Feared Love United: Chapter 04/Nifl's Gate
The fellowship finally approached the tiny villagre of cold stone and frost, and the ground began to quake. The Ponies and Changelings all looked around, all except for Halfire. The fear turned to surprise and elation as the great purple and green form appeared over the hillock, lifting Rarity from the ground in the time it takes to smile.
"Spike!" Rarity exclaimed.
He could not reply, and instead simply held her aloft... far more aloft than he had before.
"Hoo, doggie, look at him!" Applejack shouted.
"You're as tall as a bear!" Rainbow Dash shouted, flittering up to him.
"T..." Fluttershy tried to say, "taller... Unless we're talking about an ursus... but... I don't think we are... right?.."
"Right!" Rainbow Dash replied. "He's totally more awesome than any ursus, anyways." she said, and held out her hoof towards him. Spike craddled the swooning Rarity in his left arm, closing his right claw to bump Rainbow Dash's hoof.
"He might not even fit in the library anymore!" Pinkie Pie shouted, and at this Spike sighed.
"We all knew it would happen sooner than later." Applejack interjected, "There's still more than enough room in Ponyville for 'im. Hell, if he really needs to, he could always sleep in m' barn."
"Applejack!" Twilight admonished.
"I just said that he could!" Applejack replied, "I mean..." she said, and turned to Spike, "you know I don't mean no harm by it..."
"I know..." Spike replied.
"I think..." Fluttershy quietly stated, "she means... She means that you'll always have a home with us."
"Darn tootin'!" Applejack added.
"He'll always be our little Spikey-Wikey." Rarity added, craddling his face with her forehoof. This caused Pinkie Pie to snicker. "What is it?" Rarity asked, causing Pinkie to roll onto her back with laughter.
"There's only one pony in all of Equestria," Applejack stated, "that could get away with calling him Spikey-Wikey. Especially now that he's grown a li'l."
"To we Plebs, he will always be Baron Spike." Halfire added.
"Thank you for bringing them safely." Spike said to him.
"It was an honour." Halfire, followed by a bow.
"Pleba-whatnow?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Before the three tribes united, Unicorns were a heavily stratified people. At the top were the Patricians, the noble families who ruled through power and influence. At the bottom were the Plebs. Between the two were the Equites."
"And where were Earth Ponies?" Applejack asked, causing Halfire to cough.
"Please bear in mind that these standards have been considered deprecated for millenia..." Halfire pleaded with her.
"I don't think I'm going to like the sound of this." Applejack replied.
"What's wrong with the word This?" Pinkie Pie asked, though they choose to ignore her and simply continue.
"Earth Ponies were considered... lower... than Plebs..." Halfire stated, as solemnly as he could.
"What about Pegasuses?" Rainbow Dash asked him.
"Pegasi." Halfire corrected. "They were ranked roughly with the Equites."
"Sweet." Rainbow Dash replied, and did a little flying dance.
"And how come," Twilight interjected, "she never listens to me when I... over... explain things to her?"
"Supposition:" Halfire stated, "Purple Prose."
"Like Spike?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Once again Halfire sighed and paused. "What colour does a flower have?" Halfire asked her.
"I don't know... I guess it depends on the flower. I'm not exactly an Earth Pony."
"What smell does it have?" Halfire continued.
"Uh?.." Rainbow Dash asked, "a little sweet, I guess. Kinda smells a little nice..."
"Fragrant." Halfire stated. "How about if I replace the smell of flowers with the smell of lavender?"
"I guess... I know... a bit more of what it smells like?.." Rainbow Dash asked.
"Prose is storytelling." Twilight stated.
"Purple is lush qualia." Halfire added.
"So..." Twilight said to Rainbow Dash, "words you could wrap yourself in like a plush blanket."
"Oooooh!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "I get it now! Why do you eggheads need to make storytelling so complex?"
"Because it makes it more interesting." Halfire stated.
"I guess that makes sense." Rainbow Dash voiced.
"Spike, Dear." Rarity said from within his arms, and he looked down at her, pausing as he took in her sweet fragrance. She swooned a moment before continuing. "Now that the equipologist has finished his story, you could maybe put me down now, if you could?"
"That depends if you want to walk all the way into the village." Spike added.
"My hooves are aching..." Rarity quietly stated, as she thought it over. "But what about my luggage?" She asked.
"I'll pull the cart." Applemite said to her. "Just enjoy your reunion."
"I shall..." Rarity said warmly from within Spike's arms, and simply gazed up at him.
Pinkie Pie hopped over, and continued hopping so that her face would bound up to Spike's level. "Can I have a hug, too?" she asked.
"Pinkie!" Twilight shouted at her.
"I'm sure there will be plenty of huggin' once we get settled in." Applejack added.
"Do you Pinkie promise?" Pinkie asked, still bounding up to Spike's height.
