The morning came too quickly for Spike. He was thankful that he at least got some actual sleep last night compared to the last few days, but still. He looked over wearly to the sight of one of Al’kair’s men wolfing down a strip of jerky.

Luna and her troops had joined with the king’s men last night and had discussed the planned battle strategies they were going to use today. At the moment, it seemed the best bet was using Luna and her men as a bait to lure a group of the rebel forces out, while Al’Kar remained here, the sands able to hide his forces until necessary, where they’d spring out in a pincer and surround the rebels when Luna drug them here, minimizing ally casualties while Spike snuck into the town. Luna had enchanted a small stone with an invisibility charm—it’d only last for a few precious moments due to the woman’s less potent strength with magic compared to Twilight or Celestia, but those moments could make all the difference.

She had offered to alter his gender for a limited time too, and while Spike considered it for the sake of the mission, even he had standards and eventually decided that hiding under the burqa would suffice. That, and if Twilight ever heard he did that, he’d never live it down.

Luna moved to the center of the camp, made a small mark in the sand with a fingertip, then gestured to it, bringing a small, blue-flamed fire to life. Reaching to a knapsack at her side, she withdrew a skillet and then a sealed envelope, which she opened and withdrew a few pieces of raw meat. She took to her breakfast, humming off-key as she sat cross-legged by the magical fire. Reaching once more to the satchel, she pulled out a flask and took a small pull, grimacing at the taste.

Spike tilted his head, briefly unsure if he was still dreaming, before approaching her.

“You drink?” he asked.

“‘Tis not a habit I regale myself in often,” Luna replied, staring at the browning meat as she took another pull. “Only on mornings when it feels appropriate, and before a battle.”

“I could add another time you drink,” a figure replied, appearing out of the same tent Luna emerged from, “but for the sake of privacy I’ll leave that one to imagination.”

“And he arises, finally,” Luna remarked, “thine snoring awoke me at the pre-dawn. I was tempted to strike thee out of principle.”

“Never stopped you before.” Aedan smiled, stretching himself out a bit, “or were you just a tad bit too comfortable sleeping on my chest again?”

“More comfortable than when thee sleeps betwixt my own,” Luna replied.

“You won’t let me live that one time down, will you?”

“One time?” Luna questioned, slowly raising her brow.

“You know I can’t help it if my subconscious thinks your pillows are better than actual pillows.” Aedan replied, taking a seat next to Luna and throwing his arm around her.

“Thanks,” Spike muttered out. “I needed that mental image.”

“It’s a good one isn’t it?” Aedan smirked, “Now just imagine her—!”

“Cease your prattling, child,” Luna rebuked, striking him on the shoulder.

“I was going to have him imagine how cute you looked when you’re curled up into a ball on me.” Aedan said, rubbing at his shoulder, “it’s more adorable than a basket of puppies and kittens.”

“I’m sure it’s something,” Spike said neutrally, looking between the two. “Not sure what kind of something, but something nonetheless.”

“Sorry, I’m sure you’re tired of hearing our early morning banter.” The guardsman took in a deep breath. “you ready for today?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“I still say t’would be better to disguise thine sex as well, the palace servants in Hoofof are comprised almost entirely of women,” Luna remarked casually, giving a small poke at the meat she cooked with a fork. “I can think of a few instances where it was a necessity for me, if it helps thine ego.”

“You call it a necessity, but it sure as hell didn’t feel necessary that one time.” Aedan added.

“I warned thee when your hands began wandering I had no mood for such activities.” Luna shook her head. “Twas a fitting punishment. That said, I recall a situation where I had to flee kidnappers. I disguised myself as a meek farmboy, and before they knew what happened, each found a longsword in their back.”

“Sounds useful,” Spike admitted.

“Indeed. Though sitting wrong onto a horse’s saddle is not an experience I wish to embrace again. I have no idea how a man functions with such an object at all times.”

“It’s a guy thing.” Spike sagely said. “You just learn to do it.”

“Mmm. Magic does not best nature in that regard, I suppose,” Luna replied with a nod. “But I implore you to reconsider your course of actions regarding mine spells, Spike.”

“If I’ll be honest? I think I’d be too distracted,” Spike admitted with a blush. “Uh, you know…”

“Thou are at an age when the woman’s body is a mysterious object. I can understand. Lifetimes ago, I was the same.”

“When are we riding out?” Spike quickly asked, trying to get back to the matter at hand.

“Whenever Luna’s done eating,” Aedan replied. He reached into a satchel he carried and produced a piece of dried jerky, which he attacked, wolfing it down with a sense of urgency. “Then we can get this show on the road.”

“Meet with Al’Kair first. I’ll join after I’m done. I’ve discussed the issue with him already. Inform me if he has any other plans in our battle strategy,” Luna addressed.

“Will do,” Aedan said, giving Luna a quick peck on the top of her head before rising to his feet, “Come on Spike, let’s get going.”

“Right behind you,” he agreed.

The two left Luna to her breakfast and made their way to Al’Kair’s tent, walking past several of Luna’s soldiers already preparing themselves for the upcoming battle. Spike found some of their rituals peculiar, some speaking to themselves, one staring in a deep trance at the bearing of a pistol, another on his hands and knees, punching the sand methodically.

“People deal with their potential end differently.” Aedan answered without Spike needing to ask. “Some just have a few more colorful ways.”

“How do you deal with it?” Spike asked.

“Well, I’ve never wanted my possible last night on earth to be a night alone,” he answered, looking back towards where they came from. “Turns out Luna has the same general idea.” He paused, turning his attention back to Spike before placing his hand in Spike’s shoulder. “Only the second time in years I’ve seen her cry.”

“She cried?” Spike repeated, surprised.

“Yeah,” Aedan said simply, “she did, and honestly, I almost did too.”

“We just have this one day. After that, things’ll be better,” Spike said optimistically, “just a few shitty hours and it’ll be over with.”

“Says the guy who’s never been fighting for his life.” Aedan laughed, patting him on the back. “It may be only a few hours Spike, but in that short amount of time lives can change forever.” He paused, cocking his brow. “Do I need to remind you what happened to me in only thirty seconds?”

“Of course not. But thinking about what can happen too hard doesn’t help either.”

“You’re a lot smarter than you look, Spike.” The man flashed a quick smile and reached over, messing up Spike’s hair. “Sometimes it’s hard not to. Luna and I are pretty damn good at hiding it, but you’ve got to remember she’s…” he thought for a moment, then tried to continue, “the thought of losing…” he paused, taking in a deep breath as they entered Al’Kair’s half of the camp. “Losing her would be…” shaking his head, he gave a look over to Spike that said it all.

“Yeah. I understand.” Spike put his hands in his pockets. “Let’s go. Talking is getting us nowhere.”

“Great minds think alike,” Aedan agreed as the two moved by a few scouts. Once things had been arranged, the two forces had joined seamlessly. However, the loyalists still kept a few men up to watch Luna’s fleet. Luna had done the same on her end of the camp. Not that she anticipated anything like a betrayal, rather, she simply preferred to err on the side of caution.

“Al’Kair should be this way,” the guardsman said, pointing further east.

They passed by a larger collection of his men, these in a more relaxed state and talking to one-another, before coming to Al’Kair, shirtless and taking a whetstone against the edge of a scimitar, one far plainer than the blade at Spike’s side. His lips moved in an almost chant-like fashion as he performed the monotonous task.

Spike was slightly taken back by the sight. He knew that Al’Kiar had to have muscle under all that armor, but he never imagined a man his age would still be so built. Though he should of, Spike also didn’t anticipate the man’s body being covered in a mismatch of scars and tattoos, each letter of ink in the foreign tongue of the Arabians.

Al’Kiar looked up, noticing the two men standing opposite of him. He took a break from his routine and rose to his feet, resting the blade at his shoulder. “I see you have returned,” he said simply before walking towards them. “Is there something else we must discuss before we go through with our plan of attack?”

“We were actually going to ask you the same thing, hoss,” Aedan replied, crossing his arms and taking a more at-ease stance than he previously held. “Well, that, and how long you think it’ll take for your boys to get ready.”

“My men can and will be ready before the sun breaks the high dunes.” Al’Kair looked down to Spike. “Is our youngest soldier ready for his mission?”

“With everything I got,” Spike replied with a nod. “It’s do or die.”

“Well, we’re hoping for the former,” Aedan joked, his smile genuine, “the latter would leave a few people in high places a little bit urked.”

“Indeed.” Al’Kair replied, “I’m honestly surprised to see the two of you, I expected Princess Luna.”

“She was finishing up breakfast. As long as the plan is untouched, she’s at your command.”

“I see no reason to change the plan,” the commander replied, looking over to the taller man. “So long as you are ready to do your part as well.”

Aedan pulled the oversized hammer off his back. “I’m sure I’ll be able to get their attention with this thing.” He gave a look over the weapon, smirking. “A few good hits on the wall’ll get someone’s attention, then it’s up to my mouth to get everyone else’s.”

