Diplomacy

by 8686

Know Thy Enemy and Know Thyself

“Spike, you’re letting this go to your head. She called you ‘sir’ because she was being polite. Not because she thought you were a knight!”

“Who’s to say what she thought? Me, a handsome dragon, living in a castle, protecting a princess—”

“Protecting!?”

“What else is she gonna think? I’m practically a knight already with those qualifications. I’m tellin’ you, if she’d known my name, she totally would have gone with, Sir Spike. Now if only there were some Royalty around to make the whole thing official...”

“She could just as easily have gone with, ‘sir, which way to the bathroom?’” argued Twilight. “Spike, Equestria doesn’t have an order of chivalry like that. We don’t do ‘knights’.”

“I could be the first!” grinned Spike. “Come on, tell me you can’t picture it: ‘Who’s that brave knight coming over the hill? Guardian of Harmony. Defender of Equestria. Look, it’s Sir Spike on his gallant steed, Twilight!’”

“I am not your gallant steed!” snapped Twilight.

“Aw, c’mon Twilight. Don’t do yourself down. You’re pretty gallant,” he said with a perfectly-weighted smile. Wry, cocky, yet somehow endearing.

“Spike, I—!” Twilight began, fuming, then cut herself off. And there it was. A tiny hitch. A halted sentence. An expression that was just ever-so-briefly confused and then a tiny smile. A tickled chuckle heard from the back of her throat.

Aced it again. Pushed his luck right to the edge and then clawed it back. Twilight-baiting was great sport and he was a master at the game. He’d probably get a couple of extra chores heaped on him now, but oh, the satisfaction. Not that it was malicious. Just the kind of teasing that only the closest of friends or family ever really shared. A little devilish fun now and again. Sometimes he lost and sometimes he won, and this one was shaping up very well indeed as he continued smirking.

But Twilight wasn’t defeated and she put on her own clever smirk to rival his. “You know, if you want to do your bit protecting Equestria, and have the respect that comes with a rank, you could join the Royal Guard Cadets.”

“Join the Royal Guard so I can spend all day in a palace doing whatever a princess tells me to do? That’s my life anyway. I don’t need the constant getting-yelled-at and uncomfortable armour to have that experience.”

“Too bad, but there’s still no such thing as knights, so I guess you’ll just have to settle for being plain ol’ ‘Great and Honourable Spike, the Brave and Glorious’.”

Spike raised a claw, stopped, blinked, and closed his mouth. Huh. Way to pull it out of the bag Twilight. His smile remained though it turned less cocky, more nuanced. A smile that was returned.

Twilight pivoted away, turning back towards the large, round library table currently festooned with lists, books, diagrams and more spread all over. “Now let’s get back to work. We’ve got a lot more to do before the yaks and the buffalo arrive.”

“You mean like screwing everything heavy to the ground?”

“Don’t be facetious, Spike. It’s exciting. Imagine: two noble tribes with so much in common are going to meet for the first time ever right here in Ponyville!”

“These would be the yaks who, the first time we met them, went on a rampage and nearly destroyed the castle, meeting the buffalo who – the first time we met them – went on a rampage and nearly destroyed a small town? And you want to put them in the same room together? I’m just saying, on paper, it doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

“Those were all misunderstandings and we solved them. Come on Spike, it’s going to be fine. And besides, you said you were looking forward to seeing Little Strongheart again. And by the end of it, yaks, ponies and buffalo will all be the best of friends!” said Twilight with enthusiasm, looking towards the ceiling, her eyes wide and pupils glistening with happy passion.

“The Chief meets the Prince meets the Princess, all under one roof. Shame there’s no Knight to complete the set...” Spike offered with another wry smirk.

Twilight turned back to him with a level, reproachful frown. He maintained his smug grin and waited. One of them would break first. He just had to hold fast a little longer and then Twilight would roll her eyes, turn away again, and that would be a win.

Suddenly a familiar tickle in the back of his throat caused his eyes to snap involuntarily wide. He only had a split-second to realise that he was about to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory before, inevitably...

—URRRPP!

