Sword, Shield, and Scabbard

by Shadowslash101

Raritys, Demons, and Spirit Guides, Oh My!

Chapter 11

Raritys, Demons, and Spirit Guides, Oh My!

In the mind realm of Spike, the poor baby dragon charged straight into Sugar Cube Corner. Slamming the door behind him, he quickly gathered everything the building, including the kitchen sink to barricade himself inside. He sighed as he heard only silence. Thankfully nopony was home. The Rarity version of Mrs. Cake and maybe Pumpkin Cake had left to do an errand. This made Spike realize something, “Huh…” Spike said as he made a thoughtful gesture, “Everypony here that is a version of Rarity is only female… Why aren’t there any guys around?”

“Hi there!” A dopy voice spooked him from behind. Spike jumped around to see Snips and Snails standing behind him. He screamed, believing that they were Rarity versions, but they weren’t, “What’s got him so spooked?” Snails asked his brother.

“He’s just a little stressed out, Snails,” Snips told him and shuffled over to Spike, who still screamed, “Hey!” Snips waved his arms in the air, “Spike! It’s us!” Spike stopped, took a deep breath, and screamed again, too disturbed to listen. Snips sighed, “You thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’, Snails?”

“No…?” Snails replied with a blank look. Snips then sat back and pounded his hooves together. Snails understood and walked over to Spike and smacked his face, knocking the dragon off balance, “Stop screamin’, ya loony!” Spike quickly came to focus, and sat back up. He saw Snips and Snails with the correct color scheme, like they were the original ones. “Snips? Snails?” Spike said as he stood up, rubbing his cheek, “What are you doing here? And why does my cheek hurt?”

“Never mind the cheek,” Snails told him with a nervous chuckle, “We’re here to give you a hoof!”

“A hoof?” Spike repeated as he put his hands on his hips, “Why would I need help from you guys? You’re both a couple of Sloppy Joes!”

Snails laughed, “I like Sloppy Joes,” He said.

“What’s a Sloppy Joe?” Snips asked his brother.

“I have no idea,” Snails replied with a confused look.

“Anyways, we’re not actually the Snips and Snails you know,” Snips told Spike.

“Oh, really?” Spike raised an eyebrow, curious, “And why’s that?”

“We’re you spirit guides!” Snails replied, crossing his eyes, “We were summoned by your longing for somepony else that wasn’t female!”

“Okay, first: you don’t know that,” Spike told them, “And second: why are you my spirit guides?”

“I have no idea,” Snips answered him, “Maybe it was because we were the first males that came to mind?” He looked at his brother, who only shrugged.

“Don’t look at me,” Snails said, “I’m just here for the free ice cream.”

“’Free ice cream’?” Snips repeated, interested, “Ooo, where?”

“We’re in Sugar Cube Corner, dummy,” Snails replied as he came around the counter, looking for the sweets.

“Oh, yeah!” Snips said as he followed him, “Wonder if they have any cookie dough ice cream!” Spike growled as he followed them behind the counter, grabbing them both by the ears and pulling them away from the sweets.

“Guys, focus!” He told them, “Right now, we need a plan to get away from all these Raritys!”

“We can…shoot you out of a cannon!” Snips shouted.

“No,” Spike replied, indifferently.

“We could…eat some ice cream!” Snails added.

“No,” Spike replied.

“We could…dig a tunnel into Everfree!” Snips shouted.

“No,” Spike replied.

“We could…eat some cupcakes!” Snails shouted.

“No…” Spike told him.

“We could…make some cupcakes!” Snips shouted.

“Double no,” Spike’s eye twitched.

“We could…eat everything in Sugar Cube Corner!” Snails shouted.

“That sounds like a great idea!” Snips jumped, delightfully.

“Guys, focus!” Spike grabbed their attention again, “Why aren’t you focusing!?”

“Because there’s a bunch of free food and this is your mind, so you’re technically dreaming,” Snips explained, “And you can do anything in your dreams, whether it be bad or good! So why not eat all that ice cream?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a second,” He waved his hands for them to slow down, “Did you just say I’m dreaming?”

“Yeah, so?” Snails asked him, not following.

