Galaxy tried to keep her cool about the whole situation but I could tell she was irked.

"So" I began, "What happens now? Do we just go back?"

"No" said Galaxy with an exasperated sigh, "Just be patient a little."

This didn't seem like the type of problem that solved itself but I didn't want to argue with her. I realized now that to somepony like Galaxy, standing in that place forever probably wasn't a big deal since that's what she would be doing otherwise. Thus, she wasn't having a mental breakdown like I was. In the background, the large crowd of changelings still guarded the gate, the flutter of their wings clearly audible.

Suddenly, three creatures swooped down from the darkness of the sky and brought themselves to a hover above us. They were griffons.

"Hmmph. A living human eh? I always knew the old princess was a bit off her rocker." began one of them.

"Yeah, he doesn't belong here. We need to do something about that." said the second, her voice sounding like that of a hermaphrodite.

"You know, I think he's a bit too out of place to do attempt that." interjected the third.

"I disagree completely" said the second, "We could certainly start by killing him so he's dead like everypony else around here."

"You know Gilda, I couldn't agree more." said the first.

"Well good" snapped the second. Immediately, she leaned forward and bore down upon me with her claws outstretched. I stood motionless, too shocked to run and unsure of where to go if I tried.

Suddenly a flash of hot pink light blasted the griffon and sent her veering out of control. Unable to regain control, she slammed into the ground behind us.

"Wow!" I shouted at her, "That was pathetic. How in the name of Celestia did you train at the same school as Rainbow Dash?"

In a rage, Gilda picked herself up and prepared to resume her attack. Next to me, Galaxy's magic aura around her horn glowed again as she prepared for a potentially stupid move by Gilda.

"By the decree of her highness Princess Celestia, you are not to touch him?" she shouted.

Gilda laughed. "Oh don't worry. I won't need to touch the pathetic thing." Turning to her friends, she said, "Come on now, bring the cockatrice."

Galaxy gasped. "Stay turned" she whispered, "and close your eyes. If that thing manages to catch your gaze, you'll be turned to stone."

I closed my eyes without protest. Behind me, some large creature moved toward us as I stood in silence. Because I couldn't see anything, I began to panic.

Suddenly, the sound of trumpets blasted through the air and I felt something rushing toward me from the front. As I began to cower into a ball, Galaxy breathed a sigh of relief. "It's ok now. You can look."

When I opened my eyes, I saw a royal chariot passing overhead, drawn by two majestic snow white pegasi. As it neared the wall, the crowd of changelings fled before its presence and scrambled to the other side. The chariot parked itself in front of the gate and out came Shining Armor.

Walking up to the gate and peering into the holes, he shouted, "How many times do you have to learn that Celestia's will is not to be taken lightly? Are you all really that thick headed? Open up!"

At once, the gate lifted with a sound reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard, only louder. When it was done, Shining Armor once more entered the chariot, and flew off once again over the sea.

"Well then" said Galaxy, "that was actually a lot quicker that I thought. Come now, let's go inside."

We walked through. The changelings stood on either side of the entrance. When we had passed, they let down the gate with a tremendous clamor and bothered us no more.

Since Galaxy has said Spite was a city, I expected to see many buildings but that was not the case. Instead, I saw before me a vast cemetery of open flaming tombs; a large plain spotted with infinite points of light.

"Wow, what is this?" I asked

"This is the final resting place for all who were unfriendly." said Galaxy, "Those who throughout their lives were always sour and cranky. Each of them had many opportunities throughout their lives to make friends and have fun but they chose not to. By rejecting the magic of friendship, they condemned themselves to this horrible fate.