Spike peered over the edge of a golden chariot and gasped. He always heard Canterlot was big, but seeing it now, even as he was high from the ground, made his stomach churn.
The streets were overflowing with ponies as they navigated their way from tall brick and stone houses. The smell of smoke and crisp vegetables found Spike's nose. But the most amazing thing was how loud the crowd was. Even from way up high, he could heard ponies laughing, shouting, and calling to one another as clear as day.
"If you think Canterlot Square is amazing, look behind you." Blueblood piped up from the seat in front of Spike.
He turned his head, and the sight nearly caused his heart to stop. The castle was carved out of snow white granite, with its highest tower scraping against the drifting clouds. Large windows, gold, purple, and silver trimmings decorated the exterior, causing the palace to look like it came right out of a fairy tale.
As the harnessed pegasi slowly descended onto a small flat of grass, Spike could feel Twilight shaking besides him.
"This is really happening! W-we're really going to meet the queen!" Twilight grinned.
Once they landed, Blueblood climbed out of the carriage, motioning Twilight and Spike to follow suit.
"Captain Blueblood, was your trip successful?" A white unicorn stallion completely covered in golden armor asked while trotting over to greet them. He was eyeing Twilight and Spike cautiously.
"I'm afraid we were too late, Shining Armor," Blueblood replied before gesturing to his passengers, "but we did find one of the alicorns along with her..."
"Brother," Twilight interrupted before bowing to Shining Armor, "and it is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Twilight, and this is Spike."
Shining bowed his head in return. "Pleasure to meet you. Now come, Queen Rarity is expecting you."
Twilight nodded and the small group made their way into the castle's walls.
The throne room was a giant, circular room with two stain glass windows that covered half of the pale walls, and a ruby red carpet that lead from the entranceway to a large silver throne with a dark purple cushion.
On the right side of the throne the window depicted a light purple unicorn filly attacking a large group of stone faced pegasi with dragonfly-like wings. The right side of the throne, the window depicted the same filly surrounded by five alicorns. They were walking on a rainbow towards an obsidian colored moon.
No, the moon was more of a coal color that day. Spike thought. But wait, why in Equestria would I know that!?
Suddenly, the doors behind them opened up. The group shifted their heads to make out a unicorn stallion wearing a crisp black tux with a vibrate purple bowtie.
"Hello Fancy Pants." Blueblood greeted with a smile.
"I see you have the alicorn." Fancy Pants replied while gazing intently at Twilight, causing her to shrink. "Queen Rarity will be coming short-" his eyes narrowed once he saw Spike, "and who is this, Captain Blueblood?"
"Twilight's brother." Blueblood answered before quickly adding, "Spike won't be any trouble."
Fancy Pants looked as if he was about to say something, only to be interrupted by a set of cantering hoofsteps.
"Bow your heads everypony, Queen Rarity is about to arrive!" Fancy Pants ordered.
"I am dreadfully sorry for making you wait." Rarity exclaimed while bowing her head. She was wearing a silky light blue dress with a neckline embodied with gold, and a small silver crown with a purple diamond shaped gem in the middle. "Oh, and you may all rise."
"Y-your Highness, you don't need to apologize!" Shining Armor replied.
"Yeah! As a queen, you should be able to show up wherever and whenever you like!" Spike piped up, only to earn a death glare from Fancy Pants.
Rarity chuckled, "You are quite the adorable dragon. What did you say your name was?"
"This child is Spike," Fancy Pants interrupted, "and Your Highness, shouldn't we get right to the point?"
"Okay," Rarity sighed before turning her attention to Twilight, "I've waited quite some time for the Galaxy Alicorn to be reborn, and because of you, we'll be able to stop Luna and her evil spell."
"H-how?" Twilight replied. "And, how did I become an alicorn?"
Rarity glanced at Blueblood, who cleared his throat, causing everypony to look at him.
"As you know, an alicorn is born when a soul crystal enters a pure soul. They have many forms, gems and shards that look like broken pieces of glass are the most common." Blueblood explained.
"Gems? Spike, you don't think that necklace you gave me had a soul crystal!?" Twilight gasped.
"I can't believe that gem I had was one! This is so cool!" Spike grinned.