“Why am I dreaming?” He then gasped, remembering what happened to him earlier, “Am I…possessed?”

“Yeah, so?” Snails blinked, still not following.

“Snails!” Snips sighed, “Look, Spike. We were awakened the moment you needed us. We’re here to help you return to your life as a Twilight’s little assistant!”

“But…” Spike said, “Why are you helping me!?”

“Hey!” Snails shouted, looking offended, “We don’t get to choose who we guide either, Mr. Why-are-you-my-spirit-guides.”

“Yeah, Mr. Why-are-you-my-spirit-guides,” Snails added, “And if you don’t want our help, we can just leave you here with the town of Rarity’s that’ll pinch your cheeks off!” Spike cringed at that thought. Not his cheeks!

“Alright, alright!” The baby dragon told them and sighed. He doesn’t have many options right now, and he doesn’t want to endure so much attention from the town-full of Raritys. “I guess I can use your help. What do we do?”

“Well, we have something in mind…” Snips said with a devious little look on his face.

Meanwhile, Helpful and company walked through the unforgiving desert of the Underworld. Sweating and thirsty, each of them was extremely exhausted. “Helpful…” Boltage grabbed his attention, “We… We need to…stop…”

“We can’t stop, Bolt,” Helpful told him, “We have to continue, or we’ll…we’ll get eaten…” Trixie fell onto the ground beside Helpful, too drained of energy to move, or speak, “C’mon, Trix,” Helpful said as he lifted her off the ground, putting her on his back, “We need to move… Water is just on the other side,” Gilda tripped and fell down too, “Boltage. Can you help Gilda, please?” Boltage also fell onto the sands. Helpful sighed, “C’mon, guys,” He said as he lifted Gilda and Bolt onto his back, “We can’t stay here…” He continued his path through the terrain of the Undersands. The heat was unbearable and the weight of his friends wasn’t helping Helpful through this mess. As he climbed the next dune, Boltage slid off his back and rolled down onto the sands below. Helpful cringed as his footing slipped and he fell too, rolling down with the griffin and mare and stopped with Boltage. The falcon winged Pegasus forced himself to sit up; his sweat stinging into his eyes as he stumbled onto his hooves. “We…can’t…stop…” He breathed and pulled Trixie up onto his back; however, his strength was too exhausted to keep this up and Helpful collapsed, “No…” He mumbled, “I can’t…” He looked up to see something in the blurring heat. It looked like a giant monster with somepony riding it, “Fluttershy…” He passed out.

“Your Highness,” An old voice stirred Helpful, “Your Highness, awaken. I have water for you.” The young prince barely forced his eyes to open. As they tried to focus, he could see that he was under shelter of some sort. A pony was beside him, and as his eyes focused, it was Magi! He came to their rescue, and gave them shelter. “Oh, hey, Magi,” Helpful coughed from being extremely thirsty.

“Don’t talk,” Magi told him as he placed a bowl of water at his lips, “Drink, Your Highness.” Helpful moved his hooves to the bowl and chugged the entire consumption of water down. He burped a little, feeling refreshed.

“That hits the spot!” Helpful chuckled as he stretched, sitting back up, “Where’s the others?” He noticed them around him, laying and still sleeping on the floor, “Did you give them water yet, Magi?” Helpful also noticed that they were in an old ball room from some castle. Desert sand scattered all around them and winds gently howled through the broken windows. Were they still in the Undersands? He also noticed a giant scorpion standing in the middle of the room.

“No, Your Highness,” Magi told him, “However, Scorpios has more water.”

“Scorpios?” Helpful asked Magi, confused, “You mean the Desert Star Symbol?” Magi nodded, “Oh, neat! So they’re finally answering us, aren’t they?” He looked over to Scorpios, studying it from a distance.

“So far I know,” Magi answered him with a smile, “I’ll get some more water. Stay here and rest.” Helpful nodded as he watched Magi walk over to Scorpios with the bowl. The sorcerer placed it before the Star Symbol and it hung its stinger over the bowl. Instead of venom, it poured out water from within it, filling the bowl back to the brim. Magi picked it up and gave some to Trixie, who awakened.

