A Vacation in Romaneia

by The_Last_Centurion

Chapter 3: Undestructable

This story is a fan-fiction of MLP:FiM. I don't own any of it. It belongs to Hasbro, etc, etc.
Don't sue. Seriously. That would be so uncouth.

Chapter 3: Undestructable

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Spike woke up uncomfortably when he hit his head on something hard and metallic. He slowly came to awareness, his head pounding and his sight bleary. He saw distorted images flash before his eyes and closed them, trying to go back to sleep. However, he was thrown into the air and landed hard on the metallic thing again, his body arching in pain, jolting him awake. He tried to rub his eyes to clear them, but he found his hands were bound behind his back.

He struggled with the binds and tried to call out for help. His plea went unheard when he found out his mouth was bound similarly with a muzzle. He could breathe, but calling out was impossible. He started to panic and struggled at all his binds around his hands and feet. Perspiration seeped off of him as anxiety and fear took control over his body.

Spike was calmed down when whatever he was in threw him again, only this time he flipped and landed on his stomach. The impact wasn't enough to break anything, but enough to hurt him and snap him out of his anxiety attack.

“Ow.” he deadpanned in his mind. “I've had enough of this.”He started to look around at his enclosure to find out why it was bouncing him around so much.

He rolled over on to his back and looked up to dark metal ceiling. It was exactly the same as the rest of his small prison, dark and cold and sloping off to Spike's right. It made the prison larger at Spike's left, but considerably smaller to his right. Spike tried to examine the walls closer, but he was bounced again. When he landed, he realized the prison was moving. He could feel the hum of an engine from the floor of his cage.

“That explains the bouncing.” Spike thought as he pictured what he could be in. Then it hit him, literally. He was thrown again, and he hit the right wall, the smaller one, of his prison. He saw that the right wall was actually part of the ceiling.

“A trunk. I'm in a trunk of a car.” He figured. “But where is it going?”

Spike pondered this and started to run over the events of the past night. Actually, was it day or was it still night? Spike couldn't tell. He assumed it was day, but the lack of light made it hard to define. But it didn't matter. He remembered that he was captured and Twilight had escaped. At least he hoped she did. That jerk of a General had bucked her out the window, and that was the last he saw of her.

“Don't worry, she's the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria.” he reassured himself. “She probably teleported out of there and was back in Canterlot, readying a rescue party.” He kept trying to ignore the voice in the back of his head that said she hadn't made it, that he was alone, and that no help was going to come. However, his thoughts were wrecked again by a constant bouncing of the car on the road. Spike was shaken around like small green and purple maraca until the car came to a stop. The shaking and tossing stopped, but Spike could only focus on breathing and fighting the urge to vomit. He laid on the floor of his cage, eyes closed just breathing in and out.

“That's strange.” he thought. “The engine hasn't stopped.”

Spike's thoughts were answered by the slow movement of the car's wheels. He could feel that the car was going much slower, and that they were ascending something. He slid to the short end of his prison and could only wonder and feel in the dark. Then the car slowly came to a level area and Spike sighed. He hoped all this movement was done. Then the car quickly shifted it's weight, Spike being thrown to the front of his prison and feeling the car pick up speed quickly. He started to feel queasy again, but was granted a reprieve, as the car leveled out again, but still stayed at its current speed. Then it started to ascend again, making Spike hit the other side of the trunk again. Spike rolled onto his side and focused on letting all the pain slowly seep away.

“This is worse than when I ate all of Rarity's gems.” Spike thought with chagrin. “Rarity...” Spike started to think about his love and all the ponies he held dear back in Ponyville. Especially, his older sister who had been torn from him by a cruel twist of fate. He felt a tear slide down his cheek when Twilight popped into his mind. Would he ever see her or any of them again? Would he even make it back to Ponyville? He sniffled and a determined look grew on his face.

“No. It won't end in this Celestia-forsaken country. He would make it back, and he would see them all again.” he thought confidently. “And then when he returned to Ponyville, he'd give Rarity a big kiss on the lips. She'd say 'Oh Spike, you're so masculine! I love you!' Yeah. That would be awesome.” he daydreamed, picking his spirits up.