"Ehem," Blueblood said, causing Twilight and Spike to quiet down. "As I was saying, there is a complex spell that requires four alicorns to cast. With this spell, we will be able to turn the statues back into the ponies they once were."
"However, we need to make sure your power is sufficient." Rarity piped up.
"How?" Twilight asked.
"Zecora, come forth!" Fancy Pants shouted.
The group fell silent as the doors opened once again, revealing a zebra with multiple golden rings around her neck, right foreleg, and another pieced through her ear. How her ear was upright, Spike would never know.
"This is Zecora, her family have served mine as shaman for many generations," Rarity explained.
Zecora spoke and her voice sent chills down Spike's spine. "I know all about you magic you see, now cast your magic so I may see what you may be."
Twilight gave a quick nod and lit her horn with a ghastly purplish glow. The room was soon drenched in the light, causing whispers throughout the group.
Twilight let out a gasp before the ghastly glow disappeared back in her horn.
"Your magic is weak," Zecora stated, causing Rarity and her subordinates to look uneasy, "but your chances don't look so bleak.
"Th-thank you. You may go." Fancy Pants stuttered while holding the door open for Zecora. She gave a quick bow and seemed to glide out of the room.
"Don't worry Your Highness, I'll work really hard on my magic." Twilight exclaimed once Zecora left.
"Thank you darling," Rarity smiled, "Now that we have the Galaxy Alicorn, Captain Blueblood will organize a small team of soldiers to find the other alicorns."
"My scout has found rumors that the Harvest Alicorn resides in Baltimare. So until further notice, we should head there first," Shining Armor explained.
"Please, let me help!" Spike piped up.
"Absolutely not! This quest is not for young children like yourself." Fancy Pants rebuked.
"This could be really dangerous. Are you sure about this, Spike?" Twilight questioned.
"I've battles timberwolves and a ma- a lot of other monsters. Plus, if Twilight is going to work hard, then so should I!" Spike explained.
"I did see the aftermath of your little fight with Luna and her comrade Rainbow Dash. That was pretty impressive to say the least." Blueblood mused, rubbing his chin with a hoof, "Come with me into one of the old mine shafts in the mountain. There's usually some monsters in there, and if you handle them with little difficulty, I'll consider your addition to the team."
"R-really!? Thank you, I promise to do my best!" Spike exclaimed.
"And meanwhile, I'll get a team to bring the stone imprisoned ponies here." Shining Armor announced.
"I'll come too! With my magic, it should be a lot easier to move them." Twilight piped up.
So the small group split up. Spike followed Blueblood to the outskirts of Canterlot, where an old mineshaft laid carved into the mountainside. While Twilight, Shining Armor, and a small group of knights flew to Ponyville to transport the citizens into Canterlot.
Water dripped from the stone grey ceiling, causing the echoing sound as it splashed onto the makeshift path that wound throughout the small mine. Shadows of spiders and bats created twisted figures on the slimy walls.
"Where are the monsters?" Spike whispered, pressing his body close to Blueblood's side for warmth.
"Any moment," Blueblood replied.
Suddenly, a hissing sound could be heard, though due to the enclosed space, Spike couldn't tell which direction it was coming from. Though the way the bats seemed to tense up didn't help his anxiety.
"W-what was that?" Spike gulped.
"A rock serpent. They like to live in mines that are home to their favorite meal, bats." Blueblood informed.
A patch of what Spike thought were rocks began to slowly move closer. He took a step back, teeth chattering as the hissing grew louder. Then, Blueblood took a few steps backwards, his piercing blue eyes never leaving the sight of the moving rocks.
"Their skin are layers of rocks, dirt, and bones. So try and aim for their underside," Blueblood whispered.
Then, the serpent lifted its head from behind a rusted mining cart. Its neon yellow eyes looking at the two. It opened its mouth in a yawn, revealing jagged fangs the color of limestone. Then, the serpent lunged at them.
Spike and Blueblood quickly dodged the attack, and Spike blew a stream of green fire at the serpent's body, causing the stallion's eyes to grow wide. However, it only seemed to make the rock serpent angry, for it spun around and tried to strike the two with its mouth.
