Spike was enjoying his first proper tour of Ford Junction since arriving there the day prior. Well, mostly enjoying it, anyway. The city was a stark contrast to what he had grown used to in Equestria, what with the duller, less varied colors and being more utilitarian in design. This, of course, didn't mean that the city was lacking in personality. The two had passed some impressive graffiti art, some of which lead to his sister becoming uncomfortable when asked what some of the unfamiliar words and phrases meant. These questions were answered in a similar fashion to those from last night, and Spike was growing a little annoyed with being told that he wasn't old enough to know.
Giving up for now, Spike instead asked why the streets were not as crowded as they had been the last time he walked them and Amy was far happier to answer this question, telling him that those they were seeing were either going into work or getting off of graveyard shifts. It wasn't until noon that the streets really started to fill up with those shopping, taking lunch breaks, or just taking care of business. This was one of Ford Junction's many quirks.
As they walked Amy pointed out locations and told him interesting facts, such as the smoke stacks being mostly the result of minotaur influence; they were an industrious people, and, unable to rely on magic, used their ingenuity to bend nature to their will. This industry had a by-product though, which was the reason behind the lack of cloud homes. The smog, as Amy called it, greatly reduced cloud consistency and made structures made with them unstable and dangerous. This smog was also why flyers rarely flew above the skyline, being unable to breathe the toxic air without the risk of falling unconscious and plummeting to the ground.
The knowledge was somewhat depressing, and both he and his sister were relieved when she brought them to their first stop. Spike had seen video games before, a colt he knew back in Ponyville did nothing but play them after all, but none like what he found in Combo Breaker Arcade. It was the most colorful place he had seen in the city so far, its name glowing in bright, yellow neon. The sign also featured what looked to be an armored minotaur holding a limp gryphon warrior triumphantly over his head before flashing to an image of him bending his foe painfully over one knee, its beak and eyes open in a silent scream. This was just a taste of the violence the younger dragon soon found himself bearing witness to as he played games that would be rated for adults only in Equestria.
After exchanging some bits for game tokens, Amy pulled him about, showing him all of her favorite games and challenging him to anything that was two player. The first was a dancing game in which the players took control of pegasi on the screen trying to beat every drop of water they could from storm clouds. Amy's feet moved with such speed and rhythm that the word "Flooded!" flashed before being followed by, "Tsunami!" as her score climbed. Spike, on the other hand, ended up lying face down on the dance pad and panting, no longer caring about the arrows as they flew down his screen untapped. Chuckling at his claim that her longer legs gave her an advantage, Amy picked him up and carrying him to a water fountain so he could get a drink, which he did so greedily.
After that, she chose a less athletic game for the two to play, a fighting game called Savage Showdowns. Much like the city they were in, its roster had a large variety of fighters in both style and species, and for their first match, Spike had made the obvious choice of the large, red dragon character. He thought he was in for an easy victory when his sister chose a small fox-like creature wearing a necklace of large, purple beads. It was as small as a kit and cute as could be, no doubt one of the weakest characters. Spike's confidence did not last however, as the adorable critter began whipping out small orbs of fire from its multiple tails, which would remain bobbing at different points of the stage, turning it into a minefield. He soon found out that maneuvering his larger character around these was difficult. He also found that his opponent was near impossible to hit as it continued to disappear in puffs of smoke, leaving logs behind to be splintered by his dragon's slow attacks. Eventually, he lost, and Amy giggled at his disbelief. When he demanded a rematch, his sister agreed, though this time made sure to give him pointers on how to use the different characters, even slipping in a quip about not judging a book by its cover.
Once they had had their fill of the virtual worlds of video games, they decided to explore more of the real one; leaving the arcade and entering the much busier streets at noon. Before any discussion could be had on where to go next, Spike's stomach made its desires clear by way of rumbling loudly. This caused Amy to laugh until her own stomach mimicked his, though far louder, and actually earning a few glances from passers-by. When Spike's own laughter subsided, she sheepishly made the suggestion to get lunch, and the two were off again.
Much to his embarrassment, the older dragon made him hold her hand as she expertly guided them through the crowded streets, stating that she would not risk losing him, both for the obvious reason and that she didn't want to find out what Equestria's most magical unicorn could do when she combined her wrath with that of Lore Finder's. Despite his displeasure at being treated like a baby, he didn't protest, and soon the two stood before an archway, two stone pillars holding up an odd roof. The younger dragon had never seen this form of architecture before; the roof was oddly concave, with large terracotta tiles meeting at the apex, which was capped by a cylinder going down the width of the spine. He internally compared it to a paperback book laid open pages down.
