1. Walk into my parlour
You look so weak and fragile
You seem to drip and sway
But you swept me up
Into your arms,
And carried me away
Judas Priest- Living Bad Dreams
Chapter 1- Walk into my parlour
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It was a bleak and lonely life.
No, she would not even consider it living. It was merely existing, like the rocks and stone that surrounded her. Cold, empty.
She felt a slight pulse from above, and her head lifted, trying to stare through the cavern ceiling to the city beyond. She could feel an upwelling of positive emotion. Something special must have been happening in Canterlot that day. A wedding? A birth?
She neither knew nor cared. She drank it in greedily, savoring every tiny bit of residual emotion she could draw from the ponies above.
Like always, it was enough to sate her hunger, to hold off starvation. But not enough to satisfy. Not enough to fill.
It was never enough…
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Spike was standing on a precipice, at a cross-roads, a point of no return. All metaphorical, of course. In reality, he was standing in a hallway. A door was in front of him, and a key was in his hand. He knew from observation and experience that one unlocked the other.
But it was more than simply a door. It was the door. Whatever was inside, it was the only place left unexplored. The one room in the castle he had never been. Where NOPONY had ever been. For as long as he could remember, the door had always been locked. Only his mother and Cadence had been inside, and they were the only ones who had the keys.
Until now.
Spike looked back and forth from the key to the door. He had always wanted to know what was inside, had grown more and more curious with the passing of time. Now, he could finally see for himself.
Standing on his tiptoes, he stretched his arms upward and managed to fit the key into the lock. He smiled giddily as he imagined all the wonderful things that could be waiting. Piles of gems and gold, or mountains of books, maybe even magical artifacts! Unable to curb his excitement, he turned the key.
The sound of the lock clicking was unexpectedly loud in the empty hallway, and Spike immediately froze, half-expecting his mother to appear and furiously demand to know what he was doing.
As he waited, fearfully listening for any approaching hoofsteps, Spike realized what a big risk he was taking. If somepony caught him doing this, he was going to be in a lot of trouble. He wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place. In fact, his mother had strictly forbidden him from ever setting foot in this hallway. If she found out that he was trying to get the door open…
After a few more minutes passed, he had to remind himself that he needed to hurry. It might not be long before Cadence realized she had dropped the key on her way out. Using both claws, Spike pulled as hard as he could, and the door opened with a screech of rusted hinges.
Slipping inside, Spike pulled the door shut behind him. At least this way, nopony would be able to tell he was inside. He felt bad about sneaking around like this. He didn’t like disobeying his mother but he knew that this might be his only chance, and if he didn’t take it, he would spend the rest of his life wondering and wishing.
“Besides,” he whispered. “I’ll just take a little peek and then leave. It won’t hurt anything.”
Secure in this logic, Spike turned around excitedly, only to stop and stare in confusion.
It was another short hallway, with another door at the end. Walking up to the door, he took hold and pulled.
Locked.
That was just his luck. All that work and worry and he was still locked out! Muttering to himself, he gave the door a hard kick. A bit too hard, as he quickly grabbed his foot in pain. It was only after the throbbing had ceased that he noticed the key he had dropped, and an idea emerged.
Spike didn’t know if the key would work on this door as well. Didn’t every lock have to have a different key? Still, it was his only option. Reaching up, he managed to get the key in. To his relief, the key turned and the door unlocked.
Once again, he passed through and found himself in a hallway. But this one was different. In fact, it wasn’t a hallway at all, but a tunnel! The floor beneath was wet and rough, and the walls dripped with moisture. From the doorway, the passage continued on for several feet before turning off to the right, sloping down in a gentle grade. Spike followed it, his sense of wonder overriding any caution. He knew that this cavern had to be inside the mountain, and that it had to have been dug by somepony. Maybe this tunnel would lead to some ancient temple or shrine, like in the Daring Do books Twilight read to him. Anxious to see where the tunnel led, he hurried on.
The tunnel was dark, even for his dragon eyes. For a minute he worried about becoming lost in the dark, but then he noticed light ahead. At first it was a mild, periwinkle glow, but as he pressed on it became brighter, stronger, until the entire passage was bathed in a flickering blue light.
The tunnel straightened out after a blind corner, and Spike nearly walked into a glowing blue wall. It filled the passageway, blending seamlessly with the uneven stone. Intrigued, he stepped closer.
There was something familiar about it, but he couldn’t quite put his claw on what. Now that he was so close, he could hear it making a faint humming sound, and it looked like the wall pulsed and shimmered every few seconds.
It took him a minute to realize that he had seen this before. Yes. The color, the sounds and the glow, the same things happened whenever his mother cast a spell. Maybe it meant this was her magic.
After further inspection, he found that he could actually see through. He was even more surprised to find that the tunnel did not end at the blue wall. Instead, it opened up into a much larger cavern. Spike could see huge crystal formations, giant columns of rock, and a massive open space that looked big enough for the entire castle to fit inside.