“Who…” She said after she drank some of the water, “Who are you?”

“I am Magi,” He told her, “Magi of the Seventh Chain. Don’t worry. You’re safe now.” Trixie smiled as she turned her gaze to Helpful, who smiled back.

“Some Great and Powerful Trixie I am,” She said, sadly, “I’m hardly even magical.”

“Don’t say that,” Helpful told her, “I’m sure you’ve got plenty magic within you. You just haven’t got to see it.” Trixie then smiled as Magi helped the others.

“Trixie thanks you, Helpful,” She told him. Gilda coughed a bit, choking on her water.

“Drink it slowly,” Magi told her, “There’s plenty to go around, young griffon.”

“Whatever,” Gilda said as her breathing calmed.

“So what’re we going to do now, buddy boy?” Boltage asked Helpful, “And who’s this?”

“I am Magi of the Seventh Chain,” Magi answered for himself, “And you are?”

“Boltage,” Boltage replied, “Storm Charger.”

“I am the Great and Powerful Trixie,” Trixie said.

“And I’m Gilda,” The griffon finished for them.

“How did you all become trapped here?” Magi asked them.

“Kronos,” Helpful told Magi, “He’s back, Magi.” Right at the mention of the name, Trixie, for a brief moment, held a worried look, and Boltage noticed. Magi nodded in understanding.

“Yes, I am fully aware of this, Your Highness,” He replied, “And he sent you here to the Underworld as well, correct?”

“Yeah,” Boltage replied, still watching Trix’s facial responses carefully, “I guess so…”

“Same happened to us,” Gilda told them.

“Well, how did you end up in here?” Helpful asked them, “You still haven’t told us that, yet.”

“We were minding our own businesses when Kronos had captured us,” Gilda explained, “He then sent us here.” As they listened, Magi made a thoughtful gesture. The story sounds highly unlikely to happen, especially if Kronos sent them here. He would’ve only killed them on the spot, but why not?

“Well, whatever the reason, I guess we’re all going to stick together now,” Helpful nodded and stood up, feeling refreshed, “Magi. Do you know of a way to cross the sea?” Magi returned from his thoughts.

“Hmm? The sea?” He mumbled, thoughtfully, “We must consult Rigel, the Warden of Arigos…but…I’m afraid convincing him for assistance would be an ordeal…”

“An ordeal?” Boltage asked a little confused, “Why would it would it be so hard?”

“Kronos has taken over Arigos, trapping me inside,” Magi explained, “But I was fortunate enough to be saved by Scorpios. Now titans run the entire prison and we cannot seek his assistance. Perhaps we may even learn the source of the curse.”

“Trixie would like to know what a Star Symbol is,” Trixie said, curious.

“Ah, the Star Symbols,” Magi replied with a delighted smile, “The Star Symbols are the guardians of our world. They send us heroes when times seem bleak and hazy. Usually they are the most unlikely of ponies and they even sometimes try to reject their fate. However, these heroes were respected and what they did to protect was not to be laughed at. Star Symbols are always watching us, providing for us and protecting us. They take many forms,” He placed a hoof on Scorpius, “Such as a great beast, or,” He placed a hoof on his chest, “A normal pony—even your closest friend may be a Star Symbol, and they have fathomless power.”

“And how did you know about this?” Gilda asked him, curious.

“I met them,” He replied, smiling, making Gilda and Trixie exchange looks of confusion.

“Trixie would like to thank you, old stallion, for saving her life,” The unicorn told Magi.

“Well, you’re welcome,” Magi chuckled, “Tell me, young mare, do you now magic?”

“Uhm… Well, you see, Magi…” Trixie mumbled, “Trixie isn’t the best unicorn that can use magic.”

“I see,” Magi said with a thoughtful gesture, “Not to worry, miss,” He jumped onto Scorpios’ hide, “Everypony has a place in this world. You just haven’t found it yet,” He smiled to her, sort of childishly, “Come now, Scorpios! We must keep watch outside while the young prince and his friends recover.” The Star Symbol chatters and scuttles out the ruined ballroom through a huge hole in the wall.