"I welcome you, Spike," his sister said with a flourish of her hand and a smile on her face, "to my favorite part of the city, Little Nekoto!" He looked at her a moment before returning his gaze to, and past the archway. He could see tall figures milling about beyond it, but couldn't make out any details about them. He was unable to ponder any further as Amy leaned down and gave him a gentle push forward. "Don't worry; you're going to love the food here. I guarantee it." She took a step forward, now standing ahead of him, and sent a reassuring look over her shoulder. He smiled, adjusted his hood, and moved to her side.
The two passed under the gate and made their way down the street, Spike looking around as they did so. Nearly all of the buildings had a kind of roof similar to the one he had seen on the archway and strange doors in front. He could have sworn some were made of paper, while others had the sheen of glass over them, and unlike what he was used to, these doors slid open instead of swung. It was while observing this that he saw who, and more importantly, what the inhabitants of this strange place were; tall, bipedal cats.
They differed to some degree in color, their fur various shades of brown, yellow, white, and black. All of them appeared to have different stripe patterns on their faces, but he couldn't see much else of their fur as they were all covered in some degree of clothing. Most of the males, or what he assumed were males by their taller stature and slightly blockier muzzles, were wearing baggy-sleeved, open-front shirts held shut by sashes tied around their waists. Almost every one of them also wore, for lack of a better word, dresses, that ended above the ankles, allowing Spike to see that they wore sandals made of wood or weaved from straw. The females he saw were dressed in similar, but noticeably different attire, being of brighter colors and consisting of one piece of clothing under the sash instead of the male’s two. In all cases, tails poked out through holes in the back of their clothing.
As they walked, many of the cats who saw Amy smiled and waved, and she returned the favor. "Wow, the... people, here seem to know you pretty well," Spike observed.
"Yeah, I've been coming here for as long as I've lived in Ford Junction and I've known a lot of these neko for years because of it," his sister answered.
"Neko? I've never heard of them."
"Well, they're definitely not common in Equestria... Or this continent, really," Amy began, "They're from a small island nation far to the east. The neko have been branching out in the last century, though, so that may change."
"Amy-san, you're back!" shouted a high-pitched voice. Looking over, Spike saw a small, by comparison, neko, a head taller than himself, standing in front of the open entrance of a building. the place had a cloth sign hanging over the door with odd letters running vertically down it. At its bottom were the words "Kamaboko Ramen" in much smaller print. Below it, the neko waved happily with an intriguing appendage while holding a broom in the other. It was similar to Spike's own, ending in four stubby, clawed digits with one serving as a thumb. Unlike his, however, there was a pad on each finger and the palm was divided by two side by side.
Amy returned the child's toothy grin and waved back. "Hana-chan, it's good to see you again!" She eyed her up and down. "You've gotten taller..." she said, before mumbling with a chuckle, "And you're wearing a bigger version of the same kimono you always wear. You never change."
She started heading towards the girl, and Spike followed, curious of both who this was, and about getting to know a new species. As he approached, he took note of the feline’s appearance. She had cream colored fur with light yellow stripes, and on her forehead appeared to be a natural flower design. Her kimono was white with thin, chocolate brown stripes the same color as her sash circling around it horizontally. He also noticed that her wide, dark brown eyes were nearly shining as she said, "Oh! You have to tell how your trip went! Did you really meet the pony princess!?"
Amy came to a stop in front of the hopping kitten, the broom long since forgotten and lying on the ground. "No," she began, causing the excitement to leave Hana's face. "I met two pony princesses."
"Two!? What were they like!? Were they as big as houses!? Niisan said they were, but I don't believe him because then how would they fit inside the castle or take a bath!? Everything would have to be made extra big for them and then all the other ponies would get tired trying to walk around their stuff and-!"
While she had been talking a mile a minute, the little neko didn't notice Amy's eyelid begin to twitch or the dragoness crouching down, one end of her staff on the ground. Even after Amy pinched the front of her lips shut between her thumb and forefinger, Hana didn't realize right away and continued speak, only stopping after she noticed her words had become unintelligible. When she did, she sent a glare at the dragoness and crossed her arms. "Sorry, Hana-chan, but you were getting carried away again," Amy said.
When she let go of her lips, Hana huffed. "Well, if you're really sorry, you'll tell me about your trip!" she said, finishing with a bright, if not smug, smile.
Amy chuckled. "Sure, sure, I'll tell you all about it," she said as she stood back up. "But for now, my... Spike, and I have to get something to eat."
"Spike?" the little girl inquired, tilting her head before she finally took notice of the small, cloaked figure next to Amy.
"Uh, hi... I'm Spike," he said, extending his claw. "It's nice to meet you, Hana-chan."