He wondered if he could he get past it. Carefully, he reached out and gave the barrier a light poke. His claw passed through effortlessly. Encouraged by this success, he reached further. Still no resistance. He wondered why the force-field was even there; it wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping him out.
It never occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, the barrier was not supposed to keep him out, but rather to keep something else IN.
He took a step, then another, and then he was through. Almost immediately, his stomach gave a frightful lurch, and his entire body began trembling. He tried to go further, but after less than a dozen paces he felt as though his legs would give out. Now that he was out of the tunnel, the sheer size of this place was overwhelming. He felt as though he were perched on the edge of a vast and infinitely deep pit, and that if he allowed it to draw him in, the cavern would swallow him up entirely. Caught in this momentary panic, he turned quickly and stumbled back towards the tunnel.
He was halfway there when his gait slowed to a halt. Fear dwindling, he sucked in several large breaths of air until his dizziness faded.
If the sight of the cavern had terrified him, his mother’s force-field had done exactly the opposite. Maybe it was his thoughts of the pony who created it, maybe it was the cheerful, warm glow that stood in contrast to the dead gloom around it, but its presence alone was enough ease his mind. As long as it was here, he would be alright. Just like his mother kept him safe, this would keep him from getting lost.
He turned around, and this time, the cave had lost its foreboding presence. As confident as if Celestia were by his side, Spike moved further into the cave, eager to explore, and certain he could find his way home.
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At first she thought she’d imagined it, the first sign that these long years of imprisonment had finally driven her mad.
Then she heard the noise again.
She waited, not quite willing to believe. Eyes wide, ears straining, she peered into the darkness and listened. Seconds passed uneventfully, but there was nothing except the deep, basso-profundo moan of air through the cavern. She sighed. It must have been some latent echo from her own hoofsteps. Just some…
A series of brief, staccato taps rang out. Definitely real, and definitely NOT of her making. Acting on pure reflex, she galloped towards the presumed source. She leapt over chasms, ducked through crawlspaces, frantically seeking whatever, or whoever had stumbled into her prison.
She was getting close. She could hear the fatigue in its breathing, could smell its sweat. And most important of all, she could catch the faintest taste of emotions growing stronger with every step. Curiosity, excitement, and the smallest twinges of fear.
Her pace slackened. She crept slowly now, through a patch of shadows before carefully peering around the last corner. Her eyes widened, mouth watering at the sight: a young dragon, wandering around without a care in the world. As she watched, he lifted a chunk of crystal from the ground, examined it briefly, and popped it into his mouth. The warm, sweet taste of satisfaction joined his other emotions, and she found herself slinking closer.
The rich glow of his life-force called out to her. It was hypnotizing, intoxicating.
She had to have him.
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Spike was having the time of his life. This place was amazing. There were so many nooks and crannies to explore, not to mention the columns and stalagmites perfect for climbing. Best of all, there were crystals everywhere. And they tasted great!
From his perch atop an abandoned mine cart, Spike popped another chunk of crystal into his mouth and sighed happily. After everything he’d seen, it was impossible to understand why this place was forbidden. It was easily the coolest place he had ever been. He felt as if he could stay down here forever, the king of his cavern. It was like its own little world, just for him.
What he didn’t realize was that he was not as alone as he thought.
It started with a sudden chill at the base of his neck. His sense of lazy contentment drained away, replaced by a sense of foreboding and an ephemeral weight on his shoulders.
Something was watching him.
Gripping the wooden lip of the cart, he slowly turned and looked over his shoulder. Nothing but stone and shadows.
*clink*
His eyes snapped down at the sudden sound, and he noticed a tiny pebble bouncing away from where it had struck the cart’s wheel. But rocks didn’t move by themselves. It looked like it had come rolling out of the shadows to his left. Almost like…
…like somepony had kicked it…
Spike’s mouth had gone completely dry. Trying to move as slowly as possible, he climbed down from the cart, his eyes sweeping nervously through the darkness.
“Hello,” he called nervously. “Is anypony there?”
The cavern swallowed up his words, and the following silence felt ominous and foreboding. Now, every shadow seemed filled with unseen danger.
He noticed them out of the corner of his eye, a tiny smidge of color in the black. Looking closer, he could see they were two bright pinpoints of green light. Despite his fear, Spike found that he couldn’t help but stare into them. They were brilliant and beautiful, like emeralds in sunlight, and it almost felt as if he recognized them somehow. The longer he looked, the more he felt a strange relaxation come over him, like he was being wrapped in a warm, tight blanket.
Then the lights disappeared, and he snapped out of the trance. He blinked, and then looked around in confusion. What had happened? Where had they gone?
Then he saw that they had moved. Now they were off to his left… and several feet closer.
They disappeared again.
His fear returned, but magnified tenfold. He looked back the way he had come, and saw the blue glow of the force-field.