“Between you and Luna, you’ll make good bait,” Spike said.

“Don’t let Luna hear you say that. I became rather well acquainted with gravity last time I mentioned something along those lines.”

“To be fair, I’m talking about the price on her head, not her looks. Which are fine,” he quickly added on. “I, uh, just mean, you know…”

“Trust me Spike.” Aedan gave a wave of his free hand. “Luna’s told me about some of the dreams she’s seen, what you just said was nothing.”

Spike shook his head. “I’m sure I don’t wanna know.”

“So, everything is in order?” Al’Kair asked, looking between the men, “when shall the two of you be off?”

“As soon as we get back to our camp,” Aedan gave a slap to Spike’s shoulder.

“No sense in delaying it. Let’s go.” Spike sighed. He glanced over to Al’Kair. “Good luck. When you see me next, your daughter will be beside me, safe and sound.”

“I believe it.” Al’Kair froze, remembering a detail that had yet to be discussed. “As for Durriyah, I’ll have a few of my less experienced men watch over her until you return.”

“Thank you, Al’Kair.” he gave a small bounce of his head, thinking. Finally, he shrugged. “I can’t agree with everything you say or do, but you’re a pretty good guy. Just wanted to, you know…”

“Go,” Al’Kair said. Though there was a small flicker of understanding in his eyes. “There isn’t much of a window as it is, standing here will only render it closed completely.”

“Big guy’s right Spike,” Aedan agreed, “let’s get you back and ready for this whole business. Luna and I’ll get you close enough to the gate to sneak in afterwards.”

He nodded, and together, they marched.

Before long, Spike and Aedan were back on their side of the camp, where Luna was patiently awaiting them. After explaining to her that there was no change in the original plan of attack she gave Spike a small stone infused with magic—his ticket into the town—and a burqa.

Throwing it on there came a brief silence between the three until a collective nod hit them all at once. Luna signaled to her men, who responded in kind, taking steps across the wastelands in unity, the sound of their armor clanking as they marched made an eerie battle hymn as they began the approach to Hoofof.

A mere thirty minutes later, the group came to a large sanddune, the only cover for a good three hundred yards before the city walls that barred any further approach. They held behind it, taking one last rest and getting ready. After looking over the map one last time Luna, Aedan, and Spike all came into a small huddle.

“We all know what we’re doing…” Aedan said to the two at his side, “right?”

“Aedan, take heart. Spike knows his role, ye know yours, and I know mine.” Luna remarked. “It’s, honestly, a simple plan. We just need to execute it properly, and pray our young accomplice does as well.”

“I’ll make it,” Spike reassured, swallowing. “I’ve gotta make it.”

“Alright.” Aedan sighed, knocking them both on the shoulders. “Let’s get this shindig kicked off, boys and girls.”

With another collective nod the three broke from their huddle and in turn, from each other. They ran, Spike faster than he ever had in his life, yet Luna and Aedan easily passed by the boy despite the weight of their equipment. A small part of him felt a pang of envy at the sight, but he quickly pushed the thought away, focusing and keeping his eyes on a small divot in the sand, where he’d hide himself until the time was right.

Spike’s lungs were burning, he had never run this far or this hard in his life; he looked forward to see his accomplices still going strong, both easily fifty yards ahead and increasing the gap. The sight of them still pushing was enough for Spike to get motivated, keep going until he lept, landing and sinking into the divot. Spike found himself on his knees and he watched the two inch closer and closer to the wall.

Aedan pulled the hammer free from the hook at his back and approached even quicker than before, raising his weapon over his head and bringing it down on the wall of rock before him, the impact Spike could almost swear he felt from his hiding spot even.

The soldier swung again, the sound resounding across the desert.

“Hey Towelhead!” he roared, giving the wall yet another pounding. “We got something to say to you!”

“Thine leader calls for a bounty upon my head,” Luna called out, catching up to the man and putting a hand firmly at the sword at her side. “I wonder if the blood I shall spill upon thine lands of your kinsmen will be worth the gold?”

Heads began appearing over the top of the wall, dozens of soldiers stared down at the two, confusion for a brief moment dazing them at the spectacle.

“Yeah, that’s right, I got one of the ladies right here!” Aedan yelled. He suddenly gave her ass a quick slap and threw her over a shoulder. “You want her?” he yelled, ignoring her uttered expletives and protests at his actions. “Come and get her!”

The guards quickly disappeared from their posts and the echo of the city walls opening erupted through the barren sands. The sound of hundreds if not thousands of men scrambling out of the entrance quickly followed. Aedan spun around, Luna still thrown over his shoulder, and sprinted like a madman back to Spike.

“I rattled the beehive! Hope you don’t get stung!” Aedan shouted as he ran past Spike. The boy caught one brief, fleeting look at Luna’s embarrassed and infurated expression before they disappeared behind the sanddune they took cover in earlier.

Spike took grasp of the stone Luna enchanted and clasped it tightly in his palm, squeezing until a crack came to his ears. The stone ground into nothing more than a powder and instantly Spike felt a change take a hold of his body. He felt lighter, quicker. And, he noted, pleased, the burqa he wore had faded, not just in coloration but in essence, turning away from a solid, thick piece of cloth and thinning, turning silken and translucent, then becoming nothing more than an outline. Finally, it faded completely, along with the rest of his clothing and after a heartbeat, his entire body, rendering him invisible to the naked eye.

Spike sprinted for the gate, catching it just as the last wave of men poured out, yelling in the foreign tongue of the Arabians. He twisted and snaked past them and lunged forward, passing by the large doors with only seconds to spare as they shut behind him with a low rumble.

Knowing the invisibility spell would wear off shortly, he ducked into an abandoned alleyway and waited the magic out. A few minutes later, a sort of strange pop echoed in his mind, and he noticed he was back to normal, the burque covering him head to toe. He stepped out into the main street and slowly paced towards the palace grounds, his head looking down solemnly at his feet, and his hands tightly clasped together in front of him as if in prayer.

The scenery was much different from that of Rideah, instead of bustling streets there were empty pathways that were covered in filth. The few people that he did see were either trying to run back inside or being stopped, interrogated by the scant handful of guards that hadn’t gone after Aedan and Luna.

The boy let out a small sigh of relief, in a way surprised nobody had stopped him yet as he climbed up a small flight of stairs, leading to the more privileged part of town. At least, he assumed it was, judging by the fountain at the top of the stairway, although it had an obvious chunk missing from its side, and had dried up, alongside a statue of a soldier. Or, the body of a soldier, at least. His head was missing, sloppily cut off from numerous blows from something. The way his hand was raised next to his neck gave it an almost morbid scene, the pose as if he was feeling for his missing body part.

Spike shook his head and passed it, briefly feeling alongside his burqa for the reassuring weight of the sword at his side.

“You there, woman!” a voice called out from behind him. He flinched at the harsh tone and swore under his breath, knowing he cursed himself earlier.

“You know that you are not allowed next to that statute. The old king’s lapdog is dead, as is his family.”

Spike froze, turning to the voice. Nervously, he gave an apologetic bow and stepped away from the statue.

“The true king ordered that none shall approach this false monument, lest they lose belief in his rightful claim to the throne.” the guard said, resting his palm at the pommel of his sword, He narrowed his brow. “You know the punishment for your insolence, whore.”

Spike’s eyes widened, and he looked behind the man, pointing a finger in alarm. “They breached the wall!” he cried out, his voice high and squeaky from panic.

“Impossible!” The guard spun around, drawing his sword and looking skyward, “Our forces are…”

Spike was gone before the guard even finished the sentence, taking off like a bolt of lighting from the statue, lifting the bottom of his burqa up to his knees so he could run better up the streets.

He ducked into an ally, praying that the guard didn’t see him as he did so. His heart was threatening to pound out of his chest, even more so than it had when he had ran the length of close to two football fields.

Finally, he rose, dizzy from the run. After a moment he paused, reaching up to the necklace he wore underneath his clothing.

“Twilight,” he called out, pausing. He noticed his voice was a little higher than normal and he coughed, trying to banish the strange sound away and return to his, well, at least modestly masculine tenor. “Twilight? Are you there?”

“I’m here Spike,” Twilight said reassuringly, “how’s everything going?”

“I’m in Hoofof. I managed to sneak in. Luna’s army lead a group of rebels out.” He rubbed an elbow in thought. “I need to know something.”

There was a long pause on the end of the line, before finally Twilight spoke. “Yes?” she asked somberly.

“Somewhere in the Canterlot library. Do you think there’d be a map of Hoofof’s palace? A tour guide? Anything that you’d be able to guide me around with?” He bit his full lip, hoping against hope there’d be something she could use.

