Twilight Sparkle and the Unicorn Stone

by Lucasnike123

Chapter 4 - The White Dragon Alley (Part 1)

After the events of the previous night, Twilight and Spike left for the city of Canterlot City, California, to get all the necessary material that she would need for the school year.

Many thoughts raced through Twilight's mind.

Just yesterday, Spike arrived at the old shack on the island, revealing the most shocking piece of information ever given to a girl who just turned eleven.

Not only did he reveal to her that she was a witch, but she would also attend a real wizarding school.

---

Finally, after the long journey, the duo found themselves walking through the streets of Canterlot City, while Twilight read from the list of school supplies that came with the admission letter.

"All students should have... a size two pewter cauldron. And they may also bring... an owl, cat or toad" Twilight read, before looking at Spike in confusion "Will we find this in Canterlot City?".

"Yeah, if you know where to go" Spike answered simply.

Finally, their journey led them to what appeared to be the entrance to a bar on a street corner. As they got closer, Twilight could see a sign above the entrance, which magically appeared before her eyes:

"The Silver Witch"

---

Upon entering the bar, the sound from the interior, which combined music and conversations between various customers talking to each other, filled Twilight's ears.

The owner of the place noticed both of them entering the place, with a smile on his face.

"Oh, Spike, old friend! The usual, I suppose?"

"No, thanks. I'm on official mission for Canterlot High" Spike declined politely "I'm helping my friend Twilight buy her school supplies".

And when the bar owner looked at Twilight, her eyes widened in astonishment.

"It's her?" he gasped "It's Twilight Sparkle!"

Then, at that precise moment, the entire bar went completely silent, while the eyes of all the customers turned curiously to Twilight.

Suddenly, a man came up and shook Twilight's hand.

"Welcome, Miss Sparkle, welcome".

Then an elderly witch came over to shake Twilight's hand as well.

"Doris Crockford, Miss Sparkle" the woman introduced herself "I can't believe she finally met you".

Suddenly, another young witch approached Twilight, causing her to notice two things: the woman had long green hair, covered by a black turban, and her eyes... they seemed like those of a snake.

"T-Twilight S-Sparkle..." the green haired witch stuttered "Y-You don't know how pleased I am to meet you".

Seeing the green-haired witch, Spike smiled.

"Oh hi, professor. I haven't seen her" Spike greeted "Twilight, this is Professor Amanda Chrysallis. She's going to teach you Defense Against the Dark Arts at Canterlot High".

"Oh, my pleasure" Twilight answered.

Twilight held out her hand, offering Chrysallis a handshake...but she, for some strange reason, simply stared at the hand and hesitantly refused to touch it.

"F-Fascinating... my subject, believe me" Chrysallis said "Even though you don't need it, eh, S-Sparkle?"

"Anyway, we have to go" Spike chimed in "There's a lot to buy".

"Bye" Twilight said, saying goodbye to Chrysalis.

However, as Twilight and Spike headed inside the bar... neither of them noticed that Chrysallis was smiling mischievously.

---

Then, Twilight followed Spike to the back room of the bar... where there were only some barrels and a brick wall.

"You see, Twilight? You're famous!" Spike said, with a smile.

"But why am I famous, Spike?" Twilight asked worriedly, as she pointed to the door through which they had entered "All those people in there... how do they know who I am?"

"I don't know if I'm the most appropriate person to tell you that…" Spike admitted.

Then, instead of speaking, Spike tapped his umbrella on an area of the brick wall in a clockwise direction.

And suddenly, before Twilight's eyes, the blocks of the wall magically moved, protruding inside and out…until revealing a hidden, busy street, making Twilight gasp in amazement.

"Welcome, Twilight Sparkle... to the White Dragon Alley" Spike said with a smile.

Twilight grinned as she and Spike slowly walked down the street of White Dragon Alley.

As they walked, in every store there were many varieties of witches and wizards who had come to buy. Amidst the hustle and bustle of people passing by or conducting their business, the screeching and hooting of owls caught Twilight's attention, as she admired the birds perched in her cages.

"Here they buy the quills and the ink" Spike explained, as he pointed to the shops "And there the necessary items to do magic".

Twilight was simply in awe of all the shops around her, as some of the owls and bats watched the passing duo.

As they made their way down the street, Twilight noticed a broom shop, where a group of children huddled around a window displaying a shiny broomstick.