It looked small, and very, very far away.
Before he could take a step towards it, he noticed that one of the shadows looked like it was quivering. Like it was approaching him. His breath caught in his throat. It wasn’t the shadow moving… but something hidden INSIDE it.
Then, less than a foot to his right, there was a flash of green. The lights appeared with the sudden intensity of a lightning bolt. Spike drew in a harsh, painful breath, and then ran. In his panic, he hadn’t even noticed which direction he took. His one and only thought was that he had to get away.
Sounds seemed to come from every direction, the echoes of his feet and his gasping breaths building and blending until he half-believed that an entire crowd of monsters was snapping at his heels. As he continued running, his fear grew into panic. No matter where he looked, he could no longer see the force-field.
He was panting heavily. His legs were on fire, and he knew that he couldn’t run much further.
And that feeling of being watched was only getting worse.
He didn’t want to turn back, but some compulsion made him risk a glance over his shoulder, certain that he would be staring directly into a wide mouth full of teeth. But before he could turn his head, he tripped over a raised lip of stone.
He hit the ground and rolled to a stop. He lay there for what felt like hours, too scared to even move. He squeezed his eyes shut and hoped that this would all go away, that he would wake up safe and sound, his mother by his side and sunlight pouring through the windows.
But the ground beneath remained cold and hard, and he finally looked up.
Those green lights loomed over him, glowing like two verdant moons in a starless sky. Gazing into them, he could once again feel a hypnotic sense of calmness settling over his body even as his mind raced in terror. He wanted to run, but his limbs felt numbed. He could only lay still and watch.
The lights vanished for the briefest of moments and reappeared, shifting ever so slightly. Spike’s insides turned to jelly as he finally realized what those lights were, and what they reminded him of.
A couple years back, his mother had taken him to the Canterlot Zoo. One of the animals living there was a timberwolf, a predatory beast from someplace called the Everfree Forest. Spike had been terrified, clutching his mother’s foreleg and trying to hide as it stared at him from the other side of the cage. Its eyes had locked with his own, and he had been unable to tear his gaze away.
These lights, no, these eyes looked exactly the same. They seemed to pin him to the spot, unblinkingly following his every move. Just like with the timberwolf, he knew what the owner of these eyes was thinking:
I’m going to eat you.
But now he was alone, and there were no bars between him and whatever stood in the darkness. The eyes leaned in closer, and Spike knew that this was the end. Screaming aloud, he rolled onto his back, one claw in front of his face in a useless effort to ward it off whenever it charged.
But instead of a bloodthirsty roar, laughter rang out from the shadows. Bewilderment replaced fear after hearing such an unexpectedly non-threatening sound, and Spike found himself warily cracking an eye open.
The eyes were still there, but their glow seemed less threatening somehow. In fact, they almost looked… happy?
They tilted to the side, as if their owner was cocking its head. “What’s the matter,” a light and decidedly female voice asked. “Why are you afraid? You were so happy before.”
Spike lowered his claw. Now he was really confused. It talked? Monsters didn’t talk… did they? The tiniest bit of hope blossomed in his chest. If this creature could talk, then maybe that meant it could think, too! And if it could think, maybe he could convince it NOT to eat him!
“My, what a rude little boy you are,” the voice’s chiding tone broke through his thoughts. “First you run away when I’m trying to say hello, and then you ignore me when I ask you a question?”
“Oh! I, uh, I’m sorry, um, miss,” Spike apologized quickly. He still didn’t know what this creature wanted, or even what it was, but he certainly didn’t want to anger it. “What… what was the question again?”
Another chuckle from the darkness. Despite his nervousness, Spike couldn’t deny that the creature had a very nice voice.
“I asked,” it repeated, “why you were so afraid?”
Spike flinched, half in embarrassment and half in dread of how the creature would react to his reason. “I… I didn’t think anypony was down here,” he explained. “And then I saw your eyes and they scared me. I… thought you might be a monster.”
“A monster, hmm?” The voice was softer now, and he could imagine it grinning as it spoke. “And is that still what you think?”
“Um, I don’t really know yet,” he said, praying that this was the right answer. “Could, could you please come out so I can see you better?”
There was a soft hissing sound, like somepony breathing in through their teeth. “Well, how can I refuse such a sweet request?”
A long, ebony foreleg slid out of the darkness, and Spike let out a sigh of relief. The limb might have been oddly thin, and there may have been some… holes… above the hoof, but it definitely looked like it belonged to a pony. And with a coat that dark, it made sense that only her eyes would be visible in the shadows.
Another leg appeared, touching down on the stone with a dainty click. As the pony’s features came into view, Spike found himself in awe. She was very, very tall. Much bigger than Twilight, or even Cadence. In fact, she might even be as tall as his mother… and she was huge!
As the creature came into view, Spike took a step back, his mouth hanging open. He knew it was impolite, but he couldn’t keep from staring.