She looked at the scaly appendage, eyes going wide as she trailed it up to the face hidden beneath the hood. In a flash she was in his personal space and reaching to his head. Before Spike knew what had happened, his hood was thrown back and his cheeks were squeezed between her paws, soft pads tilting his head back. "Eeee! Amy has a baby!" she shouted excitedly. "And he's adorable!"
Many eyes began to turn to the scene as both dragons stood in stunned silence and Hana continued to gush. The older dragon was first to regain her senses, lurching forward and grabbing both children. All that was left for the various cats to see was a small cloud of dust. Inside, Amy dropped Hana and heaved a sigh as she placed Spike down gently. Hana, even dazed, landed on her feet, and glared up at the dragoness. "Hey, what's the big idea grabbing me like that!? I could have gotten whiplash!"
Amy looked ready to respond even as she adjusted the hood of Spike's cloak to hide his face, but a new voice beat her to it. "Hana! Stop yelling!" shouted a much older looking neko standing behind a counter. She was tall and slender, her light yellow kimono and darker yellow sash nearly the same color as her light fur and darker markings. "Especially at one of our most loyal customers!"
"But-"
"No buts! Now you get back out there and sweep or you won't be getting any sushi tonight," the older neko said firmly, a no-nonsense frown on her muzzle.
Hana humphed. "Fine," she said as she turned to Spike, a smile suddenly coming to her face. "See ya later, Spike!"
With that, she gave the confused dragon a hug before skipping out the door. "She... was almost as strange as Pinkie Pie," Spike mumbled.
"Don't know who that is, but if she's stranger than my daughter, I don't think I want to know her," the lady behind the counter said. She leaned on the counter, cheek in paw, and gave the two dragons a curious look. "Though I can see why Hana was so excited, it's not often that you come in here with a child, especially one with such an... interesting appearance."
Amy whirled to face her. "You saw?"
"I got a glimpse," she said, turning her eyes to the side. "Along with a few others I'm sure."
Both dragons followed her gaze to see multiple nekos turned in their seats, looking at them. Suddenly, a heavy set, flush-faced male one held a bottle up in the air. "Way'ta go Amy! Yer ah momma!"
Many of the others joined in with the cheer, causing Amy to blush and pull up her hood. She stepped up to the counter and said in a quiet voice, "Ah, can we get a booth, Haru-san?... Somewhere out of the way?"
Haru smiled. "Of course, though I expect an explanation later," she said, turning her eyes down to a nervous Spike. "I'm sure it's going to be an interesting one."
With that, she directed the two to one of the less occupied corners of the restaurant, and told them someone would be by soon to take their orders. Now that they weren't being stared at, Spike was able to relax a little, releasing a sigh that got his sister's attention. "I'm sorry about that, Spike. Hana can get pretty excited sometimes, but she and her family are all very nice."
Spike gave her a small smile. "It's fine, I've gotten used to dealing with Pinkie Pie... or, at least as used to her as someone can get. Hana-chan is a piece of cake compared to her," he explained. "If anything, it's more this place that's kinda overwhelming. I've never seen a place like it." As he looked around, he saw that most of the light in the windowless establishment came from paper lanterns hung from the ceiling. He was also curious about the cup in the middle of their booth filled with what looked to be sticks split most of way up the middle.
As he grabbed one for inspection, Amy smiled. "I take it you've never used chopsticks before?" He shook his head no as looked them over in his claw. "Well, they can be pretty tricky to use, but I'm sure I can teach you before the day is out. If you manage to not give up in frustration that is."
Spike finally moved his eyes from the chopsticks to give his sister a confused look. "Is it really that hard to use? I mean, it looks like you're just supposed to spear things with it."
Amy rolled her eyes, still smiling, before her ear fin twitched and she turned her head. "Hey, Daichi-kun, how's it going?"
Approaching them was a male neko, half a head taller than Hana, and noticeably thicker around the middle; each step making his sizable girth jiggle under his simple brown kimono. A smile had been on his lips as he came to their table, but it turned into a slight scowl after Amy had spoken. He stopped at the booth and placed down a menu for each of them. "You know I'm too old for that, Amy. I'm sixteen, call me Daichi-san, or just Daichi even, but enough with the kun."
"Ahh, but you'll always be tubby little Daichi-kun to me," the dragoness cooed, and then laughed when his pudgy cheeks puffed out. "Sorry, sorry, I'll try and stop."
"Good," he stated before taking on a more professional tone, "Now, may I recommend today's special of-"
"Two bowls of shoyu ramen, please," Amy said, picking up both menus and handing them back to the cat. "And some green tea too."
Daichi sighed. "You know we serve more than just ramen now; you could try some of our other stuff."
