//------------------------------// // Act Three Chapter Seven // Story: Burnt Offerings // by Spike the Scribe //------------------------------// Sandpoint, 4 of Rova (Presumably 27 of October 1000 SR), Morning Bringing Trixie to Father Zantus at the cathedral was far easier than expected. Despite being for the most part unresponsive, the magician hadn't forced Applejack and me to drag her all the way, actually supporting her weight on her hooves feet and letting herself be led. It almost seemed like she was on autopilot, which in light of the situation was a good thing. We brought the magician to the spiritual center in about fifteen minutes, a good time seeing Turandarok Academy was practically on the opposite side of town. Once there we managed to locate Father Zantus and explain the situation to him. To say he was concerned was an understatement; the news that a previously destroyed undead, or at least a fragment of it, rose from the dead again greatly worried him. Still, he was a man with priorities, and at the moment his biggest concern was the wellbeing of Trixie. "The damaging of the body is of little consequence." He said, his hand glowing softly as he healed the magician's neck. "With the grace of the gods and the blessings of the Song of the Spheres I can mend such wounds in seconds. It is the damage the soul had suffered that is more concerning. There are precious few spells that can help with those, and all of them are out of my humble reach. The most I can do is help her fall asleep and pray that Desna lifts the burden from her spirit when she sleeps." I nodded at that, figuring that's the best I could hope for. Taking that as his cue Father Zantus lifted Trixie to her feet (Applejack excused herself earlier, saying that she had a bad feeling about the experiments and that it'd be best if she was there if anything happened) and led her to the parsonage, motioning me to follow. "It would be best if you were to remain with her, at least until she falls asleep." He started while leading Trixie through the maze-like corridors of his abode. "A soul of a living thing, no matter how powerful on its own, is also one of the most fragile things in the multiverse. The presence of someone familiar should help calm her." "I… don't really think I'm the best pick then." I tried to dissuade him from that notion. Not that I really had any ill will towards Trixie; she was annoying, a braggart, and downright nasty at times, but not enough for me to want her to suffer. It was just that… I 'knew' her for a grand total of what? Three days? Four? Hardly enough for this to be considered any substantial period of time or level of familiarity. Unfortunately, I didn't really have much in terms of a choice in the matter. Father Zantus led us to one of the parsonage's guest rooms and laid Trixie in bed. She didn't oppose much, still too out of it to be able to do so. The priest then presented me with a chair, which all but sealed my fate as the magician's equivalent of a night light, and left to look for something that would make Trixie fall asleep faster. Looking at Trixie I really couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She really was terrified of what happened; by now she shook on the whole body, as if she had hypothermia, and her silent 'noes' were a constant stream. It seemed like her state was worsening instead of improving with each passing second, and as much as I didn't want to admit it, I missed the bossy, bragging her. It may sound weird, but I really hoped everything would end up alright. On the other claw I felt incredibly odd, just being here. Like I said, I didn't really know Trixie, and being cooped up with her like this was just plain weird. I had half the mind to just get out before Father Zantus returned and leave her here, but each time I looked at those wide, staring, terrified eyes I couldn't force myself to. Father Zantus returned not too long after he departed, a small, corked bottle in hand. "A sleeping draught." He explained, uncorking the bottle and approaching Trixie. "It'll help her fall asleep." Now let me tell you one thing. Trixie may have been compliant, if unresponsive, while she was being led, both by AJ and Father Zantus. But the moment the priest tried to get her to drink his medicine she acted as if somepony was trying to murder her. Flailing her arms around like she did when the hand was strangling her and getting significantly louder with her one syllable protests, it seemed like she was convinced the holy man was trying to finish the job. It was enough to make things difficult for Father Zantus alone, so he enlisted my help. I didn't exactly know what to do, having never been in a situation quite like this before. I figured the biggest issue at the moment was Trixie flailing her arms around, so without much thought I scrambled onto the bed and seized one of her hands in my grasp. The effect was almost instantaneous. The moment I touched her exposed skin she practically deflated, both her hands falling limply on either side of her. She also stopped her constant stream of 'noes', falling silent for the first time since she left the basement. I was so taken aback from this sudden one-eighty that I almost didn't notice she managed to clasp one of my hands in her own and was squeezing it with enough force for it to be painful. Still, I kept that to myself, figuring this was at least beneficial to Father Zantus. The head priest indeed pressed this advantage and managed to make her drink the sleeping draught without protest. Once done with that he assured me the drug would start working in a bit and that I should stay until she falls asleep, before he promptly left, no doubt to attend to whatever a priest attends to. Problem is, he left me in a really awkward position. I still sat on the verge of the bed, my furry (still weird) feet dangling from the side, and had my hand in an almost vice-like grip courtesy of Trixie. Well, maybe not vice-like. After Father Zantus left her grip lessened to the point where it wasn't painful anymore, allowing blood to once again course through my fingers. It didn't mean she was letting me go however; the moment I tried something like that she immediately pulled me back, as if afraid to break physical contact. It was… weird to say the least. I'm more than sure if she knew what she was doing she'd kick me off the bed herself, but as she was right now Trixie was determined to keep me as close as possible. At least I didn't end up being cuddled to like a teddy bear. I really didn't want to be there. I mean if it was Rarity who was acting like that, especially refusing to let go of my claw hand I'd undoubtedly be ecstatic. Hey, even if it was Twilight I would be all for it, allowing my brotherly pride at being able to provide some measure of comfort to her to swell in me, but this? Serving as a lifeline and providing comfort to a mare I not only didn't know all that well but didn't even like? There had to be something going on here, there's no way this was simple trauma affecting Trixie, at least not trauma from simply being strangled. This seemed deeper, a fear engraved in her psyche, like a phobia. Was there even a phobia of being strangled? If there was, than I was sure she had it. The question however wasn't if she had a fear of being unable to breathe, but why she had it in the first place. Twilight was deadly afraid of snakes because of… an incident I don't want to discuss. Was something similar true in Trixie's case? Had she suffered a similar situation while young and never outgrown her fear? And if so then what was the history behind this? Even if she was a braggart and a fraud now didn't necessarily mean she had those traits when she was a filly; I have a hard time imagining somepony actually strangling her like that. What happened? The fact I focused on those questions let me forget about the awkward position I was in long enough for the draught to take effect. I first noticed Trixie was falling asleep when I felt my hand slipping from her own, released from