The pony’s thin, delicate face was framed by a dark aquamarine mane. Her eyes glittered in amusement, a reserved smile on her lips. A horn protruded from her forehead, though it curved and twisted back and forth. She was wearing some kind of bright green cloth that covered her back and seemed to be strapped or belted across her stomach. And most amazing of all, fluttering ever so slightly, was the strangest pair of wings he had ever laid eyes on.
Spike was amazed. She was an alicorn. At least, he thought so. With her coat dirty and her mane looking as though it hadn’t been washed in ages, she seemed untamed and out of place, like some wildflower that had taken root in his mother’s garden. There was also something about the way she stood and walked, her head up high, chin slightly lifted, she carried herself in the same regal way as his mother.
He wondered just who she was, and what she was doing in a place like this.
“So? What have you decided?” She smiled, and he could see that her teeth were sharp and pointed.
“Am I a monster?”
Spike didn’t know what to say; he still wasn’t sure WHAT she was. She definitely didn’t look like any other pony he’d met… but different didn’t mean bad, did it? Twilight was always telling him that you can’t judge books by their covers, so maybe you couldn’t judge ponies by their looks?
“No way, you’re too nice to be a monster! You’re more like a… well…”
His eyes flicked back to her horn.
“You’re like a twisted pony,” he exclaimed, proud of himself for coming up with the name.
“And you’re certainly not afraid of twisted ponies, are you?”
He shook his head, feeling ashamed of the way he ran off before.
“I’m glad,” she said as her grin stretched wider. “Fear has such an unpleasant taste…”
He wanted to ask what she meant, but she was already stepping closer. She leaned over him and inhaled deeply, like she was sniffing a bouquet of flowers.
“What is your name, little dragon?”
He couldn’t help but feel nervous at how close she was. “I, I’m Spike,” he managed to say.
“Spi~iiiiike,” she repeated. He saw a flash of pink as her tongue darted out to lick the top of her lips. “What a lovely name…”
He took a step backwards, not liking the way she had begun to act. “Why are you looking at me like that,” he asked.
“Oh, you’ll have to excuse me,” she said, not sounding the least bit sorry. “I’m just savoring the moment. You see, you’re the first living creature I’ve seen in a very long time.”
“You mean you’re all by yourself down here,” Spike asked in amazement. “No friends, or family, or neighbors or anything?!”
The twisted pony froze, and her smile drooped into a frown. “Yes,” she said, obviously not liking his question.
“But doesn’t that get lonely?”
It was like a warm summer’s day flash-freezing into the dead of winter. Her gaze darkened, and a bitter scowl set over her face.
“Oh course it does,” she hissed, causing him to flinch. “It’s lonelier than a fool like yourself could possibly imagine! Wasting away in this dark, frigid cavern, nobody knowing or caring whether I lived or died, going mad from the silence and the emptiness and the despair!”
“But… t... then why don’t… why don’t you just leave?”
That had obviously been the wrong thing to ask. Her eyes seemed to blaze, and her teeth were clenched so hard he imagined her jaw aching.
“You little idiot! Don’t you think I would if I could?! Don’t you think I want to feel the wind in my mane, or the sun on my face?” Her voice was trembling now, and he could see tears beading in her eyes.
She sank to the ground and turned her head away, eyes squeezed shut. “Even this is something I’d dreamed of, just speaking to someone else, ANYONE else, instead of listening to the echoes of my own voice. But what good is it? Once you’re gone, I’ll be right back where I started! Forsaken, forgotten, alone!”
Spike felt terrible. As angry as the twisted pony had been, he could tell that she was upset because of all the insensitive things he had asked. She’d been so happy before, and then he’d gone and ruined everything.
Not knowing what else to do, he tried to help in the only way he knew how.
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Chrysalis was furious at herself. Imagine: the queen of the changelings reduced to tears because of one infantile question! But no matter how hard she tried she could not get his words out of her head, and she wondered if she’d even be able to enjoy this meal, knowing that another might never arrive.
But then something warm pressed against her chest, and two short arms tried to wrap around her neck. Her eyes shot open, and she looked down to see Spike hugging her for all he was worth. He looked up into her shocked face and smiled weakly.
“I’m sorry I said those things,” he whispered, burying his face in her coat. “Please don’t be sad anymore…”
She gasped as his life-force began to flow into her. Something like a jolt of electricity ran through her chest and spread through her body like wildfire. Her head spun from the rush of energy as nerves and muscles tingled from the unfamiliar sustenance.
And the taste, oh the taste! The flavors of concern and friendly affection were delicious beyond compare. Every other thought and desire was swept aside.
She needed more.
Reaching out with one trembling foreleg, she looped it gently around Spike’s body. The added contact served to draw even more of his energy into her, and she shuddered in ecstasy. A small burst of relief mingled with the other emotions; he must have been glad to have the hug returned.