The car stopped again and the sound of opening doors drew his attention. He started to panic, and decided to feign sleep as he heard hoofsteps on gravel outside of the car. He quickly closed his eyes and tried to slow his heaving chest, to appear asleep. His ruse was unsuccessful when the trunk opened, flooding him with bright sunlight. The light was harsh even behind his closed eyes. He heard somepony speak some Romaneian and then he was unceremoniously grasped by the binds that held his hands.

Spike opened his eyes and looked around, seeing the heavy black sedan that carried him thus far. He saw that it was parked on gravel and they had pulled up in front of a massively gray castle, one that dwarfed the one in Canterlot.

Spike tried to struggle, but was hit again by his captor. He stopped when he noticed the pony carrying him was in fatigues, but more importantly, had a long knife sheathed on his shoulder. He looked around and found there was more than just one soldier escorting him. But then he saw one of the soldiers open a back door and General Tin came out. The General saw Spike and smirked at him.

“Put him down and cut the binds to his feet. He should see this.”

The soldier that held Spike quickly dropped him, and then held his squirming body down with a strong hoof. Spike stopped struggling when he heard the knife being unsheathed. He quivered when he felt the cold steel touch his flesh and again when it moved along his scales, cutting the tape around his ankles. He shuddered with comfort when the knife was pulled away from him, but he was jerked to his feet before he could count his blessings. He was turned around and shoved, until he stood on and overlook. From the overlook he could see the whole capital.

It was surprisingly clean and up-kept. It reminded Spike of the town they had first ventured into, Oataeda, before everything went to hell. The capital had a large outer wall surrounding it, looming over the cutesy wealthy homes and buildings in the somewhat of a dip. Then the Castle, and the overlook Spike stood on, were at the far end of the city upon a hill.

“Welcome to Bitarest, rebel scum.” the General said as he strode up next to Spike. Spike glared at the antagonist with pure malice. The General noticed and turned around to face the castle, smirking smugly.

“Come, it is time you meet our exalted Emperor.” He signaled to his soldiers and they fell into a rough box around the General and Spike, who was being shoved by a soldier that stood behind him.

Spike walked with the General, knowing it would be more than stupid to try to escape now. But he couldn't help but scheme. He tried to think of a way to escape, but the massive castle soon overtook his concentration.

The castle was made of large gray stones that looked like a sheen metal from far away, but grimy when you approached closer. However, it was still massive. Spike estimated that the whole Royal Castle could fit inside of this one, and then still have room for the Royal gardens inside as well. It's large towers touched the heavens, blending in with the cloudy skies. Spike strained to see the tip of the towers. He bet that somepony could see for miles from up there, and that it was no mistake that the castle was made on a small hill while the town sat in its valley.

He passed through the large portcullis and through a vast atrium that held many doorways and openings to various corridors. The group past all of them and then went through another, smaller portcullis. They came out into a vast, open yard which was terraced with pathways. Spike realized that this was the center of the castle, as the main part of it was built up, not out. The walls were not only for protection, but was in fact a large part of the castle's living quarters. However, the large mansion that the walls expounded from at the far end of the courtyard had to be the king's quarters; Spike was sure of it.

Movement on the tops of the walls grabbed Spike's attention, and he cast a few quick glances. There were many sentries walking their rounds, and all armed with large crossbows. Spike's eyes narrowed at the excessive show of force, but he hadn't see anything yet.

The General swaggered into the large mansion and went down the main corridor after entering, but took a sharp right halfway down it. The guards surrounding Spike gave each other quizzical glances and Spike realized that this wasn't the way to the Emperor's throne room. Spike was forced to follow the General through a wooden door and down a narrow, winding staircase. They group filtered out into a large, dark, damp, stone room that that had two other rooms separated by a thick glass and a door off to Spike's right.

“Deja vu.” Spike thought to himself, remembering the last time he had been in a room with large glass walls.

The General barked at the soldiers in Romaneian and he flipped a light switch. Lights went on in the glass room, showing it was occupied by two ponies. Spike realized they were the two ponies Twilight had spoke to on the bus, the crying filly and the flower-stallion. They were asleep on the cold stone floor, but woke with a start as the harsh white lights flooded their cell. Spike sympathized with them and watched in fear.