her grip. Startled by that, I looked at the magician, seeing her eyelids slowly closing, the shaking of her body subsiding. Within moments her breathing evened and entered a steady rhythm. She finally looked peaceful, lost in the depths of the dream realm and thankfully free from nightmares. Lying there peacefully on the bed, with the last rays of the setting sun falling through the window onto her silvery hair, now cascading onto the pillows and tinged a soft golden color, I couldn't help but realize she really did look stunning. Jumping Luna on a pogo stick, where the hay did that come from?! What is wrong with you brain?! I can kinda-sorta understand the girls, but this is Trixie for crying out loud! Stop it! I decided to bail as soon as I realized where my traitorous brain was starting to wander. Telling myself that this was starting to get creepy and that looking at somepony while they were sleeping was wrong (wonder why I had to think about that to force myself to move) I slipped completely from Trixie's grip and jumped back on the floor. Not wasting any time I silently made my way to the door and slipped out of the room, but not before taking a last look at the sleeping form of the magician. Why? Why was this happening? Why did I suddenly start to behave like that? I didn't before we ended up in this place. I only had my eyes for Rarity. Shoot, I was sure I still had a crush on her. But if that's the case than why did I suddenly start seeing the other girls like that as well? First Fluttershy (though she always was a looker, so that wasn't anything new), than Twilight of all ponies (which still is creepy by the way), and then Applejack. And now Trixie? Seriously? Was this some sort of side effect of me turning into this halfling-thing? Maybe it was something like the issue with anger? Whatever it was, I was starting to have enough of it, and hoped I'd be able to reign in those… inappropriate thoughts. I just hope Rarity will never find out about this. "Spike? What are you doing here darling?" …the universe really hates me, doesn't it? Letting my legs carry me and lost in my thoughts I didn't even notice when I got out of the parsonage. Even more surprisingly my autopilot led me towards the Rusty Dragon, and as luck would have it Rarity was just about to enter the inn when I came along. Her voice managed to snap me out of my revere, not to mention startled me, and I ended up letting out a surprised cry before I realized what was going on. "Calm down Spike, I did not intend to scare you." Rarity said soothingly, taking a few steps in my direction. "Is there something troubling you?" "NO!" I shouted out, immediately realizing how suspicious that sounded. "I-I mean no, nothing's really on my mind. I'm cool." Yeah, cool as an ice cube. If she fell for that I'd grow a pair of wings and join the Wonderbolts. Giving me a look that plainly meant she didn't really buy my explanation Rarity nonetheless decided against pressing the issue, changing the subject. "Be that as it may dear, you still haven't told me what you are doing here. Were you not supposed to help Twilight with the examination of those horrid skeletons?" "Yeah, well, about that…" And so I gave her a quick recap of what happened, up to the point Twi asked me to take Trixie to Father Zantus. Hearing my story, especially the bit about the hand coming back to life Rarity let out a gasp and immediately started to worry, showering me with questions like 'was there anypony else hurt' or 'are you perfectly sure that Twilight and the others are alright' to name a few. I did my best to appease her fears and stressed that "…aside from Trixie being grabbed nopony was really hurt. In fact, Trixie was more spooked than really hurt, so there is nothing to worry about." "Well I do hope you're right Spike." She finally agreed, though her gorgeous sapphire eyes still shone with worry. "Still, I would feel better if I could see Twilight and the others for myself. Not that I don't believe you dear, is just for the peace of my mind. Do you suppose we could gain access to that dingy laboratory and see the girls?" She finished with a question, fluttering her eyebrows at me. Intellectually I realized she was using her feminine wiles to make me take her there. Emotionally however… "I'm sure you'll be more than welcome to visit them, milady." What can I say: nopony can resist the eye flutters. I was about to lead Rarity to Turandarok Academy, but in that moment the whole notion of going there became obsolete. From behind the bend of the street came Twilight, a tired and slightly concerned frown on her face, flanked by the rest of the girls plus guard Titus, the four of them carrying bone-filled boxes in teams of two. The moment Rarity saw the small procession she immediately made her way towards them, concern once again clearly reflected in her voice. "Good Heavens, you girls look simply dreadful! Spike told me about everything. Are you alright? Were there any more incidents? What happened after he left? Wha…" She was interrupted by Twilight rising her hand to ask her to hold her questions for now. "I'll explain everything as soon as we're done with these bones. Why don't you and Spike wait for us at the inn, we'll be there in about half an hour." Twilight suggested tiredly, letting out a sigh. I was a bit confused by that, but reasoned that after I left she and Mr. Gandethus stepped up their game and started to work far more intensively, draining Twilight's meager reserves of stamina. Rarity agreed to Twi's suggestion and the two of us quickly made our way inside the Rusty Dragon, the rest going in the direction of the town garrison. Once inside the tavern we quickly found a table large enough to fit us all, found Fluttershy and asked her to join us, and waited. Fortunately with the late afternoon hours the inn had a number of distractions for us to pass the time, the prime example of that being Ameiko herself. Having the kitchen run by her halfling aids for the late meal, she herself was providing music for her patrons, making use of a small stage in one of the corners of the main room, playing an exotic-looking string instrument. Later that night I learned through Twilight it was called a Shamisen or something like that. Point is she provided a distraction until the girls returned. As Twilight promised, they were back after about half an hour, everypony except Pinkie Pie looking spent. Rainbow Dash eagerly went to her room to change from her chain shirt, complaining that it was a real pain to wear, and Applejack immediately ordered a round of drinks for us (by that I mean everypony except Twilight and I), preparing for a rather long sitting. So, with mugs full of hard cider and the sound of the Shamisen as background noise Twilight started to tell us about what they ultimately found out. After the whole episode with the hand Mr. Gandethus decided that examining the bones directly was too much of a risk and decided that aside from the already neutralized hand the two skeletons should be placed in the boxes they were brought in, just to be safe. After that the efforts concentrated on analyzing the samples we took and the faint patterns that remained on the destroyed hand. Both experiments yielded some answers, but at the same time made the situation all the more complicated and dangerous. First came the results of the samples. Aside from one of them being magical residue from my own magical attack (apparently Mr. Gandethus was interested in that even if he didn't really think much of it) the first two samples were of little use. All that he managed to get was that indeed I had sorcerous powers (whatever that meant) and that I was literally a greenhorn, so really nothing substantial. The third sample however, the one taken from the hand was a different story. The first thing Mr. Gandethus noticed was the composition of the red markings. He deduced that it was a strange mix of wine, copper, red dye, sulfur and curiously enough powdered bloodstone. Now I know what bloodstone is: a mineral, usually