Silence lingered for long moment, until Helpful scooped up the bowl of water gently. “Anypony else thirsty still?” He asked them, curious.

“Trixie is still parched, dear Helpful,” She told him, raising a hoof shakily to help grab his attention.

The Pegasus smiled and walked over to her, but Boltage stood up, “I’ll give it to her,” He told her, taking the bowl from Helpful, “You should go talk to Magi a little more.” Helpful nodded and walked out toward Magi as Boltage gave Trixie the drink.

Magi was sitting on Scorpios’ back, meditating as the sun from above scorched the sands under them. “Ouch!” Helpful yelped as he hopped over to Magi, “Ah…that’s really hot…” He looked at his sore little hooves, wishing that Flutters were here to kiss them.

“Indeed, Your Highness,” Magi replied, still meditating as Helpful sat beside him, “The desert of the Underworld never meets the darkness of night, therefore; the sands will continue to burn endlessly. That’s just how Scorpios loves his habitat, though. He finds it to be comfortable.”

Helpful could feel that the hide of Scorpios was very cold. He felt it gently with a hoof. “How can Scorpios stand this heat and still be so cold?” He asked.

“Excellent question,” Magi replied, “Scorpios’s entire bloodstream is composed of water, which heats and cools at a slow pace. Therefore, he can stand long hours in the sun, but when his blood grows too hot, he finds water and bathes in it until he has cooled himself enough to stand the heat once more.”

“That’s remarkable,” Helpful nodded.

“It’s the wisdom of the Symbols, My Prince,” The old stallion opened his eyes, “Is there something you wish to ask me?”

“Yeah! I was wondering what you knew about Kronos and how he could’ve returned from in-between dimensions.”

“Quite simple,” Magi replied, “Somepony would have opened the portal and awakened him from his deep slumber.”

“Somepony or something?” Helpful asked him, curiously.

“Somepony,” Magi told him, “My vision was quite clear on that.”

Meanwhile, in Spike’s mind, the baby dragon is strapped to a huge red rocket and all around him is several crates-worth of dynamite and fireworks. He wore a green helmet. Snails and Snips were standing before the fireplace, where the launch was taking place. “Heh-heh! Okay!” Snails said, “Here’s what’s gonna happen!” He pulls to him a blackboard and Snails and he began drawing, but they did it so fast that the dust made Spike cough. They finally finished and Spike could they made a stick version of him being launched from the sky and crashing into a bunch of poorly drawn trees. “First we’re gonna launch you from Sugar Cube Corner and you’ll fly into Everfree Forest,” Snails pointed out for Spike, “Then you’re home free!”

“Uh… What happens if I don’t make it?” He asked them.

“Well, we’ll come back again after we get bored of watching you get smothered with raw Rarity love and stuff,” Snips told him with a smile, which didn’t help at all. They all hear a knock at the door.

“Spiky, Wikey?” Rarity’s voice came from the door, “We know you’re in there. Get out now! We just want to kiss your chubby, little cheeks!”

“Wait. Did she say ‘kiss’?” Spike asked with hearts on his eyes and a smile.

“Code: Red! Code: Red!” Snips shouted as he lit the fuse with a matchstick and hid behind the counter.

“We can’t be losin’ him like this!” Snails shouted and they both covered their ears.

“Spiky, Wikey!” Rarity outside shouted at the front of the entire town of Raritys. Their response was an explosion, which launched them all back as Spike flew above through the sky, screaming the entire way. Soon he landed in the forest with a ba-boom. The Raritys all quickly came to and found Sugar Cube Corner in shambles, but at the very center of it all was Snips and Snails, perfectly fine. They both smiled, innocently as they snuck away. The Raritys all growled at them as they snuck off. The two Spirit Guides stopped. “L-look!” Snips tried to reason with them, “We’re all figments of Spike’s imagination, right? So why don’t we all just let bygones be bygones and—run!” Snips dashed off, leaving a puff of smoke shaped like him and it just dissipated. Snails realized what his brother meant. “Hey!” He shouted and dashed off behind him too.

“Get them!” One Rarity shouted and the entire mob of Raritys gave chase.