//------------------------------// // Are you my friend or not? // Story: Labyrinth of Chaos // by ADenter1 //------------------------------// CHAPTER THREE: Are you my friend or not?! The mare heard a soft clang, it frightened her out of her skin she was sure she had jumped. “Who-Who’s there...?” she stuttered softly, her head going back and forth to see nothing but black. “Me,” that voice. It was familiar, but for once it was not speaking with a grumpy grouch’s attitude. Nor did it speak with a mocking tone, or a fit of laughter from spraying Breezies. Within a split second a small candle illuminated the chamber Fluttershy had fallen into, it was dark and made of bits of stone and slightly oozing brown clay walls. Fluttershy’s teal orbs looked to the candle and saw that baby dragon. “Oh it’s you!” she smiled softly. “Yeah, well I knew you’d get lost or in trouble of some kind in this place,” Spike shrugged, his green gaze looking uncaring. “So now you look around?” he asked, noticing her head moving around. “Just so you know there are literally no doors, only the trap door,” he added, shrugging lightly. “What kind of place would be like that?” Fluttershy asked. “An oubliette,” Spike widened his eyes in fake horror and shook his hands and claws around, snickering after doing so. “Can you help me?” she asked, hope and pleading in her eyes. “Of course, lucky for you I happen to know a way out of the labyrinth,” No, to the castle!” Why would you want to go to the castle? The Chaos King is not pleasant, the pranks he can pull are not funny in my position,” What position is that?” One you don’t want to be in,” Well um...” Fluttershy sighed softly. An idea sparked in her mind. “Dragons like you like gems,” her words caught his attention, but he mistook it. “Yeah, why?” he protectively put a hand on his bag that was attached to his belt. It rattled slightly, signaling it was filled with gems. “If you help me solve the labyrinth, I’ll give you this,” she undid the chain around her neck, removing her necklace. She held it out to him in her hoof. Looking at it Spike saw that it was a tear or water drop shaped red ruby. “A Blood Tear ruby?” he eyes widened as his mouth watered. “You like it don’t you?” she asked. “Eh, so, so,” he turned his head, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Oh okay...” she shrugged slightly, her words catching his attention again. “Tell you what. I will help you in the labyrinth, and I get the necklace in the process,” Spike offered. “You were going to help me anyway!” Fluttershy’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Yes well, aren’t you just kind enough to give this poor unfortunate soul something in return for that?” he asked. “If I give you the Blood Tear ruby will you take me as far as you can and then for the rest of it I will be on my own?” she asked. “Alright,” Spike gave a toothy grin. “Right,” she handed him the ruby. “I’ll save you for later,” Spike licked his lips as he put the necklace around his own neck. “What? Bag’s full, and I’d prefer to eat this for dessert,” he noticed her staring. “Not that, I’ve never met a baby dragon before. You’re adorable. And Spike, thank you,” she genuinely smiled, her eyes sparkling like diamonds of a teal colored ocean. Spike smiled for a moment, but remembered his orders. “I couldn’t leave a mare in a dark black oubliette, but as you can see the hole is the only opening, lucky for you I know a shortcut out of this place,” he jogged over to a small brown burlap sack in the corner. Opening it he pulled a large piece of wood out, it was in the shape of an oval but the bottom was straight. Pushing it to the wall Fluttershy heard the sounds of keys unlocking. “Okay and here we--” Spike opened the newly made door, dropping off at ‘we.’ The mare flinched at the sound of a mare screaming and Spike slamming the door, his green eyes wide with shock and embarrassment as his cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. It was darker than Pinkie Pie’s mane. “What was that?” Fluttershy asked. “Don’t make me tell you...” Spike somehow flushed even more, it looked like he was having a stroke in the mare’s eyes. “Just... please don’t...” he repeated. The dragon turned around and once again the sound of keys jingling could be heard. “Please in the name of Celestia, do not let this be anything like that...” he shuddered, it even appeared like his skin was crawling as he did. He opened the door and the light from a hallway was seen. “Ah, here we go, come on then,” he gestured with his hand as Fluttershy sighed and chuckled with relief and gratitude. The duo walked through the hallway and entered a stoney area. “This way,” Spike stated. Fluttershy