“Spike, I wouldn’t know,” Twilight replied, “but I do know that they have blueprints of Saddle Arabian palaces, if they’re all built in a similar fashion, they could…” there was another brief pause on the other end of the line. “Spike,” Twilight began, “You said that Luna’s forces managed to coax out an entire army, how did they manage that? Especially when the main force is still two days away from the city?”

“They lured a group of them out and are going to ambush them in a pincer with the king’s men,” Spike replied, brushing a strand of his green hair back behind his ear.

“No I mean how did they manage that?” she reiterated, “I mean, did she just run up to the wall and yell obscenities at them?”

“That’s… actually pretty much what happened,” Spike admitted, deciding to skip the ass-slapping part.

“Oh heaven above…” she sighed, Spike could feel Twilight’s eyes roll as she took in another breath, “I’ll see if I can’t scrape up those blueprints, in the meantime, try and get to the palace before either force gets into the city.”

“Yeah. Over and out,” Spike agreed, letting the amulet free from his grasp. He put a hand to his hip, briefly collecting himself and paused, giving it an experimental pat. It seemed to stick out a little more than normal. “Wait…” Spike said slowly, noticing once more the higher pitch to his voice. “There’s no way...” Glancing to the entrance of the alley, Spike noticed it was clear and he turned, reaching down to his crotch. He gave a nervous squeeze and squinted his eyes shut when he felt no real resistance to his hand’s exploration.

“Why, Luna?” he, or, to be more accurate at the moment, she whined, putting her hands to her crimson face. “I said I wouldn’t need it.”

Glancing once more to the entrance, Spike rubbed the back of her head, before adjusting the burqa off her briefly and pulling her shirt away from her, glancing straight down at her chest.

She whistled. “Ok, on second thought, Twilight’s cast worse spells on me.” Staring a moment longer, she finally shook her head, letting her shirt relax back against her body. “Ok, ok. Enough. Head in the game, Spike. This is serious.” She shuffled the burqa back on and stepped out the alleyway. “And Luna’s hearing about this when it’s all said and done.”

Spike continued down the path she had originally began on, the new body making it slightly awkward for her to walk. Fortunately the lack of people in the streets meant that no one would take notice of her as she moved onward. After a few stumbling minutes Spike found herself at the palace, which was guarded by yet another fence and a set of guards that looked much more professional than the one she had tricked earlier.

Hiding herself behind a pile of trash, she began to think about what she could do to get in. She didn’t have a royal soldier or a princess to help her this time, just herself, and her newfound, unwanted body. The thought did come to mind to use her new assets in her favor, but on account that a regular guard wanted to kill her for standing next to a headless statue, she chose not to find out what they would do to her if she decided to try and seduce her way past Hakem’s more disciplined forces.

She searched around briefly before almost laughing triumphantly, noticing a tree growing only a few scant feet away from the stone wall guarding the palace. She waited for a few moments until opportunity knocked and lept onto the tree, scuttling up it like she was chimp-blood, rather than dragon-blood. Resting her back towards the wall, she sprang off the tree and turned midair, grunting in pain as her breasts slapped against the corner of the wall. She scrambled up and briefly paused as she straddled the fence, rubbing at her chest. It wasn’t like getting kicked in the balls, but the damn things were still sensitive. Finally, she dropped a good twelve feet, hitting the ground and doing a small roll when her feet hit the sands, absorbing the shock.

Quickly darting for a small patch of bushes, she crouched within them momentarily, looking at the palace grounds. Clutching the amulet once more, she concentrated, willing Amira’s presence to be known to her.

A faint light shot out of the amulet, directing her across the small garden she had landed in and into the palace. She darted in as fast as her new body would carry her, hoping that she wouldn’t fall over herself as she did so. Once inside she pressed herself as close as she could to the wall, removing the burqua’s hood so she could see better. She slid across the wall, following the light as best she could while maintaining as small of a body signature as she could, but for all her stealth abilities, she was still mortal.

“Uh, ma’am?” a feminine voice said from behind him, “what are you doing?”

“Shit,” she said under her breath. Her brain scrambled for the best lie she could give as she rose to her full height. “What are you doing?” she asked instead, already wanting to slap herself for her stupidity.

“Well, I’m wondering why a girl like you is sneaking around the palace.” the woman replied, “perhaps you have yet to receive your servant’s garb?”

“Serve—y-yes! That’s exactly right!” she agreed with a brisk nod, remembering Luna mentioning most of the servants were women. “I’d look foolish without one, so I thought I’d try and sneak in and get changed.”

“Well you’re going the wrong way.” She let out a world-weary sigh and shook her head. “The harem is in the southeast end, you’re headed to the throne room.”

“H-harem?” Spike repeated, the color draining from her face.

“Well… yes.” the woman said, cocking her head in confusion, “a woman like you would be the kind that Hakem would be interested in taking, afterall. It is rare for any man to claim a dragonkin female, even if they are as young as you.”

As much as she didn’t like it, going to the harem could be a wise choice. She could blend in, depending on what they wore, and when Hakem showed her face…

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

“Yes. Could you take me there?” she asked, trying to offer a genuine smile her way.

“Of course young one,” the woman nodded back, beckoning Spike with a wave of her hand. She followed behind the woman, a hand under the burqa resting cautiously on the pommel of her blade.

The two traveled down winding halls and staircases that brought Spike a sense of deja vu, this palace was indeed quite similar to the one in Rideah, just noticeably smaller. Finally, the two stood in front of a large door that smelled of the finest flowers, fruits and perfumes.

“Here we are,” the woman said, turning to face Spike, “the girls inside shall orientate you, so you’ll know your place and what you are to do.”

“I see. Thank you,” Spike replied, nodding. She put her hands on the door and pushed it open, stepping inside.

The moment she walked in the still evident male inside her was struck in awe, several dozen beautiful women were scattered about the room, wearing anything from the traditional harem garb to transparent silk ribbons and nothing else.

She stopped dead in her tracks, biting a finger to avoid groaning audibly as her lower stomach tingled and ached, like thousands of butterflies were inside of her. She had heard the phrase ‘girl-boner’ before from Rainbow Dash. Right now it didn’t seem like a really bizarre idea.

“Oh, would you look at that,” one of the more modestly dressed women said to gather the others attention, “It seems Hakem has acquired yet another poor young soul.”

“H-hello,” Spike stammered out, exhaling as sweat came to her brow. She did her best to focus on the ceiling.

“Oh by the heavens she’s adorable!” one of the more or less nude, and arguably hotter of the women said walking up to Spike, her bare breasts stopping just inches from her face, “How old are you little one~?”

“E-eighteen,” she choked out. She could feel the nipples under her clothes harden, and a familiar, yet foreign heat down at her groin come to life.

“Wow, Hakem picked you up fresh,” she said, leaning over to have a better look at her, “I know it’s not polite to ask, but are you still a virgin?”

“Yes,” she blindly said, struck so dumb by the beautiful woman that lying was out of the question.

“Well you certainly are a catch,” the woman said, pulling Spike into her chest and squeezing tightly, “I’m Abal. You could call me the matron around here.”

This time Spike let out a small groan, before biting her lip painfully to stay focused. “Pleased to meet you,” she said, looking anywhere but that woman’s breasts. They weren’t perfect like Amira’s, but they were still fantastic, and an obvious distraction for him.

“Well little one,” one of the other girls said from behind Abel, “you have a name, do you not?”

She thought desperately for a feminine name and quickly blurted out the first one to come to mind. “Rarity.”

“Oh, exotic,” Abal said, pulling Spike to her side and turning them around to wave a hand at the other women lounging about on pillows and silken blankets, “but if you really want to fit in around here, we’ll have to do a slight wardrobe change.”

“Like what?” she asked, nearly panting out in her arousal, the strange and foreign body only making each touch of her skin against Abal’s all the more arousing.

“Well, that has to go.” she said, pointing to Spike’s burqa, “how are you supposed to do your job if you don’t look it?”

The dragon-blood looked at the women around her, realizing how she stuck out like a sore thumb. Doing her best to think clearly, she remembered the blade at her side and uttered: “Something modest, especially around the waist and legs.”

“Oh aren’t you just the shy one.” Abal said cutely, running her fingers through Spike’s hair. “The next time Hakem wants to just watch us rut each other I know who I’ll be picking~.”

“You’re really pretty, but I can’t,” she blurted out. Though a small part of her wondered what it’d feel like. Maybe Amira and her could try something like that, just to sate her curios—

She paused. Amira. She didn’t have time to goof around here. She needed to focus. Keep in control.

“Do you like it here?” Spike asked, looking at the women around him.

“It’s all I’ve ever known,” Abal answered, “I was a gift for Hakem’s twenty-fourth birthday. I was only fourteen then, but I’ve been here the longest so I guess he liked me enough to put me in charge.”

She had to think carefully about her next words. What she could be thinking might amount to suicide, if she said it wrong to the group. “Have you heard the recent news?” Spike asked her. “And could you have someone fetch me a change of clothes while we talk?”