black in coloration, with patches of jasper or iron oxide staining it and resembling spots of blood; generally not too tasty, having a metallic tinge to it closely resembling the taste of actual blood. The mixture itself according to Mr. Gandethus was a show of unparalleled skill however; a blend of knowledge in the fields of alchemy and arcane arts that resulted in the creation of a far more powerful type of skeleton without the use of actual blood. Although his surprise and fascination with the notion was troubling for most of the girls (with the exception of Twilight, who was as fascinated as he was), it was nothing in comparison to the second discovery that was made during that examination. I don't really know how the magic that Mr. Gandethus used worked, but apparently it allowed him to deduce the level of control over arcane powers the creator of those skeletons had. The moment he realized what he had on his hands he immediately sobered, forgetting about his earlier fascination and became worried. Apparently, the one that bewitched the skeletons was not only talented, but experienced. He noted that the spell structure seemed surprisingly complex for what he called a 'relatively low-key type of undead', pointing towards someone that studied the art of necromancy thoroughly. He also came up with two possible leads, both of which in his opinion were really troubling. The first possibility was that this was the work of a cultist of someone he dared only call the Pallid Princess. Of course that gave me pause: used to the word 'princess' being associated only with Princess Celestia, Cadence, and to an extent Princess Luna, the notion of another one brought forth a rather interesting mental image: an alicorn, easily the size of either of those three, pale all over and surrounded by skeletal ponies. Mr. Gandethus however claimed that if the cult of the Pale One was really involved, than the goblins were the least of our concerns. The second theory was possibly even worse. While the cult of the Pallid Princess was, as Mr. Gandethus himself said, driven by religious beliefs and highly ritualized, and by that devotion for the art empowered, the only alternative was if possible even more sinister. He called them the Followers of the Whispering Way, and while he mentioned that he didn't really know much about them and their presence in the region was practically nonexistent, what he did know was that their devotion towards solving problems the intellectual way and by applying hard logic, and their strict adherence to inside rules made them a force to be reckoned with. If by any chance this was the work of such an individual that may mean their secret organization was spreading, and if that was the case than this likely wasn't an individualized cell and it may requisition additional help in the event of being pressured. And that meant a possible powerhouse setting its sights on the sleepy town of Sandpoint. This alone made my head spin. Secret organizations, underground cults, rituals that brought the dead back to life? This was starting to sound more and more like the plot of an adventure novel, like that one Daring Do knockoff that leans more towards fantasy than just literary fiction, what's it called… Ruin Raider and the Curse of the Crimson Goblet. A mediocre read, but with a plotline quite similar to what was going on here. Just as I was coming to terms with the possibility of this whole thing being a far larger mess than I initially anticipated, Twilight dropped a real bombshell. Apparently while they were examining the markings on the hand (whatever the spell was that Mr. Gandethus cast at it, it didn't really damage it like Priest Naffer's did) he came to realize several things. While the script finally being recognized as a written form of Polyglot, a language he explained was used by natives of a place called the Mwangi Expanse was of little consequence (aside from being indecipherable to the wizard), the patterns in which it was placed on the hand were what really grabbed his attention. After carefully studying and cross-referencing them with several of his books Mr. Gandethus realized something that send him into shock. He explained that the markings were designed to be activated from afar by a conscious effort of whoever placed them, and that the pattern made the hand not only animated, but be completely under the control of the caster and serve as a scrying anchor. Or in terms that the others were able to understand: the hand was literally possessed by someone, and that someone possibly had seen and heard everything that transpired in the laboratory until the hand was destroyed. Simply put: he or she knew about us, and could prepare for us if need be. I didn't sleep well that night. In fact, I don't think I slept at all. Tossing and turning, my restless mind was constantly sending me images of a nameless human, the power to control dead in his grasp, picking us out one by one and using our bodies as fuel for his growing army. I know, a cliché, but the notion still terrified me, especially since this wasn't a novel but real life. I just couldn't help but worry and hoped that Twilight would quickly come up with some way for us to return home and be done with this madness. The next day, or rather this morning, I was proven to not be the only one that had trouble sleeping last night. Twilight I knew perfectly well spent most of the night pouring over her (my) notes from the autopsy, so I wasn't surprised by her looking like she just ran a marathon. Fluttershy too seemed to not have had a good night's rest, probably worrying as much as I did, if not more. And then there was Rarity, who tried to hide the shadows under her eyes with some makeup she managed to purchase yesterday. The rest I didn't really see, Applejack dragging a groggy Rainbow Dash and literally sleeping Pinkie Pie off to work first thing in the morning. I was entertaining the idea of going back to bed and trying to get at least a wink of sleep when something happened that literally made me forget about doing that. As the day was still young and not many people were present in the Dragon, the entrance of each new guest was easily noticeable. So when the doors opened to reveal a richly dressed man all attention was on him. I immediately recognized the blue doublet with gold trimmings he wore, making identifying the man child's play. It was that noble we helped save a couple of days back, Lord Foxglove or something like that. Even though the whole thing happened three days ago I had the image of him hitting on Rarity still fresh in my mind, so his sudden appearance here was not something I particularly enjoyed. Quite the opposite really, my jaws immediately clenched and I glared at him balefully from the moment he came in, which only intensified once he made a beeline for our table after finding Rarity. "Miss Rarity, just the person I was looking for! How are you this fine morning?" The man greeted her as soon as he approached the table, immediately bringing her hand to his lips and taking her by surprise. It took Rarity a second to realize what just happened and form a fitting reply. "Lord Foxglove? What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe the pleasure?" It might have been just me, but I had the impression that Rarity didn't really know what to do. She was obviously flustered, of that much I was certain, but valiantly attempted to remain polite. It didn't help that the man literally had eyes only on her and completely ignored the presence of Twilight, Fluttershy and I. Foxglove flashed Rarity a dazzling smile, which had the effect of me wanting to punch his teeth in. "Why there isn't a power on the face of Golarion that would stop me from seeing you, milady. To gaze upon you is to gaze upon perfection." …I'm really going to punch him. "Lord Foxglove, you flatter me!" I noticed something while Rarity was saying that. Normally, and I'm talking from experience here, if somepony ever addressed her in this manner Rares would actually be flattered and