The dragoness slammed a fist down, making Spike jolt and Daichi roll his eyes. "Kamaboko Ramen will always be the best ramen stand in the world!" she declared. "And no matter how big it gets, that's never going to change!"
A hardy laugh could be heard from deeper inside the restaurant. "It's good to know you're back in town, Amy-san! I'll make sure your ramen bowls are extra-large!"
"Thanks Daiki-san, it's been too long since I've had your cooking!"
"It's only been a few days," Daichi pointed out.
"Yeah, like I said, too long," Amy responded with a quirked eyebrow.
The neko stared at her for a moment before sighing. "And yet you're still skinny. Why can't I have metabolism like that?" He brought a paw to his gut and it sunk in a bit.
Amy gave him a sly look. "You could always ask your grandma to whip you into shape. You could even train with us next time I ask her for a session."
Even through the fur, it was easy to tell Daichi had gone pale as he gulped. "I'll go get your tea. Talk to you later, Amy," he said as he quickly walked off.
The dragoness chuckled as she turned back to her brother. She could see he was giving her an incredulous look from under his hood. Already knowing what he probably had questions about, she began to explain, "I've been friends with the Hisakawa family for a long time now, back when they were still just a small ramen stand." she leaned in a little closer and whispered, "Don't let Daichi fool ya, all their food is good, but their ramen is best in the world. It would be a crime not have a bowl while you're here."
Spike nodded in understanding, waited a moment, and then asked, "Okay, I get what you're saying... mostly, but what's with the kuns and sans you're all saying? Hana-chan called you Amy-san, that's not your real name."
Amy blinked a few times before chuckling. "Yeah, I guess you wouldn't know about honorifics just as much as you don't know about chopsticks," she said. "Well, all that stuff tagged onto the ends of names are kind of like mister and miss, but a little more complicated."
"Oooh, so Hana is just Hana and stuff?"
"Yeah, I'll tell you more about that later, but for now, I should probably start teaching you how to use these." She grabbed a pair of chopsticks from the bin and snapped them apart. "You're going to need all the practice you can get before the food gets here... I should have told Daichi to bring you some silverware now that I think about it."
Spike gave her a skeptical look. "I doubt it's that hard," he said as he tried to snap his own sticks apart, only to leave half of one still attached to the other.
Amy chuckled and handed him another set. "Lesson one..."
By the time the food had arrived, Spike had mastered separating his chopsticks, creating a small pile of kindling in the process, and was well on his way to learning the proper technique for gripping them in his claws. His lesson was put on hold a moment when Daichi placed a delicious smelling bowl of noodles in front of him and a kettle and cups between the the siblings. After telling them to enjoy their meal, the cat left them and the younger dragon leaned over his lunch to take a deep whiff. As he stared into the brown broth, he raised an eye ridge at what he saw. The noodles were long and thin, accompanied by a small pile of greens that he couldn't identify and what appeared to be a hard-boiled egg just set to the side. These were not what gave him pause, however; he could see two large pieces of something white, each a different textures.
Poking the stratified piece, he asked, "Hey, what are these here, some sort of tofu?"
Amy pulled her gaze away from her bowl and wiped a strand of saliva from her chin. "Hmm? Oh, one is chicken and the other's bluefin tuna, the best fish in the world," she began, gaining a slightly worried look upon seeing Spike's wide-eyed one. "What? Do you not like fish or something? We can order something else if you want."
He looked up to a moment before shaking his head. "No, no, that's not it. Or, I mean, I don't know if I like fish, or meat for that matter."
"What do you mean? Haven't you ever had any?" she asked. Soon after the question, she frowned and facepalmed. "Raised in Equestria, right. Sorry Spike, I forget this stuff sometimes."
He waved a hand. "No, it's okay. I was asked by the princess once if I wanted to try some meat, but Twilight was there and she was getting kind of uncomfortable so I said no."
The dragoness blinked a few times and then chuckled. "You really are nice, giving up one of the greatest culinary experiences in life just to make a friend comfortable. I could never do it, that's for sure... Are you going to try it now?"
Spike looked into the bowl, feeling his own mouth begin to water at the smell wafting from the dish. "You know, I think I will," he stated before picking up his chopsticks. That was as far as he got before they slipped through his claws and dropped into the broth with a small sploosh.
"So, do you want to keep trying with the chopsticks and let your noodles get cold, or should we get a spoon?" Amy asked with a smile.
The younger dragon picked the sticks from his soup and absently licked his fingers after he put them down on a napkin. Once he did, his eyes grew wide and he smacked his lips. "Uh, I think I'll take the spoon."