His maw opened and he belched loudly to the accompaniment of a coil of dark grey smoke riding a lick of green flame. The smoke twirled and condensed and in the space of half a second thick air became tiny specks of ash became flakes of papyrus became scraps of paper until, with a final, subtle flash of white light, reformed in the air before him was a pristine scroll. Rolled parchment bound with red ribbon and bearing a familiar horse-shoe seal in gold.

Muscle-memory took over then, and Spike plucked it from the air with a deft claw before it could fall to the ground even as Twilight was heard to cry, “A letter from Princess Celestia!”

Why she still used her ‘surprised’ voice for it, especially after all these years, was completely beyond him. He flashed her the briefest of despairing glances before his claws made short work of the seal and ribbon. Unfurling the scroll, he dutifully began to read.

The first lines of pro forma were always the same, so he skipped them in favour of getting straight to the important part. There wasn’t much to the note; it was a fairly short and to-the-point missive, though oddly pleading in tone. Rather than read the whole thing aloud he elected to distill the salient point for Twilight as he raised his gaze from the paper to meet hers. “It looks like you’re needed in Canterlot.”

Twilight missed a beat and blinked once. “Now?! With a buffalo-yak-pony summit imminent and tons of preparation still to do?!” She took a deep, calming breath through her nose and let it out through her mouth, raising and extending her hoof in sync with her movements; a stress-calming habit she had picked up that seemed to work for her, even if he wasn’t sure exactly how. “Okay, I’ll get hold of Pinkie, Applejack and Rarity on the way to the station. Between the three of them they should be able to follow my notes and at least get the preparations underway. With luck this trip won’t take long and I can still be back to host the gathering. Spike? Can you fetch me my—?”

“Saddlebags, got it,” said Spike, who had walked across the room to the door already. He pulled it open and stepped through, making for Twilight’s bedroom.

Five minutes later he returned to the library, arms full and hauling Twilight’s saddlebags packed full with Short Trip Loadout Number One, and shoved his way through the door, shoulder first.

Inside he caught sight of Twilight looking at him rather oddly. The scroll they’d received was held in her aura and she had obviously been reading it. The musical little thrum of her magic was the only sound until she spoke.

“Put those bags down, Spike. I’m not going to Canterlot.”

“Twilight? Is something wrong?”

“You missed out a pretty important part of the letter,” she admonished.

Spike winced a little under her stare. “Whoa, T-Twilight, c’mon. You know I’d never keep anything like that from you. Right?” The bond of trust they shared allowed for no room in misrepresenting anything that Princess Celestia might ask of Twilight. If he had missed something, Twilight had to know it was an accident, right? But the letter was so short – how could he have?

“Read it again,” she said as the scroll wafted its way back towards him and he took it from her magic.

Spike did as he was asked, his eye naturally snapping to the meat of the text;

If you are at all able, I would greatly appreciate your assistance regarding an urgent matter in Canterlot. A very delicate situation has arisen. One that must be addressed and I know of no other I can better ask for advice.

Please.

Your friend,

Princess Celestia.

“I... sorry, I don’t get it,” said Spike, scratching his head with a claw and looking back at Twilight.

“You don’t notice anything unusual about it at all?”

“Huh? Not really. Well, okay, it’s a little more informal than some, and that Please right at the end there is a little odd. But she’s asking for your help. That’s not unusual. I don’t get why you’re not going.”

Twilight gave him a mildly-annoyed frown. “Read it again Spike.”

Spike offered a confused frown but nevertheless read the letter a third time and found no new information. “Twilight, whatever it is, I am really not seeing it.”

“Spike: it’s addressed to you.”

* * *

The next hour passed in a blurred whirlwind. After the initial surprise, Spike ballooned with confidence, bravado and more than a little smugness that he was being the one being called on to go. Nevertheless he graciously extended an invitation to accompany him on his crucial royal visit to his oldest and closest friend. And was a little surprised when she declined.

“There’s so much to do here,” she had said. “Besides it’s not your first trip up there without me, and if Princess Celestia asked for you specifically, I’m sure there’s nothing that you can’t handle by yourself,” she said with a reassuring smile.