probably would swoon over the guy, especially if he was a handsome fellow. At the very least she would be enjoying the attention. But here and now Rarity seemed more troubled by the attention she was getting than taking pleasure out of it. It almost seemed as if she was uncomfortable with it. Deciding that Rarity needed help I cleared my throat loudly to gain the man's attention. "Can we help you with something?" I managed in a relatively civil way. The lordling reluctantly tore his gaze from Rarity and looked at me as if he just noticed my presence for the first time. I noticed his smile lessened and almost turned into a frown, but the local noble managed to keep his cool. "I do not have any use for your assistance. Why don't you check if any other patron of this fine establishment needs anything." Wait, did he take me for a servant here? "I'm not working here." I replied evenly, trying my best to keep my cool for Rare's sake. "I'm with Rarity." Okay, that was delightfully vague of me. Wonder if he'd pick up on the double meaning. Judging from his momentary lapse in self control and his eyes bulging out for a second I take it he did. "I'm sorry… who are you again?" He managed to ask after he regained his composure. Choosing that moment to act Rarity launched into a brief explanation and introduced us. "Lord Foxglove, allow me to introduce you to my friends: Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, and of course little Spike." For a second there I wanted to protest; I wasn't that little, but the thankful smile Rarity flashed me was enough for me not to mention that. "Girls, Spike: this is Lord Aldern Foxglove, lord at Foxglove Manor and a man we helped rescue during the goblin invasion." For a second there Foxy didn't know how to respond, taking in the presence of the up until now ignored girls and trying to make sense of what just happened. Finally he managed a curt "Charmed" as a response before he focused on Rarity again. Fortunately Twilight seemed to have picked up on Rarity's unease and attempted to turn his attention from her. "It's a pleasure making your acquaintance Lord Foxglove." She started, trying to sound neutral. "If I may be so bold as to ask why have you decided to seek out my dear friend Rarity?" For a second I think I saw an annoyed sneer forming on the man's face, but he reigned his desire to do so in and instead smiled politely at Twilight. "Although it really isn't any of your, shall I put it, business, I will humor your request." Okay, so maybe not that politely. "Fair Rarity here has, without any exaggeration, saved my life a couple days back, and as such I am duty bound to repay her for her heroic actions in any way I can. It is a debt I obviously find very enjoyable, as it allows me to spend time in the presence of such a magnificent specimen of the fairer sex as miss Rarity." Here he once again shot Rarity a brilliant smile, to which my fair lady reacted by discretely looking away, a constrained smile on her lips. "Alas, as is with all good things it cannot last much longer, as there are some issues that arose recently and require my attention. Therefore I will not be able to remain in Sandpoint for much longer, and as I don't believe I shall have the chance to return anytime soon I need to repay my debt as soon as possible." ”Truly now? If I may inquire: what are those issues that need your undivided attention Lord Foxglove?" Rarity asked out of polite interest, or perfectly trying to feign it. The moment the lord mentioned he'll be needed elsewhere she perked up and started to look hopeful. The question didn't seem to sit well with Foxglove, the noble losing all of his poise as he slumped, his eyes darkening. "Unfortunately I cannot tell. Suffice to say I would rather not take part in what is to come if I could help it, but my… associates are not people that you can just say 'no' to. But enough on this dreary subject; I came here not to bore you with my business commitments!" For a second there I started to wonder if human males could get pregnant, that's how quick the guy's mood did a one eighty. Seriously, he was acting like a pregnant mare. "I believe I have came up with an acceptable way of repaying for your bravery, miss Rarity." Rarity seemed conflicted for a moment, not sure whether she should be weary of what the man was about to propose, or… wait, propose? Oh dear Celestia! Tell me he's not going to… "What do you have in mind, your lordship?" Rarity asked carefully, eyeing the eager man with a bit of trepidation. The slimy bastard Lord Foxglove smiled once more, taking my lady's hand in his and kneeling before her. Please tell me this isn't happening. "Lady Rarity, the most beautiful flower upon Varisian soil, would you do me the honor of…" nononononononono "accompanying me today on my hunting trip?" nonononon… wait, what?! No, seriously; what the buck just happened? One minute I was sure the guy was going to propose to Rarity, and he pulls something like that?! I was having a heart attack over here, and you mean to tell me he did all this, came here first thing in the morning, dressed like for a ball, just to ask Rarity to go hunting with him? I mean seriously?! I wasn't the only one dumbfounded by this turn of events. Twilight and Fluttershy saw all this transpire too, and judging from the blushes on their faces they thought the same thing I did, if not as panicky as me. Obviously they both didn't see that one coming and gaped silently at the kneeling noble. Rarity for her part didn't fare much better. When she thought Foxglove was about to propose she started to frantically look for a way out, obviously not a fan of the idea but probably wanting to spare him a humiliating public refusal. Now however all she was capable of was staring blankly at him, her brain failing to compute what she just heard. Only after an awkward silent half a minute and the lordling pointedly clearing his throat had she regained her wits. "I… ah… I don't really know what to say?" She said uncertainly, looking at the girls for help. Seeing the two of them still stunned she discreetly sighed and looked back at the man. "I mean this is so sudden. What should I…" "Say yes, milady, and you shall make me the happiest man in the world!" Foxglove promptly declared, bringing Rarity's hoof hand back to his lips. She seemed to try and free herself from him, but the man's grip was too firm for her gentle attempt to yield any result. As a side note: the guy was still doing it; he was still acting like this was more of a proposal than an invitation. Heck, the whole scene brought the attention of what little morning patrons the Rusty Dragon had at the moment. "I don't really think I can make it." Rarity finally managed, obviously self-conscious about all the looks she was getting. "I had prior arrangements and obligations, and I never even been out hunting before, so…" "I see." Lord Foxglove interrupted her, his voice dropping and losing all pretense of politeness. He immediately let go of Rarity's hand and rose to his feet, dusting off his knees absentmindedly. "Well then, this certainly was a waste of my time. I have made a fool of myself, in public might I add, by trying to be polite to a woman that clearly has no regards for both the honor and the feelings of a man willing to go out of his way to please her. I can already see the patronizing looks on my fellow nobles' faces once they get wind of what transpired here." I hate to admit it but the guy was good. I mean sure, his tirade was a low blow, obviously rehearsed and designed to make Rarity feel guilty, but at the same time it was a tactic that almost certainly would yield positive results, at least for him. The combination of guilt-tripping, flaunting his social status, and having a large enough audience for it to register was a potent mix, and Lord Foxglove was using it flawlessly. Rarity, already self-conscious about the whole situation by this point was downright panicking. When confronted with accusations of having the feelings of others in such low regards, as