//------------------------------// // Chapter 14; A Spiky Talk // Story: The Wander Through Lands Unknown // by Tomas Lutwig //------------------------------// After a few knocks on the door, Celestia, her two guards and I were greeted with a small dragon. “Princess Celestia?” Spike said looking up at the diarch before looking over at me. “Who's that supposed to be?” He asked looking back at the princess and pointing a thumb at me. I rolled my eyes at the dragons antics, though with a smile. Princess Celestia giggled softly before looking back down at the dragon. “Hello Spike, this is Wanderer” She said motioning towards me with a hoof. “There were a few incidents in the forest a few years ago, so he has been living at the castle since” I gave the princess a questioning look before looking back down at Spike. 'Does Twilight and the others not tell him anything?' I silently wondered as the dragon nodded. 'Hell along with that, this means Celestia has no problem lying to the little guy!' “Well, either way Twilight and her friends are out at the moment, something with that new map of theirs” The dragon said waving a claw. “Last time they were gone for a couple of weeks so if you want I could send you a letter or something when they get back” The princess nodded understanding only for me to raise another eyebrow 'Hmm strange, wonder what exploits the weird crystal map shot them out on after the 'equialist town'' I thought only to notice Spike looking up at me. “So what exactly are you anyways? Never seen something like you.” He said looking me up and down. “Kinda weird” he said under his breath. I leaned down acting as if I was inspecting him closely, before patting him on the head. “Well if it makes you feel better, where I'm from seeing taking ponies and dragons would label you insane so yea, no need to worry about me looking weird” I said with a smile only for the dragon to give me an annoyed look. “And I'm a human” Spike simply continued to glare at me for a moment before turning back to the alicorn. 'No reaction to me beyond being confused and no reaction to the name. Did... did equestrian girls never happen?' I asked a smile coming to my face at the concept. “Anyways, so, uh do you want to come in?” Spike asked opening the door further a hopeful expression on his face only for the princess to shake her head. “That won't be necessary Spike, though I thank you for the offer” She said making the dragon's face fall. I turned my face to look at her only to find her with the same smile she always wore. I raised an eyebrow, myself having always been feeling kinda bad for how useless Spike had become in the show. “There was something I wished to discuss with Princess Twilight and the other elements, but it is not of great importance. Come Wanderer” she said before turning away from the home. “If I may Princess...” I said making her turn back to me with a curious look. “As I said, I've never seen a real dragon before let alone spoke to one, perhaps, if I may and Spike is willing, we could...” I trailed off, Celestia obviously getting where I was going with my request. The alicorn turned to the small drake and was looking up at her curiously before shrugging before turning back to me. “I suppose it can't do any harm” she said giving me a look that screamed 'you're not getting out of this' before her face flashed back to her award winning smile. “So what do you want to know?” The dragon asked raising an eyebrow at me as the diarch walked away, her guards following her. I looked back down at Spike and smiled, “Well how's life been for starters? I mean obviously you're pretty smart if you're living with Twilight” I said making his eyes spark. “Oh no doubt!” he said “In fact, why don't you step into my office so we can discuss this more?” Spike motioned with a claw stepping beside the door opening it wider. Looking around my mouth gaped. While I remembered the basics of how the castle looked from when Twilight had gotten it, I could barely conceive how enormous it was. The giant hallway seemed to stretch on and on only ending at the 'throne room' where the thrones sat around the large golden circle that the map rose up from. Glancing upward I noticed the numerous amounts of crystals that hung from the ceiling giving off small amounts of light. “Pretty cool huh? One of the perks of living with a Princess” Spike said walking by with his chest puffed out after closing the door. “C'mon” he said waving to follow him. I looked around for a moment longer before following the small dragon down the red carpet and towards the thrones. Soft padding of the dragon's feet against the carpet were the only sounds beyond the light clicking of the plates on my boots, and the boots softened clops. As we arrived in the throne room I noticed the chandelier made of the roots of the old tree the gems of which glittered from the sunlight behind them. Looking back down I noticed Spike had already seated himself in the throne besides Twilight's own. Walking towards the center of the golden circle, I looked around noting the cutiemarks on the thrones. “Have a seat” the dragon said motioning to the one across from his own. A few steps took me to the party pony's throne which I raised an eyebrow before shrugging and sitting down. “Alright, so my life so far...” Spike started making me cringe inwardly as he started from the point of his hatching. After what felt like a couple of hours of chatting with the dragon, or more specifically him telling me about his life, Spike switched to conversation to myself after a couple of questions about what other dragons he'd met and such. “What about me?” I asked