jumped when a deep voice, deeper than the stallion’s, said “Don’t go on,” and more continued. “Go back now,” This is the wrong way,” Soon it will be to late.” “Don’t pay attention to them Fluttershy, they’re false alarms. There’s tons in this place. Curtsy of King Discord. He sends them when you’re going the right way,” Spike stated calmly. “This is not the way!” another voice practically roared, echoing through the hallways. “Oh shut up,” Spike flopped his hand. “Sorry if doing my job is an issue to you,” the same voice retorted. “Well you don’t have to do it to us,” Spike countered. “Please? None of us have done it in so long!” a voice pleaded. “Rover just can it!” Spike snapped. “Please? With fire ruby on top?” another Diamond dog asked. “Fido don’t you dare!” Spike narrowed his pupils into slits. “What do you not want him to do?” Fluttershy asked, her gaze curious. “Doesn’t matter...” Spike muttered. “Uh... Spike...?” her teal orbs turned to look at the small thing floating towards them. “What is that?” she asked. “What is what?” he lifted his head. “It looks like a water drop but its brown... like chocolate milk?” she tilted her head slightly. Spike’s eyes widened, an expression filtered in their green depths that was unreadable to Fluttershy. “What?” she noticed this and watched as it traveled to another stony wall. The mare and the dragon followed it and saw it floating above something, or someone. The person, wearing midnight blue cloaks, was holding a clear cup and was looking down to the empty item. The drop of brown water fell into the cup and within a split second it was full of milk. Chocolate milk. “Ah... what have we here?” the cloaked being asked, lifting his head to reveal a golden yellow beak. Though it looked plastic rather than real. “Uh... nothing...” Spike backed himself into a wall, his gem bag jingling. His words seemed to affect the being. “Nothing?” it asked, its voice growing deeper revealing it as a male. “Nothing. Nothing tra la la!” the creature removed his cloak as he spoke, revealing that it was the Chaos King. Discord. “You’re majesty. What a nice surprise,” Spike bowed, though Fluttershy saw the genuine fear in his eyes. “Hello Spyro,” Discord folded his arms across his chest, his cinnamon orbs unamused as he flashed a smirk. “Spike...” Fluttershy corrected, but then regretted it when he looked to her. “Spike, would it just so happen to be that you are helping this mare?” he asked, bending down to be just above the two legged dragon’s height. “Helping? After our conversation? No way...” Spike nervously chuckled, Fluttershy felt confused with a hint of betrayal. “Then why have Fido, Rover, and Spot just told me that you’re telling the mare about the false alarms placed in the labyrinth, and going down the right path?” he narrowed his misshapen eyes. “Uh... you know... Fake friendship...” he flashed a nervous toothy grin. “What?” Fluttershy’s eyes widened. “I told her I would help her solve the labyrinth. Work of trickery if you ask me and...” Spike could have gone rambling on and on but Discord interrupted him, his eyes focused on what was around the dragon’s neck. “What is that around your neck? Seems like a teary thing to me,” he tapped a bird claw on his chin, twirling another in his white beard. “Oh this thing.... um.... I... uh... Generosity?” he stuttered. “From?” Discord put his lion paw to his ear, as if listening closely. “Um..... A pony...” Spike stuttered. "Which?” he continued, though he already knew the answer. It was amusing to him to watch the dragon make excuses, when he already knew the answer. Everyone in the labyrinth feared him, and so they should in his opinion. “A mare... Shutterfly,” Spike quickly spoke. “Shutterfly? That name sounds familiar yet distant too? I don’t know any Shutterfly, but I do know a Fluttershy,” he pointed an accusing bird finger to the necklace and a lion finger to Fluttershy. Discord stood to his full height, almost menacingly to both the mare and the dragon. “Spike if I thought for even a nanosecond that you were betraying me, or going to betray me, I would, without hesitation or remorse, throw you headfirst, like a basketball, straight into the lands beyond the Everfree Forest,” he used his Chaotic magic to deepen his voice on Everfree Forest, like it was the worse thing imaginable. “No please! Not beyond the Everfree Forest!” Spike got on his knees and pleaded. “Oh yes. In fact I think I’d get Chimera on you first!” he used his cloven hoof leg to kick him backwards. “And you...” his head turned to Fluttershy, making her back up a little. “Fluttershy,” he pointed again at the dragon who curled himself into a ball and covered his head and ears