Chapter 4: Dark Keep of the Demon Pony

The gang continues on their way to the dark castle, walking through a field as the sun is preparing to set. Spike moves a branch and unknowingly hits Pinkie with it, knocking her down. The pink pony recovers and follows her friends as a song begins.

I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
Uh-huh,uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh

The gang stops for the night to sleep under the nearly full moon, sleeping whatever they wish to sleep.

I'm on my way from misery to happiness today
Uh-huh,uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh

When the next morning came, Spike works on putting the fire out, but he screams and almost burn himself. While Twilight and Lorcan works on putting him out, Rainbow uses a rain cloud to get rid of the fire herself.

And everything that you receive up yonder
Is what you give to me the day I wander
I'm on my way
I'm on my way
I'm on my way

It took a while but the gang arrives at the bottom of the volcano where the castle is at. Rarity is obviously waiting for a rescue at the top.

As the heroes got near, Pinkie yelps a bit, smelling something while covering her snout, saying, "Awww, Spike! Did you do that?! Geez, warn somepony when you crack one off! My mouth was opened and all that!"

"Pinkie, I don't think that was Spike." Twilight said in concern.

"She's right. Believe me, if it was me, you'd all be dead." Spike points out to Spike. He sniffs the air, nodding, "Right, brimstone. We are obviously getting close."

As the gang moves on, Rainbow rolls her eyes, saying, "Right, right. Brimstone, don't talk about any brimstone. I mean, I know what Pinkie smell and it ain't any brimstone, come off no stone either."

"Cool it, sugar cube." Applejack snaps to Rainbow as the gang begins climbing/flying up the mountain. "Geez, yew would've thunk they'd installed stairs in 'dis place."

It took a while but the gang arrives on top of the volcano. They peek and saw at what is a piece of rock in the center of it. It has a castle surrounded by boiling lava...and looks dark and creepy.

"Oh...my," Fluttershy squeaks a bit, getting frightened.

"Eh, big enough, but check out the location." Lorcan laughs a bit, making Spike chuckle a bit.

"Right, good one, brother, yeah," Spike chuckled. The gang moves on to the bridge that leads to the skeleton. Pinkie and Fluttershy looks frightened, fearing the worst from this place.

Pinkie, seeing a skeleton, yelps and runs to Spike, asking, "Err, Spike? Remember when you mentioned how Dragons have layers?"

"Sure, I do."

"Uh...I got a little confession to make. Us ponies; we don't havet layers. We of course wear our fear right out there on our sleeves!"

"Uh, sleeves?" Lorcan asks Pinkie skeptically.

"Pinkie, we don't have sleeves." Rainbow reminds Pinkie with a frown.

"Dashie, you know what I mean." Pinkie said with a frown. It means that she's getting scared right now.

"Right, I don't got sleeves either." Fluttershy said, scared.

"Don't tell me you and Pinkie is scared of heights." Spike remarks to the two scared ponies in disbelief.

"Nah; Just uncomfortable about being on a rickety bridge over a boiling lake of lava," Pinkie exclaims as she and Fluttershy looks down the edge into the lava zone.

"Pinkie, Fluttershy, this is no time to be scared." Twilight said to Pinkie and Fluttershy with a sigh. "I'm scared too but we got to get in there and rescue Rarity."

"I know, but..." Fluttershy said meekly, getting more frightened.

"It's okay. Look, we are right here besides you two."

"Right, for emotional support," Spike said with a nod, patting Pinkie and Fluttershy on the backs each, assuring them that it will be fine. "We will tackle this thing together, one little baby step at a time."

"Really," Pinkie ask Spike hopefully.

"Really, really. Right, Lorcan?"

"Sure, no problem," Lorcan remarks, glancing down at the lava, "Just as long as we don't fall in or worst, we will be fine."

"Okay, that makes me feel so much better." Rainbow remarks sarcastically to Lorcan. His words of encouragement don't sound so 'encouraging' at all.

"Well, you, Twilight and Fluttershy can fly! The rest of us can't!"

"Well, me and Twilight, yes. Fluttershy is a bit scared to do some flying."