Spike craddled Rarity in his left arm, before making the movements, "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
"Okie-dokie-lokie!" Pinkie stated, and ceased bouncing in his face.
"Before we get into the village," Spike said to the group, "they call this region Fimbulwinter and themselves Winter Deer. The village is called Nifl's Gate. Unlike Equestria, winter is the only season here."
"How do they grow anythin'?" Applejack asked.
"Hot springs." Spike replied. "They keep some valleys warm enough to grow crops. Some villages have also worked out irrigation. And a special surprise for Lady Rarity."
"For me?" Rarity asked from within his arms, "and we did not get you anything."
"We were kinda in a hurry." Applejack stated.
"We still should have thought of something..." Rarity added.
"Now." Halfire whispered to Twilight.
Her eyes and horn glew as she cast the spell, and Rarity could see through Rainbow Dash's eyes, and what she saw was Spike craddling the most precious thing imaginable to him, and became even more lost in his arms. Twilight ended the spell, and Rarity found herself gazing up at Spike as he carried her.
"Twilight," Spike voiced, in a quiet, echoing baritone, "care to explain what that was?"
"Hmm." she replied.
Spike said nothing more, and they just walked towards the village.
"He trusts you so dearly." Halfire stated.
"He would die for us." Applejack stated.
"And so would we!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"Well, duh!" Pinkie shouted as she bounced along, "That's the whole reason we are here."
"Hardly." Spike added.
"I thought we was here because ya needed our help?" Applejack asked.
"My exact words," Halfire stated, "were 'Can Defend - Not Attack.'"
"So, what are we supposed to do?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Spike turned his head to look at her, "You are the Wonderbolt, you tell me."
"Air superiority!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Me and Sprite will keep your skies clear!"
"And just what are we supposed to do?" Applejack asked, "Start a sewin' circle?"
"I've been fighting the Snow Wraiths for months." Spike replied. "I know the terrain and unlike the rest of you, I will not die from exposure. I need you to protect the village, while we hunt down what's causing the Snow Wraiths. Or at least what's making their attacks so much worse than it used to."
"We'd be happy to help, wouldn't we, girls?" Twilight asked the rest of them.
"Pardon me?" Rarity asked him, "We?"
"Halfire will be accompanying me." Spike warmly said to her.
"And why does he get to accompany you, but we have to stay behind and tend to the village?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Spike said nothing in reply and simply pulled Rarity up against his chest. "The warmth... it's... enthralling... Darling... I could get lost in it."
"That would hardly give him incentive to let you go." Halfire stated.
"At this point I do not wish to..." Rarity replied.
"Dragonfire is for more than destruction." Spike added.
Pinkie Pie bounced up to Spike and started bouncing up to his head-level. "I want to feel it, too!"
Rarity lightly moaned for a minute, enjoying the embrace for a few more moments. "It would not be very generous for me to... keep... this all to myself..."
With this Spike shifted her from both arms to his left, using his right to catch Pinkie Pie middair.
"Goody!" she shouted, as he pulled her in close. "It's like sharing a bath with Gummy!"
With this Twilight visibly shook.
"Gummy is?" Halfire asked.
"Pinkie's pet alligator." Applejack stated.
"I suppose finding an alligator in the bathtub would cause that reaction." Halfire stated.
"Gummy would never hurt anyone!" Pinkie shouted.
"He doesn't have any teeth." Applejack continued.
"I suppose that would explain the Gummy part." Halfire added. "Still, finding any alligator in the bathtub would certainly be disturbing."
"To put it mildly..." Twilight voiced.
They approached a gate that appeared to be made entirely out of frost, which quickly opened to let them inside.
"I'm going out on a limb," Twilight stated, "and guess that the giant tent is for Spike."
"We're staying in a tent?!" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Rainbow Dash aside," Spike stated, "everyone else hold your judgement until we get inside."
Halfire pulled the massive tent flap, opening it up, and they felt an incredible warmth blowing against their bodies.
"Oh - My - Dear - Celestia!" Rarity exclaimed.
"The tent was orginally set up for my expedition." Halfire stated. "The Winter Deer don't exactly have a booming hospitality industry, so they had to make due. The hot springs were the only place that could quickly be set up to support our needs."
"It's magnificient!" Rarity echoed. "I'm afraid to say this, but to enjoy it I will have to let Spikey-Wikey release me." He gently put her on the ground, and she turned to look at him, "Is this the surprise you had for me, Spikey-Wikey?" she asked, and he nodded in reply. She dashed towards him, throwing as much as herself around him as she could, and he was so magnificent that she was struck with awe.
"You can see where my expedition has setup," Halfire said to the group, "so we decided it would be best for your to setup over there." he said, pointing to a relatively empty corner.
"In the mean time I'll get the village chief." Spike said to the group.
"I'm surprised I haven't seen anypony yet." Applejack stated.
"Oh..." Fluttershy quietly voiced, "I'm sure they're just busy..."
"Even more than they usually are." Spike stated.