raising an eyebrow and sitting up in the uncomfortable crystal throne. “Well, not much to tell” I said scratching my head. “I mean, I got here a couple of years ago, but due to like Celestia said in the forest, I was stuck in the castle. My life hasn't been as interesting as yours” I said, hoping that Spike's pride would let me out of the turn in the conversation. The hope was yet dashed as I noticed the sparkle of curiosity in his eyes. “Well thanks, I mean living with Twilight has been really fun! How'd you meet her and her friends anyway? I mean you sound like you know them pretty well” he said, the smile that had formed on his face turning into a look matching the twinkle in his eyes. “Well, I met them in the forest” I said leaning back in the crystal throne only for the hard surface to remind me why I had been leaning forward. “It was some time before the incident, you remember Tirek?” I asked. A look consisting of anger and sorrow formed on his face and he nodded. “Yes, he tried to take over Equestria by stealing all the magic. Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack stopped him using some magic that came from a weird box.” Spike said, his claws balling up into fists. “And if I ever see him again, I'm going to put him back into Tartarus myself! I mean did you see what he did to our home?” he asked, tears welling up in his eyes at the memory of the home he had lost making him curl up on the cushion. I gave the young dragon a sad look, understanding of the lost home. I got up and walked over, the noise attracting his attention. He looked up at me as I keeled down in front of his throne and I smiled softly. “Hey, you may of lost that home, but you gained a new one.” I said motioning towards the vast castle around us. “You can also count your blessings you didn't lose Twilight, right?” I asked making him nod and wipe away the tears. A sniff echoed around the room. “I guess you're right” he said before I patted him on the head. “As for Tirek, I doubt he'll bother anyone ever again” I said, after turning away to retake my seat across the room. Another sniffle echoed as I took my seat and Spike gave me a questioning look. “Well yea, Twilight told me he's locked in Tartarus. I mean the only reason he escaped last time...” He trailed off noticing my grim look. “He is in Tartarus right?” the dragon asked a slightly fearful tone entering his voice. I let out a sigh and looked at him. “Not unless the dead go there.” I said simply making his eyes go wide. “Tirek is dead?” he asked shocked “Nah, Twilight told me he was locked back where he belongs in Tartarus” He said waving a claw, in an attempt to cut off the conversation. “I-isn't he?” I shook my head in reply making him hold his head for a moment, trying to understand. “But the Elements of Harmony can't kill, even if Twilight and the rest weren't wearing them, the power of friendship can't kill.” the dragon said looking back up at me. I shrugged. “I have yet to see the elements take a life, but while that is true, that doesn't mean that I will stand idly by as someone who holds no remorse is given yet another chance to escape by going to a glorified prison.” The words rang around the room for a moment making Spike's eyes widen further. “Y-you k-killed him?” he asked to which I nodded. “Why?” “It's not something I'm exactly proud of, but like I said, he held no remorse for his actions in stealing magic and using it for his own devices.” I said, “Where I come from, he would've been sentenced to death, and I believe that I was the only thing keeping him to being sent back to that prison of isolation.” I said before a thought occurred to me. “Spike, what sounds more reasonable?” I asked. “Keeping someone in isolation for years and years on end, the only thing to keep them company being a three headed dog that cannot talk, and their own thoughts.” I said holding up my left hand. “Or, simply ending their life, eliminating them as a threat to everyone, ponies, griffins, minotaurs and all the other races, as well as keeping them from falling victim to their own mind.” I said, raising my right hand. Spike looked at me for a moment eyes turning into slits. “Well at least when he was in Tartarus, he had a chance to reform. Like Discord!” he nearly shouted. My hands went to my ears and started to massage, the echoing shout hurting them. “That, my dragon friend, is one of the oldest debates there is.” I said removing my hands. “In most cases I would agree with you, but in seldom certain cases.” I held up my index finger in front of me “Now I want you to remember, why did the centaur attack Equestria and steal the magic?” The dragon thought for a moment before looking back at me questioningly. “He thought that the magic in Equestia should be his, almost like it belonged to him” he said making me nod. “Exactly” I said balling up my hand into a fist. “And due to this belief, he went throughout equestria and stole everyone's magic. He had no remorse for his actions.” I said making Spike's eyes go wide again, though in realization. “Due to this, why would he ever want to reform? He believed that friendship would only tie one down, acting as another kind of prison to the one he just escaped from” I said more emotion flowing into my voice. “Why would he want anything more than power when, after he got that power he could have anything he wanted?” I asked finally letting the fist I had clenched so tightly it hurt, go. Silence ruled the room, Spike sat on his cushion staring at me obviously uncomfortable. I slowly leaned back in my seat, this time ignoring the hardness of the back of the throne. “So, now what?” I asked.