as if he was waiting for a terrible noise or a painful punishment. “How do you enjoy the Labyrinth of Chaos?” he asked, tapping his lion fingers on the stone wall. Fluttershy had no idea how to answer it. It was difficult, she would admit but she wondered if she should say it. She disliked that it kept changing and then there was a dark oubliette as Spike called it, a dungeon and Princess Celestia and Discord only knew what happened to the ponies and creatures who were trapped and there was no way out. “Chaotic...” was all she said, turning her eyes to Spike. Mostly trying to avoid his gaze. “That’s the idea my dear...” Discord let out hearty chuckles. “But why don’t we turn it up a notch? My ears were burning from words by Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, Tirek, and Iron Will that somebody also thinks its difficult,” he smirked again as her eyes widened. “How is this little number, for difficult?” he asked, another drop of chocolate milk appeared floating above his bird hand. He twisted and turned his wrists and fingers and it shot into the hall. She heard a large thudding and pounding, and heard Discord’s maniacal laughter as he poofed away in a flurry of white. “Oh no... what did you do?” Spike leapt to his feet. “What did I do? What is that?” Fluttershy backed up a bit. “Manticore!” Spike shouted. “What?!” Fluttershy asked, but a roar answered her instead, with a pair of red eyes staring at her from the dark shadows. “Don’t ask just run!” Spike grabbed her hoof and started running, though she was flying next to him. “Can’t I talk to it?” she asked, still flying as he was running. “No you can’t!” Spike shouted. “That’s my talent!” “Talent or no talent Blackthorn is the most feared thing in the entire labyrinth, right under Discord! She was made personally by his magic, and she gets more than just cranky when they’res strangers in her domain! Only thing she’s afraid of is Discord himself!” Spike kept running. Fluttershy’s eyes widened in horror as she saw the door made of cage bars, and they were even bigger than her head for a moment when she saw the lock and the chains around the opening. “No!” Spike rattled with the chains. “Can you use your fire?” she asked. “No, they’re enchanted!” he slammed his head onto the lock. Her eyes darted to the wall, it looked made of something other than stone. Paper thin wall. “Spike!” she began pushing on it, noticing how it was coming out of place. The dragon joined her and after more roars from the Manticore they knocked the wall in just in time. Blackthorn kept going down the hallway and knocked the bar door down like it was nothing and kept going that way. Spike was on his feet before Fluttershy was on her hooves. “Ah here’s what we need. A ladder. Follow me,” he gestured for her to follow with his hand. “Why would I follow you now that I know you planned to take me back to the beginning of the labyrinth?” Fluttershy asked. “I was not taking you back to the beginning of the labyrinth. I just needed an excuse to give. Let me tell you something, I am Spike. Baby Dragon. Coward, and Discord, never forget the Chaos King or Lord of Chaos, does not just scare me but gives me nightmares,” Spike stated climbing up the ladder. “And let me ask you this...” he began again, still climbing. “What other choice have you got?” he asked. “You’re right...” Fluttershy sighed, flying up to be next to him. “What are you doing?” he questioned, not stopping. “The ladder looks rickety,” she pointed out. “You mind keeping that to yourself next time?” Spike shuddered. “What I mean to say is what if you fall?” she asked. “How is that helping?” “I want to be able to catch you in case that happens,” she stated. “Oh well then that’s...” Spike was at a loss for words. “Kind...” he mentally scolded himself. “Great...” he groaned. “What?” she asked, curious. “I’m turning into you,” “What does that mean?” “It means I can’t think about what I’m going to say. To you I say kind, to him you say Chaotic. Chaos is his main ordeal and Kindness is yours,” “Oh...” Fluttershy giggled softly, though she was a bit embarrassed too. “By the way I noticed something about him, and I plead to Princess Celestia that he is not listening right now,” Spike began again. “What?” she questioned. “The way his eyes were looking, not at me even though to me he looked like I was the pony pox or the blue disease,” “What’s blue disease?” “Ponies, or Discord most of all, will turn blue and have a sickening sneeze issue and can’t control there magic. And I hate it when he gets it because then he comes to me for help. Anyway when he was looking at you,” he continued. “Like I was something he could easily throw out of the labyrinth