Walking into Central Command, there were various hippogriffs and changelings working on intel and progress of the war against the Crystal Empire. When one of the commanding officers took notice of the creature, he said,

“Bow your heads!”

Doing as he said, the officers got out of their seats and kneeled before Spike. Hearing this, it said,

“No need, everybody. Back to your posts.”

“As you wish, sire!” everybody shouted before returning to their posts.

Walking towards the officer in the front who was a changeling, the creature asked,

“Have you found any weaknesses in the barrier of the Crystal Empire?”

“We are still in the middle of finding the source, but due to active guard duty in the Crystal Empire, it’s been made very hard to sneak around, O Black One.”

“I had a feeling that you would falter in your attempts to infiltrate their quarters.”

“Sire?”

“I sent a bit of myself to search for it, but I came up short on clues. However, I was able to do away with the Royal Sisters. I even took one of their heads.”

“Sire…”

Just then, they heard huge footsteps from outside the room. Everybody but the creature turned around to see who it was. The creatures stood out of the way as the visitor walked through the command center towards the creature. The visitor enthusiastically said as he laughed,

“Well, you seem lively today!”

The creature turned around and saw that it was none other than the Field Marshal himself, Tirek.

“Tirek…” the creature said with a low growl.

“I have come to see the king! Remove yourself, so that I may speak to him!” the huge centaur demanded.

“What?” the creature asked with anger building up.

“I have news regarding the capture of Twilight’s friend. New regarding the pink pony.”

Hearing this stole the creature’s attention. It asked,

“Truly?”

“Yes. Now if you would please, I would like to speak to the king regarding the pink pony.”

“Very well…” the creature said, lightly growling.

The creature dissolved and went back into Spike as the ooze slowly disappeared. After it absorbed itself back into him, Spike asked,

“How far are they?”

“They are about a mile away from here. Should be back here in no more than an hour. I’m sure the two of you have a lot of catching up to do once she has been delivered here.” Tirek quipped.

“I see. If what the Corruption said was true, we could have a way of figuring out the capabilities of those suits and the potential it could wield for the six.”

“And we will. As soon as we peel it off her insect-ridden corpse.”

The Changelings gave a slight hiss upon hearing his derogatory statement. Seeing this, Spike said,

“Let’s walk. The typing and the clicking of these machines are beginning to bother my ears.”

“Indeed…”

After heading outside of the command area, Spike asked,

“How are the six improving?”

“Gallus shows promise. He is quick to a point and he seems to know the best decision when it comes to full-frontal assault against the ponies who attack. But his social skills and tendencies to butt heads with the other members have much to be desired. If we can improve his training and attack coordination, he will be unstoppable. Smolder is quite headstrong and eager whenever she fights, but she is loud and constantly clashes with Gallus over leadership. Can be trained, but needs time on which we don’t have.” Tirek explained.

“And the others?”

“Silverstream is very frantic and sadistic out there on the battlefield which could prove to be her downfall, but she makes up in various torture techniques and could make anypony shrivel with fear if she uses her flight and sea skills correctly. Yona is enraged and incredibly violent, but she works well with others if brute force is used and is surprisingly flexible. Ocellus is quite skilled in stealth and espionage, but needs to improve her skills in direct combat. And Little Strongheart is quite unstoppable when it comes to charging attacks, but she needs to be angered enough to charge directly into her enemies.”

“I see. How did they fare against Pinkie?”

“She was predictable! One the first time of seeing her friend in danger, she immediately acted and saved her at her own peril! Effectively, they used their teamwork to attack and cripple the pink pony! Although they did have a small problem against one pony…”

“Really? Tell me about this pony.”

“In their report, they told me it was a unicorn with a broken horn on her forehead and she was accompanied by a hedgehog. Her name is-”

“-Tempest Shadow?”

Baffled but regaining his composure, Tirek asked,

“Yes. But how do you know?”

“She was the commander who led the Storm King’s soldiers on the attack against Canterlot. Naturally they failed, but she turned over a new leaf and has been spreading friendship ever since.”

