Spike and his crew walked back towards the Temple of Gloom. While they were there earlier, they found a shortcut that they took advantage of on their way to confront Finn. Spike asked his crew "Do any of you have any advice on Finn?"

Adagio told Spike, "Cutthroats are bullies and cowards, so they'll turn tail if we beat Finn. It's best if we focus on fighting Finn instead of the rest of the Cutthroats."

Time Turner was loading his gun and said, "Adagio's right, but Finn is no ordinary Cutthroat, he's one of the best fighters on Skull Island. And he's not above fighting dirty."

Bulk Biceps grumbled, "A fight against a thief is fine, but I find no challenge against a thief with no sense of honor. You should understand being a royal, right Spike?"

Spike nodded, "I may be a pirate, but I still have my pride and sense of honor."

As they entered, Finn looked at them and asked, "You're not the buyer, who the hell are you?"

"I am the Black Rose Dragon and I challenge you for Avery's Jade Amulet!"

Frowning in utter annoyance at this kid's brazen call to challenge him, Finn shook his head at the kid's complete stupidity and lack of respect before turning to one of his men and silently mouthing something to him.

"Turning your back to-" Spike froze right in the middle of his witty remark as a loud bang suddenly echoed across the temple. Instinctively his hand flew right to his chest see if he was alright, until he would receive his answer to what had just happened a second later when a loud thud sounded to the right of him.

Looking down, he would see an image that he would never forget as there laid the body of Zecora. Shot straight through the heart and dead before she even hit the ground.

"That ought to teach you some respect boy," Finn replied.

Though such a reply was met with deaf ears as Spike was hearing nothing but white noise, before being broken in a cry of pure rage as he blindly charged at Finn.

Meanwhile in Jonah Town...

Applejack sighed, "I think that pirate sent us on a wild goose chase, no surprise there."

Rarity growled, "And here I thought he could pass for a gentleman, that lying ruffian!"

As Twilight was about to respond, her crystal ball started glowing, "It's from Lyra and Bonbon. What's up you two? Have you found the prince?"

Lyra sighed, "Yes, but there's been a problem. Spike is here in Skull Island, but he managed to have his Witchdoctor crewmate make a potion to counteract the tracking spell."

Twilight's eyes widened, "The Prince is still on Skull Island!? We looked everywhere for him and didn't see a sign of him!"

Bonbon explained, "He's disguised himself as a pirate called the Black Rose Dragon, he's got a dragon helmet and a suit that looks like it's made of rose petals."

Twilight's eye started twitching, "The pirate who we paid for information on the prince's whereabouts was the prince himself!?" They started heading back to Skull Island, full speed to find the prince.

Back at the throne room...

As Spike clashed swords with Finn, it didn't take long before he was shown just how outclassed he was. With Finn easily dodging and parrying every single swing and job of the sword he did, smiling and laughing all the while. With the only reason he knew that Finn didn't just cut him down with every opportunity he was given was because he was toying with him. Which only drove to further drive Spike deeper into his blind rage of the man and become increasingly reckless.

"Enough of this," yawned Finn as he sidestepped Spikes sword arm in his latest failed jab, where he proceeded to hit Spike hard in the back with the hilt of his blade, causing Spike to cry out in pain and knocking the raging prince to the ground.

"It's truly pathetic when young ones like you come around and act like you are one of the big boys. After all, just look at what your stupidity has gotten you," Finn said as he outstretched his arms to emphasize all that had just happened around them.

Looking around from where Spike lay upon the ground, he could see all of his motley crew were defeated. Bulk Biceps laid bruised and battered not too far from him, only saved by his insanely huge and durable body. Time Turner was stuck inside a magic barrier he had created that at any moment would break from the continuous onslaught of shark men battering at the barrier. While Adagio laid pinned down to the ground as several pirates stood over her grinning maliciously.

"The world is truly better offer without such stupidity," he finished as he raised his blade high into the air before swinging it downward to end the pathetic brat's life. Yet just as the blade was about to descend upon Spikes neck, a new shot rang throughout the temple and landed right against Finn's blade. Knocking it out of his hand and saving the young prince's life.

"Twilight," Spike groaned, not expecting to see them again.

"Gahh!" gasped Finn. "The HMS Pinafore, retreat! We aren't prepared to face them in this condition." Causing all the shark men to forget about Spike and his beaten crew as they all jumped into the nearby water and quickly swim away. Where Spike unable to do anything but watch, is made to growl as he sees Finn get away.

"My Prince," shouted Twilight in worry and relieve as she ran over to Spike and immediately started using healing magic on him. "Thank Celestia you're alright."

"No Twilight, I'm not alright. I'm not alright at all," he growls as he immediately moves over to Zecora's dead body thanks to the healing magic. Where he kneels in front of her, tears streaming down his mask and cried, "I'm sorry Zecora. If I hadn't been so cocky, none of this would have happened... I promise I'll avenge you... I swear it!"

Following him, Twilight knelt down beside Spike and said, "My Prince, you are already injured enough with the loss of your hand. As our orders were to bring you home safely, we have already failed. I will not allow you to injure yourself further by avenging someone you barely know. Her death is insignificant to your safety."

Causing Spike to shout at them and say "Shut up! She trusted me as her captain, and it's my fault she's dead! My pride as a pirate, no, my pride as a man instructs me to avenge her! You of all people should understand! If somebody killed one of your crewmates, you would go to the end of the Spiral to find them!"

"Personally, yes Spike," she answered. "But as someone who has sworn service to your mother and to protect Equestria, such duties are far more important than personal vendettas. And you too, My Prince have a-"

"Silence!" Spike shouting, cutting off whatever it was Twilight was going to say. "I will not be returning to the castle with you. I will avenge my crewmen and you will not prevent me from doing so!"

"I'm sorry my Prince," Twilight sighed. "But we are under direct orders from your mother to bring you home and there's just no way we are letting put yourself in harm's way for the sake of avenging someone you barely knew," she says as she walks up to Spike to apprehend him.

Spike growled as Twilight approached him, but he had an ace up his sleeve. As a young dragon still, he may not be able to breath great fire just yet, but he could create great clouds of smoke. In the confusion, Spike yelled, "Bulk Biceps, you carry Zecora's body, let's go!" and they fled with their crewman's corpse in tow. Since they still had a job, Spike was able to snatch Avery's Jade Amulet as they made their getaway.

As the smoke cleared, Twilight sighed, "The prince has no idea what he's doing... Come, the search continues."

Next Chapter: Zecora's Funeral Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 48 Minutes