well as being reminded that she just refused someone of a higher social status (a thing I learned quite early on was something she really didn't ever considered doing) she was at a complete loss. Add to that the looks the patrons of the inn were sending their way, most of them pitying either of the two or annoyed at this interrupting their morning and you had a pressured Rarity about to give in to the man's demands. Practically the only thing that prevented her from doing so earlier was whatever caused her to become wary of Lord Foxglove in the first place, aside from him being a creep. I was starting to wonder if she somehow knew something that painted the lordling in darker colors. The moment Rarity let out a tired sigh I knew what was about to come. "I suppose I can make adjustments to my plans and accompany you on your trip, Lord Foxglove." Yep, just as I suspected; she gave in. "I do not need your charity, miss Rarity. I perfectly realize that you do not want to come with me." Okay, I didn't expect that to happen. I thought Foxglove would jump on the occasion, but apparently he had something more in plan. As was the case with me, Rarity too didn't expect that outcome. Blinking owlishly for a second, the only thing she managed to get through her throat was a short "I beg your pardon?" "I said that I realize you do not want to be my companion for this day and are willing to refuse me my one chance at repaying my debt of gratitude towards you." He explained in the same humorless voice, giving Rarity a meaningful look. "You either have my person in very low regards, or are willing to use this debt as political leverage at a later point. This wouldn't be the first time someone wanted to use me like that." "Good Heavens, I would never do such a thing!" Rarity quickly protested, appalled by those accusations. Judging by the quick, smug smirk on Foxglove's face this was precisely what he was aiming for. "And how do I know that for certain?" He asked, trying and succeeding at keeping his voice accusatory. "For all I know you saved my life only to force me into indirect servitude." "But I didn't even know who you were back then!" Okay, it was official: Lord Aldern 'The Slimy Bastard' Foxglove managed to break Rarity. Lost were all her good manners and air of high society class, stripped to the bare minimum and showing her most basic reactions. How he managed to do that so easily was beyond me, but I knew one thing for certain: I was going to break him. I don't know when, and I don't know how, but I'm going to snap him like a twig for doing this to Rarity. It took Rarity a second to form any sort of reply other than what she already shouted out in desperation. She was frantically looking for a way out of this mess, figuratively and literally, but obviously she was coming up with blanks. Having literally no idea how to turn this situation around Rarity tried one last thing, taking the most direct approach she could think of in her state. "I'll go with you on that hunting trip of yours, out of my own free will. In fact, I want to, no, I need you to take me with you. It'll be my honor to go with you, if you'll allow me that is." She was blurring out agreement after agreement, reiterating her declaration in an increasingly servile way. By the time Lord Bastard finally took pity on Rarity, she was practically begging him to take her with him. "Marvelous! It's such a relief that you had a change of heart, miss Rarity. I was starting to lose hope you would see reason." Oh that son of a… Change of heart? See reason? You manipulated her into going you sick bastard! You used her nature against her so that she'd do what you told her to! That had about as much in common with free will as slavery! Somepony should kick your sorry excuse of a plot so hard you wouldn't be able to sit on it for a month! In fact, I should do that… "Well then, I best be going, start the preparations for the day you see. I shall await your arrival at the east gate in three hours milady." Good, good! Run away while you still can coward! "Lord Foxglove! May I have a small request before you depart?" Rarity? What are you doing? Can't you see the bastard's about to go away? Why do you want to keep him here? "It all depends on the type of request you have in mind, fair Rarity." Okay, breathe Spike, breathe. Let's see what all this is about and hope Rarity knows what she's doing. Who knows, maybe she had an idea since she managed to calm down a bit. "I was wondering if my friends could join us in this escapade. It's only fair for them to go as well since in a way they too helped save your life." Oh. Oh! So that's her idea! Have to say, I'm all for that. I'll at least be able to keep an eye on the guy and that way he won't be able to make any sort of move on Rarity. Yes, this is a brilliant plan. Lord Foxglove didn't seem to share my sentiment, the annoying smile on his face getting smaller by a fraction of an inch. "I… suppose that's acceptable. As you said, they did help you in your heroics." "Then it's settled! We'll be at the east gate in three hours. Until then!" And with that Rarity ended the conversation, giving the lordling a clear sign that he should get going. Giving a courtly bow to my lady, Lord Foxglove slowly made his way towards the exit, a spring in his step and looking around like he owned the place, looking at the other patrons with an air of superiority easily beating even Trixie's. Once Lord Bastard disappeared behind the door I heard a prolonged sigh of relief coming from Rarity. Just by looking at her I could tell she was completely spent by what happened just moments ago and was not looking forward to upholding her end of the bargain. In the meantime Fluttershy and Twilight managed to finally find their wits and both were giving Rarity a meaningful look, one that practically yelled 'you need to explain what just happened, now'. "Today really couldn't go any better, could it?" Rarity commented sarcastically, pinching the bridge of her nose. Twilight took the expression of annoyance as her cue to start. "Rarity? You do realize that you just took a huge group decision for us, right?" Twilight, her eyebrow quirked, looked questioningly at Rarity. "I realize that darling, and I'm truly sorry for dragging you into this, but I just didn't know what else to do." She explained, looking at Twi with pleading in her eyes. "I was completely unprepared for what happened here and had to improvise. Also, I didn't want to be alone with Lord Foxglove, not if I can help it." "Why's that?" This time it was Fluttershy who asked. She still looked a bit confused by what she had witnessed and probably was trying to come to terms with indirectly being invited to go hunting of all things. "Fluttershy's right; why did you act like that?" Twilight supported the line of questioning. "I think I know you well enough to safely say that this was not how you would normally act in a situation like this. Care to tell us why?" Rarity didn't explain immediately. Instead she looked around the inn, as if checking if somepony was listening in on them, and only after she decided the coast was clear she launched into a hushed explanation. "I have a really bad feeling about this whole Lord Foxglove. He's hiding things from us and despite having a great opportunity to come out clean he didn't take it." "What are you talking about, what could he possibly be hiding from us?" Twilight was understandingly confused, probably not having came up to the same conclusion that I did. It was obvious Rarity somehow got wind of something that discredited the local noble in her eyes. "After you left Rynshinn's yesterday I got into a discussion with the dear." She started out seemingly randomly. "We have discussed many a topic during our session yesterday, and at some point I may have mentioned Lord Foxglove and his apparent fascination with my person. The response I was given was… less than encouraging. "Apparently, Lord Foxglove and his whole family has a bit of a reputation in Sandpoint. Aside from rumors usually