“Yes on both counts,” Abal said warmly, pointing to one of the girls and silently ordering her to grab what Spike asked for. “Hakem going against his own father…” she said, her tone no longer cute and bubbly, “It’s pretty hard to take in, especially since we all loved King Amal, he treated us with a respect we rarely received from Hakem.”

“Amal didn’t seem like the type to have a harem,” Spike commented, but shook her head nonetheless. “Hakem isn’t going to win this, you know that, right?”

“Oh I know.” Abal nodded. “Amal has the aid of Equestria and their Vanguard. I’ve been told many stories about their strength. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to lay with one…”

“I wouldn’t know,” she replied, a bit grossed out by the idea. Imagining men naked wasn’t exactly a pastime for Spike, even like she was right now. “But that’s beside the point.” She decided to go for broke. “What if I were to tell you you could earn Amal’s loyalty back? Or become an Equestrian citizen?”

“Oh I never denounced Amal, no one here did, but we don’t have much of a say in the matter. We are just property after all.”

Before Spike could either respond or explain what she meant Abal lead her to a small corner of the room, one with four sets of chains coming down from the ceiling, shackles, and a pair of spreader bars. Despite the area being noticeably out of place compared to the rest of the lavish and pillowed decor Spike noticed two distinct markings on the wall where the chains were bolted in, the symbols of the sun and moon.

The arousal he had felt moments ago vanished like a puff of smoke once she realized what the area implied. “This is…”

“Where Hakem plans to hold the Princesses.” Abal said sadly, “from what I’ve heard they would have to endure horrible, horrible things.”

“He needs put down,” Spike spat out in a womanly growl, clenching her hands tightly. “Put down like a fucking dog for even constructing this.”

“Hush, child,” Abal said, worry making creases in her face as she covered Spike’s mouth. “You never know who may be listening here.”

“Do you trust your women?” the dragon-blood asked. “All of them?”

“I would trust most of these girls with my life,” Abal instantly replied, looking around the room, “but the curse of being Hakem’s favorite means that there may always be someone wanting to replace you.”

“And if they were guaranteed a better deal than remaining loyal to a soon-to-be dead king?” Spike asked in a hushed whisper, “could you trust all of them? Or at least enough of them to distract the rest?”

“You don’t speak like a girl who was purchased for carnal pleasures, Rarity,” Abal said raising a brow, “just who are—”

“I’ve brought the outfit!” the girl Abal had sent to gather Spike’s new set of clothes chimed in. “This was the only one that even fit the little one’s desires.”

“Wonderful!” Abal cheered, her bubbly persona shining through once more, “That’s all I need you for, hun. I’ll get Rarity dressed myself.” The other girl nodded and walked away, leaving Abal and Spike alone once more, “you, me, dressing room, now,” she whispered to Spike.

The dragon-blood shivered. A year ago and she wouldn’t of been able to control herself at the way Abal said that. But time matured her and so she nodded instead, following after her.

Even with the seriousness of what was happening, Spike still had to channel all of her willpower into fighting the urge to stare at Abal’s heart-shaped ass. It was a losing battle, though, if she were honest, and she stared down at it as Abal sashayed across the elegant room. She was an honest man—or, woman at the moment—her heart belonged to Amira and always would. Yet, she was still a man, at least at heart, and she felt there was no shame watching a show that happened to come up.

Finally the two of them found themselves at the dressing room door. Abal slid the door open. using her head to point Spike inside, “after you.”

Spike stepped in and turned, waiting for her, the scent of honeysuckle in the air making the dragon-blood swallow her arousal once more. Seconds later, Abal stepped in. The way her body slid around the door reminding Spike of Amira the first time she saw her in nothing more than a skimpy towel.

“Clothes, off.” Abal ordered, bringing Spike back to the unnerving reality she was currently in.

She stared at Abal for a moment before giving a small nod. Reaching down, she pulled the burqa over her head and tossed it aside, gauging Abal’s response regarding the sword at her side.

“I knew it,” Abal replied, placing her hands on her hips with a smug grin, “who are you really, Rarity…? If that even is your true name.”

“It’s not.”She reached up, pulling her shirt off and exposing her breasts to her. She swallowed, taking in the sight for a few scant seconds. She wasn’t too bad, if she looked at it objectively. Not as big as Amira or Applejack, but bigger than Twilight or Pinkie. A nice pair just a bit bigger than she could completely cup. Once more shaking her head clear of what she saw and cursing Luna in the same breath, she returned to the matter at hand. “Most of what I told you was a lie. Except about the dragon-blood bit. And the, uh…” the boy-turned-girl rubbed the back of her head. “Virgin bit,” she mumbled. “My name’s Spike.”

“A boy in the skin of a girl.” Abal looked at Spike up and down with an approving smile. “At least the caster of the spell managed to pull it off to where you were proportioned correctly.”

“I guess so. She’s apparently done it before, so I was in good hands.” Not that I had a say in the matter, she thought with an irked twitch of her brow.

“I’d say so too,” Abal agreed, “but when I said clothes off…” she paused, pointing to Spike’s now relatively baggy pants. “I meant all of your clothes.”

She put his hands to her pants, undoing her belt, but pausing on the button. “Do we really have to…?”

“If you want to convince everyone,” Abal said, growing a playful grin once more, “yes.”

“Alright, alright.” Spike unzipped her pants, letting them fall to the floor alongside the sheath of his sword. She covered his hands over her briefs, thankful that her widened hips had let the article stay on, then noticed that they were stained with a wetness at the crotch and that only made her blush harder.

“Those are going to have to go too,” Abal added, giggling at Spike’s reaction.

“Oh…” She grimaced and reached down, rolling her underwear off her smooth, hairless legs. She glanced down, then, after a moment, turned and pushed one of her breasts to the side to see toward her feet.

It was, in a sense, underwhelming. A small, oval bush of green, and a small nub below that Spike identified as the clitoris. Not from her own personal experience, aside from a few times she stumbled onto Twilight or one of her friends in the buff. That, and a decent amount of pornography taught her more about those kinds of things than any health book.

“Oh yeah, definitely a virgin.” Abal walked up to Spike and leaned over to have a closer look, her breasts teasing the man-turned-woman when they came to eye-level. “You’d definitely be a high priced girl if you actually were one.” Without warning, Abal reached down and ran her fingers across the outskirts of Spike’s folds, causing the poor girl to jump in a mix of surprise and pleasure. “Smooth too, you’d be worth your weight in gold and diamonds.”

Spike decided not to mention that the slight prod had came awfully close to bringing her over the edge and into climax, the sensation of her strange sex like pleasurable electricity, a foreign stimulation that her shaft could never compare to from a single pull.

She wordlessly groaned, loosely clenching a fist towards her jaw and nibbling at the knuckle.

Abal couldn’t help but smile at the dragon-blood. The fact that Spike had turned into butter with a single touch just made her proud at how skilled she still was at her craft. She considered bringing him to the point of no return, buckle Spike’s knees and leave the boy-turned-girl a panting, breathless mess sitting in a pool of her own fluids, but then Abal’s eyes traveled upwards towards Spike’s chest and she saw the amber gem that hung around her neck.

“Is… is that?” she slowly asked, instinctively pulling her hand away from Spike’s neither region, “is that a Desert Rose?”

She nodded, swallowing, taking a breath to calm herself down, doing her best to ignore how her body trembled. “It is.”

“I, I’m sorry I didn’t know. I should’ve looked, I didn’t mean to…”

Spike brushed her hair back, exhaling. “It’s, uh, ok. I…” She weakly smiled after she took a long moment to recover himself. “I’m here to rescue her.”

“Rescue who?” Abal asked, tilting her head like a newborn pup.

“Amira. Amira of Hoofof.” She looked to the matron. “And that’s why I need you—that’s why I need all of you.”

Abal stood tall once more, pressing her back against the door. “W-what would you have us do?”

She rubbed at her chin in thought. “Either create a distraction on the far end of the palace with your girls, I’ll sneak in to the bastard’s quarters. Or, deliver me to him. Tell the guards I’m a whore he requested.” She looked down at his hands. “To stop them from barging in, we’d need to take care of them somehow. And that might mean, uh, you know...”

“Spike, if you only knew half the things they’ve done to me and my girls.” Abal said with a wry shake of her head, “It’d pretty much be like any other day around nine a.m.”

“Oh.” he blinked. “I was talking about—” he ran a thumb across his neck to demonstrate— “But that might be better. I-I guess.”

“Well if you want them to think you’re the new girl you better look the part.” Abal grabbed Spike’s new outfit. “Slide these on, they’ll be able to conceal your sword, but you’ll have to find somewhere else for the the Rose, given this particular garb lacks a top completely.”

“L-lacks a top?” Spike stammered out. “That seems kind of important.”