“Wow! Check this out!” spoke a boy in amazement "It's the new Nimbus 3000!"

"It's incredible" another child said "It's the fastest model, isn't that cool?"

At that moment, Twilight realized something important.

"But Spike... how am I going to pay for all this?" Twilight asked. "I don't have any money".

"Your money is there, Twilight" Spike said, as he pointed ahead.

Looking where Spike was pointing, Twilight stared at a huge snow-white building ahead of her. Its structure itself indicated that it was the tallest building of all the other shops in the White Dragon Alley.

"Gringatts, the Bank of Wizards" Spike explained "There is no safer place, not one... except Canterlot High".

---

(Start music in minute 1:12)

As Spike escorted Twilight into the bank, she was able to notice several small, pointy-eared creatures wandering the main lobby, which was lined with desks.

Some of them counted and weighed gold coins, while others recorded information in their ledgers.

"Uh, Spike... what are exactly they?" Twilight asked curiously.

"They're gnomes, Twilight. And smart as anyone" Spike explained "But they're not very friendly... You don't get too far from me, okay?"

Heeding the comment, the duo soon approached the desk at the end of the main lobby, where a bespectacled gnome (who Twilight deduced was the bank's owner) was making records in a huge ledger.

Spike cleared his throat, drawing the gnome's attention, as he looked at him.

"Miss Twilight Sparkle wishes to draw some money" Spike informed.

The gnome peeked out from his desk, looking at Twilight with a slight grimace.

"And does Miss Twilight Sparkle have her key?" he asked.

"Wait, I have it here somewhere..." Spike said, rummaging through his pockets.

The gnome stared at Spike, until he finally pulled out a golden key which he placed on the desk.

“Ha! Here is the key!"

The gnome took the key, just as Spike realized something else.

"Oh, and one more thing…" Spike added, revealing a letter wrapped in string "Professor Celestia gave me this".

Spike handed the letter to the gnome, while he watched closely.

"It's about what-you-know... in the vault... you-know-which..."

Twilight looked at the two of them curiously, wondering what was in the letter and what vault they were talking about.

"Very well..." the gnome nodded "Follow me".

The gnome got down from his desk chair and Twilight and Spike followed him to the inside of the bank.

---

Later, Twilight and Spike found themselves traveling in some kind of mining cart, bound for several meters down, while a gnome, by the name of Grophuuk, was assigned to drive the cart.

During the trip, Twilight noticed that the bank extended underground, to great caverns filled with tunnels and rails that led to hundreds of subterranean vaults.

Finally, the cart came to a stop right in front of the door of one of the vaults.

"Vault 798" Grophuuk declared, as he jumped down from the cart "Light, please".

Spike handed the lantern they had been carrying to the gnome, while Grophuuk led them to the vault door, with Twilight and Spike following close behind.

"Key, please".

Grophuuk returned the lantern to Spike, who then handed over the key, which Grophuuk used to unlock the vault door.

Opening herself up, Twilight couldn't help but make an astonished face when he saw the inside of her vault: a small mountain of gold coins that was at least as high as she was.

A single sight surprised Twilight, who had never expected to see so much gold in his entire life.

"You wouldn't think your parents were going to leave you with nothing, would you?" Spike asked, as he looked at Twilight.

---

Then, Grophuuk escorted the duo down a corridor, until stopping in front of another vault door...which had no lock.

"Vault 824" Grophuuk declared.

"What's inside, Spike?" Twilight asked curiously.

"I can't tell you" Spike replied, with a bit of seriousness in his voice, "It's a Canterlot High business, very secret".

"One step back!" ordered Grophuuk.

Slowly, Grophuuk ran his finger along the surface of the vault door, causing what sounded like multiple padlocks to be heard from the other side being opened.

Finally, the door opened and the interior was revealed to Twilight: a small stone-sized package, wrapped in string, placed in the center of a well-lit podium.

Quickly, Spike took the package from him and stuffed it into his jacket pocket.

"Better not mention this to anyone" Spike advised.

Twilight nods silently, although deep down they can't help but wonder the same thing over and over again in her mind:

What was important about that package?

Author's Note:

Twilight and Spike travel to Canterlot City to buy the necessary school supplies.

But while they are in the bank of Gringatts, Spike takes a mysterious package from Vault 824.

What will be in that package?