The savory broth had been good, but once Spike had actually started eating, he couldn't help but regret all the years spent eating only pony food. The well-prepared fish had been amazing, and the chicken, after he had chased the images of a distraught Fluttershy from his mind, had been great. Those two elements, combined with everything else packed harmoniously into the bowl, resulted in a divine meal that was easily one of the best Spike had ever eaten. He would definitely take Celestia up on her old offer next time he got a chance just to see what the royal chefs could do with the wonder ingredient that was meat.
He slumped back with a satisfied sigh, rubbing his belly as he looked lazily to his sister. "That was the best tasting thing I've ever eaten," he said, punctuating the statement with a loud burp.
Amy smiled and nodded her head. "Yep, like I said, the best." She reached forward and grabbed the teapot, pouring herself a cup before silently offering Spike some with a nod towards his own. He returned her nod with one of his own, and she began to fill his cup.
It was at moment that Daichi came up with the bill. "Hope the two of you enjoyed the meal," he said, though the small smile on his face told them that he already knew they had. "He's definitely a relative of yours; he eats almost as loudly as you do."
Spike looked sheepish and Amy indignant. "I don't eat loudly!" the dragoness exclaimed.
"Sure," he said, unconvinced. "My mistake. Anyway, mom said for the two of you to feel free to stay as long as you want. There's no rush to open seats, and we're all pretty curious about your guest." He glanced to the smaller dragon. "So if you can stick around until closing, we can all get to know each other."
Amy, forgetting the snide remark about her eating habits, said, "Sorry, Daichi-ku- I mean- san, but we won't be staying that long. Lore Finder wants us back before dinner. We'll probably be able to come tomorrow morning before the restaurant opens, though. Think that will be okay?"
He nodded. "Yeah, that should be fine. I'll go tell the folks." With that, he gave the two one last smile and walked away. As he did, Amy looked over the bill and reached for her staff.
It was while she removed the smaller bit bag that Spike's eyes were drawn to the large one. "Hey, why'd you bring that along? Couldn't you have just left it at Lore and Prose's place?" the younger dragon asked, pointing at the lumpy bag.
Amy followed his gaze. "Oh yeah," she began. "I almost forgot about that. Well, for one, it's just habit. Not that I don't trust Lorey or anything, but I'd rather keep the really important stuff with me at all times. Definitely makes it a lot harder for the bad guys to steal it when they have to get through me first." The dragoness punched her palm with an almost sadistic smirk on her face. Seeing this unnerved Spike somewhat and he pushed back into his seat.
Amy's smile faded into a wide-eyed look of horror, and she quickly diverted attention from her bloodthirstiness with a strained laugh and rapid wave of her hand. "A-anyway, how 'bout I show you what's in here, eh? It's pretty cool." Without waiting for a response Amy undid the larger bag from the staff and opened it, revealing an old book and, much to his confusion, what appeared to be a large gem of some sort; he wasn't quite sure as the surface seemed to be slightly obscured by something. Seeing the inquisitive stare, she picked it up and made as if she were weighing it in her palm. "Uh, I see this caught your attention. I'm not surprised, no true dragon would be able to ignore this morsel."
"What is it?" he asked.
"This, Spike, is the most tantalizing gemstone known to dragon kind. A rare and delicious delicacy... wrapped in plastic wrap," she finished lamely. "I had intended to eat it sometime on my trip, but after everything that happened, I guess it kind of slipped my mind."
He tilted his head, now really intrigued by what the gem could be. "Is it really that good? I'm guessing from how you talk about it, it's not, like, cubic zirconia or something. Is it diamond?" he asked, eyes gaining a look of wonder at the idea of such a big diamond.
Simultaneously, Amy resisted a gag at the mention of a gem as disgusting as cubic zirconia. "No, it's not a diamond, and definitely not that... other thing. No Spike, this is a real sugar diamond." The dragoness was quite pleased to see her brother's Awe filled face.
"That's a sugar diamond?" he asked. "Wow, I've only ever heard stories about them." The little dragon's mouth began to salivate. "I've always wanted to try one, but figured I would never be lucky enough to find one... Why's it covered in plastic wrap?"
The sudden question caught her off guard. "That's because, well, I couldn't resist the smell otherwise," she admitted sheepishly while scratching the back of her head. "I couldn't think about anything but eating it, ya know?" She brought the claw around to her chin. "Actually, now that I think about it, if it wasn't for this sugar diamond and my... less than perfect self-control, I'd probably not have met you... How sad is that? It was practically my greediness for gems that brought me to Equestria."
"What about the book? What's the deal with that?" Spike asked a little too quickly.
Amy, successfully pulled from her thoughts, looked over with a small smile tugging at her lips. "This? This, is the journal of Erik, a gryphon explorer from back before the founding of Equestria," she said, smile growing a little firmer. "A bird after my own heart and the one who has given me my most recent breakthrough in the search for a great treasure. Bahamut's hoard."