They had a little debate then, about the fact that just because she hadn’t been told to go didn’t mean she couldn’t, or shouldn’t, go. A miniature re-run of an argument they had had before, when the Map had sent two of their friends off to some exotic, inspiring locale. Spike could never understand why she never went too. Surely the Map didn’t mind a pony tagging along just to sight-see? But Twilight was as unmoved by his logic now as then. At least this time she could cite important business that she had to undertake. Then she had ushered him off to pack: if Princess Celestia needed him, he couldn’t keep her waiting. And with that he could not argue.

He had spent the next twenty minutes in his room, staring at his empty satchel. He could not for the life of him think what he might need. He had been given no information as to why he had been asked to go, and so he had no clue as to what might be useful once he arrived. He briefly thought about simply transposing the whole of Short Trip Loadout One into his own backpack, except while Twilight undoubtedly would have thought she needed the Magical Creatures Compendium Vol. I-III (abridged), a wealth of scrolls and quills, and other things that she (always) considered essential, he could not fathom what use he would have for any of that. And so in the end he ended up packing nothing. There was nothing he would need in Canterlot that he couldn’t find once he was there, he decided. It was where he’d lived for years before following Twilight to Ponyville. He knew the city well.

So he left his empty bag behind and, with a final stop at the library for Twilight to wish him a cheery but still sincere, “Good luck,” he resolved to answer his epic calling with nought but his wits, charm and relentlessly good looks. He strode with a swagger through the castle foyer, ready to step outside and begin his noble mission in service of all of Equestria—

“Spike! There you are!” came a voice from behind, and then cantering hooves echoing as he turned.

“Huh? Starlight?”

Starlight Glimmer skidded to a stop, her hooves making a high-pitched, teeth-itching squeal against the impeccably polished crystal floor. She cast her glance around furtively, left and right. “Twilight’s not with you, is she?” she whispered.

“Nope. Library. Planning the big pow-wow that we all hope won’t turn into a pow-pow.”

“Oh, good,” she breathed, then met his gaze. “I really need your help! Do you know Rarity’s dress-size?!” she asked, biting her bottom lip.

“I... what? Uh... I dunno, like medium?”

She frowned at him. “That’s a ‘no’ then. Oh, what am I gonna do?!”

“Take a breath for a start,” he said, deadpan. “Starlight, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Twilight’s latest friendship mission—”

“Lesson,” he corrected.

She carried on, ignoring him and produced a scroll that she unfurled. “See? ‘Get each of your friends a present they will love. If they ask what it’s for, tell them it’s just because you love them.’” She stared at Spike as though that explained everything. Her eyes were still wide and she shifted her hooves nervously.

“Okay, no I don’t get it. What does this have to do with Rarity’s dress size?”

“Don’t you see?!” she cried. “If Rarity doesn’t love her gift, I fail the assignment! And how is Rarity going to love a dress that doesn’t fit? If it’s too big she’ll assume it’s because I think she looks fat – which I don’t! – and if it’s too small she’ll assume it’s because I’m trying to hint that I think she needs to lose weight – which I don’t!” she insisted.

“Okay. And... why go for a dress in the first place?”

“Weren’t you listening? It has to be a gift they’ll love! Rarity loves dresses. That’s her thing. So I have to get her a dress or it won’t be something she’ll love.”

Spike pressed a single clawtip to his forehead. Motioning Starlight to follow, he pushed open the large castle doors and stepped out into the sunlight. No reason they couldn’t walk and talk. “Starlight, here’s the thing: your friends aren’t just one-trick-ponies who like one thing. I mean, you wouldn’t get Applejack a bucket of apples for a present, right?”

“I wouldn’t? Uh... I mean of course I wouldn’t. Ha ha. So silly. Even though on the face of it that would be totally logical...”

Spike sighed. “Starlight, you’re overthinking things. Again. Here, I’ll let you in on a secret: your friends are going to love any gift you give them as long as you give it with love. But I really wouldn’t get Rarity a dress. She has enough of those...” he finished dryly.

“So what do I do?! I don’t have any other ideas!”