"Yes, it's true." Fluttershy said meekly. With this so much danger to deal with, flying is the least on her mind right now.

As Twilight and Rainbow fly across the lava, the rest goes onto the bridge. Pinkie begins leading them across. Spike calls out, "Just moving and no matter what, don't anyone look down."

Pinkie and Fluttershy gave nervous nods as they begin trotting in baby steps. The former mumbles, "Okay, try not to look down. Don't look down, me and Fluttershy. Don't look down and keep moving. Don't look..."

However Fluttershy ends up stepping on a rotten board, causing her to move back a little as it broke off, falling into the lava. The Pegasus pony screams in terror, "Eeep! I'm looking down! Oh, Celestia! I can't do this, let me off!"

"Come on, you're there halfway already!" Lorcan exclaims to Fluttershy with a frown.

"Oh, I don't wanna do this either!" Pinkie exclaims, freaking out. "I'm staying here because Fluttershy and I know that half is safer safe!"

"Ugh! Fine, I don't have time for this! You go back!" Spike snaps in frustration. He got a spoiled princess to save. The Dragon shakes the bridge a little, scaring Pinkie and Fluttershy.

"Gah; Spike, no, no!"

"Please, don't shake the bridge again! It's scary!" Fluttershy pleads to Pinkie with fright in her eyes.

Spike and Lorcan pauses, getting mischievous looks on their faces. They got an idea on how to get everyone on the other side safely. The former remarks, "I see. Well, how about a dance then, shall we?"

Spike bounces and shakes the bridge, scaring the frightened ponies once more. Pinkie cries out, "No, Spike, don't do that!"

"Sorry. Do what? Oh, this," Lorcan ask with a wicked grin, bouncing onto the bridge a bit, making Applejack roll her eyes at this.

"Yes, that!"

"You say yes? Yes do it? Okay." Spike laughs a bit as he and Lorcan begins shaking the bridge. Applejack sighs while the frightened Pinkie and Fluttershy backs off like mad.

"Please, Spike! Lorcan, no! Stop it!" Fluttershy squeals frightened, getting more scared.

"You said do it! We're doing it!" Lorcan insists to Fluttershy as the two brothers kept shaking the bridges, freaking out Pinkie and Fluttershy as they back away some more across the bridge unknowingly.

"No, no! We're going to die, we're going to die! Ponies, Dragons, we're going to die!" Pinkie exclaims frantically before she trips and fell onto the ground.

"Pinkie; you can get up now." Twilight is heard speaking in amusement. Pinkie looks around. To her surprise, everyone is now on the other side of the bridge where the castle's at. "Nice idea in getting them here, Spike, Lorcan. Mean, but nice."

"That will do, you two, that will do." Spike remarks in amusement.

Fluttershy got up, smiling meekly as she said to her friends, "Errr, I knew that; really."

As the gang makes it over the bridge, they hear a noise as voices are heard. Some stones are pushed showing a Pink pony, a Brown Alicorn and a Golden Phoenix. The pink pony says, "I always have shortcuts when needed to make an entrance to the ones we meet."

"Ok but they are staring at us." Golden Heart said. Pinkamena looks and sees them, then waves.

"Hello every..." Pinkamena begins to say but then she trips and tumbles down some stairs as funny noises are made. Golden heart uses magic and teleports to the ground level as Pinkamena reaches the bottom of the stairs, as her brother picks her up and brought the pink pony back to the volcano top, but then gets back up surprising the gang as she finishes, "One."

"Great, a lookalike of Pinkie," Spike groans a bit in irritation.

"Hey, Pinkamena," Pinkie exclaims to Pinkamena happily. "What brings you and Goldie here?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just come to save the princess with my big brother and our phoenix." Pinkamena explains happily to Pinkie.

"Oooh, come along then!"

"What? No!" Lorcan exclaims in annoyance. "We're wasting time as it is."

"Come on. We need all the help we can get." Twilight insists to Lorcan in concern. "Besides, we can't fight the Demon Pony on our own."

"Ugh, she's right. Come on." Spike said with a groan, heading off to the castle. There is no time to argue.