The soldiers reacted to the General's orders, and four went through the door to the right quickly. Spike watched as the ponies in the cell, got up. The filly started to look about frantically, wondering what would happen. Spike wanted to wave to her, or just comfort her somehow, but it looked like she couldn't see through the glass. The flower-selling stallion got up slowly, his face stoic in knowledge of what would happen. The door to the cell opened up and the filly screamed and backed against the far wall. The soldiers barked orders to the prisoners and the elderly stallion frowned at them before speaking to the filly gently.

Spike thought the whole thing was horrible, but he couldn't stop watching. It was as if it was a play, but he knew that this terror on the filly's face was no act.

The stallion took the filly's hoof in his and led her out of the room led by two guards, and followed by two more. They came out into the room the General and Spike were in and noticed the extra soldiers, the gruff General, and what appeared to be a heavily bounded dragonling. Both ponies gave Spike a wondering glance, but their glances turned to looks of fear and apprehension as they noticed the soldiers fall in around them. The General barked some more orders and then went back up the stairs. Spike and the ponies were shoved towards the exit, and they left following the cruel stallion.

The group went back up the stairs and followed the General through a series of twists and turns, until they stood in front of a large set of ornate double-doors. The doors were covered in artistic decorations, each depicting one earth pony doing feats of impossible strength and power. Spike thought the doors were made of thick dark wood, until the General knocked on them, and a metallic resonance was heard throughout the corridor the group stood in.

The doors opened each with a loud 'BOOM!'. Spike looked around the large throne room. He saw that the room had a second story, with open corridors that ran along the wall of the room. The room was vast and a long, plush red carped led to the throne which sat raised above the floor of the room. It was flanked by two stallions in light-plated armor, holding spears. Their grimaces and size scared Spike, but it was the lounging earth-pony in the throne that frightened him the most.

The earth-pony was of normal size, not overly muscular, or cruel looking at all. In face he was smiling at the ponies and dragonling as they walked in. The earth-pony who had to be the Emperor had a gray-green coat and his mane was a deep gold. He wore large glasses and his smile seemed charming. Spike hoped that his smile reflected how he truly was, but from the way the ponies acted around him, he doubted it.

They walked up to the steps of the throne and Spike was pushed to the floor as the General, the soldiers, and prisoners bowed to the Emperor. The General rose and spoke to him in Romaneian. The Emperor's smile faded and he nodded in understanding. He told the soldiers something in Romaneian, and most left the room, leaving just two behind. The two Imperial Guards flanked the prisoners and brought them to the Emperor's side. He paid no attention to the filly who was silently crying and the elderly stallion who had a brave face on, but was betrayed by his shaking knees.

The Emperor gave another order and Spike was grabbed from behind. He was forced down upon his knees while he heard the other guard unsheathe his knife.

Spike closed his eyes. “Oh Celestia, this is it...”

The knife paused on the back of his neck and then cut, Spike giving an involuntary flinch as he heard the noise. He opened his eyes in relief as he found out he wasn't dead. In fact, his situation looked like it improved a little; seeing as his muzzle was cut off.

“Stand dragon.” said a light voice.

Spike stood, noticing the Emperor was smiling at him.

“Now little dragon, my General tells me that you are a spy. I find that a little hard to believe.”

Spike was relieved. Finally a sane pony. “I'm not sir!” he said earnestly.

“What are you then?”

“A tourist.”

Spike told him the story of how he and Twilight had come to Romaneia and their misadventures that had taken place after they had gotten onto the bus. The Emperor put a hoof under his chin and listened intently until Spike finished his story.

“General Tin, it looks like you have caught a tourist.” he said a few moments after Spike finished his story.

“But milord, Pyrite he injured my soldiers, burnt down part of way station 24, and helped his accomplice escape. Only spies would fight our orders so intently.”

The Emperor shook his head. “Fool. His sister, or should I say 'accomplice', and he were scared to death. Of course they would try to escape. The situation was your fault. You should have never blamed them to be spies.”

General Tin looked to the ground and bowed. “Forgive me, milord.”

“Rise. I still have use of you. You shall be charged with finding his sister.”

“Yes milord. I shall depart at once.”

Spike felt so happy he could have died. He looked at the leaving figure of General Tin and his soldiers and then smiled to Emperor Pyrite.