The presence of a third emotion was too much. Chrysalis was becoming ravenous, desperate. Twining another leg around him, she pulled Spike firmly against her and rested her head atop his own. Then she began to eat, no longer allowing his life-force to come to her, but drawing it away forcefully. The rush of energy doubled, then tripled, and she moaned aloud as her long hunger ended.
Spike’s arms fell away from her neck, and he tottered unsteadily on his legs. She held him upright and continued her feeding, paying no mind to his increasingly shallow breaths or the overpowering bitterness of his fear.
“Please…” she heard him whimper. “It… hurts…”
She ignored his pleas, drinking long and deep even as his struggles weakened. She had waited too long, starved for too long. She deserved this.
Then his body gave a sudden, violent lurch. The rich mixture of emotions vanished immediately, coalescing into a dull blandness as the baby dragon sagged lifelessly. She pulled her head back and looked him over. She felt… disappointed. She had known, even expected his emotions to cease when he lost consciousness, but damn it, she had hoped he would last longer than this. It must have been because of his age, he had yet to develop the same endurance as a full-grown stallion.
And now, his limit had been reached. Those wonderful emotions were gone, leaving his life-force raw and flat.
She groaned in displeasure at the prospect of choking down that vile tastelessness. After what she had just tasted, the very thought was enough to make her stomach churn. But it had to be done; she was still weak, still hungry, and she couldn’t afford to be picky.
She was just leaning down to finish him off when she felt him weakly stirring against her chest. She paused in surprise. That had never happened before. Normally, the victim of such an aggressive and prolonged feeding would have been rendered irreversibly comatose. Perhaps dragons were simply more resilient?
An idea suddenly formed in her head. This could work perfectly. If her meal had not permanently damaged him, then he would likely make a full recovery. Then she would be able to feed off of him again, and again, until maybe one day she was strong enough to break free. To take her revenge…
But how could she keep him? Chrysalis gave him another glance. He certainly wasn’t strong enough to overpower her, but keeping him captive was not a viable option. The inevitable negative emotions would make for terrible dining. And that was if he’d even be capable of surviving in her prison.
But if she didn’t keep him there… that only left her one option.
It was hazardous. It was risky. It was cruel and selfish in the extreme. But her entire future might lay with this baby dragon. She had to try.
Lying back over the hard stone, Chrysalis gently placed Spike against her side and settled down to plan her strategy. There would be no room for mistakes. An excellent actress she might be, but she hadn’t manipulated another creature in a long time. She could only hope her skill hadn’t gone rusty.
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The first thing Spike was aware of was the soreness of his body. Every muscle ached, every scale felt raw and tender as if they had just been shed, and his head throbbed with the type of migraine usually reserved for veteran drunkards or kindergarten teachers.
There was something warm against his back; he could hear the soft sounds of breathing. He sighed happily and tried to nuzzle deeper into the coat, smiling as a hoof reached up to stroke his cheek.
Then he realized that something felt wrong. His mother’s coat didn’t feel like it normally did. No, it felt rough and coarse, like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. He opened his eyes, but it wasn’t ivory fur that filled his vision.
It was pitch black.
Spike yelled in alarm and tried to push himself away, only for pain to explode in his skull. Through the pounding headache, he realized that something was holding him, and he kicked and scratched blindly.
“Shh… calm down, Spike,” a voice whispered soothingly into his ear. “Everything’s alright. You’re safe. It’s me, the twisted pony, remember?”
He did remember. He blinked several times, his vision blurring in and out before finally snapping back into focus. He was about to look up when he remembered how angry his words had made her. What if she was still upset?
“Spike? Look at me, please?”
He finally met her gaze, and any worries vanished. Her eyes held nothing but concern, and she gave him a warm, almost motherly smile.
“I’m glad to see you’re alright,” she said. “You gave me quite a scare when you passed out.”
“I… did?” Now he was confused. The last thing he remembered was her returning his hug, but then his chest kept getting tighter and tighter until he couldn’t breathe, and then-
“I’m afraid so. I’m guessing you nearly exhausted yourself before I found you, and then ran yourself ragged when you thought I was some kind of monster,” she said guiltily.
His spirits fell. First he had insulted her by running away, then he had upset her by asking stupid questions, and now he’d forced her to worry and take care of him while he slept! He felt like the worst person in the world.
“I’m sorry.” It was the only thing he could think to say, but when the twisted pony looked down at him in confusion, he decided to press on.
“For everything. For being so mean, and making you sad, and for hurting you,” he mumbled, pointing at the shallow cuts in her legs.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “They’ll go away after awhile. But what about you? How are YOU feeling?”
Spike failed to notice how raptly she was staring at him, or the way her tone had shifted from concern into curiosity. “I’m okay, I guess. I feel all achy, but not real bad.”
“Perfect,” she whispered to herself.