“Well, why not give her your time instead? Take her somewhere she likes to go; treat her and spend a day there with her. I guarantee she’ll love that.”

“The spa!” she exclaimed. “Spike, that’s a great idea!” She met his gaze with a softer look now. “Thanks, Spike. I mean, I know all this sounds trivial, but you’re a great friend to talk to about all this. Seriously... I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“Ask Twilight?” he deadpanned again.

“I can’t ask Twilight,” she retorted. “If I ask her for help with easy things like this, she’ll think I’m only slacking because I’m not taking her lessons seriously! And what if she makes me prove I’m taking them seriously by giving me a test?!” She gasped in horror. “What if I don’t pass?!”

“Starlight, why would Twilight give you a test on friendship?”

“Because she’s my teacher, Spike! Do you know what teachers do to students who don’t pass?!”

How did this happen? “Starlight? Relax. Twilight is your friend first, and your teacher and a princess a distant second and third. If you need advice or help while I’m gone, do me a favour? Just ask her. Now I gotta go. There are other princesses who need my help, apparently, and they’re in another castle. I’ll see you when I get back. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks again, Spike,” she replied with a cheery wave. And with that he turned, heading for the train-station.

Yep, good ol’ Spike. Advice-giver, confidant; a dragon who could keep a cool head under any pressure. Resuming his royal mission to Canterlot to go to the aid of the most powerful pony in the land, and help in ways that only he, of all the creatures in Equestria, could. He swelled again. Spike The Dragon. Called forth for a mission just like a real knight, and answering without fear or hesitation, striding towards his destiny; to the fair yet embattled princess in yonder city—

“There he is!”

“Where?”

“Oh, I see him! Hey, Spike!”

A trio of jubilant voices carried to his ears, followed quickly by a trio of galloping ponies. They careered towards him, their little hoofbeats like miniature thunder, and when they reached him they fell into step and grinned a little too wide.

“Hi Spike!” said Scootaloo.

“How’s it goin’?” asked Apple Bloom, nonchalantly.

“We need your help!” blurted Sweetie Belle.

“Sweetie Belle!”

“What?”

Spike smiled and carried on walking. “Hey guys. Look, I’m sorta on my way to Canterlot on important business. I’m not sure I can help out with... whatever it is,” he said with apology.

“Oh, it’s not for now, it’s for this weekend,” said Sweetie Belle as the three fell into a relaxed stride alongside him. “See, we’re setting up different ‘events’ in town for all the blank-flanks.”

“So they can come along and try out different stuff to see if they can earn their cutie-marks, just like we always used to do!” said Scootaloo.

“And have fun while they’re doin’ it,” put in Apple Bloom. “And this weekend it’s Scootaloo’s turn, and she’s picked Ultra Pony Roller Derby. So anypony who thinks they might have a talent in that can come along an’ try it out!”

“But we need someone to commentate on the action,” said Sweetie Belle.

“We really wanna make the whole thing super slick. So we came to ask if you’d do it?” said Scootaloo.

“Please?” they all said, as one, grinning those sweet, innocent, highly persuasive grins, pearly-whites flashing and eyes filled with manipulative but oh-so-adorable hope.

“You came to ask me?” said Spike, a little surprised.

“Well, yeah,” said Scootaloo. “After all, you’re the go-to dragon when it comes to things like this.”

“Race-announcer, fashion-show compere, stage-play narrator...” offered Sweetie Belle.

“You’re the best at it, an’ we really wanna make it as good as it can be. So will ya help?” asked Apple Bloom sweetly.

Spike gave a little resigned sigh. Even had he wanted to say no his defences were no match for a triple-barrage of cute optimism. “Look, I don’t know how long I’m gonna be away. I don’t even really know why I’m needed yet. But if it’s not gonna take too long and I’m back by the weekend then, yeah, I’ll be there,” he finished with a smile.

“Yes!”

“Awesome!”

“Thanks, Spike. We knew you wouldn’t let us down. And good luck in Canterlot!” said Sweetie Belle. Then all three of them were turning and galloping away, making some comment about all the things they still had to do to get ready.