As the others follow Spike, Rainbow asks, "So, where is this dark nasty pain in the flank anyway?"

"Inside, waiting for us to rescue her. Ha ha ha!"

"Lame; I meant the Demon Pony."

------------

The inside of the castle looks abandoned...if you don't count the skeletons and ashes remains of the knights who tried to rescue Rarity and fail to do so. The gang looks around while walking through, worried that the Demon Pony may pop out at any given moment.

"Spoooooky," Pinkamena said with a smirk.

"Any of you afraid," Pinkie ask the others in concern.

"No." Golden Heart said while Gold Wing flies around, looking for any signs as to where Pinkie is at.

"Yeah, but..."

"Pinkie..." Lorcan said to Pinkie with an annoyed frown on his face.

"Yeah," Pinkie ask Lorcan, wondering what he wants.

"Shut up!"

"Okay, good. None o' us are scared either, right?" Applejack ask her friends, though she and the others look a bit frightened upon seeing a skeleton on the floor, making them gasp and rush to hurry up.

Pinkie spoke up quickly, getting frightened, "I mean, there isn't anything wrong with being scared, right? Fear is a sensible response to an unfamiliar situation. Unfamiliar dangerous situation, I got to add." The mare shivers some more. "There is a Demon Pony that mauls ponies to death, eats knights and maybe shoots out magic. It doesn't mean that you're a coward if you're a little scared. I ain't a scaredy pony. I know that."

Spike, having enough, turns to Pinkie, snapping, "Pinkie, two things, okay," The Dragon points off his claws, counting to two, "Shut...up." He and Lorcan grabs a helmet each. "Now then, go over and see if you can find any stairs."

As Spike and Lorcan put some armor on, some of the Mane Five looks confused at this. Rainbow spoke, "Wait, 'stairs'? I thought we were looking for the princess!"

"Simple: the princess will be up on the stairs in the highest room in the tallest tower." Lorcan explains as he put on the helmet to hide his face. No need to scare the princess until the gang can get her out of here.

"How do you know that she will be up there?" Fluttershy ask Lorcan puzzled, wondering how the Dragon even knows that Rarity will be in the tallest tower mentioned.

"Oh, I read it in a book once; Spike?"

"Same here," Spike remarks with a nod. "Golden Heart, Pinkamena? Come with us."

"Goodie! We're going to find the princess!" Pinkamena chuckles as she, Golden Heart, Spike and Lorcan heads off to see if they could find the tallest tower so that Rarity can be rescued.

As the Mane Five are left behind, Pinkie comments, "Right, okay. You four can handle the Demon Pony, we will handle the stairs."

"Oh yeah, we will find those stairs and whip their flanks too!" Rainbow remarks, smirking as she threw some air punches into the air. "They won't know which way they're going when I'm done with them."

The Mane Five heads off to find the stairs. During this time, Spike and Lorcan found some more armor that fits either one of them; So far, so good. Meanwhile, Pinkie and Rainbow continues speaking, feeling confident much to Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy's amusement.

"Right, we are soooo going to take drastic steps. Don't mess with us, we're the stair masters!" Pinkie exclaims, bouncing up and down. "I've mastered the stairs too. I hope there's a step right here so I will trot all over it."

"Wait, have you ponies got the feeling that you're being watch?" Twilight ask in concern. She's right as, unknown to her and the others; a large eye opens up outside a window behind the group.

Meanwhile back with Spike's group, the group looks around for any signs of the Demon Pony and/or the tower. Just then Golden Heart spots something, pointing a hoof while saying, "Look."

The others saw what Golden Heart just found: the tallest tower in the castle and there are curtains swaying in the wind. Rarity must be in there.

"Well, we know where the princess is at." Spike said curiously. "But where's that..."

"DEMON PONY," The Mane Five scream as they run away. A huge black like Demon pony roars, chasing them like mad. They run out of the part of that they're in there and heads to the rest of the group.

"Spike, look out!" Lorcan exclaims as he saw the Demon Pony shooting out monstrous energy blasts at the group.