“Thank you sir!”

The Emperor smiled. “Now that I have solved this whole mess for you, I believe I require something in return.”

“Anything!”

“Alright.” The Emperor's smile turned sinister. “Never leave.”

“What?” Spike stuttered, shocked.

Emperor Pyrite sat back and looked at his hoof disdainfully, his smile leaving his face to be replaced with a look of boredom. “Quite frankly little one, you have seen to much of my country. If you are who you say you are, a scribe to the archmage of Canterlot, then you will undoubtedly tell your Princesses of the things you have seen here” Pyrite glared down at Spike. “Now I can''t have that happening. Especially now. So you are to stay here for the rest of your life.”

This couldn't be happening!

“You've got to be kidding me!” Spike cried falling to his knees again.

“Oh, do not worry. You will have an acceptable life. I have already decided you would be best suited in to work in the Royal library.

“You can't do this! I am a citizen of Equestria and even if I am trapped here, the Princesses will come for me. I will find a way to escape.” Spike said, his anger rising.

Pyrite sighed. “I wished it wouldn't have to come to this.” He clopped his hooves together.

One Imperial guard started to drag the crying filly, who was now screaming in fear, her tears streaking down her face, to in front of the throne. The stallion struggled to go after her, but the guard held him back. The stallion started to scream something in Romaneian. The Emperor looked over at the struggling stallion and an evil grin spread along his face.

“Fine.” he said pointing to the elderly stallion and ordering something in Romaneian.

The guard dragging the filly stopped, and started to drag her back to where they started and the other led the stallion out to in front of the throne. The stallion didn't struggle, but walked slowly, with a solemn look on his face. The crying filly started to scream and cry even more when she saw the stallion stop in front of the emperor.

Pyrite said something in Romaneian and the guard holding the filly back slapped her hard. She fell to the ground and fell into a spell of quiet sobs. Spike didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was something bad. However, he was still confused. The Emperor had been so helpful; so why had he turned evil all of the sudden? Pyrite said something to the guard in Romaneian, and the guard and flower-selling stallion stopped.

“In my country, people who help raise trouble are killed. This means all spies and anypony seen helping them.” He pointed to the stallion. “For example, if I decided that you were a spy, he and the filly over there would die.”

“But I'm not a spy!” Spike pleaded, tears coming to his eyes.

“Oh, I know that.” Pyrite said. “But it also happens to be that usurpers die as well.”

“What?”

“Anypony, or dragonling, who decides to fight my orders in my country dies.”

Spike gulped. Was he going to be killed?

“I'm not scared of death.” Spike said defiantly.

“Hah! Don't worry. I still have use of you.” Pyrite said making Spike sigh quitely.

“Then head this example.”

He said something in Romaneian and the elderly stallion was thrown to his knees.

Time slowed down as Spike saw the Imperial guard leave from behind the stallion. He moved fluidly around to the stallion's front, twirling his spear with a deadly beauty. The plated guard moved quickly and with evil purpose, passing in front of the stallion, slicing his throat open.

The stallion's eyes grew wide as blood splurted out of his now opened throat. His hooves flew up to the incision and he gasped, shocked. He chocked on the blood and fell to the ground holding his neck. The blood pooled around the steps of the throne and the stallion looked around frantically. His eyes came to rest on a frozen Spike. He mouthed something to him , but then all his movements stopped. The frantic look was frozen on his face, and his lifeblood trickled down the steps towards Spike.

Spike doubted everything. He could feel his reality breaking. This had to be a dream. This would never happen in a world with sane ponies right? But it just did, didn't it? Spike felt the warm blood touch his claw and he just stared at it numbly. He picked up his paw and looked at the blood. Was it real? The smell told him is was, and he broke from his trance of non-feeling, throwing up all over the floor in front of himself. He cried racking sobs as he finished, looking over to the filly who was doing the same.

“Do not try to escape or tell anypony of my country. Do you understand? If you do, she will be next.” Pyrite said ever so coldly. He turned to his guards.

“Take the girl to the kitchens. She will work there now.” The imperial guard nodded and stood her up on her shaking hooves, and forced her to walk through a side door at the back of the room.