Spike turned and marched on to the rail-station, once more swelling up, his chest puffing out and his gait morphing into a confident strut. Yep, when ponies needed a good all-rounder; someone with a few skill-points in every talent tree, they came to ever-dependable Spike.

He finally reached the station platform, and by good fortune the Express bound for Canterlot was sitting there, waiting to depart. He showed the letter from Princess Celestia to the conductor who accepted it in lieu of a ticket and allowed him to board. And within minutes he was on his way.

He found a spare bench and settled in for the long but familiar ride up the mountain, ruminating on what the problem might be that only he could solve. He, Spike, noble and fearless friend; solver of problems, facer of dangers, preventer of freakouts. When he thought about it like that, it was a wonder that the Princess hadn’t come to him for advice more often. Well, maybe that’d change after he fixed this problem in a jiffy. Maybe he could be, like, a Royal Advisor or something. That would be—

“Hi, Spike!”

Whuh?

Dragged from his reverie once more, he looked up into a cheery, smiling muzzle and wide, crystal-blue eyes. “Minuette?”

“Yep! How you doin’ huh?”

“Oh, I’m fine. What are you doing here?”

“Me? Just heading back home after a few days in Ponyville with my besties. Be glad to get back though. Rumour is there’s some kind of trouble brewing up there.”

“Trouble? What kind of trouble?”

“I don’t know! Exciting, right?” she cheered. “What about you?”

“Oh, uh. Princess Celestia wants to see me in Canterlot.”

“Ooh, wow. What for?”

“Uh... I’m not sure,” admitted Spike. “She didn’t exactly say in her letter.”

“Ooh. Top Secret Royal Business,” said Minuette with a wink and tapping her muzzle with a hoof in a manner conspiratorial. “Well, I’m sure it’ll be fine. She always did trust you with the important things. Remember the time when...?” Minuette trailed off, her gaze distracted and pulled hard towards something in the next carriage along. Something Spike couldn’t see. Suddenly her stance lowered, her brow furrowed into a determined frown, and she gave a little, confident grin. “Found you...” she said to herself.

“Uh, Min? Found what?”

“The snack-trolley.” She licked her lips. Then raised her head with a look of horror. “It’s getting away! Gotta go, Spike. If you need anything while you’re in Canterlot, don’t be a stranger, ‘kay?” she smiled, galloping away through the door into the next train car, towards what was surely about to be a very surprised treat vendor.

Spike returned to his musings. Minuette was right: Celestia had always trusted him with some pretty important stuff, especially while he and Twilight were still living in the city. And while Celestia sometimes made requests that put ponies a little beyond their comfort-zones, she never asked anything of anyone that she genuinely thought they couldn’t handle. So whatever she would be asking him for, it would be something he could totally manage. And he would get to show her just how loyal and trustworthy and resourceful and courageous and wise and generally gosh-darn amazing he was and still be back in time to help Twilight with the yaks and buffalo and the CMC’s with their roller-rink thing.

By the time the train pulled into the station, Spike was so puffed up he felt lighter than air. This was all coming together to be a good week to be Spike The Dragon.

* * *

As soon as the doors thunked open Spike sauntered off the train onto the platform, head high, arms bent at the elbows and self-assured grin firmly in place...

“Mommy, is... is that one of them...?”

“That’s... I think that’s Spike, sweetie. He’s been a friend to ponies. In the past.”

...hips swaggering, whistling a jaunty tune, making for the station exit and the general direction of the castle, its marble walls shining bright like a beacon under the stark sunlight...

“I imagine the Princesses sent for him?”

“Not sure it’s a good idea, bringing one of them here.”

...Spike The Dragon, back in the city where he was hatched, ready to do his part to help the Princess of the land like a real knight...

“What do you mean, ‘a spy’? That’s Spike.”

“It’s a dragon is what it is.”

...brave and chival...rous... huh?

His swagger dropped into an amble, and then to a plod, and then he halted entirely as the normal strains of ambient chatter began to coalesce. He looked around, suddenly uncertain.