and keep my brother Dapper Sunlight and turn him into a Changeling?” she asked. “What? No... Wait your risking your very life for your brother?” Spike asked. “Well yes... it was my fault he was taken by the Changelings in the first place and I have to get him back,” Fluttershy stated, hope and guilt in her voice. “How was it your fault?” I said the line,” Purpose or accident?” Accident,” How do you say something like that on accident?” I was reading a book. Dapper was crying I tried reading it to him to calm him down and it worked. I set him into his crib and then he just started again. I was going to get him some milk and the moment I left the room he stopped crying,” “Words of advice kids, ‘Reading is terrible. And it’s for eggheads,’” Spike sighed. “Anyway in my opinion he was looking at you funny. And I don’t mean by throwing you out of the labyrinth and keeping your brother and turning him into a Changeling, it was like he was amused yet... Uh how do you explain this?” he questioned himself, gazing into space while climbing carefully and slowly. “Like one of those faces you make when you’re say a school filly, or colt in his terms, and you’re looking at your crush. Him, colt, to a filly. You,” Spike shrugged. The mare felt like her heart skipped a beat. “I doubt that...” she stated, confused as to why he would say that. I don’t just doubt that. I sincerely doubt that. She thought in her mind. She lightly tapped her head on the ceiling. “Here we are, help me with this,” Spike began pushing on the ceiling. She did and it sounded like moving the top of a pot, slowly and it hurts ears. Sunlight showed as Spike crawled through the hole. “Here we are then, you’re on your own from now on,” he jumped out. “What?” Fluttershy asked, awestruck. “That’s it, I quit,” he shrugged, looking around to see they were in another part with the maze but with green hedges instead of sandy stone walls. “Wait a minute! Spike!” Fluttershy’s eyes were wide as she flew out of the pot. “I said I would take you as far as I could, I made no promises,” she knew that but that had been only a little bit ago, a very little bit at that. “You cheat!” she accused. “Now don’t try to embarrass me...” Spike waved his hand in a goodbye. “I have no regrets....” he shrugged. “Oh really?” Fluttershy asked. “And here I thought you were my friend,” she sat on the cobblestone ground, noticing him stop in his tracks. “You thought I was your what?” he asked. “I thought you were my...” her gaze turned to the unicorn stallion that was slowly walking to the stone throne in the center of where they were standing. His coat was gray, like a pale winter sky, with yellow eyes like Discord’s whites in his eyes. His mane was white, he wore a blue cape and wizard’s hat that had stars and patterns like constellations on them. And on his hat were bells. As he sat Fluttershy and Spike both approached him. “Excuse me?” Fluttershy asked. She noticed his white long beard as he looked up to her. “Oh a young mare,” he dipped his head in greeting. “Wow someone came into this dump?” a high pitched male voice asked. Fluttershy looked to his head and saw a Griffon, about the age of a filly like Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, sitting there. His earthly green eyes were unamused as his small black wings were spread out. “And who is this?” he asked, his gaze moving to Spike. “My friend,” she answered. “Do you know the way to the castle in the center of the labyrinth?” Fluttershy asked. “You want to get to the castle?” the stallion asked, his yellow orbs curious. “How’s that for brain power?” the Griffin asked. “Be quiet!” the stallion scolded. “Ah nuts...” the Griffin shook his head. “Sometimes when it seems like your not getting anywhere you are...” the stallion stated. “We are...” the Griffin spoke. “We are...” the stallion glowered at the baby. “I’m certainly not getting anywhere at the moment,” the mare sighed. “Ha! Join the club!” the Griffin snorted, pointing with a golden bird claw to the stallion. He was asleep. Asleep and snoring. “And uh... Leave a small deposit,” he pointed to the small box with a small square hole in the center of it. “Don’t expect to get anything. You didn’t even help at all,” Spike folded his arms, glowering as the Griffin returned it. “I can spare this,” Fluttershy put a small turquoise jewel in the box. Spike’s eyes widened in both shock and tints of hunger. “Gracias Senorita,” the Griffin waved, a smile on his beak. “Ugh, you didn’t have to give him that. He didn’t tell you anything,” Spike scowled as the duo walked away. “Well well, there’s a couple of suckers,” the Griffin yawned bored. “Ugh it is so frustrating being stuck with you,” he