Spike was both relieved to have stopped Amy's self-deprecation and a little confused by the name. He could tell that the dragoness expected him to understand what she was talking about, but he was in the dark. "That's... nice?"
Amy blinked a few times. "Nice? Spike, I could be on the cusp of uncovering the greatest treasure in dragon lore; the hoard of Bahamut, Lord of Dragons. I think such a feat deserves a little more enthusiasm than 'nice'." When the younger dragon only looked on blankly, she sighed, breaking eye-contact as she let her head droop. "You don't know the legend of Bahamut, do you?"
"Sorry, but no, I don't."
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised, what with you growing up with ponies and all. You wouldn't have any way to learn dragon stories and legends," she said, going silent a moment before taking a deep breath and lifting her head. "Welp, I guess we'll just have to remedy that, now won't we?" she said with a determined glint in her eye. "To start, Bahamut was said to be the first dragon to ever exist; created by the old gods from a piece of the planet's core and part of the sky."
Spike's eyes widened a bit, "Can that kind of stuff actually happen? I mean, I've seen living things get turned into inanimate objects before, it's kind of hard not to growing up next to a school for gifted unicorns, but can it really be done the other way around?"
Amy shrugged. "I don't have an answer to that. This is a legend, after all, so some, if not most of it is probably made-up. But legends and myths always have a grain of truth to them, and that's what I'm interested in," Amy said. "Before I get to that, though, there's still a bit more to the story."
Her smile was now without strain as she lost herself to the impromptu lesson. "Another interesting thing about the first dragon is that Bahamut, though often referred to as male, is said to be both the mother and the father to the dragon species. Try and wrap your head around that one."
Spike did what was asked, and found it to be a difficult task. "How can one dragon be a mom and a dad? Did he... she just lay eggs by itself?" the younger dragon inquired while scratching his head.
Amy hid a smirk behind her teacup. "I have a few theories, some of which aren't proper for children to hear." Spike harrumphed. "But for now, let's just assume the answer is magic and move on, okay?" she asked, to which he nodded, albeit a little reluctantly. "I'm summarizing quite a bit, if I didn't, we'd be in here all night, but what you should know is that, amongst the many tales of Bahamut, there tends to be a recurring theme; his hoard. Many of the legends make mention of how unmatched Bahamut's treasure was, built over thousands of years through his unrivaled power.
"Leave it to dragons to put so much emphasis on the treasure of their grand figures," she suddenly added with a roll of her eyes. "Sometimes I wonder if his treasure is mentioned so frequently because of the greed of the dragons who passed on the legends, or because of Bahamut's own greed. I mean, he's described as being the embodiment of the dragon virtues: powerful, wise, and, among other things, lusts for treasure."
"That can't be all there is to dragons," Spike cut in, a hint of pleading in his voice. "What about the noble dragon code? That has to count for something, right?"
Amy blinked a few times. "You know about the noble dragon code? How?"
It was Spike's turn to be caught off guard, not expecting a question in answer to his own. Even, so, he answered, "After a bit of a... rough meeting with some other dragons, I kinda started looking for what it meant to be a dragon my own way, and, living in a library and all, decided to start there. I ended up finding a book about a dragon who was known to have helped ponies a long time ago. His name was-"
"Throck," the dragoness finished, shaking her head with a soft laugh and closed eyes. "Of course you learned it from him."
"You know about him too?"
"I never met him, but our father had. Apparently the two of them were good friends before Throck... died," she said, sobering the mood. Clearing her throat, she went on. "Dad admired him greatly and shared a lot of his views. Views he made sure to pass onto me, like not abusing our power or oppressing the weak and helping others regardless of species.
"I'm sure dad would be happy to know you carry those ideals as well," she said, voice going quiet. "Without even knowing them, you've managed to become a dragon our parents would be proud of."
"H-hey, I just try to do what's right is all," Spike responded bashfully, a blush coming to his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, you still haven't answered my question. About Bahamut and the dragon virtues, that is."
Amy's soft smile wavered some as she answered him, "I'm afraid Bahamut isn't necessarily portrayed as noble. At best, some of the stories had him claiming people as his own and protecting them as he would any object in his hoard. Others have him defeating terrible monsters, not because it was the right thing to do, but to prove himself the most powerful. From what I've gathered, I wouldn't be surprised if the times he did help others was only with the thought of reward in mind."
Spike became more downcast the more she spoke, and Amy couldn't stand to see it. "Hey, just because Bahamut was a jerk doesn't mean all dragons are. You know that, right?" he looked up, but she continued before he could respond. "I mean, look at you. Not to mention Throck and our parents. There have been all sorts of good dragons throughout history. Even if Bahamut set the standard, or whatever, that doesn't mean we can't go above it, right? And besides, not all that Bahamut stood for was bad, wisdom is a pretty noble trait."