Everypony in the station... they were all looking at him. In the instant until they caught him looking back he held the attention of every single one. Some beheld him with awe, others relief, and some others still, fear. That one got to him: some were afraid of him? The strange trance seemed to last only a moment, until they realised he had noticed and then, as one, they all tried to look elsewhere with exaggerated nonchalance and awkwardly carry on their business.

He would have asked someone what was going on, but nopony was close enough. Even as he walked through the station’s exit and onto the warm grass of Canterlot proper, nopony seemed willing to allow him to get close enough. Where he walked, ponies seemed to take the trouble to move aside, giving him a spacious dead-zone. So much space that he couldn’t simply yell a question twenty feet to a random stranger without being rude.

Then there was a new sound. A heavy, rhythmic, metallic clattering and the stomping of many broad hooves from off in the distance. His attention drawn, he looked up to see a squad of Royal Guards clad in their gold, shining armour bearing down on him, galloping from the direction of the palace.

Half-a-dozen armed and armoured ponies drew to a stop before him, loomed over him, and moved to surround him, spreading out as though they were afraid he might flee. It didn’t feel like a friendly greeting at all. It felt... daunting.

“Mr. Spike The Dragon? We’ve been ordered to take you to the Castle at once. Princess Celestia has summoned you,” said the pony stood directly in front of him. The one who was currently blocking his progress towards the castle. Oh irony, thy name is Lieutenant McGuardpony.

“Uh... yeah?” said Spike. “I know, she wrote me. I was just heading there. What’s going on?”

“I’m not at liberty to answer questions,” said the guard curtly, half-turning. “You will come immediately.”

Spike raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. “Not even a ‘please’?” he said with a heavy sardonic timbre. Then his other eyebrow raised, and his arms fell slowly back to his sides; his mouth falling open a touch as what was actually happening hit home. “I... don’t have a choice here, do I?”

The lead pony fixed him with a hard, humourless stare, his jaw set and his mouth a thin line. “My orders are to escort you to the castle, and I intend to follow—”

“That is ENOUGH!” A new voice cut the air, further distant but more powerful. Commanding.

Every pair of eyes snapped up and around. Striding towards them across the grass, Princess Luna approached with her head high and an angry glare fixed. She stopped before the lead Guard, who had to finish turning around to face her and she drew herself up looking pointedly down her muzzle at him. He and the remainder of the half-dozen guards all bent their forelegs and bowed, showing due respect to the Princess towering over them. It seemed she had no intention of acknowledging the gesture.

“Stand away! Let him be, at once.”

The lead guard raised a nervous gaze to almost-meet hers. “Forgive me, your highness, but we were ordered directly by Princess Celestia to—”

“She did not order you to frog-march an innocent citizen of Equestria through this city as though a criminal!” Luna snapped. “Stand aside... now,” she seethed, her voice dropping, cold and icy.

“But we—”

“Unless you wish to disobey me?” she snarled. The lead pony quailed beneath her stern gaze and it was clear he had no interest in beginning an insurrection today.

“Of course not, your highness.”

“Have your company report to the armory and assist with the inventory. Move!” she snapped.

The chastised lieutenant raised his head, gave a quick signal to the rest of his number, and then the six ponies were trotting away. Half looked embarrassed, the other half annoyed as they left with their collective tails between their legs.

Spike stood rooted to the spot, frozen while Princess Luna’s severe face watched the retreating guards. His mind raced, his blood froze and seconds seemed to stretch to minutes as he waited for her icy gaze and annoyed scowl to fix on him. Was Celestia angry at him? Was Luna? Had he done something wrong?

But when Luna did look down, her expression changed entirely. A warm, welcoming smile spread, her steely expression softened and her eyes, radiant with familiar kindness, met his. She nodded deeply in greeting and when she spoke there was a measure of relief to her voice. “Thank you for coming so quickly, Spike.”

“Princess? What... are you doing here?” he managed to choke out through the surprise that strangled him.

“I am sorry if I have startled you. I am here personally because I wished to be sure you would see a friendly face on your arrival. Unfortunately with things as they are at the moment, I could not otherwise guarantee that would be the case. This is far from a normal day.”

