breathe out some fire to scare the snakes which were crawling towards him in every direction. He looked at me, full of worry in his eyes. "Spike," I said, trying my best not to move, "Go! Just go!" I almost yelled at him. I don't know why I'm wanting him to run and be safe, but whatever. "I can't just leave you guys behind!" Spike cried as he dodged a snake that struck him. He immediately ran with haste to the area where the snake was once was, managing to dodge the two snakes he passed. "Okay," I called out, "good job Spike! Now hurry and run away!" "I told you," he replied as he shot me a glare. He then picked up a large twig and started swinging it at the snakes to drive them away from him. "I'm not leaving the both of you!" "Ack, don't be hard-headed, Spike!" I argued. "Just go and save yourself, now!" And I sounded more demanding than pleading now. I countered his glare with my own. We continued our argument for a few more minutes until we both stopped as we realized that we're the only ones being active at the moment. We turned and looked at the mares, who were both arching their eyebrows at us. "Are the two of yah quite done with yer quarrels?" Applejack asked lamely. Spike and I turned to each other for a short while before returning our attention back to them, and nodded awkwardly. "Right," she rolled her eyes as she faced the pegasus, "now, what was that ye were sayin', miss?" Fluttershy shook her head slightly with irritation, making the bird on her head hover a few moments before landing back. I guess our shouting has drowned Fluttershy's voice, if she was trying to say something earlier. "Right. I asked why two earth ponies are wandering in the forest." "I'm looking for a castle," I replied quietly. "And Ah'm lookin' fer mah sister..." Applejack replied calmly. Fluttershy then turned her attention at Spike, who was at the moment trying to push the snakes away from him with the twig he's holding. "Oh, don't mind me," Spike said a bit with haste, "I'm just tagging along and all..." "Sticking with them when in danger," Fluttershy spoke as she hovered towards the snakes that were trying to grab Spike, "is not tagging along." She said with the tiniest bit of emphasis, but it was hardly noticed. She let the snakes crawl and wrap around her back as she turned to face us. "Why do you need to go to the castle?" "Uh... I need to go there, for me to get myself back home..." She arched an eyebrow, and I felt like I needed to add more if I wanted to convince her for whatever reason. "I was told by Princess Celestia that I---" my speech was cut short after the two mares gasped in surprise. "You spoke with the princess?" Fluttershy asked in complete surprise. "You're with those unicorn bastards!?" Applejack snarled with great anger. "Hey hey hey!" I said as I took a few steps back, ignoring the hissing of the snakes coiled on my hooves. I stopped after I felt a tree blocking my rear. "And no, the princess spoke to me and I am definitely not with those unicorns!" Fluttershy was busy processing what she just heard while Applejack was glaring daggers at me. I gulped as I looked at Spike, who decided to just simply stand beside a tree and being very quiet. "Spike, a little help?" He thought about what he's going to say, which took him quite a few long seconds before facing to me again. "Nah," he shrugged, "I'm sure you'll be fine." "Not helpful, Spike." I glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine..." He said as he walked and stopped beside me, though kept his distance from the snakes. He faced the two mares neutrally. "Gold Blitz here is from another world and Princess Celestia told him how to get back by going to the old castle here in the Everfree Forest but Twilight won't let him so we escaped with a metallic wing thingy and found our way to Ponyville and now we're here. The end." She blinked, I blinked, she blinked, he scratched his head. Wow, that's quite a good summary of the adventures we had together. Kinda sad that it's going to end soon. Wait... "Spike," I began, narrowing my eyes as I glared at him, "you promised to keep that between us!" Spike however, gave me a lame look. "Would you rather be bitten instead?" I opened my mouth to say something, but instead, I hung my head low in defeat with a sigh. "Touché..." Fluttershy was now leading us towards the castle, but keeping up with her pace was a bit difficult if snakes are coiled on each of my hooves, as well as Applejack's. Spike went back...on my back. We were walking in silence for minutes that I've lost count, until Applejack broke the silence. "Hey, um, Miss Pegasus?" "Hm?" Fluttershy responded without looking back. "You, uh, you've been here for quite some time, right?" "...Yes." "Have you maybe uh," Applejack sighed, took a deep breath, collected some courage, and continued, "have you maybe met an earth filly who came here a few years ago?" Wait...years? "Yellow coat," she continued with hope, "red mane, red---" "...ribbon?" Fluttershy finished for her as she stopped and turned to face us. "So you've seen her!?" Applejack asked in excitement. I wouldn't blame her though. Fluttershy nodded. "I have." She simply replied as she turned and continued walking towards the edge of a forest. We soon found ourselves on a cliff, where a very scary-looking rope bridge is connected to the other cliff a distance away. What was worse, the wind is mighty strong, carrying the cold drizzle hitting my...fur. "Is she..." Applejack spoke as Fluttershy turned to face us. "...is she...still alive?" "Why don't you go and see for yourself?" She said as she took a few steps to the side, for us to cross the bridge that is slightly dancing with the wind. "I'll wait for the two of you on the other side." She added, and soon flapped her wings and flew to the other cliff. Damn you ponies with wings... Applejack carefully took a peek down below the cliff, and gulped. I took a peek as well, and I could not see the bottom from that darkness. Must be pretty darn deep. "Well," Applejack said as she brought a hoof on the bridge. "If Apple Bloom's on the other side, then Ah'm going to see her!" She said as she nervously began walking on the bridge. I admire her courage despite the danger though. Not wanting to wait, I quickly followed. If the castle's on the other cliff, then I need to go there as well. Spike tightened his grip on my neck as he shivered. "Just don't look down..." I whispered, and as I did so, I slightly looked down below, and gulped as I felt all my four knees started to shiver slightly. Spike chuckled weakly. "Y-yeah, you should follow your own advice as well." "Zip it..." Applejack's and my own weight made the bridge stable enough not to be carried around by the wind so much, which was very welcomed by the two of us. We reached the other cliff after a few minutes. It wasn't really easy nor fun, but whatever, we did it. Fluttershy then continued leading us to the castle. "Why are ya helpin' us, anyway?" Applejack asked as we entered another gloomy forest, but Fluttershy remained quiet. Applejack didn't press her question further and decided to simply follow the pegasus. At least the path we're taking isn't as difficult as the previous one that Applejack and I took when we first entered the forest. Though the coiled snakes are makes walking awkwardly difficult. Finally, we reached a wide clearing, and stood in the center was the old-looking tall gray castle, complete with flashes of lightning up above to add the creepiness-feeling it was radiating. What had caught my attention more was the armored pegasus guards standing tall on the draw bridge and near the castle's open entrance way. Though...their wings resemble those of bats than birds... Fluttershy walked on the draw bridge and headed inside the castle. Applejack casted me a quick glance before following. I turned and looked at Spike's worried face. I smiled weakly at him before following the two mares.