“Spike, I’m wearing nothing but a pair of golden bracelets and see-through silk ribbons… do you really think modesty is important for girls like us?”

“I’ve been trying not to notice,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. “But why can’t I wear the Rose? Do you think Hakem would notice it that quickly?”

“I did and I’m, for lack of any other words, an uneducated whore.” Abal answered, “Hakem has gone to prestigious schools all over the world to learn… he’d notice it in a heartbeat.”

She thought for a moment, before grabbing the clothes she was offered. Taking off the necklace, Spike rode it up his leg, before redoing the chain and wrapping it snugly around her thigh. Giving a few experimental bends and kicks, she nodded in approval. She then donned the violet dress, a silky, smooth thing with hundreds of folds that fell in layers around her hips. She was able to hide her sword just so and gave a small sashay of her body, making sure it remained hidden under her clothes. She stared briefly at a nearby body mirror, tilting and turning her form in appreciation for a moment.

“I don’t normally like young girls, but I turned out pretty fine, like you said,” she admitted, lifting a palmful of her breast and nodding in approval, before letting it drop again.

“Who ever cast that spell on you did a wonderful job,” Abal agreed, “As I’ve said before, I wouldn’t mind taking you myself.”

“If I wasn’t spoken for, I’d… probably be too scared to agree,” she admitted. “You guys can be pretty scary, you know?” She paused. “Women in general, not, uh, harem girls. I mean.” She slumped forward in exasperation. “I’m just gonna shut up now.”

Abal let out a small laugh then looked Spike up and down once more before giving a small rub to Spike’s breasts, evening them out and shaping them better. “Alright.” She placed her hands on Spike’s shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile. “Get on out there and be the best little whore you can.”

“I wonder when I’ll wake up from this dream,” Spike said to herself, “this is like opposite day taken to an extreme.”

She paused with a roll of her eyes before stepping outside. Grabbing a tube of lipstick, Spike expertly applied it to her lips, giving a pucker towards the mirror. Nodding in approval, Spike gave a small run of eyeliner across herself, then followed after Abal.

“You were raised by women,” Abal said, raising her brow, “weren’t you?”

“Maybe,” she admitted. Then crossed her arms defensively over her breasts. “But if you’re gonna do a job, do it right—also do you think I should put a pin in my hair?” she added, putting a finger to her chin in thought.

“I really like it down,” Abal replied, “the look suits-”

“Good morning, whores!” a male voice interrupted from the front door of the harem, “It’s time!”

“Oh no.” Abal looked frantically to the clock on the wall. “It’s nine a.m….”

“That wasn’t just an expression?” Spike asked. “Shit, what are we gonna do?”

“We’ll try to handle this one,” Abal said calmly, spinning Spike around, “You just go-”

“Oh what’s this?” the man interrupted, “trying to hide a new girl from me? You know that’s in bad tastes.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” the two of them said under their breath.

“Well?” the man asked, placing his hand on his sword’s hilt, “are you?”

“Not intentionally, lord sir,” Abal replied, bowing in submission to the man, “but this girl is fresh, and the True King of Saddle Arabia wishes to see her sullied himself.”

“He purchased me for quite the sum of coin. More than you’ll ever see at your soldier pay. Find your hand instead,” Spike replied, crossing her arms.

“She is a fiery spirit,” the guard smiled, exposing his dirty, near toothless mouth, “I would very much wish to break her.”

“As would Hakem,” Abal said, trying to push the overbearing guard away, “now if you’ll—”

“Pathetic bitch!” the guard roared, the back of his hand slamming directly across her face, “you have no say in the matter, you are less than the dirt you were drug out of to be here, I will take what I want and none will stop me.”

“Don’t touch her!” Spike snapped, clenching her fists tightly at her side. “If she’s dirt, then you’re shit. Maggoty, disease-ridden shit.”

The guard looked to Spike, fury burning in his eyes at Spike’s insult. “I will enjoy bleeding your cunt,” he growled, storming over towards Spike.

Spike moved faster, jumping onto the man and knocking him down to the ground. She sat on top of him briefly, her anger getting the best of her. “Not as much as I’ll enjoy this,” she snapped, for a brief moment her womanly face sparking, her eyes becoming more reptilian and her skin taking on a scaled, hard appearance. She breathed a small, hot flame and clasped it in both of her hands, then shoved her palms into the man’s face, pressing hard into the guard’s cheeks.

The guard wailed in agony, struggling to escape the primal rage of the dragon-blood. Spike’s claws began to dig into the man’s skull, and his scream became shrill, high-pitched and reverberating off the ceiling in his agony. Flames licked and spat in Spike’s mouth, and she opened it wide, rearing her head back then—

“No!” Abal interrupted, yanking Spike back. Her head snapped upwards, launching flames towards the ceiling in a flaming arc.

She sucked in a breath as if she had just had a bucket of ice water poured over her. Instantly, her feminine features returned, the dragon within her subsided.

“What?” she asked quietly, noticing the guard. “Wait, did I…?”

All the girls, including Abal, were speechless, answering Spike’s question with just a look.

“Is he..?” she ran a hand through her hair, unbelieving.

The empty, staring eyes at the man’s burnt face said everything.

“I… I…” Spike stammered in disbelief, “I didn’t mean to. He was going to…” Taking in a shuddering breath, she looked around the room. “You all saw him.”

“Yes,” Abal sighed, lightly touching her red and tender cheek, “we did…”

She brought a hand to her mouth, the smell of his burnt flesh making her queezy. “I’m gonna be sick,” the dragon-blood stammered out.

“Go,” Abal ordered, pointing towards the entrance, “get out of here, before more of them show up.”

“What are you all gonna do when more come?” she asked cautiously, taking a few steps towards the door.

“We’ll think of something.” Abal looked to the corpse. “It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had to conceal a body…” she paused, looking back to the dragon-kin, “his men have been known to be… violent at times.”

“Will Amira be in Hakem chambers? I want to find her first if she isn’t.”

“Amira is usually in here with us by choice.” Abal gestured to a few women, snapping some of them from their shock. “At this hour, however, she’s usually at Hakem’s side so I would sa—”

“The true kings will have your heads, traitors!” one of the girls shouted, snapping around and making a blind sprint towards the harem’s entrance.

A few steps to the door the woman was enveloped in a reddish hue, she tried to struggle free, but the grip of the magic was just too much. Moments later she was thrown into the barren corner reserved for Celestia and Luna, where chains were wrapped up in the same red aura and promptly bound her. A small cloth soon stuffed itself in her mouth amid her loud protests and the glow around her fell, snaking back and retreating to Abal’s left arm. She grimaced, a small spark of pain coming to her eyes as she opened and closed her hand.

“Magic?” Spike stared at the woman, her jaw hanging open. “I didn’t think a lot of people had that here.”

“How else did you think I knew so much about the spell cast on you?” Abal replied, placing her hands on her hips and looking over to the traitorous woman. “I’ve had to keep my secret, lest I be thrown in the breeding stock to make more adapt in the arcane arts.”

“Breeding stock…” Spike stammered, revulsion and horror going hand-in-hand with his feelings.

“Go,” she promptly instructed, taking him away from the thought, “we have kept you here long enough.”

Nodding, she pushed open the door, pausing only for a moment, not looking back, doing her best to appear strong to the women. “I’ll be back for you all. I have to stop this. All of it.”

“We will pray for you.” Abal bowed, the other girls quickly following suit.

She shut the door behind him and drew a shuddering breath out, wiping at the disgusted tears that stung her eyes. She ducked into a side hall and reached down, touching the amulet at her thigh. “Twi…”

“S-Spike?” Twilight questioned, “is something wrong? You sound… different.”

“Luna… it’s... it doesn’t matter right now.” She put her free hand to her hair, giving it a tug. “I killed someone,” she blurted out, squinting her eyes shut.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line, longer than any other that the two had previously had. “Spike…” Twilight nearly whimpered, her voice quivering, “I… I’m sure you had no other choice, you… you…”

“I don’t know,” she groaned out. “I don’t know, I… he hit a harem girl and said he was gonna…”

“What Spike?” Twilight asked, “What was he going to do?”

“He said he was gonna… take me,” Spike said, crossing an arm over her bare chest.

“What? D-did I hear that correctly?”

“Do I need to make it clearer?” Spike said icily. “I’m… not myself right now. I guess I was his type.”

“I see…” Twilight said after a long, considerate pause, “but I’m sure you did what you had to do.”

“I hope so.” She leaned her head back, resting it against the wall. “Did you find blueprints or anything that’d give me a hand?”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, much to Spike’s relief, “I managed to scrape something up.”

“I think I can find where the king’s chambers are with the tracing spell. But I need to know the safest way there. I’m sure there’s guardrooms, bedquarters, things like that. The less people I have a chance of stumbling on, the better.”

“Alright, give me a second.” The sound of thumbing through papers filled the air. “Okay, here,” she finally said, “are you ready?”