“Take him to the librarian and get him cleaned up.” Pyrite said to the other guard. The guard nodded and complied by picking Spike up in his mouth, walking the opposite way the other guard had gone. Spike sobbed the whole time the guard carried him through a door and up a long, winiding staircase. Spike finally stopped when the guard carried him through another door and into a library that dwarfed the Royal Canterlot library many times over.

Rows of bookcases lined the walls and made corridors throughout the room. The bookcases continued on the second level of the library surrounding the stone walls, only to be broken by vast stained glass windows. Instead of the single pony being shown as superior, like on the throne room's doors, each glass window had a different glowing alicorn on each. Spike saw that Celestia and Luna were on two opposite windows, but the rest were strange to him. Spike didn't even know that there were other alicorns, well other than Cadence.

The guard dropped him and he fell to the floor. The guard barked something in Romaneian as Spike cursed and rolled onto his back to get up. From the second floor came an older sounding voice that sounded very brave, from the way he talked back. Spike could hear hoofsteps coming down ancient wooden stairs. The hoofsteps echoed off the floor and the bookcases along with the voice. Finally, the proprietor of the voice rounded a corridor and could be seen. He was a grizzled old unicorn. He had a pure white coat which was covered in a long brown robe, much like a monk's robe. His flowing silver mane was swayed in the air as he walked. His face showed much, with many wrinkles that not only showed his age but also his knowledge. He also had a long scar running down the side of it, but that just added to the fierceness in his blue eyes and his brisk voice.

The guard spoke shortly and curtly with the unicorn in Romaneian and then hit the butt of his spear on the ground before leaving.

The unicorn cleared his throat. “I am told you are called Spike and that you will work with me for the time being. Tell me why you are here.” The unicorn sat down on his haunches in front of Spike.
Spike complied, still amazed at the library. He spoke of his adventures with Twilight before being separated and even the entrance into the castle with little trouble, but the feelings of the current incident caught up with him as he told the unicorn about the death. Spike finished his story trembling, feeling sicker than before.

“Come little one.” the unicorn beckoned to Spike. Spike took a few wobbly steps before falling into a warm hug. He cried as the unicorn comforted him with his hug and a calming hoof along his spines.

“It is alright small one. Even the greatest of warriors must cry, for the greatest enemy is not found on the battlefield, but in the grief inside of everypony.”

Spike tried to dry his eyes but couldn't. “Thank you.” he said blearily.

The unicorn smiled. “Call me Kells. Now, we must get you cleaned up and robed.” Kells picked up Spike and put him on his back. He sagged a little when Spike landed on his back.

“Are you alright?”

Kells popped a few joints. “As fit as a fiddle.” he replied as he started to canter through the corridors of bookcases, through a circular desk in the middle of the library, past some more bookcases, and up the stairs to the second level. He headed to the very back of the room where a small wooden door was. Kells opened it and Spike found himself in a room that could only be described as Kells's bachelor pad. Kells took a right through a doorway without a door into a bathroom. In it was a tub, a sink, a toilet, a mirror, and a small stained glass window that rattled some.

Spike could usually handle the cold alright, being a dragon, but he found the room to be quite chilly. He shivered a little when Kells gently picked him up and place him on the cold ground.

“Hold still.” he said as he cut the last binds on Spike's hands. Spike massaged the life back into his wrists and arms as Kells started to draw the water for the bath.

“I'm sorry young one, but all the water I get up here is cold. By the time it passes through all the pipes to up here, it has lost all it's heat.” he said as water filled the tub.

“Ttttthatsss okkkk.” Spike said, his teeth rattling. “Iiiii gottt tttthisss.” He stopped the water and took a deep breath. He breathed out a gout of flame on the tub surprising Kells a little.

“Quite the flame for such a young dragonling.”

“Tttttthankksss.”

Spike was about to get in when Kells said. “Are you not going to remove your neck-pouch?”

“What?”

“Your neck pouch. Did you forget about it?”

“You gotta be kidding me...” Spike felt down around his neck and sure enough, it was there. He jumped up into the air with joy and undid it from around his neck. He kissed it and praised Rarity in his mind. She had given him it as a small traveling gift before he left with Twilight and was smart enough to make it from pink and green velvet. To anypony but her and a few others, like Kells, it was neigh but impossible to see. Spike reminded himself to give the beautiful mare a long kiss when he got back to Ponyville, because she probably just saved he and Twilight.