He wondered what she meant by that, but before he could ask, Spike found himself magically lifted into the air and set onto the twisted pony’s back. He squeaked in alarm and threw both arms around her neck, trying not to kick her wings as he fought for balance.
“What are you doing,” he asked.
The twisted pony threw a grin over her shoulder. “You were out for quite awhile, silly. You probably need to be getting out of here and back home.”
He gasped and instinctively looked up to try and see the position of his mother’s sun. What time was it? How long had he been asleep? Oh no, his mother was going to kill him!
Seeing his look of fear, the twisted pony laughed and shook her head. “Let me guess, you’re just realizing that you’ve probably stayed here a bit too long, and somepony up there,” she nudged her head towards the ceiling, “will be none too happy with you?”
“Yes!” His heart was racing. “I’m not even supposed to be down here!”
“Well, we can’t have you getting in trouble,” she said. “So how about I take you back to the entrance?”
Spike couldn’t believe his luck. “Really? You know the way, and you’ll take me?”
“Of course! That’s what friends are for,” she said, just a bit too sweetly. “And we are friends… aren’t we?”
He nodded quickly. “Yea, you bet!”
“Then let’s get going.” Turning on her hoof, she broke into a light canter down the tunnel. As she carried him through a number of seemingly random passageways, Spike was glad that she knew where they were going. He felt very lucky to have met her.
They talked the entire way. The twisted pony asked him all sorts of questions. What season was it outside? Had the sun been shining, or were there lots of clouds? Was there some kind of party going on earlier in the day? Spike was happy to answer, and when she ran out of questions, he began telling her about himself. She was delighted to listen, and no matter what he spoke about, the places he liked to visit, the gems he ate for breakfast, even the schoolwork he had done, she gave her full attention.
Strangely, she froze in her tracks when he mentioned that his mother was the princess. The tense silence had only lasted a second before she cheerfully teased him about being royalty and continued on, but Spike still felt like he had missed something important.
Before he had time to dwell on the matter, he caught a glimpse of blue light, and his spirits lifted as the magical force-field came into view. He could barely keep from leaping to the ground and running the last few feet. Instead, he waited anxiously until the twisted pony came to a stop, then slid off her back and happily wrapped his arms around her leg.
“Thank you! For everything! I mean, for bringing me here, and taking care of me, and being so nice, and-”
“Anything for a friend,” she crooned, running a hoof over his back. He heard her draw in a long, shaky breath. “I’m guessing you want to get back to your mother, right?”
“Yeah, I need to get out of here before she catches me,” he agreed. His eyes lit up, and he began pulling at her leg. “You should come too! I’ll bet she’d love to meet you.”
He missed the bitter scowl that passed over her face. “Oh, how I wish I could. But you see, Spike, this magic keeps me from leaving. I can’t go with you.”
His face fell, and he remembered how mad she had been when he asked why she didn’t leave before. “You mean, you’re stuck here? Forever?”
“Yes,” she said, and the despair in her voice was genuine. “So this is where we’ll have to say goodbye. It… it was nice meeting you. You’re the first friend I’ve ever had.”
She turned half-away and hid her face in her mane. He could see a few tears fall to the ground.
“Just… don’t forget me, okay?”
Spike could only stand there and gape. He almost couldn’t believe it. She had to be down here, alone, all the time? Nopony to talk to her, or give her hugs, or wish her a happy birthday? His eyes flicked to the scabbed cuts on her legs. Nopony to kiss her better when she got hurt, or take her temperature when she was sick?
It just wasn’t fair! Everypony needed friends, especially a nice, caring mare like the twisted pony. He didn’t understand why she was down here, or what his mother’s magic had to do with it. All he knew was that she needed him, and in the spur of the moment, he made a decision that would one day change the world.
He stepped forwards and carefully turned her face towards him. “Don’t worry, I won’t forget you, ‘cause I won’t be able to! I’ll come back and see you every day, and we’ll have lots of fun, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know!”
She beamed at him. “Really? Oh, Spike, do you mean it? You won’t let me be lonely anymore?”
He shook his head proudly, and she threw both forelegs around him and shot into the air. They swooped through the cavern, making loops and rolls as the twisted pony cheered. Spike laughed as well, trying to ignore the sudden return of the painful tightening in his chest. It was probably just from the rush of flying…
Finally, they settled back to the ground, and the twisted pony released him.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
He grinned and repeated her earlier words. “Anything for a friend.”
She nudged him towards the force-field. “You’d better get going.” Her smile gained a measure of uncertainty. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Of course,” he said, giving her one last hug before scampering towards the exit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was the hardest thing she had ever done, letting him go. Every instinct, every fiber of her being told her to catch him, to pull him back before he escaped her forever. She held off, knowing that it would take a gentle, subtle touch for this plan to succeed.
He turned back once as the tunnel curved out of sight. He waved back at her, and she returned the gesture, not caring that her friendly mask had slipped into an almost predatory leer. For the first time in so many years, she allowed herself to feel hope. Fortune was smiling on her, and it had delivered a wonderful gift.