associated with somepony, or rather someone of his social status, such as about him acquiring his fortune through illegal means or having connections with a criminal group in a city called Magnimar, there are some more troubling tidbits of gossip that admittedly put me on edge." "Rarity, I don't really think rumors are the best source of information about anypony. They're mostly skewed viewpoints of individuals that have too much free time on their hooves." Twilight tried to reason, obviously not buying a word of what she heard from Rarity. I for myself wouldn't be surprised if at least some of those things really were true, but that may be just my prejudice towards the lordling. "Trust me Twilight, if anypony should know how rumors operate it should be me, and quite frankly: I don't believe most of what people say about Lord Foxglove." Rarity replied easily, no doubt expecting the conversation to take this turn. "As it may be however I couldn't help but notice that he was reluctant to reveal any details concerning his sudden need to attend to 'business' as he called it, so there may be some merit, of only partial, to some of the information circulating in the rumor mill." "That really doesn't explain why you acted like you did." Twilight pressed on, still failing to see what the fuss was about. Rarity expected that as well and had a reply prepared just in such a case. "I know that darling, and you'll be pleased to know that my reasoning goes further than just local gossip." She started her explanation, though judging by her increasingly hushed tone I realized that whatever Rarity was going to disclose to us might as well be a piece of really juicy gossip on its own right. "You see, Lord Aldern Foxglove, despite his best attempts at courting me, and let's be honest here: what he does is precisely that, is on a losing position from the very start. He is a married man, and I for one do not want to gain the fame of a femme fatale." That piece of information was followed by stunned silence, interrupted only by the sounds of everyday tavern activity. It took us a moment to realize what Rarity just said, but once it did, I couldn't help but react in an expectable manner. "That son of a manticore." "Spike! Language!" I was immediately reprimanded by Twilight, though she herself looked at least a little bit angry at the notion. She looked back at Rarity and asked. "Are you sure he really is married?" "Positive darling, Rynshinn was friends with his bride, Iesha if I remember correctly. The two of them have been married for about eight months now, ample time for Lord Foxglove to reign in his carnal desires and finally settle down with his wife." "And yet he's hitting on you." I growled, having no sympathy for the obviously cheating bastard. While my reaction wasn't exactly the most subtle, it still went unnoticed by the girls, especially Rarity, for which I was grateful. "That's… really an awful thing to do." Fluttershy's comment was far more subdued, and in my personal opinion didn't give justice to the severity of what the man actually was doing. I mean even in Equestria, where the marriage laws are among the most liberal, it is still frowned upon for partners to cheat on one another. I don't know how it works in human society, but I imagine not very differently. "I know dear, and quite frankly I am appealed by the behavior Lord Foxglove is displaying." Rarity assured, however her expression quickly darkened as she continued. "Unfortunately, as much as I wish that was the whole reason as to my reluctance to accept his invitation, it is just the tip of the iceberg. It's not only the fact I'm being pursued by what equates to a married stallion… pardon… man that weights on my mind. There is actually more to this than first meets the eye." "Oh goodness, what else is there?" 'Shy inquired, having a hard time coming up with anything worse than the simple fact of being faithless towards one's spouse. Apparently, there could be something far worse. "What I am about to tell you girls could be placed between rumors, but keep in mind none of us, especially me, can be sure if they are true or not, and there is much evidence pointing towards this actually being true, at least to a certain degree." Rarity warned us, her voice dropping to a stage whisper soft enough to be lost in the din filling the common room. After receiving nods indicating we understood Rarity started her explanation. "About three months ago Lord Foxglove left his seaside manor in the region known as the Hinterlands, where he lived with his new wife, and seemingly moved to a nearby city called Magnimar. That in itself was really of no surprise to most people living here: apparently the family seat of the Foxglove line has been for many a year abandoned, falling into a state of disrepair; some even went as far as to claim that Foxglove Manor is in fact a ruin, not to mention haunted." "Don't be ridiculous Rarity, there are no such things as ghosts." Ever the sceptic Twilight was quick to point out the ridiculousness of the notion of ghosts being a thing. There was however one thing that conflicted with that statement, and despite the situation I couldn't possibly pass up correcting Twilight on something for a change. "Sorry to burst your bubble Twilight, but doesn't the existence of walking skeletons kinda push the possibility of ghosts into the realm of possibility?" "No Spike, because those skeletons were physical remains of corporeal beings animated through the use of magic I have yet to study and understand. Ghosts on the other hoof are a figment of imagination; there are no more real than any other incorporeal creature you could think of." "Like Nightmare Moon in her mist form or Windigos?" I admit to being a smartass there, as evident by the glare Twilight shot me. Still totally worth it. "May I continue please?" Rarity politely tried to steer the conversation back on track. Of course I immediately apologized and quieted down, as did Twilight. "Thank you. Now as I was saying, Foxglove Manor apparently was in a state of disrepair for the last several years now, despite the valiant efforts of Lord Foxglove to return it to its former glory, until he left it for a second manor in Magnimar those three months I mentioned before that is. One would think that the lord of the household would take his wife with him to their new home, however Rynshinn insists that none of her acquaintances in the city have ever seen Iesha there, not once during those three months. Furthermore, Rynshinn herself has lost all contact with her friend about the same time Lord Foxglove left for the big city, which at the very least is conspicuous enough to beg the question if there wasn't foul play at work here." Although told in a roundabout way, I realized what Rarity was implying by that about the same time Fluttershy and Twilight came to the same conclusion. Blood immediately drained from my face and a chill ran down my spine, as it did with the others, and my eyes practically bulged out of my sockets at the revelation. Twilight for her part looked like she didn't know what to think, having a hard time comprehending why someone would do such a thing, and as for Fluttershy… "Y-You don't think t-that Mr. Foxglove would…" She started shakily, unable to finish her own question, instead ending in a terrified squeak. "I… honestly don't know darling." Rarity admitted after a moment of hesitation. "On one hoof I have a hard time believing that a person such as Lord Foxglove could be capable of such a heinous crime; he seemed so suave, if not a bit insistent and cowardly. Then again I don't pretend to really know what goes on in the mind of somepony willing to kill his own wife. Not that I'm accusing him of it mind you; this is still only a rumor and we cannot be sure if that was what really happened." That was a weak reason and Rarity knew that. Personally, if I was in her place I would not only boot the guy as soon as he started to make a move on me, but sent the authorities after him on the ground of possibly