//------------------------------// // 18: Introducing Sir Spike in F# Minor. // Story: Inverno in F Minor // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// “Presenting Twilight Sparkle, and the Honorable Sir Spike the Brave and Glorious!” the guard announced to the entire throne room. While nearly everypony bowed as the lilac unicorn and the baby dragon entered, Cadence instead rose from the crystal throne and trotted over to Twilight. “Twilight!” Cadence called out as the two of them met in the middle, sharing the same welcoming grin that the unicorn had before they both initiated their traditional greeting. “Sunshine, sunshine, Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves, And do a little shake!” Spike rolled his eyes as the two mares giggled. Of course, having been around the unicorn mare as long as he had, he was very familiar with the greeting of Twilight’s former foalsitter. But after a while, the rhyme and dance got old for the little drake. “Hey Cadence,” Twilight nuzzled the older alicorn. “How’ve you been doing?” “I’m doing well,” Cadence answered, “I didn’t know you were coming back here so soon, Twilie.” “Same here,” the unicorn admitted, “Princess Celestia sent me here, to be honest.” “Let me guess, Inverno?” “Sombra’s foal,” Twilight nodded, “Yep, that’s what I’m here for. I’m here to see if there’s anything that could be done with his magic. Now I was made aware that he already has a teacher here at the Empire, but Celestia sent me to see if there was anything I could do to help him with his magic.” “In other words, a bit of insurance in case something goes wrong. I see,” Cadence nodded, she turned to the baby dragon. “Hey there, Spikey. How’s it been, little buddy?” “Oh, nothing much, just keeping myself busy,” Spike said. “That’s good to hear. Tagging along with Twilie?” “Well, I am her number one assistant, after all. Plus, by the look of things, it looks like the Empire is doing pretty well.” Cadence rubbed one of her forelegs, “Oh, it’s been improving, a little bit at a time.” “Aww, don’t be like that. I’m sure you and Shining can handle it” “Speaking of which,” the Princess of Love muttered as she turned to a few nearby guards. “Would you please escort Twilight and Spike to find my husband?” After they saluted, Cadence added to Twilight, “Sorry, but I still have some work to take care of. I’ll see you two for dinner tonight?” “Of course,” Twilight smiled, “We’d be glad to.” The Crystal Guards escorted the heroes of the Empire through the palace’s corridors. After trotting through the labyrinth of crystal and asking some of the palace staff, they found the Prince inspecting the Guard barracks. As they entered the room filled with bunk beds, chests and guards standing at attention, they saw Shining Armor as he went from guard to guard, making a few comments along the way. “Polish that helmet… Straighten out that locker… Keep that blanket tucked,” Shining said from one guard to another. “BBBFF!” the Prince turned around to find his little sister dashing through the barracks. “Twilie?” Shining blinked, “What are you doing here?” “Sir Spike in the barracks!” one of the Guards shouted, and in unison, every guard that stood at attention saluted as the baby dragon entered. “Uh… At ease?” Spike said in confusion, and as quickly as they saluted when he appeared, the Crystal guards dropped their hooves. “Well, this is unexpected,” Shining acknowledged, “Welcome back, you two.” “Hey Shining,” Spike said, “Mind explaining why all of them saluted me?” “You were a huge help in saving the Empire, remember?” the Prince reminded him. Shining turned to the guards in the barracks. “We will be resuming training at fourteen-hundred hours. Do I make myself clear?” “Sir, yes sir,” the barracks rang out. Shining Armor dismissed the guards in the barracks and followed his little sister and her assistant out. Once back into the crystal maze, Shining asked, “So what brings you to the Empire again, LSBFF?” Twilight explained to her older brother what she said to her wife, “So, this Sombra’s colt,” she added, “What is he like?” “Well, he’s really into music, as you are into magic,” Shining answered. “For a little guy, he’s curious with nearly everything around him since, you know, he was locked up in the dark for a long time. Oh, and there’s something really important that the two of you should know.” “What’s that?” Spike asked. “Whatever you do, don’t make him angry,” Shining warned, “Trust