Spike thought fast and rush over, grabbing the Demon Pony's tail, keeping his hold on it. He yells out, "Gotcha!" However, the monster growls in annoyance as he waves his tail in hopes to get the Dragon off him.

"Spike!"

Lorcan rush over to assist his brother, grabbing Spike to do so. However the Demon Pony proceed in flicking both off his tail, sending them screaming into the air.

"Lorcan," Golden Heart and Pinkamena exclaims in alarm.

"Spike," The Mane Five exclaims in horror to see their Dragon friend being send flying off.

Spike and Lorcan are send flying towards the tower and crash right into the roof, landing in some sort of bedroom, waking up a mare who is behind a curtain on her bed, making her turn to see the two lying on the floor.

"You deal with the Demon Pony; we will help Spike and Lorcan!" Golden Heart exclaims quickly as he and Gold Wing flies off to the direction of the tower.

"See ya!" Pinkamena exclaims as she rushes off after her brother, leaving the Mane Five to the Demon Pony, much to their disbelief.

"Wait, don't leave us!" Fluttershy whimpers. She gasps and whimpers some more as the Demon Pony is chasing them.

The Mane Five quickly rush off to escape the Demon Pony but it ends up cornering them on a bridge, destroying most of it to keep them from escaping. The Mares looks freaked out as their way out are broken off...and there appears to be four figures in black cloaks riding on the Demon Pony.

"Who are those fellers?" Applejack asks in concern and worry.

"Oh, no, no, no," Pinkie exclaims, freaking out as she looks down. The mare and her friends are trapped. The Demon Pony roars at the intruders, apparently planning to attack them right now.

"Girls, allow me to handle this. Uh, what big teeth you got there." Twilight said, trying to reason with the Demon Pony. Of course, it stops, looking confused with its riders. Then it roars at the mares once more, making them yelp. "Wait, I meant 'white sparking teeth'. Yes, you probably heard this all the time from your food, but you must bleach, because you got one great smile."

The Demon Pony blinks a bit, then begins to smile, blushing a bit as if liking the Alicorn's comments. Twilight continues, "Yeah, right. Do I detect of minty freshness?"

Suddenly something odd happens: the Demon Pony spoke, "You know…for an Alicorn, you're pretty cute."

"Who said that?"

"That would have been me."

"You're--. You're--. You're talking!" Twilight gasps in shock. And sure enough, the riders got off onto the bridge as the Demon Pony shrunk down to the normal size of the Mane Five.

"That's right. Let me introduce myself; Benjamin Maregillian at your service…though my friends call me Benny or Ben for short. And these are my friends." The Demon Pony AKA Ben said, introducing himself before nodding to his pals.

The others remove their cloaks and hoods, revealing themselves to be ponies as well, only stallions. One of them is a Earth Pony with an Aqua blue fur, a pink sharp mane and tail, orange eyes, a green medal, and his cutie mark has birthday presents.

The second stallion is a male Pegasus pony with moderate emerald green eyes, a dark grayish phthalate blue mane, a very pale cornflower blue coat, and a yellow lightning bolt with wings for a cutie mark. The pony is also wearing goggles on his head.

The third stallion is another Earth Pony that has a cream caramel coat, a caramel brown mane, and dark cyan eye with three blue horseshoes on his flank.

The last stallion is another Pegasus that had a bright yellow coat and wings; he had a red mane, a green tail, silver grey eyes and a teddy bear cutie mark.

"Brian Tenny, at your service," The first stallion remarks, squeaking a bit, making Pinkie giggle a bit.

"Name's Soarin'." The second stallion comments with a smirk, much to Rainbow's delight.

"Howdy. Name's Caramel," The third stallion waves to the mares, mostly Applejack.

The last stallion looks meekly as he said, "And I'm D-D-D-Dexter." Fluttershy blushes a bit as did most of the girls. These stallions look...handsome and amazing; too bad that they're guarding the princess.

"And what may I ask are your names?" Ben Mare asks the ponies curiously.

Twilight grins as she introduces herself, "I'm Twilight. Twilight Sparkle."