The key to her survival, to her freedom, to her revenge, all in the trusting innocence of her enemy’s own son.
She grinned into the darkness. “Oh, Celestia, you really should keep a closer eye on your children.”
“Spike… you’re mine,” she promised.
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This fic can only lead to greatness.
Pre-liked, will read later~
as I have said on FanFiction: as long as the story's secret is what I hope it is, I would love to read it to the end
Ooooo I like this story. Now I will wait for more.
This story is amazing. I absolutely love the detail and the concept. And is that a reference to the Spider and the Fly I see in the chapter title?
I love this. Keep up the good work. I'll be tracking this.
Mein gutt, new Crosis story!
"Said the spider to the fly."
2181104
It is indeed. This particular story was initially inspired by the Tony DiTerlizzi version of that story, and I immediately drew a parallel between Chrysalis and the spider as these charming, silver-tongued devils.
2181568
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you thought my portrayal of Chrysalis' feeding was unique. I felt like it was shown in a very one-dimensional way in the show, and wanted to show it in a more multifaceted light. Residual emotion provides the barest of nutrients, or physical contact creating a slow and harmless drain.
As for your last point, this story takes place several years before the pilot episode, and Spike is meant to be much younger and more naive than he is portrayed on the show. It takes place before he moves in with Twilight, and I feel like Celestia would be a very sheltering parent, hence his timidity.
moar
I always waited someone to make a SpikeXChrysalis fic... and now this! INSTA FAVED N LIKE!
It was good, very good in fact. I just hope that Chrysalis would lighten up soon. I am feeling like this a one side love to me though.
Insta fave and like
2180949im with you on that!
The last line of the description basically says, "Once you go black, you never go back."
Just sayian.
Oh this fic has promise.
The sweet innocence of the young dragon,
And the cold desperation of the queen of the changelings.
I just set up a account to say this is the first fic i have evar read and it is epic. :D also when will you release more?
This fic is pretty damn amazing. Faved!
Is spike the same age as he is in the show or is he bigger and older like in ss2sonic's artwork, I hope he's older
2182563
Probably is, though, as this isnt the first Spike X Chrysalis story I have read.
No Tragedy Spike x Chrysalis? Do want, do want.
Is this an anthropomorphied fic? Because I know that they're anthropomorphic on the cover!
faved and liked
my only question is, how long until Chrysalis falls for our swagon dragon?
Celestia is Spike's mother????
Dafuq?
Oh, no. This doesn't bode well at all for Spike. Yes, he might get caught by Twilight, Cadence, and his mother Princess Celestia, and scolded, but that does not compare to what Chrysalis has in store for him. Oh, gosh, I feel for Spike, and he is blind to Chrysalis' mind games and manipulation
. Liking this fimfic, please continue with it. 
2182563
As of chapter 1, Spike is quite a bit younger than he is portrayed in the show or the picture, as the story begins several years before the pilot episode.
2182673
It is not an anthro story I'm afraid, but that picture is probably the best Spike/Chrys picture I've seen, so it was the one to be used.
2182688
*boggles* I'm gonna get this question in every story, aren't I?
2182688 His adoptive mother, which matches what Faust herself has said on the matter.
2182730 please tell me he this story will progress the point where he does grow up? The idea of a baby dragon and the queen might not bold well, this story might get more attention if spike was a teenager
Ok, major plot hole time!
1. How does Spike even know about this mysterious door and why has he never simply asked anypony about it? You'd think they'd have given him a warning.
2. Why does the door have no magical warning system whatsoever in case unauthorized ponies/creatures try to enter? Remember, Celestia can make a ward that only an alicorn or Discord can break.
3. Why does Cadance carry the key around with her? When she dropped the key, how did Spike even know it was for this door?
4. They use the same key for two different doors? Why even have the other door? The force field is the only real barrier to Chrysalis. The other door makes no sense.
5. A force field that anything from the outside can enter? Not very bright.
6. They never think to check in on Chrysalis to see what she's doing? Remember, they obviously have no magical intruder alarms. Given that other changelings could try to infiltrate, or changeling-controlled ponies, this is an incredibly stupid oversight.
This entire set up is a very contrived mechanism for mere plot convenience.
2182754
Makes sense (sort of)
(Not really)
2182893 She's the one who raised him, it's not like his biological mother was around.
2182908
But didn't Twilight raise him?
2181697 Then is there some way you could edit the chapter somewhere to reflect it? I thought for forever that he was referring to Twilight, not Celestia as his mother, and yeah, he DID seem a little naive from what we've seen in the show. I mean, it makes sense NOW, but we the readers shouldn't have to be told by a comment outside of the fic to know how old he is and stuff. That's something you need to edit in or find some way to address without really changing much of the first chapter. Just a sentence or two would help, like how his mother was in the middle of a lesson with that purple pony again, or something. Just something to think about adding...