us, he has already caused some damage to the palace already, and we’re trying to be careful not to let anypony get hurt.” “I know, Shining,” Twilight told him, “The Princesses have already told us what to watch out for. So don’t worry, just show me the little guy, and I’ll take care of the rest.” “Alright,” Shining said. As they got closer to the Music Room, they could hear somepony playing a very complex piece on its keys. “You’re crazy,” a young voice spoke up after the music died down, “Play all that back?” “Come on,” said an older voice, “You’ve been doing well so far.” They heard an audible gulp, just a moment before the piano sprang into life once more. As they entered, Twilight and Spike saw sitting at the piano, a very young, and extremely pale unicorn sitting by the piano with an older stallion. The colt’s hooves were a blur as he tried to play back as best as he could the tune that the teacher had shown him. When he was finished, his teacher applauded him, “Very good!” he said, “Moztrot would have been proud.” Shining cleared his throat, getting their attention. Inverno, as soon as he saw the mare and the drake asked, “Who are you two?” Twilight trotted up to the colt, “Um, hello there, my name is Twilight.” The young unicorn blinked, “And?” “I was sent by Celestia to study how your magic works,” she explained. Inverno leaned over until he was able to see the dragon, “So who’s the other one?” he asked, getting off the Piano bench, “And what is he?” The baby Drake walked up to the colt and offered his open claw, “Hey there, name’s Spike. Spike the dragon.” Inverno stared at him, slowly hardening his gaze, “What?” he said harshly. “Uh… I-It’s Spike.” “Spike?” he interrogated, “As in Spike the Dragon that killed my Papa, Spike?” The baby drake turned a lighter shade of purple, “Um…” Spike saw the colt’s eyes and horns were starting to glow a hostile red light. “Oh no you don’t,” Shining said, quickly lit his horn and putting the colt inside a bubble before Inverno could pounce on the little dragon. “LET ME AT ‘IM!” Inverno shouted. “HE MURDERED PAPA!” “W-What?” Spike asked, nervously stepping back. The pale unicorn pounded on the shield, his horn ablaze, as Shining was struggled to keep the colt from killing the Empire’s hero, the stallion’s bubble cracking. “Twilight, Professor, a little help,” At the same time, Twilight lighted her horn to strengthen the shield as Key turned to the piano. The elder stallion hesitated for a moment, trying to concentrate on what to play while the colt having a conniption thrashed inside the bubble. “LET ME OUT!” Inverno demanded, “HE KILLED PAPA!” “Anytime, Professor,” Shining said. Then, an idea came to Key Signature’s head and started playing what was on his mind. The little unicorn continued screaming: “HE’S THE MONSTER! HE SHOULD BE THE ONE TO BE KILLED, NOT PAPA!” Spike was taken completely aback at this. Sure, he had heard demeaning comments about him being a dragon before. But none of the things he’d heard ever included somepony who wanted him dead. “Inverno! Listen to me!” Shining called out for the angry unicorn’s attention, “Killing Spike won’t do you any good.” “Yes, it will!” Inverno snapped at him, “If he was the one that blew up Papa, then he must be too!” “Would it make any difference?” Twilight joined in. “What are you talking about?” Inverno questioned. “Would hurting Spike bring Sombra back?” It was there that Inverno halted his tantrum, taking a moment to process the question. At the same time, he also heard the music playing. Inverno’s magic faded, his eyes widen, and he turned over to the direction of the piano. “Papa?” Inverno asked, catching everypony off guard, “Is that you?” It was here that the Professor ceased playing, “What?” Inverno shook his head, “Huh?” he looked around confused, at which point Shining decided to drop the shield. “You alright, kid?” Shining asked, the colt turned to him, but he also got a glance of the dragon as well. Inverno didn’t say anything. He marched out of the room, but before he left, he paused for a moment at the baby dragon as he passed by... and spat in his face. “Inverno!” Shining said, he starts to make his way out of the room but stopped in front of Spike who was wiping the spit off of his face. “You alright Spike?” “I think so,” he answered. “I’ll go try to talk to him,” Shining turned back to his sister, “This may take a while.” Twilight nodded and watched her BBBFF go after the colt.