"Name's Pinkamena Diane Pie, but my friends call me Pinkie." Pinkie giggles while bouncing up and down happily.

"Name's Rainbow Dash," Rainbow remarks, holding a hoof into the air while flying a bit.

"Ah'm Applejack." Applejack answers, tipping his hat to the stallions.

"And I'm Fluttershy." Fluttershy said, rubbing her hooves while blushing at Dexter.

"So you're colts...wait, of course, you guys are colts! Yeah, your big Demon Pony friend can grow and shrink and you're all guys!" Pinkie exclaims with a smile. "You are all handsome, reeking of handsomeness..."

"Hey thanks!" Brian Tenny exclaims with a chuckle. "You're cute too."

"Right, cute." Ben said, giving a happy grin to Twilight much to her confusion.

"Uh, what's going on? Got something in your eyes?" Twilight ask Ben puzzled. The stallion then uses his magic to make a heart shape that goes around the Alicorn, making her surprise. "Whoa, wait; really?"

"I think he likes you, Twilight." Rainbow chuckles to Twilight in amusement.

"Yeah, and we like you girls too!" Caramel exclaims, blushing to Applejack, making the girls surprised, blushing a bit. Looks like the Demon Pony and his friends has fallen for the Mane Five big time! Ben made more heart shapes that go around Twilight, making her awkward. She is beginning to like this guy but this may be a bit too close for comfort.

"Err, right, hey, hey. Listen, as much as we'd love to stay and all, but, well, nothing personal, but it isn't going to work out if you keep doing that, okay?" Twilight chuckled. She turns around, shouting, "Spike; Lorcan!"

However the Demon Pony grew back to huge size and grabs Twilight by her tail, carrying her off to a room happily. Fluttershy yelps, "Oh boy."

"No! Spike, Lorcan! Girls!"

"Hang on, we're coming!" Rainbow yells out. She was about to go after Twilight but Soarin' grabs her by the arm. "Hey!"

"Hey, don't go yet! We want to get you to know you girls better!" Soarin' exclaims eagerly. Rainbow saw her friends grabbed by Brian Tenny, Caramel and Dexter (though Fluttershy just let him grabbed her) happily).

Hoo boy, the girls are on unscheduled Dates big time...

---------------

Golden Heart, Pinkamena and Gold Wing flew/climb up the tower and slid down the roof to get inside the room. There's Spike and Lorcan on the floor, getting up. The mare behind the curtain grins as she took a bunch of roses and lie down, putting them on her chest as if she's sleeping.

"Hello! You two okay?" Pinkamena ask Lorcan with a grin.

"No, I like being thrown into the air by mad Demon Ponies." Lorcan remarks to Pinkamena sarcastically. "What the hay do you think?!"

Spike turns and saw the mare sleeping then opens the curtain around her bed. On the bed itself is a purple mane light azure grey female unicorn with light blue eyes and three diamonds on her flank. She is wearing a light pink near seen top with purple collars, pink skirt with gold rims, purple and jewel markings, gold tiara, and probably glass hooves,. This must be the princess Rarity.

Spike nods and leans down as if about to kiss her...but then he grabs Rarity and shaking her awake, yelling, "Wake up!"

"Gah! What, what," Rarity demands in alarm to Spike; Not the wakeup call that she was hoping for.

"Are you Princess Rarity?"

"Yes, I am...awaiting a knight so bold as to rescue me."

"Oh, very lovely," Golden Heart said in amusement. Rarity is even speaking as if she's a princess in a fairy tale.

"Right, nice. Now let's go!" Lorcan snaps in annoyance, having no time for this silliness. If he wanted romantic time, the small Dragon will wait until he is reunited with Luna.

The group prepares to head out until Rarity grabs Spike saying, "Wait, Sir Knights and weird pink pony; this be-ith our first meeting.

"'Be-ith'," Pinkamena asks Rarity puzzled then spoke to her brother. "Do ponies still use that word, Goldie?"

"Maybe some stick with the classics." Golden Heart answers Pinkie with a shrug, Gold Wing squawks a bit.