Kells looked on in puzzlement, until Spike told him about his ability to send messages directly to Princess Celestia. Kells took on a grim look and Spike just realized what he had done. Sure the unicorn was nice, but so had been Pyrite until he betrayed his trust. Spike took on a dire expression and took a deep breath in.

“Calm yourself little dragonling.” Kells said sternly waving a hoof in Spike's direction. He started to pace the bathroom and talk to himself in Romaneian.

“What are you doing?” Spike asked after blowing out his flame onto the cooling tub. The water started to steam again before Kells stopped pacing.

“I will not stop you from writing this letter of help to your princesses” he said, Spike's spirit lightening. “However, I would like to write the letter to your princesses.”

Spike was confounded. “Why?”

“You must trust me Spike.”

Spike's mind doubted this unicorn with all its logic, yet something deeper than his sentience told him to listen to the unicorn. It was his instinct, roaring out against his doubting heart and mind. It told him to trust him with every fiber of his being.

“A...Alright.” he said handing the bag over to Kells. “There's parchment and a charcoal stick in there for writing.”

Kells nodded. “I will be back shortly. For now, relax in your bath. I don't know about you, but a piping hot bath is always a pleasant thing for me.” he said leaving the room. Spike hear him go to something and start scribbling on the parchment from his bag.

Spike sighed and climbed over the high wall of the porcelain tub. He fell into the warm, soothing water with a small splash, but it all felt good to him. He breathed out content bubbles from under the water and then surfaced. He breathed in steam and slicked back his spines with the warm water, feeling himself relax. He let himself float for a while, not only physically, but mentally as well. He let the waters cleanse the filth of his endeavors and turmoils from his scales and his mind, feeling better with every second. Soon he'd be able to send a plea for help to Celestia and hopefully he could find Twilight and escape.

Spike's happy thoughts were broken by hoofsteps and the sound of shifting cloths as Kells trotted into the bathroom. He was carrying the scroll aloft in the air by magic.

“The letter is ready, small friend.”

“Can you toss it into the air?”

“But of course.” Kells tossed the rolled scroll into the air closer to Spike. Spike zeroed in on it and blew a jet of flame on it, until it turned to magical ash and passed through the cracks around the rattling window.

“So what did you put in it?”

Kells trotted over to the tub and floated a bar of soap in the air.

“I wrote of your story down, explicitly about your current situation. I also told your princesses that you were in good hooves, so they would not worry.” he said as he started to scrub Spike with the soap. The scented bubbles caught Spike's attention before he could say anything back to Kells. The scent of the soap intrigued him for some odd reason. Where Spike was used to the lavender soap the lavender mare found so fitting, this soap smelled of honey and mint, but also something heady.

“What is this?” Spike motioned to the soap as it scrubbed under his arm.

“Do they not have soap in your Ponyville?!”

“No, no. It's just that the soap smells weird.”

“Yes, most ponies would agree with you. I made it myself.”

“Really?” Spike said as he closed his eyes to allow the soap to scrub his face. The scent filled his nostrils. It was most definitely the sweet smell of honey mixed with the sharp, invigorating smell of mint, yet there was something more, something irresistible to it.

“I mixed honey and mint extract with a little known secret ingredient.”

“Hmmm?”

“Short-grain Mead. If you'd like, we could have some with our dinner.”

Spike didn't know something alcoholic could smell so delicious. He thought about all the times Twilight had a mare's night where the other mane six would come over and have a few drinks. Each time Spike hung around he managed to smell the drinks, but each turned him off to them. Applejack's hard cider smelled like apple juice that had gone bad, Pinkie's various party drinks looked exotic, but smelled toxic, and finally, Rarity's cocktails looked delectable, but the smell was to harsh for him. He giggled at the fact that every time he was caught by Twilight, he was punished and sent straight to bed before he could taste anything, and yet here he was being offered some.

“What is it little one?” Kells asked a small smile spreading on his face.

“I don't think Twilight would appreciate me drinking.” he giggled.

“Bah, you are a dragon! Even if you are a child, you could out drink her anyday.”

“Really?”