murdering somepony. But still, murder… Twilight, up until now silently mulling over the information provided by Rarity finally decided to speak, her inquisitive gaze directed solely on the fashionista. "If you knew, or even suspected that Lord Foxglove may be involved in something like that, then why in the name of Celestia had you accepted his invitation?!" About half way through her question Twi lost her cool and nearly shouted at Rarity, confusion and worry mixing and forming irrational anger as a byproduct. Still, this was a question that was slowly making its way to the forefront of my mind too, so in all honesty I didn't really feel as much of a need to defend Rarity from the completely undeserved lashing as I thought I would. It took a second for Rarity to regain her wits after she recoiled from Twi's outburst, but once she did she launched into an explanation that I can safely say sounded good only in her mind. "Well for one I did not in fact want to accompany Lord Foxglove on his hunting trip…" here she shuddered in disgust "…and if you recall I did try to politely decline. Unfortunately, our noble acquaintance is quite skilled in the art of negotiating as it would seem." "More like knows how to effectively whine." I muttered under my breath, crossing my arms in annoyance at the memory. "So do you want to tell me that if a serial killer just waltzed into Carousel Boutique and started to pressure you with social backlash if you wouldn't willingly become his hostage you'd agree, is that what you're saying?" Twilight was really on a roll here, having none of Rarity's usual excuses. Her hot-headed accusation was met however with a flat stare from the alabaster mare. "Twilight, darling, sarcasm does not become you. Of course I would never do such a thing, but as I said, neither I or Rynshinn really know if Lord Foxglove had really killed his wife. Furthermore, as a person of noble descent his word carries much weight, and after he mentioned others of his social status learning of my possible refusal I realized it could have negative repercussions on our own reputation. I simply could not let him possibly slander our good name by blowing this incident out of proportion. Surely as part of high society back in Canterlot and Princess Celestia's personal student you understand how much good reputation is worth." "Actually I…" Twilight trailed off, not sure how to respond. I knew full well why that was such a difficult topic for her to discuss. Twilight during her studies under Princess Celestia was considered a political figure, if only by proximity to the ruler of the realm. This of course meant that a fair bit of attention was placed on her at any given time, despite the Princess' best attempts at keeping the snooping nobility as far away from her as possible. Heck, she even dispatched a full squadron of royal guards to keep nobles away from her, and strictly forbade that pansy Prince Blueblood from going anywhere near her in fear he may somehow corrupt her. It didn't help much however, and the fact Twi's (and by proxy my) family, a lesser noble house in Canterlot, was using the situation to their advantage only added onto her already overloaded plate. And to think Twilight only wanted to study. Seeing that Twi wasn't going to respond anytime soon I decided to step in for her. I admit that doing this was difficult for me; disagreeing with the one my heart longed for was pure torture to me, but family comes first. "I don't really see the worth in having any sort of reputation around here to begin with. It's not like we'll be staying here long enough for that to matter." I was expecting Rarity to argue with me on that, probably claiming that no matter how short lived our stay here would be, we should still leave a good impression, if not for our own sake than to make sure we represented Equestria to the best of our abilities. Instead however it was Twilight who replied. "I wouldn't bet on this being a short stay Spike." I turned my head in her direction so fast I almost gave myself whiplash, and judging by the fact Twilight recoiled once she saw the look on my face it's safe to bet it wasn't a nice sight. "What do you mean by that?" I asked, maybe a little too harshly. "Calm down Spike, let's not get worked up over this." Yep, definitely too harshly. Oh well. "What… do you mean… by that?" I repeated with more emphasis, although deep down I was expecting the answer. Twilight, by now actually spooked by my behavior, started to explain without delay. "It's going to take some time before I'm able to come up with a suitable spell that could bring us back home. I don't have access to my magic, and…" "But aren't you already able to use magic Twilight?" Fluttershy asked, confused by the notion no less than I was. Twi in return shook her head. "Not in the same sense I did back in Equestria. This magic, human magic, is fundamentally different from unicorn magic, and I'm unable to reproduce the same effects with what this body is able to utilize. And yes, I tried, multiple times. It's not even that I don't have my normal magic, but I can't tap into it the way I'm supposed to. It's basically like if I had a completely broken off horn; I have the power, but lack the focus to channel it through." "So what you're trying to tell us is that you suddenly have two sources of magic? And the one actually useful to get us home is inaccessible?" I managed to somewhat calm down, at least to talk in a civil manner, and asked skeptically. "It's… difficult to describe. It's not exactly like you imply Spike, but at the same time it is. It's really confusing." And that it really was, if her furrowed brows were anything to go by. Still, I didn't want Twi to go off into her own little world of magical theory and whatnot, so I cleared my throat, bringing her back to reality. "I'm sure I'll be able to find some way of accessing my normal magic, or if that won't work find a suitable spell designed by human spellcasters that will serve this purpose. Considering their advancement in magic theory I wouldn't be surprised if the latter would be the case." "Be that as it may darling, what time frame are we talking about here?" Rarity asked, having an idea how long creating new magic could take. "Truth be told, it could take anywhere between a month and several years. Not that the latter is actually going to be the case!" She added quickly once she saw the looks of utter shock on our faces." I'll work as hard as I can to get us home as quickly and as safely as possible, but keep in mind I'm working from scratch, learning as I go. This will take time, as unfortunate as it may sound." Great, just great. Stranded Celestia knows where, trapped in strange bodies not our own, and on top of that probably going to stay here for an unspecified amount of time. The only thing that could possibly make this whole situation worse is if we ended up getting ourselves involved in some strange shenanigans while here. Oh, wait. "Don't worry Twilight, take as much time as you need. We'll make sure to support you in whatever way we can, isn't that right?" Fluttershy declared after a moment, giving Rarity any me a meaningful look. Reluctantly I nodded, still not exactly ecstatic about the whole situation. In the meantime Rarity replied more vocally, and in fashion true to her personality. "Of course darling, we'll be here for you the whole way. But I do hope you'll be able to find a way to send us back before the end of the year; not only would my, and I do imagine everypony else's families would start to worry, but also it would be a shame for those tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala to go to waste." Hearing that Twilight gave Rarity a flat stare. "Seriously? You're worried about that?" "Of course not! I'm just saying that it would be such a wasted opportunity for us to attend such a grand event." She covered quickly, giggling nervously. Seeing that Twilight wasn't convinced she tried a different tactic and simply changed the subject. "So am I to believe that my attempts at