Some of the tension that had been building in his shoulders left. "Yeah, I guess you're right... So, that book tells you were Bahamut's hoard is, huh?"
Amy looked down at the old journal and opened it, careful not to ruin any of the pages. "Yep... well, sort of, actually. It's really more of a vague passage, but I think it's more than worth looking into," she told him, eyes skimming the yellowed paper. "See, in this one passage, Erik writes about a mountain range far to the east of where the gryphons nested that had wild and dangerous weather conditions. It was here that Erik claimed to have seen a massive draconic figure within the storm clouds." The dragoness looked up with a triumphant smile. "And I bet you every gem I have that what he saw was Bahamut."
Spike nodded slowly. "So... you think that Bahamut left his hoard in those mountains... Why exactly?"
This caught Amy by surprise. "What?"
Her younger brother fiddled with his claws. "Well, I was just thinking that if all he saw was a shadow in the clouds, how do you know it wasn't some other dragon? And even if it was him, how do you know that those mountains were where he had his hoard?" He began to become uncomfortable as his sister stared at him with an unreadable expression.
He was about to tell her to forget he had said anything, when she suddenly snorted and laughed. "Ha ha ha! Only a few days, and you've already surprised me more times than most people do in years." The dragoness fought down the laughter until it was a restrained chortle broken by the occasional breath or hiccup. "You know, Lorey said the same thing; said I shouldn't get my hopes up over such a flimsy lead, that I was setting myself up for disappointment, but I just know that I'll find what I'm looking for if I follow Erik's journal."
"You just know?" Spike inquired skeptically.
With her composure fully regained, she nodded. "Yep, I know it in my gut. A true adventurer has an instinct for this kind of stuff." When her brother's look didn't falter, she said a little harshly, "Just you wait, in a few months you and the rest of the nonbelievers will be reading about the greatest discovery of all time."
Spikes eyes widened and he waved his hands out in front of him. "No, no! I believe you! I'm sure you'll find Bahamut's hoard!"
He was going to say more before Amy's own eyes widened at the tone she had used with her little brother. "It's okay, Spike, I know what you mean. I know it doesn't make sense. I'm sorry for snapping." She picked up her things and rewrapped them. "I guess that's an instinct too... being defensive about stuff." She sighed as she left the appropriate tip atop the bill. "I'm so used to having to defend myself from others that I get a bit hostile sometimes... Sorry."
Spike let his arms drop. "It's okay, no harm done... And I really do think you'll find your treasure," he said, returning the smile Amy gave him.
She polished off the last of her tea and slid from the booth. "Well, I think that's enough touring for one day. You ready to head back, Spike?" The younger dragon finished his own drink and hopped to the floor after he answered yes. Seeing the city had been interesting, the games had been fun, and the food had been delicious, but both siblings felt an exhaustion start to come over them, and plopping down on Lore and Prose's coach sounded like an excellent plan.
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Phantom lay atop a building as he watched the pair of purple dragons finally leave the restaurant. He, along with the stealthier of his fellow employees, had been ordered to observe the two, listen in on what they could and report to the boss as frequently as possible, keeping at least three pairs of eyes on them while someone left to deliver the information. It had been just a short while ago that a returning spy had informed him and his cohorts of the boss's instructions for what he wanted them to do next, and the dark pegasus internally questioned them.
He would never say it out loud, but the boss's flair for the dramatics oftentimes made him nervous. Even so, he knew that to go against orders would have a very adverse effect on his health, so he steeled his nerves, stood up, spread his wings, and hoped he wasn't about to get another burn to add to one he already had.
He watched his targets move, following them from the rooftops until they had left Little Nekoto and began making their way back to that pegasus's apartment. Once they were in the proper position, Phantom swooped down as nonchalantly as he could and landed on the corner of the street the dragons were walking down. Once there, he did absolutely nothing, just as his boss had ordered.
~8~
Spike had greatly enjoyed the time spent with his sister, and judging by the small, calm smile on Amy's lips as they walked in a comfortable silence, so had she. They had spoken some after Amy had paid the bill and the two of them left her friends' establishment. It was mostly about what other foods they would have to try in the short time he had left in Ford Junction. Amy was adamant that they try some more Neko dishes, but Spike, knowing that the melting pot of a city had many cultures to sample, thought he should try something from a different kind of restaurant, like gryphon or minotaur dishes. They eventually agreed that they could invite Lore and Prose with them next time they ate out and the two ponies could break the tie by casting their votes.