shook his head at his snoring owner. “Why did you say that?” Spike asked as they walked corner around corner of hedges. “What?” she asked, not stopping or looking back. “About me being your friend?” “Because you are Spike. Though you may not be much of one, and I don’t know whether you were telling the truth or not, your the only friend I have in this labyrinth,” Fluttershy answered. “Oh... I like that... Friend. I’ve never really had a friend before,” he smiled softly. The duo turned another corner and a loud barking and roaring was heard. “Gah goodbye!” Spike turned tail and started running. “Wait a minute!” Fluttershy stopped him with a hoof on his shoulder. “I said it before I’ll say it again. I have no regrets!” the roaring continued. “Are you my friend or not?!” Fluttershy asked as he freed his arm. “No, no I’m not! I look after myself just like everybody! Spike is Spike’s one and only friend!” he took off running. “Spike!” she shouted as he left. “It could be anything. Good or bad... Like the worm said... I can’t take anything for granted,” she began walking to the roaring, though inside she was petrified. She turned another corner, feeling as though it was the thousandth or the millionth, and saw a two headed creature hanging from a tree as four Changelings were attacking it. They were holding sticks that had pink hairless and wrinkly creatures with large sharp teeth, the creatures were biting into the creature and that was what was making it roar and growl. Double time. “Orthoros,” Fluttershy’s eyes widened, though out of both fear and curiosity at the same time. “Oh I wish I had something...” she watched in unhappiness as they continued poking the two headed beast and the creatures kept biting it. It began roaring out, the smaller head joined it. Something cold touched Fluttershy’s hind hoof. Turning her head back she saw it was a rock. She picked it up with her hooves and aimed towards one of the Changelings. “Sorry...” she muttered throwing it. She hit him in the head, banging against his helmet. It spoke in a foreign language she did not understand and began twisting and turning all around and accidentally used its creature to bite another. “Hey! Who bit me! Why you bite me! Who bite me!” the bitten Changeling growled out. She threw the one that appeared after the first one. She hit the other and after a few more bites and helmet clanks one shouted out retreat and they all took off. Fluttershy walked to the Orthoros and saw that it was uncomfortable. The blood probably rushing to its head. Both snarled at her and she put her hooves up in surrender, flying as her gaze shifted between the rope around its foot and the two heads. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m just trying to help you,” Fluttershy soothed, making them stop and stare at her. “Don’t you want down?” she asked. “Dolu and Ulod. Down...” they both said. “Dolu? Ulod? That’s your names?” she asked, they nodded as best they could. “Put your front feet down so you can land on them instead of your heads and I’ll get the rope,” she ordered and they obeyed to her. She undid the rope and almost gracefully they landed on all four feet. “Dolu? Ulod? Are you okay?” she asked as she flew to them. “Friend...” the pointy eared dog head smiled, wagging their tail. “That’s right. I’m Fluttershy,” she smiled softly. “Fluttershy... Fluttershy friend,” the floppy eared one gave her a slobber filled lick on the cheek. “Which of you is Dolu and which is Ulod?” she asked. “I’m Dolu,” the pointy eared smiled. “I’m Ulod,” the floppy eared said. “I want to ask you something? Two things actually,” Fluttershy thought about her situation, or plural if you added the dragon. “What?” they both said in unison. “I have to get to the center of the labyrinth, do you, either of you, know the way?” she asked. “Um... No...” Ulod shook his head. “Dolu don’t know,” Dolu stated sadly. “You don’t know either huh?” Fluttershy sighed. “No,” they shook their heads. “Does anyone?” she asked to herself. “You ask two things?” Ulod asked. “We’re friends right?” she asked. “Fluttershy friend with Dolu and Ulod!” they both barked happily, wagging their tail back and forth giving her slobbery licks on the face. “We’re friends,” Fluttershy hugged the large Orthoros. She made another friend, there was no question, and yet the other remains a mystery. Another mystery to be solved is there, but for that mare BEWARE it may be a bit of a SCARE. A Chaotic scare at that................................................................................................................................................................................................................................