"Should it not be a wonderful, romantic moment?" Rarity asks Spike happily, leaning back a bit. The group looks either amused or annoyed. This princess is expecting a prince charming to woo her.

"Right, sorry, but there isn't any time." Spike said impatiently. He grabs her by the hoof and drags her to the door while the others follow.

"Wait, what are you doing?! Sir Knight in purple, you should sweep me off my feet out yonder window and down a rope onto your valiant steed."

The group tries to open the door but to no prevail. Lorcan groans a bit, "What is with this stupid door?!"

"You really got a lot of time to plan this, right princess?" Golden Heart asks Rarity who nods a bit, "Thought so."

Spike finally broke the lock with his strength, breaking open the door. The group runs down the stairs, with Rarity exclaiming out in disbelief, "Wait! But we must savour this moment! You could recite an epic poem for me; a ballad; a sonnet; a limerick; anything!"

"Yeah, sorry, not working," Spike said as the group came to a stop in a hallway. This gives Rarity the time needed to get her hoof freed from Spike.

"Well, can I at least know the name of my champions?"

"Oh, my name is Pinkamena Diane Pie and this is my brother Golden Heart and our phoenix Gold Wing!" Pinkamena exclaims happily as Gold Wing squawks a bit. "Sorry, but no offense, but I ain't your type."

"Yeah, same here; No offense either." Golden Heart admits to Rarity with a sheepish smile.

"And my name is Lorcan, but sorry, I got a princess already." Lorcan admits, much to Spike's surprise. His brother got a princess. Lorcan points to Spike, adding, "But my brother here's single!"

"Err, Spike." Spike said, giving out an awkward look to Rarity.

Rarity smiles gently as she clears her throat, giving out a handkerchief to Spike while speaking, "Sir Spike, Lorcan, Golden Heart, Lady Pinkamena and Gold Wing. I pray that you would take this favor as a token of my gratitude."

"Thanks!"

Spike took the handkerchief from Rarity...and uses it to clean his face before giving it back to the mare. She looks at it in disgust as if the handkerchief became something of a disease.

"No worries; Spike is a clean friend!" Pinkamena exclaims to Rarity happily.

Suddenly Ben is heard roaring throughout the cast, much to Rarity's shock. She exclaims to the group, "What?! You didn't slay the Demon Pony?!"

"It's on our to-do list, okay?! Come on!" Spike snaps as he grabs Rarity by the hoof again, dragging her down the hallway as the others follow him.

"Oh, this is not right! Not at all! You are supposed to charge in, sword drawn, banner flying! I mean, that's what the other knights had done!"

"Sure, right before they burst into flames!" Lorcan remarks to Rarity sarcastically, glancing at the ashes remains of a knight on a wall that the group are passing. “Gee, what would they do for an encore?”

"Not the point!" Rarity exclaims. Suddenly Spike came to a stop, causing the others to run into him. Then the Dragon heads for a wooden door off to the side, "Wait, where are you going?!'

"Well, I gotta go save our butts." Spike explains to Rarity with a smile. Of course, he is referring to the Mane Five who is right now being held (so to speak) by the Demon Pony (and his friends).

"Right; I gotta go save them too." Golden Heart remarks as he follows Spike to go after the Mane Five.

"Honestly, what kind of knights are you?" Rarity asks Spike and Golden Heart in concern. What kind of knights would abandon her like this?!

"One of a kind," Spike said with a shrug.

Spike and Golden Heart goes through the door, on a quest to get the Mane Five back, leaving Rarity along with Lorcan, Pinkamena and Gold Wing. Spike's brother pauses then spoke to Rarity, "So...what do you think of the Dragons? Good baseball team, eh?"

Author's note
And thus, Spike meets Rarity. In the next chapter, the Dragon rescues the Mane Five as they, Rarity and the others make their escape from the Demon Pony and his pals. The unicorn soon finds out her rescuer Spike's true species (along with Loran's), much to her disappointment. And when the gang camp out for the night (with Rarity hiding for some reason), Spike reveals why he prefers to be left alone and why Lorcan was working for Blueblood in the first place. Read, review and suggest.