She gave a weary sigh. “I apologise for the Guard’s behaviour,” she said, giving another quick glance after the now vanished troops. “Things here are tense and the Guard are under a great deal of pressure, thanks to me. I fear it is beginning to show. It appears they took my sister’s order to mean they should find and bring you to the castle as soon as physically possible – kicking and screaming if necessary. It was not meant that way.” She huffed and turned a rueful smile his way. “At least no harm was done. You are alright, I trust?” She began a slow walk towards the castle, and Spike fell into step. He found an easy stride, at once bolstered and relaxed in the shelter of her presence.

“Oh, uh... yeah, I’m fine. Can... can you tell me what’s actually going on? Uh... your highness?” he asked.

She gave a warmer smile at that. “Luna, Spike. And, yes, of course, though with the speed that news travels these days, I am surprised word has not already filtered down to Ponyville.”

“It might’ve. But Twilight and Ponyville have a lot on their plate today.”

Luna nodded, then took a breath. “To summarise then: yesterday evening, just as the sun touched the horizon, five large dragons appeared from the east, without warning, and landed upon the summit of the mountain above. They remain even now.”

Spike craned his neck around and up, gazing at the summit high above. From this distance, with an entire third of the mountain towering overhead, he could only make out vague, indistinct shapes against the grey peak, but there was definitely something up there. Several somethings, though how many he couldn’t tell himself. “What are they doing up there?”

“They appear to be... waiting.” Luna raised her own head looking upwards, beyond the white marble towers of the city towards the massive peak of the mount looming large overhead. “Their presence has caused no small amount of concern.”

“Oh. So, is that why everypony here is so... off? I’ve... been getting some pretty strange looks since the train.”

Luna looked down at him with that sincere expression once again. “Please... forgive them. So far our ponies have responded outwardly with a measured calm that I am proud of, but within there is a slow, rising panic. I am doing what I can, but...” She trailed off, and looked at him again and her voice dropped and softened. “They are afraid, Spike. There were many nightmares last night. Fire and teeth figured prominently.”

Spike raised an eyebrow. “But... why’s everyone so worried? I mean, dragons have come to Equestria before. Y’know I’m pretty sure there’s still one living in a cave somewhere in the Everfree...”

“It is true that lone dragons have, rarely, settled our lands in the past. But they have always been reclusive. Isolated. Never has a group this large arrived en masse and so brazenly roosted so close to any of our settlements, much less a city. Much less our capital.” Luna’s gaze fell from the mountain and looked resolutely forward again. “They are clearly here for a purpose but we do not know what, and we simply do not have enough information on dragons to interpret this behaviour. Is this a show of force? Staging for a hostile act? Or something less sinister? Or perhaps nothing to do with us at all? Whatever it might be, we must act, but the wrong action based on the wrong assumptions could lead us to ruin. We cannot afford to misjudge their reasons for coming here.” Luna lowered her gaze to him and looked at him with serious eyes. “Understand our position, Spike: a detachment from a foreign nation has – without warning, invitation, or any expression of intent – breached our borders, carrying enough firepower to cause utter devastation to our land, and assumed a tactically dominant position over our capital city. And now... Equestria must decide how it responds.” She returned her gaze ahead once more. “The situation is beyond delicate and there are many eyes on us, not least those of our allies. What we do next will have consequences. This is why my sister has reached out to you. Even were you not a dragon yourself, of all our subjects you would still be the one who has spent the most time among them. You are the closest thing to an expert we have.”

She looked down at him again, then, as though remembering something, and with an odd sincerity spoke again. “I say, ‘we have’... Spike, please... what just happened with the Guard... you are a free citizen of Equestria, always. It is important you understand... my sister and I are asking for your counsel, not interrogating you. You do not have to accompany me to the Castle if you do not wish to. It is your choice.”

“Huh? Oh... no, no, it’s fine. I mean, I see what you’re getting at, but I came, didn’t I? It’s just...” he trailed off.

“Hm?”

“Well... I guess my track record with other dragons isn’t all great? And now here I am being called an expert... I really don’t wanna give the wrong advice.”

Luna gave a little, light chuckle. “Just speak from your heart, and let my sister do with the information what she will. That is all you can do.”