Spike blew another jet of fire once it opened its mouth. The serpent screamed and began to thrash about, causing the mine to shake and a horde of bats tried to fly away. Then, in the confusion, Spike landed on top of the snake, its muddy and stone covered back too thick for it to notice an unwanted presence. Spike then quickly ran up the serpent's back until he reached the top of the head.
Blueblood gasped in amazement as Spike blew fire into his claws until they were red and smoking, then he thrust his claws into the serpent's eyes.
Spike gagged as he felt the serpent's eyes melting in his grasp. If only he had another set of claws to try and block the deafening screeching the rock serpent was making as it tried to buck Spike off. However, the dragon stayed firm until Blueblood unsheathed a silver sword with a sapphire color hilt, and slashed at the serpent's exposed belly. The blade cut clean through and was covered in a sickly green. Then, almost as if in slow motion, the monster's body came crashing down, jolting Spike enough to send him toppling over the rock serpent's head and skidding to a stop in front of Blueblood.
"Amazing!" Blueblood gasped while helping Spike up, "but dragon's lost the ability to breathe fire long ago. So how can you breath it?"
Spike shook his claws, flinging bits of eyeball everywhere. "I don't know. I was never able to breathe fire up until I got sucked into Twilight's soul, I think."
Spike thought he saw a glimmer of something in Blueblood's eyes, but it was quickly replaced with intrigue. "Hmm, that is...odd. But it will be a great asset to the knight squad."
"Wait, really!?" Spike gasped, his mouth beaming like a colt in a candy store.
"Yes, I was quite impressed with your technique. And the fire you posses will help us greatly." Blueblood replied, earning a hug from Spike. "Heh, well come along. We should get washed up, and I'll introduce you to our last team member."
Spike gazed at the empty training field and gasped. A sparing area, which consisted of a large square covered in dirt and sand, stood in the middle. On the right was a small wooden shack where training weapons were kept, and the left has stacks of barrels where water was left out for the dehydrated knights.
"This is amazing, but why are we here?" Spike asked as he and Blueblood made their way over to the barrels.
"Because on non training days like these, you can usually find our last member behind these barrels." Blueblood answered.
When they peered behind one, they saw a stallion with a caramel colored coat leaning against the barrel, snoring softly.
"CARAMEL!" Blueblood shouted, causing Caramel to awake with a knife quickly in his mouth. However, when he saw Blueblood and Spike, Caramel spit the blade out of his mouth and onto the grass.
"Ugh, what do ya want?" He grumbled.
"Recovering from a hangover? What happened to not drinking on the job?"
"Yeah, yeah. What do ya want? An' who's tis shrimp?"
"Our newest teammate."
"Yer kiddin'."
"Nope."
Caramel let out a long sigh and staggered from behind the barrel. "Well, call meh when ya git ta mission start'n." He began to walk away, only for Blueblood to block his path.
"I'm going to wait for Shining Armor and his team to return. Until then, I want you to show Spike to his new room." Blueblood ordered.
"Fine." Caramel grumbled. "Come on..Spike? Let's go."
Spike gulped before following Caramel to a large brick building with flags of three blue diamonds hanging by the top of the building.
When inside, Spike was quickly ushered up a spiraling staircase to the second floor where pictures of poised ponies in decades of royal armor dotted the pale walls. There were snowy white floors that sparkled when sunlight from a big window
"Tis iz where we knights sleep. Follow meh."
Spike couldn't help smiling. He would get to sleep in a room that could've belonged to a famous knight! However, they soon stopped to a single door that was covered in scrapes and nicks. At first, Spike thought that this was a joke. But when Caramel opened the door and yanked Spike inside, his smile began to deflate.
"Since ah never knew 'bout any new knight, you'll haf ta sleep in tis here storage room." Caramel explained.
The room had a plain bed covered in dust, two bare bookshelves that only held cobwebs, and a small table with dust and cracks that seemed to make an otherworldly map.
"Uhh, thanks?" Spike replied.
"Eh, it'll probably look better once ya clean it." Caramel said. "Anyway, be prepared ta begin waking up early. Now ah gotta go, so rest up."
Spike cringed when Caramel slammed the door before checking the bed for bugs. When he found none, Spike curled up with a thin yellow blanket and drifted off to sleep.