“Yes. In the olden days, before the Pax Equestria, dragons razed towns. Many ponies would say for their gold and precious gems, but in Germaney, all the ponies would agree that their towns were razed for nothing but their drinks. In fact, some very unusual alliances were made between some towns and dragons. The dragon would agree to protect the town for a monthly dowry of their finest ales and beers.”

“Woah.” Spike said as the soap scrubbed his back. “How do you know so much about this stuff?”

“Oh I was there.” Kells said lightly before grabbing the wrinkles on his face and pulling them and sticking his tongue out. “Why doo you think I look shoo ould??”

Spike laughed and let Kells pour the water over his head to wash away the suds.

“Come on, it is time we eat.” Kells said, pulling Spike out of the tub with telekinesis.

Spike landed on the cold floor shivering, the warm water cooling his skin even more against the cold air of the room. Kells led him out of the room in to his equally cold bedroom. Spike noticed it was the main room he had entered at first. It had a lard fireplace which Kells was currently lighting with magic on the wall opposite of the bathroom. On the wall opposite that was a large opening with a pulley system leading out of it. Between the walls was a plush and ornate rug, with a small table with one dining chair at it and a recliner on the other side. The far wall was half stone but half stained glass window with a bed pressed against it. The setting sun illuminated the window perfectly in Spike's eye.The window depicted the four seasons around an alicorn in golden armor. The alicorn was wearing a helm, so it was impossible to make out his face, but Spike could tell it was a stallion. The alicorn carried a large spear aloft with magic.

“Who's that?” Spike said as he dried off by the now lit fireplace.

Kells turned around and squinted at the stained glass. “Oh that is the champion of time.”

“But I thought there were only three alicorns, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence. But Cadence doesn't really count. She's not immortal or anything.”

“There were and are many more alicorns that those three. Many ponies make the mistake of thinking the race dead, but do not be as foolish as some of your pony counterparts. And make no mistake, all alicorns have immense power, and all can be immortal, but only if they want to. Princess Cadence takes on the aspects of her mother Princess Venus. Think about it Spike, is it not hard enough to change the minds of ponies to follow you?”

Spike thought back to the time Twilight put a spell on Smarty Pants that went horribly awry. “Yeah.”

“So hard do you think it is to control ponies hearts? Princess Cadenza Mi Amore is incrediblely strong, but like her mother, chooses not to be immortal.”

“But why?”

Kells walked over to the table and sat in the dining chair, leaving the recliner to Spike. “Would you rather live forever or be with the ones you love?”

“Oh.” Spike said shaking his tail to rid it from the last of water on his body. He started to walk to the table, but heard a strange scraping noise and stopped.

“Whazat?”

Kells smiled. “Don't worry about it. Come, sit, the chair is calling to you.”

Spike had to agree that the chair did look comfortable, so he sat down on the other side of the table to find a place setting ready for him. The sound continued as Kells floated a bottle of mead out from under the table and poured a little for each of them. Spike sniffed at the glass apprehensively.

“Are you sure it's ok?”

Kells was already sipping at his. “You may have followed your sister's rules in her home, but this is mine. And rule number one is keep your guests happy. Everypony knows that mead is liquefied mirth!” he said sounding a little like Pinkie Pie.

Spike chuckled and took a tentative sip of his drink. Kells was right, it was liquefied happiness! It didn't make Spike light headed or suddenly happy, but it was warm and sweet, reminding him of blissful summer days. The golden drink helped keep the cold of the room at bay, and also settled his grumbling stomach.

The strange scratching sound came to an apex as something slowly came up out of the darkness in the opening in the wall. Spike was surprised to find that it was a large silver dish covered by an equally exquisite silver cover. Kells floated it over to the table and Spike saw that it had sat on a wooden plank in the opening.

“It's called a dumb-waiter.” Kells answered before Spike could ask. “I send it down to the kitchen for each meal, and it comes back up with deliciousness.” he continued as he put the dinner down on the table, and uncovered it.

Steam rose from the moist and delectable looking eggplant tart with alfalfa and turnips spread around it. The juices from the seasoned eggplant mixed with the smell of the alfalfa and turnips making both the pony's and dragon's mouths water.

“This beautiful creation deserves a moment of respectful silence before we devour it.” said Kells, his eyes never leaving the food.