“Okay. I can do that,” he said, letting out a slow, deep breath. “Wait... what about you?”

She shook her head. “I have input, of course, but preparing our formal Response will ultimately fall to Celestia. My role in this crisis is to oversee the defence of the city and, if it becomes necessary, the nation. For now, I have the Guard working at full stretch to fortify Canterlot as quietly as possible. We do not wish to make it obvious that we are preparing to be attacked: if the dragons are not here for conflict an obvious military buildup in response to their presence might be seen as provocative, insulting, or as some form of challenge. The last thing we want is to incite hostilities that might otherwise be averted. It is... a tricky balancing act.” She sighed again. “The Guard are a sledgehammer. Exceptionally capable when brute force and numbers are required, but difficult to adapt when operations call for subtlety and nuance. Still, with my sister’s expertise in diplomacy married to your counsel – and some luck – I have hope that we will have no need of their preparations at all.”

Spike gulped silently. No pressure then.

They walked on in silence, reaching the castle courtyard and finally the entrance – a tall, arched golden door set between smooth marble pillars at the top of a short flight of steps leading up from the immaculate lawn. Two guards stood flanking the door itself and Luna drew to a stop before one of them, who saluted. The guards were armed with spears, Spike noted. And swords.

“My sister is...?” enquired Luna, offering a quick salute of her own. When the guard’s gaze flitted uncertainly to Spike and then back again she added, “Speak freely.”

“She is in the West Tower. In the War Room,” the guard answered.

Luna blinked in surprise, unable to stifle her reaction. “Still?”

“Yes, ma’am. We were asked, if Spike were to find his way here, to take him—”

Her surprised expression gave way to a determined frown. “Come, Spike,” she said, moving away from the door. “I do not intend to waste the strength in my legs climbing all the way up the West Tower by hoof, and I see no reason why you should have to either. There are easier ways to travel,” she said as she spread her broad wings and gave them a mighty flex. “Climb aboard,” she said with a private smile, directed only at him.

He grinned and did as he was asked. Then, with a pair of heavy flaps they were airborne and climbing through the sunny Canterlot morning.

Author's Note:

This story has been in development hell for far too long. It's intended to be set sometime between Season 6 and Season 7, if you can forgive that. Hope you enjoy.

Comments

[FloydienSlip]

Hey, great to see you're still around!

Strong opening chapter, I'm looking forward to where it goes.

[canehdianbacon]

This is pretty cool. I absolutely loved your Daring Do story. I’ll bite this!

[zimmerwald1915]

8686 has a new story?

Excuse me if I fave before reading.

[TasermonsPartner]

Uhh, why not just ask Ember? She and Spike correspond regularly, and she is the Dragon Lord, so either she knows what's going on, or can order the dragons to tell her, and, if it's hostile, order them to stop.

[_Undefined_]

Between seasons 6 and 7... calibrating... okay, so Ember has just become the dragon lord, but none of her other episodes have happened yet. Roger that.

I'm curious whether this will be part of the same universe as Eclipse and Of Dragons and Horses, Songs and Solace, but I suppose we'll learn the answer to that soon enough.

[OmniFox]

Maybe it's a doomsday thing.

[Csquared08]

Oh man oh man oh man!

Twilight baiting was great. Starlight was great. Luna was great. This is great!

and they’re in another castle.

I think I'm supposed to hate you.

[ponygrad]

The quality of this chapter is pretty amazing. It's all setup and genre character conversations, but has genuinely funny moments, and Spike enjoying being Spike in his tell-tale inner/outer monologue. Best of all, you've given a bunch of reasons to start rooting for him: His legacy as the brave and glorious, his acceptance among ponies, not letting down his friends, his relationship with Twilight, and ofc the his dragon-ness. 6k words of SOL and the equivalent of the pre-theme song setup has no right to be this good.

[AlsoSprachOdin]

What a strange amount of people asking Spike for help.
Spike is the one who has spent the most time among dragons? Seems unlikely that Luna and Celestia wouldn't, in all their centuries ore millenia, have spent more time than Spike around dragons

[Shenzy]

" It's going to be fine "
Famous last words.