“Yeah. My amulet’s in a bit of an… unusual spot right now, so I won’t be able to talk a lot. But I’ll be listening.” She rose to a knee, then paused. “When I get back, can we talk about this? I-I like to think you’re right, that I didn’t have a choice, but…”

“I understand, Spike,” Twilight reassured, “now, if you want to get to Amira safely listen closely, if you don’t follow my exact instructions you’ll more than likely be caught.”

“At your command,” she agreed, finally standing again. Wiping at her eyes, she brushed away the tears she didn’t even realize she cried and shut her eyes, listening intently for the woman’s instructions.

“My own tracking spell has you in a narrow hallway about fifteen yards from the harem.” Twilight began, her militaristic tone reminding Spike of Luna, “continue down that hall for another ten yards, then take the first walkway to your right, that should lead you directly towards the underbelly of the palace, therefore less guards.”

The dragon-blood nodded, even though she knew Twilight couldn’t see it, and pressed on, walking briskly and taking a right per her instructions.

“Follow that path, until you reach a flight of stairs, take the ones going down.” Twilight ordered, “down that hallway you will be pass a few rooms, but they’re all servant’s quarters, so you shouldn’t draw that much attention to yourself.”

She looked down at her bare chest. Hope not, she thought grimly, but pushed on regardless.

Spike went down the hallway, walking as casually as a young woman packing a sword in her trousers could. She did manage to turn a few of the servants heads, but Spike didn’t think it was from the sword by any means. Finally she made it to the staircase, taking the downward flight as instructed by Twilight.

‘Okay, now that you’re downstairs you should see three hallways, one going forward, one left and one right,” Twilight explained, “Take the one going straight, then take a left at the fifth hallway you see.”

She jaunted down the hallway and mentally counted, stopping at the fifth and turning left, sucking in deep breaths to calm her nerves.

“About fifteen yards into that hallway you should see a ramp,” Twilight continued, “Take it back up, if should land you near the back of the kitchen.”

As if Twilight was physically moving her, Spike followed her orders, not hesitating in the slightest at her commands.

“Everything correct so far Spike?” Twilight asked, bringing him down from her current state, if only momentarily, “I’d hate for you to become lost while there’s a fight going on just outside the door.”

Spike reached down to her thigh. “So far so good,” she answered in a whisper.

“Alright,” Twilight said letting out a sigh of relief, “now once you reach to the back of the kitchen there should be a dining hall about fifteen feet to your right, take that and you should have to go about fifty yards forward and take a right to that ‘king’s’ quarters.”

“Ok. Ok.” Spike exhaled. “I can do this.”

“Do what you have to Spike,” Twilight said calmly, but hints of both worry and fear were still noticeable in her voice, “do what you have to and get Amira out of there.”

“Yeah,” she agreed simply, brushing her hair back. “Amira is all that matters right now. The rest is what it is.” With that, she rose, giving a small adjustment at the skirt on her waist, and pressed on, cutting through the kitchen, her head down low to avoid a few cooks working tirelessly on a meal. She reached forward and opened the door.

Spike paused. There was a massive room in front of her, lined with beds and tables, and, more importantly, guards, some sleeping, others talking amongst themselves, and a few playing a game of cards. Thankfully none of them had seen her yet. She shut the door and looked around the kitchen, panic-stricken, until she found another door and took it, placing her in a long hallway with several doors to her left and ahead. To her right she spied a window and peeked out of it, noting a large courtyard with a few men engaged in training with weapons, and a door just a bit ahead that lead outside.

She sunk into the shadows as much as she could and reached for her thigh once more.

“Twilight,” Spike hissed out. “That room wasn’t a dining room at all. It was a barracks, I think, going by the beds and guards. The hell’s going on?”

“W-waht?!” Twilight shouted, forcing Spike to cover the amulet with both his hands in an attempt to muffle the sound, “that’s… that’s not right, the blueprints clearly state that it’s a dining hall.”

“And I clearly saw it wasn’t,” Spike replied. She grit her teeth in frustration. “The hell should I do now? I don’t think I could make it past the barracks like I am right now. At best scenario, they’d just kill me.”

“How is death your best case?” Twilight said, the panic in her voice growing, “what could be worse than that?”

“I dunno. Rape then dismemberment? Dismemberment in general? I’m not thinking my clearest here,” Spike countered, feeling the tuggings of panic at her chest. “I already heard someone talking about breeding stock for magic casters, so just about anything is possible in this hellhole.”

“B-breeding stock?” Twilight stuttered, “for magic casters?”

“And I’m sure they’d do the same for dragon-blood, especially like I am right now. So excuse me if I’m a little on edge,” she countered, yet again glancing outside at the men training. “Fuck,” Spike swore quietly. “There’s gotta be another way to Amira, though. Rooftop, path around the barracks—there anything like that on the diagrams?”

The sounds of paper shuffling around once more filled his ears, followed by a desperate sigh. “It looks like they planned ahead for that kind of thing…” she said in defeat, “only way to get on the roof without breaking your leg is all the way back at the front entrance.”

“Son of a bitch,” Spike swore, “and the front entrance is where I got caught at first. I need a burqa if I’m gonna wander there.”

“I don’t know what else to tell you Spike.” Twilight sighed, “Other than to—”

Twilight’s voice was drowned out by the sound of a thunderous rumble through the air.

“What… was that?” Twilight asked.

“I don’t know,” she said, looking out the window and craning her gaze to try and find out.

Another rumble echoed through the courtyard, this time sending a small tremor through the grounds, barely enough to feel, but enough to create a wave of unease, both in the guards outside and from Spike’s own observing point. They cautiously approached the sound emanating from one of the walls, their spears and swords clasped tightly in their hands.

A harder tremor came, this time sending dozens of cracks spiderwebbing across the wall. Silently, the guards watched, a few glancing desperately at the other men beside them, but most staring intently at the damaged wall.

A dead silence fell on the courtyard, the tension painful, almost defining in how oppressive it was. Spike could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and she rested a hand on the windowsill, unable to look away from the sight.

“You, whore!” a voice loudly announced beside him, nearly making Spike jump out of her skin, “what the hell are you doing here?”

Spike turned her head, coming almost face-to-face with a guard. He shut the door behind him and glowered, waiting for an answer.

“Did you not hear that noise?” she remarked as easily as she could, staring out to the courtyard. Spike gestured vaguely at the doors nearby, continuing the ploy. “I finished with one of your fellows and heard something on my way back.”

“Ah, I see now,” the guard said with a smile. Spike doubted the man had heard anything Spike had said to him. Briefly, the dragon-blood wondered if she was like this at one point in her life.

“Hakem is granting us some personal time with his women again…” the guard continued, grabbing a lock of Spike’s hair and taking in a deep breath of the sent, “perhaps I could use something of the sorts as well.”

Spike almost retched, but willed herself to keep playing along to buy some time. She tried her best to offer a smile she hoped was sensual, and reached a finger up to the guard’s jaw, then trailed it down his chest. Spike gave a tap with a finger at the guard’s heart. “Perhaps we all could,” she cooed out. “Maybe we should—”

Another thunderous boom erupted from the courtyard; this time the wall gave way, erupting in a cloud of dust and stone, pieces of the rock cracking a few men hard where they stood, maiming or killing them outright. Spike took the momentary distraction to her advantage, bringing her hand up to the side of the man’s face and shoving it, twisting her torso at the same time. The guard tripped to the side and cracked his temple on the wall. Recoiling instantly, Spike brought her hands up to her cheeks and looked over the man. On seeing he was still breathing, the boy-turned-girl let out a sigh of relief.

“Knock knock!” a deep man’s voice boomed out. From the dust stepped out an imposing man. Behind him, a slimmer woman’s figure. “Equestria sends it’s regards!”

One of the guards still standing rushed the figure with his sword drawn. It was a blur of motion, the large man raised and struck his hammer down before the other could even attempt to dodge or parry the strike. A loud crunch filled the air, and the man not so much dropped as plummeted to the ground, dead before he could even utter a surprised grunt.

“Who’s next?” the man asked, stepping inside the courtyard proper.

Adjusting herself, Spike squinted her eyes and tried to make out who stood in the carnage.

“We don’t have all day!” the voice sounded off once again, the figure parrying a sword swing with the handle of his hammer, then striking with the pommel at the man’s stomach. The instant the guard buckled from the blow, the man came down with the head of his hammer, turning the guard into another stain in the sand.

Finally, it clicked to Spike who it had to be. “Aedan?” she asked to nobody in particular. Debating for only a moment, she put his hand to the door and opened it, running across the courtyard and into the fray.

As Spike approached, the soldier turned to face him, readying his hammer for another strike. Panicking, Spike slammed her heels into the sand, desperately trying to stop herself before she came close enough for the swing to connect. The sand caught ahold of her feet and she fell face-first into the sand, the blow wiffing over her and the tailwind of the weapon ruffling her hair. She turned over, just as Aedan rose the hammer to bring down on her.