Spike nodded dumbly and was silent with Kells for a second.

“Ok, that's enough. Dig in!”

Spike and Kells each cut the eggplant in half and shoveled their half onto their plates and went at it. They ate with gusto, only stopping to take sip of their mead. The dinner was quickly finished off and each sat back in their chair, rubbing their full bellies contentedly. Kells slowly got up and pulled his chair over to in front of the fireplace and sat contentedly there while Spike did the same with his chair.

“Here.” Kells said when Spike was close enough to the fireplace. The recliner Spike was sitting in fell backwards slowly, reclining and letting Spike lay down in it comfortably. Both pony and dragon gave a content sigh and Spike looked at the window, now dark with the night. After a few minutes, Kells got up from the chair and moved it back to the table. He saw Spike trying to get up and do the same but he motioned for him to stop.

“No, no. That's your bed.” Kells said as he walked over to his bed and reached underneath it. He pulled out a drawer and removed a smaller robe. He held it up with magic and looked at it, nodding with approval before tossing it onto Spike.

“It might be a little big, but we'll fix that in the morning.” He stripped his robe off his body and threw it at Spike as well.

“For now, use those as a pillow and blanket. I'm sorry that I don't have any extras.”

Spike yawned and pulled the robes around him until he was comfortable. “It's ok. I know that nopony else would let me have mead at their sleep-overs.”

Kells chuckled and pulled back the sheets on his bed. Spike sighed and closed his eyes letting the warmth of the fire start to pull him into a nice lull. Unfortinately, his stomach had other ideas.

“Uh oh.”

Kells sat up in his bed. “What is it?”

Spike felt it coming up. “Mail!”

Spike belched out a long green flame that distributed not one, but two rolled up scrolls onto his lap. Spike was puzzled by the excessive scroll, but was even more shocked when one note said “To Spike” and the other said “To Our Fratele.”

“I guess this is for you.” Spike said waving the extra scroll to an approaching Kells.

Kells took it with magic and unrolled it in front of himself. He squinted at it, but looked like he was reading it intently, from the look on his face. Spike shook the wonder from his mind, knowing it was rude to read others mail. He broke the seal on his and opened it. It read:

“Dear Spike,

This is thy Princess of the Night, Luna. Celestia is busy right now writing a letter to our dear friend. I am sorry I can not tell you more about him, but it is not my place. I can tell you that you should trust him; he will never betray you as long as you live.

But, to answer your plea. My sister and I both unanimously agree that this infringement of pony rights. Unfortunately, we can not act straightforwardly, as it may cause an international war. My sister and I will not be able to come to your and Twilight's aid directly. However, this does not mean my Lunar Battalion won't be able to help.

As directed by our friend, known as Kells to you, Puck unit of my Battalion will help free you and Twilight in five days from now. Do not worry, they will come to you.

For now, we ask you to prepare and listen to what our friend asks of you. No matter what he asks of you, trust him. He will not lead you astray. We hope to see you and Twilight back home and safe soon.

Sincerely,

Immortal Princesses of the Sun and Moon,

Luna and Celestia.”

Spike read the letter again and again trying to make sense of the mysterious letter. He already, well mostly, trusted Kells and that was about three fourths of the letter. But do whatever he asks of me? What was that all about? It only made Kells look untrustworthy if Spike had anything to say about it.

However, the Lunar Battalion was coming to save him and Twilight! But why had Kells told them to come in five days? Wasn't tomorrow soon enough?!?

Spike looked away from his letter to say something to Kells, but he snorted at his letter, smiling.

“Here.” he said as he tossed it to Spike while he climbed back into his bed. The scroll landed open on Spike's lap and he looked down at it accidentally. However, it didn't matter, since Spike couldn't read the letter.

It was written in various scratches and dashes, with no punctuation marks. Was this how Romaneian was written? Spike asked himself. For some reason, it looked familiar, but he couldn't place where it was from.

“Rest little one. The letters will be there in the morning.”

Spike sheepishly rolled up both letters and snuggled up with the robes. He closed his eyes, but his thoughts were racing. Eventually, he settled down, only one thought remaining in his mind while he listened to the soothing sounds of the fire.

“I hope Twilight is alright.” Spike whispered, falling asleep with an uneasy sigh.