defending our good name are justified?" "Well, in light of what I said and considering how society works, that is if the same principles apply to human society, than I believe that you did do the right thing. Kinda." Twi didn't exactly look convinced of that herself, but didn't want to argue. There was however one issue she couldn't just let slide. "You do realize that you managing to extend Lord Foxglove's invitation applies only to us and not say Rainbow Dash or Applejack, right? The others are currently at work and can’t just join us like that." "Yes, I do realize that. And as unfortunate as it is, I didn't have much in the manner of choice at the time, so I had to do the best with what I had on hoof so to speak." Rarity explained. It was at that moment however that she realized what she unwittingly did, and she immediately looked at Fluttershy with the most apologetic look she could muster. "I am terribly sorry for dragging you into this Fluttershy. I cannot imagine what you must think of me for forcing something as dreadful as going on a hunting trip upon you. Can you ever forgive me?" "Of course I can Rarity, and it's really no problem. I don't mind going." I did a double take at that. Did Fluttershy just say that she didn't mind going hunting? "Are you sure you understand what this all entails darling?" I wasn't the only one surprised by this turn of events it seems. Fluttershy however smiled reassuringly at Rarity's inquiry. "Oh, I know, and I realize this will probably entail killing some poor creature for its meat." Personally, I find that doubtful. Fluttershy was way too casual about this. "As much as I may not like this, I realize it's a necessary evil. And after Mister Solaris explained everything when we met him in the woods I've done some thinking on the matter. Humans are predators, and as such they hunt and eat other critters. It's a natural turn of events." "That's… a surprisingly mature way of looking at things." Twilight admitted after a moment of stunned silence. That was literally the last thing any of us expected to come from Fluttershy, that's for sure. Twi however wasn't finished yet. "What if Lord Foxglove isn't going out hunting for food, but instead for sport? I remember reading that griffons sometime do that, so it's possible humans as omnivores do so as well." For a second there Fluttershy seemed to be pondering this possibility, her brows furrowed in thought. Ultimately however she looked back at Twilight, a determined gleam I have never seen in her eyes before now sparkling resolutely. "If that's the case than I still want to go. Maybe if I'll be there I'll be able to do something to save some of those poor critters." Well, while more like classic Fluttershy, I still had a hard time imagining her willingly (or successfully) foiling something for someone. One would think the embodiment of kindness wouldn't be able to do something so quote-unquote 'mean'. Not to mention it caught everypony by surprise. It took a good moment for the girls to find their voices and continue. "So I can count on you helping me out this situation I found myself girls?" Rarity asked hopefully. Fluttershy quickly nodded, that same resolute look in her eyes still there. Twilight however hesitated for a bit before she gave her own answer. "I suppose I should go. I mean if Lord Foxglove really is dangerous than you will need all the help you can get. And besides, it'll be a great opportunity to gather some notes on human behavior for my studies." "You mean you seriously plan on writing about humans once we're back home?" I couldn't help but ask. Deep inside I knew perfectly well the moment she said that those three days back she was serious, but now she just drove it home, especially after she gave me an eager nod. Sighing and shaking my head, I looked back at Rarity and gave what I hoped was a reassuring-slash-charming smile. "Sure, like Twilight said: the more of us there, the less chance that creep will have to do something to you." "Actually, I wanted you to stay in Sandpoint Spike." …what? I slowly turned in the direction of the voice that said those most horrible of words, and was unsurprised to come face to face with Twilight. She was looking at me like she always did when she was telling me to stay behind while she went off on adventures. But this time I vowed to myself this was going to be different. I was not going to sit this one out, not if Rarity's life was at stake, and Twi didn't have a library to fall back on. "No, I'm going with you." I stated as calmly as I could, which may have came out a little bit eerily. I tried to give those words an air of finality, but considering my win-lose ratio when it came to arguing with Twilight I had absolutely no experience in doing so. As expected, Twi shook her head in refusal. "No, you're not. I have something for you to do while I'll be gone, so…" "And what could you possibly have me to do here, huh? You don't run a library here, so keeping an eye on it is not an excuse. And Fluttershy doesn't have any critters I should be looking after either." I felt a little dirty for dragging 'Shy into this, but I rather cover all the bases. Crossing my arms I nodded to myself. "I'm going with you guys." Twilight looked at me inscrutably for a few moments, but I didn't let her intimidate me by that. I was not going to back off on this one, no sir. "Spike. Our room. Now." Aaaand now I realize how stupid I was thinking this was going to end well for me. Twilight rarely used that tone of voice, her 'you listen here, buster' voice as I dubbed it, but once she did, I knew perfectly well I was going to regret whatever I did. Sighing, I hopped off my stool and made my way towards the our shared room, Twilight following close by after she excused us. By the time we got to our room I was genuinely nervous. I didn't really know what to expect from Twi, only that I wasn't going to like it, but I still held onto my resolve. I was not going to back out on this one. "Twilight?" …curse my traitorous throat for squeaking just now! How am I going to convince her to let me go if I sounded like a rubber duck? It didn't really help that Twi wasn't even looking at me, having her back turned towards me and facing the door. A minute passed, and then another. By this point I was both confused and borderline terrified of what was about to happen. Just what in the hay had she thought up, what sort of evil idea bubbled to the surface of the vast ocean of her intellect? The suspense is killing me! "Spike, I'm not doing this to spite you." Finally, we're getting somewhere. That made me relax a bit. And I even knew what was about to happen; over the years I started to make a mental list all the methods Twilight used to make me do what she wanted, and this started out like a typical #17. "I really, really need help with this, and you're the only one I trust enough with this type of responsibility." Yep, typical #17. She was really fond of that method, and for good reason. I'm a sucker for #17. "I don't know Twilight. I mean you said it yourself: Rarity needs all the help she can…" I started to weakly protest, only to be cut off by the mare I was talking to. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Lord Foxglove and he'll won't be able to try anything funny with her. I promise." She reassured, finally turning around to face me, and… oh hay no! Anything but that! "Just please, stay in Sandpoint Spike. I need my number one assistant here." Damn you Twilight! Damn you and your adorable puppy-dog eyes! Gotta stay strong buddy, don't you dare succumb to that look! She knows full well that's your only weakness and is using it against you. Be a better dragon and take it without flinching! You will not give in to her, you won't… "What do you need me to do?" …Et tu, brain? Twilight immediately brightened up upon hearing me give in to her underhoofed manipulation techniques will, patting me on the head like if I was an obedient dog. Oh well, here's to hoping whatever task she came up with wasn't going to much of a pain.