“Cease thine attack, Aedan! I order thee!” Luna barked out in a commanding tone.

“What?” Aedan yelled back, “this guy came at me! He was…” Aedan paused, calming down from the rage of war to actually register the woman below him. as his eyes traveled down to see the small topless woman shivering at his feet.

“That’s not a he,” Aedan stated, not registering the obviousness of the words. He looked down at the woman’s face. “and if I didn’t know any better I’d say she looked like...”

The pause in combat was over in moments. Luna looked first to the men coming once more towards them, then back to Aedan and the dragon-blood. “Rise, Spike!” she bellowed, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Y-yeah,” Spike stammered, cautiously looking to the man above her, then standing to a knee.

“Wait,” Aedan said looking between Luna and Spike. He held up a hand, as if it’d pause the soldiers charging at them and flatly looked at Luna. “I know, I know, the fight’s important, but she is Spike?” One of the faster guards yelled and came into range of the man; he snapped forward, his hammer embedding into the man’s face in a blur of motion and dropping the body near Spike’s feet. He returned his attention to Luna and raised his hands to his sides, ignoring the men approaching. “You actually cast that spell on him?”

Luna formed a fist, save for her thumb sticking out between her middle and ring finger, then drug the gesture over her sword’s blade, her lips soundlessly forming a blessing over her weapon and imbuing it with a silvery aura, as if the weapon itself was making steam. She brought it to her shoulder and gave it a hefty horizontal swing. A curved aura erupted from the blade, the crescent wave of energy enlarging to twice, three times its size, and impacted against a man’s chest, leaving a clean cut that severed him in half. The wave continued, tearing and disemboweling dozens of guards behind the man, for a brief second filling the air with a unison of shrieks. The spell faded and lost its power seconds later, dissipating and leaving only the smallest indention against the opposite wall of the palace.

“I knew it was foolishness if he entered as a male, ergo, I took the liberty of channeling an additional spell to the stone he held. ‘Twas the only way he had a chance.”

“Oh heavens, that’s precious,” Aedan laughed. He paused the conversation for only a brief moment, snapping his hand forward directly into another guard that came to close to comfort. He hoisted him up in his hands, throwing him into another guard and stepping forward, slamming his hammer into their chests. He looked up and gave Spike a quick thumbs-up. “This is going to be a hell of a story to tell the grandkids one day!”

“How are you guys so calm about this?!” Spike barked in exasperation at the two. She saw a man approaching from Aedan’s side and ran to the soldier’s defense, tripping the guard to the ground then bringing her foot forward, kicking the man’s temple. Tears filled her eyes once she realized she kicked wrong and her big toe flared to life in protest at her action, but she ignored the throbbing agony it brought for the time being.

“Forgive me for betraying thine trust, but verily, I say to ye, would thou have agreed to mine plan in full if thou had heard the full amount of it?” Luna questioned, gesturing to the two to follow her towards the hallway Spike had just left from.

“No,” Spike instantly admitted, quickly joining her side. “You’re just lucky I turned out pretty cute.”

Luna cackled, but once more her attention was diverted by another wave of guards, one this time armed with a crossbow. He fired and she expertly parried it with the flat of her sword, then a violent twitch came from her free hand and she rose it to her side, struggling as if she held a great invisible weight. From below, a massive wall of ice rumbled to life, rising up from the courtyard’s sands, guarding the three’s left and blocking the guards from approaching without a long walk around. Dozens of crossbow bolts came to life, chipping and denting the ice but finding no weakness in Luna’s defense.

She gestured towards the door, wearily shaking her head, but doing her best to weakly smile at the boy-turned-girl.

“Cute? Art thou attached to thine form already?” she questioned, doing her best to hide her obvious fatigue after the spells. “Should I acquire thee a fuller skirt as well?”

“This is a long story,” Spike quickly countered as Aedan stepped inside and the other two followed suit. “I was trying to get into Hakem’s cham—.”

“Get down!” Aedan yelled; Spike didn’t need any coaxing, she dropped like a sack, landing hard on the stone floor just in time to avoid being beheaded. Aedan shot forward, slamming the guard into the wall with his weapon. “Luna, seen gramps? I thought he would of caught up to us by now.”

“Speak the name of a devil and he shows up,” a deep voice replied from the doorframe leading into the courtyard. “You’ll forgive me for running behind. Old bones are far more brittle.”

“Al’Kair?” Spike questioned, turning to the door and gesturing the man inside. When they all were safe, he took the brief moment of respite they had to get answers. “What are you all doing here?”

“We thought you were dead.” Aedan casually answered. “So us three? We kinda decided to try and do your job. Invisibility spell courtesy of Luna, a rope by yours truly, and a dream got us near the courtyard.” He scowled. “It was my fault we didn’t cloak and dagger our way inside. Few piece of shit guards saw me. We’ve been running ever since. Courtyard assault, in retrospect? Maybe not my best idea ever.”

Luna put a hand to her temple. “From the standpoint of a tactician, a more open battle was preferable for our skillsets. Close quarters puts thine weapon’s effectiveness to be akin to a feather. And far less ambush spots if we can see all of them. Far better to battle the known beast versus the unknown.”

She gave an apologetic look towards Spike. “Aedan is right regarding thou: I hath feared for thee,” Luna admitted. She stumbled past Spike and leaned against the wall, looking clammy and breathing hard. “‘Tis true I attempted to make thine passage as safe as I could, but… so many things could have befallen ye.” Wearily smiling, she added, “but to see thee alive and well eases mine ancient heart.”

Luna’s legs then began to buckle; Aedan came to her side, sheathing his hammer and scooping her up in his arms. “I told you you shouldn’t have used too much magic,” he said, concern evident in his voice, “now I’m gonna be stuck carrying you again.”

“Allow me a mere moment of rest and I shall arise,” Luna replied, a shiver taking her body. “Mine spellwork is outshone by mine sister and her student. It leaves me more fatigued than either of them. The invisibility cast upon us three, alongside the spells for our dear Spike, hath left me drained.” She gestured outside at the tall wall of ice standing proudly in the sands, its cold walls still, for the moment, refusing to melt. “Not to mention my theatrics there. I should have cast a simpler spell.”

“Don’t talk right now, save your energy,” Aedan said, bringing her closer to his head, “we’ll need as much of it as we can get later, I know it.”

“Indeed,” she said. After a moment, she reached up, giving his cheek a small stroke.

“I suppose that leaves this mission completion on myself and the young one.” Al’Kair looked to Spike. “Since you will be busy caring for the princess as she recuperates.”

“I’m not leaving her alone, not like this anyway,” Aedan replied. He looked to the others and shrugged. “That’s about all that needs said.”

“I’ll be fine, Aedan,” Luna weakly protested. “Ye, thou need to assist them. I will seek respite in a room until my strength is renewed.”

“This is going to be one of those times I won’t listen to you,” he countered, walking her over to a corner in the hall and setting her down. “You’re stuck with me, and that’s final.”

“Even as an order from thine commanding officer?”

“I’m not doing this as a soldier,” Aedan answered, he reached behind her, unclasping her breastplate and giving her a chance to breath easier. “I’m doing this as your man. Nothing else.” He offered his hand down to her.

“Fool,” Luna said, but took his hand regardless. “Al’Kair,” she addressed, breaking away from Aedan’s gaze and turning her head to the other..

“Yes Princess?” Al’Kair asked, turning away from Spike and looking to the couple on the ground.

“Take care of Spike. He hath grown into a fine man,” She glanced over at Spike’s feminine body and raised a brow. “Even if it does not show on occasion. I have no want of him dying at such a youthful age, if it can be helped at all.”

“With my last breath,” Al’Kair put a hand to his collarbone and bowed, then turned back to Spike, “Come now Spike, it is fallen upon us to finish what you have started.”

Spike nodded, instantly at Al’Kair’s side. “Do you think the barracks are clear now? I tried to make my way through, but couldn’t because of them.”

Al’Kair rolled his wrist, slowly trailing his sword in an ‘s’ pattern in front of his body, getting used to its weight once more. “We’ll just have to find out, won’t we?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow and a small grin.

Spike swallowed, but reached under her dress, unsheathing her sword. “G-guess so,” she agreed, trying to match the other’s casual approach.

“Keep my back,” Al’Kair said walking slowly to the doors, “I know your detest for bloodshed, all I ask is to insure I remain properly guarded.”

“I’ll fight when I need to, Al’Kair,” she said. “Don’t worry.”

“Then be ready to need,” Al’Kair replied, grasping the barracks door he looked back to Spike, giving him a small nod. “Three, on your count.”

“One… two…” She snapped up, lifting the blade into position. “Three!”