Stop questioning the plot contrivances grasshopperherder.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/manbehind-1.jpg
“Oh course it does,”
*Of
2182771
I was just about to read the story, but your comment really put me off. If it has that many plot holes, then it doesn't seem that appetizing, admittedly.
I apologize, author. I am a fan of Spike shipfic stories, and I love the fact that you got featured!
Also, the critical comment I am replying to should not be deleted. A good author can handle criticism and trusts the reader to enjoy an experience no matter what anyone drawls out.
Have a wonderful time with the story, my friend! I am sure you will do well! :)
*Reading* Mmmhmmm...
*Keep Reading* ...
*Stopped Reading about halfway* Really?
This thing is... Reminding me of the Depths Of Despair in a really.... Really horrible way...
Enough Patapons today. Need sleep I guess.
2182771
All valid points. I'll do what I can to address each in turn:
1. Spike had been told by Celestia to stay away from the door, but not the reason why. Now, this might seem to be a blunder on Celestia's part, not explaining further, but being that she's been the kingdom's ruler for several uninterrupted centuries, she's so used to ponies following her instructions that she felt like any further information was unnecessary.
2. I'll admit that I hadn't considered any subtle magical defenses to go along with it, but looking at Celestia's track record, is their absence that implausible? She left the Elements of Harmony sitting in the those ruins for god knows how long with no safeguards whatsoever. She propped Discord up as a lawn ornament where any random passerby could get into an argument and accidentally bust him out.
3. That section was cut from the final draft. The prologue had originally featured more of a play-by-play history, detailing how Spike learned of the door, made the connection that the two alicorns were able to get in, and made several attempts himself before lucking out and getting the key. I wasn't able to get the section to work in a way that didn't feel like overt exposition though. To be honest (and this may be the root cause of any and all problems with that first section) my primary focus with this chapter was Spike's meeting with Chrysalis, and not the exact logistics of how he got down there.
4. Admittedly, the second door is completely superfluous. Looking back, I think it was just an oversight on my part that I'll need to correct.
5 and 6. Going back to #2, routine breeds complacency. One thing I'd planned to touch on in the future (can't fit everything into one chapter) is how Celestia gradually slackened her vigil on the prison. Originally, that checkpoint hallway was guarded. Originally, that barrier was impassible from either side. Originally, she had gone to check on Chrysalis regularly, etc. But as time goes by, the sentries are moved to more pertinent tasks. The barrier's magical cost is lessened by altering it to only affect her, and after so many years pass without incident, the danger loses its strength.
Ah, Krosis...
2183171
You make a good point. I'll see what I can do.
2183559
Hmm, not familiar with Depths of Despair or Patapons, unfortunately. Guessing any resemblance is a bad thing though?
2183302
Saddens me that you decided not to give it a try, but understandable if the review made such an impact. I do have to admit I'm a bit puzzled by that last comment about not deleting the critique, as I've never done such a thing in the past or plan to in the future.
Didn't realize that Chrysalis was such a masochist.
Oh my gosh. That fic read itself. It was interesting, well conceived, had just the right amount of detail to let you know what was happening but still gave some room for creative interpretations, and the pacing was exquisite. The details of the story were spot on; everything flowed together perfectly and left nothing to be desired… well, except more. The technical nuts and bolts like grammar and word choice were perfect as well. You obviously put a lot of time and thought into this and it really shows. Good job with everything. Liked, faved and followed.
Oh, Chrysalis, I now know exactly how you feel. This one fic was absolutely decadent; it satisfied my hunger for good fics and yet at the same time… all I want is more.
2182940 How much was Twilight and how much Celestia is not really covered in the show. Lauren Faust has said that it was largely, if not almost totally, Celestia.
Considering how old Twilight was when Spike was hatched, it is safe to assume that Celestia was the primary maternal figure early on. For the purposes of a fanfic, a writer would be safe in having Spike consider Celestia 'mother', this would still work even if he also sees Twilight as a mother figure.
2182940
Nah, Celestia did. What responsible monarch would put a small child in charge of a newborn? Spike eventually became Twilight's assistant (and thus, Twilight became more or less his guardian), but no alicorn in their right mind would put a child in charge of the midnight feedings and diaper changes, or Spike's early socialization.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p9pdkrlbdEQ/TuzWx4TMp6I/AAAAAAAAYRc/Il3Vi4pxN3k/s1600/Capture.PNG
2183779 2183834
Both makes sense
2183588 Having two doors that work with the same key can make sense:
The outer door is mostly cosmetic, it has to look good and can't have any high power magic radiating from it.
The inner door is the strong one, being hidden it does not have to look like anything but a strong door and being set back there are fewer concerns with any magical protections having interactions with passing unicorns.
Both doors would need to be locked, (the outer to avoid incidental opening, the inner to actually keep people from going through it), but there would be little reason to have they keys be different.