“Weakling. Just like any pony, they value friendship over strength. But she was formidable against the Shadow unit and was able to get out with a few scratches on her. However, they were able to injure the hedgehog. Silverstream has blood on her and is planning to track her with it when they return.”

“Hmm. How long will it be until the Crystal Empire’s barrier gets destroyed?”

“We don’t have an answer yet. The Corruption that snuck inside can barely make its way into the sewer system. We’re not sure if it can get to the Crystal Heart! But it could weaken the Princess of Life if it snuck onto her horn.”

“Just like King Sombra…”

“Your Highness?”

“Have you received any word from Dragon Lord Ember?”

“She’s only a few hours away from reaching Canterlot. Should I tell the hippogriffs to prepare the dinner hall?”

“I want everything to be well-organized and the meals must be set to the minute detail. If this proposal is to work, everything must be set according to plan.”

“Ugh, you sound like Twilight Sparkle…”

“I know, and that’s what drives me up the wall. What if she hates it?”

“She won’t. I will see to it that the servants get everything set properly and without fail.”

“Good. Because the last thing that I need to disappoint like how I did with Rarity. But the destruction of the Crystal Empire will be one of my biggest presents to her. Will you see to the servants that they do their jobs in time for Dragon Lord Ember’s arrival?”

“Right away, Your Holiness.”

After Tirek left, Spike was greeted by the haunting visions of not only Celestia, but also Luna, whose appearance was largely the same as her sister. Spike was appalled, but not as mortified as the first time he saw the Sun Princess.

“You really think that proposing to Ember will wash away the blood that you spilt on all of us?” Luna asked in a raspy voice.

Spike said nothing as he looked at the princesses.

“Ignoring us will do you no good, dragon. After everything that we have done for you, how well we have provided for you, cared for you, you reward our gratitude with anger and defiance! Twilight gave you life and you scoffed at her because you wanted nothing more than jewels!” Celestia shouted.

Spike stopped dead in his tracks and turned towards the Royal Sisters.

“Jewels? You think that the only things I cared for in life were jewels!? After all that I was put through as your slave, you have the nerve to say that I was interested in jewels?!?! You don’t know me!!! I was always there on the sidelines, being ordered around and treated as nothing more than an animal!!! But not today. No. Today will be my lifelong declaration to Ember and I will be dead before you interfere with my happiness!!!” Spike shouted.

“You are but a spoiled brat who thinks he deserves the entire world for being treated as nothing more than second best! You are only being held on a pedestal because this thing carried your mind and now you live in it’s shadow!” Luna yelled with booming anger.

“Especially considering how you use cowardly tactics to sneak inside the Crystal Empire and do away with our subjects! And using Twilight’s scythe to disguise yourself…” Celestia said as she snarled.

Spike remained silent as he pondered over what they said. He felt nothing but anger and doubt as he looked at the Royal Sisters. He knew that they weren’t lying about him using the creature to sneak inside the Crystal Empire, but he was infuriated when they said he was living in the former’s shadow. He said,

“I may not be innocent, but I wasn’t the one who threw my children out.”

The Royal Sisters snarled as electricity start sparking out of their horns. Spike stood absolutely still as he stared them down. After a minute, they powered down their horns. Celestia said,

“We will be back. And when we return, you will experience the wrath of the Royal Sisters of Canterlot. There will be no escape when we meet again. When I see you again, I will melt you like a candle and use whatever’s left to make a suit out of you.”

“And I will always be here. Waiting for you in your deepest, darkest nightmares to prey on whatever security you believe to have and I will make your life a living hell. As long as you live, you will never be rid of us. The Royal Sisters will rise again!!!” Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice.

Afterwards, they finally disappeared and Spike was all by his lonesome. Looking around and trying to decide on what to do next, he said,

“I must look over the preparations for dinner as tonight will be my finest hour.”

On that note, Spike started to walk towards the inside of the castle to find the hippogriff servant.