Al’Kair’s shoulder slammed into the door, throwing it open with such force that the thick wood slammed against the stone walls and snapped the door in half. The feeble cries of several men fell silent as part of the door met the ground. Taking a headcount, Spike saw that there were at least two dozen guards between them and the other side of the room. Looking to one another Al’Kair nodded to Spike, his eyes cold and malicious as the group of men approached.

“The time has come for you to pay for your sins!” Al’Kair roared, snapping forward and cutting an arm free from a man that was nearby with one hard flick of his blade. “I shall be your arbiter of justice!”

The guards rallied and charged headlong into the duo, their stances and deep scowls frightning to Spike, but Al’Kair’s swordsmanship easily outmatched their own. With every slash, a traitor paid, whether it be with their arm, their entrails, or their heads Al’Kiar’s justice was swift, merciless and savage. Spike was left to watch in both awe and horror as the giant swung away with the burning rage of the sun itself.

Spike saw an opening and struck, cutting a hand off as a man tried to embed his sword into Al’Kair’s exposed side. Shutting her eyes, Spike rolled the weapon, slamming the flat of the blade into the guard’s face, splattering blood over her bare chest.

Amidst the carnage Al’Kair grabbed a guard by the throat and threw him into one of the beds, before the guard could move, Al’Kair ran his blade ran through the man’s stomach. Though a last, desperate push, the guard rose his blade to strike; Al’Kair caught the man’s wrist before he could complete the swing. Seizing the opportunity, Al’Kair pulled the blade free of the man\s hand and with renewed zeal turned to the guards and began cleaving through them.

Spike remained passive amid the carnage, taking a few precious seconds to observe the world around her and approaching the fight as methodically as she could, parrying when needed, repositioning herself in order to keep people on her strong side, and, when she saw an opening, striking, leaving mostly flesh wounds and, on one or two cases, a missing limb. Two approached her and she hopped back from their crossing swings and stepped forward once she saw an opening, cutting one at the neck, and getting point blank with the other, kneeing him in the balls, then as he howled in pain, striking the guard hard in his exposed adam’s apple with the pommel of her sword. As he fell to the ground gasping dryly, Spike turned, quickly joining Al’Kair’s side.

“You seem to have remembered well,” Al’Kair said, breathing heavily and giving a slow wave of his swords to ward off the guards nearby as he caught his breath, “but I must admit, perhaps your new body offered an advantage in your favor.”

“Maybe,” she answered, wiping away some of the blood on her chest. “But cheap tricks come with the territory of fights. Not my fault if they’re distracted.”

Al’Kiar wryly smiled, then snapped forward, swinging both of his blades horizontally and severing a man’s neck. “Well, continue on then, be as distracting as possible.”

Spike ducked a horizontal swipe aimed for her head and tripped one of the guards; as he fell, the dragon-blood turned his attention to another in the distance firing a crossbow. Spike yelped, tumbling to the floor just as the man pulled the trigger and launched a bolt her way. From her prone position, Spike rolled over the other guard, pulling free a dagger the man had at his side and threw it, amazed at her luck when it sailed through the air and struck the other guard with the hilt, square in the forehead. His eyes lobbed into the back of his head and he collapsed, unconscious.

“That worked?!” Spike asked, unbelieving. She heard shuffling from the ground and turned, kicking the guard rising behind her like a football, breaking his nose with the blow. He collapsed back down once more and this time lay still.

Al’Kair was far more violent in his approach, cleaving a guard’s arms in tandem before removing his head from his shoulders. Blood covered the old man’s armor as his two blades continued to cut through the few guards still standing like weeds; limbs flew through the air amid the sound of screams from their owners.

It seemed like an eternity, but in the end the battle was finally decided when the last of Hakem’s guards fell, Al’Kair’s blades embedded up to the hilts in the man’s chest. Pulling him close and watching the life fade from his eyes, Al’Kair waited until the guard’s lifeblood faded fully, before throwing the lifeless pile of meat to the ground.

“So much for the stealthy approach,” Spike said to herself. “Hakem had to of heard that.”

“We didn’t have much choice in the matter,” Al’Kair replied, staring towards the door leading past the barracks, “and let Hakem come, the coward should probably witness his own fate before it comes to him.”

“Amira first. We make sure Amira’s ok, then go after Hakem,” Spike said. “That’s the only thing I’m gonna ask.”

“As if you had to.” Al’Kair nodded, throwing one of the scimitars to the side while sheathing the other, “and if we are to insure her safety we must move on.”

“Alright. I think Twilight mentioned the king’s quarters are down the next hall, on the right, so…”

Al’Kair rested his shoulder on the golden barricade. “Same as last time,” he said, looking to Spike, “your count, on three.”

“One,” she said, sucking in a breath. “Two…” Her eyes flared open. “Three!”

The man’s shoulder slammed into the door, popping it off the hinges and sending it toppling to the ground with an echoing boom. The two rushed into the hall, each expecting to see another slew of guards waiting for them, but they were barren, void of any presence minus their own. Al’Kair looked down the hall, then at the shut throne room doors, expecting at any moment for an attack to come from either side, but after what seemed like an eternity to them, no resistance came.

“I suppose we handled most of them in the barracks and the courtyard.” Al’Kair wiped at the sweat on his brow and turned to face Spike. “That doesn’t mean that we should drop our—”

“Father!” a voice that was all too familiar to Spike cried out in warning, but it came too late.

The sound of the gunshot echoed through the empty hall, causing Spike to jump in surprise as it pounded her ear drums. The ringing subsided and Spike looked to his partner, whose face seemed distant, aloof, as if he was contemplating the weight of the world itself.

“A-Al’Kair?” Spike questioned. “Al’Kair, what—”

Spike froze. At the right side of Al’Kair’s chest was a hole, a small thing no bigger than Spike’s pinkie. After a moment, the wound spoke of how grievous it was despite its smallness, first dribbling blood, then all but gushing , leaving a crimson river from his chest to the floor. Before Spike could react, before he could even think about what to do, another four shots rang out through the air, each one causing Al’Kair’s body to jerk. Finally, after the echo from the last shot subsided, the giant sank dumbly to his knees, five holes scattered throughout his torso, each bleeding just as badly as the last.

“Such is the fate of all who dare stand against the True King!” a voice proclaimed from farther down the hall, “An honorless death for an honorless man!”

Despite the sight before his eyes, Spike looked behind the fallen man’s mass, seeing two figures off in the distance at where the hallway turned. One, the tyrant that ruled the rebels, the other, the girl that gave Spike her heart.

“Father!” Amira cried, struggling in Hakem’s grip in an attempt to break free, “Father don’t—”

“If you keep speaking, whore,” Hakem interrupted, pressing the still hot barrel against Amira’s neck, scalding her and causing her to weep in pain, “there is yet still another round that could be quite useful in silencing you.”

“Don’t touch her!” Spike shouted, her arms quivering so bad she could barely hold the weapon in her hands. “I’ll kill you if you even think about it.”

Hakem looked to the girl and smiled, wickedly, sticking out his tongue and lapping it up the side of Amira’s face. She flenched in disgust, but the tears continued to flow as her eyes remained on Al’Kair, his body still resting at the knees, but his hands splayed limply at his side.

“I will do with her whatever I so please,” Hakem shouted back, aiming the pistol at Spike, “and none will stop me from taking her as well as my revenge, I have lost this battle yes, but the war is far from over.”

On seeing the pistol aimed at herself, Spike relented, but only for a brief moment. Gripping her weapon, she shouted, “Amira! Now!”

At first the woman had no idea what the girl was talking about, but soon enough she caught on. Slamming her fist into Hakem’s groin with all her might she attempted to escape. Hakem reeled in pain but recovered faster than either anticipated. He jumped, grabbing Amira by the ankle and forcing her to the ground. Spike sprinted towards them, her weapon at her side and ready to strike. When she cleared enough ground, she lept, swinging the scimitar down towards Hakem’s head.

“Not today, whore!” Hakem roared, pointing his pistol towards Spike. The hammer fell back and a bullet erupted from the chamber.

The sixth and final shot rang out and Spike’s body jerked lost some of momentum, jerking right, landing hard on his side just inches away from Amira. An agonizing pain came from just above her collarbone, and a small trail of crimson ran across her chest and traveled down to the carpet.

It wasn’t supposed to go like this. It wasn’t. He was supposed to win. Looking to Amira, Spike felt tears prick at her eyes, and crawled a hand towards her, slowly mouthing her name.

“S...Spike?” Amira whispered in confusion, reaching out her own hand, “Spike?”

“Grieve later, cunt,” Hakem growled, pulling Amira away from Spike just before their fingers could touch.

Spike tried to move. She tried, but couldn’t. All she could manage was a weak lob of her head before slumping back down. The hallway grew dim. Soon Spike’s vision faded, then her sense of touch, finally, she could hear no longer. Unable to do anything else, lacking the strength for anything else, Spike shut her eyes.