The younger dragon was content to remain quiet and simply allow his thoughts to drift as he listened to the hustle and bustle of the city around him, but his peace of mind wasn't meant to be; shattered when Amy jerked to a stop and her tail whipped out to block his path. He was about to say something after he walked into the strong, scaly appendage, but the narrowed eyes and frown on his sister's lips stopped his words before they even got a chance to leave his throat. Instead, he asked, "What's the matter, Amy?"
He turned his eyes forward, but could only see a swell of people exactly as there was in every direction around them. His eyes landed on a dark maroon pegasus who appeared to simply be standing at the corner, doing nothing and looking across the street. It was odd, Spike thought, but the stallion could have been waiting for someone else. He told himself there was no reason to feel unsettled, that, as horrible of him as it was, it was only the pony's disfigurement that caused the feeling. Spike could see the large patch of hairless, gnarled skin covering the bulk of his chest, a livid red scar stretching up his neck and chin as well as reaching halfway around the shoulder visible to him.
His staring was cut short as Amy suddenly held her hand out to him with the command to take it. Not one to argue with such a serious tone, he took the proffered claw as she turned them around and led them away from the corner. Spike made no claim of knowing his way around the city, but he had a feeling Amy was not taking the direct path back to the apartment anymore. The idea was all but confirmed when Amy once again came to a stop.
This time, when the younger dragon tried to discern what had resulted in their abrupt halt, he had far less trouble spotting the cause. At the corner of this street stood a large diamond dog, easily the biggest he had ever seen and towering well over his sister's height, glaring unmistakably at them. There was no doubt that the hatred from those dark yellow eyes was directed at Amy as Spike could feel it through proximity alone. The little dragon couldn't help but start to shiver; the intent carried in that stare mixed with the overall look of the dog was an intimidating combination.
A dark grey fur made up the dog’s coat, broken up by at least two dozen scars ranging from what must have been the remnants of large gashes caused by blades, as well as reminders from claws and fangs. When the beast dropped his folded arms, each limb resembled tree trunks with the huge claws posing as roots as they were planted upon the ground. That was all Spike saw of the dog's boxer-like face before Amy once again changed their direction.
Whatever path his sister had chosen, the younger dragon just hoped it led safely back to Lore and Prose's place.
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Phantom watched Amethyst turn away from Cujo and once again change directions, not believing the plan was actually working. He shook off his astonishment and took wing towards his next point, once again settling atop a building to wait for the dragons. If all went according to plan, Amethyst would be diverted by a few more of the boss's lackeys until they reached this spot. The pegasus looked in the direction of where it was they were meant to herd the dragons to, and shuddered at the thought of what they would be walking into. Out of all the things one could encounter in a dark alley, what they were about to experience was something out of his personal nightmares. He almost felt pity for the monsters, but the throbbing of the old burns across his chest squashed the sentiment.
~8~
Amy was growing frantic as she tried in vain to avoid the agents of one of her most hated foes. Any other time, had she seen Phantom on the street she would have simply walked him by, and beaten him into the pavement if he tried anything, but this wasn't any other time. She had her younger brother with her now, and while she had no qualms with putting herself in a bit of danger by pummeling that bastard's henchmen, she would not risk putting Spike in harm's way for anything.
The fear for the younger dragon's safety was brought to a fever upon seeing Cujo and the clear malice in his eyes. Though confident she could survive a fight with the massive dog, the same could not be said about anyone caught in the crossfire. In every fight between the two, it always dragged on into a stalemate until one of them had to retreat, and there was always collateral damage.
As more and more of those Amy recognized as enemies showed up, the dragoness moved faster, pulling Spike along and not hearing him tell her that she was hurting his arm. When it came to thinking out in the field, Amy had always excelled, being able to think on the fly and get out of a bad situation in one piece, but the presence of someone else with her, someone she had to protect, had scattered her mind and left her with only the instinct to flee.
It was this instinct that had led her to doing the unbelievably stupid as she was passing the mouth of an alleyway and Phantom landed at the end of the sidewalk. Without thinking, Amy turned with her brother in tow and entered the dark space, eyes focused on the other end as the sounds of the city were dampened by the brick walls enclosing them. Had she been in the right state of mind, the dragoness would not have been surprised when, as they were halfway through, an equine figure appeared at the exit, silhouetted by the light of freedom.
"Why if it isn't my old friend Amethyst Thistle. What are the odds I'd meet you here of all places?" asked a smooth voice that sent shivers up the older dragon's spine and down her stiffened tail. Laced with so much false sincerity, the question left no doubt that this was planned from the beginning. The shadows rising up from behind her only drove the fact home and made her grip tighten on her younger brother's claw, hoping to convey how sorry she was for getting him into this mess.